Experimental surgery of the facial nerve. Assessment of the intraperitoneal use of exogenous gangliosides

Compression and section of the facial nerve were performed in 48 rats in order to study the anatomopathological alterations occurring after daily intraperitoneal injections of 100 mg of exogenous gangliosides (Sinaxial®) for 45, 90, 180 days. In groups submitted to nerve compression, the histopathological changes were discrete and in the 180-day subgroups the nerve was practically normal. In animals submitted to section and neurorrhaphy there was formation of an amputation neuroma, a granuloma around the suture, axonal unstructuration and inter and perineural fibrosis. No significant differences were observed between the groups submitted or not to injection of exogenous gangliosides, indicating that the major factors involved in the quality of nerve regeneration were the technique and the formation of fibrosis and of an amputation neuroma.

Reorganizacao do processo condilar da articulacao temporomandibular apos condilectomia unilateral, em camundongos tratados com zidovudina (AZT)

In order to analyze the reorganization of the condylar process after unilateral condylectomy in animals which have received AZT, 30 albino mice, 30 days old were used. The condylectomized animals were divided in two groups, one have received distilled water and the other AZT, orally during 10 days. After 5, 10, 15, 30 and 45 days of the surgery the animals of both groups were sacrificed, their heads removed and fixed in 10% formalin. After decalcification the pieces received histological routine treatment to be included in paraffin. The slices were stained by hematoxylin/eosin method. The analysis of results showed that: 1. the condylar repair is similar on both groups; 2. the results reaffirm those found in the literature, that the articulation after condylectomy is located in an anterior position and that the articular disc is not a determinant factor on condylar reorganization.

Population biology of Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 (Decapoda, Portunidae) from Ubatuba (SP), Brazil

Population structure and reproductive season of the portunid crab Callinectes ornatus were studied in animals collected from the Ubatuba bays, Sao Paulo, Brazil (23°20' to 23°35' S and 44°50' to 45°14' W). The samples were taken in three trawls performed every other month from January 1991 to May 1993. A total of 3,829 specimens of C. ornatus were obtained. Their size ranged from 9.3 to 84.6 mm (carapace width). Their median size based on their cephalothoracic width and their size frequency were determined as well. Their reproduction was continuous, with variable proportions of ovigerous females. The highest incidence of ovigerous females occurred in January 1991, 1992 and 1993 and March and November 1992. The oscillations of the environmental factors between the seasons are not so intense in subtropical regions, therefore allowing the continuity of the physiological process of growth and reproduction throughout the year.

Revisão de plantas Brasileiras com comprovado efeito hipoglicemiante no controle do diabetes mellitus

Plants have been used in the cure of diseases from the origins of the humanity. At present, in Brazil, the use is common because of the difficulty of access of part of the population to medical assistance. It is commonly believed that the medicinal plants of traditional use were already tested and ratified by the long-lasting use by the human species, being considered effective medicines, presenting no collateral effects, not needful, therefore, of evaluation. The miraculous self-medication with medicinal plants goes to the point of substituting therapies in serious diseases such as those of hypoglycemic or anti-diabetic effect. For the test of medicinal plants, it is necessary to consider the material quality to be tested, the plant component used, extraction method, dosage, and the experimental species used. Several plants have already had hypoglycemic effects proven experimentally. The objective of this paper was to accomplish a revision of Brazilian medicinal plants, used popularly, as hypoglycemics that had effects proven in animals and in humans.

Influence of age on combined effects of cyclosporin and nifedipine on rat alveolar bone

Background: There is some evidence showing that cyclosporin A (CsA) and nifedipine (NIF) affect bone metabolism. The purpose of this work was to study the effects of CsA and NIF, given alone or concurrently, on alveolar bone of rats of different ages. Methods: Rats 15, 30, 60, and 90 days old were treated daily with 10 mg/kg body weight of CsA subcutaneously injected and/or 50 mg/kg body weight of NIF/day given orally for 60 days. Alveolar bone of the first lower molars was morphologically and stereologically evaluated in serial 5 μm bucco-lingual paraffin sections, stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Serum calcium and alkaline phosphatase levels were measured in all animals at the end of the experimental period. Results: Rats treated with CsA or NIF alone or CsA and NIF concurrently showed decreased alveolar bone density. CsA was more effective than NIF. A significant decrease in serum calcium was found only in animals treated with CsA or CsA/NIF. The results were similar regardless of age. Conclusions: These results indicate that the decrease in the alveolar bone volume in rats caused by CsA and NIF alone or concurrently is not age dependent. Furthermore, NIF (50 mg/kg) did not further increase the loss of alveolar bone volume induced by CsA (10 mg/kg).

