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Introducción: Los macroinvertebrados son un componente biológico importante de los ecosistemas acuáticos al estar vinculados de forma activa en el flujo de materia y energía. Objetivo: Identificar los Grupos Funcionales Alimentarios (GFA) de macroinvertebrados bentónicos presentes en Caño Baranda. Materiales y métodos: Se midieron características físicas y químicas en 5 estaciones a lo largo de Caño Baranda en temporada de lluvia, así mismo se recolectaron macroinvertebrados acuáticos utilizando red Surber, red Tienneman, red de Patada y recolecta manual. Se obtuvieron muestras en cada estación para estimar la densidad de macroinvertebrados y se asignaron GFA por taxón. Resultados: Se recolectaron 251 organismos pertenecientes a 32 familias, distribuídas en 9 órdenes. Las familias más abundantes fueron Leptophlebiidae con 35% y Glossosomatidae con 12%. Se recolectaron organismos de cinco GFA donde los grupos dominantes fueron recolectores (45%) seguido por los depredadores (23%) presentando correlaciones positivas con el pH. Por su parte el grupo menos colectado fueron los trituradores (1%) donde su presencia se relacionó con el aumento de oxígeno disuelto. Conclusiones: La presencia de colectores y depredadores se relacionó con pH y temperaturas bajas; para los fragmentadores se relacionó con menores porcentajes de oxígeno disuelto; para los raspadores se relacionó con pH bajos y mayores caudales y para los trituradores se relacionó con una elevada concentración de oxígeno en el agua.

Introduction: Macroinvertebrates are an important biological component of aquatic ecosystems as they are actively linked in the flow of matter and energy. Objective: To identify the Functional Feeding Groups (FFG) of benthic macroinvertebrates present in Caño Baranda. Materials and method: Physical and chemical characteristics were measured in 5 sampling points along Caño Baranda during the rainy season, likewise aquatic macroinvertebrates were collected using Surber net, Tienneman net, Kick net and hand collection. Samples were obtained at each sampling point to estimate the density of macroinvertebrates and FFG per taxa. Results: 251 organisms belonging to 32 families were collected, sorted into 9 orders. The most abundant families were Leptophlebiidae (35%) and Glossosomatidae (12%). Collected organisms were associated to five FFG, the dominant being collectors (45%) followed by predators (23%) which presented positive correlations with pH. On the other hand, the least collected group was shredders (1%) whose presence was related to the increase in dissolved oxygen.

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We report a 42 year-old woman with a hypothyroidism and a mixed connective tissue disease treated with prednisone and methotrexate. The patient had normal blood glucose levels but when the methotrexate dose was tapered, she presented a diabetic ketoacidosis that required up to 520 units of insulin per day. Due to the intensification of the mixed connective tissue disease symptoms, the doses of methotrexate and prednisone were increased again with a simultaneous normalization of serum glucose levels and glucose tolerance. In the following six months, when the dose of methotrexate was tapered again, the hyperglycemia reappeared and was again controlled increasing the dose. Thirty months after the episode of ketoacidosis, the patient was with a weekly dose of methotrexate, asymptomatic and with a normal glucose tolerance. Anti insulin antibodies were not detected and anti islet antibodies were indeterminate, due to interference with antinuclear antibodies. It is possible that the episode of ketoacidosis was unveiled by an autoimmune phenomenon.

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We report a 42 year-old woman with a hypothyroidism and a mixed connective tissue disease treated with prednisone and methotrexate. The patient had normal blood glucose levels but when the methotrexate dose was tapered, she presented a diabetic ketoacidosis that required up to 520 units of insulin per day. Due to the intensification of the mixed connective tissue disease symptoms, the doses of methotrexate and prednisone were increased again with a simultaneous normalization of serum glucose levels and glucose tolerance. In the following six months, when the dose of methotrexate was tapered again, the hyperglycemia reappeared and was again controlled increasing the dose. Thirty months after the episode of keotacidosis, the patient was with a weekly dose of methotrexate, asymptomatic and with a normal glucose tolerance. Anti insulin antibodies were not detected and anti islet antibodies were indeterminate, due to interference with antinuclear antibodies. It is possible that the episode of ketoacidosis was unveiled by an autoimmune phenomenon.

