Propiedades psicométricas de los instrumentos para la medición de la actividad física en adultos con discapacidad física relacionada con lesión de médula espinal: una revisión sistemática

Objetivo: Evaluar las propiedades psicométricas de los instrumentos para la medición de la actividad física en adultos de 18-65 años con discapacidad física por lesión de médula espinal. Materiales y métodos: Revisión sistemática. Las bases de datos de Medline, Scopus, Web of Science y 19 revistas especializadas fueron consultadas durante once días entre abril de 2015 y febrero de 2016 para identificar estudios originales de validación, sin límite de tiempo y que estuvieran publicados en español, francés y/o inglés. La calidad metodológica de los instrumentos de medición se evaluó usando las diferentes cajas de propiedades de la lista COSMIN. Resultados: Se identificaron 9229 referencias, de las cuales sólo 12 cumplieron los criterios de inclusión, dando como resultado 13 instrumentos de medición. Se evaluaron seis propiedades psicométricas. La propiedad más común fue la confiabilidad, además se observó que la calidad metodológica de los estudios incluidos no representa los resultados de las propiedades psicométricas de los instrumentos de medición. La calidad metodológica de los instrumentos para la evaluación de la actividad física en población con lesión medular espinal es “baja” para propiedades como consistencia interna, error de medición, sensibilidad, validez de criterio (con excepción del WISCI II que tiene buena validez) y excelente para validez de contenido y fiabilidad. Conclusión: Se ha encontrado que instrumentos empleados hasta el presente en la medición de la actividad física en población con discapacidad física relacionada con lesión de médula espinal han sido creados para otros tipos de discapacidad y otros instrumentos deben ser validados en futuros estudios.

Propolis components accountable for bactericidal accomplishment and antibiofilm activity

This study aimed at evaluating antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of phenolic compounds present in propolis ethanol extracts (PEE). Seventy per cent ethanol extracts from seven types of propolis, one Green, two Red and four Brown collected in four Brazilian States were prepared and total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins and anthocyanins were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and inhibitor effect on Staphylococcus aureus biofilm formation and capacity to disrupt established biofilms were assessed towards eight S. aureus isolates from milk of small ruminants with mastitis, one methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and S. aureus ATCC 25923. To evaluate different propolis components accountability for bactericidal accomplishment and antibiofilm activity, the results were analysed by the non-parametric Spearman coefficient. Results of phenolic compounds were 216,21 to 312,08 gallic acid milligram equivalent per extract gram (mg EGA/g) of total phenolics, 55,08 to 140,6 quercetin milligram equivalent per extract gram (mg EQ/g) of flavonoids, 118,51 to 3766,16 catechin milligram equivalent per extract gram (mg EC/g) of tannins and 1,03 to 8,39 milligram per extract gram (mg/g) of anthocyanins. Red1 and Red2 showed higher tannin contents, while Red2 exhibited superior amount of anthocyanins and total phenolics. Brown3 presented higher flavonoid quantity. Green, Red1 and Red2 PEE showed the lowest levels of flavonoids, but the higher antimicrobial activity. Most PEE exhibit bactericidal activity at a concentration of 1.6 mg/mL. Brown4 PEE showed the worst capacity to inhibit S. aureus. Green PEE showed to be the most efficient in both preventing and disrupting biofilm. All PEE studied exhibited a better inhibitory activity prior-to than post-biofilm formation. According to non-parametric Spearman correlation analysis, there seems to be a significant negative correlation between the ability to disrupt biofilm and both tannins and anthocyanins contents.

Degradação do fungicida carbendazin por Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

O fungo lignocelulebtico, agente causal de podridão branca em madeira, Phonerochacte chrysosperium resistente a benomil, tem se mostrado eficiente como degradador do fungicida carbendazim. O fungo foi cultivado em BD complementado com 100,9 ug/ml de metil benzimidazol-2-ylcarbamato (Carbendazim ou MBC) por 22 dias, sob agitação. A determinação dos resíduos, realizada a partir do segundo dia e quantificada por cromatografia liquida de alta eficiência demonstrou que o carbendazim e rapidamente degradado por P.chrysosperium, sendo que aproximadamente 76% ocorre nos primeiros 6 dias de incubação.

Phanerochaeta chrysosporium degradando fungicida carbendazin.

O basiodiomiceto Phanerochaeta chrysosporium tem sido proposto para ser usado como agente de biorremediação em áreas contaminadas por compostos poluentes complexos.Este fungo produz lacases e peroxidases, enzimas que normalmente estão envolvidas na degradação de lignina que e uma substancia poliaromática complexa. Estas enzimas são também responsáveis pela degradação de uma diversa faixa de compostos, entre eles alguns pesticidas por exemplo o DDT. O fungicida sistêmico carbendazin (MBC)apesar de relativamente resistente a biodegradação, sofre transformação pela ação de alguns microrganismos. O presente estudo tem por objetivo verificar o efeito do P. chrysosporium na degradação do carbendazin. O fungo foi incubado em meio de cultura liquido (batata-dextrose)enriquecido com 100 ppm de carbenzadin. A determinação quantitativa do fungicida apos 2,3,6 e 22 dias de incubação, foi conduzida por cromatografia liquida de alta eficiência (CLAE) apos extração e "clean-up" da amostra. A analise dos resíduos no meio de cultura, demonstrou que P.chrysosporium degrada 77,6% do carbendazim nos primeiros dias de incubação, permanecendo então este valor inalterado nas analises posteriores. A curva de crescimento dos meios de cultura liquido: BD e BD + MBC, demonstrou em que ambos os casos, o crescimento ótimo foi atingido ao terceiro e quarto dia, respectivamente.

