Longitudinal evaluation of humoral immune response and merozoite surface antigen diversity in calves naturally infected with Babesia bovis, in São Paulo, Brazil / Avaliação longitudinal da resposta immune humoral e diversidade de antígenos de superfície de merozoítos em bezerros naturalmente infectados com Babesia bovis, em São Paulo, Brasil

Abstract Babesiosis is an economically important infectious disease affecting cattle worldwide. In order to longitudinally evaluate the humoral immune response against Babesia bovis and the merozoite surface antigen diversity of B. bovis among naturally infected calves in Taiaçu, Brazil, serum and DNA samples from 15 calves were obtained quarterly, from their birth to 12 months of age. Anti-B. bovis IgG antibodies were detected by means of the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate the genetic diversity of B. bovis, based on the genes that encode merozoite surface antigens (MSA-1, MSA-2b and MSA-2c). The serological results demonstrated that up to six months of age, all the calves developed active immunity against B. bovis. Among the 75 DNA samples evaluated, 2, 4 and 5 sequences of the genes msa-1, msa-2b and msa-2c were obtained. The present study demonstrated that the msa-1 and msa-2b genes sequences amplified from blood DNA of calves positive to B. bovis from Taiaçu were genetically distinct, and that msa-2c was conserved. All animals were serologically positive to ELISA and IFAT, which used full repertoire of parasite antigens in despite of the genetic diversity of MSAs.

Resumo A babesiose é uma doença infecciosa economicamente importante que afeta o gado bovino em todo o mundo. Para avaliar longitudinalmente a resposta imune humoral contra B. bovis e a diversidade genética de antígenos de superfície de merozoítos de B. bovis, entre bezerros naturalmente infectados em Taiaçu, Brasil, amostras de soro e DNA de 15 bezerros, foram obtidos trimestralmente, desde o nascimento até aos 12 meses de idade. Os anticorpos IgG para B. bovis foram detectados pelos testes de Imunofluorescência Indireta e Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Enzimático Indireto. A Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase foi utilizada para investigar a diversidade genética de B. bovis, com base em genes que codificam antígenos de superfície de merozoítos (MSA-1, MSA-2b e MSA-2c). Os resultados da sorologia demonstraram que até seis meses de idade todos os bezerros desenvolveram imunidade ativa contra B. bovis. Entre as 75 amostras de DNA avaliadas, foram obtidas 2, 4 e 5 sequências dos genes msa-1, msa-2b e msa-2c. O presente trabalho demonstrou que as sequências dos genes msa-1 e msa-2b amplificadas do DNA do sangue de amostras positivas a B. bovis de bezerros de Taiaçu foram geneticamente distintas, e msa-2c conservadas. Todos os animais foram soropositivos ao ELISA e ao IFAT, os quais utilizaram o repertório completo de antígenos parasitários, apesar da diversidade genética dos MSAs.

Percepción parental de la salud psicofísica, estado nutricional y salud bucal, en relación con características sociodemográficas en niños de Bariloche, Argentina: estudio epidemiológico / Parental perception of psychophysical health, nutritional status and oral health in relation to sociodemographic characteristics in children in Bariloche, Argentina: an epidemiological study

Introducción. Existen evidencias de la asociación de determinantes sociales con la salud infantil. Objetivo. Identificar características sociodemográficas asociadas a desigualdades en la salud infantil y evaluar el efecto acumulado sobre la salud de factores de riesgo basados en estas características. Población y métodos. Evaluamos niños de 4-13 años, de Bariloche, entre junio de 2008 y mayo de 2009. Características sociodemográficas consideradas: nivel socioeconómico, educación materna, embarazo adolescente, cobertura médica, inseguridad y hábitos familiares. Valoramos la percepción parental de la salud física y socioemocional, el estado nutricional y la salud bucal en relación con dichas características y con la acumulación de factores de riesgo. Utilizamos encuesta, antropometría y examen bucal. Resultados. Participaron 180 escolares. El nivel educativo materno se asoció con la salud física, socioemocional y bucal del niño. El porcentaje de niños con piezas faltantes o caries fue 77% entre aquellos cuyas madres, como máximo, habían completado el primario, comparado con 13% entre aquellos cuyas madres habían completado estudios terciarios/universitarios. La posibilidad de percepción de salud física y socioemocional no óptima aumentó con cada factor de riesgo 1,8 y 1,4 veces, respectivamente, y la posibilidad de caries o piezas faltantes se duplicó con cada factor de riesgo adicional. El 27,3% de los escolares presentó sobrepeso y el 8,7%, obesidad, y no se encontró asociación con características sociodemográficas. Conclusiones. El bajo nivel socioeconómico familiar y educativo materno se asoció con una mayor prevalencia de resultados de salud desfavorables. Múltiples factores de riesgo tienen un efecto acumulado sobre la percepción parental de la salud física y socioemocional y la salud bucal.

