Evaluation of micronuclei frequency in Tradescantia pallida pollen mother cells treated with ethanolic extracts isolated from Cryptocarya mandioccana, Cryptocarya moschata and Pterogyne nitens

Although herbal extracts contain several classes of compounds with pharmacological activity, they also present toxic substances with mutagenic effects. The aim of the present study was to verify the mutagenicity of Cryptocarya moschata, Cryptocarya mandioccana and Pterogyne nitens using micronucleus assay in pollen mother cells (tetrads) in Tradescantia pallida (Trad-MCN). T. pallida inflorescences were treated with different concentrations of ethanolic extracts from the selected plant species. For C. mandioccana C. moschata and P. nitens, Trad-MCN assays were carried out simultaneoulsly, followed by positive control (formaldehyde 10000 ppm), negative control (Hoagland's solution), and vehicle control (Tween 20 20% or DMSO 3%). MCN present in tetrads were quantified in 300 tetrads/inflorescence and the mean (%) and standard error (SE) were established for at least 10 inflorescences per treatment. The extracts demonstrated dose response mutagenicity (clastogenic/aneugenic effects), respectively, C. mandioccana (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg/mL) and P. nitens (1.0 and 2.0 mg/mL) However, no mutagenic effect was observed to C. moschata at the concentrations evaluated in the present study. We can conclude that the C. mandioccana and P. nitens extracts demonstrated clastogenic/aneugenic effects in highest concentrations whereas C. moschata extract did not demonstrate the same effect. © 2006 Sociedade Brasileira de Toxicologia.

Treatment of pulmonary thromboembolism in patients with systemic blood pressure stability and right ventricular dysfunction

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) ranges from incidental, clinically unimportant thromboembolism to massive embolism with sudden death. Its treatment is well established in two groups of patients: heparin for those with normal systemic blood pressure without right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) and thrombolysis for those with RVD and circulatory shock. In an intermediate group of patients with systemic blood pressure stability combined with RVD, which is usually associated with worse outcome, the treatment is controversial. There are authors who strongly suggest thrombolysis while others contraindicate this procedure and recommend anticoagulation with heparin. This is a narrative review that includes clinical trials comparing thrombolysis and heparin for the treatment of PTE patients with systemic blood pressure stability and RVD published since 1973. The results show that there are only four trials on this subject with less than 500 patients. Many PTE patients with systemic blood pressure stability and RVD might benefit from thrombolysis but, on the other hand, the risk for hemorrhagic events may be increased. Large randomized clinical trials are required to clarify this. © 2008 Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.

Doses de Nitrogênio na Produção de rabanete fertirrigado e determinação de clorofila por medidor portátil nas folhas

The relative chlorophyll determination is used to predict the need for nitrogen fertilization aiming to increase production in various cultures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the soil nitrogen dose response added to the soil via fertigation in radish production and the relation between chlorophyll and cultivar Redondo Vermelho leaf nitrogen content. Transverse diameter of root, leaf area, green index, leaf N contents, shoots (stem) production, number of commercial and noncommercial roots, and the total commercial mass roots were evaluated. The N doses didn't interfere in the radish production and the readings taken with portable chlorophyll meter are not very accurate in ascertaining the level of N on radish plant growth.

Anti-platelet activity of infusion of Tithonia diversifolia's leaves

Tithonia diversifolia, also known as Mexican arnica, has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammatory refractory with absence of citotoxicity. The possible health risks associated with the consumption of ingestion of the infusion (tea) plant makes it is necessary to identify the potential pharmacological activity or toxicity to prove certain plants that are acclimated in Brazil. Considering the limited number of pharmacological studies regarding the Tithonia diversifolia, the aim of this study was evaluate the effects of this infusion in platelet aggregation. Venous blood was collected with informed consent from healthy volunteers who denied taking any medication in the previous 14 days. Whole blood was transferred into polypropylene tubes containing one-tenth of final volume of acid citrate dextrose (ACD-C; citric acid 3%, trisodium citrate 4%, glucose 2%; 1:9 v/v) and centrifuged at 200g for 15 min. Platelet rich plasma was added of wash buffer solution (NaCl 140mM, KCl 5mM, sodium citrate 12mM, glucose 10mM and saccharose 12mM; pH 6; 5:7 v/v) and centrifuged at 800g for 12 min at 20°C. Platelet pellet was gently resuspended in Krebs-Ringer solution and counts were performed on a Neubauer chamber. Aggregation assay was carried out with 400 μL of platelet suspension (1.2x10 8 platelets/mL) in a cuvette at 37°C with constant stirring. Platelet suspension was incubated for 3 min with aqueous extract infusion (0.6-20μg/mL) prior to addition of thrombin (100 mU/mL). Percentage of platelet aggregation was recorded with an aggregometer (Chrono-log Lumi-Aggregometer model 560-Ca, USA). Our results show an inhibition of thrombin induced platelet aggregation in the presence of 0.6-20 ug/mL Tithonia diversifolia infusion leaves. The Tithonia diversifolia infusion leaves inhibits thrombin induced washed platelet aggregation.