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Background: The early and accurate diagnosis of obstructive uropathy in the newborn, prevents secondary complications and kidney damage. Aim: To study the usefulness of Tc99M MAG3 diuretic renogram in newborns with hydronephrosis. Material and methods : Forty newborns, aged 1 to 30 days, with hydronephrosis, were studied. A Tc99M MAG3 diuretic renogram (DR) was done and its results were compared with clinical features and other imaging studies. Each kidney and its ureter, were considered a renal unit. Results: Seventy six renal units were evaluated. Twenty six were normal on prenatal ultrasound examination and DR. In 11 of the 50 renal units with hydronephrosis, renal function was impaired. Thus, it was impossible to obtain an excretory curve. In 17 of the 39 remaining renal units, the absence of obstructive uropathy was demonstrated clinically. In 16 of these, the DR showed absence of obstruction. In 20 of 21 renal units with confirmed obstructive uropathy, DR showed an obstructive pattern. Conclusions : In newborns, there is an adequate Tc99M MAG3 uptake and diuretic response. Thus, DR becomes a good functional assessment method in newborns with hydronephrosis

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Background: In children, urinary tract infection (UTI) is a very common disease, and can cause permanent kidney damage. Aim: To determine risk factors for permanent kidney damage, in children with UTI. Patients and methods: In 337 children with UTI (237 female, mean age 4,2 years) a static renal scintigraphy was performed to assess the presence of permanent kidney damage. The history of vesicoureteral reflux and number of episodes of UTI was obtained. Results: One hundred three children had a history of one episode of infection and the rest had recurrent infections. Permanent kidney damage was observed in 161 children (48 percent). This damage was observed in 39 percent of children of less than one year of age, in 43 percent of children aged 1 to 5 years of age and in 58 percent of children older than 5 years (p=0.02). Sixty three percent of 122 children with vesicoureteral reflux had permanent kidney damage, compared with 27 percent of children without this condition (p <0.001). Likewise, damage was observed in 36 percent of children with one episode of infection and 47 percent of children with recurrent infections (p <0.01). No gender differences were observed. Conclusions: Vesicoureteral reflux, recurrence of UTI and age are associated with permanent renal damage in children with UTI

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Introducción: el tromboembolismo pulmonar (TEP) es una patología compleja y de difícil enfrentamiento para el clínico, por lo que el uso de métodos de diagnóstico por imágenes se han incluido desde hace décadas en los algoritmos diagnósticos. Objetivos: establecer los parámetros clínicos y radiológicos presentes en pacientes con tromboembolismo pulmonar diagnosticado a través de cintigrafías de ventilación perfusión de alta probabilidad. Materiales y métodos: se estudió 91 pacientes a quienes se les realizó estudios cintigráficos V/Q por sospecha de TEP. Sólo se consideraron aquellas cintigrafías informadas como de alta o baja probabilidad para TEP. El promedio de edad fue de 63,1 años (rango: 20 - 89 años), 43 hombres y 48 mujeres. Resultados: existió significancia estadística para cuatro parámetros: hemoptisis (p=0,01, razón de chance=8,925), taquicardia (p=0,02, razón de chance=3,5), dolor toráxico (p=0,01, razón de chance =1,87) y la condición del postoperatorio reciente (p=0,02, razón de chance=2,762). Destacó la ausencia de hallazgos positivos en la radiografía de tórax, ya que en la gran mayoría de los casos se obtuvo una imagen normal (70,7 por ciento con valor p<0,0001). Discusión: los parámetros clínicos y radiológicos encontrados en los pacientes a los cuales se les realiza diagnóstico de TEP a través de cintigrafía V/Q fueron: dolor toráxico, hemoptisis, antecedente de postoperatorio reciente y radiografía de tórax normal. Esto es importante, ya que ayudaria a elegir al grupo de pacientes en que la cintigrafía V/Q alcanzará su mayor rendimiento

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BACKGROUND: No intravenous multivitamin formulation is available at the Chilean market that fulfills the requirements of pediatric patients on total parenteral nutrition. Therefore, adult formulations must be used. AIM: To prepare a parenteral aqueous multivitamin solution, to be used in pediatric patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The solution was prepared, mixing vitamins according to their stability and compatibility, in a horizontal laminar flow hood. The quality control for this formulation at times zero and 30 days consisted of an organoleptic analysis, microbiologic and pyrogen controls and vitamin quantification. In addition, the effect of vitamin solution incorporation on the stability of total parenteral nutrition formulae was evaluated. The approximated production cost was calculated. RESULTS: The ampoules did not show changes on the organoleptic characteristics. No bacterial contamination or pyrogens were detected. Total parenteral nutrition solutions were not modified after the incorporation of the vitamins. The vitamin solution was stable for one month at 4 degrees C. CONCLUSIONS: The manufacture of this formulation results in significant savings, because it has a low manufacturing cost and fulfills pediatric requirements.

