Anthrax in cattle in southern Brazil: 1978-2006

Ten outbreaks of anthrax occurred in cattle from 1978 to 2006 in southern Brazil, in 5 municipalities on the border with Uruguay, a country where the disease is frequent. The 10 outbreaks represented 0.2% of all bovine specimens received during the period by the Regional Diagnostic Laboratory of the Federal University of Pelotas, causing 267 deaths in a risk population of 6,605 head. The disease affected young and adult cattle mainly during summer. Only one farmer reported that sheep and horses were also affected. Clinically the peracute form was more frequent, but in some outbreaks the acute form with a clinical manifestation period of 6-48 hours was also observed. The source of infection was not established; but the reduced rainfall, associated with low, flat, flooded lands used for agriculture followed by animal grazing after harvest was probably related to the disease occurrence. Annual vaccination is an efficient way to prevent the disease.

Latvialaisen kokoelman (1820-1917) luettelo. 1-4. Helsinki 1978-1981.

Lettonica kokoelma sisältää vapaakappaleina saadun, Venäjän keisarikunnan alueella vuosien 1828-1917 välillä painetun latviankielisen kirjallisuuden. Kokoelman laajuus on runsaat 10 000 nimekettä, josta kirjoja on 7 200. Kirjakokoelma sisältää kaunokirjallisuutta, lastenkirjoja, luonnontieteellistä ja humanistista kirjallisuutta sekä hengellistä kirjallisuutta. Sanoma- ja aikakauslehtiä kokoelmassa on noin 200 nimekettä. Kokoelmassa on suuri määrä pienpainatteita.

Sementes nocivas que ocorreram em amostras de sementes de azevém (Lolium multiflorum), analisadas no Rio Grande do Sul nos anos de 1978 e 1979

Foram levantadas informações sobre a qualidade da semente de azevém utilizadas no Rio Grande do Sul e produzida no próprio Estado ou em outras uni dades da Federação e mesmo em outros Países, nos anos de 1978 e 1979. Estas informações foram obtidas através de fichas e Boletins de Análise de Sementes dos Laboratórios de Análise de Sementes (LAS) do Rio Grande do Sul. Em 1978 analisou-se 2.319 t de azevém sendo 74% da semente oriunda do Rio Grande do Sul e 26% introduzida, enquanto que das 4.772 t analisadas em 1979 99,6% são do Rio Grande do Sul e 0,4% são introduzidas. O percentual de sementes de azevém, produzidas no Estado, contaminadas com sementes nocivas foi de 61,5% em 1978 e de 60,0% em 1979; e o de sementes int roduzidas no Estado foi de 45,6% em 1978 e de 29,4%em 1979. Foi observado que ent re as sementes originárias do RS destacaram -se com maior ocorrênci a em 1978 as espécies nocivas de Silene gallica, Setaria geniculata, Anthemis cotula, Digitaria adscendens e Echinochloa spp, enquanto que nas sementes int roduzidas desta caram-se Sida spp e Rumex spp; em 1979, na semente oriunda do Estado desta caram-se Amaranthus spp, Silene gallica e Setaria geniculata, enquanto que nas sementes introduzidas a maior ocorrência foi de Setaria geniculata, Echinochloa spp e Solanum spp.

Jazzfestival Balver Höhle 1978 : traditional Jazz aus der Bundesrepublik Deutschland

Konserttitaltiointi Balven luolan jazzfestivaaleilta 1978.

