ATIVIDADE LEISHMANICIDA in vitro DE FRAÇÕES DO EXTRATO HIDROALCOÓLICO DAS FOLHAS DE Chenopodium ambrosioides L.

A leishmaniose é uma doença infecciosa causada por protozoários do gênero Leishmania e representa sério problema de saúde pública em paises da África, Ásia e América Latina. Chenopodium ambrosioides L.,  popularmente conhecido como mastruz, tem sido utilizado no Maranhão para o tratamento tópico de úlceras leishmanióticas. O trabalho avaliou a eficácia das frações do extrato hidroalcoólico das folhas de C. ambrosioides contra formas promastigotas da espécie Leishmania amazonensis. O fracionamento foi realizado pela partição sequencial do extrato hidroalcoólico de folhas de C. ambrosioides com solventes de polaridade crescente (hexano, clorofórmio e acetato de etila). As formas promastigotas foram cultivadas em meio RPMI 1640 com e sem as frações. Após 24h de incubação a 26ºC, o número de promastigotas viáveis foi contado pelo método direto em câmara de Neubauer. As concentrações que inibem o crescimento de 50% (CI50 ) das promastigotas de L. amazonensis foram calculadas a partir da avaliação da mortalidade das promastigotas in vitro. De acordo com escores padrões nas frações de acetato de etila e hidroalcoólica remanescente não foi observada atividade leishmanicida significativa, mas as frações hexânica e clorofórmica apresentaram-se ativas. Os resultados obtidos demonstram uma ação leishmanicida promissora das frações. Estudos futuros são necessários para investigar a eficácia destas frações no tratamento da leishmaniose em modelos experimentais in vivo.Descritores: Chenopodium ambrosioides L.; Mastruz; Leishmaniose; in vitro. Abstract:  In vitro leishmanicidal activity of fractions obtained from hydroalcoholic extracts of  Chenopodium ambrosioides’  leaves. Leishmaniasis is an infectious disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania and represents serious public health problem in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Chenopodium ambrosioides, popularly known as “mastruz”, has been used in Maranhão for the topical treatment of leishmanial ulcers. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the fractions from hydroalcoholic extract of C. ambrosioides’  leaves against the promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis. Fractionation as accomplished by partition sequential extract of leaves of C. ambrosioides with solvents of increasing polarity (hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate). The promastigotes forms were cultured in supplemented RPMI 1640 with or without fractions. After 24h incubation at 26°C, the number of viable promastigotes was counted by the direct method in a Neubauer chamber. The concentrations that inhibit growth of 50% (IC50 ) of L. amazonensis’ promastigotes were calculated from the assessment of the mortality of promastigotes in vitro. According to standard scores, in the ethyl acetate and hydroalcoholic remaining fractions there was no leishmanicidal activity, while the hexane and chloroform fractions were actives. The results showed a promissor leishmanicidal activity of fraction. Future studies are necessary to investigate the effectiveness of these fractions in the treatment of these fractions in experimental models in vivo.Descriptors: Chenopodium ambrosioides L.; Mastruz; Leishmaniasis; in vitro

Equation of motion for entanglement

We review an evolution equation for quantum entanglement for 2x2 dimensional quantum systems, the smallest system that can exhibit entanglement, and extend it to higher dimensional systems. Furthermore, we provide statistical evidence for the equation's applicability to the experimentally relevant domain of weakly mixed states.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, published versio

The receptor AT1 appears to be important for the maintenance of bone mass and AT2 receptor function in periodontal bone loss appears to be regulated by AT1 receptor

A large number of experimental studies has demonstrated that angiotensin II (Ang II) is involved in key events of the inflammatory process. This study aimed to evaluate the role of Ang II type 1 (AT1) and Ang II type 2 (AT2) receptors on periodontitis. Methods: Experimental periodontitis was induced by placing a 5.0 nylon thread ligature around the second upper left molar of AT1 mice, no-ligature or ligature (AT1-NL and AT1-L), AT2 (AT2-NL or AT2-L) and wild type (WT-NL or L). Alveolar bone loss was scanned using Micro-CT. Cytokines, peptides and enzymes were analyzed from gingival tissues by Elisa and RT-PCR. Results: The blockade of AT1 receptor resulted in bone loss, even in healthy animals. Ang II receptor blockades did not prevent linear bone loss. Ang II and Ang 1-7 levels were significantly increased in the AT2-L (p < 0.01) group compared to AT2-NL and AT1-L. The genic expression of the Mas receptor was significantly increased in WT-L and AT2-L compared to (WT-NL and AT2-NL, respectively) and in AT1-L. Conclusions: Our data suggest that the receptor AT1 appears to be important for the maintenance of bone mass. AT2 receptor molecular function in periodontitis appears to be regulated by AT1

