Tratamiento quirúrgico del hiperparatiroidismo asociado a insuficiencia renal crónica: Experience in 71 patients / Surgical treatment of renal hyperparathyroidism

Background: Surgery is an effective method for the management of renal hyperparathyroidism. Aim: To report the clinical presentation and results of surgical treatment of renal hyperparathyroidism. Material and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 58 patients aged 46 ± 11 years with secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT2) and 13 patients aged 53 ± 11 years with tertiary hyperparathyroidism (HPT3), operated at a clinical hospital. Results: In 55 cases (77.4%) the indications for surgery were complications of excess parathyroid hormone (PTH) and in 16 patients (22.6%) a failure of medical treatment. Total parathyroidectomy with intraoperative measurement of PTH (PTHop) plus a forearm parathyroid autograft was performed in 54 (93.1%) patients with HPT2 and in all patients with HPT3. PTHop decreased ≥ 75% in 51 patients (88%) with HPT2 and in 9 patients (69.2%) with HPT3, respectively. Cure of the disease was achieved in 52 (89.7%) and 11 (84.6%) patients with HPT2 and 3, respectively. Median follow-up was 41 months. Five (9.6%) patients with HPT2 and two patients (18.2%) with HPT3 had a recurrence of the disease. Conclusions: In patients with renal hyperparathyroidism, the primary indication for surgery was the presence of complications of PTH excess. A drop in PTHop ≥ 75% from baseline predicts healing in 98% and 100% of cases with secondary or tertiary HPT respectively. Surgery was a safe and effective treatment in both groups.

Growth and enzymatic responses of phytopathogenic fungi to glucose in culture media and soil

The effect of inoculation of Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium verticillioides, and Penicillium sp. in Dystrophic Red Latosol (DRL) and Eutroferric Red Latosol (ERL) soils with or without glucose on the total carbohydrate content and the dehydrogenase and amylase activities was studied. The fungal growth and spore production in culture medium with and without glucose were also evaluated. A completely randomized design with factorial arrangement was used. The addition of glucose in the culture medium increased the growth rate of A. flavus and Penicillium sp. but not of F. verticillioides. The number of spores increased 1.2 for F. verticillioides and 8.2 times for A. flavus in the medium with glucose, but was reduced 3.5 times for Penicillium sp. The total carbohydrates contents reduced significantly according to first and second degree equations. The consumption of total carbohydrates by A. flavus and Penicillium sp. was higher than the control or soil inoculated with F. verticillioides. The addition of glucose to soils benefited the use of carbohydrates, probably due to the stimulation of fungal growth. Dehydrogenase activity increased between 1.5 to 1.8 times (p <0.05) in soils with glucose and inoculated with the fungi (except F. verticillioides), in relation to soil without glucose. Amylase activity increased 1.3 to 1.5 times due to the addition of glucose in the soil. Increased amylase activity was observed in the DRL soil with glucose and inoculated with A. flavus and Penicillium sp. when compared to control.

Sacarose e nitrogênio na multiplicação in vitro de Pfaffia glomerata ( Spreng. ) Pedersen / Sucrose and nitrogen on in vitro multiplication of Pffafia glomerata ( Spreng. ) Pedersen

Pfaffia glomerata (Spreng.) Pedersen, conhecida como ginseng brasileiro, é uma planta extensivamente usada na medicina popular em decorrência de possuir propriedades fitoterápicas. Este trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a melhor combinação de concentração da sacarose (30, 45 e 60g L-1) e do nitrogênio (50, 75, 100 e 125 por cento da concentração padrão do meio MS) para a multiplicação in vitro de P. glomerata. Aos 30 dias de cultivo, verificou-se que concentrações entre 40 e 45g L-1 de sacarose e 50 por cento de N propiciaram maior crescimento em altura e número de segmentos nodais por plântula. O número de brotações foi maior na concentração de 55g L-1 de sacarose combinada com 70 por cento de N. A matéria seca de raízes, da parte aérea e do total da plântula foi maior na concentração de 45g L-1 de sacarose associada com 50 por cento de N. No geral, a redução da concentração de N para 50 por cento daquela padrão do meio MS, associada a um incremento na dose de sacarose para 45g L-1, favorece o crescimento em altura, número de segmentos nodais e brotações, bem como a produção de biomassa de P. glomerata cultivada in vitro, devido ao estímulo ao uso do carbono.

Purification and general properties of L-fucose dehydrogenase from Pullularia pullalans

An inducible L-fucose dehydrogenase from the yeast-like fungus Pullularia pullulans was purified and studied. The enzyme catalyses the oxidation of L-fucose to L-fuconic acid possibly throught its unstable L-funcono-lactone. the enzyme was purified to hemogeneity by a sequence of protamine sulfate treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. This sequence resulted in an 87 fold purification. The apparent molecular weight determined by gel filtration and SDS polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis was 40 000. the dehydrogenase was NAD-especific and showed a high sugar substrate specificity. Of several D-and L-aldoses tested only L-fucose, L-galactose and-arabinose served as substrates. The maximum velocity for the reaction was at 33- and pH 10.5. Under these conditions, the Km values, and D-arabinose, respectively. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by thiol reagents, heavy metal ions, and was not particularly stable. At 4- it rapidly los activity, but remained active for two months when maintained at -20-. The enzyme has been used to quantativate L-fucose

Identificación y tipificación de Neisseria gonnorrhoeae por coaglutinación / Identification and typing of Neisseria gonorrhoeae coagglutination

En este estudio se comparó la técnica de la coaglutinación empleando un reactivo comercial (Phadebact Gonococcus Test) con la prueba de oxidación de carbohidratos para la identificación de N. gonorrhoeae. De un total de 148 cepas aisladas en medio de Thayer-Martin o gelosa chocolate, 145 se identificaron como N. gonorrhoeae, al haber cumplido con las siguientes características: ser diplococos gramnegativos, oxidasa positivos y capaces de oxidar solamente a la glucosa. Del total de gonococos se obtuvieron 143 cepas con resultado positivo para el reactivo de coaglutinación, es decir, 98.6% de concordancia. En las tres cepas identificadas bioquímicamente como N. meningitidis se obtuvieron resultados negativos. Al realizar la coaglutinación con anticuerpos monoclonales (Phadebact Monoclonal GC Test), 59 de las cepas se identificaron como pertenecientes al serogrupo WI y las 84 restantes, al serogrupo WII/III. Así, la coaglutinación constituye una prueba rápida, fácil de realizar y de alta especificidad, y una posible alternativa para la identificación del gonococo, en lugar de la prueba tradicional de oxidación de azúcares