62 research outputs found
Antioxidant, antibacterial, and antileishmanial potential of Micromeria nervosa extracts and molecular mechanism of action of the bioactive compound
No full textAims: This study aimed to determine the antibacterial and antileishmanial potential of Micromeria nervosa extracts. The identification of the
antileishmanial compound and the study of its molecular mechanism of action have also been undertaken.
Methods and results: Ethanol extract showed high polyphenol content and diethyl ether extract exhibited high DPPH scavenging and low
beta-carotene bleaching activity (IC50 = 13.04 ± 0.99 and 200.18 ± 3.32 μg mL−1 , respectively). However, diethyl ether extract displayed high
antibacterial activity against Gram-positive strains including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MIC = 31.25 μg mL−1 ), Staph. aureus
ATCC6538 (MIC = 62.5 μg mL−1 ), and Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115 (MIC = 125 μg mL−1 ), as well as high antileishmanial activity against
the promastigote forms of L. infantum and L. major (IC50 = 11.45 and 14.53 μg mL−1 , respectively). The active compound was purified using
bioassay-guided fractionation and thin layer chromatography, and identified as ursolic acid using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled
with a photodiode array and mass spectrometry. The purified compound was strongly inhibitory against the promastigote and amastigote forms
of L. infantum and L. major (IC50 = 5.87 and 6.95 μg mL−1 versus 9.56 and 10. 68 μg mL−1 , respectively) without overt cytotoxicity against
Raw 264.7 macrophage cells (SI = 13.53 and 11.43, respectively). The commercial compound (ursolic acid) showed similar activity against
amastigotes and promastigotes forms of L. infantum and L. major. Moreover, its molecular mode of action against leishmaniasis seems to
involve the expression of the ODC and SPS genes involved in thiol pathway.
Conclusion: Extracts of M. nervosa can be considered as a potential alternative to antimicrobial and antileishmanial drugs
Towards the use of Cupressus sempervirens L. organic extracts as a source of antioxidant, antibacterial and antileishmanial biomolecules
No full textCupressus sempervirens L. is largely used in traditional medicine as an antimicrobial agent. The present study investigated the antioxidant, antibacterial and antileishmanial activities of C. sempervirens organic extracts at different phenological stages. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazylradical) scavenging assay, ferric reducing power and total antioxidant capacity. The antibacterial activity was evaluated against five clinical strains by disk diffusion method and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC). The antileishmanial activity was determined against promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania (L.) infantum and L. major. Results of antioxidant activity showed that methanolic extract from vegetative stage had the most important activity. The ethyl acetate extract of C. sempervirens from flowering stage was the most active against Bacillus cereus (ATCC 14579) and Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923) with MIC of 100 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL, respectively. Interestingly, this extract exhibited high antileishmanial activity against promastigote form of L. infantum and L. major (IC50 = 1.47 and 2.8 μg/mL, respectively) and amastigote form (IC50 = 3.61 and 5.42 μg/mL, respectively). Furthermore, ethyl acetate extract showed low cytotoxicity on macrophage cells Raw264.7 with selectivity index of 34.15 and 17.93 for L. infantum and L. major, respectively. The identification by HPLC and HPLC-MSn of active extracts of C. sempervirens revealed that major compounds of methanolic extract from vegetative stage and ethyl acetate extract from flowering stage were cupressuflavone and amentoflavone. Based on these results, C. sempervirens extracts could be used as an alternative to chemical drugs for the treatment of oxidative stress and infectious diseases
Historical Rym-O-Grams
No full text"The author has attempted to tell the principal stories of the Pacific Northwest in simple verse to attract children.
Synergistic Antileishmanial Activity of Erythrodiol, Uvaol, and Oleanolic Acid Isolated from Olive Leaves of cv. Chemlali
No full textThis is an accepted version of the following published document: Lafi O, Essid R, Lachaud L, et al (2023) Synergistic antileishmanial activity of erythrodiol, uvaol, and oleanolic acid isolated from olive leaves of cv. Chemlali. 3 Biotech 13:395. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-023-03825-3.
