Su amžiumi susiję struktūriniai simpatinės nervų sistemos pokyčiai sukelia įvairių organų funkcijos sutrikimus. Simpatinio kamieno viršutiniai kakliniai mazgai, pagrindiniai galvos smegenų kraujagyslių simpatinės inervacijos šaltiniai, yra svarbūs galvos smegenų kraujotakos autonominės reguliacijos centrai. Tačiau žmogaus simpatinių mazgų morfofunkciniai tyrimai yra pavieniai. Todėl šio darbo tikslas buvo ištirti trijų amžiaus grupių žmonių ir mirusiųjų dėl išeminio galvos smegenų infarkto simpatinio kamieno viršutinio kaklinio mazgo morfologinius bei neurocheminius ypatumus, ir nustatyti jų sąsajas su amžiumi ir išeminiu galvos smegenų infarktu. Tyrimo rezultatai rodo, kad amžiaus eigoje vystosi žmogaus simpatinio kamieno viršutinio kaklinio mazgo neuronų morfologinių parametrų, neurofilamentų baltymo, nervų augimo faktoriaus receptorių p75 imunoreaktyvumo pokyčiai. Skirtingose amžiaus grupėse aptinkami neuronų ir satelitinių ląstelių apoptoz����s požymiai. Pagyvenusio amžiaus žmonių, mirusių dėl išeminio galvos smegenų infarkto, simpatiniuose mazguose vystosi neuropatologinės alteracijos požymiai: padidėja neuronų afinitetas baziniams dažams, atsiranda neuronų su degeneraciniais ir hipertrofijos požymiais židiniai, satelitinių ląstelių proliferacija, limfocitų židininė infiltracija, sumažėja neuronų kūno, branduolio, citoplazmos plotai, aptinkamas didesnis neurofilamentams ir nervų augimo faktoriaus receptoriams p75 imunoreaktyvių neuronų skaičius, didesnis apoptozinis... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Age-related structural changes of the sympathetic nervous system cause the disturbance of the involuntary functions of various organs. The superior cervical ganglia are the main source of sympathetic innervation of the cerebral arteries and important center of autonomic regulation of the cerebral circulation. However, only single morphofunctional studies of the human sympathetic ganglia are performed. Therefore, the aim of the study was to investigate morphological and neurochemical peculiarities of the human superior cervical ganglion in three age groups and in the subjects dead of ischemic cerebral infarction and establish their relation to age and ischemic cerebral infarction. The results of the present study show that changes of neurons morphologic parameters and immunoreactivity to neurofilament and nerve growth factor receptor p75 in the human superior cervical ganglion are developed in the course of aging. Morphological features of apoptosis in the sympathetic neurons and satellite cells in different age groups are detected. The signs of neuropathological alteration of the sympathetic ganglion of subjects with ischemic cerebral infarction were the following: increased tinctorial affinity of neurons, foci of neurons with features of neuron death and hypertrophy, proliferation of satellite cells, focal lymphocyte infiltration, decrease of neuron body, nucleus, cytoplasm area, increase of neurofilament and nerve growth factor receptor p75 immunoreactive neurons... [to full text]

<p>Numerous studies on mammalian spermatozoa have reported large variations in the dimensions of the main sperm structural components, namely the head, midpiece and flagellum. These variations in sperm architecture are believed to be adaptations for functioning of spermatozoa in complex environments outside the male reproductive system. The midpiece of the mammalian&nbsp / permatozoon contains a varied number of mitochondria, but the reason for the marked difference in the size and structure of this sperm component is not clear. This study&nbsp / confirmed the variations in the sperm morphometry of seven selected mammalian species and revealed unique features of the sperm midpiece and sperm mitochondria of these seven species. Evaluation of several sperm kinematic parameters revealed the unique swimming characteristics of the different spermatozoa. The importance of using standardized motility&nbsp / parameters was highlighted as well as the assessment of different subpopulations of spermatozoa in order to produce more reliable and comparable data. Investigating the role of sperm mitochondria in human sperm&nbsp / metabolism indicated that these organelles are related to sperm function in terms of sperm motility. Furthermore, it was suggested that glycolysis and mitochondrial respiration are linked processes and that both are important for the maintenance of human sperm motility. By optimizing and employing standardized experimental procedures and analysis techniques, this study was&nbsp / able to confirm the species specificity of almost all the sperm parameters evaluated, while also elucidating the phylogenetic relatedness of the non-human primate species. In conclusion, the present study has confirmed that the various midpiece morphometry parameters are related to the remaining sperm morphometry parameters as well as to the sperm kinematic parameters.&nbsp / These proposed associations between the various sperm parameters were used to explain the sperm velocity of two hypothetical and morphologically different sperm structures. Therefore, the results of the current study support the idea of co-evolution between sperm components in mammalian spermatozoa and propose that the midpiece morphometry parameters that are selected for in these spermatozoa are midpiece volume, total number of mitochondrial gyres, thickness of the mitochondrial sheath and mitochondrial height.</p>

