Universidade de Pernambuco

About: Universidade de Pernambuco is a education organization based out in Recife, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Medicine. The organization has 6147 authors who have published 6948 publications receiving 73648 citations.

Photodynamic Effects of Curcumin Against Cariogenic Pathogens

Abstract: Background data: The presence of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus acidophilus in dental structure is an indicator of a cariogenic biofilm. Photodynamic therapy is a technique that involves the activation of photosensitizers by light in the presence of oxygen, resulting in the production of reactive radicals capable of inducing cell death. Reduction of bacteria levels can provide additional means of preventing dental caries. Objective: The present study evaluated the susceptibility of planktonic cultures of S. mutans (ATCC 25175) and L. acidophilus (ATCC-IAL-523) from the Adolfo Lutz Institute (IAL) to photodynamic therapy after sensitization with curcumin and exposure to blue light at 450 nm. Methods: Bacterial suspensions of S. mutans and L. acidophilus isolated (as single species) and combined (multspecies) were prepared and then evaluated. Four different groups were analyzed: L-D- (control group), L-D+ (drug group), L+D- (light group), and L+D+ (photodynamic therapy group). Two different...

TGF-β activation by bone marrow-derived thrombospondin-1 causes Schistosoma- and hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Abstract: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an obstructive disease of the precapillary pulmonary arteries Schistosomiasis-associated PAH shares altered vascular TGF-β signalling with idiopathic, heritable and autoimmune-associated etiologies; moreover, TGF-β blockade can prevent experimental pulmonary hypertension (PH) in pre-clinical models TGF-β is regulated at the level of activation, but how TGF-β is activated in this disease is unknown Here we show TGF-β activation by thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is both required and sufficient for the development of PH in Schistosoma-exposed mice Following Schistosoma exposure, TSP-1 levels in the lung increase, via recruitment of circulating monocytes, while TSP-1 inhibition or knockout bone marrow prevents TGF-β activation and protects against PH development TSP-1 blockade also prevents the PH in a second model, chronic hypoxia Lastly, the plasma concentration of TSP-1 is significantly increased in subjects with scleroderma following PAH development Targeting TSP-1-dependent activation of TGF-β could thus be a therapeutic approach in TGF-β-dependent vascular diseases

Visceral leishmaniasis: clinical and epidemiological features of children in an endemic area

Abstract: OBJETIVO: Descrever as caracteristicas clinico-epidemiologicas, o tratamento e a letalidade das criancas internadas com leishmaniose visceral em um hospital pediatrico de referencia. METODOS: Analise retrospectiva dos dados biologicos, demograficos, clinicos e laboratoriais das criancas internadas no Instituto Materno-Infantil de Pernambuco, em Recife, no periodo compreendido entre 1996 e 2001. RESULTADOS: Foram incluidas 431 criancas, de 4 meses a 13,7 anos de idade, sendo que 50,3% eram do sexo feminino, e 82,5% eram do interior do estado de Pernambuco. Cerca de 70% dos domicilios eram de alvenaria, 70% nao dispunham de agua encanada ou sistema de esgoto sanitario, e o tempo medio de permanencia das maes na escola foi de 3 anos. Esplenomegalia e febre estavam presentes em 97% e 95,6% dos casos, respectivamente, e 44,5% dos pacientes eram subnutridos. Em 47 (10,9%) dos pacientes foi detectada infeccao na admissao. O nivel medio de hemoglobina foi de 6 g/dl, de leucocitos 3.516/mm3 e de plaquetas 118.641/mm3. O tratamento de escolha foi o glucantime (98% dos casos), e em sete pacientes, a anfotericina B foi utilizada. A letalidade foi de 10,2%, sendo que as principais causas imediatas de obito foram atribuidas a infeccoes associadas, hemorragias e insuficiencia hepatica. CONCLUSOES: Os autores destacam as caracteristicas clinicas, epidemiologicas e laboratoriais da leishmaniose visceral em area endemica, alem do diagnostico tardio e alta letalidade, sugerindo a capacitacao de profissionais de saude para o reconhecimento precoce e tratamento adequado da doenca e suas complicacoes.