Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A literature review / Terapia Cognitiva Basada en Mindfulness y Reducción del Estrés Basada en Mindfulness en el tratamiento del Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (TEPT): Una revisión de literatura

Abstract Background Previous reviews have concluded that whilst mindfulness-based interventions reduce PTSD symptoms through fear extinction and cognitive restructuring, further research is needed. Objective The aim of this report is to systematically review existing literature about the association between standardized mindfulness-based interventions and PTSD with the aim of identifying implications for practice and recommendations for future research. Method The CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, Medline, and PsycArticles databases were searched, looking for full-text articles from 2018 up to march 2022. Results There was a significant improvement in PTSD symptoms in MBCT participants, even if some experienced a high increase at baseline. MBSR participants with moderate to severe trauma symptoms showed a greater reduction in symptoms whereas mild trauma symptoms at baseline showed slightly higher symptomatology at the end of treatment. Discussion and conclusion From the results, MBCT, MBSR, and their variations seem to tackle different domains of the diagnosis. Whilst MBSR is associated with improvements in terms of attentional difficulties, MBCT facilitates the connection between dysfunctional cognitive concepts and avoidant behaviours that maintain the symptomatology. Nevertheless, the active components of MBCT or MBSR that have an impact on symptom reduction are undetermined. Future studies will be enhanced by monitoring the change in underlying mechanisms attached to the practice of mindfulness through outcome measurements, among other considerations.

Resumen Antecedentes Las revisiones anteriores han concluido que las intervenciones basadas en la atención plena reducen los síntomas del TEPT a través de la extinción del miedo y la reestructuración cognitiva, aunque se requiere mayor evidencia. Objetivo Revisar sistemáticamente la literatura existente sobre la asociación entre las intervenciones estandarizadas basadas en mindfulness y el TEPT con el objetivo de identificar implicaciones para la práctica y recomendaciones para futuras investigaciones. Método Se realizaron búsquedas en las bases de datos CINAHL Complete, PsycINFO, Medline y PsycArticles de textos completos desde 2018 hasta marzo de 2022. Resultados Hubo una mejora significativa en los síntomas de TEPT en los participantes de MBCT, incluso si algunos experimentaron un gran aumento al inicio. Los participantes de MBSR con síntomas de trauma moderado a severo mostraron una mayor reducción de los síntomas, mientras que los síntomas de trauma leve al inicio mostraron una sintomatología ligeramente más alta al final del tratamiento. Discusión y conclusión A partir de los resultados, MBCT, MBSR y sus variaciones parecen abordar diferentes dominios del diagnóstico. Mientras que MBSR se asocia con mejoras en términos de dificultades atencionales, MBCT facilita la conexión entre conceptos cognitivos disfuncionales y conductas de evitación que mantienen la sintomatología. Sin embargo, los componentes activos de MBCT o MBSR que tienen un impacto en la reducción de los síntomas son indeterminados. Los estudios futuros se mejorarán al monitorear el cambio en los mecanismos subyacentes asociados a la práctica de la atención plena a través de mediciones de resultados, entre otras consideraciones.

High-Flux versus High-Retention-Onset Membranes: In vivo Small and Middle Molecules Kinetics in Convective Dialysis Modalities.

BACKGROUND: Patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (HD) exhibit increased levels of uremic toxins, which are associated with poor outcomes. Recently, new dialysis membranes have allowed clearance of solutes with higher molecular weight, without significant albumin losses high-retention-onset-HD (HRO-HD). METHODS: Prospective crossover trial, in which 16 prevalent patients switched from high-flux HD (HF-HD) to online hemodiafiltration (olHDF) and HRO-HD for 4 weeks. The following variables were evaluated: pre- and post-dialysis serum concentrations of albumin, urea, phosphate (P), beta-2 microglobulin (ß2M), and total mass (TM) extraction and dialyzer clearance of urea, P, and ß2M. RESULTS: Comparing HF-HD, olHDF, and HRO-HD, respectively, there were no differences regarding pre-dialysis serum concentrations of albumin (3.94 ± 0.36, 4.06 ± 0.22, and 3.93 ± 0.41 g/dL, p = 0.495), urea (166 ± 29, 167 ± 30, and 164 ± 27 mg/dL, p = 0.971), P (4.9 ± 2.1, 5.2 ± 1.6, and 4.9 ± 2.1 mg/dL, p = 0.879), and ß2M (31.3 ± 7.1, 32.6 ± 8.6, and 33.7 ± 5.9 µg/mL, p = 0.646). ß2M clearance was significantly lower in HF-HD in comparison to both olHDF and HRO-HD: 43 (37-53) versus 64 (48-85) mL/min, p = 0.013, and 69 (58-86) mL/min, p = 0.015, respectively. Post-dialysis ß2M serum concentration was higher in HF-HD in comparison to olHDF and HRO-HD: 11.6 (9.6-12.4) vs. 5.7 (4.5-7.0) µg/mL, p = 0.001, and 5.6 (5.3-7.6) µg/mL, p = 0.001, respectively. TM extraction of urea, P, and ß2M were similar across the 3 dialysis modalities. CONCLUSIONS: olHDF and HRO-HD were superior to HF-HD regarding ß2M clearance, leading to lower post-dialysis ß2M levels.

