MODELO EXPERIMENTAL DE GLOMERULONEFRITIS MEMBRANOSA INDUCIDA CON ALBUMINA BOVINA

El objetivo del presente trabajo fue diseñar un modelo experimental de Glomerulonefritis Membranosa (GM) en ratas Wistar, inducida con Seroalbúmina Bovina (BSA), y validarlo mediante la determinación de parámetros bioquímicos, histológicos, ultraestructurales y detección de inmunocomplejos por inmunofluorescencia (IF). Los animales del grupo experimental fueron inmunizados por vía subcutánea, con dosis de 3 mg c/u de BSA/PBS con adyuvante de Freund. Se efectuaron diferentes esquemas de inmunización. Cuando el título de anticuerpos fue ≥1/2, comenzó la administración diaria de 2 mg, por vía endovenosa de BSA/PBS, durante 15 días. Se evaluó la funcionalidad renal por la proteinuria; después de la 5° semana, desde su aparición, se determinó: depuración (clearance) de creatinina, uremia, proteinemia y perfil lipídico. Los dos riñones se usaron para estudios histológicos, ultraestructurales y detección de inmunocomplejos por IF. Los resultados mostraron que la inmunización fue efectiva con 5 R E S U M E N inoculaciones c/15 días. En los animales nefróticos la proteinuria, depuración (clearance) de creatinina, proteinemia , uremia y el perfil lipídico presentaron alteraciones significativas (p<0.0001). Al microscopio óptico se observó hipercelularidad, engrosamiento difuso de las membranas basales de los capilares glomerulares y diferentes grados de atrofia, esclerosis e hialinización de los glomérulos. Por IF se detectó inmunocomplejos IgG en el 100 % de los glomérulos. Ultraestructuralmente, se observaron depósitos subepiteliales electrodensos en la membrana basal engrosada, compatibles con inmunocomplejos . Se encontraron alteraciones en la estructura de los podocitos. En conclusión, los estudios bioquímicos, estructurales y ultraestructurales permitieron inferir la inducción de un síndrome nefrótico experimental. Concluimos que el protocolo utilizado tiene validez para la inducción de una glomerulonefritis membranosa en ratas Wistar

Balanço hidrológico da microbacia do córrego lageado, Município de Uberaba-MG, para o ano de 2012.

O manejo integrado em microbacia hidrográfica implementa uma nova maneira de se planejar e usar os recursos naturais, indo de encontro ao desenvolvimento sustentável. A compreensão do balanço hídrico, mesmo que de forma simplificada, é importante para o entendimento dos processos de degradação e conservação dos recursos naturais relacionados ao uso do solo e da água. Dentro deste contexto, o presente estudo teve por objetivo fazer o balanço hídrico da microbacia do córrego Lageado, situada no município de Uberaba, MG, para o ano de 2012. A escolha desta microbacia para este trabalho baseou-se na sua importância como terceiro maior manancial pertencente à APA (Área de Proteção Ambiental) do rio Uberaba e por estar parcialmente dentro do perímetro urbano. Nas últimas décadas, esta microbacia hidrográfica passou por intensas transformações relacionadas ao uso e à ocupação do solo

Clinical efficacy of β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations for the treatment of bloodstream infection due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in haematological patients with neutropaenia: a study protocol for a retrospective observational study (BICAR)

Introduction: Bloodstream infection (BSI) due to extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Gram-negative bacilli (ESBL-GNB) is increasing at an alarming pace worldwide. Although β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor (BLBLI) combinations have been suggested as an alternative to carbapenems for the treatment of BSI due to these resistant organisms in the general population, their usefulness for the treatment of BSI due to ESBL-GNB in haematological patients with neutropaenia is yet to be elucidated. The aim of the BICAR study is to compare the efficacy of BLBLI combinations with that of carbapenems for the treatment of BSI due to an ESBL-GNB in this population. Methods and analysis: A multinational, multicentre, observational retrospective study. Episodes of BSI due to ESBL-GNB occurring in haematological patients and haematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients with neutropaenia from 1 January 2006 to 31 March 2015 will be analysed. The primary end point will be case-fatality rate within 30 days of onset of BSI. The secondary end points will be 7-day and 14-day case-fatality rates, microbiological failure, colonisation/infection by resistant bacteria, superinfection, intensive care unit admission and development of adverse events. Sample size: The number of expected episodes of BSI due to ESBL-GNB in the participant centres will be 260 with a ratio of control to experimental participants of 2. Ethics and dissemination: The protocol of the study was approved at the first site by the Research Ethics Committee (REC) of Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge. Approval will be also sought from all relevant RECs. Any formal presentation or publication of data from this study will be considered as a joint publication by the participating investigators and will follow the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). The study has been endorsed by the European Study Group for Bloodstream Infection and Sepsis (ESGBIS) and the European Study Group for Infections in Compromised Hosts (ESGICH)

Una nueva especie del grupo Liolaemus elongatus (Iguania: Liolaemidae) de la provincia de Neuquén, Argentina, con comentarios sobre su morfología genital

