Agreement and differences between macular values in children using two types of spectral optical coherence tomography.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the degree of agreement and differences between macular parameters according to sex, age, laterality, ethnicity and type of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in paediatric patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prospective, transversal, and comparative study. OCT Spectralis and OCT Cirrus were used to obtain the macular values of both eyes in 100 patients between 5 and 15 years without ocular pathology. Due to the similarity between the values of both eyes, in the final sample we only considered the right eyes (OD) (n = 100). RESULTS: The average central macular thickness (CMT) was 244.2 µm with Cirrus and 261.7 µm with Spectralis. The degree of agreement for the GMC was moderate (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient: 0.66) and from low to very low in the other quadrants. The GMC values of both systems were significantly higher in men than in women (P < .05). The macular retinal nerve fibre layer (mRNC), ganglion cell layer (GCC), the inner plexiform layer (IPLC), and the inner nuclear layer (INFL) had significantly higher values in men than in women (P < .01). There were no statistically significant differences in the GMC by age and laterality, however it was significantly higher in ethnic European children than in ethnic Latin American children; Cirrus (P = .042) and Spectralis (P = .033). CONCLUSIONS: Macular parameters obtained by OCT Spectralis and OCT Cirrus should not be interchangeable in pediatric patients.

Grado de concordancia y diferencias entre valores maculares en niños mediante dos tipos de tomografía de coherencia óptica espectral / Agreement and differences between macular values in children using two types of spectral optical coherence tomography

Objetivo Determinar el grado de concordancia y las diferencias entre los parámetros maculares en función de sexo, edad, lateralidad, etnia y tipo de tomografía de coherencia óptica (OCT) en pacientes pediátricos. Materiales y métodos Estudio prospectivo, transversal y comparativo. Se hizo uso de la OCT Spectralis y la OCT Cirrus para obtener los valores maculares de ambos ojos en 100 pacientes entre 5 y 15años sin patología ocular. Debido a la semejanza entre los valores de ambos ojos, en la muestra final solo consideramos los ojos derechos (OD) (n=100). Resultados La media del grosor macular central (GMC) fue de 244,2μm con Cirrus y 261,7μm con Spectralis. El grado de concordancia para el GMC fue moderado (coeficiente de correlación intraclase: 0,66) y de bajo a muy bajo en el resto de cuadrantes. Los valores de GMC de ambos sistemas fueron significativamente mayores en varones que en mujeres (p<0,05). La capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina macular (CFNRm), la capa de células ganglionares (CCG), la capa plexiforme interna (CPI) y la capa nuclear interna (CNI) tuvieron valores significativamente mayores en varones que en mujeres (p<0,01). No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en el GMC según edad y lateralidad; sin embargo, fue significativamente mayor en niños de etnia europea que en niños de etnia latinoamericana; Cirrus (p=0,042) y Spectralis (p=0,033). Conclusiones Los parámetros maculares obtenidos mediante OCT Spectralis y OCT Cirrus no deberían ser intercambiables en pacientes pediátricos (AU)

Objective To determine the degree of agreement and differences between macular parameters according to sex, age, laterality, ethnicity and type of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in paediatric patients. Materials and methods Prospective, transversal, and comparative study. OCT Spectralis and OCT Cirrus were used to obtain the macular values of both eyes in 100 patients between 5 and 15years without ocular pathology. Due to the similarity between the values of both eyes, in the final sample we only considered the right eyes (OD) (n=100). Results The average central macular thickness (CMT) was 244.2μm with Cirrus and 261.7μm with Spectralis. The degree of agreement for the GMC was moderate (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.66) and from low to very low in the other quadrants. The GMC values of both systems were significantly higher in men than in women (P<.05). The macular retinal nerve fibre layer (mRNC), ganglion cell layer (GCC), the inner plexiform layer (IPLC), and the inner nuclear layer (INFL) had significantly higher values in men than in women (P<.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the GMC by age and laterality, however it was significantly higher in ethnic European children than in ethnic Latin American children; Cirrus (P=.042) and Spectralis (P=.033). Conclusions Macular parameters obtained by OCT Spectralis and OCT Cirrus should not be interchangeable in pediatric patients (AU)

Agreement in retinal nerve fiber layer values and comparison in children using two optical coherence tomography devices. / Grado de concordancia y diferencias entre los valores de capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina peripapilar en niños mediante dos tipos de tomografía de coherencia óptica espectral.

