Clinical networking results in continuous improvement of the outcome of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

The introduction of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) combined with anthracyclines has significantly improved the outcomes for patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), and this strategy remains the standard of care in countries where arsenic trioxide is not affordable. However, data from national registries and real-world databases indicate that low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) still face disappointing results, mainly due to high induction mortality and suboptimal management of complications. The American Society of Hematology established the International Consortium on Acute Leukemias (ICAL) to address this challenge through international clinical networking. Here, we present the findings from the ICAPL study involving 806 patients with APL recruited in Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay. The induction mortality rate has decreased to 14.6% compared to the pre-ICAL rate of 32%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed as factors associated with induction death: age ≥ 40 years, ECOG = 3, high-risk status based on the PETHEMA/GIMEMA classification, albumin level ≤ 3.5 g/dL, bcr3 PML/RARA isoform, the interval between presenting symptoms to diagnosis exceeding 48 hours, and the occurrence of central nervous system and pulmonary bleeding. With a median follow-up of 53 months, the estimated 4-year overall survival (OS) rate is 81%, the 4-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate is 80%, and the 4-year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) rate is 15%. These results parallel those observed in studies conducted in high-income countries, highlighting the long-term effectiveness of developing clinical networks to improve clinical care and infrastructure in LMIC.

A Novel Mutation in the INSR Gene Causes Severe Insulin Resistance and Rabson-Mendenhall Syndrome in a Paraguayan Patient.

Rabson-Mendenhall syndrome (RMS) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by severe insulin resistance, resulting in early-onset diabetes mellitus. We report the first case of RMS in a Paraguayan patient. The patient is a 6-year-old girl who presented with hypertrichosis, acanthosis nigricans, nephrocalcinosis, and elevated levels of glucose and insulin that served as diagnostic indicators for RMS. Genetic testing by next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed two pathogenic variants in exons 2 and 19 of the INSR gene: c.332G>T (p.Gly111Val) and c.3485C>T (p.Ala1162Val), in combined heterozygosis. The novel INSR c. 332G>T variant leads to the substitution of glycine to valine at position 111 in the protein, and multiple in silico software programs predicted it as pathogenic. The c.3485C>T variant leads to the substitution of alanine to valine at position 1162 in the protein previously described for insulin resistance and RMS. The management of RMS is particularly challenging in children, and the use of metformin is often limited by its side effects. The patient was managed with nutritional measures due to the early age of onset. This report expands the knowledge of RMS to the Paraguayan population and adds a novel pathogenic variant to the existing literature.

Genotyping and clonal origin of Sporothrix brasiliensis in human sporotrichosis cases in Argentina.

Sporothrix brasiliensis is considered a highly virulent emerging pathogen that causes sporotrichosis in humans, mainly after zoonotic transmission from infected cats. The epidemic of this zoonosis that originated from Brazil has spread in the last decades, generating hyperendemic regions in Latin America. We present two cases of human sporotrichosis causes by S. brasiliensis in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with good clinical response to differing treatments after contact with sick cats. Using Short tandem repeat (STR) genotyping, the two S. brasiliensis cases appear to be introduced from Brazil and likely originate from the same source.

Association of intestinal dysbiosis with susceptibility to multiple sclerosis: Evidence from different population studies (Review).

Understanding the relationship between microorganisms that live in our intestines and neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS) is essential, since they have been shown to have an immunomodulatory effect in neurological disorders, such as multiple sclerosis (MS). The gut microbiota can be affected by several environmental factors, including infections, physical and emotional stress and diet, the latter known as the main modulator of intestinal bacteria. An abrupt shift in the gut microbiota composition and function is known as dysbiosis, a state of local and systemic inflammation produced by pathogenic bacteria and its metabolites responsible for numerous neurological symptoms. It may also trigger neuronal damage in patients diagnosed with MS. Intestinal dysbiosis affects the permeability of the intestine, allowing chronic low-grade bacterial translocation from the intestine to the circulation, which may overstimulate immune cells and cells resident in the CNS, break immune tolerance and, in addition, alter the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This way, toxins, inflammatory molecules and oxidative stress molecules can pass freely into the CNS and cause extensive damage to the brain. However, commensal bacteria, such as the Lactobacillus genus and Bacteroides fragilis, and their metabolites (with anti-inflammatory potential), produce neurotransmitters such as γ-aminobutyric acid, histamine, dopamine, norepinephrine, acetylcholine and serotonin, which are important for neurological regulation. In addition, reprogramming the gut microbiota of patients with MS with a healthy gut microbiota may help improve the integrity of the gut and BBB, by providing clinically protective anti-inflammatory effects and reducing the disease's degenerative progression. The present review provides valuable information about the relationship between gut microbiota and neuroinflammatory processes of the CNS. Most importantly, it highlights the importance of intestinal bacteria as an environmental factor that may mediate the clinical course of MS, or even predispose to the outbreak of this disease.

