Epidemiological and clinicopathological findings in 15 fatal outbreaks of salmonellosis in dairy calves and virulence genes in the causative Salmonella enterica Typhimurium and Dublin strains.

Salmonella enterica is a major food-borne pathogen that affects cattle-rearing systems worldwide. Little information is available on the epidemiology and pathology of salmonellosis and the virulence genes (VGs) carried by Salmonella in spontaneous outbreaks in cattle. We describe epidemiological findings in 15 fatal outbreaks of salmonellosis in Uruguayan dairy farms and the age, clinical signs, and pathology in 20 affected calves. We also describe the serotypes and frequencies of 17 VGs in the causative Salmonella strains and explore their associations with epidemiological, clinical, and pathological findings. Salmonella Typhimurium and Dublin were identified in 11/15 and 4/15 outbreaks, respectively. The most frequent reason for consultation was digestive disease (8 outbreaks caused by S. Typhimurium), followed by sudden death (4 outbreaks, 3 caused by S. Dublin). Morbidity, mortality, and lethality ranged 4.8-100%, 3.8-78.9%, and 10-100%, without significant differences between serotypes. Diarrhea, the most common clinical sign (14 cases), was associated with the Typhimurium serotype (OR = 26.95), especially in ≤ 30-day-old calves with fibrinous enteritis as the main autopsy finding. The Dublin serotype affected ≥ 50-day-old calves and was associated with fibrinosuppurative splenitis (p = 0.01) and tubulointerstitial nephritis (OR = 48.95). The chances of the Dublin serotype increased significantly with age. There was low variability of VG across serotypes. The pefA gene was associated with the Typhimurium serotype (OR = 21.95), macroscopic enteritis (p = 0.03), and microscopic fibrinosuppurative splenitis (p = 0.04). Understanding the epidemiology, pathology, and virulence of S. enterica at the farm level is key to delineating prevention and control strategies to mitigate its impact on animal and human health.

Methane release from the southern Brazilian margin during the last glacial.

Seafloor methane release can significantly affect the global carbon cycle and climate. Appreciable quantities of methane are stored in continental margin sediments as shallow gas and hydrate deposits, and changes in pressure, temperature and/or bottom-currents can liberate significant amounts of this greenhouse gas. Understanding the spatial and temporal dynamics of marine methane deposits and their relationships to environmental change are critical for assessing past and future carbon cycle and climate change. Here we present foraminiferal stable carbon isotope and sediment mineralogy records suggesting for the first time that seafloor methane release occurred along the southern Brazilian margin during the last glacial period (40-20 cal ka BP). Our results show that shallow gas deposits on the southern Brazilian margin responded to glacial-interglacial paleoceanographic changes releasing methane due to the synergy of sea level lowstand, warmer bottom waters and vigorous bottom currents during the last glacial period. High sea level during the Holocene resulted in an upslope shift of the Brazil Current, cooling the bottom waters and reducing bottom current strength, reducing methane emissions from the southern Brazilian margin.

Human metapneumovirus infection in hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.

UNLABELLED: Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was described in 2001 and has been associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract infection (URTI and LRTI, respectively), especially in children, the elderly, and in immunocompromised patients. The objective of this study was to identify hMPV as the etiological agent of acute respiratory infection in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients and to determine the clinical features of hMPV infection in these patients. METHODS: The study was performed retrospectively in 769 respiratory samples obtained from immunocompromised patients submitted to HSCT over a period of 6 years. RNA was extracted by the guanidinium thiocyanate method, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was performed to amplify a 928pb fragment of the hMPV N gene. RESULTS: hMPV was present in 19 (2.5%) samples. The mean age of infected patients was 18.3+/-10.8 (range, 3-41). Sixty-six percent of hMPV infections occurred during autumn, winter, and spring months. Three episodes showed co-infection with more than 1 virus. Two patients (11.1%) were infected a few days into the conditioning period and 9 (50%) in the first 3 months after the transplant. The majority of patients (72.2%) presented URTI alone with flu-like symptoms (cough, fever, headache, wheezing), while 5 patients (27.8%) had LRTI (pneumonia). No patient died from complications associated with the hMPV infection. CONCLUSIONS: hMPV has been reported as a respiratory pathogen in HSCT patients. We suggest that hMPV infection should be routinely investigated in this population, mainly in children, to prevent nosocomial transmission during transplant proceedings and to avoid the risk of progressing to complications due to LRTI.

Atividade antimicrobiana dos frutos de Syagrus oleracea e Mauritia vinifera / Antimicrobial activity of Syagrus oleracea and Mauritia vinifera fruits

As espécies pertencentes à família Palmae são muito interessantes do ponto de vista químico e farmacológico. Neste trabalho, foram estudados os frutos de duas espécies da família Palmae, Syagrus oleracea e Mauritia vinifera. Essas palmeiras foram escolhidas por serem espécies brasileiras, abundantes em nosso país, utilizadas popularmente no tratamento de algumas doenças e ainda pouco estudadas. Foram realizados ensaios farmacológicos para avaliação da atividade antimicrobiana dos extratos dos frutos das duas espécies em estudo. Para o teste de atividade antimicrobiana foram utilizadas cepas de bactérias Gram positivas e Gram negativas. A metodologia empregada foi a de Microdiluição em caldo. Foram testados os extratos etanólicos brutos do epicarpo/mesocarpo de S. oleracea e de M. vinifera, o extrato hexânico das amêndoas de S. oleracea, as partições hexânicas e em acetato de etila do epicarpo/mesocarpo de S. oleracea, do epicarpo/mesocarpo e mesocarpo/endocarpo de M. vinifera, na concentração de 100 mg/ml. Os extratos lipofílicos de S. oleracea apresentaram os melhores resultados para essa espécie. Nos testes realizados com M. vinifera, as partições lipofílicas foram as mais inibitórias para a cepa de S. aureus.

