Phylogenomic and expression analysis of Colossoma macropomum cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b and their non-classical role in tambaqui sex differentiation.

The genes coding for Cytochrome P450 aromatase (cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b) and estrogen (E2) receptors (esr1, esr2a and esr2b) play a conserved role in ovarian differentiation and development among teleosts. Classically, the "gonad form" of aromatase, coded by the cyp19a1a, is responsible for the ovarian differentiation in genetic females via ligation and activation of the Esr, which mediates the endocrine and exocrine signaling to allow or block the establishment of the feminine phenotype. However, in neotropical species, studies on the molecular and endocrine processes involved in gonad differentiation as well as on the effects of sex modulators are recent and scarce. In this study, we combined in silico analysis, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay and quantification of E2 plasma levels of differentiating tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) to unveil the roles of the paralogs cypa19a1a and cyp19a1b during sex differentiation. Although the synteny of each gene is very conserved among characids, the genomic environment displays striking differences in comparison to model teleost species, with many rearrangements in cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b adjacencies and transposable element traces in both regulatory regions. The high dissimilarity (DI) of SF-1 binding motifs in cyp19a1a (DI = 10.06 to 14.90 %) and cyp19a1b (DI = 8.41 to 13.50 %) regulatory region, respectively, may reflect in an alternative pathway in tambaqui. Indeed, while low transcription of cyp19a1a was detected prior to sex differentiation, the expression of cyp19a1b and esr2a presented a large variation at this phase, which could be associated with sex-specific differential expression. Histological analysis revealed that anti-estradiol treatments did not affect gonadal sex ratios, although Fadrozole (50 mg kg-1 of food) reduced E2 plasma levels (p < 0,005) as well cyp19a1a transcription; and tamoxifen (200 mg kg-1 of food) down regulated both cyp19a1a and cyp19a1b but did not influence E2 levels. Altogether, our results bring into light new insights about the evolutionary fate of cyp19a1 paralogs in neotropical fish, which may have generated uncommon roles for the gonadal and brain forms of cyp19a1 genes and the unexpected lack of effect of endocrine disruptors on tambaqui sexual differentiation.

A New Genus of Endomychinae (Coleoptera: Endomychidae) from the Neotropics with Unusual Mouthparts.

Tharina gen. nov. along with T. antennalis (as type species), T. ecuadoriensis, T. micra, and T. peckorum spp. nov. (Coleoptera: Endomychidae: Endomychinae) from Venezuela, Ecuador, and Bolivia are described, diagnosed, and illustrated. Mouthpart structures, in this genus, which are unique within the family Endomychidae, are discussed in terms of their function. Notes on the unusual female genitalia in one species are provided.

Trichinella spiralis in a South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) from Patagonia, Argentina.

Trichinella spp. from a sylvatic cycle has been found in several animal species such as pumas (Puma concolor), armadillos (Chaetophractus villosus), rats (Rattus norvegicus), and wild boars (Sus scrofa) in Argentina. Moreover, Trichinella infection has been detected in a wide range of marine mammals around the world, including polar bears (Ursus maritimus) and walruses (Odobenus rosmarus). Until the present time, Trichinella spp. infection has not been detected in marine mammals of South America. Samples from four South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens) found dead in Rio Negro, Argentina, were analyzed by artificial digestion, and in the case of one animal, Trichinella larvae were identified at the species level by nested multiplex PCR as Trichinella spiralis. This is the first report of a Trichinella species infecting marine mammals from South America.

[Management of pediatric status epilepticus]. / Revisión del estado epiléptico convulsivo pediátrico y su manejo antiepiléptico.

