The husk fiber of Cocos nucifera L. (Palmae) is a source of anti-neoplastic activity

In the present study, we investigated the in vitro anti-tumoral activities of fractions from aqueous extracts of the husk fiber of the typical A and common varieties of Cocos nucifera (Palmae). Cytotoxicity against leukemia cells was determined by the 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cells (2 x 104/well) were incubated with 0, 5, 50 or 500 µg/mL high- or low-molecular weight fractions for 48 h, treated with MTT and absorbance was measured with an ELISA reader. The results showed that both varieties have almost similar antitumoral activity against the leukemia cell line K562 (60.1 ± 8.5 and 47.5 ± 11.9% for the typical A and common varieties, respectively). Separation of the crude extracts with Amicon membranes yielded fractions with molecular weights ranging in size from 1-3 kDa (fraction A) to 3-10 kDa (fraction B) and to more than 10 kDa (fraction C). Cells were treated with 500 µg/mL of these fractions and cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT. Fractions ranging in molecular weight from 1-10 kDa had higher cytotoxicity. Interestingly, C. nucifera extracts were also active against Lucena 1, a multidrug-resistant leukemia cell line. Their cytotoxicity against this cell line was about 50% (51.9 ± 3.2 and 56.3 ± 2.9 for varieties typical A and common, respectively). Since the common C. nucifera variety is extensively cultured in Brazil and the husk fiber is its industrial by-product, the results obtained in the present study suggest that it might be a very inexpensive source of new antineoplastic and anti-multidrug resistant drugs that warrants further investigation.

Peptide separation of commercial fermented milk during refrigerated storage

Milk is an important source of bioactive compounds. Many of these compounds are released during fermentation and refrigerated storage. The aim of this study was to determine the release of peptides by lactic acid bacteria in commercial fermented milk during refrigerated storage. The size and profile of peptides were analyzed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and sizeexclusion HPLC. During electrophoresis, it was observed that the peptides were released from caseins, whereas β-lactoglobulin was the whey protein with the highest degradation. HPLC analysis confirmed the pattern of peptide formation observed in electrophoresis. Two fractions lower than 2 kDa with aromatic amino acids in their structure were separated. These results were consistent with those reported for structures of peptides with antihypertensive activity. Therefore, the presence of aromatic amino acids in the peptide fractions obtained increases the likelihood of finding peptides with such activity in refrigerated commercial fermented milk. In conclusion, during cold storage, peptides with different molecular weights are released and accumulated. This could be due to the action of proteinases and peptidases of the proteolytic system in lactic acid bacteria.

Effects of grape powder supplementation on inflammatory and antioxidant markers in hemodialysis patients: A randomized double-blind study

Introduction: Polyphenols contained in natural sources such as grapes, have been considered pharmacological agents to combat oxidative stress and inflammation, common features in Chronic Kidney Disease patients. Objective: To evaluate the effects of grape powder supplementation on inflammatory and antioxidant biomarkers in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods: The double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial evaluated non-diabetic HD patients that received grape powder (500 mg of polyphenols/day) (n = 16, 9 men, 53.0 ± 9.8 years of age, 111.6 ± 58.2 HD months) or placebo (n = 16, 9 men, 52.7 ± 13.7 years of age, 110.4 ± 93.1 HD months) for five weeks. The glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were evaluated by ELISA method. Results: After the intervention period, the patients receiving grape powder showed an increase in the GSH-Px activity (16.5 (41.0) to 42.0 (43.3) nmol/min/ml) (p < 0.05) and they did not have the CRP levels increased as seen in placebo group (2.6 (0.28) to 2.8 (0.23 mg/L) (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The use of grape powder as phenolic source could play an important role as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent in non-diabetic HD patients.

Characterization of verdete rock as a potential source of potassium

Potassium is a nutrient found at low levels in Brazilian soils, requiring large inputs of fertilizers to achieve satisfactory crop yields. Brazil has high external dependence and limited reserves of soluble K mineral, which is traditionally exploited for the production of fertilizers. On the other hand, it is common the occurrence in the country of potassium-rich silicate minerals which are not commercially exploited. This study aimed to characterize mineralogically and chemically samples of verdete rock separated into size fractions and evaluate its potential as potassium fertilizer. The mineral composition of verdete rock is based on glauconite, quartz and feldspar. The total K2O content in verdete rock ranged from 5.18 to 9.0 dag/kg. The K content extracted in water or 2% citric acid was 2.4% below the total of K, indicating low reactivity of verdete rock and limitations for direct use as K source. The processes of physical fractionation and sedimentation in water are inefficient to promote the concentration of K in the different verdete rock fractions. The total K content in some samples are considerable and may enable the use of this rock as raw material for production of more reactive potassium fertilizers.

