Candida spp.: manual identification (reference method) and automated identification (Vitek system platform)

Yeasts are becoming a common cause of nosocomial fungal infections that affect immunocompromised patients. Such infections can evolve into sepsis, whose mortality rate is high. This study aimed to evaluate the viability of Candida species identification by the automated system Vitek-Biomerieux (Durham, USA). Ninety-eight medical charts referencing the Candida spp. samples available for the study were retrospectively analyzed. The system Vitek-Biomerieux with Candida identification card is recommended for laboratory routine use and presents 80.6% agreement with the reference method. By separate analysis of species, 13.5% of C. parapsilosis samples differed from the reference method, while the Vitek system wrongly identified them as C. tropicalis, C. lusitaneae or as Candida albicans. C. glabrata presented a discrepancy of only one sample (25%), and was identified by Vitek as C. parapsilosis. C. guilliermondii also differed in only one sample (33.3%), being identified as Candida spp. All C. albicans, C. tropicalis and C. lusitaneae samples were identified correctly.

Intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection benefits for patients with oligoasthenozoospermia according to the 2010 World Health Organization reference values

The comparison between the outcomes of intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection performed in couples with male factor infertility according to the World Health Organization guidelines from 1999 and 2010 was the objective of this study. Our results suggest that the sperm selection under high magnification results in improved treatment outcomes in patients with oligoasthenoteratozoospermia, according to the new World Health Organization guidelines. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011;95:2711-4. (C)2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

Magnetoresistive sensors in a new biomagnetic instrumentation for applications in gastroenterology

Anisotropic Magnetoresistive (AMR) sensors shows a new possibility to detect magnetic fields produced by magnetic particles present in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. A system that uses excitation and detection of magnetic field was developed using AMR sensor. A magnetic flux concentrator was also studied to increase the sensitivity of AMR in this work.

Searching for larval support for majoid families (Crustacea : Brachyura) with particular reference to Inachoididae Dana, 1851

We re-evaluated the larval support for families within majoids using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test with emphasis on Inachoididae. To accomplish our objectives, we added 10 new taxa, two of which are traditionally assigned to the family of special interest, to a previous larval database for majoids, and re-appraised the larval characters used in earlier studies. Phylogenetic analysis was performed with PAUP* using the heuristic search with 50 replicates or the branch-and-bound algorithm when possible. Multi-state transformation series were considered unordered; initially characters were equally weighted followed by successive weighting, and trees were rooted at the Oregoniidae node. Ten different topological constraints were enforced for families to evaluate tree length under the assumption of monophyly for each taxonomic entity. Our results showed that the tree length of most constrained topologies was not considerably greater than that of unconstrained analysis in which most families nested as paraphyletic taxa. This may indicate that the present larval database does not provide strong support for paraphyly of the taxa in question. For Inachoididae, although the Wilcoxon signed-rank test rejected a significant difference between unconstrained and constrained cladograms, we were unable to provide a single synapomorphy for this clade. Except for the conflicting position of Leurocyclus and Stenorhynchus, the two clades correspond to the traditional taxonomic arrangement. Among inachoidids, the clade (Anasimus (Paradasygyius (Collodes + Pyromaia))) is supported, whereas for inachids, the clade (Inachus (Macropodia + Achaeus)) is one of the most supported clades within majids. As often stated, only additional characters will provide a better test for the monophyly of Inachoididae and other families within Majoidea.

Floral anatomy of Bromeliaceae, with particular reference to the evolution of epigyny and septal nectaries in commelinid monocots

Floral anatomy is described in ten genera of Bromeliaceae, including three members of subfamily Bromelioideae, three Tillandsioideae, and four genera of the polyphyletic subfamily Pitcairnioideae (including Brocchinia, the putatively basal genus of Bromeliaceae). Bromeliaceae are probably unique in the order Poales in possessing septal nectaries and epigynous or semi-epigynous flowers. Evidence presented here from floral ontogeny, vasculature, and the relative positions of nectary and ovules indicates that there could have been one or more reversals to apparent hypogyny in Bromeliaceae, although this hypothesis requires a better-resolved phylogeny. Such evolutionary reversals probably evolved in response to specialist pollinators, and in conjunction with other aspects of floral morphology of Bromeliaceae, such as the petal appendages of some species. The ovary is initiated in an inferior position even in semi-epigynous or hypogynous species. The ovary of all so-called hypogynous Bromeliaceae is actually semi-inferior, because the septal nectary is infralocular; in these species the nectaries have a labyrinthine surface and many vascular bundles. Brocchinia differs from most other fully epigynous species in that each carpel is secretory at the apex and reproductive, rather than secretory, at the base.

