Cobalt-, zinc- and iron-bound forms of adenylate kinase (AK) from the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibrio gigas: purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis

Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun. 2009 Sep 1;65(Pt 9):926-9

Susceptibility of two karyotypic forms of Anopheles aconitus (Diptera: Culicidae) to Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax

Four laboratory-raised colonies of two karyotypic forms of Anopheles aconitus, i.e., Form B (Chiang Mai and Phet Buri strains) and C (Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son strains), were experimentally infected with Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax using an artificial membrane feeding technique and dissected eight and 12 days after feeding for oocyst and sporozoite rates, respectively. The results revealed that An. aconitus Form B and C were susceptible to P. falciparum and P. vivax, i.e., Form B (Chiang Mai and Phet Buri strains/P. falciparum and P. vivax) and Form C (Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son strains/P. vivax). Comparative statistical analyses of the oocyst rates, average number of oocysts per infected midgut and sporozoite rates among all strains of An. aconitus Form B and C to the ingroup control vectors, An. minimus A and C, exhibited mostly no significant differences, confirming the high potential vector of the two Plasmodium species. The sporozoite-like crystals found in the median lobe of the salivary glands, which could be a misleading factor in the identification of true sporozoites in salivary glands were found in both An. aconitus Form B and C.

TEC4SEA - A Modular Platform for Research, Test and Validation of Technologies Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy

This paper presents the TEC4SEA research infrastructure created in Portugal to support research, development, and validation of marine technologies. It is a multidisciplinary open platform, capable of supporting research, development, and test of marine robotics, telecommunications, and sensing technologies for monitoring and operating in the ocean environment. Due to the installed research facilities and its privileged geographic location, it allows fast access to deep sea, and can support multidisciplinary research, enabling full validation and evaluation of technological solutions designed for the ocean environment. It is a vertically integrated infrastructure, in the sense that it possesses a set of skills and resources which range from pure conceptual research to field deployment missions, with strong industrial and logistic capacities in the middle tier of prototype production. TEC4SEA is open to the entire scientific and enterprise community, with a free access policy for researchers affiliated with the research units that ensure its maintenance and sustainability. The paper describes the infrastructure in detail, and discusses associated research programs, providing a strategic vision for deep sea research initiatives, within the context of both the Portuguese National Ocean Strategy and European Strategy frameworks.

Vitamin A and lipid peroxidation in patients with different forms of leprosy

Leprosy, a chronic infectious disease, is caused by a Mycobacterium leprae infection. After India, Brazil has the second greatest number of cases in the world. Increase of oxidative stress and antioxidant deficiency are present in infected subjects and can be related to infection progression. We studied alterations in serum levels of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and vitamin A in patients with different forms of leprosy. Four groups of leprosy patients and a control group (healthy subjects) were selected, and their vitamin A serum levels and LPO profile, measured as malonaldehyde (MDA) were measured by spectrophotometric assays. The mean MDA serum levels (µmol/L) were 3.80 ± 0.5 for control group and 10.54 ± 1.1 in the leprosy patients and this increase was gradual, being more accentuated in severe forms of the disease. Also, the vitamin A serum levels (µg/dL) were diminished in the infected subjects (38.51 ± 4.2), mainly in lepromatous form, when compared with the control group (53.8 ± 5.6). These results indicate that LPO can be an important factor in Mycobacterium leprae infection, which can be related to increases in phagocytic activity and the general breakdown of antioxidants, contributing to an increase of LPO during infection progression. The evaluation of oxidant/antioxidant status in these patients can be an important factor in the treatment, control, and/or prognosis of this disease.

Affinity and diversity indices for anopheline immature forms

As for the entire Amazon Region, malaria continues to be a major health public problem in Roraima that presented an Annual Parasitic Index of 85.4 in 2005, the highest in Brazil. Information on anopheline breeding sites is an essential component in malaria control strategies. Aiming to contribute to the limited knowledge on anopheline immature forms in Roraima, collections and breeding site observations were performed in 10 breeding sites around the capital city Boa Vista. Collections were carried out in the rainy and dry season periods between April 2004 and January 2005. Breeding sites comprised natural and artificial water reservoirs. A total of 623 immature forms were collected belonging to Anopheles albitarsis s.l., An.triannulatus s.l., An. nuneztovari/dunhami, An. braziliensis, An. evansae, An. oswaldoi s.l., An. strodei and An. darlingi. An. albitarsis and An. braziliensis were the most frequently found species. Eight larvae of An. darlingi were found in only one breeding site located in the forest. An. triannulatus/An. nuneztovari and An. albitarsis/An. braziliensis were the pairs of species that mostly occurred together. Both pair of species displayed the highest affinity index what might indicate a high compatibility for the same breeding conditions and/or a synergistic co-occurrence. Species diversity index was higher for the dry season.

