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D Vasconcelos

Publications and source records attributed to D Vasconcelos.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Interferon-alpha inhibits the emergence of cellular stress response-dependent morbillivirus large plaque variants.

Cellular levels of heat shock proteins (HSPs) are elevated in response to physiologic states accompanying acute virus infection (e.g. fever). The objective of the present work was to define the antiviral effect of purified human lymphoblastoid IFN in the presence of HSP over-expression. For this purpose, canine distemper virus (CDV) was used since the response of CDV transcription and persistent infection phenotype to elevated HSP is characterized. First, the effect of elevated HSP on CDV lytic infection phenotype in Vero and CV1 cells was defined, and results extended to the closely related measles virus (MV). Cells expressing elevated levels of the major inducible 70-kDa HSP (hsp72) supported the emergence of large plaque variants of both CDV and MV from small plaque purified inocula. IFN treatment concurrent with infection caused a dosage-dependent reduction in the expression of large plaque variants without affecting hsp72 levels or total plaque number. In contrast to the stress response-induced large plaque variant, small plaques were resistant to the antiviral effects of IFN. These data demonstrate the ability of IFN to selectively abrogate the pro-viral effects of HSP over-expression, inhibiting the formation of a plaque phenotype that is correlated to enhanced virulence in animal models of morbillivirus encephalitis.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

The cellular stress response increases measles virus-induced cytopathic effect.

Plaque area is a measure of the degree of cytopathic effect and a predictor of neurovirulence for tissue culture adapted morbilliviruses. In the present work, the cellular stress response was shown to be a determinant of the expression of distinct measles virus large plaque phenotypes in Vero cells. The emergence of these large plaque phenotypes was associated with increased mean viral transcriptional activity and expression of the viral fusion glycoprotein, but not upregulation of the virus receptor CD46.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1994

Lesions caused by natural infection with Streptococcus suis type 9 in weaned pigs.

In this paper we report on the spectrum and frequency of lesions observed in a prospective study of naturally occurring infections with Streptococcus suis type 9 (SS-9) in weaned pigs. SS-9 produced arthritis, meningitis, interstitial pneumonia, and endocarditis in 100%, 91%, 73%, and 42%, respectively, of pigs dying from the disease. The lesions were similar to those caused by S. suis type 2 (SS-2), however, SS-9 produced a different frequency of lesions. In SS-2 infections, bronchopneumonia is the most commonly observed lesion; meningitis, arthritis, and endocarditis are less frequently observed. Thus, SS-9 produced a different distribution of lesions from that reported for SS-2. Possible explanations for the differences found are discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Selective indications for the use of praziquantel in the treatment of brain cysticercosis.

The selective use of praziquantel for the treatment of brain cysticercosis in human beings is described, based upon the results of clinical tests conducted during a 2 year period. Forty patients with clinical diagnosis of cysticercosis, confirmed and documented by CT, were treated. They are divided into four groups, representative of the various forms of the disease. The results assessed by clinical evaluation and sequential CT, give a ten point criterion of the indications for praziquantel.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Epileptic seizures as initial symptom of intracranial tumors. A prospective study in adults].

A prospective study of 125 patients with late-onset epileptic crisis: Group G I with 65 cases between 20 and 50 years of age, and Group G II, including 60 patients older than 50 years at the time of the first crisis. Brain tumors were diagnosed in fourteen cases, four (6.1%) in G I and ten (16.6%) in G II. In decreasing order of frequency, the ictal pattern was tonic-clonic, status epilepticus, partial simple, partial complex and "drop-attacks". The lesions were located as follows:frontal in seven subjects, parietal in four, multiple in two and temporo-basal in one. Histologically, the tumors were three meningiomas, two gliomas, one astrocytoma, and three metastatic lesions. These findings agree with those of other series, in terms of predominant type of crisis, site and histologic type; but they differ in the age of first symptoms, and in the fact that tumors occupy only a third place as cause of epileptic crisis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Alzheimer's disease].

The primary degenerative dementia of Alzheimer type, present denomination, represents a medical, social and economical problem. The early diagnosis, based on medical criteria, might improve some aspects of the expected evolution of these, up to date, hopeless patients.

Adult↗