Effect Of Different Agents Research Articles

Diabetes pharmacotherapy and effects on the musculoskeletal system.

Persons with type 1 or type 2 diabetes have a significantly higher fracture risk than age-matched persons without diabetes, attributed to disease-specific deficits in the microarchitecture and material properties of bone tissue. Therefore, independent effects of diabetes drugs on skeletal integrity are vitally important. Studies of incretin-based therapies have shown divergent effects of different agents on fracture risk, including detrimental, beneficial, and neutral effects. The sulfonylurea class of drugs, owing to its hypoglycemic potential, is thought to amplify the risk of fall-related fractures, particularly in the elderly. Other agents such as the biguanides may, in fact, be osteo-anabolic. In contrast, despite similarly expected anabolic properties of insulin, data suggests that insulin pharmacotherapy itself, particularly in type 2 diabetes, may be a risk factor for fracture, negatively associated with determinants of bone quality and bone strength. Finally, sodium-dependent glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors have been associated with an increased risk of atypical fractures in select populations, and possibly with an increase in lower extremity amputation with specific SGLT2I drugs. The role of skeletal muscle, as a potential mediator and determinant of bone quality, is also a relevant area of exploration. Currently, data regarding the impact of glucose lowering medications on diabetes-related muscle atrophy is more limited, although preclinical studies suggest that various hypoglycemic agents may have either aggravating (sulfonylureas, glinides) or repairing (thiazolidinediones, biguanides, incretins) effects on skeletal muscle atrophy, thereby influencing bone quality. Hence, the therapeutic efficacy of each hypoglycemic agent must also be evaluated in light of its impact, alone or in combination, on musculoskeletal health, when determining an individualized treatment approach. Moreover, the effect of newer medications (potentially seeking expanded clinical indication into the pediatric age range) on the growing skeleton is largely unknown. Herein, we review the available literature regarding effects of diabetes pharmacotherapy, by drug class and/or by clinical indication, on the musculoskeletal health of persons with diabetes.

Methylnitrosourea (MNU)–induced carcinogenesis and inflammation in some selected organs of female albino rats

Methylnitrosourea (MNU) is an alkylating agent which exhibits its toxicity by transferring its methyl group to nucleobases in nucleic acids, causing AT:GC transition mutations. It was originally designed as a chemotherapeutic alkylating compound, but later proven to exert direct carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic potential. The carcinogenic effect of methylnitrosourea in some selected organs of female albino rats was evaluated using a modified protocol. Histopathological assessment of breast, liver, lungs and skin tissues of experimental animals was carried out using H and E staining procedure. Tumour markers, cancer antigen 15.3, 27.29 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the blood of experimental animals were evaluated using an automated procedure. Histopathological examination revealed severe panniculitis in skin tissues, sinusoidal congestion in liver tissues, severe pulmonary inflammation in lung tissues, and stromal fibrosis in breast tissues. There was an increase in tumour marker levels in the blood of MNU induced rats compared to the controls group of rats. There was a significant difference between the values of CA 15.3 (p < 0.01) and CEA (p < 0.05) in rats induced with MNU when compared with the control. Cancer antigen 27.29 values showed no significant difference between the rats induced with MNU and control. Different forms of early stages of carcinogenesis were induced in female Albino rats using a novel and modified cancer induction protocol. Knowledge from this study did not only provide insight into possible harmful effects of MNU which could be obtained from foods containing nitrosamines, but it also provided the opportunity to test and prove a modified protocol of cancer induction which could be used to evaluate the preventive and therapeutic effect of different agents for human breast cancer within a short period of time.

Effectiveness for dentin hypersensitivity treatment of non-carious cervical lesions: a meta-analysis.

