Unisexual reproduction of Cryptococcus gattii.

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Sujal S Phadke

Full Text Available Cryptococcus gattii is a basidiomycetous human fungal pathogen that typically causes infection in tropical and subtropical regions and is responsible for an ongoing outbreak in immunocompetent individuals on Vancouver Island and in the Pacific Northwest of the US. Pathogenesis of this species may be linked to its sexual cycle that generates infectious propagules called basidiospores. A marked predominance of only one mating type (α in clinical and environmental isolates suggests that a-α opposite-sex reproduction may be infrequent or geographically restricted, raising the possibility of an alternative unisexual cycle involving cells of only α mating type, as discovered previously in the related pathogenic species Cryptococcus neoformans. Here we report observation of hallmark features of unisexual reproduction in a clinical isolate of C. gattii (isolate 97/433 and describe genetic and environmental factors conducive to this sexual cycle. Our results are consistent with population genetic evidence of recombination in the largely unisexual populations of C. gattii and provide a useful genetic model for understanding how novel modes of sexual reproduction may contribute to evolution and virulence in this species.

Genotipificación de aislamientos clínicos del complejo Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii obtenidos en el Hospital «Dr. Julio C. Perrando», de la ciudad de Resistencia (Chaco, Argentina

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Maria E Cattana

Full Text Available La criptococosis es una infección fúngica causada por levaduras del género Cryptococcus, particularmente las del complejo Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii. El conocimiento sobre la casuística de la criptococosis en el nordeste argentino es exiguo y no se tiene información sobre los tipos moleculares circulantes. El objetivo de este estudio fue realizar la caracterización genética de los aislamientos pertenecientes al complejo C. neoformans/C. gattii obtenidos en el Hospital «Dr. Julio C. Perrando» de la ciudad de Resistencia (Chaco, Argentina, con el fin de determinar especie, variedad y genotipo. Durante dos años y un mes se estudiaron 26 aislamientos clínicos. Mediante métodos convencionales y moleculares, un aislamiento fue identificado como C. gattii genotipo VGI y los 25 restantes como C. neoformans var.grubii, 23 de los cuales correspondieron al genotipo VNI y dos al genotipo VNII. Estos datos son una contribución al conocimiento de la epidemiología de la criptococosis en la Argentina y el primer informe sobre genotipos del complejo C. neoformans/C. gattii de origen clínico en el nordeste argentino.

Cryptococcus neoformans granuloma in the lung and spinal cord of a free-ranging cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus). A clinical report and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Millward, I R; Williams, M C

2005-12-01

A 6-year-old, male, wild-born, free-ranging cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) was evaluated for acute onset of progressive lameness in the right hind limb. Survey radiographs were unrewarding and myelography indicated an intramedullary compressive mass at the L3-L4 region. A fine needle aspirate of the lesion indicated the presence of Cryptococcus organisms. Necropsy confirmed the presence of granulomas (cryptococcoma) in the lung and the spinal cord (meningomyelitis) caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii. Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast-like organism that is a potential pathogen to many species. Initial infection is thought to be of respiratory origin and then it commonly disseminates systemically from the nasal cavity or lungs to the skin, eyes and central nervous system in particular. The cheetah tested negative for both feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), as have all the previously reported cheetah cases. C. neoformans is a non-contagious, opportunistic organism and is the most common systemic mycoses in domestic cats and the cheetah.

Equine nasopharyngeal cryptococcoma due to Cryptococcus gattii

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Raquel Aparecida Sales da Cruz

2017-08-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Cryptococcus gattii is often associated with pulmonary and systemic infections in humans and animals. In this research we report a case of nasopharyngeal cryptococoma caused by C. gatti in an equine. A 10-year-old mare presented a mass obstructing the oropharynx. Macroscopically the mass was asymmetric, and was attached to the ethmoidal sinuses and obstructed the oropharynx. Histopathological examination of the mass revealed multiple yeast cells ranging from spherical to oval, 4-8μm in diameter, with some of them showing narrow base polar budding. Cryptococcus gattii growth in mycological culture (Sabouraud Dextrose Agar and was L-canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue Agar positive. The molecular identification confirmed the isolate as C. gattii by means of the amplification of universal primers. C. gattii is considered an emerging fungal agent, as it affects human and animals and does not respond efficiently to commonly established treatments.

Interspecies differences in the enantioselectivity of epoxide hydrolases in Cryptococcus laurentii (Kufferath) C.E. Skinner and Cryptococcus podzolicus (Bab'jeva & Reshetova) Golubev

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Botes, AL

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Isolates representing Cryptococcus laurentii and Cryptococcus podzolicus, originating from soil of a heath land indigenous to South Africa, were screened for the presence of enantioselective epoxide hydrolases for 2, 2-disubstituted epoxides...

Environmental isolation, biochemical identification, and antifungal drug susceptibility of Cryptococcus species

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Valter Luis Iost Teodoro

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Introduction The incidence of opportunistic fungal infections has increased in recent years and is considered an important public health problem. Among systemic and opportunistic mycoses, cryptococcosis is distinguished by its clinical importance due to the increased risk of infection in individuals infected by human immunodeficiency virus. Methods To determine the occurrence of pathogenic Cryptococcus in pigeon excrement in the City of Araraquara, samples were collected from nine environments, including state and municipal schools, abandoned buildings, parks, and a hospital. The isolates were identified using classical tests, and susceptibility testing for the antifungal drugs (fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, and amphotericin B independently was also performed. After collection, the excrement samples were plated on Niger agar and incubated at room temperature. Results A total of 87 bird dropping samples were collected, and 66.6% were positive for the genus Cryptococcus. The following species were identified: Cryptococcus neoformans (17.2%, Cryptococcus gattii (5.2%, Cryptococcus ater (3.5%, Cryptococcus laurentti (1.7%, and Cryptococcus luteolus (1.7%. A total of 70.7% of the isolates were not identified to the species level and are referred to as Cryptococcus spp. throughout the manuscript. Conclusions Although none of the isolates demonstrated resistance to antifungal drugs, the identification of infested areas, the proper control of birds, and the disinfection of these environments are essential for the epidemiological control of cryptococcosis.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa inhibits the growth of Cryptococcus species.

Science.gov (United States)

Rella, Antonella; Yang, Mo Wei; Gruber, Jordon; Montagna, Maria Teresa; Luberto, Chiara; Zhang, Yong-Mei; Del Poeta, Maurizio

2012-06-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a ubiquitous and opportunistic bacterium that inhibits the growth of different microorganisms, including Gram-positive bacteria and fungi such as Candida spp. and Aspergillus fumigatus. In this study, we investigated the interaction between P. aeruginosa and Cryptococcus spp. We found that P. aeruginosa PA14 and, to a lesser extent, PAO1 significantly inhibited the growth of Cryptococcus spp. The inhibition of growth was observed on solid medium by the visualization of a zone of inhibition of yeast growth and in liquid culture by viable cell counting. Interestingly, such inhibition was only observed when P. aeruginosa and Cryptococcus were co-cultured. Minimal inhibition was observed when cell-cell contact was prevented using a separation membrane, suggesting that cell contact is required for inhibition. Using mutant strains of Pseudomonas quinoline signaling, we showed that P. aeruginosa inhibited the growth of Cryptococcus spp. by producing antifungal molecules pyocyanin, a redox-active phenazine, and 2-heptyl-3,4-dihydroxyquinoline (PQS), an extracellular quorum-sensing signal. Because both P. aeruginosa and Cryptococcus neoformans are commonly found in lung infections of immunocompromised patients, this study may have important implication for the interaction of these microbes in both an ecological and a clinical point of view.

Cryptococcus neoformans carried by Odontomachus bauri ants

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Mariana Santos de Jesus

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common causative agent of cryptococcosis worldwide. Although this fungus has been isolated from a variety of organic substrates, several studies suggest that hollow trees constitute an important natural niche for C. neoformans. A previously surveyed hollow of a living pink shower tree (Cassia grandis positive for C. neoformans in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was chosen for further investigation. Odontomachus bauri ants (trap-jaw ants found inside the hollow were collected for evaluation as possible carriers of Cryptococcus spp. Two out of 10 ants were found to carry phenoloxidase-positive colonies identified as C. neoformans molecular types VNI and VNII. The ants may have acted as a mechanical vector of C. neoformans and possibly contributed to the dispersal of the fungi from one substrate to another. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the association of C. neoformans with ants of the genus Odontomachus.

Plants promote mating and dispersal of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus.

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Deborah J Springer

Full Text Available Infections due to Cryptococcus are a leading cause of fungal infections worldwide and are acquired as a result of environmental exposure to desiccated yeast or spores. The ability of Cryptococcus to grow, mate, and produce infectious propagules in association with plants is important for the maintenance of the genetic diversity and virulence factors important for infection of animals and humans. In the Western United States and Canada, Cryptococcus has been associated with conifers and tree species other than Eucalyptus; however, to date Cryptococcus has only been studied on live Arabidopsis thaliana, Eucalyptus sp., and Terminalia catappa (almond seedlings. Previous research has demonstrated the ability of Cryptococcus to colonize live plants, leaves, and vasculature. We investigated the ability of Cryptococcus to grow on live seedlings of the angiosperms, A. thaliana, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Colophospermum mopane, and the gymnosperms, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas fir, and Tsuga heterophylla (Western hemlock. We observed a broad-range ability of Cryptococcus to colonize both traditional infection models as well as newly tested conifer species. Furthermore, C. neoformans, C. deneoformans, C. gattii (VGI, C. deuterogattii (VGII and C. bacillisporus (VGIII were able to colonize live plant leaves and needles but also undergo filamentation and mating on agar seeded with plant materials or in saprobic association with dead plant materials. The ability of Cryptococcus to grow and undergo filamentation and reproduction in saprobic association with both angiosperms and gymnosperms highlights an important role of plant debris in the sexual cycle and exposure to infectious propagules. This study highlights the broad importance of plants (and plant debris as the ecological niche and reservoirs of infectious propagules of Cryptococcus in the environment.

Cryptococcus neoformans granuloma in the lung and spinal cord of a free-ranging cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus. A clinical report and literature review : clinical communication

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I.R. Millward

2005-06-01

Full Text Available A 6-year-old, male, wild-born, free-ranging cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus was evaluated for acute onset of progressive lameness in the right hind limb. Survey radiographs were unrewarding and myelography indicated an intramedullary compressive mass at the L3-L4 region. A fine needle aspirate of the lesion indicated the presence of Cryptococcus organisms. Necropsy confirmed the presence of granulomas (cryptococcoma in the lung and the spinal cord (meningomyelitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii. Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast-like organism that is a potential pathogen to many species. Initial infection is thought to be of respiratory origin and then it commonly disseminates systemically from the nasal cavity or lungs to the skin, eyes and central nervous system in particular. The cheetah tested negative for both feline leukaemia virus (FeLV and feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV, as have all the previously reported cheetah cases. C. neoformans is a non-contagious, opportunistic organism and is the most common systemic mycoses in domestic cats and the cheetah.

Molecules at the interface of Cryptococcus and the host that determine disease susceptibility.

Science.gov (United States)

Wozniak, Karen L; Olszewski, Michal A; Wormley, Floyd L

2015-05-01

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, the predominant etiological agents of cryptococcosis, are fungal pathogens that cause disease ranging from a mild pneumonia to life-threatening infections of the central nervous system (CNS). Resolution or exacerbation of Cryptococcus infection is determined following complex interactions of several host and pathogen derived factors. Alternatively, interactions between the host and pathogen may end in an impasse resulting in the establishment of a sub-clinical Cryptococcus infection. The current review addresses the delicate interaction between the host and Cryptococcus-derived molecules that determine resistance or susceptibility to infection. An emphasis will be placed on data highlighted at the recent 9th International Conference on Cryptococcus and Cryptococcosis (ICCC). Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Creatinine metabolism in Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus bacillisporus.

OpenAIRE

Polacheck, I; Kwon-Chung, K J

1980-01-01

The pathogenic species of Cryptococcus, C. neoformans and C. bacillisporus, utilized creatinine as a source of nitrogen but not of carbon. Chromatographic and autoradiographic studies suggest that creatinine metabolism in both species involves a single step resulting in the production of methylhydantoin and ammonia. The enzyme responsible for this step, creatinine deiminase, was produced by the cells only in the presence of creatinine in both species. The synthesis of creatinine deiminase was...

Can smoking cause melanization of Cryptococcus neoformans in vivo?

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Sabesan, G.

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Earlier studies have reported on the ability of Cryptococcus neoformans to synthesize melanin from tobacco extracts / nicotine incorporated in to the medium. However a study on the utilization of components in tobacco smoke by C. neoformans for melanin production was unreported. The present study reports on ability of C. neoformans for melanization using tobacco smoke and therefore substantiate the possible link between smoking and pathogenecity in clinical cryptococcal infections as reported by several researchers.

Epidemiologische trends in cryptokokkose : De Cryptococcus gattii-uitbraak in Canada

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hagen, F; Boekhout, T

2006-01-01

Cryptococcosis is, when untreated, a fatal disease, which in the Netherlands is mainly caused by the basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, and in more rare cases by Cryptococcus gattii. Infections with C. gattii occur almost only in immunocompetent individuals, while C. neoformans has a

Evaluación de varias técnicas de extracción de ADN de Cryptococcus spp. a partir de muestras ambientales.

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Alexandra Castañeda

2004-09-01

Full Text Available El género Cryptococcus comprende, al menos, 38 especies, pero sólo 3 se han informado como patógenas para el hombre y los animales: Cryptococcus laurentii, Cryptococcus albidus y Cryptococcus neoformans; esta última es la más frecuente. La infección se adquiere por la inhalación de los propágulos infectantes del medio ambiente. Los estudios del hábitat se han realizado con técnicas de extracción con soluciones tampón y cultivos en medios selectivos. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar varias técnicas de extracción del ADN de Cryptococcus spp. a partir de muestras ambientales. Como controles se emplearon aislamientos de C. neoformans, C. albidus, C. laurentii y Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis. Se emplearon vermiculitas, suelos contaminados en el laboratorio con 10 a 106 blastoconidias/g y muestras naturalmente colonizadas con C. neoformans. El ADN se extrajo con métodos físicos, químicos y con un estuche comercial, y se purificó usando bloques de agarosa y columnas de sílica. Para la amplificación con PCR se emplearon los iniciadores CN4-CN5 específicos para C. neoformans. Sólo el estuche comercial permitió extraer y purificar el ADN de las muestras de suelos contaminados hasta una concentración de 10 blastoconidias/g de suelo y de una de las muestras naturalmente colonizadas. Con este trabajo se logró la extracción y amplificación de ADN de Cryptococcus spp. a partir de muestras ambientales lo cual constituye una herramienta importante para delimitar las áreas ecológicas de C. neoformans en nuestro país.

Cryptococcus gattii : A dilemma in diagnosis and treatment in sub ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sub-Saharan Africa contributes at least 70% of the global cryptococcal meningoencephalitis cases each year and the majority of cases are caused by the Cryptococcus neoformans species. We present a case of meningoencephalitis due to Cryptococcus gattii in an 18 year old apparently immunocompetent male patient ...

Continental Drift and Speciation of the Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii Species Complexes

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Arturo Casadevall

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Genomic analysis has placed the origins of two human-pathogenic fungi, the Cryptococcus gattii species complex and the Cryptococcus neoformans species complex, in South America and Africa, respectively. Molecular clock calculations suggest that the two species separated ~80 to 100 million years ago. This time closely approximates the breakup of the supercontinent Pangea, which gave rise to South America and Africa. On the basis of the geographic distribution of these two species complexes and the coincidence of the evolutionary divergence and Pangea breakup times, we propose that a spatial separation caused by continental drift resulted in the emergence of the C. gattii and C. neoformans species complexes from a Pangean ancestor. We note that, despite the spatial and temporal separation that occurred approximately 100 million years ago, these two species complexes are morphologically similar, share virulence factors, and cause very similar diseases. Continuation of these phenotypic characteristics despite ancient separation suggests the maintenance of similar selection pressures throughout geologic ages.

PERIORBITAL NECROTIZING FASCIITIS DUE TO CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS IN A HEALTHY-YOUNG MAN

NARCIS (Netherlands)

DOORENBOSBOT, ACC; HOOYMANS, JMM; BLANKSMA, LJ

1990-01-01

A case report is presented of a healthy 25-year-old man who developed a periorbital necrotising fasciitis after a trivial trauma with a wooden splinter. Necrotising fasciitis of the eyelids occurs rarely. Cryptococcus neoformans is not described as a causative factor of necrotizing fasciitis.

Discovery of a modified tetrapolar sexual cycle in Cryptococcus amylolentus and the evolution of MAT in the Cryptococcus species complex.

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Keisha Findley

Full Text Available Sexual reproduction in fungi is governed by a specialized genomic region called the mating-type locus (MAT. The human fungal pathogenic and basidiomycetous yeast Cryptococcus neoformans has evolved a bipolar mating system (a, α in which the MAT locus is unusually large (>100 kb and encodes >20 genes including homeodomain (HD and pheromone/receptor (P/R genes. To understand how this unique bipolar mating system evolved, we investigated MAT in the closely related species Tsuchiyaea wingfieldii and Cryptococcus amylolentus and discovered two physically unlinked loci encoding the HD and P/R genes. Interestingly, the HD (B locus sex-specific region is restricted (∼2 kb and encodes two linked and divergently oriented homeodomain genes in contrast to the solo HD genes (SXI1α, SXI2a of C. neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The P/R (A locus contains the pheromone and pheromone receptor genes but has expanded considerably compared to other outgroup species (Cryptococcus heveanensis and is linked to many of the genes also found in the MAT locus of the pathogenic Cryptococcus species. Our discovery of a heterothallic sexual cycle for C. amylolentus allowed us to establish the biological roles of the sex-determining regions. Matings between two strains of opposite mating-types (A1B1×A2B2 produced dikaryotic hyphae with fused clamp connections, basidia, and basidiospores. Genotyping progeny using markers linked and unlinked to MAT revealed that meiosis and uniparental mitochondrial inheritance occur during the sexual cycle of C. amylolentus. The sexual cycle is tetrapolar and produces fertile progeny of four mating-types (A1B1, A1B2, A2B1, and A2B2, but a high proportion of progeny are infertile, and fertility is biased towards one parental mating-type (A1B1. Our studies reveal insights into the plasticity and transitions in both mechanisms of sex determination (bipolar versus tetrapolar and sexual reproduction (outcrossing versus inbreeding with

Isolation and molecular characterization of Cryptococcus species isolated from pigeon nests and Eucalyptus trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Kamari, A; Sepahvand, A; Mohammadi, R

2017-06-01

Cryptococcus species are pathogenic and non-pathogenic basidiomycete yeasts that are found widely in the environment. Based on phenotypic methods, this genus has many species; however, its taxonomy is presently being re-evaluated by modern techniques. The Cryptococcus species complex includes two sibling taxa of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii . We aimed to investigate the possible distribution of Cryptococcus species in pigeon nests and Eucalyptus trees in Ilam, Iran, using molecular techniques. Two hundred and seventy-four specimens were collected from pigeon nests and Eucalyptus trees during 2016-2017. All the specimens were sub-cultured on Sabouraud Glucose Agar with chloramphenicol and bird seed agar. For molecular identification, the ITS15.8SITS2 rDNA region was amplified using the first and fourth internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS4, respectively) primers. The purified products were applied for cycle sequencing reactions in forward direction with ITS1 primer. The obtained results were analyzed with Chromas 2.3. Thirty-three out of 186 cultures (17.7%) and 11 out of 88 cultures (12.5%) were positive among pigeon nest and Eucalyptus tree specimens, respectively. Cryptococcus albidus (17.2%), C. albidus var. kuetzingii (3.4%), C. adeliensis (3.4%), C. uzbekistanensis (3.4%), and C. neoformans var. grubii (3.4%) were isolated from pigeon nests, and Cryptococcus adeliensis (25%) was the only Cryptococcus species isolated from Eucalyptus trees. The presence of pigeons and Eucalyptus trees in the vicinity of some particular places such as rest homes and hospitals should be considered as a risk factor for the immunocompromised population.

Scanning electron microscopy of the interaction between Cryptococcus magnus and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on papaya fruit Microscopia eletrônica de varredura da interação entre Cryptococcus magnus e Colletotrichum gloeosporioides em frutos de mamão

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Guy de Capdeville

2007-11-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to investigate possible modes of action of the yeast Cryptococcus magnus in controlling anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on post harvested papaya fruits. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the effect of the yeast on inoculations done after harvest. Results showed that C. magnus is able to colonize wound surfaces much faster than the pathogen, outcompeting the later for space and probably for nutrients. In addition, C. magnus produces a flocculent matrix, which affects hyphae integrity. The competition for space and the production of substances that affect hyphae integrity are among the most important modes of action of this yeast.O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar prováveis modos de ação da levedura Cryptococcus magnus, que resultam no controle da antracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides em frutos de mamoeiro na póscolheita. A microscopia eletrônica de varredura foi utilizada para avaliar o efeito da levedura sobre inoculações realizadas após a colheita. Os resultados mostraram que C. magnus é capaz de colonizar a superfície de ferimentos nos frutos e vencer a competição por espaço e, provavelmente, por nutrientes. Além disso, C. magnus produz uma matriz de textura característica que afeta a integridade da hifa do patógeno. A competição por espaço e a produção de substâncias que afetam a integridade das hifas estão entre os mais importantes modos de ação desta levedura.

Cryptococcus Neoformans: The First Reported Case of Isolation in Pigeon Excreta in the City of Votuporanga-São Paulo

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Cátia Rezende

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcocus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are closely related pathogenic fungi that cause pneumonia and meningitis in both immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts. Both species are found in the environment, and are acquired via inhalation, leading to an initial pulmonary infection. We evaluated 48 air samples and 32 samples of pigeon excreta from June to August, 2007. The presence of capsule was examined with Indian ink preparation. They were also tested for urease and phenoloxidase enzymes. Cryptococcus neoformans was recovered from pigeon excreta in 3.1%. The results suggest that climatic conditions can affect the occurrence of the yeast in different environmental sources.

isolation and characterisation of cryptococcus neoformans

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2014-08-01

Aug 1, 2014 ... and Cryptococcus gattii from several environmental sites in Nairobi, Kenya .This could probably ... Globally, the risk of cryptococcal meningitis in HIV/. AIDS is estimated ..... gattii from the Amazon rainforest. PLoS One. 2013 ...

Antifungal susceptibilities of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Science.gov (United States)

Archibald, Lennox K; Tuohy, Marion J; Wilson, Deborah A; Nwanyanwu, Okey; Kazembe, Peter N; Tansuphasawadikul, Somsit; Eampokalap, Boonchuay; Chaovavanich, Achara; Reller, L Barth; Jarvis, William R; Hall, Gerri S; Procop, Gary W

2004-01-01

Susceptibility profiles of medically important fungi in less-developed countries remain uncharacterized. We measured the MICs of amphotericin B, 5-flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, and ketoconazole for Cryptococcus neoformans clinical isolates from Thailand, Malawi, and the United States and found no evidence of resistance or MIC profile differences among the countries.

Cryptococcus neoformans en el contenido gástrico de un paciente con SIDA Cryptococcus neoformans in the gastric contents of an AIDS patient

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S. Garro

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Se comunica la observación microscópica y el aislamiento de Cryptococcus neoformans de contenido gástrico de un paciente con SIDA, obtenido por aspiración con sonda nasogástrica y enviado para su estudio parasitológico. En el examen en fresco del concentrado del material, llamaron la atención escasas levaduras redondas. El agregado de tinta china reveló la cápsula característica de C. neoformans. El cultivo de la muestra en agar extracto de semillas de girasol incubado a 37 °C durante 7 días permitió el aislamiento de colonias pardas de C. neoformans. Los hemocultivos para hongos fueron negativos y ante la imposibilidad de obtener LCR, por negativa del paciente, se determinó el antígeno polisacarídico capsular de C. neoformans en sangre, que fue positivo hasta la dilución 1:100. Luego del hallazgo de C. neoformans en el contenido gástrico y del resultado positivo de la antigenemia, el paciente -sospechado inicialmente como portador de diarrea por Cryptosporidium sp.-, fue medicado con fluconazol por vía oral, a razón de 800 mg/día, tras negarse a recibir medicación endovenosa. La presente comunicación da cuenta del hallazgo de C. neoformans en un material clínico donde su presencia es infrecuente y destaca su valor en el diagnóstico de la criptococosis.The microscopic observation and isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans from the gastric contents of an AIDS patient, obtained by aspiration with a nasogastric catheter and parasitologically studied, is communicated. Because of the limited number of round yeasts visualized by wet mount of the sample concentrate, India ink was added: the typical capsules of C. neoformans were then observed. Dark brown colonies of C. neoformans were isolated from the clinical sample cultured on sunflower-seed-extract agar, incubated at 37 °C for 7 days. Bloodcultures for fungi were negative; it was impossible to obtain CSF due to the patient&'s refusal, then the capsular polysaccharide antigen

Cryptococcus Neoformans en excretas de palomas, suelo y aire de los palomares del perímetro Urbano de Ica, 2002

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Maria Curo

2005-10-01

Full Text Available Objetivos: Aislar e identificar las variedades de Cryptococcus neoformans que existen en excretas de palomas, suelo y ambientes aéreos del perímetro urbano de la ciudad de Ica, Perú. Materiales y métodos: Se colectaron muestras de excretas de palomas, suelo contaminado y aire de palomares entre mayo y julio del año 2002. Para el aislamiento primario se usó agar Sabouraud dextrosa con cloramfenicol. Para la identificación por especie se usaron pruebas convencionales y la determinación de la variedad se evaluó sobre el medio de cultivo agar canavanina glicina azul de bromotimol sódico. Resultados: Se obtuvieron 124 muestras procedentes de palomares de la Facultad de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga de Ica, capilla del Hospital Socorro, Los viñedos de Santa María, La Victoria y San Joaquín. Se aislaron 26 cepas del género Cryptococcus de las cuales nueve cepas correspondieron a C. neoformans var. neoformans y 17 a Cryptococcus spp. La mayor frecuencia se encontró en la zona del palomar de la Facultad de Medicina. Conclusión: C. neoformans var. neoformans se encuentra en excreta y suelo de las áreas protegidas de los palomares estudiados.

Susceptibility testing of Cryptococcus diffluens against amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole and posaconazole

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kantarcioglu, A.S.; Boekhout, T.; Yucel, A.; Altas, K.

2009-01-01

Cryptococcus diffluens is a recently re-established species that shares several phenotypic features with Cryptococcus neoformans. We evaluated the application of the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI, formerly NCCLS) macro- and microbroth dilution methods and the E-test agar diffusion

Antifungal and Anti-Biofilm Activity of Essential Oil Active Components against Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus laurentii

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Poonam Kumari

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcosis is an emerging and recalcitrant systemic infection occurring in immunocompromised patients. This invasive fungal infection is difficult to treat due to the ability of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus laurentii to form biofilms resistant to standard antifungal treatment. The toxicity concern of these drugs has stimulated the search for natural therapeutic alternatives. Essential oil and their active components (EO-ACs have shown to possess the variety of biological and pharmacological properties. In the present investigation the effect of six (EO-ACs sourced from Oregano oil (Carvacrol, Cinnamon oil (Cinnamaldehyde, Lemongrass oil (Citral, Clove oil (Eugenol, Peppermint oil (Menthol and Thyme oil (thymol against three infectious forms; planktonic cells, biofilm formation and preformed biofilm of C. neoformans and C. laurentii were evaluated as compared to standard drugs. Data showed that antibiofilm activity of the tested EO-ACs were in the order: thymol>carvacrol>citral>eugenol=cinnamaldehyde>menthol respectively. The three most potent EO-ACs, thymol, carvacrol, and citral showed excellent antibiofilm activity at a much lower concentration against C. laurentii in comparison to C. neoformans indicating the resistant nature of the latter. Effect of the potent EO-ACs on the biofilm morphology was visualized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM, which revealed the absence of extracellular polymeric matrix (EPM, reduction in cellular density and alteration in the surface morphology of biofilm cells. Further, to realize the efficacy of the EO-ACs in terms of human safety, cytotoxicity assays and co-culture model were evaluated. Thymol and carvacrol as compared to citral were the most efficient in terms of human safety in keratinocyte- Cryptococcus sp. co-culture infection model suggesting that these two can be further exploited as cost-effective and non-toxic anti

Caracterização bioquímica e molecular de Cryptococcus spp. isolados de excretas ambientais de pombos (Columba livia domestica

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G. Colombo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Os pombos possuem uma rica diversidade de microrganismo, entre eles fungos sapróbios, como do gênero Cryptococcus, que podem atuar como agentes patogênicos para o homem e animais. Objetivou-se o isolamento, a caracterização bioquímica e a molecular de amostras de Cryptococcus spp. de excretas ambientas de pombos. Foram colhidas 100 amostras ambientais de pontos equidistantes e representativos da área da cidade de Araçatuba, São Paulo. As amostras foram rasteladas do solo de vias públicas, armazenadas em frasco coletor e encaminhadas para o Laboratório de Bacteriologia e Micologia da FMVA, onde foram processadas e cultivadas em duplicata, em placas de Petri contendo ágar Sabouraud dextrose a 4% e Niger. Em seguida, foram incubadas à temperatura ambiente e a 30ºC, respectivamente, por um período não inferior a 15 dias. Após a observação diária, as colônias sugestivas para levedura foram reisoladas em ágar Niger e submetidas a testes bioquímicos para posterior caracterização molecular pela técnica da PCR. Como resultado, a caracterização bioquímica e a molecular isolaram 32 colônias leveduriformes, sendo 8% dos cultivos positivos para Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans, 17% para Rhodotorula rubidae e 7% Candida albicans. Pelo exposto, concluiu-se que excretas ambientais de pombos constituem um microfoco para Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans e outras leveduras com potencial patogênico, representando um risco à saúde pública, sendo necessárias medidas preventivas, como a higienização com a correta remoção das excretas, a fim de minimizar os riscos de exposição ambiental.

Fundamental niche prediction of the pathogenic yeasts Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in Europe.

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Cogliati, Massimo; Puccianti, Erika; Montagna, Maria T; De Donno, Antonella; Susever, Serdar; Ergin, Cagri; Velegraki, Aristea; Ellabib, Mohamed S; Nardoni, Simona; Macci, Cristina; Trovato, Laura; Dipineto, Ludovico; Rickerts, Volker; Akcaglar, Sevim; Mlinaric-Missoni, Emilija; Bertout, Sebastien; Vencà, Ana C F; Sampaio, Ana C; Criseo, Giuseppe; Ranque, Stéphane; Çerikçioğlu, Nilgün; Marchese, Anna; Vezzulli, Luigi; Ilkit, Macit; Desnos-Ollivier, Marie; Pasquale, Vincenzo; Polacheck, Itzhack; Scopa, Antonio; Meyer, Wieland; Ferreira-Paim, Kennio; Hagen, Ferry; Boekhout, Teun; Dromer, Françoise; Varma, Ashok; Kwon-Chung, Kyung J; Inácio, Joäo; Colom, Maria F

2017-10-01

Fundamental niche prediction of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in Europe is an important tool to understand where these pathogenic yeasts have a high probability to survive in the environment and therefore to identify the areas with high risk of infection. In this study, occurrence data for C. neoformans and C. gattii were compared by MaxEnt software with several bioclimatic conditions as well as with soil characteristics and land use. The results showed that C. gattii distribution can be predicted with high probability along the Mediterranean coast. The analysis of variables showed that its distribution is limited by low temperatures during the coldest season, and by heavy precipitations in the driest season. C. neoformans var. grubii is able to colonize the same areas of C. gattii but is more tolerant to cold winter temperatures and summer precipitations. In contrast, the C. neoformans var. neoformans map was completely different. The best conditions for its survival were displayed in sub-continental areas and not along the Mediterranean coasts. In conclusion, we produced for the first time detailed prediction maps of the species and varieties of the C. neoformans and C. gattii species complex in Europe and Mediterranean area. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cryptococcus neoformans Is Internalized by Receptor-Mediated or ‘Triggered’ Phagocytosis, Dependent on Actin Recruitment

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Guerra, Caroline Rezende; Seabra, Sergio Henrique; de Souza, Wanderley; Rozental, Sonia

2014-01-01

Cryptococcosis by the encapsulated yeast Cryptococcus neoformans affects mostly immunocompromised individuals and is a frequent neurological complication in AIDS patients. Recent studies support the idea that intracellular survival of Cryptococcus yeast cells is important for the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis. However, the initial steps of Cryptococcus internalization by host cells remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the mechanism of Cryptococcus neoformans phagocytosis by peritoneal macrophages using confocal and electron microscopy techniques, as well as flow cytometry quantification, evaluating the importance of fungal capsule production and of host cell cytoskeletal elements for fungal phagocytosis. Electron microscopy analyses revealed that capsular and acapsular strains of C. neoformans are internalized by macrophages via both ‘zipper’ (receptor-mediated) and ‘trigger’ (membrane ruffle-dependent) phagocytosis mechanisms. Actin filaments surrounded phagosomes of capsular and acapsular yeasts, and the actin depolymerizing drugs cytochalasin D and latrunculin B inhibited yeast internalization and actin recruitment to the phagosome area. In contrast, nocodazole and paclitaxel, inhibitors of microtubule dynamics decreased internalization but did not prevent actin recruitment to the site of phagocytosis. Our results show that different uptake mechanisms, dependent on both actin and tubulin dynamics occur during yeast internalization by macrophages, and that capsule production does not affect the mode of Cryptococcus uptake by host cells. PMID:24586631

Long-term survival of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii in stored environmental samples from Colombia.

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Escandón, Patricia; Castañeda, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Both Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii have been isolated from a variety of environmental sources in Colombia. To determine the viability of C. neoformans/C. gattii isolates in stored soil samples, filtrates and bird droppings from which these yeasts were previously recovered. A total of 964 samples collected between 2003 and 2009, and kept at room temperature were processed. From them, 653 samples were from trees decaying wood, 274 from soil filtrates and 37 from bird droppings. When C. neoformans or C. gattii were recovered, the molecular type of each isolate was established by PCR fingerprinting using the single primer (GTG)5. Among the processed samples, 161 isolates were recovered. From those, 81 (50.3%) corresponded to C. gattii recovered from decaying wood of Eucalyptus spp., Corymbia ficifolia, Terminalia catappa and Ficus spp. trees, and 80 (49.7%) corresponded to C. neoformans recovered from Ficus spp. and eucalyptus trees, as well as from bird droppings. The most prevalent molecular type among the C. gattii and C. neoformans isolates was VGII and VNI, respectively. The re-isolation of C. neoformans/C. gattii from 10-year stored samples suggests that these yeasts are able to keep viable in naturally colonized samples. Copyright © 2013 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Cryptococcus neoformans var neoformans isolated from droppings of captive birds in Nigeria.

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Irokanulo, E O; Makinde, A A; Akuesgi, C O; Ekwonu, M

1997-04-01

The yeast, Cryptococcus neoformans, was found in apparently healthy birds at the Jos Wildlife Park and Zoo in Jos, Nigeria. Cryptococcus neoformans var neoformans was isolated from feces of four captive bird species. Five isolates belonged to serotype A while two were serotype D. Serotype A of C. neoformans was isolated from a white face duck (Dendrocygna viduata), eagle owl (Bubo africanus cinerascene) and peacock (Pavo cristatus). The other two (serotype D), were isolated from a spotted eagle owl.

A novel xylosylphosphotransferase activity discovered in Cryptococcus neoformans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reilly, Morgann C; Levery, Steven B; Castle, Sherry A

2009-01-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen that causes serious disease in immunocompromised individuals. The organism produces a distinctive polysaccharide capsule that is necessary for its virulence, a predominantly polysaccharide cell wall, and a variety of protein- and lipid-linked glycans...

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii isolated from the excreta of psittaciformes in a southern Brazilian zoological garden.

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Abegg, Maxwel Adriano; Cella, Fabiana Lucila; Faganello, Josiane; Valente, Patrícia; Schrank, Augusto; Vainstein, Marilene Henning

2006-02-01

Cryptococcus neoformans, a major pathogen in immunocompromised patients, is a ubiquitous free-living fungus that can be isolated from soils, avian excreta and plant material. To further study potential saprophytic sources of this yeast in the Southern Brazilian State Rio Grande do Sul, we analyzed fecal samples from 59 species of captive birds kept in cages at a local Zoological Garden, belonging to 12 different orders. Thirty-eight environmental isolates of C. neoformans were obtained only from Psittaciformes (Psittacidae, Cacatuidae and Psittacula). Their variety and serotype were determined, and the genetic structure of the isolates was analyzed by use of the simple repetitive microsatellite specific primer M13 and the minisatellite specific primer (GACA)(4) as single primers in the PCR. The varieties were confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Thirty-three isolates (87%) were from the var. grubii, serotype A, molecular type VNI and five (13%) were Cryptococcus gattii, serotype B, molecular type VGI. All the isolates were mating type alpha. Isolates were screened for some potential virulence factors. Quantitative urease production by the environmental isolates belonging to the C. gattii was similar to the values usually obtained for clinical ones.

Is Climate influencing Cryptococcus gattii on Vancouver Island?

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2016-03-24

Dr. Christopher Uejio, Department of Geography and Program in Public Health, Florida State University, discusses Cryptococcus gattii on Vancouver Island.  Created: 3/24/2016 by National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID).   Date Released: 3/24/2016.

Susceptibilidad "in vitro" de cepas de Cryptococcus a 5 drogas antifungicas "In vitro" susceptibility of Cryptococcus strains to 5 antifungal drugs

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A. J. Bava

1989-10-01

Full Text Available Se estudió la susceptibilidad "in vitro" de 24 cepas de 3 especies del género Cryptococcus a 5 drogas antifúngicas (anfotericina B, 5 fluorocitosina, ketoconazol, itraconazol y miconazol. Las mismas se agruparon según su especie, variedad y origen de aislamiento. Para determinar la concentración inhibitoria mínima (C.I.M. de cada droga se empleó el método de dilución en agar con el medio básico nitrogenado para levaduras, adicionado de glucosa. Se obtuvo además la media geométrica de estos valores para cada grupo y se comparó cada uno de ellos. Los resultados obtenidos fueron homogéneos con la sola excepción de las cepas de Cryptococcus sp (no neoformans, en las cuales se detectaron elevados valores de C.I.M. para la 5 fluorocitosina.A comparative study of the "in vitro" susceptibility of 24 Cryptococcus strains to 5 antifungal drugs (amphotericin B, 5 fluorocytosine, miconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole, was carried out. These strains were grouped according to species, varieties and isolation's origins. The minimum inhibitory concentration (M.I.C. was determinated by the agar dilution technique in yeast nitrogen base agar with dextrose. The mean geometrical of the M.I.C. values of each group was compared with the others. The results obtained were homogeneous with the only exception of the "non neoformans" strains, in which, higher M.I.C. to 5 fluorocytosine values were detected.

FIRST REPORT ON Cryptococcus neoformans IN PIGEON EXCRETA FROM PUBLIC AND RESIDENTIAL LOCATIONS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF CUIABÁ, STATE OF MATO GROSSO, BRAZIL

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Doracilde Terumi Takahara

2013-12-01

Full Text Available SUMMARY Cryptococcosis is a severe systemic mycosis caused by two species of Cryptococcus that affect humans and animals: C. neoformans and C. gattii. Cosmopolitan and emergent, the mycosis results from the interaction between a susceptible host and the environment. The occurrence of C. neoformans was evaluated in 122 samples of dried pigeon excreta collected in 49 locations in the City of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, including public squares (n = 5, churches (n = 4, educational institutions (n = 3, health units (n = 8, open areas covered with asbestos (n = 4, residences (n = 23, factory (n = 1 and a prison (n = 1. Samples collected from July to December of 2010 were seeded on Niger seed agar (NSA. Dark brown colonies were identified by urease test, carbon source assimilation tests and canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue medium. Polymerase chain reaction primer pairs specific for C. neoformans were also used for identification. Cryptococcus neoformans associated to pigeon excreta was isolated from eight (6.6% samples corresponding to six (12.2% locations. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from urban areas, predominantly in residences, constituting a risk of acquiring the disease by immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals.

Synergy and antagonism between iron chelators and antifungal drugs in Cryptococcus.

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Lai, Yu-Wen; Campbell, Leona T; Wilkins, Marc R; Pang, Chi Nam Ignatius; Chen, Sharon; Carter, Dee A

2016-10-01

Fungal infections remain very difficult to treat, and developing new antifungal drugs is difficult and expensive. Recent approaches therefore seek to augment existing antifungals with synergistic agents that can lower the therapeutic dose, increase efficacy and prevent resistance from developing. Iron limitation can inhibit microbial growth, and iron chelators have been employed to treat fungal infections. In this study, chequerboard testing was used to explore combinations of iron chelators with antifungal agents against pathogenic Cryptococcus spp. with the aim of determining how disruption to iron homeostasis affects antifungal susceptibility. The iron chelators ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), deferoxamine (DFO), deferiprone (DFP), deferasirox (DSX), ciclopirox olamine and lactoferrin (LF) were paired with the antifungal agents amphotericin B (AmB), fluconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole and caspofungin. All chelators except for DFO increased the efficacy of AmB, and significant synergy was seen between AmB and LF for all Cryptococcus strains. Addition of exogenous iron rescued cells from the antifungal effect of LF alone but could not prevent inhibition by AmB + LF, indicating that synergy was not due primarily to iron chelation but to other properties of LF that were potentiated in the presence of AmB. Significant synergy was not seen consistently for other antifungal-chelator combinations, and EDTA, DSX and DFP antagonised the activity of azole drugs in strains of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. This study highlights the range of interactions that can be induced by chelators and indicates that most antifungal drugs are not enhanced by iron limitation in Cryptococcus. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of SOC for the presumptive identification of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Fleming, W H; Knezek, K L; Dorn, G L

1987-01-01

SOC, a fungal growth medium composed of Solryth, oxgall, and caffeic acid, was evaluated as a medium to provide rapid, differential identification of Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans. Using a variety of common isolation media to produce the yeast inocula, the germ tube methods tested ranked in the following order of decreasing sensitivity: SOC (97% +/- 1), serum (92% +/- 5), rabbit coagulase plasma with EDTA in combination with tryptic soy broth (89% +/- 5), TOC (89% +/- 6), and rabbit coagulase plasma with EDTA (83% +/- 4). In chlamydospore production, SOC also proved to be the most sensitive after 24 h incubation: SOC (96% +/- 2), TOC (80% +/- 2), and cornmeal-Tween 80 agar (14% +/- 3). Other medically important yeasts showed normal patterns of growth within 24 h on SOC, thus assisting in their identification. Eighty strains of Cryptococcus neoformans showed characteristic brown pigmentation on SOC and TOC within 18 h, while all other species of the genus Cryptococcus and 229 Candida isolates did not show a change in pigmentation.

First report on Cryptococcus neoformans in pigeon excreta from public and residential locations in the metropolitan area of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahara, Doracilde Terumi; Lazéra, Márcia dos Santos; Wanke, Bodo; Trilles, Luciana; Dutra, Valéria; Paula, Daphine Ariadne Jesus de; Nakazato, Luciano; Anzai, Mariana Caselli; Leite Júnior, Diniz Pereira; Paula, Claudete Rodrigues; Hahn, Rosane Christine

2013-01-01

Cryptococcosis is a severe systemic mycosis caused by two species of Cryptococcus that affect humans and animals: C. neoformans and C. gattii. Cosmopolitan and emergent, the mycosis results from the interaction between a susceptible host and the environment. The occurrence of C. neoformans was evaluated in 122 samples of dried pigeon excreta collected in 49 locations in the City of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, including public squares (n = 5), churches (n = 4), educational institutions (n = 3), health units (n = 8), open areas covered with asbestos (n = 4), residences (n = 23), factory (n = 1) and a prison (n = 1). Samples collected from July to December of 2010 were seeded on Niger seed agar (NSA). Dark brown colonies were identified by urease test, carbon source assimilation tests and canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue medium. Polymerase chain reaction primer pairs specific for C. neoformans were also used for identification. Cryptococcus neoformans associated to pigeon excreta was isolated from eight (6.6%) samples corresponding to six (12.2%) locations. Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from urban areas, predominantly in residences, constituting a risk of acquiring the disease by immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals.

Two Distinct Approaches for CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing in Cryptococcus neoformans and Related Species.

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Wang, Ping

2018-06-27

Cryptococcus neoformans and related species are encapsulated basidiomycetous fungi that cause meningoencephalitis in individuals with immune deficiency. This pathogen has a tractable genetic system; however, gene disruption via electroporation remains difficult, while biolistic transformation is often limited by lack of multiple genetic markers and the high initial cost of equipment. The approach using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) has become the technology of choice for gene editing in many organisms due to its simplicity, efficiency, and versatility. The technique has been successfully demonstrated in C. neoformans and Cryptococcus deneoformans in which two DNA plasmids expressing either the Streptococcus pyogenes CAS9 gene or the guide RNA (gRNA) were employed. However, potential adverse effects due to constitutive expression and the time-consuming process of constructing vectors to express each gRNA remain as a primary barrier for wide adaptation. This report describes the delivery of preassembled CRISPR-Cas9-gRNA ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) via electroporation that is able to generate edited mutant alleles. RNP-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 was used to replace the wild-type GIB2 gene encoding a Gβ-like/RACK1 Gib2 protein with a gib2 :: NAT allele via homologous recombination in both C. neoformans and C. deneoformans In addition, a DNA plasmid (pCnCas9:U6-gRNA) that expresses both Cas9 and gRNA, allowing for convenient yet low-cost DNA-mediated gene editing, is described. pCnCas9:U6-gRNA contains an endogenous U6 promoter for gRNA expression and restriction sites for one-step insertion of a gRNA. These approaches and resources provide new opportunities to accelerate genetic studies of Cryptococcus species. IMPORTANCE For genetic studies of the Cryptococcus genus, generation of mutant strains is often hampered by a limited number of selectable genetic markers, the tedious process of vector

Genome sequence of a microbial lipid producing fungus Cryptococcus albidus NT2002.

Science.gov (United States)

Yong, Xiaoyu; Yan, Zhiying; Xu, Lin; Zhou, Jun; Wu, Xiayuan; Wu, Yuandong; Li, Yang; Chen, Zugeng; Zhou, Hua; Wei, Ping; Jia, Honghua

2016-04-10

Cryptococcus albidus NT2002, isolated from the soil in Xinjiang, China, appeared to have the ability to accumulate microbial lipid by utilizing various carbon sources. The predominant properties make it as a potential bio-platform for biodiesel production. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of C. albidus NT2002, which might provide a basis for further elucidation of the genetic background of this promising strain for developing metabolic engineering strategies to produce biodiesel in a green and sustainable manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Microbial lipid production by oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus sp. in the batch cultures using corncob hydrolysate as carbon source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chang, Yi-Huang; Chang, Ku-Shang; Lee, Ching-Fu; Hsu, Chuan-Liang; Huang, Cheng-Wei; Jang, Hung-Der

2015-01-01

To realize the feasibility of biodiesel production from high-lipid cell culture, microbial lipid production by the oleaginous yeasts was studied using glucose and sucrose as carbon source. Among the tested strains, Cryptococcus sp. SM5S05 accumulated the highest levels of intracellular lipids. The crude lipid contents of Cryptococcus sp. cultured in yeast malt agar reached 30% on a dry weight basis. The accumulation of lipids strongly depended on carbon/nitrogen ratio and nitrogen concentration. The highest content of lipids, measured at a carbon/nitrogen ratio of 60–90 and at a nitrogen concentration of 0.2%, was 60–57% lipids in the dry biomass. Batch cultures using corncob hydrolysate demonstrated that there was minimal inhibitory effect with a reducing sugar concentration of 60 g l −1 or higher. Batch cultures of Cryptococcus sp. SM5S05 in the corncob hydrolysate medium with 60 g l −1 glucose resulted in a dry biomass, lipid yields, and content of 12.6 g l −1 , 7.6 g l −1 , and 60.2%, respectively. The lipids contained mainly long-chain saturated and unsaturated fatty acids with 16 and 18 carbon atoms. The fatty acid profile of Cryptococcus oils was quite similar to that of conventional vegetable oil. The cost of lipid production could be further reduced with corncob hydrolysate being utilized as the raw material for the oleaginous yeast. The results showed that the microbial lipid from Cryptococcus sp. was a potential alternative resource for biodiesel production. - Highlights: • Microbial oil production from oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus sp. was studied. • Accumulation of lipid strongly depended on C/N ratio and nitrogen concentration. • Cultures in hydrolysate medium with 60 g/l glucose resulted in maximum lipid yields. • Maximal lipid content in the Cryptococcus sp. were 60.2% on dried weight basis

Repurposing of Aspirin and Ibuprofen as Candidate Anti-Cryptococcus Drugs

Science.gov (United States)

Ogundeji, Adepemi O.; Pohl, Carolina H.

2016-01-01

The usage of fluconazole and amphotericin B in clinical settings is often limited by, among other things, drug resistance development and undesired side effects. Thus, there is a constant need to find new drugs to better manage fungal infections. Toward this end, the study described in this paper considered the repurposing of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and ibuprofen as alternative drugs to control the growth of cryptococcal cells. In vitro susceptibility tests, including a checkerboard assay, were performed to assess the response of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii to the above-mentioned anti-inflammatory drugs. Next, the capacity of these two drugs to induce stress as well as their mode of action in the killing of cryptococcal cells was determined. The studied fungal strains revealed a response to both aspirin and ibuprofen that was dose dependent, with ibuprofen exerting greater antimicrobial action. More importantly, the MICs of these drugs did not negatively (i) affect growth or (ii) impair the functioning of macrophages; rather, they enhanced the ability of these immune cells to phagocytose cryptococcal cells. Ibuprofen was also shown to act in synergy with fluconazole and amphotericin B. The treatment of cryptococcal cells with aspirin or ibuprofen led to stress induction via activation of the high-osmolarity glycerol (HOG) pathway, and cell death was eventually achieved through reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated membrane damage. The presented data highlight the potential clinical application of aspirin and ibuprofen as candidate anti-Cryptococcus drugs. PMID:27246782

[Presumptive identification of Cryptococcus gattii isolated from Terminalia catappa in Montería city, Córdoba, Colombia].

Science.gov (United States)

Contreras Martínez, Orfa Inés; Aycardi Morinelli, María Paulina; Alarcón Furnieles, Jany Luz; Jaraba Ramos, Aparicio Manuel

2011-01-01

the members of the Cryptococcus neoformans species complex are responsible for cryptococcosis in animals and humans. Human infection is thought to be acquired by inhalation of airborne propagules from an environmental source; therefore it is greatly important to study their habitat. to determine the ecological relationship of Cryptococcus gattii with Terminalia catappa trees present in urban areas of Montería city in Colombia. a total of 163 Terminalia catappa trees were selected; some samples were taken from the bark, the leaves, the flowers, the fruits of these trees and from the surrounding soil. The yeast was isolated using the Guizotia abyssinica seed agar medium; it was identified thanks to biochemical and morphologic tests whereas the right variety was determined by L-canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue (CGB), D-proline and D-tryptophan tests. there was obtained 9.050 CFU/g isolate of Cryptococcus spp., 5.795 CFU/g of which were presumptively identified as Cryptococcus gattii. The highest percentage of isolates was found in flowers, followed by bark and fruits, presenting small cellular and capsular sizes. These isolates were more frequent in the south of the city, followed by the center zone and the lowest percentage in the northern zone. these findings confirmed the close relationship of Cryptococcus gattii and Terminalia catappa, being this the first study conducted in Monteria city. These results give us meaningful information for understanding and analyzing the epidemiology of cryptococcosis in Monteria city, Colombia.

Cryptococcus haglerorum, sp. nov., an anamorphic basidiomycetous yeast isolated from nests of the leaf-cutting ant Atta sexdens.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Middelhoven, W.J.; Fonseca, A.; Carreiro, S.C.; Pagnocca, F.C.; Bueno, O.C.

2003-01-01

A yeast strain (CBS 8902) was isolated from the nest of a leaf-cutting ant and was shown to be related to Cryptococcus humicola. Sequencing of the D1/D2 region of the 26S ribosomal DNA and physiological characterization revealed a separate taxonomic position. A novel species named Cryptococcus

Cryptococcus spp isolated from dust microhabitat in Brazilian libraries

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Leite Diniz P

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Cryptococcus spp is currently composed of encapsulated yeasts of cosmopolitan distribution, including the etiological agents of cryptococcosis. The fungus are found mainly in substrates of animal and plant origin. Human infection occurs through inhalation of spores present in the environment. Methods Eighty-four swab collections were performed on dust found on books in three libraries in the city of Cuiabá, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The material was seeded in Sabouraud agar and then observed for characteristics compatible with colonies with a creamy to mucous aspect; the material was then isolated in birdseed (Niger agar and cultivated at a temperature of 37°C for 5 to 7 days. Identification of isolated colonies was performed by microscopic observation in fresh preparations dyed with India ink, additional tests performed on CGB (L-canavanine glycine bromothymol blue, urea broth, and carbohydrate assimilation tests (auxanogram. Results Of the 84 samples collected from book dust, 18 (21.4% were positive for Cryptococcus spp totalizing 41 UFC’s. The most frequently isolated species was C. gattii 15 (36.6%; followed by C. terreus, 12 (29.3%; C. luteolus 4 (9.8%; C. neoformans, and C. uniguttulatus 3 (7.3%, and C. albidus and C. humiculus with 2 (4.6% of the isolates. Conclusion The high biodiversity of the yeasts of the Cryptococcus genus, isolated from different environmental sources in urban areas of Brazil suggests the possibility of individuals whose immune systems have been compromised or even healthy individuals coming into sources of fungal propagules on a daily bases throughout their lives. This study demonstrates the acquisition possible of cryptococcosis infection from dust in libraries.

Cryptococcus spp isolated from dust microhabitat in Brazilian libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Leite, Diniz P; Amadio, Janaina V R S; Martins, Evelin R; Simões, Sara A A; Yamamoto, Ana Caroline A; Leal-Santos, Fábio A; Takahara, Doracilde T; Hahn, Rosane C

2012-06-08

The Cryptococcus spp is currently composed of encapsulated yeasts of cosmopolitan distribution, including the etiological agents of cryptococcosis. The fungus are found mainly in substrates of animal and plant origin. Human infection occurs through inhalation of spores present in the environment. Eighty-four swab collections were performed on dust found on books in three libraries in the city of Cuiabá, state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The material was seeded in Sabouraud agar and then observed for characteristics compatible with colonies with a creamy to mucous aspect; the material was then isolated in birdseed (Niger) agar and cultivated at a temperature of 37°C for 5 to 7 days. Identification of isolated colonies was performed by microscopic observation in fresh preparations dyed with India ink, additional tests performed on CGB (L-canavanine glycine bromothymol blue), urea broth, and carbohydrate assimilation tests (auxanogram). Of the 84 samples collected from book dust, 18 (21.4%) were positive for Cryptococcus spp totalizing 41 UFC's. The most frequently isolated species was C. gattii 15 (36.6%); followed by C. terreus, 12 (29.3%); C. luteolus 4 (9.8%); C. neoformans, and C. uniguttulatus 3 (7.3%), and C. albidus and C. humiculus with 2 (4.6%) of the isolates. The high biodiversity of the yeasts of the Cryptococcus genus, isolated from different environmental sources in urban areas of Brazil suggests the possibility of individuals whose immune systems have been compromised or even healthy individuals coming into sources of fungal propagules on a daily bases throughout their lives. This study demonstrates the acquisition possible of cryptococcosis infection from dust in libraries.

Endogenous Cryptococcus neoformans endophthalmitis with subretinal abscess in a HIV-infected man.

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Joseph, Joveeta; Sharma, Savitri; Narayanan, Raja

2018-07-01

To report a rare case of Cryptococcus neoformans endogenous endophthalmitis with subretinal abscess in a 36-year-old HIV-positive man, referred with progressive blurred vision in his right eye for the last 6 months. Vitreous biopsy followed by intravitreal ganciclovir did not result in significant improvement. Microbiology revealed the presence of C. neoformans, and intravitreal amphotericin B was then administered. The patient was treated aggressively with systemic and intravitreal antifungals but had a poor visual and anatomical outcome. A high degree of clinical suspicion combined with microbiological evaluation helped to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis.

Targeting the Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii Cell Wall Using Lectins: Study of the Carbohydrate-Binding Domain

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Pamella de Brito Ximenes

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii is considered to be the major cause of cryptococcosis in immunosuppressed patients. Understanding cell wall glycoproteins using lectins is of medical interest and can contribute to specific therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the carbohydrates on the cell wall of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii clinical isolates, using a fluorescein isothiocyanate-lectin binding protocol. Thirty yeast strains stocked in the culture collection were cultivated for 2 days at 30 °C with shaking. Cells were obtained by centrifugation, washed in phosphate-buffered saline, and a suspension of 107 cells/mL was obtained. To determine the binding profile of lectins, concanavalin A (Con A, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA, Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I, and peanut agglutinin (PNA conjugated to fluorescein were used. All the tested clinical isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii were intensely stained by WGA, moderately stained by Con A, and weakly stained by PNA and UEA-I. Thus, Cryptococcus can be detected in clinical specimens such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid using the fluorescent lectin WGA, which may be considered as an option for detection in cases of suspected cryptococcosis with low laboratory sensitivity. Future applications may be developed using this basic tool.

Deteccion de antigeno del polisacarido capsular de Cryptococcus neoformans en pacientes con SIDA y neurocriptococosis en São Paulo, Brasil

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B. Calvo

1991-12-01

Full Text Available Antígeno del polisacárido capsular (Ag PC de Cryptococcus neoformans fue detectado por la técnica de aglutinación de latex (AL en LCR y suero de pacientes con Sindrome de Inmunodeficiencia Adquirida (SIDA y primer episodio de neurocriptococosis, usando como patrón el examen micológico (examen directo y cultivo de LCR. Se obtuvo una sensibilidad del 100% de AL para detectar AgPC de C. neoformans, el cual por su rápidez permite tratamiento específico precoz. Títulos iniciales de AgPC de la levadura en esos pacientes pueden ser > 1.000.000, pareciendo que cuando esos títulos están presentes en suero, se relacionan con mortalidad durante el tratamiento. En los pacientes que sobrevivieron se observó que el examen micológico directo y AgPC de C. neoformans, en LCR y suero, permanecen positivos aún después de tratamiento y mejoría clínica del paciente.Capsular polysaccharide antigen (AgPC of Cryptococcus neoformans was detected by latex agglutination technique (LA in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of patients with AIDS during their first central nervous system manifestation of the disease. Direct mycological examination and culture were used as controls. Sensitivity was 100% by LA allowing an early specific treatment of cryptococcosis. Initial titres of AgPC in such patients can be > 1000000 and it appears that when such titres are present in the serum they are related to mortality during treatment. Surviving patients showed positivity of the direct mycological examination and AgPC of C. neoformans in cerebrospinal fluid and sera even after treatment and clinical recovery.

Molecular characterization and antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans strains collected from a single institution in Lima, Peru : Revista Iberoamericana De Micologia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bejar, V.; Tello, M.; Garcia, R.; Guevara, J. M.; Gonzales, S.; Vergaray, G.; Valencia, E.; Abanto, E.; Ortega-Loayza, A. G.; Hagen, F.; Gutierrez, E. L.

2015-01-01

Background: Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection with a worldwide distribution, mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. Aims: To molecularly characterize the mating-types, serotypes, genotypes and antifungal susceptibility profiles of a set of retrospectively isolated C.

Scalp Lesions in a Pediatric Patient with Hyper IgM Syndrome: Clinical and Histologic Mimicry of Cryptococcus neoformans Infection.

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Acker, Karen P; Fetch, Audrey; Schnell, Stephanie A; Hammond, Jennifer; Herrera, Christina; Niedt, George; Ratner, Adam J; Lauren, Christine T

2018-01-01

We report a case of cutaneous cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus neoformans in a pediatric patient with hyper IgM syndrome with scalp lesions that resembled tinea capitis on gross examination and mimicked juvenile xanthogranuloma on histologic examination. This case highlights the importance of considering cutaneous cryptococcosis in patients with hyper IgM syndrome. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Environmental sampling of Ceratonia siliqua (carob) trees in Spain reveals the presence of the rare Cryptococcus gattii genotype AFLP7/VGIV.

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Linares, Carlos; Colom, María Francisca; Torreblanca, Marina; Esteban, Violeta; Romera, Álvaro; Hagen, Ferry

2015-01-01

Cryptococcus gattii is a pathogenic basidiomycetous yeast that is emerging in temperate climate zones worldwide. C. gattii has repetitively been isolated from numerous tree species. Ongoing environmental sampling and molecular characterization is essential to understand the presence of this primary pathogenic microorganism in the Mediterranean environment. To report the first isolation of the rare C. gattii genotype AFLP7/VGIV from the environment in Europe. Samples were collected from woody debris of carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua) and olive trees (Olea europaea) in El Perelló, Tarragona, Spain. Cryptococcus species were further characterized by using URA5-RFLP, MALDI-TOF, AFLP and MLST. The antifungal susceptibility profile to amphotericin B, 5-fluorocytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole was determined using Sensititre Yeast One and E-test. Cultures from one carob tree revealed the presence of ten Cryptococcus-like colonies. One colony was identified as C. gattii, and subsequent molecular characterization showed that it was an α mating-type that belonged to the rare genotype AFLP7/VGIV. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed values within the range of sensitivity described for other isolates of the same genotype and within the epidemiological cutoff values for this species. The isolation of the rare C. gattii genotype AFLP7/VGIV in Spain is the first report in the European environment, implying the possible presence in other regions of the Mediterranean area, and underlines that clinicians must be aware for C. gattii infections in healthy individuals. Copyright © 2014 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Perfil bioquímico do soro de frangos de corte alimentados com dieta suplementada com alfa-amilase de Cryptococcus flavus e Aspergillus niger HM2003 Biochemichal serum profile of broilers fed diets suplemented with alfa-amylase from Cryptococcus flavus and Aspergillus niger HM2003

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Cibele Silva Minafra

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se o perfil bioquímico do soro de frangos de corte alimentados com a enzima α-amilase produzida por dois microrganismos. Produziram-se dois extratos, um com a-amilase obtida a partir de Cryptococcus flavus em meio de levedura comercial e outro com Aspergillus niger HM2003 em meio de proteína de soja e amido comercial, com atividade de 9,58 U/mL e 10,0 U/mL, respectivamente. Utilizaram-se 360 pintos de corte Cobb 500 de 1 dia de idade e com 49,72 ± 0,68 g de peso vivo inicial. As aves foram alojadas em baterias e foram criadas até os 21 dias de idade. Foram utilizados três dietas, cada uma com cinco repetições de 12 aves, em delineamento inteiramente casualizado. A primeira dieta (basal foi formulada sem adição de enzima e as outras duas receberam a suplementação de a-amilase produzida por cultivo de Cryptococcus flavus e Aspergillus niger HM2003. Dietas à base de milho e soja foram formuladas em duas fases: pré-inicial (1-7 dias e inicial (8-21 dias. Na fase pré-inicial, foram observados os seguintes valores médios para cálcio (6,90 e 5,99 mg/dL, proteína plasmática (2,0 e 2,50 g/dL e fosfatase alcalina (979,98 e 974,66 UI/L, respectivamente para Cryptococcus flavus e Aspergillus niger HM2003. A dieta acrescida de a-amilase obtida a partir de Aspergillus niger HM2003 determinou maior concentração sérica de fósforo. Na fase inicial, os resultados significativos relacionaram-se a potássio quando avaliadas dietas com adição de a-amilase pelas duas fontes. A incorporação das enzimas testadas não proporciona alterações metabólicas ou toxicidade nos animais.It was evaluated the biochemical serum profile of broilers fed rations supplemented with α-amylase produced by two microorganisms. Two extracts were produced, one was produced with a-amylase obtained from Cryptococcus flavus in a commercial yeast-based medium and the other with Aspergillus niger HM2003 produced in soybean protein and commercial starch medium

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of cryptococcosis in Singapore: predominance of Cryptococcus neoformans compared with Cryptococcus gattii.

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Chan, Monica; Lye, David; Win, Mar Kyaw; Chow, Angela; Barkham, Tim

2014-09-01

To describe the clinical features, treatments, outcomes, and subtype prevalence of cryptococcosis in Singapore. All patients with laboratory confirmed cryptococcal infections admitted from 1999 to 2007 to a teaching hospital in Singapore were reviewed retrospectively. Identification and molecular types of Cryptococcus neoformans variants and Cryptococcus gattii were determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Serotypes were inferred with a multiplex PCR method. Of 62 patients with cryptococcosis, C. neoformans var. grubii was the predominant subtype (in 95%), affecting mainly immunocompromised hosts (91%) with HIV infection (80%). Patients with HIV were younger (median age 36.5 vs. 49.5 years, p=0.006) and less likely to present with an altered mental status (14% vs. 50%, p=0.013). In contrast, delayed treatment (median 7 days vs. 2 days, p=0.03), pulmonary involvement (58% vs. 14%, p=0.03), and initial treatment with fluconazole (25% vs. 2%, p=0.02) were more common in HIV-negative patients. C. gattii was uncommon, affecting only three patients, all of whom were immunocompetent and had disseminated disease with pulmonary and neurological involvement. All C. gattii were RFLP type VG II, serotype B and all C. neoformans var. grubii were RFLP type VN I, serotype A, except for one that was RFLP type VN II. C. neoformans var. grubii, subtype VN I, was the predominant subtype in Singapore, infecting younger, mainly immunocompromised hosts with HIV. C. gattii was uncommon, causing pulmonary manifestations in older, immunocompetent patients and were RFLP type VG II. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

DNA probe for strain typing of Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Varma, A; Kwon-Chung, K J

1992-01-01

A 7-kb linear plasmid, harbored by a URA5 transformant, hybridized to all the chromosomes of Cryptococcus neoformans separated by contour-clamped homogeneous electric field electrophoresis. Its linear maintenance was determined to have been facilitated by the presence of telomere-like sequences at its free ends. Hybridization of this plasmid to AccI-digested genomic DNAs of 26 C. neoformans strains generated 21 unique DNA fingerprints. The DNA fingerprints of isolates within the same serotype...

Pleiotropic effects of deubiquitinating enzyme Ubp5 on growth and pathogenesis of Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Wei Fang

Full Text Available Ubiquitination is a reversible protein modification that influences various cellular processes in eukaryotic cells. Deubiquitinating enzymes remove ubiquitin, maintain ubiquitin homeostasis and regulate protein degradation via the ubiquitination pathway. Cryptococcus neoformans is an important basidiomycete pathogen that causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis primarily in the immunocompromised population. In order to understand the possible influence deubiquitinases have on growth and virulence of the model pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, we generated deletion mutants of seven putative deubiquitinase genes. Compared to other deubiquitinating enzyme mutants, a ubp5Δ mutant exhibited severely attenuated virulence and many distinct phenotypes, including decreased capsule formation, hypomelanization, defective sporulation, and elevated sensitivity to several external stressors (such as high temperature, oxidative and nitrosative stresses, high salts, and antifungal agents. Ubp5 is likely the major deubiquitinating enzyme for stress responses in C. neoformans, which further delineates the evolutionary divergence of Cryptococcus from the model yeast S. cerevisiae, and provides an important paradigm for understanding the potential role of deubiquitination in virulence by other pathogenic fungi. Other putative deubiquitinase mutants (doa4Δ and ubp13Δ share some phenotypes with the ubp5Δ mutant, illustrating functional overlap among deubiquitinating enzymes in C. neoformans. Therefore, deubiquitinating enzymes (especially Ubp5 are essential for the virulence composite of C. neoformans and provide an additional yeast survival and propagation advantage in the host.

Life History Responses and Gene Expression Profiles of the Nematode Pristionchus pacificus Cultured on Cryptococcus Yeasts.

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Gaurav V Sanghvi

Full Text Available Nematodes, the earth's most abundant metazoa are found in all ecosystems. In order to survive in diverse environments, they have evolved distinct feeding strategies and they can use different food sources. While some nematodes are specialists, including parasites of plants and animals, others such as Pristionchus pacificus are omnivorous feeders, which can live on a diet of bacteria, protozoans, fungi or yeast. In the wild, P. pacificus is often found in a necromenic association with beetles and is known to be able to feed on a variety of microbes as well as on nematode prey. However, in laboratory studies Escherichia coli OP50 has been used as standard food source, similar to investigations in Caenorhabditis elegans and it is unclear to what extent this biases the obtained results and how relevant findings are in real nature. To gain first insight into the variation in traits induced by a non-bacterial food source, we study Pristionchus-fungi interactions under laboratory conditions. After screening different yeast strains, we were able to maintain P. pacificus for at least 50-60 generations on Cryptococcus albidus and Cryptococcus curvatus. We describe life history traits of P. pacificus on both yeast strains, including developmental timing, survival and brood size. Despite a slight developmental delay and problems to digest yeast cells, which are both reflected at a transcriptomic level, all analyses support the potential of Cryptococcus strains as food source for P. pacificus. In summary, our work establishes two Cryptococcus strains as alternative food source for P. pacificus and shows change in various developmental, physiological and morphological traits, including the transcriptomic profiles.

Intestinal Lesion in a Dog Due to Cryptococcus gattii Type VGII and Review of Published Cases of Canine Gastrointestinal Cryptococcosis.

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de Abreu, Daniel Paiva Barros; Machado, Carlos Henrique; Makita, Mário Tatsuo; Botelho, Camila Flávia Magalhães; Oliveira, Fernanda Gomes; da Veiga, Cristiano Chaves Pessoa; Martins, Marilena Dos Anjos; Baroni, Francisco de Assis

2017-06-01

Cryptococcosis is a mycosis caused by yeasts of genus Cryptococcus, mainly the species C. neoformans and C. gattii that can affect humans and animals. These yeasts are widely distributed in the environment and are typically associated with avian droppings and decaying wood. Most infections are related to the respiratory tract, but the central nervous system and cutaneous lesions are also reported in the literature. The present report is a case of cryptococcosis in an 18-month-old unspayed female English Bulldog with the main complaint of weight loss and diarrhea. The presence of two large masses observed in an ultrasound examination leads us to perform an exploratory laparotomy. Considering the size of the lesion and the impossibility of owner to provide intensive care, the consent for euthanasia was requested. The postmortem diagnosis of cryptococcosis was revealed by cytological evaluation, and the involvement of C. gattii VGII was confirmed by isolation and identification tests as well as by the detection of the URA5 gene restriction fragment length polymorphism PCR analysis. Reports in the literature of the involvement of Cryptococcus in gastrointestinal lesions are rare in both human and veterinary medicine. Data about different forms of cryptococcosis are important to provide more knowledge of uncommon clinical presentations of this yeast and therefore improve the diagnoses and decisions for the best therapy.

Environmental distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii around the Mediterranean basin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Cogliati, Massimo; D'Amicis, Roberta; Zani, Alberto; Montagna, Maria Teresa; Caggiano, Giuseppina; De Giglio, Osvalda; Balbino, Stella; De Donno, Antonella; Serio, Francesca; Susever, Serdar; Ergin, Cagri; Velegraki, Aristea; Ellabib, Mohamed S; Nardoni, Simona; Macci, Cristina; Oliveri, Salvatore; Trovato, Laura; Dipineto, Ludovico; Rickerts, Volker; McCormick-Smith, Ilka; Akcaglar, Sevim; Tore, Okan; Mlinaric-Missoni, Emilija; Bertout, Sebastien; Mallié, Michele; Martins, Maria da Luz; Vencà, Ana C F; Vieira, Maria L; Sampaio, Ana C; Pereira, Cheila; Griseo, Giuseppe; Romeo, Orazio; Ranque, Stéphane; Al-Yasiri, Mohammed H Y; Kaya, Meltem; Cerikcioglu, Nilgun; Marchese, Anna; Vezzulli, Luigi; Ilkit, Macit; Desnos-Ollivier, Marie; Pasquale, Vincenzo; Korem, Maya; Polacheck, Itzhack; Scopa, Antonio; Meyer, Wieland; Ferreira-Paim, Kennio; Hagen, Ferry; Theelen, Bart; Boekhout, Teun; Lockhart, Shawn R; Tintelnot, Kathrin; Tortorano, Anna Maria; Dromer, Françoise; Varma, Ashok; Kwon-Chung, Kyung J; Inácio, Joäo; Alonso, Beatriz; Colom, Maria F

In order to elucidate the distribution of Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii in the Mediterranean basin, an extensive environmental survey was carried out during 2012-2015. A total of 302 sites located in 12 countries were sampled, 6436 samples from 3765 trees were collected and 5% of trees were

Targeting the Mitochondrial Respiratory Chain of Cryptococcus through Antifungal Chemosensitization: A Model for Control of Non-Fermentative Pathogens

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Kathleen L. Chan

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Enhanced control of species of Cryptococcus, non-fermentative yeast pathogens, was achieved by chemosensitization through co-application of certain compounds with a conventional antimicrobial drug. The species of Cryptococcus tested showed higher sensitivity to mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC inhibition compared to species of Candida. This higher sensitivity results from the inability of Cryptococcus to generate cellular energy through fermentation. To heighten disruption of cellular MRC, octyl gallate (OG or 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (2,3-DHBA, phenolic compounds inhibiting mitochondrial functions, were selected as chemosensitizers to pyraclostrobin (PCS; an inhibitor of complex III of MRC. The cryptococci were more susceptible to the chemosensitization (i.e., PCS + OG or 2,3-DHBA than the Candida with all Cryptococcus strains tested being sensitive to this chemosensitization. Alternatively, only few of the Candida strains showed sensitivity. OG possessed higher chemosensitizing potency than 2,3-DHBA, where the concentration of OG required with the drug to achieve chemosensitizing synergism was much lower than that required of 2,3-DHBA. Bioassays with gene deletion mutants of the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae showed that OG or 2,3-DHBA affect different cellular targets. These assays revealed mitochondrial superoxide dismutase or glutathione homeostasis plays a relatively greater role in fungal tolerance to 2,3-DHBA or OG, respectively. These findings show that application of chemosensitizing compounds that augment MRC debilitation is a promising strategy to antifungal control against yeast pathogens.

