Ethics and animal experimentation: what is debated?

The purpose of this article is to raise some points for an understanding of the contemporary debate over the ethics of using animals in scientific experiments. We present the various positions from scientific and moral perspectives establishing different ways of viewing animals, as well as several concepts like 'animal ethics', 'animal rights', and 'animal welfare'. The paper thus aims to analyze the importance and growth of this debate, while proposing to expand the academic approach to this theme in the field of health.     

Geodesics without conjugate points and curvatures at infinity

We study the asymptotic behavior of curvature and prove that the integral of curvature along a geodesic without conjugate points is nonpositive and some generalizations of Myers theorem and Cohn-Vossen's theorem. Some applications are also given.     

HIV Prevalence,Knowledge, Attitudes,and Practices Among Polydrug Users in Brazil: A Biological Survey Using Respondent Driven Sampling

Brazil has a concentrated HIV epidemic among key populations. In 2009, the Ministry of Health conducted a survey in 10 Brazilian cities aiming to estimate HIV prevalence, knowledge, and associated risk behaviors of polysubstance users (PSU). Using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS), 3449 PSU were recruited, answered an Audio-Computer Self Assisted Interview (ACASI) and were tested for HIV and syphilis. Analyses were weighted by individual’s social network size generated on RDSAT. Pooled HIV prevalence was 5.8% but varied across cities. Most PSU were male, non-white, without income, unemployed, with low levels of education. Overall, 12.0% used injectable drugs, 48.7% had sex with occasional partners and 46.4% engaged in commercial sex. A majority received free condoms (71.4%) but 76.7% exhibited inconsistent condom use. Findings can support policies aiming to improve health care and preventive interventions tailored to this population that remains at high risk of acquiring and transmitting HIV/STI in multiple scenarios.     

The influence of a diet based on flaxseed,an omega-3 source,during different developmental periods,on the blood pressure of rats submitted to stress

Objective: This study aimed to investigate a flaxseed diet during different developmental periods, and its effect on the blood pressure of rats submitted to stress.

Methods: Fifty-six male rats (F₁), born from 14 rats (F₀), were divided into seven groups (n?=?8): flaxseed group (FG); flaxseed group gestation and lactation (FG-GL); flaxseed group weaning (FG-W); flaxseed group weaning and stress (FG-WS); flaxseed group stress (FG-S); flaxseed group gestation lactation and weaning (FG-GLW), and control Group (CG). Stress protocol was undertaken for 1 month. Blood pressure was analysed before and after the stress protocol. The left adrenal glands and serum corticosterone levels were analysed.

Results: Systolic blood pressure before stress was lower in all groups with flaxseed diet compared with the CG (p?=?.00001). After stress, CG showed higher blood pressure compared with FG, FG-GL, and FG-GLW (p?=?.004). The levels of corticosterone were lower in the FG between all groups (p?p?Conclusions: Results suggest a possible factor from a flaxseed diet against the effects of stress on a blood pressure in all periods of life but especially in the gestation and lactation periods.     

Leg Amputation for an Extensive,Severe and Intractable Sickle Cell Anemia Ulcer in a Brazilian Patient

A 35-year-old African Brazilian patient had sickle cell anemia complicated with recurrent vasoocclusive (VOC) crises and refractory painful leg ulcers for 16 years. The ulcers started over both medial malleoli and expanded gradually. The ulcer on the left leg spread from the foot to the knee circumferentially and was refractory to all forms of therapy within the frame work of multi-disciplinary care. The patient agreed to a below the knee amputation of the left leg. He felt much better after the amputation but developed severe neuropathic phantom pain that was well controlled medically. He could differentiate the sickle cell anemia and ulcer pain from the neuropathic pain. About 6 months after the amputation he had dengue fever with fatal outcome. This is the first report of treatment of refractory sickle cell anemia leg ulcer with amputation and probably the first report of a Brazilian patient with sickle cell anemia and dengue fever.     

Revisiting epilepsy and the electroencephalogram patterns in Angelman syndrome

Angelman syndrome is a neurogenetic disorder that severely affects global neurodevelopment due to modifications in the structure or functioning of UBE3A gene. Its prevalence ranges from 1:10,000 to 1:40,000. There are four main genetic types of AS transmission. A maternal deletion in 15q11.2-q13 is the most common type. There are three well-established electroencephalogram (EEG) patterns used as an ancillary tool for AS diagnosis. The main objectives are to scrutinize the EEG patterns in Angelman syndrome, their correlation to different types of seizures and to review the role of the EEG as an ancillary screening tool in the diagnosis of clinically suspected patients. Forty-three patients’ charts and their previously recorded EEGs were reviewed. A set of 34 patients with deletion type, paternal uniparental disomy type and imprint defect type AS were enrolled. AS diagnosis was confirmed either by fluorescent in situ hybridization test or Methylation Specific–Multiplex Ligation Probe Amplification test. Sequencing of UBE3A was not available. Frequencies and Chi-square tests were used for statistic analysis. Pattern I type EEG was observed in 22 (64.7 %) individuals. Pattern II accounted for 6 (17.6 %); Pattern III was evident in 11 (32.4 %). The three distinguished EEG patterns, more frequently Pattern I, when observed in the appropriate clinical setting, may heighten the index of suspicion for selecting patients who will need a molecular biology test to confirm the diagnosis of AS.     

Effect of dentifrice containing fTCP,CPP-ACP and fluoride in the prevention of enamel demineralization

Objective: To evaluate the effect of different fluoride- and calcium- and/or phosphate-containing products on their ability to prevent enamel demineralization under pH cycling conditions.

Material and methods: Enamel bovine specimens were assigned to the following groups: G1-MPP (MI Paste Plus, 0.2% NaF, Recaldent?, GC Corporation Tokyo, Japan); G2-FD (Crest? Cavity Protection, 0.243% NaF, Procter &; Gamble, USA); G3-CLP (Clinpro? 5000, 1.1% NaF, 3M ESPE, USA); and G4-CO (Control without fluoride, Silica-based dentifrice; Daudt Ltda, Brazil). The specimens were soaked in demineralizing solution for 6?h and remineralizing solution for 18?h alternatively for 10 days. The toothpaste was prepared with deionized water in a 1:3 ratio (w/v) for three minutes daily. The solutions were renewed every 48?h. After cycling, enamel changes were analysed by percentage change of SMH (%SMH) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The %SMH value observed for G3-CLP (2.9?±?39.2) was higher than that found in G4-CO (?13.0?±?20.7), G1-MPP (?8.9?±?20.9) and G2-FD (?3.9?±?27.1). The %SMH was similar for all treatment groups (one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD; p?2+ and P_total in the remineralization solutions were not different among all groups (Kruskal–Wallis; p?2+ concentration in the demineralization solution was significantly lower in G1-MPP. Ca²⁺ concentration increased in all groups after 48?h, except for G3-CLP. The EDX quantitative analysis showed that the atomic % of elements is lower level at G4-CO.

Conclusions: The Clinpro? 5000 demonstrated having the most protective effect against demineralization; however, the % SMH was similar for all groups.