Avaliação da morfometria renal através do método ultrassonográfico de fêmeas caprinas (Capra hircus) normais da raça Saanen

A utilização de técnicas ultrassonográficas na área de Medicina Veterinária está cada vez mais presente e a capacitação nesta área tornou-se indispensável para o clínico, auxiliando-o na obtenção de informações rápidas e valiosas das afecções patológicas que podem acometer os animais. O exame ultrassonográfico renal revelou-se de grande importância neste âmbito, com o objetivo de avaliar e mensurar os parâmetros morfométricos renais normais de fêmeas caprinas (Capra hircus). Por meio de técnicas ultrassonográficas procedeu-se o estudo de 30 fêmeas da raça Saanen, divididas em três grupos: fêmeas com idade inferior a 6 meses (3,0±1,0 meses), de 6-18 meses (9,0±4,3 meses) e com idade superior a 18 meses (46,3±17,4 meses). Realizaram-se imagens dos rins, em secções longitudinais, medidas de comprimento e largura e, em secções transversais, medidas de altura (ou espessura). Com estes valores calcularam-se volumes renais, corticais e medulares, além da relação cortico-medular. Com relação ao comprimento renal os grupos com idade inferior a 6 meses, de 6-18 meses e com idade superior a 18 meses obtiveram média e desvio padrão de 4,20±0,36cm, 5,56±0,40cm e 6,77±0,64cm, respectivamente. Tratando-se do volume renal, estes grupos apresentaram média e desvio padrão de 17,02±3,99cm³, 19,99±5,86cm³; e, 41,23±13,05cm³. Comparou-se a equivalência métrica das médias entre os dois rins de forma que os parâmetros volumétricos e lineares renais com diferença entre si são comprimento renal, volume renal e volume cortical para o grupo de fêmeas com idade de 6-18 meses, e comprimento renal e comprimento medular para o grupo com idade superior a 18 meses. Entre diferentes grupos observou-se que somente o comprimento medular esquerdo apresentou média equivalente em todos os grupos, ou seja, entre o grupo com idade inferior a 6 meses e o grupo com idade de 6-18 meses e, entre este último e o grupo com idade superior a 18 meses. Os resultados mostraram correlações diretas e positivas entre peso corporal e idade com os parâmetros lineares e volumétricos, a relação cortico-medular esquerda foi a única que apresentou correlação significativa com o peso (r= -0,365; P = 0,047). Para aqueles parâmetros que apresentaram correlação significativa foi realizada análise de regressão, obtendo-se a linha de melhor ajuste das variáveis.

Journal du commerce, de politique et de littérature

1818/06/05 (Numéro 317).

Yhteiskunnallinen näkökulma aikuiskasvatukseen

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Contribuição das folhas de lianas na produção de serapilheira em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual em São Carlos, SP

A produção de serapilheira em um fragmento de floresta estacional semidecidual foi analisada durante 12 meses, sendo o material recolhido separado em frações de: galhos, material reprodutivo, folhas de espécies de lianas e folhas de demais espécies. O total de material produzido foi de 12.221 kg ha-1 ano-1, sem diferença significativa entre os meses observados e sem relação significativa também com o período seco. A fração das folhas teve a maior contribuição com 7.750 kg ha-1 ano-1, da qual 2.317 kg ha-1 ano-1 (19%), correspondem às folhas de lianas, que apresentam ampla distribuição no fragmento. A maioria das lianas contudo, não apresentaram deciduidade marcante como ocorre com algumas espécies arbóreas desse tipo florestal. A produção de folhas de lianas para a serapilheira é constante, porém uma maior queda foi relacionada com a alta evapotranspiração real ocorrida no período de estudo.

The C-peptide response to a standard mixed meal in a group of Brazilian type 1 diabetic patients

In order to analyze the different parameters used in the interpretation of C-peptide response in a functional test, we compared a group of 26 type 1 diabetics aged 21.1 ± 8.2 years, with a diabetes duration of 7.9 ± 6.7 months, with a group of 24 non-diabetic subjects aged 25.0 ± 4.4 years. A standard mixed meal of 317 kcal was used as a stimulus. Blood sampling for C-peptide determinations was performed at regular intervals. Although all the studied C-peptide variables were significantly lower in the diabetic group (P<0.0001), some overlapping of parameters was observed between the two groups. The highest degree of overlapping was found for basal value (BV) (30.8%) and percent increase (42.31%), and the lowest for incremental area, absolute increase, peak value (PV) (3.8%), and total area (7.7%) (c2 = 31.6, P<0.0001). We did not observe a definite pattern in the time of maximum response among the 21 diabetics who showed an increase in C-peptide levels after the stimulus. In this group, however, there was a highly significant number of late responses (120 min) (c2 = 5.7, P<0.002). Although BV showed a significant correlation with PV (rS = 0.95, P<0.0001), the basal levels of C-peptide did not differentiate the groups with and without response to the stimulus. We conclude that the diabetic group studied showed delayed and reduced C-peptide responses, and that the functional test can be an important tool for the evaluation of residual ß cell function.

