Ecology and morphological characterization of gametophyte and 'Chantransia' stages of Sirodotia huillensis (Batrachospermales, Rhodophyta) from a stream in central Mexico

The morphology and phenology of Sirodotia huillensis was evaluated seasonally in a central Mexican first-order calcareous stream. Water temperature was constant (24-25°C) and pH circumneutral to alkaline (6.7-7.9), and calcium and sulfates were the dominant ions. The gametophyte stages were characterized by the presence of a distinctive mucilaginous layer, a marked difference in phycocyanin to phycoerythrin ratio between female and male plants, and the presence of a carpogonia with a large trichogyne (>60 μm). Occasionally three capogonia were observed on a single basal cell. The 'Chantransia' stages were morphologically similar to those described for the other members of Batrachospermales. A remarkable observation was the formation of dome-shaped structures, consisting of prostrate filaments that are related with the development of new gametophytes. Chromosome numbers were n = 4 for fascicle cells, cortical filament cells and dome-shaped cells, and 2n = 8 for gonimoblast filament cells and 'Chantransia' stage filaments. Gametophytes and 'Chantransia' stages occurred in fast current velocities (60-170 cm/s) and shaded (33.1-121 μmol photons/m2/s) stream segments. The population fluctuated throughout the study period in terms of percentage cover and frequency: the 'Chantransia' stages were most abundant in the rainy season, whereas gametophytic plants had the highest frequency values during the dry season. These results were most likely a result of fluctuations in rainfall and related changes in current velocity. Some characteristics of this population can be viewed as probable adaptations to high current velocities: the mucilaginous layer around plants that reduces drag; potential increase in fertilization by the elongate and plentiful trichogynes and abundant dome-shaped structures producing several gametophytes.

Changes in facial morphology after adenotonsillectomy in mouth-breathing children

Background. Morphological and dentofacial alterations have been attributed to impaired respiratory function. Objective. To examine the influence of mouth breathing (MB) on children facial morphology before and after adenoidectomy or adenotonsillectomy. Methods. Thirty-three MB children who restored nasal breathing (NB) after surgery and 22 NB children were evaluated. Both groups were submitted to lateral cephalometry, at time 1 (T1) before and at time 2 (T2) 28months on average postoperatively. Results. Comparison between the MB and NB groups at T1 showed that mouth breathers had higher inclination of the mandibular plane; more obtuse gonial angle; dolichofacial morphology; and a decrease in the total and inferior posterior facial heights. Twenty-eight months after the MB surgical intervention, they still presented a dolichofacial morphologic pattern. During this period, MB altered the face growth direction and decreased their mandible plane inclination, with reduction in the SN.GoGn, PP.MP, SNGn, and ArGo.GoMe parameters as well as an increase in BaN.PtGn. Conclusion. After the MB rehabilitation, children between 3 and 6years old presented significant normalization in the mandibular growth direction, a decrease in the mandible inclination, and an increase in the posterior facial height. Instead, they still persisted with a dolichofacial pattern when compared with nasal breathers. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2011 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Fluazuron-induced morphophysiological changes in the cuticle formation and midgut of Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille, 1806 (Acari: Ixodidae) nymphs

The present study demonstrated the effects of the arthropod growth regulator, fluazuron (Acatak®), in the formation of the integument and digestive processes of Rhipicephalus sanguineus nymphs fed on rabbits treated with different doses of this chemical acaricide. For this, three different doses of fluazuron (20, 40, or 80 mg/kg) were applied pour on to the hosts (groups II, III, and IV), as well as distilled water to the control group. On the first day after treatment (24 h), the hosts were artificially infested with R. sanguineus nymphs. After full engorgement (7 days), the nymphs were removed, placed on labeled Petri dishes, and kept in biochemical oxygen demand incubator for 7 days. The engorged nymphs were then taken for morphological, histochemical, and histological analyses. The results showed the occurrence of cytological, morphohistological, and histochemical alterations in the integument and midgut of nymphs from all the different treated groups. These alterations occurred at cuticular level in the subdivisions of the cuticle, related to the size of the digestive cells, amount of accumulated blood elements, and digestive residues, as well as the presence of vacuoles in the cytoplasm of the digestive cells. Thus, this study demonstrated that fluazuron acts on the integument and midgut cells of R. sanguineus nymphs fed on treated rabbits and pointed out the possibility of the use of this chemical - which is more specific, less toxic, and less harmful to the environment and nontarget organisms - in the control of R. sanguineus, at least in the nymphal stage of its biological cycle. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.

