This paper presents the quantification, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin and the flavonoid chrysoeriol isolated from different extracts (hexane and acetonitrile ...extracts from whole fruit, peel and seed) of Capsicum frutescens (pimenta malagueta). The acetonitrile extract of the seeds, peel and whole fruits contained capsaicin as a major component, followed in abundance by dihydrocapsaicin and chrysoeriol. The antimicrobial activity of the isolated compounds against seven microorganisms showed chrysoeriol was the most active compound. In the antioxidant test, the acetonitrile extract from the whole fruit showed the highest activity. The antioxidant activity of pimenta malagueta may be correlated with its phenolic content, principally with the most active compound, capsaicin.
As changes in hard or soft oral tissues normally have a microbiological component, it is important to develop diagnostic techniques that support clinical evaluation, without destroying ...microbiological formation. The optical coherence tomography (OCT) represents an alternative to analyze tissues and microorganisms without the need for processing. This imaging technique could be defined as a fast, real-time, in situ, and non-destructive method. Thus, this study proposed the use of the OCT to visualize biofilm by Candida albicans in reline resins for removable prostheses. Three reline resins (Silagum-Comfort, Coe-Comfort, and Soft-Confort), with distinct characteristics related to water sorption and fungal inhibition were used. A total of 30 samples (10 for each resin group) were subjected to OCT scanning before and 96 h after inoculation with Candida albicans (URM 6547). The biofilm analysis was carried out through a 2D optical Callisto SD-OCT (930 nm) operated in the spectral domain. Then, the images were preprocessed using a Formula: see text Gaussian filter to remove the noise, and then Otsu binarization, allowing segmentation and pixel counting. The layer’s biofilm formed was clearly defined and, indeed, its visualization is modified by water sorption of each material. Silagum-Comfort and Soft-Confort showed some similarities in the scattering of light between the clean and inoculated samples, in which, the latter samples presented higher values of light signal intensity. Coe-Comfort samples were the only ones that showed no differences between the clean or inoculated images. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that OCT is a viable technique to visualize the biofilm in reline materials. Because findings in the literature are still scarcely using the OCT technique to visualize biofilm in reline resins, further studies are encouraged. It should not contain any references or displayed equations.
Schistosoma mansoni is the primary causative agent of schistosomiasis, which affects 200 million individuals in 74 countries. We generated 163,000 expressed-sequence tags (ESTs) from normalized cDNA ...libraries from six selected developmental stages of the parasite, resulting in 31,000 assembled sequences and 92% sampling of an estimated 14,000 gene complement. By analyzing automated Gene Ontology assignments, we provide a detailed view of important S. mansoni biological systems, including characterization of metazoa-specific and eukarya-conserved genes. Phylogenetic analysis suggests an early divergence from other metazoa. The data set provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of tissue organization, development, signaling, sexual dimorphism, host interactions and immune evasion and identifies novel proteins to be investigated as vaccine candidates and potential drug targets.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Mass spectrometry (MS) has found numerous applications in medicine and has been widely used in the detection and characterization of biomolecules associated with viral infections such as COVID-19. ...COVID-19 is a multisystem disease and, therefore, the need arises to carry out a careful and conclusive assessment of the pathophysiological parameters involved in the infection, to develop an effective therapeutic approach, assess the prognosis of the disease, and especially the early diagnosis of the infected population. Thus, the urgent need for highly accurate methods of diagnosis and prognosis of this infection presents new challenges for the development of laboratory medicine, whose methods require sensitivity, speed, and accuracy of the techniques for analyzing the biological markers involved in the infection. In this context, MS stands out as a robust analytical tool, with high sensitivity and selectivity, accuracy, low turnaround time, and versatility for the analysis of biological samples. However, it has not yet been adopted as a frontline clinical laboratory technique. Therefore, this review explores the potential and trends of current MS methods and their contribution to the development of new strategies to COVID-19 diagnosis and prognosis and how this tool can assist in the discovery of new therapeutic targets, in addition, to comment what could be the future of MS in medicine.
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•Trending strategies on MS analysis of biological samples infected with SARS-CoV-2.•Omic approaches applied to COVID-19 diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic targets.•Compilation of SARS-CoV-2 infection insights through MS-acquired data.•MS feasibility to generate valuable molecular information for medical purposes.
