Identification of Sutcliffiella horikoshii strains in an immunobiological pharmaceutical industry facility.

The pharmaceutical industry must comply with the requirements for good manufacturing practices to reduce inherent contamination risks in the production process. Bacillus and related genera are among the main bacterial isolated from clean areas, raw material, and products in the pharmaceutical industries, but the correct identification of these species is still a challenge. The aim of this study was to characterize by phenotyping, protein profiling, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing Sutcliffiellahorikoshii strains (n = 6) isolated from an immunobiological pharmaceutical facility, and to propose the reclassification of Bacillus tianshenii to the genus Sutcliffiella, and Sutcliffiella tianshenii sp. nov. The strains were characterized by VITEK®2, matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight/mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/MS) using VITEK®MS, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. MALDI-TOF/MS did not identify any strains that were identified by 16S rRNA as S. horikoshii. VITEK®2 showed false-positive results, with misidentification as B. sporothermodurans (reclassified as Heyndrickxia sporothermodurans) and Geobacillus thermoleovorans. After MALDI-TOF/MS database expansion, with the creation of SuperSpectrum, the strains were correctly identified as S. horikoshii. This study is the first report of isolation of S. horikoshii strains from a pharmaceutical industry. More studies are necessary to better understand the ability of S. horikoshii to contaminate the environment and products.

[The role of social integration in the consumption of fruit and vegetables among the elderly]. / Rol de la integración social en el consumo de frutas y verduras en la adultez mayor.

This study investigates the extent to which aspects of the social integration of the elderly are linked to higher levels of fruit and vegetable consumption. It involved a cross-sectional study based on data from the National Study of Dependency in the Elderly, with a sample of 3278 elderly individuals. The variables of social integration considered were: frequency of meeting with close relatives, other relatives and neighbors and friends in the last 12 months; participation in recreational activities and in community groups, in addition to housing arrangements and marital status. The number of servings of fruit and vegetables consumed per day was the dependent variable. Logistic regression analysis was then conducted. In the adjusted model, more frequent encounters with siblings, in-laws and nephews, participation in community groups or organizations, are factors that increase the possibility of consuming two or more servings of fruit and vegetables a day, versus 1 serving or none; the opposite was observed when living alone. The variables of social integration that can increase the possibility of attaining the recommendation of consumption of fruit and vegetables daily (5 or more) in the adjusted model are frequency of encounters with siblings, in-laws and nephews and living alone.

Se investiga la medida en que aspectos de la integración social de adultos mayores están vinculados con los niveles de consumo de frutas y verduras. Estudio transversal a partir de datos del Estudio Nacional de la Dependencia en las Personas Mayores, con muestra de 3.278 adultos mayores. Las variables de integración social fueron: frecuencia de encuentro con familiares cercanos, otros familiares y vecinos y amigos en los últimos 12 meses; participación en actividades recreativas y en grupos comunitarios, además de arreglos de vivienda y estado marital. El número de porciones de frutas y verduras consumidas al día fue la variable dependiente. Se realizó análisis de regresión logística ordinal. En el análisis ajustado, mayor frecuencia de encuentros con hermanos, cuñados y sobrinos, participación en grupos comunitarios son factores que aumentan la posibilidad de consumo de dos o más porciones de frutas y verduras al día frente a ninguna o 1 porción; efecto contrario presenta vivir solo. Mayor frecuencia de encuentros con hermanos, cuñados y sobrinos y vivir sólo aumentan la posibilidad de alcanzar la recomendación de consumo de frutas y verduras diaria (5 o más), en el modelo ajustado.