ABSTRACT
Soaps play an important role in our hygiene and health, as they not only have a bactericidal effect but also remove dirt from the human body. To evaluate the effectiveness of soaps with antimicrobial activity from different commercial brands sold in Brazil. Tests of the antimicrobial activity of different soaps were carried out through diffusion in agar against the microorganisms Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter cloacae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Proteus mirabilis, and Candida albicans. All commercial soaps tested transfer antimicrobial inhibition halo formation against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa bacteria. Only two commercial soaps inhibit the species A. baumannii and C. albicans. None of the seven products studied showed inhibition of E. cloacae, P. mirabilis, and E. coli bacteria. When comparing the information contained in the packaging of the products with the results obtained during a survey, divergences were observed. The soaps that provide greater efficiency against the tested microorganisms were presented in presentations 1 and 2, which become useful against the bacteria species S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and A. baumannii and a fungus species C. albicans. Marks 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 parallel the same sensitivity result opposite as bacteria of the species S. aureus and P. aeruginosa, with quantitative variation only of the inhibition halo. There was a divergence between the information contained in the packaging of the seven products under study and the results of the experimental tests.
Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents , Antifungal Agents , Agar/pharmacology , Anti-Bacterial Agents/pharmacology , Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Antifungal Agents/pharmacology , Bacteria , Escherichia coli , Humans , Microbial Sensitivity Tests , Soaps/pharmacology , Staphylococcus aureusABSTRACT
RESUMO: Introdução: O gênero Candida possui alta taxa de incidência no ser humano, sendo a espécie Candida albicans a mais isolada em infecções invasivas e superficiais. Porém, tem sido relatado um aumento considerável de espécies de Candidanão-albicans em infecções fúngicas. Os óleos essenciais, por serem voláteis, podem agir como sinais de comunicação química e arma de defesa. Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia, in vitro, dos óleos essenciais de Syzygium aromaticum e Eu-calyptus globulus na inibição do crescimento de espécies de Candida não-albicans. Métodos: Para avaliação da atividade antifúngica de S. aromaticum e de E. globulus e do efeito dos seus óleos essenciais sobre a micromorfologia das espécies Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis e Candida glabrata, foram empregadas, nesta ordem, a técnica de difusão em ágar e de microcultivo para leveduras. Resultados: Na técnica de difusão, o óleo essencial de S. aromaticum apresentou for-mação de halo de inibição para Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis e Candida glabrata. O óleo de E. globulus, por sua vez, não apresentou crescimento de halos de inibição em nenhuma das concentrações testadas frente às três espécies de Candida não-albicans. Todavia, com o microcultivo, ambos os óleos essenciais se provaram, in vitro, eficazes antimi-crobianos tendo apresentado estruturas indicativas de atividade antifúngica na maior concentração dos óleos e diferentes graus de destruição celular nas demais concentrações. Conclusão: Nas condições deste estudo, concluiu-se que os pro-dutos avaliados exerceram atividade antifúngica contra cepas de Candida não-albicans, destacando-se o óleo essencial de S. aromaticum que apresentou atividade antimicrobiana em ambas as metodologias. (AU)
ABSTRACT: Introduction: The genus Candida possesses a high incidence of infection in humans, with the Candida albicans species being the most isolated in invasive and superficial infections. However, a considerable increase in non-albicans Candidaspecies has been reported in fungal infections. Essential oils, for being volatile, can act as chemical communication sig-nals and defense mechanisms. Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness, in vitro, of the essential oils of Syzygium aromati-cum and Eucalyptus globulus in inhibiting the growth of non-albicans Candida species. Methods: To evaluate the antifun-gal activity of S. aromaticum and E. globulus and the effect of their essential oils on the micromorphology of the species Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis and Candida glabrata, in this order, the agar diffusion technique and microculture for yeasts. Results: In the diffusion technique, the essential oil of S. aromaticum presented an inhibition halo for Candida krusei, Candida parapsilosis, and Candida glabrata. E. globulus oil, on the other hand, did not show inhibition halo growth in any of the concentrations tested against the three non-albicans Candida species. However, in the microculture, both essential oils have proven to be effective antimicrobials having shown structures indicative of antifungal activity in the highest concentration and different degrees of cell destruction in the other concentrations. Conclusion: In the conditions of this study, it was concluded that the products evaluated exerted antifungal activity against non-albicans Candidastrains, highlighting the essential oil of S. aromaticum that showed antimicrobial activity in both methodologies. (AU)
Subject(s)
Candida , Syzygium , Candida glabrata , Defense Mechanisms , Eucalyptus , Mycoses , Antifungal AgentsABSTRACT
The conversion of adenosine to inosine is catalyzed by adenosine deaminase (ADA) (EC 3.5.4.4), which has two isoforms in humans (ADA1 and ADA2) and belongs to the zinc-dependent hydrolase family. ADA modulates lymphocyte function and differentiation, and regulates inflammatory and immune responses. This study investigated ADA activity in lymphocyte-rich peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the absence of disease. The viability of lymphocyte-rich PBMCs isolated from humans and kept in 0.9% saline solution at 4-8°C was analyzed over 20 h. The incubation time and biochemical properties of the enzyme, such as its Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) and maximum velocity (Vmax), were characterized through the liberation of ammonia from the adenosine substrate. Additionally, the presence of ADA protein on the lymphocyte surface was determined by flow cytometry using an anti-CD26 monoclonal human antibody, and the PBMCs showed long-term viability after 20 h. The ADA enzymatic activity was linear from 15 to 120 min of incubation, from 2.5 to 12.5 µg of protein, and pH 6.0 to 7.4. The Km and Vmax values were 0.103±0.051 mM and 0.025±0.001 nmol NH3·mg-1·s-1, respectively. Zinc and erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) inhibited enzymatic activity, and substrate preference was given to adenosine over 2'-deoxyadenosine and guanosine. The present study provides the biochemical characterization of ADA in human lymphocyte-rich PBMCs, and indicates the appropriate conditions for enzyme activity quantification.
Subject(s)
Adenosine Deaminase , Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 , Adenine , Humans , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , LymphocytesABSTRACT
The conversion of adenosine to inosine is catalyzed by adenosine deaminase (ADA) (EC 3.5.4.4), which has two isoforms in humans (ADA1 and ADA2) and belongs to the zinc-dependent hydrolase family. ADA modulates lymphocyte function and differentiation, and regulates inflammatory and immune responses. This study investigated ADA activity in lymphocyte-rich peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in the absence of disease. The viability of lymphocyte-rich PBMCs isolated from humans and kept in 0.9% saline solution at 4-8°C was analyzed over 20 h. The incubation time and biochemical properties of the enzyme, such as its Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) and maximum velocity (Vmax), were characterized through the liberation of ammonia from the adenosine substrate. Additionally, the presence of ADA protein on the lymphocyte surface was determined by flow cytometry using an anti-CD26 monoclonal human antibody, and the PBMCs showed long-term viability after 20 h. The ADA enzymatic activity was linear from 15 to 120 min of incubation, from 2.5 to 12.5 µg of protein, and pH 6.0 to 7.4. The Km and Vmax values were 0.103±0.051 mM and 0.025±0.001 nmol NH3·mg-1·s-1, respectively. Zinc and erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl) adenine (EHNA) inhibited enzymatic activity, and substrate preference was given to adenosine over 2′-deoxyadenosine and guanosine. The present study provides the biochemical characterization of ADA in human lymphocyte-rich PBMCs, and indicates the appropriate conditions for enzyme activity quantification.
