Intestinal cell migration damage induced by enteropathogenic Escherichia coli strains

Epithelial cell migration is an essential response to enteric pathogens such as enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC). This study aimed to investigate the effects of EPEC infection on intestinal epithelial cell migration in vitro, as well as the involvement of type III secretion system (T3SS) and Rho GTPases. Crypt intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6) were infected with EPEC strains (E2348/69, ΔescF, and the LDI001 strain isolated from a malnourished Brazilian child) and commensal E. coli HS. Wound migration and cell death assays were performed at different time-points. Transcription and expression of Rho GTPases were evaluated using real-time PCR and western blotting. Overall, EPEC E2348/69 reduced migration and increased apoptosis and necrosis levels compared to EPEC LDI001 and E. coli HS strains. Moreover, EPEC LDI001 impaired cell migration at a higher level than E. coli HS and increased necrosis after 24 hours compared to the control group. The different profiles of virulence genes between the two wild-type EPEC strains, characterized by the absence of espL and nleE genes in the LDI001, might explain the phenotypic results, playing significant roles on cell migration impairment and cell death-related events. Moreover, the type III secretion system is determinant for the inhibition of intestinal epithelial cell migration by EPEC 2348/69, as its deletion prevented the effect. Active Rac1 concentrations were increased in E2348/69 and LDI001-infected cells, while the T3SS-deficient strain did not demonstrate this activation. This study contributes with valuable insight to characterize the mechanisms involved in the impairment of intestinal cell migration induced by EPEC.

Impact of acute undernutrition on growth, ileal morphology and nutrient transport in a murine model

Undernutrition represents a major public health challenge for middle- and low-income countries. This study aimed to evaluate whether a multideficient Northeast Brazil regional basic diet (RBD) induces acute morphological and functional changes in the ileum of mice. Swiss mice (∼25 g) were allocated into two groups: i) control mice were fed a standard diet and II) undernourished mice were fed the RBD. After 7 days, mice were killed and the ileum collected for evaluation of electrophysiological parameters (Ussing chambers), transcription (RT-qPCR) and protein expression (western blotting) of intestinal transporters and tight junctions. Body weight gain was significantly decreased in the undernourished group, which also showed decreased crypt depth but no alterations in villus height. Electrophysiology measurements showed a reduced basal short circuit current (Isc) in the undernourished group, with no differences in transepithelial resistance. Specific substrate-evoked Isc related to affinity and efficacy (glutamine and alanyl-glutamine) were not different between groups, except for the maximum Isc (efficacy) induced by glucose. Transcription of Sglt1 and Pept1 was significantly higher in the undernourished group, while SN-2 transcription was decreased. No changes were found in transcription of CAT-1 and CFTR, while claudin-2 and occludin transcriptions were significantly increased in the undernourished group. Despite mRNA changes, SGLT-1, PEPT-1, claudin-2 and occludin protein expression showed no difference between groups. These results demonstrate early effects of the RBD on mice, which include reduced body weight and crypt depth in the absence of significant alterations to villus morphology, intestinal transporters and tight junction expression.

Prevalence of newcastle disease virus in broiler chickens (gallus gallus) in Brazil

This study was carried out during 2002/2003, aiming to determine the prevalence of virulent Newcastle disease virus strains (NDV) in Brazilian commercial poultry farms. Clinical samples were obtained from the Southeastern, Southern and Central-Western regions, which comprise the main area of the Brazilian poultry production. Serum samples and tracheal and cloacal swabs of 23,745 broiler chickens from 1,583 flocks, including both vaccinated chickens and those with no vaccination information, were tested for NDV using a diagnostic ELISA kit. The seropositivity was 39.1 percent, and the isolation percentage by flock varied from 1.0 to 7.6 percent, and by region from 6.5 to 58.4 percent. Higher isolation rates (74.3-83.3 percent) were obtained after three passages in embryonated chicken eggs. All isolates preliminarily identified as NDV were characterized as nonpathogenic strains, as their Intracerebral Pathogenicity Index (ICPI) was below 0.7. Based on results of this study, Brazil can claim a virulent NDV-free status for commercial flocks.

