Tumi Flap: A Novel Modification to Frontal Flap for Orbital Exenteration Defects.

Orbital exenteration remains a significant disfigurement in the face. Many reconstructive options were reported for one stage covering the defects. Local flaps are used primarily in elderly patients who are not candidates for microvascular procedures. Local flaps generally close the gap without achieving 3-dimensional adjustment perioperatively. Secondary procedures or shrinking by time are needed for better orbital adaptation. In this case report, we describe a novel frontal flap design influenced by a Tumi knife, an ancient Peruvian trepanation instrument. The design helps us to create a conic shape that can resurface the orbital cavity at the time of the operation.

Comparison of models for lactation curves of Holstein, Brown Swiss, and F1 crossbred cows under subtropical conditions.

Tropical and subtropical milk production herds in Mexico generally generate different types of milk-yield records as milk yield per month and mean production per month. Lactation curves generated by these types of records may contribute to understand milk production in the tropical regions of Mexico. The aim of this study was to compare five lactation-curve models fitted to two types of milk-yield records of Holstein, Brown Swiss, and F1 crossbred cows under subtropical conditions. The two types of records (n = 3756) used were: (1) milk yield per month (TR) and 2) mean production per months (MR). Goodness-of-fit statistics, including Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and root mean square error (RMSE), were applied to compare the models for each type of records. The Brody model provided the best goodness-of-fit when using monthly milk-yield records, while the Wilmink model provided the best goodness-of-fit for lactation milk-yield records. The RMSE and AIC values were similar between datasets. The final third of the lactation curve showed a little difference between model predictions in both datasets. The comparison of several models was useful to better describe the actual lactation curves of the herd. The Wood model may be adequate to compare information as a reference with other models for decision making process at milk production.

Degradation of the neolignan, burchellin in the hemolymph of the bloodsucking insect Rhodnius prolixus.

The neolignan, burchellin, a natural compound that reduces urine excretion in larvae of the bloodsucking bug, Rhodnius prolixus, a vector of Chagas' disease, is rapidly degraded in the hemolymph of the insect. The main product that accumulates in this tissue has been shown to be piperonyl alcohol. Other catabolites have been identified by GC-MS analysis.

Ammonium removal in constructed wetland microcosms as influenced by season and organic carbon load.

We evaluated ammonium nitrogen removal and nitrogen transformations in three-year-old, batch-operated, subsurface wetland microcosms. Treatments included replicates of Typha latifolia, Carex rostrata, and unplanted controls when influent carbon was excluded, and C. rostrata with an influent containing organic carbon. A series of 10-day batch incubations were conducted over a simulated yearlong cycle of seasons. The presence of plants significantly enhanced ammonium removal during both summer (24 degrees C, active plant growth) and winter (4 degrees C, plant dormancy) conditions, but significant differences between plant species were evident only in summer when C. rostrata outperformed T. latifolia. The effect of organic carbon load was distinctly seasonal, enhancing C. rostrata ammonium removal in winter but having an inhibitory effect in summer. Season did not influence ammonium removal in T. latifolia or unplanted columns. Net production of organic carbon was evident year-round in units without an influent organic carbon source, but was enhanced in summer, especially for C. rostrata, which produced significantly more than T. latifolia and unplanted controls. No differences in production were evident between species in winter. COD values for C. rostrata microcosms with and without influent organic carbon converged within 24 hours in winter and 7 days in summer. Gravel sorption, microbial immobilization and sequential nitrification/denitrification appear to be the major nitrogen removal mechanisms. All evidence suggests differences between season and species are due to differences in seasonal variation of root-zone oxidation.

Integration of ethnobotany and phytochemistry. dream or reality?

The major challenge of this paper comprises an attempt to compare the wealth of folk-information based on "traditional knowledge" with the efficacy of a chemo-biological background based on scientific knowledge. Surprisingly, correlations between plant uses (as food and medicine) and evolutionary status according to morphology (as assigned by Sporne indices) and metabolism (as assigned by diversity of phytochemicals) obey strikingly uniform systematic and evolutionary trends. The resulting patterns suggest a dynamic chemical mechanism for the bioactivity in plants regulated by the antagonistic gallate/caffeate pair. This finding is an important step toward the construction of a coherent chemo-biological language by a dynamic holistic quantitative methodology, one of the most potent prospects for understanding the functioning of nature.

Shamanism or science?

The interconnection of the three organismic levels, metabolism, morphology, and biogeography, can now be amplified into a multipart architecture, introducing plant bioactivity through ethnobotany-oriented descriptions. Only via such an integrative model, the diverse organismic levels can be connected within a more holistic, realistic scheme. Construction of qualitative and quantitative models via evolutionarily conceived implantation into dahlgrenograms and Sporne indices, allows ethnobotany to acquire predictive validity. The coherence of such systems was demonstrated by comparison of the vast ethnobotanical Brazilian database by Pio Corrêa with relatively very minute databases referring to three Amazonian Indian societies.

