ABSTRACT An experiment was conducted with the purpose of evaluating enzyme blends on the performance, carcass traits, and bone mineralization of broilers. In total, 928 one-day-old Cobb 500 male chicks of were used. A completely randomized design with four treatments with eight replicates of 29 birds each was adopted. The evaluated treatments were: 1- Positive Control (PC), feed containing the nutritional recommendations of the genetic company's manual; 2- Negative Control (NC), feed with reductions of 75 kcal/kg AME and 0.10 and 0.12 percent points of phosphorus and calcium, respectively; 3 - NC + enzyme blend (amylase + b-glucanase, xylanase, and phytase; 250 g/t of feed) and 4 - NC + enzyme complex (phytase, amylase, xylanase, glucanase, pectinase, cellulase, and protease; 200 g/t of feed). Birds fed the diet with reduced nutrient levels (NC) presented the worst performance (p<0.05). The supplementation of the enzyme blend promoted similar (p<0.05) weight gain and feed conversion ratio as those obtained with the PC diet during the period of 1-21 days of age. During the phase of 22-42 days and the entire experimental period, weight gain and feed conversion ratio improved with the use of the enzyme combinations compared with the NC group, but remained lower than the PC group. Enzymes combinations did not affect (p>0.05) carcass or parts yields. The broilers fed the reduced-nutrient and energy diet presented lower (p<0.05) tibial ash, calcium, and phosphorus contents that the other treatments. The use of enzyme combinations improved the performance of broilers fed diets with reduced nutrient and energy levels.

FUNDAMENTOS: A cicatrização é um processo complexo que envolve eventos celulares e bioquímicos. Vários medicamentos têm sido empregados na tentativa de abreviar a cicatrização e evitar danos estéticos. OBJETIVO: verificar o efeito tópico do ácido ascórbico no processo de cicatrização de feridas cutâneas de ratos através da verificação do número de macrófagos, neovasos e fibroblastos presentes no período experimental; e analisar a espessura e a organização das fibras colágenas no tecido lesado. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados Rattus norvegicus, machos, pesando 270 ± 30 g. Foi realizada incisão transversal na pele da região dorso-cervical de 15 mm de comprimento, após anestesia com Thionembutal. Os animais foram divididos em 2 grupos: grupo controle (GC, n = 12), feridas higienizadas diariamente com água e sabão; grupo tratado (GT, n = 12), feridas higienizadas e tratadas com creme de ácido ascórbico (10%). Os fragmentos para análise histológica foram coletados no 3º, 7º e 14º dia, e as lâminas coradas com hematoxilina-eosina e picrosírius red para análise morfológica. As imagens foram capturadas e analisadas por um sistema digitalizador. RESULTADOS: O ácido ascórbico atuou em todas as etapas da cicatrização, diminuindo o número de macrófagos, aumentando a proliferação dos fibroblastos e neovasos, e favorecendo a deposição de fibras colágenas mais espessas e organizadas nas feridas. CONCLUSÃO: O ácido ascórbico mostrou ter efeito antiinflamatório e cicatrizante, promovendo ambiente e condições favoráveis para a reparação tecidual, o que abreviou o tempo da cicatrização.

BACKGROUND: Healing is a complex process that involves cellular and biochemical events. Several medicines have been used in order to shorten healing time and avoid aesthetic damage. OBJECTIVE: to verify the topical effect of ascorbic acid for the healing of rats' skin wounds through the number of macrophages, new vessels and fibroblast verifications in the experimental period; and analyse the thickness and the collagen fibre organization in the injured tissue. METHODS: Male Rattus norvegicus weighing 270 ± 30 g were used. After thionembutal anesthesia, 15 mm transversal incisions were made in the animals' cervical backs. They were divided into two groups: Control Group (CG, n = 12) - skin wound cleaned with water and soap daily; Treated Group (TG, n = 12) - skin wound cleaned daily and treated with ascorbic acid cream (10%). Samples of skin were collected on the 3rd, 7th and 14th days. The sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin and picrosirius red for morphologic analysis. The images were obtained and analysed by a Digital Analyser System. RESULTS: The ascorbic acid acted on every stage of the healing process. It reduced the number of macrophages, increased the proliferation of fibroblasts and new vessels, and stimulated the synthesis of thicker and more organized collagen fibres in the wounds when compared to CG. CONCLUSION: Ascorbic acid was shown to have anti-inflammatory and healing effects, guaranteeing a suiTable environment and conditions for faster skin repair.

