Saliva biomarkers using reagent-free biophotonic technology have not been investigated as a strategy for early detection of breast cancer (BC). The attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy has been proposed as a promising tool for disease diagnosis. However, its utilization in cancer is still incipient, and currently saliva has not been used for BC screening. We have applied ATR-FTIR onto saliva from patients with breast cancer, benign breast disease, and healthy matched controls to investigate its potential use in BC diagnosis. Several salivary vibrational modes have been identified in original and second-derivative spectra. The absorbance levels at wavenumber 1041 cm−1 were significantly higher (p<0.05) in saliva of breast cancer patients compared with those of benign patients, and the ROC curve analysis of this peak showed a reasonable accuracy to discriminate breast cancer from benign and control patients. The 1433–1302.9 cm−1 band area was significantly higher (p<0.05) in saliva of breast cancer patients than in control and benign patients. This salivary ATR-FTIR spectral area was prevalidated as a potential diagnostic biomarker of BC. This spectral biomarker was able to discriminate human BC from controls with sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 80%, respectively. Besides, it was able to differentiate BC from benign disease with sensitivity and specificity of 90% and 70%, respectively. Briefly, for the first time, saliva analysis by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy has demonstrated the potential use of salivary spectral biomarkers (1041 cm−1 and 1433–1302.9 cm−1) as a novel alternative for noninvasive BC diagnosis, which could be used for screening purposes.

Ankle sprains are commonly related to sporty activities and often associated with decreases in sensorimotor control, including proprioception, muscle strength and balance. The use of unstable surfaces in the fields of rehabilitation and general fitness has been shown to be effective in increasing the sensory efficiency of soft tissues that stabilize the knee and ankle as well as improving the agonist-antagonist co-contraction. The aim of this study was to analyze the EMG activity of the ankle muscles -the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL) and medial head of the gastrocnemius (GM) during proprioceptive exercises using the BOSU compared to other devices traditionally used (balance platform, trampoline and proprioceptive disk). Eleven male volunteers were recruited and data collection was performed using single differential surface electrodes. The EMG signal was recorded and expressed as root mean square, which was normalized by the maximum voluntary isometric contraction. The data were subjected to parametric statistical analysis, using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) for repeated measures. The results showed that the BOSU provided greater activity in the ankle muscles than the most proprioceptive devices, accordingly, the BOSU is a device that should be employed to diversify programs of prevention/rehabilitation for lower limb injuries, preferentially in advanced stages of these approaches.

Introduction: Proprioception is a term used to describe all the neural information originated from the proprioceptors of the joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and capsules, which is sent via afferent pathways to the central nervous system. EMG is the study of muscle function through the investigation of the electrical signal emanated from the muscle and it is also the study of the motor unit activity. Objective: To perform electromyographic analysis of the rectus femoris (RF) and tibialis anterior (TA) in different proprioceptive exercises (disc Freeman and rocker) with eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). Methods: The analysis was conducted with 10 physically active male subjects, in a collection time of 10 seconds on each device with eyes both open and closed. Results: Thus, according to our findings, significant difference is observed when the proprioceptive exercises are performed with eyes open and closed, obtaining higher muscle activation, according to the electromyographic analysis, in the exercises with eyes closed, highlighting the importance of the visual system and how it interferes in the body's position when it is subjected to balance changes caused by the studied devices. Conclusion: Therefore, it can be concluded that the rectus femoris muscle did not show evident significant differences between the rocker and Freeman disc, as well as when the exercise was performed with eyes open or closed. The significant difference occurred was between the EO and EC Rocker and between Rocker EO and disk Freeman EC. Since the tibialis anterior muscle showed greater differences, especially with eyes closed, regardless of the device, which showed no significant differences between them.