First record of chilodonella hexasticha (ciliophora: Chilodonellidae) in brazilian cultured fish: A morphological and pathological assessment

Chilodonelids are small ciliated protozoans found worldwide and can be dangerous in culture conditions. This study presents morphometric data on the ciliate Chilodonella that is found in cultured Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), native bait fish tuvira (Gymnotus aff. inaequilabiatus) and native pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) and includes a histopathological assessment of the changes that occur in the pacu. For parasitic diagnosis, skin and gill samples were scraped onto slides, dried at room temperature, stained with Giemsa or impregnated with silver nitrate, and the measurements were obtained from photomicrographs. In the diseased pacu, the first gill arch was collected and fixed in a 10% buffered formalin solution for histopathological analysis. Parasite specimens from the different collection sites were identified morphologically as C. hexasticha Kiernik (1909). Diseased fish exhibited depigmentation, skin ulceration, scale loss, excessive mucus production and gill lesions. Histopathological analysis of pacu gills displayed epithelial proliferation with mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, hemorrhages, and scattering necrosis. In Brazilian-farmed fish this is the first record of C. hexasticha, which has great pathogenic potential in cultured freshwater species. In addition, two new hosts are presented. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Morphological modifications and surface amorphization in ZnO sonochemically treated nanoparticles

Application of nanoscale materials in photovoltaic and photocatalysis devices and photosensors are dramatically affected by surface morphology of nanoparticles, which plays a fundamental role in the understanding of the physical and chemical properties of nanoscale materials. Zinc oxide nanoparticles with an average size of 20 nm were obtained by the use of a sonochemical technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) associated to Rietveld refinements and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to study structural and morphological characteristics of the samples. An amorphous shell approximately 10 nm thick was observed in the ultrasonically treated sample, and a large reduction in particle size and changes in the lattice parameters were also observed. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neurotoxic action of permethrin in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) (Acari: Ixodidae) female ticks. Morphological and cytochemical evaluation of the central nervous system

Studies on the molecular bases of the neurotoxic action of acaricides are found in the literature; but there are no studies of this action on the nervous system of ticks at the cellular level. The present study describes the morphological and cytochemical changes in the synganglion of Rhipicephalus sanguineus semi-engorged females exposed to different concentrations of permethrin, a pyrethroid with recognized neurotoxic action. Permethrin induced the degeneration of the synganglion through a process of apoptosis involving autophagy, characterized by the condensation and margination of the chromatin, formation of blebs in the nuclear envelope and fragmentation of the nucleus, loss of shape of neural cells and integrity of cellular membrane, cytoplasmic shrinkage, and lower levels of acid phosphatase in the nervous tissue as the concentration of permethrin increased. This study provided further evidence of the neurotoxic action of permethrin, which impairs the metabolism of R. sanguineus nervous systems, and consequently the physiology of other systems, dependent on the neural control. These results provide cytochemical and histological confirmation of the neurotoxic action of permethrin, previously inferred from molecular and tick behavioral evidence. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Urethral striated muscle and extracellular matrix morphological characteristics among mildly diabetic pregnant rats: translational approach

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

Rearing temperature induces changes in muscle growth and gene expression in juvenile pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus)

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

Relative growth and morphological sexual maturity of the freshwater crab Trichodactylus fluviatilis Latreille 1828 (Decapoda, Trichodactylidae) from west central Sao Paulo State, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

3D osteoarthritic changes in TMJ condylar morphology correlates with specific systemic and local biomarkers of disease

Objective: To assess 3D morphological variations and local and systemic biomarker profiles in subjects with a diagnosis of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJ OA).Design: Twenty-eight patients with long-term TMJ OA (39.9 +/- 16 years), 12 patients at initial diagnosis of OA (47.4 +/- 16.1 years), and 12 healthy controls (41.8 +/- 12.2 years) were recruited. All patients were female and had cone beam CT scans taken. TMJ arthrocentesis and venipuncture were performed on 12 OA and 12 age-matched healthy controls. Serum and synovial fluid levels of 50 biomarkers of arthritic inflammation were quantified by protein microarrays. Shape Analysis MANCOVA tested statistical correlations between biomarker levels and variations in condylar morphology.Results: Compared with healthy controls, the OA average condyle was significantly smaller in all dimensions except its anterior surface, with areas indicative of bone resorption along the articular surface, particularly in the lateral pole. Synovial fluid levels of ANG, GDF15, TIMP-1, CXCL16, MMP-3 and MMP-7 were significantly correlated with bone apposition of the condylar anterior surface. Serum levels of ENA-78, MMP-3, PAI-1, VE-Cadherin, VEGF, GM-CSF, TGF beta b1, IFN gamma g, TNF alpha a, IL-1 alpha a, and IL-6 were significantly correlated with flattening of the lateral pole. Expression levels of ANG were significantly correlated with the articular morphology in healthy controls.Conclusions: Bone resorption at the articular surface, particularly at the lateral pole was statistically significant at initial diagnosis of TMJ OA. Synovial fluid levels of ANG, GDF15, TIMP-1, CXCL16, MMP-3 and MMP-7 were correlated with bone apposition. Serum levels of ENA-78, MMP-3, PAI-1, VE-Cadherin, VEGF, GM-CSF, TGF beta 1, IFN gamma, TNF alpha, IL-1 alpha, and IL-6 were correlated with bone resorption. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Osteoarthritis Research Society International.