Avaliação da população fúngica do solo e degradação do fungicida carbendazin.

Degradação acelerada esta geralmente associada a repetidas aplicações do mesmo ou de um pesticida estruturalmente relacionado. Os fungicidas sistêmicos do grupo dos benzimidazois se caracterizam por uma alta seletividade, agindo em poucos processos do metabolismo dos patógenos e seu uso indiscriminado podem causar sérios problemas de contaminação ambiental. Solos de três regiões agrícolas foram enriquecidos sucessivamente com 100ppm de benomil. Após incubação, isolamentos foram feitos em meio de cultura suplementado com o fungicida (100 ppm) e colonias individuais foram avaliadas quanto a resistência da população fúngica, com diferentes concentrações do ingrediente ativo. Treze isolados foram avaliados para observação da capacidade de degradação em meio de cultura liquido suplementado com carbendazin e nesta forma ele atua como fungicida. A extração de MBC foi feita com acetato de etila e acido clorídrico e a analise dos metabolitos efetuada através de HPLC. O fungo Alternaria alternata mostrou-se eficiente em degradar acima de 60% de MBC.

Bioconcentration of selected personal care products in Ruditapes philippinarum (Manila clam)

The Bioconcentration Factor (BCF) is the principal source of information used to assess and regulate the potential hazard and risk for a chemical that has the potential to bioaccumulate in the marine environment, according to the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The main objective of this thesis was to estimate the BCFs of two different emerging contaminants in Ruditapes philippinarum (Manila clam) under controlled laboratory conditions: the UV filter 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC) commonly used in skincare products, and the artificial sweetener Acesulfame potassium (ACE-K) used as a food additive. Ruditapes philippinarum organisms were exposed directly to 4-MBC and ACE-K nominal concentration of 1, 10 and 100 μg L-1 during 10 days. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were estimated according to 3 different models for both compounds. The 4-MBC estimated BCFs fall in range of 61553 - 539143 L Kg-1, showing that this compound is very bioaccumulative and could also undergo biomagnification in the marine food chain. On the contrary, estimated ACE-K BCF is consistently lower, in order of 7 L Kg-1 for the nominal exposure concentration of 100 μg L-1. The low ACE-K BCF could be explained by its high solubility in water and thus a rapid metabolization by clams during the experiments. In summary, future research focusing on the marine environment is needed on these two emerging compounds.

Essential oils and hydrolates as potential tools for integrated prevention of bacterial diseases in plants

The present work aims to investigate the potential use of natural substances against bacterial plant pathogens. Microdilution tests were therefore carried out in vitro to identify the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC) of several EOs and Hys against selected bacterial pathogens. Commercial products based on a mixture of EOs were in addition assayed with macrodilution experiments against Erwinia amylovora (Ea-causal agent of fire blight). Subsequently, using selected EOs, Hys, and commercial products, ex vivo tests on disease incidence and Ea population dynamics were carried out; the latter experiment was followed by SEM observations. In addition, in vivo resistance induction test was carried out against bacterial leaf of tomato, caused by Xanthomonas vesicatoria (Xv). EOs and Hys showed high bactericidal activity in vitro (MBC <0.1 and <10% for the most active EOs and Hys: Origanum compactum and Thymus vulgaris EOs and Citrus aurantium var. amara Hy, respectively), but they were not effective ex vivo, while resulted very active when used in vivo as resistance inducers in the tomato-Xv pathosystem (relative protection >40%). Differently, commercial products resulted active in all tests, but not as resistance inducers against Xv. An open field trial with commercial products was carried out on strawberry plants naturally infected with Xanthomonas fragariae; the results showed discrete relative protection, concerning that provided by the conventional products based on copper; mostly, the disease severity reduction on those plants treated with EOs commercial products was significant when disease severity resulted high. The papers already published described in the present work investigate (1)the activity of Hys in comparison to EOs with respect to their active volatile content; (2) the potential use of EOs and Hys in cultural heritage; for the restoration of paintings; (3) the induction of resistance caused by plasma-activated water-based root treatments.

Phenotypic and molecular investigation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) isolated from breast cancer patients at single cell resolution

Despite the paramount advances in cancer research, breast cancer (BC) still ranks one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Thanks to the screening campaign started in developed countries, BC is often diagnosed at early stages (non-metastatic BC, nmBC), but disease relapse occurrence even after decades and at distant sites is not an uncommon phenomenon. Conversely, metastatic BC (mBC) is considered an incurable disease. The major perpetrators of tumor spread to secondary organs are circulating tumor cells (CTCs), a rare population of cells detectable in the peripheral blood of oncologic patients. In this study, CTCs from patients diagnosed with luminal nmBC and mBC (hormone receptor positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER2) negative) were characterized at both phenotypic and molecular levels. To better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying their biology and their metastatic potential, next-generation sequencing (NGS) analyses were performed at single-cell resolution to assess copy number aberrations (CNAs), single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and gene expression profiling. The findings of this study arise hints in CTC detection, and pave the way to new application in CTC research.