Programmed cell death in Acanthamoeba castellanii Neff induced by several molecules present in olive leaf extracts.

Therapy against Acanthamoeba infections such as Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (GAE) and Acanthamoeba Keratitis (AK), remains as an issue to be solved due to the existence of a cyst stage which is highly resistant to most chemical and physical agents. Recently, the activity of Olive Leaf Extracts (OLE) was demonstrated against Acanthamoeba species. However, the molecules involved in this activity were not identified and/or evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the main molecules which are present in OLE and secondly to study their mechanism of action in Acanthamoeba. Among the tested molecules, the observed activities ranged from an IC50 of 6.59 in the case of apigenine to an IC50 > 100 µg/ml for other molecules. After that, elucidation of the mechanism of action of these molecules was evaluated by the detection of changes in the phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure, the permeability of the plasma membrane, the mitochondrial membrane potential and the ATP levels in the treated cells. Vanillic, syringic and ursolic acids induced the higher permeabilization of the plasma membrane. Nevertheless, the mitochondrial membrane was altered by all tested molecules which were also able to decrease the ATP levels to less than 50% in IC90 treated cells after 24 h. Therefore, all the molecules tested in this study could be considered as a future therapeutic alternative against Acanthamoeba spp. Further studies are needed in order to establish the true potential of these molecules against these emerging opportunistic pathogenic protozoa.

In vitro activity of 1H-phenalen-1-one derivatives against Acanthamoeba castellanii Neff and their mechanisms of cell death.

Acanthamoeba is an opportunistic pathogen which is the causal agent of a sight-threatening ulceration of the cornea known as Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK) and, more rarely, an infection of the central nervous system called "granulomatous amoebic encephalitis" (GAE). The symptoms of AK are non-specific, and so it can be misdiagnosed as a viral, bacterial, or fungal keratitis. Furthermore, current therapeutic measures against AK are arduous, and show limited efficacy against the cyst stage of Acanthamoeba. 1H-Phenalen-1-one (PH) containing compounds have been isolated from plants and fungi, where they play a crucial role in the defense mechanism of plants. Natural as well as synthetic PHs exhibit a diverse range of biological activities against fungi, protozoan parasites or human cancer cells. New synthetic PHs have been tested in this study and they show a potential activity against this protozoa.

Evaluation of the anti-Acanthamoeba activity of two commercial eye drops commonly used to lower eye pressure.

Efficient treatments against Acanthamoeba Keratitis (AK), remains until the moment, as an issue to be solved due to the existence of a cyst stage which is highly resistant to most chemical and physical agents. In this study, two antiglaucoma eye drops were tested for their activity against Acanthamoeba. Moreover, this study was based on previous data which gave us evidence of a possible link between the absences of Acanthamoeba at the ocular surface in patients treated with beta blockers for high eye pressure both containing timolol as active principle. The amoebicidal activity of the tested eye drops was evaluated against four strains of Acanthamoeba using Alamar blue method. For the most active drug the cysticidal activity against A. castellanii Neff cysts and further experiments studying changes in chromatin condensation levels, in the permeability of the plasmatic membrane, the mitochondrial membrane potential and the ATP levels in the treated amoebic strains were done. Even though both eye drops were active against the different tested strains of Acanthamoeba, statistical analysis revealed that one of them (Timolol Sandoz) was the most effective one against all the tested strains presenting IC50s ranging from 0.529% ± 0.206 for the CLC 16 strain to 3.962% ± 0.150 for the type strain Acanthamoeba castellanii Neff. Timolol Sandoz 0.50% seems to induce amoebic cell death by damaging the amoebae at the mitochondrial level. Considering its effect, Timolol Sandoz 0.50% could be used in the case of contact lens wearers and patients with glaucoma.

