Method-Dependent Epidemiological Cutoff Values for Detection of Triazole Resistance in Candida and Aspergillus Species for the Sensititre YeastOne Colorimetric Broth and Etest Agar Diffusion Methods.

Although the Sensititre Yeast-One (SYO) and Etest methods are widely utilized, interpretive criteria are not available for triazole susceptibility testing of Candida or Aspergillus species. We collected fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole SYO and Etest MICs from 39 laboratories representing all continents for (method/agent-dependent) 11,171 Candida albicans, 215 C. dubliniensis, 4,418 C. glabrata species complex, 157 C.guilliermondii (Meyerozyma guilliermondii), 676 C. krusei (Pichia kudriavzevii), 298 C.lusitaniae (Clavispora lusitaniae), 911 C.parapsilosissensu stricto, 3,691 C.parapsilosis species complex, 36 C.metapsilosis, 110 C.orthopsilosis, 1,854 C.tropicalis, 244 Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 1,409 Aspergillus fumigatus, 389 A.flavus, 130 A.nidulans, 233 A.niger, and 302 A.terreus complex isolates. SYO/Etest MICs for 282 confirmed non-wild-type (non-WT) isolates were included: ERG11 (C. albicans), ERG11 and MRR1 (C. parapsilosis), cyp51A (A. fumigatus), and CDR2 and CDR1 overexpression (C. albicans and C. glabrata, respectively). Interlaboratory modal agreement was superior by SYO for yeast species and by the Etest for Aspergillus spp. Distributions fulfilling CLSI criteria for epidemiological cutoff value (ECV) definition were pooled, and we proposed SYO ECVs for S. cerevisiae and 9 yeast and 3 Aspergillus species and Etest ECVs for 5 yeast and 4 Aspergillus species. The posaconazole SYO ECV of 0.06 µg/ml for C. albicans and the Etest itraconazole ECV of 2 µg/ml for A. fumigatus were the best predictors of non-WT isolates. These findings support the need for method-dependent ECVs, as, overall, the SYO appears to perform better for susceptibility testing of yeast species and the Etest appears to perform better for susceptibility testing of Aspergillus spp. Further evaluations should be conducted with more Candida mutants.

Adenoviral transfer of human aquaporin-1 gene to rat liver improves bile flow in estrogen-induced cholestasis.

Estrogens can cause liver cholestatic disease. As downregulation of hepatocyte canalicular aquaporin-8 (AQP8) water channels has been involved in estrogen-induced bile secretory failure, we tested whether the archetypal water channel AQP1 improves 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE)-induced cholestasis. EE administration to rats reduced bile flow by 50%. A recombinant adenoviral (Ad) vector encoding human AQP1 (hAQP1), AdhAQP1, or a control vector was administered by retrograde bile ductal infusion. Hepatocyte canalicular hAQP1 expression was confirmed by liver immunostaining and immunoblotting in purified membrane fractions. Accordingly, canalicular osmotic water permeability was markedly increased. Bile flow, either basal or bile salt-stimulated was significantly augmented by over 50%. The choleretic efficiency of endogenous bile salts (that is, volume of bile per µmol of excreted bile salt) was significantly increased by 45% without changes in the biliary bile salt composition. Our data suggest that the adenoviral transfer of hAQP1 gene to the livers of EE-induced cholestatic rats improves bile flow by enhancing the AQP-mediated bile salt-induced canalicular water secretion. This novel finding might have potential therapeutic implications for cholestatic diseases.

Genetic variants in a lipid regulatory pathway as potential tools for improving the nutritional quality of grass-fed beef.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of genetic variants on candidate genes corresponding to the sterol recognition element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) signaling pathway and stearoyl-CoA desaturases (SCD1 and SCD5) on muscle fatty acid (FA) composition of Brangus steers fattened on grass. FA profiles were measured on Longissimus lumborum muscle samples using a gas chromatography-flame ionization detection technique. A total of 43 tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms on the SCD1, SCD5, SREBP-1, SCAP, INSIG1, INSIG2, MBTPS1, MBTPS2, and SRPR genes were genotyped on 246 steers to perform a marker-trait association study. To evaluate the influence of the Indicine breed in the composite breed, additional groups of 48 Angus, 18 Hereford, 75 Hereford x Angus, and 36 Limousin x Hereford-Angus steers were also genotyped. To perform the association analysis, FA data were grouped according to the number of carbon atoms and/or number of double bonds (i.e. SFA, MUFA, PUFA, etc.). In addition, different indexes that reflect the activity of FA desaturase and elongase enzymes were calculated. SCD1 markers significantly affected C14:1/(C14:0 + C14:1) and C18:1/(C18:0 + C18:1) indexes, whereas one SNP in SCD5 was correlated with the C16:1/(C16:0 + C16:1) index. Polymorphisms in the signal recognition particle receptor (SRPR) gene were associated with all the estimated desaturase indexes. Because the evaluated markers showed no effect on total lipid content of beef, this work supports the potential utilization of these markers for the improvement of grass-fed beef without undesirable side effects.

