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The activity of alkaline phosphatase demonstrated by histochemical techniques was shown at the cell wall of the yeast form of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis at 3, 6, and 9 days of culture. The results showed a very active deposition at the cell wall as early as 9 days of culture of the fungus which made us think an inactive salt precipitate was also present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new filaria, Strianema venezuelensis gen. et sp. n., is described from armadillos in Venezuela. The adults inhabit the subcutaneous tissues and the microfilariae are found in the skin and occasionally the blood. The adults, which are of small size (males 9.6 to 13.8 mm in length by 57 to 63 microns in diameter, females 18.3 to 26.3 mm in length by 95 to 120 microns in diameter), have a distinctly striated cuticle. This filaria resembles most closely the genus Cercopithifilaria, from which it can be distinguished by the absence of a buccal capsule or pre-esophageal ring, and 11 to 13 pair of caudal papillae, three or four pair of which are separated as a group anterior to the cloaca. The species, S. venezuelensis, can be distinguished from the three other species of filariae described from armadillos by the undivided esophagus, number and distribution of caudal papillae in the male, size and shape of the spicules, and the distinctive microfilaria. The microfilaria, which averages 280 microns in length, has a unique, slender, almost filamentous tail.

The onchocercoma or nodule produced by the nematode Onchocerca volvulus (Filarioidea) in the skin of patients suffering from onchocerciasis has not been examined by histochemical techniques. In this work we have used histochemical techniques to evaluate 5 hydrolytic enzymes, namely phosphatases, esterases and beta-glucuronidase. The results show increased enzymatic activity at the sites of major metabolic activity and within reactive cells including macrophages (mc) and giant cells (gc) of the onchocercoma.

We have previously detected various enzymatic activities in P. brasiliensis. In the present study we have examined Adenosine Triphosphatase (ATPase) activity in yeast phase cultures of P. brasiliensis of increasing age. We employed Wachstein and Meisel's method and electron microscopy and found specific electron-dense deposits indicating ATPase activity to be present in the cytoplasm around vacuoles. Their distribution varied according to age. Deposits decreased or became absent in old cultures. We assume that in P. brasiliensis, ATPase is involved (as in other systems) with transport of Na+ and K+.

The temperature storage of the platelet concentrates (PC) it's of utmost importance in order to preserve the viability and the hemostatic function of the platelets. In the following study we made a comparative evaluation of the PC stored at three different temperatures: Volume, platelet count, pH, pCO2, pO2, in vitro aggregation, bacterial growth, ultrastructure changes and survival, to test its quality and usefulness. The results provide evidence that the PC kept at 27 degrees C showed marked differences compared with the PC stored at 22 degrees C. For example, the platelets showed the strongest morphological changes, less survival and probably a higher metabolic activity than those kept at 22 degrees C. Although the in vitro function was altered, it was recovered after 90 minutes of incubation with fresh frozen plasma. According with these results we can conclude that the in vivo hemostatic activity of these PC is as efficient as those stored at 4 and 22 degrees C, but due to the decreased of the in vivo platelet survival, we support that the 22 degrees C remain as the best temperature for the PC storage.

The carboxilic activity of giant cells of human granuloma produced by P. brasiliensis was studied. The enzymatic activity was revealed by reddish-brown, purple red, and indigo-blue cytoplasmic precipitate, using the substrates alpha-naphthyl-acetate, naphthol-AS acetate and 5-bromo-4-chloro-indoxyl acetate respectively. The giant cells were intensely positive in all cases studied. We believe this esterasic activity is related to the lytic, lisosomic activity of the macrophages and giant cells in response to the activity by the P. brasiliensis in tissue.

The succinate dehydrogenase activity of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis was investigated histochemically by electron microscopy. The reaction product of this enzyme was demonstrated in some membranous structures of organelles interpreted as mitochondria. This enzyme shows very active oxido-reduction in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis mitochondria during, 3, 6, and and 9 days of culture.

The histochemistry of armadillo skin has been studied. The dendritic cells are extremely large, very sharply outlined by methods for alkaline phosphatase and alpha-naphthyl-acetate esterase, and they are dopa-negative. The mastocytes, however, are dopa-oxidase-positive, probably due to peroxidase rather than tyrosinase activity. The giant cells of the granulomas normally seen in the dermis of the armadillo are strongly beta-glucuronidase-positive. These giant cells are evidently foreign body cells reacting to the crystals always present in the dermis of the armadillo. The centre of these crystals, which are cholesterol and fat-negative, is alkaline phosphatase-positive. Further study of the mastocytes and dendritic cells is necessary to elucidate their nature.

Four filariae are known to parasitize the capybara "Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris" namely the "Cruorifilaria tuberocauda", Eberhard, Morales & Orihel, 1976; the "Dipetalonema (Alafilaria) hydrochoerus", Yates & Jorgenson, 1983, and "Mansonella longicapita" and "Mansonella rotundicapita [corrected]", Eberhard, Campo-Aasen & Orihel, 1983. In this study we describe briefly the adult parasites and, the microfilaria of the species "Dipetalonema (Alafilaria) hydrochoerus" which were isolated from skin nips and we have found that the capybara "Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris" is parasitized in a proportion of 80% in the 16 animals studied.