Long lasting protection against canine kala-azar using the FML-QuilA saponin vaccine in an endemic area of Brazil (São Gonçalo do Amarante,RN)

Naturally exposed dogs of an endemic area were vaccinated with the fucose mannose ligand (FML) antigen of Leishmania donovani in formulation with QuilA saponin. The 100% of vaccinees were seropositive to FML and showed intradermal reaction to L. donovani lysate, 2 months after vaccination. The absorbency values and size of intradermal reaction were both significantly higher in vaccinees than in controls along a 3.5 years period (ANOVA, P<0.0001). The 25% of the control animals (two dogs on the first year and six dogs on the fourth year, respectively) and 5% of the vaccinees (one dog during the fourth year) developed clinical and fatal disease until the end of experiment. This difference was significant (chi(2)=3.93, P<0.05). This means that 95% protection against kala-azar was achieved in vaccinees, after FML-QuilA vaccination (80% of vaccine efficacy (VE)). Leishmania infection was also confirmed, 3.5 years after vaccination, in saline controls that showed positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Leishmania DNA and FML-serology with no intradermal reaction. Higher seropositivities and intradermal reactions with no Leishmanial DNA were detected in vaccinees. The FML-QuilA vaccine induced a significant, long lasting and strong protective effect against canine kala-azar in the field.     

叶托马尾藻中的生物活性甾体成分

目的 研究褐藻叶托马尾藻的活性成分。方法 采用稻瘟霉模型生物活性追踪方法，应用多种色谱手段和光普分析方法分离和鉴定化合物。结果 鉴定了7个甾体类化合物，分别为岩藻甾醇（Ⅰ）,24－乙基－4，24（28）－胆甾二烯－3－酮（Ⅱ），24－乙基－4，24（28）－胆甾二烯－3，6－二酮（Ⅲ），马尾藻甾醇（Ⅳ），24R，28R－和24S，28S－环氧－24－乙基胆甾醇（Ⅴ），胆甾醇－24－酮（Ⅵ）和豆甾醇（－3－O－葡萄糖苷（Ⅶ）。结论 Ⅱ－Ⅶ为首次从该海藻中分离得到，Ⅰ和Ⅲ－Ⅵ具有诱导稻瘟霉菌比来形活性。     

Arteriovenous malformation of spermatic cord

A case of an arteriovenous malformation of the spermatic cord presenting as a hard scrotal mass is described. This is the first reported case of an arteriovenous malformation of the spermatic cord, and therefore this benign lesion should be included in the differential diagnosis of paratesticular masses.     

Household food availability in Brazil: distribution and trends (1974-2003)

OBJECTIVE: Data from household food budget surveys were examined in order to describe the regional and socio-economic distribution of household food availability in Brazil in 2002-2003 and trends from 1974 to 2003. METHODS: The study uses data from the "Pesquisa de Or?amento Familiar 2002-2003" budget survey conducted by the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística) from July 2002 to June 2003, including a national sample of 48,470 households. In each household, during seven consecutive days, all monetary and non-monetary expenses with food and beverages for family consumption were registered. Crude weights of purchased foods were transformed into calories and nutrients with the use of food composition tables. RESULTS: Adequate protein content and a high proportion of animal protein were found in all regions and income strata. These were the most important positive aspects identified in the household food availability in Brazil. On the other hand, all regions and socio-economic strata showed excess calories from sugar and little availability of fruits and vegetables. An excessive proportion of calories came from total and saturated fat in the more economically developed regions and in the urban milieu, as well as among higher-income families. Time-trends in metropolitan areas indicated a decline in the consumption of basic, traditional foods, such as rice and beans; notable increases (up to 400%) in the consumption of processed food items, such as cookies and soft drinks; maintenance of the excessive consumption of sugar; and a continuous increase in total fat and saturated fat content in the diet. CONCLUSIONS: Patterns and trends regarding household food availability in Brazil are consistent with the increasing participation of chronic non-communicable diseases in morbidity and mortality and with the continuous increase in the prevalence of obesity.     

Changing concepts in the treatment of advanced seminomatous tumors

The treatment of patients with advanced seminomatous tumors represents a challenge for the medical and urological oncologists. In contrast to the reported excellent results of radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with clinical stages I and II disease the survival rate for those with advanced seminomatous disease is only around 40 per cent. Six consecutive patients with metastatic seminomas were treated with systemic chemotherapy and all achieved a complete response. The combination of vincristine, cis-platinum, bleomycin and prednisone was used in 4 patients and an excellent tolerance was observed even in patients with previous radiation therapy. Two other patients who had had radiation therapy to the mediastinum were treated with VP-16 and cis-platinum and again a complete response was observed. However, a significant potentiation of myelosuppressive effect of VP-16 was observed in the previously radiated patients. In view of the observed sensitivity of seminomatous tumors it appears that all patients who present initially with metastatic or bulky retroperitoneal disease should be treated with multiple drug chemotherapy and cytoreductive surgery similar to the treatment modalities used for nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. Radiation therapy for patients with this stage of the disease seems to be not only ineffective but also may compromise the benefits of aggressive chemotherapy.     

Human prostatic acid phosphatases: II. A double--antibody radioimmunoassay.

A double-antibody radioimmunoassay method for prostate-specific acid phosphatase (PAP) is presented. Experimental details are outlined to assess the reproducibility and reliability of the method under assay conditions. The upper limit of the serum PAP levels in the present assay was set at 2.4 ng/100 microliter by 162 determinations of normal serum samples. The serum PAP levels of patients with nonprostatic malignant tumors fell in the normal range, whereas the levels higher than 4.0 ng/100 microliter were found in patients with prostatic carcinoma.     

Immunohistological approaches to human prostatic epithelial cells

Specific anti-acid phosphatase antisera were prepared by the use of purified prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP) from prostatic tissue and lysosomal acid phosphatase (L-AcP) from diploid fibroblast (WI-38) as antigen. Since the antigenic difference between the PAP and L-AcP was established, distribution of these enzymes among various tissues and tissue culture cells was investigated by the indirect immunofluorescence method and the unlabeled antibody method [14]. The L-AcP has been detected as granules localized in a perinuclear portion of all of the epithelial cells, fibroblasts, and peripheral blood cells except erythrocytes. Presence of the PAP was limited to the prostatic epithelial cells. It is also noted that the biosynthesis of the PAP is strikingly diminished in the long-term culture of prostatic epithelial cells. However, because of the antigenic difference between the PAP and L-AcP, and because of the high concentration of PAP in the cytoplasm of prostatic epithelial cells, it is feasible to apply the anti-PAP immunofluorescence method to the identification of metastatic prostatic carcinoma cells in the biopsy materials.