The use of dacron plates for DOT enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DOT-ELISA)

Dacron (polyethylenetherephthalate) is proposed as a matrix for dot-ELISA procedures, as an alternative to nitrocellulose. Plates of dacron were partially hydrazinolyzed and hydrazide groups introduced were converted to azide groups. The derivative dacron-antigen was covalently linked on to the plates through these azide groups. The derivative dacron-antigen was exaustively washed according to CROOK and antigen was still fixed onto the plates. Protein F1A purified from Yersinia pestis was used as a model. Triration of sera from immunized and non immunized rabbits against this protein was carried out by employing the dot-ELISA method. No significant difference was observed using dacron-antigen and nitrocellulose-antigen preparations. However, both procedures showed to have a significant better performance in comparasion with the passive hemagglutination method. The specificity and reproductibility of the dot-ELISA assay using both preparations showed a similar behaviour. Nitrocellulose preparation was stable at 4ºC, 28ºC and -20ºC for 90 days, whereas the dacron-antigen derivative was stable only when stored at 4ºC. Dacron-antigen derivative could be re-used when the spot developing was proceeded using 4-chloro-1-naphtol as substrate.

Evaluation of three serological tests for the detection of human plague in northeast Brazil

The passive haemagglutination (PHA) test, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the dot enzyme-immunosorbent assay (DOT-ELISA) were used to detect the levels of IgG antibodies against the Fraction 1 (F1) antigen of Yersinia pestis in sera of plague-infected patients from Northeast Brazil. Twenty three selected PHA-positive sera of subjects with bacteriological confirmation of plague were also positive in the DOT-ELISA but only 19 were detected by the conventional ELISA technique. Another group of 186 serum samples from subjects diagnosed as plague-infected by clinical and epidemiological parameters, but PHA-negative, were screened with DOT-ELISA and 11 gave positive results. The specificity of the assays on the serological detection of plague was confirmed in inhibition tests using purified F1 antigen. These results suggest that DOT-ELISA can be an useful, simple and more sensitive alternative for the serodiagnosis of plague in Northeast Brazil.

Standardization of the dot enzyme-lynked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) for experimental plague

A dot enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA) was previously developed to detect specific antibodies in rabbits sera immunized against FIA protein obtained from Yersina pestis. This antigen was covalently linked onto the surface of dacron (polyethyleneterephthalate). Here, standard conditions are described for the optimization of this procedure: an amount of 20 ng of FIA protein was fixed onto dacron; anti-rabbit IgG peroxidase conjugate diluted 1:8,000 and 30% non-fat instant milk as blocking substance were used throughout the method. This procedure was compared with that employing nitrocellulose as solid-phase which showed to be more sensitive. However, the method based on dacron did not show false positive reactions against non-immunized rabbits sera at low antigen amount and diluted anti-IgG peroxidase conjugate.

Survey of the irp2 gene among Yersinia pestis strains isolated during several plague outbreaks in northeast Brazil

The irp2 gene codes for a 190 kDa protein (HMWP2) synthesidez when highly pathogenic Yersinia are grown under conditions of iron starvation. In this work, the presence of irp2 in strains of Y. pestis isolated from different hosts during several plague outbreaks in the foci of Northeast Brazil wasstudied. For this purpose, 53 strains were spotted onto nylon filters and their DNA was hybridized with the A13 probe which is a 1 kb fragment of the irp2 coding sequence. All strains except two hybridized with the probe. However, when the initial stock culture of these two strains were analyzed, they both proved to bepositive with the A13 probe, indicating that the locus was lost after subculturein vitro but was always present in vivo. To examine the degree of conservation of the chromosomal fragment carrying irp2 among Brazilian strains, the hybridization profiles of 15 strains from different outbreaks, different hosts and different foci were compared. The hybridization profiles of these strains were all identical when their DNA was digested with either EcoRI, EcorRV or AvaII, indicatingthat the restriction sites surrounding the irp2 locus are very well conserved among Northeast Brazilian strains of Y. pestis. Altogether, these results suggest that the irp2 chromosomal region should be of prime importance for the bacteria during their multiplication in the host.

The use of polyvinyl alcohol glutaraldehyde as solid-phase in ELISA for plague

Discs of polyvinyl alcohol cross-linked with glutaraldehyde were synthesized under acid catalysis (H2SO4). Then, the antigen F1 purified from Yersinia pestis was covalently linked to this modified polymer. Afterwards, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established for the diagnosis of plague in rabbit and human. The best conditions for the method were achieved by using 1.3 ¼g of F1 prepared in 0.067 M phosphate buffer, pH 7.2, containing 1 M NaCl (PBS); anti-IgG peroxidase conjugate diluted 6,000 times and as a blocking agent 3% w/v skim milk in PBS. The titration of positive rabbit serum according to this procedure detected antibody concentrations up to 1:12,800 times. The present method, the conventional ELISA and passive haemagglutination assay are compared.