Background: Children born very preterm are at an elevated risk of behavioural adjustment problems, particularly Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or inattention/hyperactivity difficulties. Importantly, these risks remain even after controlling for the effects of social risk factors correlated with very preterm birth. Behavioural outcomes in follow-up studies of children born very preterm are typically assessed using parent reports only. However, the extent to which behavioural problems are evident across multiple contexts (i.e., parent or teacher report) is not well known. Furthermore, the neonatal neuropathology underlying these behavioural difficulties in this population remains poorly understood. Aims: Three research studies are undertaken primarily to examine: (1) the degree of agreement between parent and teacher reports of child behaviour adjustment, and the extent of situational (parent- or teacher-identified) and pervasive (parent- and teacher-identified) inattention/hyperactivity problems at ages 4, 6, and 9 years among children born very preterm and full-term; (2) to cross-validate the classification of children with situational and pervasive inattention/hyperactivity problems across the ages of 4 to 9, for a clinical diagnosis of ADHD at age 9 years; (3) to document risk of persistent ADHD symptoms between ages 4 and 9 years in children born very preterm, and to examine associations between qualitative measures of neonatal cerebral white matter injury/abnormality and quantitative volumetric measures of cerebral structural development, identified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at term equivalent age, and children’s later risks of persistent symptoms. Persistent ADHD symptoms were defined as behavioural inattention/hyperactivity problems shown at ages 4, 6, and 9, along with meeting the criteria for an ADHD clinical diagnosis at age 9 years. Methods: As part of a prospective longitudinal study, a regional cohort of 110 very preterm (≤ 33 weeks of gestation) and 113 full-term children born between 1998 and 2000 were studied from birth to age 9 years. At term equivalent age, all children born very preterm and 10 children born full-term underwent an MRI scan that was analysed using qualitative measures for cerebral white matter injury/abnormality, and quantitative volumetric techniques with tissue segmentation and regional parcellation for cortical and subcortical grey matter, myelinated and unmyelinated white matter, and cerebrospinal fluid. At ages 4, 6 (corrected for the extent of prematurity), and 9 years (uncorrected), children were screened for behavioural adjustment problems including inattention/hyperactivity symptoms using the parent and teacher rated Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). At age 9, the Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA) structured psychiatric interview was also completed with primary caregiver and an independent clinical diagnosis of ADHD determined by a child psychiatrist blinded to child’s perinatal history and group status. Results: Agreement between parent and teacher reports regarding child behaviour adjustment was lower for children born very preterm than full-term (mean alternative chance-correlated coefficient, AC₁ = 0.63 vs. 0.80). Across all assessment time-points, very preterm birth was associated with on average a 2-fold increased risk of behavioural inattention/hyperactivity problems. These elevated risks largely reflected high rates of situational symptoms (very preterm = 22.3% − 31.7%; full-term = 10.9% − 16.7%). In contrast, rates of pervasive symptoms were relatively modest (very preterm = 6.8% − 11.5%; full-term = 4.7% − 7.3%). Examination of the predictive validity of inattention/hyperactivity problems identified using parent and teacher reports showed that children exhibiting situational symptoms at ages 4 and 6 were much less likely than those exhibiting pervasive symptoms, for a subsequent clinical diagnosis of ADHD at age 9 years (very preterm = 29% − 47.8% vs. 66.7% − 75%; full-term = 13.3% − 22.2% vs. 33.3% − 40%). Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic curves fitted to the data showed that children born very preterm exhibiting inattention/hyperactivity problems at two or three time-points (area under curve, AUC = .909) have better predictive validity for later ADHD diagnosis, compared to those exhibiting symptoms at age 4 (AUC = .794) or 6 years (AUC = .813) only. Children born very preterm were also at an elevated risk of persistent ADHD symptoms across the ages of 4 to 9 years, with the risk being 5-fold higher than their full-term peers (13.1% vs. 2.8%). Results also revealed possible associations between neonatal neuropathology and later risk of persistent ADHD symptoms. There were no significant linear associations between increasing severity of qualitative neonatal MRI measures of white matter injury/abnormality and very preterm children’s later risk of persistent ADHD symptoms. However, reduction in total cerebral tissue volumes and corresponding increase of cerebrospinal fluid (adjusted for intracranial volume) were significantly associated with increased risk of persistent symptoms in children born very preterm (p = .001). In terms of regional tissue volumes, total cerebral tissues in the dorsal prefrontal region showed the largest volumetric reductions among all the subregions in children born very preterm exhibiting persistent ADHD symptoms, with 3.2 ml (7%) and 8.2 ml (16%) lower tissue volumes than children born very preterm and full-term without persistent symptoms, respectively. Conclusions: Reliance on a single informant to examine child behaviour outcomes at a single time-point may lead to an under- or over-estimation of later ADHD risks. Combining reports from multiple informants and repeated assessments over time may provide better clinical prognostic validity. Children born very preterm are at an increased risk of behavioural inattention/hyperactivity problems during their early school years; although risks of more severe, pervasive problems are relatively modest compared with situational problems. Behavioural adjustment difficulties recognised as early as during preschool age using standardised behaviour screening tools can be a reliable indicator for identifying children born very preterm at risk of subsequent ADHD diagnosis. Finally, study findings suggest that increased risk of ADHD symptoms in children born very preterm can at least in part be accounted for by disturbances to neonatal cerebral growth and maturation.

