Laboratório de Analises de Solos, ��guas e Plantas - LAZAP

Realiza����o de ensaios f��sicoqu��micos e microbiol��gicos no ��mbito da Investiga����o e controlo de qualidade, cumprindo normas e procedimentos internos que permitam garantir os n��veis de qualidade esperados e que decorrem das exig��ncias.

Animal Industry News, March 2008, Vol. 9, no. 1

Newsletter produced by Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship about the animal industry in Iowa.

The zebrafish is an animal model in ophthalmic diseases : Fleck corneal dystrophy and Schorderet-Munier syndrome

RAPPORT DE SYNTH��SE : Pip5k3 : Pip5k3 is a kinase responsible for fleck corneal dystrophy when mutated. It is a well conserved gene that has only been characterized in human and mouse. Characterization of pip5k3 in zebrafish was necessary before using it as a model. The protein is 70 % similar to the human homologue. The full coding sequence encompasses 6303 by and presented four isoforms. They were differentially expressed during development. All the analyzed organs of the adult zebrafish expressed pip5k3. The adult eye expressed pip5k3 in the cornea, lens, ganglion cell layer (GCL), inner nuclear layer (INL) and outer limiting membrane (OLM). During development, pip5k3 was first uniformly expressed before to be restricted to the head region and to the somites. The expression of pip5k3 in the cornea of the larval eye could make possible the study of fleck corneal dystrophy on this animal. NkxS-3 : NKXS-3 is a transcription factor responsible for a new oculo-auricular syndrome in human when mutated. This recessive disorder is characterized by defects in ear lobule and multiple defects in eye, including microphthalmia and cataract. During development, the zebrafish expressed nkx5-3 in the lens, in the anterior retina and in otic vesicles. Knockdown experiments partially phenocopied the human disease. Microphthalmia and cataract were reproduced, but zebrafish showed also defects in the cartilage of the jaw associated with a microcephaly and fins abnormalities. The retinal cell differentiation was delayed, possibly linked with the delayed expression of at`h5 and crx also observed in morphants. Shh, a regulator of ath5, was normally expressed in morphant. Overexpression of nkx5-3 lead to an anophthalmia, suggesting a role at the early organogenesis of the eye. All the phenotypes observed in morphants and embryos overexpressing nkx5-3 suggest a potential involvement of the FGF and hedgehog signaling pathways.

Necrophagous diptera associated with wild animal carcasses in southern Brazil

Necrophagous Diptera associated with wild animal carcasses in southern Brazil. The aim of this study was to acquire a better knowledge concerning the diversity of necrophagous Diptera that develop on wild animal carcasses. For this purpose, the decomposition of six wild animal carcasses was observed in order to collect and identify the main species of necrophagous flies associated with the decomposition process. The carcasses were found on highways near the cities of Pelotas and Cap��o do Le��o in the initial stage of decomposition, with no significant injuries or prior larval activity. Four wild animal models were represented in this study: two specimens of Didelphis albiventris Lund, 1840; two Tupinambis merianae Linnaeus, 1758; one Nothura maculosa Temminck, 1815; and one Cerdocyon thous Linnaeus, 1766. A total of 16,242 flies from 14 species were reared in the laboratory, where Muscidae presented the greatest diversity of necrophagous species. Overall, (i) carcasses with larger biomass developed a higher abundance of flies and (ii) the necrophagous community was dominated by Calliphoridae, two patterns that were predicted from published literature; and (iii) the highest diversity was observed on the smaller carcasses exposed to the lowest temperatures, a pattern that may have been caused by the absence of the generalist predator Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann, 1819). (iv) An UPGMA analysis revealed a similar pattern of clusters of fly communities, where the same species were structuring the groupings.

Animal Industry News, 2009, Vol. 10, no. 1

Newsletter produced by Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship about the animal industry in Iowa.