The Liolaemus elongatus group is a group of lizards that ranges from northwestern Argentina to the southern Patagonian steppe. In this study, we describe a new species of the L. elongatus group. The new taxon is distributed in the vicinity of L. burmeisteri, L. crandalli, L. gununakuna, L. punmahuida and L. tregenzai, and posseses a combination of unique character states and morphological characters that allows its formal description as a new species. The morphological evidence provides strong support that the population under study corresponds to a new taxon. With the description of the new species, the number of members of the L. elongatus group rises to twenty-two, but many populations likely represent undescribed species.El grupo de Liolaemus elongatus es un grupo de lagartijas que se distribuye desde el noroeste de Argentina al sur de las estepas patagónicas. En el presente estudio, describimos una nueva especie perteneciente al grupo de L. elongatus. El nuevo taxón se distribuye en cercanías de L. burmeisteri, L. crandalli, L. gununakuna, L. punmahuida y L. tregenzai, y la combinación de caracteres morfológicos en lepidosis y morfométricos permite describirla como nueva especie. La evidencia morfológica aporta un fuerte soporte que la población estudiada corresponde a un nuevo Liolaemus. Con la descripción de este nuevo taxón el número de especies del grupo de L. elongatus asciende a veintidós, aunque hay varias poblaciones que corresponden a especies no descritas.Asociación Herpetológica Argentin

Highlights from the III International Symposium of Thrombosis and Anticoagulation (ISTA), October 14-16, 2010, São Paulo, Brazil

To discuss and share knowledge around advances in the care of patients with thrombotic disorders, the Third International Symposium of Thrombosis and Anticoagulation was held in So Paulo, Brazil, from October 14-16, 2010. This scientific program was developed by clinicians for clinicians, and was promoted by four major clinical research institutes: the Brazilian Clinical Research Institute, the Duke Clinical Research Institute of the Duke University School of Medicine, the Canadian VIGOUR Centre, and the Uppsala Clinical Research Center. Comprising 3 days of academic presentations and open discussion, the symposium had as its primary goal to educate, motivate, and inspire internists, cardiologists, hematologists, and other physicians by convening national and international visionaries, thought-leaders, and dedicated clinician-scientists. This paper summarizes the symposium proceedings.AlexiumAstraZenecaBoehringer IngelheimBristol-Myers SquibbCSL BehringDaiichi SankyoLeo PharmaSanofi-aventisDuke Univ, Med Ctr, Duke Clin Res Inst, Durham, NC 27705 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, São Paulo, BrazilUniv Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CanadaNatl Univ, Ctr Heart, Singapore, SingaporeMcMaster Univ, Hamilton, ON, CanadaBoston Univ, Boston, MA 02215 USAUppsala Univ, Uppsala, SwedenUniv Montreal, Montreal Heart Inst, Montreal, PQ, CanadaKatholieke Univ Leuven Hosp, Louvain, BelgiumGreen Lane Cardiovasc Res Unit, Auckland, New ZealandUniv São Paulo, Sch Med, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ Hlth Sci Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, BrazilUniv Estadual Campinas, São Paulo, BrazilUniv New Mexico, Hlth Sci Ctr, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USAUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Paulista Sch Med, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Reptile remains from Tiga (Tokanod), Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia

Archaeological excavations on Tiga provide the first vouchered herpetological records for this small island between Lifou and Maré in the Loyalty Islands. Eighty-three skeletal elements from four sites yielded material assignable to skinks (Emoia loyaltiensis, Lioscincus nigrofasciolatus), geckos (Bavayia crass i-collis, B. sp., Gehyra georgpotthasti, Nactus pelagicus), and a boid snake (Candoia bihroni) all known from elsewhere in the Loyalties, as well as undetermined material consistent with these and other Loyalties lizards. Diagnostic features of geckos versus skinks for elements commonly recovered from archaeological sites and from owl pellets are discussed. Gehyra georgpotthasti has a limited distribution in the Loyalties and its occurrence on Tiga clarifies its range. The boid snake is the only reptile likely to have been harvested by human inhabitants of Tiga. The presence of gekkonid geckos in pre-European times is confirmed and contrasts with the situation of Grande Terre fossil sites, where only diplodactylid geckos have been recovered. Although it is anticipated that all species recovered from archaeological sites are still present on the island, a modern herpetofaunal survey is needed

Techniques used to identify the Brazilian variant of HIV-1 subtype B

The purpose of the present study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of V3 enzyme immunoassay (solid phase EIA and EIA inhibition) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with the DNA sequencing "gold standard" to identify the Brazilian HIV-1 variants of subtype B and B"-GWGR. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were collected from 61 HIV-1-infected individuals attending a clinic in São Paulo. Proviral DNA was amplified and sequentially cleaved with the Fok I restriction enzyme. Plasma samples were submitted to a V3-loop biotinylated synthetic peptide EIA. Direct partial DNA sequencing of the env gene was performed on all samples. Based on EIA results, the sensitivity for detecting B-GPGR was 70%, compared to 64% for the Brazilian variant B"-GWGR while, the specificity of B-GPGR detection was 85%, compared to 88% for GWGR. The assessment of RFLP revealed 68% sensitivity and 94% specificity for the B-GPGR strain compared to 84 and 90% for the B"-GWGR variant. Moreover, direct DNA sequencing was able to detect different base sequences corresponding to amino acid sequences at the tip of the V3 loop in 22 patients. These results show a similar performance of V3 serology and RLFP in identifying the Brazilian variant GWGR. However, V3 peptide serology may give indeterminate results. Therefore, we suggest that V3 serology be used instead of DNA sequencing where resources are limited. Samples giving indeterminate results by V3 peptide serology should be analyzed by direct DNA sequencing to distinguish between B-GPGR and the Brazilian variant B"-GWGR