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Exercí­cios de fortalecimento muscular e alongamentos são amplamente utilizados para se descobrir um melhor protocolo pós-imobilização. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi verificar a interferência de protocolos de exercí­cios com subida de escada, no comprimento muscular e quantidade de sarcômeros em série ao longo do músculo sóleo de ratos submetidos í imobilização. Para tanto, foram utilizados 32 ratos machos, distribuí­dos em: GA: animais somente imobilizados e eutanasiados; GB: ratos imobilizados e com remobilização livre; GC: remobilizados com subida em escada sem peso, e realizadas 40 repetições e GD: remobilizados com subida, semelhante í GC, porém foram realizadas 60 repetições. Os animais foram imobilizados com o músculo sóleo esquerdo em encurtamento, e após imobilização, aos grupos GC e GD foi aplicado o protocolo acima descrito. Após 24 horas do término do experimento, os animais foram anestesiados e eutanasiados, e o músculo sóleo esquerdo dissecado e processado para estudo histológico longitudinal. As comparações foram realizadas com ANOVA unidirecional e pós-teste de Tukey, com ní­vel de significância de 5%. A partir destas análises pode ser constatado que o protocolo de subida em escada com menos repetições foi o mais efetivo na remobilização.

Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) is a DNA virus that infects different tissues in Bombyx mori at immature stage. Caterpillars become infected after ingesting polyhedral occlusion bodies (POB) present in contaminated mulberry leaves and spread through the body after passing the epithelium of the midgut. As this organ is responsible for digestion, most absorption of nutrients requires an intact epithelium to maintain gastrointestinal physiology. Considering the importance of this organ in the feeding of caterpillars and in the production of quality silk threads, and because it is also the first barrier faced by the BmNPV, the study analyzed details of cytopathological events in the intestinal cells as well as evaluated the action of the antioxidant systems as a response to cellular infection. For this purpose, B. mori hybrid caterpillars of fifth instar were inoculated with a suspension of 7.8 × 107 POB ml-1 and, from the first to the eighth day post-inoculation (dpi), segments of the midgut were collected and processed for light and electronic microscopy. The nuclei of columnar cells showed polyhedric occlusion bodies in the seventh dpi and fragmentation of those cells, with peritrophic matrix disorganization. Analysis of antioxidant systems shows some moments of changes of the catalase enzymes and superoxide dismutase. Analysis of the cholinergic system revealed changes only at the beginning of the infection. Thus, the article acknowledges the antioxidant system as a barrier to stop viral infection, albeit it cannot stop infection from occurring, once a coevolutionary bond is maintained between virus and host.

Introdução: Dentre os modelos experimentais, o uso de agulha de biópsia mostrou ser eficaz para reproduzir as lesões em atletas. Objetivo: Avaliar a força de preensão, a nocicepção e as alterações morfológicas do músculo gastrocnêmio de animais submetidos í lesão muscular. Métodos: Foram utilizados seis ratos Wistar. A lesão foi realizada na junção miotendí­nea do músculo gastrocnêmio direito, utilizando agulha de biópsia. Para avaliação funcional utilizou-se o teste de força de preensão e avaliação nociceptiva em três momentos: 24 horas antes da lesão (AV1); no segundo dia pós-lesão (AV2) e no sexto dia pós-lesão (AV3). Ao final do experimento o músculo foi retirado para análise morfológica. Resultados: Houve redução da força de preensão entre AV1 e AV2 (p=0,0031). Para a nocicepção os valores de AV2 (p

