<p dir="ltr">Human babesiosis is a malaria-like, tick-borne infectious disease of major public health importance with a global distribution. Babesiosis is caused by intraerythrocytic, apicomplexan parasites of the genus Babesia. In the United States, human babesiosis is primarily caused by Babesia microti and Babesia duncani. Of these parasites, B. duncani infection is lethal to susceptible patients. Current treatment for babesiosis includes either the synergistic use of atovaquone and azithromycin or the combination of clindamycin and quinine. However, the side effects and the resistance posed by these parasites called for alternative approaches for the treatment of human babesiosis. Parasite-derived proteases play several functions in the context of parasitic lifestyle and regulate basic biological processes including cell death, cell progression and cell migration. We hypothesized that proteases are promising class of drug targets in Babesia parasites. Using the SYBR-Green assay, we screened a protease inhibitor library consists of 160 compounds against B. duncani in vitro culture at 50µM and identified 13 preliminary hits. Additionally, dose response assays of hit compounds against <i>B. duncani</i> and <i>B. microti</i> in vitro cultures identified 5 compounds as effective inhibitors against parasite growth. Of these 5 compounds, we chose ixazomib, a proteasome inhibitor as a potential drug for further studies based on its lower IC50 of 58nM as well as a higher therapeutic index as compared to other hit compounds. We demonstrated that in a mouse model infected with <i>target,</i>, the most effective inhibitor, the prodrug of ixazomib at a low dose of 2.5mg/kg lowers parasite proliferation without causing any adverse effects in animals. Thus, our studies suggest that Babesia proteasome may be an important drug target, and ixazomib may be a potential compound that may be used for the treatment of human babesiosis.</p>

Im Rahmen zweier Studien im Leistungssport werden die Effekte bewusster und unbewusster Faktoren auf implizite und explizite Motive untersucht. Es kann die Distinktheit der Vorhersagebereiche impliziter und expliziter Motivdiagnostik repliziert werden. Dabei wird aufgezeigt, dass die handlungsführenden Effekte impliziter und expliziter Motive jeweils exklusiv durch unbewusste Impulskontrolle und bewusste Selbststeuerungskompetenzen moderiert werden. Allein implizite Prozesse (implizite Motive, Impulskontrolle) besitzen prognostischen Wert für sportliches Leisten in Situationen die unbewusst verarbeitet werden. Explizite Prozesse (explizite Motive, bewusste Selbststeuerung) hingegen sagen sportliches Leisten in bewusst verarbeiteten Situationen des sportlichen Wettkampfs vorher. Die differentielle Prognostizität direkter und indirekter Motivdiagnostik in der Sportpsychologie kann durch die Berücksichtigung adäquater Faktoren verbessert werden. Aufgrund der Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit ist bei der Auswahl adäquater Persönlichkeitsvariablen darauf zu achten, dass das zu prognostizierende Kriterium und die Erhebungsmethodik bezüglich ihres Grades an bewusster Bearbeitung miteinander übereinstimmen. / The effects of conscious and unconscious factors on implicit and explicit motives were examined in the context of two studies. The distinct array of prediction by implicit and explicit motive diagnostic can be replicated. Though it was possible to provide evidence for the exclusive moderation of implicit motives by unconscious activity inhibition while explicit motives were moderated by conscious skills of self-regulation. Only the implicit processes (implicit motives and activity inhibition) proof a value to predicting human activity in situations coped without consciousness. In contrast only explicit processes (explicit motives and conscious skills of self-regulation) can predict the outcome of behaviour in situations coped with consciousness. The results of that paper can improve the differential prediction of direct and indirect motive diagnostic by regarding the adequate moderator factors. Further investigations will have the ability to improve the value of motivational predictors if they consider, that the level of consciousness is consistent within the situation of ascertainment the motivational predictor and the situation the criteria is imposed.