Update on the correlation of the highest energy cosmic rays with nearby extragalactic matter

Data collected by the Pierre Auger Observatory through 31 August 2007 showed evidence for anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays above the Greisen-Zatsepin-Kuz'min energy threshold, \nobreak{$6\times 10^{19}$eV}. The anisotropy was measured by the fraction of arrival directions that are less than $3.1^\circ$ from the position of an active galactic nucleus within 75 Mpc (using the V\'eron-Cetty and V\'eron $12^{\rm th}$ catalog). An updated measurement of this fraction is reported here using the arrival directions of cosmic rays recorded above the same energy threshold through 31 December 2009. The number of arrival directions has increased from 27 to 69, allowing a more precise measurement. The correlating fraction is $(38^{+7}_{-6})$, compared with $21$ expected for isotropic cosmic rays. This is down from the early estimate of $(69^{+11}_{-13})$. The enlarged set of arrival directions is examined also in relation to other populations of nearby extragalactic objects: galaxies in the 2 Microns All Sky Survey and active galactic nuclei detected in hard X-rays by the Swift Burst Alert Telescope. A celestial region around the position of the radiogalaxy Cen A has the largest excess of arrival directions relative to isotropic expectations. The 2-point autocorrelation function is shown for the enlarged set of arrival directions and compared to the isotropic expectation.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physics on 31 August 201

Atmospheric effects on extensive air showers observed with the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Atmospheric parameters, such as pressure (P), temperature (T) and density, affect the development of extensive air showers initiated by energetic cosmic rays. We have studied the impact of atmospheric variations on extensive air showers by means of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The rate of events shows a ~10% seasonal modulation and ~2% diurnal one. We find that the observed behaviour is explained by a model including the effects associated with the variations of pressure and density. The former affects the longitudinal development of air showers while the latter influences the Moliere radius and hence the lateral distribution of the shower particles. The model is validated with full simulations of extensive air showers using atmospheric profiles measured at the site of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic

The exposure of the hybrid detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It consists of a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level and a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The "hybrid" detection mode combines the information from the two subsystems. We describe the determination of the hybrid exposure for events observed by the fluorescence telescopes in coincidence with at least one water-Cherenkov detector of the surface array. A detailed knowledge of the time dependence of the detection operations is crucial for an accurate evaluation of the exposure. We discuss the relevance of monitoring data collected during operations, such as the status of the fluorescence detector, background light and atmospheric conditions, that are used in both simulation and reconstruction.Comment: Paper accepted by Astroparticle Physic

The Fluorescence Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a hybrid detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It combines a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level together with a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The fluorescence detector comprises 24 large telescopes specialized for measuring the nitrogen fluorescence caused by charged particles of cosmic ray air showers. In this paper we describe the components of the fluorescence detector including its optical system, the design of the camera, the electronics, and the systems for relative and absolute calibration. We also discuss the operation and the monitoring of the detector. Finally, we evaluate the detector performance and precision of shower reconstructions.Comment: 53 pages. Submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section

Advanced functionality for radio analysis in the Offline software framework of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The advent of the Auger Engineering Radio Array (AERA) necessitates the development of a powerful framework for the analysis of radio measurements of cosmic ray air showers. As AERA performs "radio-hybrid" measurements of air shower radio emission in coincidence with the surface particle detectors and fluorescence telescopes of the Pierre Auger Observatory, the radio analysis functionality had to be incorporated in the existing hybrid analysis solutions for fluoresence and surface detector data. This goal has been achieved in a natural way by extending the existing Auger Offline software framework with radio functionality. In this article, we lay out the design, highlights and features of the radio extension implemented in the Auger Offline framework. Its functionality has achieved a high degree of sophistication and offers advanced features such as vectorial reconstruction of the electric field, advanced signal processing algorithms, a transparent and efficient handling of FFTs, a very detailed simulation of detector effects, and the read-in of multiple data formats including data from various radio simulation codes. The source code of this radio functionality can be made available to interested parties on request.Comment: accepted for publication in NIM A, 13 pages, minor corrections to author list and references in v

Search for First Harmonic Modulation in the Right Ascension Distribution of Cosmic Rays Detected at the Pierre Auger Observatory

We present the results of searches for dipolar-type anisotropies in different energy ranges above $2.5\times 10^{17}$ eV with the surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory, reporting on both the phase and the amplitude measurements of the first harmonic modulation in the right-ascension distribution. Upper limits on the amplitudes are obtained, which provide the most stringent bounds at present, being below 2% at 99% $C.L.$ for EeV energies. We also compare our results to those of previous experiments as well as with some theoretical expectations.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figure