The fuzzy bag and baryonic properties with center of mass and recoil corrections

The fuzzy bag is a hadronic model which has features both of the bag model (energy-momentum conservation, QCD vacuum energy) and of relativistic potential models (confinement achieved through a potential). It is also a chiral model, with the unique property that the pion field is suppressed in the interior of the bag by means of a scalar potential, and yet chiral symmetry is preserved. This scalar potential allows one to control how far the pion field can penetrate in the interior of the bag. We calculate the masses of the fundamental baryon octet taking into account the center of mass, one-gluon exchange and one-pion exchange corrections. We also calculate the nucleon axial charge, charge radii and magnetic moments including center of mass and recoil corrections. The agreement with experiment is excellent, and the results indicate that the pion field is suppressed only very close to the center of the bag

Effects of overinflation on procollagen type III expression in experimental acute lung injury

Abstract Introduction In acute lung injury (ALI), elevation of procollagen type III (PC III) occurs early and has an adverse impact on outcome. We examined whether different high-inflation strategies of mechanical ventilation (MV) in oleic acid (OA) ALI alter regional expression of PC III. Methods We designed an experimental, randomized, and controlled protocol in which rats were allocated to two control groups (no injury, recruited [alveolar recruitment maneuver after tracheotomy without MV; n = 4 rats] and control [n = 5 rats]) or four injured groups (one exposed to OA only [n = 10 rats] and three OA-injured and ventilated). The three OA-injured groups were ventilated for 1 hour according to the following strategies: LVHP-S (low volume-high positive end-expiratory pressure [PEEP], supine; n = 10 rats, tidal volume [VT] = 8 ml/kg, PEEP = 12 cm H2O), HVLP-S (high volume-low PEEP, supine; n = 10 rats, VT = 20 ml/kg, PEEP = 5 cm H2O), and HVLP-P (high volume-low PEEP, prone; n = 10 rats). Northern blot analysis for PC III and interleukin-1-beta (IL-1β) and polymorphonuclear infiltration index (PMI) counting were performed in nondependent and dependent regions. Regional differences between groups were assessed by two-way analysis of variance after logarithmic transformation and post hoc tests. Results A significant interaction for group and region effects was observed for PC III (p = 0.012) with higher expression in the nondependent region for HVLP-S and LVHP-S, intermediate for OA and HVLP-P, and lower for control (group effect, p < 0.00001, partial η2 = 0.767; region effect, p = 0.0007, partial η2 = 0.091). We found high expression of IL-1β (group effect, p < 0.00001, partial η2 = 0.944) in the OA, HVLP-S, and HVLP-P groups without regional differences (p = 0.16). PMI behaved similarly (group effect, p < 0.00001, partial η2 = 0.832). Conclusion PC III expression is higher in nondependent regions and in ventilatory strategies that caused overdistension. This response was partially attenuated by prone positioning

Biofilm formation by Salmonella enteritidis at different incubation temperatures

Background: The genus Salmonella, associated with poultry products, is considered the leading cause of foodborne outbreaks in humans in many countries. In Brazil, Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) is the serovar remains as one most frequently isolated from humans, and it is also a major serovar found in animals, food, animal feed, and environmental samples, despite all the efforts to control this pathogen. Also, the bacterium is able to form biofilms on different surfaces, protecting cells from both cleaning and sanitizing procedures in the food industries. This study aimed to verify the ability of Salmonella Enteritidis isolates to form biofilm on polystyrene at different incubation temperatures. Materials, Methods & Results: A total of 171 SE samples were isolated from foodborne outbreaks (foods and stool cultures) and poultry products between 2003 and 2010. The biofilm-forming ability of samples was measured at four different temperatures (3°C, 9ºC, 25ºC, and 36ºC), for 24 h, simulating temperatures usually found in poultry slaughterhouses. Later, 200 μL of each bacterial suspension was inoculated, in triplicate, onto 96-well, flat-bottomed sterile polystyrene microtiter plates, washed, after that, the biofilm was fixed with methanol. The plates were dried at ambient temperature, stained with 2% Hucker’s crystal violet. Afterwards, absorbance was read using an ELISA plate reader and the optical density (OD) of each isolate was obtained by the arithmetic mean of the absorbance of three wells and this value was compared with the mean absorbance of negative controls (ODnc). The following classification was used for the determination of biofilm formation: no biofilm production, weak biofilm production, moderate biofilm production and strong biofilm production. Results demonstrated all isolates from stool cultures and foods involved in foodborne outbreaks, at least one of the four temperatures tested, were able to form biofilm, even at 3°C, undescribed as possible for the growth of SE. SE strains from poultry products also formed biofilm at least at one of the temperatures. Discussion: The prevention of biofilms formation is very important, once they can be difficult to remove from utensils and food equipment surfaces, becoming a chronic source of microbial contamination of foods, possible dissemination of diseases, and increase of resistance to cleaning and sanitization procedures. A high ability for biofilm formation on plastic surfaces was observed. We may consider that Salmonella has the capacity to bind to surfaces, with relevant impacts on public health. Although biofilm formation could be affected by temperature, most of the SE isolates analyzed in our study were strong biofilm producers at all temperatures, including at 3°C, a temperature used for food preservation and until then not acknowledged as worrisome regarding the development of Salmonella spp. There is a common sense that maintenance of food at low temperatures, particularly below 5°C, is safer to consumers as low temperatures reduce microbial multiplication. However, our results show that the growth of SE in its sessile form is possible under refrigeration. These findings lead to the assumption that the ability of SE to form biofilms, especially at low temperatures, is related to its endurance in inhospitable environments, eventually infecting humans, and that may be one of the factors associated with the high prevalence of this serovar in outbreaks of foodborne diseases. To our knowledge, this is the first publication about biofilm formation by Salmonella Enteritidis at 3ºC

