Immunophenotyping of progenitor cells from articular cartilage of New Zealand Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, allowing its application in the therapy of different diseases, including articular cartilage injuries, which induce the establishment of a pro-regenerative microenvironment in the injured tissue. Therefore, our objective was to isolate, characterize and differentiate cartilage cells from different joints of New Zealand rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), in order to verify their potential as MSC for future clinical use. For this, cartilage fragments were isolated from the humerus-radio-ulnar joints, humeral scapula, femoro-tibio-patellar, and lame femoris from rabbits. The results showed that the cells were rounded in the center of the plate and fibroblastoids in the periphery. After thawing, the cells did not change their growth time in culture, nor their morphology. The cells showed labeling for mesenchymal stem cell, cytoskeleton, pluripotency and cell proliferation, but not for hematopoiesis markers (CD105+ and CD34-). We also observed that, when induced, they were able to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic cells. After application of these cells in nude mice, no tumor growth was observed in spleen, kidney, liver, lung and heart. Therefore, we conclude that cells isolated from the articular cartilage of rabbits present characteristics of MSC with potential for future clinical applications.

Antioxidant characteristics and antibacterial activity of native woody species from Catamarca, Argentina.

Numerous reports describe the antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of polyphenols-rich plant extracts. The aim of this study was to determine the total polyphenols content (TPC), and the in vitro (DPPH, FRAP and TEAC) antioxidant and antibacterial activity of leaves and wood of six native woody species (Aspidosperma quebracho-blanct, Sarcomphalus mistol, Geoffroea decorticans, Prosopis chilensis, Larrea divaricata and Larrea cuneifolia) from Catamarca. Also, the phenolic profile was determined in the species with higher activity. L. cuneifolia leaf extracts showed the highest antioxidant activity followed by L. divaricata and S. mistol, while S. mistol wood extracts showed the highest. Furthermore, Larrea species showed antibacterial activity against S. aureus and E. faecalis strains showing cidal effects mainly against S. aureus. Fifty-nine polyphenols were identified in leaves and wood of Larrea and S. mistol species, which are likely to be responsible for the different activities observed.

Gonadal differentiation during embryonic and fetal development of male New Zealand rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) / Diferenciación gonadal durante el desarrollo embrionario y fetal de conejos machos neozelandeses (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

SUMMARY: The rabbit is considered an ideal animal model for studies that describe abnormalities in the testicles due to the similar morphogenetic mechanisms of sexual development and diseases commonly found in humans. The aim of this study was to determine the male sexual differentiation of the New Zealand rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) through development. The gestational age was estimated and classified as 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23 and 28 gestational days. The morphological and sexual determination were performed by histological analysis of the reproductive tract in the embryos and fetuses (9-28 days) as well as by immunohistochemistry- Desert hedgehog-Dhh- (testis-specific protein on Y chromosome- 16, 20, 23 days and adult rabbits). Gonads were observed from the 14th day in an undifferentiated stage and with homogeneous aspect. Sexual differentiation was observed from the 16th day with presence of cells forming gonadal cords and Dhh+ cells in the gonadal parenchyma. From the 18th gestational day testicular cords were observed, which evolved into organized seminiferous tubules. The formation of the efferent ducts and ductus deferens and epididymis was observed on the 20th and 23rd days, respectively. The differentiation of the external genitalia occurred from the 23rd days from the anogenital distance and was identified to identify the penile structures. In summary, the features of the sexual differentiation were determined by observation of the Dhh+ protein in embryos from the 16th day to adulthood, and the morphological particularities observed from the 18th gestational day, determined by differentiation of the external genitalia from the 23rd day.

RESUMEN: El conejo se considera un modelo animal ideal para estudios que describen anomalías a nivel testícular debido a que presenta mecanismos morfogenéticos similares al desa- rrollo sexual y enfermedades que se encuentran comúnmente en los seres humanos. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la diferenciación sexual masculina del conejo de Nueva Zelanda (Oryctolagus cuniculus) a través del desarrollo. La edad gestacional se estimó y clasificó en 9, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 23 y 28 días gestacionales. La determinación morfológica y sexual se realizó mediante análisis histológico del tracto reproductivo en los embriones y fetos (9 - 28 días) así como mediante inmunohistoquímica -Desert hedgehog-Dhh- (proteína testicular específica en el cromosoma Y- 16, 20, 23 días y conejos adultos). Las gónadas se observaron a partir del día 14 en un estadio indiferenciado y con aspecto homogéneo. Se observó diferenciación sexual a partir del día 16 con presencia de células formadoras de cordones gonadales y células Dhh+ en el parénquima gonadal. A partir del día 18 de gestación se observaron cordones testiculares, que evolucionaron a túbulos seminíferos organizados. La formación de los conductos eferentes, deferentes y del epidídimo se observó a los 20 y 23 días, respectivamente. La diferenciación de los genitales externos ocurrió a partir del día 23 desde la distancia anogenital y se utilizó para identificar las estructuras del pene. En conclusión, las características de la diferenciación sexual se determinaron mediante la observación de la proteína Dhh en embriones desde el día 16 hasta la edad adulta, y las particularidades morfológicas observadas a partir del día 18 de gestación, determinadas por diferenciación de los genitales externos a partir del día 23.