Cytogenetic studies in birds are still scarce compared to other vertebrates. Woodcreepers (Dendrocolaptidae) are part of a highly specialized group within the Suboscines of the New World. They are forest birds exclusive to the Neotropical region and similar to woodpeckers, at a comparable evolutionary stage. This paper describes for the first time the karyotypes of the Olivaceous and the Narrow-billed Woodcreeper using conventional staining with Giemsa and silver nitrate staining of the nucleolar organizer regions (Ag-NORs). Metaphases were obtained by fibular bone marrow culture. The chromosome number of the Olivaceous Woodcreeper was 2n = 82 and of the Narrow-billed Woodcreeper, 2n = 82. Ag-NORs in the largest macrochromosome pair and evidence of a chromosome inversion are described herein for the first time for this group.

BackgroundB chromosomes, also known as supernumerary or accessory chromosomes, are additional chromosomes over the standard complement found in various groups of plants and animals. We investigated the presence of, and characterized, supernumerary microchromosomes in Astyanax goyacensis using classical and molecular cytogenetic methods.FindingsThree specimens possessed 2n = 50 chromosomes (8m + 26sm + 8st + 8a), and two specimens contained 1 to 9 additional B microchromosomes varying intra- and inter-individually. Chromosome painting with a B chromosome-specific probe yielded signals for several B microchromosomes, with one exhibiting no markings. Acrocentric chromosomes of the standard complement were also painted. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using ribosomal probes located two chromosome pairs carrying 18S rDNA marked on the short arm, and one pair carrying 5S rDNA with pericentromeric markings. One chromosome was observed in synteny with 18S cistrons.ConclusionThese data contribute to knowledge of the karyotype evolution, the origin of B chromosomes, and to an understanding of the functionality of rDNA.

The objective of this work is to study the agronomic performance and genetic divergence in corn in the Cerrado-Amazon ecotone. The trials were conducted in the 2017/18 harvest at a property in the state of Pará. The experimental design was a randomized block with nine treatments and three replications, where the treatments are represented by nine cultivars of corn. The characteristics to evaluate agronomic performance and genetic divergence were: ear height (cm), plant height (cm), ear length (cm), ear diameter (mm), number of rows, number of grains per row and grain yield (kg ha−1). The cultivars were separated into a multivariate model in five groups using the Tocher optimization method. The cultivar AG 1051 showed the best agronomic performance. The results of genetic divergence were according to the generalized distance of Mahalanobis (D2), with the commences AG 8088 x CATIVERDE and AG 1051 x AL BANDEIRANTE, the most promising for future crosses.

Estudou-se a origem e distribuição do nervo isquiático em 31 fetos de suínos da linhagem Pen Ar Lan, sendo 22 machos e nove fêmeas, após ser fixados em solução aquosa de formaldeído a 10%. Nesses, animais, as vértebras lombares variaram de cinco a sete, com predominância de seis, o que contribuiu para variações na origem do referido nervo. O nervo isquiático originou-se em 80,64% dos antímeros, do ramo ventral do quinto nervo espinhal lombar (L5); em 96,77% de L6; em 6,45% de L7; em 100% de S1; e em 64,51% de S2. A composição do referido nervo ocorreu em 45,16% dos animais pela união de L5,

ResumoEstudou-se um par de rins de cachorro do mato (Cerdocyon thous), obtido de um animal fêmea, adulto, no qual foram injetados através das artérias renais, vinylite dissolvido em acetona e corado, em seguida submetidos ao processo de corrosão ácida (ácido sulfúrico 30%). Os modelos vasculares assim obtidos permitem afirmar que: a) as artérias setoriais, ramos da divisão primária das artérias renais, aparecem em número de dois, tanto no rim direito como no rim esquerdo. b) no rim direito, a artéria renal direita emite uma a artéria setorial cranial que supre a região dorsocranial do órgão. Uma artéria setorial caudal surge da artéria renal direita para irrigar as regiões, dorsocaudal, ventrocaudal e ventrocranial deste rim. c) do rim esquerdo, a artéria renal esquerda fornece uma artéria setorial dorsal, que atende a região dorsocranial