Species interact and exploit one another for a number of reasons, including transportation, shelter or nutrition such as in parasitic relationships. Parasitism is an important aspect in life and is common in all taxonomic groups. Parasites are often host-specific and can be endoparasites or ectoparasites. The phylum Platyhelminthes includes the class Monogenea or monogenetic parasitic flukes. Monogeneans are mainly parasitic in fish but the family Polystomatidae, also commonly referred to as polystomes, are found on the skin and gills of the Australian lungfish, tadpole gills, kidneys and urinary bladders of frogs, gills and skin of salamanders, cloaca and phalodeum of caecileans, on the eye, in the nose, mouth or urinary bladder of freshwater turtles and on the eye of the hippopotamus. Polystomes have a cosmopolitan distribution, and are found on all hospitable continents. Polystome species were first discovered in the 1758. Between 1961 and 1980 French researchers focussed on Central and West Africa and described a large number of parasites. Polystome discovery has steadily decreased in the last 30 years, however despite this, new species are still being discovered annually. The list of currently known polystomes is most likely only a small portion of the species that exists. Wherever scientists searched for polystomes, new species were discovered. The current distribution of polystomes is not at all a true reflection of their global distribution but merely an indication of research effort. Monogenean flatworms exhibit many variations in the morphology of the intestinal tract. These parasites display two distinct diets, where one group mainly feeds on blood while the other mainly feeds on mucus and epithelial tissues. Thus the feeding habits and other factors such as the shape of the caeca, the presence/absence and number of medial and lateral diverticula as well as anastomosis may play a role in the morphology of the intestinal tract, which can be used as a classification tool to classify polystome species into specific genera. The three aims of the study were to:  Conduct a literature study to compile a species list and source of information on all valid polystome taxa.  Review the intestine shape of all polystomes and evaluate it as a taxonomic characteristic.  Conduct a species description of a new North American chelonian polystome belonging to the genus Polystomoides. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Species interact and exploit one another for a number of reasons, including transportation, shelter or nutrition such as in parasitic relationships. Parasitism is an important aspect in life and is common in all taxonomic groups. Parasites are often host-specific and can be endoparasites or ectoparasites. The phylum Platyhelminthes includes the class Monogenea or monogenetic parasitic flukes. Monogeneans are mainly parasitic in fish but the family Polystomatidae, also commonly referred to as polystomes, are found on the skin and gills of the Australian lungfish, tadpole gills, kidneys and urinary bladders of frogs, gills and skin of salamanders, cloaca and phalodeum of caecileans, on the eye, in the nose, mouth or urinary bladder of freshwater turtles and on the eye of the hippopotamus. Polystomes have a cosmopolitan distribution, and are found on all hospitable continents. Polystome species were first discovered in the 1758. Between 1961 and 1980 French researchers focussed on Central and West Africa and described a large number of parasites. Polystome discovery has steadily decreased in the last 30 years, however despite this, new species are still being discovered annually. The list of currently known polystomes is most likely only a small portion of the species that exists. Wherever scientists searched for polystomes, new species were discovered. The current distribution of polystomes is not at all a true reflection of their global distribution but merely an indication of research effort. Monogenean flatworms exhibit many variations in the morphology of the intestinal tract. These parasites display two distinct diets, where one group mainly feeds on blood while the other mainly feeds on mucus and epithelial tissues. Thus the feeding habits and other factors such as the shape of the caeca, the presence/absence and number of medial and lateral diverticula as well as anastomosis may play a role in the morphology of the intestinal tract, which can be used as a classification tool to classify polystome species into specific genera. The three aims of the study were to:  Conduct a literature study to compile a species list and source of information on all valid polystome taxa.  