Partial sequence and toxic effects of granulitoxin, a neurotoxic peptide from the sea anemone Bunodosoma granulifera

A neurotoxic peptide, granulitoxin (GRX), was isolated from the sea anemone Bunodosoma granulifera. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of GRX is AKTGILDSDGPTVAGNSLSGT and its molecular mass is 4958 Da by electrospray mass spectrometry. This sequence presents a partial degree of homology with other toxins from sea anemones such as Bunodosoma caissarum, Anthopleura fuscoviridis and Anemonia sulcata. However, important differences were found: the first six amino acids of the sequence are different, Arg-14 was replaced by Ala and no cysteine residues were present in the partial sequence, while two cysteine residues were present in the first 21 amino acids of other toxins described above. Purified GRX injected ip (800 µg/kg) into mice produced severe neurotoxic effects such as circular movements, aggressive behavior, dyspnea, tonic-clonic convulsion and death. The 2-h LD50 of GRX was 400 ñ 83 µg/kg

An association of central post-stroke pain and thalamic hand

A mäo talâmica é um dos sinais clínicos na síndrome talâmica. Neste estudo é relatado o caso de uma paciente com síndrome de dor central (supratalamica) pos-ictal que apresenta também mäo talâmica. Os autores enfatizam a noçäo de que na síndrome de dor central pos-ictal, uma lesäo talâmica direta ou indireta (infra ou supratalâmica) é elemento fundamental para a gênese da dor central

A proposito de um caso de pupila tonica bilateral (sindrome de Holmes-Adie). / Apropos of a case of bilateral tonic pupil (Holmes-Adie's syndrome

Os autores apresentam um caso de pupila tonica e discutem aspectos clinicos e fisiopatologicos dessa sindrome. Eles fazem consideracoes sobre lacunas na compreensao da etiopatogenia da sindrome