ABSTRACT
A strain of Aspergillus fumigatus isolated from soil was able to produce biomass and high amylase activities in media containing alpha-methyl-D-glucoside (alphaMG), a synthetic analogue of maltose, as the only carbon source. alphaMG was a more effective inducer than starch and maltose at the same concentration: alphaMG cultures produced about 3 times more alpha-amylase and glucoamylase activity than starch cultures. Maximum production of alpha-amylase (60 U/mg) and glucoamylase (130 U/mg) was obtained in 8-10 days alphaMG cultures.
Subject(s)
Amylases/biosynthesis , Aspergillus fumigatus/enzymology , Methylglucosides/metabolism , Aspergillus fumigatus/growth & development , Culture Media , Enzyme Induction , Glucan 1,4-alpha-Glucosidase/biosynthesis , KineticsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the utility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), serum, and urine for rapid diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis in infants 3 months of age and younger. STUDY DESIGN: We identified prospectively infants 3 months of age and younger coming to the emergency department with fever whose examination included a lumbar puncture, blood culture, or both. Samples of CSF, serum, urine, throat, and stool specimens were collected for viral culture and, with the exception of stool, for PCR assay. Those infants who had not received prior antibiotic therapy and had sterile bacterial cultures of CSF, blood, and urine were selected for the present analysis. RESULTS: A total of 259 specimens for viral culture and 203 specimens for PCR assay were collected from 64 infants. Comparison of results of PCR assay of CSF with viral culture, the gold standard for diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis, demonstrated a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 90%. Because enteroviruses are not always detectable by culture, the following modified standard was established to define enteroviral meningitis: either CSF pleocytosis, sterile bacterial cultures and detection of an enterovirus in stool culture or positive viral culture of CSF, or both. With this modified definition, the sensitivity and specificity of the PCR assay of CSF were 92% and 94%, respectively. PCR assay of serum and urine offered no benefit over PCR assay of CSF alone for diagnosis of meningitis. CONCLUSION: PCR assay of CSF is useful for the rapid and reliable diagnosis of enteroviral meningitis. Application of this technique in the clinical setting can potentially diminish unnecessary hospitalization and use of antibiotics.
Subject(s)
DNA, Viral/blood , DNA, Viral/cerebrospinal fluid , DNA, Viral/urine , Enterovirus Infections/metabolism , Enterovirus/genetics , Meningitis, Viral/metabolism , Polymerase Chain Reaction/methods , Enterovirus Infections/diagnosis , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Meningitis, Viral/diagnosis , Prospective Studies , Reproducibility of Results , Sensitivity and SpecificityABSTRACT
E apresentada a experiencia dos autores relativa a 500 culdoscopias. A anestesia preferente foi a peridural, utilizada em 82% dos casos. O exame foi realizado com as pacientes na classica posicao genupeitoral, a qual permite exposicao da pelve vista em angulo de 90 gruas e dispensa a insuflacao de qualquer gas. Em nenhum caso se procedeu a sutura do orificio deixado pela perfuracao do trocater. As principais indicacoes foram esterilidade e dor pelvica, aguda ou cronica, de causa a esclarecer. Os resultados mostraram variada patologia. Em 26,4% dos casos, os achados foram normais. Em 3,8% das oportunidades, o exame foi incompleto ou inconclusivo.Houve seis complicacoes: perfuracoes extraperitoneais do reto, as quais nao deixaram sequelas. Conclui-se que a culdoscopia, apesar de pouco conhecida, nao deixa de ser meio pratico e recomendavel, para fins diagnosticos, em qualquer servico
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Colposcopy , Genital Diseases, Female , Infertility, FemaleABSTRACT
PIP: The authors studied the effects of the use of combined pills on serum prolactin (PRL) levels. Serum PRL levels were determined by radioimmunoassay in 9 women using combined pills for at least 6 months. Each woman was sampled 6 times during the month of study. The authors conclude that combined pills increase PRL serum levels in a much higher proportion than the spontaneous incidence of hyperprolactinemia and suggest that this effect is strongly related to the length of pill use. (author's modified)^ieng
Subject(s)
Contraception , Contraceptive Agents, Female , Contraceptives, Oral, Combined , Contraceptives, Oral , Gonadotropins, Pituitary , Hormones , Prolactin , Reproductive Control Agents , Biology , Contraceptive Agents , Endocrine System , Family Planning Services , Gonadotropins , Physiology , Pituitary HormonesSubject(s)
Corpus Luteum/physiology , Endometrium/pathology , Progesterone/blood , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Infertility, Female/diagnosis , Ovulation DetectionABSTRACT
Os autores estudam os efeitos do uso de pilulas anticoncepcionais combinadas no nivel sanguineo de prolactina (PRL). Em nove mulheres usando pilulas anticoncepcionais combinadas por seis meses ou mais determinou-se a prolactinemia por radioimunoensaio, em seis amostras colhidas durante o mes do estudo. Os autores concluem que os anticoncepcionais orais combinados elevam a prolactinemia numa proporcao bem maior que a incidencia espontanea de hiperprolactinemia e sugerem que o tempo de uso e importante na producao deste efeito
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Female , Contraceptives, Oral, Combined , ProlactinABSTRACT
Em 35 pacientes da clinica de esterilidade foi colhida uma biopsia do endometrio e, no mesmo dia,foi feita uma dosagem da progesterona plasmatica pela tecnica de radioimunoensaio, com o objetivo de avaliar a funcao lutea. Compararam-se os resultados e concluiu-se que a biopsia do endometrio traz mais subsidios para o diagnostico da ovulacao e para uma avaliacao geral do orgao onde deve ocorrer a nidacao.A dosagem unica da progesterona plasmatica nao permite uma avaliacao correta da funcao lutea quando o resultado obtido fica abaixo da faixa de variacao normal, porem acima de 2 ng/ml
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Adult , Humans , Female , Endometrium , Ovary , ProgesteroneABSTRACT
Vinte e uma pacientes com hiperprolactinemia associada com galactorreia e amenorreia, anovulacao ou fase lutea curta foram tratadas com bromoergocriptina (PARLODEL, SANDOZ), um novo agente dopaminergico capaz de inibir a prolactina plasmatica, restabelecendo a funcao ovulatoria e menstrual e inibindo a lactacao inadequada. Foi conseguida inibicao da galactorreia em todas, restabelecimento da funcao ovulatoria em 20 pacientes e gravidez em 13 delas (61,9%). Das oito pacientes que nao engravidaram, cinco delas apresentavam outro fator associado de esterilidade. Sao discutidos os mecanismos de acao do medicamento, assim como a genese das sindromes hiperprolactinemicas