Neuroblastoma torácico en la adolescencia: caso clínico / Thoracic neuroblastoma in adolescence: clinical case

Neuroblastoma is predominantly a tumor of early childhood, most cases occur in children under 5 years old. It originates in the adrenal gland and paravertebral ganglion cells (neural crest-derived), being the most common an extracranial solid tumor in children. It is characteristic a spontaneous regression, However in some cases it shows progression and dissemination to other organs. Objetive: To show a neuroblastoma in adolescence, with poor response to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, requiring surgery treatment. Clinical case: A 16 y.o. Female patient, previously asymptomatic, who after a body temperature rise up to 39 ° C, was found to have a tumor in the right hemithorax. Biopsy was compatible with neuroblastoma. Surgical removal of a large 20 x 19 cm tumor was achieved, the only complication presented 10 days postop was recurrent pneumothorax. Conclusion: Despite little or no response to standard treatment, surgical resection of this large tumor achieved complete remission for this patient.

El neuroblastoma es predominantemente un tumor de la infancia temprana que en la mayoría de los casos se presenta en menores de 5 años. Se origina en la glándula suprarrenal y células ganglionares paravertebrales (derivadas de la cresta neural), siendo el tumor sólido extracraneal más común en pediatría, presenta regresión espontánea en algunos casos y en otros progresión y diseminación a otros órganos. Objetivo: Analizar el caso de una adolescente portadora de un neuroblastoma resistente a quimioterapia y radioterapia, que requiere tratamiento quirúrgico. Caso clínico: Paciente asintomática, edad 16 años, que a raíz de alza febril se le detecta un tumor en hemitórax derecho. La biopsia fue compatible con un neuroblastoma. Se realizo la extirpación quirúrgica de un gran tumor con diámetro de 20 cm x 19 cm. A los 10 días se complica con neumotórax recidivante. Conclusión: A pesar de la poca o nula respuesta a las armas terapéuticas habituales: quimioterapia y radioterapia, la cirugía logró la resección del tumor torácico con remisión completa.

Effects of herbicide on the kidneys of two Venezuelan cultured fish: Caquetaia kraussii and Colossoma macropomum (Pisces:Ciclidae and Characeae)

The use of chemical pesticides and herbicides has increased environmental pollution and affected ichthyofauna in the watersheds where they are used.We studied the effect of an herbicide, triazine, on the kidneys of two species (Caquetaia kraussii and Colossoma macropomum )widely found in Caribbean and South American rivers.In Venezuela,these species are abundant and have a high aquaculture potential because they may be cultured and reproduced in captivity.Four kidney samples from juveniles of each species exposed to the herbicide were examined by Transmission Electron Microscopy.Kidney tubule alterations included loss of plasmalemma and cell interdigitations, misshaped mitochondria,decrease in rough endoplasmic reticulum and free polysomes,and the presence of autophagic vacuoles and primary lysosomes.These alterations at the cellular level may explain fish behaviour in terms of kidney tubule pathology,and relative amounts and conditions of organelles within affected cells

Eclosión de quistes en dos especies de Dendrocephalus (Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae) de uso potencial como alimento en acuacultura / Eclossion of cysts in two species of Dendrocephalus (Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae) in a potential use as food in aquaculture

The use of Artemia salina nauplii as live food has significantly aided culture of commercial fish and shrimps in recent years. However, reported deficiencies in the nutritional value of some strains originated the study of freshwater fairy shrimps as an alternative to Artemia. This study presents cyst biometry for Dendrocephalus geayi and D. spartaenovae (Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae), and the effects of some physicochemical variables on cyst hatching. The biometric characteristics of D. geayi and D. spartaenovae are within the size range of commercial Artemia strains. Favorable conditions to hatch D. geayi are 30 degrees C and conductivity near that of distilled water (<5 micromhos). For D. spartaenovae, these conditions are 28 degrees C and 280 micromhos. A very low salinity such as 1 per thousand inhibits hatching in both species.