OBJETIVO: Devido à controvérsia sobre o melhor momento para iniciar o exercício físico, bem como sua influência sobre a regeneração nervosa periférica, este estudo realizou uma análise histomorfométrica e funcional para avaliar a influência do exercício físico em esteira, aplicado nas fases imediata e tardia da regeneração do nervo isquiático de ratos, após axoniotmese. MÉTODOS: Vinte ratos Wistar machos (229,05±18,02g) foram divididos nos grupos: controle (CON); desnervado (D); desnervado+exercício+gaiola (DEG) e desnervado+ gaiola+exercício (DGE). Após 24 horas da axoniotmese, o grupo DEG iniciou o exercício, enquanto o grupo DGE iniciou no 14º dia, com o seguinte protocolo: velocidade=8m/min, inclinação=0%, 30min/dia, durante 14 dias. Em seguida, a porção distal do nervo isquiático foi retirada para análise histomorfométrica. Realizou-se o registro da marcha (pré-operatório e 7º, 14º, 21º, 28º dias pós-operatório (PO)), através do índice funcional do ciático (IFC). RESULTADOS: O número de axônios regenerados nos grupos D foi maior que no CON (p<0,05), não havendo diferença intergrupos D. O diâmetro do axônio do grupo DGE foi maior que do grupo D, enquanto os demais parâmetros morfométricos apenas apresentaram diferença significativa com o grupo CON. Não houve diferença nos valores de IFC intergrupos, enquanto na comparação intragrupos, o 7º e o 14º dias diferem do pré-operatório, 21º e o 28º dias PO. CONCLUSÕES: O protocolo de exercício em esteira aplicado nas fases imediata e tardia, não influenciou o brotamento axonal, o grau de maturação das fibras regeneradas e nem a funcionalidade dos músculos reinervados.

OBJECTIVE: Considering the controversies regarding the best period to begin physical exercise in relation to peripheral nerve regeneration, along with its influence on regeneration, this study accomplished a histomorphometric and functional analysis to evaluate the influence of physical exercise on a treadmill, applied to the immediate and late stages of sciatic nerve regeneration in rats following crushing injury. METHODS: Twenty male Wistar rats (229.05±18.02g) were divided into the following groups: control (CON); denervated (D); denervated+exercise+cage (DEC) and denervated+cage+exercise (DCE). The DEC group started the exercise 24 hours after the nerve injury, while the DCE group started on the 14th day after the injury, with the following protocol: speed=8m/min, inclination=0%, 30min/day, for 14 days. The distal segment of the sciatic nerve was then removed for histomorphometric analysis. The gait was recorded before the operation and on the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th days after the operation, using the sciatic functional index (SFI). RESULTS: The number of regenerated axons in the D groups was greater than in the CON group (p<0.05), without differences between the D groups. The axon diameter in the DCE group was greater than the diameter in the D group, whereas the other morphometric parameters only showed significant differences with the CON group. There was no difference in SFI values between the groups, whereas within the groups, the 7th and 14th days differed from the values before the operation and on the 21st and 28th days after the operation. CONCLUSIONS: The treadmill exercise protocol that was applied to the immediate and late stages of nerve regeneration did not influence the axonal budding, the degree of maturation of the regenerated nerve fibers or the functional performance of the reinnervated muscles.

Rickettsioses are arthropod-borne diseases caused by parasites from the Order Rickettsiales. The most prevalent rickettsial disease in Brazil is Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). This work intends the molecular detection of those agents in ectoparasites from an endemic area of BSF in the state of Espírito Santo. A total of 502 ectoparasites, among them Amblyomma cajennense, Amblyomma dubitatum (A. cooperi), Riphicephalus sanguineus, Anocentor nitens and Ctenocephalides felis, was collected from domestic animals and the environment and separated in 152 lots according to the origin. Rickettsia sp. was detected in pools of all collected species by amplification of 17kDa protein-encoding gene fragments. The products of PCR amplification of three samples were sequenced, and Rickettsia felis was identified in R. sanguineus and C. felis. These results confirm the presence of Rickettsia felis in areas previously known as endemic for BSF, disease caused by Rickettsia rickettsii. Moreover, they show the needing of further studies for deeper knowledge of R. felis-spotted fever epidemiology and differentiation of these diseases in Brazil.