Análisis univariante y multivariante de factores predictivos de fracaso de fotovaporización con láser verde

Objectiu: Realitzar un estudi descriptiu de la implantació de la fotovaporització amb làser verd a un hospital comarcal i determinar quines son les condicions preoperatòries i intraoperatòries ideals per tal d’obtenir un resultat satisfactori. Material i mètodes: Revisió retrospectiva de 179 fotovaporitzacions prostàtiques realitzades entre gener 2007 y juny 2010 a l’Hospital de la Ribera (Alzira), analitzant l’experiència del cirurgià, edat dels pacients, volum prostàtic, PSA, IPSS, Qmax i antecedents preoperatoris, classificació ASA, paràmetres intraoperatoris com el temps quirúrgic, requeriments transfusionals, tipus de làser verd utilitzat i reconversió a RTU-p i postoperatoris on s’ha estudiat les complicacions postoperatories i de seguiment com el PSA, IPSS y Qmax i les reintervencions. Realitzem un estudi univariant i multivariant per a identificar quins paràmetres preoperatoris i intraoperatoris van a condicionar un fracàs terapèutic Resultats: En l’estudi descriptiu s’observa similars resultats en tots els paràmetres respecte a la literatura disponible En l’estudi multivariant, identifiquem la curta experiència del cirurgià i el volum prostàtic menor de 40 CC com els factors de risc independents de fracàs de la fotovaporització amb làser verd. Conclusions: la fotovaporització amb làser verd es un procediment efectiu i fàcilment reproduïble en el tractament desobstructiu del tracte urinari inferior d'origen prostàtic. Calen estudis multicèntrics, prospectius i aleatoritzats per confirmar els resultats d’aquest estudi, donat que en l’actualitat disposem de pocs articles que aporten un nivell de evidència i un nivell de recomanació elevats.

El municipi de Barcelona i les parròquies del seu entorn al segle XIV

L'articulació política del pla de Barcelona en l'època medieval es va basar en l'existència de dos territoris: d'una banda, una gran àrea que va coincidir amb la plana entre les desembocadures del Llobregat i del Besòs, on les autoritats locals exerciren alguna funció de control judicial. D'altra banda, un territori molt més petit, anomenat Hort i Vinyet (Parròquia de Sants i Sarrià Sant Martí Provençals), on la jurisdicció civil i penal del Consell de Cent era absoluta. L'objectiu d'aquest treball és mostrar, en primer lloc, que el territori anomenat Hort i Vinyet no existia i, d'altra banda, que l'extens territori no era subjecte a la jurisdicció municipal

Co-infections associated with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in pregnant women from southern Brazil: high rate of intraepithelial cervical lesions

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-positive) pregnant women require specific prophylactic and therapeutic approaches. The efficacy of established approaches is further challenged by co-infection with other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of co-infections in pregnant women infected with different HIV-1 subtypes and to relate these findings, together with additional demographic and clinical parameters, to maternal and infant outcomes. Blood samples from pregnant women were collected and tested for syphilis, hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Human papillomavirus (HPV) diagnosis was evaluated by the presence of alterations in the cervical epithelium detected through a cytopathological exam. Medical charts provided patient data for the mothers and children. Statistical analyses were conducted with STATA 9.0. We found a prevalence of 10.8% for HCV, 2.3% for chronic HBV, 3.1% for syphilis and 40.8% for HPV. Of those co-infected with HPV, 52.9% presented high-grade intraepithelial lesions or in situ carcinoma. Prematurity, birth weight, Apgar 1' and 5' and Capurro scores were similar between co-infected and non-co-infected women. The presence of other STDs did not impact maternal and concept outcomes. More than half of the patients presenting cervical cytology abnormalities suggestive of HPV had high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or cervical cancer, evidencing an alarming rate of these lesions.

Helicobacter pylori vacA and cagA genotypes in patients from northeastern Brazil with upper gastrointestinal diseases

Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastric inflammation and significantly increases the risk of duodenal and gastric ulcer disease and distal gastric carcinoma. In this study, we evaluated the Helicobacter pylori vacA and cagA genotypes in patients from a Brazilian region where there is a high prevalence of gastric cancer. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to investigate vacA mosaicism and cagA status in the gastric mucosa of 134 H. pylori-positive patients, including 76 with gastritis: 28 with peptic ulcer disease and 30 with gastric cancer. The s1m1 variant was the predominant vacA genotype observed, whereas the s1 allele was more frequently observed in patients with more severe diseases associated with H. pylori infection [p = 0.03, odds ratio (OR) = 5.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.15-38.60]. Furthermore, all of the s1 alleles were s1b. Mixed vacA m1/m2 strains were found more frequently in patients with gastric cancer and a cagA-positive status was significantly associated with gastric cancer (p = 0.016, OR = 10.36, 95% CI = 1.35-217.31). Patients with gastric cancer (21/21, 100%, p = 0.006) or peptic ulcers (20/21, 95%, p = 0.02) were more frequently colonised by more virulent H. pylori strains compared to gastritis patients (41/61, 67.2%). In conclusion, in the northeastern of Brazil, which is one of the regions with the highest prevalence of gastric cancer in the country, infection with the most virulent H. pylori strains, carrying the cagA gene and s1m1 vacA alleles, predominates and is correlated with more severe H. pylori-associated diseases.

