RESUMO

ABSTRACT This investigation aims to evaluate the antibacterial activity of nanostructured hydroxyapatite based materials doped with silver and fluorine, to be used as a biomaterial with antibacterial activity. Four different formulations were prepared by combustion method: hydroxyapatite, hydroxyapatite-fluorine, hydroxyapatite-silver-fluorine and hydroxyapatite-silver, with 2% of the doping agents. X-ray diffraction technique was used to determine the mineralogy, identifying the presence of Ca5(PO4)3OH, Ca2P2O7, Ag3PO4, AgCa10(PO4)7 Ca5(PO4)3F and CaF2 phases for the studied samples. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the morphological structure and it showed homogeneous crystallization of the hydroxyapatite and the inclusion of dopant agents. The antibacterial activity was determined using a modified inhibition test zone to observe if the bacteria (E. faecalis) was susceptible to the antimicrobial agent by the appearance of the zone of inhibition on the agar plate. Both the hydroxyapatite-silver and the hydroxyapatite-silver-fluorine materials generated an inhibition zone. It was possible to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration needed to kill most viable organisms after 48 hours of incubation using the broth microdilution method, resulting in 75 µg/ml and 200 µg/ml for the hydroxyapatite-silver and the hydroxyapatite-silver-fluorine formulation, respectively. These materials could be used for the development of new biomaterials that can be used in dental applications.

RESUMEN El objetivo de esta investigación es analizar la actividad antibacteriana de materiales nanoestructurados a base de hidroxiapatita con iones de flúor y plata que le confieran características particulares para que pueda ser utilizado como un biomaterial con actividad antimicrobiana. Se realizaron cuatro formulaciones distintas: hidroxiapatita, hidroxiapatita-flúor, hidroxiapatita-plata-flúor e hidroxiapatita-plata con un 2% de los agentes dopantes. La síntesis del material se realizó a través del método de combustión. La caracterización mineral se realizó a través de difracción de rayos X identificando las siguientes fases en las diversas formulaciones: Ca5(PO4)3OH, Ca2P2O7, Ag3PO4, AgCa10(PO4)7 Ca5(PO4)3F and CaF2. La estructura morfológica se analizó a través de microscopía electrónica de barrido que muestra la formación de estructuras compactas, presencia de cristales y la incrustación de flúor y plata. Se analizó la actividad antimicrobiana utilizando una prueba modificada para la observación del halo de inhibición, encontrándose solamente que los materiales que contenían plata-flúor y plata generaron dicho halo de inhibición. Por otra parte, usando la prueba de microdilución en pozo se encontró que la concentración mínima inhibitoria para el material de HA-Ag fue de 75 μg/ml y para el material de HA-Ag-F fue de 200 μg/ml, después de 48 horas de incubación utilizando E. faecalis.

RESUMO

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and predatory mirids are among the most effective natural enemies for the control of Tuta absoluta, a key pest of tomato worldwide. In the case of South America, the native EPN Heterorhabditis amazonensis and the predator Macrolophus basicornis (Stal) coexist in tomato. The intraguild interactions of two ENPs, H. amazonensis JPM4 and the widely used Steinernema carpocapsae, with the predator M. basicornis, were studied in laboratory setups with the objective of evaluating the potential interactions between them. We hypothesized that the two natural enemies do not interact negatively. The first nymphal stage of the predator was not affected when exposed to tomato leaves directly sprayed with both EPNs, which we attributed to the small size of its stylet. Individuals treated with H. amazonensis JPM4 had low mortality rates in all developmental stages with a maximum of 1.3%. Mortality was higher when the predator was exposed to S. carpocapsae (28% for adults) and correlated positively with increasing developmental stages. In prey choice tests between larvae infected with H. amazonensis and uninfected larvae, M. basicornis fed indistinctively showing no clear preference. When presented with choice larvae infected with S. carpocapsae, the consumption of healthy larvae was higher. In a no-choice prey acceptance experiment, M. basicornis preyed on both healthy and infected larvae with no difference in larvae consumed. Predators that had fed from infected larvae did not exhibit signs of nematode infection and survived. Our results indicate that the South American native H. amazonensis JPM4 and M. basicornis do not show a negative interaction and are promising candidates for combined use in T. absoluta biological control.

