Experimental model of cutaneous radiation injury in rabbits

PURPOSE: To describe an experimental model of cutaneous radiation injury in rabbits. METHODS: On this study eight six-month-old New Zealand male rabbits, with an average weight of 2.5kg were used. They were distributed in four groups (n=2 per group). The control group did not receive radiotherapy and the others received one radiotherapy session of 2000, 3000 and 4500 cGy, respectively. Photographic analysis and histopathological evaluation of the irradiated areas were carried out. RESULTS: After 30 days, the animals from the control group had all their hair grown. In spite of that, the animals from group 2000 cGy had a 60-day alopecia and from group 3000 cGy, a 90-day alopecia. After the 30th day, the 3000cGy group demonstrated 90-day cutaneous radiation injuries, graded 3 and 4. One of the animals from group 4500 cGy died on the 7th day with visceral necrosis. The other from the same group had total skin necrosis. A progressive reduction of glands and blood vessels count and an increase on collagen deposition was observed. CONCLUSION: The proposed experimental model is reproductable. This study suggests that the dosage 4500cGy is excessive and the 3000 cGy is the most effective for this experimental model of cutaneous radiation injury in rabbits.

Side-effects of pesticides used in the organic system of production on Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of pesticides, used in the organic system, on Apis mellifera under laboratory conditions. Four multiple (0.25x, 0.5x, 1x and 2x) concentrations as recommended by they manufacturers of the following products: Rotenat CE®, Pironat®, Biopirol 7M®, Organic neem®, Natuneem® and lime sulfur were tested by topical application and ingestion. Of all the products and concentrations tested, only the lime sulfur (5000 ml 100L-1 and 10000 mL 100L-1 of water) by ingestion, and Rotenat CE® (1200ml 100L-1 of water) on topical application were considered slightly harmful for A. mellifera, as the classification of IOBC/WPRS for the laboratory tests.

Moscas frugívoras associadas a mirtáceas e laranjeira "Céu" na região do Vale do Rio Caí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil / Frugivorous flies in myrtaceans and orange trees 'Céu' in the region of Vale do Rio Caí, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil

Este estudo teve o objetivo de reconhecer as espécies de moscas frugívoras em mirtáceas: Eugenia uniflora L., Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg., Psidium cattleianum Sabine, Psidium guajava L. e Acca sellowiana (Berg.) Burret., bem como em Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (Rutaceae), na região do Vale do Caí, RS. Os frutos foram coletados no período de maturação de cada espécie frutífera, entre outubro de 2004 e julho de 2005, levados ao laboratório e acondicionados em potes com areia mantidos a 25 ± 1°C; 80 ± 10 por cento UR e fotofase de 12 horas. Os pupários obtidos foram individualizados e suas características foram registradas. De Tephritidae foi registrada apenas Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) e de Lonchaeidae Neosilba n. sp. 3, Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine & Steyskal e Neosilba certa (Walker). As duas últimas são novos registros para o Rio Grande do Sul. Apenas em P. cattleianum foram registradas todas as espécies de moscas encontradas neste trabalho. Os resultados evidenciam que A. fraterculus é a espécie de mosca-das-frutas de maior ocorrência para a região do Vale do Caí, RS, nas frutíferas estudadas.

This study aimed at recognizing frugivorous flies species in Myrtaceae: Eugenia uniflora L., Campomanesia xanthocarpa Berg. Psidium cattleianum Sabine, Psidium guajava L. and Acca sellowiana (Berg.) Burret., as well as in Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck (Rutaceae), at Vale do Cai region, Rio Grande do Sul. Fruits were collected at the maturation stage of each fruit species between October 2004 and July 2005, and at the laboratory they were placed in pots with sand and were kept at 12h photoperiod, 80 ± 10 percent RH and 25 ± 1°C. Pupae were individualized and their characteristics were recorded. In Tephritidae only Anastrepha fraterculus (Wied.) was recorded and in Lonchaeidae, Neosilba n. sp. 3, Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine & Steyskal and Neosilba certa (Walker). These last two species were recorded for the first time in Rio Grande do Sul. Only on P. cattleianum all species were recorded. Results show that A. fraterculus is the most frequent fruit-fly species found attacking the studied fruit plants in Vale do Caí region.

Avaliação do Escore NNECDSG em um hospital público brasileiro / Evaluation of the NNECDSG Score in a Brazilian public hospital

