Human sepsis-associated Escherichia coli (SEPEC) is able to adhere to and invade kidney epithelial cells in culture

The adhesins of extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli are essential for mediating direct interactions between the microbes and the host cell surfaces that they infect. Using fluorescence microscopy and gentamycin protection assays, we observed that 49 sepsis-associated E. coli (SEPEC) strains isolated from human adults adhered to and invaded Vero cells in the presence of D-mannose (100%). In addition, bacteria concentrations of approximately 2 x 10(7) CFU/mL were recovered from Vero cells following an invasion assay. Furthermore, PCR analysis of adhesin genes showed that 98.0% of these SEPEC strains tested positive for fimH, 69.4% for flu, 53.1% for csgA, 38.8% for mat, and 32.7% for iha. Analysis of the invasin genes showed that 16.3% of the SEPEC strains were positive for tia, 12.3% for gimB, and 10.2% for ibeA. Therefore, these data suggest that SEPEC adhesion to cell surfaces occurs through non-fimH mechanisms. Scanning electron microscopy showed the formation of microcolonies on the Vero cell surface. SEPEC invasiveness was also confirmed by the presence of intracellular bacteria, and ultrastructural analysis using electron transmission microscopy revealed bacteria inside the Vero cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that these SEPEC strains had the ability to adhere to and invade Vero cells. Moreover, these data support the theory that renal cells may be the predominant pathway through which SEPEC enters human blood vessels.41742

Effect Of Pasteurization On The Decay Of Mycobacterium Bovis In Milk Cream

Milk cream must be pasteurized in order to be sold in Brazil. However, there are no specific legal requirements for this product, and producers set their own pasteurization parameters using the ones approved for milk as a reference. Considering that fat protects bacteria from heat, that no thermal inactivation studies have been performed on Mycobacterium bovis present in cream, and that bovine tuberculosis is endemic in Brazil, the aim of this study was to evaluate the inactivation of M. bovis in milk cream subjected to commercial parameters of pasteurization. Milk cream samples were contaminated and pasteurized in a water bath at 75, 80, 85, and 90°C for 5 and 15 s. M. bovis cells were plated onto Stonebrink-Leslie medium, incubated at 36°C for 45 days, and quantified; the result was expressed in log CFU mL-1. The fat content of the samples ranged from 34% to 37% and the average initial load of M. bovis was 8.0 Log CFU mL-1. The average decay of the M. bovis populations was 4.0, 4.3, 4.9 and 6.7 log CFU mL-1 when the cream was treated for 15 sec at 75, 80, 85 and 90°C, respectively, showing that the efficiency of the heat treatment was improved by increasing the temperature of the process. Given the lipophilic nature of M. bovis, the cream should be subjected to more intense parameters of pasteurization than those applied to milk.3753737374