OBJECTIVE: To assess absolute agreement and differences in peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) values according to sex, age, laterality, origin and optical coherence tomography (OCT) type in normal pediatric patients undergoing OCT scans using both Cirrus and Spectralis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective, cross-sectional, and comparative study. We used Spectralis OCT and Cirrus OCT to measure optic disc values of both eyes in one hundred pediatric patients (age 5 to 15years), with no previous ocular pathology or systemic disease that could affect the eye. Due to the similarity between eyes, only right eyes were considered (n=100). RESULTS: The average peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) values were 99.6µm with Cirrus and 106.7µm with the Spectralis system. The four quadrants followed the ISNT rule (inferior-superior-nasal-temporal). The average pRNFL measures correlated negatively with the AL (P<.01) in both OCTs, and the degree of agreement between OCTs for pRNFL and inferior RNFL was moderate (CCI: 0.67 and 0.61, respectively), and low in the rest of the sectors. The average pRNFL values of both OCTs were higher in women than in men (P>.05) and there were also no statistical differences in the pRNFL according to age or laterality (P>.05). All RNFL values were significantly different between both types of OCTs (P<.05) and average pRNFL values were significantly thicker (P<.05) in Latin American than in European children in both eyes. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the respective peripapillary RNFL values obtained using these two OCTs should not be considered interchangeable in pediatric patients.

Interacciones moleculares de un flavonoide prenilado con transportadores de antimicóticos dependientes de ATP / Molecular interactions of a prenylated flavonoid with ATP-depending antimycotic transporters

Uno de los principales mecanismos para la resistencia de Candida albicans a azoles es la sobreexpresión de transportadores que extruyen los fármacos antimicóticos y disminuyen su concentración intracelular. Anteriormente nuestros laboratorios habían informado que el flavonoide prenilado 2', 4'-dihidroxi - 5'-(1'''-dimetilalil)-6-prenil pinocembrina (6PP) inhibe en forma competitiva los transportadores cdr, dependientes del ATP, además de ser antimicrobiano per se. En este trabajo realizamos estudios bioinformáticos para analizar los posibles sitios de interacción molecular estereoespecífica del 6PP, fluconazol y adenosín trifosfato (ATP) con los transportadores cdr1 y cdr2. Se confeccionaron los modelos tridimensionales de los ligandos y de los transportadores a través de estudios de homología de datos respecto de otras macromoléculas. Se calculó la variación de energía libre de Gibbs ( G) asociada a 45 modelos de interacción molecular y se estudiaron cdr1 y cdr2 en formacomparativa, dada su similitud estructural. Se seleccionaron los modelos más probables desde el punto de vista termodinámico. El 6PP y el fluconazol podrían competir de diversas maneras por un sitio estereoespecífico que atraviesa la membrana de la levadura. Este sitio, numerado como 1, fue estudiado exhaustivamente, es común a los transportadores cdr1 y cdr2 y aporta selectivamente distintosaminoácidos. Entre estos últimos, los de mayor participación en los modelos de interacción fueron, en cdr1 y cdr2, respectivamente: PHE 754,756 y TYR 747,749 . Se seleccionaron los 9 mejores complejos formados por cada ligando, de acuerdo a su energía de afinidad decreciente (en KJ/mol en mejor modelo de cdr2: 6PP = -9,3; fluconazol = -6,8). Además el flavonoide prenilado competiría con el ATP en el dominio citosólico y con menor probabilidad lo imitaría el fluconazol ( G en KJ/mol en mejor modelo de cdr2: 6P P= -8,2, ATP = -7,6; fluconazol = -6,7)...

