Haematological alterations of Leporinus macrocephalus (Osteichtyes: Anostomidae) naturally infected by Goezia leporini (Nematoda: Anisakidae) in fish pond

Estudou-se efeito da infecção por Goezia leporini Martins & Yoshitoshi, 2003 (Nematoda: Anisakidae) sobre as características hematológicas de Leporinus macrocephalus (Osteichthyes:Anostomidae) cultivado. Palidez das brânquias, rins, fígado e coração, pontos negros nos rins e acúmulo de líquido na cavidade visceral, estômago e intestinos foram observados. O conteúdo da vesícula biliar tinha aparência pálida e translúcida. Observaram-se alta e moderada correlações positivas entre número de nematóides e peso do peixe estimadas dentro dos grupos de peixe de 0-100g e 100-200g, respectivamente. As extensões sangüíneas revelaram variações no tamanho (anisocitose) e forma (poiquilocitose) dos eritrócitos, bem como eritrócitos em divisão. Não houve alteração (P>0,05) na contagem total de eritrócitos, de leucócitos, na taxa de hemoglobina e nos percentuais de trombócitos e monócitos. A infecção provocou redução (P<0,05) no percentual de hematócrito, no volume corpuscular médio, na concentração de hemoglobina corpuscular média e no percentual de linfócitos, e aumento (P<0,05) no percentual de neutrófilos e eosinófilos no sangue circulante de peixes infectados. Este é o primeiro relato no Brasil que relaciona hematologia e infecção por nematóides em peixes cultivados.

Prevalence, hematology and serum biochemistry in stray dogs naturally infected by Hepatozoon canis in São Paulo

Cães capturados nas ruas de quatro municípios do estado de São Paulo foram examinados para estudar a prevalência de Hepatozoon canis. Dos 222 animais, 13 (5.9%) encontravam-se infectados. Exames hematológicos realizados em nove animais evidenciaram três com anemia e um com leucocitose. A única alteração encontrada nos exames bioquímicos foi hiperglobulinemia.

Histopathological findings and detection of parasites in the eyes of dogs infected naturally with Leishmania chagasi

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

Effects of turmeric and its active principle, curcumin, on bleomycin-induced chromosome aberrations in Chinese hamster ovary cells

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

Toxoplasmosis in naturally infected deer from Brazil

Serum samples from 107 cervids were examined for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies using indirect hemagglutination (IHA), indirect immunofluorescence (IFA), enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Dot-ELISA. Samples were obtained from 66 marsh deer (Blastocerms dichotomus) in the State of São Paulo (Brazil) and from 41 pampas deer (Ozotocerus bezoarticus) in the State of Goias (Brazil). Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 23 (22%) of the deer, with 18 and 5 positive samples, respectively, for B. dichotomus and O. bezoarticus. The highest prevalence of T. gondii antibodies were young adults (32%), following by adults (27%) and fawns (13%). Only one serum sample (8%) from a newborn fawn was positive in the serological tests. The convenience of the Dot-ELISA test is obvious when compared with other serological tests for both laboratory or field surveys, mainly due to its features of practicability and reagent stability.

Serological responses to Neospora caninum in experimentally and naturally infected water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is an important natural host for Neospora caninum. Serologic responses to N. caninum were studied in experimentally and naturally infected water buffaloes in Brazil. Antibodies were assayed by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) using a cut off value of 1:25. Six buffaloes were each inoculated subcutaneously with 5 x 106 live culture-derived tachyzoites of the cattle Illinois strain of N. caninum, and two calves were kept as uninoculated controls. Post-inoculation (p.i.) blood samples were collected weekly for 8 weeks and then monthly until 1 year p.i. All inoculated buffaloes developed IFAT titers of 1:100 or more between 7 and 11 days p.i. and the titers remained elevated until 7 weeks p.i. Antibody titers peaked to 1:1600 in 1, 1:800 in 3 and 1:400 in 2, usually by 3 weeks p.i. Antibody titers declined to 1:25 or 1:50 in all the six buffaloes by 12 months p.i. IFAT titers to N. caninum remained at an undetectable level (< 1:25) in both control uninoculated buffaloes. To follow the dynamics of N. caninum antibodies, sera from 29 buffaloes and their calves were collected for 1 year and assayed for N. caninum antibodies; 23 of 29 calves were seropositive (IFAT of 1:100 or more) at 1-2 day of age. of these 23 calves, 17 remained seropositive during the study, while six became seronegative at four (two calves), six (one calf) seven (two calves) and eight (one calf) months of age. These findings suggest a high rate of neonatal transmission of N. caninum in buffaloes. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Histopathology of tick-bite lesions in naturally infested capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) in Brazil

