Dietary habits of lesser bandicoot rat (Bandicota Bengalensis) in an agro-ecosystem, Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan / Hábitos alimentares de rato bandicoot (Bandicota Bengalensis) em um agroecossistema do Planalto de Pothwar, Paquistão

Abstract Dietary habits of bandicoot rats (bandicota bengalensis) were investigated in the agricultural crops of the Pothwar Plateau, Pakistan by analysing stomach contents. The research activities were conducted in major field crops including wheat-groundnut and in the fallow lands during non-crop season at the field boundaries. The specimens were captured from the fields using kill/snap traps, and dissected to collect their stomach samples for laboratory analysis. Light microscopic slides of the plant material were recovered from stomach samples and the reference materials were collected from the field. Results revealed that the bandicoot rat predominantly fed upon cultivated crops during cropping season but consumed wild vegetation during non-cropping season. There was no significance difference between summer and winter diets. Most frequently consumed crop food items were wheat (Triticum aestivum; 28.57%), groundnut (Arachis hypogea; 11.26%), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor; 10.17%), chickpea (Cicer arietinum; 9.52%), maize (Zea mays; 6.49%), millet (Pennisetum glaucum; 5.84%), barley (Hordeum vulgare; 4.98%) and mustard (Brassica campestris; 4.98%). Among wild vegetation were consumed khbal gha (Cynodon dactylon; 7.79%), baron dhab (Demostachya bipinnata; 7.36%) and Prickly flower (Achyranthes aspera; 3.03%). The study concludes that, in addition to consuming wheat and groundnut crops, the Lesser bandicoot rat also subsists on grasses, weeds, and some fodder crops, as important component of its diet in agro-ecosystem of the Pothwar Plateau.

Resumo Os hábitos alimentares de ratos bandicoot (Bandicota bengalensis) foram investigados nas plantações agrícolas do planalto de Pothwar, Paquistão, por meio da análise do conteúdo estomacal. As atividades da pesquisa foram conduzidas nas principais culturas de campo, incluindo trigo e amendoim, e em terras de pousio durante a estação não agrícola nos limites do campo. Os espécimes foram capturados dos campos usando armadilhas kill/snap e dissecados para coletar suas amostras de estômago para análise laboratorial. Lâminas de microscopia de luz do material vegetal foram recuperadas de amostras de estômago; os materiais de referência foram coletados no campo. Os resultados revelaram que o rato bandicoot alimentava-se predominantemente de culturas cultivadas durante a época de cultivo, mas consumia vegetação selvagem durante a época de não colheita. Não houve diferença significativa entre as dietas de verão e inverno. Os alimentos agrícolas mais frequentemente consumidos foram trigo (Triticum aestivum; 28,57%), amendoim (Arachis hypogea; 11,26%), sorgo (Sorghum bicolor; 10,17%), grão de bico (Cicer arietinum; 9,52%), milho (Zea mays; 6,49%), milheto (Pennisetum glaucum; 5,84%), cevada (Hordeum vulgare; 4,98%) e mostarda (Brassica campestris; 4,98%). Entre a vegetação silvestre foram consumidos khbal gha (Cynodon dactylon; 7,79%), barão dhab (Demostachya bipinnata; 7,36%) e flor espinhosa (Achyranthes aspera; 3,03%). O estudo conclui que, além de consumir culturas de trigo e amendoim, o rato bandicoot pequeno também subsiste de gramíneas, ervas daninhas e algumas culturas forrageiras, componentes importantes de sua dieta no agroecossistema do planalto de Pothwar.

