Autismo: uma estrutura a mais? / L'autisme: une structure supplémentaire? / Autism: an extra structure?

O tema do autismo constitui um campo de estudos relativamente novo. O século XXI nos traz uma importante reflexão sobre o autismo e uma pergunta que se impõe aos psicanalistas: temos uma epidemia de autismo ou de diagnóstico de autismo? As pesquisas para saber sobrea causa do autismo são muitas em diferentes abordagens teóricas e evidenciam uma antinomia importante entre indivíduo e sujeito. Estaremos enquanto psicanalistas do lado da homogeneização destas crianças ou prontos para a escutá-las em suas diferenças?

Le théme de l'autisme constitue um domaine d'étude relativement nouveau.Le XXIe siècle apporte une réflexion importante sur l'autisme et une question qui s'impose aux psychanalystes: avons-nous une épidémie d'autisme ou un diagnostic d'autisme?Les recherches visant à connaître la cause de l'autisme sont nombreuses dans différentes approches théoriques et mettent en évidence une antinomie significative entre l'individu et le sujet. Sommes-nous en tant que psychanalystes favorables à l'homogénéisation de ces enfants ou prêts à les écouter dans leurs différences?

The subject of autism is a relatively new field of study. The twentieth century brings us an important reflection on autism and a question that imposes on us psychoanalysts: have an epidemic of autism or diagnosis of autism?Research to clarify the cause of autism is often different in theoretical approaches and highlights a significant antinomy between individual and subject. Meanwhile, are the psychoanalysts on the side of homogenizing these children or ready to listen to them their differences?

[Ethnopharmacology of Amygdalus Lycioides Spach var. Horrida in east of Esfahan in Iran]

Background: Documenting of indigenous knowledge related to traditional medicine often leads to discovery of new drugs and prevent from destruction and forgotten it

Objective: Documentation of medicinal use of Amygdalus lycioides Spach var. horrida in traditional medicine of local people Naein, Khoor and Biabanak county in northeast of Esfahan in Iran

Methods: Ethnopharmacological information was collected using snowball sampling, Participant Observation and semi-structured interviews from 120 informants. The question of the interviews includes demography of informants, plant local name, medicinal properties, symptoms of the disease, used part, mode of application, route of administration and effectiveness of medicine, Adverse Drug Reaction, Medications or alternatives for treatment, In addition, it was also investigated about whether the informants used it for therapeutic purposes

Results: In Traditional medicine of Case study the A.lycioides are used in the treatment of disease such as diabetes, blood fat, hypotensive, Inflammation of the prostate, durectic, kidney stone, pain, Constipation, Colds and asthma. 98% of informants have reached the desired medicinal properties using aerial parts of the species

Conclusion: This study report Medicinal properties of A. lycioides treating blood fat, Inflammation of the prostate, durectic, and kidney stone for the first time. Also the result shows that for medicinal uses it is not necessary to use the root of plant

Annexin V and adhesion molecules expressions on erythrocytes in sickle cell anemia patients treated with hydroxyurea

To evaluate hydroxyurea [HU] induced changes in the expression of phosphatidylserine as well as various cell surface adhesion molecules in red cells of sickle cell anemia patients. The red cell membrane expression of CD36, CD49d. CD71 and annexin V were tested using flow cytometry and results were correlated with percent of HbF, as measured by 1-IPLC, as well as other hematological variables. The present study included 60 patients with sickle cell anemia [SCA], 40 of them underwent treatment with HU for a period of 12-18 months and the other 20 patients were newly diagnosed as [SCA], beside 20 healthy subjects as controls. Hydroxyurea caused a significant increase in Hb concentration, MCV values and HbF percentage. HU effectively decreased total teaeocyc count, total platelet counts. reticulocytes percentage and expression of CD36, CD71, CD49d and annexin V from pretreatment values. However, these values continued to be significantly higher in treated patients than those of controls. A significant positive correlation was found between Hb concentration and percent of HbF and also between reticulocyte counts and CD49d expression. A significant negative correlation was found between Hb concentration and percent of reticulocytes, CD36, CD49d, Annexin and CD71 expressions. A significant negative correlation was also found between reticulocyte percent and percent of HbF, CD36, Annexin and CD7I expressions. Treatment of sickle cell anemia with hydroxyurea causes a significant increase in HbF together with a significant reduction of CD36, CD7I and CD49d adhesion molecules and annexinV expressions on the surface of erythrocytes. These findings could have clinical relevance, as inhibition of adhesion receptor expression or activity may explain part of the beneficial effects of HU

Bioinsecticide production by the bacterium bacillus thuringiensis [patttern of cell growth, toxin production and by-product synthesis]

To develop a cost-effective process for the production of Bacillus thuringiensis based insecticide, it is important to cultivate the bacterial strain in rich medium to obtain the highest yields of spore-crystal complexes. It was found that cultivation of the bacterium in medium with high concentrations of glucose [50-90 g. l[-1]] resulted in much lower bacterial spores, crystal protein and their toxicity, when tested against Spodoptera littoralis and Anagasta kuehniella larvae. The best results was obtained with glucose concentration of 20.0 g.1[-1] as 7.1 x 10[11] spores/ml[-1] and 3.4 g/l of crystal protein were achieved with LC[50] of 40.1 and 50.2 mg/Kg mail against S. littoralis and A. kuehniella respectively. However, > 21% of the consumed glucose were diverted into by-product synthesis at the expense of spore-crystal protein mixture. Only 78.3% of consumed glucose was converted into spores and crystal protein. Among by-products formed, acetic acid and beta-hydroxybutyric acid [PHB] that were produced during the phase of active growth and glutamic acid and succinic acid during the phase of active toxin production

