Haematological reference for red-browed parrot (Amazona rhodocorytha, Salvadori, 1890) captive in the Atlantic Forest in Eastern Brazil / Parâmetros hematológicos de papagaios-chauá (Amazona rhodocorytha, Salvatori 1890) em cativeiro

To conduct the survey were used 35 (thirty-five) red-browned parrots (A. rhodocorytha), adults, captive, of both genders and clinically healthy, belonging to the live collection of the Museum of Biology Teacher Mello Leitao, located in Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brazil. Harvests were performed in the morning, by puncture of the brachial vein getting 0.5mL of blood stored in EDTA for a period no longer than 6 hours. Blood smears of fresh material were made at collection, stained using the method of May-Grunwald-Giemsa. Analysis of blood elements was done by cell counting in a mirrored Neubauer chamber using Natt and Herrick solution at a ratio of 2:200 as diluent. For the analysis of the methodology, homoglobinometry cyanide hemoglobin using commercial kits by colorimetry on a semi-automatic biochemical analyzer was used. After completion of the statistical data the following parameters were obtained (mean±standard deviation): Erythrocytes (x106/µl): 2.68±0.56; Hemoglobin (g/dl): 14.27±0.69; Hematocrit (%): 53±3.38; Mean corpuscular volume (fl): 206.7±45.82; Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (pg): 56.4±14.46; Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (%): 27.5±1.19; Thrombocytes (x3/µl): 25.8 ± 10.5; Total plasma protein (g/dl) 5.4±0.5; Leukocytes (x103/dl): 3.1±2; Heterophile (/uL): 1937±1676; Lymphocytes (/uL): 1144±599; Monocytes (/uL): 24.4 ± 28.2; Basophils (/uL): 42.2±46.2; Eosinophils (/uL): 11.7±19.9. In the relation between males and females, no significant differences were found in any hematological parameter evaluated.(AU)

Para a realização da presente pesquisa, foram utilizados 35 (trinta e cinco) papagaios-chauás (A. rhodocorytha), adultos, cativos, de ambos os sexos e clinicamente saudáveis, pertencentes ao acervo vivo do Museu de Biologia Professor Mello Leitão, localizado em Santa Teresa, Espírito Santo, Brasil. As coletas foram realizadas pela manhã, por meio da punção da veia braquial, obtendo-se 0,5mL de sangue, armazenado em EDTA por um período máximo de seis horas. Foram confeccionados esfregaços sanguíneos de material fresco no momento da coleta, posteriormente corados pelo método May-Grunwald-Giensa. A análise dos elementos sanguíneos foi feita por meio de contagem celular em câmara de Neubauer espelhada, utilizando-se como diluente a solução de Natt e Herrick na proporção de 2:200. Para a análise de hemoglobinometria, foi utilizada a metodologia do cianeto de hemoglobina, utilizando-se kits comerciais por colorimetria em um analisador bioquímico semiautomático. Depois de realizada a estatística dos dados, obtiveram-se os seguintes parâmetros (média±desvio-padrão): hemácias (x106/µL): 2,68±0,56; hemoglobina (g/dL): 14,27±0,69; hematócrito (%): 53±3,38; volume corpuscular médio (fL): 206,7±45,82; hemoglobina corpuscular média (pg): 56,4±14,46; concentração hemoglobina corpuscular média (%): 27,5±1,19; trombócitos (x3/µL): 25,8±10,5; proteína plasmática total (g/dL) 5,4±0,5; leucócitos (x103/dL): 3,1±2; heterófilos (/µL): 1937±1676; linfócitos (/µL): 1144±599; monócitos (/µL): 24,4±28,2; basófilos (/µL): 42,2±46,2; eosinófilos (/µL): 11,7±19,9. Na relação entre machos e fêmeas, não foi encontrada diferença estatística relevante em nenhum parâmetro hematológico avaliado.(AU)

Restrain of birds with bottles of polyethylene terephthalate, tested in red-browed from the Atlantic Forest / Contenção de aves com garrafas de politereftalato de etileno, testado em papagaios-chauá (Amazona rhodocorytha,Salvadori, 1890) da Mata Atlântica

