Characterization of protective immune responses induced by pneumococcal surface protein A in fusion with Pneumolysin derivatives

Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) and Pneumolysin derivatives (Pds) are important vaccine candidates, which can confer protection in different models of pneumococcal infection. Furthermore, the combination of these two proteins was able to increase protection against pneumococcal sepsis in mice. The present study investigated the potential of hybrid proteins generated by genetic fusion of PspA fragments to Pds to increase cross-protection against fatal pneumococcal infection. Pneumolisoids were fused to the N-terminus of clade 1 or clade 2 pspA gene fragments. Mouse immunization with the fusion proteins induced high levels of antibodies against PspA and Pds, able to bind to intact pneumococci expressing a homologous PspA with the same intensity as antibodies to rPspA alone or the co-administered proteins. However, when antibody binding to pneumococci with heterologous PspAs was examined, antisera to the PspA-Pds fusion molecules showed stronger antibody binding and C3 deposition than antisera to co-administered proteins. In agreement with these results, antisera against the hybrid proteins were more effective in promoting the phagocytosis of bacteria bearing heterologous PspAs in vitro, leading to a significant reduction in the number of bacteria when compared to co-administered proteins. The respective antisera were also capable of neutralizing the lytic activity of Pneumolysin on sheep red blood cells. Finally, mice immunized with fusion proteins were protected against fatal challenge with pneumococcal strains expressing heterologous PspAs. Taken together, the results suggest that PspA-Pd fusion proteins comprise a promising vaccine strategy, able to increase the immune response mediated by cross-reactive antibodies and complement deposition to heterologous strains, and to confer protection against fatal challenge

Análise foliar de cinco espécies florestais nativas

Analysis have been realized to evalue the content of macronutrients (N, R, K, Ca and Mg), and of micronutrients (Cn, Fe, Zn and Mn) in the leafs of five forest species: Araribá rosa (Centrolobium robustum), Guarantã (Esenbeckia leiocarpa), Ipê roxo (Tabebuia heptaphylla), Genipapo (Genipa americana) e Joazeiro (Zizyphus joazeiro). The statistical analysis and interpretation of the data allowed the following conclusions : a) Concentrations of macro and micronutrients varied among the species. b) Concentrations of macro and micronutrients varied according to position of the leaf on the branch and also to the species.No presente trabalho, foram analisados os macronutrientes: nitrogênio, fósforo, potássio, cálcio e magnésio e os micronutrientes: cobre, ferro, zinco e manganês em folhas das espécies Araribá rosa (Centrolobium robustum), Guarantã (Esenbeckia leiocarpa), Ipê roxo (Tabebum heptaphylla), Genipapo (Genipa americana) e Joazeiro (Zizyphus joazeiro). Nas condições do presente trabalho, os resultados encontrados permitem afirmar que: a) foram variáveis as concentrações dos macro e micronutrientes entre as espécies estudadas; b) as concentrações de macro e micronutrientes nas folhas variaram entre as posições no ramo em função das espécies

Suitability of external controls for drug evaluation in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the suitability of real-world data (RWD) and natural history data (NHD) for use as external controls in drug evaluations for ambulatory Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). METHODS: The consistency of changes in the 6-minute walk distance (Δ6MWD) was assessed across multiple clinical trial placebo arms and sources of NHD/RWD. Six placebo arms reporting 48-week Δ6MWD were identified via literature review and represented 4 sets of inclusion/exclusion criteria (n = 383 patients in total). Five sources of RWD/NHD were contributed by Universitaire Ziekenhuizen Leuven, DMD Italian Group, The Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group, ImagingDMD, and the PRO-DMD-01 study (n = 430 patients, in total). Mean Δ6MWD was compared between each placebo arm and RWD/NHD source after subjecting the latter to the inclusion/exclusion criteria of the trial for baseline age, ambulatory function, and steroid use. Baseline covariate adjustment was investigated in a subset of patients with available data. RESULTS: Analyses included ∼1,200 patient-years of follow-up. Differences in mean Δ6MWD between trial placebo arms and RWD/NHD cohorts ranged from -19.4 m (i.e., better outcomes in RWD/NHD) to 19.5 m (i.e., worse outcomes in RWD/NHD) and were not statistically significant before or after covariate adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: We found that Δ6MWD was consistent between placebo arms and RWD/NHD subjected to equivalent inclusion/exclusion criteria. No evidence for systematic bias was detected. These findings are encouraging for the use of RWD/NHD to augment, or possibly replace, placebo controls in DMD trials. Multi-institution collaboration through the Collaborative Trajectory Analysis Project rendered this study feasible

