Mitochondrial DNA analysis of Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. from the western Iberian peninsula.

Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille (1806) (Ixodida: Ixodidae) is considered to be the most widely distributed tick and to have a vast range of habitats and hosts, including livestock, pets and wildlife. In addition to morphological differences, recent investigations using approaches based on molecular genetic markers have revealed the existence of different R. sanguineus lineages in different geographic regions. In this study, 475 ticks collected from dogs in the western Iberian peninsula were studied both morphologically and genetically, using 12S and 16S rDNA and COI gene markers in order to clarify the controversy over the systematic status of R. sanguineus sensu lato in Western Europe, and to compare the present data with those sourced from studies conducted in other regions of the world. Despite the high morphometric variability, particularly on spiracles in both genders and in female genitalia, data obtained with different genetic molecular markers show very low variability, suggesting the existence of a unique species. In addition, the phylogenetic analysis showed genetic uniformity, supporting the existence of a well-defined clade consisting of R. sanguineus s.l. specimens from Western Europe that are distinct from R. sanguineus s.l. from Africa. Furthermore, these data corroborate the existence of a polymorphic species in Western Europe, which requires to be consensually redescribed in view of its medical and veterinary importance in pathogen transmission.

Jalecos de trabalhador de saúde: um potencial reservatório de microorganismos / Healthcare workers coats: a potential reservoir of microorganisms

Objetivou-se determinar as características epidemiológicas de microrganismos presentes nos jalecos de trabalhadores de saúde em um hospital de grande porte. Tratou-se de um estudo transversal conduzido no período de janeiro a agosto de 2011. Realizou-se a rolagem de swabs no bolso e região do abdômendo jaleco. Foi realizada estatística descritiva e teste qui-quadrado de Pearson. Participaram do estudo100 profissionais. Foram obtidas 200 amostras dos jalecos. Dessas 47% foram positivas com crescimento microbiano, 73,6% apresentaram resistência a um ou mais antimicrobiano sendo 55,7% nos bolsos e 44,3% na região abdominal. A recuperação do Staphylococcus ssp nas duas áreas analisadas com resistência a vários antimicrobianos, dentre eles a oxacilina mereceu destaque. A maior contaminação foi verificada entre jalecos dos profissionais de enfermagem (p< 0,05). Os jalecos de trabalhadores de saúde podem tornar-se contaminados por microrganismos de relevância epidemiológica, contribuindo, para a possível disseminação de patógenos entre diferentes pacientes e ambientes...

The objective was to determine the epidemiological characteristics of microorganisms present in the healthcare workers coats in a large hospital. It was a cross-sectional study carried out from January to August 2011. The samples were obtained by swabs from the pocket and abdominal region of professionals’coats. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and chi-square test. The study included 100 professionals.We obtained 200 samples of coats. Of these 47% were positive with microbial growth, 73.6%showed resistance to one or more antimicrobials being 55.7% in the pockets and 44.3% in the abdominal region. The most important was the recovery of Staphylococcus spp in the two analyzed areas with resistance to various antibiotics, including oxacillin. The highest contamination was observed between nursing professionals coats (p <0.05). The coat of health care workers can become contaminated by microorganismsof epidemiological relevance, contributing to the potential spread of pathogens between patients and different environments...

Experimental and computational thermochemical study of N-benzylalanines.

Calorimetric measurements are expected to provide useful data regarding the relative stability of α- versus ß-amino acid isomers, which, in turn, may help us to understand why nature chose α- instead of ß-amino acids for the formation of the biomolecules that are essential constituents of life on earth. The present study is a combination of the experimental determination of the enthalpy of formation of N-benzyl-ß-alanine, and high-level ab initio calculations of its molecular structure. The experimentally determined standard molar enthalpy of formation of N-benzyl-ß-alanine in gaseous phase at T = 298.15 K is -(298.8 ± 4.8) kJ·mol(-1), whereas its G3(MP2)//B3LYP-calculated enthalpy of formation is -303.7 kJ·mol(-1). This value is in very good agreement with the experimental one. Although the combustion experiments of N-benzyl-α-alanine were unsuccessful, its calculated enthalpy of formation is -310.7 kJ·mol(-1); thus, comparison with the corresponding experimental enthalpy of formation of N-benzyl-ß-alanine, -(298.8 ± 4.8) kJ/mol, is in line with the concept that the more branched amino acid (α-alanine) is intrinsically more stable than the linear ß-amino acid, ß-alanine.