Levedura íntegra e derivados do seu processamento em rações para tilápia do Nilo: Aspectos hematológicos e histológicos

The effects of inclusion of whole yeast, autolyzed yeast and yeast cell wall on hematological parameters and gut villus perimeter were evaluated in juvenile Nile tilapia, after 80 experimental days. Isoproteic (32.0% DP) and isoenergetic (3200 kcal DE kg -1) practical diets were supplemented with three levels of whole yeast or autolyzed yeast (1.0, 2.0 and 3.0%) and three levels of yeast cell wall (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3%), plus a control diet (with no test microingredients). Red blood cell count, hemoglobin concentration, total plasmatic protein, hematocrit percentage, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration and gut villus perimeter were evaluated. Variations on hematological parameters in animals fed diets with whole yeast; autolyzed yeast and yeast cell wall were observed to be within normal ranges for this species. There was significant influence (p<0.05) of different levels of yeast and derivatives on intestinal villus perimeter. Results showed that experimental period and proposed levels of whole yeast, autolyzed yeast and yeast cell wall do not provide undesirable alterations on standard hematological parameters to Nile tilapia and can be safely used to compound diets for this species. Results also showed that supplement of yeast cell wall provide higher intestinal villus perimeter.

Anomalia congênita em vasos da base do coração de um potro

Congenital anomalies of heart and large vessels are among more common found in animals, however rare in horses. This survey describes a cardiac anomaly that presents confluence between aorta wall and lung trunk, ramification of caudal cava vein in left atrium with presence of valve and consequently erroneous position of heart in thoracic cavity of one foal found dead after birth. The diagnostic was carried out for macroscopic finds association during the necropsy and histopathologic exams carried out at School of Veterinary Medicine - Unesp Araçatuba.

Nerolidol, an antiulcer constituent from the essential oil of Baccharis dracunculifolia DC (Asteraceae)

In this study, the antiulcerogenic effect of essential oil from Baccharis dracunculifolia was evaluated using the model of acute gastric lesions induced by ethanol. The ulcerative lesion index (ULI) was significantly reduced by oral administration of the essential oil of B. dracunculifolia at doses of 50, 250 and 500 mg/kg which reduced the lesions by 42.79, 45.70 and 61.61%, respectively. The analysis of the chemical composition of the essential oil from B. dracunculifolia by GC showed that this was composed mainly of mono- and sesquiterpenes and the majority compound was nerolidol. Therefore, antiulcerogenic activity of nerolidol (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg) was investigated using ethanol-, indomethacin- and stress-induced ulcer models in rat. In the stress-induced ulcer model, a significant reduction of the ULI in animals treated with nerolidol (50, 250 and 500 mg/kg) and cimetidine (100 mg/kg) was observed, compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The percentage of inhibition of ulcer was 41.22, 51.31, 56.57 and 53.50% in groups treated with 50, 250, 500 mg/kg of nerolidol and 100 mg/kg of cimetidine (positive control), respectively. Regarding ethanol- and indomethacin-induced ulcer models, it was observed that the treatment with nerolidol (250 and 500 mg/kg) significantly reduced the ULI in comparison with the control group (p < 0.05). The dose of 50 mg/kg reduced the parameters analyzed but this was not statistically significant. In the ethanol-induced model percentage of inhibition of ulcer was 34.20, 52.63, 87.63 and 50.87% in groups treated with 50, 250, 500 mg/kg of nerolidol and 30 mg/kg of omeprazol (positive control), respectively. In indomethacin-ulcer the percentage of inhibition of ulcer was 34.69, 40.80, 51.02 and 46.93% in groups treated with 50, 250, 500 mg/kg of nerolidol and 100 mg/kg of cimetidine (positive control), respectively. The results of this study show that nerolidol displays antiulcer activity, as it significantly inhibited the formation of ulcers induced in different animal models. However, further pharmacological and toxicological investigations, to delineate the mechanism(s) of action and the toxic effects, are required to allow the use of nerolidol for the treatment of gastric ulcer. © 2007 Verlag der Zeitschrift für Naturforschung.

Patologia clínica em aves de produção - Uma ferramenta para monitorar a sanidade avícola - Revisäo

Clinical pathology has been used in veterinary medicine for many years to evaluate metabolic changes that may indicate any sign of disease in animals. Even though the use of blood parameters is routine in companion animals, it is not commonly used for avian clinical evaluation either wild or production birds. Among others, the lack of information of avian blood reference values has limited the use of this tool in avian medicine. The blood parameters in avian medicine are helpful to evaluate aspects related to animal health for wild and also production birds. Thus, this review paper presents some ways to use clinical pathology parameters to evaluate and to monitor the avian health.

Patulina: Incidência e controle em derivados de maçã

The patulin, (4hydroxy-4furo[3,2-c]pyran(6H)-1), is a thermal resistent mycotoxin produced by several species of fungi are common in plants, mainly in derivatives and apples. Studies on the toxicity in animals have shown that mycotoxin has character teratogenic, and carcinogenic in mice immunotoxic. Its biosynthesis is well understood involving a series of reactions of condensation and oxiredução, many catalyzed by enzymes. The danger of contamination of food with patulin, warning about the need for a more rigorous control. Recent research aimed their removal and degradation as well as increase the sensitivity of the tests, making them faster and at less cost. The removal of patulin of food is made with composite adsorbents, with inconvenience to diminish the quality of the product by adsorbs other components desirable. The degradation is made with sulfur compounds, which are not allowed in food in many countries, and the growth of yeasts, such as the production of cider. Many yeasts have resistance against patulin and produce compounds capable degrade it. Here, we reviewed research on patulin with emphasis on its influence in food industry, incidence of patulin in apple juice and other foods, maximum permissible concentrations, health effects, biosynthesis, removal, degradation and most widely used methods for its detection and quantification.

