The first case report of Leishmania (leishmania) chagasi in Panthera leo in Brazil

We reported here the first known case of natural infection of a lion (Panthera leo-Linnaeus, 1758) with Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi (L. chagasi) in Brazil. The specimen was created by a circus handler in the state of Mato Grosso and was donated to the zoological park of the Federal University of Mato Grosso. Infection by L. chagasi was detected using a PCR-RFLP test. It was known that the domestic felids can act as reservoir of infection of L. chagasi in endemic areas, making it important that studies demonstrate their participation in the epidemiological chain. We demonstrate in this work that wild animals can have an important role in the epidemiological chain and must be considered in order to plan methods of control of this zoonosis.     

老年患者静脉抽血后按压针眼方法的观察

目的探讨老年患者静脉抽血后采用不同按压针眼的方法减少局部皮下淤血的效果。方法对450例老年患者随机分为3组,对3组患者抽血后分别对针眼采用固定力度按压3min(A组,n=150例)、固定力度按压5min(B组,n=150例)和逐渐减压按压3min(C组,n=150例)进行皮下淤血发生率的比较。结果B组和C组的皮下淤血发生率均低于A组,有显著统计学意义(P<0.01);B组和C组的淤血发生率无差别(P>0.01)。结论逐渐减压按压3min法较固定力度按压5min法能缩短按压时间,同时可有效减少针眼局部皮下淤血的发生。     

Conjugated linoleic acids modulate UVR-induced IL-8 and PGE2 in human skin cells: potential of CLA isomers in nutritional photoprotection

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA), derivatives of linoleic acid found in food products, inhibit chemically induced skin cancers in mice. However, their potential photoprotective properties remain unexplored. We examined whether CLA may modulate ultraviolet radiation (UVR)-induced secretion of interleukin (IL)-8 and prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)), mediators implicated in UVR-induced inflammation and carcinogenesis, in human skin cells. Since tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is an early mediator of UVR effects, we also examined influence of CLA on TNF-alpha-induced mediator release. HaCaT keratinocytes were supplemented with CLA isomers cis-9-trans-11 (c9,t11-CLA; > or =90%), trans-10-cis-12 (t10,c12-CLA; > or =90%) or all trans-trans isomers (tt-CLA; 23.7%) in tetrahydrofuran/fetal calf serum (THF/FCS) or THF/FCS control. Supplementation of keratinocytes with c9,t11-CLA reduced Ultraviolet B(UVB)-induced IL-8 from 37 113 +/- 2903 pg/ng protein in control cells to 14 167 +/- 2063 pg/ng protein (P < 0.001). Similarly, t10,c12-CLA reduced UVB-induced IL-8 to 9786 +/- 1291.5 pg/ng protein (P < 0.001). Additionally, t10,c12-CLA and tt-CLA inhibited TNF-alpha-induced IL-8 from 11 669 +/- 1692 pg/ng protein in control cells to 5540 +/- 191 (P < 0.001) and 8082 +/- 1298 pg/ng (P < 0.01) protein, respectively. UVB-induced PGE(2) release was reduced by tt-CLA supplementation, from 4.8 +/- 1.2 to 1.6 +/- 0.8 pg/mg protein (P < 0.01), but increased by t10,c12-CLA to 8.8 +/- 1 pg/mg protein (P < 0.001). Influence of CLA on UVB-induced PGE(2) release was further explored in CCD922SK dermal fibroblasts. CLA isomers reduced UVB-induced PGE(2) in fibroblasts, reaching significance with c9,t11-CLA (98 +/- 5 falling to 0 pg/mg protein, P < 0.05). Hence, CLA isomers differentially modulate UVB effects on skin cells in vitro. CLA-containing foods have potential in photoprotection; the cutaneous effects of individual isomers warrant clinical study.     

A pilot study of preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy in patients with operable gastric cancer: Australasian Gastrointestinal Trials Group Study 9601

BACKGROUND: With poor cure rates in gastric cancer using surgery alone, the safety, efficacy and feasibility of preoperative and postoperative chemotherapy was investigated. METHODS: Patients with advanced but operable gastric or cardio-oesophageal adenocarcinoma were staged using endoscopy, computed tomography scan and laparoscopy. If considered potentially resectable, they received chemotherapy (epirubicin, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) for 9 weeks before and after surgery. RESULTS: Of 59 participants entered, two were found to have metastatic disease and were excluded from the analysis. Of the participants, 10 were women and 47 men; their median age was 58 years (range 27-83 years) and median performance status 0 (range 0-1). Two of the 57 participants commencing chemotherapy did not undergo surgery (one sudden death, one new liver metastases). Grade 3 and 4 preoperative and postoperative toxicity rates were, respectively, neutropenia 22 and 18%, emesis 12 and 14% and other non-haematological toxicity <10 and <10%. Of the 55 who underwent surgery, 40 had apparently curative resections (clear or positive microscopic margins), 2 died after surgery (anastomotic leak, sepsis) and 16 had postoperative complications. Of these, 27 participants commenced postoperative chemotherapy and 21 completed it. Median progression-free survival and overall survival were 19.6 and 22 months, respectively. CONCLUSION: Epirubicin, cisplatin and protracted venous infusion of 5-fluorouracil chemotherapy was well-tolerated in the preoperative setting and did not appear to increase complication rates of surgery for advanced and operable stomach cancer. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of this strategy in the Australasian clinical setting and are in keeping with the results of a recently reported randomized trial, which demonstrated a significant survival advantage using this chemotherapy regimen.     

