Correlation between microdilution, Etest, and disk diffusion methods for antifungal susceptibility testing of fluconazole against Candida sp. blood isolates

INTRODUCTION: Antifungal susceptibility testing assists in finding the appropriate treatment for fungal infections, which are increasingly common. However, such testing is not very widespread. There are several existing methods, and the correlation between such methods was evaluated in this study. METHODS: The susceptibility to fluconazole of 35 strains of Candida sp. isolated from blood cultures was evaluated by the following methods: microdilution, Etest, and disk diffusion. RESULTS: The correlation between the methods was around 90%. CONCLUSIONS: The disk diffusion test exhibited a good correlation and can be used in laboratory routines to detect strains of Candida sp. that are resistant to fluconazole.

Chest Pain Units: A Modern Way of Managing Patients with Chest Pain in the Emergency Department

It is estimated that 5 to 8 million individuals with chest pain or other symptoms suggestive of myocardial ischemia are seen each year in emergency departments (ED) in the United States 1,2, which corresponds to 5 to 10% of all visits 3,4. Most of these patients are hospitalized for evaluation of possible acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This generates an estimated cost of 3 - 6 thousand dollars per patient 5,6. From this evaluation process, about 1.2 million patients receive the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and just about the same number have unstable angina. Therefore, about one half to two thirds of these patients with chest pain do not have a cardiac cause for their symptoms 2,3. Thus, the emergency physician is faced with the difficult challenge of identifying those with ACS - a life-threatening disease - to treat them properly, and to discharge the others to suitable outpatient investigation and management.

