The effects of up to 240 days of tacrolimus therapy on the gingival tissues of rats - A morphological evaluation

Background: Tacrolimus, an immunosuppressive drug used in organ transplantation, has been reported not to induce gingival overgrowth. However, prevalence studies are limited, and the methods used for assessing gingival overgrowth varies among studies. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of up to 240 days of tacrolimus therapy on gingival tissues of rats. Materials and methods: Rats were treated for 60, 120, 180 and 240 days with daily subcutaneous injections of 1 mg/kg body weight of tacrolimus. After histological processing, the oral and connective tissue, volume densities of fibroblasts (Vf), collagen fibers (Vcf) and other structures (Vo) were assessed in the region of the lower first molar. Results: After 60 and 120 days of treatment with tacrolimus, gingival overgrowth was not observed. The gingival epithelium, connective tissue, as well as the values for Vf, Vcf, and Vo were similar to those of the control rats (P > 0.05). After 180 and 240 days of the treatment, gingival overgrowth was associated with a significant increase in the gingival epithelium and connective tissue as well as an increase in the V f and Vcf (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Within the limits of the experimental study, it may be concluded that the deleterious side effects of tacrolimus on the gingival tissues of rats may be time-related. © 2007 Blackwell Munksgaard All rights reserved.

Genotype by environment interaction in different birth seasons for weight at 240, 365 and 450 days of age in Tabapuã cattle

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of genotype by environment interaction (GEI) on the weight of Tabapuã cattle at 240 (W240), 365 (W365) and 450 (W450) days of age. In total, 35,732 records of 8,458 Tabapuã animalswhich were born in the state of Bahia, Brazil, from 1975 to 2001, from 167 sires and 3,707 dams, were used. Two birth seasons were tested as for the environment effect: the dry (D) and rainy (R) ones. The covariance components were obtainedby a multiple-trait analysis using Bayesian inference, in which each trait was considered as being different in each season. Covariance components were estimated by software gibbs2f90. As for W240, the model was comprised of contemporary groups and cow age (in classes) as fixed effects; animal and maternal genetic additive, maternal permanent environmental and residual were considered as random effects. Concerning W365 and W450, the model included only the contemporary aged cow groups as fixed effects and the genetic additive and residual effects of the animal as the random ones. The GEI was assessed considering the genetic correlation, in which values below 0.80 indicated the presence of GEI. Regarding W365 and W450, the GEI was found in both seasons. As for post-weaning weight (W240), the effect of such interaction was not observed. ©2012 Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia.

Padronização e validação de uma equação para determinação do volume corporal em ratos winstar saudáveis e sedentários com idade entre 60 e 240 dias

A determinação da composição corporal pode ser utilizada para evidenciar diversos fatores entre eles a dieta, o uso de drogas, a incidência de patologias, diferenças genética, nível de treinamento, gênero e idade. No modelo de natação para ratos a composição corporal pode ter um papel determinante na intensidade de exercício, uma vez que os animais utilizados podem apresentar diferentes densidades corporais. Nesse sentido, o objetivo do presente projeto baseia-se na possibilidade de desenvolver uma equação para estimar o volume corporal de ratos sedentários a partir da relação linear entre peso e volume corporais (r=1,00) encontrada em estudos anteriores. Dessa forma, tornando prático e viável o uso da densidade corporal para precisa determinação da intensidade de exercício em estudos que utilizam a natação como ergômetro de exercício animal. Para isso serão utilizados 105 Rattus norvegicus albinus da linhagem Wistar, os quais serão avaliados em um estudo longitudinal que consiste em avaliações a cada 30 dias, a partir dos 60 até 240 dias de idade, para a determinação do volume corporal através de pesagens hidrostáticas, do índice de lee e análise da composição química da carcaça. Com isso, espera-se poder derivar uma equação para estimar o volume corporal dentro de toda a faixa de idade utilizada ou, no caso não seja encontrada uma relação linear entre peso e volume corporais entre ratos de diferentes idades, o desenvolvimento de várias equações para estimar o volume corporal em faixas etárias. Além disso, a composição química da carcaça dos mais será determinada na tentativa de validar o método de pesagem hidrostática e buscar eventuais correlações entre os parâmetro corporais (volume corporal, peso corporal, índice de lee e densidade) e os componentes de gordura, massa magra, água e proteína dos animais