Optimized extraction of a lectin from Crataeva tapia bark using AOT in isooctane reversed micelles

Crataeva tapia bark lectin was extracted from a crude extract into a reversed micelle phase of the anionic surfactant AOT in isooctane and back-extracted, to a final aqueous phase by addition of butanol. The effects of pH, ionic strength and surfactant concentration on the protein transfer process from the aqueous to the organic phase were characterized, being the best results obtained after 5 min of contact, under agitation, between the two phases, at pH 5.5 (10 mM citrate-phosphate buffer), 30 mM NaCl, and 5 mM AOT. Recovery to a new aqueous phase was performed with 5 min of contact, under agitation, 10 mM citrate-phosphate buffer at pH 5.5, 500 mM KCl and 5% of butanol. The overall yield obtained for the process was 80% for lectin activity and 56% for protein recovery. The efficiency of the process was confirmed by SDS-PAGE analysis.ALFA/VALNATURA; CNPq

Post-weaning Exposure to High-Fat Diet Induces Kidney Lipid Accumulation and Function Impairment in Adult Rats

Aim: We investigated the kidney morphofunctional consequences of high-fat diet intake since post-weaning in adult rats.Main Methods: Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups: ND (normal diet; n = 10) and HD (high-fat diet; n = 10). The high-fat diet was introduced post-weaned and animals were followed for 8 weeks.Key Findings: HD group did not change body weight gain even though food consumption has decreased with no changes in caloric consumption. The HD group showed glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was decreased in vivo (ND: 2.8 ± 1.01; HD: 1.1 ± 0.14 ml/min) and in the isolated perfusion method (34% of decrease). Renal histological analysis showed a retraction in glomeruli and an increase in kidney lipid deposition (ND: 1.5 ± 0.17 HD: 5.9 ± 0.06%). Furthermore, the high-fat diet consumption increased the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 (ND: 1,276 ± 203; HD: 1,982 ± 47 pg/mL/mg) and IL-1b (ND: 97 ± 12 HD: 133 ± 5 pg/mL/mg) without changing anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.Significance: Our study provides evidence that high-fat diet consumption leads to renal lipid accumulation, increases inflammatory cytokines, induces glomeruli retraction, and renal dysfunction. These damages observed in the kidney could be associated with an increased risk to advanced CKD in adulthood suggesting that reduction of high-fat ingestion during an early period of life can prevent metabolic disturbances and renal lipotoxicity

Evaluation of appendicitis risk prediction models in adults with suspected appendicitis

Background Appendicitis is the most common general surgical emergency worldwide, but its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim of this study was to determine whether existing risk prediction models can reliably identify patients presenting to hospital in the UK with acute right iliac fossa (RIF) pain who are at low risk of appendicitis. Methods A systematic search was completed to identify all existing appendicitis risk prediction models. Models were validated using UK data from an international prospective cohort study that captured consecutive patients aged 16–45 years presenting to hospital with acute RIF in March to June 2017. The main outcome was best achievable model specificity (proportion of patients who did not have appendicitis correctly classified as low risk) whilst maintaining a failure rate below 5 per cent (proportion of patients identified as low risk who actually had appendicitis). Results Some 5345 patients across 154 UK hospitals were identified, of which two‐thirds (3613 of 5345, 67·6 per cent) were women. Women were more than twice as likely to undergo surgery with removal of a histologically normal appendix (272 of 964, 28·2 per cent) than men (120 of 993, 12·1 per cent) (relative risk 2·33, 95 per cent c.i. 1·92 to 2·84; P < 0·001). Of 15 validated risk prediction models, the Adult Appendicitis Score performed best (cut‐off score 8 or less, specificity 63·1 per cent, failure rate 3·7 per cent). The Appendicitis Inflammatory Response Score performed best for men (cut‐off score 2 or less, specificity 24·7 per cent, failure rate 2·4 per cent). Conclusion Women in the UK had a disproportionate risk of admission without surgical intervention and had high rates of normal appendicectomy. Risk prediction models to support shared decision‐making by identifying adults in the UK at low risk of appendicitis were identified

Isolamento e perfil enzimático de cães e gatos com dermatofitose atendidos em hospitais veterinários do Recife, Pernambuco

RESUMO: Os dermatófitos são fungos que podem causar infecções superficiais da pele, cabelo e unhas em humanos e animais. As espécies de dermatófitos mais frequentemente isoladas dos cães e gatos afetados por micoses são Microsporum gypseum e principalmente Microsporum canis. O papel crucial durante o processo de infecção é a produção de enzimas extracelulares essenciais para a invasão e estabelecimento do agente patogênico no tecido do hospedeiro. O objetivo deste trabalho foi isolar dermatófitos de cães e gatos e avaliar o perfil enzimático dos isolados obtidos. Amostras de pelos e escamas epidérmicas foram coletadas de cães e gatos em instalações veterinárias em Recife/PE, e os isolados foram identificados com base nas características macroscópicas e microscópicas. A análise qualitativa das enzimas urease, protease, lipase, colagenase e fosfolipase foi avaliada a partir dos dermatófitos isolados. Durante 10 meses, um total de 106 animais, que compreendeu de 99 cães e sete gatos com sinais clínicos, independentemente do sexo e raça foram avaliados. Apenas oito animais foram confirmados com dermatofitose, principalmente cães (n=7), sendo seis afetados por M. canis e um por M. gypseum, a raça mais afetada foi Yorkshire (n=3). No entanto, apenas um gato foi confirmado com M. canis. Não foi observada predisposição relacionada ao sexo quanto à ocorrência de dermatofitose nos cães e gatos avaliados. Os dermatófitos isolados apresentaram perfis semelhantes para as enzimas urease, lipase, protease, fosfolipase e colagenase, característica importante em infecções patogênicas. O diagnóstico clínico destas zoonoses com base na confirmação microbiológica e uma compreensão dos mecanismos subjacentes é de grande importância para o tratamento e prevenção de doenças fúngicas em animais

Dengue virus–specific antibodies enhance brazilian Zika vrus infection

Anti-Flavivirus antibodies are highly cross-reactive and may facilitate Zika virus (ZIKV) infection through the antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) mechanism. We demonstrate that dengue-specific antibodies enhance the infection of a primary Brazilian ZIKV isolate in a FcγRII-expressing K562 cell line. In addition, we demonstrate that serum samples from dengue-immune pregnant women enhanced ZIKV infection. These findings highlight the need for epidemiological studies and animal models to further confirm the role of ADE in the development of congenital and neurological complications associated with ZIKV infections

Selective Wrapping of Few-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by a Serpent-Like Heterobimetallic Coordination Polymer

In this work, selective interactions between the constituents of the composite CNT@MnCu (<b>2</b>) prepared using carbon nonotubes (CNTs) (<b>1</b>) and the heterobimetallic chain [MnCu­(opba)]_<i>n</i> (MnCu), opba = <i>o</i>-phenylenebis­(oxamate), were studied mainly by resonance Raman spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). An apparent interaction between CNTs and MnCu complex with the wrapping of the former by the heterobimetallic complex was observed in the microscopy images. The resonance Raman data suggest that the interations between MnCu complex and the CNTs are selective, occurring mainly with metallic CNTs independently of the diameter and excitation energy. However, for semiconducting CNTs, these interactions solely occur with tubes having diameters higher than ca. 1.47 nm