The aim of this review is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing the effectiveness of in-home or in-office treatments for dentin hypersensitivity. An electronic search without restriction on dates or languages was performed in four electronic databases until March 2017. In addition, hand-searches in regular journals and in the gray literature were also conducted. To develop the search strategy, clinical questions were formulated using the PICOS method. Eligibility criteria included randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared the effectiveness of different agents for the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity through chemical occlusion, physical occlusion, nerve desensitization, or photobiomodulation (low-level light therapy). This systematic review was registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42016039394. Twenty-five RCTs (16 parallel; 9 split-mouth), published from 1992 to 2016, were included. The results of the meta-analysis showed that in-office subgroups treated with chemical or physical occlusion of dentin tubules and nerve desensitization had a statistically significant difference from placebo, with P < 0.00001, P < 0.00001, and P = 0.02, respectively. For in-home treatments, the results of the meta-analysis showed that only those subgroups treated with chemical occlusion of dentin tubules and nerve desensitization exhibited a statistically significant difference from placebo, with P < 0.00001 and P = 0.03, respectively. The results of pairwise meta-analysis suggest that among in-office treatments, dentinal tubule occlusion (whether chemical or physical) and nerve desensitization provide the best outcomes for treatment of dentin hypersensitivity. For in-home treatments, only chemical occlusion of dentin tubules and nerve desensitization showed a greater treatment efficacy than placebo and the difference was statistically significant.

The effects of different agents preferred for general anesthesia on lactate and liver enzymes in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of different agents used for anesthesia maintenance on liver enzymes and lactate changes in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy using CO2 pneumoperitoneum with constant pressure. Seventy-five patients planned to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy operation have been randomly divided into 3 groups. Liver function tests have been evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively in the 24th hour. Arterial blood samples for lactate level determination were obtained: (T_1) immediately before pneumoperitoneum, (T_2) 10 min after pneumoperitoneum, (T_3) 30 min after pneumoperitoneum, (T_4) 60 min after desufflation of CO2. Patients scheduled to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy operation. The possible effects of different agents used for anesthesia maintenance on liver enzymes and lactate changes in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In comparison of lactate values, there were no differences between the three groups in T_1, T_2 and T_4 measurements (P=0.059, P=0.108, P=0.225). However, in the T_3 measurements, lactate values are lower in the Group P, compared to Group S and D (P=0.001, P=0.001). Postoperative AST and ALT values are lower in the Group P, compared to Group S and D (P

Disinfection of the Goldman applanation tonometer: a systematic review

ObjectivesThe Goldmann applanation tonometer is the gold standard for measuring intraocular pressure and a possible vector for the transmission of infectious diseases. The purpose of this study is to consolidate the evidence pertaining to the disinfection of Goldmann tonometers in an effort to facilitate an informed discussion regarding public policy in this important area. DesignSystematic review. MethodsAn exhaustive literature review was undertaken to identify primary-level research that assesses the effectiveness of different agents used in the disinfection of Goldmann applanation tonometer prisms. Seven discrete databases were reviewed by 2 independent researchers, and a symmetrical screening process was used to identify and review all pertinent studies. ResultsOur review identified only 19 primary-level studies that relate specifically to the disinfection of Goldmann tonometer prisms. These studies are largely heterogeneous with regard to the pathogens and disinfectants that were tested and the experimental protocols that were employed. Accordingly, definitive conclusions as to the optimal agent cannot be made on this basis. Furthermore, the results of our review reinforce previous suggestions that only adenovirus has been transmitted between patients via the Goldmann tonometer. ConclusionsThe present state of the literature does not permit a definitive conclusion regarding optimal disinfection agent for Goldmann applanation tonometer prisms. Further well-constructed studies are required to better delineate the effectiveness of disinfectants in the specific context of tonometer prisms.

The role of steroids in oncological practice

Corticosteroids are a class of steroid hormones that are produced and disengage in the adrenal cortex. Traditionally natural and synthetic corticosteroids are used for diagnosing and treating dysfunctions of the adrenal cortex and treating inflammatory and immunological diseases. Their use is also widespread in oncological practice. Corticosteroids are indispensable in palliative care, in certain urgent oncological cases, as premedication of some chemotherapies and last but not least they have a key role in the secondary hormonal manipulations of metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. The purpose of our review is to describe and compare the effects of different agents in oncological practice, to give a detailed account of the above mentioned indications and would also like to draw attention to the possible side effects of a long-term steroid treatment. Orv Hetil. 2017; 158(42): 1651-1657.