Introduction. There is evidence of an association between social determinants and child health. Objective. To identify sociodemographic characteristics related to child health inequalities and to analize the cumulative effect on health of risk factors based on these characteristics. Population and Methods. We evaluated 4-13 year-old children in Bariloche between June 2008 and May 2009. The following sociodemographic characteristics were taken into account: socioeconomic level, maternal education, adolescent pregnancy, medical coverage, unsafeness, and family habits. We assessed parental perception of physical, and social and emotional health, nutritional status and oral health in relation to these characteristics and the accumulation of risk factors. We used survey, anthropometry and oral examination. Results. One hundred and eighty students participated. The level of maternal education was associated with the child's physical, social and emotional, and oral health. The percentage of children with missing teeth or cavities reached 77% among those whose mothers had, at most, completed primary school, compared to 13% among those whose mothers had completed tertiary school or university. The possibility of perceiving a non-optimal physical, and social and emotional health increased 1.8 and 1.4 times with each risk factor, respectively, and the possibility of having missing teeth or cavities was twice as much with each additional risk factor. Overweight and obesity was observed in 27.3% and 8.7% of students, respectively, and no relationship was found with sociodemographic characteristics. Conclusions. A low family socioeconomic level and a low maternal education level were associated with a higher prevalence of unfavorable health outcomes. Multiple risk factors have an cumulative effect on parental perception of physical, social and emotional, and oral health.

PGC and PSMA in prostate cancer diagnosis: tissue analysis from biopsy samples

Purpose The discovery of new diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) has become an important field of research. In this study, we analyzed the diagnostic value of the expression of the pepsinogen C (PGC) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) genes in tissue samples obtained from prostate biopsies. Materials and Methods This study was comprised of 51 consecutive patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies between January 2010 and March 2010. The biopsies were performed with 12 cores, and an additional core was randomly retrieved from the peripheral zone from each patient for study purposes. The expression of the PGC and PSMA genes was analyzed from the cDNA from the samples via the qRT-PCR technology. The expression patterns of patients with PCa were compared with those of patients without a PCa diagnosis. Results PSMA was overexpressed in only 43.4% of PCa cases, and PGC was overexpressed in 72.7% of cases. The median expression of PSMA was 1.5 times (0.1 to 43.9) and the median PGC expression was 8.7 times (0.1 to 50.0) the expression observed in prostatic tissue from TRUS-guided biopsies of normal patients. Analysis of patients with high-risk PCa indicated that PGC was overexpressed in 71.4% of cases (with a median expression of 10.6 times), and PSMA was overexpressed in only 35.7% of cases (with a median expression of 4.5 times). Among patients with low-risk PCa, PGC was also overexpressed in 71.4% of cases (with a median expression of 5.9 times), and PSMA was overexpressed in only 42.8% of cases (with a median expression of 2.5 times). Conclusions PGC gene expression is significantly higher in prostatic tissue in men affected by PCa when compared to normal prostates. Further analyses are necessary to confirm our results. .

Caracterización de accesiones de papaya (Carica papaya L)a través de marcadores AFLP en Cuba / Characterising Cuban papaya accessions (Carica papaya L) by AFLP markers

Los marcadores moleculares son herramientas valiosas en los estudios genéticos en plantas, y están siendo empleados exitosamente en programas de mejoramiento principalmente en la elección de progenitores y en la selección. El polimorfismo observado mediante la técnica molecular AFLP (Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism) ha sido de utilidad para estudios de diversidad genética en frutales. En el presente trabajo se realizó la caracterización molecular de 12 accesiones de papaya (Carica papaya L.) del banco de germoplasma del Instituto de Investigaciones en Fruticultura Tropical (IIFT), empleando la técnica AFLP. Se evaluaronseis combinaciones de iniciadores para la amplificación selectiva, las cuales amplificaron un total de 431 bandascon 73,3% de polimorfismo. El número total de patrones de bandas identificados fue igual en todas las combinaciones utilizadas, con un porcentaje de identificación alto, lo que sugiere que dichas combinaciones pudieran ser empleadas para estudios de variabilidad genética en papaya. En general, los resultados presentados demuestran que existe diversidad genética entre las accesiones evaluadas, lo cual constituye un reflejo del origen que presentan los genotipos analizados a partir de la introducción de materiales foráneos y la polinización abierta de un grupo de materiales selectos. Por tanto, se recomienda retomar la prospección y selecciónde accesiones locales, así como la introducción de nuevos genotipos foráneos, como dos vías fundamentalespara aumentar la diversidad genética presente en el banco de germoplasma de papaya de Cuba.

