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BACKGROUND: Amyloidosis is a disease characterized by the progressive deposition of abnormal proteins that can occur in any organ. In the oral cavity, the tongue is the most common affected site, usually causing macroglossia. Biopsy is essential for the diagnosis and the occurrence of its systemic form is mandatory to be investigated. This systematic review evaluated the existing information in the literature on Amyloidosis in the oral cavity to allow a more comprehensive and updated analysis of its clinicopathological characteristics, as well as to explore the main forms of treatment and prognostic factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Electronic searches were undertaken in five databases supplemented by manual scrutiny. RESULTS: A total of 111 studies were included with 158 individuals. CONCLUSIONS: The disease had a higher prevalence in women, the tongue was the most affected site, as well as the systemic form of the disease. The worst prognosis was for cases of systemic amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma.

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Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) was used to study the interactions of the normal modes of the bis(diethyldithiocarbamate)zinc(II) complex, [Zn(DDTC)2], on nano-structured silver surfaces. The electronic spectrum of this complex was measured and the charge transfer bands were assigned through the TD-PBE1PBE procedure. To see the electronic dispersion, the Mulliken electronic charges were calculated for each normal mode and correlated with the SERS effect. Full assignment of the SERS spectra was also supported by carefully analysis of the distorted geometries generated by the normal modes.

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Foram analisados os registros de ganho médio diário entre a desmama e o sobreano (GMDDS) de 33.267 animais de uma população multirracial Angus - Nelore, filhos de 525 touros, criados em 37 rebanhos, em diversas regiões do Brasil, entre os anos de 1987 e 2001. O modelo animal usado incluiu os efeitos aleatórios genético aditivo direto e materno e residual e os efeitos fixos de grupo genético do pai, da mãe e do animal e do grupo de contemporâneos pós-desmama, além da covariável idade à desmama, não ajustada. O GMDDS médio observado para a população foi 384,22g. O ano de 1999 foi o que apresentou o maior GMDDS (484,04g), e o ano de 1992, o menor (299,42g). Os coeficientes de herdabilidade estimados foram: 0,30±0,11 (direta) e 0,29±0,07 (materna). O VG médio foi de -0,827g. A tendência genética estimada para essa característica foi de -0,029g/ano (P<0,08) e a fenotípica foi de 5,69g/ano (P<0,05).

Direct and maternal heritability coefficients were estimated and genetic and phenotypic trends were predicted for average weight gain from weaning to 550 days of age (AWG) from 33,267 animals of a multi-breed Angus-Nellore population, sired by 525 bulls and raised in 37 herds in several regions of Brazil, from 1987 to 2001. MTDFREML was used for estimating the (co)variance components utilized to estimate the genetic direct and maternal heritability coefficients and to predict the breeding values. The animal model included as fixed the genetic group of sire, dam and animal and the pos weaning year/station/herd contemporary group and the covariate weaning age, and as ramdom, the additive genetic, maternal and residual effects. The observed AWG was 384.22g, 1999 presented the highest (484.04g) and 1992 the lowest value (299.42g). The direct heritability was 0.30±0.11, the maternal h² was 0.29±0.07 and the average genetic value was -0.827g. The estimated genetic trend for AWG was -0.029g (P<0.08) and the phenotypic trend was 5.68g (P<0.05). A phenotypic progress for average weight gain from weaning to 550 days of age occurred as a consequence of an environmental improvement, and the estimated genetic progress was close to zero.

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Foram analisados os registros de ganho médio diário entre a desmama e o sobreano (GMDDS) de 33.267 animais de uma população multirracial Angus - Nelore, filhos de 525 touros, criados em 37 rebanhos, em diversas regiões do Brasil, entre os anos de 1987 e 2001. O modelo animal usado incluiu os efeitos aleatórios genético aditivo direto e materno e residual e os efeitos fixos de grupo genético do pai, da mãe e do animal e do grupo de contemporâneos pós-desmama, além da covariável idade à desmama, não ajustada. O GMDDS médio observado para a população foi 384,22g. O ano de 1999 foi o que apresentou o maior GMDDS (484,04g), e o ano de 1992, o menor (299,42g). Os coeficientes de herdabilidade estimados foram: 0,30±0,11 (direta) e 0,29±0,07 (materna). O VG médio foi de –0,827g. A tendência genética estimada para essa característica foi de -0,029g/ano (P<0,08) e a fenotípica foi de 5,69g/ano (P<0,05).(AU)

