Effect of ingestion of soy yogurt on intestinal parameters of rats fed on a beef-based animal diet

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Genetic diversity and antifungal susceptibility testing of Trichosporon asahii isolated of Intensive Care Units patients

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Exame microbiológico de sorvetes não pasteurizados

Realizou-se exame microbiológico em 24 amostras de sorvetes não pasteurizados, todos preparados de maneira não industrial e à base de leite (creme, nata, chocolate), fabricados por 12 sorveterias diferentes da cidade de Araraquara, SP. Colheram-se duas amostras de cada sorveteria com intervalo de 15 dias entre as colheitas. Realizaram-se as seguintes provas: contagem de bactérias aeróbicas ou facultativas mesófilas e psicrófilas e de Staphylococcus aureus; determinação do Número Mais Provável (NMP) de coliformes totais e fecais e da presença de Salmonella. As técnicas utilizadas foram aquelas convencionalmente usadas para tais determinações. Não foi encontrada Salmonella em nenhuma das amostras e de cerca de 16,6% delas isolou-se Staphylococcus aureus. em proporções variáveis verificou-se a presença de microrgarnismos deteriorantes e daqueles indicadores de poluição de origem fecal.

Anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis activity of fungus Phomopsis stipata

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Bacillus licheniformis: Optimization of production and its properties

Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.19) is an enzyme that produces cyclodextrins from starch via an intramolecular transglycosylation reaction. An alkalophilic Bacillus strain, isolated from cassava peels, was identified as Bacillus licheniformis. CGTase production by this strain was better when potato starch was used as carbon source, followed by cassava starch and amylopectin. Glucose and amylose, on the other hand, acted as synthesis repressors. When the cultivation was supplemented with sodium ions and had the pH adjusted between 6.0 and 9.0, the microorganism maintained the growth and enzyme production capacity. This data is interesting because it contradicts the concept that alkalophilic microorganisms do not grow in this pH range. After ultrafiltration-centrifugation, one protein of 85.2 kDa with CGTase activity was isolated. This protein was identified in plates with starch and phenolphthalein. Determination of the optimum temperature showed higher activities at 25 degrees C and 55 degrees C, indicating the possible presence of more than one CGTase in the culture filtrate. Km and Vmax values were 1.77 mg/mL and 0.0263 U/mg protein, respectively, using potato starch as substrate.

Screening for antimicrobial activity of natural products using a microplate photometer

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Detection of mixed microbial biofilms on central venous catheters removed from Intensive care Unit Patients

Cateteres venosos centrais inseridos em pacientes internados em unidade de terapia intensiva foram avaliados por métodos microbiológicos (cultura semi-quantitativa) e microscopia eletrônica de varredura a fim de detectar adesão microbiana e correlacionar com a cultura de sangue. Durante o período de estudo, foram avaliados 59 pacientes com cateter venoso central. A idade dos pacientes, sexo, sítio de inserção e tempo de permanência do cateter foram anotados. O cateter era de poliuretano não tunelizado e de único lúmen. O sangue para cultura foi coletado no momento da remoção do cateter. de 63 pontas de cateteres, 30 (47,6%) foram colonizadas e a infecção encontrada em 5 (23,8%) cateteres. A infecção foi mais prevalente em 26 pacientes (41,3%) com cateteres inseridos em veia subclávia do que nos 3 (3,2%) inseridos em veia jugular. A infecção foi observada com mais freqüência em cateteres com tempo de permanência maior do que sete dias. Os microrganismos isolados incluíram 32 estafilococos coagulase-negativa (29,7%), 61 bactérias Gram-negativas (52,9%), 9 estafilcocos coagulase-positiva (8,3%) e 3 leveduras (2,7%). Como agentes causais de infecções em unidade de terapia intensiva foram isolados E. aerogenes, P. aeruginosa, A. baumannii. Os antimicrobianos com maior atividade in vitro contra as bactérias Gram-negativas foram o imipenem e contra as Gram-positivas vancomicina, cefepime, penicilina, rifampicina e tetraciclina. As análises por microscopia eletrônica de varredura revelaram biofilmes sobre a superfície de todos os cateteres examinados.

Assessment of the quality of dna extracted by two techniques from Mycobacterium tuberculosis for fast molecular identification and genotyping

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Activity of disinfectants against foodborne pathogens in suspension and adhered to stainless steel surfaces

The purpose of this study was to investigate and compare the efficacy of various disinfectants on planktonic cells and biofilm cells of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Numbers of viable biofilm cells decreased after treatment with all tested disinfectants (iodine, biguanide, quaternary ammonium compounds, peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite). Sodium hypochlorite was the most effective disinfectant against biofilm cells, while biguanide was the least effective. Scanning electron microscopy observations revealed that cells adhered on stainless steel surface after treatment with the disinfectants. No viable planktonic cells were observed after treatment with the same disinfectants. Based on our findings, we concluded that biofilm cells might be more resistant to disinfectants than plancktonic cells.

