Virtual chromoendoscopy in small bowel capsule endoscopy: New light or a cast of shadow?

AIM: To evaluate whether virtual chromoendoscopy can improve the delineation of small bowel lesions previously detected by conventional white light small bowel capsule endoscopy(SBCE). METHODS: Retrospective single center study. One hundred lesions selected from forty-nine consecutive conventional white light SBCE(SBCE-WL) examinations were included. Lesions were reviewed at three Flexible Spectral Imaging Color Enhancement(FICE) settings and Blue Filter(BF) by two gastroenterologists with ex-perience in SBCE, blinded to each other's findings, whoranked the quality of delineation as better, equivalent or worse than conventional SBCE-WL. Inter-observer percentage of agreement was determined and analyzed with Fleiss Kappa(k) coefficient. Lesions selected for the study included angioectasias(n = 39), ulcers/ero-sions(n = 49) and villous edema/atrophy(n = 12). RESULTS: Overall, the delineation of lesions was im-proved in 77% of cases with FICE 1, 74% with FICE 2, 41% with FICE 3 and 39% with the BF, with a percent-age of agreement between investigators of 89%(k = 0.833), 85%(k = 0.764), 66%(k = 0.486) and 79%(k = 0.593), respectively. FICE 1 improved the delineation of 97.4% of angioectasias, 63.3% of ulcers/erosions and 66.7% of villous edema/atrophy with a percentage of agreement of 97.4%(k = 0.910), 81.6%(k = 0.714) and 91.7%(k = 0.815), respectively. FICE 2 improved the delineation of 97.4% of angioectasias, 57.1% of ulcers/erosions and 66.7% of villous edema/atrophy, with a percentage of agreement of 89.7%(k = 0.802), 79,6%(k = 0.703) and 91.7%(k = 0.815), respectively. FICE 3 improved the delineation of 46.2% of angioecta-sias, 24.5% of ulcers/erosions and none of the cases of villous edema/atrophy, with a percentage of agreement of 53.8% [k = not available(NA)], 75.5%(k = NA) and 66.7%(k = 0.304), respectively. The BF improved the delineation of 15.4% of angioectasias, 61.2% of ulcers/erosions and 25% of villous edema/atrophy, with a per-centage of agreement of 76.9%(k = 0.558), 81.6%(k = 0.570) and 25.0%(k = NA), respectively.CONCLUSION: Virtual chromoendoscopy can improve the delineation of angioectasias, ulcers/erosions and villous edema/atrophy detected by SBCE, with almost perfect interobserver agreement for FICE 1.     

Mixing real and virtual components in automated manufacturing systems using PLM tools

The automation of manufacturing systems is one of the most important aspects that need to be taken care of during a design process. The Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) tools allow for the designing of automated systems even before acquiring all the hardware and/or software. This paper shows the use of this PLM kind of tools for mixing virtual and real components on an automated manufacturing system through the implementation of four different case scenarios: using the real process/real controller to the virtual process/virtual controller, real process/real controller to real process/virtual controller and finally, virtual process/real controller to virtual process/virtual controller. These scenarios will be described along with their purposes and the tools used to achieve them. Dassault Systemes DELMIA Automation is used as a PLM tool and is combined with the hardware and software required to achieve each case scenario. The case study used is the Flexible Manufacturing System in the Mechatronics laboratory at the Tecnológico de Monterrey; it’s also presented an implementation of these scenarios in a Manufacturing Systems Automation laboratory class. This study examines students’ use of technology for learning compared to more traditional learning methods. Results suggest that there is more than one good way to learn.     

Spread of Oropouche Virus into the Central Nervous System in Mouse

Oropouche virus (OROV) is an important cause of arboviral illness in Brazil and other Latin American countries, with most cases clinically manifested as acute febrile illness referred to as Oropouche fever, including myalgia, headache, arthralgia and malaise. However, OROV can also affect the central nervous system (CNS) with clinical neurological implications. Little is known regarding OROV pathogenesis, especially how OROV gains access to the CNS. In the present study, neonatal BALB/c mice were inoculated with OROV by the subcutaneous route and the progression of OROV spread into the CNS was evaluated. Immunohistochemistry revealed that OROV infection advances from posterior parts of the brain, including the periaqueductal gray, toward the forebrain. In the early phases of the infection OROV gains access to neural routes, reaching the spinal cord and ascending to the brain through brainstem regions, with little inflammation. Later, as infection progresses, OROV crosses the blood-brain barrier, resulting in more intense spread into the brain parenchyma, with more severe manifestations of encephalitis.     

Trypanosoma cruzi nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (TcNTPDase-1) biochemical characterization,immunolocalization and possible role in host cell adhesion

Previous work has suggested that Trypanosoma cruzi diphosphohydrolase 1 (TcNTPDase-1) may be involved in the infection of mammalian cells and serve as a potential target for rational drug design. In this work, we produced recombinant TcNTPDase-1 and evaluated its nucleotidase activity, cellular localization and role in parasite adhesion to mammalian host cells. TcNTPDase-1 was able to utilize a broad range of triphosphate and diphosphate nucleosides. The enzyme's K_m for ATP (0.096 mM) suggested a capability to influence the host's ATP-dependent purinergic signaling. The use of specific polyclonal antibodies allowed us to confirm the presence of TcNTPDase-1 at the surface of parasites by confocal and electron microscopy. In addition, electron microscopy revealed that TcNTPDase-1 was also found in the flagellum, flagellum insertion region, kinetoplast, nucleus and intracellular vesicles. The presence of this enzyme in the flagellum insertion region and vesicles suggests that it may have a role in nutrient acquisition, and the widespread distribution of TcNTPDase-1 within the parasite suggests that it may be involved in other biological process. Adhesion assays using anti-TcNTPDase-1 polyclonal antibodies as a blocker or purified recombinant TcNTPDase-1 as a competitor revealed that the enzyme has a role in parasite–host cell adhesion. These data open new frontiers to future studies on this specific parasite–host interaction and other unknown functions of TcNTPDase-1 related to its ubiquitous localization.     