Neumonía por Pasteurella multocida y Staphylococcus aureus en una paciente sin patología subyacente / Pneumonia by Pasteurella multocida and Staphylococcus aureus in a patient whithout underlying conditions / Pneumonia por Pasteurella multocida e Staphylococcus aureus em uma paciente sem patologia subjacente

Resumen Muchos microorganismos capaces de producir infecciones en el ser humano son de origen zoonótico. Entre éstos está Pasteurella multocida, la cual se encuentra como comensal y/o patógeno oportunista, colonizando el tracto gastrointestinal y respiratorio de gran cantidad de mamíferos y aves. Por otro lado, Staphylococcus aureus es un colonizante de piel y nasofaringe y un patógeno oportunista para seres humanos y animales y su transmisión podría ser bidireccional. Se presenta un caso de neumonía por P. multocida y S. aureus en una mujer sin enfermedad subyacente, que acogía perros y gatos abandonados e ingresó con politraumatismo por caída desde un quinto piso. Ambos microorganismos fueron recuperados en una muestra de aspirado traqueal e identificados por Vitek®2 Compact. La identificación de P. multocida fue confirmada por espectrometría de masas (MALDI-TOF-MS) y presentó sensibilidad a penicilina, cefotaxima, amoxicilina-ácido clavulánico, ciprofloxacina, tetraciclina y trimetoprima-sulfametoxazol. S. aureus era sensible a meticilina sin resistencia acompañante.

Abstract Many microorganisms capable of producing infections in humans are of zoonotic origin. Among them, Pasteurella multocida, is a commensal and/or opportunistic pathogen that colonises the gastrointestinal and the respiratory tract of a great number of mammals and birds. On the other hand, Staphylococcus aureus is a coloniser of skin and nasopharynx and an opportunistic pathogen in humans and animals, whose transmission might be bidirectional. A case of pneumonia by P. multocida and S. aureus was presented in a woman without an underlying condition, who sheltered stray dogs and cats and was admitted with multiple trauma due to a fall from a fifth floor. Both microorganisms were recovered from a tracheal aspirate sample and identified by Vitek®2 Compact. Identification of P. multocida was confirmed by mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and was susceptible to penicillin, cefotaxime, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. S. aureus was methicillin-susceptible without accompanying resistance.

Resumo Muitos dos microrganismos capazes de produzir infecções no ser humano têm origem zoonótico. Entre eles está a Pasteurella multocida, que se encontra como comensal e/ou patógeno oportunista, colonizando o trato gastrintestinal e respiratório de grande quantidade de mamíferos e aves. Por outro lado, Staphylococcus aureus é um colonizador de pele e nasofaringe e um patógeno oportunista para seres humanos e animais e sua transmissão poderia ser bidirecional. Apresenta-se um caso de pneumonia por P. multocida e S. aureus em uma mulher, sem doença subjacente, que abrigava cães e gatos abandonados e entrou com múltiplos traumatismos devido à queda desde o quinto andar. Ambos os microrganismos foram obtidos da amostra de aspiração traqueal e identificados por Vitek®2 Compact. A identificação de P. multocida foi validada por espectrometria de massas (MALDI-TOF MS) e apresentou sensibilidade à penicilina, cefotaxima, amoxicilina-ácido clavulânico, ciprofloxacina, tetraciclina e trimetoprim-sulfometoxazol. S. aureus era meticilino sensível sem resistência acompanhante.

The Experience of Testing for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) at a Single Diagnostic Center in Paraguay before the Introduction of Vaccination.

