RESUMO
Serodiagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis is often hindered by cross-reactions to other parasitic diseases. Identifying specific B-cell epitopes in proteins is therefore important for immunodiagnostics, as well as for disease control by vaccines. This study aimed to identify linear and conformational B-cell epitopes and to evaluate the secondary structure of antigen proteins in Leishmania infantum using in silico analysis. Linear epitopes were predicted using the Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB), BepiPred and BcePred programs. The conformational B-cell epitopes were identified using the CBTOPE server. The combination of the predictions using IEDB, BepiPred and BcePred generated 148 linear epitopes from the calpain-like cysteine peptidase (CP), thiol-dependent reductase 1 (TDR1) and HSP70 proteins. In total, 164 conformational epitopes were predicted, mostly located in the linear epitope region. The predicted epitopes are located in α helix and random coil regions in the thiol-dependent reductase 1 and HSP70 proteins. New linear and conformational B-cell epitopes of L. infantum proteins were identified in silico, and the prediction using various programs ensures greater accuracy of the results, as suggested by confirmation of previously identified HSP70 epitopes.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Protozoários/imunologia , Epitopos de Linfócito B/imunologia , Leishmania infantum/imunologia , Leishmaniose Visceral/imunologia , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Antígenos de Protozoários/química , Biologia Computacional/métodos , Cisteína Endopeptidases/química , Cisteína Endopeptidases/imunologia , Proteínas de Choque Térmico HSP70/química , Proteínas de Choque Térmico HSP70/imunologia , Humanos , Leishmaniose Visceral/diagnóstico , Leishmaniose Visceral/parasitologia , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Oxirredutases/química , Oxirredutases/imunologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Brazil requires the performance of both a test for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and a test for antibodies to the core of hepatitis B for blood donor screening. Blood centres in regions of high HBV endemicity struggle to maintain adequate stocks in face of the high discard rates due to anti-HBc reactivity. We evaluated the potential infectivity of donations positive for anti-HBc in search of a rational approach for the handling of these collections. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: We tested anti-HBc reactive blood donations from the state of Amazonas for the presence of HBV DNA and for titres of anti-HBs. The study population consists of village-based donors from the interior of Amazonas state. RESULTS: Among 3600 donations, 799 were anti-HBc reactive (22·2%). We were able to perform real-time PCR for the HBV S gene on specimens from 291 of these donors. Eight of these samples were negative for HBsAg and positive for HBV DNA and were defined as occult B virus infections (2·7%). Six of those eight specimens had anti-HBs titres above 100 mIU/ml, indicating the concomitant presence of the virus with high antibody titres. CONCLUSION: A small proportion of anti-HBc reactive donors carry HBV DNA and anti-HBs testing is not useful for predicting viremia on them. This finding indicates the possibility of HBV transmission from asymptomatic donors, especially in areas of high HBV prevalence. Sensitive HBV DNA nucleic acid testing may provide another level of safety, allowing eventual use of anti-HBc reactive units in critical situations.
Assuntos
Doadores de Sangue , Transfusão de Sangue/métodos , Controle de Doenças Transmissíveis/métodos , Hepatite B/sangue , Hepatite B/epidemiologia , Adulto , Transfusão de Sangue/normas , Brasil/epidemiologia , DNA Viral/sangue , DNA Viral/isolamento & purificação , Anticorpos Anti-Hepatite B/sangue , Antígenos do Núcleo do Vírus da Hepatite B/imunologia , Antígenos de Superfície da Hepatite B/sangue , Vírus da Hepatite B/genética , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Prevalência , Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase em Tempo Real , Viremia/sangueRESUMO
The effects of aging on ROS production and DNA damage were assessed in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE-/-) mice (2-, 12- and 24-month-old), a traditional experimental model of atherogenic dyslipidemia. HSCs from aged ApoE-/- mice were associated with increased ROS levels, leading to loss quiescence, DNA damage, apoptosis and telomere shortening. The concurrence of lack of ApoE and aging result in exhaustion and senescence of HSCs accompanied by increased oxidative stress and inflammation. Therefore, our data open avenues to a better understanding of age-related changes and genetic factors, which may synergistically compromise the efficacy of aged HSC recovery and/or transplantation.
Assuntos
Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas , Estresse Oxidativo , Envelhecimento , Animais , Apolipoproteínas E/genética , Senescência Celular , Dano ao DNA , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Espécies Reativas de OxigênioRESUMO
Two male and two female sibs with an unusual form of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia were reported. The main clinical features were low stature, moderate shortness of trunk and neck, abnormal span: height ratio, low-normal UBS: LBS ratio, and peripheral corneal punctate opacities only seen by the slitlamp. Normal mental status was present. Typical metachromatic granules were not seen either in bone-marrow cells or in peripheral blood cells. The X-ray picture showed spondylar and pelvic dysplasia. Qualitative rather than quantitative anomalies were shown in the urinary mucopolysaccharides, mostly involving chondroitin-6-sulfate. The genetic data are consistent with autosomal recessive inheritance.
