Typing of Enterococcus faecium by polymerase chain reaction and pulsed field gel electrophoresis

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with JB1 or REP consensus oligonucleotides and pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were used to study genomic DNA extracted from 31 strains of enterococci. Eleven ATCC strains, representative of 11 species of Enterococcus, were initially tested by JB1-PCR, revealing that Enterococcus malodoratus and Enterococcus hirae presented identical banding patterns. Eight Enterococcus faecium isolates from Stanford University and 12 from São Paulo Hospital were studied by JB1-PCR, REP-PCR 1/2R and PFGE. Among the isolates from Stanford University, 5 genotypes were defined by JB1-PCR, 7 by REP-PCR 1/2R and 4 by PFGE. Among the isolates from São Paulo Hospital, 9 genotypes were identified by JB1-PCR, 6 by REP-PCR and 5 by PFGE. The three methods identified identical genotypes, but there was not complete agreement among them.Universidade Estadual de Maringá Centro de Ciências da Saúde Departamento de EnfermagemUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Departamento de Doenças Infecciosas e ParasitáriasUNIFESP, Depto. de Doenças Infecciosas e ParasitáriasSciEL

Late paleozoic faunal and floral successions in the Paraná Basin, Southeastern Brazil

The stratigraphical distribution of the Late Paleozoic marine fauna and megaflora is examined with respect to the available biostratigraphic framework for part of the Upper Paleozoic sequence of the Paraná Basin, Brazil (Tubarão Group) possibly spanning the Upper Carboniferous-Lower Permian interval. Within this interval the megaflora succession shows a transition from assemblages with incidence of northern forms to others in which the Glossopterids are more frequent and finally predominate. The invertebrate megafauna (mollusks and brachiopods) succession shows a high frequency of cosmopolitan forms associated with Gondwanic forms in the early assemblages, followed later by more typical gondwanic faunal assemblages. The evidence at hand for the correlation of the studied sequence with the Caroniferous-Permian boundary is discussed.O presente trabalho inclue uma análise de distribuição e composição da megaflora e mega-fauna marinha (moluscos e braquiópodes) do Grupo Tubarão j tendo em vista o arcabouço bioestratigráfico (palinológico) disponível para o Paleozóico Superior da Bacia do Paraná, Brasil. A sequência estratigráfica examinada abrange, possivelmente, o intervalo Neocarbonífero-Eopermiano. A sucessão de megafloras do Grupo Tubarão inicia-se com assembléias contendo formas "nórdicas", passando a outras em que as glossopterídeas são mais frequentes, ou mesmo predominantes, na parte superior da sequência investigada. A megafauna de invertebrados marinhos, por sua vez, abrange, inicialmente, assembléias com proporção relativamente alta de formas cosmopolitas, associadas a gêneros gondvânicos, às quais se seguem assembléias de caráter mais tipicamente gondvânico. Analisam-se, ainda, criticamente, as evidências disponíveis para o reconhecimento do limite Carbonífero-Permiano no Brasil e América do Sul

El Desarrollo urbano de Aracaju, Brasil (1855 – 2005): un juego de múltiples agentes