Chromosome banding in three species of Hypsiboas (Hylidae, Hylinae), with special reference to a new case of B-chromosome in anuran frogs and to the reduction of the diploid number of 2n=24 to 2n=22 in the genus

The chromosomes of hylids Hypsiboas albopunctatus, H. raniceps, and H. crepitans from Brazil were analyzed with standard and differential staining techniques. The former species presented 2n = 22 and 2n = 23 karyotypes, the odd diploid number is due to the presence of an extra element interpreted as B chromosome. Although morphologically very similar to the small-sized chromosomes of the A complement, the B was promptly recognized, even under standard staining, on the basis of some characteristics that are usually attributed to this particular class of chromosomes. The two other species have 2n = 24, which is the chromosome number usually found in the species of Hypsiboas karyotyped so far. This means that 2n = 22 is a deviant diploid number, resulted from a structural rearrangement, altering the chromosome number of 2n = 24 to 2n = 22. Based on new chromosome data, some possibilities were evaluated for the origin of B chromosome in Hypsiboas albopunctatus, as well as the karyotypic evolution in the genus, leading to the reduction in the diploid number of 2n = 24 to 2n = 22.

Burrowing behavior of Dermatonotus muelleri (Anura, Microhylidae) with reference to the origin of the burrowing behavior of Anura

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Influence of Hydrothermal Synthesis Conditions and Device Configuration on the Photoresponse of UV Sensors Based on ZnO Nanorods

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

Impedance spectroscopy analysis of SnO2 thick-films gas sensors

A careful analysis of the impedance response of SnO2 thick films under vacuum and air atmosphere is reported in the present work. The AC electrical resistance was analyzed and it was shown that it is highly frequency dependent. Different models and its equivalent circuit representation were proposed and carefully analyzed based on the microstructure features of the device. Basically, an interpretation of the frequency dependent resistance was proposed based on the fact that different grains characteristics and junctions exist. These different grains and junctions are the main source of resistance dependent feature. An equivalent circuit model, considering different grain sizes associated with different grain boundary junctions characteristics, was introduced so that a consistent interpretation of the results was possible.

Voltammetric sensing of the fuel dye marker Solvent Blue 14 by screen-printed electrodes

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

Ichthyofauna of two streams (silted and reference) in the Upper Paraná river basin, Southeastern Brazil

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

Sincronismo de dispositivos para o georreferenciamento de imagens digitais

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Identification of reference genes for expression analysis by real-time quantitative PCR in drought-stressed soybean

O objetivo deste trabalho foi validar, pela técnica de PCR quantitativo em tempo real (RT-qPCR) genes para serem utilizados como referência em estudos de expressão gênica em soja, em ensaios de estresse hídrico. Foram avaliados quatro genes comumente utilizados em soja: Gmβ-actin, GmGAPDH, GmLectin e GmRNAr18S. O RNA total foi extraído de seis amostras: três amostras de raízes em sistema de hidroponia com diferentes intensidades de déficit hídrico (0, 25, 50, 75 e 100 minutos de estresse hídrico), e três amostras de folhas de plantas cultivadas em areia com diferentes umidades do solo (15, 5 e 2,5% de umidade gravimétrica). Os dados brutos do intervalo cycle threshold (Ct) foram analisados, e a eficiência de cada iniciador foi calculada para uma analise da Ct entre as diferentes amostras. A aplicação do programa GeNorm foi utilizada para a avaliação dos melhores genes de referência, de acordo com a estabilidade. O GmGAPDH foi o gene menos estável, com o maior valor médio de estabilidade de expressão (M), e os genes mais estáveis, com menor valor de M, foram o Gmβ-actin e GmRNAr18S, tanto nas amostras de raízes como nas de folhas. Estes genes podem ser usados em RT-qPCR como gens de referência para análises de expressão gênica.

Grain size effect on the electrical response of SnO2 thin and thick film gas sensors

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

Demographic determinants of survival of people living with HIV attending an outpatient reference unit in the city of Três Lagoas, state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil, in the period 1984-2009

,,,,,,,,,, While the incidence of HIV infection and AIDS is increasing in small Brazilian cities, epidemiological studies are often conducted in large urban centers. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, Our group conducted a retrospective analysis of survival determinants among 358 patients who attended a reference unit in a small city.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Death risk was lower among men that had sex with men, patients with an HIV-seropositive partner, and those admitted after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was available. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The study documents the striking beneficial effect of HAART. The finding of other groups with improved survival may aid in the development of programmatic strategies.,,,,