Photographic map of the polytene chromosomes of Cochliomyia hominivorax.

Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is one of the most important myiasis-causing flies and is responsible for severe economic losses to the livestock industry throughout the Neotropical region. A polytene chromosome map is an invaluable tool for the genetic analysis and manipulation of any species because it allows the integration of physical and genetic maps. Cochliomyia hominivorax has a diploid number of 12 chromosomes (2n = 12): five pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes (XX/XY), which do not polytenize. We created a new photomap of the polytene chromosomes of C. hominivorax describing its five autosomes (chromosomes 2-6). Pupal trichogen cells, which have chromosomes with a high degree of polytenization, were used to elaborate this map. The photomap was made by comparing 20 different nuclei and choosing, for each chromosome segment, the region with the highest resolution. Thus, we present a new photomap of the five autosomes of this species, with a total resolution of 1450 bands.

Níveis glicêmicos de pacientes diabéticos segundo estudo comparativo entre duas técnicas. / Blood glucose levels of diabetic patients: comparative study of two measuring techniques

O estudo teve como objetivo identificar e comparar os resultados de glicemia de pacientes adultos com diabetes tipo 2 por meio de duas técnicas, laboratorial e capilar. Estudo comparativo foi desenvolvido no período de setembro a dezembro de 2007. A população foi constituída de 36 pacientes adultos residentes no município de Planaltina do Paraná, PR. A pesquisa foi realizada no laboratório de análises clínicas municipal. Para o exame laboratorial foi usado o sangue venoso e para o teste capilar o sangue da ponta do dedo. A maioria dos pacientes (63,9%) era do gênero feminino, idade média de 62,4 anos. Quanto à escolaridade, 41,6% dos pacientes possuíam menos de 8 anos de estudo. Em relação aos níveis glicêmicos, o p-valor do teste Kappa foi significativo em todas as categorias (p< 0,001, p=0,005 e p=0,001), mostrando concordância. Os dados indicam elevada precisão e acurácia dos resultados de glicemia obtidos por meio do glicosímetro, quando comparada ao teste padrão obtido em laboratório.

The goal of this research was to measure the blood glucose levels of type 2 diabetic adult patients and compare the results obtained by two techniques, the standard laboratory (venous) and portable glucometer (capillary) tests. A comparative longitudinal study was conducted from September to December 2007. The study population consisted of 36 resident adult patients in the town of Planaltina do Paraná in upstate Paraná, Brazil. The tests were performed in the local health authority clinical laboratory. For the lab test, venous blood from the arm was used, and for the glucometer test, capillary blood from the fingertip. Most of the patients (63.9%) were women and the average age was 62.4 years. Regarding education, 41.6% of the patients had studied for less than 8 years. Comparing the glucose measurements, the results of the Kappa test were significant in all categories (p<0.001, p=0.005 and p=0.001), showing very good agreement between the methods. The findings indicate a high level of precision and accuracy for the blood glucose readings obtained with the glucometer, compared with the standard test carried out in the laboratory.

Effect of a meal feeding schedule on hepatic glycogen synthesis and gluconeogenesis in rats.

We investigated the effect of a meal feeding schedule (MFS) on food intake, hepatic glycogen synthesis, hepatic capacity to produce glucose and glycemia in rats. The MFS comprised free access to food for a 2-hour period daily at a fixed mealtime (8.00-10.00 a.m.) for 13 days. The control group was composed of rats with free access to food from day 1 to 12, which were then starved for 22 h, refed with a single meal at 8.00-10.00 a.m. and starved again for another 22 h. All experiments were performed at the meal time (i.e. 8.00 a.m.). The MFS group exhibited increased food intake and higher glycogen synthase activity. Since gluconeogenesis from L-glutamine or L-alanine was not affected by MFS, we conclude that the increased food intake and higher glycogen synthase activity contributed to the better glucose maintenance showed by MFS rats at the fixed meal time.

Hepatic gluconeogenesis in rats trained to eat a single meal daily. Role of eating periodicity and the amount of food ingested in the last meal.

Rats trained to eat a single daily meal (MF rats), from 8:00-10:00 a.m., increased food intake from the 1st to the 12th (125%) day of feeding training. In this work we compared the influence of the higher food ingestion in the last meal and feeding training on hepatic gluconeogenesis. Thus, rats at the 1st (MF(1st day-5g) group) and 13th day (MF(13th day-5g) group) of training, refed with a fixed amount of food (5g) were employed. In addition, a third group of MF rats, refed on day 12 with 75% (12g) of the food ingested by MF rats on the 13th day of the feeding training (MF(13th day-12g)) was included. The experiments were performed at 22 h after meal (8:00 a.m.). Our results demonstrated that feeding training had a crucial role in determining gluconeogenesis from pyruvate (5 mM). Additionally, gluconeogenesis from L-glutamine (5 mM) was influenced by periodicity of eating and the amount of food ingested in the last meal. In contrast, gluconeogenesis from L-alanine (5 mM) was not influenced by both factors. In conclusion, our findings suggested that the hepatic gluconeogenesis was influenced by food ingestion and/or feeding training depending of the substrate investigated. These effects on gluconeogenesis may have implications for use in diabetic regimens.