[Survival of out-hospital cardiac arrests attended by a mobile intensive care unit in Asturias (Spain) in 2010]. / Supervivencia de las paradas cardiacas extrahospitalarias atendidas por una unidad de vigilancia intensiva móvil de Asturias en 2010.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate attendance timings, out- and in-hospital characteristics, and survival of cardiac arrests attended by an advanced life support unit in Asturias (Spain) in 2010. Factors related to survival upon admission and at discharge were also analyzed. DESIGN: A retrospective, observational trial was carried out involving a cohort of out-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occurring between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2010, with one year of follow-up from OHCA. SETTING: Health Care Area IV of the Principality of Asturias, with a population of 342,020 in 2010. PATIENTS: All patients with OHCA and attended by an advanced life support unit were considered. MAIN VARIABLES: Demographic data, the etiology of cardiac arrest, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), attendance timings and survival upon admission, at discharge and after one year. RESULTS: A total of 177 OHCA were included. Of these, 120 underwent CPR by the advanced life support team. Sixty-six of these cases (55%) were caused by presumed heart disease. A total of 63 patients (52.5%) recovered spontaneous circulation, and 51 (42.5%) maintained circulation upon admission to hospital. Thirteen patients (10.8%) were discharged alive. After one year, 11 patients were still alive (9.2%) - 9 of them (7.5%) with a Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score of 1. Ventricular fibrillation and short attendance timings were related to increased survival. CONCLUSIONS: The survival rate upon admission was better than in other series and similar at discharge. Initial rhythm and attendance timings were related. Public automated external defibrillators (AED) were not used, and bystander CPR was infrequent.

Theoretical study of the structure of self-assembled monolayers of short alkylthiolates on Au(111) and Ag(111): the role of induced substrate reconstruction and chain-chain interactions.

We compare the stability of various structures of high coverage self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of short alkylthiolates, S(CH(2))(n-1)CH(3) (= C(n)), on Ag(111) and Au(111). We employ: (i) the ab initio thermodynamics approach based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, to compare the stability of SAMs of C(1) (with coverages Θ = 3/7 and 1/3) on both substrates, and (ii) a set of pairwise interatomic potentials derived from second-order Møller-Plesset (MP2) perturbation theory calculations, to estimate the role of chain-chain (Ch-Ch) interactions in the structure and stability of SAMs of longer chain alkylthiolates. For C(1)/Ag(111) (C(1)/Au(111)) the SAM with Θ = 3/7 is more (less) stable than for Θ = 1/3 in a wide range of temperatures and pressures in line with experiments. In addition, for the molecular densities of SAMs corresponding to Θ = 3/7 and 1/3, the MP2-based Ch-Ch interaction potential also predicts the different chain orientations observed experimentally in SAMs of alkylthiolates on Ag(111) and Au(111). Thus, for short length alkylthiolates, a simple model based on first principles calculations that separately accounts for molecule-surface (M-S) and Ch-Ch interactions succeeds in predicting the main structural differences between the full coverage SAMs usually observed experimentally on Ag(111) and Au(111).

Genetic markers of body composition and carcass quality in grazing Brangus steers.

