Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the effects of duodenal-jejunal bypass (DJB) on the diaphragm muscle of obese rats fed on a western diet (WD) . Methods: Eighteen male Wistar rats were fed a standard rodent chow diet (CTL group) or WD ad libitum. After 10 weeks, WD rats were submitted to sham (WD SHAM) or duodenal-jejunal bypass (WD DJB). The structure, ultrastructure, collagen content and the morphometry of the neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) were analyzed two months after surgery. Results: WD SHAM rats displayed an increase in body weight, the Lee index and retroperitoneal and peri-epididymal fat pads compared to the CTL group. DJB did not alter these parameters. The muscle fiber structure and NMJs were similar in the WD SHAM and CTL groups. However, the WD SHAM group showed alterations in the fiber ultrastructure, such as loosely arranged myofibrils and Z line disorganization. In addition, WD SHAM animals presented a considerable amount of lipid droplets and a reduction in the percentage of collagen compared to the CTL group. DJB did not affect the structure or ultrastructure of the muscle fibers or the NMJs in the diaphragm of the WD DJB animals. Conclusion: Duodenal-jejunal bypass did not improve the alterations observed in the diaphragm of western diet obese-rats.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe X-linked recessive disorder characterized by the progressive loss of muscular strength. Mdx mutant mice show a marked deficiency in dystrophin, which was related to muscle membrane stability. The aim of this study was to verify the possible protective anti-inflammatory effect of citrus oil on mdx muscle fibers. Thus, adult male and female mdx mice (014/06-CEEA) were divided into control and citrus-treated. After 60 days of treatment, one ml of blood was collected for creatine kinase (CK) test. Diaphragm, sternomastoideus, anterior tibial and gastrocnemius muscles were removed and processed according to histological routine methods. The observed alterations indicate a direct effect of citrus. Recent studies have improved the diagnosis of muscular diseases but with no definitions of efficient treatments. Intervention with several therapies is important to many patients presenting muscular dystrophy, which enables them to live longer and be more active, while there is no development of gene therapies.

La distrofia muscular de Duchenne (DMD) es una enfermedad grave ligada al cromosoma X, trastorno recesivo que se caracteriza por la pérdida progresiva de fuerza muscular. Mdx ratones mutantes muestran una marcada deficiencia en la distrofina, que está relacionada con la estabilidad de la membrana muscular. El objetivo de este estudio fue comprobar el posible efecto protector, antiinflamatorio del aceite de cítricos en las fibras musculares mdx. Los ratones mdx adultos machos y hembras (014/06-CEEA) se dividieron en control y cítricos tratados. Después de 60 días de tratamiento, un ml de sangre fue recogida para cuantificar la creatina quinasa (CK) de prueba. Fueron retirados y procesados los músculos diafragma, esternomastoideo, tibial anterior y gastrocnemio de acuerdo con los métodos de rutina histológica. Las alteraciones observadas indican un efecto directo de los cítricos. Estudios recientes han mejorado el diagnóstico de enfermedades musculares, pero sin definiciones de tratamientos eficaces. Intervención con varias terapias es importante para muchos pacientes que presentan distrofia muscular, lo que les permite vivir más y ser más activos, mientras no exista desarrollo de terapias génicas.

Neste estudo diferenças expressivas foram observadas na estrutura dos ductos eferentes distais (DED) de codorna doméstica Coturnix coturnix, da variedade italiana, mantida em cativeiro experimental durante dois anos, durante as quatro estações do ano. A variabilidade morfológica dos DED foi mais marcante na primavera e no outono, eqüivalendo às fases ativa e quiescente do ciclo reprodutivo anual (ciclo testicular) nesta ave. Nessas fases do ciclo, diferenças significativas foram observadas na ultraestrutura das células principais (P) e ciliadas (C) do epitélio de revestimento tubular e nos calibres tubulares. Estes tiveram valores médios maiores na primavera, com valores similares no verão e no inverno, e valores médios menores observados no outono. Na primavera, no citoplasma apical de células P, notou-se maior complexidade organelar, inferindo-se a ocorrência de processos endocitóticos ativos. A quiescência outonal caracterizou-se por redução do calibre tubular dos DED, luz tubular vazia de espermatozóides, degenerações de organelas citoplasmáticas e "debridamentos" citoplasmáticos apicais em células P e C. No inverno e verão, correspondentes às fases recrudescente e regressiva, respectivamente, do ciclo testicular nesta espécie, os dados obtidos foram, de modo geral, similares aos observados na primavera.