Effectiveness of Various Treatment Agents for Opioid-Induced Constipation: A Meta-Analysis

Introduction: With the increasing use of opioids for benign disorders, we also see a rise of adverse effects, which opened up a market for drugs targeting these problems. Peripherally restricted opioid antagonists have been developed to treat opioid-induced constipation (OIC). While studies clearly demonstrated efficacy, laxatives with different mechanisms of actions have similarly been tested and in one case specifically approved for OIC. Our aim was to define effectiveness of different agents based on a meta-analysis of published trials. Methods: Considering different endpoints, we focused on dichotomized results (responder vs. nonresponder) and assessed results using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (Biostat, NJ). Results are given as mean odd ratio of superiority over placebo with 95% confidence intervals. Results: We identified 24 studies that dichotomized outcomes and provided sufficient details for inclusion (8 methylnaltrexone; 3 naloxone; 2 naloxegol; 3 lubiprostone; 4 alvimopan; 2 naldemedine, 1 prucalopride, 1 axelopran). The studies provided data on 8918 patients. Pharmacological therapies studied were superior to placebo (OR: 2.57 [95%CI: 2.037-3.242]; P=0.000). Endpoints and study duration differed complicating a comparison. Studies using time to first bowel movement as the primary endpoint showed a significantly greater benefit over placebo (OR: 3.892 [95%CI: 2.177-6.957]; P=0.0014) as compared to trials that focused on bowel movements/week (OR: 2.056 [95%CI: 1.732-2.442]; P<0.05)). As all methylnaltrexone studies reported time-based data, there was a higher benefit over placebo (OR:6.60 [95%CI:2.98-14.88]; P=0.045) compared with the other agents, alvimopan (OR:2.00 [95% CI:1.43-2.89]; P<0.001), lubiprostone (OR:1.80 [95% CI:1.40-2.32]; P<0.001) and naloxegol (OR:1.81 [95%CI:1.40-2.34]; P<0.001). Conclusion: Our results support the effectiveness of pharmacological therapies for the management of OIC. Studies focusing on time-to-defecation suggest higher therapeutic gains over placebo, but are clinically not as meaningful in chronic conditions, such as constipation. Results describing weekly defecation frequencies showed benefit over placebo independent of the underlying treatment mechanism, raising questions about the true gain of the often more costly therapies with peripherally restricted opioid antagonists.

Skin Specific Cells and UVB Damage An experimental assessment

The alarming increased incidence of skin cancers is closely related to ultraviolet radiation exposure, known to induce cellular transformation in epidermal and dermal layers. The current study describes the behavior of normal (human keratinocytes � HaCat and fibroblasts -1BR3) and tumor cells (human � A375 and murine � B164A5 and B16-F0 - melanoma) after UVB irradiation. A dose of 40 mJ/cm2 (312 nm) led to a decrease of both normal and tumor cells viability in a post-exposure time dependent manner, the most statistically significant reduction being recorded at 24h post-exposure. Moreover, some changes in the shape of cells exposed to UVB were detected. Our results confirm the cytotoxic effects associated with UVB exposure and could be further employed to evaluate the photo-protective effects of different agents.

Spasmogenic Effects of the Proteasome Inhibitor Carfilzomib on Coronary Resistance, Vascular Tone and Reactivity

BackgroundCarfilzomib (CFZ) is a new proteasome inhibitor used for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Besides heart failure, angina and myocardial ischemia occurred following administration of CFZ, which is not contraindicated in patients with recent myocardial infarction/unstable angina excluded from the safety trials. Aim of StudyTo test the effects of CFZ (10−9 to 10−7mol/L) on vascular tone and reactivity in the isolated rabbit heart and aorta. Methods and ResultsCFZ administered by bolus injection to the isolated heart increased coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) at all tested concentrations and mildly raised left ventricular pressure and heart rate, only at the highest concentration. Addition of CFZ directly into the organ bath increased the basal tone of isolated aortic strips with contraction plateau reached after 10min. This spasmogenic effect doubled following ablation of the endothelium. Pretreatment with CFZ amplified the vasospastic action exerted by KCl, noradrenaline (NA) and angiotensin II (A) on aortic strips, and impaired vasodilation following administration of nitroglycerin (NTG) and nifedipine (NFP) on the contraction plateau induced by KCl, NA and A. Aortic strips pretreated with CFZ exhibited impaired relaxation, as compared to untreated strips, following administration of acetylcholine (Ach), an endothelium-dependent vasodilating agent, on the plateau of NA contraction (p<0.05). ConclusionsCFZ increased CPP, resting vasoconstricting tone and the spasmogenic effect of different agents. Preincubation with CFZ decreased the anti-spasmogenic activity of NTG and NFP, as well as reduced by over 50% the vasodilating effect of Ach, suggesting that CFZ can impair vasodilation via an endothelium dependent mechanism. Further studies are warranted to establish its clinical safety in patients with known CAD and prior history of coronary spasm.

