In vitro activity of disinfectants against Aspergillus spp

Fungi of the Aspergillus genus are widespread and contaminate the environment. Thousands of conidia are released from each phialide and dispersed in the air every day. These fungi are considered important mycose-causing agents in hospitals. Due to this, research to determine prevalent fungi from the Aspergillus genus in hospital environments, and an adequate disinfection program in these areas is are needed. This study evaluated the susceptibility of Aspergillus spp. isolated from a veterinary environment against four disinfectants. Successive dilutions of disinfectants (log2) were used according to CLSI M38-A2 microdilution technique adapted to chemical agents against 18 isolates of this genus. After 72 hours of incubation, the Minimum Inhibiting Concentration and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration capable of inhibiting 50% and 90% of the isolates were determined. Chlorexidine-cetrimine, benzalconium chloride and a chlorophenol derivative proved to be effective against all isolates with a lower MIC than that suggested by the manufacturer, except for the A. flavus strain. Sodium hypochlorite was ineffective against three A. fumigatus, three A. flavus and one A. niger isolate. These results demonstrated that all studied disinfectants were effective against environmental isolates, with the exception of sodium hypochlorite, which showed lower effectiveness

Duality covariant quantum field theory on noncommutative Minkowski space

We prove that a scalar quantum field theory defined on noncommutative Minkowski spacetime with noncommuting momentum coordinates is covariant with respect to the UV/IR duality which exchanges coordinates and momenta. The proof is based on suitable resonance expansions of charged noncommutative scalar fields in a background electric field, which yields an effective description of the field theory in terms of a coupled complex two-matrix model. The two independent matrix degrees of freedom ensure unitarity and manifest CT-invariance of the field theory. The formalism describes an analytic continuation of the renormalizable Grosse-Wulkenhaar models to Minkowski signature.Comment: 32 pages; v2: Typos corrected; v3: Further typos corrected - Final version to appear in JHE

Nephorologist patient´s life quality from the bioethical perspective

Introducción. Los pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica en tratamiento con hemodiálisis conforman un grupo de población con unas características muy particulares. Estudiar los mecanismos de afrontamiento de la enfermedad y el grado de satisfacción con los cuidados sanitarios, en especial con los cuidados de enfermería, determinarán la presencia de comportamiento adaptativos o desadaptativos en relación a la enfermedad crónica que estos pacientes padecen. Objetivos: Describir la calidad de vida, los estilos de afrontamiento y grado de satisfacción con los cuidados de Enfermería, que experimentan un grupo de pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica, sometidos a hemodiálisis, en la Región de Murcia. Material y método: Estudio llevado a cabo en 2009 con 350 pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica, sometidos a tratamiento de hemodiálisis, distribuidos en los centros y hospitales de la Región de Murcia. Conclusiones: Los valores son lo más importante que tenemos todos los seres humanos en nuestras vidas. Y del modo en como lo gestionemos, dependerá el que nos sintamos o no felices, por una parte, y sanos, por otra. La nueva nefrología, como la nueva Medicina, como la nueva ética, han de tener por objeto un mejor manejo de los valores que configuran la vida y los ideales de las personas

Effects of essential oils of Rosmarinus officinalis Linn. and Origanum vulgare Linn. from different origins on Sporothrix brasiliensis and Sporothrix schenckii complex

ABSTRACT Rosmarinus officinalis L. (rosemary) and Origanum vulgare L. (oregano) are known to have antimicrobial properties, but studies on sporotrichosis are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the anti-Sporothrix spp. activity of essential oils from commercial products and oils extracted from aerial parts of these plants and analyze their chemical constituents. S. schenckii complex and S. brasiliensis (n: 25) isolated from humans, cats, dogs, and environmental soil were tested through M27-A3 guidelines of CLSI with modification for phytotherapics. The essential oils of R. officinalis L. were similar for MIC50 and MFC50 ≤2.25mg/mL for extracted oil; and 4.5mg/mL and 9mg/mL, respectively, for commercial oil. Both products showed MIC90 of 18mg/mL and MFC90 of 36mg/mL. In O. vulgare L., the extracted oil had better activity with MIC50 and MFC50 ≤2.25mg/mL, and MIC90 and MFC90 of 4.5mg/mL, whereas the commercial oil showed MIC50 and MFC50 of 9mg/mL and MIC90 18mg/mL, respectively, and MFC90 of 36mg/mL. Through gas chromatography (CG/FID), thymol and α-terpinene were majority for extracted oil of O. vulgare L., and carvacrol and γ-terpinene made up the majority of the commercial oil. Both essential oils of R. officinalis L. showed 1,8-cineole and α-pinene as major. The fungal isolates were susceptible to all tested essential oils, including in itraconazole-resistant S. brasiliensis isolates. The extracted and commercial oils of the plants presented in vitro anti-Sporothrix spp. activity, and they are promising for treatment of sporotrichosis, including in cases refractory to itraconazole. More studies should be performed about toxicity and in vivo efficacy for its safe use

Atividade antifúngica do óleo essencial de Origanum vulgare frente a Malassezia pachydermatis

Objetivou-se com este estudo avaliar a atividade antifúngica in vitro do óleo essencial de Origanum vulgare frente a isolados clínicos de Malassezia pachydermatis. As folhas secas de O. vulgare foram adquiridas de distribuidor comercial com certificado de qualidade e origem e encaminhadas para extração do óleo essencial e cromatografia. Para realização do teste in vitro, foi utilizada a técnica de microdiluição em caldo (CLSI M27A3) com modificações para fitofármacos e M. pachydermatis. O óleo essencial de orégano foi testado nas concentrações de 28 a 0,87mg/mL diluído em caldo Sabouraud com 1% de tween 80. Todos os isolados foram testados em duplicata. Na análise cromatográfica do óleo essencial, foram identificados 12 compostos, sendo timol, a-terpineno e 4-terpineol os compostos majoritários. A CIM e a CFM dos 42 isolados de M. pachydermatis variaram de <0,87 a 7mg/mL, com valores de CIM50 e CIM90 de 1,18 e 3,28mg/mL, respectivamente. Com este estudo foi possível concluir que M. pachydermatis é sensível ao óleo essencial de orégano mesmo em concentrações baixas. Dessa maneira, o óleo essencial de orégano apresenta-se como promissor na bioprospecção de novos fármacos para o tratamento das otites e dermatites na clínica de pequenos animais

Dermatite multifatorial em um canino

Relatou-se um caso clínico de dermatite multifatorial em cão, envolvendo Demodex canis, Sporothrix schenckii e bactérias dos gêneros Staphylococcus e Streptococcus. O animal, macho, da raça Pit Bull, com um ano e três meses de idade, apresentou lesões úmidas, hiperêmicas, descamativas e ulcerativas nas regiões do pescoço e do tórax. Exames laboratoriais confirmaram o diagnóstico de infecção concomitante por fungo, bactéria e parasito. A terapia antimicrobiana com moxidectina, itraconazol e amoxicilina foi efetiva, com remissão dos sinais clínicos após 30 dias de tratamento. Este relato salienta a importância do diagnóstico de certeza, que foi determinante para estabelecimento da terapêutica adequada e recuperação do animal