Pediatric Status Epilepticus (SE) is an emergency situation with high morbidity and mortality that requires early and aggressive management. The minimum time criterion to define SE was reduced from 30 to 5 minutes, defined as continuous seizure activity or rapidly recurrent seizures without resumption of consciousness for more than 5 minutes. This definition considers that seizures that persist for > 5 minutes are likely to do so for more than 30 min. Those that persist for more than 30 minutes are more difficult to treat. Refractory SE is the condition that extends beyond 60-120 minutes and requires anesthetic management. Super-refractory SE is the state of no response to anesthetic management or relapse during withdrawal of these drugs. The aim of this review is to provide and update on convulsive SE concepts, pathophysiology, etiology, available antiepileptic treatment and propose a rational management scheme. A literature search of articles published between January 1993 and January 2013, focused on pediatric population was performed. The evidence about management in children is limited, mostly corresponds to case series of patients grouped by diagnosis, mainly adults. These publications show treatment alternatives such as immunotherapy, ketogenic diet, surgery and hypothermia. A 35% mortality, 26% of neurological sequelae and 35% of recovery to baseline condition is described on patient’s evolution.

Revisión del estado epiléptico convulsivo pediátrico y su manejo antiepiléptico / Management of pediatric status epilepticus

Pediatric Status Epilepticus (SE) is an emergency situation with high morbidity and mortality that requires early and aggressive management. The minimum time criterion to define SE was reduced from 30 to 5 minutes, defined as continuous seizure activity or rapidly recurrent seizures without resumption of consciousness for more than 5 minutes. This definition considers that seizures that persist for > 5 minutes are likely to do so for more than 30 min. Those that persist for more than 30 minutes are more difficult to treat. Refractory SE is the condition that extends beyond 60-120 minutes and requires anesthetic management. Super-refractory SE is the state of no response to anesthetic management or relapse during withdrawal of these drugs. The aim of this review is to provide and update on convulsive SE concepts, pathophysiology, etiology, available antiepileptic treatment and propose a rational management scheme. A literature search of articles published between January 1993 and January 2013, focused on pediatric population was performed. The evidence about management in children is limited, mostly corresponds to case series of patients grouped by diagnosis, mainly adults. These publications show treatment alternatives such as immunotherapy, ketogenic diet, surgery and hypothermia. A 35% mortality, 26% of neurological sequelae and 35% of recovery to baseline condition is described on patient’s evolution.

Carcinosarcoma de mama: presentación de un caso / Carcinosarcoma of the breast

Se presenta um caso de carcinosarcoma mamário (CSM) diagnosticado en una mujer de 41 años de edad. Se describe la histopatología y se realiza una revisión de la bibliografía, resumiendo el manejo de estos casos.

[First isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from the urban bat Eumops bonariensis]. / Primer aislamiento de Histoplasma capsulatum de murciélago urbano Eumops bonariensis.

We report the first isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum from a male bat Eumops bonariensis captured in Buenos Aires city in 2003. The pathogen was recovered from spleen and liver specimens, and was identified by its phenotypic characteristics. PCR with primers 1283, (GTG)5, (GACA)4 and M13 was used to compare both bat isolates with 17 human isolates, 12 from patients residing in Buenos Aires city, and 5 from other countries of the Americas. The profiles obtained with the four primers showed that both bat isolates were identical to each other and closer to Buenos Aires patients than to the other isolates (similarity percentage: 91-100% and 55-97%, respectively). The high genetic relationship between bat isolates and those from patients living in Buenos Aires suggests a common source of infection. This is the first record of E. bonariensis infected with H. capsulatum in the world, and the first isolation of the fungus in the Argentinean Chiroptera population. In the same way as these wild mammals act as reservoir and spread the fungus in the natural environment, infection in urban bats could well be associated with the increase in histoplasmosis clinical cases among immunosuppressed hosts in Buenos Aires city.

HUVECs from newborns with a strong family history of myocardial infarction overexpress adhesion molecules and react abnormally to stimulating agents.

