Bacteria Present in Comadia redtenbacheri Larvae (Lepidoptera: Cossidae).

The external and internal culturable bacterial community present in the larvae of Comadia redtenbacheri Hammerschmidt, an edible insect, was studied. Characterization of the isolates determined the existence of 18 morphotypes and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed the existence of Paenibacillus sp., Bacillus safensis, Pseudomonas sp., Bacillus pseudomycoides, Corynebacterium variabile, Enterococcus sp., Gordonia sp., Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Arthrobacter sp., Micrococcus sp., and Bacillus cereus. Greater diversity of bacteria was found in those larvae obtained from vendors than in those directly taken from Agave plants in nature. Many of the larvae obtained from vendors presented signs of potential disease, and after the analysis, results showed a greater bacterial community compared with the larvae with a healthy appearance. This indicates that bacterial flora can vary in accordance with how the larvae are handled during extraction, collection, and transport.

Aortic origin of the right pulmonary artery associated with ductus arteriosus in an adult. A case report.

We describe the case of a 26-year-old female in functional class I (NYHA), with aortic origin of the right pulmonary artery associated with a persistent ductus arteriosus and severe pulmonary artery hypertension (101/40-70 mm Hg), which remained elevated (89/40-60 mm Hg) after the administration of 100% oxygen. Right pulmonary artery pressure (125/60-86 mm Hg) was higher than that of main pulmonary artery and similar to aorta pressure. The patient was successfully treated: surgical closure of the ductus arteriosus and end-to-end anastomosis between the pulmonary artery and right pulmonary artery were carried out. Systolic pulmonary arterial pressure, estimated by echocardiography Doppler, was 60 mm Hg six months after surgery. Cross-sectional echocardiogram showed the anastomosis of the right pulmonary artery with the main pulmonary artery. Pulmonary gammagraphy showed both lungs perfused through the main pulmonary artery; right lung perfusion was lesser than left lung perfusion, 30 vs. 70% respectively. Aortic origin of a right or left pulmonary artery is a heart disease seen in patients during the course of the first year of life. Its frequency is < 1% among all the congenital cardiopathies and the survival rate to adult life is very low. The originality of this paper is the presentation of a rare congenital cardiopathy treated surgically in an adult.

[Low-molecular-weight heparin in unstable angina pectoris]. / La heparina de bajo peso molecular en la angina de pecho inestable.

We studied the therapeutic effect of standard heparin (HS) compared with low-molecular-weight (HBPM) in two homogeneous groups of 14 patients heparin selected at random, with clinical history and electrocardiographic signs of unstable angina pectoris. Patients received the conventional treatment with platelets' inhibitors, nitrates, adrenergic beta-blockers or calcium antagonists. Both heparins, separately, showed statistical therapeutic effect on the symptoms and signs of unstable angina pectoris. They decreased to zero the number and duration of symptomatic myocardial ischemic events observed by ambulatory electrocardiogram (EKG-Holter). The symptoms of the angina pectoris disappeared at the same elapsed time: in 51.9 +/- 20.2 min. for the HS, and in 48.14 +/- 20.7 min. for the HBPM. They decreased the frequency of the silent myocardial ischemia observed at the EKG-Holter: 9 events decreased to 4 with the HS, and 8 events decreased to 3 with the HBPM. They decreased the total elapsed time of the silent ischemia from 52 min. to 15 min., and the mean elapsed time of the silent ischemia decreased from 3.71 +/- 3.29 min. to 1.07 +/- 1.81 min. with the HS (P < 0.001). With HBPM it decreased the total elapsed time of the silent ischemia from 60 min to 10 min, and the mean elapsed time of the silent ischemia decreased from 4.28 +/- 4.49 min. to 0.71 +/- 1.43 min. (P < 0.02). Both heparins considerably decreased the frequency of the lethal arrhythmias. Although in this study we did not find statistical differences in the therapeutic action of either heparins, HBPM reduced rapidly angina symptoms and the events associated to angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias, specially lethal extrasystolia, conduction defects and atrial paroxysmal tachycardia. Compared to HS, HBPM is easily applied, does not produce side effects on coagulation or bleeding time.

[Factors that affect DNA content analysis by flow cytometry]. / Aspectos que afectan el análisis de contenido de ADN por citometría de flujo.

DNA ploidy and cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry is used to obtain additional information about the diagnosis and prognosis of different types of cancer. However, there are several disagreements among authors about the tissue source (fresh-frozen or paraffin embedded), cellular dissociation methods (mechanical, enzymatic or other), use of different dyes, lasers, analysis software with different mathematical models and interpretation of results. A discussion about the different aspects that affect the study of DNA ploidy and cell cycle and a consensus in publications is mandatory. A strict control of analysis processes and data interpretation is also necessary.

Reductions in cardiac output in hypoxic young pigs: systemic and regional perfusion and oxygen metabolism.

