Anatomical observations on the ending of the human thoracic duct.

Fifty-one cadavers of human adults of both sexes were examined for the ramifications and site of opening of the cervical segment of the thoracic duct. It was found that the duct opened into veins of the neck through either one (84.31%) or two branches (15.69%). The most frequent site of opening was in the junction of the left internal jugular vein with the subclavian vein (18 individuals), but another frequent site (15 individuals) was in the internal jugular vein. The duct opened at the angle formed by the internal jugular vein and the internal posterior jugular vein in five individuals, and at a variety of the other locations in the remaining cadavers. These results are compared with the findings of previous investigators.

Gross anatomy of the portal vein and its tributaries in the opossum (Didelphis albiventris).

The gross anatomy of the portal vein (V. portae) and its tributaries was studied through anatomical methods, i.e. dissection, corrosion and diaphanization, in 45 opossums (Didelphis albiventris). In all animals the portal vein was formed by the junction of the cranial mesenteric, caudal mesenteric and lienal veins (V. mesenterica cranialis, V. mesenterica caudalis and V. lienalis, respectively). Many collateral tributaries were observed running into the portal venous trunk.

[Structure of the efferent ductules of the domestic pig (Sus scrofa domestica)]. / Structure des canaux efférents du porc doméstique (sus scrofa domestica).

The ductuli efferentes of the pig have 2 distinct and continuous segments: the proximal or intratesticular segment that is formed in sequence to the labyrinthic portion of the rete testis, on the cranial extremity of the testis, and the distal or epididymal segment that forms the Cani vasculosi or Lobuli epididymidis. The testicular ductuli are more thicker and the epididymal ductuli are more thin, long and flexuous. The last segment is very coiled and forms a bulboid structure that is placed in the head of the epididymis, in which the ductuli jumped into the initial segment of the epididymis. Each efferent duct is formed by a single and cuboidal/columnar epithelium in which are identified three cellular types: ciliated cells, non ciliated cells and intra-epithelial lymphocytes. The epithelial lining rests on a conspicuous basement membrane that is surrounded by collagen fibrils. Among the ductuli is identified a loose connective tissue.

Anatomical study of the opossum (Didelphis albiventris) extraocular muscles.

The anatomy of the extraocular muscles was studied in 10 adult opossums (Didelphis albiventris) of both sexes. Eight extraocular muscles were identified: 4 rectus muscles, 2 oblique muscles, the levator palpebrae superioris and the retractor ocular bulbi. The rectus muscles originate very close one to another between the orbital surfaces of the presphenoid and palatine bones. These muscles diverge on the way to their insertion which occurs at about 2 mm from the limbus. The levator palpebrae superioris originates with the dorsal rectus and is positioned dorsally in relation to it. The retractor ocular bulbi forms a cone which embraces the optic nerve and is located internally in relation to the rectus muscles. The dorsal oblique originates on the presphenoid bone and after a tendinous trajectory through a trochlea on the medial wall of the orbit, inserts into the ocular bulb. The only muscle arising from the anterior orbital floor is the ventral oblique. The main nerve supply for these muscles is the oculomotor, except for the dorsal oblique which is innervated by the trochlear nerve, and the lateral rectus which is innervated by the abducens nerve. The retractor ocular bulbi receives branches from the inferior division of the oculomotor nerve and some branches from the abducens nerve.

Experimental study of lymphatico-venous communications after thoracic duct ligature in dogs.

The authors performed the ligature and transection of the thoracic duct in 36 dogs, 14 male and 22 female in order to investigate the existence of lymphatico-venous communications between the thoracic duct and veins situated in thorax, especially visceral veins. The animals were divided in 6 groups (5 experimental and 1 control), and were studied 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after the ligature. The existence of lymphatico-venous communications was observed in 18 cases (60%): 34.1% in esophageal veins; 34.1% in intercostal veins; 22.7% in azygous vein and 9.1% in the proper vein of the longus colli. The communications between the duct and the intercostal veins were more frequent in the veins from the left antimere; as for the azygous, the communications were more frequent in the segment between the 6th and 7th intercostal veins. No communications were observed in the control animals.

Collateral lymphatic circulation after thoracic duct ligature in dogs.

The authors studied the development of collateral circulation between the thoracic duct and the azygous vein system, in 30 adult dogs, after thoracic duct ligature. They verified the existence of lymphatico-venous communications in 18 events (60%); in 10 of these cases and in the rest (40%) alterations related to the duct's morphology were found; these alterations are not usually evident or inexist in animals not submitted to duct ligature.

[Anatomical notes on the capsular veins of the kidney of the cat]. / Considérations anatomiques des veines capsulaires du rein du chat (Felis domestica).

Capsular veins of 36 kidneys in cat (Felis domestica) have been investigated on macroscopical level. There are venous shunts on the superficial renal level which occur in both surfaces (dorsal and ventral) and different pathways of these vessels for comparative diagnosis. The collateral renal circulation may be sufficient to maintain the renal vascularization in stress conditions.

On the microscopic anatomy of periadventitial tissue of Cisterna chyli and Ductus thoracicus of the cat (Felix domestica).

Anatomical and histological techniques were adopted to study the structure of periadventitial tissue of Cisterna chyli and Ductus thoracicus of the cat. Basically this tissue is represented by a loose connective tissue, presenting a relatively large amount of unilocular adipocytes. Inside the periadventitial tissue there is a predominantly collagenous membrane and it seems to link the cisterna chyli and the ductus thoracicus to the adventitia of the Aorta.

Sobre as artérias tiroideas craniais na cobaia (Cavia Porcellus L. 1758) / The cranial thyroid arteries in guinea (Cavia Porcellus, L. 1758)

In this paper we studied the pattern of the cranial thyroid arteries in guinea-pig. We sacrificed 100 young animals (females) that were anesthetized by ethylic eter, injected with Neoprene latex in the thoracic aorta and dissected through stereoscopic microscope. The observations have demonstrated these arteries emerge from the left common carotid artery (87 sides); from the right common carotid artery (38 sides), from the left external carotid artery (03 sides) and from the right occipital artery (01 side). We found one artery by the left side in 44 guineas-pig; by the right side in 04 animals; in both sides in 46 animals and we noted the absence of this artery in 06 animals

Ocorrência de células principais ricas em muco-substâncias neutras no epidídimo de bovino azebuado / Ocurrence of principal cells rich in neutral mucosubstances from the epididymal duct of zebu cattle

Os autores realizaram estudo morfológico e histoquímico de células principais ricas em muco substâncias neutras que ocorrem no segmento inicial do epidídimo de bovino azebuado. Esta observaçäo parece se relacionar com secreçäo de glicogênio e glicoproteínas, glicólise anaeróbica e maturaçäo dos espermatozóides que ocorrem neste segmento