Morphology of the male genital organs and cloaca of Rhea americana americana

As características morfológicas, macroscópicas e microscópicas, dos órgãos genitais masculinos e da cloaca foram analisados em 23 emas, quatro filhotes (duas semanas), sete jovens (de três a oito meses) e doze adultos (três anos), provenientes da Cooperativa Emas do Brasil, RS, e do CEMAS, Mossoró, RN. Os testículos da ema possuem formato alongado e localizam-se na cavidade celomática, na região intra-abdominal dorsal, com comprimento e larguras médias de 7,6±1,2cm e 2,6± 0,7cm nos adultos; 4,5±1,5cm e 0,9±0,4cm nos jovens; e 0,8±0,3cm, e 0,2±0,1cm nos filhotes. O testículo está envolto pela túnica albugínea e seu parênquima possui túbulos seminíferos irregulares, compostos por epitélio espermatogênico e por células de sustentação, e pelo tecido intersticial, com as células endócrinas intersticiais, tecido conjuntivo frouxo e vasos. Nos adultos observaram-se todas as células da linhagem espermatogênica, enquanto nos jovens com 3 meses, os testículos apresentaram túbulos seminíferos com luz reduzidas, espermatogônias e células de sustentação indiferenciadas. Os ductos eferentes possuem um epitélio cúbico ciliado, enquanto no ducto epididimário o epitélio é columnar. O epidídimo apresentou-se alongado e fusiforme junto a margem medial do testículo. O ducto deferentes apresentou trajeto sinuoso nos adultos, retilíneo nos jovens, convoluto na sua porção média, diminuindo seu formato sigmóide em sua porção caudal, próximo à cloaca. O epitélio é pseudoestratificado e reveste a luz irregular nos adultos e circular nos jovens, mantendo proximidade com o ureter. A cloaca dividiu-se em três segmentos: o coprodeu, o urodeo e o proctodeo. No urodeu os ductos deferentes desembocaram em papilas na parede ventro-lateral, próximo a inserção do falo fibroso. O falo é um órgão fibroso linfático, localizado na parede ventral, no assoalho da cloaca, e apresentou duas porções: uma rígida bifurcada e contorcida, e outra simples espiralada e flexível, a qual normalmente esteve invertida. Em exposição forçada, o falo teve 14 cm de comprimento. De forma geral os órgãos reprodutores das emas compartilharam da morfologia de outras aves, principalmente aquelas descritas para os avestruzes.The rhea (Rhea americana americana) is a bird that belongs to the group of the Ratitas, order Rheiforme and family Rheidae. Macroscopic and microscopic morphology of the male genital organ (testes, epididymis, deferent ducts, and phallus) and the cloaca were analyzed in 23 emas, four chicken (2 weeks old), young (3 to 10 months old), and twelve adult ones (3 years old), from Cooperativa Emas do Brasil, RS and from CEMAS, Mossoró, RN. The testis of rhea had elongated shape and were located inside coelomatic cavity, in dorsal region of abdominal cavity, with medium length and width of 7.6±1.2cm and 2.6±0.7cm at adult animals; 4.5±1.5cm and 0.9±0.4cm at young animals; and 0.8±0.3cm, and 0.2±0.1cm at chicken. The testis were recovered by the tunica albuginea and its parenchyma had seminiferous tubules composed by spermatogenic epithelium and by sustentation cells, and also interstitial tissue, with interstitial endocrine cells, connective tissue and vessels. At the adult animals were observed all the cells from spermatogenic lineage, whilst at the youngs with 3 months the seminiferous tubules had a smale lumen with spermatogonia and undifferentiated sustentacular cells. The efferents ductus were composed by a cubic ciliated epithelium, while the epididimydis duct had a columnar epithelium. The epididymis was elongated and fusiform closely to medial testis board. The deferent duct had sinuous stretch at adult animals, rectilineae at young animal, convolute at its medium portion, decreasing its sigmoid shape at caudal portion, next to cloaca. The epithelium was pseudostratified ciliated, irregular lumen at adult animal, and circular at young animal, closely with urether. The cloaca was divided into three segments: coprodeum, urodeum and proctodeum. At urodeum the deferent ducts discharged into papillas at the ventral side wall, next to fibrous phallus's insertion. The phallus was a lymphatic fibrous organ, located at ventral wall, at the cloaca floor, and was composed by two portions: one rigid forked and twisted, and another simple spiraled and flexible, which normally was inverted. In forced exposition, the phallus had 14 cm in length. In a general way the Rhea genital organs shared the morphology from others birds, mainly those described to the ostrich

Anti-Candida targets and cytotoxicity of casuarinin isolated from Plinia cauliflora leaves in a bioactivity-guided study

