Patients undergoing coronary revascularization with extracorporeal circulation or cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may develop several biochemical changes in the microcirculation that lead to a systemic inflammatory response. Surgical incision, post-CPB reperfusion injury and blood contact with non-endothelial membranes can activate inflammatory signaling pathways that lead to the production and activation of inflammatory cells, with cytokine production and oxidative stress. This inflammatory storm can cause damage to vital organs, especially the heart, and thus lead to complications in the postoperative period. In addition to the organic pathophysiology during and after the period of exposure to extracorporeal circulation, this review addresses new perspectives for intraoperative treatment and management that may lead to a reduction in this inflammatory storm and thereby improve the prognosis and possibly reduce the mortality of these patients.

Testosterone is responsible for several changes in the brain, including behavioral and emotional responses, memory, and cognition. Given this, we investigated changes in the brain wave profile caused by supplementation with exogenous testosterone in both castrated and non-castrated rats. We also investigated the serum testosterone levels, renal and hepatic function, and the lipid and behavioral profiles. We found changes in the spectral wave power in both groups (castrated and non-castrated animals) supplemented with exogenous testosterone, consistent with an aggressive/hostile profile. These changes were observed in the electrocorticographic evaluation associated with increased power in low-frequency (delta and theta) and high-frequency (beta and gamma) activity in the supplemented animals. The castrated animals presented a significant decrease of wave power in the alpha frequency. This correlated with a decrease of the performance of the animals in the elevated plus-maze evaluation, given that the alpha wave is linked to the execution and visualization of motor processes. In the behavioral evaluation, the castrated animals presented a reduced permanence time in the elevated-plus maze, although this was prevented by the supplementation of testosterone. Testosterone supplementation induced aggressive behavior in non-castrated animals, but not in castrated ones. Supplemented animals had significantly elevated serum testosterone levels, while their urea levels were significantly lower, but without clinical significance. Our data indicate that testosterone supplementation in non-castrated rats, but not in castrated ones, causes electrocorticographic changes that could be associated with more aggressive and hostile behavior, in addition to indicating a potential for personality disorder. However, further studies are required to elucidate the cellular and molecular changes caused by acute testosterone supplementation.

Ischemic stroke is one of the principal causes of morbidity and mortality around the world. The pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to the formation of the stroke lesions range from the bioenergetic failure of the cells and the intense production of reactive oxygen species to neuroinflammation. The fruit of the açaí palm, Euterpe oleracea Mart. (EO), is consumed by traditional populations in the Brazilian Amazon region, and it is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We evaluated whether the clarified extract of EO was capable of reducing the area of lesion and promoting neuronal survival following ischemic stroke in rats. Animals submitted to ischemic stroke and treated with EO extract presented a significant improvement in their neurological deficit from the ninth day onward. We also observed a reduction in the extent of the cerebral injury and the preservation of the neurons of the cortical layers. Taken together, our findings indicate that treatment with EO extract in the acute phase following a stroke can trigger signaling pathways that culminate in neuronal survival and promote the partial recovery of neurological scores. However, further detailed studies of the intracellular signaling pathways are needed to better understand the mechanisms involved.

Introduction: Local anesthetics are widely used in clinical practice. While toxicity is rare, these drugs can cause potentially lethal seizures.Objective: In the present study, we investigated the electrocorticographic (ECoG) and electromyographic patterns of seizures induced by acute lidocaine (LA) toxicity and treated with anticonvulsant drugs. The study used adult male Wistar rats to describe of the seizure‐related behavior of LA and investigated the treatment with anticonvulsant drugs.Results: The use of LA resulted in clear changes in the ECoG pattern, which presented characteristics of Status epilepticus, with increased intensity in all brainwaves. The decomposition of the cerebral waves showed an increase in the beta and gamma waves that may be related to tonic–clonic seizure. Although the treatment with anticonvulsants drugs reduces the power of brainwaves at frequencies between 1 and 40 Hz compared to the LA group, but only diazepam (DZP) was able to decrease the intensity of oscillations. The muscle contraction power also indicated a difference in the effectiveness of the three treatments.Conclusion: The sum of the evidence indicates that LA causes status epilepticus and that DZP is the most effective treatment for the control of these seizures, by restoring the systemic values to levels close to those recorded in the control group.

Introduction: Brazil has registered more than 62,000 confirmed cases of leptospirosis between 2001 and 2017, with more than 2,000 cases confirmed in the State of Pará. Despite a large number of cases, no study has been conducted to trace the spatio-temporal profile of the disease. Methodology: Confirmed cases of leptospirosis from 2001 to 2017 from the state of Pará were the basis for this space-time study. The database of the Department of Informatics of the Ministry of Health was used to access data on leptospirosis. The spatio-temporal analysis was performed in the SaTScan software for the detection of clusters, and maps were generated in the QGIS software. Results: The municipalities of Belém and Santarém were among the ones with the highest incidence rates of leptospirosis for the whole study period. Increased number of cases in Soure, Inhangapi, São João da Ponta and Magalhães Barata, Ponta de Pedras, Breves, Bragança, Castanhal, and São Domingos do Capim were identified in different time periods. Santarém and Belém are the main foci of leptospirosis because they are the most urbanized and densely populated municipalities in the State. The cases found in smaller municipalities may be associated with periods of more frequent rainfall and circulation of Leptospira sp. in marsupials and cattle, in the northeastern part of the State. Conclusion: Further studies are needed to help identify the risk factors that contribute to the occurrence of leptospirosis in the State of Pará, particularly in areas with lower population density.