First insight into plastics ingestion by fish in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

Plastic particle occurrence in the digestive tracts of fishes from a tropical estuarine system in the Gulf of California was investigated. A total of 1095 fish were analysed, representing 15 species. In total 1384 particles of plastic debris were recovered from the gastrointestinal tracts of 552 specimens belonging to 13 species, and all consisted of threads, the majority of which were small microplastics (0.23 to 1.89), followed by large microplastics (2.07 to 4.49), and few mesoplastics (5.4 to 19.86). Plastic particles were identified using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The mean frequency of occurrence of plastics in the gastrointestinal tracts of fishes from this system was 50.5%, which is higher than frequencies reported in similar systems in other areas. The polymers identified by ATR-FTIR were polyamide (51.2%), polyethylene (36.6%), polypropylene (7.3%), and polyacrylic (4.9%). These results show the first evidence of plastic contamination for estuarine biota in the Gulf of California.

EXPANSION OF THE SHORT SYNDROME PHENOTYPE IN AN ADULT PATIENT WITH UNILATERAL BASAL GANGLIA CALCIFICATION.

SHORT syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant disorder whose acronym stands for short stature, hyperextensibility of joints and/or hernias, ocular depression, Rieger anomaly, and teething delay. Common clinical features include intrauterine and postnatal growth restriction, lipoatrophy, characteristic facial gestalt, anterior chamber defects and insulin resistance/diabetes. To date, the coexistence of SHORT syndrome and unilateral basal ganglia calcification has not been reported. Here, we describe a 27-year-old woman bom to healthy first-cousin Mexican parents who exhibited the SHORT syndrome phenotype and unilateral basal ganglia calcification. The current observation provides additional knowledge of the spectrum of anomalies that can occur in SHORT syndrome and further illustrates the clinical variability of this disorder. Therefore, basal ganglia calcification and other brain abnormalities should be specifically looked for in all affected patients in order to provide appropriate medical management and genetic counseling.

Thanatophoric dysplasia type 1 with cloverleaf skull in a dichorionic twin.

Here is reported for the first time, a case of thanatophoric dysplasia type 1 with cloverleaf skull in a (Mexican) dichorionic female twin. The patient's main clinical and radiographic findings included severe limb shortening, narrow thorax shape; short ribs, marked platyspondyly, curved short femurs, and a cloverleaf skull. The female twin sib had normal growth parameters and phenotypic appearance. According to the literature, cloverleaf skull in thanatophoric dysplasia type 1 is rare, even more so in dichorionic twins. Moreover, the present observation confirms that thanatophoric dysplasia type 1 patients may show phenotypic heterogeneity related to cloverleaf skull and other congenital anomalies. Therefore, a careful family history along with clinical, radiological, and molecular investigations is suggested, in order to achieve an accurate parental counseling for thanatophoric dysplasia.

The effect of folic acid supplementation with ferrous sulfate on the linear and ponderal growth of children aged 6-24 months: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Studies evaluating the effect of folic acid supplementation, either alone or in combination with iron, on the linear and ponderal growth of children are practically nonexistent. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of folic acid supplementation with ferrous sulfate on both linear growth and weight gain in anemic and nonanemic children attending Municipal Daycare Centers in Goiania, State of Goias, Brazil. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A double-blind, randomized, controlled trial was conducted on 188 children aged 6-24 months. The effects of ferrous sulfate and folic acid supplementation were evaluated using the analysis of variance procedure, based on a double factorial model with two factors of fixed effects (folic acid supplementation and ferrous sulfate supplementation), adjusted for initial weight. The level of significance was 0.05. RESULTS: The children who received folic acid supplementation showed greater weight gain than the monthly average weight gain of those not given the supplement (P=0.026). This effect was independent of the dose of ferrous sulfate (P for interaction=0.693). Folic acid supplementation increased the gain of weight-for-age Z-score when compared with the placebo group (P=0.018), independent of the dose of ferrous sulfate. CONCLUSION: Folic acid had no effect on linear growth. The use of folic acid supplementation increased the monthly average weight gain and the gain in weight-for-age Z-score compared with the placebo group. This effect was independent of the dose of ferrous sulfate.