A survey for maintenance of virulent newcastle disease virus-free area in poultry production in Brazil

In 2003, Brazil was recognized as a pathogenic Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) strain-free country for commercial poultry. This research was conducted in Brazil between December 2003 and March 2005 to verify the maintenance of this virulent NDV-free status. Serum samples from 5,455 flocks for commercial poultry farms were collected, comprising 81,825 broiler chickens. The farms were located in nine states of the country, grouped in three geographic regions. Serological evidence of NDV infection was detected in 28.8 percent of the surveyed farms. However, all fifteen viruses isolated and identified as Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) were characterized as nonpathogenic strains, based on the Intracerebral Pathogenicity Index. These results showed that Brazil preserves the virulent NDV-free status for commercial flocks.

Prevalência de tabagismo na Universidade Federal de Säo Paulo, 1996: dados preliminares de um programa institucional / Smoking prevalence at Universidade Federal de Säo Paulo, 1996: preliminary data of an institutional program

Objetivo. O conhecimento da prevalência do tabagismo é necessário para a realizaçao de programas institucionais adequados que visem a diminuiçao do número de fumantes. O objetivo do trabalho foi verificar a prevalência do tabagismo entre funcionários, docentes, enfermeiros e alunos da Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo e a aceitabilidade de um programa antifumo. Pacientes e Métodos. Foram analisadas as respostas obtidas a partir de um questionário contendo 51 questoes, distribuídos para as diferentes categorias. Resultados. A porcentagem total de questionários respondidos foi de 48,6 por cento (2.613) sendo 37,3 por cento para funcionários, 49,0 por cento para docentes, 52,7 por cento para enfermeiras e 76,5 por cento para alunos. Verificou-se que a porcentagem total de fumantes na UNIFESP foi de 15,5 por cento, sendo 23,7 por cento entre funcionários, 18 por cento entre docentes, 16 por cento entre enfermeiros e 8,6 por cento entre alunos. A faixa etária de maior prevalência de fumantes foi a de 31 a 40 anos (26,6 por cento). Nao houve diferença estatística entre a prevalência de fumantes entre homens e mulheres. Em ambos os sexos, para todas as faixas etárias, os indivíduos com maior nível de instruçao fumavam menos. Das pessoas que responderam o questionário, 82,5 por cento estavam preocupadas em serem fumantes passivas. Dos fumantes, 55 por cento estao pensando em largar de fumar e 42 por cento julgam precisar de algum tipo de ajuda. Conclusao. Programas educacionais e de cessaçao do tabagismo em nível institucional sao necessários e bem aceitos na UNIFESP, devendo ser realizados para que as leis de restriçao do fumo dentro da instituiçao sejam efetivamente cumpridas.

Effects of almitrine on the ventilatory control, breathing pattern and maximal exercise tolerance in hypoxemic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Almitrine bismesylate improves arterial blood gases in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but side effects such as increase of ventilatory drive and dyspnea have been reported in some studies. We studied 18 COPD patients (mean age=59.1 years; mean FEV1=0.921; mean PaO2=58.6mmHg) in a double-blind randomized study using placebo or almitrine 50 mh twice a day by mouth, for 60 days. In contrast to the placebo group, 40 per cent of the patients in the almitrine group presented a significant increase in PaO2 and a decrease in P(A-a))2>=5mmHg during submaximal exercise after 60 days of treatment. Ventilatory drive and the breathing pattern were measured at rest and during submaximal exercise. Both goups showed high levels of ventilatory drive and atachypneic breathing pattern before drug tratment and no modification was found 30 and 60 days after treatment. Metabolis, cardiovascular and ventilatory variables were studied during an incremental to maximum exercise symptom-limited test (cycloergometry). Maximal VO2 ranged from 46 to 52 per cent and heart rate from 76 to 78 per cent in relation to the predicted values. The percent ratio of ventilation at maximal exercise to maximal voluntary ventilation at rest ranged from 86 to 94 per cent. These results show that the reduction of ventilatory capacity was the main factor decreasing the aerobic performance of our COPD patients. Maximal exercise tolerance (VO2 max) did not change after almitrine treatment. Negative factors like an increase in neuromuscular drive did not occur, and positive factors like an increase in PaO2 and oxygen transport had no critical influence on exercise performance in our ventilatory-limited COPD patients.

