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Glycerin contributes to the animal's energy metabolism as an important structural component of triglycerides and phospholipids. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of replacing corn with 0, 5, 10, and 15% of glycerin in terms of performance, digestibility, carcass yield, relative weights of gastrointestinal tract (GIT) organs, and nutrient metabolism. Four hundred chickens (40.0 g ± 0.05 g) were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments and five replicates. Growth parameters were measured at 7, 14, 21, and 42 days. Digestibility of crude protein and fat, carcass yield, relative weights of GIT organs, and biochemical blood profile were measured. The results were subject to an analysis of variance by Tukey's HSD test ( p > 0.05). The inclusion of 5%, 10%, or 15% of glycerin did not influence performance or affect the crude protein and fat digestibility in broilers ( p > 0.05) when compared to that of the basal (0%) diet. Similarly, the supplementation of glycerin levels showed no significant influence ( p > 0.05) on the relative GIT organ weights, carcass yield, or nutrient metabolism. Thus, we concluded that glycerin may be included in the broilers' diets in rations of up to 15%.

The cellulose present in the cell wall of vegetables prevents the greater release of nutrients to the animal. Therefore, the use of the cellulase enzyme is a viable strategy as it is capable of breaking cellulose bonds, releasing nutrients such as glucose, increasing dietary energy, and thus improving the productive performance of birds. Trichoderma reesei is efficient in the production of cellulase, which is produced via submerged fermentation followed by purification, formulation, and drying. Therefore, an experiment was carried out using 240 male broilers of the Cobb-500 ® lineage to verify the effects resulting from the addition of powdered (500 g/t and 1000 g/t) and liquid (500 mL/t) cellulase over a period of 1 to 21 days. A completely randomized experimental design was used, consisting of four treatments with six replications and ten birds per replication that were housed in an experimental cage. It was observed that performance and digestibility results were significantly different with cellulase supplementation. Also, the relative weight of the large intestine in the period between one and seven days increased when cellulase was added at 1000 g/t. In the period of between eight and 14 days of life, the birds that consumed only the basal diet obtained higher levels of liver protein than those that received the treatments with the addition of the enzyme. However, 15 and 21 days, the consumed feed effect did not occur between thus, it is not conclusive whether hepatotoxicity occurs with the addition of cellulase. For the blood parameters, at 21 days, the diets with added cellulase were not significantly different regarding electrolytes. It was concluded that this cellulase produced by Trichoderma reesei can be included in the animals' diet.

Background: The transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) plays a screening role in the diagnostic algorithm of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Studies have shown a significant disagreement between TTE measurements of the systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) and right atrial pressure (RAP) and those obtained by right heart catheterization (RHC)., Objective: To compare TTE measurements of sPAP and RAP with those obtained by RHC in patients being investigated for PH., Methods: Patients referred to a PH reference center with a high or intermediate TTE probability of PH upon admission were submitted to RHC. The agreement between sPAP and RAP from both procedures was assessed through the Bland-Altman test. Differences of up to 10 mmHg for sPAP and 5 mmHg for RAP were considered within the variability of the test. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was constructed to determine the most accurate sPAP and Tricuspid regurgitation maximal velocity (TRV)values associated with the diagnosis of PH by RHC. The adopted level of statistical significance was 5%., Results: Ninety-five patients were included. The Bland-Altman analysis showed a bias of 8.03 mmHg (95% CI:-34.9-50.9) for sPAP and -3.30 mmHg (95% CI:-15.9-9.3) for RAP. AUC for sPAP and TRV measured by TTE for discrimination of probable PH were 0.936 (95% CI: 0.836-1.0) and 0.919 (95% CI: 0.837-1.0), respectively. However, only 33.4% of the echocardiographic estimate of sPAP and 55.1% of RAP were accurate, as compared to the measurements obtained by RHC., Conclusion: TTE has a high discriminatory power as a screening diagnostic method for PH despite presenting disagreements between sPAP and RAP absolute values when compared to RHC measurements.

