The effects of exercise training on the lungs and cardiovascular function of animals exposed to diesel exhaust particles and gases.

Air pollution has been identified as one of the main environmental risks to health. Since exercise training seems to act as an anti-inflammatory modulator, our hypothesis is that exercise training prevents damage to respiratory and cardiovascular function caused by diesel exhaust particle (DEP) exposure. This study aimed to evaluate whether aerobic exercise training prior to DEP exposure prevents inflammatory processes in the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems. Therefore, BALB/C male mice were or were not submitted to a 10-week exercise training protocol (5×/week, 1 h/d), and after four weeks, they were exposed to DEP in a chamber with 24 µg/m3 PM2.5 or filtered air. Heart rate variability, lung mechanics and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, cytokines and polymorphonuclear cells in the lung parenchyma were evaluated. Exposure to DEPs reduced heart rate variability and the elastance of the respiratory system and increased the number of cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes, the density of polymorphonuclear cells and the proportion of collagen fibres in the lung parenchyma. Additionally, DEP-exposed animals showed increased expression of IL-23 and IL-12p40 (proinflammatory cytokines) and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Exercise training avoided the increases in all these inflammatory parameters, except the elastance of the respiratory system, the amount of collagen fibres and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Additionally, trained animals showed increased expression of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-1ra. Although our data showed a reduction in proinflammatory markers and an increase in markers of the anti-inflammatory pathway, these changes were not sufficient to prevent damage to the lung and cardiovascular function induced by DEPs. Based on these data, we propose that aerobic exercise training prevents the lung inflammatory process induced by DEPs, although it was not sufficient to avoid chronic damage, such as a loss of lung function or cardiovascular events.

Automated early detection of drops in commercial egg production using neural networks.

1. The purpose of this work was to support decision-making in poultry farms by performing automatic early detection of anomalies in egg production. 2. Unprocessed data were collected from a commercial egg farm on a daily basis over 7 years. Records from a total of 24 flocks, each with approximately 20 000 laying hens, were studied. 3. Other similar works have required a prior feature extraction by a poultry expert, and this method is dependent on time and expert knowledge. 4. The present approach reduces the dependency on time and expert knowledge because of the automatic selection of relevant features and the use of artificial neural networks capable of cost-sensitive learning. 5. The optimum configuration of features and parameters in the proposed model was evaluated on unseen test data obtained by a repeated cross-validation technique. 6. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value are presented and discussed at 5 forecasting intervals. The accuracy of the proposed model was 0.9896 for the day before a problem occurs.

Food allergy in breastfeeding babies. Hidden allergens in human milk.

BACKGORUND: Food allergy is a rare disorder among breastfeeding babies. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to identify responsible allergens in human milk. METHODS: We studied babies developing allergic symptoms at the time they were breastfeeding. Skin prick tests (SPT) were performed with breast milk and food allergens. Specific IgE was assessed and IgE Immunoblotting experiments with breast milk were carried out to identify food allergens. Clinical evolution was evaluated after a maternal free diet. RESULTS: Five babies had confirmed breast milk allergy. Peanut, white egg and/or cow's milk were demonstrated as the hidden responsible allergens. No baby returned to develop symptoms once mother started a free diet. Three of these babies showed tolerance to other food allergens identified in human milk. CONCLUSION: A maternal free diet should be recommended only if food allergy is confirmed in breastfed babies.

Identification of the first nonsense CDSN mutation with expression of a truncated protein causing peeling skin syndrome type B.

BACKGROUND: Peeling skin disease (PSD), a generalized inflammatory form of peeling skin syndrome, is caused by autosomal recessive nonsense mutations in the corneodesmosin gene (CDSN). OBJECTIVES: To investigate a novel mutation in CDSN. METHODS: A 50-year-old white woman showed widespread peeling with erythema and elevated serum IgE. DNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry, Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses of skin biopsies were performed in order to study the genetics and to characterize the molecular profile of the disease. RESULTS: Histology showed hyperkeratosis and acanthosis of the epidermis, and inflammatory infiltrates in the dermis. DNA sequencing revealed a homozygous mutation leading to a premature termination codon in CDSN: p.Gly142*. Protein analyses showed reduced expression of a 16-kDa corneodesmosin mutant in the upper epidermal layers, whereas the full-length protein was absent. CONCLUSIONS: These results are interesting regarding the genotype-phenotype correlations in diseases caused by CDSN mutations. The PSD-causing CDSN mutations identified heretofore result in total corneodesmosin loss, suggesting that PSD is due to full corneodesmosin deficiency. Here, we show for the first time that a mutant corneodesmosin can be stably expressed in some patients with PSD, and that this truncated protein is very probably nonfunctional.

