Anti-Taenia solium metacestodes antibodies in serum from blood donors from four cities of Triângulo Mineiro area, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 1995.

Serological survey was performed to detect IgG antibodies anti-Taenia solium metacestodes in blood donors of Hemocentro Regional de Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil. A total of 1133 sera from blood donors coming from four cities of Triângulo Mineiro area were analyzed by the indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) and the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Specific IgG antibodies were found in 5.

Toxoplasmic encephalitis in an HIV infected pregnant woman: successful outcome for both mother and child.

This report describes a case of Toxoplasma encephalitis during pregnancy of an HIV infected woman who was severely immunosuppressed (CD(4): 17 cells/mm3), had a high viral load (RNA PCR:230,000 copies/ml), was treated with sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine and folinic acid for toxoplasmosis and was being treated with highly potent antiretroviral drugs (AZT, 3TC and nelfinavir) for HIV infection. The newborn was born through an elective C-section, received six weeks of AZT according to the 076 protocol and was clinically normal at birth. Subsequently he had two RNA PCR negatives for HIV, seroreverted and had no clinical or laboratory evidence of congenital toxoplasmosis.

[Chagas' disease in Lassance, Minas Gerais State: Clinical-epidemiological re-evaluation ninety years after the discovery by Carlos Chagas].

The history and present situation of Chagas' disease in Lassance (the county where Carlos Chagas discovered American trypanosomiasis) were studied through a historical analysis and clinical and epidemiological research performed from 1999 to 2001. Lassance was an important focus of Chagas' disease from Carlos Chagas up until the 1980's, because of intensive infestation in dwellings by Panstrongylus megistus and Triatoma infestans, two important species which were efficiently controlled in the last twenty years. Human Chagas' disease was important in the past but today is only residual, affecting basically the more elderly age groups.

Effect of propafenone on the contractile activity of Latissimus dorsi muscle isolated in an organ chamber: experimental study in rats.

Objective: To study the effect of propafenone on the contractile function of latissimus dorsi muscle isolated from rats in an organ chamber.

Methods: We studied 20 latissimus dorsi muscles of Wistar rats and divided them into 2 groups: group I (n=10), or control group - we studied the feasibility of muscle contractility; group II (n=10), in which the contralateral muscles were grouped - we analyzed the effect of propafenone on muscle contractility. After building a muscle ring, 8 periods of sequential 2-minute baths were performed, with intervals of preprogrammed electrical stimulation using a pacemaker of 50 stimuli/min.

The role of eicosanoids on Rhodnius heme-binding protein (RHBP) endocytosis by Rhodnius prolixus ovaries.

The participation of eicosanoids and second messengers on the regulation of RHBP endocytosis by the ovaries was investigated, using [(125)I]RHBP in experiments in vivo and in vitro. Addition of PGE(2) (one of the products of the cyclooxygenase pathway) decreased in vitro the uptake of RHBP by 35%. The rate of RHBP endocytosis increased in the presence of indomethacin, a potent cyclooxigenase inhibitor, up to 50% in vitro and up to 55% in vivo, thus giving support to the role of cyclooxygenase derivatives on endocytosis regulation.

The role of the CD4 receptor versus HIV coreceptors in envelope-mediated apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

We examined the role of CD4, CXCR4, and CCR5 in HIV envelope-mediated apoptosis by measuring the response of activated PBMCs to recombinant envelope proteins derived from CXCR4- and CCR5-utilizing viruses. Apoptosis of T cells was assessed by annexin-V staining and TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling. Treatment of CCR5Delta32 homozygote PBMCs with a CCR5-specific envelope induced apoptosis in T cells, demonstrating that envelope--CD4 interactions are sufficient to induce apoptosis.

On the pro-oxidant effects of haemozoin.

Haemozoin (Hz) is a haem aggregate produced in some blood-feeding organisms. There is a general belief that Hz formation would be a protective mechanism against haem toxicity. Here we show that when aggregated into Hz, haem is less deleterious than its free form.

A study of experimental reinfection by Trypanosoma cruzi in dogs.

The role of reinfection in the evolution of Chagas' disease was evaluated in dogs alternately infected with the 147 and SC-1 strains of Trypanosoma cruzi. A parasitologic, serologic, clinical, and electrocardiographic follow-up was carried out on the infected and noninfected dogs. The dogs were reinfected five times over a period of 38 months.

Genotypic and phenotypic evidence of different drug-resistance mutation patterns between B and non-B subtype isolates of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 found in Brazilian patients failing HAART.

We have investigated the phenotypic and genotypic susceptibility of 14 HIV-1 strains isolated from individuals failing HAART therapy to protease inhibitors (PI). Proviral and plasma viral pol gene fragment were amplified, sequenced and subtyped. Nine samples clustered with protease subtype B reference strains and the remaining samples were classified as non-B subtype corresponding to subtype F (n = 4) and subtype A (n = 1).

Sexual transmission of HIV-1 isolate showing G-->A hypermutation.

Retroviral genomes with a high frequency of G-->A mutations are thought to originate during reverse transcription (RT). Here we present a case report of an AIDS patient infected with a subtype F variant where extensive G-->A hypermutation (G-->A Hypm) sequences were found in the protease gene. This patient was failing HAART at the time the hypermutation was found.

Seizure's outcome after cortical resections including the face and tongue rolandic areas in patients with refractory epilepsy and normal MRI submitted to subdural grids' implantation.

Purpose: To study the seizure's outcome in patients with refractory epilepsy and normal MRI submitted to resections including the rolandic cortex.

