Immunoexpression of adrenergic receptors in detrusor from patients with prune belly syndrome: a digital quantification

Introduction: Prune belly syndrome (PBS) presents with large-capacity bladders, high compliance and post-void residual volumes. Operative and conservative treatments are controversial. When histologically compared to normal bladder, bladder outlet obstruction results in an up- or down-regulation of adrenoceptors. Our goal was to study the immunoexpression of adrenoceptors in detrusor from patients with PBS. Materials and methods: Bladder domes from PBS patients (n = 14) were studied (PBG). For normal controls, bladder specimens were obtained at adult surgery (n = 13) (CG1) and at child autopsy (n = 5) (CG2). Staining was performed using antibodies to alpha 1a, alpha 1b, alpha 1d and beta 3 adrenoceptors. Five to 10 images were captured on an optic microscope with a digital camera and analysed with Photoshop(R). The immunocyhistochemical index with arbitrary units was calculated and compared. Results: Mean age was 1.28, 64 and 1.41 years for PBG, CG1 and CG2, respectively. The immunohistochemical index with arbitrary units of alpha 1a receptors was 0.06 in PBG, 0.16 in CG1 and 0.14 in CG2 (p = 0.008); of alpha 1b 0.06, 0.06 and 0.07 (p = 0.781); and of alpha 1d 0.04, 0.04 and 0.05 (p = 0.618). Regarding beta 3 the respective values were 0.07, 0.14 and 0.10 (p = 0.378). Conclusion: Our results show a decrease in ala-adrenoceptor immunostaining intensity in detrusor from children with PBS. Further in vitro studies are needed to determine whether these observations are physiologically significant. (C) 2009 Journal of Pediatric Urology Company. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A inserção da regulamentação da profissão na área de Educação Física, dez anos depois: embates, debates e perspectivas

This text argues some questions controversies on the regulation of the profession. Our interest is to give a theoretical basement of a side, and to hear the citizens directly related on these controversies of another one. For this we first decide to clarify the initial aspects of the regulation of the professions, stops later making an analysis of the law and resolutions of the Advice presenting: (a) the meaning; (b) attributions and abilities; (c) the limit for the fiscalization and of the power of polices and (d) to point the typical activities of the professional. Concluded this part we will raise an controversial subject that appeared in these last five years: the subordination of the dance, yoga, martial arts to the Federal Advice of Physical Education.

A dança «en-cena» o outro: prerrogativas para uma educação estética através do processo criativo

The dance installs in the body another scene of senses that raises the creative performance and not that can be speculated about it. There, ""who dance"" is the Other one, making the body acting of another manner, beyond the systemic contour of Ego. Without the presence of this forged performance, the body would not pass of one ruled machine in function of something and not in favor of himself, as original movement of himself. This article intends to make a reflection about the corporal perception in the dance, trying to point out the creative performance. So, we opened a way to understand the process creative as field of corporal sensitization where the educative intervention is accomplished in the body.

Effect of 655-nm Low-Level Laser Therapy on Exercise-Induced Skeletal Muscle Fatigue in Humans

Objective: To investigate if development of skeletal muscle fatigue during repeated voluntary biceps contractions could be attenuated by low-level laser therapy (LLLT). Background Data: Previous animal studies have indicated that LLLT can reduce oxidative stress and delay the onset of skeletal muscle fatigue. Materials and Methods: Twelve male professional volleyball players were entered into a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial, for two sessions (on day 1 and day 8) at a 1-wk interval, with both groups performing as many voluntary biceps contractions as possible, with a load of 75% of the maximal voluntary contraction force (MVC). At the second session on day 8, the groups were either given LLLT (655 nm) of 5 J at an energy density of 500 J/cm(2) administered at each of four points along the middle of the biceps muscle belly, or placebo LLLT in the same manner immediately before the exercise session. The number of muscle contractions with 75% of MVC was counted by a blinded observer and blood lactate concentration was measured. Results: Compared to the first session (on day 1), the mean number of repetitions increased significantly by 8.5 repetitions (+/- 1.9) in the active LLLT group at the second session (on day 8), while in the placebo LLLT group the increase was only 2.7 repetitions (+/- 2.9) (p = 0.0001). At the second session, blood lactate levels increased from a pre-exercise mean of 2.4 mmol/L (+/- 0.5 mmol/L), to 3.6 mmol/L (+/- 0.5 mmol/L) in the placebo group, and to 3.8 mmol/L (+/- 0.4 mmol/L) in the active LLLT group after exercise, but this difference between groups was not statistically significant. Conclusion: We conclude that LLLT appears to delay the onset of muscle fatigue and exhaustion by a local mechanism in spite of increased blood lactate levels.