[spa] El objetivo de esta Tesis es analizar el desarrollo urbano de Aracaju desde su creación hasta el año 2005, considerando los procesos formales y no formales que estructuraron la ciudad en su trayectoria urbana. En el análisis de la constitución de la morfología urbana de Aracaju, pusimos énfasis en la cuestión del juego de los distintos agentes y/o actores responsables de la constitución de territorios homogéneos y territorialidades urbanas que, de cierta forma, traducen los estigmas de un proyecto histórico capitalizado por grupos político- económicos que trabajaron en la dirección contraria a las aspiraciones de construir una ciudad más justa e igualitaria. La tarea teórico metodológica utilizada relaciona el proceso de producción de la ciudad a las estrategias de los juegos de cartas y sus lógicas, que comprenden los distintos agentes/jugadores. En este sentido, dividimos la Tesis en tres partes, en la cuales discutimos: (1) el juego de la constitución del espacio urbano; (2) los momentos y acciones que proporcionaron procesos de producción y reproducción de espacio por agentes específicos, y (3) según la profesionalización de los agentes y la formulación de la ciudad dual, con la creación de barrios y nuevas formas de asociación del capital inmobiliario. En las conclusiones, realizamos una interpretación del desarrollo urbano, tratando de las contradicciones generadas en el proceso de expansión de la ciudad, que crearon una ciudad difusa y heterogénea, marcada por las distintas formas de segregación socioespacial.[eng] The objective of this thesis is to analyze the urban development of Aracaju since its creation until 2005, considering the formal and non-formal processes that structured the city in its urban trajectory. In the analysis of the constitution of the urban morphology of Aracaju, we emphasized the question of the game for the different agents and/or actors responsible for the constitution of homogeneous territories and urban territorialities. In a certain way, they translate the stigmas of a historical project capitalized by political-economic groups that worked in the opposite direction to the aspirations of constructing a more just and egalitarian city. The theoretical methodological task used relates the process of production of the city to the strategies of the card games and their logic, which comprise the different agents/players. In this sense, we divide the thesis into three parts, in which we discuss: (1) The game of the constitution of urban space; (2) The moments and actions that provided processes of production and reproduction of space by specific agents, and (3) according to the agents’ professionalization and the formulation of the dual city, with the creation of neighborhoods and new forms of association for the Real estate capital. In the conclusions, we make an interpretation of the urban development, dealing with the contradictions generated in the expansion process of the city, which created a diffuse and heterogeneous city, marked by the different forms of socio-spatial segregation.[por] O objetivo desta Tese é analisar o desenvolvimento urbano de Aracaju desde a sua criação até 2005, considerando os processos formais e informais que estruturaram a cidade em sua história urbana. Na análise da constituição da morfologia urbana de Aracaju, colocamos ênfase na questão do jogo dos distintos agentes e/ou atores responsáveis pela criação de territórios homogéneos e territorialidades urbanas que, de certa forma, traduzem os estigmas de um projeto histórico capitalizado por grupos político-econômicos que trabalharam no sentido contrário às aspirações de construção de uma cidade mais justa e igualitária. A tarefa teórico-metodológica utilizada relaciona o processo de produção da cidade aos jogos de cartas com suas estratégias e lógicas, compreendendo diferentes agentes/jogadores. Neste sentido, dividimos a tese em três partes, em que discutimos: (1) o jogo da constituição do espaço urbano; (2) os momentos e ações que proporcionam processos de produção e de reprodução do espaço por agentes específicos, e (3) de acordo com a profissionalização dos agentes e a formulação da cidade dual, com a criação de bairros e novas formas de associação capital imobiliário. Nas conclusões, realizamos uma interpretação do desenvolvimento urbano, discutindo as contradições geradas no processo de expansão da cidade, que criou uma cidade difusa e heterogênea, marcada por várias formas de segregação socioespacial

Molecular characterization of carbapenem-resistant and metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from blood cultures from children and teenagers with cancer

