Effect of Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E. Brown Essential Oil on the Human Umbilical Artery.

Lippia alba is popularly known as lemon balm, with its essential oil (EO) cited for displaying antimicrobial, sedative, and vasorelaxant effects. Yet, its action on isolated human vessels has not been described in the literature. Thus, we evaluated the vasorelaxant effect of essential oil of L. alba (EOLa) on human umbilical arteries (HUA) isolated in organ baths. HUA rings were isolated, subjected to contractions induced by potassium chloride (KCl), serotonin (5-HT), or histamine (HIST) to record the isometric tension, and then treated with EOLa (30-1000 µg/mL). The EOLa showed a more prominent inhibitory effect on the pharmacomechanical coupling contraction via HIST with an EC50 value of 277.1 ± 8.5 µg/mL and maximum relaxant effect at 600 µg/mL. The addition of tetraethylammonium (TEA) or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) in HUA preparations did not inhibit EOLa total relaxant effect at 1000 µg/mL. In the presence of gliblenclamide (GLI), the oil relaxed the HUA rings by 90.8% at maximum concentration. The EOLa was also investigated for its effects on voltage-operated calcium channels (VOCCs), where the HUA preincubation with this oil at 1000 µg/mL inhibited BaCl2 (0.1-30 mM)-induced contractions. This study demonstrates for the first time that EOla has a vasorelaxant effect on HUA and its particular blockade of VOCCs.

Efficacy of the adjuvanted subunit protein COVID-19 vaccine, SCB-2019: a phase 2 and 3 multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: A range of safe and effective vaccines against SARS CoV 2 are needed to address the COVID 19 pandemic. We aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine SCB-2019. METHODS: This ongoing phase 2 and 3 double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was done in adults aged 18 years and older who were in good health or with a stable chronic health condition, at 31 sites in five countries (Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Philippines, and South Africa). The participants were randomly assigned 1:1 using a centralised internet randomisation system to receive two 0·5 mL intramuscular doses of SCB-2019 (30 µg, adjuvanted with 1·50 mg CpG-1018 and 0·75 mg alum) or placebo (0·9% sodium chloride for injection supplied in 10 mL ampoules) 21 days apart. All study staff and participants were masked, but vaccine administrators were not. Primary endpoints were vaccine efficacy, measured by RT-PCR-confirmed COVID-19 of any severity with onset from 14 days after the second dose in baseline SARS-CoV-2 seronegative participants (the per-protocol population), and the safety and solicited local and systemic adverse events in the phase 2 subset. This study is registered on EudraCT (2020-004272-17) and ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04672395). FINDINGS: 30 174 participants were enrolled from March 24, 2021, until the cutoff date of Aug 10, 2021, of whom 30 128 received their first assigned vaccine (n=15 064) or a placebo injection (n=15 064). The per-protocol population consisted of 12 355 baseline SARS-CoV-2-naive participants (6251 vaccinees and 6104 placebo recipients). Most exclusions (13 389 [44·4%]) were because of seropositivity at baseline. There were 207 confirmed per-protocol cases of COVID-19 at 14 days after the second dose, 52 vaccinees versus 155 placebo recipients, and an overall vaccine efficacy against any severity COVID-19 of 67·2% (95·72% CI 54·3-76·8), 83·7% (97·86% CI 55·9-95·4) against moderate-to-severe COVID-19, and 100% (97·86% CI 25·3-100·0) against severe COVID-19. All COVID-19 cases were due to virus variants; vaccine efficacy against any severity COVID-19 due to the three predominant variants was 78·7% (95% CI 57·3-90·4) for delta, 91·8% (44·9-99·8) for gamma, and 58·6% (13·3-81·5) for mu. No safety issues emerged in the follow-up period for the efficacy analysis (median of 82 days [IQR 63-103]). The vaccine elicited higher rates of mainly mild-to-moderate injection site pain than the placebo after the first (35·7% [287 of 803] vs 10·3% [81 of 786]) and second (26·9% [189 of 702] vs 7·4% [52 of 699]) doses, but the rates of other solicited local and systemic adverse events were similar between the groups. INTERPRETATION: Two doses of SCB-2019 vaccine plus CpG and alum provides notable protection against the entire severity spectrum of COVID-19 caused by circulating SAR-CoV-2 viruses, including the predominating delta variant. FUNDING: Clover Biopharmaceuticals and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