Greater osteoblast long-term functions on ionic plasma deposited nanostructured orthopedic implant coatings

Bioactive coatings are in high demand to increase the functions of cells for numerous medical devices. The objective of this in vitro study was to characterize for the first time osteoblast (bone-forming cell) long-term functions (such as proliferation and deposition of calcium containing mineral) on several potential orthopedic implant polymeric materials [specifically, ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)] coated with nanostructured titanium using a novel ionic plasma deposition (IPD) coating process. UHMWPE is a widely used polymer in total knee and hip replacements, while PTFE is not, but it has been used in other orthopedic applications. The IPD coating process creates a surface-engineered nanostructure (with features usually below 100 nm) by first using a vacuum to remove all contaminants, and then guiding charged metallic ions or plasma to the surface of a medical device at ambient temperature. Results demonstrated that compared to currently used titanium and uncoated polymers, polymers coated with titanium using IPD significantly increased osteoblast proliferation and, most importantly, calcium deposition. In this manner, this study strongly suggests that IPD should be further studied for creating nanometer titanium surface feature coatings to enhance osteoblast functions necessary to increase orthopedic implant efficacy.     

Towards an understanding of cognitive function in Friedreich ataxia

There is limited documentation regarding cognitive function in individuals with Friedreich ataxia (FRDA), possibly because FRDA is widely held to predominantly affect the spinal cord, peripheral sensory nerves and cerebellum and not to affect cognition. Traditionally, the cerebellum has been thought to coordinate voluntary movement and motor tone, posture and gait. However, recent studies have implicated the cerebellum in a range of cognitive functions including executive function, visuospatial organisation and memory. We review the available data on cognitive function and neuroimaging in FRDA and the role of the cerebellum in cognitive function. We conclude with recommendations for future research including correlating cognitive function in individuals with FRDA with possible determinants of disease severity, such as age of onset and the causative genetic mutation.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa cystic fibrosis isolates from individual patients demonstrate a range of levels of lethality in two Drosophila melanogaster infection models

Recently, two Drosophila melanogaster models of infection, fly feeding and fly nicking, have been developed that allow a determination of pathogenic potential of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. In this study, control strains, isolates from burn wounds, and isolates from the sputa of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients were used to compare the two infection models to determine whether any of the isolates might be better adapted to either of the models. In addition, our goal was to determine the variability of isolates from individual CF patients. Three of four control strains (PAO1, PAK, and PA14) caused significant mortality in the flies in both models of infection. The remaining control strain, PA103, was lethal to flies in the nicking model but lacked significant lethality in the feeding model. The burn wound isolates had a high level of lethality in both models. Interestingly, the CF isolates had the largest diversity of lethality in both models of infection. The range of pathogenic potentials of the CF isolates occurred across a cohort of patients, both at the patient level and down to the level of individual sputum samples. The majority of all isolates had similar levels of lethality in both fly infection models. However, two CF isolates were significantly more lethal in the nicking model, and three CF isolates were significantly more lethal in the feeding model. In conclusion, the two Drosophila infection models were useful for the analysis of the diversity of pathogenic potentials of P. aeruginosa isolates.     

Bone marrow diffusion measures correlate with dementia severity in HIV patients

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Escalation in monocyte trafficking from the bone marrow into the brain may play a critical role in central nervous system injury and cognitive deterioration in patients with HIV infection. This study tested the hypothesis that the mean diffusivity is sensitive to marrow changes in HIV patients and that these quantitative imaging measurements correlate with the severity of dementia. METHODS: The mean diffusivity (MD), determined for clival and calvarial marrow regions, was compared in 11 HIV-infected patients and 9 control subjects. The imaging measurements were also evaluated for relationships with dementia severity and markers of disease progression (CD4 and viral load in plasma). RESULTS: The MD was significantly reduced in both clival and calvarial marrow in HIV-infected patients (P =.006). Diffusion measurements for clival (P =.02) and for calvarial (P =.03) regions were significantly correlated with the severity of dementia. CONCLUSION: The results of this investigation support the utility of diffusion strategies for monitoring the marrow and provide further evidence of a relationship between marrow status changes and neurologic progression in HIV patients.