Estado vegetativo-alfa persistente / Persistent alpha-vegetative state

Após revisäo sumária dos conceitos de "coma" e "coma-alfa", relatamos o caso de uma paciente com doença de Pick provável que, nos estágios teminais da doença, permaneceu várias semanas em estado vegetativo com EEG de vigília normal e reativo à fotoestimulaçäo. Enfatizamos (a) algumas das implicaçöes do aspecto dos olhos nesses pacientes, (b) a importância de distinguir a atividade alfa do ritmo alfa verdadeiro e (c) sugerimos que a categoria "coma-alfa" inclua apenas aqueles com afecçöes do tegmento da junçäo pontomesencefálica, de qualquer natrueza reservando a designaçäo "estado vegetativo-alfa" persistente para os que se encontrem em estado vegetativo e exibam EEG em virgília idêntico ao normal

Bonnet syndrome and posterior parasagittal tumor: clues to neural mechanisms

Relatamos o caso de um paciente com sídrome de Bonnet com cegueira ocasionada por doença ocular bilateral e meningogeoma parassagital psoterior. Admite-se que, isoladamente, a deprivaçäo visual aferente é insuficiente para produzir a síndrome e que, na maior parte dos casos, um 'fator cerebral' deve operar para que a alucinose aconteça. Favorecemos a distinçäo entre alucinose e alucinaçäo e sugerimos que um circuito neural comum medeie as imagens alucinóticas de modo geral. Näo parece prudente responsabilizar de imediato afecçöes oculares ou ópticas óbvias quando diante de casos de síndrome de Bonnet, pois, provavelmente, näo justificaräo as imagens complexas percebidas pelo paciente. Ao contrário, deve-se investigar exaustivamente a possibilidade de doenças intracranianas clinicamente inaparentes

A dimensao social das doencas. II - Positividade das reacoes de Wasserman e VDRL em convocados para o servico militar no Estado de Sao Paulo (Brasil), de 1972 a 1978. / The social dimension of diseases. II - Positivity of Wasserman and VDRL reactions in draftees of the State of Sao Paulo (Brazil)

Em sequencia a serie historica iniciada em 1968, com o objetivo de obter indicacoes sobre a evolucao da sifilis no Estado de Sao Paulo (Brasil), foi feito levantamento dos dados de 1972 a 1978 que mostrou que ao longo do tempo e apesar das oscilacoes, nao houve variacoes substanciais dos coeficientes de positividade das reacoes de Wasserman e VDRL em convocados apresentados no municipio de Sao Paulo. No interior do Estado o aumento dos valores dos coeficientes de 1973, invertendo a tendencia anteriormente observada, aproxima esses indices aos do municipio. O estudo da subamostra indicou a presenca de proporcoes maiores de positividade em convocados apresentados no municipio comparados com os apresentados no interior do Estado,independentes da naturalidade, o que poderia sugerir semelhancas com os quadros epidemiologicos descritos para os paises desenvolvidos. Entre convocados apresentados na capital observou-se maiores proporcoes de positividade nos convocados nascidos em outros Estados do pais, o que evidenciaria a presenca da doenca associada a pobreza ou ao subdesenvolvimento. Nesse sentido, foi chamada a atencao para as peculiaridades epidemiologicas das doencas em vista da singularidade das respectivas organizacoes sociais num dado momento historico