Methods: Four adult patients were studied. All patients had motor or somatosensory simple partial seizures and normal MRI and were submitted to subdural grids' implantation with extensive coverage of the cortical convexity (1 in the non-dominant and 3 in the dominant hemisphere).

Results of surgery in patients with refractory extratemporal epilepsy with normal or nonlocalizing magnetic resonance findings investigated with subdural grids.

Purpose: To study the efficacy of extensive coverage of the brain surface with subdural grids in defining extratemporal cortical areas amenable for resection in patients with refractory extratemporal epilepy (R-ExTE) and normal or nonlocalizing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Methods: Sixteen patients with R-ExTE were studied. Eleven patients had simple partial, eight had complex partial, and three had supplementary motor area seizures.

Differential expression of genes encoding subthreshold-operating voltage-gated K+ channels in brain.

The members of the three subfamilies (eag, erg, and elk) of the ether-a-go-go (EAG) family of potassium channel pore-forming subunits express currents that, like the M-current (I(M)), could have considerable influence on the subthreshold properties of neuronal membranes, and hence the control of excitability. A nonradioactive in situ hybridization (NR-ISH) study of the distribution of the transcripts encoding the eight known EAG family subunits in rat brain was performed to identify neuronal populations in which the physiological roles of EAG channels could be studied. These distributions were compared with those of the mRNAs encoding the components of the classical M-current (Kcnq2 and Kcnq3).

Morphometry of submucous and myenteric esophagic plexus of dogs experimentally reinfected with Trypanosoma cruzi.

We carried out a morphometric study of the esophagus of cross-bred dogs experimentally infected or consecutively reinfected with Trypanosoma cruzi 147 and SC-1 strains, in order to verify denervation and/or neuronal hypertrophy in the intramural plexus. The animals were sacrificed in the chronic stage, 38 months after the initial infection. Neither nests of amastigotes, nor myositis or ganglionitis, were observed in all third inferior portions of esophageal rings analyzed.

[Tentorium cerebellum fistula. Diagnosis and treatment].

Among the 17 intracranial dural fistulae treated in the Department of Neuroradiology of the University Hospital of Coimbra (17 patients, 28 embolizations) between 19/10/98 and 20/11/2000, 4 cases (23%) were located on the tentorium cerebelli. Three patients were men aged 45, 53 and 56 years old. The remaining patient was an 85-year-old woman.

[Subarachnoid hemorrhage and computerized tomography cerebral angiography].

We present a review of 57 cases of nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhagesubmitted to CT angiography of the cerebral vessels. The purpose of our study was to estimate the value of CT angiography in the detection of intracranial aneurysms. These findings were compared with those from selective angiography.

[Malformations in cortical development in patients with epilepsy. Neuroimaging of 17 cases].

This article reviews Malformations of Cortical Development (MCD) diagnosed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in a series of patients with epilepsy. This study spans a five year period. The frequency of these malformations was 7.

[General situation and perspectives of chagas disease in Northeastern Region, Brazil].

Primary and secondary data show the importance and distribution of human Chagas disease (HCD) in Northeast Brazil. Among the 27 detected vector species, Triatoma infestans, Panstrongylus megistus, Triatoma brasiliensis and Triatoma pseudomaculata are epidemiologically important. Major medical impact is attributed to T.

Results of surgery in patients with bilateral independent temporal lobe spiking (BITLS) with normal MRI or bilateral mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) investigated with bilateral subdural grids.

Purpose: The introduction of new technologies in the clinical practice have greatly decreased the number of patients submitted to invasive recordings. On the other hand, some patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy have normal MR scans or bilateral potentially epileptogenic lesions. This paper reports the results of invasive neurophysiology and surgical outcome in such patients.

A simplified method for sample collection and DNA isolation for polymerase chain reaction detection of Trypanosoma rangeli and Trypanosoma cruzi in triatomine vectors.

Due to the overlapping distribution of Trypanosoma rangeli and T. cruzi in Central and South America, sharing several reservoirs and triatomine vectors, we herein describe a simple method to collect triatomine feces and hemolymph in filter paper for further detection and specific characterization of these two trypanosomes. Experimentally infected triatomines feces and hemolymph were collected in filter paper and specific detection of T.

Drug-resistant reverse transcriptase genotyping and phenotyping of B and non-B subtypes (F and A) of human immunodeficiency virus type I found in Brazilian patients failing HAART.

Development of drug resistance is the inevitable consequence of incomplete suppression of virus plasma levels in HIV-1-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy. Resistance mutations previously characterized have been found in B subtype viruses of developed countries. Moreover, mutation profiles for non-B and more divergent B subtype viruses found in developing countries shall be analyzed together with their ex vivo phenotyping in order to establish an exact correlation between the genotyping data and the clinical management counseling for those uncommon virus subtypes.

Paradigms for subdural grids' implantation in patients with refractory epilepsy.

Rationale: The need for invasive monitoring in patients with refractory epilepsy has been greatly reduced by the introduction of new technologies such as PET, SPECT and MRI in the clinical practice. On the other hand, 10 to 30% of the patients with refractory epilepsy have non-localizatory non-invasive preoperative work-up results. This paper reports on the paradigms for subdural electrodes implantation in patients with different refractory epileptic syndromes.

CCR5 signal transduction in macrophages by human immunodeficiency virus and simian immunodeficiency virus envelopes.

The capacity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) envelopes to transduce signals through chemokine coreceptors on macrophages was examined by measuring the ability of recombinant envelope proteins to mobilize intracellular calcium stores. Both HIV and SIV envelopes mobilized calcium via interactions with CCR5. The kinetics of these responses were similar to those observed when macrophages were treated with MIP-1beta.