Review the intestine shape of all polystomes and evaluate it as a taxonomic characteristic.  Conduct a species description of a new North American chelonian polystome belonging to the genus Polystomoides. / MSc (Environmental Sciences), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Os objetivos deste trabalho foram, em indivíduos com câncer de coto gástrico: identificar o padrão de disseminação de linfonodos acometidos, quantificar a invasão tumoral da linha de anastomose, correlacionar a invasão da linha de anastomose com o comprometimento linfonodal e mesenterial, correlacionar o acometimento linfonodal com sobrevivência e correlacionar o acometimento da linha de anastomose com sobrevivência. Foi realizado estudo retrospectivo com revisão de prontuários, peças cirúrgicas e exames anátomo-patológicos de 113 pacientes. O câncer de coto gástrico não tem um padrão de disseminação linfonodal específico; 75% dos pacientes apresentaram invasão tumoral da linha de anastomose; em 66,7% dos casos ocorreu invasão da linha anastomótica e linfonodal concomitantes; menos de 10% dos casos exibiam invasão mesenterial; houve óbito em 86,5% dos casos com invasão linfonodal e 64,7% com invasão da linha de anastomose e em 100% com invasão mesenterial. / The objectives of this study are to identify the metastatic pattern of lymph node for gastric stump cancer; to quantify the invasion of anastomotic site by tumor; to relate the invasion of anastomotic site with metastasis lymph node or mesenterial lymph node and these parameters with the survival of patients with gastric stump cancer. One hundred and thirteen patients with gastric stump cancer were retrospectively analyzed along with their medical records, surgical pieces and histopathologic exam. The metastatic pattern of lymph node isnt specific to gastric stump cancer. 75% of patients had tumoral invasion in the anastomotic site. In 66.7% of the cases there was an invasion of the anastomotic site with metastatic lymph nodes. 9% of patients had mesenterial lymph node invasion by tumor. Fatal cases occurred in 86,5% of the patients with metastatic lymph node, 64,7% with invasion of the anastomotic site and 100% with mesenterial lymph node invasion.

Long segment tracheal obstruction is a potentially fatal condition arising from primary malignancy, congenital tracheal stenosis, or benign strictures. Shorter lesions are amenable to primary surgical repair, but anastomotic tension remains a limiting factor. Attention has therefore turned towards tissue engineered interposition grafts, consisting of cartilage, vascular, and airway epithelial cell layers. For clinical applications, it is essential to develop tools for noninvasive monitoring of in vivo graft development. This investigation therefore sough to optimize a tracheal patch and tube model suitable for SCID mouse implantation, and to demonstrate simultaneous tracking of human chondrocytes and epithelial cells labeled with contrasting intracellular magnetic resonance labels. Cartilage labeled with iron oxide nanoparticles was successfully distinguished from unlabeled control tissue both in vitro and in vivo. Gadolinium dendrimer labeling of adjacent airway epithelial cells, however, did not initially permit enhanced visualization. Further model optimization is required for simultaneous cell tracking.

Είναι πλέον αποδεκτό ότι οι αγγειακές βιολογικές διαδικασίες επηρεάζονται από την τοπική αιμοδυναμική. Πειράματα in vivo, in vitro και αριθμητικές μελέτες επιβεβαίωσαν ότι τα μοντέλα της ροής στην αρτηριοφλεβική αναστόμωση (ΑΦΑ) είναι αυστηρά εξαρτημένα από τη γεωμετρία της περιοχής. Στην παρούσα εργασία μελετήθηκε το πεδίο ροής του αίματος σε "εικονικές γεωμετρίες" των ΑΦΑ μέσω μεθόδων υπολογιστικής ρευστομηχανικής. Με τον όρο "εικονική γεωμετρία" καλούμε μια γεωμετρία που δεν προσδιορίζεται από μετρήσεις σε πραγματικές αναστομώσεις αλλά προσομοιάζει προσεγγιστικά σ'αυτή. Ως οριακές συνθήκες του προβλήματος ετέθησαν κατανομές ταχύτητας που είχαν μετρηθεί σε συγκεκριμένες θέσεις εισόδου στο επίπεδο αρτηρίας και φλέβας της ΑΦΑ. Η μελέτη του πεδίου ροής περιλαμβάνει την κατανομή