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ABSTRACT:Ionizing radiation has been successfully employed to modify the immunological properties of biomolecules. Very promising results were obtained when crude animal venoms, as well as isolated toxins, were treated with 60Co gamma rays, yielding toxoids with good immunogenicity. The achievement of modified antigens with lower toxicity and preserved or improved immunogenicity can be very useful. Ionizing radiation has already been proven to be a powerful tool to attenuate snake venom toxicity without affecting, and even increasing, their immunogenic properties. However, little is known about the modifications that irradiated molecules undergo and even less about the immunological response that such antigens elicit. In the present work, we investigated the immunological behavior of bothropstoxin-1, a K49 phospholipase, before and after irradiation. Structural modifications of the toxin were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. Isogenic mice were immunized with either the native or the irradiated toxin. The circulating antibodies were isotyped and titrated by ELISA. According to our data, irradiation promoted structural modifications in the toxin characterized by higher molecular weight forms of proteins (aggregates and oligomers). The results also indicated that irradiated toxins were immunogenic and antibodies elicited by them were able to recognize the native toxin in ELISA. These findings suggest that irradiation of toxic proteins can promote significant modifications in their structures; however they still retain many of the original antigenic and immunological properties of native proteins. Also, our data indicate that irradiated proteins induce higher titers of IgG2a and IgG2b, suggesting that Th1 cells are predominantly involved in the immune response.

Este estudo teve por objetivo traçar o perfil sócio-econômico dos pacientes pertencentes aos Núcleos de Saúde da Família IV e V (NSF IV e V) da Área Básica do Centro de Saúde Escola da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto – USP (CSE-FMRP-USP), localizado no Distrito Oeste de Saúde do Município de Ribeirão Preto, que faltaram às consultas odontológicas nos dois últimos meses de 2007 e avaliar os motivos que os levaram a faltar às consultadas agendadas.Foram selecionados 33 pacientes para aplicação de um questionário avaliativo, sendo a aplicação feita por um único pesquisador previamente calibrado. Deste total, 2 alegaram não terem faltado às consultas, 5 não pertenciam mais as áreas de abrangência dos NSF e 4 não foram localizados, restando, portanto, 22 pacientes (n=22). Os resultados mostraram que a maioria dos entrevistados apresentava baixo poder econômico, faltou às consultas por haverem esquecido (59,1%) e que não foram lembrados previamente por um dos agentes de saúde pertencentes ao NSF (95,5%). Além disso, 54,5% relataram terem faltado em outras consultas odontológicas e 59,1 % já faltaram em consultas de outras especialidades. Com isso, pôde-se concluir que a atitude de cada parte, dos profissionais de saúde, gestores, prestadores de serviços e usuários (população), têm seu peso. Novas estratégias de agendamento, com participação mais ativa dos agentes de saúde, relembrando periodicamente a data das consultas poderiam aperfeiçoar o processo de atendimento dos NSF avaliados, mas ao mesmo tempo se faz necessário o comprometimento da população em cumprir seus deveres.

Recent Brazilian Governments have provided incentives to support domestic innovation; however, some claim that the country has set conflicting policies towards innovation, industrial property and biodiversity exploitation. After an analysis of patent applications filled in the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property, we observed that current governmental measures have not performed as expected, at least in the skin care industry. Throughout the paper we discuss plausible reasons why this sector has not managed to innovate more, reasons that may affect other businesses as well. This case is exemplary to developing economies that have implemented or are in the process of renewing their innovation policies.

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