Evaluation of metal mobility from copper mine tailings in northern Chile.

This work shows the results obtained on a copper mine tailing in the Antofagasta Region, Chile. The tailing was classified as saline-sodic with high concentrations of metals, especially Cu and Fe, with pH 8.4. Our objectives were to (1) compare the physicochemical properties of the tailing with surrounding soils of the mine under study, and (2) evaluate the effect of two amendments (CaCO3 and compost) and their mixtures on Cu(2+), Mn, Fe, Zn, Mg(2+), and K(+) and Ca(2+), SO4 (2-), NO3 (-), and PO4 (3-) leaching. The data obtained were submitted to variance and covariance analysis. The results from the comparison between both substrates showed that in general, the tailing presented greater content of metals. Regarding tailing leaching, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and concentration of the elements of interest were measured. The statistical analysis showed that Cu(2+) leaching and immobilization of Fe occurred to the greatest extent with compost. The EC decreased throughout the experiment with irrigation and increased upon treatment with compost. The major interactions found among the chemical parameters were (1) tailings without treatment, Cu(2+)/Fe and NO3 (-)/SO4 (2-); (2) tailings treated with CaCO3, Cu(2+)/K(+); (3) tailings treated with compost, NO3 (-)/SO4 (-2) and EC/Cu(2+); and (4) tailings treated with both amendments, EC/Fe and Cu(2+)/Fe. The ANOVA showed that the number of irrigations and the amendments statistically significantly affected the copper mobility and the organic amendment significantly influenced the iron mobility.

Phorbol myristate acetate induces endocytosis as well as exocytosis and hydroosmosis in toad urinary bladder.

The induction of the hydroosmotic response in the toad urinary bladder is considered to be associated with membrane addition mediated by exocytosis at the affected luminal membrane and reversed by endocytic retrieval at that surface. The permeability, exocytosis and endocytosis are initiated by antidiuretic hormone (ADH) receptor interaction on the basolateral membrane. In other hormone responsive systems, phorbol ester (phorbol myristate acetate, PMA), a tumor promoter, has been implicated in the regulation of various transport processes through the activation of protein kinase C and cytoskeletal protein phosphorylation. We found that addition of 10(-6) M PMA to the mucosa induces an hydroosmotic response which is gradual and which reaches a maximum within 60 min, equal to about 1/3 the maximal ADH response. Morphologically, PMA causes rapid exocytosis of the granules, endocytosis of horseradish peroxidase from the mucosal medium into tubules and multivesicular bodies and elongation of apical microvilli. Controls treated with mucosal 0.1% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) or an inactive PMA isomer on the mucosal surface, or PMA on the serosal surface lack the hydroosmotic, exocytic, endocytic and cytoskeletal changes. Addition of serosal ADH to PMA-treated bladders results in a precocious hydroosmotic and exocytic ADH response, but a lowering of the maximal response. Also pretreatment of bladders with PMA prevented the ADH-induced increase in transepithelial potential difference. Thus, apical events mediating the PMA hydroosmotic response are correlated with exo- and endocytosis and elongation of apical microvilli.