Animal Industry News, February 2000, Vol. 1, No. 1

Newsletter produced by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

Animal Industry News, March 2007, Vol. 8, No. 1

Newsletter produced by Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

First international workshop for small animal arthroscopy : matkakertomus

Jarmo Rintasalo, Pentti Tapio

Eros��o na cultura do milho em sucess��o �� aveia preta e pousio descoberto, em preparo convencional e plantio direto, com tra����o animal e tratorizada

Empregando chuva simulada em Argissolo Vermelho distr��fico ar��nico, com declividade m��dia de 0,12 m m-1, avaliou-se a eros��o na cultura do milho (Zea mays L.) em preparo convencional e plantio direto, utilizando tra����o animal e tratorizada, antecedida de pousio descoberto e aveia preta (Avena strigosa Schieb) no inverno, no per��odo compreendido entre 1994 e 1995. Chuvas simuladas na intensidade de 64 mm h-1 e dura����o de 60 a 105 min foram aplicadas em quatro ��pocas: logo ap��s a semeadura, 30 e 60 dias ap��s a emerg��ncia e logo ap��s a colheita do milho. A cobertura do solo propiciada pela cultura de inverno foi reduzida em 90% ap��s o preparo convencional, independentemente da forma de tra����o. As perdas de solo e ��gua medidas durante o desenvolvimento do milho foram sempre maiores sob preparo convencional do que sob plantio direto, independentemente da forma de tra����o, exceto logo ap��s a colheita, quando a resteva estava uniformemente distribu��da na superf��cie do solo. No preparo convencional, a eros��o na cultura do milho foi, na m��dia das formas de tra����o, 45% menor, quando antecedida de aveia preta no inverno do que quando antecedida de pousio descoberto. Por sua vez, a cultura do milho, por si s��, reduziu a eros��o em 60%, na m��dia das formas de tra����o, comparada �� do solo descoberto. A forma de tra����o influenciou a eros��o somente no preparo convencional, com a animal apresentando perdas totais de solo 55 e 15% inferiores �� tratorizada, respectivamente na cultura do milho e em solo descoberto. A perda de ��gua por enxurrada foi mais afetada pela forma de tra����o no preparo convencional, totalizando, em m��dia, 44% na animal e 57% na tratorizada, em rela����o ao volume total de chuva aplicado.

Fatores controladores da compressibilidade de um argissolo vermelho-amarelo distr��fico ar��nico e de um latossolo vermelho distr��fico t��pico. II- grau de satura����o em ��gua

O teor de ��gua no solo constitui fator determinante na capacidade de um solo em resistir �� compacta����o por pisoteio animal ou tr��fego de m��quinas. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito do teor de ��gua (satura����o dos poros em ��gua) nos valores de press��o de preconsolida����o (&#963;'p) e no ��ndice de compress��o (Cc), para dois solos com texturas contrastantes, em duas profundidades, cultivados sob sistema plantio direto e convencional. Amostras indeformadas (5,35cm de di��metro por 2cm de altura) foram coletadas na camada superficial (0-2cm) e na camada de 10-12cm, durante o ano agr��cola de 1997/1998, num Argissolo Vermelho-Amarelo distr��fico ar��nico (89gkg-1 de argila), localizado no munic��pio de Santa Maria (RS) (29��45' latitude sul e 53��42' longitude oeste) e de um Latossolo Vermelho distr��fico t��pico (467gkg-1 de argila), localizado no munic��pio de Ibirub�� (RS) (28��30' latitude sul e 53��30' longitude oeste). Para cada tipo de solo e condi����o de manejo, amostras indeformadas foram coletadas em diferentes ��pocas para obter varia����o natural de grau de satura����o e, ainda, algumas amostras foram saturadas e equilibradas em laboratório para obter uma ampla varia����o de grau de satura����o. Para cada solo, sete classes de grau de satura����o foram estabelecidas (<15; 16 a 30; 31 a 45; 46 a 60; 61 a 75; 76 a 90 e 91 a 100%). O ensaio de compress��o uniaxial foi realizado com aplica����o sucessiva de cargas est��ticas de 12,5; 25; 50; 100; 200; 400 e 800kPa, durante cinco minutos cada. Os valores de densidade do solo tamb��m foram distribu��dos em classes, de acordo com a disponibilidade de amostras. Os valores da &#963;'p na camada superficial do Argissolo sob plantio direto foram superiores nos graus de satura����o at�� 30% em rela����o aos demais graus de satura����o. Para o Latossolo, na faixa de densidade do solo de 1,30 a 1,45Mgm-3, o aumento do grau de satura����o de 46-60% para 61-75% representou diminui����o nos valores da &#963;'p de 1,6vez na condi����o de plantio direto, nas duas profundidades, e de 2,4 vezes na camada superficial da ��rea com manejo convencional. Os valores de &#963;'p diminu��ram de forma logar��tmica com o aumento do grau de satura����o.

