scholarly journals Lonomia obliqua Envenoming and Innovative Research

Toxins ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 832
Author(s):  
Miryam Paola Alvarez-Flores ◽  
Renata Nascimento Gomes ◽  
Dilza Trevisan-Silva ◽  
Douglas Souza Oliveira ◽  
Isabel de Fátima Correia Batista ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Cell Regeneration ◽  
Research Centers ◽  
Southeast Brazil ◽  
Innovative Research ◽  
New Research ◽  
120Th Anniversary ◽  
Lonomia Obliqua

As a tribute to Butantan Institute in its 120th anniversary, this review describes some of the scientific research efforts carried out in the study of Lonomia envenoming in Brazil, a country where accidents with caterpillars reach over 42,000 individuals per year (especially in South and Southeast Brazil). Thus, the promising data regarding the studies with Lonomia’s toxins contributed to the creation of new research centers specialized in toxinology based at Butantan Institute, as well as to the production of the antilonomic serum (ALS), actions which are in line with the Butantan Institute mission “to research, develop, manufacture, and provide products and services for the health of the population”. In addition, the study of the components of the Lonomia obliqua bristle extract led to the discovery of new molecules with peculiar properties, opening a field of knowledge that could lead to the development and innovation of new drugs aimed at cell regeneration and inflammatory diseases.

scholarly journals Chemical Validation of Phosphodiesterase C as a Chemotherapeutic Target in Trypanosoma cruzi, the Etiological Agent of Chagas' Disease

2010 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 3738-3745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharon King-Keller ◽  
Minyong Li ◽  
Alyssa Smith ◽  
Shilong Zheng ◽  
Gurpreet Kaur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trypanosoma Cruzi ◽  
Chagas Disease ◽  
Catalytic Domain ◽  
Polypeptide Chain ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Volume Recovery ◽  
Chronic Pulmonary Diseases ◽  
Potential Inhibitors

ABSTRACT Trypanosoma cruzi phosphodiesterase (PDE) C (TcrPDEC), a novel and rather unusual PDE in which, unlike all other class I PDEs, the catalytic domain is localized in the middle of the polypeptide chain, is able to hydrolyze cyclic GMP (cGMP), although it prefers cyclic AMP (cAMP), and has a FYVE-type domain in its N-terminal region (S. Kunz et al., FEBS J. 272:6412-6422, 2005). TcrPDEC shows homology to the mammalian PDE4 family members. PDE4 inhibitors are currently under development for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as asthma, chronic pulmonary diseases, and psoriasis, and for treating depression and serving as cognitive enhancers. We therefore tested a number of compounds originally synthesized as potential PDE4 inhibitors on T. cruzi amastigote growth, and we obtained several useful hits. We then conducted homology modeling of T. cruzi PDEC and identified other compounds as potential inhibitors through virtual screening. Testing of these compounds against amastigote growth and recombinant TcrPDEC activity resulted in several potent inhibitors. The most-potent inhibitors were found to increase the cellular concentration of cAMP. Preincubation of cells in the presence of one of these compounds stimulated volume recovery after hyposmotic stress, in agreement with their TcrPDEC inhibitory activity in vitro, providing chemical validation of this target. The compounds found could be useful tools in the study of osmoregulation in T. cruzi. In addition, their further optimization could result in the development of new drugs against Chagas' disease and other trypanosomiases.

scholarly journals Rituximab Therapy in Renal Amyloidosis Secondary to Rheumatoid Arthritis

Biomolecules ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Levent Kilic ◽  
Abdulsamet Erden ◽  
Yusuf Sener ◽  
Berkan Armagan ◽  
Alper Sari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rheumatoid Arthritis ◽  
Clinical Improvement ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Case Series ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Renal Amyloidosis ◽  
Secondary Amyloidosis ◽  
Aa Amyloidosis ◽  
Amyloid A ◽  
Significant Clinical Improvement

