Agonistic Behavior Is Affected by Memory in the Dusky Damselfish Stegastes fuscus.

The ability to discriminate familiar from unfamiliar conspecifics has been demonstrated in several species of fish. Agonistic interactions are among the most frequent behaviors exhibited by territorial species and could offer useful information for the individual recognition process. In agonistic situations, memory may modulate the behavioral response and affect social dynamics, but few studies have explored the memory retention acquired during aggressive encounters. The present study investigated the memory retention of an agonistic encounter in the dusky damselfish Stegastes fuscus. The experimental procedure was divided into three parts: (1) Familiarization; (2) Recognition test; and (3) Memory test. During the familiarization phase, the fish were visually exposed to the same conspecific for 5 days (10 min per day) and the behavior was recorded. On the following day (conspecific recognition test), half of the animals were paired with the same conspecific and the other half with a different conspecific for 10 min, and the behavior was recorded. The fish were retested 5, 10, and 15 days after the test to evaluate memory retention. In the memory test, they were exposed to the same conspecific as before or to a different conspecific. We found that the damselfish reduced their agonistic displays when the stimulus fish was familiar, but when it was unfamiliar, the animals were more aggressive and only reduced their mnemonic response after 10 days. These results suggest that the recognition ability of damselfish can be affected by time and that it modulates agonistic response.

Incidence and profile of benign epithelial tumors of salivary glands from a single center in Northeast of Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Benign tumors of the salivary glands are a group of lesions with varied histopathological and clinical spectrum. The aim was to determine the incidence and clinicopathological characteristics of benign salivary gland neoplasms diagnosed between 2007 and 2016 in a single center located in northeastern Brazil. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Records regarding sex, age, anatomical location, histopathological subtype and treatment were retrieved, and data were analyzed using the Stata/IC software (version 12.0). RESULTS: There were above 7,100 cases of neoplasms in the head and neck region, of which 403 corresponded to salivary gland neoplasms. Of these, 238 (59%) were benign, being pleomorphic adenoma (PA) the most frequent neoplasm (n=178; 74.8%), followed by Warthin's tumor (WT) (n=23; 9.7%). Overall, most cases occurred in females (n=136; 57.1%) and age ranged from 11 to 83 years. The parotid gland (n=188; 79%) was the most common anatomical site, and all patients were treated by surgical excision. Of the cases diagnosed as PA, malignant transformation to carcinoma ex-pleomorphic adenoma (CAEXPA) occurred in 7 (3.9%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirmed the clinical and demographic profile of benign salivary gland neoplasms, which contributes to the continuous knowledge of current data about these lesions.

Dusky damselfish Stegastes fuscus relational learning: evidences from associative and spatial tasks.

This study investigated the ability of the dusky damselfish Stegastes fuscus to associate conditioned and unconditioned stimuli (single CS-US) and to find a specific place in a clueless ambiece (spatial learning). After tested for colour preference and showing no specific colour attractively, the fish were trained to associate a colour cue with a stimulus fish (conspecific). Fish were then challenged to locate the exact place where the stimulus fish was presented. Stegastes fuscus spent most time close to the zone where stimulus was presented, even without obvious marks for orientation. The results confirm that S. fuscus show single CS-US learning and suggest the fish ability for spatial orientation. Stegastes fuscus appears to use multiple senses (sight and lateral line) for cues association and recall, and appear to perform relational learning similar to mammals. These data suggest the importance of cognitive skill for reef fishes that may have contributed to their establishment and evolutionary success in such complex environment.

Influence of materials radiopacity in the radiographic diagnosis of secondary caries: evaluation in film and two digital systems.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of restorative materials on false-positive diagnoses of secondary caries using three imaging systems. METHODS: Class II preparations were made on the occlusal and mesial or distal faces of extracted healthy third molar teeth. The teeth were divided into five groups and, with the exception of Group 5, they received a flow resin base. Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 received a layer of Natural Flow (DFL, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), Filtek Flow (3M-ESPE, St. Paul, MN), Tetric Flow (Ivoclar/Vivadent, Liechtenstein, Germany) and Protect Liner F (Kuraray, Okayama, Japan) resins, respectively, and were restored with Filtek Supreme resin (3M-ESPE). Group 5 was restored with Filtek Supreme resin. The images on film and on the Digora Optime® (Helsinki, Finland) and charge coupled device (CCD) IOX (IOX, Monninkylä, Finland) digital systems were evaluated by five examiners and the data were analysed using the Fisher's exact and Friedman tests at a 5% level of significance. RESULTS: Group 3 showed the highest rate of correct answers (restored tooth) and the lowest proportion of secondary caries diagnosis (P ≤ 0.05). Group 4 showed the highest rate of secondary caries diagnosis and the lowest proportion of correct answers (P ≤ 0.05). The systems for obtaining images presented were similar for each material. CONCLUSIONS: The restorative material was found to have an influence on the diagnosis of secondary caries lesions by imaging. The imaging system had no influence. Materials with greater radiopacity, higher than that of enamel, were favourable for a true-negative diagnosis.