Parkinson’s disease patients present with the highest risk of dementia development. The thalamus, integral to several functions and behaviours is involved in the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease. The aim of this thesis was to determine if anatomical abnormalities in the thalamus are associated with the development of dementia in Parkinson’s disease. We examined the thalamus using macro and microstructural techniques and the white matter pathways that connect the thalamus with areas of the surrounding cortex using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) based tractography. T1-weighted magnetic resonance and DT images were collected in 56 Parkinson’s disease patients with no cognitive impairment, 19 patients with mild cognitive impairment, 17 patients with dementia and 25 healthy individuals who acted as control subjects. An established automated segmentation procedure (FIRST FSL) was used to delineate the thalamus and a modified k-means clustering algorithm applied to segment the thalamus into clusters assumed to represent thalamic nuclei. Fibre tracts were determined using DTI probabilistic tracking methods available in FIRST. Microstructural integrity was quantified by fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity (MD) DTI measures. Results show that microstructural measures of thalamic integrity are more sensitive to cognitive dysfunction in PD than macrostructural measures. For the first time we showed a progressive worsening of cellular integrity (MD) in the groups who had greater levels of cognitive dysfunction. Thalamic degeneration was regionally specific and most advanced in the limbic thalamic nuclei which influenced executive function and attention, areas of cognition that are known to be affected in the earliest stages of PD. The integrity of the fibre tracts corresponding to these thalamic regions was also compromised. Degeneration of fibre tracts was most evident in the dementia group, indicating that they may be more protected against Lewy pathology than the nuclei of the thalamus. Our findings confirm previous histological, animal and lesion studies and provide a reliable estimate of cortical degeneration in PD that can be applied non-invasively and in vivo. A longitudinal study is needed to monitor the progression of cognitive decline in PD but we have provided the basis for further investigation into the predictive validity of thalamic degeneration for cognitive dysfunction. In the future, the microstructural changes of the thalamus could be used as biomarkers for the identification of individuals with a higher risk for dementia development and for the longitudinal monitoring of any interventions into cognitive decline.

This dissertation is comprised of four studies investigating the hypothesis that adults and children who stutter differ from their same-age fluent peers in the neuroanatomy and neurophysiology underlying auditory speech processing. It has been consistently reported that adults who stutter demonstrate unique functional neural activation patterns during speech production, including reduced auditory activation, relative to nonstutterers. The extent to which these functional differences are accompanied by abnormal morphology of the brain in stutterers is unclear. The first study in this dissertation examined the neuroanatomical differences in speech-related cortex between adults who do and do not stutter using magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry analyses. Adults who stutter were found to have localized grey matter volume increases in auditory and motor speech related cortex. The second study extended this line of research to children who stutter, who were found to have localized grey matter volume decreases in motor speech related cortex. Together, these studies suggest an abnormal trajectory of regional grey matter development in motor speech cortex of people who stutter. The last two studies investigated the mechanism underlying the repeated findings of reduced auditory activation during speech in people who stutter in more detail. Magnetoencephalography was used to investigate the hypothesis that people who stutter have increased speech induced suppression of early evoked auditory responses. Adults and children who stutter demonstrated typical levels of speech induced suppression relative to fluent peers. However, adults and children who stutter showed differences from peers in the timing of cortical auditory responses. Taken together, the studies demonstrate structural and functional abnormalities in brain regions related to auditory processing and point to the possibility that people who stutter have difficulty forming the neural representations of speech sounds necessary for fluent speech production.

