De novo ALX4 variant detected in child with non-syndromic craniosynostosis

Current understanding of the genetic factors contributing to the etiology of non-syndromic craniosynostosis (NSC) remains scarce. The present work investigated the presence of variants in ALX4, EFNA4, and TWIST1 genes in children with NSC to verify if variants within these genes may contribute to the occurrence of these abnormal phenotypes. A total of 101 children (aged 45.07±40.94 months) with NSC participated in this cross-sectional study. Parents and siblings of the probands were invited to participate. Medical and family history of craniosynostosis were documented. Biological samples were collected to obtain genomic DNA. Coding exons of human TWIST1, ALX4, and EFNA4 genes were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequenced. Five missense variants were identified in ALX4 in children with bilateral coronal, sagittal, and metopic synostosis. A de novo ALX4 variant, c.799G>A: p.Ala267Thr, was identified in a proband with sagittal synostosis. Three missense variants were identified in the EFNA4 gene in children with metopic and sagittal synostosis. A TWIST1 variant occurred in a child with unilateral coronal synostosis. Variants were predicted to be among the 0.1% (TWIST1, c.380C>A: p. Ala127Glu) and 1% (ALX4, c.769C>T: p.Arg257Cys, c.799G>A: p.Ala267Thr, c.929G>A: p.Gly310Asp; EFNA4, c.178C>T: p.His60Tyr, C.283A>G: p.Lys95Glu, c.349C>A: Pro117Thr) most deleterious variants in the human genome. With the exception of ALX4, c.799G>A: p.Ala267Thr, all other variants were present in at least one non-affected family member, suggesting incomplete penetrance. Thus, these variants may contribute to the development of craniosynostosis, and should not be discarded as potential candidate genes in the diagnosis of this condition.

Consumo alimentar residual e sua relação com medidas de desempenho e eficiência e características in vivo da carcaça de cordeiros / The residual feed intake and its relationship with performance and efficiency measures and in vivo carcass characteristics of lambs

Avaliou-se o consumo alimentar residual (CAR) e a conversão alimentar (CA) de 20 cordeiros, com o objetivo de estimar as correlações entre essas variáveis com medidas de desempenho e com características in vivo da carcaça. Os animais tiveram o consumo de MS (CMS) mensurado por 65 dias e foram pesados a cada 13 dias para obtenção do ganho médio diário (GMD). Foram considerados o peso vivo inicial (PVI), o peso vivo final (PVF), o peso metabólico (PM), o GMD, a taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR), a taxa de Kleiber (TK), a CA, o CMS e o CMS em percentual do PV (CMSPV). As avaliações de carcaça foram realizadas por ultrassom. O CAR se mostrou correlacionado com o CMS (+0,81), o CMSPV (+0,90) e a CA (+0,63). Correlações significativas foram encontradas entre CA e GMD; CA e TCR; CA e TK; e CA e PVI (-0,63, -0,74, -0,75 e +0,51, respectivamente). O CAR e a CA não se mostraram correlacionados com características de carcaça, e, da mesma forma, não houve diferença entre as classes de CAR para essas variáveis. Confirmou-se o potencial do CAR como medida de eficiência alimentar para cordeiros em confinamento, sem existência de relações com o ganho de peso e o tamanho corporal e sem alterações na composição da carcaça.

The residual feed intake (RFI) and the feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 20 lambs was evaluated in order to estimate the correlations between these traits and performance measures and with in vivo carcass characteristics. The animals had their dry matter intake (DMI) measured over 65 days and they were weighed every 13 days to determine the average daily weight gain (ADG). Initial body weight (IBW), final body weight (FBW), metabolic weight (MW), ADG, relative growth rate (RGR), Kleiber ratio (KR), FCR, DMI and DMI in BW percentual (BWDMI) were considered. The carcass evaluation was performed by ultrasound. The RFI was correlated with the DMI (+0.81), BWDMI (+0.90) and with FCR (+0.63). Significant correlations were found between FCR and ADG; FCR and RGR; and FCR and KR; and FCR and IBW (-0.63, -0.74, -0.75 and +0.51 respectively). The RFI and the FCR were not correlated with carcass traits and similarly there was no difference between the RFI-classes for these variables. It was proved the RFI has potential as a measure of feed efficiency for housed lambs, without the existence of relations with weight gain and body size of animals and without changes in carcass composition.

