The digastric muscle is formed by two muscle bellies: one anterior and one posterior, joined by an intermediate tendon. It is localized in the anterior cervical region. The anterior belly divides the region between the hyoid bone and the mandible into two: laterally the submandibular triangle, and medially the submental triangle. The anatomical variations described in the literature relate to the anterior belly and consist of differences in shape and muscle attachment. This cross-sectional cohort study had the objective of describing anatomical variations in the anterior belly of the digastric muscle. The neck regions of 10 cadavers of male adults were dissected in the Department of Morphology, between June 2004 and June 2006. The digastric muscles that presented anatomical variations were photographed using a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T1 camera, with a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens and their bellies were measured using a universal pachymeter. Anatomical variations in the anterior bellies of the digastric muscle were observed in four individuals. Cases 1 and 4 presented a unilateral right variation, with an anomalous anterior belly. Cases 2 and 3 presented bilateral variation, with the presence of two supernumerary bellies. The anatomical variations observed on this study related only to the anterior belly, as previously described by other authors. It is important to consider the occurrence of these variations in the digastric muscle when differentiating between cervical masses and during surgical procedures on the anterior region of the neck.

Este estudo visa a analisar de modo crítico a literatura pertinente a respeito do papel das citocinas no colesteatoma adquirido. O colesteatoma da orelha média é caracterizado pela presença de epitélio escamoso estratificado queratinizado neste local, com alto poder invasivo, causando destruição óssea e podendo levar a complicações. As citocinas são glicoproteínas de baixo peso molecular que atuam na intercomunicação celular. São importantes na estimulação e supressão dos eventos da resposta imune, desencadeando e coordenando a resposta inflamatória, assim como os processos de cicatrização e remodelação tecidual. No colesteatoma já foram observadas as seguintes citocinas e fatores de crescimento: IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-±, TGF- ±,TGF-², EGF e KGF. Ocorre um sinergismo entre as diferentes citocinas para resultar nas características agressivas do colesteatoma.

Mebendazole, albendazole, levamisole and thiabendazole are well known as active drugs against several nematode species, and against cestodes as well, when the first two drugs are considered. None of the drugs have proven activity, however, against trematodes. We tested the effect of these drugs on the fecal shedding of schistosome eggs and the recovering of adult schistosomes, after portal perfusion in Schistosoma mansoni experimentally infected mice. Balb/c mice infected with 80 S. mansoni cercariae were divided into three groups, each in turn subdivided into four other groups, for each tested drug. The first group was treated with each one of the studied drugs 25 days after S. mansoni infection; the second group was submitted to treatment with each one of the drugs 60 days after infection. Finally, the third group, considered as control, received no treatment. No effect upon fecal shedding of S. mansoni eggs and recovering of schistosomes after portal perfusion was observed when mice were treated with either mebendazole or albendazole. Mice treated with either levamisole or thiabendazole, on the other hand, showed a significant reduction in the recovering of adult schistosomes after portal perfusion, mainly when both drugs were given during the schistosomula evolution period, i.e., 25 days after cercariae penetration, probably due to unspecific immunomodulation.

Cholesteatomas have hyperproliferating characteristics with epithelial acanthosis, hyperplasia of the basal layer and the presence of epithelial cones in the matrix.

Mi ddle ear cholesteatomas are characterized by the presence of stratified squamous epithelium in this cavity with highly invasive properties causing bone destruction and it may lead to complications. Aim: To study the histopathological features in acquired cholesteatomas of the middle ear, correlating this data with patient age. Study design:clinical and experimental cross-sectional study. Material and Methods: Samples were obtained from 50 patients submitted to otologic surgery for the removal of middle ear cholesteatomas from 2006 to 2007. Thirty four patients were adults and 16 were children. Samples were studied by histological analysis. Results: we found the presence of epithelial atrophy (78%), epithelial acanthosis (88%), hyperplasia of the basal layer (88%) and formation of epithelial cones (62%). There was a positive and significant correlation between histopathological variables (such as epithelial acanthosis, hyperplasia of the basal layer and formation of epithelial cones). Histopathological variables presented no statistical significant difference in both age groups (p>0,05). Conclusion: Cholesteatomas have hyperproliferating characteristics with epithelial acanthosis, hyperplasia of the basal layer and the presence of epithelial cones in the matrix.

Acqui red middle ear cholesteatoma is a disease which promotes bone erosion resulting in potentially serious complications. The tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is present in cholesteatoma and it is related to bone erosion, as shown by different authors. To understand the aggressiveness characteristics of cholesteatoma is necessary, however, to better address the presence and distribution of their receptors. Objective:To evaluate the expression of type 2 TNF-α receptor (TNF-R2) in fragments of cholesteatoma and correlate it to the degree of inflammation present.Material and methods: observational cross-sectional study, which analyzed 33 fragments of cholesteatomas through histological analysis and immunohistochemistry (using as primary antibody to TNF-R2 LabVision ® brand). The evaluation was performed by means of a qualitative and semiquantitative agreement with the observed intensity. For statistical analysis we used the Fisher exact test and Spearman´s correlation coefficient (considered statistically significant when p ≤ 0.05). Results:The expression of TNF-R2 was present in all fragments, however a statistical analysis showed no correlation or association between inflammation and the expression of TNF-R2.Conclusions: TNF-R2 is present in cholesteatoma of the middle ear, however, its expression is not directly related to the degree of inflammation observed in patients with this disease. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2011;77(4):531-6. REVIEW ARTICLE BJORL

Middle ear cholesteatomas are characterized by the presence of keratinized stratified squamous epithelium inside this cavity. It is considered to be more aggressive in childhood. In normal skin, the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is expressed in the cytoplasmic membrane of epithelial cells of the basal layer. In contrast, its expression in middle ear cholesteatoma extends to suprabasal layers. The objective of this study is to detect the presence of EGFR in cases of acquired cholesteatoma of the middle ear and correlate the expression of this receptor with patients' ages. In this cross-sectional study, cholesteatoma samples were collected from 50 patients (35 adults and 15 children) who underwent otological surgery, throughout 1 year of study. These samples were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical assays. Results were submitted to statistical analyses and main findings were: EGFR was present in the parabasal layers in 27 cases and EGFR expression was extended to all layers of the matrix in 17 cases. There were no statistically significant differences in what concerns age-related variances in EGFR expression. The intensity and location of EGFR expression in acquired cholesteatoma of the middle ear confirm the hyperproliferative capacity of keratinocytes.

The vomeronasal organ was first described in humans in the seventeenth century. It has a chemosensory function and is found in the mucosa of the nasal septum of mammals and consists of an opening in the mucosa at the base of the nasal septum. For this study, 143 individuals undergoing nasofibrolaryngoscopy were studied, and presence of the vomeronasal organ was considered to be a finding from the examination. Three morphological types of vomeronasal organ were observed: fissure, fossette and circular. The total prevalence of the vomeronasal organ among these patients was 28% (40 individuals). The prevalence of the vomeronasal organ in this study population is compatible with what has been reported in other studies. The forms of the vomeronasal organ can be characterized: fissure, fossette and circular. The fossette type is commonest in males and the fissure among females.