Dentinal microcracks on freshly extracted teeth: the impact of the extraction technique.

AIM: To evaluate the incidence of root dentinal microcracks after two extraction techniques through micro-computed tomographic (micro-CT) analysis. METHODOLOGY: Thirty pairs of premolars, extracted for orthodontic reasons, were assigned to two experimental groups, following a split-mouth design (n = 30): traumatic technique group (TTG) - teeth extracted following a conventional protocol using forceps, and an atraumatic technique group (ATG) - teeth extracted following an atraumatic technique protocol in which the root was gently detached from the periodontal ligament using a periotome. All teeth were immediately immersed in distilled water and scanned in a micro-CT device within 72 h following the extraction. The assessment of the images was completed on cross-section images by two masked evaluators. The Mann-Whitney test was used to assess the significant differences between the groups regarding the number of cross-sections displaying microcracks whilst the Fischer's exact test was used to assess differences in the frequency of specimens with defects (P < 0.05). RESULTS: A total of 52 750 micro-CT cross-sectional images were evaluated. A total of 352 cross-sections had at least one dentinal defect. Microcracks were observed in five teeth of the TTG group (n = 352 slices) and in two teeth of the ATG group (n = 103 slices). The statistical analysis used was unable to detect a significant difference between the groups in terms of the number of dentinal microcracks (P = 0.233) and in the frequency of teeth displaying microcracks (P = 0.424). CONCLUSION: A small number of sound teeth without endodontic treatment had dentinal microcracks regardless of the extraction technique applied. No difference was noticed between the traumatic and atraumatic techniques in the incidence of microcracks.

Economic valuation of plant diversity storage service provided by Brazilian rupestrian grassland ecosystems / Valoração econômica do serviço de estocagem da diversidade de plantas fornecido pelos ecossistemas de campos rupestres brasileiros

The rupestrian grassland ecosystems provide various goods and services to society and support a significant amount of biological diversity. Notably the rich plant diversity has high levels of endemism and a variety of uses among the local communities and general society. Despite the socio-ecological importance of these ecosystems, they are subjected to significant anthropogenic pressures. The goal of this study is to perform economic valuation of the plant diversity storage service provided by rupestrian grassland ecosystems to provide grounds for the development of conservation policies and encourage sustainable practices in these ecosystems. Given the intense human disturbances and unique flora, the Serra do Cipó (southern portion of the Espinhaço Range in southeast Brazil) was selected for the study. We estimate the monetary value related to the plant diversity storage service provided by the study area using the maintenance costs of native plants in the living collections of the botanical garden managed by the Zoobotanical Foundation - Belo Horizonte (located 97 km from Serra do Cipó). The plant diversity storage value provided by Serra do Cipó ecosystems is significant, reaching US$25.26 million year1. This study contributes to the development of perspectives related to the conservation of rupestrian grassland ecosystems as well as others threatened tropical ecosystems with high biodiversity.

Os ecossistemas de campos rupestres fornecem diversos bens e serviços à sociedade, além de abrigar uma significativa diversidade biológica. Particularmente, a rica biodiversidade vegetal apresenta altas taxas de endemismo e uma grande variedade de usos entre a comunidade local e a sociedade como um todo. Apesar da importância sócio-ecológica desses ecossistemas, eles estão submetidos a significativa pressão antrópica. O objetivo desse estudo é realizar a valoração econômica do serviço de estocagem da diversidade de plantas fornecido pelos ecossistemas de campos rupestres para fornecer subsídios para o desenvolvimento de políticas conservacionistas e estimular práticas sustentáveis nesses ecossistemas. Diante dos intensos distúrbios antrópicos e sua flora única, a Serra do Cipó (porção sul da Cadeia do Espinhaço, Sudeste do Brasil) foi selecionada para este estudo. Estimamos o valor monetário relacionado ao serviço de estocagem da diversidade de plantas fornecido pela área de estudo, utilizando os custos de manutenção de plantas nativas em coleções vivas do jardim botânico da Fundação Zoo-Botânica de Belo Horizonte (localizado a 97 km da Serra do Cipó). O valor do estoque da diversidade de plantas fornecido pelos ecossistemas da Serra do Cipó é significativo, atingindo US$25,26 milhões ano1. Esse estudo contribui para o desenvolvimento de perspectivas relacionadas à conservação dos ecossistemas de campos rupestres assim como outros ecossistemas ameaçados e com alta biodiversidade nos trópicos.

Economic valuation of plant diversity storage service provided by Brazilian rupestrian grassland ecosystems.