Salmonella spp. Isolated by Miniaturized Most Probable Number and Conventional Microbiology in Poultry Slaughterhouses

Background: Salmonella spp. are frequently isolated from fowls, and their detection in poultry products varies according to the breeding system and the slaughtering process, bringing risks to the consumer and compromising the marketability. The control of Salmonella in poultry slaughterhouses is based on the detection of bacteria, but the quantification of the agent would be important in assessing risk, as well as in obtaining data to determine the capacity of each step of the process to decrease or increase bacterial contamination. The aims of this study were to propose a method for the quantification of Salmonella in poultry slaughterhouses, frequency of isolation and serovars identified.Materials, Methods & Results: Twenty-one broiler flocks from seven federally inspected slaughterhouses in southern Brazil, totaling 1,071 samples, were assessed by miniaturized most probable number (mMPN) and conventional microbiology. The samples were collected in triplicate at 17 points, which included cloacae, transportation cages before and after sanitization, water (scald tank, supply, pre-chiller and chiller), and carcasses (before and after scalding, defeathering, rinsing, evisceration, final rinsing, chilling at 4ºC, and freezing at -12°C for 24 h, 30 and 60 days). Typical Salmonella colonies were submitted to TSI, LIA, SIM, urea, and polyvalent anti-O antiserum tests, and to final identification by Microarray by Check&Trace. Nine of the 1,071 (0.83%) samples analyzed by mMPN and by conventional microbiology were positive for Salmonella and the following serovars were identified: Anatum, Brandenburg, Agona, Tennessee, Bredeney, Schwarzengrund and Infantis.Discussion: This positive rate was lower than that described by other authors, whose rates ranged from 3% and 39% for the isolation of Salmonella spp. from different sources, such as slaughterhouses and retail sales in samples collected in Brazil. The low frequency of isolation of Salmonella in this study can be attributed to the efficiency of control systems used from the field to the slaughterhouse, such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), which are HACCP requirements. Also, when slaughtering technology actions are properly managed, such as water replacement and temperatures lower than 4ºC in the chiller, the initial contamination by Salmonella spp. can be reduced, with a decline in contamination from 70% to 20%, and with a reduction in the contamination of broiler carcasses after chilling from 15.8% to 3.3%. On the other hand the contamination of carcasses by Salmonella before pre-chilling and in post-chilling might be due to the automated system, inadequate temperatures during chilling, and inappropriate water chlorination in the assessed meat-packing plant. Of the 17 points evaluated, seven were positive for Salmonella, especially the cages after sanitization and frozen carcasses. The contamination by Salmonella spp. in transportation cages after sanitization indicates inefficiency of the automated system as well as possible bacterial resistance to the sanitizers used in SSOP while the isolation in carcasses frozen for 24 h and 60 days demonstrates the thermal resistance of the bacterium to a conservation method widely used in the food industry. In this work, just one of the nine positive samples for Salmonella was identified by conventional methods (CM) and mMPN. The discrepancy between methods can be explained by the heterogeneous distribution of Salmonella and other bacteria in naturally contaminated samples. Samples that were positive in the qualitative test but negative in the mMPN protocol could have had a number of Salmonella below the detection amount

Investigação etiológica nas situações de deficiência intelectual ou atraso global do desenvolvimento