Calciuria and preeclampsia

Urinary calcium excretion has been reported to be diminished in preeclampsia. The objective of the present study was to determine urinary calcium excretion in pregnant patients with chronic arterial hypertension (CAH) and preeclampsia (PE), and in normotensive patients (N). Forty-four pregnant patients (gestional age, 20-42 weeks; 18 CAH, 17 PE, 9 N) were evaluated for calciuria, proteinuria, plasma uric acid and blood pressure. Patients with PE (82 ± 15.1 mg/24 h) showed significantly lower calciuria (P<0.05) than the group with CAH (147 ± 24.9 mg/24 h) and the N group (317 ± 86.0 mg/24 h) (P<0.05, Student t-test). Plasma uric acid was significantly higher in the PE group (6.1 ± 0.38 mg/dl) than the CAH group (5.0 ± 0.33 mg/dl; P<0.05), which also presented higher proteinuria levels, although the difference was not statistically significant. Diastolic and systolic blood pressure did not differ between the PE (164 ± 105 mmHg) and CAH (164 ± 107 mmHg) groups. Calciuria was significantly lower in the group with preeclampsia than in the group with chronic arterial hypertension. We conclude that calciuria can be a further factor for identifying preeclampsia

[Kirjallisuutta]

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

A comparison of public and private obstructive sleep apnea clinics

The aim of the present study was to compare the clinical findings and polysomnography results obtained at public and private clinics in Brazil, the follow-up after diagnosis, and the therapeutic aspects related to continuous positive airway pressure. Patients who snore and who have obstructive sleep apnea were retrospectively divided into two groups, i.e., public clinic (N = 307) and private clinic (N = 317). Data concerning age, sex, body mass index (BMI), neck circumference, medical history, sleepiness scale, follow-up after diagnosis, and acceptance of continuous positive airway pressure therapy were collected. Mean age was 50 ± 12 (range: 15-80) for public patients and 48 ± 12 years (range: 19-91) for private patients. Mean BMI was 30 ± 6 (range: 19-67) for public patients and 31 ± 6 kg/m² (range: 21-59) for private patients. The public clinic had a significantly higher frequency of women than the private clinic (M:F ratio of 2.0:1 and 6.9:1, respectively). The condition of private patients (apnea-hypopnea index = 31 ± 25) was more severe than that of public patients (apnea-hypopnea index = 25 ± 24 events/h; P = 0.0004). In the public and private clinics, 19 and 15% of patients were snorers, respectively, and 81 and 85% of them had sleep apnea. After diagnosis, follow-up was longer in the private group. The continuous positive airway pressure acceptance was similar for both groups (32 vs 35%), but patients from the public clinic abandoned treatment more than private ones (65 vs 13%). Social status was significant in terms of the severity of obstructive sleep apnea age and gender distribution. Private patients look for a diagnosis earlier in the course of the disease than public patients, adhere more to follow-up, and abandon continuous positive airway pressure treatment less than public patients do.

Promoter region sequence differences in the A and G gamma globin genes of Brazilian sickle cell anemia patients

Fetal hemoglobin (HbF), encoded by the HBG2 and HBG1 genes, is the best-known genetic modulator of sickle cell anemia, varying dramatically in concentration in the blood of these patients. This variation is partially associated with polymorphisms located in the promoter region of the HBG2 and HBG1 genes. In order to explore known and unknown polymorphisms in these genes, the sequences of their promoter regions were screened in sickle cell anemia patients and correlated with both their HbF levels and their βS-globin haplotypes. Additionally, the sequences were compared with genes from 2 healthy groups, a reference one (N = 104) and an Afro-descendant one (N = 98), to identify polymorphisms linked to the ethnic background.The reference group was composed by healthy individuals from the general population. Four polymorphisms were identified in the promoter region of HBG2 and 8 in the promoter region of HBG1 among the studied groups. Four novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located at positions -324, -317, -309 and -307 were identified in the reference group. A deletion located between -396 and -391 in the HBG2 promoter region and the SNP -271 C→T in the HBG1 promoter region were associated with the Central African Republic βS-globin haplotype. In contrast, the -369 C→G and 309 A→G SNPs in the HBG2 promoter region were correlated to the Benin haplotype. The polymorphisms -396_-391 del HBG2, -369 SNP HBG2 and -271 SNP HBG1 correlated with HbF levels. Hence, we suggest an important role of HBG2 and HBG1 gene polymorphisms on the HbF synthesis.