Molecular markers are valuable tools for genetic studies in plants and they are often used successfully in genetic breeding, mainly for choosing progenitors and selection. Polymorphism observed by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) has been useful for genetic diversity studies in fruit trees. Twelve papaya accessions from the Tropical Fruit Crop Research Institute germplasm bank were molecularly characterised by AFLP. 431 bands having 73.3% polymorphism were obtained using 6 primer combinations. The total number of band patterns identified was the same in all combinations assayed with a high percentage of identification, suggesting that such primer combinations could be used for genetic variability studies in papaya.The results demonstrated genetic diversity among the papaya accessions evaluated, indicating the origin ofthe analysed genotypes from exogenous material and open pollination of a selected group of material. It is thus recommended that local accessions and their selection be monitored as well as the introduction of new foreign genotypes as two ways of increasing the genetic diversity of the Cuban papaya germplasm bank.

Síndrome de McLeod: compromiso multisistémico asociado a neuroacantocitosis ligada al cromosoma X, en una familia chilena / McLeod syndrome: Multisystem involvement associated with neuroacanthocytosis linked to X chromosome. Report of two related cases

Neurological abnormalities associated with spiculated, "acanthocytic" red cells in blood have been described as neuroacanthocytosis. This is a heterogeneous group of conditions that can be clearly subdivided on the basis of recent genetic findings. The McLeod Syndrome, one of the core neuroacanthocytosis syndromes, is a rare X-linked disorder caused by mutations of the XK gene, an X-chromosomal gene of unknown function characterized by haemopoietic abnormalities and late-onset neurological and muscular defects. We report two Chilean brothers with the McLeod phenotype who showed important psychiatric features. The diagnosis may be elusive if the presence of acanthocytosis is not properly studied. We describe a method which allowed the diagnosis that unmasked acanthocytosis. Otherwise the condition could have remained undiagnosed as it had been for decades in this family. This syndrome must be considered when assessing a familial movement disorder, specially affecting males with relevant psychiatric features. A reliable test for acanthocytosis assessment is available.

Antigenic variation at the surface of infected erythrocytes in plasmodium falciparum

Os membros da família dos genes var de Plasmodium falciparum codificam para receptores que desempenham um papel importante na patogenicidade da malária. O mecanismo responsável pela seleçäo da expressäo dos diferentes membros da família dos genes var ("switching") tem sido estdado utilizando populações de parasitas clonados, selecionados por suas características adesivas. O parasita expressa um único gene var o estágio de trofozoíto do seu ciclo de vida. Análises dos sítios de expressäo, ativos ou inativos, dos genes var demonstraram que o controle da expressäo ocorre durante a transcriçäo e a ativaçäo destes genes ocorre "in situ". Observamos que näo há sobreposiçäo no repertório dos genes var para diferentes isolados de laboratório, sugerindo desta maneira a existência de mecanismos para a geraçäo de diversidade desta família gênica. Experimentos de "fluorescence in situ hybridization" (FISH) mostraram que as extremidades dos cromossomos de P. falciparum estäo fisicamente associados e que esta formaçäo é importante para a geraçäo da diversidade dos genes var.

Genoma del Trypanosoma cruzi: correlacion entre el mapa transcripcional y el cariotipo caracterizacion molecular de un antigeno de superficie de la familia TC13 / Trypanosoma cruzi genome: transcriptional mapping and karyotype correlation: molecular characterization of a surface antigen from the Tc13 family

En este trabajo se describe la realización de un mapeo del genoma del parásito causal de la enfermedad de Chagas, el Trypanosoma cruzi, hibridando una genoteca construída en cósmidos y grillada en filtros de alta densidad, utilizando como sondas clones de AND copia provenientes de una genoteca de expresión en epimastigotes. Se muestra además la correlación de secuencias superpuestas de cósmidos (contigs) con bandas cromosomales del parásito. Utilizando estas mismas genotecas generadas por el Proyecto Genoma de T. cruzi, se caracterizó un nuevo miembro de la familia Tc 13 de la superfamilia de antígenos de superficie de tripomastigotes. A partir de un clon de la cepa Tulahuén stock. Tul2, con homología con estos antígenos, se secuenció y caracterizó el gen completo en la cepa de referencia CL clon CL Brener, encontrándose además homología con diferentes ESTs, lo cual posibilitaria conocer en su totalidad a esta familia de antígenos.

The merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) gene of Plasmodium falciparum from a Thai isolate.

The merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) of Plasmodium falciparum was a malaria vaccine candidate. The gene encoding MSP2 of a Thai isolate was amplified by polymerase chain reaction followed by subcloning into a phagemid vector and sequencing. Sequence alignment with other previously published sequences revealed that the MSP2 allele in this isolate belonged to FC27 allelic family. The central variable sequence of the MSP2 allele in this study was related to an allele from Indonesia. The flanking sequences of the variable region were highly conserved.