This study evaluated the effects of acute exposure of Aedes aegypti third instar (L3) larvae to the saline extract of Opuntia ficus‐indica cladodes on the biological cycle and fertility of the ...emerging adults. For this, larvae were treated for 24 h with the extract at ¼ LC50 (lethal concentration to kill 50% of larvae), ½ LC50 or LC50; the development and reproduction of the emerged adults were evaluated after a recovery period of 9 days. The resistance of proteins in the extract to hydrolysis by L3 digestive enzymes and histomorphological alterations in the larval midgut were also investigated. The extract contained lectin, flavonoids, cinnamic derivatives, terpenes, steroids, and reducing sugars. It showed a LC50 of 3.71% for 48 h. The data indicated mean survival times similar in control and extract treatments. It was observed development delay in extract‐treated groups, with a lower number of adults than in control. However, the females that emerged laid similar number of eggs in control and treatments. Histological evaluation revealed absence of bacterial and fungal microorganisms in the food content in midguts from larvae treated with cladode extract. Electrophoresis revealed that three polypeptides in the extract resisted to hydrolysis by L3 digestive proteases for 90 min. The lectin activity was not altered even after 24‐h incubation with the enzymes. In conclusion, the extract from O. ficus‐indica can delay the development of Ae. aegypti larvae, which may be linked to induction of an axenic environment at larval midgut and permanence of lectin activity even after proteolysis.
Opuntia ficus‐indica cladode extract contains lectin, flavonoids, cinnamic derivatives, terpenes, steroids, and reducing sugars. The extract killed Aedes aegypti larvae (LC50/48h of 3.71%), delayed its development, and abolished the presence of microorganisms in the food content at the larval midguts. Polypeptide profile and lectin activity in the extract resisted to 24‐h incubation with larval enzymes. The delay of larval development may be linked to the induction of an axenic environment at larval midgut.
Hyptis pectinata, popularly known in Brazil as “sambacaitá” or “canudinho,” is an aromatic shrub largely grown in the northeast of Brazil. The leaves and bark are used in an infusion for the ...treatment of throat and skin inflammations, bacterial infections, pain, and cancer. Analogues of rosmarinic acid and flavonoids were obtained from the leaves of Hyptis pectinata and consisted of two new compounds, sambacaitaric acid (1) and 3-O-methyl-sambacaitaric acid (2), and nine known compounds, rosmarinic acid (3), 3-O-methyl-rosmarinic acid (4), ethyl caffeate (5), nepetoidin A (6), nepetoidin B (7), cirsiliol (8), circimaritin (9), 7-O-methylluteolin (10), and genkwanin (11). The structures of these compounds were determined by spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1–5, and 7 were evaluated in vitro against the promastigote form of L. braziliensis, and the ethanol extract. The hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol-water fractions were also evaluated. The EtOH extract, the hexane extract, EtOAc, MeOH:H2O fractions; and compounds 1, 2 and 4 exhibited antileishmanial activity, and compound 1 was as potent as pentamidine. In contrast, compounds 3, 5, and 7 did not present activity against the promastigote form of L. braziliensis below 100 µM. To our knowledge, compounds 1 and 2 are being described for the first time.
Diuron, a substituted urea herbicide, is carcinogenic to the urinary bladder of rats at high dietary levels. Its proposed carcinogenic mode of action (MOA) includes urothelial cytotoxicity and ...necrosis followed by regenerative cell proliferation and sustained urothelial hyperplasia. Cytotoxicity could be induced either by urinary solids or by chemical toxicity by diuron and/or metabolites excreted in the urine. Diuron was not genotoxic in a previous single-cell gel (comet) assay, but possible cross-linking activity remained to be evaluated. The present study explored the MOA of diuron and the effect of urinary acidification on the development of urothelial lesions. Male Wistar rats were fed diuron (2500 ppm, about 130 mg/kg of body weight) either with or without NH4Cl 10,000 ppm to acidify the urine. Reversibility of urothelial changes was also examined. The animals were euthanized after 15, 25, or 30 weeks. Diuron-fed rats had urinary amorphous precipitate and magnesium ammonium phosphate crystals similar to control animals. Groups treated with diuron + NH4Cl showed decreased urinary pH and reduced amounts of urinary crystals and precipitate. Urothelial necrosis and simple hyperplasia were observed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy both in diuron- and in diuron + NH4Cl-treated groups. Cytotoxicity and proliferative changes were mostly reversible. A modified comet assay developed in vitro with Chinese hamster ovary cells showed that diuron did not induce DNA cross-links. These data suggest that cytotoxicity with consequent regenerative cell proliferation is the predominant MOA for diuron rat urothelial carcinogenesis, the cytotoxicity being chemically induced and not due to urinary solids.