Knowledge of skeletal muscle adaptations is important to understand the functional deficits in cerebral palsy (CP). This study aimed to investigate the morphofunctional characteristics of skeletal muscle in a CP animal model. Initially, pregnant Wistar rats were injected intraperitoneally with saline or lipopolysaccharide over the last five days of pregnancy. The control group (n = 8) consisted of male pups born to females injected with saline. The CP group (n = 8) consisted of male pups born to females injected with lipopolysaccharide, which were submitted to perinatal anoxia [day of birth, postnatal day 0 (P0)] and sensorimotor restriction (P1‐P30). The open‐field test was undertaken on P29 and P45. On P48, the animals were weighed, and the plantaris muscle was collected and its weight and length were measured. Transverse sections were stained with haematoxylin‐eosin, NADH‐TR, Masson's trichrome and non‐specific esterase reaction for analysis. and transmission electron microscopy was performed. In the CP group, reductions were observed in mobility time, number of crossings and rearing frequency, body weight, muscle weight and length, and nucleus‐to‐fibre and capillary‐to‐fibre ratios. There was a statistically significant increase in the percentage area of the muscle section occupied by collagen; reduction in the area and increase in the number of type I muscle fibres; increase in myofibrillar disorganization and Z‐line disorganization and dissolution; and reduction in the area and largest and smallest diameters of neuromuscular junctions. Thus this animal model of CP produced morphofunctional alterations in skeletal muscle, that were associated with evidence of motor deficits as demonstrated by the open‐field test.

Physical exercise may help maintain muscle properties and functional improvement after peripheral nerve lesion, which may be enhanced by using biocompatible substances, such as sericin. The aim of this study was analyse the effect of sericin associated with swimming exercise on the phenotype, innervation, and functionality of the plantar muscle of Wistar rats. Forty randomly divided adult rats were used in five groups of eight animals: control, injury, sericin, exercise, exercise and sericin. The application of sericin was done on the spot, 100 μL, shortly after nerve compression. Three days after sciatic nerve compression, the swimming and swimming and sericin groups were submitted to physical swimming exercise for 21 days. Afterwards, the animals were euthanised and the plantar muscle was dissected and submitted to histochemical and histoenzymological techniques. The grip strength test did not show alterations in muscular functionality, and the control presented greater muscle mass in relation to the other groups, the same did not occur for muscle length. Polymorphic neuromuscular junctions were detected in the groups, although without significant morphometric alterations of the area, major and minor diameters. The percentage of type I fibres was lower in the lesion group and there was no difference in fibres IIa and IIb between groups. The area of fibres I, IIa and IIb remained constant between groups. Sericin biopolymer combined with swimming exercise did not affect plantar muscle function, submitted to experimental axonotmosis, whose contractile properties were altered by nerve injury.

The present study analyzed the effect of therapy with therapeutic ultrasound on the sciatic nerve after compression injury, comparing two similar doses of SATA.In total, 32 Wistar rats were used, divided into the following groups: CG - control; IG - compression injury of the sciatic nerve; IGCU - injury and continuous ultrasound; and IGPU - injury and 20% pulsed ultrasound. The treatment with ultrasound started on the 3rd postoperative day, with a frequency of 1 MHz, 0.4 W/cm² (SATA) for IGCU. IGPU received 2.0 W/cmBoth the Sciatic Functional Index and the withdrawal threshold and grip strength failed to show an advantage of using therapeutic ultrasound. For the morphometric evaluations of nerve fiber diameter and axons, myelin sheath thickness, and G quotient and nerve fiber estimates, IGPU values were estimated to be significantly lower. The morphological analysis revealed intense inflammatory response and neovascularization, as well as degeneration of axons and the myelin sheath, for the injury group and IGCU; however, IGPU showed greater tissue disorganization.There were no significant differences, showing functional or nocicepitive recovery of the treated groups, including with characteristics pointing to the pulsed group with worse results.

Objetivo: avaliar histomorfometrica e morfologicamente o msculo tibial anterior de ratos submetidos axonotmese e tratados com exerccio. Mtodos: foram randomizados 28 ratos Wistar nos grupos controle (GC), exerccio (GE), leso (GL) e leso+exerccio (GLE). No terceiro dia aps compresso, GE e GLE realizaram exerccio de subida em escada, com duas sries de dez repeties. Aps 21 dias, o msculo tibial anterior foi processado para microscopia de luz. Resultados: Na anlise morfolgica GC apresentou morfologia com aspecto caracterstico, GE hipertrofia muscular, GL alteraes morfolgicas, como fibras polimrficas e ncleos centrais, e GLE aspecto semelhante ao controle, porm com algumas alteraes. Na rea de seco transversa e menor dimetro das fibras GC e GE apresentaram valores maiores, o inverso da anlise de vasos sanguneos. Para o tecido conjuntivo, GE apresentou-se menor que o GL. Concluso: O protocolo de exerccio promoveu melhora nos aspectos histomorfolgicos, mas no reverteu totalmente os efeitos deletrios.