Palmae species are very interesting by the chemical and pharmacological points of view. Two species belonging to this family were chosen to initiate the chemical and pharmacological approach of their fruits: Syagrus oleracea (Martius) Beccari and Mauritia vinifera Martius, known in Brazil as Guariroba and Buriti, respectively. Those palm species can be found in several regions of Brazil, especially at the northeast and southeast of the country. They have been used in folk medicine to treat some diseases, however no toxicological and pharmacological studies have been done so far. For the two studied fruits, the antimicrobial activity tests were carried out by broth microdilution methodology. The objective of this work was to contribute for the pharmacological study of palm species, evaluating the antimicrobial activity of the extracts obtained from the fruits of S. oleracea and M. vinifera. The assays evaluated ethanol extracts of the epicarp/mesocarp of S. oleracea and epicarp/mesocarp of M. vinifera; hexane extract of the endosperm of S. oleracea; hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of the epicarp/mesocarp of S. oleracea, epicarp/mesocarp of M. vinifera and mesocarp/endocarp of M. vinifera. The lipophilic extracts of S. oleracea obtained the best results for the species. For M. vinifera, the lipophilic partitions have shown a high inhibitory percentage for S. aureus.

Evaluation of antioxidant activity of Brazilian plants.

In this work, 22 alcoholic extracts, obtained from 14 species of plants belonging to four families, used for different food and medicinal purposes in Brazil, were evaluated for their capacity to inhibit the reduction of the free radical, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), and to protect Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, an eukaryotic cell model, against the lethal oxidative stress caused by tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBH). Five extracts, two from Lamiaceae family (ethanol and butanol extracts from aerial parts of Hyptis fasciculata) and three from Palmae family (Copernicia cerifera leaves and mesocarp of fruits and the endocarp/mesocarp of fruits from Orbignya speciosa) were able to increase the tolerance of S. cerevisiae to TBH and showed to be active as DPPH radical scavengers, thus indicating that these plant extracts could be considered as potential sources of antioxidants. With the exception of ethanol extract of H. fasciculata, the remainder four extracts exhibited a DPPH radical scavenging activity higher than that obtained from Ginkgo biloba, a reference plant with well documented antioxidant activity. Interestingly, the ethanol extract of G. biloba were not effective for yeast cell protection, reinforcing the antioxidant potential of these extracts.

Atuaçäo do físico médico nos serviços de radiologia, hemodinâmica e unidade de bloco cirúrgico no Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre / Actuation of physical medical in ridiology, hemodinamic services and surgical unit in Hospital de Clinica de Porto Alegre

Atualmente, os hospitais tem demonstrado maior interesse no Programa de Garantia de Qualidade, bem como, na Radioproteção, no que tange a serviços que envolvam radiações ionizantes. Faz-se necessário, perante a esta tendência, a presença do Físico Médico, que irá elaborar plano de Proteção Radiológica, Programa de Garantia da Qualidade informar mensalmente as doses individuais, acompanhar inspeções sanitárias, treinar e orientar os profissionais envolvidos nessa área. Portanto, o presente trabalho tem o objetivo de relatar as atividades desempenhadas por este profissional nos Serviço de Radiologia, Hemodinâmica e unidade de Bloco Cirúrgico, assim como, a metodologia e os resultados obtidos.

At present, the hospitals have showed more interest in the Quality Assurance Program, also, in Radioprotection, about the services that involve ionization radiation. This is necessery, because a treemd, the presence of the Medical Physics, that will organize a Radiologic Protection project, Quality Assurance Program, inform monthly the individual doses, accompany sanitary inspection, train and orientale the profissionals involve in this area. Consequently, the present paper has the; objective to give an account of the activities executed for this profissional in the Radiologic, Hemodinamic and Surgery Unit, also, the metodology and the results obteined with it.

Contribuicao ao estudo semiologico das convulsoes febris. / Semiologic study of febrile convulsions

Convulsao febril e um problema frequente na clinica pediatrica e a incidencia de crises generalizadas e nao-generalizadas varia na literatura conforme a definicao de convulsao febril utilizada. Com o objetivo de determinar os diversos tipos de crises epilepticas na vigencia de febre, 78 criancas foram avaliadas no Ambulatorio de Convulsao Febril do Hospital de Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, no periodo de agosto de 1982 a setembro de 1983. Definimos convulsao febril como a crise epileptica que ocorre em criancas ate entao normais, na vigencia de febre, estando o foco infeccioso fora do sistema nervoso.Observamos que as crises generalizadas foram mais frequentes que a nao-generalizadas. Os principais tipos dentre as generalizadas foram as tonicas, tonica-clonicas e clonicas; nas nao-generalizadas, os tipos tonicos-clonicas, clonicas e tonicas assimetricas