Influenza vaccine: development of a novel intranasal and subcutaneous recombinant adjuvant.

The synthetic peptide GK-1, derived from Taenia crassiceps, enhances the protection induced by human influenza vaccine in both young and aged mice. Herein, the adjuvant properties of GK-1 fused to the pVIII protein of a heat-inactivated phagemid vector (FGK1) when co-administered with the influenza vaccine were assessed, to evaluate its feasibility as a low-cost adjuvant. In mice, FGK1 significantly increased the expected IgG and IgA anti-influenza antibody levels both in sera and in bronchoalveolar fluids when intranasally or subcutaneously co-administered with influenza vaccine. Single-dose pig co-immunization with FGK1 and influenza vaccine induced serum levels of IgG anti-influenza antibodies similar to those elicited by a two-dose immunization with the influenza vaccine alone. Preclinical evaluation of FGK1 with the influenza vaccine is currently in progress, in order to recommend its use for veterinary purposes.

A novel synthetic adjuvant effectively enhances the immunogenicity of the influenza vaccine.

Influenza vaccination is a key intervention to reduce morbidity and mortality provoked by this disease. To date, the challenge of improving its efficacy remains unmet. The immunogenic synthetic peptide GK1 from Taenia crassiceps cysticerci was tested herein in its capacity as adjuvant, co-administered with the inactivated anti-influenza vaccine before and after challenge with influenza virus in both young and aged mice. Co-administration of GK1 with the influenza vaccine increased levels of anti-influenza antibodies in aged mice before and after infection, reduced the local inflammation that accompanied influenza vaccination itself and favored virus clearance after infection in both young and aged mice.

Ultrastructural study of the cuticle and epidermis in Pseudochordodes bedriagae.

The light-microscopic and ultrastructural characteristics of Nematomorpha (Gordiacea) integument are described. Nine male Pseudochordodes bedriagae specimens were collected in the 1997 spring-summer period from the Sauce Chico stream in the Sierra de la Ventana, province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Of these samples, two were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the other two using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in order to establish their morphological characteristics. The morphology of the three integumentary components (epidermis, cuticle and epicuticle) is described. Comparing our findings with those of previous studies, numerous similarities are pointed out. Some variants found would probably be related more to the various criteria of interpreting cut incidences and/or fractures than to actual differences. We assume that the different zones of the cuticle and epicuticle are segregated at the germinal stratum level by the epidermal cells, which would later undergo a slow process of maturation until their exocytosis at the level of the free epicuticular surface.

Ultrastructural study of fossil human tooth tissue

The preservation of fossil human soft tooth tissue from extinct populations which inhabited the northeast of Argentina (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) is described. Studies were performed using both Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The preservation of the surface structure in Tomes fibrils and in odontoblastic processes was determined by SEM; whereas by TEM we could observe the dentin ducts occupied by acellular material, being the inner structure of the odontoblastic processes poorly preserved. It is suggested that such preservation is due to an "instantaneous phosphatization" occurring immediately after death as a result of the presence of calcium phosphate deposits

Ultrastructural study of fossil human tooth tissue

The preservation of fossil human soft tooth tissue from extinct populations which inhabited the northeast of Argentina (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) is described. Studies were performed using both Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The preservation of the surface structure in Tomes fibrils and in odontoblastic processes was determined by SEM; whereas by TEM we could observe the dentin ducts occupied by acellular material, being the inner structure of the odontoblastic processes poorly preserved. It is suggested that such preservation is due to an "instantaneous phosphatization" occurring immediately after death as a result of the presence of calcium phosphate deposits

Ultrastructural study of fossil human tooth tissue.

The preservation of fossil human soft tooth tissue from extinct populations which inhabited the northeast of Argentina (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) is described. Studies were performed using both Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The preservation of the surface structure in Tomes fibrils and in odontoblastic processes was determined by SEM; whereas by TEM we could observe the dentin ducts occupied by acellular material, being the inner structure of the odontoblastic processes poorly preserved. It is suggested that such preservation is due to an "instantaneous phosphatization" occurring immediately after death as a result of the presence of calcium phosphate deposits.

Ultrastructural study of fossil human tooth tissue.

