Gross morphology and topography of the digestive apparatus in rheas (Rhea americana americana)

Rodrigues M.N., Oliveira G.B., Silva R.S.S, Tivane C.T., Albuquerque J.F.G., Miglino M.A. & Oliveira M.F. 2012. [Gross morphology and topography of the digestive apparatus in rheas (Rhea americana americana).] Macroscopia e topografia do aparelho digestorio de emas (Rhea americana americana). Pesquisa Veterinaria Brasileira 32(7):681-686. Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Cidade Universitaria, Av. Prof. Dr. Orlando Marques de Paiva 87, Sao Paulo, SP 05508270, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] Rheas are birds belonging to the ratites group and, among ostriches and emus, are the largest birds currently alive. In this work we studied the macroscopic aspects of rheas' digestive tract in order to provide important information to a better understanding of these birds' eating habits as well their anatomy. Twenty young animals aging between two and six months from the Centre for Wild Animals Multiplication (Cemas, scientific breeding license form Ibama no.1478912) were used. After dissection it was observed that their tongue was small and presented a rhomboid form, being disposed on the oral cavity floor, and inserted in its base by a frenulum. The esophagus was a rectilinear tube with elastic aspect and longitudinal elastic fibers, without dilation, which gives it an absence of crop. The proventriculus presented a fusiform form and the gastric ventricle showed and slightly oval form when filled, and was internally coated with a thick gastric cuticle. The small intestine was composed of three distinct regions: duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The duodenum had a light gray color and showed a "U" curved shaped. The jejunum was dark green, long and composed of several short loops arranged above each other. The ileum had a gray color and was connected with the jejunum. In ventral line to the rectum and cloaca, the ileum extended cranially, dorsally to the ascending duodenum. The large intestine was composed of two caeca, one right and one left, and colon-rectum and ileum were continuous with the cloaca. The structures of the rhea digestive tract resemble those described in the literature regarding to its shape and topography, even though rhea's caeca are well developed and relatively long

Structural, Ultrastructural and Morfoquantitative analysis of the effects caused in striated skeletal muscle of Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) subject to diet utilized in young children of rural Mozambique

