Canine bartonellosis: serological and molecular prevalence in Brazil and evidence of co-infection with Bartonella henselae and Bartonella vinsonii subsp berkhoffii

The purpose of this study was to determine the serological and molecular prevalence of Bartonella spp. infection in a sick dog population from Brazil. At the São Paulo State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Botucatu, 198 consecutive dogs with clinicopathological abnormalities consistent with tick-borne infections were sampled. Antibodies to Bartonella henselae and Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii were detected in 2.0% ( 4/197) and 1.5% ( 3/197) of the dogs, respectively. Using 16S-23S rRNA intergenic transcribed spacer ( ITS) primers, Bartonella DNA was amplified from only 1/198 blood samples. Bartonella seroreactive and/or PCR positive blood samples ( n = 8) were inoculated into a liquid pre-enrichment growth medium ( BAPGM) and subsequently sub-inoculated onto BAPGM/blood-agar plates. PCR targeting the ITS region, pap31 and rpoB genes amplified B. henselae from the blood and/or isolates of the PCR positive dog ( ITS: DQ346666; pap31 gene: DQ351240; rpoB: EF196806). B. henselae and B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii ( pap31: DQ906160; rpoB: EF196805) co-infection was found in one of the B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii seroreactive dogs. We conclude that dogs in this study population were infrequently exposed to or infected with a Bartonella species. The B. henselae and B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii strains identified in this study are genetically similar to strains isolated from septicemic cats, dogs, coyotes and human beings from other parts of the world. To our knowledge, these isolates provide the first Brazilian DNA sequences from these Bartonella species and the first evidence of Bartonella co-infection in dogs.

Crystal structure refinement of Co-doped lanthanum chromites

Results of crystal structure refinements and phase quantification for samples of Co-doped lanthanum chromites with nominal composition LaCr(1-x)Co(x)O(3), for x=0.00, 0.10, 0.20, and 0.30, prepared by combustion synthesis are presented. The resulting powders were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD patterns were obtained with Cu K alpha radiation for non-doped lanthanum chromite sample and additionally with Cr K alpha radiation for Co-doped lanthanum chromites samples, in order to enhance the signal from scattering. Rietveld analysis of XRD data showed that the studied samples presented the lanthanum chromite with an orthorhombic structure (Pnma), except for the composition with x=0.30, in which the space group was found to be R (3) over barc. (C) 2008 International Centre for Diffraction Data.

Evaluation of different rhodium modifiers and coatings on the simultaneous determination of As, Bi, Pb, Sb, Se and of Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn in milk by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Different kinds of modifiers and coatings on the integrated platform of transversely heated graphite atomizer (THGA) have been tested for the simultaneous determination of two group of elements: the first, the more volatile, formed by arsenic, bismuth, lead, antimony and selenium; the second, the less volatile, formed by cobalt, chromium, cupper, iron and manganese in milk by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry. Different Rh-modifiers were studied, such as Rh-coated platforms (Rh), carbide plus rhodium coated platforms (W-Rh, Zr-Rh), carbide-coated platforms (W and Zr) with co-injection of RhCl3, solutions and uncoated platforms with injection of solutions of Pd(NO3)(2), Mg(NO3)(2), and RhCl3. Milk samples were diluted 1:10 in 1.0% HNO3 and injected into the tube. The mass of modifier deposited and co-injected in the tube and the use of end capped tubes were also evaluated in order to improve the electrothermal behavior of analytes. Integrated platform pretreated with W plus co-injection RhCl3 for first group and pretreated with W-Rh for second group were elected. For 20 mu L injected samples the analytical curves in the 5.0-20.0 mu g L-1 concentration range have good linear correlation coefficients (r > 0.998). Relative standard deviations (n = 12) are < 6% and the calculated characteristic masses are between 5 pg and 62 pg.

X-ray diffraction investigation of Co(II) ions in borosilicate glasses

The radial distribution functions of cobalt glasses with 6%, 8%, and 14% CoO are compared with those of suitable cobalt-free borosilicate matrices leading to difference distribution curves representative of the cobalt structural arrangement. Analysis of the curves indicates that cobalt ions are surrounded by approximately four oxygen neighbors at the distance expected for fourfold coordination. © 1986 American Institute of Physics.