Triazole Fungicides Inhibit Zebrafish Hatching by Blocking the Secretory Function of Hatching Gland Cells.

In animals, hatching represents the transition point from a developing embryo to a free-living individual, the larva. This process is finely regulated by many endogenous and environmental factors and has been shown to be sensitive to a variety of chemical agents. It is commonly evaluated in bioassays in order to establish the effects of different agents on early development and reproductive capabilities in fish and other aquatic animals. In fish, the breakdown of the chorion is achieved by the secretion of choriolysin by hatching gland cells (HGCs) into the perivitelline space (PVS), coupled with spontaneous movements of the developing larva. In this work, we used zebrafish to assay the effects of a family of widely used agrochemicals—triazoles Triadimefon (FON), Triadimenol (NOL) and free triazole (1,2,4-T)—on hatching success. We found a strong inhibition of hatching by triazole exposure which was correlated with morphological changes and a reduction in the secretory function of the HGCs. As a consequence, the release of choriolytic enzymes by HGCs was reduced. We also found that HGC secretion reduction after exposure to FON can be rescued by co-incubation with a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist but not by antagonists of the D1-like receptors. This suggests a specific pathway through which this family of fungicides may be impairing a critical event in the fish life cycle.

Scolicidal agents for protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus hydatid cyst: Review of literature.

Hydatid cyst is the larval stage of dog tape worm Echinococcus granulosus. Protoscolices are parasite larvae that develop into adult worms in the final host intestine. During surgical treatment of human hydatidsosis spillage of live protoscolices is the major cause of hydatidosis recurrence. To prevent this problem scolicidal agent such as hypertonic salt are used to kill the protoscolices that may disseminate into the patient's tissues during surgery. However, they may have some unacceptable side effects. To find scolicidal agents with high efficacy, the effect of different compounds on protoscolices of hydatid cyst in vitro has been reviewed. Using PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and SID databases articles about scolicidal effects of different agents on protoscolices of hydatid cyst in vitro were collected. Foeniculum vulgare after 5 min, metalonic extracts of Allium sativum and hypertonic saline after 10 min, and warm water after 2 min kill all alive protoscolices. The above agents that in minimum time and minimum concentration have 100% scolicidal activity, could be good candidates for further investigations.

Effect of different agents with potential antibiofilm activity on antimicrobial susceptibility of biofilms formed by Staphylococcus spp. isolated from implant-related infections.

An in vitro study aimed to evaluate the effect of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) or sub-ICs of erythromycin on antimicrobial susceptibility of staphylococcal biofilms was performed. Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis strains were isolated from patients with prosthetic joint infections using a previously published sonication procedure. Conventional susceptibility studies were performed using microdilution according to the CLSI procedures. Biofilm susceptibility was performed using the Calgary methodology. The addition of NAC showed no effect with the S. aureus strains, and a strain-dependent effect with the S. epidermidis strains. No effect was detected with erythromycin for almost all tested strains.

The Feasibility Study of Extinguishing Oil Tank Fire by Using Compressed Air Foam System

Because of the complex characteristics of oil liquid, oil tank fire is more complex, and we need to consider the performance of fire extinguishing agent and environmental factorin the process of fighting, so fire suppression of oil tank fire is hard. This page analyzed the combustion characteristic of oil tank fires and themechanism of foam loss. Based on the previous studies, this paper provides guide ides of oil tank fire by discussing the feasibility and applicability of suppressing oil tank fire by using compressed air foam system (CAFS) with different fire extinction agents and analyzing the effectiveness of different agents.

Effect of silver diamine fluoride and ammonium hexafluorosilicate applications with and without Er:YAG laser irradiation on the microtensile bond strength in sound and caries-affected dentin.

