Leptin, NK cells, and the weight of immunity: Insights into obesity.

Obesity is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects more than 1 billion people worldwide and is associated with various metabolic and physiological dysfunctions, directly impacting the dynamics of the immune response, partly due to elevated leptin levels. Leptin is an important peptide hormone that regulates neuroendocrine function and energy homeostasis, with its blood levels reflecting energy reserves, fat mass, or energy deprivation. This hormone also plays a fundamental role in regulating immune function, including the activity of NK cells, which are essential components in antiviral and antitumor activity.

Organic arabic coffee husk: Antioxidant and cytoprotective properties and potential impacts on selected human intestinal bacterial populations of individuals with diabetes.

Coffee husks are the main by-product of the coffee industry and have been traditionally discarded in the environment or used as fertilizers. However, recent studies have shown that coffee husks have bioactive compounds, such as phenolics and fiber-bound macro antioxidants, offering a range of potential health benefits. This study evaluated the antioxidant capacity, cytoprotective/cytotoxic properties, and stimulatory effects on the relative abundance of selected intestinal bacterial populations of individuals with diabetes of organic coffee husks.

Oxidative stability of chicken burgers using organic coffee husk extract.

The antioxidant capacity of organic coffee husk extract (Coffee arabica L.) added to chicken burgers was evaluated. Two formulations were prepared: with addition of the extract (100 and 200 ppm CAE/kg), in addition to control formulations without the addition of antioxidant, and with the addition of synthetic antioxidant.

Photobiomodulation therapy in the modulation of inflammatory mediators and bradykinin receptors in an experimental model of acute osteoarthritis.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) on inflammatory indicators, i.e., inflammatory mediators (TNF-α and CINC-1), and pain characterized by hyperalgesia and B1 and B2 receptor activation at 6, 24, and 48 h after papain-induced osteoarthritis (OA) in rats.

Trichosporon inkin biofilms produce extracellular proteases and exhibit resistance to antifungals.

The aim of this study was to determine experimental conditions for in vitro biofilm formation of clinical isolates of Trichosporon inkin, an important opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients. Biofilms were formed in microtitre plates in three different media (RPMI, Sabouraud and CLED), with inocula of 104, 105 or 106 cells ml- 1, at pH 5.5 and 7.

Synthesis and antifungal activity in vitro of isoniazid derivatives against histoplasma capsulatum var. capsulatum.

Histoplasmosis is a severe infection that affects millions of patients worldwide and is endemic in the Americas. Amphotericin B (AMB) and itraconazole are highly effective for the treatment of severe and milder forms of the disease, but AMB is toxic, and the bioavailability of itraconazole is erratic. Therefore, it is important to investigate new classes of drugs for histoplasmosis treatment.

Analysis of the effect of phototherapy in model with traumatic Achilles tendon injury in rats.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low-intensity laser (LILT) infrared (830 nm) therapy in tendon inflammation, tendinitis induced by mechanical trauma in rat Achilles tendon. For this, we used 65 young male Wistar rats, weighing ± 300 g divided into different groups: C = control (n = 5) and experimental (n = 10/group), with two different times of sacrifice such as treated with L = laser, D = treated with diclofenac, and T = untreated injured. The tendon inflammation was induced by controlled contusion in the medial region of the Achilles tendon of the animals.

Antigens of Coccidioides posadasii as an important tool for the immunodiagnosis of coccidioidomycosis.

Serologic diagnosis has been presented as a safe alternative for coccidioidomycosis. However, commercial kits based on coccidioidal antibodies available in the USA are considered too expensive for laboratories outside that country. In this study, we describe the preparation of antigens for detection of human coccidioidal antibodies by the immunodiffusion test (ID) and enzyme immunoassay (EIA).

Antifolates inhibit Cryptococcus biofilms and enhance susceptibility of planktonic cells to amphotericin B.

The Cryptococcus neoformans species complex contains the most important agents of fungal meningoencephalitis. Therapeutic choices are limited and issues related to toxicity and resistance to antifungals have been described. The present study evaluated the inhibitory effect of the antifolate combinations sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMX/TMP) and sulfadiazine-pyrimethamine (SDZ/PYR) against planktonic cells and biofilms of C.