In wild animals, containment is the moment of greatest stress caused by the investigator to the animal due to its natural resistance to the moment of capture, handling, containment and transport, attitudes frankly contrary to his nature. In birds, the restraint must meet certain criteria in order to control the animal's movements, avoiding trauma at the same time that you need to keep your breathing amplitude. The high risk of death during the restraint of these animals raised the need to design a device, from bottles of poly ethylene terephthalate (PET), for containing parrots-browed Amazon (Amazona rhodocorytha), a parrot endemic to the Atlantic Forest in southeastern Brazil, and endangered with extinction, which allowed the observation of respiration, the reduction of handling time of birds for collection of biological material, and consequent reduction of stress and risk of death during the evaluation of several biological data and health of the bird. The PET bottle container can be used as a model for any bird, provided it suits the size of the animal.

Em animais silvestres, a contenção é o momento de maior estresse promovido pelo pesquisador ao animal, devido à resistência natural ao momento da captura, ao manuseio, à contenção e ao transporte, atitudes francamente contrárias à sua índole. Em aves, a contenção deve obedecer a alguns critérios, com o objetivo de controlar os movimentos do animal, evitando traumas, ao mesmo tempo em que é preciso manter sua amplitude respiratória. O alto risco de morte, durante a contenção desses animais, suscitou a concepção de um dispositivo, proveniente de garrafas de politereftalato de etileno (PET), para a contenção de papagaios-chauá (Amazona rhodocorytha), psitacídeo endêmico da Mata Atlântica, na região Sudeste do Brasil, e ameaçado de extinção. Esse dispositivo permitiu a observação dos movimentos respiratórios, a diminuição do tempo de manuseio das aves, para coleta de materiais biológicos, e a consequente redução do estresse e dos riscos de morte, durante a avaliação de diversos dados biológicos e sanitários dessa ave. Tal contenção pode ser utilizada como modelo para qualquer outra ave, desde que se adapte o tamanho do animal, ao recipiente de garrafa PET.

Food selection based on high total antioxidant capacity improves endothelial function in a low cardiovascular risk population.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Oxidative stress has been advocated as a major cause for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and low plasma antioxidant concentrations are associated with endothelial dysfunction, the first step towards atherosclerosis. However, although the antioxidant content in fruits and vegetables may explain at least in part their protective effect against CVD, supplementation with antioxidant vitamins fails to improve endothelial function and reduce CVD risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of a diet rich in antioxidants on endothelial function measured by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in volunteers at low cardiovascular risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a crossover trial, 24 subjects (13 women, mean age 61 ± 3 years), received, in a randomised order, a 14-day high (HT) and a 14-day low (LT) antioxidant diets, with a 2-week wash-out (WO) in between. Both diets were comparable in daily portions of fruits and vegetables, and in alcohol, fibre and macronutrient intake, but differed in their total antioxidant capacity. Before and after each diet, anthropometrics, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, lipid profile, hepatic enzymes, circulating antioxidant concentrations, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and FMD were assessed. FMD increased significantly during the HT diet compared to the LT (p < 0.000). FMD values were 2.3% higher after HT compared with LT (p < 0.001) after adjustment for age, gender and diet order. α-tocopherol increased significantly (p < 0.05) and hs-CRP and of γ-glutamyltranspeptidase decreased significantly (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) during the HT diet, compared with the LT diet. CONCLUSIONS: A short-term HT diet improves endothelial function in volunteers at low cardiovascular risk, which may further reduce their risk of CVD.