The rupestrian grassland ecosystems provide various goods and services to society and support a significant amount of biological diversity. Notably the rich plant diversity has high levels of endemism and a variety of uses among the local communities and general society. Despite the socio-ecological importance of these ecosystems, they are subjected to significant anthropogenic pressures. The goal of this study is to perform economic valuation of the plant diversity storage service provided by rupestrian grassland ecosystems to provide grounds for the development of conservation policies and encourage sustainable practices in these ecosystems. Given the intense human disturbances and unique flora, the Serra do Cipó (southern portion of the Espinhaço Range in southeast Brazil) was selected for the study. We estimate the monetary value related to the plant diversity storage service provided by the study area using the maintenance costs of native plants in the living collections of the botanical garden managed by the Zoobotanical Foundation - Belo Horizonte (located 97 km from Serra do Cipó). The plant diversity storage value provided by Serra do Cipó ecosystems is significant, reaching US$25.26 million year-1. This study contributes to the development of perspectives related to the conservation of rupestrian grassland ecosystems as well as others threatened tropical ecosystems with high biodiversity.

Herbivory among habitats on the Neotropical tree Cnidoscolus quercifolius Pohl. in a seasonally deciduous forest.

Our goal was to identify herbivory patterns from two insect guilds associated with Cnidoscolus quercifolius in a tropical deciduous forest in northeastern Brazil. We sampled four different habitats: (1) forest edge, (2) mesic (near to the perennial water source), (3) forest interior and (4) rupestrian fields. Habitat edge had lower leaf damage than rupestrian, mesic and forest interior habitats. Nevertheless, abundance of galls at the edge habitat was higher than at mesic, forest interior and/or rupestrian habitats. There was no difference in gall mortality by natural enemies among the four habitats sampled, demonstrating the absence of any influence of top-down controls related to abundance of galls. Trophic relationships were not related to the patterns of distribution among habitats of two insect herbivorous guilds associated with C. quercifolius. Our results demonstrated that environmental heterogeneity of dry forests can significantly alter important ecological interactions and experimental studies are needed to better understand the mechanisms responsible for differences in herbivory among habitats.

Photosynthetic efficiency of Clusia arrudae leaf tissue with and without Cecidomyiidae galls.

Leaf galls induced by a still undescribed new species of Cecidomyiidae (Diptera) are frequent on leaves of Clusia arrudae Planchon & Tirana (Clusiaceae) in the rupestrian fields at 1400 m a.s.l. in Serra do Cipó, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Galls were 7.1 ± 0.7 mm in diameter, one chambered with only one larva inside. Gall tissue is green and soft. Assessments of photosynthetic capacity using chlorophyll-a fluorescence measurements revealed that photosynthetic performance of gall tissue and healthy leaf tissue were rather similar. Hence, the morphological changes due to gall development were not associated with significant changes in the photosynthetic capacity of the tissue.

Efeito da composição genética e de fatores de meio sobre a produção de leite, a duração da lactação e a produção de leite por dia de intervalo de partos de vacas mestiças Holandês-Gir / Effects of genetic composition and environmental factors on milk production, lactation length and milk production per day of calving interval in crossbred Holstein-Gyr cows

Utilizou-se o método dos quadrados mínimos para avaliar os efeitos da composição genética (CG) e dos fatores de meio sobre a produção total de leite (PL), duração da lactação (DL) e produção de leite por dia de intervalo de partos (P/I) (n=2.016) de 822 vacas mestiças (1/2, 3/4 e 7/8) Holandês-Gir, criadas no oeste de Minas Gerais. O efeito da capacidade prevista de transmissão (PTA) dos touros da raça Holandesa sobre a PL de suas filhas cruzadas também foi avaliado. O efeito da CG sobre as três características foi importante fonte de variação, sendo que a PL, a DL e a P/I aumentaram com o incremento da contribuição da raça Holandesa. As médias para PL foram 3549,3±39,3kg, 4331,7±56,2kg e 4515,7±115,9kg; para DL, 306,5±1,9 dias, 328,2±2,5 dias e 337,0±4,6 dias; e para P/I, 9,0±0,1kg, 10,6±0,2kg e 11,0±0,3kg por dia, respectivamente, para vacas 1/2, 3/4 e 7/8 Holandês-Gir. Estação de parição foi importante fonte de variação da PL das vacas 3/4 e da DL de vacas 3/4 e 1/2 Holandês-Gir. Maiores PL e DL foram observadas nas lactações iniciadas no final do período chuvoso. O efeito da idade da vaca ao parto sobre a PL foi linear ascendente para vacas 1/2 e 3/4 Holandês-Gir e curvilíneo para vacas 7/8 Holandês-Gir, com produção máxima (4733,5 kg) na segunda lactação. Para DL esse efeito foi curvilíneo para vacas 1/2 e 3/4 Holandês-Gir, com mínimos de 284,7 e 309,2 dias aos 7,3 e 5,7 anos de idade, respectivamente; e linear descendente para vacas 7/8 Holandês-Gir. Já o efeito da idade da vaca sobre P/I foi linear ascendente para o conjunto 3/4 e 7/8, e curvilíneo para as 1/2 Holandês-Gir, com o máximo de 9,5kg/dia de intervalo de partos aos 6,4 anos de idade. O efeito do PTA de touros sobre a PL de suas filhas não foi diferente de zero. As estimativas de repetibilidade para PL foram 0,72, 0,69 e 0,63, respectivamente, para vacas 1/2, 3/4 e 7/8 Holandês-Gir.

