Essential Oil of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle: A Strategy to Combat Fungal Infections Caused by Candida Species

Background: The incidence of fungal infections, especially those caused by Candida yeasts, has increased over the last two decades. However, the indicated therapy for fungal control has limitations. Hence, medicinal plants have emerged as an alternative in the search for new antifungal agents as they present compounds, such as essential oils, with important biological effects. Published data demonstrate important pharmacological properties of the essential oil of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle; these include anti-tumor, anti-nociceptive, and antibacterial activities, and so an investigation of this compound against pathogenic fungi is interesting. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and biological potential of essential oil (EO) obtained from the leaves of C. nardus focusing on its antifungal profile against Candida species. Methods: The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Testing of the antifungal potential against standard and clinical strains was performed by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), time-kill, inhibition of Candida albicans hyphae growth, and inhibition of mature biofilms. Additionally, the cytotoxicity was investigated by the IC₅₀ against HepG-2 (hepatic) and MRC-5 (fibroblast) cell lines. Results: According to the chemical analysis, the main compounds of the EO were the oxygen-containing monoterpenes: citronellal, geranial, geraniol, citronellol, and neral. The results showed important antifungal potential for all strains tested with MIC values ranging from 250 to 1000 μg/mL, except for two clinical isolates of C. tropicalis (MIC > 1000 μg/mL). The time-kill assay showed that the EO inhibited the growth of the yeast and inhibited hyphal formation of C. albicans strains at concentrations ranging from 15.8 to 1000 μg/mL. Inhibition of mature biofilms of strains of C. albicans, C. krusei and C. parapsilosis occurred at a concentration of 10× MIC. The values of the IC₅₀ for the EO were 96.6 μg/mL (HepG-2) and 33.1 μg/mL (MRC-5). Conclusion: As a major virulence mechanism is attributed to these types of infections, the EO is a promising compound to inhibit Candida species, especially considering its action against biofilm.     

Sodium benzoate,potassium sorbate and sodium nitrite as silage additives

BACKGROUND: The hygienic quality of silage is important for animal health, animal production and food quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of five silage additive mixtures on yeast, mould, and clostridia growth and other silage quality criteria. The additives, composed of sodium nitrite, sodium benzoate and/or potassium sorbate, were used to treat a grass forage crop before ensiling. The silages were compared with untreated silage and silages treated with two commercial additives: Promyr NF (PNF), which is based on formic and propionic acid, and Kofasil Ultra (KU), a mixture of sodium nitrite, sodium benzoate, sodium propionate and hexamine. RESULTS: All tested additives significantly (P < 0.001) reduced butyric acid and ammonia‐N formation in low‐dry‐matter (DM) silages compared to the control. Only KU and the mixtures of 600 g sodium nitrite, 250 g sodium propionate, 750 g sodium benzoate (A1) and 250 g sodium nitrite with 1000 g sodium benzoate and 500 g potassium sorbate (A5) ton^?1 of fresh forage were found to reduce (P < 0.001) the presence of clostridia spores in low‐DM silages. In high‐DM silages, treatments A1, A5 and A2 (250 g sodium nitrite and 1000 g sodium benzoate) contained less (P < 0.02) yeast than the control and PNF, but not KU. All treated silages were aerobically stable. The concentrations of nitrate‐N in all silages and nitrite‐N in low‐DM were below the threshold level for feed at the end of storage. CONCLUSIONS: The additive mixtures A1 and particularly A5 improved silage quality at least to the same extent as commercial products, even though they contained no hexamine and less nitrite. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry     

Anesthesia-resuscitation in surgery for pheochromocytoma

The perioperative mortality related to cardiovascular complications has been almost completely eliminated in phaeochromocytoma surgery. The anaesthetic management has mainly evolved through refinements in haemodynamic control during the operation. Neither preoperative preparation nor general anaesthesia can totally prevent haemodynamic disturbances during surgical manipulation of the tumour or after removal of the tumour. General anaesthesia, with high doses of opioids, remains the most usual technique. Intraoperative monitoring should include an arterial catheter and a pulmonary arterial catheter. Although a number of antihypertensive drugs have been tested, the preventive use of nicardipine i.v. may provide a simple and effective haemodynamic control. Esmolol, an ultrashort acting agent, ensures a dose-related cardiac beta 1-blockade. It is used for the treatment of arrhythmia and cardiac adrenergic stimulation, which causes tachycardia and increases cardiac output. Volume loading is recognised as the treatment of choice for hypotension following tumour removal. During the postoperative period, the great hazard is hypoglycaemia, and plasma glucose levels should be monitored over the immediate postoperative hours.     