Evaluation of immunohistopathological profile of tubular and solid canine mammary carcinomas.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but the incidence of mammary carcinoma in female dogs is even higher than in humans. These two tumors have similarities that can be seen by its biological behavior, molecular genetic alterations, and histology. This suggest that female dogs can be an excellent model for preclinical oncological studies. And the mammary carcinoma most frequently found in this species is the tubular and solid carcinomas. The extracellular matrix (ECM) has an important role in the progression of these tumors. Because of that we proposed to evaluate the ECM components of these carcinomas through histology with specific stains such as Masson's Trichrome, Picrosirius Red and the technique of scanning electron microscopy. With that, we found the presence of collagen fibers in the tubular carcinoma and around its parenchyma. On the other hand, the solid carcinoma presented collagen fibers throughout the parenchyma and around each tumor cell. With the transmission electron microscopy, we observed the presence of mitochondrias and rough endoplasmic reticulum in both tumors. And finally, we evaluated the expression of proteins through the immunohistochemistry, in which we found a high expression of VEGF, PCNA, CK-18 and vimentin in solid carcinoma, and a positive mark in the tubular and solid carcinoma for collagen I, III and fibronectin. Thus, we demonstrated some differences in the ECM of these mammary carcinomas, allowing a better understanding of its histological characteristics, and these data may contribute to future studies about therapies focused on tumors ECM.

Ligação de um instrumento de avaliação clínica de exposição ao vírus Zika com a Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde / Linking a clinical assessment instrument for Zika virus exposure with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health

Instrumentos de avaliação clínica foram criados a partir de experiências prévias de cuidados para outras condições crônicas complexas da infância, de modo a planejar e sistematizar ações. Contudo, é importante que tais instrumentos tenham validação externa e contemplem o atual conceito de saúde biopsicossocial. Uma interlocução com a Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF) poderia dar subsídio teórico e validação aos instrumentos criados. Objetivo: Identificar o conteúdo comum da CIF com o instrumento de avaliação clínica aplicado em população exposta ao vírus Zika em um ambulatório de doenças infecciosas em pediatria de um hospital de referência no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Métodos: A Ligação com a CIF foi realizada por dois revisores independentes, segundo a proposta de Cieza e colaboradores. O coeficiente Kappa foi utilizado para análise da concordância interobservadores. Resultados: O instrumento de avaliação clínica utilizado no ambulatório de referência é composto principalmente por categorias da CIF de estruturas do corpo (46,4%). Observou-se poucas categorias relacionadas aos fatores contextuais (13,1%). E, não foram encontrados itens relacionados às categorias de atividade e participação. Conclusão: A ferramenta de avaliação apresenta principalmente informações sobre as funções e estruturas do corpo, voltando-se a um olhar puramente restrito as funções fisiológicas e as estruturas anatômicas. A inexistência de categorias de atividade e participação pode comprometer a percepção das experiências vividas pelas crianças que foram expostas ao vírus Zika

The Zika epidemic and the emergence of a new health condition in Brazil, imposed a rapid organization on services to meet the current demand for care. Clinical assessment instruments were created, based on previous care experiences for other complex chronic conditions in order to plan and systematize actions. However, it is important that these instruments have external validation and include the current concept of health, biopsychosocial. An interlocution with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (CIF) could provide theoretical support and validation to the instruments created. Objective: To identify the common content among the clinical evaluation instrument applied to the population exposed to the Zika virus in a pediatric infectious disease outpatient clinic in a reference hospital in the State of Rio de Janeiro with the ICF. Methods: The link with the ICF was carried out by two independent reviewers, according to Cieza's proposal and the Kappa coefficient was used for interobserver analysis. Results: It was identified that the instrument is mainly composed of items of body structure (39; 46.4%). There were few categories related to contextual factors (11; 13.1%). And there were no items related to the categories of activity and participation. Conclusion: The assessment tool presents mainly domains of function and structure of the body, turning to a biomedical look. The lack of categories of activity and participation can compromise the perception of health status. A line of care in the light of the biopsychosocial model provides advantages for health services planning and actions

Effects of doxorubicin associated with amniotic membrane stem cells in the treatment of canine inflammatory breast carcinoma (IPC-366) cells.

