Antimicrobial susceptibility assessment of Campylobacter on outdoor iberian pig sows

Both Campylobacter and Salmonella are considered the most frequent bacterial causes of human enteritis in industrialized countries. The consumption of raw or undercooked poultry and pork contaminated meat products are the main sources of human infection. The prevalence of Campylobacter and Salmonella was determined in the present work for extensive production Iberian pig sows, Sus mediterraneus. Samples were collected at the maternity area of a creator from, water drinkers, feed and feed containers as well as from sows faecal matter. Of 42 samples, 31 and 23 carried Campylobacter spp. and Salmonella spp. respectively. Only Salmonella spp. was found in all 3 tested water and feed containers. Of the 58 isolated Campylobacter strains only one was identified, by multiplex-PCR, as Campylobacter jejuni, all other were C. coli. Antibiotic susceptibility was performed by disc diffusion method with Nalidixic acid, Ciprofloxacin, Erythromycin, Tetracycline, Chloramphenicol and Ampicilin. While 95% of the tested strains were susceptible to chloramphenicol, 66% and 53% were resistant to the tested fluoroquinolones, Ciprofloxacin and Nalidixic acid respectively. Erythromycin resistance was fairly low in comparison to previous publications with 14% of resistant strains. 38% were resistant to Tetracycline and 57% to Ampicilin. Seven of the 58 Campylobacter strains were entirely susceptible and none were resistant to all the antimicrobials tested. Multiple drug resistance was found in 88% of strains. Cross contamination may occur between sows inside maternity facilities and piglets may become infected in an early age by their mothers. New and better control measures are therefore necessary to minimize transmission between animals reducing the number of contaminated individuals and the potential transmission to human handlers and consumers

Dry‐Cured Meat Products According to the Smoking Regime: Process Optimization to Control Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

The manufacturing of dry‐cured meat products usually includes a smoking step. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are potentially carcinogenic chemical compounds that may result from smoking. The aim of the present study was to optimize the smoking regime of traditional dry‐cured meat products in order to minimize the presence of PAHs. Dry‐cured sausages were submitted to different smoking regimes: (A) no smoking; (B) 20 h effective smoking; (C) 60 h effective smoking; (D) effective smoking until reaching 38%–40% weight losses. Three independent batches were produced per smoking regime, and three samples per batch were analyzed. Microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory analyses were performed. The total PAHs content was generally low and did not differ significantly in meat products submitted to the four different smoking regimes. The PAH4 and benzo(α)pyrene levels were below the established legal limits in all analyzed dry‐cured sausages. Nevertheless, non‐smoked sausages always showed lower PAHs values for all PAHs groups

Longitudinal evaluation of hepatic osteodystrophy in children and adolescents with chronic cholestatic liver disease

Bone mass loss is a major complication of chronic cholestatic liver disease (CCD). However, the long-term impact of CCD on bone mass acquisition is unknown. We longitudinally assessed bone mineral density (BMD) and factors involved in bone remodeling in 9 children and adolescents with CCD Child-Pugh A (5 boys/4 girls) and in 13 controls (6 boys/7 girls). The groups were evaluated twice, at baseline (T0) and after 3 years (T1), when osteocalcin, deoxypyridinoline, 25-hydroxyvitamin-D, parathyroid hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and BMD (L1-L4, proximal femur and total body) were determined. Serum levels of receptor activator for nuclear factor kB ligand (RANKL) and osteoprotegerin were measured only at T1. Lumbar spine BMD was reanalyzed twice: after adjustment for bone age and to compensate for the height factor. Volumetric density was also estimated mathematically in L2-L4. The BMD of L1-L4 was lower in the CCD group (Z-score at T0: control = -1.2 ± 0.8 vs CCD = -2.2 ± 1.4, P < 0.05; T1: control = -0.7 ± 0.8 vs CCD = -2.1 ± 1.1, P < 0.05). Osteocalcin and deoxypyridinoline were similar for the two groups. The CCD group presented lower IGF-I (Z-score at T1: control = 1.4 ± 2.8 vs CCD = -1.5 ± 1.0, P < 0.05) and RANKL (control = 0.465 ± 0.275 vs CCD = 0.195 ± 0.250 pM, P < 0.05) than control. Children with compensated CCD Child-Pugh A showed early impairment of bone acquisition, with the impact being more severe in an initial phase and then tapering in a slowly progressive way. Reduction in endocrine IGF-I has a crucial role in this process

Evaluation of antibiotic susceptibility of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from traditional Portuguese sausage products

