Use of selective medium for Burkholderia cepacia isolation in respiratory samples from cystic fibrosis patients

Burkholderia cepacia colonizes cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We evaluated the impact of the use of a selective medium in the rate of B. cepacia recovery from respiratory samples of CF patients. During a 6-month period, respiratory samples were collected from 106 CF patients and cultivated on selective media including a B. cepacia selective medium. Confirmation of the identity of B. cepacia isolates was carried out by species specific PCR and determination of genomovar status performed by a sequential PCR approach. Results of B. cepacia isolation during this period were compared to the preceding two years, when the sample processing was identical except for the lack of the B. cepacia selective medium. B. cepacia was isolated in 11/257 (4.2%) of the samples using the selective medium, in contrast with the preceding two years, when it was isolated in 6/1029 samples (0.58%), p < 0.0001. Identity of all 11 isolates was confirmed by PCR and genomovar determination was accomplished in all but one isolate. These results suggest that the use of a selective medium increases recovery rate of B. cepacia from respiratory samples.

Occurrence of Campylobacter jejuni in dog faeces from the streets of a Southern Chilean city

Dog faeces collected from the streets of a southern Chilean city were cultured on selective media for thermophilic Campylobacters. Campylobacter jejuni (biotype 1) was isolated from 53 (35.3%) of 150 samples. The use of an enrichment medium enhanced in 20.8% the isolation rate of this bacteria.

Adhesion and production of degrading enzymes by bacteria isolated from biofilms in raw milk cooling tanks

Biofilms in milk cooling tanks compromise product quality even on farms. Due to the lack of studies of this topic, this study evaluated the microbiological conditions of raw milk cooling tanks on farms and characterized the microorganisms isolated from these tanks. Samples were wiped off with sterile swabs from seven milk cooling tanks in three different points in each tank. Mesophiles and psychrotrophic counts were performed in all samples. The isolation of Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus cereus and atypical colonies formed on selective media were also performed, totalizing 297 isolates. All isolates were tested for protease and lipase production and biofilm formation. Of the total isolates, 62.9% produced protease, 55.9% produced lipase, and 50.2% produced biofilm. The most widespread genus inside the milk cooling tank was Pseudomonas since it was not possible to associate this contamination with a single sampling point in the equipment. High counts of microorganisms were found in some cooling tanks, indicating poor cleaning of the equipment and providing strong evidences of microbial biofilm presence. Moreover, it is worth mentioning the milk potential contamination with both microbial cells and their degrading enzymes, which compromises milk quality.

Semi-selective medium for Fusarium graminearum detection in seed samples

Fungi of the genus Fusarium cause a variety of difficult to control diseases in different crops, including winter cereals and maize. Among the species of this genus Fusarium graminearum deserves attention. The aim of this work was to develop a semi-selective medium to study this fungus. In several experiments, substrates for fungal growth were tested, including fungicides and antibiotics such as iprodiona, nystatin and triadimenol, and the antibacterial agents streptomycin and neomycin sulfate. Five seed samples of wheat, barley, oat, black beans and soybeans for F. graminearum detection by using the media Nash and Snyder agar (NSA), Segalin & Reis agar (SRA) and one-quarter dextrose agar (1/4PDA; potato 50g; dextrose 5g and agar 20g), either unsupplemented or supplemented with various concentrations of the antimicrobial agents cited above. The selected components and concentrations (g.L-1) of the proposed medium, Segalin & Reis agar (SRA-FG), were: iprodiona 0.05; nystatin 0,025; triadimenol 0.015; neomycin sulfate 0.05; and streptomycin sulfate, 0.3 added of ¼ potato sucrose agar. In the isolation from seeds of cited plant species, the sensitivity of this medium was similar to that of NSA but with de advantage of maintaining the colony morphological aspects similar to those observed in potato-dextrose-agar medium.

A time-dependent, two-step binding mode of the nitro dye flavianic acid to trypsin in acid media

Synthetic dyes bind to proteins causing selective coprecipitation of the complexes in acid aqueous solution by a process of reversible denaturation that can be used as an alternative method for protein fractionation. The events that occur before precipitation were investigated by equilibrium dialysis using bovine trypsin and flavianic acid as a model able to cause coprecipitation. A two-step mode of interaction was found to be dependent on the incubation periods allowed for binding, with pronounced binding occurring after 42 h of incubation. The first step seems to involve hydration effects and conformational changes induced by binding of the first dye molecule, following rapid denaturation due to the binding of six additional flavianate anions to the macromolecule.