Objetivo: A relação da osteoporose com pós-menopausa é controversa, mas pode ser um fator de risco para doença periodontal. Assim o objetivo deste projeto foi avaliar a influência da deficiência de estrógeno nos tecidos periodontais de ratas ovariectomizadas com peridontite induzida. Material e método: Quarenta ratas com 8 semanas de vida foram divididas aleatoriamente em 4 grupos: 1) Grupo controle; 2) Grupo ligadura; 3) Grupo ovariectomia; 4) Grupo ovariectomia e ligadura; sendo que todos os animais receberam dieta padrão e água à vontade. Aos 70 dias de vida os animais foram anestesiados e foi realizada a indução da doença periodontal, sendo após este procedimento aos 79 dias de vida, as ratas também foram submetidas à anestesia e à cirurgia de ovariectomia. Aos 100 dias de vida, as ratas foram sacrificadas sendo retiradas as hemimandíbulas esquerda e direita de cada rata para análises histomorfométrica e radiográfica, bem como amostras do tecido gengival para avaliar os tecidos periodontais. Resultados: Os resultados demonstraram que na análise radiográfica e histomorfométrica do osso alveolar dos primeiros molares inferiores nos grupos onde foi feita a indução da doença periodontal por ligadura, houve maior perda óssea alveolar significativamente (p

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of exercise in the aquatic environment, performed before and/or after sciatic nerve compression in Wistar rats on morphological and functional parameters. Twenty-five Wistar rats were divided into the following groups: control (C), lesion (L), trained+lesion (TL), lesion+exercise (LE), and training+lesion+exercise (TLE), who underwent right sciatic nerve compression on day 21 of the experiment. The TL and TLE groups were submitted to a jumping exercise in a water environment for 20 days prior to injury and the LE and TLE groups after injury. The functional analysis was carried out using the sciatic functional index (SFI). On the last day of the experiment, the right sciatic nerves were collected, processed and analysed according to morphology and morphometry. The C group showed higher SFI in relation to the other groups. In the morphometric analysis, in comparison to C, all groups showed a decrease in the diameter of the injured nerve fibre, the myelin sheath and an increase in the percentage of connective tissue. There was a decrease in axon diameter in L, TL, and LE groups and a decrease in the density of nerve fibres in the TL and LE groups. The exercise did not affect functional recovery. However, the exercise prior to the injury improved morphology of the nervous tissue, and when performed pre- and postinjury, there was also an improvement in nerve regeneration, but this was not the case with exercise performed after the injury demonstrating worse results.

Introdução: a mobilização neural é uma técnica que visa restituir a função do sistema nervoso, contudo há ainda desconhecimento sobre o local mais apropriado. Objetivos: avaliar os efeitos da mobilização neural no tratamento da compressão do nervo isquiático de ratos Wistar, e comparar os diferentes locais de aplicação. Métodos: 24 ratos Wistar foram submetidos à compressão do nervo isquiático direito, e separados em quatro grupos: lesão (GL), mobilização neural no lesionado (GPD), mobilização neural no membro contralateral (GPE) e mobilização neural no membro ipsilateral a lesão (GEP). Foram realizadas avaliações funcionais pelo tempo de elevação da pata (TEP) e dolorímetro digital de Von Frey, após a última avaliação, o nervo isquiático foi seccionado para análise histológica. Resultados: houve diferença entre o GL (23,54) e GPE (23,98) na avaliação do TEP (p=0,028), na avaliação nociceptiva e histológica não houve diferenças significativas (p>0,05). Conclusão: a mobilização neural no membro contralateral foi prejudicial, enquanto o tratamento no membro acometido e no membro ipsilateral não apresentou diferença significativa.