We tested the hypotheses that, in hypoxic young pigs, reductions in cardiac output restrict systemic oxygen transport to a greater extent than does hypoxia alone and that compensatory responses to this restriction are more effective in higher than in lower priority vasculatures. To study this, 10- to 14-day-old instrumented awake hypoxic (arterial oxygen tension = 39 Torr) pigs were exposed to reduced venous return by inflation of a right atrial balloon-tipped catheter. Blood flow was measured with radionuclide-labeled microspheres, and oxygen metabolism was determined with arterial and venous oxygen contents from appropriate vessels. Hypoxia resulted in a reduction in oxygen tension; increases in cardiac output and perfusion to brain (72% over baseline), heart, adrenal glands, and liver without reductions to other organs except for the spleen; reductions in systemic and intestinal oxygen delivery; and increases in systemic and intestinal oxygen extraction without changes in systemic, cerebral, or intestinal oxygen uptake. During hypoxia, decreasing venous return was associated with increases in arterial lactic acid concentration and central venous pressure; attenuation of the hypoxia-related increase in cardiac output; sustained increases in brain (72% over baseline) and heart perfusion; reductions in lung (bronchial artery), pancreatic, renal, splenic, and intestinal (-50% below baseline) perfusion; decreases in systemic and gastrointestinal oxygen delivery; sustained increases in systemic and intestinal oxygen extraction; and decreases in intestinal oxygen uptake, without changes in cerebral oxygen metabolism. We conclude that when venous return to the heart is reduced in hypoxic young pigs, the hypoxia-related increase in cardiac output was attenuated and the relative reduction in cardiac output was associated with preserved cerebral oxygen uptake and compromised intestinal oxygen uptake. Regional responses to hypoxia combined with relative reductions in cardiac output differ from that of hypoxia alone, with the greatest effects on lower priority organs such as the gastrointestinal tract.

[Effectiveness of anticoagulant oral treatment in patients with thrombus in left ventricle after acute myocardial infarction]. / Eficacia del tratamiento anticoagulante oral en pacientes con trombo en ventrículo izquierdo después de un infarto agudo del miocardio.

Left ventricular mural thrombi (LVMT) is a complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), that may produce peripheral embolism which could be fatal. In order to establish an adequate time of oral anticoagulant (OA) therapy, we undertook a prospective study that included 45 patients with AMI and left ventricular thrombi detected by echocardiographic study, in the first 5 to 10 days postinfarction, the study was repeated, in 3 and 6 months. Treatment with oral anticoagulant was initiated at the point of the detection of thrombi maintaining an INR of 1.5 to 2. Thirty nine patients (79%) were males and 6 (11%) were females, with an age of 29 to 85 years and a range of 62 +/- 11 years. Forty four patients (98%) presented anterior wall infarction and 1 (2%) posteroinferior infarction. In patients with anterior infarction, in 38 (85%) the thrombi was located at the apical wall (p < 0.05), 5 (11%) in the septal wall and other (2%) in anterior and apical walls. The patient with the posteroinferior infarction presented extension to the right ventricle, where the thrombus was located (2%). The contractility alterations related with thrombi were diskinesia, followed by hipokinesia and finally akinesia. The ejection fraction had not relationship with thrombi formation. LVMT dissolved in 32 patients (71%) at 3 months (p < 0.05), in 8 (18%) in 6 months and in 5 (11%) it was maintained for more than 6 months. None of the patients presented complications of OA. We conclude that the LVMT are more frequent in anterior infarctions, essentially in those that present diskinesia. The majority of LVMT are resolved in 6 months with OA therapy.

[Limitation of myocardial expansion in late thrombolysis evaluated by two-dimensional echocardiography]. / Limitación de la expansión miocárdica con trombolisis tardía evaluada por ecocardiografía bidimensional.

Myocardial expansion in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is present in about 45% of the patients within the first 72 hours. This is associated with ventricular aneurysm formation, myocardial rupture, heart failure and early death. Experimental studies in animals with AMI have used late reperfusion to decrease the incidence of expansion with success. The present is a prospective, longitudinal, open and randomized study in 21 patients with anterior AMI, to evaluate if the late reperfusion (6 to 12 hours) can decrease the incidence of myocardial expansion graded quantitatively with bidimensional echocardiography. Two groups were made: group A (n = 12) who received thrombolysis with streptokinase 1.5 mill. IU plus oral aspirin 150 mg OD (n = 9). Both groups had the same characteristics of AMI and functional class of Killip and Kimball (I-II class). Intrahospital treatment was given freely in both groups. The expansion was evaluated with bidimensional echocardiography used Jugdutt's method. In group A, expansion was present in 25% of the cases, while in group B was 66.6% (p < 0.0005). The distortion area, distortion peak, septal thickness and large asynergic segment were more sensitive parameters to identify myocardial expansion. Our results are similar to some experimental studies. We conclude that late thrombolysis can be useful in decreasing the incidence of myocardial expansion. Bidimensional echocardiography is a useful, fast and safe method to identify myocardial expansion.