Leg preference and interlateral asymmetry of balance stability in soccer players

To examine the effect of long lasting practice on pedal behavior in sport, we compared experienced adult soccer players and nonsoccer players on leg preference in motor tasks requiring general mobilization, soccer related mobilization, and body balance stabilization. We also evaluated performance asymmetry between the right and left legs in static and dynamic unipedal body balance based on center of pressure displacement, and correlated that with kg preference in balance stabilization tasks. Results revealed (a) a distinct leg preference between mobilization and stabilization tasks, which were significantly different between Mayers and nonplayers, (b) similar balance stability between the right and left legs, (c) greater stability of experienced players compared with nonplayers in static and dynamic balance, and (d) absence of a significant kg preference correlation with interlateral balance asymmetry. These results suggest an effect of extensive soccer skill practice on establishing leg preference for specific mobilization tasks and overall balance control.

Learning benefits of self-controlled knowledge of results in 10-year-old children

PIBIC-CNPq-Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Technologico

The sound field generated by tethered stingless bees (Melipona scutellaris): inferences on its potential as a recruitment mechanism inside the hive

In stingless bees, recruitment of hive bees to food sources involves thoracic vibrations by foragers during trophallaxis. The temporal pattern of these vibrations correlates with the sugar concentration of the collected food. One possible pathway for transfering such information to nestmates is through airborne sound. In the present study, we investigated the transformation of thoracic vibrations into air particle velocity, sound pressure, and jet airflows in the stingless bee Melipona scutellaris. Whereas particle velocity and sound pressure were found all around and above vibrating individuals, there was no evidence for a jet airflow as with honey bees. The largest particle velocities were measured 5 mm above the wings (16.0 +/- 4.8 mm s(-1)). Around a vibrating individual, we found maximum particle velocities of 8.6 +/- 3.0 mm s(-1) (horizontal particle velocity) in front of the bee`s head and of 6.0 +/- 2.1 mm s(-1) (vertical particle velocity) behind its wings. Wing oscillations, which are mainly responsible for air particle movements in honey bees, significantly contributed to vertically oriented particle oscillations only close to the abdomen in M. scutellaris(distances <= 5 mm). Almost 80% of the hive bees attending trophallactic food transfers stayed within a range of 5 mm from the vibrating foragers. It remains to be shown, however, whether air particle velocity alone is strong enough to be detected by Johnston`s organ of the bee antenna. Taking the physiological properties of the honey bee`s Johnston`s organ as the reference, M. scutellaris hive bees are able to detect the forager vibrations through particle movements at distances of up to 2 cm.

STATIC IMAGES WITH DIFFERENT INDUCED INTENSITIES OF HUMAN BODY MOVEMENTS AFFECT SUBJECTIVE TIME

Modulation of subjective time was examined using static images eliciting perceptions of different intensities of body movement. Undergraduate students were exposed to photographs of dancer sculptures in different dance positions for 36 sec. and asked to estimate the exposure duration. Lower movement intensities were related to shorter estimated durations. Mean durations for images of unmoving dancers were underestimated and for dancers taking a ballet step were overestimated. Temporal estimations were also related to the order of presentation of the stimuli, which suggested that subjective time estimations were influenced by the experimental context. Subjective time is related not only to the visual perception of moving images, but also of elicited perceptions of movement in static images, suggesting an embodiment effect on subjective time estimation.

