10 research outputs found

    Host Antimicrobial Peptides: the promise of new treatment strategies against Tuberculosis

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    Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a devastating infectious disease and remerges as a global health emergency due to an alarming rise of antimicrobial resistance to its treatment. Despite of the serious effort that has been applied to develop effective antitubercular chemotherapies, the potential of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) remains underexploited. A large amount of literature is now accessible on the AMP mechanisms of action against a diversity of pathogens; nevertheless, research on their activity on mycobacteria is still scarce. In particular, there is an urgent need to integrate all available interdisciplinary strategies to eradicate extensively drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. In this context, we should not underestimate our endogenous antimicrobial proteins and peptides as ancient players of the human host defense system. We are confident that novel antibiotics based on human AMPs displaying a rapid and multifaceted mechanism, with reduced toxicity, should significantly contribute to reverse the tide of antimycobacterial drug resistance. In this review, we have provided an up to date perspective of the current research on AMPs to be applied in the fight against TB. A better understanding on the mechanisms of action of human endogenous peptides should ensure the basis for the best guided design of novel antitubercular chemotherapeutics

    Influência das substâncias húmicas de sedimentos na biodisponibilidade de metais para o sistema aquático

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    In rivers, sediments act as sinks for retaining contaminants. This study evaluated the influence of sediment humic substances (HS) on the bioavailability of metals. The levels of metals in sediments and HS indicated that most are complexed with HS. Characterization of HS showed a high degree of humification. The complexation capacity of HS for metals established the affinity order:Pb2+<Cd2+<Co2+<Ni2+<Cu2+<Zn2+<Mn2+<Fe2+. Chemometric analysis demonstrated a correlation between the structural characteristics of HS and complexation capacity of metals

    The use of sugar and alcohol industry waste in the adsorption of potentially toxic metals

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    <div><p>One of the waste products of the industrial process of the sugar and alcohol agribusiness is filter cake (FC). This waste product has high levels of organic matter, mainly proteins and lipids, and is rich in calcium, nitrogen, potassium and phosphorous. In this work we characterized samples of FC from sugar and alcohol industries located in sugarcane-producing regions in Brazil and assessed the adsorption of potentially toxic metals (Cu(II), Cd(II), Pb(II), Ni(II) and Cr(III)) by this waste in mono- and multi-elemental systems, seeking to use FC as an adsorbent in contaminated environments. The characterization of FCs showed significant differences between the samples and the adsorption studies showed retention of over 90% of potentially toxic metals. In a competitive environment (multi-metallic solution), the FC was effective in adsorbing all metals except lead, but less effective compared to the mono-metallic solution. These results show the potential for use of this residue as an adsorbent in contaminated environments.</p></div

    Review of the applications of laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to the analysis of biological samples

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