Tumor de cavum: quiste de thornwaldt. Reporte de un caso / Cavum tumor: thornwaldt's cyst. Case report

El quiste de Thornwaldt es un tumor benigno de cavum, poco frecuente, generalmente asintomático, pero puede llegar a causar sintomatología significativa según su tamaño. Se genera a partir de un resto embrionario de la notocorda. Suele ser un hallazgo incidental en los estudios endoscópicos e imagenológicos y su tratamiento depende de su sintomatología. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 27 años de edad quien acudió a nuestro servicio con sintomatología caracterizada por obstrucción nasal, rinolalia y disfagia de dos años de evolución, secundarios a una tumoración de cavum hallada en la faringoscopía, la cual requirió tratamiento quirúrgico para su resolución

Thornwaldt's cyst is a rare benign cavum tumor usually asymptomatic, but it can cause significant symptoms depending on its size. Its generated from an embryological rest of the notochord. It is usually an incidental finding in endoscopic and imaging studies and its treatment depends on the symptoms. We present the case of a 27-year-old female patient who came to our service with symp-toms characterized by nasal obstruction, rhinolalia and dysphagia of two years of evolution secondary to a cavum tumor found in pharyngoscopy, which required surgical treatment for resolution

Laringocele mixto. Reporte de caso / Mixed laryngocele. Case report

El laringocele es una afección benigna de laringe. Está relacionada con el desarrollo embriológico del sáculo y constituye una mal-formación congénita. Es más frecuente en el sexo masculino y sexta década de la vida. Suele tener diferentes presentaciones clínicas que generan diversas modalidades de tratamiento. Se presenta un caso clínico de paciente femenina con aumento de volumen cervical y en exploración clínica e imagenológica se diagnosticó un laringocele mixto que requirió tratamiento con cirugía de cuello

Laryngocele is a benign condition of the larynx. It is related to the embryological development of the saccule and constitutes a congenital malformation. It is more frequent in males and sixth decade of life. It usually has different clinical presentations that generate different treatment modalities. A clinical case of a female patient with an increase in cervical volume is presented, and a clinical and imaging examination diagnosed a mixed laryngocele that required treatment with neck surgery

Effects of bronchial transection and reanastomosis on mucociliary system.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The mechanisms involved in the impairment of mucociliary function after lung transplantation are not completely understood. The purpose of the present study was to isolate the effects of unilateral bronchial transection and reanastomosis in a rat model. DESIGN: In situ bronchial mucociliary transport (MCT) was determined proximal and distal to the bronchial anastomosis, as well as in the right bronchus, in 48 rats classified into six groups: intact rats, and rats at 1 day, 2 days, 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days after bronchial transection and reanastomosis of the left main stem bronchus. In vitro mucus transportability and mucus contact angle were studied in another group of eight rats after 1 week of surgery. RESULTS: Distal to the anastomosis site, left bronchus in situ MCT (mean +/- SD) was 0.26 +/- 0.19 mm/min for the intact group, and 0.11 +/- 0.13 mm/min, 0.07 +/- 0.04 mm/min, 0.03 +/- 0.04 mm/min, 0.07 +/- 0.12 mm/min, and 0.05 +/- 0.06 mm/min for 1 day, 2 days, 7 days, 15 days, and 30 days after surgery, respectively (all significantly reduced, p < 0.05). No intergroup differences were found proximal to the anastomosis (p = 0.30). When comparing the left and right bronchi, differences were detected in both distal (p < 0.0001) and proximal sides (p = 0.0001). No significant differences in mucus transportability in vitro were found (p = 0.15). Mucus contact angle of the left bronchus (52.8 +/- 20.5 degrees ) was significantly greater than that of the mucus from the right bronchus (34.4 +/- 12.9 degrees; p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that bronchial transection and reanastomosis lead to a marked impairment of MCT in distal airways, which can in part be explained by alterations in the surface properties of mucus.

Effects of limb-length discrepancy on gait economy and lower-extremity muscle activity in older adults.

