Natural antibody response to Plasmodium falciparum merozoite antigens MSP5, MSP9 and EBA175 is associated to clinical protection in the Brazilian Amazon

BACKGROUND: Antibodies have an essential role in the acquired immune response against blood stage P. falciparum infection. Although several antigens have been identified as important antibody targets, it is still elusive which antigens have to be recognized for clinical protection. Herein, we analyzed antibodies from plasmas from symptomatic or asymptomatic individuals living in the same geographic area in the Western Amazon, measuring their recognition of multiple merozoite antigens. METHODS: Specific fragments of genes encoding merozoite proteins AMA1 and members of MSP and EBL families from circulating P. falciparum field isolates present in asymptomatic and symptomatic patients were amplified by PCR. After cloning and expression of different versions of the antigens as recombinant GST-fusion peptides, we tested the reactivity of patients’ plasmas by ELISA and the presence of IgG subclasses in the most reactive plasmas. RESULTS: 11 out of 24 recombinant antigens were recognized by plasmas from either symptomatic or asymptomatic infections. Antibodies to MSP9 (X(2)(DF=1) = 9.26/p = 0.0047) and MSP5 (X(2)(DF=1) = 8.29/p = 0.0069) were more prevalent in asymptomatic individuals whereas the opposite was observed for MSP1 block 2-MAD20 (X(2)(DF=1) = 6.41/p = 0.0206, Fisher’s exact test). Plasmas from asymptomatic individuals reacted more intensely against MSP4 (U = 210.5, p < 0.03), MSP5 (U = 212, p < 0.004), MSP9 (U = 189.5, p < 0.002) and EBA175 (U = 197, p < 0.014, Mann-Whitney’s U test). IgG1 and IgG3 were predominant for all antigens, but some patients also presented with IgG2 and IgG4. The recognition of MSP5 (OR = 0.112, IC(95%) = 0.021-0.585) and MSP9 (OR = 0.125, IC(95%) = 0.030-0.529, cross tab analysis) predicted 8.9 and 8 times less chances, respectively, to present symptoms. Higher antibody levels against MSP5 and EBA175 were associated by odds ratios of 9.4 (IC(95%) = 1.29-69.25) and 5.7 (IC(95%) = 1.12-29.62, logistic regression), respectively, with an asymptomatic status. CONCLUSIONS: Merozoite antigens were targets of cytophilic antibodies and antibodies against MSP5, MSP9 and EBA175 were independently associated with decreased symptoms

Anthelmintic Activity In Vivo Of Epiisopiloturine Against Juvenile And Adult Worms Of Schistosoma Mansoni

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Schistosomiasis is a serious disease currently estimated to affect more that 207 million people worldwide. Due to the intensive use of praziquantel, there is increasing concern about the development of drug-resistant strains. Therefore, it is necessary to search for and investigate new potential schistosomicidal compounds. This work reports the in vivo effect of the alkaloid epiisopiloturine (EPI) against adults and juvenile worms of Schistosoma mansoni. EPI was first purified its thermal behavior and theoretical solubility parameters charaterised. In the experiment, mice were treated with EPI over the 21 days post-infection with the doses of 40 and 200 mg/kg, and 45 days post-infection with single doses of 40, 100 and 300 mg/kg. The treatment with EPI at 40 mg/kg was more effective in adult worms when compared with doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg. The treatment with 40 mg/kg in adult worms reduced parasite burden significantly, lead to reduction in hepatosplenomegaly, reduced the egg burden in faeces, and decreased granuloma diameter. Scanning electron microscopy revealed morphological changes to the parasite tegument after treatment, including the loss of important features. Additionally, the in vivo treatment against juvenile with 40 mg/kg showed a reduction of the total worm burden of 50.2%. Histopathological studies were performed on liver, spleen, lung, kidney and brain and EPI was shown to have a DL50 of 8000 mg/kg. Therefore EPI shows potential to be used in schistosomiasis treatment. This is the first time that schistosomicidal in vivo activity of EPI has been reported.93Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) [PEst-C/EQB/LA0006/2011, PTDC/CTM-NAN/109877/2009]Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Faculdade de Ciencias de Guarulhos FACIG/UNIESPConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of Serbia [172008]Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CAPES [705/2009]CNPq [490585/2010-8]CNPq [40/2012, 404134/2012-2

