Genomic analysis of four strains of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis bv. Equi isolated from horses showing distinct signs of infection.

The genomes of four strains (MB11, MB14, MB30, and MB66) of the species Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis biovar equi were sequenced on the Ion Torrent PGM platform, completely assembled, and their gene content and structure were analyzed. The strains were isolated from horses with distinct signs of infection, including ulcerative lymphangitis, external abscesses on the chest, or internal abscesses on the liver, kidneys, and lungs. The average size of the genomes was 2.3 Mbp, with 2169 (Strain MB11) to 2235 (Strain MB14) predicted coding sequences (CDSs). An optical map of the MB11 strain generated using the KpnI restriction enzyme showed that the approach used to assemble the genome was satisfactory, producing good alignment between the sequence observed in vitro and that obtained in silico. In the resulting Neighbor-Joining dendrogram, the C. pseudotuberculosis strains sequenced in this study were clustered into a single clade supported by a high bootstrap value. The structural analysis showed that the genomes of the MB11 and MB14 strains were very similar, while the MB30 and MB66 strains had several inverted regions. The observed genomic characteristics were similar to those described for other strains of the same species, despite the number of inversions found. These genomes will serve as a basis for determining the relationship between the genotype of the pathogen and the type of infection that it causes

Elastic scattering and total reaction cross sections for the 8Li + 12C system

The elastic-scattering angular distribution for 8Li on 12C has been measured at ELAB=23.9 MeV with 8Li radioactive nuclear beam produced by the Radioactive Ion Beams in Brazil facility. This angular distribution was analyzed in terms of optical-model with Woods-Saxon and double-folding São Paulo potential. The roles of the breakup and inelastic channels were also investigated with cluster folding and deformed potentials, respectively, through coupled-channels calculations. The angular distribution for the proton-transfer 12C(8Li,9Be)11B reaction was also measured at the same energy. The spectroscopic factor for the 9Be|8Li+p bound system was obtained and compared with shell-model calculations and with other experimental values. Total reaction cross sections for the present system were also extracted from the elastic-scattering analysis. A systematic of the reduced reaction cross sections obtained from the present and published data on 6,7,8Li isotopes on 12C was performed as a function of energy

Genome Sequence of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis MB20 bv. equi Isolated from a Pectoral Abscess of an Oldenburg Horse in California.

The genome of Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis MB20 bv. equi was sequenced using the Ion Personal Genome Machine (PGM) platform, and showed a size of 2,363,089 bp, with 2,365 coding sequences and a GC content of 52.1%. These results will serve as a basis for further studies on the pathogenicity of C. pseudotuberculosis bv. equi

Simulation of macauba palm cultivation: an energy-balance and greenhouse gas emissions analysis

The expansion of the production and use of bioenergy is one of the most efficient mechanisms to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Nevertheless, the environmental impact of the production processes for many raw materials remains unexplored. Several studies have pointed to macauba palm as a promising species for biofuel production in the tropics, but investigations on the environmental benefits of its cultivation have not been reported so far. In this work, an analysis of macauba production system in terms of GHG emissions and CO2 uptake has been conducted for a productive cycle. The energy conversion efficiency per unit area of land has been put in relationship with crop productivity and related to the dilution effect of production inputs. Simulation results estimate GHG emissions of 180 Mg CO2eq·ha-1 and a CO2 fixation ranging from 796 to 1137 Mg CO2eq·ha-1. The net energy balance would reach 512.3 GJ·ha-1 and energy efficiency would be 24.2 GJ·GJ-1. These results suggest that macauba would outperform traditional energy crops such as sugarcane, oil palm, sunflower, corn or jatropha in terms of efficiency. The domestication and exploitation in extensive farming of this species as an agroforestry crop, although still at an early stage, has a bright future

Experimental study of 6He + 9Be elastic scattering at low energies

New data for the H6e+9Be reaction at Elab=16.2 and 21.3 MeV have been taken and analyzed. The effect of the collective couplings to the excited states of the target has been studied by means of coupled-channels calculations, using a double-folding potential for the bare interaction between the colliding nuclei, supplemented with a phenomenological imaginary part of Woods-Saxon type. In addition, three- and four-body continuum-discretized coupled-channels calculations have been performed to investigate the effect of the projectile breakup on the elastic scattering. Both effects, the coupling to target and projectile excited states, are found to affect significantly the elastic scattering. The trivial local polarization potential extracted from the continuum-discretized coupled-channels calculations indicates that continuum couplings produce a repulsive real part and a long-range imaginary part in the projectile-target interaction.Junta de AndalucíaMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación (España) FPA2009-07653 PCI2006-A7-0654Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010 CSD2007-0004