Soon after the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Institute for Health Sciences Research (IICS) of the National University of Asunción, Paraguay became a testing laboratory (COVID-Lab) for SARS-CoV-2. The COVID-Lab testing performance was assessed from 1 April 2020 to 12 May 2021. The effect of the pandemic on the IICS and how the COVID-Lab contributed to the academic and research activities of the institute were also assessed. IICS researchers and staff adjusted their work schedules to support the COVID-Lab. Of the 13,082 nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs processed, 2704 (20.7%) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR. Of the individuals testing positive, 55.4% were female and 48.3% were aged 21-40 years. Challenges faced by the COVID-Lab were unstable reagent access and insufficient staff; shifting obligations regarding research, academic instruction, and grantsmanship; and the continuous demands from the public for information on COVID-19. The IICS provided essential testing and reported on the progress of the pandemic. IICS researchers gained better laboratory equipment and expertise in molecular SARS-CoV-2 testing but struggled to manage their conflicting educational and additional research obligations during the pandemic, which affected their productivity. Therefore, policies protecting the time and resources of the faculty and staff engaged in pandemic-related work or research are necessary components of healthcare emergency preparedness.

Association of class II HLA alleles with susceptibility to develop immune-mediated diseases in Paraguayan patients.

Genetic and nongenetic factors are involved in the pathogenesis of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs). The best-known genetic factor for susceptibility to IMIDs is the human leukocyte antigen (HLA). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of HLA class II genes with the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the Paraguayan population. We included 254 patients with IMIDs (101 SLE, 103 RA, and 50 SSc) and 50 healthy controls. The haplotypes of five genes corresponding to HLA class II genes and their relationship to the IMIDs studied were determined. Note that 84.6% were women, with a mean age of 43.4 ± 14 years. Among the associated HLA alleles, we found the previously identified risk factors in other populations like HLA-DRB1*03:01 and HLA-DRB1*14:02 for RA, as well as new ones not previously identified, such as DPA1*02:01 for SLE and, DB1*02:01 for RA and SSc. In the genetic association analysis, already known associations have been replicated, and unpublished associations have been identified in Paraguayan patients with IMIDs. This is the first genetic association study in Paraguayan patients with IMIDs.

Análisis de los estereotipos estéticos sobre la mujer en nueve revistas de moda y belleza mexicanas / Analysis of the aesthetic stereotypes of women in nine fashion and beauty mexican magazines

Resumen: En la actualidad existen numerosos problemas de salud asociados a la insatisfacción corporal que sufren muchas mujeres, como los trastornos del comportamiento alimentario. Dicha insatisfacción corporal se asocia a la promoción de un ideal estético fundamentado en la delgadez. Los medios de comunicación parecen tener un papel importante en la difusión de ese modelo estético. El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar si, en México, las portadas de las revistas de belleza y moda más conocidas, siguen difundiendo un modelo estético basado en la mujer muy delgada. Se analizaron de las nueve revistas más conocidas en México, un total de 53 portadas, publicadas a lo largo de seis meses. Las portadas fueron calificadas en diferentes categorías relacionadas con aspectos estéticos. Los resultados muestran que en un 100% de las portadas se sigue utilizando una fotografía de la mujer como reclamo, y que en el 98% de los casos se refería a una mujer delgada o muy delgada. Igualmente se obtuvieron otros datos referidos a la forma del cuerpo y tipo de piel de la modelo de la portada. Estos resultados señalan que dichas revistas siguen difundiendo el modelo estético de delgadez como referencia y que las modelos utilizadas en las fotografías se alejan de la mujer prototipo en México, lo que podría contribuir, tal y como también han señalado otras investigaciones internacionales, a la aparición y mantenimiento de ciertos problemas de salud.

Abstract: Nowadays there are many health problems associated with body dissatisfaction experienced by many women, such as eating disorders. Such body dissatisfaction is associated with promoting an aesthetic ideal based on thinness. Mass media seem to play an important role in the dissemination of this aesthetic model. The aim of this paper is to analyze whether, the covers of the best-known beauty magazines fashion in Mexico continue to spread an aesthetic model based on really thin women. Nine most popular magazines in Mexico, and a total of 53 covers were analyzed, they had been published over the six previous months. Covers were rated in several categories related with aesthetic aspects. The results show that 100% of the covers still show the photograph of a woman as a lure, and that 98% of cases she was a thin or a skinny woman. Other data related to body shape and skin type of the model on the cover were also obtained. These results indicate that these magazines continue to spread the aesthetic model of thinness as the reference, and that the models on the covers are distant from the prototype women in Mexico. This could contribute to the development and maintenance of certain health problems, as other international investigations have also pointed out.