RESUMO Ligamentos adaptam-se de acordo com a intensidade da atividade física e carga mecânica a que são submetidos. Na última década, na área da fisioterapia neurofuncional infantil, têm surgido métodos e protocolos que possuem em comum o termo suit para caracterizar a existência de vestimentas com bandas elásticas ajustáveis e a possibilidade da aplicação de carga sobre o esqueleto humano. Visto que a carga mecânica pode produzir alterações fibrocartilaginosas sobre os ligamentos e que não foram encontrados estudos avaliando o efeito da terapia suit sobre os ligamentos da coluna, justificam-se pesquisas com métodos experimentais de carga. O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar as espessuras e morfologia dos ligamentos longitudinais da coluna de ratos Wistar quando submetidos à carga mecânica por compressão vertebral. Trinta animais foram separados em cinco grupos (G1 - controle; G2 - simulação do uso de suit; G3, G4 e G5 - manutenção da vestimenta). Ao modelo experimental do suit, em G4 e G5, foram adaptados pesos ou elásticos dispostos em "X" para sobrecarga vertebral de 50% do peso do animal, que permaneceram com a vestimenta por 40 horas ao longo de 4 semanas de experimento, 5 dias por semana. Não houve diferenças significativas para a espessura, assim como não foram observadas mudanças morfológicas nos ligamentos longitudinais. Conclui-se que não houve alterações nos ligamentos longitudinais da coluna em animais submetidos ao modelo experimental de suit terapia. RESUMEN Pueden adaptarse los ligamentos a la intensidad de la actividad física y a la carga mecánica sometida a ellos. En la última década, han surgido métodos y protocolos en el área de fisioterapia neurofuncional infantil que tienen en común el término "suit" para caracterizar la existencia de ropas con bandas elásticas ajustables y la posibilidad de aplicación de cargas en el esqueleto humano. Debido a que la carga mecánica puede producir alteraciones fibrocartilaginosas en los ligamentos y que no han sido encontrados estudios que evaluaron el efecto de la terapia suit en los ligamentos de la columna vertebral, las investigaciones con métodos experimentales de carga son necesarias. Este estudio tiene el propósito de evaluar las espesuras y la morfología de los ligamentos longitudinales de la columna vertebral de ratas Wistar cuando sometida a carga mecánica por compresión vertebral. Se dividieron treinta ratas en cinco grupos (G1 -grupo control; G2 -simulación de la utilización del suit; G3, G4, G5 -mantenimiento de la ropa). Desde el modelo experimental del suit, en el G4 y G5 se adaptaron pesos o elásticos puestos en "X" para la sobrecarga vertebral de 50% del peso de los animales, los cuales permanecieron con la ropa durante cuarenta horas, al largo de cuatro semanas de experimento, en cinco días semanales. No fueron observadas diferencias significativas para la espesura, tampoco cambios morfológicos en los ligamentos longitudinales. Se concluye que no se observaron alteraciones en los ligamentos longitudinales de la columna vertebral de los animales sometidos al modelo experimental de la terapia suit. ABSTRACT Ligaments adapt according to the intensity of physical activity and mechanical load to which they are subjected. In the last decade there have been methods and protocols in the field of infant neurofunctional physiotherapy, which have the term "suit" in common, to characterize the existence of suits with adjustable elastic bands and the possibility of applying load on the human skeleton. Since the mechanical load can produce fibrocartilaginous changes on the ligaments and also that no studies evaluating the effect of suit therapy on ligaments of the spine were found, research with experimental methods of load are justified. The aim of this study was to analyze thickness and morphology of longitudinal ligaments of the spine of Wistar rats when subjected to mechanical load by vertebral compression. Thirty animals were separated into five groups (G1 - control; G2 - simulation of the use of suit; G3, G4, and G5 - maintenance of the suit). The suit experimental model, in G4 and G5, were adapted weights or elastic bands arranged in "X" for 50% of spinal overload of the weight of the animal, who remained with the suit for 40 hours over four weeks of experiment, five days a week. There were no significant differences for thickness, and morphological changes of longitudinal ligaments were also not observed. We concluded that there were no changes in longitudinal ligaments of the spine in animals subjected to the experimental model of suit therapy.