Mesenteric cryptococcal granuloma in a dog caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii

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Rodrigues-Hoffmann A

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Jennifer R Cook, Karen E Russell, Kristin B Eden, Aline Rodrigues-HoffmannDepartment of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USAAbstract: Although cryptococcosis is usually associated with respiratory and neurologic signs in domestic species (such as sneeze, cough, nasal discharge, seizures, ataxia, clinical manifestations of the disease may be more subtle and nonspecific. A 3-year-old male castrated Boxer dog presented with a history of chronic vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and lethargy. At no time had respiratory or neurologic signs been noted by the owners or the primary care veterinarian. Palpation of an abdominal mass revealed an atypical lesion location: a large (16 × 9 × 7 cm mass at the root of the mesentery. Diagnosis was achieved through cytology of this mass and a positive serologic Cryptococcus capsular antigen titer; polymerase chain reaction was utilized for speciation of the abdominal isolate as Cryptococcus neoformans variety grubii. The animal was euthanized due to poor prognosis. After necropsy and histopathologic analysis, the mesenteric mass and associated lymph nodes were identified as large fungal granulomas. This is a rare manifestation of cryptococcosis, involving several visceral organs, with no remaining evidence of the route of entry of the organism. As prompt diagnosis of mycotic illness is paramount to successful management, this case indicates that cryptococcal infection should be considered as a differential diagnosis in dogs with gastrointestinal signs and lymphadenopathy. The protean nature of cryptococcosis is discussed within the context of a brief review of emerging and unresolved issues in pathogenesis.Keywords: Cryptococcus gattii, granuloma, lymphadenitis

Methamphetamine enhances Cryptococcus neoformans pulmonary infection and dissemination to the brain.

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Patel, Dhavan; Desai, Gunjan M; Frases, Susana; Cordero, Radames J B; DeLeon-Rodriguez, Carlos M; Eugenin, Eliseo A; Nosanchuk, Joshua D; Martinez, Luis R

2013-07-30

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major addictive drug of abuse in the United States and worldwide, and its use is linked to HIV acquisition. The encapsulated fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common cause of fungal meningitis in patients with AIDS. In addition to functioning as a central nervous system stimulant, METH has diverse effects on host immunity. Using a systemic mouse model of infection and in vitro assays in order to critically assess the impact of METH on C. neoformans pathogenesis, we demonstrate that METH stimulates fungal adhesion, glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) release, and biofilm formation in the lungs. Interestingly, structural analysis of the capsular polysaccharide of METH-exposed cryptococci revealed that METH alters the carbohydrate composition of this virulence factor, an event of adaptation to external stimuli that can be advantageous to the fungus during pathogenesis. Additionally, we show that METH promotes C. neoformans dissemination from the respiratory tract into the brain parenchyma. Our findings provide novel evidence of the impact of METH abuse on host homeostasis and increased permissiveness to opportunistic microorganisms. Methamphetamine (METH) is a major health threat to our society, as it adversely changes people's behavior, as well as increases the risk for the acquisition of diverse infectious diseases, particularly those that enter through the respiratory tract or skin. This report investigates the effects of METH use on pulmonary infection by the AIDS-related fungus Cryptococcus neoformans. This drug of abuse stimulates colonization and biofilm formation in the lungs, followed by dissemination of the fungus to the central nervous system. Notably, C. neoformans modifies its capsular polysaccharide after METH exposure, highlighting the fungus's ability to adapt to environmental stimuli, a possible explanation for its pathogenesis. The findings may translate into new knowledge and development of therapeutic and public health

Wood and bark anatomy of young beech in relation to Cryptococcus attack

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David. Lonsdale

1983-01-01

Within a sample of European beech, partial resistance to attack by the beech scale, Cryptococcus fagisuga, was associated with a smooth bark which had a regular, vertical pattern in its surface 'growth lines'. Such bark contained relatively little lignified outer parenchyma, and the main stone cell layer was strongly developed. The '...

Caracterización fenotípica de aislamientos ambientales de Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Sandra Huérfano

2003-09-01

Full Text Available La criptococosis es causada por las tres variedades de Cryptococcus neoformans, las cuales presentan diferencias fisiológicas y de virulencia, algunas de las cuales se han estudiado para reconocer aspectos de su biología. Este trabajo evaluó las características fenotípicas de aislamientos ambientales de las variedades grubii y gattii, con el fin de establecer diferencias asociadas con el ciclo de vida y la virulencia. Se estudiaron 28 aislamientos serotipo A y 31 serotipo C. Se evaluaron la morfología macroscópica y microscópica de blastoconidias cultivadas en agar Sabouraud y suelos, el crecimiento a 37 °C, la producción de 22 enzimas extracelulares, la frecuencia del fenómeno de fructificación haploide, la pareja sexual, el patrón de sensibilidad a toxinas asesinas (killer y la virulencia en ratones Balb/c. No se observaron diferencias entre las dos variedades en la morfología macroscópica, la microscópica, ni en el crecimiento a 37 °C (p>0,05; sin embargo, se observó disminución del tamaño celular y capsular de blastoconidias cultivadas en suelo comparado con el tamaño en Sabouraud (p

Ancient dispersal of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii from the Amazon rainforest

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hagen, F.; Ceresini, P.C.; Polacheck, I.; Ma, H.; van Nieuwerburgh, F.; Gabaldon, T.; Kagan, S.; Pursall, E.R.; Hoogveld, H.L.; van Iersel, L.J.; Klau, G.W.; Kelk, S.M.; Stougie, L.; Bartlett, K.H.; Voelz, K.; Pryszcz, L.P.; Castaneda, E.; Lazera, M.; Meyer, W.; Deforce, D.; Meis, J.F.G.M.; May, R.C.; Klaassen, C.H.W.; Boekhout, T.

2013-01-01

Over the past two decades, several fungal outbreaks have occurred, including the high-profile 'Vancouver Island' and 'Pacific Northwest' outbreaks, caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which has affected hundreds of otherwise healthy humans and animals. Over the same time period, C. gattii was the cause

Ancient dispersal of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii from the Amazon rainforest.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hagen, F.; Ceresini, P.C.; Polacheck, I.; Ma, H.; Nieuwerburgh, F. van; Gabaldón, T.; Kagan, S.; Pursall, E.R.; Hoogveld, H.L.; Iersel, L.J. van; Klau, G.W.; Kelk, S.M.; Stougie, L.; Bartlett, K.H.; Voelz, K.; Pryszcz, L.P.; Castañeda, E.; Lazera, M.; Meyer, W.; Deforce, D.; Meis, J.F.G.M.; May, R.C.; Klaassen, C.H.; Boekhout, T.

2013-01-01

Over the past two decades, several fungal outbreaks have occurred, including the high-profile 'Vancouver Island' and 'Pacific Northwest' outbreaks, caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which has affected hundreds of otherwise healthy humans and animals. Over the same time period, C. gattii was the cause

[Preservation of high risk fungal cultures of Histoplasma and Cryptococcus].

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Fernández Andreu, C Carlos Manuel; Díaz Suárez, Luis Alberto; Ilnait Zaragozi, María Teresa; Aragonés López, Carlos; Martínez Machín, Gerardo; Perurena Lancha, Mayda R

2012-01-01

culture collections are responsible for providing the microbial resources for development of biological sciences. Storage in distilled water is one of the easiest and least expensive method for long-term fungal preservation. to evaluate the usefulness of this preservation method in fungal culture of Histoplasma and Cryptococcus. the preservation condition of the highest biological risk species from Histoplasma y Cryptococcus genera, included in the fungal culture collection of "Pedro Kouri" Institute of Tropical Medicine in Havana, was evaluated in this study. One hundred and two strains stored in distilled water, 92% of which had been preserved for more than 10 years, were analyzed. the percentages of recovered strains from H. capsulatum, C. neoformans and C. gattii were 64.3%; 79.1% and 100% respectively. This method of preservation proved to be satisfactory for fungal culture in labs with limited financial resources. A web-based database with interesting information about the collection was made. The importance of strict compliance with the biosafety measures in these collections, particularly with high risk pathogens. preservation of fungal cultures in distilled water is a very useful method for laboratories with limited resources. Culture collections should be assumed as an essential activity in order to solve increasing challenges in the development of biomedical sciences.

Impact of Resistance to Fluconazole on Virulence and Morphological Aspects of Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii Isolates.

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Suélen Andreia eRossi

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus spp. are responsible for around one million cases of meningitis every year. Fluconazole (FLU is commonly used in the treatment of cryptococcosis, mainly in immunocompromised patients and the resistance is usually reported after long periods of treatment. In this study, the morphological characterization and virulence profile of FLU-susceptible and FLU-resistant clinical and environmental isolates of C. neoformans and C. gattii were performed both in vitro and in vivo using the Galleria mellonella model. FLU-susceptible isolates from C. neoformans were significantly more virulent than the FLU-resistant isolates. FLU-susceptible C. gattii isolates showed a different virulence profile from C. neoformans isolates where only the environmental isolate, CL, was more virulent compared with the resistant isolates. Cell morphology and capsule size were analyzed and the FLU-resistant isolates did not change significantly compared with the most sensitive isolates. Growth at 37°C was also evaluated and in both species, the resistant isolates showed a reduced growth at this temperature, indicating that FLU resistance can affect their growth. Based on the results obtained is possible suggest that FLU resistance can influence the morphology of the isolates and consequently changed the virulence profiles. The most evident results were observed for C. neoformans showing that the adaptation of isolates to antifungal selective pressure influenced the loss of virulence.

Classification of Cryptococcus neoformans and yeast-like fungus isolates from pigeon droppings by colony phenotyping and ITS genotyping and their seasonal variations in Korea.

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Chae, H S; Jang, G E; Kim, N H; Son, H R; Lee, J H; Kim, S H; Park, G N; Jo, H J; Kim, J T; Chang, K S

2012-03-01

Cryptococcus neoformans (C neoformans) is a frequent cause of invasive fungal disease in immunocompromised human hosts. Ninety-eight samples of pigeon droppings were collected from the pigeon shelters in Seoul, and cultured on birdseed agar (BSA) and Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA). One hundred yeast-like colonies were selected and identified via phenotype characteristics, such as colony morphology and biochemical characteristics. This was then followed with genotyping via sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. The colonies were classified into four kinds of colony color types: brown type (BrT), beige type (BeT), pink type (PT), and white type (WT). Numbers of isolated BrT, BeT, PT, and WT colonies were 22 (22%), 30 (30%), 19 (19%), and 39 (39%), respectively. All BrT colonies were identified as C neoformans. BeT were identified as 19 isolates of Cryptococcus laurentii, 10 isolates of Malassezia furfur, and 1 isolate of Cryptococcus uniguttulatus. PT was divided into two colony color types: light-PT (l-PT) and deep-PT (d-PT). Eighteen of l-PT and one of d-PT were identified as Rhodotorula glutinis and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, respectively. WT were identified as 34 isolates of Cryptococcus guilliermondii, 3 isolates of Cryptococcus zeylanoides, 1 isolate of Cryptococcus sake, and 1 isolate of Stephanoascus ciferrii. Most strains were classified identically with the use of either phenotype or genotyping techniques, but C uniguttulatus and C sake classified by phenotyping were Pseudozyma aphidis and Cryptococcus famata by genotyping. This rapid screening technique of pathogenic yeast-like fungi by only colony characteristics is also expected to be very useful for primary yeast screening. Additionally, we investigated the seasonal variations of C neoformans and other yeast-like fungi from 379 pigeon-dropping samples that were collected from February 2011 to March 2011. We isolated 685 yeast-like fungi from the samples. Almost all C neoformans and

ATYPICAL PRESENTATION OF CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS IN A KOALA (PHASCOLARCTOS CINEREUS): A MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY STUDY.

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Martínez-Nevado, Eva; Alonso-Alegre, Elisa González; Martínez, M Ángeles Jiménez; Rodríguez-Álvaro, Alfonso; de Merlo, Elena Martínez; García, Juncal García; Real, Isabel García

2017-03-01

Cryptococcosis is a worldwide and potentially fatal mycosis documented in wild and captive koalas ( Phascolarctos cinereus ) caused by Cryptococcus neoformans . Though mainly a subclinical disease, when the nasal cavity is affected, epistaxis, mucopurulent nasal discharge, dyspnea, and facial distortion may occur. This report describes a case of cryptococcosis in a koala where unilateral exophthalmos was the only evident clinical sign and magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography findings are described. Both advanced imaging techniques should be considered as standard and complementary techniques for nasal cavity evaluation in koalas.

Characterization of the antigenicity of Cpl1, a surface protein of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans.

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Cai, Jian-Piao; Liu, Ling-Li; To, Kelvin K W; Lau, Candy C Y; Woo, Patrick C Y; Lau, Susanna K P; Guo, Yong-Hui; Ngan, Antonio H Y; Che, Xiao-Yan; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

2015-01-01

Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans is an important fungal pathogen. The capsule is a well established virulence factor and a target site for diagnostic tests. The CPL1 gene is required for capsular formation and virulence. The protein product Cpl1 has been proposed to be a secreted protein, but the characteristics of this protein have not been reported. Here we sought to characterize Cpl1. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Cpl1 of C. neoformans var. neoformans and the Cpl1 orthologs identified in C. neoformans var. grubii and C. gattii formed a distinct cluster among related fungi; while the putative ortholog found in Trichosporon asahii was distantly related to the Cryptococcus cluster. We expressed Cpl1 abundantly as a secreted His-tagged protein in Pichia pastoris. The protein was used to immunize guinea pigs and rabbits for high titer mono-specific polyclonal antibody that was shown to be highly specific against the cell wall of C. neoformans var. neoformans and did not cross react with C. gattii, T. asahii, Aspergillus spp., Candida spp. and Penicillium spp. Using the anti-Cpl1 antibody, we detected Cpl1 protein in the fresh culture supernatant of C. neoformans var. neoformans and we showed by immunostaining that the Cpl1 protein was located on the surface. The Cpl1 protein is a specific surface protein of C. neoformans var. neoformans. © 2015 by The Mycological Society of America.

Morphologic mimickers of Cryptococcus occurring within inflammatory infiltrates in the setting of neutrophilic dermatitis: a series of three cases highlighting clinical dilemmas associated with a novel histopathologic pitfall.

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Ko, Jennifer S; Fernandez, Anthony P; Anderson, Kyle A; Burdick, Laura M; Billings, Steven D; Procop, Gary W; McMahon, James T; Bergfeld, Wilma F; Piliang, Melissa P

2013-01-01

A neutrophil-predominant inflammatory infiltrate in a cutaneous biopsy can be associated with a broad spectrum of diseases. Here we describe three cases showing a neutrophil-predominant dermal infiltrate admixed with abundant acellular bodies surrounded by capsule-like vacuolated spaces, which strikingly mimicked Cryptococcus. Two cases occurred within the settings of underlying hematologic malignancies; the third case was associated with immune dysregulation. Two patients were acutely ill in the medical intensive care unit. Fungal work-up, including cultures and multiple stains were negative. Because of clinical deterioration in these patients, transmission electron microscopy was pursued to definitively rule out fungal infection. In both cases, characteristics most compatible with autolysing human cells, not Cryptococcus, were identified. Chemotherapy and high-dose steroids were given, but both patients eventually succumbed to their diseases. To the best of our knowledge, these represent the first reported cases of autolysing human cells mimicking Cryptococcus organisms within neutrophilic infiltrates. They highlight the therapeutic dilemmas arising with histopathologic mimics, as well as the importance of thorough investigation to distinguish mimickers from true infectious organisms. We believe recognition of this microscopic pitfall will be useful to dermatopathologists faced with similar findings in the future, and may prevent unnecessary delay of appropriate therapy in acutely ill patients. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Techniques for the detection of pathogenic Cryptococcus species in wood decay substrata and the evaluation of viability in stored samples

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Christian Alvarez

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, we evaluated several techniques for the detection of the yeast form of Cryptococcus in decaying wood and measured the viability of these fungi in environmental samples stored in the laboratory. Samples were collected from a tree known to be positive for Cryptococcus and were each inoculated on 10 Niger seed agar (NSA plates. The conventional technique (CT yielded a greater number of positive samples and indicated a higher fungal density [in colony forming units per gram of wood (CFU.g-1] compared to the humid swab technique (ST. However, the difference in positive and false negative results between the CT-ST was not significant. The threshold of detection for the CT was 0.05.10³ CFU.g-1, while the threshold for the ST was greater than 0.1.10³ CFU-1. No colonies were recovered using the dry swab technique. We also determined the viability of Cryptococcus in wood samples stored for 45 days at 25ºC using the CT and ST and found that samples not only continued to yield a positive response, but also exhibited an increase in CFU.g-1, suggesting that Cryptococcus is able to grow in stored environmental samples. The ST.1, in which samples collected with swabs were immediately plated on NSA medium, was more efficient and less laborious than either the CT or ST and required approximately 10 min to perform; however, additional studies are needed to validate this technique.

Molecular identity and prevalence of Cryptococcus spp. nasal carriage in asymptomatic feral cats in Italy.

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Danesi, Patrizia; Furnari, Carmelo; Granato, Anna; Schivo, Alice; Otranto, Domenico; Capelli, Gioia; Cafarchia, Claudia

2014-10-01

Cryptococcosis is a life-threatening fungal disease that infects humans and animals worldwide. Inhalation of fungal particles from an environmental source can cause primary infection of the respiratory system. As animals can be considered a sentinel for human diseases, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and molecular identity of Cryptococcus spp. in the nasal cavity of feral cats. Cats from 162 urban and rural feral cat colonies were sampled over 3 years. Of 766 cats from which nasal swabs were obtained, Cryptococcus spp. were recovered from 95 (12.6%), including 37 C. magnus (4.8%), 16 C. albidus (2.0%), 15 C. carnescens (1.9%), 12 C. neoformans (1.6%), as well as C. oeirensis (n = 3), C. victoriae (n = 3), C. albidosimilis (n = 2), Filobasidium globisporum (n = 2), C. adeliensis (n = 1), C. flavescens (n = 1), C. dimnae (n = 1), C. saitoi (n = 1), and C. wieringae (n = 1) with prevalence feral cats may carry C. neoformans and other Cryptococcus species in their sinonasal cavity. Genotyping of the specific cryptococcal isolates provides a better understanding of the epidemiology of these yeasts. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Genome of the Basidiomycetous Yeast and Human Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

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Loftus, Brendan J.; Fung, Eula; Roncaglia, Paola; Rowley, Don; Amedeo, Paolo; Bruno, Dan; Vamathevan, Jessica; Miranda, Molly; Anderson, Iain J.; Fraser, James A.; Allen, Jonathan E.; Bosdet, Ian E.; Brent, Michael R.; Chiu, Readman; Doering, Tamara L.

2005-01-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is a basidiomycetous yeast ubiquitous in the environment, a model for fungal pathogenesis, and an opportunistic human pathogen of global importance. We have sequenced its ~20-megabase genome, which contains ~6500 intron-rich gene structures and encodes a transcriptome abundant in alternatively spliced and antisense messages. The genome is rich in transposons, many of which cluster at candidate centromeric regions. The presence of these transposons may drive karyotype i...

Mitochondrial DNA inheritance in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii.

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Wang, Zixuan; Wilson, Amanda; Xu, Jianping

2015-02-01

The inheritance of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is predominantly uniparental in most sexual eukaryotes. In this study, we examined the mitochondrial inheritance pattern of Cryptococcus gattii, a basidiomycetous yeast responsible for the recent and ongoing outbreak of cryptococcal infections in the US Pacific Northwest and British Columbia (especially Vancouver Island) in Canada. Using molecular markers, we analyzed the inheritance of mtDNA in 14 crosses between strains within and between divergent lineages in C. gattii. Consistent with results from recent studies, our analyses identified significant variations in mtDNA inheritance patterns among strains and crosses, ranging from strictly uniparental to biparental. For two of the crosses that showed uniparental mitochondrial inheritance in standard laboratory conditions, we further investigated the effects of the following environmental variables on mtDNA inheritance: UV exposure, temperature, and treatments with the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and with the ubiquitination inhibitor ammonium chloride. Interestingly, one of these crosses showed no response to these environmental variables while the other exhibited diverse patterns ranging from complete uniparental inheritance of the MATa parent mtDNA, to biparental inheritance, and to a significant bias toward inheritance of the MATα parental mtDNA. Our results indicate that mtDNA inheritance in C. gattii differs from that in its closely related species Cryptococcus neoformans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identification of Cryptococcus neoformans isolates using Staib agar without creatinine

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Nardelli, Vanessa; Pérez, Celina; Mata-Essayag, Sofía; Colella, María Teresa; Roselló, Arantza; Hartung de Capriles, Claudia; Landaeta, María Eugenia; Olaizola, Carolina; Magaldi, Sylvia

2005-01-01

In mycology, culture is the best way to demonstrate and identify pathogenic fungi. Many kinds of media have been developed and modified, using fungal biochemical properties to recognize them. The most common media are Sabouraud, Malt Agar, Cornmeal agar, Potato-dextrose agar, and Staib agar. Staib agar has been widely used for identification of yeasts from the genus Cryptococcus and other fungi. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of Staib agar, and of a modified Staib med...

Antifungal Activity of the Volatiles of High Potency Cannabis sativa L. Against Cryptococcus neoformans

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Amira S. Wanas

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The n-hexane extracted volatile fraction of high potency Cannabis sativa L (Cannabaceae . was assessed in vitro for antifungal, antibacterial and antileishmanial activities. The oil exhibited selective albeit modest, antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans with an IC 50 value of 33.1 µg/mL. Biologically-guided fractionation of the volatile fraction resulted in the isolation of three major compounds (1-3 using various chromatographic techniques. The chemical structures of the isolated compounds were identified as α-humulene (1, b -caryophyllene (2 and caryophyllene oxide (3 using GC/FID, GC/MS, 1D- and 2D-NMR analyses, respectively. Compound 1 showed potent and selective antifungal activity against Cryptococcus neoformans with IC 50 and MIC values of 1.18 m g/mL and 5.0 m g/mL respectively. Whereas compound 2 showed weak activity (IC 50 19.4 µg/mL, while compound 3 was inactive against C. neoformans.

A new F-actin structure in fungi: actin ring formation around the cell nucleus of Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Kopecká, Marie; Kawamoto, Susumu; Yamaguchi, Masashi

2013-04-01

The F-actin cytoskeleton of Cryptococcus neoformans is known to comprise actin cables, cortical patches and cytokinetic ring. Here, we describe a new F-actin structure in fungi, a perinuclear F-actin collar ring around the cell nucleus, by fluorescent microscopic imaging of rhodamine phalloidin-stained F-actin. Perinuclear F-actin rings form in Cryptococcus neoformans treated with the microtubule inhibitor Nocodazole or with the drug solvent dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or grown in yeast extract peptone dextrose (YEPD) medium, but they are absent in cells treated with Latrunculin A. Perinuclear F-actin rings may function as 'funicular cabin' for the cell nucleus, and actin cables as intracellular 'funicular' suspending nucleus in the central position in the cell and moving nucleus along the polarity axis along actin cables.

Isolation of Cryptococcus gattii from a Castanopsis argyrophylla tree hollow (Mai-Kaw), Chiang Mai, Thailand

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Khayhan, Kantarawee; Hagen, Ferry; Norkaew, Treepradab; Puengchan, Tanpalang; Boekhout, Teun; Sriburee, Pojana

2017-01-01

The pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus gattii was isolated from a tree hollow of a Castanopsis argyrophylla King ex Hook.f. (Fagaceae) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Molecular characterization with amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis and multi-locus sequence typing showed that this isolate belonged

Mechanisms of Pulmonary Escape and Dissemination by Cryptococcus neoformans

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Steven T. Denham

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is a common environmental saprophyte and human fungal pathogen that primarily causes disease in immunocompromised individuals. Similar to many environmentally acquired human fungal pathogens, C. neoformans initiates infection in the lungs. However, the main driver of mortality is invasive cryptococcosis leading to fungal meningitis. After C. neoformans gains a foothold in the lungs, a critical early step in invasion is transversal of the respiratory epithelium. In this review, we summarize current knowledge relating to pulmonary escape. We focus on fungal factors that allow C. neoformans to disseminate from the lungs via intracellular and extracellular routes.

Cryptococcus spp. isolation from excreta of pigeons (Columba livia) in and around Monterrey, Mexico.

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Canónico-González, Yolanda; Adame-Rodríguez, Juan Manuel; Mercado-Hernández, Roberto; Aréchiga-Carvajal, Elva Teresa

2013-01-01

The presence of Cryptococcus spp. has been reported in Mexico's capital city; however, to our knowledge there are no reports of its presence in the state of Nuevo León located in northeast Mexico. This is presumed to be because the hot and dry climate in this region does not favor cryptococcal proliferation. This study confirmed the presence of C. neoformans and C. albidus in 20% (10/50) of randomly selected fecal samples of pigeons (Columba livia) in the Monterrey metropolitan area. The presence of this yeast in the state of Nuevo León is proof of its adaptation to the typically hot climate of the area and is consistent with recent reviews of cryptococcosis cases in several local hospitals. The two species were identified and characterized through microbiological tests and molecular identification by DNA extraction and PCR amplification of highly conserved 18S ribosomal DNA using ITS1 and ITS2 as target regions. The PCR products were sequenced and compared with those reported in GenBank.

Hydroxyurea treatment inhibits proliferation of Cryptococcus neoformans in mice

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Kaushlendra eTripathi

2012-05-01

Full Text Available The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn is a serious threat to immunocompromised individuals, especially for HIV patients who develop meningoencephalitis. For effective cryptococcal treatment, novel antifungal drugs or innovative combination therapies are needed. Recently, sphingolipids have emerged as important bioactive molecules in the regulation of microbial pathogenesis. Previously we reported that the sphingolipid pathway gene, ISC1, which is responsible for ceramide production, is a major virulence factor in Cn infection. Here we report our studies of the role of ISC1 during genotoxic stress induced by the antineoplastic hydroxyurea (HU and methylmethane sulfonate (MMS, which affect DNA replication and genome integrity. We observed that Cn cells lacking ISC1 are highly sensitive to HU and MMS in a rich culture medium. HU affected cell division of Cn cells lacking the ISC1 gene, resulting in cell clusters. Cn ISC1, when expressed in a Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc strain lacking its own ISC1 gene, restored HU resistance. In macrophage-like cells, although HU affected the proliferation of WT Cn cells by 50% at the concentration tested, HU completely inhibited Cn isc1-delta cell proliferation. Interestingly, our preliminary data show that mice infected with WT or Cn isc1-delta cells and subsequently treated with HU had longer lifespans than untreated, infected control mice. Our work suggests that the sphingolipid pathway gene, ISC1, is a likely target for combination therapy with traditional drugs such as HU.

Scanning electron microscopy of the interaction between Cryptococcus magnus and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on papaya fruit = Microscopia eletrônica de varredura da interação entre Cryptococcus magnus e Colletotrichum gloeosporioides em frutos de mamão

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Capdeville, G.; Souza, M.T.; Santos, J.R.P.; Miranda, S.P.; Caetano, A.R.; Falcao, R.; Gomes, A.C.M.M.

2007-01-01

The objective of this work was to investigate possible modes of action of the yeast Cryptococcus magnus in controlling anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) on post harvested papaya fruits. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the effect of the yeast on inoculations done after

Mastite micótica em ruminantes causada por leveduras Mycotic mastitis in ruminants caused by yeasts

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Andréia Spanamberg

2009-02-01

Full Text Available A ocorrência de casos esporádicos de mastite causados por microrganismos de origem ambiental pode ser considerada como emergente e as leveduras, os fungos leveduriformes e os filamentosos são alguns dos principais agentes envolvidos. Em relação à mastite micótica, as leveduras são freqüentemente causas de infecções da glândula mamária em animais produtores de leite. A maior parte dos casos ocorre sob a forma de surtos localizados e/ou após tratamento com antimicrobianos. Os principais gêneros envolvidos são Candida e Cryptococcus, além de outros como Geotrichum, Pichia e Trichosporon. O objetivo do trabalho é revisar os aspectos gerais sobre a mastite micótica causada por leveduras e fungos leveduriformes, tais como etiologia, causas predisponentes, patogenicidade, diagnóstico, tratamento e profilaxia por meio de uma abordagem cronológica dos primeiros relatos, mas com enfoque principal nos resultados descritos recentemente na literatura veterinária nacional e internacional. O controle da mastite micótica é fundamentado em métodos preventivos, como adequado manejo da ordenha, correta higienização dos equipamentos e das instalações, com a finalidade de reduzir o número de animais acometidos, além de garantir a qualidade e a inocuidade dos produtos lácteos.The veterinary literature registers sporadic cases of infections caused by environmental microorganisms in which the main agents involved are yeasts, yeasts-like and filamentous fungi. In relation to dairy animals, the yeasts are more frequently incriminated as the aetiological agents of mycotic mastitis. Most cases occur under the form of localized outbreaks and / or after treatment with antimicrobial agents. The main genera involved in mastitis are Candida and Cryptococcus, besides others such as Geotrichum, Pichia and Trichosporon. The purpose of this review is to point out the main aspects of mastitis caused by yeasts and yeast-like fungi, such as etiology

Different culture media containing methyldopa for melanin production by Cryptococcus species

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Ralciane de Paula Menezes

2011-10-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Melanin production by species of Cryptococcus is widely used to characterize C. neoformans complex in mycology laboratories. This study aims to test the efficacy of methyldopa from pharmaceutical tablet as a substrate for melanin production, to compare the production of melanin using different agar base added with methyldopa, and to compare the melanin produced in those media with that produced in Niger seed agar and sunflower seed agar by C. neoformans, C. laurentii, and C. albidus. Two isolates of each species, C. neoformans, C. laurentii, and C. albidus, and one of Candida albicans were used to experimentally detect conditions for melanin production. METHODS: The following media were tested: Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA, brain and heart infusion agar (BHIA, blood agar base (BAB, and minimal medium agar (MMA, all added with methyldopa, and the media Niger seed agar (NSA and sunflower seed agar (SSA. RESULTS: All isolates grew in most of the culture media after 24h. Strains planted on media BAB and BHIA showed growth only after 48h. All isolates produced melanin in MMA, MHA, SSA, and NSA media. CONCLUSIONS: Methyldopa in the form pharmaceutical tablet can be used as a substrate for melanin production by Cryptococcus species; minimal medium plus methyldopa was more efficient than the BAB, MHA, and BHIA in the melanin production; and NSA and SSA, followed by MMA added with methyldopa, were more efficient than other media studied for melanin production by all strains studied.

Molecular characterization and antifungal susceptibility of Cryptococcus neoformans strains collected from a single institution in Lima, Peru.

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Bejar, Vilma; Tello, Mercedes; García, Ruth; Guevara, José M; Gonzales, Sofia; Vergaray, German; Valencia, Esther; Abanto, Enma; Ortega-Loayza, Alex G; Hagen, Ferry; Gutierrez, Ericson L

2015-01-01

Cryptococcosis is a fungal infection with a worldwide distribution, mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. To molecularly characterize the mating-types, serotypes, genotypes and antifungal susceptibility profiles of a set of retrospectively isolated C. neoformans strains from Lima, Peru. A set of 32 Cryptococcus spp. strains from the Institute of Tropical Medicine of the National University of San Marcos, Lima, Peru, were included in this retrospective study. Twenty-four strains were isolated from patients, while the remaining 8 were isolated from the environment. Using conventional PCR, 27 (84.4%) of the isolates were identified as C. neoformans var. grubii mating-type alpha and serotype A. Using the AFLP fingerprinting, it was shown that 16 (50%) of the C. neoformans strains were genotype AFLP1, 13 (40.6%) were genotype AFLP1B, 2 (6.3%) were genotype AFLP2, and 1 (3.1%) was found to be a hybrid between both C. neoformans varieties (genotype AFLP3). The antifungal susceptibility profiles for amphotericin B, fluconazole and voriconazole showed that all the 32 C. neoformans are sensitive to these antifungal compounds. In this study we observed that C. neoformans var. grubii (AFLP1 and AFLP1B) and C. neoformans var. neoformans (AFLP2) were the only cryptococcal varieties involved. All strains were found to be sensitive to the antifungals tested, results that are consistent with those found in the international literature. Copyright © 2013 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Cryptococcosis in captive cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus : two cases : case report

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L.A. Bolton

1999-07-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is a yeast-like organism associated with pulmonary, meningoencephalitic, or systemic disease. This case report documents 2 cases of cryptococcosis with central nervous system involvement in captive cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus. In both cases the predominant post mortal lesions were pulmonary cryptococcomas and extensive meningoencephalomyelitis. Both cheetahs tested negative for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus. The organism isolated in Case 2 was classified as Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii, which is mainly associated with disease in immunocompetent hosts.

Sterol composition of Cryptococcus neoformans in the presence and absence of fluconazole.

OpenAIRE

Ghannoum, M A; Spellberg, B J; Ibrahim, A S; Ritchie, J A; Currie, B; Spitzer, E D; Edwards, J E; Casadevall, A

1994-01-01

Analysis of the sterol compositions of 13 clinical isolates of the pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans obtained from five patients with recurring cryptococcal meningitis showed that, unlike Candida albicans, the major sterols synthesized by this yeast were obtusifoliol (range, 21.1 to 68.2%) and ergosterol (range, 0.0 to 46.5%). There was considerable variation in the sterol contents among the 13 isolates, with total sterol contents ranging from 0.31 to 5.9% of dry weight. The isolates f...

Microstructure of Cell Wall-Associated Melanin in the Human Pathogenic Fungus cryptococcus neoformans

OpenAIRE

Eisenman, H.C.; Nosanchuk, J.D.; Webber, J. Beau W.; Emerson, T.A.; Casadevall, A.

2005-01-01

Melanin is a virulence factor for many pathogenic fungal species,including Cryptococcus neoformans. Melanin is deposited in the cell wall, and melanin isolated from this fungus retains the shape of the cells, resulting in hollow spheres called ``ghosts''. In this study, atomic force, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy revealed that melanin ghosts are covered with roughly spherical granular particles approximately 40-130 nm in diameter, and that the melanin is arranged in ...

The mating type locus (MAT and sexual reproduction of Cryptococcus heveanensis: insights into the evolution of sex and sex-determining chromosomal regions in fungi.

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Banu Metin

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Mating in basidiomycetous fungi is often controlled by two unlinked, multiallelic loci encoding homeodomain transcription factors or pheromones/pheromone receptors. In contrast to this tetrapolar organization, Cryptococcus neoformans/Cryptococcus gattii have a bipolar mating system, and a single biallelic locus governs sexual reproduction. The C. neoformans MAT locus is unusually large (>100 kb, contains >20 genes, and enhances virulence. Previous comparative genomic studies provided insights into how this unusual MAT locus might have evolved involving gene acquisitions into two unlinked loci and fusion into one contiguous locus, converting an ancestral tetrapolar system to a bipolar one. Here we tested this model by studying Cryptococcus heveanensis, a sister species to the pathogenic Cryptococcus species complex. An extant sexual cycle was discovered; co-incubating fertile isolates results in the teleomorph (Kwoniella heveanensis with dikaryotic hyphae, clamp connections, septate basidia, and basidiospores. To characterize the C. heveanensis MAT locus, a fosmid library was screened with C. neoformans/C. gattii MAT genes. Positive fosmids were sequenced and assembled to generate two large probably unlinked MAT gene clusters: one corresponding to the homeodomain locus and the other to the pheromone/receptor locus. Strikingly, two divergent homeodomain genes (SXI1, SXI2 are present, similar to the bE/bW Ustilago maydis paradigm, suggesting one or the other homeodomain gene was recently lost in C. neoformans/C. gattii. Sequencing MAT genes from other C. heveanensis isolates revealed a multiallelic homeodomain locus and at least a biallelic pheromone/receptor locus, similar to known tetrapolar species. Taken together, these studies reveal an extant C. heveanensis sexual cycle, define the structure of its MAT locus consistent with tetrapolar mating, and support the proposed evolutionary model for the bipolar Cryptococcus MAT locus revealing

Clonality and α-a recombination in the Australian Cryptococcus gattii VGII population - an emerging outbreak in Australia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carriconde, Fabian; Gilgado, Félix; Arthur, Ian; Ellis, David; Malik, Richard; van de Wiele, Nathalie; Robert, Vincent; Currie, Bart J.; Meyer, Wieland

2011-01-01

Cryptococcus gattii is a basidiomycetous yeast that causes life-threatening disease in humans and animals. Within C. gattii, four molecular types are recognized (VGI to VGIV). The Australian VGII population has been in the spotlight since 2005, when it was suggested as the possible origin for the

Cryptococcal transmigration across a model brain blood-barrier: evidence of the Trojan horse mechanism and differences between Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii strain H99 and Cryptococcus gattii strain R265.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorrell, Tania C; Juillard, Pierre-Georges; Djordjevic, Julianne T; Kaufman-Francis, Keren; Dietmann, Anelia; Milonig, Alban; Combes, Valery; Grau, Georges E R

2016-01-01

Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) and Cryptococcus gattii (Cg) cause neurological disease and cross the BBB as free cells or in mononuclear phagocytes via the Trojan horse mechanism, although evidence for the latter is indirect. There is emerging evidence that Cn and the North American outbreak Cg strain (R265) more commonly cause neurological and lung disease, respectively. We have employed a widely validated in vitro model of the BBB, which utilizes the hCMEC/D3 cell line derived from human brain endothelial cells (HBEC) and the human macrophage-like cell line, THP-1, to investigate whether transport of dual fluorescence-labelled Cn and Cg across the BBB occurs within macrophages. We showed that phagocytosis of Cn by non-interferon (IFN)-γ stimulated THP-1 cells was higher than that of Cg. Although Cn and Cg-loaded THP-1 bound similarly to TNF-activated HBECs under shear stress, more Cn-loaded macrophages were transported across an intact HBEC monolayer, consistent with the predilection of Cn for CNS infection. Furthermore, Cn exhibited a higher rate of expulsion from transmigrated THP-1 compared with Cg. Our results therefore provide further evidence for transmigration of both Cn and Cg via the Trojan horse mechanism and a potential explanation for the predilection of Cn to cause CNS infection. Copyright © 2015 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Two rapid pigmentation tests for identification of Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Kaufmann, C S; Merz, W G

1982-01-01

Two tests were developed for the rapid identification of Cryptococcus neoformans based on pigment produced by the organism's phenoloxidase activity. Caffeic acid was incorporated into cornmeal agar, a medium used routinely for yeast identification. When tested on this medium, only C. neoformans isolates produced brown pigment. All other yeasts maintained their normal morphology and did not produce the reaction product. A non-medium-based test was developed for same-day identification of C. neoformans isolates. Paper strips saturated with a buffered L-beta-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine-ferric citrate solution were inoculated with isolates and incubated at 37 degrees C. Pigment production occurred only with C. neoformans isolates, many within 60 to 90 min. All other yeasts remained negative. PMID:7040452

Immunotherapy of Cryptococcus infections.

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Antachopoulos, C; Walsh, T J

2012-02-01

Despite appropriate antifungal treatment, the management of cryptococcal disease remains challenging, especially in immunocompromised patients, such as human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals and solid organ transplant recipients. During the past two decades, our knowledge of host immune responses against Cryptococcus spp. has been greatly advanced, and the role of immunomodulation in augmenting the response to infection has been investigated. In particular, the role of 'protective' Th1 (tumour necrosis factor-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-12, and IL-18) and Th17 (IL-23 and IL-17) and 'non-protective' Th2 (IL-4, IL-10, and IL-13) cytokines has been extensively studied in vitro and in animal models of cryptococcal infection. Immunomodulation with monoclonal antibodies against the capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan, glucosylceramides, melanin and β-glucan and, lately, with radioimmunotherapy has also yielded promising results in animal models. As a balance between sufficiently protective Th1 responses and excessive inflammation is important for optimal outcome, the effect of immunotherapy may range from beneficial to deleterious, depending on factors related to the host, the infecting organism, and the immunomodulatory regimen. Clinical evidence supporting immunomodulation in patients with cryptococcal infection remains too limited to allow firm recommendations. Limited human data suggest a role for IFN-γ. Identification of surrogate markers characterizing patients' immunological status could possibly suggest candidate patients for immunotherapy and the type of immunomodulation to be administered. © 2011 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2011 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.

Evidence that the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii may have evolved in Africa.

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Anastasia P Litvintseva

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Most of the species of fungi that cause disease in mammals, including Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii (serotype A, are exogenous and non-contagious. Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii is associated worldwide with avian and arboreal habitats. This airborne, opportunistic pathogen is profoundly neurotropic and the leading cause of fungal meningitis. Patients with HIV/AIDS have been ravaged by cryptococcosis--an estimated one million new cases occur each year, and mortality approaches 50%. Using phylogenetic and population genetic analyses, we present evidence that C. neoformans var. grubii may have evolved from a diverse population in southern Africa. Our ecological studies support the hypothesis that a few of these strains acquired a new environmental reservoir, the excreta of feral pigeons (Columba livia, and were globally dispersed by the migration of birds and humans. This investigation also discovered a novel arboreal reservoir for highly diverse strains of C. neoformans var. grubii that are restricted to southern Africa, the mopane tree (Colophospermum mopane. This finding may have significant public health implications because these primal strains have optimal potential for evolution and because mopane trees contribute to the local economy as a source of timber, folkloric remedies and the edible mopane worm.

Cryptococcus lacticolor sp. nov. and Rhodotorula oligophaga sp. nov., novel yeasts isolated from the nasal smear microbiota of Queensland koalas kept in Japanese zoological parks.

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Satoh, Kazuo; Maeda, Mari; Umeda, Yoshiko; Sugamata, Miho; Makimura, Koichi

2013-07-01

A total of 515 yeast strains were isolated from the nasal smears of Queensland koalas and their breeding environments in Japanese zoological parks between 2005 and 2012. The most frequent species in the basidiomycetous yeast biota isolated from koala nasal passages was Cryptococcus neoformans, followed by Rhodotorula minuta. R. minuta was the most frequent species in the breeding environments, while C. neoformans was rare. Seven strains representing two novel yeast species were identified. Analyses of the 26S rDNA (LSU) D1/D2 domain and nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region sequences indicated that these strains represent new species with close phylogenetic relationships to Cryptococcus and Rhodotorula. A sexual state was not found for either of these two novel yeasts. Key phenotypic characters confirmed that these strains could be placed in Cryptococcus and Rhodotorula. The names Cryptococcus lacticolor sp. nov. (type strain TIMM 10013(T) = JCM 15449(T) = CBS 10915(T) = DSM 21093(T), DDBJ/EMBL/Genbank Accession No.; AB375774 (ITS) and AB375775 (26S rDNA D1/D2 region), MycoBank ID; MB 802688, Fungal Barcoding Database ID; 3174), and Rhodotorula oligophaga sp. nov. (type strain TIMM 10017(T) = JCM 18398(T) = CBS 12623(T) = DSM 25814(T), DDBJ/EMBL/Genbank Accession No.; AB702967 (ITS) and AB702967 (26S rDNA D1/D2 region), MycoBank ID; MB 802689, Fungal Barcoding Database ID; 3175) are proposed for these new species.

Fenoloxidasa Modificada: Clave para identificar cepas de Cryptococcus neoformans

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Carlos Canelo D

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans es la única levadura patógena capaz de sintetizar pigmentos como la melanina mediante la actividad de su enzima llamada fenoloxidasa. El objetivo del presente estudio fue implementar y estandarizar la prueba de la fenoloxidasa, como técnica complementaria en la identificación de cepas de C. neoformans. Se estudiaron 21 cepas, identificadas previamente con métodos convencionales. La prueba de la fenoloxidasa fue modificada debido a que su empleo originaba 9,6% (2/21 de falsa negatividad. Esta prueba modificada se optimizó a 28°C a partir de un medio con baja concentración de glucosa. Ningún aislamiento falso negativo fue encontrado luego de repetir tres veces el ensayo, y el pigmento melanina fue detectado con mayor rapidez.

Ecological surveys of the Cryptococcus species complex in China.

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Li, An-Sheng; Pan, Wei-Hua; Wu, Shao-Xi; Hideaki, Taguchi; Guo, Ning-Ru; Shen, Yong-Nian; Lu, Gui-Xia; Pan, Ru-Gui; Zhu, Miao-Chang; Chen, Min; Shi, Wei-Ming; Liao, Wan-Qing

2012-02-01

Despite recent reports on the molecular epidemiology of cryptococcal infections in China, clinical isolates have been mostly reported from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients, and environmental isolates from China have rarely been included. The aim of this study was to investigate the ecological profile of Cryptococcus (C.) neoformans and C. gattii in China. A survey was performed in 10 cities from 20°N (North latitude) to 50°N and in a Eucalyptus (E.) camaldulensis forestry farm at the Guixi forestry center, China. Six hundred and twenty samples of pigeon droppings from 10 cities and 819 E. camaldulensis tree samples were collected and inoculated on caffeic acid cornmeal agar (CACA). The brown-colored colonies were recultured to observe their morphology, growth on canavanine-glycine-bromothymol-blue (CGB) medium, phenol oxidase and urease activities, serotype and mating type. There were obvious differences in the positive sample rates of C. neoformans in pigeon droppings collected from the different cities, ranging from 50% in the cities located at latitudes from 30°N - 40°N, 29% at 20°N - 30°N and 13% at 40°N - 50°N. There were no differences in positive bevy rates (approximately 80%) among the three grouped cities. Mycological tests of 101 isolates purified from pigeon droppings revealed that they were C. neoformans var. grubii. We also observed variable capsular size around the C. neoformans cells in colonies with variable melanin production and the bio-adhesion of the natural C. neoformans cells with other microorganisms. One urease-negative C. neoformans isolate was isolated from pigeon droppings in Jinan city. No C. gattii was isolated in this study.

The Role of Ceramide Synthases in the Pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Munshi, Mansa A; Gardin, Justin M; Singh, Ashutosh; Luberto, Chiara; Rieger, Robert; Bouklas, Tejas; Fries, Bettina C; Del Poeta, Maurizio

2018-02-06

Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans) is estimated to cause about 220,000 new cases every year in patients with AIDS, despite advances in antifungal treatments. C. neoformans possesses a remarkable ability to disseminate through an immunocompromised host, making treatment difficult. Here, we examine the mechanism of survival of C. neoformans under varying host conditions and find a role for ceramide synthase in C. neoformans virulence. This study also provides a detailed lipidomics resource for the fungal lipid research community in addition to discovering a potential target for antifungal therapy. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Genome of the Basidiomycetous Yeast and Human Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

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Loftus, Brendan J.; Fung, Eula; Roncaglia, Paola; Rowley, Don; Amedeo, Paolo; Bruno, Dan; Vamathevan, Jessica; Miranda, Molly; Anderson, Iain J.; Fraser, James A.; Allen, Jonathan E.; Bosdet, Ian E.; Brent, Michael R.; Chiu, Readman; Doering, Tamara L.; Donlin, Maureen J.; D’Souza, Cletus A.; Fox, Deborah S.; Grinberg, Viktoriya; Fu, Jianmin; Fukushima, Marilyn; Haas, Brian J.; Huang, James C.; Janbon, Guilhem; Jones, Steven J. M.; Koo, Hean L.; Krzywinski, Martin I.; Kwon-Chung, June K.; Lengeler, Klaus B.; Maiti, Rama; Marra, Marco A.; Marra, Robert E.; Mathewson, Carrie A.; Mitchell, Thomas G.; Pertea, Mihaela; Riggs, Florenta R.; Salzberg, Steven L.; Schein, Jacqueline E.; Shvartsbeyn, Alla; Shin, Heesun; Shumway, Martin; Specht, Charles A.; Suh, Bernard B.; Tenney, Aaron; Utterback, Terry R.; Wickes, Brian L.; Wortman, Jennifer R.; Wye, Natasja H.; Kronstad, James W.; Lodge, Jennifer K.; Heitman, Joseph; Davis, Ronald W.; Fraser, Claire M.; Hyman, Richard W.

2012-01-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is a basidiomycetous yeast ubiquitous in the environment, a model for fungal pathogenesis, and an opportunistic human pathogen of global importance. We have sequenced its ~20-megabase genome, which contains ~6500 intron-rich gene structures and encodes a transcriptome abundant in alternatively spliced and antisense messages. The genome is rich in transposons, many of which cluster at candidate centromeric regions. The presence of these transposons may drive karyotype instability and phenotypic variation. C. neoformans encodes unique genes that may contribute to its unusual virulence properties, and comparison of two phenotypically distinct strains reveals variation in gene content in addition to sequence polymorphisms between the genomes. PMID:15653466

Cryptosporidium,Giardia, Cryptococcus, Pneumocystis genetic variability: cryptic biological species or clonal near-clades?

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Michel Tibayrenc

2014-04-01

Full Text Available An abundant literature dealing with the population genetics and taxonomy of Giardia duodenalis, Cryptosporidium spp., Pneumocystis spp., and Cryptococcus spp., pathogens of high medical and veterinary relevance, has been produced in recent years. We have analyzed these data in the light of new population genetic concepts dealing with predominant clonal evolution (PCE recently proposed by us. In spite of the considerable phylogenetic diversity that exists among these pathogens, we have found striking similarities among them. The two main PCE features described by us, namely highly significant linkage disequilibrium and near-clading (stable phylogenetic clustering clouded by occasional recombination, are clearly observed in Cryptococcus and Giardia, and more limited indication of them is also present in Cryptosporidium and Pneumocystis. Moreover, in several cases, these features still obtain when the near-clades that subdivide the species are analyzed separately ("Russian doll pattern". Lastly, several sets of data undermine the notion that certain microbes form clonal lineages simply owing to a lack of opportunity to outcross due to low transmission rates leading to lack of multiclonal infections ("starving sex hypothesis". We propose that the divergent taxonomic and population genetic inferences advanced by various authors about these pathogens may not correspond to true evolutionary differences and could be, rather, the reflection of idiosyncratic practices among compartmentalized scientific communities. The PCE model provides an opportunity to revise the taxonomy and applied research dealing with these pathogens and others, such as viruses, bacteria, parasitic protozoa, and fungi.

[A pediatric case of HIV who diagnosed by virtue of disseminated cryptococcus infection].

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Acar, Manolya; Sütçü, Murat; Aktürk, Hacer; Hançerli Törün, Selda; Karagöz, Nurinisa; Beka, Hayati; Yekeler, Ensar; Ağaçfidan, Ali; Salman, Nuran; Somer, Ayper

2016-07-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes serious mortality and morbidity in AIDS patients. Although its incidence has decreased with proper antiretroviral treatment (ART), it is still a major concern in areas with low socioeconomic HIV endemic countries with poor sources of therapy. In our country, pediatric HIV infection and so, HIV-related opportunistic infections are very rare. In order to pay attention to this unusual collaboration; herein, we presented a pediatric case who was diagnosed with HIV and disseminated cryptococcus infection concomitantly. A 6.5-year-old previously healthy girl has admitted to our hospital with the complaints of prolonged fever, cough and hemoptysis. On her physical examination she had oral candidiasis, generalized lymphadenopathy and hepatosplenomegaly. Laboratory findings were as follows; white blood cell count: 3170 µL (neutrophil: 2720 µL, lymphocyte: 366 µL), hemoglobin level: 7.8 gr/dl, hematocrit: 25.5% platelets: 170.000 µL, CRP: 15.2 mg/L and serum IgG level: 1865 mg/dl. Her anti-HIV test yielde,d positive result and confirmed by Western blot assay, together with a high viral load (HIV-RNA: 3.442.000 copies/ml). She was started ART (lamivudine, zidovudine and lopinavir/ritonavir combination) with the diagnosis of stage 3 HIV infection (AIDS). Posteroanterior chest radiograph showed mediastinal extension and nodular parenchyma. Since the patient was suspected to have pulmonary tuberculosis based on the clinical and radiological findings, empirical antituberculosis therapy was started. Because of the insistance of fever, three different blood specimens, bone marrow and gastric aspirates were collected for culture, in which all of them yielded C.neoformans growth. She was then diagnosed as disseminated cryptococcosis and treated with liposomal amphotericin B and fluconazole successfully. Although pediatric HIV infection is usually diagnosed secondary to maternal disease, it can rarely be

Antifungal Activity of Thapsia villosa Essential Oil against Candida, Cryptococcus, Malassezia, Aspergillus and Dermatophyte Species

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Eugénia Pinto

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The composition of the essential oil (EO of Thapsia villosa (Apiaceae, isolated by hydrodistillation from the plant’s aerial parts, was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Antifungal activity of the EO and its main components, limonene (57.5% and methyleugenol (35.9%, were evaluated against clinically relevant yeasts (Candida spp., Cryptococcus neoformans and Malassezia furfur and moulds (Aspergillus spp. and dermatophytes. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs were measured according to the broth macrodilution protocols by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI. The EO, limonene and methyleugenol displayed low MIC and MFC (minimum fungicidal concentration values against Candida spp., Cryptococcus neoformans, dermatophytes, and Aspergillus spp. Regarding Candida species, an inhibition of yeast–mycelium transition was demonstrated at sub-inhibitory concentrations of the EO (MIC/128; 0.01 μL/mL and their major compounds in Candida albicans. Fluconazole does not show this activity, and the combination with low concentrations of EO could associate a supplementary target for the antifungal activity. The association of fluconazole with T. villosa oil does not show antagonism, but the combination limonene/fluconazole displays synergism. The fungistatic and fungicidal activities revealed by T. villosa EO and its main compounds, associated with their low haemolytic activity, confirm their potential antimicrobial interest against fungal species often associated with human mycoses.

Multilocus sequence typing analysis reveals that Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans is a recombinant population.

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Cogliati, Massimo; Zani, Alberto; Rickerts, Volker; McCormick, Ilka; Desnos-Ollivier, Marie; Velegraki, Aristea; Escandon, Patricia; Ichikawa, Tomoe; Ikeda, Reiko; Bienvenu, Anne-Lise; Tintelnot, Kathrin; Tore, Okan; Akcaglar, Sevim; Lockhart, Shawn; Tortorano, Anna Maria; Varma, Ashok

2016-02-01

Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans (serotype D) represents about 30% of the clinical isolates in Europe and is present less frequently in the other continents. It is the prevalent etiological agent in primary cutaneous cryptococcosis as well as in cryptococcal skin lesions of disseminated cryptococcosis. Very little is known about the genotypic diversity of this Cryptococcus subtype. The aim of this study was to investigate the genotypic diversity among a set of clinical and environmental C. neoformans var. neoformans isolates and to evaluate the relationship between genotypes, geographical origin and clinical manifestations. A total of 83 globally collected C. neoformans var. neoformans isolates from Italy, Germany, France, Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Turkey, Thailand, Japan, Colombia, and the USA, recovered from different sources (primary and secondary cutaneous cryptococcosis, disseminated cryptococcosis, the environment, and animals), were included in the study. All isolates were confirmed to belong to genotype VNIV by molecular typing and they were further investigated by MLST analysis. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic as well as network analysis strongly suggested the existence of a recombinant rather than a clonal population structure. Geographical origin and source of isolation were not correlated with a specific MLST genotype. The comparison with a set of outgroup C. neoformans var. grubii isolates provided clear evidence that the two varieties have different population structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Isolation of Cryptococcus gattii from a Castanopsis argyrophylla tree hollow (Mai-Kaw), Chiang Mai, Thailand.

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Khayhan, Kantarawee; Hagen, Ferry; Norkaew, Treepradab; Puengchan, Tanpalang; Boekhout, Teun; Sriburee, Pojana

2017-04-01

The pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus gattii was isolated from a tree hollow of a Castanopsis argyrophylla King ex Hook.f. (Fagaceae) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Molecular characterization with amplified fragment length polymorphism analysis and multi-locus sequence typing showed that this isolate belonged to genotype AFLP4/VGI representing C. gattii sensu stricto. Subsequent comparison of the environmental isolate with those from clinical samples from Thailand showed that they grouped closely together in a single cluster.

Tatuaje por amalgama. Reporte de un caso

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Luis Fang Mercado

2012-01-01

Full Text Available El tatuaje por amalgama se origina por el depósito en el tejido conectivo subepitelial de fragmentos de amalgama resultado de procedimientos iatrogénicos por parte del operador. La profundidad a la que se encuentren albergados los residuos de este material influye en la presentación clínica de las lesiones. Radiográficamente se pueden identificar los fragmentos mientras tengan diámetros razonables; histológicamente se pueden observar las partículas de amalgama como gránulos oscuros, sólidos e irregulares dispuesto entre los haces de colágeno y vasos sanguíneos. Este artículo refiere el caso clínico de un paciente que presentó pigmentación por amalgama en mucosa vestibular, originada por una porción de amalgama usada como material obturador en una apicectomía del 11 realizada con anterioridad. Teniendo en cuenta las consideraciones clínicas y radiográficas se optó por realizar una segunda apicectomía con obturación retrógrada con MTA del 11. Durante el procedimiento quirúrgico se cureteó y adelgazó la cara interna del colgajo mucoperióstico para tratar de disminuir el grado de pigmentación.

Diversity of DNA fingerprints in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Varma, A; Swinne, D; Staib, F; Bennett, J E; Kwon-Chung, K J

1995-07-01

DNA fingerprint patterns of 156 Cryptococcus neoformans isolates (26 AIDS patients, 46 non-AIDS patients, and 40 environmental sources) from both varieties (126 C. neoformans var. neoformans and 30 C. neoformans var. gattii isolates) and from seven countries were analyzed by using the DNA probe UT-4p. Nine and twelve distinct DNA fingerprint patterns were observed for isolates of the C. neoformans var. neoformans and var. gattii, respectively. No pattern was unique to AIDS patients, non-AIDS patients, or the environment. Pattern II was observed more often in non-AIDS patients (8 of 23) than in AIDS patients (0 of 25). Pattern V was the most prevalent pattern (42 of 82) in clinical and environmental isolates. Isolates from three AIDS patients in Burundi and Zaire exhibited patterns identical to each other but different from those of isolates collected from their houses (i.e., dust of floors, walls, etc.) or a nearby pigeon coop. DNA fingerprint stability was determined for 53 isolates from nine non-AIDS patients at different time intervals during 5 to 128 weeks of antifungal therapy. For eight patients, the fingerprint pattern was stable while the ninth may have had a mixed infection. Pattern II was observed in 4 of 9 patients, which is similar to 4 of 14 in other non-AIDS patients as reported here. In spite of the extensive pattern heterogeneity among 15 C. neoformans var. gattii isolates in Australia, the patterns observed in seven California isolates were quite different from those in Australia. Among isolates of C. neoformans var. gattii, one fingerprint pattern (designated b) was observed in several countries of the Far East. The fingerprint patterns of two of three environmental isolates from Eucalyptus camaldulensis trees in Australia were identical to those of 2 of the 12 clinical isolates from the country.

Magnesium Ion Acts as a Signal for Capsule Induction in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Rathore, Sudarshan S; Raman, Thiagarajan; Ramakrishnan, Jayapradha

2016-01-01

Cryptococcal meningitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans, is a common opportunistic neural infection in immunocompromised individuals. Cryptococcus meningitis is associated with fungal burden with larger capsule size in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To understand the role of CSF constituents in capsule enlargement, we have evaluated the effect of artificial CSF on capsule induction in comparison with various other capsule inducing media. Two different strains of C. neoformans, an environmental and a clinical isolates were used in the present study. While comparing the various capsule inducing media for the two different strains of C. neoformans, it was observed that the capsule growth was significantly increased when grown in artificial CSF at pH 5.5, temperature 34°C for ATCC C. neoformans and 37°C for Clinical C. neoformans and with an incubation period of 72 h. In addition, artificial CSF supports biofilm formation in C. neoformans. While investigating the individual components of artificial CSF, we found that Mg(2+) ions influence the capsule growth in both environmental and clinical strains of C. neoformans. To confirm our results we studied the expression of four major CAP genes namely, CAP10, CAP59, CAP60, and CAP64 in various capsule inducing media and in different concentrations of Mg(2+) and Ca(2+). Our results on gene expression suggest that, Mg(2+) does have an effect on CAP gene expression, which are important for capsule biosynthesis and virulence. Our findings on the role of Mg(2+) ion as a signal for capsule induction will promote a way to elucidate the control mechanisms for capsule biosynthesis in C. neoformans.

Detection of Cryptococcus neoformans DNA in Tissue Samples by Nested and Real-Time PCR Assays

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Bialek, Ralf; Weiss, Michael; Bekure-Nemariam, Kubrom; Najvar, Laura K.; Alberdi, Maria B.; Graybill, John R.; Reischl, Udo

2002-01-01

Two PCR protocols targeting the 18S rRNA gene of Cryptococcus neoformans were established, compared, and evaluated in murine cryptococcal meningitis. One protocol was designed as a nested PCR to be performed in conventional block thermal cyclers. The other protocol was designed as a quantitative single-round PCR adapted to LightCycler technology. One hundred brain homogenates and dilutions originating from 20 ICR mice treated with different azoles were examined. A fungal burden of 3 × 101 to ...

Role of Sterylglucosidase 1 (Sgl1) on the pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans: potential applications for vaccine development.

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Rella, Antonella; Mor, Visesato; Farnoud, Amir M; Singh, Ashutosh; Shamseddine, Achraf A; Ivanova, Elitza; Carpino, Nicholas; Montagna, Maria T; Luberto, Chiara; Del Poeta, Maurizio

2015-01-01

Cryptococcosis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii affects a large population and is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. Despite its public health burden, there are currently no vaccines against cryptococcosis and new strategies against such infections are needed. In this study, we demonstrate that C. neoformans has the biochemical ability to metabolize sterylglucosides (SGs), a class of immunomodulatory glycolipids. Genetic manipulations that eliminate cryptococccal sterylglucosidase lead to the accumulation of SGs and generate a mutant strain (Δsgl1) that is non-pathogenic in the mouse models of cryptococcosis. Interestingly, this mutant strain acts as a vaccine strain and protects mice against cryptococcosis following infection with C. neoformans or C. gattii. The immunity induced by the Δsgl1 strain is not CD4(+) T-cells dependent. Immunocompromised mice, which lack CD4(+) T-cells, are able to control the infection by Δsgl1 and acquire immunity against the challenge by wild-type C. neoformans following vaccination with the Δsgl1 strain. These findings are particularly important in the context of HIV/AIDS immune deficiency and suggest that the Δsgl1 strain might provide a potential vaccination strategy against cryptococcosis.

Simulated in situ competitive ability and survival of a representative soil yeast, Cryptococcus albidus.

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Vishniac, H S

1995-11-01

Microcosms containing an air-dried autoclaved loamy sand (Eufala A) with low salt and organic content were inoculated with a representative (obligately aerobic, encapsulated) soil yeast, Cryptococcus albidus var. albidus (T) ATCC 10666, singly (for growth rate and survival determinations) and together with the bacterial biota native to Eufala A. The yeast competed successfully with the more rapidly growing bacteria in the presence of added water from 1% (5.7% of field capacity) to 14% (80% of field capacity) but grew for shorter times than when grown alone; times correlated with the lag phase of the bacterial biota. When well-watered (10 and 14%) competition cultures were allowed to dry and used as inoculum for subcultures, the yeast made significant growth only at 1% added water but survived at the higher moisture concentrations. The competitive ability of Cr. albidus confirms the previously reported advantages of the cryptococcal capsule in hydration and desiccation and, together with lengthy survival, suggests that the importance of such yeasts in the biogeochemistry of arid soils has been seriously underestimated.

Biodiesel production from yeast Cryptococcus sp. using Jerusalem artichoke.

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Sung, Mina; Seo, Yeong Hwan; Han, Shin; Han, Jong-In

2014-03-01

Jerusalem artichoke was investigated as a cheap substrate for the heterotrophic production using a lab yeast strain Cryptococcus sp. Using Response Surface Method, 54.0% of fructose yield was achieved at 12% of dried Jerusalem artichoke powder, 0.57% of nitric acid concentration, 117°C of reaction temperature, and 49min of reaction time. At this optimal condition, nitric acid showed the best catalytic activity toward inulin hydrolysis and also the resulting fructose hydrolyte supported the highest microbial growth compared with other acids. In addition, lipid productivity of 1.73g/L/d was achieved, which is higher than a defined medium using pure fructose as a substrate. Lipid quality was also found to be generally satisfactory as a feedstock for fuel, demonstrating Jerusalem artichoke could indeed be a good and cheap option for the purpose of biodiesel production. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cryptococcus neoformans hyperfilamentous strain is hypervirulent in a murine model of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

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Marianna Feretzaki

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is a human fungal pathogen that causes lethal infections of the lung and central nervous system in immunocompromised individuals. C. neoformans has a defined bipolar sexual life cycle with a and α mating types. During the sexual cycle, which can occur between cells of opposite mating types (bisexual reproduction or cells of one mating type (unisexual reproduction, a dimorphic transition from yeast to hyphal growth occurs. Hyphal development and meiosis generate abundant spores that, following inhalation, penetrate deep into the lung to enter the alveoli, germinate, and establish a pulmonary infection growing as budding yeast cells. Unisexual reproduction has been directly observed only in the Cryptococcus var. neoformans (serotype D lineage under laboratory conditions. However, hyphal development has been previously associated with reduced virulence and the serotype D lineage exhibits limited pathogenicity in the murine model. In this study we show that the serotype D hyperfilamentous strain XL280α is hypervirulent in an animal model. It can grow inside the lung of the host, establish a pulmonary infection, and then disseminate to the brain to cause cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. Surprisingly, this hyperfilamentous strain triggers an immune response polarized towards Th2-type immunity, which is usually observed in the highly virulent sibling species C. gattii, responsible for the Pacific Northwest outbreak. These studies provide a technological advance that will facilitate analysis of virulence genes and attributes in C. neoformans var. neoformans, and reveal the virulence potential of serotype D as broader and more dynamic than previously appreciated.

First reported case of Cryptococcus gattii in the Southeastern USA: implications for travel-associated acquisition of an emerging pathogen.

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Edmond J Byrnes

2009-06-01

Full Text Available In 2007, the first confirmed case of Cryptococcus gattii was reported in the state of North Carolina, USA. An otherwise healthy HIV negative male patient presented with a large upper thigh cryptococcoma in February, which was surgically removed and the patient was started on long-term high-dose fluconazole treatment. In May of 2007, the patient presented to the Duke University hospital emergency room with seizures. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed two large CNS lesions found to be cryptococcomas based on brain biopsy. Prior chest CT imaging had revealed small lung nodules indicating that C. gattii spores or desiccated yeast were likely inhaled into the lungs and dissemination occurred to both the leg and CNS. The patient's travel history included a visit throughout the San Francisco, CA region in September through October of 2006, consistent with acquisition during this time period. Cultures from both the leg and brain biopsies were subjected to analysis. Based on phenotypic and molecular methods, both isolates were C. gattii, VGI molecular type, and distinct from the Vancouver Island outbreak isolates. Based on multilocus sequence typing of coding and noncoding regions and virulence in a heterologous host model, the leg and brain isolates are identical, but the two differed in mating fertility. Two clinical isolates, one from a transplant recipient in San Francisco and the other from Australia, were identical to the North Carolina clinical isolate at all markers tested. Closely related isolates that differ at only one or a few noncoding markers are present in the Australian environment. Taken together, these findings support a model in which C. gattii VGI was transferred from Australia to California, possibly though an association with its common host plant E. camaldulensis, and the patient was exposed in San Francisco and returned to present with disease in North Carolina.

Isolation of Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGIII, from Corymbia ficifolia detritus in Colombia.

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Escandón, P; Sánchez, A; Firacative, C; Castañeda, E

2010-06-01

An environmental sampling survey was carried out in different areas of Bogotá, Colombia, to obtain isolates of members of the Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complex from Corymbia ficifolia trees. During a 6-month period in 2007, 128 samples consisting of bark, soil around trunk bases, detritus, seeds and flowers were collected from 91 trees and processed according to standard procedures. The molecular type was determined using URA5 restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and the mating type was established by PCR using specific primers for Mfalpha and Mfa C. gattii was isolated from 15 of the 128 (11.7%) samples, of which three (20%) were recovered from the red flower extract and the remaining 12 from C. ficifolia detritus. URA5 RFLP analysis revealed that all 15 isolates belonged to the molecular type VGIII and mating type specific PCR revealed that all were mating type a. The isolation of C. gattii from C. ficifolia represents an important finding since this is the first report revealing C. ficifolia as a habitat for C. gattii and adds additional information to the ever growing spectrum of tree species from which C. gattii can be recovered.

Antagonistic Activity of Probiotic Organism Against Vibrio cholerae and Cryptococcus neoformans

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Vidya, R.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The microbes are useful in many ways in the modern world. Probiotics one of them, which refers to, acid adherence bacteria in the intestinal cells, are able to survive at low pH and produce large amount of lactic acid. The present investigation deals with the antagonistic activity of Lactobacillus acidophilus organism against pathogens. The organism was isolated from the curd sample. Identification of bacteria was done by various biochemical testing. The present study revealed that L. acidophilus inhibits Vibrio cholerae more efficiently than Streptococcus pneumoniae and Shigella dysentriae. When L. acidophilus and V. cholerae were grown together, L. acidophilus dominated the growth and competitively inhibited the growth of V. cholerae. L. acidophilus was also found to inhibit Cryptococcus neoformans.

The Role of Cryptococcus in the Immune System of Pulmonary Cryptococcosis Patients.

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Jinlin Wang

Full Text Available To investigate the role of Cryptococcus in the immune system of immunocompetent patients with pulmonary cryptococcosis (PC by analysing the dynamic changes of patients' immune status before and after antifungal therapy.The level of the serum interferon-γ (IFN-γ and interleukin (IL-2, -4, -10 and -12 was measured before and after 6-months of treatment. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 30 immunocompetent PC patients and 30 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs were isolated and incubated with recombinant human IL-12 (rhIL-12 for 48 h. Then the concentrations of IFN-γ and IL-4 in the supernatant were analysed.Baseline serum IFN-γ level was significantly lower in the PC patients as compared with the control group (P < 0.001. The serum IL-2 and IFN-γ of PC patients were significantly increased after appropriate treatments (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001 when compared to their baseline levels. The productions of IFN-γ in the culture supernatant of PBMCs showed no significant difference between the control and PC patients both before and after antifungal treatments. RhIL-12 is a potent stimulus for IFN-γ production. Culture PBMCs collected from PC patients before treatments had a smaller increase of IFN-γ production in the present of rhIL-12 than the control (P < 0.01; PBMCs from PC patients completing 6-months of treatment showed a comparable increase of IFN-γ production by rhIL-12 stimulation to the control group.In apparently immunocompetent patients with PC, a normalization of serum IFN-γ was achieved after recovery from infection. This suggests that Cryptococcus infection per se can suppress the immune system and its elimination contributes to the reestablishment of an immune equilibrium.

Molecular characterization of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from the environment in Beijing, China.

