Isolation of Bothrops jararaca Snake Antithrombin from the Supernatant of Fibrinogen Purification

A novel method of antithrombin (AT) purification from Bothrops jararaca snake plasma was developed to obtain this protein using a waste supernatant from B. jararaca fibrinogen purification. The AT purification was achieved by affinity chromatography on HiTrap Heparin HP. The results showed an efficient purification process yielding pure AT (purity 65-fold and specific activity 368.91). In conclusion, we showed a feasible purification method of AT from B. jararaca plasma using a discarded material. This feature is important, considering the limitation of material, such as snake plasma, and could also be useful to obtain pure plasma proteins from other animals, including human plasma.

Association of HLA-A, -B, -C genes and TNF microsatellite polymorphism with psoriasis vulgaris: a study of genetic risk in Brazilian patients.

This study investigated the genetic association of HLA class I genes and TNF-alpha microsatellites. HLA-A, -B, -C typing was carried out in 92 psoriasis vulgaris patients and 160 healthy individuals using a PCR-SSP method. 70 patients and 71 controls were typed for five microsatellite polymorphisms, TNFa-e. HLA-B*13 Cw*06, HLA-B*57 Cw*06 and HLA-B*39 Cw*12 haplotypes were found to be increased in patients with psoriasis type I when compared to controls, which could determine the susceptibility to development of psoriasis. TNFa4, TNFb1, TNFe1 and TNFa2 b1 c2 d4 e1 haplotypes showed a decreased frequency (p < 0.05) in psoriasis patients when compared to controls. HLA-B*13 allele and HLA-B*13 Cw*06, TNFa11 b4 c1 d3 e3 haplotypes showed increased frequencies (p < 0.05) in patients with type II psoriasis, which suggests susceptibility to the onset of psoriasis. Our results detected polymorphisms of the HLA class I and microsatellite TNF locus which could be markers of genetic predisposition to the disease.

Purification and characterization of a trypsin-like enzyme with fibrinolytic activity present in the abdomen of horn fly, Haematobia irritans irritans (Diptera: Muscidae).

This work describes the purification and characterization of a trypsin-like enzyme with fibrinolytic activity present in the abdomen of Haematobia irritans irritans (Diptera: Muscidae). The enzyme was purified using a one-step process, consisting of affinity chromatography on SBTI-Sepharose. The purified protease showed one major active proteinase band on reverse zymography with 0.15% gelatin, corresponding to a molecular mass of 25.5 kDa, with maximum activity at pH 9.0. The purified trypsin-like enzyme preferentially hydrolyzed synthetic substrates with arginine residue at the P1 position. The Km values determined for three different substrates were 1.88 x 10(-4), 1.28 x 10(-4), and 1.40 x 10(-4) M for H-alpha-benzoyl-Ile-Glu-Gly-Arg-p-nitroanilide (S2222), DL-Ile-Pro-Arg-p-nitroanilide (S2288), and DL-Phe-Pip-Arg-p-nitroanilide (S2238), respectively. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by typical serine proteinase inhibitors such as SB

Purification of fibroblast growth factor-2 from human placenta using tri(n-butyl)phosphate and sodium cholate.

Tri(n-butyl)phosphate (TNBP) and sodium cholate (SC) mixtures have been used to inactivate lipid-enveloped viruses like HIV and hepatitis B. We exploited the use of this combination to purify fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) from human placenta. Human placentas were extracted in the presence of 0.3% TNBP/0.2% SC and the clarified homogenate was adsorbed to S-Sepharose. The active fractions were further loaded onto a heparin-Sepharose column and purified FGF-2 was eluted with 2.0 M NaCl. FGF-2 purified this way was indistinguishable from FGF-2 purified without TNBP/SC in the extraction step in terms of yield, specific activity and biological response. The lipid-enveloped vaccinia virus was used in a parallel experiment to evaluate the inactivation capacity of our protocol. Under the conditions described here, the combined use of TNBP/SC did not eliminate but reduced significantly the number of vaccinia virus PFUs by log 2-3.