The somatotropic axis is a major regulatory pathway of energy metabolism during postnatal growth in mammals. Genes involved in this pathway influence many economically important traits. The association of selected SNPs in these genes with carcass traits was examined in grazing Brangus steers. These traits included final live weight, ultrasound backfat thickness (UBFT), rib-eye area, kidney fat weight, hot carcass weight, and intramuscular fat percentage (%IMF). Genomic DNA (N = 246) was genotyped for a panel of 15 tag SNPs located in the growth hormone receptor (GHR), insulin-like growth factor I, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 6, pro-melanin-concentrating hormone, suppressor of cytokine signaling 2, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6) genes. Allelic and haplotype frequencies were compared with those of a sample of European breeds (N = 177 steers). Two tag SNPs in the GHR affected %IMF; one of them (ss86273136) was also strongly associated with UBFT (P < 0.003). The frequency of the most favorable GHR haplotype for %IMF was lower in Brangus steers. Moreover, the haplotype carrying two unfavorable alleles was present at a frequency of 31% in this group. Four tag SNPs on STAT6 had a significant effect on UBFT. One of these, SNP ss115492467, was also associated with %IMF. The STAT6 haplotype, including all the alleles favoring UBFT, was the most abundant variant (34%) in the European cattle, while it had a frequency of 14% in the Brangus steers. The four less favorable variants (absent in the European cattle) were found at a frequency of 38% in the Brangus steers. These results support the association of GHR and STAT6 SNP with carcass traits in composite breeds, such as Brangus, under grazing conditions.

Necrotizing fasciitis and myositis caused by streptococcal flesh-eating bacteria.

Three types of group A streptococcal infections are particularly feared: necrotizing fasciitis, myositis, and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (TSS). We present 3 cases of necrotizing fasciitis due to Streptococcus pyogenes, one in an immunocompromised patient who had received kidney transplant and 2 healthy patients. Mean age of patients was 52 years (range, 42-67 years), and all 3 were male. One spontaneous case in absence of any obvious portal of entry is reported. The clinical course was initially indolent but quickly destructive. All patients required emergency surgical debridement and intravenous antibiotics. In 2 cases, intravenous immunoglobulin therapy was added. Differential diagnoses include septic arthritis, cellulitis, gout, other causes of tenosynovitis, erysipelas, and deep vein thrombosis.Blood and soft-tissue cultures should be obtained to identify the bacteria, and emergency computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan should be performed to confirm the diagnosis and define the extension of the necrosis. Aggressive surgical debridement in the first 24 to 48 hours and antibiotic treatment, including penicillin and clindamycin, are the cornerstones in the management of these infections. Adjuvant intravenous immunoglobulin therapy might be useful in case of TSS. Diagnostic and treatment delays are the main causes of mortality in these infections.

[Aorto-esophageal fistula due to ingestion of button battery]. / Fistula aorto-esofágica por ingestión de batería de botón.

INTRODUCTION: Foreign body ingestion is frequently encountered in young children. In the majority of cases it will not lead to an adverse outcome. However, in case of coin battery ingestion more serious adverse outcomes, including death, have been reported. CASE REPORT: The authors report a patient in whom fatal aortoesophageal fistula developed after impaction of a button battery. DISCUSSION: Once of aortoesophageal fistula occurs, it presents with typical large-herald upper gastrointestinal bleeding and cardiovascular collapse. CONCLUSIONS: This complication is frequently a lethal event.

Effectiveness of ustekinumab in patients with psoriatic arthritis in a real-world, multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness and survival of ustekinumab (UST) among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) treated under routine clinical care. METHODS: Multicenter study. Epidemiological and clinical data was collected through electronic medical records of all patients with PsA who started UST in 15 hospitals of Spain. RESULTS: Two hundred and one patients were included, 130 (64.7%) with 45 mg and 71 (35.3%) with 90 mg. One hundred and thirty one patients (65.2%) had previously received another biological therapy. The median baseline DAS 28 ESR was 3.99, and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) was 3. Overall, there was a significant decrease in DAS66/68 CRP, swollen joint count (SJC), tender joint count (TJC), and PASI in the first month of treatment, with earlier improvement in skin (PASI) than joints outcomes. Survival was numerically lower in patients with UST 45 mg (58.1%) than 90 mg (76.1%), although significant differences were not found (p = 0.147). When comparing naïve and < 1 TNF blocker versus > 2 TNF blocker-experienced patients, a significantly earlier response was seen in the former group regarding SJC (p = 0.029) at 1 month. Fifty-one patients (25.3%) stopped UST due to joint inefficacy and 4 patients due to adverse events (1.9%). Drug survival was significantly better in patients with fewer lines of previous biological agents (p = 0.003 for < 1 TNF blocker versus > 2 TNF blocker users). CONCLUSIONS: UST was effective in PsA patients in a routine clinical care setting. Patients with UST 90 mg and fewer lines of previous biologics achieved better and faster responses. Key Points • Largest cohort of patients with PsA in treatment with UST with specific rheumatological indication. • First cohort of patients with PsA comparing effectiveness of UST according to 45/90 mg dose.