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and dissemination of carbapenem-resistant and metallo-β-lactamase-producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from blood-stream samples (2000-2005) that were collected from patients admitted to the Institute of Pediatric Oncology, UNIFESP (IOP-GRAACC). METHODS AND RESULTS: Fifty-six P. aeruginosa samples were isolated from 49 patients. Thirty-two of these samples were classified as carbapenem-resistant using the disc diffusion method and were subjected to the PCR reaction in order to detect MBL genes. Eighteen of these 32 isolates showed the blaSPM-1 gene. Eight samples selected in different years over the study period presented the same genetic profile according to pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The antimicrobial therapy was considered adequate for only 23.5% of the patients with bacteremia due to P. aeruginosa carrying the blaSPM-1 gene, and a high lethality rate of 70.6% was observed during the 30-day period after bacteremia and an inadequate initial antibiotic regimen. CONCLUSIONS: We detected the presence of a clone of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa carrying blaSPM-1 that persisted in blood culture samples over a six-year period at the institution, with high lethality, thus justifying rigorous epidemiological surveillance and a rearrangement of the antimicrobial therapy regimens at the institution.INTRODUCÃO: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a prevalência e a disseminação de amostras de Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistente aos carbapenêmicos e produtoras de metalo-β-lactamases isoladas de hemoculturas (2000-2005) de pacientes do Instituto de Oncologia Pediátrica da UNIFESP (IOP-GRAACC). MÉTODOS E RESULTADOS: Cinquenta e seis amostras de Pseudomonas aeruginosa foram isoladas de 49 pacientes. Trinta e duas dessas amostras foram classificadas como resistentes aos carbapenêmicos pela técnica de disco difusão e submetidas a reação de PCR para detecção de genes de MBL. Dezoitos dessas 32 amostras evidenciaram o gene blaSPM-1. Oito amostras selecionadas em diferentes anos no período de estudo apresentaram o mesmo perfil genético por pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. A terapêutica antimicrobiana foi considerada adequada em apenas 23,5% dos pacientes com bacteremia por P. aeruginosa carreando blaSPM-1 e letalidade de 70,6% no período de até 30 dias após a bacteremia e uma inadequação inicial dos esquemas antibióticos utilizados CONCLUSÕES: Evidenciamos a presença de um clone de P. aeruginosa resistente aos carbapenêmicos carreando blaSPM-1 que persistiu em amostras de hemocultura pelo período de 6 anos na instituição, com alta letalidade, justificando uma vigilância epidemiológica rigorosa e uma readequação dos esquemas de terapia antimicrobianos na instituição.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Laboratório Especial em Microbiologia ClínicaUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Instituto de Oncologia Pediátrica-Grupo de Apoio ao Adolescente e à Criança com CâncerUNIFESP, EPM, Laboratório Especial em Microbiologia ClínicaUNIFESP, EPM, Instituto de Oncologia Pediátrica-Grupo de Apoio ao Adolescente e à Criança com CâncerSciEL

Analysis of the effect of mobile terminal speed on WLAN/3G vertical handovers

Proceedings of IEEE Global Telecommunications Conference, GLOBECOM '06, San Francisco, California, 27 november - 1 december, 2006.WLAN hot-spots are becoming widely spread. This, combined with the availability of new multi-mode terminals integrating heterogeneous technologies, opens new business opportunities for mobile operators. Scenarios in which 3G coverage is complemented by WLAN deployments are becoming available. Thus, true all-IP based networks are ready to offer a new variety of services across heterogeneous access. However, to achieve this, some aspects still need to be analyzed. In particular, the effect of the terminal speed on the detection and selection process of the preferred access network is not yet well understood. In fact, efficiency of vertical handovers depends on the appropriate configuration of mobile devices. In this paper we present a simulation study of handover performance between 3G and WLAN access networks showing the impact of mobile users’ speed. The mobile devices are based on the IEEE 802.21 cross layer architecture and use WLAN signal level thresholds as handover criteria. A novel algorithm to dynamically adjust terminals’ configuration is presented.Publicad

Phagocytosis and killing of epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by human neutrophils and monocytes

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogen that has been associated with nosocomial infections since the preantibiotic era. Since the introduction of antibiotics in medical practice in the 1940 s, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains have been emerging in various parts of the world. In view of the important role of the phagocytic system in the defense against this bacteria, we decided to study phagocytosis by neutrophils and monocytes of an epidemic MRSA strain in São Paulo, Brazil, in comparison with methicillin-sensitive strains. Complement system opsonins are fundamental for efficient ingestion of the resistant and sensitive strains by both types of phagocytes. We found no association of the opsonic requirement of the MRSA strain with the multiresistance phenotype. On the other hand, the MRSA strain was found to be more resistant to the effector mechanisms of neutrophils than both sensitive strains when opsonized with fresh serum, despite the phagocytosis results. This fact suggests that the intracellular killing of S. aureus is an additional parameter of bacterial virulence, but new approaches must be implemented to study the interactions of this MRSA strain with phagocytes in order to investigate the possible factors involved in its behavior in response to neutrophil effector mechanisms.Adolfo Lutz Institute Immunology SectionFederal University of São Paulo Department of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesUNIFESP, Department of Infectious and Parasitic DiseasesSciEL

