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Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, Volume: 10, Número: 1, Publicado: 2004
  • The construction of knowledge under new paradigms Editor's Viewpoint

    Barraviera, Benedito; Ferreira Júnior, Rui Seabra
  • Oral manifestations of syphilis: a review Review Article

    Soares, A.B.; Gonzaga, H.F.S.; Jorge, M.A.; Barraviera, S.R.C.S.

    Resumo em Inglês:

    Syphilis is an infectious disease presenting stages associated with specific oral lesions. Therefore, health professionals should be familiar with the different syphilis oral manifestations at each stage and be prepared to refer any suspected patient for further evaluation. This report describes the most important clinical factors of each stage, emphasizing the oral manifestations.
  • The first report of Tityus (Scorpiones: Buthidae) in Anzoátegui State, Venezuela: a new species Original Papers

    Quiroga, M.; de Sousa, L.; Parrilla-Álvarez, P.; Manzanilla, J.

    Resumo em Inglês:

    Tityus gonzalespongai n. sp. is a species endemic to the high mountains of Anzoátegui State, Venezuela. It is found between 1,600 and 2,200 m in ''La Laguna'' mountain. Its habitat includes the area of ''Bosque Húmedo Montano Bajo'' with the type of vegetation of ''Bosque Ombrófilo Montano Siempreverde'' (''Bosques Nublados Costeros'' that includes the ''Subpáramos Arbustivos''). It is distinguished from other Tityus species (T. caripitensis, T. monaguensis, and T. nororientalis) by the following characteristics: 1- the disposition of the trichobothria in the pedipalps; 2- ventral keels of the caudal segments of the metasoma (segment II, double and parallel in the proximal two thirds, then convergent and finally divergent in the base; segments III and IV, double and parallel in the basal third, then convergent in a single keel that divides in the base); 3- the number of lines of denticles of the movable finger of the right pedipalp (male = 14; female = 14); 4- pectineous teeth (right/left: male = 15/15: female = 16/15); 5- color: movable and fixed fingers dark brown; prosoma and metasoma, ochre; caudal segment IV, slightly darker than the previous ones; V and the telson, dark brown. T. gonzalespongai belongs to the ''androcottoides'' group and presents a marked sexual dimorphism. It is the first species of the Tityus genus described and reported in Anzoátegui State, expanding this taxa distribution in Venezuela.
  • Hematological changes in sheep inoculated with natural and Cobalt60-irradiated Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (Laurenti, 1768) Original Papers

    Netto, D. P.; Chiacchio, S. B.; Bicudo, P. L.; Alfieri, A. A.; Balarim, M. R. S.; Nascimento, N.

    Resumo em Inglês:

    Natural (NV) and Cobalto60-irradiated (IrV) Crotalus durissus terrificus venom were used to evaluate serum production capacity of sheep and possible hematological and biochemical effects. Freeze-dried venom aliquots were diluted in acidified saline solution (NaCl 150 mM, pH 3.0) and irradiated by a Cobalt 60 source at a dose of 5.54 x 102 Gy/h and a concentration of 2.000 Gy. Twelve sheep were divided into two groups of six animals. One group received irradiated venom (IrV) and the other natural venom (NV). Three antigen doses (venom) were administered at monthly intervals. Blood samples were collected weekly for analysis of serum neutralization potency and capacity, complete blood count (CBC), total plasma protein, fibrinogen, albumin, and globulin. At the end of the experiment, the animals were challenged with a LD50 for sheep and showed no signs of envenoming. The two groups did not present clinical alterations. Results of the total leukocyte count did not present interaction or time factor effect for both groups, but there was a different action between them, with the NV group presenting more cells than the IrV group. The leukocyte increase to 13,000/ml indicates that slight leukocytosis occurred in the week after the first inoculation in the NV group. There was no statistically significant difference between groups in the absolute count of segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, and lymphocytes but there were statistically significant oscillations in values at the different collecting times. The NV group presented an increase in the absolute neutrophil count after the first inoculation that persisted for 5 weeks. In the IrV group, the increase in neutrophils occurred only in the first week returning to normal in the following weeks. The alterations in the neutrophil count are indicative of systemic inflammatory response related to cytokine release; response was more marked in the NV group, showing its greater toxicity.
  • Immunohistochemical investigation of neuronal injury in cerebral cortex of cobra-envenomed rats Original Papers

    Rahmy, T.R.; Hassouna, I.A.

