Assessment of the acid phosphatase CP01850 from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis in DNA and subunit vaccine formulations against caseous lymphadenitis / Avaliação da fosfatase ácida recombinante CP01850 de Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis em formulações vacinais de subunidade e de DNA contra a linfadenite caseosa

The target cp1002_RS01850 from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis was used to construct a DNA and recombinant subunit vaccine against caseous lymphadenitis. Recombinant protein rCP01850 was expressed in Escherichia coli using pAE vector, and DNA vaccine was engineered with pTARGET vector. BALB/c mice were divided in five groups containing eight animals each, inoculated with: pTARGET/cp01850 as DNA vaccine (G1); rCP01850 plus Al (OH)3 as recombinant subunit vaccine (G2); pTARGET/cp01850 and a boost with rCP01850 plus Al (OH)3 (G3); pTARGET (G4); or Al (OH)3 (G5). Mice were inoculated and blood samples were collected on days 0, 21, and 42 for the analysis of total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a by ELISA. In each group, five animals were challenged with Mic-6 C. pseudotuberculosis strain, and three were used for cytokine quantification by qPCR. Although no group has been protected by vaccines against lethal challenge, G2 showed an increase in the survival rate after challenge. Significantly higher levels of IL-4, IL-12, IFN-γ, total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a were also detected for G2, evidencing a mixed Th1/Th2 immunological profile. In conclusion, despite no protection level provided by different vaccinal strategies using cp1002_RS01850 from C. pseudotuberculosis, G2 developed a Th1/Th2 immune response with an increase in survival rate.(AU)

O alvo cp1002_RS01850 de Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis foi utilizado para construir uma vacina recombinante de subunidade e de DNA contra a linfadenite caseosa. A proteína recombinante rCP01850 foi expressa em Escherichia coli usando o vetor pAE, e a vacina de DNA foi construída com o vetor pTARGET. Camundongos BALB/c foram divididos em grupos de oito animais, inoculados com: pTARGET/cp01850 como vacina de DNA (G1); rCP01850 e Al (OH)3 como vacina recombinante de subunidade (G2); pTARGET/cp01850 e um boost com rCP01850 e Al (OH)3 (G3); pTARGET (G4); ou Al (OH)3 (G5). Os animais foram inoculados e amostras de sangue foram coletadas nos dias 0, 21, e 42 do experimento para a análise de IgG total, IgG1 e IgG2a por ELISA. De cada grupo, cinco animais foram desafiados com a cepa Mic-6 de C. pseudotuberculosis, e três foram usados para a quantificação de citocinas por qPCR. Apesar de nenhum grupo ter sido protegido pelas vacinas testadas contra o desafio letal, G2 apresentou taxa de sobrevida e níveis de IL-4, IL-12, IFN-γ, IgG total, IgG1 e IgG2a significativamente mais altos, evidenciando um perfil imunológico misto Th1/Th2. Conclui-se que apesar das diferentes estratégias vacinais utilizando cp1002_RS01850 de C. pseudotuberculosis não terem sido capazes de gerar proteção, G2 desenvolveu uma resposta Th1/Th2 e elevou a taxa de sobrevida.(AU)

Morphometric and quantitative analysis of theafferent renal artery variation

The kidney is a retroperitoneal organ that weight from 125 to 170 g in the adult men and 115to 155 g in adult women. Irrigation kidney is characterized by the presence of large anatomical variability thatmay be influenced by ethnic and to a lesser extent by gender. Among the variations, there may be the presenceof an accessory renal artery that is projected into the upper or lower end of the kidney. This research aimsto observe the incidence of anatomical variations of the afferent renal artery and quantify both right and leftkidney weight.Materials and Methods:We analyzed kidney weights and accessory renal artery variations in48 adult kidneys of both genders obtained from Institute of Anatomy of the University of Severino Sombra.Subsequently, we compared the mean weights of kidneys in order to ascertain whether there was significantdiscrepancy between the left and the right kidney. For this, we performed the Student t test considering aP < 0.05.Results:The mean weight of the right kidney was 140.4 ± 22.6 g and the left was 148.8 ± 20.5 g.In 40% of right kidneys was observed anatomic variation with the presence of accessory renal artery. To the leftkidney was observed a variation of 35%.Conclusion:We found that the accessory renal artery, when present,was more closely related to the end of the kidney especially in the right kidney.

