Avaliação da função diastólica por meio de Doppler tecidual pulsado e colorido em gatos da raça Maine Coon geneticamente testados para a mutação no gene MyBPC-A31P

A cardiomiopatia hipertrófica (CMH) é a principal cardiopatia dos felinos e é caracterizada por hipertrofia miocárdica concêntrica, sem dilatação ventricular. Disfunções miocárdicas ocorrem em gatos com CMH, mas pouco se conhece a respeito destas alterações nos estágios iniciais da afecção. Em gatos da raça Maine Coon, a mutação no gene MyBPC-A31P está relacionada com a CMH de origem familial, porém, a correlação exata entre o genótipo e o fenótipo ainda é inconclusiva. A ecocardiografia tecidual é uma modalidade não invasiva que permite avaliação da função miocárdica e é mais sensível que a ecocardiografia convencional. Para avaliar as funções sistólica e diastólica, antes ou após a ocorrência de hipertrofia ventricular, gatos da raça Maine Coon (n=57), geneticamente testados para a mutação, foram avaliados por meio de ecocardiografias convencional e tecidual (nas modalidades Doppler tecidual pulsado e Doppler tecidual colorido). Posteriormente, foram fenotipicamente classificados em: normais (n=45), suspeitos (n=7) e acometidos pela CMH (n=5); e genotipicamente classificados em: negativos (n=28), heterozigotos (n=26) e homozigotos para a mutação (n=3). Valores de velocidades miocárdicas (Doppler tecidual pulsado e colorido) medidos na região basal e média do septo interventricular (SIV), da parede livre do ventrículo esquerdo (PVE), da parede anterior do ventrículo esquerdo (PAVE), da parede posterior do ventrículo esquerdo (PPVE) e do segmento radial da PVE, foram comparados nos diferentes grupos. Observou-se que as velocidades longitudinais Em (Doppler tecidual pulsado) na região média da PVE foram menores nos gatos com CMH quando comparados com suspeitos e normais. Os valores de Em/Am (Doppler tecidual colorido), na região basal do SIV, foram inferiores nos gatos com CMH quando comparados com suspeitos e normais. A relação E/Em (Doppler tecidual colorido), na região basal do SIV, foi maior nos gatos com CMH em relação aos suspeitos e normais, enquanto que os valores de Sm (Doppler tecidual colorido), em região basal da PVE, foram menores nos gatos heterozigotos quando comparados com os negativos, ambos sem hipertrofia ventricular. Observou-se correlação positiva entre a ocorrência de fusão das ondas Em e Am e a frequência cardíaca, assim como correlação positiva entre valores de Sm e Em e a frequência cardíaca (Doppler tecidual pulsado e colorido). A ecocardiografia tecidual é uma nova modalidade ecocardiográfica reprodutível em gatos que, isoladamente, não permite diferenciar gatos portadores da mutação antes do desenvolvimento de hipertrofia ventricular. Apresenta utilidade como auxílio no diagnóstico em fases iniciais, mas, apesar da expectativa para a identificação precoce de indivíduos portadores da CMH, ainda há necessidade de estudos mais extensos e com maior número de indivíduos.

Fisioterapia na paralisia facial periférica: estudo retrospectivo

A paralisia facial periférica requer tratamento especializado. A fisioterapia tem como objetivo restabelecer a mímica facial. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever e analisar os resultados da fisioterapia para indivíduos com paralisia facial periférica. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Retrospectivo. MÉTODO: Foi realizado um estudo retrospectivo em um Hospital Universitário, com autorização do Serviço de Atendimento Médico e Estatístico, no período de 1999 a 2003. Os dados são apresentados em forma descritiva, com utilização de média e mediana para variáveis numéricas e freqüência para variáveis categóricas. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 23 prontuários durante quatro anos. Foi identificado o predomínio do sexo feminino e a média de idade foi de 32,3 anos (DP±16,5); 14 casos idiopáticas e cinco traumáticas; 12, com comprometimento motor total e 11, parcial; nos 12 casos com avaliação final, sete evoluíram para recuperação parcial e cinco para total. A fisioterapia utilizada foi cinesioterapia e orientações. CONCLUSÃO: Neste estudo os indivíduos são similares a outras populações. Foram tratados com cinesioterapia, como sugerido pela literatura científica e evoluíram com recuperação.

A pictorial field guide for the rapid identification of sandflies (DIPTERA: PSYCHODIDAE), commonly encountered in Pará state, Brazil.

