Effect of intervention to improve breastfeeding technique on the frequency of exclusive breastfeeding and lactation-related problems.

This randomized clinical trial compared frequencies of exclusive breastfeeding and lactation-related problems during the first 30 days among 74 mothers who received a 30-minute counseling session on breastfeeding technique in the maternity ward, and 137 controls. The frequency of exclusive breastfeeding among mothers who had received intervention was similar to controls by 7 days (79.7% vs 82.5%, respectively) and 30 days (60.8% vs 53.3%). There was no difference between groups in the frequency of sore nipples at 7 and 30 days, in breast engorgement and mastitis, and in the quality of breastfeeding technique at 30 days. Therefore, a single intervention at maternity was not sufficient to improve breastfeeding technique, increase exclusive breastfeeding rates, and reduce the incidence of breastfeeding problems during the first month.     

Histological evaluation of dog permanent teeth after traumatic intrusion of their primary predecessors

Abstract –  The aims of this study were to analyze the histomorphology of developing permanent teeth whose primary teeth had suffered traumatic intrusion, as well as to compare the influence of immediate extraction of the intruded tooth to passive re-eruption. Nine dogs from 45 to 50 days old were submitted to the intrusion of the maxillary central and lateral primary incisors using a force applicator adapted to the teeth incisal cuspids. The right side intruded teeth were kept in their sockets and the ones on the left side were extracted 30 min later. After a postoperatory periods of 30 and 60 days, four (group 1) and five (group 2) dogs, respectively, were killed by perfusion. The histological evaluations showed that, in group 1, alterations had occurred in the odontoblastic layer and deposition of the enamel matrix had taken place in some specimens while in group 2, a portion of non-mineralized matrix was observed. We concluded that the morphological changes were because of the immediate trauma of intrusion. No differences were found between the groups where the primary tooth was immediately extracted or left to passively re-erupt.     

Cardiovascular and respiratory changes during acute pulmonary edema produced by nephrotoxic serum in the rat

The intravenous injection of rabbit anti-rat kidney serum in rats produces, with a latency of 30 to 60 seconds, the triad sinus bradycardia (or S-A blockade), systemic hypotension and apnea. Recordings of the intracardiac pressures showed a rise in the right and a simultaneous fall in the left ventricular pressure, 30 to 60 seconds after the serum injection. These initial effects were followed by pulmonary edema and death. Bilateral vagotomy prevented the bradycardia and apnea, but not the intracardiac changes, edema and death. Atropine also prevented the bradycardia, but not the apnea, edema and death. Experiments using alpha and beta adrenergic blocking agents seem to indicate that the edema is not caused by the release of catecholamines. It is suggested that the edema could be explained by a rise in the pulmonary capillary pressure, due to the antigen-antibody reaction. The triad bradycardia, systemic hypotension and apnea seems to be the first sign of the pulmonary edema, is reflex in nature, and is assumed to be due to stimulation of J receptors in the lungs, by a mechanical effect (edema). Phenylbutazone and acetylsalicylic acid give a partial protection against the pulmonary edema. Ultramorphological observations of lungs with edema were described.     

Oral hairy leukoplakia. Histopathologic and cytopathologic features of a subclinical phase

Accurate diagnosis of oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) is important because it may be an early indicator of undiagnosed HIV infection; moreover, it may be a prognostic indicator. Our purpose was to investigate the histopathologic features of subclinical OHL and to evaluate and support the rationale of detecting subclinical OHL with cytopathology. The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was detected by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization in 4 cases of macroscopically normal lateral borders of tongue mucosa from 8 AIDS necropsies and in none of 8 controls. The histopathologic features were specific when based on nuclear changes: Cowdry type A inclusion, ground glass, and nuclear beading. Smears were obtained from 50 patients with AIDS, without OHL, from the scraping of lateral borders of the tongue. Numerous clusters of the cells were associated with Candida organisms (30% of cases). Nuclear changes were observed in 12 patients (24%) on both sides of the tongue. We describe the histopathologic features of subclinical OHL, and our observations suggest that cytopathology can detect OHL in the subclinical phase.     