Submitted by Celso Magalhaes (celsomagalhaes@ufrrj.br) on 2017-05-17T11:44:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Francis Barbosa Ferreira.pdf: 4527522 bytes, checksum: 6a5a6589610ff851e68801c3ec05e3c9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-17T11:44:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Francis Barbosa Ferreira.pdf: 4527522 bytes, checksum: 6a5a6589610ff851e68801c3ec05e3c9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-04 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / In this work, semi and thiosemicarbazones selected from the LaDMol-QM library, were used to study their interactions with a metalloproteinase from the snake Bothrops pauloensis (BpMP-I) by molecular modelling and enzymatic inhibition assays with the toxin. The crystalographic structure of BaPI (PDB code: 2W12) was used as a mold to build the 3D model of BpMP-I by homology modeling. The theorical model of BpMP-I showed good quality parameters and was used in a subsequent molecular modeling study. The thiossemicarbazones showed better molecular docking results and in vitro enzymatic inhibitions assays than semicarbazones. Studies by semi-empirical methods indicate a positive enthalpy of interaction, suggesting that the enzyme inhibition by these compounds must be a entropy-driven process. The results were used together to select the LDQM-IN-23 compound and propose rationally designed modifications to improve the interactions with the toxin. The study of the catalytic site of BpMP-I showed that there is an adjacent pocket with amino groups of the peptide bonds available for interaction. All results were used together to design structural changes, aiming the enhancing of the interaction with toxin. Therefore, was proposed the insertion of the carboxyl group with different spacers, containing 2 (LDQM-IN- 23b) and 3 methylene groups (LDQM-IN-23c). The docking results and semi-empiric optimization showed that there was a considerable improvement in the interaction for the modified compounds. The modified compounds were synthesized and tested for biological and enzymatic inhibition activity. It was observed that the IC50 values have improved: the original molecule, LDQM-IN-23 has an IC50 of 3,011 ?M and the modified molecules have IC50 of 79.12 (LDQM-IN-23b) and 1.77 ?M (LDQM-IN-23c). These molecules were tested for inhibition of hemorrhagic activity induced by Bothropoidin, a P-III class metalloproteinase, and by the B. pauloensis whole snake venom. The three molecules can inhibit the hemorrhagic activity induced by isolated toxin and whole venom, and LDQM-IN- 23c showed higher efficiency compared with the other two, and in a rate of 1:10 (w/w venom/inhibitor) the inhibition of the hemorrhagic activity was 100%. A molecular docking study of this lead compound with Snake Venom Metalloproteases (SVMPs) from different snake species and genera showed that this molecule can effectivelly interact with these SVMPs. / Neste trabalho, foram utilizadas semi e tiossemicarbazonas, selecionadas na quimioteca do LaDMol-QM (Dequim-UFRRJ), para o estudo das intera??es destas com o s?tio ativo de uma metaloprotease da pe?onha da serpente Bothrops pauloensis por modelagem molecular e ensaios de inibi??o da atividade enzim?tica e biol?gica sobre a toxina. A estrutura cristalogr?fica de uma metaloprotease (BaPI) complexada com um inibidor (um peptideomim?tico) (c?digo PDB 2W12) foi utilizada como molde para a constru??o do modelo 3D da metaloprotease da pe?onha de B. pauloensis (BpMP-I). O modelo 3D te?rico da BpMP-I, in?dito para esta toxina, apresentou bons par?metros de qualidade, sendo considerado adequado para estudos de planejamento de ligantes baseado na estrutura. As tiossemicarbazonas obtiveram melhores resultados, quando comparados com os resultados das semicarbazonas, tanto para os ensaios de docagem molecular quanto para estudos de inibi??o da atividade enzim?tica in vitro. Estudos por m?todos semiemp?ricos indicam uma entalpia de intera??o positiva, sugerindo que a inibi??o enzim?tica por estes compostos deve ser um processo controlado entropicamente. Os resultados foram utilizados para selecionar o derivado LDQM-IN-23 e propor modifica??es estruturais planejadas racionalmente, visando melhorar a intera??o deste com a toxina. O estudo do s?tio catal?tico da metaloprotease mostrou que esta possui uma cavidade adjacente com grupos amino das liga??es pept?dicas dispon?veis para intera??o. Foi proposta, ent?o, a inser??o de um grupo carboxilato com diferentes espa?adores, 2 (LDQM-IN-23b) e 3 grupos metileno (LDQM-IN-23c). Os resultados de docagem e otimiza??o semi-emp?rica mostraram que houve uma melhora consider?vel na intera??o dos ligantes modificados, os quais foram sintetizados e testados para as atividades de inibi??o enzim?tica e biol?gica. Na inibi??o enzim?tica, houve melhora da CI50 com o aumento do espa?ador. O composto LDQM-IN-23 tem CI50 de 3011,00 ?M e os compostos modificados possuem a CI50 de 79,12 (LDQM-IN-23b) e 1,77 ?M (LDQM-IN- 23c). Estes compostos foram testados para a inibi??o da atividade hemorr?gica in vivo induzida pela Botropoidina, uma metaloprotease da classe P-III, e pela pe?onha bruta de B. pauloensis. Os tr?s compostos conseguiram inibir a atividade hemorr?gica induzida pela toxina isolada e pela pe?onha, sendo que o composto LDQM-IN-23c mostrou maior efici?ncia, quando comparado com os outros dois, e para a propor??o de 1:10 (m/m pe?onha/inibidor) a inibi??o da atividade foi de 100%. Foi realizado um estudo de docagem deste composto l?der com outras metaloproteases de pe?onha de serpentes (SVMPs ? Snake Venom Metalloproteinases), de esp?cies e g?neros diferentes, mostrando que este ligante consegue interagir com outras SVMPs e ? um candidato para inibir a atividade hemorr?gica de SVMPs presentes na pe?onha, n?o s? de B. pauloensis, mas de outras serpentes