Experimental and computational thermochemical study of α-alanine (DL) and ß-alanine.

This paper reports an experimental and theoretical study of the gas phase standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation, at T = 298.15 K, of α-alanine (DL) and ß-alanine. The standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of crystalline α-alanine (DL) and ß-alanine were calculated from the standard molar energies of combustion, in oxygen, to yield CO2(g), N2(g), and H2O(l), measured by static-bomb combustion calorimetry at T = 298.15 K. The vapor pressures of both amino acids were measured as function of temperature by the Knudsen effusion mass-loss technique. The standard molar enthalpies of sublimation at T = 298.15 K was derived from the Clausius−Clapeyron equation. The experimental values were used to calculate the standard (p° = 0.1 MPa) enthalpy of formation of α-alanine (DL) and ß-alanine in the gaseous phase, Δ(f)H(m)°(g), as −426.3 ± 2.9 and −421.2 ± 1.9 kJ·mol(−1), respectively. Standard ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the G3 level were performed. Enthalpies of formation, using atomization reactions, were calculated and compared with experimental data. Detailed inspections of the molecular and electronic structures of the compounds studied were carried out.

Experimental and computational thermochemical study of sulfur-containing amino acids: L-cysteine, L-cystine, and L-cysteine-derived radicals. S-S, S-H, and C-S bond dissociation enthalpies.

This paper reports an experimental and theoretical study of the standard (p(degrees) = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation at T = 298.15 K of the sulfur-containing amino acids l-cysteine [CAS 52-90-4] and l-cystine [CAS 56-89-3]. The standard (p(degrees) = 0.1 MPa) molar enthalpies of formation of crystalline l-cysteine and l-cystine were calculated from the standard molar energies of combustion, in oxygen, to yield CO2(g) and H2SO4.115H2O, measured by rotating-bomb combustion calorimetry at T = 298.15 K. The vapor pressures of l-cysteine were measured as function of temperature by the Knudsen effusion mass-loss technique. The standard molar enthalpy of sublimation, at T = 298.15 K, was derived from the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The experimental values were used to calculate the standard (p(degrees) = 0.1 MPa) enthalpy of formation of l-cysteine in the gaseous phase, DeltafH(degrees)m(g) = -382.6 +/- 1.8 kJ x mol-1. Due to the low vapor pressures of l-cystine and since this compound decomposes at the temperature range required for a possible sublimation, it was not possible to determine its enthalpy of sublimation. Standard ab initio molecular orbital calculations at the G3(MP2)//B3LYP and/or G3 levels were performed. Enthalpies of formation, using atomization and isodesmic reactions, were calculated and compared with experimental data. A value of -755 +/- 10 kJ x mol-1 was estimated for the enthalpy of formation of cystine. Detailed inspections of the molecular and electronic structures of the compounds studied were carried out. Finally, bond dissociation enthalpies (BDE) of S-H, S-S, and C-S bonds, and enthalpies of formation of l-cysteine-derived radicals, were also computed.

Computational thermochemistry of six ureas, imidazolidin-2-one, N,N'-trimethyleneurea, benzimidazolinone, parabanic acid, barbital (5,5'-diethylbarbituric acid), and 3,4,4'-trichlorocarbanilide, with an extension to related compounds.

A computational study of the structural and thermochemical properties of N-phenyl (open) and N-alkyl (cyclic) ureas, through the use of M05-2X and B3LYP density functional theory calculations has been carried out. The consistency of the literature experimental results has been confirmed, and using mainly isodesmic reactions, the unknown Delta(f)H(0)(g) of the other urea derivatives were estimated. The experimental results together with the theoretical information have permitted the study of the effect of phenyl, p- and m-chlorophenyl, alkyl, and carbonyl substitutions on the thermodynamical stability of urea and its cyclic derivatives. The peculiar behavior of the N-tert-butyl substituent in cyclic ureas has been related to geometric deformations.

Substituent effects on enthalpies of formation of nitrogen heterocycles: 2-substituted benzimidazoles and related compounds.

