Artemisia magellanica. Chemical Composition of the Essential Oil from an Unexplored Endemic Species of Patagonia

The essential oil composition of the aerial parts of Artemisia magellanica Sch. Bip . (Asteraceae), native to Patagonia, was analyzed by GC‐FID‐MS. This is the first report on the essential oil composition of A. magellanica. A total of 113 components were identified accounting for 95.6–95.7 % of the oil. The essential oil was characterized by a high percentage of γ‐costol (21.0–43.5 %), selina‐4,11‐diene, (Z)‐β‐ocimene, (E)‐β‐farnesene, (Z)‐en‐yn‐dicycloether and 23 different esters (28.7 %). In turn, Artemisia biennis, a species native to North America, which is considered by some authors to be conspecific with A. magellanica, yielded an essential oil that was rich in (Z)‐β‐ocimene (34.7 %), (E)‐β‐farnesene (40.0 %) and the acetylenes (Z)‐ and (E)‐en‐yn‐dicycloethers (11.0 %). Thus, as A. biennis lacks the three main components present in A. magellanica, namely γ‐costol, 2‐methylbutyl 2‐methylbutyrate and selina‐4,11‐diene, these compounds could be considered as potential chemical markers for A. magellanica since they are absent or only found as minor constituents in other members of the genus. The data presented herein is also useful for genus taxonomy.     

Oral Outbreak of Chagas Disease in Santa Catarina,Brazil: Experimental Evaluation of a Patient’s Strain

Chagas disease is a worldwide public health problem. Although the vectorial transmission of Chagas disease has been controlled in Brazil there are other ways of transmission, such as the ingestion of T. cruzi contaminated food, which ensures the continuation of this zoonosis. Here, we demonstrate the influence of the inoculation route on the establishment and development of the SC2005 T. cruzi strain infection in mice. Groups of Swiss mice were infected intragastrically (IG) or intraperitoneally (IP) with the T. cruzi SC2005 strain derived from an outbreak of oral Chagas disease. The results revealed that 100% of IP infected mice showed parasitemia, while just 36% of IG infected showed the presence of the parasite in blood. The parasitemia peaks were later and less intense in the IG infected mice. Mortality of the IP infected animals was more intense and earlier when compared to the IG infected mice. In the IP infected mice leucopenia occurred in the early infection followed by leucocytosis, correlating positively with the increase of the parasites. However, in the IG infected mice only an increase in monocytes was observed, which was positively correlated with the increase of the parasites. Histopathological analyses revealed a myotropic pattern of the SC2005 strain with the presence of inflammatory infiltrates and parasites in different organs of the animals infected by both routes as well as fibrosis foci and collagen redistribution. The flow cytometric analysis demonstrated a fluctuation of the T lymphocyte population in the blood, spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes of the infected animals. T. cruzi DNA associated with the presence of inflammatory infiltrates was detected by PCR in the esophagus, stomach and intestine of all infected mice. These findings are important for the understanding of the pathogenesis of T. cruzi infection by both inoculation routes.     

Patterns in Leptospira Shedding in Norway Rats (Rattus norvegicus) from Brazilian Slum Communities at High Risk of Disease Transmission

BackgroundWe address some critical but unknown parameters of individuals and populations of Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) that influence leptospiral infection, maintenance and spirochetal loads shed in urine, which contaminates the environment ultimately leading to human infection.Conclusions/SignificanceThese factors directly influence the risk of leptospiral acquisition among humans and provide essential epidemiological information linking properties of rat populations with risk of human infection.     

