Background
Early biomarkers of the response to treatment are lacking and may help to reduce mortality by the vector‐borne disease visceral leishmaniasis (VL).
Methods
A prospective cohort study was ...conducted to investigate plasma cytokines and clinical laboratory data as biomarkers of the early response to specific treatment for VL in 36 patients.
Results
The mean interleukin 6 (IL‐6) concentration on the 7th day was 2.3% of the pre‐treatment concentration, interleukin 10 (IL‐10) was 8.0%, and interleukin 8 (IL‐8) was 8.2%. On the 7th day, IL‐10 was below half of the pre‐treatment concentration in 100.0%, IL‐8 in 95.5% and IL‐6 in 90.9%. The spleen and liver sizes, haemoglobin, interleukin 1 beta (IL‐1β) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) showed a slower recovery. Fever disappeared in 91% on the 7th day, 69.4% had a normal white cell count, and 77.8% had a normal platelet value by this time.
Conclusions
The plasma cytokines IL‐6, IL‐10 and IL‐8 were demonstrated to be excellent markers of the early response to VL treatment and if tested before the 7th day, will likely prove to be better than fever measurement.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) caused by
is a lethal disease transmitted by sand flies. Although, considered a zoonosis with dogs held as the main reservoirs, humans are also sources of infection. ...Therefore, control policies currently focused on dog culling may need to consider that VL and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/VL patients may also be infectious, contributing to transmission. Reservoir competence of patients with VL without and with HIV infection and of persons asymptomatically infected with
was assessed by xenodiagnosis with the vector
. Parasites in sand fly's guts were identified by using optical microscopy and by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
blood parasite burden was determined by quantitative PCR. Among the 61 participants, 27 (44%) infected sand flies as seen by microscopy or PCR. When infectiousness was assessed by microscopy, xenodiagnosis was positive in five (25%) patients not infected with HIV, whereas nine (45%) of those harboring HIV were positive. Among the 19 asymptomatic patients four (21%) infected sand flies only demonstrated by PCR. One (50%) asymptomatic patient with HIV had a positive xenodiagnosis by microscopy. 9/372 (2.4%) and 37/398 (9.2%) sand flies were infected when feeding in patients without and with HIV, respectively. Infectiousness was poorly correlated with quantitative PCR. The study shows that asymptomatic humans are capable of transmitting
, that ill persons with HIV infection are more infectious to sand flies, and that humans are more important reservoirs than previously thought. This fact may be considered when designing control policies for zoonotic VL.
Background. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is almost always lethal if not treated, but most infections with the causative agents are clinically silent. Mannan-binding lectin (MBL), an opsonin, is a ...candidate molecule for modifying progression to VL because it may enhance infection with intracellular pathogens. Mutations in the MBL2 gene decrease levels of MBL and may protect against development of VL. This case-control study examines genotypes of MBL2 and levels of MBL in individuals presenting with different outcomes of infectionwith Leishmania chagasi. Methods. Genotypes for MBL2 and levels of serum MBL were determined in uninfected control subjects (n=76) and in individuals presenting with asymptomatic infection (n=90) or VL (n=69). Results. Genotypes resulting in high levels of MBL were more frequent (odds ratio OR, 2.5 95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.3–5.0; P=.006) among individuals with VL than among those with asymptomatic infections and were even more frequent (OR, 3.97 95% CI, 1.10–14.38; P=.043) among cases of VL presenting with clinical complications than among those with uneventful courses. Serum levels of MBL were higher (P=.011) in individuals with VL than in asymptomatic infections. Conclusions. Genotypes of the MBL2 gene predict the risk for developing VL and clinical complications in infections with L. chagasi.
"Quantitative Buffy Coat" (QBC) is a direct and fast fluorescent method used for the identification of blood parasites. Since Leishmania chagasi circulates in blood, we decided to test it in American ...visceral leishmaniasis (AVL). Bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) of 49 persons and PB of 31 dogs were analyzed. QBC was positive in BM of 11/11 patients with AVL and in 1/6 patients with other diseases. Amastigotes were identified in PB of 18/22 patients with AVL and in none without AVL. The test was positive in 30 out of the 31 seropositive dogs and in 28/28 dogs with Leishmania identified in other tissues. QBC is a promising method for diagnosis of human AVL, and possibly for the exam of PB of patients with AVL/AIDS, for the control of the cure and for the identification of asymptomatic carriers. Because it is fast and easy to collect and execute, QBC should be evaluated for programs of reservoir control.
Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Comunicação, 2008.
