Análise do endotélio corneano de jibóias (Boa constrictor) utilizando a microscopia eletrônica de varredura

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Seasonality of Human Leptospirosis in Reunion Island (Indian Ocean) and Its Association with Meteorological Data

Background: Leptospirosis is a disease which occurs worldwide but particularly affects tropical areas. Transmission of the disease is dependent on its excretion by reservoir animals and the presence of moist environment which allows the survival of the bacteria. Methods and Findings: A retrospective study was undertaken to describe seasonal patterns of human leptospirosis cases reported by the Centre National de Re´fe´rences des Leptospiroses (CNRL, Pasteur Institute, Paris) between 1998 and 2008, to determine if there was an association between the occurrence of diagnosed cases and rainfall, temperature and global solar radiation (GSR). Meteorological data were recorded in the town of Saint-Beno?¿t (Me´te´o France ''Beaufonds-Miria'' station), located on the windward (East) coast. Time-series analysis was used to identify the variables that best described and predicted the occurrence of cases of leptospirosis on the island. Six hundred and thirteen cases were reported during the 11-year study period, and 359 cases (58.56%) were diagnosed between February and May. A significant correlation was identified between the number of cases in a given month and the associated cumulated rainfall as well as the mean monthly temperature recorded 2 months prior to diagnosis (r = 0.28 and r = 0.23 respectively). The predictive model includes the number of cases of leptospirosis recorded 1 month prior to diagnosis (b = 0.193), the cumulated monthly rainfall recorded 2 months prior to diagnosis (b = 0.145), the average monthly temperature recorded 0 month prior to diagnosis (b = 3.836), and the average monthly GSR recorded 0 month prior to diagnosis (b =21.293). Conclusions: Leptospirosis has a seasonal distribution in Reunion Island. Meteorological data can be used to predict the occurrence of the disease and our statistical model can help to implement seasonal prevention measures. (Résumé d'auteur

A LigA Three-Domain Region Protects Hamsters from Lethal Infection by Leptospira interrogans

The leptospiral LigA protein consists of 13 bacterial immunoglobulin-like (Big) domains and is the only purified recombinant subunit vaccine that has been demonstrated to protect against lethal challenge by a clinical isolate of Leptospira interrogans in the hamster model of leptospirosis. We determined the minimum number and location of LigA domains required for immunoprotection. Immunization with domains 11 and 12 was found to be required but insufficient for protection. Inclusion of a third domain, either 10 or 13, was required for 100% survival after intraperitoneal challenge with Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130. As in previous studies, survivors had renal colonization; here, we quantitated the leptospiral burden by qPCR to be 1.2×103 to 8×105 copies of leptospiral DNA per microgram of kidney DNA. Although renal histopathology in survivors revealed tubulointerstitial changes indicating an inflammatory response to the infection, blood chemistry analysis indicated that renal function was normal. These studies define the Big domains of LigA that account for its vaccine efficacy and highlight the need for additional strategies to achieve sterilizing immunity to protect the mammalian host from leptospiral infection and its consequences

Innate immune response in the sea urchin Echinometra lucunter (Echinodermata)

Echinometra lucunter, (Pinda) is a sea urchin encountered in the Brazilian coast and exposed to high and low temperatures related to low and high tides. Despite their great distribution and importance, few studies have been done on the biological function of their coelomocytes. Thus, Echinometra lucunter perivisceral coelomocytes were characterized under optical and transmission electron microscopy. Phagocytic amoebocytes in the perivisceral coelom were labelled by injecting ferritin, and ferritin labelled phagocytic amoebocytes were found in the peristomial connective tissue after injecting India ink into the tissue, indicating the amoebocytes ability to respond to an inflammatory stimulus. Results showed that the phagocytic amoebocytes were the main inflammatory cells found in the innate immune response of E lucunter. While other works have recorded these phenomena in sea urchins found in moderate and constant temperature, this study reports on these same phenomena in a tropical sea urchin under great variation of temperature, thus providing new data to inflammatory studies in invertebrate pathology. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

O estresse entre vestibulandos e suas relações com a família e a escolha profissional O Stress in youth and its relation to family and vocational choice

