Downregulation of Umbilical Cord Blood Levels of miR-374a in Neonatal Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression profile of microRNA (miRNA) in umbilical cord blood from infants with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). STUDY DESIGN: Full-term infants with perinatal asphyxia were identified under strict enrollment criteria. Degree of encephalopathy was defined using both continuous multichannel electroencephalogram in the first 24 hours of life and modified Sarnat score. Seventy infants (18 controls, 33 with perinatal asphyxia without HIE, and 19 infants with HIE [further graded as 13 mild, 2 moderate, and 4 severe]) were included in the study. MiRNA expression profiles were determined using a microarray assay and confirmed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Seventy miRNAs were differentially expressed between case and control groups. Of these hsa-miR-374a was the most significantly downregulated in infants with HIE vs controls. Validation of hsa-miR-374a expression using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction confirmed a significant reduction in expression among infants with HIE compared with those with perinatal asphyxia and healthy controls (mean relative quantification [SD] = 0.52 [0.37] vs 1.10 [1.52] vs 1.76 [1.69], P < .02). CONCLUSIONS: We have shown a significant step-wise downregulation of hsa-miR-374a expression in cord blood of infants with perinatal asphyxia and subsequent HIE.

Artificial hair fiber restoration in the treatment of scalp scars.

BACKGROUND: There is presently no treatment for scalp scars that is fully satisfactory. The modalities of treatment currently in use are surgery, hair transplantation, and micropigmentation. Scalp implantation with artificial hair fibers is used by some physicians as an adjunctive treatment. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to assess the utility of artificial hair fibers to treat scalp scars. METHODS: Data were collected by the principal author from 10 hair restoration practitioners who tested polyamide hair fiber (Biofibre CE 0373/TGA by Medicap Ltd., Carpi (MO), Italy) implantation for scalp scars. RESULTS: Artificial hair fiber implantation occurred between June 1996 and December 2000, and observations continued until December 2004. Data from 54 scars from 44 patients treated showed: (1) no complications in 49 scars (90.7%); (2) mild adverse outcomes in 4 scars (7.4%)-temporary superficial inflammation-infection that subsided following topical cortisone and local/systemic antibiotic treatment; and (3) moderately adverse outcomes in 1 scar (1.9%)-significant inflammation and generalized infection requiring removal of artificial implant to alleviate. Occasional minor skin reactions, sebum plugs, and hyperseborrhea were successfully controlled and well accepted by patients. Fiber fall rate was 20% on average per annum. CONCLUSION: Data show that polyamide hair fiber restoration can be considered an adjunctive treatment for scalp scars in selected cases.

Diversity of edaphic Rhodacaroid mites (Acari: Mesostigmata: Rhodacaroidea) in natural ecosystems in the state of São Paulo, Brazil / Diversidade de ácaros edáficos Rhodacaroidea (Acari: Mesostigmata) em ecossistemas naturais no estado de São Paulo

Avaliou-se neste estudo a diversidade de ácaros Rhodacaroidea em amostras de folhedo e solo coletadas em ecossistemas conhecidos como “Mata Atlântica” e “Cerrado” do estado de SãoPaulo. O total de 969 Rhodacaroidea adultos foi coletado, 913 na Mata Atlântica e 56 no Cerrado. Foram encontrados representantes de três famílias de Rhodacaroidea: Ologamasidae, Rhodacaridae eDigamasellidae. Ologamasidae foi a mais numerosa na Mata Atlântica, enquanto Rhodacaridae foi a mais numerosa no Cerrado. Os Rhodacaroidea de ambos ecossistemas representaram 12 gêneros deOlogamasidae, dois de Rhodacaridae e um de Digamasellidae. O total de 13 gêneros foi encontrado em amostras de folhedo e sete em amostras de solo da Mata Atlântica. Os gêneros mais comuns neste ecossistema foram Neogamasellevans Loots & Ryke e Ologamasus Berlese, em folhedo, e Rhodacarus Oudemans, em solo. Foram coletadas 31 morfoespécies, sendo Rhodacarus sp.1, Neogamasellevanssp.1 e Neogamasellevans sp.6 as mais abundantes. Foram encontrados três gêneros de Rhodacaroidea em cada substrato do Cerrado, Rhodacarus e Rhodacarellus Willman sendo os mais abundantes. Das cinco morfoespécies encontradas neste ecossistema, a mais abundante foi Rhodacarus sp.1. Asmorfoespécies coletadas na Mata Atlântica apresentaram mais alta eqüitabilidade na freqüência de ocorrência quando comparadas àquelas do Cerrado, especialmente em amostras de folhedo. As espécies de planta amostradas na Mata Atlântica foram divididas em dois grupos distintos, de acordo com as morfoespécies de Rhodacaroidea a elas associadas: 1) Astrocaryum aculeatissimum (Schott), Bactris setosa Mert. e Attalea dubia (Mert.); e 2) Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) e Euterpe edulis Mert.

This study was conducted to evaluate the diversity of rhodacaroid mites in litter and soil samples from “Mata Atlântica” and “Cerrado”, e ecosystems of the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A total of 969 adult rhodacaroids were collected, 913 in the Mata Atlântica and 56 in the Cerrado. Representativesof three rhodacaroid families were from: Ologamasidae, Rhodacaridae and Digamasellidae. Most numerous groups were ologamasids in the Mata Atlântica and rhodacarids in the Cerrado. Mites from both ecosystems represented 12 genera of Ologamasidae, two of Rhodacaridae and one of Digamasellidae.A total of 13 genera were found in litter samples and seven in soil samples of Mata Atlântica. The most common genera in this ecosystem were Neogamasellevans Loots & Ryke and Ologamasus Berlese in litter, and Rhodacarus Oudemans in soil samples. Thirty-one morphospecies were recovered, the most abundant being Rhodacarus sp.1, Neogamasellevans sp.1 and Neogamasellevans sp.6. Threerhodacaroid genera were found in each substrate of Cerrado, the most abundant being Rhodacarus and Rhodacarellus Willman. Of the five morphospecies found in this ecosystem, the most abundant was Rhodacarus sp.1. Morphospecies collected in Mata Atlântica displayed a higher equitability in frequency of occurrence than those of Cerrado, especially in litter samples. The plant species sampled in Mata Atlântica comprised two distinct groups in terms of the rhodacaroid morphospecies associated with them: 1) Astrocaryum aculeatissimum (Schott), Bactris setosa Mart. and Attalea dubia (Mart.); and 2)Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) and Euterpe edulis Mart.