Atherosclerosis is a complex disease involved in major fatal events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. It is the result of interactions between metabolic, dietetic and environmental risk factors acting on a genetic background that could result in endothelial susceptibility. Our aim was to determine the patterns of expression of adhesion molecules and whether phosphatidylserine is translocated to the cell surface of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) isolated from healthy newborns born to parents with a strong family history of myocardial infarction under TNF-alpha or oxLDL stimulated conditions. Compared to control HUVECs, experimental cords showed: (a) a four-fold increase in VCAM-1 expression under basal conditions, which showed no change after stimulation with the pro-atherogenic factors; (b) a two-fold increase in basal P-selectin expression that reached a 10-fold increase with any of the pro-atherogenic factors; (c) a basal ICAM-1 expression similar to P-selectin that was not modified by the pro-atherogenic molecules; (d) a similar PECAM-1 expression. Unexpectedly, phospathidylserine expression in experimental cord HUVECs was significantly increased (211 817 versus 3354 TFU) but was not associated to apoptotic death as the percentage of dead cells induced by TNF-alpha treatment was very low (0.55 versus 9.87% in control HUVECs). The latter result was corroborated by TUNEL staining. T cell adherence to HUVECs was highly up-regulated in the genetically predisposed samples. The analysis of nonpooled HUVECs, from newborns to family predisposed myocardial-infarction individuals, might represent a useful strategy to identify phenotypical and functional alterations, and hopefully, to take early preventive actions.

Primer aislamiento de Histoplasma capsulatum de murciélago urbano Eumops bonariensis / First isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from the urban bat Eumops bonariensis

Se comunica el primer aislamiento de Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum de un murciélago macho de la especie Eumops bonariensis, capturado en la ciudad de Buenos Aires en 2003. Los aislamientos fueron recuperados de bazo e hígado e identificados fenotípicamente. Se los comparó por PCR, con 17 aislamientos clínicos, 12 de pacientes residentes en la ciudad de Buenos Aires y cinco de otros países de América, usando los iniciadores 1283, (GTG)5, (GACA)4 y M13. Con los cuatro iniciadores, los perfiles de los aislamientos de murciélago resultaron idénticos entre sí y más relacionados a los de pacientes de Buenos Aires que a los de otros países (porcentaje de similitud: 91-100% y 55-87%, respectivamente). La alta relación genética entre los aislamientos obtenidos del murciélago y de los humanos residentes en Buenos Aires sugiere una fuente común de infección. Este es el primer registro de E. bonariensis infectado con H. capsulatum en el mundo, y el primer aislamiento del hongo en la población de quirópteros de la Argentina. Así como estos mamíferos actúan como reservorio y dispersan el hongo en la naturaleza, la infección en murciélagos urbanos podría asociarse al elevado número de casos de histoplasmosis entre pacientes inmunodeprimidos en la ciudad de Buenos Aires.

We report the first isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum from a male bat Eumops bonariensis captured in Buenos Aires city in 2003. The pathogen was recovered from spleen and liver specimens, and was identified by its phenotypic characteristics. PCR with primers 1283, (GTG)5, (GACA)4 and M13 was used to compare both bat isolates with 17 human isolates, 12 from patients residing in Buenos Aires city, and 5 from other countries of the Americas. The profiles obtained with the four primers showed that both bat isolates were identical to each other and closer to Buenos Aires patients than to the other isolates (similarity percentage: 91-100% and 55-97%, respectively). The high genetic relationship between bat isolates and those from patients living in Buenos Aires suggests a common source of infection. This is the first record of E. bonariensis infected with H. capsulatum in the world, and the first isolation of the fungus in the Argentinean Chiroptera population. In the same way as these wild mammals act as reservoir and spread the fungus in the natural environment, infection in urban bats could well be associated with the increase in histoplasmosis clinical cases among immunosuppressed hosts in Buenos Aires city.

