"Why throw away something useful?": Attitudes and opinions of people treated for bipolar disorder and their relatives on organ and tissue donation.

In regard to mental illness, brain donation is essential for the biological investigation of central pathology. Nevertheless, little is known about the thoughts of people with mental disorders on tissue donation for research. Here, our objective was to understand the attitudes and opinions of people treated for bipolar disorder and their relatives regarding donation in general, and particularly donation for research.

[Bipolar disorder: staging and neuroprogression].

In bipolar disorder illness progression has been associated with a higher number of mood episodes and hospitalizations, poorer response to treatment, and more severe cognitive and functional impairment. This supports the notion of the use of staging models in this illness. The value of staging models has long been recognized in many medical and malignant conditions.

Antigen fingerprinting of polyclonal antibodies raised in immunized chickens with tick total proteins: a reservoir for the discovery of novel antigens.

Identification of tick-protective antigens remains the limiting step in vaccine development. The authors have generated several B cell epitope candidates by fingerprinting Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus proteins that were characterized through bioselection of random peptide phage display libraries against polyclonal antibodies antitick proteins. From 280 clones selected and sequenced, 107 distinct reactive clones were validated by dot-blot assays.

Evidence of congenital transmission of Neospora caninum in naturally infected water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fetus from Brazil.

The aim of this study was to determine the congenital infection by Neospora caninum in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), a natural intermediate host. Nine pregnant water buffalos, raised under free-grazing condition, were slaughtered, and their fetuses were collected. Samples of brain and thoracic fluid were obtained from those fetuses, with gestational ages ranging from 2 to 5 months.

Prevalence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in cattle and dogs from Western Amazon, Brazil, in association with some possible risk factors.

For evaluation of the prevalence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies and its associated risk factors, serum samples from 2109 cattle (11 beef, 50 dairy and 25 mixed farms) and 174 dogs were examined in the State of Rondônia, Western Amazon, Brazil. An inquiry was applied in each farm. Sera were examined by the Indirect Fluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT) using cut off dilution of 1:25 for cattle and 1:50 for dogs.

Environmental effect on the occurrence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in pampas-deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus).

Sera obtained from pampas-deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) captured in two different Brazilian environments were analyzed for the presence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies by the indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT). Samples were collected from 23 animals from a savanna area in the National Park of Emas, in the state of Goiás, Brazil. This area is surrounded by cultivated lands and allows very little contact between wild and domestic animals.

Occurrence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) from the Northern region of Brazil.

Anti-Neospora caninum antibodies were determined in sera of 196 water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) from three farms of the northern region of Brazil, using an indirect fluorescent antibody test. Antibody titers were found in 139 (70.9%) buffaloes with dilution values ranging from > or =25 to <200 in 41 animals, > or =200 to <800 in 35 animals, and > or =800 in 63 animals.

Occurrence of anti-Neospora caninum antibodies in Brazilian cervids kept in captivity.

Neospora caninum is a coccidian parasite that causes disease in captive and domesticated animals and has been found in wild animals such as cervids. Sera from 150 cervids of the genus Mazama, were collected from 31 captive herds and 16 zoos from different Brazilian regions and analyzed by indirect fluorescent antibody test for anti-N. caninum antibodies.