Conocimientos del virus de inmunodeficiencia humana en estudiantes del preuniversitario de San Juan y Martínez / Knowledge of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in pre-university students. San Juan y Martinez municipality

El virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana es el causante del sida, debilita el sistema inmunológico destruyéndolo lentamente y ataca a las células que actúan como coordinadores del sistema inmunológico, provocando una respuesta de defensa inmunológica.El objetivo fue determinar el nivel de conocimientos de los adolescentes que estudian en el preuniversitario acerca del Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana.Se realizó una investigación de tipo observacional, descriptiva, transversal en el área urbana del municipio San Juan y Martínez en el período comprendido de enero hasta mayo de 2012, a los adolescentes que estudian en el preuniversitario.Resultados: Se comprobó que existe un predominio del sexo femenino que conoce que el VIH/sida es una infección de transmisión sexual, señalan al semen como la vía que más conocen por la cual se transmite el VIH/sida, y la abstinencia sexual como la más efectiva para evitar el contagio; no usan el condón siempre en las relaciones sexuales, y la mayoría se dirige a sus padres para conversar sobre temas de sexualidad y VIH/sida. La mayor parte de los estudiantes refiere conocer que el VIH/sida es una enfermedad que se transmite sexualmente, y que es necesario ejecutar programas de educación sexual para adquirir mejores conocimientos sobre esta enfermedad venérea(AU)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and weakens the immune system destroying it progressively and attacking cells that act of coordinators of the immunological system, provoking a response of the immunological defence. The objective was to determine knowledge of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in adolescents studying in an urban pre-university institute. A type of observational, descriptive, cross-sectional research was conducted in an urban area of San Juan y Martinez municipality during January-May 2012 in adolescents studying in a pre-university institute.Knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevailed in female sex; they knew it is a sexual transmitted-infection, pointing out semen as the main way of transmission for HIV/AIDS, sexual abstinence as the most effective to avoid the infection; they not all the times wear condoms, the majority talk to their parents about sexuality and HIV/AIDS topics. The greatest part of the students referred HIV/AIDS is a sexually-transmitted disease, and that it is necessary to create programs toward sexual education in order to increase knowledge of this venereal disease(AU)

Conocimientos del virus de inmunodeficiencia humana en estudiantes del preuniversitario de San Juan y Martínez / Knowledge of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in pre-university students. San Juan y Martinez municipality

Introducción: el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana es el causante del sida, debilita el sistema inmunológico destruyéndolo lentamente y ataca a las células que actúan como coordinadores del sistema inmunológico, provocando una respuesta de defensa inmunológica. Objetivo: determinar el nivel de conocimientos de los adolescentes que estudian en el preuniversitario acerca del Virus de la Inmunodeficiencia Humana. Material y método: se realizó una investigación de tipo observacional, descriptiva, transversal en el área urbana del municipio San Juan y Martínez en el período comprendido de enero hasta mayo de 2012, a los adolescentes que estudian en el preuniversitario. Resultados: se comprobó que existe un predominio del sexo femenino que conoce que el VIH/sida es una infección de transmisión sexual, señalan al semen como la vía que más conocen por la cual se transmite el VIH/sida, y la abstinencia sexual como la más efectiva para evitar el contagio; no usan el condón siempre en las relaciones sexuales, y la mayoría se dirige a sus padres para conversar sobre temas de sexualidad y VIH/sida. Conclusiones: la mayor parte de los estudiantes refiere conocer que el VIH/sida es una enfermedad que se transmite sexualmente, y que es necesario ejecutar programas de educación sexual para adquirir mejores conocimientos sobre esta enfermedad venérea.

Introduction: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and weakens the immune system destroying it progressively and attacking cells that act of coordinators of the immunological system, provoking a response of the immunological defence. Objective: to determine knowledge of Human Immunodeficiency Virus in adolescents studying in an urban pre-university institute. Material and Method: a type of observational, descriptive, cross-sectional research was conducted in an urban area of San Juan y Martinez municipality during January-May 2012 in adolescents studying in a pre-university institute. Results: knowledge of HIV/AIDS prevailed in female sex; they knew it is a sexual transmitted-infection, pointing out semen as the main way of transmission for HIV/AIDS, sexual abstinence as the most effective to avoid the infection; they not all the times wear condoms, the majority talk to their parents about sexuality and HIV/AIDS topics. Conclusions: the greatest part of the students referred HIV/AIDS is a sexually-transmitted disease, and that it is necessary to create programs toward sexual education in order to increase knowledge of this venereal disease.