The Neotropical region hosts 4225 freshwater fish species, ranking first among the world's most diverse regions for freshwater fishes. Our NEOTROPICAL FRESHWATER FISHES data set is the first to produce a large-scale Neotropical freshwater fish inventory, covering the entire Neotropical region from Mexico and the Caribbean in the north to the southern limits in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. We compiled 185,787 distribution records, with unique georeferenced coordinates, for the 4225 species, represented by occurrence and abundance data. The number of species for the most numerous orders are as follows: Characiformes (1289), Siluriformes (1384), Cichliformes (354), Cyprinodontiformes (245), and Gymnotiformes (135). The most recorded species was the characid Astyanax fasciatus (4696 records). We registered 116,802 distribution records for native species, compared to 1802 distribution records for nonnative species. The main aim of the NEOTROPICAL FRESHWATER FISHES data set was to make these occurrence and abundance data accessible for international researchers to develop ecological and macroecological studies, from local to regional scales, with focal fish species, families, or orders. We anticipate that the NEOTROPICAL FRESHWATER FISHES data set will be valuable for studies on a wide range of ecological processes, such as trophic cascades, fishery pressure, the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation, and the impacts of species invasion and climate change. There are no copyright restrictions on the data, and please cite this data paper when using the data in publications., (© 2022 The Ecological Society of America.)

Heart rate recovery in 1 minute (HRR1) after the end of the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) is a non-invasive method of determining autonomic dysfunction. This parameter remains largely unexplored in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) registries. We aimed to define the cut-off value and accuracy for abnormal HRR1 after the 6MWT and to investigate the association between HRR1 and clinical worsening in patients with PAH. This composite outcome was defined as first occurrence of all-cause death OR hospitalization from any cause OR disease progression characterized by decreased ≥ 15% in six-minute walking distance from baseline AND start of new specific PAH treatment or persistent worsening of World Health Organization functional class (WHO-FC). We performed a prospective cohort study that included 102 consecutive patients with PAH confirmed by right heart catheterization that underwent an 6MWT upon the diagnosis, recruited from September 2004 to April 2020 and followed up until April 2021 or death. The median HRR1 was 18 beats (IQR: 10-22), 50 and 52 PAH patients with <18 beats and ≥18 beats, respectively. The best cut-off for HRR1 to discriminate clinical worsening was 17 beats, with area under the curve (AUC) of 0.704 (95%CI: 0.584-0.824). The internal validation model by bootstrap showed an AUC of 0.676 (95%CI: 0.566-0.786) and the most accurate value was obtained in the seventh year of follow-up (AUC = 0.711; 95%CI: 0.596-0.844). Patients with an HRR1 <18 beats at baseline had a median event-free time of 2.17 years (95%CI: 1.82 to 2.52) versus 4.75 years (95%CI: 1.43 to 8.07) from those with ≥18 beats. In conclusion, a HRR1 value of less than 18 beats may be a reliable indicator of poor prognosis in patients with PAH., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist regarding this issue.

This study aimed to estimate the impact of an abandoned copper (Cu) mine on ecosystem environmental quality, using integrated ecological and biogeochemical analyses. Through a controlled experiment, the amount of Cu released by waste rocks, Cu adsorbed in soils, Cu geochemical behaviour and its leached amount were measured. Furthermore, to investigate the impacts of mine drainage on the adjacent ecosystem, samples of sediments, water and aquatic macroinvertebrates were analysed. We found that waste rocks still have high Cu concentration even after 30 years under weathering, ranging from 7782 to 8717 mg kg -1 , associated mainly with carbonates, amorphous oxides and sulphides. It was estimated that 7.2 tonnes of Cu were released by waste rocks into the environment over last 30 years. The concentration of Cu observed in Ubari stream water was (

