Antimicrobial activity of crude extratcs of Petiveria alliacea L.

Antimicrobial activity of crude extratcs of Petiveria alliacea L.. Petiveria alliacea L. (Phytolaccacea) is an herbaceous plant of great importance in traditional medicine. This species have been widely used in several applications such as antirheumatic, anticarcinogenic, anti-flu, antitussive, analgesic, insecticidal, acaricidal, as well as bactericide and fungicide. Currently, the pathogenic microorganisms are acquiring resistence against the traditional antibiotics, and the search for new herbal antimicrobial agents has been intensified. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antifungal and antibacterial activity of several leaf crude extracts of P. alliacea against several strains of bacterias and yeasts namely Bacilus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Candida parapsilosis, Candida kefyr and Candida albicans, using microdilution method. Promising results were observed for the 70% v/v ethanolic extract which presented minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) from 250 to 760 mu g/mL for yeast. For the bacteria strains tested the MIC ranged between 240 to 3960 mu g/mL, depending of the extractive solution tested.

Resistência natural da madeira de sete espécies de eucalipto ao apodrecimento

A resistência natural ao apodrecimento se constitui numa importante propriedade da madeira. Em se tratando das madeiras provenientes do gênero Eucalyptus, tal atributo se torna ainda mais importante, uma vez que tais madeiras são, na grande maioria das vezes, de difícil tratabilidade pelos métodos de tratamento convencionais. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi determinar a resistência natural da madeira de sete espécies de eucalipto em ensaio acelerado de laboratório ao fungo causador da podridão-parda Gloeophyllum trabeum. Foram ensaiadas madeiras das espécies de Corymbia citriodora, Eucalyptus tereticornis, E. paniculata, E. pilularis, E. cloeziana, E. urophylla e E. grandis com 16 anos de idade, que cresceram na Estação Experimental de Anhembi, em São Paulo, pertencente ao Departamento de Ciências Florestais da ESALQ/USP. No que diz respeito ao apodrecimento causado pelo fungo Gloeophyllum trabeum, a madeira de eucalipto das sete espécies pode ser considerada resistente, uma vez que os valores de perda de massa foram sempre inferiores a 10%.

Cartografando estratégias de resistência construídas por educadores no cotidiano de trabalho numa escola de Vitória-ES

Este estudo buscou cartografar as estratégias de resistência construídas por professores de uma escola pública municipal de ensino infantil da cidade de Vitória, considerando a dinamicidade da produção de saúde e doença. A cartografia se efetivou por meio de vivência institucional, entrevistas, construção de um diário de campo, questionários, fotografias e confrontação-validação dos resultados com o coletivo de trabalhadores. Apesar de todas as nocividades do ambiente de trabalho, os professores não se deixam paralisar e criam estratégias, novas formas de fazer seu trabalho, buscando condições menos adoecedoras para o desenvolvimento de suas atividades que, quando coletivizadas, potencializam o processo inventivo desses trabalhadores. Os resultados da pesquisa indicam a importância dessas discussões, uma vez que dão visibilidade a essas formas de luta, o que pode promover transformação do que é vivido nas escolas hoje.

Insucesso na indução de resistência a drogas esquistossomicidas em uma cepa brasileira humana de Schistosoma mansoni

No presente estudo, realizou-se uma tentativa de indução de resistência a 3 drogas esquistossomicidas em uma cepa brasileira de S. mansoni, segundo o esquema de indução de resistência tipo II preconizado por JANSMA et al. em 1977. Houve insucesso nas 3 tentativas realizadas. A geração parental tratada com a droga durante o estágio imaturo do verme mostrou-se menos suscetível aos quimioterápicos do que as gerações F1 e F2 do verme. Uma hipótese é levantada para a explicação do fato.

Susceptibilité de Rattus norvegicus et Rattus rattus frugivurus de la ville de Recife à la Pasteurella pestis

L'auíeur a vérifié la susceptibilité de deux espèces de rongeurs domestiques de la ville de Recife. Etat du Pernambuco, R. norvegicus et Rattus rattus frugivurus, les comparant aux souris albinos de la souche "Swiss" avec deux souches de P. pestis dont une était isolée au municipe d'Exu, Etat du Pernambuco âenommée PEXU 19 et Vautre provenante du Venezuela dite RANGEL. Les deux espèces de rongeurs ont montré une resistence modérée par rapport aux deux souches de P. pestis tandis que les souris ont révélé d'être hautement susceptibles.

