20 research outputs found
Integrated Environmental Assessment of streams in the Sinos River basin in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Sub-Telomere Directed Gene Expression during Initiation of Invasive Aspergillosis
Aspergillus fumigatus is a common mould whose spores are a
component of the normal airborne flora. Immune dysfunction permits developmental
growth of inhaled spores in the human lung causing aspergillosis, a significant
threat to human health in the form of allergic, and life-threatening invasive
infections. The success of A. fumigatus as a pathogen is unique
among close phylogenetic relatives and is poorly characterised at the molecular
level. Recent genome sequencing of several Aspergillus species
provides an exceptional opportunity to analyse fungal virulence attributes
within a genomic and evolutionary context. To identify genes preferentially
expressed during adaptation to the mammalian host niche, we generated multiple
gene expression profiles from minute samplings of A. fumigatus
germlings during initiation of murine infection. They reveal a highly
co-ordinated A. fumigatus gene expression programme, governing
metabolic and physiological adaptation, which allows the organism to prosper
within the mammalian niche. As functions of phylogenetic conservation and
genetic locus, 28% and 30%, respectively, of the
A. fumigatus subtelomeric and lineage-specific gene
repertoires are induced relative to laboratory culture, and physically clustered
genes including loci directing pseurotin, gliotoxin and siderophore biosyntheses
are a prominent feature. Locationally biased A. fumigatus gene
expression is not prompted by in vitro iron limitation, acid,
alkaline, anaerobic or oxidative stress. However, subtelomeric gene expression
is favoured following ex vivo neutrophil exposure and in
comparative analyses of richly and poorly nourished laboratory cultured
germlings. We found remarkable concordance between the A.
fumigatus host-adaptation transcriptome and those resulting from
in vitro iron depletion, alkaline shift, nitrogen
starvation and loss of the methyltransferase LaeA. This first transcriptional
snapshot of a fungal genome during initiation of mammalian infection provides
the global perspective required to direct much-needed diagnostic and therapeutic
strategies and reveals genome organisation and subtelomeric diversity as
potential driving forces in the evolution of pathogenicity in the genus
Aspergillus
Assessment of enteric viruses in a sewage treatment plant located in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil
Digitale Clinical Case Discussions - Analyse und Förderung klinischer Entscheidungsfindungskompetenz von Medizinstudierenden im Kontext von Online-Falldiskussionen
Assessment of enteric viruses in a sewage treatment plant located in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil
Assessment of enteric viruses in a sewage treatment plant located in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil
In order to verify the microbial quality of the influents and effluents of one STP from southern Brazil, an eight-month survey was conducted to examine the presence of total and fecal coliforms and of adenovirus (HAdV), enterovirus (EV), genogroup A rotaviruses (GARV) and Torque teno virus (TTV), in treated effluent samples from São João/Navegantes STP, Porto Alegre (Brazil). A total of 16 samples were collected, eight of influent (raw sewage, prior to treatment), and the other eight of the effluent (post-treatment sewage). Total and fecal coliform levels ranging from 3.6 × 10(4) to 4.4 × 10(7) MPN/100 mL and 2.9 × 10³ to 1.7 × 10(7) MPN/100 mL, were detected in all samples. In raw sewage, HAdV (25%) and GARV (28.6%) viral genomes were detected. The analysis of effluent samples revealed the presence of HAdV (50%), EV (37.5%), and TTV (12.5%) genomic fragments. All samples, regardless of the month analysed, presented detection of a least one virus genus, except for in April. Higher virus detection rates were observed in treated sewage samples (62.5%), and in 80% of them (effluent positive samples) HAdV was detected. Results showed that improvements in sewage monitoring and treatment processes are necessary to reduce the viral and bacterial load on the environment in southern Brazil. To the knowledge of the authors, this is the first study showing the monitoring of viral genomes in influent and effluent samples from a STP located in Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil), southern Brazil