The effect of CO 2 laser irradiation on failed implant surfaces

The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the cleaning effect of CO 2 on surface topography and composition of failed dental implant surfaces. Ten failed dental implants were retrieved from nine patients (mean age, 46.33 ± 5.81 years) as a result of early or late failure. The implants were divided into two parts: one side of the implant was irradiated with a CO 2 laser (test side), while the other side did not receive irradiation (control side). The CO 2 laser was operated at 1.2 W in a continuous wave for 40 seconds (40 J energy). The handpiece of the CO 2 laser was kept at a distance of 30 mm from the implant surface, resulting in a spot area of 0.031415 cm 2 (38.20 W/cm 2; 1559 J/cm 2) in scanning mode (cervical-apical). One unused dental implant was used as a negative control for both groups. All implant surfaces were examined by scanning electron mi croscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectrometer x-ray (EDS) for element analysis. SEM showed that the surface of the test sides consisted of different degrees of organic residues, appearing mainly as dark stains similar to those observed on the control sides. None of the test surfaces presented alterations such as crater-like alterations, lava-like layers, or melting compared with the nonirradiated surfaces. Foreign elements such as carbon, oxygen, sodium, calcium, and aluminum were detected on both sides. These results suggest that CO 2 laser irradiation does not modify the implant surface, although the cleaning effect was not satisfactory.

Study of a series of cobalt(II) sulfonamide complexes: Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and microbiological evaluation against M. tuberculosis. Crystal structure of [Co(sulfamethoxazole)2(H 2O)2]·H2O

Nowadays, the research for new and better antimicrobial compounds is an important field due to the increase of immunocompromised patients, the use of invasive medical procedures and extensive surgeries, among others, that can affect the incidence of infections. Another big problem associated is the occurrence of drug-resistant microbial strains that impels a ceaseless search for new antimicrobial agents. In this context, a series of heterocyclic- sulfonamide complexes with Co(II) was synthesized and characterized with the aim of obtaining new antimicrobial compounds. The structural characterization was performed using different spectroscopic methods (UV-Vis, IR, and EPR). In spite of the fact that the general stoichiometry for all the complexes was Co(sulfonamide)2·nH2O, the coordination atoms were different depending on the coordinated sulfonamide. The crystal structure of [Co(sulfamethoxazole)2(H2O)2]·H 2O was obtained by X-ray diffraction showing that Co(II) is in a slightly tetragonal distorted octahedron where sulfamethoxazole molecules act as a head-to-tail bridges between two cobalt atoms, forming polymeric chains. Besides, the activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, one of the responsible for tuberculosis, and the cytotoxicity on J774A.1 macrophage cells were evaluated. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Nota de la Secretaría sobre la elección de nuevos miembros del Consejo Directivo del Instituto Latinoamericano de Planificación Económica y Social = Note by the Secretariat on the election of new members of the Governing Council of the Latin American Institute for Economic and Social Planning

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Stable singularities of co-rank one quasi homogeneous map germs from (ℂn+1, 0) to (ℂn, 0), n = 2, 3

In this article, we investigate the geometry of quasi homogeneous corank one finitely determined map germs from (ℂn+1, 0) to (ℂn, 0) with n = 2, 3. We give a complete description, in terms of the weights and degrees, of the invariants that are associated to all stable singularities which appear in the discriminant of such map germs. The first class of invariants which we study are the isolated singularities, called 0-stable singularities because they are the 0-dimensional singularities. First, we give a formula to compute the number of An points which appear in any stable deformation of a quasi homogeneous co-rank one map germ from (ℂn+1, 0) to (ℂn, 0) with n = 2, 3. To get such a formula, we apply the Hilbert's syzygy theorem to determine the graded free resolution given by the syzygy modules of the associated iterated Jacobian ideal. Then we show how to obtain the other 0-stable singularities, these isolated singularities are formed by multiple points and here we use the relation among them and the Fitting ideals of the discriminant. For n = 2, there exists only the germ of double points set and for n = 3 there are the triple points, named points A1,1,1 and the normal crossing between a germ of a cuspidal edge and a germ of a plane, named A2,1. For n = 3, there appear also the one-dimensional singularities, which are of two types: germs of cuspidal edges or germs of double points curves. For these singularities, we show how to compute the polar multiplicities and also the local Euler obstruction at the origin in terms of the weights and degrees. © 2013 Pushpa Publishing House.