Correlation between Clinical/Radiographic Features and Inflammatory Cytokine Networks Produced by Macrophages Stimulated with Endodontic Content

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

Ultrastructure and cytochemistry of the pearl gland in Piper regnellii (Piperaceae)

Pearl glands are scattered throughout the lamina of developing leaves and rarely found on adult leaves of Piper regnellii (Piperaceae). The pearl gland is a bicellular secretory trichome composed of a short broad basal cell and a spatula-like, semiglobular apical cell. Four different stages of the pearl grand were determined during its ontogenesis: origin, pre-secretory, secretory and post-secretory. During the pre-secretory stage, mitochondria, ribosomes, dictyosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and plastids with electron dense inclusions were present in the cytoplasm of the apical cell. During the secretory stage, the most remarkable characteristics of the apical cell are the proliferation of dictyosomes and their vesicles, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and modified plastids. At this stage, electron-dense oil drops occur in the plastids as well as scattered within the cytoplasm, proteins and polysaccharides are seen in the plastids, vesicles, and vacuoles. Only polysaccharides are present in the periplasmic space, wall cavities, and on the surface of the apical cell. The polysaccharides are one of the main components of the mucilagenous exudate that covers the developing leaf structures. The apical cell of the senescing trichomes undergoes a progressive degeneration of its cellular components, the plastids being the first organelles to undergo lysis.

Coléteres dendróides em Alibertia sessilis (Vell.) K. Schum., uma espécie não-nodulada de Rubiaceae

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

Do extrafloral nectaries present a defensive role against herbivores in two species of the family Bignoniaceae in a Neotropical savannas?

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

Effects of Brazilian and Bulgarian propolis on bactericidal activity of macrophages against Salmonella Typhimurium

Propolis has been used in folk medicine since ancient times due to its, many biological properties: such as antimicrobial. antinflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory activities, among others. 'Macrophages play an important role in the early phase of Salmonella infection. In this work, macrophages were prestimated with Brazilian or Bulgarian propolis and subsequently challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium at different macrophage/bacteria ratio. After 60 min of incubation. cells were harvested with Triton-X to lyse the macrophages. To assess the bactericidal activity. The number of colony-forming units (CFU) of S. typhimurium was determined by plating 0.1 mL in 'Mueller Hinton agar. After 24 h. CFU were counted. and the percentage of bactericidal activity was obtained. Propolis from Brazil and Bulgaria enhanced the bactericidal activity of macrophages, depending on its concentration. Brazilian propolis seemed to be more efficient than that from Bulgaria. because of their different chemical composition. In Bulgaria, bees collect the material mainly from the bud exudate of poplar tree, while in Brazil, Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. was shown to be the main propolis source. Our data also showed that the increased bactericidal activity of macrophages involved the participation of oxygen (H2O2) and nitrogen (NO) intermediate metabolites. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of exogenous galectin-1 on leukocyte migration: modulation of cytokine levels and adhesion molecules

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

A and B mode ultrasonography in preoperative evaluation of lens and posterior segment of dogs eyes with cataract

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

Caso para diagnóstico

A paracoccidioidomicose é enfermidade potencialmente grave podendo levar ao óbito. Lesões cutâneas específicas são freqüentes e propícias ao diagnóstico precoce. A disseminação para órgãos do sistema monocítico-macrofágico corresponde à forma aguda-subaguda da enfermidade. Derrame pleural e ascite, raros na paracoccidioidomicose, no presente caso foram conseqüentes à pancreatite aguda hemorrágica. Nos casos graves a anfotericina B e o suporte hospitalar adequado são decisivos na recuperação.