Independent prognostic genes and mechanism investigation for colon cancer

PROPOSE: We aimed to explore the potential molecular mechanism and independent prognostic genes for colon cancer (CC). METHODS: Microarray datasets GSE17536 and GSE39582 were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus. Meanwhile, the whole CC-related dataset were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Differentially expressed mRNA (DEMs) were identified between cancer tissue samples and para-carcinoma tissue samples in TCGA dataset, followed by the KEGG pathway and GO function analyses. Furthermore, the clinical prognostic analysis including overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were performed in all three datasets. RESULTS: A total of 633 up- and 321 down-regulated mRNAs were revealed in TCGA dataset. The up-regulated mRNAs were mainly assembled in functions including extracellular matrix and pathways including Wnt signaling. The down-regulated mRNAs were mainly assembled in functions like Digestion and pathways like Drug metabolism. Furthermore, up-regulation of UL16-binding protein 2 (ULBP2) was associated with OS in CC patients. A total of 12 DEMs including Surfactant Associated 2 (SFTA2) were potential DFS prognostic genes in CC patients. Meanwhile, the GRP and Transmembrane Protein 37 (TMEM37) were two outstanding independent DFS prognostic genes in CC. CONCLUSIONS: ULBP2 might be a potential novel OS prognostic biomarker in CC, while GRP and TMEM37 could be served as the independent DFS prognostic genes in CC. Furthermore, functions including extracellular matrix and digestion, as well as pathways including Wnt signaling and drug metabolism might play important roles in the process of CC.

Evidencia serológica de infección por hantavirus (Bunyaviridae: Hantavirus) en roedores del Departamento de Sucre, Colombia / Serological evidence of hanta virus infection (Bunyaviridae: Hantavirus) in rodents from the Sucre Department in Colombia

Objetivo Determinar la frecuencia de anticuerpos específicos a hantavirus en roedores del municipio de San Marcos, departamento de Sucre. Métodos Se capturaron 144 roedores con trampas Sherman® en áreas urbanas y rurales del municipio de San Marcos, desde diciembre de 2007 hasta julio de 2009. Los anticuerpos Ig G específicos contra el Virus Sin Nombre (VSN) fueron detectados en muestras de plasma mediante ELISA indirecto. Resultados La seroprevalencia de anticuerpos contra hantavirus fue del 8,3 % (12/144 capturas). Los porcentajes de seropositividad específicos por especie variaron entre 6,8 % (3/44, Zygodontomys brevicauda) y 50 % (1/2, Neacomys spinosus). No se encontró diferencia estadística en la seroprevalencia con respecto al área de muestreo, sexo y etapa reproductiva (p>0,05); sin embargo, hubo un mayor número de machos adultos seropositivos. Conclusiones Se evidenció por primera vez seropositividad a hantavirus en roedores de la subfamilia Murinae en Colombia. La detección de anticuerpos contra el virus refuerza la hipótesis que sugiere la circulación de al menos un hantavirus en roedores del norte colombiano.

Objective The main goal of this research was to determine the frequency of hantavirus-specific antibodies in rodents from the municipality of San Marcos in the Sucre department of Colombia. Methods 144 rodents were captured in San Marcos' urban and rural areas using Sherman traps between December 2007 and July 2009. "Virus sin Nombre" (SNV)-specific antibodies were detected in plasma samples by an indirect ELISA immunoassay. Results An 8.3 % (12/144) seroprevalence rate was found. Specific seropositivity rates ranged from 6.8 % (3/44, Zygodontomysbrevicauda) to 50 % (1/2, Neacomysspinosus). No significant differences were found in seroprevalence according to capture area, gender and/or reproductive stage (p>0.05); however, there were more seropositive adult males. Conclusion This is the first evidence of hanta virus seropositivity in rodents from the Murinae subfamily in Colombia. The presence of SNV antibodies in rodents in San Marcos supported the hypothesis that at least one hantavirusis circulating in rodents from northern Colombia.

Recognition of enteroinvasive Escherichia coli and Shigella flexneri by dendritic cells: distinct dendritic cell activation states

The innate and adaptive immune responses of dendritic cells (DCs) to enteroinvasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) infection were compared with DC responses to Shigella flexneri infection. EIEC triggered DCs to produce interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, whereas S. flexneri induced only the production of TNF-α. Unlike S. flexneri, EIEC strongly increased the expression of toll like receptor (TLR)-4 and TLR-5 in DCs and diminished the expression of co-stimulatory molecules that may cooperate to inhibit CD4+ T-lymphocyte proliferation. The inflammation elicited by EIEC seems to be related to innate immunity both because of the aforementioned results and because only EIEC were able to stimulate DC transmigration across polarised Caco-2 cell monolayers, a mechanism likely to be associated with the secretion of CC chemokine ligands (CCL)20 and TNF-α. Understanding intestinal DC biology is critical to unravelling the infection strategies of EIEC and may aid in the design of treatments for infectious diseases.

