Two rapid assays for screening of patulin biodegradation

Artículo sobre distintos ensayos para comprobar la biodegradación de la patulinaThe mycotoxin patulin is produced by the blue mould pathogen Penicillium expansum in rotting apples during postharvest storage. Patulin is toxic to a wide range of organisms, including humans, animals, fungi and bacteria. Wash water from apple packing and processing houses often harbours patulin and fungal spores, which can contaminate the environment. Ubiquitous epiphytic yeasts, such as Rhodosporidium kratochvilovae strain LS11 which is a biocontrol agent of P. expansum in apples, have the capacity to resist the toxicity of patulin and to biodegrade it. Two non-toxic products are formed. One is desoxypatulinic acid. The aim of the work was to develop rapid, high-throughput bioassays for monitoring patulin degradation in multiple samples. Escherichia coli was highly sensitive to patulin, but insensitive to desoxypatulinic acid. This was utilized to develop a detection test for patulin, replacing time-consuming thin layer chromatography or high-performance liquid chromatography. Two assays for patulin degradation were developed, one in liquid medium and the other in semi-solid medium. Both assays allow the contemporary screening of a large number of samples. The liquid medium assay utilizes 96-well microtiter plates and was optimized for using a minimum of patulin. The semisolid medium assay has the added advantage of slowing down the biodegradation, which allows the study and isolation of transient degradation products. The two assays are complementary and have several areas of utilization, from screening a bank of microorganisms for biodegradation ability to the study of biodegradation pathways

Effectiveness of the bucco-lingual technique within a school-based supervised toothbrushing program on preventing caries: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background Supervised toothbrushing programs using fluoride dentifrice have reduced caries increment. However there is no information about the effectiveness of the professional cross-brushing technique within a community intervention. The aim was to assess if the bucco-lingual technique can increase the effectiveness of a school-based supervised toothbrushing program on preventing caries. Methods A randomized double-blinded controlled community intervention trial to be analyzed at an individual level was conducted in a Brazilian low-income fluoridated area. Six preschools were randomly assigned to the test and control groups and 284 five-year-old children presenting at least one permanent molar with emerged/sound occlusal surface participated. In control group, oral health education and dental plaque dying followed by toothbrushing with fluoride dentifrice supervised directly by a dental assistant, was developed four times per year. At the remaining school days the children brushed their teeth under indirect supervising of the teachers. In test group, children also underwent a professional cross-brushing on surfaces of first permanent molar rendered by a specially trained dental assistant five times per year. Enamel and dentin caries were recorded on buccal, occlusal and lingual surfaces of permanent molars during 18-month follow-up. Exposure time of surfaces was calculated and incidence density ratio was estimated using Poisson regression model. Results Difference of 21.6 lesions per 1,000 children between control and test groups was observed. Among boys whose caries risk was higher compared to girls, incidence density was 50% lower in test group (p = 0.016). Conclusion Modified program was effective among the boys. It is licit to project a relevant effect in a larger period suggesting in a broader population substantial reduction of dental care needs. Trial registration ISRCTN18548869

Arterial hypertension and associated factors in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization

OBJECTIVE To identify the prevalence of arterial hypertension and associated factors in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization. METHOD Cross-sectional study using the database of a hospital in São Paulo (SP, Brazil) containing 3010 patients with coronary artery disease submitted to myocardial revascularization. A multiple logistic regression was performed to identify variables independently associated with hypertension (statistical significance: p1.3: (OR=1.37;CI:1.09-1.72). CONCLUSION A high prevalence of arterial hypertension and association with both non-modifiable and modifiable factors was observed

Spider Movement, UV Reflectance and Size, but Not Spider Crypsis, Affect the Response of Honeybees to Australian Crab Spiders

According to the crypsis hypothesis, the ability of female crab spiders to change body colour and match the colour of flowers has been selected because flower visitors are less likely to detect spiders that match the colour of the flowers used as hunting platform. However, recent findings suggest that spider crypsis plays a minor role in predator detection and some studies even showed that pollinators can become attracted to flowers harbouring Australian crab spider when the UV contrast between spider and flower increases. Here we studied the response of Apis mellifera honeybees to the presence of white or yellow Thomisus spectabilis Australian crab spiders sitting on Bidens alba inflorescences and also the response of honeybees to crab spiders that we made easily detectable painting blue their forelimbs or abdomen. To account for the visual systems of crab spider's prey, we measured the reflectance properties of the spiders and inflorescences used for the experiments. We found that honeybees did not respond to the degree of matching between spiders and inflorescences (either chromatic or achromatic contrast): they responded similarly to white and yellow spiders, to control and painted spiders. However spider UV reflection, spider size and spider movement determined honeybee behaviour: the probability that honeybees landed on spider-harbouring inflorescences was greatest when the spiders were large and had high UV reflectance or when spiders were small and reflected little UV, and honeybees were more likely to reject inflorescences if spiders moved as the bee approached the inflorescence. Our study suggests that only the large, but not the small Australian crab spiders deceive their preys by reflecting UV light, and highlights the importance of other cues that elicited an anti-predator response in honeybees