La restriccion proteica implica compromiso funcional de diversos sistemas y organos, entre ellos, el musculo estriado esqueletico, por ser una reserva de proteina del organismo. De esa forma, el presente trabajo procuro analizar las caracteristicas morfologicas y morfometricas de las fibras musculares y de las intersecciones neuromusculares (JNMs) del musculo extensor largo de los dedos (EDL) en ratas de 365 dias de edad, sometidas a restriccion proteica materna durante los periodos de gestacion y lactancia. Las ratas Wistar fueron separadas en dos grupos: El grupo Control - madres alimentadas durante la gestacion y lactancia con racion normoproteica (17 % de proteina) y Grupo con restriccion ­ madres alimentadas durante la gestacion y lactancia con racion hipoproteica (6 % de proteina). Las crias permanecieron con la madre durante todo el periodo de lactancia (21 dias) y despues de este periodo la prole recibio racion normoproteica hasta los 365 dias de edad. Se realizo un estudio histologico (HE) e histoenzimologico (NADH-TR) de las fibras musculares. Para la marcacion de las JNMs, el musculo fue sometido a la reaccion de Esterasa Inespecifica. El analisis histologico de las fibras musculares de los animales del Grupo con restriccion mostro la presencia de nucleos centralizados y una disminucion del area en el grupo con restriccion. En el estudio histoenzimologico, el musculo EDL presento una distribucion aleatoria de los diferentes tipos de fibras musculares y el area de las fibras musculares del tipo IIa fue menor en el grupo con restriccion. En relacion al estudio ultraestructural, en los animales del grupo con restriccion se observo desorganizacion de la linea Z, presencia de pequenas gotas de lipidos y vacuolas que abrigaban figuras de mielina en las regiones subsarcolemal e intramiofibrilar. En el analisis de las JNMs no hubo diferencias significativas. La restriccion proteica impuesta en el periodo de gestacion y lactancia puede haber afectado el desarrollo del musculo esqueletico, produciendo un deficit permanente en las fibras musculares del musculo EDL de la prole.

To verify the action of sericin associated to swim exercise with overload, on sciatic nerve repair in Wistar rats, after 22 days of nerve compression.Forty animals been composed of five groups: control, injury, injury-sericin, injury-swimming and injury-sericin-swimming. During the lesion procedure, sericin, in hydrolyzed form, applied directly to the injury in the injury-sericin and injury-sericin-swimming groups. Injury-swimming and injury-sericin-swimming groups underwent to 5 days per week for 3 weeks, with a 10% overload of the animal's body weight, and a weekly progressive evolution of swimming time, lasting 15, 20 and 25 min/day. Pre and throughout the treatment period the animals performed evaluation of sciatic functional index and pressure pain threshold with digital von Frey filament. Euthanasia was performed on the 22nd postoperative day, and two fragments of the nerve were collected and prepared for descriptive and quantitative analysis.The sciatic functional index assessment showed significant differences in the motor function of the control until the 14th day. Regarding the allodynia, there was revealed a significant improvement in injury-swimming performance relative to injury, injury-sericin and injury-sericin-swimming, and the number of viable and non-viable nerve fibers smaller than 4 μm in diameter was significantly higher in the injury-sericin-swimming.swimming showed a better evolution of the nociceptive threshold and allodynia. Sericin treatment had exacerbated pro-inflammatory characteristics. On the other hand, the association of sericine and swimming showed a possible regulatory effect by resting swimming exercise, with a significant increase of fibers of smaller diameter.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T16:21:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-06-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás Due to increased use of agrochemicals and growing concerns about ecotoxicology, the development of new insecticides, moving away from those with neurotoxic and broad spectrum effects towards insecticides that are safer for the environment and nontarget beneficial species, has been a research priority. Novaluron stands out among these newer insecticides, is an insect growth regulator that is used for the control of insect pests in crops grown close to mulberry plantations. Mulberry serves as food for the silkworm Bombyx mori, which is a nontarget insect of great economic importance to silk production. We investigated the lethal and sublethal effects of Novaluron on the development of B. mori. Larvae were segregated into experimental groups: the control groups (CGs) and the treatment groups (TGs), which were treated with the Novaluron concentration of 0.15 mL/L. Following exposure, we analyzed: larval mortality, changes in the insect life cicle and cytotoxic effects on the midgut cells. This is the first report about the Novaluron's effects on B.mori. We detected rupture in the integument, complete cessation of feeding, late development, incomplete ecdysis and production of defective cocoons. After 240 h of exposure, there was 100% mortality in TG larvae exposed in the 3rd instar and 20% mortality from larvae exposed in the 5th instar. Cytotoxic effects was observed, such as dilation of cells, emission of cytoplasmic protrusions, extreme rarefaction of the cytoplasm and nuclei, dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum in addition to changes in mitochondria, the presence of large digestive vacuoles and intercellular spaces and the presence of active caspase. Novaluron exposure impairs the midgut and may affect the physiological functions of this organ. Novaluron additionally compromises several phases of insect development, indicating the importance of toxicology studies that utilize different life stages of nontarget species to evaluate the safe use of insecticides. Laboratory of Insects Department of Morphology São Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Biosciences Center of Biological Sciences and Health State University of Western Paraná UNIOESTE Department of Biostatistics São Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Biosciences Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences University of Insubria Electron Microscopy Center of the Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu UNESP Laboratory of Insects Department of Morphology São Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Biosciences Department of Biostatistics São Paulo State University (UNESP) Institute of Biosciences Electron Microscopy Center of the Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu UNESP Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás: 2015/07119-9 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Goiás: 2017/16714-3