Sponsoring, brand value and social media

The increasing involvement of individuals in social media over the past decade has enabled firms to pursue new avenues in communication and sponsoring activities. Besides general research on either social media or sponsoring, questions regarding the consequences of a joint activity (sponsoring activities in social media) remain unexplored. Hence, the present study analyses whether the perceived image of the brand and the celebrity endorser credibility of a top sports team influence the perceived brand value of the sponsoring firm in a social media setting. Moreover, these effects are compared between existing customers and non-customers of the sponsoring firm. Interestingly, perceived celebrity endorser credibility plays no role in forming brand value perceptions in the case of the existing customers. Implications for marketing theory and practice are derived.

Factores que inciden en el habito de fumar de escolares de educación basica y media del Chile

INTRODUCCIÓN: Considerando la indiscutible evidencia de los efectos adversos del tabaco, para la salud, millones de personas continúan fumando. La situación es de mayor gravedad, ya que muchos de estos fumadores y la mayoría de los nuevos fumadores, tanto en Chile, como en otros países, son adolescentes. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron determinar la prevalencia de tabaquismo en escolares chilenos y cuantificar el impacto relativo que ejercen factores socioeconómicos, socioculturales, familiares, de exposición a medios de comunicación de masas, demográficos, educacionales y psicosociales, sobre la prevalencia de tabaquismo. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Se seleccionó una muestra aleatoria, representativa de 2.967 escolares de educación básica y media de la Región Metropolitana de Chile, proporcional de acuerdo al curso(IV, VI, y VIII año básico y I y IV año medio), sexo, tipo de colegio y área geográfica. La prevalencia de tabaquismo se determinó mediante un cuestionario autoadministrado. El nivel socioeconómico(NSE) se midió por medio del método de Graffar modificado, midiéndose además, las condiciones familiares, la exposición a medios de comunicación de masas y factores psicosociales. El rendimiento escolar se determinó mediante un test de castellano y matemáticas, al mismo tiempo que se registraron otras variables educacionales. El análisis estadístico incluyó análisis de varianza, test de la t de Student y test de Scheffe para comparación de medias, correlación, regresión múltiple stepwise, chi-cuadrado y la metodología del enfoque de riesgo de OPS/OMS, para el cálculo del riesgo relativo simple (RR). RESULTADOS: La prevalencia de tabaquismo (10,6%) aumentó significativamente con la edad, de 1,3% en los escolares menores de 13 años, a 15,4% y 36,9%, en los adolescentes entre 13-15 años y ³ 16 años, respectivamente (p< 0,001), a la vez que fue mayor en los escolares de sexo femenino. El grado de placer(r=0,499 p<0,001), el grado de rebeldía(r=0,124 p<0,0001), el grado de recreación familiar (r=-0,131 p<0,0001) y el porcentaje de asistencia al colegio(r=-0,118 p< 0,0001), fueron las variables independientes con el mayor poder explicatorio en la varianza del tabaquismo (r²= 0,2860), pero el grado de placer fue la variable con el mayor poder explicatorio en la varianza explicada (89,2%) y con el mayor RR (34,3). El impacto relativo de las variables independientes sobre el tabaquismo experimentó diferencias de acuerdo a la edad, sexo y NSE. CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados han demonstrado que el grado de placer, el grado de rebeldía, el grado de recreación familiar y el porcentaje de asistencia al colegio, fueron las variables independientes que mayormente contribuyeron a explicar el tabaquismo. Estos hallazgos podrían ser de utilidad para las políticas educacionales y de salud focalizadas a la población escolar, con el objeto de prevenir este importante factor de riesgo para la salud de la población.

