Manejo das fraturas nasais com manutenção das vias aéreas superiores

Nasal fractures are extremely frequent. The nasal bones are the third most frequently fractured bones in the human skeleton. This is due to their prominent position on the face and to the diminished bone thickness. As a result, weak forces can cause nasal fractures, while stronger forces can comminute the nasal bones. In general, assaults, falls and sports injuries are the etiologies most commonly involved in nasal trauma. The diagnosis of such fractures is basically clinical and their treatment is usually by closed reduction with good results reported in all the relevant literature. Thus, the aim of this paper is to report a modification of the closed reduction technique for the treatment of these fractures.

Máquinas de somar estocásticas e conjuntos de Julia

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Stress distribution in delayed replanted teeth splinted with different orthodontic wires: a three-dimensional finite element analysis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

First description of the karyotype and localization of major and minor ribosomal genes in Rhoadsia altipinna Fowler, 1911 (Characiformes, Characidae) from Ecuador

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

First description of B chromosomes in the Hyphessobrycon (Characiformes, Characidae) genus: a hypothesis for the extra element of Hyphessobrycon eques Steindachner, 1882

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Preventive diagnosis of dairy cow lameness

This research aimed to develop a Fuzzy inference based on expert system to help preventing lameness in dairy cattle. Hoof length, nutritional parameters and floor material properties (roughness) were used to build the Fuzzy inference system. The expert system architecture was defined using Unified Modelling Language (UML). Data were collected in a commercial dairy herd using two different subgroups (H-1 and H-2), in order to validate the Fuzzy inference functions. The numbers of True Positive (TP), False Positive (FP), True Negative (TN), and False Negative (FN) responses were used to build the classifier system up, after an established gold standard comparison. A Lesion Incidence Possibility (LIP) developed function indicates the chances of a cow becoming lame. The obtained lameness percentage in H-1 and H-2 was 8.40% and 1.77%, respectively. The system estimated a Lesion Incidence Possibility (LIP) of 5.00% and 2.00% in H-1 and H-2, respectively. The system simulation presented 3.40% difference from real cattle lameness data for H-1, while for H-2, it was 0.23%; indicating the system efficiency in decision-making.

Karyotype of the invasive species Pterois volitans (Scorpaeniformes: Scorpaenidae) from Margarita Island, Venezuela

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Avaliação dos constituintes proteicos do plasma seminal e da membrana plasmática se espermatozóides e sua correlação com a fertilidade de garanhões

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Karyologic diversification and phylogenetic relationships of the genus Thalpomys (Rodentia, Sigmodontinae)

We describe the karyotype of Thalpomys species, from different Brazilian localities of the Cerrado. Thalpomys cerradensis Herskovitz, 1990 showed 2n = 36, FN = 34 and T. lasiotis Thomas, 1916 2n = 38, FN = 38. Comparisons of G-band karyotypes showed evident inter-specific homologies indicating that their chromosome complements could be derived from one another by two presumed rearrangements. Both species showed pericentromeric C-band regions in almost all chromosomes but a comparison with CMA3/DA/DAPI staining indicated that the molecular content of heterochromatic regions was different. T. lasiotis specimens from two different localities differed in the morphology of the X chromosome due to the presence of a short heterochromatic arm. These chromosome types are apparently fixed in each population rather than maintained as a polymorphic variation. Phylogenetic analyses supported the monophyly of the genus Thalpomys but was not capable of elucidating its phylogenetic relationship to other Akodontini rodents. These analyses also showed inter-individual variation in T. lasiotis, even within a given population. Phylogenetic analyses placed T. lasiotis specimens with different karyotypes in different monophyletic branches. Molecular and karyologic data confirmed the identity of the genus Thalpomys.

Carbon content in Amazonian Oxisols after forest conversion to pasture

O solo desempenha importante papel no ciclo do C, porém a substituição da floresta tropical por áreas cultivadas altera a dinâmica e o estoque desse elemento. Em uma frente pioneira de colonização no município de Itupiranga (PA), na Amazônia Oriental, foi desenvolvido este estudo com o objetivo de avaliar as consequências da substituição de floresta nativa por pastagens de Brachiaria brizantha no conteúdo de C de um Latossolo Amarelo distrófico. As amostras de solo foram coletadas em área de floresta nativa (FN), floresta secundária de 8–10 anos (FS), pastagens de 1–2 anos (P1-2), de 5–7 anos (P5–7) e de 10–12 anos (P10–12), nas camadas de 0–2, 2–5 e 5–10 cm, para avaliar os teores e o estoque de C e realizar um fracionamento granulométrico da matéria orgânica. Após o desmatamento, a densidade do solo aumentou até a profundidade de 5 cm, sendo esse aumento maior nas pastagens mais antigas. As maiores mudanças no conteúdo de C ocorreram na camada superior do solo, havendo aumento nesse conteúdo com o tempo de implantação das pastagens. Nas camadas de 2–5 e 5–10 cm, o conteúdo de C se mostrou estável entre os tipos de cobertura vegetal avaliados. As maiores concentrações de C foram encontradas na fração silte, mas os maiores conteúdos de C ocorreram na fração argila, independentemente do tipo de cobertura vegetal. Um aumento da quantidade de C associado à fração areia, na forma de resíduos orgânicos pouco decompostos, foi observado nas pastagens, confirmando a maior sensibilidade dessa fração às mudanças de uso do solo.

