Evaluation of Efficiency and Effectiveness of Mastoid Process Triangle Anthropometry for Sex Estimation in Brazilian Skulls

Existe uma corrente de pensamento em antropologia forense de que métodos antropométricos têm menos subjetividade e menores erros intra e interobservadores, quando comparados com métodos de tomada de decisões. Contudo, a antropometria também pode apresentar falhas de execução, sendo trabalhosa e requererendo tempo extra na coleta dos dados. Além disso, em amostras heterogêneas ou pouco homogêneas, como nos casos de intensa miscigenação, pode fornecer resultados igualmente heterogêneos. Neste estudo foi proposta a avaliação de eficiência e eficácia do método antropométrico do triângulo do processo mastoide (porion, asterion e mastoidale) para estimativa de sexo, como descrito nos trabalhos de Paiva & Segre e Kemkes & Göbel. Foram selecionados 74 crânios de ossadas sob a guarda do CEMEL/FMRP-USP. Destes, 28 foram excluídos por impossibilidade de execução do método antropométrico. Os 46 crânios restantes foram analisados por três vezes pela antropometria e os resultados comparados entre si, assim como ao método do Protocolo LAF/CEMEL baseado em tomada de decisão. Os resultados demonstraram que, além do alto número de exclusões por impossibilidade de execução e da necessidade de refinamento técnico para evitar erros intraobservador, as áreas obtidas contrastaram com os valores encontrados por Paiva & Segre em 60,9% dos casos. Conclui-se que, com o passar do tempo e refinamento técnico, o método antropométrico torna-se mais eficiente no que diz respeito à diminuição de erros do observador. Por outro lado, mostra-se ineficaz em estimar o sexo dos crânios analisados em amostra heterogênea (de população miscigenada), indicando o método de tomada de decisão como mais adequado. [There is a perception in forensic anthropology that anthropometric methods are less subjective, and have lower intra and inter observer error rates compared with more subjective classificatory or anthroposcopic approaches. Anthropometric methods have risks of execution errors, however, and may be laborious and time-consuming. Heterogeneous or less than homogeneous samples—such as in cases of intensive admixture—yield equally heterogeneous results. This study is an evaluation of the efficiency and effectiveness of an anthropometric method of sex estimation from the mastoid process triangle (porion, asterion and mastoidale), as described by Paiva & Segre and Kemkes & Göbel. Of 74 skulls selected from the CEMEL/FMRP-USP collection, 28 were excluded due to the impossibility of execution of the method. The remaining 46 skulls were measured three times and the results compared with each other, as well as with the assignments based on the classifications used in the LAF/CEMEL protocol. In addition to the high number of exclusions due to impossibility of execution of the method, and the need for technical refinements to avoid intra-observer errors, the results obtained contrasted with those obtained by Paiva & Segre in 60.9% of cases. Reduction of observer errors over time and with technical refinement led to the anthropometric method increasing in efficiency. It was not as effective in estimating the sex of the skulls in the heterogeneous admixed sample compared to the anthroposcopic methods, indicating that these are more useful on samples of this kind.

Pain Modulation by Nitric Oxide in the Spinal Cord

Nitric oxide (NO) is a versatile messenger molecule first associated with endothelial relaxing effects. In the central nervous system (CNS), NO synthesis is primarily triggered by activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors and has a Janus face, with both beneficial and harmful properties. There are three isoforms of the NO synthesizing enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS): neuronal (nNOS), endothelial (eNOS), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), each one involved with specific events in the brain. In the CNS, nNOS is involved with modulation of synaptic transmission through long-term potentiation in several regions, including nociceptive circuits in the spinal cord. Here, we review the role played by NO on central pain sensitization

A forensic identification case and DPid - can it be a useful tool?

