RESUMO Tanto o papel social quanto o econômico da caprinocultura na região Nordeste do Brasil, somados ao fato de que o uso de ossículos da orelha média de caprinos para estudos e treinamento cirúrgico otológico humano ainda não foi proposto, justificam o estudo de sua aplicabilidade como modelo experimental. Foram dissecadas as orelhas médias de 19 caprinos (Capra aegagrus hircus), provenientes do ossuário do Laboratório e Museu Didático de Anatomia dos Animais Domésticos e Silvestres - Universidade Federal do Vale do São Francisco. Martelos, bigornas e estribos tiveram a morfologia macroscópica e a biometria (comprimento, largura e altura) avaliadas. A morfologia dos ossículos assemelhou-se a de ovinos, humanos e bovinos. O martelo foi 1,3 vez mais pesado e 2,2 vezes mais comprido que a bigorna e 9,0 vezes mais pesado e 3,7 vezes mais comprido que o estribo. A relação de tamanho entre o estribo e o martelo foi positiva, e entre o estribo e a bigorna negativa. Conclui-se que o tamanho da orelha média e as semelhanças anatômicas com os ossículos humanos tornam os caprinos um modelo útil para estudos científicos experimentais, prática cirúrgica reconstrutiva da cadeia ossicular e treinamento cirúrgico otológico humano.

ABSTRACT The social and economic roles of goat farming in Northeastern Brazil, allied to the fact that the use of goat middle ear ossicles for research and human ear surgery training has not yet been proposed, justify the study of their applicability as an experimental model. The middle ears of 19 goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) from the bone collection of the Laboratory and Didactic Anatomy Museum of Domestic and Wild Animals of the Federal University of Vale do São Francisco (UNIVASF) were dissected. The malleus, incus, and stapes were evaluated regarding their macroscopic morphology and biometry (length, width, and height). Ossicle morphology was similar to sheep, human, and bovine morphology. The malleus was 1.3 times heavier and 2.2 times longer than the incus, and 9.0 times heavier and 3.7 times longer than the stapes. The size relationship was positive between the stapes and the malleus and negative between the stapes and the incus. It is concluded that the middle ear size and the anatomical similarities with human ossicles make goats a useful model for experimental scientific studies, reconstructive surgery practice of the ossicular chain, and human ear surgery training.

RESUMO Este trabalho investigou a influência da adiposidade em éguas Crioulas gestantes sobre o peso e o acúmulo de gordura de seus potros do nascimento aos quatro meses de vida. Foram avaliadas 28 éguas Crioulas no terço final de gestação, divididas em dois grupos (normais e obesas) quanto ao peso, à circunferência de pescoço, à altura da crista do pescoço e à gordura subcutânea na base da cauda, bem como quanto à relação dessas medidas com as de seus potros, do parto aos 120 dias de idade. Os filhos de éguas obesas apresentaram maior deposição de gordura na base da cauda, no segundo mês (P<0,05), e na crista do pescoço (P=0,0022), no quarto mês de idade. Houve correlação positiva da altura da crista do pescoço da égua com o peso dos potros ao nascer (P=0,01; r= 0,54) e do peso corporal das éguas com gordura na base da cauda dos potros ao nascimento (P=0,03; r=0,49), além de forte associação entre gordura na base da cauda das éguas obesas com essa medida nos seus potros aos quatro meses (P=0,01; r=0,71). Essa diferença entre os grupos de potros quanto à adiposidade sugere que filhos de éguas obesas são mais propensos a acumular mais gordura já nos primeiros meses de vida.

ABSTRACT This work investigated the influence of adiposity on pregnant Crioulo mares on the weight and fat deposition of their foals from birth to four months of life. Twenty-eight Crioulo mares were evaluated during the final third of gestation, divided into two groups (normal and obese) regarding weight, neck circumference, neck crest height and fat at the tail base, and the relation of these measurements with those of their foals from birth to 120 days old. The obese mares presented higher fat deposition at the tail base in the 2nd month (P< 0.05) and crest of the neck (P= 0.0022) in the 4th month of age. There was positive correlation between height of mare's neck crest and foal weight at birth (P= 0.01, r= 0.54) and body weight of mares between the fat at tail base of foals at birth (P= 0.03, r= 0.49), as well as strong association between fat at the tail base in obese mares with this measurement in their foals at 4 months (P= 0.01, r= 0.71). This difference of adiposity between groups suggests that obese mare’s offspring are more likely to accumulate more fat in the first months of life.

Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) in young and elderly participants were assessed using pulsed arterial spin labeling (ASL) and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in combination with inhalation of CO2. Pulsed ASL and BOLD-MRI were acquired in seventeen asymptomatic volunteers (10 young adults, age: 30±7 years; 7 elderly adults, age: 64±8 years) with no history of diabetes, hypertension, and neurological diseases. Data from one elderly participant was excluded due to the incorrigible head motion. Average baseline CBF in gray matter was significantly reduced in elderly (46±9 mL·100 g-1·min-1) compared to young adults (57±8 mL·100 g-1·min-1; P=0.02). Decreased pulsed ASL-CVR and BOLD-CVR in gray matter were also observed in elderly (2.12±1.30 and 0.13±0.06 %/mmHg, respectively) compared to young adults (3.28±1.43 and 0.28±0.11 %/mmHg, respectively; P<0.05), suggesting some degree of vascular impairment with aging. Moreover, age-related decrease in baseline CBF was observed in different brain regions (inferior, middle and superior frontal gyri; precentral and postcentral gyri; superior temporal gyrus; cingulate gyri; insula, putamen, caudate, and supramarginal gyrus). In conclusion, CBF and CVR were successfully investigated using a protocol that causes minimal or no discomfort for the participants. Age-related decreases in baseline CBF and CVR were observed in the cerebral cortex, which may be related to the vulnerability for neurological disorders in aging.

Muitas plantas são utilizadas pela população para o tratamento e a cura de doenças. Entre elas encontram-se a Persea major Kopp, Piper mollicomum Kunth. e Serjania erecta Radlk. as quais são utilizadas para diversas enfermidades, inclusive para tratar distúrbios do trato gastrointestinal. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os efeitos dos extratos dessas três plantas sobre a motilidade gastrointestinal. Camundongos Swiss foram tratados com os extratos pela via oral 1 hora antes da administração de uma solução semisólida de carboximetilcelulose 1,5% e vermelho de fenol 0,05% e, após 15 minutos, o esvaziamento gástrico e o trânsito intestinal avaliados. O extrato hidroalcoólico da P. major (100 a 1000 mg Kg-1, p.o.) e o extrato hidroalcoólico da P. mollicomum (100 e 300 mg Kg-1, p.o.) aumentaram o trânsito intestinal. No entanto, somente o extrato da P. major (100 e 300 mg Kg-1) também aumentou o esvaziamento gástrico. O extrato etanólico da S. erecta (100 a 1000 mg Kg-1, p.o.) não alterou a motilidade gastrointestinal. Estes resultados sugerem que a Persea major e a Piper mollicomum mereçam estudos mais aprofundados em busca de princípios ativos ou matéria vegetal efetiva para o tratamento de distúrbios do trato gastrointestinal como a constipação.

Many plants are popularly used for the treatment and healing of diseases. The Persea major Kopp, Piper mollicomum Kunth. and Serjania erecta Radlk. are used in several illnesses, including the treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the extracts of these plants on the gastrointestinal motility. Swiss mice were orally treated with extracts one hour before the administration of a semisolid solution of 1.5% carboxymethylcellulose and 0.05% phenol red. After 15 minutes, the gastric emptying and intestinal transit were determined. The hydroalcoholic extract of P. major (100 to 1000 mg Kg-1, p.o.) and the hydroalcoholic extract of P. mollicomum (100 and 300 mg Kg-1, p.o.) increased the intestinal transit. However, only the P. major extract (100 and 300 mg Kg-1) increased the gastric emptying. The ethanolic extract of S. erecta (100 to 1000 mg Kg-1, p.o.) did not alter the gastrointestinal motility. These results suggest that Persea major and Piper mollicomum can be of interest for further studies in the search of active principles or effective plant material for the treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, such as constipation.