Assuntos
Anormalidades Múltiplas/genética , Sulfatos de Condroitina/urina , Condroitina/análogos & derivados , Opacidade da Córnea/genética , Genes Recessivos , Mucopolissacaridose IV/genética , Anormalidades Múltiplas/urina , Adolescente , Adulto , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Opacidade da Córnea/urina , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Mucopolissacaridose IV/urina , Linhagem , Fatores de TempoRESUMO
The radioiodination and chromatographic purification of human growth hormone (hGH) has been studied in order to better define and control the so-called "preparation damage", which is often a cause of interferences, loss in specific activity and sensitivity, misclassification errors in radioligand assays, and a source of misinterpretation when the tracer is used in receptors or in vivo studies. A series of labelings and false labelings, with and without protein carrier in the buffer used for Sephadex purification, indicate that the "preparation damage" peak is made up of two components: aggregated 125I-hGH and BSA-carried radioactivity. The former can be minimized by the use of recently extracted non-lyophilized hGH, and the latter by enzymatic labeling. Both components can be better resolved, and thus eliminated, when Sephadex G-100 is employed rather than G-75.
Assuntos
Hormônio do Crescimento , Marcação por Isótopo/métodos , Cromatografia em Gel , Eletroforese em Gel de Poliacrilamida , Hormônio do Crescimento/análise , Humanos , Radioisótopos do Iodo , Soroalbumina RadioiodadaRESUMO
The rapid development of anthelmintic resistance, associated with the high cost of the available anthelmintic drugs, had limited the success of gastrointestinal nematodiasis control in sheep and goats and thus awakened interest in the study of medicinal plants as alternative sources of anthelmintics. Spigelia anthelmia extracts obtained with hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate or methanol, were tested on Haemonchus contortus eggs and larvae via egg hatch and larval development tests. The extracts were evaluated at five concentrations: 3.1, 6.2, 12.5, 25.0 and 50.0 mg ml(-1). At 50.0 mg ml(-1), the ethyl acetate extract inhibited 100% of the egg hatching and 81.2% of the larval development. In a similar way the methanolic extract inhibited 97.4% of the egg hatching and 84.4% of larval development. These results suggest that utilization of S. anthelmia extracts may be useful in the control of sheep and goats gastrointestinal nematodes.
Assuntos
Hemoncose/veterinária , Haemonchus/efeitos dos fármacos , Loganiaceae/química , Extratos Vegetais/farmacologia , Animais , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Doenças das Cabras/tratamento farmacológico , Doenças das Cabras/parasitologia , Cabras , Hemoncose/tratamento farmacológico , Hemoncose/parasitologia , Haemonchus/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Técnicas In Vitro , Larva/efeitos dos fármacos , Óvulo/efeitos dos fármacos , Fitoterapia/veterinária , Extratos Vegetais/uso terapêutico , Ovinos , Doenças dos Ovinos/tratamento farmacológico , Doenças dos Ovinos/parasitologia , Resultado do TratamentoRESUMO
We analysed 27 complex partial seizures arising from the temporal lobes recorded on videotape simultaneously with the EEG emphasizing the motor manifestations specially dystonic posturing, ictal paresis and head and eye forced deviation (version). The temporal lobe origin of the seizures was based on the agreement of many scalp-sphenoidal or zygomatic interictal and ictal EEG recordings, CT and MRI findings, interictal and, in some patients, ictal SPECT studies. 8 patients had surgery. In 5 from 7 patients who had temporal lobectomy, mesial temporal sclerosis was the anatomopathological finding and in one patient who had selective amigdalohippocampectomy, hemosiderosis and gliosis probably due to bleeding of a posterior cerebral artery giant aneurysm was found. All patients have been seizure free after surgery. While dystonic posturing and ictal paresis, present in 18 seizures (66.6%), were excellent as lateralizing seizure signs, since they were always contralateral to the ictal onset, contralateral and ipsilateral versive head and eye movements were observed.
Assuntos
Eletroencefalografia , Epilepsia Parcial Complexa/fisiopatologia , Epilepsia do Lobo Temporal/fisiopatologia , Gravação de Videoteipe , Adulto , Epilepsia Parcial Complexa/diagnóstico , Lateralidade Funcional , Humanos , Masculino , Testes Neuropsicológicos , PosturaAssuntos
Esquizofrenia/tratamento farmacológico , Sulpirida/uso terapêutico , Administração Oral , Adolescente , Adulto , Pressão Sanguínea/efeitos dos fármacos , Temperatura Corporal/efeitos dos fármacos , Avaliação de Medicamentos , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Pulso Arterial/efeitos dos fármacos , Sulpirida/administração & dosagemRESUMO
Giant aneurysms have rarely been reported in association with intractable complex partial seizures (CPS). We report a 30-year-old man with intractable CPS since age 18 years. Seizure onset was electrically localized to right temporal lobe. Preoperative neuroimaging studies showed a partially thrombosed giant aneurysm of the right posterior cerebral artery. Selective amygdalohippocampectomy and occlusion of the posterior cerebral artery did not cause deficits. The patient has been seizure-free for 15 months after operation. We review the relevant literature on aneurysms as a cause of epilepsy.