Anatomic Landmarks for Localization of the Spinal Accessory Nerve

This anatomical study examines the anatomic topography and landmarks for localization of the spinal accessory nerve (SAN) during surgical dissections in 40 fresh human cadavers (2 females and 38 males; ages from 22 to 89 years with a mean of 60 years). In the submandibular region, the SAN was found anteriorly to the transverse process of the atlas in 77.5% of the dissections. When the SAN crossed the posterior belly of the digastric muscle, the mean distance from the point of crossing to the tendon of the muscle was 1.75 +/- 0.54 cm. Distally, the SAN crossed between the two heads of the SCM muscle in 45% of the dissections and deep to the muscle in 55%. The SAN exited the posterior border of the sternocleidomastoid muscle in a point superior to the nerve point with a mean distance between these two anatomic parameters of 0.97 +/- 0.46 cm. The mean overall extracranial length of the SAN was 12.02 +/- 2.32 cm, whereas the mean length of the SAN in the posterior triangle was 5.27 +/- 1.52 cm. There were 2-10 lymph nodes in the SAN chain. In conclusion, the nerve point is one of the most reliable anatomic landmarks for localization of the SAN in surgical neck dissections. Although other anatomic parameters including the transverse process of the atlas and the digastric muscle can also be used to localize the SAN, the surgeon should be aware of the possibility of anatomic variations of those parameters. Similar to previous investigations, our results suggest that the number of lymph nodes of the SAN chain greatly varies. Clin. Anat. 22:471-475, 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Morphological Study of Myoneural Interaction between the Levator Labii Superioris Muscle and its Motor Nerve in Rats

The progress of science in search of new techniques of the nerve regeneration and the functional repair in reinnervated muscle has been the target of many researchers around the world. Consequently, nerves and muscles in different body segments asked for more enlightenment of their morphology, their interrelation with other anatomic structures and their peculiarities. One of the most significant areas that need deeper studies is the region of the head and neck, since they are often affected by important pathologies. In order to offer the researcher`s community a morphological myoneural interaction model, this study elected the levator labii superioris muscle and its motor nerve, the buccal branch of the facial nerve (VII pair) not only for its special characteristics, but also its value on the facial expression. The rat was chosen for this investigation for being easy to obtain, to keep, to manipulate and to compare this experiment with many others studies previously published. The techniques used were Mesoscopic (dissection), histoenzymologic and morphometric ones. In the results the muscle proved to have a predominance of fast twich fibers (FG and FOG) and superficial location, with a proximal bone and a distal cutaneous insertion. Its motor nerve, the buccal branch of the facial nerve (VII pair), breaks through the muscle belly into its deep face, and comprised a heterogeneous group of myelinic nerve fibers disposed in a regular form in all fascicle. Near the motor point, the nerve showed to be composed of two fascicles with different sizes. Due to the small nerve dimensions, the nerve fibers have a smaller diameter if compared to the motor nerve of pectineus muscle of the cat. Further studies with neural tracers have already had a start in order to provide more information about the distribution and the architecture of these fibers.

A molecular phylogeny of the stingless bee genus Melipona (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Stingless bees (Meliponini) constitute a diverse group of highly eusocial insects that occur throughout tropical regions around the world. The meliponine genus Melipona is restricted to the New World tropics and has over 50 described species. Melipona, like Apis, possesses the remarkable ability to use representational communication to indicate the location of foraging patches. Although Melipona has been the subject of numerous behavioral, ecological, and genetic studies, the evolutionary history of this genus remains largely unexplored. Here, we implement a multigene phylogenetic approach based on nuclear, mitochondrial, and ribosomal loci, coupled with molecular clock methods, to elucidate the phylogenetic relationships and antiquity of subgenera and species of Melipona. Our phylogenetic analysis resolves the relationship among subgenera and tends to agree with morphology-based classification hypotheses. Our molecular clock analysis indicates that the genus Melipona shared a most recent common ancestor at least similar to 14-17 million years (My) ago. These results provide the groundwork for future comparative analyses aimed at understanding the evolution of complex communication mechanisms in eusocial Apidae. (C) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Occurrence of the Plantaris Muscle and its Muscle-Tendon Relationship in Adult Human Cadavers

Twenty legs from adult male cadavers were examined to analyze the anatomical relationships between the component parts of the plantaris muscle. This muscle was present in all of the cadavers and it was found that the length of the muscle in relation to its belly was approximately three times greater than in relation to the tendon.