SENTRY antimicrobial surveillance program report: latin american and brazilian results for 1997 through 2001

The alarming emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance among common bacteria threatens the effectiveness of therapy for many infections. Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance is essential to identify the major problems and guide adequate control measures. Several resistance surveillance programs have been implemented in North America and Europe in the last decade; however, very few programs have assessed antimicrobial resistance in Latin American countries. The SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program was initiated in 1997 and represents the most comprehensive surveillance program in place at the present time worldwide. The SENTRY Program collects consecutive isolates from clinically documented infections in more than 80 medical centers worldwide (10 in Latin America). The isolates are collected according to the type of infection (objectives) and susceptibility tested in a central microbiology laboratory by reference broth microdilution methods according to NCCLS guidelines. The Program also incorporated molecular typing (ribotyping and PFGE) and resistance mechanism analysis of selected isolates. In this report we present a very broad analysis of the data generated by testing almost 20,000 bacterial isolates against more than 30 antimicrobial agents. The susceptibility results (MIC50, MIC90 and % susceptible) are presented in 11 tables according to the organism and site of infection. The data from Brazil, as well as the data from isolates collected in 2001, are analyzed separately. This report allows the evaluation of the activities numerous antimicrobial agents against clinical isolates collected in Latin American countries.Federal University of São Paulo Division of Infectious Diseases Special Laboratory of Clinical MicrobiologyThe JONES Group JMI LaboratoriesUNIFESP, Division of Infectious Diseases Special Laboratory of Clinical MicrobiologySciEL

Diversidade de Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) em plantas aromáticas (Apiaceae) como sítios de sobrevivência e reprodução em sistema agroecológico.

Studies show that Apiaceae may provide concentrated vital resources for predator insects,stimulating their abundance, diversity and persistence in agricultural systems, thereby increasing their effi ciency as biological control agents. Among the predatory insects, Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) on many different species both as larvae and adults, complementing their diet with pollen and/or nectar. This study aimed to determine the diversity and relative abundance of Coccinellidae species visiting plants of Anethum graveolens (dill), Coriandrum sativum (coriander) and Foeniculum vulgare (sweet fennel) (all Apiaceae), particularly in their blooming seasons, and to evaluate the potential of these aromatic species for providing the resources for survivorship and reproduction of coccinelids. Coccinellids were collected by removal of samplings from September to October, 2007. Besides one unidentifi ed species of Chilocorinae, five species of Coccinellinae were collected: Coleomegilla maculata DeGeer, Coleomegilla quadrifasciata (Schönherr), Cycloneda sanguinea (L.), Eriopis connexa (Germar) and Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Meneville. Dill provided a signifi cant increase in the abundance of coccinellids as compared to coriander and sweet fennel. These aromatic species were used by coccinellids as survival and reproduction sites, providing food resources (pollen and/or prey), shelter for larvae, pupae and adults, and mating and oviposition sites as well

Antifungal and anti-biofilm activity of designed derivatives from kyotorphin

© 2019 British Mycological Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Kyotorphin (KTP, l-tyrosyl-l-arginine) is an endogenous analgesic neuropeptide first isolated from bovine brain in 1979. Previous studies have shown that kyotorphins possess anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity. Six kyotorphins—KTP-NH2, KTP–NH2–DL, ibuprofen-conjugated KTP (IbKTP), IbKTP-NH2, N-methyl-D-Tyr-L-Arg, and N-methyl-L-Tyr-D-Arg—were designed and synthesized to improve lipophilicity and resistance to enzymatic degradation. This study assessed the antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity of these peptides. The antifungal activity of kyotorphins was determined in representative strains of Candida species, including Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida krusei ATCC 6258, and six clinical isolates—Candida dubliniensis 19-S, Candida glabrata 217-S, Candida lusitaniae 14-S, Candida novergensis 51-S, Candida parapsilosis 63, and Candida tropicalis 140-S—obtained from the oral cavity of HIV-positive patients. The peptides were synthesized by standard solution or solid-phase synthesis, purified by RP-HPLC (purity >95 %), and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance. The results of the broth microdilution assay and scanning electron microscopy showed that IbKTP-NH2 presented significant antifungal activity against Candida strains and antibiofilm activity against the clinical isolates. The absence of toxic activity and survival after infection was assessed after injecting the peptide in larvae of Galleria mellonella as experimental infection model. Furthermore, IbKTP-NH2 had strong antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria and fungi and was not toxic to G. mellonella larvae up to a concentration of 500 mM. These results suggest that IbKTP-NH2, in addition to its known effect on cell membranes, can elicit a cellular immune response and, therefore, is promising for biomedical application.This research was supported by FAPESP (Grant No. 2017/00032-0). This article is also part of the Fungal Adaptation to Hostile Challenges special issue for the third International Symposium on Fungal Stress (ISFUS), which is supported by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) (Grant No. 2018/20571-6) and the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) (Grant No. 88881.289327/2018-01).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Predictors of academic efficacy and dropout intention in university students: Can engagement suppress burnout?

