Abstract Microbialites are the most abundant life evidence in Precambrian sedimentary rocks. They are produced by microbial interaction activity and sedimentary processes reflecting paleoenvironmental conditions. The Ediacaran-Cambrian carbonate and siliciclastic successions in the Southern Amazon Craton in Central Brazil, provide a key opportunity to understand how the metazoan life coexisted with the microbial communities. The spatial and temporal distribution of microbialites as well as morphological and paleoenvironmental changes have been assessed, reinterpreting previous works and including new data from the Araras-Alto Paraguai and Corumbá basins. The deposition was controlled by subsidence and sea-level changes that affected these basins, considered extensions of epicontinental seas during the Gondwana assembly. The stromatolites are restricted to coastal deposits and experienced thriving flourishment intervals after the Marinoan Glaciation (635 Ma). Post-glacial transgression was marked by microbial colonization in shallow platforms represented by stratiform and giant domical stromatolites in the Araras-Alto Paraguai Basin. The continuity of the transgression generated a moderately deep aragonite sea at about 622 Ma. A progressive sea-level fall caused the implantation of coastal environments under greenhouse conditions with tidal flat and sabkha settings colonized by centimetric-scale stromatolites. The sea retreat was accompanied by progressive uplift, causing a moderate inversion of the basin and erosion of the succession until ~560 Ma with the deposition of the last preserved tidal flat deposits with the occurrence of thrombolites. The subsiding Corumbá Basin was the site of microbially-induced deposition of carbonates in a shallow platform connected to an offshore setting with the proliferation of metazoan straddling the Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary. Microbial communities were restricted to lagoon deposits during the Lower Cambrian transgression in the Araras-Alto Paraguai Basin and the last phase refers to the sea retreat towards southeast, developing a fluvial system connected with the arid and evaporitic tidal flats colonized by microbialites that lasted until the upper Cambrian. Except for the post-glacial stromatolites, the columnar and domal microbialite indicate that the coastal settings dominated the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. The preservation of microbialites in the post-glacial intervals can be associated with the Mg-Ca-CO3 oversaturation in dolomitic platforms. The rapid calcification and ability to resist the dissolution and replacement have increased the stromatolites’ preservation potential reported here, where its well-preserved occurrence in tidal flats and sabkha occurs due to intense early diagenetic silicification. The change from carbonate accumulation to siliciclastic-rich environments contributed to the demise of microbially-induced strata. In general, the scarce coexistence between coastal stromatolite and metazoan-bearing marine deposits makes it challenging to establish a competitive relationship between these organisms, as previously postulated.

Abstract Background: Sexually transmitted infections (STI) are a global public health problem. Urethritis are among the most common STIs, and can cause several complications and facilitate the transmission of the HIV virus. Objectives: To investigate the main etiologic agents of urethritis in 170 men treated at Fundação Alfredo da Matta. Methods: To identify the agents, urethral exudate and urine were collected. Gram and culture tests were performed in Thayer-Martin medium for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and polymerase chain reaction for Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Ureaplasma urealyticum, Ureaplasma parvum, Mycoplasma hominis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and herpes simplex types 1 and 2. Results: N. gonorrhoeae were identified in 102 (60.0%) patients, C. trachomatis in 50 (29.4%), U. urealyticum in 29 (17.0%), M. genitalium in 11 (6.5 %), U. parvum in ten (5.9%), and M. hominis in seven (4.1%). Herpes simplex type 2 was diagnosed in 24 (21.6%) of the 111 patients who underwent PCR for this pathogen. In 69 cases there was co-infection; the most frequent were: N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis in 21 (14.7%) patients; N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis in 21 (12.4%) patients; N. gonorrhoeae and herpes simplex type 2 in 11 (6.5%), and N. gonorrhoeae and U. urealyticum in nine (5.3%). Study limitations: Not relevant. Conclusion: N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis, U. urealyticum, and herpes simplex type 2 were the pathogens most frequently identified in the present study. The main coinfection found was N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis. T. vaginalis and herpes simplex type 1 were not identified in any of the patients.

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate capsules formed by microtextured silicone implants with and without Parietex® mesh coverage histologically. Methods Sixty Wistar rats were divided in two groups (meshed and unmeshed). Each group was, then, divided into two subgroups for evaluation at 30 and 90 days. Capsules were analyzed based on hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and picrosirius staining. Results The number of fibroblasts, neutrophils and macrophages was similar among all subgroups. There was a higher lymphocyte reaction in the 30-day meshed group (p = 0.003). Giant cell reaction, granulation tissue and neoangiogenesis were similar among the subgroups. Synovial metaplasia was milder at 90-day in the unmeshed (p = 0.002) and meshed group (p < 0.001). Capsular thickness was significantly greater in the meshed samples (30-day p < 0.001 and 90-day p < 0.001). There was a similar amount of collagen types I and III in both groups. Conclusions The mesh-covered implants produced capsules similar to the microtextured ones when analyzing inflammatory variables. Synovial metaplasia was milder at 90 than at 30 days, and the capsular thickness was significantly greater in the meshed group. A similar amount of collagen types I and III was observed. Due to these characteristics, the mesh coverage did not seem to significantly affect the local inflammatory activity.