Coastal waters have high biological productivity and provide goods and services with a high monetary value. Coasts are used by many different stakeholders and are often densely populated. These factors put coastal ecosystems under heavy environmental pressure and place high demands on politicians and coastal managers, who need suitable tools to facilitate decision-making. Geographic information systems and predictive mass balance models are two such tools, and the form of coastal areas (morphometry) is an important component of both tools in coastal management. In this thesis it was shown that the form and function of coastal areas are interrelated in a number of ways. Morphometric parameters can be used to identify coastal areas that are more sensitive to pollution, or that potentially have higher ecological value; and morphometric analysis is an essential part of mass balance modeling. New ways of using morphometry for estimation of benthic production potential were presented and tested. It was shown that there are great differences in benthic production potential among Swedish coastal areas and regions. Different morphometric descriptors of openness were developed and tested; these can be used in habitat mapping or for prediction of sediment bottom types. Significant correlation was found between the morphometric properties of coastal areas, the proportion of accumulation bottom areas and the critical depth. Statistical models for prediction of accumulation bottom areas and critical depth were also obtained using multiple regression. Large differences were found in empirical values of bottom dynamic conditions from two different sources. Algorithms from a well tested mass balance model were adapted for modeling salt in the Baltic Sea. This enabled calculation of water exchange between five basins on a monthly time scale, which can be of use in future modeling studies. The study included morphometric analysis for structuring the model and for calculation of input data.

Submitted by Claudia Rocha (claudia.rocha@udesc.br) on 2017-12-19T14:19:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 PGEF17MA086.pdf: 1284817 bytes, checksum: 7ed61f4c9f53e5784be2456fd057c77f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-19T14:19:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 PGEF17MA086.pdf: 1284817 bytes, checksum: 7ed61f4c9f53e5784be2456fd057c77f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-07-28 / UNIEDU / FUMDES / A basic understanding of the structural dynamics of the forest, the morphometry of individuals, as well as their interdimensional relationships is required to guide quality management. The objectives of this work were to describe the dynamics of the diametric distribution in order to propose management interventions using the Liocourt quotient, to evaluate the morphometric relationships, to adjust equations for the relation between the maximum density of trees per hectare in relation to the crown variables and to verify if the average and periodic diameter increases of Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol) Kuntze plus the diameter at breast height measured in 2012 are equivalent to the diameters at breast height remeasured in the year 2016. The data were collected in a fragment of A , and the mortality of 25 permanent sample units of 400 m², installed in the year of 2012, were measured in the year 2016. All the araucaria individuals were remeasured in the year of 2016. chest height, total height, crown insertion height, and four crown rays of all individuals with diameter a from 10 centimeters and 121 araucaria were obtained increment rolls. The cut intensity and cutting rate were also calculated for cutting cycles of 20, 25 and 30 years. The calculated morphometric indexes were: degree of slenderness, salience index, coverage index, formal crown and crown ratio. The canopy diameter, canopy competition factor, canopy area, crown volume and number of individuals per hectare were also calculated with the data set and for verifying the mean increments added with the diameter at height of the breast measured in 2012 were equivalent to the diameters of breast height measured in remeasurement was considering the average increment obtained from each tree in 2012 and the periodic increase. For the quotient of Liocourt was found the value of 1.32. The cutting rates were 44.89 m³ / ha, 63.64 m³ / ha and 86.52 m³ / ha for the cutting cycles of 20, 25 and 30 years respectively, in this way the potential volume of wood that can be from this fragment would bring economic, social and ecological benefits. The number of trees per diametric class correlated positively only with the degree of slenderness, and with the other variables the correlation was negative, reflecting the competition for light to which individuals are suffering. The results found for the Cup Competition Factor were higher than 95%, evidencing a high degree of soil cover in the crowns, where the maximum density per hectare considering crown surface area and crown volume was 171 trees for one average diameter of 32 cm. The calculation of the diameter at breast height performed through the diametric increment was similar to the measurement data of this variable