Many conditions interfere with butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) activity, e.g., pregnancy or presence of the BCHE gene variant -116A can decrease activity whereas obesity and types I and II diabetes mellitus can increase activity. In this study, we examined BChE activity, -116A and 1615A BCHE gene variants, and anthropometric and biochemical variables associated with diabetes in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and in healthy pregnant women. BChE activity was measured spectrophotometrically using propionylthiocholine as substrate and genotyping of the -116 and 1615 sites of the BCHE gene was done with a TaqMan SNP genotyping assay. Three groups were studied: 150 patients with GDM, 295 healthy pregnant women and 156 non-pregnant healthy women. Mean BChE activity was significantly lower in healthy pregnant women than in women from the general population and was further reduced in GDM patients. BChE activity was significantly reduced in carriers of -116A in GDM patients and healthy pregnant women. Although GDM patients had a significantly higher mean body mass index (BMI) and triglycerides than healthy pregnant women, they had lower mean BChE activity, suggesting that the lowering effect of GDM on BChE activity was stronger than the characteristic enhancing effect of increased BMI and triglycerides.

The HIV epidemic has dramatically changed the paradigm for the development of drug therapy in the last 15 years. The goal is now not only to provide an effective reduction of plasma viremia , but also to reconstitute the immune deficiency due to the progression of the disease. Significant problems with the metabolism of sugars and lipids lead to the appearance of well-documented disorders such as insulin resistance, abnormalities in lipid metabolism and lipodystrophy in those patients on prolonged therapy with antiretrovirals. The question of whether or not HAART-associated lipid disorders contribute to the premature development of coronary artery disease is of major importance for the HIV community. Endothelial injury is associated with disease-related biochemical abnormalities that are implicated in HIV pathogenesis. The exploration of endothelial function began in the early 1980s at the start of the epidemic. The study of endothelial function in HIV infection and its modifications by HAART is an exciting new field in clinical research; in this review the available information on cardiovascular diseases associated with HIV infection and its treatment are discussed.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os efeitos de extratos aquosos de diferentes órgãos de Aristolochia esperanzae na germinação e no crescimento de alface e rabanete. Todos os extratos preparados obedeceram à proporção de 100g de material vegetal fresco para 300mL de água destilada, que produziu o extrato considerado 100% concentrado. A partir deste, foram feitas diluições com água destilada para 75, 50 e 25%. Nos testes de germinação foram avaliados os efeitos dos extratos obtidos de folha, caule, raiz, fruto e flor a 100, 75, 50 e 25%. Para o teste de crescimento foram utilizados extratos de folha, caule e raiz na concentração de 100 e 50%. Nos testes de germinação foram utilizadas quatro repetições de 30 sementes distribuídas em placas de Petri forradas com duas folhas de papel de filtro umedecidas com 5 mL dos referidos extratos, secas durante 12h e reumedecidas com 4,5mL de água destilada. No primeiro teste avaliou-se a percentagem e a velocidade de germinação das sementes. No teste de crescimento, as sementes foram previamente germinadas (2-4mm de radícula) e depois transferidas para caixas plásticas contendo os substratos de papel de filtro e fibra de coco umedecidos com os respectivos extratos. Avaliou-se a altura da parte aérea, o comprimento radicular, a massa seca das plântulas e a presença de anormalidades nas plântulas. Os testes foram mantidos à temperatura constante de 27ºC. Através dos resultados obtidos pode-se concluir que os extratos de folha foram os que mais afetaram a percentagem de germinação e que todos os extratos e as diferentes concentrações retardaram a germinação de sementes de alface e de rabanete. Quanto ao teste de crescimento, pode-se verificar que os extratos de caule e de raiz causaram anormalidades nas plântulas. As plântulas crescidas no substrato papel de filtro apresentaram maior inibição do crescimento, em relação àquelas crescidas no substrato fibra de coco. A concentração dos extratos foi a principal responsável pelo estímulo ou inibição causada no crescimento das plântulas de alface e rabanete.

