“
“Aims:
To evaluate the antioxidant effect of carotenoids from Deinococcus radiodurans
on protein.
Methods and Results:
Deinococcus selleck kinase inhibitor radiodurans strain R1 (ATCC 13939) and its mutant strain R1 Delta crtB were used for this study. The total carotenoids (R1ex) from D. radiodurans were obtained by extraction with acetone/methanol (7 : 2, by vol), and their antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH center dot (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) system. The protein oxidation level, in vitro and in the cell, was measured using the DNPH (2,4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine) method. The carotenoid extract R1ex scavenged 40 center dot 2% DPPH center dot radicals compared to beta-carotene (31 center dot 7%) at a concentration of 0 center dot 5 mg ml-1.
The intracellular level of protein oxidation in mutant R1 Delta crtB, which does not contain carotenoid, was 0 center dot 0212 mmol mg-1 protein which is significantly greater than that in the wild type (0 center dot 0169 mmol mg-1 protein) following the treatment with H(2)O(2). The purified major carotenoid product (deinoxanthin) from the wild type showed a greater inhibition of oxidative damage in bovine serum albumin than lycopene or lutein.
Conclusions:
Carotenoids Gefitinib cost prevent protein oxidation and contribute to the resistance to cell damage in D. radiodurans.
Significance and Impact of the Study:
Our results provide the evidence that carotenoids can protect proteins in D. radiodurans against oxidative stress.”
“BACKGROUND
Head-lice infestation is prevalent worldwide, especially in children 3 to 11 years old. Topical insecticides (i.e., pyrethroids and malathion) used as a lotion, applied twice at an interval of 7 to 11 days, are typically used for treatment. Resistance of lice to insecticides, particularly pyrethroids, results in treatment failure. The efficacy of alternative agents is controversial.
METHODS
We conducted a
multicenter, cluster-randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, controlled trial comparing oral ivermectin (at a dose of 400 mu g per kilogram of body weight) with 0.5% malathion lotion, each given on days 1 and 8, for patients with live lice not eradicated by topical insecticide SPTLC1 used 2 to 6 weeks before enrollment. The cluster was defined as the household. Infestation was confirmed and monitored by means of fine-toothed combing. Patients were at least 2 years of age and weighed at least 15 kg; all were treated at the study sites. The primary end point was the absence of head lice on day 15.
RESULTS
A total of 812 patients from 376 households were randomly assigned to receive either ivermectin or malathion. In the intention-to-treat population, 95.2% of patients receiving ivermectin were lice-free on day 15, as compared with 85.0% of those receiving malathion (absolute difference, 10.2 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.6 to 15.7; P<0.001). In the per-protocol population, 97.1% of patients in the ivermectin group were lice-free on day 15, as compared with 89.