ABSTRACT Objectives: This review aims to study the role of the abdominal wall in testicular migration process during the human fetal period. Materials and Methods: We performed a descriptive review of the literature about the role of the abdominal wall in testicular migration during the human fetal period. Results: The rise in intra-abdominal pressure is a supporting factor for testicular migration. This process has two phases: the abdominal and the inguinal-scrotal stages. The passage of the testis through the inguinal canal occurs very quickly between 21 and 25 WPC. Bilateral cryptorchidism in Prune Belly syndrome is explained by the impaired contraction of the muscles of the abdominal wall; mechanical obstruction due to bladder distention and structural alteration of the inguinal canal, which hampers the passage of the testis during the inguinoscrotal stage of testicular migration. Abdominal wall defects as gastroschisis and omphaloceles are associated with undescended testes in around 30 to 40% of the cases. Conclusions: Abdominal pressure wound is an auxiliary force in testicular migration. Patients with abdominal wall defects are associated with undescendend testis in more than 30% of the cases probably due to mechanical factors; the Prune Belly Syndrome has anatomical changes in the anterior abdominal wall that hinder the increase of intra-abdominal pressure which could be the cause of cryptorchidism in this syndrome.

Abstract In this work, an application of digital speckle pattern shearing interferometry (shearography) for strain measurement is proposed. This optical technique is implemented to measure strain in elastic materials. Three different sealing elastomers were tested in short-term creep tests in order to assess creep compliance, which is an important mechanical property for viscoelastic materials. The creep tests were carried out applying a constant tensile load to a specimen. An in-plane shearography setup was implemented to measure the creep strains in polymers. Results of creep strains were compared with that obtained with a commercial equipment of digital image correlation (DIC). Although some limitations were found for shearography, it was possible to verify the adaptability of this technique for strain measurement in elastomers.

Abstract Fungal infections have become a concern for health professionals, and the emergence of resistant strains has been reported for all known classes of antifungal drugs. Among the fungi causing disease, we highlight those that belong to the genus Aspergillus. For these reasons, the search for new antifungals is important. This study examines the effects of a coumarin derivative, 4-acetatecoumarin (Cou-UMB16) both alone and together with antifungal drugs, and its mode of action against Aspergillus spp. Cou-UMB16 was tested to evaluate its effects on mycelia growth, and germination of Aspergillus spp. fungal conidia. We investigated its possible action on cell walls, on the cell membrane, and also the capacity of this coumarin derivative to enhance the activity of antifungal drugs. Our results suggest that Cou-UMB16 inhibits Aspergillus spp. virulence factors (mycelia growth and germination of conidia) and affects the structure of the fungal cell wall. When applying Cou-UMB16 in combination with azoles, both synergistic and additive effects were observed. This study concludes that Cou-UMB16 inhibits mycelial growth and spore germination, and that the activity is due to its action on the fungal cell wall, and that Cou-UMB16 could act as an antifungal modifier.

ABSTRACT Objectives: To assess the incidence of anatomical anomalies in patients with retractile testis. Materials and Methods: We studied prospectively 20 patients (28 testes) with truly retractile testis and compared them with 25 human fetuses (50 testes) with testis in scrotal position. We analyzed the relations among the testis, epididymis and patency of the processus vaginalis (PV). To analyze the relations between the testis and epididymis, we used a previous classification according to epididymis attachment to the testis and the presence of epididymis atresia. To analyze the structure of the PV, we considered two situations: obliteration of the PV and patency of the PV. We used the Chi-square test for contingency analysis of the populations under study (p <0.05). Results: The fetuses ranged in age from 26 to 35 weeks post-conception (WPC) and the 20 patients with retractile testis ranged in ages from 1 to 12 years (average of 5.8). Of the 50 fetal testes, we observed complete patency of the PV in 2 cases (4%) and epididymal anomalies (EAs) in 1 testis (2%). Of the 28 retractile testes, we observed patency of the PV in 6 cases (21.4%) and EA in 4 (14.28%). When we compared the incidence of EAs and PV patency we observed a significantly higher prevalence of these anomalies in retractile testes (p=0.0116). Conclusions: Retractile testis is not a normal variant with a significant risk of patent processus vaginalis and epididymal anomalies.