Some expressive differences were noted on the distal efferent ducts (DED) morphology in domestic quail of the Italian variety along the year. The birds were maintained on experimental captive breeding along two consecutive years, before the morphologic studies. Morphologic differences on the DED had been more evident in spring and autumn respectively, the active and quiescent phases of the annual testis cycle. Variability more expressive was noted among the principal (P) and ciliated (C) epithelial cells and in tubular diameters of DED, during the two focused seasons. Spring features of DED were marked by relative enlargement of the passageways, with similar results in summer and winter, and characteristic organelle development on the apical cytoplasm of P cells, allowing to conclude presence of active process of endocytosis. Autumn quiescence was marked by an enfolding pattern of all the tubular passageways, lacking of spermatozoa and small amount of heterogeneous material inside their luminal compartments, followed by presence of ultrastructural degenerative features in apical cytoplasm of P cells and C cells in DED passageways. Tubular features verified in DED during winter and summer were minor and similar to those described in spring. Summer and winter were respectively considered the recrudescent and regressive phases of the testis cycle in these species, based on the spermatogenesis cycle analysed in all the seasons of the year as well as on the base the morphologic features here found.

The ovarian histology, the structural and the ultrastructural characteristics of the folliculogenesis in Didelphis albiventris were described in detail. Recent studies suggest that methatherian mammals have unusual reproductive cycle but there are few informations regarding the marsupials reproductive life. Despite of the opossum folliculogenesis pattern resembles methatherian and eutherian pattern in many aspects, the analysis shows some peculiar features of the oocyte structure and ultrastructure that make available new data on the reproductive biology of marsupials.

Fueron descritas con detalles la histología ovárica, las características estructurales y ultra-estructurales de la foliculogénesis del Didelphisalbiventris. Estudios recientes sugieren que mamíferos metaterios tienen un ciclo reproductivo inusual, pero existen pocas informaciones en relación a la vida reproductiva de los marsupiales. A pesar de que el modelo de foliculogénesis de la zarigüeya se parece al modelo metaterio y euterio en muchos aspectos, el análisis muestra algunos rasgos peculiares de las estructura y ultra-estructura del oocito, que colocan a disposición nuevos datos en la biología reproductiva de los marsupiales.

A estrutura segmentar da parede aórtica foi estudada em galo doméstico, em níveis torácico e abdominal, nas dimensões de microscopias óptica e eletrônica de varredura. Secções histológicas selecionadas foram submetidas a estudos histomorfométricos usando métodos de análises de imagens. As variáveis analisadas foram as espessuras das túnicas da parede aórtica em três segmentos investigados, compreendendo as porções ascendente torácica; descendente torácica e abdominal, bem como os diâmetros tubulares, em cada porção, e o número médio de lamelas elásticas na túnica média de cada segmento analisado. A parede aórtica do galo doméstico apresenta estrutura predominantemente elástica nas porções torácicas, cujo número relativo de lamelas elásticas decresce gradualmente para a parte abdominal da aorta, onde células musculares lisas predominam. Os diâmetros aórticos decrescem também gradualmente, e progressivamente, da porção torácica ascendente para a porção torácica descendente, e desta para a porção abdominal da aorta.

The segmental structure of the aortic wall at the thoracic and abdominal levels were studied in domestic chicken by light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Selected histological sections were submitted to histomorphometric studies using image analysis methods. The variables studied were the thickness of the aortic layers in the three segments investigated: ascendant thoracic, descendant thoracic and abdominal parts as well as the tubular diameters and the mean number of elastic lamellae in the medial layer of each analyzed segment. The aortic wall of the chicken had a predominately elastic structure in the thoracic portions, that decrease gradually in relative number of elastic lamellae towards the abdominal aorta in which smooth muscle cells predominated. Vascular diameters decreased gradually to the ascendant aorta from the descendant thoracic portion and to the last from the abdominal aorta.