Spontaneous Pneumothorax: A 5-Year Experience

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous pneumothorax (SP) is defined by the presence of air in the pleural space without history of trauma. It is classified as secondary if coexisting with underlying pulmonary disease. Its an entity with considerable incidence and treatment particularities which give reason for a reflection on the subject. We present a 5-year casuistry, characterizing the SP epidemiology, clinical presentation, investigation and therapeutic choices. METHODS: Sixty-six patients were included in the study, corresponding to 93 episodes of SP. RESULTS: We have found male predominance and the mean age was 34.5 years old. In 60.6% of cases there was history of tobacco use; 36.4% of cases were classified as secondary; 30.1% of patients with secondary SP and 21.7% with primary SP recurred; 89.2% had an acute presentation. The most frequent initial symptom was chest pain (90.3%) and 81.7% had diminished breath sounds. In 17.3% it was documented a physical strain associated. We did not identify statistically significant association between the SP occurrence and the variation of the atmospheric pressure, on the first day of symptoms. In 12.9% of episodes the initial treatment option was observation. In most of the episodes the lung totally expanded. However, in 29.1% of the episodes surgical treatment was needed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are similar to the literature. Some clinical records are incomplete, demanding the implementation of rules to improve knowledge about this matter

Brillouin light scattering study of magnetic-element normal modes in a square artificial spin ice geometry

We report the results, from experimental and micromagnetic studies, of the magnetic normal modes in artificial square spin ice systems consisting of ferromagnetic-monodomain islands. Spin wave properties are measured by Brillouin light scattering. The mode spectra contain several branches whose frequencies are sensitive to the magnitude and in-plane orientation of an applied magnetic field. We also identify soft modes that exhibit different behaviour depending on the direction of the applied magnetic field. The obtained results are well described with micromagnetic simulations of independent magnetic elements arranged along two sublattices

Increased Frequency of CD4 and CD8 Regulatory T Cells in Individuals under 15 Years with Multibacillary Leprosy

Background: Leprosy is a chronic disease, caused by Mycobacterium leprae, which poses a serious public health problem worldwide. Its high incidence in people under 15 years old in Ceara state, Brazil, reflects the difficulty of its control. the spectrum of clinical manifestations is associated with the immune response developed, with the Th1 and Th2 responses being related to the paucibacillary and multibacillary forms, respectively. Regulatory T cells (Treg), which can suppress Th1 and Th2 response, have received special attention in the literature and have been associated with development of chronic infections. However, their role in leprosy in individuals under 15 years old has not yet been elucidated. We evaluated the frequency of CD4(+)/CD8(+)CD25(high)FOXP3(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+)CD25(high)FOXP3(high) cells in leprosy patients and household contacts, in both cases under 15 years old.Methodology/Principal Findings: PBMC from 12 patients and 17 contacts were cultured for 72 hours with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 (activators) or with activators associated with total sonicated fraction of M. leprae. After culture, the frequency of CD4(+)/CD8(+) Treg was identified by flow cytometry. Cells stimulated by activators and antigen from multibacillary patients showed Treg frequencies almost two times that of the contacts: CD4(+)FOXP3(+) (21.93 +/- 8.43 vs. 13.79 +/- 8.19%, p = 0.0500), CD4(+)FOXP3(high) (10.33 +/- 5.69 vs. 5.57 +/- 4.03%, p = 0.0362), CD8(+)FOXP3(+) (13.88 +/- 9.19 vs. 6.18 +/- 5.56%, p = 0.0230) and CD8(+)FOXP3(high) (5.36 +/- 4.17 vs. 2.23 +/- 2.68%, p = 0.0461). Furthermore, the mean fluorescence intensity of FOXP3 in Treg was higher in multibacillary patients than in the contacts. Interestingly, there was a positive correlation of the bacillary index and number of lesions with the frequency of all Treg evaluated in patients.Conclusions/Significance: We have demonstrated for the first time that multibacillary leprosy patients under 15 years old have greater CD4(+) and CD8(+) Treg frequencies and these correlate with clinical and laboratorial aspects of disease. These findings suggest the involvement of these cells in the perpetuation of M. leprae infection.Fundacao Cearense de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento Cientifico e TecnologicoPost-Graduation Program in Medical MicrobiologyUniv Fed Ceara, Dept Pathol & Legal Med, Med Lab Immunol, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilDermatol Ctr Dona Libania, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilWalter Cantidio Univ Hosp, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniv Fortaleza, Fortaleza, Ceara, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Pediat, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Heterogeneity of Multifunctional IL-17A Producing S. Typhi-Specific CD8+ T Cells in Volunteers following Ty21a Typhoid Immunization