Adição de plasma seminal ao sêmen descongelado e taxa de prenhez de ovelhas inseminadas em tempo fixo / Addition of seminal plasma to frozen-thawed semen and pregnancy rate of fixed time inseminated ewes

Avaliou-se o efeito da adição de plasma seminal ovino ao sêmen descongelado sobre a taxa de prenhez de ovelhas em rebanho comercial. Cento e setenta e quatro ovelhas cruza Texel foram distribuídas em quatro tratamentos: T1) inseminação artificial cervical (IAC) com sêmen descongelado (SD) diluído em solução tampão fosfato salino (PBS); T2) IAC com SD e adição de plasma seminal ovino; T3) grupo-controle I: IAC com sêmen fresco diluído em PBS; T4) grupo-controle II: inseminação artificial por laparoscopia com SD diluído em PBS. Para indução de cio, utilizaram-se esponjas impregnadas com acetato de medroxiprogesterona (MAP) por 12 dias, com aplicação intramuscular de 400 UI de eCG (Novormon®) e de 37,5µg de cloprostenol sódico (Sincrocio®), no dia da retirada das esponjas. O aparecimento de cio foi monitorado com rufiões vasectomizados a partir da retirada das esponjas até a inseminação artificial em tempo fixo - 54 a 60 horas. A taxa de prenhez do tratamento com adição de plasma seminal ao sêmen descongelado (7,0%) não diferiu (P>0,05) do tratamento sem adição de plasma (4,3%), entretanto foi menor (P<0,05) se comparada à taxa de prenhez dos grupos-controle I inseminação via cervical superficial com sêmen fresco diluído (50,0%) e II inseminação via laparoscopia com sêmen descongelado (39,4%). A inseminação artificial por via cervical superficial com adição de plasma seminal ao sêmen descongelado não elevou o percentual de prenhez em valores que justifiquem a indicação desta biotecnologia em rebanhos comerciais de ovinos.

The effect of seminal plasma addition to thawed-frozen ram semen on the pregnancy rate of commercial herd ewes was evaluated. One hundred and seventy-four crossbred Texel sheep were allocated to four treatments: T1) cervical artificial insemination (CAI) using frozen-thawed semen (FTS) diluted in phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS); T2) CAI using FTS diluted in ovine seminal plasma; T3) control group I: CAI using fresh semen diluted in PBS; T4) control group II: laparoscopic insemination using FTS diluted in PBS. Estrus induction was performed with medroxiprogesterone acetate (MAP) impregnated sponges for 12 days, followed by intramuscular injection of 400 IU of eCG (Novormon®) and 37.5µg of sodium cloprostenol (Sincrocio®) on the day of sponge removal. Estrus was monitorated with vasectomized rams, beginning at the time of the sponge removal until the fixed time artificial insemination - 54 to 60 hours. The pregnancy rate of FTS diluted in seminal plasma treatment (7.0%) did not differ (P>0.05) for the treatment without addition of seminal plasma (4.3%), however it was lower (P<0.05) when compared to the pregnancy rate of the cervical inseminated control I group with PBS diluted fresh semen (50.0%) and laparoscopic inseminated control group II with PBS diluted FTS (39.4%). The cervical artificial insemination with the addition of seminal plasma to frozen-thawed semen did not increase the pregnancy rate at acceptable values to make this biotechnology useful on commercial herds.

