Simple and highly discriminatory microsatellite-based multiplex PCR for Aspergillus fumigatus strain typing

AbstractThe answers to important questions concerning Aspergillus fumigatus pathogenicity, transmissions routes and efficacy of treatments require highly discriminating and reproducible genotyping methods. The present study was aimed at improving microsatellite methodology for A. fumigatus typing by reducing the task of strain identification to a single multiplex reaction and by selecting highly accurate short tandem repeat polymorphisms. A set of eight primer pairs was used for the genotype determination of 116 clinical isolates of A. fumigatus obtained from three healthcare centres. A new, automated and highly discriminatory typing method is described for A. fumigatus strains. The optimized multiplex PCR was successfully performed with all tested clinical strains and showed a discriminatory power of 0.9997 among presumably unrelated isolates. The comparison of groups of strains from different health centres showed that 99.6% of the genotypic variation was present within groups. Strains with the same genotype were isolated from the same patient, sometimes recovered more than 1 year later. A few cases of patients at the same clinic unit carrying strains of identical genotype strongly suggested colonization by A. fumigatus during their hospitalization. Specific measures must therefore be taken in order to prevent and restrict such incidents

Dirac-Hestenes spinor fields in Riemann-Cartan spacetime

In this paper we study Dirac-Hestenes spinor fields (DHSF) on a four-dimensional Riemann-Cartan spacetime (RCST). We prove that these fields must be defined as certain equivalence classes of even sections of the Clifford bundle (over the RCST), thereby being certain particular sections of a new bundle named Spin-Clifford bundle (SCB). The conditions for the existence of the SCB are studied and are shown to be equivalent to the famous Geroch's theorem concerning to the existence of spinor structures in a Lorentzian spacetime. We introduce also the covariant and algebraic Dirac spinor fields and compare these with DHSF, showing that all the three kinds of spinor fields contain the same mathematical and physical information. We clarify also the notion of (Crumeyrolle's) amorphous spinors (Dirac-K\"ahler spinor fields are of this type), showing that they cannot be used to describe fermionic fields. We develop a rigorous theory for the covariant derivatives of Clifford fields (sections of the Clifford bundle (CB)) and of Dirac-Hestenes spinor fields. We show how to generalize the original Dirac-Hestenes equation in Minkowski spacetime for the case of a RCST. Our results are obtained from a variational principle formulated through the multiform derivative approach to Lagrangian field theory in the Clifford bundle.Comment: 45 pages, special macros kapproc.sty and makro822.te

Arquitetura da informação dos sites da Agropedia brasilis.

Agropedia brasilis é mais um dos esforços empreendidos na empresa para compatibilizar suas necessidades com as possibilidades oferecidas pelas tecnologias de informação e comunicação. O que se buscou neste trabalho foram os elementos necessários para uma estrutura inicial que atendesse aos interesses mais imediatos dos usuários

Anatomia endobrônquica: estudo prospectivo das variações anatómicas da árvore traqueobrônquica

ResumoO conhecimento detalhado do normal padrão de ramificações da árvore traqueobrônquica é um requisito essencial para qualquer pneumologista. Os sistemas de classificação funcional que guiam a prática clínica corrente têm um carácter eminentemente estático e raramente contemplam referências aos desvios possíveis dentro do espectro normal.Por forma a caracterizar as variações anatómicas da árvore traqueobrônquica, os autores desenvolveram um estudo prospectivo que decorreu entre Fevereiro e Julho de 2009, onde se incluíram todos os doentes referenciados para realização de broncofibroscopias diagnósticas e/ou terapêuticas.Um total de 181 indivíduos foram incluídos no estudo tendo-se observado variantes anatómicas em 79 (43% do total). Globalmente observamos 20 diferentes variantes anatómicas. Estas variantes foram mais frequentemente observadas no lobo superior direito (16,6%). O lobo médio e a língula não foram sede de variantes anatómicas. A variante mais frequentemente observada foi o padrão bifurcado do lobo superior direito (13,8%).O presente estudo revelou uma elevada frequência de formas alternativas ao clássico padrão de ramificação traqueobrônquica. O conhecimento da tipologia, morfologia e frequência de expressão dessas variantes revela-se de extrema importância para o broncologista no estabelecimento das fronteiras da anatomia normal e na planificação de técnicas endoscópicas ou de procedimentos cirúrgicos.AbstractA comprehensive knowledge of the normal pattern of endobronchial branching is essential to any pulmonologist. The classification systems available are predominantly static descriptions and only seldom do they refer to possible variations within the normal spectrum.To evaluate all possible anatomical variants of the tracheobronchial tree we conducted a prospective study in our endoscopy unit between February, 1st and July, 10th (2009).A total of 181 individuals were included in the study. Anatomical variants were found to be present in 79 individuals (43% of total). Overall we found 20 different anatomical variants. Variations were more frequently found within the right upper lobe (16.6% of individuals). Middle lobe and lingula presented no variations. The variant most frequently found was the presence of a bifurcate pattern of the right upper bronchus (13.8%).The present study revealed a relatively high frequency of anatomical alternatives to the normal endobronchial branching pattern. Recognition of these variants and the frequency of their expression are fundamental for the bronchologist in establishing the limits of normal anatomy and preparing endobronchial techniques or surgical procedures

