Rituximab use in pediatric lupus anticoagulant hypoprothrombinemia syndrome - report of three cases and review of the literature.

Lupus anticoagulant hypoprothrombinemia syndrome (LA-HPS) is a rare condition that may predispose both to thrombosis and bleeding due to positive lupus anticoagulant (LA) and factor II (FII) deficiency. It can be seen in association with infections or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and may require glucocorticoids (GCs) and/or immunosuppressive medications. Pediatric LA-HPS cases in the literature and three cases that received only rituximab (RTX) for LA-HPS (in addition to GCs) at two institutions between January 2010 and June 2017 were analyzed descriptively. Pediatric LA-HPS cases (≤18 years) with bleeding or thrombotic events were included. Information obtained included demographics, presenting symptoms, diagnoses, treatments, pre-/post-treatment prothrombin time (PT)/partial thromboplastin time (PTT)/LA/FII levels, and outcomes. In addition to three LA-HPS cases identified at our institutions, as of June 2017, 37 articles reported 54 pediatric LA-HPS cases (mean age: 8 years (0.9-17 years); female/male: (2:1); viral illness 27 (50%), SLE 20 (37%), and other six (11%)). All cases had a positive LA and FII deficiency (range: 0%-40%). All cases presented with bleeding diathesis and were treated with various regimens, but there was no reported use of RTX. The purpose of this report is to describe the novel use of RTX as a steroid-sparing agent in three pediatric SLE cases and to systematically review the literature on pediatric cases of LA-HPS.

Parasitism of gallus gallus (linnaeus, 1758) by species of phthiraptera on free-range chickens in the southern region of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil / Parasitismo de Gallus Gallus (Linnaeus, 1758) por espécies de Phthiraptera em criações coloniais na região sul do Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil

This study was conducted in order to identify the species of biting lice (order Phthiraptera: Amblycera suborders and Ischnocera) that infest free-range chickens in southern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Fifty adult females from 10 farms located in 5 different municipalities were examined for ectoparasites. The chickens were euthanized and then washed with water and detergent for the collection of ectoparasites by filtration using a 150-µm mesh sieve, then separated into pellet and supernatant, which were preserved in ethanol 70% for the screening procedures and identification. A total of 19,437 lice were examined, presenting the following breakdown by species: Menopon gallinae (85.9%), Goniodes dissimilis (6.1%), Lipeurus caponis (3.0%), Goniocotes gallinae (2.5%), Menacanthus pallidus (2.1%) and Menacanthhus stramineus (0.1%). It was found that all the chickens examined were parasitized by one or more species of Phthiraptera, the multiple and moderate level of infestation (101 to 1,000 lice/chicken) being the most frequent. M. gallinae was the most frequent and abundant species (100% of the chickens parasitized and an average of 334.1 lice/chicken). The degree of infestation of chickens varied among the farms, averaging 41.2 to 680 lice/chicken.

Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de conhecer os piolhos (ordem Phthiraptera: Subordens Amblycera e Ischnocera) infestantes de galinhas de criações coloniais no Sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Cinquenta fêmeas adultas foram examinadas, de 10 propriedades rurais localizadas em 5 diferentes municípios. As aves foram eutanasiadas e posteriormente lavadas com água e detergente para coleta dos ectoparasitos através de filtragem por passagem em tamis com malha de 150 µm, separando-se em sedimento e sobrenadante, os quais foram preservados em etanol 70% até os processos de triagem e identificação. Cerca de 19.437 piolhos foram examinados e apresentaram a seguinte composição específica: os resultados indicam que a fauna de Phthiraptera em galinhas caipiras na região é composta por: Menopon gallinae (85,9%), Goniodes dissimilis (6,1%), Lipeurus caponis (3,0%), Goniocotes gallinae (2,5%), Menacanthus pallidus (2,1%) e Menacanthus stramineus (0,1%). Constatou-se que todas as aves examinadas estavam parasitadas por uma ou mais espécies de Phthiraptera, com predomínio de infestações múltiplas e moderadas (101 a 1.000 piolhos/ave). M. gallinae é a espécie mais prevalente e abundante (100% das aves parasitadas e média de 334,1 espécimes/ave). O grau de infestação das aves variou entre as propriedades, com médias de 41,2 a 680 piolhos/ave.

Extração alcoólica de fenólicos e flavonóides totais de mirtilo Rabbiteye (Vaccinium ashei) e sua atividade antioxidante / Alcoholic extracts of total phenolics and flavonoids from rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) and their antioxidant activity

Uma infinidade de produtos de cosmetologia tem utilizado mirtilo, uma pequena fruta com inúmeras alegações de propriedades biológicas, na formulação de uma variedade de produtos como cremes hidratantes, esfoliantes, protetores da radiação ultravioleta, entre outros. Neste sentido, a composição química desta pequena fruta é associada a estas propriedades biológicas,no entanto, poucos relatos científicos são encontrados na literatura. Desta forma, o presente estudo avaliou os teores de compostos fenólicos e de flavonóides, bem como a relação destes compostos com a atividade antioxidante de extratos hidroalcoólicos preparados a partir de frutas de mirtilo cv. "Rabbiteye" (Vacciniumashei). Diferentes proporções de álcool (etanol ou metanol) em água deionizada (ou seja, 40:60, 60:40 e 80:20 (v/v)) foram avaliados quanto à capacidade de extração de fenólicos totais e de flavonóides de amostras de mirtilo em duas condições: frescas (frutas in natura)e secas (após secagem a 105ºC por 15 h). Todas as extrações alcoólicas foram realizadas à temperatura ambiente e sob agitação. Dentre as proporções utilizadas para a extração dos compostos fenólicos foi verificado que, em geral, a mistura metanol/água 80:20(v/v) e a mistura etanol/água 60:40 (v/v) foram os que apresentaram maiores teores de fenólicos e flavonoides totais, e que houve uma correlação positiva forte entre as concentrações de fenólicos e de flavonóides com a atividade antioxidante daqueles extratos hidroalcoólicos de mirtilo, segundo análise do coeficiente de correlação de Pearson.

A wide range of cosmetic products, including moisturizers, exfoliating scrubs and sunscreens, have been formulated with blueberry, a small fruit within numerable claims to biological properties. Although the chemical composition of these fruits has been associated with these biological properties, few studies can be found in the literature. In the present study, the phenolic and flavonoid contents of hydroalcoholic extracts of the rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei)were analyzed and the correlation of these compounds with the antioxidant activity of the extracts investigated (by Pearson's correlation coefficient). Various mixtures of alcohol (ethanol or methanol) with deionized water (40:60, 60:40 and 80:20 (v/v)) were tested for their capacity to extract phenolics and flavonoids from blueberries in two conditions: fresh (as picked) and dried (at 105ºC for 15 h). All the extractions were carried out at room temperature with shaking. Out of all the solvent mixtures used for the extractions it was found that, in general, the 80:20 (v/v) methanol/water and 60:40 (v/v) ethanol/water mixtures showed the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents, respectively, with a strong positive correlation between the phenolic and flavonoid contents of the blueberry hydroalcoholic extracts and their antioxidant activity.