Evaluation of the proliferative activity of methanol extracts from six medicinal plants in murine spleen cells

A number of natural compounds have been used as immunomodulatory agents, enabling the function of the immune system to be modified by stimulating or suppressing it. There has been increasing interest in the study of therapeutic action of plant extracts regarding their immunomodulatory activity. The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate the action of extracts of the medicinal plants Calophyllum brasiliense, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Matayba elaeagnoides, Maytenus robusta, Rubus imperialis and Vernonia scorpioides on the development of spleen cells from mice, using the in vitro cellular proliferation assay. The cells, obtained by mechanical rupture of mice spleen (5x10(4) cells/mL), were incubated with methanol extracts (10, 50, 100 and 200 µg/mL) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA, 5 µg/mL). The basal control for proliferation consisted of cells alone, while the positive control consisted of cells and PHA. The cell culture was kept at 37 ºC in 5 percent CO2 for 72 hours, and cell proliferation was revealed by the blue tetrazolium reduction assay (MTT). The results were expressed as percentage of growth and were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. The C. brasiliense, I. pes-caprae and M. elaeagnoides extracts showed dose-dependent induction of cell proliferation, with a significant increase in cell proliferation (p<0.03) and percentage growth of 88.2 percent, 73.1 percent and 52.7 percent, respectively, suggesting T lymphocyte stimulation. By contrast, M. robusta, R. imperialis and V. scorpioides extracts showed significance only with a negative percentage of growth, suggesting inhibition of cell proliferation (p<0.04). Further biomonitoring studies will enable the fractions and isolated substances responsible for the immunomodulatory activities to be identified.

Várias substâncias de origem natural têm sido utilizadas como agentes imunomoduladores, permitindo modificar a função do sistema imune e propiciando o estudo de atividades terapêuticas de extratos de plantas. Este trabalho objetivou identificar a atividade imunomodulatória dos extratos de seis plantas medicinais da flora brasileira, Calophyllum brasiliense, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Matayba elaeagnoides, Maytenus robusta, Rubus imperialis e Vernonia scorpioides, sobre a proliferação de células esplênicas de camundongos. As células esplênicas murinas obtidas por ruptura mecânica do baço (5x14³ células/mL) foram incubadas com os extratos metanólicos das plantas (10, 50, 100, 200 µg/mL) e fito-hemaglutinina (PHA, 5 µg/mL). O controle basal de proliferação foi constituído de células apenas e o controle positivo formado por células e PHA. O cultivo celular foi mantido a 37 ºC, 5 por cento de CO2, 72 horas, com quantificação da proliferação celular pelo ensaio de redução do azul de tetrazólio. Os resultados expressos em percentagem de crescimento foram analisados pelos testes de Kruskal-Wallis e Mann-Whitney. Os extratos de C. brasiliense, I. pes-caprae e M. elaeagnoides mostraram indução dose-dependente da proliferação celular (p<0,03), com percentagem de crescimento de, respectivamente, 88,2 por cento, 73,1 por cento e 52,7 por cento, sugerindo estímulo de linfócitos T. Contrariamente, os extratos de M. robusta, R. imperialis e V. scorpioides apresentaram significância apenas com percentagem de crescimento negativa, indicando inibição da proliferação celular (p<0,04). A continuidade no estudo biomonitorado permitirá a identificação das frações e substâncias isoladas responsáveis pelas atividades imunomoduladoras.

Experimental murine chromoblastomycosis obtained from Fonsecaea pedrosoi isolate cultured for a long periodt

The present study aimed to describe F. pedrosoi propagules capable of causing chronic murine disease. Several changes in F. pedrosoi hyphae were identified in fungal cells cultured for a long period. Optical microscopy found many rounded cells with double-rigid melanin-rich walls. Terminal and intercalary chlamydoconidia were also frequently observed. Analyses of images from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed several cells with walls composed of at least three layers and an outer layer enriched with melanin. Two groups of twenty BALB/c mice were subcutaneously infected in their footpads with F. pedrosoi cells at an inoculum concentration of approximately 1 x 10(4) cells/mL. In one group, long-term cultured F. pedrosoi cells were inoculated in one footpad, whereas in the other group, both footpads were infected. Active lesions were observed up to seven months post-infection, particularly in mice inoculated at two sites. After this period, animals were killed. Histological sections revealed characteristics bearing a strong resemblance to the human form of the disease such as tissue hyperplasia, granulomas with microabscesses and sclerotic cells. Based on this study, we identified fungal cells from old cultures capable of provoking chronic chromoblastomycosis under experimental conditions, especially when more than one site is infected.

