Anti-cancer potential of Fasciola hepatica extracts

Fascioliasis is a food borne disease caused by infection with a liver fluke termed Fasciola (F.) hepatica. Fascioliasis, as a neglected tropical disease, commonly affects poor people from developing countries. It has been estimated that at least 2.6 million people are infected with fascioliasis worldwide. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, two other liver flukes Opistorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis) have been recognized as definitive causes of cancer (IARC, 2012). On the other hand even long-lasting and/ or repeated F. hepatica infections have not been associated with cancer, so far. There are any known causative associations between this parasite and cholangiocarcinoma or liver cancer.N/

Anti-cancer potential of Fasciola hepatica extracts

Fascioliasis is a food borne disease caused by infection with a liver fluke termed Fasciola (F.) hepatica. Fascioliasis, as a neglected tropical disease, commonly affects poor people from developing countries. It has been estimated that at least 2.6 million people are infected with fascioliasis worldwide. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, two other liver flukes Opistorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis) have been recognized as definitive causes of cancer (IARC, 2012). On the other hand even long-lasting and/ or repeated F. hepatica infections have not been associated with cancer, so far. There are any known causative associations between this parasite and cholangiocarcinoma or liver cancer.N/

Expression of angiogenic and inflammation markers in murine schistosomiasis mansoni

Aim: to study angiogenesis in the livers of mice infected with S. mansoni.N/

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Dexamethasone Controlled Released From Anterior Suprachoroidal Polyurethane Implants on Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis in Rats.

Targeted drug delivery to the ocular tissues remains a challenge. Biodegradable intraocular implants allow prolonged controlled release of drugs directly into the eye. In this study, we evaluated an anterior suprachoroidal polyurethane implant containing dexamethasone polyurethane dispersions (DX-PUD) as a drug delivery system in the rat model of endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU). In vitro drug release was studied using PUD implants containing 8%, 20%, and 30% (wt/wt) DX. Cytotoxicity of the degradation products of DX-PUD was assessed on human ARPE-19 cells using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. Short-term ocular biocompatibility of suprachoroidal DX-PUD implants was evaluated in normal rat eyes. Endotoxin-induced uveitis was then induced in rat eyes preimplanted with DX-PUD. Clinical examination was performed at 24 hours; eyes were used to assess inflammatory cell infiltration and macrophage/microglial activation. Cytokine and chemokine expression in the iris/ciliary body and in the retina was investigated using quantitative PCR. Feasibility of anterior suprachoroidal PUD implantation was also tested using postmortem human eyes. A burst release was followed by a sustained controlled release of DX from PUD implants. By-products of the DX-PUD were not toxic to human ARPE-19 cells or to rat ocular tissues. Dexamethasone-PUD implants prevented EIU in rat eyes, reducing inflammatory cell infiltration and inhibiting macrophage/microglial activation. Dexamethasone-PUD downregulated proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines (IL-1β, IL-6, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant [CINC]) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and upregulated IL-10 anti-inflammatory cytokine. Polyurethane dispersion was successfully implanted into postmortem human eyes. Dexamethasone-PUD implanted in the anterior suprachoroidal space may be of interest in the treatment of intraocular inflammation

Theoretical description of phase coexistence in model C60

We have investigated the phase diagram of the Girifalco model of C60 fullerene in the framework provided by the MHNC and the SCOZA liquid state theories, and by a Perturbation Theory (PT), for the free energy of the solid phase. We present an extended assessment of such theories as set against a recent Monte Carlo study of the same model [D. Costa et al, J. Chem. Phys. 118:304 (2003)]. We have compared the theoretical predictions with the corresponding simulation results for several thermodynamic properties. Then we have determined the phase diagram of the model, by using either the SCOZA, or the MHNC, or the PT predictions for one of the coexisting phases, and the simulation data for the other phase, in order to separately ascertain the accuracy of each theory. It turns out that the overall appearance of the phase portrait is reproduced fairly well by all theories, with remarkable accuracy as for the melting line and the solid-vapor equilibrium. The MHNC and SCOZA results for the liquid-vapor coexistence, as well as for the corresponding critical points, are quite accurate. All results are discussed in terms of the basic assumptions underlying each theory. We have selected the MHNC for the fluid and the first-order PT for the solid phase, as the most accurate tools to investigate the phase behavior of the model in terms of purely theoretical approaches. The overall results appear as a robust benchmark for further theoretical investigations on higher order C(n>60) fullerenes, as well as on other fullerene-related materials, whose description can be based on a modelization similar to that adopted in this work.Comment: RevTeX4, 15 pages, 7 figures; submitted to Phys. Rev.

