American visceral leishmaniasis: disease control strategies in Dracena microregion in Alta Paulista, SP, Brazil

Despite measures adopted to control American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL), the disease is spreading in a fast and worrying way throughout western São Paulo state. The aim of this work was to study the variables involved in the disease cycle as well as the effectiveness of controlling measures. The study was carried out in the microregion of Dracena, which is composed of twelve cities and belongs to Alta Paulista, a region of western São Paulo. The necessary data were provided by the Superintendence for Endemic Disease Control and Adolfo Lutz Institute, Regional Laboratory of Presidente Prudente. From August 2005 to January 2008, the following factors were observed: detection of phlebotomine sandflies in the cities and periods in which dogs or humans were diagnosed; number of human deaths; prevalence of suspected dogs tested by serology; percentage of euthanasia in suspected dogs; a possible correlation between positive dogs and cases of the disease in humans; and the disease prevalence among municipalities from the studied region. It was verified that, despite the strategies adopted in Dracena microregion to control AVL, the disease continues to rise. Thus, some procedures of the AVL Monitoring and Control Program should be reviewed, to grant the initiative more credibility and effectiveness.

Características seminais, corpóreas e anatômicas do aparelho reprodutor de reprodutores da raça canchim aos 14 e 48 meses de idade. / Anatomical, corporal and seminal characteristics of the reproductive system of canchim breed reproductors at ages from 14 to 48 months / Características seminales, corpóreas y anatómicas del aparato reproductor de reproductores de la raza canchim a los 14 y 48 meses de edad

Foram utilizados 20 touros da raça Canchim em inatividade sexual, divididos em grupo 1 (G1), constituído de 10 animais com 14 meses de idade e grupo 2 (G2), com 10 animais de 48 meses de idade. A proposta desse estudo foi investigar as características dos ejaculados e das mensurações anatômicas do trato reprodutivo da raça Canchim. Os parâmetros obtidos foram: peso médio de 445,5 e 706,02 kg; circunferência escrotal de 31,80 e 36,25 cm e índice de massa corpórea de 270,33 e 346,73 kg/m2 para o G1 e G2, respectivamente, com diferenças significativas (p < 0,05) entre eles. Realizaram-se quatro colheitas de sêmen por touro por meio de eletroejaculação, com intervalos de 14 dias, verificando-se diferença significativa (p < 0,05) para os defeitos espermáticos totais, entre a primeira (5,48) e a terceira colheitas (1,08), no G2. Os resultados sugerem que o desenvolvimento do aparelho reprodutivo e a espermatogênese estão presentes aos 14 meses de idade.

Twenty bulls of the Canchin breed in sexual inactivity were divided in group 1(G1) with ten animals at the age of 14 months old and group 2 (G2) with ten animals at the age of 48 months old. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of the ejaculators and anatomic measurements of reproductive tract in Canchim breed. The parameters obtained were the average weight from 445.5 to 706.02 kg, scrotal circumference from 31.8 to 36.25 cm and Corporal Mass Index from 270.33 to 346.73 kg/m² for G1 and G2 respectively with a significant difference (p<0.05). Four semen collections per bull were made with electro ejaculation with intervals of 14 days, and it showed significant difference (p<0.05) for the total spermatic flaws, between the first (5.48) and the third collect (1.08) in G2. These results suggest that the development of the reproductive tract and the spermatogenesis are present at the age of 14 months old.

Fueron utilizados 20 toros de la raza Canchim en inactividad sexual, divididos en grupos:Grupo 1 (G1) con 10 animales, con edades de 14 meses y el grupo 2 (G2) con 10 animales, con edades de 48 meses, teniendo como objetivo verificar la adaptación al clima tropical, por medio de las características de los eyaculados y medidas anatómicas del aparato reproductivo. Los parámetros obtenidos fueron peso medio de 445,5 y 706,02 kg; circunferencia escrotal de 31,80 y 36,25 cm e índice de masa corpórea de 270,33 y 346,73 kg/m² para el G1 y G2, respectivamente, con diferencias significativas (p<0,05). Fueron realizadas cuatro colectas de semen por toro, con intervalo de 14 días, por medio de electroeyaculación verificando diferencias significativas (p<0,05) para los defectos espermáticos totales entre la primera (5,48) y la tercera colecta (1,08) en el G2. Los resultados sugieren que el desarrollo del aparato reproductor y la espermatogénesis están presentes a los 14 meses de edad.