In this study we modelled possible causes and consequences of student burnout and engagement on academic efficacy and dropout intention in university students. Further we asked, can student engagement protect against the effects of burnout? In total 4,061 university students from Portugal, Brazil, Mozambique, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Finland, Serbia, and Macao SAR, Taiwan participated in this study. With the data collected we analyzed the influence of Social Support, Coping Strategies, and school/course related variables on student engagement and burnout using structural equation modeling. We also analyzed the effect of student engagement, student burnout, and their interaction, on Academic Performance and Dropout Intention. We found that both student engagement and burnout are good predictors of subjective academic performance and dropout intention. However, student burnout suppresses the effect of student engagement on these variables. This result has strong implications for practitioners and administrators. To prevent student dropout, it is not enough to promote student engagement-additionally, and importantly, levels of student burnout must be kept low. Other variables such as social support and coping strategies are also relevant predictors of student engagement and burnout and should be considered when implementing preventive actions, self-help and guided intervention programs for college students

Encapsulation of the HSP-90 Chaperone Inhibitor 17-AAG in Stable Liposome Allow Increasing the Therapeutic Index as Assessed, in vitro, on Leishmania (L) amazonensis Amastigotes-Hosted in Mouse CBA Macrophages

The current long-term treatment for leishmaniasis causes severe side effects and resistance in some cases. An evaluation of the anti-leishmanial potential of an HSP90-inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), demonstrated its potent effect against Leishmania spp. in vitro and in vivo. We have previously shown that 17-AAG can kill L. (L) amazonensis promastigotes with an IC50 of 65 nM and intracellular amastigote at concentrations as low as 125 nM. As this compound presents low solubility and high toxicity in human clinical trials, we prepared an inclusion complex containing hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin and 17-AAG (17-AAG:HPβCD) to improve its solubility. This complex was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Liposomes-containing 17-AAG:HPβCD was prepared and evaluated for encapsulation efficiency (EE%), particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), pH, and zeta potential, before and after accelerated and long-term stability testing. An evaluation of leishmanicidal activity against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. (L) amazonensis was also performed. The characterization techniques utilized confirmed the formation of the inclusion complex, HPβCD:17-AAG, with a resulting 33-fold-enhancement in compound water solubility. Stability studies revealed that 17-AAG:HPβCD-loaded liposomes were smaller than 200 nm, with 99% EE. Stability testing detected no alterations in PDI that was 0.295, pH 7.63, and zeta potential +22.6, suggesting liposome stability, and suitability for evaluating leishmanicidal activity. Treatment of infected macrophages with 0.006 nM of 17-AAG:HPβCD or 17-AAG:HPβCD-loaded liposomes resulted in almost complete amastigote clearance inside macrophages after 48 h. This reduction is similar to the one observed in infected macrophages treated with 2 μM amphotericin B. Our results showed that nanotechnology and drug delivery systems could be used to increase the antileishmanial efficacy and potency of 17-AAG in vitro, while also resulting in reduced toxicity that indicates these formulations may represent a potential therapeutic strategy against leishmaniasis

The influence of regular physical activity on the self-concept

Foi objetivo desta pesquisa estudar a influência da atividade física regular de homens e mulheres de mais de 40 anos sobre o seu autoconceito. A Escala Fatorial de Autoconceito foi administrada a 200 sujeitos, metade deles praticando algum tipo de atividade física regular no momento da pesquisa e a outra metade sendo sedentários. A Anova 2X2 revelou efeito principal da atividade física regular e do gênero sobre vários fatores do autoconceito. Os escores foram superiores em autoconfiança, autocontrole e self somático para o grupo experimental e no self ético-moral para as mulheres. Conclui-se que a atividade física regular tem impacto benéfico sobre o autoconceito.The objective of this research was to study the effect of regular physical activity of men and women over 40 on their self-concept. The Self-concept Factorial Scale was administered to 200 subjects, half of them practicing some kind of regular physical activity and the other half being sedentary. The Anova 2X2 revealed a main effect of physical activity and gender on several factors of the self-concept. The scores were higher for the experimental group on self-confidence, self-control, and somatic self. Men scored higher on self-confidence while women on moral self. It was concluded that regular physical activity is beneficial for self-concept

Evaluation of mutagenicity and antimutagenicity of different fractions of Pterogyne nitens (Leguminosae), using Tradescantia pallida micronuclei assay

