[An intriguing model for 5S rDNA sequences dispersion in the genome of freshwater stingray Potamotrygon motoro (Chondrichthyes: Potamotrygonidae)].

5S rDNA genes of the stingray Potamotrygon motoro were PCR replicated, purified, cloned and sequenced. Two distinct classes of segments of different sizes were obtained. The smallest, with 342 bp units, was classified as class I, and the largest, with 1900 bp units, was designated as class II. Alignment with the consensus sequences for both classes showed changes in a few bases in the 5S rDNA genes. TATA-like sequences were detected in the nontranscribed spacer (NTS) regions of class I and a microsatellite (GCT) 10 sequence was detected in the NTS region of class II. The results obtained can help to understand the molecular organization of ribosomal genes and the mechanism of gene dispersion.

Fatigue effects in daily life activities of kidney transplant recipients.

After undergoing kidney transplantation, some patients still face one symptom that continues after the dialysis sessions: fatigue (physical and mental tiredness that does not get better after resting). Fatigue effects in the everyday lives of kidney transplant patients can be beneficially modified early by changing this scenario. This is a quantitative study about the intensity and impacts of fatigue in kidney transplant patients admitted to the Hypertension and Kidney Hospital from October 2011 to March 2012. The fatigue pictogram was used to evaluate the level of fatigue interference in the daily life activities of kidney transplant patients. The sample consists of 39 patients, and was developed in 2 phases: data collection and attendance after and before the transplantation until hospital discharge. Descriptive statistical analyses were used. In the group at issue, we have noticed the following profile of the sample: 84.3% of transplantations with live donors, most were men, average age 36.5 years old, average hospitalization time 11.1 days, average time of renal failure 66.4 months, systemic arterial hypertension prevalence 66.7%, and the prevalence of at least 1.8 diseases in each individual. The self-referred causes of chronic renal failure were uncontrolled systemic arterial hypertension, glomerulonephritis, and overuse of anti-inflammatory drugs, among others. The study shows that fatigue is directly related to the level of activities of daily living, causing less ability to perform activities in the higher level of fatigue, which is in the immediate postoperative period and only settling fully on the 9th postoperative day.

Permanent genetic resources added to molecular ecology resources database 1 December 2012-31 January 2013.

This article documents the addition of 268 microsatellite marker loci to the Molecular Ecology Resources Database. Loci were developed for the following species: Alburnoides bipunctatus, Chamaerops humilis, Chlidonias hybrida, Cyperus papyrus, Fusarium graminearum, Loxigilla barbadensis, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, Odontesthes bonariensis, Pelteobagrus vachelli, Posidonia oceanica, Potamotrygon motoro, Rhamdia quelen, Sarotherodon melanotheron heudelotii, Sibiraea angustata, Takifugu rubripes, Tarentola mauritanica, Trimmatostroma sp. and Wallago attu. These loci were cross-tested on the following species: Alburnoides fasciatus, Alburnoides kubanicus, Alburnoides maculatus, Alburnoides ohridanus, Alburnoides prespensis, Alburnoides rossicus, Alburnoides strymonicus, Alburnoides thessalicus, Alburnoides tzanevi, Carassius carassius, Fusarium asiaticum, Leucaspius delineatus, Loxigilla noctis dominica, Pelecus cultratus, Phoenix canariensis, Potamotrygon falkneri, Trachycarpus fortune and Vimba vimba.

[Decrease of the risk of infection by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in patients in hemodialysis in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil]. / Diminuição do risco de infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (VIH) em pacientes em hemodiálise no Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.