Comparison of resazurin microtiter assay performance and BACTEC MGIT 960 in the susceptibility testing of Brazilian clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to four first-line drugs

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Chemical and microbiological evaluation of the internal surfaces of aluminum tubes both unlined and lined with epoxi resin by means of the stereoscope and scanning electron microscope

A superfície interna das bisnagas fabricadas com alumínio não revestido e revestido com resina epóxi, utilizadas para acondicionar cremes, pomadas, géis, etc., foram avaliadas quimicamente e por métodos microbiológicos correlacionados com a aderência de microrganismos. A prova da porosidade e da resistência à remoção da resina foi observada por meio do microscópio eletrônico de varredura (Topcon FM300) e estereoscópio Leica (MZ12) acoplado a Sistema de Digitalização de Imagens. Para avaliar a ação dos microrganismos foram utilizados corpos-de-prova esterilizados (discos de 10mm de diâmetro), imersos em caldo Mueller Hinton (Difco) e colocados em tubos de polipropileno com tampa de rosca (Corning). Foram inoculados tubos com meio de cultura para cada uma das suspensões bacterianas (10(9)UFC/mL) de Streptococcus agalactiae, Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter lwoffii e Candida albicans, incubados a 37°C, sob agitação constante durante 12 dias. O meio de cultura era trocado a cada 3 dias. Após esse período, os corpos-de prova foram removidos, processados e observados em microscópio eletrônico de varredura JEOL-JSM (T330A). A observação por meio do microscopio eletrônico de varredura mostrou a aderência e a formação de biofilme sobre a superfície de alumínio não revestido e revestido com resina epóxi.

Stpahylococcus aureus biofilms on central venous haemodialysis catheters

As infecções devido a biofilmes bacterianos são comuns em pacientes sob tratamento em hemodiálise. Neste estudo, 16 pacientes (7 homens, 9 mulheres, de 22 a 81 anos, média 50 anos de idade), com um total de 25 cateteres de hemodiálise (3 de triplo-lúmen e 22 de duplo-lúmen) de poliuretano inseridos em veia subclávia foram estudados. Os cateteres permaneceram no local de 3 a 91 dias (média de 47 dias). Os cateteres foram removidos devido ao: mau funcionamento (44%), suspeita de infecção relacionada ao cateter (20%), viabilidade de um acesso permanente (16%), remoção acidental (12%), sinais e sintomas de infecção no local da inserção do cateter (4%) e contaminação exógena (4%). Culturas positivas de ponta foram observadas em sete cateteres (28%), concomitantemente com três culturas positivas de sangue. Das culturas de sangue foram identificados Staphylococcus aureus (12%) e de uma das conexões foi isolado S. aureus. Biofilmes foram observados sobre todas as pontas de cateteres. Os S. aureus isolados do sangue e cateter (ponta e conexão) eram resistentes a pencilina e sensíveis a azitromicina, ciprofloxacina, clindamicina, cloranfenicol, gentamicina, oxacilina, rifampicina, sulfametoxazole, tetraciclina e vancomicina. As cepas de S. aureus isoladas de sangue, ponta de cateter e conexão foram consideradas idênticas devido à coincidência do perfil de sensibilidade. E similaridade genética, avaliada por meio de ribotipagem.

Variability of the conserved V3 loop tip motif in HIV-1 subtype B isolates collected from Brazilian and French patients

The diversity of the V3 loop tip motif sequences of HIV-1 subtype B was analyzed in patients from Botucatu (Brazil) and Montpellier (France). Overall, 37 tetrameric tip motifs were identified, 28 and 17 of them being recognized in Brazilian and French patients, respectively. The GPGR (P) motif was predominant in French but not in Brazilian patients (53.5% vs 31.0%), whereas the GWGR (W) motif was frequent in Brazilian patients (23.0%) and absent in French patients. Three tip motif groups were considered: P, W, and non-P non-W groups. The distribution of HIV-1 isolates into the three groups was significantly different between isolates from Botucatu and from Montpellier (P < 0.001). A higher proportion of CXCR4-using HIV-1 (X4 variants) was observed in the non-P non-W group as compared with the P group (37.5% vs 19.1%), and no X4 variant was identified in the W group (P < 0.001). The higher proportion of X4 variants in the non-P non-W group was essentially observed among the patients from Montpellier, who have been infected with HIV-1 for a longer period of time than those from Botucatu. Among patients from Montpellier, CD4+ cell counts were lower in patients belonging to the non-P non-W group than in those belonging to the P group (24 cells/µL vs 197 cells/µL; P = 0.005). Taken together, the results suggest that variability of the V3 loop tip motif may be related to HIV-1 coreceptor usage and to disease progression. However, as analyzed by a bioinformatic method, the substitution of the V3 loop tip motif of the subtype B consensus sequence with the different tip motifs identified in the present study was not sufficient to induce a change in HIV-1 coreceptor usage.