It was our objective to analyse the effects of resistance exercise (climbing steps), which was started in the acute phase, on the histomorphometry and the expression of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) in the soleus muscle after sciatic nerve injury in Wistar rats. Twenty-four adult rats were randomly divided into the following four groups, containing six animals each: control (G1); exercise (G2); injury (G3); and exercise with injury (G4). Three days after the compression of the sciatic nerve, the animals in G2 and G4 were submitted to resistance exercise for 21 non-consecutives days. The exercise was conducted in two series of 10 consecutive ascents of the ladder, with an additional weight of 100g and with an interval of 60 seconds between sets for rest. After this period, the animals were sacrificed, and the soleus muscle was processed. The number of blood capillaries in G3 was 65.7% and 76.86% higher when compared with the G2 and G4, respectively. The morphological analysis revealed muscle damage in G3, hypertrophy in G2 and significant improvement in the muscle in G4. The AQP1 was immunolocalized in the endothelium of blood capillaries present in the muscle fibres, with different expressions in the groups. Resistance exercise initiated in the acute phase was an effective therapeutic modality in the recovery of morphological aspects in the soleus muscle after denervation., Motricidade, Vol 14 No 1 (2018): Motricidade

Objective To analyze the combined effects of the silk protein sericin and swimming exercise on histomorphometry of the plantar muscle in Wistar rats. Methods Forty adult rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups comprising 8 animals each, as follows: Control, Injury, Sericin, Swim, and Swim plus Sericin. Three days after crushing of the sciatic nerve the rats in the Swim and Swim plus Sericin Groups were submitted to swimming exercise for 21 days. Rats were then euthanized and the plantar muscle harvested and processed. Results Cross-sectional area, peripheral nuclei and muscle fiber counts, nucleus/fiber ratio and smallest muscle fiber width did not differ significantly between groups. Morphological analysis revealed hypertrophic fibers in the Swim Group and evident muscle damage in the Swim plus Sericin and Injury Groups. The percentage of intramuscular collagen was apparently maintained in the Swim Group compared to remaining groups. Conclusion Combined treatment with sericin and swimming exercise did not improve muscle properties. However, physical exercise alone was effective in maintaining intramuscular connective tissue and preventing progression of deleterious effects of peripheral nerve injury.