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, is an important public health problem. If not treated, virtually all clinically symptomatic patients die within months. The diagnosis is based on the Montenegro skin test (MST) and anti-Leishmania titers. Nevertheless, the time required for cured individuals living in a leishmaniasis-endemic area to present a positive skin test and negative anti-Leishmania serology is known. To determine the cellular and humoral immune response profile in relation to different times post-VL cure, a cross-sectional study was conducted on subjects from a kala-azar endemic area in Paço do Lumiar, MA, Brazil, on the basis of 1995-2005 notifications reported by the National Health Foundation/Regional Coordination of Maranhão. We visited cured individuals with a history of VL within the last 10 years. Seventy-four subjects (30 females) ranging in age from 1 to 44 years were included, all of them symptom free at the time of the study. A cellular immune response was observed in 73 (98.6%) subjects, whereas no significant antibody titers were detected by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) in the sera of 69 (93.2%) cases. Ten years post-cure, 39 (52%) subjects had a positive MST and negative IIF reaction, while in one subject the skin and anti-Leishmania serology tests were negative. Two other subjects were positive in both tests 1 year after cure. These data suggest that a cellular immune response may still be present in subjects cured of VL regardless of post-cure time, and that the parasite persists in the host after clinical cure of the disease. This would explain the persistence of significant Leishmania sp antibody titers in some subjects after treatment.

The loss of brain volume has been used as a marker of tissue destruction and can be used as an index of the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis. In the present study, we tested a new method for tissue segmentation based on pixel intensity threshold using generalized Tsallis entropy to determine a statistical segmentation parameter for each single class of brain tissue. We compared the performance of this method using a range of different q parameters and found a different optimal q parameter for white matter, gray matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. Our results support the conclusion that the differences in structural correlations and scale invariant similarities present in each tissue class can be accessed by generalized Tsallis entropy, obtaining the intensity limits for these tissue class separations. In order to test this method, we used it for analysis of brain magnetic resonance images of 43 patients and 10 healthy controls matched for gender and age. The values found for the entropic q index were 0.2 for cerebrospinal fluid, 0.1 for white matter and 1.5 for gray matter. With this algorithm, we could detect an annual loss of 0.98% for the patients, in agreement with literature data. Thus, we can conclude that the entropy of Tsallis adds advantages to the process of automatic target segmentation of tissue classes, which had not been demonstrated previously.

The aim of the present study was to determine whether specific subgroups of schizophrenic patients, grouped according to electrodermal characteristics, show differences in the N-acetylaspartate/creatine plus choline (NAA / (Cr + Cho)) ratios in the frontal, cingulate and perirolandic cortices. Skin conductance levels (SCL) and skin conductance responses to auditory stimulation were measured in 38 patients with schizophrenia and in the same number of matched healthy volunteers (control). All subjects were submitted to multivoxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. When compared to the control group, patients presented significantly lower NAA / (Cr + Cho) ratios in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (schizophrenia = 0.95 ± 0.03; control = 1.12 ± 0.04) and in the right (schizophrenia = 0.88 ± 0.02; control = 0.94 ± 0.03) and left (schizophrenia = 0.84 ± 0.03; control = 0.94 ± 0.03) cingulates. These ratios did not differ between electrodermally responsive and non-responsive patients. When patients were divided into two groups: lower SCL (less than the mean SCL of the control group minus two standard deviations) and normal SCL (similar to the control group), the subgroup with a lower level of SCL showed a lower NAA / (Cr + Cho) ratio in the left cingulate (0.78 ± 0.05) than the controls (0.95 ± 0.02, P < 0.05) and the subgroup with normal SCL (0.88 ± 0.03, P < 0.05). There was a negative correlation between the NAA / (Cr + Cho) ratio in the left cingulate of patients with schizophrenia and the duration of the disease and years under medication. These data suggest the existence of a schizophrenic subgroup characterized by low SCL that could be a consequence of the lower neuronal viability observed in the left cingulate of these patients.