Prevalência de teníase no município de Pedra Branca Estado do Ceará, Brasil / Prevalence of taeniasis in municipal district Pedra Branca of Ceará State, Brazil

A teníase é reconhecida como importante problema de saúde pública em regiões onde as condições sanitárias são precárias e em países industrializados que recebem imigrantes de regiões onde a infecção é endêmica. O homem, responsável pela manutenção do ciclo parasitário, é o único hospedeiro da forma adulta dos parasitos Taenia solium e Taenia saginata. Apesar da importância do porco no ciclo de vida da Taenia solium, pouca atenção é dada em relação à infecção suína e humana. Estudo epidemiológico realizado no município de Pedra Branca no período de 1997 a 1998 demonstrou alto índice de carne de porco com cisticercose. O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar a prevalência de teníase na população de Pedra Branca a fim de identificar os casos de teníase. Para isso empregou-se o método de Kato modificado por Katz por ser de fácil execução e de nos fornecer preparações quase permanentes. Nesse estudo, foram analisadas 831 amostras, de indivíduos de ambos os sexos, na faixa etária de 02 a 70 anos, com 54 (6,5%) de positivas. Os resultados mostraram a prevalência de diferentes espécies de helmintos, onde a maior freqüência foi de Ascaris lumbricoides 19 (2,30%), seguido de ancilostomideos 12 (1,44%) e em terceiro de Taenia sp 10 (1,20%). A prevalência de teníase foi bastante significativa levando-se em consideração que o método utilizado não é específico para o diagnóstico de teníase.

Taeniasis are recognized as important public health problem in many developed countries for regions with bad sanitary conditions as well as for industrial countries in the cases of emigration from the regions with endemic infection. Human intestin is responsible for realization of the parasite cycle and is unique accommodation for adult parasite form: Taenia solium and Taenia saginata In spite of importance of pigs in the life cycle of Taenia solium, it was small attention to relation between human and pig infection. Epidemiological study accomplished in Pedra Branca in the period 1997–1998 demonstrated the high index of cysticercosis contamination of pork. The purpose of the present study was for measuring the prevalence of human taeniasis on the Pedra Branca population. For this it was used the Kato method, modificated by Katz in order to be easy in use and to supply the preparations quasi permanent. In this study were analyzed 831 samples of stool of persons of both sexes between 2 and 70 year, with 54 (6.5%) of positives. The results show prevalent of different types of helminths, where Ascaris lumbricoides 19 (2.30%) has the biggest index, second was ancilostomideos 12 (1.44%) and third Taenia sp 10 (1.20%). The prevalence of taeniasis was significant considering that the used method was not specific for it diagnostic.

Quantitative and descriptive analysis of the meniscotibial ligament in human corpses

The meniscotibial ligaments (LMT) of humans are capsular fibers with proximal origin in the lateral border of the menisci and distal insertion in the lateral border of the tibial condyle, also called coronary ligament of the knee. However, few studies describe the presence, course and anatomical variations of this ligament. Our objective was to evaluate the LMT through quantitative and descriptive methods. Eighty-five knees were examined(42 right knees [RK] and 43 left knees [LK]), dissected, evaluated, catalogued and photographed by four examiners. Twenty knees (23.53%) presented LMT, 6 (30%) in RK and 14 (70%) in LK. In two RKs, the LMT presented proximal insertion in the medial menisci and distal insertion in medial tibial condyle; in the other ones, the LMT presented proximal insertion in the lateral menisci and distal insertion in the lateral tibial condyle. In the LK, four LMT presented proximal insertion in the medial menisci and distal insertion in the medial tibial condyle, while the other ones presented proximal insertion in the lateral menisci and distal insertionin the lateral tibial condyle. One LMT in the LK presented proximal and distal insertion in both menisci and tibial condyle. The analysis of human corpses in our study suggests that the presence of the LMT is much more common in the LK than in the RK, with more frequent insertion in the proximal region of the lateral menisci and distal insertion in the lateral tibial condyle.

Quantification of the population and phagocytary activity of hemocytes of resistant and susceptible strains of Biomphalaria glabrata and Biomphalaria tenagophila infected with Schistosoma mansoni

Entre os fatores determinantes na resistencia e suscetibilidade da Biomphalaria ao Schistosoma mansoni, os hemocitos desempenharam importante papel. Com o objetivo de estudar as interacoes S. mansoni/Biomphalaria relativas aos hemocitos o primeiro passo e certamente relacionado a padronizacao desta populacao de celulas em Biomphalaria nao infectada. Desta forma a quantificacao desta populacao de celulas na hemolinfa bem como sua capacidade fagocitaria foi determinada pela primeira vez. Alem disso, usando cepas de B. glabrata e B. tenagophila suscetiveis e resistentes, o hemocitograma e a capacidade fagocitaria dos hemocitos, apos infeccao com S. mansoni, foram tambem determinados. Cepas de B. glabrata (BA e BH respectivamente) resistentes e suscetiveis bem como cepas de B. tenagophila (TAIM e CF respectivamente) foram infectadas com 10 miracidios das cepas LE e SJ de S. mansoni, respectivamente. Estes caramujos infectados e respectivos controles nao infectados foram avaliados em relacao ao numero de hemocitos circulantes e alteracao da capacidade fagocitaria, usando Zimozan e MTT...