Constraining the

The ^{30}P(p,γ)^{31}S reaction plays an important role in understanding the nucleosynthesis of A≥30 nuclides in oxygen-neon novae. The Gaseous Detector with Germanium Tagging was used to measure ^{31}Cl ß-delayed proton decay through the key J^{π}=3/2^{+}, 260-keV resonance. The intensity I_{ßp}^{260}=8.3_{-0.9}^{+1.2}×10^{-6} represents the weakest ß-delayed, charged-particle emission ever measured below 400 keV, resulting in a proton branching ratio of Γ_{p}/Γ=2.5_{-0.3}^{+0.4}×10^{-4}. By combining this measurement with shell-model calculations for Γ_{γ} and past work on other resonances, the total ^{30}P(p,γ)^{31}S rate has been determined with reduced uncertainty. The new rate has been used in hydrodynamic simulations to model the composition of nova ejecta, leading to a concrete prediction of ^{30}Si:^{28}Si excesses in presolar nova grains and the calibration of nuclear thermometers.

[Delta hepatitis: Epidemiology, diagnostic, natural history and treatment]. / Hépatite Delta : épidémiologie, diagnostic, histoire naturelle et traitements.

Hepatitis B virus is a small enveloped RNA virus, which replicates independently but requires the hepatitis B virus (HBV) to provide the envelope proteins necessary for the assembly of its own viral particles. Approximately 5% of chronic hepatitis B virus carriers are infected with HDV. HBV vaccination remains the best preventive treatment for HDV. All HBV patients should be screened for HDV (anti-HDV serology). In case of positive HDV serology, HDV replication (HDV RNA) should be investigated using a sensitive and specific technique. Hepatitis Delta is often complicated by cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). For this reason, every patient with Delta cirrhosis should be screened for HCC by abdominal ultrasound every 6 months. The historical treatment was based on PEG-IFN with many side effects. A new treatment has been approved, Bulevirtide (Hepcludex®) an HDV/HBV entry inhibitor, for any patient with chronic hepatitis Delta infection (CHD) with active replication (except in decompensated cirrhosis), at a dose of 2mg/day by subcutaneous injection. The exact duration on-treatment is unknown, thus treatment should be continued if clinical benefit is observed.

Seroprevalence of antibodies against bacterial pathogens in sheep from Equatorial Guinea.

Equatorial Guinea (EG) is a country in Central Africa with typical tropical weather. Sheep are an important source of food in EG, but the absence of information regarding infectious diseases that affect the native flocks of small ruminants is a concern. The country is currently implementing several new practices in the sheep industry associated with the importation of sheep from other countries. This study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of bacterial infections that are important to the sheep industry in EG sheep flocks. The detection of specific antibodies for the four agents studied was performed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 1,002 serum samples from EG sheep. The results showed a true prevalence of 13.37% for antibodies against Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, 0.59% for Brucella ovis, 19.89% for Chlamydophila abortus and 0.79% for Mycoplasma agalactiae in animals from production flocks. Among a group of 35 samples from isolated native animals, 47.56% were seropositive for antibodies against C. pseudotuberculosis, 42.84% for B. ovis, 54.28% for C. abortus and 11.35% for M. agalactiae. These results comprise the first report of the prevalence of infectious diseases in sheep in EG. They highlight the importance of adopting adequate measures to prevent infection by bacteria endemic to EG native flocks during the development of the sheep industry in the country.

La Guinée équatoriale est un pays d'Afrique centrale au climat typiquement tropical. Les moutons constituent une source importante d'aliments pour le pays, ce qui rend particulièrement alarmante l'absence d'informations concernant les maladies infectieuses affectant le cheptel autochtone de petits ruminants. Le pays met actuellement en place de nouvelles pratiques d'élevage ovin, en lien avec l'importation de moutons d'autres pays. La présente étude avait pour objet d'évaluer la prévalence sérologique de quelques infections bactériennes majeures pour le secteur de l'élevage dans le cheptel ovin de la Guinée équatoriale. Pour les besoins de l'étude, 1 002 échantillons de sérum prélevés de moutons autochtones ont été soumis à une épreuve immuno-enzymatique pour la détection d'anticorps spécifiques dirigés contre quatre agents bactériens. La prévalence réelle de moutons issus de troupeaux d'élevage possédant des anticorps vis-à-vis de chacune des bactéries recherchées s'est élevée à 13,37 % pour Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, à 0,59 % pour Brucella ovis, à 19,89 % pour Chlamydophila abortus et à 0,79 % pour Mycoplasma agalactiae. Dans un groupe de 35 prélèvements issus d'animaux isolés autochtones, le taux d'échantillons positifs était de 47,56 % pour C. pseudotuberculosis, de 42,84 % pour B. ovis, de 54,28 % pour C. abortus et de 11,35 % pour M. agalactiae. Ces résultats constituent le premier rapport sur la prévalence des maladies infectieuses chez le mouton en Guinée équatoriale. Ils soulignent l'importance d'adopter des mesures appropriées afin de prévenir les infections dues à des bactéries endémiques dans le cheptel autochtone de la Guinée équatoriale, à un moment où ce pays cherche à développer l'élevage ovin.