Potencialidad terapéutica de los flavonoides prenilados: flavonoides prenilados como potenciales componentes de medicamentos / Therapeutic potential of prenilated flavonoids: prenilated flavonoids as potential components of drugs

Los flavonoides representan un destacado grupo dentro de los compuestos naturales y tienen amplia distribución en el reino vegetal. A ningún otro grupo de compuestos de origen natural se le han atribuido tan numerosas, variadas e importantesactividades en el crecimiento y desarrollo de las plantas. En general, no son tóxicos y presentan múltiples actividades biológicas; algunos de ellos han sido aprobados como principios activos de medicamentos en la Argentina y otros países. En este trabajo se resumen los efectos farmacológicos más relevantes de los flavonoides prenilados, un subgrupo con estructurasde escasa distribución en la naturaleza. Han sido poco estudiados desde el punto de vista químico y farmacológico. Sinembargo, los avances realizados en los últimos años permiten estimar interesantes aplicaciones terapéuticas. Así, por ejemplo, se han reportado sus actividades antimicrobiana, antitumoral, antiinflamatoria y antioxidante. Se dan ejemplos de información científica relacionada primordialmente con flavonoides prenilados extraídos de especies vegetales autóctonas de laArgentina.

Flavonoids are natural compounds synthesized by plants, in which are vital metabolites involved in diverse and important functions such as growth and development. In general, they are innocuous and present many biological activities. In the paper we review the most relevant pharmacological effects of prenylated flavonoids, a subgroup of low distribution in nature that has not been much studied from the chemical and pharmacological points of view. Nevertheless, the advances achieved in the last years allow to estimate interesting therapeutical applications for them. Thus, the antimicrobial, antitumoral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities have been described. Examples of information related to compounds extracted from indigenous plants from Argentina were selected.

A randomized controlled trial on the efficacy and safety of a food ingredient, collagen hydrolysate, for improving joint comfort.

INTRODUCTION: Current options to promote joint comfort are limited to medicines that can reduce pain but can also have adverse effects. Collagen, a major component of joint cartilage, is found in the diet, particularly in meat. Its hydrolysed form, collagen hydrolysate (CH), is well absorbed. CH may stimulate the joint matrix cells to synthesize collagen, so helping to maintain the structure of the joint and potentially to aid joint comfort. METHODS: In a randomized, double-blind, controlled multicentre trial, 250 subjects with primary osteoarthritis of the knee were given 10 g CH daily for 6 months. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in knee joint comfort as assessed by visual analogue scales to assess pain and the Womac pain subscale. Subjects with the greatest joint deterioration, and with least intake of meat protein in their habitual diets, benefited most. CONCLUSION: CH is safe and effective and warrants further consideration as a food ingredient.

Studies on the evolution, pathology, and immunity of commercial fattening rabbits affected with epizootic outbreaks of diarrhoeas in Mexico: a case report.

Epizootic outbreaks of diarrhoeas have emerged and disseminated in different rabbit farms in Mexico causing great economical losses, during the past years. Seven, 5-weeks-old New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits chosen at random from 35 ill animals that were remitted for postmortem, histopathology, and ultrastructural examinations were studied. Bacteriological and parasitological studies were carried out in three additional ill rabbits of same age. In a field trail 45, 5-weeks-old apparently healthy NZW rabbits were observed daily for sanitary status for a 5-week period. Some of the rabbits did not response to the preventive drug treatment and were therefore, used to study the development of the disease. Clinical signs, gross lesions, and mortality throughout the fattening period were recorded. Eight, 8-weeks-old NZW rabbits who survived an outbreak were assessed for gamma-globulins in serum of the total protein fraction during a 3-week period. Gamma-globulins were also measured in eight free-disease healthy rabbits of same breed and age. Lesions of the small intestine consisted of mucoid enteropathy, lymphocytic plasmocytic enteritis with atrophy and fusion of villi, and hyperplasia of globet cells. Serosal edema was present. Ultrastructural examinations of jejunum and ileum from 3/7 diseased rabbits, revealed enterocytes in apoptosis, mixed with degenerative and/or necrotic changes together with infiltration of lymphocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and loss of microvillus. There were electron dense structures suggestive of virus particles inside the nuclei and cytoplasm of some enterocytes. There was lymphoid spleen atrophy and proliferation of reticuloendothelial cells in 7/7 rabbits. Interstitial pneumonia in 4/7 rabbits was found. Encephalitozoon cuniculi was detected in the brain of 1/7 rabbits. Escherichia coli were detected in 3/3 cases and Eimeria spp. in 2/3 cases. Mortality rate in the field study was 51.1% and the spread of the disease occur in 9/9 cages. The proportion of gamma-globulins in rabbits who survive an outbreak was much lower (P=0.0001) than free-disease healthy rabbits (8.1+/-1.0 and 14.0+/-1.0, respectively). The disease was multifactorial and consisted of sub-acute mucoid enteropathy probably induced by viral infection and aggravated by the proliferation of opportunistic pathogens common to rabbits. This may explain the severe degenerative and necrotic changes observed in the small intestine of diarrhoeic rabbits.

Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia in a patient with a familial pericentric inversion of chromosome 8, inv(8)(p23.1q13).

A 7-month-old girl was diagnosed with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia and, at the time of diagnosis, the karyotype was 48-50,XX,+4,+5,del(5)(p13),del(6)(q14), +8,inv(8)(p23.1q13),der(13) t(13;?;?),+19,-20,+21,+22,+mar [cp20]. At relapse, there was clear evidence of her constitutional status as a carrier of the pericentric inversion (8)(p23.1q13). It was a familial inversion affecting the patient's maternal lineage; a history of cancer and bleeding anomalies in carriers of the inversion led us to consider their nonrandom association with these pathologies.

Evidence for the presence and participation of 85-75 KDa extracellular matrix components in cell interactions of Bufo arenarum gastrulation.

We studied the presence and distribution of the extracellular materials (ECM), obtained by mild embryonic dissociation through nondenaturing and denaturing PAGE, immunoblotting and immunocytochemical wholemount in the gastrulation of anuran amphibian Bufo arenarum. The SDS-PAGE, under reducing conditions, revealed the protein profile of the ECM which comprised six bands. The Western immunoblotting effected with antibodies against fibronectins (FN) of Xenopus laevis, Ambystoma mexicanum and Bufo arenarum revealed that the 210 and 190 KDa bands (EP1-EP2) present in the ECM were identified as FN. Polyclonal antibodies against the 85-75 KDa polypeptides (EP3-EP4) were obtained and used throughout this study. The distribution of FN and EP3-EP4 was comparatively studied in the blastocoelic roof (BCR) of stage 10.5 Bufo arenarum, Xenopus laevis and Ambystoma mexicanum embryos. In the anurans, FN appeared as a network of fine fibrils apparently oriented at random, while in Ambystoma, FN appeared as a complex anastomosing network of oriented fibrils. EP3-EP4 were found in Bufo and in Xenopus both in the intercellular contact zones and in the cellular periphery. No linear arrangements of these proteins were observed. Few, if any, EP3-EP4 were found on the BCR of Ambystoma mexicanum. At stage 11, EP3-EP4, which showed a dramatic increase at the chordomesoderm-neuroectoderm junction in Bufo arenarum embryos, appeared as an amorphous material. For the purpose of analyzing the role of EP3-EP4 during Bufo arenarum gastrulation, anti-EP3-EP4 antibodies and anti-EP3-EP4 Fab fragments were microinjected into the blastocoel cavity of stage 9 embryos, an event that cause severe alterations in the gastrulation process. Convergent extension of the dorsal marginal zone and the epiboly of the BCR were the most strongly affected events. Results show that EP3-EP4 are required for normal Bufo arenarum gastrulation.

