The effects of drugs, ions, and poly-l-lysine on the excretory system of Schistosoma mansoni

We have been able to label the excretory system of cercariae and all forms of schistosomula, immature and adult worms with the highly fluorescent dye resorufin. We have shown that the accumulation of the resorufin into the excretory tubules and collecting ducts of the male adult worm depends on the presence of extracellular calcium and phosphate ions. In the adult male worms, praziquantel (PZQ) prevents this accumulation in RPMI medium and disperses resorufin from tubules which have been prelabelled. Female worms and all other developmental stages are much less affected either by the presence of calcium and phosphate ions, or the disruption caused by PZQ. The male can inhibit the excretory system in paired female. Fluorescent PZQ localises in the posterior gut (intestine) region of the male adult worm, but not in the excretory system, except for the anionic carboxy fluorescein derivative of PZQ, which may be excreted by this route. All stages of the parasite can recover from damage by PZQ treatment in vitro. The excretory system is highly sensitive to damage to the surface membrane and may be involved in vesicle movement and damage repair processes. In vivo the adult parasite does not recover from PZQ treatment, but what is inhibiting recovery is unknown, but likely to be related to immune effector molecules.

Lacrimal excretory system sequelae in patients treated for leishmaniasis

A leishmaniose pode destruir os tecidos nasais resultando em alterações da via lacrimal excretora. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a ocorrência de alterações do sistema lacrimal excretor em portadores de leishmaniose na fase de pós-tratamento. MÉTODOS: Foi realizada a avaliação da via lacrimal excretora em 45 portadores de leishmaniose tratada (90 vias lacrimais) pelo teste de Jones I. Treze pacientes (26 ductos nasolacrimais) tiveram o teste de Jones I alterado, tendo sido submetidos a dacriocistografia e endoscopia nasal. RESULTADOS: A maioria dos indivíduos avaliados apresentava a leishmaniose na forma cutânea (64,4%). Entretanto, 69,23% dos indivíduos com alteração do sistema lacrimal excretor apresentavam a forma mucocutânea antes do tratamento. A alteração mais freqüentemente detectada foi ducto nasolacrimal permeável e dilatado (92,30%). Apenas 3,84% (1/26) das vias lacrimais estavam obstruídas. A endoscopia nasal mostrou hipertrofia de corneto (53,84%), desvio de septo (53,84%) e perfuração do septo nasal (23,07%). CONCLUSÃO: em portadores de leishmaniose tratada encontra-se como seqüela mais freqüente no sistema excretor lacrimal as vias lacrimais permeáveis e dilatadas.

Evaluation of lacrimal system outflow in the newborn by dye tests

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outflow from the lacrimal excretory system (LES) at birth. METHOD: Two-hundred LES were evaluated by the Milder Test (DDT) and the modified Jones I Test (JIT) in 100 newborns (NBs) from 31 (T 1) until 42 (T 3) weeks of gestational age. The occurrence of obstruction was related to sex, weight at birth, presence of ocular discharge and the degree of maturity. RESULTS: Both tests were in agreement and showed LES obstruction in 61.5% (DDT) and 78.5% (JIT), respectively, while the LES outflow increased with increasing maturity. CONCLUSION: Evaluation of LES outflow at birth reveals obstruction rates that are much higher than those clinically observed in children with complaints of epiphora.

A new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid (Monogenea) from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia with descriptions of seven new species

Acanthoplacatus gen. nov., a new genus of viviparous gyrodactylid, is described from the rns and skin of siganid fishes from the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. The genus is characterized by a muscular, tube-like haptor with 16 marginal hooks on the posterior margin. The ventral lobe of the haptor is located anteriorly relative to the dorsal lobe and contains a pair of hamuli and a ventral bar with posteriorly-projecting ventral bar membrane. A dorsal bar is absent. Five pairs of posterior gland cells surround the posterior terminations of the gut. The male copulatory organ is a muscular, non-eversible bulb with several spines around the distal opening. Species of Acanthoplacatus have a bilateral excretory system consisting of six pairs of flame cells and a pair of excretory bladders. Seven new species are described: Acanthoplacatus adlardi sp. nov. and A. amplihamus sp. nov. from Siganus punctatus (Forster, 1801), A. brauni sp. nov. from S. corallinus (Valenciennes, 1835), A. parvihamus sp. nov. from S. vulpinus (Schlegel and Mueller, 1845), A. puelli sp. nov. from S. puellus Schlegel, 1852, A. shieldsi sp. nov. from S. lineatus (Valenciennes, 1835) and A. sigani sp. nov. from S. fuscescens (Houttuyn, 1782). Species can be discriminated by shape and size of the hamuli, marginal hooks and ventral bar and by male copulatory organ sclerite morphology. Three species (A. brauni sp. nov., A. shieldsi sp. nov. and A. sigani sp. nov.) were assessed for seasonal variation of sclerite size. Ten of thirteen morphological characters showed seasonal variation in size for at least one of the species. The characters were longer in winter except dorsal root tissue cap width. Only one character, marginal hook length, showed significant seasonal variation for all three species. Species of Acanthoplacatus were observed to attach using only the marginal hooks and the role of hamuli in attachment is unclear. The dorsal rn of the host is the preferred site for most species but the anal fin, caudal fin and body surfaces are preferred by some species. Prevalences for species range from 57 to 100%.