obtained in the field, making it possible to use them to prognose the future diameters of araucaria trees / Para direcionar à um manejo de qualidade se faz necessário um conhecimento básico sobre a dinâmica estrutural da floresta, a morfometria dos indivíduos, bem como suas relações interdimensionais. Os objetivos do trabalho foram descrever a dinâmica da distribuição diamétrica a fim de propor intervenções de manejo utilizando-se o quociente de Liocourt, avaliar as relações morfométricas, ajustar equações para a relação entre a densidade máxima de árvores por hectare em relação às variáveis de copa e verificar se os incrementos diamétricos médios e periódicos de Araucaria angustifolia (Bertol) Kuntze somados com o diâmetro a altura do peito mensurado em 2012 são equivalentes aos diâmetros à altura do peito remedidos no ano de 2016. Os dados foram coletados em um fragmento de A. angustifolia de 84 ha em Lages, SC, sendo remedidos no ano de 2016 todos os indivíduos de araucária, os ingressos e verificado a ocorrência de mortalidade em 25 unidades amostrais permanentes de 400 m², instaladas no ano de 2012. Foram medidos o diâmetro à altura do peito, a altura total, altura de inserção de copa e quatro raios de copa de todos individuos com diâmetro a partir de 10 centimetros e de 121 araucárias obteve-se rolos de incremento. Também foram calculadas a intensidade de corte e a taxa de corte para ciclos de corte de 20, 25 e 30 anos. Os índices morfométricos calculados foram: grau de esbeltez, índice de saliência, índice de abrangência, formal de copa e proporção de copa. Com o conjunto de dados também foi calculado o diâmetro de copa, o fator de competição de copa, a área de superfície de copa, o volume de copa e número de indivíduos por hectare e para a verificação dos incrementos médios somados com o diâmetro a altura do peito mensurados em 2012 eram equivalentes aos diâmetros a altura do peito mensurados na remedição foi considerando o incremento médio obtido de cada árvore em 2012 e o incremento periódico. Para o quociente de Liocourt foi encontrado o valor de 1,32. As taxas de corte foram de 44,89 m³/ha, 63,64 m³/ha e 86,52 m³/ha para os ciclos de corte de 20, 25 e 30 anos respectivamente, dessa forma o volume potencial de madeira que pode ser retirado desse fragmento trariam benefícios econômicos, sociais e ecológicos. O número de árvores por classe diamétrica correlacionou-se positivamente somente com o grau de esbeltez, sendo que com as demais variáveis a correlação foi negativa, refletindo a concorrência por luz ao qual os indivíduos estão sofrendo. Os resultados encontrados para o Fator de Competição de Copa foi superior a 95% evidenciando um alto grau de cobertura do solo pelas copas, onde a densidade máxima por hectare considerando a área de superfície de copa e o volume de copa foi de 171 árvores para um diâmetro médio de 32 cm. O cálculo do diâmetro a altura do peito realizado através do incremento diamétrico foi similar aos dados de mensuração dessa variável obtidos a campo, tornando-se possível utiliza-los para prognose de diâmetros futuros das árvores de araucária

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:30:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 468409 bytes, checksum: 3e2e0ab05597740b3f2ba9c5da061f42 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-22 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The bees of Melipona genus have trofogenetic mechanism to determination of caste. The level of juvenile hormone (JH) in several stages of larval development determines the characteristics of females. Diploid males and females of Melipona quadrifasciata that, in last instar larvae, received topical JH develop external morphological characteristics of queen. This work was based on morphometric data to investigate the effect of JH III in the development of haploid and diploid males of Melipona quadrifasciata and compare morphological characteristics of them with morphological characteristics already known in females of this species. Ten individuals were used for each treatment; workers, natural queens, queens produced from the topical application of JH, natural haploid males, haploid males received application of JH but did not differ, haploid males that received topical application of JH and developed features of queens (QLM - Queen-Like Male), natural diploid males, diploid males that received topical application of JH but did not differ and diploid QLM. The anatomical averages analyzed were: width of compound eyes, width of tibia, length of mouthparts, length of mandible, intertegule distance and interorbit distance. All averages allowed the separation of individuals into groups. However, the lengths of the mouthpart averages were differences most significantly between treatments. Natural queens and queens produced from the effect of JH had similar averages. Diploid and haploid QLM showed average variables with similar size in the natural queens and queens produced from topical application of JH. Workers were more similar to males than the queens in the most averages variables and, in general, the workers presented average size more than queens. Natural diploid and haploid males had close averages, which does not