Antibody and blood leukocyte response in Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille, 1806) tick-infested dogs and guinea pigs

The dog is considered to be the natural host of Rhipicephalus sanguineus and is unable to develop appreciable resistance even after repeated feedings. The guinea pig develops strong resistance after one infestation with adult ticks. Antibody (IgG) titres against tick salivary gland antigens (SGAs) and blood leukocyte numbers in dogs and guinea pigs undergoing experimental R. sanguineus tick infestations were measured to detect a possible correlation with susceptibility or resistance of hosts. Since infested dogs develop an immediate hypersensitivity reaction to R. sanguineus antigens, total and anti-R. sanguineus SGA IgE levels were also measured in this host species. IgG and IgE antibody levels were determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) along three consecutive infestations of both hosts. Most dogs and guinea pigs displayed low IgG levels against R. sanguineus SGAs, though marked differences in individual response were observed. Although dog's total serum IgE levels increased significantly after infestations, no change in the amount of anti-salivary gland IgE was detected. Total and differential blood cell counts were determined in dogs and guinea pigs during primary and secondary infestation. In dogs, a tertiary infestation and a subsequent higher infestation level were also evaluated. Infested dogs did not display any alteration in blood leukocyte counts throughout the experiment. Guinea pigs, on the other hand, developed a significant basophilia during primary infestation which increased further during secondary infestation. These data reveal similarities and differences in the reactions of resistant and non-resistant hosts to ticks. They contribute for the understanding of such host-parasite relationships and will hopefully aid in the development of immune control of ticks. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Taking Advantage of Electrostatic Interactions To Grow Langmuir-Blodgett Films Containing Multilayers of the Phospholipid Dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol

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

Incorporation of Ag nanoparticles into membrane mimetic systems composed by phospholipid layer-by-layer (LbL) films to achieve surface-enhanced Raman scattering as a tool in drug interaction studies

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

Layer-by-Layer Technique as a New Approach to Produce Nanostructured Films Containing Phospholipids as Transducers in Sensing Applications

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

Coupling Surface-Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering and Electronic Tongue as Characterization Tools to Investigate Biological Membrane Mimetic Systems

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

Study of the interaction between cardiolipin bilayers and methylene blue in polymer-based Layer-by-Layer and Langmuir films applied as membrane mimetic systems

An increase of the reports involving mimetic systems has been observed. Briefly, these systems use biological phospholipids to exploit specific interactions between membrane-models and drugs. Here, the Layer-by-Layer (LbL) and Langmuir techniques were used to investigate the interaction between cardiolipin (CLP-negative phospholipid) and a cationic-like drug methylene blue (MB). Supported by a cationic polyelectrolyte (PAH), LbL films containing PAH/(CLP + MB) and PAH/(CLP + MB + AgNP) were grown up to 14 bilayers. The optical microscopy analysis revealed a decrease of the CLP vesicle sizes in the presence of MB as a possible consequence of the MB action onto the mechanical properties of the CLP membrane. From FTIR spectra, changes mainly related to peak position and band intensity and shape were observed in the spectra from PAH/CLP when in the presence of MB. The latter supports that the interactions between the phosphate and amine charged groups from CLP and PAH, respectively, established during the LbL film fabrication, besides the CLP hydrocarbon environment, are influenced by the presence of MB. Using the micro-Raman technique, a chemical mapping was build based on MB spectrum by resonance Raman scattering (RRS) and surface-enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS). The later phenomenon was activated by Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) trapped within the LbL film allowing collecting spectra for a single bilayer of PAH/(CLP + MB + AgNP). A rough estimation showed a SERRS amplification of 10(3) in comparison to RRS spectra. As a complementary approach, Langmuir films of CLP in the presence of co-spread MB were investigated through surface pressure vs mean molecular area (pi-A) isotherms. The results showed that for concentrations of MB below 100 mol%, the drug is expelled to water subphase for high values of surface pressure (condensed phase). For concentration at 100% and higher, the MB keeps bound to CLP floating monolayer. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular architecture and electrical properties in evaporated films of cobalt phthalocyanine

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

Combining SERRS and electrochemistry to characterize sensors based on biomembrane mimetic models formed by phospholipids

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

Spray layer-by-layer films based on phospholipid vesicles aiming sensing application via e-tongue system

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

Toward the Optimization of an e-Tongue System Using Information Visualization: A Case Study with Perylene Tetracarboxylic Derivative Films in the Sensing Units

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

Nanostructured hybrid films containing nanophosphor: Fabrication and electronic spectral properties

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

Portable smart films for ultrasensitive detection and chemical analysis using SERS and SERRS

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

Sensor array made with nanostructured films to detect a phenothiazine compound

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

Stpahylococcus aureus biofilms on central venous haemodialysis catheters

As infecções devido a biofilmes bacterianos são comuns em pacientes sob tratamento em hemodiálise. Neste estudo, 16 pacientes (7 homens, 9 mulheres, de 22 a 81 anos, média 50 anos de idade), com um total de 25 cateteres de hemodiálise (3 de triplo-lúmen e 22 de duplo-lúmen) de poliuretano inseridos em veia subclávia foram estudados. Os cateteres permaneceram no local de 3 a 91 dias (média de 47 dias). Os cateteres foram removidos devido ao: mau funcionamento (44%), suspeita de infecção relacionada ao cateter (20%), viabilidade de um acesso permanente (16%), remoção acidental (12%), sinais e sintomas de infecção no local da inserção do cateter (4%) e contaminação exógena (4%). Culturas positivas de ponta foram observadas em sete cateteres (28%), concomitantemente com três culturas positivas de sangue. Das culturas de sangue foram identificados Staphylococcus aureus (12%) e de uma das conexões foi isolado S. aureus. Biofilmes foram observados sobre todas as pontas de cateteres. Os S. aureus isolados do sangue e cateter (ponta e conexão) eram resistentes a pencilina e sensíveis a azitromicina, ciprofloxacina, clindamicina, cloranfenicol, gentamicina, oxacilina, rifampicina, sulfametoxazole, tetraciclina e vancomicina. As cepas de S. aureus isoladas de sangue, ponta de cateter e conexão foram consideradas idênticas devido à coincidência do perfil de sensibilidade. E similaridade genética, avaliada por meio de ribotipagem.

Avaliação do efeito de gases poluentes na corrosão metálica: um experimento para o ensino da corrosão

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)