INCIDENCE OF DIARRHEA BY Clostridium difficile IN HEMATOLOGIC PATIENTS AND HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION PATIENTS: RISK FACTORS FOR SEVERE FORMS AND DEATH

We describe the rate of incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) in hematologic and patients undergone stem cell transplant (HSCT) at HC-FMUSP, from January 2007 to June 2011, using two denominators 1,000 patient and 1,000 days of neutropenia and the risk factors associated with the severe form of the disease and death. The ELISA method (Ridascreen-Biopharm, Germany) for the detections of toxins A/B was used to identify C. difficile. A multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate potential factors associated with severe CDAD and death within 14 days after the diagnosis of CDAD, using multiple logistic regression. Sixty-six episodes were identified in 64 patients among 439 patients with diarrhea during the study period. CDA rate of incidence varied from 0.78 to 5.45 per 1,000 days of neutropenia and from 0.65 to 5.45 per 1,000 patient-days. The most common underlying disease was acute myeloid leukemia 30/64 (44%), 32/64 (46%) patients were neutropenic, 31/64 (45%) undergone allogeneic HSCT, 61/64 (88%) had previously used antibiotics and 9/64 (13%) have severe CDAD. Most of the patients (89%) received treatment with oral metronidazole and 19/64 (26%) died. The independent risk factors associated with death were the severe form of CDAD, and use of linezolid.

Correlating EPR and X-ray structural analysis of arsenite-inhibited forms of aldehyde oxidoreductase

J Biol Inorg Chem (2007) 12:353–366 DOI 10.1007/s00775-006-0191-9

A modular distributed transactional memory framework

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Ultrastructural alterations of intracellular stages and effects on blood forms of Trypanosoma cruzi induced in vivo by 2-amino-5-(1-methyil-5-nitro-2-imidazolyl)-1,3,4 - Thiadiazole

An electron microscopy study shows that the administration of a single dose (500 mg/kg, p.o.) of 2-amino-5-(1-methyl-5-nitro-2-imidazolyl)-1, 3, 4-thiadiazole induces in mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi results in degenerative lesions of the intracellular stages. Ultrastructural alterations are detected as early as 6 hours after the drug administration and destruction of the parasites occurs within 18 - 36 hours. Trypomastigotes are cleared from the bloodstream 4 to 6 hours after treatment. The combined effect on both developmental stages is apparently responsible for the in vivo ejfects of this drug which is the most active drug ever tested in our laboratory in experimental Chagas' disease.

Caracterização de betão com terra para aplicação em construção modular prefabricada

2º CIHEL - Congresso Internacional da Habitação no Espaço Lusófono, LNEC, Lisboa, 13-15 Março 2013

Eco-wall modular solutions for buildings

This paper discusses the development of modular solutions for eco low-cost houses based on a pre-fabricated modular wall system environmentally sustainable, socioeconomically competitive and geared towards developing African nations with a housing deficit. The key point to the research of a modular wall solution is a structural layer complemented with local and materials made by non-specialized workforce. This wall also meets also hydrothermal acoustic and mechanical properties. Thus,the solution also offers good safety and interior comfort conditions to its users while maintaining the flexibility to expand the size of the house. Parameters as dimensions, materials and constructive processes of the existing housing stock were studied. Features such as the family size, typology, different uses, common materials, existing regulations, minimal living conditions, safety and comfort have also been considered to achieve the most efficient solution.

Estudo do comportamento acústico de protótipo inovador para compartimentação modular interior

A presente dissertação consiste no estudo acústico de um módulo amovível para compartimentação interior, considerando um primeiro protótipo, ainda em desenvolvimento. É um elemento vertical de divisão de espaços interiores, pré-fabricado que não requer a utilização de calhas ou apoio técnico, de rápido e fácil posicionamento, ajustável ao pé direito do local onde é instalado, mantendo, ainda assim, as características chave de uma divisória convencional. Um conjunto de módulos deste tipo, dispostos linearmente, formarão um divisor que permitirá a personalização de qualquer área interior, nomeadamente habitações, escritórios, galerias, entre outros. A principal característica que diferencia este elemento das soluções existentes actualmente no mercado é a sua mobilidade depender exclusivamente de um conjunto de rolamentos integrados na base de cada módulo. Através de um sistema de elevação incorporado, o utilizador pode baixar o módulo, movê-lo para a posição desejada e voltar a elevá-lo até que este fique comprimido contra a laje do tecto, ficando assim estável. O trabalho realizado pretendeu aprofundar conhecimentos na área de acústica para que possam ser introduzidas modificações num segundo protótipo a ser desenvolvido futuramente. Dessa forma, realizaram-se diversos ensaios que decorreram no laboratório de acústica do LNEC. Inicialmente procedeu-se à materialização de um ensaio de absorção sonora, realizado para uma única tipologia do módulo, e efectuou-se um mapeamento de medições do nível de pressão sonora. A execução de adaptações no sistema e a abertura na parede, que separa as câmaras reverberantes, possibilitou a concretização de diversos ensaios de isolamento sonoro a sons aéreos para diferentes tipologias do mesmo. Os resultados destes ensaios permitiram não só concluir quais os materiais que deverão ser preferencialmente contemplados neste tipo de solução, com vista a um melhor desempenho acústico, como também adiantar dados adicionais que poderão ser relevantes na fase de projecto deste tipo de estruturas aligeiradas.