Exposure to Dichlorvos pesticide alters the morphology of and lipid metabolism in the ventral prostate of rats.

Organophosphate pesticides are widely used in agriculture, leading to soil, water, and food contamination. Among these compounds is Dichlorvos [O,O-dimethyl O-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)phosphate, DDVP], which is listed as a highly toxic compound by the Environmental Protection Agency and World Health Organization. Exposure to DDVP can result in nervous, respiratory, hepatic, and reproductive abnormalities, in addition to endocrine disrupting, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects. Little is known about the impacts of DDVP on the reprogramming of lipid metabolism, which is also associated with the development and progression of cancer, since the tumor cells need to recruit, capture, and use fatty acids to compose their building membranes. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of the pesticide DDVP on lipid metabolism in the prostate, after chemical induction by the carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU). For this, 32 Fischer rats aged 90 days were randomly divided into four experimental groups: Control, DDVP, MNU, and MNU + DDVP. The MNU and MNU + DDVP groups underwent chemical induction with MNU (15 mg/kg) and the DDVP and MNU + DDVP groups received a diet supplemented with DDVP (10 mg/kg). Histopathological analyses of the rat ventral prostate showed 100% incidence of epithelial hyperplasia in the MNU and MNU + DDVP groups. This finding was accompanied by an increase of the epithelial compartment in the MNU + DDVP group. Immunolocalization of important proteins linked to lipid metabolism has been established. In the MNU + DDVP group, Western blotting analyses pointed out an increased expression of the protein LIMP II (Lysosomal Integral Membrane Protein-II), which is correlated with the capture and distribution of lipids in tumor cells. Together, these results indicate that the association of a low dose of DDVP with MNU was able to promote alterations in the morphology and lipid metabolism of the rat ventral prostate, which may be related to tumor progression in this organ.

Miositis aguda benigna de la infancia: Serie clínica y revisión de la literatura / Benign acute childhood myositis: Clinical series and literature review

La miositis aguda benigna de la infancia (MABI) es una entidad clínica autolimitada, infrecuente, que afecta a niños en edad preescolar y escolar. Dada su asociación a cuadros virales, se sugiere una relación con este tipo de agentes, entre los que predomina el virus influenza. OBJETIVO: Describir un brote de casos de MABI presentados en un servicio pediátrico. PACIENTES Y MÉTODO: Serie clínica retrospectiva de pacientes que consultaron por un cuadro clínico compatible con MABI en el período agosto-noviembre de 2012, en el Servicio de Urgencia pediátrico de un centro asistencial. RESULTADOS: Se presentan una serie de 9 niños, edades entre 4 y 12 años, con un pródromo de fiebre asociado a síntomas respiratorios, seguido de dolor agudo intenso de ambas pantorrillas y claudicación. En los exámenes de laboratorio destacaba un alza de creatincinasa, con un valor promedio de 4.066 UI/L. El estudio etiológico evidenció influenza B en 3 pacientes y Mycoplasma pneumoniae en uno. El manejo consistió en hidratación y antiinflamatorios no esteroidales, con favorable evolución clínica y de laboratorio. CONCLUSIONES: La MABI es una entidad benigna, autolimitada, de excelente pronóstico, con una presentación clínica que en la mayoría de los casos requiere manejo ambulatorio. Deben evitarse estudios invasivos y hospitalizaciones innecesarias.

Benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) is a rare clinical condition that mainly affects pre-school and school age-children. It is usually preceded by a viral illness, particularly influenza virus infection. OBJECTIVE: To describe a cluster of BACM cases that were seen in a paediatric unit. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective series of cases that presented with a clinical picture suggestive of BACM between August and November 2012 in the paediatric emergency department of a private clinic. RESULTS: Nine children, between 4 and 12 years, presented with a history of a recent febrile upper viral respiratory infection, followed by intense calf pain and claudication. They all recovered without complications. Laboratory results showed a marked increase in CK, with a mean of 4,066 IU/l. Three of the cases had influenza B infection and one Mycoplasma pneumonia infection. They were managed conservatively with hydration and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. CONCLUSIONS: BACM is a benign entity with a characteristic clinical presentation that can be managed most of the time in the ambulatory setting, avoiding invasive studies and unnecessary hospital admission.