The role for intra-arterial chemotherapy for refractory retinoblastoma: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Intra-arterial chemotherapy is a new retinoblastoma treatment associated with high rates of globe salvage that has been widely adopted for primary treatment of retinoblastoma but is less frequently used as secondary treatment for refractory retinoblastoma. This systematic review aims to summarize the reported outcomes of intra-arterial chemotherapy for refractory retinoblastoma. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of studies published on PubMed, Medline, and Embase from 2011 to 2021 reporting globe salvage rates following intra-arterial chemotherapy for secondary treatment of refractory retinoblastoma. RESULTS: Our search yielded 316 studies, and 24 met inclusion criteria. The 24 included studies were comprised of 1366 patients and 1757 eyes. Among these, 1184 (67%) eyes received secondary indication treatment, and globe salvage was achieved for 776 of these 1184 eyes (64%). Sixteen studies reported cannulation success rates from 71.8 to 100%. Pooled analysis of subjects revealed 21 patients (2.6%) with metastatic disease and 26 deaths (3%) during study follow-up periods (7-74 months). The most common ocular complications were vitreous hemorrhage (13.2%), loss of eyelashes (12.7%), and periocular edema (10.5%). The most common systemic complications were nausea/vomiting (20.5%), neutropenia (14.1%), fever (8.2%), and bronchospasm (6.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Intra-arterial chemotherapy is associated with high rates of globe salvage and low rates of serious complications in patients with refractory retinoblastoma. Unfortunately, current literature is predominantly comprised of retrospective case studies, and further high-quality evidence is necessary to inform clinical practice.

Influence of seasonality on the aerosol microbiome of the Amazon rainforest.

The Amazon rainforest is the world's largest tropical forest, and this biome may be a significant contributor to primary biological aerosol (PBA) emissions on a global scale. These aerosols also play a pivotal role in modulating ecosystem dynamics, dispersing biological material over geographic barriers and influencing climate through radiation absorption, light scattering, or acting as cloud condensation nuclei. Despite their importance, there are limited studies investigating the effect of environmental variables on the bioaerosol composition in the Amazon rainforest. Here we present a 16S rRNA gene-based amplicon sequencing approach to investigate the bacterial microbiome in aerosols of the Amazon rainforest during distinct seasons and at different heights above the ground. Our data revealed that seasonal changes in temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation are the primary drivers of compositional changes in the Amazon rainforest aerosol microbiome. Interestingly, no significant differences were observed in the bacterial community composition of aerosols collected at ground and canopy levels. The core airborne bacterial families present in Amazon aerosol were Enterobacteriaceae, Beijerinckiaceae, Polyangiaceae, Bacillaceae and Ktedonobacteraceae. By correlating the bacterial taxa identified in the aerosol with literature data, we speculate that the phyllosphere may be one possible source of airborne bacteria in the Amazon rainforest. Results of this study indicate that the aerosol microbiota of the Amazon Rainforest are fairly diverse and principally impacted by seasonal changes in temperature and humidity.

Development of a comprehensive, sustained community mental health system in post-earthquake Haiti, 2010-2019.

Between 2010 and 2019 the international health care organization Partners In Health (PIH) and its sister organization Zanmi Lasante (ZL) mounted a long-term response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, focused on mental health. Over that time, implementing a Theory of Change developed in 2012, the organization successfully developed a comprehensive, sustained community mental health system in Haiti's Central Plateau and Artibonite departments, directly serving a catchment area of 1.5 million people through multiple diagnosis-specific care pathways. The resulting ZL mental health system delivered 28 184 patient visits and served 6305 discrete patients at ZL facilities between January 2016 and September 2019. The experience of developing a system of mental health services in Haiti that currently provides ongoing care to thousands of people serves as a case study in major challenges involved in global mental health delivery. The essential components of the effort to develop and sustain this community mental health system are summarized.

Water stress tolerance tracks environmental exposure and exhibits a fluctuating sexual dimorphism in a tropical liverwort.

