Urinary sediment suggests lupus nephritis histology.

Objectives The objective of this paper was to evaluate correlations between kidney biopsy indexes (activity and chronicity) and urinary sediment findings; the secondary objective was to find which components of urinary sediment can discriminate proliferative from other classes of lupus nephritis. Methods Lupus nephritis patients scheduled for a kidney biopsy were included in our study. The morning before the kidney biopsy, we took urine samples from each patient. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the area under the curve (AUC) of each test for detecting proliferative lupus nephritis; a classification tree was calculated to select a set of values that best-predicted lupus nephritis classes. Results We included 51 patients, 36 of whom were women (70.6%). Correlations of lupus nephritis activity index with the counts in the urinary sediment of erythrocytes (isomorphic and dysmorphic), acanthocytes, and leukocytes were 0.65 ( p < 0.0001) 0.62 ( p < 0.0001) and 0.22 ( p = 0.1228), respectively. Correlations of lupus nephritis chronicity index with the counts of erythrocytes, acanthocytes, and leukocytes were 0.60 ( p ≤ 0.0001), 0.52 ( p = 0.0001) and 0.17 ( p = 0.2300), respectively. Our classification tree had an accuracy of 84.3%. Conclusions Evaluation of urine sediment reflects lupus nephritis histology.

Colonization levels of Streptococcus mutans between mother and infant: a postnatal prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible association between maternal S. mutans levels and those of the infant during the period between birth and 5 months and evaluate possible risk factors in the S mutans colonization. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was carried out comprising 62 infants and their mothers, selected at the time of childbirth. For each infant, a sample swab was taken at 0, 15, 30, 90, and 150 days postpartum; on the same days, a sample was obtained from the mothers. TYCSB medium was employed for identifying the microorganism, which was later confirmed by Gram staining, the catalase activity test, and the API strep test. RESULTS: The final total sample consisted of 60 infants, from which S. mutans was detected in only 2 (3%) at the 150th day of oral sample collection. Of the sample of 60 mothers, 54 exhibited colonization levels. CONCLUSIONS: In the studied sample pairs up to 150 days, it was not possible to demonstrate the presence of a direct relationship between maternal S. mutans oral levels.

Association of glutathione S-transferase Ω 1-1 polymorphisms (A140D and E208K) with the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß), and apoptotic protease-activating factor 1 (Apaf-1) in humans chronically exposed to arsenic in drinking water.

Human exposure to arsenicals is associated with inflammatory-related diseases including different kinds of cancer as well as non-cancerous diseases like neuro-degenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and diabetes. Interindividual susceptibility has been mainly addressed by evaluating the role of genetic polymorphism in metabolic enzymes in inorganic arsenic (iAs) metabolism. Glutathione S-transferase omega 1-1 (GSTO1-1), which had been associated with iAs metabolism, is also known to participate in inflammatory and apoptotic cellular responses. The polymorphism A140D of GSTO1-1 has been not only associated with distinct urinary profile of arsenic metabolites in populations chronically exposed to iAs in drinking water, but also with higher risk of childhood leukemia and lung disease in non-exposed populations, suggesting that GSTO1-1 involvement in other physiologic processes different from toxics metabolism could be more relevant than is thought. We evaluated the association of the presence of A140D and E208K polymorphisms of GSTO1-1 gene with the expression of genes codifying for proteins involved in the inflammatory and apoptotic response in a human population chronically exposed to iAs through drinking water. A140D polymorphism was associated with higher expression of genes codifying for IL-8 and Apaf-1 mainly in heterozygous individuals, while E208K was associated with higher expression of IL-8 and TGF- gene, in both cases, the association was independently of iAs exposure level; however, the exposure to iAs increased slightly but significantly the influence of A140D and E208K polymorphisms on such genes expression. These results suggest an important role of GSTO1-1 in the inflammatory response and the apoptotic process and indicate that A140D and E208K polymorphisms could increase the risk of developing inflammatory and apoptosis-related diseases in As-exposed populations.