CHARCOAL BRIQUETTES PRODUCED WITH RECYCLED COCONUT PITH

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo produzir briquetes com finos de carv\ue3o de res\uedduos de coco e avaliar a qualidade dos briquetes. Cascas de coco foram coletadas no APL de coco em Touros - RN. Ap\uf3s secagem ao ar livre por dois meses, as cascas foram carbonizadas em forno de alvenaria tipo \u201crabo quente JG\u201d e trituradas em moinho de martelo. O p\uf3 resultante foi peneirado, utilizando-se a fra\ue7\ue3o inferior a 40 mesh para produ\ue7\ue3o de briquetes em um delineamento inteiramente casualizado envolvendo 12 tratamentos (divididos em tr\ueas grupos) e tr\ueas repeti\ue7\uf5es. Como aglutinantes, foram empregados amido de milho e argila. Os tratamentos foram divididos em tr\ueas grupos, correspondendo cada grupo a uma propor\ue7\ue3o de argila, respectivamente 12, 15 e 18%, em rela\ue7\ue3o ao peso seco total do briquete. Em cada grupo, as propor\ue7\uf5es de amido foram de 6, 8, 10 e 12%. O p\uf3 de carv\ue3o foi misturado com a argila finamente triturada e a seguir foi adicionado o amido pr\ue9-gelatinizado em \ue1gua a 80\ub0C. A massa para cada tratamento foi misturada at\ue9 completa homogeneiza\ue7\ue3o, separando-se quantidades de 17 gramas de massa por repeti\ue7\ue3o. Os briquetes foram produzidos em briquetadeira de laborat\uf3rio, com press\ue3o de 1.500 psi e tempo de prensagem de quatro minutos. Foram avaliadas as seguintes propriedades dos briquetes: densidade aparente, poder calor\uedfico, composi\ue7\ue3o qu\uedmica imediata (umidade, teores de carbono fixo, mat\ue9rias vol\ue1teis e cinzas) e resist\ueancia \ue0 compress\ue3o. Os melhores tratamentos para fins comerciais foram os 12/12 e 12/15.The present work has the objective to produce briquettes by using fine charcoal from coconut wastes as raw material and evaluate the briquette quality. Coconut piths were collected at the city of Touros, in Rio Grande do Norte state. After a 2- month air drying, coconut pith was carbonized and hereafter ground in a hammer mill. The resulting charcoal powder was sieved and the fraction less than 40 mesh was used to produce briquettes according to an entirely randomized designed experiment involving 12 treatments and 3 replications. Starch and clay were employed as binders. The treatments were divided into 3 groups, each group corresponding to a proportion of clay, respectively 12, 15 and 18%, based on the total dry weight of the briquette. Within each group, the proportions of starch were 6, 8, 10 and 12%. The carbon powder was mixed with finely ground clay was added and then the pre-gelatinized starch in water at 80\ub0C. The mass for each treatment was mixed until homogeneous, separating quantities of 17grams of mass for each repetition. The briquettes were produced in a laboratory press (pressure of 1500psi and pressing time of 4 minutes). The briquettes were dried in an oven at 60\ub0C until constant weight. After drying, the properties of briquettes were evaluated: bulk density, high calorific value, immediate chemical composition (moisture content, fixed carbon, volatile matter and ash) and compressive strength. Best treatments for trading products were 12/12 e 12/15

Epiisopilosine alkaloid has activity against schistosoma mansoni in mice without acute toxicity

CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPSchistosomiasis is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Schistosoma, currently affecting more than 200 million people. Among the various species of this parasite that infect humans, S. mansoni is the most common. Pharmacological treatment is limited135119CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESPCONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP404134/2012-22014/02282-76, 2016/18023-5, 2016/22488-3The authors are grateful to Phytobios Pesquisa Desenvolvimento e Inovação LTDA.,company of the Centroflora Group, for its support during the realization of this research. SMA is grateful to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Anthelmintic Activity In Vivo of Epiisopiloturine against Juvenile and Adult Worms of Schistosoma mansoni

Schistosomiasis is a serious disease currently estimated to affect more that 207 million people worldwide. Due to the intensive use of praziquantel, there is increasing concern about the development of drug-resistant strains. Therefore, it is necessary to search for and investigate new potential schistosomicidal compounds. This work reports the in vivo effect of the alkaloid epiisopiloturine (EPI) against adults and juvenile worms of Schistosoma mansoni. EPI was first purified its thermal behavior and theoretical solubility parameters charaterised. In the experiment, mice were treated with EPI over the 21 days post-infection with the doses of 40 and 200 mg/kg, and 45 days post-infection with single doses of 40, 100 and 300 mg/kg. The treatment with EPI at 40 mg/kg was more effective in adult worms when compared with doses of 100 and 300 mg/kg. The treatment with 40 mg/kg in adult worms reduced parasite burden significantly, lead to reduction in hepatosplenomegaly, reduced the egg burden in faeces, and decreased granuloma diameter. Scanning electron microscopy revealed morphological changes to the parasite tegument after treatment, including the loss of important features. Additionally, the in vivo treatment against juvenile with 40 mg/kg showed a reduction of the total worm burden of 50.2%. Histopathological studies were performed on liver, spleen, lung, kidney and brain and EPI was shown to have a DL50 of 8000 mg/kg. Therefore EPI shows potential to be used in schistosomiasis treatment. This is the first time that schistosomicidal in vivo activity of EPI has been reported

ASSOCIATION EFFECT OF SUGAR CANE BAGASSE, TYPE AND LEVELS OF ADHESIVE ON PARTICLEBOARD PRODUCTION

Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da associa\ue7\ue3o de baga\ue7o de cana, tipo e teor de adesivo nas propriedades f\uedsico-mec\ue2nicas de pain\ue9is aglomerados com madeira de pinus spp. O delineamento experimental se constituiu de um esquema fatorial 3x2x3, sendo tr\ueas porcentagens de substitui\ue7\ue3o de madeira de pinus por baga\ue7o de cana - 25, 50 e 75%; dois tipos de adesivos - fenol-formalde\ueddo (FF) e ureia-formalde\ueddo (UF); e tr\ueas teores de adesivo - 6, 9 e 12%. O ciclo de prensagem utilizado foi de press\ue3o de 40 kgf/cm2, temperatura de 160\ub0C para UF e de 180\ub0C para FF, e por um tempo de 8 minutos. Mediante os resultados pode-se concluir que: 1) Para a porcentagem de associa\ue7\ue3o de baga\ue7o de cana, nas propriedades em que foi observado efeito significativo, a tend\ueancia foi de diminui\ue7\ue3o da qualidade dos pain\ue9is \ue0 medida que se aumenta a quantidade de associa\ue7\ue3o de baga\ue7o de cana; 2) O adesivo UF se mostrou estatisticamente igual ou superior a FF em todas as propriedades avaliadas; 3) Os teores de adesivo apresentaram efeito significativo para todas as propriedades analisadas, sendo que, com exce\ue7\ue3o da propriedade liga\ue7\ue3o interna, em todas as outras propriedades o teor de 12% foi estatisticamente superior a 6%, e ainda igual ou superior a 9%.This study aimed to evaluate the association effect of sugar cane bagasse, type and levels of adhesive in the physical-mechanical properties of particleboards with pinus spp. wood. The experimental design consisted of a 3x2x3 factorial scheme, with three percentages of substitution pine wood by sugar cane bagasse - 25, 50 and 75%; two types of adhesives - phenol-formaldehyde (PF) and urea-formaldehyde (UF); and three levels of adhesive - 6, 9 and 12%. The cycle of pressing used was 40kgf/cm2 pressure, temperature of 160\ub0C for UF and 180\ub0C for PF, and for a time of 8 minutes. From the results, it is concluded that: 1) For the percentage of sugar cane bagasse association, in the properties where significant effect was observed, the trend was decrease in panel quality as the amount of sugar cane bagasse increases; 2) The UF adhesive was statistically equal or greater than PF in all evaluated properties; 3) The levels of adhesive showed significant effects for all properties; Except for internal bond property, in all other properties the level of 12% was statistically superior to 6%, and equal or greater than 9%

