The BCG Moreau RD16 deletion inactivates a repressor reshaping transcription of an adjacent gene

The Brazilian anti-tuberculosis vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) BCG Moreau is unique in having a deletion of 7608 bp (RD16) that results in the truncation of a putative TetR transcriptional regulator, the ortholog of Mycobacterium tuberculosis rv3405c, BCG_M3439c. We investigated the effect of this truncation on the expression of the rv3406 ortholog (BCG_M3440), lying 81 bp downstream in the opposite orientation. RT-PCR and western blot experiments show that rv3406 mRNA and Rv3406 accumulate in BCG Moreau but not in BCG Pasteur (strain that bears an intact rv3405c), suggesting this to be a result of rv3405c truncation. Recombinant Rv3405c forms a complex with the rv3405c-rv3406 intergenic region, which contains a characteristic transcription factor binding site, showing it to have DNA binding activity. Complementation of M. bovis BCG Moreau with an intact copy of rv3405c abolishes Rv3406 accumulation. These results show that Rv3405c is a DNA binding protein that acts as a transcriptional repressor of rv3406.

Anti-diabetic activity of extract from Persea americana Mill. leaf via the activation of protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

The leaves of Persea americana Mill. (Lauraceae) have been popularly used in the treatment of diabetes in countries in Latin America and Africa.

AIM OF THE STUDY

To investigate the hypoglycaemic properties and to determine the molecular mechanism by which the hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves of Persea americana reduce blood glucose levels in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes in rats via the enzymatic pathway of protein kinase B (PKB/Akt).

METHODS

The hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves of Persea americana (0.15 and 0.3g/kg/day), vehicle and metformin (0.5g/kg/day) were administered orally to STZ-diabetic rats (n=7/group) for 4 weeks. Changes in body weight, food and water intake, fasting glucose levels and oral glucose tolerance were evaluated. Phosphorylation and the expression of PKB in the liver and soleus muscle were determined by Western blot.

RESULTS

The hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves of Persea americana reduced blood glucose levels and improved the metabolic state of the animals. Additionally, PKB activation was observed in the liver and skeletal muscle of treated rats when compared with untreated rats.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that the hydroalcoholic extract of the leaves of Persea americana has anti-diabetic properties and possibly acts to regulate glucose uptake in liver and muscles by way of PKB/Akt activation, restoring the intracellular energy balance.

[Assesment or the basic psychometric properties for the Portuguese version of the KDQOL-SF]

OBJECTIVE

To verify the reliability of the instrument Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form - KDQOL-SF, and correlate scores in each dimension with the sociodemographic and clinical variables.

METHOD

This is a methodological descriptive exploratory study, where the KDQOL-SF was applied by interviewing 147 chronic renal disease patients during treatment in a hemodialysis clinic in the interior of São Paulo State. Data was processed by descriptive statistics, Cronbach's alpha and ordinal logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

Results showed that of the 147 patients who answered the KDQOL-SF, the majority was male, with an average age of 51.8 +/- 14.2 years and that 75.5% of them had only elementary schooling. Regarding reliability of the KDQOL-SF verified by the Cronbach's alpha, values ranged between 0.6 and 1.0 for 18 of the 19 dimensions that comprise the instrument. Only the dimension 'Professional Role' showed an extremely low value. When the KDQOL-SF was correlated with sociodemographic and clinical variables, there was an association of some dimensions with age, gender, educational level and with pathologies associated to renal disease.

CONCLUSION

The KDQOL-SF was shown to be reliable to ascertain the quality of life in individuals with chronic renal failure under hemodialysis treatment.

Acute and subacute toxicity of the Carapa guianensis Aublet (Meliaceae) seed oil

Carapa guianensis (Meliaceae), known as Andiroba in Brazil, has been used by Amazon Rainforest indigenous communities for treatment of coughs, convulsions, skin diseases, arthritis, rheumatism, ear infections, to heal wounds and bruises and as an insect repellent. Carapa guianensis seed oil (SO) was evaluated for its acute and subacute toxicity (30 days) by the oral route in Wistar rats. In the acute toxicity test, SO (0.625-5.0g/kg, n=5/sex) did not produce any hazardous symptoms or deaths. The subacute treatment with SO (0.375, 0.75 and 1.5g/kg, n=10/group) failed to change body weight gain, food and water consumption. Hematological analysis showed no significant differences in any of the parameters examined. However, in the biochemical parameters, there was an increase in the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) serum level (29%) in the group SO 1.5g/kg. In addition, absolute and relative liver weights were increased at the doses of 0.75g/kg (23.4 and 19.1%) and 1.5g/kg (18.7 and 33.1%). In conclusion, acute and subacute administration of Carapa guianensis seed oil did not produce toxic effects in male Wistar rats. However, the increase in the ALT serum level and in both absolute and relative liver weights may indicate a possible hepatic toxicity.

A toxicological evaluation of the effect of Carapa guianensis Aublet on pregnancy in Wistar rats

The effects of the administration of Carapa guianensis Aublet (Meliaceae) seed oil were investigated during pregnancy in female Wistar rats. Five groups of pregnant rats (n=5-9 per group) were treated orally from the 7th to the 14th day of pregnancy (organogenic period), at doses of: 0, 0.375, 0.75, 1.5 and 3.0gkg(-1). On the 20th day of pregnancy, the animals were sacrificed and laparotomized to evaluate reproductive parameters. The results showed that there was no difference between the control and treated groups in terms of the number of live and dead fetuses, the dam-offspring relationship, the weight of the fetus, the weight of the placentae and ovaries, the number of implantation sites, the number of resorption sites, the number of corpora lutea in the ovaries, and the pre- and post-implantation loss rates. It is therefore concluded that administration of Carapa guianensis seed oil did not bring about any toxic effect on pregnancy in Wistar rats.

