Arturo Alejandro Zavala

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression and Microvascular Density in Soft Tissue Sarcomas in Dogs

The aim of the current study was to evaluate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the microvascular density in canine soft-tissue sarcomas. Immunohistochemistry for VEGF expression was performed on 20 canine neoplasms by the streptavidin–biotin–peroxidase method using an anti-VEGF mouse monoclonal antibody (ab-119). The volume fraction of microvessels in the sarcomas was quantified in hematoxylin and eosin–stained tissue sections. At least 10 fields of view (40x magnification) per neoplasm were analyzed by positioning a grid with 100 points and counting the microvessels that fell into the intersection points. This percentage was considered the volume fraction of these microvessels in the tumor section. VEGF expression was detected in 65% of the neoplasms. In 92.3% of the neoplasms, the expression occurred in the peritumor region; in 46.15%, in the intratumor region; and in 38.46%, the expression was present in both regions. The cells responsible for VEGF expression were fibroblasts and macrophages in the peritumor region or in the pseudocapsule and neoplastic cells in the intratumor region. Greater intratumoral VEGF was expressed in hemangiopericytomas (P = 0.04). No difference was present in the volume fraction of tumor microvessels between VEGF-positive and VEGF-negative neoplasms (P = 0.3416) or for the different types of neoplasms (P = 0.5). The results of this study suggest that VEGF participates in the angiogenesis of soft-tissue sarcoma in dogs. Additional research will be necessary to elucidate the contribution of VEGF to the progression of malignancy.

Efeito de dietas hiperlipídicas com extrato de baru e chocolate sobre a área de adipócitos de ratos submetidos ao exercício físico

INTRODUCTION: Fat tissue accumulation provokes several metabolic disorders, which may be attenuated by dietetic modulation and physical exercise. OBJECTIVE: The effects of hypercaloric/hyperlipidic diets with additional baru extract associated to aerobic exercise on adipocytes from different regions as well as on hepatic triglycerides (TGLhep)of Wistar rats were evaluated. METHODS: The animals, except for the control ones (Nuvilab® diet: 3.48kcal/g), were fed with a chocolate-based diet (4.17 kcal/g) during 2 months in order to induce obesity. The animals were then distributed into 6 groups, according to the introduction of baru extract diet as well as to swimming training: Sedentary Control (SC); Trained Control (TC); Sedentary Baru (SB); Trained Baru (TB); Sedentary Chocolate (SCho) and Trained Chocolate (TCho). The trained animals were subjected to swimming exercise supporting overload equivalent to 2% of body weight, during 8 weeks, 5x/week, and 1h/day. At the end, the animals were killed and the TGLhep content was determined. The retroperitoneal (RET), inguinal (IN), and omental (OM) fat tissues were excised, weighted, and submitted to adipocyte area evaluation. RESULTS: The hypercaloric diet increased both body weight and cell areas of RET if compared to the control diet (P TB: 0.88 ± 0.43mg.100mg-1; SCho: 1.77 ± 0.64 > TCho: 0.86 ± 0.41mg.100mg-1). CONCLUSION: In the conditions of the present study, the exercise training protocol seemed more effective than the diet protocol in attenuating lipid tissue accumulation in rats.

Desempenho nas habilidades da linguagem em crianças nascidas prematuras e com baixo peso e fatores associados

Purpose: To examine the language development at chronological age 2 to 3 years of children born preterm with low birth weight and its associated risk factors. Methods In this cross-sectional study, children were assessed using the Denver Developmental Screening Test (Denver II test) and Early Language Milestone Scale (ELM scale). The chi-square test was used and all variables with p<0.20 were entered in a binary logistic regression model; statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results Among the 77 children studied, 36.4% had abnormal Denver II test performance in its four sectors and 37.6% had cautions and delays in the area of language specifically. On assessment of language ability by the ELM scale, 32.5% of the children showed altered responses. The abnormal performance of the four sectors of the Denver II and language in the ELM scale, after logistic regression, remained associated with suspected developmental abnormalities by parents (Denver II and ELM), weight less than 1500 g and caesarean section (Denver II only), and intracranial hemorrhage and family per capita income less than half the minimum wage (ELM only). Conclusion Children born preterm with low birth weight showed delayed language development, with greater impairment in the expressive auditory function associated with socioeconomic risk factors and child’s history.

