Circulating Antigens Levels in Different Clinical Forms of the Schistosoma mansoni Infection

With the aim to evaluate the circulating cathodic antigen (CCA) levels in relation to the different clinical phases of Schistosoma sp. infection a sandwich ELISA using monoclonal antibody 5H11 was performed. The sera of three groups of 25 Brazilian patients with acute, intestinal and hepatosplenic forms of S. mansoni infection were tested and compared to a non-infected control group. Patients and control groups were matched for age and sex and the number of eggs per gram of feces was equally distributed among the three patient groups. Sensitivity of 100%, 72%, 52% of the assay was observed for the intestinal, hepatosplenic and acute toxemic groups respectively. The specificity was 100%. Intestinal and hepatosplenic groups presented CCA levels significantly higher in comparison to those observed for acute patients (F-ratio = 2,524; p = 0.000 and F-ratio = 6,314; p = 0.015 respectively). There was no significant difference of CCA serum levels between hepatosplenic and intestinal groups (F-ratio = 1,026; p = 0.316).

Survival, development and growth of larvae of the blue swimmer crab, Portunus pelagicus, cultured under different photoperiod conditions

The blue swimmer crab is a commercially important species of the tropical Indo-Pacific regions that shows substantial potential as a candidate species for aquaculture. Optimization of larval rearing conditions, including photoperiod, is therefore important to establish a method for the intensive hatchery culture of this species. Newly hatched larvae of Portunuspelagicus in first zoeal stage (ZI) were reared under five photoperiod regimes 0L: 24D, 6L: 18D, 12L: 12D, 18L: 6D, and 24L: 0D (5 replicates per treatment) till they metamorphosed to megalopae (ranged from 8.5 ± 0.3 days (18L: 6D) to 10.8 ± 1.8 days (0L: 24D) at 29 ± 1 °C). Daily, larvae of each treatment were fed an identical diet of mixed rotifer and Artemia nauplii, and the survival and molt to successive stages was monitored. Newly hatched ZI larvae of P. pelagicus could successfully develop to the megalopal stage under all tested photoperiod conditions, but we detected significant differences in survival among treatments (p & 0.05). The constant darkness treatment (0L: 24D) had the lowest (19.2 ± 7.2%, mean ± S.E.) cumulative survival from ZI to the megalopal stage, while the 18L: 6D treatment achieved the highest survival (51.2 ± 23.6%). Similarly, the photoperiod significantly affected zoeal development. Constant darkness led to the longest cumulative zoeal duration (10.8 ± 1.8 days), whereas the 18L: 6D treatment rendered the shortest larval development (8.5 ± 0.3 days). In addition, larvae reared under constant darkness resulted in the smallest megalopae (carapace length = 1.44 ± 0.09 mm) and the lowest dry weight (0.536 ± 0.188 mg). In conclusion, photoperiod significantly affected the survival, development, and growth of P. pelagicus zoeal larvae. Constant darkness led to the lowest larval survival and developmental rate, while a photoperiod regime of 18L: 6D appeared to be the most suitable condition for the rearing of zoeal larvae of P. pelagicus.

Protection against Toxoplasmosis in Mice Immunized with Different Antigens of Toxoplasma gondii Incorporated into Liposomes