Shamanism or science?

The interconnection of the three organismic levels, metabolism, morphology, and biogeography, can now be amplified into a multipart architecture, introducing plant bioactivity through ethnobotany-oriented descriptions. Only via such an integrative model, the diverse organismic levels can be connected within a more holistic, realistic scheme. Construction of qualitative and quantitative models via evolutionarily conceived implantation into dahlgrenograms and Sporne indices, allows ethnobotany to acquire predictive validity. The coherence of such systems was demonstrated by comparison of the vast ethnobotanical Brazilian database by Pio Corrêa with relatively very minute databases referring to three Amazonian Indian societies

Medicinal products: regulation of biosynthesis in space and time

We live in a "Demon-Haunted World". Human health care requires the ever increasing resistance of pathogens to be confronted by a correspondingly fast rate of discovery of novel antibiotics. One of the possible strategies towards this objective involves the rational localization of bioactive phytochemicals. The conceptual basis of the method consists in the surprisingly little known gearings of natural products with morphology, ecology and evolution of their plant source, i. e. an introspection into the general mechanisms of nature.

Biodiversidade: o enfoque interdisciplinar brasileiro / Biodiversity; the brazilian interdisciplinary approach

No Brasil, biodiversidade - em especial, a diversidade vegetal - é considerada importante fonte de riqueza. Inequivocamente, porém, qualquer retribuiçäo durável em benefícios sociais dependerá näo do uso da biodiversidade, mas sim de seu uso sustentável. Descriçöes regionais da fauna e da flora constituem um primeiro passo nessa direçäo. Quando utilizadas para mapeamento e quantificaçäo da biodiversidade, permitem interpretar os mecanismos de funcionamento da natureza. Sem a compreensäo desses mecanismos o "desenvolvimento sustentado" permanecerá o que é hoje: apelo político sem retribuiçäo social (Beardsley, 1994). Nossos trabalhos pretendem fornecer segura base teórica para esclarecer esse "mais maravilhoso mistério da vida, o meio pelo qual tanta diversidade surgiu de täo pouca matéria física (Wilson, 1992). Afinal, "como podemos executar a política nacional - ou até mesmo tomar decisöes inteligentes sobre nossas próprias vidas - se näo compreendemos as questöes subjacentes" (Sagan, 1996)? Trata-se de problema autenticamente brasileiro que necessita da urgente unificaçäo de esforços, porque de sua soluçäo dependem aplicaçöes práticas diretas para garantia do bem-estar socioeconômico e da saúde do povo.

Natural products research in Brazil

Natural products chemistry, at the end of the 20th century, arrived at a crossroads and it is high time that alternative options to progress be discussed. Should we consider macromolecules or micromolecules, search for novel bioactive compounds by ethnomedical or chemosystematic approaches, use natural products for educational purposes or the production of pharmaceuticals, study plants from a particular or a holistic point of view? The latter alternative leads, via the interplay of metabolism, morphology and ecogeography, to the mechanisms of evolutionary ecology. Mapping and quantification of biodiversity yields fundamental data for the interpretation of natural phenomena, the most important contribution of science toward the survival of mankind.

Marco de referência: sua importancia no trabalho universitário, nos serviços de saúde e na organizaçäo comunitária / The frame of reality reference: their importance to the university work, to the health services and to the community organization

Os autores consideram a necessidade da Universidade de dispor de um marco de referência que lhe sirva para gerar conhecimento sobre a dinâmica realidade e formar recursos humanos que certifica para a populaçäo e que verdadeiramente sirva a toda ela. Enumeram alguns dos aspectos mais importantes dentro do biológico, o físico, o socioeconômico e o cultural que constituem o marco de referência. Fazem consideraçöes sobre como seria implementado pela Universidade, onde determinar mudanças fundamentais nos processos de ensino-aprendizagem que geram conhecimento, especialemte através da pesquisa, e foram recursos humanos. Enfatizando a importância de sua utilizaçäo pelos diversos setores institucionais e sociais

The rational search for natural neolignans

A rational method of search for natural neolignans of desired structures is outlined. This involves consultation of a collection of chemical profiles of plant families. The profiles are assembled considering the biosynthetic class (in the present case lignoids), subclass (neolignans), structural types (neolignan skeleta) and relative frequency of substitutional derivatives belonging to each type (known compounds). The method is of course applicable to ani class of natural products. Its use in the case of neolignans is here selected as an exemple in view of the recently discovered antagonism towards PAF of kadsurenone, a representative of this subclass of phytochemicals. Application of the chemical profiles to phylogenetic studies is illustrated.

La estomatología en la seguridad social de Guatemala / Dentistry in the Guatemalan social security system

Dentistry in the Guatemalan social security system