BACKGROUND: Tumours in mammary glands represent the most common neoplasia in bitches, as in humans. This high incidence results in part from the stimulation of sex hormones on these glands. Among mammary tumours, inflammatory carcinoma is the most aggressive, presenting a poor prognosis to surgical treatment and chemotherapy. One of the most widely used chemotherapy drugs for breast cancer treatment is doxorubicin (DOXO). Alternative therapies have been introduced in order to assist in these treatments; studies on treatments using stem cells have emerged, since they have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of DOXO and canine amniotic membrane stem cells (AMCs) on the triple-negative canine inflammatory mammary carcinoma cell line IPC-366. METHODS: Four experimental groups were analysed: a control group without treatment; Group I with DOXO, Group II with AMC and Group III with an association of DOXO and AMCs. We performed the MTT assay with DOXO in order to select the best concentration for the experiments. The growth curve was performed with all groups (I-III) in order to verify the potential of treatments to reduce the growth of IPC-366. For the cell cycle, all groups (I-III) were tested using propidium iodide. While in the flow cytometry, antibodies to progesterone receptor (PR), estrogen receptor (ER), PCNA, VEGF, IL-10 and TGF-ß1 were used. For steroidogenic pathway hormones, an ELISA assay was performed. RESULTS: The results showed that cells treated with 10 µg/mL DOXO showed a 71.64% reduction in cellular growth after 72 h of treatment. Reductions in the expression of VEGF and PCNA-3 were observed by flow cytometry in all treatments when compared to the control. The intracellular levels of ERs were also significantly increased in Group III (4.67% vs. 27.1%). Regarding to the levels of steroid hormones, significant increases in the levels of estradiol (E2) and estrone sulphate (S04E1) were observed in Groups I and III. On the other hand, Group II did not show differences in steroid hormone levels in relation to the control. We conclude that the association of DOXO with AMCs (Group III) promoted a reduction in cell growth and in the expression of proteins related to proliferation and angiogenesis in IPC-366 triple-negative cells. CONCLUSIONS: This treatment promoted ER positive expression, suggesting that the accumulated oestrogen conducted these cells to a synergistic state, rendering these tumour cells responsive to ERs and susceptible to new hormonal cancer therapies.

Metallothionein Expression and its Influence on the In Vitro Biological Behavior of Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma.

Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is the most common tumor in the salivary glands, often presenting with recurrence and metastasis due to its high invasive capacity. Metallothionein (MT), a zinc storage protein that supplies this element for protease activity, is probably related to mucoepidermoid carcinoma behavior. This prompted us to characterize a cell line derived from mucoepidermoid carcinoma and to correlate metallothionein expression with transforming growth factor-α (TGF-α), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Transcriptomic analysis and cytogenetic assays were performed to detect the expression of genes of interest and cellular chromosomal alterations, respectively. MEC cells with a depleted metallothionein 2A (MT2A) gene were subjected to Western blot to correlate metallothionein expression with growth factors and MMPs. Additionally, cells with depleted MT were subjected to migration and invasion assays. The transcriptomic study revealed reads mapped to cytokeratins 19 and AE1/AE3, α-smooth muscle actin, vimentin, and fibronectin. Cytogenetic evaluation demonstrated structural and numerical alterations, including the translocation t(11;19)(q21;p13), characteristic of MEC. Metallothionein depletion was correlated with the decreased expression of TGF-α and MMP-9, while TNF-α protein levels were augmented. Migration and invasion activity were diminished after metallothionein silencing. Our findings suggest an important role of MT in MEC invasion, through the regulation of proteins involved in this process.

Canine amniotic membrane mesenchymal stromal/stem cells: Isolation, characterization and differentiation.

The amniotic membrane can be considered as one of the sources of isolation of these cells, since it is found in the fetal maternal interface and has low immunogenicity. Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) have not been identified in canine amniotic membrane (AMC). Therefore, our objective was to isolate, culture, characterize and differentiate cells derived from canine amniotic membrane (AMC) and to verify its immunological and tumorigenic potential. For this, 12 dogs fetuses of each gestational age 32, 43 and 55 days were used, and the isolation and culture of the AMC were performed. We observed that the cells presented fibroblastoid morphology and high confluence even after freezing. We also observed that, when induced, they were able to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic, and chondrogenic cells, as well as being CD34- and CD105+. Regarding the immunological markers, we found that IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-10 and MHC II were not expressed, whereas MHC I was expressed. After application of AMC cells in nude mice we can verify that there was no tumor formation. Based on this, we conclude that canine amniotic membrane is a good and accessible source for obtaining MSCs of low immunogenic and tumorigenic potential for veterinary therapeutic applications.

APC gene is modulated by hsa-miR-135b-5p in both diffuse and intestinal gastric cancer subtypes.