This work analyzed the effects of aqueous extractsof Aristolochia esperanzae organs in the germination and initial growth of lettuce and radish. All the extracts were prepared using 100g of plant fresh material + 300mL of distilled water to produce the extract 100% concentrated. This extract was diluted with distilled water to produce a final concentrations of 75, 50 and 25%. The germination was evaluated by tests using the extracts of leaf, stem, root, fruit and flower, with concentration of 100, 75, 50, and 25%. In the seedlings growth, the extracts of leaf, stem, and root were used in the concentration of 100 and 50%. In the germination tests, four replicates of 30 seeds were distributed in Petri dishes with two filter paper moistened with 5mL of the extracts, dried during 12 hours and moistened again with 4,5mL of distilled water. In the first test, the rate and germination percentage were evaluated. In the growth test, the seeds were previously germinated (2-4mm radicle length) and transferred for plastic boxes containing the filter paper or coconut fiber, moistened with the extracts. The shoot height, radicle length, dry mass and the presence of abnormalities in the seedlings were evaluated. Both tests were maintained at constant temperature (27ºC). The results showed that the leaf extracts affected strongly the germination percentage and all the extract, in different concentrations, delayed the germination of lettuce and radish seeds. In the growth tests could be verified that the stem and root extracts caused abnormality in the seedlings. The seedlings grown in filter paper presented bigger growth inhibition in relation to seedlings from coconut fiber. The extract concentration was the main responsible for the promotion or inhibition caused on lettuce and radish seedlings growth.

A citomegalovirose é das infecções congênitas mais prevalentes, acometendo de 0,4% a 2,3% dos nascidos vivos. A maioria dos recém-nascidos (RN) infectados é assintomática, mas até 10% desenvolvem seqüelas variadas, principalmente neurossensoriais. Objetivamos determinar a prevalência do CMV na urina de RN através da PCR, correlacionando-a a alguns achados perinatais. Analisamos amostras de urina colhidas na 1ª semana de vida de 292 RN do HC-UFMG, todos internados na unidade neonatal de alto risco. DNA viral foi amplificado segundo protocolo de PCR. Os dados perinatais foram colhidos retrospectivamente de registros médicos. Na população estudada, 20 dos 292 casos (6,8%) mostraram positividade para o DNA-CMV. Não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre os RN com e os sem infecção congênita pelo CMV quanto a peso ao nascer (p=0,11), idade gestacional (p=0,11), índice de Apgar no 1º e 5º minutos (p=0,99 e 0,16), idade da mãe (p=0,67) e história gestacional materna. Também não se observou associação da infecção congênita pelo CMV com baixo peso ao nascer (p=0,13) ou sexo do RN (p=0,55). A alta prevalência da infecção congênita neste estudo (6,8%) pode ser devida à elevada sensibilidade da PCR, ao baixo nível sócio-econômico da população estudada ou às características clínicas mais graves desses RN.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common congenital infection, affecting 0.4% to 2.3% newborns. Most of them are asymptomatic at birth, but later 10% develop handicaps, mainly neurological disturbances. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of CMV shed in urine of newborns from a neonatal intensive care unit using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and correlate positive cases to some perinatal aspects. Urine samples obtained at first week of life were processed according to a PCR protocol. Perinatal data were collected retrospectively from medical records. Twenty of the 292 cases (6.8%) were CMV-DNA positive. There was no statistical difference between newborns with and without CMV congenital infection concerning birth weight (p=0.11), gestational age (p=0.11), Apgar scores in the first and fifth minutes of life (p=0.99 and 0.16), mother's age (p=0.67) and gestational history. Moreover, CMV congenital infection was neither related to gender (p=0.55) nor to low weight (<2,500g) at birth (p=0.13). This high prevalence of CMV congenital infection (6.8%) could be due to the high sensitivity of PCR technique, the low socioeconomic level of studied population or the severe clinical status of these newborns.