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Pepper fruits, of Capsicum annuum cv. Padron, undergo changes in content of capsaicinoids, lignin, and free phenolics during the maturation process. Although capsaicinoids increase with development, the maximal levels of free phenolics and lignin are observed during the early stages of development. A decrease of peroxidase activity was observed during maturation, and this was related with a decrease in other physiological parameters studied, namely chlorophylls and pH. Subcellular fractionation studies reveal that most peroxidase activity is localized in the soluble fraction throughout development. The changes in the peroxidase activity were accompanied by changes in the different isoenzymes. Acidic isoenzymes increased whereas the basic isoenzymes decreased over the same period, and the changes in these isoenzymes were related with capsaicin metabolism.

We present a new indirect adaptive control law based on recurrent neural networks, which are linear on the input. For the identifier, we adapt a recently published algorithm to fit the neural network type used for identification; this algorithm ensures exponential stability for the identification error. The proposed controller is based on sliding mode techniques. Our main result, stated as a theorem, concerns tracking error asymptotic stability. Applicability of the proposed scheme is tested via simulations.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of intravenous sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate (DMPS, Dimaval) on urinary excretion of essential trace elements in subjects who received this chelating agent as a mercury challenge test., Subjects: Eleven subjects sought medical attention due to concern with the toxicity of mercury released from dental amalgam fillings., Design: The subjects were given DMPS 3 mg/kg intravenously. Spot urine samples were collected 1 hour before and 1 hour after the DMPS dose for laboratory analysis. In addition to mercury, the urinary excretion of copper, zinc, selenium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, chromium, cobalt, and aluminum were measured., Results: A significant increase in urinary excretion of mercury (3- to 107-fold) was observed after the DMPS dose. The DMPS treatment led to a 2- to 119-fold increase in copper excretion; 3- to 43.8-fold in selenium excretion; 1.6- to 44-fold in zinc excretion; and 1.75- to 42.7-fold in magnesium excretion. The excretion of manganese, chromium, cobalt, aluminium, and molybdenum remained unchanged., Conclusions: In this study, an intravenous DMPS challenge test produced a significant increase in mercury excretion and also led to an increased excretion of copper, selenium, zinc, and magnesium.

Prophylactic cholecystectomy for asymptomatic gallstones is still controversial. Aim of the study was to assess whether the determination of serum acute phase proteins (APP) could be utilized as a criterion for cholecystectomy, as they are suggestive of the presence in the blood of cytokines released from the inflamed gallbladder wall, even when clinical signs are missing. In 75 cases of gallstones, free from other coexistent inflammatory processes, red cell sedimentation rate, plasmatic cortisol, immunoglobulin (IgA, IgG, IgM), electrophoresis of the proteins, CPR, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, alfa-1-antitrypsin and bile culture have been detected. The patients have been subdivided into two groups: patients with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic disease and patients with a clear clinical pattern of acute cholecystitis. In the latter alfa-1-globulin, alfa-2-globulin, ESR, CPR and cortisol turned out to be significantly elevated, while in 20-30% of the former CPR, beta-globulin and cortisol were increased, too. The study demonstrates that among the patients with asymptomatic gallstones there is a population having PFA values higher than normal. This is suggestive of a cytokines activation which, when other inflammatory processes can be excluded, is likely due to gallbladder inflammation and surgery will likely be indicated.

There were no differences in both groups as tho the age of the patients; received doses of both types of FSH, nor HMG; but there was as to the amount of captured ovocytes, amount, and quality, embrionary, in special 1+ 2+ in favor of the group that received urofolitropine, specially under 35 years of age. In this study there was better qualy and amount, embrionary, obtained with the use of urofolitropine, as compared with FSH recombinant for in vitro fertilization.

The progesterone receptor contents in the cytosol of two of three samples of same tumor was measured in 19 cases of endometrial cancer. The receptor concentration in one sample of each tumor was calculated by Scatchard analysis of specific binding data; in the other, one or two samples of each tumor, the receptor concentration was calculated by using a single point. All tumors did have receptors at least in one of the two or three samples. Ten tumors showed certain consistency in the receptor content in the two or three samples. On the other hand, a striking variability in the receptor content between the two or three samples of each of the remaining tumors was found, ranging from zero to several hundred femtomoles/mg of protein. In seven cases, follow-up was possible during 66 months, and the response to progestagen treatment was independent from the progesterone-receptor content. Our results suggest that the analysis of a single site of a tumor would reveal values that might not be representative of the tumor and, furthermore, it would explain, at least partially, the uncertain response to progestagen therapy that has been frequently described.

Pepper fruits contain a peroxidase isoenzyme of basic pI, the peroxidase isoenzyme B6, located in vacuoles and the principal component of peroxidase polymorphism in the whole fruit. This isoenzyme was purified by preparative isoelectric focusing in glycerol-stabilized 3.0-10.0 pH gradients and characterized for its ability to oxidize capsaicin (8-methyl-N-vanillyl-6-nonenamide). Spectrophotometric studies illustrated that the capsaicin oxidation by pepper peroxidase isoenzyme B6 was H2O2-dependent and was totally abolished by antibodies raised against horseradish peroxidase. From these studies, it can be concluded that capsaicin is oxidized by pepper peroxidase isoenzyme B6, thus confirming a role for this peroxidase isoenzyme in capsaicin turnover and degradation.

Unlabeled serum samples from patients attended at the Emergency Department of our Hospital were collected for a 10-week period to measure the presence of anti-HIV antibodies and assess the prevalence of the infection in this population. Both suspected (with warning mark on samples) and non-suspected patients of having the infection were included. Concurrently, health care personnel in the Emergency Department were asked to complete a questionnaire on issues concerning the knowledge of this infection and the precautions to adopt. The compliance of these measures was verified. Only 3 from the 2,293 samples from nonsuspected patients were positive (0.13%). The 79 samples from suspected patients corresponded to 44 persons with previously known infection and 35 persons engaging in high-risk behaviours; from the latter group 11 were ultimately positive. Although health care personnel was aware of precautions, they only adopted them with suspected patients but incorrectly. Thus, there was inconsistency between the perceived risk by health care personnel and the precautions adopted. While the prevalence of HIV infection is still low in the attended population at the Emergency Department, efforts must be made to decrease accidental exposures, as an increase in its prevalence is to be expected.

An epidemic outbreak, caused by "Shigella sonnei" in a kindergarten, affecting a high percentage of children aged two to seven years is described. On searching into the sensitivity is isolated strains to a wide range of antibiotics, it was observed that all them showed resistance to sulphonamides and a 57.19% were also resistant to phosphomycin. After doing the pertinent investigations and epidemiological analysis possible mechanisms of illness, transmission and dissemination are studied, evaluating the clinical symptoms that these children showed as well as the clinical course after treatment with ampicillin.

We report a case of a 22 year-old drug addict man with overt heart failure and cardiomegaly. The patient had no prior history of tuberculosis and not clinical features to suggest this diagnosis. Tuberculosis myocarditis was found at the necropsy. It is important to point out the frequency of this pathology, the uncommon clinical presentation of this case; as well as the lack of immunologic response to the tuberculous bacillus.