Raiva bovina no estado de São Paulo e sua distribuição espacial entre 1992 e 2003 / Cattle rabies in the State of São Paulo and its spatial distribution from 1992 to 2003

Descreveu-se a influência do relevo, da precipitação, da temperatura e da sazonalidade na distribuição espacial da raiva bovina. Para a realização dessa análise, foi construído um banco geográfico de dados que possibilitou a geração de uma função kernel, com base no somatório anual dos diagnósticos de raiva laboratorialmente positivos entre 1992 e 2003, bem como a verificação da sua relação com as demais variáveis. Constatou-se que a região com relevo montanhoso, maiores índices pluviométricos e temperatura mais amena do planalto atlântico e da província costeira correspondeu às áreas com maior densidade da função, contrapondo-se à região do planalto ocidental com menores índices pluviométricos e áreas mais quentes. Não se observou, no estado, relação entre sazonalidade e raiva bovina no período estudado. A região plana da depressão periférica e o eixo de conurbação São Paulo-Campinas são óbices que dividem, respectivamente, a enfermidade entre as regiões leste-oeste e leste-sul do estado.

The influences of relief, precipitation, temperature, and seasonally was evaluated on the cattle rabies spatial distribution in the State of São Paulo. In that way, a Geographic Data Bank was developed in order to create a kernel function with the cases of cattle rabies from 1992 to 2003 and its relation with other variables. Results showed that the rainy hilly areas with low temperature in the "Planalto Atlântico" and "Província Costeira" were linked to areas with the higher density of the function in opposite to the plane areas of the "Planalto Ocidental" with low rainy index and high temperatures. There were no relations between seasonality and cattle rabies in the State of São Paulo. The flat region of the "Depressão Periférica" and urban area between São Paulo and Campinas are barriers that determine the disease occurrence in East-West and East-South regions of the State.

Raiva bovina segundo os mosaicos de uso e cobertura da terra no estado de São Paulo entre 1992 e 2003 / Cattle rabies according to the mosaics of land use and land cover in the state of Sao Paulo from 1992 to 2003

O objetivo deste trabalho foi descrever a influência dos mosaicos de uso e de cobertura da terra na distribuição espacial da raiva bovina na região de maior incidência do Estado de São Paulo, entre 1992 e 2003. Geotecnologias foram utilizadas para gerar três camadas sobrepostas: a enfermidade caracterizada por uma função kernel, os tipos de uso e classes de cobertura da terra obtidos por classificação de imagens de satélites e a altitude. A enfermidade esteve fortemente moldada pelas áreas de vegetação rasteira (pastagens). O relevo pareceu formar os mosaicos de uso e cobertura da terra, os quais acabaram determinando os locais de grassamento ou não da enfermidade. Grandes áreas contínuas do mesmo tipo de uso e classe de cobertura da terra tenderam a ser protetoras da raiva bovina, ou favorecedoras em áreas vizinhas.

The influence of the mosaics of land use and land cover in the spatial distribution of cattle rabies was described in the major incidence region of the State of Sao Paulo, from 1992 to 2003. Geotechnologies were used to build three layers: the disease established by a kernel function, the land use and land cover obtained by satellite images classification, and the altitude. The disease was hardly shaped by grasslands. The relief seems to form the land use and land cover, which determine the regions for the occurrence or not of the disease. Large continuous areas of the same land use and land cover tend to be a protection to cattle rabies or to favor it in the neighborhood areas.

Eventos externos e internos da infecção de larvas e ninfas de Rhipicephalus sanguineus por Metarhizium anisopliae / External and internal events of Rhipicephalus sanguineus larvae and nymphs infection by Metarhizium anisopliae

