Glutathione-complexed iron-sulfur clusters. Reaction intermediates and evidence for a template effect promoting assembly and stability.

Assembly and stabilization of a glutathione-complexed [2Fe-2S] cluster is promoted by aggregation of glutathione. The cluster core selects the tetramer species from a collection of equilibrating solution aggregate species, and in turn the core is stabilized toward hydrolytic degradation. Studies of glutathione derivatives, in combination with mass spectrometric and Mössbauer investigations provide insight on reaction intermediates during formation of [2Fe-2S](GS)4(2-).

Glutathione complexed Fe-S centers.

Glutathione (γ-glutamyl-cysteinyl-glycine, GSH) is a major thiol-containing peptide with cellular levels of up to 10 mM. (1) Several recent reports have demonstrated glutaredoxins (Grx) to form [Fe(2)S(2)] cluster-bridged dimers, where glutathione provides two exogenous thiol ligands, and have implicated such species in cellular iron sulfur cluster biosynthesis. We report the finding that glutathione alone can coordinate and stabilize an [Fe(2)S(2)] cluster under physiological conditions, with optical, redox, Mössbauer, and NMR characteristics that are consistent with a [Fe(2)S(2)](GS)(4) composition. The Fe-S assembly protein ISU catalyzes formation of [Fe(2)S(2)](GS)(4) from iron and sulfide ions in the presence of glutathione, and the [Fe(2)S(2)] core undergoes reversible exchange between apo ISU and free glutathione.

[Invasive pneumococcal pneumonia in children 0-24 months old: does bacterial resistance affect outcome]. / Neumonía neumocócica invasiva en niños de 0 a 24 meses: influye la resistencia bacteriana en la evolución?

INTRODUCTION: In Uruguay community acquired bacterial pneumonia is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. S. pneumoniae is the most frequent agent. The disease is more severe in children less than two years old. The relationship between pneumococcal penicillin resistance and outcome is still an unresolved problem. OBJECTIVES: To compare the outcome of children 0 to 24 months old hospitalized in the Hospital Pediátrico-Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell, with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae susceptible and resistant to penicillin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Children 0 to 24 months old with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia, admitted between January 1st 1998 and December 31st 2005 were included. Susceptibility to penicillin was defined as a MIC < 0.06 microg/ml, reduced susceptibility was defined as a MIC of 0.1 to 1 microg/ml (intermediate) and as a MIC >or= 2 microg/ml (resistant). Outcome was evaluated with the following criteria: empyema, sepsis, septic shock, mechanical ventilation, and death. Length of hospital stay and outcome were compared in both groups. RESULTS: Inclusion criteria were met by 168 children. S. pneumoniae was susceptible to penicillin in 90 children and with reduced susceptibility in 78. Both groups were similar in age, comorbidity, nutritional status and initial antibiotic treatment. There were no significant differences in outcome and length of hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: S. pneumoniae resistance to penicillin did not affect the outcome of pneumonia in this group of children.

Neumonía neumocócica invasiva en niños de 0 a 24 meses: ¿influye la resistencia bacteriana en la evolución? / Invasive pneumococcal pneumonia in children 0-24 months old: does bacterial resistance affect outcome?

Introducción. En Uruguay, la neumonía bacteriana adquirida en la comunidad causa una importante morbimortalidad. Streptococcus pneumoniae es el agente etiológico más frecuente. La enfermedad es más grave en niños menores de 2 años. Un interrogante aún no totalmente aclarado es la relación que existe entre la susceptibilidad disminuida del neumococo a la penicilina y su evolución. Objetivos. Comparar la evolución de niños de 0 a 24 meses de edad hospitalizados en el Hospital Pediátrico del Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell con neumonía invasiva por cepas de S. pneumoniae sensibles y con susceptibilidad disminuida a la penicilina. Pacientes y métodos. Se incluyó a los niños de 0 a 24 meses, hospitalizados entre el 1 de enero de 1998 y el 31 de diciembre de 2005, con neumonía neumocócica invasiva, en los que se determinó la concentración inhibitoria mínima (CIM) para la penicilina. Se consideraron sensibles las cepas con CIM <0,06 g/ml y con una susceptibilidad disminuida las cepas con CIM entre 0,1 y 1 g/ml (susceptibilidad intermedia) y las cepas con CIM 3 2 g/ml (resistentes). Se comparó la duración de la estancia hospitalaria y la evolución de ambos grupos a través de la presencia de los siguientes criterios de gravedad: empiema, sepsis, shock séptico, necesidad de asistencia ventilatoria mecánica y muerte. Resultados. Cumplieron los criterios de inclusión 168 niños. Las cepas de S. pneumoniae fueron sensibles a penicilina en 90 niños y con susceptibilidad disminuida en 78. Ambos grupos fueron comparables en relación con la edad, la comorbilidad, el estado nutricional y el tratamiento antibiótico al ingreso. La evolución medida por los criterios de gravedad mencionados no mostró diferencias significativas. El promedio de estancia hospitalaria fue similar en ambos grupos. Conclusiones. La resistencia de S. pneumoniae a la penicilina no influyó en la evolución de la neumonía en este grupo de niños

