CORPORA-ALLATA IN FEMALES OF NEOPONERA-VILLOSA ANTS (HYMENOPTERA FORMICIDAE) - RELATIONS WITH OVARIAN DEVELOPMENT

In female ants of the species Neoponera villosa the corpora allata are paired structures located dorsolaterally to the esophagus (Camargo-Mathias and Caetano, 1991). In the present study the glandular volume of the corpora allata was estimated and the activity of the glands was compared with the ovarian development. In the workers there was a relation between activity of these glands and ovaries in stages 0 to IV. In workers, with ovaries at stage V (maximum development) there was a smaller activity of the corpora allata. Another increasing activity was found in workers with ovaries at stage VII.In the queens, mainly those which were mated, whose ovaries were always fully developed, the volume of the corpora allata was smaller than those of the workers.

Influence of experimental factors on results of thermogravimetric analysis

Thermogravimetric results are influenced by a series of experimental factors, such as furnace heating rate and atmosphere, velocity of carrier gas, sample mass, etc. In this work a practical evaluation of these parameters are showed for calcium oxalate, with teaching objectives, considering that undergraduate text books discuss but do not show experimental details for these cases.

ALKALOIDS FROM ARISTOLOCHIA-ARCUATA

Phytochemical studies with Aristolochia arcuata led to the isolation of KNO3, fructose, sucrose, sitosterol, calarene, its 2-oxo derivative, and three neolignans. Besides which, two new 13-oxidodibenzo[a, g]-quinolizinium alkaloids were isolated. They present only one oxygenated substituent at rings A and D.

Seven new genera of the Neotropical Lauxaniidae (Diptera)

Seven new genera of the Neotropical Lauxaniidae are described; all the type-species are also new and described here: Bacilloflagellomera gen. n. (type-species B. pectinicornis sp. n.), Baliopteridion gen. n. (type-species B. brevitarsus sp. n.), Gibbolauxania gen. n. (type-species G. elegans sp. n.), Minilauxania gen. n. (type-species M. bulbifacies sp. n.), Paraphysoclypeus gen. n. (type-species P. nigropleura sp. n.), Pseudominettia gen. n. (type-species P. platypeza sp. n.), Tauridion gen. n. (type-species T. shewelli sp. n.). With 37 original figures.

Glucose- and insulin-induced phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and its primary substrates IRS-1 and IRS-2 in rat pancreatic islets

The presence of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins was studied in cultured rat pancreatic islets, Immunoblotting performed with total extracts of islets cultured in the presence of 1.8 or 5.6 mM glucose revealed at least three distinct tyrosine-phosphorylated bands (25 kDa, 95 kDa and 165-185 kDa). After 12 h incubation in medium containing 1.8 mM glucose, a pulse exposition to 11 or 22 mM glucose or to 10(-7) M insulin led to a substantial increase in the phosphorylation of all three bands, with no appearance of novel bands. Immunoprecipitation with specific antibodies demonstrated that the signal detected at 95 kDa corresponds to the beta subunit of the insulin receptor (IR) while the band at 165-185 kDa corresponds to the early substrates of the insulin receptor, IRS-1 and IRS-2. Immunoprecipitation with IRS-I or IRS-2 antisera detected their association with the lipid metabolizing enzyme phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), Thus, this is the first demonstration that elements involved in the insulin-signalling pathway of traditional target tissues are also present in pancreatic islets and are potentially involved in auto- and paracrine-signalling in this organ.

Relative growth of spider crab Acanthonyx scutiformis (Dana, 1851) (Crustacea, Decapoda, Majidae)

The dimensions of chelar propodus and abdomen were utilized for the morphometric analysis about the relative growth studies of Acanthonyx scutiformis (Dana, 1851). A total of 297 specimens (114 males and 183 females), was collected in Ubatuba, State of São Paulo, Brazil. The animals were sexed and soarted to maturation phase (immature and mature). The following measurements were made: carapace (length and width), abdomen width and chelar propodus (length and height). In this study was applicated the power function (y= a.x(b)), in which the growth was considered positive allometric with isometric with b=1, and negative allometric with b<1. The alometry becomes isometric, when the results concerning immature and mature females and males are analysed. In the Brachyura male chelipeds are utilized in territorial defense, fight, display and courtship and female abdomens are utilized as a chamber that protect and incubate the eggs.

