COVID-19 is an infection caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, initially identified in the city of Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Since then, the virus has spread to the continents, causing a major pandemic. The impacts of this pandemic on the education of human anatomy interfere in at least two aspects: (1) receiving and managing anatomical specimens in anatomy laboratories and (2) adaptations for classes on remote virtual teaching. Therefore, this study reviewed and discussed the legal and bioethical aspects, considering the scenario of a South American Country, aiming to stimulate the debate on these two relevant themes in the international community. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impossibility of mass testing, anatomists and other workers in the field must deal with the risk of receiving bodies infected with SARS-CoV-2. In this situation, additional care measures in biosafety practices are essential to protect the staff. Such measures are: the bodies must be preserved by the perfusion of formaldehyde or other fixative solutions; embalming must be performed in ventilated rooms with a good air exhaust system; to avoid excessive manipulation of bodies and procedures such as pulmonary insufflation or craniotomy; and proper use of personal protective equipment, including lab coat, gloves and masks. As for exposure of body images in online classes, this review showed that there are no legal impediments to this end. However, anatomists must adopt measures aimed at protecting the memory of the deceased, such as using secure digital platforms with restricted access; family authorization/consent and student awareness.

SUMMARY:The aim of the present study was to determine the most common origin of the azygos vein. Thirty cadavers male and female, white and non-white adult individuals of different ages fixed in 10% formaldehyde and dissected. All cadavers had an undisclosed clinical death and were donated to the Universidade Estadual de Ciências da Saúde de Alagoa s, Brazil. Eleven different formations were found. The right subcostal vein was was only observed in 13 cases (43.33%); the azygos vein was formed by the confluence of the right subcostal and right ascending lumbar vein in three cases (10%); by the right subcostal vein with a contribution from the inferior vena cava (IVC) in three cases (10%); by the right subcostal with contribution from IVC and right ascending lumbar vein in three cases (10%); by the right and left subcostal veins in two cases (6.66%); by the right and left subcostal veins and contribution from the IVC in one case (3.33%); by the right and left subcostal veins and left accessory renal vein in one case (3.33%); by the left renal vein in one case (3.33%); by the right subcostal and left gonadal veins with contribution from the IVC in one case (3.33%); by the right subcostal and left renal veins in one case (3.33%); and composed by the continuation of the 11th posterior intercostal vein in one case (3.33%). Based on the results, the right subcostal vein was the only structure with a significant presence in the formation of the azygos vein.

The vermis is described as the unpaired, median portion of the cerebellum to which the hemispheres are attached. Both the vermis and the hemispheres are formed by folia that, grouped together, are called lobules. The material analyzed consisted of a sample made up of 43 adult male cerebella fixed in 10% formaldehyde and sliced medially. The lingula was attached to the superior medullary velum in 100% (43) of the cerebella, varying only in size. In 80% (32) of the cerebella, the central lobe contained one folium; 7.5% (3) had two folia with the first larger than the second; 10% (4) had two folia with the second larger than the first; and 2.5% (1) had two folia of equal size. In 5% (2) of the cerebella, the folium of the vermis emerged from the declive; in 47.5% (19), the folium emerged from the central white matter; and in 42.5% (17), the folium emerged from the tuber. There was no variation in the lobules, culmen, pyramid, uvula or nodule in the sample studied. Contrary to what many believe, the folia of the cerebellum exhibit variations in form, number and arrangement. However, these variations are virtually unreported, which often hinders the determination of the limits of these structures by students of anatomy of the cerebellum.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common ailment. It is usually found in association with diabetes or obesity. There are no approved drugs to treat this condition. The study of flavonoid consumption has increased over the decades due to their antioxidative properties, although the literature is scarce when it comes to their effects in liver tissue. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of leucoanthocyanidin in nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis. Thirty male albino rabbits were divided in 3 groups. Group 1 had a regular commercial diet. The second group had a regular diet and 10 mL of egg yolk and 1.5 g of pure cholesterol. The rabbits of the third group were on the same regimen as the second, but were also treated with grape leucoanthocyanidin (50 mg/kg/day) for 100 days. On the last day of the experiment, the animals were euthanized, and the livers excised and fixated in a 10% formalin solution. Afterwards, fragments of each liver were removed and histologically processed and analyzed. The stereological evaluation showed that leucoanthocyanidin reduced NAFLD in comparison with the nontreated group. This was also observed in the histological analysis of the liver tissue, as the treated group had less foci of fatty tissue. Leucoanthocyanidin may therefore be a promising substance to treat NAFLD, although further studies are needed.

The metopic suture is located between the tubercles of the frontal bone. There are divergences regarding the exact time at which it closes, which ranges from the first to the tenth year of life, although it may persist into adulthood. This study was conducted on 134 dry crania from adult Brazilians, of which 95 were male and 39 were female. These were available in the anatomy laboratories of higher education institutions in Maceió, AL, Brazil. All the crania were examined macroscopically with regard to the presence (metopism: M) on absence of the metopic suture. M was considered to be complete (Mc) when it continued uninterruptedly from the nasium to the bregma and incomplete (Mi) when it was not present over its entire length. It was observed that Mc was present in 4.48% (6/134) of the skull examined, of which 50% (3/134) were male and 50% (3/134) were female. An incomplete metopic suture was found in 5.22% (7/144) of the crania and more frequently among males (3.73%; 5/134). Among the crania with a metopic suture, the dolichocephalic type predominated (7.46%) in relation to brachycephalic crania (1.49%) and mesocephalic crania (0.74%). There was no predominance of metopism between the sexes, while an incomplete metopic suture was slightly more common among males.