Nowadays the use of fermentative microbiota in food products is researched in order to confer protection to the products and furnish health benefits to consumers The aim of this work was to evaluate antibiotics susceptibility of Lactobacillus plantarum isolated from fermented traditional meat products in order to select them to be used as starters or protective bacteria on fermented meat products. The susceptibility of different L. plantarum isolates (n=44) from fermented/dry/smoked meat products of three different Portuguese industries were tested by Agar disc diffusion method for Vancomycin, Quinupristin/Dalfopristin, Rifampicin, Penicillin G, Erythromycine, Tetracycline, Gentamicin, Lincomycin and Chloramphenicol. Most of the studied L plantarum isolates were susceptible for Tetracycline (75%) and Erythromycin (71%) and could be used safely as starter cultures. Those that presented resistance need to be genetically evaluated since the mechanism of resistance is probably related to mobile genetic elements carried by L plantarum

Novel Prostate Specific Antigen plastic antibody designed withcharged binding sites for an improved protein binding and itsapplication in a biosensor of potentiometric transduction

This work shows that the synthesis of protein plastic antibodies tailored with selected charged monomersaround the binding site enhances protein binding. These charged receptor sites are placed over a neutralpolymeric matrix, thus inducing a suitable orientation the protein reception to its site. This is confirmed bypreparing control materials with neutral monomers and also with non-imprinted template. This concepthas been applied here to Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA), the protein of choice for screening prostate can-cer throughout the population, with serum levels >10 ng/mL pointing out a high probability of associatedcancer.Protein Imprinted Materials with charged binding sites (C/PIM) have been produced by surfaceimprinting over graphene layers to which the protein was first covalently attached. Vinylben-zyl(trimethylammonium chloride) and vinyl benzoate were introduced as charged monomers labellingthe binding site and were allowed to self-organize around the protein. The subsequent polymerizationwas made by radical polymerization of vinylbenzene. Neutral PIM (N/PIM) prepared without orientedcharges and non imprinted materials (NIM) obtained without template were used as controls.These materials were used to develop simple and inexpensive potentiometric sensor for PSA. Theywere included as ionophores in plasticized PVC membranes, and tested over electrodes of solid or liq-uid conductive contacts, made of conductive carbon over a syringe or of inner reference solution overmicropipette tips. The electrodes with charged monomers showed a more stable and sensitive response,with an average slope of -44.2 mV/decade and a detection limit of 5.8 × 10−11mol/L (2 ng/mL). The cor-responding non-imprinted sensors showed lower sensitivity, with average slopes of -24.8 mV/decade.The best sensors were successfully applied to the analysis of serum, with recoveries ranging from 96.9to 106.1% and relative errors of 6.8%

Imaging of 3D tissue-engineered models of oral cancer using 890 and 1300 nm optical coherence tomography

© 2015, Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy. All rights reserved. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) generates its primary form of contrast from elastic backscatter. It is now the gold standard technique for retinal screening and is emerging rapidly in cardiovascular research however it remains a research goal to establish it to the same degree in epithelial cancer detection and diagnosis. In this report we compare two different OCT systems: an 890 nm spectrometer-based OCT system with 2.5 µm axial resolution and a 1300 nm swept-source OCT system with 7.5 µm axial resolution to determine the effect of these different OCT parameters on the endogenous backscatter contrast of dysplastic/malignant oral mucosa models relative to normal mucosa models. Tissueengineered oral mucosa models constructed with a dysplastic cell line (DOK), a malignant cell line (Cal27) and normal cell were imaged with both of these OCT platforms and comparisons made with regard to apparent epithelial thickness and the visibility of the epithelium relative to the underlying stroma. For the Cal27’s, hematoxylin and eosin staining confirmed the formation of a keratinized layer superficial to a thickened layer of viable cells on top of the stroma. The keratinized layer presented as a hyperreflective thickened layer superficial to a darker region on both OCT platforms. The keratinized layer caused a steep fall in signal at 890 nm, making it difficult to visualise underlying structures, whereas 1300 nm OCT clearly visualized both the epithelial cells and the stroma lying beneath. For the DOK cells, hematoxylin and eosin staining confirmed the formation of an epithelial layer frequently presenting an abnormal morphology especially at the epidermal/stromal junction, with features such as infiltrating, bulbous rete pegs. These were more clearly visualized under 890 nm OCT. These observations show that 890 nm OCT retains some of its known advantages of higher contrast between anatomical tissue layers when used to observe dysplastic and malignant 3D oral mucosa constructs. However 1300 nm OCT is confirmed to possess a greater ability to image the full thickness of the model epithelia and in particular it is more suited to imaging through the keratinized layer