Anatomy and histology of Embolyntha batesi MacLahlan, 1877 (Embiidina)

The Embioptera are rather generalized insects whose internal anatomy is simple and not subject to great modifications. For this reason these insects form an ideal group for elementary anatomical and histological studies (fig. 2). The digestive tract is a long, simple tube without convolutions or diverticulae from the buccal cavity to the rectum. The buccal structures are of the chewing type. The oesophagus and ingluvia are differentiated only by slight dilation of their walls. In nymphs and females the proventriculus is very distinct due to folds which flatten as the structure becomes packed with food. The enteron is the largest in such forms and in both sexes limited caudally by the Malpighian tubules. The proctodeus has six large rectal papillae. The nervous system is complete with only the fifth abdominal segment lacking a ganglion in the metathorax includes the ganglion of the first abdominal segment. The brain exhibits very clear structure in histological sections. The tracheal system includes two pairs of thoracic spiracles and eight abdominal pairs. Only th metathoracic spiracle has an air expiration function; all others serve for inspiration. Various structures in the spiracles protect the atrium. The circulatory system includes a long, simple dorsal vessel which extends forward from the ninth abdominal segment into the cranium. It opens anteriorly near the circumoesophageal connectives. The dorsal vessel has a pair of ostia and valves corresponding to each abdominal and thoracic segment. It lacks the diverticulae or folds commonly found in more highly evolved insects. The excretory system is represented by Malphighian tubules, pericardial cells, and fat-body. The number and disposition of Malpighian tubules is variable within the order. The pericardial cells are localized around the entire dorsal vessel up to the opening of the aorta in the head. The fat-bodies form compact layers in the dorsal and ventral regions of the body. In males they are more developed in the abdominal region. The mandibles, maxillae, and salivary glands are of a simple type with very few cytological modifications. Only the salivary glands which extend into the mesothoracic region show appreciable specialization. The reproductive system is bi-sixual and shows considerable sexual dimorphism. Males have five pair of testes with a metameric disposition, two distinct ducts, two epidymis, and the ejaculatory organs. The accessory glands vary in number and size and open in the anterior portion of the ejaculatory duct. The female reproductive organs are of the panoistic type. The system includes five pairs of ovarioles, two long paired oviducts a small, unpaired oviduct and the spermatheca which opens in the vagina. Reproduction usually involves a union of male and female gametes, and eggs are usually laid in clusters attached to a substrate.

Prenatal diagnosis of urinary malformations: results in a series of 93 consecutive cases.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the pertinence of prenatal diagnosis in cases of congenital uropathy. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective evaluation over a period of 6.5 years. METHOD: 93 cases were involved in the comparison of prenatal ultrasonographic diagnosis with neonatal findings, autopsy results, and follow-up data. RESULTS: 33 fetuses had renal parenchymal lesions, 44 had excretory system lesions, and 6 had bladder and/or urethral lesions. Seventy-three pregnancies lead to live births. Eighteen terminations of pregnancy were performed on the parents' request for extremely severe malformations. Two intrauterine deaths were observed, and two infants died in the postnatal period. Prenatal diagnosis was obtained at an average of 27 weeks gestation. Diagnostic concordance was excellent in 82% and partial in 12% of cases with renal parenchymal lesions; the false-positive rate was 6%. For excretory system lesions, concordance was excellent in 87% and partial in 7.4% of cases, with a false-positive rate of 5.6%. Finally, concordance was excellent in 100% of cases of bladder and/or urethral lesions. The overall rate of total concordance was 86%. Partial concordance cases consisted of malformations different from those previously diagnosed, but prenatal diagnosis nevertheless lead to further investigations in the neonatal period and to proper management. The false-positive diagnoses (5.4%) never lead to termination of pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Prenatal diagnosis of congenital uropathy is effective. A third-trimester ultrasonographic examination is necessary to ensure proper neonatal management, considering that the majority of cases are diagnosed at this gestational age.

