ANTIFUNGAL POTENTIAL OF PLANT SPECIES FROM BRAZILIAN CAATINGA AGAINST DERMATOPHYTES

Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex, or Trichophyton spp. are the main etiologic agents of dermatophytosis, whose treatment is limited by the high cost of antifungal treatments, their various side effects, and the emergence of resistance amongst these species. This study evaluated the in vitro antidermatophytic activity of 23 crude extracts from nine plant species of semiarid vegetation (caatinga) found in Brazil. The extracts were tested at concentrations ranging from 1.95 to 1,000.0 mg/mL by broth microdilution assay against the reference strains T. rubrum ATCC 28189 and T. mentagrophytesATCC 11481, and 33 clinical isolates of dermatophytes. All plants showed a fungicidal effect against both fungal species, with MIC/MFC values of the active extracts ranging from 15.6 to 250.0 µg/mL. Selected extracts of Eugenia uniflora (AcE), Libidibia ferrea (AE), and Persea americana (AcE) also exhibited a fungicidal effect against all clinical isolates of T. rubrum and T. mentagrophytes complex. This is the first report of the antifungal activity of Schinus terebinthifolius, Piptadenia colubrina, Parapiptadenia rigida, Mimosa ophthalmocentra, and Persea americana against both dermatophyte species.

ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF CHLOROPHYLLIN AGAINST DIFFERENT LARVAL STAGES OF Fasciola gigantica

Fasciolosis is a food borne zoonosis, caused by the digenetic trematode Fasciola. Freshwater lymnaeid snails are the intermediate host of the trematodes. Chlorophyllin, a semi-synthetic derivative of chlorophyll and its formulations obtained from freeze dried cow urine (FCU) had their toxicity tested against redia and cercaria larvae of F. gigantica. The larvicidal activity of chlorophyllin and its formulations were found to depend on both, time and concentration used against the larvae. Toxicity of chlorophyllin + FCU (1:1 ratio) in sunlight against redia larva (8 h LC50: 0.03 mg/mL) was more pronounced than using just chlorophyllin (8 h LC50: 0.06 mg/mL). Toxicity of chlorophyllin + FCU in sunlight against redia (8 h LC50: 0.03 mg/mL) was higher than against cercaria (8 h LC50: 0.06 mg/mL). The larvicidal activity of chlorophyllin in sunlight (redia/cercaria larvae: 8 h LC50: 0.06 mg/mL) was more pronounced than under laboratory conditions (redia: 8 h LC50: 22.21 mg/mL/, cercaria 8 h LC50: 96.21 mg/mL). Toxicity of FCU against both larvae was lower than that of chlorophyllin and chlorophyllin + FCU. Chlorophyllin and its formulations + FCU were 357.4 to 1603.5 times more effective against redia/cercaria larvae in sunlight than under laboratory conditions. The present study has shown that chlorophyllin formulations may be used as potent larvicides against fasciolosis.

Camelid nanobodies raised against an integral membrane enzyme, nitric oxide reductase

Protein Sci. 2009 Mar;18(3):619-28. doi: 10.1002/pro.69.

The effect of phenolated "vaccines" against experimental T. cruzi infection in mice

"Vaccines" prepared from parasites of an avirulent cultivated Y strain of T. cruzi, suspended in phenolated 1/10.000 saline solution, with aluminum stearate, containing alive parasites, gave high degree of protection to mice against a posterior infection with virulent blood forms of the same parasites and strain. The degree of protection with 1/1000 and 1/10.000 phenol "vaccines", with no alive parasites, was very poor specially in the first group. The immunity seems to be related to the number of alive trypanosomes in the "vaccines".

A study on reducing digital piracy: an analytical network process approach with benefits, opportunities, costs and risks analysis

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia e Gestão Industrial

Aircraft Engines Maintenance Costs and Reliability: An Appraisal of the Decision Process to Remove an Engine for a Shop Visit Aiming at Minimum Maintenance Unit Cost

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Estatística e Gestão de Informação.