Isolation and molecular characterization of a Naegleria strain from a recreational water fountain in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

Free-Living Amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed protozoa in the environment and have been isolated from many sources such as dust, soil and water. Among the pathogenic genera included in this group Acanthamoeba spp., Naegleria fowleri and Balamuthia mandrillaris have been reported to be causative agents of lethal encephalitis, disseminated infections and keratitis. Naegleria fowleri is a pathogenic FLA species which causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM). At present there are not many available data on the distribution of Naegleria species in Spain from environmental sources. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of this genus in recreational water sources in the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. In this study, ten samples collected from recreational water fountains were checked for the presence of Naegleria spp. using morphological and molecular identification tools. From the analysed samples, only one sample (seawater fountain) was positive for Naegleria spp. interestingly, not many reports of Naegleria spp. in seawater are available in the literature and thus awareness should be raised among the environmental and public health professionals.

Perifosine Mechanisms of Action in Leishmania Species.

Here the mechanism by which perifosine induced cell death in Leishmania donovani and Leishmania amazonensis is described. The drug reduced Leishmania mitochondrial membrane potential and decreased cellular ATP levels while increasing phosphatidylserine externalization. Perifosine did not increase membrane permeabilization. We also found that the drug inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt in the parasites. These results highlight the potential use of perifosine as an alternative to miltefosine against Leishmania.

Genotyping of clinical isolates of Acanthamoeba genus in Venezuela.

Free-living amoebae of Acanthamoeba genus are opportunistic pathogens distributed worldwide. Strains included in this genus are causative agents of a fatal encephalitis and a sight-threating keratitis in humans and other animals. In this study, 550 clinical samples which were collected between 1984 and 2014 from different patients with suspected infections due to Acanthamoeba were initially screened for the presence of this amoebic genus at the Laboratorio de Amibiasis-Escuela de Bioanálisis at the Universidad Central de Venezuela. Samples were cultured in 2% Non-Nutrient agar plates seeded with a layer of heat killed Escherichia coli. From the 550 clinical samples included in this study, 18 of them were positive for Acanthamoeba genus after culture identification. Moreover, positive samples were confirmed after amplification of the Diagnostic Fragment 3 (DF3) of the Acanthamoeba18S rDNA genus and sequencing was carried out in order to genotype the isolated strains of Acanthamoeba. Furthermore, the pathogenic potential of the strains was checked by performing thermotolerance and osmotolerance assays. Sequencing of the DF3 region resulted in the identification of genotype T4 in all the isolated strains. Moreover, most isolates were thermotolerant or both thermotolerant and osmotolerant and thus were classified as potentially pathogenic strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular characterization at the genotype level of Acanthamoeba strains in Venezuela.

High occurrence of Acanthamoeba genotype T4 in soil sources from Bolívar State, Venezuela.

Pathogenic strains of Acanthamoeba are causative agents of keratitis and encephalitis that often may end fatal in humans and other animals. In the present study, twenty-seven soil samples were collected in the Bolivar State in Venezuela and checked for the presence of Acanthamoeba. Samples were cultivated onto 2% non-nutrient agar plates seeded with a layer of heat killed E. coli. Amplification by PCR and sequencing of the DF3 region of the 18S rDNA of Acanthamoeba was carried out in order to confirm morphological identification of the amoebae. Furthermore, Acanthamoeba spp. was isolated from 51.8% of soil samples. Sequencing of the DF3 region of the 18S rDNA resulted in the identification of genotype T4 in all samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of genotype T4 in soil sources from Venezuela. Further studies should be carried out in this State and in the country in order to determine the current occurrence of Acanthamoeba in Venezuelan environments.

Isolation of thermotolerant Vermamoeba vermiformis strains from water sources in Lanzarote Island, Canary Islands, Spain.

In this study, twenty water samples were collected in the island of Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain in order to check for the presence of V. vermiformis strains in these samples. Water samples were cultured on 2% Non-Nutrient Agar (NNA) plates covered with a thin layer of heat killed E. coli and checked daily for the presence of Vermamoeba. After a week, V. vermiformis amoebae were observed in 2 of the 20 processed samples (10%) incubated at room temperature and 37°C. Molecular characterization was carried out by amplifying the 18S rDNA gene and DNA sequencing in order to confirm the identity of the isolated amoebic strains. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the presence of FLA in environmental sources in Lanzarote Island and the first report of Vermamoeba vermiformis in water sources in this island. Furthermore, the two strains isolated in this study were collected in recreational areas with close contact with humans and thus awareness should be raised.

