Universidade Catolica De Brasilia

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with several disorders that compromise the physical, mental and social health. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of resistance training with cluster-set method (RT-CS) on quality of life (QoL) and depression symptoms in older subjects with CKD.

The QoL was evaluated by the Short Form Health Survey 36 questionnaire, and depression by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Sixty-eight subjects with CKD on maintenance hemodialysis (age: 57.55 ± 4.06 years) were selected and randomly distributed into a control group without RT (CG, n = 26); traditional RT group (RT, n = 26); and RT cluster-set group (RT-CS, n = 26) with 15 s pause every four repetitions. Subjects completed 24 wk of RT, three times a week, 1 h and 30 min before the hemodialysis session.

It was found that both the RT and the RT-CS group improved QoL, while only RT-CS displayed reduced depression symptoms. The minimally clinically important difference revealed that more subjects from the RT-CS were responsive to decrease of depression and functional capacity.

This highlights the importance of RT-CS as an intervention to mitigate the effects of low QoL and depression in older subjects with CKD.

Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant fungal pathogen that presents significant challenges in healthcare settings due to its robust biofilm-forming ability. Conventional antifungal treatments frequently prove ineffective, emphasizing the urgent need for innovative disinfection strategies, including the potential repurposing of existing agents. To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antifungal and antibiofilm activity of cephalexin, cefixime, and cefotaxime against C. auris. The efficacy of cephalosporins was tested using in vitro assays for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), biofilm inhibition, biofilm eradication, cell membrane integrity, nucleotide leakage, sorbitol protection assay, and efflux pump inhibition. An in vivo model using Tenebrio molitor larvae assessed survival rates and fungal burden after treatment. Cephalexin, cefixime, and cefotaxime exhibited MICs of 64 mg/L against C. auris. Cephalosporins significantly inhibited biofilm formation, with cephalexin completely eradicating mature biofilms within 45 min, demonstrating superior activity compared to chlorhexidine. Cephalexin, cefixime, and cefotaxime do not cause damage to the fungal cell wall or interfere with C. auris efflux pumps. Instead, their activity triggers the externalization of nucleotides without promoting protein leakage. In T. molitor larvae, both cephalexin and cefixime significantly improved survival rates and reduced fungal burden, further supporting their therapeutic potential in managing C. auris infections. These findings highlight the potential of cephalexin and cefixime for repurposing as effective agents against superficial infections. Their demonstrated antibiofilm activity, biofilm eradication capabilities, and ability to reduce fungal burden in vivo underscore their promise in mitigating C. auris infections and enhancing infection control strategies.

In recent decades, the methylotrophic yeast Komagataella phaffii has emerged as a powerful host for the heterologous production of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) as an economical and scalable platform. K. phaffii combines several important advantages for a recombinant expression system, such as rapid growth, high-density cell culture, efficient protein secretion, and the ability to perform essential post-translational modifications. The methanol-inducible AOX1 promoter (P_AOX1), generally employed through the pPICZalpha vector, allows strong and tightly regulated heterologous expression and is a central factor in the expression system of this yeast. However, several strategies have been employed to produce recombinant AMPs in K. phaffii, among them codon optimization, engineered methanol-resistant strains, alternative promoters, and the use of different secretory peptides. This review highlights the latest advances and practical considerations in the use of K. phaffii for AMP production, discussing challenges such as peptide stability, proteolytic degradation, and yield optimization. The insights provided contribute to the expansion of biotechnological applications of K. phaffii, reinforcing its potential as an efficient and safe platform for large-scale production of therapeutic AMPs.