Assessment of central venous catheter-associated infections using semi-quantitative or quantitative culture methods

Semiquantitative (Maki) and quantitative (Brun- Buisson) culture techniques were employed in the diagnosis of catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) in patients who have a short-term central venous catheter (inserted for 30 days). The diagnosis of CRBSI was based on the results of semiquantitative and quantitative culture of material from the removed catheters. Catheter tips (118) from 100 patients were evaluated by both methods. Semiquantitative analysis revealed 34 catheters (28.8%) colonized by ≥15 colonyforming units (cfu), while quantitative cultures (34 catheters, 28.8%) showed the growth of ≥103 cfu/mL. Bacteremia was confirmed in four patients by isolating microorganisms of identical species from both catheters and blood samples. Using the semiquantitative culture technique on short-term central venous catheter tips, we have shown that with a cut-off level of ≥15 cfu, the technique had 100.0% sensitivity, specificity of 68.4%, 25.0% positive predictive value (PPV) and 100.0% negative predictive value (NPV), efficiency of 71.4% and a prevalence of 9.5%. The quantitative method, with a cut-off limit of ≥103 cfu/mL, gave identical values: the sensitivity was 100.0%, specificity 68.4%, positive predictive value (PPV) 25.0%, negative predictive value (NPV) 100.0%, efficiency 71.4% and prevalence 9.5%. We concluded that the semiquantitative and quantitative culture methods, evaluated in parallel, for the first time in Brazil, have similar sensitivity and specificity. Keywords: central venous catheter; semi-quantitative culture; quantitative culture; catheter-related bacteremia.

Platão e a matemática: uma questão de método

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Analysis of the Virulence of an Atypical Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli Strain In Vitro and In Vivo and the Influence of Type Three Secretion System

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

Influence of the combination of probiotic cultures during fermentation and storage of fermented milk

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

Analysis of 25 mutual eclipses and occultations between the Galilean satellites observed from Brazil in 2009

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Chromosomal Mapping of Repetitive DNA and Cytochrome C Oxidase I Sequence Analysis Reveal Differentiation among Sympatric Samples of Astyanax fasciatus (Characiformes, Characidae)

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

Efeito da atividade física no uso de serviços de saúde na atenção primária no município de Rio Claro, SP

Introduction: Physical inactivity is identified as the fourth greatest risk factor of mortality worldwide. Little is known about how physical inactivity alters the demand for use of primary health care services, and it is a subject which demands further investigation. Objective: This study aims to determine the influence that physical activity has on the demand for use of primary health care services. Methods: This is a retrospective and cross-sectional study. The Rio Claro Active Health Program (SARC), studied in this research, is a partnership between the Municipal Health Foundation and Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho (UNESP), represented by the Nucleus of Physical Activity, Sport and Health (NAFES) department of Physical Education and coordinated by Prof. Dr. Eduardo Kokubun. The study was carried out on residents of Rio Claro of both sexes seen at SARC. To assess the influence that physical activity had on the demand of the use of health services a questionnaire was given to participants who had attended the program since 2009. This questionnaire contains questions concerning the level of physical activity, health service use, number of both blood pressure and glucose measurement takings, number of spontaneous and scheduled medical visits, number of medications taken, number of illnesses and hospitalizations, comparing the data found in the previous year and the year after the program began. An informed term of consent was used for research participants. Descriptive analysis was carried out, using frequency, mean, maximum and minimum standard deviation. Results: Active participation in The Rio Claro Active Health program has positively influenced the following variables: perception of health, uncontrolled blood pressure, did not modify the number of diseases, number of medications in general, ...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Analysis of fluoxetine and norfluoxetine in human plasma by HPLC-UV using a high purity C18 silica-based SPE sorbent

