Active immunization against hepatitis B virus (HBV) with low-doses of plasma-derived vaccine by intradermal route

Schedule for vaccination against HBV infection has usually been based on three separate injections of 20 meg of the vaccine by intramuscular route. One of the main shortcomings to its use in large scale programs has been its high cost. Ninety out of 300 health workers were submitted to three injections of 2 meg of plasma-derived vaccine (PDV) by intradermal (ID) route on days 0, 30, and 180. Anti-HBs was detected in 74 (82.2%) after the second dose and in 80 (88.9%) after the third dose, a non-significant difference. However, levels above 10 times the cut-off were observed in 29 (32.2%) and 77 (85.5%), respectively (p < 0.001). The results showed that a low-dose schedule is effective when used in health workers and should be tried with other risk groups.

Study of Coronary Sinus Flow Reserve Through Transesophageal Doppler Echocardiography in Normal Subjects

OBJECTIVE - To evaluate the Coronary Flow Reserve in the Coronary Sinus through transesophageal Doppler echocardiography in normal subjects. METHODS - We obtained technically adequate flow samples for analysis in 10 healthy volunteers (37±8 years, 5 men) with no history of heart or systemic disease and with mean left ventricular mass index by transthoracic echocardiography of 87±18 g/m². Coronary sinus flow velocity was recorded within the coronary sinus with the patient in a resting condition and during intravenous adenosine infusion at a dose of 140 µg/kg/min for 4 minutes. Recording of coronary sinus blood flow was possible in all cases with measurement of peak systolic, diastolic, and retrograde velocities (PSV, PDV, and PRV, cm/sec), mean systolic and diastolic velocities (MSV and MDV, cm/sec), and systolic and diastolic velocity time integral (VTI S and VTI D, cm/sec). RESULTS - The coronary flow reserve was calculated as the ratio between the blood flow in the basal state and the maximum measured hyperemic blood flow with adenosine infusion. Results are shown as mean and standard deviations. (CFR = PSV + PDV -- PRV/basal PSV): 1st min = 2.2±0.21; 2nd min = 3±0.3; 3rd min = 3.4±0.37; 4th min = 3.6 ± 0.33. CONCLUSION - Although coronary sinus flow had significantly increased in the first minute, higher velocities were seen at third and fourth minutes, indicating that these should be the best times to study coronary sinus flow with intravenous adenosine in continuous infusion.

Atributos físicos e produtividade de culturas em um Latossolo Vermelho argiloso sob diferentes sistemas de manejo

Este trabalho foi realizado de 1994 a 1998 em área experimental da Universidade de Cruz Alta - UNICRUZ, com o objetivo de avaliar a densidade do solo, o espaço poroso (porosidade total, macro e microporosidade) e a produtividade das culturas da soja, trigo e milho em um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico típico sob cinco sistemas de manejo. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Os sistemas de manejo do solo utilizados foram: (a) plantio direto contínuo (PDC); (b) plantio direto com escarificação a cada três anos (PDSD); (c) plantio direto no verão com escarificação no outono/inverno (PDV); (d) preparo conservacionista: escarificador mais grade niveladora (PCEG), e (e) plantio convencional: arado de discos mais grade niveladora (PCAG). As amostras de solo foram coletadas em dois pontos por parcela nas profundidades de 0,0-0,07; 0,07-0,14 e 0,14-0,21 m. A densidade do solo, nas três profundidades avaliadas, apresentou valores superiores nos tratamentos com menor mobilização do solo (PDC e PDSD), enquanto a porosidade total e a macroporosidade apresentaram comportamento inverso. À exceção do PDV, os valores de densidade, porosidade total e volume de macroporos nos demais sistemas de manejo do solo, nos três anos consecutivos e nas três profundidades avaliadas, permaneceram praticamente constantes, não indicando tendência de adensamento no tempo. As produtividades das culturas da soja e milho não diferiram significativamente entre os sistemas de manejo utilizados, demonstrando que diferenças no estado estrutural do solo não comprometeram a produtividade dessas culturas. A cultura do trigo mostrou-se sensível ao estado estrutural do solo, com os sistemas de manejo do solo com maior mobilização (PCAG) proporcionando condições mais adequadas a esta cultura. Os resultados encontrados indicaram que a mobilização do solo todo ano ou a cada três anos nas áreas cultivadas sob sistema plantio direto não alterou significativamente a produção das culturas e os atributos físicos avaliados.

Molecular biology of baculovirus and its use in biological control in Brazil

Baculoviruses are insect viruses found mainly in Lepidoptera. The family Baculoviridae is taxonomically divided in two genera, Nucleopolyhedrovirus and Granulovirus, which differ by occlusion body morphology. NPVs (Nucleopolyhedroviruses) have polyhedrical inclusion bodies (PIBs) containing multiple viral particles, while GVs (Granuloviruses) appear to be generally single particles occluded in oval shaped occlusion bodies. During the life cycle, two different viral progenies are produced: BV (Budded Virus) and PDV (Polyhedra Derived Virus), which are essential for the infectious process and virus propagation in host cells. Baculoviruses are being used for pest control and they are especially safe due to their specificity and invertebrate-restricted host range. Baculoviruses have been used as vectors for high level protein expression ofheterologous genes from prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Also, recombinant DNA techniques have allowed the production of genetically modified viral insecticides. This study is a review on the taxonomy, structure, replication and molecular biology of baculoviruses, as well as their use as bioinsecticides in Brazil.