Characteristics of the biological cycle of Lutzomyia evandroi Costa Lima & Antunes, 1936 (Diptera: Psychodidae) under experimental conditions

Lutzomyia evandroi Costa Lima and Antunes, 1936 is found in Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern Brazil, in areas of visceral and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis and follows the same geographic distribution of L. longipalpis. The biological cycle, oviposition, morphological and behavioral characteristics of the species were studied under experimental conditions. The average number of eggs per wild caught female varied from 21 to 50 eggs along the year, with a peak occurring between January and March and another in August, with oviposition lasting for 4 to 12 days. The mean larval phase was 24 days. Ovipositing rates were influenced by rainfall and temperature indexes, with an increase of eggs per oviposition at the beginning and at the end of the rainy season, and a decrease at the peak of the rainy season.     

Primate Population Densities and Sizes in Atlantic Forest Remnants of Northern Espírito Santo,Brazil

We surveyed primates in seven fragments of Atlantic forest ranging from 210 to 24,250 ha in Espírito Santo, southeastern Brazil. The objective was to assess their population densities and fragment-specific population sizes in order to discuss the survival of primates in this highly fragmented landscape. We used line-transect sampling for censusing primates and estimated densities via DISTANCE program. Alouatta fusca, Cebus apella, Callicebus personatus, and Callithrix geoffroyi live in the study area. Although variable, primate numbers were higher in larger than in smaller fragments, the likely reasons being the lack of space and food resources (fruits) and higher impact of mesopredators (small cats) in small fragments. The estimated densities are within the range reported for other Atlantic forest sites, except for brown howlers (Alouatta fusca), which were extremely rare. Estimates of population sizes were on the order of several hundreds to thousands of individuals/species in the large-sized fragments (ca. 20,000 ha), while comparable estimates for the other areas indicate <500 individuals/species in the medium-sized reserves (ca. 2,000 ha), and <50 individuals/species in the small fragments (ca. 200 ha). These estimates suggest that only Atlantic forest fragments 20,000 ha can harbor primate populations large enough to escape extinction in the long term. Given that <20% of all protected areas remaining in the Atlantic forest are 20,000 ha, management measures are urgently needed to improve primate conservation in this biome.     

Frequency of Strongyloides stercoralis infection in alcoholics

Several studies have shown that chronic alcoholics have increased susceptibility to infections due to higher exposure to infectious agents as well as breakdown in their immune defenses. As Strongyloides stercoralis infection is usually more relevant in immunocompromised patients, the aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of S. stercoralis infection in alcoholics. Thus, coproparasitological examination was carried out in 145 subjects, from which 45 were chronic alcoholics (mean age of 45.7 +/- 11.0 years), 10 were nonalcoholic cirrhotic patients (mean age of 50.2 +/- 13.1 years), and 90 were asymptomatic nonalcoholic subjects (mean age of 46.7 +/- 10.1 years), which served as controls. From the alcoholics, 9 had hepatic cirrhosis, 9 had chronic pancreatitis and 27 had neither cirrhosis nor pancreatitis. For the diagnosis of strongyloidiasis, the Baermann-Moraes and Lutz methods were used in three fecal samples from each subject. Samples were collected at alternated days, and three slides of each sample were analyzed for each method, thus totalizing 2,610 slides examined. The frequency of strongloidiasis in the total alcoholic group (33.3%) and in the subgroups of alcoholics, i.e., patients with hepatic cirrhosis (44.4%), with chronic pancreatitis (33.3%), and those with no cirrhosis or pancreatitis (29.6%) was statistically higher than that found in the control group (5.5%). None of the individuals with nonalcoholic hepatic cirrhosis had S. stercoralis infection. Our results showed that the chronic alcoholism itself is an important factor that predisposes to strongyloidiasis.     