Binary systems and their nuclear explosions

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Este trabalho foi realizado com a finalidade de avaliar, com o emprego de fotografias aéreas, o significado da análise morfométrica dos componentes da paisagem, relevo e rede de drenagem, na diferenciação de Solos Podzólicos Vermelho-Amarelos, que apresentam como características comuns o mesmo tipo climático e perfis com horizonte B textural. As unidades de solos escolhidas foram os Solos Podzolizados de Lins e Marília - var. Marília e os Solos Podzólico Vermelho-Amarelo - var. Laras, situados respectivamente, no planalto ocidental paulista, parte centro-norte do Estado de São Paulo e na depressão paleozóica do Estado, zona do médio Tietê. O clima é do tipo mesotérmico de inverno seco, classificado como Cwa, pelo sistema de Köeppen. Representando cada unidade de solo, foram selecionadas quatro bacias hidrográficas de terceira ordem de ramificação satisfazendo o critério de semelhança geométrica de STRAHLER (1957) e quatro amostras circulares, com tamanho equivalente a 5 km2. A análise e interpretação dos resultados obtidos permitiu que se tirasse as seguintes conclusões gerais: a - A análise morfométrica permitiu a diferenciação das áreas dos solos estudados, refletindo diferenças da relação infiltração/deflúvio, permeabilidade, armazenamento dágua, profundidade do estrato rochoso e diferenças no estágio da erosão; b - A fotografia aérea foi eficiente para a análise morfométrica da paisagem dos solos estudados; c - Os índices do relêvo foram tão eficientes quanto os índices da rede de drenagem para a diferenciação pretendida; d - Os critérios de amostragem utilizados foram adequados para a realização da análise morfométrica, destacando-se a superioridade do critério de amostras circulares e, e - A continuidade dos estudos realizados é necessária para se verificar até que nível as diferenças entre solos permitem a utilização da análise morfométrica para a diferenciação de suas áreas de ocorrência.The scope of this work was to study quantitatively and qualitatively the signifícance of morohometrical analysis of the landscape components as the relief and drainage network on the soils differentiation, by means of aerial photographs.Two individual soil belonging to the mappinq unit Red-Yellow Podzolic Soils were selected to this study because they showed common characteristics as climatic conditions and the presence of argillic horizon.The soil uni ts chosed were the Lins Marília Podzolic Soils - Marília variation and Red-Yellow Podzolic Soils - Laras variation situated respectively in the north region ofthe State of São Paulo, in occidental plateau, and in a Paleozoic Depression, both of them under mesothermic climatic conditions classified as Cwa. Four representative third arder watersheds selected according to the geometric similarity principle and four circular samples of each of this soils units were used in this study.The comparative study and discussion of the results obtained led to the following conclusions: a - The morphometrical analysis provide sufficient informations to distinguished the soils units; b - The aerial photographs provide suficiente inforrnations for the morphometrical analysis; c - The elements of the relief were so importante than the elements of the drainage network to the pretended differentiation; d - The watersheds and the circular samples principles were adequated to this rnorphometrical analysis, with predominance of the second, and e - Will be necessary the continuation of this studies to verificate the real purpose of the morphometrical analysis to distinguish soil areas

Measurement of the erosion classes and land use in Franca Municipality - SP, Brazil