Ursolic acid, an important bioactive compound, was isolated from ethanol extract of aerial parts of Sambucus australis. In order to develop bioactive ursolic acid derivatives, two semi-synthetic ...compounds were obtained through modification at C-3. The antibacterial activity of the ursolic acid and its derivatives was investigated. The microdilution method was used for determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), against twelve bacterial strains. The influence of ursolic acid and its derivatives on the susceptibility of some bacterial pathogens to the aminoglycosides antibiotics neomycin, amikacin, kanamycin and gentamicin was evaluated. The most representative synergistic effect was observed by 3β-formyloxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid at the concentration of 64 μg/mL in combination with kanamycin against Escherichia coli (27), a multidrug-resistant clinical isolate from sputum, with reduction of MIC value from 128 μg/mL to 8 μg/mL. Ursolic acid and its derivatives were examined for their radical scavenger activity using the DPPH assay, and showed significant activity.
There has been a rapid increase in the number of cases of COVID-19 in Latin America, Africa, Asia and many countries that have an insufficient number of physicians and other health care personnel, ...and the need for the inclusion of medical students on health teams is a very important issue. It has been recommended that medical students work as volunteers, undergo appropriate training, not undertake any activity beyond their level of competence, and receive continuous supervision and adequate personal protective equipment. However, the motivation of medical students must be evaluated to make volunteering a more evidence-based initiative. The aim of our study was to evaluate the motivation of medical students to be part of health teams to aid in the COVID-19 pandemic.
We developed a questionnaire specifically to evaluate medical students' perceptions about participating in the care of patients with suspected infection with coronavirus during the COVID-19 pandemic. The questionnaire had two parts: a) one part with questions on individual characteristics, year in medical school and geographic location of the medical school and b) a second part with twenty-eight statements assessed on a 5-point Likert scale (totally agree, agree, neither agree nor disagree, disagree and totally disagree). To develop the questionnaire, we performed consensus meetings with a group of faculty and medical students. The questionnaire was sent to student organizations of 257 medical schools in Brazil and answered by 10,433 students. We used multinomial logistic regression models to analyze the data. Statements associated with greater odds ratios for participation of medical students in the COVID-19 pandemic were related to a sense of purpose or duty ("It is the duty of the medical student to put himself or herself at the service of the population in the pandemic"), altruism ("I am willing to take risks by participating in practice in the context of the pandemic"), and perception of good performance and professional identity ("I will be a better health professional for having experienced the pandemic"). Males were more prone than females to believe that only interns should participate in the care of patients with COVID-19 (odds ratio 1.36 coefficient interval 95%:1.24-1.49) and that all students should participate (OR 1.68 CI:1.4-1.91).
Medical students are more motivated by a sense of purpose or duty, altruism, perception of good performance and values of professionalism than by their interest in learning. These results have implications for the development of volunteering programs and the design of health force policies in the present pandemic and in future health emergencies.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
OBJECTIVETo compare the effects of aerobic training (AT) with aerobic plus resistance training (AT+RT) in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) obese adolescents.
DESIGNLong-term interdisciplinary ...weight-loss therapy (1 year of clinical, nutritional, psychological, and exercise-related intervention).
PARTICIPANTSFifty-eight postpubertal obese adolescents were randomized to AT or AT+RT according to NAFLD diagnosis. Adipokine and neuropeptide concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, visceral fat by ultrasound, and body composition by plethysmography.
RESULTSThe NAFLD group that followed the AT+RT protocol presented lower insulin, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and alanine transaminase (ALT) values after intervention compared with AT. It was verified that there was a higher magnitude of change in the subcutaneous fat, glycemia, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, ALT, and adiponectin in response to AT+RT than in the control group (AT). All patients who underwent the AT+RT exhibited significantly higher adiponectin, leptin, and Δadiponectin and lower melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) concentrations after therapy compared with the AT group. In the simple linear regression analysis, changes in glycemia, insulin, and HOMA-IR were independent predictors of significant improvement in adiponectin concentration. Indeed, ΔAST (aspartate transaminase) and ΔGGT (γ-glutamyl transpeptidase) were independent predictors of ΔALT, while Δfat mass and ΔAgRP (agouti-related protein) were independent predictors of ΔMCH. Although the number of patients was limited, we showed for the first time the positive effects of AT+RT protocol in a long-term interdisciplinary therapy to improve inflammatory biomarkers and to reduce orexigenic neuropeptide concentrations in NAFLD obese adolescents.
CONCLUSIONThe long-term interdisciplinary therapy with AT+RT protocol was more effective in significantly improving noninvasive biomarkers of NAFLD that are associated with the highest risk of disease progression in the pediatric population.
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