Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas médicas e biológicas
-
Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. · Jan 1992
Comparative StudyComparison of counterimmunoelectrophoresis, latex agglutination and bacterial culture for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis using urine, serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples.
1. Urine, serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 98 children with clinical and laboratory diagnosis of bacterial meningitis were evaluated by counterimmunoelectrophoresis (CIE) and latex agglutination (LA) methods and the results compared to those obtained with bacterial cultures of the CSF samples. Antigens of Neisseria meningitidis groups A, B and C, Haemophilus influenzae type b and Streptococcus pneumoniae were determined by both immunological methods. ⋯ Sensitivity indices were 0.772 (CSF), 0.595 (urine) and 0.317 (serum) for CIE, and 0.914 (CSF), 0.930 (urine) and 0.683 (serum) for LA in relation to the 42 positive bacterial cultures. 3. The optimal diagnostic efficacy reached 52% for CIE and 72% for LA when urine was concentrated 20- to 30-fold. 4. These data show that immunological tests of urine samples were more effective than bacterial culture for diagnosing bacterial meningitis and may be indicated when negative results are obtained for CSF tested by bacterial culture and immunoassay methods.
-
1. Escherichia coli strains isolated from 100 urine samples taken from patients with urinary tract infections (UTI) and from 20 normal fecal (NF) samples were examined for serum resistance, mannose-resistant hemagglutination of human erythrocytes (MRHA) and for production of aerobactin, hemolysin and colicin. 2. ⋯ Production of MR hemagglutinins was significantly correlated with that of aerobactin and hemolysin. 3. These results suggest that the presence of aerobactin may be a significant etiological factor in UTI, and that the production of MR adhesins and of hemolysin also might contribute to the virulence of these strains.
-
Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. · Jan 1990
Liver and kidney nitrogen uptake in rats fed beans enriched with 15nitrogen through (15NH4)2SO4 used as soil fertilizer.
This study was conducted to determine the incorporation of 15nitrogen (15N) into liver and kidney of a group of rats (N = 17) fed a mixture of cooked rice and beans for 4 weeks. The beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), grown in soil cultivated with (15NH4)2SO4, had 1.5% 15N enrichment. Three or four rats were sacrificed weekly and a control group (N = 13) received an isonitrogen and isocaloric reference casein diet. ⋯ The total nitrogen content of the liver and kidney of rats receiving the reference casein control diet was similar to that of the rice/beans animals. Weight gain was similar for the two groups, indicating the well-balanced biological value of the experimental diet. The present study shows that it is possible to monitor 15N incorporation into beans and subsequently into rat liver and kidney, in contrast to classical methods for protein metabolism evaluation which measure only total body nitrogen intake and excretion or weight gain.
-
Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. · Jan 1989
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialPerspectives on clinical trials for hypertonic saline/dextran solutions for the treatment of traumatic shock.
Animal studies with hypertonic solutions suggest that they can achieve resuscitation of hypovolemic shock with extremely small volumes. Such small volume resuscitation might be ideal in the field treatment of injured patients. ⋯ The solutions have been safe, and we have encountered no adverse side effects from their use. Survival rates to date favor use of the solutions, but we do not have convincing statistical significance yet in that regard.
-
Braz. J. Med. Biol. Res. · Jan 1989
Train-of-four as an index of neuromuscular block in cats: changes induced by atropine.
1. The present study reevaluates the effect of atropine on the rate of recovery from tetanic fade caused by intraarterial administration of neostigmine or antinicotinic agents in cat anterior tibial muscle preparations submitted to a train-of-four (TOF) pattern of nerve stimulation. The study also compares the sensitivity of the TOF and tetanic responses as indices of residual nondepolarizing block. 2. ⋯ Both single and TOF twitches were increased by neostigmine and depressed by the antinicotinic agents. 3. Prior administration of atropine reduced the TOF fade induced by the antinicotinic drugs but potentiated that caused by anticholinesterase drugs. 4. These results indicate that TOF fade is not the most sensitive index for studying neuromuscular blockade when drugs other than neuromuscular blockers are also present.