Chagas Immunochromatographic Rapid Test in the Serological Diagnosis of Infection in Wild and Domestic Canids.

(domestic dog) represents a reliable sentinel for the occurrence of a well-established transmission cycle of among wild mammals in the surroundings and, consequently, where the risk of human infection exists. Serological diagnosis is the chosen method to identify infection in dogs that, in Brazil, rarely present positive parasitological tests. The use of recombinant chimeric parasitic antigens results in a sensitive and specific serological diagnostic test in contrast to the use of crude antigens.

Development of a multiplex bead-based assay for detection of hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major burden to public health worldwide, affecting approximately 3% of the human population. Although HCV detection is currently based on reliable tests, the field of medical diagnostics has a growing need for inexpensive, accurate, and quick high-throughput assays. By using the recombinant HCV antigens NS3, NS4, NS5, and Combined, we describe a new bead-based multiplex test capable of detecting HCV infection in human serum samples.

Modulatory effects of cAMP and PKC activation on gap junctional intercellular communication among thymic epithelial cells.

Background: We investigated the effects of the signaling molecules, cyclic AMP (cAMP) and protein-kinase C (PKC), on gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) between thymic epithelial cells (TEC).

Results: Treatment with 8-Br-cAMP, a cAMP analog; or forskolin, which stimulates cAMP production, resulted in an increase in dye transfer between adjacent TEC, inducing a three-fold enhancement in the mean fluorescence of coupled cells, ascertained by flow cytometry after calcein transfer. These treatments also increased Cx43 mRNA expression, and stimulated Cx43 protein accumulation in regions of intercellular contacts.