Observation of a New Xi(b) Baryon

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Observation of Sequential upsilon Suppression in PbPb Collisions

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Observation of long-range, near-side angular correlations in proton-proton collisions at the LHC

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Observation of Z decays to four leptons with the CMS detector at the LHC

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Simultaneous observation of the magnetic and electric behavior in a correlated system near a metal-semiconductor transition: ESR in pellets of conducting polymers

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

Giardia survey in live-trapped small domestic and wild mammals in four regions in the southwest region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil

For the first time, a survey on Giardia in the live-trapped small domestic and wild mammals was perfomed in four regions of state of the São Paulo, Brazil, with special attention to the parasitism of Rattus rattus rattus by Giardia. This species was found infected in all studied sites: Botucatu (15.4%), Conchas (28.5%), Itaporanga (38.7%) and São Roque (100 %). Two new hosts and their frequency of infection were described for Giardia in Nectomys squamipes, an aquatic rodent and in Bolomys lasiurus, a forest rodent (100 % and 14.3 %, respectively). Both G. muris and G. duodenalis groups were found in scrapings of intestinal mucosa of those rodents. Mixed infection was observed in some animals. It is important to emphasize the infection by G. duodenalis in the black rat as this species lives as a comensal with man and in N. squamipes as it may contaminate small streams used for domestic consumption. Therefore, further investigation will be necessary to elucidate the potential of these rodents to act as reservoirs of Giardia for man.

Observation of initial clinical manifestations and repercussions from the treatment of 314 human injuries caused by black sea urchins (Echinometra lucunter) on the southeastern Brazilian coast

INTRODUÇÃO: Os acidentes causados por ouriços-do-mar são as ocorrências por animais marinhos mais comuns no país. O ouriço-do-mar preto (Echinometra lucunter) é a espécie que mais causa ferimentos em banhistas. MÉTODOS: Este trabalho registrou e estudou 314 agravos com ênfase nas manifestações clínicas iniciais observadas e suas implicações na terapêutica recomendada. RESULTADOS: Todos os acidentes foram causados pelo ouriço-do-mar preto e aconteceram em banhistas. As lesões e a dor foram associadas ao trauma causado pela penetração das espículas (não ocorreu inflamação ou dor imediata sem pressão sobre os pontos comprometidos). As complicações deste tipo de acidente, incluindo infecções e granulomas de corpo estranho, estão associadas com a permanência das espículas nos ferimentos. CONCLUSÕES: Foi confirmado o fato do acidente causado por esta espécie ser o mais comum no Brasil e apresentar caráter traumático, sendo a principal recomendação a retirada precoce dos espinhos para prevenção de complicações tardias como as infecções e formação de granulomas de corpo estranho.

A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF 4 DIFFERENT STAINING METHODS FOR ESTIMATION OF LIVE YEAST FORM CELLS OF PARACOCCIDIOIDES-BRASILIENSIS

A comparative study of four different staining methods for estimation of live yeast form cells of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis was carried out. The staining methods used were fluorescent staining, vital dye exclusion tests with erythrosin B and by Janus green and lactophenol cotton blue staining. Colony forming units (cfu) of the yeast form of eight P. brasiliensis isolates on brain heart infusion agar (BHIA) supplemented with 4% horse serum plus 5% P. brasiliensis cell extract (BHIA + HS + EXT) were examined for reliability of staining in determining the number of live fungal units in eight different isolates. Cfu on BHIA + HS + EXT plates showed an excellent plating efficiency over 96% in all isolates tested. The percentage of the live cells indicated by fluorescent staining (FL) or vital dye exclusion test with erythrosin B (EB) or Janus green (JG-1) was lower than that of cfu. By contrast, the percentage due to modified dye exclusion test with Janus green (JG-2) and that due to lactophenol cotton blue staining (LPCB) showed a close correration to that of cfu. Our results indicate that the modified dye exclusion test with Janus green and lactophenol cotton blue staining are useful for estimating cell viability of yeast form cells of P. brasiliensis.

Simultaneous observation of collagen and elastin in normal and pathological tissues: analysis of Sirius-red-stained sections by fluorescence microscopy

In order to observe collagen and elastic fibers simultaneously, sections of human aorta, skin, lung, liver, and bladder were stained by Sirius red and analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. In all cases, the fibers of collagen presented the characteristic fluorescent red-orange color that results from the interaction of this extracellular protein with the dye, whereas elastic fibers showed strong green fluorescence (intrinsic fluorescence). This method efficiently detects collagen and elastic fibers when these two structures are present and could have valuable applications in processes that involves both fibers.

AN IMPROVED CULTURE-MEDIUM FOR DETECTING LIVE YEAST PHASE CELLS OF PARACOCCIDIOIDES-BRASILIENSIS

The plating efficiency of standard mycological media such as brain heart infusion (BHI) agar is poor for Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. We prepared a water-extract of yeast phase cells of P. brasiliensis and examined it for growth-enhancing activity for the fungus. The water-extract, when added to BHI agar to a concentration of 5%, improved the plating efficiency of the medium for the fungus to some extent, but the degree of improvement was considerably varied among P. brasiliensis isolates. By contrast, when the water-extract was added in combination with horse serum (4%), the plating efficiency was highly improved (to 94-99%) for all the P. brasiliensis isolates employed. The growth-enhancing factor(s) in the water-extract was heat-stable and heating at 120-degrees-C for 15 min had little, if any, effect on growth-enhancing activity.

Evaluation of the microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance to pyrazinamide

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

First observation of the doubly charmed baryon Ξcc +

The first experimental evidence for one of the six predicted baryon states which contain two valence charmed quarks-the doubly charmed baryons. As such, there were many predictions of the masses and other properties of these states. The properties of doubly charmed baryons provide a new window into the structure of baryonic matter.

Avaliação da eficiência dos métodos Direto, COPROTEST e Rugai no diagnóstico da estrongiloidíase

Strongyloidiasis, a relatively common parasitism in tropical and sub-tropical areas, is the result of the infection by the smaller nematode, the Strongyloides stercoralis. Humans can be infected by this parasite, which has in its vital cycle free-life forms of male and female individuals able to live in the ground, and with another step necessary parasitism in the intestinal wall. The diagnostic of the infection is routinely done by the microscopic observation of the larva in stool samples and the high sensibility of urn method over another one allows an trustable and efficient diagnostic. The efficiency of three methods (Direct, COPROTEST and Rugai) used in the Parasitology Sector of the NAC-LACAL in Araraquara (SP) to diagnosis the strongiloidiasis were evaluated. A number of 2346 samples of stool of patients from NAC-LACAL and Nestor Goulart Reis Hospital were analyzed in the period between August and December of 2002. The Rugai Method with an positivity index of 65 % was elected as the most efficient of thee ones.