Pterogyne nitens (Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae) é uma árvore nativa da América do Sul, onde é empregada na medicina popular para o tratamento da ascaridíase. Recentemente, descrevemos o efeito mutagênico do extrato etanólico das folhas de P. nitens. Dessa forma, o presente estudo teve por objetivo aprofundar a avaliação do potencial mutagênico das frações isoladas das folhas de Pterogyne nitens, acetato de etila (AcOEt), n-butanólica (BuOH) e hidroalcóolica (HA). Quando o efeito mutagênico foi observado somente nas maiores concentrações testadas, o potencial antimutagênico também foi avaliado. Os ensaios mutagênicos e antimutagênicos foram realizados utilizando ensaio de micronúcleo em Trandescantia pallida. Na avaliação de mutagenicidade, observou-se o efeito nas frações AcOEt (0,460 mg/mL), BuOH (0,142, 0,285, 0,570 e 1,14 mg/mL) e HA (0,050, 0,100, 0,200 e 0,400 mg/mL). Considerando que o efeito mutagênico da fração AcOEt foi observado somente na concentração mais elevada (0,460 mg/mL), o potencial antimutagênico da mesma foi avaliado. As concentrações de 0,115 e 0,230 mg/mL da fração AcOEt demonstraram atividade antimutagênica. A partir dos resultados do presente estudo, conclui-se que determinadas frações de P. nitens apresentam mutagenicidade (BuOH e HA), enquanto a fração AcOEt apresentou efeito antimutagênico nas maiores concentrações. Esses resultados tornam o estudo da P. nitens bastante promissor, considerando que esta planta possui distribuição geográfica ampla e tem sido pouco estudada.Pterogyne nitens (Fabaceae-Caesalpinioideae) is a tree native to South American, where it is used in folk treatment of ascaridiasis. Recently, we have been describing the mutagenic effect of the ethanol extract of leaves of P. nitens. Thus, the present study aimed at evaluating the mutagenic potential of the ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n- butanol (BuOH) and hydroalcoholic (HA) fractions. When the mutagenic effect was observed only in the highest tested concentrations, the antimutagenic activity was also evaluated. Both mutagenic and antimutagenic assays were performed using T. pallida micronuclei assay. Mutagenicity was observed between different concentrations of the P nitens fractions, EtOAc (0.460 mg/mL), BuOH (0.142, 0.285, 0.570 and 1.14 mg/mL) and HA (0.050, 0.100, 0.200 and 0.400 mg/mL). Whereas the mutagenic effect of the EtOAc fraction was observed in the highest concentration (0.460 mg/mL), its antimutagenic potential was evaluated. The 0.115 and 0.230 mg/mL concentrations of the EtOAc fraction demonstrated antimutagenic activity. Based on the results of the present study we can conclude that some P. nitens fractions (BuOH and HA) demonstrated mutagenic effects whereas the EtOAc fraction shown low mutagenicity and amtimutagenicity in the two higher concentrations. Those results stimulate the studies with P. nitens, which possess spread geographic distribution and it is still low studied

Equine Arteritis Virus Has Specific Tropism for Stromal Cells and CD8\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e T and CD21\u3csup\u3e+\u3c/sup\u3e B Lymphocytes but Not for Glandular Epithelium at the Primary Site of Persistent Infection in the Stallion Reproductive Tract

Equine arteritis virus (EAV) has a global impact on the equine industry as the causative agent of equine viral arteritis (EVA), a respiratory, systemic, and reproductive disease of equids. A distinctive feature of EAV infection is that it establishes long-term persistent infection in 10 to 70% of infected stallions (carriers). In these stallions, EAV is detectable only in the reproductive tract, and viral persistence occurs despite the presence of high serum neutralizing antibody titers. Carrier stallions constitute the natural reservoir of the virus as they continuously shed EAV in their semen. Although the accessory sex glands have been implicated as the primary sites of EAV persistence, the viral host cell tropism and whether viral replication in carrier stallions occurs in the presence or absence of host inflammatory responses remain unknown. In this study, dual immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence techniques were employed to unequivocally demonstrate that the ampulla is the main EAV tissue reservoir rather than immunologically privileged tissues (i.e., testes). Furthermore, we demonstrate that EAV has specific tropism for stromal cells (fibrocytes and possibly tissue macrophages) and CD8+ T and CD21+ B lymphocytes but not glandular epithelium. Persistent EAV infection is associated with moderate, multifocal lymphoplasmacytic ampullitis comprising clusters of B (CD21+) lymphocytes and significant infiltration of T (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and CD25+) lymphocytes, tissue macrophages, and dendritic cells (Iba-1+ and CD83+), with a small number of tissue macrophages expressing CD163 and CD204 scavenger receptors. This study suggests that EAV employs complex immune evasion mechanisms that warrant further investigation