Pterosagitta besnardi Van. & Hosoe 1952 synonym of P. draco (Krohn 1853)

Tendo sido encontrado na região de Fernando de Noronha abundante material morfológicamente intermediario entre Pterosagitta draco e P. besnardi, proveniente esta última da região da Ilha da Trindade, os caracteres anteriormente considerados como disjuntivos foram reestudados em material proveniente de ambas as zonas. As conclusões a que se chegou são: P. besnardi é sinonimo de P. draco. 2.º - P. draco é muito provavelmente uma espécie politípica. 3.º - Provavelmente existe um gradiante morfológico no Atlântico, representando o material da Trindade o extremo sul da área de dispersão da espécie

Resultados científicos do cruzeiro do "Baependi" e do "Vega" à Ilha da Trindade: Chaetognatha

This paper presents the taxonomic results regarding the Chaetognatha collected during a voyage to the oceanic island of Trindade made in 1950. Collects were done at different stations around the island and in the waters above banks between the island and the continent. Seven different species were collected, 5 of which belong to the genus Sagitta: 8. bipunctata, 8. enflata, 8. friderici, 8. hexaptera, 8. serratodentata, one is recognized as a new species of the genus Pterosagitta: Pt. besnardi, and finally the last is Krohnitta subtilis. Descriptions and drawings are presented of the species, as well as records of what is known of their habits and of the environments which they select. The new species, Pterosagitta besnardi, the second known of this genus, is as a whole similar to its elder: Pt. draco; but differs from it in some essential points. Pt. besnardi is shorter, its caudal segment is proportionately shorter, it has a smaller number of teeth and hooks, the hook's sheath has no crest, it has intestinal diverticula, its receptacula are extremely large and have a clavate shape and, finally its vesiculae are short and oval. This work was done aiming at a better knowledge of the Chaetognathous fauna of the western south Atlantic and for this purpose more work is being prepared dealing with the coastal species. Random informations are being pieced together in the hope of gathering in the near future enough material to establish some useful indicator among the species of this group that might be efficiently used for practical purposes

Notas biológicas: II. sobre Embletonia mediterranea (Costa), nudibranquio da região lagunar de Cananéia

A rich colony of the cladohepatic nudibranchiate mollusk Embletonia mediterranea was studied from the lagoon region of Cananéia, from March to July (end of summer through winter). To the author's knowledge this species is here redescribed for the first time since its description by Costa (1866), fulfilling some omissions present in the original paper. A comparison is here made with 4 out of the remaining 8 species of the genus. All the species are closely allied, two of the species which were not compared for lack of the necessary bibliography, are probably only a variety of E. pallida which is known to the authors. These are: E. juscata and E. remigata. E. minuta, also not compared, may be a synonim of E. pulchra. The fourth uncompared species: E. pygmex is the only one totally unknown to the authors. The colony became well established in aquaria in S. Paulo where the animals reproduced freely. The whole individual cycle was observed from spawning of a generation to spawning of the following one. The egg masses are lump-shaped, they contain an average of 11 eggs; each full-size animal lays about 16 to 17 eggs in 24 hours. Spawning begins in animals about one third full length. The whole development, from spawning to hatching takes from 48 h to 60 h in temperatures from 20º C to 25º C. Few days after hatching the veligers settle to the bottom and after 24 h to 48 h the young ones abandon the nautiloid shell yet with no cerata neither rhinophores and with reduced cephalic expansions. A comparison is made with the development of E. pallida, described and wonderfully portrayed by Rasmussen (1944). This species is closely associated to Bougainvillia on which were always found numerous egg-masses and adults and on which the animals feed. On the athecate hydroid, are usually found several cauli of Obelia bidentata. Animals reared out of reach of living hydroids had cerata entirely devoid of cnidocysts. In spite of its natural association to the mentioned hydroids, the species is euryphagous since it thrives well in captivity feeding on detritus and perhaps diatoms, small ciliates and suctorians. There is no annual cycle, the species having been found active continuously from summer through the coldest months. No migrations have been recorded and the population seems to be stationary the year round. Finally it was pointed out that this species seems to be a suitable material to study the problems of the relation between the internal medium and the external osmotic pressure.1) - Foram estabelecidas em S. Paulo algumas colónias de E. mediterranea proveniente das águas salobras da região de Cananéia afim de completar as observações realisadas in loco. 2) - São apresentadas tanto a descrição como a classificação, incluindo uma rápida comparação com quase todas as outras espécies desse gênero que foram até hoje descritas. 3) - Descreve-se o ciclo completo desde a desova até a postura da geração seguinte. Não foi feito o estudo embriológico detalhado. 4) - Foram anotados o habitat e a alimentação, e verificada a ausência de cnidocistos em animais não alimentados com hidrozoários. 5) - Foram estabelecidas as temperaturas letais e a duração das principais fases do desenvolvimento em temperaturas diferentes. 6) - Foi feita a comparação com o ciclo de E. pallida, otimamente descrito e figurado por Rasmussen (1944). 7) - Foi verificada in loco a ausência de migrações. 8) - Considera-se essa espécie, sem dúvida eurihalina, um ótimo material para o estudo das relações entre o meio interno e a pressão osmótica externa