allow visual differentiation of these individuals. The dates confirm that the JH is primarily responsible for the differentiation of specific characteristics of each caste, and, in the high levels of it causes the appearance of the characteristics of queen, independent on genotype. / Abelhas do gênero Melipona possuem mecanismo de determinação das castas trofogenético. O nível de hormônio juvenil (HJ) em certas fases do desenvolvimento larval determina as características das fêmeas. Fêmeas e machos diplóides de Melipona quadrifasciata que, na fase pré defecante, recebem aplicação tópica de HJ desenvolvem características morfológicas externas de rainha. Este trabalho baseou-se em dados morfométricos para investigar o efeito do HJ III no desenvolvimento de machos haplóides e diplóides de Melipona quadrifasciata e comparar estes efeitos com os efeitos já conhecidos em fêmeas desta espécie. Foram utilizados dez indivíduos de cada tratamento, sendo operárias, rainhas naturais, rainhas produzidas a partir da aplicação tópica de HJ, machos haplóides naturais, machos haplóides que receberam aplicação de HJ mas não se diferenciaram, machos haplóides que receberam aplicação tópica de HJ e desenvolveram características de rainha (QLM &#8211; Queen-Like Male), machos diplóides naturais, machos diplóides que receberam aplicação tópica de HJ mas não se diferenciaram e QLM diplóides. As medidas anatômicas analizadas foram largura do olho composto, largura da tíbia, comprimento do aparelho bucal, comprimento da mandíbula, distância intertégula e distância interorbital. Todas as medidas possibilitaram a separação dos indivíduos em grupos, no entanto o comprimento do aparelho bucal foi a medida com diferenças mais significativas entre os tratamentos. Rainhas naturais e rainhas produzidas a partir do efeito do HJ possuem medidas semelhantes. QLM haplóides e diplóides apresentaram as variáveis medidas com tamanhos semelhantes as das rainhas naturais e produzidas a partir da aplicação tópica de HJ. Operárias se mostraram mais semelhantes aos machos do que as rainhas quanto a maior parte das maioria das variáveis medidas e, em geral, as operárias apresentam médias de tamanho maiores e as rainhas menores. Macho diplóides e haplóides naturais possuem medidas próximas, o que não permite a diferenciação visual desses indivíduos. Os dados corroboram que o HJ é o principal responsável pela diferenciação das características específicas de cada castas, assim, em altos níveis ele acarreta o aparecimento das características de rainha, independente do genótipo.

Submitted by Socorro Pontes (socorrop@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-05-03T13:11:41Z No. of bitstreams: 1 AndreMV_TESE.pdf: 15675614 bytes, checksum: fe55971bec8a35c1310c8ede4fbbf2f5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vanessa Christiane (referencia@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-05-04T16:04:13Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 AndreMV_TESE.pdf: 15675614 bytes, checksum: fe55971bec8a35c1310c8ede4fbbf2f5 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vanessa Christiane (referencia@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-05-04T16:04:48Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 AndreMV_TESE.pdf: 15675614 bytes, checksum: fe55971bec8a35c1310c8ede4fbbf2f5 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-04T16:05:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 AndreMV_TESE.pdf: 15675614 bytes, checksum: fe55971bec8a35c1310c8ede4fbbf2f5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-17 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The gestation period, the characteristics of the reproductive cycle, including the selection of the influence of the male effect, the description of the female reproductive system, placentation, embryonic and fetal development – added of the morphometric analysis - and the expression of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the reproductive and placental organs were the ways to contribute with the conservation of the species. For this, 45 non-pregnant females were used in the following experiments: 15 females were distributed in three experimental groups, followed by the addition of one male in each group, so that after the copulation and fertilization the females were separeted in accordance with the compatible dates of begining (days 5, 10 and 15), middle (days 20, 25, 30 and 35) and end (days 40, 45, 50 and 55) of gestation. This condition was obtained to obtain fragments of gestational sacs, placentas and organs of the female reproductive system, which were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and submitted to light microscopy techniques. The samples fixed in glutaraldehyde were performed in scanning and transmission electron microscopy techniques. In addition, prozima was used for GAG extraction, followed by agarose gel electrophoresis and subsequent quantification by densitometry. The second experiment consisted of the use of five females, housed in a room that contained a male to monitor the duration of gestation. The third experiment aimed to characterize the estrous cycle in a group containing five females plus one male, which was found trapped