In the present work features of tick-bite lesions were evaluated in capybaras naturally infested with Amblyomma cajennense and Amblyomma dubitatum ticks. Gross appearance of tick bite site was characterized by a mild swelling and erythema. Microscopic examination revealed the cement cone, a tube-like homogenous eosinophilic mass penetrating deep into the dermis. This structure was surrounded in the dermis by a cellular infiltrate and free eosinophilic granules and was associated to edema of variable intensity. Necrosis was a common feature deep in the dermis particularly at the far end of the eosinophilic tube. Hyperplasia, cellular edema and occasionally necrosis of keratinocytes could be seen at both sides of the ruptured epidermis. Cellular infiltrate was constituted overwhelmingly by polymorphonuclear leukocytes with eosinophilic granules. In capybaras cells with such features can be either eosinophils or heterophils (pseudoeosinophils), the latter being the equivalent of neutrophils of other mammals. Ultrastructural analysis of the cellular infiltrate revealed the predominance of heterophils over eosinophils. Mononuclear cells and mast cells and, in lesser numbers, basophils were also seen at skin attachment sites. The presence of heterophils in the reaction of capybaras against Amblyomma ticks is an outstanding feature but its role in the reaction to the tick is not known. It is however speculated that capybara heterophils might be associated with a more permissive environment for tick feeding and pathogen transmission as already shown for the equivalent cell type, the neutrophil, in the reaction of the dog against the Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick.

Treatment effects produced by the Bionator appliance. Comparison with an untreated Class II sample

The purpose of this retrospective investigation was to evaluate the dentoalveolar and skeletal cephalometric changes of the Bionator appliance on individuals with a Class II division 1 malocclusion. Lateral cephalograms of 44 patients were divided into two equal groups. The control group comprised 22 untreated Class II children (11 males, 11 females), with an initial mean age of 8 years 7 months who were followed without treatment for a period of 13 months. The Bionator group (111 males, 11 females) had an initial mean age of 10 years 8 months, and were treated for a mean period of 16 months. Lateral cephalometric headfilms were obtained of each patient and control at the beginning and end of treatment.The results showed that there were no changes in forward growth of the maxilla in the experimental group compared with the control group. However, the Bionator treatment produced a statistically significant increase in mandibular protrusion, and in total mandibular and body lengths. There were no statistically significant differences in craniofacial growth direction between the Bionator group and the control group, although the treated patients demonstrated a greater increase in posterior face height. The Bionator appliance produced labial tipping of the lower incisors and lingual inclination of the upper incisors, as well as a significant increase (P < 0.01) in mandibular posterior dentoalveolar height. The major effects of the Bionator appliance were dentoalveolar, with a smaller significant skeletal effect. The results indicate that the correction of a Class II division 1 malocclusion with the Bionator appliance is achieved not only by a combination of mandibular skeletal effects, but also by significant dentoalveolar changes.

Characterization of methylcellulose produced from sugar cane bagasse cellulose: Crystallinity and thermal properties

In the present work, methylcellulose produced from sugar cane bagasse was characterized by FTIR, WAXD, DTA and TGA techniques. Two samples were synthesized: methylcellulose A and rnethylcellulose B. The only difference in the process was the addition of fresh reactants during the preparation of methylcellulose B. The ratio between the absorption intensities of the C-H stretching band at around 2900 cm(-1) and C-H stretching at around 3400 cm(-1) for methylcellulose B is higher than for methylcellulose A, indicating that methylcellulose B showed an increase in the degree of substitution (DS). Methylcellulose A presents a more heterogeneous structure, which is similar to the original cellulose as seen through FTIR and DTA. Methylcellulose B showed thermal properties similar to commercial methylcellulose. The modification of rnethylcellulose preparation method allows the production of a material with higher DS, crystallinity and thermal stability in relation to the original cellulose and to methylcellulose A. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