Introduction. In Uruguay community acquired bacterial pneumonia is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. S. pneumoniae is the most frequent agent. The disease is more severe in children less than two years old. The relationship between pneumococcal penicillin resistance and outcome is still an unresolved problem. Objectives. To compare the outcome of children 0 to 24 months old hospitalized in the Hospital Pediátrico-Centro Hospitalario Pereira Rossell, with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia caused by S. pneumoniae susceptible and resistant to penicillin. Patients and methods. Children 0 to 24 months old with invasive pneumococcal pneumonia, admitted between January 1st 1998 and December 31st 2005 were included. Susceptibility to penicillin was defined as a MIC < 0.06 g/ml, reduced susceptibility was defined as a MIC of 0.1 to 1 g/ml (intermediate) and as a MIC 3 2 g/ml (resistant). Outcome was evaluated with the following criteria: empyema, sepsis, septic shock, mechanical ventilation, and death. Length of hospital stay and outcome were compared in both groups. Results. Inclusion criteria were met by 168 children. S. pneumoniae was susceptible to penicillin in 90 children and with reduced susceptibility in 78. Both groups were similar in age, comorbidity, nutritional status and initial antibiotic treatment. There were no significant differences in outcome and length of hospital stay. Conclusions. S. pneumoniae resistance to penicillin did not affect the outcome of pneumonia in this group of children

Museo anatómico veterinario de la Universidad de Murcia: gestión de su información para la planificación, organización, educación y acción cultural / Veterinary Anatomy Museum if the University of Murcia: Information Management fro the planning, organization, education and cultural action

Se describe el proceso de gestión realizado en el Museo Anatómico Veterinario de la Universidad de Murcia, para conseguir una mejora en su estructuración. Se han aplicado técnicas museísticas adecuadas al contenido de la institución en consonancia con los medios materiales y humanos. Asimismo, la tarea realizada ha contribuido a un desarrollo de la función educativa, y a que el museo se muestre como instrumento de difusión cultural, ayudada por la incursión en el entorno web. Hay que señalar que todo el proceso está sostenido por las importantes colecciones que alberga el museo. (AU)

Epidemiology of bovine ephemeral fever virus infection in Taiwan.

Sick animals with excessive nasal discharges and protruding tongue as a result of dyspnea were observed in the August of 1996. Eight strains of BEF virus were isolated from heparinized blood samples of the affected cattle. Most of the affected cattle were difficult to be treated and had a poor prognosis. A total of 516 farms in the 9 districts of Taiwan were affected in 1996. Among a population of 110,247 dairy cattle, 14,993 (13.6%) cattle were found to be clinically ill. During the epidemic, 1,685 (11.3%) affected cattle were culled or dead after the onset of the disease. Furthermore, a strain of Ibaraki virus was isolated from the blood sample of a sick cattle that showed pyrexia, labored respiration and solitary behavior in the affected farm. The cattle with Ibaraki virus infection had typical symptoms of BEF at the early stage of the disease, but neither stomatitis nor pharyngoesophageal paralysis was observed at the onset of the disease. The outbreak was presumably brought about by the low level or non-immune status of a large cattle population due to the negligence of BEF vaccination. Therefore, the disease easily recurred in Taiwan after a typhoon episode in the August of 1996, which resulted in the proliferation of biting midges in the field. No difference in the antigenicty was found between the new and the previous isolates of BEF virus. As analyzed by cross neutralization test, the isolated BEF viruses showed no relationship to the Kimberley and Berrimah viruses that were isolated from the blood of cattle and related to BEF virus in Australia. We have tried to advise farmers that they must vaccinate their cattle annually to prevent BEF outbreak in the future.

Epizootic of Chlamydia psittaci infection in goats in Taiwan.