    Resumo em Inglês:

    The immunohistochemical expression of neuron-specific enolase, NSE (a cytoplasmic glycolytic enzyme of the neurons), synaptophysin, SYN (a major membrane glycoprotein of synaptic vesicles), and Bcl-2 (anti-apoptotic protein) were determined in cerebral cortex of rats envenomed with neurotoxic venom from Egyptian cobra. Male rats were intramuscularly (IM) injected with a single injection of either physiological saline solution or ½ LD50 or LD50 of cobra venom and sacrificed 24, 48, or 72 hr after envenoming. Formalin-fixed paraffin sections were immunohistochemically studied by avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. Neuron histological structure and isolation of genomic DNA were also detected. The results showed a dose and time-dependent increase in NSE and SYN immunoreactivity in cerebral cortex of envenomed rats except in 72 hr high dose envenoming, where decreased SYN was observed. On the other hand, low dose venom induced high Bcl-2 expression 24 hr after envenoming, while the high dose decreased Bcl-2 protein expression. Temporal and spatial Bcl-2 expression was accompanied by DNA fragmentation in cerebral cortex of all envenomed rats, although no serious histological alterations were noticed. These results suggest that cobra venom may lead to neuronal injury and impairment of axonal transport as ascertained by alterations in NSE and SYN immunoreactivity. It could also indicate that venom alters the molecular machinery of apoptosis by inhibiting Bcl-2 expression; however, some vulnerable cells have the ability to overcome this by increasing Bcl-2 protein. These immunohistochemical investigations can be used as tools for detecting neuronal abnormalities even before the occurrence of any histological alterations in case of cerebral cortex neurotoxicity.
  • Use of repellents for honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in vitro in the yellow passion-fruit (Passiflora edulis Deg) crop and in confined beef cattle feeders Original Papers

    Nicodemo, D.; Nogueira Couto, R. H.

    Resumo em Inglês:

    The presence of Apis mellifera in places such as candy and soft drink factories, restaurants, and ice-cream shops has been a concern to many people. In the yellow passion-fruit crop, Apis mellifera is able to collect all anther pollen but has no active role in pollination. Honeybees also visit animal feeders with chopped sugar cane, preventing the cattle from eating. This work studied the effect of natural and synthetic substances as Apis mellifera repellents in vitro in the yellow passion-fruit crop and in confined beef cattle feeders. There was a repellent effect in vitro with the following substances in decreasing order: tobacco, rue, garlic, parsley, and century plant extracts; average effect was twenty-five minutes. For the yellow passion-fruit, garlic extracts and 2-heptanone were equally efficient with a two and a half hour repellent action. Garlic and citronella extracts were efficient in repelling Apis mellifera from confined beef cattle feeder for six hours. Garlic repellent action was higher than citronella.
  • Maintenance of scorpions of the genus Tityus Koch (Scorpiones, Buthidae) for venom obtention at Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil Original Papers

    Candido, D. M.; Lucas, S.

    Resumo em Inglês:

    This work presents the experience of the Laboratory of Arthropods at Instituto Butantan, which maintains scorpions in captivity in order to obtain the venom used in the production of anti-arachnid serum. Between 1993 and 2000, the laboratory received 24.781 specimens of Tityus serrulatus in order to obtain poison for the production of anti-scorpion serum. In the first extraction, performed by electrical stimulation, the animals gave an average quantity of 0.4 mg venom per specimen. Animal acquisition and involved professional safety are considered. In addition, the captivity, handling and feeding techniques are described, as well as the method and equipment used for venom extraction. It shows the importance of regular campaigns, offering information to the general population in order to motivate these to catch and send alive scorpions to the Institute to assuring a regular entrance of scorpions.
  • Envenomation by scorpion in dog: case report Case Report

    Cardoso, M. J. L.; Sakate, M.; Ciampolini, P.; Moutinho, F. Q.; Cherubini, A. L.

    Resumo em Inglês:

    A case admitted at the Small Animals Clinics Service, Veterinary Hospital, FMVZ - UNESP, in May, 1999 is described. A Brazilian Terrier dog, 3 years and 3 months old, weighing 1.7 kg was brought after 2 hours and a half from contact with a scorpion (Tityus bahiensis). The dog showed vocalization inserted with drowsiness. Physical examination showed slightly hyperemic mucous, pain, agressiveness, tachypnea, tachycardia, and discrete erythema on the right forelimb palmar face. An anesthetic block was performed around the stung area using 2% lidocaine hydrochloride without vasoconstrictor (10mL). The animal was asymptomatic, after 24 h treatment.
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