Evidence of a Major Reservoir of Non-Malarial Febrile Diseases in Malaria-Endemic Regions of Bangladesh

In malaria-endemic regions any febrile case is likely to be classified as malaria based on presumptive diagnosis largely caused by a lack of diagnostic resources. A district-wide prevalence study assessing etiologies of fever in 659 patients recruited in rural and semi-urban areas of Bandarban district in southeastern Bangladesh revealed high proportions of seropositivity for selected infectious diseases (leptospirosis, typhoid fever) potentially being misdiagnosed as malaria because of similarities in the clinical presentation. In an area with point prevalences of more than 40% for malaria among fever cases, even higher seroprevalence rates of leptospirosis and typhoid fever provide evidence of a major persistent reservoir of these pathogens.     

Effect of supporting substrate on the failure behavior of a polymer-infiltrated ceramic network material

Statement of problemRestorative materials are cemented on different types of substrates, such as dentin, metal, and glass-fiber posts with composite resin cores.PurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the failure behavior after cycling fatigue of a polymer-infiltrated ceramic network material (PICN; VITA ENAMIC) cemented on different supporting substrates.Material and methodsPICN plates (N=80) were obtained from computer-assisted design and computer-assisted manufacturing (CAD-CAM) blocks and cemented with a resin cement to 4 different supporting substrates (n=20): (1) human dentin (PICNDen); (2) dentin analog (PICNDenAn); (3) nickel-chromium alloy (PICNNiCr); and (4) composite resin plus fiberglass post (PICNRc). For comparison, the fracture behavior of a feldspathic ceramic (FelDenAn; VITABLOCS Mark II) and an indirect composite resin (ResDenAn; Opallis LAB Resin) cemented to the DenAn substrate was investigated (n=20). Thus, specimens were composed of the restorative material layer (1-mm thick) resin cemented (0.1-mm-thick layer) to a 2-mm-thick supporting substrate. All specimens were subjected to mechanical cycling (MC) using a pneumatic cycling machine (500 000 cycles, 2 Hz, 50 N). Specimens that did not fracture during cycling were tested under compression using a universal testing machine at a cross-head speed of 0.5 mm/min until the sound of the first crack was detected using an acoustic system. Failure data were statistically evaluated using Weibull distribution. Failures were classified as radial crack, cone crack, combined, and catastrophic fracture.ResultsAll FelDenAn specimens were fractured during MC. Only 4 PICNRc specimens survived MC, so their fracture load data were not statistically analyzed. PICNNiCr showed the greatest characteristic load (L₀) value, followed by ResDenAn. Groups PICNDenAn and PICNDen showed lower and similar L₀ but statistically different Weibull modulus (m). There was a significant relationship between experimental group and failure mode (P<.001). FelDenAn and PICNRc had a higher frequency of radial cracks, whereas PICNNiCr failed from cone cracking.ConclusionsThe supporting substrate influenced the failure behavior of PICN. When the substrate had a higher elastic modulus than the restorative material, better mechanical behavior was observed.     

LABORATORY EVALUATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF Aedes aegypti IN TWO SEASONS: INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT PLACES AND DIFFERENT DENSITIES

Aedes aegypti is an important vector in Brazil being the main vector of the dengue-fever. This paper employs survival curves to describe the time in days from larvae to adult forms of Aedes aegypti raised, individually and collectively, and compares it during winter and spring when positioned inside and outside a laboratory. The study was conducted in São Vicente, a coastal city in Southeastern Brazil. The lowest water temperature in winter and in spring was 20 °C and the highest was 26 °C in spring. Higher and more stable temperatures were measured in the intra compared to the peri in both seasons. Consequently, larvae positioned in the intra resulted in the lowest median time to develop in the individual and collective experiment (nine and ten days, respectively). At least 25% of the larvae positioned in the intra in the individual experiment in the spring took only seven days to reach adulthood. Sex ratios and the median time development by sex did not show significant differences. These results indicate that efforts to control Aedes aegypti must be continuous and directed mainly to prevent the intra-domiciliary sites that can be infested in a week in order to reduce the human-vector contact.     

COLONIZATION OF PALM TREES BY Rhodnius neglectus AND HOUSEHOLD AND INVASION IN AN URBAN AREA,ARA?ATUBA,S?O PAULO STATE, BRAZIL

The objective of this study is to report on the colonization of palm trees by Rhodnius neglectus, its invasion in an urban area, in Araçatuba - São Paulo, and the control and surveillance measures that have been put in place. Domiciliary triatomine searches occurred in apartments upon the inhabitants'' notification. The collected insects were identified and examined for natural infection and food sources with a precipitin test. To search the palm trees, tarps were used to cover the floor, and a “Munck” truck equipped with a tree-pruning device was utilized. Chemical control was performed with the utilization of a manual compression. In 2009, 81 specimens of Rhodnius neglectus were collected from the domiciles by the population. The precipitin test revealed a presence of human blood in 2.7% of the samples. Entomological studies were carried out in these domiciles and in those located within a radius of 200 meters. The search performed in the palm trees resulted in the capture of 882 specimens of triatomines, negative for tripanosomatids. Mechanical and chemical controls were carried out. New searches conducted in the palm trees in the same year resulted in the capture of six specimens. The mechanical and chemical controls of the palm trees, together with the population''s work, proved to be effective, therefore preventing these insects'' colonization of the city''s domiciles.