Potential of the natural products against leishmaniasis in Old World - a review of in-vitro studies.

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease among the 10 most Neglected Tropical Diseases with diverse clinical manifestations caused by protozoan parasites of the genus. Around 80% of leishmaniasis cases are found in the Old World affecting populations mainly in low and middle-income countries. Its control relies mostly on chemotherapy which still presents many drawbacks.

A diverse assemblage of RNA and DNA viruses found in mosquitoes collected in southern Portugal.

This work describes the detection and partial characterization of mosquito-borne virus genomic sequences, based on the analysis of mosquitoes collected from the Spring to Fall of 2018 in the Algarve (southern Portugal). The viral survey that was carried out using multiple primer sets disclosed the presence of both RNA and DNA viral sequences in these mosquitoes, which were subsequently analysed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction methods. The obtained results brought to light three lineages of insect-specific flaviviruses, a monophyletic cluster of bunyaviruses from an unassigned group within the Phenuiviridae family, as well as brevidensoviruses (Parvoviridae, Densovirinae:).

Improved phylogeny of brown algae Cystoseira (Fucales) from the Atlantic-Mediterranean region based on mitochondrial sequences.

Cystoseira is a common brown algal genus widely distributed throughout the Atlantic and Mediterranean regions whose taxonomical assignment of specimens is often hampered by intra- and interspecific morphological variability. In this study, three mitochondrial regions, namely cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI), 23S rDNA (23S), and 23S-tRNAVal intergenic spacer (mt-spacer) were used to analyse the phylogenetic relationships of 22 Cystoseira taxa (n = 93 samples). A total of 135 sequences (48 from COI, 43 from 23S and 44 from mt-spacer) were newly generated and analysed together with Cystoseira sequences (9 COI, 31 23S and 35 mt-spacer) from other authors.

First Insights into the Ultrastructure of Myosin and Actin Bands Using Transmission Electron Microscopy in (Monogenea).

This study aims to describe the ultrastructure of coiled musculature fibers component of and its role in this parasite transmission. The present work employs transmission electron microscopy to analyze musculature, revealing the presence of myosin and actin bands in the underlying epithelium, typical arrangement of the skeletal muscle. This study unravels for the first time the existence of a coil muscle component in which it seems to be responsible for the remarkable flexibility of the musculature of and the efficiency of its transmission method to reach a nearby fish host.

Report of antileishmanial properties of Iberian macroalgae.

Here is reported the anti activity of 48 hexane, CHCl and MeOH extracts from 16 macroalgae collected on the Iberian Coast. Seven hexane and CHCl and extracts were active towards promastigotes (IC 29.8-101.

Antileishmanial activity of meroditerpenoids from the macroalgae Cystoseira baccata.

The development of novel drugs for the treatment of leishmaniases continues to be crucial to overcome the severe impacts of these diseases on human and animal health. Several bioactivities have been described in extracts from macroalgae belonging to the Cystoseira genus. However, none of the studies has reported the chemical compounds responsible for the antileishmanial activity observed upon incubation of the parasite with the aforementioned extracts.

Isolation of a euryhaline microalgal strain, Tetraselmis sp. CTP4, as a robust feedstock for biodiesel production.

Bioprospecting for novel microalgal strains is key to improving the feasibility of microalgae-derived biodiesel production. Tetraselmis sp. CTP4 (Chlorophyta, Chlorodendrophyceae) was isolated using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) in order to screen novel lipid-rich microalgae.

Can macroalgae provide promising anti-tumoral compounds? A closer look at Cystoseira tamariscifolia as a source for antioxidant and anti-hepatocarcinoma compounds.

Marine organisms are a prolific source of drug leads in a variety of therapeutic areas. In the last few years, biomedical, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries have shown growing interest in novel compounds from marine organisms, including macroalgae. Cystoseira is a genus of Phaeophyceae (Fucales) macroalgae known to contain bioactive compounds.

The Southwestern fringe of Europe as an important reservoir of caprine biodiversity.

Background: Portugal and Spain, with six and 22 officially recognized caprine breeds, encompass 25 % of the European Union goat census. Many of these populations have suffered strong demographic declines because of competition with exotic breeds and the phasing-out of low income rural activities. In this study, we have investigated the consequences of these and other demographic processes on the genetic diversity, population structure and inbreeding levels of Iberian and Atlantic goats.

Biological Activities and Chemical Composition of Methanolic Extracts of Selected Autochthonous Microalgae Strains from the Red Sea.

Four lipid-rich microalgal species from the Red Sea belonging to three different genera (Nannochloris, Picochlorum and Desmochloris), previously isolated as novel biodiesel feedstocks, were bioprospected for high-value, bioactive molecules. Methanol extracts were thus prepared from freeze-dried biomass and screened for different biological activities. Nannochloris sp.

Fatty acid profile of different species of algae of the Cystoseira genus: a nutraceutical perspective.

The fatty acid (FA) composition of six macroalgae from the Cystoseira genus, namely Cystoseira compressa, Cystoseira humilis, Cystoseira tamariscifolia, Cystoseira nodicaulis, Cystoseira baccata and Cystoseira barbata, was determined. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) corresponded to 29-46% of the total FA detected. C.