Infliximab prevents increased systolic blood pressure and upregulates the AKT/eNOS pathway in the aorta of spontaneously hypertensive rats

High systolic blood pressure caused by endothelial dysfunction is a comorbidity of metabolic syndrome that is mediated by local inflammatory signals. Insulin-induced vasorelaxation due to endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activation is highly dependent on the activation of the upstream insulin-stimulated serine/threonine kinase (AKT) and is severely impaired in obese, hypertensive rodents and humans. Neutralisation of circulating tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) with infliximab improves glucose homeostasis, but the consequences of this pharmacological strategy on systolic blood pressure and eNOS activation are unknown. To address this issue, we assessed the temporal changes in the systolic pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) treated with infliximab. We also assessed the activation of critical proteins that mediate insulin activity and TNFα-mediated insulin resistance in the aorta and cardiac left ventricle. Our data demonstrate that infliximab prevents the upregulation of both systolic pressure and left ventricle hypertrophy in SHR. These effects paralleled an increase in AKT/eNOS phosphorylation and a reduction in the phosphorylation of inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (Iκβ) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in the aorta. Overall, our study revealed the cardiovascular benefits of infliximab in SHR. In addition, the present findings further suggested that the reduction of systolic pressure and left ventricle hypertrophy by infliximab are secondary effects to the reduction of endothelial inflammation and the recovery of AKT/eNOS pathway activation. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

High dosage folic acid supplementation, oral cleft recurrence and fetal growth

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of folic acid supplementation on isolated oral cleft recurrence and fetal growth. Patients and Methods: The study included 2,508 women who were at-risk for oral cleft recurrence and randomized into two folic acid supplementation groups: 0.4 and 4 mg per day before pregnancy and throughout the first trimester. The infant outcome data were based on 234 live births. In addition to oral cleft recurrence, several secondary outcomes were compared between the two folic acid groups. Cleft recurrence rates were also compared to historic recurrence rates. Results: The oral cleft recurrence rates were 2.9% and 2.5% in the 0.4 and 4 mg groups, respectively. The recurrence rates in the two folic acid groups both separately and combined were significantly different from the 6.3% historic recurrence rate post the folic acid fortification program for this population (p = 0.0009 when combining the two folic acid groups). The rate of cleft lip with palate recurrence was 2.9% in the 0.4 mg group and 0.8% in the 4 mg group. There were no elevated fetal growth complications in the 4 mg group compared to the 0.4 mg group. Conclusions: The study is the first double-blinded randomized clinical trial (RCT) to study the effect of high dosage folic acid supplementation on isolated oral cleft recurrence. The recurrence rates were similar between the two folic acid groups. However, the results are suggestive of a decrease in oral cleft recurrence compared to the historic recurrence rate. A RCT is still needed to identify the effect of folic acid on oral cleft recurrence given these suggestive results and the supportive results from previous interventional and observational studies, and the study offers suggestions for such future studies. The results also suggest that high dosage folic acid does not compromise fetal growth. © 2013 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Effects of liver S9 enzymes on somalargine and solasodine cytotoxicity and mass spectrometric fragmentation

The steroidal glycoalkaloid solamargine and its parent aglycone solasodine, isolated from Solanum palinacanthum, were studied in vitro for cytotoxicity and biotransformation by the hepatic S9 fraction as the metabolic activating system. The MTT uptake assay was used to determine viability after 24 h in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage-like and SiHa cells exposed to various concentrations of the alkaloids in the presence and absence of the hepatic S9 microsomal fraction. The dose-response curves were established for solamargine and solasodine in the presence and absence of external metabolizing system. From these data, the cytotoxic index (CI50) was calculated with mean values of 7.2 and 13.6 μg/mL for Raw cells and 8.6 and 26.0 μg/mL for SiHa cells, respectively. Mass spectrometry was performed to compare the fragmentation patterns of the alkaloids to predict metabolism by the S9 fraction. The mass spectra demonstrated a distinct fragmentation patterns for solamargine and solasodine after the addition of the S9 fraction. In the present study, we demonstrate that the cytotoxic effect of solamargine and solasodine and their metabolites prepared in vitro by biotransformation with the S9 fraction are comparable. These findings suggest that the metabolic activation system S9 fraction may fail to suppress the cytotoxicity of these alkaloids. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Systemic CA-MRSA infection following trauma during soccer match in inner Brazil: Clinical and molecular characterization

