Neurological evaluation of microcephalic children with Zika syndrome and congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

Introduction: The association between the virus prenatal infection by Zika virus (ZIKV) and central nervous system disorders has been well established and it has been described as the Congenital Syndrome Associated to the Zika Virus (CSZ). However, the neurological development in those patients is still an object of study. The main differential diagnosis is the Cytomegalovirus (CMV).

Dioctophyme renale in wandering dogs in Pelotas, South of Brasil.

This study aimed to verify the occurrence of Dioctophyme renale in stray dogs in the city of Pelotas, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The Laboratório Regional de Diagnóstico of the Universidade Federal de Pelotas received 146 wandering dogs for necropsy, sent by the City Hall of Pelotas from March 2012 to January 2020. Among the necropsied animals, seventeen dogs (11.

Genotypic diversity and acidogenicity of Streptococcus mutans in Down syndrome children.

Aims: To evaluate the genotypic diversity and acidogenicity of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) and the potential association of these factors with dental caries experience in children with DS compared to non-DS children (controls).

Methods And Results: Seventeen children (age 6-12 years) with high salivary S.

Information and Diagnosis Networks - tools to improve diagnosis and treatment for patients with rare genetic diseases.

Brazil is a country of continental dimensions and most genetic services are concentrated in the Southeast and South, including the Medical Genetics Service of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (MGS/HCPA). As many areas on the country do not have adequate medical genetics support, networks were designed to extend the service of the MGS/HCPA reference center. This paper presents the information and diagnosis networks that have their headquarters at MGS/HCPA: SIAT (National Information System on Teratogenic Agents), SIEM (Information Service on Inborn Errors of Metabolism), Alô Genética (Hello Genetics - Medical Genetics Information Service for Primary Health Care Professionals); Rede MPS Brasil (MPS-Mucopolysaccharidosis Brazil Network); Rede EIM Brasil (IEM-Inborn Errors of Metabolism Brazil Network), Rede NPC Brasil (Niemann-Pick C - NPC Brazil Network), Rede DLD Brasil (LSD-Lysosomal Storage Disorders Brazil Network), Rede DXB (MSUD-Maple Syrup Urine Disease Network), RedeBRIM (Brazilian Network of Reference and Information in Microdeletion Syndromes Project), Rede Neurogenética (Neurogenetics Network), and Rede Brasileira de Câncer Hereditário (Brazilian Hereditary Cancer Network).

Appropriateness of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in two Italian hospitals: a pilot study.

Background: Appropriate perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis has been shown to be an effective measure for preventing surgical site infections and to avoid complications including increased antimicrobial resistance. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the appropriateness of perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in two Italian hospitals.

Study Design: In 2016 a survey was prospectively carried out at two hospitals (identified as A and B) and all patients who underwent a surgical operation were enrolled.

Search for DQ2.5 and DQ8 alleles using a lower cost technique in patients with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease in a population of southern Brazil.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of DQ2.5 and DQ8 alleles using the Tag-single-nucleotide polymorphism (Tag-SNP) technique in individuals with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and celiac disease (CD) in southern Brazil.

Materials And Methods: In a prospective design, we performed the search for DQA1*0501 and DQB1*0201 alleles for DQ2.

Salivary secretory IgA concentration and dental caries in children with Down syndrome.

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) concentration and dental caries in children with Down syndrome (DS) and compare it with findings in non-DS children.

Methods: The sample comprised 61 DS children and 52 non-DS children, aged 6 to 14 years. Caries experience, plaque index (PI), and gingival bleeding index (GBI) were recorded.

Oral Health Status and Salivary Levels of Mutans Streptococci in Children with Down Syndrome.

Purpose: The literature on the oral health status of Down syndrome (DS) patients is controversial. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the oral health status and levels of mutans streptococci (MS) in the saliva of DS children.

Methods: This study was performed with 60 DS children and 71 non-DS children aged six to 12 years old.

Biochemical composition of the saliva and dental biofilm of children with Down syndrome.

Background: The biochemical composition of the saliva and biofilm of children with Down syndrome (DS) may be associated with the incidence of caries in this population.

Aim: To evaluate the biochemical composition of the saliva and dental biofilm of children with DS in the city of Porto Alegre, RS.

Design: The sample comprised 144 children between 6 and 14 years of age, of whom 61 had DS and 83 did not.

Glomerular permeability defect in hypertension is dependent on renin angiotensin system activation.

Background: The aim of the present study was to compare glomerular permeability alterations associated with experimental hypertension models known to have different effects on the circulating renin-angiotensin system (RAS).

Methods: Five groups, 10 animals each, were studied. One group served as a nonhypertensive control.

Glomerular albumin permeability as an in vitro model for characterizing the mechanism of focal glomerulosclerosis and predicting post-transplant recurrence.

The putative mechanisms of proteinuria in idiopathic focal glomerulosclerosis and of its post-transplant recurrence are discussed. It is proposed that a balance between circulating factors with permeability activity on glomeruli and putative inhibitors play a key role. The characterization of inductors is currently in progress; most inhibitors appear to be apolipoproteins (mainly apoJ and apo E) but we cannot exclude other substances.

The effect of proteinase inhibitors on glomerular albumin permeability induced in vitro by serum from patients with idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Background: The putative circulating factor responsible for the glomerular permeability alterations induced in vitro by serum from patients affected by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) remains unidentified. We have observed that a serine proteinase isolated from patient serum increases albumin permeability in isolated glomeruli. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of various proteinase inhibitors on glomerular albumin permeability (P(alb)) in isolated glomeruli incubated with FSGS serum.