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Previous issue date: 2008
Esta pesquisa busca examinar se as empresas de jornalismo online Folha Online e O Globo usam notícias produzidas pela Agência Senado no processo de elaboração de seus conteúdos. Para isso, estaremos baseados na teoria do agendamento, elaborada por Maxwell Mc'Combs e Donald Shaw, bem como no conceito de "mídia das fontes", desenvolvido por Francisco Sant'Anna para definir o fenômeno pelo qual instituições que desempenhavam papel de fonte da notícia passam também a possuir seus próprios veículos de informação. Esse estudo verifica se as notícias produzidas pela Agência Senado - uma mídia das fontes - são citadas pelos veículos de comunicação privados Folha Online e O Globo online, numa referência ao interagendamento de mídias proposto por Mc'Combs e Shaw. Com esse objetivo, foram analisadas as notícias divulgadas por esses meios de comunicação em três momentos: um de escândalo (o processo de quebra de decoro parlamentar que enfrentou o então presidente do Senado Federal, senador Renan Calheiros (PMDB-AL), em 2007), um de recesso parlamentar (de 18 a 31 de julho de 2008) e um de atividade normal da Casa (mês de agosto de 2008). ___________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT
This research seeks to examine the use of the Agência Senado news by Folha Online and the O Globo, journalism online business. Then, we are based on the theory of Agenda-Setting, developed by Maxwell Mc'Combs and Donald Shaw, as well as the concept of "Sources Media", prepared by Francisco Sant'Anna to define the phenomenon which institutions that have played the role of news source now also they have their own medias. This study verifies if the news produced by the Agência Senado – a sources media – is used by the private vehicles of communication Folha Online and O Globo online, a reference to a media interagenda-agenda-setting proposed by Mc'Combs and Shaw. Then, we analyzed the news disseminated by O Globo online and Folha Online during three periods: one of scandal (the process of breaking parliamentary decorum that faced the then chairman of the Senate, senator Renan Calheiros - PMDB-AL, in 2007), other of parliamentary recess (between July 18 and 31, 2008) and another of normal activity of the House (August, 2008).
The present study aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of colloidal chitosan – silver nanoparticle – fluoride nanocomposites (CChAgNpFNc), with different silver nanoparticle ...shapes and sizes. The syntheses of CChAgNpFNc were performed with silver nitrate added to a chitosan solution, addition of a sodium borohydride solution and solid sodium fluoride. Solution of ascorbic acid was added to synthesize larger silver nanoparticles. CChAgNpFNc obtained: S1- 100% spherical, 8.7±3.1nm; S2- 97% spherical, 15.0±7.9nm and 2.5% triangular, 22.2±9.5nm; S3- 77.3% spherical, 31.8±10.4nm, 15.9% triangular, 27.1±10.1nm and 6.8% elliptical, 33.2±7.8nm; and S4- 75.2% spherical, 43.2±14.3nm; 23.3% triangular 38.2±14.8nm, and 1.5% elliptical 38.4±11.6nm. The CChAgNpFNc showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans, by microdilution technique. The influence on the growth of microorganisms was evaluated using a fluorescence assay, and showed an increasing lag phase and a decreasing log phase. Cytotoxicity was investigated using Artemia salina and MTT assays. The S3 and S4 samples exhibited low cytotoxicity. The S1 and S2 samples inhibited murine macrophages and revealed lethal dose concentrations above 1000mg/mL that were classified as moderately toxic. Thus, CChAgNpFNc are potential options for the control of multiple-drug-resistant microorganisms and do not represent substantial risks to human health.
Certain members of the genus Eugenia are used as foods. One of these species is Eugenia umbelliflora, which is used for its fruits. The aim of the study was to isolate the constituents of the CH2Cl2 ...fraction obtained from E. umbelliflora O. Berg (Myrtaceae) and also to evaluate its antimicrobial properties. Two new meroterpenoids, eugenial C (3) and eugenial D (4) were isolated from the unripe fruits of E. umbelliflora and their structures established mainly by extensive NMR spectroscopy. In previous studies, the CH2Cl2 extract showed significant antibacterial activity, which can be attributed to meroterpenoids isolated in this study. The compounds eugenials C and D exhibited potent activity against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus and different strains of MRSA and activity similar to those of the antibiotics used in antimicrobial therapies.
Plants of the genus Myrciaria are commonly cultivated in the northern region of Brazil for fruit production. Symptoms of leaf spot in camu‐camu (Myrciaria dubia) trees are frequently observed. The ...objective of this study was to identify the etiological agent associated with anthracnose in camu‐camu using the concept of morphological and phylogenetic analyses. Leaves with symptoms of anthracnose were collected from camu‐camu plants in the state of Roraima, Brazil. Morphological identification; sequencing analysis of CAL, GAPDH, CHS‐1 and TUB2 gene regions; a pathogenicity test and reisolation of the fungus from symptomatic artificially inoculated plants confirmed C. theobromicola as the causal agent of the disease. This is the first record of C. theobromicola causing anthracnose in camu‐camu in Brazil.
The present study investigates the effects of xenotransplantation of Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells (AT-MSCs) in animals after ventral root avulsion. AT-MSC has similar characteristics to bone ...marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs), such as immunomodulatory properties and expression of neurotrophic factors. In this study, Lewis rats were submitted to surgery for unilateral avulsion of the lumbar ventral roots and received 5 × 10(5) AT-MSCs via the lateral funiculus. Two weeks after cell administration, the animals were sacrificed and the moto neurons, T lymphocytes and cell defense nervous system were analyzed. An increased neuronal survival and partial preservation of synaptophysin-positive nerve terminals, related to GDNF and BDNF expression of AT-MSCs, and reduction of pro-inflammatory reaction were observed. In conclusion, AT-MSCs prevent second phase neuronal injury, since they suppressed lymphocyte, astroglia and microglia effects, which finally contributed to rat motor-neuron survival and synaptic stability of the lesioned motor-neuron. Moreover, the survival of the injected AT- MSCs lasted for at least 14 days. These results indicate that neuronal survival after lesion, followed by mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) administration, might occur through cytokine release and immunomodulation, thus suggesting that AT-MSCs are promising cells for the therapy of neuronal lesions.
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