Etude du nerf phrenique chez le cobaye (Cavia porcellus, L., 1756)

The aim of the present study to ascertain the mode of origin of the phrenic nerve and to provide a morphological basis for experimental studies of this nerve in the guinea pig. In sketches made of the dissections, in 10 male and 10 female guinea pigs adults, the modes of origin of the phrenic roots were demonstrated to arise from the fourth to the seventh cervical nerves. Four types of origin could be distinguished. The phrenic nerve of the guinea pig has three or four roots.

Observations anatomiques concernant la valve atrioventricuiaire gauche humaine

30 hearts of male and female, white and non-white Brazilians of different ages were studied. The leaflets of the left atrioventricular valves were removed near the fibrous ring and anatomically studied under chirurgical microscope. The authors observed: the leaflet's shape, the presence of commissures, the implantation manner of the chordae tendineae and the distribution on the leaflets. Special attention was concentrated on the terminology used by different authors for the structures of the 'mitral complex'.

Estudo das alterações eletrocorticográficas na insuficiência hepática aguda experimental.

The aim of this study was to test the application and value of electrocorticography (ECG) in the early diagnosis and characterization of electrocorticograms changes on experimental fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Our material was composed of two groups of guinea pigs: a) ethanolamine group--42 animals with FHF induced by intrabiliary injection of 2.5 ml of monoethanolamine oleate; b) control group--10 animals submitted to intrabiliary injection of 2.5 ml of saline. Electrocorticograms recordings were taken in both groups with the electrodes implanted on the parieto-occipital regions of the skull. The hepatic failure was characterized by clinical manifestations, serum biochemical tests and histopathological findings. In the early hepatic coma the electrocorticograms could not be unequivocally distinguished from normal pattern, and alpha rhythm was recognizable in most animals. With further deterioration of the clinical condition the tracing showed progressive slowness of the normal rhythm, increased voltage and triphasic waves followed by suppression of electrical activity preceding the animal death. The electrocorticography was not suitable for the early diagnosis of hepatic coma, since the ECG alterations became evident only in overt coma. However the method could be useful for the characterization of cerebral disorders and the study of the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatic failure.

Prova de absorção de gordura em crianças.

To overcome the difficulties observed with fecal fat estimations, we studied fat absorption in 4 m to 12 years old children, assessing increments of serum triglycerides after administration of corn oil. Eighteen well-nourished children without gastrointestinal symptoms or parasites, 31 children with protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM), with or without protracted diarrhea and/or intestinal parasites and nine children with specific malabsorptive entities were studied. Serum triglycerides (TG) were measured before, 2 and 4 hours after the administration of 2 g/kg of corn oil per os. For control infants below 2 years no significant differences between the fasting level and those after 2 and 4 hours were observed. For children above this age significant absorption occurred by 2 hours but more intensively after 4 hours, an increment of TG above 35 mg% being considered normal. A good discrimination between TG increments of controls and malabsorptive children over 2 years was observed. In conclusion, the oral fat loading test, is applicable for children over 2 year of age. For infants below this age other schedules should be tested.