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Altered reinforcement sensitivity is hypothesized to underlie symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Here we evaluate the behavioral sensitivity of Brazilian children with and without ADHD to a change in reward availability. Forty typically developing children and 32 diagnosed with DSM-IV ADHD completed a signal-detection task in which correct discriminations between two stimuli were associated with different frequencies of reinforcement. The response alternative associated with the higher rate of reinforcement switched, without warning, after 30 rewards were delivered. The task continued until another 30 rewards were delivered. Both groups of children developed a response bias toward the initially more frequently reinforced alternative. This effect was larger in the control group. The response allocation of the two groups changed following the shift in reward availability. Over time the ADHD group developed a significant response bias toward the now more frequently reinforced alternative. In contrast, the bias of the control group stayed near zero after an initial decline following the contingency change. The overall shift in bias was similar for the two groups. The behavior of both groups of children was sensitive to the asymmetric reward distribution and to the change in reward availability. Subtle group differences in response patterns emerged, possibly reflecting differences in the time frame of reward effects and sensitivity to reward exposure.

Purpose: To evaluate the expression of neurotrophic (NGF, NPY and VIP) and pro-inflammatory (TNF-α) mediators in the rectum and sigmoid fragments compromised by endometriosis., Methods: Twenty-four patients were selected to undergo surgical treatment of endometriosis of the rectum and sigmoid colon with a segmental resection technique, followed by end-to-end anastomosis with a circular stapler from January 2005 to December 2007. The study included premenopausal women who underwent surgical treatment for deep endometriosis infiltrating the rectum with involvement of the rectum and sigmoid, reaching the level of the muscle layer, submucosa or mucosa. Twenty-four rectum and sigmoid fragments with histologically confirmed endometriosis, one from each of the 24 selected patients, were used for the study group. For the control group, we used a fragment of the distal resection margin called anastomosis ring from each of the 24 patients enrolled in the study. Samples were grouped into Tissue Micro Array (TMA) blocks and subjected to immunohistochemistry to evaluate the expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), nerve growth factor (NGF), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and P vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), followed by semiquantitative analysis of immunostaining by reading the relative optical density (OD)., Results: There was higher optical density relative to TNF-α immunostaining and NGF in the study group (samples with intestinal endometriosis), DO=0.01, for the two proteins, respectively (p<0.05), compared to controls without endometriosis. There was no statistically significant difference in the optical density of immunostaining of NPY and VIP., Conclusion: We identified increased immunostaining of TNF-α antibodies and fragments of NGF in the rectum and sigmoid compromised by endometriosis compared to disease-free controls. We did not identify any statistical difference in immunostaining of NPY and VIP proteins.

This case report describes use of a porcine small intestinal submucosa patch to prevent vaginal stiffness and retraction after extensive vaginal resection of an endometriosis nodule. A 32-year-old nulliparous woman was referred for surgical treatment of a large rectovaginal nodule that extended from the vaginal to the rectal mucosa. Surgical treatment was performed in 2 steps. Initially, a laparoscopic rectal resection was performed without opening the vagina to reduce the risk of fistula formation; 6 months later, the patient underwent a laparoscopic second-look combined with the vaginal approach to remove remaining disease. A small intestinal submucosa patch was successfully used to prevent vaginal shortening.

Purpose: to evaluate the effects of tamoxifen on the expression of TGF-beta and p27 proteins in polyps and adjacent endometrium of women after menopause., Methods: prospective study with 30 post-menopausal women with diagnosis of breast cancer, taking tamoxifen (20 mg/day), presenting diagnosis of suspect endometrial polyps through transvaginal ultrasonography, and submitted to diagnostic and surgical hysterectomy to withdraw the polyps and adjacent endometrium. A immunohistochemical study has been done to verify the expression of the TGF-beta and p27 proteins in the polyps and adjacent endometrium. These proteins' quantification has been done by morphometry., Results: the patients' average age was 61.7 years old; their average age at the menopause onset was 49.5; and the average of using tamoxifen was 25.3 months. The average concentration of positive cells for TGF-beta protein in the glandular and stroma polyp epithelium was 62.6+/-4.5 cells/mm(2). For the p27, in the glandular polyp epithelium, it was 24.2+/-18.6 cells/mm(2) and for the stroma, 19.2+/-15.2 cells/mm(2). There was no significant difference between the expression of TGF-beta and p27 in the glandular epithelial form the polyps and the adjacent endometrium. The expression of proteins in the polyp and adjacent endometrium with its respective glandular and stroma epithelium showed a significant difference for the p27 protein (r=0.9, p<0.05)., Conclusions: we have concluded that the TGF-beta expression is not related to the effect of tamoxifen on the growing of endometrial polyps, but the absence of polyps' malignization by tamoxifen may be explained by the high expression of p27 protein in its glandular epithelium.