ταχυτήτων σε όλη την περιοχή της ΑΦΑ, τον προσδιορισμό και μελέτη των περιοχών ανακυκλοφορίας, κατανομή των πιέσεων και των διατμητικών τάσεων στο τοίχωμα της ΑΦΑ. Η μελέτη του πεδίου ροής περιλαμβάνει τη σύγκριση των υπολογιστικά λαμβανομένων μεγεθών με τα αντίστοιχα αποτελέσματα εκ της βιβλιογραφίας. Σε ένα ξεχωριστό μέρος της εργασίας αναλύονται οι ΑΦΑ και οι τεχνικές τους, οι επιπλοκές τους καθώς και τα εμβιομηχανικά χαρακτηριστικά τους. Επίσης αναλύεται η συσχέτιση των αιμοδυναμικών διαταραχών με την ανάπτυξη ινομυϊκής υπερπλασίας. / It is widely accepted that the vascular biological procedure is influenced by the local hemodynamics. Experiments in vivo, in vitro and numerical studies have confirmed that the flow models in Arteriovenous Anastomosis (AVA) depend strongly on the area geometry. This project goes through the flow distribution in “virtual geometries”of AVA using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The term “virtual geometry” refers to a type of geometry which is not determined by calculations of real anastomosis but roughly simulates it. The boundary conditions of the problem were the velocity distributions that were calculated in specific entrance points in artery and vein of the AVA. The study of the flow distribution encompasses the velocity distribution in the whole area of the AVA, the specification and investigation of back flow areas, the distribution of pressure and shear stress in the AVA walls. It also encompasses the comparison of computated results to the equivalent measurements accumulated from the international bibliography. A separate chapter of this study refers to different kinds of AVA and their techniques, complications and biomechanical characteristics. Furthermore, it elaborates the correlations of the hemodynamical disorders and intimal hyperplasia.

Ένας από τους παράγοντες που ενοχοποιούνται για την ανάπτυξη ινομυϊκής υπερπλασίας στη φλεβική αναστόμωση των συνθετικών αρτηριοφλεβικών μοσχευμάτων, είναι η διαταραχή των αιμοδυναμικών συνθηκών στην περιοχή της αναστόμωσης. Για τον υπολογισμό της ροής, δηλαδή των πεδίων ταχύτητας, διατμητικής τάσης και στροβιλισμού, στην περιοχή αυτή, χρησιμοποιούνται μέθοδοι της υπολογιστικής δυναμικής των ρευστών, οι οποίες προϋποθέτουν γνώση της τριδιάστατης γεωμετρίας των αγγείων και του μοσχεύματος. Στην παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία αναπτύσσεται μια μεθοδολογία και ο αντίστοιχος αλγόριθμος για τον προσδιορισμό της τριδιάστατης γεωμετρίας της κεντρικής γραμμής των αγγείων από διεπίπεδη αγγειογραφία, όπου η σχέση των δύο συστημάτων αναφοράς θεωρείται άγνωστη, καθώς και για τη σχεδίαση κυκλικών διατομών σε επιλεγμένες θέσεις για την προσέγγιση του αγγειακού αυλού. Η μέθοδος βασίζεται στην θεωρία των Metz – Fencil (1989) και απαιτεί την εκ των προτέρων γνώση δύο ζευγών αντίστοιχων σημείων στις προβολές για τον προσδιορισμό της σχέσης που συνδέει τα δύο συστήματα αναφοράς. Για την αναγνώριση αντίστοιχων σημείων στις προβολές χρησιμοποιείται η τεχνική της επιπολικής γραμμής, ενώ η ανακατασκευή της κεντρικής γραμμής πραγματοποιείται με χρήση παραμετρικής φυσικής spline. Πραγματοποιήθηκε έλεγχος της μεθόδου με χρήση πρότυπης γεωμετρίας και διαπιστώθηκε ότι η ακρίβεια της ανακατασκευής εξαρτάται από το πλήθος και την ποιότητα των σημείων ελέγχου της spline. Τελικά, η μέθοδος εφαρμόστηκε σε πρότυπο αντικείμενο, γνωστής γεωμετρίας, ανάλογης αυτής που λαμβάνεται σε πραγματικές αγγειογραφικές προβολές αρτηριοφλεβικής αναστόμωσης στην περιοχή της καρωτίδας και διαπιστώθηκε ότι ανακατασκευάζει με καλή ακρίβεια την κεντρική γραμμή του αντικειμένου. / One of the factors that have been incriminated for the growth of fibromuscular hyperplasia at the anastomosis of the synthetic arteriovenous implant, is the disturbance of the hemodynamic conditions at the region of the anastomosis. For the computation of the flow at this region, that is the fields of velocity, shear stress and rotation, methods of computational flow dynamics are used, which require that the 3D geometry of the vessels and the implant are known in advance. In this thesis, we developed a methodology and the respective algorithm for the determination of the 3D geometry of the central line of the vessels from biplane angiography, for which the relation of the two systems of coordinates are unknown, as well as for the drawing of circular cross section at selected positions for