Revisión de la literatura integradora acerca de intervenciones de la enfermería volcadas hacia el incremento del autocuidado entre pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca

Objective: to analyze and summarize knowledge concerning critical components of interventions that have been proposed and implemented by nurses with the aim of optimizing self-care by heart failure patients.Methods: PubMed and CINAHL were the electronic databases used to search full peer-reviewed papers, presenting descriptions of nursing interventions directed to patients or to patients and their families and designed to optimize self-care. Forty-two studies were included in the final sample (n=4,799 patients).Results: this review pointed to a variety and complexity of nursing interventions. As self-care encompasses several behaviors, interventions targeted an average of 3.6 behaviors. Educational/counselling activities were combined or not with cognitive behavioral strategies, but only about half of the studies used a theoretical background to guide interventions. Clinical assessment and management were frequently associated with self-care interventions, which varied in number of sessions (1 to 30); length of follow-up (2 weeks to 12 months) and endpoints.Conclusions: these findings may be useful to inform nurses about further research in self-care interventions in order to propose the comparison of different modalities of intervention, the use of theoretical background and the establishment of endpoints to evaluate their effectiveness.Objetivo:analisar e sintetizar o conchecimento relacionado aos componentes críticos das intervençoes que têm, sido propostas e implementadas por enfermeiros(as) com objetivo de optimizar o auto-cuidado de pacientes portadores de insuficiência cardíaca.Método:PubMed e CINAHL foram as bases de dados electrônicas utilizadas para investigar artigos revisados por pares (peer review), apresentando as descrições das intervenções dirigidas ao paciente ou ao paciente e sua familia, visando melhorar o auto-cuidado. Foram incluídos 42 estudos na amostra final (n=4799 pacientes).Resultados:esta revisão apontou variedade e complexidade das intervenções de enfermagem. Como o auto-cuidado envolve diferentes comportamentos, as intervenções visaram em média 3,6 comportamentos. As Atividades de educação e aconselhamento foram combinadas ou não com estratégias cognitivo-comportamentais, mas somente a metade dos estudos utilizaram suporte teórico para guiar as intervenções. A avaliação e o manejo clínico foram frequentemente associados às intervenções de auto-cuidado, as quais variam em número de sessões (1 a 30), duração do seguimento (2 semanas a 12 meses) e desfechos.Conclusão:estes resultados podem ser úteis para guiar os enfermeiros no que se refere à futuros estudos sobre intervenções de auto-cuidado, de maneira a propor a comparação de diferentes modalidades de intervenção, uso de suporte teórico e estabelecimento de desfechos para melhor avaliar sua eficácia.Objetivo:analizar y sintetizar el conocimiento relacionado a componentes críticos de intervenciones que han sido propuestas e implementadas por enfermeros(as) con el objetivo de optimizar el autocuidado entre pacientes con insuficiencia cardiaca.Método:PUBMED y CINAHL han sido las bases de datos electrónicas usadas para investigar artículos revisados por pares (peer review), presentando descripciones de intervenciones destinadas a perfeccionar el autocuidado dirigido al paciente o al paciente y a su familia. Se incluyeron 42 estudios en la muestra final (n=4799 pacientes).Resultados:esta revisión apuntó a una variedad y complejidad de intervenciones de enfermería. Como el autocuidado abarca varios comportamientos, las intervenciones tuvieron como blanco, en media, 3,6 comportamientos. Actividades de educación/consejería fueron combinadas o no con estrategias cognitivo-comportamentales, pero tan solo cerca de la mitad de los estudios tenían aporte teórico para guiar intervenciones. La gestión y la evaluación clínica fueron frecuentemente asociadas a intervenciones de autocuidado, las cuales oscilaron en número de sesiones (1 a 30), duración del seguimiento (2 semanas a 12 meses) y objetivos.Conclusiones:estos resultados pueden ser útiles para informar a las enfermeras acerca de nuevas investigaciones en intervenciones de autocuidado, de modo a proponer la comparación de distintas modalidades de intervención, el uso de un aporte teórico y el establecimiento de objetivos para evaluar su eficacia