Escape efficiency of diploid and polyploid frogs: A comparison ofOdontophrynus cultripes (2n=22) andO. americanus (4n=44)

The escape efficiency of two closely related species of frogs,Odontophrynus cultripes(2n=22) and the tetraploidO. americanus (4n=44), were compared in a shuttle box and under simulated naturalistic conditions.O. americanus was generally superior toO. cultripes, and females tended to outperform males within both species. The relative inefficiency ofO. cultripes escape behavior was examined in light of the animals' having an elaborate, passive defense mechanism in the form of well-marked venom glands. Escape efficiency was highly variable in both species. Possessing twice the amount of DNA, the tetraploid behavioral variation was paradoxically less than that of the diploid, but compatible with what has been found for morphological characters in other organisms.This research was carried out at the Instituto Butantan with the support of ongoing grants from the Brazilian CNPq, FAPESP, FEDIB, and PNUD while the first author was a visiting professor in the Departamento de Genética Humana, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, under the auspices of the Programa Multinacional de Genética, Organization of American States.     

Veränderungen von Mäusenieren nach experimenteller Infektion mit Mucambo-Virus

Summary The purpose of this study was to determine whether autoimmune nephritis in rats affects subsequent generations. Moreover, it was planned to study the nature of the changes in the kidneys in subsequent generations of rats. In these experiments eight generations of rats were investigated. The first five generations were immunized with a mixture of -Streptococcus hemolyticus with an emulsion of renal cortical substance; the rats were given from 4 to 8 injections. After the fifth generation the animals were not immunized, but their nephritis was considerably more pronounced than in their parents. In the 6th and 8th generations there was a sharp rise in the number of animals that died, mainly pregnant rats and newborns. In the course of the experiments, the animals were found to have hypertension, elevated blood nitrogen and proteinuria. A morphological investigation of the rats of the 6th, 7th, and 8th generations that were not immunized, but were born of immunized parents, revealed membranous-proliferative glomerulonephritis, which according to its clinical course and morphological data resembled the nephrotic syndrome the mixed type of human glomerulonephritis.

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Zusammenfassung Die Untersuchungen über den Generationswandel der Autoimmunnephritis der Ratte erstreckten sich über 8 Generationen. Bei den ersten 5 Generationen wurde durch eine 4–8malige Injektion einer Mischung aus beta-hämolytischen Streptokokken mit einer Emulsion aus Nierenrindengewebe eine Immunnephritis erzeugt. Die Ratten der 6. bis 8. Generation erhielten keine immunisierenden Injektionen. Trotzdem kam es in der 6. und 8. Generation zu einem akuten Anstieg der Spontantodesrate besonders unter den graviden und neugeborenen Versuchstieren. Klinisch führte die Immun-Nephritis zu einem Blutdruckanstieg, einer Proteinurie und Erhöhung des Harnstoffes. Histologisch entsprachen die Nierenbefunde der 6.–8. Generation einer membranösen proliferativen Glomerulonephritis.

     

Electromyographic validation of the pectoralis major and deltoideus anterior muscles in inverted "flying" exercises with loads

Inverted 'flying" exercise with external loads of 25, 50, 75 and 100% of each individual maximum load in the pectoralis major and deltoideus anterior muscles was electromyographically analyzed in eleven male volunteers, using surface electrodes MEDI-TRACE-200 connected to a biological signals acquisition module coupled to a PC/AT computer. Electromyographic signals were processed and the effective values obtained were standardized through maximum voluntary isometric contraction. When the concentric phase of each muscle with the same load was statistically compared with the eccentric phase, it was observed that for all loads all the muscles presented significant electromyographic difference, and that the concentric phase was always higher. By analyzing the different loads for each muscle, it was noticed that in the concentric phase all the muscles presented significant electromyographic activity, being it higher with maximum load. When the effect of each load on different muscle in the concentric and eccentric phases was analyzed, the muscles presented a distinct activity profile.