The circumovat precipitin test as a control of cure in children with chronic schistosomiasis mansoni

Seventy nine children in the 6-14 age group, with chronic schistosomiasis man- soni were selected for this stud,y. Sixty seven (850/o) with positive circumoval pre- cipitin test (COPT) were divided in two groups: 86 children (Group l) were treat_ ed with oxamniquine (20 mg/kg in a singre orar dose) and 31 children (Group 2) were given placebo under the same conditions. Follow-up was mantained for 1.0 months with monthly quantitative stool examinations and the absence of fecal eggs from the first month onwards was considered as a successful treatment. COPT was repeated on the tenth month. In Group L, 6gVo were cured. Group P showed no cures. rn the 28 Group I patients considered cured, copr was negative in20 (87%). Negative reactions were also found in BZo/o of the Group p children, after 10 months. These false negative reactions occurred in patients with a smaller stool egg count. The Authors conclude that copr shows a high positivity ratio in the diagnosis of chronic schistosomiasis mansoni, with negative reactions post cure in the majority of cases. However, a significant number of false negative results does rlot allow the isolated use of COPT in the control of cure of schistosomiasis mansoni

Speckle tracking echocardiographic deformation indices in Chagas and idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy : incremental prognostic value of longitudinal strain

Background Chagas cardiomyopathy (CDC) is associated with a poor prognosis compared to other car-diomyopathies. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE), which provides direct assessment of myocardial fiber deformation, may be useful in predicting prognosis. Objective This study assessed STE in CDC and compared with idiopathic cardiomyopathy (IDC), and also examined the incremental prognostic information of STE over left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in these patients. Methods We enrolled 112 patients, age of 56.7 ± 11.8 years, 81 with CDC and 31 with IDC. STE indices were obtained at baseline in all patients. The endpoint was a composite of death, hospitalization for heart failure, or need for heart transplantation. Results Patients with IDC had worse LV systolic function compared to CDC, with LVEF of 34.5% vs 41.3%, p = 0.004, respectively. After adjustment for LVEF, there were no differences in STE values between CDC and IDC. During a median follow-up of 18.2 months (range, 11 to 22), 26 patients met the composite end point (24%). LV longitudinal strain was a strong predictor of adverse events, incremental to LVEF and E/e’ ratio (HR 1.463, 95% CI 1.130–1.894; p = 0.004). The risk of cardiac events increased significantly in patients with GLS > - 12% (log-rank p = 0.035). Conclusions STE indices were abnormal in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, without differences between CDC and IDC. LV longitudinal strain was a powerful predictor of outcome, adding prognostic information beyond that provided by LVEF and E/e’ ratio

Effect of essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet on cardiovascular and autonomic function in rats with isoproterenol induced acute myocardial infarction

Abstract Alpinia zerumbet is a plant popularly used to treat hypertension and anxiety. Studies with Alpinia zerumbet demonstrate antihypertensive and vasodilator effects, among others. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of essential oil of Alpinia zerumbet (EOAz) on cardiovascular and autonomic function in rats with isoproterenol-induced myocardial infarction. Male Wistar rats (n=32) were equally allocated into four groups: Control, ISO (150mg/kg, subcutaneous), EOAz (100mg/kg by gavage), ISO+EOAz. The rats were evaluated for cardiovascular and, autonomic parameters, electrocardiogram, and infarct size. EOAz was not able to reduce the electrocardiographic variations induced by ISO. Heart rate variability showed a decrease in sympathetic modulation on the heart in the groups treated with EOAz. The cardiopulmonary reflex induced by serotonin invoked a superior blood pressure variation at the 2 µg/kg dose in the EOAz treated groups, while the heart rate variation was significantly higher at the 16 µg/kg dose, when compared to other doses, in all groups, except EOAz+ISO. The sympathetic vagal index was higher in ISO group than in control. EOAz did not reduce the infarct size. We conclude that pretreatment with EOAz does not reverse the hemodynamic and electrocardiographic damage caused by isoproterenol but does reduce sympathetic modulation

IFNG +874T/A polymorphism is not associated with American tegumentary leishmaniasis susceptibility but can influence Leishmania induced IFN-γ production

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Interferon-gamma is a key cytokine in the protective responses against intracellular pathogens. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the first intron of the human IFN-γ gene can putatively influence the secretion of cytokine with an impact on infection outcome as demonstrated for tuberculosis and other complex diseases. Our aim was to investigate the putative association of IFNG+874T/A SNP with American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) and also the influence of this SNP in the secretion of IFN-γ <it>in vitro</it>.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Brazilian ATL patients (78 cutaneous, CL, and 58 mucosal leishmaniasis, ML) and 609 healthy volunteers were evaluated. The genotype of +874 region in the IFN-γ gene was carried out by Amplification Refractory Mutational System (ARMS-PCR). <it>Leishmania</it>-induced IFN-γ production on peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) culture supernatants was assessed by ELISA.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There are no differences between +874T/A SNP frequency in cases and controls or in ML versus CL patients. Cutaneous leishmaniasis cases exhibiting AA genotype produced lower levels of IFN-γ than TA/TT genotypes. In mucosal cases, high and low IFN-γ producers were clearly demonstrated but no differences in the cytokine production was observed among the IFNG +874T or A carriers.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results suggest that +874T/A polymorphism was not associated with either susceptibility or severity to leishmaniasis. Despite this, IFNG +874T/A SNP could be involved in the pathogenesis of leishmaniasis by influencing the amount of cytokine released by CL patients, although it could not prevent disease development. On the other hand, it is possible that in ML cases, other potential polymorphic regulatory genes such as TNF-α and IL-10 are also involved thus interfering with IFN-γ secretion.</p

Brazilian Consensus on Photoprotection

Brazil is a country of continental dimensions with a large heterogeneity of climates and massive mixing of the population. Almost the entire national territory is located between the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn, and the Earth axial tilt to the south certainly makes Brazil one of the countries of the world with greater extent of land in proximity to the sun. The Brazilian coastline, where most of its population lives, is more than 8,500 km long. Due to geographic characteristics and cultural trends, Brazilians are among the peoples with the highest annual exposure to the sun. Epidemiological data show a continuing increase in the incidence of nonmelanoma and melanoma skin cancers. Photoprotection can be understood as a set of measures aimed at reducing sun exposure and at preventing the development of acute and chronic actinic damage. Due to the peculiarities of Brazilian territory and culture, it would not be advisable to replicate the concepts of photoprotection from other developed countries, places with completely different climates and populations. Thus the Brazilian Society of Dermatology has developed the Brazilian Consensus on Photoprotection, the first official document on photoprotection developed in Brazil for Brazilians, with recommendations on matters involving photoprotection