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Growth and development of the placenta in the capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The guinea pig is an attractive model for human pregnancy and placentation, mainly because of its haemomonochorial placental type, but is rather small in size. Therefore, to better understand the impact of body mass, we studied placental development in the capybara which has a body mass around 50 kg and a gestation period of around 150 days. We paid attention to the development of the lobulated arrangement of the placenta, the growth of the labyrinth in the course of gestation, the differentiation of the subplacenta, and the pattern of invasion by extraplacental trophoblast.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Material was collected from six animals at pregnancy stages ranging from the late limb bud stage to mid gestation. Methods included latex casts, standard histology, immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin, vimentin, alpha-smooth muscle actin, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen as well as transmission electron microscopy.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>At the limb bud stage, the placenta was a pad of trophoblast covered by a layer of mesoderm from which fetal vessels were beginning to penetrate at folds in the surface. By 70 days, the placenta comprised areas of labyrinth (lobes) separated by interlobular areas. Placental growth resulted predominantly from proliferation of cellular trophoblast situated in nests at the fetal side of the placenta and along internally directed projections on fetal mesenchyme. Additional proliferation was demonstrated for cellular trophoblast within the labyrinth.</p> <p>Already at the limb bud stage, there was a prominent subplacenta comprising cellular and syncytial trophoblast with mesenchyme and associated blood vessels. At 90 days, differentiation was complete and similar to that seen in other hystricognath rodents. Overlap of fetal vessels and maternal blood lacunae was confirmed by latex injection of the vessels. At all stages extraplacental trophoblast was associated with the maternal arterial supply and consisted of cellular trophoblast and syncytial streamers derived from the subplacenta.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>All important characteristics of placental development and organization in the capybara resembled those found in smaller hystricognath rodents including the guinea pig. These features apparently do not dependent on body size. Clearly, placentation in hystricognaths adheres to an extraordinarily stable pattern suggesting they can be used interchangeably as models of human placenta.</p

A new species of Neocordulia Selys, 1882 (Odonata: Corduliidae) from Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Abstract: A new species of Neocordulia is described and illustrated based on a reared male, collected at Cachoeira da Eubisose stream, São Tomé das Letras, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The Holotype is deposited in the Museu Nacional, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

MKP-1 mediates glucocorticoid-induced ERK1/2 dephosphorylation and reduction in pancreatic beta-cell proliferation in islets from early lactating mothers

Maternal pancreatic islets undergo a robust increase of mass and proliferation during pregnancy, which allows a compensation of gestational insulin resistance. Studies have described that this adaptation switches to a low proliferative status after the delivery. the mechanisms underlying this reversal are unknown, but the action of glucocorticoids (GCs) is believed to play an important role because GCs counteract the pregnancy-like effects of PRL on isolated pancreatic islets maintained in cell culture. Here, we demonstrate that ERK1/2 phosphorylation (phospho-ERK1/2) is increased in maternal rat islets isolated on the 19th day of pregnancy. Phospho-ERK1/2 status on the 3rd day after delivery (L3) rapidly turns to values lower than that found in virgin control rats (CTL). MKP-1, a protein phosphatase able to dephosphorylate ERK1/2, is increased in islets from L3 rats. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that binding of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to MKP-1 promoter is also increased in islets from L3 rats. in addition, dexamethasone (DEX) reduced phospho-ERK1/2 and increased MKP-1 expression in RINm5F and MIN-6 cells. Inhibition of transduction with cycloheximide and inhibition of phosphatases with orthovanadate efficiently blocked DEX-induced downregulation of phospho-ERK1/2. in addition, specific knockdown of MKP-1 with siRNA suppressed the downregulation of phosphoERK1/2 and the reduction of proliferation induced by DEX. Altogether, our results indicate that downregulation of phospho-ERK1/2 is associated with reduction in proliferation found in islets of early lactating mothers. This mechanism is probably mediated by GC-induced MKP-1 expression.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de PesquisaCoordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Univ São Paulo, Inst Biomed Sci, Dept Physiol & Biophys, BR-05508 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, Diadema, SP, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, Fac Med Sci, Dept Pharmacol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Biol Sci, Diadema, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Development and characterization of biointeractive gelatin wound dressing based on extract of Punica granatum Linn

