Determinación cuantitativa de enterococos en aguas utilizando un método cromogénico alternativo / Quantitative determination of enterococci in water using an alternative chromogenic method

Introducción: el control de la calidad de las aguas es vital para la protección de la salud humana y la biodiversidad en el ambiente acuático. Varios microorganismos son utilizados como indicadores de contaminación fecal para este propósito, dentro de ellos los enterococos son considerados buenos indicadores, porque sobreviven más tiempo ante condiciones adversas en la naturaleza. Objetivos: evaluar la capacidad de un nuevo método cromogénico alternativo para la detección y enumeración de enterococos en aguas por la técnica de filtración por membrana, en comparación con el método estándar ISO 7899:2. Métodos: se recolectaron muestras de aguas de tres orígenes diferentes para determinar su calidad. Las muestras se ensayaron en paralelo por las dos metodologías (alternativa y referencia), empleando la técnica de filtración por membrana. Para evaluar el desempeño de los métodos se determinaron varios parámetros: sensibilidad, especificidad, exactitud, porcentaje de falsos positivos, porcentaje de falsos negativos, índice kappa. Los tres primeros parámetros se calcularon para ambos métodos antes y después de la confirmación por pruebas bioquímicas. Los resultados se analizaron desde el punto de vista estadístico, teniendo en cuenta los principales criterios definidos en las normas ISO 16140 e ISO 177994. Resultados: con el método alternativo los resultados se obtuvieron a las 24 h, estos mostraron valores de sensibilidad (99 por ciento) y exactitud (98 por ciento) más elevados que con el de referencia (97 por ciento y 97 por ciento, respectivamente), el cual demoró más de 48 h. La eficiencia y exactitud de ambos métodos fue similar y se obtuvo una concordancia entre ellos casi perfecta (kappa = 0,96) con el total de las muestras de aguas ensayadas...

Introduction: water quality control is essential for the protection of human health and biodiversity in the aquatic environment. For this purpose, several microorganisms are used as indicators of fecal contamination. Among them are enterococci, which are considered to be good indicators, since they survive for a longer time in adverse natural conditions. Objectives: evaluate the suitability of a new alternative chromogenic method for the detection and enumeration of enterococci in water by membrane filtration technique, in comparison with the ISO 7899:2 standard method. Methods: water samples were collected from three different sources to determine their quality. The samples were assayed in parallel with the two methodologies (alternative and reference) using the membrane filtration technique. The following parameters were determined to evaluate the performance of the methods: sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, percentage of false positives, percentage of false negatives, kappa index. The first three parameters were estimated for both methods before and after confirmation by biochemical testing. Results were analyzed statistically based on the main criteria defined by ISO standards 16140 and 177994. Results: with the alternative method, results were obtained at 24 h, whereas the reference method required more than 48 h. Sensitivity and accuracy were higher with the alternative method (99 percent and 98 percent, respectively) than with the reference method (97 percent and 97 percent, respectively). Both methods had similar efficiency and accuracy, with almost perfect concordance between them (kappa = 0.96) in all the water samples tested...

Comparación de la activación y la cinética de laplasmina bufalina con la humana / Ativação e cinética comparativa da plasmina bufalina e a humana / Comparative activation and kinetic of plasmin bufaline with the human one

El plasminógeno es el zimógeno de la plasmina, enzima activada a nivel fisiológico por el activadortisular del plasminógeno y la urokinasa, la plasmina es la enzima encargada de disolver el coágulosanguíneo. En este estudio se compararon la plasmina humana con la bufalina en su forma de activación dezimógeno a enzima y en la afinidad hacia el sustrato cromogénico. Los plasminógenos fueron purificadospor el mismo método de cromatografías de afinidad y cambio iónico. De igual manera las activaciones sehicieron utilizando urokinasa humana en ambos casos. La plasmina bufalina demostró mayor activacióny afinidad (1.35mM) que la plasmina humana (2.16 mM), siendo la bufalina 1.5 veces mas afin al sustratocromogénico que la humana. Este estudio demuestra que el método de purificación de los plasminógenospuede ser el mismo para muchas especies, se demuestra una vez más que las plasminas animales al parecerson más eficientes en la disolución del coágulo o degradación de sustratos, que la plasmina humana.Este estudio indica que la plasmina bufalina puede ser utilizada en los parámetros que se determinanclínicamente en pacientes con problemas cardiovasculares, reduciendo el tiempo de determinación de estosparámetros fibrinolíticos, que pueden dar al médico un margen de tiempo superior para actuar.