Nephrotic urine prevents increased rat glomerular albumin permeability induced by serum from the same patient with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome.

Background: The putative humoral mediator thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome has not yet been identified. However, components exist in normal serum that block the permeability activity of FSGS serum in vitro. The potential of FSGS serum to increase glomerular albumin permeability may result from an imbalance between permeability factors and naturally occurring inhibitors.

Modulation of incipient glomerular lesions in experimental diabetic nephropathy by hypotensive and subhypotensive dosages of an ACE inhibitor.

A glomerular permeability defect occurs early in the course of type 1 diabetes and precedes the onset of microalbuminuria and renal morphological changes. Recently, ACE inhibitors have been shown to prevent loss of glomerular membrane permselective function, but the mechanism of this nephroprotective effect is still being debated. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of hypotensive and subhypotensive dosages of the ACE inhibitor quinapril ex vivo and of its active metabolite quinaprilat in vitro on the glomerular albumin permeability (P(alb)) defect in the early phases of experimental diabetes.

Albumin permeability in isolated glomeruli in incipient experimental diabetes mellitus.

Aims/hypothesis: The pre-clinical phase of diabetic nephropathy is characterised by increased glomerular filtration rate and episodes of microalbuminuria. The cause of the microalbuminuria has been variably ascribed to alterations of the size or charge selective barriers of the glomerulus or both or as a consequence of the haemodynamic changes. Our aim was to investigate very early albumin permeability alterations in isolated glomeruli which were not subject to perfusion pressure.

Interferon versus steroids in patients with hepatitis C virus-associated cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis.

Background/aims: The association between mixed cryoglobulinaemia, cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis, and chronic hepatitis C virus infection has recently been described. The renal disease had usually been treated with immunosuppressive therapy, but, given the presence of viral infection, this therapy is no longer recommended. In this study, we compare steroid vs interferon therapy in a group of patients affected by hepatitis C virus-positive cryoglobulinaemic glomerulonephritis in the stationary phase.

Apolipoproteins prevent glomerular albumin permeability induced in vitro by serum from patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

Glomerular albumin permeability alterations can be induced in vitro by serum from patients with end-stage renal disease caused by primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). It was hypothesized that inhibitory substances may be present in normal serum, which may prevent the permeability alterations in isolated glomeruli, and the present study sought to isolate and characterize these factors. Albumin permeability was determined from the change in glomerular volume induced by applying oncotic gradients across the basement membrane of healthy isolated rat glomeruli preincubated with FSGS serum and normal serum fractionated using standard techniques.

Apheresis in primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis of native and transplanted kidneys: a therapeutic protocol.

Background: Patients with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) develop nephrotic syndrome and terminal renal failure in most cases. FSGS reappears in 15-50% of transplanted kidneys and frequently causes the graft loss. Sera from patients with FSGS of native or transplanted kidneys contain some proteinuric or permeability factors (PF) which can be removed by means of plasma exchange (PE) or protein A Immunoadsorption (IA).

Cryoglobulinaemic membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis and hepatitis C virus infection.

Background/aim: A striking correlation between mixed cryoglobulinaemia and chronic hepatitis C virus infection has recently been described. Since membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis is a rare complication of mixed cryoglobulinaemia, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis.

Patients: Eighteen patients, selected among a group of 121 affected by mixed cryoglobulinaemia, with renal involvement were included in the present study.

Relationship between whole-body protein turnover and serum creatinine in chronically uremic patients.

To investigate the relationship between decline in renal function and alterations of protein metabolism we determined the rate of whole-body protein turnover in a group of 15 postabsorptive chronically uremic patients (9 males and 6 females) with different levels of serum creatinine concentrations (average 5.7 +/- 0.4 (SE) mg x dl(-1); range 3.

Effects of a dimeric vs a monomeric nonionic contrast medium on renal function in patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency: a double-blind, randomized clinical trial.

The efficacy and safety of nonionic dimeric contrast media in subjects with impaired renal function is largely unknown. The present study was aimed at determining the risk of tubular nephrotoxicity in patients with mild to moderate renal insufficiency who underwent intravenous urography (IVU) with the nonionic dimeric contrast agent iodixanol (Visipaque, Nycomed Imaging, Oslo, Norway). In a double-blind protocol 64 patients (55 males; mean age 68.

Mechanisms of malnutrition in uremia.

The pathogenesis of protein wasting in chronic renal failure is multifactorial. Potential mediators of protein catabolism in chronic uremia include anorexia, low protein-energy intake, increased cortisol and parathyroid hormone secretion, insulin resistance, metabolic acidosis and unidentified uremic toxins. In non-acidotic uremic patients the rate of protein turnover (that is, synthesis and degradation) has often been found to be decreased.

Dose effect of nitrendipine on urinary enzymes and microproteins following non-ionic radiocontrast administration.

Background: Although calcium-channel antagonists have been proposed as prophylaxis to prevent radiocontrast-induced nephropathy, the dose and dose interval to achieve a protective effect have not been quantified in humans.

Methods: In a randomized, double-blind protocol we studied urinary enzyme and microprotein excretion in 121 outpatients (mean age 65.3 +/- 9.