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Dou, Hongtao; Wang, Huizhu; Xie, Shaowei; Chen, Xinxin; Xu, Zhipeng; Xu, Yingchun

2017-10-01

The molecular type of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans in Beijing was not clear. Our study aims to reveal the molecular characterization of C. neoformans complex from environment in Beijing, China. A total of 435 samples of pigeon droppings from 11 different homes in Beijing were collected from August to November in 2015. Pigeon droppings were inoculated onto caffeic acid cornmeal agar (CACA) to screen C. neoformans complex. Bruker Biotyper matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) was performed for species identification. Serotype and mating type was determined by specific primers. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of URA5 (URA5-RFLP) were applied to genotype. Multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) was done for further identification and sequence type (ST) determination. Altogether, 81 isolates of C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI were recognized from 435 pigeon droppings in this study. The positive rate for C. neoformans AFLP1/VNI from pigeon droppings in different homes varied from 5.0% to 52.6%, the average was 20.2%. All of these cryptococcal strains were serotype A, MATα. They were genotyped as VNI by URA5-RFLP and were confirmed by MLST. No other molecular types of C. neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii isolates were isolated. Their STs were identified as ST 31 (n = 54, 66.7%), followed by ST 53 (n = 10), ST 191 (n = 8), ST 5 (n = 5), ST 57 (n = 3), and ST 38 (n = 1). We concluded that not only clinical but also environmental isolates of C. neoformans need to be investigated more deeply and more extensively. The virulence difference between ST 5 and ST 31 need to be explored in the future. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A Case of Cutaneous Plasmablastic Lymphoma in HIV/AIDS with Disseminated Cryptococcus

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Jun Gong

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We present a case of a patient with HIV/AIDS who presented with a tender left lower extremity cutaneous mass over a site of previous cryptococcal infection and was found to have plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL. The incidence of PBL is estimated to account for less than 5% of all cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL in HIV-positive individuals. In fact, there were only two reports of extraoral PBL at the time of a 2003 review. PBL in HIV-positive individuals is an aggressive malignancy that tends to occur in middle-aged males with low CD4 counts, high viral loads, and chronic HIV infection. The definitive diagnosis can be made with biopsy which typically shows malignant lymphoid cells that stain positive for plasma cell markers and negative for B-cell markers. The most common treatment is chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP or CHOP-like regimens, but the overall survival rate is poor despite its relative responsiveness to chemotherapy. This case highlights the challenges that remain in improving clinical outcomes, the importance of antiretroviral therapy and HIV disease control, and a potential association between a chronic inflammatory state caused by disseminated Cryptococcus and tumorigenesis in individuals with PBL.

Preshipment testing success: resolution of a nasal sinus granuloma in a captive koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) caused by Cryptococcus gattii.

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Wynne, Janna; Klause, Stephen; Stadler, Cynthia K; Pye, Geoffrey W; Meyer, Wieland; Sykes, Jane E

2012-12-01

A 3-yr-old female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) was diagnosed with a nasal sinus granuloma caused by Cryptococcus gattii after a pre-shipment examination revealed a latex cryptococcal agglutination titer of 1:512. Successful medical and surgical treatment of the granuloma was monitored using serial latex cryptococcal agglutination titers, serum levels of antifungal drugs, and advanced imaging.

Perfect state of Cryptococcus neoformans, Filobasidiella neoformans, on pigeon manure filtrate agar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Staib, F.

1981-02-01

To enable studies of the dependence of Cryptococcus neoformans and its perfect and imperfect states upon bird manure as a habitat of this pathogen, a nutrient medium closely resembling natural conditions was prepared. As sole nutrient, the water soluble ingredients of manure from pigeons (Columbia livia) were used. There was no heat sterilization of the manure filtrate. Using a standard pair of C. neoformans strains for mating, it could be demonstrated that the perfect state of the fungus developed on this so called pigeon manure filtrate agar within 48 h at 26 degrees C. This medium is supposed to help in the elucidation of the epidemiological significance of the perfect and imperfect states of this pathogen.

The Role of Amino Acid Permeases and Tryptophan Biosynthesis in Cryptococcus neoformans Survival.

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João Daniel Santos Fernandes

Full Text Available Metabolic diversity is an important factor during microbial adaptation to different environments. Among metabolic processes, amino acid biosynthesis has been demonstrated to be relevant for survival for many microbial pathogens, whereas the association between pathogenesis and amino acid uptake and recycling are less well-established. Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen with many habitats. As a result, it faces frequent metabolic shifts and challenges during its life cycle. Here we studied the C. neoformans tryptophan biosynthetic pathway and found that the pathway is essential. RNAi indicated that interruptions in the biosynthetic pathway render strains inviable. However, auxotroph complementation can be partially achieved by tryptophan uptake when a non preferred nitrogen source and lower growth temperature are applied, suggesting that amino acid permeases may be the target of nitrogen catabolism repression (NCR. We used bioinformatics to search for amino acid permeases in the C. neoformans and found eight potential global permeases (AAP1 to AAP8. The transcriptional profile of them revealed that they are subjected to regulatory mechanisms which are known to respond to nutritional status in other fungi, such as (i quality of nitrogen (Nitrogen Catabolism Repression, NCR and carbon sources (Carbon Catabolism Repression, CCR, (ii amino acid availability in the extracellular environment (SPS-sensing and (iii nutritional deprivation (Global Amino Acid Control, GAAC. This study shows that C. neoformans has fewer amino acid permeases than other model yeasts, and that these proteins may be subjected to complex regulatory mechanisms. Our data suggest that the C. neoformans tryptophan biosynthetic pathway is an excellent pharmacological target. Furthermore, inhibitors of this pathway cause Cryptococcus growth arrest in vitro.

Micetoma por Nocardia brasiliensis: reporte de caso

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Miriam Guevara R

2003-07-01

Full Text Available Se presenta el caso de un paciente peruano, agricultor, con una infección cutánea de origen traumático causada por Nocardia brasiliensis, que evolucionó hacia la amputación del miembro inferior afectado. El diagnóstico se realizó por examen directo y cultivo del espécimen.

Ultrastructural and chemotaxonomic analysis of a xylanolytic strain of Cryptococcus adeliensis isolated from sheep droppings in Spain.

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Velázquez, Encarna; del Villar, María; Grondona, Isabel; Monte, Enrique; González-Villa, Tomás

2006-09-01

Cryptococcus adeliensis was initially described as a psycrophilic species containing a single strain CBS 8351(T) isolated from decayed algae in Terre Adelie (Antartida). Later, a second strain of this species was isolated from an immunosuppressed patient affected by leukaemia in Germany and recently several strains from this species have been found in human patients and pigeon droppings of the same country. In this study, we isolated from sheep droppings in Spain a xylanolytic strain named LEVX01 that was phenotypically related to the strain CBS 8351(T) and showed a 100% similarity in the D1/D2 domain and 5.8S-ITS region sequences with respect to the remaining described strains of C. adeliensis. These findings suggest that this species has a wide geographical distribution and that the animal faeces are a common habitat for C. adeliensis. The chemotaxonomic analyses showed the absence of detectable amounts of xylose in the cell walls of the strains LEVX01 and CBS8351(T) in contrast to other Cryptococcus species. Interestingly, the ultrastructural study showed the presence of fimbriae in these two strains that could be involved in the attachment to the host cells and, as occurs in Candida albicans, they could also be a pathogenicity factor for the man.

Contemplating the murine test tube: lessons from natural killer cells and Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Marr, Kaleb J; Jones, Gareth J; Mody, Christopher H

2006-06-01

Murine experimentation has provided many useful tools, including the ability to knockout or over-express genes and to perform experiments that are limited by ethical considerations. Over the past century, mice have imparted valuable insights into the biology of many systems, including human immunity. However, although there are many similarities between the immune response of humans and mice, there are also many differences; none is more prominent than when examining natural killer cell biology. These differences include tissue distribution, effector molecules, receptor repertoire, and cytokine responses, all of which have important implications when extrapolating the studies to the human immune responses to Cryptococcus neoformans.

First environmental isolation of Cryptococcus gattii serotype B, from Cúcuta, Colombia.

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Firacative, Carolina; Torres, Germán; Rodríguez, María Claudia; Escandón, Patricia

2011-03-01

In Cúcuta, Cryptococcus gattii serotype B is commonly recovered from immunocompetent patients with cryptococcosis, but it has not been recovered from the environment in spite of its high incidence which is 77% out of reported cases. The aim of this work was to carry out an extensive environmental sampling in Cúcuta, in an attempt to isolate C. gattii serotype B and to expand our knowledge about the ecology and epidemiology of this important yeast. Samples associated with 3,634 trees from 40 zones of Cúcuta were collected and processed with 28 samples collected near the houses of four patients with cryptococcosis caused by C. gattii serotype B. The serotype of the recovered isolates was done using multiplex PCR, molecular patterns were determined by RFLP of the URA5 gene and mating type was determined using the primers MfαU, MfαL, MFa2U and MFa2L. In total, 4,389 samples were processed and one isolate of C. gattii serotype B (VGI/a), two isolates of C. gattii serotype C (VGIII/α) and three isolates of C. neoformans var. grubii, serotype A (VNI/α), were recovered. The density of the recovered isolates varied from 50 to 350 cfu/g of soil. This is the first report on the environmental isolation of C. gattii serotype B from Cúcuta. However, because of the low rate of recovery of isolates from soil only, the environmental niche of C. gattii has not been established and further environmental studies in Cúcuta are necessary, owing that this serotype is not only causing cryptococcosis but also has shown a higher virulence after the Vancouver outbreak.

Infecciones fúngicas emergentes: fungemia por Sporobolomyces salmonicolor. Reporte de un caso Emerging fungal infections: Sporobolomyces salmonicolor fungemia. Case Report

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Adriana Paola Franco Rodríguez

2010-12-01

Full Text Available En los últimos años, la emergencia de infecciones por hongos se ha dado en parte por el aumento en las infecciones por microrganismos que normalmente no son patógenos. El siguiente reporte describe la fungemia y meningoencefalitis por Sporobolomyces salmonicolor, una levadura frecuente en el medio ambiente y las plantas, en un paciente sin factores de riesgo conocidos, con desenlace fatal a pesar del manejo con antifúngicos. Este caso nos recuerda que dentro de las infecciones micóticas emergentes se encuentra el S. salmonicolor y se debe tener en cuenta dentro del diagnóstico diferencial de levaduras en sangre, como causa infrecuente, potencialmente mortal.The emergence of pathogens, mainly fungi, in recent years has been partly due to overappearance of organisms that normally are not pathogenic in humans. The following report describes Sporobolomyces salmonicolor fungaemia and proven meningoencephalitis in a patient not showing risk factors who suffers a fatal outcome despite management with antifungal agents. The said yeast lives mainly in tree environments and plants. This case reminds us that there is S. salmonicolor within the emerging fungal infections, and this fact should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of yeasts in blood as a rare and lifethreatening cause.

Passive immunization against Cryptococcus neoformans with an isotype-switch family of monoclonal antibodies reactive with cryptococcal polysaccharide.

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Sanford, J E; Lupan, D M; Schlageter, A M; Kozel, T R

1990-01-01

The in vivo properties of an immunoglobulin isotype-switch family of monoclonal antibodies specific for the polysaccharide capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans were examined in a murine model of cryptococcosis. Subclass-switch variants were isolated by sequential sublining of an immunoglobulin G subclass 1 (IgG1)-secreting cell line. Antibodies of the IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b isotypes with identical reactivities with cryptococcal polysaccharide were prepared. The antibodies had the distinct biolo...

MLST-Based Population Genetic Analysis in a Global Context Reveals Clonality amongst Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii VNI Isolates from HIV Patients in Southeastern Brazil

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Ferreira-Paim, Kennio; Andrade-Silva, Leonardo; Fonseca, Fernanda; Ferreira, Thatiana; Mora, Delio; Andrade-Silva, Juliana; Khan, Aziza; Dao, Aiken; C. Reis, Eduardo; Almeida, Margarete; Maltos, André; Rodrigues Jr, Virmondes; Trilles, Luciana; Rickerts, Volker; Chindamporn, Ariya; Sykes, Jane; Cogliati, Massimo; Nielsen, Kirsten; Boekhout, Teun; L. Silva-Vergara, Mario

2017-01-01

Cryptococcosis is an important fungal infection in immunocompromised individuals, especially those infected with HIV. In Brazil, despite the free availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the public health system, the mortality rate due to Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis is still high. To

alpha AD alpha hybrids of Cryptococcus neoformans: evidence of same-sex mating in nature and hybrid fitness.

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Xiaorong Lin

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is a ubiquitous human fungal pathogen that causes meningoencephalitis in predominantly immunocompromised hosts. The fungus is typically haploid, and sexual reproduction involves two individuals with opposite mating types/sexes, alpha and a. However, the overwhelming predominance of mating type (MAT alpha over a in C. neoformans populations limits alpha-a mating in nature. Recently it was discovered that C. neoformans can undergo same-sex mating under laboratory conditions, especially between alpha isolates. Whether same-sex mating occurs in nature and contributes to the current population structure was unknown. In this study, natural alpha AD alpha hybrids that arose by fusion between two alpha cells of different serotypes (A and D were identified and characterized, providing definitive evidence that same-sex mating occurs naturally. A novel truncated allele of the mating-type-specific cell identity determinant SXI1 alpha was also identified as a genetic factor likely involved in this process. In addition, laboratory-constructed alpha AD alpha strains exhibited hybrid vigor both in vitro and in vivo, providing a plausible explanation for their relative abundance in nature despite the fact that AD hybrids are inefficient in meiosis/sporulation and are trapped in the diploid state. These findings provide insights on the origins, genetic mechanisms, and fitness impact of unisexual hybridization in the Cryptococcus population.

Identification of genes expressed by Cryptococcus gattii during iron deprivation

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Daphine Ariadne Jesus de Paula

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii are pathogenic yeasts that cause life-threatening diseases in humans and animals. Iron is an essential nutrient for virtually every organism as it functions as a cofactor in numerous essential enzymatic reactions. In the literature, the competition for iron between microbes and mammalian hosts during infection is well documented. In this study, we used representational difference analysis (RDA in order to gain a better understanding of how C. gattii responds to iron starvation. A total of 15 and 29 genes were identified as having altered expression levels due to iron depletion after 3 h and 12 h, respectively. Of these, eight genes were identified in both libraries. The transcripts were related to many biological processes, such as cell cycle, ergosterol metabolism, cell wall organization, transportation, translation, cell respiration and the stress response. These data suggest a remodeling of C. gattii metabolism during conditions of iron deprivation.

Comparative genomics of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii associated with meningitis in HIV infected and uninfected patients in Vietnam.

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Day, Jeremy N; Qihui, Seet; Thanh, Lam Tuan; Trieu, Phan Hai; Van, Anh Duong; Thu, Nha Hoang; Chau, Tran Thi Hong; Lan, Nguyen P H; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Ashton, Philip M; Thwaites, Guy E; Boni, Maciej F; Wolbers, Marcel; Nagarajan, Niranjan; Tan, Patrick B O; Baker, Stephen

2017-06-01

The vast burden of cryptococcal meningitis occurs in immunosuppressed patients, driven by HIV, and is caused by Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii. We previously reported cryptococcal meningitis in Vietnam arising atypically in HIV uninfected, apparently immunocompetent patients, caused by a single amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) cluster of C. neoformans var. grubii (VNIγ). This variant was less common in HIV infected individuals; it remains unclear why this lineage is associated with apparently immunocompetent patients. To study this host tropism we aimed to further our understanding of clinical phenotype and genomic variation within Vietnamese C. neoformans var. grubii. After performing MLST on C. neoformans clinical isolates we identified 14 sequence types (STs); ST5 correlated with the VNIγ cluster. We next compared clinical phenotype by lineage and found HIV infected patients with cryptococcal meningitis caused by ST5 organisms were significantly more likely to have lymphadenopathy (11% vs. 4%, p = 0.05 Fisher's exact test) and higher blood lymphocyte count (median 0.76 versus 0.55 X109 cells/L, p = 0.001, Kruskal-Wallis test). Furthermore, survivors of ST5 infections had evidence of worse disability outcomes at 70 days (72.7% (40/55) in ST5 infections versus 57.1% (52/91) non-ST5 infections (OR 2.11, 95%CI 1.01 to 4.41), p = 0.046). To further investigate the relationship between strain and disease phenotype we performed genome sequencing on eight Vietnamese C. neoformans var. grubii. Eight genome assemblies exhibited >99% nucleotide sequence identity and we identified 165 kbp of lineage specific to Vietnamese isolates. ST5 genomes harbored several strain specific regions, incorporating 19 annotated coding sequences and eight hypothetical proteins. These regions included a phenolic acid decarboxylase, a DEAD-box ATP-dependent RNA helicase 26, oxoprolinases, a taurine catabolism dioxygenase, a zinc finger protein, membrane transport proteins

First report of environmental isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and other fungi from pigeon droppings in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and in vitro susceptibility testing

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Hussein Hasan Abulreesh

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: To verify the occurrence of Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans and other fungi in samples of pigeon droppings collected from Makkah city, Saudi Arabia. Methods: One hundred and twelve withered pigeon dropping samples were collected from 12 different districts. Using the dilution plate technique, samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar and esculin agar. Colonies were examined microscopically and C. neoformans identification is confirmed by India ink preparation, observation of urease activity and brown pigmentation on esculin medium. Susceptibility patterns of five yeast species and four molds against five antifungal drugs were tested using agar disk diffusion method. Results: C. neoformans was recovered from 38 samples (34%. Na'aman valley was recorded to be the highest contaminated site (66.7% with C. neoformans, while the samples collected from Al Awaly district were considered as the lowest contaminated samples (6.7%. Also, twenty species related to sixteen genera of fungi other than C. neoformans were recovered from which, three yeast genera were recorded. The antifungal susceptibility testing showed that the nine tested fungal species were sensitive to Mycosat, while Fungican exerted inhibition zones of four species only. C. neoformans was moderately sensitive towards all tested compounds but it can resist Flucoral where no inhibition zone could be detected. Conclusions: Our results are considered to be the first report on the environmental prevalence of C. neoformans in pigeon feces in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The data indicated that pigeon droppings can be considered as a potential source of this basidiomycetous yeast in addition to other fungal species in this region.

Prevalência de Cryptococcus neoformans nos pombos urbanos da cidade de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul Prevalence of Cryptococcus neoformans in urban pigeons of Porto Alegre (RS, Brazil

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Aline Reolon

2004-10-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans, levedura encapsulada, é o agente etiológico da criptococose em humanos e animais. A variedade neoformans, encontrada em fontes ambientais, incluindo fezes de pombos, é importante causa de mortalidade em indivíduos imunodeprimidos em todo o mundo. Contudo, ainda não há estudos sobre sua ecologia na cidade de Porto Alegre, onde se tem registro da ocorrência de casos humanos dessa micose. Para pesquisar fontes saprofíticas de C. neoformans na cidade de Porto Alegre, foram coletadas 88 amostras de excretas de pombos em distintas praças da cidade. Suspensões das amostras em salina estéril foram semeadas em placas com meio ágar Sabouraud e incubadas em estufa a temperaturas entre 29 e 30,5°C. Após cinco dias, colônias mucóides foram subcultivadas para identificação através de provas morfofisiológicas. O fungo C. neoformans foi isolado em 88 (100% das amostras avaliadas, confirmando sua ocorrência nos pombos que habitam as praças da cidade.Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast, causing cryptococcosis in human beings and animals. The variety neoformans, found in environmental sources, including pigeon excrements, is an important cause of mortality in immunocompromised individuals in the whole world. However, there are still no studies on its ecology in the city of Porto Alegre, where register of the occurrence of human cases of this mycosis is found. To study the saprophitic sources of C. neoformans in the city of Porto Alegre, 88 samples of avian excreta have been collected in distinct squares. Suspension of the samples in sterile saline solution had been planted in plates with Sabouraud agar and incubated in stove at 29-30.5°C. After five days mucoid colonies were subcultived for identification through morphologic and physiologic tests. C. neoformans was isolated in 88 (100% of the samples, proving its occurrence in the pigeons that inhabit the squares of that city.

3-Bromopyruvate: a novel antifungal agent against the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Dyląg, Mariusz; Lis, Paweł; Niedźwiecka, Katarzyna; Ko, Young H; Pedersen, Peter L; Goffeau, Andre; Ułaszewski, Stanisław

2013-05-03

We have investigated the antifungal activity of the pyruvic acid analogue: 3-bromopyruvate (3-BP). Growth inhibition by 3-BP of 110 strains of yeast-like and filamentous fungi was tested by standard spot tests or microdilution method. The human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans exhibited a low Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of 0.12-0.15 mM 3-BP. The high toxicity of 3-BP toward C. neoformans correlated with high intracellular accumulation of 3-BP and also with low levels of intracellular ATP and glutathione. Weak cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells and lack of resistance conferred by the PDR (Pleiotropic Drug Resistance) network in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, are other properties of 3-BP that makes it a novel promising anticryptococcal drug. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vaccination with Recombinant Cryptococcus Proteins in Glucan Particles Protects Mice against Cryptococcosis in a Manner Dependent upon Mouse Strain and Cryptococcal Species

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Charles A. Specht

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Development of a vaccine to protect against cryptococcosis is a priority given the enormous global burden of disease in at-risk individuals. Using glucan particles (GPs as a delivery system, we previously demonstrated that mice vaccinated with crude Cryptococcus-derived alkaline extracts were protected against lethal challenge with Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The goal of the present study was to identify protective protein antigens that could be used in a subunit vaccine. Using biased and unbiased approaches, six candidate antigens (Cda1, Cda2, Cda3, Fpd1, MP88, and Sod1 were selected, recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and loaded into GPs. Three mouse strains (C57BL/6, BALB/c, and DR4 were then vaccinated with the antigen-laden GPs, following which they received a pulmonary challenge with virulent C. neoformans and C. gattii strains. Four candidate vaccines (GP-Cda1, GP-Cda2, GP-Cda3, and GP-Sod1 afforded a significant survival advantage in at least one mouse model; some vaccine combinations provided added protection over that seen with either antigen alone. Vaccine-mediated protection against C. neoformans did not necessarily predict protection against C. gattii. Vaccinated mice developed pulmonary inflammatory responses that effectively contained the infection; many surviving mice developed sterilizing immunity. Predicted T helper cell epitopes differed between mouse strains and in the degree to which they matched epitopes predicted in humans. Thus, we have discovered cryptococcal proteins that make promising candidate vaccine antigens. Protection varied depending on the mouse strain and cryptococcal species, suggesting that a successful human subunit vaccine will need to contain multiple antigens, including ones that are species specific.

Acceptance test report for portable exhauster POR-007/Skid E

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kriskovich, J.R.

1998-01-01

This document describes Acceptance Testing performed on Portable Exhauster POR-007/Skid E. It includes measurements of bearing vibration levels, pressure decay testing, programmable logic controller interlocks, high vacuum, flow and pressure control functional testing. The purpose of Acceptance testing documented by this report was to demonstrate compliance of the exhausters with the performance criteria established within HNF-0490, Rev. 1 following a repair and upgrade effort at Hanford. In addition, data obtained during this testing is required for the resolution of outstanding Non-conformance Reports (NCR), and finally, to demonstrate the functionality of the associated software for the pressure control and high vacuum exhauster operating modes provided for by W-320. Additional testing not required by the ATP was also performed to assist in the disposition and close out of receiving inspection report and for application design information (system curve). Results of this testing are also captured within this document

Serotipificación de aislamientos clínicos y del medio ambiente de Cryptococcus neoformans en Colombia

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N. Ordóñez

1994-09-01

Full Text Available Se determinó l variedad y el serotipo de 192 aislamientos de Cryptococcus neoformans recuperados de 1972 a 1992; 163 de origen clínico y 29 del medio ambiente. En los aislamientos clínicos se determinaron las dos variedades de C. neoformans: la variedad neoformans en el 92,6% de los pacientes y la variedad gattii en el 7,4%. En el medio ambiente se encontró la variedad neoformans en el 100% de los aislamientos. El serotipo encontrado con más frecuencia fue el serotipo A, el cual se observó en el 92% de los aislamientos clínicos y en el 100% del medio ambiente, seguido por el serotipo B (6,8%; también, se determinaron aislamientos de los serotipos C (0,6% y D (0,6%. C. neoformans var. neoformans se recuperó en todos los años de los que se tuvieron aislamientos y C. neoformans var. gattii solamente se observó en aislamientos clínicos a partir de 1986. C. neoformans var. neoformans fue aislado durante los 12 meses del año y C. neoformans var. gattii se encontró distribuido en los meses defebrero, abril, junio, agosto, septiembre y diciembre. C. neoformans var. neoformans se observó en 109 (66,9% cepas de pacientes del sexo masculino y en 36 (22,1% del sexo femenino; C. neoformans var. gattii se observó en 5 (3% cepas de hombres y en 6 (3,7% mujeres.

Eucalyptus Tree: A Potential Source of Cryptococcus neoformans in Egyptian Environment

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Mahmoud Elhariri

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In Egypt, the River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis is a well-known tree and is highly appreciated by the rural and urban dwellers. The role of Eucalyptus trees in the ecology of Cryptococcus neoformans is documented worldwide. The aim of this survey was to show the prevalence of C. neoformans during the flowering season of E. camaldulensis at the Delta region in Egypt. Three hundred and eleven samples out of two hundred Eucalyptus trees, including leaves, flowers, and woody trunks, were collected from four governorates in the Delta region. Thirteen isolates of C. neoformans were recovered from Eucalyptus tree samples (4.2%. Molecular identification of C. neoformans was done by capsular gene specific primer CAP64 and serotype identification was done depending on LAC1 gene. This study represents an update on the ecology of C. neoformans associated with Eucalyptus tree in Egyptian environment.

Conversion of beet molasses and cheese whey into fatty acid methyl esters by the yeast Cryptococcus curvatus.

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Takakuwa, Naoya; Saito, Katsuichi

2010-01-01

Eighty-one yeast isolates from raw milk were surveyed for the production of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Only one species, identified as Cryptococcus curvatus, produced FAME at a detectable level. Cr. curvatus TYC-19 produced more FAME from beet molasses and cheese whey medium than other strains of the same species. In both media, the major FAME produced were linoleic and oleic acid methyl esters. Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA indicated that TYC-19 diverged from the same species.

Paramecium species ingest and kill the cells of the human pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Frager, Shalom Z; Chrisman, Cara J; Shakked, Rachel; Casadevall, Arturo

2010-08-01

A fundamental question in the field of medical mycology is the origin of virulence in those fungal pathogens acquired directly from the environment. In recent years, it was proposed that the virulence of certain environmental animal-pathogenic microbes, such as Cryptococcus neoformans, originated from selection pressures caused by species-specific predation. In this study, we analyzed the interaction of C. neoformans with three Paramecium spp., all of which are ciliated mobile protists. In contrast to the interaction with amoebae, some Paramecium spp. rapidly ingested C. neoformans and killed the fungus. This study establishes yet another type of protist-fungal interaction supporting the notion that animal-pathogenic fungi in the environment are under constant selection by predation.

Extracellular glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored mannoproteins and proteases of Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Eigenheer, Richard A; Jin Lee, Young; Blumwald, Eduardo; Phinney, Brett S; Gelli, Angie

2007-06-01

Extracellular proteins of Cryptococcus neoformans are involved in the pathogenesis of cryptococcosis, and some are immunoreactive antigens that may potentially serve as candidates for vaccine development. To further study the extracellular proteome of the human fungal pathogen Cry. neoformans, we conducted a proteomic analysis of secreted and cell wall-bound proteins with an acapsular strain of Cry. neoformans. Proteins were identified from both intact cells and cell walls. In both cases, extracellular proteins were removed with trypsin or beta-glucanase, and then all proteins/peptides were purified by solid-phase extraction, spin dialysis, and HPLC, and identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. This study identified 29 extracellular proteins with a predicted N-terminal signal sequence and also a predicted glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor motif in more than half. Among the novel proteins identified were five glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins with extensive Ser/Thr-rich regions but no apparent functional domains, a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored aspartic protease, and a metalloprotease with structural similarity to an elastinolytic metalloprotease of Aspergillus fumigatus. This study suggests that Cry. neoformans has the machinery required to target glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins to the cell wall, and it confirms the extracellular proteolytic ability of Cry. neoformans.

Sterylglucoside catabolism in Cryptococcus neoformans with endoglycoceramidase-related protein 2 (EGCrP2), the first steryl-β-glucosidase identified in fungi.

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Watanabe, Takashi; Ito, Tomoharu; Goda, Hatsumi M; Ishibashi, Yohei; Miyamoto, Tomofumi; Ikeda, Kazutaka; Taguchi, Ryo; Okino, Nozomu; Ito, Makoto

2015-01-09

Cryptococcosis is an infectious disease caused by pathogenic fungi, such as Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. The ceramide structure (methyl-d18:2/h18:0) of C. neoformans glucosylceramide (GlcCer) is characteristic and strongly related to its pathogenicity. We recently identified endoglycoceramidase-related protein 1 (EGCrP1) as a glucocerebrosidase in C. neoformans and showed that it was involved in the quality control of GlcCer by eliminating immature GlcCer during the synthesis of GlcCer (Ishibashi, Y., Ikeda, K., Sakaguchi, K., Okino, N., Taguchi, R., and Ito, M. (2012) Quality control of fungus-specific glucosylceramide in Cryptococcus neoformans by endoglycoceramidase-related protein 1 (EGCrP1). J. Biol. Chem. 287, 368-381). We herein identified and characterized EGCrP2, a homologue of EGCrP1, as the enzyme responsible for sterylglucoside catabolism in C. neoformans. In contrast to EGCrP1, which is specific to GlcCer, EGCrP2 hydrolyzed various β-glucosides, including GlcCer, cholesteryl-β-glucoside, ergosteryl-β-glucoside, sitosteryl-β-glucoside, and para-nitrophenyl-β-glucoside, but not α-glucosides or β-galactosides, under acidic conditions. Disruption of the EGCrP2 gene (egcrp2) resulted in the accumulation of a glycolipid, the structure of which was determined following purification to ergosteryl-3β-glucoside, a major sterylglucoside in fungi, by mass spectrometric and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. This glycolipid accumulated in vacuoles and EGCrP2 was detected in vacuole-enriched fraction. These results indicated that EGCrP2 was involved in the catabolism of ergosteryl-β-glucoside in the vacuoles of C. neoformans. Distinct growth arrest, a dysfunction in cell budding, and an abnormal vacuole morphology were detected in the egcrp2-disrupted mutants, suggesting that EGCrP2 may be a promising target for anti-cryptococcal drugs. EGCrP2, classified into glycohydrolase family 5, is the first steryl

Acceptance test report for portable exhauster POR-008/Skid F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kriskovich, J.R.

1998-01-01

Portable Exhauster POR-008 was procured via HNF-0490, Specification for a Portable Exhausted System for Waste Tank Ventilation. Prior to taking ownership, acceptance testing was performed at the vendors. However at the conclusion of testing a number of issues remained that required resolution before the exhausters could be used by Project W-320. The purpose of acceptance testing documented by this report was to demonstrate compliance of the exhausters with the performance criteria established within HNF-O49O, Rev. 1 following a repair and upgrade effort at Hanford. In addition, data obtained during this testing is required for the resolution of outstanding Non-conformance Reports (NCR), and finally, to demonstrate the functionality of the associated software for the pressure control and high vacuum exhauster operating modes provided for by W-320. Additional testing not required by the ATP was also performed to assist in the disposition and close out of receiving inspection report and for application design information (system curve). Results of this testing are also captured within this document

Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans from bird droppings, fruits and vegetables in Mexico City.

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López-Martínez, R; Castañón-Olivares, L R

1995-01-01

The presence of Cryptococcus neoformans in various natural sources, such as bird droppings, fruits and vegetables, was investigated. A total of 711 samples were analyzed; C. neoformans var. neoformans was isolated from seven out of 74 bird droppings (9.5%), with parrots as one of the most significant sources. Fruits were positive in 9.5% of the 169 samples studied, specially citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, in which the highest frequency was found. From the 468 vegetable samples, only 20 were positive (4.2%). It is emphasized that five of the positive vegetables species are autochthonous to Mexico: avocado (Nectandra salicifolia), beet (Beta vulgaris var. quinopodiace), chayote (Sechium edule), stringbean (Cassia sp), and nopal (Opuntia ficus-indica).

First report of urease activity in the novel systemic fungal pathogen Emergomyces africanus: a comparison with the neurotrope Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Lerm, Barbra; Kenyon, Chris; Schwartz, Ilan S; Kroukamp, Heinrich; de Witt, Riaan; Govender, Nelesh P; de Hoog, G Sybren; Botha, Alfred

2017-11-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for the AIDS-defining illness, cryptococcal meningitis. During the disease process, entry of cryptococcal cells into the brain is facilitated by virulence factors that include urease enzyme activity. A novel species of an Emmonsia-like fungus, recently named Emergomyces africanus, was identified as a cause of disseminated mycosis in HIV-infected persons in South Africa. However, in contrast to C. neoformans, the enzymes produced by this fungus, some of which may be involved in pathogenesis, have not been described. Using a clinical isolate of C. neoformans as a reference, the study aim was to confirm, characterise and quantify urease activity in E. africanus clinical isolates. Urease activity was tested using Christensen's urea agar, after which the presence of a urease gene in the genome of E. africanus was confirmed using gene sequence analysis. Subsequent evaluation of colorimetric enzyme assay data, using Michaelis-Menten enzyme kinetics, revealed similarities between the substrate affinity of the urease enzyme produced by E. africanus (Km ca. 26.0 mM) and that of C. neoformans (Km ca. 20.6 mM). However, the addition of 2.5 g/l urea to the culture medium stimulated urease activity of E. africanus, whereas nutrient limitation notably increased cryptococcal urease activity. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Criptococose pulmonar granulomatosa em um eqüino Granulomatous cryptococcal pneumonia in a horse

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Glaucia Denise Kommers

2005-08-01

Full Text Available Descreve-se um caso de pneumonia granulomatosa por Cryptococcus neoformans em um eqüino, macho, Quarto de Milha, de 8 anos de idade com história de laminite crônica por 2 anos. Na necropsia, havia múltiplos nódulos macios e gelatinosos distribuídos aleatoriamente nos pulmões. Histologicamente, observaram-se cavidades císticas preenchidas por numerosas estruturas leveduriformes circundadas por um espesso halo claro e por reação inflamatória granulomatosa leve. Em seções coradas por azul alciano e PAS, observou-se densa cápsula mucinosa circundando estruturas leveduriformes com morfologia típica de C. neoformans.A case of cryptococcal granulomatous pneumonia is described in an 8-year-old, male, Quarter Horse with chronic laminitis of 2 years duration. Multiple soft gelatinous nodules were randomly distributed in the lungs. Microscopically, there were cavities filled with numerous yeast-like organisms surrounded by a clear halo and evoking a mild granulomatous reaction. An Alcian blue- and PAS-positive mucinous capsule surrounded the yeast-like structures morphologically typical of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Lesão cerebral penetrante por grande fragmento de fibra de amianto tratada por craniectomia descompressiva: relato de caso Penetrating brain injury due to a large asbestos fragment treated by decompressive craniectomy: case report

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Gustavo Cardoso de Andrade

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Relata-se caso de paciente de 22 anos vítima de traumatismo cranioencefálico penetrante por fragmento de fibra de amianto medindo 15 x 12 cm, e seu tratamento bem sucedido por craniectomia descompressiva. Ao contrário da lesão encefálica por projétil de arma de fogo, lesão encefálica penetrante por objeto de baixa energia é incomum. A maioria dos casos relatados na literatura envolve lesões cranio-orbitárias ou autoflagelação em pacientes psiquiátricos. O caso relatado torna-se especial em virtude das grandes dimensões do objeto penetrante, do tratamento por craniectomia descompressiva e do bom resultado funcional alcançado.We report the case of a 22-year-old man victim of penetrating brain injury due to a 15 x 12 asbestos fragment and a successfully treatment via decompressive craniectomy. Unlike gunshot wounds to the head, penetrating brain injury from low energy objects are unusual. Most cases reported involve cranio-orbitary injuries as well as self inflicted lesions in mentally ill patients. The reported case is noteworthy due to the large dimensions of the foreign body, the treatment via decompressive craniectomy and the good patient functional outcome.

Interaction of Cryptococcus neoformans Rim101 and protein kinase A regulates capsule.

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Teresa R O'Meara

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is a prevalent human fungal pathogen that must survive within various tissues in order to establish a human infection. We have identified the C. neoformans Rim101 transcription factor, a highly conserved pH-response regulator in many fungal species. The rim101 multiply sign in circle mutant strain displays growth defects similar to other fungal species in the presence of alkaline pH, increased salt concentrations, and iron limitation. However, the rim101 multiply sign in circle strain is also characterized by a striking defect in capsule, an important virulence-associated phenotype. This capsular defect is likely due to alterations in polysaccharide attachment to the cell surface, not in polysaccharide biosynthesis. In contrast to many other C. neoformans capsule-defective strains, the rim101 multiply sign in circle mutant is hypervirulent in animal models of cryptococcosis. Whereas Rim101 activation in other fungal species occurs through the conserved Rim pathway, we demonstrate that C. neoformans Rim101 is also activated by the cAMP/PKA pathway. We report here that C. neoformans uses PKA and the Rim pathway to regulate the localization, activation, and processing of the Rim101 transcription factor. We also demonstrate specific host-relevant activating conditions for Rim101 cleavage, showing that C. neoformans has co-opted conserved signaling pathways to respond to the specific niche within the infected host. These results establish a novel mechanism for Rim101 activation and the integration of two conserved signaling cascades in response to host environmental conditions.

Reporte de cinco casos de malaria neonatal grave por Plasmodium vivax en Urabá, Colombia

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Juan Gabriel Piñeros

2008-12-01

Conclusión. Se trata de un reporte de cinco casos de malaria neonatal grave por P. vivax, especie que habitualmente no se relaciona con complicaciones, sin que existiera en ningún caso la sospecha clínica y con tratamiento inadecuado.

PRM1 and KAR5 function in cell-cell fusion and karyogamy to drive distinct bisexual and unisexual cycles in the Cryptococcus pathogenic species complex.

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Ci Fu

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Sexual reproduction is critical for successful evolution of eukaryotic organisms in adaptation to changing environments. In the opportunistic human fungal pathogens, the Cryptococcus pathogenic species complex, C. neoformans primarily undergoes bisexual reproduction, while C. deneoformans undergoes both unisexual and bisexual reproduction. During both unisexual and bisexual cycles, a common set of genetic circuits regulates a yeast-to-hyphal morphological transition, that produces either monokaryotic or dikaryotic hyphae. As such, both the unisexual and bisexual cycles can generate genotypic and phenotypic diversity de novo. Despite the similarities between these two cycles, genetic and morphological differences exist, such as the absence of an opposite mating-type partner and monokaryotic instead of dikaryotic hyphae during C. deneoformans unisexual cycle. To better understand the similarities and differences between these modes of sexual reproduction, we focused on two cellular processes involved in sexual reproduction: cell-cell fusion and karyogamy. We identified orthologs of the plasma membrane fusion protein Prm1 and the nuclear membrane fusion protein Kar5 in both Cryptococcus species, and demonstrated their conserved roles in cell fusion and karyogamy during C. deneoformans α-α unisexual reproduction and C. deneoformans and C. neoformans a-α bisexual reproduction. Notably, karyogamy occurs inside the basidum during bisexual reproduction in C. neoformans, but often occurs earlier following cell fusion during bisexual reproduction in C. deneoformans. Characterization of these two genes also showed that cell fusion is dispensable for solo unisexual reproduction in C. deneoformans. The blastospores produced along hyphae during C. deneoformans unisexual reproduction are diploid, suggesting that diploidization occurs early during hyphal development, possibly through either an endoreplication pathway or cell fusion-independent karyogamy

Endogenous endophthalmitis caused by Cryptococcus neoformans Var. Gattii mimicking choroidal tumor: From positron-emission tomography/computed tomography to histopathology

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Chun-Ju Lin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A 60-year-old immunocompetent female with pneumonia history about 10 years ago suffered from blurred vision overall survival for 3 weeks. Common cold with headache and unintentional body weight loss was also noted recently. Choroidal detachment simulating choroidal tumor was observed in the temporal quadrant. The 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG positron-emission tomography/computed tomography (CT scan showed focal, mild to moderate FDG uptake in the left lateral orbit, and an enhanced lesion was seen on the recent CT scan. The suspicious choroidal tumor became larger in a week. Phacoemulsification, vitrectomy, and retinal biopsies were performed. Histochemical study of the retinal specimens established the diagnosis of endogenous cryptococcal endophthalmitis. Vitreous culture yielded Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii. Systemic and topical voriconazole eliminated the infection. In the literature, endogenous endophthalmitis caused by C. neoformans var. gattii has not been reported in detail. The key to successful management lies in early diagnosis. If clinical improvement could not be achieved after conventional management and imaging studies have failed to yield a definite diagnosis, retinal biopsy can be considered.

Cryptococcus gattii urease as a virulence factor and the relevance of enzymatic activity in cryptococcosis pathogenesis.

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Feder, Vanessa; Kmetzsch, Lívia; Staats, Charley Christian; Vidal-Figueiredo, Natalia; Ligabue-Braun, Rodrigo; Carlini, Célia Regina; Vainstein, Marilene Henning

2015-04-01

Ureases (EC 3.5.1.5) are Ni(2+) -dependent metalloenzymes produced by plants, fungi and bacteria that hydrolyze urea to produce ammonia and CO2 . The insertion of nickel atoms into the apo-urease is better characterized in bacteria, and requires at least three accessory proteins: UreD, UreF, and UreG. Our group has demonstrated that ureases possess ureolytic activity-independent biological properties that could contribute to the pathogenicity of urease-producing microorganisms. The presence of urease in pathogenic bacteria strongly correlates with pathogenesis in some human diseases. Some medically important fungi also produce urease, including Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii. C. gattii is an etiological agent of cryptococcosis, most often affecting immunocompetent individuals. The cryptococcal urease might play an important role in pathogenesis. It has been proposed that ammonia produced via urease action might damage the host endothelium, which would enable yeast transmigration towards the central nervous system. To analyze the role of urease as a virulence factor in C. gattii, we constructed knockout mutants for the structural urease-coding gene URE1 and for genes that code the accessory proteins Ure4 and Ure6. All knockout mutants showed reduced multiplication within macrophages. In intranasally infected mice, the ure1Δ (lacking urease protein) and ure4Δ (enzymatically inactive apo-urease) mutants caused reduced blood burdens and a delayed time of death, whereas the ure6Δ (enzymatically inactive apo-urease) mutant showed time and dose dependency with regard to fungal burden. Our results suggest that C. gattii urease plays an important role in virulence, in part possibly through enzyme activity-independent mechanism(s). © 2015 FEBS.

PENAPISAN KHAMIR SELULOLITIK CRYPTOCOCCUS SP. YANG DIISOLASI DARI TANAH KEBUN BIOLOGI WAMENA, JAYA WIJAYA, PROPINSI PAPUA

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Atit Kanti

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus sp. was isolated from Kebun Biologi Wamena, Papua. The isolate was able to grow in media with carboxymethyl cellulose as a sole carbon source implying that isolate produced 1-3 ? endo-glucanase. To study the effect of glucose and osmotic pressure, 0.1 % glucose and 0.1 % NaCl were amended into the medium containing CMC. Glucose significantly affected cellulolytic activity and biomass synthesis. At the beginning of cell cultivation glucose augmentation appear to slightly inhibit enzyme activity. Sodium chloride also significantly affected cellulolytic activity. Profile of pH varied dependent on cultivation media. Maximum growth of biomass was achieved after glucose addition, indicating that glucose stimulated cell growth.

Vasculitis inducida por metimazol: Reporte de caso

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Miguel Pinto

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Se reporta el caso de una paciente con enfermedad de Graves, que presentó vasculitis asociada al uso de metimazol. Mujer de 14 años, que acudió a consulta por presentar intolerancia al calor, tremor distal y palpitaciones. El examen físico mostró bocio difuso, y el perfil tiroideo, TSH suprimida y hormonas tiroideas elevadas. Los anticuerpos antiperoxidasa tiroidea fueron positivos. Se inició tratamiento con metimazol y beta bloqueadores. Después de 20 días, la paciente regresó por presentar malestar general, fiebre, poliartralgia, lesiones cutáneas maculopapulares y edema de miembros inferiores. Los anticuerpos antinucleares fueron negativos y los anticuerpos anticitoplasma de los neutrófilos (ANCA, positivos. Se suspendió el metimazol y se inició prednisona. Después de 10 días de tratamiento, las molestias desaparecieron y la paciente recibió I 131.Las vasculitis asociadas al uso de tionamidas son poco frecuentes, no dependen de la dosis y están asociadas a la presencia de anticuerpos tipo ANCA. Clásicamente, afectan a los vasos pequeños de la piel; sin embargo, también pueden afectar los riñones y pulmones. El cuadro clínico se caracteriza por artralgias y mialgias. En algunos casos puede ocurrir insuficiencia renal de grado variable. En la mayoría de casos, el cuadro remite con la suspensión de la droga; pero, en algunos se requiere el uso de glucocorticoides o inmunosupresores.(Rev Med Hered 2011;22:147-150.

Micetoma pulmonar por Scedosporium sp, reporte de dos casos

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José G. Somocurcio

2009-07-01

Full Text Available Se reporta los dos primeros casos de micetoma pulmonar por Scedosporium sp, en el Perú, tratados quirúrgicamente en el Hospital Nacional Hipólito Unanue. Se practicó resección pulmonar debido a micetoma pulmonar de donde se tomó muestras que fueron enviadas a microbiología y anatomía patológica para cultivo y estudio histopatológico. Se identificó el moho Scedosporium sp en dos pacientes con secuelas cavitarias por tuberculosis, quienes presentaron tos y hemoptisis de dos meses y tres años de evolución, respectivamente. Radiológicamente las cavidades estaban ocupadas por una "bola fúngica". La histopatología indicó presencia de abundantes hifas, indistinguibles de las de Aspergillus sp, mientras que la inmunodifusión para Aspergillus fue negativa.

Cryptococcus neoformans modulates extracellular killing by neutrophils

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Asfia eQureshi

2011-09-01

Full Text Available We recently established a key role for host sphingomyelin synthase (SMS in the regulation of the killing activity of neutrophils against Cryptococcus neoformans. In this work, we studied the effect of C. neoformans on the killing activity of neutrophils and whether SMS would still be a player against C. neoformans in immunocompromised mice lacking T and NK cells (Tgε26 mice. To this end, we analyzed whether C. neoformans would have any effect on neutrophil survival and killing in vitro and in vivo. We show that unlike C. albicans, neither the presence nor the capsule size of C. neoformans cells have any effect on neutrophil viability. Interestingly, melanized C. neoformans cells totally abrogated the killing activity of neutrophils. Next, we monitored how exposure of neutrophils to C. neoformans cells would interfere with any further killing activity of the medium and found that pre-incubation with live but not heat-killed fungal cells significantly inhibits further killing activity of the medium. We next studied whether activation of SMS at the site of C. neoformans infection is dependent on T and NK cells. Using matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization (MALDI tissue imaging in infected lung we found that similarly to previous observations in the isogenic wild type CBA/J mice, SM 16:0 levels are significantly elevated at the site of infection in mice lacking T and NK cells but only at early time points. This study highlights that C. neoformans may negatively regulate the killing activity of neutrophils and that SMS activation in neutrophils appears to be partially independent of T and/or NK cells.

Terbinafine inhibits Cryptococcus neoformans growth and modulates fungal morphology

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Caroline Rezende Guerra

2012-08-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated fungus that causes cryptococcosis. Central nervous system infection is the most common clinical presentation followed by pulmonary, skin and eye manifestations. Cryptococcosis is primarily treated with amphotericin B (AMB, fluconazole (FLC and itraconazole (ITC. In the present work, we evaluated the in vitro effect of terbinafine (TRB, an antifungal not commonly used to treat cryptococcosis. We specifically examined the effects of TRB, either alone or in conjunction with AMB, FLC and ITC, on clinical C. neoformans isolates, including some isolates resistant to AMB and ITC. Broth microdilution assays showed that TRB was the most effective drug in vitro. Antifungal combinations demonstrated synergism of TRB with AMB, FLC and ITC. The drug concentrations used for the combination formulations were as much as 32 and 16-fold lower than the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC values of FLC and AMB alone, respectively. In addition, calcofluor white staining revealed the presence of true septa in hyphae structures that were generated after drug treatment. Ultrastructural analyses demonstrated several alterations in response to drug treatment, such as cell wall alterations, plasma membrane detachment, presence of several cytoplasmic vacuoles and mitochondrial swelling. Therefore, we believe that the use of TRB alone or in combination with AMB and azoles should be explored as an alternative treatment for cryptococcosis patients who do not respond to standard therapies.

[Clinical problems in medical mycology: Problem number 51].

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Romero, Mercedes; Messina, Fernando; Marín, Emmanuel; Arechavala, Alicia; Negroni, Ricardo; Depardo, Roxana; Walker, Laura; Benchetrit, Andrés; Santiso, Gabriela

A 48 year-old immunocompetent woman, who had a nodular lesion in the neck and a dense infiltrate at the lower lobe of the left lung, presented at the Mycology Unit of Muñiz Hospital of Buenos Aires City. The pulmonary infiltrate disappeared spontaneously 3 months later. The histopathological study of the nodular lesion showed capsulated yeasts (mucicarmin and alcian blue positive stains) compatible with Cryptococcus. The mycological study of a new sample, obtained by a nodular puncture, allowed the isolation of yeasts, identified as Cryptococcus gattii (VGII). Latex test for Cryptococcus capsular antigen in serum was positive (1/100). CSF cultures rendered negative results. Fluconazole at a daily dose of 800mg was given during 45 days with partial improvement; as cultures from a new clinical sample were positive for Cryptococcus, the antimycotic was changed to itraconazole 400mg/day for 5 months, with an excellent clinical response. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Gene Network Polymorphism Illuminates Loss and Retention of Novel RNAi Silencing Components in the Cryptococcus Pathogenic Species Complex.

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Marianna Feretzaki

2016-03-01

Full Text Available RNAi is a ubiquitous pathway that serves central functions throughout eukaryotes, including maintenance of genome stability and repression of transposon expression and movement. However, a number of organisms have lost their RNAi pathways, including the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis, the human pathogen Cryptococcus deuterogattii, and some human parasite pathogens, suggesting there may be adaptive benefits associated with both retention and loss of RNAi. By comparing the RNAi-deficient genome of the Pacific Northwest Outbreak C. deuterogattii strain R265 with the RNAi-proficient genomes of the Cryptococcus pathogenic species complex, we identified a set of conserved genes that were lost in R265 and all other C. deuterogattii isolates examined. Genetic and molecular analyses reveal several of these lost genes play roles in RNAi pathways. Four novel components were examined further. Znf3 (a zinc finger protein and Qip1 (a homolog of N. crassa Qip were found to be essential for RNAi, while Cpr2 (a constitutive pheromone receptor and Fzc28 (a transcription factor are involved in sex-induced but not mitosis-induced silencing. Our results demonstrate that the mitotic and sex-induced RNAi pathways rely on the same core components, but sex-induced silencing may be a more specific, highly induced variant that involves additional specialized or regulatory components. Our studies further illustrate how gene network polymorphisms involving known components of key cellular pathways can inform identification of novel elements and suggest that RNAi loss may have been a core event in the speciation of C. deuterogattii and possibly contributed to its pathogenic trajectory.

Ancient dispersal of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii from the Amazon rainforest.

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Hagen, Ferry; Ceresini, Paulo C; Polacheck, Itzhack; Ma, Hansong; van Nieuwerburgh, Filip; Gabaldón, Toni; Kagan, Sarah; Pursall, E Rhiannon; Hoogveld, Hans L; van Iersel, Leo J J; Klau, Gunnar W; Kelk, Steven M; Stougie, Leen; Bartlett, Karen H; Voelz, Kerstin; Pryszcz, Leszek P; Castañeda, Elizabeth; Lazera, Marcia; Meyer, Wieland; Deforce, Dieter; Meis, Jacques F; May, Robin C; Klaassen, Corné H W; Boekhout, Teun

2013-01-01

Over the past two decades, several fungal outbreaks have occurred, including the high-profile 'Vancouver Island' and 'Pacific Northwest' outbreaks, caused by Cryptococcus gattii, which has affected hundreds of otherwise healthy humans and animals. Over the same time period, C. gattii was the cause of several additional case clusters at localities outside of the tropical and subtropical climate zones where the species normally occurs. In every case, the causative agent belongs to a previously rare genotype of C. gattii called AFLP6/VGII, but the origin of the outbreak clades remains enigmatic. Here we used phylogenetic and recombination analyses, based on AFLP and multiple MLST datasets, and coalescence gene genealogy to demonstrate that these outbreaks have arisen from a highly-recombining C. gattii population in the native rainforest of Northern Brazil. Thus the modern virulent C. gattii AFLP6/VGII outbreak lineages derived from mating events in South America and then dispersed to temperate regions where they cause serious infections in humans and animals.

Hipotiroidismo inducido por Amiodarona: Reporte de caso

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Jorge Luis Salinas Arce

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Se describe el caso de una mujer de 57 años de edad, con diagnóstico de síndrome de Wolf Parkinson White, en tratamiento con amiodarona 200 mg/día; que acudió por presentar palpitaciones, fatiga y aumento de sueño. Al examen físico no se encontró bocio, pero los reflejos osteotendinosos estaban prolongados. Los exámenes auxiliares mostraron TSH elevado, T4 libre disminuido y anticuerpos antiperoxidasa tiroidea negativos. Se suspendió la amiodarona y se inició levotiroxina. Después de dos meses; los niveles de TSH y T4 libre eran normales y la paciente no presentaba molestias. La amiodarona está asociada a diversos efectos adversos que pueden limitar su uso. Entre estos efectos adversos, se describe el hipotiroidismo inducido, que se caracteriza por TSH elevado, T4 libre disminuido y síntomas inespecíficos como fatiga, intolerancia al frío y piel seca. El tratamiento de elección es la levotiroxina.

Quimiotipagem do Cryptococcus neoformans. Revisão da literatura. Novos dados epidemiológicos sobre a criptococose. Nossa experiência com o emprego do meio de C.G.B. no estudo daquela levedura Biotyping of Cryptococcus neoformans. Review of the literature. New epidemiologic informations about cryptococcosis. Our experience with the utilization of C.G.B medium in this yeast

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Natalina Takahashi de Melo

1993-10-01

Full Text Available O presente trabalho, além da revisão da literatura sobre quimiotipagem do C. neoformans, com novos dados sobre a epidemiologia da criptococose, teve por finalidade principal a caracterização das duas variedades desta levedura em pacientes com neurocriptococose, HIV + e HIV -. As variedades neoformans e gattii estão hoje bem definidas bioquimicamente, com o emprego do meio C.G.B., proposto por KWON-CHUNG et al. (1982 24. O isolamento do C. neoformans var. gattii das flores e folhas do Eucalyptus camaldulensis e do Eucalyptus tereticornis, na Austrália, através dos trabalhos de ELLIS & PFEIFFER (199016 e PFEIFFER & ELLIS (199241, possibilitou investigações epidemiológicas das mais interessantes sobre este microrganismo, levedura capsulada a qual SANFELICE50, 51, na Itália, em 1894 e 1895 despertou a atenção do meio médico. BUSSE8, em 1894, descrevia o primeiro caso de criptococose humana sob a forma de lesão óssea, simulando sarcoma. As pesquisas nacionais sobre o assunto em foco foram destacadas, seguindo-se a experiência dos Autores com o meio de C.G.B. (L - canavanina, glicina e azul de bromotimol. Foi possível, através deste meio o estudo de 50 amostras de líquor, sendo 39 procedentes de aidéticos (78% e 11 de não aidéticos (22%. De pacientes HIV+, 37 (74% foram identificados como C. neoformans var. neoformans e 2 (4% como C. neoformans var. gattii. Dos HIV- 8 ( 16% foram classificados como C. neoformans var. neoformans e 3 (6% como C. neoformans var. gattii. Através deste trabalho, evidencia-se a importância da neurocriptococose, principalmente entre os aidéticos, demonstrando-se mais uma vez o interesse do meio CGB na quimiotipagem do C. neoformans em suas duas variedades, ganhando em importância a demonstração de que duas espécies de eucalipto podem funcionar como "árvores-hospedeiras" para o Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii.The purpose of this work was to collect the main information from the literature

Muerte materna por malaria grave por Plasmodium vivax

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Nancy Arróspide

Full Text Available Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 19 años con 29 semanas de gestación, procedente de Llumpe (Ancash con antecedentes de viajes a las localidades de Chanchamayo (Junín y Rinconada (Ancash. Ingresó al Hospital de Chacas (Ancash por presentar mal estado general, deshidratación, dificultad respiratoria, ictericia, sensación de alza térmica y dolor abdominal, tuvo reporte de: hemoparásitos 60% en frotis sanguíneo. Fue transferida al Hospital Ramos Guardia (Huaraz donde presentó mayor dificultad respiratoria, coluria, hematuria, disminución del débito urinario y reporte de Plasmodium (+, luego fue transferida al Hospital Cayetano Heredia (Lima donde ingresó a la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI, con evolución a falla multiorgánica, óbito fetal y muerte materna. Se confirmó infección por Plasmodium vivax. Destacamos la importancia de mejorar nuestras capacidades de diagnóstico y manejo para brindar un tratamiento adecuado y oportuno.

Queratitis causada por Paecilomyces lilacinus. Reporte de un caso

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Alejandro del Castillo Ruiz

2016-01-01

Conclusiones: La queratitis micótica es una infección corneal muy seria, de evolución tórpida, que puede causar ceguera. Comúnmente se desarrolla en pacientes después de un trauma o en aquellos con una superficie corneal comprometida. Voriconazol se ha referido como un fármaco útil para el tratamiento de úlceras corneales causadas por Paecilomyces lilacinus con muy buena penetración a estroma, acuoso y vítreo por vía oral y tópica. Un diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos fueron esenciales en este caso de queratitis micótica para su resolución.

Carbon dioxide is a powerful inducer of monokaryotic hyphae and spore development in Cryptococcus gattii and carbonic anhydrase activity is dispensable in this dimorphic transition.

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Ren, Ping; Chaturvedi, Vishnu; Chaturvedi, Sudha

2014-01-01

Cryptococcus gattii is unique among human pathogenic fungi with specialized ecological niche on trees. Since leaves concentrate CO2, we investigated the role of this gaseous molecule in C. gattii biology and virulence. We focused on the genetic analyses of β-carbonic anhydrase (β-CA) encoded by C. gattii CAN1 and CAN2 as later is critical for CO2 sensing in a closely related pathogen C. neoformans. High CO2 conditions induced robust development of monokaryotic hyphae and spores in C. gattii. Conversely, high CO2 completely repressed hyphae development in sexual mating. Both CAN1 and CAN2 were dispensable for CO2 induced morphogenetic transitions. However, C. gattii CAN2 was essential for growth in ambient air similar to its reported role in C. neoformans. Both can1 and can2 mutants retained full pathogenic potential in vitro and in vivo. These results provide insight into C. gattii adaptation for arboreal growth and production of infectious propagules by β-CA independent mechanism(s).

Cryptococcus neoformans sexual reproduction is controlled by a quorum sensing peptide.

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Tian, Xiuyun; He, Guang-Jun; Hu, Pengjie; Chen, Lei; Tao, Changyu; Cui, Ying-Lu; Shen, Lan; Ke, Weixin; Xu, Haijiao; Zhao, Youbao; Xu, Qijiang; Bai, Fengyan; Wu, Bian; Yang, Ence; Lin, Xiaorong; Wang, Linqi

2018-06-01

Bacterial quorum sensing is a well-characterized communication system that governs a large variety of collective behaviours. By comparison, quorum sensing regulation in eukaryotic microbes remains poorly understood, especially its functional role in eukaryote-specific behaviours, such as sexual reproduction. Cryptococcus neoformans is a prevalent fungal pathogen that has two defined sexual cycles (bisexual and unisexual) and is a model organism for studying sexual reproduction in fungi. Here, we show that the quorum sensing peptide Qsp1 serves as an important signalling molecule for both forms of sexual reproduction. Qsp1 orchestrates various differentiation and molecular processes, including meiosis, the hallmark of sexual reproduction. It activates bisexual mating, at least in part through the control of pheromone, a signal necessary for bisexual activation. Notably, Qsp1 also plays a major role in the intercellular regulation of unisexual initiation and coordination, in which pheromone is not strictly required. Through a multi-layered genetic screening approach, we identified the atypical zinc finger regulator Cqs2 as an important component of the Qsp1 signalling cascade during both bisexual and unisexual reproduction. The absence of Cqs2 eliminates the Qsp1-stimulated mating response. Together, these findings extend the range of behaviours governed by quorum sensing to sexual development and meiosis.

Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and other opportunistic fungi from pigeon droppings.

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Soltani, Maryam; Bayat, Mansour; Hashemi, Seyed J; Zia, Mohammadali; Pestechian, Nader

2013-01-01

Invasive fungal infections cause considerable morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts. Pigeon droppings could especially be a potential carrier in the spread of pathogenic yeasts and mold fungi into the environment. The objective of this study was to isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and other opportunistic fungi from pigeon droppings. One hundred twenty samples of pigeon droppings were suspended 1:10 in saline solution and then cultured. Identification of C. neoformans was performed on bird seed agar, presence of a capsule on India ink preparation, urease production on urea agar medium and RapID yeast plus system. The identification of candida species was based on micro-morphological analysis on corn meal-Tween 80 agar, RapID yeast plus system and growth in CHROMagar candida. The identification of other fungi was based on macromorphologic, microscopic, biochemical and physiological characteristics. The highest frequency of yeasts and mold fungi were observed in Candida albicans 6.6% and Penicillium spp. 25%. The frequency rate of C. neoformans isolation was 2.5%. Several types of fungi are present in pigeon droppings that can spread in environment and transmit to children and elderly as well as immunocompromised patients who are at increased risk of contracting opportunistic diseases.

Isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and other opportunistic fungi from pigeon droppings

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Maryam Soltani

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Invasive fungal infections cause considerable morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised hosts. Pigeon droppings could especially be a potential carrier in the spread of pathogenic yeasts and mold fungi into the environment. The objective of this study was to isolation of Cryptococcus neoformans and other opportunistic fungi from pigeon droppings. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty samples of pigeon droppings were suspended 1:10 in saline solution and then cultured. Identification of C. neoformans was performed on bird seed agar, presence of a capsule on India ink preparation, urease production on urea agar medium and RapID yeast plus system. The identification of candida species was based on micro-morphological analysis on corn meal-Tween 80 agar, RapID yeast plus system and growth in CHROMagar candida. The identification of other fungi was based on macromorphologic, microscopic, biochemical and physiological characteristics. Results: The highest frequency of yeasts and mold fungi were observed in Candida albicans 6.6% and Penicillium spp. 25%. The frequency rate of C. neoformans isolation was 2.5%. Conclusion: Several types of fungi are present in pigeon droppings that can spread in environment and transmit to children and elderly as well as immunocompromised patients who are at increased risk of contracting opportunistic diseases.

Cryptococcus gattii: Emergence in Western North America: Exploitation of a Novel Ecological Niche

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Kausik Datta

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The relatively uncommon fungal pathogen Cryptococcus gattii recently emerged as a significant cause of cryptococcal disease in human and animals in the Pacific Northwest of North America. Although genetic studies indicated its possible presence in the Pacific Northwest for more than 30 years, C. gattii as an etiological agent was largely unknown in this region prior to 1999. The recent emergence may have been encouraged by changing conditions of climate or land use and/or host susceptibility, and predictive ecological niche modeling indicates a potentially wider spread. C. gattii can survive wide climatic variations and colonize the environment in tropical, subtropical, temperate, and dry climates. Long-term climate changes, such as the significantly elevated global temperature in the last 100 years, influence patterns of disease among plants and animals and create niche microclimates habitable by emerging pathogens. C. gattii may have exploited such a hitherto unrecognized but clement environment in the Pacific Northwest to provide a wider exposure and risk of infection to human and animal populations.

E-NTPDase and E-ADA activities in rats experimental infected by Cryptococcus neoformans.

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de Azevedo, Maria Isabel; Ferreiro, Laerte; Da Silva, Aleksandro S; Tonin, Alexandre A; Ruchel, Jader B; Rezer, João F P; França, Raqueli T; Zimmermann, Carine E P; Leal, Daniela B R; Duarte, Marta M M F; Lopes, Sonia T A; Flores, Mariana M; Fighera, Rafael; Santurio, Janio M

2014-11-07

Cryptococcus neoformans, the etiological agent of cryptococcosis, is an opportunistic fungal pathogen of immunocompromised individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activities of E-NTPDase and E-ADA in rats experimentally infected by C. neoformans var. grubii. Adult rats (35) were divided in two groups: 18 for the control group (uninfected) (A), and 17 for the infected group (B). Each group was separated into three sub-groups (A1, A2, A3-B1, B2, B3), and samples were collected on 10, 20, and 30 days post-infection (PI). Leukocyte counts, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IgM, IgG levels, and E-NTPDase and E-ADA activities were analyzed. It was possible to observe that IgG and IgM seric levels of infected rats were significantly elevated (PADA activity had a significant reduction (PADA activity in lymphocytes increased significantly (PADA), concomitantly with an inflammatory response (increased levels of cytokines and immunoglobulins) associated with inflammatory infiltrates and histological lesions in the lung. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Population Genetic Analysis Reveals a High Genetic Diversity in the Brazilian Cryptococcus gattii VGII Population and Shifts the Global Origin from the Amazon Rainforest to the Semi-arid Desert in the Northeast of Brazil.

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Souto, Ana C P; Bonfietti, Lucas X; Ferreira-Paim, Kennio; Trilles, Luciana; Martins, Marilena; Ribeiro-Alves, Marcelo; Pham, Cau D; Martins, Liline; Dos Santos, Wallace; Chang, Marilene; Brito-Santos, Fabio; Santos, Dayane C S; Fortes, Silvana; Lockhart, Shawn R; Wanke, Bodo; Melhem, Márcia S C; Lazéra, Márcia S; Meyer, Wieland

2016-08-01

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are responsible globally for almost one million cryptococcosis cases yearly, mostly in immunocompromised patients, such as those living with HIV. Infections due to C. gattii have mainly been described in tropical and subtropical regions, but its adaptation to temperate regions was crucial in the species evolution and highlighted the importance of this pathogenic yeast in the context of disease. Cryptococcus gattii molecular type VGII has come to the forefront in connection with an on-going emergence in the Pacific North West of North America. Taking into account that previous work pointed towards South America as an origin of this species, the present work aimed to assess the genetic diversity within the Brazilian C. gattii VGII population in order to gain new insights into its origin and global dispersal from the South American continent using the ISHAM consensus MLST typing scheme. Our results corroborate the finding that the Brazilian C. gattii VGII population is highly diverse. The diversity is likely due to recombination generated from sexual reproduction, as evidenced by the presence of both mating types in clinical and environmental samples. The data presented herein strongly supports the emergence of highly virulent strains from ancestors in the Northern regions of Brazil, Amazonia and the Northeast. Numerous genotypes represent a link between Brazil and other parts of the world reinforcing South America as the most likely origin of the C. gattii VGII subtypes and their subsequent global spread, including their dispersal into North America, where they caused a major emergence.

Utilization of fish meal and fish oil for production of Cryptococcus sp. MTCC 5455 lipase and hydrolysis of polyurethane thereof

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Thirunavukarasu, K.; Purushothaman, S.; Gowthaman, M. K.; Nakajima-Kambe, T.; Rose, C.; Kamini, N. R.

2015-01-01

Fish meal has been used as an additional nitrogen source and fish oil as inducer for the growth and production of lipase from Cryptococcus sp. MTCC 5455. A response surface design illustrated that the optimum factors influencing lipase production were fish meal, 1.5 %, w/v, Na2HPO4, 0.2 %, w/v, yeast extract, 0.25 %, w/v and sardine oil, 2.0 %, w/v with an activity of 71.23 U/mL at 96 h and 25 °C, which was 48.39 % higher than the conventional one-factor-at-a-time method. The crude concentrat...

Cryptococcus neoformans: Tripping on Acid in the phagolysosome

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Carlos Miguel De Leon Rodriguez

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn is a basidiomycetous pathogenic yeast that is a frequent cause of meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. Cn is a facultative intracellular pathogen in mammals, insects and amoeba. Cn infection occurs after inhalation of spores or desiccated cells from the environment. After inhalation Cn localizes to the lungs where it can be phagocytosed by alveolar macrophages. Cn is surrounded by a polysaccharide capsule that helps the fungus survive in vivo by interfering with phagocytosis, quenching free radical bursts and shedding polysaccharides that negatively modulates the immune system. After phagocytosis, Cn resides within the phagosome that matures to become a phagolysosome, a process that results in the acidification of the phagolysosomal lumen. Cn replicates at a higher rate inside macrophages than in the extracellular environment, possibly as a result that the phagosomal pH is near that optimal for growth. Cn increases the phagolysosomal pH and modulates the dynamics of Rab GTPases interaction with the phagolysosome. Chemical manipulation of the phagolysosomal pH with drugs can result in direct and indirect killing of Cn and reduced non-lytic exocytosis. Phagolysosomal membrane damage after Cn infection occurs both in vivo and in vitro, and is required for Cn growth and survival. Macrophage treatment with IFN-γ reduces the phagolysosomal damage and increases intracellular killing of Cn. Studies on mice and humans show that treatment with IFN-γ can improve host control of the disease. However the mechanism by which Cn mediates phagolysosomal membrane damage remains unknown but likely candidates are phospholipases and mechanical damage from an enlarging capsule. Here we review Cn intracellular interaction with a particular emphasis on phagosomal interactions and develop the notion that the extent of damage of the phagosomal membrane is a key determinant of the outcome of the Cn-macrophage interaction.

The Crucial Role of Biofilms in Cryptococcus neoformans Survival within Macrophages and Colonization of the Central Nervous System

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Lilit Aslanyan

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast-like fungus capable of causing life threatening meningoencephalitis in patients with impaired immunity. This microbe primarily infects the host via inhalation but has the ability to disseminate to the central nervous system (CNS either as a single cell or inside of macrophages. Upon traversing the blood brain barrier, C. neoformans has the capacity to form biofilm-like structures known as cryptococcomas. Hence, we will discuss the C. neoformans elements contributing to biofilm formation including the fungus’ ability to survive in the acidic environment of a macrophage phagosome and inside of the CNS. The purpose of this mini-review is to instill fresh interest in understanding the importance of biofilms on fungal pathogenesis.

Structural Insights into the PorK and PorN Components of the Porphyromonas gingivalis Type IX Secretion System.

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Dhana G Gorasia

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The type IX secretion system (T9SS has been recently discovered and is specific to Bacteroidetes species. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen for periodontitis, utilizes the T9SS to transport many proteins including the gingipain virulence factors across the outer membrane and attach them to the cell surface via a sortase-like mechanism. At least 11 proteins have been identified as components of the T9SS including PorK, PorL, PorM, PorN and PorP, however the precise roles of most of these proteins have not been elucidated and the structural organization of these components is unknown. In this study, we purified PorK and PorN complexes from P. gingivalis and using electron microscopy we have shown that PorN and the PorK lipoprotein interact to form a 50 nm diameter ring-shaped structure containing approximately 32-36 subunits of each protein. The formation of these rings was dependent on both PorK and PorN, but was independent of PorL, PorM and PorP. PorL and PorM were found to form a separate stable complex. PorK and PorN were protected from proteinase K cleavage when present in undisrupted cells, but were rapidly degraded when the cells were lysed, which together with bioinformatic analyses suggests that these proteins are exposed in the periplasm and anchored to the outer membrane via the PorK lipid. Chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry analyses confirmed the interaction between PorK and PorN and further revealed that they interact with the PG0189 outer membrane protein. Furthermore, we established that PorN was required for the stable expression of PorK, PorL and PorM. Collectively, these results suggest that the ring-shaped PorK/N complex may form part of the secretion channel of the T9SS. This is the first report showing the structural organization of any T9SS component.

Structural Insights into the PorK and PorN Components of the Porphyromonas gingivalis Type IX Secretion System.

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Gorasia, Dhana G; Veith, Paul D; Hanssen, Eric G; Glew, Michelle D; Sato, Keiko; Yukitake, Hideharu; Nakayama, Koji; Reynolds, Eric C

2016-08-01

The type IX secretion system (T9SS) has been recently discovered and is specific to Bacteroidetes species. Porphyromonas gingivalis, a keystone pathogen for periodontitis, utilizes the T9SS to transport many proteins including the gingipain virulence factors across the outer membrane and attach them to the cell surface via a sortase-like mechanism. At least 11 proteins have been identified as components of the T9SS including PorK, PorL, PorM, PorN and PorP, however the precise roles of most of these proteins have not been elucidated and the structural organization of these components is unknown. In this study, we purified PorK and PorN complexes from P. gingivalis and using electron microscopy we have shown that PorN and the PorK lipoprotein interact to form a 50 nm diameter ring-shaped structure containing approximately 32-36 subunits of each protein. The formation of these rings was dependent on both PorK and PorN, but was independent of PorL, PorM and PorP. PorL and PorM were found to form a separate stable complex. PorK and PorN were protected from proteinase K cleavage when present in undisrupted cells, but were rapidly degraded when the cells were lysed, which together with bioinformatic analyses suggests that these proteins are exposed in the periplasm and anchored to the outer membrane via the PorK lipid. Chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry analyses confirmed the interaction between PorK and PorN and further revealed that they interact with the PG0189 outer membrane protein. Furthermore, we established that PorN was required for the stable expression of PorK, PorL and PorM. Collectively, these results suggest that the ring-shaped PorK/N complex may form part of the secretion channel of the T9SS. This is the first report showing the structural organization of any T9SS component.