-1 ), in sediments (28.0-1185 mg kg -1 ) and in macroinvertebrates (1.3-28.9 mg kg -1 d/w). The ecological indexes showed that near mine discharge a significance decrease in the density of aquatic macroinvertebrates and a significance increase of Cu in biological tissues occurs, causing disturbances in biodiversity. The results showed that, even after long periods, the waste rocks from abandoned mines still contain high levels of metal, that are gradually released into the environment through weathering and erosion, representing a potential source of environmental pollution and a clear threat to the environmental quality of adjacent ecosystems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disease of the lung blood vessels that results in right heart failure. PAH is thought to occur in about 5% to 10% of patients with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis, particularly due to S. mansoni . The lung blood vessel injury may result from a combination of embolization of eggs through portocaval shunts into the lungs causing localized Type 2 inflammatory response and vessel remodeling, triggering of autonomous pathology that becomes independent of the antigen, and high cardiac output as seen in portopulmonary hypertension. The condition is likely underdiagnosed as there is little systematic screening, and risk factors for developing PAH are not known. Screening is done by echocardiography, and formal diagnosis requires invasive right heart catheterization. Patients with Schistosoma -associated PAH show reduced functional capacity and can be treated with pulmonary vasodilators, which improves symptoms and may improve survival. There are animal models of this disease that might help in understanding disease pathogenesis and identify novel targets to screen and treatment. Pathogenic mechanisms include Type 2 immunity and activation and signaling in the TGF-β pathway. There are still major uncertainties regarding Schistosoma -associated PAH development, course and treatment., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Sibomana, Campeche, Carvalho-Filho, Correa, Duani, Pacheco Guimaraes, Hilton, Kassa, Kumar, Lee, Loureiro, Mazimba, Mickael, Oliveira, Ota-Arakaki, Rezende, Silva, Sinkala, Ahmed and Graham.)

Background: Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) impacts negatively on patients' health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The Cambridge Pulmonary Hypertension Outcome Review (CAMPHOR) was the first PH-specific and validated instrument for use in different languages worldwide. This report describes the adaptation and psychometric validation of the CAMPHOR into Brazilian Portuguese language., Methods: The translation and validation process included a bilingual and lay panel translation; cognitive debriefing interviews; psychometric testing in two repeated times assessing internal consistency, reproducibility and validity of the questionnaire. The Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) questionnaire was used as a comparator to test for convergent validity., Results: The translation captured the same concepts as the English questionnaire and produced a comprehensive instrument in a Brazilian-Portuguese version expressing common, natural language. The psychometric evaluation involved 102 patients (48.8 ± 14.5 years, 80,4% female]. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were above 0.9 on all three CAMPHOR scales. There was excellent test-retest reliability (coefficients above 0.85 on all scales). CAMPHOR Symptoms scale and Activities scale correlated highly with Physical Mobility section and CAMPHOR QoL scale was strongly associated with the Emotional Reactions and Social Isolation sections of NHP. There was a significant association between gender and perceived general health (p < 0.05). There were significant differences in CAMPHOR scale scores between patients who differed according to their perceived disease severity and general health., Conclusions: The present CAMPHOR version demonstrated good psychometric properties and provides a reliable instrument for assessing HRQL and QoL in Brazilian PH patients, addressing patients' perspective of their illness in a comprehensive way.

This study aims to identify, classify, quantify the ingested microplastic by marine teleost fish, in order to analyze the relationship between microplastic and trophic guilds. Food items of 214 individuals of Opisthonema oglinum, Bagre marinus, Cathorops spixii, Sciades herzbergii, Chloroscombrus chrysurus, Conodon nobilis, Haemulopsis corvinaeformis were analyzed. The species were classified according to their trophic guilds (zoobenthivorous or opportunistic/omnivorous). All species ingested microplastic and contamination occurred independently of the trophic guild. Of the sampled fish, 55% were contaminated by microplastic. The most consumed categories were blue (28%) and transparent filaments (20%). Raman spectroscopy measurements detected that most sampled filament corresponds to blue synthetic fiber (polyester). This study can contribute by filling gaps in knowledge regarding sandy beach impacts, which are environments so highly threatened by human activities around the world and are neglected in terms of use and conservation plans., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors whose names are listed immediately below certify that they have NO affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers' bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership, or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mangroves have a relevant ecosystem function due to their efficiency in blue carbon sequestration. Autotrophic carbon conservation in mangroves remains controversial. In this sense, autotrophic nutrient assimilation by crabs can highlight their ecosystem function. This study aims to identify the relationship between quality sources and food partitioning in two leaf-eating crabs, Ucides cordatus and Goniopsis cruentata. Quantification of the litterfall biomass, analysis of the soil, the C/N ratio and stable isotopes (δ 13 C and δ 15 N) were used to evaluate food sources and crab tissues in two mangrove forests. The litterfall and soil C contents and C/N ratios of the Pacoti River (PR) were higher than those of the Jaguaribe River. The higher C/N ratios of the litterfall of the PR led to higher nitrogen ingestion from complementary food sources (soil and omnivorous invertebrates). The nutritional requirements and food partitioning behavior of both species emphasize the ecosystem functions of leaf-eating crabs concerning the assimilation and conservation of autotrophic carbon and nitrogen in mangroves., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine whether the use of autograft associated with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) increases bone healing in patients undergoing lumbar fusion., Method: This was a prospective, descriptive, and comparative study, which included 40 patients undergoing lumbar fusion, who were divided into two groups: group I, autograft only, and group II, autograft associated with PRP. After surgery, patients were followed-up on the first, third, and sixth month. The Molinari radiographic classification and Glassman tomographic classification were used as criteria to analyze the bone consolidation., Result: Comparing the group I with group II, according to the criteria of Molinari, bilateral fusion was observed in 27.5% of the patients in group I in the first month after surgery. In group II, the rate of bilateral fusion was 25.0% and 20% in the third and sixth months, respectively. The results of computed tomography scans performed at six months after surgery indicated, according to the criteria of Glassman, a rate of bilateral solid fusion of 15.0% and 10.0% in groups I and II, respectively., Conclusion: The use of PRP showed no significant difference in bone healing in cases of lumbar arthrodesis.