approximation of arterial lumen. The method is based on the theory of C.E.Metz and L.E.Fencil (1989) and requires the knowledge of two pairs of respective points on the views in advanced in order to calculate the rotation matrix and the translation vector that relate the two systems of coordinates. For recognition of respective points on the two views the epipolar line technique is being used, while the central line is reconstructed using a parametric natural spline. The method was tested using a model and it showed that the accuracy of the reconstruction depends on the number and the quality of the control points of the spline. Finally, the method was implemented on a model object with geometry, analogous to that we get from real angiographic views of arteriovenous anastomosis at the region of the carotid artery, and its central line was reconstructed with very good accuracy.

No description available.

Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da oxigenoterapia hiperbárica na cicatrização da anastomose esôfagojejunal em ratos gastrectomizados. Material e Métodos: Foram operados 40 ratos Wistar, adultos machos, com peso entre 322g e 506g. Os animais foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos. No grupo A (controle), 20 ratos foram submetidos à gastrectomia total. No grupo B, 20 ratos foram igualmente gastrectomizados e receberam tratamento pósoperatório com oxigenoterapia hiperbárica por 90 minutos/dia durante sete dias. Todos os ratos foram sacrificados no oitavo dia de pós-operatório e avaliados de acordo com as seguintes variáveis em estudo:a) presença ou não de fístula anastomótica; b) avaliação da cicatrização da anastomose esôfagojejunal através da medida da força de ruptura à tração na linha da sutura segundo Hendriks & Mastboom; c) determinação da concentração de colágeno na anastomose, pelos critérios de Kovács. Para análise estatística comparativa entre os grupos foi utilizado o teste t de Student, considerando-se como significativo p <0,05. Resultados: Houve 20% de óbitos na amostra, sendo cerca de 60% no grupo A e os 40% restantes no grupo B (p=N.S.) . Ocorreu apenas uma fístula anastomótica em cada grupo, sendo que em ambos não houve morbidade relacionada ou óbito. As medidas de força de ruptura à tração na linha da sutura entre os grupos (p=0,528) e a determinação da concentração de colágeno na anastomose esôfagojejunal (p=0,89) não mostraram diferença estatisticamente significativa nos dois grupos. Conclusões: Utilizando parâmetros clínicos, mecânicos e bioquímicos para avaliar a anastomose esôfagojejunal, concluímos que no presente estudo a oxigenoterapia hiperbárica não interferiu no processo de cicatrização desta anastomose. / Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the healing of the esophagojejunal anastomosis in gastrectomized rats. Material and Methods: 40 Wistar rats male adults with weighing between 322g to 506g were operated. The animals were divided in two ramdom groups.20 rats from group A (control group), were submitted to total gastrectomy. In group B, 20 rats were equally gastrectomized and received postoperative treatment with hyperbaric oxygen for 90 minutes/day during seven days. All rats were sacrificed on the eighth postoperative day and evaluated according to the following study variables :a) whether there were any anastomotic fistula or not; b) evaluating esophagojejunal anastomosis healing by measuring breaking strength at the suture line as per Hendriks & Mastboom; c) determining of the collagen concentration on the anastomosis, as per Kovács criteria. For the comparative statistical analyses between the groups, Student’s “t” test was used, whereas p<0,05 was significant. Results: There was a 20% rate of deceasing in the sample, whereas 60% occurred in group A and 40% in group B (p=N.S.). There was only one anastomotic fistula in each group, and in neither one occurred any morbidity or deaths related. Breaking strength measured at the suture line (p=0,528) and collagen concentration determined at the esophagojejunal anastomosis (p=0,89) did not present any significant statistical difference in either group. Conclusions: By using clinical, mechanical and biochemical parameters to evaluate the esophagojejunal anastomosis, it was possible to conclude that, in this study, hyperbaric oxygen therapy did not interfere with the healing process of the anastomosis.