Association of a novel polymorphism in the bovine PPARGC1A gene with growth, slaughter and meat quality traits in Brangus steers.

The PPARGC1A gene (peroxysome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1alpha gene) controls muscle fiber type and brown adipocyte differentiation; therefore, it is a candidate gene for beef quality traits (tenderness and fat content). Two SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) were identified within exon 8 by multiple alignment of DNA sequences obtained from 24 bulls: a transition G/A (SNP 1181) and a transversion A/T (SNP 1299). The SNP 1181 is a novel SNP, corresponding to a non-conservative substitution (AGT/AAT) that could be the cause of amino acid substitution ((364)Serine/(364)Asparagine). A Mismatch PCR method was designed to determine genotypes of 73 bulls and 268 steers for SNP 1181. Growth, slaughter and meat quality information were available for the group of steers. Allele A of SNP 1181 was not found in Angus. In 243 steers, no significant differences (P > 0.05) were found for either final live body weight, gain in backfat thickness in Spring, kidney fat weight, kidney fat percentage, Warner-Bratzler shear force at 7 days postmortem, intramuscular fat percentage or meat colour between genotype GG and AG. This SNP could be included in breed composition and population admixture analyses because there are marked differences in allelic frequencies between Bos taurus and Bos indicus breeds.

Effect of leptin gene polymorphisms on growth, slaughter and meat quality traits of grazing Brangus steers.

Leptin is a hormone that affects the regulation of feed intake, energy balance and body composition in mammals. Several polymorphisms in the bovine leptin gene have been associated with phenotypic variance of these traits. We evaluated two known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the leptin gene of 253 grazing Brangus steers. Brangus is a 5/8 Angus-3/8 Brahman composite. Data were collected during two consecutive growth/fattening cycles from two farms in southeast Buenos Aires province, Argentina. One of the markers is in the promoter region of the gene (SNP1) and the other is a non-synonymous polymorphism in exon 2 (SNP2). The traits that we evaluated were live weight gain in the spring, gain in backfat thickness in the spring, final live weight, final ultrasound backfat thickness, final ultrasound rib eye area, carcass weight and length, carcass yield, kidney fat, kidney fat percentage, backfat thickness, rib eye area, and intramuscular fat percentage. Both markers affected some meat traits; though the only significant associations were of SNP1 with ultrasound rib eye area and of SNP2 with carcass yield and backfat thickness. Under the same conditions as in the present study, leptin markers could be of help only as part of a larger genotyping panel including other relevant genes.

[Ingested magnetic button. A rare cause of intestinal rupture]. / Botón magnetizado ingerido. Una causa rara de perforación intestinal.

Indoor wounds in infants probably represent widest range of minor lesions. However, there are casualties as consequence of falls, burns and ingestion of foreign bodies. Intestinal rupture due to ingested magnetic device is a very unusual event. We report the case of a four-month old female patient with this complication is presented. During first laparotomy intestinal rupture and magnetic buttons of cellular telephone as causal agent was found. Three days after operation, she required a second look due to cecum rupture. Primary reparation was performed. In order to demonstrate a pathogenic hypothesis, the bottom was put in a porcine bowel segment surrounding for a metallic jail, resulting in bowel rupture. We concluded that the ingested magnetic devices can produce intestinal rupture.

Combined surgery and embolization to treat ruptured cerebral aneurysms with cerebral hematoma and intracranial hypertension: a retrospective analysis and review of the literature. / Tratamiento combinado, mediante embolización y cirugía, de los aneurismas cerebrales rotos con hematoma cerebral e hipertensión intracraneal: Análisis retrospectivo y revisión de la bibliografía.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the urgent embolization of a cerebral aneurysms and posterior surgery on cerebral hematomas is safe and efficacious in patients with hematomas and signs of intracranial hypertension due to the rupture of cerebral aneurysms. METHODS: We included 23 consecutive patients in poor clinical condition due to an intracranial hematoma caused by a ruptured cerebral aneurysm who were treated with both embolization and surgery within 4hours of the onset of symptoms. All patients had clinical signs of intracranial hypertension and / or altered levels of consciousness, including coma due to rostrocaudal deterioration. We evaluated the efficacy of the combined technique by determining the degree of closure of the aneurysms and the patients' prognosis one month after the procedures; we evaluated safety by analyzing the complications of the treatments. RESULTS: All but two of the patients (21/23; 91.3%) had an aneurysm of the middle cerebral artery. All patients scored 4 on the Fisher scale and were classified as Hunt and Hess IV or V. The mean time from the identification of the aneurysm on computed tomography to embolization was 115minutes. A balloon remodeling technique was used in 18 (78%) patients; embolization achieved adequate closure in 19 (82.6%) patients. During surgery, a ventricular drain was placed in 9 (39.1%) patients. One month after treatment, 13 (56.5%) patients were functionally independent and 3 (13%) had died. No episodes of rebleeding were observed. CONCLUSION: In our experience, combined treatment including embolization of the aneurysm and surgical decompression with evacuation of the hematoma is a safe and effective alternative to surgical treatment alone.