Processos físicos e biogeoquímicos em plataformas continentais agem sinergicamente, tanto transportando, quanto transformando o material em suspensão, enquanto a dinâmica do oceano controla a dispersão destas partículas pela zona costeira e sua posterior mistura na plataforma continental. O sistema de ressurgência de Cabo Frio, localizado na região Sudeste do Brasil, se caracteriza por ser um região de alta produtividade sob a influência da Corrente do Brasil, uma corrente de contorno oeste oligotrófica, mas também com uma zona de ressurgência costeira induzida pelo vento, o que produz as intrusões das águas frias e ricas em nutrientes da Água Central do Atlântico Sul sob a plataforma. Visando entender as interações sinergéticas entre os processos físicos e biogeoquímicos neste sistema, uma série de quatro experimentos com armadilhas de sedimentos e outros sensores físicos foram fundeados na isóbata de 145 metros, no período entre novembro de 2010 e março de 2012. Um total de 98 amostras discretas foram analisadas. Os resultados mostraram que o transporte lateral pode ser importante em alguns casos, especialmente nas camadas mais profundas. Embora não tenha sido detectado nenhum ciclo sazonal claro, dois cenários de acoplamento físicogeoquímicos foram identificados: eventos de subsidência que produzem um aumento nos fluxos de partículas e são potencialmente relacionados às oscilações da Corrente do Brasil; e eventos de fluxos significativos relacionados com a intrusão da isoterma de 18°C na zona eufótica. As partículas em suspensão na plataforma continental de Cabo Frio representam uma mistura de fontes marinhas e continentais. Tanto o Rio Paraíba do Sul quanto a Baía de Guanabara podem ser potenciais fontes continentais, embora o material particulado possa ainda estar sujeito a intensa transformação (diagênese) durante sua trajetória para a borda da plataforma continental.

Physical and biogeochemical processes in continental shelves act synergistically in both transporting and transforming suspended material, and ocean dynamics control the dispersion of particles by the coastal zone and their subsequent mixing and dilution within the shelf area constrained by oceanic boundary currents, followed by their gradual settling in a complex sedimentary scenario. One of these regions is the Cabo Frio Upwelling System located in a significantly productive area of Southeastern Brazil, under the control of the nutrient-poor western boundary Brazil Current but also with a wind-driven coastal upwelling zone, inducing cold-water intrusions of South Atlantic Central Water on the shelf. To understand these synergic interactions among physical and biogeochemical processes in the Cabo Frio shelf, a series of four experiments with a total of 98 discrete samples using sediment traps was performed from November 2010 to March 2012, located on the 145 m isobath on the edge of the continental shelf. The results showed that lateral transport might be relevant in some cases, especially in deep layers, although no clear seasonal cycle was detected. Two main physical-geochemical coupling scenarios were identified: singular downwelling events that can enhance particles fluxes and are potentially related to the Brazil Current oscillations; and events of significant fluxes related to the intrusion of the 18°C isotherm in the euphotic zone. The particulate matter settling in the Cabo Frio shelf area seems to belong to multiple marine and terrestrial sources, in which both Paraiba do Sul River and Guanabara Bay could be potential land-sources, although the particulate material might subject intense transformation (diagenesis) during its trajectory to the shelf edge.

Estudamos e analisamos um método globalmente convergente e não monótono para minimização em conjuntos fechados. Este método está baseado nas ideias dos métodos de região de confiança e Levenberg-Marquardt. Dessa maneira, os subproblemas consistem em minimizar um modelo quadrático da função objetivo sujeito a um conjunto de restrições. Incorporamos conceitos de bidiagonalização e de cálculo da SVD de maneira "inexata" buscando melhorar o desempenho do algoritmo, visto que a solução do subproblema por técnicas tradicionais, necessária em cada iteração, é computacionalmente muito cara. Outros métodos viáveis são citados, entre eles um método de busca curvilinear e um de minimização ao longo de geodésicas. Finalmente, ilustramos o desempenho numérico dos métodos quando aplicados ao Problema de Procrustes Ortogonal.