Examinaram-se a adesão, a germinação, a penetração e a colonização de larvas e ninfas de Rhipicephalus sanguineus por Metarhizium anisopliae, assim como as lesões infringidas pelo fungo nas respectivas fases do ciclo de vida do ácaro. Realizaram-se infecções experimentais em 11 grupos contendo 250 larvas e 11 grupos contendo 75 ninfas de R. sanguineus, por meio de banho, durante três minutos sob agitação manual, em suspensão contendo 10(8) conídios/ml do fungo. Nos grupos-controles, o banho foi realizado usando o veículo da suspensão. Larvas e ninfas foram processadas para um estudo histopatológico e de microscopia eletrônica de varredura nos seguintes tempos após a infecção: uma e 18 horas, e um, dois, três, quatro, cinco, seis, sete, nove e 11 dias. A germinação dos conídios ocorreu em até 18 horas pós-inoculação, e o fungo penetrou nas larvas e ninfas através do tegumento, dois e três dias após a infecção, respectivamente. Após penetração, o fungo invadiu o corpo das larvas e ninfas, promovendo uma colonização difusa, sem preferência aparente por tecidos específicos. Lesões significativas não foram observadas. A morte das larvas e ninfas ocorreu no terceiro e quarto dias pós-infecção, e a esporulação do patógeno sobre o cadáver foi iniciada no sexto dia pós-infecção.

The adhesion, germination and colonization of Rhipicephalus sanguineus larvae and nymphs by Metarhizium anisopliae as well as the lesions caused by the fungus were studied. For this purpose, 11 groups of 250 larvae each and 11 groups of 75 nymphs each were bathed during 3 minutes under manual shaking in a 10(8) conidia/ml suspension. Corresponding control groups were bathed only in the suspension vehicle. Ticks were also submitted to both conventional microscopy and scanning eletronmicrocopy analyses at several post-infection periods (1 and 18 hours and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 11 days). Conidial germination occurred in less than 18 hours post-inoculation and the fungus penetration through the tegument into the larvae and nymphs in, respectively, two and three days post-infection. Following penetration, the fungus invaded the body of the ticks and colonized it diffusely without a noticeable predilection for tissue, but no apparent lesions were observed. Death of larvae and nymphs occurred on the 3rd and 4th post-infection days and pathogen sporulation over the dead tick began on the 6th post-infection day.

Susceptibilidade a antimicrobianos de bactérias isoladas de otite externa em cães / Antimicrobial sensitivity of bacteria from otitis externa in dogs

The occurrence of canine externa otitis in Fortaleza-Ceará is reported. About 91.5 percent of the animals with clinical signs were positive to bacterial culture. Among all infections, 49.5 percent were mixed infections and the most common pathogens were Staphylococcus spp coagulase negative or positive and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The most effective antimicrobials for Staphylococcus coagulase negative were: the quinolones, the aminoglicoside netilmycin and the beta-lactams, excepted ampicillin, penicillin and oxacilin; for Staphylococcus coagulase positive were: cefotoxin, amoxicillin + clavulanic acid, imipenem, netilmycin and cephatoxin; for Pseudomonas aeruginosa were: ciprofloxacin, tobramycin and imipenem.

Onychomycosis in Ceará (Northeast Brazil): epidemiological and laboratory aspects

Knowledge of epidemiological and mycological characteristics of onychomycosis has been noted by many authors as being an important tool for control of these fungal infections. This study seeks to improve knowledge of onychomycosis epidemiology and mycological features. Samples were taken from infected fingernails and toenails of 976 patients undergoing treatment at a respected Dermatology Center in Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil. Specimens from 512 patients (52 percent) were positive for onychomycosis. From the culture-positive samples, yeasts of the genus Candida (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. parapsilosis) were dominant. The dermatophytes isolated (Trichophyton rubrum, T. tonsurans, T. mentagrophytes var. mentagrophytes) were dominant in 46 patients (12.99 percent). The mould Fusarium spp. was isolated from 29 patients (8.19 percent). Yeast of the genus Candida is the main causal factor in onychomycosis in our region. Also, the study showed the importance of performing direct examination and culture in diagnosis of onychomycosis.