Effects of the regular consumption of wholemeal wheat foods on cardiovascular risk factors in healthy people.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The intake of wholemeal foods is consistently associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in epidemiological studies, although the mechanisms of this association are unclear. Here we aim to compare in healthy subjects the metabolic effects of a diet rich in wholemeal wheat foods versus one based on the same products in refined form. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifteen healthy individuals (12 M/3 F), mean age 54.5+/-7.6 years, BMI 27.4+/-3.0 kg/m(2) (mean+/-SD), participated in a randomized sequential crossover study. After 2 weeks run-in, participants were randomly assigned to two isoenergetic diets with similar macronutrient composition, one rich in wholemeal wheat foods and the other with the same foods but in refined form (cereal fibre 23.1 vs. 9.8 g/day). After the two treatment periods (each lasting 3 weeks) plasma glucose and lipid metabolism, antioxidant activity, acetic acid, magnesium, adipokines, incretins and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured at fasting and for 4h after a standard test meal (kcal 1103, protein 12%, CHO 53%, fat 35%) based on wholemeal or refined wheat foods, respectively. After the two diets there were no differences in fasting nor in postprandial plasma parameter responses; only glucose was slightly but significantly lower at 240 min after the refined wheat food meal compared to the wholemeal wheat food meal. Conversely, after the wholemeal diet both total (-4.3%; p<0.03) and LDL (-4.9%; p<0.04) cholesterol levels were lower than after the refined wheat diet at fasting. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of wholemeal wheat foods for 3 weeks reduces significantly fasting plasma cholesterol as well as LDL cholesterol levels in healthy individuals without major effects on glucose and insulin metabolism, antioxidant status and sub-clinical inflammation markers.

Intervention study with a high or low antioxidant capacity diet: effects on circulating beta-carotene.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A cross-sectional observation suggests that total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of the diet positively affects plasma concentrations of beta-carotene independent of beta-carotene intake. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of two dietary strategies, designed to be comparable in fruits, vegetables, fibre, alcohol and beta-carotene intake but substantially different in their TAC, on changes in antioxidant intake and antioxidant status, and in particular in circulating beta-carotene concentrations. SUBJECTS: A randomized cross-over intervention trial involving 33 healthy participants and consisting of two 14-day dietary periods (high TAC diet, HT; low TAC diet, LT) with a 14-day washout in between was conducted. RESULTS: Energy, macronutrient, dietary fibre, alcohol and beta-carotene intake was not significantly different between LT and HT, whereas intake of other carotenoids and dietary TAC was significantly higher in the HT than in the LT (P<0.001). Circulating carotenoids (with the exception of alpha-carotene, which followed an inverse trend) and alpha-tocopherol decreased significantly during the LT and increased during the HT period. Among these, beta-carotene almost doubled its concentration in plasma after the HT diet. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in circulating beta-carotene along with the increase in dietary TAC suggests that plasma beta-carotene could be a marker of TAC intake rather than of beta-carotene intake itself. This may explain, in part, why beta-carotene supplementation alone has shown no benefit in chronic disease prevention and adds to a putative beneficial role of high dietary TAC diets, which merits further investigation.

A fluorescence-based method for the detection of adhesive properties of lactic acid bacteria to Caco-2 cells.

AIMS: The ability of probiotic micro-organisms to adhere to the intestinal surface is regarded as a substantial advantage in terms of bacteria persistence in the gastrointestinal tract. The aim of the present study was the development of a method based on fluorescent staining of bacteria and subsequent spectrofluorimetric detection to quantify the adhesion of several strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to Caco-2 cells. METHODS AND RESULTS: Lactic acid bacteria strains were subjected to fluorescent staining using the viable probe carboxyfluorescein diacetate and subsequently incubated on Caco-2 monolayers. The adhesion of the micro-organisms was determined by spectrofluorimetry following the lysis of the attached bacterial cells and expressed as adhesion percentage. The values obtained for the micro-organisms tested ranged from 4% for Bifidobacterium infantis Bi1 to 10% for a Bifidobacterium mixture containing three different strains. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study we successfully applied fluorescent labelling and fluorimetric detection to investigate the adhesive properties of some Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium strains and a Bifidobacterium mixture to Caco-2 cells. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The results proved that fluorescent labelling is suitable for adhesion studies and provides a reliable and safer alternative to radioactive labelling.

Treatment of toxic epidermal necrolysis and Stevens-Johnson syndrome in children.

A retrospective study was carried out on eight consecutively treated children, 2 to 14 years of age, seven with toxic epidermal necrolysis and one with transitional-type Stevens-Johnson syndrome. The body surfaces affected ranged from 40% to 100%. Seven of the patients were taking a sulfonamide or anticonvulsant before the onset of their disease. Complete reepithelialization took an average of 15 days, but newly evolving lesions of the lips and oropharynx continued for approximately 4 more weeks. These lesions took an additional 2 to 4 weeks to heal. Only one of the children died.