Plancto e hidrobiologia sanitária de tanques tropicais com dáfnias e rotíferos

The engineers of the modern University City are constructing a graceful bridge, named PONTE OSWALDO CRUZ, that crosses a portion of the Guanabara Bay (Fig. 1). The work at west pillar stopped for 3 years (The concret structure in Est. 1). As it will be seen from n.º 1 — 5 of the fig. 1, Est. I, the base of the structure will have five underground boxes of reinforcement, but, to-day they are just like as five uncovered water ponds, until at present: May 1963. (Est. I — fig. 3, n.º 3 — pond n.º 3; A. — old level of the water; B.— actual level of the water; c.— green water; E.— mass of bloom of blue algae Microcystis aeruginosa). Soon after SW portion, as 5 cells in series, of the pillar abutments, and also the NE portion nearly opposite in the Tibau Mount will be filled up with earth, a new way will link Rio City and the University City. We see to day Est. I, fig. 1 — the grasses on the half arenous beach of the Tibau Point. These natural Cyperaceae and Gramineae will be desappear because of so a new road, now under construction, when completed will be 33 feet above the mean sea level, as high as the pillar, covering exactly as that place. Although rainfall was the chief source of water for these ponds, the first water (before meterorological precipitations of whatever first rain it might fall) was a common tap water mixed with Portland Cement, which exuded gradually through the pores of the concret during its hardenning process. Some data of its first cement water composition are on the chemical table, and in Tab. n.º 4 and "Resultado n.º 1". The rain — receiving surface of each pond were about 15 by 16 feet, that is, 240 square feet; when they were full of water, their depth was of 2 feet 3", having each pond about 4,000 gallons. Climatic conditions are obviously similar of those of the Rio de Janeiro City: records of temperature, of precipitation and evaporation are seen on the graphics, figs. 2, 3, 4. Our conceptions of 4 phases is merely to satisfy an easy explanation thus the first phase that of exudation of concrete. We consider the 2nd. phase formation of bacterian and cyanophycean thin pellicel. 3rd. phase - dilution by rains, and fertilisation by birds; the 4th phase - plankton flora and fauna established. The biological material arrived with the air, the rains, and also with contaminations by dusts; with big portion of sand, of earth, and leaves of trees resulted of the SW wind actions in the storming days (See - Est. I, fig. 3, G. - the mangrove trees of the Pinheiro Island). Many birds set down and rest upon the pillar structure, its faeces which are good fertilizers fall into the ponds. Some birds were commonly pigeons, black ravens, swallows, sparrows and other sea mews, moor hens, and a few sea birds of comparatively rare occurence. We get only some examples of tropical dust contaminated helioplankton, of which incipient observations were been done sparcely. See the systematic list of the species of plankters. Phytoplankters - Cyanophyta algae as a basic part for food of zooplankters, represented chiefly by rotiferse, water-fleas Moinodaphnia and other Crustacea: Ostracoda Copepoda and Insecta: Chironomidae and Culicidae larvae. The polysaprobic of septic irruptions have not been done only by heating in summer, and, a good reason of that, for example: when the fifth pond was in polysaprobic phase as the same time an alike septic phase do not happened into the 3rd. pond, therefore, both were in the same conditions of temperature, but with unlike contaminations. Among the most important aquatic organisms used as indicatiors of pollution - and microorganisms of real importance in the field of sanitary science, by authorities of renown, for instance: PALMER, PRESCOTT, INGRAM, LIEBMANN, we choose following microalgae: a) The cosmopolite algae Scenedesmus quadricuada, a common indicator in mesosaprobio waters, which lives between pH 7,0 and it is assimilative of NO[3 subscripted] and NH[4 subscripted]. b) Species of the genus Chlamydomonas; it is even possible that all the species of theses genus inhabit strong-mesosaprobic to polysaprobic waters when in massive blooms. c) Several species of Euglenaceae in fast growing number, at the same time of the protozoa Amoebidae, Vorticellidae and simultaneous with deposition of the decaying cells of the blue algae Anacystis cyanea (= Microcystis) when the consumed oxygen by organic matter resulted in 40 mg. L. But, we found, among various Euglenacea the cosmopolite species (Euglena viridis, a well known polysaprobic indicatior of which presence occur in septic zone. d) Analcystis cyanea (= M. aeruginosa) as we observed was in blooms increasing to the order of billions of cells per litter, its maximum in the summer. Temperatures 73ºF to 82ºF but even 90ºF, the pH higher than 8. When these blue algae was joined to the rotifer Brachionus calyflorus the waters gets a milky appearance, but greenished one. In fact, that cosmopolite algae is used as a mesosaprobic indicator. Into the water of the ponds its predominance finished when the septic polysaprobic conditions began. e) Ankistrodesmus falcatus was present in the 5th pond from 26the. April untill the 26th July, and when N.NH[4 subscripted] gets 1.28 mg. L. and when chlorinity stayed from 0.034 to 0.061 mg. L. It never was found at N.NH[4 subscripted] higher than 1 mg. L. The green algae A. falcatus, an indicatior of pollution, lives in moderate mesosaprobic waters. f) As everyone knows, the rotifer eggs may be widely dispersed by wind. The rotifer Asplanchna brightwelli in our observation seemed like a green colored bag, overcharged by green cells and detritus, specially into its spacious stomach, which ends blindly (the intestine, cloaca, being absent). The stock of Asplanchna in the ponds, during the construction of the bridge "PONTE OSWALDO CRUZ" inhabits alkaline waters, pH 8,0 a 8,3, and when we observed we noted its dissolved oxygen from 3.5 to 4 mg. L. In these ponds Asplanchna lived in 0,2 P.PO[4 subscripted]. (Remember the hydobiological observations foreign to braslian waters refer only from 0.06 to 0,010 mg. L. P.PO[4 subscripted]; and they refer resistance to 0.8 N.NH[4 subscripted]). By our data, that rotiger resist commonly to 1.2 until 1.8 mg. L.N.NH[4 subscripted]; here in our ponds and, when NO[2 subscripted] appears Asplanchna desappears. It may be that Asplanchna were devoured by nitrite resistant animals of by Culicidae or other mosquitoes devoured by Due to these facts the number and the distribution of Asplanchna varies considerabley; see - plates of plankton successions. g) Brachionus one of the commonest members of class Rotatoria was frquently found in abundance into the ponds, and we notice an important biological change produce by the rotifer Brachonus colyciflorus: the occurence of its Brachionus clayciflorus forms pallas, is rare in Brazil, as we know about this. h) When we found the water flea MOinodaphnia we do not record simultanous presence of the blue algae Agmenellun (= Merismopedia).

Milky spots reactions to schistosomal mansoni infection

Milky spots (MS), considered by the authors as a Coelomatic Lympho-myelopoietic Organ (CLMO), present a strong reactivity during experimental schistosomal mansoni infection, characterized by an increase of lymphocytes, macrophages, plasmocytes, mast cells, neutrophils and expression of eosinophil metaplasia. Intraperitoneal injection of purified Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) eggs provoked a rise in the number and size of MS, which developed the sessile marginal and pedunculated types. The authors conclude that egg antigens are, at least partially, responsible for MS reactivity during Sm infection.

In vitro Comparison of Disk Diffusion and Agar Dilution Antibiotic Susceptibility Test Methods for Neisseria gonorrhoeae

At present, most Neisseria gonorrhoeae testing is done with ß-lactamase and agar dilution tests with common therapeutic agents. Generally, in bacteriological diagnosis laboratories in Argentina, study of antibiotic susceptibility of N.gonorrhoeae is based on ß-lactamase determination and agar dilution method with common therapeutic agents. The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) has recently described a disk diffusion test that produces results comparable to the reference agar dilution method for antibiotic susceptibility of N.gonorrhoeae, using a dispersion diagram for analyzing the correlation between both techniques. We obtained 57 gonococcal isolates from patients attending a clinic for sexually transmitted diseases in Tucumán, Argentina. Antibiotic susceptibility tests using agar dilution and disk diffusion techniques were compared. The established NCCLS interpretive criteria for both susceptibility methods appeared to be applicable to domestic gonococcal strains. The correlation between the MIC's and the zones of inhibition was studied for penicillin, ampicillin, cefoxitin, spectinomycin, cefotaxime, cephaloridine, cephalexin, tetracycline, norfloxacin and kanamycin. Dispersion diagrams showed a high correlation between both methods.