Subject(s)
Humans , Adenosine Deaminase , Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 , Leukocytes, Mononuclear , Adenine , LymphocytesABSTRACT
Due to the doubts and questions about the inflammatory reaction caused by chemical castration, this study aimed to use infrared thermography to detect, evaluate and monitor the inflammatory reaction caused by the intratesticular injection of calcium chloride (CaCl2) 20% with lidocaine 1%. For this, thermographic measurements were taken before (M0), 10 minutes (M1), 1 and 6 hours (M2 and M3), for 7 consecutive days (M4 to M10), at 15 (M11), 30 (M12) and 60 (M13) days after intratesticular injection. Additionally, changes to testicular tissue and effects over spermatogenesis were evaluated by andrological exam before (M0) and 60 days (M13) after intratesticular injection. All cats were orchiectomized at M13, and testicles were submitted to histological analysis. CaCl2 (20%) with lidocaine (1%) administration produced testicular tissue damage and interfered with the spermatogenesis in 70% of treated cats without exacerbating the inflammatory reaction or impairing the cat's welfare. It was concluded that thermographic evaluation is a useful, efficient, easy and quick method to diagnose and monitor cat testicular inflammatory reactions.(AU)
Devido a constantes dúvidas e questionamentos sobre a reação inflamatória ocasionada pela castração química, este estudo objetivou o uso da termografia infravermelha para detectar, avaliar e monitorar a reação inflamatória causada pela injeção intratesticular de cloreto de cálcio (CaCl 2 ) 20% associada à lidocaína 1%. Para isso, medidas termográficas foram aferidas antes (M0), 10 minutos (M1), uma e seis horas (M2 e M3), por sete dias consecutivos (M4 a M10), aos 15 (M11), 30 (M12), e 60 (M13) dias após injeção intratesticular, nos grupos tratado e controle. Todos os gatos foram orquiectomizados no M13, e os testículos submetidos à análise histológica. A injeção CaCl 2 a 20% associada com lidocaína a 1% produziu lesão testicular e interferiu na espermatogênese de 70% dos gatos tratados, sem exacerbar a reação inflamatória ou prejudicar o bem-estar do animal. Foi concluído que a avaliação termográfica é uma ferramenta útil, eficiente, rápida e fácil para o diagnóstico e o monitoramento da reação inflamatória em gatos.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Cats , Castration/methods , Castration/veterinary , Semen Analysis/methods , Semen Analysis/veterinary , Calcium Chloride , Thermography/veterinary , LidocaineABSTRACT
Dinoponera quadriceps is a queenless neotropical ponerinae ant. Nest spacing and abundance were investigated in a remnant of the Atlantic forest in Northeast Brazil. Males were captured with a light trap between August 1994 and July 1996. Nest density varied from 15 to 40 ha(-1). An overdispersion of nests suggests that the intraspecific competition may be an important factor regulating their spatial arrangement. Territory size was correlated with worker population size of the colonies. The nests had up to 16 chambers, with variations in their architecture closely related to habitat diversification. Populations varied from 12 to 97 adult workers per nest, with a mean density of 1,618 workers ha(-1) and a live biomass of 461 g ha(-1) (n = 13 nests). Males swarm continually throughout almost all months of the year, suggesting that production and swarming are more influenced by mechanisms that regulate the sexual activity of workers than by climatic factors.
Subject(s)
Ants/physiology , Nesting Behavior/physiology , Animals , Brazil , Female , Housing, Animal , Male , Population Density , Population Dynamics , TreesABSTRACT
Dinoponera quadriceps é uma formiga ponerine sem rainha da região Neotropical. A distribuição espacial e a abundância de seus ninhos foram investigadas em um remanescente de Mata Atlântica do Nordeste brasileiro. Machos foram capturados com armadilha luminosa de agosto de 1994 a julho de 1996. A densidade de ninhos de D. quadriceps variou de 15 a 40 ha-1. A distribuição dos ninhos foi do tipo regular, sugerindo que a competição intra-específica representa um importante fator na determinação de seu arranjo espacial. O tamanho do território foi correlacionado com a população de operárias da colônia. Os ninhos encontram-se constituídos por até 16 câmaras, e sua arquitetura apresenta algumas variaçäes de acordo com o habitat. A população variou de 12 a 97 operárias adultas por ninho, correspondendo a uma densidade média de 1.618 operárias ha-1 e uma biomassa viva de 461 g ha-1 (n = 13 ninhos). Os machos foram capturados continuamente durante quase todos os meses do ano, sugerindo que a produção e a revoada são mais influenciadas pelos mecanismos que regulam a atividade sexual das operárias do que pelos elementos climáticos.
