Inverse paradoxical embolism in a patient on chronic hemodialysis with aortic bacterial endocarditis.

We present a 45-year-old patient on chronic hemodialysis who suffered aortic endocarditis by Staphylococcus haemolyticus after bacteremia associated with a venous catheter, which was used temporarily during the maturing phase of a Cimino-Brescia arteriovenous fistula in the left forearm. Three weeks after starting antibiotic therapy, the patient suffered a septic pulmonary embolism. The catheter had been removed 4 weeks before the embolism. Thrombophlebitis of lower limbs, infection or thrombosis of the vascular access, and the involvement of right-sided cardiac structures were all discarded. We assumed that the pulmonary episode was probably a consequence of the paradoxical passage of embolic material, detached from the aortic valve, from arterial to venous circulation through the arteriovenous fistula.

In vitro activity and biochemical effectiveness of new organometallic complexes of osmium(III) against Leishmania donovani and Trypanosoma cruzi.

In the present paper, the in vitro activities of 10 osmium(III) complexes with [OSIII(L)] degrees structure against promastigote forms of Leishmania donovani and epimastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi haven been assayed. The complexes OSIII-2,4dinitroimidazole dithiocarbamate, OSIII-4-nitroimidazole dithiocarbamate, OSIII-benznidazole dithiocarbamate and OSIII-2-amino-6-Br-benzothiazole dithiocarbamate induced high percentages of growth inhibition in the parasites. The four compounds showed moderate cell toxicity. The inhibitory effects of these complexes on macromolecule synthesis have been evaluated using [3H]-thymidine, [3H]-uridine and [3H]-leucine incorporation. These metal-drug complexes clearly inhibit the DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, as well as the enzymatic activities of succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase.

Leishmania donovani: in vitro culture and [1H] NMR characterization of amastigote-like forms.

When Leishmania donovani promastigote forms, were cultured in TC-199 medium at 28 degrees C and subsequently incubated at 38 degrees C, they turned into aflagellate (amastigote-like) forms. A return of the incubation-culture temperature to 28 degrees C these amastigote-like forms to revert to promastigotes. The amastigotes obtained by heat-shock, were viable and retained antigenic capacity being recognized by the sera of naturally infected patients. These forms, remained also capable of multiplying inside the J-774A.1 macrophages. When the amastigote-like forms are kept in culture at 38 degrees C retained their rounded appearance and their biological characteristics for more than 3 months subculturing every 6 days. These amastigote-like forms, when used for subcultures at 28 degrees C, transformed into promastigotes capable of multiplying as flagellate forms. The amastigote-like forms obtained in vitro can be used in biochemical studies related to chemotherapy and immunology studies, as part of an effort to combat this parasite. The end-products of of glycolysis were studied in both the amastigote-like and promastigote forms of L. donovani, by proton magnetic resonance analysis of the culture media. Alanine, succinate, and acetate, were predominant, and to a lesser extent pyruvate, glycine and D-lactate. Our results suggest that both forms of Leishmania use different biochemical strategies to obtain their energy.