Conidiobolomicose em ovinos: reavaliação de três casos previamente diagnosticados como tumor etimoidal enzoótico / Conidiobolomycosis in sheep: reevaluation of three cases previously diagnosed as enzootic ethmoid tumor

Conidiobolomycosis is an infection caused by fungi of the genus Conidiobolus spp. that is associated with a granulomatous rhinitis in humans and animals. In sheep, the disease is clinically characterized by respiratory changes, exophthalmia, craniofacial asymmetry, and fever. Microscopically, there are multifocal granulomas containing intralesional hyphae. For a long time, this disease was diagnosed as Enzootic Ethmoid Tumor. This report described three cases of conidiobolomycosis that had been previously diagnosed as Enzootic Ethmoid Tumor. Samples of nasal cavity, lung, parotid gland, and lymph node from three sheep submitted to histopathological examination in 1979 were retrieved in 2010 for a new histological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical evaluations. Paraffin-embedded tissue sections were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin, Grocott's Metanamine Silver, and Periodic Acid Schiff. Immunohistochemistry was performed on paraffin embedded tissues using anti-cytokeratin primary antibody. Based on histopathology, histochemistry, and immunohistochemistry, the diagnosis of conidiobolomycosis was confirmed in three sheep, which had been previously diagnosed as Enzootic Ethmoid Tumor in 1979.

Gênero Pimenta: aspectos botânicos, composição química e potencial farmacológico / Pimenta genus: botanical aspects, chemical composition and pharmacological potential

A família Myrtaceae possui representantes de grande interesse medicinal e o gênero Pimenta é um dos que merecem destaque. A maioria das espécies desse gênero é nativa da América Central, com exceção da Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes) L. R. Landrum, nativa nas regiões centro-oeste e sudeste do Brasil. O presente estudo teve como objetivo revisar aspectos botânicos, químicos e farmacológicos descritos na literatura sobre o gênero Pimenta. Os dados foram obtidos de artigos originais e revisões indexadas nas bases Periódicos Capes, ISI Web of Knowledge, Bireme e SciELO. As espécies desse gênero podem ser arbustivas ou arbóreas, possuem pelos unicelulares, folhas usualmente coriáceas, inflorescência em dicásio ou panícula e são distinguidas, principalmente, pela estrutura do ovário. As propriedades farmacológicas são conferidas, principalmente, pelos óleos essenciais que são constituídos, na maioria, por derivados fenilpropanóides, monoterpenos, aldeídos monoterpênicos e alcoóis monoterpênicos. Dentre as propriedades farmacológicas apresentadas por espécies desse gênero destacam-se as anti-hipertensivas, anti-inflamatórias, analgésicas, antimicrobianas e antioxidantes. Das quinze espécies de Pimenta conhecidas, a Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill e a Pimenta racemosa (Miller) J. Moore são as espécies de maior importância econômica e, por esse motivo são as mais estudadas do ponto de vista químico e farmacológico.

The family Myrtaceae has representatives of great medical interest, and the genus Pimenta deserves attention. Most species of this genus are native to the Central America, except Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (Gomes) L. R. Landrum, which is native to the Central-West and Southeast Brazilian Regions. This study aimed to review botanical, chemical and pharmacological aspects described in the literature for Pimenta genus. Information was obtained from original papers and reviews indexed in the databases "Periódicos Capes", ISI Web of Knowledge, "Bireme" and SciELO. This genus can present shrubs or trees, which have unicellular hairs, usually coriaceous leaves and dichasium or panicle inflorescence, and are mainly distinguished by the ovary structure. The pharmacological properties are mostly due to essential oils, mainly consisted of phenylpropanoid, monoterpene, monoterpenic aldehyde and alcohol derivatives. Among these properties, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antimicrobial and antioxidant ones are highlighted. Of the fifteen known Pimenta species, Pimenta dioica (L.) Merrill and Pimenta racemosa (Miller) J. Moore have the greatest economic importance and consequently have been the most chemically and pharmacologically studied.

Antibody response after immunization of Brazilian children with serogroup C meningococcal polysaccharide noncovalently complexed with outer membrane proteins.

We have studied the antibody response of Brazilian vaccinees to C meningococcal polysaccharide (C-PS) after one or two doses of a vaccine composed of C-PS, outer membrane proteins of B meningococci and aluminum hydroxide. Total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 as well as bactericidal activity mediated by complement were measured in serum samples from children 3 to 83 months of age (post-vaccination IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 levels of 2.4 to 13.4 micrograms/ml; less than 18 to 67.8 U/ml and less than 18 to 106.8 U/ml, respectively) and from individuals 10 to 14 years of age (post-vaccination IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 levels of 14.6 micrograms/ml, 23.7 U/ml and 112.0 U/ml, respectively). The antibody response, measured as IgG levels, was age-dependent. Although high antibody levels were demonstrable by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), bactericidal activity was not demonstrable (less than 1:4) in serum from children aged less than 24 months. A significant bactericidal activity was detected in serum of children older than 49 months of age and in individuals 10 to 14 years of age. A predominance of IgG2 was observed in post-vaccination serum samples from children belonging to those two age groups. The antibody concentration sufficient to confer protection as well as the possible causes of the poor correlation observed between ELISA and bactericidal activity results are discussed.

Antibody response after immunization of Brazilian children with serogroup C meningococcal polysaccharide noncovalently complexed with outer membrane proteins

We have studied the antibody response of Brazilian vaccines to C meningococcal polysaccharide (C-PS) after one or two doses of a vaccine composed of C-PS, outer membrane proteins of B meningococci and aluminum hydroxide. Total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 as well as bactericidal activity mediated by complement were measured in serum samples from children 3 to 83 months of age (post-vaccination IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 levels of 2.4 to 13.4 µg/ml; less than 18 to 67.8 U/ml and less than 8 to 106.8U/ml, respectively) and from individuals 10 to 14 years of age (post-vaccination IgG, IgG1 and IgG2 levels of 14.6 µg/ml, 23,7 U/ml and 112.0 U/ml, respectively). The antibody response, measured as IgG levels, was age-dependent. Although high antibody levels were demonstrableby enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), bactericidal activity was not demonstrable (less than 1:4) in serum from children aged less than 24 months. A significant bactericidal activity was detected in serum of children older than 49 months of age and in individuals 10 to 14 years of age. A predominance of IgG2 was observed in post-vaccination serum samples from children belonging to those two age groups. The antibody concentration sufficient to confer protection as well as the possible causes of the poor correlation observed between ELISA and bactericidal activity results are discussed