Isolation and Molecular Identification of Vermamoeba vermiformis Strains from Soil Sources in El Hierro Island, Canary Islands, Spain.

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are widely distributed protozoa in the environment and have been isolated from many sources such as dust, soil and water. Furthermore, some genera/species of FLA such as Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba spp. are also able to cause opportunistic infections in humans and other animals. More recently, FLA have been reported to be environmental carriers of pathogenic bacteria, fungi and viruses, and thus have gained further importance from the public health point of view. Among them, Acanthamoeba spp. and Vermamoeba vermiformis have been described in many occasions as the most common carriers of pathogens of high medical relevance such as Legionella pneumophila and Mycobacterium spp. In this study, 24 soil samples were collected from the island of El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain, in order to check for the presence of V. vermiformis strains in these samples. Soil samples were cultured on 2 % non-nutrient agar plates covered with a thin layer of heat-killed E. coli and checked daily for the presence of Vermamoeba. After a week, V. vermiformis amoebae were observed in 5 of the 24 processed samples (20.8 %) incubated at room temperature and 37 °C. Molecular characterization was carried out by amplifying the 18S rDNA gene and DNA sequencing, confirming that the isolated strains belonged to Vermamoeba vermiformis species. The high percentage of V. vermiformis in the studied soil sources should raise awareness in the region since these amoebae are potential environmental carriers of pathogens of high medical relevance.

Apoptotic protein profile in Leishmania donovani after treatment with hexaazatrinaphthylenes derivatives.

Two hexaazatrinaphthylene derivatives, DGV-B and DGV-C previously known to induce an apoptotic-like process in Leishmania donovani parasites were used in this study. For this purpose, two different human protein commercial arrays were used to determine the proteomic profile of the treated parasites compared to non-treated ones. One of the commercial arrays is able to detect the relative expression of 35 human apoptosis-related proteins and the other one is able to identify 9 different human kinases. The obtained results showed that the two tested molecules were able to activate a programmed cell death process by different pathways in the promastigote stage of the parasite. The present study reports the potential application of two commercialised human apoptotic arrays to evaluate the action mechanism of active compounds at least against Leishmania donovani. The obtained data would be useful to establish the putative activated apoptosis pathways in the treated parasites and to further support the use of hexaazatrinaphthylene derivatives for the treatment of leishmaniasis in the near future. Nevertheless, further molecular studies should be developed in order to design and evaluate specific apoptotic arrays for Leishmania genus.

Acanthamoeba genotypes T2, T4, and T11 in soil sources from El Hierro island, Canary Islands, Spain.

The genus Acanthamoeba includes pathogenic strains which are causative agents of keratitis and encephalitis that often may end fatal in humans and other animals. In the present study, forty soil samples were collected in the island of El Hierro, Canary Islands, Spain, and checked for the presence of Acanthamoeba. Samples were cultivated onto 2 % non-nutrient agar plates seeded with a layer of heat killed Escherichia coli. Amplification by PCR and sequencing of the DF3 region of the 18S rDNA of Acanthamoeba was carried out in order to confirm morphological identification of the amoebae. Furthermore, Acanthamoeba spp. was isolated from 47.5 % of soil samples. Moreover, genotypes T2, T4, and T11 were identified in these samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to establish genotypes T2, T4, and T11 in soil sources from El Hierro island.

Molecular characterization of Acanthamoeba strains isolated from domestic dogs in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

The present study describes two cases of Acanthamoeba infections (keratitis and ascites/peritonitis) in small breed domestic dogs in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. In both cases, amoebic trophozoites were observed under the inverted microscope and isolated from the infected tissues and/or fluids, without detecting the presence of other viral, fungal or bacterial pathogens. Amoebae were isolated using 2 % non-nutrient agar plates and axenified for further biochemical and molecular analyses. Osmotolerance and thermotolerance assays revealed that both isolates were able to grow up to 37 °C and 1 M of mannitol and were thus considered as potentially pathogenic. Moreover, the strains were classified as highly cytotoxic as they cause more than 75 % of toxicity when incubated with two eukaryotic cell lines. In order to classify the strains at the molecular level, the diagnostic fragment 3 (DF3) region of the 18S rDNA of Acanthamoeba was amplified and sequenced, revealing that both isolates belonged to genotype T4. In both cases, owners of the animals did not allow any further studies or follow-up and therefore the current status of these animals is unknown. Furthermore, the isolation of these pathogenic amoebae should raise awareness with the veterinary community locally and worldwide.