Effects of developer exhaustion on DFL Contrast FV-58 and Kodak Insight dental films.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the properties of the DFL Contrast FV-58 F-speed film (DFL Co., Rio de Janerio, Brazil) with the Kodak Insight E/F speed film (Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY) in fresh and exhausted processing solutions. The parameters studied were the speed, average gradient and latitude. METHODS: Five samples of each type of film were exposed under standardized conditions over 5 weeks. The films were developed in fresh and progressively exhausted processing solutions. Characteristic curves were constructed from values of optical density and radiation dose and were used to calculate the parameters. An analysis of variance was performed separately for film type and time. RESULTS: DFL Contrast FV-58 film has a speed and average gradient that is significantly higher than Insight film, whereas the values of latitude are lower. Exhausted processing solutions were not significant in the parameters studied. CONCLUSION: DFL Contrast FV-58 film has stable properties when exhausted manual processing solutions are used and can be recommended for use in dental practice, contributing to dose reduction.

Prevalence and risk factors of mucous retention cysts in a Brazilian population.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and analyse the risk factors of mucous retention cysts (MRCs) of the maxillary sinus. METHODS: From November 2002 to May 2007, 6293 panoramic radiographs were taken and retrospectively reviewed to estimate the prevalence of MRCs and to analyse risk factors (month, relative air humidity and mean temperature). The months in which MRCs occurred were recorded and analysed. The Spearman rank correlation coefficient was used to correlate MRCs with relative air humidity, environmental temperature and month (significance level R(2)>0.85). RESULTS: Of the 6293 radiographs analysed, 201 (3.19%) images were suggestive of MRCs. No significant correlation was found between MRCs and relative humidity (R(2) = 0.15) of the air or temperature (R(2) = 0.40). The months with the highest numbers of MRC cases were September, October and November. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MRCs was low, and no statistical correlation was found between MRCs and relative humidity of the air, mean temperature or month.

Kinetics of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis growth on high glucose concentrations.

The kinetic and general growth features of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis were evaluated. Initial glucose concentration (S0) in fermentation media varied from 10 to 152 g/l. The results afforded to characterize four morphologically and physiologically well-defined culture phases, independent of S0 values: Phase I, vegetative growth; Phase II, transition to sporulation; Phase III, sporulation; and Phase IV, spores maturation and cell lysis. Important process parameters were also determined. The maximum specific growth rates (microX,m) were not affected with S0 up to 75 g/l (1.0-1.1 per hour), but higher glucose concentrations resulted in growth inhibition by substrate, revealed by a reduction in microX,m values. These higher S0 values led to longer Phases III and IV and delayed sporulation. Similar biomass concentrations (Xm=15.2-15.9 g/l) were achieved with S0 over 30.8 g/l, with increasing residual substrate, suggesting a limitation in some other nutrients and the use of glucose to form other metabolites. In this case, with S0 from 30.8 to 152 g/l, cell yield (YX/S) decreased from 0.58 to 0.41 g/g. On the other hand, with S0=10 g/l growth was limited by substrate, and YX/S has shown its maximum value (0.83 g/g).

Protective effects of Passiflora alata extract pretreatment on carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative damage in rats.

The leaf extract of Passiflora alata Dryander (P. alata) has been demonstrated to possess antioxidant activity in vitro. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of P. alata leaf extract pretreatment on carbon tetrachloride-treated rats. Male Wistar rats were randomly allocated into four groups: group 1 (control - vehicle), group 2 and 3 (P. alata extract - 1 and 5mg/kg, respectively) and group 4 (trolox - 0.18mg/kg). Rats received daily pretreatment by oral gavage for 30 days followed by a single dose of CCl(4) (3ml/kg i.p. in vegetable oil) on the 30th day and were killed after 6h. The pretreatment with the P. alata extract provided significant protection to liver, evidenced by lower degree of necrosis, decreased lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and higher catalase and superoxide dismutase activities. Additionally, pretreated-rats with P. alata (5mg/kg) showed significantly decreased cardiac TBARS levels. Our results indicate that a low oral dose of P. alata leaf extract has both hepato and cardioprotective effects on rats treated with CCl(4).