Continuous Electrical Current and Zinc Sulphate Administered by Transdermal Iontophoresis Improves Skin Healing in Diabetic Rats Induced by Alloxan: Morphological and Ultrastructural Analysis

Purpose. Evaluated the effects of continuous electrical current (CEC) or zinc administrated by transdermal iontophoresis (Zn+TDI). Methods. 120 male Wistar rats were submitted to an incision surgery at the anterior region of abdomen and distributed into 6 experimental groups with 40 animals: 3 diabetic groups and 3 normal groups, untreated and treated with CEC alone or with Zn+TDI. Each group was further divided into 4 subgroups with 10 rats each to be evaluated on the 4th, 7th, 14th, and 21st day after surgery. In each period, clinical and laboratory parameters from the animals were analyzed. Results. The analysis by optical and scanning electron microscopy showed a delay in the phases of wound healing in diabetic rats without treatment in all periods of the experiment; breaking strength (BS) was significantly reduced in skin scars of untreated diabetic rats when compared to other groups. In contrast, BS in skin scars of nondiabetic groups and diabetic rats treated with Zn+TDI showed significant increase in those, besides not presenting delayed healing. Conclusion. Electrical stimulation of surgical wounds used alone or in association with zinc by TDI is able to consistently improve the morphological and ultrastructural changes observed in the healing of diabetic animals.

Toxoplasmosis: morphological and morphometric evaluation of spinal cord neurons from nonsymptomatic seropositive dogs

The aim of this work was to analyze the neuron morphology and morphometry of cervical, thoracic and lumbar areas of nonsymptomatic seropositive dogs’ spinal cord for toxoplasmosis. Twenty indefinite-breed adult dogs were used; ten dogs were healthy, with negative serology for toxoplasmosis, and were used as the control group (group 1), and ten dogs were nonsymptomatic but seropositive for toxoplasmosis (group 2). After the microtomy, with interval of 100 micrometers (µm), the histological 5-µm-thick cuts were dyed by hematoxylin-eosin and Masson's trichrome techniques. The glass slides were analyzed under light microscope to examine the neuron morphology. The parameters considered for the morphometric analysis were area, perimeter, maximum diameter, minimum diameter and shape factor of cytoplasm and nucleus of neuron. The results were statistically analyzed by Student’s t test at 5% probability level. The morphological characteristics between the two groups were similar and according to literature. The morphometric results showed that there were changes in neurons size and structure, and increase and loss of star shape were noticed in seropositive animals. The results suggest that the neurons of these dogs, yet nonsymptomatic, can have lost their conductor function.

Evaluation of early changes induced by diuron in the rat urinary bladder using different processing methods for scanning electron microscopy

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

Changes in nuclear morphology and chromatin texture of basal keratinocytes in melasma

BackgroundThe pathogenesis of melasma and the role of keratinocytes in disease development and maintenance are not completely understood. Dermal abnormalities, the expression of inflammatory mediators, growth factors, epithelial expression of melanocortin and sexual hormones receptors suggest that not only melanocytes, but entire epidermal melanin unit is involved in melasma physiopathology.ObjectivesTo compare nuclear morphological features and chromatin texture between basal keratinocytes in facial melasma and adjacent normal skin.MethodsWe took facial skin biopsies (2mm melasma and adjacent normal skin) from women processed for haematoxylin and eosin. Thirty non-overlapping basal keratinocyte nuclei were segmented and descriptors of area, highest diameter, perimeter, circularity, pixel intensity, profilometric index (Ra) and fractal dimension were extracted using ImageJ software.ResultsBasal keratinocyte nuclei from facial melasma epidermis displayed larger size, irregular shape, hyperpigmentation and chromatin heterogeneity by fractal dimension than perilesional skin.ConclusionBasal keratinocytes from facial melasma display changes in nuclear form and chromatin texture, suggesting that the phenotype differences between melasma and adjacent facial skin can result from complete epidermal melanin unit alterations, not just hypertrophic melanocytes.

Relative growth and morphological sexual maturity of the mangrove crab Aratus pisonii (H. Milne Edwards, 1837) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Sesarmidae) on the southern coast of the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

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