This paper reports on the development and validation of a simple and sensitive method that uses solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection to analyze fluoxetine (FLX) and norfluoxetine (NFLX) in human plasma samples. A lab-made C18 SPE phase was synthesized by using a sol–gel process employing a low-cost silica precursor. This sorbent was fully characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to check the particles' shape, size and C18 functionalization. The lab-made C18 silica was used in the sample preparation step of human plasma by the SPE-HPLC-UV method. The method was validated in the 15 to 500 ng mL 1 range for both FLX and NFLX using a matrix matched curve. Detection limits of 4.3 and 4.2 ng mL 1 were obtained for FLX and NFLX, respectively. The repeatability and intermediary precision achieved varied from 7.6 to 15.0% and the accuracy ranged from 14.9 to 9.1%. The synthesized C18 sorbent was compared to commercial C18 sorbents. The average recoveries were similar (85–105%), however the lab-made C18 silica showed fewer interfering peaks in the chromatogram. After development and validation, the method using the lab-made C18 SPE was applied to plasma samples of patients under FLX treatment (n ¼ 6). The concentrations of FLX and NFLX found in the samples varied from 46.8–215.5 and 48.0–189.9 ng mL 1 , respectively.

As ações em educação ambiental realizadas por Organizações Não-Governamentais no estado de São Paulo: alcances e limitações

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Os valores políticos da democracia nas opiniões dos vereadores de São Bernardo do Campo, Santo André e São Caetano do Sul

The objective of this paper is to analyze the values of democracy in the opinions of the councillors of the cities of São Bernardo do Campo, Santo André and São Caetano do Sul. This paper analyzes the period of 2010 and the technique of collection and analysis data were based on the main research methods in the Social Sciences. The results were: i) democracy is stable, ii) it is superior to any other type of regime, iii) content support in some public policy and the use of voting and iv) democracy has the support of the various ideological options.

Qualidade e alterações estruturais do café arábica submetido a alternância da temperatura na secagem

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Aceitabilidade e qualidade nutricional de beterrabas in natura e pré-processadas submetidas a diferentes métodos de cocção

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Energia na Agricultura) - FCA

Microbial, physical, chemical and sensory properties of Minas Frescal Cheese with inulin and acacia gum

Minas frescal cheese is a semi-skimmed product with high moisture and simple preparation and one of the most consumed in Brazil. Thus, the aim of this study was to combine the characteristics of inulin and gum acacia (by having fibers and being prebiotic) to produce a minas frescal cheese. Were evaluate the characteristics physical and chemical, microbial and sensory acceptance (hedonic scale) of each cheese. Three cheeses were prepared; one as a standard (QP) without inulin, and others with 0.49% (QI25) and 0.98% (QI50) inulin, the amount of gum acacia was maintained. The yield of the formulations with gum acacia and inulin were 9.76% for (QI25) and to 20.03% (QI50) higher than the standard sample. In relation to moisture content, samples containing inulin and gum acacia showed values greater than the standard sample. The sensory analysis indicated no differences between scores for color, aroma and texture, but significant differences were detected for flavor, in which (QI25) received the highest acceptance. Regarding the energy value, it was obtained 276 kcal (QP), 215 kcal (QI25) and 190 kcal (QI50). Therefore, the developed product presents satisfactory results for sensory, microbiological and physical- chemical analyses.

Efeito do processo de descafeinação de café arábica em meio aquoso auxiliado por ultrassom sobre a composição química e o perfil sensorial

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Protocolos de natação em modelos experimentais com ratos

Exercise physiology has attempted to reproduce the experimental exercise in the laboratory using mainly rats. The swimming exercise has emerged as one of the leading research in these type ergometers. Thus, this research consisted of a literature review addressing the key issues which involve the exercise of swimming in the model rats. Training of aerobic and anaerobic swimming, evaluation models and models of periodization were the topics suggested in this research. In several studies, models of aerobic and anaerobic training have been proposed with the aim of studying their effect on normal and abnormal physiological parameters. However, earlier studies lacked methods of analysis aiming to determine the exercise intensity in the animal model. For this reason, in the last decade, assessment models have been adapted for humans to animals, especially rats. The maximal lactate steady state (MLSS) and lactate minimum (LM) are among the various techniques used to measure the amount of effort produced by swimming exercise in rats. Thereafter, based on biochemical parameters such as lactate, swimming exercise in rats has become the highest-rated, ie, using as reference the anaerobic threshold (AT). In another aspect, an entirely new line of research has tried to understand and promising swimming training in a periodized and its effects on some biochemical parameters. But this is an area little researched so far. Thus, the experimental model of swimming has proved an important resource of exercise physiology. From this model, it becomes possible to study the exercise, especially swimming, in more accurate, based on invasive and incisive analysis of the rat