Pro domain peptide of HGCP-Iv cysteine proteinase inhibits nematode cysteine proteinases

Cysteine proteinases (CPs) are synthesized as zymogens and converted to mature proteinase forms by proteolytic cleavage and release of their pro domain peptides. A cDNA encoding a papain-like CP, called hgcp-Iv, was isolated from a Heterodera glycines J2 cDNA library, expressed and utilized to assess the ability of its propeptide to inhibit proteinase in its active form. The hgcp-Iv cDNA sequence encodes a polypeptide of 374 amino acids with the same domain organization as other cathepsin L-like CPs, including a hydrophobic signal sequence and a pro domain region. HGCP-Iv, produced in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with thioredoxin, degrades the synthetic peptide benzyloxycarbonyl-Phe-Arg-7-amido-4-methylcoumarin and is inhibited by E-64, a substrate and inhibitor commonly used for functional characterization of CPs. Recombinant propeptides of HGCP-Iv, expressed in E. coli, presented high inhibitory activity in vitro towards its cognate enzyme and proteinase activity of Meloidogyne incognita females, suggesting its usefulness in inhibiting nematode CPs in biological systems. Cysteine proteinases from other species produced no noticeable activity.

Environmental and genetic factors affecting mutability to aminoglycoside antibiotics among Escherichia coli K12 strains

Environmental and genetic factors affecting the in vitro spontaneous mutation frequencies to aminoglycoside resistance in Escherichia coli K12 were investigated. Spontaneous mutation frequencies to kanamycin resistance were at least 100 fold higher on modified Luria agar (L2) plates, when compared to results obtained in experiments carried out with Nutrient agar (NA) plates. In contrast to rifampincin, the increased mutability to kanamycin resistance could not be attributed to a mutator phenotype expressed by DNA repair defective strains. Kanamycin mutant selection windows and mutant preventive concentrations on L2 plates were at least fourfold higher than on NA plates, further demonstrating the role of growth medium composition on the mutability to aminoglycosides. Mutability to kanamycin resistance was increased following addition of sorbitol, suggesting that osmolarity is involved on the spontaneous mutability of E. coli K12 strains to aminoglycosides. The spontaneous mutation rates to kanamycin resistance on both L2 and NA plates were strictly associated with the selective antibiotic concentrations. Moreover, mutants selected at different antibiotic concentrations expressed heterogeneous resistance levels to kanamycin and most of them expressing multiple resistance to all tested aminoglycoside antibiotics (gentamicin, neomycin, amykacin and tobramycin). These results will contribute to a better understanding of the complex nature of aminoglycoside resistance and the emergence of spontaneous resistant mutants among E. coli K12 strains

Dietas desequilibradas en niños preescolares: estudio en un jardín integral de la provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina / Imbalance diets in preschool children: study in a day-care center in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of low fat diets in children aged 2 to 5. Eighty two children (40 females and 42 males) attending a school cafeteria (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), in a cross sectional study, were evaluated. Body weight (W), height (H) and body composition (BC) by bioimpedance were recorded. The anthropometric raw data were processed as Z-score of the weight-for-age (WEZ) and of the height-for-age (HAZ). Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and Zinc/haemoglobin ratio (Zn/Hb) were also measured. Results showed that 73.2 per cent of children were adequate (A) according WEZ, 13.4 per cent were lean (L) and 13.4 per cent overweight (O). 8.5 per cent presented simultaneously impairment in WEZ and HAZ. Body fat percentage and energy metabolism were higher in O than in L and A (p < 0.05). Serum IGF-1's children--aged 4 to 5 years--with HAZ deficit were low than adequate HAZ ones. No statistical differences in Zn/Hb ratio between A, L and O were found. This cross sectional study suggests metabolic disorders in young children attending school cafeterias. These conclusions will allow to design balanced diets in order to optimize the resources, promote optimal growth and development and prevent adult diseases through dietary practices in childhood.

Effect of meconium ileus on the clinical prognosis of patients with cystic fibrosis

