Twins prematurity – the influence of prenatal surveillance

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the local prenatal surveillance of twin pregnancies in the obstetrical results.

Methods: A prospective cohort study of multiple pregnancies delivered over a period of 16 years in a tertiary centre was conducted. In this study 861 twin pregnancies were included. They were compared for obstetric complications, gestational age at delivery, mode of delivery and birthweight, according to the place of the surveillance.

Results: Of the 861 cases examined, the following obstetric complications were significantly different: metrorrhagia (p?=?0.039), infections (p?p?=?0.007), PROMPT (p?p?=?0.024). The mode of delivery was similar but occurred mostly ≤32 weeks (p?p?Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the crucial importance of prenatal surveillance be carried in a differentiated referral centers with specific/strict protocols or the urgent implementation of same protocols in all other places of surveillance, since this straight surveillance greatly reduces the occurrence of prenatal complications, mainly PROMPT, PTD.     

One-step real-time PCR assay for detection and quantification of RNA HCV to monitor patients under treatment in Brazil

The Brazilian Public Health Service provides freely αPEG-IFN to treat patients infected with HCV. The primary goal of HCV therapy is the long-term elimination of HCV from the blood to reduce the risk of HCV associated complications and death. Patient viremia affects the treatment duration and response, thus influencing clinical decisions. We developed a high-throughput method to perform the quantification of RNA hepatitis C virus (HCV) virus load in plasma samples to monitor patients under treatment. The method is based on a duplex detection, in a one-step real-time RT-PCR assay and it has been validated according to the rules established by the official Brazilian regulatory agency (ANVISA). This new method was compared to a commercial kit (Cobas/Taqman HCV Test v2.0 - Roche), showing virus load results with significant correlation between them (p?=?0,012) using commercial and clinical panels. In addition, 611 samples from patients treated with peguilated alfa-interferon (αPEG-IFN) from different regions of Brazil were analyzed. Our one-step real-time RT-PCR assay demonstrated good performance in viral load measurement and in treatment course monitoring, with acceptable sensitivity and specificity values     

Influence of visual feedback sampling on obstacle crossing behavior in people with Parkinson's disease

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the role of visual information on gait control in people with Parkinson's disease as they crossed over obstacles. Twelve healthy individuals, and 12 patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease, walked at their preferred speeds along a walkway and stepped over obstacles of varying heights (ankle height or half-knee height), under three visual sampling conditions: dynamic (normal lighting), static (static visual samples, similar to stroboscopic lighting), and voluntary visual sampling. Subjects wore liquid crystal glasses for visual manipulation. In the static visual sampling condition only, the patients with Parkinson's disease made contact with the obstacle more often than did the control subjects. In the successful trials, the patients increased their crossing step width in the static visual sampling condition as compared to the dynamic and voluntary visual sampling conditions; the control group maintained the same step width for all visual sampling conditions. The patients showed lower horizontal mean velocity values during obstacle crossing than did the controls. The patients with Parkinson's disease were more dependent on optic flow information for successful task and postural stability than were the control subjects. Bradykinesia influenced obstacle crossing in the patients with Parkinson's disease.     

Application of the buccal micronucleus cytome assay and analysis of PON1Gln192Arg and CYP2A6*9(−48T>G) polymorphisms in tobacco farmers

Tobacco is a major Brazilian cash crop. Tobacco farmers apply large amounts of pesticides to control insect growth. Workers come into contact with green tobacco leaves during the tobacco harvest and absorb nicotine through the skin. In the present study, micronucleus frequency, cell death, and the frequency of basal cells were measured in tobacco farmers using the buccal micronucleus cytome assay (BMCyt), in parallel with measurement of blood butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and nicotine levels. Polymorphisms in PONIGln192Arg and CYP2A6*9(?48T>G) were evaluated to verify the relationship between genetic susceptibility and the measured biomarkers. Peripheral blood and buccal cell samples were collected from 106 agricultural workers, at two different crop times (during pesticide application and leaf harvest), as well as 53 unexposed controls. BMCyt showed statistically significant increases in micronuclei, nuclear buds, and binucleated cells among exposed subjects in differentiated cells, and in micronuclei in basal cells. In addition, the exposed group showed higher values for condensed chromatin, karyorrhectic, pyknotic, and karyolitic cells, indicative of cell death, and an increase in the frequency of basal cells compared to the unexposed control group. A slight difference in mutagenicity using the BMCyt assay was found between the two different sampling times (pesticide application and leaf harvest), with higher micronucleus frequencies during pesticide application. Elevated cotinine levels were observed during the leaf harvest compared to the unexposed controls, while BChE level was similar among the farmers and controls. PONIGln192Arg and CYP2A6*9(?48T>G) polymorphisms were associated with DNA damage induced by pesticides and cell death. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Norwegian scabies mimicking rupioid psoriasis

Norwegian scabies is a highly contagious skin infestation caused by an ectoparasite, Scarcoptes scabiei var. Hominis, which mainly affects immunosuppressed individuals. Clinically, it may simulate various dermatoses such as psoriasis, Darier''s disease, seborrheic dermatitis, among others. This is a case report of a 33-year-old woman, immunocompetent, diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (cancer phobia), who had erythematous, well-defined plaques, covered with rupioid crusts, on her neck, axillary folds, breast, periumbilical region, groin area, besides upper back and elbows, mimicking an extremely rare variant of psoriasis, denominated rupioid psoriasis.     

From a non-targeted metabolomics approach to a targeted biomarkers strategy to highlight testosterone abuse in equine. Illustration of a methodological transfer between platforms and laboratories

In order to overcome the challenge associated with the screening of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids abuses in animal competitions, a non-targeted liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry based metabolomics approach was implemented on equine urine samples to highlight potential biomarkers associated with the administration of such compounds, using testosterone esters as model steroids. A statistical model relying on four potential biomarkers intensity could be defined to predict the status of the samples. With a routine application perspective, the monitoring of the highlighted potential biomarkers was first transferred into high-throughput liquid chromatography-selected reaction monitoring (LC-SRM). The model's performances and robustness of the approach were preserved and providing a first demonstration of metabolomics-based biomarkers integration within a targeted workflow using common benchtop MS instrumentation. In addition, with a view to the widespread implementation of such biomarker-based tools, we have transferred the method to a second laboratory with similar instrumentation. This proof of concept allows the development and application of biomarker-based strategies to meet current doping control needs.