Environmental impact on the bacteriological quality of domestic water supplies in Lagos, Nigeria

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of town planning, infrastructure, sanitation and rainfall on the bacteriological quality of domestic water supplies. METHODS: Water samples obtained from deep and shallow wells, boreholes and public taps were cultured to determine the most probable number of Escherichia coli and total coliform using the multiple tube technique. Presence of enteric pathogens was detected using selective and differential media. Samples were collected during both periods of heavy and low rainfall and from municipalities that are unique with respect to infrastructure planning, town planning and sanitation. RESULTS: Contamination of treated and pipe distributed water was related with distance of the collection point from a utility station. Faults in pipelines increased the rate of contamination (p<0.5) and this occurred mostly in densely populated areas with dilapidated infrastructure. Wastewater from drains was the main source of contamination of pipe-borne water. Shallow wells were more contaminated than deep wells and boreholes and contamination was higher during period of heavy rainfall (p<0.05). E. coli and enteric pathogens were isolated from contaminated supplies. CONCLUSIONS: Poor town planning, dilapidated infrastructure and indiscriminate siting of wells and boreholes contributed to the low bacteriological quality of domestic water supplies. Rainfall accentuated the impact.

Comparison among tomato juice agar with other three media for differentiation of Candida dubliniensis from Candida albicans

The purpose of the present study is to compare the tomato juice agar, a well known medium employed to observe ascospore formation, with niger seed agar, casein agar and sunflower seed agar, applied to a differentiation between C. dubliniensis and C. albicans. After 48 hours of incubation at 30 ºC all 26 (100%) C. dubliniensis isolates tested produced chlamydospores on tomato juice agar as well as in the other three media evaluated. However, when we inoculated all media with C. albicans, the absence of chlamydospores became resulting in the following percents: tomato juice agar (92.47%), niger seed agar (96.7%), casein agar (91.39%), and sunflower seed agar (96.7%). These results indicate that tomato juice agar is another medium which can also be used in the first phenotypic differentiation between C. dubliniensis and C. albicans.

Different culture media containing methyldopa for melanin production by Cryptococcus species

INTRODUCTION: Melanin production by species of Cryptococcus is widely used to characterize C. neoformans complex in mycology laboratories. This study aims to test the efficacy of methyldopa from pharmaceutical tablet as a substrate for melanin production, to compare the production of melanin using different agar base added with methyldopa, and to compare the melanin produced in those media with that produced in Niger seed agar and sunflower seed agar by C. neoformans, C. laurentii, and C. albidus. Two isolates of each species, C. neoformans, C. laurentii, and C. albidus, and one of Candida albicans were used to experimentally detect conditions for melanin production. METHODS: The following media were tested: Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA), brain and heart infusion agar (BHIA), blood agar base (BAB), and minimal medium agar (MMA), all added with methyldopa, and the media Niger seed agar (NSA) and sunflower seed agar (SSA). RESULTS: All isolates grew in most of the culture media after 24h. Strains planted on media BAB and BHIA showed growth only after 48h. All isolates produced melanin in MMA, MHA, SSA, and NSA media. CONCLUSIONS: Methyldopa in the form pharmaceutical tablet can be used as a substrate for melanin production by Cryptococcus species; minimal medium plus methyldopa was more efficient than the BAB, MHA, and BHIA in the melanin production; and NSA and SSA, followed by MMA added with methyldopa, were more efficient than other media studied for melanin production by all strains studied.

Perceptions of Amazonian deforestation in the British and Brazilian media

The Amazon rainforest stretches across more than six million square kilometers and nine countries. Of the original forest area it is thought that 18 per cent has been cleared, mainly for farming purposes. In Brazil, the main drivers of deforestation are beef ranching and soya production that together occupy more than 75 per cent of newly deforested land. The situation in the Amazon illustrates a fundamental dilemma facing environmentalists around the world: how to reconcile economic development with biodiversity conservation. In this paper the representation of this dilemma in the British and Brazilian news media is assessed. The results indicate that there were far more articles referring to deforestation in the Brazilian press (816 Brazilian to 29 UK) but that many of these make no mention of what factors are responsible for deforestation. The patterns of representation of the proximate (direct) causes of Amazonian deforestation were very similar in the two countries, with soya and beef cattle ranching commanding the most press attention. The ultimate (indirect) causes of deforestation, however, are treated very differently, with the Brazilian media seemingly far more aware of the role of economic development needs than the UK press. Interestingly, the role of international demand for soya, beef, and forest products in driving deforestation was highlighted primarily in the UK press. These findings are critically discussed in the context of media influence on public understandings of Amazonian deforestation.