The effects of riparian forest removal on a neotropical stream fish assemblage were assessed in the Mata Atlântica. Fish assemblage structure and fish feeding patterns were quantified at three sites along a pristine-to-deforested gradient in a Serra do Mar stream: (1) a pristine site fully covered by canopy with no light penetration and transparent waters, (2) an intermediate site with partially removed forest and (3) a fully removed forest site with no canopy and full light penetration where siltation and turbid waters predominate. Fish assemblage structure, fish densities and their feeding patterns differed widely among sites. Whilst the same five fish species occurred at the three sites, forest removal favoured the occurrence of sediment-tolerant iliophagous benthic species at the deforested site. At the pristine site, invertebrate prey predominated in water column fish diet and feeding overlap among species was low. Severe shifts in the feeding patterns were noticed in both deforested sites. Invertebrates were replaced by detritus, organic matter and algae at both sites and feeding overlap increased markedly. The overwhelming feeding adaptability of these neotropical fishes appeared capable of buffering the deleterious effects of forest removal on stream quality in terms of increased light penetration, siltation and water turbidity. Forest cutting in this Mata Atlântica stream clearly caused strong functional changes associated with forest clearance through important modifications in the assemblage organization and trophic patterns of the main species, but did not eliminate species., (© 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.)

Objective: To evaluate respiratory muscle strength and six-minute walk test (6MWT) variables in patients with uncontrolled severe asthma (UCSA)., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving UCSA patients followed at a university hospital. The patients underwent 6MWT, spirometry, and measurements of respiratory muscle strength, as well as completing the Asthma Control Test (ACT). The Mann-Whitney test was used in order to analyze 6MWT variables, whereas the Kruskal-Wallis test was used to determine whether there was an association between the use of oral corticosteroids and respiratory muscle strength., Results: We included 25 patients. Mean FEV1 was 58.8 ± 21.8% of predicted, and mean ACT score was 14.0 ± 3.9 points. No significant difference was found between the median six-minute walk distance recorded for the UCSA patients and that predicted for healthy Brazilians (512 m and 534 m, respectively; p = 0.14). During the 6MWT, there was no significant drop in SpO2. Mean MIP and MEP were normal (72.9 ± 15.2% and 67.6 ± 22.2%, respectively). Comparing the patients treated with at least four courses of oral corticosteroids per year and those treated with three or fewer, we found no significant differences in MIP (p = 0.15) or MEP (p = 0.45)., Conclusions: Our findings suggest that UCSA patients are similar to normal subjects in terms of 6MWT variables and respiratory muscle strength. The use of oral corticosteroids has no apparent impact on respiratory muscle strength.