Translation And Cross-cultural Adaptation Of The Rowe Score For Portuguese

Objective: To translate and culturally adapt the Rowe score for use in Brazil. Methods: The translation and cross-cultural adaptation process initially involved the steps of translation, synthesis, back- -translation and revision by the Translation Group. The pre-final version of the questionnaire was then created. The Stability and Function fields were applied to 20 patients with anterior shoulder luxation, and the Mobility field was applied to 20 health professionals. Results: It was found that some of the patients had difficulty understanding some of the expressions of the questionnaire, so these were replaced with terms that were easier to understand. All health professionals understood the translation of the Mobility field. The altered questionnaire was then reapplied to another 20 patients, and this time it was understood by all the assessed subjects. Conclusion: After a careful process of translation and cultural adaptation, a definitive version of the Rowe questionnaire was obtained in Brazilian Portuguese. Level of Evidence II, Development of diagnostic criteria on consecutive patients.206346350Walton, J., Paxinos, A., Tzannes, A., Callanan, M., Hayes, K., Murrell, G.A., The unstable shoulder in the adolescent athlete (2002) Am J Sports Med., 30 (5), pp. 758-767Hovelius, L., Incidence of shoulder dislocation in Sweden (1982) Clin Orthop Relat Res., (166), pp. 127-131Simonet, W.T., Melton, L.J., Cofield, R.H., Ilstrup, D.M., Incidence of anterior shoulder dislocation in Olmsted County, Minnesota (1984) Clin Orthop Relat Res., (186), pp. 186-191Owens, B.D., Dawson, L., Burks, R., Cameron, K.L., Incidence of shoulder dislocation in the United States military: demographic considerations from a high-risk population (2009) J Bone Joint Surg Am., 91 (4), pp. 791-796Simonet, W.T., Cofield, R.H., Prognosis in anterior shoulder dislocation (1984) Am J Sports Med., 12 (1), pp. 19-24Norlin, R., Intraarticular pathology in acute, first-time anterior shoulder dislocation: an arthroscopic study (1993) Arthroscopy., 9 (5), pp. 546-549Millett, P.J., Clavert, P., Hatch, G.F., Warner, J.J., Recurrent posterior shoulder instability (2006) J Am Acad Orthop Surg., 14 (8), pp. 464-476Wang, R.Y., Arciero, R.A., Mazzocca, A.D., The recognition and treatment of first- -time shoulder dislocation in active individuals (2009) J Orthop Sports Phys Ther., 39 (2), pp. 118-123Hayes, K., Callanan, M., Walton, J., Paxinos, A., Murrell, G.A., Shoulder instability: management and rehabilitation (2002) J Orthop Sports Phys Ther., 32 (10), pp. 497-509Rowe, C.R., Patel, D., Southmayd, W.W., The Bankart procedure: a long-term end-result study (1978) J Bone Joint Surg Am., 60 (1), pp. 1-16Bot, S.D., Terwee, C.B., van der Windt, D.A., Bouter, L.M., Dekker, J., de Vet, H.C., Clinimetric evaluation of shoulder disability questionnaires: a systematic review of the literature (2004) Ann Rheum Dis., 63 (4), pp. 335-341Beaton, D.E., Bombardier, C., Guillemin, F., Ferraz, M.B., Guidelines for the process of cross-cultural adaptation of self-report measures (2000) Spine (Phila Pa 1976)., 25 (24), pp. 3186-3191Guillemin, F., Bombardier, C., Beaton, D., Cross-cultural adaptation of health-related quality of life measures: literature review and proposed guidelines (1993) J Clin Epidemiol., 46 (12), pp. 1417-1432Rowe, C.R., Zarins, B., Recurrent transient subluxation of the shoulder (1981) J Bone Joint Surg Am., 63 (6), pp. 863-872Rowe, C.R., Zarins, B., Chronic unreduced dislocations of the shoulder (1982) J Bone Joint Surg Am., 64 (4), pp. 494-505Rowe, C.R., Evaluation of the shoulder (1988) The shoulder., pp. 631-637. , New York: Churchill LivingstoneSugaya, H., Moriishi, J., Kanisawa, I., Tsuchiya, A., Arthroscopic osseous Bankart repair for chronic recurrent traumatic anterior glenohumeral instability (2006) Surgical technique. J Bone Joint Surg Am., 88 (SUPPL. 1 PART 2), pp. 159-169Kartus, C., Kartus, J., Matis, N., Forstner, R., Resch, H., Long-term independent evaluation after arthroscopic extra-articular Bankart repair with absorbable tacks (2007) A clinical and radiographic study with a seven to ten-year follow-up. J Bone Joint Surg Am., 89 (7), pp. 1442-1448Jensen, K.U., Bongaerts, G., Bruhn, R., Schneider, S., Not all Rowe scores are the same! Which Rowe score do you use? (2009) J Shoulder Elbow Surg, 18 (4), pp. 511-514Vasconcelos, U.M.R., Leonardi, A.B.A., Reis, A.L., Filho, G.C., Chueire, A.G., Instabilidade ântero-inferior traumática do ombro: procedimento de Bankart em atletas não profissionais (2003) Acta Ortop Bras., 11 (3), pp. 150-15

Walking Training Increases microRNA-126 Expression and Muscle Capillarization in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease

Patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) have reduced muscle capillary density. Walking training (WT) is recommended for PAD patients. The goal of the study was to verify whether WT promotes angiogenesis in PAD-affected muscle and to investigate the possible role of miRNA-126 and the vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) angiogenic pathways on this adaptation. Thirty-two men with PAD were randomly allocated to two groups: WT (n = 16, 2 sessions/week) and control (CO, n = 16). Maximal treadmill tests and gastrocnemius biopsies were performed at baseline and after 12 weeks. Histological and molecular analyses were performed by blinded researchers. Maximal walking capacity increased by 65% with WT. WT increased the gastrocnemius capillary-fiber ratio (WT = 109 ± 13 vs. 164 ± 21 and CO = 100 ± 8 vs. 106 ± 6%, p < 0.001). Muscular expression of miRNA-126 and VEGF increased with WT (WT = 101 ± 13 vs. 130 ± 5 and CO = 100 ± 14 vs. 77 ± 20%, p < 0.001; WT = 103 ± 28 vs. 153 ± 59 and CO = 100 ± 36 vs. 84 ± 41%, p = 0.001, respectively), while expression of PI3KR2 decreased (WT = 97 ± 23 vs. 75 ± 21 and CO = 100 ± 29 vs. 105 ± 39%, p = 0.021). WT promoted angiogenesis in the muscle affected by PAD, and miRNA-126 may have a role in this adaptation by inhibiting PI3KR2, enabling the progression of the VEGF signaling pathway

Decomposition and nutrient release of leguminous plants in coffee agroforestry systems.

