Retinal Detachment in Preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is an obstetric disease of unknown cause that affects approximately 5% of pregnant women. The visual system may be affected with variable intensity, being the retinal detachment a rare complication. The retinal detachment in preeclampsia is usually bilateral and serous, and its pathogenesis is related to the choroidal ischemia secondary to an intense arteriolar vasospasm. The majority of patients have complete recovery of vision with clinical management, and surgery is unnecessary. This is a case report of a 27 year old patient who developed the severe form of preeclampsia on her first pregnancy. She had progressive blurred vision, until she could see only shadows. Ophthalmic examination diagnosed spread and bilateral retinal detachment. With blood pressure control at postpartum, the patient had her retina reattached, and recovery of vision.

Mechanical behavior of 'Niagara Rosada' grape berry detachment

The 'Niagara Rosada' grape is the main Brazilian table grape belonging to the Labrusca family. It develops medium, cylindrical and compact bunches with berries presenting a pinkish skin and a foxy flavor that is valued in the Brazilian market. These berries are tender and have a pedicel-berry connection provided by the vascular bundles and surrounding skin. This cultivar is very susceptible to berry drop mainly caused by vibration and senescence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the temporal mechanical behavior of the pedicel-berry detachment, using resistance indexes extracted from traction force-deformation curves. Test results showed two different detachment types. In the first one, which exhibited higher average resistance, a considerable portion of the vascular bundle came out attached to the pedicel and in the second type; the vascular bundle was retained inside the berry. The proposed indexes based on maximum detachment force, force at 0.2; 0.5; 1.0 and 1.2 mm, and maximum force to corresponding deformation ratio did not discriminate the senescence of the berry.

Host cell adhesion to Schistosoma mansoni larvae in the peritoneal cavity of naive mice: histological and scanning electron microscopic studies

Cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni inoculated into the peritoneal cavity of naive mice induced host cell adhesion to their surface, but after 90 minutes the number of adherent cells sharply decreased. The cell detachment is progressive and simultaneous to the cercaria-schistosomule transformation. The histological study showed mainly neutrophils in close contact with the larvae. Mononuclear cells and some eosinophils were occasionally seen surrounding the adherent neutrophils. The scanning electron microscopy showed cells displaying twisted microvilli and several microplicae contacting or spreading over the larval surface, and larvae completely surrounded by clusters of cells. These results suggest that the neutrophils recognize molecules on the cercarial surface which induce their spreading

Kinetics of the cercaria-schistosomulum transformation in vivo

Sitice most studies on the cercaria-schistosomulum transformation have been carried out in vitro, the authors used the inoculation ofcercariae into the peritoneal cavity of mice tofollow the steps involved in this progressive adaptation of cercarie to the vertebmte host. The main conclusions were: 1. Most cercariae reach the schistosomular stage between 90-120 min after intraperitoneal inoculation. 2. Changes usuallystart with detachment of the tail followed by loss, rupture or changes of the glycocalix. 3. After 120 min most larvae loss their tails and present water sensitivity. 4. Acetabular grands depletion usually does not occur in cercaria-shistosomulum changes in the peritoneal cavity of mice. These steps differ in some way from those described in the kinetics of the in vitro observations performed by other investigators, and is more like those described in the penetration in the skin of living vertebrates.

Ocular lesions in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) infected with low larval burden of Toxocara canis: observations using indirect binocular ophthalmoscopy

To study the frequency of ocular lesions in 30 gerbils infected with 100 embryonated eggs of Toxocara canis, indirect binocular ophthalmoscopy was performed 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 and 38 days after infection. All the animals presented larvae in the tissues and 80% presented ocular lesions. Hemorrhagic foci in the choroid and retina were present in 92% of the animals with ocular lesions. Retinal exudative lesions, vitreous lesions, vasculitis and retinal detachment were less frequent. Mobile larvae or larval tracks were observed in four (13.3%) animals. Histological examination confirmed the ophthalmoscopic observations, showing that the lesions were focal and sparse. In one animal, there was a larva in the retina, without inflammatory reaction around it. The results demonstrated that gerbils presented frequent ocular lesions after infection with Toxocara canis, even when infected with a small number of embryonated eggs. The lesions observed were focal, consisting mainly of hemorrhages with signs of reabsorption or inflammation in different segments of eye, and differing from the granulomatous lesions described in ocular larva migrans in humans.