Patogenia da leishmaniose cutânea experimental: a importância da necrose na eliminação dos parasitos das lesões

Um estudo histopatológico e ultraestrutural das lesões da leishmaniose cutânea causada pela Leishmania mexicana amazonensis em duas cepas isogênicas de camundongo, uma susceptível (Balb/c) e outra resistente (A/J), demonstrou que os amastigotas ficavam bem preservados nos vacúolos parasitóforos dos macrófagos, igualmente em ambas as cepas. A reação de imunofluorescência revelou antigenos parasitários no interior e na membrana dos macrófagos de maneira idêntica para ambas as cepas. A diferença ocorria quando os macrófagos apareciam destruídos e as leishmanias ficavam livres ou fagocitadas por polimorfonucleares, neutrófilos e eosinófilos. Estes parasitos exibiam então graus variáveis de nítidas alterações degenerativas. No camundongo resistence, a necrose, de tipo caseoso ou fibrinóide, era mais disseminada e mais freqüente que no animal susceptível. Os achados observados indicaram que as leishmanias não são destruídas no interior dos macrófagos e sim fora deles, especialmente quando fagocitadas por leucócitos polimorfonucleares. A necrose apareceu como o mecanismo mais saliente através do qual o hospedeiro elimina os parasitos das lesões, sendo a mesma um aspecto importante da reação de hipersensibilidade tardia que ocorre nos animais resistentes.

Envelhecimento das aguardentes

1 - Colour, by itself, does not constitute a solid ground for judging of the age of a brandy because the more or less pronounced colour it acquires through aging can also be obtained by the addition of oack essence to newly distilled brandy. 2 - Urder the same conditions, colour intensity of a brandy wiU depend upon the nature of the wood and the condition of the storage. 3 - In accordance with the experimental results obtained by the present writers it rests no doubt that fermentation facility ferment resistence, produce and quality of the brendy all are factors depending upon the variety of the sugar cane. In addition, the authors presume that the variety of sugar cane has also influence upon the alteration of composition of the brandy submitted to aging. 4 - All aging phenomena of the brandy are accompanied by volume decreasing, what happens in a slow and continuous manner depending upon storage and environment conditions 5 - During brandy aging the alcoholic degree is greatly af- fected by evaporation, increasing or decreasing in accordance to the hygrometric state of the air and the teriperature in the place where the tuns are stored. 6 - The specific weight of the brandy is inversely proportio- nal to its alcoholic degree, but directly proportional to the extracts since the latter indicates the amount of dissolved residues. 7 - Brandy which shows high specific weight together with high alcoholic degree cannot be considered as aged. It may, however, be takens for brandy artificially coloved in order to conceal its actual age. 8 - The amount of extracts increases with aging, since it is the result of the solvent action of the brandy upon the soluble extractive substances of the wood. Notwithstanding that the extract, considered alone, has no value in determining the age of a brandy, since nothing easier is ohan to nake it change artificially. 9 -During aging the brandy get acidity in physiological as well as in physical way, but never by the action of microorganisms. 10 - The estturs produced during aging by the action of acids upon alcohols are the mean factors of the savour (bouquet) of a brandy and therefore every thing shall be done tor fhr estherification of a preserved brandy being not limited. 11 - Aeration increases esther formation, reduces the aging- time and turn better the taste qualities of the brandy. 12 - Due to the great proportion of high alcohols ordinarily found in the brandy, their analytical discrimination will be greatly important. 13 - The high alcohols are not responsable for the disastrous consequences of the alcoholism, but the high percentage of uthyl alcohol present in the brandy. 14 - The aldehydes appear always in high rate in the brazilian brandys in consequence of some intermediary products of the oxydation of the alcohols being left in the brandys during aging. 15 - The age has little or no influence on the quantity of phurphurol present in a brandy whose amount varies greatly the manner in which the wines to be distilled are treated. Wines centrifugalized or filtered before distillation always give rise to brandys poorer in phurphurol as compared with those distilled without these treatments. 16 - Though greatly variable, brandys of good qualities generally show a high residues coefficient, never under 200 mmg 17 - Lusson - Rocques oxydation coefficient cannot be indis- criminately applied to any brandy class, being, on the contrary, specifically destined to cognacs.

Efeito da vacinação estreptocócica sobre a produção de antiestreptofibrinolisina

The vaccination with hemolytic streptococci washed in saline doesn't give to the plasma of vaccinated people resistence against fibrinolysis, when in presence of antistreptofibrinolysin. The A. A. believe that the fibrinolysin in solube is the culture medium and that it is necessary to the formation of the antifibrinolysin. This fact is important in the preparation of the antistreptococcal serum which must be antibacterian, antitoxic and antifibrinolytic.

Immunity to intracellular bacteria

Immunity to intracellular bacteria including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mycobacterium leprae, and Listeria monocytogenes depends on specific T cells. Evidence to be described suggests that CD4 (alpha/beta)T cells which interact with each other and with macrophages contribute to acquired resistence against as well as pathogenesis of intracellular bacterial infections.