Objetivo: Avaliar o efeito da oxigenoterapia hiperbárica na cicatrização da anastomose esôfagojejunal em ratos gastrectomizados. Material e Métodos: Foram operados 40 ratos Wistar, adultos machos, com peso entre 322g e 506g. Os animais foram divididos aleatoriamente em dois grupos. No grupo A (controle), 20 ratos foram submetidos à gastrectomia total. No grupo B, 20 ratos foram igualmente gastrectomizados e receberam tratamento pósoperatório com oxigenoterapia hiperbárica por 90 minutos/dia durante sete dias. Todos os ratos foram sacrificados no oitavo dia de pós-operatório e avaliados de acordo com as seguintes variáveis em estudo:a) presença ou não de fístula anastomótica; b) avaliação da cicatrização da anastomose esôfagojejunal através da medida da força de ruptura à tração na linha da sutura segundo Hendriks & Mastboom; c) determinação da concentração de colágeno na anastomose, pelos critérios de Kovács. Para análise estatística comparativa entre os grupos foi utilizado o teste t de Student, considerando-se como significativo p <0,05. Resultados: Houve 20% de óbitos na amostra, sendo cerca de 60% no grupo A e os 40% restantes no grupo B (p=N.S.) . Ocorreu apenas uma fístula anastomótica em cada grupo, sendo que em ambos não houve morbidade relacionada ou óbito. As medidas de força de ruptura à tração na linha da sutura entre os grupos (p=0,528) e a determinação da concentração de colágeno na anastomose esôfagojejunal (p=0,89) não mostraram diferença estatisticamente significativa nos dois grupos. Conclusões: Utilizando parâmetros clínicos, mecânicos e bioquímicos para avaliar a anastomose esôfagojejunal, concluímos que no presente estudo a oxigenoterapia hiperbárica não interferiu no processo de cicatrização desta anastomose. / Purpose: To evaluate the effect of the hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the healing of the esophagojejunal anastomosis in gastrectomized rats. Material and Methods: 40 Wistar rats male adults with weighing between 322g to 506g were operated. The animals were divided in two ramdom groups.20 rats from group A (control group), were submitted to total gastrectomy. In group B, 20 rats were equally gastrectomized and received postoperative treatment with hyperbaric oxygen for 90 minutes/day during seven days. All rats were sacrificed on the eighth postoperative day and evaluated according to the following study variables :a) whether there were any anastomotic fistula or not; b) evaluating esophagojejunal anastomosis healing by measuring breaking strength at the suture line as per Hendriks & Mastboom; c) determining of the collagen concentration on the anastomosis, as per Kovács criteria. For the comparative statistical analyses between the groups, Student’s “t” test was used, whereas p<0,05 was significant. Results: There was a 20% rate of deceasing in the sample, whereas 60% occurred in group A and 40% in group B (p=N.S.). There was only one anastomotic fistula in each group, and in neither one occurred any morbidity or deaths related. Breaking strength measured at the suture line (p=0,528) and collagen concentration determined at the esophagojejunal anastomosis (p=0,89) did not present any significant statistical difference in either group. Conclusions: By using clinical, mechanical and biochemical parameters to evaluate the esophagojejunal anastomosis, it was possible to conclude that, in this study, hyperbaric oxygen therapy did not interfere with the healing process of the anastomosis.