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors that influence the inter-observer reproducibility of the routine, conventional Pap smear cytology (Pap smear test) in a network of certificated laboratories in a middle-income Latin American country. METHODS: Twenty-six laboratories provided each an average of 26 negative for malignancy (NILM) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) Pap smears. An external panel reviewed the slides. The kappa index and multilevel logistic regression were used to estimate the reproducibility and odds ratios (OR) of a false result with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), respectively. Results are presented for laboratories that collect (collector laboratories) and do not collect (non-collector laboratories) samples. RESULTS: The agreements ranged widely (median kappa 0.51, range 0.16-0.70). The overall false-positive (FP) and false-negative (FN) rates were 31% (95% CI 27-35) and 11% (95% CI 7-17). Among collector laboratories (N = 14), a bigger sample collection volume decreased the probability of a FP (OR-adjusted 0.05, 95% CI 0.02-0.1) whereas the number of quality defects (OR-adjusted 1.67, 95% CI 1.25-2.24), high workload (OR-adjusted 5.52, 95% CI 3.85-7.92) and collection by cytotechnologists (OR-adjusted 1.28, 95% CI 1.15-1.42) or health professionals (OR-adjusted 2.26, 95% CI 2.04-2.49) instead of nursing assistants increased it. Among non-collector laboratories (N = 9), the FP rate increased with the number of quality defects (OR-adjusted 1.86, 95% CI 1.06-3.26) but decreased if the samples were collected by health professionals instead of nursing assistants (OR-adjusted 0.37, 95%CI 0.17-0.80). No significant associations were observed for FN. CONCLUSIONS: Staff in charge of cervical sampling significantly determined the reproducibility of the Pap smear test, but this depended on whether the laboratory collects samples or read samples collected elsewhere.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Recent reports have shown that the carotid artery wall had significant movements not only in the radial but also in the longitudinal direction during the cardiac cycle. Accordingly, the idea that longitudinal elongations could be systematically neglected for compliance estimations became controversial. Assuming a dynamic change in vessel length, the standard measurement of cross-sectional compliance can be revised. In this work, we propose to estimate a volumetric compliance based on continuous measurements of carotid diameter and intima-media thickness (IMT) from B-mode ultrasound sequences. Assuming the principle of conservation of the mass of wall volume (compressibility equals zero), a temporal longitudinal elongation can be calculated to estimate a volumetric compliance. Moreover, elongations can also be estimated allowing small compressibility factors to model some wall leakage. The cross-sectional and the volumetric compliance were estimated in 45 healthy volunteers and 19 asymptomatic patients. The standard measurement underestimated the volumetric compliance by 25% for young volunteers (p < 0.01) and 17% for patients (p < 0.05). When compressibility factors different from zero were allowed, volunteers and patients reached values of 9% and 4%, respectively. We conclude that a simultaneous assessment of carotid diameter and IMT can be employed to estimate a volumetric compliance incorporating a longitudinal elongation. The cross-sectional compliance, that neglects the change in vessel length, underestimates the volumetric compliance.