Comprometimento da pálpebra e via lacrimal excretora em portador de leishmaniose cutâneo-mucosa: relato de caso

Objetivo: Apresentar um portador de leishmaniose com lesão palpebral e dilatação de via lacrimal excretora. Relato de caso: O paciente em questão foi portador de leishmaniose do tipo cutâneo-mucosa, tendo apresentado múltiplas lesões de pele, ectrópio da pálpebra inferior, lesões na mucosa nasal e alterações na drenagem lacrimal. Discussão: O acometimento da pálpebra e da via lacrimal raramente ocorre em portadores de leishmaniose. Os autores chamam atenção para o diagnóstico e para a necessidade de se adotar medidas preventivas contra os vetores e a rápida instituição do tratamento.

Morphological study of the hindgut in larvae of Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner(Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

A lagarta da soja (Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner) tem grande interesse econômico, pois afeta significativamente a cultura da soja em todo o mundo. Este trabalho descreve a morfologia do intestino posterior de larvas de A. gemmatalis, com ênfase nos seus aspectos histológicos. O intestino posterior é constituído por regiões morfologicamente distintas, identificadas como piloro, íleo, cólon e reto. Independente da região, a parede do intestino posterior é constituída por fina cutícula, epitélio simples e camada muscular. A íntima cuticular apresenta espículas no anel intersticial posterior, entre o intestino médio e o posterior, e na região posterior do piloro. A musculatura do reto é formada por camada única de largas fibras circulares, diferindo das demais regiões do intestino posterior que apresentam duas camadas de fibras musculares. As extremidades distais dos túbulos de Malpighi atravessam as paredes do reto, constituindo o sistema criptonefridial característico de Lepidoptera.

Estudo histológico e histoquímico do aparelho excretor de Glossoscolex paulistus Michaelsen, 1926 (Oligochaeta, Glossoscolecidae)

The present study reveals that the excretory system of Glossoscolex paulistus is formed by open holonephridia (exonephridia). It is noticed that different zones are recognized in the nephridial canal, with defined histological and histochemical characteristics: 1) primary canal; 2) lobed canal; 3) first rounded segment; 4) afferent thin segment; 5) efferent thin segment; 6) second rounded segment; 7) ciliary tube; 8) clear canal; 9) pigmented canal; 10) intermediate canal; 11) bladder; 12) terminal canal; 13) nephridiopore. All these regions are intercellular and cilia are found in regions 1, 2, 3, 6, 7 and 13. The connections between afferent and efferent capillary of the vascular supply of the nephridium are made of capillary loops and dilatations which we call glomeruli in this paper. Filtering functions are suggested for the glomerulus. The response of the lobed canal and the first and second rounded segments to Gomori's reaction is strongly positive and this is found to coincide with the largest concentration of glomeruli in the main loops 1 and II, that suggests a higher filtration capacity for the canal and segments.

The use of planarians as in vivo animal model to study laser biomodulation effects

A variety of effects is attributed to the photo stimulation of tissues, such as improved healing of ulcers, analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, stimulation of the proliferation of cells of different origins and stimulation of bone repair. Some investigations that make qualitative evaluations, like wound healing and evaluation of pain and edema, can be conducted in human subjects. However, deeper investigations on the mechanisms of action of the light stimulus and other quantitative works that requires biopsies or destructive analysis has to be carried out in animal models or in cell cultures. In this work, we propose the use of planarians as a model to study laser-tissue interaction. Contrasting with cell cultures and unicellular organisms, planarians are among the simplest organism having tissue layers, central nerve system, digestive and excretory system that might have been platforms for the evolution of the complex and highly organized tissues and organs found in higher organisms. For the present study, 685 nm laser radiation was employed. Planarians were cut transversally, in a plane posterior to the auricles. The body fragments were left to regenerate and the proliferation dynamics of stem cells was studied by using histological analysis. Maximum cell count was obtained for the laser treated group at the 4th experimental day. At that experimental time, we also had the largest difference between the irradiated and the non-irradiated control group. We concluded that the studied flatworm could be an interesting animal model for in vivo studies of laser-tissue interactions.