Objective The aim of this study was to show DPid as an important tool of potential application to solve cases with dental prosthesis, such as the forensic case reported, in which a skull, denture and dental records were received for analysis. Material and Methods Human identification is still challenging in various circumstances and Dental Prosthetics Identification (DPid) stores the patient’s name and prosthesis information and provides access through an embedded code in dental prosthesis or an identification card. All of this information is digitally stored on servers accessible only by dentists, laboratory technicians and patients with their own level of secure access. DPid provides a complete single-source list of all dental prosthesis features (materials and components) under complete and secure documentation used for clinical follow-up and for human identification. Results and Conclusion If DPid tool was present in this forensic case, it could have been solved without requirement of DNA exam, which confirmed the dental comparison of antemortem and postmortem records, and concluded the case as a positive identification

Tissue Microarray Analysis Applied to Bone Diagenesis

Taphonomic processes affecting bone post mortem are important in forensic, archaeological and palaeontological investigations. In this study, the application of tissue microarray (TMA) analysis to a sample of femoral bone specimens from 20 exhumed individuals of known period of burial and age at death is described. TMA allows multiplexing of subsamples, permitting standardized comparative analysis of adjacent sections in 3-D and of representative cross-sections of a large number of specimens. Standard hematoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff and silver methenamine, and picrosirius red staining, and CD31 and CD34 immunohistochemistry were applied to TMA sections. Osteocyte and osteocyte lacuna counts, percent bone matrix loss, and fungal spheroid element counts could be measured and collagen fibre bundles observed in all specimens. Decalcification with 7 % nitric acid proceeded more rapidly than with 0.5 M EDTA and may offer better preservation of histological and cellular structure. No endothelial cells could be detected using CD31 and CD34 immunohistochemistry. Correlation between osteocytes per lacuna and age at death may reflect reported age-related responses to microdamage. Methodological limitations and caveats, and results of the TMA analysis of post mortem diagenesis in bone are discussed, and implications for DNA survival and recovery considered

Lifespan Extension Induced by Caffeine in Caenorhabditis elegans is Partially Dependent on Adenosine Signaling

Caffeine is a widely used psychoactive substance. Studies have shown that caffeine may play a protective role in aging-associated disorders. However, the mechanisms by which caffeine modulates aging are not yet clear. In this study, we have shown that caffeine increases Caenorhabditis elegans lifespan, delays its larval development, reduces reproduction and body length. These phenotypes were partly reversed by worm’s exposure to adenosine, which suggest a putative common target. Moreover, they were dependent on a functional insulin/IGF-1-like pathway. Our results may shed light on new genetic determinants of aging

Morphological analysis of dental remains of a human skeleton found in a mountain-shell (Sambaqui) in Ilha Bela Archipelago on the northern coast of São Paulo, state, Brazil

The bioanthropological evaluation on remains of hard tissues can collaborate in identifying physicalcharacteristics of individuals. The teeth are important in the identification of human bodies that have undergone major changes particularly due to its resistance to degradation. The aim of this study is analyzing the dental remains of a human skeleton - dated of 1920 ± 40 years BP and located in a shell mound at the Ilhabela Archipelago, São Paulo State, Brazil - as a source of anatomical analysis for scientific purposes. The remaining teeth were classified according to dental notation and the authors concluded that even in a long time, teeth keep maintain anatomical features which may be helpful in identifying the deceased individual.  A avaliação bioantropológica em remanescentes de tecidos duros pode colaborar na identificação dascaracterísticas físicas dos indivíduos. Os dentes, estrutura dura que também se caracteriza por ser resistente à degradação, são importantes na identificação de corpos que passaram por grandes modificações. O objetivo deste estudo é analisar os remanescentes dentais de uma ossada humana datada de 1920 ± 40 anos AP localizados em sambaqui, no Arquipélago de Ilhabela – SP, Brasil, como fonte de análise anatômica para fins científicos. Os remanescentes dentais foram classificados segundo a notação dental e os autores concluíram que, mesmo com o passar do tempo, os dentes mantém características anatômicas marcantes, podendo ser de grande utilidade na identificação do indivíduo morto.  

Efecto de la inoculación de microorganismos solubilizadores de fosfato y hongos micorrícicos arbusculares en plantas de Eugenia dysenterica crecidas en diferentes sustratos

