Fracturas vertebrales: evaluación, diagnóstico y tratamiento: Revisión del tema / Vertebral fractures: evaluation, diagnosis and treatment: Review

Las fracturas vertebrales son una de las fracturas más comunes relacionadas a la fragilidad ósea y son causa de morbilidad importante. Sin embargo la epidemiología de las fracturas vertebrales difiere de las fracturas osteoporóticas en otros sitios esqueléticos, ya que solo una tercera parte de las fracturas vertebrales son reconocidas clínicamente y detectadas al realizar una metodología de imagen apropiada, ya que un alto porcentaje presenta FV asintomáticas, las cuales no son detectadas hasta realizar una radiografía simple de columna dorso-lumbar. Por otro lado la identificación de una fractura vertebral como aguda o crónica, benigna o maligna, hace que el médico tratante presente diferentes estrategias terapéuticas. El objetivo de este artículo de revisión es dar al lector información sobre la epidemiología, los costos, los tipos de fracturas vertebrales, que ocurre con las fracturas vertebrales en las enfermedades reumatológicas, como realizar una evaluación radiográfica de las fracturas vertebrales, la identificación acorde a las diferentes metodologías por imagen, y como es el tratamiento adecuado de las mismas.

Vertebral fractures are one of the most common fractures associated with skeletal fragility and can cause as much morbidity. However, the epidemiology of vertebral fractures differs from that of osteoporotic fractures at other skeletal sites in important ways, largely because only one-third of vertebral fractures are recognized clinically at the time of their occurrence and they require lateral spine imaging to be recognized. In otherwise the identification of vertebral fractures as acute or chronic, benign or malignant, is important for the physician to apply the more appropriate treatment. The objective of this paper is review points as epidemiology, cost, types of vertebral fractures, what happens in rheumatological diseases, the importance of different imaging technique, and review the more appropriate treatment.

Nanoparticles influence seed germination traits and seed pathogen infection rate in forage sorghum (Sorghum bicolour) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata)

Nanoparticles (NPs) influence germination and growth of plants and also reported to have antimicrobial effect on seed. In the present study, effect of four metal/metal oxide NPs viz. Zinc oxide (ZnO), Titanium oxide (TiO2), Copper oxide (CuO) and Silver (Ag) on seed germination traits and seed pathogenicity of forage sorghum [Sorghum bicolour (L.)] and cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.)] was assessed. NPs were synthesized before seed treatment and characterized for size and chemical property by particle size analyzer (PSA), scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) following standard procedure. All NPs were pure and confirmed as under nano-size (>90% of particles below 100 nm). Seed surfaces were observed under SEM for natural openings that apparently acted as entry points for NPs. Seeds were treated with NPs at 0 mg (D0), 750 mg (D1), 1000 mg (D2) and 1250 mg/kg of seed (D3). Except TiO2, all other NPs enhanced germination at lower dose (D1), but germination was reduced at higher dose (D3) (p=0.05) as compared to control (D0). Seed vigour traits (germination, shoot length, root length and seedling dryweight in this experiment) were also influenced by NPs. Ag NP was proved to be strong antimicrobial agent in this study.

Differential expression of integrin subunits on adherent and nonadherent mast cells

Mast cell progenitors arise in bone marrow and then migrate to peripheral tissues where they mature. It is presumed that integrin receptors are involved in their migration and homing. In the present study, the expression of various integrin subunits was investigated in three systems of adherent and nonadherent mast cells. Mesentery mast cells, freshly isolated bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMC) and RBL-2H3 cells grown attached to tissue culture flasks are all adherent mast cells and peritoneal mast cells, and cultured BMMC and RBL-2H3 cells grown in suspension represent nonadherent mast cell populations. Pure populations of mast cells were immunomagnetically isolated from bone marrow, mesentery and peritoneal lavage using the mast cell-specific monoclonal antibody AA4. By immunomicroscopy, we could demonstrate that all of these mast cells expressed alpha4, alpha5, alpha6, ß1 and ß7 integrin subunits. The expression of the alpha4 integrin subunit was 25 percent higher in freshly isolated mesentery mast cells and BMMC. Consistent with the results obtained by immunomicroscopy, mesentery mast cells expressed 65 percent more mRNA for the alpha4 integrin subunit than peritoneal mast cells. In vitro studies were also conducted using the rat mast cell line RBL-2H3. RBL-2H3 cells grown attached to the tissue culture flasks or as suspension cultures expressed the same integrin subunits identified in bone marrow, mesenteric and peritoneal mast cells ex vivo. Similarly, the expression of alpha4 integrin was higher in adherent cells. Therefore, alpha4 integrins may play a critical role in the anchorage of mast cells to the extracellular matrix in bone marrow and in peripheral tissues

Crecimiento y formación de polisacáridos de cepas de Sinorhizobium meliloti en un fermentador tipo air-lift: influencia en la velocidad de nodulación en plantas de alfalfa / Crowth of Sinorhizobium meliloti strains and exopolysaccharide formation in an air-lift fermentor: influence on the nodulation rate in alfalfa plants