Guinea Ecuatorial es un país centroafricano con un clima tropical típico, en el que las ovejas constituyen una importante fuente de alimento. Por ello es preocupante la ausencia de información sobre las enfermedades infecciosas que afectan a los rebaños autóctonos de pequeños rumiantes. El país está implantando ahora una serie de nuevos procedimientos en el sector ovino, vinculados a la importación de ovejas de otros países. Los autores describen un estudio encaminado a evaluar la seroprevalencia en los rebaños de ovejas del país de infecciones bacterianas de importancia para el sector. Para detectar anticuerpos específicos contra los cuatro agentes estudiados se aplicó la técnica del ensayo inmunoenzimático a 1 002 muestras de suero de ovejas autóctonas. Los resultados pusieron de manifiesto una prevalencia real de anticuerpos contra Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis del 13,37%, del 0,59% contra Brucella ovis, del 19,89% contra Chlamydophila abortus y del 0,79% contra Mycoplasma agalactiae en ejemplares pertenecientes a rebaños productivos. De un grupo de 35 muestras procedentes de animales autóctonos aislados, un 47,56% resultaron seropositivas para los anticuerpos contra C. pseudotuberculosis, un 42,84% en el caso de B. ovis, un 54,28% en el de C. abortus y un 11,35% en el de M. agalactiae. Estos resultados, que constituyen el primer informe sobre la prevalencia de enfermedades infecciosas en las ovejas de Guinea Ecuatorial, demuestran la importancia de instituir medidas adecuadas para prevenir la infección por bacterias endémicas de los rebaños autóctonos de Guinea Ecuatorial en un momento en que la industria ovina del país está en pleno crecimiento.

Isospin Mixing Reveals

The thermonuclear ^{30}P(p,γ)^{31}S reaction rate is critical for modeling the final elemental and isotopic abundances of ONe nova nucleosynthesis, which affect the calibration of proposed nova thermometers and the identification of presolar nova grains, respectively. Unfortunately, the rate of this reaction is essentially unconstrained experimentally, because the strengths of key ^{31}S proton capture resonance states are not known, largely due to uncertainties in their spins and parities. Using the ß decay of ^{31}Cl, we have observed the ß-delayed γ decay of a ^{31}S state at E_{x}=6390.2(7) keV, with a ^{30}P(p,γ)^{31}S resonance energy of E_{r}=259.3(8) keV, in the middle of the ^{30}P(p,γ)^{31}S Gamow window for peak nova temperatures. This state exhibits isospin mixing with the nearby isobaric analog state at E_{x}=6279.0(6) keV, giving it an unambiguous spin and parity of 3/2^{+} and making it an important l=0 resonance for proton capture on ^{30}P.

La regulación del transportador de colina de alta afinidad dependiente de AMPc/PKA no es mediada por dopamina en neuronas de retina / cAMP/PKA - dependent regulation of the high affinity choline transporter is not mediated by dopamine in retinal neurons

La actividad del transportador de colina de alta afinidad (HAChT) es considerado el paso limitante en la síntesis de acetilcolina (ACh) en el terminal colinérgico. Estudios recientes muestran que el HAChT contiene residuos de serina y treonina consensuales para la fosforilación por proteína kinasa A (PKA). Usando neuronas de retina de embrión de pollo se evaluó el efecto del segundo mensajero AMPc sobre la actividad del HAChT. El aumento de los niveles intracelulares de AMPc a través de la inhibición de la fosfodiesterasa, activación de la adenilato ciclasa o usando un análogo de AMPc resistente a la fosfodiesterasa disminuyó la actividad del HAChT entre 29 y 69%. Por otra parte, la activación de receptores de dopamina tipo-D1 aumenta los niveles de AMPc intracelular y activa PKA, sin embargo, el tratamiento con dopamina o con antagonistas de los receptores dopaminergicos D1 o D2 no induce cambios en la actividad del transportador