OBJETIVO: Comparar as incidências observadas de mediastinite e acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) versus as incidências esperadas pelo escore NNECDSG (Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group), em população submetida à cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio. MÉTODO: Foram analisados, retrospectivamente, os prontuários de todos os pacientes submetidos à CRVM isolada, no período de 1/1/2000 a 31/12/2004, no Serviço de Cirurgia Cardíaca da Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro (UFTM). Foi aplicado o escore proposto pelo NNECDSG e calculadas as incidências esperadas de mediastinite e AVC para cada paciente. Os dados de incidência observados e a incidência estimada pelo escore do NNECDSG foram submetidos ao teste de normalidade de Kolmogorov-Smirnov. A comparação foi realizada pelo teste t-Student pareado. O nível de significância foi de alfa=0,05. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados 230 pacientes, sendo 144 (62,60 por cento) homens e 86 (37,39 por cento) mulheres. Sessenta e um (26,52 por cento) doentes apresentavam diabetes, 30 (13,04 por cento), doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC) e 23 (10 por cento), doença vascular periférica (DVP). Cirurgia de urgência aconteceu em 34 (14,78 por cento) casos. Trinta e sete (16,08 por cento) pacientes tinham uma fração de ejeção (FE) menor que 40 por cento. Mediastinite ocorreu em 12 (5,21 por cento) pacientes. Apesar da incidência geral de mediastinite ter sido maior nesta amostra, não houve significância estatística. AVC ocorreu em 12 (5,21 por cento) pacientes. Apesar da incidência percentual média de AVC observada ter sido maior, não atingiu nível de significância estatística. CONCLUSÃO: Apesar das incidências de mediastinite e AVC terem sido maiores na população estudada, estes valores não atingiram significância estatística, sendo o escore preconizado pela NNECDSG um método seguro e eficaz na predição de mediastinite e AVC pós-operatórios nos pacientes submetidos à CRVM na UFTM.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the observed incidence of mediastinitis and strokes versus the expected incidence according to the NNECDSG score (Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group) in a population submitted to coronary artery bypass graft surgery. METHODS:A retrospective consultation was made of medical records of all patients submitted to isolated CABG from January 1st, 2000 to December 31st, 2004, at the Cardiac Surgery Service of the Triângulo Mineiro Federal University (UFTM). Data regarding the incidences of observed mediastinitis and strokes and those estimated by the NNECDSG score were submitted to the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test. A comparison was achieved using the paired Student t test, with the level of significance determined as p=0.05. RESULTS:A group of 230 patients were analyzed, including 144 (62.60 percent) men and 86 (37.39 percent) women. Sixty-one (26.52 percent) presented with diabetes, 30 (13.04 percent) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and 23 (10 percent) had peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Emergency surgery occurred in 34 (14.78 percent) cases. In 37 (16.08 percent) patients an ejection fraction (EF) of less than 40 percent was identified. Mediastinitis occurred in 12 (5.21 percent) patients and despite the greater general incidence in the sample studied, no statistical significance was found. Strokes occurred in 12 patients (5.21 percent) and in spite of the higher mean percentage incidence of observed strokes for all scores, a level of statistical significance was not found. CONCLUSIONS: Although the incidences of mediastinitis and strokes were greater in the population studied, these values showed no statistical significance, confirming the score recommended by the NNECDSG as a safe and efficient method for predicting postoperative mediastinitis and strokes in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization surgery in the UFTM.

Diversity of flies (Diptera: Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae) in organic citrus orchards in the Vale do Rio Caí, Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil

This study was carried out in the Counties of Montenegro and Pareci Novo located in the region of the Vale do Rio Caí, Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, aiming to determine the fruit fly species of Tephritidae and Lonchaeidae that occur in organic orchards of sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] cultivar Céu, and Murcott tangor (Citrus reticulata Blanco x C. sinensis), during the fruit ripening stages in 2003 and 2004. Eight McPhail traps baited with integral grape juice diluted to 25 percent were installed in four orchards, two in each citrus species. The traps were checked weekly, when the baits were changed, the flies separated and preserved in 70 percent ethyl alcohol. Fruits were also sampled from the orchards, placed in containers with damp soil and closed with a mesh. The tephritid flies represented 86.2 percent of all captured flies in the four orchards during both years. Five Tephritidae species were captured from traps: Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), Anastrepha grandis (Macquart), Anastrepha pseudoparallela (Loew), Anastrepha dissimilis Stone and Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). The captured species of Lonchaeidae were: Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine & Steyskal, Neosilba n.sp.3, Neosilba sp. and Lonchaea sp. Anastrepha fraterculus was found in 99 percent of the fruit samples, both in 'Céu' orange and 'Murcott' tangor, and Neosilba n.sp.3 were only obtained from 'Murcott' tangor fruits.

Este estudo foi conduzido nos municípios de Montenegro e Pareci Novo, localizados na região do Vale do Rio Caí, principal área de produção de citros do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, com o objetivo de determinar as espécies de Tephritidae e Lonchaeidae que ocorrem em pomares orgânicos de laranjeira doce [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] cultivar Céu e de tangoreiro Murcott (Citrus reticulata Blanco x C. sinensis), durante as respectivas fases de maturação dos frutos em 2003 e 2004. Foram instaladas armadilhas McPhail contendo suco de uva integral diluído a 25 por cento em quatro pomares, duas em cada espécie de citros. As armadilhas foram vistoriadas semanalmente, nesta ocasião efetuou-se a troca do atrativo alimentar e as moscas capturadas foram separadas e preservadas em álcool etílico 70 por cento. Também foram coletados frutos, os quais foram acondicionados em potes telados contendo areia umedecida. Os tefritídeos representaram 86,2 por cento de todas as moscas capturadas nos quatro pomares nos dois anos de coleta. Foram capturadas cinco espécies de Tephritidae nas armadilhas: Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann), Anastrepha grandis (Macquart), Anastrepha pseudoparallela (Loew), Anastrepha dissimilis Stone e Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). As espécies de Lonchaeidae capturadas foram: Neosilba zadolicha McAlpine & Steyskal, Neosilba n. sp. 3, Neosilba sp. e Lonchaea sp. Tanto em laranjeira 'Céu', como em tangoreiro 'Murcott', obteve-se A. fraterculus em 99 por cento dos frutos coletados. Neosilba n. sp. 3 somente foi obtida de frutos do tangoreiro 'Murcott'.