Echocardiographic characteristics of biopsy-proven cellular rejection in infant heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND: Echocardiography has been used as a primary means to detect cellular rejection in infant heart transplant recipients. There is, however, limited information correlating echocardiography and biopsy-proven rejection in this age group. METHODS: Between September 1989 and July 1994, 32 consecutive heart transplantations were done in infants younger than 20 months old, who were followed up for 2 to 58 months (mean 28 months) with concurrent endomyocardial biopsy and M-mode echocardiography with digitization. M-mode data from all 16 episodes of rejection (International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation grade 3A or greater) that occurred in 12 grafts were compared with data from the same grafts with histologic resolution of rejection 2 weeks after treatment and with data from biopsy-proven nonrejecting control grafts matched for sex, time after transplantation, donor weight, and donor age. RESULTS: Left ventricular mass index increased in rejection (86 +/- 9 gm/m2) versus resolution (64 +/- 6 gm/m2) and versus that in nonrejecting control grafts (59 +/- 8 gm/m2). Left ventricular shortening fraction increased in rejection (40% +/- 2%) versus resolution (38% +/- 10%). Septal thickening fraction decreased in rejection (33% +/- 9%) versus nonrejection (68% +/- 16%). These changes became significant only in grafts transplanted more than 1 month before study. Substantial overlap of measurements prevented identification of threshold values. Intraobserver and interobserver variabilities for standard M-mode data were 7% to 8% and 12% to 22%, respectively, whereas those for digitized parameters were markedly elevated at 37% to 71% and 51% to 81%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found (1) left ventricular mass index increases in cellular rejection but may be unreliable less than 1 month after transplantation and (2) significant interobserver and intraobserver variability may limit the applicability of digitized echo parameters to the detection of rejection in infant heart transplant recipients.

Expression and biological activity of mouse fibroblast growth factor-9.

Receptor specificity is an essential mechanism governing the activity of fibroblast growth factors (FGF). To begin to understand the developmental role of FGF-9/glial activating factor, we have cloned and sequenced the murine FGF-9 cDNA and expressed the protein in mammalian cells and in Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that the FGF-9 protein is highly conserved between mouse and human. Receptor specificity was determined by direct binding to soluble and cell surface forms of FGF receptor (FGFR) splice variants and by the mitogenic activity on cells, which express unique FGF receptor splice variants. Our data demonstrate that FGF-9 efficiently activates the "c" splice forms of FGFR2 and FGFR3, receptors expressed in potential target cells for FGF-9. Significantly, FGF-9 also binds to and activates the "b" splice form of FGFR3, thus becoming the first FGF ligand besides FGF-1 to activate this highly specific member of the FGF receptor family.

FGF-8 isoforms activate receptor splice forms that are expressed in mesenchymal regions of mouse development.

The Fgf8 gene is expressed in developing limb and craniofacial structures, regions known to be important for growth and patterning of the mouse embryo. Although Fgf8 is alternatively spliced to generate at least 7 secreted isoforms that differ only at their mature amino terminus, the biological significance of these multiple isoforms is not known. In this report, we demonstrate that multiple FGF-8 isoforms are present at sites of Fgf8 expression during mouse development. To address the possibility that the FGF-8 isoforms might interact with different fibroblast growth factor receptors, we prepared recombinant FGF-8 protein isoforms. We examined the ability of these proteins to activate alternatively spliced forms of fibroblast growth factor receptors 1-3, and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4. Recombinant FGF-8b and FGF-8c activate the 'c' splice form of FGFR3, and FGFR4, while FGF-8b also efficiently activates 'c' splice form of FGFR2. No activity could be detected for recombinant or cell expressed FGF-8a. Furthermore, none of the isoforms tested interact efficiently with 'b' splice forms of FGFR1-3, or the 'c' splice form of FGFR1. These results indicate that the FGF-8b and FGF-8c isoforms, produced by ectodermally derived epithelial cells, interact with mesenchymally expressed fibroblast growth factor receptors. FGF-8b and FGF-8c may therefore provide a mitogenic signal to the underlying mesenchyme during limb and craniofacial development.

An estimation of inbreeding from isonymy in the historical (1734-1810) population of the Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy, Argentina).

The method of isonymy to estimate inbreeding is applied to the historical population of the Quebrada de Humahuaca (Province de Jujuy, Republic of Argentina). Data from the baptismal records of the Parochial Church of Humahuaca from 1734 to 1810 were grouped into two periods, 1734-72 and 1773-1810. The analysis was carried out twice: (a) using the surnames exactly as they were registered; (b) combining homonymous surnames which were pronounced or spelt in a similar way. The random and non-random components of inbreeding have been investigated through different methods. There were no significant differences between the results of the two analyses, nor between the expected and observed isonymy. The value of F lies somewhere between those for offspring of first cousins once removed and second cousins once removed. There is a tendency for F and its components to increase through time. It is concluded that the high altitude aboriginal population of Humahuaca Parish must have behaved as a panmictic unit.