Photoinduced antibacterial activity of the essential oils from Eugenia brasiliensis lam and Piper mosenii C. DC. by blue led light

The objective of this work was to evaluate the phytochemical composition and the antibacterial and antibiotic-modulating activities of the essential oils of Eugenia brasiliensis Lam (OEEb) and Piper mosenii C. DC (OEPm) singly or in association with blue LED (Light-emitting diode) light. The antibacterial and antibiotic-modulatory activities of the essential oils on the activity of aminoglycosides were evaluated to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC, \u3bcg/mL) in the presence or absence of exposure to blue LED light. The chemical analysis showed \u3b1-pinene and bicyclogermacrene as major constituents of OEPm, whereas \u3b1-muurolol was the main compound of OEEb. Both OEEb and OEPm showed MIC 65 512 \u3bcg/mL against the strains under study. However, the association of these oils with the blue LED light enhanced the action of the aminoglycosides amikacin and gentamicin. In conclusion, the association of aminoglycosides with the blue LED light and essential oils was effective against resistant bacteria

Escala de coma de Glasgow pediátrica modificada para cães Pediatric Glasgow coma scale modified for dogs

Com o objetivo de modificar a escala de coma de Glasgow pediátrica para utilização na medicina veterinária, foram utilizados 30 cães adultos com alterações neurológicas passíveis de avaliação da consciência. A escala modificada para cães foi aplicada em três momentos com intervalos de 48 horas entre eles, resultando em 90 eventos diversos. A escala foi aplicada para avaliação da abertura ocular (AO), da melhor resposta associada à vocalização (MRV) e da melhor resposta motora (MRM). Com a análise fatorial para os indicadores AO, MRV e MRM, obtiveram-se valores iniciais de 2,482, 0,302 e 0,215, respectivamente. A variância foi de 82,7%, 10,1% e 7,2%, respectivamente, e cumulativa de 82,7%, 92,8% e 100%, respectivamente. A extração esperada do principal fator, AO, foi de 2,482 com variância de 82,7% e cumulativa de 82,7%. O resultado da avaliação da consciência dos cães foi normal em 10% dos animais, alteração leve em 20%, moderada em 45% e grave em 25%, com escores de Glasgow iguais a 15, entre 13 e 14, entre 9 e 12 e entre 8 e 3, respectivamente. A escala de coma de Glasgow pediátrica modificada para cães é ferramenta segura para avaliação da consciência de cães adultos.The pediatric Glasgow coma scale was modified for use in veterinary medicine. Thirty adult dogs with neurological alterations susceptible to evaluation of the conscience were studied. The modified scale for dogs was applied at three moments with intervals of 48 hours, resulting in 90 events. The scale was applied for evaluation of the ocular opening (OO), the best answer associated to vocalization (BAV), and the best motor answer (BMA). With the factorial analysis for the indicators OO, BAV, and BMA the initial values of 2.482, 0.302, and 0.215, respectively, were obtained. The variance was of 82.7%, 10.1%, and 7.2%, respectively, and cumulative of 82.7%, 92.8%, and 100%, respectively. The expected extraction of the main factor, OO, was 2.482 with variance of 82.7% and cumulative of 82.7%. The evaluation result of the conscience was normal in 10% of the animals, light alteration in 20%, moderate in 45%, and severe in 25%, with scores of Glasgow equal to 15, from 13 to 14, nine to 12, and eight to three, respectively. The pediatric Glasgow coma scale modified for dogs was a safe tool for evaluation of the conscience of adult dogs

GC-MS profile and enhancement of antibiotic activity by the essential oil of ocotea odorífera and safrole: Inhibition of staphylococcus aureus efflux pumps

Considering the evidence that essential oils, as well as safrole, could modulate bacterial growth in different resistant strains, this study aims to characterize the phytochemical profile and evaluate the antibacterial and antibiotic-modulating properties of the essential oil Ocotea odor\uedfera (EOOO) and safrole against efflux pump (EP)-carrying strains. The EOOO was extracted by hydrodistillation, and the phytochemical analysis was performed by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antibacterial and antibiotic-modulating activities of the EOOO and safrole against resistant strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were analyzed through the broth microdilution method. The EP-inhibiting potential of safrole in association with ethidium bromide or antibiotics was evaluated using the S. aureus 1199B and K2068 strains, which carry genes encoding efflux proteins associated with antibiotic resistance to norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin, respectively. A reduction in the MIC of ethidium bromide or antibiotics was used as a parameter of EP inhibition. The phytochemical analysis identified 16 different compounds in the EOOO including safrole as the principal constituent. While the EOOO and safrole exerted clinically relevant antibacterial effects against S. aureus only, they potentiated the antibacterial activity of norfloxacin against all strains evaluated by our study. The ethidium bromide and antibiotic assays using the strains of S. aureus SA1119B and K2068, as well as molecular docking analysis, indicated that safrole inhibits the NorA and MepA efflux pumps in S.aureus. In conclusion, Ocotea odorifera and safrole presented promising antibacterial and antibiotic-enhancing properties, which should be explored in the development of drugs to combat antibacterial resistance, especially in strains bearing genes encoding efflux proteins

Development of sensors, probes and imaging techniques for pollutant monitoring in geo-environmental model tests

In order to be able to track the movement of pollutant plumes during geotechnical centrifuge and other geo-en-vironmental experiments, a number of techniques have been investigated: fibre-optic photometric sensors, resistivity probes, resistivity tomography, and copper ion-selective electrodes. Methods of image analysis, signal processing techniques and multi-spectral image analysis were also explored and applied to images of moving plumes. In addition, an optical technique for detecting NAPL by cone probe was investigated. Their relative merits are discuseed. This work was conducted as part of an EU-funded network programme: NECER (Network of European geotechnical Centrifuges for Environmental Research), and this paper summarises the conclusions of the sensors and imaging working group