The link between morphotype transition and virulence in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Linqi Wang

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is a ubiquitous human fungal pathogen. This pathogen can undergo morphotype transition between the yeast and the filamentous form and such morphological transition has been implicated in virulence for decades. Morphotype transition is typically observed during mating, which is governed by pheromone signaling. Paradoxically, components specific to the pheromone signaling pathways play no or minimal direct roles in virulence. Thus, the link between morphotype transition and virulence and the underlying molecular mechanism remain elusive. Here, we demonstrate that filamentation can occur independent of pheromone signaling and mating, and both mating-dependent and mating-independent morphotype transition require the transcription factor Znf2. High expression of Znf2 is necessary and sufficient to initiate and maintain sex-independent filamentous growth under host-relevant conditions in vitro and during infection. Importantly, ZNF2 overexpression abolishes fungal virulence in murine models of cryptococcosis. Thus, Znf2 bridges the sex-independent morphotype transition and fungal pathogenicity. The impacts of Znf2 on morphological switch and pathogenicity are at least partly mediated through its effects on cell adhesion property. Cfl1, a Znf2 downstream factor, regulates morphogenesis, cell adhesion, biofilm formation, and virulence. Cfl1 is the first adhesin discovered in the phylum Basidiomycota of the Kingdom Fungi. Together with previous findings in other eukaryotic pathogens, our findings support a convergent evolution of plasticity in morphology and its impact on cell adhesion as a critical adaptive trait for pathogenesis.

A ‘suicide’ CRISPR-Cas9 system to promote gene deletion and restoration by electroporation in Cryptococcus neoformans

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Wang, Yu; Wei, Dongsheng; Zhu, Xiangyang; Pan, Jiao; Zhang, Ping; Huo, Liang; Zhu, Xudong

2016-01-01

Loss-of-function mutagenesis is an important tool used to characterize gene functions, and the CRISPR-Cas9 system is a powerful method for performing targeted mutagenesis in organisms that present low recombination frequencies, such as the serotype D strains of Cryptococcus neoformans. However, when the CRISPR-Cas9 system persists in the host cells, off-target effects and Cas9 cytotoxicity may occur, which might block subsequent genetic manipulation. Here, we report a method of spontaneously eliminating the CRISPR-Cas9 system without impairing its robust editing function. We successfully expressed single guide RNA under the driver of an endogenous U6 promoter and the human codon-optimized Cas9 endonuclease with an ACT1 promoter. This system can effectively generate an indel mutation and efficiently perform targeted gene disruption via homology-directed repair by electroporation in yeast. We then demonstrated the spontaneous elimination of the system via a cis arrangement of the CRISPR-Cas9 expression cassettes to the recombination construct. After a system-mediated double crossover, the CRISPR-Cas9 cassettes were cleaved and degraded, which was validated by Southern blotting. This ‘suicide’ CRISPR-Cas9 system enables the validation of gene functions by subsequent complementation and has the potential to minimize off-target effects. Thus, this technique has the potential for use in functional genomics studies of C. neoformans. PMID:27503169

Cryptococcus neoformans-derived microvesicles enhance the pathogenesis of fungal brain infection.

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Sheng-He Huang

Full Text Available Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis is the most common fungal disease in the central nervous system. The mechanisms by which Cryptococcus neoformans invades the brain are largely unknown. In this study, we found that C. neoformans-derived microvesicles (CnMVs can enhance the traversal of the blood-brain barrier (BBB by C. neoformans invitro. The immunofluorescence imaging demonstrates that CnMVs can fuse with human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs, the constituents of the BBB. This activity is presumably due to the ability of the CnMVs to activate HBMEC membrane rafts and induce cell fusogenic activity. CnMVs also enhanced C. neoformans infection of the brain, found in both infected brains and cerebrospinal fluid. In infected mouse brains, CnMVs are distributed inside and around C. neoformans-induced cystic lesions. GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes were found surrounding the cystic lesions, overlapping with the 14-3-3-GFP (14-3-3-green fluorescence protein fusion signals. Substantial changes could be observed in areas that have a high density of CnMV staining. This is the first demonstration that C. neoformans-derived microvesicles can facilitate cryptococcal traversal across the BBB and accumulate at lesion sites of C. neoformans-infected brains. Results of this study suggested that CnMVs play an important role in the pathogenesis of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

Bioconversion of mixed volatile fatty acids into microbial lipids by Cryptococcus curvatus ATCC 20509.

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Liu, Jia; Yuan, Ming; Liu, Jia-Nan; Huang, Xiang-Feng

2017-10-01

The oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus curvatus ATCC 20509 can use 5-40g/L of acetic, propionic, or butyric acid as sole carbon source to produce lipids. High concentrations (30g/L) of mixed volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were used to cultivate C. curvatus to explore the effects of different ratios of mixed VFAs on lipid production and composition. When mixed VFAs (VFA ratio was 15:5:10) were used as carbon sources, the highest cell mass and lipid concentration were 8.68g/L and 4.93g/L, respectively, which were significantly higher than those when 30g/L of acetic acid was used as sole carbon source. The highest content and yield of odd-numbered fatty acids were 45.1% (VFA ratio was 0:15:15) and 1.62g/L (VFA ratio was 5:15:10), respectively. These results indicate that adjusting the composition ratios of mixed VFAs effectively improves microbial lipid synthesis and the yield of odd-numbered fatty acids. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of sophorolipid biosurfactant produced by Cryptococcus sp. VITGBN2 and its application on Zn(II) removal from electroplating wastewater.

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Basak, Geetanjali; Das, Nilanjana

2014-11-01

The present study aimed at elucidating the role of biosurfactant produced by yeast for the removal of Zn(II) ions from electroplating wastewater. The yeast species isolated from CETP, Vellore, Tamilnadu was identified as Cryptococcus sp.VITGBN2, based on molecular techniques, and was found to be potent producer of biosurfactant in mineral salt media containing vegetable oil as additional carbon source. Chemical structure of the purified biosurfactant was identified as acidic diacetate sophorolipid through GC-MS analysis. Interaction of Zn(II) ions with biosurfactant was monitored using FT-IR, SEM and EDS analysis. Zn (II) removal at 100 mg l(-1) concentration was 84.8% compared were other synthetic surfactants (Tween 80 and sodium dodecyl sulphate), yeast mediated biosurfactant showed enhanced Zn (II) removal in batch mode. The role of biosurfactant on Zn(II) removal was evaluated in column mode packed with biosurfactant entrapped in sodium alginate beads. At a flow rate of 1 ml min(-1) and bed height of 12 cm, immobilized biosurfactant showed 94.34% Zn(II) removal from electroplating wastewater. The present study confirmed that Zn(II) removal was biosurfactant mediated. This is the first report establishing the involvement of yeast mediated biosurfactant in Zn(II) removal from wastewater.

Low diversity Cryptococcus neoformans variety grubii multilocus sequence types from Thailand are consistent with an ancestral African origin.

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Sitali P Simwami

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The global burden of HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis is estimated at nearly one million cases per year, causing up to a third of all AIDS-related deaths. Molecular epidemiology constitutes the main methodology for understanding the factors underpinning the emergence of this understudied, yet increasingly important, group of pathogenic fungi. Cryptococcus species are notable in the degree that virulence differs amongst lineages, and highly-virulent emerging lineages are changing patterns of human disease both temporally and spatially. Cryptococcus neoformans variety grubii (Cng, serotype A constitutes the most ubiquitous cause of cryptococcal meningitis worldwide, however patterns of molecular diversity are understudied across some regions experiencing significant burdens of disease. We compared 183 clinical and environmental isolates of Cng from one such region, Thailand, Southeast Asia, against a global MLST database of 77 Cng isolates. Population genetic analyses showed that Thailand isolates from 11 provinces were highly homogenous, consisting of the same genetic background (globally known as VNI and exhibiting only ten nearly identical sequence types (STs, with three (STs 44, 45 and 46 dominating our sample. This population contains significantly less diversity when compared against the global population of Cng, specifically Africa. Genetic diversity in Cng was significantly subdivided at the continental level with nearly half (47% of the global STs unique to a genetically diverse and recombining population in Botswana. These patterns of diversity, when combined with evidence from haplotypic networks and coalescent analyses of global populations, are highly suggestive of an expansion of the Cng VNI clade out of Africa, leading to a limited number of genotypes founding the Asian populations. Divergence time testing estimates the time to the most common ancestor between the African and Asian populations to be 6,920 years ago (95% HPD

A vanillin derivative causes mitochondrial dysfunction and triggers oxidative stress in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Kim, Jin Hyo; Lee, Han-Ok; Cho, Yong-Joon; Kim, Jeongmi; Chun, Jongsik; Choi, Jaehyuk; Lee, Younghoon; Jung, Won Hee

2014-01-01

Vanillin is a well-known food and cosmetic additive and has antioxidant and antimutagenic properties. It has also been suggested to have antifungal activity against major human pathogenic fungi, although it is not very effective. In this study, the antifungal activities of vanillin and 33 vanillin derivatives against the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, the main pathogen of cryptococcal meningitis in immunocompromised patients, were investigated. We found a structural correlation between the vanillin derivatives and antifungal activity, showing that the hydroxyl or alkoxy group is more advantageous than the halogenated or nitrated group in benzaldehyde. Among the vanillin derivatives with a hydroxyl or alkoxy group, o-vanillin and o-ethyl vanillin showed the highest antifungal activity against C. neoformans. o-Vanillin was further studied to understand the mechanism of antifungal action. We compared the transcriptome of C. neoformans cells untreated or treated with o-vanillin by using RNA sequencing and found that the compound caused mitochondrial dysfunction and triggered oxidative stress. These antifungal mechanisms of o-vanillin were experimentally confirmed by the significantly reduced growth of the mutants lacking the genes involved in mitochondrial functions and oxidative stress response.

Reporte de insuficiencia renal producida por Leptospira Interrogans Serovar Pomona en Colombia

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Fortunato Ospino

1988-06-01

Full Text Available Se describe la presentación de un caso de leptospirosis producida por L. pomona en un paciente de 20 años de edad, trabajadora habitual en un molino de arroz y caracterizado por un síndrome de insuficiencia renal y hepática. El cuadro clínico consistió principalmente en malestar general, anorexia, vómito, fiebre, diarrea, ictericia y hemorragias subconjuntivales. Los exámenes de laboratorio mostraron alteraciones, en los niveles de nitrógeno ureico, creatinina, depuración de creatinina, concentración de cloro, fosfatasa alcalina y bilirrubina directa lo cual podría indicar un daño en el funcionamiento hepático y renal. Las alteraciones en la velocidad de sedimentación, hemoglobina, hematocrito y leucocitos (Tabla 1 explican la anemia e infección ocasionada por la L. pomona en la paciente. El diagnóstico de leptospirosis fue confirmado por el aislamiento del microorganismo de la orina a pesar de no haber detectado anticuerpos en el suero de la paciente. Se pone en evidencia la necesidad de realizar siempre el diagnóstico diferencial con leptospirosis en todo síndrome hepatorrenal, especialmente en los casos con antecedentes epidemiológicos o que por la sintomatología clínica se sospeche la infección.

Identification of a major IP5 kinase in Cryptococcus neoformans confirms that PP-IP5/IP7, not IP6, is essential for virulence

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Li, Cecilia; Lev, Sophie; Saiardi, Adolfo; Desmarini, Desmarini; Sorrell, Tania C.; Djordjevic, Julianne T.

2016-01-01

Fungal inositol polyphosphate (IP) kinases catalyse phosphorylation of IP3 to inositol pyrophosphate, PP-IP5/IP7, which is essential for virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans. Cryptococcal Kcs1 converts IP6 to PP-IP5/IP7, but the kinase converting IP5 to IP6 is unknown. Deletion of a putative IP5 kinase-encoding gene (IPK1) alone (ipk1?), and in combination with KCS1 (ipk1?kcs1?), profoundly reduced virulence in mice. However, deletion of KCS1 and IPK1 had a greater impact on virulence attenua...

Isolation of 2-deoxy-scyllo-inosose (DOI)-assimilating yeasts and cloning and characterization of the DOI reductase gene of Cryptococcus podzolicus ND1.

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Ara, Satoshi; Yamazaki, Harutake; Takaku, Hiroaki

2018-04-01

2-Deoxy-scyllo-inosose (DOI) is the first intermediate in the 2-deoxystreptamine-containing aminoglycoside antibiotic biosynthesis pathway and has a six-membered carbocycle structure. DOI is a valuable material because it is easily converted to aromatic compounds and carbasugar derivatives. In this study, we isolated yeast strains capable of assimilating DOI as a carbon source. One of the strains, Cryptococcus podzolicus ND1, mainly converted DOI to scyllo-quercitol and (-)-vibo-quercitol, which is a valuable compound used as an antihypoglycemia agent and as a heat storage material. An NADH-dependent DOI reductase coding gene, DOIR, from C. podzolicus ND1 was cloned and successfully overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein catalyzed the irreversible reduction of DOI with NADH and converted DOI into (-)-vibo-quercitol. The enzyme had an optimal pH of 8.5 and optimal temperature of 35°C, respectively. The k cat of this enzyme was 9.98 s -1 , and the K m values for DOI and NADH were 4.38 and 0.24 mM, respectively. The enzyme showed a strong preference for NADH and showed no activity with NADPH. Multiple-alignment analysis of DOI reductase revealed that it belongs to the GFO_IDH_MocA protein family and is an inositol dehydrogenase homolog in other fungi, such as Cryptococcus gattii, and bacteria, such as Bacillus subtilis. This is the first identification of a DOI-assimilating yeast and a gene involved in DOI metabolism in fungi. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Susceptibility to heat and antifungal agents of Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans (serotype D isolated from Eucalyptus spp in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil Susceptibilidade de Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans (sorotipo D isolados de Eucalyptus spp., no Rio Grande do Sul (Brasil, frente ao calor e a agentes antifúngicos

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Jorge A Horta

2005-03-01

Full Text Available In this work we studied the susceptibility to heat and antifungal agents of the first strains of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans var neoformans (serotype D isolated in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In order to achieve a rigorous analysis, we employed the methodology recommended by NCCLS, Yeast Nitrogen Base (YNB proposed by Ghannoum et al (YNB-1, Antibiotic medium 3 (AM3 indicated by others, YNB adjusted to the NCCLS methodology (YNB-2 and Etest. Our results indicate that all strains were susceptible to amphotericin B (0.0625-0.5 µg/mL, fluconazole (0.125-8.0 µg/mL, itraconazole (0.031-0.25 µg/mL and flucytosine (0.125-4.0 µg/mL. The C. neoformans serotype D strains were more susceptible to heat (47ºC/30 min than C. neoformans serotype A.Este estudo foi realizado com os primeiros isolados ambientais de C. neoformans sorotipo D, obtidos no Rio Grande do Sul. Objetivando-se avaliar a susceptibilidade a agentes antifúngicos de forma mais rigorosa, utilizou-se a técnica de referência proposta pelo NCCLS, Caldo Yeast Nitrogen Base (YNB proposto por Ghannoum et al., Antibiotic medium 3, caldo YNB adequado à metodologia do NCCLS e o E-test. Os resultados indicaram que todos os isolados foram sensíveis à anfotericina B (0,0625-0,5 µg/mL, fluconazol (0,125-4,0 µg/mL, itraconazol (0,031-0,25 µg/ml e fluorocitosina (0,125-4,0 µg/mL através das técnicas empregadas. Nos testes de termotolerância (47ºC/30 min, observou-se que as culturas de C. neoformans sorotipo D são mais sensíveis do que as de C. neoformans sorotipo A.

Cryptococcus neoformans capsular enlargement and cellular gigantism during Galleria mellonella infection.

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Rocío García-Rodas

Full Text Available We have studied infection of Cryptococcus neoformans in the non-vertebrate host Galleria mellonella with particular interest in the morphological response of the yeast. Inoculation of C. neoformans in caterpillars induced a capsule-independent increase in haemocyte density 2 h after infection. C. neoformans manifested a significant increase in capsule size after inoculation into the caterpillar. The magnitude of capsule increase depended on the temperature, being more pronounced at 37°C than at 30°C, which correlated with an increased virulence of the fungus and reduced phagocytosis at 37°C. Capsule enlargement impaired phagocytosis by haemocytes. Incubation of the yeast in G. mellonella extracts also resulted in capsule enlargement, with the polar lipidic fraction having a prominent role in this effect. During infection, the capsule decreased in permeability. A low proportion of the cells (<5% recovered from caterpillars measured more than 30 µm and were considered giant cells. Giant cells recovered from mice were able to kill the caterpillars in a manner similar to regular cells obtained from in vivo or grown in vitro, establishing their capacity to cause disease. Our results indicate that the morphological transitions exhibited by C. neoformans in mammals also occur in a non-vertebrate host system. The similarities in morphological transitions observed in different animal hosts and in their triggers are consistent with the hypothesis that the cell body and capsular responses represent an adaptation of environmental survival strategies to pathogenesis.

Estudio multicéntrico de fungemias por levaduras en la República Argentina Multicenter study of bloodstream infections due to yeasts in Argentina

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L. Rodero

2005-12-01

Full Text Available La incidencia de candidemias aumentó aproximadamente en un 500% en hospitales de alta complejidad y se observó un cambio en la distribución de especies del género Candida, con un incremento de las levaduras no Candida albicans. Con el objeto de conocer la distribución de especies asociadas a fungemias por levaduras en Argentina y determinar su sensibilidad a los antifúngicos de uso convencional, se realizó un estudio multicéntrico durante el período abril 1999 a abril 2000. Participaron 36 instituciones del país. Se colectaron 265 aislamientos de levaduras provenientes de hemocultivos, que se identificaron utilizando pruebas morfológicas, fisiológicas y bioquímicas y la determinación de la concentración inhibitoria mínima se realizó en base al estándar del NCCLS. La distribución de especies fue: Candida albicans (40,75%, Candida parapsilosis (28,67%, Candida tropicalis (15,84%, Candida famata (3,77%, Cryptococcus neoformans (3,77%, Candida glabrata (2,64% y otras (4,53%. La mayoría de los aislamientos fueron sensibles a anfotericina B, fluconazol e itraconazol. La mortalidad asociada a las fungemias por levaduras estudiadas (n=265 fue del 30%, siendo más baja a lo descrito (33-54% y fue menor en los pacientes que recibieron tratamiento antifúngico (26,3%, que en los no tratados (47%.The incidence of candidemia has increased approximately 500% in high-complexity hospitals. A change in the spectrum of Candida infections due to species other than Candida albicans has also been detected. Between April 1999 and April 2000 a multicenter study was performed in order to determine the species distribution associated to candidemias in Argentina and the susceptibility profile of the isolates to the current antifungal drugs. Thirty six institutions have participated. All the 265 yeast strains isolated from blood cultures were identified by morphological, physiological, and biochemical tests. The antifungal susceptibility testing of

Hemorragia digestiva alta severa por úlceras de Cameron. Reporte de caso

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Carolina Salinas

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Se reporta el caso de una mujer anciana con hemorragia digestiva alta y choque hipovolémico secundario a úlceras de Cameron. Dado que estas lesiones se caracterizan por presentar cuadros crónicos de hemorragia sin aparente repercusión, se hace una revisión de esta exótica causa de sangrado digestivo masivo con repercusión hemodinámica. Estas ulceras se deben a abrasión de la mucosa por la contracción del diafragma durante los movimientos respiratorios, lo que genera pérdidas crónicas de sangre.

Vaccine-mediated immune responses to experimental pulmonary Cryptococcus gattii infection in mice.

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Ashok K Chaturvedi

Full Text Available Cryptococcus gattii is a fungal pathogen that can cause life-threatening respiratory and disseminated infections in immune-competent and immune-suppressed individuals. Currently, there are no standardized vaccines against cryptococcosis in humans, underlying an urgent need for effective therapies and/or vaccines. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of intranasal immunization with C. gattii cell wall associated (CW and/or cytoplasmic (CP protein preparations to induce protection against experimental pulmonary C. gattii infection in mice. BALB/c mice immunized with C. gattii CW and/or CP protein preparations exhibited a significant reduction in pulmonary fungal burden and prolonged survival following pulmonary challenge with C. gattii. Protection was associated with significantly increased pro-inflammatory and Th1-type cytokine recall responses, in vitro and increased C. gattii-specific antibody production in immunized mice challenged with C. gattii. A number of immunodominant proteins were identified following immunoblot analysis of C. gattii CW and CP protein preparations using sera from immunized mice. Immunization with a combined CW and CP protein preparation resulted in an early increase in pulmonary T cell infiltrates following challenge with C. gattii. Overall, our studies show that C. gattii CW and CP protein preparations contain antigens that may be included in a subunit vaccine to induce prolonged protection against pulmonary C. gattii infection.

Differences in Sirtuin Regulation in Response to Calorie Restriction in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Bouklas, Tejas; Masone, Lindsey; Fries, Bettina C

2018-02-18

Cryptococcus neoformans successfully replicates in low glucose in infected patients. In the serotype A strain, H99, growth in this condition prolongs lifespan regulated by SIR2, and can be modulated with SIR2-specific drugs. Previous studies show that lifespan modulation of a cryptococcal population affects its sensitivity to antifungals, and survival in an infection model. Sirtuins and their role in longevity are conserved among fungi; however, the effect of glucose starvation is not confirmed even in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Lifespan analysis of C. neoformans strains in low glucose showed that 37.5% exhibited pro-longevity, and lifespan of a serotype D strain, RC2, was shortened. Transcriptome comparison of H99 and RC2 under calorie restriction demonstrated differences, confirmed by real-time PCR showing that SIR2 , TOR1 , SCH9 , and PKA1 expression correlated with lifespan response to calorie restriction. As expected, RC2 -sir2 Δ cells exhibited a shortened lifespan, which was reconstituted. However, shortened lifespan from calorie restriction was independent of SIR2 . In contrast to H99 but consistent with altered SIR2 regulation, SIR2 -specific drugs did not affect outcome of RC2 infection. These data suggest that SIR2 regulation and response to calorie restriction varies in C. neoformans, which should be considered when Sirtuins are investigated as potential therapy targets for fungal infections.

Iron regulation of the major virulence factors in the AIDS-associated pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Won Hee Jung

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Iron overload is known to exacerbate many infectious diseases, and conversely, iron withholding is an important defense strategy for mammalian hosts. Iron is a critical cue for Cryptococcus neoformans because the fungus senses iron to regulate elaboration of the polysaccharide capsule that is the major virulence factor during infection. Excess iron exacerbates experimental cryptococcosis and the prevalence of this disease in Sub-Saharan Africa has been associated with nutritional and genetic aspects of iron loading in the background of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. We demonstrate that the iron-responsive transcription factor Cir1 in Cr. neoformans controls the regulon of genes for iron acquisition such that cir1 mutants are "blind" to changes in external iron levels. Cir1 also controls the known major virulence factors of the pathogen including the capsule, the formation of the anti-oxidant melanin in the cell wall, and the ability to grow at host body temperature. Thus, the fungus is remarkably tuned to perceive iron as part of the disease process, as confirmed by the avirulence of the cir1 mutant; this characteristic of the pathogen may provide opportunities for antifungal treatment.

Primer reporte de un caso importado de Malaria por Plasmodium ovale curtisi en Paraguay, confirmado por diagnóstico molecular

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Florencia del Puerto

2015-04-01

Full Text Available En países donde el Plasmodium ovale no es común, los microscopistas tienden a identificarlo de manera errónea como Plasmodium vivax. En este trabajo reportamos la identificación de la especie P. ovale curtisi por el método de PCR múltiple semianidada (SnM-PCR y la secuenciación de la subunidad pequeña del gen del ARN 18S, en un paciente paraguayo de 44 años de edad que vino en el 2.013 de Guinea Ecuatorial, África Occidental, a quien se le diagnosticó una infección por P. vivax por microscopía convencional. El empleo de métodos moleculares para la identificación de casos importados de infección con especies del género Plasmodium es uno de los objetivos principales en el control y la prevención de la malaria en Paraguay, teniendo en cuenta que el país se encuentra en fase de pre-eliminación de la enfermedad.

Retrospective Study of the Epidemiology and Clinical Manifestations of Cryptococcus gattii Infections in Colombia from 1997–2011

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Lizarazo, Jairo; Escandón, Patricia; Agudelo, Clara Inés; Firacative, Carolina; Meyer, Wieland; Castañeda, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Background Cryptococcosis due to Cryptococcus gattii is endemic in various parts of the world, affecting mostly immunocompetent patients. A national surveillance study of cryptococcosis, including demographical, clinical and microbiological data, has been ongoing since 1997 in Colombia, to provide insights into the epidemiology of this mycosis. Methodology/Principal Findings From 1,209 surveys analyzed between 1997–2011, 45 cases caused by C. gattii were reported (prevalence 3.7%; annual incidence 0.07 cases/million inhabitants/year). Norte de Santander had the highest incidence (0.81 cases/million/year), representing 33.3% of all cases. The male: female ratio was 3.3∶1. Mean age at diagnosis was 41±16 years. No specific risk factors were identified in 91.1% of patients. HIV infection was reported in 6.7% of patients, autoimmune disease and steroids use in 2.2%. Clinical features included headache (80.5%), nausea/vomiting (56.1%) and neurological derangements (48.8%). Chest radiographs were taken in 21 (46.7%) cases, with abnormal findings in 7 (33.3%). Cranial CT scans were obtained in 15 (33.3%) cases, with abnormalities detected in 10 (66.7%). Treatment was well documented in 30 cases, with most receiving amphotericin B. Direct sample examination was positive in 97.7% cases. Antigen detection was positive for all CSF specimens and for 75% of serum samples. C. gattii was recovered from CSF (93.3%) and respiratory specimens (6.6%). Serotype was determined in 42 isolates; 36 isolates were serotype B (85.7%), while 6 were C (14.3%). The breakdowns of molecular types were VGII (55.6%), VGIII (31.1%) and VGI (13.3%). Among 44 strains, 16 MLST sequence types (ST) were identified, 11 of them newly reported. Conclusions/Significance The results of this passive surveillance study demonstrate that cryptococcosis caused by C. gattii has a low prevalence in Colombia, with the exception of Norte de Santander. The predominance of molecular type VGII is of concern

Infecção por Chryseobacterium indologenes: relato de um caso Chryseobacterium indologenes infection: a case report

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Renata de Souza Ferreira

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Relatamos um caso de infecção por Chryseobacterium indologenes, presente na cultura de aspirado traqueal em paciente sob ventilação mecânica invasiva, revisando os aspectos epidemiológicos, microbiológicos e o tratamento na unidade de terapia intensiva. Paciente do sexo masculino, 30 anos, internado com quadro de aplasia de medula idiopática e neutropenia febril foi transferido para a unidade de terapia intensiva com quadro de broncopneumonia e sepse grave de origem pulmonar. A maioria dos casos já relatados de pacientes com infecção por Chryseobacterium indologenes apresentavam patologias graves associadas e infecções polimicrobianas que podem dificultar a interpretação da efetividade da terapia antimicrobiana contra este agente.A case of Chryseobacterium indologenes infection is reported, identified in an invasive mechanic ventilation patient's tracheal aspiration material. Epidemiological, microbiological, and intensive care unit therapy aspects are discussed. The patient was a 30 years-old male, admitted with idiopathic medullary aplasia and febrile neutropenia, referred to the intensive care unit with severe bronchopneumonia and sepsis of pulmonary origin. Most of the previously reported Chryseobacterium indologenes infection cases were associated with severe diseases and polymicrobial infections which could make difficult interpreting antimicrobial therapy options against this agent.

Fostering triacylglycerol accumulation in novel oleaginous yeast Cryptococcus psychrotolerans IITRFD utilizing groundnut shell for improved biodiesel production.

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Deeba, Farha; Pruthi, Vikas; Negi, Yuvraj S

2017-10-01

The investigation was carried out to examine the potential of triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation by novel oleaginous yeast isolate Cryptococcus psychrotolerans IITRFD on utilizing groundnut shell acid hydrolysate (GSH) as cost-effective medium. The maximum biomass productivity and lipid productivity of 0.095±0.008g/L/h and 0.044±0.005g/L/h, respectively with lipid content 46% was recorded on GSH. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profile obtained by GC-MS analysis revealed oleic acid (37.8%), palmitic (29.4%) and linoleic (32.8%) as major fatty acids representing balance between oxidative stability (OS) and cold flow filter properties (CFFP) for improved biodiesel quality. The biodiesel property calculated were correlated well with the fuel standards limits of ASTM D6751, EN 14214 and IS 15607. The present findings raise the possibility of using agricultural waste groundnut shell as a substrate for production of biodiesel by novel oleaginous yeast isolate C. psychrotolerans IITRFD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS VAR. GRUBII-ASSOCIATED RENAL AMYLOIDOSIS CAUSING PROTEIN-LOSING NEPHROPATHY IN A RED KANGAROO (MACROPUS RUFUS).

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Thurber, Mary Irene; Gjeltema, Jenessa; Sheley, Matthew; Wack, Ray F

2017-09-01

A 10-year-old male castrated red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) presented with mandibular swelling. Examination findings included pitting edema with no dental disease evident on examination or radiographs. The results of blood work were moderate azotemia, hypoalbuminemia, and severely elevated urine protein:creatinine ratio (9.9). Radiographs showed an interstitial pattern of the caudal right lung, and an abdominal ultrasound demonstrated scant effusion. Symptomatic and empirical therapy with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor did not resolve clinical signs. Due to poor prognosis and declining quality of life, euthanasia was elected. Necropsy revealed chronic granulomatous pneumonia of the caudal right lung lobe with intralesional Cryptococcus, identified as C. neoformans var. grubii by DNA sequencing. Severe bilateral glomerular and tubulointerstitial amyloidosis induced protein-losing nephropathy, leading to tri-cavitary effusion, subcutaneous edema, and cachexia. The authors speculate that renal amyloidosis was associated with chronic cryptococcal pneumonia in this red kangaroo.

Shiitake dermatitis: the first case reported in Brazil Dermatite flagelada por shiitake, primeiro relato de caso no Brasil

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André Ricardo Adriano

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Shiitake Dermatitis is often presented as papules and erythemato-violaceous linear streaks. It can be associated with bleomycin treatment, dermatomyositis and shiitake mushroom (Lentinus edodes. There is not any previous report concerning this rare etiology in our country. Shiitake is the second most consumed mushroom worldwide and it can cause flagellate erythema when ingested raw or half cooked. It has a higher incidence in Oriental countries because of their eating habits, this is the first case reported in Brazil, in a male patient that presented a cutaneous rash after consuming this raw mushroom.A dermatite flagelada é caracterizada por pápulas eritematosas lineares com aspecto de "chicotada". A etiologia pode ser associada ao uso de bleomicina, dermatomiosite e shiitake (Lentinus edodes. Este é o segundo cogumelo mais consumido no mundo e pode ser causa de dermatite flagelada quando ingerido cru ou mal cozido. Não há relatos nas literaturas de quadro de dermatite flagelada por shiitake em nosso país, reportamos o primeiro caso no Brasil de um paciente masculino que desenvolveu o quadro após a ingesta desse cogumelo cru.

MALDI-TOF MS enables the rapid identification of the major molecular types within the Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complex.

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Carolina Firacative

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complex comprises two sibling species that are divided into eight major molecular types, C. neoformans VNI to VNIV and C. gattii VGI to VGIV. These genotypes differ in host range, epidemiology, virulence, antifungal susceptibility and geographic distribution. The currently used phenotypic and molecular identification methods for the species/molecular types are time consuming and expensive. As Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS offers an effective alternative for the rapid identification of microorganisms, the objective of this study was to examine its potential for the identification of C. neoformans and C. gattii strains at the intra- and inter-species level. METHODOLOGY: Protein extracts obtained via the formic acid extraction method of 164 C. neoformans/C. gattii isolates, including four inter-species hybrids, were studied. RESULTS: The obtained mass spectra correctly identified 100% of all studied isolates, grouped each isolate according to the currently recognized species, C. neoformans and C. gattii, and detected potential hybrids. In addition, all isolates were clearly separated according to their major molecular type, generating greater spectral differences among the C. neoformans molecular types than the C. gattii molecular types, most likely reflecting a closer phylogenetic relationship between the latter. The number of colonies used and the incubation length did not affect the results. No spectra were obtained from intact yeast cells. An extended validated spectral library containing spectra of all eight major molecular types was established. CONCLUSIONS: MALDI-TOF MS is a rapid identification tool for the correct recognition of the two currently recognized human pathogenic Cryptococcus species and offers a simple method for the separation of the eight major molecular types and the detection of hybrid strains within this

Multiple mechanisms of phase variation of PorA in Neisseria meningitidis

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van der Ende, A.; Hopman, C. T.; Dankert, J.

2000-01-01

Previously, we reported that PorA expression in Neisseria meningitidis is modulated by variation in the length of the homopolymeric tract of guanidine residues between the -35 and -10 regions of the promoter or by deletion of porA. To reveal additional mechanisms of variation in PorA expression, the

Cryptococcus gattii VGIII isolates causing infections in HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California: identification of the local environmental source as arboreal.

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Deborah J Springer

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Ongoing Cryptococcus gattii outbreaks in the Western United States and Canada illustrate the impact of environmental reservoirs and both clonal and recombining propagation in driving emergence and expansion of microbial pathogens. C. gattii comprises four distinct molecular types: VGI, VGII, VGIII, and VGIV, with no evidence of nuclear genetic exchange, indicating these represent distinct species. C. gattii VGII isolates are causing the Pacific Northwest outbreak, whereas VGIII isolates frequently infect HIV/AIDS patients in Southern California. VGI, VGII, and VGIII have been isolated from patients and animals in the Western US, suggesting these molecular types occur in the environment. However, only two environmental isolates of C. gattii have ever been reported from California: CBS7750 (VGII and WM161 (VGIII. The incongruence of frequent clinical presence and uncommon environmental isolation suggests an unknown C. gattii reservoir in California. Here we report frequent isolation of C. gattii VGIII MATα and MATa isolates and infrequent isolation of VGI MATα from environmental sources in Southern California. VGIII isolates were obtained from soil debris associated with tree species not previously reported as hosts from sites near residences of infected patients. These isolates are fertile under laboratory conditions, produce abundant spores, and are part of both locally and more distantly recombining populations. MLST and whole genome sequence analysis provide compelling evidence that these environmental isolates are the source of human infections. Isolates displayed wide-ranging virulence in macrophage and animal models. When clinical and environmental isolates with indistinguishable MLST profiles were compared, environmental isolates were less virulent. Taken together, our studies reveal an environmental source and risk of C. gattii to HIV/AIDS patients with implications for the >1,000,000 cryptococcal infections occurring annually for which

Endocarditis bacteriana por Kocuria kristinae en paciente inmunocompetente. Reporte de un caso

OpenAIRE

Alirio R. Bastidas, MD; Carlos A. Vélez, MD; Carol V. Gutiérrez M.; Nancy J. Bahamón

2013-01-01

Las infecciones por microorganismos del género Kocuria spp. han sido descritas con mayor frecuencia en pacientes con enfermedades crónicas y estados de inmunosupresión. Comúnmente, no se ha reportado su aislamiento como causa de endocarditis en pacientes jóvenes e inmunocompetentes. Se deben diferenciar de las infecciones producidas por Staphylococcus spp. ya que su evolución clínica puede ser similar y sólo el aislamiento y tipifi cación en cultivos permite hacer el diagnóstico etiológico de...

Niña con erucismo hemorrágico por Lonomia spp.: reporte de un caso

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Walter Peña-Vásquez

Full Text Available Los accidentes causados por las setas urticantes o venenosas de las orugas de lepidópteros, se conocen como erucismo. Estos accidentes se producen por el contacto accidental, especialmente por los niños, con las cerdas sobre el cuerpo del insecto, conectadas con glándulas venenosas. Los síntomas pueden ser locales o sistémicos, con presentaciones clínicas fatales. El accidente ocasionado por las orugas del género Lonomia spp. puede desencadenar síndromes hemorrágicos, constituyendo estos la forma más grave de erucismo. Se reporta el caso de una niña de 5 años, procedente del poblado de Villarondos, en la Amazonía del Perú, departamento de Huánuco, la cual incidentalmente se hinca con las cerdas de una oruga, cursando luego con anemia hemolítica, plaquetopenia y trastorno de la coagulación. El diagnóstico fue establecido por la anamnesis, cuadro clínico, exámenes de laboratorio y respuesta al suero antilonómico. Se discuten los aspectos clínicos, laboratoriales y terapéuticos de erucismo por Lonomia spp.

Síncope inducido por el ejercicio. Reporte de un caso

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Andrés Alvarado, MD

2011-03-01

En sujetos que entrenan de manera frecuente, el tono vagal aumentado es una condición adaptativa común que a veces puede causar síncope cardioinhibitorio asociado con el ejercicio, cuya presentación puede variar desde bradiarritmias hasta asistolia, por lo cual constituye un reto diagnóstico.

Unisexual and heterosexual meiotic reproduction generate aneuploidy and phenotypic diversity de novo in the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Min Ni

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Aneuploidy is known to be deleterious and underlies several common human diseases, including cancer and genetic disorders such as trisomy 21 in Down's syndrome. In contrast, aneuploidy can also be advantageous and in fungi confers antifungal drug resistance and enables rapid adaptive evolution. We report here that sexual reproduction generates phenotypic and genotypic diversity in the human pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, which is globally distributed and commonly infects individuals with compromised immunity, such as HIV/AIDS patients, causing life-threatening meningoencephalitis. C. neoformans has a defined a-α opposite sexual cycle; however, >99% of isolates are of the α mating type. Interestingly, α cells can undergo α-α unisexual reproduction, even involving genotypically identical cells. A central question is: Why would cells mate with themselves given that sex is costly and typically serves to admix preexisting genetic diversity from genetically divergent parents? In this study, we demonstrate that α-α unisexual reproduction frequently generates phenotypic diversity, and the majority of these variant progeny are aneuploid. Aneuploidy is responsible for the observed phenotypic changes, as chromosome loss restoring euploidy results in a wild-type phenotype. Other genetic changes, including diploidization, chromosome length polymorphisms, SNPs, and indels, were also generated. Phenotypic/genotypic changes were not observed following asexual mitotic reproduction. Aneuploidy was also detected in progeny from a-α opposite-sex congenic mating; thus, both homothallic and heterothallic sexual reproduction can generate phenotypic diversity de novo. Our study suggests that the ability to undergo unisexual reproduction may be an evolutionary strategy for eukaryotic microbial pathogens, enabling de novo genotypic and phenotypic plasticity and facilitating rapid adaptation to novel environments.

Isolation of human fungi from soil and identification of two endemic areas of Cryptococcus neoformans and Coccidioides immitis

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Héctor Rubinstein

1989-02-01

Full Text Available The present study was carried out in two different areas of Province of Cordoba, Argentina, where there was a suspicious of endemic mycosis. The previous data were the presence of a clinical case of pulmonary cryptococcosis in one area (Alta Gracia and the previous findings of a high incidence of coccidioidin and cryptococcin reactors in the population of the second one (Villa Dolores. In both areas soil samples for fungi were studied and Cryptococcus neoformans was found in 2/25 samples from Alta Gracia. In Villa Dolores Coccidioides immitis was isolated in 2/40 samples, and C. neoformans in 1/40 samples. Delayed hypersensitivity test with cryptococcin was determined in the population from Alta Gracia and it was found to be 5.3%. Positive cutaneous tests with coccidioidin (33.8% and cryptococcin (31.9% in Villa Dolores were obtained. With these findings two endemic areas of systemic mycoses in Cordoba, Argentina were delimited.

Celulitis por citomegalovirus Cytomegalovirus cellulitis

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A. Ruiz Lascano

2002-12-01

Full Text Available Las lesiones cutáneas por citomegalovirus (CMV son infrecuentes y a menudo una manifestación tardía de una enfermedad sistémica, que generalmente anuncia un curso fatal. Comunicamos un caso de celulitis por CMV: una mujer de 70 años con trasplante renal efectuado 1 mes antes de la consulta, terapia inmunosupresora con ciclosporina A y metilprednisona. La paciente ingresó por fiebre, dolor e impotencia funcional en pierna derecha. Comprobamos la existencia de una placa de 8 por 4 cm eritematoedematosa. La tratamos con antibióticos sin mejoría, por lo que realizamos un estudio histopatológico de piel que mostró cambios citopáticos compatibles con infección por CMV. Los cultivos bacteriológicos y micológicos fueron negativos. La inmunohistoquímica específica para CMV y el estudio de reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR de la biopsia de piel fueron positivas, al igual que la antigenemia. El tratamiento con ganciclovir produjo la mejoría del cuadro clínico. En la literatura revisada no hemos encontrado la celulitis como manifestación de enfermedad cutánea por CMV.Cutaneous lesions in CMV infection are rare, often a late manifestation of systemic infection, and usually herald a fatal course. A 70 year-old woman received a kidney transplantation one month before consulting and immunosuppressive therapy that included cyclosporine A and methylprednisone. She complained of fever, local pain in her right leg, and an erythematous and swelling plaque. She was treated with intravenous antibiotics without improvement. A skin biopsy was performed and the tissue obtained was sent for bacterial and fungal cultures as well as for histological examination. Cultures were negative. The biopsy showed CMV cytopathic changes. Immunoperoxidase staining was positive for CMV and polymerase chain reaction (PCR testing revealed CMV DNA. She was treated with ganciclovir with resolution of the lesion. CMV cellulitis is a rare cutaneous manifestation

Cryptococcal osteomyelitis: a report of 5 cases and a review of the recent literature.

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Medaris, Leigh Ann; Ponce, Brent; Hyde, Zane; Delgado, Dennis; Ennis, David; Lapidus, William; Larrison, Matthew; Pappas, Peter G

2016-06-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is a fungal pathogen associated with advanced HIV disease and other disorders associated with immune dysfunction. The pulmonary and the central nervous system are the most common manifestations of the disease. Localised osteomyelitis as the sole manifestation of extrapulmonary disease is rare. Herein, we present five cases of Cryptococcus osteomyelitis as the only manifestation of extrapulmonary disease. We also identified 84 additional cases of isolated cryptococcal osteomyelitis in the literature. Using these data, we have made some general recommendations regarding an approach to treatment of this uncommon clinical entity. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Ceratite bilateral por Acanthamoeba: relato de caso Bilateral Acanthamoeba keratitis: case report

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Wilson Nahmatallah Obeid

2003-12-01

Full Text Available A ceratite por Acanthamoeba é uma infecção ocular grave que, apesar dos recentes progressos no diagnóstico e tratamento, ainda provoca prolongada morbidade e perda da acuidade visual. Relatamos um caso de ceratite bilateral por Acanthamoeba em usuário de lentes de contato, que é o primeiro caso descrito na literatura brasileira.Acanthamoeba keratitis is a severe ocular infection which even with recent progress in diagnosis and treatment still causes long morbidity and loss of visual acuity. We describe a case of bilateral Acanthamoeba keratitis in a user of contact lenses, which is the first case discussed in Brazilian literature.

The Southeastern Asian house mouse (Mus musculus castaneus Linn.) as a new passenger host for Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii molecular type VNI.

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Singh, Karuna; Rani, Jyoti; Neelabh; Rai, Govind Kumar; Singh, Major

2017-11-01

We describe Mus musculus castaneus as a new mammalian host for Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii (VNI). Eighteen apparently healthy adults and pups of the rodent were collected from human dwellings in Varanasi, a city of India. Both clinical and behavioral examinations of the rodents did not reveal any sign of the disease. Among visceral organs, histological examination of only liver exhibited the presence of single celled, encapsulated, Southgate's mucicarmine positive fungal structures consistent with C. neoformans. Nevertheless, culture of tissue homogenates of brain, lungs, liver, and kidneys yielded white colonies on Sabouraud's dextrose agar and brown mucoid colonies of C. neoformans on Staib's and Tobacco agar media. The pathogen was isolated from habitat soil as well as fresh faeces of the animals. All isolates were urease positive, nitrate and canavanine-glycine bromothymol blue negative, exhibited phenoloxidase activity and grew at 37°C. The isolates were identified as C. neoformans var. grubii with ITS primers and unique marker (GACA)4. The pathogen when inoculated in immunosuppressed mice showed low pathogenicity. To our knowledge, we for the first time report case cluster of Mus musculus castaneus as new passenger host for C. neoformans var. grubii (VNI). © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The International Society for Human and Animal Mycology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Identification of genes from the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans related to transmigration into the central nervous system.

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Hsiang-Kuang Tseng

Full Text Available A mouse brain transmigration assessment (MBTA was created to investigate the central nervous system (CNS pathogenesis of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.Two cryptococcal mutants were identified from a pool of 109 pre-selected mutants that were signature-tagged with the nourseothricin acetyltransferase (NAT resistance cassette. These two mutants displayed abnormal transmigration into the central nervous system. One mutant displaying decreased transmigration contains a null mutation in the putative FNX1 gene, whereas the other mutant possessing a null mutation in the putative RUB1 gene exhibited increased transmigration into the brain. Two macrophage adhesion-defective mutants in the pool, 12F1 and 3C9, showed reduced phagocytosis by macrophages, but displayed no defects in CNS entry suggesting that transit within macrophages (the "Trojan horse" model of CNS entry is not the primary mechanism for C. neoformans migration into the CNS in this MBTA.This research design provides a new strategy for genetic impact studies on how Cryptococcus passes through the blood-brain barrier (BBB, and the specific isolated mutants in this assay support a transcellular mechanism of CNS entry.

Portable exhausters POR-004 SKID B, POR-005 SKID C, POR-006 SKID D storage plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, O.D.; Keller, G.M.

1997-01-01

This document provides a storage plan for portable exhausters POR-004 SKID B, POR-005 SKID C, AND POR-006 SKID D. The exhausters will be stored until they are needed by the TWRS (Tank Waste Remediation Systems) Saltwell Pumping Program. The storage plan provides criteria for portable exhauster storage, periodic inspections during storage, and retrieval from storage

Repression of Proteases and Hsp90 Chaperone Expression Induced by an Antiretroviral in Virulent Environmental Strains of Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Serafin, Cleber Fernando; Paris, Ana Paula; Paula, Claudete Rodrigues; Simão, Rita Cássia Garcia; Gandra, Rinaldo Ferreira

2017-04-01

This study evaluated the effect of the antiretroviral ritonavir on protease secretion in different strains of Cryptococcus neoformans isolated from the environment and investigated the expression of heat shock protein (Hsp90), classically described virulence factors in other yeast in the presence of the same antiretroviral. The presence of the enzyme was detected by the formation of a degradation of the halo around the colonies. The results were classified as follows: level 1 (without proteases), level 2 (positive for proteases), and level 3 (strongly positive for proteases). Total protein extract isolated from the cell walls of the 12 strains incubated in the absence and presence of ritonavir (0.3125 mg mL -1 ) were resolved by SDS-PAGE and analyzed by Western blot assays using an antiserum against Hsp90 from Blastocladiella emersonii. All strains tested showed inhibition of proteinase activity in the presence of ritonavir at 0.3125 to 1.25 mg mL -1 . High levels of Hsp90 were observed in the absence of ritonavir (0.3125 mg mL -1 ), except for the non-virulent control cells. In contrast, in the presence of the antiretroviral, a drastic reduction in the expression of the chaperone was observed. The data suggest that ritonavir, in addition to containing viral replication, could inhibit the expression of virulence factors in opportunistic yeast, as proteases and Hsp90. According to our current knowledge, this is the first time that the inhibition of Hsp90 by an antiretroviral was reported for environmental isolates of C. neoformans.

Celulitis por Microascus trigonosporus(anamorfo Scopulariopsis trigonospora

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DELIA CANLE CORTIÑAS

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Resumen: Microascus trigonosporus ( anamorfo Scopulariopsis trigonospora es un hongo filamentoso ubicuo que se encuentra en el suelo , plumas de aves, material vegetal e insectos. Aunque Scopulariopsis spp se consideran comúnmente hongos contaminantes , pueden causar ocasionalmente infecciones en humanos, en especial onicomicosis . Excepcionalmente se han descrito infecciones de piel, abscesos cerebrales, endocarditis ,sinusitis e infecciones diseminadas por Scopulariopsis spp , casi siempre en pacientes inmunodeprimidos . En los últimos años se han publicado un mayor número de casos de infecciones oportunistas por Scopulariopsis spp y otros hialohifomicetos multiresistentes. Todavía no está establecido cuál es el mejor régimen de tratamiento para las infecciones por Scopulariopsis spp. Presentamos un caso excepcional de celulitis por Microascus trigonosporus en un paciente con tratamiento prolongado con corticoides. Abstract: Microascus trigonosporus ( Anamorph Scopulariopsis trigonospora is a cosmopolitan filamentous fungus that inhabits soil, feathers ,plant material and insects. While Scopulariopsis is commonly considered as a contaminat fungus it may cause occasionally infections in humans ,especially onychomycosis .Skin lesions, brain abscess , endocarditis, sinusitis and disseminated infections due to Scopulariopsis species have been rarely reported , usually in immunocompromised patients . Over the last few years opportunistic infections by Scopulariopsis species and others multi-resistant hyalohyphomycetes have been increasingly reported . No clear treatment regimen for Scopulariopsis species infections has been established yet. We present a exceptional case of cellulitis due to Microascus trigonosporus in a patient with prolonged steroid therapy.

Infestación ocular por plerocercoide de Spirometra mansonoides: primer reporte en el Perú

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María Beltrán Fabián

Full Text Available La plerocercoidiosis es una zoonosis parasitaria producida por la larva plerocercoide de Spirometra. Esta larva migra por el tejido de la pared intestinal, mediante la ruta subcutánea y puede llegar a diferentes áreas del cuerpo humano como la cabeza, el cerebro y la órbita ocular. Se reporta el caso de un varón de 45 años procedente de la Amazonía peruana, quien presentó ardor asociado con edema y hemorragia conjuntival en el borde ocular externo del ojo derecho, durante once meses. Se observó un helminto localizado en la cavidad orbitaria derecha, el cual se extrajo y por estudios morfológicos e histopatológicos se identificó como Spirometra mansonoides de localización ocular el que se reporta por primera vez en el Perú

Pancreatitis aguda por hipertrigliceridemia severa: reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura

OpenAIRE

Herrera Del Águila, Dwight Denis; Garavito Rentería, Jorge; Linarez Medina, Karen; Lizarzaburu Rodríguez, Víctor

2015-01-01

La pancreatitis aguda por hipertrigliceridemia se presenta en aproximadamente 1-4 % de los casos, es la tercera causa de pancreatitis luego de la etiología biliar y alcohólica. La hipertrigliceridemia puede ser producida por causas primarias asociadas a trastornos genéticos en el metabolismo de los lípidos, y por casusas secundarias. Se presenta el caso de un paciente varón de 32 años de edad, natural de Huancayo, con antecedentes de diabetes mellitus tipo 2, dislipidemia mixta severa con hip...

Optimization of lipids production by Cryptococcus laurentii 11 using cheese whey with molasses

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Rodrigo Fernandes Castanha

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This study aimed the optimization of culture condition and composition for production of Cryptococcus laurentii 11 biomass and lipids in cheese whey medium supplemented with sugarcane molasses. The optimization of pH, fermentation time, and molasses concentration according to a full factorial statistical experimental design was followed by a Plackett-Burman experimental design, which was used to determine whether the supplementation of the culture medium by yeast extract and inorganic salts could provide a further enhancement of lipids production. The following conditions and composition of the culture medium were found to optimize biomass and lipids production: 360 h fermentation, 6.5 pH and supplementation of (g L-1: 50 molasses, 0.5 yeast extract, 4 KH2PO4, 1 Na2HPO4, 0.75 MgSO4•7H2O and 0.002 ZnSO4•H2O. Additional supplementation with inorganic salts and yeast extract was essential to optimize the production, in terms of product concentration and productivity, of neutral lipids by C. laurentii 11. Under this optimized condition, the production of total lipids increased by 133% in relation to control experiment (from 1.27 to 2.96 g L-1. The total lipids indicated a predominant (86% presence of neutral lipids with high content of 16- and 18- carbon-chain saturated and monosaturated fatty acids. This class of lipids is considered especially suitable for the production of biodiesel.

Effects of radiation type and delivery mode on a radioresistant eukaryote Cryptococcus neoformans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shuryak, Igor; Bryan, Ruth A.; Broitman, Jack; Marino, Stephen A.; Morgenstern, Alfred; Apostolidis, Christos; Dadachova, Ekaterina

2015-01-01

Introduction: Most research on radioresistant fungi, particularly on human pathogens such as Cryptococcus neoformans, involves sparsely-ionizing radiation. Consequently, fungal responses to densely-ionizing radiation, which can be harnessed to treat life-threatening fungal infections, remain incompletely understood. Methods: We addressed this issue by quantifying and comparing the effects of densely-ionizing α-particles (delivered either by external beam or by 213 Bi-labeled monoclonal antibodies), and sparsely-ionizing 137 Cs γ-rays, on Cryptococus neoformans. Results: The best-fit linear-quadratic parameters for clonogenic survival were the following: α = 0.24 × 10 −2 Gy −1 for γ-rays and 1.07 × 10 −2 Gy −1 for external-beam α-particles, and β = 1.44 × 10 −5 Gy −2 for both radiation types. Fungal cell killing by radiolabeled antibodies was consistent with predictions based on the α-particle dose to the cell nucleus and the linear-quadratic parameters for external-beam α-particles. The estimated RBE (for α-particles vs. γ-rays) at low doses was 4.47 for the initial portion of the α-particle track, and 7.66 for the Bragg peak. Non-radiological antibody effects accounted for up to 23% of cell death. Conclusions: These results quantify the degree of C. neoformans resistance to densely-ionizing radiations, and show how this resistance can be overcome with fungus-specific radiolabeled antibodies

Endocarditis bacteriana por Kocuria kristinae en paciente inmunocompetente. Reporte de un caso

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Alirio R. Bastidas, MD

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Las infecciones por microorganismos del género Kocuria spp. han sido descritas con mayor frecuencia en pacientes con enfermedades crónicas y estados de inmunosupresión. Comúnmente, no se ha reportado su aislamiento como causa de endocarditis en pacientes jóvenes e inmunocompetentes. Se deben diferenciar de las infecciones producidas por Staphylococcus spp. ya que su evolución clínica puede ser similar y sólo el aislamiento y tipificación en cultivos permite hacer el diagnóstico etiológico definitivo y dirigir la terapia antibiótica adecuada. Se describe el caso de un paciente joven e inmunocompetente que cursó con endocarditis bacteriana, aislándose Kocuria kristinae en hemocultivos.

Toward an integrated model of capsule regulation in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Brian C Haynes

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes serious human disease in immunocompromised populations. Its polysaccharide capsule is a key virulence factor which is regulated in response to growth conditions, becoming enlarged in the context of infection. We used microarray analysis of cells stimulated to form capsule over a range of growth conditions to identify a transcriptional signature associated with capsule enlargement. The signature contains 880 genes, is enriched for genes encoding known capsule regulators, and includes many uncharacterized sequences. One uncharacterized sequence encodes a novel regulator of capsule and of fungal virulence. This factor is a homolog of the yeast protein Ada2, a member of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5 Acetyltransferase (SAGA complex that regulates transcription of stress response genes via histone acetylation. Consistent with this homology, the C. neoformans null mutant exhibits reduced histone H3 lysine 9 acetylation. It is also defective in response to a variety of stress conditions, demonstrating phenotypes that overlap with, but are not identical to, those of other fungi with altered SAGA complexes. The mutant also exhibits significant defects in sexual development and virulence. To establish the role of Ada2 in the broader network of capsule regulation we performed RNA-Seq on strains lacking either Ada2 or one of two other capsule regulators: Cir1 and Nrg1. Analysis of the results suggested that Ada2 functions downstream of both Cir1 and Nrg1 via components of the high osmolarity glycerol (HOG pathway. To identify direct targets of Ada2, we performed ChIP-Seq analysis of histone acetylation in the Ada2 null mutant. These studies supported the role of Ada2 in the direct regulation of capsule and mating responses and suggested that it may also play a direct role in regulating capsule-independent antiphagocytic virulence factors. These results validate our experimental approach to dissecting

Endocarditis bacteriana por Kocuria kristinae en paciente inmunocompetente: Reporte de un caso

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Alirio R Bastidas

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Las infecciones por microorganismos del género Kocuria spp. han sido descritas con mayor frecuencia en pacientes con enfermedades crónicas y estados de inmunosupresión. Comúnmente, no se ha reportado su aislamiento como causa de endocarditis en pacientes jóvenes e inmunocompetentes. Se deben diferenciar de las infecciones producidas por Staphylococcus spp. ya que su evolución clínica puede ser similar y sólo el aislamiento y tipifi cación en cultivos permite hacer el diagnóstico etiológico defi nitivo y dirigir la terapia antibiótica adecuada. Se describe el caso de un paciente joven e inmunocompetente que cursó con endocarditis bacteriana, aislándose Kocuria kristinae en hemocultivos.

Production of an antimicrobial substance against Cryptococcus neoformans by Paenibacillus brasilensis Sa3 isolated from the rhizosphere of Kalanchoe brasiliensis.

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Fortes, Tiago Oliveira; Alviano, Daniela Sales; Tupinambá, Gleiser; Padrón, Thaís Souto; Antoniolli, Angelo Roberto; Alviano, Celuta Sales; Seldin, Lucy

2008-01-01

An antifungal substance produced by Paenibacillus brasilensis strain Sa3 was preliminary characterized and showed to be stable after treatment with different enzymes and organic solvents and at a wide range of pH, and presented a molecular weight between 3 and 10 kDa. In vitro antagonism of this strain towards Cryptococcus neoformans was investigated by optical and electronic microscopic analyses and a fungicidal effect on C. neoformans was observed. Ultrastructural analysis showed intense changes on the fungus when it was paired cultured with strain Sa3, mainly the detachment of the capsule from the cell wall and the presence of altered organelles in the cytoplasm. This novel antifungal substance produced by P. brasilensis Sa3 may represent a new insight in antifungal therapy mainly against emergent fungi. Also, prospective studies on rhizobacteria of plants as Kalanchoe brasiliensis may offer a potential source for the discovery of bioactive compounds with medical value.

Celulitis por citomegalovirus

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A. Ruiz Lascano

2002-12-01

Full Text Available Las lesiones cutáneas por citomegalovirus (CMV son infrecuentes y a menudo una manifestación tardía de una enfermedad sistémica, que generalmente anuncia un curso fatal. Comunicamos un caso de celulitis por CMV: una mujer de 70 años con trasplante renal efectuado 1 mes antes de la consulta, terapia inmunosupresora con ciclosporina A y metilprednisona. La paciente ingresó por fiebre, dolor e impotencia funcional en pierna derecha. Comprobamos la existencia de una placa de 8 por 4 cm eritematoedematosa. La tratamos con antibióticos sin mejoría, por lo que realizamos un estudio histopatológico de piel que mostró cambios citopáticos compatibles con infección por CMV. Los cultivos bacteriológicos y micológicos fueron negativos. La inmunohistoquímica específica para CMV y el estudio de reacción en cadena de la polimerasa (PCR de la biopsia de piel fueron positivas, al igual que la antigenemia. El tratamiento con ganciclovir produjo la mejoría del cuadro clínico. En la literatura revisada no hemos encontrado la celulitis como manifestación de enfermedad cutánea por CMV.

Primeiro relato no Brasil de mastite necrótica bovina por Clostridium perfringens tipo A First report in Brazil of bovine necrotic mastitis due to Clostridium perfringens type A

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Luciana Aramuni Gonçalves

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Relata-se o primeiro caso no Brasil de mastite bovina por Clostridium perfringens tipo A. O quadro clínico caracterizou-se por necrose da papila mamária e porção ventral do quarto afetado. O agente foi isolado em cultura pura e identificado como tipo A por PCR a partir do leite do quarto mamário afetado.This report describes a case of bovine mastitis due to Clostridium perfringens type A for first time in Brazil. The unical case showed necrosis of papilla mammary and ventral portion of the affected quarter. The microorganism was isolated in pure culture and identified as type A by PCR from milk of the affected mammary quarter.

Transcriptional Analysis Allows Genome Reannotation and Reveals that Cryptococcus gattii VGII Undergoes Nutrient Restriction during Infection

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Patrícia Aline Gröhs Ferrareze

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus gattii is a human and animal pathogen that infects healthy hosts and caused the Pacific Northwest outbreak of cryptococcosis. The inhalation of infectious propagules can lead to internalization of cryptococcal cells by alveolar macrophages, a niche in which C. gattii cells can survive and proliferate. Although the nutrient composition of macrophages is relatively unknown, the high induction of amino acid transporter genes inside the phagosome indicates a preference for amino acid uptake instead of synthesis. However, the presence of countable errors in the R265 genome annotation indicates significant inhibition of transcriptomic analysis in this hypervirulent strain. Thus, we analyzed RNA-Seq data from in vivo and in vitro cultures of C. gattii R265 to perform the reannotation of the genome. In addition, based on in vivo transcriptomic data, we identified highly expressed genes and pathways of amino acid metabolism that would enable C. gattii to survive and proliferate in vivo. Importantly, we identified high expression in three APC amino acid transporters as well as the GABA permease. The use of amino acids as carbon and nitrogen sources, releasing ammonium and generating carbohydrate metabolism intermediaries, also explains the high expression of components of several degradative pathways, since glucose starvation is an important host defense mechanism.

IL-4 receptor-alpha-dependent control of Cryptococcus neoformans in the early phase of pulmonary infection.

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Andreas Grahnert

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes lung inflammation and meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised people. Previously we showed that mice succumb to intranasal infection by induction of pulmonary interleukin (IL-4Rα-dependent type 2 immune responses, whereas IL-12-dependent type 1 responses confer resistance. In the experiments presented here, IL-4Rα⁻/⁻ mice unexpectedly show decreased fungal control early upon infection with C. neoformans, whereas wild-type mice are able to control fungal growth accompanied by enhanced macrophage and dendritic cell recruitment to the site of infection. Lower pulmonary recruitment of macrophages and dendritic cells in IL-4Rα⁻/⁻ mice is associated with reduced pulmonary expression of CCL2 and CCL20 chemokines. Moreover, IFN-γ and nitric oxide production are diminished in IL-4Rα⁻/⁻ mice compared to wild-type mice. To directly study the potential mechanism(s responsible for reduced production of IFN-γ, conventional dendritic cells were stimulated with C. neoformans in the presence of IL-4 which results in increased IL-12 production and reduced IL-10 production. Together, a beneficial role of early IL-4Rα signaling is demonstrated in pulmonary cryptococcosis, which contrasts with the well-known IL-4Rα-mediated detrimental effects in the late phase.

Cerebral ischemia caused by Streptococcus bovis aortic endocarditis: case report Isquemia cerebral causada por endocardite aórtica pelo Streptococcus bovis: relato de caso

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Leopoldo Santos-Neto

2005-09-01

Full Text Available Cerebral ischemic processes associated with infective endocarditis caused by Streptococcus bovis are rare; only 2 cases having been reported. Here we report a case of a 50-year-old man with S. bovis endocarditis who presented signs of frontal, parietal and occipital lobe cerebral ischemia. This is the first case reported in which the presence of hemianopsia preceded the endocarditis diagnosis. Initially, the clinical manifestations suggested a systemic vasculitis. Later, vegetating lesions were identified in the aortic valve and S. bovis grew in blood cultures. Antibiotic use and aortic valve replacement eliminated the infection and ceased thromboembolic events. A videocolonoscopy examination revealed no mucosal lesions as a portal of entry in this case, although such lesions have been encountered in up to 70% of reported cases of S. bovis endocarditis.A associação de isquemia cerebral e endocardite por Streptococcus bovis é um evento raro, tendo sido publicados apenas 2 casos anteriormente. Nós relatamos o caso de um homem de 50 anos com endocardite por S. bovis que apresentou sinais isquêmicos nos lobos frontal, parietal e occipital. Este é o primeiro caso em que a hemianopsia precedeu o diagnóstico de endocardite. Inicialmente, o quadro foi confundido com vasculite. Posteriormente, foi confirmada a presença de vegetações na válvula aórtica e a hemocultura identificou S. bovis. Os eventos tromboembólicos foram controlados com o uso de antibióticos e a troca da válvula aórtica. Estudo videocolonoscópico não identificou nenhuma lesão, apesar de lesões colônicas serem descritas em até 70% dos casos de indivíduos com endocardite por S. bovis.

Genome-Wide Transcription Study of Cryptococcus neoformans H99 Clinical Strain versus Environmental Strains.

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Elaheh Movahed

Full Text Available The infection of Cryptococcus neoformans is acquired through the inhalation of desiccated yeast cells and basidiospores originated from the environment, particularly from bird's droppings and decaying wood. Three environmental strains of C. neoformans originated from bird droppings (H4, S48B and S68B and C. neoformans reference clinical strain (H99 were used for intranasal infection in C57BL/6 mice. We showed that the H99 strain demonstrated higher virulence compared to H4, S48B and S68B strains. To examine if gene expression contributed to the different degree of virulence among these strains, a genome-wide microarray study was performed to inspect the transcriptomic profiles of all four strains. Our results revealed that out of 7,419 genes (22,257 probes examined, 65 genes were significantly up-or down-regulated in H99 versus H4, S48B and S68B strains. The up-regulated genes in H99 strain include Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase (MVA1, Mitochondrial matrix factor 1 (MMF1, Bud-site-selection protein 8 (BUD8, High affinity glucose transporter 3 (SNF3 and Rho GTPase-activating protein 2 (RGA2. Pathway annotation using DAVID bioinformatics resource showed that metal ion binding and sugar transmembrane transporter activity pathways were highly expressed in the H99 strain. We suggest that the genes and pathways identified may possibly play crucial roles in the fungal pathogenesis.

Secondary cell wall formation in Cryptococcus neoformans as a rescue mechanism against acid-induced autolysis.

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Farkas, Vladimír; Takeo, Kanji; Maceková, Danka; Ohkusu, Misako; Yoshida, Soichi; Sipiczki, Matthias

2009-03-01

Growth of the opportunistic yeast pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans in a synthetic medium containing yeast nitrogen base and 1.0-3.0% glucose is accompanied by spontaneous acidification of the medium, with its pH decreasing from the initial 5.5 to around 2.5 in the stationary phase. During the transition from the late exponential to the stationary phase of growth, many cells died as a consequence of autolytic erosion of their cell walls. Simultaneously, there was an increase in an ecto-glucanase active towards beta-1,3-glucan and having a pH optimum between pH 3.0 and 3.5. As a response to cell wall degradation, some cells developed an unusual survival strategy by forming 'secondary' cell walls underneath the original ones. Electron microscopy revealed that the secondary cell walls were thicker than the primary ones, exposing bundles of polysaccharide microfibrils only partially masked by an amorphous cell wall matrix on their surfaces. The cells bearing secondary cell walls had a three to five times higher content of the alkali-insoluble cell wall polysaccharides glucan and chitin, and their chitin/glucan ratio was about twofold higher than in cells from the logarithmic phase of growth. The cell lysis and the formation of the secondary cell walls could be suppressed by buffering the growth medium between pH 4.5 and 6.5.

Modulation of Zinc Homeostasis in Acanthamoeba castellanii as a Possible Antifungal Strategy against Cryptococcus gattii

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Nicole S. Ribeiro

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus gattii is a basidiomycetous yeast that can be found in the environment and is one of the agents of cryptococcosis, a life-threatening disease. During its life cycle, cryptococcal cells take hold inside environmental predators such as amoebae. Despite their evolutionary distance, macrophages and amoebae share conserved similar steps of phagocytosis and microbial killing. To evaluate whether amoebae also share other antifungal strategies developed by macrophages, we investigated nutritional immunity against cryptococcal cells. We focused on zinc homeostasis modulation in Acanthamoeba castellanii infected with C. gattii. The intracellular proliferation rate (IPR in amoebae was determined using C. gattii R265 and mutants for the ZIP1 gene, which displays defects of growth in zinc-limiting conditions. We detected a reduced IPR in cells lacking the ZIP1 gene compared to wild-type strains, suggesting that amoebae produce a low zinc environment to engulfed cells. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis employing the zinc probe Zinpyr-1 confirmed the reduced concentration of zinc in cryptococcal-infected amoebae. qRT-PCR analysis of zinc transporter-coding genes suggests that zinc export by members of the ZnT family would be involved in the reduced intracellular zinc concentration. These results indicate that amoebae may use nutritional immunity to reduce fungal cell proliferation by reducing zinc availability for the pathogen.

Síndrome de hipersensibilidad por uso de Trimetoprim/sulfametoxazol: Reporte de un caso

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Ray TICSE AGUIRRE

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Paciente varón de 27 años que fue admitido por el servicio de emergencia del Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia con un tiempo de enfermedad de tres semanas, que inició con rash dérmico pruriginoso en tronco, luego en extremidades. Luego de una semana presentó disnea y tos no productiva. Una semana antes del ingreso presentó descamación de piel, disnea al reposo, y edema en miembros inferiores. Como antecedente dos meses antes se le diagnosticó Linfoma no Hodgkin Células B y neumonitis por Pneumocystis jiroveci por lo que recibió trimetoprim/sulfametoxazol. Los examenes de laboratorio mostraron leucocitosis con eosinofilia, compromiso hepático con patrón colestásico e hipoxemia. La radiografía de tórax mostró neumonitis intersticial. La biopsia de piel mostró reacción alérgica a medicamentos. La erupción cutánea, el compromiso hematológico y sistémico definieron el diagnóstico de síndrome de hipersensiblidad a trimetoprim/sulfametoxazol. Se suspendió éste fármaco e inició tratamiento con corticoides. Se discute el caso y se revisa la literatura. (Rev Med Hered 2006;17:109-114.

Portable exhauster POR-007/Skid E and POR-008/Skid F storage plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, O.D.

1998-01-01

This document provides storage requirements for 1,000 CFM portable exhausters POR-O07/Skid E and POR-008/Skid F. These requirements are presented in three parts: preparation for storage, storage maintenance and testing, and retrieval from storage. The exhauster component identification numbers listed in this document contain the prefix POR-007 or POR-008 depending on which exhauster is being used

Cativeiro de aves como fonte de Cryptococcus neoformans na cidade de Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brasil

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Filiú Wander Fernando de Oliveira

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans é a levedura capsulada causadora de criptococose em humanos e animais. A variedade neoformans, encontrada em diversas fontes ambientais, inclusive habitats de aves, é importante causa de mortalidade em indivíduos com AIDS em todo o Mundo. Contudo, ainda não há estudos sobre a sua ecologia na região Centro Oeste brasileira, onde há registro da ocorrência de casos humanos da micose. Para estudar fontes saprofíticas de C. neoformans, na cidade de Campo Grande, foram coletadas 20 amostras de excretas de aves em distintos ambientes. Suspensão das amostras em salina estéril foram semeadas em placas com meio ágar níger. Após 5 dias, colônias mucóides marrom-escuro foram subcultivadas para identificação através de provas morfofisiológicas, determinação da variedade e sorotipagem. C. neoformans var. neoformans sorotipo A foi isolado de 10 (50% das amostras, comprovando a ocorrência saprofítica de C. neoformans na cidade de Campo Grande, relacionada a habitat de aves em cativeiro.

Abdominal cryptococcosis in two dogs: diagnosis and medical management.

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Tangeman, Lindsay; Davignon, Danielle; Patel, Reema; Littman, Meryl

2015-01-01

Canine cryptococcosis cases are typically reported as neurologic, disseminated, or both. There have been few reports of other parenchymal organ involvement. Dogs infected with Cryptococcus spp. are likely to develop central nervous system involvement, and those that are severely affected are treated aggressively with surgery and/or amphotericin B. This report describes two cases of canine abdominal cryptococcosis: one boxer with primary alimentary cryptococcosis alone and one miniature schnauzer with pancreatic and disseminated cryptococcosis. The boxer is unique in that the dog suffered from primary alimentary cryptococcosis without dissemination, secondary anemia due to gastrointestinal losses, and is the second case to have Cryptococcus spp. identified on fecal examination as part of the diagnostic workup. Unlike previous reports, surgery was not performed in either case, and both dogs were treated with fluconazole alone. Currently, both dogs are free from clinical signs, and Cryptococcus spp. antigen titers are negative at 17 and 15 mo after initial presentation. These cases suggest fluconazole may be effective therapy alone for canine abdominal cryptococcosis, negating the need for high-risk therapy options such as surgery and/or amphotericin B in some cases.

Surface-associated plasminogen binding of Cryptococcus neoformans promotes extracellular matrix invasion.

