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Objective: Although the Emissary Sinus of Foramen Ovale (ESFO) was first described by Trolard in 1868, its definition remains confused and neglected in the medical literature. This structure represents a vein, two veins, a venous plexus, or a dural sinus? Does it really exist? To understand this topic, this work aimed to describe the anatomy, topography, and microscopic features of the ESFO, precisely characterizing its structure, routes and anatomical correlations., Patients and Methods: ESFO from the skull's base of adults were dissected into fifty anatomical blocks and evaluated using Hematoxylin and Eosin, Picro-sirius red and Weigert staining, and by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)., Results: ESFO was always present between cavernous sinus and pterygoid plexus on both antimeres, its inferior route passing through the foramen ovale and/or sphenoidal emissary foramen (foramen of Vesalius), anterior to the mandibular branch of trigeminal nerve. Its microscopic arrangement resembled what was found on transverse sinus, that is composed by layers of collagen fibers oriented on transversal and longitudinal planes. It wasn't possible to identify the media and adventitial tunica, features seen in veins, and the elastic layer was very thin near its lumen. SEM analysis showed that, like the transverse sinus, the ESFO was composed by parallel cells that presented a rhombus shape containing central rounded nuclei., Conclusion: In summary, the venous channel passing through the foramen ovale and/or sphenoidal emissary foramen (foramen of Vesalius) is a dural venous sinus constituted by dura mater layers and should be considered during surgical approaches near the foramen ovale in the middle cranial fossa., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the absence of dystrophin protein, causing severe myopathy from increases of oxidative stress. Injuries of intestinal muscle can compromise the myenteric plexus. This study aimed to evaluate the disorders occurred in the muscular layer and in the acetylcholinesterase myenteric neurons (ACHE-r) of ileum of mdx mice, and the effects of supplementation with ascorbic acid (AA) in both components. 30 male mice C57BL/10, and 30 male mice C57BL/10Mdx were separated according to the age and treatment (n=10/group): 30-days-old control group (C30); 30-days-old dystrophic group (D30); 60-days-old control group (C60); 60-days-old dystrophic group (D60); 60-days-old control group supplemented with AA (CS60); and 60-days-old dystrophic group supplemented with AA (DS60). The animals were euthanized and the ileum was collected and processed. Semi-serial sections were stained by Masson's trichrome, and acetylcholinesterase histochemical technique in whole-mounts preparations to identify the myenteric neurons. The muscular layer thickness and the area of smooth muscle of ileum were lower in dystrophic groups, especially in D30 group. The DS60 group showed the muscular layer thickness similar to C60. The density of ACHE-r neurons of myenteric plexus of ileum was lower in D30 animals; however, it was similar in animals of 60-days-old without treatment (C60 and D60) and, higher in DS60. The cell body profile area of ACHE-r neurons was similar in C30-D30 and C60-D60; however, it was higher in DS60. DMD caused damage to the ileum's musculature and myenteric plexus, and the AA prevented the ACHE-r neuronal loss., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the electromyographic activity of the Pectoralis Major (PM), Biceps Brachii (BB), Pronator Teres (PT) and Flexor Carpi Ulnaris (FCU) muscles involved in simulated armwrestling., Methods: Ten trained volunteers were selected to perform the armwrestling movement, during dynamic tests with 40% and 80% of maximum voluntary load (MVL) and static tests in the initial, intermediary and final positions. Electromyographic and force data were normalized for analyses., Results: In dynamic tests with 40% MVL, electric activity of the PT muscle was greater than FCU (p<0.01) and BB (p<0.05) muscles, and with 80% MVL, PM and PT muscles were the most active. In static tests, electric activity increased from the initial to final positions for the PM muscle (p<0.05), while it decreased for the BB and PT muscles (p<0.001 and p<0.05, respectively). No significant changes were observed for force and no correlation was found with the simultaneous electric activity., Conclusions: It can be concluded that the PM and FCU muscles participate as agonists in the simulated armwrestling whereas the BB and PT muscles seem to perform secondary functions. Electric activity showed to be dependent on the load and on the position of the upper limb, but not on the force produced during the movement.

We investigated weight gain, the size of the small intestine and numbers and sizes of enteric neurons in rats whose mothers had been deprived of protein during pregnancy and who themselves were deprived postpartum. Postnatally, protein deprivation was for 42 days, or for 21 days with refeeding for a further 21 days. Control animals received normal nourishment. Neurons were located by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) diaphorase staining, by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and immunoreactivity for choline acetyltransferase (ChAT). The collagen and elastic fibers in the myenteric ganglia were evaluated histologically. The myenteric ganglia were regular and uniform in the nourished and refed groups. In the undernourished group, the myenteric ganglia were irregularly arranged and the cytoplasm of most of the neurons showed less intense staining for NADH diaphorase, AChE and ChAT. AChE activity and ChAT immunoreactivity showed that most ganglionic neurons were stained in nourished and refed groups, but the neurons of undernourished rats were unstained or moderately stained. The distribution of the connective tissue of the ganglionic capsule was similar in the three groups. There was a decrease in weight of undernourished rats, which was restored in refed rats. The size of the small intestine of the undernourished group was smaller than in the normally fed group, by about 45%, but it was similar in nourished and refed rats. After 42 days of protein deprivation the numbers of neurons that were revealed by NADH diaphorase were fewer than in well nourished rats, but numbers were not different between nourished and refed rats. These observations indicate that protein deprivation alters histological features and acetylcholinesterase activity of neurons and also reduces body weight but these were restored by refeeding.

The myenteric plexus undergoes adaptive changes under several conditions. Mucosal and muscular alterations of the colon have been described after fecal stream diversion but studies concerning the myenteric plexus after this procedure are scarce. Therefore, 28 Wistar rats were submitted to fecal diversion and followed for different periods (30, 60, 120 and 180 days), in order to study the myenteric plexus of the excluded segments. Seven non-operated rats were employed as control. The myenteric plexus was subsequently evaluated with the NADH and NADPH histochemical techniques. The colonic area of excluded segments is significantly decreased. The density of NADH-stained neurons continuously increases during the entire postoperative period but does not match the extent of surface reduction. Neuronal area measurements suggest hypertrophy of the remaining neurons in the late postoperative period. Morphological alterations of myenteric ganglia and neurons were also evident. An important surface area reduction combined with slight density increase points toward significant neuronal loss after fecal diversion. While studies correlating neuronal loss and functional changes are still lacking, surgeons should bear in mind the modifications of the myenteric plexus when performing fecal stream diversion surgeries.