Higher frequency of specific periodontopathogens in hypertensive patients. A pilot study

Abstract Periodontitis and arterial hypertension are two of the pathologies with the highest global prevalence; evidence reported so far has been favorable to an association between them. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate and compare the microbiological counts of hypertensive and normotensive patients with periodontitis. Sociodemographic, behavioral, systemic health data and periodontal clinical parameters were assessed. Counts of A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia, P. gingivalis and F. nucleatum were performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction using subgingival biofilm samples. Thirty-eight patients were included in this preliminary analysis, divided into two groups: Normotensive Group (NG) (n = 14) and Hypertensive Group (HG) (n = 24). Patients diagnosed with periodontitis composed both groups. Data analysis was performed with significance level of 5%. There was no significant difference between groups for clinical periodontitis diagnosis. In addition, hypertensive individuals had higher P. intermedia, P. gingivalis, and F. nucleatum counts when compared to normotensive individuals. The parameters probing pocket depth, bleeding on probing, and A. actinomycetemcomitans count did not presented statistical differences between groups. With these preliminary results, it can be concluded that the presence of arterial hypertension may be associated with a greater quantity of periodontopathogenic bacterial of some species in individuals with periodontitis.

Resumo A periodontite e a hipertensão arterial são duas das patologias com maior prevalência global, as evidências relatadas até o momento têm sido favoráveis ​​a uma associação entre elas. Este estudo transversal teve como objetivo avaliar e comparar contagem microbiológicas de pacientes hipertensos e normotensos com periodontite. Dados sociodemográficos, comportamentais, de saúde sistêmica e parâmetros clínicos periodontais foram avaliados. Contagens de A. actinomycetemcomitans, P. intermedia, P. gingivalis e F. nucleatum foram realizadas por reação em cadeia da polimerase em tempo real utilizando amostras de biofilme subgengival. Trinta e oito pacientes foram incluídos nesta análise preliminar, divididos em dois grupos: Grupo Normotenso (GN) (n = 14) e Grupo Hipertenso (GH) (n = 24). Pacientes diagnosticados com periodontite compuseram os dois grupos. A análise dos dados foi realizada com nível de significância de 5%. Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos para o diagnóstico clínico de periodontite. Além disso, os hipertensos apresentaram maior contagem de P. intermedia, P. gingivalis e F. nucleatum quando comparados aos normotensos. Os parâmetros profundidade de sondagem, sangramento à sondagem e contagem de A. actinomycetemcomitans não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas entre os grupos. Com esses resultados preliminares, pode-se concluir que a presença de hipertensão arterial pode estar associada a uma maior quantidade de bactérias periodontopatogênicas de algumas espécies em indivíduos com periodontite.

Nanoemulsions containing Cymbopogon flexuosus essential oil: Development, characterization, stability study and evaluation of antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities.

The increase of microbial resistance generates the search for new substances with antimicrobial potential. The essential oil of Cymbopogon flexuosus (Lemongrass) stands out in the literature for its antimicrobial, insecticide and antioxidant properties, but it has high volatilization and low stability, and the nanoencapsulation of this oil could be an alternative to overcome these limitations. Thus, the objective of this study was to develop, for the first time, nanoemulsions containing the essential oil of C. flexuosus, through a method that does not use organic solvent and with temperature control to avoid the volatilization of the oil, characterize and evaluate of stability and the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities of these nanoemulsions. Nanoemulsions presented adequate physicochemical characteristics (average size less than 200 nm, polydispersity index less than 0.3, negative zeta potential and acid pH) which were maintained during 90 days of storage, and the nanoencapsulation of the C. flexuosus oil enhanced its therapeutic efficacy against the microorganisms evaluated in this study compared to the free oil. These results are very promising because among the microorganisms that the nanoemulsion containing C. flexuosus was able to inhibit the formation of biofilm are the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, which were recently listed by the World Health Organization as priority pathogens for development of new antibiotics.