Cariostatic and preventive agents are applied to create caries-resistant dentin surfaces and may affect subsequent resin bonding. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different agents with and without Er:YAG laser irradiation on the microtensile bond strength (µTBS) of resin composite to sound dentin (SD) and caries-affected dentin (CAD), and to assess the morphological and chemical changes in the specimens. Ninety-six extracted molar teeth were divided into a control group (deionized water) and two experimental groups (ammonium hexafluorosilicate [SiF], silver diamine fluoride [SDF]), that subdivided according to different conditions (SD, CAD, SD+laser irradiation, CAD+laser irradiation). After treatment procedures, the teeth were restored and the µTBS was tested with a universal testing machine. Morover, 144 teeth were prepared and after treatment modalities; morphological changes of the surface were investigated and elemental analyses were performed using scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). The data were analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. SDF and SiF applications reduced the µTBS values in both the SD and CAD subgroups (P < 0.05). Laser irradiation increased the µTBS values in the SiF group and the values were adversely affected in the SDF group (P < 0.05). Fluoride content of the specimens increased in all of the treatment groups, compared with the control group. Silver content was detected only in the SDF group, and silicon was detected only in the SiF group. The µTBS values of resin composite, surface morphology and chemical characteristics of dentin were affected by the material type, dentin condition and laser irradiation and the use of SiF and SDF solutions under the resin restorations do not seem appropriate.

Effect of crowding on several stages of protein aggregation in test systems in the presence of α-crystallin

Macromolecular crowding can facilitate protein–protein interactions in the cell, in particular aggregation processes. To characterize the anti-aggregation activity of chaperones under conditions mimicking the crowded environment in the cell, two basic test systems are used. Test systems of the first type are based on aggregation of target proteins undergoing unfolding under different factors. Dithithreitol-induced aggregation of α-lactalbumin is used as such a system. The increase in the duration of lag phase after the addition of the crowder (polyethylene glycol; PEG) to the system containing α-crystallin has been interpreted as a retardation of the stages that are the rate-limiting stages of the general process of aggregation (the nucleation stage and the stages of clusterization of nuclei). Test systems of the second type are based on aggregation of UV-irradiated proteins. Such test systems permit investigating the effects of different agents directly on the stages of aggregation of unfolded protein. UV-irradiated glycogen phosphorylase b (Phb) is used as a target protein. Analysis of the initial rate of aggregation after the addition of PEG at different points in time to the mixture of UV-irradiated Phb and α-crystallin allowed estimating the time of half-conversion for the structural rearrangement of the primary UV-irradiated Phb–α-crystallin complex.

We heart cultured hearts. A comparative review of methodologies for targeted differentiation and maintenance of cardiomyocytes derived from pluripotent and multipotent stem cells

Human cell lines, including disease cell lines are often superior to routine animal models for the purposes of rapid and safe assessment of the effects of different agents that may modulate myocardial functioning under physiological and pathological conditions. There are several currently existing methodologies for derivation of cardiomyocyte-like cells by targeted differentiation from pluripotent cells and by reprogramming/transdifferentiation from other types of cells (multipotent progenitors, somatic cells, etc). The present paper reviews the potential sources of cells capable of differentiation along the cardiomyocyte lineage; the existing methodologies for targeted differentiation, outlining the specificities of each method; and the markers for differentiation along the mesodermal and the cardiogenic lineage. The yield of robustly beating cells expressing cardio-specific proteins derived by any of the existing methods, however, still rarely exceeds 70-90 %, even with the newly developed approaches for increasing the differentiation capacity. There still is significant variance in the results obtained by different research groups and even between different experiments carried out in the same laboratory, with the same type of cells and same general type of protocol. Derivation of new lines of human pluripotent and multipotent stem cells according to standardised protocols and in completely defined; xeno-free conditions may increase the reliability and reproducibility of research and speed up the development of potential clinical applications.