Purpose: to evaluate the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of double contrast barium enema (DCBE) for the diagnoses of rectum and sigmoid endometriosis., Methods: prospective transversal study including 37 patients with suspicion of deep endometriosis. Patients were submitted to DCBE, according to the standard technique described in the literature, and then, to laparoscopy. The results of laparoscopy and the DCBE images were interpreted and compared, based on the histological evaluation. Statistical analysis was done by association (chi2 test) and agreement analyses (Kappa's test)., Results: patients' average age was 35.8+/-4.4 years old (age group from 28 to 48 years), 85.6% of them being white and 14.4%, black women. Deep endometriosis was confirmed by laparoscopy and histological exam in all the studied patients. Intestinal endometriosis was confirmed by histological exam in 27 women (72.9%) of them. DCBE demonstrated suggestive radiologic signs of intestinal infiltration by endometriosis in 24 women (64.9%) and no signs in 13 women (35.1%). The method sensitivity was 67.5%, specificity 53.8%, positive predictive value, 77.8% and negative predictive value, 70%. Among the 24 abnormal exams, 16 (43.2%) presented radiologic speculum-type image, 16 (43.2%), an image compatible with stenosis, and four (10.8%), double contour., Conclusions: the DCBE presents high sensitivity and high positive predictive value, in the diagnosis of the rectum and sigmoid endometriosis. Radiologic images speculum and stenosis-type present high sensitivity and positive predictive value for the intestinal infiltration by endometriosis.

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection has not been reported as a major opportunistic infection among patients with AIDS in Latin America or Africa. In this study, 125 AIDS patients who had persistent fever, anemia, and leukopenia were examined among 2628 AIDS patients admitted to Instituto de Infectologia Emilio Ribas between May 1990 and April 1992. From the bone marrow aspirates of the 125 patients, MAC was isolated from 23 (18.4%) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was isolated from 9 (7.2%). Between 1985 and 1990, only 11 MAC isolations among 60,000 cultures obtained from human immunodeficiency virus-seronegative patients were documented in São Paulo. Hence, the minimal estimated rate of MAC infection in AIDS patients in this city was 23/2628, or 0.88%. These findings suggest that MAC infection is an important opportunistic infection, especially among a subset of patients with AIDS in Brazil who have clinical characteristics and risk activities similar to those associated with MAC infections in North America and Europe.

Unlabelled: A total of 112 AIDS and no AIDS cryptococcosis patients admitted at Emílio Ribas Hospital--São Paulo, Brazil, were treated with amphotericin B (AMB) or amphotericin B and 5 fluorocytosine (5FC). Age, race, predisposing and epidemiological factors, respiratory symptoms were evaluated. Goodman tests applied in three patients groups (I, II and III) with associate or unique therapy revealed: 1. prognostic factors: leukocytes ang glucose showed similar response in groups I, II and III and protein spinal fluid after 1.5g/AMB; 2. India ink tests and Cryptococcus culture were often positive until 1.0g/AMB; 3. significant hypokalemia during monotherapy. Hypo and hyperkalemia had similar data in associate therapy; 4. significant difference in adverse reactions often appeared above 0.7g AMB/250g 5FC; 5. early and late death were common in group III (unique) and group I (no AIDS) and III (2.5 to 4.0g) respectively; 6. similar remission and deaths were verified in AIDS/cryptococcosis., Conclusions: adverse reactions were observed above 0.75g/AMB plus 250g 5FC. Association was important in initial therapy and AMB maintenance permitted late relapses.

We studied the effect of 1-beta-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-traizole-3-carboxamide (ribavirin) on 66 patients with acute viral hepatitis, by a double-blind study. Thirty-three of these patients received the active drug and the other 33 received a placebo. The effect of ribavirin was evaluated by the clinical picture and by the changes in both direct and total serum bilirubin and in the activity of serum glutamic-pyruvic and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminases. There was a significant decrease in serum bilirubin, SGOT, and SGPT from the 5th to 10th day of treatment in the ribavirin group. In the placebo group such a decrease was observed but was not statistically significant.

The monobactam aztreonam was used to treat 22 young patients with meningitis caused by gram-negative bacilli. Haemophilus influenzae was isolated from the CSF of 21 patients and Salmonella heidelberg from the CSF of 1. Dosages ranged from 100 to 200 mg/kg/day in 4 doses at 6-hour intervals. Minimal inhibitory concentrations were determined by the broth dilution method for all isolated strains, and values ranged from 0.05 to 2.0 micrograms/ml. Blood and CSF drug levels were determined by a microbiologic plate diffusion method, and mean values for CSF and blood were 1.4 and 14.9 micrograms/ml, respectively. The outcome was good in 21 patients; 1 patient died. Complications were mild; subdural effusion occurred in 6 cases and was managed clinically; asymptomatic hydrocephalus was seen in 4; seizure during the acute phase occurred in 6 cases; hypoacusis was noted in 2, and motor impairment was detected at the follow-up in 1 case. Aztreonam achieved good blood and CSF penetration and performed well in the treatment of 20 cases of H. influenzae meningitis and in the one case of S. heidelberg meningitis.