Gene assignment in Ateles paniscus chamek (Platyrrhini, Primates). Allocation of 18 markers of human syntenic groups 1, 2, 7, 14, 15, 17 and 22

Eighteen markers allocated to human syntenic groups 1, 2, 7, 14, 15, 17 and 22 were assigned to the chromosome complement of the neotropical primate Ateles paniscus chamek. These new allocations and existing gene charts in this species were compared with chromosome painting patterns produced by human chromosome probes in the congeneric species A teles geoffroyi and with available data on the human genome and gene mapping. These comparisons showed congruent findings in Ateles and provided good evidence of how several human syntenic groups were evolutionarily rearranged.

Molecular analysis of HPRT1(+) somatic cell hybrids derived from a carrier of an HPRT1 mutation responsible for Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

Heterozygous carriers of HPRT1 mutations responsible for Lesch-Nyhan syndrome can be detected by analysis of somatic cell hybrids derived from peripheral blood lymphocytes and Hprt1-negative cells of rodent origin followed by selection in culture medium containing hypoxanthine, aminopterine, and thymidine (HAT). The parental origin of the X chromosome containing the normal HPRT1 allele in HPRT1(+) hybrid cell lines can be determined by molecular haplotyping attributable to highly polymorphic X-linked markers. We used this procedure to study a presumed carrier whose paternal active X chromosome always segregated in the cell hybrids derived from her. Conversely, her maternal X chromosome was systematically absent in most cell hybrids, or when present, it was inactive and coexisted with an active, paternal X chromosome. These results clearly demonstrated that the proband was a heterozygous carrier of a mutation responsible for HPRT1 deficiency.

Diffractive structures holographically recorded in amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a-C:H) films

We propose and demonstrate the direct recording of submicrometer relief gratings in amorphous hydrogenated carbon (a -C:H) films by reactive ion etching (RIE) for use as diffractive optical components. The high refractive index of this film and its transparency in the IR make such structures promising candidates for IR-transmission diffractive optical components. The structures are holographically recorded in photoresist and then transferred to a thin aluminum layer that is used as a mask for RIE of the a -C:H films. The diffraction measurements of the structures recorded in these films demonstrated the feasibility of using the materials as diffractive optical components.

Reflecting polarizing beam splitter

We propose and experimentally demonstrate the use of metal-covered lamellar relief gratings as a polarizing beam splitter operating at a single wavelength near Littrow incidence. We report the characteristics of a grating produced by holography and reactive ion etching that was calculated for operation as beam splitter at lambda = 633 nm (for a He-Ne laser).

Developed profile of holographically exposed photoresist gratings

A simulation of the profile of holographically recorded structures in photoresists is performed. In addition to its simplicity this simulation can be used to take into account the effects that arise from exposure, photosensitization, development, and resolution of positive photoresists. We analyzed the effects of isotropy of wet development, nonlinearity of the photoresist response curve, background light, and standing waves produced by reflection at the film-substrate interface by using this simulation, and the results agree with the experimentally recorded profiles.

Photoresist resolution measurement during the exposure process

The index-modulation evolution of a positive photoresist material was measured during the holographic exposure of sinusoidal patterns. The exposures were performed in a stabilized holographic setup that permits easy changes in the period. The results show the lowering of the recorded index modulation when the period decreases.

Isoniazid acetylating phenotype in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis and its relationship with serum sulfadoxin levels, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase activities

The authors evaluated the isoniazid acetylating phenotype and measured hematocrit, hemoglobin, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and glutathione reductase activities plus serum sulfadoxin levels in 39 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis (33 males and 6 females) aged 17 to 58 years. Twenty one (53.84%) of the patients presented a slow acetylating phenotype and 18(46.16%) a fast acetylating phenotype. Glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) activity was decreased in 5(23.80%) slow acetylators and in 4(22.22%) fast acetylators. Glutathione reductase activity was decreased in 14(66.66%) slow acetylators and in 12(66.66%) fast acetylators. Serum levels of free and total sulfadoxin were higher in slow acetylator (p less than 0.02). Analysis of the results permitted us to conclude that serum sulfadoxin levels are related to the acetylator phenotype. Furthermore, sulfadoxin levels were always above 50 micrograms/ml, a value considered therapeutic. Glutathione reductase deficiency observed in 66% of patients may be related to the intestinal malabsorption of nutrients, among them riboflavin, a FAD precursor vitamin, in patients with paracoceidioidomycosis.

Evaluation of acetylator phenotype, renal function and serum sulfadiazine levels in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis treated with cotrimazine (a combination of sulfadiazine and trimethoprim)

The authors evaluated the relationships among renal function, acetylator phenotype and serum sulfadiazine levels in 22 patients with paracoccidioidomycosis treated with 1 tablet of cotrimazine (a combination of 820 mg sulfadiazine and 180 mg trimethoprim) administered orally every 12 hours. Fifteen patients (68.18%) presented free sulfadiazine levels above 50 micrograms/ml, 6(27.28%) presented serum levels above 40 micrograms/ml, and 1(4.54%), levels lower than 40 micrograms/ml, this being the patient in which treatment failed. The highest free sulfadiazine levels were obtained in slow acetylator patients with reduced renal function. One patient with neuroparacoccidioidomycosis presented free sulfadiazine levels in cerebrospinal fluid corresponding to 55% of the serum levels. Finally, the authors consider cotrimazine to be an important therapeutic alternative for neuroparacoccidioidomycosis and conclude that administration every 12 hours can provide therapeutic sulfadiazine levels. They also suggest that when the sulfadiazine-trimethoprim combination is used, the therapeutic levels of sulfadiazine should be above 40 micrograms/ml.