Prevalência e tipo de lesöes ungueais em escolares de Ribeiräo Preto, SP, Brasil / Prevalence and type of ungueal lesions in schoolchildren of Ribeiräo Preto, SP, Brazil

Em sete escolas, selecionadas ao acaso, os autores examinaram 5.150 escolares, entre 7 e 15 anos de idade. A prevalência de lesöes ungueais nas mäos foi maior (56,7//) que a dos pés (29,5//). Ela foi significantemente maior no sexo masculino, com tendência a aumentar com a idade, até 14 anos no sexo masculino e até 11 anos no feminino. O tipo e a freqüência de lesöes ungeais säo indicadas em tabelas. As mais comuns nas mäos foram leuconíquia (42,13//), onicofagia (13,57//) e depressöes cupuliformes (1,16//); nos pés, onicoatrofia no 5§ artelho (9,26//), sulcos transversais (9,14//), leuconíquia (2//) e hematoma subungueal (1,53//). As alteraçöes foram habitualmente discretas. O status sócio-econômico näo pareceu influenciar significantemente a prevalência de lesöes ungueais nas diferentes escolas

Censo Epidemiológico de les¶es e afecc¶es cutÔneas em escolares de RibeirÔo PrÛto, S. P., Brasil / Epidemiologieal census of cutaneous lesions in schoolchildren of R. Preto, S.P., Brazil

Um total de 5150 escolares de 6 a 16 anos foram examinados em uma cidade subtropical. Excluídas cicatrizes e les¶es traumáticas a prevalÛncia de dermatoses foi de 72%. As mais comun (>2%) foram nevos pigmentados (72%),cicatrizes e les¶es residuais (36%), efélides (19,6%), pediculose (19,6%), dermatite seborréica (19,5%), dermatoviroses (18,6%), acne (15,7%), les¶es traumáticas (9,5%), pitiríase capitis (5%), piodermites (4,3%), dermatite eozematosa (2,6%), estrófulo + picada de inseto (3,1%), ceratose palmar el ou plantar (2,1%) e disidrose (2%). Muitos doentes apresentaron dois ou mais tipos de lesoes ou affecc¶es cutÔneas. A prevalencia de vibix, estomatite angular, dermatoses actínicas, ictiose, pele xerótica, intertrigo, milia, livedo reticular, hipertricosee escabiose foi menor porén relativamente elevada (de 1,61 a 0,66%). A prevalencia foi discretamente maior em escolares de sexo masculino que no feminino e as diferencas estatisticamente significantes (p<0,001). A diferenca de prevalÛncia entre os grupos etarios nÔo foi significante para masculinos e femininos. As meninas aprentaron taxa mais elevada de pediculose, enquanto em meninos prevaleceram pitiríase alba (dartro volante), pitiríase versicolor e piodermites. As condic¶es sócioecon¶micas parecen ter tido influencia nas taxas de prevalÛnia de pediculose, pitiríase alba e "tinea pedis", mas nÔo nas de dermatoviroses, pitiríase versicolor e piodermite. Os resultados e comentários sÔo válidos para uma Orea subtropical semelhante O de RibeirÔo PrÛto, com as mesmas características ecológicas, socio-econ¶micas e de populacÔo. Quando se planeja um programa de saúde pública em escolas é importante realizar antes um censo epidemiológico ou estudo piloto, a fim de obter as relevantes informac¶es bOsicas. (AU)

Censo Epidemiológico de lesôes e afeccôes cutâneas em escolares de Ribeirâo Prêto, S. P., Brasil / Epidemiologieal census of cutaneous lesions in schoolchildren of R. Preto, S.P., Brazil

