Isoforms of hyaluronidases can be a predictor of a prostate cancer of good prognosis

Introduction: Hyaluronidases (HAases) are enzymes related to cancer progression. Isoforms of HAases have been described as products of alternative splicing responsible for differences in enzyme activity. The heterogeneity of HAase expression has been identified in tumors and could be related to the differences in their biological behavior. Methods: Thirty-seven patients subjected to radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer were divided into 2 groups for the analyses: Low (<= 6-18) and high (>= 7-19) Gleason score and tumor behavior; recurrence 15 and nonrecurrence 22, mean follow-up 52.6 months. Conclusion: A profile of HAase related to low Gleason score and non-tumor recurrence was characterized by expression of HYAL3-v1, HYAL1-v3, and HYAL3-v2. More studies should be made in order to confirm with larger series. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Executive dysfunction in children and adolescents with temporal lobe epilepsy: Is the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test enough?

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) is the gold standard in the evaluation of executive dysfunction (ED) in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). We evaluated 35 children with TLE and 25 healthy controls with the WCST and with a more comprehensive battery. Among the children with TLE, 77.14% showed impairment on the WCST. On other tests (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Digit Forward, Matching Familiar Figures Test, Trail Making Test, Word Fluency, Finger Windows, and Number-Letter Memory), impairment was demonstrated in 94.29%. The authors concluded that the WCST is a good paradigm to measure executive impairment in children with TLE: however, it may be not enough. Evaluation performed only with the WCST not only underestimated the number of patients with ED, but also missed relevant information regarding the type of ED. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Benzylglucosinolate, Benzylisothiocyanate, and Myrosinase Activity in Papaya Fruit during Development and Ripening

Papaya is a climacteric fruit that has high amounts of benzylglucosinolates (BG) and benzylisothiocyanates (BITC), but information regarding levels of BG or BITC during fruit development and ripening is limited. Because BG and BITC are compounds of importance from both a nutritional and a crop yield standpoint, the aim of this work was to access data on the distribution and changes of BG and BITC levels during fruit development and ripening. BG and BITC levels were quantified in peel, pulp, and seeds of papaya fruit. Volatile BITC was also verified in the internal cavity of the fruit during ripening. The influence of the ethylene in BG and BITC levels and mirosinase activity was tested by exposing mature green fruits to ethylene and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). The highest BG levels were detected in seeds, followed by the peel and pulp being decreased in all tissues during fruit development. Similarly, the levels of BITC were much higher in the seeds than the peel and pulp. The levels of BG for control and ethylene-treated fruit were very similar, increasing in the pulp and peel during late ripening but not changing significantly in seeds. On the other hand, fruit exposed to 1-MCP showed a decrease in BG amount in the pulp and accumulation in seed. The treatments did not result in clear differences regarding the amount of BITC in the pulp and peel of the fruit. According to the results, ethylene does not have a clear effect on BITC accumulation in ripening papaya fruit. The fact that BG levels in the pulp did not decrease during ripening, regardless of the treatment employed, and that papaya is consumed mainly as fresh fruit, speaks in favor of this fruit as a good dietary source for glucosinolate and isothiocyanates.

Study of the Extent of the Information of Cardiologists from Sao Paulo City, Brazil, Regarding a Low-Prevalence Entity: Brugada Syndrome

Objective: To determine the degree of knowledge that cardiologists from Sao Paulo, Brazil, have regarding a low-prevalent entity associated with a high rate of sudden death-Brugada syndrome. Methods: Two hundred forty-four cardiologists were interviewed by an instrument divided in two parts: in the first, we recorded gender, age, and data related to academic profile. The second-answered only by the professionals that manifested having some degree of knowledge on the syndrome-had 28 questions that evaluated their knowledge. The answers were spontaneous and they did not have a chance to consult. We used uni- and multivariate analysis on the average percentage of right and wrong answers, and the influence of the academic profile. Results: The predominant gender was the male gender (61.1%), the average age was 44.32 +/- 10.83 years, 40% with more than 20 years after obtaining their degree, 44% were educated in public institutions, 69% had a residency in cardiology, 20% had overseas practice, 12% had postdegree, 41% were linked to an educational institution, 24% with publication(s) in an indexed journal, 17.2% were authors of chapters in books, 2.5% had edited books, and 10% were linked to the Brazilian Society of Cardiac Arrhythmias. The average percentage of right answers was 45.7%. Conclusion: The sample studied revealed a little knowledge on the entity. A residency in cardiology was the factor of greater significance in the percentage of right answers. Other significant factors were the link of the interviewed person to an educational institution, or the Brazilian Society of Cardiac Arrhythmias, and having a specialist degree.

