O presente trabalho teve por objetivo identificar as principais bactérias aeróbias que compõem a microbiota natural do pavilhão auricular de cutias hígidas. Para tanto, foram utilizadas 48 cutias, criadas em cativeiro sob as condições Semiáridas do Nordeste Brasileiro. Esses animais foram distribuídos nas categorias de adultos (N=32) e filhotes (N=16), e, em ambas, distribuídos igualmente entre machos e fêmeas. Através de um swab, em cada animal coletou-se de cada orelha a secreção presente na superfície do pavilhão auricular dos animais, totalizando 96 amostras. Este material foi refrigerado, e encaminhado ao laboratório para a realização das análises microbiológicas (macroscopia das colônias, citologia e provas bioquímicas), com o intuito de isolar e identificar os microrganismos. Os principais microrganismos isolados foram Staphylococcus spp. (47,26%), Streptococcus spp. (12,80%), Bacillus spp. (22,73%) e Corynebacterium spp. (17,30%). Verificou-se também que não houve diferença entre adultos e filhotes em relação aos microrganismos retrocitados. Assim, as bactérias residentes do pavilhão auricular de cutias hígidas são essencialmente cocos e bacilos gram-positivos, similarmente ao encontrado em pequenos animais domésticos.

The aim of this study was to identify the aerobic bacteria of the auricular natural microbiota from healthy agoutis (Dasyprocta aguti Linnaeus, 1758). In the total, 48 agoutis were used in this experiment, being 32 adults and 16 puppies (both groups divided into equal parts between males and females). The animals were raised under captive conditions, in the Brazilian Semiarid. From each animal, a sample of auricular secretion was collected from each auricular pinna and processed for microbiological analyses. A total of 96 samples were collected and analyzed by colony macroscopic format, cytology and by biochemistry proofs with the objective of isolate and identify the microorganisms. The main bacteria found were Staphylococcus spp. (47.26%), Streptococcus spp. (12.80%), Bacillus spp. (22.73%) and Corynebacterium spp. (17.30%). As conclusion, the most frequent bacteria in auricular pinna of healthy agoutis are Gram-positive cocci and rods, similarly to found in some pets.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant soft tissue neoplasm consisting of cells derived from the primitive mesenchyme that exhibit a profound tendency to myogenesis. About 35% of RMS arises in the head and neck, being classified as parameningeal and non-orbital non-parameningeal forms. Parameningeal tumors carry the worst prognosis. The use of contemporary, multi-agent chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery has made treatment of the disseminated disease possible, and has significantly improved overall survival from 25% in 1970 to 70% in 1991. Here, we present the management of two cases of orofacial RMS in adolescents: an 18-year-old, white female that had a 9-month history of a nodule in the left buccal mucosa, and a 19-year-old, white male who had been aware of a nodule in the left, posterior maxillary ridge with progressive growth for 4 months. Before final diagnosis, both cases were previously treated as inflammatory lesions. Their clinicopathological aspects, treatment, and poor survival as a consequence of delays in diagnosis are discussed.

O uso de anticonvulsivantes no tratamento de neuralgias despertou um interesse em testar novas drogas anticonvulsivantes, e dentre essas a vigabatrina por possuir mecanismo de ação gabaérgico. Para isso, foram usados 41 ratos Wistar e em 25 deles induziu-se neuropatia ciática constritiva (modelo de Bennett & Xie). Para testar sintomas de dor, foram quantificados comportamentos espontâneos (coçar-se) e evocados, por meio de estímulos térmicos nocivos (46oC) e não-nocivos (40oC). Além disso, realizou-se estudo comparativo da vigabatrina com outros anticonvulsivantes analgésicos. Os resultados mostraram um possível efeito analgésico, dose-dependente, de vigabatrina (gama-vinil-GABA) em dor neuropática experimental. Isso foi evidenciado pela diminuição significativa (p<0,05) do comportamento de coçar-se e pelo aumento significativo (p<0,05) da latência de retirada da pata posterior direita a estímulos térmicos nocivos. Isso foi corroborado por achados semelhantes em experimentos com anticonvulsivantes (carbamazepina, fenitoína e ácido valpróico) analgésicos. Esse possível efeito analgésico da vigabatrina (ainda não descrito na literatura) não é mediado pelo sistema opióide.

Since anticonvulsants have been used for treating neuralgias, an interest has arisen to experimentally test vigabatrin for its gabaergic mechanism of action. For this, 41 Wistar rats were used, and in 25 of them a constrictive sciatic neuropathy was induced (Bennet & Xie model). For testing pain symptoms, spontaneous (scratching) and evoked behaviors to noxious (46o C) and non-noxious (40o C) thermal stimuli were quantified. Moreover, a comparative pharmacological study of vigabatrin with other analgesic anticonvulsant drugs was also performed. The results showed a possible dose-dependent analgesic effect of vigabatrin (gamma-vinyl-GABA) on experimental neuropathic pain, as shown by the significant (p<0.05) decreasing effect of vigabatrin on scratching and by its significant (p<0.05) increasing effect on the latency of the right hindpaw withdrawal of the animals to noxious thermal stimulus. This was corroborated by similar findings with analgesic anticonvulsants (carbamazepine, phenytoin and valproic acid). This possible and not yet described analgesic effect of vigabatrin seems not to be opioid mediated.