BACKGROUND: The amount of limb-length discrepancy necessary to adversely affect gait parameters in older adults is unknown, with information being largely anecdotal. This investigation was conducted to determine the effects of limb-length discrepancy on gait economy and lower-extremity muscle activity in older adults. METHODS: Forty-four men and women ranging in age from fifty-five to eighty-six years with no evidence of limb-length discrepancy of >1 cm participated in the study. Subjects walked on a treadmill at a self-selected normal walking pace with artificial limb-length discrepancies of 0, 2, 3, and 4 cm applied in a randomly selected order. Indirect calorimetry was used to measure oxygen consumption and minute ventilation. Electromyography was used to measure muscle activity of the right and left quadriceps femoris, plantar flexors, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius. Heart rate, the rating of perceived exertion, and frequency of gait compensation patterns were also measured. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in oxygen consumption and the rating of perceived exertion with 2, 3, and 4-cm artificial limb-length discrepancies; a significant increase in heart rate, minute ventilation, and quadriceps activity in the longer limb with 3 and 4-cm artificial limb-length discrepancies; and a significant increase in plantar flexor activity in the shorter limb with a 4-cm artificial limb-length discrepancy compared with the same parameters with no artificial limb-length discrepancy. CONCLUSIONS: Both oxygen consumption and the rating of perceived exertion were greater with a 2-cm artificial limb-length discrepancy than they were with no artificial limb-length discrepancy. There appears to be a breakpoint between 2 and 3 cm of artificial limb-length discrepancy in older adults with regard to the effects on most other physiological parameters. A 3-cm artificial limb-length discrepancy is likely to induce significant quadriceps fatigue in the longer limb. Elderly patients with substantial pulmonary, cardiac, or neuromuscular disease may have difficulty walking with a limb-length discrepancy as small as 2 cm.

A comparative study of porous coatings in a weight-bearing total hip-arthroplasty model.

The purposes of this study were to compare ingrowth of bone into three types of porous coating and to determine the effect of the type of porous coating and the degree of coverage of the stem on the remodeling of bone on the femoral side in cementless hip arthroplasty. A left total hip arthroplasty was performed in forty dogs. Thirty of the dogs had a titanium-alloy femoral prosthesis that had had one of three types of commercially pure titanium porous material applied along the length of the anterior and posterior surfaces of the stem: ten with sintered fiber-metal, ten with sintered beads, and ten with plasma flame-spray coating. The remaining ten dogs had a femoral component that was circumferentially coated with commercially pure titanium that was plasma flame-sprayed along the length of the stem. In each group, five animals were killed at one month and five were killed at six months. Ingrowth of bone into all three types of porous coating was observed, indicating secure fixation of all components. By six months, there was more ingrowth of bone and new medullary bone adjacent to the proximal and distal aspects of the stems compared with the middle level of the stems in all groups. No significant difference in ingrowth of bone was observed in the beaded surface (25.2 per cent) and the fiber-metal surface (16.6 per cent) at one month, but at six months there was significantly less ingrowth into the beaded surface (23.3 per cent) than into the fiber-metal surface (37.3 per cent). In all groups, a proximal-to-distal gradient of loss of cortical bone was observed by six months. The group of dogs that had the stem with the circumferential coating experienced more severe loss of bone than did the three groups that had a stem with a partial coating. The magnitude of loss of bone was dependent on the extent rather than the type of porous coating.

Revision total hip arthroplasty without cement: subsidence of proximally porous-coated femoral components.

We prospectively studied the intermediate-term results of forty-nine revision total hip arthroplasties without cement that were performed because of aseptic loosening of a cemented femoral component in forty-five consecutive patients; the mean duration of follow-up was sixty-five months (range, forty-five to eighty-seven months). A curved, long-stem, titanium-alloy, non-circumferentially porous-coated femoral component was implanted in each hip. Preoperatively, a staging system was used to classify deficiencies of femoral bone stock according to the loss of cancellous or cortical bone in the metaphysis and diaphysis. Forty-one hips (84 per cent) had cortical or ectatic cavitary bone loss in the metaphysis. The mean Harris hip score significantly improved from 54 points preoperatively to 84 points at the time of the latest follow-up examination (p < 0.001). Twenty-seven patients (twenty-eight hips; 57 per cent) had at least two millimeters of subsidence of the femoral component during the first postoperative year. Eight patients (eight hips; 16 per cent) had no further progression of subsidence. Twenty-one patients (twenty-two hips; 45 per cent) had at least two millimeters of subsidence on two separate postoperative evaluations and therefore were considered to have progressive subsidence. Seventeen patients (nineteen hips; 39 per cent) had no measurable subsidence and were considered to have a stable femoral component. One of these seventeen patients had had a bilateral femoral revision and had progressive subsidence on one side. There was a positive trend for an association between subsidence and the degree of preoperative femoral bone deficiency (p = 0.10), but there was no association between subsidence and the fit of the prosthesis in the metaphysis and diaphysis or the fill of the canal of the femur (p > 0.50). There was no significant loss of bone in the hips with either a stable or a subsided femoral component (p > 0.50), and qualitative reconstitution of the cortex was noted in eleven (52 per cent) of the twenty-one most severely deficient (stage-III) femora. Survivorship analysis showed that, at seventy-two months, there was a 96 per cent chance of survival of the component (95 per cent confidence limits, 0.89 to 1.0) with revision as the end point but only a 37 per cent chance of survival (95 per cent confidence limits, 0.15 to 0.59) with revision or progressive subsidence as the end point.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Heterotopic ossification.