Fryns syndrome with vertebral defects: a novel association in a Mexican infant.

We report a Mexican mestizo 2 months old male with Fryns syndrome and vertebral defects. The patient's phenotype included typical craniofacial dysmorphism, short neck, agenesis of the corpus callosum, congenital left diaphragmatic hernia, complex heart disease, C1 to C6 vertebral agenesis with increased interpedicular space, thoracic rotoscoliosis, broad medial ends of the clavicles, brachytelephalangy of hands and feet with fingers axially deviated, and nail hypoplasia. Renal and chromosomal evaluations were normal. Since this is the first description of cervical vertebrae agenesis and thoracic rotoscoliosis in Fryns syndrome, we propose that these clinical and radiological features should be incorporated to the Fryns syndrome phenotype and specifically looked for in other children.

Asociación VACTERL-H con agenesia tibial. ¿Expansión del fenotipo clínico? / VACTERL-H association with tibial agenesis. Expansion of the clinical phenotype?

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Effects of low molecular weight sulfated galactan fragments from Botryocladia occidentalis on the pharmacological and enzymatic activity of sPLA2 from Crotalus durissus cascavella.

Low molecular weight fragments of sulfated galactans (Boc-5 and Boc-10) from the red algae Botryocladia occidentalis significantly inhibited Crotalus durissus cascavella sPLA2 enzymatic activity. Equimolar ratios of sPLA2 to Boc-5 or Boc-10 resulted in allosteric inhibition of sPLA2. Under the conditions tested, we observed that both Boc-5 and Boc-10 strongly decreased edema, myonecrosis, and neurotoxicity induced by native sPLA2.

Low-grade parasitaemias and cold agglutinins in patients with hyper-reactive malarious splenomegaly and acute haemolysis.

A cluster of 16 cases of hyper-reactive malarious splenomegaly (HMS) with severe, acute haemolysis, from an isolated, Venezuelan, Yanomami population, was prospectively investigated. Nine (69%) of the 13 HMS sera investigated but only one (7%) of 14 control sera (P < 0.005) contained elevated titres (of at least 1:32) of complement-fixing IgM cold agglutinins (CA). The CA detected had specificity for both the I and i blood-group antigens (with a relative predominance of anti-I) and wide thermal stability. The mean reciprocal CA titre was much higher for the HMS sera than for the control samples (59.16 v. 2.28; P < 0.001). Indirect tests for antiglobulin were positive for two of the 13 HMS cases (but none of 14 controls) investigated; all of the direct tests for antiglobulin gave negative results. The seven HMS cases checked, using an assay based on a nested PCR which amplified species-specific ribosomal sequences from Plasmodium vivax or P. falciparum, each yielded the PCR product that indicated P. vivax infection. However, only six (25%) of the 24 control samples (collected, at the same time as the HMS samples, from asymptomatic adults from the same Yanomami population) were PCR-positive (P < 0.001). In some cases at least, the acute severe episodes of haemolysis occasionally seen in HMS appear to be associated with an auto-immune, cold-agglutinin-mediated response triggered by non-patent parasitaemias.

Spur cell anaemia and acute haemolysis in patients with hyperreactive malarious splenomegaly. Experience in an isolated Yanomamo population of Venezuela.

A prospective study, aimed to investigate the aetiology of an unusual clustering of cases of severe acute haemolytic anaemia affecting a high percentage of the adult population, was carried out in two isolated Yanomamo communities of the Upper Orinoco basin in Venezuela. Twenty-six patients with active or recent episodes of severe haemolysis were evaluated. All of them exhibited massive liver and spleen enlargement and fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of the hyperreactive malarious splenomegaly (HMS) syndrome. In four cases with advanced non-alcohol-related chronic liver disease, hypersplenism, severe haemolytic anaemia and acanthocytosis, the characteristic clinical and laboratory findings of spur cell anaemia were documented. Chronic infection by the HBV and HCV was present in three of them. However, in most of the 22 additional HMS cases, the acute haemolytic condition appeared associated with the occurrence of a cold agglutinin-mediated autoimmune response. The clustering of a significant number of cases of severe acute haemolysis in HMS patients from this small isolated aboriginal community is most unusual, and represents a serious complicating factor for a population already beleaguered by a high prevalence of malaria due to multiresistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Moreover, the coexistence of HMS and severe chronic HBV or HCV infection may further aggravate the course of the haemolytic disorder, because of the occurrence of spur cell anaemia.