Abstracts

Abstracts

Abstract 12193: Cardiovascular Toxicity of Carfilzomib on Vascular Tone, Vascular Reactivity and Endothelial Function

Background: Carfilzomib (CFZ) is a new proteasome inhibitor used for the treatment of Multiple Myeloma (MM). Cardiac failure events (7.2%) and myocardial ischemia have occurred following administration CFZ. Infusion reactions also include chest thightness and angina of unknown mechanism. Aim of study: To investigate whether CFZ exerts in vitro effects on vascular tone and reactivity in an isolated experimental model of rabbit thoracic aortic-strips. Methods and Results: We evaluated first the effect of single injections of CFZ on the basal tone of isolated aortic strips (n= 6) placed in 10 ml organ bath at 37°C containing Krebs-Henseleit solution. Vasoconscriction, as documented by an overall increase in tension of 0.5 g, was observed with increasing concentrations of CFZ (from 1 x 10-9 to 10 -7 mol/L; p:0.041). In a second set of experiments, the effect of three different spasmogenic agents [potassium chloride (KCl) (n= 6), noradrenaline (NA) (n= 6), and angiontensin II (A) (n= 6)] on naive aortic strips (group 1) was compared to that on aortic strips pretrated for 60 minutes with CFZ at a concentration of 15 nmol/L (group 2). Pretreatment with CFZ resulted in amplified vasocostriction (2.4±0.4 g vs 2.1±0.3 g for KCl administration; 2.5±0.3 g vs 2.0±0.2 g for NA; 2.6±0.2 g vs 2.0±0.2 g for A; all p&lt;0.005) and impaired vasodilation following administration of nitroglycerin (NTG) on the plateau of contraction induced by each spasmogenic agent (100% vs 82% for KCl; 100% vs 67% for NA and 100% vs 51% for A; all p&lt;0.05). Finally, aortic strips pretreated with CFZ exhibited impaired relaxation, as compared to naive strips (100 % versus 40% in tension reduction; p:0.028), following administration of acetylcholine (Ach), an endothelium-dependent vasodilating agent, on the plateau of NA contraction. Conclusions: CFZ increased the resting vasoconstricting tone and amplified the spasmogenic effect of different agents. Moreover, preincubation with CFZ decreased the anti-spasmogenic activity of NTG and reduced by over 50% the vasodilating effect of Ach, suggesting that CFZ can impair vasodilation by inducing endothelial dysfunction. Further studies are warranted to establish its clinical safety in patients with known CAD and prior history of coronary spasm.

Myofascial pain: from Virchow's to our days

Myalgia is not a definite nosological entity and fixes the attention of neurologists, rheumatologists, and physicians in other specialties. This is first of all associated with the high incidence of chronic pain syndrome that leads to long-term disability mainly in young and middle-aged persons. One of the most common reasons for seeking advice from a therapist and neurologist is low back pain that may be due to the involvement of three key anatomical players: facet joints (arthrosis treatment should make an emphasis on hondroprotectors), intervertebral disks (in case of discopathy, clinicians tend to favor nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs – NSAIDs), and a muscular frame. In this case, two thirds of patients with pain syndromes in the trunk and limbs are found to have myofascial dysfunction that is defined as impaired function of one or other muscle, which occurs with its overload and manifests itself as muscle spasm and the presence of painful muscle infiltrations or local muscle hypertonus and trigger points in the tense muscles. Ignoring this fact gives rise to the irrational use of analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs and further to the increase of their doses because the treatment is ineffective. Modern-day therapy for myofascial syndrome is multimodal and encompasses physiotherapic and manual procedures and the use of myorelaxants rather than NSAIDs. To prescribe myorelaxants, it is necessary to understand their mechanisms of action and the effects of different agents in this group.

Percepção dos gestores sobre o processo de institucionalização do Balanced Scorecard de uma empresa de saneamento

O Balanced Scorecard (BSC) é um dos artefatos de gestão mais utilizados pelas grandes empresas, porém muitas organizações têm dificuldades em sua implementação e uso. Essa pesquisa buscou conhecer os fatores que colaboraram para a institucionalização e/ou desinstitucionalização do BSC numa grande empresa de saneamento básico. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida por meio da investigação com questionários junto aos gestores, com os quais foi possível identificar, à luz da teoria institucional, mais especificamente da nova sociologia institucional, as motivações de ordem sociológica que contribuíram para a institucionalização e/ou desinstitucionalização do BSC na organização. Concluiu-se que os efeitos conjugados da força de diversos agentes que atuaram em função de interesses próprios, a falta de formação de um ambiente técnico institucionalizado e, desde um dado momento, a falta das condições que sustentavam e mantinham os ambientes técnicos (saída da principal liderança) foram as principais causas que contribuíram para o processo de desinstitucionalização do BSC.