Publications by authors named "Francisco H Rola"

Background: The repetitive ElectroMagnetic Stimulation (rEMS) is an innocuous method applied to modulate neurocircuits in real-time to study the physiology of the central nervous system and treat neuropsychiatric conditions. Preliminary data suggest that spinal rEMS induces behavioral changes in awake rats. However, the mechanisms behind this phenomenon remain largely unknown.

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Background: Several neurological diseases, especially different types of peripheral neuropathy (PN) are common in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: We prospectively evaluated the presence of PN in 121 patients with IBD (51 with Crohn's disease [CD] and 70 with ulcerative colitis [UC]) and 50 controls (gastritis and dyspepsia) over 3.5 years.

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Objective: The role of religious involvement in mental health has been increasingly investigated in psychiatric research; however, there is a shortage of scales on religiousness in Portuguese. The present study aimed to develop and validate a brief instrument to assess intrinsic religiosity (Intrinsic Religiousness Inventory - IRI) in two Brazilian samples.

Method: The initial version was based on literature review and experts' suggestions.

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Cisplatin is a chemotherapy agent known for its neurotoxicity. We evaluated the effect of cisplatin on the gastric emptying (GE), gastrointestinal (GI) transit of liquid, baroreflex function, thermal, and mechanical withdrawal latencies in rats. Cisplatin increased the GE of liquid with doses ≥ 2 mg.

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Heart rate changes are common in epileptic and non-epileptic seizures. Previous studies have not adequately assessed the contribution of motor activity on these changes nor have evaluated them during prolonged monitoring. We retrospectively evaluated 143 seizures and auras from 76 patients admitted for video EEG monitoring.

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Phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) specifically cleaves cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), a key intracellular secondary messenger. The PDE5 inhibitor sildenafil is a well-known vasodilator that also has gastrointestinal myorelaxant properties. In the present study, we further investigated sildenafil-induced myorelaxation in rat isolated duodenum, assessing its interaction with nitric oxide (NO) synthase and K(+) channel opening.

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Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with severe autonomic changes, including inhibition of gastrointestinal (GI) motility. GI motility changes are known to affect electrolytes transport and these changes have not been adequately studied after SCI. We studied the ileal permeability to fluid and electrolytes in rats submitted to experimental spinal cord transection (SCT), between T4 and T5, throughout the first week after SCT.

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The distinction of non-epileptic from epileptic events is difficult even for experienced neurologists. We retrospectively evaluated 59 dialeptic events from 27 patients admitted for video EEG monitoring to check whether heart rate (HR) analysis could help in differentiating dialeptic complex partial temporal lobe seizures (TLS) from dialeptic simple partial TLS, and non-epileptic dialeptic events. Baseline HR was increased in the simple partial TLS in comparison to complex partial TLS and non-epileptic groups (p<0.

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Purpose: To study the effect of 1,8 cineole components of the essential oil of Croton nepetaefolius--plant of North-East of Brasil, used in the popular medicine for riots of the gastrointestinal tract--on the motor behavior of the gut of Wistar rats.

Methods: Used 16 male animals under jejun of 24h weighing 300-350 g. The effect of 1.

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1. Sildenafil citrate (Viagratrade mark; Pfizer, Sandwich, Kent, UK), a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, rises cGMP levels in smooth muscle cells. It relaxes both vascular and visceral smooth muscle.

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The outcome of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on gastrointestinal motor behavior was assessed in awake rats. Under anesthesia, they were submitted to thoracotomy followed or not by occlusion of the left coronary artery. Next day, they were gavage fed (1.

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We studied the effect of sildenafil on gastric emptying (GE) and gastrointestinal (GI) transit in awake rats. After cervical vessel cannulation and 24 hr of fasting, the animals received an intravenous (IV) injection of sildenafil (4 mg/kg) or vehicle. Next they were gavage fed (1.

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Aims: This study evaluates the effect of bilateral nephrectomy on the gastric emptying of a liquid meal.

Methods: Male rats were submitted under anesthesia to cervical vessels cannulation and bilateral lumbar incision, followed or not by nephrectomy. Next day, they were gavage fed (1.

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