Ensaios biológicos para avaliação de segurança de produtos cosméticos

Despite efforts to the contrary, some cosmetic products can cause undesirable side effects in the users. These may often be due to individual factors or inappropriate use of the product. Thus, biological assays to assess the safety of a new cosmetic must precede its being placed on the market. Historically, these tests have always been carried out in vivo, in animals, since such tests can be used to evaluate many of the potential risks, such as irritation, allergy or systemic effects; but, recently, some research centers have been adopting in vitro alternatives, in order to replace the animal tests. This review emphasizes the need to employ biological assays to test the safety of cosmetic products, and reviews the main in vivo and in vitro tests used, focusing on the need to develop and use alternatives to the in vivo assays of product safety, so as to offer the consumers the maximum safety with the least possible risk, while ensuring the best conditions of use of the product.

Influência de fontes de nitrogênio no consumo e digestibilidade aparente total e parcial de novilhos alimentados com cana- deaçúcar

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen sources, using sugarcane supplemented with urea, corn gluten meal-60 or soybean meal. It was evaluated Intake, total and partial apparent digestibility were evaluated using four rumen and duodenal cannulated crossbred steers. The treatments were evaluated in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The total feces were collected to determine the apparent digestibility on the total intestinal tract. The indigestible acid detergent fiber (iADF) was used as marker of duodenal flux to determine ruminal and intestinal digestibility and dry matter daily flux. The DM, OM, CP, EE, DE, NDF, ADF and TC intakes and digestibility rates were influenced by nitrogen sources, and lower intake was observed in animals fed exclusively with cane sugar compared to animals fed the other experimental diets. Meanwhile the sources of nitrogen did not affect the total digestible nutrients (TDN) values. The RDP sources did not affect the total, ruminal, and intestinal nutrients apparent digestibility. However, the total, ruminal, and intestinal dry matter, and protein apparent digestibility were affected by the RDP sources.

Tratamento hepatoprotetor favorece a resposta leucocitária de ratos wistar intoxicados por CCL4

The aims of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of hepatoprotective treatments with a compound prepared by the association of N-Acetyl DL-Methionine (5%) + Choline chloride (2%) + Caffeine (1%) + Thiamine hydrochloride (1%) + Nicotinamida (0,5%)+ Pyridoxine hydrochloride (0.04%), administered through intramuscular (IM) route, at doses of 0.2, 0.6 and 1.0 mL/kg of BW, through the study of leukocytes responses in rats submitted to acute intoxication with CCl4. 147 females were randomized into 21 groups, performing five different treatments, which were evaluated seven animals in four periods: two, four, six and eight days after CCl4-induced intoxication. In this study, it was observed absolute eosinophilia and monocytosis in animals untreated and treated with the lowest dose of 0.2 mL. These responses were significantly better in animals treated with 0.6 and 1.0 mL/ kg BW. The untreated animals showed thrombocytopenia, when compared to treated animals. Absolute neutropenia and lymphocytosis was observed in all rats intoxicated with CCl4, there is no difference among treatments. The analysis of white blood cells demonstrated that the hepatoprotective treatments favored the leukocyte response, by act beneficially on the population of these cells, supporting the hypothesis that these events may reduce the deleterious effects in liver tissue after intoxication by CCl4.

Correlação entre a densidade mineral óssea e níveis séricos de cálcio, fósforo e fosfatase alcalina total em gatos após tirotoxicose experimental

Hyperthyroidism is and endocrinal dysfunction characterized by excessive serum concentrations of thyroid gland hormones, which can cause several effects on the bone tissue in humans and in animals. For a better characterization of thyrotoxicosis effects on bone metabolism, 16 cats were induced into hyperthyroid state. Results showed that, in some moments a major bone demineralization of the right distal radium estremity promoted an elevation of the serum levels of phosphorus and total alkaline phosphatase.

Neurorrafia do ramo bucal dorsal do nervo facial em coelhos com proteção de segmento intestinal alógeno

18 rabbits, New Zealand, males, adults were used for clinical and histological evaluation of repair dorsal buccal branch of facial nerve after 15, 30 and 60 days postoperatively (PO). The animals were divided into two groups for transection and 10-0 nylon monofilament epineural suture of buccal branch. In animals in Group I, the nerve was coated with protection of jejunum allograft preserved in glycerin 98% and in group II was applied epineural suture. Both groups occurred the return of movement of the upper lip from the eighth week. There was infiltrated cellular and giant cells with fibrosis unsystematic and collagen fibers of the allograft jejunum joing to the connective tissue. At 15 and 30 days of PO, the distal nerve stumps of both groups were found with degeneration wallerian and in 60 days, regenerated fibers. The repair of the dorsal buccal branch of facial nerve with the allograft wasn't significantly different between the control rabbits as to the assessment of histological and functional recovery.