Chagas disease is included in the neglected tropical diseases list and is endemic to 21 Latin American countries. The two drugs currently available for treating Chagas disease are nifurtimox and benznidazole and both result in many significant side effects. The study describes the synthesis and biological evaluation of 3,5-disubstituted isoxazoles. Isoxazoles were obtained by reaction of flavones and hydroxylamine and either alkylated at the free hydroxyl group and/or nitrated at the isoxazole ring. These compounds were evaluated for their in vitro anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity against trypomastigote and amastigote forms of the parasite in T. cruzi-infected cell lineages. Benznidazole was used as a reference compound for the in vitro assay and mammalian L929 cells were employed to evaluate cytotoxicity. A majority of the compounds tested were very active and the most active isoxazole against amastigote and trypomastigotes of T. cruzi was slightly more potent than the current medicine benznidazole.

PURPOSE: Establish a relationship between vascular calcifications seen via mammography and coronary artery disease, estimate the risk ratios, and investigate the interrelationships between vascular calcification and other risk factors for coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a case-control study consisting of 40 women with coronary artery disease in the case group and 40 women without any history of coronary artery disease in the control group who were matched according to age. The study was approved by the Institution's Research Ethics Committee (consent statement was obtained). Odds ratios and confidence intervals were calculated using univariate analysis. Interrelationships among other risk factors, such as arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, smoking and diabetes mellitus, were calculated using multivariate analysis. A p <0.05 was considered to be significant for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The mean ages for the case and control groups were 64.65 years and 63.88 years, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the only variables related to coronary artery disease were Vascular calcification [OR 4.71 (CI 1.36-16.33) p=0.014], family history [OR 5.76 (CI 1.58-21.03) p=0.008] and arterial hypertension [OR 15.92 (CI 3.12-81.14) p=0.001]. Although smoking and diabetes are important variables in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease, these factors did not show statistically significant associations in this sample. CONCLUSION: The presence of vascular calcifications seen via mammography was an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, as were hypertension and a family history of coronary artery disease.

Este estudo avaliou os efeitos de remanescentes de Mata Atlântica no controle biológico natural de Euselasia apisaon (Dahman) pelo parasitóide Trichogramma maxacalii (Voegelé e Pointel) em plantios de Eucalyptus. O número de ovos de E. apisaon por folha foi maior no centro que nas bordas dos talhões (23,5 ± 7,61 versus 14,8 ± 3,14), mas o padrão inverso foi observado para as taxas de parasitismo (72,4% no centro e 80,5% na borda). Os resultados sugerem que a regulação natural de E. apisaon por T. maxacalii pode ser aumentada com a preservação de fragmentos de vegetação nativa no entorno de plantios de eucalipto.

This study evaluated the effects of Atlantic Rain Forest remnants on the natural biological control of Euselasia apisaon (Dahman) by the parasitoid Trichogramma maxacalii (Voegelé e Pointel) in Eucalyptus plantations. The number of E. apisaon eggs/leaf was higher in the center than in the edge of the plantations (23.5 ± 7.61 vs. 14.8 ± 3.14), but parasitism showed the reversed pattern (72.4% in the center and 80.5% in the edge). The results indicated that natural regulation exerted by T. maxacalii on populations of E. apisaon may be enhanced by the preservation of fragments of native vegetation surrounding Eucalyptus plantations.