Search results for "MEDICINA"

MTA apical barrier: In vitro study of the use of ultrasonic vibration

2016

Background: The apexification is the first alternative treatment on a permanent tooth when, after a tooth trauma and in the presence of immature apex trauma, pulp necrosis occurs. Many studies have demonstrated the efficacy of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) as apical sealing material of choice in these cases, but has a degree of filtration as all other materials. The objective of this study was to analyze the seal ability of MTA on the duct walls in immature teeth unirradicular apexes, using indirect vibration. Material and Methods: The study was conducted on 45 teeth divided into 3 groups: Group A or control group in which no vibration for placing the MTA was used, Group B and C or group…

Identification of estrogen receptor α ligands with virtual screening techniques.

2016

Utilization of computer-aided molecular discovery methods in virtual screening (VS) is a cost-effective approach to identify novel bioactive small molecules. Unfortunately, no universal VS strategy can guarantee high hit rates for all biological targets, but each target requires distinct, fine-tuned solutions. Here, we have studied in retrospective manner the effectiveness and usefulness of common pharmacophore hypothesis, molecular docking and negative image-based screening as potential VS tools for a widely applied drug discovery target, estrogen receptor α (ERα). The comparison of the methods helps to demonstrate the differences in their ability to identify active molecules. For example,…

Inhibition of human monoamine oxidase A and B by flavonoids isolated from two Algerian medicinal plants

2017

Abstract Background Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) are outer mitochondrial membrane flavoenzymes. They catalyze the oxidative deamination of a variety of neurotransmitters. MAO-A and MAO-B may be considered as targets for inhibitors to treat neurodegenerative diseases and depression and for managing symptoms associated with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases. Purpose The objective was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Hypericum afrum and Cytisus villosus against MAO-A and B and to isolate the compounds responsible for the MAO-inhibitory activity. Methods The inhibitory effect of extracts and purified constituents of H. afrum and C. villosus were investigated in vitro using recombinant human…

The Mouse Cytomegalovirus Gene m42 Targets Surface Expression of the Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase CD45 in Infected Macrophages

2016

The receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase CD45 is expressed on the surface of cells of hematopoietic origin and has a pivotal role for the function of these cells in the immune response. Here we report that following infection of macrophages with mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) the cell surface expression of CD45 is drastically diminished. Screening of a set of MCMV deletion mutants allowed us to identify the viral gene m42 of being responsible for CD45 down-modulation. Moreover, expression of m42 independent of viral infection upon retroviral transduction of the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line led to comparable regulation of CD45 expression. In immunocompetent mice infected with an m42 del…

The murine cytomegalovirus M35 protein antagonizes type I IFN induction downstream of pattern recognition receptors by targeting NF-κB mediated trans…

2017

The type I interferon (IFN) response is imperative for the establishment of the early antiviral immune response. Here we report the identification of the first type I IFN antagonist encoded by murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) that shuts down signaling following pattern recognition receptor (PRR) sensing. Screening of an MCMV open reading frame (ORF) library identified M35 as a novel and strong negative modulator of IFNβ promoter induction following activation of both RNA and DNA cytoplasmic PRR. Additionally, M35 inhibits the proinflammatory cytokine response downstream of Toll-like receptors (TLR). Using a series of luciferase-based reporters with specific transcription factor binding sites, …

Newest Strategies in the Search for Bioactive Saponins from the Tropical Plant Biodiversity.

2016

This review will focus on newest results leading to the discovery of new bioactive saponins by using a combination of successive advanced procedures in extraction, isolation, structure elucidation and bioassays. Microwave- and ultrasonic-assisted extractions, two recent advanced methods have been increasingly used in the last decade. Then, a multistep purification procedure was achieved by flash chromatography, vacuum liquid chromatography, low, medium- and high-pressure liquid chromatography on silica gel and reversed-phase silica gel RP-18 (VLC, LPLC, MPLC, HPLC). These successive chromatographic steps have been implemented in the author's laboratory in order to avoid the time-consuming t…

Cytotoxicity of 18 Cameroonian medicinal plants against drug sensitive and multi-factorial drug resistant cancer cells

2018

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Cameroonian medicinal plants are traditionally used to treat many ailments, including cancer and related diseases. Cancer is characterized as a condition with complex signs and symptoms. It has been recommended that ethnopharmacological usages such as immune and skin disorders, inflammatory, infectious, parasitic and viral diseases should be taken into account when selecting plants for anticancer screenings, since these reflect disease states bearing relevance to cancer or cancer-like symptoms. Aim of the study The present study aims at investigating 20 methanol extracts from 15 Cameroonian medicinal plants on a panel of human cancer cell lines, inclu…

Neurodegenerative diseases: Might citrus flavonoids play a protective role?

2016

Neurodegenerative diseases (ND) result from the gradual and progressive degeneration of the structure and function of the central nervous system or the peripheral nervous system or both. They are characterized by deterioration of neurons and/or myelin sheath, disruption of sensory information transmission and loss of movement control. There is no effective treatment for ND, and the drugs currently marketed are symptom-oriented, albeit with several side effects. Within the past decades, several natural remedies have gained attention as potential neuroprotective drugs. Moreover, an increasing number of studies have suggested that dietary intake of vegetables and fruits can prevent or delay th…

2017

The side product of the cyclocondensation reaction between ethyl benzimidazole-2-carboxylate and the nitrile imine of the corresponding hydrazonyl chloride, C20H11BrClN5O, crystallized in two crystal forms. Form (1) is a co-crystal of the target compound (without any chlorine substituent) and a side product containing a Cl atom in position 2 of the bromophenyl group, C20H12BrN5O·0.143C20H11BrClN5O. (2) contains the pure side product. The slightly different conformation of the ring systems leads to a different packing of (1) and (2), but both crystal structures are dominated by π–π interactions.

Circulating Molecular Chaperones in Subjects with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer’s Disease: Data from the Zabùt Aging Project

2022

Molecular chaperones play essential roles in many processes such as cell differentiation, tissue homeostasis, and organ remodeling. Recent data indicate that chaperones can act as cytoprotectants for brain cells during the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, very few data on the levels of chaperones in dementia, including its prodromal phases, have been reported. In this study, we used biological samples and epidemiological data collected during the Zabùt Aging Project (a prospective, community-based, cohort study of normal/pathological aging conducted in Sicily, Italy, with a follow-up of ten years) to determine if there is an association…