EFFECT OF PROPERTIES CHEMICAL AND SIRINGIL/GUAIACIL RELATION WOOD CLONES OF EUCALYPTUS IN THE PRODUCTION OF CHARCOAL

O trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a influ\ueancia das propriedades qu\uedmicas (composi\ue7\ue3o elementar, teores de extrativos totais, lignina total e holocelulose) e rela\ue7\ue3o siringil/guaiacil, da madeira de diferentes materiais gen\ue9ticos de eucalipto na produ\ue7\ue3o de carv\ue3o vegetal. Utilizaram-se na pesquisa quatro clones h\uedbridos de Eucalyptus , aos 7 anos de idade, sendo 6 \ue1rvores por clone, totalizando 24 unidades amostrais. Houve diferen\ue7a significativa, a 5% de signific\ue2ncia, entre os tratamentos para a composi\ue7\ue3o elementar, teores de extrativos totais, lignina total e holocelulose e rela\ue7\ue3o siringil/guaiacil da madeira, como tamb\ue9m, para os rendimentos gravim\ue9tricos em carv\ue3o vegetal, em gases condens\ue1veis e em gases n\ue3o condens\ue1veis, teores de carbono fixo e de materiais vol\ue1teis e para o poder calor\uedfico superior do carv\ue3o vegetal. Para o teor de cinzas e densidade relativa aparente do carv\ue3o n\ue3o foram observadas diferen\ue7as significativas ao mesmo n\uedvel de signific\ue2ncia. Concluiu-se que existe variabilidade na qualidade da madeira dos quatro materiais gen\ue9ticos avaliados, tendo, os mesmos, correla\ue7\uf5es distintas, tanto no rendimento quanto na qualidade do carv\ue3o vegetal. Todos os materiais gen\ue9ticos apresentaram, de modo satisfat\uf3rio, rendimento gravim\ue9trico em carv\ue3o vegetal e qualidade. As madeiras dos clones com baixa rela\ue7\ue3o siringil/guaiacil apresentaram aumento no rendimento em carv\ue3o vegetal. A composi\ue7\ue3o qu\uedmica das madeiras dos quatro clones, de modo geral, n\ue3o apresentou correla\ue7\uf5es significativas, a 5% de signific\ue2ncia, no rendimento e qualidade do carv\ue3o.The objective of this study was to determine the influence of the chemical properties (elemental composition, levels of extractives, lignin total and holocellulose) and the syringyl/guaiacyl, wood of different Eucalyptus genetic materials in the production of charcoal. It was used in the study four hybrid clones, at age of 7 years, 6 trees per clone, totaling 24 sampling units. There was significant difference, at 5% significance, between treatments for elemental composition, levels of extractives, lignin total and holocellulose and the wood syringyl/guaiacyl, as well as for gravimetric yields in charcoal, condensable gases and non-condensable gases, levels of fixed carbon and volatiles, and for the higher calorific value of charcoal. For the ash content and relative apparent density of charcoal were not observed significant differences at the same level of significance. Concluded that there is variability in the wood quality of four evaluated genetic materials, having the same, distinct correlations, thus the yield and the quality of charcoal. All genetic material presented satisfactorily gravimetric yield in charcoal and quality. The woods of clones with low syringyl/guaiacyl ratio showed an increase in yield in charcoal. The chemical composition of woods from the four clones, in general, showed no significant correlations, the 5% significance level, at the yield and quality of charcoal