José Thadeu Pinheiro

Procedimentos legais e protocolos para utilização de cadáveres no ensino de anatomia em Pernambuco

The acquisition of cadavers for research and teaching has traditionally relied on unclaimed corpses, without major formalities. With the complexity of modern times, the mere transfer of these corpses to medical schools has come to be feared on grounds that it may break some law. This has reduced the number of cadavers available for anatomy classes. The Department of Anatomy at the Federal University in Pernambuco, Brazil, together with other institutions from the State, responded by studying legal mechanisms to overcome the lack of cadavers for research and teaching. The methodology consisted of discussion meetings and presentation of protocols for receiving cadavers, based mainly on the prevailing Brazilian legislation. The results were: (a) publication of Provision 28/2008 by the Pernambuco State Court, ruling on death certificates for cadavers scheduled for transfer to schools of medicine for research and teaching and (b) the creation of protocols for the use of cadavers in the State of Pernambuco. We conclude that knowledge of the attributions of the various institutions involved in the process will facilitate the use of cadavers in research and teaching activities.

Effect of a Brazilian regional basic diet on the prevalence of caries in rats

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a regional basic diet (RBD) on the prevalence of caries in the molar teeth of rats of both sexes aged 23 days. The animals were divided into six groups of 10 rats each receiving the following diets for 30 and 60 days after weaning: RBD, a cariogenic diet, and a commercial diet. The prevalence and penetration of caries in the molar teeth of the rats was then analyzed. The RBD produced caries in 37.5% of the teeth of animals fed 30 days, and in 83.4% of animals fed 60 days, while the cariogenic diet produced caries in 72.5% and 77.5% of the teeth of animals fed 30 and 60 days, respectively. Rats fed the RBD for 30 days had caries in the enamel in 38% of their teeth, 48% had superficial dentin caries, and 7.5% moderate dentin caries. The effect of the RBD did not differ significantly from that of the cariogenic diet in terms of the presence of caries in rats fed 60 days. The penetration depth of the caries produced by the RBD was the same as that produced by the cariogenic diet. Our results show that the RBD has the same cariogenic potential as the cariogenic diet. Since the RBD is the only option for the low-income population, there should be a study of how to compensate for the cariogenicity of this diet.