Tuberculose extrapulmonar em pacientes com AIDS na cidade do Rio Grande, Brasil. Diagnóstico laboratorial

ABSTRACTOne hundred two specimens of extrapulmonary material from 74 AIDS patients from the AIDS Service of University Hospital, FURG, Rio Grande, RS, Brazil, were examined at Mycobacteria Laboratory, between September 1997 and December 1999. This study had the aim to evaluate laboratoy importance in the diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in AIDS patients with clinical suggestive symptoms of tuberculosis. Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) stains were performed using the Kinyon Method (cold stainning). Mycobacterial isolation was made In the Ogawa medium. The Ogawa medium added with p-nitrobenzoic acid, 2-tiophenocarboxylic acid hidrazide and pyruvic acid sodium salt was used to the Identification of mycobacterial species. Confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was done by the niacin test. The extrapulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis was done in 12,74% of specimens from 17,56% of the patients. Distribution of specimens with positive results in relation to the obtained sites were: 8/13 lymph node biopsies, 2/13 liver biopsies, 2/13 ascitic nuid and 1/13 pleural nuid. ABF were found on microscopic examination from 7/13 specimens and 10/13 in culture. The microscopic examination of ABF stain was the only method responsible for the extrapulmonary tuberculosis diagnostic in 3/13 cases and the culture in 6/13 cases. Among the positive specimens at microscopic examination or ABF stains, 6/7 were lymph node biopsies and In ascitic fluid. The used methods in the diagnosis, of the extrapulmonary tuberculosis showed good results, by this way we strongly recommend the realization of both as routine in our place.REV PORT PNEUMOL 2000; VI (4): 277-28

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora