Abstract The recent edition of the Red Book of Endangered Brazilian Fauna brings 1,173 threatened species, 86% of them in terrestrial or freshwater environments. For these species, the main threat vector is agricultural activities that affect 519 species (51%). This information brought by the Red Book is examined in-depth and its consistency is discussed in search of an objective view on the impacts of agriculture, its importance, how they affect the different groups of animals, the different biomes of the country, and the different types of habitats continental. Birds, fish, and invertebrates are the groups with the highest number of species threatened by agricultural activity, accounting for more than 70% of the species. Habitat loss is by far the biggest impact caused by the activity, affecting almost 90% of the species. However, there is a difference between the impact of agriculture and livestock. The work seeks to understand why livestock threatens a smaller number of species, although pastures occupy more than twice the area occupied by crops and forestry. The work brings an objective debate on the relationship between agricultural activities and the conservation of wild fauna in Brazil, without falling into the trap of the useless demonization of human activities, highlighting, instead, the need to define and implement strategies for the conservation of biodiversity in the midst the land use matrix itself, complementary to the conservation units, based on the best available information on the vulnerability of fauna to the impacts of this vector.

RESUMO Objetivou-se, por meio do presente estudo, avaliar o método de colheita farmacológica de sêmen com sondagem uretral, em machos de onças-pardas (Puma concolor) mantidos em cativeiro. A técnica proposta (Cat; N=3) foi comparada com a eletroejaculação (EE; N=4). Para a colheita farmacológica, utilizou-se medetomidina para induzir a liberação de sêmen na uretra e sonda uretral para gatos, sem janela lateral, para colheita do sêmen por capilaridade. O método foi eficaz em todos os animais usados. Por meio dessa técnica, colheram-se amostras com menor volume (106,7±30,5aµL) e maior concentração (524,1±54,3b x 106 espermatozoides/mL) em relação à EE (450,0±0,1bµL e 205,0±141,8a x 106 espermatozoides/mL). As avaliações de vigor, motilidade e patologia espermática demonstraram que a técnica não afeta a qualidade do sêmen em relação à EE (P>0,05). Dessa forma, o método proposto consiste em uma técnica mais prática e eficiente para a colheita de sêmen com boa qualidade, dispensando o eletroejaculador.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the pharmacological semen collection method with urethral catheterization (CT) in captive cougar (Puma concolor) males. The pharmacological method (CT; N= 3) was compared to the electroejaculation technique (EE; N= 4). For CT collection, medetomidine was administrated to induce semen release using a tomcat catheter inserted into the urethra to collect by capillarity. The proposed method was efficacious on all animals used. Through the CT method, semen collected yielded smaller volume (106,7±30,5aµL) and higher concentration (524,1±54,3b x 106sperm/mL) compared to EE (450,0±0,1bµL and 205,0±141,8a x 106 sperm /mL). Evaluations of vigor, motility and sperm pathology demonstrated that CT does not affect semen quality when compared to EE (P> 0.05). Thus, the proposed method consists of a more practical and efficient technique for semen collection with good quality, eliminating the need for eletroejaculation.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar as características das urgências oftalmológicas atendidas no Pronto Socorro do Instituto de Olhos de Goiânia, com destaque à conjuntivite infecciosa, morbidade de maior incidência neste Serviço. Visa ainda delinear as principais etiologias encontradas dentre as conjuntivites infecciosas e compará-las às encontradas em diversos outros serviços de referência em Oftalmologia, norteando, assim, futuros diagnósticos e tratamentos das patologias infecciosas oculares. Métodos: Estudo transversal e retrospectivo, com 783 pacientes atendidos na emergência oftalmológica do Instituto de Olhos de Goiânia, no período de primeiro de maio a 03 de setembro de 2017. Os dados foram coletados por meio de protocolos baseados nos prontuários físicos da emergência oftalmológica do hospital. Resultados: Observou-se que, quanto às causas diagnósticas, a principal foi a conjuntivite aguda, seguida, em ordem decrescente de incidência, por hordéolo e corpo estranho em superfície ocular, com porcentagens, respectivamente, de 10,98% e 9,96%. Dentre os 783 pacientes admitidos na emergência neste período, 302 foram diagnosticados com conjuntivite, representando uma porcentagem de 38,56% da totalidade dos atendimentos. Dentre essas, 226 foram diagnosticados como sendo de etiologia bacteriana e 38 de etiologia viral. Os números absolutos nos levam a uma porcentagem de 74,8% de conjuntivite bacteriana. Conclusão: A conjuntivite infecciosa representa uma porcentagem substancial dentre as patologias admitidas nos serviços de urgência oftalmológica em todo o mundo. No presente estudo houve ainda prevalência da conjuntivite bacteriana, bem como uma tendência irrefutável à instituição precoce de antibioticoterapia tópica. A alta prevalência desta comorbidade e a dificuldade no diagnóstico clínico da etiologia da infecção reitera a necessidade de realização de maiores estudos na área, a fim de otimizar o diagnóstico e a terapêutica da conjuntivite infecciosa.

ABSTRACT Objective: Evaluate the epidemiology of ocular emergencies in a Reference Ophthalmological Hospital in Goiânia, with emphasis on acute infectious conjunctivitis, morbidity with a higher incidence in this Service. It aims to delineate the main etiologies found among infectious conjunctivitis and to compare them with those found in several others Ophthalmology reference services, thus guiding future diagnoses and treatments of ocular infectious diseases. Methods: A cross-sectional and retrospective study was conducted with 783 patients seen at the ophtalmological emergency of the Goiânia Institute of Eyes from May 1 to September 3, 2017. Data were collected through protocols based on physical charts of the ophthalmologic emergency of the hospital. Results: The most common ocular emergencies were acute conjunctivitis, followed in decreasing order of incidence by hordeolum and foreign body on ocular surface, with percentages, respectively, of 10.98% and 9.96%, respectively. Among the 783 patients admitted to the emergency room in this period, 302 were diagnosed with conjunctivitis, representing a percentage of 38.56% of the total number of visits. Of these, 226 were diagnosed as having bacterial etiology (74.8%) and 38 (25.2%) as viral etiology. Conclusion: Infectious conjunctivitis represents a substantial percentage of the pathologies admitted to ophthalmological emergency services worldwide. In the present study there was also a prevalence of bacterial conjunctivitis, as well as an irrefutable tendency to the early institution of topical antibiotic therapy. The high prevalence of this comorbidity and the difficulty in the clinical diagnosis of the etiology of the infection reiterates the need for further studies in the area in order to optimize the diagnosis and treatment of infectious conjunctivitis.

RESUMO Objetivos: Analisar a prevalência da microbiota nos tonômetros de aplanação de Goldmann nos consultórios do SUS e definir o grau de contaminação dos tonômetros e a eficácia da assepsia do cone do tonômetro de aplanação. Métodos: Estudo transversal em que foi realizado a coleta de 60 “swabs”, divididos nos três tonômetros de aplanação dos ambulatórios do SUS em dois momentos distintos. No primeiro realizou-se a coleta no início dos atendimentos e no segundo momento, a coleta foi realizada ao final de todos os atendimentos. Todos “swabs” foram colhidos no meio Stuart e foi realizada a cultura em meio de bactérias. Resultados: Das 60 amostras, apenas uma apresentou crescimento de agente patogênico, a Escherichia coli. Conclusão: Independente dos vários métodos que o oftalmologista escolher para realizar a assepsia, a mesma é imprescindível para a manutenção de uma boa saúde ocular do paciente, evitando assim a transmissão e propagação de patógenos por meio do exame oftalmológico e concluímos também que o método utilizado pelo nosso serviço parece ser eficaz nesta profilaxia.

ABSTRACT Objective: Analyze the microbiota prevalence in the Goldmann applanation tonometers in the clinic of the SUS to define the contamination of the tonometers and the efficacy of asepsis of the applanation tonometer cone. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out to collect 60 “swabs” divided into the three aplanation tonometers of SUS clinics at two different times. In the first one, the collection will be performed at the beginning of the visits and at the second moment, the collection will be performed at the end of all the visits. All swabs will be harvested in the Stuart medium and culture was carried to sow bacteria. Results: Of the 60 samples, only one showed pathogen growth, Escherichia coli. Conclusion: Regardless of the various ways the ophthalmologist chooses to perform asepsis, it is essential for the maintenance of good patient eye health, thus avoiding the transmission and propagation of pathogens through ophthalmologic examination, and we also conclude that the method used by our patient seems to be effective in this prophylaxis.

ABSTRACT Cats are a significant source of allergens that contribute towards worsening of allergic diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between sensitization to cat allergens and allergic respiratory diseases.This was an observational retrospective study based on the skin pricktests results of patients at a tertiary-level hospital in São Paulo. A total of 1,985 test results were assessed. The prevalence of sensitization to cat allergen was 20% (399 patients). Our data indicated that in this population of atopic patients, a positive skin prick test result for cat allergen was not associated significantly with a diagnosis of respiratory allergy.

A primeira parte desta diretriz abordou o diagnóstico diferencial das neurofibromatoses (NF): neurofibromatose do tipo 1 (NF1), neurofibromatose do tipo 2 (NF2) e schwannomatose (SCH). As NF compartilham algumas características, como a origem neural dos tumores e sinais cutâneos, e afetam cerca de 80 mil brasileiros. O aumento do conhecimento científico sobre as NF tem permitido melhor manejo clínico e redução da morbidade das complicações, resultando em melhor qualidade de vida para os pacientes com NF. A maioria dos médicos é capaz de realizar o diagnóstico das NF, mas a variedade de manifestações clínicas e a dificuldade de se prever o surgimento e a gravidade de complicações, torna o manejo da NF um desafio para o clínico e envolve diferentes especialistas para o tratamento adequado e aconselhamento genético, especialmente a NF2 e a SCH. O presente texto sugere algumas orientações para o acompanhamento dos portadores de NF, com ênfase na NF1.

Part 1 of this guideline addressed the differential diagnosis of the neurofibromatoses (NF): neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and schwannomatosis (SCH). NF shares some features such as the genetic origin of the neural tumors and cutaneous manifestations, and affects nearly 80 thousand Brazilians. Increasing scientific knowledge on NF has allowed better clinical management and reduced rate of complications and morbidity, resulting in higher quality of life for NF patients. Most medical doctors are able to perform NF diagnosis, but the wide range of clinical manifestations and the inability to predict the onset or severity of new features, consequences, or complications make NF management a real clinical challenge, requiring the support of different specialists for proper treatment and genetic counseling, especially in NF2 and SCH. The present text suggests guidelines for the clinical management of NF, with emphasis on NF1.

OBJETIVO: De acordo com alguns estudos, a associação de leflunomida (LEF) a pacientes portadores de artrite reumatoide não responsivos a metotrexato (MTX) aumentou a eficácia do tratamento, elevando, porém, o risco de toxicidade hepática. Este estudo objetiva avaliar a incidência de toxicidade hepática no tratamento da artrite reumatoide ativa usando terapia combinada de LEF e MTX em comparação com monoterapia com MTX. MÉTODOS: Entre fevereiro e setembro de 2009, foram arrolados 97 pacientes consecutivos acompanhados pelo Hospital Universitário da Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brasil. Pacientes com artrite reumatoide em uso de MTX somente ou em combinação com LEF tiveram seus prontuários sistematicamente revisados. As enzimas alanino/aspartato aminotransferases foram analisadas retrospectivamente desde o tratamento com MTX ou MTX mais LEF. Hepatotoxicidade foi definida como um aumento das enzimas hepáticas acima de duas vezes o limite superior da normalidade. RESULTADOS: 71 pacientes foram incluídos no estudo: 36,6% usavam 20-25 mg/semana de MTX e 63,4% usavam 20-25 mg/semana de MTX associado a 20 mg/ dia de LEF. Dos pacientes em terapia combinada, 11,1% tinham níveis anormais das enzimas hepáticas versus 11,5% daqueles em monoterapia (P = 1,0). Níveis anormais de aminotransferases têm sido observados em pacientes com artrite reumatoide tanto em monoterapia com MTX quanto com LEF. Em nosso estudo, não encontramos diferença entre as percentagens de elevação das aminotransferases em pacientes tratados somente com MTX ou com terapia combinada. CONCLUSÃO: A combinação de MTX e LEF em pacientes com artrite reumatoide é geralmente segura e bem tolerada.

OBJECTIVE: Some studies have reported that adding leflunomide (LEF) to the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients who do not respond to methotrexate (MTX) improved efficacy but increased the risk of liver toxicity. This study aimed at assessing the incidence of liver toxicity in patients with active RA using the LEF and MTX combination therapy in comparison with that of patients on MTX monotherapy. METHODS: Between February and September 2009, 97 consecutive patients followed up at the University Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil, were enrolled. RA patients on MTX alone or using the LEF and MTX combination had their medical records systematically reviewed. The alanine/aspartate aminotransferase enzymes were retrospectively analyzed since the beginning of treatment with MTX or MTX plus LEF. Hepatotoxicity was defined as an increase of at least two-fold the upper limits of normal of the liver enzymes. RESULTS: 71 RA patients were included in the study: 36.6% were using 20-25 mg/week of MTX alone and 63.4% were using 20-25 mg/week of MTX plus 20 mg/day of LEF. Of the patients on the combination therapy, 11.1% had abnormal levels of liver enzymes versus 11.5% of the patients on monotherapy (P = 1.0). Abnormal aminotransferase levels have been seen with both MTX and LEF monotherapies in patients with RA. In our study, no difference was found between the percentages of aminotransferase elevations of patients being treated with MTX alone or in combination with LEF. CONCLUSION: The combination of MTX and LEF in RA patients is generally safe and well tolerated.

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: O único tratamento eficaz para pacientes que têm reações graves após ferroada de Hymenoptera é a imunoterapia com veneno. O objetivo deste estudo foi rever a literatura para avaliar os efeitos da imunoterapia com veneno em pacientes com reações graves após ferroada de Hymenoptera. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Foram revisados na literatura mundial ensaios clínicos controlados e aleatórios. O manuscrito foi realizado na Disciplina de Alergia e Imunologia Clínica, Universidade de São Paulo (USP). MÉTODOS: Ensaios clínicos controlados e aleatórios envolvendo imunoterapia com veneno de Hymenoptera versus placebo ou apenas acompanhamento dos pacientes foram avaliados. Realizada imunoterapia específica, o risco de reações sistêmicas foi avaliado através de cálculo do "odds ratio" e intervalo de confiança de 95%. RESULTADOS: 2.273 resumos foram identificados na busca pelas palavras chave. Apenas quatro estudos foram incluídos nesta revisão. O teste qui-quadrado de heterogeneidade mostrou que dois estudos foram homogêneos e puderam ser incluídos na metanálise. Ao combinar os dois estudos, o "odds ratio" passou a ser significativo: 0.29 (0.10-0.87). Entretanto, ao analisar a gravidade das reações ocorridas após a imunoterapia, observou-se que os benefícios podem não ser tão relevantes, pois as reações foram, na grande maioria, ou mais leves ou semelhantes à reação original. CONCLUSÕES: A imunoterapia específica deve ser recomendada para adultos e crianças com reações moderadas a graves, porém não há necessidade de prescrevê-la para as crianças apenas com reações cutâneas, especialmente se a exposição é muito esporádica. No outro lado, a relação risco-benefício deve ser sempre avaliada em cada caso.

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The only effective treatment for patients who have severe reactions after Hymenoptera stings is venom immunotherapy. The aim of this study was to review the literature to assess the effects of venom immunotherapy among patients presenting severe reactions after Hymenoptera stings. DESIGN AND SETTING: Randomized controlled trials in the worldwide literature were reviewed. The manuscript was produced in the Discipline of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Universidade de São Paulo (USP). METHODS: Randomized controlled trials involving venom immunotherapy versus placebo or only patient follow-up were evaluated. The risk of systemic reactions after specific immunotherapy was evaluated by calculating odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: 2,273 abstracts were identified by the keywords search. Only four studies were included in this review. The chi-square test for heterogeneity showed that two studies were homogeneous and could be included in a meta-analysis. By combining the two studies, the odds ratio became significant: 0.29 (0.10-0.87). However, analysis on the severity of the reactions after immunotherapy showed that the benefits may not be so significant because the reactions were mostly similar to or milder than the original reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Specific immunotherapy should be recommended for adults and children with moderate to severe reactions, but there is no need to prescribe it for children with skin reactions alone, especially if the exposure is very sporadic. On the other hand, the risk-benefit relation should always be assessed in each case.

The positive reinforcing properties of addictive drugs have a primary role in the development of drug dependence. In the field of opiates, great attention has been given to this phenomenon, as well as to the negative properties eliciting craving and inducing relapse during withdrawal. This study was designed to evaluate whether elevated plus-maze (EPM) experienced rats withdrawn from low doses of subcutaneous (s.c.) morphine (10 mg/kg), in which a high anxiety level is the most prominent withdrawal symptom, acquire place preference when submitted to a conflict paradigm in which drug effects are paired with an aversive context: the distal part of the open arms of an EPM. Both the anxiety test and place preference conditioning were measured in the same apparatus, a biased version of the plus-maze. In order to verify the influence of previous EPM spatial learning on the performance of morphine-withdrawn rats, half the animals in this study experienced the EPM prior to treatment. Additional groups were also tested under the influence of morphine effects. The effects of the treatments were quantified through the analysis of three types of measures: anxiety was inferred from the use of the conventional measures (percentage of entries and time spent in the open-arms) and risk-assessment behaviours (frequency of stretched-attending postures - SAP, and time spent at the centre of the maze). Place preference conditioning was evaluated through analysis of the number of entries, total time spent and distance run in the open-arm extremities, which is where the animals were conditioned. The number of closed-arm entries was taken as an index of locomotor activity. Our results showed that (i) EPM naïve rats pre-treated with morphine did not develop place preference, behaving like control rats; (ii) rats that had previous experience in the EPM showed no changes in open-arm avoidance on the second exposure, when compared with rats naïve for this condition; (iii) previous spatial learning of the EPM contextual cues was, in fact, a requirement for anxiety-inducing place preference for the open-arms in morphine-withdrawn rats and, (iiii) conditioned place preference was achieved both in rats under the effects of morphine and in withdrawal, probably through the influence of the positive or negative reinforcing effects promoted by the presence or absence of the drug in the central nervous system.

An analysis of theories based on Classical Rhetoric and Text Linguistics is made in order to set the procedures to follow during the deconstructive-reconstructive process of document content analysis. Selection of main ideas in discourse is outlined following the general rules of questioning: a hermeneutical process to which all communicational act must be submitted, and which had in Ramon Llull one of its most original proponents. The importance of superstructural organization for reading and document representation is argued, and the steps and levels to follow for a convenient description of macrostructural content are also proposed. The analyst's performance on documents must take into account Llull's proposal, today framed within Laswell's paradigm (wh questions) and accepted by international norms which mark the process of analysis. Also taken into account is the influence these theories have had on thesaurus structure and on the philosophy of performance of the Topic Maps.

Análisis de las teorías provenientes de la retórica clásica y de la lingüística del texto sobre las que se fijan los procedimientos a seguir durante el proceso deconstructivo-reconstructivo del análisis de contenido de los documentos. Se plantea la selección de las ideas principales de los discursos siguiendo las reglas generales del cuestionar, proceso hermenéutico al que debe estar sometido todo hecho comunicativo y que tuvo en Ramón Llull las propuestas más originales. Asimismo se defiende la importancia que tiene la organización superestructural para la lectura y representación documental, y se proponen varios niveles y pasos a seguir para hacer una conveniente descripción del contenido macroestructural. La actuación del analista sobre los documentos debe hacerse de acuerdo con la propuesta de Llull, en la actualidad enmarcada bajo el paradigma de Laswell (wh questions) y recogida por las normas internacionales que marcan el proceso de análisis. Se considera también la influencia que estas teorías han tenido sobre la estructura de los tesauros y la filosofía de actuación de los Topic Maps.