Water shortage events negatively impact plant productivity, threaten ecosystem functioning, and are predicted to increase dramatically in the coming years. Consequently, building a detailed understanding of how plants respond to water stress is critical for improving predictions of ecological processes and species range shifts under climate change. Here, we characterized patterns of intraspecific variation in dehydration tolerance (DhT, also dehydration tolerant) across a variable landscape in the tropical plant, Marchantia inflexa. DhT enables tissues to survive substantial drying (below an absolute water content of - 10 MPa) and despite the ecological significance of DhT, many questions remain. We tested if DhT was correlated with an environmental exposure gradient, if male and female plants had contrasting DhT phenotypes, and if variation in DhT had a genetic component. To do so, we collected plants from five populations, spanning an environmental exposure gradient in the forests of northern Trinidad, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. We measured DhT immediately after collection, and after growing plants for ~ 1 year in a common garden. We found that DhT varied significantly among populations and tracked the characterized exposure gradient. Additionally, we showed that phenotypic differences among populations in DhT were maintained in the common garden, suggesting that underlying genetic differences contribute to DhT variability. Finally, we detected a fluctuating sexual dimorphism where males had lower DhT than females in less exposed sites, but not in more exposed sites. Interestingly, this fluctuating sexual dimorphism in DhT was driven primarily by male variation (females exhibited similar DhT across sites).

Nonsecretory intestinocystoplasty: postoperative outcomes of 25 years

ABSTRACT Objective The objective of bladder augmentation (BA) is to create a low-pressure reservoir with adequate capacity. Despite its benefits, the use of intestinal patches in bladder enlargement provides a high risk of developing complications and BA with demucosalised bowel represents a potential alternative. Therefore, this study evaluated urological parameters and long-term clinical follow-up of patients submitted to non-secretory BA in a single center with 25 years of experience. Materials and Methods Patients treated with BA underwent urological evaluation, which included history, physical examination and urodynamic study. The main urodynamic parameters (bladder capacity and bladder compliance) were assessed in the pre and postoperative moments, and compared by the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. The main long-term complications were described. Results 269 patients (mean age 14±13 years, 47% male) underwent BA with the use of demucolised intestinal segments. Among the patients in the sample, 187 (69.52%) had neurogenic bladder, 68 (25.28%) had bladder exstrophy, nine had tuberculosis (3.34%), four had a posterior urethral valve (1.49%) and one with hypospadia (0.37%). After the surgical procedure, a significant increment in both urodynamic parameters was found, with a 222% increase in bladder capacity and 604% in bladder compliance (p <0.001 in both analyzes). Mean follow-up time ranged from 2 to 358 months, with a median of 72 months (IQR 74-247). Among all patients, 5 presented spontaneous perforation. Conclusion The study showed statistically significant increase in both compliance and bladder capacity after non-secretory BA, with a low rate of severe complications.

Nonsecretory intestinocystoplasty: postoperative outcomes of 25 years.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of bladder augmentation (BA) is to create a low-pressure reservoir with adequate capacity. Despite its benefits, the use of intestinal patches in bladder enlargement provides a high risk of developing complications and BA with demucosalised bowel represents a potential alternative. Therefore, this study evaluated urological parameters and long-term clinical follow-up of patients submitted to nonsecretory BA in a single center with 25 years of experience. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients treated with BA underwent urological evaluation, which included history, physical examination and urodynamic study. The main urodynamic parameters (bladder capacity and bladder compliance) were assessed in the pre and postoperative moments, and compared by the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test. The main long-term complications were described. RESULTS: 269 patients (mean age 14±13 years, 47% male) underwent BA with the use of demucolised intestinal segments. Among the patients in the sample, 187 (69.52%) had neurogenic bladder, 68 (25.28%) had bladder exstrophy, nine had tuberculosis (3.34%), four had a posterior urethral valve (1.49%) and one with hypospadia (0.37%). After the surgical procedure, a significant increment in both urodynamic parameters was found, with a 222% increase in bladder capacity and 604% in bladder compliance (p < 0.001 in both analyzes). Mean follow-up time ranged from 2 to 358 months, with a median of 72 months (IQR 74-247). Among all patients, 5 presented spontaneous perforation. CONCLUSION: The study showed statistically signifi cant increase in both compliance and bladder capacity after non-secretory BA, with a low rate of severe complications.

Uncovering prokaryotic biodiversity within aerosols of the pristine Amazon forest.

Biological aerosols (bioaerosol) are atmospheric particles that act as a dispersion unit of living organisms across the globe thereby affecting the biogeographic distribution of organisms. Despite their importance, there is virtually no knowledge about bioaerosols emitted by pristine forests. Here we provide the very first survey of the prokaryotic community of a bioaerosol collected inside pristine Amazon forest at 2 m above ground. Total atmospheric particles were collected at the Amazon Tall Tower Observatory, subjected to metagenomic DNA extraction and the prokaryotic diversity was determined by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. A total of 271,577 reads of 250 bp of the 16S rRNA gene amplicon were obtained. Only 27% of the reads could be classified using the 16S SILVA database. Most belonged to Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes which is in good agreement with other bioaerosol studies. Further inspection of the reads using Blast searches and the 18S SILVA database revealed that most of the dataset was composed of Fungi sequences. The identified microbes suggest that the atmosphere may act as an important gateway to interchange bacteria between plants, soil and water ecosystems.