Assuntos

RESUMO

This paper describes the beneficial effects of rosuvastatin in patients with arterial hypertension in ventricular remodeling. As a conclusion, our data supports new evidence to encourage the use of statins for the treatment of cronic arterial hypertension and venticular remodeling

Assuntos

RESUMO

Ninety seven patients infected with HIV -1 were studied to evaluate the expression of gp120 in peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocytes as a surrogate marker of disease progression, analyzing correlation of it with viral load, T cell subsets, expression of activation markers, HAAR T and clinical signs and symptoms. In patients who had not received any antiretroviral therapy (naive), expression of gp120 had a positive correlation with expression of CD95 in CD4+ T lymphocytes (p=0.0409) and a negative correlation with CD4+ T lymphocytes percentage (p=0.0183) and absolute values (p=0.0165), and with percentage of naüve CD4+ T cells (p=0.0126). In patients under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAAR T) those correlations were not present. Expression of gp 120 had good correlations with some known surrogate markers of disease progression in naüve patients, but its low level of expression and the fact that those correlations disappear when HAAR T is initiated, limit the use of it as an independent surrogate marker.

Se estudiaron 97 pacientes infectados con VIH-1 para determinar gp120 en células TCD4+ de sangre periférica como un marcador de progresión de enfermedad y su correlación con carga viral, subpoblaciones de células T, marcadores de activación, terapia antiretroviral, síntomas y signos clínicos. En los pacientes quienes no habían recibido terapia antiretroviral (vírgenes), la expresión de gp120 tenía una correlación positiva con la expresión de CD95 en los linfocitos TCD4+: (p=0,0409) y una correlación negativa con el porcentaje de linfocitos TCD4+ (p=0,0183) con los valores absolutos (p=0.0165) y con el porcentaje de células TCD4+ vírgenes (p=0.0126). En los pacientes con alta terapia antiretroviral estas correlaciones no estaban presentes. La expresión de gp120 tuvo buena correlación con algunos marcadores de progresión de enfermedad en pacientes vírgenes, pero su bajo nivel de expresión y el hecho de que esta correlación desaparece cuando la terapia antiretroviral es iniciada, limita su uso como marcador independiente de progresión.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Embryogenic callus and suspension cultures of carrot (Daucus carota L., cv. Nantaise), growing on/in medium including 1 mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D), were transferred to medium with or without this plant growth regulator, to impair or induce, respectively, further development of somatic embryos. The endogenous hormone levels of the cultures were determined over 7 days by means of radio-immunoassay, to characterize their evolution in the initial stages of embryo development. In general, levels of indoleacetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) showed only short-lived differences among treatments during this time in both types of tissue analyzed (i.e., a peak of IAA in callus cultures in the absence of 2,4-D, 48 h after medium change, and higher ABA contents 144 h after subculture of suspension cultures in the presence of 2,4-D). Gibberellins (1, 3 and 20) were detected only in suspension cultures devoid of 2,4-D, starting 24 h after subculture. Concerning the evaluated cytokinins-zeatin/zeatin riboside and N6(Delta2-isopentenyl) adenine/N6(Delta2-isopentenyl) adenosine-the most remarkable observation is that high levels of the former generally coincided with low concentrations of the latter, indicating a shift from precursor to the active form, and vice versa.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Las sulfonilureas son hipoglicemiantes orales usados en el tratamiento de la Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2, que actúan estimulando la secreción de insulina por parte de las células B del páncreas. Estudios recientes revelaron que éstos fármacos se unen a receptores específicos en la membrana celular de los islotes pancreáticos induciéndose el cierre de los canales de potasio sensibles a ATP, lo que provoca aumento en el contenido intracelular de potasio y despolarización de la célula conduciendo a la apertura de los canales de calcio voltaje dependiente entrando este al intracelular y liberándose insulina a partir de los gránulos maduros. Los canales de potasio sensibles a ATP están formados por la subunidad KIR6, 2 la cual forma el poro del canal y la subunidad receptora de sulfonilureas (SUR) que actúa como reguladora. Tres subtipos de receptores SUR han sido reconocidos hasta ahora: el tipo pancreático SUR1, cuya inhibición facilita la secreción de insulina; el tipo cardiaco SUR2A el cual suministra protección miocárdica y un tercer tipo en el músculo liso vascular SUR2B el cual juega un rol en la tonicidad vascular