Phosphate solubilizing microorganisms (PSM) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) represent alternative strategies to reduce the cost and increase the production of cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica) seedlings associated with different substrates. This study aimed to assess the effect of inoculating PSM and AMF in different substrates for cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica) culturing. The experiment was installed with a completely randomized design, using a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with four inoculation treatments (PSM, AMF, PSM + AMF, and Control – absence of inoculation), and two soils substrates (pure sandy substrate and mixed substrate). The substrates and microorganism had influence in cagaita seedling growth. The pure substrate conferred better performance of plant growth parameters. In this substrate, cagaita seedlings had higher stem diameter, shoot fresh and dry weight, root volume and root dry weight. The cultivation of seedlings in pure substrate inoculated with AMF and PSM provided greater Mo content in the leaves. The higher root volume of cagaita seedlings was obtained with the inoculation of PSM. A sandy substrate seems to be the most adequate for the cultivation of cagaita seedlings. In addition, co-inoculation provides higher Fe, Mg, and K content in the leaves, as this work showed.Los microorganismos solubilizadores de fosfato (PSM) y los hongos micorrízicos arbusculares (HMA) representan estrategias alternativas para reducir el costo y aumentar la producción de plántulas de cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica) asociadas a diferentes sustratos. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar el efecto de la inoculación de PSM y HMA en diferentes sustratos para el cultivo de cagaita (Eugenia dysenterica). El experimento se instaló con un diseño completamente al azar, utilizando un esquema factorial 4 × 2, con cuatro tratamientos de inoculación (PSM, HMA, PSM + HMA y Control - ausencia de inoculación), y dos sustratos de suelo (sustrato arenoso puro y sustrato mixto). Los sustratos y microorganismos influyeron en el crecimiento de las plántulas de cagaita. El sustrato puro propició un mejor desempeño de los parámetros de crecimiento de las plantas. En este sustrato, las plántulas de cagaita presentaron mayor diámetro de tallo, masa fresca y seca de brotes, volumen de raíz y masa seca de la raíz. El cultivo de plántulas en sustrato puro inoculadas con HMA y PSM proporcionó mayor contenido de Mo en las hojas. El mayor volumen de raíces de plántulas de cagaita se obtuvo con la inoculación de PSM. Un sustrato arenoso parece ser el más adecuado para el cultivo de plántulas de cagaita. Además, la coinoculación proporciona un mayor contenido de Fe, Mg y K en las hojas, como mostró este trabajo

ANÁLISE DA GESTÃO DAS UNIDADES DE CONSERVAÇÃO DO SISTEMA ESTADUAL DE ÁREAS PROTEGIDAS DE MINAS GERAIS

Conservation Units (UC) are especially protected areas for the protection of natural resources. Minas Gerais state shelter various UC created by the various levels of government. This study aimed to identify and discuss aspects of management currently undertaken by the State System of Protected Areas of Minas Gerais (SEAP), as well as its advances, trends and obstacles, especially related to: cycle management and monitoring of results, levels of strategic management and operational; agreement results, the State Program for Results; Deployment System Management of Protected Areas - SIGAP, planning tools, relationship to the community and popular participation, human resources policy, management shared, policy cost and financing activities and bottlenecks of the process of managing the State System of Protected Areas - SEAP. The methodology used was a semi-structured interviews and questionnaires applied to all managers of UC. The results showed that the use of planning tools and management of SEAP were effective in the opinion of managers. However, they were still appointed, as limitations of the efficiency of the management of UC, the lack of infrastructure and human resources. Co-management of UC with partner institutions shows to be appropriate and promising.As Unidades de Conservação (UC) são espaços territoriais especialmente protegidos para a proteção dos recursos naturais. Minas Gerais abriga UC criadas pelos vários níveis de governo. O trabalho objetivou identificar e discutir os aspectos da gestão atualmente realizados pelo Sistema Estadual de Áreas Protegidas de Minas Gerais (SEAP), assim como seus avanços, tendências e entraves, especialmente sobre: ciclo de gestão e monitoramento de resultados; níveis de gestão estratégica e operacional; acordo de Resultados; Programa do Estado para Resultados; implantação do Sistema de Gestão de Áreas Protegidas (SIGAP); ferramentas de planejamento; relação com a comunidade e participação popular; política de recursos humanos; gestão compartilhada; política de custeio e financiamento de atividades e gargalos do processo de gestão do SEAP. A metodologia utilizada foi a de entrevistas semi-estruturadas e questionários aplicados a todos os gerentes de UC. Os resultados mostraram que o uso de ferramentas de planejamento e gestão do SEAP, na opinião dos gerentes, foi eficiente. No entanto, ainda foram apontados, como limitações da eficiência da gestão das UC, a falta de infra-estrutura e de recursos humanos. A co-gestão das UC com instituições parceiras mostra-se adequada e promissora