Age-dependent availability and functionality of bone marrow stem cells in an experimental model of acute and chronic myocardial infarction.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of aging and timing of left ventricular ischemic injury on the availability and functionality of stem cells. We studied young and aged male inbred Lewis rats that were used as donors of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs), divided in four experimental groups: controls, sham operated, 48 h post-myocardial infarction (MI), and 28 days post-MI. In vitro studies included flow cytometry analysis, hematopoietic colony-forming capacity, and invasion assays of migration capacity. BM-MNCs from these groups were transplanted in female rats after MI induction. Late engraftment was evaluated by real-time PCR of the SRY chromosome. Percentage of CD34+/CD45+(low) cells was similar among different experimental groups in young rats, but was significantly higher in aged animals (p < 0.001), particularly 28 days post-MI. KDR+/CD34+ cells were increased 48 h after MI and decreased 28 days post-MI in young animals, while they were profoundly reduced in the aged group (p < 0.001). Triple staining for CD44+/CD29+/CD71+ cells was similar in different groups of aged rats, but we observed an intense increase 48 h post-MI in young animals. Colony-forming units and cytokine-induced migration were significantly attenuated 28 days after the MI. Late engraftment in infarcted transplanted female hearts was present, but considerably heterogeneous. Finally, recovery of left ventricular systolic function in transplanted female recipients was significantly influenced by donors' BM-MNCs groups (p < 0.01). We have demonstrated that aging and timing of myocardial injury are factors that may act synergistically in determining stem cell availability and function. Such interaction should be considered when planning new cell therapy strategies for acute and chronic ischemic heart disease in the clinical arena.

Betacellulin overexpression in mesenchymal stem cells induces insulin secretion in vitro and ameliorates streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia in rats.

Betacellulin (BTC), a ligand of the epidermal growth factor receptor, has been shown to promote growth and differentiation of pancreatic ß-cells and to improve glucose metabolism in experimental diabetic rodent models. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been already proved to be multipotent. Recent work has attributed to rat and human MSCs the potential to differentiate into insulin-secreting cells. Our goal was to transfect rat MSCs with a plasmid containing BTC cDNA to guide MSC differentiation into insulin-producing cells. Prior to induction of cell MSC transfection, MSCs were characterized by flow cytometry and the ability to in vitro differentiate into mesoderm cell types was evaluated. After rat MSC characterization, these cells were electroporated with a plasmid containing BTC cDNA. Transfected cells were cultivated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium high glucose (H-DMEM) with 10 mM nicotinamide. Then, the capability of MSC-BTC to produce insulin in vitro and in vivo was evaluated. It was possible to demonstrate by radioimmunoassay analysis that 10(4) MSC-BTC cells produced up to 0.4 ng/mL of insulin, whereas MSCs transfected with the empty vector (negative control) produced no detectable insulin levels. Moreover, MSC-BTC were positive for insulin in immunohistochemistry assay. In parallel, the expression of pancreatic marker genes was demonstrated by molecular analysis of MSC-BTC. Further, when MSC-BTC were transplanted to streptozotocin diabetic rats, BTC-transfected cells ameliorated hyperglycemia from over 500 to about 200 mg/dL at 35 days post-cell transplantation. In this way, our results clearly demonstrate that BTC overabundance enhances glucose-induced insulin secretion in MSCs in vitro as well as in vivo.

Utilização de células-tronco autólogas de medula óssea na regeneração do nervo tibial de coelhos mediante técnica de tubulização com prótese de silicone / Applyng of autologous stem cells from bone marrow in the regeneration of tibial nerve of rabbits using the tubulization technique with silicone tube

Neste estudo é apresentado um modelo experimental de defeito agudo em nervo periférico para avaliação da regeneração nervosa mediante técnica de tubulização associada à inoculação de células-tronco autólogas de medula óssea. Foram utilizados 12 coelhos Nova Zelândia albinos, submetidos à secção bilateral e ao afastamento de 5mm do nervo tibial e posterior reparo mediante utilização de câmara de silicone. Internamente à prótese de tubulização do nervo tibial esquerdo em todos os animais, foram inoculadas células-tronco autólogas de medula óssea, coletadas a partir do úmero. Como grupo controle (nervo tibial direito), mediante aplicação da mesma técnica de reparo, solução de NaCl 0,9 por cento foi administrada internamente à prótese. Após 30 dias de observação, os animais foram eutanasiados e foi realizada a avaliação histológica dos segmentos nervosos por meio das colorações de hematoxilina-eosina, luxol fast blue e azul de toluidina. Com os resultados, foi possível concluir que o transplante de células-tronco autólogas associado à técnica de tubulização apresenta vantagens no processo de regeneração nervosa periférica.

