Magneto Immunoassays for Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-Rich Protein 2 Related to Malaria based on Magnetic Nanoparticles

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Kidney transplants from living nonrelated donors: An analysis of 87 cases, including 20 cases with specific blood transfusions from the donor

The aim of this paper is to analyze 87 cases of kidney transplants obtained from nonrelated donors; in 20 of these, a donor-specific transfusion procedure4 was added to the pretreatment protocol of each recipient.

Linfonodo pulmonar na paracoccidioidomicose aguda infantil (relato de um caso).

The primary complex like Ghon was observed in a child's clinical roentgenographic study. C.S., white, male, 6 years old, was born in Curitiba (PR), Brazil and living in Guaratingueta (SP), Brazil, developed common cold, bimodal diary fever, chills, shake and sweats. Dyspnea, cough with general lymphadenopathy. Foot and right shoulder arthralgias. Six months ago visited a cave, equitation practice, dog and cat contacts and no transfusion, frontal sweats, fever (38.4 degrees C). T.A. was 8/6, tachycardia in generalized lymphadenopathy. Cardiopulmonary system was normal, mesogastric tumoral mass, hepatosplenomegaly and no ascites. Bone marrow with eosinophilia; nodule demonstrated presence of P. brasiliensis, hypoalbuminemia; hyperglobulinemia; anemia; leukocytosis with eosinophilia. Immunodiffusion with exoantigen 43 kd of P. brasiliensis was 1/32. Primary complex like Ghon was observed in interstitial pneumonia followed by mediastinal and mesogastric mass (35 to 40 days). Clavicular osteolytic lesions (45 to 60 days) appeared during paracoccidioidomycosis therapy. Recovery was observed 2 months after treatment of acute infantile paracoccidioidomycosis.

Surgical and clinical management of a patient with Glanzmann thrombasthenia: A case report

A 6-year-old girl with Glanzmann thrombasthenia presented with caries and periapical lesions in the primary mandibular second molars and moderate gingivitis of the maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth. Dental extraction was recommended, and before every surgical intervention, the patient underwent platelet-concentrate transfusion to prevent hemorrhage. Epsilon aminocaproic acid was administered 6 hours before, and 48 hours after every dental procedure to prevent bleeding. In this case, treatment was effective in the prevention of hemorrhagic complications, during the required dental procedures.

Progression of liver fibrosis in blood donors infected with hepatitis C virus

Background/Aims. Chronic hepatitis by HCV is progressive towards cirrhosis, with variable rate. We evaluated the rate of fibrosis progression (RFP), risk factors associated with advanced fibrosis (F3 and F4), and estimated the evolution time to cirrhosis. Methods. We transversely selected 142 blood donors infected only with HCV, with a known route of infection, submitted to liver biopsy at admission. RFP= ratio between stage of fibrosis (METAVIR)/estimated duration of infection in years. Non-parametric tests and logistic regression analysis, with significance level of 5% were used. Results. Median RFP was 0.086 U/year (0.05 - 0.142). Ten patients had F4 and 25 had F3. Median RFP values were significantly different (p=0.001) from one age group at contamination to the others and ALT and AST levels. There were no differences in the expected evolution to cirrhosis between intermediate fibrosers (F2) and the rapid fibrosers (F3 and F4). The independent variables associated with advanced fibrosis were ALT (OR 7.2) and GGT (OR 6.4) and age at inclusion (OR 1.12). Conclusion. This study suggests that RFP is extremely variable, it is exponential with age, and mainly influenced by host characteristics, especially age at contamination and possibly ethnical group. These asymptomatic patients had high percentage of fibrosis F2, F3 and F4.

Familial malignant osteopetrosis in children: A case report

The clinical, radiological, pathological and laboratory findings of two brothers with autosomal recessive malignant osteopetrosis are presented. Our findings are similar to characteristics previously reported in the literature about patients with osteopetrosis. The 6-year-old male patient was pale and had petechiae on his arms and legs. He also had macrocephalia, splenomegaly, severe pancytopenia, genu valgus, hypocalcemia, amaurosis, cessation of physical development, generalized bone sclerosis and recurrent infections with a history of multiple incidences of acute otitis media. Generalized bone sclerosis and irregular sclerosis of the maxilla and mandible were seen on radiographs. The oral mucosa was apparently normal but permanent tooth eruption was delayed although there was early loss of deciduous teeth. The recommended treatment was blood transfusion and therapy with antibiotics when necessary; a bone marrow transplant was not possible due to lack of a compatible donor.

Aspectos estruturais da membrana eritrocitária

This article describes the structures and functions of the erythrocyte membrane and its importance in transfusional medicine. The erythrocyte membrane is one of the best known membranes in terms of structure, function and genetic disorders. As any other plasma membrane, it mediates transport functions. It also provides the erythrocytes with their resilience and deformability. According to the International Society of Blood Transfusion (ISBT), more than 500 antigens are expressed in the erythrocyte membrane, and around 270 are involved in transfusion reaction cases and hemolytic diseases of the fetus and newborn. In the ISBT classification, the high frequency series is represented by antigens in more than 99% of population (high prevalence antigen). In transfusion, the absence of these antigens determines severe problems as for example, one woman without the P antigen suffered 6 repetitive miscarriages due to placental insufficiency, which was caused by an antibody formed against the absent P antigen. Some important erythrocyte membrane proteins are described here including Band 3, Glycophorins and spectrin. The most abundant integral membrane protein is Band 3 and its main function is to mediate exchange of chloride and bicarbonate anions across the plasma membrane. The second most abundant integral membrane protein in the human erythrocyte is sialoglycoprotein glycophorin A (GPA). With its high sialic acid content, GPA is the main contributor to the net negative cell-surface charge and is thus critical for minimizing cell-cell interactions and preventing red cell aggregation. Glycophorin C (GPC) is the receptor for PfEBP-2 (baebl, EBA-140), the newly identified erythrocyte binding ligand of Plasmodium falciparum. The ternary complex of spectrin, actin and 4.1R defines the nodes of the erythrocyte membrane skeletal network, and is inseparable from membrane stability when under mechanical stress. This erythrocyte membrane review is important for a better understanding of transfusion reactions, where the antibody formation against high prevalence antigens makes compatible transfusions difficult. The study of antigen diversity and biochemical characterization of different proteins will contribute to healthcare, as well as diagnosis, development of technology such as monoclonal antibody production and the therapeutic conduct of many diseases.

Red blood cell transfusions in the neonate

Despite recent trends to decrease allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion thresholds, such transfusions remain an important supportive and life-saving intervention for neonatal intensive care patients. In neonates, apart from concerns about transfusionassociated infections, many controversial questions regarding transfusion practices remain unanswered. Moreover, neonates present specific clinical and immunologic characteristics that require selected blood component products. This article addresses many of these issues from a medical perspective, with emphasis on the best blood banking techniques to provide RBC products for neonatal transfusions. Copyright © 2011 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Advances in sickle cell disease treatment: From drug discovery until the patient monitoring

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is one of the most prevalent hematological diseases in the world. Despite the immense progress in molecular knowledge about SCD in last years few therapeutical sources are currently available. Nowadays the treatment is performed mainly with drugs such as hydroxyurea or other fetal hemoglobin inducers and chelating agents. This review summarizes current knowledge about the treatment and the advancements in drug design in order to discover more effective and safe drugs. Patient monitoring methods in SCD are also discussed. © 2011 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.