The high affinity choline transporter (HAChT) activity is considered to be the rate-limiting step in acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis in the cholinergic terminal. Recent studies show that HAChT contains consensus serine and threonine residues for protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation. Using chick retinal neurons evaluated the effects of the second messenger cAMP on the HAChT activity. The increase of the intracellular cAMP levels through phosphodiesterase inhibition, adenilatecyclase activation or using a phosphodiesterase-resistant cAMP analog decreased HAChT activity between 29 and 69%. Moreover, the activation of dopamine D1-type receptors increase the intracellular cAMP levels and activates PKA, however, the treatment with dopamine D1 or D2 receptor antagonists does not induce changes on transporter activity

Tratamento cirúrgico da obstruçäo intestinal / Surgical treatment of intestinal obstruction

A etiologia da obstruçäo intestinal (O.I.) vem se alterando desde o início do século. Nesta série, os autores estudaram 121 casos de O.I. tratados cirurgicamente; as bridas foram as causas mais comuns de obstruçäo intestinal alta (O.I.A.) com incidência de 43,03% do total de 79 pacientes operados; as hérnias apareceram como a segunda causa nas O.I.A. com 16,45% dos casos. O câncer colo-retal foi a principal causa de obstruçäo intestinal baixa (O.I.B) com 78,81% dos casos e o volvo do sigmóide ocorreu em 14,28% dos casos de O.I.B. As complicaçöes apareceram em 15,70% dos pacientes operados, sendo que a infecçäo de parede abdominal foi a mais comum. A mortalidade operatória total foi de 9,09%

E necessário realizar colangiografia operatória como rotina nas colecistectomias? / Is it necessary to perform routine intraoperative cholangiography during cholecystectomy?

Säo apresentados 361 casos de colangiografia operatória realizadas no período de janeiro de 1982 a dezembro de 1987, no Hosptial Jaraguá. Em 293 (81,16%) pacientes a exploraçäo radiológica intra-operatória da via biliar foi normal e em 68 (18.83%) casos houve suspeita de cálculos na via biliar principal dos quais 36 (9,97%) eram coledocolitíase no pré-operatório e 20 (5,54%) tiveram confirmadas as suspeitas de coledocolitíase pela colangiografia operatória. O erro do exame deu-se em 13 casos, sendo que 12 (3,32%) eram falsos positivos e eum (0,27%) era falso negativo. E salientada a importância do uso rotineiro da colangiografia operatória, principalmente para o diagnóstico da litíase da via biliar principal assintomática

Anastomose em plano único de sutura na cirurgia do câncer gástrico / Anastomosis in a single plan of suture in gastric cancer surgery

Säo apresentados 30 pacientes portadores de adenocarcinoma gástrico, 11 (36,67%) submetidos à gastretomia total e 19 (63,33%) à gastrectomia sub-total, nos quais o restabelecimento do trânsito gastrointestinal, foi feito por interposiçäo de um segmento jejunal em Y de Roux, e as anastomoses esôfago-jejunal, gastro-jejunal, bem como, a êntero-entérica, foram realizadas em plano único contínuo extramucoso, com fio de mononylon 3.0. As complicaçöes ocorreram em quatro (13,33%) pacientes: um (3,3%) abscesso subfrênico esquerdo; um (3,3%) deiscência da anastomose esôfago-jejunal e dois (6,6%) infecçöes da parede abdominal. Näo houve óbito nesta série

Obstructive jaundice caused by blastomycosis of the lymph nodes around the common bile duct

É apresentado um caso de icterícia obstrutiva por granuloma blastomicótico. O paciente apresentava há 2 meses dor abdominal no hipocóndrio direito e amarelamento dos olhos. Na internaçäo os exames laboatoriais mostravam icterícia obstrutiva e os exames complementares, vesícula biliar distendida, dilataçäo das vias biliares intra e extra-hepáticas, com adenomegalia no hilo hepático. No intra-operatório observou-se fígado colestático, vesícula biliar distendida e adenomegalia pericoledociana, sendo que o histopatológico do gânglio revelou blastomicose sul-americana. O tratamento medicamentoso foi feito com anfotericina B e atualmente o paciente encontra-se curado