Direct and maternal heritability coefficients were estimated and genetic and phenotypic trends were predicted for average weight gain from weaning to 550 days of age (AWG) from 33,267 animals of a multi-breed Angus-Nellore population, sired by 525 bulls and raised in 37 herds in several regions of Brazil, from 1987 to 2001. MTDFREML was used for estimating the (co)variance components utilized to estimate the genetic direct and maternal heritability coefficients and to predict the breeding values. The animal model included as fixed the genetic group of sire, dam and animal and the pos weaning year/station/herd contemporary group and the covariate weaning age, and as ramdom, the additive genetic, maternal and residual effects. The observed AWG was 384.22g, 1999 presented the highest (484.04g) and 1992 the lowest value (299.42g). The direct heritability was 0.30±0.11, the maternal h2 was 0.29±0.07 and the average genetic value was –0.827g. The estimated genetic trend for AWG was –0.029g (P<0.08) and the phenotypic trend was 5.68g (P<0.05). A phenotypic progress for average weight gain from weaning to 550 days of age occurred as a consequence of an environmental improvement, and the estimated genetic progress was close to zero.(AU)

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Forty-five castrated Nelore-breed male cattle, with average age of 37 months, were randomly chosen. The cattle were submitted to the combination of two transport times (up to 2h and approximately 5h) and five rest periods (0h, 6h, 12h, 18h and 24h). The carcasses were electrically stimulated. After 24h postmortem, the average of the ultimate pH in the M. Longissimus dorsi (LD) was considered normal (5.57-5.72) for eight out of nine cattle groups. The shear force (SF) was higher for cattle that were not allowed a rest period (0h) on both transport times, however it was not significant (p>0.05). This result was compatible with the sarcomere length (SL), which were shorter for those carcasses. The rest period and transport time had no influence on the L(∗) (lightness) values, but a(∗) (redness) values increased until the 12th hour of rest. The b(∗) (yellowness) value was negative for the cattle without a rest period (0h) and transported for 5h. The cattle transported for up to 2h could be allowed a 6-h rest period only, and the cattle transported for 5h could be allowed a 12-h rest period without the meat quality being affected significantly.

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Three definitive and three tentative begomovirus species have been reported in tomato fields in Brazil according to a recent review (1). Extensive surveys have been conducted since the 1990s in solanaceous weeds and other crops planted close to tomato fields, but no tomato-infecting geminiviruses have been reported on those crops. During November 2003, leaves of one chili pepper plant "dedo-de-moça" (Capsicum baccatum var. pendulum) showing symptoms of yellow mosaic and leaf distortion were collected in Petrolina de Goiás (Goiás State). Serological analyses were carried out with polyclonal antisera produced in our laboratory against the following viruses: Potato virus Y (PVY), Pepper yellow mosaic virus (PepYMV), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Tomato chlorotic spot virus (TCSV), Groundnut ringspot virus (GRSV), and Chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus (CSNV). Serological data showed that the plant was not infected with any of these viruses. A begomovirus-specific DNA-A fragment of 1.3 kb was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the analyzed plant. The fragment shared 98% identity to the partial coat protein coding region (CP), 94% to the intergenic region (IR), and 95% to the partial AC1 coding region of Tomato severe rugose virus (ToSRV) (GenBank Accession No. AY029750). Total DNA from the original infected plant was used to biolistically inoculate healthy plants of C. annuum and C. baccatum var. pendulum. Four resulting symptomatic plants, two from C. annuum and two from C. baccatum, were tested using PCR for begomovirus, and the nucleotide sequence of the amplified fragment confirmed they were infected with ToSRV. Whitefly inoculation of C. annuum, C. baccatum, and tomato was also performed, and all plants expressing symptoms were confirmed to be infected with ToSRV by sequencing a begomovirus-specific amplified fragment. Cloning of the complete DNA-A was achieved by using TempliPhi (Amersham Biosciences, Piscataway, NJ) amplification and digestion with a single cutting restriction endonuclease (2). Sequencing of several clones showed that the complete DNA-A (GenBank Accession No. DQ207749) was 97% identical to ToSRV, confirming the results of the previous PCR analysis. The deduced amino acid sequences showed identities of 97% to the CP, 95% to AC1, 96% to AC2, 96% to AC3, and 88% to AC4 of ToSRV. Although begomoviruses have not yet been causing any significant losses in chili pepper in Brazil, they may be of potential importance. Moreover, chili pepper, a plant commonly found in gardens throughout the country, may serve as an alternate host in tomato-producing areas. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a begomovirus infecting chili pepper in Brazil. References: (1) C. M. Fauquet et al. Arch. Virol. 148:405, 2003. (2). A. K. Inoue-Nagata et al. J Virol Methods 116:209, 2004.

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Diabetes mellitus is a widespread disease whose frequency increases constantly and is expected to reach alarming levels by the year 2025. Introduction of insulin therapy represented a major breakthrough; however, a very strict regimen is required to maintain blood glucose levels within the normal range and to prevent or postpone chronic complications associated with this disease. Frequent hyper- and hypoglycemia seriously affect the quality of life of these patients. Reversion of this situation can only be achieved through whole organ (pancreas) transplant or pancreatic islet transplant, the former being a high-risk surgical procedure, while the latter is a much simpler and may be accomplished in only 20-40 min. The advantages and perspectives of islet cell transplantation will be discussed, in the light of tissue engineering and gene therapy. Ongoing research carried out in our laboratory, aimed at developing clinical cell and molecular therapy protocols for diabetes will also be focused

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