Effects of sublethal doses of imidacloprid in malpighian tubules of africanized Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae)

In Brazil, imidacloprid is a widely used insecticide on agriculture and can harm bees, which are important pollinators. The active ingredient imidacloprid has action on the nervous system of the insects. However, little has been studied about the actions of the insecticide on nontarget organs of insects, such as the Malpighian tubules that make up the excretory and osmoregulatory system. Hence, in this study, we evaluated the effects of chronic exposure to sublethal doses of imidacloprid in Malpighian tubules of Africanized Apis mellifera. In the tubules of treated bees, we found an increase in the number of cells with picnotic nuclei, the lost of part of the cell into the lumen, and a homogenization of coloring cytoplasm. Furthermore, we observed the presence of cytoplasmic vacuolization. We confirmed the increased occurrence of picnotic nuclei by using the Feulgan reaction, which showed the chromatin compaction was more intense in the tubules of bees exposed to the insecticide. We observed an intensification of the staining of the nucleus with Xylidine Ponceau, further verifying the cytoplasmic negative regions that may indicate autophagic activity. Additionally, immunocytochemistry experiments showed TUNEL positive nuclei in exposed bees, implicating increased cell apoptosis after chronic imidacloprid exposure. In conclusion, our results indicate that very low concentrations of imidacloprid lead to cytotoxic activity in the Malpighian tubules of exposed bees at all tested times for exposure and imply that this insecticide can alter honey bee physiology. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Review: Malpighian Tubule, an essential organ for insects

We did an overhaul on morphophysiology characteristics, cryptonephric system and secondary specializations in the Malpighian tubules of the class Insecta. This review grouped the most important information about this important organ that has different functions essential for insects.

Location, morphology and function of nephrocytes in termites

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Maternal high-sodium intake alters the responsiveness of the renin-angiotensin system in adult offspring

Aims: The goal of the current study was to evaluate the impact of maternal sodium intake during gestation on the systemic and renal renin-angiotensin-aldosterone-system (RAAS) of the adult offspring. Main methods: Female Wistar rats were fed high- (HSD-8.0% NaCl) or normal-sodium diets (NSD-1.3% NaCl) from 8 weeks of age until the delivery of their first litter. After birth, the offspring received NSD. Tail-cuff blood pressure (TcBP) was measured in the offspring between 6 and 12 weeks of age. At 12 weeks of age, the offspring were subjected to either one week of HSD or low sodium diet (LSD-0.1 6%NaCl) feeding to evaluate RAAS responsiveness or to acute saline overload to examine sodium excretory function. Plasma (PRA) and renal renin content (RRC), serum aldosterone (ALDO) levels, and renal cortical and medullary renin mRNA expression levels were evaluated at the end of the study. Key findings: TcBP was higher among dams fed HSD, but no TcBP differences were observed among the offspring. Male offspring, however, exhibited increased TcBP after one week of HSD feeding, and this effect was independent of maternal diet. Increased RAAS responsiveness to the HSD and LSD was also observed in male offspring. The baseline levels of PRA. ALDO, and cortical and medullary renin gene expression were lower but the RRC levels were higher among HSD-fed male offspring (HSDoff). Conversely, female HSDoff showed reduced sodium excretion 4 h after saline overload compared with female NSDoff. Significance: High maternal sodium intake is associated with gender-specific changes in RAAS responsiveness among adult offspring. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spontaneous combined rupture of a pelvicalyceal cyst into the collector system and retroperitoneal space during the acquisition of computed tomography scan images: a case report

Abstract Introduction Pelvicalyceal cysts are common findings in autopsies and can manifest with a variety of patterns. These cystic lesions are usually a benign entity with no clinical significance unless they enlarge enough to cause compression of the adjacent collecting system and consequently obstructive uropathy. Few cases of the spontaneous rupture of pelvicalyceal renal cysts have been published and to the best of our knowledge there is no report of a combined rupture to collector system and retroperitoneal space documented during a multiphase computed tomography. Case presentation We report a case of a ‘real-time’ spontaneous rupture of a pelvicalyceal cyst into the collecting system with fistulization into the retroperitoneum. The patient was a 78-year-old Caucasian man with a previous history of renal stones and a large pelvicalyceal renal cyst who was admitted to our Emergency department with acute right flank pain. A multiphase computed tomography was performed and the pre-contrast images demonstrated a right pelvicalyceal renal cyst measuring 12.0 × 6.1cm in the lower pole causing moderate dilation of the upper right renal collection system. In addition, a partially obstructive stone on the left distal ureter with mild left hydronephrosis was noted. The nephrographic phase did not add any new information. The excretory phase (10-minute delay) demonstrated a spontaneous rupture of the cyst into the pelvicalyceal system with posterior fistulization into the retroperitoneal space. Conclusion In this case study we present time-related changes of a rare pelvicalyceal cyst complication, which to the best of our knowledge has fortunately not been previously documented. Analysis of the sequential images and comparison with an earlier scan allowed us to better understand the physiopathological process of the rupture, the clinical presentation and to elaborate hypotheses for its etiopathogenesis.