Mitsuda's reactions: induced by BCG in the normal Rhesus ("Macacca mulatta")

The reversals of Mitsuda's reactions induced by BCG have been objected to based on the possiblem interference of other determination causes of the phenomenon: tuberculous primo-infections, communicants of unsuspected leprosy, revearsals due to other causes, such as anti-diphteric and anti-tetanic vaccination, etc. In order to study the problem, we have used Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta), which were reared in isolation, in an attempt to avoid the referred to interferences. Prior to the experiments, all animals were tested and found negative to radiograph, tuberculin and lepromin tests and were then submitted to the application of BCG vaccine (from 1 to 3 days old), in different doses and by different via. At different times, after the application of BCG, they were again submitted to the radiographic, tuberculin and lepromin tests. In the tables I to IV the experiences were summarised. From the experiments, the following conclusions were reached: 1 - From 12 Rhesus that received BCG 11 showed reversals of the Mitsuda reaction (91.7%). 2 - These reverseals took place both in tests effected shortly after BCG (from 6 days to 2 months), and tests effected much later (from 7 to 12 months after BCG). 3 - Some differences were found in the results, according to the dosis and the application via of the BCG. a) - The testicular and peritonela via (0,02g) were the only that determined strong positive Mitsuda's reactions (+++). b) - By oral via, animals that received high dosis (0.6g and 1.2 g), there resulted uniform and regular reversals, even though of low intensity (+); but from those who got small doses (0.2 g.) one showed no reversals in all tests, and the other presented reversals in the 2nd and 3rd tests only, also with low positivity (+). 4) In the 2nd and 3rd Mitsuda's reactions in the same animals, positivity was always precocious (generally within 48 hours), one getting the impression that there occurs a sensibilization of the animal body by the antigen with the repetition of the tests, even though the intensity of the reaction always remains the same. This precocious reaction (Fernandez type) occurs both shortly and long time after the application of the BCG. Its precocity depends not of the antigen only because the first Mitsuda's reaction after the BCG application occurs after some time and seems not influenced by the control lepromin test effected on the Rhesus before the BCG. 5) On the control group, the animals which received a.a.f. bacilli suspensions (Mycobacterium sp.; M. avium, and M. smegmatis), did not show reverseals of the Mitsuda's reaction. Two Rhesus, however, which received dead BCG (120ºC autoclave 1 hour), one intradermically (0.006 g) and the other orally (1.2 g), did both present reversals of the Mitsuda's reaction, with weak positivity (+). In all animals of the control-group, the allergic reactions were found negative. 6) Strong local inflammatory reactions were observed in the Rhesus that had received living BCG by intradermal via, and in the one submitted to multipunctures, there occurred the formation of a large caseous abcess. 7) The allergic tuberculinic and infratuberculinic reactions appeared dissociated from the Mitsuda's reactions: sometimes they are more precocious, occurring before of the lepromin test; on other occasions they disappear, when the Mitsuda's reactions still persist; and finally, they may be absent, when the latter occur, especially after the oral application of the BCG. 8) In Rhesus which received BCG by testicular and peritonela via, in the infratuberculinic test (0.1 ml of total BCG extract), besides the classic answer, which occurs between 48 and 96 hours, one could observe a delayed answer (15 to 20 days), represented by a non-erythematous nodule, which persists for 11-14 days.