Standardization of platelet parameters determination in blood samples collected with EDTA

O contador de células Cell-Dyn 3000 (Abbott) elabora um histograma do volume plaquetário que é determinado pelo método de impedância elétrica e por meio deste histograma estabelece a contagem de plaquetas (PLT), o volume plaquetário médio (VPM) e o coeficiente de variação do volume plaquetário médio (PDW). Calcula também o plaquetócrito (PCT), que é o produto da contagem plaquetária e do VPM. As plaquetas aumentam de volume em contato com sais do ácido etilenodiaminotetra-acético, na dependência do tempo de armazenamento das amostras sangüíneas e geram resultados de VPM elevados. Para avaliar o efeito do tempo de armazenamento no VPM, PDW, PCT e PLT, foram coletadas amostras de sangue de 23 pacientes com anemia falciforme durante a fase estável (Grupo I) e 50 indivíduos normais do mesmo sexo, idade e raça (Grupo II), em Vacutainer contendo ácido etilenodiaminotetra-acético di-potássico e determinados durante 24 horas, nos seguintes intervalos de tempo: imediatamente após a punção venosa (tempo 0),15,30,60,120,240,360,480 e 1440 minutos. Os valores médio de VPM e PCT aumentaram (p<0,0001) ao longo do tempo de armazenamento em ambos os grupos. Os valores médio de PLT e PDW foram praticamente estáveis ao longo do tempo de armazenamento nos dois grupos.

Série plaquetária: valores de referência e correlações observadas entre os parâmetros plaquetários em uma população aparentemente saudável / Platelet series: reference values and correlations observed among the platelet parameters in an apparently healthy population

Os novos parametros plaquetarios: volume plaquetário médio (VPM), coeficiente de variação do volume plaquetário médio (PDW) e plaquetócrito (PCT) podem ser importantes para melhorar a identificação inicial dos distúrbios plaquetários. Os objetivos deste estudo são estabelecer valores de referência para a contagem de plaquetas (PLT), VPM, PDW e PCT em uma população de 1346 adultos aparentemente saudáveis, em ambos os sexos, bem como avaliar as correlações existentes entre os parâmetros plaquetários e construir os nomogramas necessários para a interpretação clínica da série plaquetária. Os parametros plaquetários foram analisados em amostras sangüíneas coletadas em sais do ácido etilenodiaminotetracético di-potássio (EDTA K2) pelo método de impedância elétrica. Foi verificada uma correlação inversa não linear entre VPM e PLT e entre PDW e PLT no intervalo de referência da contagem de plaquetas: as alterações no VPM e PDW foram mais acentuadas entre as contagens de plaquetas menores. Devido a esta correlação inversa não linear, foram construídos nomogramas VPM vs. PLT e PDW vs. PLT. O conhecimento das correlações existentes entre os parâmetros plaquetários na população normal pode contribuir para estabelecer o significado clínico real desses novos índices em muitas doenças.

The biotechnological production of sorbitol.

Sorbitol, a polyol found in many fruits, is of increasing industrial interest as a sweetener, humectant, texturizer and softener. At present, it is produced chemically. The bacterium Zymomonas mobilis is able to produce sorbitol and gluconic acid from fructose and glucose, respectively. This is possible in a one-step reaction via a glucose-fructose oxidoreductase so far only known from Z. mobilis. The possibilities for the industrial production of sorbitol by Z. mobilis are discussed, and compared with the current chemical production method as well as other microbiological processes.

Ammonium phosphate as a sole nutritional supplement for the fermentative production of 2,3-butanediol from sugar cane juice.

The production of 2,3-butanediol by Klebsiella pneumoniae from sugar cane juice supplemented with different salts was studied. This microorganism is able to degrade sucrose present in sugar cane juice containing ammonium phosphate as the sole nutritional supplement. With a sugar cane juice-based medium containing approximately 180 g sucrose/l and 8.0 g (NH4)2HPO4/l, over 70 g 2,3-butanediol plus acetoin/l were formed. This result is comparable to that achieved with a sugar cane juice-based medium containing several nutrients, although the kinetic profiles of these runs presented significant differences. With the ammonium phosphate-enriched medium, cell growth was initially favoured by both the strong oxygen supply and the higher water activity due to the lower concentration of nutrients. After 14 h, the limitation in some nutrients led to the interruption of cell growth, and decreasing rates for product formation and substrate consumption were observed. During the stationary phase of this run, sucrose was preferentially converted to product, and the substrate was completely depleted after 35 h of the process. With the complete medium, the substrate was totally consumed after 36 h of run. In this case, the higher initial concentration of nutrients reduced the overall process rate but sustained the cell growth for 27 h. Conversion yields of 0.40 g product/g sucrose and productivities close to 2.0 g/l x h were obtained under both conditions.