O estresse é um tema bastante estudado por pesquisadores de diferentes áreas, contudo, apesar de crescente, ainda é escassa a literatura voltada ao estresse na adolescência e no processo de Orientação Profissional. Os fatores como cobranças em relação à escolha da profissão, aprovação no vestibular, o início do planejamento da carreira, além das mudanças físicas e psicológicas, bem como as expectativas da família e seus próprios anseios podem contribuir para a manifestação de sintomas de estresse. A presente pesquisa teve como objetivos identificar a presença de estresse em jovens em preparação para o vestibular e relacionar com variáveis do contexto familiar e demográficas. Os participantes foram 268 alunos do terceiro ano do ensino médio e curso pré-vestibular, de escolas públicas e privadas, de ambos os sexos, com idade de 16 a 24 anos, da cidade de Curitiba. Para coleta de dados, realizada em sala de aula, foram respondidos os seguintes instrumentos: Escalas de Práticas Parentais, o Inventário de Sintomas de Stress Para Adultos de Lipp (ISSL), questionário de identificação sociodemográfica elaborado com base na literatura e o Critério de Classificação Econômica Brasil. Os resultados, dos dados coletados pelo ISSL, indicam que as respostas de 62% dos participantes indicavam estresse, com média de 5,45 (máximo de 10 pontos e desvio padrão de 2,85). Os resultados apontam que os fatores que mais contribuem para o estresse destes jovens são: estudos (38%) família (24%) e o vestibular (19%). Considerando esses dados, verifica-se a importância de incluir esta temática nos processos de orientação profissional, uma vez que o estresse, quando não administrado de maneira eficaz, pode trazer prejuízos acadêmicos, sociais, psicológicos e físicos para o indivíduo

Identification of new repetitive element in Leptospira interrogans serovar copenhageni and its application to PCR-based differentiation of Leptospira serogroups.

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2014-05-02T14:12:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Barocchi MA Identification of New....pdf: 2689916 bytes, checksum: b29266c121b560e1b5c6260b77f5c08f (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-02T14:12:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Barocchi MA Identification of New....pdf: 2689916 bytes, checksum: b29266c121b560e1b5c6260b77f5c08f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2001Division of Infectious Diseases and Immunity. School of Public Health. University of California. Berkeley, CaliforniaFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Division of International Medicine and Infectious Diseases. Weil Medical College of Cornell University. New York, New YorkFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, BrasilDivision of Infectious Diseases and Immunity. School of Public Health. University of California. Berkeley, CaliforniaA new repetitive DNA element was identified in an isolate of Leptospira interrogans serovar copenhageni from a patient in Salvador, Brazil. A Sau3A genomic library from this strain was constructed and screened for repetitive DNA elements. An insert of 438 bp (Rep1) from one library clone hybridized to multiple chromosomal DNA fragments resolved electrophoretically after digestion with BamHI, HindIII, and MfeI. A single oligonucleotide primer, designated iRepl, was designed to generate multiple PCR amplicons of various electrophoretic mobilities in a PCR typing method. The method distinguished strains belonging to the eight pathogenic and three saprophytic species of the genus Leptospira. Clinical isolates obtained during urban epidemics between 1996 and 1998 in Salvador, Brazil, were analyzed by this PCR method. Although the iRep1 primer was unable to discriminate strains among L. interrogans serovar copenhageni isolates, it was able to differentiate strains belonging to different species and serogroups of Leptospira identified in Salvador. This PCR-based method may provide a faster and less expensive alternative to serologic tests used in reference laboratories

Morphological alterations in the kidney of rats with natural and experimental Leptospira infection.

Submitted by Ana Maria Fiscina Sampaio ([email protected]) on 2014-04-25T17:47:57Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Faria MT Morphological alterations....pdf: 1419911 bytes, checksum: 782e1299445c48fa0874714687c6f544 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2014-04-25T17:47:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Faria MT Morphological alterations....pdf: 1419911 bytes, checksum: 782e1299445c48fa0874714687c6f544 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007Embrapa Amazonia Oriental. Belem, PA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Federal University of Bahia. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Federal University of Bahia. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Federal University of Bahia. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Federal University of Pelotas. Pelotas, RS, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Federal University of Bahia. Salvador, BA, BrasilFundação Oswaldo Cruz. Centro de Pesquisa Gonçalo Moniz. Salvador, BA, Brasil / Division of International Medicine and Infectious Disease.WeillMedical College of Cornell University. NewYork,NY,USALeptospirosis is a widespread anthropozoonosis, with a broad array of mammalian reservoirs, occurring as rural endemics, urban outbreaks related to floods, and emergent disease associated with water sports and recreational exposure in developed countries. Rats are the major source of human infection, particularly in urban areas; however few reports have focused on the pathology of leptospirosis in this host. This study reports pathological changes in 60 kidneys from captured wild rats and compares these with changes in the kidney of Wistar rats experimentally infected with Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain FIOCRUZ L1-130. A broad range of morphological alterations were detected in the kidneys from captured rats but interstitial nephritis was the only feature reproduced under experimental conditions. The role of interstitial nephritis in the pathogenesis of leptospirosis is reviewed and it is suggested that rats may provide a potential tool for the study of colonization mechanisms and host resistance in acute leptospiral disease