Ehrlichia canis in dogs attended in a veterinary hospital from Botucatu, Sao Paulo State, Brazil

This study investigated the etiology of canine ehrlichiosis and possible clinical and epidemiological data associated with the infection in 70 dogs suspect of ehrlichiosis attended at the Veterinary Hospital of the Sao Paulo State University in Botucatu city during 2001 and 2002. Dogs were evaluated by clinical-epidemiological and hematological data and molecular analysis by partial amplification and DNA sequencing of the ehrlichial dsb gene. E. canes DNA was amplified and sequenced in 28 (40.0%) dogs. Dogs younger than 12 months old showed significantly higher infection rates (65.0%; P < 0.05). Diarrhea, apathy, and anorexia were the major clinical signs observed in 55.2% (P = 0.05), 47.0% (P > 0.05), and 42.4% (P > 0.05) of the PCR-positive dogs, respectively. Twenty-five anemic (<5.5 x 10(6) RBC.mu L(-1)), and 8 leukopenic (<5.5 x 10(3) WBC.mu L(-1)) dogs were PCR-positive (P > 0.05). All 28 PCR-positive dogs showed thrombocytopenia (<175 x 10(3) platelets.mu L(-1)) and revealed statistical significance (P < 0.05). E. canis was the only Ehrlichia species found in dogs in the studied region, with higher infection rates in younger dogs, and statistically associated with thrombocytopenia.

Food aversion: A critical balance between allergen-specific IgE levels and taste preference

Animals sensitized to allergens change their feeding behavior and avoid drinking the otherwise preferred sweetened solutions containing the allergens. This phenomenon, known as food aversion, appears to be mediated by allergen-specific IgE antibodies. Here we investigated food aversion in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, which differ in their allergic responses to the allergen ovalbumin as well as in their preference for sweet taste. BALB/c mice present higher levels of IgE and a natural lower preference for sweet flavors when compared to C57BL/6 mice. Specifically, we studied a conflicting situation in which animals simultaneously experienced the aversive contact with the allergen and the attractive sweet taste of increasing concentrations of sucrose. We found that BALB/c mice were more prone to develop food aversion than C57BL/6 mice and that this aversive behavior could be abolished in both strains by increasing the palatability of the solution containing the allergen. In both strains food aversion was positively correlated with the levels of allergen-specific IgE antibodies and inversely correlated with their preference for sucrose sweetened solutions. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Low doses of monocrotaline in rats cause diminished bone marrow cellularity and compromised nitric oxide production by peritoneal macrophages

Monocrotaline (MCT) is a pyrrolizidine alkaloid found in a variety of plants. The main symptoms of MCT toxicosis in livestock are related to hepato- and nephrotoxicity; in rodents and humans, the induction of a pulmonary hypertensive state that progresses to cor pulmonale has received much attention. Although studies have shown that MCT can cause effects on cellular functions that would be critical to those of lymphocytes/macrophages during a normal immune response, no immunotoxicological study on MCT have yet to ever be performed. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of MCT on different branches of the immune system using the rat - which is known to be sensitive to the effects of MCT - as the model. Rats were treated once a day by gavage with 0.0, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0, or 5.0 mg MCT/kg for 14 days, and then any effects of the alkaloid on lymphoid organs, acquired immune responses, and macrophage activity were evaluated. No alterations in the relative weight of lymphoid organs were observed; however, diminished bone marrow cellularity in rats treated with the alkaloid was observed. MCT did not affect humoral or cellular immune responses. When macrophages were evaluated, treatments with MCT caused no significant alterations in phagocytic function or in hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) production; however, the MCT did cause compromised nitric oxide (NO) release by these cells.

Prevalence and risk factors for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies in goats of the Serido Oriental microregion, Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast region of Brazil

The prevalence and risk factors for anti-Toxoplasma gondii antibodies were investigated in goats of the Serido Oriental microregion, Rio Grande do Norte state, Northeast region of Brazil. Three hundred and sixty-six blood samples from goats collected by jugular venopuncture were used. For the serologic diagnosis of Toxoplasma gondii infection, the indirect fluorescent-anti body test (IFAT) with cut-off value 1:64 was carried out. The prevalence of anti-T. gondii antibodies was 30.6% [95% CI = 25.9-35.6%] with titers ranging from 1:64 to 1: 16,384. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk factors associated to anti-T. gondii antibodies were presence of cats in the herd, extensive/semi-intensive management systems and lack of mineral supplementation. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Human settlements: Australia state of the environment report, 2001

Australia’s transition to the 21st century has been marked by an extended period of economic prosperity unmatched for several decades, but one in which a series of question marks are being raised in three principal areas: in relation to the environment, the social well-being of the population, and the future path of economic development. The first concern, which is of primary interest in this report, relates to the physical environment of cities and their surrounding regions, and the range of pressures exerted by population and human activity. The report begins by noting the increasing divergence of the prime indicator of national economic performance—gross domestic product (GDP)—from the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI). GPI is a new experimental measure of sustainable development that accommodates factors currently unaccounted for in GDP, such as income distribution, value of household work, cost of unemployment, and various other social and environmental costs. The divergence of these two indicators in recent decades suggests that Australia’s growth has been heavily dependent on the draw-down of the nation’s stocks of capital assets (its infrastructure), its human and social capital, and its natural capital (Hamilton 1997).

Direct comparison of the bond strength results of the different test methods: A critical literature review

Objective. The goal of this paper is to undertake a literature search collecting all dentin bond strength data obtained for six adhesives with four tests ( shear, microshear, tensile and microtensile) and to critically analyze the results with respect to average bond strength, coefficient of variation, mode of failure and product ranking. Method. A PubMed search was carried out for the years between 1998 and 2009 identifying publications on bond strength measurements of resin composite to dentin using four tests: shear, tensile, microshear and microtensile. The six adhesive resins were selected covering three step systems ( OptiBond FL, Scotch Bond Multi-Purpose Plus), two-step (Prime & Bond NT, Single Bond, Clear. l SE Bond) and one step (Adper Prompt L Pop). Results. Pooling results from 147 references showed an ongoing high scatter in the bond strength data regardless which adhesive and which bond test was used. Coefficients of variation remained high (20-50%) even with the microbond test. The reported modes of failure for all tests still included high number of cohesive failures. The ranking seemed to be dependant on the test used. Significance. The scatter in dentin bond strength data remains regardless which test is used confirming Finite Element Analysis predicting non-uniform stress distributions due to a number of geometrical, loading, material properties and specimens preparation variables. This reopens the question whether, an interfacial fracture mechanics approach to analyze the dentin - adhesive bond is not more appropriate for obtaining better agreement among dentin bond related papers. (C) 2009 Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.