Effect of seasonality on chemical profile and antifungal activity of essential oil isolated from leaves Psidium salutare (Kunth) O. Berg.

Medicinal plants play a crucial role in the search for components that are capable of neutralizing the multiple mechanisms of fungal resistance. Psidium salutare (Kunth) O. Berg is a plant native to Brazil used as both food and traditional medicine to treat diseases and symptoms such as stomach ache and diarrhea, whose symptoms could be related to fungal infections from the genus Candida. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of seasonal variability on the chemical composition of the Psidium salutare essential oil, its antifungal potential and its effect on the Candida albicans morphogenesis. The essential oils were collected in three different seasonal collection periods and isolated by the hydrodistillation process in a modified Clevenger apparatus with identification of the chemical composition determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The antifungal assays were performed against Candida strains through the broth microdilution method to determine the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC). Fungal growth was assessed by optical density reading and the Candida albicans dimorphic effect was evaluated by optical microscopy in microculture chambers. The chemical profile of the essential oils identified 40 substances in the different collection periods with γ-terpinene being the predominant constituent. The antifungal activity revealed an action against the C. albicans, C. krusei and C. tropicalis strains with an IC50 ranging from 345.5 to 2,754.2 µg/mL and a MFC higher than 1,024 µg/mL. When combined with essential oils at sub-inhibitory concentrations (MIC/16), fluconazole had its potentiated effect, i.e. a synergistic effect was observed in the combination of fluconazole with P.salutare oil against all Candida strains; however, for C. albicans, its effect was reinforced by the natural product in all the collection periods. The results show that the Psidium salutare oil affected the dimorphic transition capacity, significantly reducing the formation of hyphae and pseudohyphae in increasing concentrations. The results show that P. salutare oil exhibits a significant antifungal activity against three Candida species and that it can act in synergy with fluconazole. These results support the notion that this plant may have a potential use in pharmaceutical and preservative products.

Influence of ancient anthropogenic activities on the mangrove soil microbiome.

Mangroves are highly productive ecosystems located at the transition between the terrestrial and marine environments. Mangroves play an important role in carbon storage, nutrient cycling and support for the marine food web. Mangrove soils are formed by fine particles rich in organic carbon and are subject to constant fluctuations in oxygen, salinity and nutrient availability due to fresh water flux and tidal variations. Microbes play an important role in nutrient cycling in mangrove soils; however, studies on the mangrove soil microbiome are scarce. Here we compare the microbiome of pristine mangrove soil located in an environmentally protected area in Guaratuba, Southern Brazil, with the microbiome of mangrove soil affected by the presence of carbonaceaous debris eroding from an archeological site known as Sambaqui. We show that although the Sambaqui site has a major effect on soil chemistry, increasing the soil pH by 2.6 units, only minor changes in the soil microbiome were detected indicating resilience of the microbial community to pH variations. The high alpha diversity indexes and predicted metabolic potential suggest that the mangrove soil microbiome not only provides important ecological services but also may host a broad range of microbes and genes of biotechnological interest.

Childhood osteosarcoma: Incidence and survival in Argentina. Report from the National Pediatric Cancer Registry, ROHA Network 2000-2013.

BACKGROUND: Differences in incidence and survival in osteosarcoma reports are considerable worldwide. PURPOSE: This study describes the incidence and survival of patients with osteosarcoma in Argentina with data from the National Pediatric Cancer Registry (ROHA), and the impact of age, gender, stage, regional, and socioeconomic indicators on outcome. METHODS: Pediatric patients with osteosarcoma reported to ROHA from 2000 through 2013 were analyzed, the annual age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) was calculated using the National Vital Statistics, and survival was estimated. The extended human development index (EHDI) for each reporting region was used as an indicator of socioeconomic status. RESULTS: There were 515 cases of osteosarcoma identified, yielding an ASR of 3.2/1,000,000 children (0-14 years old). The ASR did not vary significantly by year of diagnosis but ranged from 4.0/1,000,000 in the Cuyo/Western Central region to 2.7/1,000,000 in the northeast region (P < 0.000). The estimated 5-year survival rate was 45% (95% confidence interval [CI] 44-51%), with no difference by sex, diagnosis year, region, or EHDI score (P > 0.1 in all cases). Survival rate for localized disease was 52% (95% CI 45-57%) and for metastatic 22% (95% CI 15-30%). CONCLUSIONS: In Argentina, ASR of osteosarcoma is similar to that in high-income countries, but survival is lower in all regions. Future work will focus on identification and reduction of causes of preventable treatment failure.