Even though community-acquired methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was described a decade ago, reports from Brazil are scarce and cases occurred in large urban centers. We report MRSA sepsis in a 16-year-old male from a small town and who had no history of exposure to healthcare or recent travel. After trauma during a soccer match, he presented swelling in the right thigh, which evolved in a month to cellulitis complicated by local abscess, orchitis and pneumonia. The patient presented severe sepsis, with fever and respiratory failure. Laboratory findings included blood leukocyte counts above 40,000/mm3 and thrombocytopenia. He was submitted to mechanical ventilation and therapy with vancomycin and imipenem. He had a slow but favorable response to therapy and was discharged after six weeks of hospitalization. MRSA grew from blood cultures and respiratory aspirates obtained before antimicrobial therapy. The isolate belonged to sequence type 5, spa type t311, harbored SCCmec type IV and genes for Panton-Valentine leukocidin and Enterotoxin A. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern was distinct from North American classic CA-MRSA clones. However, the sequence type and the spa type revealed that the clone belong to the same clonal complex isolated in Argentina. This is the first CA-MRSA infection reported in that region, with significant epidemiologic and clinical implications. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to different doses of attenuated vaccine against avian infectious bronchitis virus

The antibody and cellular immune responses against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) were evaluated at mucosal sites of chickens after immunization with various doses of an attenuated vaccine at 1 day of age. The correlation of these immune responses with protection of tracheal tissues was evaluated after experimental infection of these birds. Significantly reduced tracheal pathologic effects, measured according to ciliostasis and histology lesions, and reduced viral load were observed only in the full-dose vaccinated group at 5 days post-infection (dpi), while incomplete protection was observed for the subdose vaccinated groups. Moreover, birds of vaccinated groups, especially with full dose, developed higher levels of lachrymal IBV-specific IgG and IgA and increased the expression of cell-mediated immunity (CMI) genes, such as gamma interferon (IFNγ), CD8+ T cell marker, and granzyme homolog A more rapidly. In addition, these humoral and cellular immune responses evaluated at mucosal sites correlated significantly with tracheal protection against homologous IBV challenge in a vaccine dose-dependent manner. The results indicate that IgG, IgA and CD8+ T cell responses developed at mucosal sites after IBV vaccination of day-old chicks, could be taken as good correlates of protection against this virus. © 2013, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

In vitro enamel remineralization by low-fluoride toothpaste with calcium citrate and sodium trimetaphosphate

The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro the effect of a low fluoride toothpaste (450 μgF/g, NaF) combined with calcium citrate (Cacit) and sodium trimetaphosphate (TMP) on enamel remineralization. Bovine enamel blocks had the enamel surface polished sequentially to determine the surface hardness. After production of artificial carious lesions, the blocks selected by their surface hardness were submitted to remineralization pH cycling and daily treatment with dentifrice suspensions (diluted in deionized water or artificial saliva): placebo, 275, 450, 550 and 1,100 μgF/g and commercial dentifrice (positive control, 1,100 μgF/g). Finally, the surface and cross-section hardness was determined for calculating the change of surface hardness (%SH) and mineral content (%ΔZ). Fluoride in enamel was also determined. The data from %SH, %ΔZ and fluoride were subjected to two-way analysis of variance followed by Student-Newman-Keuls's test (p<0.05). The mineral gain (%SH and %ΔZ) was higher for toothpastes diluted in saliva (p<0.05), except for the 450 mgF/g dentifrice with Cacit/TMP (p>0.05). The 450 Cacit/ TMP toothpaste and the positive control showed similar results (p>0.05) when diluted in water. A dose-response was observed between fluoride concentration in toothpastes and fluoride present in enamel, regardless of dilution. It was concluded that it is possible to enhance the remineralization capacity of low F concentration toothpaste by of organic (Cacit) and inorganic (TMP) compounds with affinity to hydroxyapatite.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new aryl thiosemicarbazone as antichagasic candidates

The present work reports on the synthesis, biological assaying and docking studies of a series of 12 aryl thiosemicarbazones, which were planned to act over two main enzymes, cruzain and trypanothione reductase. These enzymes are used as targets of trypanocidal activity in Chagas disease control with a minimal mutagenic profile. Three p-nitroaromatic thiosemicarbazones showed high activity against Trypanosoma cruzi in in vitro assays (IC50 < 57 μM), and no mutagenic profile was observed in micronucleous tests. Although the in vitro inhibition test showed that 10-μM doses of eight compounds inhibited cruzain activity, no correlation was found between cruzain inhibition and trypanocidal activity. © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Otimização vetorial e técnicas de mistura de herbicidas aplicadas ao controle de plantas daninhas

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estudos dos efeitos de carga e da hidrofobicidade na interação de peptídeos antimicrobianos e membranas modelo

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Contribuição eletrostática e não eletrostática na interação de peptídeos líticos com membranas modelo

Pós-graduação em Biofísica Molecular - IBILCE

Prospecção das interações mastoparano-membrana em proteolipossomos como modelo para o desenvolvimento racional de novos agentes antimicrobianos

Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas (Biologia Celular e Molecular) - IBRC