Morfologia e sedimentologia da plataforma continental brasileira adjacente a São Bento do Norte e Caiçara do Norte-RN/NE-Brasil

This dissertation the results of a research developed in the area of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, northern coast of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, during the period of June of 2000 to August of 2001, in the ambit of the projects MAMBMARÉ (CNPq/CTPETRO) and PROBRAL (CAPES/DAAD). The objective principal of this research was the characterization of the sedimentary dynamics of this coast, with base in data of coastal process (winds, currents, waves and tides), with topographical risings (beach profiles and dunes), satellite images and sedimentary analyses. The more specific objectives were accomplished the coastal monitoring of this coast, to verify the maintenance of an erosive tendency or progradacional after the groynes construction for contention of the erosion in the beach of Caiçara do Norte, as well as to verify the influence of the features of bottom of the platform interns adjacent on the pole petroliferous of Guamaré. The executed monitoramento allowed to identify that the movement of the sediments, along the year, in that area, is cyclical, reaching the largest oscillations during the months of winter (deposition) and they will summer (erosion). The sedimentologic studies indicated a general tendency for sands quartzosas, with gravel presence, moderately to good selected, with asymmetry predominantly negative. In agreement with the parameter of Dean (1957), used in the identification of the state morfodinâmico of the beaches, monitored beaches, are basically reflectivas with tendency to middlemen, what frames that space of the coast norte-riograndense, as a space strongly vulnerable to erosive processes. The studies developed in the platform, it interns of this area, allowed to visualize for the first time, in large scale, the distribution of the features of the submarine bottom to the batométrico coat of 25 meters. Being pointed out the presence of a high one topographical submerged, with about 5 meters of height, 1 km of width and more than 24 meters of extension, located in the platform it interns in front of São Bento do Norte; coincident with the trend of the system of flaws of Carnaubais. This feature relay an important paper on the control of the sedimentary processes and oceanographic, as well as in the coastal evolution of this area of the RN state, and they affect the area of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré directly. These results contribute to a better knowledge of the processes in the area, and consequently as subsidies implantation of measures of coastal and environmental protection for the cities of São Bento do Norte and Caiçara do Norte, as well as to understand how the geological-sedimentary processes and oceanographic, in this area, are influencing the characteristics geoambientais of the pole petroliferous of Guamaré

Evolução morfodinâmica da região de influência estuarina do Rio Curimataú/RN, com ênfase nas alternativas do ambiente deposicional de manguezal e a integração de geodados em Sig

The estuaries are important investigation zones of the actual morphodynamic and of depositional facies of recent geological history. They are constituted in important receptor means of the coastal area sediments, where the evolutionary processes occur quickly. They are also attractive means for the development of anthropic activities, which in a disordered way interfere in the active processes in the sedimentary balance of the coastal areas. Among the human interventions, the alterations of the depositional environment of mangroves in areas of tropical estuary is deserving relevance, whose implications for the environment estuarine and the coastal adjacent, they are still far to be known. Due to the interest of the sedimentologic component in the comprehension of the processes linked to the evolution of the environments estuarine and coastal adjacent, this work, aimed at the understanding of the morphodynamic coastal phenomena that comprise the region of estuarine influence of the River Curimataú / RN. It was also evaluated in the morphodynamic context the implications due to alterations of the depositional environment of mangrove by anthropic activity. The Curimataú Estuary, located in the south portion of the oriental coast of Rio Grande do Norte, in the last decades has been objective of the overwhelming occupation of the shrimp farm in areas of mangroves, which were implanted with perspectives of development in a short to medium period. On the other hand, the estuary and its region of coastal influence lacks enough information to subsidize the planning and reorganization more effective of the surrounding activities. Thus, it was intended with this work to give a contribution target tothe maintainable use of the coastal resources of this region. A series of studies using data of orbital and acoustic remote sensing, as of sediments sampling, were executed in the gutter of the estuary. The obtained results starting from the interpretation of bathymetric maps, echo sounder graphics and of distribution of sediments made possible the location of the estuary based in morpho-sedimentar criteria. The estuarine tidal flat was dissected in environments of intertidal mangroves, supratidal mangroves and apicuns with base in the integration of data of sensor optic and of radar following by the field control. The adjacent coast that is influenced by the Curimataú estuary, was segmented according to their geomorphologic characteristics, where each segment had a point of observation of the beach morphodynamic, during the period from january/2001 to february/2002. Once every month, beaches profiles, collections of sediments in the beach zones, as measurement of hydrodynamic parameters were executed. The results of the observations of the tidal environment showed that the area of estuarine influence of the Curimataú begins to suffer negative sedimentary taxes, where in some beaches, the erosive processes are already observed. The granulometric characteristics of the beach sediments start to tend for the increase of thin sand in the erosive periods. The destruction of the depositional environments of mangroves of the Curimataú estuary, to the construction of shrimp farms, can be providing the diminution of the tidal prism of the estuary, enlarging the effects of the local increasing of the sea level, through the smaller supplying of sediments to the adjacent coast. Besides this, it was verified the possibility of the sanding of the tidal channel in the margins of the destroyed areas of mangroves, where very high taxes of sedimentation of thin materials were estimated in case of these areas were preserve