Introduction: In order to meet the demands of the patient population with hearing impairment, the Hearing Health Care Network was created, consisting of primary care actions of medium and high complexity. Spatial analysis through geoprocessing is a way to understand the organization of such services., Objective: To analyze the organization of the Hearing Health Care Network of the State of Minas Gerais., Methods: Cross-sectional analytical study using geoprocessing techniques. The absolute frequency and the frequency per 1000 inhabitants of the following variables were analyzed: assessment and diagnosis, selection and adaptation of hearing aids, follow-up, and speech therapy. The spatial analysis unit was the health micro-region., Results: The assessment and diagnosis, selection, and adaptation of hearing aids and follow-up had a higher absolute number in the micro-regions with hearing health services. The follow-up procedure showed the lowest occurrence. Speech therapy showed higher occurrence in the state, both in absolute numbers, as well as per population., Conclusion: The use of geoprocessing techniques allowed the identification of the care flow as a function of the procedure performance frequency, population concentration, and territory distribution. All procedures offered by the Hearing Health Care Network are performed for users of all micro-regions of the state., (Copyright © 2014 Associação Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia e Cirurgia Cérvico-Facial. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To investigate whether there are differences between the phagocytic function of the remaining lower spleen pole after subtotal splenectomy and autogenous splenic implants., Methods: Thirty-six male Wistar rats, weighting 364 ± 60g were used. They were subjected to subtotal splenectomy preserving the lower spleen pole and to autogenous splenic implant in the greater omentum. Its viability was assessed microscopically. Phagocytic function was assessed by splenic uptake of the radioisotope-labeled colloid and by macrophages counting., Results: The viability of the autogenous splenic implant and of the lower spleen pole was found in 33 animals, with no difference between them. The weight of the implants was higher than the lower pole of animals from groups G1, G7, G30, G60 and G120. The implants phagocytic function by radioisotope uptake was higher than the lower pole in G7 and G120 groups and it did not differ from the other groups. The number of macrophages was higher in G1, G60, G90 and G120 and did not differ from the other groups., Conclusion: Until the 16th week, the phagocytic function was more pronounced in autogenous splenic implants when compared with the lower spleen pole, but it became similar thereafter.

The mangrove crab Ucides cordatus is an important resource of estuarine regions along the Brazilian coast. U. cordatus is distributed from Florida, U.S.A., to the coast of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The species plays an important role in processing leaf litter in the mangroves, which optimizes the processes of energy transfer and nutrient cycling, and is considered a keystone species in the ecosystem. Population declines have been reported in different parts of the Brazilian coast. In the present study we evaluated aspects of the population structure, sex ratio and size at morphological sexual maturity. We analyzed 977 specimens collected monthly over 24 months (2010-2012), in a mangrove of the Jaguaribe River, in the municipality of Aracati on the East coast of Ceará state, Northeastern Brazil. The study area has a mild semiarid tropical climate, with mean temperatures between 26 and 28 degrees C. The area is located within the eco-region of the semiarid Northeast coast, where mangroves occur in small areas and estuaries are affected by mesomareal regimes. The population structure was evaluated by the frequency distribution of size classes in each month, and the overall sex ratio was analyzed using the chi-square test. Size at morphological sexual maturity was estimated based on the allometry of the cheliped of the males and the abdomen width of the females, using the program REGRANS. The size-frequency distribution was unimodal in both sexes. The overall sex ratio (M:F) (1:0.6) was significantly different from 1:1. Analysis of the sex ratio by size class showed that the proportion of males increased significantly from size class 55-60 mm upward, and this pattern persisted in the larger size classes. In the smaller size classes the sex ratio did not differ from 1:1. The size at morphological sexual maturity was estimated at a carapace width (CW) of 52 mm and 45 mm for males and females, respectively. Analysis of the population parameters indicated that the population of U. cordatus in the Jaguaribe River mangrove is stable. However, constant monitoring of the population is required to detect any changes in the population attributes that may affect this stability.

Key to understand predator choice is the relationship between predator and prey abundance. There are few studies related to prey selection and availability. Such an approach is still current, because the ability to predict aspects of the diet in response to changes in prey availability is one of the major problems of trophic ecology. The general objective of this study was to evaluate prey selection by two species (Characidium cf. vidali and Pimelodella lateristriga) of the Mato Grosso stream, in Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Benthos and fishes were collected in June, July and September of 2006 and January and February of 2007. Fish were collected with electric fishing techniques and benthos with a surber net. Densities of benthic organisms were expressed as the number of individuals per/m2. After sampling, the invertebrates were fixed in 90% ethanol, and, in the laboratory, were identified to the lowest taxonomical level. Approximately, seventy individuals from each species were selected randomly in each month. Fishes were fixed in 10% formalin in the field and transferred to 70 degrees GL ethanol in the laboratory. Fishes had their stomachs removed for subsequent analysis. Fish diet was described according to the numeric frequency method. The Manly Electivity Index was applied in order to verify prey selection. The most abundant families in both benthos and diet of both fish species were the same, indicating that these species consume mainly most abundant prey in the environment. We concluded that prey selection occurs even for preys that had small abundance in the environment. However, it is the availability of the macroinvertebrate resources that determines the major composition of items in diet of fish, demonstrating that the abundance is the factor that most influences the choice of prey.