Interstitial lung disease and pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension in neurofibromatosis type 1

Although previously reported, the existence of a neurofibromatosis (NF)-associated diffuse lung disease (DLD) still lacks solid evidence. We report a case of a 68-year-old non-smoking female with NF1, pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) and an interstitial lung pattern. Initial findings included progressive dyspnea, hypoxemia and sparse centrilobular ground-glass micronodules on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). Further study demonstrated a severe defect in diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), macrophages on bronchoalveolar lavage and pre-capillary PH on right cardiac catheterization. Surgical biopsy revealed macrophage accumulation along bronchovascular bundles and alveolar spaces and type II pneumocytes hyperplasia. Given the absence of environmental exposure or new drugs, a NF-DLD was hypothesized. Pre-capillary PH was disproportionate to interstitial findings, so it was attributed to a NF1-vasculopathy. Treatment with triple sequential combined therapy was unsuccessful culminating in death 18 months later. This case adds HRCT and anatomopathological data suggesting NF-DLD as a distinct manifestation of the disease.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caracterização fenotípica e genotípica de Salmonella spp. Isoladas de aviários de frangos de corte no Brasil entre 2009 e 2010.

Projeto: 03.08.06.004

Multiplex PCR identification of eight clinically relevant Candida species

Invasive fungal infections, specifically candidemia, constitute major public health problems with high mortality rates. Therefore, in the last few years, the development of novel diagnostic methods has been considered a critical issue. Herein we describe a multiplex PCR strategy allowing the identification of 8 clinically relevant yeasts of the Candida genus, namely C. albicans, C. glabrata, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, C. krusei, C. guilliermondii, C. lusitaniae and C. dubliniensis. This method is based on the amplification of two fragments from the ITS1 and ITS2 regions by the combination of 2 yeast-specific and 8 species-specific primers in a single PCR reaction. Results from the identification of 231 clinical isolates are presented pointing to the high specificity of this procedure. Furthermore, several Candida isolates were identified directly from clinical specimens which also attests to the method's direct laboratory application. The results from the multiplex reactions with other microorganisms that usually co-infect patients also confirmed its high specificity in the identification of Candida species. Moreover, this method is simple and presents a sensitivity of approximately 2 cells per ml within 5 hours. Furthermore, it allows discrimination of individual Candida species within polyfungal samples. This novel method may therefore provide a clinical diagnostic procedure with direct applicability.Agostinho Carvalho was financially supported by a fellowship from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (contract SFRH/BD/11837/2003). This study was supported by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (POCI/SAU-ESP/61080/2004)

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF A VERTICAL HELICAL EARTH-AIR HEAT EXCHANGER

The Earth-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHE) is an equipment that consists of ducts buried in the ground in which the air is forced to pass through. The heat exchange with the surrounding soil turns the air temperature in the outlet section of the EAHE milder. Due to that, the EAHE is capable of assist air conditioning systems and reduce energy consumption, by taking advantage of the temperature gradient established between the soil surface and its layers. In the current study, the operation of Vertical Helical EAHEs was numerically evaluated with different distances between helicoid curves, for the city of Viamão, located in the southern Brazil. The results stated that the Vertical Helical EAHE with dimensions between the curves equivalent to 100 and 200 mm presented the better thermal performances for cooling mode operation in the hottest seasons of the years, when compared to the Conventional Horizontal EAHE adopted as reference. Frim this comparison, the obtained average values of the Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) were, respectively, 0.47 °C and 0.66 °C. At last, it must be highlighted a sevenfold reduction in the soil volume occupied by the installation of the Helical EAHE compared to the Conventional Horizontal EAHE

Sistema de recuperação de informação para publicações técnico-científicas relacionadas a recursos hídricos.

Resumo ? A disseminação de informações confiáveis relacionadas a recursos hídricos é fundamental para a gestão da água no Brasil. Para isso, as ferramentas de busca são essenciais e precisam ser cada vez mais poderosas no cenário atual de transformação digital, em que a experiência dos usuários ocupa lugar central diante das profundas mudanças provocadas nas organizações pelas tecnologias digitais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um sistema de recuperação de informação especializado em publicações técnico-científicas da área de recursos hídricos, que inclui recursos de glossário e de visualização de elementos geográficos em mapa. Baseado em APIs e em componentes visuais, o sistema pode agregar novos recursos de maneira simples, abrindo caminho para inúmeras oportunidades de evolução. O sistema possibilita a recuperação de informações presentes em publicações técnico-científicas relacionadas a recursos hídricos, contribuindo para a disseminação de informações confiáveis que são fundamentais para a tomada de decisões seguras e responsáveis na gestão de recursos hídricos