Effects of Schistosomal mansoni infection on Calomys callosus coelom-associated lymphomyeloid tissue (milky spots)

Calomys callosus Rengger, 1830 (Rodentia: Cricetidae) is a mouse-like South American wild rodent, which is permissive to Schistosoma mansoni infection. In this paper we studied the effect of schistosomal infection in C. callosus mesenteric and omental milky spots (MS), subsidiary foci of coelom-associated lymphomyeloid tissue (CALT), during the acute, transitional (acute to chronic), and chronic phases of the infection. MS were morphologically analyzed by histological methods, using brigthfield and confocal laser scanning microscopies. The MS of infected animals were mainly of lymphomyelocytic (42 to 90 days) and lymphoplasmacytic (160 days of infection) types and showed frequent presence of lymphoid follicles with germinal centers, plasmacytogenesis and plasmacytosis, mastocytosis, megakaryopoiesis, erythropoiesis and less pronounced eosinopoiesis. These results indicate that MS are a preferential site of germinal-center-dependent and independent plasmacytogenesis, and a bone marrow-like organ, committed with various cellular lineages. The consequence of C. callosus MS reactivity for schistosomal infection is still unknown and is under investigation.

Omental and pleural milky spots: different reactivity patterns in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni reveals coelomic compartmentalisation

In vertebrate animals, pleural and peritoneal cavities are repositories of milky spots (MS), which constitute an organised coelom-associated lymphomyeloid tissue that is intensively activated by Schistosoma mansoni infection. This study compared the reactive patterns of peritoneal MS to pleural MS and concluded from histological analysis that they represent independent responsive compartments. Whole omentum, lungs and the entire mediastinum of 54 S. mansoni-infected mice were studied morphologically. The omental MS of infected animals were highly activated, modulating from myeloid-lymphocytic (60 days of infection) to lymphomyeloid (90 days of infection) and lymphocytic or lymphoplasmacytic (160 days of infection) types. The non-lymphoid component predominated in the acute phase of infection and was expressed by monocytopoietic, eosinopoietic and neutropoietic foci, with isolated megakaryocytes and small foci of late normoblasts and mast cells. Nevertheless, pleural or thoracic MS of infected mice were monotonous, consisting of small and medium lymphocytes with few mast and plasma cells and no myeloid component. Our data indicate that compartmentalisation of the MS response is dependent on the lymphatic vascularisation of each coelomic cavity, limiting the effects or consequences of any stimulating or aggressive agents, as is the case with S. mansoni infection.

Nurse educators’ perceptions of the way nursing students protect patient privacy

The aim of this study was to assess the teaching-learning process related to patient privacy during the care process and the way nursing students’ protect patient privacy. Descriptive/correlational study using a qualitative approach and nonprobability sampling of 19 nurse educators from two schools of nursing. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews. Data analysis was undertaken using the SPSS version 20 and Alceste 2010 programs. The study complied with ethical standards. Two classes were assigned (protection of patient privacy and care process) with four subcategories (protection, empathy, relational competencies and technoscientific competencies).The findings show the need to adopt a reflective approach to the teaching-learning process by using experiential learning activities and real-life activities. We believe that intimacy and the protection of privacy should be core themes of nurse education and training.

State of the science and the way forward for the ecotoxicological assessment of contaminated land

Over the past two decades, soil ecotoxicologists have made strides in utilizing the basic concepts and advancements in soil zoology and ecology. They have applied the existing tools, and developed new ones to investigate how chemical contamination can affect soil ecosystems, including the degradation or destruction of soil quality and habitats or the diminishment of belowground biodiversity. Soil ecotoxicologists are applying a suite of standard protocols, originally developed as laboratory tests with single chemicals (e.g., pesticides), and further enhancing both the approaches and protocols for the assessment of contaminated lands. However, ecological relevance of some approaches remains unresolved. The authors discuss the main challenges for a coherent ecotoxicological assessment of soil ecosystems amid contaminated lands, and provide recommendations on how to integrate the effects of physical and chemical soil properties, the variations in the diversity of soil invertebrates, and the interactions among organisms of various trophic levels. The review examines new international approaches and test methods using examples from three continents (in particular research conducted in Brazil), and provides recommendations for improving ecological relevance of ecotoxicological investigations of contaminated lands.

