Implication of anaerobic and aerobic decomposition of Eichhornia azurea (Sw.) Kunth. on the carbon cycling in a subtropical reservoir.

This study aimed at describing kinetic aspects of aerobic and anaerobic mineralization of Eicchornia azurea. The samples of aquatic macrophyte and water were collected in the Monjolinho Reservoir (22° 00' S and 47° 54' W). To determine the leachate potential, dried plant fragments were added to reservoir water, with sampling lasting for 4 months, where the particulate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations were measured. The kinetics of mass loss was obtained with 10 mineralization chambers for both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, with the plant fragments and reservoir water. Two additional chambers were used to monitor the volume of gases produced from anaerobic mineralization, with bioassays to determine oxygen uptake. The results were fitted to a first-order kinetic model, from which 27.21% of detritus corresponded to labile/soluble fractions and 72.62% to the refractory fractions. The decay rates for the global mass losses of the labile/soluble components were 2.07 day-1. DOC mineralization was not verified for either condition. Under aerobic condition, the mass loss constant rate (0.0029 day-1) for the refractory fractions was 2.4 the value for the anaerobic one. Under anaerobic condition, the gases formation occurred in three phases. Based on these results, in the Monjolinho Reservoir, the decomposition of E. azurea that undergo within the water column and in upper layers of sediment is a faster process, favoring the mineralization. In contrast, in the lower layers of sediment the diagenetic processes (i.e. humus production and accumulation of organic matter) are favored.

BaG, a new dimeric metalloproteinase/disintegrin from the Bothrops alternatus snake venom that interacts with alpha5beta1 integrin.

The alpha(5)beta(1) integrin is one of the major fibronectin receptors which plays an essential role in the adhesion of normal and tumor cells to extracellular matrix. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of a novel dimeric metalloproteinase/disintegrin, which is an inhibitor of fibronectin binding to the alpha(5)beta(1) integrin. This protein (BaG) was isolated from the venom of the South American snake Bothrops alternatus by gelatin-Sepharose affinity and anion exchange chromatography. The molecular mass of BaG was approximately 130 kDa under non-reducing conditions and 55 kDa under reducing conditions by SDS-PAGE. BaG shows proteolytic activity on casein that was inhibited by EDTA. 1,10-phenanthroline-treated BaG (BaG-I) inhibits ADP-induced platelet aggregation with an IC(50) of 190 nM. BaG-I inhibits fibronectin-mediated K562 cell adhesion with an IC(50) of 3.75 microM. K562 cells bind to BaG-I probably through interaction with alpha(5)beta(1) integrin, since anti-alpha(5)beta(1) antibodies inhibited K562 cell adhesion to BaG-I. In addition, BaG-I induces the detachment of K562 cells that were bound to fibronectin. In summary, we have purified a novel, dimeric snake venom metalloproteinase/disintegrin that binds to the alpha(5)beta(1) integrin.

Familial risk among patients with endometriosis.

PURPOSE: The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of endometriosis among the relatives of patients with confirmed endometriosis. METHODS: We analyzed the prevalence of endometriosis among first-, second-, and third-degree relatives in a group of 101 patients with varying symptoms related to endometriosis seen at two public hospitals and submitted to laparoscopy and/or laparotomy. The control group consisted of 43 women submitted to laparoscopy without a diagnosis of endometriosis. RESULTS: Among the patients with endometriosis, we detected nine families with a positive history of endometriosis, comprising one mother, six sisters, three aunts, and two cousins, as opposed to no case among the controls. CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm a familial tendency for endometriosis and suggest that this disorder has a genetic basis.

Growth and sexual maturation of Brazilian patients with sickle cell diseases.

Growth and sexual maturation was studied of 125 Brazilian patients with sickle cell disease whose ages ranged from 7 months to 42 years. Height and weight were significantly lower when compared with the unaffected population. The height and weight deficit increased in the age range of 11-19 years as compared with patients less than 11 years of age. Age of menarche, breast and pubic hair staging in girls, and genitalia staging and testicular volume measurements in boys indicated a delayed sexual maturation for both sexes. The comparison of adult and young patients, however, demonstrated that although puberty is delayed, a normal sexual maturation is attained later in life by most patients.