Catalase overexpression in aortic smooth muscle prevents pathological mechanical changes underlying abdominal aortic aneurysm formation

The causality of the associations between cellular and mechanical mechanisms of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation has not been completely defined. Because reactive oxygen species are established mediators of AAA growth and remodeling, our objective was to investigate oxidative stress-induced alterations in aortic biomechanics and microstructure during subclinical AAA development. We investigated the mechanisms of AAA in an angiotensin II (ANG II) infusion model of AAA in apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE(-/-)) mice that overexpress catalase in vascular smooth muscle cells (apoE(-/-)xTg(SMC-Cat)). At baseline, aortas from apoE(-/-)xTg(SMC-Cat) exhibited increased stiffness and the microstructure was characterized by 50% more collagen content and less elastin fragmentation. ANG II treatment for 7 days in apoE(-/-) mice altered the transmural distribution of suprarenal aortic circumferential strain (quantified by opening angle, which increased from 130 ± 1° at baseline to 198 ± 8° after 7 days of ANG II treatment) without obvious changes in the aortic microstructure. No differences in aortic mechanical behavior or suprarenal opening angle were observed in apoE(-/-)xTg(SMC-Cat) after 7 days of ANG II treatment. These data suggest that at the earliest stages of AAA development H(2)O(2) is functionally important and is involved in the control of local variations in remodeling across the vessel wall. They further suggest that reduced elastin integrity at baseline may predispose the abdominal aorta to aneurysmal mechanical remodeling.     

Adsorption of cysteine on hematite,magnetite and ferrihydrite: FT-IR,Mössbauer,EPR spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry studies

In the present paper, the adsorption of cysteine on hematite, magnetite and ferrihydrite was studied using FT-IR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. Cysteine was dissolved in artificial seawater (two different pHs) which contains the major constituents. There were two main findings described in this paper. First, after the cysteine adsorption, the FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry data showed the formation of cystine. Second, the Mössbauer spectroscopy did not show any increase in the amount of Fe²⁺ as expected due the oxidation of cysteine to cystine. An explanation could be that Fe²⁺ was oxidized by the oxygen present in the seawater or there occurred a reduction of cystine by Fe²⁺ generating cysteine and Fe³⁺. The specific surface area and pH at point of zero charge of the iron oxides were influenced by adsorption of cysteine. When compared to other iron oxides, ferrihydrite adsorbed significantly (p < 0.05) more cysteine. The pH has a significant (p < 0.05) effect only on cysteine adsorption on hematite. The FT-IR spectroscopy results showed that cystine remains adsorbed on the surface of the iron oxides even after being mixed with KCl and the amine and carboxylic groups are involved in this interaction. X-ray diffractometry showed no changes on iron oxides mineralogy and the following precipitated substances were found along with the iron oxides after drying the samples: cysteine, cystine and seawater salts. The EPR spectroscopy showed that cysteine interacts with iron oxides, changing the relative amounts of iron oxides and hydroxide.     

Adsorption of Adenine, Cytosine, Thymine, and Uracil on Sulfide-Modified Montmorillonite: FT-IR, M?ssbauer and EPR Spectroscopy and X-Ray Diffractometry Studies

In the present work the interactions of nucleic acid bases with and adsorption on clays were studied at two pHs (2.00, 7.00) using different techniques. As shown by Mössbauer and EPR spectroscopies and X-ray diffractometry, the most important finding of this work is that nucleic acid bases penetrate into the interlayer of the clays and oxidize Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺, thus, this interaction cannot be regarded as a simple physical adsorption. For the two pHs the order of the adsorption of nucleic acid bases on the clays was: adenine????cytosine?>?thymine?>?uracil. The adsorption of adenine and cytosine on clays increased with decreasing of the pH. For unaltered montmorillonite this result could be explained by electrostatic forces between adenine/cytosine positively charged and clay negatively charged. However for montmorillonite modified with Na₂S, probably van der Waals forces also play an important role since both adenine/cytosine and clay were positively charged. FT-IR spectra showed that the interaction between nucleic acid bases and clays was through NH⁺ or NH ₂ ⁺ groups. X-ray diffractograms showed that nucleic acid bases adsorbed on clays were distributed into the interlayer surface, edge sites and external surface functional groups (aluminol, silanol) EPR spectra showed that the intensity of the line g????2 increased probably because the oxidation of Fe²⁺ to Fe³⁺ by nucleic acid bases and intensity of the line g?=?4.1 increased due to the interaction of Fe³⁺ with nucleic acid bases. Mössbauer spectra showed a large decreased on the Fe²⁺ doublet area of the clays due to the reaction of nucleic acid bases with Fe²⁺.     