Passiflora edulis Sims: the correct taxonomic way to cite the yellow passion fruit (and of others colors)

Passiflora edulis, the passion fruit native from Brazil, has several common names (such as sour passion fruit, yellow passion fruit, black passion fruit, and purple passion fruit), and presents a wide variability with the different rind colors of its fruits, which are very easy to notice. However, in 1932, Otto Degener suggested that the yellow passion fruit had its origin in Australia through breeding, calling it P. edulis forma flavicarpa, and that it could be distinguished by the color of the fruit, the deeper shade of purple of the corona, and the presence of glands on the sepals. These distinctions do not support themselves, for the glands are common to the species (although they may be absent), and the corona has a wide range of colors, regardless of the color of the fruit. A more critical ingredient is the fact that the external coloration of the fruit is a character of complex inheritance and is not dominant, thus displaying a number of intermediate colors, making it difficult to identify the extreme colors. For the correct scientific naming of agricultural plants, the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature must be used in conjunction with the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants, with the selections with significant agronomic characteristics recognized and named cultivars. In accordance with the international convention promoted by the UPOV, of which Brazil is a signatory, several colors (light yellow, yellow, orange yellow, pink red, red, red purple, green purple, purple, and dark purple) can be recognized in order to adequately characterize passion fruit cultivars within the species P. edulis. At taxonomic level, Passiflora edulis Sims must be used for any plant and color of sour passion fruits, in combination with a cultivar name for the selected materials.

Fruit size and quality of pineapples cv. Vitória in response to micronutrient doses and way of application and to soil covers

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of foundation and leaf fertilization with micronutrients on fruit size and quality of pineapple cv. Vitória under the environmental conditions of the Baixo Acaraú irrigated perimeter in Northern Ceará State, Brazil, under two covers (bagana and black plastic) of the sandy soil of low fertility. The experimental design was a randomized split blocks one with four levels of soil dressing and four levels of foliar fertilization, with five replications. Micronutrient soil dressing was studied as FTE-12 at doses of 0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha-1. The four levels of foliar fertilization were: LF0 (without fertilizer), LF 1 (15 leaf fertilization, using the amount of 1158.75 g Fe ha-1, 844.65 g Mn ha-1, 391.5 g ha-1 Zn, 322.65 g ha-1 Cu and 216 g ha-1 B), LF2 (15 leaf fertilization, using twice the quantities of level LF1) and LF3 (15 leaf fertilization, using three times the amount of level LF1). At 13 months after planting the micropropagated plantlets was carried out the floral induction treatment and five months later the fruit harvest determining the following variables: fruit weight and median diameter, soluble solids content (SS) and titratable acidity (TA). Both fruit weight and diameter increased with increasing doses of micronutrients applied to the soil and to the leaves, of plants grown both on bagana soil cover and plastic mulch. On the other hand fruit pulp quality was little affected by the treatments studied. There were a small increase of SS contents for plants grown on bagana soil cover and a small decrease of titratable acidity for those grown on plastic mulch, in both cases just in response to micronutrient foliar application.

Diesel/biodiesel soot oxidation with ceo2 and ceo2-zro2-modified cordierites: a facile way of accounting for their catalytic ability in fuel combustion processes

CeO2 and mixed CeO2-ZrO2 nanopowders were synthesized and efficiently deposited onto cordierite substrates, with the evaluation of their morphologic and structural properties through XRD, SEM, and FTIR. The modified substrates were employed as outer heterogeneous catalysts for reducing the soot originated from the diesel and diesel/biodiesel blends incomplete combustion. Their activity was evaluated in a diesel stationary motor, and a comparative analysis of the soot emission was carried out through diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The analyses have shown that the catalyst-impregnated cordierite samples are very efficient for soot oxidation, being capable of reducing the soot emission in more than 60%.

Efficiency of pneumatic and horizontal perforated disk meter mechanism in corn no-tillage seeders in soil with different mobilization reports

This work objectified to evaluate the efficiency of two meter mechanism of corn seeds when submitted to different forward speed and soil management system during the non-tillage seeding. It was used a factorial design in randomized blocks. The factors whose effects were examined were related to the seeders with pneumatic and horizontal disk meter mechanisms for the distribution of the seeds, to the set tractor-seeder forward speeds (4.4; 8.0 and 9.8 km h-1), and to the soil management system considering the corn no-tillage seeding over minimum tillage with chisel plow and the no-tillage system for the seeding of oat culture (Avena strigosa Schreb). It was verified that the forward speed didn't influence the initial and final stands of plants but it interfered in the regularity of longitudinal distribution of plants. The smallest speed provided the largest percentile of normal spacing between plants. The pneumatic meter mechanism presented better performance than the horizontal disk perforated in the longitudinal distribution of plants. About corn productivity aspect it's indifferent the recommendation of use for pneumatic and perforated horizontal disk meter mechanism of seeds.