Understanding the mechanism of action of protease inhibitors in controlling the growth of the Candida Genus: potential candidates for development of new antifungal molecules.

There is a growing imperative for research into alternative compounds for the treatment of the fungal infections. Thus, many studies have focused on the analysis of antifungal proteins and peptides from different plant sources. Among these molecules are protease inhibitors (PIs).

Synergistic action of synthetic peptides and amphotericin B causes disruption of the plasma membrane and cell wall in Candida albicans.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the combination of synthetic peptides based on the γ-core motif of defensin PvD1 with amphotericin B (AmB) at different concentrations against Candida albicans. We applied the checkerboard assay using different concentrations of the commercial drug AmB and the synthetic peptides γ31-45PvD1++ and γ33-41PvD1++ against C. albicans, aiming to find combinations with synergistic interactions.

Defensin-like peptides from Capsicum chinense induce increased ROS, loss of mitochondrial functionality, and reduced growth of the fungus Colletotrichum scovillei.

In the present study, we identified and characterized two defensin-like peptides in an antifungal fraction obtained from Capsicum chinense pepper fruits and inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum scovillei, which causes anthracnose. AMPs were extracted from the pericarp of C. chinense peppers and subjected to ion exchange, molecular exclusion, and reversed-phase in a high-performance liquid chromatography system.

Hexane extracts from fruit of two varieties of Jacq.: their volatile constituents and antiacetylcholinesterase, antileishmanial and antiproliferative activities.

This article aims to investigate volatile constituents and antiacetylcholinesterase, antileishmanial and antiproliferative activities of hexane extracts from fruit (unripe bode pepper 'HE-UB' and ripe little beak pepper 'HE-RB'). HE-UB and HE-RB were screened by the microplate assay method to determine their antiacetylcholinesterase activity. Both exhibited inhibitory potential, i.

Development of new dinuclear Fe(III) coordination compounds with nanomolar antitrypanosomal activity.

Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan pathogen . The disease is a major public health problem affecting about 6 to 7 million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America. The available therapy for this disease is based on two drugs, nifurtimox and benznidazole, which exhibit severe side effects, including resistance, severe cytotoxicity, variable efficacy and inefficiency in the chronic phase.

Anti-inflammatory Effect of Ozone Therapy in an Experimental Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

To verify the influence of ozone (O) therapy on an experimental model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 30 male Wistar rats were randomly allocated to 2 groups, control (C) and treatment (T), and subdivided into control (C12, C48, C72) and treatment (T12, T48, T72) groups. RA was induced by administration of collagenase plus complete Freud's adjuvant in the knee joint region. The animals were treated with ozone therapy (1 ml O injection in the knee i.

Mitochondrial Gene Confirms the Specific Status of Triatoma pintodiasi Jurberg, Cunha, and Rocha, 2013 (Hemiptera, Triatominae), an Endemic Species in Brazil.

Chagas disease is most frequently transmitted to humans through contact with feces of insects from the Triatominae subfamily. In Brazil, there are 65 species of triatomines distributed throughout the country's 27 states. Among the species in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Triatoma rubrovaria, Triatoma oliveirai, Triatoma pintodiasi, Triatoma klugi, Triatoma carcavalloi, and Triatoma circummaculata (with the addition Triatoma limai, which is endemic to Argentina) form the T.

A new species of Mesovelia (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Mesoveliidae) from South America, with identification key and notes on Colombian species.

Mesovelia tuberculata sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on material from the Pacific Region of Colombia.

A new species of Rhagovelia Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Pará State, with an updated key to Brazilian species of the robusta group.

Rhagovelia brunae Magalhães & Moreira sp. nov., collected in the State of Pará, Brazil, is described, illustrated, and compared with congeners.

New species and records of Microveliinae and Veliinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Colombia.

Euvelia orinoquia sp. nov. and E.

Aquatic Insects from the Caatinga: checklists and diversity assessments of Ubajara (Ceará State) and Sete Cidades (Piauí State) National Parks, Northeastern Brazil.

Background: Diversity and distribution of Neotropical aquatic insects is still poorly known, with many species to be recorded and many others to be described, due to the small number of taxonomists and sparse faunistic studies. This knowledge is especially poor in the Caatinga Domain in Northeastern Brazil, even though, this region may have played an important historical role in the spatial evolution of faunas of forested areas in northern South America.

New Information: Aquatic insect checklists of 96 species from Parque Nacional de Ubajara (Ceará State, Brazil) and 112 species from Parque Nacional de Sete Cidades (Piauí State, Brazil) are presented, representing the following taxa: Elmidae, Epimetopidae, Hydrophilidae, and Torridincolidae (Coleoptera), Hemerodromiinae (Diptera: Empididae), Ephemeroptera, Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha (Hemiptera), Odonata, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera.