BACKGROUND: Several genetic and epigenetic alterations are related to the development and progression of Gastric Cancer (GC), one of those being the deregulated microRNA (miRNA) expression profile. miRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that negatively regulate the expression of thousands of genes, including oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Our group identified, in previous studies, some miRNAs that are differentially expressed in GC when compared to the gastric mucosa without cancer, including hsa-miR-29c and hsa-miR-135b. The aim of the study was to modulate the expression of the miRNAs hsa-miR-29c-5p and hsa-miR-135b-5p and evaluate the expression of their target genes in 2D and 3D cell cultures. METHODS: hsa-miR-29c-5p and hsa-miR-135b-5p expression profiles were modulated by transfecting mimics and antimiRs, respectively, in 2D and 3D cell cultures. The expression of the proteins coded by the genes CDC42, DNMT3A (target genes of hsa-miR-29c-5p) and APC (target gene of hsa-miR-135b-5p) were measured by Western Blot. RESULTS: Results showed that mimics and antimiRs transfection significantly altered the expression of both miRNAs, increasing the expression of hsa-miR-29c-5p and reducing the expression of hsa-miR-135b-5p, especially in the 3D culture of the cell lines. When analyzing the proteins expression, we observed that AGP01 and AGP03 cell lines transfected with mimics had a reduction in the levels of CDC42 and DNMT3A and all three cell lines transfected with antimiRs had an increase in the expression of the protein APC. CONCLUSION: We concluded that three-dimensional culture can be a more representative in vitro model that resembles better the in vivo reality. Our results also showed that hsa-miR-29c-5p is an important regulator of CDC42 and DNMT3A genes in the intestinal subtype gastric cancer and hsa-miR-135b-5p regulates the APC gene in both intestinal and diffuse subtypes of GC. Dysregulation in their expression, and consequently in their respectively signaling pathways, shows how these miRNAs can influence the carcinogenesis of different histological subtypes of gastric cancer.

Sexual determination and differentiation during embryonic and fetal development of New Zealand rabbit females / Determinación y diferenciación sexual durante el desarrollo embrionario y fetal de conejos hembras de Nueva Zelanda

The aim of this study was to know the embryonic and fetal development of the female rabbit genital system (Oryctolagus cuniculus), describing its main phases and the moment of sexual differentiation. Eleven pregnant New Zealand female rabbits were used in different gestational phases. The day of coitus was determined as day 0. For each stage a minimum of two animals was considered. The samples were obtained every two days from the ninth day post-coitus (dpc) until the 28th dpc. The gestational period was divided in two: animals with undifferentiated sex (group 1) and animals with differentiated sex (group 2). The ages of embryos and fetuses were estimated through the crown-rump method. Subsequently, embryos and fetuses were dissected, fixed and processed to be embedded in paraffin (Histosec). The histological analysis was performed on sections stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Immunohistochemical analysis to determine sexual differentiation was performed on samples from the 16th, 18th and 28th dpc. Desert Hedgehog (Dhh) and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh) primary antibodies, respectively, were used to identify cells of the male and female germinal epithelium. The immunohistochemical results showed that at the 16th dpc, female sexual differentiation was evident, since positive expression of the Ihh protein was observed. Sexual differentiation was obtained through histological analysis on the 18th dpc and through anatomical observation of the external genitalia on the 24th dpc. Knowing the characteristics of the embryonic and fetal development of the female rabbit genital system as well as the moment of sexual differentiation make it possible to establish bases for future research that address the physiology and pathology of these organs. Thus, any alteration in the chain of events of sexual determination and differentiation must search for an explanation from the knowledge of the possible normal mechanisms affected.

El objetivo de esta investigación fue conocer el desarrollo embrionario y fetal del sistema genital femenino de conejo (Oryctolagus cuniculus), describiendo sus principales fases y el momento de la diferenciación sexual. Se utilizaron 11 conejos hembras gestantes neozelandesas, en diferentes fases gestacionales. El día del coito se determinó como día 0. Para cada etapa fue considerado un mínimos de dos animales. Las muestras fueron obtenidas cada dos días, a partir del noveno día post-coito (dpc) hasta el 28 dpc. El periodo gestacional fue dividido en dos: animales con sexo indiferenciado (grupo 1) y, animales con sexo diferenciado (grupo 2). Las edades de los embriones y los fetos fueron estimadas a través del método de crown-rump. Posteriormente, embriones y fetos fueron disecados, fijados y procesados para su inclusión en parafina (Histosec). El análisis histológico se realizó en secciones teñidas con Hematoxilina y Eosina. El análisis inmunohistoquímico para determinar la diferenciación sexual fue realizado en muestras de 16, 18 y 28 dpc. Para identificar células del epitelio germinativo masculino y feminino se utilizaron los anticuerpos primarios Desert Hedgehog (Dhh) e Indian Hedgehog (Ihh), respectivamente. Los resultados inmunohistoquímicos mostraron que a los 16 dpc se evidenció diferenciación sexual femenina, ya que se observó expresión positiva de la proteína Ihh. La diferenciación sexual, a través del análisis histológico fue obtenida a los 18 dpc y a través de la observación anatómica de los genitales externos a los 24 dpc. Conocer las características del desarrollo embrionario y fetal del sistema genital femenino de conejo, así como, el momento de la diferenciación sexual, permiten sentar bases para futuras investigaciones que aborden la fisiología y patología de estos órganos. Así, cualquier alteración en la cadena de eventos de la determinación y diferenciación sexual deberá buscar una explicación a partir del conocimiento de los posibles mecanismos normales afectados.