This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13205-023-03825-3.[Abstract] This study aimed to assess the antileishmanial activity of biomolecules obtained from Olea europaea L. leaves and twigs recovered from eight Tunisian cultivars. The extraction was first carried out with 80% methanol, and then the obtained extract was fractionated using three solvents of increasing polarity: cyclohexane (CHX), dichloromethane (DCM) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc). The antileishmanial activity was determined against leishmanial strains responsible for cutaneous, visceral, and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. The cyclohexane fraction of the leaves of cv. Chemlali from the region of Sidi-Bouzid exhibited the strongest leishmanicidal activity against all the tested leishmanial strains. The inhibition concentrations (IC50) were 16.5, 14.5, and 7.4 μg mL−1 for Leishmania mexicana (cutaneous), Leishmania braziliensis (mucocutaneous), and Leishmania donovani (visceral), respectively. Interestingly, low cytotoxicity was observed on THP-1 cells with selective indexes (SI) ranging from 22.8 to 50.5. HPLC-HRMS and full-house NMR analysis allowed the identification of three triterpenic compounds, oleanolic acid (IC50 = 64.1 μg mL−1), erythrodiol (IC50 = 52.0 µg mL−1), and uvaol (IC50 = 53.8 μg mL−1). Antileishmanial activity of uvaol and oleanolic acid has been previously reported. However, this work constitutes the first report of the antileishmanial activity of erythrodiol which showed combinatorial interaction with uvaol (IC50 = 26.1 μg mL−1) against Leishmania tropica. The mixture of the three compounds, as major ones, exhibited an enhanced activity against Leishmania tropica (IC50 = 16.3 µg mL−1) compared to erythrodiol alone or the combination of uvaol and erythrodiol. This finding is of great importance and needs further investigation.The research leading to this paper was funded by the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Educatio
Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection among horses in Tunisia
No full textAbstract
Background
The present study was conducted to investigate the serological survey of Toxoplasma antibodies in local.horses from three major regions: a neighbourhood of a city in the North (Sidi Thabet), a neighbourhood of a city on the coast (Monastir) and a neighbourhood of a city in the middle (Battan) of Tunisia (North of Africa).
Methods
A total of 158 serum samples were obtained from clinically healthy horses which consisted of 111 (32 female, 79 male) 2-10 years old and 47 (11 female, 36 male) older than 10 years. All of the horses were tested for antibodies to T. gondii using the Modified Agglutination Test (MAT).
Results
According to MAT results, antibodies to T. gondii were found in 28 (17.7%) of 158 sera with the titers of 1:20 in 20 horses, 1:40 in 1 horse, 1:80 in 2 horses, 1:160 in 2 horses, 1:320 in 1 horse and ≥1:640 in 2 horses. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were found in 18 (16.2%) of 111 horses (2-10 years old) and 10 (21.2%) of 47 horses (older than 10 years old). Six (13.9%) out of 43 female had anti-toxoplasma antibodies and 22 (19.1%) from 115 males remained positive.
Conclusion
Statistically significant differences in age groups and genders were observed between the seropositive and seronegative horses using the Chi square X(2) test. Other statistical correlation was also reported concerning horse breed.
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Genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium isolates from human populations in an urban area of Northern Tunisia.
No full textInternational audienceCryptosporidium is an enteric parasite infecting a wide range of hosts. It has emerged as an important cause of chronic life-threatening diarrhea in humans worldwide. Several subtypes of Cryptosporidium sp. have been described to be responsible for several large outbreaks related to water contamination in developed countries. However, there is a lack of information in the genetic diversity of Cryptosporidium among human population especially in developing countries. The present study aimed to update and report the genetic diversity of human Cryptosporidium spp. at the subtype level in an urban area of Tunisia using the 18S rRNA and gp60 gene. Genotyping of 42 Cryptosporidium positive isolates from different human populations at the 18S rRNA locus has identified three Cryptosporidium species: C. hominis (n = 20), C. parvum (n = 19), C. meleagridis (n = 2) and a co-infection C. hominis/C. meleagridis (n = 1). The sub-genotyping of these isolates at the 60-kda glycoprotein (gp60) locus was possible in 40 cases. It showed the presence of three subtype families (IIa, IIb and IIc) within C. parvum, a single subtype family within C. hominis and C. meleagridis isolates (Ia and IIIb respectively). Several subtypes were implicated in different human populations with the dominance of IaA26G1R1, IIaA15G2R1, IIdA16G1R1, IIdA22G2R1 and IIIbA26G1R1 variant respectively for C. hominis, C. parvum and C. meleagridis. The distribution of Cryptosporidium isolates in urban area of Northern Tunisia was dominated by the anthroponotic transmission via C. hominis species and the IIc subtype of C. parvum. However, zoonotic transmission is still possible in this region via zoonotic subtypes of C. parvum (IIa and IId) and C. meleagridis (IIIb). Subtype diversity was higher in this area
Edukacja/Migracja, czyli zamierzony rym
No full textThe article aims at presenting a critical review of the book Edukacja. Migracja. Edukacja międzykulturowa w kontekście kryzysu migracyjnego z perspektywy krajów V4 [Education. Migration. Intercultural education in a context of migration crisis regarded from V4 countries perspective] edited by Emilia Kledzik and Małgorzata Parczyk and devoted to the issue of intercultural education. The review author tries to define the source of such reflection. She argues that John Dewey’s concept of education presented in his work Democracy and Education is essential for creating a contemporary model of intercultural education. The concept of the American pedagogue remains valid because it is based on viewing education as being a result of combining heritage with personal experience. It emphasises respect for otherness and the belief in universalizing different experiences, which must lead to communication. In the article author’s opinion, the reviewed book consists of texts constituting a contemporary commentary to John Dewey’s ideas
Komunikowanie się z cho rym u kresu życia w opinii pielęgniarek
No full textCOMMUNICATING WITH PATIENTS AT THE TERMINAL STAGE IN NURSES’ OPINION
Introduction. Communication is a basic component of nursing care and the condition of satisfaction of patient and his/her family. Communicating with patients at the end of their lives requires mutual trust and kindness. At the core of nursing and communication there should be the principles of autonomy according to which the right of the patients to make choices according to their own system of values and beliefs is recognized.