Chromosomal aberrations induced by 5-azacytidine combined with VP-16 (etoposide) in CHO-K1 and XRS-5 cell lines.

A cytogenetic study was carried out with 5-azacytidine (5-azaC) and etoposide (VP-16) in CHO-K1 and XRS-5 (mutant cells deficient for double-strand break rejoining) cell lines to verify the interaction effects of the drugs in terms of induction of chromosomal aberrations. 5-azaC is incorporated into DNA causing DNA hypomethylation, and VP-16 (inhibitor of topoisomerase II enzyme) is a potent clastogenic agent. Cells in exponential growth were treated with 5-azaC for 1 h, following incubation for 7 h, and posttreatment with VP16 for the last 3 h. In K1 cells, the combined treatments induced a significant reduction in the aberrations induced in the X and "A" (autosome) chromosomes, which are the main target for 5-azaC. However, in XRS-5 cells, the drug combination caused a significant increase in the aberrations induced in those chromosomes, but with a concomitant reduction in the randomly induced-aberrations. In addition, each cell line presented characteristic cell cycle kinetics; while the combined treatment induced an S-arrest in K1 cells, alterations in cell cycle progression were not found for XRS-5, although each drug alone caused a G2-arrest. The different cell responses presented by the cell lines may be explained on the basis of the evidence that alterations in chromatin structure caused by 5-aza-C probably occur to a different extent in K1 and XRS-5 cells, since the mutant cells present a typical hyper-condensed chromosome structure (especially the X- and "A" chromosomes), but, alternatively, 5-aza-C could induce reactivation of DNA repair genes in XRS-5 cells.

Hepatic concentration of heat shock protein 70 kD (Hsp70) in broilers subjected to different thermal treatments.

1. The relationship between repeated thermal treatments and hepatic synthesis of Hsp 70 was studied in broiler chickens. 2. Sixty broilers were submitted to 5 different treatments (12 birds each) from day 1 to day 42. Four groups were kept in a thermoneutral environment and subjected to 0, 1, 2 and 3 heat stress episodes at 35 degrees C for 4 h per week (TN-0, TN-1, TN-2 and TN-3, respectively). The last group (HT-35) was reared at a room temperature of 35 degrees C. 3. From 39 to 42 old, the birds experienced acute heat stress at 41 degrees C. Resistance to heat stress was evaluated by the time taken for rectal temperature to increase by 3 degrees C above the pre-treatment value. Livers were collected (before and after heat stress) and Hsp70 was determined using Western Blot analysis with monoclonal anti-Hsp70 antibody. 4. Resistance to heat stress and concentration of Hsp70 were higher in those birds subjected to more heat stress episodes during the experimental period (TN-3) and HT-35. A positive correlation was observed between Hsp70 concentration and the time taken for a 3 degrees C increase in rectal temperature (r = 0.42; P<0.01). 5. Exposing birds to episodes of heat stress (35 degrees C) during rearing may improve their resistance to acute heat stress, but the previous thermal history did not seem to influence the hepatocyte Hsp70 content after exposure to more severe heat stress (41 degrees C).

Estudo eletrocardiográfico da associaçäo anestésica de quetamina e clorpromazina em felinos / Eletrocardiographic study of the anesthetic combination of ketamine and chlorpromazine HCL in felines

O cloridrato de quetamina tem sido usado com freqüência na prática clínico-cirúrgica, devido à facilidade de aquisiçäo, aplicaçäo e à segurança da anestesia obtida com seu emprego. Este experimento objetivou identificar possíveis interferências do traçado eletrocardiográfico de gatos, submetidos à associaçäo de quetamina e clorpromazina. Foram utilizados 10 gatos, de ambos os sexos, adultos e considerados clinicamente sadios, provenientes do gatil do Hospital Veterinário da Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, campus de Jaboticabal-UNESP. Cada animal recebeu quetamina na dose de 15 mg/kg, associados a 1 mg/kg de clorpromazina, diluídos em uma mesma seringa e aplicados por via intramuscular. Foram avaliadas as freqüências cardíaca e respiratória e a temperatura retal. A avaliaçäo eletrocardiográfica foi realizada nas derivaçöes de membros, com velocidade de 50 mm/s e calibraçäo de 1mv = 2cm, durante um período de 60 minutos. Dos resultados obtidos, somente a temperatura retal, freqüência cardíaca e o intervalo P-R apresentaram diferenças significativas nos diferentes tempos observados. Da metodologia empregada permite-se concluir que a quetamina associada à clorpromazina pode ser empregada com segurança em gatos