Effect of climatological factors on respiratory syncytial virus epidemics.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) presents as yearly epidemics in temperate climates. We analysed the association of atmospheric conditions to RSV epidemics in San Luis Potosí, S.L.P., Mexico. The weekly number of RSV detections from October 2002 and May 2006 were correlated to ambient temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, vapour tension, dew point, precipitation, and hours of light using time-series and regression analyses. Of the variation in RSV cases, 49.8% was explained by the study variables. Of the explained variation in RSV cases, 32.5% was explained by the study week and 17.3% was explained by meteorological variables (average daily temperature, maximum daily temperature, temperature at 08:00 hours, and relative humidity at 08:00 hours). We concluded that atmospheric conditions, particularly temperature, partly explain the year to year variability in RSV activity. Identification of additional factors that affect RSV seasonality may help develop a model to predict the onset of RSV epidemics.

Efficacy of nitroglycerine infusion versus sublingual nifedipine in severe pre-eclampsia: a randomized, triple-blind, controlled trial.

1. Information regarding the use of continuous i.v. administration of nitroglycerine as an antihypertensive agent in the management of pre-eclampsia is scarce. In the present study, i.v. nitroglycerine or sublingual nifedipine were administered to 32 women with severe pre-eclampsia who were being managed with controlled plasma volume expansion and MgSO(4) loading and maintenance doses. Maternal blood pressure and heart rate responses, fetal heart rate responses and perinatal fetal-maternal adverse effects were evaluated using classical parametric and non-parametric data analysis and data modelling by mixed models. 2. An important hypotensive response was observed in both groups, although this reponse was greater, faster and exhibited less variability (more precision) in the nitroglycerine-treated group. Heart rate also increased in both the nitroglycerine- and nifedipine-treated groups (4.6 +/- 4.4 vs 8.6 +/- 5.3 b.p.m., respectively), although the increase in the nifedipine-treated group was almost twofold that in the nitroglycerine-treated group. There were no significant changes in fetal heart rate in response to vasodilator therapy. The frequency of perinatal fetal-maternal adverse effects was similar in both groups at 40% and the adverse effects observed included flushing, headache, palpitations and nausea. 3. In conclusion, i.v. infusion of nitroglycerine is an effective, safe and alternative therapy for severe pre-eclampsia.

[Ca2+]i changes in guinea pig tracheal smooth muscle cells in culture: effects of Na+ and ouabain.

The objective of this work was to confirm that the contractile effects of ouabain and Na(+)-free solutions in guinea pig tracheal rings are associated with increments in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in cultured tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) cells. Cultured cells were alpha-actin positive. Histamine (50 microM) and Na(+)-free solution elicited a transient increase in [Ca2+]i, while the responses to thapsigargin (1 microM) and ouabain (1 mM) were long lasting. However, carbachol (10, 200, and 500 mM) and high K(+)-solution produced no effect on [Ca2+]i, suggesting that cultured guinea pig TSM cells display a phenotype change but maintain some of the tracheal rings physiological properties. The transient rise in [Ca2+]i in response to the absence of extracellular Na+ and the effect of ouabain may indicate the participation of the Na(+)/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) in the regulation of [Ca2+]i.

[Efficacy of early erythropoietin use in critically ill, very-low-birthweight premature newborn infants: controlled clinical trial]. / Eficacia del uso precoz de eritropoyetina en recién nacidos pretérmino de muy bajo peso, críticamente enfermos: ensayo clínico controlado.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of erythropoietin in very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns less than 72 h of age. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We randomly assigned 40 critically ill newborn VLBW infants to receive either recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) 150 units/kg per day (21 patients) or placebo (19 patients) during their first six weeks of life. The observers were unaware of the treatment assignments. Frequency of erythrocyte transfusion, adverse effects and haematologic measures were evaluated and compared. RESULTS: Before treatment gestational age, weight, haemoglobin, and pathology were similar in both groups. During the subsequent 6 weeks, haemoglobin and haematocrit of the placebo group fell significantly below those of the EPO recipients. More transfusions were received by the placebo recipients (7/21) than by the EPO recipients (2/21; p = 0.04). No adverse effects of EPO were observed. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend the administration of recombinant human erythropoietin since the first 72 h of age, because of the high frequency of anaemia, the efficacy of EPO and lack of side effects.