The Plasminogen is the zymogene of the Plasmin, enzyme which physiologically is activated by twodifferent enzymes, the tissue plasminogen activator and the urokinase, the plasmin is the enzyme that dissolves blood clots. In this study the human plasmin was compared to the bufaline plasmin, in theactivation from the zymogene to the enzyme form as well as in the affinity to the chromogenic substrate.The two plasminogens were purified by the same chromatographies methods: affinity and ion-exchange.Furthermore, both plasminogens were activated by human urokinase. The bufaline plasmin showed moreactivation and affinity (1.35 mM) that the human plasmin (2.16 mM), in addition, the bufaline plasmindemonstrated a 1.5 times more affinity to the chromogenic substrate that the human plasmin. This studydemonstrated that the plasminogens of several species can be purified by this method. Besides, one moretime the animal’s plasmins probably to be more efficient in the dissolution of blood clots or degradation ofsubstrates than the human plasmin. More over this study indicated that the bufaline plasmin can be usedin clinical determinations of patients with cardiovascular diseases. This also reduces the determinationtime of fibrinolytic parameters that physicians can give, having more time to take appropriate treatment.

O plasminogênio é o zymogen da plasmina, enzima ativada a nivel fisiológico pelo ativador tissulardo plasminogênio e uroquinase, plasmina é a enzima responsável de dissolver o coágulo de sanguíneo.neste estudo foi comparada a plasmina humana com a plasmina búbalina em seu modo de ativaçãode zymogen a enzima e na afinidade substrato cromogênico. Os plasminogênio foram purificados como mesmo método de cromatografia de afinidade e de troca iônica, e as ativações foram feitas usandouroquinase humana nos dois casos. A Búfalo plasmina mostrou maior ativação e afinidade (1.35 mM)que a plasmina humana (2.16 mM), sendo a bufalina 1.5 vezes mais afim ao substrato Cromogênico quea humana. Este estudo mostrou que o método de purificação do plasminogênios pode ser o mesmo paramuitas espécies, alem disso, que as plasminas animais são mais eficientes na dissolução do coáguloo degradação de substratos que a plasmina humana. Este estudo indicou que a plasmina búfalo podeser utilizada nos parâmetros determinados clínicamente em pacientes com problemas cardiovasculares,diminuindo o tempo de determinação destes parâmetros fibrinolíticos, que podem dar ao médico umintervalo de maior tempo para atuar.

Diagnosis of factor VIII deficiency.

The correct diagnosis of factor VIII deficiency and the assessment of severity of the disease are essential for a patient-tailored treatment strategy. An optimal diagnostic procedure comprises sensitive and specific screening methods and factor VIII activity assays. Different screening reagents show variable characteristics and receiver operator characteristic curves are presented showing the relation between sensitivity and specificity of eleven activated partial thromboplastin time reagents. The details of the three methods for factor VIII activity assay, one-stage and two-stage assay and chromogenic assays, are discussed. The chromogenic assay seems to be more sensitive than the one-stage assay with regard to the detection of severe haemophilia. Discrepant results obtained with one-stage and two-stage assays are reviewed and discussed.

Detection of lead in vegetables with new chromogenic reagent by spectrophotometry.

A new simple, rapid selective and highly sensitive chromogenic reagent dibromo-p-methyl-carboxyazo (DBMCA) was synthesized and studied in detail for the spectrophotometric detection of lead. In 0.25 M phosphoric acid medium, which greatly increases the selectivity, Lead reacts with DBMCA to form a 1:2 blue complex having a sensitivity absorption peak at 646 nm. Under optimal conditions, Beer's Law is obeyed over the range from 0.09 to 0.8 microg mL(-1) Pb (II) and the apparent molar absorptivity is 1.03 x 10(5) mL(-1) cm(-1). The detection limit and the variation coefficient were found to be 2.12 microg mL(-1) and 1.0% respectively. It is found that, except for Ca (II) and Ba (II) all foreign ions studied do not interfere with detection. The interference caused by Ca (II) and Ba (II) can be easily eliminated by prior extraction with potassiumiodide-methylisobutylketone. The proposed method has been applied successfully for to the detection of Lead in vegetable leaves with good results.

Comparison of three chromogenic agar plates for isolation and identification of urinary tract pathogens.

OBJECTIVE: To comparatively assess the performance of three chromogenic agar plates, CPS ID2, Chromogenic UTI, and USA, for the detection and enumeration of all urinary tract pathogens and the direct identification of Escherichia coli, Proteus mirabilis and Enterococcus spp. METHODS: Two hundred and forty-three urine specimens prospectively collected from hospitalized patients were randomly inoculated in parallel on the three media. RESULTS: Of the 243 urine specimens, 235 yielded positive cultures, of which 151 were pure cultures and 84 were mixed cultures. CPS ID2, Chromogenic UTI and USA agar gave detection rates of 99.1%, 97.1% and 96.6%, respectively. The main difference in non-detection between CPS ID2 agar and the two new media concerned Staphylococcus spp. strains. Based on the total number of strains detected (n = 348), the total identification rates of E. coli, P. mirabilis and Enterococcus spp. on CPS ID2 agar, Chromogenic UTI agar and USA agar were 60.3%, 61.2% and 59.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The detection rates and identification rates of the three media were very close and only minor differences were noted. The lower detection rates for Chromogenic UTI and USA were mainly due to their lesser ability to support growth of Staphylococcus spp.