Secondary amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis is a late and serious complication of poorly controlled, chronic inflammatory diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with poorly controlled, longstanding disease and those with extra-articular manifestations are under risk for the development of AA amyloidosis. Although new drugs have proven to be significantly effective in the treatment of secondary AA amyloidosis, no treatment modality has proven to be ideal. To date, only in small case series preliminary clinical improvement have been shown with rituximab therapy for AA amyloidosis secondary to RA that is refractory to TNF-α inhibitors (TNF-i) therapy. In these case series, we assessed the efficacy and safety of rituximab therapy for patients with RA and secondary amyloidosis. Hacettepe University Biologic Registry was developed at 2005. The data of the RA patients who were prescribed a biological drug were recorded regularly. Patients with biopsy proven AA amyloidosis patients were screened. Of 1022 RA patients under biologic therapy, 0.7% patients had clinically apparent histologically confirmed amyloidosis. Four of seven patients who were prescribed rituximab at least one infusion enrolled to those case series. Two of four patients showed significant clinical improvement and one of them also had decrease in proteinuria and the other one had stable renal function and proteinuria. The main goal for the treatment of AA amyloidosis is to control the activity of the underlying disorder. In this study, we showed that rituximab may be an effective treatment in RA patients with amyloidosis who were unresponsive to conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and/or TNFi.

scholarly journals Visibilité de la production scientifique : une étude scientométrique au Pôle Universitaire Lyonnais

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camille Prime-Claverie ◽  
Stéphanie Pouchot ◽  
Thierry Lafouge ◽  
Benoît Epron
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Research ◽  
Research Centers ◽  
Research Organizations ◽  
Scientometric Study

L’infométrie joue un rôle important dans l’évaluation des organismes de recherche et de leur politique. Dans ce contexte, nous présentons les résultats d’une étude scientométrique sur la production des chercheurs des établissements scientifiques du Pôle Universitaire Lyonnais menée entre 2000 et 2005.Informetrics plays an important part in the evaluation of research organizations as well as their policies. In this context, we will share results from a scientometric study on outputs from University of Lyon scientific research centers conducted between 2000 and 2005.

Microbiological participants in the etiopathogenesis of otitis in dogs and cats

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (12) ◽  
pp. 71-77
Author(s):  
N. V. Pimenov ◽  
◽  
E. A. Pustovit ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Biofilm Formation ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Domestic Animals ◽  
Scientific Data ◽  
Antibacterial Treatment ◽  
Therapeutic Approaches ◽  
Antimicrobial Drugs ◽  
Colonization Ability

The problem of otitis in small pets is widespread and requires improvement of therapeutic approaches based on modern scientific data and research achievements. This article presents an overview of current sources of primary scientific information on the field of microbiology in inflammatory diseases of the ear in small domestic animals – dogs and cats. Information about microbiom (involved in the pathogenesis of otitis), ability of microorganisms to biofilm formation and resistance to antimicrobial drugs is presented. The associativity of the bacterial component, its colonization ability and these characteristics actualize the problem of improving antibacterial treatment, prevention tactics and scientific research in this matter.

Portugal’s Rising Research in Architecture and Urbanism: The Influence of International Research Centers and Authors

2020 ◽  
pp. 009614422096807
Author(s):  
Patrícia Bento d’Almeida ◽  
Teresa Marat-Mendes ◽  
Michel Toussaint
Keyword(s):  
International Research ◽  
Civil Engineering ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Research Centers ◽  
National Program ◽  
Scientific Methods ◽  
International Audience ◽  
The Government

In the early 1960s, Portugal saw a rise in scientific research on architecture and urbanism at the National Laboratory of Civil Engineering (Laboratório Nacional de Engenharia Civil; LNEC), fundamental to support the Government in establishing a national program for housing, which continued until the fall of the Dictatorship in 1974. Lacking tradition in scientific studies in architecture and urbanism, a group of young architects with knowledge of references from international researchers and research centers gathered encouragement and opportunities to develop their own research works and methodologies and, later, to question the application of such scientific methods. This article aims to identify and discuss the strategies and methodologies explored to develop these seminal researches, retrieving and reappraising LNEC’s archived documents and oral testimonials from former researchers. We aim at exposing the foundations of Portuguese scientific research on architecture and urbanism and its contributions to an international audience.

scholarly journals The Emerging Relevance of AIM2 in Liver Disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (18) ◽  
pp. 6535
Author(s):  
Beatriz Lozano-Ruiz ◽  
José M. González-Navajas
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Research Area ◽  
Cellular Damage ◽  
Inflammasome Activation ◽  
Immune Recognition ◽  
Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽  
Hepatic Diseases ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
New Research

Absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) is a cytosolic receptor that recognizes double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and triggers the activation of the inflammasome cascade. Activation of the inflammasome results in the maturation of inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-1 β and IL-18, and a form of cell death known as pyroptosis. Owing to the conserved nature of its ligand, AIM2 is important during immune recognition of multiple pathogens. Additionally, AIM2 is also capable of recognizing host DNA during cellular damage or stress, thereby contributing to sterile inflammatory diseases. Inflammation, either in response to pathogens or due to sterile cellular damage, is at the center of the most prevalent and life-threatening liver diseases. Therefore, during the last 15 years, the study of inflammasome activation in the liver has emerged as a new research area in hepatology. Here, we discuss the known functions of AIM2 in the pathogenesis of different hepatic diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), hepatitis B, liver fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

scholarly journals Comparison of the Inhibitory Activities of 5,6-Dihydroergosterol Glycoside α- and β-Anomers on Skin Inflammation

Molecules ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tae Kim ◽  
Young Cho ◽  
HoonGyu Park ◽  
Tae Lee ◽  
Hakwon Kim
Keyword(s):  
Protein Expression ◽  
Inflammatory Diseases ◽  
Skin Barrier ◽  
Skin Inflammation ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Inflammatory Biomarker ◽  
Cytokines And Chemokines ◽  
Inflammatory Stimuli ◽  
Mrna And Protein Expression ◽  
Chronic Skin

Chronic skin inflammatory diseases, such as atopic dermatitis, are associated with a dysfunctional skin barrier due to an increase in various inflammatory stimuli, for instance inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. In particular, CCL17 and CCL22 expression is increased in patients with chronic skin inflammation. In this study, we synthesized several α- and β-anomers of dihydroergosterol (DHE)-glycosides and assessed their effects on CCL17 and CCL22 expression. We confirmed that the β-anomers of DHE-glycosides were superior to α-anomers of DHE-glycosides in inhibiting CCL17 and CCL22 mRNA and protein expression. In addition, we determined that DHE-glycoside β-anomers showed strong inhibitory activity towards pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA and protein expression, including that of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β- in stimulated HaCaT cells. These results imply that DHE-glycoside α- and β-anomers should be separated during synthesis of drugs for chronic skin inflammation. Our results also suggest that β-anomers of DHE-glycosides may play an important role as new drugs for chronic skin inflammation because of their ability to inhibit the skin inflammatory biomarker proteins CCL17 and CCL22.

A Response to the Attempted Critique of the Scientific Phenomenological Method

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amedeo Giorgi
Keyword(s):  
Edmund Husserl ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Phenomenological Research ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Rhetorical Strategies ◽  
Phenomenological Method ◽  
Research Strategies ◽  
Know How ◽  
New Research ◽  
Oriented Research

Recently, a book (details are given below) was published, the sole purpose of which was to discourage researchers from using the scientific phenomenological method. The author (Paley, 1997; 1998; 2000) had previously been critical of nurses who had used the scientific phenomenological method but in the new book he goes after the originators of different methods of scientific phenomenological research and attempts to criticize them severely. In this review I defend only the scientific phenomenological method that is strictly based upon the thought of Edmund Husserl. Given the entirely negative project of only critiquing phenomenologically grounded scientific research, one would expect the author to be sensitive to the cautions historians and philosophers of science speak about when one attempts to criticize concepts and procedures that belong to a different research community. Paley, an empiricist, uses empirical criteria to criticize phenomenological work. Moreover, given the entirely negative project of critiquing phenomenologically grounded scientific research one would expect the author to be knowledgeable about phenomenology and the innovative research practices used by a new research community. However, (1) the author has only a thin, superficial understanding of phenomenology (e.g., it is not a technology; Paley, 2017, 109). One gets the impression that he only reads phenomenology in order to critique it. He displays an outsider’s understanding of it which means that his criticisms of it are faulty because he does not know how to think and dwell within the phenomenological framework; (2) he does not understand “discovery-oriented” research and he keeps judging such research according to criteria from the “context of verification” perspective which are the wrong criteria for “discovery-oriented” research; (3) he denigrates and reduces nursing research strategies because he interprets them to be based on pragmatic motivations only. He does not even grant that nurses can have authentic scientific motivations for seeking phenomenologically based methods; (4) he uses unfair rhetorical strategies in the sense that he uses strategies himself that he criticizes when others use them. The review below documents what has been summarized here.

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