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Αlpha-solanine (α-solanine) is a glycoalkaloid present in potato (Solanum tuberosum). It has been of particular interest because of its toxicity and potential teratogenic effects that include abnormalities of the central nervous system, such as exencephaly, encephalocele, and anophthalmia. Various types of cell culture have been used as experimental models to determine the effect of α-solanine on cell physiology. The morphological changes in the mesenchymal stem cell upon exposure to α-solanine have not been established. This study aimed to describe a reliable and reproducible model for assessing the structural changes induced by exposure of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to different concentrations of α-solanine for 24 h. The results demonstrate that nonlethal concentrations of α-solanine (2–6 μM) changed the morphology of the cells, including an increase in the number of nucleoli, suggesting elevated protein synthesis, and the formation of spicules. In addition, treatment with α-solanine reduced the number of adherent cells and the formation of colonies in culture. Immunophenotypic characterization and staining of MSCs are proposed as a reproducible method that allows description of cells exposed to the glycoalkaloid, α-solanine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To implement the use of China ink, as an alternative technique, to display morphological changes in cellular wall and cellular matrix in adherent living cells in culture flask, before and after exposure to a toxic substance. Methods. China Ink was implemented as a contrast technique in optical microscopy, by comparing observed sharpness (proper appreciation of edge structures) from cultures of bone marrow stem cells (CTMO) exposed to the toxic glycoalkaloid α-solanine. The sharpness differences were compared among the diverse treatments with Fisher’s exact test. Results. China Ink staining clearly helps to identify abnormal phenotypic changes, secondary to cytotoxic exposure in adherent cells in culture (p <0.0001). Conclusions. China Ink is useful in clearly displaying the CTMO cells and the effects of the α-solanine glycoalkaloid in adherent cells in culture. It is a simple method that contributes to the understanding of the effect of various substances on CTMO in culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medical Informatics (MI) studies the intersection among computer technology, medicine and the influence of electronic clinical history and the intelligent systems for diagnosis support in clinical decision making. The inadequate use of technology may divert the purposes of MI towards an inadequate use by third parties involved in clinical health care, such as health care managers or insurance agents. The principles for "use and appropriate user for MI applications" as base are proposed to manage suitably computational technology in health care. The development of these principles must be based in the evaluation of their applications, emphasizing that the evaluation must be carried out with the same considerations as other types of medical or surgical interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: using preconceptional folic acid for preventing neural tube defects (NTD) is a recommendation having a great impact on public health. This review was aimed at describing an NTD embryological development model and the mechanisms by which folic acid reduces such malformation's prevalence. Methodology: a systematic search was made of medical literature related to folic acid deficiency and NTD pathogenesis. A search was done in MEDLINE, using PubMed, OVID, LILACS and SciELO. The selected papers led to modelling the disease's physiopathology from embryology to clinical presentation, highlighting folic acid's role in cell proliferation and neurulation. Results: the physiopathological model of NTD is presented as well as the relationship between decreased folic acid concentration and neurulation failure. Conclusions: this model should serve as a means of understanding the disease's development, highlighting folic acid consumption's impact on foetal and maternal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]