Morfologia, topografia e irrigação do coração do Tamandua tetradactyla / Morphology, topography and irrigation of the heart of Tamandua tetradactyla

O Tamandua tetradactyla é uma espécie da ordem Xenarthra que apresenta coloração amarelada na cabeça, nos membros e na parte anterior do dorso, sendo o restante do corpo negro, formando uma espécie de colete, por isso também é chamado de "tamanduá-de-colete". Objetivou-se descrever a morfologia, a topografia e a irrigação cardíaca do Tamandua tetradactyla. Foram utilizados quatro espécimes jovens, provenientes da área de Mina Bauxita - Paragominas, Pará, que foram doados à Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia - UFRA, após morte por atropelamento. O sistema arterial foi preenchido com látex contrastado, e os animais foram fixados em uma solução de formaldeído a 10%. A cavidade torácica foi acessada e permitiu a análise topográfica do coração, com posterior mensuração, descrição morfológica e vascular. O coração estava localizado entre o terceiro e o quinto espaço intercostal, apresentando duas artérias coronárias, direita e esquerda, que se originaram do seio aórtico. O tipo de irrigação para esta espécie variou entre a do tipo equilibrada e a direita. Nos sulcos coronários, localizavam-se os ramos circunflexos das artérias coronárias, originando os ramos interventriculares paraconal e subsinuoso. Além das quatro câmaras cardíacas, observaram-se também as valvas tricúspide e bicúspide, cordas tendíneas, trabéculas carnosas e trabéculas septo marginal, músculos papilares nas câmaras ventriculares e músculos pectiniformes nas câmaras atriais...

The Tamandua tetradactyla and a specie of the Xenarthra order that presents yellowish color in the head, limbs and anterior part of the dorsum and the rest of the black body, forming a sort of vest, so it is also called "collared anteater". This study aimed to describe the morphology, topography and cardiac irrigation of the Tamandua tetradactyla. Four young specimens were used, from the bauxite mine area - Paragominas, Pará, which were donated to the Federal Rural University of Amazon - UFRA, after death due to running over. The arterial system was filled with contrasted latex and the animals were fixed in a 10% formaldehyde solution. The thoracic cavity was accessed by allowing the topographic analysis of the heart, with subsequent measurement, morphological and vascular description. The heart was located between the 3rd and 5th intercostal space, showing two coronary arteries, dextra and sinistra, that originated from the Sinus aortae. The type of irrigation for this species varied between the balanced and the right. In the coronary sulcus there were branches of circumflex coronary arteries, originating the Ramus interventricularis subsinuosus and Ramus interventricularis paraconalis. In addition to the four cardiac chambers we observed the tricuspid and bicuspid valves, chordae tendineae, trabeculaes carneae and trabeculaes septomarginales, the Musculus papillaris in ventricular chambers and Musculus pectiniform in atrial chambers...

Acute leukemias in Piauí: comparison with features observed in other regions of Brazil

Differences in age and sex distribution as well as FAB (French-American-British classification) types have been reported for acute leukemias in several countries. We studied the demographics and response to treatment of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) between 1989 and 2000 in Teresina, Piauí, and compared these results with reports from Brazil and other countries. Complete data concerning 345 patients (230 ALL, 115 AML) were reviewed. AML occurred predominantly in adults (77 percent), with a median age of 34 years, similar to that found in the southeast of Brazil but lower than the median age in the United States and Europe (52 years). FAB distribution was similar in children and adults and FAB-M2 was the most common type, as also found in Japan. The high frequency of FAB-M3 described in most Brazilian studies and for Hispanics in the United States was not observed. Overall survival for adults was 40 percent, similar to other studies in Brazil. A high mortality rate was observed during induction. No clinical or hematological parameter influenced survival in the Cox model. ALL presented the characteristic peak of incidence between 2-8 years. Most of the cases were CD10+ pre-B ALL. In 25 percent, abnormal expression of myeloid antigens was observed. Only 10 percent of the patients were older than 30 years. Overall survival was better for children. Age and leukocyte count were independent prognostic factors. These data demonstrate that, although there are regional peculiarities, the application of standardized treatments and good supportive care make it possible to achieve results observed in other countries for the same chemotherapy protocols

Fungal infections in marrow transplant recipients under antifungal prophylaxis with fluconazole

Fungal infection is one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients. The growing incidence of these infections is related to several factors including prolonged granulocytopenia, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, conditioning regimens, and use of immunosuppression to avoid graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). In the present series, we report five cases of invasive mold infections documented among 64 BMT recipients undergoing fluconazole antifungal prophylaxis: 1) A strain of Scedosporium prolificans was isolated from a skin lesion that developed on day +72 after BMT in a chronic myeloid leukemic patient. 2) Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (Aspergillus fumigatus) was diagnosed on day +29 in a patient with a long period of hospitalization before being transplanted for severe aplastic anemia. 3) A tumoral lung lesion due to Rhizopus arrhizus (zygomycosis) was observed in a transplanted patient who presented severe chronic GvHD. 4) A tumoral lesion due to Aspergillus spp involving the 7th, 8th and 9th right ribs and local soft tissue was diagnosed in a BMT patient on day +110. 5) A patient with a history of Ph1-positive acute lymphocytic leukemia exhibited a cerebral lesion on day +477 after receiving a BMT during an episode of severe chronic GvHD. At that time, blood and spinal fluid cultures yielded Fusarium sp. Opportunistic infections due to fungi other than Candida spp are becoming a major problem among BMT patients receiving systemic antifungal prophylaxis with fluconazole

Molecular epidemiology of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from newborns in a hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an organism that is frequently transmitted in hospitals and perinatal units. The MRSA is considered a public health problem in neonatology because of its strong potential for dissemination in the wards associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. In this study we describe the bacteriological, epidemiological and molecular characteristics of MRSA isolated from anterior nares and blood cultures of newborns hospitalized in a public maternity hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The frequency of MRSA isolated from nasal swabs of newborns was 47.8 percent (43/90). The genetic analysis of MRSA strains from anterior nares, showed 8 different pulsed field gel electrophoresis patterns (PFGE). Upon analysis of PFGE patterns of the 12 MRSA strains isolated from blood cultures, 8 different patterns were observed, 9 (75 percent) strains were genetic related to nasal secretion isolates patterns. In conclusion, our data demonstrate the importance of screening of newborns for the presence of MRSA in Brazilian hospitals and the usefulness of genetic typing of these pathogen during epidemiologic studies. This should lead to a better knowledge on the significancy and spreading of MRSA in the hospitals