Rainha Cláudia verde' (Prunnus domestica L. ssp Domestica) é uma variedade de ameixa conhecida como um produto regional típico do Alentejo, com interesse económico e social importante para a região e protegido com a Denominação de Origem “Ameixa de Elvas” reconhecida pelo decreto nº 49/94 20/01. Com este estudo pretendeu-se identificar quais os atributos sensoriais, que mais influenciam a Avaliação global das ameixas desta variedade e analisar a relação entre dados instrumentais e sensoriais. Para caracterizar a qualidade sob o ponto de vista instrumental foram analisados parâmetros físicos (perda de peso e cor da epiderme), reológicos (Firmeza da pele e da polpa) e químicos (concentração de sólidos solúveis totais e acidez). A qualidade sensorial foi estudada recorrendo-se a análise sensorial descritiva, para atributos visuais (Aspecto exterior, Cor da pele e Cor da polpa), de sabor e odor (Doce, Ácido e Sabores/aromas característicos da ameixa), texturais (Firmeza e Suculência) e a Avaliação global. Os atributos que mais contribuíram para a Avaliação global da qualidade destes frutos foram por ordem decrescente de importância: a Suculência, o Doce, os Sabores/aromas característicos da ameixa, a acidez e a Firmeza. No estudo das correlações entre parâmetros instrumentais e sensoriais foram encontrados correlações significativas entre o atributo Suculência e o parâmetro instrumental Firmeza da polpa (r = 0,72) e entre o atributo Firmeza e o parâmetro instrumental Firmeza da pele (r = 0,71). A medição da Firmeza de forma instrumental parece reflectir com bastante fiabilidade a avaliação da Textura e Suculência dos frutos por parte do painel de provadores, o que pode ter grande interesse para a avaliação da qualidade de forma expedita.

'Rainha Cláudia verde' (Prunnus domestica L. ssp Domestica) is a regional commodity from Alentejo known with a Protected Origin Denomination of “Ameixa de Elvas” decree nº 49/94 20/01. The aim of this work is to identify the most important attributes determinant for the global evaluation of these fruits and to study the relation among instrumental and sensorial evaluation. In order to carried out an instrumental assessment the following quality parameters were evaluated: weight loss, external colour (L* a* b*), visual assessment of the epidermis, epidermis puncture test, mesocarp penetration test, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity and pH. Sensorial evaluation considered visual attributes (Outer aspect, Skin colour, Pulp colour), “flavour” (Sweetness, Acidity, Typical flavour), texture (Firmness and Juiciness) and Global evaluation. The most important attributes for final classification were by decreased order: Juiciness, Sweetness, Typical flavour, Acidity and Firmness. Correlation between instrumental and sensorial parameters were significant for Juiciness and Pulp firmness (r = 0,72) and Sensorial firmness and Skin firmness (r = 0,71). Instrumental firmness reflects textural and juiciness sensorial characteristics of these fruits, fact that could be very useful to preview the quality of plums ‘Rainha Cláudia verde’.

We describe the relative frequency, clinical features, neuroimaging and pathological results, and outcome after pharmacological or surgical intervention for a series of pediatric patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) from an epilepsy center in Brazil. The medical records of children younger than 12 years with features strongly suggestive of TLE were reviewed from January 1999 to June 1999. Selected children were evaluated regarding clinical, EEG, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) investigation and divided into three groups according to MRI: group 1 (G1, N = 9), patients with hippocampal atrophy; group 2 (G2, N = 10), patients with normal MRI, and group 3 (G3, N = 12), patients with other specific temporal lesions. A review of 1732 records of children with epilepsy revealed 31 cases with TLE (relative frequency of 1.79%). However, when the investigation was narrowed to cases with intractable seizures that needed video-EEG monitoring (N = 68) or epilepsy surgery (N = 32), the relative frequency of TLE increased to 19.11 (13/68) and 31.25% (10/32), respectively. At the beginning of the study, 25 of 31 patients had a high seizure frequency (80.6%), which declined to 11 of 31 (35.5%) at the conclusion of the study, as a consequence of pharmacological and/or surgical therapy. This improvement in seizure control was significant in G1 (P < 0.05) and G3 (P < 0.01) mainly due to good postsurgical outcome, and was not significant in G2 (P > 0.1, McNemar's test). These results indicate that the relative frequency of TLE in children was low, but increased considerably among cases with pharmacoresistant seizures. Patients with specific lesions were likely to undergo surgery, with good postoperative outcomes.