Crithidia guilhermei: gelatin- and haemoglobin-degrading extracellular metalloproteinases

The extracellular metalloproteinases of the insect trypanosomatid Crithidia guilhermei were characterized through the incorporation of different protein substrates (gelatin, casein, haemoglobin, and bovine serum albumin) into SDS-PAGE. Two gelatinases (60 and 80 kDa) showed ability to degrade casein as well and a 67-kDa enzyme presented the broadest specificity since it was also able to degrade casein and haemoglobin. Besides the 67-kDa extracellular proteinases detected on haemoglobin-SDS-PAGE, a 43-kDa haemoglobinase was only observed with this substrate. All C. guilhermei proteinases were incapable of using bovine serum albumin. C. guilhermei was also grown in four different culture media and the best proteinase production was reached using yeast extract-peptone medium containing glucose as the major carbon source. The results point to the importance of the use of distinct culture media and proteinaceous substrates on the characterization of extracellular proteolytic activities in trypanosomatids, since alterations in growth conditions and methods of detection could lead to distinct proteolytic profiles.     

Characterization of pregnancy-associated glycoproteins extracted from zebu (Bos indicus) placentas removed at different gestational periods

In the present work, two biochemical approaches were used to characterize PAGs isolated from Bos indicus fetal cotyledons removed at different gestational ages. The first procedure included acidic and ammonium sulfate precipitations, anion and cation exchange chromatographies and the second included pepstatin-agarose affinity chromatography. A bovine PAG radioimmunoassay was used to monitor the immunoreactivity throughout the isolation procedures. The most immunoreactive fractions issued from cation exchange and affinity chromatographies were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, before transfer to a polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane for NH2-microsequence determination. Use SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, different isoforms of PAG with apparent molecular masses of 51 to 69 kDa and isoelectric points varying from 4.4 to 6.7 were identified in the placentas from different gestational ages. N-terminal microsequencing (10 to 25 aa long) indicates the expression of one single terminal amino acid sequence in the Bos indicus placenta, which is 100% identical to the bovine PAG-1.     

A unified view of the DNA-damage checkpoint

Recent investigation of the DNA-damage checkpoint in several organisms has highlighted the conservation of this pathway. The checkpoint's signal transduction pathway consists of four conserved classes of molecules: two large protein kinases having homology to phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases, three "sensor" proteins with homology to proliferating cell nuclear antigen, two serine/threonine (S/T) kinases, and two adaptors for the S/T kinases. This review compares the role of these four classes of checkpoint proteins in humans and model organisms.     

Effect of heparin and antivenom on skeletal muscle damage produced by Bothrops jararacussu venom

We examined the effect of treatment with heparin and polyvalent antivenom on mice muscle Extensor digitorum longus (EDL) regeneration, after damage induced by injection of Bothrops jararacussu crude venom over the muscle of the right posterior limb. The mice were separated into groups and each group received treatment, by intravenous route with either high molecular weight heparin (H), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), polyvalent antivenom (PAV) or with the combination of PAV plus H or PAV plus LMWH at 15 minutes and 4 hours after the injection of the venom. Myotoxicity was measured by the increase in plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity at two hours after the injection of the venom. The histological changes in EDL at 1, 3, 7 and 21 days after the injection of the venom were analyzed by light microscopy. In each group the normal and regenerated muscle fibers were quantified using Scion Image computer program. We also evaluated in vitro, the influence of these substances in the proteolytic and phospholipase activities of the venom. Heparins decreased the proteolytic activity of the venom but did not affect its phospholipase activity. However the PAV antagonized both activities. PAV and its combinations showed antimyotoxic activity, according to the magnitude of CK plasma levels. At 21 days the regeneration was observed in all animals, also in those that received only the venom. All treatments, except LMWH, promote a significant increase in the number of muscle fibers.     

