[Inflammatory myoglandular polyp (Nakamura polyp): a case report]. / Pólipo mioglandular inflamatorio (pólipo de Nakamura): reporte de un caso.

Inflammatory myoglandular polyp (IMGP) is a rare nonneoplastic polyp of the large bowel, characterized by inflammatory granulation tissue in the lamina propia, proliferation of smooth muscle and hyperplastic glands with variable degree of cystic changes. Clinical course is benign and etiology unclear, but it has been associated to chronic inflammation due to fecal stasis and abnormal colonic motility. Clinically may be asymptomatic or produce hematochezia. At endoscopy the appearance may be that of a pedunculated or semi-pedunculated polyp, with soft or lobulated surface, with hyperemia and even partial erosions. We present a 33 year-old male with hematochezia caused by an IMGP in the descending colon. Initial diagnosis was a well differentiated adenocarcinoma, which proved to be an IMGP on final pathology. Hematochezia resolved after resection.

[Midazolam versus dexmedetomidine for sedation for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy]. / Midazolam versus dexmedetomidina en sedación para procedimientos endoscópicos de tubo digestivo alto.

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGI) is a safe procedure although 50% to 60% morbidity and mortality due to cardiopulmonary complications. OBJECTIVE: To compare safety and efficacy of dexmedetomidine vs. midazolam in UGI. METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled, double-blind, clinical trial to compare the two drugs. Patients with an indication of UGI were randomized to receive sedation with dexmedetomidine or midazolam during the procedure. We compared age, sex, physical status (ASA), body mass index (BMI), degree of sedation (Ramsay scale), recovery time and degree of satisfaction with the procedure. RESULTS: Forty patients with an indication of UGI were included (20 in each arm). Both groups showed a similar distribution by sex, age, BMI and ASA physical status. The level of sedation was similar starting and ending the procedure according to the Ramsay scale. The dexmedetomidine group had a shorter recovery time (7.1 vs. 15.8 min, p <0.05) and satisfaction (9.9 vs. 9.0, p <0.05). Adverse effects occurred in similar proportions in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Midazolam and dexmedetomidine are suitable for endoscopic procedures of upper digestive tract. Dexmedetomidine offers shorter recovery time and better patient's satisfaction.

Labscale anoxic stabilization ponds operated under high organic loads: long term effect of enrichment with activated sludge.

The addition of acclimatized activated sludge has been suggested as an effective enrichment procedure to increase the biological activity of waste stabilization ponds. This enrichment results in higher degradation rates compared to non enriched stabilization ponds. However, the comparison between enriched and non enriched ponds has been observed during short term experiments and it is unknown if this enrichment has long-term effect. This paper compares enriched and non enriched experimental ponds over two years of continuous operation. The enriched pond showed a degradation activity constantly twice higher. The biological indicators such as the heterotrophic and facultative plate count numbers, the chlorophyll "a" concentration and the oxygen consumption rate were also constantly higher in the enriched pond. These results suggest that an initial enrichment has a long term enhancement effect on stabilization ponds treating complex wastewaters.

Treatment of wastewater containing high phenol concentrations using stabilisation ponds enriched with activated sludge.

Treatment of wastewater containing high phenol concentrations (up to 4,000 mg/l, 1,600 kg/ha.d) in laboratory-scale stabilisation ponds enriched with activated sludge was studied. Phenol was biodegraded efficiently, even when fed as the sole carbon source. At influent concentrations of 1,000, 1,300, 1,600, 1,900, 2,500, 3,000 and 4,000 mg/l of phenol (loading rates of 400, 520, 640, 760, 1,000, 1,200 and 1,600 kg phenol/ha.d), the phenol removal efficiencies were 92, 89, 81, 81, 76, 65 and 22%, respectively. At 4,000 mg/l of phenol, the enriched ponds were significantly inhibited. The maximum phenol removal rate observed was 780 kg/ha.d, which is 7.7 times higher than the maximum value reported for attached-growth waste stabilisation ponds. All along the experiments, the enriched ponds showed removal rates 1.8-20.5 times higher than the values observed in control pond (not enriched). The results suggest that enrichment is an effective method to increase xenobiotic removal rates of stabilisation ponds.

Purification and characterization of a protease from Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1, an antigen common to all the serotypes.

A high molecular-mass proteolytic enzyme of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1, was purified from culture supernatants (CSN) by using DEAE-cellulose and sepharose-4B-gelatin chromatography. In 10% SDS-polyacrylamide gels copolymerized with porcine gelatin, the protease showed a single band of activity of > 200 kDa. However, minor molecular-mass proteolytic bands were observed when the protease was electrophoresed in the presence of either 5% beta-mercaptoethanol, 50 mM dithiothreitol, or 0.25 M urea. Furthermore, when the > 200-kDa purified protein was passed through a sucrose gradient, several bands with proteolytic activity were found: 62, 90, 190, and 540 kDa. The proteolytic activity was increased in the presence of calcium or zinc and was not affected after being heated at 90 degrees C for 5 min. Proteolytic activities were also observed in CSN from all A. pleuropneumoniae serotypes and biotypes. The purified protease hydrolyzed porcine IgA and IgG in vitro. In addition, by immunoblot the protease was recognized by serum of naturally infected pigs with serotypes 1 and 5, and by serum of pigs experimentally infected with serotypes 1, 2, 8, or 9. Serum of a pig vaccinated with CSN of a serotype 3 strain also recognized the protease, but not sera of pigs vaccinated with a bacterin (serotype 1). Proteins from CSN of all the serotypes, which were precipitated with 70% (NH4)2SO4, were recognized by a polyclonal antibody raised against the purified protease. Taken together these results indicate that an antigenic protease is produced in vivo by all the serotypes of A. pleuropneumoniae. The results indicate that proteases could have a role in the disease and in the immune response of pigs infected with A. pleuropneumoniae.

Kdp-like system in Salmonella typhimurium LT-2.

Salmonella typhimurium LT-2, as Escherichia coli K12, was able to grow in a potassium concentration-dependent manner, down to a very low concentration (< 5 microM). Its metabolic swelling also was [K+]-dependent. When the cells were subjected to hyperosmotic shock, this ion was uptaken rapidly, probably due to a K(+)-high affinity transport-system, similar to the E. coli Kdp system. The shrinkage in presence of 0.6 M NaCl, however, was more noticeable in S. typhimurium, which expressed a smaller level of intracellular K+ than E. coli. The genetic locus responsible for the ability of S. typhimurium to grow in low [K+], was mapped in nitrosoguanidine mutants and localized around min 18, close to the gal operon. This asseveration was confirmed by experiments of reversion, conjugation, and transduction. The mutants required considerably more [K+] to grow and to swell than the parental strain; in addition, below 1 mM [K+], they showed less internal [K+].