477 research outputs found
Glutathione increase by the n-butanoyl glutathione derivative (GSH-C4) inhibits viral replication and induces a predominant Th1 immune profile in old mice infected with influenza virus
During aging, glutathione (GSH) content declines and the immune system undergoes a
deficiency in the induction of Th1 response. Reduced secretion of Th1 cytokines, which is
associated with GSH depletion, could weaken the host defenses against viral infections.
We first evaluated the concentration of GSH and cysteine in organs of old mice; then, the
effect of the administration of the N-butanoyl GSH derivative (GSH-C4) on the response of
aged mice infected with influenza A PR8/H1N1 virus was studied through the determination
of GSH concentration in organs, lung viral titer, IgA and IgG1/IgG2a production and
Th1/Th2 cytokine profile.
Old mice had lower GSH than young mice in organs. Also the gene expression of
endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers involved in GSH metabolism and folding of
proteins, i.e. Nrf2 and PDI, was reduced. Following infection, GSH content remained low
and neither infection nor GSH-C4 treatment affected Nrf2 expression. In contrast, PDI
expression was upregulated during infection and appeared counterbalanced by GSH-C4.
Moreover, the treatment with GSH-C4 increased GSH content in organs, reduced viral
replication and induced a predominant Th1 response.
In conclusion, GSH-C4 treatment could be used in the elderly to contrast influenza virus
infection by inducing immune response, in particular the Th1 profile
Soluble P-selectin levels in synovial fluid and serum from patients with psoriatic arthritis
Objective: P-selectin is an adhesion molecule expressed by activated endothelial cells and platelets favouring the leukocyte adherence to microvascular endothelium. A soluble form of this molecule has been described, whose serum levels were found to be elevated and correlate with disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Aim of this study was to determine soluble P-selectin levels in synovial fluid (SF) and serum from patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), where it has never been investigated, to define its involvement in PsA synovial damage. Methods: we analysed, by ELISA, soluble P-selectin serum and SF levels in 100 patients presenting a knee joint effusion: 38 of them presented PsA, 40 RA and 22 osteoarthritis (OA). We examined the main clinical and laboratory parameters of these patients. Soluble P-selectin serum levels were also detected in 15 healthy subjects. Results: soluble P-selectin SF levels were significantly higher in PsA and RA patients respect to OA subjects. Soluble P-selectin SF levels were lower than those found in serum and the SF/serum ratio was higher in PsA and RA patients respect to OA. Soluble P-selectin serum levels were not significantly different among patients and controls. No correlation was found between SF and serum levels of soluble P-selectin and the main clinical parameters. Conclusions: our study of soluble P-selectin in PsA reveals a prominent local role of this molecule, with no differences respect to RA. Histological findings may be of help in understanding the role of this adhesion molecule in PsA
Caracterização fĂsico-quĂmica e produtividade de grĂŁos de cafeeiros do Banco de Germoplasma da Embrapa Cerrados.
O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar cafĂ©s arábica e canĂ©fora por meio da caracterização fĂsico-quĂmica e produtividade de grĂŁos. Os 30 acessos de Coffea arabica L e os 22 clones de Coffea canephora foram caracterizados quanto Ă produtividade de grĂŁos no ano de 2017; análises fĂsico-quĂmicas dos teores de ácido clorogĂŞnico (5-CQA), de cafeĂna (CAF), de açúcares solĂşveis totais (AST), de sĂłlidos solĂşveis totais (SS) e de perfil de ácidos carboxĂlicos foram realizadas para os cafĂ©s arábica; para os cafĂ©s canĂ©fora, foram determinados SS, AST e acidez titulável (AT). Os cafĂ©s arábica com maiores produtividades apresentaram valores mĂ©dios acima de 100 sacas/ ha.bitstream/item/199839/1/Bolpd-345.pd
Epidemic spread of ST1-MRSA-IVa in a neonatal intensive care unit, Italy.
BACKGROUND: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has recently emerged as an important pathogen in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The purposes of this study were to characterize methicillin-resistant isolates from an outbreak in a NICU, to examine the genetic traits and clonality of CA-MRSA, and to review the characteristics and outcomes of the neonatal cases and investigate the routes of entry and transmission of the MRSA outbreak strain in the NICU under study. METHODS: The study NICU practiced an active surveillance program for multidrug-resistant organisms, including weekly cultures for detection of MRSA from nasal swabs among all the admitted neonates. All first isolates from surveillance cultures and all clinical isolates were submitted for susceptibility testing and genotyping. Data from each infant’s medical records were prospectively included in a database, and the clinical features and outcomes of the colonized/infected infants were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 14 infants were colonized or infected by a strain of ST1-MRSA-IVa between April and August 2011. The CA-MRSA strain appeared to have been introduced to the NICU by an infected infant transferred from another hospital. The outbreak was successfully contained by multifaceted infection control interventions. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study confirm that NICU is a healthcare setting with a critical permeability to CA-MRSA. Active surveillance including molecular typing can help to detect and monitor the spread of antimicrobial drug-resistant organisms, and thus trigger timely control interventions
Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive sequence type 80 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus carrying a staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type IVc is dominant in neonates and children in an Algiers hospital
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major antimicrobial
drug-resistant pathogen causing serious infections. It was first detected in
healthcare settings, but in recent years it has also become disseminated in the
community. Children and young adults are most susceptible to infection by
community-acquired (CA) MRSA strains. In this study 25 MRSA isolates implicated
in infections of neonates and children admitted to an Algiers hospital during an
18 month period were characterized by molecular methods including staphylococcal
cassette chromosome (SCC) mec typing, PCR amplification of pvl genes, pulsed
field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Fifteen
out of 25 isolates were from hospital-acquired infections. Twenty-four isolates
carried SCCmec type IVc and belonged to the sequence type (ST) 80, one isolate
carried SCCmec type II and was ST 39. Twenty-two out of 24 ST80-MRSA-IVc isolates carried pvl genes. Our results suggest that the Panton-Valentine leukocidin positive ST80- MRSA-IVc is the dominant MRSA clone causing disease in neonates and children in Algiers
Pollution prevention and wastewater treatment in fish canning industries of Northern Portugal
The main environmental problems of fish canning industries are high water consumption and
high organic matter, oil and grease and salt content in their wastewaters. This work aims to analyze the
situation (water consumption, wastewater production, wastewater characterization, etc.) of different plants
located north of Douro river, in Portugal, in order to propose various solutions to their problems. Thus,
initially it was made an identification and implementation of prevent and control pollution measures within
the industrial units in order to reduce water consumption, minimize the wastewater production and reduce the
pollutant load to treat. Then, the evaluation of wastewater treatability was started through a sedimentation
and coagulation-flocculation process, with two organic coagulants (RIPOL 070 and RIFLOC 1815),
commonly used in wastewater treatment. Sedimentation experiments showed that the flotation of 54% of oils
and greases occurred, and 36% of total suspended solids were removed. The coagulation-flocculation process
gave good results, especially in terms of oil and grease and total suspended solids removal. The best
suspended solids removal efficiencies were 53% and 79%, using 400 mg/L of RIPOL 070 and 150 mg/L of
RIFLOC 1815, respectively. At these dosages, both coagulants demonstrated excellent oil and grease
removals, about 99% for RIFLOC 1815 and 88% for RIPOL 070info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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