Outcomes in renal transplant recipients with lupus nephritis: experience at a single center.

BACKGROUND: The long-term prognosis of renal transplant recipients with systemic lupus erythematosus is still controversial. The outcome of these patients depends on the population studied, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic conditions, donor-related factors and recurrent lupus nephritis (LN), among other factors. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate kidney transplantation outcomes for adult Brazilian patients with LN at a single center. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: The archival records of all patients with LN who had received a kidney transplant at Santa Casa of Sao Paulo Hospítal were reviewed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine the survival rate. RESULTS: We identified 18 patients with LN subjected to 22 kidney transplants during the 20-year interval. Two patients received three renal grafts. The majority of the patients were female, with 33.7 ± 10 years at the time of the transplantation, and half of them were African descendants or mixed. Sixteen transplants were performed from deceased donors and six from living-related donors. The patient survival rate was 90%, and graft survival was 68% at 10 years. Chronic allograft nephropathy was the major cause of graft loss. Two patients developed extra-renal manifestations of lupus. There was no clinical or histological evidence of recurrent LN. CONCLUSION: Renal transplantation is a method which can provide a long-term survival for patients with SLE and end-stage renal disease.

Manifestaciones clínicas y diagnóstico parasitológico de la infección intestinal causada por dientamoeba Fragilis

Dientamoeba fragilis (Df), un flagelado intestinal humano del orden Trichomonadida, ha sido asociado con síntomas gastrointestinales. El diagnóstico se hace por la observación de trofozoítos binucleados en las heces, en cultivo, o con biología molecular. En este trabajo se integran datos clínicos y parasitológicos de pacientes con Df, para establecer una relación con los síntomas, asociación con otros parásitos intestinales y evaluar los métodos de diagnóstico parasitológico. De 3729 pacientes evaluados entre 1974 y 2005, en el Laboratorio de Amibiasis, Cátedra de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, se encontró 51 casos (1,4%) con Df, en 33,3% como único agente y en 66,7% asociado con otros protozoarios. La asociación mas frecuente fue con Blastocystis hominis (Bh) (35,3 %), o Bh y otros protozoarios (31,4%). No se observó asociación con nemátodos intestinales. En 16 pacientes con Df sola y en 28 asociada con Bh y comensales, los síntomas más frecuentes fueron respectivamente: diarrea (64,7% y 32,1%), dolor abdominal (11,7% y 25%), vómitos (11,7% y 14,4%). La frecuencia de Df en el grupo etario entre 1-10 años fue 39,2% y resultó estadísticamente significativa (p<0,001). El examen seriado de heces con directo, coloración de Hematoxilina férrica (Hf) y cultivo en medio de Boeck- Drbohlav (modificado) detectó mayor número de casos (58,8%), siendo estadísticamente significativo (p=0,032) al comparar los casos detectados con el directo y Hf (41,2%). Se recomienda considerar a Df como un patógeno intestinal cuando se encuentra en personas con síntomas y en ausencia de otros patógenos conocidos, e investigarla con los métodos recomendados, especialmente con el cultivo que incrementará la posibilidad del hallazgo.

Dientamoeba fragilis (Df), a human intestinal flagellated of the Trichomonadida order, has been associated with gastrointestinal symptoms. The diagnosis is made by observation of binucleated trophozoites in faeces, culture, or by using molecular biology. In this work, clinical and parasitological data of patients with Df are integrated, to establish a relation with the symptoms, the association with other intestinal parasites and to evaluate the methods used for parasitological diagnosis. Of 3729 patients evaluated between 1974 and 2005, in Laboratorio de Amibiasis, Cátedra de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Central de Venezuela, 51 cases were positive for Df (1.4%); of these, Df was the only agent in 33.3% and in 66.7% it was associated with other protozoa. The most frequent association found was with Blastocystis hominis (Bh) (35.3%), or Bh and other protozoa (31.4%). No intestinal nematodes were found. In 16 patients with Df alone and 28 patients with Df, Bh and comensals, the most frequent symptoms were, diarrhea (64.7% and 32.1%), abdominal pain (11.7% and 25%), vomits (11.7% and 14.4%) respectively. There was statistical significance (p<0.001) on the frequency of Df (39.2%) in the group between 1-10 years. The examination of more than one faecal sample using fresh unpreserved stools samples, ferric hematoxylin stain and culture on Boeck- Drbohlav modified medium detected a greater number of cases (58.8%), as compared when using the two first methods only (41.2%), being statistically significant (p=0.032). It is recommended to consider Df as a pathogen when found in people with intestinal symptoms, in absence of other known pathogens, and to follow the methods mentioned above, specially with the culture which will increase the possibility of recovering this protozoa.

