CARACTERIZAÇÃO SOROLÓGICA DOS ANTÍGENOS DE SUPERFÍCIE EM CEPAS DE ESCHERICHIA COLI ISOLADAS DE SUÍNOS COM DIARRÉIA NO ESTADO DO PARANÁ

O presente trabalho teve como objetivoa caracterização sorológica de 42 cepas deEscherichia coli isoladas no Centro de DiagnósticoMarcos Enrietti em Curitiba, PR de surtos de diarréiasuína no Estado do Paraná. Os antígenos desuperfície O-K e de aderência foram identificadosno Centro de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor(RS), e na UNICAMP (SP), respectivamente.Os principais sorogrupos mais prevalentes foramO138:K81 e O141:K85, ocorrendo na mesmaproporção, em 9 (21,4%) cepas; O139:K82 em 4(9,5%) e O149:K91 em 3 (7,1%) totalizando 25(59,4%) cepas. Os sorogrupos menos prevalentestotalizaram 4 (9,5%) cepas e foram identificadoscomo O35:K”V79”, O108:K”V189”, O115:K”V165” eO119:K”V113”. Quanto aos antígenos de aderência,a fímbria K88 foi detectada em 22 (52,4%) cepas. Oantígeno F165 ocorreu em 5 (11,9%) cepas sendoeste o primeiro relato da ocorrência deste antígenoem cepas ETEC infectando suínos no Brasil. Baseadono levantamento sorológico concluiu-se quea inclusão nas vacinas dos sorogrupos O-K maisprevalentes e dos antígenos de aderência clássicosbem como do F165 poderá conferir proteção maisefetiva na prevenção da colibacilose dos leitões noEstado do Paraná.

Domestic ruminants as models for the elucidation of the mechanisms controlling ovarian follicle development in humans

It is necessary to understand the basic physiology underlying the complex process of folliculogenesis to address common causes of infertility and to devise innovative strategies to increase the efficiency of assisted reproduction technologies. Availability of suitable ovarian tissue is a major constraint to research in this area in humans, and monovulatory domestic ruminants represent a physiologically relevant model to elucidate basic mechanisms before more focused clinical investigations. This paper reviews the development of several whole animal and cell culture models in ruminants that have allowed basic investigations into the endocrine and local mechanisms regulating preantral and antral follicle development in monovulatory species. Studies on preantral follicle development using the ovarian autograft model have shown, contrary to accepted dogma, that FSH may mediate the rate at which preantral follicles grow and have provided evidence to support the existence of local regulatory feedback mechanisms that influence the rate of primordial follicle initiation and preantral follicle development. Studies on the endocrine control of antral follicle development using the GnRH-antagonist model have shown that a pulsatile mode of LH delivery is not a requirement for normal patterns of follicle development and ovarian hormone secretion. Studies on the local control of somatic cell differentiation using physiological cell culture models have highlighted the essential relationship between somatic cell communication and expression of differentiative markers. We conclude that the domestic ruminant represents a valuable model system for the elucidation of the endocrine and local mechanisms controlling both early and terminal stages of follicle development in monovulatory species. The results of these investigations have direct strategic relevance within clinical medicine.

[Hysterosonosalpingography and hysterosalpingography in the diagnosis of tubal patency in infertility patients]

OBJECTIVES

To compare the hysterosonosalpingography(HSS) to the hysterosalpingography(HSG) in the evaluation of the tubal factor in infertility patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A transversal study with 30 patients in infertility investigation, with age minor than 38 years was performed. The patients were submitted to HSS, HSG and laparoscopy (LPC) in the first cycle menstrual phase. The evaluation of tubal patency of HSS and HSG, with LPC like gold-standard was compared. It was calculated the negative predictive value (PV-) of the exams. The HSS used Ecovist like contrast agent, the HSG used water soluble contrast media and the LPC used tubal insufflation with methylene blue. It was considered significative a p< 0.05

RESULTS

The final sample was of 26 patients (4 leave the investigation). The mean age was of 30,6 years. The HSS showed tubal patency in at least one of the tubes in 24 patients (92,3%). The HSG showed tubal patency in one of the tubes in 25 patients (96,2%), and the LPC in 25 patients (96,2%). The PV- of the HSS was of 92% and the PV- of HSG was of 100%. The differences were not statistically significant (p=0.996, Yates test).

CONCLUSIONS

The HSS is an alternative method in the evaluation of tubal patency in infertility patients.