Isoimunizacao feto-materna. I. Caracteristicas maternas. / Feto-maternal immunization. I. Maternal characteristics

Estudaram-se, no periodo de 1970 a l977, l.l53 pacientes gravidas, com fator Rh negativo. No grupo de gestantes imunizadas, analisaram-se os seguintes parametros: incidencia, frequencia da isoimunizacao, numero de gestacoes, paridade, grupo sanguineo materno e paterno, incompatibilidade ABO e antecedentes maternos. Observou-se que a frequencia de isoimunizacao correspondeu, nesse periodo, a 8,2%. 80% das gestantes estavam entre 25 a 30 anos; 51,58% tinham entre 3 a 5 gestacoes e a frequencia de isoimunizacao cresceu proporcionalmente a este parametro, bem como em relacao a paridade. Encontraram-se 50,53% de pacientes pertencentes ao grupo A e 33,68% ao grupo O. Houve predominio (79,92%) de gestantes compativeis no sistema ABO

Isoimunizacao feto-materna. II. Aspectos laboratoriais. Valor do teste indireto de Coombs no soro materno. / Feto-maternal immunization. II. Laboratorial aspects. Value of indirect Coombs test in maternal serum

Foram analisados 229 testes indiretos de Coombs no soro materno, realizados em 95 gestantes Rh negativo isoimunizadas, correlacionando-os com a bilirrubina do liquido amniotico e com a hemoglobina e a bilirrubina total do recem-nato, os dois ultimos elementos determinados por ocasiao do parto. Conclui-se pela validade do titulo de l:8 como valor critico para o teste indireto de Coombs no soro materno. Acima desse valor, piora o prognostico fetal

Isoimunizacao feto-materna. III. Aspectos pediatricos. / Feto-maternal isoimmunization. III. Pediatric aspects

Estudando 66 recem-nascidos de maes Rh negativo isoimunizadas, os autores analisaram o tipo de parto, o grupo sanguineo, a idade gestacional, o peso, as condicoes de nascimento e o tratamento recebido no bercario. Os recem-natos foram divididos em tres grupos, de acordo com o fator Rh e o teste de Coombs direto: Grupo 1 - Recemnascidos Rh positivo e Coombs direto positivo. Grupo 2 - Recem-nascidos Rh positivo e Coombs direto negativo. Grupo 3 - Recemnascidos Rh negativo. Concluiu-se que os fatores com teste de Coombs direto positivo (grupo 1) apresentaram maior gravidade.Quanto menor a passagem de anticorpos da mae ao concepto, menor a gravidade

Isoimunizacao feto-materna. IV. Mortalidade perinatal. / Feto-maternal isoimmunization. IV. Perinatal mortality

Os 66 recem-nascidos de maes sensibilizadas pelo fator Rh entre 1970 e 1977, como ja especificado em trabalho anterior, foram divididos em tres grupos: Grupo l Recem--nascidos Rh-positivo e Coombs direto positivo. Grupo 2 - Recem-nascidos Rhpositivo e Coombs direto negativo. Grupo 3 Recem nascidos Rh-negativo. No presente trabalho, analisa-se a mortalidade perinatal. Dividindo-se o periodo de estudo em etapas de 1970 a 1973 e de 1974 a 1977, pode-se notar que houve queda da mortalidade neonatal. O fato se deve provavelmente a melhor eficacia da assistencia obstetrica e pediatrica, principalmente pela melhor atencao aos fetos com hemoglobina menor que 14 g/ l00 ml e bilirrubina total maior que 5 mmg/ l00 ml. Sao esses os fetos que recebem maior quantidade de anticorpos

Valor prognostico da dosagem de bilirrubina no liquido amniotico. / Prognostic value of bilirubin dosage in amniotic fluid

Estudaram-se 204 amostras de liquido amniotico obtidos atraves de amniocentese transabdominal em 95 gestantes Rh-negativo isoimunizadas. Dosou-se a bilirrubina no liquido amniotico pelos metodos de Liley e de Brazzie e col., correlacionando os valores obtidos pelos metodos entre si e com os valores de hemoglobina e bilirrubina total fetais ao nascimento. Discutidos os resultados, concluiu-se que, no que concerne a dosagem da bilirrubina no liquido amniotico, os dois metodos sao semelhantes podendo-se portanto utilizar o metodo de Brazzie e col., de mais facil execucao.Quando comparadas a bilirrubina total e a hemoglogina do sangue do cordao umbilical do recem-nascido com a dosagem no liquido amniotico efetuada pelos dois metodos, nao se conseguiu correlacao para definir os niveis de hemoglobina que o feto apresentara ao nascer. Correlacionando-se os graficos de prognostico de ambos os metodos com a mortalidade perinatal, verificou-se serem identicas a sobrevivencia e a natimortalidade previstas pelos dois metodos

Post-mortem diagnosis of chronic Chagas's disease comparative evaluation of three serological tests on pericardial fluid.

In an attempt to improve the post-mortem diagnosis of Chagas's disease the authors performed haemagglutination tests (HAT), fluorescent Trypanosoma cruzi antibody tests (FAT), and complement fixation tests (CFT) on the pericardial fluid obtained at autopsy of 50 individuals with Chagas's heart disease, and 93 patients in whom this disease was not thought to be present. The results demonstrate that all three tests are efficient for the post-mortem diagnosis of Chagas's disease but suggest that their combined use would detect more cases than would one isolated reaction only.