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Jamal Stie

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is a leading cause of illness and death in persons with predisposing factors, including: malignancies, solid organ transplants, and corticosteroid use. C. neoformans is ubiquitous in the environment and enters into the lungs via inhalation, where it can disseminate through the bloodstream and penetrate the central nervous system (CNS, resulting in a difficult to treat and often-fatal infection of the brain, called meningoencephalitis. Plasminogen is a highly abundant protein found in the plasma component of blood and is necessary for the degradation of fibrin, collagen, and other structural components of tissues. This fibrinolytic system is utilized by cancer cells during metastasis and several pathogenic species of bacteria have been found to manipulate the host plasminogen system to facilitate invasion of tissues during infection by modifying the activation of this process through the binding of plasminogen at their surface.The invasion of the brain and the central nervous system by penetration of the protective blood-brain barrier is a prerequisite to the establishment of meningoencephalitis by the opportunistic fungal pathogen C. neoformans. In this study, we examined the ability of C. neoformans to subvert the host plasminogen system to facilitate tissue barrier invasion. Through a combination of biochemical, cell biology, and proteomic approaches, we have shown that C. neoformans utilizes the host plasminogen system to cross tissue barriers, providing support for the hypothesis that plasminogen-binding may contribute to the invasion of the blood-brain barrier by penetration of the brain endothelial cells and underlying matrix. In addition, we have identified the cell wall-associated proteins that serve as plasminogen receptors and characterized both the plasminogen-binding and plasmin-activation potential for this significant human pathogen.The results of this study provide evidence for the

N-acetylglucosamine affects Cryptococcus neoformans cell-wall composition and melanin architecture.

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Camacho, Emma; Chrissian, Christine; Cordero, Radames J B; Liporagi-Lopes, Livia; Stark, Ruth E; Casadevall, Arturo

2017-11-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is an environmental fungus that belongs to the phylum Basidiomycetes and is a major pathogen in immunocompromised patients. The ability of C. neoformans to produce melanin pigments represents its second most important virulence factor, after the presence of a polysaccharide capsule. Both the capsule and melanin are closely associated with the fungal cell wall, a complex structure that is essential for maintaining cell morphology and viability under conditions of stress. The amino sugar N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is a key constituent of the cell-wall chitin and is used for both N-linked glycosylation and GPI anchor synthesis. Recent studies have suggested additional roles for GlcNAc as an activator and mediator of cellular signalling in fungal and plant cells. Furthermore, chitin and chitosan polysaccharides interact with melanin pigments in the cell wall and have been found to be essential for melanization. Despite the importance of melanin, its molecular structure remains unresolved; however, we previously obtained critical insights using advanced nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and imaging techniques. In this study, we investigated the effect of GlcNAc supplementation on cryptococcal cell-wall composition and melanization. C. neoformans was able to metabolize GlcNAc as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen, indicating a capacity to use a component of a highly abundant polymer in the biospherenutritionally. C. neoformans cells grown with GlcNAc manifested changes in the chitosan cell-wall content, cell-wall thickness and capsule size. Supplementing cultures with isotopically 15 N-labelled GlcNAc demonstrated that the exogenous monomer serves as a building block for chitin/chitosan and is incorporated into the cell wall. The altered chitin-to-chitosan ratio had no negative effects on the mother-daughter cell separation; growth with GlcNAc affected the fungal cell-wall scaffold, resulting in increased melanin deposition and assembly. In

Ependimoma celular parcialmente resecado complicado con meningoependimocoroiditis bacteriana por Pseudomonas aeruginosa e infección sistémica por citomegalovirus

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Francisco Javier Otero-Mendoza

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Niño de 1 año 10 meses de edad, originario de Irapuato, Guanajuato, sin antecedentes de importancia para el padecimiento actual. Inició dos meses previos a su ingreso con crisis convulsivas tónico-clónicas generalizadas de 15 segundos de duración durante el sueño. Se realizó electroencefalograma que reportó actividad epileptiforme, por lo que se dio tratamiento con ácido valproico. Una semana previa al ingreso se agregó ataxia troncal impidiendo la marcha, por lo que se realizó una tomografía axial computarizada de cráneo en la que se observó un tumor en fosa posterior con densidad heterogénea y áreas de necrosis central que obliteraba el cuarto ventrículo, ocasionando efecto de masa y desplazamiento ventral del tallo cerebral. Por tal motivo, fue referido a nuestra institución.

Trigger factors mainly from the environmental type are reported by adolescents with migraine Fatores desencadeantes de migrânea relatados por adolescentes

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Marcela Dalla Bernardina Fraga

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Migraine can be triggered by many factors such as stress, sleep, fasting and environmental causes. There are few studies that evaluated migraine trigger factors in the adolescent population. Methods: A total of 100 participants from 10 to 19 years were subjected to a detailed headache questionnaire, with demographic and clinical data, and a headache diary including trigger factors during a two-month period was asked. Results: Fifty of the participants exhibited chronic migraine and the other 50 participants demonstrated episodic migraine. The most common group of trigger factors reported was the environmental one, mainly sun/clarity, followed by hot weather and the smell of perfume. Conclusions: Ninety-one percent of children and adolescents with migraine reported a trigger factor precipitating the migraine attack.Crises de migrânea podem ser desencadeadas por muitos fatores, como estresse, sono, jejum e causas ambientais. Poucos estudos avaliaram os fatores desencadeantes de migrânea em adolescentes. Métodos: Cem pacientes, de 10 a 19 anos, foram submetidos a um questionário detalhado sobre sua cefaleia, com dados demográficos e clínicos e um diário da cefaleia, incluindo perguntas sobre os fatores desencadeantes, por um período de dois meses. Resultados: Cinquenta pacientes apresentavam migrânea episódica e 50, migrânea crônica. O grupo de fatores desencadeantes mais frequentemente relatado foi o ambiental, principalmente sol ou claridade, seguido pelo clima quente e pelo cheiro de perfume. Conclusões: Noventa e um por cento dos adolescentes com migrânea relataram pelo menos um fator desencadeante de crises álgicas.

A glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor is required for membrane localization but dispensable for cell wall association of chitin deacetylase 2 in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Gilbert, Nicole M; Baker, Lorina G; Specht, Charles A; Lodge, Jennifer K

2012-01-01

Cell wall proteins (CWPs) mediate important cellular processes in fungi, including adhesion, invasion, biofilm formation, and flocculation. The current model of fungal cell wall organization includes a major class of CWPs covalently bound to β-1,6-glucan via a remnant of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor. This model was established by studies of ascomycetes more than a decade ago, and relatively little work has been done with other fungi, although the presumption has been that proteins identified in the cell wall which contain a predicted GPI anchor are covalently linked to cell wall glucans. The pathogenic basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans encodes >50 putatively GPI-anchored proteins, some of which have been identified in the cell wall. One of these proteins is chitin deacetylase 2 (Cda2), an enzyme responsible for converting chitin to chitosan, a cell wall polymer recently established as a virulence factor for C. neoformans infection of mammalian hosts. Using a combination of biochemistry, molecular biology, and genetics, we show that Cda2 is GPI anchored to membranes but noncovalently associated with the cell wall by means independent of both its GPI anchor and β-1,6-glucan. We also show that Cda2 produces chitosan when localized to the plasma membrane, but association with the cell wall is not essential for this process, thereby providing insight into the mechanism of chitosan biosynthesis. These results increase our understanding of the surface of C. neoformans and provide models of cell walls likely applicable to other undercharacterized basidiomycete pathogenic fungi. The surface of a pathogenic microbe is a major interface with its host. In fungi, the outer surface consists of a complex matrix known as the cell wall, which includes polysaccharides, proteins, and other molecules. The mammalian host recognizes many of these surface molecules and mounts appropriate responses to combat the microbial infection. Cryptococcus neoformans is a

DESAJUSTE EDUCATIVO POR REGIONES EN COLOMBIA: ¿COMPETENCIA POR SALARIOS O POR PUESTOS DE TRABAJO?

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Maribel Castillo Caicedo

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo aporta una perspectiva del fenómeno de la sobreeducación, entendida como un desajuste por exceso, entre el nivel educativo alcanzado por el individuo y el exigido por el puesto de trabajo en el cual se desempeña; esto se debe a que existe una demanda laboral estrecha de puestos de trabajo para personas calificadas en Colombia. Se analizan las contribuciones empíricas existentes y el debate sobre las mismas; se examinan las teorías que permiten explicar la existencia de un desajuste educativo y se realiza una revisión de la literatura internacional y nacional sobre el tema. Adicionalmente, se plantean una serie de hipótesis para desarrollar un esquema que permita determinar el comportamiento del individuo en el fenómeno de la sobreeducación.

Cerebral aspergillosis due to Aspergillus fumigatus in AIDS patient: first culture - proven case reported in Brazil Aspergilosis cerebral causada por Aspergillus fumigatus en paciente con SIDA: primer reporte de caso demostrado por cultivo en Brasil

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José E. Vidal

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Cerebral aspergillosis is a rare cause of brain expansive lesion in AIDS patients. We report the first culture-proven case of brain abscess due to Aspergillus fumigatus in a Brazilian AIDS patient. The patient, a 26 year-old male with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection and history of pulmonary tuberculosis and cerebral toxoplasmosis, had fever, cough, dyspnea, and two episodes of seizures. The brain computerized tomography (CT showed a bi-parietal and parasagittal hypodense lesion with peripheral enhancement, and significant mass effect. There was started anti-Toxoplasma treatment. Three weeks later, the patient presented mental confusion, and a new brain CT evidenced increase in the lesion. He underwent brain biopsy, draining 10 mL of purulent material. The direct mycological examination revealed septated and hyaline hyphae. There was started amphotericin B deoxycholate. The culture of the material demonstrated presence of the Aspergillus fumigatus. The following two months, the patient was submitted to three surgeries, with insertion of drainage catheter and administration of amphotericin B intralesional. Three months after hospital admission, his neurological condition suffered discrete changes. However, he died due to intrahospital pneumonia. Brain abscess caused by Aspergillus fumigatus must be considered in the differential diagnosis of the brain expansive lesions in AIDS patients in Brazil.La aspergilosis cerebral es una causa rara de lesión expansiva cerebral en pacientes con SIDA. Presentamos el primer reporte de un absceso cerebral causado por Aspergillus fumigatus en un paciente brasileño con SIDA. El paciente, de 26 años de edad, presentaba antecedentes de infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH, tuberculosis pulmonar y toxoplasmosis cerebral. Manifestó fiebre, tos, disnea y dos episódios de convulsiones. La tomografía computadorizada (TC demostró una lesión hipodensa parasagital y bi-parietal con

Nitrogen Metabolite Repression of Metabolism and Virulence in the Human Fungal Pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans

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Lee, I. Russel; Chow, Eve W. L.; Morrow, Carl A.; Djordjevic, Julianne T.; Fraser, James A.

2011-01-01

Proper regulation of metabolism is essential to maximizing fitness of organisms in their chosen environmental niche. Nitrogen metabolite repression is an example of a regulatory mechanism in fungi that enables preferential utilization of easily assimilated nitrogen sources, such as ammonium, to conserve resources. Here we provide genetic, transcriptional, and phenotypic evidence of nitrogen metabolite repression in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. In addition to loss of transcriptional activation of catabolic enzyme-encoding genes of the uric acid and proline assimilation pathways in the presence of ammonium, nitrogen metabolite repression also regulates the production of the virulence determinants capsule and melanin. Since GATA transcription factors are known to play a key role in nitrogen metabolite repression, bioinformatic analyses of the C. neoformans genome were undertaken and seven predicted GATA-type genes were identified. A screen of these deletion mutants revealed GAT1, encoding the only global transcription factor essential for utilization of a wide range of nitrogen sources, including uric acid, urea, and creatinine—three predominant nitrogen constituents found in the C. neoformans ecological niche. In addition to its evolutionarily conserved role in mediating nitrogen metabolite repression and controlling the expression of catabolic enzyme and permease-encoding genes, Gat1 also negatively regulates virulence traits, including infectious basidiospore production, melanin formation, and growth at high body temperature (39°–40°). Conversely, Gat1 positively regulates capsule production. A murine inhalation model of cryptococcosis revealed that the gat1Δ mutant is slightly more virulent than wild type, indicating that Gat1 plays a complex regulatory role during infection. PMID:21441208

Protein Composition of Infectious Spores Reveals Novel Sexual Development and Germination Factors in Cryptococcus.

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Mingwei Huang

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Spores are an essential cell type required for long-term survival across diverse organisms in the tree of life and are a hallmark of fungal reproduction, persistence, and dispersal. Among human fungal pathogens, spores are presumed infectious particles, but relatively little is known about this robust cell type. Here we used the meningitis-causing fungus Cryptococcus neoformans to determine the roles of spore-resident proteins in spore biology. Using highly sensitive nanoscale liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry, we compared the proteomes of spores and vegetative cells (yeast and identified eighteen proteins specifically enriched in spores. The genes encoding these proteins were deleted, and the resulting strains were evaluated for discernable phenotypes. We hypothesized that spore-enriched proteins would be preferentially involved in spore-specific processes such as dormancy, stress resistance, and germination. Surprisingly, however, the majority of the mutants harbored defects in sexual development, the process by which spores are formed. One mutant in the cohort was defective in the spore-specific process of germination, showing a delay specifically in the initiation of vegetative growth. Thus, by using this in-depth proteomics approach as a screening tool for cell type-specific proteins and combining it with molecular genetics, we successfully identified the first germination factor in C. neoformans. We also identified numerous proteins with previously unknown functions in both sexual development and spore composition. Our findings provide the first insights into the basic protein components of infectious spores and reveal unexpected molecular connections between infectious particle production and spore composition in a pathogenic eukaryote.

Direct transesterification of wet Cryptococcus curvatus cells to biodiesel through use of microwave irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui, Yi; Liang, Yanna

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Direct transesterfication of wet yeast cells using methanol and microwave irradiation is feasible. • Methanol to biomass ratio, stirring speed and KOH concentration were critical to biodiesel yield. • Under optimal conditions, the crude biodiesel contained 64% of FAMEs and was 92% of yeast lipids. - Abstract: Cryptococcus curvatus is a highly promising oleaginous yeast strain that can accumulate intracellular lipids when grown on renewable carbon sources. In order to convert yeast lipids to biodiesel in a simple but cost-effective way, we aim to react whole yeast cells with methanol to produce biodiesel eliminating the step of drying and lipid extraction while adopting microwave energy for heating and disrupting cell walls. Through use of a screening test followed by response surface methodology, optimal parameters leading to the highest yield of crude biodiesel and FAMEs were identified. Under optimal conditions of reaction time (2 min), methanol/biomass ratio (50/1, v/m), stirring speed (966 rpm), KOH concentration (5%), and water content (80%), the yield of crude biodiesel (% of total lipids) was 56.1% after the first round reaction. A second round reaction using the residual yeast cells increased the total yield to 92%. Among the crude biodiesel, 63.88% was FAMEs as revealed by GC analysis. Results from this study indicated that it is feasible to produce biodiesel from wet microbial biomass directly without the steps of drying and lipid extraction. With the assistance of microwave, this process can be accomplished in minutes with good process efficiency

DNA mutations mediate microevolution between host-adapted forms of the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Denise A Magditch

Full Text Available The disease cryptococcosis, caused by the fungus Cryptococcus neoformans, is acquired directly from environmental exposure rather than transmitted person-to-person. One explanation for the pathogenicity of this species is that interactions with environmental predators select for virulence. However, co-incubation of C. neoformans with amoeba can cause a "switch" from the normal yeast morphology to a pseudohyphal form, enabling fungi to survive exposure to amoeba, yet conversely reducing virulence in mammalian models of cryptococcosis. Like other human pathogenic fungi, C. neoformans is capable of microevolutionary changes that influence the biology of the organism and outcome of the host-pathogen interaction. A yeast-pseudohyphal phenotypic switch also happens under in vitro conditions. Here, we demonstrate that this morphological switch, rather than being under epigenetic control, is controlled by DNA mutation since all pseudohyphal strains bear mutations within genes encoding components of the RAM pathway. High rates of isolation of pseudohyphal strains can be explained by the physical size of RAM pathway genes and a hypermutator phenotype of the strain used in phenotypic switching studies. Reversion to wild type yeast morphology in vitro or within a mammalian host can occur through different mechanisms, with one being counter-acting mutations. Infection of mice with RAM mutants reveals several outcomes: clearance of the infection, asymptomatic maintenance of the strains, or reversion to wild type forms and progression of disease. These findings demonstrate a key role of mutation events in microevolution to modulate the ability of a fungal pathogen to cause disease.

Alopecia areata por uso de leflunomida en una paciente con artritis reumatoide: reporte de caso y revisión de literatura

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María Ignacia Molina Molina

2016-03-01

Full Text Available La artritis reumatoide es una enfermedad de tipo autoinmune. Por su carácter altamente invalidante, requiere de manejo farmacológico agresivo. Para ello, habitualmente se hace necesario el uso de drogas inmunomoduladoras agrupadas bajo el nombre de fármacos antirreumáticos modificadores de la enfermedad. Uno de los utilizados con mayor frecuencia es la leflunomida, la cual por su mecanismo de acción es capaz de suprimir ejes fundamentales en el proceso de la enfermedad. Sin embargo, su uso no se encuentra exento de efectos secundarios. Si bien existen series que reportan que los efectos adversos más prevalentes son diarrea, náuseas, exantema y alopecia, existen escasos reportes de casos de alopecia areata universal secundaria al uso de leflunomida. A propósito de un caso en el Hospital Regional de Talca, se realizó una revisión de la literatura acerca del tema.

Tratamiento ortodóntico interceptivo para paciente pediátrico con problema periodontal ocasionado por trauma oclusal primario. Reporte de caso

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Johana Maldonado-Villamizar

2016-07-01

Full Text Available El diagnóstico correcto puede evitar la evolución de patologías que lleven al paciente pediátrico a padecer de problemas graves en el futuro. Este diagnóstico junto con un tratamiento interceptivo a tiempo, puede ayudar a resolver problemas de tipo periodontal causado por el inadecuado posicionamiento dental o injurias oclusales. El objetivo de este artículo es realizar el reporte de caso de un paciente pediátrico que presenta una maloclusion dental tipo mordida cruzada anterior acompañada por un trauma oclusal primario, el cual causo un problema periodontal localizado, a su vez, describir la terapéutica interceptiva basada en el correcto diagnóstico odontopediátrico, ortodóntico y periodontal. Concluyendo que al seleccionar la aparatología adecuada se puede solventar diversos problemas dentales que puedan ocasionar un daño mayor a las estructuras comprometidas.

Genotypic and Phenotypic Diversity of Cryptococcus gattii VGII Clinical Isolates and Its Impact on Virulence

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Vanessa A. Barcellos

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The Cryptococcus gattii species complex harbors the main etiological agents of cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients. C. gattii molecular type VGII predominates in the north and northeastern regions of Brazil, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. C. gattii VGII isolates have a strong clinical relevance and phenotypic variations. These phenotypic variations among C. gattii species complex isolates suggest that some strains are more virulent than others, but little information is available related to the pathogenic properties of those strains. In this study, we analyzed some virulence determinants of C. gattii VGII strains (CG01, CG02, and CG03 isolated from patients in the state of Piauí, Brazil. The C. gattii R265 VGIIa strain, which was isolated from the Vancouver outbreak, differed from C. gattii CG01, CG02 and CG03 isolates (also classified as VGII when analyzed the capsular dimensions, melanin production, urease activity, as well as the glucuronoxylomannan (GXM secretion. Those differences directly reflected in their virulence potential. In addition, CG02 displayed higher virulence compared to R265 (VGIIa strain in a cryptococcal murine model of infection. Lastly, we examined the genotypic diversity of these strains through Multilocus Sequence Type (MLST and one new subtype was described for the CG02 isolate. This study confirms the presence and the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of highly virulent strains in the Northeast region of Brazil.

Endoftalmitis poscirugía de catarata por Sphingomonas paucimobilis

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Omar Mauri Garrido

Full Text Available Se presenta la caracterización y manejo terapéutico de un caso de endoftalmitis bacteriana posoperatoria causada por el germen Sphingomonas paucimobilis. La endoftalmitis es la inflamación de los tejidos intraoculares, considerada como la más devastadora de las complicaciones posoperatorias; posee pronóstico visual muy reservado y un elevado riesgo de secuela. Las Sphingomonas paucimobilis son bacterias gramnegativas con forma de bacilo, quimioheterótrofa y estrictamente aerobias que causan enfermedades en los seres humanos, principalmente infecciones hospitalarias que típicamente son tratadas fácilmente con antibióticos. Por sus capacidades biodegradantes y biosintéticas, son pocos los reportes hallados de infección intraocular por este germen. El pronóstico visual es favorable con un diagnóstico precoz y la aplicación del tratamiento adecuado. En este artículo se presentan un caso de endoftalmitis poscirugía de catarata por Sphingomonas paucimobilis reportado en Cuba en el mes de septiembre de 2009.

Criptococoma pulmonar con invasión torácica en un varón inmunocompetente Pulmonary cryptococcoma with involvement of the chest wall in an immunocompetent patient

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Ana A. Pisarevsky

2010-04-01

Full Text Available La criptococosis pulmonar en pacientes inmunocompetentes es una entidad poco habitual y su presentación como masas de gran tamaño, con compromiso de la pared torácica y de los tejidos blandos vecinos, no la encontramos descriptas en nuestra revisión bibliográfica. La variedad gattii (serotipoB/C está acotada geográficamente a regiones tropicales y subtropicales y parece afectar preferentemente a individuos inmunocompetentes. Presentamos el caso de un hombre de 51 años proveniente del noreste de la Argentina, fumador de 10 atados/año que consulta por aumento del volumen del hombro izquierdo e impotencia funcional por intenso dolor de seis meses de evolución. Mediante una biopsia percutánea de la masa, se diagnostica Cryptococcus neoformans, variedad gattii. El paciente recibe terapéutica antifúngica, mostrando una evolución favorable con disminución progresiva de la masa.The pulmonary cryptococcosis in immunocompetent patients is unusual, and its presentation as large masses with involvement of the chest wall and the neighboring soft tissues has not been found in our bibliographic research. The variety gattii (serotype B/C is limited geographically to tropical and subtropical regions and appears to affect particularly immunocompetent individuals. We describe the case of a 51-year-old man from the Northeast of Argentina, with a history of smoking 10 pack/year. He presented an increased volume of the left shoulder and reported that for the last six months he had been unable to move it due to the pain. A percutaneous biopsy of the mass provided a diagnosis of Cryptococcus neoformans, variety gattii. The patient was treated with antifungal therapy showing a favourable outcome with a progressive decrease of the mass.

Desajuste educativo por regiones en Colombia: ¿competencia por salarios o por puestos de trabajo?

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Castillo Caicedo Maribel

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Este trabajo aporta una perspectiva del fenómeno de la sobreeducación,
entendida como un desajuste por exceso, entre el nivel educativo alcanzado
por el individuo y el exigido por el puesto de trabajo en el cual se
desempeña; esto se debe a que existe una demanda laboral estrecha de
puestos de trabajo para personas calificadas en Colombia. Se analizan las
contribuciones empíricas existentes y el debate sobre las mismas; se
examinan las teorías que permiten explicar la existencia de un desajuste
educativo y se realiza una revisión de la literatura internacional y
nacional sobre el tema. Adicionalmente, se plantean una serie de hipótesis
para desarrollar un esquema que permita determinar el comportamiento
del individuo en el fenómeno de la sobreeducación.

Miopatia por corpos esferóides: relato de caso Spheroid body myopathy: case report

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Rosana Hermínia Scola

2005-06-01

Full Text Available A miopatia por corpos esferóides é doença rara, classificada no grupo das miopatias congênitas relacionadas aos distúrbios da desmina; apresenta, em geral, origem autossômica dominante e com início dos sintomas na fase adulta. Relatamos o caso de menina de sete anos, com diparesia facial, hipotrofia e hipotonia muscular generalizadas, arreflexia profunda generalizada, força muscular proximal nos membros superiores e inferiores e distal dos membros superiores grau 3 e distal nos membros inferiores grau 1. A eletromiografia de agulha evidenciou recrutamento aumentado e potenciais de unidade motora de curta duração e baixa amplitude, caracterizando um padrão miopático. A biópsia muscular revelou padrão misto para miopatia e desinervação e presença de corpos esferóides intracitoplasmáticos compatíveis com a miopatia por corpos esferóides. No presente caso, a paciente apresentou precocemente o início dos sintomas e não há relatos de casos semelhantes na família.Spheroid body myopathy is a rare illness classified in the group of the congenital myopathies as a desmin-related neuromuscular disorder, presenting dominant autosomical origin with the beginning of the symptoms in the adult phase. We report on a seven years old girl with facial paresia, generalized muscular hypotrophy and hypotony, generalized deep areflexia, proximal upper and lower limbs muscular strengh and distal upper limbs grade 3 and distal lower limbs grade 1. Needle electromyography evidenced increased conscription and potentials of motor unit of short duration and low amplitude, characterizing a myopathic standard. The muscle biopsy disclosed mixed standard to myopathy, denervation and inclusion bodies that are consistent to spheroid body myopathy. In this case, the patient presented, in advance, early beginning of the symptoms and there are no similar cases in the family.

The PorX response regulator of the Porphyromonas gingivalis PorXY two-component system does not directly regulate the Type IX secretion genes but binds the PorL subunit.

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Maxence S Vincent

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The Type IX secretion system (T9SS is a versatile multi-protein complex restricted to bacteria of the Bacteriodetes phylum and responsible for the secretion of surface attachment of diverse proteins that participate to S-layer formation, gliding motility or pathogenesis. The T9SS is poorly characterized but a number of proteins involved in the assembly of the secretion apparatus in the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis have been identified based on genome substractive analyses. Among these proteins, PorY and PorX encode typical two-component system (TCS sensor and CheY-like response regulator respectively. Although the porX and porY genes do not localize at the same genetic locus, it has been proposed that PorXY form a bona fide TCS. Deletion of the porX in P. gingivalis causes a slight decrease of the expression of a number of other T9SS genes, including sov, porT, porP, porK, porL, porM, porN and porY. Here, we show that PorX and the soluble cytoplasmic domain of PorY interact. Using electrophoretic mobility shift, DNA-protein co-purification and heterologous host expression assays, we showed that PorX does not bind and does not directly regulate expression of the T9SS genes. Finally, we show that PorX interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of PorL, a component of the T9SS membrane core complex and propose that the CheY-like PorX protein might be involved in the dynamics of the T9SS.

Factors Required for Activation of Urease as a Virulence Determinant in Cryptococcus neoformans

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Singh, Arpita; Panting, Robert J.; Varma, Ashok; Saijo, Tomomi; Waldron, Kevin J.; Jong, Ambrose; Ngamskulrungroj, Popchai; Chang, Yun C.; Rutherford, Julian C.; Kwon-Chung, Kyung J.

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Urease in Cryptococcus neoformans plays an important role in fungal dissemination to the brain and causing meningoencephalitis. Although urea is not required for synthesis of apourease encoded by URE1, the available nitrogen source affected the expression of URE1 as well as the level of the enzyme activity. Activation of the apoenzyme requires three accessory proteins, Ure4, Ure6, and Ure7, which are homologs of the bacterial urease accessory proteins UreD, UreF, and UreG, respectively. A yeast two-hybrid assay showed positive interaction of Ure1 with the three accessory proteins encoded by URE4, URE6, and URE7. Metalloproteomic analysis of cryptococcal lysates using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and a biochemical assay of urease activity showed that, as in many other organisms, urease is a metallocentric enzyme that requires nickel transported by Nic1 for its catalytic activity. The Ure7 accessory protein (bacterial UreG homolog) binds nickel likely via its conserved histidine-rich domain and appears to be responsible for the incorporation of Ni2+ into the apourease. Although the cryptococcal genome lacks the bacterial UreE homolog, Ure7 appears to combine the functions of bacterial UreE and UreG, thus making this pathogen more similar to that seen with the plant system. Brain invasion by the ure1, ure7, and nic1 mutant strains that lack urease activity was significantly less effective in a mouse model. This indicated that an activated urease and not the Ure1 protein was responsible for enhancement of brain invasion and that the factors required for urease activation in C. neoformans resemble those of plants more than those of bacteria. PMID:23653445

Unisexual reproduction drives meiotic recombination and phenotypic and karyotypic plasticity in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Sheng Sun

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In fungi, unisexual reproduction, where sexual development is initiated without the presence of two compatible mating type alleles, has been observed in several species that can also undergo traditional bisexual reproduction, including the important human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. While unisexual reproduction has been well characterized qualitatively, detailed quantifications are still lacking for aspects of this process, such as the frequency of recombination during unisexual reproduction, and how this compares with bisexual reproduction. Here, we analyzed meiotic recombination during α-α unisexual and a-α bisexual reproduction of C. neoformans. We found that meiotic recombination operates in a similar fashion during both modes of sexual reproduction. Specifically, we observed that in α-α unisexual reproduction, the numbers of crossovers along the chromosomes during meiosis, recombination frequencies at specific chromosomal regions, as well as meiotic recombination hot and cold spots, are all similar to those observed during a-α bisexual reproduction. The similarity in meiosis is also reflected by the fact that phenotypic segregation among progeny collected from the two modes of sexual reproduction is also similar, with transgressive segregation being observed in both. Additionally, we found diploid meiotic progeny were also produced at similar frequencies in the two modes of sexual reproduction, and transient chromosomal loss and duplication likely occurs frequently and results in aneuploidy and loss of heterozygosity that can span entire chromosomes. Furthermore, in both α-α unisexual and a-α bisexual reproduction, we observed biased allele inheritance in regions on chromosome 4, suggesting the presence of fragile chromosomal regions that might be vulnerable to mitotic recombination. Interestingly, we also observed a crossover event that occurred within the MAT locus during α-α unisexual

Unisexual Reproduction Drives Meiotic Recombination and Phenotypic and Karyotypic Plasticity in Cryptococcus neoformans

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Sun, Sheng; Billmyre, R. Blake; Mieczkowski, Piotr A.; Heitman, Joseph

2014-01-01

In fungi, unisexual reproduction, where sexual development is initiated without the presence of two compatible mating type alleles, has been observed in several species that can also undergo traditional bisexual reproduction, including the important human fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Candida albicans. While unisexual reproduction has been well characterized qualitatively, detailed quantifications are still lacking for aspects of this process, such as the frequency of recombination during unisexual reproduction, and how this compares with bisexual reproduction. Here, we analyzed meiotic recombination during α-α unisexual and a-α bisexual reproduction of C. neoformans. We found that meiotic recombination operates in a similar fashion during both modes of sexual reproduction. Specifically, we observed that in α-α unisexual reproduction, the numbers of crossovers along the chromosomes during meiosis, recombination frequencies at specific chromosomal regions, as well as meiotic recombination hot and cold spots, are all similar to those observed during a-α bisexual reproduction. The similarity in meiosis is also reflected by the fact that phenotypic segregation among progeny collected from the two modes of sexual reproduction is also similar, with transgressive segregation being observed in both. Additionally, we found diploid meiotic progeny were also produced at similar frequencies in the two modes of sexual reproduction, and transient chromosomal loss and duplication likely occurs frequently and results in aneuploidy and loss of heterozygosity that can span entire chromosomes. Furthermore, in both α-α unisexual and a-α bisexual reproduction, we observed biased allele inheritance in regions on chromosome 4, suggesting the presence of fragile chromosomal regions that might be vulnerable to mitotic recombination. Interestingly, we also observed a crossover event that occurred within the MAT locus during α-α unisexual reproduction. Our results

Allelic exchange of pheromones and their receptors reprograms sexual identity in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Brynne C Stanton

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Cell type specification is a fundamental process that all cells must carry out to ensure appropriate behaviors in response to environmental stimuli. In fungi, cell identity is critical for defining "sexes" known as mating types and is controlled by components of mating type (MAT loci. MAT-encoded genes function to define sexes via two distinct paradigms: 1 by controlling transcription of components common to both sexes, or 2 by expressing specially encoded factors (pheromones and their receptors that differ between mating types. The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has two mating types (a and alpha that are specified by an extremely unusual MAT locus. The complex architecture of this locus makes it impossible to predict which paradigm governs mating type. To identify the mechanism by which the C. neoformans sexes are determined, we created strains in which the pheromone and pheromone receptor from one mating type (a replaced the pheromone and pheromone receptor of the other (alpha. We discovered that these "alpha(a" cells effectively adopt a new mating type (that of a cells; they sense and respond to alpha factor, they elicit a mating response from alpha cells, and they fuse with alpha cells. In addition, alpha(a cells lose the alpha cell type-specific response to pheromone and do not form germ tubes, instead remaining spherical like a cells. Finally, we discovered that exogenous expression of the diploid/dikaryon-specific transcription factor Sxi2a could then promote complete sexual development in crosses between alpha and alpha(a strains. These data reveal that cell identity in C. neoformans is controlled fully by three kinds of MAT-encoded proteins: pheromones, pheromone receptors, and homeodomain proteins. Our findings establish the mechanisms for maintenance of distinct cell types and subsequent developmental behaviors in this unusual human fungal pathogen.

Allelic exchange of pheromones and their receptors reprograms sexual identity in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Stanton, Brynne C; Giles, Steven S; Staudt, Mark W; Kruzel, Emilia K; Hull, Christina M

2010-02-26

Cell type specification is a fundamental process that all cells must carry out to ensure appropriate behaviors in response to environmental stimuli. In fungi, cell identity is critical for defining "sexes" known as mating types and is controlled by components of mating type (MAT) loci. MAT-encoded genes function to define sexes via two distinct paradigms: 1) by controlling transcription of components common to both sexes, or 2) by expressing specially encoded factors (pheromones and their receptors) that differ between mating types. The human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans has two mating types (a and alpha) that are specified by an extremely unusual MAT locus. The complex architecture of this locus makes it impossible to predict which paradigm governs mating type. To identify the mechanism by which the C. neoformans sexes are determined, we created strains in which the pheromone and pheromone receptor from one mating type (a) replaced the pheromone and pheromone receptor of the other (alpha). We discovered that these "alpha(a)" cells effectively adopt a new mating type (that of a cells); they sense and respond to alpha factor, they elicit a mating response from alpha cells, and they fuse with alpha cells. In addition, alpha(a) cells lose the alpha cell type-specific response to pheromone and do not form germ tubes, instead remaining spherical like a cells. Finally, we discovered that exogenous expression of the diploid/dikaryon-specific transcription factor Sxi2a could then promote complete sexual development in crosses between alpha and alpha(a) strains. These data reveal that cell identity in C. neoformans is controlled fully by three kinds of MAT-encoded proteins: pheromones, pheromone receptors, and homeodomain proteins. Our findings establish the mechanisms for maintenance of distinct cell types and subsequent developmental behaviors in this unusual human fungal pathogen.

The PorX Response Regulator of the Porphyromonas gingivalis PorXY Two-Component System Does Not Directly Regulate the Type IX Secretion Genes but Binds the PorL Subunit

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Vincent, Maxence S.; Durand, Eric; Cascales, Eric

2016-01-01

The Type IX secretion system (T9SS) is a versatile multi-protein complex restricted to bacteria of the Bacteriodetes phylum and responsible for the secretion or cell surface exposition of diverse proteins that participate to S-layer formation, gliding motility or pathogenesis. The T9SS is poorly characterized but a number of proteins involved in the assembly of the secretion apparatus in the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis have been identified based on genome substractive analyses. Among these proteins, PorY, and PorX encode typical two-component system (TCS) sensor and CheY-like response regulator respectively. Although the porX and porY genes do not localize at the same genetic locus, it has been proposed that PorXY form a bona fide TCS. Deletion of porX in P. gingivalis causes a slight decrease of the expression of a number of other T9SS genes, including sov, porT, porP, porK, porL, porM, porN, and porY. Here, we show that PorX and the soluble cytoplasmic domain of PorY interact. Using electrophoretic mobility shift, DNA-protein co-purification and heterologous host expression assays, we demonstrate that PorX does not bind T9SS gene promoters and does not directly regulate expression of the T9SS genes. Finally, we show that PorX interacts with the cytoplasmic domain of PorL, a component of the T9SS membrane core complex and propose that the CheY-like PorX protein might be involved in the dynamics of the T9SS. PMID:27630829

Paciente inmunocompetente con criptococosis cerebral: reporte de un caso.

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Becerra-Pedraza, Luis Cuitláhuac; Martínez-Piña, Daniel Arturo; Calles-Carmona, Génesis Rocío; San-Juan, Daniel

2017-01-01

A 14-year-old female, presenting sudden and progressive holocraneal headache along with incoercible vomiting arrived to emergency room. Acute confusional state and meningoencephalitis syndrome where identified. Brain computed tomography-scan with normal results was performed. Lumbar puncture with crystal-clear cerebrospinal fluid was obtained: low glucose, elevated proteins and cell-count of 15/mm. China-Ink and Criptococcus neoformans culture both positive. Viral, lupus-anticoagulant, and HIV tests negative. Fluconazole 200 mg/kg/day, amphotericin-B 0.7 mg/kg/day, dexamethasone 1 mg/kg/day were prescribed. 48-h later evolved to cerebral edema, multiple-organ-failure and death. Hereby we present a Cryptococcus spp. infection case report, addressing the public health challenge and vulnerability of immunocompromised patients in Mexico. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud.

Cryptococcus neoformans in the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus): colonization by C n. var. gattii and investigation of environmental sources.

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Krockenberger, M B; Canfield, P J; Malik, R

2002-06-01

This study is the one in a series looking at the relationship among Cryptococcus neoformans var. gattii, koalas and the environment. The koala was used as a natural biological sampler in an attempt to understand the dynamics of C. neoformans var. gattii in Australian environments. Evidence of asymptomatic nasal and skin colonization for extended periods by large numbers of C. n. var. gattii was obtained and geographical factors assessed. The key finding was the ability of koalas to amplify numbers of C. n. var. gattii in certain environments. Koalas were not found to be obligatory for the survival of the organism in all environments. Geographical factors alone could not explain differing rates of nasal and skin colonization in koalas in different environments. A strong association between healthy koalas and C. n. var. gattii was confirmed and C n. var. gattii was isolated from novel sources, including the turpentine gum tree (Syncarpia glomulifera), tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys) and flooded gum (E. grandis). It seems likely that as yet undiscovered environmental sources of C. n. var. gattii exist in eastern Australia. Further investigation of host, environmental and organism factors integral to the hostpathogen relationship will assist an understanding of the progression from colonization to tissue invasion and cryptococcosis in all species.

Esclerite infecciosa espontânea por Nocardia asteroides: relato de caso Spontaneus nocardial scleritis: case report

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Andréia Peltier Urbano

2003-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Relato de caso raro de esclerite infecciosa por Nocardia asteroides, em paciente sem fatores de risco para esclerite. MÉTODOS: Paciente feminina, de 38 anos, apresentando olho vermelho e dor durante 1 mês, com esclerite nodular no olho direito. Sem história prévia de trauma ou cirurgia ocular. Exames laboratoriais normais, sem doenças sistêmicas ou imunodepressão. Foi submetida à biópsia diagnóstica, com ressecção conjuntival da área acometida, cuja cultura evidenciou Nocardia asteroides. Fez tratamento sistêmico com sulfametoxazol-trimetropima e tópico com colírio de amicacina. Após dois meses de tratamento apresentou remissão total do processo infeccioso e acuidade visual final corrigida 20/20. CONCLUSÃO: O diagnóstico e tratamento precoces na esclerite infecciosa por Nocardia asteroides podem permitir prognóstico visual satisfatório.PURPOSE: To report a case of Nocardia asteroides scleritis in a patient without risk factors for infeccious scleritis. METHODS: A 38-year old woman was initially examined for pain, discharge, photophobia of 1 month duration in her right eye. Her medical and ophthalmological history were unremarkable. The results of laboratory tests were normal. Surgical debridement of necrotic tissue was performed and material was sent for biopsy and culture confirmed as Nocardia asteroides. Treatment consisted of amikacin eyedrops, and systemic trimethropim-sulfamethoxazole. The infection resolved leaving scleral thinning and a subconjunctival fibrovascular scar. Best corrected visual acuity two months after referral had improved to LE, 20/20. CONCLUSION: Prompt evaluation and treatment is essential for successful management of Nocardia asteroides infectious scleritis.

Microsatellite typing of clinical and environmental Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii isolates from Cuba shows multiple genetic lineages.

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Maria-Teresa Illnait-Zaragozi

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Human cryptococcal infections have been associated with bird droppings as a likely source of infection. Studies toward the local and global epidemiology of Cryptococcus spp. have been hampered by the lack of rapid, discriminatory, and exchangeable molecular typing methods. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We selected nine microsatellite markers for high-resolution fingerprinting from the genome of C. neoformans var. grubii. This panel of markers was applied to a collection of clinical (n = 122 and environmental (n = 68; from pigeon guano C. neoformans var. grubii isolates from Cuba. All markers proved to be polymorphic. The average number of alleles per marker was 9 (range 5-51. A total of 104 genotypes could be distinguished. The discriminatory power of this panel of markers was 0.993. Multiple clusters of related genotypes could be discriminated that differed in only one or two microsatellite markers. These clusters were assigned as microsatellite complexes. The majority of environmental isolates (>70% fell into 1 microsatellite complex containing only few clinical isolates (49 environmental versus 2 clinical. Clinical isolates were segregated over multiple microsatellite complexes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: A large genotypic variation exists in C. neoformans var. grubii. The genotypic segregation between clinical and environmental isolates from pigeon guano suggests additional source(s of human cryptococcal infections. The selected panel of microsatellite markers is an excellent tool to study the epidemiology of C. neoformans var. grubii.

Modulation of Replicative Lifespan in Cryptococcus neoformans: Implications for Virulence

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Bouklas, Tejas; Jain, Neena; Fries, Bettina C.

2017-01-01

The fungal pathogen, Cryptococcus neoformans, has been shown to undergo replicative aging. Old cells are characterized by advanced generational age and phenotypic changes that appear to mediate enhanced resistance to host and antifungal-based killing. As a consequence of this age-associated resilience, old cells accumulate during chronic infection. Based on these findings, we hypothesized that shifting the generational age of a pathogenic yeast population would alter its vulnerability to the host and affect its virulence. SIR2 is a well-conserved histone deacetylase, and a pivotal target for the development of anti-aging drugs. We tested its effect on C. neoformans’ replicative lifespan (RLS). First, a mutant C. neoformans strain (sir2Δ) was generated, and confirmed a predicted shortened RLS in sir2Δ cells consistent with its known role in aging. Next, RLS analysis showed that treatment of C. neoformans with Sir2p-agonists resulted in a significantly prolonged RLS, whereas treatment with a Sir2p-antagonist shortened RLS. RLS modulating effects were dependent on SIR2 and not observed in sir2Δ cells. Because SIR2 loss resulted in a slightly impaired fitness, effects of genetic RLS modulation on virulence could not be compared with wild type cells. Instead we chose to chemically modulate RLS, and investigated the effect of Sir2p modulating drugs on C. neoformans cells in a Galleria mellonella infection model. Consistent with our hypothesis that shifts in the generational age of the infecting yeast population alters its vulnerability to host cells, we observed decreased virulence of C. neoformans in the Galleria host when RLS was prolonged by treatment with Sir2p agonists. In contrast, treatment with a Sir2p antagonist, which shortens RLS enhanced virulence in Galleria. In addition, combination of Sir2p agonists with antifungal therapy enhanced the antifungal’s effect. Importantly, no difference in virulence was observed with drug treatment when sir2Δ cells

Type IX secretion system PorM and gliding machinery GldM form arches spanning the periplasmic space.

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Leone, Philippe; Roche, Jennifer; Vincent, Maxence S; Tran, Quang Hieu; Desmyter, Aline; Cascales, Eric; Kellenberger, Christine; Cambillau, Christian; Roussel, Alain

2018-01-30

Type IX secretion system (T9SS), exclusively present in the Bacteroidetes phylum, has been studied mainly in Flavobacterium johnsoniae and Porphyromonas gingivalis. Among the 18 genes, essential for T9SS function, a group of four, porK-N (P. gingivalis) or gldK-N (F. johnsoniae) belongs to a co-transcribed operon that expresses the T9SS core membrane complex. The central component of this complex, PorM (or GldM), is anchored in the inner membrane by a trans-membrane helix and interacts through the outer membrane PorK-N complex. There is a complete lack of available atomic structures for any component of T9SS, including the PorKLMN complex. Here we report the crystal structure of the GldM and PorM periplasmic domains. Dimeric GldM and PorM, each contain four domains of ~180-Å length that span most of the periplasmic space. These and previously reported results allow us to propose a model of the T9SS core membrane complex as well as its functional behavior.

Encefalopatía por priones

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Carlos Colegial

1999-01-01

Full Text Available Las encefalopatías espongiformes por priones son enfermedades neurodegenerativas que pueden ser esporádicas o transmisibles, ya sea por mecanismos infecciosos o hereditarios. Su investigación ha planteado enormes retos y en el recorrido histórico en busca de su causa dos médicos han recibido el premio Nobel de Medicina: Carleton Gajdusek, por sus trabajos en Nueva Guinea donde describió la transmisión infecciosa por ritos canibalísticos, que llevó a estudios de transmisión experimental en chimpancés y a su teoría de los "virus lentos" (por el largo período de incubación de la enfermedad.

Utilization of fish meal and fish oil for production of Cryptococcus sp. MTCC 5455 lipase and hydrolysis of polyurethane thereof.

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Thirunavukarasu, K; Purushothaman, S; Gowthaman, M K; Nakajima-Kambe, T; Rose, C; Kamini, N R

2015-09-01

Fish meal has been used as an additional nitrogen source and fish oil as inducer for the growth and production of lipase from Cryptococcus sp. MTCC 5455. A response surface design illustrated that the optimum factors influencing lipase production were fish meal, 1.5 %, w/v, Na2HPO4, 0.2 %, w/v, yeast extract, 0.25 %, w/v and sardine oil, 2.0 %, w/v with an activity of 71.23 U/mL at 96 h and 25 °C, which was 48.39 % higher than the conventional one-factor-at-a-time method. The crude concentrated enzyme hydrolyzed polyurethane (PUR) efficiently and hydrolysis was 94 % at 30 °C and 96 h. The products, diethylene glycol and adipic acid were quantified by HPLC and scanning electron microscopic studies of the degraded polymer showed significant increase in size of the holes from 24 to 72 h of incubation. Hydrolysis of PUR within 96 h makes the lipase novel for disposal of PUR and provides an innovative solution to the problems created by plastic wastes.

Absceso hepático por Klebsiella pneumoniae, asociado con bacteriemia y meningitis: Reporte de un caso

OpenAIRE

Yucumá-Gutiérrez, Samuel; Duran-Gutiérrez, Luis F; Osorio-Pinzón, Johanna V; Álzate-Carvajal, Verónica; Mondragón-Cardona, Álvaro

2016-01-01

El absceso hepático, continúa siendo un importante problema de salud pública. El causado por Klebsiella pneumoniae, se ha descrito en un 29% de los casos en algunas series. Con una mortalidad hasta del 11,3%, se presenta con mayor frecuencia en pacientes con diabetes mellitus, relacionándose con complicaciones a distancia, como meningitis, absceso cerebral y afección pulmonar. Se presenta el caso de un hombre sin factores de riesgo, con síndrome de absceso hepático por Klebsiella pneumoniae c...

[Cryptococcus neoformans chemotyping. Review of the literature. New epidemiologic data on cryptococcosis. Our experience with the use of C.G.B. media in the study of this yeast].

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de Melo, N T; Lacaz, C da S; Charbel, C E; Pereira, A D; Heins-Vaccari, E M; França-Netto, A S; Machado, L dos R; Livramento, J A

1993-01-01

The purpose of this work was to collect the main information from the literature about the biotyping of Cryptococcus neoformans. The more up-to date research concerning the epidemiology of cryptococcosis comprising quite a few articles, mainly after the advent of AIDS, was also reviewed. The Cryptococcus neoformans varieties neoformans and gattii are well defined biochemically nowadays chiefly through the C.G.B. medium, according to Kwon-Chung et al. (1982). The isolation of C. neoformans var. gattii from flowers and leaves of Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Eucalyptus tereticornis, specially in Australia, through the works of Ellis & Pfeiffer (1990) and Pfeiffer & Ellis (1992) permitted very interesting epidemiological investigations on C. neoformans, a capsulated yeast by which Sanfelice, in Italy (1894; 1895) attracted attention of medical class. Busse, in 1894, described the first human case of cryptococcosis under the presentation of a bone lesion simulating sarcoma. In this paper, the Brazilian researchers focused on this subject were pointed out, followed by the Author's experience with the C.G.B. medium (L-canavanine, glycine and bromothymol blue) proposed by Kwon-Chung et al. (1982) with very good results. It was possible with such medium the study of 50 C.N.S. liquor samples, being 39 from AIDS patients (78%) and 11 from non-AIDS ones (22%). Thirty-seven out of the 39 HIV-positive patients (74%) were identified as C. neoformans var. gattii. From the negative HIV, 8 (16%) were classified as C. neoformans var. neoformans and 3 (6%) as C. neoformans var. gattii. We could not perform the serotyping of the above referred samples. It is evident anyway that in Brazil there exist both varieties gattii and neoformans, agents of neurocryptococcosis, including AIDS patients. The importance of neurocryptococcosis, mainly among AIDS patients, is stressed here, showing once more the value of C.G.B. medium in the typing of C. neoformans in its two varieties. Also, it is of

Casipoemas por Navidad : (1969-2010)

OpenAIRE

Sena Medina, Guillermo

2011-01-01

PRESENTACIÓN AL AIRE DE LA POESÍA RELIGIOSA Y NAVIDEÑA DE GUILLERMO SENA MEDINA Constituye un gran honor hacer la presentación de Guillermo Sena Medina por un doble motivo; por la larga y sincera amistad que nos une desde hace muchos años al socaire de nuestra común afición por la Historia, como cronistas oficiales de nuestros municipios; y, sobre todo y particularmente, por su rica y profunda personalidad como hombre de letras, nacida de su aún más rica y profunda personalidad humana. A...

Infección pulmonar por Mycobacterium avium en paciente VIH/SIDA: Primer reporte en Perú

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Juan Carrasco

Full Text Available El complejo Mycobacterium avium (MAC es un patógeno que se encuentra en el medioambiente y causa infecciones tanto en pacientes inmunocompetentes como inmunocomprometidos. Se presenta el caso de un paciente VIH positivo varón de 38 años infectado por P. jirovecii y aparentemente infectado por Mycobacterium tuberculosis desde el año 2009, el cual fue tratado con antibioticoterapia para pneumocistosis y terapia antituberculosis (TB logrando mejoría parcial. En el año 2012 se le realizó nuevamente examen de cultivo y un nuevo tratamiento anti TB, frente a la sospecha de estar en presencia de una cepa de TB multidrogorresistente se recomienda realizar la identificación micobacteriana. El examen de cultivo fue positivo y el resultado genotípico resultó positivo para MAC. Se reporta el primer caso de un paciente VIH/SIDA con infección pulmonar por MAC en el Perú, así como una breve revisión de los aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos y de tratamiento

Global transcriptome profile of Cryptococcus neoformans during exposure to hydrogen peroxide induced oxidative stress.

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Rajendra Upadhya

Full Text Available The ability of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans to resist oxidative stress is one of its most important virulence related traits. To cope with the deleterious effect of cellular damage caused by the oxidative burst inside the macrophages, C. neoformans has developed multilayered redundant molecular responses to neutralize the stress, to repair the damage and to eventually grow inside the hostile environment of the phagosome. We used microarray analysis of cells treated with hydrogen peroxide (H(2O(2 at multiple time points in a nutrient defined medium to identify a transcriptional signature associated with oxidative stress. We discovered that the composition of the medium in which fungal cells were grown and treated had a profound effect on their capacity to degrade exogenous H(2O(2. We determined the kinetics of H(2O(2 breakdown by growing yeast cells under different conditions and accordingly selected an appropriate media composition and range of time points for isolating RNA for hybridization. Microarray analysis revealed a robust transient transcriptional response and the intensity of the global response was consistent with the kinetics of H(2O(2 breakdown by treated cells. Gene ontology analysis of differentially expressed genes related to oxidation-reduction, metabolic process and protein catabolic processes identified potential roles of mitochondrial function and protein ubiquitination in oxidative stress resistance. Interestingly, the metabolic pathway adaptation of C. neoformans to H(2O(2 treatment was remarkably distinct from the response of other fungal organisms to oxidative stress. We also identified the induction of an antifungal drug resistance response upon the treatment of C. neoformans with H(2O(2. These results highlight the complexity of the oxidative stress response and offer possible new avenues for improving our understanding of mechanisms of oxidative stress resistance in C. neoformans.

Characterization of the complete uric acid degradation pathway in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

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I Russel Lee

Full Text Available Degradation of purines to uric acid is generally conserved among organisms, however, the end product of uric acid degradation varies from species to species depending on the presence of active catabolic enzymes. In humans, most higher primates and birds, the urate oxidase gene is non-functional and hence uric acid is not further broken down. Uric acid in human blood plasma serves as an antioxidant and an immune enhancer; conversely, excessive amounts cause the common affliction gout. In contrast, uric acid is completely degraded to ammonia in most fungi. Currently, relatively little is known about uric acid catabolism in the fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans even though this yeast is commonly isolated from uric acid-rich pigeon guano. In addition, uric acid utilization enhances the production of the cryptococcal virulence factors capsule and urease, and may potentially modulate the host immune response during infection. Based on these important observations, we employed both Agrobacterium-mediated insertional mutagenesis and bioinformatics to predict all the uric acid catabolic enzyme-encoding genes in the H99 genome. The candidate C. neoformans uric acid catabolic genes identified were named: URO1 (urate oxidase, URO2 (HIU hydrolase, URO3 (OHCU decarboxylase, DAL1 (allantoinase, DAL2,3,3 (allantoicase-ureidoglycolate hydrolase fusion protein, and URE1 (urease. All six ORFs were then deleted via homologous recombination; assaying of the deletion mutants' ability to assimilate uric acid and its pathway intermediates as the sole nitrogen source validated their enzymatic functions. While Uro1, Uro2, Uro3, Dal1 and Dal2,3,3 were demonstrated to be dispensable for virulence, the significance of using a modified animal model system of cryptococcosis for improved mimicking of human pathogenicity is discussed.

Surface localization of glucosylceramide during Cryptococcus neoformans infection allows targeting as a potential antifungal.

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Ryan Rhome

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn is a significant human pathogen that, despite current treatments, continues to have a high morbidity rate especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The need for more tolerable and specific therapies has been clearly shown. In the search for novel drug targets, the gene for glucosylceramide synthase (GCS1 was deleted in Cn, resulting in a strain (Δgcs1 that does not produce glucosylceramide (GlcCer and is avirulent in mouse models of infection. To understand the biology behind the connection between virulence and GlcCer, the production and localization of GlcCer must be characterized in conditions that are prohibitive to the growth of Δgcs1 (neutral pH and high CO(2. These prohibitive conditions are physiologically similar to those found in the extracellular spaces of the lung during infection. Here, using immunofluorescence, we have shown that GlcCer localization to the cell surface is significantly increased during growth in these conditions and during infection. We further seek to exploit this localization by treatment with Cerezyme (Cz, a recombinant enzyme that metabolizes GlcCer, as a potential treatment for Cn. Cz treatment was found to reduce the amount of GlcCer in vitro, in cultures, and in Cn cells inhabiting the mouse lung. Treatment with Cz induced a membrane integrity defect in wild type Cn cells similar to Δgcs1. Cz treatment also reduced the in vitro growth of Cn in a dose and condition dependent manner. Finally, Cz treatment was shown to have a protective effect on survival in mice infected with Cn. Taken together, these studies have established the legitimacy of targeting the GlcCer and other related sphingolipid systems in the development of novel therapeutics.

Sea urchin granuloma Granulomas por ouriços-do-mar

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André Luiz Rossetto

2006-10-01

Full Text Available Injuries caused by venomous and poisonous aquatic animals may provoke important morbidity in humans. The phylum Echinoderma include more than 6000 species of starfish, sea urchins, sand dollars, and sea cucumbers some of which have been found responsible for injuries to humans. Initial injuries by sea urchins are associated with trauma and envenomation, but later effects can be observed. Sea urchin granuloma is a chronic granulomatous skin disease caused by frequent and successive penetration of sea urchin spines which have not been removed from wounds. The authors report a typical case of sea urchin granuloma in a fisherman and its therapeutic implications.Os acidentes por animais aquáticos traumatizantes e venenosos podem provocar morbidez importante em humanos. Equinodermos marinhos incluem mais de 6000 espécies de estrelas-do-mar, ouriços-do-mar, "bolachas-de-praia" e pepinos-do-mar. Vários equinodermos têm sido responsabilizados por acidentes em humanos. Granulomas por ouriço-do-mar são lesões de caráter granulomatoso, crônicas, causada por acidentes com espículas de ouriço-do-mar. Os autores relatam um caso típico de granulomas por ouriço-do-mar ocorrido em um pescador e enfatizam as implicações terapêuticas aplicadas.

Antifungal susceptibilities of Candida, Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus from the Asia and Western Pacific region: data from the SENTRY antifungal surveillance program (2010-2012).

Science.gov (United States)

Pfaller, Michael A; Messer, Shawn A; Jones, Ronald N; Castanheira, Mariana

2015-09-01

The SENTRY Antifungal Surveillance Program monitors global susceptibility rates of newer and established antifungal agents. We report the in vitro activity of seven antifungal agents against 496 contemporary clinical isolates of yeasts and molds. The isolates were obtained from 20 laboratories in the Asia-Western Pacific (APAC) region during 2010 through 2012. Anidulafungin, caspofungin, micafungin, fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole were susceptibility tested using CLSI methods and species-specific interpretive criteria. Sequencing of fks hot spots was performed for echinocandin-resistant strains. Isolates included 13 species of Candida (n=460), 5 species of non-Candida yeasts (21), 5 species of Aspergillus (11) and 4 other molds. Echinocandin resistance was uncommon among eight species of Candida and was only detected in three isolates of Candida glabrata, two from Australia harboring mutations in fks1 (F625S) and fks2 (S663P). Resistance to the azoles was much more common and was observed among all species with the exception of Candida dubliniensis. Fluconazole resistance rates observed with C. glabrata (6.8%) was comparable to that seen with Candida parapsilosis (5.7%) and Candida tropicalis (3.6%). Cross resistance among the triazoles was seen with each of these three species. The mold-active azoles and the echinocandins were all active against isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus. Azole resistance was not detected among the isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans. Antifungal resistance is uncommon among isolates of fungi causing invasive fungal infections in the APAC region. As in other regions of the world, emerging resistance to the echinocandins among invasive isolates of C. glabrata bears close monitoring.

A link between virulence and homeostatic responses to hypoxia during infection by the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Cheryl D Chun

2007-02-01

Full Text Available Fungal pathogens of humans require molecular oxygen for several essential biochemical reactions, yet virtually nothing is known about how they adapt to the relatively hypoxic environment of infected tissues. We isolated mutants defective in growth under hypoxic conditions, but normal for growth in normoxic conditions, in Cryptococcus neoformans, the most common cause of fungal meningitis. Two regulatory pathways were identified: one homologous to the mammalian sterol-response element binding protein (SREBP cholesterol biosynthesis regulatory pathway, and the other a two-component-like pathway involving a fungal-specific hybrid histidine kinase family member, Tco1. We show that cleavage of the SREBP precursor homolog Sre1-which is predicted to release its DNA-binding domain from the membrane-occurs in response to hypoxia, and that Sre1 is required for hypoxic induction of genes encoding for oxygen-dependent enzymes involved in ergosterol synthesis. Importantly, mutants in either the SREBP pathway or the Tco1 pathway display defects in their ability to proliferate in host tissues and to cause disease in infected mice, linking for the first time to our knowledge hypoxic adaptation and pathogenesis by a eukaryotic aerobe. SREBP pathway mutants were found to be a hundred times more sensitive than wild-type to fluconazole, a widely used antifungal agent that inhibits ergosterol synthesis, suggesting that inhibitors of SREBP processing could substantially enhance the potency of current therapies.

A Unique Fungal Two-Component System Regulates Stress Responses, Drug Sensitivity, Sexual Development, and Virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans

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Bahn, Yong-Sun; Kojima, Kaihei; Cox, Gary M.

2006-01-01

The stress-activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is widely used by eukaryotic organisms as a central conduit via which cellular responses to the environment effect growth and differentiation. The basidiomycetous human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans uniquely uses the stress-activated Pbs2-Hog1 MAPK system to govern a plethora of cellular events, including stress responses, drug sensitivity, sexual reproduction, and virulence. Here, we characterized a fungal “two-component” system that controls these fundamental cellular functions via the Pbs2-Hog1 MAPK cascade. A typical response regulator, Ssk1, modulated all Hog1-dependent phenotypes by controlling Hog1 phosphorylation, indicating that Ssk1 is the major upstream signaling component of the Pbs2-Hog1 pathway. A second response regulator, Skn7, governs sensitivity to Na+ ions and the antifungal agent fludioxonil, negatively controls melanin production, and functions independently of Hog1 regulation. To control these response regulators, C. neoformans uses multiple sensor kinases, including two-component–like (Tco) 1 and Tco2. Tco1 and Tco2 play shared and distinct roles in stress responses and drug sensitivity through the Hog1 MAPK system. Furthermore, each sensor kinase mediates unique cellular functions for virulence and morphological differentiation. Our findings highlight unique adaptations of this global two-component MAPK signaling cascade in a ubiquitous human fungal pathogen. PMID:16672377

Galleria mellonella model identifies highly virulent strains among all major molecular types of Cryptococcus gattii.

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Carolina Firacative

Full Text Available Cryptococcosis is mainly caused by Cryptococcus neoformans. However, the number of cases due to C. gattii is increasing, affecting mainly immunocompetent hosts. C. gattii is divided into four major molecular types, VGI to VGIV, which differ in their host range, epidemiology, antifungal susceptibility and geographic distribution. Besides studies on the Vancouver Island outbreak strains, which showed that the subtype VGIIa is highly virulent compared to the subtype VGIIb, little is known about the virulence of the other major molecular types. To elucidate the virulence potential of the major molecular types of C. gattii, Galleria mellonella larvae were inoculated with ten globally selected strains per molecular type. Survival rates were recorded and known virulence factors were studied. One VGII, one VGIII and one VGIV strain were more virulent (p 0.05, 21 (five VGI, five VGII, four VGIII and seven VGIV were less virulent (p <0.05 while one strain of each molecular type were avirulent. Cell and capsule size of all strains increased markedly during larvae infection (p <0.001. No differences in growth rate at 37°C were observed. Melanin synthesis was directly related with the level of virulence: more virulent strains produced more melanin than less virulent strains (p <0.05. The results indicate that all C. gattii major molecular types exhibit a range of virulence, with some strains having the potential to be more virulent. The study highlights the necessity to further investigate the genetic background of more and less virulent strains in order to recognize critical features, other than the known virulence factors (capsule, melanin and growth at mammalian body temperature, that maybe crucial for the development and progression of cryptococcosis.

Evolution of NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductases (POR) in Apiales - POR 1 is missing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Trine Bundgaard; Hansen, Niels Bjørn; Laursen, Tomas

2016-01-01

The NADPH-dependent cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) is the obligate electron donor to eukaryotic microsomal cytochromes P450 enzymes. The number of PORs within plant species is limited to one to four isoforms, with the most common being two PORs per plant. These enzymes provide electrons to ...... (available from the SRA at NCBI). All three genes were shown to be functional upon reconstitution into nanodiscs, confirming that none of the isoforms are pseudogenes....

Conjuntivite por Achromobacter xylosoxidans: relato de caso Conjunctivitis due to Achromobacter xylosoxidans: case report

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Juliana Faggion Lucatelli

2009-04-01

Full Text Available Relatamos um caso de conjuntivite ocasionada por Achromobacter xylosoxidans em paciente imunocompetente usuária de lentes de contato rígidas. A bactéria foi isolada da solução utilizada para a desinfecção das lentes bem como do raspado conjuntival. A. xylosoxidans tem sido descrita em infecções oportunistas em pacientes imunodeprimidos, contudo pode ser confundida com outros bacilos gram-negativos, principalmente Pseudomonas aeruginosa, isoladas de infecções oculares em pacientes imunocompetentes. Devido ao reduzido perfil de sensibilidade aos antimicrobianos demonstrado pelo A. xylosoxidans, torna-se importante a identificação deste agente etiológico em quadros de conjuntivite.We report here a case of conjunctivitis in an immunocompetent patient due to Achromobacter xylosoxidans, which was associated with the use of rigid contact lenses. The bacteria were isolated from the scraped conjunctival swab as well as from the lens cleaning fluid. A. xylosoxidans is an opportunistic pathogen, especially in immunocompromised patients; however, in isolates of ocular infections, from immunocompetent patients, it may be confused with other gram-negative organisms, particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Due to an increased resistance against different antimicrobial agents, A. xylosoxidans must be fully identified and differentiated from other gram-negative isolates from ocular infections.

Opsonization of Cryptococcus neoformans by a family of isotype-switch variant antibodies specific for the capsular polysaccharide.

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Schlageter, A M; Kozel, T R

1990-06-01

A family of immunoglobulin isotype-switch variants was isolated by sib selection from a murine hybridoma which produced an immunoglobulin G subclass 1 (IgG1) antibody specific for the capsular polysaccharide of Cryptococcus neoformans. Antibodies of the IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b isotypes had similar serotype specificity patterns in double immunodiffusion assays which used polysaccharides of the four cryptococcal serotypes as antigens. A quantitative difference in the ability of the isotypes to form a precipitate with the polysaccharide was observed in a double immunodiffusion assay and confirmed in a quantitative precipitin assay. The relative precipitating activity of the antibodies was IgG2a greater than IgG1 much greater than IgG2b. Analysis by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of the reactivity of the three isotypes with cryptococcal polysaccharide showed identical titers and slopes, suggesting that the variable region of the class-switch antibodies was unaltered. This system allowed us to examine the effect of the Fc portion of the antibody on opsonization of encapsulated cryptococci. Yeast cells were precoated with antibodies of each isotype and incubated with murine macrophages or cultured human monocytes. Antibodies of all three isotypes exhibited a dose-dependent opsonization for phagocytosis by both human and murine phagocytes. The relative opsonic activity of the antibodies was IgG2a greater than IgG1 greater than IgG2b.

Envenomation by the neotropical colubrid Boiruna maculata (Boulenger, 1896: a case report Envenenamento por Colubrídeo Neotropical Boiruna maculata (Boulenger, 1896: registro de um caso

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Maria Cristina dos SANTOS-COSTA

2000-10-01

Full Text Available This is a case report of a Boiruna maculata snake bite in a child admitted to the Hospital Municipal de Pronto Socorro de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. The patient was bitten on the lower left limb, and exhibited pronounced local manifestations of envenomation. She was treated with Bothrops antivenom and was discharged from the hospital five days later with marked improvement of envenomation.Este trabalho relata o envenenamento por serpente do gênero Boiruna maculata em criança admitida e posteriormente hospitalizada no Hospital Municipal de Pronto Socorro de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. A paciente foi mordida no membro inferior esquerdo e apresentou sinais de envenenamento local pronunciado, foi tratada como acidente botrópico e permaneceu no hospital por cinco dias, recebendo alta após melhora.

Osteomalacia inducida por tumor: hemangiopericitoma rinosinusal

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Enriqueta M. Serafini

2013-02-01

Full Text Available La osteomalacia inducida por tumor es una rara enfermedad del metabolismo óseo caracterizada por el aumento en la excreción de fosfato a nivel renal seguido de hipofosfatemia. Es causada por agentes fosfatúricos producidos por determinados tumores. La resección total del tumor resulta en la completa reversión de las anormalidades bioquímicas, la desaparición de las manifestaciones clínicas y los hallazgos en los estudios por imágenes. Presentamos el caso de un varón de 61 años con cuadro clínico y laboratorio compatibles con osteomalacia oncogénica inducida por tumor mesenquimático de localización rinosinusal. En nuestro caso el diagnóstico histológico correspondió a una neoplasia de tipo vascular: hemangiopericitoma.

Nocardial infections: report of 22 cases Infecções por Nocardia species: relato de 22 casos

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Maria Bernadete F. Chedid

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Twenty-two cases of nocardial infections were diagnosed in our city between 1977- 1998. All patients whose clinical specimens showed Nocardia spp. at Gram stain, which were further confirmed by culture, were selected to be included in the study. Data from patients who were cured were compared with those from patients who died by statistical tests using EPIINFO version 6.04 software. Six isolates were identified as Nocardia asteroides complex, one as Nocardia asteroides sensu stricto and other as Nocardia brasiliensis. We had 17 cases of lung nocardiosis, being one out of them also a systemic disease. Other four cases of systemic nocardiosis were diagnosed: nocardial brain abscesses (one; nocardiosis of the jejunum (one; multiple cutaneous abscesses (one; and a case of infective nocardial endocarditis of prosthetic aortic valve. One patient had a mycetoma by N. brasiliensis. Fifteen (68.2% out of 22 patients were immunosuppressed, being most (93.3% by high-doses corticotherapy. Mortality by nocardial infection was 41%; mortality of systemic nocardiosis was 60%. Nocardiosis has a bad prognosis in immunosuppressed patients and also in non-immunosuppressed patients if the diagnosis is delayed. We propose that the delay in diagnosis should be examined in larger series to document its influence in the prognosis of the disease.São apresentados 22 casos de infecção por Nocardia species entre 1977 e 1998, apresentando-se seu quadro clínico e evolução. Todos os pacientes cujos espécimes clínicos mostraram microorganismos sugestivos de Nocardia spp. à coloração de Gram, confirmados posteriormente por cultura, foram incluídos no estudo. Os dados dos pacientes que obtiveram cura foram comparados com aqueles dos pacientes que foram a óbito pelo programa EPIINFO versão 6.04; nível de significância menor que 5% foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. Foram obtidos 22 casos de infecção por Nocardia spp.: seis isolamentos identificados

Transmembrane transporter expression regulated by the glucosylceramide pathway in Cryptococcus neoformans.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Arpita; Rella, Antonella; Schwacke, John; Vacchi-Suzzi, Caterina; Luberto, Chiara; Del Poeta, Maurizio

2015-11-16

disrupt transmembrane signaling complex, which in turn contributes to cryptococcal osmotic, pH, ion homeostasis and its pathobiology. Six genes identified from gene expression microarrays by gene set enrichment analysis and validated by RT-PCR, are membrane located and associated with the growth defect at neutral-alkaline pH due to the absence and or presence of a structurally modified GlcCer. They may be involved in the transmembrane signaling network in Cryptococcus neoformans, and therefore the pathobiology of the fungus in these conditions.

新型隐球菌性脑膜炎与结核性脑膜炎的临床特点比较%Comparison of cli nical chara cteristics bet ween cryptococcus neoformans meningitis and tuberculous meningitis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

李峤; 冯国栋; 高宇; 赵钢

2016-01-01

目的：对比和分析综合性医院新型隐球菌性脑膜炎（CNM）与结核性脑膜炎（TBM）的临床特点。方法分析62例 CNM 及219例 TBM 患者的一般资料、临床症状、脑脊液细胞学（CSFC）、头颅影像学的特点。结果两种脑膜炎均呈亚急性或慢性起病，相对于 TBM，CNM 延误诊断时间更长、临床症状中癫痫出现比率（24．2％）、头颅影像学中脑膜强化出现比率（17．7％）较高，腰穿脑脊液（ CSF ）压力（268．7±67．6mmH2 O）、CSF 单核细胞占比（21．0±17．5％）高，CSF 白细胞计数（84．8±88．1×106／L）、CSF 糖（1．9±1．4mmol・L－1）较低。结论两种脑膜炎临床表现不典型，两者之间不易鉴别，容易误诊漏诊。临床上需综合判断，CSF 瑞氏吉姆萨染色和改良抗酸染色有助于两者病原学确诊。%Objective To compare the clinical characteristics between cryptococcus neoformans meningitis and tuberculous meningitis in general hospitals .Methods Common date, clinical symptoms, cytology of cerebrospinal fluid, skull CT or MRI of 62 cases with cryptococcus neoformans meningitis and 219 cases with tuberculous meningitis were retrospectively analyzed .Results Both of these meningitis are sub-acute or chronic onset.Compared with tuberculous meningitis , duration of misdiagnosis is much longer in cryptococcus neoformans meningitis.There were significant differences in symptomatic epilepsy , cerebrospinal fluid pressure, proportion of the monocytes of CSF, white blood cell count of CSF ,glucose value of CSF, meningeal enhancement .Conclusion The clinical manifestations of these two meningitis are atypical .It is hard to identify and easily misdiagnosed .Careful observation and comprehensive judgments were required in the clinical work .Wright-Giemsa stain and modified acid-fast stain are conductive to etiological diagnosis .

The production of monokaryotic hyphae by Cryptococcus neoformans can be induced by high temperature arrest of the cell cycle and is independent of same-sex mating.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Jianmin; Morris, Ian R; Wickes, Brian L

2013-01-01

Cryptococcus neoformans is a heterothallic fungal pathogen of humans and animals. Although the fungus grows primarily as a yeast, hyphae are produced during the sexual phase and during a process called monokaryotic fruiting, which is also believed to involve sexual reproduction, but between cells of the same mating type. Here we report a novel monokaryotic fruiting mechanism that is dependent on the cell cycle and occurs in haploid cells in the absence of sexual reproduction. Cells grown at 37°C were found to rapidly produce hyphae (∼4 hrs) and at high frequency (∼40% of the population) after inoculation onto hyphae-inducing agar. Microscopic examination of the 37°C seed culture revealed a mixture of normal-sized and enlarged cells. Micromanipulation of single cells demonstrated that only enlarged cells were able to produce hyphae and genetic analysis confirmed that hyphae did not arise from α-α mating or endoduplication. Cell cycle analysis revealed that cells grown at 37°C had an increased population of cells in G2 arrest, with the proportion correlated with the frequency of monokaryotic fruiting. Cell sorting experiments demonstrated that enlarged cells were only found in the G2-arrested population and only this population contained cells able to produce hyphae. Treatment of cells at low temperature with the G2 cell cycle arrest agent, nocodazole, induced hyphal growth, confirming the role of the cell cycle in this process. Taken together, these results reveal a mating-independent mechanism for monokaryotic fruiting, which is dependent on the cell cycle for induction of hyphal competency.