EARLY ACTIVATION OF SPLENIC MACROPHAGES BY TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA IS IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING THE OUTCOME OF EXPERIMENTAL HISTOPLASMOSIS IN MICE

Experimental infection of animals with Histoplasma capsulatum caused a massive macrophage infiltration into the spleen and induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) locally. The cytokine was also produced in vitro by peritoneal exudate macrophages exposed to a large inoculum of yeast cells. Depletion of the cytokine by injection of polyclonal sheep anti-TNF-alpha antibody was detrimental to sublethally infected mice. Fungous burdens in the spleens of TNF-alpha-depleted mice were higher than they were in the infected control mice at days 2, 7, and 9 after infection, and the antibody-treated animals succumbed to the infection. Histopathological study of spleen sections revealed that splenic macrophages were not able to control proliferation of intracellular yeasts as a result of TNF-alpha depletion. It seems that TNF-alpha plays a role in early activation of splenic macrophages which is important in controlling the outcome of an infection.

Structure of a glycoglucuronomannan from the low-viscosity gum of Vochysia lehmannii

The polysaccharide (VSP) from the gum exudate of quaruba (Vochysia lehmannii) had two components of almost identical M. centred at 24,800, as shown by HSPEC-MALLS. The presence of aggregates was shown since carboxy-reduction gave VSP-RED, which contained low molecular weight components with M-w 19,000 > 5800 and polydispersity ratios dn/dc 0.160 and 0.149, respectively. VSP formed low viscosity aqueous solutions and acid hydrolysis gave Man (30%), Ara (16%), Gal (10%), and Glc (14%). The latter arose partly from GlcA (30%). Methylation analysis revealed mainly neutral units of 2-O- (60%) and 2,3-di-O-substituted Manp (5%), and those of nomeducing ends (8%), 2-O- (3%), and 4-O-substituted Arap and/or 5-O-substituted Araf units (6%). VSP-RED contained Glc (45%), Man (35%), and Ara (13%) and methylation analysis indicated mainly 4-O-substituted Glcp (31%) and 2-O- (51%) and 2,3-di-O-substituted Manp units (5%). A predominant alternating structure for VSP was shown by its C-13 NMR spectrum, which contained 10 main signals and a small one of C-6 of GlcpA. This was confirmed by formation, on partial hydrolysis of VSP, of a tetrasaccharide, which was characterised by NMR spectroscopy and ESI-MS as beta-GlcpA-(1 --> 2)-alpha-Manp-(1 --> 4)-beta-GlcpA-(1 --> 2)-Man, which arose from the main chain, thus confirming VSP to be a glycoglucuronomannan. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Shelf-life of chicken loaves

This research was designed to study the elaboration of chicken loaf with ground meat. The products were elaborated in laboratory scale utilizing broiler meat bought at the market. The products were conditioned in vacuum-packages and stored for 133 days at 5 and 10 degrees C. Chemical, sensorial and microbiological analyses of the elaborated products were performed. The storage temperature affected the total bacterial counts, pH, characteristic aroma and rancid aroma. In both treatments (storage temperature: 5 and 10 degrees C), depletion of nitrites, reaching 24 ppm in 133 days of storage, and exudate formation after 77 days were observed. The storage of chicken leaves, vacuum-packaged, at 5 degrees C for a maximum of 77 days is recommended.

Propagação de sapotizeiro (Manilkara zapota L.) por estaquia

Two sapoti tree accesses (Manilkara zapota), native plants of south of Mexico and of America Central, belonging to the Collection of Fruitful Native and Exotic of UNESP/FCAV, Jaboticabal Campus, was studied with relationship to the cutting propagation. The first test consisted of fast immersion of cutting base semi-herbaceous foliage of selected accesses FCAV-III and FCAV-VII. The ttreatments were alcoholic solution (50%) of indolbutiric acid (IBA) in concentrations of 0, 1,000, 3,000, 5,000 and 7,000 mgL(-1). and the cuttings preparing with and without latex exudate washing for a period of 14 hours in recipient with pure water. This trial was set in 5 x 2 x 2 factorial scheme (IBA concentrations x accesses x cutting preparation) The second test consisted the herbaceous foliage immersion of FCAV-III access in IBA concentrations above. Both experiments were distributed in randomized design with four replications and 10 cuttings each. All cuttings were collected in spring and prepared with about 12 cm of length, planted in medium texture vermiculite and carried under conditions intermittent mist spray flashing in chamber with 50% light. The two accesses tested not rooted and treatments were not able to induce the roots emission.