Aqueous dynamic and histological findings after deep sclerectomy with collagen implant in an animal model.

AIM: The use of an animal model to study the aqueous dynamic and the histological findings after deep sclerectomy with (DSCI) and without collagen implant. METHODS: Deep sclerectomy was performed on rabbits' eyes. Eyes were randomly assigned to receive collagen implants. Measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP) and aqueous outflow facility using the constant pressure method through cannulation of the anterior chamber were performed. The system was filled with BSS and cationised ferritin. Histological assessment of the operative site was performed. Sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin and with Prussian blue. Aqueous drainage vessels were identified by the reaction between ferritin and Prussian blue. All eyes were coded so that the investigator was blind to the type of surgery until the evaluation was completed. RESULTS: A significant decrease in IOP (p&lt;0.05) was observed during the first 6 weeks after DSCI (mean IOP was 13.07 (2.95) mm Hg preoperatively and 9.08 (2.25) mm Hg at 6 weeks); DS without collagen implant revealed a significant decrease in IOP at weeks 4 and 8 after surgery (mean IOP 12.57 (3.52) mm Hg preoperatively, 9.45 (3.38) mm Hg at 4 weeks, and 9.22 (3.39) mm Hg at 8 weeks). Outflow facility was significantly increased throughout the 9 months of follow up in both DSCI and DS groups (p&lt;0.05). The preoperative outflow facility (OF) was 0.15 (0.02) micro l/min/mm Hg. At 9 months, OF was 0.52 (0.28) microl/min/mm Hg and 0.46 (0.07) micro l/min/mm Hg for DSCI and DS respectively. Light microscopy studies showed the appearance of new aqueous drainage vessels in the sclera adjacent to the dissection site in DSCI and DS and the apparition of spindle cells lining the collagen implant in DSCI after 2 months. CONCLUSION: A significant IOP decrease was observed during the first weeks after DSCI and DS. DS with or without collagen implant provided a significant increase in outflow facility throughout the 9 months of follow up. This might be partly explained by new drainage vessels in the sclera surrounding the operated site. Microscopic studies revealed the appearance of spindle cells lining the collagen implant in DSCI after 2 months.

Animal Tissue Response To Mid-Term Electronic Modular Artificial Sphincter Implantation

Introduction and objectives: The AMS 800TM is considered the gold standard for sphincter replacement. However, the one-ring design can erode the urethra and lead to severe complications. A mechanism that could alternatively compress successive segments of the urethra would limit such deleterious outcome. We report 12 weeks animal urethral tissue analysis following implantation of a new modular artificial sphincter. METHODS: The device is composed by three parts: the contractile unit, two rings and an integrated microprocessor. The contractile unit is made of Nitinol fibers. The rings are placed around the urethra to control the flow of urine by squeezing the urethra. They work in a sequential alternative mode and are controlled by a microprocessor connected to an external computer. The computer can reveal specific failure of device components. The device was impkanted in eight male sheep. The rings were positioned around the urethra and the control unit was placed 5cm away. The device was working twenty hours per day; it was open 10min. per hour to allow urination. The animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks. The urethra and the tissues surrounding the control unit were macroscopically and microscopically examined. Two transversal sections crossing the sphincter and two transversal sections crossing the urethra alone were obtained and stained with modified Paragon after resin embedding. Urethra was also embedded in paraffin. The first section was stained with safranin-hematoxylin-eosin, the second section was stained with Masson's Trichrome and the remaining eight sections were available for immunolabelling of the macrophages.Results: The chronic study went uneventful. No clinical infection or pain was observed. The computer registered no specific failure in ring function, Nitinol wires and tube connectors. At explantation, except for a slight grade of lymphocytes in two out of eight specimens, no urethral stricture or atrophy could be observed. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the absence of macrophages. Tissue structure and organization of the urethra with and without artificial sphincter were similar. No migration of the device was observed.Conclusions: The study clearly showed no tissue damage or inflammation of the urethra. Electronic design, preservation of urethral vascularisation and adjustability after implantation are the key ideas to improve the actual AUS. Further studies will be carried out to evaluate this potential.