Demencia por déficit de vitamina B12: reporte de caso

OpenAIRE

Junco Bonet, Miguel Damián

2014-01-01

Fundamento: la deficiencia de vitamina B12 (cianocobalamina) puede producir varios desórdenes neurológicos, incluida la neuropatía periférica, degeneración subaguda combinada de la médula espinal, neuropatía óptica y alteraciones cognitivas que van desde la confusión leve hasta la demencia o la psicosis. La causa más frecuente de deficiencia de vitamina B12 es la anemia perniciosa. Objetivo: presentar un caso clínico de demencia por déficit de vitamina B12. Caso clínico: paciente masculino de...

Brain and lung cryptococcoma and concurrent corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in a goat: a case report

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MCR Luvizotto

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A four-year-old male goat with a history of neurological disorder was euthanized. It presented uncommon nodules in the brain and lungs associated with multiple abscesses, predominantly in the spleen and liver. Histological examination of brain and lung sections revealed yeast forms confirmed to be Cryptococcus gattii after a combination of isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR procedures. Moreover, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection was diagnosed by PCR of samples from the lung, spleen and liver. The present report highlights the rare concurrent infection of C. gatti and C. pseudotuberculosis in an adult goat from São Paulo state, Brazil, and indicates the necessity of surveillance in the treatment of goats with atypical pulmonary infections associated with neurological disorders.

Porøse materialer

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Ernst Jan de Place

2000-01-01

Dette undervisningsnotat er en samling af noter, der refererer til den indledende del af kurset Materialmekanik og Porøse materailer på Insitut for Bærende Konstruktiner og Materialer (BKM).......Dette undervisningsnotat er en samling af noter, der refererer til den indledende del af kurset Materialmekanik og Porøse materailer på Insitut for Bærende Konstruktiner og Materialer (BKM)....

Rapid direct identification of Cryptococcus neoformans from pigeon droppings by nested PCR using CNLAC1 gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Chae, H S; Park, G N; Kim, S H; Jo, H J; Kim, J T; Jeoung, H Y; An, D J; Kim, N H; Shin, B W; Kang, Y I; Chang, K S

2012-08-01

Isolation and identification of Cryptococcus neoformans and pathogenic yeast-like fungi from pigeon droppings has been taken for a long time and requires various nutrients for its growth. In this study, we attempted to establish a rapid direct identification method of Cr. neoformans from pigeon dropping samples by nested-PCR using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) CAP64 and CNLAC1 genes, polysaccharide capsule gene and laccase-associated gene to produce melanin pigment, respectively, which are common genes of yeasts. The ITS and CAP64 genes were amplified in all pathogenic yeasts, but CNLAC1 was amplified only in Cr. neoformans. The ITS gene was useful for yeast genotyping depending on nucleotide sequence. Homology of CAP64 genes among the yeasts were very high. The specificity of PCR using CNLAC1 was demonstrated in Cr. neoformans environmental strains but not in other yeast-like fungi. The CNLAC1 gene was detected in 5 serotypes of Cr. neoformans. The nested-PCR amplified up to 10(-11) μg of the genomic DNA and showed high sensitivity. All pigeon droppings among 31 Cr. neoformans-positive samples were positive and all pigeon droppings among 348 Cr. neoformans-negative samples were negative by the direct nested-PCR. In addition, after primary enrichment of pigeon droppings in Sabouraud dextrose broth, all Cr. neoformans-negative samples were negative by the nested-PCR, which showed high specificity. The nested-PCR showed high sensitivity without culture of pigeon droppings. Nested-PCR using CNLAC1 provides a rapid and reliable molecular diagnostic method to overcome weak points such as long culture time of many conventional methods.

Passive immunization against Cryptococcus neoformans with an isotype-switch family of monoclonal antibodies reactive with cryptococcal polysaccharide.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanford, J E; Lupan, D M; Schlageter, A M; Kozel, T R

1990-01-01

The in vivo properties of an immunoglobulin isotype-switch family of monoclonal antibodies specific for the polysaccharide capsule of Cryptococcus neoformans were examined in a murine model of cryptococcosis. Subclass-switch variants were isolated by sequential sublining of an immunoglobulin G subclass 1 (IgG1)-secreting cell line. Antibodies of the IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b isotypes with identical reactivities with cryptococcal polysaccharide were prepared. The antibodies had the distinct biological properties associated with the heavy chains of each respective isotype. The antibodies were used prophylactically or therapeutically in an attempt to alter the course of cryptococcal infection in mice. Survival of mice and a tissue census of the numbers of viable cryptococci in the lung, spleen, and brain were used as indicators of efficacy. Passive immunization with the IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies effected a reduction in the numbers of cryptococci in lung and spleen. Passive immunization with the IgG1 antibody was markedly less effective. Passive immunization had little or no effect on the numbers of cryptococci in brain tissue, regardless of the immunoglobulin isotype. Despite apparent efficacy with regard to reduction in the numbers of yeast cells in the lung and spleen, the results showed no improvement in survival from murine cryptococcosis. Our results indicate that passive immunization produces a modest effect on the course of murine cryptococcosis in tissues other than brain. However, under the experimental conditions used, such treatment does not have a measurable impact on the ultimate outcome of the infection. PMID:2341184

Morbilidad cardiovascular por autoreporte y su asociación con factores biopsicosociales, Tolima, Colombia / Self reported cardiovascular disease and association with biopsychosocial factors, Tolima, Colombia

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Laura Sánchez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: establecer la prevalencia de morbilidad cardiovascular por autoreporte en adultos de 18 a 69 años, en el Tolima, y explorar su asociación con factores biológicos, psicológicos y sociales, a partir de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2007. Metodología: estudio epidemiológico observacional, con un componente descriptivo-transversal y otro analítico-transversal de asociación, que empleó 1219 registros de personas entre 18 y 69 años del departamento del Tolima, provenientes de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud 2007. Se describieron las características demográficas y se determinó la prevalencia de factores de riesgo biopsicosociales para enfermedad cardiovascular por auto-reporte. Se exploraron asociaciones entre esos factores y enfermedad cardiovascular grave. Resultados: los factores de riesgo más prevalentes en las personas que desarrollaron un evento cardiovascular fueron hipertensión: 16,8%; dependencia al alcohol: 14,1%; nivel educativo nulo: 14%; la prevalencia de eventos cardiovasculares graves es del 5,5%. Al ajustar por variables de sexo y edad se encontró que los factores de riesgo para enfermedad cardiovascular grave son el autoreporte de problemas de salud mental, hipertensión, dependencia al alcohol, hipercolesterolemia e hipertrigliceridemia. Conclusiones: además de los factores biológicos reconocidos, se encontró que el autoreporte de problemáticas mentales también es un factor de riesgo para la enfermedad cardiovascular grave auto-reportada.ç Objective: to determine the prevalence of self-reported cardiovascular disease in adults aged 18 to 69 in Tolima and to explore their association with biological, psychological and social factors from the 2007 National Health Survey. Methodology: an observational epidemiological study with a descriptive component and an analytic cross section of association, employing 1219 records of people between the ages of 18 and 69 in the Tolima department, taken from the 2007

Presentación sistémica de Aspergillus spp con semiología neurológica en un Pastor Alemán: informe de un caso clínico

OpenAIRE

Hernández Tapia, Ana Laura; Santoscoy Mejía, Eduardo Carlos; Ramírez Lezama, José; Cervantes Olivares, Roberto A.; Quiroz Mercado, Joaquín Arturo

2010-01-01

La infección del sistema nervioso en el perro es poco común; posibles causas son Aspergillus spp, Cryptococcus neoformans, Blastomyces dermatidis y Coccidioides immitis. La infección por Aspergillus spp afecta al aparato respiratorio y en pocas ocasiones se presenta de manera diseminada. Sin embargo, en el Pastor Alemán hay mayor incidencia de éste, pues dicha infección se asocia con una deficiencia inmunológica. Se describe el caso de una perra de raza Pastor Alemán, de 1.5 años de edad, ref...

Verdad por definición

OpenAIRE

Garrido Garrido, Julián

1997-01-01

Not available.La verdad por definición es un tipo peculiar de verdad científica, distinguible de las verdades lógicas, matemáticas y empíricas. La definición, por su parte, designa diversos procedimientos de asignación de significado, cuyas diferencias exigen una adjetivación cuidadosa: definiciones ostensivas y operacionales, definiciones de diccionario y definiciones teóricas. Pero sólo las del último tipo son verdaderas por definición. En el presente artículo se precisa el concepto formal ...

Electrocardiografo por computadora

OpenAIRE

Tinoco Hernandez, Rosanna; Paredes Bejarano, Margarita; Romero Chaglia, Norman; Yapur Auad, Miguel Eduardo

2009-01-01

El presente trabajo trata sobrees el diseño y la implementación de un graficador de señales cardiacas por computadora, para lo cual diseñamos un circuito electrónico capaz de recibir la senal analógica proveniente de la actividad electrica del corazón , amplificarla, y luego convertirla en una señal digital para ser procesada por software y finalmente ser graficada, siendo posible así observar la señal cardiaca en el monitor de un computador como un tren de pulsos. Cabe destacar que par...

Choque cardiogênico por dissulfiram Shockcardiogénico por disulfiram Cardiogenic shock caused by disulfiram

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Ana Jerónimo

2009-03-01

Full Text Available A intoxicação medicamentosa por dissulfiram é uma situação rara, mas, que pode se apresentar com manifestações cardiovasculares graves e potencialmente fatais, como choque cardiogênico. É apresentado o caso de uma paciente com choque refratário, após intoxicação voluntária por dissulfiram. A avaliação clínica e bioquímica, junto à avaliação ecocardiográfica e à monitorização invasiva, confirmaram tratar-se de um choque cardiogênico associado a esse fármaco. São discutidos os mecanismos de ação conhecidos do dissulfiram e descritos os principais efeitos colaterais, especialmente os cardiovasculares, alertando para a importância da suspeição diagnóstica e da abordagem terapêutica imediata mais adequada nesse contexto.La intoxicación medicamentosa por disulfiram es una situación rara, aunque puede presentarse con manifestaciones cardiovasculares graves y potencialmente fatales, como el shock cardiogénico. Este relato presenta el caso de una paciente con shock refractario, tras intoxicación voluntaria por disulfiram. La evaluación clínica y bioquímica, junto a la evaluación ecocardiográfica y el monitoreo invasivo, confirmaron tratarse de un shock cardiogénico asociado a ese fármaco. A lo largo del presente relato se discuten los mecanismos de acción del disulfiram conocidos, así como se describen los principales efectos colaterales, específicamente los cardiovasculares. En este sentido, también se alerta para la importancia de la sospecha diagnóstica y del abordaje terapéutico inmediato más adecuado a este contexto.Drug intoxication with disulfiram is a rare condition that may lead to severe and potentially fatal cardiovascular manifestations such as cardiogenic shock. We report the case of a female patient with refractory shock after deliberate self-poisoning with disulfiram. Clinical, biochemical and echocardiographic assessment, as well as invasive monitoring confirmed cardiogenic shock

Parinaud syndrome caused by Bartonella henselae: case report Síndrome de Parinaud causada por Bartonella henselae: relato de caso

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Carlos Alberto Yamashita

1996-12-01

Full Text Available The authors report a case of Parinaud syndrome (conjunctivitis with pre-auricular satellite adenitis caused by Bartonella henselae, the etiologic agent of Cat Scratch Disease. The etiologic assessment of this case was performed by serum indirect immunofluorescence reaction and allowed for a better therapeutics and follow up, avoiding ineffective antibiotics and surgical interventions.Os autores relatam um caso do Síndrome de Parinaud (conjuntivite com adenite satélite pré-auricular causada por Bartonella henselae, o agente etiológico da Doença da Arranhadura do Gato. O esclarecimento etiológico deste caso foi feito através da reação de imunofluorescência indireta o que permitiu um adequado enfoque terapêutico e acompanhamento do paciente, evitando o uso de antibióticos inadequados e intervenções cirúrgicas.

Infección invasiva por Streptococcus pneumoniae: reporte de caso de un paciente con síndrome de Austrian

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Daniel Echeverri

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Descrito inicialmente en 1957 por Robert Austrian, el síndrome que lleva su nombre se define como la tríada de neumonía, endocarditis y meningitis secundarias a una infección invasiva por Streptococcus pneumoniae. Desde entonces, y debido a su infrecuencia, se han reportado muy pocos casos en la literatura científica. A continuación se presenta el caso de un paciente de 61 años de edad con un cuadro inicial de meningitis bacteriana por S. pneumoniae, acompañado de neumonía bacteriana e insuficiencia mitral grave asociada a cuatro vegetaciones sobre la cara auricular de la valva posterior, con ruptura y prolapso de su festón central posterior. Se aisló S. pneumoniae, serotipo 18C, en líquido cefalorraquídeo y en dos hemocultivos. El paciente recibió antibióticos de amplio espectro y fue sometido a reemplazo valvular temprano con un resultado clínico satisfactorio. El principal factor pronóstico de esta condición lo determina el daño valvular subsecuente, sobre todo en pacientes con compromiso de la válvula aórtica, por lo que es necesario identificar tempranamente la extensión del compromiso valvular y definir oportunamente el tratamiento quirúrgico y antibiótico del paciente. En casos menos frecuentes, en los que solo hay compromiso de la válvula mitral, la evolución clínica es menos aguda y, por lo general, el tratamiento antibiótico dirigido y las medidas de soporte avanzado suelen ser suficientes para su control.

Topiramate and severe metabolic acidosis: case report Acidose metabólica grave por topiramato: relato de caso

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Jayme E. Burmeister

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Topiramate infrequently induces anion gap metabolic acidosis through carbonic anhydrase inhibition on the distal tubule of the nephron - a type 2 renal tubular acidosis. We report on a 40 years old woman previously healthy that developed significant asymptomatic metabolic acidosis during topiramate therapy at a dosage of 100mg/day for three months. Stopping medication was followed by normalization of the acid-base status within five weeks. This infrequent side effect appears unpredictable and should be given careful attention.Topiramato pode produzir raramente uma acidose metabólica através da inibição da anidrase carbônica no túbulo distal do néfron - acidose tubular renal do tipo 2. Relatamos o caso de mulher de 40 anos previamente saudável que desenvolveu quadro de acidose metabólica assintomática grave, sem outra etiologia identificável, durante uso de topiramato na dose de 100mg/dia por três meses. Este efeito colateral, embora infrequente, parece ser imprevisível e requer atenção cuidadosa.

[Retrospective study of neuromeningeal cryptococcosis in patients infected with HIV in the infectious diseases unit of university hospital of Casablanca, Morocco].

Science.gov (United States)

Dollo, I; Marih, L; El Fane, M; Es-Sebbani, M; Sodqi, M; Oulad Lahsen, A; Chakib, A; El Kadioui, F; Hamdani, A; El Mabrouki, M J; Soussi Abdallaoui, M; Karima, Z; Hassoune, S; Maaroufi, A; Marhoum El Filali, K

2016-12-01

To report the cases of neuromeningeal cryptococcosis and to describe the clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and outcomes of patients. Retrospective study of 43 patients infected with HIV admitted from January first 2010 to June 30th 2015 in the infectious disease unit of UHC Ibn Rochd, for neuromeningeal cryptococcus. The mean frequency of neuromeningeal cryptococcosis in patients infected with HIV was 1.4%. The mean age was 39 years and a sex ratio of 1.38. The mean CD4 count was 70 cells/mm 3 . The diagnosis of HIV was revealed by neuromeningeal cryptococcus in 77% of cases. Fifteen days interval was reported between the first symptom and hospital admission. Headache (77%) was the most represented clinical sign. The cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed hypoglycorachy (67%), hyperproteinorachy (65%) and lymphocytosis (63%). Chinese ink direct examination for Cryptococcus neoformans in CSF was positive in 86% of cases and all cases were positive after culture on Sabouraud's medium. Patients were treated with monotherapy amphotericin B (42%) or fluconazole (28%) and bitherapy amphotéricine B/fluconazole (28%). Fatal evolution was observed in 60% of cases. Neuromeningeal cryptococcosis remains a severe opportunistic infection in HIV patients with a heavy mortality rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Primeira ocorrência de ferrugem em capim-limão causada por Puccinia cymbopogonis no Brasil First report of the lemongrass rust fungi caused by Puccinia cymbopogonis in Brazil

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João Batista Vida

2006-03-01

Full Text Available È registrada a primeira ocorrência de ferrugem em capim-limão (Cymbopogon citratus (DC. Stapf, causada por Puccinia cymbopogonis Mass., no Brasil, Estado do Paraná.It is reported the first occurrence of the lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus (DC. Stapf rust fungi caused by Puccinia cymbopogonis Mass. in Brazil, State of Paraná.

Adolescente con inestabilidad lumbosacra por presencia de quiste hidatídico: reporte de caso

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Miguel Vizcarra

Full Text Available La hidatidosis, causada por el Echinococcus granulosus, afecta a la columna vertebral en 0,5-2% del total de casos, siendo la columna sacra una ubicación rara, típica de personas en edad adulta. Se reporta el caso de un varón de 14 años oriundo de Juliaca (Puno, Perú quien presentó lumbalgia crónica y síndrome de cauda equina. Atendido inicialmente en Juliaca, fue trasladado al Hospital Edgardo Rebagliati Martins (Lima, Perú con el diagnóstico de tumoración sacra. En la resonancia magnética se mostró una tumoración multiquística con lisis del L5 y S1 e inestabilidad. El tratamiento quirúrgico fue una laminectomía L5-S2 y extracción de múltiples quistes de hidátide más estabilización lumbopélvica con tornillos transpediculares. En el posoperatorio se recetó albendazol (15 mg/kg/d por el periodo de seis meses. Se debe considerar al quiste hidatídico dentro del diagnóstico diferencial cuando existan lesiones quísticas en la columna vertebral, sobre todo en regiones endémicas como el Perú.

Tendencia de la mortalidad por cáncer en Chile según diferencias por nivel educacional, 2000-2010

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Cristian A. Herrera Riquelme

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Caracterizar la tendencia de la mortalidad por cáncer en Chile según diferencias por nivel educacional en el período 2000-2010 en la población mayor de 20 años. Métodos. Cálculo de las tasas de mortalidad específica por cáncer ajustadas por edad para diferentes niveles educacionales (NE, para el período 2000-2010. Las tasas obtenidas se analizaron con un modelo de regresión de Poisson, calculando el índice de desigualdad relativa (IDR y el índice de desigualdad de la pendiente (IDP para cada año. Resultados. Se registraron 232 541 muertes por cáncer en el período 2000-2010. Los tipos de cáncer más frecuentes fueron de mama, estómago y vesícula biliar en mujeres; y estómago, próstata y pulmón en hombres. Las tasas de mortalidad por cáncer estandarizadas por edad fueron mayores en los NE más bajos, excepto para el de mama en mujer y el de pulmón en hombres. Las mayores diferencias se encontraron en el de vesícula biliar en mujeres y el de estómago en hombres, con mayores tasas de mortalidad específica de hasta 49 y 63 veces respectivamente, para NE bajo respecto al NE alto. Entre 2000 y 2010, las diferencias en mortalidad por NE se redujeron para todos los cánceres combinados en ambos géneros, mama en mujeres, y pulmón y estómago en hombres. Conclusiones. Durante el período estudiado, la mortalidad por cáncer en Chile estuvo fuertemente asociada al NE de la población. Esta información debe ser considerada al definir estrategias nacionales para reducir la mortalidad específica por cáncer en los grupos más desprotegidos.

Eumicetoma de grãos pretos por Madurella grisea: registro de dois casos Eumycotic mycetoma of black grains caused by Madurella grisea: report of two cases

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Luís Antonio de Paula Machado

1992-12-01

Full Text Available Os Autores registram dois casos de eumicetoma de grãos pretos, com localização podal, procedentes da Bahia, provocados por Madurella grisea Mackinnon et al., 1949. São estudadas a estrutura dos grãos, bem como as características micromorfológicas do fungo em vida saprofítica. Acreditam os Autores que estas observações correspondem ao sétimo e oitavo casos registrados na literatura do país, provocadas por este fungo. Os Autores consideram nomen dubium ou nomina confusa as seguintes espécies de Madurella: M. ramiroi, M. oswaldoi, M. bovoi, M. tozeuri, M. mansonii, M. brumpti, M. reynieri, M. americana, M. lackawanna e M. ikedae, o mesmo ocorrendo com a chamada Rubromadurella mycetomi. As únicas espécies válidas são Madurella mycetomatis McGinnis, 1980 (=Madurella mycetomi Brumpt, 1905 e Madurella grisea Mackinnon et al., 1949. Nos dois casos registrados o tratamento com itraconazol, por um período de 3 meses não fez regredir as lesões, havendo ligeira melhora clínica.Two cases of black grains eumycotic mycetoma, occurring on a foot, are reported. Both proceeded from the State of Bahia (Brazil, and in both the etiologic agent was Madurella grisea Mackinnon et al., 1949. The grains structure as well as the micromorphologic characteristics of the fungus in saprophytic life were studied. It is the Author's belief that these observations correspond to the 7th and 8th cases reported in the Brazilian medical literature. The Authors do consider the following Madurella species as nomen dubium or nomina confusa: M. ramiroi, M. oswaldoi, M. bovoi, M. tozeuri, M. mansonii, M. brumpti, M. reynieri, M. americana, M. lackawanna e M. ikedae and the same for Rubromadurella mycetomi. The only valid species must be Madurella mycetomatis McGinnis, 1980 (=Madurella mycetomi Brumpt, 1905 and Madurella grisea Mackinnon et al., 1949. Treatment with itraconazole in both reported cases, for a 3 month duration, did not produce any regression of the

Protection of melanized Cryptococcus neoformans from lethal dose gamma irradiation involves changes in melanin's chemical structure and paramagnetism.

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Abdelahad Khajo

Full Text Available Certain fungi thrive in highly radioactive environments including the defunct Chernobyl nuclear reactor. Cryptococcus neoformans (C. neoformans, which uses L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA to produce melanin, was used here to investigate how gamma radiation under aqueous aerobic conditions affects the properties of melanin, with the aim of gaining insight into its radioprotective role. Exposure of melanized fungal cell in aqueous suspensions to doses of γ-radiation capable of killing 50 to 80% of the cells did not lead to a detectable loss of melanin integrity according to EPR spectra of melanin radicals. Moreover, upon UV-visible (Xe-lamp illumination of melanized cells, the increase in radical population was unchanged after γ-irradiation. Gamma-irradiation of frozen cell suspensions and storage of samples for several days at 77 K however, produced melanin modification noted by a reduced radical population and reduced photoresponse. More direct evidence for structural modification of melanin came from the detection of soluble products with absorbance maxima near 260 nm in supernatants collected after γ-irradiation of cells and cell-free melanin. These products, which include thiobarbituric acid (TBA-reactive aldehydes, were also generated by Fenton reagent treatment of cells and cell-free melanin. In an assay of melanin integrity based on the metal (Bi(+3 binding capacity of cells, no detectable loss in binding was detected after γ-irradiation. Our results show that melanin in C. neoformans cells is susceptible to some damage by hydroxyl radical formed in lethal radioactive aqueous environments and serves a protective role in melanized fungi that involves sacrificial breakdown.

Characterization of additional components of the environmental pH-sensing complex in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans.

Science.gov (United States)

Pianalto, Kaila M; Ost, Kyla S; Brown, Hannah E; Alspaugh, J Andrew

2018-05-16

Pathogenic microorganisms must adapt to changes in their immediate surroundings, including alterations in pH, to survive the shift from the external environment to that of the infected host. In the basidiomycete fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans , these pH changes are primarily sensed by the fungal-specific, alkaline pH-sensing Rim/Pal pathway. The C. neoformans Rim pathway has diverged significantly from that described in ascomycete fungi. We recently identified the C. neoformans putative pH sensor Rra1, which activates the Rim pathway in response to elevated pH. In this study, we probed the function of Rra1 by analyzing its cellular localization and performing protein co-immunoprecipitation to identify potential Rra1 interactors. We found that Rra1 does not strongly colocalize or interact with immediate downstream Rim pathway components. However, these experiments identified a novel Rra1 interactor, the previously uncharacterized C. neoformans nucleosome assembly protein 1 (Nap1), which was required for Rim pathway activation. We observed that Nap1 specifically binds to the C-terminal tail of the Rra1 sensor, likely promoting Rra1 protein stability. This function of Nap1 is conserved in fungi closely related to C. neoformans that contain Rra1 orthologs, but not in the more distantly-related ascomycete fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae In conclusion, our findings have revealed the sophisticated, yet distinct, molecular mechanisms by which closely and distantly related microbial phyla rapidly adapt to environmental signals and changes such as alterations in pH. Published under license by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Primary Cutaneous Cryptococcosis Treated with Debridement and Fluconazole Monotherapy in an Immunosuppressed Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

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Jennifer Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic yeast present in the environment. Practitioners are familiar with the presentation and management of the most common manifestation of cryptococcal infection, meningoencephalitis, in patients with AIDS or other conditions of immunocompromise. There is less awareness, however, of uncommon presentations where experience rather than evidence guides therapy. We report a case of primary cutaneous cryptococcosis (PCC in a patient who had been immunosuppressed by chronic high-dose corticosteroid for the treatment of severe asthma. This case highlights the importance of early recognition of aggressive cellulitis that fails standard empiric antibiotic treatment in an immunocompromised patient. It also demonstrates successful treatment of PCC with a multispecialty approach including local debridement and fluconazole monotherapy.

Desenvolvimento de um kit de irrigação por microtubos com moto-bomba propulsionada por energia solar

OpenAIRE

Luiz Ricardo Sobenko

2016-01-01

O bombeamento de água por meio da energia solar vem se mostrando uma alternativa para localidades onde outras fontes de energia não estão disponíveis ou são limitadas. Torna-se interessante aliar essa alternativa a um sistema de irrigação que opera com vazão e pressão relativamente baixas, como a irrigação localizada por microtubos, possibilitando assim a obtenção de alta eficiência. No presente trabalho teve-se por objetivo dimensionar e avaliar um kit de irrigação por microtubos, alimentado...

Tendencia de la mortalidad por cáncer en Chile según diferencias por nivel educacional, 2000-2010

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Cristian A. Herrera Riquelme; Lucy Kuhn-Barrientos; Roberto Rosso Astorga; Jorge Jiménez de la Jara

2015-01-01

Objetivo. Caracterizar la tendencia de la mortalidad por cáncer en Chile según diferencias por nivel educacional en el período 2000-2010 en la población mayor de 20 años. Métodos. Cálculo de las tasas de mortalidad específica por cáncer ajustadas por edad para diferentes niveles educacionales (NE), para el período 2000-2010. Las tasas obtenidas se analizaron con un modelo de regresión de Poisson, calculando el índice de desigualdad relativa (IDR) y el índice de desigualdad de la pendiente (ID...

Polución por material particulado fino (PM 2,5) incrementa las hospitalizaciones por insuficiencia cardiaca

OpenAIRE

Castro, Pablo; Vera, Jeanette; Cifuentes, Luis; Wellenius, Gregory; Verdejo, Hugo; Sepúlveda, Luis; Vukasovic, José Luis; Llevaneras, Silvana

2010-01-01

Antecedentes: Estudios recientes han reportado una asociación entre la contaminación ambiental por material particulado (PM) y el riesgo de hospitalizaciones de pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca (IC). La región metropolitana de nuestro país constituye un área geográfica en la cual la contaminación es especialmente relevante, asociándose a incrementos periódicos en la morbimortalidad por causa respiratoria. Sin embargo el efecto de la polución por PM en la morbilidad de pacientes con IC no ...

Entendiendo la lucha de las mujeres por justicia, sanación y ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Autoras del Reporte: Alison Crosby, Brisna Caxaj y M. Brinton Lykes ...... tema de que sea posible recibir reparaciones por más de un agravio, diciendo: “Yo volví a ...... [Las Narrativas de la Enfermedad: Sufrimiento, Sanación y la Condición ...

Síndrome de Munchausen por mandato

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Esteban, Miguel A.; Pérez, Miriam R.; Bracco, Anahí

2006-01-01

El Síndrome de Munchausen por mandato, "un trastorno ficticio, por el cual la enfermedad del niño es inducida, promovida o provocada por la persona más próxima a él, generalmente su madre", es todavía mal conocido y su génesis imperfectamente comprendida. Esta comunicación está destinada a esclarecer al pediatra esta patología, con elevada morbilidad y secuelas, como así también de altísima mo...

DESGASTE POR ABRASIÓN DEL ACERO API 5L X65 REVESTIDO CON NIOBIO POR ASPERSIÓN TÉRMICA A PLASMA Y CON INCONEL 625 POR SOLDADURA

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JOSE MATOS

2012-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar y caracterizar el comportamiento mecánico en desgaste del acero API 5L X65, revestido con niobio en comparación al desempeño del revestimiento de la aleación de inconel 625 empleados en la industria de petróleo y gas. El revestimiento de niobio fue obtenido por el proceso de aspersión térmica a plasma de arco no transferido y el revestimiento inconel 625 por soldadura con electrodo revestido. La resistencia al desgaste por abrasión fue evaluada según la norma Petrobras N-2568, en un tribómetro CTER, la rugosidad y el volumen de material desgastado se determinó a través de perfilometría y la dureza de los revestimientos por microscopia Vickers. Los revestimientos obtenidos fueron caracterizados respecto a su morfología por microscopia electrónica de barrido (MEB y microscopía óptica (MO. La mayor dureza del revestimiento con niobio obtenido puede haber contribuido a reducir la tasa de desgaste en comparación con el revestimiento de inconel 625.

CARACTERÍSTICAS DA VIOLÊNCIA SEXUAL SOFRIDA POR CRIANÇAS ASSISTIDAS POR UM PROGRAMA DE APOIO

OpenAIRE

KELLY LINHARES VASCONCELOS; ADRIANA GOMES NOGUEIRA FERREIRA; ELIANY NAZARÉ OLIVEIRA; DANIELLE D\\u2019ÁVILA SIQUEIRA; PATRÍCIA NEYVA DA COSTA PINHEIRO

2010-01-01

En Brasil, las estadísticas de la violencia sexual contra niños están lejos de reflejar la verdadera realidad actual debido a la baja notificación de los casos. La finalidad de este estudio fue caracterizar el abuso sexual sufrido por niños asistidos por el Programa Sentinela y el perfil del agresor, en Sobral-Ceará, en el periodo que va del 2002 al 2006. La muestra no probabilística intencional fue compuesta por 50 víctimas de abuso sexual y de las mismas, el 66% es del sexo femenino, con pr...

Abdome agudo por obstrução por ileobiliar

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Márcia Cristina de Alencastro

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: descrever a experiência na abordagem dos doentes com abdome agudo por obstrução por IB, desde o diagnóstico até o tratamento definitivo. MÉTODOS: estudo retrospectivo incluindo todos os casos de IB tratados em um período de 23 anos. De acordo com a abordagem cirúrgica realizada, os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos (1 enterolitotomia com colecistectomia no segundo momento; e (2 enterolitotomia, colecistectomia e abordagem da fístula. RESULTADOS: Doze pacientes foram incluídos, sendo 11 mulheres (91,6%, com média de idade de 72,2 anos. Todos os pacientes apresentavam doenças associadas, principalmente hipertensão arterial sistêmica (75%. Dois pacientes não apresentavam sintomas significativos de obstrução intestinal. O diagnóstico de IB foi realizado em seis pacientes (50% antes da laparotomia. O grupo 1 foi constituído de oito pacientes e o grupo 2 de quatro, e a morbidade foi, respectivamente, 33,3% e 8,3%. A mortalidade foi 16,6% (um paciente de cada grupo. CONCLUSÃO: O manejo do IB deve ser individualizado. O tratamento da obstrução mediante remoção do cálculo biliar por enterotomia proximal é a escolha inicial para o tratamento do IB. A colecistectomia e a correção da fístula bilioentérica podem ser realizadas juntamente com a remoção do cálculo, no entanto, em pacientes com comorbidades significativas, esses procedimentos devem ser realizados posteriormente.

HapX positively and negatively regulates the transcriptional response to iron deprivation in Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Won Hee Jung

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans is a major cause of illness in immunocompromised individuals such as AIDS patients. The ability of the fungus to acquire nutrients during proliferation in host tissue and the ability to elaborate a polysaccharide capsule are critical determinants of disease outcome. We previously showed that the GATA factor, Cir1, is a major regulator both of the iron uptake functions needed for growth in host tissue and the key virulence factors such as capsule, melanin and growth at 37°C. We are interested in further defining the mechanisms of iron acquisition from inorganic and host-derived iron sources with the goal of understanding the nutritional adaptation of C. neoformans to the host environment. In this study, we investigated the roles of the HAP3 and HAPX genes in iron utilization and virulence. As in other fungi, the C. neoformans Hap proteins negatively influence the expression of genes encoding respiratory and TCA cycle functions under low-iron conditions. However, we also found that HapX plays both positive and negative roles in the regulation of gene expression, including a positive regulatory role in siderophore transporter expression. In addition, HapX also positively regulated the expression of the CIR1 transcript. This situation is in contrast to the negative regulation by HapX of genes encoding GATA iron regulatory factors in Aspergillus nidulans and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Although both hapX and hap3 mutants were defective in heme utilization in culture, only HapX made a contribution to virulence, and loss of HapX in a strain lacking the high-affinity iron uptake system did not cause further attenuation of disease. Therefore, HapX appears to have a minimal role during infection of mammalian hosts and instead may be an important regulator of environmental iron uptake functions. Overall, these results indicated that C. neoformans employs multiple strategies for iron acquisition during infection.

Invasive Aspergillus flavus sinusitis: case report in a patient with biphenotypic acute leukemia Sinusite invasiva por Aspergillus flavus: relato de um caso associado a leucemia aguda bifenotípica

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Melissa Orzechowski Xavier

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Here we report a case of invasive pansinusitis with proptosis of the right eye caused by Aspergillus flavus in an immunocompromised patient with acute biphenotypic leukemia without aggressive therapy response.Descreve-se um caso de pansinusite invasiva com proptose do globo ocular direito causado por Aspergillus flavus em um paciente imunossuprimido com leucemia aguda bifenotípica sem resposta a terapia agressiva.

Uso das diretrizes para tratamento da úlcera por pressão por enfermeiros de um hospital geral

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Elaine Maria Leite Rangel

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Este estudo objetivou identificar a freqüência do uso das diretrizes para o tratamento da úlcera por pressão(UP por enfermeiros de um hospital geral no interior do estado de São Paulo. É transversal de caráterdescritivo com análise quantitativa de dados. Amostra de 25 enfermeiros. Para a coleta de dados utilizou-se uminstrumento, construído a partir das diretrizes para o tratamento da UP. As questões foram relacionadas aostipos de intervenções usadas pelos enfermeiros para o tratamento da UP em estágio I, II, com necrose e comtecido de granulação. Para UP em estágio I, 24 (96% enfermeiros sempre realizavam a mudança de decúbito.Nas úlceras em estágio II a utilização de óleos vegetais na ferida era realizada sempre por 10 (40%enfermeiros e o curativo de hidrocolóide nunca era utilizado por 12 (57,1% enfermeiros. Em UP com necrose alimpeza com povidine era realizada por 4 (17,4% enfermeiros às vezes. Para o desbridamento, 16 (64% àsvezes utilizavam papaína e 15 (71,4% às vezes utilizavam colagenase. Em úlceras com tecido de granulaçãosempre era utilizado o soro fisiológico por 25 (100% enfermeiros. Houve variação nas práticas para otratamento da UP e falta de adesão às diretrizes.

Mortalidad por causas externas en Medellín, 1999-2006

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Doris Cardona Arango

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Caracterizar el comportamiento de la mortalidad por causas externas en la ciudad de Medellín, Colombia, entre 1999-2006, según sexo, edad y causa básica de muerte fue el objetivo de este estudio descriptivo longitudinal, con fuente de información secundaria de 22 128 registros de defunción por causas externas. El análisis realizado es univariado y bivariado por sexo, grupos de edad y causa de muerte. Las causas externas registradas en el periodo fueron: 72.9 por ciento por homicidio; 15.3 por ciento, accidente de transporte; 7.3 por ciento, traumatismos; 4.2 por ciento, por suicidio, y por otras causas, 0.4 por ciento. La mayor tasa de mortalidad se presentó en el grupo de edad de 20 a 24 años (27.6 por cien mil habitantes, hecho que merece especial consideración por las implicaciones sociales, familiares y laborales que representa el fallecimiento de una persona en su etapa productiva.

Endoftalmite por Candida albicans após transplante penetrante de córnea: relato de caso Candida albicans endophthalmitis following penetrating corneal graft: case report

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Glaucio de Godoy

2004-04-01

Full Text Available Os autores relatam o caso de uma paciente submetida a transplante penetrante de córnea por ceratocone que evoluiu com resposta inflamatória exacerbada durante o período pós-operatório, suspeitando-se, inicialmente, de rejeição atípica e intensa ao botão doador. Houve períodos de melhora, seguidos por períodos de piora a cada tentativa de se reduzir o corticóide tópico. Iniciou-se terapia imunossupressora com ciclosporina via oral e altas doses de corticóide tópico, porém, a paciente desenvolveu endoftalmite por Candida albicans com acometimento do segmento anterior do olho e do corpo vítreo, mas sem surgimento de lesões coriorretinianas. Evoluiu de forma satisfatória após três injeções de anfotericina B 5µg intravítrea, cetoconazol 400 mg/dia via oral e clotrimazol tópico de 4/4 horas. Os autores discutem também as principais possibilidades de contaminação da paciente, sendo o quadro infeccioso provavelmente relacionado ao procedimento cirúrgico.The authors report a case of a patient submitted to penetrating corneal graft for keratoconus with an exaggerated inflammatory response during the postoperative period. The patient was suspected of having an atypical rejection to the donor button. There were periods of improvement, followed by periods of worsening of the inflammation at each attempt of reducing the topical corticosteroid. After initiating immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporin and high doses of topical corticosteroid, the patient developed Candida albicans endophthalmitis affecting the anterior segment of the eye and the vitreous body, but sparing the chorioretina. The patient improved after three injections of 5 µg intravitreal amphotericin B, 400 mg oral ketoconazole daily and topical clotrimazole every four hours. The authors also discuss the main possibilities of contamination of the patient, the infectious picture probably being related to the surgical procedure.

Vacuolar zinc transporter Zrc1 is required for detoxification of excess intracellular zinc in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans.

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Cho, Minsu; Hu, Guanggan; Caza, Mélissa; Horianopoulos, Linda C; Kronstad, James W; Jung, Won Hee

2018-01-01

Zinc is an important transition metal in all living organisms and is required for numerous biological processes. However, excess zinc can also be toxic to cells and cause cellular stress. In the model fungus Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a vacuolar zinc transporter, Zrc1, plays important roles in the storage and detoxification of excess intracellular zinc to protect the cell. In this study, we identified an ortholog of the S. cerevisiae ZRC1 gene in the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Zrc1 was localized in the vacuolar membrane in C. neoformans, and a mutant lacking ZRC1 showed significant growth defects under high-zinc conditions. These results suggested a role for Zrc1 in zinc detoxification. However, contrary to our expectation, the expression of Zrc1 was induced in cells grown in zinc-limited conditions and decreased upon the addition of zinc. These expression patterns were similar to those of Zip1, the high-affinity zinc transporter in the plasma membrane of C. neoformans. Furthermore, we used the zrc1 mutant in a murine model of cryptococcosis to examine whether a mammalian host could inhibit the survival of C. neoformans using zinc toxicity. We found that the mutant showed no difference in virulence compared with the wildtype strain. This result suggests that Zrc1-mediated zinc detoxification is not required for the virulence of C. neoformans, and imply that zinc toxicity may not be an important aspect of the host immune response to the fungus.

Increases thermal stability and cellulose-binding capacity of Cryptococcus sp. S-2 lipase by fusion of cellulose binding domain derived from Trichoderma reesei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thongekkaew, Jantaporn; Ikeda, Hiroko; Iefuji, Haruyuki

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► The CSLP and fusion enzyme were successfully expressed in the Pichia pastoris. ► The fusion enzyme was stable at 80 °C for 120-min. ► The fusion enzyme was responsible for cellulose-binding capacity. ► The fusion enzyme has an attractive applicant for enzyme immobilization. -- Abstract: To improve the thermal stability and cellulose-binding capacity of Cryptococcus sp. S-2 lipase (CSLP), the cellulose-binding domain originates from Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I was engineered into C-terminal region of the CSLP (CSLP-CBD). The CSLP and CSLP-CBD were successfully expressed in the Pichia pastoris using the strong methanol inducible alcohol oxidase 1 (AOX1) promoter and the secretion signal sequence from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (α factor). The recombinant CSLP and CSLP-CBD were secreted into culture medium and estimated by SDS–PAGE to be 22 and 27 kDa, respectively. The fusion enzyme was stable at 80 °C and retained more than 80% of its activity after 120-min incubation at this temperature. Our results also found that the fusion of fungal exoglucanase cellulose-binding domain to CSLP is responsible for cellulose-binding capacity. This attribute should make it an attractive applicant for enzyme immobilization.

Increases thermal stability and cellulose-binding capacity of Cryptococcus sp. S-2 lipase by fusion of cellulose binding domain derived from Trichoderma reesei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thongekkaew, Jantaporn, E-mail: jantaporn_25@yahoo.com [Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science, Ubon-Ratchathani University, Warinchumrab, Ubon-Ratchathani 34190 (Thailand); Ikeda, Hiroko; Iefuji, Haruyuki [Application Research Division, National Research Institute of Brewing, 3-7-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi-Hiroshima 739-0046 (Japan)

2012-03-30

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The CSLP and fusion enzyme were successfully expressed in the Pichia pastoris. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The fusion enzyme was stable at 80 Degree-Sign C for 120-min. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The fusion enzyme was responsible for cellulose-binding capacity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The fusion enzyme has an attractive applicant for enzyme immobilization. -- Abstract: To improve the thermal stability and cellulose-binding capacity of Cryptococcus sp. S-2 lipase (CSLP), the cellulose-binding domain originates from Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I was engineered into C-terminal region of the CSLP (CSLP-CBD). The CSLP and CSLP-CBD were successfully expressed in the Pichia pastoris using the strong methanol inducible alcohol oxidase 1 (AOX1) promoter and the secretion signal sequence from Saccharomyces cerevisiae ({alpha} factor). The recombinant CSLP and CSLP-CBD were secreted into culture medium and estimated by SDS-PAGE to be 22 and 27 kDa, respectively. The fusion enzyme was stable at 80 Degree-Sign C and retained more than 80% of its activity after 120-min incubation at this temperature. Our results also found that the fusion of fungal exoglucanase cellulose-binding domain to CSLP is responsible for cellulose-binding capacity. This attribute should make it an attractive applicant for enzyme immobilization.

Apendicitis por Paracoccidioides brasiliensis

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Ana Beatriz MUÑOZ URRIBARRI

2006-01-01

Full Text Available La paracoccidioidomicosis es la micosis más prevalente en Sudamérica. La forma aguda afecta el sistema fagocítico mononuclear de niños y personas inmunocomprometidas. El compromiso gastrointestinal es frecuente y su patogenia implica diseminación hematógena y linfática. La linfadenomegalia abdominal causa obstrucción intestinal y abdomen agudo. En este artículo damos a conocer el caso de un niño con compromiso gastrointestinal por apendicitis. Este es el primer caso reportado de apendicitis por esta patología. (Rev Med Hered 2006;17:58-60.

Binding of purified and radioiodinated capsular polysaccharides from Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A strains to capsule-free mutants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Small, J.M.; Mitchell, T.G.

1986-01-01

Strains 6, 15, 98, 110, and 145 of Cryptococcus neoformans serotype A vary in capsule size, animal virulence, and susceptibility to in vitro phagocytosis. The isolated capsular polysaccharides (CPSs) differ in monosaccharide composition ratios and molecular size, as determined by gel filtration. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the binding of CPSs to capsule-free mutants of C. neoformans and to examine CPSs from these strains for differences in their ability to bind, to determine whether such differences might explain the variation in the pathobiology of these strains. CPSs were partially periodate oxidized, tyraminated, iodinated with 125 I, and used in binding studies with two capsule-free mutants of C. neoformans, strain 602 and Cap59. Binding was specific for yeast species and for polysaccharide and was saturable, which is consistent with a receptor-mediated mechanism of attachment. Binding occurred rapidly and was only slowly reversible. Binding was also independent of pH from pH 5.5 to 8, of cation concentrations, and of competition by sugars up to 1.0 M concentrations. Only a portion of CPS was capable of binding, and strains varied in the extent to which their CPS bound. CPS-15-IV (peak IV was the major polysaccharide peak on DEAE-cellulose chromatography of CPS from strain 15) had the highest proportion of binding (40%), followed by CPS from strains 98, 6, 145, 110, and 15-III (peak III was an earlier eluting fraction of CPS from strain 15). The CPSs differed similarly in their ability to competitively inhibit binding. Treatment of CPS, but not yeast cells, with proteinase XIV abolished binding without altering the CPS gross structure. Treatment of yeast cells with proteases, heat, or formaldehyde did not alter binding, and both strain 602 and Cap59 bound CPS similarly. Binding to encapsulated yeast cells was minimal

SEC14 is a specific requirement for secretion of phospholipase B1 and pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans

Science.gov (United States)

Chayakulkeeree, Methee; Johnston, Simon Andrew; Oei, Johanes Bijosono; Lev, Sophie; Williamson, Peter Richard; Wilson, Christabel Frewen; Zuo, Xiaoming; Leal, Ana Lusia; Vainstein, Marilene Henning; Meyer, Wieland; Sorrell, Tania Christine; May, Robin Charles; Djordjevic, Julianne Teresa

2011-01-01

Summary Secreted phospholipase B1 (CnPlb1) is essential for dissemination of Cryptococcus neoformans to the central nervous system (CNS) yet essential components of its secretion machinery remain to be elucidated. Using gene deletion analysis we demonstrate that CnPlb1 secretion is dependent on the CnSEC14 product, CnSec14-1p. CnSec14-1p is a homologue of the phosphatidylinositol transfer protein (PITP) ScSec14p, which is essential for secretion and viability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast to CnPlb1, neither laccase 1 (Lac1)-induced melanization within the cell wall nor capsule induction were negatively impacted in CnSEC14-1 deletion mutants (CnΔsec14-1 and CnΔsec14-1CnΔsfh5). Similar to the CnPLB1 deletion mutant (CnΔplb1), CnΔsec14-1 was hypo-virulent in mice and did not disseminate to the CNS by day 14 post infection. Furthermore, macrophage expulsion of live CnΔsec14-1 and CnΔplb1 (vomocytosis) was reduced. Individual deletion of CnSEC14-2, a closely-related CnSEC14-1 homologue, and CnSFH5, a distantly-related SEC fourteen-like homologue, did not abrogate CnPlb1 secretion or virulence. However, reconstitution of CnΔsec14-1 with CnSEC14-1 or CnSEC14-2 restored both phenotypes, consistent with functional genetic redundancy. We conclude that CnPlb1 secretion is SEC14-dependent and that C. neoformans preferentially exports virulence determinants to the cell periphery via distinct pathways. We also demonstrate that CnPlb1 secretion is essential for vomocytosis. PMID:21453402

Solid-state NMR Reveals the Carbon-based Molecular Architecture of Cryptococcus neoformans Fungal Eumelanins in the Cell Wall*

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Chatterjee, Subhasish; Prados-Rosales, Rafael; Itin, Boris; Casadevall, Arturo; Stark, Ruth E.

2015-01-01

Melanin pigments protect against both ionizing radiation and free radicals and have potential soil remediation capabilities. Eumelanins produced by pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans fungi are virulence factors that render the fungal cells resistant to host defenses and certain antifungal drugs. Because of their insoluble and amorphous characteristics, neither the pigment bonding framework nor the cellular interactions underlying melanization of C. neoformans have yielded to comprehensive molecular-scale investigation. This study used the C. neoformans requirement of exogenous obligatory catecholamine precursors for melanization to produce isotopically enriched pigment “ghosts” and applied 2D 13C-13C correlation solid-state NMR to reveal the carbon-based architecture of intact natural eumelanin assemblies in fungal cells. We demonstrated that the aliphatic moieties of solid C. neoformans melanin ghosts include cell-wall components derived from polysaccharides and/or chitin that are associated proximally with lipid membrane constituents. Prior to development of the mature aromatic fungal pigment, these aliphatic moieties form a chemically resistant framework that could serve as the scaffold for melanin synthesis. The indole-based core aromatic moieties show interconnections that are consistent with proposed melanin structures consisting of stacked planar assemblies, which are associated spatially with the aliphatic scaffold. The pyrrole aromatic carbons of the pigments bind covalently to the aliphatic framework via glycoside or glyceride functional groups. These findings establish that the structure of the pigment assembly changes with time and provide the first biophysical information on the mechanism by which melanin is assembled in the fungal cell wall, offering vital insights that can advance the design of bioinspired conductive nanomaterials and novel therapeutics. PMID:25825492

Solid-state NMR Reveals the Carbon-based Molecular Architecture of Cryptococcus neoformans Fungal Eumelanins in the Cell Wall.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Subhasish; Prados-Rosales, Rafael; Itin, Boris; Casadevall, Arturo; Stark, Ruth E

2015-05-29

Melanin pigments protect against both ionizing radiation and free radicals and have potential soil remediation capabilities. Eumelanins produced by pathogenic Cryptococcus neoformans fungi are virulence factors that render the fungal cells resistant to host defenses and certain antifungal drugs. Because of their insoluble and amorphous characteristics, neither the pigment bonding framework nor the cellular interactions underlying melanization of C. neoformans have yielded to comprehensive molecular-scale investigation. This study used the C. neoformans requirement of exogenous obligatory catecholamine precursors for melanization to produce isotopically enriched pigment "ghosts" and applied 2D (13)C-(13)C correlation solid-state NMR to reveal the carbon-based architecture of intact natural eumelanin assemblies in fungal cells. We demonstrated that the aliphatic moieties of solid C. neoformans melanin ghosts include cell-wall components derived from polysaccharides and/or chitin that are associated proximally with lipid membrane constituents. Prior to development of the mature aromatic fungal pigment, these aliphatic moieties form a chemically resistant framework that could serve as the scaffold for melanin synthesis. The indole-based core aromatic moieties show interconnections that are consistent with proposed melanin structures consisting of stacked planar assemblies, which are associated spatially with the aliphatic scaffold. The pyrrole aromatic carbons of the pigments bind covalently to the aliphatic framework via glycoside or glyceride functional groups. These findings establish that the structure of the pigment assembly changes with time and provide the first biophysical information on the mechanism by which melanin is assembled in the fungal cell wall, offering vital insights that can advance the design of bioinspired conductive nanomaterials and novel therapeutics. © 2015 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Cryptococcosis mimicking cutaneous cellulitis in a patient suffering from rheumatoid arthritis: a case report

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Probst Corina

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Cryptococcus neoformans is an encapsulated yeast and the most frequent cryptococcal species found in humans. Cryptococcosis is considered an opportunistic infection as it affects mainly immunosuppressed individuals. In humans, C. neoformans causes three types of infections: pulmonary cryptococcosis, cryptococcal meningitis and wound or cutaneous cryptococcosis. Case Presentation An 81-year-old woman developed severe necrotizing cellulitis on her left arm without any preceding injury. The patient had been treated with systemic corticosteroids over twenty years for rheumatoid arthritis (RA. Skin biopsies of the wound area were initially interpreted as cutaneous vasculitis of unknown etiology. However, periodic acid Schiff staining and smear analysis later revealed structures consistent with Cryptococcus neoformans, and the infection was subsequently confirmed by culture. After the initiation of therapy with fluconazole 400 mg per day the general condition and the skin ulcers improved rapidly and the patient was discharged to a rehabilitation facility. Subsequently surgical debridement and skin grafting were performed. Conclusions Opportunistic infections such as cryptococcosis can clinically and histologically mimic cutaneous vasculitis and have to be investigated rigorously as a differential diagnosis in immunosuppressed patients.

Infecção por Cryptococcus limitada à próstata em paciente aidético com micobacteriose disseminada. Relato de necropsia

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Lima, Marcus Aurelho de; Santos, Jenner A. Modesto dos; Lazo, Javier; Silva-Vergara, Mario León; Santos, Lister A. Modesto dos; Santos, Vitorino Modesto dos

1997-01-01

Relata-se caso de infecção criptocócica confinada à próstata, como achado de necropsia, em homem de 32 anos portador da síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida (SIDA) com micobacteriose disseminada. Enfatiza-se a importância do achado incidental em necropsia e a persistência dessa infecção micótica na próstata.This is a case report of asymptomatic and restrained cryptococcal prostatic infection in a 32-year old black male with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, whose death was caused by s...

Evaluación del uso de alcohol por familias de la periferia de Guayaquil en Ecuador, por estudiantes de enfermería Avaliação do uso de álcool por famílias moradoras da periferia de Guayaquil, Equador, por estudantes de enfermagem Assessment of alcohol use in families of the suburbs of Guayaquil City, Ecuador, by nursing students

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Marìa Mieles Moreira

2010-06-01

Full Text Available La presente investigación tiene como objetivo presentar el perfil socioeconómico y demográfico y las características del uso de alcohol de las familias evaluadas durante la cátedra de Enfermería Familiar y Comunitaria. Se trata de estudio de caso que utilizó como fuente de datos el Formulario de Valoración Familiar aplicado por estudiantes de la disciplina de Enfermería Familiar y Comunitaria. Las familias fueron seleccionadas por conveniencia, según los indicadores de riesgo: pobreza informada por las condiciones externas de la vivienda o identificadas por el servicio de salud. Se elaboró un formulario que tuvo como base el formulario usado por las estudiantes para recolectar la información de las familias; el cual contenía información sobre el perfil socioeconómico, características familiares y consumo de alcohol. En familias que informaron el uso de alcohol se aplicó el instrumento The Alcohol Users Identification Desorder Test (AUDIT. De las 128 familias evaluadas por las estudiantes encontramos 47 que informaron el uso de alcohol, las cuales fueron seleccionadas para responder el AUDIT. El promedio en la puntuación total obtenida fue de 10,66 puntos indicando Zona 2 de riesgo. Para este nivel está indicada intervención con consejo simple, que puede ser aplicado por los profesionales de atención primaria, principalmente enfermeros.Este trabalho teve como objetivo apresentar o perfil sociodemográfico e o uso de álcool por famílias avaliadas em estágio da disciplina Enfermagem Familiar Comunitária. Trata-se de estudo de caso que utilizou como fonte de dados o Formulário de Avaliação Familiar aplicado por estudantes. As famílias foram selecionadas por conveniência segundo o indicador de risco pobreza, informada pelas condições externas das moradias ou identificadas pelo serviço de saúde. Elaborou-se um formulário para se obter as informações a partir do formulário aplicado pelas estudantes, o qual continha

La pintura vista por un pintor joven

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Fuentes Pozo, Pedro

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Not available

El pintor se define a lo largo del tiempo como un artista en mutación influenciado por la sociedad de su momento y por su propio mundo interior Esto ha contribuido a la creación de distintos estilos pictóricos y a una evolución que conlleva la despreocupación por el aspecto formal en aras de una introspección al mundo interior En el cambio constante se refleja la búsqueda del artista que valida la intemporalidad del arte. Así, el verdadero artista sobrevive al aplauso o rechazo de la crítica, convirtiéndose en un verdadero hombre renancentista preocupado por el hallazgo del conocimiento universal.

Experiência inicial com terapia por pressão negativa por instilação em feridas complexas

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Dimas André Milcheski

Full Text Available RESUMO Objetivo: relatar a experiência inicial com a terapia por pressão negativa por instilação em feridas complexas infectadas ou contaminadas. Métodos: a terapia por pressão negativa por instilação utilizada foi o V.A.C. Ulta com instilação Veraflo (Kinetic Concepts, Inc. O modo de operação foi contínuo com pressão sub-atmosférica ajustada em 125 mmHg por duas horas e instilação entre as pausas. O tempo de instilação foi de 20 minutos (tempo de contato do agente tópico com a ferida e a substância instilada foi solução salina padrão a 0,9%. Após obtenção de preparo adequado da ferida, ela foi coberta com enxerto ou retalho. Resultados: foram operados dez pacientes com feridas complexas contaminadas ou infectadas. O número médio de trocas da TPNi foi 1,4, o número médio total de cirurgias foi de 2,4, o intervalo até a cobertura da ferida foi de 6,3 dias e o intervalo até a alta foi de 11,4 dias. Conclusão: a comparação da terapia por pressão negativa por instilação com dois estudos prévios (controle histórico evidenciou um tempo de internação menor, favorecendo a TPNi. Este estudo teve um caráter inicial, fazendo-se necessário conduzir um trabalho randomizado e controlado para confirmar a eficácia desta terapia e verificar a sua custo-efetividade.

Neuropatia experimental por DDT: análise de nervo por microdissecção de fibras

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Edison Matos Nóvak

1984-09-01

Full Text Available Estudou-se o nervo gênito-femural do rato albino submetido a intoxicação crônica por DDT, administrado por 180 dias na dose de 5 mg/kg de peso via oral. Os resultados mostraram proporção anormal de fibras tipo C, sendo sugerido ocorrer degeneração tipo axonal determinada pelo DDT.

Ptose palpebral causada por Paquidermoperiostose

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Patricia Regina de Pinho Tavares

2014-08-01

Full Text Available A paquidermoperiostose é uma síndrome caracterizada por acometimento cutâneo e ósseo, e em alguns casos ocorre comprometimento palpebral leve. É uma síndrome rara, idiopática ou hereditária, com provável herança autossômica dominante de penetrância variável. Descreve-se o caso de um paciente com ptose grave por paquidermoperiostose elucidando sua fisiopatologia e conduta cirúrgica aplicada.

Lesiones en el hombro causadas por electrocución

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Herrero Barcos, L.; Martínez Martín, Angel Antonio; Herrera Rodríguez, Antonio; Cuenca Espiérrez, Jorge; Panisello Sebastiá, Juan José

2001-01-01

Las lesiones en el hombro tras sufrir una descarga eléctrica son raras. Presentamos siete pacientes con luxaciones y fracturas en el hombro debidas a una electrocución. Un alto porcentaje de estas lesiones se diagnostican tarde, empeorando de esta manera el pronóstico. Por ello, ante una electrocución, debemos pensar en una lesión de hombro. Shoulder injuries after an electrical shock are rare. We report seven cases with dislocation and fractures of the shoulder due to electrocution. A hig...

Contagious agalactia by Mycoplasma agalactiae in small ruminants in Brazil: first report Agalaxia contagiosa por Mycoplasma agalactiae em pequenos ruminantes no Brasil: primeiro relato

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Edisio Oliveira de Azevedo

2006-12-01

Full Text Available Two outbreaks of contagious agalactia by Mycoplasma agalactiae occurred in Paraíba State, Northeastern Region of Brazil are reported. The disease was characterized by mastitis, agalactia and polyarthritis in does and polyarthritis and conjunctivitis in kids and lambs. Fever and anorexia were also observed. Morbidy was from 26.1% to 100% in does, 36.5 to 100% in kids and 49% in lambs. In one farm 14.3% of the lactating goats and 6.4% of the kids died or were euthanized. In the other, 3.3% of the does, 36.5% of the kids and 22.9% of the lambs died and 84 affected goats were euthanized to control the disease. M. agalactiae was isolated from milk, joint exudates, nasal swabs and ear washings. The colonies were characteristic of Mycoplasma and the agent did not ferment both glucose and arginin. It was typed as Mycoplasma agalactiae by immunoperoxidase and PCR. This is the first report of M. agalactiae infection in Brazil, but the source of the infection remains unknown.Dois surtos de agalaxia contagiosa causada por Mycoplasma agalactiae são descritos no Estado da Paraíba, região Nordeste do Brasil. A doença caracterizou-se por mastite, agalaxia e poliartrite em cabras e poliartrite e cerato-conjuntivite em cabritos e cordeiros. Febre e anorexia também foram observadas. A morbidade variou de 26,1% a 100% nas cabras, 36,5% a 100% em cabritos e 49,0% em cordeiros. Na primeira fazenda, 14,3% das cabras em lactação e 6,4% dos cabritos morreram ou foram sacrificados. Na outra propriedade, 3,3% dos caprinos adultos, 36,5% dos cabritos e 22,9% dos cordeiros morreram e outros 84 caprinos foram sacrificados para controle da doença. M. agalactiae foi isolado a partir de leite, líquido articular, suabe nasal e lavado do conduto auditivo externo. Colônias características de Mycoplasma e que não fermentaram a glicose e arginina foram observadas. A identificação de M. agalactiae foi realizada por imunoperoxidase indireta e PCR. Sendo assim, M

Suppression of cytochrome P450 reductase (POR) expression in hepatoma cells replicates the hepatic lipidosis observed in hepatic POR-null mice.

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Porter, Todd D; Banerjee, Subhashis; Stolarczyk, Elzbieta I; Zou, Ling

2011-06-01

Cytochrome P450 reductase (POR) is a microsomal electron transport protein essential to cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism and sterol and bile acid synthesis. The conditional deletion of hepatic POR gene expression in mice results in a marked decrease in plasma cholesterol levels counterbalanced by the accumulation of triglycerides in lipid droplets in hepatocytes. To evaluate the role of cholesterol and bile acid synthesis in this hepatic lipidosis, as well as the possible role of lipid transport from peripheral tissues, we developed a stable, small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated cell culture model for the suppression of POR. POR mRNA and protein expression were decreased by greater than 50% in McArdle-RH7777 rat hepatoma cells 10 days after transfection with a POR-siRNA expression plasmid, and POR expression was nearly completely extinguished by day 20. Immunofluorescent analysis revealed a marked accumulation of lipid droplets in cells by day 15, accompanied by a nearly 2-fold increase in cellular triglyceride content, replicating the lipidosis seen in hepatic POR-null mouse liver. In contrast, suppression of CYP51A1 (lanosterol demethylase) did not result in lipid accumulation, indicating that loss of cholesterol synthesis is not the basis for this lipidosis. Indeed, addition of cholesterol to the medium appeared to augment the lipidosis in POR-suppressed cells, whereas removal of lipids from the medium reversed the lipidosis. Oxysterols did not accumulate in POR-suppressed cells, discounting a role for liver X receptor in stimulating triglyceride synthesis, but addition of chenodeoxycholate significantly repressed lipid accumulation, suggesting that the absence of bile acids and loss of farnesoid X receptor stimulation lead to excessive triglyceride synthesis.

Consanguinidad por isonimia en Salta

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Albeza, María V.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Se estimó el coeficiente de parentesco por isonimia para localidades de la Puna, Valle Calchaquí y Valle de Lerma, a fin de evaluar diferentes factores evolutivos que podrían estar afectando la composición genética de la población. A partir de los apellidos de las parejas consignadas en fuentes primarias de información, se estimó la isonimia conyugal o marital, el coeficiente total Ft y sus componentes Fr (inbreeding azaroso y Fn (inbreeding no azaroso. De las localidades estudiadas, en la Puna se ha detectado sólo una pareja isónima en una de ellas, en el Valle Calchaquí, tres y ninguna en el Valle de Lerma. Tanto en el Valle Calchaquí como en el de Lerma, se han estimado valores negativos de Ft, y en la Puna se registran los valores más elevados. En las localidades estudiadas no se cumple el supuesto de transmisión patrilineal de apellidos por lo que los valores de Fr y por ende de Ft podrían estar subestimados. Es por ello que sería necesario contar con información desde otras vertientes metodológicas para corroborar, complementar y manejar cuidadosamente el análisis de los datos y las conclusiones que se obtienen.

Nefrectomía simple por puerto único (LESS) asistida por robot (da Vinci)

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CASTILLO C,OCTAVIO A; VIDAL M,IVAR; SEPÚLVEDA T,FRANCISCO

2011-01-01

Introducción: La cirugía mínimamente invasiva en urología avanza rápidamente y la cirugía laparo-endoscópica a través de puerto único (LESS) no es la excepción. Esta técnica por vía laparoscópica presenta mucha dificultad y requiere de un cirujano laparoscópico experimentado debido a la falta de triangulación y el cruce de los instrumentos. Los beneficios del sistema quirúrgico da Vinci® han sido introducidos recientemente en LESS. Presentamos dos casos de nefrectomía LESS asistida por robot....

Análisis de costos por ausentismo laboral atribuibles a licencias médicas por enfermedad. Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza 2015

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Jave Escalante, Gladys Lizeth

2015-01-01

Determina el costo generado por el ausentismo laboral atribuible a licencias médicas por enfermedad en el Hospital Nacional Arzobispo Loayza 2015. METODOLOGÍA: Estudio no experimental. La muestra estuvo conformada por 118 médicos asistenciales y personal de enfermería. Para el análisis de los costos se utilizó el costo de tiempo perdido del paciente, ingresos dejados de percibir por el hospital y descuento económico al trabajador. Además se realizó un análisis económico y de sensibilidad. ...

Indice por Materias

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Montoya H Luz Marina

1982-09-01

Full Text Available Un índice es una lista de palabras o frases indicadores asociados que permite la ubicación de material al interior de un libro o una publicación, en este caso será por el nombre de la materia.

Mortalidad intrahospitalaria por accidente cerebrovascular

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Federico Rodríguez Lucci; Virginia Pujol Lereis; Sebastián Ameriso; Guillermo Povedano; María F. Díaz; Alejandro Hlavnicka; Néstor A. Wainsztein; Sebastián F. Ameriso

2013-01-01

La mortalidad global por accidente cerebrovascular (ACV) ha disminuido en las últimas tres décadas, probablemente debido a un mejor control de los factores de riesgo vascular. La mortalidad hospitalaria por ACV ha sido tradicionalmente estimada entre 6 y 14% en la mayoría de las series comunicadas. Sin embargo, los datos de ensayos clínicos recientes sugieren que esta cifra sería sustancialmente menor. Se revisaron datos de pacientes internados con diagnóstico de ACV del Banco de Datos de Str...

Genome-Wide Identification of circRNAs in Pathogenic Basidiomycetous Yeast Cryptococcus neoformans Suggests Conserved circRNA Host Genes over Kingdoms

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Liang Huo

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Circular RNAs (circRNAs, a novel class of ubiquitous and intriguing noncoding RNA, have been found in a number of eukaryotes but not yet basidiomycetes. In this study, we identified 73 circRNAs from 39.28 million filtered RNA reads from the basidiomycete Cryptococcus neoformans JEC21 using next-generation sequencing (NGS and the bioinformatics tool circular RNA identification (CIRI. Furthermore, mapping of newly found circRNAs to the genome showed that 73.97% of the circRNAs originated from exonic regions, whereas 20.55% were from intergenic regions and 5.48% were from intronic regions. Enrichment analysis of circRNA host genes was conducted based on the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway databases. The results reveal that host genes are mainly responsible for primary metabolism and, interestingly, ribosomal protein production. Furthermore, we uncovered a high-level circRNA that was a transcript from the guanosine triphosphate (GTPase gene CNM01190 (gene ID: 3255052 in our yeast. Coincidentally, YPT5, CNM01190′s ortholog of the GTPase in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, protists, and humans, has already been proven to generate circRNAs. Additionally, overexpression of RNA debranching enzyme DBR1 had varied influence on the expression of circRNAs, indicating that multiple circRNA biosynthesis pathways exist in C. neoformans. Our study provides evidence for the existence of stable circRNAs in the opportunistic human pathogen C. neoformans and raises a question regarding their role related to pathogenesis in this yeast.

Prevalencia de sífilis en mujeres gestantes atendidas por el Programa de Protección a la Gestante (PPG y reporte de aborto en el Estado de Sergipe, Brasil

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Fernando Saab

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Introducción: La sífilis ha representado un importante reto para la salud pública en Brasil, tanto por su alta prevalencia como por las graves secuelas neonatales. Objetivo: Determinar la prevalencia de infección por sífilis y la aparición de abortos involuntarios en mujeres embarazadas, por edad y distribución espacial en el estado de Sergipe en Brasil. Metodología: Estudio transversal descriptivo-retrospectivo, en el que se analizaron 39.807 registros de usuarias del Programa de Protección a la Gestante (PPG ofrecido en 73 municipios en el estado de Sergipe, en un período aproximado de dos años. Resultados: Fueron seleccionadas 39.807 gestantes, de las cuales 7.538 (18,9% reportaron haber abortado, 544 (1,37% fueron halladas con sífilis positiva y 192 (0,48% presentaron sífilis positiva y reporte de aborto. La proporción aumentó de 25,7% de mujeres que abortaron y tuvieron cualquier tipo de alteración (HIV, HTLV, Chagas, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Clamidia, Toxoplasmosis, Rubéola, Citomegalovirus, Hipotiroidismo congénito e Fenilcetonuria materna a 35,3% en mujeres que abortaron y presentaron confirmación de sífilis positiva, representando un aumento de 1,37 veces de los casos. El Municipio de Carmópolis tuvo el mayor porcentaje de casos con 2,19%, seguido de Malhador con un 1.30%, Malhada dos Bois con 1.16%, Estância con 1.15%, Barra dos Coqueiros con 1.14%, Santa Luzia do Itanhy con 1,04% y Pedrinhas con un 1,00%. Conclusión: Se verificó que en la mayoría de los municipios fue elevado el número de registros de abortos involuntarios en mujeres gestantes. La prevalencia gestacional de sífilis fue superior a la aceptada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS. Por medio del PPG se verificó que la sífilis continúa siendo un importante problema de salud durante la gestación, y que las mujeres con sífilis presentan una mayor frecuencia de abortos.

Insuficiencia renal aguda inducida por mordedura de serpiente Bothrops

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Gustavo A. Aroca Martínez

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mujer de 58 años de edad, remitida a urgencias por presentar cuadro clínico de insuficiencia renal aguda (IRA secundaria a mordedura de serpiente (Bothrops Atrox. Ingresa hipotensa con elevación de azoados e hiperkalemia, ecografía renal dentro de parámetros normales. Se maneja terapia dialítica con lo cual presenta mejoría clínica. En este reporte se detallan aspectos del diagnóstico, manejo clínico y posibles mecanismos fisiopatológicos que explican el daño renal.

Antifungal activity of eicosanoic acids isolated from the endophytic fungus Mycosphaerella sp. against Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii.

Science.gov (United States)

Pereira, Cristiane Bigatti; Pereira de Sá, Nívea; Borelli, Beatriz Martins; Rosa, Carlos Augusto; Barbeira, Paulo Jorge Sanches; Cota, Betania Barros; Johann, Susana

2016-11-01

The antifungal effects of two eicosanoic acids, 2-amino-3,4-dihydroxy-2-25-(hydroxymethyl)-14-oxo-6,12-eicosenoic acid (compound 1) and myriocin (compound 2), isolated from Mycosphaerella sp. were evaluated against Cryptococcus neoformans and C. gattii. The compounds displayed antifungal activities against several isolates of C. neoformans and C. gattii, with minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.49 to 7.82 μM for compound 1 and 0.48-1.95 μM for compound 2. In the checkerboard microtiter test, both compounds exhibited synergistic activity with amphotericin B against C. gattii. Ultrastructural analysis revealed several signs of damage in C. gattii and C. neoformans cells treated with compounds 1 and 2, including deformities in cell shape, depressions on the surface, and withered cells. The cells of C. gattii treated with compounds 1 and 2 showed less loss of cellular material in comparison to those treated with amphotericin B. The difference in cellular material loss increased in a test compound concentration-dependent manner. Consistent with this observation, compounds 1 and 2 were able to internalize propidium iodide (PI) in C. gattii cells. In addition, compound 2 induced the formation of several pseudohyphae, suggesting that it could reduce virulence in C. gattii cells. The study results show that these natural products led to membrane damage; however, this may not be the main target of action. These compounds have potential antifungal activity and could be useful in further studies for developing more effective combination therapies with amphotericin B and reducing side effects in patients. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ebselen exerts antifungal activity by regulating glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in fungal cells.