Absceso del psoas y osteomielitis de la columna lumbar: Caso clínico / Psoas abscess and lumbar spine osteomyelitis: Case report

El absceso del psoas es una enfermedad infrecuente en niños. Puede tener una presentación clínica inespecífica, ser de inicio insidioso y relacionarse o no con fiebre. El tipo más frecuente en pediatría es primario; sin embargo, en ocasiones, puede ser de origen secundario y asociarse a infecciones graves, como la osteomielitis, por lo que se requiere un alto índice de sospecha para detectarlo y tratarlo oportunamente. Presentamos un caso atípico de absceso del psoas con infiltración del cuerpo vertebral de L2 en un paciente masculino de 14 años previamente sano, sin antecedente de traumatismo ni fiebre al momento del ingreso. Se realizaron una radiografía y una ecografía, pero el diagnóstico se confirmó a través de una resonancia nuclear magnética de columna lumbosacra. Conhemocultivos positivos para Staphylococcus aureus meticilino resistente, completó 2 semanas de tratamiento antibiótico endovenoso y 4 semanas por vía oral con negativización de cultivos y resolvió por completo la sintomatología inicial.

Psoas abscess is a common disease in children. It can have a nonspecific clinical presentation, insidious onset and sometimes fever. The most common type in children is the primary one; however, it can sometimes be of secondary origin and associated with severe infections such as osteomyelitis so a high index of suspicion is required to detect and treat it promptly. We present an unusual case of psoas abscess with infiltration of the vertebral body of L2 in a 14 year old male patient previously healthy with no history of trauma or fever on admission. X-ray and ultrasound were performed but the diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral spine. With positive blood cultures for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus he completed 2 weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy and 4 weeks of oral antibiotic therapy with blood cultures negativization and resolution of symptoms.

[Psoas abscess and lumbar spine osteomyelitis: case report]. / Absceso del psoas y osteomielitis de la columna lumbar: caso clínico.

Psoas abscess is a common disease in children. It can have a nonspecific clinical presentation, insidious onset and sometimes fever. The most common type in children is the primary one; however, it can sometimes be of secondary origin and associated with severe infections such as osteomyelitis so a high index of suspicion is required to detect and treat it promptly. We present an unusual case of psoas abscess with infiltration of the vertebral body of L2 in a 14 year old male patient previously healthy with no history of trauma or fever on admission. X-ray and ultrasound were performed but the diagnosis was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral spine. With positive blood cultures for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus he completed 2 weeks of intravenous antibiotic therapy and 4 weeks of oral antibiotic therapy with blood cultures negativization and resolution of symptoms.

El absceso del psoas es una enfermedad infrecuente en niños. Puede tener una presentación clínica inespecífica, ser de inicio insidioso y relacionarse o no con fiebre. El tipo más frecuente en pediatría es primario; sin embargo, en ocasiones, puede ser de origen secundario y asociarse a infecciones graves, como la osteomielitis, por lo que se requiere un alto índice de sospecha para detectarlo y tratarlo oportunamente. Presentamos un caso atípico de absceso del psoas con infiltración del cuerpo vertebral de L2 en un paciente masculino de 14 años previamente sano, sin antecedente de traumatismo ni fiebre al momento del ingreso. Se realizaron una radiografía y una ecografía, pero el diagnóstico se confirmó a través de una resonancia nuclear magnética de columna lumbosacra. Conhemocultivos positivos para Staphylococcus aureus meticilino resistente, completó 2 semanas de tratamiento antibiótico endovenoso y 4 semanas por vía oral con negativización de cultivos y resolvió por completo la sintomatología inicial.

Lysosomal integral membrane protein 2 (LIMP-2) restricts the invasion of Trypanosoma cruzi extracellular amastigotes through the activity of the lysosomal enzyme ß-glucocerebrosidase.

Lysosomal integral membrane protein 2 (LIMP-2, SCARB2) is directly linked to ß-glucocerebrosidase enzyme (ßGC) and mediates the transport of this enzyme from the Golgi complex to lysosomes. Active ßGC cleaves the ß-glycosidic linkages of glucosylceramide, an intermediate in the metabolism of sphingoglycolipids, generating ceramide. In this study we used mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) deficient for LIMP-2 and observed that these cells were more susceptible to infection by extracellular amastigotes of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi when compared to wild-type (WT) fibroblasts. The absence of LIMP-2 decreases the activity of ßGC measured in fibroblast extracts. Replacement of ßGC enzyme in LIMP-2 deficient fibroblasts restores the infectivity indices to those of WT cells in T. cruzi invasion assays. Considering the participation of ßGC in the production of host cell ceramide, we propose that T. cruzi extracellular amastigotes are more invasive to cells deficient in this membrane component. These results contribute to our understanding of the role of host cell lysosomal components in T. cruzi invasion.