White and grey matter abnormalities in some neurometabolic disorders: a clinico-radiological correlation

Inborn errors of metabolism [IEM] are common throughout the Middle East, presumably because of the relatively high rates of consanguinity. Disorders of inborn errors of metabolism that affect the CNS are divided according to MRI picture into disorders involving grey or white matter or both. Only very few studies on inborn errors of metabolism have been done in Egypt. However, with the introduction of MRI and increasing awareness of the disease, more and more cases of metabolic diseases are being diagnosed. Many of these diseases if detected early can be cured and MRI might play a vital role in its early diagnosis. MRI has virtually replaced all other imaging modalities including CT in the evaluation of white matter diseases due to its excellent gray-white matter resolution and multiplanar imaging capability. The aim of this work is to identify the pattern of white and grey matter involvement in some neurometabolic diseases and to evaluate the role of MRI as an investigative modality in inborn errors of metabolism and to document its value in early diagnosis and hence management. This is a descriptive study done among 800 patients suspected of having an inborn error of metabolism and referred to the clinic of inherited metabolic disease at Cairo University Children Hospitals, at the centre of Social and Preventive Medicine. Only fourteen patients were found to have the diagnosis of metabolic disease and abnormal findings on MRI. Out of 14 cases, 11 were males [78.6%] while 3 [21.4%] were females. At presentation, the mean age +/- SD of the patients was 4.36 +/- 3.775 years, and their ages ranged from 9 months to 16 years. Four cases [28.5%] were diagnosed as Leigh disease, 4 cases [28.5%] as metachromatic leukodystrophy, 2 cases [14.2%] as Canavan disease, 1 [7.1%] as methylmalonic academia, 1 [7.1%] as Vander Knappe disease, 1 [7.1%] as mucolipidosis, and one [7.1%] as Wilson disease. Clinical presentation included positive consanguinity in 9 cases [64.3%], other sibs affected in 5 cases [35.7%]. Global developmental delay in 3 cases [21.4%], and developmental regression in 11 cases [78.6%]. Attacks of disturbed conscious level with metabolic acidosis were encountered in 5 cases [35.7%]. Seizures were encountered in 6 patients [42.9%] [four of them were generalized tonic clonic, one was multifocal clonic and one was hemifocal]. All types achieved good control on one or two antiepileptic drugs. Extrapyramidal symptoms were present in 5 cases [35.7%], and ataxia in 2 cases [14.3%]. On examination there was spasticity in 11 cases [78.5%], while only 3 patients [21.4%] were hypotonic. On measuring the skull circumference, 6 patients [42.9%] had microcephaly, 4 patients [28.5%] were macrocephalic and 4 cases had normal skull circumference. Fundus examination was done and revealed optic atrophy in 2 cases [14.3%]. MRI was a guide in reaching a proper diagnosis in these cases, definitive diagnosis was done by tandem mass spectrometry [TMS], enzymatic essay and skin or gingival biopsies according to each case. When properly used, MRI pattern recognition approach in conjunction with the other imaging tools can be very useful for separating the complex group of metabolic disorders into more manageable groups. Indeed, sometimes this approach allows a specific diagnosis to be made. Although the pattern of disease in MRI is not often specific, the distribution may suggest a differential diagnosis that may be pursued by increasingly specific enzyme analysis

St. John's wort [Hypericum perforatum L.]: a Review

Hypericum perforatum L., also known St. John's wort, is a herbaceous perennial belonging to Hypericaceae family that is a native of Western Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The importance of this plant as a phytopharmaceutical, especially for treatment of mild to-moderately severe depression, has significantly increased in the last few years. The major active constituents are considered to be Hypericin [a naphtodianthrone] and Hyperforin [a prenylated phloroglucinol], although other biologically active constituents eg. Flavoneids and tannins are also present. However, Hypericin is utilized as the key compound in measuring the quality of Stjohns wort and is typically used as the measure of extract potency, although recent studies indicated that hyperforin may be the antidepressive agent in St. John's wort. However, St. John's wort is one of the top- selling herbal products, which has an important place in world market

Extracellular matrix glucoprotein metabolism in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis: another evidence for basement membrane involvement

The aim of this study was to investigate laminin metabolism in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE] and rheumatoid arthritis [RA]. Twenty patients with SLE, 20 RA patients and 20 patients with osteoarthritis [OA] were recruited for the study. Twenty age and sex matched healthy persons served as control for SLE, while another 20 age and sex matched control subjects were recruited to serve as control for RA and OA patients. This study provided evidence for basement membrane involvement in patients with SLE and RA. Serum LPI can be used as a marker differentiating inflammatory versus degenerative arthritis. The effect of cyclophosphamide on serum LPI should be taken in consideration in future studies

Continuous sucrose conversion into fructose and ethanol by immobilized cell reactor of fructose utilization-negative mutant of zymomonas mobilis

Continuous sucrose conversion into fructose and ethanol by immobilized cell reactor of fructose utilization-negative mutant of Zymomonas mobilis was investigated. Levan and sorbitol were produced as the major by-products from fructose. Their mass ratios to hydrolyzed sucrose remained almost constant over a wide range of dilution rates and initial sucrose concentrations. Fermentation temperature affected the synthesis of levan and sorbitol whereas feed medium pH exerted a pronounced effect only on sucrose hydrolysis activity. Simultaneous control of fermentation temperature at 36C and feed medium pH at 6.2 resulted in an excellent performance. At residence time of 1.1 h the immobilized cell reactor of fructose utilization-negative mutant produced 57.6 g/L of fructose and 24.8 g/L of ethanol from 130 g/L of sucrose in feed medium