This study presents an experimental model of an acute deffect in a peripheral nerve to evaluate neural regeneration using a tubulization technique associated with the inoculation of autologous stem cells from bone marrow. A total of 12 New Zealand white rabbits underwent a bilateral dissection of the tibial nerve followed by repair with silicone tubulization. On the left tibial nerve of all animals, the tube was filled with autologous bone marrow-derived stem cells collected from the humerus. For control, using the same repair technique, the tubes were filled with a NaCl solution in the right tibial nerve. After 30 days of observation, the animals were euthanized and a histological evaluation of the collected nerve segments was performed by staining with hematoxylin-eosin, luxol fast blue, and toluidine blue. From the results it is possible to conclude that the transplanted autologous stem cells associated with the tubulization technique present an advantage in the peripheral nerve regeneration process.

In vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells into cardiac-like and neuronal-like cells / Indução de diferenciação in vitro de células-tronco embrionárias em células de tecido cardíaco e nervoso

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cell lines with the capacity of self-renewal and a broad differentiation plasticity. They are isolated from preimplantation embryos and can be cultured in vitro for long time without losing their pluripotency. Embryonic stem cells can also differentiate in vitro with the proper combination of growth and differentiation factors, cells will differentiate into more advanced stages of embryogenesis generating different adult cell type. In the present study, we induced the in vitro differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (line R1) into cardiomyocytes and neuronal cells. These differentiations were evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to verify presence of tissue-specific markers.

Células-tronco embrionárias são linhagens celulares pluripotentes capazes de se multiplicar indefinidamente e com grande capacidade de diferenciação celular. São isoladas de embriões em estágio pré-implantacional e podem ser cultivadas por longo tempo em laboratório sem perder sua pluripotencialidade. Células-tronco embrionárias podem, ainda, se diferenciar in vitro através da adição de fatores de crescimento e diferenciação ao meio de cultivo. As células se diferenciarão em estágios mais avançados de embriogênese, gerando tipos diferentes de células adultas. No presente estudo, induzimos a diferenciação in vitro de células-tronco embrionárias de camundongos (linhagem R1) em células de tecido cardíaco e nervoso. A diferenciação foi avaliada pela reação em cadeia da polimerase precedida de transcrição reversa para verificar a presença de marcadores tecido-específicos.

[Hematological and blood glucose alterations in Wistar rats with acute chagasic infection during gestation]. / Alteraciones hematológicas y de glucosa sanguínea en ratas Wistar con infección chagásica aguda, durante la gestación.

Abstract. The present study examined hematological alterations and blood glucose levels variations in albino Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) with acute chagasic infection during gestation. Blood samples were taken from A, B, C and D groups of rats at 0, 6, 12 and 20 days after impregnation for hematological diagnosis and glycemia tests. Statistical analysis of the results showed significant changes (p < 0.05) in hemoglobin values (Hb) and highly significant differences (p < 0.01) in hematocrit variables (Hto): leukocyte count (LC), percentage of lymphocytes (L), neutrophils (N), number of platelets (P) and blood glucose levels. A differential count of monocytes (M) and eosinophils (E) showed no significant variations from normal levels. These changes represent important hematological and glycemia alterations, such as mild and moderate anemia, pronounced leukocytosis, lymphopenia, neutrophilia, thrombocytopenia and hypoglycemia. Finally, there is a discussion of some factors in acute chagasic infection in Wistar rats that might be augmented by parallel physiological effects produced by pregnancy.

Caracterización biológica e isoenzimática de aislados de trypanosoma cruzi / Biological or Isoenzyme characterization of T. Cruzi isolates

Se presenta el resultado de un estudio experimental sobre el comportamiento biológico de 8 aislados de trypanosoma cruzi provenientes del occidente de Venezuela y obtenidos de casos humanos y de muestras de didéfidos, cánidos y triatominos, llevados a cabo en el modelo rata wistar. Asi mismo, se muestrean los perfiles de las enzimas PGM, GPI, IDH-NADP, ME, MDH,G6DH, MPI y 6PGDH determinados por electroforésis de isoenzimas en extracto de parásito cultivados en medio difásico (au)

Hipomelanosis de Ito (Incontinentia Pigmenti Achromians) / Hypomelanosis of Ito (Incontinentia Pigmenti Achromians)

Se reporta el caso de una niña de 18 meses de edad con diagnóstico de hipomelanosis de Ito, con lesiones cutáneas características que aparecieron desde los 3 meses de edad. Se hace una breve revisión sobre los conceptos actuales de esta genodermatosis.