APTIDÃO CARDIORRESPIRATÓRIA E FUNÇÃO COGNITIVA EM IDOSOS

A aptidão cardiorrespiratória parece estar positivamente relacionada ao desempenho cognitivo. Nesse sentido, o objetivo do estudo foi analisar a relação entre a aptidão cardiorrespiratória e a função cognitiva em indivíduos idosos. Participaram deste estudo 90 idosos com média de idade de 69,3±3,5 anos, inseridos nos programas de exercícios físicos da UDESC e do CATI da Grande Florianópolis, no ano de 2009. Foram utilizados: entrevista semiestruturada para identificar as características sociodemográficas e clínicas; questionário Miniexame do Estado Mental para avaliar a função cognitiva e Teste de Caminhada de uma Milha, para classificar a amostra quanto à capacidade cardiorrespiratória. Os valores do teste de caminhada foram estratificados em três grupos de aptidão física: abaixo da média, na média e acima da média, para a idade. Foram realizadas análises estatísticas descritivas e inferenciais. Verificaram-se diferenças estatisticamente significantes (p<0,05) entre os três grupos da aptidão cardiorrespiratória quanto ao sexo, à escolaridade e à renda. Observou-se tendência maior de declínio cognitivo em idosos com aptidão cardiorrespiratória abaixo da média. O estudo sugere existir uma relação diretamente proporcional entre a capacidade cardiorrespiratória e a função cognitiva em indivíduos idosos. CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION IN OLDERS ADULTS abstract The cardiorespiratory fitness seems to be positively related to the cognitive function. The objective of this study was to analyze the relation between the cardiorespiratory fitness and the cognitive function in older adults. Ninety individuals, participants of programs of physical exercises, with average of age of 69,3±3,5 years, had been selected. Semi-structures interviews had been applied to identify social, demographic and clinical characteristics. The “Mini-mental state examination” had been applied to evaluate the cognitive function and Walked Test of a Mile had been used to classify the cardiorespiratory fitness. The walked test values had been divided in three groups of cardiorespiratory fitness: below the average; in the average and above the average, for the age. Its statistical analyses descriptive and inferential had been used. Significant statistical differences (p<0,05) had been founded when comparing the cardiorespiratory fitness with the sex, years of study and economic level. Bigger trend of cognitive decline was observed when the cardiorespiratory fitness was below the average. This study suggests that exist a directly proportional relation between the cardiorespiratory fitness and the cognitive function in older adults

Factors associated with self-reported discrimination against men who have sex with men in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To estimate self-reported discrimination due to sexual orientation among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Brazil and to analyze associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 3,859 MSM recruited in 2008–2009 with respondent driven sampling. Data collection conducted in health centers in 10 Brazilian cities. A face-to-face questionnaire was used and rapid HIV and syphilis tests conducted. Aggregated data were weighted and adjusted odds ratio estimated to measure the association between selected factors and self-reported discrimination due to sexual orientation. RESULTS: The sample was predominantly young, eight plus years of schooling, pardo (brown), single, low-income, and identified themselves as gay or homosexual. The prevalence of self-reported discrimination due to sexual orientation was 27.7% (95%CI 26.2–29.1). Discrimination was independently associated with: age &lt; 30 years, more years of schooling,community involvement and support, history of sexual and physical violence, suicidal thoughts, and unprotected receptive anal intercourse. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of self-reported discrimination among MSM in Brazil is high. These results challenge the assumptions that MSM-specific prevention and support programs are not required or that health professionals do not need special training to address MSM needs

Experimentação e uso regular de drogas ilícitas por estudantes no município de Bragança, nordeste do Pará

Este estudo determinou a prevalência e os fatores associados ao uso de drogas ilícitas entre estudantes de escolas de ensino médio do município de Bragança, Pará, norte do Brasil. Estudo transversal de base escolar, totalizando cinco escolas públicas e 1.632 estudantes do município de Bragança. O questionário auto-aplicável foi adaptado de outros estudos epidemiológicos adequados ao grupo populacional, com rigoroso procedimento, garantindo anonimato e sigilo. A prevalência de uso de drogas ilícitas entre estudantes foi 4,37%. Diversos fatores de risco ao uso de drogas lícitas e ilícitas foram detectados, dos quais destacam-se: a ausência de participação dos pais na vida escolar dos estudantes, renda familiar superior a 3 salários mínimos, pais, amigos e familiares que usam droga ilícita e a falta de incentivo para não usar droga ilícita. Em suma, este estudo identificou que o uso regular de drogas ilícitas está associada a fatores sociais e econômicos, os quais deverão ser considerados na elaboração de medidas para controle e prevenção ao uso de drogas ilícitas no município de Bragança

Digital subtraction radiographic analysis of the combination of bioabsorbable membrane and bovine morphogenetic protein pool in human periodontal infrabony defects

Objectives: This study assessed the bone density gain and its relationship with the periodontal clinical parameters in a case series of a regenerative therapy procedure. Material and Methods: Using a split-mouth study design, 10 pairs of infrabony defects from 15 patients were treated with a pool of bovine bone morphogenetic proteins associated with collagen membrane (test sites) or collagen membrane only (control sites). The periodontal healing was clinically and radiographically monitored for six months. Standardized presurgical and 6-month postoperative radiographs were digitized for digital subtraction analysis, which showed relative bone density gain in both groups of 0.034 ± 0.423 and 0.105 ± 0.423 in the test and control group, respectively (p>0.05). Results: As regards the area size of bone density change, the influence of the therapy was detected in 2.5 mm2 in the test group and 2 mm2 in the control group (p>0.05). Additionally, no correlation was observed between the favorable clinical results and the bone density gain measured by digital subtraction radiography (p>0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the clinical benefit of the regenerative therapy observed did not come with significant bone density gains. Long-term evaluation may lead to a different conclusions

The Role of Inflammatory, Anti-Inflammatory, and Regulatory Cytokines in Patients Infected with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Amazonas State, Brazil

The authors discuss in this paper the role of inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, and regulatory cytokines in patients infected with different species of Leishmania in Amazonas State, Brazil. A comparative analysis was made of serum concentrations of these cytokines in the peripheral blood of 33 patients infected with cutaneous leishmaniasis. The isolates were identified as Leishmania guyanensis, L. naiffi, and L. amazonensis. Most (64%) of the patients were male ranging in age from 18 to 58 years. Protein expression profiles of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-17 cytokines were shown to vary significantly between infected and noninfected (control group) individuals and according to the Leishmania species. Infection caused by L. guyanensis accounted for 73% of the cases and patients with this parasite also showed higher concentrations of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17 when compared to infection by L. amazonensis. Patients with infection caused by L. naiffi showed higher concentration of the cytokines analyzed when compared to uninfected patients; however, there was no statistically significant difference with the other species analyzed. © 2014 Thaís Tibery Espir et al