Evidências de Validade da Escala de Atitudes em Relação à Leitura: ERAS-Br / Evidence of the Validity of the Scale of Attitudes towards Reading: ERAS-Br / Las Evidencias de la Validez de la Escala de Actitudes hacia la Lectura: ERAS-Br

Para obter evidências de validade e fidedignidade, a Escala de Atitudes em Relação à Leitura (ERAS-Br) foi aplicada em 335 estudantes do Ensino Fundamental. Identificou-se que estruturas muldimensionais com dois (Leitura Acadêmica e Leitura Recreativa) ou três (Leitura Recreativa, Leitura Acadêmica Geral e Leitura Acadêmica Avaliação) fatores e um fator de segunda ordem são adequadas para a ERAS-Br. Tanto a medida como um todo quanto seus fatores apresentaram consistência interna satisfatória. Um procedimento de teste-reteste com um intervalo de dois anos e parte da amostra obteve coeficientes de estabilidade suficientes ou bons. De modo geral, as atitudes em relação à leitura tenderam a ser ligeiramente positivas, mas declinaram no intervalo de dois anos. Embora a ERAS-Br possua boas evidências de validade baseadas na estrutura interna e fidedignidade, o fato de as atitudes em relação à leitura se tornarem menos positivas ao longo dos anos é preocupante. Pesquisas adicionais são recomendadas.(AU)

To obtain evidence of validity and reliability, the Brazilian version of the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS-Br) was applied to 335 elementary school students. It was identified that multidimensional structures with two (Academic Reading and Recreational Reading) or three (Recreational Reading, General Academic Reading and Academic Reading Assessment) factors and one factor of second order are suitable to the ERAS-Br. Both the measure as a whole and the factors showed a satisfactory internal consistency. A test-retest procedure with an interval of 2 years and part of the sample obtained sufficient or good stability coefficients. Overall, the attitudes toward reading tended to be slightly positive, but declined in the 2-year interval. Although the ERAS-Br has good validity evidence based on the internal structure and reliability, the fact that the attitudes toward Reading become less positive over the years is worrying. Further studies are recommended.(AU)

Para obtener evidencias de validez y confiabilidad, la Escala de Actitudes con relación a la Lectura (ERAS-Br) fue aplicada a 335 estudiantes de Enseñanza Primaria. Se identificó que estructuras multidimensionales con dos factores (Lectura Académica y Lectura Recreativa) o tres factores (Lectura Recreativa, Lectura Académica General y Lectura Académica de Evaluación) y com un factor de segundo orden, son adecuados para la ERAS-Br. Tanto la medida en su conjunto como sus factores presentaron consistencia interna satisfactoria. Un procedimiento de test-retest con un intervalo de dos años y parte de la muestra obtuvieron coeficientes de estabilidad suficientes o buenos. En general, las actitudes en relación a la lectura tendieron a ser ligeiramente positivas, pero declinaron en el intervalo de dos años. Aunque la ERAS-Br presenta buenas evidencias de validez basadas en la estructura interna y confiabilidad, es preocupante el hecho de que las actitudes hacia la lectura se tornaron menos positivas a lo largo de los años. Se recomiendan investigaciones adicionales.(AU)

Phenotype and multipotency of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) amniotic stem cells.

BACKGROUND: Stem cells are capable of unlimited self-renewal and are able to remain undifferentiated for extended periods of time prior to their differentiation into specific cell lineages. Because of the issues (ethical and religious) involved in the use of embryonic stem cells and the limited plasticity of adult stem cells, an alternative cell source could be foetal stem cells derived from extra-embryonic tissue, which are highly proliferative, grow in vitro and possess interesting immunogenic characteristics. As a result, the amniotic membrane of several species has been studied as an important new source of stem cells. METHODS: Here, we cultured and characterized mesenchymal progenitor cells derived from the rabbit amniotic membrane, and investigated their differentiation potential. In total, amniotic membranes were collected from eight rabbit foetuses and were isolated by the explant technique. The obtained cells were cultured in DMEM-HIGH glucose and incubated at 37 °C in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2. RESULTS: The cells adhered to the culture plates and showed a high proliferative capacity with fibroblast-like morphologies. The cells showed a positive response for markers for the cytoskeleton, mesenchymal stem cells and proliferation, pluripotency and haematopoietic precursor stem cells. However, the cells were negative for CD45, a marker of haematopoietic cells. Furthermore, the cells had the capacity to be induced to differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic lineages. In addition, when the cells were injected into nude mice, we did not observe the formation of tumours. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our results demonstrate that multipotent mesenchymal stem cells can be obtained from the rabbit amniotic membrane for possible use in future cell therapy applications.