The initial surveys on the seroprevalence of anti-HIV-1 antibodies (HIV-Ab) in hemodialysis units in the State of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) were done in 1985. The alarming figures around 15% were ascribed to the poor quality of blood collected from "professional donors" in exchange for food or money. Recently a concerted effort has been launched to curtail the blood trade. We decided to investigate whether these measures have produced any impact on HIV-Ab seroprevalence in two satellite units in RJ. Segumed was among the units studied in 1985. We conducted another survey in 1987 on the same patients previously studied. CS Grajaú, a new unit where most of the patients were new on dialysis, was studied in 1988. A HIV-1 ELISA was used as screening. Positive results were confirmed by Western blot. Results in Segumed showed a marked difference in seroprevalence of HIV-Ab (14.4% vs 3.6%). The two cases identified in 1987 were among the ones identified in 1985. No patient became infected between the two surveys despite the lack of isolation of HIV carriers and the increase in blood use during the period. In CS Grajaú two cases were found (2.4% prevalence) but one of them was known since 1985 when living with a transplant. A review of all similar reports from RJ area suggest a trend towards lower figures in recent years. We conclude that the chance of acquiring HIV infection is currently low in the centers studied and may be falling in RJ.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

PIP: The initial surveys on the seroprevalence of anti-HIV-1 antibodies (HIV-Ab) in hemodialysis units in the State of Rio de Janeiro (RJ) were done in 1985. The alarming figures of 15% were ascribed to the poor quality of blood collection from professional donors in exchange for food or money. Recently, a concerted effort has been made to curtail to blood trade. The authors decided to investigate whether these measures have had any impact on HIV-Ab seroprevalence in 2 satellite units in RJ. Segumed was among the units studied in 1985. The authors conducted another survey in 1987 on the same patients previously studied. CS Grajau, a new unit where most of the patients were new on dialysis, was studied in 1988. An HIV-1 ELISA was used for screening. Positive results were confirmed by Western blot. Results in Segumed showed a marked difference in seroprevalence of HIV-Ab (14.4% vs. 3.6%). The 2 cases identified in 1987 were among the ones identified in 1985. No patient became infected between the 2 surveys despite the lack of isolation of HIV carriers and the increase in blood use during the period. In CS Grajau, 2 cases were seen (2.4% prevalence), but 1 of them was known since 1985 when living with a transplant. A review of all similar reports from the RJ area suggest a trend towards lower figures in recent years. The authors conclude that the chance of acquiring HIV infection is currently low in the centers studied and may be falling in RJ. It is possible that the increased surveillance and even the closure of blood banks has resulted in an improvement of the quality of blood available for transfusion in RJ. (author's)

Sobrevida em diálise: análise do desempenho de um centro satélite (6 anos) / Survival in dialysis: analysis of the performance of a satellite center in 6 years

Foram estudados, pelo método da taxa de sobrevida acumulada, 174 pacientes que permaneceram por mais de três meses em hemodiálise num Centro Satélite da Baixada Fluminense. Apesar das baixas condiçöes sócio'culturais da populaçäo servida, o desempenho do Centro foi semelhante aos dados nacionais e internacionais. Assim, 58,62% eram brancos, 53,45% do sexo masculino e a média de idade 40,46 anos )(+ ou - 13,55%). Ao final do período de observaçäo (1980 a 1986), 47,70% persistiram em tratamento hemodialítico na Segumed, 22,42% foram transplantados, enquanto 29,89% morreram. A curva de sobrevivência para os indivíduos de baixo risco foi de 91,84% e 78% aos 12, 24 e 36 meses, respectivamente, enquanto para o grupo inteiro foi de 85,73 e 65%. O estudo de diferentes subgrupos aponta hipertensäo maligna, doenças sistêmicas, idade e raça negra como fatores determinantes de pior prognóstico

Hemodiálise prolongada / Prolonged hemodialysis

Descrevem-se alguns aspectos médicos e sócio-econômico identificados num grupo de 13 pacientes submetidos a tratamento por hemodiálise prolongada (além de cinco anos), num centro de diálise localizado em área pobre da periferia da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Assinala-se que os fatores determinantes de maior morbidade - disfunçöes cardiovasculares, osteovasculares e infecçöes - säo potencialmente contornáveis e devem merecer destaque na definiçäo de adequada política de atendimento ao urêmico crônico. Sublinham-se ainda as precárias condiçöes sócio-económicas vigentes naquela área refletidas nos aspectos sociais avaliados, o que, no entanto, näo impediu que a maioria destes pacientes se considerasse satisfeita com a vida que desfrutava