Treatment of patients with Schistosomiasis mansoni: a double blind clinical trial comparing praziquantel with oxamniquine

A double-blind clinical trial involving 120 patients with chronic schistosomiasis was carried out to compare the tolerability and efficacy of praziquantel and oxamniquine. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups. One was treated with praziquantel, 55 mg/kg of body weight CBWT), and the other one with oxamniquine, 15mg/kg bwt, administered in a single oral dose. The diagnosis and the parasitological follow-up was based on stool examinations by quantitative Kato-Katz method and on rectal biopsies. Side-effects — mainly dizziness, sleepness, abdominal distress, headache, nausea and diarrhea — were observed in 87% of the cases. Their incidence, intensity and duration were similar for both drugs but abdominal pain was significantly more frequent after praziquantel intake and severe dizziness was more commonly reported after oxamniquine. A significant increase of alanine-aminotransferase and y-glutamyltransferase was found with the latter drug and of total bilirubin with the former one. A total of 48 patients treated with praziquantel and 46 with oxamniquine completed with negative findings the required three post-treatment parasitological controls — three slides of each stool sample on the first, third and sixth month. The achieved cure rates were 79.2% and 84.8%, respectively, a difference without statistical significance. The non-cured cases showed a mean reduction in the number of eggs per gram of feces of 93.5% after praziquantel and of 84.1% after oxamniquine. This diference also was not significant. Five patients retreated with praziquantel were cured but only one out of three treated a second time with oxamniquine. These findings show that both drugs — despite their different chemical structures, pharmacological properties and mechanisms-of-action — induce similar side-effects as well as a comparable therapeutical efficacy, in agreement with the results reported from analogous investigations.

Chicken as potential contamination source of Campylocacter lari in Iquitos, Peru

In order to know the importance of chicken as natural reservoir of Campylobacter lari in Iquitos, Peru; samples were obtained by cloacal swabs from 200 chickens and immediately placed into a semisolid enrichment medium; these were streaked on modified Skirrow Agar. The organism was isolated from 21 (10.5%) samples, corresponding 58.8% to biovar I and 41.2% to biovar II (Lior scheme). The results provide evidence that chicken appear to be prominent reservoirs of Campylobacter lari in Iquitos.

Gastrointestinal translocation as a possible source of candidemia in an AIDS patient

Apart from cryptococcosis and histoplasmosis, which are mycoses contained by T cell-mediated mechanisms of host defense, fungemia is rarely found in AIDS patients. The frequency of fungemia due to Candida spp. has been reported to be as low as 1 %. We report a non-neutropenic AIDS patient who presented a candidemia which probably arose from her gastrointestinal tract.

PCR in the First Oropharynx Aspirate of the Newborn: A Possible Source for Identification of Congenital Infection Agents

We present a case of prenatal diagnosis of congenital rubella. After birth, in addition to traditional serologic and clinical examinations to confirm the infection, we could identify the virus in the "first fluid aspirated from the oropharynx of the newborn", using polimerase chain reaction (PCR). We propose that this first oropharynx fluid (collected routinely immediately after birth) could be used as a source for identification of various congenital infection agents, which may not always be easily identified by current methods

Randomized, double-blind trial comparing indinavir alone, zidovudine alone and indinavir plus zidovudine in antiretroviral therapy-naive hiv-infected individuals with CD4 cell counts between 50 and 250/mm3

Treatment with indinavir has been shown to result in marked decreases in viral load and increases in CD4 cell counts in HIV-infected individuals. A randomized double-blind study to evaluate the efficacy of indinavir alone (800 mg q8h), zidovidine alone (200 mg q8h) or the combination was performed to evaluate progression to AIDS. 996 antiretroviral therapy-naive patients with CD4 cell counts of 50-250/mm3 were allocated to treatment. During the trial the protocol was amended to add lamivudine to the zidovudine-containing arms. The primary endpoint was time to development of an AIDS-defining illness or death. The study was terminated after a protocol-defined interim analysis demonstrated highly significant reductions in progression to a clinical event in the indinavir-containing arms, compared to the zidovudine arm (p<0.0001). Over a median follow-up of 52 weeks (up to 99 weeks), percent reductions in hazards for the indinavir plus zidovudine and indinavir groups compared to the zidovudine group were 70% and 61%, respectively. Significant reductions in HIV RNA and increases in CD4 cell counts were also seen in the indinavir-containing groups compared to the zidovudine group. Improvement in both CD4 cell count and HIV RNA were associated with reduced risk of disease progression. All three regimens were generally well tolerated.