The mineralogy and chemistry of the German and Portuguese tiles used to face a historic building in the Amazon region and their natural susceptibility to tropical weathering

During the 19th century, the most prominent buildings of the city of Belém were faced entirely with tiles manufactured in Portugal and Germany, which now exhibit distinct degrees of degradation. The Pinho mansion is one of the most important of these buildings and was selected for the investigation of the action of the tropical Amazonian climate on the degradation of the tiles. To achieve this objective, the tiles were mapped for organic and inorganic degradation, and samples were collected for analysis. The minerals were determined by XRD, the chemical composition by classical wet methods and SEM/EDS, and the microorganisms under the microscope. The results show that the German and Portuguese tiles are quite different in their composition. While both ceramic bodies are composed of SiO2 and Al2O3, CaO was found only in the Portuguese tile. The low Na2O and K2O contents indicate the addition of materials to reduce the fusion temperature. SiO2 and PbO are the main constituents of the glaze, with CoO and FeO being added as pigment. The ceramic body of the German tiles is constituted of quartz, mullite, and cristobalite, in contrast with the Portuguese tiles, which are made of quartz, gehlenite, diopside, calcite, and feldspars. The glazes are XRD-amorphous. The chemical and mineralogical differences between the German and Portuguese tiles indicate that they were produced from different raw materials under distinct thermal processes. The most prominent weathering-related modifications are the thin layers (German tiles), oxidation stains, dark stains, the detachment of the tile (Portuguese tiles), loss of the glaze and powdering of the ceramic body (Portuguese tiles) through the establishment of Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta.. The distinct degradation patterns of the tiles exposed to the tropical Amazon climate are a consequence of their distinct mineralogy and chemistry.

Morphological development of Corydoras aff. paleatus (Siluriformes, Callichthyidae) and correlation with the emergence of motor and social behaviors

Here we examine major anatomical characteristics of Corydoras aff. paleatus (Jenyns, 1842) post-hatching development, in parallel with its neurobehavioral evolution. Eleutheroembryonic phase, 4.3-8.8 days post-fertilization (dpf); 4.3-6.4 mm standard length (SL) encompasses from hatching to transition to exogenous feeding. Protopterygiolarval phase (8.9-10.9 dpf; 6.5-6.7 mm SL) goes from feeding transition to the commencement of unpaired fin differentiation, which marks the start of pterygiolarval phase (11-33 dpf; 6.8-10.7 mm SL) defined by appearance of lepidotrichia in the dorsal part of the median finfold. This phase ends with the full detachment and differentiation of unpaired fins, events signaling the commencement of the juvenile period (34-60 dpf; 10.8-18.0 mm SL). Eleutheroembryonic phase focuses on hiding and differentiation of mechanosensory, chemosensory and central neural systems, crucial for supplying the larval period with efficient escape and nutrient detection-capture neurocircuits. Protopterygiolarval priorities include visual development and respiratory, digestive and hydrodynamic efficiencies. Pterygiolarval priorities change towards higher swimming efficacy, including carangiform and vertical swimming, necessary for the high social interaction typical of this species. At the end of the protopterygiolarval phase, simple resting and foraging aggregations are seen. Resting and foraging shoals grow in complexity and participant number during pterygiolarval phase, but particularly during juvenile period.

Terbinafine inhibits Cryptococcus neoformans growth and modulates fungal morphology

Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated fungus that causes cryptococcosis. Central nervous system infection is the most common clinical presentation followed by pulmonary, skin and eye manifestations. Cryptococcosis is primarily treated with amphotericin B (AMB), fluconazole (FLC) and itraconazole (ITC). In the present work, we evaluated the in vitro effect of terbinafine (TRB), an antifungal not commonly used to treat cryptococcosis. We specifically examined the effects of TRB, either alone or in conjunction with AMB, FLC and ITC, on clinical C. neoformans isolates, including some isolates resistant to AMB and ITC. Broth microdilution assays showed that TRB was the most effective drug in vitro. Antifungal combinations demonstrated synergism of TRB with AMB, FLC and ITC. The drug concentrations used for the combination formulations were as much as 32 and 16-fold lower than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of FLC and AMB alone, respectively. In addition, calcofluor white staining revealed the presence of true septa in hyphae structures that were generated after drug treatment. Ultrastructural analyses demonstrated several alterations in response to drug treatment, such as cell wall alterations, plasma membrane detachment, presence of several cytoplasmic vacuoles and mitochondrial swelling. Therefore, we believe that the use of TRB alone or in combination with AMB and azoles should be explored as an alternative treatment for cryptococcosis patients who do not respond to standard therapies.