The effects of genetic composition (GC) and environmental factors on milk production (MP), lactation length (LL) and milk yield per day of calving intervals (P/I) (n=2,016) of 822 crossbred (1/2, 3/4 and 7/8) Holstein-Gyr cows, raised in the West of Minas Gerais State, Brazil, were evaluated using least squares methodology. The effect of predicted transmitting ability (PTA) of the Holstein sires on MP of their daughters was also evaluated. The effect of genetic composition on the three traits was an important source of variation. MP, LL and P/I increased with the increase of Holstein contribution. Season of calving was an important source of variation for MP of 3/4 cows and for LL of 3/4 and 1/2 cows. The highest MP and LL were observed for lactations starting at the end of the rainy season. The effect of age at calving on MP was linear for 1//2 and 3/4 cows and curvilinear for 7/8 cows. For LL the effect of age at calving was curvilinear for 1/2 and 3/4 cows and linear for 7/8 cows. On P/I was linear for 3/4 and 7/8 cows and curvilinear for 1/2 cows. The effect of PTA on MP was not different from zero. Estimated repeatability for MP were .72, .69 and .63, respectively, for the 1/2, 3/4 and 7/8 Holstein-Gyr cows.

Serum vascular endothelial growth factor in late rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the serum levels of VEGF in patients with rheumatoid arthritis of long duration. METHODS: Serum VEGF levels were measured in 118 patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis according to the ACR criteria (mean duration 12 years). The disease activity score was evaluated by the method of van der Heijde et al. RESULTS: Serum levels of VEGF in patients with RA were significantly higher than in healthy controls. VEGF levels showed no correlation with CRP, SAA amyloid protein, or the disease activity score. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that, contrary to the results reported in patients with early onset RA, where VEGF appears to play an active part in joint inflammation, in long-standing RA elevated VEGF serum levels may be an independent marker although its significance remain to be established.

Sobrevivencia de Salmonella em carne bovina moida armazenada em baixas tem peraturas. / Survival of Salmonella in ground beef under low storage temperature

Amostras de carne bovina moida, de cinco acougues da cidade de Vicosa, MG, foram armazenadas a 4 graus C por 14 dias, a 0 graus C e 18 graus C por 90 dias, para analise das populacoes de bacterias nao fermentadoras de lactose (Lac-) e determinacao da sobrevivencia e da resistencia de Salmonella a drogas antimicrobianas. As amostras, submetidas ao pre-enriquecimento em caldo lactosado, apresentaram-se com populacoes de bacterias Lac-superiores as amostras sem o pre-enriquecimento. Foi observado aumento nas populacoes de celulas Lac-, nos primeiros dias de armazenamento a 4graus C e a 0graus C. Apos 21 dias,houve reducao do numero de celulas Lac- nas amostras conservadas a 0graus C. Nas amostras a 18 graus C foi observada tendencia de reducao das populacoes de celulas Lacao longo do periodo de armazenamento. Celulas de Salmonella foram isoladas de amostras em todos os tempos e temperatura.o nivel de resistencia, aos varios antibioticos, das celulas de Salmonella, foi baixo

Pectus carinatum: tratamento cirurgico. / Pectus carinatum: surgical treatment

Os autores fazem revisao a respeito da deformidade toracica conhecida como Pectus Carinatum ou "Peito de Pombo". Discutem os tipos de deformidade, etiopatogenia e tratamento. Apresentam 9 casos tratados cirurgicamente com excelentes resultados, utilizando a tecnica de Ravitch modificada. Fazem referencia a predominancia absoluta de Pectus Carinatum em sua serie de deformidades toracicas