Schistosoma mansoni: respuesta celular hepática de ratones Balb/c infectados unisexualmente / Schistosoma mansoni: hepatic cellular response of unisexually-infected Balb/c mice

La respuesta granolomatosa en animales infectados con Schistosoma mansoni es atribuida a la presencia del huevo y aunque los gusanos adultos co-existentes en el sistema porta hepático, el papel en la inmunopatología no está claro. Se evaluó la respuesta celular hepática en ratones Balb/c infectados unisexualmente (UNI) con cercarias de S. mansoni, mediante histología convencional, inmunofluorescencia para CD4+ y CD8+, inmunohistoquímica e inmunomicroscopía electrónica para macrófagos activados. Los resultados muestran que la infección UNI produjo un infiltrado hepático con un área de 33,9 ± 18,86 µm² (media ± ME), constituido por macrófagos, linfocitos, plasmocitos y escasos eosinófilos. En la infección bisexual, la composición celular fue similar pero más intensa con un área de 195,6 ± 74,4 µm². Las células CD4+ y CD8+ en el hígado se ubicaron entre 2 y 4 cel/ µm² cerca del gusano y distante en forma difusa o en grupos, en ambas condiciones de infección. Los macrófagos activados se ubicaron alrededor de los gusanos y en donde se deposita el pigmento esquistosiomal. Los resultados sugieren que el gusano adulto es capaz de inducir una respuesta inflamatoria hepática en ausencia del huevo, la cual debe jugar un papel importante en la respuesta producida contra el huevo y tienen implicaciones en la patogénesis de la esquistosomiasis murina

El citocromo P-450 y la respuesta terapéutica a los antimaláricos / Cytochrome P-450 and the response to antimalarial drugs

OBJETIVOS: Evaluar la relación entre los factores genéticos y fenotípicos del sistema enzimático del citocromo P-450 y la respuesta terapéutica antimalárica a la cloroquina, la amodiaquina, la mefloquina y el proguanil, así como determinar la influencia de algunos factores biológicos y sociales del hospedero en el comportamiento de este complejo enzimático. MÉTODOS: Revisión sistemática de las bases de literatura biomédica PubMed, Excerpta Medica, LILACS y SciELO mediante descriptores en español e inglés. Se usaron los siguientes descriptores: "CYP-450" y "citocromo P-450" y sus combinaciones con "proguanil" (y lo mismo con "mefloquina", "cloroquina" y "amodiaquina"), "farmacocinética de proguanil" (y lo mismo con "mefloquina", "cloroquina" y "amodiaquina"), "resistencia a proguanil" (y lo mismo con "mefloquina", "cloroquina" y "amodiaquina"), "metabolismo", "farmacogenética", "enfermedad", "inflamación", "infección", "enfermedad hepática", "malaria", "nutrición" y "desnutrición". Estos mismos términos se usaron en inglés. La búsqueda se limitó a los artículos publicados en español, inglés y portugués hasta el 30 de junio de 2005 y a cuatro medicamentos antimaláricos: amodiaquina, cloroquina, mefloquina y proguanil. RESULTADOS: Algunos factores genéticos del citocromo P-450 humano (principalmente su polimorfismo), así como otros de tipo biológico y social (la propia presencia de enfermedad, inflamación o infección, la administración de medicamentos antimaláricos y su combinación, y el estado nutricional del paciente), influyen en la actividad de ese complejo enzimático. Solo en la última década se ha abordado el estudio de las bases genéticas de los citocromos y se han podido dilucidar los mecanismos de algunas interacciones entre fármacos y del metabolismo de estos, lo que ha permitido caracterizar el proceso de biotransformación de la amodiaquina y de la cloroquina. Se espera que nuevas investigaciones permitan responder a las interrogantes que aún subsisten, entre ellas cuál es la ruta metabólica de otros medicamentos antimaláricos, la distribución en la población de los alelos de las enzimas que participan en su metabolismo, y la contribución de tales mutaciones al fracaso terapéutico, y predecir la respuesta a los tratamientos antimaláricos...