[Evaluation of a community experience of social interaction and promotion of exercise and leisure time: subjective impact and participant's satisfaction]. / Evaluación de una experiencia comunitaria de interacción social y promoción de ejercicio físico y tiempo de ocio: impacto subjetivo y satisfacción de las participantes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate an experiment in social interaction, physical exercise and use of leisure time of 50 to 75-year old women using a health centre. DESIGN: An observational and descriptive study of a qualitative nature. SETTING: A Health District in the city of Jaén. PARTICIPANTS: 40 women between 50 and 75 chosen by their G.P. because they suffered conditions which could be improved by physical exercise, had adverse social conditioning factors and/or non-specific symptoms which were probably psychosomatic. INTERVENTION: The programme developed between October '94 and June '95 included three activities. Two groups of 20 women were formed. 100% completed the programme. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: 94% of the participants thought that their health had improved; 89%, their family life; and 97%, their social and personal life. On completing the programme, 71% considered their health "good or very good". 83% attended the physical exercise sessions with less than three absences; all of them stayed on for the 95-96 course. Their reasons for beginning the course corresponded fully with the benefits perceived on completing it. CONCLUSIONS: In line with the opinions of the participants in a programme of intersector activity (community social services and the health service), group physical exercise, with socializing and amusement components, has positive effects on health and social and family well-being.

Alteration of morphogenetic cell interactions by 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine in Bufo arenarum embryo.

Amphibian gastrulation was used as a model system to study the action of the nucleoside 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) on the early events of amphibian morphogenesis. Ara-C inhibits both glycoprotein and glycolipid synthesis and interferes with DNA synthesis. Thus, it is useful to investigate the importance of the cell surface and the nucleous during Bufo arenarum morphogenesis. Living embryos were incubated with Ara-C at blastula and gastrula stages. Treated-embryos undergo abnormal gastrulation, most of the embryos exogastrulate, although some do not gastrulate at all. This antimetabolite did not interfere with neural induction, as partial exogastrulae developed a small neural tube. We have proven that Area-C disturbs the typical intercellular organization and inhibits the radial intercalation of the blastocoelic roof. The mesodermal migration is the most affected morphogenetic process. The results described in this paper demonstrate that the timing of gastrulation movements strongly involves the participation of surface and extracellular molecules in cell recognition and cell interaction but does not involve a significant increase in cell division rate and can also occur in the absence of the cell division.

Alteration of morphogenetic cell interactions by 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine in Bufo arenarum embryo.

Amphibian gastrulation was used as a model system to study the action of the nucleoside 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C) on the early events of amphibian morphogenesis. Ara-C inhibits both glycoprotein and glycolipid synthesis and interferes with DNA synthesis. Thus, it is useful to investigate the importance of the cell surface and the nucleous during Bufo arenarum morphogenesis. Living embryos were incubated with Ara-C at blastula and gastrula stages. Treated-embryos undergo abnormal gastrulation, most of the embryos exogastrulate, although some do not gastrulate at all. This antimetabolite did not interfere with neural induction, as partial exogastrulae developed a small neural tube. We have proven that Area-C disturbs the typical intercellular organization and inhibits the radial intercalation of the blastocoelic roof. The mesodermal migration is the most affected morphogenetic process. The results described in this paper demonstrate that the timing of gastrulation movements strongly involves the participation of surface and extracellular molecules in cell recognition and cell interaction but does not involve a significant increase in cell division rate and can also occur in the absence of the cell division.

Growth factors that repress myoblast differentiation sustain phosphorylation of a specific site on histone H1.

A monoclonal antibody (12D11) is presented that binds an epitope on histone H1 only when it is phosphorylated. Skeletal myoblasts, which are cultured in high mitogen medium to induce proliferation and inhibit differentiation, contain histone H1 reactive with monoclonal antibody 12D11, whereas differentiated myocytes and adult skeletal muscle do not. Phosphorylation of H1 at the 12D11 epitope, as assessed by antibody binding, is also induced and maintained in myoblasts cultured in low mitogen medium supplemented with transforming growth factor beta, which blocks differentiation but allows the cells to withdraw from the cell cycle (Olson, E., Sternberg, E., Hu, J., Spizz, G., and Wilcox, C. (1986) J. Cell Biol. 103, 1799-1805; Massague, J., Cheipetz, S., Endo, T., and Nadal-Ginard, B. (1986) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 83, 8206-8210). These observations suggest that phosphorylation of histone H1 at the 12D11 epitope is associated with the negative regulation of myoblast differentiation by growth factors.