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi), the causative agent of typhoid fever, continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality world-wide. CD8+ T cells are an important component of the cell mediated immune (CMI) response against S. Typhi. Recently, interleukin (IL)-17A has been shown to contribute to mucosal immunity and protection against intracellular pathogens. To investigate multifunctional IL-17A responses against S. Typhi antigens in T memory subsets, we developed multiparametric flow cytometry methods to detect up to 6 cytokines/chemokines (IL-10, IL-17A, IL-2, interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β (MIP-1β)) simultaneously. Five volunteers were immunized with a 4 dose regimen of live-attenuated S. Typhi vaccine (Ty21a), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated before and at 11 time points after immunization, and CMI responses were evaluated. Of the 5 immunized volunteers studied, 3 produced detectable CD8+ T cell responses following stimulation with S. Typhi-infected autologous B lymphoblastoid cell lines (B-LCL). Additionally, 2 volunteers had detectable levels of intracellular cytokines in response to stimulation with S. Typhi-infected HLA-E restricted cells. Although the kinetics of the responses differed among volunteers, all of the responses were bi- or tri-phasic and included multifunctional CD8+ T cells. Virtually all of the IL-17A detected was derived from multifunctional CD8+ T cells. The presence of these multifunctional IL-17A+ CD8+ T cells was confirmed using an unsupervised analysis program, flow cytometry clustering without K (FLOCK). This is the first report of IL-17A production in response to S. Typhi in humans, indicating the presence of a Tc17 response which may be important in protection. The presence of IL-17A in multifunctional cells co-producing Tc1 cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α) may also indicate that the distinction between Tc17 and Tc1 responses in humans is not as clearly delineated as suggested by in vitro experiments and animal models

Synthetic organotelluride compounds induce the reversal of Pdr5p mediated fluconazole resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Background: Resistance to fluconazole, a commonly used azole antifungal, is a challenge for the treatment of fungal infections. Resistance can be mediated by overexpression of ABC transporters, which promote drug efflux that requires ATP hydrolysis. the Pdr5p ABC transporter of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a well-known model used to study this mechanism of antifungal resistance. the present study investigated the effects of 13 synthetic compounds on Pdr5p.Results: Among the tested compounds, four contained a tellurium-butane group and shared structural similarities that were absent in the other tested compounds: a lateral hydrocarbon chain and an amide group. These four compounds were capable of inhibiting Pdr5p ATPase activity by more than 90%, they demonstrated IC50 values less than 2 M and had an uncompetitive pattern of Pdr5p ATPase activity inhibition. These organotellurides did not demonstrate cytotoxicity against human erythrocytes or S. cerevisiae mutant strains (a strain that overexpress Pdr5p and a null mutant strain) even in concentrations above 100 mu M. When tested at 100 mu M, they could reverse the fluconazole resistance expressed by both the S. cerevisiae mutant strain that overexpress Pdr5p and a clinical isolate of Candida albicans.Conclusions: We have identified four organotellurides that are promising candidates for the reversal of drug resistance mediated by drug efflux pumps. These molecules will act as scaffolds for the development of more efficient and effective efflux pump inhibitors that can be used in combination therapy with available antifungals.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)University of São Paulo through the NAP-CatSinQ (Research Core in Catalysis and Chemical Synthesis)Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, CCS, Inst Microbiol Paulo Goes, Dept Microbiol Geral,Lab Bioquim Microbiana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv São Paulo, Inst Quim, Dept Quim Fundamental, São Paulo, BrazilInst Fed Educ Ciencia & Tecnol Rio de Janeiro IFR, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo UNIFESP, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, São Paulo, BrazilFAPERJ: E-26/111.338/2013FAPESP: 2005/59572-7FAPESP: 2008/55401-1FAPESP: 2010/17228-6FAPESP: 2011/03244-2FAPESP: 2011/11613-8FAPESP: 2012/17093-9CNPq: 470360/2012-7Web of Scienc