Epizootic abortion in goats has been frequently reported in Taiwan since 1993. The outbroken flocks were found in most of districts in Taiwan. No apparent clinical signs were found in aborted doe. The typical abortion occurred in the last two months of pregnancy. The incidence of abortion was from 10% to 87% in outbroken farms in 1993, and a total of 976 out of 2130 pregnancies (46%) were found abortion in our investigation. Gross lesions in aborted fetuses included generalized haemorrhage and swollen liver. Chlamydia psittaci was isolated from tissues of aborted fetuses and from vaginal swabs of aborted does. Chlamydial antibodies were detected among 67% to 100% of aborted does from epizootic flocks. The C. psittaci was diagnosed as the causal agent in enzootic abortion. This is the first report on chlamydial isolation and antibody surveys in epizootic abortion in goats in Taiwan.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in Hong Kong--clinical and epidemiological features during an epidemic.

An epidemic of infection due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae occurred in Hong Kong in 1986-1988. One hundred and seventy-nine cases were identified at the Prince of Wales Hospital over this period. Clinically significant infection predominantly affected children under 12 years, with 32% of all infections occurring in children aged between 6 and 11 years, and 39% in children between 1 and 5 years. Ninety-seven percent of childhood infections were respiratory in nature, the other 4 presentations were neuropsychiatric. Adequate information was available on 36 of the 43 subjects over 12 years. One teenager presented with acute psychosis; all other cases (35) were respiratory. In these cases cough was universal, and fever was present in 34 (97%). A variety of non-specific symptoms (rigors/chills, malaise, headache, sore throat, sweating) were frequently noted. Sputum production was documented in 75% of cases, and was frequently purulent. Radiological consolidation was very common (95% of cases), but resolved fully after 4 weeks. Complications were rare and included acute pericarditis in 1 patient and haemolysis in another, and both patients recovered subsequently. Clinical recovery was otherwise rapid and complete in all other patients. Persisting dry cough was the only symptom documented at follow-up. Although infection due to M. pneumoniae in an ethnic Chinese population appears similar to that described in other populations, a higher incidence in younger children was recorded in this study.

Malformaciones craneoencefálicas: diagnóstico por resonancia magnética / Central nervous system malformations: MR diagnosis

Entre abril de 1989 y julio de 1992, se estudiaron por RNM 60 pacientes con trastornos de la organogénesis; con un aparato Toshiba MRT 50 de 0,5 T, utilizando secuencias SE T1, T2 y FE T1 con cortes axiales coronales y sagitales. En la mayor parte de los casos se empleó sedación con nitrato de cloral. De los 60 pacientes con trastornos de la organogénesis, se observaron alteraciones de la oclusión 41, de la diverticulación 3, de la migración 13, de la talla 10, destructivas 6, y quistes aracnoides y neuroepiteliales 19 casos. Existieron malformaciones complejas donde se asociaron más de un tipo de anomalías en el 41,67% de los casos. La patología de mayor frecuencia fue la agenesia del cuerpo calloso en 21 pacientes (35%), la cual se asoció con malformación de Chiari en 15 pacientes (20%). La imagen por RNM valora anomalías morfológicas mediante el estudio en los tres planos del espacio y ofrece una mejor diferenciación de contraste entre sustancia blanca, en particular en secuencias FE T1 y densidad protónica. Son sus limitaciones la valoración de las calcificaciones y alteraciones óseas asociadas, patrimonio de la TC

Malformaciones craneoencefálicas: diagnóstico por resonancia magnética / Central nervous system malformations: MR diagnosis

Entre abril de 1989 y julio de 1992, se estudiaron por RNM 60 pacientes con trastornos de la organogénesis; con un aparato Toshiba MRT 50 de 0,5 T, utilizando secuencias SE T1, T2 y FE T1 con cortes axiales coronales y sagitales. En la mayor parte de los casos se empleó sedación con nitrato de cloral. De los 60 pacientes con trastornos de la organogénesis, se observaron alteraciones de la oclusión 41, de la diverticulación 3, de la migración 13, de la talla 10, destructivas 6, y quistes aracnoides y neuroepiteliales 19 casos. Existieron malformaciones complejas donde se asociaron más de un tipo de anomalías en el 41,67% de los casos. La patología de mayor frecuencia fue la agenesia del cuerpo calloso en 21 pacientes (35%), la cual se asoció con malformación de Chiari en 15 pacientes (20%). La imagen por RNM valora anomalías morfológicas mediante el estudio en los tres planos del espacio y ofrece una mejor diferenciación de contraste entre sustancia blanca, en particular en secuencias FE T1 y densidad protónica. Son sus limitaciones la valoración de las calcificaciones y alteraciones óseas asociadas, patrimonio de la TC