Multi-temporal analysis of radiometric changes in satellite images of forest edges to infer selective-logging areas in the Amazon forest

Radiometric changes observed in multi-temporal optical satellite images have an important role in efforts to characterize selective-logging areas. The aim of this study was to analyze the multi-temporal behavior of spectral-mixture responses in satellite images in simulated selective-logging areas in the Amazon forest, considering red/near-infrared spectral relationships. Forest edges were used to infer the selective-logging infrastructure using differently oriented edges in the transition between forest and deforested areas in satellite images. TM/Landsat-5 images acquired at three dates with different solar-illumination geometries were used in this analysis. The method assumed that the radiometric responses between forest with selective-logging effects and forest edges in contact with recent clear-cuts are related. The spatial frequency attributes of red/near infrared bands for edge areas were analyzed. Analysis of dispersion diagrams showed two groups of pixels that represent selective-logging areas. The attributes for size and radiometric distance representing these two groups were related to solar-elevation angle. The results suggest that detection of timber exploitation areas is limited because of the complexity of the selective-logging radiometric response. Thus, the accuracy of detecting selective logging can be influenced by the solar-elevation angle at the time of image acquisition. We conclude that images with lower solar-elevation angles are less reliable for delineation of selecting logging.

Selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor and norepinephrine dopamine reuptake inhibitor antidepressants do not affect natural killer cell activity in vitro

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the citotoxic activity of two commonly used anti-depressants: paroxetine and bupropion. We also evaluated the in vitro natural killer activity (NKA) after incubating the blood samples with the antidepressants. METHODS: Peripheral blood samples from 15 healthy volunteers were collected and the mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated and incubated for 24h with (or without = control cells) paroxetine and bupropion, in concentrations of 30, 100 and 1000 ng/ml. After the incubation period in both groups, the amount of dead cells was calculated using trypam blue technique. NKA was evaluated using the classic51Cr release assay. CONCLUSIONS: PBMCs dead cells occurred in both groups and in proportion to all pharmacological concentrations. Nevertheless, the NKA was not affected, even with the reduction in the number of effective cells.

Propriedades psicométricas da Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment (CSSA) em mulheres usuárias de crack

Objetivo Este estudo teve como objetivo adaptar a Cocaine Selective Severity Assessment (CSSA) para o português do Brasil e verificar as propriedades psicométricas do instrumento em uma amostra de usuárias de crack. Métodos Após as etapas de tradução e adaptação, 125 mulheres usuárias de crack, internadas em uma unidade pública de desintoxicação, foram avaliadas. Para caracterização da amostra e análise das validades concorrente, de construto e preditiva, foram utilizados os seguintes instrumentos: SCID-I, ASI-6, BDI-II e CCQ-B. Resultados A análise fatorial exploratória identificou cinco fatores, com níveis adequados de consistência interna tanto para os fatores quanto para o escore geral da CSSA. Quanto à validade concorrente, a CSSA vai ao encontro de instrumentos já utilizados na clínica e em pesquisas. Em relação à validade de construto e preditiva, a CSSA pode ser sensível ao declínio dos sintomas de abstinência durante o processo de desintoxicação do crack. Conclusões Nossos achados foram além da tradução e adaptação da CSSA, proporcionando testes de validade e sugerindo que a CSSA é um instrumento confiável na avaliação dos sintomas de abstinência do crack.

Association between coronary artery atherosclerosis and the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery measured on ultrasonography

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery of patients with coronary artery disease is greater than that of individuals without that disease. METHODS: Case-control prospective study of prevalence assessing the thickness of the intima and media layers of 29 patients with coronary artery disease and 29 individuals without that disease by using ultrasonography of the carotid arteries. Diabetic patients and those with peripheral artery and cerebral vasculopathies were excluded from the study. RESULTS: The mean age was 51±7.5 years. Fifty-five per cent of the patients were males. Acute myocardial infarction was present in 62%; cardiac catheterization in 72%; saphenous bypass in 5%; and coronary angioplasty in 24%. The intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery in case patients and in control patients was, respectively, 0.81±0.25 mm and 0.62±0.18 mm (P=0.001). CONCLUSION: Intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery was significantly greater in patients with coronary artery disease.