O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do sistema de alojamento sobre o desempenho zootécnico, as características da carcaça, a qualidade da carne e a condição sanitária de suínos criados em seis diferentes sistemas. Foram usados 803 suínos mestiços MS58 x (Landrace x Large White) em sete lotes seqüenciais no tempo, avaliando as fases de creche e de crescimento-terminação. Na creche, foram avaliados três tipos de alojamento: confinado convencional (CO); cama sobreposta-(CS); e sistema intensivo de suínos criados ao ar livre (SISCAL). No crescimento-terminação, foram avaliados apenas dois tipos de alojamento (CO e CS), sendo o último subdividido em três substratos (palha de trigo-PT, casca de arroz-CA e serragem-SE). Para a análise estatística foi considerado no modelo os efeitos de lote, o tratamento (combinação de tipos de alojamento na creche e no crescimento-terminação), idade dos suínos (84, 105, 126, 147 e 160 dias) e a interação tratamento x idade. Suínos alojados no sistema CO apresentaram maior (P<0,05) ganho de peso diário (824 vs. 779g), maior peso de carcaça quente (75 vs. 69kg) e maior espessura de toucinho (18, vs. 17mm) do que os criados sobre cama todavia estes suínos apresentaram peso do conteúdo estomacal significativamente (P<0,05) maior (360 vs. 204g) e menor grau de lesão do estômago do que aqueles alojados em tratamento convencional, embora com maior prevalência de espirro. O sistema de alojamento não afetou os aspectos sanitários avaliados, contudo, suínos alojados em cama sobreposta no crescimento-terminação apresentaram desempenho e características de carcaça inferiores àqueles do sistema convencional, independentemente do sistema de alojamento utilizado na creche.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of housing system on live performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and the sanitary condition of pigs raised in six different systems. A total of 803 MS58 x (Landrace x Large White) hybrid type pigs was used in seven subsequent lots, during the nursery and growing-finishing phases. At the nursery period, the systems evaluated were: conventional (CO), deep litter (CS), and intensive free range (SISCAL), while during the growing-finishing phase only the CO and CS systems were evaluated, being the CS system subdivided into three substrates (wheat straw, rice hulls and wood shaving). The factors considered on the statistical analysis were lot, treatment (combination of housing type used during nursery and growing-finishing phases), age (84, 105, 126, 147 e 160 days), and the interaction treatment x age. A significant effect of housing type was observed on weight gain, carcass characteristics, and weight of heart, liver, full stomach and stomach content. Animals housed on conventional treatment had higher (P<0.05) weight gain (824 vs. 779g), higher hot carcass weight (75 vs. 69kg) and higher fat thickness (18 vs. 17mm) than the ones raised on deep litter, however, these, on the other hand, presented larger (P<0.05) gut content (360 vs. 204g) and less degree of gut lesion than those of the conventional treatment, eventhough with higher sneeze prevalence. The housing system did not influence the health, however pigs housed on deep litter system during the growing-finishing phase presented lower performance and carcass values than the ones housed in the conventional housing system despite the housing system used during the nursery phase.

The leishmanicidal activity of four batches of meglumine antimoniate, produced in Farmanguinhos-Fiocruz, Brazil (TAMs), was assessed and compared to Glucantime®-Aventis Pharma Ltda. Using the amastigote-like in vitro model, the active concentrations of Sb v varied from 10µg/ml to 300 µg/ml for L. (L.) chagasi and from 50µg/ml to 300µg/ml for L. (L.) amazonensis, with no statistically significant differences among the four batches of TAMs and Glucantime®. The inhibitory concentrations (IC50) determined by the amastigote-infected macrophage model for TAM01/03 and Glucantime® were, respectively: 26.3µg/ml and 127.6µg/ml for L. chagasi, 15.4µg /ml and 22.9µg/ml for L. amazonensis, and 12.1µg/ml and 24.2µg/ml for L. (V.) braziliensis. The activities of the four batches of TAMs were confirmed in an in vivo model by assessing, during eight weeks skin lesions caused by L. braziliensis in hamster that were treated with 20mg Sb v/Kg/day for 30 consecutive days. The meglumine antimoniate produced by Farmanguinhos was as effective as the reference drug, Glucantime®-Aventis, against three species of Leishmania that are of medical importance in Brazil.

It is presumed that drugs able to prevent bronchial spasm and/or inflammation may have therapeutic potential to control asthma symptoms. The local anaesthetic lidocaine has recently received increased attention as an alternative form of treatment for asthmatic patients. This paper reviews the major findings on the topic and summarizes the putative mechanisms underlying the airway effects of local anaesthetic agents. We think that lidocaine extends the spectrum of options in asthma therapy, probably by counteracting both spasmogenic and inflammatory stimuli in the bronchial airways. The possibility of development of new anti-asthma compounds based on the synthesis of lidocaine derivatives is also on the horizon.