Comportamiento biológico de Blastocystis hominis en pacientes tratados con Secnidazol (Unidazol®) / Biological behavior of Blastocystis hominis in patients treated with Secnidazol (Unidazol®)

Blastocystis hominis, clasificado como Stramenopile, es el parásito intestinal más frecuente en el hombre. En las heces y cultivos se observan formas con cuerpo central (FCC), granulosas (FGra), globulosas, ameboides, en división binaria y quistes. Su elevada prevalencia, asociación con síntomas en el humano y carencia de tratamiento efectivo, justificó la evaluación del Secnidazol (Unidazol® ZUOZ-PHARMA) en 14 individuos (7 varones y 7 hembras), infectados con B. hominis, con edades entre 5-79 años, quienes fueron evaluados clínica y parasitológicamente antes y después del tratamiento, con una dosis del medicamento: 2g (adultos) y 30 mg/Kg/peso (niños). En el examen seriado de heces (3 muestras), se evaluó la morfología, número por campo microscópico (400X), formas de reproducción y crecimiento en el cultivo. En 14,3% (2/14) de los pacientes se eliminó el parásito y en el resto, se observó disminución significativa del número por campo (p< 0,05), de la frecuencia de FCC (p=0,001) y FGra (p<0,05) y disminuyó la positividad del examen directo (p<0,001). Estos resultados demuestran que el fármaco en dosis única, ocasionalmente erradicó a B. hominis, disminuyó la excreción de las formas vegetativas e indujo la aparición de quistes. Estos estudios deben continuarse.

Blastocystis hominis, classified as Stramenopile, is the most frequent intestinal parasite in humans. In feces and cultures, forms with a central body (FCB), granulose forms (GraF), as well as globulous and ameboid forms in binary division or in cysts are seen. Its elevated prevalence, association with symptoms in humans, and lack of effective treatment, justified the evaluation of secnidazol (Unidazol ® ZOUZ-PHARMA) in 14 individuals (7 males and 7 females) infected with B. hominis, with ages between 5-79 years, who were clinically and parasitologically evaluated before and after treatment; with one dose of the drug: 2 g for adults and 30 mg/Kg body weight for children. In feces serial examinations we evaluated morphology, number of parasites per microscopic field (400X), reproductive forms, and growth in culture. The study showed that in 14.3% (2/14) of patients the parasite was eliminated, and there was a significant decrease of the number per field (p< 0.05), of the FCB (p= 0.001) and of GraF (p< 0.05) frequency in the rest, as well as a decrease of positive direct examinations (p< 0.001). These preliminary results show that the drug in a single dose occasionally eradicated B. hominis, decreased the excretion of vegetative forms and induced the occurrence of cysts.These studies should be continued.

Heterogeneous expression of hydrocephalic phenotype in the hyh mice carrying a point mutation in alpha-SNAP.

The hyh mouse carrying a point mutation in the gene encoding for soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein alpha (alpha-SNAP) develops inherited hydrocephalus. The investigation was designed to study: (i) the clinical evolution of hyh mice; (ii) factors other than the alpha-SNAP mutation that may influence the expression of hydrocephalus; (iii) the neuropathological features underlying the different forms of clinical evolution. The study included 3017 mice, 22.4% of which were hydrocephalic. The neuropathological study was performed in 112 mice by use of light and electron microscopy. It was found that maternal- and sex-related factors are involved in the heterogeneous expression of hyh phenotype. The clinical evolution recorded throughout a 4-year period also revealed a heterogeneous expression of the hydrocephalic phenotype. Two subpopulations were distinguished: (i) 70% of mice underwent a rapidly progressive hydrocephalus and died during the first 2 months of life; they presented macrocephaly, extremely large expansion of the ventricles, equilibrium impairment and decreased motor activity. (ii) Mice with slowly progressive hydrocephalus (30%) survived for periods ranging between 2 months and 2 years. They had no or moderate macrocephaly; moderate ventricular dilatation and preserved general motor activity; they all presented spontaneous ventriculostomies communicating the ventricles with the subarachnoid space, indicating that such communications play a key role in the long survival of these mice. The hyh mutant represents an ideal animal model to investigate how do the brain "adapt" to a virtually life-lasting hydrocephalus.