Assuntos

RESUMO

En este estudio se evaluó el diagnóstico de la leishmaniasis cutánea por el laboratorio mediante la técnica de la Reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa (PCR) en comparación con los métodos actualmente recomendados: examen microscópico en frotis, cultivo en medio específico e histopatología en biopsia. El estudio se realizó en 72 individuos con lesiones cutáneas sospechosas de infección por Leishmania spp., procedentes del cnatón El Carmen, provincia de Manabí, Ecuador. La PCR, con oligonucleótidos específicos para el complejo braziliensis fue más sensitiva (90.9 por ciento) que cualquiera de los otros 3 métodos empleados. el cultivo en medio Novy-MacNeal-Nicolle (NNN), en el que 19 por ciento de muestras de desecharon por contaminación bacteriana o micótica, alcanzó el 45.5 por ciento de sesitividad...

Assuntos

Assuntos

RESUMO

Two well-defined synthetic peptides TcD and PEP² were used in a sero-epidemiological study for detection of Trypanosoma cruzi infections in an indigenous group in the Amazon region of Ecuador. Of the 18 communities studied along the Rio Napo, province of Napo, 15 (83.3 per cent) were found to be positive for T. cruzi infection. Of the 1,011 individuals examined 61 (6.03 per cent) resulted positive. A prevalence of infection of 4.8 per cent was found in children aged 1-5 years. The prevalence of infection increased with age, with adults 50 years or older showing a maximum prevalence of 18.8 per cent. Autochthonous transmission of T. cruzi is present among this isolated indigenous population.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Se estudiaron 70 pacientes con Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico (LES); 22 hombres y 48 mujeres, para comparar los aspectos clínicos,de laboratorio e índices clínicos, de laboratorio e índices de severidad entre ambos grupos y establecer diferencias.La edad media fue de 38,8 años.La evolución media de la enfermedad en la 3a. y 4a. décadas fue significativamente mayor en las mujeres (13 vs 5) (p<0,05).De las manifestaciones clínicas;artritis,rash malar, fotosensibilidad y fenómeno de Raynaud fueron más prevalentes en mujeres, con una diferencia estadísticamente significativa.En otras manifestaciones clínicas y en las de laboratorio, no existieron diferencias con valor estadístico.La severidad de la enfermedad se estableció por los criterios de Miller y col (Medicine-BaltiMORE-62:327-334, 1983).Se evaluaron 6 items.Comparando la media de 17 manifestaciones por paciente (item 1), se estableció una mayor prevalencia en mujeres, que fué estadísticamente significativa (p<0,001).Los restantes itéms no mostraron diferencias significativas.Hombres y mujeres expresan la enfermedad de manera similar, excepto artritis,rash malar,fotosensibilidad y fenómeno de Raynaud

Assuntos

RESUMO

Se estudiaron 70 pacientes con Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico (LES); 22 hombres y 48 mujeres, para comparar los aspectos clínicos,de laboratorio e índices clínicos, de laboratorio e índices de severidad entre ambos grupos y establecer diferencias.La edad media fue de 38,8 años.La evolución media de la enfermedad en la 3a. y 4a. décadas fue significativamente mayor en las mujeres (13 vs 5) (p<0,05).De las manifestaciones clínicas;artritis,rash malar, fotosensibilidad y fenómeno de Raynaud fueron más prevalentes en mujeres, con una diferencia estadísticamente significativa.En otras manifestaciones clínicas y en las de laboratorio, no existieron diferencias con valor estadístico.La severidad de la enfermedad se estableció por los criterios de Miller y col (Medicine-BaltiMORE-62:327-334, 1983).Se evaluaron 6 items.Comparando la media de 17 manifestaciones por paciente (item 1), se estableció una mayor prevalencia en mujeres, que fué estadísticamente significativa (p<0,001).Los restantes itéms no mostraron diferencias significativas.Hombres y mujeres expresan la enfermedad de manera similar, excepto artritis,rash malar,fotosensibilidad y fenómeno de Raynaud