Miocardite no macaco Cebus após inoculações repetidas com Schizotrypanum cruzi

Transmission of Chagas disease is realized through contamination of ocular conjunctiva, mucosa or skin with infected dejections eliminated by the insect vectors of Schizotrypanum cruzi (Triatoma infestans, Panstrongylus megistus and Rhodnius prolixus). The triatomid bugs live in holes and craks in the walls, in beds, behind trunks, etc. Found in primitive mud huts covered with thatched roofs, and so the human dwellers have many chances to contract the disease, reinfections being reasonably more to expect than a single inoculation. Experimental work reproducing those natural conditions is welcomed as some important features in the pathologic picture of the disease such as the extensive myocardial fibrosis seen in chronic cases are still incompletely known. Microscopic changes were studied in the heart muscle of seven Cebus monkeys infected by S. cruzi. This animal survives the acute stage of the disease and so is particularly suited to experiments of long duration in which several inoculations of S. cruzi are performed. Three different strains of S. cruzi isolated from acute cases of Chagas' disease were employed. One monkey was injected in the skin with infected blood and necropsied after 252 days. Two monkeys were three times, and one, eight times infected in skin, one of them with contaminated blood, and two with contaminated blood and dejections from infected bugs. The necropsies were performed after 35, 95 and 149 days. One monkey was three times inoculated through the intact ocular conjunctiva (one time with infected blood, two times with dejections from infected bugs), and one time through the wounded buccal mucosa, and necropsied after 134 days. Another monkey was six times inoculated, four times through the intact ocular conjunctiva (one time with contaminated blood, three times with dejections from infected bugs) and two times injected in the skin with infected blood, and necropsied after 157 days. Finally, another monkey was nine times inoculated, four times through the intact ocular conjunctiva (one time with infected blood, and three times with dejections from infected bugs), and five times injected in the skin (four times with contaminated blood, and one time with dejections from infected bugs), and necropsied after 233 days. The microscopic picture was uniform presenting, however, considerable individual variations, and was represented by diffuse interstitial myocarditis, frequently more (marked in the right ventricle base of the heart), accompanied by lymphatic stasis. The infiltration consists of macrophages, plasma cells and lymphocytes, the cellular reaction having sometimes a perivascular distribution, involving the auriculo-ventricular system of conduction, endocardium, epicardium and cardiac sympathetic gangliae. The loss of cardiac muscle fibers was always minimal. Leishmanial forms of S. cruzi in myocardial fibers are scanty and, in two cases, absent. Fatty necrosis in the epicardium was noted in two cases. Obliterative changes of medium-sized branches of coronary arteries (hypersensitivity reaction?) and multiple infarcts of the myocardium was found in one instance. The diffuse myocarditis induced by S. cruzi in several species of monkeys of the genus Cebus observed after 233 days (several inoculations) and 252 days (single inoculation) is not associated with disseminated fibrosis such as is reported in chronic cases of Chagas' disease. Definite capacity of reversion is another characteristic of the interstitial myocarditis observed in the series of Cebus monkeys here studied. The impression was gained that repeated inoculation with S. cruzi may influence the myocardial changes differently according to the period between the reinoculations. A short period after the first inoculation is followed by more marked changes, while long periods are accompanied by slight changes, which suggests an active immunisation produced by the first inoculation. More data are required, however before a definite statement is made on this subject considering that individual variations, the natural capacity of reversion of the interstitial myocarditis and the employement of more than a species of Cebus monkeys probably exerts influence also in the results here reported.

Acquired resistance of mice against S. mansoni and lung granulomatous reaction induced by BCG

Studies carried out in Sw outbred mice showed that there is no correlation between the degree of lung granulomatous reaction and the level of acquired resistance against S. mansoni infection induced by BCG.

When the Line is Crossed... : Paths to Control and Sanction Behaviour Necessitating a State Reaction

The article presents a special form of a European comparative synopsis. For this case examples have been chosen ranging from administrative or minor (criminal) offences to increasingly serious offences and offenders. In this way it can be comparatively demonstrated how the criminal justice systems studied handle specific cases and whether they do so in a similar or different way.

Extra-tissular Schistosoma mansoni egg granulomata in the peritoneal cavity of mice

The presence of Schistosoma mansoni eggs surrounded by inflammatory cells were detected within the peritoneal cavity of experimentally infected mice. The histological and ultrastructural analysis revealed the predominantly macrophagic composition of these structures. The presence of epithelioid cells, macrophages in different stages of activation and the architectural pattern of the cells, characterize these structures as extra-tissular true granulomas. Granulomas much similar to those observed in the peritoneal cavity of infected mice were also detected after the intraperitoneal injection of viable eggs in non-infected mice. Collagen fibers were observed in between the inflammatory cells of granulomas obtained 10 weeks after infection and 48 hours after the injection of viable eggs into the peritoneal cavity. In later times of infection or injection the amount of collagen fibers increases resulting in a typical pattern of healed schistosoma egg granulomas. The possible influence of the immune response on the genesis of the granulomatous reaction as well as the influence of the vascularized connective tissue on this process is discussed.

Structure du temps de travail des infirmières de santé publique: effets de l'âge des patients, de la nature des prestations fournies et du lieu du contact. [Structure of work times of public health nurses: effect of the age of patients, nature of care given and location of contact].