Aim. The aim of this study was to gain knowledge about how nurses communicate with patients who are at the terminal stage of life, identify factors contributing to the impediment of contacts and obtain information about the scope and type of support to the family of the patient by nurses.
Material and methods. In clinical research, diagnostic survey method was used. As a technique, a questionnaire designed by the author was used. Studies were conducted in health care facilities in Tarnow in the period from February to June 2012 among 130 nurses.
Results. For most of the nurses is not difficult to establish and maintain contact with patients in the terminal phase of illness. Aa small percentage of them admit that the contacts pose some difficulties. Most often the nurses provide support for the family in caring for the sick.KOMUNIKOWANIE SIĘ Z CHO RYM U KRESU ŻYCIA W OPINII PIELĘGNIAREK
Wprowadzenie. Komunikowanie jest podstawową składową opieki pielęgniarskiej i warunkiem satysfakcji chorego i jego rodziny. Komunikowanie się z chorym u kresu życia wymaga wzajemnego zaufania i czynienia dobra. U podstaw postępowania pielęgniarskiego i komunikowania powinna tkwić zasad autonomii według, której uznaje się prawo chorego do dokonywania wyborów zgodnie z własnym systemem wartości oraz przekonaniami. Okazywanie poszanowania autonomii chorego łączy się z potrzebą współczucia i niesienia pomocy.
Cel pracy. Celem pracy było pozyskanie wiedzy o sposobie komunikowania się pielęgniarek z chorymi będącymi u kresu życia, określenie czynników utrudniających nawiązanie kontaktów i uzyskanie informacji o zakresie i rodzaju wsparcia dla rodziny chorego ze strony pielęgniarek.
Metoda i materiał. W badaniach zastosowano metodę sondażu diagnostycznego. Jako technikę wykorzystano kwestionariusz ankiety własnej konstrukcji. Badania przeprowadzona w zakładach opieki zdrowotnej na terenie Tarnowa w okresie od lutego do czerwca 2012 wśród 130 pielęgniarek.
Wyniki. Większość badanych pielęgniarek nie ma trudności w nawiązaniu i podtrzymaniu kontaktu z chorymi w terminalnej fazie choroby, niewielki odsetek przyznaje, że kontakty nastręczają im pewne trudności. Pielęgniarki najczęściej udzielają wsparcia rodzinie w zakresie sprawowania opieki nad chorym
Edukacja/Migracja, czyli zamierzony rym
No full textThe article aims at presenting a critical review of the book Edukacja. Migracja.
Edukacja międzykulturowa w kontekście kryzysu migracyjnego z perspektywy krajów V4 [Education.
Migration. Intercultural education in a context of migration crisis regarded from V4 countries perspective]
edited by Emilia Kledzik and Małgorzata Parczyk and devoted to the issue of intercultural
education. The review author tries to define the source of such reflection.
She argues that John Dewey’s concept of education presented in his work Democracy
and Education is essential for creating a contemporary model of intercultural education.
The concept of the American pedagogue remains valid because it is based on
viewing education as being a result of combining heritage with personal experience. It
emphasises respect for otherness and the belief in universalizing different experiences,
which must lead to communication. In the article author’s opinion, the reviewed book
consists of texts constituting a contemporary commentary to John Dewey’s ideas
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