Butane-2,3-dionethiosemicarbazone: an oxime with antioxidant properties

Oximes are compounds generally used to reverse the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition caused by organophosphates (OPs). The aim of this study was to examine the capacity of the butane-2,3-dionethiosemicarbazone oxime to scavenge different forms of reactive species (RS) in vitro, as well as counteract their formation. The potential antioxidant and toxic activity of the oxime was assayed both in vitro and ex vivo. The obtained results indicate a significant hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), nitric oxide (NO) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity at 0.275, 0.5 and 5 μM of oxime, respectively (p ≤ 0.05). The oxime exhibited a powerful inhibitory effect on dihydroxybenzoate formation (25 μM) (p ≤ 0.05) and also decreased deoxyribose degradation induced by Fe²⁺ and via Fenton reaction (0.44 and 0.66 mM, respectively) (p ≤ 0.05). The oxime showed a significant inhibitory effect on σ-phenantroline reaction with Fe²⁺ (0.4 mM) suggesting a possible interaction between the oxime and iron. A significant decrease in the basal and pro-oxidant-induced lipid peroxidation in brain, liver, and kidney of mice was observed both in vitro and ex vivo (p ≤ 0.05). In addition, in our ex vivo experiments the oxime did not depict any significant changes in thiol levels of liver, kidney and brain as well as did not modify the δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (δ-ALA-D) activity in these tissues. Taken together our results indicate an in vitro and ex vivo antioxidant activity of the oxime possibly due to its scavenging activity toward different RS and a significant iron interaction.     

The mechanism of the photochromic transformation of spirorhodamines

We investigate the equilibrium, kinetics, and mechanism of the photochromic transformation of a series of amido spirorhodamine compounds-differing in the nature of the substituents of the amido group and in the rhodamine chromophore-in ethanol at room temperature in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid. A proton participates in the equilibrium between the spiro form and the open rhodamine form. The relaxation times in the dark or under continuous irradiation show a linear dependence on the proton concentration. The slopes of these plots show a linear free energy relation with the equilibrium constant of the transformation. A mechanism involving reversible reaction steps between four states: the two thermodynamically stable isomers, a protonated spiro form, and a deprotonated open form, can account for the kinetic observations in the dark and under irradiation.     

Intraperitoneal but not intravenous cryopreserved mesenchymal stromal cells home to the inflamed colon and ameliorate experimental colitis

Background and Aims

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) were shown to have immunomodulatory activity and have been applied for treating immune-mediated disorders. We compared the homing and therapeutic action of cryopreserved subcutaneous adipose tissue (AT-MSCs) and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) in rats with trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)–induced colitis.

Methods

After colonoscopic detection of inflammation AT-MSCs or BM-MSCs were injected intraperitoneally. Colonoscopic and histologic scores were obtained. Density of collagen fibres and apoptotic rates were evaluated. Cytokine levels were measured in supernatants of colon explants. For cell migration studies MSCs and skin fibroblasts were labelled with Tc-99m or CM-DiI and injected intraperitonealy or intravenously.

Results

Intraperitoneal injection of AT-MSCs or BM-MSCs reduced the endoscopic and histopathologic severity of colitis, the collagen deposition, and the epithelial apoptosis. Levels of TNF-α and interleukin-1β decreased, while VEGF and TGF-β did not change following cell-therapy. Scintigraphy showed that MSCs migrated towards the inflamed colon and the uptake increased from 0.5 to 24 h. Tc-99m-MSCs injected intravenously distributed into various organs, but not the colon. Cm-DiI-positive MSCs were detected throughout the colon wall 72 h after inoculation, predominantly in the submucosa and muscular layer of inflamed areas.

Conclusions

Intraperitoneally injected cryopreserved MSCs home to and engraft into the inflamed colon and ameliorate TNBS-colitis.