Lymphangioma of the tongue and the team approach.

Case report of a 9-year-old female with a 7cm (length) x 4cm (width) x 1cm (thick) lymphangioma of the tongue. The tumor caused speech distortion, crowding of the anterior maxillary and mandibular teeth, and a prognathic mandible. The patient was evaluated by the members of the Cleft Lip and Palate Team at St. Christopher's Hospital and underwent a complete resection of the tumor and is continuing follow-up care. This case exemplifies the value in a team approach to a variety of intraoral problems.

Spin-lattice relaxation rates in Fe(III)-doped human serum measured by magnetic resonance imaging.

The proton spin-lattice relaxation time T1 in iron-doped serum was measured with a magnetic resonance imager operating at 0.5 T. The T1 in aqueous solutions of iron and iron-doped solutions of albumin and gamma globulin was also measured in order to analyse the paramagnetic contribution in iron-doped serum. The enhancement in serum is not linearly dependent on concentration of iron added. It is known that Fe(III) added to serum is mainly complexed with transferrin, albumin, gamma globulin and water. With serum pH (7.9) Fe(III) in the protein solution results in enhancement. Fe(III) in water does not cause any enhancement. As a result, the 1/T1 enhancement in serum should be caused solely by iron-binding serum proteins.

Development of a heterotrophic bacterial community within a closed prawn aquaculture system.

The quantitative and qualitative development of a heterotrophic bacterial community in seawater was studied throughout an experimental rearing of the prawnPenaeus japonicus. The maturation of juvenile prawns had been carried out for 8 months in aerated tanks of seawater without any water renewal. Bacteria (337 strains) were isolated from seawater, which had been sampled at different times. Samples from one of the mussels used to feed the prawns and from the digestive tract of one prawn each supplied 40 more strains. 101 tests were performed on each strain, and cluster analysis showed the existence of 4 different groups containing 95% of the sampled strains. Characteristics of the various samples and groups were described in terms of ecotype diversities, catabolic potentialities, nutritional capacities, and morpho-physiological groups. Until nitrification attained a steady state, the heterotrophic community clearly decreased in number and was composed mostly of auxotrophic bacteria (pseudomonads andMoraxella-Acinetobacter groups). These bacteria needed growth factors and were unable to use amino acids (group B). At the end of the experiment (7 months) the bacteria isolated from the water were vibrios and enterobacteria, as were those isolated from the prawn and the mussel. They clustered together in group A. The number of strains that clustered with those of natural seawater (group E) decreased steadily during the experimental period.

Statistical sampling of bacterial strains and its use in bacterial diversity measurement.

The cultural bacterial strains of two sediment samples, i.e., 260 strains, were submitted to numerical taxonomy to determine "ecological profiles." From these profiles several calculations of bacterial diversity were done with increasing number of strains (between 10 and 130). Studying 20-30 strains was sufficient to obtain a diversity of bacterial community.Number of tests could be reduced from 62 to 30 without any influence on bacterial diversity. Similarity between studied tests was shown by using numerical taxonomy.

[Comparison between serum ferritin and induced sideruria in the diagnosis of disorders of iron metabolism]. / Raffronto fra ferritinemia e sideruria provocata nella diagnostica dei dismetabolismi marziali.

The A. compare the values of serum ferritin and Desferrioxamine (DFO)-induced sideruria on 73 patients affected by different diseases. The results may be divided into three groups: a first one concerning patients with low serum ferritin and low DFO-induced sideruria, a second one of patients with normal serum ferritin and normal DFO-induced sideruria; in the third group of patients the A. found high values of serum ferritin and high or normal values of DFO-induced sideruria. The different behaviour observed in this III group of patients mostly affected by malignancy may be ascribed, in all those cases with high ferritin and normal sideruria, to a direct production of isoferritins by cancer cells.