The objective of the present study was to determine the possible prognostic factors which may explain the difference in the survival of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) with and without meconium ileus. Over a period of 20 years, 127 patients with CF, whose diagnosis was confirmed by typical clinical characteristics and altered sweat chloride levels, were studied retrospectively. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1 consisted of patients who presented CF and meconium ileus (N = 9), and group 2 consisted of patients with CF without meconium ileus (N = 118). The characteristics studied were based on data obtained upon admission of the patients using a specific protocol. Demographic, clinical, nutritional and laboratory data were obtained. The genotype was determined in 106 patients by PCR. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The median follow-up period was 44 months. A statistically significant difference was observed between the groups studied regarding the following variables: age at diagnosis and weight and height z scores. The presence of meconium ileus was associated with an earlier diagnosis; these patients had greater deficits in height and weight at the time of diagnosis and at the end of the study. The estimated probability of survival for patients with CF without meconium ileus was 62 ± 14 percent and for those with meconium ileus 32 ± 18 percent. Patients with CF and meconium ileus presented a poor nutritional status at diagnosis and a lower survival rate compared to the general CF population

Quadro clínico e nutricional de pacientes com fibrose cística: 20 anos de seguimento no HC-UFMG / Clinical and nutritional aspects of a Center of Cystic Fibrosis-HC-UFMG: 20 years of follow-up

OBJETIVOS: A fibrose cística (FC) é a doença genética letal, de herança autossômica recessiva, mais comum entre pacientes de cor branca. O presente estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de identificar o quadro clínico e nutricional à admissäo dos pacientes no Centro de Tratamento de FC do HC-UFMG e avaliar a sobrevida a longo prazo. PACIENTES E MÉTODOS: Em um período de 20 anos, 127 pacientes portadores de FC foram acompanhados longitudinalmente e submetidos a protocolo previamente estabelecido, após confirmaçäo do diagnóstico pelo teste do suo...

High biodegradetion levels of 4, 5, 6-trichloroguaiacol by "Bacillus" sp. isolates from pupl mill effluent

An aerobic Gram positive spore-forming bacterium was isolated drom cellulose pulp mill effluent. This microorganism, identified as "Bacillus" sp. and named IS13, was able to rapdly degrade the organic chlorinateed compound 4, 5, 6-trichloroguaiacol (4, 5, 6-TCG) from a culture containing 50 mg/l, wich corresponds to about 3,0E4 times the concentration found in the organic chlorinated compound 4, 5, 6-TCG decreasing, the lack of by-products had shown by such analysis lead to verify the possibility of either adsorption of absorption of 4, 5, 6-TCG by the cells, instead of real biodegradation. There were no traces of 4, 5, 6-TCG. Plasmid isolation was attempted by using different protocols. The best results werw reached by CTAB method, but no plamid DNA was found in "Bacillus"sp. IS13. The results suggest that genes located at the bacterial chromossome might mediate the high decrease of 4, 5, 6-TCG. The importance of this work is that, in being a natural ocurring microorganism, "Bacillus" sp. IS13, can be used as inoculum in plant effluents to best organochlorinated compounds biodegradation.

Miíase vulvar / Vulvar myiasis

A miíase é uma infecção parasitária causada por larvas de diversos tipos de moscas. Embora o reconhecimento e tratamento sejam fáceis, constituem uma infecção pouco freqúente na região vulvar. Este estudo apresenta uma revisão a respeito da patologia por miíase e a descrição do caso de uma adolescente de 19 anos, gestante, portadora de miíase vulvar associada à tricomoníase, candidíase e sífilis, além se ser soropositiva para HIV.

Padronizaçäo do uso de areia do mar na remoçäo de leucócitos de sangue bovino / Standardisation of the use of limestone particles to remove leukocytes from bovine blood

The objective of this paper was to evaluate different volumes of limestone particles in the removal of leukocytes from bovine blood. Samples of red blood cell suspensions were tested before and after filtration for presence of leukocytes using Acridine Orange and counting in Neubauer chamber. The proportion of red blood cells lost in each filtration was also calculated. It was concluded that filtration through a volume of 10 cm3 of limestome particles per ml of suspension allowed removal of leukocytes with little losses of red blood cells in the column. The technique may be useful in purification of hemoparasites in which the removal of leukocytes is essential

