Mammary botryomycosis: two concomitant cases in mares: case report / Botriomicose mamária: dois casos concomitantes em éguas: relato de caso

Mammary disorders in mares are rare and usually only one animal per paddock is affected. In this report, two mares with 7 and 9 years old, were concomitantly diagnosis of chronic pyogranulomatous mastitis, associated with the Splendore-Hoeppli reaction, indicative of botryomycosis a rare, chronic suppurative disease with microabscess formation, characterized by in vivo formation of eosinophilic materials around microorganisms or biologically inert material. Various bacteria can cause botryomycosis in horses, and the most frequently isolated one is Staphylococcussp., particularly S. aureus. This report confirms the role of Staphylococcus sp.; however, specifically S. hyicus and S. cohnii that prior to the current report, had not been associated with cases of botryomycosis.(AU)

Enfermidades mamárias em éguas são raras e, normalmente, apenas um animal é afetado. Neste relato, duas éguas, de sete e nove anos, foram diagnosticadas concomitantemente com mastite crônica piogranulomatosa, associada com reação de Splendore - Hoeppli, indicativa de botriomicose, uma doença crônica supurativa rara, com formação de microabscessos caracterizados pela presença de material eosinofílico em torno dos microrganismos ou de material biologicamente inerte. Várias bactérias podem causar botriomicose em cavalos, sendo Staphylococcus sp., particularmente S. aureus, as mais frequentemente isoladas. Este relato confirma o papel do Staphylococcus sp, no entanto este é o primeiro relato em que S. hyicus e S. cohnii foram identificados em lesões relacionadas à botriomicose.(AU)

Protein markers for Alzheimer disease in the frontal cortex and cerebellum.

OBJECTIVE: To compare proteins related to Alzheimer disease (AD) in the frontal cortex and cerebellum of subjects with early-onset AD (EOAD) with or without presenilin 1 (PS1) mutations with sporadic late-onset AD (LOAD) and nondemented control subjects. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry, immunoblot analysis, and ELISA were used to detect and assess protein levels in brain. RESULTS: In EOAD and to a lesser extent in LOAD, there was increased amyloid beta (Abeta) deposition (by immunohistochemistry), increased soluble Abeta (by immunoblot analysis), and specific increases in Abeta40 and Abeta42 (by ELISA) in the frontal cortex and, in some cases, in the cerebellum. Surprisingly, immunoblot analysis revealed reduced levels of PS1 in many of the subjects with EOAD with or without PS1 mutations. In those PS1 mutation-bearing subjects with the highest Abeta, PS1 was barely, if at all, detectable. This decrease in PS1 was specific and not attributable solely to neuronal loss because amyloid precursor protein (APP) and the PS1-interacting protein beta-catenin levels were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that in the frontal cortex and cerebellum from Alzheimer disease patients harboring certain presenilin 1 mutations, high levels of amyloid beta are associated with low levels of presenilin 1. The study provides the premise for further investigation of mechanisms underlying the downregulation of presenilin 1, which may have considerable pathogenic and therapeutic relevance.

Apolipoprotein E influences amyloid-beta clearance from the murine periphery.

The relationship between amyloid-beta protein (Abeta) metabolism and Alzheimer's disease is currently poorly understood. While it is well known that the generation of Abeta results from enzymatic cleavage of its parent molecule, the amyloid beta protein precursor (AbetaPP), there is little information available regarding its in vivo clearance. The E4 isoform of apolipoprotein E (apoE) has been associated with poor clearance of Abeta under in vitro conditions. This is thought to be due to its poor ability to bind Abeta compared with the other common isoforms, apoE2 and apoE3. Although cell culture studies support the notion that Abeta clearance depends upon apoE isoform, validation of these findings requires Abeta clearance studies in vivo. In this study, we examined the clearance of Abeta in vivo from the periphery in mice that expressed apoE (C57BL/6J) or lacked apoE (APOE knockout). We measured the clearance of peripherally injected Abeta over time and additionally, the quantities sequestered by peripheral organs. Western blot analysis of the murine plasma indicated that the half-life of Abeta in the periphery was approximately 15 minutes. The livers of the C57BL/6J mice were found to have sequestered approximately 40% of the total injected Abeta at 90 minutes post-injection, whilst their kidneys contained 5% of the total injected Abeta. In contrast, the livers and kidneys of the APOE knockout animals were found to contain no detectable Abeta. These findings indicate that Abeta is rapidly removed from the plasma by murine peripheral tissues and the rate of its clearance is affected by apoE.

