Characterization and predictive value of near infrared 2-deoxyglucose optical imaging in severe acute pancreatitis

Background: Studying the uptake of 2-deoxy glucose (2-DG) analogs such as 2-Deoxy-2-[18F] fluoroglucose (FDG) is a common approach to identify and monitor malignancies and more recently chronic inflammation. While pancreatitis is a common cause for false positive results in human studies on pancreatic cancer using FDG, the relevance of these findings to acute pancreatitis (AP) is unknown. FDG has a short half-life. Thus, with an aim to accurately characterize the metabolic demand of the pancreas during AP in real-time, we studied the uptake of the non-radioactive, near infrared fluorescence labelled 2-deoxyglucose analog, IRDye1® 800CW 2-DG probe (NIR 2-DG; Li-Cor) during mild and severe biliary AP. Methods: Wistar rats (300 g; 8-12/group) were administered NIR 2-DG (10 nM; I.V.). Mild and severe biliary AP were respectively induced by biliopancreatic duct ligation (DL) alone or along with infusing glyceryl trilinoleate (GTL; 50 μL/100 g) within 10 minutes of giving NIR 2-DG. Controls (CON) only received NIR 2-DG. Imaging was done every 5-10 minutes over 3 hrs. Average Radiant Efficiency [p/s/cm2/sr]/[μW/cm2] was measured over the pancreas using the IVIS 200 in-vivo imaging system (PerkinElmer) using the Living Image® software and verified in ex vivo pancreata. Blood amylase, lipase and pancreatic edema, necrosis were measured over the course of AP. Results: NIR 2-DG uptake over the first hour was not influenced by AP induction. However, while the signal declined in controls and rats with mild AP, there was significantly higher retention of NIR 2-DG in the pancreas after 1 hour in those with GTL pancreatitis. The increase was > 3 fold over controls in the GTL group and was verified to be in the pancreas ex vivo. In vitro, pancreatic acini exposed to GTL had a similar increase in NIR 2-DG uptake which was followed by progressively worse acinar necrosis. Greater retention of NIR 2-DG in vivo was associated with worse pancreatic necrosis, reduced ATP concentrations and mortality, which were not predicted by the blood parameters. Conclusion: In-vivo fluorescent imaging of a non-radioactive near infrared 2-DG optical probe can predict the AP severity early during the disease

A NEW POSSIBILITY FOR SURVEILLANCE: DO WE IDENTIFY ALL CASES OF LEPTOSPIROSIS?

SUMMARY Leptospirosis is a febrile disease with a typically underestimated global incidence, especially in regions where dengue is endemic. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately determine the number of leptospirosis cases in these areas, which contributes to significant under-reporting this disease. In this study, we estimated the number of possible leptospirosis cases among dengue-like cases that were reported during 2008, 2010, and 2012 in the city of Fortaleza, northeast Brazil. Patients were evaluated for dengue and leptospirosis using immunoenzymatic tests for IgM antibodies that were specific to each pathogen. Among the suspected cases of dengue that resulted as negative in laboratory tests, 10.8% (2008), 19.2% (2010), and 30.8% (2012) were confirmed to be leptospirosis. Considering the cases reported by the surveillance authority as dengue that were subsequently discarded based on the laboratory test results, we estimate that the number of actual leptospirosis cases may be 26 to 49 times higher than those diagnosed and reported by the Health Services. Furthermore, we believe that approximately 20% of dengue-like cases may be leptospirosis cases in areas where the two diseases are endemic