A pictorial field guide to the 30 species of sandfly most commonly encountered in Pará State is presented, based on the easily recognised external characters of the length of the 5th palpal segment, thoracic infuscation, abdominal colour and head and body size. In most cases this allows identification to the species. In others, especially with females, it gives an indication of the species, which may then be confirmed with data from more detailed taxanomix studies. This type of field guide helps in teaching, rapid sorting of flies prior to dissection and in acquainting visitors with the variety of species present in a given area.A rapid technique for the taxonomic sorting of unmounted, freshly killed female sandflies is required, prior to the dissection of large numbers of a particular species. Such a method is useful in areas where numerous species occur in studies on natural flagellate infections, age determination and for ecological studies. With the above points in mind a pictorial field guide has been designed that enables the identification of unmounted, unmacerated specimens of the 30 more commonly encountered species of phleboto-mine sandflies (***) in Pará State, North Brazil. It is based on the easily recognised external characters of the length of the 5th palpal segment, thoracic infuscation, ad-dominal colour and proboscis and body size.Taxonomy of male phlebotomine sandflies is based on the structure of the genitalia and, as most of this is external, a wholly external character key is readily made. Female taxonomy, however, is based on the internal character of the cibarium, pharynx and sperma thecae. In order to produce an external character key we therefore return to an unso phisticated "phlebotometry" (see Martins et al., 1978 p. 3 for review), using relative lengths of the proboscis, palpal segments and body, along with the degree of infuscation. Ihis idea is not new; indeed many sandfly specialists presently use external characters to separate certain species (H. Fraiha, R. P. Lane, P. D. Ready, D. G. Young and R. D. Ward personal communications 1983 & 1984).A key used to separate five anthropophillic sandflies by Biagi (1966), in Mexico, was based mainly on palpal segment length and infuscation. Floch and Abonnenc (1952) stressed the use of relative lengths of palpal segments in their keys to the sandflies of French Guiana, and four members of the shannoni group have been similarly separated according to the degree of infuscation by Morales et al. (1982). The use of thoracic infuscation as a reliable character seems to be gaining favour, having been used by young & Fairchild (1974) and Ready & Fraiha (1981). Indeed Chariotis 1974) showed the usefulness of thoracic infuscation to sepenate 7 anthropophillic species, during studies onvesicular stomatitis in Panama. Identification using external characters is essential for work on viral isolations from sandflies, where bulk samples of whole sandflies are used.Perhaps the major advantage of a simple visual guide is for teaching purposes. Technical staff in this lnstitute are able to identify most of the species they encounter without having to use the standard, more unwieldly (and in many cases unavailable) internal character keys, and the guides presented below have allowed rapid species sorting prior to the dissection of sandflies in our leismaniasis study areas (Ryan et at. ,1985).

Key to the Australasian and Oceanian genera of Muscidae (Diptera)

A key to 51 Australasian and Oceanian genera of Muscidae is given. The Catalogue of Australasian and Oceanian Diptera and its on line version last reviewed in May 2007 were used as taxonomic guides. Some more recently synonyms and taxonomic changes were updated. For each genus, a brief diagnosis, number of valid species in these regions and comments, when pertinent, are also included. Some morphological diagnostic characteres are illustrated in order to help the use of the key.

Nutrient signature of Quebec (Canada) cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.)

Fertilizer recommendations for cranberry crops are guided by plant and soil tests. However, critical tissue concentration ranges used for diagnostic purposes are inherently biased by nutrient interactions and physiological age. Compositional data analysis using isometric log ratios (ilr) of nutrients as well as time detrending can avoid numerical biases. The objective was to derive unbiased nutrient signature standards for cranberry in Quebec and compare those standards to literature data. Field trials were conducted during 3 consecutive years with varying P treatments at six commercial sites in Quebec. Leaf tissues were analyzed for N, P, K, Ca, Mg, B, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe. The analytical results were transformed into ilr nutrient balances of parts and groups of parts. High-yield reference ilr values were computed for cranberry yielding greater than 35 Mg ha-1. Many cranberry fields appeared to be over-supplied with K and either under-supplied with Mn or over-supplied with Fe as shown by their imbalanced [K | Ca, Mg] and [Mn | Fe] ratios. Nutrient concentration ranges from Maine and Wisconsin, USA, were combined into ilr values to generate ranges of balances. It was found that these nutrient ranges were much too broad for application in Quebec or outside the Quebec ranges for the [Ca | Mg] and the [Mn | Fe] balances, that were lower compared to those of high yielding cranberry crops in Quebec.