Different toxoplasma antigens were entrapped within liposomes and evaluated, in this form, for their ability to protect Swiss mice against toxoplasma infection: soluble tachyzoite antigen (L/TAg), tissue cyst (L/CAg), tachyzoite plus tissue cyst (L/TCAg) or purified antigen of tachyzoite (L/pTAg). The protein used in L/pTAg was purified from tachyzoites using a stage-specific monoclonal antibody which reacted at a molecular weight of 32 kD in SDS PAGE and silver stain using reduced condition. To compare the immuno-adjuvant action of liposomes and of Freund's Complete Adjuvant (FCA), another group of mice was immunized with soluble tachyzoite antigen (STAg) emulsified in FCA (FCA/TAg). Control groups were inoculated with (STAg) alone, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), FCA with PBS (FCA/PBS) and empty liposomes (L/PBS). Mice were inoculated subcutaneously with these antigens six, four and two weeks before a challenge with 80 tissue cysts of the P strain of Toxoplasma gondii orally. All mice immunized with or without adjuvant showed a humoral response, as measured by Elisa. However, no correlation was found between antibody titer and protection against the challenge. All mice immunized with L/pTAg or L/TCAg survived (100), whereas 80% and 90% of mice from groups which received respectively PBS or FCA/PBS and L/PBS died. All mice immunized with antigens entrapped within liposomes (L/TAg, L/CAg, L/TCAg and L/pTAg) showed low numbers of intracerebral cysts.

Features of host cell invasion by different infective forms of Trypanosoma cruzi

Through its life cycle from the insect vector to mammalian hosts Trypanosoma cruzi has developed clever strategies to reach the intracellular milieu where it grows sheltered from the hosts' immune system. We have been interested in several aspects of in vitro interactions of different infective forms of the parasite with cultured mammalian cells. We have observed that not only the classically infective trypomastigotes but also amastigotes, originated from the extracellular differentiation of trypomastigotes, can infect cultured cells. Interestingly, the process of invasion of different parasite infective forms is remarkably distinct and also highly dependent on the host cell type.

Comparability of clinical wear measurements by optical 3D laser scanning in two different centers.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the use of different variables to measure the clinical wear of two denture tooth materials in two analysis centers. METHODS: Twelve edentulous patients were provided with full dentures. Two different denture tooth materials (experimental material and control) were placed randomly in accordance with the split-mouth design. For wear measurements, impressions were made after an adjustment phase of 1-2 weeks and after 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. The occlusal wear of the posterior denture teeth of 11 subjects was assessed in two study centers by use of plaster replicas and 3D laser-scanning methods. In both centers sequential scans of the occlusal surfaces were digitized and superimposed. Wear was described by use of four different variables. Statistical analysis was performed after log-transformation of the wear data by use of the Pearson and Lin correlation and by use of a mixed linear model. RESULTS: Mean occlusal vertical wear of the denture teeth after 24 months was between 120μm and 212μm, depending on wear variable and material. For three of the four variables, wear of the experimental material was statistically significantly less than that of the control. Comparison of the two study centers, however, revealed correlation of the wear variables was only moderate whereas strong correlation was observed among the different wear variables evaluated by each center. SIGNIFICANCE: Moderate correlation was observed for clinical wear measurements by optical 3D laser scanning in two different study centers. For the two denture tooth materials, wear measurements limited to the attrition zones led to the same qualitative assessment.

Proposed Sugar Sweetened Drinks Tax: Health Impact Assessment

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) was requested by the Department of Health (RoI) to undertake a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of a proposed tax on sugar sweetened drinks (SSDs) in 2012. The public health priority for this proposal was to consider the potential of such a tax to address the problem of overweight and obesity in Ireland. The HIA was overseen by the Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO) and guided by a steering group. The HIA process involved a population profile, a stakeholder consultation event and a literature review. This information, paralleled by a modelling exercise undertaken by Dr. Mike Rayner and his team in the University of Oxford was presented to the steering group to inform their conclusions.

Proposed Sugar Sweetened Drinks Tax: Health Impact Assessment Technical Report

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) was requested by the Department of Health to undertake a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) of a proposed tax on sugar sweetened drinks (SSDs) in 2012. The public health priority for this proposal was to consider the potential of such a tax to address the problem of overweight and obesity in Ireland. The HIA was overseen by the Special Action Group on Obesity (SAGO) and guided by a steering group. The HIA process involved a population profile, a stakeholder consultation event and a literature review. This information, paralleled by a modelling exercise undertaken by Dr. Mike Rayner and his team in the University of Oxford was presented to the steering group to inform their conclusions.  This is the Technical Report.