Venous ulcer: risk factors and the Nursing Outcomes Classification

Venous ulcer: risk factors and the Nursing Outcomes Classification Objective. To explore the relationship between the risk factors for the development of venous ulcers and the indicators of tissue integrity from the Nursing Outcomes Classification. Methodology. A cross-sectional study conducted in 2013 in a university hospital in Natal/RN (Brazil). Fifty individuals selected by consecutive sampling participated in an interview and physical examination. Results. The most important risk factors were: 44% presented with arterial hypertension, 26% allergy, 20% diabetes mellitus, 4% participated in some physical activity, 6% were smokers and 14% drank alcohol. There was a statistically significant association between diabetes mellitus and the texture of the lesion (p=0.015) and tissue perfusion (p=0.026); allergy and texture (p=0.034); physical activity and hydration (p = 0.034); smoking and thickness (p = 0.018); and alcoholism and exudate of the ulcer (p=0.045). Conclusion. The relationship between risk factors and the nursing outcome indicators generated information relevant to the development of guidelines for the monitoring and treatment of venous ulcer information. Key words: venous ulcer; nursing; risk factors; nursing assessment Úlcera venosa: Relación entre los factores de riesgo y la clasificación de los resultados de enfermería Objetivo. Explorar la relación entre los factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de las úlceras venosas y los indicadores de integridad tisular de la clasificación de resultados de enfermería. Metodología. Estudio transversal realizado en 2013 en un hospital universitario de Natal / RN (Brasil). Participaron 50 individuos seleccionados por muestreo consecutivo; se les hizo entrevista y examen físico. Resultados. Los factores de riesgo más importantes fueron: 44% presentaba hipertensión arterial; 26%, alergia; 20%, Diabetes Mellitus; 4% realizaba alguna actividad física; 6%, fumadores y 14% bebía alcohol. Hubo asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la Diabetes Mellitus con la textura de la lesión (p=0.015) y la perfusión tisular (p=0.026), la alergia y la textura (p=0.034), la actividad física y la hidratación (p=0.034), el tabaquismo y el grosor (p=0.018); y el alcoholismo y el exudado de la úlcera Invest Educ Enferm. 2014;32(2) • 253 (p=0.045). Conclusión. La relación entre algunos factores de riesgo y los indicadores de resultado de enfermería genera información relevante para la elaboración de directrices para el seguimiento y tratamiento de las úlceras venosas. Palabras clave: úlcera venosa; enfermagem; fatores de risco; avaliação em enfermagem. Úlcera venosa: relação entre os fatores de risco e a classificação dos resultados de enfermagem Objetivo. Explorar a relação entre os fatores de risco para o desenvolvimento das úlceras venosas e os indicadores de integridade tissular da classificação de resultados de enfermagem. Metodologia. Estudo transversal realizado em 2013 num hospital universitário de Natal / RN (Brasil. Participaram 50 indivíduos selecionados por amostragem consecutiva, foi feita entrevista e exame físico. Resultados. Os fatores de risco mais importantes foram: 44% apresentavam hipertensão arterial, 26% alergia, 20% Diabete Mellitus, 4% realizava alguma atividade física, 6% eram fumantes e 14% bebiam álcool. Teve associação estatisticamente significativa entre a Diabete Mellitus com a textura da lesão (p=0.015) e a perfusão tissular (p=0.026), a alergia e a textura (p=0.034), a atividade física e a hidratação (p=0.034), o tabagismo e a gordura (p=0.018); e o alcoolismo e o exsudado da úlcera (p=0.045). Conclusão. A relação entre alguns fatores de risco e os indicadores de resultado de enfermagem gera informação relevante para a elaboração de diretrizes para o seguimento e tratamento das úlceras venosas. Palavras chave: úlcera venosa; enfermería; factores de riesgo; evaluación en enfermería. Venous ulcer: risk factors and the Nursing Outcomes Classificatio

Use of DNA technology in forensic dentistry

The established importance of Forensic Dentistry for human identification, mainly when there is little remaining material to perform such identification (e.g., in fires, explosions, decomposing bodies or skeletonized bodies), has led dentists working with forensic investigation to become more familiar with the new molecular biology techniques. The currently available DNA tests have high reliability and are accepted as legal proofs in courts. This article presents a literature review referring to the main studies on Forensic Dentistry that involve the use of DNA for human identification, and makes an overview of the evolution of this technology in the last years, highlighting the importance of molecular biology in forensic sciences

Molecular characterization of beta-tubulin from Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the causal agent of Asian soybean rust

β-tubulins are structural components of microtubules and the targets of benzimidazole fungicides used to control many diseases of agricultural importance. Intron polymorphisms in the intron-rich genes of these proteins have been used in phylogeographic investigations of phytopathogenic fungi. In this work, we sequenced 2764 nucleotides of the β-tubulin gene (Pp tubB) in samples of Phakopsora pachyrhizi collected from seven soybean fields in Brazil. Pp tubB contained an open reading frame of 1341 nucleotides, including nine exons and eight introns. Exon length varied from 14 to 880 nucleotides, whereas intron length varied from 76 to 102 nucleotides. The presence of only four polymorphic sites limited the usefulness of Pp tubB for phylogeographic studies in P. pachyrhizi. The gene structures of Pp tubB and orthologous β-tubulin genes of Melampsora lini and Uromyces viciae-fabae were highly conserved. The amino acid substitutions in β-tubulin proteins associated with the onset of benzimidazole resistance in model organisms, especially at His 6 , Glu 198 and Phe 200 , were absent from the predicted sequence of the P. pachyrhizi β-tubulin protein

Potentiating Effects of MPL on DSPC Bearing Cationic Liposomes Promote Recombinant GP63 Vaccine Efficacy: High Immunogenicity and Protection

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a vector-transmitted disease caused by Leishmania donovani, is potentially fatal if left untreated. Vaccination against VL has received limited attention compared with cutaneous leishmaniasis, although the need for an effective vaccine is pressing for the control of the disease. Earlier, we observed protective efficacy using leishmanial antigen (Ag) in the presence of either cationic liposomes or monophosphoryl lipid A-trehalose dicorynomycolate (MPL-TDM) against experimental VL through the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route of administration in the mouse model. However, this route of immunization is not adequate for human use. For this work, we developed vaccine formulations combining cationic liposomes with MPL-TDM using recombinant GP63 (rGP63) as protein Ag through the clinically relevant subcutaneous (s.c.) route. Two s.c. injections with rGP63 in association with cationic liposomes and MPL-TDM showed enhanced immune responses that further resulted in high protective levels against VL in the mouse model. This validates the combined use of MPL-TDM as an immunopotentiator and liposomes as a suitable vaccine delivery system