Production of glucose-fructose oxidoreductase and ethanol by Zymomonas mobilis ATCC 29191 in medium containing corn steep liquor as a source of vitamins.

Different concentrations of corn steep liquor (CSL) were tested in the cultivation of Zymomonas mobilis. Cell growth, ethanol production, and the formation of glucose-fructose oxidoreductase (GFOR) and glucono-delta-lactonase (GL), the enzymes responsible for the bio-production of gluconic acid and sorbitol, were examined. The cell yields using 25 g CSL l(-1) and 40 g CSL l(-1) (Y(X,S) approximately 0.031 g g(-1)) were close to that obtained with 5 g yeast extract (YE) l(-1). With 5 g CSL l(-1) and 15 g CSL l(-1), the nutritional limitation led to smaller Y(X/S). Using 100 g CSL l(-1) produced an inhibitory effect on cell growth. Similar ethanol yields (92-95%) were calculated for each concentration of CSL and also for YE medium. The highest specific GFOR/GL activities (13.2-13.5 U g(-1) dry cell) were reached with 25 g CSL l(-1) and 40 g CSL l(-1), values comparable to that achieved with 5 g YE l(-1). The results confirm that CSL is an effective and cheap supplement for Z. mobilis medium, increasing the economic potential of a large-scale bio-production of sorbitol and gluconic acid by untreated Z. mobilis cells. The economic feasibility of the process is discussed.

Growth of Aeromonas species on increasing concentrations of sodium chloride.

The growth of 16 strains of Aeromonas, representing 12 species of the genera, were examined at different salt levels (0-1.71 M NaCl). All the strains grew on media with 0.34 M NaCl, and nine on media with 0.68 M. Two strains, Aer. enteropelogenes and Aer. trota, were able to grow on media with 0.85 M and 1.02 M NaCl, respectively. Comparison of the growth curves of Aer. hydrophila ATCC7966 and Aer. trota ATCC 49657 on four concentrations of NaCl (0.08, 0.34, 0.68 and 1.02 M) confirm the high tolerance of Aer. trota, and indicate that high concentrations of salt increase the lag time and decrease the maximum growth rate. However, both strains were able to grow, slowly, in at least 0.68 M NaCl, a sodium chloride concentration currently used as food preservative.

Bioconversion of glucose and fructose to sorbitol and gluconic acid by untreated cells of Zymomonas mobilis.

The bioconversion of glucose and fructose to gluconic acid and sorbitol, respectively, by the enzymes glucose-fructose oxidoreductase (GFOR) and glucono-delta-lactonase (GL), contained in untreated cells of Zymomonas mobilis ATCC 29191, was investigated in batch runs with glucose plus fructose concentrations (S0) varying from 100 to 750 g l-1 in equimolar ratio. When S0 was increased to 650 g l-1, the yields were improved, reaching a maximum of 91% for both products, with productivities of 1.6 and 1.5 g g-1 cell h-1 for gluconic acid and sorbitol, respectively. Above this level (S0 = 750 g l-1), no further improvement in yields was observed and productivities decreased due to the longer process time. The high yields of bioconversion runs with S0 > or = 650 g l-1 are a consequence of the sequential inhibition of the normal metabolism of Z. mobilis by substrates and products, resulting in preferential utilization of substrates via the GFOR/GL system.

Determination of glucose-fructose oxidoreductase activity in whole cells of Zymomonas mobilis.

A method for the determination of glucose-fructose oxidoreductase (GFOR) activity in whole cells of Zymomonas mobilis is described. The K m and the theoretical V max for GFOR were 192 g glucose.l(-1) and 17 g gluconic acid.g(-1) cell.h(-1), respectively. The changes in enthalpy (31.1 kJ.mol(-1)), entropy (0.41 kJ.K(-1)), and Gibbs free energy (-97.5 kJ.mol(-1)) related to glucose to gluconic acid conversion were also determined.