Effects of erosion and deposition on particle size distribution of deposited farmland soils on the chinese loess plateau

Particle size distribution (PSD) in the soil profile is strongly related to erosion, deposition, and physical and chemical processes. Water cycling and plant growth are also affected by PSD. Material sedimented upstream of the dam constructions formed large areas of deposited farmland (DF) soils on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), which has been the site of the most severe soil erosion in the world. Two DFs without tillage on the CLP were chosen to study the combined effect of erosion and check dams on PSD. Eighty-eight layers (each 10 cm thick) of filled deposited farmland (FDF) soils and 22 layers of silting deposited farmland (SDF) soils of each studied soil profile were collected and 932 soil samples were investigated using laser granulometry. The particle sizes were stratified in both DFs based on soil properties and erosion resistance. The obtained results of clay and silt fractions showed similar horizontal distribution, indicating parallel characteristics of erosion and deposition processes. Fine sand represented the largest fraction, suggesting the preferential detachment of this fraction. The most erodible range of particle sizes was 0.25-0.5 mm, followed by 0.2-0.25 mm in the studied soil profiles. The correlation between particle size and soil water contents tended to increase with increasing water contents in FDF. Due to the abundant shallow groundwater, the relationship between particle size and soil water content in SDF was lost. Further studies on PSD in the DF area are needed to enhance the conservation management of soil and water resources in this region.

Covalent anion of Li(HF)3- system: an ab initio study

In this paper, we report the stability of the Li(HF)3- molecular anion calculated at the MP2/6-31++G** and CCSD(T)/6-31++G** level of theory. Five possible conformers of Li(HF)3- molecular anions have been determined employing ab initio MP2 method with 6-31++G** basis set. The most stable conformer of five Li(HF)3- anions is in a cyclic ring structure Li(HF)3-(1). From our calculations we show that the molecule is stable towards electron attachment, with an electron adiabatic electron affinity (AEA) of 199.5 meV (233.1 meV with zero point energy correction) and 471.3 meV at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels, respectively. In addition we present vertical detachment energies of 230.2 meV and 795.8 meV at the MP2, CCSD(T), respectively. The importance of the latter has to do with the ability of experimental detection of this value.

Mechanical damage during harvest and loading affect orange postharvest quality

Brazil is the world’s largest orange producer; however, part of this production is lost during postharvest. This loss can be minimized by controlling incidence of physical damage throughout the harvest and loading operations. Impacts can negatively modify quantitative and qualitative fruits aspects. The main goal of this study was to measure the impact magnitude in two types of harvest (manual and detachment) and during all steps from picking into bags until loading for transport to the processing industry and additionally evaluating, in laboratory, the physico-chemical quality of the fruit subjected to various impacts, similar to those found in the field. In order to evaluate the impact magnitude, an instrumented sphere was used (760 mm, Techmark, Inc, USA). The following physico-chemical parameters were evaluated during 6-days of storage: weight loss, soluble solids contents, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid content, pH, firmness and peel color. The greatest impacts were observed during harvest, during the detachment practice, and when loading and unloading from bulk storage, with average acceleration values between 249.5 and 531.52G. The impact incidence in oranges were responsible for reducing the soluble solids, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid and weight by to 5.5%; 8.7%; 4.6% and 0.5%, respectively, compared to the control. Impacts during harvest and the various pre-industry manipulation steps must be controlled as they interfere in postharvest quality and physiology of ‘Valência’ oranges.

Single access laparoscopic cholecystectomy: technique without the need for special materials and with better ergonomics

The authors describe a surgical technique which allows, without increasing costs, to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a single incision, without using specific materials and with better surgical ergonomics. The technique consists of a longitudinal umbilical incision, navel detachment, use of a permanent 10mm trocar and two clamps directly and bilaterally through the aponeurosis without the use of 5mm trocars, transcutaneous gallbladder repair with straight needle cotton suture, ligation with unabsorbable suture and umbilical incision for the specimen extraction. The presented technique enables the procedure with conventional and permanent materials, improving surgical ergonomics, with safety and aesthetic advantages.