Sistemas de produção de plantas medicinais na região metropolitana de Curitiba

Quatro diferentes sistemas de modelos de produção de plantas medicinais na região metropolitana de Curitiba, Paraná, foram estudados. O objetivo do estudo foi analisar os diferentes modelos com uma aproximação holística (sob foco sistêmico) pretendendo, como o resultado final, um sistema de produção alternativo, tecnicamente, economicamente e ambientalmente sustentável. Vários aspectos de qualidade foram especialmente analisados. O trabalho foi desenvolvido durante setembro de 2000 a maio de 2001, usando um levantamento rápido em áreas rurais, com entrevistas semi-estruturadas.

Four different medicinal plant production system models in Curitiba Metropolitan Area, Paraná, were studied. The objective of the study was to analyze the different models with a holistic approach (under systemic focus) intending, as the end result, an alternative technically, economically, and environmentally sustainable production system. Several aspects of quality were especially analyzed. The work was developed during September 2000 to May 2001, using a quick survey in rural areas, with semi-structured interviews.

Chronic gliosis triggers Alzheimer's disease-like processing of amyloid precursor protein.

Alzheimer's disease is a progressively dementing illness characterized by the extracellular accumulation and deposition of beta-amyloid. Early onset Alzheimer's disease is linked to mutations in three genes, all of which lead to increased beta-amyloid production. Inflammatory changes and gliosis may also play a role in the disease process, but the importance of these reactive events remains unclear. We recently reported that chronic cortical gliosis in heterotopic fetal rat cortical transplants is associated with significant changes in the levels of some of the proteins implicated in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. Because rodent beta-amyloid does not form extracellular amyloid deposits, we have now extended this model of chronic cortical gliosis to transgenic mice expressing the Swedish mutant form of human amyloid precursor protein. In addition, apolipoprotein E knockout mice were used to elucidate the role of this protein in reactive gliosis. The expression of mutant and murine proteins was assayed 6 or 10 months after transplantation using immunohistochemical and western blot methods. Heterotopic transplantation of fetal cortex onto the midbrain of neonatal mice consistently resulted in reactive gliosis, independent of apolipoprotein E status. In contrast, in homotopic cortex-to-cortex grafts there was little alteration in glial reactivity, a result similar to that obtained previously in rats. By 10 months post-transplantation the level of presenilin-1 expression was lower in heterotopic grafts than in host cortex and there was increased expression of transgenic amyloid precursor protein, but only in the gliotic cortex-to-midbrain grafts. Most importantly, increased levels of beta-amyloid, and particularly its precursor, C-99, were selectively found in these heterotopic transplants. Our results show that chronic gliosis is associated with altered processing of the amyloid precursor protein in vivo and thus may initiate or exacerbate pathological changes associated with Alzheimer's disease.

Correlation model to predict residual immiscible organic contaminants in sandy soils.

Researchers in both environmental and petroleum engineering have conducted studies in one-dimensional columns to quantify the amount of residual nonaqueous phase liquids (NAPL) trapped in the porous media as a function of capillary, viscous and buoyancy forces. From these previous studies, it is proven that significant amounts of the original NAPL spill remain as a trapped residual. The objective of this research was to extend this body of work and to develop a correlation model that could predict residual NAPL saturation as a function of common soil characteristics and fluid properties. These properties include parameters derived from sieve analysis, namely, the uniformity coefficient (C(u)), the coefficient of gradation (C(c)), as well as fluid properties (interfacial tension, viscosity and density). Over 100 column experiments were conducted across a range of nine different soil gradations. The data produced by these tests, along with measured soil and fluid properties, were used to generate correlation models to predict residual NAPL saturation (S(rn)). The first correlation model predicts S(rn) for the region where residual NAPL saturation is independent of the capillary number, and dependent on C(u), C(c) and the Bond number. The second correlation model predicts S(rn) for the region where residual NAPL saturation is dependent on capillary number, as well as C(u), C(c) and the Bond number. The third correlation model predicts S(rn) over the entire region as a function of C(u), C(c) and the total trapping number. The correlation models have a R(2) value of 0.972, 0.934 and 0.825, respectively. Hence, the models may potentially be integrated into site characterization approaches.