Revision of the South American species of Neralsia (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) with the description of eight new species.

Neralsia is a genus of Figitid hymenopterans present in both the Neartic and the Neotropical regions. In this work, material from several museums (including all types of the South American species of Neralsia) was analyzed with light and electron microscopy. The South American species are studied as a whole, reviewing 26 previously cited species and describing eight new species. A key for their identification is included and the characters to differentiate species here considered are illustrated.

[Vitamin E as protective agent against hemolysis in leprosy patients under dapsone treatment]. / Vitamina E como agente protector de hemólisis en pacientes de lepra tratados con dapsona.

Dapsone (4,4'diaminodiphenyl-sulphone) commonly used in the treatment of patients who suffer from leprosy, is a strongly oxidative drug, producing damage to the red cell membrane. This study investigated whether Vitamin E would have a protective effect on the red cell membrane from oxidant damage caused by Dapsone in patients with leprosy. We have studied 16 patients for 4 months, divided into two groups. Group 1 (n = 7) dapsone (DDS): 100 mg/day; Group 2 (n = 9) dapsone: 100 mg/day in addition with Vitamin E: 800 U/day. We did not include patients with low levels of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) because of their sensibility to this drug. At the beginning of the treatment we determined the level of G-6-PD. All patients showed a normocytic normochromic anemia with a decrease in Haptoglobine levels (below 5 mg/dl). Statistical analyses showed that reticulocyte counts did not present significant differences between groups all through evolution. As for methemoglobin (Hi) we observed in Group 1 an increase between the first and the fourth month, which was not seen in group 2. Statistical analyses of the results suggest that oral Vitamin E confers partial protective effect and does not correct the hemolysis parameters produced by Dapsone treatment except for Hi levels which were more sensitive to the oxidant damage.

[Red cell distribution width (RDW): its use in the characterization of microcytic and hypochromic anemias]. / Indice de distribución de glóbulos rojos (RDW): su aplicación en la caracterización de anemias microcíticas e hipocrómicas.

With the widespread use of cell counters we have now acquired new red cell indices complementary of the old ones, like the HDW and RDW (Red Cell Distribution Width) which detect the heterogeneity of red cell size and anisocytosis in the blood smear. We studied 90 patients with the following results. 1) in the control group of healthy volunteers (n = 50) RDW results were (mean +/- ES) 13.90 +/- 0.10% and MCV (mean +/- ES) 90 +/- 5 fl; 2) the iron deficiency patients (IDA) (n = 20) gave a MCV of (mean +/- ES) 68.60 +/- 1.77 fl., and RDW (mean +/- ES) 20.20 +/- 1.21%; 3) the beta-thalassemic patients (n = 20) had an MCV of (mean +/- ES) 66.45 +/- 1.95 fl, and RDW (mean +/- ES) 17.08 +/- 0.40%. We compared the results of MCV between IDA and thalassemics and against the control group with the following results: control vs IDA and control vs thalassemic with significant differences with p < 0.01, and no significant difference when we compared IDA vs thalassemics. Then we compared the results of RDW between IDA and thalassemics and against the control group with the following results: control vs IDA and control vs thalassemic with significant differences with p < 0.001 and with significant differences when we compared IDA vs thalassemics p < 0.001. The statistical results were obtained with the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results show that RDW is a more sensitive indicator than MCV to establish the possible origin of microcytic hypochromic anemias and that both should be used together in early diagnosis.

Bone marrow fibroblastic progenitors in patients with advanced breast cancer.

Bone marrow fibroblast colony-forming cells (CFU-F) were studied in fifteen consecutive untreated breast cancer patients (BCP) with clinical stages III and IV, and in sixteen normal controls (NC). A decreased number of CFU-F was observed in BCP compared to NC (p < 0.004). Confluence of the adherent cell layer was observed in all normal bone marrow mononuclear cells (MC) cultures, while a lower proportion of cultures from BCP (11/15) showed confluent adherent cell layers. When MC cultures of BCP were treated with indomethacin (Indo, 10(-6)M) 50% of them increased the number of CFU-F compared to the value obtained without treatment. In addition, a significant increase in the release of PGE2 in BCP cultures was observed before Indo treatment. Moreover, after MC were fractionated into adherent and non-adherent progenitors, the CFU-F decreased in both types of fractions of BCP compared to NC value (p < 0.02 and < 0.05, respectively). The number of light density MC per 10 ml of bone marrow aspirate and the number of trypsin-sensitive adherent progenitors were lower than NC in BCP (p < 0.02 and 0.013, respectively). Total MC and fibroblasts (fourth passage) were cultivated to evaluate the production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) by ELISA methodology. Results indicated no difference of IL 1 beta spontaneous release when total MC cultures of both groups were compared. However, the levels of this cytokine were lower (< 10 pg/ml) in fibroblast culture supernatants of BCP compared to NC (1,217 +/- 74 pg/ml). Fibroblast cultures from BCP showed low or no release of IL-1 beta after muramyl-dipeptide (MDP. 1 microgram/ml) stimulation. In conclusion, the defective proliferative and confluence capacity of BCP fibroblastic progenitors may be related to the decrease in the production of IL-1 beta by these precursors.

Fibroblastic colony-forming units and levels of tumor necrosis factor and prostaglandin E2 in bone marrow cultures from patients with advanced lung carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Although alterations of the bone marrow (BM) fibroblast colony-forming cells are involved in the development of diverse hematologic disorders, these progenitors still have not been well characterized in patients with solid tumors. METHODS: The incidence of fibroblast colony-forming units (CFU-F) was evaluated in the cultures of unseparated and fractionated light density BM mononuclear cells (MC) from 25 consecutive untreated lung carcinoma patients (LCP) and 16 normal controls (NC). Unseparated MC also were cultured in the presence of indomethacin (10[-6] M). Finally, the authors evaluated the spontaneous production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in culture conditioned mediums of unseparated MC by radioimmunoassay and enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay methodology, respectively. RESULTS: A decreased number of CFU-F was observed in unseparated and fractionated (adherent and nonadherent) light density MC cultures from LCP compared with NC. When unseparated MC of LCP were treated with indomethacin, a slightly increase in the number of CFU-F was found. Adherent MC (stromal cells) achieved confluence only in 44% of LCP primary cultures compared with 100% of NC. Overproduction of PGE2 and TNF-alpha was found in the conditioned mediums of LCP compared with the mean values obtained in NC (P < 0.05 and P < 0.02, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The lack of confluence and suppression of CFU-F in BM of LCP may be related to the increase production of PGE2 and TNF-alpha. Future investigation will allow the determination of how these modifications influence tumor cell growth and will prove if more alterations of the hematopoietic microenvironment imply a worse prognosis.

Revision of the South American species of Neralsia (Hymenoptera: Figitidae) with the description of eight new species

Neralsia is a genus of Figitid hymenopterans present in both the Neartic and the Neotropical regions. In this work, material from several museums (including all types of the South American species of Neralsia) was analyzed with light and electron microscopy. The South American species are studied as a whole, reviewing 26 previously cited species and describing eight new species. A key for their identification is included and the characters to differentiate species here considered are illustrated. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2): 795-828. Epub 2008 June 30.

Neralsia es un género de himenópteros de distribución americana, presente tanto en la región Neártica como en la Neotropical. En este trabajo se estudian, usando microscopia de luz y electrónica, las especies sudamericanas en su conjunto, 26 anteriormente citadas y ocho especies nuevas, que se describen aquí formalmente. Se presenta, además, una clave para su identificación; y se ilustran los caracteres que permiten definir las especies consideradas en este estudio.