Isolation of Pseudomonas cepacia in cystic fibrosis patient

Pulmonary infection on cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are associated with a limited qualitative number of microorganisms. During the colonization process, Staphylococcus aureus usually preceedes Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This latter is at first non-mucoid, being replaced or associated to a mucoid morphotype which is rare in other diseases. In 1980, Pseudomonas cepacia appeared as an important agent in CF pulmonary infections with a mean frequency of about 6.1% isolations in different parts of the world. The primus colonization mainly occurs in the presence of pre-existent tissue lesions and the clinical progress of the disease is variable. In some patients it can be fulminant; in others it can cause a gradual and slow decrease in their pulmonary functions. The concern with this germ isolation is justified by its antibiotic multiple resistence and the possibility of direct transmission from a colonized patient to a non-colonized one. We reported the first case of P. cepacia infection in a CF patient in our area. The microbiological attendance to this patient had been made from 1986 to 1991 and the first positive culture appeared in 1988. The sensitivity profile showed that the primus colonization strain was sensitive to 9 of 17 tested antibiotics, however in the last culture the strain was resistent to all antibiotics. These data corroborate the need for monitoring the bacterial flora on CF patients respiratory system.

Stabilization of fluoroindate glasses by magnesium fluoride and other heavy metal fluorides

Their extended transparency in the IR makes them attractive for use as optical fibers for CO laser power delivery and optical amplification. This paper firstly describes the spectacular stabilizing effect of MgF2 on the binary system InF3-BaF2. The investigation of the InF3-BaF2-MgF2 system led to samples up to 5mm in thickness. Further optimization of this system was achieved by incorporation of limited amounts of other fluorides and resulted in increased resistence to devitrification. The second approach of this work was concerned to the investigation of the pseudo-ternary system InF3-GdF3-GaF3 at constant concentrations of ZnF2-SrF2-BaF2-NaF. Several compositions were studied in this system. The samples presented a better thermal stability when compared to other families of fluoride glasses. Therefore, these glasses seem to be very promising for the fabrication of special optical fibers. Thermal data are reported.

Impact of ivermectin-resistant gastrointestinal nematodes in feedlot cattle in Argentina

The aim was to evaluate for 75 days the impact on production of the remaining burden of ivermectin (IVM)-resistant parasites in naturally infected feedlot calves. The herds came from tick-infested areas of cattle breeding where the systematic use of IVM to control tick increases the gastrointestinal parasites resistant to this drug. This investigation was carried out in two commercial feedlots in Buenos Aires province. In feedlot A, two groups of 35 animal each received IVM 1% and the other received ricobendazole (RBZ) 10% respectively. The same was done in feedlot B. On day 0, two groups of 35 animals were made in feedlots A and B. Fecal samples were taken on days 0, 22, 54 and 75 pos-treatment (PT), and body weight was registered, from each animal. Fecal samples were processed for individual count of eggs per gram (EPG) and pooled fecal culture was carried out for identification of the parasite genus in each sampling. Fecal egg count reduction test (FECR) was calculated on day 22 PT. The study design used was a totally randomized block, with commercial feedlot and sex as block variables. For data analysis, a mixed model of the SAS statistical program was used. The FECR average on day 22 was 28.4% in the IVM group, and 94,2 % in the RBZ group . From this date on, significant differences in EPG were kept until day 54. EPG counts were only equal near the end of the trial, on day 75 (p=0.16). In both commercial feedlots, especially in the IVM group, Cooperia spp. was the most prevalent parasite in the fecal cultures. Significant differences in weight (P<0.01) on post-treatment day 75 was found between the average weight in the RBZ and the IVM group (246 vs. 238 kg respectively), what means a difference of 8.3% in gains. The importance for production in the antiparasite failure treatment in commercial feedlots was demonstrated, and the need of pos-treatment controls to evaluate the efficacy of the antiparasitic administered is emphasized.

Effect of oral administration of Propionibacterium acnes on growth performance, DTH response and anti-OVA titers in goat kids