in a cage and another five, in a box exempt from the latter. The fourth experiment was performed by means of the morphometric analysis of embryos with 20, 25, 30 and 35 days plus fetuses on days 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and newborns. The results revealed the presence of an incomplete double uterus, formed by two horns, a septate body and a cervix. The organs of the reproductive system presented macroscopic and histological characteristics similar to those reported for other rodents. The duration of gestation showed an average of 59 ± 2,7487 days and the sexual cycle was classified as continuous polystyric, with a mean period of 14.8 ± 0.73 days for females submitted to the male effect and 14.6 ± 0.75 days for those of the other group. In addition, the male presence significantly influenced (D <0.05) the duration of the diestrus, making it longer. The yolk sac inversion occurred on the 14th day of gestation and the visceral endoderm was placed in apposition to the uterine tissues. The chorioallantoic placenta presented a discoidal shape and had well defined regions of spongiotrophoblast, labyrinth and subplacenta from the intermediate gestation. Embryonic development was similar to that observed in histricognatis rodents, being the transition to the fetal phase, occurring at 40 days of gestation. Morphometric data allowed the establishment of correlations with gestational age. Dermatan sulfate was the predominant GAG in samples of uterine tubes, vaginas and placentas, whereas heparam expressed more in the body of the uterus at the beginning of gestation. There were also high concentrations of GAGs in the pregnant uterus and still in the reproductive system in the estrogenic phase when compared to the diestrus. It is concluded that the reproductive events presented characteristics of the species correlated with others of the order Rodentia, fact that indicates a set of evolutionary strategies related to its maintenance / O período de gestação, características do ciclo reprodutivo, incluindo verificação da influência do efeito macho, descrição do sistema reprodutor feminino, placentação, desenvolvimento embrionário e fetal – acrescido de análises morfométricas - e expressão dos glicosaminoglicanos (GAGs) sulfatados nos órgãos reprodutivos e placentários foram caracterizados em fêmeas de preás como forma de contribuir para a conservação da espécie. Para tanto, utilizaram-se 45 fêmeas não gestantes nos seguintes experimentos: 15 fêmeas foram distribuídas em três grupos experimentais, seguido da adição de um macho em cada grupo de modo que após a cópula e fecundação, as fêmeas eram separadas segundo datas compatíveis com início (dias cinco, 10 e 15), meio (dias 20, 25, 30 e 35) e fim (dias 40, 45, 50 e 55) da gestação. Tal condição visou à obtenção de fragmentos dos sacos gestacionais, placentas e órgãos do sistema reprodutor feminino, os quais foram fixados em paraformaldeído 4% e submetidos às técnicas de microscopia de luz. As amostras fixadas em glutaraldeído foram destinadas à realização de técnicas de microscopia eletrônica de varredura e transmissão. Além disto, usou-se a prozima para extração dos GAGs, seguida da eletroforese em gel de agarose e posterior quantificação por densitometria. O segundo experimento consistiu na utilização de cinco fêmeas, alocadas em recinto que continha um macho para o acompanhamento da duração da gestação. O terceiro experimento objetivou a caracterização do ciclo estral em um grupo contendo cinco fêmeas mais um macho, o qual encontrou-se preso em gaiola e outras cinco, em box isento deste último. O quarto experimento foi realizado por meio da análise morfométrica de embriões com 20, 25, 30 e 35 dias além de fetos nos dias 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 e recém-nascidos. Os resultados revelaram a presença de um útero duplo incompleto, formado por dois cornos, um corpo septado e uma cérvice. Os órgãos do sistema reprodutor apresentaram características macroscópicas e histológicas semelhantes as relatadas para outros roedores. A duração da gestação demonstrou média de 59 ± 2,7487 dias e o ciclo sexual foi classificado como poliéstrico contínuo, com período médio de 14,8 ± 0,73 dias para as fêmeas submetidas ao efeito macho e 14,6 ± 0,75 dias para aquelas do outro grupo. Além disto, a presença do macho influenciou significativamente (P<0,05) a duração do diestro, tornando-o mais longo. A inversão do saco vitelino ocorreu no décimo quarto dia de gestação e o endoderma visceral situou-se em aposição aos tecidos uterinos. A placenta corioalantoide apresentou forma discoidal e possuiu regiões bem definidas de espongiotrofoblasto, labirinto e subplacenta a partir da gestação intermediária. O desenvolvimento embrionário foi semelhante ao observado em roedores histricognatis, sendo a transição para a fase fetal, ocorrida aos 40 dias de gestação. Os dados morfométricos possibilitaram o estabelecimento de correlações com a idade gestacional. O dermatam sulfato foi o GAG predominante em amostras de tubas uterinas, vaginas e placentas, ao passo que o heparam expressou-se mais no corpo do útero, no início da gestação. Houve ainda elevadas concentrações de GAGs no útero gestante e no sistema reprodutor na fase estrogênica quando comparada ao diestro. Conclui-se que os eventos reprodutivos apresentaram características da espécie correlacionáveis com outras da ordem Rodentia, fato este que indica um conjunto de estratégias evolutivas relacionadas com a sua manutenção / 2017-05-03