Manual de heveicultura para a região sudeste do Estado do Acre.

A seringueira (Hevea spp.) possui 11 espécies reconhecidas botanicamente. Dela se obtém a borracha natural usada na fabricação de centenas de produtos utilizados por toda a humanidade. Com uma visão estratégica, a Inglaterra financiou a expedição de coleta de cerca de 70 mil sementes de Hevea spp. que foram levadas do Pará para o jardim botânico de Kew, em Londres. Posteriormente, plantas selecionadas e sem doenças foram enviadas para Java, Indonésia, fazendo florescer uma forte economia com base na heveicultura em países do sudeste asiático. À época, países do continente americano não investiram no desenvolvimento de sistemas de produção capazes de suplantar as dificuldades do cultivo da seringueira em regiões tropicais com clima quente e úmido, na presença da principal doença, o mal-das-folhas-da-seringueira. Passadas algumas décadas, o Brasil também se engajou no objetivo de promover a heveicultura, havendo registro de orientação do governo federal nesse sentido a partir da primeira década do século 20, quando o País passou a importar a borracha natural de seringueira. Com esforços diferenciados de pesquisa, transferência de tecnologia e extensão rural, inicialmente no âmbito federal, junto a companhias pneumáticas e posteriormente com governos estaduais, o Brasil desenvolveu a heveicultura de modo desigual internamente, ocorrendo a migração dessa atividade para as regiões com intervalo de seca e frio (áreas não tradicionais de cultivo) que foram caracterizadas como zonas de escape às epidemias severas do mal-das-folhas-da-seringueira. No Acre, a disponibilidade de terras férteis e fisicamente apropriadas ao cultivo da seringueira, a existência de plantas resistentes/tolerantes aos principais patógenos e de um período de seca coincidente com o reenfolhamento de clones de H. brasiliensis ou híbridos que herdaram essa característica, além das mudanças climáticas constatadas, criaram um ambiente favorável ao reflorestamento com essa espécie, como alternativa para a geração de renda ao agricultor, com vistas a sua emancipação econômica dentro do conceito de desenvolvimento sustentável.bitstream/item/202202/1/24931.pd

Benefits of Whole-Body Vibration, as a component of the pulmonary rehabilitation, in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A narrative review with a suitable approach

Appropriate management, including pulmonary rehabilitation, associated with correct diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in patients can contribute to improving clinical conditions of these patients. Physical activity is recommended for COPD patients. Whole-body vibration (WBV) is a modality of physical activity. Putting together the biological effects and safe use of WBV, it may be a potentially feasible intervention to add to pulmonary rehabilitation. The purpose of this investigation was to systematically review studies regarding the effects of WBV, as a component of the pulmonary rehabilitation, in patients with COPD

Chandrasekhar-Kendall functions in astrophysical dynamos

Some of the contributions of Chandrasekhar to the field of magnetohydrodynamics are highlighted. Particular emphasis is placed on the Chandrasekhar-Kendall functions that allow a decomposition of a vector field into right- and left-handed contributions. Magnetic energy spectra of both contributions are shown for a new set of helically forced simulations at resolutions higher than what has been available so far. For a forcing function with positive helicity, these simulations show a forward cascade of the right-handed contributions to the magnetic field and nonlocal inverse transfer for the left-handed contributions. The speed of inverse transfer is shown to decrease with increasing value of the magnetic Reynolds number.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, proceedings of the Chandrasekhar Centenary Conference, to be published in PRAMANA - Journal of Physic