Meal-feeding scheme: twenty years of research in Brazil.

Naomi Shinomiya Hell was the first researcher to investigate the physiological adaptations to a meal-feeding scheme (MFS) in Brazil. Over a period of 20 years, from 1979 to 1999, Naomi's group determined the physiological and metabolic adaptations induced by this feeding scheme in rats. The group showed the persistence of such adaptations even when MFS is associated with moderate exercise training and the performance to a session of intense physical effort. The metabolic changes induced by the feeding training were discriminated from those caused by the effective fasting period. Naomi made an important contribution to the understanding of the MFS but a lot still has to be done. One crucial question still remains to be satisfactorily answered: what is the ideal control for the MFS?

Meal-feeding scheme: twenty years of research in Brazil

Naomi Shinomiya Hell was the first researcher to investigate the physiological adaptations to a meal-feeding scheme (MFS) in Brazil. Over a period of 20 years, from 1979 to 1999, Naomi's group determined the physiological and metabolic adaptations induced by this feeding scheme in rats. The group showed the persistence of such adaptations even when MFS is associated with moderate exercise training and the performance to a session of intense physical effort. The metabolic changes induced by the feeding training were discriminated from those caused by the effective fasting period. Naomi made an important contribution to the understanding of the MFS but a lot still has to be done. One crucial question still remains to be satisfactorily answered: what is the ideal control for the MFS?

Are physiological changes in meal-fed rats determined by the amount of food ingested in the last meal or due to feeding schedule?

Rats trained to eat a single meal from 0800 to 1000 AM, (MF rats), increased food intake from the 1st (7.0 g) to the 13th (16.1 g) day and showed higher hepatic glycogen concentration and glycemia during fasting. To verify if these changes were determined by the higher food intake or due to the disciplining condition we compared rats at the 1st (MF(1st day-5 g) group) and 13th day (MF(13th day-5 g) group) of training, refed with a fixed amount of food (5 g). In addition, a third group (MF(13th day-12 g) group) composed by trained meal-fed rats, refed on day 13 with approximately 75% of food ingested by MF rats on day 13 ( 12 g) of feeding training was included. The experiments with these 3 groups were performed at zero (1000 h), 6 (1600 h), 13 (2300 h), 18 (0400 h) and 22 (0800 h) h after meal. Our results demonstrated that part of the physiological changes of MF rats is consequence of feeding training (increased food intake during the fixed meal time and spontaneous elevation of glycemia 13 h after meal) and part of the differences (hepatic glycogen concentration, gastric and intestinal emptying) correlate well with effective time of fasting. In addition, hepatic gluconeogenesis from L-lactate and glycerol was influenced by both factors.

Sorbitol accumulation in rats kept on diabetic condition for short and prolonged periods.

AIM: To study the influence of the course of diabetes, aging, and glycemia on the sorbitol accumulation in diabetic rats. METHODS: Streptozocin (Str) diabetic rats were obtained by Str i.v. (35 mg.kg-1). Glycemia and sorbitol levels from sciatic nerve and lens were measured after 1 d, 2, 5, and 8 months of diabetes. Sorbitol concentrations in serum, heart, diaphragm, small intestine, and kidney after 8 months of diabetes were measured. RESULTS: Diabetic rats after Str injection showed hyperglycemia (> 1.7 g.L-1), hyperphagia, polyuria, polydipsia, and loss of body weight. Sorbitol levels in lens and sciatic nerve increased in normal and diabetic rats; the increase was higher in diabetic rats. No relationship was shown between glycemia and sorbitol levels. An increased sorbitol level after 8 months of diabetes was found in small intestine and kidney. CONCLUSION: The sorbitol levels increased in lens and sciatic nerve with aging and this process was accelerated by diabetes.

Endoscopy in the upper G.I. bleedings.

From 388 patients with upper G.I. bleeding investigated by endoscopy, radiology or emergent surgery, one third bled from duodenal ulcer, one third oesophageal varices, and from the remain the most frequent were gastric ulcer (14%) and gastric cancer (9%). From a sample of 53 patients with liver cirrhosis, 66% bled from varices and 34% from other lesions. The proportion of patients who bled from oesophageal varices is higher under 60 yrs. The mortality was higher after 60 yrs, except when there was associated chronic liver disease or renal or cardio-respiratory failure. In this group of patients, near half in our series, the mortality is the same under and above 60 years.