Estudo de base populacional sobre mortalidade infantil

Although Brazil has reduced social, economic and health indicators disparities in the last decade, intra- and inter-regional differences in child mortality rates (CMR) persist in regions such as the state capital of Mato Grosso. This population-based study aimed to investigate factors associated with child mortality in five cohorts of live births (LB) of mothers living in Cuiabá (MT), Brazil, 2006-2010, through probabilistic linkage in 47,018 LB. We used hierarchical logistic regression analysis. Of the 617 child deaths, 48% occurred in the early neonatal period. CMR ranged from 14.6 to 12.0 deaths per thousand LB. The following remained independently associated with death: mothers without companion (OR = 1.32); low number of prenatal consultations (OR = 1.65); low birthweight (OR = 4.83); prematurity (OR = 3.05); Apgar ≤ 7 at the first minute (OR = 3.19); Apgar ≤ 7 at the fifth minute (OR = 4.95); congenital malformations (OR = 14.91) and male gender (OR = 1.26). CMR has declined in Cuiabá, however, there is need to guide public healthcare policies in the prenatal and perinatal period to reduce early neonatal mortality and further studies to identify the causes of preventable deaths.

Determinant factors of dairy production in the productive agglomerate of Alto Paraguay

The milk production in Mato Grosso State (Brazil) presents growth in most regions, and the Productive Agglomerate of the Alto Paraguay is the only space that obtained differentiated institutional support during the last decade, becoming a source for reflection on the current socio-economic condition of the milk producers. With an on-site research base and Multivariate Analysis basements, this study aims to define an underlying framework of the determinant factors for the activity’s development in the region. Results show a family activity in the limited stage, mostly in view of managerial problems. The productivity is low because the operational factors and the prices charged do not allow suitable investments to overcome these limitations.

Estudio de la agricultura urbana y periurbana de varzea grande (MT) bajo la perspectiva del análisis de clusters

The Mato Grosso province is known globally for its wide agricultural production, high technology and significant contribution to food security. However, it identifies an unusual feature in the city of Varzea Grande, near the capital Cuiaba, experience with urban agriculture that last for years and play a representative role towards food production and combat public health problems local. As it is considered an important activity of the socioeconomic and environmental point of view, the objective of this study is to examine this production structure of the vegetable crop, their importance, magnitude, limitations and potential for the municipality and surrounding areas. At first we make a brief background of the activity, through an exploratory study of empirical and bibliographical, highlighting the socio-economic aspects and, as a result, held a cluster analysis based on the collected primary data together local producers. Although the share of food produced and maintenance of vacant land of insects or disease vectors animals, the results point to an activity in degradation pathways, whose profitability and marketing process make it unattractive or complement income. The overall picture of activity in the municipality includes small productive forces that cannot be sustained in the current market structure, or even prolonged action of an unfavourable social policy reasons that intensify its deterioration process.

Reference index and reduction in physical fitness tests proposed by PROESP-BR

The purpose of this study was to create an unifying index of the PROESP-BR tests for school aged teenagers and propose a reduction in the physical fitness tests. A total of 414 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 17 years old, representative of the public school population in the city of Cuiaba were evaluated. The tests include general physical fitness, proposed by PROESP-BR. Multivariate factorial analysis was used, observing the commonality/representativeness of each test with regard to the set, and the index was created for girls and boys. With this analysis we can choose to use the following tests: female - throwing medicine ball, horizontal jump and run 20 meters; male - throwing medicine ball, representing the overall performance. The created index was divided into quintiles and allowed you to view the whole performance of the six tests, as well as their distribution within the group and away from the ideal reference.