A new species and new records of Oiovelia (Heteroptera: Gerromorpha: Veliidae) from Brazil.

Oiovelia currently comprises eight species and has been recorded only from South America. Here, the ninth species, Oiovelia machadoi sp. nov.

Would Nesotriatoma bruneri Usinger, 1944 be a valid species?

Variation in the size and morphological differences intraspecific of Nesotriatoma flavida led to the description of N. bruneri. However, two years later the same author proposed the synonymization N.

New records of Gerromorpha and Nepomorpha (Insecta: Hemiptera: Heteroptera) from South America.

Background: Aquatic and semiaquatic Heteroptera occur on all continents except Antarctica and occupy a wide variety of habitats, including lentic and lotic water bodies, perennial or temporary. In the Neotropical Region, there is a lack of knowledge concerning the geographical distribution of most represented species, which can only be solved by the collection of specimens in under-studied areas and publication of new records and lists of species.

New Information: New records are presented for eleven species of Gerromorpha and ten Nepomorpha, including first records from Venezuela (Brachymetra lata, Limnogonus hyalinus, Rhagovelia evidis, Tenagobia peruana, Limnocoris burmeisteri, L.

A new species of Rhagovelia Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Brazil.

Rhagovelia kararao sp. nov., collected in sandstone caves from northern Brazil, is described and compared with similar and related species.

Karyosystematics of Triatoma rubrofasciata (De Geer, 1773) (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae).

Triatoma rubrofasciata (De Geer) is the first species of triatomine described, and little is known on its vector biology. Studies are restricted to starvation resistance, interspecific morphometric variability, morphometry of testis follicles, coloration of the testicular peritoneal sheath, ultrastructure of the male accessory glands, phylogeny and cytogenetics. Thus, this study aims to address the karyosystematics of T.

New species and notes on Microveliinae from northern South America (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae).

Euvelia mazzucconiae sp. nov., from northern Colombia is described, illustrated, and included in an updated identification key to the species of the genus.

Description of the nymphs of Triatoma pintodiasi Jurberg, Cunha & Rocha, 2013 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae).

Triatoma pintodiasi Jurberg, Cunha & Rocha, 2013 has been recently described based on material collected on Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. Nymphs of this species were unknown and their description might contribute for studies concerning the taxonomy, phylogeny, and evolution of the genus Triatoma. Such description is herein presented, along with comparison with other species of the rubrovaria subcomplex of species.

List of the type-specimens of Reduviidae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera) in the Triatomines Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Brazil.

The Triatomines Collection of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute (CTIOC) holds 90 holotypes, seven syntypes, and 619 paratypes of the family Reduviidae, distributed in 44 genera and nine subfamilies: Chryxinae, Emesinae, Hammacerinae, Harpactorinae, Peiratinae, Reduviinae, Stenopodainae, Triatominae, and Vesciinae. A detailed list containing nomenclatural, taxonomic, and locality information about all these types is herein presented for the first time.

Chromosomal characteristics and distribution of constitutive heterochromatin in the Matogrossensis and Rubrovaria subcomplexes.

Since 1966 the triatomines were grouped in complexes and specific subcomplexes. Although the complex and subcomplexes not have taxonomic importance, should be monophyletic groups and cytogenetic tools have proved to be of great importance to characterize these species groupings. Based on this, this paper aims to describe the chromosomal characteristics and heterochromatic pattern of Matogrossensis and Rubrovaria subcomplexes, in order to contribute to the taxonomic and evolutionary relationships of these vectors.

New distributional data on aquatic and semiaquatic bugs (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerromorpha & Nepomorpha) from South America.

Background: Water bugs in general play an important role in freshwater ecosystems, and knowledge about them is essential for the study of water biology and the proper management of aquatic habitats. The Neotropical fauna is relatively well known, but the existence of large under-collected areas makes taxonomic and faunistic studies concerning the aquatic and semiaquatic bugs from tropical America urgent.

New Information: Distributional information is presented for thirty-eight species of Gerromorpha and five Nepomorpha, including first records from the Brazilian states of Bahia (Mesoveliaamoena), Ceará (Limnogonusprofugus and Rhagoveliawhitei), Espírito Santo (R.

A new Ochterus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Ochteridae) from northeastern Brazil, with a key to the species recorded from the country.

Ochterus santosi sp. nov., from the state of Piauí, northeastern Brazil, is described, illustrated, and compared with other species of the genus from the Americas.