Resumo: A mancha areolada causada por Thanatephorus cucumeris, é uma das doenças mais importantes da seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis) na região Amazônica. Apesar disso, há pouca informação disponível sobre a diversidade biológica, patogênica e genética do patógeno. Uma questão importante sobre o real posicionamento filogenético deste patógeno ainda não foi respondida. Neste estudo, foram analisadas seqüências da região ITS-5.8S do rDNA de uma população de T. cucumeris (fase anamórfica = Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2) associado à mancha areolada da seringueira, obtida em Belém (PA), Manaus (AM) e Xapuri/Rio Branco (AC). Esta população foi também comparada filogeneticamente com membros do AG 2 descritos mundialmente. Este estudo representa um passo importante para revelar a origem, os padrões de movimento e amplificação de genótipos epidemiologicamente importantes de T. cucumeris da seringueira. Filogenéticamente, através de análise Bayesiana e de máxima parcimônia, encontramos suporte para nomear um novo grupo de anastomose associado à mancha areolada da seringueira: o AG 2-2 Hb. Este grupo constitui-se numa unidade evolucionária independente em relação aos subgrupos mundiais do AG 2-2 analisados. Na genealogia construída por análise coalescente, observou-se que a população de R. solani AG 2-2 Hb, de Belém, é relativamente mais velha que as demais populações analisadas. O ancestral comum de todas as três populações analisadas está associado com a mancha foliar do maracujazeiro (Passiflora edulis), em Belém, e tem cerca de 0,8 unidades evolucionárias coalescentes de idade. Nenhum haplótipo da região ITS-5.8S do AG 2-2 Hb, de Belém, foi observado em outras regiões. Entretanto, a população de Manaus compartilhou dois, de seus quatro haplótipos, com aqueles observados em Xapuri / Rio Branco, no Acre, indicando fluxo gênico e deriva genética. / Abstract: Thanatephorus leaf spot is one of the most important diseases of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) in the Amazon region, Brazil. However, there is fill information available about the biological, pathogenic and genetic diversity of the pathogen. An important question about the actual phylogenetic placement of this pathogen is not answered yet. In this study, we analyzed sequences of the ITS-5.8S rDNA region from a population of T. cucumeris (anamorphase = Rhizoctonia solani AG 2-2) associated to the rubber tree leaf spot obtained in Belém (PA), Manaus (AM) and Xapuri/Rio Branco (AC). This population was also phylogenetically compared with members of AG 2 world-widely described. This study represents an important step to reveal the origin, the patterns of movement and amplification of epidemiologically important genotypes of rubber tree-infecting T. cucumeris. Phylogenetically, through both Bayesiana and maximum parsimony analyses, we found support to nominate a new group of anastomosis associated with the rubber tree foliar spot: the AG 2-2 Hb. This group consisted of a independent evolutionary unit in relation to the world-wide sub-groups of AG 2-2 analyzed. In the gene genealogy built by coalescent analysis, was observed that the population of R. solani AG 2-2 Hb of Belém is relatively older than the other populations analyzed. The oldest most recent common ancestor of all the three populations analyzed was associated with a sample obtained from passion-fruit (Passiflora edulis) leaf blight in Belém and has about 0.8 coalescent evolutionary units of age. No AG 2- 2 Hb ITS-5.8S rDNA haplotype from Belém was observed in any other regions. However, the population from Manaus shared two, of its four haplotypes, with those observed in Xapuri/Rio Branco (Acre), indicating both gene flow and genetic drift. / Orientador: Paulo Cezar Ceresini / Coorientador: Alcebíades Ribeiro de Campos / Banca: Cesar Junior Bueno / Banca: Edson Luiz Furtado / Mestre