The Mato Grosso is a typical Atlantic Forest stream located on the East coast of Brazil, approximately 70 km from Rio de Janeiro city. From its source at about 800m a.s.l, the stream drains a 30km2 area of the Northwestern part of the municipality of Saquarema, state of Rio de Janeiro and flows into the Saquarema Lagoon system. We hypothesized that fish species occupy distinct mesohabitats, with the prediction that their occurrences and densities differ among the microhabitats of riffles, runs and pools. A 250m-long stretch of the stream located in its uppermost part was selected for this study, where it becomes second-order. Mesohabitat description and their fish characterization were undertaken. Fish sampling was conducted by electroshocking and after their identification and counting, they were returned to the stream. For mesohabitat characterization, a Discriminant Function Analysis (DA) was applied. The total number of samples was estimated by the Zippin method and the recorded densities were used as an Indicator Species Analysis (ISA), followed by a Monte Carlo test for 1 000 permutations. The DA significantly separated the three predetermined mesohabitats (pool, riffle and run) (WL = 0.13, F = 187.70, p = 0.001). We found five species of fishes, belonging to four families and three orders. The fishes Rhamdia quelen, Phalloceros harpagos, Pimelodella lateristriga and Astyanax taeniatus are indicators of the pool environment in the Mato Grosso stream, whereas Characidium cf. vidali is an indicator of the riffle environment. The Monte Carlo test detected non-random mesohabitat use only for P. lateristriga and A. taeniatus in the pools and for Characidium cf. vidali in the riffles. We concluded that the Mato Grosso stream contains three well-defined mesohabitats, with indicator species present in two of these mesohabitats.

Purpose: To study the beta-catenin gene in a group of Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser patients., Methods: Twelve patients with the Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser syndrome were included in this study. DNA was extracted from peripheral blood and the region codifying beta-catenin GSK-3beta phosphorylation sites on exon 3 was amplified. PCR products were purified and directly sequenced., Results: No mutations were found in the GSK-3beta phosphorylation sites on exon 3 of beta-catenin gene in this group of patients with the MRKH syndrome., Conclusions: beta-catenin gene mutations are an unlikely cause of the MRKH syndrome.

Objective: Increase of the elderly in the Brazilian population demands assessment of aspects that interfere with the retirees' quality of life., Methods: The Brazilian version of SF-36 questionnaire was applied to 87 retirees at their homes. Data on quality of life was associated with demographic data, socioeconomic status, health conditions and life style. Statistical analysis of data was performed using single-variable and multivariate analysis., Results: The mean age was 57.3 years (standard deviation 8.9 years) and the mean retirement time was 7.1 years. Fifty-five percent were early retirements due to disability and 23.4% of those queried were still working when research was carried out. Smokers were 11.5% and 5.7 % were diagnosed as alcohol dependent by CAGE criteria. Depression and arterial systemic hypertension were the most prevalent conditions and 56.3% of the retirees practiced regular physical activity. Multivariate analysis disclosed that regular physical activity and post-retirement occupation were the only variables associated with improved quality of life., Conclusion: The SF-36 questionnaire was a suitable instrument, relatively quick and easy to use. The quality of life was associated with life style, as indicated by the practice of physical activities and post-retirement occupation. Actions are needed to enable retirees to improve their life style after retirement.

In the present study, we describe feeding habits of Deuterodon sp. from the Ubatiba River and explore if diet changes according to a temporal cycle of dry and wet seasons. We observed that Deuterodon sp. fed on an extremely high diversity of items ranging from organic matter, sediment (sand plus quartz parts), algae, seeds and leaves to animal organisms, such as, crustaceans, oligochaets and several life stages of terrestrial and aquatic insects, indicating an omnivorous diet. An important shift in the use of feeding resources was also registered; animal and vegetal items had alternated importance between both seasons. Allochthonous vs. autochthonous items analysis showed predominance of allochthonous items during dry season while no significant differences were registered during wet season.