Objectives: We aimed to analyze studies about the etiological diagnosis of intellectual disability or global developmental delay, organizing the process of causal investigation in a flowchart suitable to the clinical practice. Methods: A non-systematic literature review was conducted on PubMed and SciELO databases, without data or language filters. The relevant articles were selected, critically analyzed and their results synthesized. Results: Environmental causes of disability should be considered in the clinical history, with identification of pre, peri and postnatal risk factors. Family history and physical, dysmorphological and neurological findings may suggest the etiology and guide the investigation. To investigate genetic causes, chromosomal microarray analysis is indicated as a first-line test, along with the searching for inborn errors of metabolism and X-fragile syndrome. Neuroimaging is important in selected patients, as well as the investigation of other X-linked genes. There is an emerging discussion about the role of complete exome sequencing in this investigation. Conclusions: The frequency of etiological definition has increased with the incorporation of new genetic technologies to the investigation of intellectual disability. In addition to etiological investigation, the clinical approach should address the multiple demands and allow the development of an individualized therapeutic plan.Objetivos: Examinar estudos sobre diagnóstico etiológico nas situações de deficiência intelectual ou atraso global do desenvolvimento, racionalizando o processo de investigação causal em um fluxograma aplicável na prática clínica. Método: Revisão não sistemática da literatura nas bases de dados PubMed e SciELO, sem restrições de tempo ou idioma, com seleção de artigos relevantes, análise crítica e síntese dos resultados. Resultados: Causas ambientais de deficiência devem ser consideradas na história clínica, identificando-se fatores de risco pré, peri e pós-natais. A história familiar e os exames físico, dismorfológico e neurológico podem sugerir a etiologia e orientar a investigação. Para investigar causas genéticas, a análise cromossômica por microarray é indicada como teste de primeira linha, associada à pesquisa de erros inatos do metabolismo e à testagem para síndrome do X-frágil. Exames de neuroimagem são importantes em pacientes selecionados, assim como a investigação de outros genes localizados no cromossomo X. Há uma discussão emergente sobre o papel do sequenciamento completo do exoma nessa investigação. Conclusões: A frequência de definição etiológica tem aumentado com a incorporação de novas tecnologias genéticas na investigação da deficiência intelectual. Afora a investigação etiológica, a abordagem clínica deve considerar diferentes demandas e permitir a construção de um plano terapêutico individualizado.

Staphylococcus aureus and Mesophilic Aerobic Bacteria Quantification in Hygienization Process of Milking Equipment

Background:Milk’s composition is an excellent substrate for microorganism’s multiplication. Presence of Staphylococcus aureus and aerobic mesophilic bacteria are one of the most common problems in dairy farms. On dairy industry’s and milk farms Clean in Place (CIP) system higyenization are commonly used, then the cleaning occurs as a closed process, for better results sanitizans are applied, in order to obtain a safety food. This project aim to evaluate Staphylococcus aureus and aerobic mesophilic bacteria reduction after two milking higyenization process. Materials, Methods &amp; Results:This research was done on a Rio Grande do Sul North Milk farm, with mechanized milking and Clean in Place system for cleaning. For liners and CIP tubes higyenization commercial products as Sodium Hipoclorite 3% and phosphoric acid 11.3% are used for detergency, and peracetic acid 5% for sanitization. Milk bunk tank are higyenized with sodium hypoclorite 3.8% alcalin detergent. After higyenization steps liners, CIP’s water process, bulk milk tank and milk set were collected. At process 1, liners and CIP water were collected after milking, detergency and sanitization that occurred immediately at the detergency’s finish, while process 2 the sanitization was realized 8 h after detergency, before following milking. Cooling milk bulk tank was collected before and after detergency, and milk set after milkings Convencional microbiology were used to count and results in log10 UFC.cm-2. In CIP water’s after process 1 was 3.81 log10 reduction to aerobic mesophilic bacteria (P &gt; 0.05) and reducing 4.51 log10 (P = 0.03). Meanwhile there was no significant reduction for mesophilic aerobic bacteria and S. aureus on the others samples (liners, bulk milk tank and milk set).Discussion: This results show the maintenance of milking machine contamination, and that even bacterial load reduced among hygienization steps this was not significant, suggesting that deteriorate and pathogenic microorganisms can remain on milk produced. Highlights are teat taps of milking machine as the major cause of contamination among cows. The results are worrying because Staphylococcus aureus contamination, once this bacteria causes alimentar diseases, even after higyenization process, which can damage public health that can reflect milk chain economically. Since amount of this microorganism found in milk is already sufficient to synthesize enterotoxins. In addition, resistance to disinfectants is another concern, as it may result in resistance to antimicrobial agents. So reduction of bacteria level among cleaning steps there was no significance, once the products and equipments on dairy and farms act as a constant elimination point of deteriorate and pathogenic microorganisms for the final product, milk. With this studies aim to aprimorate hygienization process on milk chain, in order to obtain a hygienic sanitary good product

Economic losses associated with Wooden Breast and White Striping in broilers

Currently, two defects in poultry breasts termed Wooden Breast (WB) and White Striping (WS) have been reported in slaughterhouses. These defects may be associated with the accelerated growth of the birds, management, density in the aviary, and both weight and age at slaughter. Although the health of the affected birds is not impaired, these myopathies cause carcass condemnation and economic losses to slaughterhouses, since the breasts of these chickens, considered to be prime cuts in the poultry industry, have to be discarded. This paper reports on the economic losses and factors associated with carcass condemnation caused by white striping (WS) and wooden breast (WB) in broilers from a federally inspected slaughterhouse. Twelve flocks, totaling 207,000 slaughtered broilers, were assessed as to weight and age at slaughter, and stocking density and carcass condemnations due to these two myopathies were also evaluated. Economic losses were estimated by the price of poultry breast at the firm level, around U$19,12 per kilo, amounting to daily losses of up to U$ 70,632.00, given that approximately 0.8% of the chicken breasts were condemned. Heavier broilers had a larger condemnation rate due to WS and WB, and so did those reared at a smaller density, due probably to their better access to water and feed, which contributed to weight gain and consequent condemnation, resulting in losses that could affect the entire poultry sector