Competition policy costs to firms

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Hospital costs and random demand

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Economics from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

HPV : devem os rapazes ser vacinados?

RESUMO - A infecção por Vírus do Papiloma Humano (Human Papillomavirus - HPV) é uma das doenças de transmissão sexual mais frequentes em todo o mundo. A descoberta de que esta infecção é responsável pelo carcinoma do colo do útero impulsionou o desenvolvimento de vacinas contra o HPV. Em Portugal, a vacina tetravalente contra o HPV faz parte do Plano Nacional de Vacinação, sendo administrada apenas a raparigas aos 13 anos de idade como medida profiláctica do carcinoma do colo do útero. Nos Estados Unidos da América, em Dezembro de 2010, a Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) aprovou o uso da vacina tetravalente na prevenção de lesões pré-cancerígenas e cancerígenas do ânus, tanto em rapazes como em raparigas, dos 9 aos 26 anos. A 25 de Outubro de 2011, o Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recomendou que todos os rapazes de 11 e 12 anos sejam vacinados contra o HPV com a vacina tetravalente. Partindo desta realidade, o que se pretende com o presente trabalho é compilar evidência científica suficiente que permita ponderar mais aprofundadamente acerca das implicações, a partir de dados epidemiológicos e económicos, de se vacinar ou não os rapazes contra o HPV em Portugal. Em primeiro lugar recolheu-se evidência científica acerca da relação entre a infecção por HPV e o desenvolvimento de carcinomas de diversas regiões anatómicas. Em segundo lugar compilaram-se dados epidemiológicos sobre a incidência e sobrevivência associada aos diferentes tipos de tumores potencialmente associados à infecção por HPV, dando especial ênfase à realidade portuguesa. Em terceiro lugar enquadrou-se sucintamente a história da vacinação contra o HPV em Portugal e as vacinas existentes para prevenir esta infecção. Em quarto lugar foram revistos estudos de avaliação económica da vacinação contra o HPV quer em mulheres quer em homens, após uma introdução ao conceito de avaliação económica do medicamento. Em quinto lugar, foi feita uma estimativa dos custos com a vacinação dos rapazes contra o HPV durante os próximos 20 anos. Por último, procurou-se reflectir acerca das implicações de se alargar ou não a vacinação contra o HPV aos rapazes em Portugal.

Was ageing a cause for the increase in hospitalization costs, in the Portuguese public hospitals, between 1994 and 2010?

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

The FML (Fucose Mannose Ligand) of Leishmania donovani: a new tool in diagnosis, prognosis, transfusional control and vaccination against human kala-azar

The Fucose-Mannose Ligand (FML) of Leishmania donovani is a complex glycoproteic fraction. Its potential use as a tool for diagnosis of human visceral leishmaniasis was tested with human sera from Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The FML-ELISA test, showed 100% sensitivity and 96% specificity, identifying patients with overt kala-azar (p < 0.001, when compared to normal sera), and subjects with subclinical infection. More than 20% apparently healthy subjects with positive reaction to FML developed overt kala-azar during the following 10 months. In the screening of human blood donnors, a prevalence of 5% of sororeactive subjects was detected, attaining 17% in a single day. The GP36 glycoprotein of FHL is specifically reconized by human kala-azar sera. The immunoprotective effect of FML on experimental L. donovanii infection was tested in swiss albino mice. The protection scheemes included three weekly doses of FML, supplemented or not with saponin by the subcutaneous or intraperitoneal routes and challenge with 2x 10(7) amastigotes of Leishmania donovani. An enhancement of 80.0 % in antibody response (p<0.001) and reduction of 85.5 % parasite liver burden (p<0.001) was detected in animals immunized with FML saponin, unrespectivety of the immunization route.

Desulfovibrio vulgaris defenses against oxidative and nitrosative stresses

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biochemistry, Microbial Biochemistry