Comparison between immunomagnetic separation, coupled with immunofluorescence, and the techniques of Faust et al. and of Lutz for the diagnosis of Giardia lamblia cysts in human feces

In the present study, the performance of Immunomagnetic Separation technique, coupled with Immunofluorescence (IMS-IFA), was compared with the FAUST et al. and Lutz parasitological techniques for the detection of Giardia lamblia cysts in human feces. One hundred and twenty-seven samples were evaluated by the three techniques at the same time showing a rate of cyst detection of 27.5% by IMS-IFA and 15.7% by both Faust et al. and Lutz techniques. Data analysis showed a higher sensitivity of IMS-IFA for the detection of G. lamblia cysts in comparison with the techniques of FAUST et al. and Lutz. The use of this methodology as a routine procedure enables the processing of many samples simultaneously, in order to increase recovery rate of G. lamblia cysts and reduce the time of sample storage.

Isolation of Fonsecaea pedrosoi from thorns of Mimosa pudica, a probable natural source of chromoblastomycosis

We report the isolation of Fonsecaea pedrosoi from thorns of the plant Mimosa pudica L. at the place of infection identified by one of our patients. Clinical diagnosis of chromoblastomycosis was established by direct microscopic examination and cultures from the patient's lesion. The same species was isolated from the patient and from the plant. Scanning electron microscopy of the surface of the thorns showed the characteristic conidial arrangement of F. pedrosoi. These data indicate that M. pudica could be a natural source of infection for the fungus F. pedrosoi.

DOUBLE-BLIND STUDY WITH TOPICAL ISOCONAZOLE AND TERBINAFINE FOR THE TREATMENT OF ONE PATIENT WITH BILATERAL Tinea nigra plantaris AND SUGGESTIONS FOR NEW DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS

The authors report a case of bilateral Tinea nigra plantaris treated through a double-blind study with the topical antifungal agents Isoconazole and Terbinafine. The objective of the study was to clinically compare the efficacy of these two topical antifungal agents on days 10, 20 and 30 of the treatment. No significant clinical differences were found, as all the plantar lesions regressed completely by the end of the treatment. Our conclusion was that in the case reported, the topical antifungal agents Isoconazole and Terbinafine demonstrated identical efficacy as a clinical cure. We also suggest the inclusion of injuries caused by arthropods of the Diplopoda Class in the differential diagnosis of Tinea nigra plantaris, due to the persistent acral hyperpigmentation.

BRAIN ABSCESS DUE TO Staphylococcus aureus OF CRYPTOGENIC SOURCE IN AN HIV-1 INFECTED PATIENT IN USE OF ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY

The spectrum of neurological complications associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is broad. The most frequent etiologies include primary diseases (caused by HIV itself) or secondary diseases (opportunistic infections or neoplasms). Despite these conditions, HIV-infected patients are susceptible to other infections observed in patients without HIV infection. Here we report a rare case of a brain abscess caused by Staphylococcus aureus in an HIV-infected patient. After drainage of the abscess and treatment with oxacilin, the patient had a favorable outcome. This case reinforces the importance of a timely neurosurgical procedure that supported adequate management of an unusual cause of expansive brain lesions in HIV-1 infected patients.

The effect of Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium breve on antibiotic-associated diarrhea treatment: randomized double-blind clinical trial

INTRODUCTION: Antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) is an important side effect of this specific class of drugs. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the use of probiotics in the treatment of AAD. METHODS: A group of hospitalized patients, who contracted diarrhea during or after 7 days of suspension of antimicrobial medication, was blindly randomized to receive a standardized diet associated with the use of the probiotics (Lactobacillus casei and Bifidobacterium breve) or its corresponding placebo, three times a day. RESULTS: Seventy patients were studied. For the experimental (n=35) and control (n=35) groups, respectively, the average time of treatment was 5.06±2.18 and 5.49±3.17 days (p=0.95), and the average duration of diarrhea, among those who were healed, was 4.87±2.13 and 4.52±2.55 days (p=0.36). Four (11.4%) patients who received probiotics and ten (28.6%) who received the placebo were not cured (p=0.13), and relapse rates were similar between both groups. Seven patients from each group, in addition to diarrhea, presented cases of bloating and/or abdominal cramps and/or vomiting (p=1.00). CONCLUSIONS: In this light, it is concluded that L. casei associated with B. breve, in the administered dosage and frequency, has no effect on the antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Similar studies need to be conducted with higher doses of these or other probiotics.