Acrylamide induces a thyroid allostasis-adaptive response in prepubertal exposed rats.

Some endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can affect the endocrine system through covalent interactions with specific sites, leading to deregulation of physiological homeostasis. The acrylamide (AA) present in some fried or baked foods is an example of an electrophile molecule that is able to form adducts with nucleophilic regions of nervous system proteins leading to neurological defects. A positive correlation between increased urinary AA metabolite concentration and reduced levels of thyroid hormones (TH) was described in adolescents and young adults. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate whether AA affects the physiology of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis and the possible repercussions in peripheral TH-target systems. For this, male Wistar rats were exposed to doses of 2.5 or 5.0 mg AA/Kg/day, based on the LOAEL (Lowest Observed Adverse Effect Level) during prepubertal development. The expression of molecular markers of HPT functionality was investigated in the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, heart and liver, as well as the hormonal and lipid profiles in blood samples. Herein, we showed that AA acts as EDCs for thyroid gland function, increasing the transcript expression of several proteins related to TH synthesis and altering hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis homeostasis, an effect evidenced by the higher levels of THs in the serum. Compensatory mechanisms were observed in TH-target tissues, such as an increase in Dio3 mRNA expression in the liver and a reduction in Mct8 transcript content in the hearts of AA-treated rats. Together, these results pointed out an allostatic regulation of the HPT axis induced by AA and suggest that chronic exposure to it, mainly associated with food consumption, might be related to the higher prevalence of thyroid dysfunctions.

Validação do teste de inibição pelo ácido aminofenilborônico para triagem de Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC) / Validation of inhibition test by aminophenyl boronic acid to Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC) screening

INTRODUÇÃO: A produção de enzimas Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) tem se tornado um importante e preocupante mecanismo de resistência, e ensaios que combinem alta sensibilidade e alta especificidade para a detecção dessas enzimas são escassos. OBJETIVO: Validar o teste de inibição pelo ácido 3-aminofenilborônico como método de triagem fenotípica de cepas produtoras de enzima KPC, comparando os resultados obtidos com os de testes confirmatórios por reação em cadeia da polimerase (PCR). METODOLOGIA: Avaliou-se o uso do ácido 3-aminofenilborônico impregnado em discos de antibióticos de imipenem, meropenem e ertapenem. Foram testadas 36 cepas positivas e 12 negativas, todas confirmadas por PCR. Foram ainda testadas três concentrações diferentes de ácido borônico: 300, 400 e 600 µg. RESULTADOS: Entre as cepas positivas testadas, o resultado mais adequado se deu com a adição do composto em disco contendo ertapenem, com especificidade de 100%, porém com sensibilidade de apenas 50%. CONCLUSÃO: Novos estudos são necessários, sobretudo no que diz respeito à padronização da técnica e aos insumos utilizados, pois o método se revela promissor na triagem de cepas produtoras de KPC.

INTRODUCTION: The production of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases enzymes (KPC) has become an important and worrisome resistance mechanism. Furthermore, tests that combine high sensitivity and high specificity for the detection of these enzymes are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To validate the inhibition test by 3-aminophenyl boronic acid as a phenotypic screening method for KPC-producing strains by comparing the results with confirmatory polymerase chain reaction testing (PCR). METHODS: We evaluated the use of 3-aminophenyl boronic acid applied on disks with imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem antibiotics. 36 strains were positive and 12 were negative, all confirmed by PCR. Three different concentrations of boronic acid were also tested: 300, 400 and 600 µg. RESULTS: Among the positive strains, the results were more accurate with the addition of the compound to the ertapenem disk, presenting 100 % specificity and 50% sensitivity. CONCLUSION: Further studies are required, mainly regarding the standardization of the technique and materials, since the method seems to be promising as to the screening of KPC strains.

[Syphilis detection using ELISA and VDRL tests on blood donors at the blood center of Guarapuava, State of Paraná]. / Detecção de sífilis por ensaios de ELISA e VDRL em doadores de sangue do Hemonúcleo de Guarapuava, Estado do Paraná

The aim of this study was to evaluate the syphilis seroprevalence among 5,752 blood donors who were attended at the blood center of Guarapuava, State of Paraná, in 2006. The seropositivity rates were 2.1% for enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay and 0.2% for Veneral Disease Research Laboratory, thus showing low prevalence of syphilis among the individuals who came to this blood bank.

Detecção de sífilis por ensaios de ELISA e VDRL em doadores de sangue do Hemonúcleo de Guarapuava, Estado do Paraná / Syphilis detection using ELISA and VDRL tests on blood donors at the blood center of Guarapuava, State of Paraná

O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar a soroprevalência de sífilis em 5.752 doadores de sangue atendidos no Hemonúcleo de Guarapuava-PR, em 2006. As taxas de positividade foram de 2,1 por cento pelo teste de ensaio imunoenzimático e 0,2 por cento pelo Veneral Disease Research Laboratory, mostrando baixa prevalência de sífilis nos indivíduos que procuraram este banco de sangue.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the syphilis seroprevalence among 5,752 blood donors who were attended at the blood center of Guarapuava, State of Paraná, in 2006. The seropositivity rates were 2.1 percent for enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay and 0.2 percent for Veneral Disease Research Laboratory, thus showing low prevalence of syphilis among the individuals who came to this blood bank.