In the framework of health services research sponsored by the Swiss National Science Foundation, a research was undertaken of the activity of the large majority of the public health nurses working in the Swiss cantons of Vaud and Fribourg (total population 700,000). During one week, 130 nurses gathered, with a specially devised instrument, data on 4165 patient visits. Studying the duration of the contacts, one has distinguished contact duration per se (DC), duration of the travel time preceding the contact (DD), and total duration in relation with the contact (DTC-addition of the first two). It was noted that the three durations increased significantly with patient age (as regard travel time, this is explained by the higher proportion of home visits in higher age groups, as compared with visits at a health center). Examined according to location of the visit, contact duration per se (without travel) is higher for visits at home and in nursing homes than for those taking place at a health center. Looked at in respect to the care given (technical care, or basic nursing care, or both simultaneously), our data show that the provision of basic nursing care (alone or with technical care) doubles contact duration (from 20 to 42-45'). The analyses according to patient age shows that, at an advanced age (beyond 80 years particularly), there is an important increase of the visits where both types of care are given. However, contact duration per se shows a significant raise with age only for the group "technical care only"; it can be demonstrated that this is due to the fact that older patients require more complex technical acts (e.g., bladder care, as compared with simpler acts such as injection). A model of the relationships between patient age and contact duration is proposed: it is because of the increase in the proportions of home visits, of visits including basic nursing care, and of more complex technical acts that older persons require more of the working time of public health nurses.

Compliment de les directrius DRIVER dels repositoris cooperatius RACO, RECERCAT i TDX

Aquest informe ha estat elaborat per encàrrec del Consorci de Biblioteques Universitàries de Catalunya (CBUC). El seu objectiu és comprovar si des del punt de vista tècnic, els repositoris cooperatius que el CBUC coordina juntament amb el Centre de Supercomputació de Catalunya (CESCA), es poden integrar dins la infrastructura DRIVER.

A behavioral study of alpha-1b adrenergic receptor knockout mice: increased reaction to novelty and selectively reduced learning capacities.

Knockout mice lacking the alpha-1b adrenergic receptor were tested in behavioral experiments. Reaction to novelty was first assessed in a simple test in which the time taken by the knockout mice and their littermate controls to enter a second compartment was compared. Then the mice were tested in an open field to which unknown objects were subsequently added. Special novelty was introduced by moving one of the familiar objects to another location in the open field. Spatial behavior and memory were further studied in a homing board test, and in the water maze. The alpha-1b knockout mice showed an enhanced reactivity to new situations. They were faster to enter the new environment, covered longer paths in the open field, and spent more time exploring the new objects. They reacted like controls to modification inducing spatial novelty. In the homing board test, both the knockout mice and the control mice seemed to use a combination of distant visual and proximal olfactory cues, showing place preference only if the two types of cues were redundant. In the water maze the alpha-1b knockout mice were unable to learn the task, which was confirmed in a probe trial without platform. They were perfectly able, however, to escape in a visible platform procedure. These results confirm previous findings showing that the noradrenergic pathway is important for the modulation of behaviors such as reaction to novelty and exploration, and suggest that this is mediated, at least partly, through the alpha-1b adrenergic receptors. The lack of alpha-1b adrenergic receptors in spatial orientation does not seem important in cue-rich tasks but may interfere with orientation in situations providing distant cues only.

Disentangling the effects of key innovations on the diversification of Bromelioideae (bromeliaceae).

The evolution of key innovations, novel traits that promote diversification, is often seen as major driver for the unequal distribution of species richness within the tree of life. In this study, we aim to determine the factors underlying the extraordinary radiation of the subfamily Bromelioideae, one of the most diverse clades among the neotropical plant family Bromeliaceae. Based on an extended molecular phylogenetic data set, we examine the effect of two putative key innovations, that is, the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) and the water-impounding tank, on speciation and extinction rates. To this aim, we develop a novel Bayesian implementation of the phylogenetic comparative method, binary state speciation and extinction, which enables hypotheses testing by Bayes factors and accommodates the uncertainty on model selection by Bayesian model averaging. Both CAM and tank habit were found to correlate with increased net diversification, thus fulfilling the criteria for key innovations. Our analyses further revealed that CAM photosynthesis is correlated with a twofold increase in speciation rate, whereas the evolution of the tank had primarily an effect on extinction rates that were found five times lower in tank-forming lineages compared to tank-less clades. These differences are discussed in the light of biogeography, ecology, and past climate change.