Physalis angulata is a solanaceae widely used in folk medicine in various tropical countries in the world. We have previously described that seco-steroids (physalins) purified from P. angulata are potent inhibitors of macrophage activation, blocking the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and LPS-induced lethality. Herein we investigated the immunomodulatory activities of these substances in lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production and in transplantation. The addition of physalins B, F or G to concanavalin A-activated splenocyte cultures induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of proliferation. Physalin B also inhibited IL-2 production by Con A-activated spleen cells. The addition of 2 mug/ml physalin B to mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) caused a 100% inhibition of proliferation. More importantly, treatment of mice with physalin B, F or G prevented the rejection of allogeneic heterotopic heart transplant. Our results demonstrate the suppressive activity of physalins B, F and G in lymphocyte function and indicate the potential use of physalins as immunosuppressive agents for treatments of pathologies in which inhibition of immune responses is desired.

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RESUMO -Foram utilizadas 50 fêmeas primíparas de linhagem comercial, com peso de 210,3 ± 22,5 kg, para avaliar diferentes níveis de lisina total (0,95; 1,03; 1,10; 1,18; e 1,25%) na ração, durante um período de lactação de 17,69 ± 1,17 dias. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, com cinco tratamentos e dez repetições, considerando-se cada matriz a unidade experimental. O consumo total de ração não variou entre os animais dos tratamentos, sendo que as porcas consumiram em média 4,3 kg de ração por dia. O consumo de lisina aumentou de forma linear. Não se observou efeito dos tratamentos sobre os parâmetros produtivos e reprodutivos das matrizes em lactação. O ganho de peso dos leitões também não foi influenciado pelo consumo de lisina das fêmeas em lactação. Concluiu-se que porcas primíparas em lactação exigem 0,95% de lisina total na ração, correspondente a um consumo diário de 40,47 g de lisina total.Palavras-chave: leitões, matrizes primíparas, reprodução, lisina, lactação Lysine in the Diet of Primiparous Lactating SowsABSTRACT -Fifty crossbred primiparous sows averaging weight of 210.3 ± 22.5 kg were used to evaluate the total lysine levels (0.95, 1.03, 1.10, 1.18 and 1.25%) in the diet, during lactation (17.69±1.17 days). A randomized blocks design with five treatments and ten replicates the sow as the experimental unit was used. During the experimental period, the sows were daily fed 4.3 kg of diet. Lysine intake increased linearly, in response to the dietary lysine levels. The productive and reproductive parameters of the sows were not influenced by the dietary lysine levels. Piglet weight gain did not change with the sow lysine intake. It was concluded that the total lysine level correspondent to a daily intake of 40.47 g met the lysine requirements of lactating primiparous sows.

BackgroundChikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arbovirus that causes an acute febrile illness characterized by severe and debilitating arthralgia. In Brazil, the Asian and East-Central South African (ECSA) genotypes are circulating in the north and northeast of the country, respectively. In 2015, the first autochthonous cases in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil were reported but until now the circulating strains have not been characterized. Therefore, we aimed here to perform the molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis of CHIKV strains circulating in the 2016 outbreak occurred in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro.MethodsThe cases analyzed in this study were collected at a private Hospital, from April 2016 to May 2016, during the chikungunya outbreak in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. All cases were submitted to the Real Time RT-PCR for CHIKV genome detection and to anti-CHIKV IgM ELISA. Chikungunya infection was laboratorially confirmed by at least one diagnostic method and, randomly selected positive cases (n=10), were partially sequenced (CHIKV E1 gene) and analyzed.ResultsThe results showed that all the samples grouped in ECSA genotype branch and the molecular characterization of the fragment did not reveal the A226V mutation in the Rio de Janeiro strains analyzed, but a K211T amino acid substitution was observed for the first time in all samples and a V156A substitution in two of ten samples.ConclusionsPhylogenetic analysis and molecular characterization reveals the circulation of the ECSA genotype of CHIKV in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and two amino acids substitutions (K211T and V156A) exclusive to the CHIKV strains obtained during the 2016 epidemic, were reported.

• RESUMOUtilizaram-se 48 porcas primíparas, de genética PIC, com média de peso de 185,03±15,78kg, para avaliar diferentes níveis de energia digestível (3.350, 3.500, 3.650 e 3.800kcal/kg) na ração, durante a lactação (19,98±1,04 dias). Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, com quatro tratamentos e 12 repetições, sendo a porca considerada a unidade experimental. O consumo total de ração não variou entre os animais dos tratamentos, sendo que as porcas consumiram em média 4,0kg de ração por dia. O consumo de energia digestível aumentou de forma linear, de acordo com o nível de energia na ração. Não se observou efeito do nível de energia da ração sobre a mobilização de reserva corporal, as características reprodutivas e o nível de insulina no soro das porcas. Observou-se aumento linear do ganho de peso dos leitões em função do consumo de energia das porcas. Conclui-se que porcas primíparas em lactação exigem 3.800kcal/kg de ração, correspondente a um consumo de 14.307kcal/dia. Palavras-chave: porca, leitão, reprodução, energia, gordura de coco, lactação (3,350; 3,500; 3,650 and 3,800 kcal/kg) ABSTRACT Forty-eight primiparous sows (PIC), weighting in average of 185.03±15.78kg, were used to evaluate different levels of digestible energy