Transient tetraparesis after intrathecal and high-dose systemic methotrexate

The copper-containing enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a key enzyme in suppressing the amounts of superoxide anion radicals. Ceruloplasmin, the copper-transporting protein in plasma, also possesses an important redox capacity. In this study the levels of copper and ceruloplasmin as well as SOD-activity and ceruloplasmin oxidative activity were analyzed in order to throw some light on possible defects in copper mechanisms in patients diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The study included 44 patients with AD and their healthy age- and gender-matched controls. No difference of significance was seen when comparing the copper or ceruloplasmin concentration in plasma of AD patients to that of their paired controls. The SOD activity in red blood cells was significantly lower in the patients than in their controls (p = 0.019). The ceruloplasmin oxidative activity in plasma of Alzheimer's patients was greatly reduced as compared to that of age- and gender-matched controls and the difference was highly significant (p = 0.0005). Ceruloplasmin activity and SOD activity were not found to be intrinsically correlated. It was postulated that reduced oxidative activity of ceruloplasmin in plasma might be either a cause or a consequence of AD and that reduced SOD activity might further add to the oxidative disturbances in AD due to defective ceruloplasmin activity.     

Automatic milking and grazing--effects of location of drinking water on water intake, milk yield, and cow behavior

In an automatic milking system with cows grazing on a mixed grass sward, experiments were performed in 2001 and 2003, lasting 10 and 7 wk, respectively. Two location strategies for offering drinking water were compared: available in the barn and in the field (group B+F) or only in the barn (group B). During 2001, cows grazed alternately at 2 pastures at different distances from the barn, 50 m (near pasture) or 330 m (distant pasture), whereas the distant pasture was mainly used in 2003. No significant differences in milk yield, milking frequency, or milk composition were found between the 2 treatments. Average milk yield in the 2 experiments was 26.8 and 27.6 kg of milk in 2001 and 2003, respectively, and average milking frequency was 2.4 milkings/ d. Significant differences in animal behavior were observed only during the period when animals grazed on the distant pasture in 2001, with animals in group B+F spending 40% of their time on pasture and 21% of their time grazing, whereas corresponding values for group B were 34 and 17%, respectively. In 2003, average drinking water intakes per cow were 53 L/d on treatment B and 51 L/d on treatment B+F, and were not significantly different. Total daily water intake including water in the pasture was approximately 90 L/cow. In conclusion, no significant differences in milk yield, milking frequency, or water intake were found between cows offered drinking water both in the barn and in the field compared with drinking water only in the barn at pasture distances up to 330 m.     

Cyclization in vinyl-divinyl copolymerization

It was found by analysis of the composition and n.m.r. behaviour of low-conversion soluble copolymers of styrene (S) with 5–60 wt% of ethylene dimethacrylate (EDMA) that cyclization strongly predominates in crosslinking copolymerization. The results suggest that, especially at a higher content of the divinyl component, compact structures are formed with the character of microgel-like particles. At a higher EDMA content, this component is incorporated into the copolymer only as a unit with a pendant double bond and the content of crosslinks (EDMA units with both vinyls reacted) does not further increase with increasing EDMA content. The pendant vinyls in the particle cores are already so immobilized or sterically hindered that they are unable to react even with small molecules of the monomer. Procedures for the determination of copolymerization parameters for pairs of mono- and divinyl monomers, usually neglecting cyclization, were revised. An analysis of the theoretical model of crosslinking copolymerization with weak cyclization and experimental results obtained with the S-EDMA system with prevailing cyclization show that the copolymerization parameters need not be too much distorted, if they have been determined from the content of the mono- and divinylic components of the copolymer.     

Algorithm 39 Clusterwise linear regression

The combinatorial problem of clusterwise discrete linear approximation is defined as finding a given number of clusters of observations such that the overall sum of error sum of squares within those clusters becomes a minimum. The FORTRAN implementation of a heuristic solution method and a numerical example are given.     

Heterologous fibrinogen for tissue adhesion. immunological and histological investigations (author's transl)

The immunological reactions of heterologous fibrin were investigated in a sensitive experimental system. In 10 rabbits autologous full-thickness skin grafts were glued with bovine fibrinogen cryoprecipitate. 5 of these animals had been immunized against this adhesive before transplantation. In a control group the graft was fixed with homologous fibrinogen cryoprecipitate. Examination of the sera of the animals for antibodies against fibrinogen was performed before immunization, 1 day prior to and 14 days after skin grafting. 14 days after skin adhesion all grafted areas were examined by histological methods. In the group without preoperative immunization antibodies were found against fibrinogen. The skin graft healed in this series in the same manner as in the sham group. In the series with preoperative immunization the glued skin graft was discharged early and the healing procedure of the defect was retarded.