Larval and juvenile development of Tatia intermedia (Siluriformes: Auchenipteridae).

This study describes the morphology, morphometry and meristic characters of larval and juvenile Tatia intermedia collected in the middle Tocantins River and some of its tributaries. Six larvae of T. intermedia were examined and they have a moderately elongate body, head slightly dorso-ventrally depressed with a convex snout, small and round eyes and a subterminal mouth. In five juvenile stages observed, the head and eye are relatively smaller than in the larval stage and the snout remains convex and mouth becomes terminal.

Effect of treadmill exercise on lumbar vertebrae in ovariectomized rats: anthropometrical and mechanical analyses.

The purpose of this study was to examine the preventive effect of exercise on lumbar vertebrae in ovariectomized rats. Three-month-old female Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: control group (A, n = 10); non-exercised ovariectomized group (B, n = 7) and exercised ovariectomized group (C, n = 7). The rats from group C were subjected to treadmill exercise (15 m/minute in the initial six weeks and 19 m/minute in the next six weeks, 1 hour/day, 4 days/week) for 12 weeks. At death, the fourth lumbar vertebrae were removed and an anthropometrical analysis by a paquimeter and a mechanical compression test by a universal test machine were performed. After 12 weeks, the ovariectomy decreased the superior-inferior vertebral height and the maximal braking load in group B compared to group A, while the exercise increased the vertebral mass in group C compared to both groups A and B (rho< 0.01) and the stiffness compared to group B. We concluded the physical activity has an important role to prevent the osteopenia in lumbar vertebrae.