Good surgical outcome in discordant ictal EEG-MRI unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis patients

Purpose:Video electroencephalography (vEEG) monitoring of patients with unilateral mesial temporal sclerosis (uMTS) may show concordant or discordant seizure onset in relation to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of MTS. Contralateral seizure usually leads to an indication of invasive monitoring. Contralateral seizure onset on invasive monitoring may contraindicate surgery. We evaluated long-term outcome after anteromesial temporal lobectomy (AMTL) in a consecutive series of uMTS patients with concordant and discordant vEEG findings, uniformly submitted to AMTL on the MRI evidence of MTS side without invasive monitoring. Methods:We compared surgical outcome of all uMTS patients undergoing vEEG monitoring between January 1999 and April 2005 in our service. Discordant cases were defined by at least one seizure onset contralateral to the MRI evidence of MTS. Good surgical outcome was considered as Engel`s class I. We also evaluated ictal SPECT concordance to ictal EEG and surgical outcome. Results:Fifty-four patients had concordant (C) and 22 had discordant (D) scalp EEG and MRI. Surgical outcome was similar in both groups (C = 74% versus D = 86%). Duration of follow-up was comparable in both groups: C = 56.1 +/- 20.7 months versus D = 59.8 +/- 21.2 months (p = 0.83, nonsignificant). Discordant single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) results did not influence surgical outcome. Discussion:Surgical outcome was not influenced by contralateral vEEG seizure onset or contralateral increased flow on ictal SPECT. Although vEEG monitoring should still be performed in these patients, to rule out psychogenic seizures and extratemporal seizure onset, a potentially risky procedure such as invasive monitoring may not only not be indicated in this patient population, but may also lead to patients erroneously being denied surgery.

Additional sensory information reduces body sway of individuals with anterior cruciate ligament injury

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the additional sensory information could improve postural control in individuals with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Twenty-eight individuals with unilateral ACL injury (mean age 23.6, 26 males, 2 females) and 28 healthy young control subjects (mean age 22.1 years, 26 males, 2 females) participated in this study. Postural control was evaluated with subjects single-leg standing on a force platform with eyes closed under two sensory conditions: normal sensory information and light touch to a stationary bar (applied force below 1 N). Three trials of 30 5 were performed in each single-leg stance and in each sensory condition. Mean sway amplitude and predominant frequency of center of pressure were calculated for both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. Individuals with ACL injury showed greater mean sway amplitude than healthy control individuals even though the predominant frequency was similar for both groups. Additional sensory information improved postural control performance in individuals with ACL injury and healthy control, with a greater effect observed for the ACL group. Based on these results, we suggest that reduction in postural control performance in individuals with ACL injury would be due to the reduction of sensory information provided by the ACL, but when sensory information is enhanced, postural control performance improves. These results have implications for novel approaches to improve stability in individuals with ACL injury. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbicidal property of B1 cell derived mononuclear phagocyte

A mononuclear phagocyte derived from B1b cells (B1CDP) has been described. As these cells migrate from the peritoneal cavity to non-specific inflammatory lesion sites and are highly phagocytic via Fc and mannose receptors, their microbicidal ability of these cells was investigated using the Coxiella burnetii cell infection model in vitro. In this report, the pattern of infection and C burnetii phase II survival in B1CDP phagosomes was compared with the pattern of infection of peritoneal macrophages from Xid mice (PM phi) and bone marrow derived macrophages (BMM phi). Infection was assessed by determining the large parasitophorous vacuole formation, the relative focus forming units and the quantification of DAPI (4`,6-diamino-2-phenylindole) fluorescence images acquired by confocal microscopy. When compared to macrophages, B1CDP are more permissive to the bacterial infection and less effective to kill them. Further, results suggest that IL-10 secreted by B1 cells are involved in their susceptibility to infection by C burnetti, since B1CDP from IL-10 KO mice are more competent to control C. burnetii infection than cells from wild type mice. These data contribute further to characterize B1CDP as a novel mononuclear phagocyte. (C) 2008 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

DETERMINATION OF ENERGY VALUE OF HAMBURGERS AND MEATBALLS BY DIRECT CALORIMETRY AND FOOD ANALYSIS COMPOSITION. COMPARISON WITH NUTRITION INFORMATION DISPLAYED ON PACKAGES

The nutritional composition found in the laboratory and those present on labels of manufactured foods can differ significantly. The purpose of this study was to determine the nutritional composition of hamburgers and meatballs and compare them with your labels. The food analysis was performed following the Analytical Standards Institute`s Adolfo Lutz and energy content was determined by bomb calorimetry. Regarding the energy value, all the samples had values less than informed on the label. The content of lipids of hamburgers and meatballs ( except the beef) were lower than those reported on the label. The values of protein for the meatballs and chicken hamburger had lower values than those labels. Thus, the labels may overestimate as underestimate some nutritional values, leading to population erroneous information.