Cochlear epithelial of dog fetuses: a new source of multipotent stem cells.

Hearing loss caused by the damage of cochlea sensory cells or neurons is a common human disease, but also affects dogs and other animals. To test their progenitor nature as potential value for future therapies, we characterized cells derived from the cochlear epithelium in dog fetuses. In total, 8 fetuses of 35-40 days of gestation, derived from castration campaigns, were investigated. Cells were analysed by the MTT colorimetric assay and in regard to cell cycle, differentiation capacities, immunophenotypes and qPCR analysis. In culture, cells had a fibroblast-like morphology. Phenotypic immunocharacterization showed positive staining for mesenchymal stem cell and pluripotency markers and were negative for hematopoietic cell markers. Cells possessed differentiation capacity for the three main cell lineages: osteogenic, adipogenic and chondrogenic, altogether indicating their nature as mesenchymal stem cells. Thus, cells derived from fetal cochlear tissues indeed may provide valuable sources of progenitor cells for cell therapy of canine deafness and other diseases.

A Hormonally Active Malignant Struma Ovarii.

Struma ovarii is a rare monodermal variant of ovarian teratoma that contains at least 50% thyroid tissue. Less than 8% of struma ovarii cases present with clinical and biochemical evidence of thyrotoxicosis due to ectopic production of thyroid hormone and only 5% undergo malignant transformation into a papillary thyroid carcinoma. Only isolated cases of hormonally active papillary thyroid carcinoma developing within a struma ovarii have been reported in the literature. We report the case of a 36-year-old woman who presented with clinical signs and symptoms of hyperthyroidism as well as a left adnexal mass, which proved to be a thyroid hormone-producing, malignant struma ovarii.

Zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture in a zygomatic bone affected by monostotic fibrous dysplasia: a very rare association.

The association between fibrous dysplasia (FD) and fractures is very rare. This paper reports the case of a zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture in a bone affected by FD, a 29-year-old man who was involved in a bicycle accident and who subsequently presented with a zygomaticomaxillary complex fracture. Computed tomography revealed multiple fractures of the left zygomaticomaxillary complex with dysplastic bone alterations. Fracture lines occurred near transitional areas between the lesion and healthy bone. The patient was treated through an intraoral approach by an open reduction and internal fixation procedure, using a titanium miniplate and screws. An incisional biopsy was performed through the maxillary sinus to confirm the diagnosis of FD. After 12 months of follow-up, there were no postoperative complications. This paper reports a rare association thought to be caused by irregular trabecular bone deposition, which increases bone thickness/resiliency and thus increases its clinical fracture resistance.

Leitor talentoso: produção científica em Educação e Psicologia / Talented reader: scientific production in Education and Psychology / Lector con talento: producción científica en la Educación y en la Psicología

Um desempenho notável em leitura é um talento de per se e representa, também, uma chave para o desenvolvimento de outros talentos, especialmente o acadêmico. Contudo, pouco tem sido produzido sobre o leitor talentoso, especialmente no Brasil. Com o objetivo de analisar a produção científica de artigos sobre o leitor talentoso, que foram indexados por bases de dados das áreas de Educação e Psicologia, recuperam‑se publicações catalogadas pela ERIC e PsycINFO. Recuperam‑se 30 artigos. Constatou‑se que a produção científica sobre leitores talentosos é diminuta, distribui‑se de forma rarefeita ao longo do tempo, é publicada tanto de forma individual quanto coletiva - na forma de revisão de literatura ou ensaio teórico -, encontra‑se pulverizada entre vários autores e periódicos e tende a ter como tema principal o atendimento das necessidades educacionais dos leitores talentosos. Os resultados evidenciam a necessidade de produzir mais e melhores pesquisas que tenham como tema o talento para leitura.

A remarkable performance in reading skill in itself is a key to the development of other talents, especially academic achievement. However, little has been produced about the talented reader, especially in Brazil. To analyze the scientific production of articles about the talented reader that have been indexed by the databases of the areas of Education and Psychology, publications cataloged by ERIC and PsycINFO were recovered. Thirty articles were recovered. It was noted that the scientific production on talented readers is low, distribution a rarefied over time, it is published both individually and collectively in the form of review of the literature or theoretical essays, it is spread between multiple authors and journals and tends to have as the main theme the meeting the educational needs of talented readers. The results highlight the need to produce more and better research with theme of talent for reading.