CONTEXTO: Alguns estudos demonstram que o processo inflamatório nas vias aéreas nasais poderia refletir ou mesmo afetar as vias aéreas inferiores. Decidimos avaliar indiretamente o estado inflamatório das vias aéreas nasais de dois grupos de escolares com diferente sensibilização aos aeroalérgenos mais comuns. OBJETIVO: Comparar a atividade inflamatória nas vias aéreas nasais, através da determinação de mediadores inflamatórios no lavado nasal em duas populações distintas de crianças em idade escolar. TIPO DE ESTUDO: Estudo transversal. LOCAL: O estudo foi realizado em duas escolas públicas de ensino fundamental, uma em zona urbana e outra em zona rural, no Estado de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: Foram constituídos dois grupos de 40 escolares que apresentam diferentes taxas de sensibilização a aeroalérgenos comuns. Amostras do lavado nasal foram colhidas para determinação de proteína catiônica eosinofílica (ECP) e triptase. Testes não-paramétricos foram usados na análise estatística. RESULTADOS: Níveis significativamente maiores de proteína catiônica eosinofílica foram encontrados nos estudantes da área urbana (p < 0,05). Não houve diferença estatística nos níveis de triptase entre os dois grupos. Observou-se ainda que, na área urbana, as crianças sensibilizadas aos aeroalérgenos apresentaram maiores concentrações de proteína catiônica eosinofílica, o que não foi observado nas crianças da zona rural. DISCUSSÃO: A ausência de atividade de mastócitos e a degranulação aumentada de eosinófilos revelaram uma inflamação crônica nas vias aéreas das crianças estudadas. A maior atividade de eosinófilos na zona urbana, coincidindo com a maior sensibilização aos aeroalérgenos, sugere que deve haver algum fator a mais na área urbana que modula a resposta das vias aéreas influenciando a ativação das células inflamatórias locais. CONCLUSÃO: Nossos achados não mostraram diferenças nos níveis de triptase no lavado nasal entre os dois grupos estudados. Por outro lado, as crianças da area urbana apresentaram maiores concentrações de proteína catiônica eosinofílica do que aquelas da zona rural. Observamos ainda que, na area urbana, as crianças sensibilizadas por aeroalérgenos apresentaram maiores concentrações de proteína catiônica eosinofílica do que aquelas não sensibilizadas, enquanto esta diferença não foi observada nas crianças da area rural.

CONTEXT: Some studies have shown that inflammatory processes in the nasal air passages may reflect or affect those in the lower airways. We decided to indirectly assess the inflammatory status of the nasal airways in two groups of children with different sensitization rates to aeroallergens. OBJECTIVE: To compare the inflammatory activity in the nasal airways, through the determination of mediators in nasal lavage fluid in two distinct populations. TYPE OF STUDY: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Two public elementary schools, one in an urban setting and the other in a rural setting of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: Two groups of 40 elementary school children with different sensitization rates to aeroallergens were formed. Samples of nasal lavage fluid were assessed for eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and tryptase. Non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Significantly higher levels of ECP were observed among students living in the urban area than those in the rural area (p < 0.05). No significant difference in the tryptase levels was observed. Also, the urban children who were sensitized to aeroallergens presented higher levels of ECP in nasal mucosa than the non-sensitized children, while this difference was not observed among the rural children. DISCUSSION: The lack of mast cell activity and increased eosinophil degranulation revealed a chronic inflammatory state in the nasal air passages. The higher eosinophil activity in the urban area, coinciding with higher sensitization to aeroallergens, suggests that there must be some factors in the urban area that can modulate airway inflammation by influencing the activation of inflammatory cells. CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that there was no difference in the concentrations of tryptase in nasal lavage fluids between the two studied groups. However, the children from the urban area presented with higher concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein than did those from the rural area. Also, the urban children who were sensitized to aeroallergens presented with greater concentrations of eosinophil cationic protein in nasal mucosa than the non-sensitized children, while this difference was not observed among the rural children.

This paper describes the determination of the thermal diffusivity of LiKSO4 crystals using the photoacoustic phase lag method, in the 77 K to 300 K temperature interval. This method is quite simple and fast and when it is coupled to a specially designed apparatus, that includes a resonant photoacoustic cell, allows for the determination of the thermal diffusivity at low temperatures. The thermal diffusivity is an important parameter that depends on the temperature, and no values of this parameter for LiKSO4, at low temperature, have yet been reported. The LiKSO4 is a crystal with many phase transitions which can be detected via the anomalies in the variation of the thermal diffusivity as a function of the temperature.