Clonal heterogeneity in murine liver myofibroblasts

GR primary cells cultures were isolated from hepatic granulomas induced in C3H mice livers by Schistosoma mansoni infection; the GRX continuous cell line was derived from GR cells after long-term culture and a progressive drift towards a rapidly proliferating cell population. These cells were analyzed and compared in terms of their clonal heterogeneity. Clones were classified on the basis of cell substrate, cell-cell adhesion (growth morphology of the clone) and fat droplet accumultation. GR cells were composed of two slow-growing clone types, while GRX cells grave rise to clones with several phenotypes, including the two found in the GR cells. The overall proportion of different clones in the GRX cell population was stable in long-term cultures, as well as after recloning of the highly proliferating, but not the slowly proliferating, clones. We propose that the slow-growing clones are maintained in the overall population by continuous contribution of new slow-growing cells from the rapidly growing ones. The slow-growing clones may represent the basal population of liver connective tissue cells that can be mobilized into injured tissues and that are involved in tissue repair. The highth proliferating clones with a broad capacity of phenotype expression that arise after long-term growth simulation of the local cell population may represent the hypertrophic connective tissue cells, such as those observed in progressive fibrotic reactions associated with chronic liver tissue inflammation

In vitro collagen synthesis by liver connective tissue cells isolated from schistosomal granulomas

Hepatic injury elicits an excessive deposition of extracellular matrix probably due to a loss of control mechanisms in mesenchymal cells in fibrotic lesions, or a local activity of growth factors. To study collagen synthesis in an in vitro model of fibrotic lesions, we isolated liver connective tissue cells (LCTC) from murine schistosomal granulomas in C3H/HeN mice. Collagen was quantified in culture supernatants using a sirius red dye assay. LCTC and skin fibroblasts (SF) secreted similar amounts of collagen per cell and secretion was inversely proportional to the cell density. Cells cultured at low density (10,000 cells/cm2) secreted two- to three-times more collagen per cell when compared to cells grown in high-density cultures (60,000 cells/cm2). Collagen secretion was stimulated by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) in both cell lines, but the response of LCTC was detected from 1 ng/ml on, while SF responded only to higher concentrations (2.5 and 5 ng/ml). These data do not support the hypothesis that cells from fibrotic livers have lost the normal control mechanisms and suggest that their control is disturbed locally by the presence of peptide growth factors during the development of fibrosis.

Síndrome compressiva do túnel do carpo: aspectos clínicos e semiológicos; resultados do tratamento cirúrgico

Os autores apresentam uma análise retrospectiva de 30 casos de síndrome do túnel do carpo tratados cirurgicamente com abertura do ligamento transverso do carpo. Enfatizam que o diagnóstico da enfermidade é clínico e que o tratamento cirúrgico é eficaz e inócuo

Avaliaçäo do desempenho ventricular no infarto agudo do miocárdio: I. Consideraçöes gerais / Evaluation of ventricular performance in acute myocardial infarction: I. General considerations

A disfunçäo do ventrículo esquerdo (VE) constitui a principal causa de morte dos doentes com infarto agudo do miocárdio (IAM) que säo internados em Unidades de Tratamento Intensivo de Coronários. Deste modo, compreende-se que a avaliaçäo do desempenho do VE tenha uma importância relevante na escolha da terapêutica a instituir, na apreciaçäo de sua eficácia e no prognóstico dos doentes com IAM. Na primeira seçäo deste Simpósio, analisa-se a fisiopatologia da disfunçäo do VE no IAM; na segunda, referem-se diversos indicadores clínicos do desempenho ventricular no IAM, nomeadamente as classes de Killip e o índice de Norris; na terceira, baseado num estudo efetuado em 250 doentes, valoriza-se a contribuiçäo do exame hemodinâmico com o cateter de Swan-Ganz para a avaliaçäo da funçäo cardíaca e para o prognóstico dos doentes com IAM; na quarta, decrevem-se os critérios hemodinâmicos que permitem o diagnóstico de infarto do ventrículo direito; na quinta, fundamentado num estudo que abrangeu 107 doentes, referem-se diversos índices fonomecanocardiográficos do desempenho do VE no IAM, designadamente: amplitude da onda a e morfologia do apexocardiograma; intervalos de tempo sistólico e diastólicos