Model of dissolution in the framework of tissue engineering and drug delivery.

Dissolution phenomena are ubiquitously present in biomaterials in many different fields. Despite the advantages of simulation-based design of biomaterials in medical applications, additional efforts are needed to derive reliable models which describe the process of dissolution. A phenomenologically based model, available for simulation of dissolution in biomaterials, is introduced in this paper. The model turns into a set of reaction-diffusion equations implemented in a finite element numerical framework. First, a parametric analysis is conducted in order to explore the role of model parameters on the overall dissolution process. Then, the model is calibrated and validated versus a straightforward but rigorous experimental setup. Results show that the mathematical model macroscopically reproduces the main physicochemical phenomena that take place in the tests, corroborating its usefulness for design of biomaterials in the tissue engineering and drug delivery research areas.

Results and functional outcomes of acute ischemic stroke patients who underwent mechanical thrombectomy admitted to intensive care unit. / Resultados y evolución funcional de pacientes críticos con ictus isquémico sometidos a trombectomía mecánica.

PURPOSE: To study the results and complications of endovascular treatment (EVT) in acute ischemic stroke patients admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU). To analyse the possible factors related to mortality and level of disability at ICU discharge and one year after stroke. DESIGN: Observational prospective study. SETTING: Mixed ICU. Third level hospital. PATIENTS: Sixty adult patients. Consecutive sample. INTERVENTIONS: None. VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Epidemiological data, time from symptom onset to EVT, angiographic result, length of stay, days on mechanical ventilation, neurological complications, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at ICU admission and discharge, modified Rankin scale score (mRS) at one year. RESULTS: Mean age 68,90±8,84years. Median time from symptom onset to EVT: 180minutes. Median NIHSS at admission: 17,5; at discharge: 3. Distal flow was achieved in 90% of cases. Median ICU stay: 3 days. Mechanical ventilation: 81,7.%. Functional independence (mRS≤2) 50% at one year. Deaths: 22 (36,6%) of which 8 (13,3%) died during UCI stay and the rest during the first year. CONCLUSIONS: The factors relating to a worse functional outcome were symptomatic hemorrhage transformation, lack of recanalization and complications during EVT. The factors relating to mortality were symptomatic hemorrhage and hydrocephalus. Distal flow was achieve in most cases with a low complication rate. Half of the patients presented functional independence one year after the stroke.

Evaluation of a real-time PCR assay for rectal screening of OXA-48-producing Enterobacteriaceae in a general intensive care unit of an endemic hospital.

Carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae are increasing worldwide. Rectal screening for these bacteria can inform the management of infected and colonized patients, especially those admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). A laboratory developed, qualitative duplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay for rapid detection of OXA-48-like and VIM producing Enterobacteriaceae, performed on rectal swabs, was designed and evaluated in an intensive care unit with endemic presence of OXA-48. During analytical assay validation, no cross-reactivity was observed and 100% sensitivity and specificity were obtained for both blaOXA-48-like and blaVIM in all spiked clinical samples. During the clinical part of the study, the global sensitivity and specificity of the real-time PCR assay for OXA-48 detection were 95.7% and 100% (P=0.1250), respectively, in comparison with culture; no VIM-producing Enterobacteriaceae were detected. Clinical features of patients in the ICU who were colonized or infected with OXA-48 producing Enterobacteriaceae, including outcome, were analyzed. Most had severe underlying conditions, and had risk factors for colonization with carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae before or during ICU admission, such as receiving previous antimicrobial therapy, prior healthcare exposure (including long-term care), chronic disease, immunosuppression and/or the presence of an intravascular catheter and/or mechanical ventilation device. The described real-time PCR assay is fast (~2-3hours, if DNA extraction is included), simple to perform and results are easy to interpret, features which make it applicable in the routine of clinical microbiology laboratories. Implementation in endemic hospitals could contribute to early detection of patients colonized by OXA-48 producing Enterobacteriaceae and prevention of their spread.