Heterotopic ossification is a well-recognized condition frequently encountered by the orthopedic surgeon. Although typically asymptomatic, heterotopic ossification can be a complication of extreme severity. This article is a review of literature and attempts to clarify the definition, and delineates the etiology, incidence, risk factors, and current modes of prophylaxis and treatment of various types of heterotopic ossification.

Osteoma gigante fronto-etmoidal: presentación de caso / Fronto-ethmoidal giant osteoma: report case

El osteoma, es un tumor formador de hueso de etiología benigna, presenta un diámetro aproximado menor de 2 cm. Su localización más frecuente son los senos paranasales, bien sea endostal o parostal, su presentación clínica puede ser asintomática hasta producir dolor nocturno intenso en la zona afectada que a menudo simula un cuadro de rinosinusitis, el cual cede tras la administración de analgésicos. Los estudios por imagen, contribuyen en su diagnóstico y localización. La resección del mismo, permite mejorar la calidad de vida en los pacientes que lo padecen. Se presenta el caso clínico de una paciente femenina de 33 años de edad quien consulta por dolor en región paranasal de predominio nocturno que cede tras la administración de analgésicos. El estudio tomográfico confirmó la presencia de una lesión de densidad cálcica en región fronto-etmoidal, se realizó exéresis de la lesión y el estudio anatomopatológico confirmo su naturaleza

Osteoma, is a bone-forming tumor of benign etiology, has an approximate diameter of less than 2 cm. Its most frequent location is the paranasal sinuses, either endostal or parostal, it can be asymptomatic until it shows intense nocturnal pain in the affected area that often simulates a rhinosinusitis picture, which can manifest after the administration of analgesics. Imaging studies contribute to its diagnosis and location. The resection of the same, improves the quality of life in the patients who suffer it. We present the clinical case of a 33-year-old female patient who consulted for pain in the predominantly nocturnal paranasal region that subsided after analgesics were administered. The tomographic study confirmed the presence of a lesion of calcic density in the fronto-ethmoidal region, excision of the lesion was performed and the anatomopathological study confirmed its nature

Short-term exposure of mice to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash produces proximal airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with inflammatory cell reactions, tissue destruction and lung remodeling. Many signaling pathways for these phenomena are still to be identified. We developed a mouse model of COPD to evaluate some pathophysiological mechanisms acting during the initial stage of the disease. Forty-seven 6- to 8-week-old female C57/BL6 mice (approximately 22 g) were exposed for 2 months to cigarette smoke and/or residual oil fly ash (ROFA), a concentrate of air pollution. We measured lung mechanics, airspace enlargement, airway wall thickness, epithelial cell profile, elastic and collagen fiber deposition, and by immunohistochemistry transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1), macrophage elastase (MMP12), neutrophils and macrophages. We observed regional airspace enlargements near terminal bronchioles associated with the exposure to smoke or ROFA. There were also increases in airway resistance and thickening of airway walls in animals exposed to smoke. In the epithelium, we noted a decrease in the ciliated cell area of animals exposed to smoke and an increase in the total cell area associated with exposure to both smoke and ROFA. There was also an increase in the expression of TGF-ß1 both in the airways and parenchyma of animals exposed to smoke. However, we could not detect inflammatory cell recruitment, increases in MMP12 or elastic and collagen fiber deposition. After 2 months of exposure to cigarette smoke and/or ROFA, mice developed regional airspace enlargements and airway epithelium remodeling, although no inflammation or increases in fiber deposition were detected. Some of these phenomena may have been mediated by TGF-ß1.