FUNCTIONAL ALPHA-TROPOMYOSIN PRODUCED IN ESCHERICHIA-COLI - A DIPEPTIDE EXTENSION CAN SUBSTITUTE THE AMINO-TERMINAL ACETYL GROUP

Unlike the muscle protein, alpha-tropomyosin expressed in Escherichia coli does not bind actin, does not exhibit head-to-tail polymerization, and does not inhibit actomyosin ATPase activity in the absence of troponin. The only chemical difference between recombinant and muscle tropomyosins is that the first methionine is not acetylated in the recombinant protein (Hitchcock-DeGregori, S. E., and Heald, R. W. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 9730-9735). We expressed three fusion tropomyosins in E. coli with 2, 3, and 17 amino acids fused to its amino terminus. Ah three fusions restored actin binding, head-to-tail polymerization, and the capacity to inhibit the actomyosin ATPase to these unacetylated tropomyosins. Unlike larger fusions, the small fusions of 2 and 3 amino acids do not interfere with regulatory function. Therefore the presence of a fused dipeptide at the amino terminus of unacetylated tropomyosin is sufficient to replace the function of the N-acetyl group present in muscle tropomyosin. A structural interpretation for the function of the acetyl group, based on our results and the coiled coil structure of tropomyosin, is presented.

Canine hepatozoonosis in Brazil: description of eight naturally occurring cases

Eight cases of canine hepatozoonosis were diagnosed at the Veterinary Hospital (Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu), between October 1993 and April 1994. Clinical signs included anorexia, pale mucous membranes, weight loss, pain, diarrhoea, vomit, gait abnormalities, fever, polyuria and polydipsia. Haematologic findings revealed anaemia in seven cases, leucocytosis with neutrophilia in three cases, lymphopenia in three cases and monocytosis in four cases. Serum biochemistries included alterations in many parameters. Thr micrometry of Hepatozoon canis gametocytes ranged from 6.8 x 4.0 mu m to 7.5 x 4.5 mu m. Parasitaemia ranged from less than 0.5% to 2%. In all the cases reported other concurrent diseases were present. Diagnosis of canine hepatozoonosis was made by identifying H. canis gametocytes within leucocytes in stained blood smears. (C) 1998 Elsevier B.V. B.V.

Microstructure and dielectric properties of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin film produced by the polymeric precursor method

BaxSr1-xTiO3 (x = 0.6) (BST) thin films were successfully prepared on a Pt(111)/TiO2/SiO2/Si(100) substrate by spin coating, using the polymeric precursor method. BST films with a perovskite single phase were obtained after heat treatment at 700 degrees C. The multilayer BST thin films had a granular structure will a grain size of approximately 60 nm. A 480-nm-thick film was obtained by carrying out five cycles of the spin-coating/heating process. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy analyses showed that the thin films had a smooth, dense, crack-free surface with low surface roughness (3.6 nm). At room temperature and at a frequency of 100 kHz, the dielectric constant and the dissipation factor were, respectively, 748 and 0.042. The high dielectric constant value was due to the high microstructural quality and chemical homogeneity of the thin films obtained by the polymeric precursor method.

Preparation and properties of ferroelectric Pb1-xCaxTiO3 thin films produced by the polymeric precursor method

Pb1- xCaxTiO3 thin films with x = 0.24 composition were prepared by the polymeric precursor method on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates. The surface morphology and crystal structure, and the ferroelectric and dielectric properties of the films were investigated. X-ray diffraction patterns of the films revealed their polycrystalline nature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) analyses showed the surface of these thin films to be smooth, dense and crack-free with low surface roughness. The multilayer Pb1-xCaxTO3 thin films were granular in structure with a grain size of approximately 60-70 nm. The dielectric constant and dissipation factor were, respectively, 174 and 0.04 at a 1 kHz frequency. The 600-nm thick film showed a current density leakage in the order of 10(-7) A/cm(2) in an electric field of about 51 kV/cm. The C-V characteristics of perovskite thin films showed normal ferroelectric behavior. The remanent polarization and coercive field for the deposited films were 15 muC/cm(2) and 150 kV/cm, respectively. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.