Assuntos

RESUMO

An ELISA test was developed to detect Paragonimus-specific antibodies, including IgG subclasses, using P. mexicanus crude water-soluble antigens. The test was standardized to detect antibodies in sera of Ecuadorian patients with pulmonary paragonimiasis and negative controls from the endemic area. The detected mean levels of IgG (0.753, SEM: 0.074) and IgM (0.303, SEM: 0.033) were significantly elevated (P<0.05). Within the IgG subclasses, IgG4 showed the highest detected mean level (0.365, SEM: 0.116) and the other three subclasses showed considerably lower mean levels (IgG1, 0.186 SEM: 0.06; IgG2, 0.046 SEM: 0.01; IgG3, 0.123 SEM: 0.047). The number of P. mexicanus eggs found in sputum of infected individuals showed a positive correlation with the level of antibodies detected for IgM, IgG and its subclasses (P<0.001). The relevance of these findings in Ecuadorian patients suffering from pulmonary paragonimiasis is discussed.

Assuntos

RESUMO

OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: Early results, complications and follow-up of 70 patients undergoing percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty (BMV) were retrospectively analyzed to establish whether an increased surgical risk or an unfavourable echocardiographic score influenced the results. PATIENTS: The patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (group A, n = 31) or absence (group B, n = 38) of high surgical risk factors. The patients were also divided into two other groups according to the presence (group C, n = 46) or absence (group D, n = 20) of favourable mitral valve anatomy. Group A (high surgical risk) included patients fulfilling at least one of the following criteria: 65 years of age or older; previous surgical commissurotomy; depressed left ventricular function; respiratory or hepatic insufficiency; or previous aortic valve replacement. Mitral valve anatomy was classified as 4 to 16, according to the echocardiographic score established by Abascal et al. Group C patients had echocardiographic score below 8 and group D had echocardiographic scores of 8 or greater. INTERVENTIONS: Mean mitral valve gradient (MVG) and area (MVA) were Doppler-estimated immediately before and 48 h after the BMV. MAIN RESULTS: There were no differences in the early results and complications between groups A and B (MVA 1.8 +/- 0.5 versus 1.9 +/- 0.4 cm2). Final MVA was significantly greater in group C than in group D (MVA 1.9 +/- 0.4 versus 1.6 +/- 0.4 cm2; P = 0.03). There was no difference in the incidence of complications. Over a follow-up period averaging 19.1 months (range 1 to 55), 90.7% of the patients were in New York Heart Association functional class I or II. Four patients had a mitral valve replacement, one had a surgical commissurotomy and one had a second BMV. Two unrelated deaths occurred. There were no differences in the characteristics of the study population and the incidence of events in the follow-up period between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The results and outcome of BMV were unrelated to the general surgical risk, suggesting that this procedure may be used with particular benefit in this group of patients. In contrast, mitral valve anatomy must be considered as an important determinant of the results.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Se investigo la presencia de Neisseria gonorrhoeae y su sensibilidad a la penicilina en muestras de endocervix a 313 mujeres ecuatorianas: 116 prostitutas, 136 promiscuas y 61 monogamicas, encontrandose que 24 (20.6 por ciento del primer grupo, 15(11.0 por ciento del segundo y 1 (1.6 por ciento) del tercero, eran productoras de penicilinasa (NGPP), es decir resistentes a la penicilina, Esta prevalencia tiende a crecer por el uso indiscriminado de la penicilina en el pais.

Assuntos

RESUMO

This article presents the latest results of a 18 months follow-up study with schizophrenic patients, with the purpose to assess psychosocial functioning in the community after being discharged from a psychiatric hospital. The patients reported a satisfactory level of psychosocial and global functioning: mean = 2.4 at discharge; mean = 2.8 at six months (p < 0.05) and mean = 2.7 at 18 months follow-up. The use of medication was reduced from 62 per cent at six months to 59 per cent at 18 months by the patients, and the level of rehospitalization increased from 10 per cent at six months to 40 per cent at 18 months. Patients with no medication (t-test = p .001) and also rehospitalized patients (t-test = p .05) reported lower levels of satisfactory psychosocial functioning in comparison with patients under medication and also without rehospitalization. These results might contribute to a better psychosocial handling of schizophrenic patients in the community. The need for longitudinal follow-up research in Mexican schizophrenic patients is noted.