We study and analyze a nonmonotone globally convergent method for minimization onclosed sets. This method is based on the ideas from trust-region and Levenberg-Marquardt methods. Thus, the subproblems consists in minimizing a quadratic model of the objective function subject to a given constraint set. We incorporate concepts of bidiagonalization and calculation of the SVD "with inaccuracy" to improve the performance of the algorithm, since the solution of the subproblem by traditional techniques, which is required in each iteration, is computationally expensive. Other feasible methods are mentioned,including a curvilinear search algorithm and a minimization along geodesics algorithm. Finally, we illustrate the numerical performance of the methods when applied to the Orthogonal Procrustes Problem.

Objectives Report the incidence and structure of testicular appendices (TAs) in patients with cryptorchidism, comparing their incidence with epididymal anomalies (EA) and patency of the vaginal process (PVP) and analyzes the structure of TAs. Material and Methods We studied 72 testes of patients with cryptorchidism (average of 6 years), and 8 testes from patients with hydroceles (average of 9 years). We analyzed the relations among the testis, epididymis and PVP and prevalence and histology of the TAs. The appendices of 10 patients with cryptorchidism and 8 with hydrocele were dissected and embedded in paraffin and stained with Masson trichrome; Weigert and Picro-Sirius Red with polarization and immunohistochemistry analysis of the collagen type III fibers to observe collagen. The stereological analysis was done with the software Image Pro and Image J, using a grid to determine volumetric densities (Vv). Means were statistically compared using the ANOVA and unpaired T test (p < 0.05). Results Of the 72 testes with cryptorchidism, 20 (27.77%) presented EA, 41 (56.9%) had PVP and 44 (61.1%) had TAs. Of the 44 testes with cryptorchidism and appendices, 30 (68.18%) presented PVP and 11 (25%) presented EA. There was no alteration of the epithelium in the appendices of patients in both groups. Stereological analysis documented the prevalence of ESFs (mean of 1.48%), prevalence of veins (mean of 10.11%) and decrease (p = 0.14) of SMCs in the TAs of patients with cryptorchidism (mean = 4.93%). Collagen III prevailed in the TAs of patients with cryptorchidism. Conclusion The testicular appendices presented significant structural alteration in the patients with cryptorchidism, indicating that TAs present a structural remodeling.

A proteína C reativa (PCR) é uma das proteínas de fase aguda cuja solicitação tem crescido de forma exponencial em vários países, incluindo o Brasil. Neste estudo, a utilidade da PCR em diversas situações clínicas foi revisada por um grupo de médicos composto por especialistas em Medicina Interna, Emergências Médicas, Terapia Intensiva, Rastreamento e Medicina Laboratorial com o objetivo de analisar a literatura pertinente e propor diretrizes para o uso mais racional desse exame laboratorial. O resultado foi a criação de fluxogramas orientadores da solicitação de PCR adaptados a quatro ambientes assistenciais diferentes, sendo eles unidades de terapia intensiva, pronto-socorro, enfermarias e ambulatórios. Esses fluxogramas e uma discussão mais detalhada sobre as diversas indicações clínicas do exame são apresentados neste estudo.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an acute-phase protein whose requests have been growing exponentially in several countries, including Brazil. In this study, the use of CRP in several clinical situations was reviewed by a group of physicians comprised by specialists in internal medicine, medical emergencies, intensive care, screening, and laboratory medicine, aiming to analyze the applicable literature and to propose guidelines for a more rational use of this laboratory test. The result was the creation of flowcharts guiding CRP request, adjusted to four different healthcare environments, namely, intensive care units, emergency room, wards, and outpatient clinics. These flowcharts, as well as a more detailed discussion on several clinical recommendations for the test, are presented in this study.