Physiological responses of Rhamdia quelen (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) to anesthesia with essential oils from two different chemotypes of Lippia alba

The aim of this study was to evaluate if Lippia alba has different chemotypes according to the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) considering collection site, and if the EO may have different effects on blood and plasma parameters in silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen, during and immediately after anesthesia. The citral (EO-C) and linalool (EO-L) chemotypes were identified, and both presented similar anesthetic effects for silver catfish. Fish were exposed to two concentrations of each EO, which induced slow and fast anesthesia (100 and 300 µL L-1, respectively). Blood ions did not change at any time of anesthesia induction and recovery and, therefore, the electrolyte balance was not altered. Blood gases oscillated through all exposure and recovery times, but there was an increase in pO2 after 10 min recovery in fish anesthetized with EO-C. Glucose increased in fish exposed to both EOs when compared with the control group. Overall, exposure to both EOs (except 100 µL L-1 EO-L at most times) reduced plasma cortisol levels compared to the control and/or ethanol groups. However, as plasma creatinine levels in fish anesthetized with EO-C were higher than control fish, the use of EO-L is preferable.(AU)

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar se Lippia alba apresenta diferentes quimiotipos de acordo com a composição química do óleo essencial (OE), considerando local de coleta e se o OE causa diferentes efeitos nos parâmetros sanguíneos e plasmáticos em jundiá, Rhamdia quelen, durante e imediatamente após a anestesia. Os quimiotipos citral (OE-C) e linalol (OE-L) foram identificados e ambos apresentaram efeito anestésico semelhante para jundiá. Os peixes foram expostos a duas concentrações de cada OE, que induziram anestesia lenta e rápida (100 e 300 mL L-1, respectivamente). Íons sanguíneos não se alteraram em nenhum tempo e consequentemente, o equilíbrio eletrolítico não foi alterado. Os gases sanguíneos oscilaram durante todo tempo de exposição e recuperação, mas houve aumento na pO2 após 10 min de recuperação em peixes anestesiados com OE-C. Níveis sanguíneos de glicose aumentaram nos peixes expostos a ambos OEs quando comparados com o grupo controle. De um modo geral, a exposição a ambos OEs (exceto 100 µL L-1 OE-L na maioria dos tempos) reduziu o cortisol plasmático comparado aos grupos controle e etanol. No entanto, como os níveis de creatinina plasmática em peixes anestesiados com OE-C foram maiores que nos peixes controle, é preferível o uso do OE-L.(AU)

Circulating Double-Stranded DNA in Plasma of Hemodialysis Patients and its Association with Iron Stores.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is characterized by oxidative stress, and most of the adverse effects of CKD are mediated by iron-catalyzed ROS generation. The DNA, in particular, is more susceptible to attack by ROS than other proteins and membrane lipids. Considering the evidence on the relationship between CKD, iron metabolism, and DNA damage, the purpose of this study was to evaluate cell-free DNA in the plasma of HD patients and its association with iron status biomarkers and kidney function. METHODS: Measurements of the circulating cell-free DNA in plasma, iron, ferritin, transferrin and other biochemical parameters were performed in 40 chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients and 40 healthy controls. Blood samples were also collected 1 hour before and 1 hour after the HD session to check whether a single HD session would be able to promote an increase in cell-free DNA in the plasma. RESULTS: Cell-free DNA in plasma was significantly increased in HD patients in comparison with healthy controls (p = 0.0017), and significant correlations were observed between cell-free DNA and GFR and ferritin. Our findings showed that a single HD session was not able to promote an increase in cell-free DNA. It was reported that increased ferritin levels and reduced GFR were associated with higher circulating cell-free DNA. CONCLUSIONS: The HD patients presented increased ceIl-free DNA. In addition, the increase of ferritin levels and the decrease of GFR were associated with DNA damage. We also observed that a single HD session was not able to promote an increase in cell-free DNA.

Avaliação da velocidade de hemossedimentação do analisadorautomático Microsed-System® em relação ao método de Westergrene correlação com os valores da proteína C-reativa (PCR) / Erythrosedimentation speed evaluation of automatic analyzer Microsed-System® compared to Westergren method and correlation with the C-reactive protein (CRP) values