Un notable desempeño en la lectura es un talento en sí mismo y representa una clave para el desarrollo de otros talentos, especialmente lo académico. Sin embargo, poco se ha producido acerca del lector con talento, especialmente en Brasil. Con el objetivo de analizar la producción científica de artículos sobre lectores talentosos que ha sido indexada por las bases de datos de las áreas de Educación y Psicología, se recuperaron las publicaciones catalogadas en la ERIC y PsycINFO. Fueron obtenidos 30 artículos. Se constató que la literatura científica sobre los lectores de talento es pequeña, se distribuye escasamente a través del tiempo, se ha publicado tanto individual como colectivamente en forma de trabajos teóricos, se distribuye rociadamente entre los diversos autores y revistas, y tiende a tener como tema principal la asistencia de las necesidades educativas de los lectores dotados. Los resultados destacan la necesidad de producir más y mejor investigación que tiene como tema el talento para la lectura.

Escala de Características de Leitura: evidências de validade / Scale of Reading Characteristics: evidences of validity / Escala de Características de Lectura: evidencias de validez

Para testar hipóteses que previam que a Escala de Características de Leitura, instrumento utilizado para nomeação de dotação e talento (D&T) em leitura por docentes, é unidimensional, apresenta correlações positivas elevadas, possui elevada consistência interna e se correlaciona positivamente, mas não fortemente, com leitura de palavras isoladas e compreensão de texto, alunos do Ensino Fundamental foram avaliados por meio deste instrumento, por seus professores (N = 19). Os 528 estudantes também tiveram seu desempenho em leitura de palavras isoladas avaliado por meio do Teste de Desempenho Escolar. O Teste de Cloze foi aplicado em pequenos grupos de alunos e mediu a compreensão de texto. As hipóteses, ainda que de forma limitada, foram corroboradas. As limitações do estudo, a relevância da identificação de D&T para leitura e, consequentemente, o imperativo de atender às necessidades educacionais especiais desses leitores também são consideradas neste artigo.

In order to test four hypothesis which predicted that: (i) the Escala de Características de Leitura – a tool used for teachers’ nominations of reading giftedness and talent (G&T) – is unidimensional, (ii) showhigh positive item-total correlations, (iii) has high reliability and (iv) is positively correlated, but not strongly, with reading single words and text comprehension, elementary school students were assessed with this measure by their teachers (N = 19). The 528 students also had their performance in reading single words measured by the Teste de Desempenho Escolar one-to-one. The Cloze Test was applied in small groups of students and measured the text comprehension. The four hypothesis, albeit limited, have been corroborated. The limitations of the current study, the relevance of the identification of reading G&T and, consequently, the imperative to meet the special educational needs of these readers are also considered in this paper.

Para testar hipótesis que preveían que la Escala de Características de Leitura, instrumento utilizado para nominación de dotación e talento (D&T) en lectura por docentes, es unidimensional, presenta correlaciones positivas elevadas, posee elevada consistencia interna y se correlaciona positivamente, pero no fuertemente, con lectura de palabras aisladas y comprensión de texto, alumnos de la enseñanza básica fueron evaluados por medio de este instrumento, por sus profesores (N = 19). Los 528 estudiantes también tuvieron su desempeño en lectura de palabras aisladas evaluado por el Teste de Desempenho Escolar. El Teste de Cloze fue aplicado en pequeños grupos de alumnos y midió la comprensión de texto. Las hipótesis, aunque de manera limitada, fueron corroboradas. Las limitaciones del estudio, la relevancia de la identificación de D&T para lectura y, consecuentemente, el imperativo de atender a las necesidades educacionales especiales de eses lectores también son consideradas en este artículo.

Kaposi sarcoma and paracoccidioidomycosis in the same fragment of oral mucosa biopsy: a rare association in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient. A case report.

The immunossuppression caused by HIV infection makes the affected individuals more susceptible to some diseases including infections, neoplasms, or even the association between them. Kaposi sarcoma (KS) is the most common AIDS-related neoplasm, featured as an angioproliferative disorder. Its cause seems to be related to the human herpesvirus type 8 and it is usually associated with lower CD4+ T cell count. Oral involvement is frequent, presenting red to blue-purplish plaques, maculaes, and nodules. On the other hand, paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis, endemic in Latin America, caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. This mycosis is not commonly related to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, although PCM can be present in immunosuppression cases. Oral lesions, as granulomatous ulcers, are often identified in seropositive patients with PCM. A rare case, in which a male HIV-positive patient presented simultaneously Kaposi sarcoma and PCM in the same fragment of oral mucosa biopsy, is described. To the best of our knowledge, this concomitant association had not been previously described.