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Prenatal malnutrition results in increased concentration and release of central noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter that is an important regulator of normal regressive events such as axonal pruning and synaptic elimination. This suggests that some of the functional disturbances in brain induced by prenatal malnutrition could be due at least in part to increased noradrenaline activity that may enhance regressive events during early stages of development. To test this hypothesis we studied whether chronic administration of alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, an inhibitor of tyrosine hydroxylase, to rats during gestation might prevent long-term deleterious effects of prenatal malnutrition on functional properties of interhemispheric connections of the visual cortex, and on asymmetry of visual evoked responses. The experiments were conducted on normal and malnourished rats 45-50 d of age. Prenatal malnutrition was induced by restricting the food consumption of pregnant rats to 40%, from d 8 postconception to parturition. At birth, prenatally malnourished rats had significantly greater whole-brain noradrenaline concentration as well as significantly enhanced noradrenaline release in the visual cortex. At 45-50 d of age, the malnourished group had a significantly smaller cortical area, exhibiting transcallosal evoked responses; in addition, the amplitude of these responses was significantly smaller. Malnourished rats showed a significant reduction of the normal interhemispheric asymmetry of visual evoked responses. The addition of 0.3% alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine to the diet of malnourished pregnant rats during the last 2 wk of gestation prevented functional disorders induced in the offspring by prenatal malnutrition on interhemispheric connectivity of visual areas and on interhemispheric bioelectrical asymmetry, probably by reducing the elevated brain noradrenaline activity and thereby restoring the normal trophic role of this neurotransmitter.

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If the H-2 congenic mouse strains A.SW (H-2n) and A.CA (H-2f), are infected with Trypanosoma cruzi, a 45 kDa protein (Tc45), present in cultured epimastigotes and blood trypomastigotes, is recognized only by the A.SW strain sera. In order to explore the possibility that among seropositive humans the response to Tc45 is also highly variable, 81 chagasic human sera (as defined by the HemAve agglutination test, Polychaco S.A.I.C., Buenos Aires, Argentina) were tested in a direct (epimastigote antigenic complex directly bound to the solid phase) and indirect immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) (Tc45, from a partially purified preparation, bound to the solid phase, by means of a monoclonal antibody). Sixty nine of these sera reacted in both the direct and indirect assays, 11 were negative in both assays (these samples may correspond to false positives detected by the commercial agglutination test) and only one reacted with the antigenic complex but not with Tc45. Reactivity of the human sera with the epimastigote antigenic extract was relatively homogenous, while reactivity with Tc45 was extremely variable. No statistical correlation was determined between the two variables. Given the high variability of the human response to Tc45, ranging from negative to highly positive, together with the immunogenetic restriction previously described in the murine model, we speculate that human MHC may also modulate the response to this molecule.

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The comparative effects of dietary level and time of feeding corn (CO) and rose hip (RHO) oils on bile and plasma lipid composition were studied. 48 males Sprague Dawley rats were divided in two groups fed semipurified diets containing CO or RHO as the only lipid source. Groups of 6 rats were fed ad libitum diets containing 5% or 15% vegetable oil during 15 or 60 days. Food intake was not dependent on the type of oil, and was higher in 15% oil diets (p < 0.01), increasing with time of feeding (p < 0.001). Bile flow was similar in all groups. Biliary concentrations of cholesterol, phospholipids and bile acids were affected by the time of feeding (p < 0.001). Plasma total and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were higher in 15% oil fed rats (p < 0.05). Triglycerides concentrations were similar in all groups. The results indicate that oil concentration and time of feeding were the most important variables affecting the lipid composition of rats, independently of the fatty acid composition of the ingested fats.

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