Immunostimulants are susbstances that stimuli the response of effector cells to activate the immune response such as antigen uptake, cytokine release or antibody response. These substances can increase resistence to infection by different types of microorganisms, reducing dependence of antibiotics used in livestock animals. Recent reports have demonstrated the positive effect of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) to control animal diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the non-specific immunostimulant P. acnes on immunological functions and growth performance in goat kids. Twenty five goat kids served as control group (A) and another 25 animals received P. acnes being the experimental group (B). Kids were challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) to assess humoral immunity. To assess in vivo cell immunity, delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) test with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was used, clinical signs and body weight were recorded each week until 9 weeks of age when the experiment ended. Blood samples were obtained to analyze serum proteins fractions and anti-OVA specific antibodies. No clinical signs of disease and no differences (p>0.05) on body weight between groups were recorded (7.32±0.81 kg in group A, 7.13±0.65 kg in group B). Goat kids from group B had more total protein (59.8±5g/l) and albumin levels (32.8±3.3g/l) than goat kids from group A (56.6±5.7 g/l, 29.6±3.9 g/l respectively) (p<0.05). DTH response in goat kids from group B on day 42 was higher (p<0.05) than group A. At day 63, goat kids from group receiving P. acnes had higher percentage (85.4) of anti-OVA IgM titers (p<0.05) than control group (57.7). In conclusion, the results showed that oral administration of P. acnes to goat kids improved some aspects of the immune system of the animals and it could be used to control goat diseases.

Investigations on Dezincification of Brass and Epoxy Coated Brass

Brasses are widely used as constructional materials in marine environment due to their anticorrosive,antifouling and mechanical properties.However, its resistance to corrosion and fouling may vary according to local marine environmental condition and the seasons.The dezincification of brass is one of the forms of selective corrosion which has attracted the attention of researchers for the last two decades.Many of the dezincification mechanistic studies have been performed in noncomplex media and hence their conclusions cannot be extended to esturine water,which is of great significance since brass is extensively used in marine environment.Inhibited α brasses are largely immune to dezincication and the effect of tin and arsenic addition to α/beta brasses is not so reliable in controlling the dezincification. There have been many cases of dezincification in duplex brasses in both freshwater and seawater.Though there is some protection methods such as inhibitors,electro deposition and electro polymerization,there is no reliable method of inhibiting the dezincification of two-phase brass.Organic coatings are effectively used for the protection metals due to their capacity to act a physical barrieer between the metal surface and corrosive environment.Hence,pure epoxy coating is selected for this as it has antocorrosiion effect on brass.The dezincification behaviour of brass of the present study has been highlighted in terms of corrosion rate,weight gain/loss,corrosion current and polarization resistence,open circuit potential,dezincification factor. The marine fouling as biomass on brass was assessed and presented in this thesis, The physicochemical properties of estuarine water were correlated with corrosion behaviour of brass.The deterioration of the brass subjected to the effect of estuarine water was also investigated as a measure of loss in mechanical properties such as tensile strength,yield strength,percntage elongation and percentage reduction in area.To validate dezincification data,visual observation,spot analysis,surface morphology before and after removal of corrosion products and corrosion product analysis were performed.The dezincification behavior of epoxy coated brass of the present study has beenhighlighted in terms of corrosion rate ,weight gain/loss,corrosion current and polarization resistance,open circuit potential.dezincification factor.The marine fouling as biomass on epoxy coated brass subjeted to the effect of estuarine water was also investigated as ameasure of loss in mechanical properties such as tensile strength,percentage elongation and percentage reduction in area.The results of dezincification behavior of brass and epoxy coated brass in Cochin estuary water has been presented and discussed.Attempt has been made to correlate the dezincification behavior of brass with epoxy coated brass.

Factores de riesgo para bacteremia por Klebsiella pneumoniae productora de blee en una unidad de cuidado intensivo neonatal en Bogotá 2004-2005

El incremento en la prevalencia de infecciones intrahospitalarias causadas por especies de Klebsiella spp. productora de ß-lactamasa de espectro extendido (BLEE) se ha incrementado en la población hospitalizada constituyendo un problema de salud pública, aunque datos locales en infantes y neonatos es limitada. El objetivo de este estudio fue definir los factores de riesgo asociados a la presencia de bacteremia por Klebsiella pneumoniae BLEE en neonatos que ingresan a la unidad de cuidado intensivo neonatal. Se realizó un estudio de casos y controles en una UCIN de Bogotá (Colombia) de Enero de 2004 a Diciembre de 2005. Fueron definidos como caso los neonatos con diagnóstico de bacteremia por Klebsiella pneumoniae productora de BLEE nosocomial, y como controles a los neonatos admitidos en el mismo periodo de tiempo sin bacteremia por éste microorganismo. Un total de 72 neonatos fueron analizados (24 casos y 48 controles) encontrando en el análisis multivariado una asociación significativa con la exposición previa a antibióticos (OR: 12.85; IC 95%: 1.08–91.6; p<0.001) y con el uso de ventilación mecánica (OR: 40.2; IC 95%: 5.67–285.94; p<0.001). Resultados que presentan concordancia con otros estudios publicados. En conclusión la ventilación mecánica y el uso previo de de antibióticos se relacionan con la presencia de bacteremia nosocomial por Klebsiella pneumoniae productora de BLEE en neonatos. Esta relación debe ser confirmada con estudios de mayor nivel de evidencia.