São Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina
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Central diabetes insipidus (CDI) is a rare cause of hypernatremia during the neonatal period. The diagnosis is particularly difficult in very low birth weight (VLBW) newborns. ⋯ The diagnosis of CDI is rarely made during the neonatal period, especially in VLBW newborns, because of the difficulty in detecting elevated diuresis. Persistent hypernatremia, usually accompanied by hyperthermia despite abundant fluid supply, weight loss and low urine osmolality are important signs of alert.
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The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is the most common cause of infectious mononucleosis and is also associated with several human tumors, including Burkitt's lymphoma, Hodgkin's lymphoma, some cases of gastric carcinoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma, among other neoplasms. The aim of this study was to screen 75 primary gliomas for the presence of specific EBV DNA sequences by means of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), with confirmation by direct sequencing. ⋯ The prevalence of EBV DNA was 11/75 (14.7%) in our glioma collection. Further molecular and epidemiological studies are needed to establish the possible role played by EBV in the tumorigenesis of gliomas.
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Knowledge of the reasons for donor deferral can help in planning more efficient recruitment strategies and evaluating donor selection criteria. This study aimed to investigate the rates and reasons for donor deferral. ⋯ Effective measures are required for documenting the impact of deferral on blood availability, monitoring the effectiveness of and need for deferral, and determining the reasons and rates of deferral.
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Heparanase-1 degrades heparan sulfate and has been correlated with tumor progression. Although the isoform heparanase-2 has no catalytic activity, it seems to be important for modulating heparanase-1 activity. Cathepsin B is a proteinase involved in tumor metastasis. The aim of this study was to analyze heparanase isoform expression and cathepsin B activity in plasma samples from patients with gastrointestinal carcinomas, compared with healthy individuals (control group). ⋯ Overexpression of heparanase-1 and heparanase-2, along with increased heparanase-1 and cathepsin B activity in plasma, is associated with the diagnosis of gastrointestinal carcinoma. These findings provide support for using non-invasive assays (plasma samples) as an auxiliary method for diagnosing gastrointestinal tumors.
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The development of a slow and progressive mechanical model for osteoarthritis is important for correlation with clinical practice, and for evaluating the effects of disease-modifying medications. A mechanical osteoarthritis model was developed to evaluate the effects of intra-articular hyaluronic acid (HA) injection and oral diacerein administration. ⋯ 1) The experimental model produced mild arthritis after three months and severe arthritis after seven months; 2) diacerein reduced the degenerative changes in both knees; 3) HA protected the joint cartilage; 4) Combining the two drugs did not improve the results.