Immunohistochemical analysis of Bcl-2 protein in early squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus treated with photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) in early squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus has been shown to result in complete response (CR) and cure. However, local recurrence after PDT develops frequently even after complete remission. Because the effect of PDT had been reported to depend on apoptosis, and apoptosis is inhibited by bcl-2 protein, the relationship between the expression of bcl-2 protein and local recurrence after PDT was examined immunohistochemically. From 1983 to 1997, 50 patients with 59 early squamous cell carcinoma of the bronchus received PDT, and a CR was obtained in 43 lesions (72.8%). As there was no recurrence among tumours that were disease-free for more than 2 years, in this study the tumours were defined as cured when recurrence did not occur 2 years subsequent to the receiving of PDT. Of these CR lesions, 31 carcinomas (53.4%) resulted in a cure. Bcl-2 immunoreactivity was detected in 23 tumours (46.9%) and p53 immunoreactivity was detected in 22 tumours (44.9%). When all tumours were divided into either a large tumour with a longitudinal tumour length of 10 mm or more, or a small tumour with a length of less than 10 mm, the large tumour expressed more bcl-2 protein than the small tumour (P = 0.0155). The degree of bcl-2 expression was significantly related with tumour size (P = 0.0155). The expression of bcl-2 and p53 protein was not associated with the cure rate due to PDT. Tumour length and T status in TNM staging were significantly related to the cure by univariate analysis. T status was the only predictor of the cure according to mutivariate analysis. Of 42 CR lesions, the expression of neither bcl-2 nor p53 protein was associated with local recurrence; only T status was significantly associated (P = 0.008). The relationship between the expression of oncoprotein and local recurrence after PDT was not documented in this study. The success of PDT may depend on the exact assessment of tumour size under optimized PDT illumination. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Gemcitabine and vinorelbine followed by docetaxel in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: a multi-institutional phase II trial of nonplatinum sequential triplet combination chemotherapy (JMTO LC00-02)

To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the sequential nonplatinum combination chemotherapy consisting of gemcitabine (GEM) and vinorelbine (VNR) followed by docetaxel (DOC) in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we conducted the multiinstitutional phase II study. A total of 44 chemotherapy-naive patients with advanced NSCLC were treated with GEM 1000 mg m−2 and VNR 25 mg m−2 intravenously on days 1 and 8 every 3 weeks for three cycles. DOC 60 mg m−2 was then administrated intravenously at 3-week intervals for three cycles. Patients were evaluated for response and toxicity with each cycle of the treatment. The major objective response rate was 47.7% (95% confidence interval (CI), 33.8–62.1%). Median survival time (MST) was 15.7 months and 1-year survival rate was 59%. In the GEM/VNR cycle, grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 36.3%, grade 3/4 anaemia in two patients (4.5%) and grade 3 thrombocytopenia in one patient (2.3%). Grade 3 pneumonitis occurred in two patients (4.5%) in GEM/VNR cycles. In the DOC cycles, grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 39.4% but no patient experienced grade 3/4 anaemia or thrombocytopenia. Of the 44 eligible patients, 33 patients completed three cycles of GEM/VNR and 22 patients completed six cycles of planned chemotherapy (three cycles of GEM/VNR followed by three cycles of DOC). The sequential triplet nonplatinum chemotherapy consisted of GEM/VNR followed by DOC, and was very active and well tolerated. This study forms the basis for an ongoing phase III trial that compares this nonplatinum triplet and standard platinum doublet combination (carboplatin/paclitaxel)