Eosinofilia em pacientes uremicos. / Eosinophilia in uremic patients

Estudam-se 3 grupos de pacientes uremicos cronicos com o objetivo de verificar a frequencia de eosinofilia, sua intensidade e a relacao com formas diversas de tratamento. O grupo 1 (G 1) constitui-se de 10 pacientes em tratamento conservador (TC); o grupo 2 (G 2), de 16 pacientes em hemodialise cronica (HD) por 15 horas semanais pelo menos por 3 meses; e o grupo 3 (G 3), por 11 pacientes em programa de dialise peritoneal (DP) ha pelo menos 3 meses, com tecnica de Deane e 40 a 60 trocas semanais A eosinofilia foi frequente na populacao estudada, sendo mais frequente (G 1 - 50%; G 2 - 25% e G 3 - 818%) e mais intensa (G 1 - 813 +/- 273; G 2 - 864 +/- 299; G 3 1.696 +/- 1.117) no grupo em DP, mesmo quando parasitose intestinal, antecedentes de alergia, infeccoes, hepatite B e drogas foram afastadas como possiveis causas de eosinofilia (G1-40%, G2-25% e G3-55,6%.Alem disso, a eosinofilia foi significativamente reduzida quando os doentes passaram de DP para HD e apresentou aumento brusco em pacientes que passou de TC para DP. Sao discutidas as possiveis razoes destes achados

Glomerulosclerose segmentar e focal: estudo de 23 casos. / Segmental and focal glomerulosclerosis: a study of 23 cases

Em 516 biopsias renais examinadas por microscopia optica, foram definidos 23 casos de glomerulosclerose segmentar e focal. O quadro clinico usual apresentou-se ora como sindrome nefrotica, ora como proteinuria assintomatica acompanhadas ou nao de hipertensao arterial ou hematuria. A evolucao da doenca variou entre progressao rapida para insufisiencia renal cronica, estabilizacao, recidiva e remissoes sucessivas ou remissoes prolongadas.Houve associacao da lesao com infeccoes das vias aereas superiores, passado de glomerulonefrite aguda, toxemia gravidica e lupus eritematoso sistemico. Com apoio na microscopia optica, a glomerulosclerose segmentar e focal nao parece estar estritamente associada ao quadro clinico, a evolucao e ao prognostico

Nefrite intersticial aguda: relato de dois casos. / Acute interstitial nephritis: report of two cases

A nefrite intersticial aguda e causa pouco reconhecida de insuficiencia renal aguda em nosso meio, conquanto suas multiplas possibilidades etiologicas sugiram incidencia mais marcante.Sao apresentados dois casos de insuficiencia renal aguda com evolucao favoravel, superponivel a usualmente observada na necrose tubular aguda, cujas biopsias renais revelaram comprometimento predominante do intersticio. O primeiro caso foi consequente a erisipela, enquanto o segundo ocorreu em menina com fortes antecedentes alergicos e em uso de carbamazepina

Insuficiencia coronariana em hemodialisados: estudo dos fatores de risco. / Coronary insufficiency in hemodyalized patients: risk factors study

Com o objetivo de avaliar a prevalencia da insuficiencia coronariana em pacientes mantidos em hemodialise periodica e possiveis fatores de risco, foram estudados 54 individuos divididos em grupo de casos e controles, pareados segundo faixa etaria, sexo e cor. Foram consideradas alteracoes clinicas, laboratoriais e eletrocardiograficas, concluindo-se que a insuficiencia coronariana era mais frequente nos hemodialisados e a hipertensao arterial, o fator de risco possivelmente mais associado