Objective To analyze the combined effects of the silk protein sericin and swimming exercise on histomorphometry of the plantar muscle in Wistar rats. Methods Forty adult rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups comprising 8 animals each, as follows: Control, Injury, Sericin, Swim, and Swim plus Sericin. Three days after crushing of the sciatic nerve the rats in the Swim and Swim plus Sericin Groups were submitted to swimming exercise for 21 days. Rats were then euthanized and the plantar muscle harvested and processed. Results Cross-sectional area, peripheral nuclei and muscle fiber counts, nucleus/fiber ratio and smallest muscle fiber width did not differ significantly between groups. Morphological analysis revealed hypertrophic fibers in the Swim Group and evident muscle damage in the Swim plus Sericin and Injury Groups. The percentage of intramuscular collagen was apparently maintained in the Swim Group compared to remaining groups. Conclusion Combined treatment with sericin and swimming exercise did not improve muscle properties. However, physical exercise alone was effective in maintaining intramuscular connective tissue and preventing progression of deleterious effects of peripheral nerve injury. RESUMO Objetivo Analisar o efeito da proteína sericina associada ao exercício físico de natação na histomorfometria do músculo plantar de ratos Wistar. Métodos Foram utilizados 40 ratos adultos divididos aleatoriamente em 5 grupos, com 8 animais cada: Controle, Lesão, Sericina, Natação, Natação e Sericina. Três dias após a compressão do nervo isquiático, os Grupos Natação e Exercício e Sericina foram submetidos ao exercício físico de natação durante 21 dias. Após, os animais foram sacrificados, e o músculo plantar foi processado. Resultados Não houve diferença da área da secção transversa entre os grupos, quantidade de núcleos periféricos, quantidade de fibra, relação núcleo/fibra e diâmetro menor. A análise morfológica revelou que no Grupo Natação ocorreu hipertrofia das fibras, assim como nos Grupos Exercício e Sericina e Lesão, o dano muscular foi evidente. O percentual de conjuntivo intramuscular parece ter sido mantido no Grupo Exercício em relação aos demais grupos. Conclusão A associação da proteína sericina e exercício físico de natação não foi eficiente na melhora das propriedades musculares, embora a aplicação do exercício físico tenha sido eficiente na manutenção do conjuntivo intramuscular, e no não agravamento dos efeitos deletérios consequentes da lesão nervosa periférica.

The bordeaux mixture is used as a natural agricultural fungicide, and its application in sericulture can benefit the production of silkworm cocoons, Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). The aim of this study was to verify whether the bordeaux mixture exerts a protective effect in B. mori against fungal and viral diseases. This experiment was performed during two seasons, autumn and spring, in which 7,500 caterpillars were used at the beginning of the third instar and divided into five groups, with three repetitions of 500 individuals each. In the three groups, the caterpillars were fed leaves of Mulberry (Morus spp.) that were enriched with an aqueous bordeaux mixture solution at concentrations of 5, 10 and 20%. One group was fed exclusively mulberry leaves (control), and another was fed leaves that were moistened with water. Fungal contamination was evaluated in the integumentary surface of the insect and the mulberry leaves in the bed of creation by checking the number of colony-forming units (CFU). In the analysis of viral contamination, 20 caterpillars from each group at the beginning of the fifth instar were inoculated with 10 ?l of a suspension of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). Daily, from the second to the ninth day after inoculation (dai), two caterpillars of each group were anesthetized and formalin-fixed 7% for microscopic processing and viral cytopathology analysis. A completely randomized design was used, and the CFU were compared by Tukey test with 5% significance. The results showed a decrease of 55.1% in CFU present on the mulberry leaves in the fall, when the 5% bordeaux mixture solution was used. There was no significant difference between the groups based on the bordeaux mixture in this period. During the same period, reductions of CFU of 28.5, 74.9 and 74.4% were verified in the integument of B. mori when bordeaux mixture solutions of 5, 10 and 20% were used, respectively, compared with the data that were obtained in the control group. In the spring, no difference was observed between the groups that received bordeaux mixture solution and the control. In the case of BmNPV, the 10% bordeaux mixture solution promoted greater resistance to viral infection, possibly favoring the activation of defense mechanisms of insects. Therefore, we recommend the use of a 10% bordeaux mixture solution in mulberry leaves to control fungal and viral diseases in silkworm rearing.