A population-based assessment of the disease burden of consolidated pneumonia in hospitalized children under five years of age.

BACKGROUND: Population-based studies on childhood community-acquired pneumonia are scarce in Latin America. Pneumococcal epidemiology is poorly defined, hence the World Health Organization recommended standardized chest radiograph interpretation to improve the approach to bacterial pneumonia. Therefore, our study aimed to estimate the burden of pneumonia in hospitalized children. METHODS: A three-year surveillance study was carried out in four hospitals covering a population of 229,128 inhabitants of whom 10.2% were under five years of age. Clinical records and digitization of their chest radiographs were obtained. A pediatrician and a pediatric radiologist blinded to the clinical diagnosis interpreted the digital images. RESULTS: Of 2034 patients, 826 (40.6%) had consolidated pneumonia, 941 (46.3%) had non-consolidated pneumonia, and 267 (13.1%) had no pneumonia. Children under two years of age predominated (66.9%). The average annual incidence rate for consolidated pneumonia over the three-year study period was 1175/10(5). Eighteen invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae were isolated from patients with consolidated pneumonia and two from those with non-consolidated pneumonia. Respiratory syncytial virus was evenly distributed between both X-ray groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients younger than two years of age predominated, being the main targets for anti-pneumococcal conjugated vaccines. Incidence rates provided evidence of the burden of consolidated pneumonia for childhood, estimating the potential benefits of vaccination.     

Study of the localization of radiopacities similar to calcified carotid atheroma by means of panoramic radiography.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the location in soft tissues of the calcifications, similar to calcified carotid atheromas, that can be observed radiographically in the cervical region in panoramic radiographs. STUDY DESIGN: In each anatomic cadaver specimen preserved in formol, consisting of the head and neck, radiopaque spheres (made from gutta-percha) were positioned in anatomic structures of the cervical region that can be sites of calcification. For each anatomic structure marked in this way, panoramic radiography was performed, consisting of 17 radiographs. The images obtained were analyzed by 24 examiners who indicated which radiographs, in their opinion, presented the radiopaque reference projected in the region of bifurcation of the carotid artery. Analysis of 2 proportions from agreement and disagreement was used to determine radiopacities that could be confused in panoramic radiographs with calcified atheromas in the carotid artery. RESULTS: The results showed that 75% (18) of the examiners correctly indicated the reference in the bifurcation of the carotid artery and 79.2% (19) indicated a triticeous cartilage as calcified atheroma of the carotid artery. CONCLUSIONS: Calcified atheromas of the carotid artery are not the only features that can produce radiopaque images lateral to the panoramic radiograph; the presence of calcification in the triticeous cartilage also can induce an erroneous diagnosis of calcified carotid atheroma.     

Piracetam and fipexide prevent PTZ-kindling-provoked amnesia in rats

Deficit in active and inhibitory avoidance behaviour has been found in pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-kindled rats. This supports the view that memory deficit is an integral part of epilepsy. In the present study we examined the effect of the nootropic drugs piracetam and fipexide on memory deficit induced by PTZ-kindling in shuttle-box- and step-down-trained rats. The retention in piracetam- and fipexide-treated animals was significantly improved compared to the kindled controls. The mechanisms of action of the two drugs are considered. The favourable effects of nootropic drugs in cases of amnesia provoked by PTZ-kindling might be of interest in clinical practice.     

Inhibitory effects of amitriptyline on the stimulation-induced Ca2+ increase in parotid acini

The present study demonstrates the effects of the antidepressant, amitriptyline, and the acetylcholine antagonist, atropine, on the stimulation-induced rise in cytosolic, free Ca2+ (Cai2+). The changes in Cai2+ of collagenase-isolated rat parotid acini were measured by means of the Ca2(+)-sensitive dye, fura-2. It was found that stimulation by carbachol resulted in a maximal increase of 582 +/- 34 nM (mean +/- S.E.) in Cai2+ with a ks of 5.8 +/- 1.3 microM. Adrenaline caused a rise of 380 +/- 22 nM in Cai2+ with a ks of 0.5 +/- 0.2 microM. Amitriptyline and atropine were found to inhibit the carbachol-induced rise in Cai2+ with dissociation constants (kI) of 105 and 1.25 nM, respectively, in the absence of agonist. The adrenergic-induced rise in Cai2+ was inhibited by amitriptyline with a kI of 45 nM. Amitriptyline was found to inhibit both receptor classes by a competitive or mixed type of inhibition. Similarly, atropine exerted the same type of inhibition on the acetylcholine receptor. Amitriptyline and atropine were found to be mutually exclusive for competing for substrate binding on the receptor. These findings are consistent with a common binding site for amitriptyline and atropine on the acetylcholine receptor, possibly in close proximity with, but different from the substrate binding site. The stimulation-induced cell shrinkage evoked by the loss of electrolytes and water from the acini was measured by a 90 degree light scattering signal. It was found that this method makes possible the detection of autonomic side-effects of antidepressants on acini suspended in protein-containing media.     

Analysis of the degree of precision of a computer-assisted dietary survey method

A computer-assisted method for the registration of food intakes in real time according to a concise and simple procedure was subjected to a series of controls in order to assess precision. The method employs the 'portion' of a composite dish as unit of measure. The constancy of the portion was tested. The results show that the recipes of the diet of a subject may be stored and utilized in deferred time without loss of precision: data to be recorded in real time are then very limited. The length of period of analysis was also studied. The time of investigation should not be shorter than two weeks to obtain precise information on the feeding habits of an individual subject, whereas for a group of subjects the diary of a single day provides information of sufficient precision.     

N-ω-Carbethoxypentyl-4-quinolones: A New Class of Leukotriene Biosynthesis Inhibitors

6-[(4-Quinolinyl)oxy]hexanoic acids and the corresponding esters were designed and synthesized as inhibitors of the production of arachidonic acid metabolites. The inhibitory activities were assayed in vitro by evaluation of serum leukotriene B₄ and thromboxane B₂ production. While all 6-[(4-quinolinyl)oxy]hexanoic acids and their esters proved to be inactive, the N-alkyl-4-quinolones, obtained as by-products in their synthesis, were found to be a new class of leukotriene biosynthesis inhibitors.