Oral infection by the Human Papilloma Virus in women with cervical lesions at a prison in São Paulo, Brazil

Carcinoma of the head and neck is the 6th cause of death by cancer in the world. In recent decades the human papillomavirus (HPV) has been implicated in the etiology of this disease. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the types of HPV detected in the oral mucosa in women with cytological abnormalities suggesting intraepithelial squamous lesions in the uterine cervix. METHODS: four-hundred-nine cervical-vaginal and oral pap-smears of women interned in a Female Prison in São Paulo were examined. The relationship between cervical and oral lesion was analyzed by PCR/RFLP and DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Of 27 (6.67%) specimens showing cervical cytological abnormalities suggesting LSIL and HSIL, 22 (81.48%) had oncogenic high-risk HPV infection, of which HPV 59 was the most prevalent. Three (11.1%) samples showed cytological changes suggesting mild dysplasia in the oral cavity. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests an association between carcinoma of the oral cavity and HPV infection, regardless of the virus type.O carcinoma de cabeça e pescoço é 6ª maior causa de mortes por neoplasia no mundo. Nas últimas décadas, tem-se associado a relação da infecção pelo Papilomavírus Humano (HPV) e seu envolvimento na etiologia desta doença, bem como acontece com o câncer de colo de útero. OBJETIVO: A caracterização molecular dos tipos de HPV diagnosticados na mucosa oral de mulheres que apresentavam alterações citológicas compatíveis com lesão escamosa no colo uterino. MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas 409 amostras cérvico-vaginais e de cavidade oral de mulheres internas no Presídio Feminino da cidade de São Paulo. A correlação entres lesões cervicais e orais foram avaliadas em 27 mulheres que apresentavam lesões pré-malignas e malignas no colo uterino pela caracterização molecular dos tipos de HPV por PCR/ RFLP e Sequenciamento. RESULTADOS: Das 27 (6,67%) amostras compatíveis com LSIL e HSIL no colo uterino, 22 (81,48%) apresentaram infecção pelo HPV de alto risco oncogênico, sendo o HPV 59 o mais prevalente, dentre elas, três amostras (11,1%) evidenciaram alterações celulares compatíveis com displasia leve na cavidade oral. CONCLUSÃO: Nosso estudo sugere uma relação entre o desenvolvimento de lesões da cavidade oral e a infecção pelo HPV, independentemente do tipo viral presente.UNIFESPLaboratório Afip departamento de biologia molecularUNIFESPSciEL

Identifying the Sweet Spot of Padel Rackets with a Robot

[EN] Although the vibration of rackets and the location of the sweet spot for players when hitting the ball is crucial, manufacturers do not specify this behavior precisely. This article analyses padel rackets, provides a solution to determine the sweet spot position (SSP), quantifies its behavior, and determines the level of vibration transmitted along the racket handle. The proposed methods serve to locate the SSP without quantifying it. This article demonstrates the development of equipment capable of analyzing the vibration behavior of padel rackets. To do so, it employs a robot that moves along the surface of the padel racket, striking it along its central line. Accelerometers are placed on a movable cradle where rackets are positioned and adjusted. A method for analyzing accelerometer signals to quantify vibration severity is proposed. The SSP and vibration behavior along the central line are determined and quantified. As a result of the study, 225 padel rackets are analyzed and compared. SSP is independent of the padel racket shape, balance, weight, moment of inertia, and padel racket shape (tear, diamond, or round) and is not located at the same position as the center of percussion.This research was partially funded by Sport Thinkers SL, Ontinyent, Spain.Blanes Campos, C.; Correcher Salvador, A.; Martínez-Turégano, J.; Ricolfe Viala, C. (2023). Identifying the Sweet Spot of Padel Rackets with a Robot. Sensors. 23(24):1-15. https://doi.org/10.3390/s23249908115232