Differences in responses to the intracellular macrophage environment between Mycobacterium bovis BCG vaccine strains Moreau and Pasteur.

Background: The Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine comprises a family of strains with variable protective efficacy against pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy, partly due to genetic differences between strains.

Objectives: Previous data highlighting differences between the genomes and proteomic profiles of BCG strains Moreau and Pasteur led us to evaluate their behaviour in the macrophage microenvironment, capable of stimulating molecular responses that can impact the protective effect of the vaccine.

Methods: Strain infectivity, viability, co-localisation with acidified vesicles, macrophage secretion of IL-1 and MCP-1 and lipid droplet biogenesis were evaluated after infection.

Thiophenacetamide as a potential modulator to NF-κB: structure and dynamics study using and molecular biology assays.

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) plays critical roles in the regulation of many pathophysiological processes, including inflammation and immune responses, cell growth and apoptosis. This DNA-binding protein receptor is considered an important molecular target to treat many diseases through host-directed therapy. In this line, several drugs containing thiophene cores have been extensively evaluated due to their ability to interfere on NF-κB translocation to the nucleus.

Synthesis and antimycobacterial activity of N'-[(E)-(monosubstituted-benzylidene)]-2-pyrazinecarbohydrazide derivatives.

The present article describes a series of twenty-six N'-[(E)-(monosubstituted-benzylidene)]-2-pyrazinecarbohydrazide (4-29), which were synthesized and evaluated for their cell viabilities in non infected and infected macrophages with Mycobacterium bovis Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). Afterwards, the non-cytotoxic compounds (4, 6, 8, 15, 21, 23, 24, 27 and 28) were assessed against Mycobacterium tuberculosis ATCC 27294 using the micro plate Alamar Blue assay (MABA) and the activity expressed as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in microg/mL. The compounds 6, 23, 27 and 28 exhibited a significant activity (50-100 microg/mL) when compared with first line drugs such as pyrazinamide and were not cytotoxic in their respective MIC values.

Antitubercular activity of alpha,omega-diaminoalkanes, H2N(CH2)nNH2.

A series of 11 alpha,omega-diaminoalkanes, (H(2)N(CH(2))(n)NH(2), n=2-12) have been evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv. Compounds, (H(2)N(CH(2))(n)NH(2), n=9-12), exhibited a very good activities in the range 2.50-3.

Clinical correlates of quantitative EEG alterations in alcoholic patients.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and clinical correlations of abnormal QEEG features in alcoholic patients.

Methods: Quantitative EEG (frequency analysis, absolute and relative powers of the four classical bands) was assessed in 191 male alcoholic patients admitted in our facility for detoxification process. All underwent psychiatric, medical and neurological examination prior to the EEG recording, in search for specific clinical or paraclinical findings.