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Thangamani, Shankar; Eldesouky, Hassan E; Mohammad, Haroon; Pascuzzi, Pete E; Avramova, Larisa; Hazbun, Tony R; Seleem, Mohamed N

2017-01-01

Ebselen, an organoselenium compound and a clinically safe molecule has been reported to possess potent antifungal activity, but its antifungal mechanism of action and in vivo antifungal activity remain unclear. The antifungal effect of ebselen was tested against Candida albicans, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, Cryptococcus neoformans, and C. gattii clinical isolates. Chemogenomic profiling and biochemical assays were employed to identify the antifungal target of ebselen. Ebselen's antifungal activity in vivo was investigated in a Caenorhabditis elegans animal model. Ebselen exhibits potent antifungal activity against both Candida spp. and Cryptococcus spp., at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 2μg/ml. Ebselen rapidly eradicates a high fungal inoculum within 2h of treatment. Investigation of the drug's antifungal mechanism of action indicates that ebselen depletes intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels, leading to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and thereby disturbs the redox homeostasis in fungal cells. Examination of ebselen's in vivo antifungal activity in two Caenorhabditis elegans models of infection demonstrate that ebselen is superior to conventional antifungal drugs (fluconazole, flucytosine and amphotericin) in reducing Candida and Cryptococcus fungal load. Ebselen possesses potent antifungal activity against clinically relevant isolates of both Candida and Cryptococcus by regulating GSH and ROS production. The potent in vivo antifungal activity of ebselen supports further investigation for repurposing it for use as an antifungal agent. The present study shows that ebselen targets glutathione and also support that glutathione as a potential target for antifungal drug development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

CARACTERÍSTICAS DA VIOLÊNCIA SEXUAL SOFRIDA POR CRIANÇAS ASSISTIDAS POR UM PROGRAMA DE APOIO

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KELLY LINHARES VASCONCELOS

2010-01-01

Full Text Available En Brasil, las estadísticas de la violencia sexual contra niños están lejos de reflejar la verdadera realidad actual debido a la baja notificación de los casos. La finalidad de este estudio fue caracterizar el abuso sexual sufrido por niños asistidos por el Programa Sentinela y el perfil del agresor, en Sobral-Ceará, en el periodo que va del 2002 al 2006. La muestra no probabilística intencional fue compuesta por 50 víctimas de abuso sexual y de las mismas, el 66% es del sexo femenino, con predominio de rango de edad entre 8-12 años incompletos, (58%; en el 36% de los casos los padres están separados, siendo la madre la principal responsable por la familia (62%. La mayoría de los agresores es del sexo masculino (78%. En el ambiente fuera de la familia los agresores son conocidos o amigos de la familia (14%; dentro del seno familiar el padrastro es identificado como siendo el agresor más frecuente (18%. Los datos destacan características similares a las de otros estudios, definiendo una cierta igualdad en este tipo de violencia.

Síncope inducido por el ejercicio: Reporte de un caso Exercise-induced syncope: case report

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Andrés Alvarado

2011-04-01

Full Text Available El síncope asociado con el ejercicio es una condición que debe alertar al médico tratante; en primera instancia, se descartan alteraciones estructurales cardiacas que predispongan a muerte súbita, y en segundo lugar se evalúa la presencia de arritmias que potencialmente causen esta condición. En pacientes mayores de 35 años se descartan la enfermedad coronaria y las valvulopatías como eventuales causas. En sujetos que entrenan de manera frecuente, el tono vagal aumentado es una condición adaptativa común que a veces puede causar síncope cardioinhibitorio asociado con el ejercicio, cuya presentación puede variar desde bradiarritmias hasta asistolia, por lo cual constituye un reto diagnóstico.Exercise-induced syncope is a condition that should alert the treating physician; structural cardiac abnormalities that predispose to sudden death should be discarded, and the presence of arrhythmias that may potentially cause this condition are evaluated. In patients over 35 years, coronary and valvular disease are ruled-out as a possible cause of syncope associated with exercise. In subjects who train frequently, increased vagal tone is a common adaptive condition that may sometimes cause cardio-inhibitory syncope associated with exercise, whose presentation may vary from bradyarrhythmia to asystolia, thereby providing a diagnostic challenge.

ORF Alignment: NC_003074 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available in CNBN0180 [Cryptococcus neoformans var. ... neoformans B-3501A] gb|AAW47011.1| nucleolus protein, ... ... ... putative [Cryptococcus neoformans var. neoformans JEC21] ... ref|XP_568528.1| nucleolus pro

Vivencias psicosociales reveladas por niños que reciben tratamiento con quimioterapia por cáncer

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BLANCA CECILIA VANEGAS DE AHOGADO

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio cualitativo con el propósito de descubrir las vivencias psicosociales de niños y niñas de 9 a 12 años que recibían tratamiento con quimioterapia por cáncer. La recolección de la información se hizo mediante encuentros lúdicos con el apoyo de algunas preguntas básicas que facilitaron las revelaciones narrativas. Tres aspectos se destacan en los hallazgos del estudio: vivencias desfavorables, vivencias relacionadas con la autoestima y vivencias favorables; las dos primeras, de diversa manera, afectan en estos niños su vida personal, familiar, escolar y, en general, todo su entorno. Es de resaltar que, como consecuencia de la caída del cabello, con frecuencia han sido objeto de burla y de rechazo por sus compañeros de estudio, lo que produce el más notorio efecto sobre su autoimagen; por otra parte, el ausentismo escolar conlleva dificultades académicas y sentimientos de tristeza en estos niños, situación que empeora cuando, por motivos de tratamiento, su lugar de residencia está alejado de la ciudad, viéndose sometidos a largos periodos de separación, no solo de su familia sino de sus pares. Se concluye que la mayor parte de las revelaciones son impactantes por su gran contenido de sufrimiento y dolor para estos niños, lo que demuestra la urgencia de retomar los hallazgos del estudio para orientar el cuidado de enfermería de manera más integral y apoyar para que se haga lo propio en el hogar y en las instituciones educativas.

Meningitis Caused by Rhodotorula mucilaginosa in HIV-Infected Patient: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohd Nor, Fadzilah; Tan, Lian Huat; Na, Shi Ling; Ng, Kee Peng

2015-08-01

Rhodotorula species are increasingly being identified as a cause of fungal infection in the central nervous system, especially in patients with compromised immunity. The diagnosis could easily be missed due to low index of suspicion, as cryptococcus meningitis and cerebral toxoplasmosis are more common amongst immunocompromised hosts. To date, there are six cases of Rhodotorula-related meningitis reported, and three are associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection. In this report, a case of a Malaysian male with underlying human immunodeficiency virus infection who developed Rhodotorula mucilaginosa meningitis is presented. High-grade fever and severe headaches were the complaints presented in three previous case reports. India ink and nigrosin stainings were performed in the two previous reports and both revealed positive results. R. mucilaginosa were isolated from the culture of the patient's cerebrospinal fluid in all three previous reports. Predominant lymphocyte infiltration in the cerebrospinal fluid examination was documented in two reports. CD4 counts were above 100/µl in two previously published reports, while another report documented CD4 count as 56/µl. Amphotericin B and itraconazole are identified to be the first line of antifungal used and as the maintenance therapy, respectively. The possibility of relapse cannot be excluded as it was reported in the first report. It was also revealed that the current case has almost similar clinical presentation and therapeutic outcome as compared to the published reports, but some differences in diagnostic details were to be highlighted.

Pedro Teixeira y su viaje por Mesopotamia

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Fuente del Pilar, José Javier

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Pedro Teixeira es un integrante notable de la ilustre nómina de los viajeros portugueses que, a finales del s, XVI y principios del XVII, ensancharon para Occidente las fronteras del mundo. Su conocimiento en España se debe a la publicación en 1994 de su obra «Relaciones del Origen, Descendencia y Sucesión de los Reyes de Persia, y de Harmuz, y de un viaje hecho por el autor dende la India hasta Italia por tierra», en edición realizada por el profesor Eduardo Barajas Sala, lamentablemente fallecido en 1997. En este artículo se ofrece una reseña biográfica de Pedro Teixeira, y un análisis del viaje narrado por el autor en la última parte de sus «Relaciones »: el que desde Ormuz le conducirá, a través de Mesopotamia, hasta la costa del Mediterráneo.…

Violência e mortes por causas externas

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Graciete Oliveira Vieira

2003-02-01

Full Text Available Através de um estudo ecológico caracterizou-se a violência e as mortes por causas externas em Salvador e Bahia utilizando-se dados da Fundação Nacional de Saúde-Ministério da Saúde, dos registros de mortalidade e das estimativas populacionais do IBGE. O risco de morrer por homicídio no Brasil é 3 vezes o do Estados Unidos, chegando a ser 40 vezes superior ao do Japão. Homicídio foi a primeira causa de anos potenciais de vidas perdidos (13,4% no Brasil (1997, seguido por acidentes de trânsito (10,6%. Causas externas foi a segunda causa de morte em Salvador e Bahia (1996. A violência tem raízes sócio-culturais e político-ideológicas e pode ser prevenida por ações intersetoriais e multidisciplinares.

NEUROPATÍA PERIFÉRICA POR PORFIRIA EN PACIENTE MASCULINO VIH POSITIVO

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Ariana Baptista Da Cunha

2013-07-01

Full Text Available La Porfiria Intermitente Aguda es una enfermedad metabólica rara ocasionada por una mutación genética que produciendo defectos enzimáticos en la formación del grupo Hemo. Entre todos los tipos de porfiria, es la de mayor incidencia, con una prevalencia global de 5/100.000 habitantes con cúmulos de casos en zonas como Escandinavia, Gran Bretaña, Murcia (España caracterizada por clínica neurológica, gastrointestinal y psiquiátrica. Afecta principalmente a mujeres en edad reproductiva. Se describe el caso de un paciente masculino de 38 años con inicio de clínica 14 meses antes dolor abdominal, deposiciones abundantes y asociado cuadriparesia con un mes de evolución. Reporte de serología VIH positivo y valoración neurológica considera diagnóstico de neuropatía periférica asociada a VIH. Por antecedente familiar de porfiria se estudia caso en el Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas y se obtiene diagnóstico definitivo de Porfiria Intermitente Aguda en crisis, tratado con Hermaginato con mejoría significativa de la clínica a los siete días sin signos de crisis porfírica. Por ser de baja incidencia, esta patología no destaca entre los principales diagnósticos diferenciales en casos de disminución de la fuerza muscular y difiere en el abordaje específico. Si no es detectada a tiempo la debilidad muscular progresa a parálisis bulbar y muerte. Palabras Clave: Porfiria Intermitente Aguda; Cuadriparesia; VIH

NEUROPATÍA PERIFÉRICA POR PORFIRIA EN PACIENTE MASCULINO VIH POSITIVO

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Ariana Baptista Da Cunha

2013-01-01

Full Text Available La Porfiria Intermitente Aguda es una enfermedad metabólica rara ocasionada por una mutación genética que produciendo defectos enzimáticos en la for- mación del grupo Hemo. Entre todos los tipos de porfiria, es la de mayor incidencia, con una prevalencia global de 5/100.000 habitantes con cúmulos de ca- sos en zonas como Escandinavia, Gran Bretaña, Murcia (España caracterizada por clínica neurológica, gastrointestinal y psiquiátrica. Afecta principalmente a mujeres en edad reproductiva. Se describe el caso de un paciente masculino de 38 años con inicio de clínica 14 meses antes dolor abdominal, deposiciones abundantes y asociado cuadriparesia con un mes de evolución. Reporte de serología VIH positivo y valoración neurológica considera diagnóstico de neu- ropatía periférica asociada a VIH. Por antecedente familiar de porfiria se estudia caso en el Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas y se obtiene diagnóstico definitivo de Porfiria Intermitente Aguda en crisis, tratado con Hermaginato con mejoría significativa de la clínica a los siete días sin signos de crisis porfírica. Por ser de baja incidencia, esta patología no destaca entre los principales diagnósticos diferenciales en casos de disminución de la fuerza mus- cular y difiere en el abordaje específico. Si no es detectada a tiempo la debilidad muscular progresa a parálisis bulbar y muerte. Palabras Clave: Porfiria Intermitente Aguda; Cuadriparesia; VIH.

Illuminating choices for library prep: a comparison of library preparation methods for whole genome sequencing of Cryptococcus neoformans using Illumina HiSeq.

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Johanna Rhodes

Full Text Available The industry of next-generation sequencing is constantly evolving, with novel library preparation methods and new sequencing machines being released by the major sequencing technology companies annually. The Illumina TruSeq v2 library preparation method was the most widely used kit and the market leader; however, it has now been discontinued, and in 2013 was replaced by the TruSeq Nano and TruSeq PCR-free methods, leaving a gap in knowledge regarding which is the most appropriate library preparation method to use. Here, we used isolates from the pathogenic fungi Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii and sequenced them using the existing TruSeq DNA v2 kit (Illumina, along with two new kits: the TruSeq Nano DNA kit (Illumina and the NEBNext Ultra DNA kit (New England Biolabs to provide a comparison. Compared to the original TruSeq DNA v2 kit, both newer kits gave equivalent or better sequencing data, with increased coverage. When comparing the two newer kits, we found little difference in cost and workflow, with the NEBNext Ultra both slightly cheaper and faster than the TruSeq Nano. However, the quality of data generated using the TruSeq Nano DNA kit was superior due to higher coverage at regions of low GC content, and more SNPs identified. Researchers should therefore evaluate their resources and the type of application (and hence data quality being considered when ultimately deciding on which library prep method to use.

Analysis of the Protein Kinase A-Regulated Proteome of Cryptococcus neoformans Identifies a Role for the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway in Capsule Formation

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J. M. H. Geddes

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The opportunistic fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningitis in immunocompromised individuals. The expression of virulence factors, including capsule and melanin, is in part regulated by the cyclic-AMP/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA signal transduction pathway. In this study, we investigated the influence of PKA on the composition of the intracellular proteome to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the regulation that underpins virulence. Through quantitative proteomics, enrichment and bioinformatic analyses, and an interactome study, we uncovered a pattern of PKA regulation for proteins associated with translation, the proteasome, metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis, and virulence-related functions. PKA regulation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in C. neoformans showed a striking parallel with connections between PKA and protein degradation in chronic neurodegenerative disorders and other human diseases. Further investigation of proteasome function with the inhibitor bortezomib revealed an impact on capsule production as well as hypersusceptibility for strains with altered expression or activity of PKA. Parallel studies with tunicamycin also linked endoplasmic reticulum stress with capsule production and PKA. Taken together, the data suggest a model whereby expression of PKA regulatory and catalytic subunits and the activation of PKA influence proteostasis and the function of the endoplasmic reticulum to control the elaboration of the polysaccharide capsule. Overall, this study revealed both broad and conserved influences of the cAMP/PKA pathway on the proteome and identified proteostasis as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cryptococcosis.

Illuminating choices for library prep: a comparison of library preparation methods for whole genome sequencing of Cryptococcus neoformans using Illumina HiSeq.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, Johanna; Beale, Mathew A; Fisher, Matthew C

2014-01-01

The industry of next-generation sequencing is constantly evolving, with novel library preparation methods and new sequencing machines being released by the major sequencing technology companies annually. The Illumina TruSeq v2 library preparation method was the most widely used kit and the market leader; however, it has now been discontinued, and in 2013 was replaced by the TruSeq Nano and TruSeq PCR-free methods, leaving a gap in knowledge regarding which is the most appropriate library preparation method to use. Here, we used isolates from the pathogenic fungi Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii and sequenced them using the existing TruSeq DNA v2 kit (Illumina), along with two new kits: the TruSeq Nano DNA kit (Illumina) and the NEBNext Ultra DNA kit (New England Biolabs) to provide a comparison. Compared to the original TruSeq DNA v2 kit, both newer kits gave equivalent or better sequencing data, with increased coverage. When comparing the two newer kits, we found little difference in cost and workflow, with the NEBNext Ultra both slightly cheaper and faster than the TruSeq Nano. However, the quality of data generated using the TruSeq Nano DNA kit was superior due to higher coverage at regions of low GC content, and more SNPs identified. Researchers should therefore evaluate their resources and the type of application (and hence data quality) being considered when ultimately deciding on which library prep method to use.

Associação entre violência por parceiro íntimo contra a mulher e infecção por HIV

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Claudia Barros

2011-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Analisar a associação entre a violência por parceiro íntimo contra mulheres e a infecção ou suspeita de infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com base em dados de questionários aplicados face-a-face e de prontuários médicos de 2.780 mulheres de 15 a 49 anos, atendidas em unidades do sistema único de saúde da Grande São Paulo, SP, em 2001-2002. As mulheres foram categorizadas em: usuárias em tratamento por serem "soropositivas para o HIV", com "suspeita de HIV" e aquelas que procuraram os serviços por outros motivos. A violência por parceiro íntimo contra mulheres na vida foi categorizada por gravidade e recorrência dos episódios de violência. A associação com o desfecho foi testada pelo modelo de Poisson com variância robusta e ajustada por variáveis sociodemográficas, sexuais e reprodutivas. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de violência foi de 59,8%. Sofrer violência reiterada e grave apresentou maior associação de infecção confirmada pelo HIV (RP = 1,91. A violência independente da gravidade e da recorrência dos episódios apresentou maior associação para a suspeita de infecção por HIV (RP = 1,29. CONCLUSÕES: A violência por parceiro íntimo contra mulheres tem papel relevante nas situações de suspeita e confirmação da infecção pelo HIV, sendo essencial incluir sua detecção, controle e prevenção como parte da atenção integral à saúde das mulheres.

Predominant porB1A and porB1B genotypes and correlation of gene mutations with drug resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates in Eastern China

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Tang Renxian

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Variations of porB1A and porB1B genes and their serotypes exist in Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates from different geographical areas, and some site mutations in the porB1B gene correlate with drug resistance. Methods The β-lactamase production of N. gonorrhoeae isolates was determined by paper acidometric test and nitrocefin discs. The porB1A and porB1B genes of 315 non-penicillinase-producting N. gonorrhoeae (non-PPNG strains were amplified by PCR for sequencing to determine serotypes and site mutations. A duplex PCR was designed to simultaneously detect both porB1A and porB1B genes. Penicillin and tetracycline resistance was assessed by an in vitro drug sensitivity test. Results Of the N. gonorrhoeae isolates, 31.1% tested positive for porB1A and 68.9% for porB1B genes. All the 98 porB1A+ isolates belonging to IA6 serotype with either no mutation at the 120 and 121 sites (88.8% or a D120G (11.2% mutation and were no resistance to both penicillin and tetracycline. Among the 217 porB1B+ isolates, 26.7%, 22.6% and 11.5% belonged to IB3, IB3/6 and IB4 serotypes, respectively. Particularly, two novel chimeric serotypes, IB3/6-IB2 and IB2-IB4-IB2, were found in 77 and 8 porB1B+ isolates. Two hundred and twelve (97.7% of the porB1B+ isolates were presented G120 and/or A121 mutations with 163 (76.9% at both sites. Interestingly, within the 77 porB1B+ isolates belonging to IB3/6-IB2 serotype, 15 were discovered to possess novel deletions at both A121 and N122 sites. All the replacement mutations at these sites in PorB1B were correlated with resistance and the deletion mutation showed the highest resistance. Conclusion N. gonorrhoeae isolates circulating in Eastern China include a sole PorB1A serotype (IA6 and five PorB1B serotypes. Multiple mutations in porB1B genes, including novel A121 and N122 deletions, are correlated with high levels of penicillin and tetracycline resistance.

Conservación por calor

OpenAIRE

Cobos García, Angel; Díaz Rubio, Olga

2011-01-01

Esta unidade didáctica denominada Conservación por calor forma parte da materia «Tecnoloxía do procesado de alimentos» que se impartirá no primeiro semestre do 2º curso do Grao en Nutrición Humana e Dietética. A materia estrutúrase en diferentes unidades didácticas, tratando cada unha delas as diferentes tecnoloxías de procesado dos alimentos, tanto de conservación coma de transformación. A presente unidade didáctica aborda a conservación dos alimentos por calor. Este método permite destruír ...

Las cosas por su nombre

OpenAIRE

Storani, Emilia

2017-01-01

El artículo propone indagar sobre los modos y diferentes formatos que se utilizan tanto en la escritura como en la lectura, para articular con las luchas por la identidad de género. La Ley de Identidad de Género ha sido un puntapié clave para pensarnos a nosotros mismos culturalmente y para pensar a los demás. Pero, ¿cómo mencionamos, escribimos y leemos las diferentes identidades? La escritura, también es un mundo transformador para quienes bregan por una sociedad más libre y sin prejuicios....

Diverticulitis yeyunal perforada por enterolito.

OpenAIRE

Marenco De la Cuadra, Beatriz; Gomez-Rosado, Juan-Carlos; Capitan-Morales, Luis-Cristobal; Valdés Hernández, Javier; Reyes-lopera, N.J. De los

2012-01-01

La diverticulosis yeyunal es una enfermedad adquirida rara. Casi el 60-70% keeps asymptomátic or Con síntomas crónicos inespecíficos, aunque puede presentarse como un abdomen agudo. La perforación debida a enterolitos es una causa extremadamente rara do complicación, y puede producirse por la impactación de ésta contra la pared intestinal. Presentamos caso de un varón de 82 años que acude a urgencias por un dolor súbito abdominal, difuso, con irritación peritoneal, leucocitosis con neutro...

Por y para en los manuales de ELE

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Sidoti, Rossana

2008-12-01

Full Text Available La oposición por / para es una de las cuestiones gramaticales que comportan mayor dificultad a la hora de acercarse al estudio del español como L2 sobre todo cuando remiten a conceptos lingüísticos difíciles de entender por no tener ésta referente alguno en el mundo extralingüístico. Si, por un lado, nos resulta fácil entender lo que tiene un referente en el mundo concreto; por otro, no podemos advertir el referente extralingüístico de preposiciones como por / para, si este no existe. Si las preposiciones son elementos abstractos, difíciles de aferrar de por sí, podemos sólo examinar los elementos que éstas ponen en relación y en qué contextos esta relación se determina. Para poder utilizar con precisión las dos preposiciones, es importante no reducirlas a una sola preposición como ocurre en otros idiomas, y sobre todo no relacionarlas sólo a los conceptos de causa y finalidad. Este trabajo se propone individualizar los manuales de español como lengua extranjera más utilizados en las universidades italianas para luego comparar las distintas fuentes de información sobre por / para y exponer comentarios, reflexiones y sugerencias sobre el tema con el fin de precisar en qué medida se puede mejorar lo que los manuales reducen o generalizan, puesto que para los estudiantes de ELE estos representan una herramienta valiosa a la que acudir.

Intoxicación por paraquat: descripción de un caso clínico Paraquat poisoning: a case report

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Julieth Hernández

2008-07-01

Full Text Available El paraquat es el herbicida más vendido en todo el mundo. Se absorbe por las vías digestiva e inhalatoria. Si llega a los pulmones, produce congestión, edema alveolar con aumento de macrófagos que progresa a fibrosis y edema pulmonar, los cuales se presentan hasta 14 días después de la exposición si el afectado no recibió tratamiento oportuno y correcto. El paraquat se dirige fundamentalmente a los pulmones y genera allí radicales libres oxidantes; por eso, en los casos de intoxicación aguda está totalmente contraindicado usar oxígeno excepto cuando la presión parcial de oxigeno en sangre arterial sea inferior a 50 mmHg. Se presenta un caso clínico de un paciente quien desarrolló un síndrome de distress respiratorio del adulto (SDRA secundario a ingesta intencional de paraquat. El manejo inicial se realizó con lavado gástrico y tierra de Fuller en solución acuosa al 30%. Posteriormente, el paciente desarrolló compromiso pulmonar y renal, los cuales fueron manejados con pulso de ciclofosfamida a 15 mg/kg/día por 2 días, metilprednisolona 1g/día por 3 días y posteriormente dexametasona 5 mg IV cada 6 horas por 5 días con una evolución clínica satisfactoria.Paraquat is the best-selling herbicide throughout the world, It is absorbed by the digestive and inhalatory routes. If it reaches the lungs, congestion with swelling is developed, increased alveolar macrophages that progresses to fibrosis and pulmonary edema, which occur until 14 days after exposure if not treated timely and correct. Paraquat is directed primarily to the lungs and therefore generates free radicals oxidants, which is why, in cases of acute poisoning is absolutely forbidden to use oxygen except where arterial blood partial pressure of oxygen in is less than 50 mm Hg. A patient who developed an adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS secondary to deliberate ingestion of paraquat is presented. Initial patient management was performed with gastric lavage

Clonality and α-a recombination in the Australian Cryptococcus gattii VGII population--an emerging outbreak in Australia.

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Fabian Carriconde

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Cryptococcus gattii is a basidiomycetous yeast that causes life-threatening disease in humans and animals. Within C. gattii, four molecular types are recognized (VGI to VGIV. The Australian VGII population has been in the spotlight since 2005, when it was suggested as the possible origin for the ongoing outbreak at Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada, with same-sex mating being suggested as the driving force behind the emergence of this outbreak, and is nowadays hypothesized as a widespread phenomenon in C. gattii. However, an in-depth characterization of the Australian VGII population is still lacking. The present work aimed to define the genetic variability within the Australian VGII population and determine processes shaping its population structure. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 54 clinical, veterinary and environmental VGII isolates from different parts of the Australian continent were studied. To place the Australian population in a global context, 17 isolates from North America, Europe, Asia and South America were included. Genetic variability was assessed using the newly adopted international consensus multi-locus sequence typing (MLST scheme, including seven genetic loci: CAP59, GPD1, LAC1, PLB1, SOD1, URA5 and IGS1. Despite the overall clonality observed, the presence of MATa VGII isolates in Australia was demonstrated for the first time in association with recombination in MATα-MATa populations. Our results also support the hypothesis of a "smouldering" outbreak throughout the Australian continent, involving a limited number of VGII genotypes, which is possibly caused by a founder effect followed by a clonal expansion. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The detection of sexual recombination in MATα-MATa population in Australia is in accordance with the natural life cycle of C. gattii involving opposite mating types and presents an alternative to the same-sex mating strategy suggested elsewhere. The potential

Outcome of HIV-1-associated cryptococcal meningitis, Denmark 1988-2008

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mathiesen, Inger Hee Mabuza; Knudsen, Jenny Dahl; Gerstoft, Jan

2012-01-01

Abstract Introduction: The risk of HIV-1-associated Cryptococcus neoformans meningitis (CM) has decreased and the outcome has improved with the use of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Outcome has not been reported in Denmark in the cART era. Methods: A review of all cases of HIV-1...

Nefropatia por IgA nas espondiloartrites IgA nephropathy in spondyloarthritis

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Daniela Castelo Azevedo

2011-02-01

Full Text Available Pacientes com espondiloartrites poderiam ser mais acometidos pela nefropatia por IgA do que a população geral, havendo, possivelmente, um mecanismo etiopatogênico comum. O seguinte artigo relaciona quatro casos que exemplificam essa possível associaçãoSpondyloarthritis patients can be more frequently affected by IgA nephropathy than the general population, and a common etiopathogenic mechanism can be involved. We report four cases that may exemplify that association

Pronóstico de la diarrea por rotavirus

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Mota-Hernández Felipe

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Comparar la gravedad de la diarrea por rotavirus (RV y por no rotavirus. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal en 520 lactantes con diarrea aguda, efectuado entre octubre de 1994 y marzo de 1995 en siete centros del primer nivel de atención en cinco estados de México. El diagnóstico de RV se realizó con ensayo inmunoenzimático o por electroforesis. El análisis se hizo a través de medidas de tendencia central. Los resultados se presentan como promedio y desviación estándar o mediana o variación. Resultados. Se aisló RV en 264 lactantes (50.7% con predominio en varones de 6 meses a un año. Las manifestaciones clínicas fueron significativamente diferentes entre el grupo rotavirus positivo y el grupo rotavirus negativo en mediana de evacuaciones por 24 horas, frecuencia de vómitos, temperatura > 38° C, deshidratación y calificación de gravedad, respectivamente. Conclusiones. Estos resultados mostraron peor pronóstico por mayor gravedad de la diarrea por RV en lactantes, con relación a otra etiología. El texto completo en inglés de este artículo está disponible en: http://www.insp.mx/salud/index.html

Pigeons and their droppings as reservoirs of Candida and other zoonotic yeasts.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosario Medina, Inmaculada; Román Fuentes, Lorena; Batista Arteaga, Miguel; Real Valcárcel, Fernando; Acosta Arbelo, Félix; Padilla Del Castillo, Daniel; Déniz Suárez, Soraya; Ferrer Quintana, Otilia; Vega Gutiérrez, Belinda; Silva Sergent, Freddy; Acosta-Hernández, Begoña

The importance of pigeons as reservoirs and carriers of Cryptococcus neoformans and other species of this genus is well-known; however, less is known about their role as reservoirs and carriers of other yeasts that impact public health. The present study was performed on Gran Canaria Island to define yeasts other than Cryptococcus spp. that have been reported to impact public health and which could be carried by pigeons. Samples were obtained from 83 pigeon lofts (Columba livia); moreover, 331 crop samples, 331 cloacal samples and 174 dropping samples were collected. In addition, 17 dropping samples were taken from a total of 17 public squares. Samples were inoculated on Sabouraud dextrose agar with chloramphenicol. Different yeast species, i.e. Candida guilliermondii (24.36%), Candida kefyr (1.21%), Saccharomyces cerevisiae (2.43%), and Trichosporon asahii (1.21%) were isolated for the first time from the cloaca. The most frequently isolated yeast from the crop, cloaca and dropping samples from lofts was C. guilliermondii (30.46%, 24.36% and 49.37%, respectively). In addition, for the first time, C. kefyr (3.65%), Candida pelliculosa (2.43%), Candida rugosa (1.21%), T. asahii (3.65%), Trichosporon mucoides (3.65%) and Prototheca wickerhamii (1.21%) were obtained from crop samples; Candida pelliculosa (1.20%), T. asahii (9.63%) and T. mucoides (7.22%) were isolated from dropping samples in the lofts. Candida albicans was the most frequently isolated yeast in dropping samples collected in public squares. It can be assumed that pigeons and their droppings act as carriers and reservoirs of Candida spp. and other zoonotic yeasts. Copyright © 2017 Asociación Española de Micología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Miasis cutanea por cordylobia anthropophaga

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Alkorta Gurrutxaga Miriam

2001-01-01

Full Text Available El incremento progresivo en el número de personas que viajan a países tropicales ha hecho que las enfermedades importadas adquieran una relevancia cada vez mayor. Las miasis (o infestaciones por larvas de moscas cutáneas se encuentran entre este tipo de enfermedades siendo especialmente frecuentes en países tropicales. A propósito de la observación de un caso de miasis cutánea masiva por Cordylobia antropophaga, que ocurrió en una mujer de 34 años de edad al volver de un viaje a Senegal, se ha efectuado una revisión de los casos de miasis cutáneas forunculoides importadas publicados en España, así como de la biología, patología, tratamiento y prevención de la miasis humana por Cordylobia anthropophaga. El caso referido, se caracterizó por la infestación con un número inusualmente elevado de larvas, no sospechándose su etiología hasta la fase final de la enfermedad. La emergencia continuada de larvas (se recogieron 91 generó en la paciente un estado de ansiedad importante. Finalmente, la eliminación de las larvas provocó una rápida mejoría de la paciente. Aunque los casos de miasis cutánea no tienen la gravedad de otras enfermedades importadas, su conocimiento es necesario desde el punto de vista preventivo, diagnóstico y terapeútico. Es importante proceder a la identificación morfológica de las larvas diferenciándolas de otro tipo de miasis con implicaciones terapéuticas diferentes.

Associação entre violência por parceiro íntimo contra a mulher e infecção por HIV Asociación entre violencia contra la mujer por pareja íntima e infección por VIH Association between intimate partner violence against women and HIV infection

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Claudia Barros

2011-04-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Analisar a associação entre a violência por parceiro íntimo contra mulheres e a infecção ou suspeita de infecção pelo vírus da imunodeficiência humana (HIV. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com base em dados de questionários aplicados face-a-face e de prontuários médicos de 2.780 mulheres de 15 a 49 anos, atendidas em unidades do sistema único de saúde da Grande São Paulo, SP, em 2001-2002. As mulheres foram categorizadas em: usuárias em tratamento por serem "soropositivas para o HIV", com "suspeita de HIV" e aquelas que procuraram os serviços por outros motivos. A violência por parceiro íntimo contra mulheres na vida foi categorizada por gravidade e recorrência dos episódios de violência. A associação com o desfecho foi testada pelo modelo de Poisson com variância robusta e ajustada por variáveis sociodemográficas, sexuais e reprodutivas. RESULTADOS: A prevalência de violência foi de 59,8%. Sofrer violência reiterada e grave apresentou maior associação de infecção confirmada pelo HIV (RP = 1,91. A violência independente da gravidade e da recorrência dos episódios apresentou maior associação para a suspeita de infecção por HIV (RP = 1,29. CONCLUSÕES: A violência por parceiro íntimo contra mulheres tem papel relevante nas situações de suspeita e confirmação da infecção pelo HIV, sendo essencial incluir sua detecção, controle e prevenção como parte da atenção integral à saúde das mulheres.OBJETIVO: Analizar la asociación entre la violencia contra mujeres por pareja íntima y la infección o sospecha de infección por el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal con base en datos de cuestionarios aplicados cara-a cara y de prontuarios médicos de 2.780 mujeres de 15 a 49 años, atendidas en unidades del sistema único de salud de la Gran Sao Paulo, Sureste de Brasil, en 2001-2002. Las mujeres fueron categorizadas en: usuarias en tratamiento por ser

Contribution of IL-1RI Signaling to Protection against Cryptococcus neoformans 52D in a Mouse Model of Infection

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Mitra Shourian

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1α and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β are pro-inflammatory cytokines that are induced after Cryptococcus neoformans infection and activate the interleukin-1 receptor type I (IL-1RI. To establish the role of IL-1RI signaling in protection against cryptococcal infection, we analyzed wild-type (WT and IL-1RI-deficient (IL-1RI−/− mice on the BALB/c background. IL-1RI−/− mice had significantly reduced survival compared to WT mice after intratracheal challenge with C. neoformans 52D. Microbiological analysis showed a significant increase in the lung and brain fungal burden of IL-1RI−/− compared to WT mice beginning at weeks 1 and 4 postinfection, respectively. Histopathology showed that IL-1RI−/− mice exhibit greater airway epithelial mucus secretion and prominent eosinophilic crystals that were absent in WT mice. Susceptibility of IL-1RI−/− mice was associated with significant induction of a Th2-biased immune response characterized by pulmonary eosinophilia, M2 macrophage polarization, and recruitment of CD4+ IL-13+ T cells. Expression of pro-inflammatory [IL-1α, IL-1β, TNFα, and monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1], Th1-associated (IFNγ, and Th17-associated (IL-17A cytokines was significantly reduced in IL-1RI−/− lungs compared to WT. WT mice also had higher expression of KC/CXCL1 and sustained neutrophil recruitment to the lung; however, antibody-mediated depletion of these cells showed that they were dispensable for lung fungal clearance. In conclusion, our data indicate that IL-1RI signaling is required to activate a complex series of innate and adaptive immune responses that collectively enhance host defense and survival after C. neoformans 52D infection in BALB/c mice.

Urgencias hematológicas. III. Toxicidad por metotrexato Hematological emergencies. III. Methotrexate toxicity

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Juan Carlos Jaime-Fagundo

2012-09-01

Full Text Available El metotrexato es un antimetabolito que inhibe competitivamente la enzima dihidrofolato reductasa y posee actividad antiproliferativa e inmunosupresora, por lo que se emplea en el tratamiento de diferentes hemopatías malignas. Los principales efectos adversos son mielosupresión, insuficiencia renal, mucositis y alteraciones neurológicas. Es de gran importancia que el manejo de la intoxicación por esta droga sea rápido y adecuado, ya que una acción a tiempo es capaz no solo revertir de el daño, sino de salvar la vida del paciente. Se hace una revisión de la conducta frente a la toxicidad aguda por este medicamento.Methotrexate is an antimetabolite which competitively inhibits the dihydrofolate reductase enzyme and has anti-proliferative and immunosuppressive activity and therefore it is used in the treatment of various hematological malignancies. The main adverse effects are myelosuppression, renal insufficiency, mucositis and neurological disorders. The adequate management of intoxication by this drug is very important since fast and appropriate actions can reverse the damage and save the patient's life. A review of the behaviour against acute toxicity by this drug is reported.

Miasis cutánea por Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (Díptera: Calliphoridae) en el Hospital Universidad del Norte, Soledad, Atlántico

OpenAIRE

Claudia M.E. Romero-Vivas; Luis Eduardo Castro; Lila Visbal; Ana María Santos; Esther Díaz

2009-01-01

La miasis humana es el parasitismo de órganos y tejidos producido por especies de larvas del orden Díptera. El diagnóstico se realiza con base en hallazgos clínicos y se confirma con estudios entomológicos. Se presenta el caso de una niña de siete años de edad que fue llevada por su padre al servicio de urgencias por presentar fiebre asociada a una lesión abscedada en el cuero cabelludo, con salida espontánea de larvas. Como hallazgo en el examen físico se reportó pediculosis grave. La pa...

Itinerarios Didácticos por la isla de Lanzarote

OpenAIRE

Becerra-Ramírez, Rafael; González Cárdenas, Elena; Gosálvez, Rafael U.; Escobar Lahoz, Estela; Dóniz-Páez, Javier

2013-01-01

Con la confección de esta guía de itinerarios didácticos por la isla de Lanzarote pretendemos contribuir a un mayor conocimiento de las características geográficas de este espacio dominado por las formas volcánicas que caracterizan un paisaje modificado por la mano del hombre que convive con los volcanes y los usa, tradicionalmente como soporte de sus cultivos, y modernamente como base de la industria turística. Los itinerarios didácticos por la isla de Lanzarote son la adaptación de los t...

Sertraline demonstrates fungicidal activity in vitro for Coccidioides immitis

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Simon Paul

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Coccidioidomycosis causes substantial morbidity in endemic areas. Disseminated coccidioidomycosis is an AIDS defining condition and treatment often requires lifelong antifungal therapy. Sertraline, a widely used serotonin-reuptake inhibitor anti-depressant, has demonstrated activity against Candida and Cryptococcus sp. both in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate if sertraline has activity against Coccidioides, the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC of sertraline for four clinical isolates of C. immitis were determined. Sertraline was observed to have an MIC range of 4–8 µg/ml and MFC also of 4–8 µg/ml for Coccidioides. These MIC and MFC results for C. immitis are similar to those reported for Cryptococcus sp. suggesting sertraline may potentially have utility for the treatment of coccidioidomycosis.

Signos Vitales de los CDC-Muertes por intoxicación por alcohol (Alcohol Poisoning Deaths)

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Podcasts

2015-01-06

Este podcast se basa en la edición de enero del 2015 del informe Signos Vitales de los CDC. En los Estados Unidos, mueren en promedio seis personas cada día debido a la intoxicación por alcohol. Infórmese sobre lo que puede hacer para prevenir los atracones de alcohol y las intoxicaciones por alcohol.  Created: 1/6/2015 by National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP).   Date Released: 1/6/2015.

Topoplastia de Cvintal assistida por laser de femtossegundo

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Alexandre Takayoshi Ishizaki

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Apresentamos um relato de astigmatismo tardio progressivo pós-transplante de córnea para ceratocone, associado à afinamento periférico na junção doador-receptor, o que presumidamente pode ser considerado como recorrência da ectasia. O caso foi tratado por meio de Topoplastia de Cvintal assistida por laser de femtossegundo para a confecção da incisão com geometria "top hat", seguido de sutura com ajuste per-operatório guiado por ceratoscopia.

Mortalidad por envenenamiento en niños

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Híjar Martha

1998-01-01

Full Text Available Objetivo. Conocer el panorama de las muertes por envenenamiento en niños de 0-14 años ocurridas en la República mexicana, entre 1979 y 1994. Material y métodos. Se utilizaron fuentes secundarias. Las variables analizadas fueron: edad, sexo, año, causa externa de traumatismos y envenenamientos, de la IX Clasificación Internacional de Enfermedades: E850-E858, E860-E869 y E905. Mediante un modelo de regresión Poisson se analizaron tendencias por causa específica y se obtuvieron riesgos relativos según edad, sexo y entidad federativa. Resultados. Hubo un total de 11 272 defunciones en menores de 15 años; las principales causas fueron el envenenamiento y las reacciones tóxicas causadas por plantas y animales venenosos (E905, el envenenamiento accidental por gas de uso doméstico y por monóxido de carbono (E868 y el envenenamiento accidental por otras drogas (E858. El grupo de edad que presentó los mayores riesgos, para las causas mencionadas, fue el de menores de un año con un riesgo relativo (RR de 29.6, IC95% 29.2-33.4; RR 3.47, IC95% 2.86-4.22, y RR 31.86, IC95% 24.8-40.9. El riesgo fue similar en ambos sexos, salvo para la causa E905. El estado de Aguascalientes se situó sistemáticamente entre los de mayor riesgo para todas las causas analizadas, mientras que Nuevo León siempre se ubicó entre los de riesgo más bajo. Conclusiones. El envenenamiento constituye una importante causa de muerte en los niños; el riesgo se incrementa al disminuir la edad. Considerando que esas muertes son potencialmente evitables y que la mayor parte de los envenenamientos ocurren en el hogar, para prevenirlos, se recomienda a los familiares vigilar y mantener fuera de peligro al niño. Por otra parte, la multicausalidad del fenómeno requiere que su prevención se realice desde una perspectiva multidisciplinaria que genere una cultura y un ambiente de seguridad en la sociedad.

¿Por qué los pacientes utilizan los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios por iniciativa propia? Why do patients use hospital emergency services on their own initiative?

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Jesús M Aranaz Andrés

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Introducción: Se pretende describir el perfil de usuario y determinar su motivación para visitar el servicio de urgencias hospitalario (SUH por iniciativa propia. Método: Se elaboró un cuestionario ad hoc que se aplicó por selección consecutiva a los pacientes que podían esperar asistencia (nivel 1 del triage durante una semana de noviembre de 2002. Resultados: Respondieron el cuestionario 348 pacientes, acudiendo por iniciativa propia el 82,5%. De éstos, el 17,7% desconocía el funcionamiento de atención primaria respecto a urgencias; el 18,8% consultó con su centro de salud; el 55,0% refirió preferencia por el SUH y el 13,5% acudió por demora en otros niveles asistenciales. El 50,5% era menor de 40 años y el 9,2%, extranjero. Conclusiones: Los cambios en el patrón de consumo de servicios sanitarios pueden comprometer la organización del Sistema Nacional de Salud, si no se adapta la oferta a la necesidad expresada y/o se interviene modulando el uso racional de los recursos sanitarios.Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the reasons why patients use hospital emergency services (HES on their own initiative and the characteristics of these users. Method: An ad hoc questionnaire was designed and applied by consecutive selection to patients who could have waited for medical care (level 1 triage over a 1-week period in November 2002. Results: A total of 348 patients completed the questionnaire; 82.5% attended on their own initiative; of these, 17.7% reported they did not know how Primary Care worked in relation to the Emergency Services; 18.8% consulted a Primary Care physician; 55.0% preferred the HES and 13.5% attended because of a delay in another health care setting. Half the patients (50.5% were younger than 40 years old and 9.2% were foreigners. Conclusions: Changes in health services' consumption patterns could jeopardize the public health system unless supply is adapted to the demand expressed and

Cryptococcus

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Vikas Yadav

The Molecular Mycology Laboratory. CSIR, DBT, SERB,. CEFIPRA (Indo-French), IJSPS (Indo-Japan). JNCASR (intramural). TATA innovation Fellowship. Rahul Siddharthan. DD Dubey. German Larriba. Joseph Heitman.

Selección de Recursos Humanos por Competencias

OpenAIRE

Sánchez Domingo, Cristina

2013-01-01

Los objetivos de este trabajo son, por un lado conocer en qué consisten los procesos de valoración y selección de personas desde el enfoque de las competencias laborales. Para ello, ha sido preciso profundizar en el estudio del concepto de “competencia laboral”, y comprender qué es la Gestión de Recursos Humanos por Competencias, en cuyo seno se encuentra la propia Selección de Recursos Humanos. Por otra parte, un segundo objetivo del trabajo es conocer el grado de implantación de la Selecció...

Tallado de hélices por el método de copiado por proyección

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José Vicente Fierro Vasco

1983-01-01

Full Text Available Este dispositivo fue diseñado como parte de la investigación sobre Aerogeneradores que se está llevando a cabo en el Departamento de Ingeniería Mecánica, cuyo investigador principal es el Ing. Julio Mario Rodríguez Devis. Como parte inicial de la investigación se adecuó un túnel situado en el Laboratorio de Hidráulica para hacer las pruebas de modelos. En la construcción de dichos modelos se requiere una buena precisión en la hechura de las aspas del molino, en especial por el tamaño reducido de liste. Se debe garantizar que el perfil aerodinámico se conserve a lo largo del aspa, por lo que se requiere de un dispositivo capaz de tallar los álabes con la precisión y rapidez necesarias. Los resultados del trabajo fueron presentados al concurso del premio Worthington de la Ingeniería Colombiana 1982 (Categoría estudiantes, por los estudiantes que trabajaron en el proyecto, siendo acreedores al primer puesto.

Identification and characterization of antifungal compounds using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae reporter bioassay.

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Brad Tebbets

Full Text Available New antifungal drugs are urgently needed due to the currently limited selection, the emergence of drug resistance, and the toxicity of several commonly used drugs. To identify drug leads, we screened small molecules using a Saccharomyces cerevisiae reporter bioassay in which S. cerevisiae heterologously expresses Hik1, a group III hybrid histidine kinase (HHK from Magnaporthe grisea. Group III HHKs are integral in fungal cell physiology, and highly conserved throughout this kingdom; they are absent in mammals, making them an attractive drug target. Our screen identified compounds 13 and 33, which showed robust activity against numerous fungal genera including Candida spp., Cryptococcus spp. and molds such as Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus oryzae. Drug-resistant Candida albicans from patients were also highly susceptible to compounds 13 and 33. While the compounds do not act directly on HHKs, microarray analysis showed that compound 13 induced transcripts associated with oxidative stress, and compound 33, transcripts linked with heavy metal stress. Both compounds were highly active against C. albicans biofilm, in vitro and in vivo, and exerted synergy with fluconazole, which was inactive alone. Thus, we identified potent, broad-spectrum antifungal drug leads from a small molecule screen using a high-throughput, S. cerevisiae reporter bioassay.

Neumonía necrosante por Staphylococcus aureus extrahospitalario resistente a la meticilina:reporte de dos casos en Colombia

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Ana María Perilla

2009-12-01

Ambos desarrollaron falla renal aguda, por lo que fueron manejados con linezolide, con adecuada respuesta clínica. Con la caracterización molecular de los aislamientos se confirmó la presencia del gen mecA que porta el casete SCCmec tipo IV y la producción de la toxina leucocidina Panton-Valentine.

Administração inadvertida de 4 mg de morfina por via subaracnóidea: relato de caso Administración inadvertida de 4 mg de morfina por vía subaracnoidea: relato de caso Accidental subarachnoid administration of 4 mg of morphine: case report

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Bruno Salomé de Morais

2008-04-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A administração de morfina por via subaracnóidea é técnica bem estabelecida para analgesia pós-operatória devido a sua eficácia, segurança e baixo custo. A administração inadvertida de 4 mg de morfina por via subaracnóidea complicada por fibrilação atrial ap��s administração de naloxona foi o objetivo desse relato. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo masculino, 45 anos, 75 kg, 1,72 m, estado físico ASA II, hipertenso, a ser submetido à reconstrução do ligamento cruzado anterior do joelho esquerdo. Após a realização da raquianestesia, foi constatada troca da ampola de morfina, com administração de 4 mg (0,4 mL da ampola de 10 mg por via subaracnóidea. A freqüência respiratória oscilou entre 12 e 16 incursões respiratórias por minuto e o paciente manteve-se estável hemodinamicamente sem queixas no intra-operatório. Após 30 minutos da admissão na SRPA, apresentou vômitos e sudorese, tratados com 0,4 mg de naloxona seguidos de infusão contínua de 0,2 mg.h-1 até o desaparecimento dos sintomas. A infusão contínua de naloxona foi mantida na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva (UTI, onde a pressão arterial, freqüência cardíaca, freqüência respiratória, saturação de oxigênio foram monitoradas, assim como a presença de náusea, prurido, vômito, sedação, dor e retenção urinária observadas. Após 2 horas de admissão na UTI, o paciente apresentou fibrilação atrial aguda sem instabilidade hemodinâmica. O ritmo sinusal foi restabelecido após 150 mg de amiodarona e interrupção da infusão de naloxona. Nas 18 horas seguintes apresentou estabilidade hemodinâmica e evoluiu sem outras intercorrências até a alta hospitalar. CONCLUSÕES: O presente relato alerta para o risco de troca de medicamentos durante o ato anestésico e ressalta a importância do encaminhamento dos pacientes em tratamento de sobredose de opióides à UTI em virtude de seus potenciais efeitos adversos

CARACTERIZAÇÃO ESPECTRAL DA CANA-DE-AÇÚCAR INFECTADA POR NEMATOIDES E MIGDOLUS FRYANUS POR ESPECTRORRADIOMETRIA DE CAMPO

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George Deroco Martins

Full Text Available O cultivo da cana-de-açúcar no Brasil, embora assistido por técnicas modernas de plantio, é alvo constante de parasitas do sistema radicular. Por registrar seletivamente o fluxo espectral da radiação eletromagnética refletida pela vegetação, o sensoriamento remoto tornou-se uma poderosa ferramenta na detecção das plantas infectadas por patógenos do solo. Com o objetivo de caracterizar espectralmente a cana-de-açúcar sadia e infectada por nematoides e pela larva do besouro Migdolus fryanus, foram tomadas medidas radiométricas in situ e geradas curvas hiperespectrais de plantas sadias e infectadas. Técnicas específicas de análise espectral, como a determinação da posição da borda do vermelho limítrofe (Red Edge Position Determination - REPD e diferentes índices espectrais foram avaliados para discriminar as três ocorrências. As curvas de reflectância mostraram diferenças em magnitude principalmente nos comprimentos de onda do vermelho e infravermelho próximo e, assim como a determinação do REP e os índices de clorofila b, NDVI, MCARI e TCARI, permitiram distinguir apenas entre plantas sadias e infectadas. As razões espectrais sensíveis aos pigmentos clorofila a e carotenoides, porém, discriminaram as três ocorrências, inclusive plantas infectadas por nematoides e Migdolus fryanus. A melhor discriminação foi obtida com o índice de carotenoides, um pigmento fortemente relacionado com estresse da planta

Osteoporosis secundaria y Osteoporosis inducida por glucocorticoides (OIG

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Elías Forero Illera

2006-01-01

Full Text Available La osteoporosis es un problema de salud pública importante a nivel mundial, y su prevalencia está aumentando. La osteoporosis secundaria se puede producir por varias patologías y el uso de ciertos medicamentos. Los glucocorticoides son un grupo de fármacos usados extensamente en la práctica médica debido a su indiscutible utilidad. La osteoporosis inducida por glucocorticoides es un problema de salud pública. Aunque la patogénesis de la pérdida producida por los glucocorticoides en el hueso no se conoce totalmente, investigaciones recientes han proporcionado nuevas conocimientos en los mecanismos de estos fármacos a nivel celular y molecular. Diversas guías han sido propuestas por diversos grupos para el tratamiento de la OIG; desafortunadamente, las guías del tratamiento no se utilizan adecuadamente en los pacientes.

Principais gestos esportivos executados por jogadores de handebol

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Luiz Carlos Hespanhol Junior

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Este estudo teve como objetivo quantificar os principais gestos esportivos executados por jogadores profissionais de handebol. Para a mensuração quantitativa dos principais movimentos executados por cada jogador de handebol avaliado foram realizadas gravações de vídeo em todos os jogos. Foram realizados em média 1288,0 (DP = 190,7 gestos esportivos por jogo. Os armadores centrais realizaram em média 375,0 (DP = 83,7 gestos esportivos, e a posição de pivô 63,3 (DP = 21,2 gestos por jogo. As recepções e os passes foram os gestos mais executados, e a posição que mais realizou gestos esportivos na equipe de handebol avaliada foi o armador central, seguido do armador esquerdo e direito. O pivô foi a posição que menos realizou gestos esportivos.

Higiene mental: conferencia dictada por la Radiodifusora Nacional

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Francisco Gómez Pinzón

1941-01-01

tiene extraordinaria trascendencia para el país por sus vastas repercusiones sobre el futuro de nuestro pueblo, y que, sin embargo ha sido negligentemente olvidado por las autoridades y deliberadamente ignorado por los sectores cultos e ilustrados de nuestra sociedad. Me refería entonces a la curva ascendente que, no sólo entre nosotros sino en todos los países civilizados, han seguido en su propagación las enfermedades nerviosas y mentales, y que hace contraste con la disminución progresiva de las demás afecciones y en especial de las infecto-contagiosas, que están a punto de ser dominadas por la técnica cada día más perfecta de la medicina preventiva. Hoy quiero ocuparme de algunos aspectos de este mismo tema que apenas alcanzaron a ser esbozados en mi conferencia anterior.

Informações por Segmento: análise do nível de evidenciação das companhias listadas no novo mercado = Segment reporting: an analysis of the disclosure level of the companies listed on BM&F Bovespa’s new market

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Camila Weschenfelder

2014-08-01

Full Text Available As normas internacionais de Contabilidade contribuíram para melhorar o nível de transparência das demonstrações financeiras, disponibilizando informações gerenciais, como as informações por segmento. A pesquisa objetivou verificar o nível de evidenciação do CPC 22 – Informações por segmento – das demonstrações contábeis intermediárias,analisando 127 companhias listadas no Novo Mercado da BM&F Bovespa. A verificação deu-se por meio da análise de conteúdo e posteriormente pelo modelo de regressão linear múltipla. Os resultados sinalizaram que companhias com emissão de ADR’s tendem a divulgar menos informações por segmento que as demais. Algumas companhias não citam o CPC 22 nas suas demonstrações contábeis e nenhuma evidenciou a Demonstração do Fluxo de Caixa por segmento.Poucas empresas investigadas citaram o grau de dependência dos principais clientes, o montante de investimentos contabilizados por equivalência patrimonial e a conciliação entre as informações por segmento e o balanço patrimonial. Companhias auditadas por Big Four apresentam menor nível de evidenciação do que as demais. Conclui-se que o nível de evidenciação de informações por segmento é baixo e distinto entre os setores. The international accounting standards have contributed to improve the financial statements transparency providing managing information, as the ones by segment. This research has aimed at checking the CPC 22 disclosure level – Segment reporting – from the intermediate financial statements of the 127 companies listed on BM&F Bovespa’s New Market. This checking has been performed by the Content Analysis and, further, by the Multiple Regression analysis Pattern. The results showed that the companies with ADR’s tend to disclosure less information about segment reporting than others. Some companies do not mention in their financial statements and none of them highlighted the Cash Flow Demonstration by

La mortalidad por enfermedades del corazón y por reumatismo en la ciudad de bogotá

OpenAIRE

Bejarano, Jorge

2012-01-01

La alta cifra de mortalidad por enfermedades cardio-vasculares está indicando la urgencia de una campana para contener sus avances. De todas las adquisiciones sanitarias, ninguna ha tenido el alcance y los resultados admirables de los centros o dispensarios destinados al tratamiento de una enfermedad y a la educación del enfermo. Nadie podrá pues, dudar que los dispensarios o consultorios de enfermedades cardio-vasculares, sea una de las armas más eficaces en la lucha contra la mortalidad por...

Levantamiento del proceso de registros contables por causación de las cuentas por cobrar a clientes

OpenAIRE

Mayele-Rodríguez, Luz

2013-01-01

De igual forma el Proyecto de Mejora de Procesos a elaborar, desarrollar e implementar en el Área Administrativa y Financiera del Centro de Pinturas Automotriz “LMS”, es realizar el levantamiento del Proceso de Registros Contables por Causación de las cuentas por cobrar a clientes. Lo anterior se puede desarrollar a partir de un poder de negociación con proveedores que incluye entre otros los siguientes factores : El plazo alcanzado en la negociación de compras de insumos, materias primas, co...

Ventilação mecânica não-invasiva em paciente com provável pneumonia por pneumocystis jirovecii: relato de caso Noninvasive mechanical ventilation in patient with pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia: case report

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Élida Mara Carneiro

2008-06-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A pneumonia por Pneumocystis jirovecii tem sido uma das doenças mais comuns e uma complicação infecciosa fatal em pacientes com síndrome da imunodeficiência adquirida. O objetivo deste estudo foi apresentar uma paciente com provável diagnóstico de pneumonia por Pneumocystis jirovecii que recebeu ventilação não-invasiva com pressão positiva. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 25 anos, com diagnóstico provável de pneumonia por Pneumocystis jirovecii grave, recebeu ventilação mecânica não-invasiva com pressão positiva. CONCLUSÕES: Todos os parâmetros melhoraram progressivamente nos primeiros cinco dias. Os resultados sugeriram a eficácia desta medida para otimizar a oxigenação, reverter a hipoxemia e prevenir a intubação traqueal.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia has been one of the most common diseases and life-threatening infectious complications in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome patients. The objective of the case report was to present a patient with probable diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia who received noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. CASE REPORT: A female patient, 25 years old, with probable diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia received noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: All respiratory parameters progressively improved in the first five days. Results suggest the efficacy of this support to improve oxygenation, to revert hypoxemia and to prevent orotracheal intubation.

Alarma activada por control remoto selectivo.

OpenAIRE

Eguíluz Morán, Luis Ignacio; Lara Santillán, Pedro María; Mañana Canteli, Mario

1995-01-01

La finalidad de esta invención consiste en disponer de una alarma que bien evite el robo de objetos ligeros y portátiles por el procedimiento que se conoce como "del tirón" --es decir, arrebatar algo y salir corriendo--, bien permita identificar un equipaje entre otros. La originalidad del dispositivo reside en la activación/desactivación del dispositivo de sonido por control remoto, así como la posibilidad de seleccionar el sonido de salida dependiendo de su finalidad. Se reivindica como de ...

Rat eosinophils stimulate the expansion of Cryptococcus neoformans-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with a T-helper 1 profile

Science.gov (United States)

Garro, Ana P; Chiapello, Laura S; Baronetti, José L; Masih, Diana T

2011-01-01

Experimental Cryptococcus neoformans infection in rats has been shown to have similarities with human cryptococcosis, revealing a strong granulomatous response and a low susceptibility to dissemination. Moreover, it has been shown that eosinophils are components of the inflammatory response to C. neoformans infections. In this in vitro study, we demonstrated that rat peritoneal eosinophils phagocytose opsonized live yeasts of C. neoformans, and that the phenomenon involves the engagement of FcγRII and CD18. Moreover, our results showed that the phagocytosis of opsonized C. neoformans triggers eosinophil activation, as indicated by (i) the up-regulation of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I, MHC class II and costimulatory molecules, and (ii) an increase in interleukin (IL)-12, tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production. However, nitric oxide (NO) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) synthesis by eosinophils was down-regulated after interaction with C. neoformans. Furthermore, this work demonstrated that CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes isolated from spleens of infected rats and cultured with C. neoformans-pulsed eosinophils proliferate in an MHC class II- and class I-dependent manner, respectively, and produce important amounts of T-helper 1 (Th1) type cytokines, such as TNF-α and IFN-γ, in the absence of T-helper 2 (Th2) cytokine synthesis. In summary, the present study demonstrates that eosinophils act as fungal antigen-presenting cells and suggests that C. neoformans-loaded eosinophils might participate in the adaptive immune response. PMID:21039463

San Sebastian, vista por Paret y Alcázar

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María Castilla Albisu

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Luis Paret y Alcázar pintó una serie de vistas panorámicas de puertos del litoral Cantábrico, por encargo del rey Carlos III. El objetivo de este trabajo es ahondar en la vida de este pintor para así comprender mejor su obra. A pesar de los estudios realizados por algunos historiadores quedan todavía incógnitas por descubrir relativas a la vida y al trabajo de este artista. Al acercarse a la figura de Paret y Alcázar hay que preguntarse por qué habiendo sido uno de los pintores más prometedores de su tiempo, su figura ha caído en un triste olvido.

Trisegmentectomia hepática direita por videolaparoscopia

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Marcel Autran C. Machado

Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: Em 2007 os autores descreveram a primeira hepatectomia direita por videolaparoscopia realizada no Brasil. Hepatectomia direita ampliada, também conhecida como trisegmentectomia direita, é procedimento altamente complexo e implica em grande retirada do volume hepático. Os autores descrevem a primeira trisegmentectomia direita por videolaparoscopia realizada no Brasil. TÉCNICA: O paciente é colocado em posição supina em decúbito lateral esquerdo. O cirurgião se coloca entre as pernas da paciente. Utilizamos cinco trocartes, três de 12 mm e dois de 5 mm. Devido à embolização prévia da veia porta direita, o hilo hepático não é dissecado. O pedículo portal direito é seccionado com grampeador laparoscópico de carga vascular por meio de acesso intra-hepático, segundo técnica previamente descrita pelos autores. A seguir procede-se a mobilização do fígado direito seguido de dissecção da veia cava retro-hepática e secção da veia hepática direita. Estes passos são realizados sem manobra de Pringle. O fígado é seccionado com combinação de bisturi harmônico e grampeador endoscópico. O pedículo do segmento 4 é seccionado dentro do fígado. O espécime é retirado por meio de incisão supra-púbica e a área cruenta é revista para verificar hemostasia. O procedimento é encerrado e dreno de sistema fechado é posicionado junto à área cruenta. CONCLUSÃO: Trisegmentectomia hepática direita por videolaparoscopia é procedimento factível e seguro e deve ser considerado para pacientes selecionados. Este procedimento deve ser realizado em centros especializados e por cirurgiões com experiência tanto em cirurgia hepática como cirurgia laparoscópica avançada.

Edema pulmonar por pressão negativa após extubação traqueal: relato de caso Negative pressure pulmonary edema after tracheal extubation: case report

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Fabiano Timbó Barbosa

2007-03-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O edema pulmonar por pressão negativa após obstrução de via aérea é atualmente uma entidade bem descrita, porém pouco diagnosticada e com poucos casos relatados. O objetivo deste artigo foi relatar um caso de edema pulmonar por pressão negativa (EPPN após extubação traqueal com sucesso terapêutico, após uso de ventilação mecânica não-invasiva com pressão positiva. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, 22 anos, foi submetida à colecistectomia aberta. Os exames pré-operatórios encontravam-se sem alterações. Imediatamente após extubação a paciente apresentou dispnéia súbita e crepitações pulmonares. Foi iniciado tratamento para edema agudo de pulmão com oxigenoterapia sob máscara de Venturi, elevação do tórax e diurético. A paciente foi encaminhada a UTI devido a falha no tratamento. Ao chegar a UTI foi iniciada ventilação mecânica não-invasiva (VMNI com pressão de suporte (15 cmH2O e pressão expiratória final positiva (5 cmH2O com resolução dos sintomas. A paciente foi mantida em observação por mais 24 horas depois do evento com boas condições e recebeu alta para o quarto sem sintomas. CONCLUSÕES: O EPPN é uma entidade de difícil diagnóstico e deverá ser observada sempre que os pacientes evoluem com sinais e sintomas de insuficiência respiratória pós-extubação. Esta paciente se beneficiou de VMNI, mas caso haja falha terapêutica, a intubação traqueal e o suporte ventilatório mecânico invasivo deverão ser instituídos para melhor oxigenação dos pacientes.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Negative pressure pulmonary edema after acute upper airway obstruction is a well-described event, thought infrequently diagnosed and reported. This report aimed at presenting a case of postextubation negative pressure pulmonary edema refractory to use of diuretics and with successful therapeutic after using positive pressure noninvasive mechanic ventilation. CASE REPORT: A

Análisis Competitivo por parte de los talleres de servicio automotriz, mediante el uso del valor percibido por el cliente

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Jaime Baby Moreno

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Este artículo trata del uso del Valor Percibido por el Cliente (VPC como herramienta para el análisis competitivo por parte de talleres de reparación y mantenimiento automotriz. Se muestra cómo se determinan tanto la importancia relativa de los atributos que los compradores tienen en cuenta para evaluar el desempeño de un taller automotriz, como la evaluación de desempeño, realizada por los compradores de los "Talleres de los concesionarios" y de aquellos que son propiedad de individuos. Posteriormente, se ilustra la manera como unos y otros visualizan su posición competitiva. También muestra la brecha entre los valores ideales esperados y los percibidos por el mercado, la cual se constituye en una especie de "mapa" de oportunidades para las firmas actualmente presentes en el mercado y para nuevos participantes.

Ruptura gástrica por reanimação cardiopulmonar: relato de caso Gastric rupture following cardiopulmonary resuscitation: case report

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Lucas Teixeira Dias

2006-06-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A ruptura gástrica é uma rara complicação das manobras de reanimação cardiopulmonar (RCP, com incidência de 0,1% dos casos. O desconhecimento dessa possível complicação durante essas manobras impede sua identificação e reduz a probabilidade de sobrevivência do paciente. O objetivo deste trabalho foi abordar um caso de abdômen agudo por ruptura gástrica após manobra de RCP, prontamente diagnosticada e tratada. RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino, de 76 anos, internada em caráter de urgência com diagnóstico inicial de pneumonia e acidente vascular encefálico. Evoluiu com quadro de insuficiência respiratória e parada cardiorrespiratória (PCR, a qual foi prontamente revertida através de manobras de RCP. Apesar da reversão da PCR, reanimação volêmica adequada, suporte com vasopressores e melhora respiratória após suporte ventilatório, a paciente permaneceu com quadro hemodinâmico instável. O exame físico revelou diminuição da macicez hepática e distensão abdominal. A radiografia de tórax evidenciou presença de pneumoperitônio. Diagnóstico de abdômen agudo perpetuando a instabilidade hemodinâmica foi pressuposto, sendo a paciente, então, encaminhada à cirurgia de emergência com hipótese diagnóstica de ruptura gástrica traumática, evidenciada macroscopicamente e confirmada por análise histopatológica da peça cirúrgica. CONCLUSÕES: No caso relatado, o pronto diagnóstico e o tratamento adequado de emergência levaram ao prognóstico favorável. Ressalta-se a importância do conhecimento dessa possível complicação com ênfase na realização do exame físico além da monitorização e vigília do paciente após PCR. Constante atualização do ensino das técnicas adequadas de RCP através de programas de educação médica continuada é crucial para que manobras incorretas sejam evitadas.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Gastric rupture is a rare complication from

Bloqueio dos nervos femoral e isquiático guiados por ultrassom em paciente anticoagulado: case reports Bloqueo de los nervios femoral e isquiático guiados por ultrasonido en paciente anticoagulado Ultrasound-guided femoral and sciatic nerve blocks in an anticoagulated patient: relato de casos

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Leonardo Henrique Cunha Ferraro

2010-08-01

Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: O uso de ultrassom para guiar a punção em bloqueios de nervos periféricos tem-se tornado cada vez mais frequente. Com a menor probabilidade de promover lesões vasculares, o ultrassom torna-se uma ferramenta interessante na realização de bloqueios periféricos, especialmente nos pacientes em uso de anticoagulantes ou com distúrbios da coagulação. O objetivo foi relatar dois casos em que se realizaram os bloqueios isquiático e femoral guiados por ultrassom em pacientes anticoagulados. RELATO DOS CASOS: No primeiro caso, a cirurgia realizada consistiu na amputação de antepé esquerdo devido a necrose e sinais de infecção e, no segundo caso, em limpeza cirúrgica de joelho esquerdo. Os pacientes apr esentavam distúrbios de coagulação com atividade de protrombina e tempo de tromboplastina ativado acima dos valores da normalidade. Ambos os pacientes foram submetidos a bloqueio femoral e isquiático guiados por ultrassom, evoluindo sem alteração motora ou sensitiva nos territórios desses nervos e sem hematoma no local da punção. CONCLUSÕES: A anticoagulação impõe certas restrições à aplicação das técnicas anestésicas regionais clássicas. Com o avanço dos equipamentos e métodos de ultrassom, hoje é possível identificar com alta precisão estruturas vasculares e neurais. Isso possibilita que a punção guiada por ultrassom seja mais precisa, tanto para atingir a área de interesse como para minimizar os riscos de lesão vascular acidental. Até o presente, não se recomenda a realização de bloqueio periférico em pacientes anticoagulados ou portadores de coagulopatias. Entretanto, considerando que há poucos relatos sobre bloqueios regionais com ultrassom em situações de coagulopatias, a segurança de tal técnica nessas condições ainda não foi estabelecida.JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: El uso del ultrasonido para guiar la punción en bloqueos de nervios periféricos se ha convertido

Insights into the mechanisms of protective immunity against Cryptococcus neoformans infection using a mouse model of pulmonary cryptococcosis.

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Karen L Wozniak

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes life-threatening pneumonia and meningoencephalitis in immune compromised individuals. Previous studies have shown that immunization of BALB/c mice with an IFN-gamma-producing C. neoformans strain, H99gamma, results in complete protection against a second pulmonary challenge with an otherwise lethal cryptococcal strain. The current study evaluated local anamnestic cell-mediated immune responses against pulmonary cryptococcosis in mice immunized with C. neoformans strain H99gamma compared to mice immunized with heat-killed C. neoformans (HKC.n.. Mice immunized with C. neoformans strain H99gamma had significantly reduced pulmonary fungal burden post-secondary challenge compared to mice immunized with HKC.n. Protection against pulmonary cryptococcosis was associated with increased pulmonary granulomatous formation and leukocyte infiltration followed by a rapid resolution of pulmonary inflammation, which protected the lungs from severe allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis (ABPM-pathology that developed in the lungs of mice immunized with HKC.n. Pulmonary challenge of interleukin (IL-4 receptor, IL-12p40, IL-12p35, IFN-gamma, T cell and B cell deficient mice with C. neoformans strain H99gamma demonstrated a requirement for Th1-type T cell-mediated immunity, but not B cell-mediated immunity, for the induction of H99gamma-mediated protective immune responses against pulmonary C. neoformans infection. CD4(+ T cells, CD11c(+ cells, and Gr-1(+ cells were increased in both proportion and absolute number in protected mice. In addition, significantly increased production of Th1-type/pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, and conversely, reduced Th2-type cytokine production was observed in the lungs of protected mice. Interestingly, protection was not associated with increased production of cytokines IFN-gamma or TNF-alpha in lungs of protected mice. In conclusion, immunization with C

Malnutrición por defecto de un recién nacido por psicosis puerperal materna: presentación de un caso

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Gavilla González, Bárbara; Díaz Cabrera, Leticia

2011-01-01

En el siguiente trabajo se realizó el seguimiento de un niño desde la etapa de recién nacido hasta el año de edad por malnutrición por defecto, de causa materna por psicosis puerperal. En este caso, la madre rechazaba a su hijo, negándose a alimentarlo, privando al bebé de algo tan importante en esta etapa de la vida como la lactancia materna exclusiva, requiriendo de alimentación complementaria en edad temprana para lograr un aumento de peso adecuado y un desarrollo psicomotor que se igualar...

Malnutrición por defecto de un recién nacido por psicosis puerperal materna: presentación de un caso

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Gavilla González, Bárbara; Díaz Cabrera, Leticia

2012-01-01

En el siguiente trabajo se realizó el seguimiento de un niño desde la etapa de recién nacido hasta el año de edad, por malnutrición por defecto, de causa materna por psicosis puerperal. En este caso, la madre rechazaba a su hijo, negándose a alimentarlo, privando al bebé de algo tan importante en esta etapa de la vida como la lactancia materna exclusiva, requiriendo de alimentación complementaria en edad temprana para lograr un aumento de peso adecuado y un desarrollo psicomotor que se iguala...

Transmisión de Anaplasma marginale por garrapatas

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Kelly A. Brayton

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Anaplasma marginale, patógeno de distribución mundial, es transmitido por garrapatas Ixódidas. Comprender su complejo desarrollo dentro de la garrapata vector, permitirá la predicción de brotes y ofrecerá oportunidades para controlar su transmisión. En este trabajo se revisa su ciclo básico de desarrollo junto con los estudios recientes acerca de las diferencias de transmisión entre cepas, que delinean aspectos de la interacción patógeno - vector. Bacterias, virus o protozoarios transmitidos por artrópodos causan enfermedades severas, tanto en humanos como en animales. Las enfermedades infecciosas transmitidas por garrapatas, entre las que incluimos a la Anaplasmosis (A. marginale, babesiosis (Babesia bigemina, B. bovis, B. divergens y Theileriosis (Theileria annulata, T. parva, se encuentran entre las más importantes en el ámbito mundial, con pérdidas cercanas a los siete mil millones de dólares anualmente; y, a pesar de su impacto, permanecen escasamente bajo control, basado primordialmente en la aplicación de acaricidas, para interrumpir su transmisión. La aparición de garrapatas resistentes a múltiples sustancias acaricidas, representa una amenaza en este tipo de control y, como resultado, hay un resurgimiento de la investigación para el desarrollo de nuevas estrategias para su control. Nuevas opciones para prevenir la transmisión de patógenos de animales por garrapatas, será el resultado de entender las interacciones garrapata patógeno; proceso que culmina con el desarrollo de la infección y transmisión exitosa. En todos los casos de patógenos transmitidos por garrapatas, el desarrollo de la infección se realiza coordinamente a los momentos de adhesión y alimentación del vector sobre el animal. Esto sucede por la interdependencia en la señalización entre el patógeno y el vector al alimentarse y, por ello, será susceptible de intervención.