Primer aislamiento de Histoplasma capsulatum de murciélago urbano Eumops bonariensis. / [First isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum from the urban bat Eumops bonariensis]

We report the first isolation of Histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum from a male bat Eumops bonariensis captured in Buenos Aires city in 2003. The pathogen was recovered from spleen and liver specimens, and was identified by its phenotypic characteristics. PCR with primers 1283, (GTG)5, (GACA)4 and M13 was used to compare both bat isolates with 17 human isolates, 12 from patients residing in Buenos Aires city, and 5 from other countries of the Americas. The profiles obtained with the four primers showed that both bat isolates were identical to each other and closer to Buenos Aires patients than to the other isolates (similarity percentage: 91-100

and 55-97

, respectively). The high genetic relationship between bat isolates and those from patients living in Buenos Aires suggests a common source of infection. This is the first record of E. bonariensis infected with H. capsulatum in the world, and the first isolation of the fungus in the Argentinean Chiroptera population. In the same way as these wild mammals act as reservoir and spread the fungus in the natural environment, infection in urban bats could well be associated with the increase in histoplasmosis clinical cases among immunosuppressed hosts in Buenos Aires city.

Collagen degrading activity associated with Mycobacterium species.

BACKGROUND: The mechanism of Mycobacterium tuberculosis penetration into tissues is poorly understood but it is reasonable to assume that there is a contribution from proteases capable of disrupting the extracellular matrix of the pulmonary epithelium and the blood vessels. A study was undertaken to identify and characterise collagen degrading activity of M tuberculosis. METHODS: Culture filtrate protein extract (CFPE) was obtained from reference mycobacterial strains and mycobacteria isolated from patients with tuberculosis. The collagen degrading activity of CFPE was determined according to the method of Johnson-Wint using 3H-type I collagen. The enzyme was identified by the Birkedal-Hansen and Taylor method and its molecular mass determined by SDS-PAGE and Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration chromatography using an electroelution purified enzyme. RESULTS: CFPE from Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain H37Rv showed collagenolytic activity that was four times higher than that of the avirulent strain H37Ra. The 75 kDa enzyme responsible was divalent cation dependent. Other mycobacterial species and those isolated from patients with tuberculosis also had collagen degrading activity. CONCLUSIONS: Mycobacterium species possess a metalloprotease with collagen degrading activity. The highest enzymatic activity was found in the virulent reference strain H37Rv.

Lipoid proteinosis of the small bowel.

We describe a 65-year-old-man who presented with acute gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to massive submucosal deposits of hyaline material in the small bowel. The histochemical and ultrastructural features of the hyaline substance were typical of lipoid proteinosis, a rare cutaneous disorder in which, to our knowledge, symptomatic compromise of internal organs has not been described previously. The patient was later found to have mild but characteristic mucocutaneous lesions of lipoid proteinosis, as well as asymptomatic deposits in other gastrointestinal sites. Our case documents that severe visceral involvement may occur in lipoid proteinosis, even in previously undiagnosed patients with mild cutaneous manifestations of the disease.

[Do the physical characteristics of radiopaque markers modify the results of the measurement of colonic transit time?]. / Los caracteres físicos de los Marcadores Radiopacos modifican los resultados de la medición del tiempo de tránsito colónico?

UNLABELLED: This study was performed in 15 healthy control subjects (8 males- age 23-70 and 7 females age 20-74) as a way to compare the total and segmental colonic transit time with two different type of radiopaque markers. One type of markers was 3 mm cut sections of a radiopaque polietilene 14 French Levine tube, with a medium weight of 64.3 mg and a specific gravity (SG) of 1.28. The other type were 7 mm lenticular insoluble barium (lentils) with medium weight of 231 mg and a SG of 1.87. Each subject ingested 20 markers of each type with the breakfast and front and profile plain films of the abdomen were taken 24 and 48 hs after. The total colonic transit time for the polietilene markers was 17.7 hs and 27.3 hs for the barium type (BM) (p < 0.001). The segmental transit time for right colon was 2.4 hs (PM) and 9.7 hs (PM) and 9.7 hs (BM) (p < 0.001) in the left colon 9.5 hs (PM) and 11.3 hs (BM) and in rectoanun 5.9 hs (BM) with no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: the physical characteristics of the radiopaque markers can modify the results of the colonic transit times.