Lactate in Bitches with Pyometra

Lactate is a compound produced by the anaerobic metabolism of glucose, and hyperlactataemia occurs when the rate of production of lactate exceeds the rate of elimination. This occurs in situations of hypoxia and tissue hypoperfusion. Lactate has been considered a useful prognostic indicator in critically ill patients. Pyometra is a disease of adult female dogs characterized by inflammation of the uterus with an accumulation of exudate, which occurs during the luteal phase. It is one of the most common diseases that occur in the genital tract of female dogs. A total of 31 dogs were diagnosed with pyometra. The diagnosis was confirmed at ultrasonography. of the 31 dogs, 25 females had open cervix pyometra and six had closed cervix pyometra. Plasma lactate concentrations were determined by an enzymatic colorimetric method. The average concentration (+/- SD) of plasma lactate in all 31 bitches with pyometra was 3.55 +/- 0.46 mm. Healthy dogs had plasma lactate concentrations between 0.3 and 2.5 mm (mean +/- SD). Concentrations ranged from 0.8 to 2.9 mm when plasma lactate was measured with a portable device and 0.42.6 mm with the blood gas analyser. Even though plasma lactate values vary between several studies and equipment used to measure concentrations, our results for dogs with pyometra are higher indicating hyperlactataemia (Thorneloe et al. , Can Vet J 48, 283288). Plasma lactate in dogs with closed cervix pyometra was mean +/- SD and in dogs with open cervix pyometra, it was mean +/- SD. The plasma lactate concentration in dogs with pyometra was higher than in healthy bitches, and there was no influence of patency of the cervix on the concentration of plasma lactate concentrations. Plasma lactate concentrations were similar for animals with open and closed pyometra (3.54 +/- 0.52 to 3.64 +/- 1.03 mm).

Effect of a single acupuncture treatment on surgical wound healing in dogs: a randomized, single blinded, controlled pilot study

Background: The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of acupuncture on wound healing after soft tissue or orthopaedic surgery in dogs.Methods: 29 dogs were submitted to soft tissue and/or orthopaedic surgeries. Five dogs had two surgical wounds each, so there were totally 34 wounds in the study. All owners received instructions for post operative care as well as antibiotic and pain treatment. The dogs were randomly assigned to treatment or control groups. Treated dogs received one dry needle acupuncture treatment right after surgery and the control group received no such treatment. A veterinary surgeon that was blinded to the treatment, evaluated the wounds at three and seven days after surgery in regard to oedema (scale 0-3), scabs (yes/no), exudate (yes/no), hematoma (yes/no), dermatitis (yes/no), and aspect of the wound (dry/humid).Results: There was no significant difference between the treatment and control groups in the variables evaluated three and seven days after surgery. However, oedema reduced significantly in the group treated with acupuncture at seven days compared to three days after surgery, possibly due the fact that there was more oedema in the treatment group at day three (although this difference was nor significant between groups).Conclusions: The use of a single acupuncture treatment right after surgery in dogs did not appear to have any beneficial effects in surgical wound healing.

A pro-inflammatory role of lymphoid cells in acute pleurisy in rats

The effect of viable splenic lymphoid cells and their constituents (filtrate) on carrageenan-induced acute pleurisy was investigated in rats. Suspensions of lymphoid cells administered intravenously to recipients just prior to initiation of pleurisy enhance both the volume of exudate and cell accumulation in the pleural cavity 3 h after the irritation. Similar results were observed when filtrate of disrupted lymphoid cells was injected either 30 or 5 min before the carrageenan, but not when administered 30 min afterwards. Suspensions of bone marrow cells, on the contrary, were ineffective in producing an enhancement of the parameters studied. When administered into the pleural cavity together with carrageenan, the lymphoid cell filtrate augmented the inflammatory response to the irritant. Nevertheless, it was ineffective, per se, to elicit any local change. It is suggested that lymphoid cells may play a pro-inflammatory role in the initiation of the process by enhancing both the fluid and the cellular components of inflammation.