Behavioral and genetic color vision evaluation of an albino male capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella)

Albinism is a rare phenotype that affects the pigmentation in eyes, hair, and skin. The effects of albinism in color vision are still unclear. Our study aimed to evaluate the color vision phenotype and genotype of an albino capuchin monkey. An adult albino male capuchin monkey (Sapajus apella) had the L and M opsin gene analyzed, and was trained in a behavioral task of color discrimination. Color discrimination thresholds were determined along 20 chromatic axes around the background chromaticity. A color discrimination ellipse was drawn by interpolation among these thresholds. The albino monkey's behavioral color discrimination ellipse showed poor discrimination along the red-green axis indicating a deutan phenotype. Genetic analysis revealed only the presence of the L gene in the albino monkey. This result did not differ from that obtained with ten previously tested non-albino monkeys. Behavioral and molecular analyses agreed that the albino capuchin monkey had color vision similar to that of non-albino dichromat monkeys, suggesting no influence of albinism on color discrimination.

Cellular immunity and immunostimulation in paracoccidioidomycosis

We have evaluated clinical and laboratorial effects of immunostimulation scarification with antigen of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in patients with paracoccidioidomycosis, who often show depressed immunity. We have studied 62 Brazilian patients with paracoccidioidomycosis, 46 with active disease and 16 cured, in a 10-year period between 1982 and 1992. Among the 46 patients with active disease: 10 had acute form, 12 chronic unifocal form and 24 the chronic multifocal form of the disease; 16 showed positive paracoccidioidin intradermal reaction and 30 negative reaction. Amongst 16 cured patients, 5 showed negative paracoccidioidin intradermal reaction and 11 positive reaction. We immunostimulated 20 patients by scarification with polysaccharide antigen of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. All 20 immunostimulated patients had negative paracoccidioidin intradermal reaction, and 18 patients had active disease and 2 were cured. Out of 18 immunostimulated patients with active disease, 3 had active form, 10 chronic multifocal form and 5 chronic unifocal form of the disease. Before and after immunostimulation, each patients was inmunologically evaluated by in vivo and in vitro methods; in vivo methods consisted of intradermal reactions and DNCB sensitization tests; and in vitro methods consisted of total sub-set lymphocyte counting, leukocytes migration inhibition test, chemotaxix of total leukocytes and monuclear leukocyte phagocytosis. Remaining 42 patients served as a non-immunostimulated control group who has followed only clinically. We have observed significant clinical and immunological improvement in immunostimulated patients. We conclude that the immunostimulation by scarification with antigen of P. brasiliensis can be a helpful adjuvant therapy for paracoccidioidomycosis.

Cellular immunity in paracoccidioidomycosis

Paracoccidioidomycosis was studied in 62 patients from Brazil in the 10 year period between 1978 and 1988. In 46 patients included in a first group, the disease was active and in 16 patients included in a second group, the disease was cured. The study was conducted according to both the clinical form of the disease and the response to paracoccidioidin in both groups. In the first group, 10 patients presented the acute form, 12 presented the chronic unifocal form and 24 had the chronic multifocal form of the disease. As to the response to paracoccidioidin, in the first group 16 patients were negative and 30 were positive; in the second group, 11 were positive and 5 were negative. An immunological study was performed in all patients using in vivo methods such as skin tests and sensitization to DNCB and in vitro techniques such as total lymphocyte counts, T and B cell counts, leukocyte migration inhibition test, chemotaxis of total leukocytes and mononuclear leukocyte phagocytosis.

Complement system in malnutrition

The total complement and C3 and C4 components serum levels were assessed in vitro in forty children suffering from severe and moderate protein-calorie malnutrition in the 2 to 5 year age group. Twenty well-nourished children of the same age were as a control group. The results in the three group showed no significant differences.

[Counts of populations and subpopulations of thymus-dependent lymphocytes in eutrophic children]

Determinations of the number and percentage of T lymphocytes CD4 (helper) cells and CD8 (suppressor/cytotoxic) cells were carried out in peripheral blood of 70 children varying their age from two to ten years, with the purpose to establish normal values in childhood.