Nelson Jorge da Silva Junior

Spatial analysis of visceral leishmaniasis in the municipality of Rondonópolis, in the Brazilian State of Mato Grosso, from 2003 to 2012: human, canine and vector distribution in areas of disease transmission

INTRODUCTION Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonosis of great importance to public health and is considered a neglected disease by the World Health Organization. The disease has expanded and become more prevalent in urban areas in Brazil. METHODS Geospatial analyses were performed and thematic maps of the triad of the disease were produced for the study period (2003-2012) in the urban area of the municipality of Rondonópolis in the midwestern State of Mato Grosso (MT), Brazil, TerraView 4.2.2 software was used for the analyses. RESULTS A total of 87.9% of the 186 confirmed human cases of VL were cured. Children between the ages of 1 and 4 were the most affected. Registered deaths were predominant among adults aged 60 years or older. The urban area of the municipality consists of eight strata and 12 census districts include 237 neighborhoods. All sectors had confirmed cases of VL. During the study period, human cases of the disease were recorded in 90 neighborhoods. The 23 deaths from the disease were distributed in 21 neighborhoods. Sandflies carrying the parasite were captured in 192 out of 200 neighborhoods evaluated for the presence of the VL vector. The presence of dogs carrying the parasite was confirmed in, 140 out of 154 surveyed neighborhoods. CONCLUSIONS The data demonstrated the endemic nature of VL, with a high percentage of infected children, a high distribution of canine infection, and a wide adaptation and dispersal of the vectors in the urban environment. These results, illustrate the process of urbanization of VL in the municipality of Rondonópolis, MT, Brazil.

Antigenotoxicity protection of Carapa guianensis oil against mitomycin C and cyclophosphamide in mouse bone marrow

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible protective of C. guianensis oil against MMC and CP, which are direct- and indirect-acting chemical mutagens, using the micronucleus test. Three experiments were performed. First the C. guianensis oil was co-administered to mice at doses of 250, 500 and 1000 mg/kg bw with 4 mg/kg bw MMC or 50 mg/kg bw CP. Second, the mutagenic drug (CP) was administered ip 50 mg/kg bw and after 6 and 12 hours 250 and 500 mg/kg bw of C. guianensis oil were administered. In the last, C. guianensis oil was administrated (250 and 500 mg/kg bw) during five days and after it was administered ip 50 mg/kg bw CP. The results obtained showed that the C. guianensis oil is not cytotoxic neither genotoxic to mouse bone marrow. Regarding the antimutagenic effect, all doses of C. guianensis oil were significantly (p < 0.05) effective in reducing the frequency of micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes, when compared with MMC or CP alone. Based on these results, our results suggest that the C. guianensis oil shows medicinal potential as an antimutagenic agent, modulating the mutagenicity caused by both direct- and indirect-acting chemical mutagens, in a mammalian model.

Optical properties and antiangiogenic activity of a chalcone derivate

Chalcones and their derivatives exhibit numerous pharmacological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, cytotoxic, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory. Recently, they have been assessed aiming for novel application in nonlinear optics and in the treatment of immune diseases and cancers. In this study, we investigate the optical properties of synthetic chalcona 1E,4E-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one (CAB7β) and its antiangiogenic potential using the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) with the S180 sarcoma cell line. Experimental and theoretical results show intense absorption in the UVA-UVC region, which is associated with a π → π* transition with intramolecular charge transfer from the trimethyl-cyclohexen-1-yl ring to the chlorophenyl ring. Quantum chemical calculations of the first hyperpolarizability, accounting for both solvent and frequency dispersion effects, are in very good concordance with hyper-Rayleigh scattering measurements. In addition, two-photon absorption allowed band centered at 650 nm was observed. Concerning antiangiogenic activity, CAB7β causes a significant reduction in the total number, junctions, length and caliber of blood vessels stimulated by S180 cells reducing the presence of blood vessels, inflammatory cells and others elements related to angiogenic process. It is found that CAB7β is a versatile compound and a promising candidate for linear and nonlinear optical applications, in therapy against sarcoma and phototherapy.

Presence of antigenotoxic and anticytotoxic effects of the chalcone 1E,4E-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one using in vitro and in vivo assays

Abstract Chalcones are chemically defined as α,β–unsaturated ketones with a 1,3-diphenyl-2-propen-1-one nucleus. These compounds occur naturally in plants and are considered precursors of flavonoids. Given that evaluating genetic toxicology tests is essential in investigating the safe use and chemopreventive potential of different natural and synthetic compounds, this study aimed to assess the genotoxic, cytotoxic, antigenotoxic, and anticytotoxic activity of the chalcone 1E,4E-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(2,6,6-trimethylcyclohexen-1-yl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one (CAB7β). The CAB7β was synthesized via Claisen–Schmidt reaction. The Ames test was applied using the co-treatment model as well as a micronucleus assay of mouse bone marrow with co-, pre- and post-treatment models. Our results indicate no genotoxic effect for CAB7β in any of the tests applied. At all the concentrations used, CAB7β showed a significant DNA protective effect against the mutagenic action of 4-nitroquinoline-1-oxide and sodium azide according to the Ames test, and against doxorubicin in the co-, pre- and post-treatment models of the micronucleus assay. CAB7β alone displayed cytotoxic activity in the micronucleus test. At concentrations of 12,5 and 50 µg/plate, CAB7β showed a moderate cytotoxic profile only in Salmonella typhimurium strain TA98. However, an anticytotoxic effect was observed against S. typhimurium strain TA100 for all the concentrations tested and during co-, pre- and post-treatment in the micronucleus assay. It was concluded that CAB7β exhibited a slightly cytotoxic effect in S. typhimurium strain TA98 and significant antigenotoxic and anticytotoxic effects in cells of mouse, making it a promising candidate in chemoprevention and possibly in the development of new cancer treatments.