Assuntos

RESUMO

De 4.368 pacientes admitidos a la Unidad de Cuidados intensivos (UCI) del Hospital Carlos Andrade Marín entre el primero de enero de 1986 hasta el 31 de diciembre de 1993, se estudiaron retrospectivamente a 532 pacientes con trauma cráneo encefálico (TCE). Se compararon tanto la mortalidad general como cada una de las disfunciones desarrolladas con la población general que ingreso a la U.C.I. durante el mismo período. Los resultados fueron analizados mediante test de Fischer y varianza, se consideró significativo un valor de (p) inferior a 0.05. Hubo 85 por ciento de varones y 15 por ciento de mujeres la edad varió entre 1 y 91 años con una media de 40 años, 178 pacientes fallecieron, (33 por ciento). La media de permanencia fue 149 horas (1 a 3.267). Los sitios desde donde se trasladaron los pacientes hacia la UCI fueron: otros hospitales 47 por ciento, urgencias 27 por ciento, Quirófanos 15 por ciento y desde otros pabellones hospitalarios 10 por ciento. El Therapeutic Index Scoring System (T.I.S.S) tuvo una media de 22.8 (4 a 55). Las diferencias que acompañaron al TCE, fueron: respiratoria 70 por ciento, coma 49 por ciento, renal 9 por ciento, metabolica 27 por ciento, de la coagulación 6 por ciento, hepática 3 por ciento y cardiaca 2 por ciento; shock 18 por ciento, sepsis 8 por ciento. La mortalidad se incrementó cuando al TCE se sumaron las disfunciones respiratoria, renal, y metabólica, shock, coma, hemorragia digestiva, abdomen agudo o arritmias. Se emplearon 3.305 días en la atención de estos pacientes, 2.500.000 dólares en estos ocho años por TCE. Los años de vida potencialmente perdidos suman 4275. El estudio confirma la tendencia actual del incremento en la incidencia de TCE y demuestra sus costos elevados en vidas humanas y en recursos económicos.

Assuntos

RESUMO

Si bien el tratamiento médico y quirúrgico ha reducido la mortalidad de la endocarditis infecciosa (E.I) las complicaciones neurológicas de ésta se presentan en un 30 por ciento de los pacientes y son un factor que incrementa el riesgo de mortalidad del 14 por ciento al 39 por ciento. En la presente revisión presentamos un caso de endocarditis infecciosa por Estafilococo Aureus Coagulasa positivo, que determinó Fallo Secuencial Multiorgánico (FSMO), con émbolos sépticos en cerebro y desarrollo de absceso cerebral, hemorragia cerebelosa y hemorragia subaracnoidea (HSA), que determinó la muerte del paciente.

Assuntos

RESUMO

A prevalência de infecçöes com helmintos Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Ancylostoma duodenale e Strongyloides stercoralis foi examinada em 632 pessoas em diferentes comunidades na Regiäo de Esmeraldas no Equador. Estas comunidades foram divididas em dois grupos conforme a área na qual residem, o que reflete diferentes circunstâncias sócio-econômicas. Intentou-se correlacionar os tipos de infecçäo com a raça e os grupos sanguíneos ABO. Nestes grupos raciais estäo incluídos negros, amerídios Chachi, e mestiços. Notou-se a prevalência de infecçöes nas áreas sócio-econômicas mais baixas. Näo se encontrou nenhuma relaçäo cocm a infecçäo helmíntica e raça ou grupo sanguíneo depois de controlar-se o status sócio-econômico

Assuntos