Activación de la respuesta inmune innata y específica en los pacientes con sindrome urémico hemolítico: papel dual a traves de la paticipacion en los mecanismos pagogenicos y protectores / Activation of innate and specific immune responses in hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)-patients

The central role of the immune system is the preservation of the health against several pathogenic microbes and injury agents. However, on special conditions defensive mechanisms triggered towards the foreign agent can damage the host. Clinical and experimental evidence indicate that inflammatory reaction triggered by the main components of Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coil (STEC), participate in the evolution to the complete form of HUS. When children are diagnosed of HUS, they present evidence that have suffered a very strong and early inflammatory response. These features include: the presence of a marked neutrophilia, the polymorfonuclear leucocytes (PMN) are "deactivated or exhausted" and the monocytes are differentiated towards an inflammatory phenotype (CD14-reduced and CD16-enhanced membrane expression). In addition, HUS-patients show a marked reduction in the absolute and relative number of leucocytes carrying the receptor (CX3CR1) for the chemokine "Fractalkine" (FKN, CX3CL1), which are the classic monocytes and Natural Killer cells (NK). All these cells express a high cytotoxic potencial. The chemokine FKN is expressed in endothelial and epithelial renal cells, and is involved in the pathogenic mechanism of different nephropathies. Noteworthy, we found a significant correlation between the severity of the renal damage (as days of anuria) and the alterations described above. Finally, the protective role of specific immune response, mainly through the antibody production with Stx-neutralizing capacity, is discussed.

Quimioterapia na doença de Chagas murina experimental / Chemotherapy in Chagas disease murine experimental

A elevada concordância observada entre os resultados da hemocultura e a imunofluorescência indireta (IFI) bem como a praticabilidade e sensibilidade da hemocultural levaram-nos a adotá-la, juntamente com a IFI, comno critério de cura na doença de Chagas murina experimental. O estudo realizado em camundongos experimentalmente inoculados mostrou que a sensibilidade das cepas do T.cruzi ao benzonidazol e nifurtimox, drogas usadas terapêutica na específica da doença de Chagas humana, distribue-se segundo um gradiente que varia de cepas 100 por cento sensíveis àquelas completamente resistentes aos dois medicamentos. Entre as 51 cepas do T. cruzi submetidas ao tratamento com benzonidazol ou nifurtimox, cerca de 30 por cento podem ser consideradas naturalmente resistentes aos dois compostos ou a um eles se estabelece como critério de sensibilidade às drogas à cura de pelo menos 50 por cento dos camundongos tratados; o percentual resistentes alcança 47 por cento quando esse critério de sensibilidade é alçado à 100 por cento de curas. A sensibilidade ao benzonidazol ou ao nifurtimox das populações de T. cruzi que circulam tanto no ciclo silvestre quanto no ciclo doméstico variou igualmente de O a 100 por cento. No entanto, das 10 cepas isoladas de Santa Catarina, região em que praticamente não existe doença de Chagas autóctone, 5 mostraram¬se altamente resistentes, fato que sugere a possibilidade da introdução do fenômeno de resistência no ciclo do T.cruzi doéstico a partir de populações parasitárias do ciclo silvestre. A sensibilidade das cepas do T. A sensibilidade das cepas do T. cruzi a drogas ativas avaliada através de um método rápido e simples, administrando-se uma dose única da droga em camundongos na fase aguda da infecção chagásica e comparando-se o número de parasitas circulantes antes e 6 horas após o tratamento. Houve boa correlação entre a redução do numero de formas sangulneas e o resultado obtido pelo tratamento prolongado convencional. O tratamento com megazol na fase crônica da infecção chagásica pela cepa Colombiana foi igualmente benéfico para os animais curados e nâo curados, sacrificados 5 meses apos o tratamento. Os camundongos curados apresentaram discretas lesões inflamatórias do miocárdio e músculo esquelético que se assemelharam àquelas encontradas nos controles normais da mesma idade. A miocardite e miosite dos animais tratados e não curados foram nitidamente menos intensas que as apresentadas pelos camundongos infectados e não tratados.