Long-Term Outcome and Prognostic Factors of Juvenile Dermatomyositis: A Multinational, Multicenter Study of 490 Patients

Objective. To investigate the long-term outcome and prognostic factors of juvenile dermatomyositis (DM) through a multinational, multicenter study.Methods. Patients consisted of inception cohorts seen between 1980 and 2004 in 27 centers in Europe and Latin America. Predictor variables were sex, continent, ethnicity, onset year, onset age, onset type, onset manifestations, course type, disease duration, and active disease duration. Outcomes were muscle strength/endurance, continued disease activity, cumulative damage, muscle damage, cutaneous damage, calcinosis, lipodystrophy, physical function, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).Results. A total of 490 patients with a mean disease duration of 7.7 years were included. At the cross-sectional visit, 41.2-52.8% of patients, depending on the instrument used, had reduced muscle strength/endurance, but less than 10% had severe impairment. Persistently active disease was recorded in 41.2-60.5% of the patients, depending on the activity measure used. Sixty-nine percent of the patients had cumulative damage. The frequency of calcinosis and lipodystrophy was 23.6% and 9.7%, respectively. A total of 40.7% of the patients had decreased functional ability, but only 6.5% had major impairment. Only a small fraction had decreased HRQOL. A chronic course, either polycyclic or continuous, consistently predicted a poorer outcome. Mortality rate was 3.1%.Conclusion. This study confirms the marked improvement in functional outcome of juvenile DM when compared with earlier literature. However, many patients had continued disease activity and cumulative damage at followup. A chronic course was the strongest predictor of poor prognosis. These findings highlight the need for treatment strategies that enable a better control of disease activity over time and the reduction of nonreversible damage.

Longitudinal distribution and lateral pattern of megalopal settlement and juvenile recruitment of Carcinus maenas (L.) (Brachyura, Portunidae) in the Mira River Estuary, Portugal

Settlement is a critical process in the life history of crabs, and thus affecting the abundance, distribution and structure of estuarine communities. The spatial pattern of settlement of megalopae of the shore crab Carcinus maenas along a longitudinal estuarine gradient (Mira River Estuary, Portugal) was examined, as well as its effects on the juvenile population. To measure megalopal settlement, four replicate collectors were deployed in six equally spaced stations along the estuarine axis. Juveniles were collected on the same locations with a quadrat randomly deployed on the substrate. To assess fine-scale megalopal settlement within a curved region of the estuary, replicate collectors were deployed on both margins along Moinho da Asneira curve. Megalopae settled differently along the six longitudinal points, with a tendency to attenuate their settlement upstream. Within the curved region, megalopae preferentially settled on the left margin collectors, probably due to the weaker velocity speeds felt on this margin. Concerning the overall juvenile density, there were significant differences among the stations distributed along the estuary, but they did no reflect a longitudinal dispersion attenuation pattern. Size-frequency distribution of the juvenile population showed that the average size is higher on the left margin. Recruits (carapace length between 1.0 mm and 3.4 mm) were more abundant on the upstream stations. Density of early juveniles (3.4 mm-6.5 mm) and juveniles (6.5 mm-10 mm) was more stable throughout the estuary axis than that of recruits. This distribution pattern may result from tidal excursion processes or mechanisms to avoid biotic interactions, such as predation and competition. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Parasitology of juvenile mullet (Mugil liza) and effect of formaldehyde on parasites and host

Few studies have been performed with parasites of marine and estuarine fish in southern Brazil. In the present study, unpublished results show the ways of parasitism of juvenile mullet by parasites. The toxicity of formaldehyde and the effectiveness of this chemotherapy in controlling parasites in reared juvenile mullet Mugil liza were also studied. Juvenile mullets (1 +/- 0.26 g; 4.1 +/- 0.4 cm) were exposed to different concentrations of 37% formaldehyde: control group and five formaldehyde concentrations which were tested: T1 (13.5), T2 (21.6), T3 (40.5), T4 (81) and T5 (135) mg L-1 with 8 fish per repetition in triplicate. To verify the drug effectiveness in parasitic control, juvenile mullets were exposed to 1 h prophylactic bath of 37% formaldehyde with a control group and five formaldehyde concentrations: T1 (67.5), T2 (135), T3 (270), T4 (405) and T5 (540) mg L-1, 8 fish per repetition in triplicate. Ligophorus cf. uruguayensis (Monogenoidea: Ancyrocephalidae) and Solostamenides cf. platyorchis (Monogenoidea: Microcotylidae) were identified in the gills. Digenea and Nematoda were observed in the intestines. This is the first occurrence of S. cf. platyorchis in Brazil. During the toxicity test, the LC50-96 h was estimated at 20.77 mg L-1 of formaldehyde. During the 1 h formaldehyde prophylactic bath, all parasites were eliminated in formaldehyde concentrations between 135 and 540 mg L-1. High survival rate was observed in all treatments. Values of prevalence and intensity of infestation observed in this study showed the potential damage caused by Monogenoidea to mullet. Formaldehyde baths with 135 mg L-1 are recommended to control Monogenoidea in mullet and the safe limits for formaldehyde use were presented. Besides, the endoparasites were tolerant to formaldehyde exposure. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Probiotic in feeding of juvenile matrinxã (Brycon amazonicus): economic viability