Estudos recentes demonstram que a incidência de fissura lábio-palatina é de 1.4 a 1.5 por 1.000 nascimentos vivos1. Pelo senso do IBGE de 2000, temos um número aproximado de 4.500 casos novos de pacientes portadores de fissuras lábio-palatinas a cada ano em nosso país. Com a maior aceitação e interação social pela recuperação estética, a preocupação com o aspecto funcional tornou-se ainda mais evidente. No convívio social, a comunicação através da voz/fala é uma das ferramentas fundamentais para o desenvolvimento pessoal. Nos pacientes com fissura palatina (FP), malformação do esfíncter velofaringeano, esta dinâmica está comprometida2. A palatoplastia é o tratamento indicado para a correção da fissura palatina. A busca pela técnica que proporcione melhores resultados é um objetivo permanente. É óbvio que a melhor análise da eficácia de uma técnica de palatoplastia é a fonação. Entretanto, outros fatores são importantes, como o reposicionamento anatômico das estruturas e a reprodutibilidade. O objetivo deste trabalho é o de comparar morfometricamente o reposicionamento conseguido por três técnicas cirúrgicas diferentes de palatoplastia através de medidas intraoperatórias e pós-operatórias imediatas. Tais procedimentos foram realizados em 30 pacientes portadores de fissura lábiopalatina unilateral, com idades que variavam entre 12 e 24 meses, sem cirurgias prévias em palato mole, sem outras co-morbidades. Todos os pacientes foram operados por um mesmo cirurgião e foram divididos em três grupos: Grupo I - Técnica de Furlow; Grupo II - Técnica de Veau-Wardil-Kilner com veloplastia; e Grupo III - Técnica de Veau-Wardil-Kilner com veloplastia e plástica em Z na mucosa nasal. Duas destas técnicas (GI e GII) são consagradas pelo uso, e a terceira (GIII) é uma modificação destas sugerida pelo autor. Nas medidas realizadas, observou-se que as três técnicas alongam o palato, com uma tendência maior no Grupo III. O conjunto muscular é mais retroposicionado nos pacientes do Grupo III. O índice de complicações foi maior nos pacientes operados pela técnica de Furlow. Os achados clínicos perioperatórios e morfométricos deste estudo sugerem que a técnica VW- K+B+Z é uma alternativa viável e promissora para o tratamento da fissura palatina. A avaliação fonológica destes pacientes em longo prazo será a resposta final para a sua aplicabilidade clínica. / Recent studies have demonstrated that the incidence of cleft lip and palate is that of 1.4 to 1.5 in 1000 live births. According to the 2000 IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) census, we have approximate 4.500 new cases of cleft lip and palate in our country each year. The concern with the functional aspect has become more evident with the greater acceptance and social interaction resulting from aesthetic restoration. Oral communication is a fundamental tool for social interaction and personal development. Patients suffering from cleft palate (CP) or malformation of the velopharyngealsphincter cannot properly benefit from this tool. Palatoplasty is the treatment recommended for the correction of palate. The search for a technique which produces better results is a constant objective. It is obvious that the best analysis of the effectiveness of a palatoplasty technique is speech itself. However, other factors are also important, such as the anatomical repositioning of the structures and reproductibility. The purpose of this study is to carry out a morphological contrast of the repositioning resulting from three different palatoplasty surgical techniques, by means of intra-surgical measurements and immediate post-surgical measurements. Such procedures were carried out in 30 patients suffering from unilateral cleft lip and palate, ranging from 12 to 24 months old, who had not been subjected to previous surgery to the soft palate, and who did not suffer from any other abnormalities. All the patients were operated by the same surgeon, and were divided into three groups: Group I – Furlow’s Technique; Group II – Veau-Wardil-Kilner Technique with veloplasty, and Group III – Veau- Wardil-Kilner Technique with veloplasty and Z plasty on the nasal mucosa. Two of the techniques (GI and GII) are well known, and the third (GIII) is a variation of such techniques by the author of this study. The measurements carried out demonstrated that all three surgical techniques extend the palate, with a greater prolongation tendency in Group III. The muscular network was more extensively retro-positioned in the patients in Group III. The rate of complications was greater in the patients who were operated with the use of Furlow’s technique. The perisurgical and morphometric clinical findings in this study suggest that the VW- K+B+Z technique presents itself as a promising and feasible alternative for the treatment of cleft lip and palate. The long term phonological evaluation of such patients shall be the final evidence for its clinical applicability.