Physico-chemical characterization and antibacterial activity of inclusion complexes of Hyptis martiusii Benth essential oil in ß-cyclodextrin.

Cyclodextrins (CDs) have been used as important pharmaceutical excipients for improve the physicochemical properties of the drugs of low solubility as the essential oil of Hyptis martiusii. This oil is important therapeutically, but the low solubility and bioavailability compromises your use. Therein, the aim of this study was to obtain and to characterize physico-chemically the samples obtained by physical mixture (PM), paste complexation (PC) and slurry complexation (SC) of the essential oil Hyptis martiusii (EOHM) in ß-CD, and to compare the antibacterial and modulatory-antibiotic activity of products obtained and oil free. The physicochemical characterization was performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry/derivative thermogravimetry (TG/DTG), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Karl Fischer titration. Additionally, the antibacterial tests were performed by microdilution technique. Thus, it was observed that the PM method showed low complexing capacity, unlike PC and SC in which it was observed the formation of inclusion complexes. In addition, the second stage of the TG/DTG curves showed that SC was the best method inclusion with mass loss of 6.9% over the PC that was 6.0%. The XRD results corroborate with the results above suggesting the formation of new solid phase and the SEM photomicrographs showed the porous surface of the samples PC and SC. The essential oil alone demonstrated an antibacterial and modulatory effect against the S. aureus and the Gram negative strain, respectively. However, the ß-CD and the inclusion complex did not demonstrate any biological activity in the performed antibacterial assays.

Physical Activity in Puerto Rican Breast Cancer Survivors.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer survivors do not engage in appropriate levels of physical activity, despite the known benefits of such activity. This study aims to describe physical-activity levels and the barriers to it in a group of Puerto Rican breast cancer survivors, as well as detailing their preferences for an intervention. METHODS: Participants who finished their chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy for breast cancer at least 4 months prior to the study were included. Demographic, anthropometric, and clinical data were obtained. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) and questionnaires on exercise self-efficacy, barriers to self-efficacy, modeling, and social support were filled out by study participants. Data on access to exercise equipment and preferences regarding a physical-activity intervention were collected. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: Fifty breast cancer survivors were recruited. Almost all the participants reported that they did not engage in any kind of strenuous physical activity (94%), with more than three fourths (76%) reporting that they did not even participate in any kind of moderate physical activity. The GLTEQ score was associated with barriers to selfefficacy, while the association with exercise self-efficacy approached significance (p = 0.055). Nearly half of the patients (44%) had access to exercise equipment. Preferred methods for the delivery of physical-activity interventions were participating in group settings (72%) and receiving material in the postal mail (44%). CONCLUSION: The study described herein reports on the low levels of physical activity being practiced by a group of Puerto Rican breast cancer survivors, despite the fact that many of them had access to exercise equipment and facilities. Further studies aimed at understanding breast cancer survivors' barriers to physical activity and at developing culturally competent interventions to increase the levels of such activity are warranted.

Molecular adaptations of Herbaspirillum seropedicae during colonization of the maize rhizosphere.

Molecular mechanisms of plant recognition and colonization by diazotrophic bacteria are barely understood. Herbaspirillum seropedicae is a Betaproteobacterium capable of colonizing epiphytically and endophytically commercial grasses, to promote plant growth. In this study, we utilized RNA-seq to compare the transcriptional profiles of planktonic and maize root-attached H. seropedicae SmR1 recovered 1 and 3 days after inoculation. The results indicated that nitrogen metabolism was strongly activated in the rhizosphere and polyhydroxybutyrate storage was mobilized in order to assist the survival of H. seropedicae during the early stages of colonization. Epiphytic cells showed altered transcription levels of several genes associated with polysaccharide biosynthesis, peptidoglycan turnover and outer membrane protein biosynthesis, suggesting reorganization of cell wall envelope components. Specific methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins and two-component systems were differentially expressed between populations over time, suggesting deployment of an extensive bacterial sensory system for adaptation to the plant environment. An insertion mutation inactivating a methyl-accepting chemosensor induced in planktonic bacteria, decreased chemotaxis towards the plant and attachment to roots. In summary, analysis of mutant strains combined with transcript profiling revealed several molecular adaptations that enable H. seropedicae to sense the plant environment, attach to the root surface and survive during the early stages of maize colonization.