The enthalpies of combustion, heat capacities, enthalpies of sublimation and enthalpies of formation of 2-tert-butylbenzimidazole (2tBuBIM) and 2-phenylimidazole (2PhIM) are reported and the results compared with those of benzene derivatives and a series of azoles (imidazoles, pyrazoles, benzimidazoles and indazoles). Theoretical estimates of the enthalpies of formation were obtained through the use of atom equivalent schemes. The necessary energies were obtained in single-point calculations at the B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) on B3LYP/6-31G optimized geometries. The comparison of experimental and calculated values of all studied compounds bearing H (unsubstituted), methyl (Me) ethyl (Et), propyl (Pr), isopropyl (iPr), tert-butyl (tBu), benzyl (Bn) and phenyl (Ph) groups show remarkable homogeneity. The remarkable consistency of both the calculated and experimental results allows us to predict with reasonable certainty the missing experimental values. The crystal and molecular structure of the 2-benzylbenzimidazole (2BnBIM) has been determined by X-ray analysis. The observed molecular conformation permits the crystal being built up through N-H...N hydrogen bonds and van der Waals contacts between the molecules. An attempt has been made to relate the crystal structure to the enthalpies of sublimation.

Estudo prospectivo randomizado do uso de um antisséptico tópico no campo operatório / A prospective study about the use of topical antissepsis the skin surgical area

Os autores apresentam um estudo prospectivo da antissepsia do campo operatório. Foram estudados 188 pacientes, divididos em dois grupos. O grupo A, com 98 pacientes, onde foi utilizado uma soluçäo degermante de iodo-iodeto de K (iodo a 1por cento) e um grupo B, com 90 pacientes em que se realizou a antissepsia do campo operatório com a mesma soluçäo utilizada no grupo A, acrescido com álcool iodado a 1por cento. Os resultados näo demonstraram vantagens na utilizaçäo do álcool iodado em relaçäo a incidência de infecçäo de ferida, queimaduras e dermatites

Infecçäo da ferida cirúrgica: avaliaçäo do custo e da permanência hospitalar / Postoperative wound infection: a study of cost and hospital stay

Os autores apresentam um estudo de custo e permanência hospitalar de cirurgias tradicionalmente efetuadas no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco e realizados no segundo semestre de 1988, relacionadas com a infecçäo de ferida cirúrgica. O aumento da permanência hospitalar foi estatisticamente significante nas colecistectomias, colecistectomias com a exploraçäo de vias biliares e nas operaçöes cesareanas, quando os pacientes desenvolveram infecçäo de ferida. Nas colecistectomias em que apresentaram infecçäo de ferida a elevaçäo do custo foi da ordem de 1.525,17 BTNs e da permanência hospitalar de 12 dias nas colecistectomias com exploraçäo das vias biliares este acréscimo foi de 887,88 BTNs e 7,1 dias. Nas operaçöes cesarianas, com infecçäo de ferida, além do aumento da permanência hospitalar em 4,2 dias a elevaçäo do custo foi de 525,26 BTNs

Controle de infecçäo hospitalar: resultados de um estudo prospectivo de 10.254 pacientes de um hospital universitário / Cross infection control: results of a prospective study among 10.254 patients of a universitary hospital

Os autores apresentam os resultados de um estudo prospectivo de 10.254 pacientes de um Hospital Universitário. O estudo foi iniciado em 1§ de janeiro de 1977 abrangendo 8 anos na Cirurgia Geral. Em 1§ de janeiro de 1983 passou a englobar todos os Serviços Cirúrgicos e Clínicos do HC, analisando ainda dois meses de experiência com a Clínica Obstétrica e uma importante experiência com pacientes operados em regime ambulatorial. Concluem os autores que a instalaçäo e funcionamento da Comissäo de Controle de Infecçäo no HC-UFPE foi fundamental para instituiçäo do método de vigilância epidemiológica e educaçäo da Comunidade do Hospital para o problema da infecçäo hospitalar. Discutem as medidas profiláticas utilizadas no Hospital enfatizando a reduçäo estatisticamente significante das seguintes taxas em pacientes operados na Cirurgia Geral: taxa de pacientes com infecçäo, de infecçäo de ferida, de infecçäo de ferida em cirurgia limpa, limpa-contaminada, contaminada e infectada, nas taxas de infecçäo respiratória e urinária. Na Clínica Cirúrgica Geral (todos Serviços Cirúrgicos do HC) ocorreu ainda reduçäo estatisticamente significante da taxa de infecçäo de ferida em cirurgia infectada ou suja