RESUMO Introdução: a nefropatia obstrutiva é complicação frequente na evolução do câncer do colo uterino (CCU) avançado e a nefrostomia percutânea guiada por ultrassonografia (NFT) é uma técnica bem estabelecida para a rápida desobstrução ureteral. Objetivo: esclarecer os fatores relacionados à evolução ou não para óbito e qualidade de vida das pacientes com CCU avançado com complicações obstrutivas urinárias agudas e que, após desobstrução pela NFT, recuperaram fluxo urinário e função renal. Método: foi realizado estudo transversal analítico descritivo, que avaliou dois grupos de pacientes com CCU submetidas à NFT [óbito (GO) e sobrevida (GS)], em um hospital público, referência para doenças oncológicas da região Norte do país. Resultados: a creatinina sérica média inicial era >10 mg/dL pré-NFT e tornou-se <2 mg/dL após. Quanto à sobrevida, os pontos de corte de 8,7 g/dL de Hb e 27% de Ht melhor discriminaram a evolução dos grupos GO e GS (p=0,0241 e p=0,0065). Hipotensão se associou significantemente (p=0,0037) com a evolução para óbito. Variações na taxa de filtração glomerular, que já era reduzida em todos os casos, não se associaram aos níveis de Hb/Ht ou à evolução para óbito durante seguimento nefrológico. Conclusão: a NFT permitiu a recuperação da função renal em 61,7% das pacientes com CCU, dispensando terapia de substituição renal. Níveis de Hb >8,7 g/dL e Ht >27% estiveram associados a maior sobrevida, e a hipotensão durante o seguimento associou-se com evolução para óbito.

SUMMARY Introduction: Obstructive nephropathy is a frequent complication in the course of advanced cervical cancer (CC), and ultrasonography-guided percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) is a well established technique for fast ureteral desobstruction. Objective: To identify possible factors related to the survival and quality of life of patients with advanced CC presenting acute urinary obstructive complications that after desobstruction by PCN recovered urinary flux and renal function. Method: This is an analytical, descriptive, cross-sectional study that included 45 patients with CC who underwent PCN and were divided into 2 groups: “death” (DG) and “survival” (SG), in a public hospital that is reference for oncologic diseases in Northern Brazil. Results: The mean serum creatinine of the patients preceding PCN was >10 mg/dL, and after PCN <2 mg/dL. The cutoffs of 8.7 g/dL for Hb (p=0.0241) and 27% for Ht (p=0.0065) indicated the values that better discriminate the outcomes of the groups. The presence of low blood pressure was statistically correlated (p=0.0037) to the outcome “death”. Changes in glomerular filtration rate (already reduced in all cases) were not associated to the levels of Hb/Ht or to the outcome “death” during the nephrological follow-up. Conclusion: PCN was responsible for the recovery of renal function in 61.7% of the patients, leading to interruption of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in all of those patients. Hb levels >8.7g/dL and Ht >27% were associated to longer survival, and the presence of low blood pressure during follow-up was associated with progression to death.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a atividade da telomerase e da proliferação de células de melanoma HS839.T submetidas à ação do AZT. MÉTODOS: As células foram cultivadas, em triplicata, com diferentes concentrações de AZT: 50, 100 e 200µM, por 24h e 48h, seus efeitos comparados com o grupo controle. A atividade da telomerase foi detectada por PCR e a proliferação celular avaliada por MTT. RESULTADOS: No tempo de 24 horas, não houve inibição da proliferação celular e da atividade da telomerase em comparação com o grupo controle. No período de 48 horas, houve uma diminuição momentânea, sugerindo que as células das linhagens utilizadas neste estudo são sensíveis ao AZT, mas que recuperam a atividade enzimática e proliferativa. CONCLUSÃO: Nas células de melanoma HS839.T estudadas e nas concentrações e tempos propostos, a ação do AZT não inibiu a atividade da telomerase e não afetou a proliferação celular.

PURPOSE: To evaluate telomerase activity and proliferation of HS839.T melanoma cells, subjected to the action of AZT. METHODS: Cells were grown in triplicate, AZT at different concentrations: 50, 100 and 200μM, was added and left for 24 and 48 hours, and its effects were compared with the control group. Telomerase activity was detected by PCR and cell proliferation was evaluated by MTT. RESULTS: After 24 hours, there was no inhibition of cell proliferation or telomerase activity when compared to the control group. After 48 hours, there was a momentary decrease, suggesting that the cell lines used in this study are sensitive to AZT, but quickly recover both the enzyme activity and cell proliferation. CONCLUSION: The action of AZT on the melanoma cells studied, at the concentrations and times tested, did not inhibit telomerase activity nor affect cell proliferation.