Complete Genome Sequence of Herbaspirillum hiltneri N3 (DSM 17495), Isolated from Surface-Sterilized Wheat Roots.

We report the complete genome sequence of Herbaspirillum hiltneri N3 (DSM 17495), a member of the genus Herbaspirillum of the Betaproteobacteria. The genome is contained in a single chromosome, and analysis revealed that N3 lacks the whole nitrogen fixation (nif) gene cluster, confirming its inability to fix nitrogen.

Comparing determinants of physical activity in Puerto Rican, Mexican-American, and non-Hispanic white breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: Physical activity (PA) has a myriad of benefits for breast cancer survivors, including a reduced risk of cancer recurrence. Latinas are less physically active than are women in the general population and little is known about Latina breast cancer survivors' levels of PA or their beliefs related to PA. We conducted a survey of 50 Puerto Rican (PR), 50 Mexican-American (MA) and 50 non-Hispanic white (NHW) breast cancer survivors to investigate similarities and differences in PA and social cognitive theory (SCT) constructs associated with PA. METHODS: We collected information on current PA using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ); comorbidities; anthropometric measures of body mass index [BMI (kg/m(2))] and waist-to-hip (W:H) ratio; and SCT measures, including exercise self-efficacy, exercise barriers self-efficacy, modeling and social support from friends and family. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance of differences between groups and regression models of the predictors of PA were performed. RESULTS: Survivors from the three groups were similar in age (M = 56.8, SD = 11.0), BMI (M = 29.0, SD = 5.7) and co-morbidity (M = 2.09, SD = 1.69). Survivors differed in PA (p < 0.001), self-efficacy (p = 0.05), modeling (p = 0.03) and social support from family (p = 0.05). Social support from family member and exercise barriers self-efficacy were predictors of PA. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent with published studies, Hispanic breast cancer survivors self-report that they are less physically active than are non-Hispanic whites. SCT variables associated with PA differ among Hispanic subgroups and non-Hispanic whites. Further research is warranted in order to understand determinants of physical activity for specific ethnic breast cancer survivors.

Genome wide transcriptional profiling of Herbaspirillum seropedicae SmR1 grown in the presence of naringenin.

Herbaspirillum seropedicae is a diazotrophic bacterium which associates endophytically with economically important gramineae. Flavonoids such as naringenin have been shown to have an effect on the interaction between H. seropedicae and its host plants. We used a high-throughput sequencing based method (RNA-Seq) to access the influence of naringenin on the whole transcriptome profile of H. seropedicae. Three hundred and four genes were downregulated and seventy seven were upregulated by naringenin. Data analysis revealed that genes related to bacterial flagella biosynthesis, chemotaxis and biosynthesis of peptidoglycan were repressed by naringenin. Moreover, genes involved in aromatic metabolism and multidrug transport efllux were actived.

Biodegradable microparticles containing crotamine isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus display antileishmanial activity in vitro.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To evaluate antileishmanial activity of crotamine, a toxin isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus, in solution form and encapsulated in biodegradable microparticles in vitro. METHODS: Particles were analyzed on-chip by surface plasmon resonance and characterized by testing their diameters, zeta potential and encapsulation rate. The viability of promastigotes as well as murine macrophages was assessed. Furthermore, the phagocytic index was determined for macrophages, and cell supernatants were collected for the determination of TNF-α levels. An infection assay using Leishmania amazonensis-infected macrophages was also conducted. RESULTS: The diameters and zeta potential of control particles (1.35 µm; -12.3 mV) and of those containing crotamine (3.09 µm; -20.9 mV) were adequate for the assays conducted. Crotamine-loaded particles were better captured by macrophages than control particles (increase of 12% in the phagocytic index), leading to increased TNF-α levels (196 pg/ml), and they also induced a significant decrease in the numbers of amastigotes compared to infected macrophages only. CONCLUSION: The approach presented here opens the possibility of working with safe concentrations of encapsulated toxins to reach antileishmanial effects.