BackgroundThe use of computerized image analysis for the study of nuclear texture features has provided important prognostic information for several neoplasias. Recently fractal characteristics of the chromatin structure in routinely stained smears have shown to be independent prognostic factors in acute leukemia. In the present study we investigated the influence of the fractal dimension (FD) of chromatin on survival of patients with multiple myeloma.MethodologyWe analyzed 67 newly diagnosed patients from our Institution treated in the Brazilian Multiple Myeloma Study Group. Diagnostic work-up consisted of peripheral blood counts, bone marrow cytology, bone radiograms, serum biochemistry and cytogenetics. The International Staging System (ISS) was used. In every patient, at least 40 digital nuclear images from diagnostic May-Grünwald-Giemsa stained bone marrow smears were acquired and transformed into pseudo-3D images. FD was determined by the Minkowski-Bouligand method extended to three dimensions. Goodness-of-fit of FD was estimated by the R2 values in the log-log plots. The influence of diagnostic features on overall survival was analyzed in Cox regressions. Patients that underwent autologous bone marrow transplantation were censored at the day of transplantation.Principal FindingsMedian age was 56 years. According to ISS, 14% of the patients were stage I, 39% were stage II and 47% were stage III. Additional features of a bad prognosis were observed in 46% of the cases. When stratifying for ISS, both FD and its goodness-of-fit were significant prognostic factors in univariate analyses. Patients with higher FD values or lower goodness-of-fit showed a worse outcome. In the multivariate Cox-regression, FD, R2, and ISS stage entered the final model, which showed to be stable in a bootstrap resampling study.ConclusionsFractal characteristics of the chromatin texture in routine cytological preparations revealed relevant prognostic information in patients with multiple myeloma.

Purpose: To investigate whether polydextrose stimulates iron absorption in rats submitted to partial gastrectomy and sham operated. Methods: The rats were submitted to partial gastrectomy (Billroth II) or laparotomy (sham-operated control), in groups of 20 and 20 each respectively. The animals were fed with a control diet (AIN-93M) without polydextrose or a diet containing polydextrose (50g/Kg of diet) for eight weeks. They were divided into four subgroups: sham-operated and Billroth II gastrectomy and with or without polydextrose. Two animals died during the experiment. All rats submitted to gastrectomy received B-12 vitamin (intramuscular) each two weeks. The hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration were measured at the start and on day 30 and 56 after the beginning of the experimental period. At the end of the study, the blood was collected for determination of serum iron concentration. Results: The diet with polydextrose reduced the excretion of iron. Apparent iron absorption was higher in the polydextrose fed groups than in the control group. The haematocrit and haemoglobin concentration were lower after Billroth II gastrectomy rats fed the control diet as compared to the polydextrose diet groups. Conclusion: Polydextrose increase iron absorption and prevents postgastrectomy anemia. Key words: Prebiotics. Gastrectomy. Iron. Anemia. Rats. RESUMOObjetivo: Investigar se a polidextrose estimula a absorção de ferro em ratos submetidos à gastrectomia parcial e sham operados. Métodos: Os ratos foram submetidos à gastrectomia parcial (Billroth II) e à laparotomia (controle sham-operados) em grupos de 20 e 20 cada, respectivamente. Os animais foram alimentados com uma dieta controle (AIN-93M), sem polidextrose ou uma dieta contendo polidextrose (50g/kg de dieta) durante oito semanas. Foram divididos em quatro grupos: sham-operados e com gastrectomia BII e com ou sem polidextrose. Dois animais morreram durante o experimento. Todos os ratos com gastrectomia receberam vitamina B-12 (intramuscular) a cada duas semanas. O hematócrito e a hemoglobina foram dosados no início e nos dias 30 e 56 após o início do período experimental. No final do estudo, o sangue foi coletado para determinação da concentração de ferro sérico. Resultados: A dieta com polidextrose reduziu a excreção de ferro e a absorção de ferro aparente foi maior nos grupos alimentados com polidextrose do que no grupo controle. As dosagens de hematócrito e hemoglobina foram menores em ratos com gastrectomia alimentados com a dieta controle em relação aos grupos de dieta com polidextrose. Conclusão: A polidextrose aumenta a absorção do ferro e previne a anemia pós-gastrectomia.

Hb-NI seems to be a good method in terms of precision and feasibility for anemia screening of blood donors as well as being much more comfortable for donors.

Neonatal thrombocytopenia is common among Brazilian newborns at rates comparable with those described among Caucasians. These data suggest that screening for genotypic HPA mismatch, followed by an HPA-specific immunoassay system, particularly for the HPA-5 system, among mothers of newborns with thrombocytopenia in our population would allow the identification of pregnancies at risk of alloimmune thrombocytopenia.