A genealogical conceptual model using ontologies

Roughly fifteen years ago, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints published a new proposed standard file format. They call it GEDCOM. It was designed to allow different genealogy programs to exchange data.Five years later, in may 2000, appeared the GENTECH Data Modeling Project, with the support of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) and other American genealogical societies. They attempted to define a genealogical logic data model to facilitate data exchange between different genealogical programs. Although genealogists deal with an enormous variety of data sources, one of the central concepts of this data model was that all genealogical data could be broken down into a series of short, formal genealogical statements. It was something more versatile than only export/import data records on a predefined fields. This project was finally absorbed in 2004 by the National Genealogical Society (NGS).Despite being a genealogical reference in many applications, these models have serious drawbacks to adapt to different cultural and social environments. At the present time we have no formal proposal for a recognized standard to represent the family domain.Here we propose an alternative conceptual model, largely inherited from aforementioned models. The design is intended to overcome their limitations. However, its major innovation lies in applying the ontological paradigm when modeling statements and entities.

Èmfasi contrareformista en els retaules de la seu de Girona

La catedral de Girona conserva un bon mostrari de retaules barrocs, ubicats en les capelles laterals de l'àmplia nau gòtica, fet que permet conèixer i detectar l'ambient artístic desenvolupat a la ciutat en el primer terç del segle XVIII. Entrant per la porta dels peus de la gran nau trobem, a banda i banda, els retaules de l'Anunciació i de la Immaculada Concepció; a la banda dreta, tot seguint la direcció vers l'altar, observem els retaules de sant Miquel i el dels sants Iu i Honorat; enfront, més a prop de la girola, s'hi troba el retaule de sant Narcís; i ja plenament en el deambulatori, el dels Dolors

Tradició i llegenda: Sant Narcís i les mosques

Presentació d’un dossier que tracta l’acostament crític a la figura del bisbe Narcís i als prodigis que li han estat atribuïts, així com a la producció historiogràfica i artística que ha generat el mite

Barriers in health care to breast cancer: perception of women

Identifying the barriers in the access to health care to breast cancer perceived by women undergoing chemotherapy.Method: An exploratory descriptive study. The sample consisted of 58 women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy and registered in the public oncology ambulatory of Aracaju-Sergipe. Data collection was carried out between October 2011 and March 2012 by semistructured interviews, and data were processed using the SPSS, version 17.Results: Among the interviewed women, 37 (63.8%) reported at least a barrier in the trajectory of care for breast cancer. The organizational and health services barriers were the most reported in the periods of investigation and treatment of breast cancer.Conclusion: In face of these findings, the barriers should be considered in public health policies and programs for the control of breast cancer in Sergipe.



L'Oracional hispànic de Verona i la topografia cristiana de Tarraco a l'Antiguitat tardana: possibilitats i límits

L'Oracional hispanic de Verona ha estat sempre referencia obligada per als estudis de topografia de l'Antiguitat tardana a Tarragona. L'estudi intenta conjugar la litúrgia amb l'arqueologia per a coneixer l'empla~ament de les esglésies de Tarraco vers el 700. L'analisi litúrgica de l'Oracional no només permet assegurar que les conegudes rubriques de les processons del diumenge de Carnestoltes no pertanyen a l'ordo catedral, sinó que, també, permet identificar una quarta església -a més de les de Sant Fructuós, Sant Pere i la Catedral-, per a la qual va ser adaptat el Codex Veronensis i que, probablement, estava advocada a sant Hipolit. També és novedosa la proposta per a l'emplaçament de l'església de Sant Pere, en una volta de la cap~alera oriental del Circ -desafectat de la seva funció com a edifici d'espectacles- que argumentem mitjan~ant un text de 1174 del Diplomatari de Poblet.

Desvelando a interdisciplinaridade da ciência da informação: o enfoque dos alunos do PPGCI/UFMG

Discute a interdisciplinaridade da ciência da informação (CI) na ótica dos alunos oriundos das diversas áreas do conhecimento que ingressaram no Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência da Informação (PPGCI) da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) em 2007 e 2008, na perspectiva de alcançar em suas práxis como pesquisadores, seja para revisar conceitos, seja para reforçar, refutar ou criar novas teorias. Metodologicamente, buscou-se uma abordagem quantiqualitativa para expressar a opinião dos pós-graduandos em CI do PPGCI/UFMG. Os dados apontam que a informação como objeto de estudo, a fundamentação teórica da CI e a sua interdisciplinaridade proporcionam um novo olhar dialógico da área. Os futuros cientistas da informação oriundos de outras áreas do conhecimento podem colaborar com a CI identificando teorias e métodos que venham consolidar a interdisciplinaridade.