Repair of non-circumferential cervical trachea defects by three different latissimus dorsi flaps. A comparative studyin an experimental setting.

BACKGROUND: Large intrathoracic airway defects may be closed using a pedicled latissimus dorsi (LD) flap, with rewarding results. This study addresses the question of whether this holds true for extrathoracic non-circumferential tracheal defects. METHODS: A cervical segment of the trachea of 4 x 1 cm was resected in 9 white male pigs. The defect was stented with a silicone stent for 3 months and closed either by an LD flap alone (group a, n = 3), an LD flap with an attached rib segment covered by pleura (group b, n = 3), or an LD flap reinforced by a perforated polylactide (MacroPore) plate (group c, n = 3). The trachea was assessed by rigid endoscopy at 3 and 4 months and histologically at 4 months postoperatively. RESULTS: The degree of stenosis at the level of the reconstruction at 4 months was 25, 50 and 75% in group a, 15, 50 and 60% in group b, and 20, 95 and 95% in group c, respectively. The percentage of the defect covered by columnar epithelium was 100% in all animals of group a, 60, 100 and 100% in group b, and 10, 0 and 0% in group c. Resorption of the rib was seen in all animals of group b and obstructive inflammatory polyps were found in 2 animals of group c. CONCLUSION: Pedicled LD flaps provided less satisfactory results for closure of large non-circumferential extrathoracic airway defects than observed after intrathoracic reconstruction. A pedicled rib segment added to the LD flap did not improve the results obtained from LD flap repair alone, and an embedded MacroPore prosthesis may result in severe airway stenosis due to plate migration and intense inflammatory reaction protruding into the tracheal lumen.

Species and serovars of the genus Listeria lsolated from different sources in Brazil from 1971 to 1997

Using phenotype techniques, characterization was made to species and serovar of 3,112 strains of Listeria, isolated from different sources of infection such as human (247-7.9%) and animals (239-7.6%), as well as from various routes of infection, including food (2,330-74.8%) and environmental constituents (296-9.5%), all coming from different regions of the country and collected during the period 1971-1997. The following species were recovered in the cultures analysed: L. monocytogenes (774-24.8%), L. innocua (2,269-72.9%), L. seeligeri (37-1.1%), L. welshimeri (22-0.7%), L. grayi (9-0.2%), and L. ivanovii (1-0.03%). L. monocytogenes was represented by ten serovars, the most prevalent being 4b (352-11.3%), 1/2a (162-5.2%), and 1/2b (148-4.7%). The predominant serovar in L. innocua was 6a (2,093-67.2%). Considerations about laboratory methods for diagnosis and epidemiological aspects are presented on the basis of the results obtained.

Vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus say from different regions of Brazil to Dirofilaria immitis

The vector competence of Culex quinquefasciatus from five localities in Brazil to Dirofilaria immitis was evaluated experimentally. Females from each locality were fed on an infected dog (~ 6 microfilariae/µl blood). A sample of blood fed mosquitoes were dissected approximately 1 h after blood meal. These results demonstrated that all had ingested microfilariae (mean, 4.8 to 24.6 microfilariae/mosquito). Fifteen days after the infected blood meal, the infection and infective rates were low in all populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus. The mean number of infective larvae detected in the head and proboscis of these mosquitoes was 1-1.5. The vector efficiency, the number of microfilariae ingested/number of infective larvae, was low for all populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus. However, the survival rate for all populations was high (range 50-75%). The survival rate of Aedes aegypti assayed simultaneously for comparison was low (24.7%), while the vector efficiency was much higher than for Cx. quinquefasciatus. These data suggest that the vector competence of all assayed populations of Cx. quinquefasciatus to D. immitis in Brazil is similar and that this species is a secondary vector due to its low susceptibility. Nevertheless, vector capacity may vary between populations due to differences in biting frequency on dogs that has been reported in Brazil.