Leguminous plants used as green manure are an important nutrient source for coffee plantations, especially for soils with low nutrient levels. Field experiments were conducted in the Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais State, Brazil to evaluate the decomposition and nutrient release rates of four leguminous species used as green manures (Arachis pintoi, Calopogonium mucunoides, Stizolobium aterrimum and Stylosanthes guianensis) in a coffee agroforestry system under two different climate conditions. The initial N contents in plant residues varied from 25.7 to 37.0 g kg-1 and P from 2.4 to 3.0 g kg-1. The lignin/N, lignin/polyphenol and(lignin+polyphenol)/N ratios were low in all residues studied. Mass loss rates were highest in the first 15 days, when 25 % of the residues were decomposed. From 15 to 30 days, the decomposition rate decreased on both farms. On the farm in Pedra Dourada (PD), the decomposition constant k increased in the order C. mucunoides < S. aterrimum < S. guianensis < A. pintoi. On the farm in Araponga (ARA), there was no difference in the decomposition rate among leguminous plants. The N release rates varied from 0.0036 to 0.0096 d-1. Around 32 % of the total N content in the plant material was released in the first 15 days. In ARA, the N concentration in the S. aterrimum residues was always significantly higher than in the other residues. At the end of 360 days, the N released was 78 % in ARA and 89 % in PD of the initial content. Phosphorus was the most rapidly released nutrient (k values from 0.0165 to 0.0394 d-1). Residue decomposition and nutrient release did not correlate with initial residue chemistry and biochemistry, but differences in climatic conditions between the two study sites modified the decomposition rate constants

System complexity and policy integration challenges: The Brazilian Energy- Water-Food Nexus

The Energy-Water-Food Nexus is one of the most complex sustainability challenges faced by the world. This is particularly true in Brazil, where insufficiently understood interactions within the Nexus are contributing to large-scale deforestation and land-use change, water and energy scarcity, and increased vulnerability to climate change. The reason is a combination of global environmental change and global economic change, putting unprecedented pressures on the Brazilian environment and ecosystems. In this paper, we identify and discuss the main Nexus challenges faced by Brazil across sectors (e.g. energy, agriculture, water) and scales (e.g. federal, state, municipal). We use four case studies to explore all nodes of the Nexus. For each, we analyse data from economic and biophysical modelling sources in combination with an overview of the legislative and policy landscape, in order to identify governance shortcomings in the context of growing challenges. We analyse the complex interdependence of developments at the global and local (Brazilian) levels, highlighting the impact of global environmental and economic change on Brazil and, conversely, that of developments in Brazil for other countries and the world. We conclude that there is a need to adjust the scientific approach to these challenges as an enabling condition for stronger science-policy bridges for sustainability policy-making. © 2019 The Author(s

How does the electromagnetic field couple to gravity, in particular to metric, nonmetricity, torsion, and curvature?

The coupling of the electromagnetic field to gravity is an age-old problem. Presently, there is a resurgence of interest in it, mainly for two reasons: (i) Experimental investigations are under way with ever increasing precision, be it in the laboratory or by observing outer space. (ii) One desires to test out alternatives to Einstein's gravitational theory, in particular those of a gauge-theoretical nature, like Einstein-Cartan theory or metric-affine gravity. A clean discussion requires a reflection on the foundations of electrodynamics. If one bases electrodynamics on the conservation laws of electric charge and magnetic flux, one finds Maxwell's equations expressed in terms of the excitation H=(D,H) and the field strength F=(E,B) without any intervention of the metric or the linear connection of spacetime. In other words, there is still no coupling to gravity. Only the constitutive law H= functional(F) mediates such a coupling. We discuss the different ways of how metric, nonmetricity, torsion, and curvature can come into play here. Along the way, we touch on non-local laws (Mashhoon), non-linear ones (Born-Infeld, Heisenberg-Euler, Plebanski), linear ones, including the Abelian axion (Ni), and find a method for deriving the metric from linear electrodynamics (Toupin, Schoenberg). Finally, we discuss possible non-minimal coupling schemes.Comment: Latex2e, 26 pages. Contribution to "Testing Relativistic Gravity in Space: Gyroscopes, Clocks, Interferometers ...", Proceedings of the 220th Heraeus-Seminar, 22 - 27 August 1999 in Bad Honnef, C. Laemmerzahl et al. (eds.). Springer, Berlin (2000) to be published (Revised version uses Springer Latex macros; Sec. 6 substantially rewritten; appendices removed; the list of references updated