Objetivou-se analisar a viabilidade econômica do uso do probiótico Bacillus subtilis na alimentação de matrinxã Brycon amazonicus, em tanques-rede. O experimento foi conduzido no Polo Regional do Vale do Ribeira, no município de Pariquera-Açu, São Paulo, Brasil, entre fevereiro e julho de 2009. Foram avaliados 960 peixes juvenis, divididos em 12 tanques-rede de 2,7 m³ (1,5 x 1,5 x 1,2 m) em uma área total de 600 m², com profundidade média de 1,50 m. Os testes foram conduzidos com um tratamento testemunha (T1), duas doses de probiótico (T2 = 5 g e T3 = 10 g kg-1 de ração) e quatro repetições. Os resultados mostraram que o T2 proporcionou melhor desempenho zootécnico e econômico da matrinxã na fase de engorda no sistema intensivo de criação.

Adenosine deaminase activity as a biochemical marker of inflammatory response in goats infected by caprine arthritis-encephalitis virus

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Stress responses in juvenile pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) submitted to repeated air exposure.

Pacu juveniles (5.2 [plus or minus] 1.5 g) were submitted to two one-minute air exposures in a 24h interval, and sampled before the exposure (control) and 5, 15, 30 and 60 min., 24 and 48h afterwards for whole-body cortisol, sodium, potassium and calcium ion concentrations. For the first air exposure, there was a trend of increased cortisol concentration after 15 min., whereas in the second air exposure, the cortisol concentration increased significantly within 5 min. after stress was induced. Sodium ion concentration increased significantly 24h after both air exposures. Potassium concentration presented fluctuations over the experimental period. Calcium ion concentration increased progressively from 5 to 30 min., in both air exposures. The repeated air exposures exacerbated the cortisol response, but they did not affect the recovery ability of pacu over the experimental period. Additionally, the whole-body cortisol measurement might be a reliable indicator of stress, when sampled fish are smaller and blood volumes are very low, making samples inadequate for analysis.

Stress responses of juvenile matrinxã (Brycon amazonicus) after transport in a closed system under different loading densities

Neste estudo, foram investigadas as densidades de carga adequadas para transporte de matrinxãs juvenis em sistema fechado com sacos plásticos. O transporte de 4h foi feito com peixes (23,5±0,4g; 11,6 (0,08cm) em jejum por 24h, em densidades de 83g L-1 (D1), 125g L-1 (D2), 168g L-1 (D3) e 206g L-1 (D4). Os peixes foram amostrados antes do transporte (AT), logo após o transporte (chegada) (DT) e 24h depois. A qualidade da água foi monitorada antes da captura dos peixes nos tanques de depuração, após o transporte nos sacos plásticos e nos tanques de recuperação. O oxigênio da água diminuiu para valores inferiores a 4mg L-1 em D2, D3 e D4, a temperatura esteve em torno de 32°C, pH 6,5-6,78, a amônia total foi de 1,09-1,7mg L-1, a amônia não-ionizada foi de 3,58-9,33 x 10³mg L-1 e alcalinidade 134-165mg CaCO3 L-1. O cortisol plasmático e a glicose sanguínea aumentaram após o transporte nos peixes em todas as densidades ensaiadas, voltando aos valores controle 24h depois. Os valores de osmolaridade não mudaram logo após o transporte, mas aumentaram 24h depois de modo igual em todas as densidades. O cloreto plasmático diminuiu na chegada, de modo inversamente proporcional à densidade de carga. O hematócrito diminuiu 24h depois da chegada dos peixes, em todas as densidades testadas, mas não houve diferença no número de eritrócitos. Não houve mortalidade até uma semana após o transporte. O matrinxã mostrou ser uma espécie tolerante a altas densidades de carga em embalagens para transporte além de suportar baixos níveis de oxigênio na água.