Filmes de titânio-silício preparados por "spin" e "dip-coating"

The conditions for the preparation of luminescent materials, consisting of Eu3+ ions entrapped in a titanium matrix, in the forma of a thin film, using the sol-gel process, are described. The films were obtained from sols prepared with TEOS and TEOT, in the presence of acetylacetone as the hidrolysis-retarding agent, using the dip-coating and spin-coating techniques. The influence of these techniques on the films based on titanium and silicon are presented. The Eu3+ was used as a luminescent probe. The films have been characterized by luminescence, reflection and transmittance. The thickness of the films could be related to the preparation procedure. Transparent thin films have been prepared by dip-coating technique.

Identificação da influência do descarte de lodo de estações de tratamento de água

The growing concern of environmental surveillance of the quality of hydric resources guides the development of research on management of residues generated in water treatment plants (WTP). Approximately 8.000 WTPs in Brazil operate without a treatment program of the residues, disposing these effluents in the environment. This work evaluated WTP discharges into watercourses by collecting superficial waters, sediments and benthic samples at the town of Registro, São Paulo State, Brazil. Even though superficial waters and benthic samples showed no further contamination, sediment analysis pointed out that aluminum deposits detected near sludge discharges may represent a potential risk to the environment.

Definição de shelf life para produtos químicos: a importância de um guia de estabilidade específico para o segmento

The chemical industries worldwide are passing through a very particular moment of re-adaptation due to the implementation of an European regulation called, Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). In Brazil, the Brazilian Chemical Industry needs urgently a specific guide of chemical products stability. The main purpose of this work is to present a proposal of a guide of stability for chemical products based on the reference guides of the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). Thus, this work proposes an innovation in terms of methodology which will be useful for shelf life definition purpose for chemical industry products.

Estimativa da incerteza de medição: estudo de caso no ensaio de migração de ε-caprolactama com determinação por CG-DIC

The estimation of measurement uncertainty of an analytical result is an important tool to be applied for compliance to ISO IEC 17025. Through the available guides it is possible to establish procedures and criteria for the estimation of measurement uncertainty. This paper presents a case study on the estimation of measurement uncertainty in migration the test of ε-caprolactam from the polyamide 6 packages to fatty foods with determination by GC-FID. The calculation methodology used for the estimation of measurement uncertainty for the migration test was developed based on the guides EURACHEM / CITAC and ISO GUM, taking into account relevant aspects of the migration test. The expanded uncertainty estimated was approximately 23% of the concentration of migration.

Guia para a determinação da estabilidade de produtos químicos

Companies worldwide are reviewing their working process to avoid waste, become aligned with environmental management standards and to fulfill specifications defined for national and international regulations. In this context, it is important that Brazilian Chemical companies have a specific stability guide for their products. The main purpose of this work is to present a stability guide for chemical products based on the existing guides of the Pharmaceutical and Cosmetics segments. Furthermore, this work proposes to offer an additional period of shelf life for chemical products, provided they meet certain prerequisites.

Reproductive biology of Pseudolaelia corcovadensis Porto & Brade (Orchidaceae): melittophyly and self-compatibility in a basal Laeliinae

The floral biology, mating systems and phenology of Pseudolaelia corcovadensis (Orchidaceae), in the "Estação de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Ambiental de Peti", São Gonçalo do Rio Abaixo, Minas Gerais state was studied. This species flowers from April to September, with a higher availability of flowers in June and July. The flowers are dark-pink, strongly zygomorphic, and have osmophores and nectar-guides absorbing ultraviolet light. However, the flowers of P. corcovadensis do not present nectar and are pollinated by Bombus (Fervidobombus) atratus Franklin, 1913 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) by deceit. Apparently, the flowers do not form a model-mimic pair with other species in the community, but mimic a generalized melittophilous food-flower. As a consequence, visits are very rare and fruit set is low (18%). Pseudolaelia corcovadensis is self-compatible and presents inbreeding depression in the early stages of development. The phylogenetic position of the genus Pseudolaelia and studies on floral biology in related genera suggest that melittophyly and self-compatibility are basal characters in the subtribe Laeliinae, with subsequent adaptive radiation to pollination by hummingbirds, Lepidoptera, Diptera and other Hymenoptera.