Effect of Aloe vera extract on the improvement of the respiratory activity of leukocytes of matrinxã during the transport stress

This study evaluated the effect of extract of Aloe vera in the transport water of matrinxã (Brycon amazonicus) fish on stress response and leukocyte respiratory activity. Fish was transported for 4 h in water containing Aloe at levels 0; 0.02; 0.2 and 2 mg/L, and sampled before transport 2, 4, 24 and 96 h after for determination of plasma glucose and respiratory activity of leukocytes. An additional in vitro assay was conducted with another fish species, pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus), to test the respiratory burst of leukocytes exposed to Aloe extract (0.0, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) only) at 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1 mg/L). Plasma glucose increased after 2 and 4 h of transport and returned to control levels within 24 h, but the addition of Aloe in the transport water did not affect the level of blood glucose. However, at 2 h of transport, Aloe enhanced the respiratory activity of leukocytes in a dose-dependent way. The highest value of respiratory burst activity of leukocytes was observed in the fish transported in water containing Aloe at 2 mg/L. The enhancing effect of the plant extract on the production of oxygen radicals was confirmed in vitro in leukocytes of pacu incubated in Aloe at concentrations 0.1 and 0.2 mg/L. The results suggest that Aloe vera is a modulator of the immune system in fish improving the innate immune response tested.

Cellular and molecular characterization of an embryonic cell line (BME26) from the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

The cellular and molecular characteristics of a cell line (BME26) derived from embryos of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus were studied. The cells contained glycogen inclusions, numerous mitochondria, and vesicles with heterogeneous electron densities dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. Vesicles contained lipids and sequestered palladium meso-porphyrin (Pd-mP) and rhodamine-hemoglobin, suggesting their involvement in the autophagic and endocytic pathways. The cells phagocytosed yeast and expressed genes encoding the antimicrobial peptides (microplusin and defensin). A cDNA library was made and 898 unique mRNA sequences were obtained. Among them, 556 sequences were not significantly similar to any sequence found in public databases. Annotation using Gene Ontology revealed transcripts related to several different functional classes. We identified transcripts involved in immune response such as ferritin, serine proteases, protease inhibitors,. antimicrobial peptides, heat shock protein, glutathione S-transferase, peroxidase, and NADPH oxidase. BME26 cells transfected with a plasmid carrying a red fluorescent protein reporter gene (DsRed2) transiently expressed DsRed2 for up to 5 weeks. We conclude that BME26 can be used to experimentally analyze diverse biological processes that occur in R. (B.) microplus such as the innate immune response to tick-borne pathogens. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Repensando os distúrbios de aprendizagem a partir da psicologia histórico-cultural

A psicologia histórico-cultural assume que o fator biológico determina a base das reações inatas dos indivíduos. Sobre esta base se constitui todo o sistema de reações adquiridas, sendo estas determinadas mais pela estrutura do meio cultural da criança do que pelas disposições biológicas. Se é por meio do processo de apropriação da cultura que cada homem adquire as capacidades humanas, a compreensão atual acerca dos distúrbios de aprendizagem pode ser reconfigurada, demonstrando que mediações adequadas e consistentes podem ter caráter revolucionário para a aprendizagem, ao tornarem presente o talento cultural quando o talento biológico não se revela como esperado.

Current Research on the Immune Response to Experimental Sporotrichosis

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Contribuições da teoria histórico-cultural para o processo de avaliação psicoeducacional

Cet article a comme objectif présenter la contribution de la Psychologie Historique-Culturelle pour l'analyse critique de l'évaluation psychoéducationnel traditionnel et postuler les fondements pour la nouvelle modalité évaluative. Cette proposition se justifie à cause de l'actuelle révitalisation de l'usage des testes padronisés pour la mensuration des fonctions psychologiques, dues à la vulgarisation de la neuropsychologie. Historiquement les testes padronisés servent comme instrument pour attester cientifiquement l'idéologie de l'égalité entre les hommes dans la societé capitaliste que se maintient à travers de l'expropriation et de l'exclusion. En outre, il existe une forte tendence à attendre que les résultats expliquent l'intelligence comme inée ou considèrent les prédispositions héréditaires pour apprendre, ce qu'on oppose à la comprehénsion que les fonctions mentales sont formées dans le proccès de développement historique-social à travers l'appropriation de la culture humaine. Il est nécessaire donc une évaluation qui considère les médiations sociales (des instruments et des signes) comme constituants des fonctions psychologiques encourageant le développement de tous les individus et la non légitimation de l'exclusion sociale.