Moçambique é um País da África Austral onde cerca de 55% da população vive abaixo da linha de pobreza absoluta com menos de uma refeição por dia sobrevivendo a muito custo com base em donativos. A insegurança alimentar e a nutrição extremamente precária, principalmente nas crianças, são fatores que induzem a níveis de Desnutrição crônica (DC) infantil em torno de 44%. Esta DC é responsável por um terço de mortes em menores de cinco anos. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos que uma ração preparada com alimentos produzidos e consumidos pela população das zonas rurais de Moçambique exerceu no músculo gastrocnêmio de ratos wistar (Rattus norvegicus) alimentados com esta ração. Foram usados 75 ratos Wistar pesando aproximadamente 300 g divididos em três grupos: Nutrido ou controle (N), Desnutrido (D) e Moçambique ou grupo experimental (M), avaliados ao nascimento e ao desmame. Os animais foram mantidos sob as mesmas condições de alojamento, temperatura umidade e luz, porém com alimentação diferente consoante o grupo; Grupo N com ração normoproteica (20% de caseína), Grupo D com ração desnutrida (5% de caseína) e grupo M com ração de Moçambique. Em todos os grupos foi feita avaliação da massa corporal ao nascimento e desmame e coletado o músculo gastrocnêmio direito dos filhotes machos ao desmame para processamento. Foram realizadas cortes seriados de 10 µm de espessura em criostato e, as secções foram submetidas às técnicas da hematoxilina e eosina, picro-sirius, NADH-tr e análise em microscopio eletrônico de transmissão. A avaliação estatística das diferenças inter-grupos foi determinada pelos testes análise de variância, (ANOVA) e Tukey. Foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os grupos N, D e M. Observou-se nos animais do grupo M uma grande variação no peso e tamanho que foi similar ao do grupo D; os mesmos apresentaram também alterações no formato das fibras musculares que exibiram contornos arredondados e, ainda, predominância de fibras colágenas tipo III tal como os desnutridos. Ultra estruturalmente os animais de Moçambique apresentaram um desalinhamento das linhas Z dos sarcômeros e rompimento das miofibrilas, diminuição na área de seção transversa e menor proporção de fibras glicolíticas e glicolítico-oxidativas, e maior porcentagem e área de seção transversa igual ao grupo D no respeitante ás fibras oxidativas.Mozambique is a country of Southern Africa where about 55% of the population lives below the absolute poverty line with less than one meal per day, hardly surviving based on donations. Food insecurity and precarious nutrition, especially in children, are factors that induce to levels of 44% chronic infant malnutrition (DC). DC is responsible for one third of deaths in children under five years. The aim of this study was to evaluate morphoquantitative effects in gastrocnemius muscle of Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) fed with a diet utilized by people of rural areas of Mozambique. We used 75 Wistar rats weighing approximately 300 g divided in three groups: Nourished or control (N), Malnourished (D) and Mozambique or experimental group (M), measured at birth and weaning. The animals were kept under the same housing conditions, temperature, humidity and light, but fed with different diet depending on the group; Group N with normal protein diet (20% casein), Group D with hypo-proteic diet (5% casein) and group M with Mozambique diet. Body mass at birth and weaning was evaluated the right gastrocnemius muscle of male pups at weaning was colletcted for processing. Serial sections of 10 µm were performed in a cryostat prior to histology techniques of hematoxylin and eosin, picro-sirius, NADH-tr and analysis in transmission electron microscope. Statistical evaluation was determined by analysis of variance tests (ANOVA) and Tukey. Significant differences were found between groups N, D and M. Group M exhibit a great variation of body mass that was similar to group D; these animals (group M) also showed structural changes in muscle fiber which exhibited round-shaped contours, and a predominance of type III collagen similarly to malnourished group. Ultra structurally animals from Mozambique showed a disorganization of Z lines of sarcomeres and myofibrils disruption, decreased cross-sectional area and a smaller proportion of glycolytic and glycolytic-oxidative fibers, and higher percentage and cross-sectional area identical to group D with respect to oxidative fibers

Morphoquantitative effects on striated skeletal muscle of Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) subjected to a diet utilized in young children from rural Mozambique

Mozambique is a country of sub-Saharan Africa where about 55% of the population lives below the absolute poverty line with less than one meal a day hardly surviving based on by donations. Food insecurity and precarious nutrition, especially in children, are factors that induce to levels of 44% of chronic malnutrition (CD) in infants. The CD is responsible for one third of deaths in children under five years. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphoquantitative effects in gastrocnemius muscle of Wistar rats fed with a diet utilized by people from rural areas of Mozambique. We used 75 Wistar rats weighing approximately 300 g divided in three groups: nourished or control (N), malnourished (D), and Mozambique or experimental group (M), measured at birth and at weaning. The animals were kept under the same housing conditions, temperature, humidity and light, but with different diets depending on the group: Group N with normal protein diet (20% casein), Group D with hypo-proteic diet (5% casein), and Group M with Mozambique diet. In all groups we evaluated the body mass at birth and weaning, and collected the right gastrocnemius muscle of male pups at weaning for analysis. Serial sections of 10 μm were performed in a cryostat prior to histology techniques of hematoxylin and eosin, picrosirius, NADH-tr and analysis in transmission electron microscope. Statistical evaluation was determined by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey tests. Significant differences were found between groups N, D and M. In group M were observed a great variation of body mass that was approximately similar to group D; Group M also showed the same changes in muscle fiber which exhibited round-shaped contours, and predominance of type III collagen, similarly to malnourished group (D). Ultra-structurally, animals from Mozambique displayed a disorganization of the Z lines of sarcomeres, myofibrils disruption, decreased cross-sectional area and a smaller proportion of glycolytic and glycolytic-oxidative fibers. Additionally, the animals from M group revealed higher percentage and cross-sectional area identical to group D in respect to oxidative fibers. Keywords: Skeletal muscle, Morphology, NADH-tr, Diet, Afric