Brevianes Revisited

Breviones are a new family of secondary metabolites that were originally isolated from the New Zealand endemic fungus Penicillium brevicompactum var. Dierckx. These compounds are generally characterized by a new carbon skeleton, known as breviane, which that has three possible structural variations, such as breviane, abeo-breviane, and abeo-norbreviane. Brevianes present a basic diterpenic tricyclic core that is mevalonic in origin and is similar to that of perhydrophenanthrene. The core bears four methyl groups at positions C4, C8, C10, and C13 and has defined stereochemistry at positions C5, C8, C9, C10, and C14. The C1'-C7' side chain has been proposed to have a polyketide biosynthetic origin and is joined to the diterpenic moiety through carbons C2'-C15'. The cyclization and lactonization of this part of the molecule leads to the characteristic breviane spiranic ring fused to the α-pyrone

CCL25/CCR9 Interactions Regulate Large Intestinal Inflammation in a Murine Model of Acute Colitis

CCL25/CCR9 is a non-promiscuous chemokine/receptor pair and a key regulator of leukocyte migration to the small intestine. We investigated here whether CCL25/CCR9 interactions also play a role in the regulation of inflammatory responses in the large intestine.Acute inflammation and recovery in wild-type (WT) and CCR9(-/-) mice was studied in a model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis. Distribution studies and phenotypic characterization of dendritic cell subsets and macrophage were performed by flow cytometry. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) scores were assessed and expression of inflammatory cytokines was studied at the mRNA and the protein level.CCL25 and CCR9 are both expressed in the large intestine and are upregulated during DSS colitis. CCR9(-/-) mice are more susceptible to DSS colitis than WT littermate controls as shown by higher mortality, increased IBD score and delayed recovery. During recovery, the CCR9(-/-) colonic mucosa is characterized by the accumulation of activated macrophages and elevated levels of Th1/Th17 inflammatory cytokines. Activated plasmacytoid dendritic cells (DCs) accumulate in mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) of CCR9(-/-) animals, altering the local ratio of DC subsets. Upon re-stimulation, T cells isolated from these MLNs secrete significantly higher levels of TNFα, IFNγ, IL2, IL-6 and IL-17A while down modulating IL-10 production.Our results demonstrate that CCL25/CCR9 interactions regulate inflammatory immune responses in the large intestinal mucosa by balancing different subsets of dendritic cells. These findings have important implications for the use of CCR9-inhibitors in therapy of human IBD as they indicate a potential risk for patients with large intestinal inflammation

Cellular and molecular changes and immune response in the intestinal mucosa during Trichinella spiralis early infection in rats

Background:: The main targets of the host's immune system in Trichinella spiralis infection are the adult worms (AW), at the gut level, and the migrant or newborn larvae (NBL), at systemic and pulmonary levels. Most of the studies carried out in the gut mucosa have been performed on the Payer's patches and/or the mesenteric lymph nodes but not on the lamina propria, therefore, knowledge on the gut immune response against T. spiralis remains incomplete. Methods: This study aimed at characterizing the early mucosal immune response against T. spiralis, particularly, the events taking place between 1 and 13 dpi. For this purpose, Wistar rats were orally infected with muscle larvae of T. spiralis and the humoral and cellular parameters of the gut immunity were analysed, including the evaluation of the ADCC mechanism exerted by lamina propria cells. Results: A marked inflammation and structural alteration of the mucosa was found. The changes involved an increase in goblet cells, eosinophils and mast cells, and B and T lymphocytes, initially displaying a Th1 profile, characterised by the secretion of IFN-γand IL-12, followed by a polarization towards a Th2 profile, with a marked increase in IgE, IgG1, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 levels, which occurred once the infection was established. In addition, the helminthotoxic activity of lamina propria cells demonstrated the role of the intestine as a place of migrant larvae destruction, indicating that not all the NBLs released in the gut will be able to reach the muscles. Conclusions: The characterization of the immune response triggered in the gut mucosa during T. spiralis infection showed that not only an effector mechanism is directed toward the AW but also towards the NBL as a cytotoxic activity was observed against NBL exerted by lamina propria cells.Fil: Saracino, María Priscila. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Vila, Cecilia Celeste. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Cohen, Melina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Gentilini, Maria Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Falduto, Guido Hernán. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Calcagno, Marcela Adriana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Roux, Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Cardiológicas; ArgentinaFil: Venturiello, Stella Maris. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; ArgentinaFil: Malchiodi, Emilio Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Instituto de Estudios de la Inmunidad Humoral Prof. Ricardo A. Margni; Argentin

Mechanisms of T cell organotropism

F.M.M.-B. is supported by the British Heart Foundation, the Medical Research Council of the UK and the Gates Foundation