Kant e a epigênese a propósito do inato

Este artigo discute a posição de Kant acerca do inato, por meio do exame das metáforas orgânicas e do léxico biológico constantes nas reflexões manuscritas dos anos 1770 e em duas passagens da primeira Crítica. Considerando, em seguida, demais referências do autor à epigênese (agora em sentido estrito, na Crítica da faculdade do juízo), como também ao inato, o artigo aventa a possibilidade da ocorrência de um sentido biológico dessa forma de representação, que já estaria presente nos textos do filósofo.

TLR4 and CD14 receptors expressed in rat pineal gland trigger NFKB pathway

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Glia-Pinealocyte Network: The Paracrine Modulation of Melatonin Synthesis by Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Interleukin-15 increases Paracoccidioides brasiliensis killing by human neutrophils

Interleukin-15 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by a wide range of different cell types, especially monocytes and macrophages, in response to infective agents, playing a crucial and modulatory role in innate and adaptive immune response. Infections by intracellular microorganisms such as some bacteria, protozoa and fungi point out the role of IL-15 in the activation of monocytes/macrophages and neutrophils, a process that represents an important defense mechanism in early periods of infection during the development of innate immune response. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of IL-15 on human neutrophil fungicidal activity against a high virulent Paracoccidioides brasiliensis strain ( Pb18) and to verify whether this activity was mediated by oxidative metabolism such as the production of superoxide anion and H2O2 and if it was associated with an alteration of cytokine ( IL-8 and TNF-alpha) levels. Neutrophils from peripheral blood of healthy individuals were incubated in the presence and absence of IL-15 ( 12.5 - 250ng/ml) for 18h, at 37 degrees C, under tension of 5% CO2, then infected with Pb18 for 4h and evaluated for fungicidal activity, production of superoxide anion and H2O2, and quantification of cytokines IL-8 and TNF-a in the supernatant. Preincubation of neutrophils with IL-15 induced a significant increase in the fungicidal activity of such cells in a dose-dependent manner. After activation, there was an increase in the production of superoxide anion and H2O2 by these cells, suggesting participation of such metabolites in fungicidal activity. Catalase inhibits fungicidal activity, confirming the role of H2O2 in fungus killing. However, the levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 were not modified after incubation with IL-15, which suggests that its role is not mediated by those cytokines. Taken together, results showed that IL-15 had a modulatory effect on human neutrophils infected in vitro with a high virulent strain of P. brasiliensis, which was characterized by an increased fungicidal activity mediated by a dependent mechanism of oxidative metabolism.

Enhanced natural killer activity and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in mice selected for high acute inflammatory response (AIRmax)

Strains of mice with maximal and minimal acute inflammatory responsiveness (AIRmax and AIRmin, respectively) were developed through selective breeding based on their high- or low-acute inflammatory responsiveness. Previous reports have shown that AIRmax mice are more resistant to the development of a variety of tumours than AIRmin mice, including spontaneous metastasis of murine melanoma. Natural killer activity is involved in immunosurveillance against tumour development, so we analysed the number and activity of natural killer cells (CD49b(+)), T-lymphocyte subsets and in vitro cytokine production by spleen cells of normal AIRmax and AIRmin mice. Analysis of lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry showed that AIRmax mice had a higher relative number of CD49b(+) cells than AIRmin mice, as well as cytolytic activity against Yac.1 target cells. The number of CD3(+) CD8(+) cells was also higher in AIRmax mice. These findings were associated with the ability of spleen cells from AIRmax mice in vitro to produce higher levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-12p40 and interferon-gamma but not the anti-inflammatory interleukin-10. Taken together, our data suggest that the selective breeding to achieve the AIRmax and AIRmin strains was able to polarize the genes associated with cytotoxic activity, which can be responsible for the antitumour resistance observed in AIRmax mice.

Autoinflammatory diseases: Mimics of Autoimmunity or part of its spectrum? Case presentation

Introduction: Autoinflammatory diseases are very rare diseases presenting within a wide clinical spectrum. Recognition of the main clinical features are challenging due to overlapping or mimicking with autoimmune diseases. Discussion: A case series is reviewed to illustrate typical and atypical features and the difficulties of these diagnoses in the low prevalence areas-a typical unrecognized case of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) in a youngster, an atypical adult case with overlapping of IMF with Behcet disease, and an early presentation of FMF in infant presenting with inflammatory colitis, as well as the overlapping features within the cryopirin diseases spectrum in an 8-year-old boy who presented with systemic onset arthritis. Conclusion: These cases may represent examples of a very puzzling relationship among disorders of innate and adaptive immune systems and inflammation.

Sequencing and expression analysis of hepcidin mRNA in donkey (Equus asinus) liver

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Identification, characterization and expression analysis of hepcidin gene in sheep

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Cloning, sequencing and expression analysis of the equine hepcidin gene by real-time PCR

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Lipopolysaccharide infusion up-regulates hepcidin mRNA expression in equine liver

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)