The renal and hepatic distribution of Bence Jones proteins depends on glycosylation: a scintigraphic study in rats

The aim of the present study was to evaluate renal and liver distribution of two monoclonal immunoglobulin light chains. The chains were purified individually from the urine of patients with multiple myeloma and characterized as lambda light chains with a molecular mass of 28 kDa. They were named BJg (high amount of galactose residues exposed) and BJs (sialic acid residues exposed) on the basis of carbohydrate content. A scintigraphic study was performed on male Wistar rats weighing 250 g for 60 min after iv administration of 1 mg of each protein (7.4 MBq), as the intact proteins and also after carbohydrate oxidation. Images were obtained with a Siemens gamma camera with a high-resolution collimator and processed with a MicroDelta system. Hepatic and renal distribution were established and are reported as percent of injected dose. Liver uptake of BJg was significantly higher than liver uptake of BJs (94.3 vs 81.4%) (P<0.05). This contributed to its greater removal from the intravascular compartment, and consequently lower kidney accumulation of BJg in comparison to BJs (5.7 vs 18.6%) (P<0.05). After carbohydrate oxidation, there was a decrease in hepatic accumulation of both proteins and consequently a higher renal overload. The tissue distribution of periodate-treated BJg was similar to that of native BJs: 82.7 vs 81.4% in the liver and 17.3 vs 18.6% in the kidneys. These observations indicate the important role of sugar residues of Bence Jones proteins for their recognition by specific membrane receptors, which leads to differential tissue accumulation and possible toxicity

Nephrotoxicity of Bence-Jones proteins: interference in renal epithelial cell acidification

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the acidification of the endosome-lysosome system of renal epithelial cells after endocytosis of two human immunoglobulin lambda light chains (Bence-Jones proteins, BJP) obtained from patients with multiple myeloma. Renal epithelial cell handling of two BJP (neutral and acidic BJP) was evaluated by rhodamine fluorescence. Renal cells (MDCK) were maintained in culture and, when confluent, were incubated with rhodamine-labeled BJP for different periods of time. Photos were obtained with a fluorescence microscope (Axiolab-Zeiss). Labeling density was determined on slides with a densitometer (Shimadzu Dual-Wavelength Flying-Spot Scanner CS9000). Endocytosis of neutral and acidic BJP was correlated with acidic intracellular compartment distribution using acridine orange labeling. We compared the pattern of distribution after incubation of native neutral and acidic BJP and after complete deglycosylation of BJP by periodate oxidation. The subsequent alteration of pI converted neutral BJP to acidic BJP. There was a significant accumulation of neutral BJP in endocytic structures, reduced lysosomal acidification, and a diffuse pattern of acidification. This pattern was reversed after total deglycosylation and subsequent alteration of the pI to an acidic BJP. We conclude that the physicochemical characteristics of BJP interfere with intracellular acidification, possibly explaining the strong nephrotoxicity of neutral BJP. Lysosomal acidification is fundamental for adequate protein processing and catabolism.

Health in early adulthood: the contribution of the 1978/79 Ribeirão Preto birth cohort

The increase in non-communicable chronic diseases of adults is due to demographic changes and changes in the risk factors related to physical activity, smoking habits and nutrition. We describe the methodology for the evaluation of persons at 23/25 years of age of a cohort of individuals born in Ribeirão Preto in 1978/79. We present their socioeconomic characteristics and the profile of some risk factors for chronic diseases. A total of 2063 participants were evaluated by means of blood collection, standardized questionnaires, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, and methacholine bronchoprovocation tests. The sexes were compared by the chi-square test, with alpha = 0.05. Obesity was similar among men and women (12.8 and 11.1%); overweight was almost double in men (30.3 vs 17.7%). Weight deficit was higher among women than among men (8.6 and 2.6%). Women were more sedentary and consumed less alcohol and tobacco. Dietary fat consumption was similar between sexes, with 63% consuming large amounts (30 to 39.9 g/day). Metabolic syndrome was twice more frequent among men than women (10.7 vs 4.8%), hypertension was six times more frequent (40.9 vs 6.4%); altered triglyceride (16.1 vs 9.8%) and LDL proportions (5.4 vs 2.7%) were also higher in men, while women had a higher percentage of low HDL (44.7 vs 39.5%). Asthma and bronchial hyper-responsiveness were 1.7 and 1.5 times more frequent, respectively, among women. The high prevalence of some risk factors for chronic diseases among young adults supports the need for investments in their prevention.