Punica granatum Linn (pomegranate) extracts have been proposed for wound healing due to their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. In this work, we designed biointeractive membranes that contain standard extracts of P. granatum for the purpose of wound healing. The used standard extract contained 32.24 mg/g of gallic acid and 41.67 mg/g of ellagic acid, and it showed high antioxidant activity (the concentration of the extract that produces 50% scavenging (IC50) 1.715 µg/mL). Compared to the gelatin-based membranes (GEL), membranes containing P. granatum extracts (GELPG) presented a higher maximal tension (p=0.021) and swelling index (p=0.033) and lower water vapor permeability (p=0.003). However, no difference was observed in the elongation and elastic modulus of the two types of membranes (p > 0.05). Our wound-healing assay showed that a GELPG-treated group experienced a significant increase compared to that of the control group in their wound contraction rates on days 3 (p < 0.01), 7 (p < 0.001), and on day 14 (p < 0.001). The GELPG membranes promoted major histological changes in the dynamics of wound healing, such as improvements in the formation of granular tissue, better collagen deposition and arrangement, and earlier development of cutaneous appendages. Our results suggest that a biointeractive gelatin-based membrane containing P. granatum extracts has a promising potential application for dressings that are used to treat wounds.The research was funded by FAPITEC/SE (Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa e Inovação Tecnológica do Estado de Sergipe) and by the Brazilian Bureau of Research. T. Pashirova received the financial support from the government assignment for the FRC Kazan Scientific Center of Russian Academy of Sciences. E.B. Souto received the support from the projects M-ERA-NET-0004/2015-PAIRED and UIDB/04469/2020, granted by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds and co-financed by FEDER under the Partnership Agreement PT2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Abordagem Laparoscópica na Apendicite Aguda

Background: The appendectomy is the most frequently performed surgery in the Emergency Service. The introduction of the lapa- roscopic approach (LA) in the treatment of acute appendicitis has not received, in the surgical community, the same acceptance that it obtained in other acute conditions. With this work, the authors present the growing acceptance that the LA has been acquiring in the Surgical Service that they represent, and they also want to demonstrate the advantages of this approach towards the laparotomic approach. Materials and Methods: Observational retrospective study consisting of patients undergoing appendectomy for acute appendicitis between 01/11/2008 to 31/10/2010 in the Emergency Service of the CHTS, EPE. Results: In the presented series 477 patients were subjected to an appendectomy, 9,6% of which through an LA. For both surgical approaches, the average age was 33,1 years (CI 91%:29,6-37,4) to LA and 37,3 years (CI 91%:31,7-38, 9) to laparotomic approach, p = 0,11; the female gender represented 19,0% of patients undergoing LA and 42,0% of patients undergoing laparotomy, p = 0,03. The duration of the hospital stay in LA was 3,2 days (CI 91% :2,4-4, 0) and 4,2 days (CI 91%:3,9-4, 4) in the laparotomic approach, p = 0,041 ; postoperative complications occurred in 7,7% of patients undergoing laparotomy and 8,7% of patients receiving LA, p = 0,8. There was no mortal- ity in this series.Conclusions: The LA, in the treatment of acute appendicitis, increased considerably over the two years of the study. It allows better cosmetic results and shorter hospital stay. It revelas a complication rate similar to the one of the laparotomic approach and can be used safely in patients with complicated acute appendicitis.  Keywords: acute appendicitis, appendectomy, laparoscopic approach    Introdução: A apendicectomia é a cirurgia efectuada com mais frequência no Serviço de Urgência. A introdução da abordagem lapa- roscópica (AL) no tratamento da apendicite aguda não recebeu, na comunidade cirúrgica, a mesma aceitação que obteve em outras patologias agudas. Com este trabalho, os autores apresentam a crescente aceitação que a AL tem vindo a adquirir no Serviço Cirúr- gico que representam e pretendem, também, expor as vantagens desta abordagem em relação à abordagem laparotómica. Material e Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo observacional constituído por doentes submetidos a apendicectomia, por apendicite aguda, entre 01/11/2008 e 31/10/2010 no Serviço de Urgência do CHTS, EPE. Resultados: Na série apresentada foram submetidos a apendicec- tomia 477 doentes, 9,6% por AL. Para as duas abordagens cirúrgicas, a média de idades foi de 33,1 anos (IC 91%:29,6-37,4) para a AL e 37,3 anos (IC 91%:31,7-38,9) para a abordagem laparotómica, p=0,11; o género feminino representou 19,0% dos doentes submetidos a AL e 42,0% dos doentes submetidos a abordagem laparotómica, p=0,03. O tempo de internamento na AL foi de 3,2 dias (IC 91%:2,4-4,0) e 4,2 dias (IC 91%:3,9-4,4) na abordagem laparotómica, p=0,041; as complicações pós-operatórias ocorreram em 7,7% dos doentes submetidos a abordagem laparotómica e em 8,7% dos doentes submetidos a AL, p=0,8. A mortalidade foi nula nesta série. Conclusões: A AL, no tratamento da apendicite aguda, aumentou consideravelmente ao longo dos dois anos a que se refere o estudo. Permite obter melhores resultados estéticos e menor tempo de internamento. Apresenta uma taxa de complicações idêntica à abordagem laparotómica e pode ser utilizada, de forma segura, em doentes com apendicite aguda complicada. Palavras-Chave: apendicite aguda, apendicectomia, abordagem laparoscópica.