Chromogenic detection of aminoglycoside phosphotransferases.

A coupled chromogenic reaction (based on an agar overlay combining NADH, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, phosphoenolpyruvate, ATP, and kanamycin sulfate with thiazolyl blue-phenazine methosulfate for detection of NADH consumption) was optimized for the detection of aminoglycoside phosphotransferases (APHs). When used after analytical isoelectrofocusing of bacterial extracts from APH-producing strains, this method revealed one band in each of two strains with a genetically confirmed APH (3') I and two bands in another strain with both APH (3') I and APH (3') VI, whereas no bands were detected in susceptible control strains or in aminoglycoside-resistant microorganisms without APH genes.

Purification of commercial coomassie brilliant blue R-250 and characterization of the chromogenic fractions.

Coomassie brilliant blue R-250 (CBB) is a popular and widely used dye for detection of proteins by gel electrophoresis. However, commercially available CBBs are complex mixtures of numerous chromogenic compounds that vary from lot to lot, thereby giving an undesirable level of variation in reproducibility, precision, and specificity in staining gels. We have developed a silica gel column chromatographic method for purification of commercial CBBs in high yield and have standardized each lot to perform equivalently in staining proteins as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and quantitative scanning densitometry. This is a major improvement in protein purity determinations by quantitative scanning densitometry. A thinlayer chromatographic method for quality control testing of the purified CBB lots was also developed. Plasma desorption mass spectrometry was used to identify components of silica gel column fractions. Scanning densitometry was the technology used to establish performance equivalency between different CBB preparations. The less polar chromogenic compounds are nonblue and/or fluorescent in color, contain mono- or unsulfonated structures, and lack significant protein binding capacity. The more polar chromogenic compounds are green and blue-green in color, contain tri- and tetrasulfonated moieties, compared to the disulfonated structure of CBB, and bind to protein at least 40 times more effectively than pure CBB. The concentrations of these highly polar chromogens differ from lot to lot and act as "inhibitors" in protein staining, thereby causing variability in protein staining.

Enzymatic extraction and spectral analysis of the chromophore from cell walls of nutritionally deficient streptococci.

We demonstrated by spectral analysis a method to enzymatically cleave the chromophore precursor from nutritionally deficient streptococcal cell walls by treatment with lysozyme. The peak absorbances without and with lysozyme pretreatment were 511.4 +/- 2.02 nm and 513.1 +/- 0.69 nm, respectively. Extraction yields varied among strains and were found to be growth phase dependent. A secondary peak of absorbance (mean of 477 nm) was found in only five of eight strains. The chromophore at a neutral pH undergoes a reaction with phenol consistent with that of a furan, indicating its carbohydrate composition.

Structure and properties of major largomycin FII chromophore components.

Largomycin FII, a protein antitumor antibiotic of molecular weight 29,300 daltons, contains a chromophore that is separable under mild denaturing conditions. The chromophore complex was found to be considerably less stable than the holoprotein towards light and heat, suggesting a protective effect of the protein on the chromophore. Separation of the chromophore into several components was achieved using high performance liquid chromatography, and the biological activity of the isolated components was determined. Data gathered from UV, IR, proton and carbon NMR, and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry indicated that all the chromophore components belong to the pluramycin class of antitumor agents. Pluramycin A and deacetylpluramycin A were found to be the two major components.

Elemental composition of bacterial metachromatic inclusions determined by electron microprobe X-ray analysis.

Electron microscopy and microprobe X-ray analysis were used to study metachromatic inclusions of Spirillum itersonii , Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and Micrococcus luteus. In situ metachromatic inclusions were electron dense and contained phosphorus and divalent cations. Metachromatic inclusions isolated by anion-exchange column chromatography and by isoosmolar Metrizamide density gradient centrifugation were similar in composition to in situ inclusions.

Characterization of a pH-dependent chromophore from nutritionally variant streptococci.

Strains of nutritionally variant streptococci and Streptococcus mitis produce a chromophore when they are heated at acid pH. No other strains of streptococci elaborated this chromophore. Furthermore, the nutritionally variant streptococci produced approximately twice the amount of chromophore as the S. mitis strains. The chromophore was localized in the cell wall of these streptococcal strains and appeared to be resistant to trypsin treatment. Hydrolysis apparently is required because elevated temperatures at pH 2 are necessary for demonstration of the chromophore. The chromophore has a maximal absorbance at 504 nm with a pKa of 3.6. The chromophore absorbance spectrum showed an isosbestic point at 400 nm. This is the first example of a pH-dependent chromophore to be found in streptococci and serves as a positive characteristic for the description of nutritionally variant streptococci as well as S. mitis.