Molecular detection of tick-borne bacterial agents in Brazilian and exotic captive carnivores

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

Molecular characterization of Hepatozoon sp in cats from Sao Luis Island, Maranhao, Northeastern Brazil

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

Sensitivity evaluation of a single-step PCR assay using Ehrlichia canis p28 gene as a target and its application in diagnosis of canine ehrlichiosis

O objetivo deste estudo foi aperfeiçoar um ensaio de PCR que amplificasse um fragmento de 843 pares de bases do gene p28 da Ehrlichia canis e compará-lo com outros dois métodos de PCR utilizados para amplificar partes do gene 16S rRNA e dsb do gênero Ehrlichia. Amostras sanguíneas foram colhidas de cães com diagnóstico clínico de erliquiose. A amplificação do gene p28 pela PCR produziu um fragmento de 843pb e esse ensaio permitiu a detecção do DNA de um parasita dentre 1 bilhão de células. Todas as amostras positivas detectadas pela PCR baseada no gene p28 foram também positivas pela nested PCR para detecção do gene 16S rRNA e também pela PCR dsb. Dentre as amostras negativas para a PCR p28, 55,3% foram co-negativas, mas 27,6% foram positivas pela PCR baseada nos genes 16S rRNA e dsb. A PCR p28 parece ser um teste útil para detecção molecular de E. canis, entretanto otimizações na sensibilidade nesta PCR são necessárias, para que esta técnica se torne uma importante alternativa no diagnóstico da erliquiose canina.

Bacterial diversity of terra preta and pristine forest soil from the Western Amazon

The survey presented here describes the bacterial diversity and community structures of a pristine forest soil and an anthropogenic, terra preta from the Western Amazon forest using molecular methods to identify the predominant phylogenetic groups. Bacterial community similarities and species diversity in the two soils were compared using oligonucleotide fingerprint grouping of 16S rRNA gene sequences for 1500 clones (OFRG) and by DNA sequencing. The results showed that both soils had similar bacterial community compositions over a range of phylogenetic distances, among which Acidobacteria were predominant, but that terra preta supported approximately 25% greater species richness. The survey provides the first detailed analysis of the composition and structure of bacterial communities from terra preta anthrosols using noncultured-based molecular methods. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacterial functional redundancy along a soil reclamation gradient

A strategy to measure bacterial functional redundancy was developed and tested with soils collected along a soil reclamation gradient by determining the richness and diversity of bacterial groups capable of in situ growth on selected carbon substrates. Soil cores were collected from four sites along a transect from the Jamari tin mine site in the Jamari National Forest, Rondonia, RO, Brazil: denuded mine spoil, soil from below the canopy of invading pioneer trees, revegetated soil under new growth on the forest edge, and the forest floor of an adjacent preserved forest. Bacterial population responses were analyzed by amending these soil samples with individual carbon substrates in the presence of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), BrdU-labeled DNA was then subjected to a 16S-23S rRNA intergenic analysis to depict the actively growing bacteria from each site, the number and diversity of bacterial groups responding to four carbon substrates (L-serine, L-threonine, sodium citrate, and or-lactose hydrate) increased along the reclamation-vegetation gradient such that the preserved forest soil samples contained the highest functional redundancy for each substrate. These data suggest that bacterial functional redundancy increases in relation to the regrowth of plant communities and may therefore represent an important aspect of the restoration of soil biological functionality to reclaimed mine spoils. They also suggest that bacterial functional redundancy may be a useful indicator of soil quality and ecosystem functioning.

Auxin-producing bacteria isolated from the roots of Cattleya walkeriana, an endangered Brazilian orchid, and their role in acclimatization

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Identificação e avaliação de rizobactérias isoladas de raízes de milho

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

Molecular characterization of bacterial populations of different soils

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

Prevalence and Molecular Characterization of Mycoplasma ovis in Selected Free-Ranging Brazilian Deer Populations

Mycoplasma ovis is a hemoplasma that may cause anemia and mortality in small ruminants. Our aim was to determine whether M. ovis infects populations of free-ranging deer in Brazil. Bully coat samples from 64 Blastocerus dichotomus from Porto Primavera, 18 Ozotocerus bezoarticus from Pantanal, and 21 O. bezoarticus from Emas National Park were tested. Using a M. ovis PCR protocol to amplify extracted DNA, 46/64 (72%) of deer froth Porto Primavera, 10/18 (56%) from Pantanal, and 4/21 (19%) from Emas National Park were positive, giving an overall positive rate of 58% for hemoplasma in these wild deer. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of the 168 rRNA gene revealed 3 genetically distinct hemoplasmas including M. ovis, 'Candidatus Mycoplasma erythrocervae', and a hemoplasma most closely related to M. ovis. Phylogenetic analysis of the 23S rRNA gene from selected sequences confirmed these relationships.

Emended description of Yersinia massiliensis

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

Evaluation of four molecular typing Methodologies as tools for determining taxonomy relations and for identifying. species among Yersinia isolates

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

Morphological, biological and molecular characterization of three strains of Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909 (Kinetoplastida, Trypanosomatidae) isolated from Triatoma sordida (Stal) 1859 (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) and a domestic cat

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Bottled mineral water as a potential source of antibiotic resistant bacteria

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Efeito de três tecnicas de alongamento muscular sobre o torque e atividade eletromiográfica

PURPOSE: To examine the acute effects caused by three techniques for stretching the hamstrings muscle on the active concentric peak torque (PT), passive PT and electromyographic activity (EMG). METHODS: Sixty volunteers (mean ± SD age, 22.6 ± 3 years), height 1.64 ± 0.07m and body weight of 58 ± 8.6kg, were randomly allocated into 4 groups of 15 subjects: Control Group (CG) - 5 minutes at rest, Static Stretching Group (SG) - 2 x 30s; Hold-Relax Group (HRG) - 3 x 6s of isometric contraction of hamstrings interspersed by 10s of hamstrings stretching and agonist Hold-Relax Group (AHRG) - 3 x 6s of isometric contraction of the quadriceps interspersed by 10s of hamstrings stretching. Evaluation has been conducted preand post-intervention, which verified the active concentric PT, passive PT EMG activity of IT. The statistical inference was performed by testing intra and inter, significance level at 5%. RESULTS: After intervention, there was a reduction in passive PT on CG, accompanied by a reduction of EMG activity, and an increase in passive PT on SG and AHRG. There was no change in the active concentric PT, or change in EMG activity. CG showed an increase in angle of the PT active, while the other groups showed no change. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the shortterm stretching: 1) causes acute increase in passive torque, since the muscle does not perform sub-maximal contraction, 2) does not change in electromyographic activity and active torque, ind ependent of the technique