Impactos ambientais causados pelas atividades agropecuárias sobre o meio rural podem ser constatados quando são analisadas as paisagens da região. Vários estudos demonstraram que informações da paisagem obtidas a partir de imagens fotográficas são indispensáveis para o diagnóstico do processo erosivo do solo, aspecto indispensável no planejamento conservacionista. Neste trabalho, utilizando-se de técnicas de fotointerpretação, foi realizada a quantificação das classes de erosão acelerada no município de Franca - SP, relacionando-as com os tipos de cobertura vegetal. A coleção de fotografias aéreas empregadas foi produzida pela Base Aerofotogrametria e Projetos S.A., com escala aproximada 1:35.000, em outubro de 1990. Elaboraram-se cartas temáticas do uso/ocupação do solo e dos estados erosivos presentes em cada tipo de cobertura vegetal do solo, estabelecendo-se, em seguida, as relações entre a erosão acelerada e os tipos de comunidades vegetais do município de Franca. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que, nesse município, o solo agrícola encontra-se relativamente conservado, apresentando 74,23% da área com erosão laminar ligeira/moderada. Os diferentes usos/ocupações do solo influenciaram de modos distintos na manifestação do processo erosivo.Environment impacts caused by farming activities on agricultural management can be evidenced when the land use is analyzed. Some studies had demonstrated that, the information of the land use from photographic images is essential for identifying the erosive process, indispensable aspect in planning for better land management. In this work, using photointerpretation techniques, the measurement of the erosion classes in Franca Municipality - SP, Brazil, was carried through, relating them with the land uses. The BASE - Aerofotogrametria e Projetos S.A. took the used air photograph collection, with the approach scale of 1:35.000, in October of 1990. The thematic map of land use and the occurrence of classes of erosive process were elaborated and the relations between them were analyzed. The Municipality of Franca is relatively conserved, showing 74.23% of the area with sheet and rill erosion. Different land use had influenced the manifestation of the erosive process

Avaliação por fotointerpretação das áreas de abrangência dos diferentes estados da erosão acelerada do solo em canaviais e pomares de citros Evaluation of areas of different states of accelerated erosion of soil in sugar cane plantations and citrus orchards utilizing photointerpretation techniques

Este estudo foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar os estados de erosão acelerada do solo presente em áreas com canaviais e pomares de citros localizados na região administrativa de Ribeirão Preto - SP. Foram empregadas fotografias aéreas verticais, na escala aproximada de 1:40.000, do vôo da cobertura aerofotográfica da região citrícola do Estado de 1988. O estudo foi realizado identificando-se e delimitando-se todas as áreas de abrangência de cinco estados da erosão acelerada do solo presentes nos canaviais e pomares de citros. A presença da erosão acelerada severa a extremamente severa foi constatada tanto nos canaviais como nos pomares de citros, nas quatro unidades de solos de ocorrências principais na área de estudo. Os valores da extensão total das áreas de abrangência dos estados da erosão 2 a 5 (processos erosivos intensos a extremamente intensos) revelaram forte impacto sobre o desenvolvimento das culturas, degradando o solo agrícola e afetando a qualidade da água. As principais diferenças, quanto à extensão total das áreas de abrangência dos diferentes estados da erosão presente, foram identificadas principalmente entre os Argissolos e os Latossolos, e entre os dois estágios de desenvolvimento das culturas. As condições de solo exposto foram verificadas nas áreas recentemente plantadas com cana-de-açúcar ou citros, explicitando-se a grande necessidade de empregar, nessas condições, práticas conservacionistas.<br>This study was conducted with the objective of evaluating the states of accelerated erosion of soil in areas with sugar cane and citrus orchards located in Ribeirão Preto - SP, Brazil, using photointerpretation techniques. Vertical aerial photos, scale of 1:40.000 from the aerophotographic covering of the citric area of the State in 1988 have been used. The map of the land used and accelerated erosion was made in all the areas with five states of the soil accelerated erosion present in the sugar cane plantations and citrus orchards. The study showed the presence of a serious problem caused by the accelerated erosion in the sugar cane plantations and citrus orchards. The presence of areas of severe to extremely severe erosion was verified in the sugar cane plantations and in the citrus orchards, in four soil units, in the study area. The values of the total extension of the areas of the states of erosion 2 to 5 (intense to extremely intense erosive processes) revealed a strong impact of the accelerated erosion on the development of the cultures. This can cause a degradation of the agricultural land and can affect the distribution and quality of the water. The conditions of exposed soil were verified in the areas recently planted with sugar cane or citrus, and those conditions need better agricultural management