Discards for Southern Hake Stock, a First Approach to Iberian Data

This document presents sampling levels obtained with Portuguese and Spanish Discard Sampling Programmes, both included in National Sampling Programmes, and some preliminary results for the Iberian Southern Hake discards. These programs consist on onboard-observer sampling schemes, with co-operative vessels, quasirandom selected, in the ICES Division VIIIc and IXa. The methodology used to estimate hake discards for Portugal and Spain since 2003 was based on the one proposed in the “Workshop on Discard Sampling Methodology and Raising Procedures” (PGCCDBS, Denmark, 2003). Spain presents results for the years 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2003 and 2004. In the Portuguese Program, 2004 is the first year with an analysis of discard data. The number of trips sampled by the Spanish program for 2004 was 53, distributed by three trawl fleets- BACA trawl, Pair trawl and WHVO trawl. Portuguese onboard-observers sampled 40 trips distributed by Crustacean and Fish trawl fleets. The estimated percentages of discarded hake in relation to total catch were of 19,9 (C.V. = 22.6%) and 46,7 (C.V. = 72.1%) for the Spanish and Portuguese fleets respectively. The confidence interval for the Portuguese discard estimate is very large which denotes the very low precision of the obtained value. A co-operation in the analysis of this kind of data, between the two countries, could be the next step, since a standardisation of the methods would be of great importance for a realistic comparison of results obtained from both programs

Soil biochemistry and microbial activity in vineyards under conventional and organic management at Northeast Brazil.

The São Francisco Submedium Valley is located at the Brazilian semiarid region and is an important center for irrigated fruit growing. This region is responsible for 97% of the national exportation of table grapes, including seedless grapes. Based on the fact that orgThe São Francisco Submedium Valley is located at the Brazilian semiarid region and is an important center for irrigated fruit growing. This region is responsible for 97% of the national exportation of table grapes, including seedless grapes. Based on the fact that organic fertilization can improve soil quality, we compared the effects of conventional and organic soil management on microbial activity and mycorrhization of seedless grape crops. We measured glomerospores number, most probable number (MPN) of propagules, richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) species, AMF root colonization, EE-BRSP production, carbon microbial biomass (C-MB), microbial respiration, fluorescein diacetate hydrolytic activity (FDA) and metabolic coefficient (qCO2). The organic management led to an increase in all variables with the exception of EE-BRSP and qCO2. Mycorrhizal colonization increased from 4.7% in conventional crops to 15.9% in organic crops. Spore number ranged from 4.1 to 12.4 per 50 g-1 soil in both management systems. The most probable number of AMF propagules increased from 79 cm-3 soil in the conventional system to 110 cm-3 soil in the organic system. Microbial carbon, CO2 emission, and FDA activity were increased by 100 to 200% in the organic crop. Thirteen species of AMF were identified, the majority in the organic cultivation system. Acaulospora excavata, Entrophospora infrequens, Glomus sp.3 and Scutellospora sp. were found only in the organically managed crop. S. gregaria was found only in the conventional crop. Organically managed vineyards increased mycorrhization and general soil microbial activity

Indicadores De Desempenho Motor Como Preditores De Fragilidade Em Idosos Cadastrados Em Uma Unidade De Saúde Da Família

This study aimed to identify the motor performance tests more strongly associated with frailty and respective cut-off points and verify the best motor performance indicator as screening tool to discriminate frailty in elderly registered in Family Health Unit Participated in the study 139 elderly aged ≥60 years 105 women and 34 men The frailty was identified by the criteria of Fried et al (2001) The motor performance tests realized were: Handgrip strength (HS) sit-to-stand test walk test (WT) and pick up a pen test Logistic regression analysis was used to associate the motor performance tests and frailty The cutoff points were evaluated by parameters provided by Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC) with significance level of 5% Data were analyzed using SPSS 210 and MedCalc The mean age was 7232 ± 84 The walk test was positively associated with frailty (OR 130; p <001) and handgrip strength in elderly women was inversely associated with frailty on feminine sex (OR 074; p <0001) The WT presented a cutoff 5s (sensitivity 889 and specificity 745%) and the handgrip in the women obtained a cutoff point 146 kgf (sensitivity 833 and specificity 790%) It was concluded that the walk test was the best screening indicator to discriminate the frailty in elderly both sexes registered in a Family Health Unit. © Edições Desafio Singular.122889