Panic disorder is thought to involve dysfunction in the septohippocampal system, and the presence of a cavum septum pellucidum might indicate the aberrant development of this system. We compared the prevalence and size of cavum septum pellucidum in 21 patients with panic disorder and in 21 healthy controls by magnetic resonance imaging. The length of the cavum septum pellucidum was measured by counting the number of consecutive 1-mm coronal slices in which it appeared. A cavum septum pellucidum of >6 mm in length was rated as large. There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients (16 of 21 or 76.2%) and controls (18 of 21 or 85.7%) with a cavum septum pellucidum (P = 0.35, Fisher's exact test, one-tailed), and no members of either group had a large cavum septum pellucidum. The mean cavum septum pellucidum rating in the patient and control groups was 1.81 (SD = 1.50) and 2.09 (SD = 1.51), respectively. There were also no significant differences between groups when we analyzed cavum septum pellucidum ratings as a continuous variable (U = 196.5; P = 0.54). Across all subjects there was a trend towards a higher prevalence of cavum septum pellucidum in males (100%, 10 of 10) than females (75%, 24 of 32; P = 0.09, Fisher's exact test, one-tailed). Thus, we conclude that, while panic disorder may involve septo-hippocampal dysfunction, it is not associated with an increased prevalence or size of the cavum septum pellucidum.

Reported neuroimaging studies have shown functional and morphological changes of temporal lobe structures in panic patients, but only one used a volumetric method. The aim of the present study was to determine the volume of temporal lobe structures in patients with panic disorder, measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Eleven panic patients and eleven controls matched for age, sex, handedness, socioeconomic status and years of education participated in the study. The mean volume of the left temporal lobe of panic patients was 9% smaller than that of controls (t21 = 2.37, P = 0.028). In addition, there was a trend (P values between 0.05 and 0.10) to smaller volumes of the right temporal lobe (7%, t21 = 1.99, P = 0.06), right amygdala (8%, t21 = 1.83, P = 0.08), left amygdala (5%, t21 = 1.78, P = 0.09) and left hippocampus (9%, t21 = 1.93, P = 0.07) in panic patients compared to controls. There was a positive correlation between left hippocampal volume and duration of panic disorder (r = 0.67, P = 0.025), with recent cases showing more reduction than older cases. The present results show that panic patients have a decreased volume of the left temporal lobe and indicate the presence of volumetric abnormalities of temporal lobe structures.

A composição química e a qualidade biológica da torta de colza obtida da semente, variedade CTC-4, foram determinados. A farinha foi preparada me diante prensagem da semente e extração da gordura com solvente, lixiviada durante 2 horas, com água corrente na proporção de 1:5, e agitação constante, a fim de reduzir os níveis de glicosinolatos. O efeito tóxico foi observado através do peso dos órgãos e da histopatologia dos órgãos em experimento de 60 dias. A qualidade biológica da torta desintoxicada, ao nível de 5% e 10%, foi semelhante ao da caseína (PER controle 3,18 vs 3,08, 5% e 2,98, 10%). O PER da torta crua foi de 2,28. Os ratos que receberam a farinha crua tiveram órgãos maiores. As tireóides dos ratos submetidos as dietas 2 e 3, não demonstraram alterações que suspeitassem de um efeito bociogênico e as alterações ocorridas nas tireóides dos animais que receberam, D-4 foram semelhantes àquelas ocorridas nos grupos 2 e 3. Não houve danos célulares graves em relação ao fígado, os rins, o coração, baço e supra-renais para todos os grupos observados. O método de extração dos fatores tóxicos da colza foi eficiente de acordo com os resultados obtidos para o presente estudo.

The toxic effect of detoxified rapeseed meal obtained by 2 h lixiviation was studied in growing animals. The control diets provided 10% protein from casein, detoxified rapeseed and crude rapeseed. A fourth diet was prepared substituting half casein for detoxified rapeseed meal. Feed consumption, weight gain and protein efficiency ratio revealled good performance for all diets as compared to the crude meal. Protein efficiency ratio (PER) increased from 2,98 for detoxified rapeseed to 3,19 for casein. The lowest PER 2.16 for crude rapeseed was higher than that related by BALLESTER et alii (0,94). In animals fed crude rapeseed meal,no histological changes were detected. The detoxified material showed a satisfactory growth promoting capacity for the rats at the 10% protein dietary level. It did not cause either hypertrophy of the thyroid or histopathological damage to this gland. The present results seem to confirm the good quality of the protein of rapeseed presscake meal obtained from a low glucosinolate cultivar.