Primary renal hypoplasia in humans and mice with PAX2 mutations: evidence of increased apoptosis in fetal kidneys of Pax2(1Neu) +/- mutant mice

PAX2 mutations cause renal-coloboma syndrome (RCS), a rare multi-system developmental abnormality involving optic nerve colobomas and renal abnormalities. End-stage renal failure is common in RCS, but the mechanism by which PAX2 mutations lead to renal failure is unknown. PAX2 is a member of a family of developmental genes containing a highly conserved 'paired box' DNA-binding domain, and encodes a transcription factor expressed primarily during fetal development in the central nervous system, eye, ear and urogenital tract. Presently, the role of PAX2 during kidney development is poorly understood. To gain insight into the cause of renal abnormalities in patients with PAX2 mutations, kidney anomalies were analyzed in patients with RCS, including a large Brazilian kindred in whom a new PAX2 mutation was identified. In a total of 29 patients, renal hypoplasia was the most common congenital renal abnormality. To determine the direct effects of PAX2 mutations on kidney development fetal kidneys of mice carrying a Pax2 (1Neu)mutation were examined. At E15, heterozygous mutant kidneys were approximately 60% of the size of wild-type littermates, and the number of nephrons was strikingly reduced. Heterozygous 1Neu mice showed increased apoptotic cell death during fetal kidney development, but the increased apoptosis was not associated with random stochastic inactivation of Pax2 expression in mutant kidneys; Pax2 was shown to be biallelically expressed during kidney development. These findings support the notion that heterozygous mutations of PAX2 are associated with increased apoptosis and reduced branching of the ureteric bud, due to reduced PAX2 dosage during a critical window in kidney development.

Cognitive deficit and depressive symptoms in a community group of elderly people: a preliminary study

Since the number and proportion of old people increases worldwide, health professionals and systems should be made aware and prepared to deal with their problems. Cognitive deficit and symptoms of depression are common among the elderly, and may occur in relation to various risk factors such as health conditions and psychosocial variables. In order to study cognitive deficit and the presence of signs and symptoms of depression, 62 elderly community subjects enrolled at a Community Health Unit in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, were interviewed. They were evaluated by means of the Mini Mental State Exam, the Montgomery-Asberg Depression rating scale, and a questionnaire on health conditions, living arrangements and social variables. Higher levels of symptoms of depression were observed among subjects exposed to major risk factors for cerebrovascular diseases (diabetes and coronary disease), while impaired cognitive performance was seen among individuals who could not count on the presence of a confidant (social network variable). The results suggest that the early identification of major risk groups among old people can help to prevent institutionalization and keep individuals in the community.

Acute effect of intracerebroventricular administration of zinc on the drinking behavior of rats induced by dehydration or central cholinergic and angiotensinergic stimulation

1. Zinc is a metal important for several biological functions including neuromodulation and neurotransmission in the central nervous system. 2. In the present paper we studied the acute effects of third ventricle injections (2 microliters) of minute amounts of zinc acetate on the water intake of male, adult, Wistar rats (N = 7-14) under three conditions: water deprivation (14 h, overnight) and after third ventricle injections of carbachol (11 nmoles/rat in 2 microliters) or angiotensin II (AII, 9.6 pmoles/rat in 2 microliters). 3. Central injections of zinc acetate in different doses (0.3 and 3.0 nmoles/rat) induced a partial blockade of water intake of rats under all three conditions studied. Water intake after 120 min in control dehydrated rats (those receiving NaAc instead of Zn(Ac)2) was 7.89 +/- 0.47 ml while dehydrated animals receiving Zn(Ac)2 in the highest dose employed (3.0 nmoles/rat) was 2.90 +/- 0.75 ml. Carbachol-induced water intake after 45 min was 5.49 +/- 0.83 ml. This value was significantly reduced in zinc-treated (3.0 nmoles/rat) animals receiving carbachol (2.41 +/- 0.84 ml). Angiotensin-treated animals exhibit a water intake of 3.85 +/- 0.48 ml after 45 min, a value reduced to 1.13 +/- 0.6 ml in those animals receiving angiotensin II plus zinc (3.0 nmoles/rat). 4. It is suggested that zinc alters the functional integrity of cholinergic and angiotensinergic systems in the central nervous system mediating water-intake behavior in rats.

Trypanosoma cruzi and experimental Chagas' disease: characterization of a stock isolated from a patient with associated digestive and cardiac form

A new Trypanosoma cruzi stock isolated from a patient in the chronic phase of Chagas' disease with the digestive and cardiac form of the disease was characterized by experimental infection in isogenic, susceptible, A/Sn strain mice. Parasitemia curves showed up to 1.7 x 10(6) parasites/ml and no mortality was observed up to 300 days post infection. Specific IgM was found in mice in the acute phase up to 40 days and also in the chronic phase. IgG antibodies were detected in the acute and chronic phase. Histopathology examination demonstrated myotropism to the digestive tract muscle layers and to the heart.