Alternatively polyadenylated calpastatin transcripts in bovine muscles / Transcriptos alternativamente poliadenilados de calpastatina en músculos de bovino

Calpastatin activity has a key role in the tenderization process that occurs during postmortem storage of meat under refrigerated conditioning. The regulation of calpastatin (CAST) expression is highly complex, the gene has four putative promoters and at least three different polyadenylation sites, and it is also alternatively spliced. We investigated the presence of alternative polyadenylation (APA) isoforms of CAST transcripts in three muscles (infraspinatus, triceps brachii and semitendinosus) of two bovine breeds (Angus and Brahman). The 3´ RACE-PCR was used to specifically amplify the different APA sites. The amplified fragments were cloned and sequenced. Sequencing confirmed the existence of three expected polyadenylation sites corresponding to short, medium and long polyadenylated transcripts. Also, transcripts with a novel APA site were found in the three muscles of both breeds. Because the same APAs isoforms were found between muscles and breeds, we could hypothesize a possible contribution to the relative abundance of different isoforms, probably in coordination with promoter preference and alternative splicing. This knowledge would be useful in the design of future experiments to analyze differential expression of CAST isoforms and their contribution to the definition of beef tenderness.

La actividad de la calpastatina tiene un rol clave en el proceso de tiernización postmortem de la carne durante su almacenamiento refrigerado. La regulación de la expresión de calpastatina (CAST) es altamente compleja; el gen tiene cuatro potenciales promotores, diferentes sitios de poliadenilación de transcriptos y también splicing alternativo. En este trabajo se investiga la presencia de isoformas de transcriptos de CAST alternativamente poliadenilados (APA) en tres músculos (infraspinatus, triceps brachii y semitendinosus) de dos razas bovinas (Angus y Brahman). Se utilizó la técnica de 3´ RACE-PCR para amplificar específicamente los diferentes sitios APA. Los fragmentos amplificados fueron clonados y secuenciados. La secuenciación confirmó la existencia de tres sitios de poliadenilación conocidos. Un nuevo sitio APA fue identificado en transcriptos de los tres músculos y en ambas razas. Dado que cualitativamente no hubo variación en la presencia de isoformas definidas por APA entre músculos y razas de terneza contrastante, podría hipotetizarse una posible contribución a la abundancia relativa de distintas isoformas, probablemente en forma coordinada con la elección de promotores y el splicing alternativo. Este nuevo conocimiento podría ser de utilidad para el diseño de experimentos de análisis de expresión diferencial de isoformas de calpastatina, para ponderar la contribución de las mismas a las variaciones en terneza de la carne.

[The Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and intestinal invagination]. / El síndrome de Peutz-Jeghers e invaginación intestinal.

Peutz-Jeghers syndrome is a autosomal dominant disorder characterized by hamartomatous polyposis of the gastrointestinal tract and mucocutaneous melanin pigmentation. This condition can occur and cause symptoms at any age, but intestinal obstruction due to intussusception is a frequent complication. Two cases of this syndrome associated to intussusception are reported. Both patients were girls, 2 and 8 years old respectively and underwent surgical treatment.

[Histopathological correlation of biopsy of the endometrium between Novak's catheter and curettage]. / Correlación histopatológica de la biopsia de endometrio entre cánula de Novak y legrado biopsia.

It was accomplished a longitudinal retrospective and comparative study in the General Hospital Tacuba of the ISSSTE, From 1 July 1995 to the 30 of June of 1996, in order to determine the sensibility and specificity of the diagnosis obtained by means of Novak's cannula and the curettage, comparing them with the result obtained in the hysterectomy. From 194 hysterectomies performed in that period, 69 patient were excluded remaining 125 patient. We correlated the results from both methods with the results of the histological study of the uterus gotten by hysterectomy. It was found for the biopsy taken by Novak's cannula a specificity and sensibility of the 75% and for the curettage a sensibility of 63.26% and specificity of 65.30%, being a difference not meaningful for the sensibility as for the specificity between both methods (p > 0.01). Having a smaller mistake range when were tried to proliferative o secretor endometry, not thus when existed simple hyperplasia or with atypical endometrial hyperplasia. We concluded that both methods are equally useful for the study of the endometrial pathology.