En este trabajo, se estudió la influencia de los polisacáridos formados por cepas de Sinorhizobium meliloti sobre la velocidad de nodulación en plantas de alfalfa. Las experiencias fueron realizadas en agitador rotatorio y en un fermentador con circulación de líquido por inyección de aire, empleando diferentes cepas de S. meliloti, El crecimiento bacteriano fue determinado por recuento de células viables y la concentración del exopolisacárido por precipitación con etanol. Se alcanzaron concentraciones máximas del orden de 1.10 (10) células viables/ml y de 11 g/l de polisacárido. Los estudios de crecimiento de plantas de alfalfa en cámara climatizada mostraron que se producía una reducción en el tiempo de aparición de nódulos de 10 a 4 días, cuando las mismas eran inoculadas con suspensiones diluidas 1/10, manteniendo las cepas sus propiedades simbióticas.

Producción de pectinasas a partir de Penicillium simplicissimum A3263 en un medio con harina de semilla de amaranto / [Production of pectinases by Penicillium simplicissimum A3263 in an amaranth-seed flour medium]

The present work studies the production of pectinases using a strain of Penicillium simplicissimum A3263 and considering the influence of adding Amaranthus cruentus seed meal in a selected medium. We also considered the influence of aeration on enzyme production. Research was oriented towards the production of pectin lyase, the enzyme having the highest commercial value. This work was carried out in Erlenmeyer flasks in rotary shaker to select the medium and in a mechanically stirred fermentor to study aeration. The microorganism was developed as pellets of 1 mm diameter. Enzyme levels were of the order of 8216.21 pectin lyase units and 167.57 polygalacturonase units per gram of fungal biomass, respectively, using a medium containing 40 g/l of amaranth seed meal. As for the influence of aeration, it was determined that the higher values were obtained at 750 rpm corresponding to an oxygen absorption rate of 2691 ml O2/lh for an air flow of 1 l/l.min. The results obtained are considered very important in view of the fact that they exceeded in 550

those obtained by other authors.

Obtención de xantano a partir de Xanthomonas campestris B-1459 en fermentadores con agitación mecánica / [Isolation of xanthan from Xanthomonas campesteris B-1459 in mechanically agitated fermentors]

Xanthan production from Xanthomonas campestris was studied by a mechanically shaken fermentor. Influence of glucose concentration, aeration of culture media, rheology of broths and pH control was evaluated. Different aeration conditions based on variation of stirring rates were assayed. Substrate concentration was determined according to the Miller method, and polymer production was performed by the Cadmus method. The higher xanthan levels (i.e. 2.3

) were obtained at 750 rpm, with 1 v/v. min. In such conditions, viscosity ranges about 7000 cPoise and a low level of dissolved oxygen were detected in the culture medium. Xanthan production was influenced by the glucose concentration and the presence of amaranth within the culture medium. In the processes wherein an automatic control of pH was performed, the polymer concentration did not increase regarding to processes involving regular pH evolution.

Producción de xantano a partir de Xanthomonas campestris B-1459 / [Xanthan production by Xanthomonas campestris B-1459]

The production of xantano from Xanthomonas campestris B-1459 was analyzed. The experiments were performed in shaked flasks at 250 rpm and 2.5 cm eccentricity. Using a base modified medium it was possible to achieve xantano concentration of 35 g/l in 72 h of process. The modified medium contained glucose as carbon source, and yeast extract, meat peptone, malt extract and amaranth meal as growth factors and nitrogen sources, in a KH2PO4/K2HPO4 buffer.

Meningites virais e bacterianas no municipio do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil). Algumas consideracoes sobre o sistema de informacoes em saude e sobre a distribuicao da doenca no espaco urbano. / Viral and bacterial meningitis in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Some considerations on the health information system and the distribution of the disease in the urban space

Foram estudados 609 casos de meningites ocorridos entre 1 de julho e 31 de dezembro de 1978 no municipio do Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brasil). Destes, 311 foram classificados como bacterianos e 298 como virais. A maioria destes foi causada pelo virus ECHO-9, responsavel por um surto ocorrido na Zona Sul do Municipio, a partir de setembro. Foram apresentadas e discutidas as questoes: a) contradicao entre significado politico e significado epidemiologico dos fatos morbidos, nem sempre homogeneos; b) ausencia de notificacao das doencas as autoridades de saude; c) significado do previlegiamento do espaco geografico na organizacao dos servicos de saude, fato que muitas vezes mascara a verdadeira distribuicao da doenca e impede um melhor equacionamento das acoes no sentido de controla-las

As meningites virais no municipio do Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brasil), 1978. / Viral meningitis in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil), 1978

Foram estudados 298 casos de meningites classificados como virais ocorridos no segundo semestre de 1978 no municipio do Rio de Janeiro (Brasil). A maioria destes casos ocorreu de setembro a dezembro e pertenceu a um surto epidemico causado pelo virus ECHO-9.Sao apresentadas e discutidas as caracteristicas epidemiologicas, clinicas e laboratoriais dos casos, bem como foi realizado um estudo caso-controle com parte dos casos do surto