Diseño del cuestionario de creencias referidas al consumo de alcohol para jóvenes universitarios / Design of the alcohol consumption beliefs questionnaire for college students

El objetivo del presente estudio fue diseñar y validar el Cuestionario de creencias referidas al consumo de alcohol para jóvenes universitarios. La prueba se aplicó a una muestra de 240 jóvenes universitarios entre los 16 y los 25 años, en la ciudad de Bogotá. El diseño del Cuestionario se basó en el Modelo de Creencias e incluyó los componentes del mismo: percepción de riesgo/vulnerabilidad/severidad, barreras percibidas, beneficios percibidos, normas subjetivas y claves para la acción. Los resultados muestran que la prueba tiene un buen nivel de validez y confiabilidad. Se presenta una descripción general de los resultados obtenidos con la muestra final de jóvenes. Finalmente, se discute sobre las aplicaciones y alcances del Cuestionario, y la necesidad de ampliar la muestra con jóvenes de otras ciudades.

The purpose of present study was to design and validate of Alcohol Beliefs Questionnaire in adolescents universitaries; this instrument was applicated to the nonrandom sample was conformed by 240 young's between the 16 and the 25 years university students at Bogota city. The design of Questionnaire is based on the Health Belief Model and include theirs components: perceived risk and vulnerability, subjective norms, perceived barriers, perceived benefits and cues action. The results showed that the instrument has a good reliability and validity. Present description the results with sample include. Finally it is discussed the study limitations, for instance, althougth, it is recommended further applications of the instrument with other groups.

Prevalência e correlação de fatores associados à prática de episiotomia em um hospital público do Distrito Federal / Prevalence and correlation of factors associated with the practice of episiotomy in a public hospital of the Federal District

Introdução: A episiotomia é definida como a ampliação cirúrgica do orifício vulvo-vaginal feita durante o segundo período do parto. Esse trabalho viabiliza o diagnóstico de situação assistencial quanto à prevalência e fatores associados à realização da episiotomia. Método: Estudo de corte transversal realizado com uma amostra de 384 mulheres submetidas a parto normal, com feto vivo, em um hospital público do Distrito Federal. Foram relacionadas variáveis maternas, neonatais, assistenciais e quanto ao parto em busca de sua associação com a incidência de episiotomia. Os dados foram coletados no Livro de Registro de Dados do Centro Obstétrico e prontuários. A análise foi realizada, utilizando o Teste Qui-quadrado (x ao quadrado) de independência, o Coeficiente de Contingência e o Teste Exato de Fisher. Resultados: A prevalência de episiotomia no estudo foi de 50,5 por cento; maior que o recomendado na literatura, porém, compatível com as estatísticas nacionais. Entre as nulíparas a prevalência foi de 74,4 por cento. A paridade materna esteve significativamente relacionada à realização de episiotomia, diminuindo, progressivamente, a utilização quanto maior o número de partos anteriores. A idade materna também mostrou correlação com o uso de episiotomia, indicando que quanto mais jovem a mulher, maior a incidência do procedimento. Já a ocorrência de laceração perineal, relacionou-se inversamente à realização de episiotomia, aumentando sua incidência nos partos sem o uso da técnica. Conclusão: Houve associação entre a incidência de episiotomia e as variáveis idade materna, paridade e ocorrência de laceração. Quanto às variáveis neonatais e relacionadas ao parto, não houve associação estatisticamente significante entre quaisquer delas e a utilização de episiotomia.

Introduction: Episiotomy is defined as the surgical incision of the perineum to enlarge the vagina which is conducted during the second period of a delivery procedure. This research enables the diagnosis of the assistential situation regarding prevalence and factors associated to the conduction of the episiotomy. Method: Study of transverse incision conducted with a sample of 384 women undertaking vaginal delivery, with a living fetus, in a public hospital of Distrito Federal. Distinct variables - maternal, neonatal, assistential and delivery-related – have been analyzed in search for their association with the occurrence of episiotomy. The data have been collected in the Medical Protocol Book of the Obstetrics Center and records. The analysis has been accomplished using the Chi-square Test (x squared) for Independence, the Contingency Coefficient and Fisher’s Exact Test. Results: The prevalence of episiotomy in the study has been of 50,5 percent; greater than the recommended in the literature; however, compatible with national statistics. Among the nulliparous population, the prevalence has been of 74,4 percent. Maternal parity has been significantly related to the conduction of episiotomy, its use decreasing progressively the greater the number of preceding deliveries. Maternal age has also shown correlation with the use of episiotomy, indicating that the younger the woman, the greater the incidence of the procedure. As for the occurrence of perineal laceration, it has been inversely related to the conduction of episiotomy, increasing its occurrence in deliveries in which the procedure has not been undertaken. Conclusion: There was an association between the occurrence of episiotomy and the variables maternal age, parity and laceration occurrence. As for the neonatal variables and the ones related to delivery, there was not statistically significant association between any of them and the use of episiotomy.