Giantin is the major Golgi autoantigen in human anti-Golgi complex sera

Anti-Golgi complex antibodies (AGAs) are primarily associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome. Here we report on the immunoreactivity of AGAs against five Golgi autoantigens (giantin, golgin-245, golgin-160, golgin-95/GM130, and golgin-97) and provide data from epitope mapping on the most common Golgi autoantigen, namely giantin. A total of 80 human sera containing AGAs, as defined by indirect immunofluorescence on HEp-2 cells, were analyzed by ELISA using recombinant autoantigens and immunoprecipitation. The proportion of AGA sera that reacted with the five Golgi autoantigens was correlated with the molecular mass of the Golgi antigens. Autoantibodies to giantin, the largest Golgi autoantigen, were the predominant AGAs, being found in 50% of the AGA sera. Epitope mapping of giantin was performed using six recombinant fragments spanning the entire protein. Antigiantin-positive sera with low titer autoantibodies recognized epitopes in the carboxyl-terminal fragments that are proximal to the Golgi membrane, whereas higher titer sera exhibited strong reactivity to amino-terminal and central domains that are likely to extend from the Golgi membrane into the cytoplasm. Our working hypothesis is that aberrantly expressed Golgi complex autoantigens may be released into the immune system when cells undergo lysis. By virtue of a carboxyl-terminal transmembrane domain, giantin is likely to be more stably associated with the cytoplasmic face of the Golgi complex than are other golgins, which are peripheral proteins. The stable association of giantin with the putative released Golgi complex may contribute to its preferential autoantigenicity

The infectivity of pig rotavirus in stools

Rotaviruses are the major pathogen for both human and animal. They affect young animals in intensive rearing and cause great economic losses. This study intended to evaluate the infectivity of porcine rotavirus maintained for 32 months at approximately 10ºC. in the original stools specimens. Thirty stools specimens of 1-4-week-old piglets originating from breeding farms located in the southwest region of the Paraná State were selected for this study. They were randomly chosen from stools samples positive for rotavirus by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) at the time of collection. The thirty stools samples maintained for 32 months at approximately 10ºC were re-tested by PAGE and 11 out of 30 were still positive showing the integrity of the eleven bands of viral RNA. To demonstrate the maintenance of viral infectivity, clarified and trypsin-treated stools specimens homogenates were inoculated in MA-104 cell cultures. After an average of 3 blind passages 5 out of 11 samples demonstrated cytophathic effect similar to that of standard simian rotavirus (SA-11). To confirm these findings, a immunofluorescent test was used and demonstrated typical cytoplasmic granular fluorescence. Electron microscopy of stools samples showed that most of the virus particles were single- shelled and some were found to be in an advanced state of degradation. Therefore the conclusion was that porcine rotavirus infectivity is maintained for a long period of time in stool specimens at low temperature. This certainly is an important aspect for the maintenance of viable virus in natural condition as well as for the transmission of the disease.Os rotavírus constituem-se nos principais patógenos da diarréia em humanos e animais. Afetam os animais jovens em criações intensivas e causam grandes perdas econômicas. Este estudo avaliou a infecciosidade do rotavírus suíno mantido por 32 meses a aproximadamente 10ºC nas amostras originais de fezes. Trinta amostras de fezes de leitões de 1-4 semanas de idade, provenientes de granjas da região sudoeste do Paraná, foram selecionadas para o estudo. As amostras foram colhidas no período de março a outubro de 1991 e selecionadas ao acaso dentre as positivas para rotavírus pela eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida (EGPA), à época da colheita. Estas foram retestadas por EGPA 32 meses após manutenção à temperatura de aproximadamente 10ºC. Onze das 30 amostras ainda foram positivas, mostrando a integridade das 11 bandas de RNA viral. Com o intuito de demonstrar a manutenção da infecciosidade viral, os homogenatos fecais clarificados, previamente tratados com tripsina, foram inoculados em culturas de células MA-104. Das 11 amostras, 5 demonstraram efeito citopático semelhante ao do rotavírus símio (SA-11), após em média 3 passagens cegas e confirmado pelo teste de imunofluorescência indireta, demonstrado pela fluorescência específica citoplasmática típicamente granular. A microscopia eletrônica das amostras fecais mostrou que a maioria das partículas virais apresentavam-se sem capsídio externo e outras encontravam-se em adiantado estado de degradação. Concluiu-se, portanto, que a infecciosidade do rotavírus suíno é mantida por longo período em amostras fecais em baixa temperatura. Este certamente é um aspecto importante para a manutenção do vírus viável em condição natural assim como para a transmissão da doença

Performance of two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography for the assessment of infarct size and left ventricular function in rats