The preservation of fossil human soft tooth tissue from extinct populations which inhabited the northeast of Argentina (fourteenth and fifteenth centuries) is described. Studies were performed using both Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). The preservation of the surface structure in Tomes fibrils and in odontoblastic processes was determined by SEM; whereas by TEM we could observe the dentin ducts occupied by acellular material, being the inner structure of the odontoblastic processes poorly preserved. It is suggested that such preservation is due to an [quot ]instantaneous phosphatization[quot ] occurring immediately after death as a result of the presence of calcium phosphate deposits.

[Effect of an essential fatty acids free diet on the lipidic composition of rat testicles (author's transl)]. / Effecto de la carencia en acidos grasos esenciales sobre la composicion lipidica del testiculo de rata

The effect of a fat free diet on the fatty acid composition and histological changes of the testis of old rats was studied to investigate the possible function of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid in rat testicles. The lipidic composition, the fatty acid composition, the conversion of docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoic acid to arachidonic acid and the activity of the 6-desaturase were determined during the different periods in which the rats received a fat free diet. Comparatively, the changes in the fatty acid composition of the liver were also studied. Only the liver showed a change in the triglyceride content during the first month of treatment, and it regained its normal values afterwards. Both liver and testis changed the fatty acid composition. An increase of the acids of the oleic series and a decrease of the components of the linoleic series were shown. These changes were similar to the ones provoked by an essential fatty acid deficient diet on young animals. The amount of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid was very little changed. No significant change was shown either in the retroconversion of docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoic acid to arachidonic acid. However, the 6-desaturase activity of the testis was enhanced by the fat deficient diet. The possibility that arachidonic acid in the adult rat is mainly supplied by linoleic acid and not by the retroconversion of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid is discussed.

Effecto de la carencia en acidos grasos esenciales sobre la composicion lipidica del testiculo de rata / [Effect of an essential fatty acids free diet on the lipidic composition of rat testicles (authors transl)]

The effect of a fat free diet on the fatty acid composition and histological changes of the testis of old rats was studied to investigate the possible function of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid in rat testicles. The lipidic composition, the fatty acid composition, the conversion of docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoic acid to arachidonic acid and the activity of the 6-desaturase were determined during the different periods in which the rats received a fat free diet. Comparatively, the changes in the fatty acid composition of the liver were also studied. Only the liver showed a change in the triglyceride content during the first month of treatment, and it regained its normal values afterwards. Both liver and testis changed the fatty acid composition. An increase of the acids of the oleic series and a decrease of the components of the linoleic series were shown. These changes were similar to the ones provoked by an essential fatty acid deficient diet on young animals. The amount of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid was very little changed. No significant change was shown either in the retroconversion of docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoic acid to arachidonic acid. However, the 6-desaturase activity of the testis was enhanced by the fat deficient diet. The possibility that arachidonic acid in the adult rat is mainly supplied by linoleic acid and not by the retroconversion of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid is discussed.

Effecto de la carencia en acidos grasos esenciales sobre la composicion lipidica del testiculo de rata / [Effect of an essential fatty acids free diet on the lipidic composition of rat testicles (author’s transl)]

The effect of a fat free diet on the fatty acid composition and histological changes of the testis of old rats was studied to investigate the possible function of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid in rat testicles. The lipidic composition, the fatty acid composition, the conversion of docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoic acid to arachidonic acid and the activity of the 6-desaturase were determined during the different periods in which the rats received a fat free diet. Comparatively, the changes in the fatty acid composition of the liver were also studied. Only the liver showed a change in the triglyceride content during the first month of treatment, and it regained its normal values afterwards. Both liver and testis changed the fatty acid composition. An increase of the acids of the oleic series and a decrease of the components of the linoleic series were shown. These changes were similar to the ones provoked by an essential fatty acid deficient diet on young animals. The amount of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid was very little changed. No significant change was shown either in the retroconversion of docosa-7,10,13,16-tetraenoic acid to arachidonic acid. However, the 6-desaturase activity of the testis was enhanced by the fat deficient diet. The possibility that arachidonic acid in the adult rat is mainly supplied by linoleic acid and not by the retroconversion of docosa-4,7,10,13,16-pentaenoic acid is discussed.