Regulation of translation during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes: the role of MAP kinase, eIF4E (cap binding protein) phosphorylation, and eIF4E-BP1

Meiotic maturation of mammalian oocytes (transition from prophase I to metaphase II) is accompanied by complex changes in the protein phosphorylation pattern. At least two major protein kinases are involved in these events; namely, cdc2 kinase and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, because the inhibition of these kinases arrest mammalian oocytes in the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. We show that during meiotic maturation of bovine oocytes, the translation initiation factor, eIF4E (the cap binding protein), gradually becomes phosphorylated. This substantial phosphorylation begins at the time of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and continues to the metaphase II stage. The onset of eIF4E phosphorylation occurs in parallel with a significant increase in overall protein synthesis. However, although eIF4E is nearly fully phosphorylated in metaphase II oocytes, protein synthesis reaches only basal levels at this stage, similar to that of prophase I oocytes, in which the factor remains unphosphorylated. We present evidence that a specific repressor of eIF4E, the binding protein 4E-BP1, is present and could be involved in preventing eIF4E function in metaphase II stage oocytes. Recently, two protein kinases, called Mnk1 and Mnk2, have been identified in somatic cells as eIF4E kinases, both of which are substrates of MAP kinase in vivo. In bovine oocytes, a specific inhibitor of cdk kinases, butyrolactone I, arrests oocytes in GV stage and prevents activation of both cdc2 and MAP kinase. Under these conditions, the phosphorylation of eIF4E is also blocked, and its function in initiation of translation is impaired. In contrast, PD 098059, a specific inhibitor of the MAP kinase activation pathway, which inhibits the MAP kinase kinase, called MEK function, leads only to a postponed GVBD, and a delay in MAP kinase and eIF4E phosphorylation. These results indicate that in bovine oocytes, 1) MAP kinase activation is only partially dependent on MEK kinase, 2) MAP kinase is involved in eIF4E phosphorylation, and 3) the abundance of fully phosphorylated eIF4E does not necessarily directly stimulate protein synthesis. A possible MEK kinase-independent pathway of MAP kinase phosphorylation and the role of 4E-BP1 in repressing translation in metaphase II oocytes are discussed.     

Ethical and legal issues in xenotransplantation

In most western countries, there is a 'human organ shortage' with waiting lists for the performance of transplantation. In a recent report of the UNOS Ethics Committee it is stated that there are approximately 31,000 potential recipients on waiting lists, but only one fourth of potential donors gave their specific consent.
Xenotransplantation – defined as the transplantation of animal cells, tissues or organs into human beings – is associated with particular ethical dilemmas, namely the problems of efficiency and safety of this medical procedure. The objective of this study is to analyse the ethical dilemmas in xenotransplantation with the background of a personal view of moral life. Also, xenotransplantation will be evaluated as far as the legal regulation of transplantation is concerned. In particular, we will consider patients rights in accordance with existing laws on organ and tissue transplantation, animal research and clinical trials.     

Bacterial functional redundancy along a soil reclamation gradient

A strategy to measure bacterial functional redundancy was developed and tested with soils collected along a soil reclamation gradient by determining the richness and diversity of bacterial groups capable of in situ growth on selected carbon substrates. Soil cores were collected from four sites along a transect from the Jamari tin mine site in the Jamari National Forest, Rondonia, RO, Brazil: denuded mine spoil, soil from below the canopy of invading pioneer trees, revegetated soil under new growth on the forest edge, and the forest floor of an adjacent preserved forest. Bacterial population responses were analyzed by amending these soil samples with individual carbon substrates in the presence of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). BrdU-labeled DNA was then subjected to a 16S-23S rRNA intergenic analysis to depict the actively growing bacteria from each site. The number and diversity of bacterial groups responding to four carbon substrates (L-serine, L-threonine, sodium citrate, and alpha-lactose hydrate) increased along the reclamation-vegetation gradient such that the preserved forest soil samples contained the highest functional redundancy for each substrate. These data suggest that bacterial functional redundancy increases in relation to the regrowth of plant communities and may therefore represent an important aspect of the restoration of soil biological functionality to reclaimed mine spoils. They also suggest that bacterial functional redundancy may be a useful indicator of soil quality and ecosystem functioning.