[Pericardiectomy: a challenge, a reality. The surgical experience of the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez"]. / Pericardiectomía "un reto, una realidad". Experiencia quirúrgica del Instituto Nacional de Cardiología "Ignacio Chávez".

The surgical aspect of the pericardial disease has grown in the last years due to new diagnostic, surgical and anesthetic procedures. We reviewed 20 patients, who underwent pericardiectomy in the National Institute of Cardiology "Ignacio Chávez" between august 1987 and september 1992. Nine males and eleven females whose age ranged from 18 years to 57 years with a mean of 35.8 years. We found as causes of pericardial disease: 5 patients with recurrent pericardial effusion, 4 constrictive pericarditis, 2 cases with uremic pericarditis, 2 cases of "postpericardiotomy syndrome" 2 cases of infectious origin, idiopathic causes in two, others less frequent causes were neoplastic pericarditis in one, post-traumatic in one and secondary to radiotherapy in another one. The diagnosis was made by clinical findings, chest X rays, echocardiography and cardiac catheterization. A medial sternotomy was made in all patients, and the pericardium resection was made toward the anterior aspect of the phrenic nerve. In all the patients operative monitoring included central venous catheter and radial indwelling catheter, Swan Ganz catheter in 12 cases (60%) and cardiopulmonary bypass available. One death was reported in an uremic patient, secondary to low cardiac output and multiple organic failure. One year mortality increased to 10% with the inclusion of a rhabdomyosarcoma. Surgical complications included two cases (10%) with supraventricular arrhythmias, one case (5%) incomplete right bundle branch block, postoperative bleeding one (5%) and other one (5%) postoperative mediastinitis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The transatrial-transpulmonary correction of tetralogy of Fallot]. / Corrección transatrial-transpulmonar de la tetralogía de Fallot.

The technical problems and morbi-mortality related with operations in two stages repair of tetralogy of Fallot (T.F) had lead several groups to correct it in early stages. We present 19 infants with T.F operated between July of 1988 and August 1992, 11 males and 8 females whose ages ranged from eleven months to eleven years. Without previous surgery, the preoperative catheterization show 71.4 mm Hg of trans-infundibular gradient. The obstruction was relieved through right atriotomy in combination with one pulmonary arteriotomy from above. The ventricular septal defect was closed. One patient with severe pulmonary hypertension died. The rest show gradient less than 21 mm Hg, and NYHA I-II without medicine (23.1 months of follow up). The echocardiography shows that pulmonary regurgitation was present in 54.9% but only 3 cases was it graded as moderated and none was it severe. Transatrial transpulmonary repairs avoids the depression of ventricular performance caused by transannular corrections with ventriculotomy. Preserves muscular contractions and thus reduces the propensity to right ventricular failure. It can be performed to many patients included anomalous origin of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

Double-blind efficacy study of selenium sulfide in tinea versicolor.

Selenium sulfide (2.5%) lotion applied daily for 10 minutes for 7 consecutive days was found to be an effective therapeutic agent, significantly superior to the vehicle, in a double-blind study in the treatment of tinea versicolor. Mild transitory contact dermatitis of the primary irritant type occurred in all the treatment groups and was apparently due to the detergent base.

Selenium sulfide in tinea versicolor: blood and urine levels.

The safety of topical selenium sulfide lotion in man has been demonstrated previously. Twenty male patients with a diagnosis of tinea versicolor were randomly assigned to two parallel groups who applied selenium sulfide lotion or the vehicle to the entire skin surface, excluding mucous membranes, for 10 minutes once daily for 7 consecutive days. Blood and urine selenium levels were determined before and after treatment and showed no significant differences between the active drug and vehicle groups on any study day. It would appear that no significant absorption of selenium took place as a result of this treatment regimen.