[Planktonic and bacterial population dynamics during experimental production of natural marine phytoplankton. II. Structure and physiology of populations and their interactions]. / Dynamique des populations planctoniques et bactériennes au cours d'une production expérimentale de phytoplancton marin naturel. II. Structure et physiologie des populations et leurs interactions.

During the spring, an experiment was conducted on the production of natural phytoplankton in a continuous flow layout of large capacity, and an analysis was made of the simultaneous evolution of microplanktonic populations (taxonomic composition, diversity, class ranges, and energetic charge) and of bacterial populations (structure, diversity, dominances, and cetabolic potentialities). Oligotrophic initial conditions were charcterized by a poor (0.22 umg of chlorphyll a/L) and diversified (pigment diversity = 4.5) phytoplankton with nanoplanktonic dominance associated with several benthic type diatoms. Bacterial flora, in which pseudomonads were dominant (54.5%), were also diversified (Shannon index H = 3.57). Metabolic potentialities of these bacterial communities were several. Enrichment of the milieu caused the selection and development of a small number of algal species dominated by the diatoms skeletonema costatum (64 x 106/L) and Chaetoceros (3.2 x 106/L) leading to a paucispecific population with a large biomass, a pigment diversity of 1.97, and a chlorophyll a concentration of 25.08 mu/L. The bacterial community then because diversified (H = 4.12) and, although pseudomonads remained dominant (62%), a larger use of organic micromolecules was noted. The establishment of this phytoplanktonic community was followed by a zooplanktonic development in which larger species succeeded smaller ones (ciliates, tintinnides, rotifers, and copepods) corresponding to the global increase of the phytobiomass. Although this system appeared to be in a phase of relative stability, a decease in the energetic charge showed a disturbance in the physiological state of the planktonic populations. These phenomena led to the vanishing of the diatom's dominance (Chaetoceros, and then S. costatum) and its replacement by nanoplankton (123 x 106 cells/L) and dinoflagellates (300000 cells/L). A modification in the organic wealth of the milieu with the addition of particular complex material that was not or little degraded caused deep disturbances in the bacterial populations. Their diversity reached a very low level (H = 1.56 to 2.25) with a proliferation of vibrions (up to 74%) well equipped with exoenzymes, but more restricted in their nutritional versatility (marked preference for organic macromolecules). During the final phase of experimentation, despite a change in qualitative composition and a more important biomass, microplanktonic and bacterial populations returned to a diversified state nearing that of the initial conditions (pigment diversity = 3.2; H = 3.37).

Structure, diversity, and catabolic potentialities of aerobic heterotrophic bacterial populations associated with continuous cultures of natural marine phytoplankton.

Variations of structure (probable taxonomic generic groups; ecological profiles), diversity (Shannon index, ¯H), and average catabolic potentialities (strain's average exoenzyme equipment, EAI; average carbonaceous compound utilization, UAI) of bacterial populations during two experimental phytoplankton blooms are described and show a certain overall unity. Oligotrophic conditions are characterized by high diversity levels (¯H from 3.60 to 4) and moderate catabolic potentialities (EAI and UAI close to 40%). During phytoplankton exponential growth phase bacteria show an EAI stability, but there is an increase of UAI with maximal values at the beginning of chlorophyll plateau (52-57%) and higher values of diversity (¯H greater than 4). Phytoplankton mortalities appear to cause an EAI increase and a decrease of both UAI and ¯H (1.50 to 2). Vibrio-like organisms seem to be closely related to this period.In spite of these similar patterns, many differences appear between both experiments from a taxonomic point of view, the autumnal population being more diversified than the spring one.The results obtained show the value of simultaneous analysis of these different aspects and of this ecological methodology allowing spatial or temporal comparisons.

[Deoxyribonucleic acid hybridizations among some vibrio-like marine bacteria (author's transl)]. / Hybridation des acides déoxyribonucléiques de certaines bactéries marines vibrioïdes

The genotypic relationships established by DNA/DNA hybridization in vitro confirm the results obtained by earlier phenotypic analyses of certain vibrio-like marine bacteria. These strains are closely related to the species Photobacterium fischeri, and do not belong to the genus Vibrio. The group of marine, vibrio-like bacteria that require Na+ for growth is genotypically very heterogeneous.