Histological changes caused by experimental Riedeliella graciliflora (Leg. Papilionoideae) poisoning in cattle and laboratory animals

Tissues from cattle, mice, rats and guinea pigs experimentally intoxicated by Riedeliella graciliflora were studied histologically. Cattle lymph nodes, spleen, Peyer patches and peribronchial lymphoid tissues had diffuse necrosis of lymphocytes, mainly in the germinal centers of the follicles. This lesion was less severe in laboratory animals. All species had severe enteritis with infiltration of the lamina propria by mononuclear cells. Some cells in this infiltrate were necrotic. Degeneration and necrosis of the epithelial cells, mainly in the tip of the villi, and detachment of the epithelial lining from the lamina propria were also observed. In the liver the trabecular structure was disrupted and the hepatocytes had some degree of individual necrosis and degeneration. A tubular nephrosis was observed in the kidneys. Liver, lung, kidney, intestine and lymph nodes had different degrees of congestion. Those lesions are similar than those caused by Polygala klotzschii, a plant that contains 5-metoxi-podophyllotoxin.

Treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis with an intraocular sustained-release ganciclovir implant

The objective of this prospective study was to evaluate the efficacy and complications of the use of an intraocular sustained-release ganciclovir implant for the treatment of active cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis in AIDS patients. Thirty-nine eyes of 26 patients were submitted to ocular surgery. All patients underwent complete ocular examination before and after surgery. The surgical procedure was always done under local anesthesia using the same technique. The mean time for the surgical procedure was 20 min (range, 15 to 30 min). The average follow-up period was 3.7 months. Of all patient, only 4 presented recurrence of retinitis after 8, 8, 9 and 2 months, respectively. Three of them received a successful second implant. All 39 eyes of the 26 patients presented healing of retinitis as shown by clinical improvement evaluated by indirect binocular ophthalmoscopy and retinography. Retinitis healed within a period of 4 to 6 weeks in all patients, with clinical regression signs from the third week on. Six (15.4%) eyes developed retinal detachment. None of the patients developed CMV retinitis in the contralateral eye. The intraocular implant proved to be effective in controlling the progression of retinitis for a period of up to 8 months even in patients for whom systemic therapy with either ganciclovir or foscarnet or both had failed. The intraocular sustained-release ganciclovir implant proved to be a safe new procedure for the treatment of CMV retinitis, avoiding the systemic side effects caused by the intravenous medications and improving the quality of life of the patients.

Measurement of annexin V uptake and lactadherin labeling for the quantification of apoptosis in adherent Tca8113 and ACC-2 cells

Phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure occurs during the cell death program and fluorescein-labeled lactadherin permits the detection of PS exposure earlier than annexin V in suspended cell lines. Adherent cell lines were studied for this apoptosis-associated phenomenon to determine if PS probing methods are reliable because specific membrane damage may occur during harvesting. Apoptosis was induced in the human tongue squamous carcinoma cell line (Tca8113) and the adenoid cystic carcinoma cell line (ACC-2) by arsenic trioxide. Cells were harvested with a modified procedure and labeled with lactadherin and/or annexin V. PS exposure was localized by confocal microscopy and apoptosis was quantified by flow cytometry. The detachment procedure without trypsinization did not induce cell damage. In competition binding experiments, phospholipid vesicles competed for more than 95 and 90% of lactadherin but only about 75 and 70% of annexin V binding to Tca8113 and ACC-2 cells. These data indicate that PS exposure occurs in three stages during the cell death program and that fluorescein-labeled lactadherin permitted the detection of early PS exposure. A similar pattern of PS exposure has been observed in two malignant cell lines with different adherence, suggesting that this pattern of PS exposure is common in adherent cells. Both lactadherin and annexin V could be used in adherent Tca8113 and ACC-2 cell lines when an appropriate harvesting procedure was used. Lactadherin is more sensitive than annexin V for the detection of PS exposure as the physical structure of PS in these blebs and condensed apoptotic cell surface may be more conducive to binding lactadherin than annexin V.