Simple mucin-type carbohydrate antigens (T, sialosyl T, Tn and sialosyl-Tn) in breast carcinogenesis

Immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of simple mucin-type carbohydrate antigens (Tn, sialyl-Tn and T) was performed in a series of 43 cases of intraductal hyperplasia without atypia, 9 cases of intraductal hyperplasia with atypia, 54 cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 26 cases of invasive breast carcinoma. We also studied 36 cases of isolated breast normal epithelium, 20 cases of 'normal' breast epithelium adjacent to neoplasms and 14 cases of apocrine metaplasia. All antigens were detected in different frequencies in normal, hyperplastic, metaplastic and neoplastic breast epithelium. Tn and sialyl-Tn are expressed more frequently in malignant than in benign breast epithelium; while Tn expression increases from normal to invasive carcinomas, sialyl-Tn increases until DCIS and drops in invasive carcinomas, suggesting that either there is a failure of a proportion of DCIS to progress to invasive carcinoma or loss of expression of sialyl-Tn when some carcinomas become invasive. The high frequency of Tn and sialyl-Tn expression in breast intraductal proliferations probably reflects incomplete glycosylation in these lesions, which is a well-known tumour-associated phenomenon and supports the assumption that such lesions are putative precursors of breast cancer. T antigen was expressed in all groups studied, but its prevalence differed significantly between normal and neoplastic epithelium. The expression of these antigens in epithelium adjacent to carcinomas is similar to that found in isolated normal breast epithelium, whereas apocrine metaplasia has a pattern of simple mucin-type glycosylation that is specific and distinct from that of the normal breast epithelium, with a high frequency of marked expression of Tn and sialyl-Tn. The similarity of the pattern of expression of simple mucin-type antigens in metaplasia and malignant neoplasia reduces the usefulness of these markers from a diagnostic standpoint.

AVALIACAO DA REACAO DE MITSUDA EM PACIENTES VIRCHOVIANOS INATIVOS ANTES E APOS IMUNOTERAPIA

In this study the immunopotentiator levamisole as well as a mixture of BCG/Mycobacterium leprae were investigated in inactive lepromatous leprosy patients by using the Mitsuda reaction as a parameter. Twenty lepromatous patients ten years ago classified as histologically negative for Mitsuda's test were divided into three groups: five patients that were only retested with Mitsuda antigen; eight patients that received oral levamisol and seven patients that received a mixture of alive BCG plus autoclaved M. leprae. The results indicated that: 1) the levamisole did not alter the reactivity to lepromin in any of the patients studied; 2) neither the changes in the reactivity to lepromin by using the mixture (3 cases) nor those that occurred spontaneously (3 cases) were clear. They properly reflected the natural variation of patients with some degree of resistance to Mycobacterium leprae.

DISTURBIO OBSESSIVO-COMPULSIVO E QUADROS CORRELATOS NA CLINICA DERMATOLOGICA

The article describes the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a not uncommon mental illness, of an unknown origin, for the most part, which can cause important dermatoses. Some OCD-related disorders of importance in dermatologic practice are also described, such as: body dysmorphic disorder, trichotillomania, onychophagia and factitial dermatitis. The importance of the proper identification of these disorders is stressed for the application for adequate therapy.

INFLUENCIA DO ACRESCIMO DE MANITOL A SOLUCAO NUTRIENTE NO DESEMPENHO MECANICO E NO GRAU DE EDEMA MIOCARDICO DE CORACOES ISOLADOS DE RATOS

Purpose - To analyse the influence of mannitol added to Krebs-Henseleit (KH) solution on the myocardium edema and myocardial function. Methods - Isolated rat heart under isovolumetric contractions studied according to Langendorff's technique were perfused with KH solution at constant flow during 90 min. The coronary perfusion pressure, diastolic and systolic pressures were recorded at every 15 min. At the end of the experiment, myocardium water content was measured in hearts perfused with KH solution (group I, n = 9) and in hearts perfused with KH solution plus 8 mM mannitol (group II, n = 8). These results were compared to non-perfused control heart (n = 9). Results - Myocardial water content was statistically higher in group I (80.8 ± 1.3%) compared to group II (78.1 ± 0.7%) and control group (75.5 ± 0.5%). Systolic arterial pressure was statistically higher in group I (86.2 ± 11.5 mmHg) compared to group II (72.7 ± 21.1 mmHg). There was no difference in the diastolic pressure between the two groups. Coronary perfusion pressure (Pp) increased progressively during the experiment in both groups. However, Pp was lower in group II than in group I. Conclusion - Mannitol added to KH solution significantly attenuates the myocardium edema in the isolated perfused rat heart.

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.