Fungicides for wheat seed treatment

Em 1979, conduziu-se trabalho de campo e de laboratório visando avaliar os efeitos de fungicidas no tratamento de sementes de trigo. Foram testados seis produtos, sendo dois em formulação simples e quatro em formulação associada, em amostras de dois lotes da cultivar CNT 9. Procurou-se trabalhar com fungicidas que apresentassem indicação de atividade sobre Helminthosporium sativum Pam., King. & Bakke. Através de teste de laboratório foi avaliado efeito sobre a ocorrência de fungos na semente. No campo, avaliaram-se efeitos sobre a percentagem de emergência, número de espigas por área e rendimento de grãos. Melhor controle sobre H. sativum na semente foi obtido com Panoctine (Guazatine 40%). A avaliação de stand no campo, efetuada 17 dias após a semeadura, mostrou superioridade dos tratamentos com Cercoran (Metiltiofanato 50% + Thiran 30%), Dithane M-45 (Mancozeb 80%) e Benlate T (Benomyl 20% + Thiran 20%) em relação à testemunha. Uma segunda avaliação, feita 31 dias após a semeadura, confirmou esses resultados apenas para Cercoran e Dethane M-45. O número de espigas por área não apresentou diferenças para sementes tratadas e não-tratadas. Na média dos dois lotes estudados, verificou-se que o tratamento com Cercoran apresentou rendimento superior ao da testemunha não-tratada.A seed treatment trial was conducted at the National Wheat Research Center in Passo Fundo, RS, in 1979, to study the effect of fungicides on the control of seed pathogens of wheat. Two fungicides and four mixtures of fungicides were tested. Two seedlots of the cultivar CNT 9 were used. The fungicides were selected on the basis of their effectiveness against Helminthosporium sativum Pam., King. & Bakke. The occurrence of fungi in the seeds were evaluated by laboratory tests. The percentage of germination in the field, number of heads/unit area and yield were also evaluated. The best control of H. sativum on seeds was obtained with Panoctine (Guazatine 40%). The stand in the field was evaluated 17 days after sowing. Cercoran (Metiltiofanato 50% + Thiran 30%); Dithane M-45 and Benlate T (Benomyl 20% + Thiran 20%) were statistically superior to the check. When the same evaluation was conducted 31 days after sowing only Cercoran and Dithane M-45 showed plant stands higher than the check. Seed treatment did not increase the number of heads/unit area. The average yield of the two seedlots treated with Cercoran was significantly superior to the check

Soil biochemistry and microbial activity in vineyards under conventional and organic management at Northeast Brazil.

The São Francisco Submedium Valley is located at the Brazilian semiarid region and is an important center for irrigated fruit growing. This region is responsible for 97% of the national exportation of table grapes, including seedless grapes. Based on the fact that orgThe São Francisco Submedium Valley is located at the Brazilian semiarid region and is an important center for irrigated fruit growing. This region is responsible for 97% of the national exportation of table grapes, including seedless grapes. Based on the fact that organic fertilization can improve soil quality, we compared the effects of conventional and organic soil management on microbial activity and mycorrhization of seedless grape crops. We measured glomerospores number, most probable number (MPN) of propagules, richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species, AMF root colonization, EE-BRSP production, carbon microbial biomass (C-MB), microbial respiration, fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity (FDA) and metabolic coefficient (qCO2). The organic management led to an increase in all variables with the exception of EE-BRSP and qCO2. Mycorrhizal colonization increased from 4.7% in conventional crops to 15.9% in organic crops. Spore number ranged from 4.1 to 12.4 per 50 g-1 soil in both management systems. The most probable number of AMF propagules increased from 79 cm-3 soil in the conventional system to 110 cm-3 soil in the organic system. Microbial carbon, CO2 emission, and FDA activity were increased by 100 to 200% in the organic crop. Thirteen species of AMF were identified, the majority in the organic cultivation system. Acaulospora excavata, Entrophospora infrequens, Glomus sp.3 and Scutellospora sp. were found only in the organically managed crop. S. gregaria was found only in the conventional crop. Organically managed vineyards increased mycorrhization and general soil microbial activity