A new karyotype for the spiny rat Clyomys laticeps (Thomas, 1909) (Rodentia, Echimyidae) from Central Brazil

Clyomys Thomas, 1916 is a semifossorial rodent genus of spiny rats represented by only one species, C. laticeps, which inhabits the tropical savannas and grasslands of central Brazil and eastern Paraguay. Here we describe a new karyotype of C. laticeps found in populations of Emas National Park, Goias state, Brazil. The four analyzed specimens had a diploid number (2n) of 32 and a fundamental autosome number (FN) of 54. Cytogenetic data include conventional staining, CBG and GTG-banding. The karyotype presents 12 meta/submetacentric pairs (1 to 12) and 3 pairs of acrocentrics (13 to 15) with gradual decrease in size. The X chromosome is a medium submetacentric and the Y is a medium acrocentric. The semifossorial habits together with habitat specificity could have contributed to the karyological variations found on this genus.

Fibronectin glycation increases IGF-I induced proliferation of human aortic smooth muscle cells

The advanced glycation end products, namely AGEs, contribute to long-termed complications of diabetes mellitus, including macroangiopathy, where smooth muscle cells (SMC) proliferation stimulated by platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) isoforms and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) plays an important role. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of an AGE-modified extracellular matrix protein on IGF-I induced SMC proliferation and on the IGF-I-IGF binding protein 4 (IGFBP-4) axis under basal conditions and after stimulation with PDGF-BB. IGF-I resulted in significantly higher thymidine incorporation in SMC seeded on AGE-modified fibronectin (AGE-FN) in comparison to cells seeded on fibronectin (FN). This augmented proliferation could not be accounted for by increased expression of IGF-IR, by decreased secretion of IGFBP-4, a binding protein that inhibits IGF-I mitogenic effects or by increased IGF-IR autophosphorylation. PDGF-BB did not modulate IGF-IR and IGFBP-4 mRNA expression in any of the substrata, however, this growth factor elicited opposite effects on the IGFBP-4 content in the conditioned media, increasing it in cells plated on FN and diminishing it in cells plated on AGE-FN. These findings suggest that one mechanism by which AGE-modified proteins is involved in the pathogenesis of diabetes-associated atherosclerosis might be by increasing SMC susceptibility to IGF-I mitogenic effects.

Quantum Monte Carlo study of small aluminum clusters Al-n (n=2-13)

Using fixed node diffusion quantum Monte Carlo (FN-DMC) simulations and density functional theory (DFT) within the generalized gradient approximations, we calculate the total energies of the relaxed and unrelaxed neutral, cationic, and anionic aluminum clusters, Al-n (n = 1-13). From the obtained total energies, we extract the ionization potential and electron detachment energy and compare with previous theoretical and experimental results. Our results for the electronic properties from both the FN-DMC and DFT calculations are in reasonably good agreement with the available experimental data. A comparison between the FN-DMC and DFT results reveals that their differences are a few tenths of electron volt for both the ionization potential and the electron detachment energy. We also observe two distinct behaviors in the electron correlation contribution to the total energies from smaller to larger clusters, which could be assigned to the structural transition of the clusters from planar to three-dimensional occurring at n = 4 to 5.

Fibronectin expression is decreased in metastatic renal cell carcinoma following endostatin gene therapy

Tumor cells induce the disruption of homeostasis between cellular and extracellular compartments to favor tumor progression. The expression of fibronectin (FN), a matrix glycoprotein, is increased in several carcinoma cell types, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). RCC are highly vascularized tumors and are often amenable to antiangiogenic therapy. Endostatin (ES) is a fragment of collagen XVIII that possesses antiangiogenic activity. In this study, we examined the modulation of FN gene expression by ES gene therapy in a murine metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) model. Balb/C mice bearing Renca cells were treated with NIH/3T3-LXSN cells or NIH/3T3-LendSN cells. At the end of the experiment, the ES serum levels were measured, and the FN gene expression was assessed using real-time PCR. The tissue FN was evaluated by western blotting and by immunofluorescence analysis. The ES serum levels in treated mice were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). ES treatment led to significant decreases at the FN mRNA (P < 0.001) and protein levels (P < 0.01). Here, we demonstrate the ES antitumor effect that is mediated by down-regulation of FN expression in mRCC. (C) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

A light in the shadow: the use of Lucifer Yellow technique to demonstrate nectar reabsorption

Abstract Background Nectar reabsorption is a widely known phenomenon, related to the strategy of resource-recovery and also to maintain the nectar homeostasis at the nectary. The method currently performed to demonstrate nectar being reabsorbed involves the use of radioactive tracers applied to the nectary. Although this method works perfectly, it is complex and requires specific supplies and equipment. Therefore, here we propose an efficient method to obtain a visual demonstration of nectar reabsorption, adapting the use of Lucifer Yellow CH (LYCH), a fluorescent membrane-impermeable dye that can enter the vacuole by endocytosis. Results We applied a LYCH solution to the floral nectary (FN) of Cucurbita pepo L., which is a species known for its ability of nectar reabsorption, and to the extrafloral nectary (EFN) of Passiflora edulis Sims which does not reabsorb the secreted nectar. In all tests performed, we observed that LYCH stained the nectary tissues differentially according to the reabsorption ability of the nectary. The treated FN of C. pepo presented a concentrated fluorescence at the epidermis that decreased at the deeper nectary parenchyma, until reaching the vascular bundles, indicating nectar reabsorption in the flowers of the species. In contrast, treated EFN of P. edulis presented fluorescence only at the cuticle surface, indicating that nectar is not reabsorbed by that particular tissue. Conclusion LYCH is an efficient marker to demonstrate nectar reabsorption.