O MicroSed-System® (Vital diagnóstico, Itália) é um analisador automático para a determinação da velocidade de hemossedimentação (VHS) que oferece coleta de sangue avácuo em tubos fechados de vidro, com leitura automatizada de ponto final, após 30 minutos. A dificuldade para aquisição dos tubos padronizados para o equipamento tem forçado muitos laboratórios a confeccionar seus próprios tubos, durante suas rotinaslaboratoriais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a utilização de tubos confeccionados no laboratório para o equipamento MicroSed-System®, com o método de Westergren preconizado pelo Conselho Internacional de Padronização em Hematologia-ICSH (1988). Paralelamente, foi realizada uma correlação dos valores da VHS de um grupo de pacientes com valores quantificados da proteína C-reativa (PCR). Foram coletadas 139 amostrasde pacientes ambulatoriais e internados no Hospital de Guarnição de Santa Maria (HGuSM, Brasil, RS), de ambos os sexos, com idade variando entre 18 e 78 anos. Cada amostra ensaiada para VHS foi analisada no equipamento MicroSed-System® e pelométodo de Westergren, após diluição com uma solução de citrato de sódio 0,129 M. Os resultados dos valores obtidos para a VHS, no equipamento MicroSed-System® e pelo método de Westergren, indicaram boa correlação entre os métodos com coeficiente decorrelação, segundo Pearson, igual a 0,984 (p<0,001). Para a comparação dos valores da VHS e PCR, foi observada uma menor correlação, sendo o coeficiente igual a 0,791(p<0,0001), segundo Pearson. Assim, pode-se concluir que os tubos para MicroSed-System® confeccionados no laboratório podem ser utilizados como um método alternativo na determinação da VHS. Comparando os resultados da PCR e VHS foi observadamenor correlação.

Phylogenetic characterization of bovine parainfluenza 3 from contaminated cell cultures and field isolates from Brazil

Genomic fragments of the HN and L genes from Brazilian bovine parainfluenza 3 virus (bPIV-3) isolated as contaminants from cell cultures and clinical specimens were amplified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), sequenced using specific degenerate primers and analyzed by phylogenetic comparison with reference strains of bPI3V. The Brazilian isolates revealed a high degree of genomic when compared to SF4/32 prototype strain, within the recently proposed genotype A of bPIV-3.

Evaluation of the immunogenicity and in vivo toxicity of the antimicrobial peptide P34.

Immunogenicity and toxicity of antimicrobial peptide P34 were evaluated in vivo. BALB/c mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with peptide P34 alone and associated with Freund's adjuvant. For acute toxicity testing, different concentrations of the peptide P34 (82.5, 165.0, 247.5 and 330.0mg/kg) were orally administered. To evaluate the sub-chronic toxicity the tested dose of 0.825 mg/kg/day of the peptide P34 or nisin were administered for 21 days. There were no hypersensitivity reactions or significant increase in antibody titer during the immunogenicity experiment or death of animals during the acute or sub-chronic toxicity tests. The LD(50) was higher than 332.3 ± 0.76 mg/kg. No significant changes in serum biochemical parameters were observed in the animals treated with the peptide P34 unlike nisin-treated group showed a significant increase in alanine transaminase levels in comparison to controls. The group treated with 0.825 mg/kg/day of nisin showed histological changes in the spleen, skin and liver. In the group treated with peptide P34 histological changes in the spleen were observed, with the presence of megakaryocytes. Few studies report the use of animal models to evaluate the in vivo toxicity of antimicrobial peptides and such investigation is an essential step to ensure it safe use in foods.

Índice de concordância entre dois diferentes observadores na revisão de esfregaços citológicos cérvico-vaginais anteriormente diagnosticados como ASC-US: utilização da técnica convencional de Papanicolau / Indices of concordance between two different observes in reviews of cervical/vaginal cytologic smears after diagnostics of ASC-US: utilization of the conventional Papanicolau test

Atualmente, os problemas encontrados no diagnóstico de células escamosas atípicas de significado indeterminado são devido à falta de uniformização dos critérios citológicos utilizados por diferentes observadores em diferentes laboratórios, gerando altas taxas de discrepância entre seus resultados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi revisar os critérios morfológicos para ASC-US e comparar os resultados encontrados por dois diferentes observadores em 45 esfregaços, previamente diagnosticados por dois farmacêuticos bioquímicos especialistas em citologia clínica. Foram revisados 45 esfregaços com ASC-US. Destes, 35 esfregaços tiveram o diagnóstico final conclusivo para ASC-US, confirmado pelos observadores (Índice de concordância de 77,8 por cento; três esfregaços foram considerados pelos observadores apenas, como processos inflamatórios inespecíficos (6,7 por cento).