Universidade Estadual de Londrina

About: Universidade Estadual de Londrina is a education organization based out in Londrina, Brazil. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 13052 authors who have published 19291 publications receiving 212123 citations.

Antileishmanial activity of diterpene acids in copaiba oil

Abstract: Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease. According to the World Health Organization, there are approximately 1.5-two million new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis each year worldwide. Chemotherapy against leishmaniasis is based on pentavalent antimonials, which were developed more than a century ago. The goals of this study were to investigate the antileishmanial activity of diterpene acids in copaiba oil, as well as some possible targets of their action against Leishmania amazonensis. Methyl copalate and agathic, hydroxycopalic, kaurenoic, pinifolic and polyaltic acids isolated from Copaifera officinales oleoresins were utilised. Ultrastructural changes and the specific organelle targets of diterpenes were investigated with electron microscopy and flow cytometry, respectively. All compounds had some level of activity against L. amazonensis. Hydroxycopalic acid and methyl copalate demonstrated the most activity against promastigotes and had 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 2.5 and 6.0 µg/mL, respectively. However, pinifolic and kaurenoic acid demonstrated the most activity against axenic amastigote and had IC50 values of 3.5 and 4.0 µg/mL, respectively. Agathic, kaurenoic and pinifolic acid caused significant increases in plasma membrane permeability and mitochondrial membrane depolarisation of the protozoan. In conclusion, copaiba oil and its diterpene acids should be explored for the development of new antileishmanial drugs.

rep-PCR fingerprinting and taxonomy based on the sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of 54 elite commercial rhizobial strains.

Abstract: In tropical soils, diversity and biotechnological potential of symbiotic diazotrophic bacteria are high. However, the phylogenetic relationships of prominent strains are still poorly understood. In addition, in countries such as Brazil, despite the broad use of rhizobial inoculants, molecular methods are rarely used in the analysis of strains or determination of inoculant performance. In this study, both rep-PCR (BOX) fingerprintings and the DNA sequences of the 16S rRNA gene were obtained for 54 rhizobial strains officially authorized for the production of commercial inoculants in Brazil. BOX-PCR has proven to be a reliable fingerprinting tool, reinforcing the suggestion of its applicability to track rhizobial strains in culture collections and for quality control of commercial inoculants. On the other hand, the method is not adequate for grouping or defining species or even genera. Nine strains differed in more than 1.03% (15) nucleotides of the 16S rRNA gene in relation to the closest type strain, strongly indicative of new species. Those strains were distributed across the genera Burkholderia, Rhizobium, and Bradyrhizobium.

Oxidative stress is associated with liver damage, inflammatory status, and corticosteroid therapy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Abstract: Oxidative stress exerts an important role on the pathophysiological mechanisms of systemiclupus erythematosus (SLE). This study investigated oxidative stress in patients with SLE andits correlation with disease activity, corticosteroid therapy, and liver function biomarkers. Thestudyincluded58patientswithSLEand105healthyvolunteers.Patientsshowedoxidativestressincrease evaluated by tert-butyl hydroperoxide-initiated chemiluminescence (CL-LOOH),advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), and nitric oxide metabolites. C-reactive protein(CRP) was associated with CL-LOOH and with AOPP. Aspartate aminotransferase correlatedsignificantly with CL-LOOH and with AOPP. Patients with disease activity showed an inversesignificantcorrelationofdailyprednisonedosesandCL-LOOHandadirectcorrelationwithtotalantioxidant capacity. Inconclusion, patients withSLE have persistentlipoperoxidationand pro-tein oxidation even with inactive disease or mild disease activity. The significant correlationbetween oxidative stress and CRP suggests that, despite clinical remission, the persistence of aninflammatory condition favors oxidative stress. Oxidative stress was associated with liverenzymes, and this relationship seems to support the hypothesis of drug-induced oxidative stresswith consequent liver injury. In relation to non-active disease, patients with active SLE did notpresent oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity changes, due to the antioxidant drugs used inSLE treatment, especially prednisone. Lupus (2011) 20, 1250–1259.Key words: corticosteroid therapy; liver function; oxidative stress; systemic lupuserythematosus

Virulence factors and clonal relationships among Escherichia coli strains isolated from broiler chickens with cellulitis.

Abstract: In this study, we compared Escherichia coli isolates from chickens with avian cellulitis with those from feces of healthy chickens. Cellulitis-derived strains presented phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of greater virulence than did the fecal isolates. Phylogenetic analysis by repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR showed that, in agreement with their virulence characteristics, the cellulitis isolates form two clonal groups distinct from the fecal isolates.