Del significado responsabilidad de los socios en las compañías mercantiles por acciones y por cuotas.

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Jorge Payome Suárez

2003-01-01

Full Text Available El comentario presentado, además de constituir una guía útil para los socios de compañías mercantiles por acciones y por cuotas, en un aspecto de indudable importancia para ellos, cual es el de su eventual responsabilidad, se erige como una herramienta provechosa para estudiantes y profesionales interesados en el tema. La experiencia académica y docente del autor del ensayo aseguran un análisis autorizado de la materia.

Consumo Voluntario de Forraje por Rumiantes en Pastoreo Consumo Voluntario de Forraje por Rumiantes en Pastoreo

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José Mejía Haro

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The variation in voluntary forage intake is undoubtedly the major dietary factor determining level and efficiency of ruminant production. This variation is bigger and least predictable for grazing ruminants. Range ruminant productivity and efficiency is relatively low due, partly, to intake limitations; productivity could probably be increased most by increasing intake. Distension of the reticulo-rumen wall is the primary intake regulation mechanism of low-quality roughages in range ruminants, digestibility and rate of ingest passage also affect voluntary intake. Body size and metabolic bodysize as well affect intake of grazing animals. Kind and amount of supplementation, forage availability, and grazing intensity have been related to voluntary forage intake. La variación en el consumo voluntario de forraje es indudablemente el principal factor dietario que determina el nivel y eficiencia de producción en un rumiante. Esta variación es mayor y muy difícil de predecir bajo condiciones de pastoreo. La productividad y eficiencia de rumiantes en pastoreo es relativamente baja debido, en parte, a las limitaciones en el consumo; la productividad probablemente se podrá incrementar si se incrementa el consumo. La distensión de la pared del rumenretículo es el principal mecanismo de regulación del consumo de forrajes de baja calidad en rumiantes en pastoreo, aunque la digestibilidad y la tasa de pasaje también afectan el consumo voluntario. Igualmente, el consumo se ve afectado por el tamaño corporal y peso metabólico del animal, por la cantidad y tipo de suplemento ofrecido, por la disponibilidad de forraje y por la intensidad del pastoreo.

Síndrome vestibular por accidente cerebrovascular asociado a hipotiroidismo secundario

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Esparza, Erwin; Rodríguez, Diego; Benavidez, Edwin

2013-01-01

El síndrome vestibular es una patología asociada a múltiples causas que afecta a perros de cualquier edad, sexo y raza. El tratamiento y el pronóstico dependerán siempre de la causa primaria y de la localización de la lesión. En este reporte se expone el caso de un paciente canino criollo que fue llevado a la Clínica Veterinaria Dover por presentar inclinación de la cabeza hacia el lado izquierdo, nistagmo horizontal, ataxia y caídas ocasionales hacia el mismo lado. Se realizaron exámenes par...

Evaluación del riesgo ambiental por metales pesados, generados por la actividad minera artesanal en los ríos Quiroz y Chira – Piura por el método de especiación secuencial

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Loaiza Choque, Leonardo Edwin

2016-01-01

Determina el riesgo ambiental que representan los metales pesados dispuestos en los sedimentos de los ríos Quiroz y Chira ubicados en el departamento de Piura generados por la minería artesanal. Determina las formas químicas en las que se dispersan los metales pesados ambos ríos. Demuestra que el estudio por extracción secuencial puede ser usado como componente de herramienta de gestión ambiental. Realiza el análisis de extracción secuencial por el método BCR el mismo que permite determinar l...

Impacto de los sistemas de riego por goteo en arándanos Impact of drip irrigation systems in blueberries

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Alejandro Pannunzio

2011-01-01

Full Text Available El ensayo examinó los efectos de diferentes sistemas de riego por goteo en el rendimiento de la variedad O´Neal de arándano (Vaccinium corymbosum L. El estudio se realizó en Zarate (33º 41’ S y 59º 41’ W, provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina. El cultivo se implantó en agosto de 2001, la primera cosecha se efectuó en octubre de 2003. El objetivo fue determinar cual era el sistema de riego por goteo que maximizaba el rendimiento, siendo los tratamientos, un lateral de tubería de goteo por fila de plantas con goteros a 40 cm (T1 y dos laterales de tubería de goteo con goteros a 20 cm por fila de plantas (T2. El porcentaje de suelo mojado por sistema se incrementa a medida que aumenta el número de emisores por metro lineal. El diseño experimental fue de bloques completamente aleatorizados, con bloques de cinco plantas y cinco repeticiones por tratamiento. La cosecha de 2003, reportó rendimientos de 2436 kg ha-1 para el tratamiento T1 y de 4335 kg ha-1 para tratamiento T2. El mojado parcial del suelo que realiza el tratamiento T1, de menor cantidad de goteros por metro lineal, no es suficiente para mojar un porcentaje de suelo compatible con altos rendimientos.The experiment examined the effects of different drip irrigation systems in an O´Neal variety of blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. It was contucted at Zarate (33º 41’ S and 59º 41’ W, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Plants of the experiment were planted in August of 2001, after one year in nursery. The first harvest was realized in October of 2003. The main scope of the experiment was to find the irrigation system which maximized yields. Treatments were: one drip irrigation line with drippers at 40 cm (T1 and two laterals with drippers at 20 cm per row (T2. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized block design, each one with 5 plants and 5 replications. During the harvest of October and November of 2003, reported yields were 2436 kg ha-1 for the treatment T1 and

Retinitis por citomegalovirus en un paciente con VIH

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Alena de los Ángeles Vejerano Duany

Full Text Available La retinitis por citomegalovirus es la infección ocular más frecuente en pacientes con un recuento de linfocitos CD4 inferior a 200 por µL. El aspecto oftalmoscópico de las lesiones se caracteriza, en la mayoría de los casos, por infiltrados retinianos resultados de la necrosis retiniana producida por citomegalovirus y el edema en asociación con hemorragias. Estas lesiones se disponen, por lo general, siguiendo las arcadas vasculares temporales con invasión hacia la mácula. Se presentó una paciente de 24 años de edad, femenina, blanca, ama de casa, con antecedentes patológicos personales oculares sin datos de interés, y antecedentes patológicos personales generales de ser diagnosticadas con VIH. Hace cuatro años que comenzó con tratamiento antirretroviral, y tuvo cambios de tratamiento en dos ocasiones. El último fue impuesto en mayo del año 2011, con el cual presentó mala adherencia terapéutica, y comenzó desde entonces a presentar disminución de su peso corporal de forma marcada en breve período de tiempo. Refiere que desde hace unos meses comenzó a presentar una disminución progresiva de la agudeza visual en el ojo derecho, acompañado de visión borrosa. Adquiere gran importancia este caso, ya que ante la supervivencia de los pacientes con sida, va a ser cada vez más frecuente la aparición de las afecciones oculares relacionadas con esta enfermedad. Dentro de ellas se encuentran las infecciones oportunistas mayores como la retinitis por citomegalovirus.

Diferenciales salariales por género y región en Colombia: Una aproximación con regresión por cuantiles

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Luis Armando Galvis

2010-12-01

Full Text Available La existencia de brechas salariales por género es un fenómeno que, al igual que en muchos otros países, está presente en el mercado laboral colombiano.Esas brechas no son homogéneas en todo el territorio, lo que justifica un análisis detallado de lo que ocurre en cada una de las regiones del país. Los resultados muestran diferenciales de salarios positivos en favor de los hombres en la mayoría de las ciudades principales. Sin embargo, no todo este fenómeno puede ser atribuido a la existencia de discriminación, por cuanto existen variados factores que explican parte de la brecha salarial. Para identificarlos se emplea la descomposición de Blinder-Oaxaca (BO en el contexto de regresión por cuantiles. Los resultadosde la aplicación de esta metodología sugieren que las brechas salariales no están explicadas por los atributos observables de los individuos. Dichas disparidades son en su mayoría explicadas por el efecto de las diferencias en la remuneración de atributos tales como la educación, además de elementos no observados. Por ciudades,el estudio muestra patrones que revelan una mayor brecha salarial en las regiones periféricas en comparación con Bogotá, Cali, Medellín, Manizales y Pereira.Dado que el efecto remuneración comprende, entre otros, la posible existencia de discriminación por género, es importante que se le otorgue la debida atención a este resultado para efectos de formular políticas en este sentido.

Enfermedad por el virus del Chikungunya: historia y epidemiología

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Jorge Acosta-Reyes

2015-01-01

Full Text Available El 9 de diciembre de 2013 la Organización Panamericana de la Salud emitió una alerta epidemiológica debido a la detección de los primeros casos autóctonos de fiebre del Chikun-gunya en el continente americano; desde entonces este se ha convertido en un problema de salud pública. El primer reporte de un brote por el virus del Chikungunya se presentó en 1952-1953 en Tanzania. Las experiencias en epidemias en otros países han centrado la atención en que la presentación clínica no siempre tiene un comportamiento similar. Hasta 2005 todos los reportes mencionaban la presentación de la enfermedad como benigna y con cuadros clínicos bastantes similares, sin embargo, la aparición de epidemias después de ese año en las Islas Reunión y en la India describieron la presencia de cuadros graves, atípicos y un aumento de la mortalidad relacionados con la enfermedad. La región de las Américas debe prepararse para esta nueva epidemia. Esto hace necesario mejorar los conocimientos sobre la enfermedad; y un primer abordaje es a través de una descripción de la historia y epidemiología de la enfermedad por el virus del Chikungunya en el mundo.

Mortalidad por meningitis por Pasteurella canis. Oportunidades de aprendizaje

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Ana Rosa Ropero Vera

2016-01-01

Full Text Available La meningitis bacteriana es una enfermedad importante de distribución mundial, causa mayor y sustancial de mortalidad y morbilidad en países en desarrollo. La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS sostiene que la meningitis es una de las diez afecciones principales del ser humano y debe ser considerada como una emergencia infectológica; por eso es fundamental reconocer que esta enfermedad es causa de muerte en niños de todo el mundo, sin distinción de raza, nivel económico o sociocultural. Se realizó una investigación de caso en menor de 53 días de nacido, que cumplía con los criterios clínicos y de laboratorio compatible con meningitis bacteriana, con el propósito de analizar y fortalecer la toma de decisiones en salud pública por parte de la secretaría local de salud del municipio de Valledupar (Colombia. Entre los hallazgos se encontró antecedentes infecciosos en el menor, coloración de Gram y cultivo de LCR, en el que se identificó cocobacilos Gram negativos, que fueron aislados como agente causal Pasteurella canis. Este estudio pretende sensibilizar a los prestadores de salud para que cuenten con personal altamente capacitado para brindar tratamientos adecuados y prevenir complicaciones en la meningitis bacteriana en niños, y así disminuir la posibilidad de secuelas o muerte, tanto en pacientes con compromiso inmunológico o sin este.

Brote epidémico de neumonías por Legionella pneumophila en niños cubanos

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Roberto Razón Behar

2002-09-01

Full Text Available La Legionella pneumophila es uno de los patógenos responsable de neumonías atípicas, a través de la inhalación de aerosoles o aspiración de líquidos infectados. Se detectó un brote epidémico de neumonías por Legionella, originado por la aspiración de agua contaminada de una piscina en un grupo de niños cubanos. El agente causal se identificó en 5 de 9 pacientes, por la técnica de inmunofluorescencia indirecta en muestras de sueros pareados. Los síntomas y signos más frecuentes fueron malestar general, anorexia, astenia, fiebre persistente de 39 °C a 40 °C (103 °F a 105 °F, mialgias, cefaleas, náuseas, vómitos, dolor abdominal, diarreas, tos húmeda, dolor torácico y polipnea. Durante el desarrollo de la enfermedad, el tratamiento antibiótico fue empírico (incluyendo los macrólidos, por no tener confirmado el diagnóstico. Todos los pacientes evolucionaron satisfactoriamente. Se reportó un brote epidémico de neumonías por Legionella en niños por primera vez en Cuba, lo cual tiene importancia clínica y epidemiológica.The legionella pneumophila is one of the pathogens responsible for atypic pneumonias by the inhalation of aerosols or aspiration of infected liquids. An epidemic outbreak of pneumonias caused by Legionella was detected among a group of Cuban children. It was originated by the aspiration of contaminated water in a swimming pool. The causal agent was identified in 5 of 9 patients by using the indirect immunofluorescence technique in samples of matched sera. The most frequent symptoms and signs were malaise, anorexia, asthenia, persistent fever from 39°C to 40°C (103° F to 105° F, myalgias, headache, nauseas, vomits, abdominal pain, diarrheas, moist cough, thoracic pain and polypnoea. The antibiotic treatment was empiric (including the macrolides during the development of the disease, since the diagnosis was not confirmed. The patients’ evolution was satisfactory. An epidemic outbreak of pneumonias

Por un humor ético

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Victor Paramo Valero

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Ética del humor es una obra original, abundantemente documentada, de contenido científico y filosófico, que aborda un problema de gran importancia en los actuales estudios de éticas aplicadas. La ética del humor es una nueva ética aplicada que pretende comprender el fenómeno del humor a la luz de sus implicaciones éticas. Como señala el autor, Juan Carlos Siurana, reputado experto en el ámbito de la filosofía práctica, el interés por el humor es un interés por la ética. En la obra no presenta una nueva teoría filosófica del humor –las cuales se han venido sucediendo, al menos, desde los Diálogos de Platón–, sino una nueva teoría ética, que toma al humor como objeto principal de análisis. Por tanto, la finalidad es realizar una aportación dentro del ámbito de la ética. Para ello se nutre de distintos estudios psicológicos, biológicos, fisiológicos y neurológicos sobre el humor, así como de clásicas obras de filosofía que han abordado esta cuestión.

Escolhas Associadas ao Automóvel por Homens e por Mulheres: confluência ou divergência? Choices associated with automobiles for Men and Women: convergence or divergence? Opciones relacionadas con el Automóvil por Hombres y por Mujeres: ¿convergencia o divergencia?

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LICHT, René Henrique Götz

2009-03-01

Full Text Available RESUMOO aumento do poder de compra das mulheres tem levado empresas a adotarem estratégias de diferenciação de produtos e a produzirem produtos específicos para o público feminino. A indústria automobilística não está imune a este fenômeno, uma vez que as mulheres representam aproximadamente metade das vendas de automóvel no país. Considerando as diferenças de consumo e de comportamento entre mulheres e homens é colocada a seguinte questão: há diferenças entre escolhas associadas ao automóvel por homens e mulheres? Foram apresentados aos participantes itens presentes no dia-a-dia das pessoas, e que são por elas valorizados; e foi solicitado aos participantes que escolhessem e associassem estes itens ao automóvel. A análise dos resultados revelou haver mais semelhanças do que diferenças entre escolhas associadas ao automóvel por homens e escolhas associadas ao automóvel por mulheres. A semelhança entre as escolhas sugere que as representações, os significados e valores atribuídos ao automóvel por homens e por mulheres são similares e, desta forma, a estratégia de diferenciação de produtos não se aplica à indústria automobilística.ABSTRACTThe increase of the women purchase power has led some companies to adopt strategies of products differentiation as well as to produce specific products to the female public. The auto industry is not immune to this phenomenon, once the women represent, approximately, half of the automobile sales in the country. Considering the consumption and the behavior differences between women and men, it has set the following question: are there differences between the choices associated to the automobile by men and the choices associated to the automobile by women? It has been presented to the participants items found in the people’s day-by-day, which are valorized by them, and the participants have been asked to choose and associate these items to the automobile. The results analysis

Acuerdo por la discreción

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Yeny Serrano

2006-01-01

Full Text Available En este artículo se propone un análisis del texto del Acuerdo por la discreción firmado en 1999 por 32 directores de medios de comunicación para “elevar el nivel de calidad y responsabilidad en el cubrimiento y difusión de hechos violentos”. Se analizan los factores que impiden que este Acuerdo produzca cambios efectivos en la práctica profesional informativa y se presenta un modelo (Lemieux, 2000 que tiene en cuenta las variables que influyen en la producción del discurso informativo mediático.

Clonación humana: las preguntas «por qué no» y «por qué sí»

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Velayos Castelo, Carmen

2002-12-01

Full Text Available Why not cloning us is a relevant question for contemporary ethics. The question why not, when it refers to a technology (or to some of its applications, is the question for its moral limits. In other words, it is the question for the universal dangers that a technology entails or could entail in some of its applications. The sphere of the moral evaluation of a technology has to do with the public elimination of the possible harms that are inherent or supervenient to its utilisation. If we focus on the relevant normative questions of the justice sphere, it couldn´t be relevant to answer the question why, that is, why a person or a group of them would wish the technology was applied The question why is related to vital options and ways of create ourselves that needn´t be binding on someone nor are characteristic of the moral point of view. However, the suspicion of this article is the following: the specific character of contemporary technological innovation (of which cloning is a paradigmatic case stimulates and makes relevant the debate about the good (given the collective or global implications of the answers.

Por qué no clonarnos es una pregunta relevante para la ética actual. El por qué no de una técnica -o de determinadas aplicaciones de la misma- es la pregunta por los límites morales. O, de otro modo, es la pregunta por los daños objetivos que ésta supone, o supondría en una determinada aplicación. El marco de evaluación moral de una técnica tiene que ver, pues, con la desestimación pública y universal de posibles daños inherentes o sobrevenibles a su uso. Circunscritas las cuestiones normativas relevantes al ámbito de la justicia, no parecería relevante clarificar cuál sea el por qué -o el por qué sí- un individuo o un conjunto de ellos buscarían la aplicación o puesta en marcha de una técnica. Ésta es la pregunta por opciones vitales y

Infeção por staphylococcus aureus meticilina-resistente da comunidade em Portugal

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R. Nazareth

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Resumo: Recentemente assistiu-se à emergência de infeções na comunidade por Staphylococcus aureus meticilina-resistente (MRSA em indivíduos sem fatores de risco. O MRSA associado à comunidade (CA-MRSA parece ser mais virulento, causando desde infeções superficiais da pele e tecidos moles até fasceíte necrosante e, raramente, pneumonia.O CA-MRSA foi inicialmente identificado na Austrália no início da década de 80 e, após cerca de duas décadas, surgiu nos EUA e em vários países da Europa, Ásia e América do Sul. Não existe informação disponível acerca da prevalência em Portugal.Os autores reportam o primeiro caso de infeção por CA-MRSA em Portugal, num adulto jovem com pneumonia necrotizante grave complicada por empiema bilateral e insuficiência respiratória. Abstract: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA has recently emerged as a cause of community-acquired infections among individuals without risk factors. Community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA appears to be more virulent, causing superficial mild skin and soft tissue infections to severe necrotizing fasciitis, and in rare cases, pneumonia.Community-associated MRSA was first reported in Australia in the early 80s, after almost two decades in the USA, and then in several countries in Europe, Asia and South America. No data exists in Portugal.We report the first case of CA-MRSA infection in Portugal, in a young adult with severe necrotizing pneumonia, complicated with bilateral empyema and respiratory failure. Palavras-chave: comunidade associada, MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus, pneumonia necrosante, empiema, Keywords: Community-associated, MRSA, Staphylococcus aureus, Necrotizing pneumonia, Empyema

Enfermedad hemolítica del recién nacido por incompatibilidad Duffy: reporte de un caso Hemolytic disease of the newborn due to Duffy incompatibility: a case report

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Antonio Alfonso Dávila

2008-06-01

Full Text Available En el feto los antígenos Duffy pueden ser detectados a las 6 o 7 semanas de gestación y están bien desarrollados al nacimiento. A pesar de su temprana expresión, la enfermedad hemolítica por incompatibilidad de grupo sanguíneo Duffy no es usual. Se presenta el caso un recién nacido con enfermedad hemolítica por incompatibilidad Duffy. Para su tratamiento se empleó fototerapia unida a un procedimiento hemoterapéutico: la exanguinotransfusión. Aunque la incompatibilidad por este sistema de grupo sanguíneo suele ser moderada, se debe estar alerta ante la ocurrencia de un conflicto con curso inusual, para brindar un tratamiento óptimo en el momento adecuado y disminuir la morbilidad de esta enfermedad.Duffy antigens may be detected in the fetus at 6 or 7 weeks of gestation and be well developed at birth. Despite its early expression, the hemolytic disease due to Duffy blood group incompatibility is rare. The case of a newborn with hemolytic disease caused by Duffy incompatibility is presented. For its treatment, it was used phototherapy combined with a hemotherapeutic procedure: exanguinotransfusion. Although the incompatibility produced by this blood group system is usually moderate, one should be alert to the occurrence of a conflict with unusual course in order to apply an optimum treatment at the right time and to reduce the morbidity of this disease.

Orlando Castellanos. La pasión por la radio

OpenAIRE

Castellanos Molina, Orlando, 1930-1998

2004-01-01

Documento sonoro en el que se recogen entrevistas realizadas a Orlando Castellanos por Miguel Ángel de la Guardia, Miladys Ochoa, Fernando Rodríguez Sánchez (Ciego de Ávila), Ángel Ferrera, Boshmonar, Jaime Almiral, Radio Umbral de Santiago de Chile, Franco Carbón, Luis Toledo Sande y Estrella Díaz. Esta grabación pertenece a la colección Palabra Viva, desarrollada por el Centro Cultural Pablo de la Torriente Brau, a partir de las entrevistas realizadas por el periodista Orlando Castellanos. ...

Angiodema due to oral acitretin and isotretinoin Angioedema por acitretina e isotretinoína oral

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Roberto Rheingantz da Cunha Filho

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Angioedema may be caused by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibitors, radiocontrast media, antibiotics, sea food etc. It can involve an allergic (IgE-mediated or non-allergic hypersensitivity reaction, both with a similar clinical presentation. While angioedema due to isotretionin has been described previously, this is the first description of angiodema due to acitretin. We report two uncommon cases of palpebral and labial angiodema due to retinoids, by acitretin and oral isotretinoin respectively: a 48-year-old man with psoriasis and a 24-year-old woman with severe acne resistant to antibiotics and topical drugs. In both cases the reaction persisted through-out treatment with these drugs, but resolved quickly after discontinuation. Reintroduction of the drugs brought on angioedema againAngioedema pode ser causado por diversos fármacos como : antiinflamatórios não-esteroidais, inibidores da ECA, contrastes, antibióticos e frutos do mar, entre outras causas. Pode ser uma reação alérgica, mediada por IgE, ou não-alérgica, com apresentações clínicas semelhantes. Angioedema por isotretinoína já foi relatado, mas não por acitretina. Relatamos dois casos, uma com angioedema palpebral e um labial, por acitretina e isotretinoína, respectivamente: um paciente de 48 anos com psoríase e uma paciente de 24 anos com acne resistente à terapia convencional. Em ambos casos a afecção persistiu durante o tratamento, resolveu com a interrupção e recidivou com reexposição

MIASIS CUTÁNEA POR CORDYLOBIA ANTHROPOPHAGA

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Miriam Alkorta Gurrutxaga

2001-01-01

Full Text Available El incremento progresivo en el número de personas que viajan a países tropicales ha hecho que las enfermedades importadas adquieran una relevancia cada vez mayor. Las miasis (o infestaciones por larvas de moscas cutáneas se encuentran entre este tipo de enfermedades siendo especialmente frecuentes en países tropicales. A propósito de la observación de un caso de miasis cutánea masiva por Cordylobia antropophaga, que ocurrió en una mujer de 34 años de edad al volver de un viaje a Senegal, se ha efectuado una revisión de los casos de miasis cutáneas forunculoides importadas publicados en España, así como de la biología, patología, tratamiento y prevención de la miasis humana por Cordylobia anthropophaga. El caso referido, se caracterizó por la infestación con un número inusualmente elevado de larvas, no sospechándose su etiología hasta la fase final de la enfermedad. La emergencia continuada de larvas (se recogieron 91 generó en la paciente un estado de ansiedad importante. Finalmente, la eliminación de las larvas provocó una rápida mejoría de la paciente. Aunque los casos de miasis cutánea no tienen la gravedad de otras enfermedades importadas, su conocimiento es necesario desde el punto de vista preventivo, diagnóstico y terapeútico. Es importante proceder a la identificación morfológica de las larvas diferenciándolas de otro tipo de miasis con implicaciones terapéuticas diferentes.

Mortalidade por leucemias relacionada à industrialização

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Leal Carmen Helena Seoane

2002-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Analisar a distribuição espacial da mortalidade por leucemia na população, buscando identificar agregados e estabelecer sua relação com os níveis de industrialização. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi realizado nas 43 regiões de governo do Estado de São Paulo, no qüinqüênio 1991-1995. Foi construído um "índice de industrialização relativo à leucemia" (IIRL baseado no número de indústrias e empregos industriais por 100.000 habitantes, valor adicionado fiscal, variedade de ramos industriais e indústrias com potenciais exposições de risco para a leucemia. O IIRL foi distribuído em cinco categorias. Verificaram-se os coeficientes padronizados de mortalidade por leucemia em cada uma das regiões, também distribuídos em cinco categorias e comparados ao mapa IIRL. RESULTADOS: As regiões mais industrializadas em ordem decrescente foram Campinas, Piracicaba, Jundiaí, Sorocaba e São Paulo. Não foi encontrada associação entre mortalidade, por nenhum tipo de leucemia, e industrialização. A região de Jales foi a que apresentou o mais alto coeficiente padronizado de mortalidade por leucemia. CONCLUSÕES: A distribuição da mortalidade por leucemia ocorreu de forma homogênea no Estado de São Paulo, não apresentando correlação com o nível de industrialização. Entretanto, aspectos relacionados ao método epidemiológico adotado -- estudo ecológico -- e ao uso do parâmetro "mortalidade por leucemia", doença cujo prognóstico tem mudado muito nas últimas décadas, limitaram a interpretação dos resultados.

Perspectivas mecanisticas de reações organicas catalisadas por paladio : Heck, oxa-Heck e acoplamento de Buchwald-Hartwig por ESI-MS/MS

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Boniek Gontijo Vaz

2009-01-01

Resumo: A espectrometria de Massas por eletronspray (ESI-MS) tornou-se um método prático para o estudo de mecanismos reacionais em solução. Neste trabalho importantes reações catalisadas por paládio: reação de Heck-Mizoroki, oxa-Heck e o acoplamento de Buchwald-Hartwig foram monitoradas por ESI-MS visando interceptar espécies que comprovam as atuais propostas mecanísticas ou que abram caminho para novas propostas para estas reações. O monitoramento das reações foi realizado no modo off-line, ...

DE ACUMULACIÓN POR DESPOSESIÓN

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Sebastián Gómez Lende

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Omnipresente, la acumulación por desposesión es uno de los elementos centrales del orden global contemporáneo. Observados desde una perspectiva crítica, los usos extractivos del territorio constituyen una de las principales expresiones de ese proceso. A la luz de ese sistema de ideas, este artículo procura demostrar que el modelo sojero actualmente vigente en la Argentina es una de las formas más completas, exhaustivas, actuales y sofisticadas, de acumulación por desposesión en el país. En ese sentido, el artículo analiza el boom de la soja transgénica y sus vínculos con las formas tanto seculares (endeudamiento financiero, concentración de la propiedad rural, usurpación de la tierra y actuales de desposesión (degradación de la naturaleza, despojo del derecho a la salud, pillaje de recursos genéticos efectuadas por los grandes agricultores, el capital financiero, las agroindustrias y las corporaciones biotecnológicas, en detrimento de los pequeños productores, los campesinos, los pueblos aborígenes y la población en general.

La compra por impulso de productos de alimentación

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Luna-Arocas, Roberto; Bech-Larsen, Tino

2004-01-01

El consumo de productos de alimentación muestra una serie de matices diferenciales en su análisis si lo comparamos con otros productos de compra por impulso. En este sentido, se relaciona la compra por impulso de productos de alimentación con una baja importancia de la imagen fisica, y con las de...... descrepancias personales entre lo que un individuo es y quiere ser. Como resultado en una mestra de estudisantes, la compra por impulso de productes de alimentación se relaciona con imagen fisica pero no con las discrepanacias personales.......El consumo de productos de alimentación muestra una serie de matices diferenciales en su análisis si lo comparamos con otros productos de compra por impulso. En este sentido, se relaciona la compra por impulso de productos de alimentación con una baja importancia de la imagen fisica, y con las...

Mesa en cuello por Mycobacterium tuberculosis en un paciente infectado por HIV A case of cervical mass due to mycobacterium tuberculosis in an HIV infected patient

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Mónica Soto

1995-02-01

Full Text Available Se presenta el caso de un paciente de sexo masculino con diagnóstico de infección por HIV quien presentó una masa en cuello de 7 x 10 cm, dolorosa, de consistencia dura, adherida, no pulsátil, con edema de la piel adyacente y sin otros signos asociados. La evolución fue de 6 meses. Los estudios de la masa y el esputo dieron como resultado el aislamiento de M. tuberculosis, lo que permitió un adecuado enfoque terapéutico y por consiguiente una respuesta clínica satisfactoria

Itinerarios didácticos por la isla de Tenerife

OpenAIRE

Becerra Ramírez, María Carmen; Javier Dóniz-Páez; González Cárdenas, Elena; Gosálvez, Rafael U.; Becerra-Ramírez, Rafael; Escobar Lahoz, Estela

2013-01-01

Con la elaboración de esta guía de Itinerarios Didácticos por la isla de Tenerife pretendemos contribuir a un mayor conocimiento de las características geográficas de un espacio dominado por las formas y formaciones volcánicas que caracterizan un paisaje fuertemente modificado por la actividad humana. El hombre convive y usa lo que los volcanes le ofrecen, tradicionalmente como soporte de sus cultivos o de su actividad ganadera,y modernamente como base de la industria turística. Los itiner...

¿Por qué estudiar en la Universidad EAN?

OpenAIRE

2013-01-01

Razones para estudiar en la Universidad EAN: 1. Por ser la Universidad No.1 en Latinoamérica y No. 28 en el mundo, según el ranking mundial de Escuelas de Negocios que lidera el Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas – Laboratorio de Cibermetría de España. 2. Por la flexibilidad en los planes de estudio que permite adelantar unidades y cursar la carrera en un tiempo menor. 3. Por la formación académica en dos ciclos semestrales, favoreciendo el aprendizaje y la concentrac...

"Efecto del ingreso obtenido por el socio industrial por concepto de alimentos en la sociedad en nombre colectivo"

OpenAIRE

Adame Alba, Nayzeth

2011-01-01

Hoy en día la excesiva carga tributaria en nuestro país, nos obliga a buscar alternativas factibles y seguras, en el cumplimiento de las obligaciones fiscales, por ello, debemos aprovechar la existencia de figuras jurídicas útiles para la optimización de recursos financieros dentro del marco de ley, es el caso de la sociedad en nombre colectivo, que nos permite la existencia de socios industriales que a su vez, el ingreso que perciben por concepto de alimentos se encuentra exento de impuestos...

Papel da lidocaína por via venosa no tratamento da dor na esclerodermia: relato de caso Papel de la lidocaína por vía venosa en el tratamiento del dolor en la esclerodermia: relato de un caso Intravenous lidocaine to treat scleroderma pain: case report

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Durval Campos Kraychete

2003-12-01

, continua, diaria, acompañada de alteraciones tróficas, de color y de temperatura y pequeñas úlceras en las extremidades. La paciente fue sometida a una sesión semanal de lidocaína a 2% (400 mg sin vasoconstrictor por vía venosa durante 10 semanas con alivio del dolor, del turgor, de la elasticidad de la piel y de la perfusión periférica. CONCLUSIONES: El alivio del dolor y de otros síntomas después de la administración de lidocaína por vía venosa sugiere que los anestésicos locales pueden modular la respuesta inflamatoria en varios aprendizajes de la esclerodermia.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Scleroderma or progressive systemic sclerosis is a systemic connective tissue disease of unknown origin, which normally courses with microangiopathy, extremities ischemia and severe pain. This report aimed at describing a case of intravenous lidocaine to treat ischemic pain and at emphasizing potential anti-inflammatory action of local anesthetics in scleroderma patients. CASE REPORT: Female patient, clear mulatto 34 years old, nursing assistant, with scleroderma for approximately 8 years, presented with severe continuous, daily pain (numeric scale = 10 in upper and lower limbs, followed by trophic, color and temperature changes, and small ulcers on extremities. Patient was submitted to 1 weekly session of intravenous 2% lidocaine (400 mg without vasoconstrictor for 10 weeks with pain, turgor, skin elasticity and peripheral perfusion improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Pain and other symptoms relief after intravenous lidocaine suggests that local anesthetics are able to modulate inflammatory response in different scleroderma stages.

ANTIOXIDANTES: MICRONUTRIENTES EN LUCHA POR LA SALUD

OpenAIRE

Zamora S, Juan Diego

2007-01-01

Los antioxidantes son sustancias químicas que se caracterizan por impedir o retrasar la oxidación de diversas sustancias principalmente de los ácidos grasos cuyas reacciones se producen tanto en los alimentos como en el organismo humano, en el cual puede provocar alteraciones fisiológicas importantes desencadenantes de diversas enfermedades. Otra de las funciones de los antioxidantes es facilitar el uso fisiológico del oxígeno por parte de las mitocondrias celulares, ayudando a reducir los ef...

Esporotricosis diagnosticada por el laboratorio

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Nelly Ordóñez

1989-06-01

Full Text Available De 1976 a 1989 se han diagnosticado 40 casos de esporotricosis en el laboratorio de Micología del Instituto Nacional de Salud. La enfermedad se presentó en pacientes entre 4 y 52 años y tuvo predilección por el sexo masculino: 35 de 40 (87,5%; las formas clínicas más frecuentes fueron la cutánea fija, 18 de 40 (45%, y la linfocutánea, 17 de 40 (42,5%, con localización mayor en miembros superiores, 18 de 40 (45%. El diagnóstico se estableció por el aislamiento del Sporothrix schenckii en 35 de 38 pacientes (92%; los otros dos pacientes se diagnosticaron empleando otras técnicas: inmunofluorescencia directa, intradermorreacción y aglutinación en tubo.

Análise Sazonal das Regiões do Rio Grande do Sul Atingidas por Eventos Severos Gerados por SCM no Período de 2004 a 2008

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Gustavo Rasera

2012-07-01

Full Text Available ntos Severos (ES, como por exemplo, vendaval, granizo e enchente, têm sido estudados com frequência devido à gravidade dos danos que estes causam à sociedade. Um dos sistemas meteorológicos que é bastante comum no Rio Grande do Sul (RS, e que frequentemente está associado aos ES são os Sistemas Convectivos de Mesoescala (SCM. Como a economia do RS é voltada majoritariamente para a agricultura, que é bastante suscetível às mudanças do tempo, é frequente no Estado a ocorrência de prejuízos econômicos causados por ES. Diante disso, o objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a distribuição sazonal das regiões atingidas por ES gerados por SCM que afetaram o RS (ESSCMRS no período de 2004 a 2008. Foram utilizados, para o período de estudo, dados de ocorrências de ES e municípios atingidos por ES (MAES obtidos no banco de dados da Coordenadoria Estadual de Defesa Civil do RS; trajetórias dos SCM que afetaram o RS (SCMRS geradas a partir de informações fornecidas pela ferramenta ForTrACC (Forecasting and Tracking of Active Cloud Clusters e imagens brutas do satélite GOES 10 e 12 do canal 4. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que: i ~45% dos ES observados foram gerados por SCMRS; ii ~58% dos MAES foram atingidos por SCMRS; iii a porção norte do RS foi a mais atingida por ESSCMRS; iv vendaval e granizo foram os tipos de ESSCMRS que atingiram o maior número de municípios e v JAS (jul-ago-set foi o trimestre que apresentou o maior número de municípios atingidos por ESSCMRS (MAES-SCMRS.

El aprendizaje visto por los estudiantes venezolanos

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Berta Elena Barrios

2015-01-01

Full Text Available En el siguiente trabajo se presentan los resultados de un estudio sobre las con-cepciones del aprendizaje de un grupo de estudiantes venezolanos de educa-ción primaria y media. Se trató de replicar el instrumento y procedimiento deanálisis utilizado por los investigadores Berry y Sahlberg (1996, con el objetivode caracterizar cómo conciben el aprendizaje estudiantes venezolanos entre 11y 15 años de edad y compararlo con sus pares ingleses y finlandeses. El análi-sis de resultados se basó en los criterios propuestos por dichos autores, deno-minados Pasos para un Buen Aprendizaje. Los hallazgos indican que los estu-diantes venezolanos conciben el aprendizaje como memorizar conocimientos,básicamente escolares, enseñados por los docentes. Las concepciones deambas poblaciones se ubican en una visión pasiva del aprendizaje. Se discutela vinculación de las concepciones del aprendizaje con las prácticas de la escuela.

Epidemiologia das infecções hematogênicas por Candida spp

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Colombo Arnaldo Lopes

2003-01-01

Full Text Available O gênero Candida spp é responsável por cerca de 80% das infecções fúngicas no ambiente hospitalar e constitui causa relevante de infecções de corrente sanguínea. Nos Estados Unidos da América, Candida spp é a quarta causa mais comum de infecções de corrente sanguínea, respondendo por cerca de 8% dos casos das infecções documentadas neste sítio. Espécies não-albicans respondem hoje por ao menos 50% das infecções invasivas por Candida spp, apresentando peculiaridades de história natural e sensibilidade a antifúngicos. A mortalidade geral de fungemias por Candida spp é da ordem de 40 a 60%, tornado esta complicação infecciosa um grande desafio para os clínicos que trabalham em hospitais terciários em diferentes países.

Neumonitis por hipersensibilidad en la ciudad de México

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Carrillo-Rodríguez José G.

2000-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Determinar la asociación entre la zona urbana de origen del paciente en la ciudad de México y la prevalencia de neumonitis por hipersensibilidad inducida por antígeno aviario. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se trata de un estudio de casos y controles realizado en el Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias, en la ciudad de México, en el año de 1999. Se estudiaron 109 casos con neumonitis por hipersensibilidad y 184 controles: de éstos, 39, con fibrosis pulmonar idiopática; 63, con tuberculosis pulmonar, y 82, con asma. La ciudad de México y las zonas conurbadas se dividieron en cinco zonas geográficas: centro, noreste, sureste, noroeste y el suroeste. Se calcularon las prevalencias de las diferentes enfermedades por zona urbana de los pacientes que participaron en el estudio; como medida de asociación, se estimó la razón de momios, con un intervalo de confianza al 95%. Asimismo, se realizó regresión logística múltiple ajustando por edad, sexo y estrato socioeconómico. RESULTADOS: Ochenta casos de neumonitis por hipersensibilidad se concentraron en el sur del noreste de las zonas conurbadas y la parte norte del sureste de la ciudad de México, 48 y 32, respectivamente (RM= 3.86, IC 95% 2.17-6.96. Treinta y seis controles de asma se localizaron en el suroeste de la ciudad de México, zona donde se ubica el Intituto Nacional de Enfermedades Respiratorias (p<0.05 y cuatro en la zona conurbada. Los controles de tuberculosis pulmonar y fibrosis pulmonar idiopática estuvieron dispersos en la ciudad de México y en las zonas conurbadas. CONCLUSIONES: La zona sur del noreste y el norte de la sureste están asociadas a la neumonitis por hipersensibilidad. Las causas de esta asociación no parece ser geográfica, pero existe el antecedente de que esa zona fue basurero de la ciudad, por lo que partículas orgánicas en el ambiente pudieran coadyuvar a la aparición de esta enfermedad.

Vagotomía transtorácica por videotoracoscopia

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Mario M Gómez Hernández

2002-08-01

Full Text Available La imposibilidad técnica de realizar una vagotomía troncular transabdominal y la vagotomía incompleta constituyen un serio problema al tratar la patología ulcerosa, por lo que la vagotomía troncular transtorácica por videotorascoscopia se ha convertido en una opción preferencial para resolver tal contingencia. Se reporta una serie de 7 pacientes a los que se les efectuó esta técnica, en el Servicio de Cirugía General del Hospital Clinicoquirúrgico "Hermanos Ameijeiras", de Ciudad de La Habana, en el período comprendido desde abril de 1996 hasta octubre de 1999. El 71,4 % de los pacientes tenía como proceder inicial vagotomía y piloroplastia y al 28,6 % se le había realizado solo un proceder de drenaje sin vagotomía troncular transabdominal, porque las condiciones locales o generales no lo permitieron. En el 57,1 % los síntomas de recidiva aparecieron antes del año de la operación inicial. El tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue de 80 min. Se reportó un accidente quirúrgico. La estadía posoperatoria promedio fue de 3 días. Del seguimiento resultó el 14,3 % de recidiva posoperatoria (n=1. No ocurrió mortalidad con el empleo de esta técnicaThe technical impossibility of performing a transabdominal truncal vagatomy and the incomplete vagotomy are a serious problem on treating ulcerous pathology, so the transthoracic truncal vagotomy by video-assisted thoracoscopy has become a preferential option to solve such contingency. A series of 7 patients who underwent this technique at the General Surgery Service of "Hermanos Ameijeiras" Clinical and Surgical Hospital from April, 1996, to October, 1999, is reported. 71.4 % of the patients had undergone vagotomy and pyloroplasty as an initial procedure, whereas 28.6 % had undergone only a drainage procedure without traansabdomianl truncal vagotomy, since the local or general conditions did not allow to do something different. In 57.1 %, the relapse symptoms appeared before the year of the

Fungal genome and mating system transitions facilitated by chromosomal translocations involving intercentromeric recombination.

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Sheng Sun

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Species within the human pathogenic Cryptococcus species complex are major threats to public health, causing approximately 1 million annual infections globally. Cryptococcus amylolentus is the most closely known related species of the pathogenic Cryptococcus species complex, and it is non-pathogenic. Additionally, while pathogenic Cryptococcus species have bipolar mating systems with a single large mating type (MAT locus that represents a derived state in Basidiomycetes, C. amylolentus has a tetrapolar mating system with 2 MAT loci (P/R and HD located on different chromosomes. Thus, studying C. amylolentus will shed light on the transition from tetrapolar to bipolar mating systems in the pathogenic Cryptococcus species, as well as its possible link with the origin and evolution of pathogenesis. In this study, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the genomes of 2 C. amylolentus isolates, CBS6039 and CBS6273, which are sexual and interfertile. Genome comparison between the 2 C. amylolentus isolates identified the boundaries and the complete gene contents of the P/R and HD MAT loci. Bioinformatic and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq analyses revealed that, similar to those of the pathogenic Cryptococcus species, C. amylolentus has regional centromeres (CENs that are enriched with species-specific transposable and repetitive DNA elements. Additionally, we found that while neither the P/R nor the HD locus is physically closely linked to its centromere in C. amylolentus, and the regions between the MAT loci and their respective centromeres show overall synteny between the 2 genomes, both MAT loci exhibit genetic linkage to their respective centromere during meiosis, suggesting the presence of recombinational suppressors and/or epistatic gene interactions in the MAT-CEN intervening regions. Furthermore, genomic comparisons between C. amylolentus and related pathogenic Cryptococcus species provide evidence that multiple chromosomal

Aspergilosis pulmonar secundaria a neutropenia inducida por metimazol: reporte de un caso Pulmonary aspergillosis due to methimazole-induced neutropenia: a case report

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Miguel E. Pinto

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Se reporta el caso de una paciente de 48 años de edad con diagnóstico reciente de enfermedad de Graves, quien acudió a emergencia por presentar fiebre, palpitaciones y dolor faríngeo. Su tratamiento regular incluía metimazol. Al ingreso, los análisis mostraron TSH suprimido, T4 libre elevado y neutropenia. La paciente fue hospitalizada, se administraron antibióticos y factor estimulante de colonia. Después de diez días de tratamiento, la paciente presentó leucocitosis, fiebre y hemoptisis. La tomografía de tórax mostró una cavidad con múltiples nódulos en el lóbulo superior derecho. Los cultivos fueron positivos a Aspergillus fumigatus y Aspergillus flavus. Se inició tratamiento con anfotericina B y luego se cambió a voriconazol, a pesar de lo cual no hubo mejoría del cuadro. La paciente falleció por falla multiorgánica.A 48-year old woman with a recent diagnosis of Graves’ disease arrived at the emergency room with fever, palpitations, and a sore throat. Her regular treatment included methimazole. On admission, laboratory results showed suppressed TSH, elevated free thyroxine, and neutropenia. She was admitted and started on antibiotics and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (gm-csf. After ten days, the patient developed leukocytosis, fever, and hemoptysis. Chest CT scan showed a lung cavity with multiple nodules in the upper right lobe. Cultures from a lung biopsy were positive for Aspergillus Fumigatus and Aspergillus Flavus. Amphotericin B was started but then switched to voriconazole, with both treatments failing to result in clinical improvement. The patient died of multi-organ failure.

Envenenamento por caravela (Physalia physalis) manifestando-se com erupção papulopurpurica

OpenAIRE

Risk, Yamin José; Cardoso, João Luiz Costa; Haddad Junior, Vidal

2012-01-01

We report the case of a 42-year old woman who was envenomed by a Portuguese man-o'-war (Physalia physalis). She presented an anomalous reaction manifested by purpuric papules that appeared after the initial phase of envenoming (around 24 hours later), when linear erythematous and edematous papules were observed. Late-onset reactions in accidents involving cnidarians commonly include chronic eruptions and local pigmentation.Os autores relatam um envenenamento causado por um cnidário, a caravel...

PANORAMA LATINOAMERICANO DEL PAGO POR SERVICIOS AMBIENTALES

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González T. Ángela

2008-07-01

Full Text Available Este documento busca proveer al lector de algunos elementos para el análisis y reflexión en torno al pago por servicios ambientales. Para ello, en primera instancia, aborda algunos conceptos básicos relacionados con economía ambiental, seguido de temas como la valoración económica de servicios ambientales y la implementación de mecanismos de pago por algunos de ellos. Lo anterior esta enriquecido con experiencias o estudios de caso a nivel latinoamericano y colombiano.

ESTADO DEL CONOCIMIENTO DEL NIVEL EDUCATIVO BÁSICO EN TABASCO GENERADO POR PROFESORES FORMADOS EN POSGRADOS

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Verónica García Martínez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Se presenta un reporte de investigación sobre el estado del conocimiento de las obras generadas por profesores que cursaron un posgrado y desarrollaron un trabajo de investigación sobre educación básica (que en México va de preescolar a secundaria, en el Estado de Tabasco, México, durante la década de 2001 a 2011. Esta demanda emanó del Gobierno del Estado, el cual buscaba recuperar el conocimiento producido en ese nivel, ya que es el menos atendido en la investigación educativa nacional. Para tal fin se realizó un análisis del contenido de las producciones ubicadas en las instituciones que ofrecen posgrados en educación en la entidad. Se analizaron 294 obras, en su mayoría tesis, de las cuales el 67% fueron escritas por mujeres, en un contexto geográfico institucional (74%, con una marcada preferencia por la metodología cualitativa y el área de Aprendizaje y Desarrollo Humano (43%. Se concluye que la orientación de la obra es mayor hacia el análisis pedagógico por la adscripción de los autores, y una perspectiva micro social, puesto que se realiza dentro de los mismos espacios de trabajo.

Efeito protetor da melatonina sobre intoxicações por herbicidas

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Lécio L. de Almeida

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Resumo: O uso inadequado de herbicidas pode resultar em intoxicações agudas e, às vezes, crônicas por exposição em longo prazo a baixos níveis desses agentes tóxicos, podendo o herbicida atuar também como agentes teratogênicos, mutagênicos, cancerígenos e desreguladores endócrinos, com o aparecimento de doenças neurodegenerativas e distúrbios reprodutivos. Estudos têm revelado que a melatonina tem propriedades antioxidantes, anti-inflamatórias e imunomoduladoras e atua na reprodução. Essa indolamina está entre os agentes que têm se mostrado benéfico em intoxicações por herbicidas, porém não há relatos do uso de melatonina contra intoxicações por Glifosato-Roundup®, muito menos em associação com o Paraquat. Dessa forma, o maior interesse no tratamento das intoxicações por herbicidas, tem-se concentrado em medidas que impeçam ou minimizem as lesões celulares provocadas nos diversos sistemas biológicos. Assim, a melatonina, como antioxidante conhecido, pode ser mais uma alternativa contra as intoxicações por herbicidas associados e/ou individuais.

Eficacia del Albendazol en dosis única sobre las infecciones por helmintos transmitidos por el suelo en escolares de una comunidad de Iquitos, Perú

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Theresa W Gyorkos

Full Text Available Objetivos. Determinar la eficacia en dosis única del albendazol sobre las infecciones por helmintos transmitidos por el suelo (HTS en escolares de una comunidad de la ciudad de Iquitos en Perú. Materiales y métodos. Dentro del contexto de un ensayo controlado aleatorizado realizado en una comunidad periurbana de escasos recursos, situada en Iquitos, en la Amazonía de Perú, se obtuvieron muestras de heces de escolares del quinto grado de primaria en 18 escuelas y se analizó la prevalencia y la intensidad de HTS. Un total de 1193 escolares fueron desparasitados con albendazol en dosis única (400 mg. De los 909 escolares que fueron encontrados positivos con al menos una infección por HTS, una muestra aleatoria de 385 fue seguida dos semanas más tarde, cuando se recolectó y analizó una segunda muestra de heces. Resultados. La eficacia del albendazol fue satisfactoria para las infecciones por Ascaris lumbricoides con una tasa de reducción de huevos (TRH de 99,8%; IC 95: 99,3-100 y por anquilostomideos con una TRH de 93,6%, IC 95%: 88,2-96,6 y por Trichuris trichiura con una TRH de 72,7%, IC 95: 58,5-79,1. Conclusiones. Estos resultados son indicativos de niveles satisfactorios de eficacia y son congruentes con datos publicados sobre la eficacia del albendazol y directivas de la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Futuras investigaciones deben centrarse en mejorar la eficacia de las estrategias de tratamiento para la infección por Trichuris trichiura.

Reporte del primer caso de enfermedad de Chagas transplacentaria analizado por AP-PCR en Moniquirá, Boyacá

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Concepción Judith Puerta

2009-12-01

Conclusiones. Éste es el primer caso de enfermedad de Chagas transplacentaria reportado en el municipio de Moniquirá, que demuestra que esta forma de transmisión ocurre en el país. La presencia de infección mixta por ambos grupos de T. cruzi en las muestras del recién nacido, sugiere infección mixta en la madre, con mayor prevalencia de T. cruzi I, al menos en el hemocultivo.

ENSAYOS DE CREEP POR TORSIÓN Y TRACCIÓN

OpenAIRE

Daniela Alessio; Sandra Robles; Lilian Moro; René Molina

2017-01-01

En este estudio se efectúa el análisis de dos metodologías de ensayo para evaluar el comportamiento de un material al creep o fluencia por activación térmica o termofluencia. Se realizaron en laboratorio dos tipos de ensayos, por torsión y por tracción, bajo combinaciones de temperatura y tensión comparables, de un acero austenítico, de uso habitual en los equipos de la industria petroquímica de la región. Con los registros adquiridos, se graficaron las diferentes curvas deformación-tiempo de...

Premian record transmision de datos a 5,44 gigabits por segundo

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

"El Laboratorio Europeo para la Fisica de Particulas (CERN) y el Instituto de Tecnologia de California (EEUU) seran galardonados con un premio por haber conseguido batir el record de velocidad de transmision por Internet a 5,44 gigabits por segundo, informaron hoy, miercoles, fuentes de ambos organismos" (1/2 page).

System design description for portable 1,000 CFM exhauster Skids POR-007/Skid E and POR-008/Skid F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, O.D.

1998-01-01

The primary purpose of the two 1,000 CFM Exhauster Skids, POR-007-SKID E and POR-008-SKID F, is to provide backup to the waste tank primary ventilation systems for tanks 241-C-106 and 241-AY-102, and the AY-102 annulus in the event of a failure during the sluicing of tank 241-C-106 and subsequent transfer of sluiced waste to 241-AY-102. This redundancy is required since both of the tank ventilation systems have been declared as Safety Class systems

Verification and validation interim report for portable 1,000 CFM exhauster skids POR-007/Skid E and POR-008/Skid F

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, O.D.

1998-01-01

This Verification and Validation (V/V) interim report summarizes to date the results of the V/V tasks performed in each of the following life cycle phases: concept, requirements, design, implementation, test, installation and checkout, and operation and maintenance. At the end of the installation and checkout phase, the V/V final report will be issued. This interim report contains or references the following for each phase: Description of V/V tasks performed; Summary of task results; Summary of anomalies and resolution; Assessment of system quality; Recommendations

Variabilidad estacional de hospitalizaciones por varicela en el INSN, Lima-Perú

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Edwin Miranda-Choque

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Determinar las variabilidad estacional de hospitalizaciones por varicela. Diseño: Serie de casos. Institución: Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño (INSN del Perú. Participantes: Niños hospitalizados por varicela. Intervenciones: Se estudió las hospitalizaciones por varicela de niños atendidos en el INSN del Perú desde el año 2001 hasta el 2011, país sin implementación de la vacunación contra la varicela; se identificó a los pacientes de la oficina de estadística. Principales medidas de resultados: Variabilidad estacional de hospitalizaciones de los niños atendidos por varicela. Resultados: Se estudió a 1 566 niños hospitalizados por varicela, siendo la mediana de edad de 2 años 6 meses, 46,4% (727/1 466 de sexo femenino, mediana de estancia hospitalaria seis días (RIQ:9,4. El grupo etario más afectado fue de 0 a 2 años, correspondiendo al 55% (864/1 566. En la curva de frecuencias de hospitalizaciones por varicela por meses evidenciamos la distribución estacional, con una tendencia al incremento cada vez mayor por año. Las hospitalizaciones por varicelas con al menos alguna complicación correspondieron a 68,5%(1 073/1 566. El porcentaje de fallecidos fue 0,83% (13/1 493. Conclusiones: Las hospitalizaciones por varicela en el INSN es una causa importante de morbilidad, con una tendencia estacional, siendo más frecuente en los meses de noviembre a febrero, con el incremento cada vez mayor por año y supone una importante carga económica.

Mortalidad por paludismo en Colombia, 1979-2008

OpenAIRE

Pablo Chaparro; Julio Padilla

2012-01-01

Introducción. En Colombia, el paludismo representa un grave problema de salud pública. Se estima que, aproximadamente, 60 % de la población se encuentra en riesgo de enfermar o de morir por esta causa. Objetivo. Describir la tendencia de la mortalidad por paludismo en Colombia desde 1979 hasta 2008. Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo para determinar la tendencia de las tasas de mortalidad. Las fuentes de información fueron las bases de datos de las defunciones...

Empresas brasileiras do novo mercado e suas práticas de evidenciação voluntária de informações por segmento

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Ana Paula Capuano da Cruz

2014-05-01

Full Text Available A adoção das normas internacionais de contabilidade tem demandado alterações no padrão contábil de diversos países. Dentre tais mudanças, no Brasil, tem-se a incorporação de uma prática de divulgação de resultados que exige a evidenciação de informações por segmentos. O segment reporting, como também é denominado, é uma exigência introduzida pela International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS 8 que implica um ponto de tangência muito forte entre a contabilidade gerencial e a contabilidade com foco no usuário externo. Com base nessas alterações, a partir da análise das Notas Explicativas das 106 companhias listadas no Novo Mercado da Bolsa de Valores, Mercadorias e Futuros de São Paulo (BM&FBovespa, o estudo objetivou verificar como as companhias abertas brasileiras estruturaram o formato de evidenciação de informações por segmento. Em termos metodológicos, trata-se de uma pesquisa documental, de caráter descritivo, que conjuntou o emprego da técnica de análise de conteúdo e de testes não paramétricos de Mann-Whitney e Kruskal-Wallis para verificar o grau de intensidade da divulgação de informações por segmento, conforme metodologia utilizada por Guthrie et al. (1999. Os achados sinalizaram que a divulgação voluntária de informações por segmento ainda é incipiente no cenário brasileiro. Identificou-se que as companhias auditadas por uma das Big Four apresentaram menor grau de intensidade na divulgação dos impactos futuros da aplicação das orientações normativas sobre informações por segmento. Considerando o universo das 106 companhias analisadas, destaca-se que as informações segmentadas por área geográfica e ainda, por tipo de produtos ou serviços, mostraram-se mais recorrentes; informações por clientes foram escassas. Nenhuma empresa evidenciou o fluxo de caixa por segmento, e 39 companhias não mencionaram que o CPC 22 trará impacto às futuras Demonstrações Contábeis. Assim

Yeast diversity isolated from grape musts during spontaneous fermentation from a Brazilian winery.

Science.gov (United States)

Bezerra-Bussoli, Carolina; Baffi, Milla Alves; Gomes, Eleni; Da-Silva, Roberto

2013-09-01

Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast species from a winery located in Brazil were identified by ribosomal gene-sequencing analysis. A total of 130 yeast strains were isolated from grape surfaces and musts during alcoholic fermentation from Isabel, Bordeaux, and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties. Samples were submitted to PCR-RFLP analysis and genomic sequencing. Thirteen species were identified: Candida quercitrusa, Candida stellata, Cryptococcus flavescens, Cryptococcus laurentii, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Issatchenkia occidentalis, Issatchenkia orientalis, Issatchenkia terricola, Pichia kluyveri, Pichia guilliermondii, Pichia sp., Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Sporidiobolus pararoseus. A sequential substitution of species during the different stages of fermentation, with a dominance of non-Saccharomyces yeasts at the beginning, and a successive replacement of species by S. cerevisiae strains at the final steps were observed. This is the first report about the yeast distribution present throughout the alcoholic fermentation in a Brazilian winery, providing supportive information for future studies on their contribution to wine quality.

El estrés por temperatura provoca necrosis en tabaco negro; cuantificación por análisis de imágenes

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Eduardo Ortega

2008-07-01

de imágenes ImageJ. Este programa es capaz de adquirir, mostrar, editar, resaltar y analizar imágenes. Se demostró que las hojas sometidas a 4 ºC, independientemente del tiempo de exposición, presentaron una mayor área necrosada (35% en comparación con el resto de los tratamientos. Las áreas con acumulación de H2O2 in situ fueron mayores en los tratamientos de estrés por temperaturas altas (45 y 60 oC. La detección y cuantificación de la necrosis producida por temperaturas extremas, combinando el método del azul de tripano con el análisis de imágenes, es una herramienta útil para valorar los daños producidos por estrés de temperaturas y pudiera ser utilizado para valorar los daños celulares provocados por otros tipos de estrés.Palabras clave: variedad-Habana-2000; especies reactivas de oxígeno; H2O2;; Habana-2000-variety; reactive oxygen species.

ESTUDIO DEL IMPACTO TÉCNICO DE MEZCLAS DE CONCRETO HIDRÁULICO POR LA SUSTITUCIÓN PARCIAL DE CEMENTO POR ZEOLITA

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I. Miranda Pasos

2014-06-01

Full Text Available La industria de la construcción cada vez más consciente de la necesidad de ejecutar obras con materiales que se obtengan y/o utilicen procesos industriales que minimicen la contaminación y, que contribuyan en el comportamiento de un producto como lo es el concreto hidráulico en la construcción, ha estado buscando alternativas de materiales que sustituyan total o parcialmente al cemento por otro cementante que contamine menos en su procesos de obtención y que conserve las propiedades o las mejore. Una alternativa para sustitución parcial del cemento es la zeolita, es un mineral que se obtiene por proceso de excavación y molienda de puzolana. La norma ASTM-618, define a las puzolanas como materiales silíceo o aluminio-silíceo que por sí solo poseen poco a ningún valor cementante, pero cuando se han dividido finamente y en presencia de agua e hidróxido de calcio (Cal reaccionan químicamente a temperatura ambiente para formar cementantes (Miranda, 2008. Recientemente se ha estudiado el efecto de adicionar mineral Cal-Zeolita para la elaboración del concreto, cuyos resultados son favorables al comportamiento mecánico y su durabilidad (Dopico J.J., et al. 2009. Para la elaboración de morteros para recubrimientos al incorporar arenas zeolíticas como sustituto de la arena tradicional (Tiburcio et al. 2008. El presente proyecto evaluó el comportamiento del concreto hidráulico en estado fresco y endurecido al sustituir de manera parcial cemento por zeolita. Se enfocó a la evaluación del comportamiento mecánico como al diseño de la mezcla de concreto hidráulico fabricado con cemento normal y con cemento-zeolita. Tomando en cuenta los resultados obtenidos, la zeolita incorporada en porcentajes entre el 5% y 10 % tiende a valores de resistencias muy cercanos al concreto normal, los modelos obtenidos así lo corroboran, por lo que se puede concluir la factibilidad de sustitución parcial de cemento por zeolita tomando en cuenta el

PERFIL DOS ATENDIMENTOS POR CAUSAS EXTERNAS EM HOSPITAL PÚBLICO

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Marlos Victor Fonsêca de Lima

2012-01-01

Full Text Available El objetivo fue identificar el perfil de los atendimientos por causas externas en la urgencia de un hospital público de referencia del Estado. Investigación descriptiva documental, con enfoque cuantitativo. En el análisis de datos, el período de enero a diciembre de 2009 se realizó 4.464 atendimientos por causas externas. La mayor frecuencia de las lesiones ocurrió en personas entre 21 y 40 años (37,70% y hombres (68,6%. Cuanto a las causas, las caídas (29% fue la mayor variable, seguido por accidente de motocicleta (17,98%, accidentes domiciliario (16,53%, agresión física (10,43% y accidente de motocicleta (8,84%. Se observó que 23,3% de los atendimientos realizados en la urgencia fueron de la población procedente de municipios aledaños. Hay, por lo tanto, la necesidad de mejorar la calidad de las informaciones acerca de las quejas motivadas por causas externas, principales causas de hospitalización y gastos en salud.

Quemaduras por frío: Revisión de 10 Años

OpenAIRE

EULUFÍ M, ALEX; PIÑEROS B, JOSÉ LUIS; CALDERÓN O, WILFREDO; CUADRA C, ÁLVARO; DANILLA E, STEFAN; LÉNIZ M, PATRICIO; ROCO M, HÉCTOR; ROA G, RICARDO; EULUFÍ M, CHRISTIAN

2006-01-01

La injuria por frío ha sido objeto de estudio desde la década de 1960, Este trabajo entrega los resultados de una revisión retrospectiva de un grupo de 10 pacientes ingresados al Hospital del Trabajador de Santiago (HTS) en un periodo de 10 años producto de accidentes laborales de distintas etiologías. Cabe señalar que solo encontramos reportes aislados de casos en la literatura revisada. Se revisaron retrospectivamente las fichas clínicas de 10 pacientes en el periodo 1993-2003. Las edades f...

The analysis of protein differences in cerebrospinal fluid of tuberculous meningitis and cryptococcus meningitis by two-dimensional electrophoresis%应用双向电泳分析结核性脑膜炎与隐球菌性脑膜炎脑脊液的蛋白差异

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

黄绍梅; 杨瑜; 邱薇; 吴睿彦; 谢贝; 刘志辉; 陈志成

2016-01-01

Objective To screen the diagnostic markers between tuberculous meningitis and cryptococcus meningitis by analyzing the protein differences in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).Methods The proteins in CSF of 4 cases of tuberculous meningitis and 4 cases of cryptococcal meningitis were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE).The differential proteins expression was descriptively analyzed according to the protein isoelectric point PI,molecular weight,matching rate,gray value by PDQuest8.0 software.Results 111 and 114 protein spots were captured from CSF of tuberculose meningitis and cryptococcus meningitis.The molecular weight of proteins ranged from 10 to 130 kDa.The isoelectric point (PI) was from 4.4 to 6.7.The matching rate of two groups was 95％.There were 24 differential proteins between two groups,of which 3 proteins were expressed only in tuberculous meningitis and 2 proteins expressed only in cryptococcal meningitis.19 matching protein point were two-fold differential expression.Conclusion 2-DE profiles with high resolution and reproducibility of CSF for tuberculous meningitis and cryptococcus meningitis are established,and some differences in protein expression exist between the two.%目的 比较分析结核性脑膜炎(TBM)与隐球菌性脑膜炎脑脊液的差异蛋白质,筛选二者的鉴别诊断标志物.方法 采用双向凝胶电泳技术对4例TBM和4例隐球菌性脑膜炎脑脊液蛋白进行电泳分离,以PDQuest8.0软件根据蛋白的等电点PI、分子量、匹配率、灰度值等进行差异蛋白描述性分析.结果 结核性、隐球菌性两组脑脊液分别检测到蛋白点数为111和114,蛋白点分子量均分布为10～130 kDa,等电点PI为4.4～6.7间.两组脑脊液蛋白图谱匹配率为95％,产生24个差异蛋白点,其中3个蛋白点只在TBM中表达,2个蛋白点只在隐球菌性脑膜炎中表达,19个匹配蛋白点存在2倍差异表达.结论 双向电泳技术可得到分辨率和重复率较高的结核性与隐球菌性脑膜炎脑脊液蛋白质凝胶图谱,二者存在差异蛋白点.

Control Adaptativo Fraccionario Optimizado por Algoritmos Genéticos, Aplicado a Reguladores Automáticos de Voltaje

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Marco E. Ortiz-Quisbert

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Resumen: En este trabajo se presenta la técnica del control adaptable de orden fraccionario por modelo de referencia (CAOFMR, aplicada a los reguladores automáticos de voltaje (RAV. El artículo se enfoca en el ajuste de las ganancias adaptables y los órdenes de derivación de las leyes de ajuste del controlador CAOFMR, determinados por la minimización de una función criterio definida para el modelo simplificado del RAV, mediante la utilización de la técnica de optimización de algoritmos genéticos (AG. En base a un criterio de evaluación propuesto por otros autores, se realizan comparaciones, por medio de simulaciones, de la técnica de control propuesta con los resultados obtenidos por la técnica de control PID de orden entero (OEPID (Zamani et al., 2009. Se muestra que el controlador CAOFMR con parámetros optimizados por AG, entrega mejores resultados en términos de robustez frente a variaciones en los parámetros del sistema controlado y mejoras en relación a la velocidad de convergencia hacia las señales de referencia del sistema RAV. Abstract: The technique Fractional Order Model Reference Adaptive Control (FOMRAC applied to an Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR is presented in this paper. The work is focused on tuning the adaptive gains and the derivation order of the adaptive laws of the FOMRAC, determined through the minimization of a criterion function defined for the simplified model of the AVR, by means of the genetic algorithm (GA optimization technique. Based on the criterion function proposed by other authors a simulated comparative study is performed, comparing the proposed methodology with the integer order PID control reported in (Zamani et al., 2009. It is shown that the FOMRAC with parameters optimized by GA provides better results in terms of robustness under parameters variations of the system under control and improvements in the convergence speed of the control error. Palabras clave: Control Adaptativo de

Justicia social y ambiental: mujeres por la soberanía alimentaria

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Angelica Velasco Sesma

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Dada la situación de crisis alimentaria, climática, energética y financiera a nivel internacional y el aumento del hambre en el mundo, numerosos movimientos sociales se han unido para luchar por la soberanía alimentaria y por la agricultura campesina. Las mujeres, como sujetos que desempeñan un rol fundamental en la actividad agraria, han manifestado, en la Declaración de las mujeres por la Soberanía Alimentaria, Nyéléni, Mali, 2007, que pretenden unir su lucha por la sostenibilidad con la reivindicación de sus derechos.

Caracterización de accidentes de trabajo por caída de objetos en empresas del sector hidrocarburos

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Gloria A. Jaramillo

2014-12-01

Full Text Available En una multinacional del sector de hidrocarburos prestadora de servicios de perforación y workover, que opera en las zonas de Tolima y Santander Colombia, se pudo desarrollar una investigación con el objetivo de describir la situación de accidentalidad causada por caída de objetos que se presenta en el área de taladros de perforación. La información se recolectó de los reportes de accidentes e incidentes que reposaban en la base de operaciones en Sopó entre el periodo 2010 y 2011. Al analizar los hallazgos se pudo evidenciar que son cuatro los agentes causales más significativos, dentro de los cuales están los denominados Golpes por objetos, ocupando un 68%; atrapado por o entre un objeto con 41%; caída de personas con un 30% y caída de objetos con 21 %. Este último hallazgo se deriva por la actividad propia de la perforación por la manipulación de llaves hidráulicas, objetos adicionales de acero, martillos, entre otros y su causa básica fue la falta de supervisión, liderazgo y/o planificación con 39%, seguida de procedimientos de trabajo inadecuados con el 22% y el mantenimiento inadecuado con el 11%, lo que concluye que en su mayoría son errores humanos.

Escenarios de costos generados por el uso del costeo variable

OpenAIRE

Zea Lourido, Felipe

2013-01-01

Este trabajo demuestra cómo el costeo absorbente, considerado por expertos en la materia, uno de los métodos de costeo usado frecuentemente por las organizaciones, con el propósito de determinar el valor de los inventarios y del costo de productos vendidos que intervienen en el estado de resultados para usuarios externos (stakeholders), al compararlo con el costeo variable, preferido por algunos administradores para toma de decisiones internas y usado en la preparación del estado de resultado...

Atención médica de lesiones intencionales provocadas por la violencia familiar

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Híjar-Medina Martha

2003-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Describir y analizar las características de la demanda provocada por lesiones intencionales, en especial las provocadas por violencia familiar en los servicios de urgencias de hospitales públicos de la Ciudad de México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio transversal, en el cual se incluyeron variables relacionadas con el agresor, el agredido y con la atención médica. Se diseñó un cuestionario, que se aplicó durante los meses de enero a abril de 1998 en cuatro hospitales seleccionados. Se realizó un análisis con base en frecuencias simples, ji cuadrado, razón de momios con sus respectivos intervalos de confianza de 95%, y se aplicó modelo de regresión logística ajustado por las variables asociadas con este tipo de demanda. RESULTADOS: De los 598 casos que presentaron lesiones intencionales, 16% correspondió a violencia familiar. Los más afectados fueron el sexo femenino (76%, y jóvenes entre 15 y 29 años de edad (46%. Las variables que se encontraron asociadas con la demanda por lesiones provocadas por violencia familiar, en comparación con otro tipo de violencia, fueron: edad mayor de 30 años (RM 2.36, IC 95% 1.13-4.90, sexo femenino (RM 8.60, IC 95%/4.25-17.40 antecedentes de lesiones previas (RM 4.93, IC 95% 2.03-11.95, el hogar como lugar de ocurrencia (RM 36.25, IC 95% 16.598-79.18 y escolaridad primaria o menos (RM 2.33, IC 95% 1.03-5.26. CONCLUSIONES: Los resultados encontrados coinciden con reportes de otros estudios sobre el tema, y son de gran utilidad como antecedentes para la aplicación de la Norma Oficial Mexicana para la Atención Médica de la Violencia Familiar, que entró en vigencia en marzo de 2000.

Elasticidad precio de la demanda por autopistas interurbanas en Chile

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Rodrigo Sanes

2013-01-01

transporte depende de la información que se disponga respecto a la elasticidad precio de la demanda por el uso de puentes, túneles y carreteras. El objetivo de este trabajo es estimar la elasticidad precio de la demanda por el uso de autopistas interurbanas en Chile utilizando el método de regresiones aparentemente no relacionadas (SUR y un panel de 48 datos mensuales obtenidos a partir de 21 plazas de peajes (48 x 21. Nuestros resultados muestran que, aún controlando por el precio de la gasolina y el nivel de actividad económica, la demanda por el uso de carreteras resulta ser muy inelástica al precio del peaje, con valores que oscilan entre -0,17 para automóviles y -0,05 para camiones.

Mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural en México, 1980-1997

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Ramírez-Espitia José A

2003-01-01

Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Describir la mortalidad en México por defectos del tubo neural, durante el periodo 1980-1997. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Las tasas anuales de mortalidad estatales y nacionales, por defectos del tubo neural, se calcularon por 10 000 nacidos vivos. La tendencia temporal fue evaluada por el porcentaje de cambio anual obtenido mediante un modelo de regresión de Poisson. Se calculó la razón de mortalidad, tomando la media nacional como referencia. Las tasas y las razones se representaron gráficamente en mapas. RESULTADOS: Durante el periodo la tasa bruta de mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural fue de 5.8 por 10 000 nacidos vivos. La anencefalia fue el tipo de defecto más frecuente (37.7%, seguida de la espina bífida sin hidrocefalia (31.6%. La tendencia nacional de la mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural fue ascendente entre 1980 y 1990 (porcentaje de cambio anual 7.5 IC 95% 6.5, 8.6 y descendente entre 1990-1997 (porcentaje de cambio anual -2.3 IC 95% -3.6, -0.9. CONCLUSIONES: Las altas tasas de mortalidad por defectos del tubo neural fueron debidas principalmente a la elevada frecuencia de las anencefalias. El incremento observado parece no ser sólo atribuible a cuestiones puramente diagnósticas o de mejora en los registros. La influencia de factores asociados a estos defectos, como determinados polimorfismos genéticos, la deficiencia de ácido fólico, la obesidad materna, la exposición laboral a plaguicidas y la pobreza deberán evaluarse mediante estudios específicos.