Dietary L-tryptophan alters aggression in juvenile matrinxa Brycon amazonicus

This study evaluated the effect of dietary supplementation with -tryptophan (L-TRP), a serotonin precursor, on the aggressiveness of juvenile matrinx . Fish were kept in individual aquaria for 7 days receiving the diets: D1 (control: 0.47% of TRP), D2 (0.94% of TRP), D3 (1.88% of TRP), and D4 (3.76% of TRP). After this, they were grouped with an intruder fish to establish a resident-intruder relationship during periods of 20 min. Blood cortisol, glucose, chloride, sodium and calcium; hemoglobin, hematocrit, red blood cell count and volume; liver glycogen and lipids were measured. Territoriality had significant effect on the aggressiveness of matrinx (the residents were more aggressive than intruders, < 0.001) and tryptophan significantly affected their behavior. Fish fed with the D2 diet presented a longer latency until the first attack ( = 0.0069) and bit the intruder fewer times ( = 0.0136) during the period of observation, compared to the control group. The frequency of bites and chases after the first attack was not affected by the dietary supplementation of TRP. Physiological variables were not significantly affected by the diet, except for a moderate increase in cortisol level in fish fed with D2 diet after the fight, indicating slight activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis. The results show that juvenile matrinx have aggressive and territorial behavior and that a diet containing 9.4 g TRP kg(-1) alter their aggressiveness, without affecting the stress-related physiological parameters.

Effects of different sampling intervals on apparent protein and energy digestibility of common feed ingredients by juvenile oscar fish (Astronotus ocellatus)

O presente estudo avaliou a digestibilidade aparente da proteína e da energia de ingredientes (farelo de soja, farinha de peixe, farelo de trigo e milho) por juvenis de apaiari (Astronotus ocellatus) usando dois diferentes intervalos de coleta (30 min. e 12h). Os 160 juvenis de apaiari utilizados (22,37 ± 3,06 g de peso corporal) foram divididos em quatro tanques rede plásticos e cilíndricos, cada um colocado em um tanque de alimentação de 1.000 L. O experimento foi inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 2 x 4 (2 intervalos de coleta de fezes e 4 ingredientes foram) com quatro repetições. Os testes estatísticos não detectaram efeito da interação entre o intervalo de coleta e tipo de ingrediente nos coeficientes de digestibilidade. O intervalo de coleta não afetou a digestibilidade da proteína e da energia. As características físicas das fezes dos juvenis de apaiari aparentemente as tornam menos sensíveis à perda de nutrientes por lixiviação, permitindo intervalos de coleta maiores. A digestibilidade da proteína dos ingredientes avaliados foi semelhante, mostrando que a digestibilidade aparente de ingredientes animais e vegetais por juvenis de apaiari é eficiente. Os coeficientes de digestibilidade da energia foram maiores para a farinha de peixe e o farelo de soja comparado a farelo de trigo e milho. Ingredientes ricos em carboidratos (farelo de trigo e milho) apresentaram os piores coeficientes de digestibilidade da energia e, portanto, não são usados eficientemente pelos juvenis de apaiari.

Determination of fiber length and juvenile and mature wood zones from Hevea brasiliensis trees grown in Brazil

The aim of this study was to verify the average fiber length and the juvenile and mature wood zones from Hevea brasiliensis proveniences from a reforestation area in São Paulo, Brazil. For this purpose, five Hevea brasiliensis trees were randomly collected from a 50-year-old plantation, located in Balsamo, São Paulo, Brazil. The trees were cut and five flat sawn boards were obtained. The juvenile and mature wood zones were determined by fiber length measurement from the pith to the bark. The results showed that: (a) the juvenile wood of this species occurred approx. between 40 and 55 mm, from the pith, and from this point forward, the mature wood zone was found; (b) there was a significant difference between the average fiber length of juvenile wood (1.26 mm) and mature wood (1.51 mm).

Physical and chemical changes in juvenile and mature woods of Pinus elliottii var. elliottii by thermal modification

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Differential antibody isotype expression to the major Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigen in juvenile and adult form paracoccidioidomycosis

We investigated the relationship between antibody response to the major Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigen, a 43-kDa glycoprotein, and the two paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) clinical presentations, the juvenile and the adult forms. Total immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgG isotypes, and IgA anti-gp43 antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients' sera. Juvenile PCM patients had higher (P =.003) IgG anti-gp43 levels than adult form patients. IgG1 subclass levels, however, were comparable between the two clinical forms. Patients with the juvenile form had higher (P <.001) IgG4, but lower(P =.03) IgG2 levels than patients with the adult form. The IgG4 isotype, regulated by interleukin 4, was found in all juvenile form patients but in only 12% of the adult form patients. In contrast, high levels of the IgG2 isotype, regulated by interferon-gamma, were found in 41% of the adult PCM patients, mainly those with a more benign disease, but in only 12% of the juvenile patients. IgG3 was either absent or detected at low levels. These results demonstrate, for the first time, specific IgG4 antibodies in the humoral immune response of patients with an endemic deep mycosis and suggest that the switch to the IgG subclasses in PCM is regulated by the patients' T-helper subset (Th-l or Th-2) dominant cytokine profile. A possible role for IgG4 in the immunopathogenesis of the juvenile, more severe form of the disease is discussed. Finally, IgA was found mainly in adult form patients, probably as a result of the chronic mucosal antigenic stimulation characteristic of this form. (C) Elsevier, Paris.