Although echocardiography has been used in rats, few studies have determined its efficacy for estimating myocardial infarct size. Our objective was to estimate the myocardial infarct size, and to evaluate anatomic and functional variables of the left ventricle. Myocardial infarction was produced in 43 female Wistar rats by ligature of the left coronary artery. Echocardiography was performed 5 weeks later to measure left ventricular diameter and transverse area (mean of 3 transverse planes), infarct size (percentage of the arc with infarct on 3 transverse planes), systolic function by the change in fractional area, and diastolic function by mitral inflow parameters. The histologic measurement of myocardial infarction size was similar to the echocardiographic method. Myocardial infarct size ranged from 4.8 to 66.6% when determined by histology and from 5 to 69.8% when determined by echocardiography, with good correlation (r = 0.88; P < 0.05; Pearson correlation coefficient). Left ventricular diameter and mean diastolic transverse area correlated with myocardial infarct size by histology (r = 0.57 and r = 0.78; P < 0.0005). The fractional area change ranged from 28.5 ± 5.6 (large-size myocardial infarction) to 53.1 ± 1.5% (control) and correlated with myocardial infarct size by echocardiography (r = -0.87; P < 0.00001) and histology (r = -0.78; P < 00001). The E/A wave ratio of mitral inflow velocity for animals with large-size myocardial infarction (5.6 ± 2.7) was significantly higher than for all others (control: 1.9 ± 0.1; small-size myocardial infarction: 1.9 ± 0.4; moderate-size myocardial infarction: 2.8 ± 2.3). There was good agreement between echocardiographic and histologic estimates of myocardial infarct size in rats.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Disciplina de Fisiologia CardiovascularUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Disciplina de CardiologiaUNIFESP, EPM, Disciplina de Fisiologia CardiovascularUNIFESP, EPM, Disciplina de CardiologiaSciEL

Structural and functional characteristics of rat hearts with and without myocardial infarct. Initial experience with doppler echocardiography

OBJECTIVE: To assess by Doppler echocardiography the structural and functional alterations of rat heart with surgical induced extensive myocardial infarction. METHODS: Five weeks after surgical ligature of the left coronary artery, 38 Wistar-EPM rats of both sexes, 10 of them with extensive infarction, undergone anatomical and functional evaluation by Doppler echocardiography and then euthanized for anatomopathological analysis. RESULTS: Echocardiography was 100% sensible and specific to anatomopathological confirmed extensive miocardial infarction. Extensive infarction lead to dilatation of left ventricle (diastolic diameter: 0.89cm vs.0.64cm; systolic: 0.72cm vs. 0.33cm) and left atrium (0.55cm vs. 0.33cm); thinning of left ventricular anterior wall (systolic: 0.14cm vs. 0.23cm, diastolic: 0.11cm vs. 0.14cm); increased mitral E/ A wave relation (6.45 vs. 1.95). Signals of increased end diastolic ventricle pressure, B point in mitral valve tracing in 62.5% and signs of pulmonary hypertension straightening of pulmonary valve (90%) and notching of pulmonary systolic flow (60%) were observed in animals with extensive infarction. CONCLUSION: Doppler echocardiography has a high sensitivity and specificity for detection of chronic extensive infarction. Extensive infarction caused dilatation of left cardiac chambers and showed in Doppler signals of increased end diastolic left ventricular pressure and pulmonary artery pressure.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL

Antiherpetic activity of an Agaricus brasiliensis polysaccharide, its sulfated derivative and fractions

AbstractAgaricus brasiliensis is an edible mushroom, traditionally used for the treatment of several diseases. In this paper, a polysaccharide (PLS) from A. brasiliensis, its carboxymethylated (CPLS) and sulfated (SPLS) derivatives, as well as, fractions (F1–F3) obtained from the PLS were investigated for their effect in the replication of herpes simplex virus and bovine herpes virus in HEp-2 cell cultures. The PLS, SPLS and F3 inhibited both virus strains similarly, in a dose-dependent curve. F1, F2 and CPLS did not show significant effect even at higher concentrations. All the compounds showed neither virucidal or viral adsorption inhibition activities nor effect when cells were treated prior to infection. Our study demonstrated that the extracts of A. brasiliensis, can be promising for future antiviral drug design and its biotechnological production is economically feasible

Nursing practice and public health policy in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil

Redemocratization in the 1970s brought about changes in the public health system in Brazil. The Unified National Health System (SUS) was implemented in 1988, based on local and regional administrative systems. This was an important step that resulted in greater local control and the introduction of new technologies. This study focuses on the local health system in Campinas, a relatively affluent and technologically advanced region some 100km from the city of São Paulo in Southeast Brazil. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to evaluate the work of 233 nurses in the local health system. The first nurse was hired in 1977, and now there are 53 nurses working in specific areas: 10 in the central health administration, 36 in district administrations, and the rest in local services. Nursing services are organized in six main areas: administration, coordination of human resources, education, information technology, health surveillance, and health administration. Nursing intervention may be found in various areas, but it generally focuses on medical consultations, and there is little emphasis on collective activities and health promotion. Local health objectives can only be achieved by creating new practices that promote collective health.Desde a década de 70 o sistema de saúde vem se transformando com a redemocratização do Estado Brasileiro. O SUS representou um importante passo para o fortalecimento dos sistemas de administração locais e regionais. Tal situação tem contribuído para o aumento do controle local e para as mudanças no processo de trabalho. Este estudo considera essas mudanças no sistema local de saúde em Campinas, São Paulo, e analisa, quantitativa e qualitativamente, as práticas de 233 enfermeiras da rede municipal em relação às políticas de saúde locais. Cerca de 58% trabalham em serviços locais e 42% em serviços especializados, em níveis distritais e central de administração. Os serviços de enfermagem organizam-se em seis áreas principais: administração, coordenação de recursos humanos, educação de pessoal, informática, administração em saúde e vigilância em saúde. A intervenção das enfermeiras tem se dirigido às diversas áreas, mas continua centrada nas consultas médicas, com pequena ênfase em atividades coletivas e de promoção à saúde. Concluímos que novas práticas de promoção à saúde coletiva precisam ser fomentadas de acordo com os objetivos de desenvolvimento da saúde em âmbito local.98999

Simulations of the Microwave Sky

We create realistic, full-sky, half-arcminute resolution simulations of the microwave sky matched to the most recent astrophysical observations. The primary purpose of these simulations is to test the data reduction pipeline for the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) experiment; however, we have widened the frequency coverage beyond the ACT bands to make these simulations applicable to other microwave background experiments. Some of the novel features of these simulations are that the radio and infrared galaxy populations are correlated with the galaxy cluster populations, the CMB is lensed by the dark matter structure in the simulation via a ray-tracing code, the contribution to the thermal and kinetic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) signals from galaxy clusters, groups, and the IGM has been included, and the gas prescription to model the SZ signals matches the most recent X-ray observations. Regarding the contamination of cluster SZ flux by radio galaxies, we find for 148 GHz (90 GHz) only 3% (4%) of halos have their SZ decrements contaminated at a level of 20% or more. We find the contamination levels higher for infrared galaxies. However, at 90 GHz, less than 20% of clusters with M_{200} > 2.5 x 10^{14} Msun and z<1.2 have their SZ decrements filled in at a level of 20% or more. At 148 GHz, less than 20% of clusters with M_{200} > 2.5 x 10^{14} Msun and z<0.8 have their SZ decrements filled in at a level of 50% or larger. Our models also suggest that a population of very high flux infrared galaxies, which are likely lensed sources, contribute most to the SZ contamination of very massive clusters at 90 and 148 GHz. These simulations are publicly available and should serve as a useful tool for microwave surveys to cross-check SZ cluster detection, power spectrum, and cross-correlation analyses.Comment: Sims are now public at http://lambda.gsfc.nasa.gov/toolbox/tb_cmbsim_ov.cfm; Expanded discussion of N-body sim and IGM; Version accepted by Ap

Poliomielite – erradicação ou controle?

A poliomielite é uma doença infecciosa aguda causada pelo poliovírus, afeta o sistema nervoso central e leva à destruição de neurônios motores, resultando em paralisia flácida. O vírus pertence à família Picornaviridae e é constituído por RNA de fita simples de polaridade positiva e capsídeo icosaédrico. A doença está sob controle na maior parte do mundo, devido ao uso da vacina a partir de 1955 e a consolidação das medidas imunoprofiláticas, através do programa de imunização massiva iniciada na década de setenta. Entretanto, a ameaça de sua re-emergência persiste. Apesar dos intensos esforços para a erradicação da doença, prevista pela OMS para o ano de 2000, a doença permanece endêmica na Nigéria, Paquistão e Afeganistão. As vacinas de vírus inativado (VIP) (Salk) e atenuado (VOP) (Sabin) começaram a ser usadas, respectivamente, nas décadas de 50 e 60. No Brasil, o Plano Nacional de Imunização Antipoliomielite, passou a adotar o esquema de vacinação sequencial das duas vacinas, a partir de 2012, até então mantida somente com a VOP. Até que a erradicação do poliovírus seja consolidada, as demais regiões do mundo continuam em risco de importação da doença. Além disso, a poliomielite paralítica associada às cepas derivadas dos vírus vacinais (VDPV) impõe um novo e complexo desafio à erradicação da doença. Esta revisão propõe contextualizar as informações atuais da doença, do agente etiológico, vacinas e suas intercorrências