Um total de 5150 escolares de 6 a 16 anos foram examinados em uma cidade subtropical. Excluídas cicatrizes e lesôes traumáticas a prevalência de dermatoses foi de 72%. As mais comun (>2%) foram nevos pigmentados (72%),cicatrizes e lesôes residuais (36%), efélides (19,6%), pediculose (19,6%), dermatite seborréica (19,5%), dermatoviroses (18,6%), acne (15,7%), lesôes traumáticas (9,5%), pitiríase capitis (5%), piodermites (4,3%), dermatite eozematosa (2,6%), estrófulo + picada de inseto (3,1%), ceratose palmar el ou plantar (2,1%) e disidrose (2%). Muitos doentes apresentaron dois ou mais tipos de lesoes ou affeccôes cutâneas. A prevalencia de vibix, estomatite angular, dermatoses actínicas, ictiose, pele xerótica, intertrigo, milia, livedo reticular, hipertricosee escabiose foi menor porén relativamente elevada (de 1,61 a 0,66%). A prevalencia foi discretamente maior em escolares de sexo masculino que no feminino e as diferencas estatisticamente significantes (p<0,001). A diferenca de prevalência entre os grupos etarios nâo foi significante para masculinos e femininos. As meninas aprentaron taxa mais elevada de pediculose, enquanto em meninos prevaleceram pitiríase alba (dartro volante), pitiríase versicolor e piodermites. As condicôes sócioeconômicas parecen ter tido influencia nas taxas de prevalênia de pediculose, pitiríase alba e "tinea pedis", mas nâo nas de dermatoviroses, pitiríase versicolor e piodermite. Os resultados e comentários sâo válidos para uma àrea subtropical semelhante à de Ribeirâo Prêto, com as mesmas características ecológicas, socio-econômicas e de populacâo. Quando se planeja um programa de saúde pública em escolas é importante realizar antes um censo epidemiológico ou estudo piloto, a fim de obter as relevantes informacôes bàsicas.

[Ultrastructural aspects of the epidermis from a sun exposed and from a covered area in two cases of xeroderma pigmentosum (x. p.) and in two controls (author's transl)]. / Etude ultrastructurale de l'épiderme des parties découvertes et couvertes de deux malades noirs atteints de xeroderma pigmentosum (x. p.) et de deux sujets témoins.

Xeroderma pigmentosum is rare among Caucasoids and seems to be rarer among Negroes. Advantage was taken of the observation of two cases in the latters to study the ultrastructure of the epidermis and to verify whether the findings were similar to those observed in the formers. The skin exposed to sunlight (forearm) and that from an covered area (buttock) were studied in the two cases and also in two controls, obviously from the same race. The tissue material was coded after each biopsy and identified only when the ultrastructural study was completed. The authors have noted vacuolization and rarely necrosis of melanocytes, great increase and polymorphism of melanosomes, abnormal melanization sometimes large masses of melanosomes and pre-melanosomes, some other aspects already described in x.p. They have also observed melanosomes disposed as cluster or grapes, and large and strange shaped keratohyaline granules in the squamous cell layer. Even in the unexposed skin there were polymorphism and increased amount of melanosomes. The macroscopic and ultrastructural changes of x. p. in the two Negroes were apparently similar to those observed in Caucasoids.

[Cutaneous dyschromia in three cases of phenylketonuria. Quantitative ultrastructural study of the basal layer of the epidermis (author's transl)]. / Dyschromie cutanée dans 3 cas de phénylcétonurie étude quantitative ultrastructurale de la couche basale de l'épiderme.

The authors have studied skin color modifications in 3 cases of phenylketonuria and have observed the characteristic changes; fair skin and fair hair. In addition they noted hundred of pigmented pin point or slightly larger patches in the two more affected patients, in the areas exposed to sunshine. With regard to the ultrastructural study of the epidermis basal layer, the proportion of melanocytes in the two most severe cases was slightly higher than in the normal skin of 6 control subjects. Langerhans cells could not be acertained. The more severe was the disease the greater was the tendency for a lower proportion of keratinocytes containing melanin. There is a certain parallelism between the skin color modifications the biochemical examinations (blood level of phenylalanin and tyrosine) and the ultrastructural changes. The higher the blood level of phenlalanine and/or the more pronounced the disorders of skin color, the more evident would be the ultrastructural changes: higher proportion of melanocytes that usually do not produce the melanosomes, and lower percentage of keratinocytes with melanin. On the other hand, the ultrastructure of the basal layer would suggest the seriousness of clinical manifestations and/or the intesity of the metabolic error.