The aim of this study was evaluate the in vitro antifungal activity of crude extracts from Eugenia uniflora, Libidibia ferrea and Psidium guajava. The extracts were obtained by turbo-extraction using water (AQ) or acetone-water (AC-W) (7:3, v/v) as solvents and lyophilized to obtain the crude extracts (CE). The CE were characterized by UV-Vis, TLC and HPLC. The activity of CEs was investigated against clinical isolates of Candida spp. and the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC), MIC50 and MIC90 were determinated. The analysis by TLC showed that all CEs presented polyphenols (flavonoids and tannins). The CEs from E. uniflora showed higher amount of polyphenols (30.35 ± 2.15%, AC-W) and the HPLC analysis revealed the tannins in all extracts. The CEs of E. uniflora showed MIC range from 1.9 to 500.0 µg/mL, and lower values of MIC50 and MIC90 against non-albicans Candida isolates. Regarding L. ferrea and P. guajava, the results showing MIC from 3.9 to 1000.0 µg/mL (CE-AQ) against C. albicans. The results demonstrate antifungal performance from CE against various species of Candida spp., suggesting that the herbal species may be use as new potential antifungal agents. Additionally, the polyphenol content can play a pivotal role in the antifungal properties of CE.

In the present article the theoretical calculation of thermodynamic parameters for the two main precipitation agents, potassium 2-ethylhexanoate and t-octylamine, employed by the pharmaceutical industry to obtain potassium clavulanate for clinical use, is described. The results obtained using the standard thermochemistry calculation in the Gaussian package and by calculation of the reactivity indexes of the reagents and products are compared. The calculated thermodynamic parameters indicate that the reactivity indexes present a better correlation with the experimentally obtained percentage yield. In addition, a series of additional precipitation agents that are also used in industrial procedures to obtain potassium clavulanate for clinical use, were compared. This was done to verify if any present, a priori, better properties than potassium 2-ethylhexanoate or t-octylamine. The consistency of the reactivity indexes calculated clearly suggests that the methodology employed can be used to screen future precipitation agents for possible use in the production of potassium clavulanate.

Este estudo avaliou a capacidade de Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica isolada de produtos cárneos formar biofilme e testou sua resistência a diferentes sanitizantes. Vinte cepas foram avaliadas quanto à capacidade de formar biofilme em placas de microtitulação. As cepas formadoras de biofilme foram testadas em superfícies de polietileno de alta densidade, aço inoxidável e vidro e tiveram a sensibilidade ao hipoclorito de sódio e ao iodo avaliada. Duas cepas de Salmonella Enteritidis isoladas de produtos de frango apresentaram capacidade de formar biofilme nas superfícies testadas. Essas cepas alcançaram maiores populações nas superfícies do que aquelas não formadoras de biofilme, e foram mais difíceis de remover ou reduzir. Devido à ação sanitizante ser menos eficiente sobre bactérias formadoras de biofilme, esses micro-organismos podem persistir no biofilme formado sobre as superfícies de equipamentos e utensílios e ocasionalmente contaminar os alimentos antes da sua expedição, aumentando dessa forma o risco de ocorrência de doenças transmitidas por alimentos.

RESUMO INTRODUÇÃO: O objetivo foi avaliar os efeitos da estimulação auditiva musical sobre a regulação autonômica cardíaca em indivíduos que gostam ou que não gostam da peça musical utilizada. MÉTODO: O estudo foi realizado em mulheres jovens (18-27 anos) divididas em dois grupos (1) voluntárias que gostavam da peça musical e, (2) voluntárias que não gostavam da peça musical. índices lineares da variabilidade da frequência cardíaca foram analisados no domínio do tempo. Os indivíduos foram expostos a uma peça musical (Pachelbel: Canon in D major) durante 10 minutos. A variabilidade da frequência cardíaca foi analisada em repouso sem música e durante a estimulação auditiva musical. RESULTADOS: No grupo que gostava da peça musical o desvio-padrão dos intervalos RR normais-a-normal (SDNN) foi significativamente reduzido durante a exposição à estimulação auditiva musical. Não foram encontradas alterações significativas para os outros índices lineares. O grupo composto por mulheres que não gostavam da música não apresentou respostas autonômicas cardíacas significativas durante a exposição à estimulação auditiva musical. CONCLUSÃO: As mulheres que desfrutaram da música apresentaram resposta autonômica cardíaca significativa constituída por uma redução na variabilidade da frequência cardíaca induzida pela estimulação auditiva musical. Aqueles que não apreciavam a peça musical não apresentaram qualquer resposta autonômica.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate the effects of musical auditory stimulation on cardiac autonomic regulation in subjects who enjoy and who do not enjoy the music. METHOD: The study was performed in young women (18-27 years old) divided in two groups (1) volunteers who enjoyed the music and (2) volunteers who did not enjoy the music. Linear indices of heart rate variability were analyzed in the time domain. The subjects were exposed to a musical piece (Pachelbel: Canon in D Major) during 10 minutes. Heart rate variability was analyzed at rest with no music and during musical auditory stimulation. RESULTS: In the group that enjoyed the music the standard deviation of normal-to-normal R-R intervals (SDNN) was significantly reduced during exposure to musical auditory stimulation. We found no significant changes for the other linear indices. The group composed of women who did not enjoy the music did not present significant cardiac autonomic responses during exposure to musical auditory stimulation. CONCLUSION: Women who enjoyed the music presented a significant cardiac autonomic response consisting of a reduction in heart rate variability induced by the musical auditory stimulation. Those who did not enjoy the musical piece presented no such response.

A atividade citrícola apresenta grande importância no Brasil, especialmente no Estado de São Paulo, onde são plantados 600 mil ha, aproximadamente. Para identificar o nível de sustentabilidade do sistema de produção, a análise energética permite avaliar a eficiência na utilização dos insumos direta ou indiretamente aplicados (estes determinados pela capacidade operacional). Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o sistema produtivo de laranja do ponto de vista energético, em que a energia investida é paga pela produção de frutos, sendo comparada nos três cenários para a eficiência operacional de campo. Pela análise de sensibilidade, determinou- -se que o combustível foi o principal demandante de energia, seguido pelos fitossanitários e fertilizantes. Na análise da capacidade operacional, todas as combinações entre eficiência (mínima, típica e máxima) e nível de produtividade tornaram-se positivas no sétimo ano, exceto mínima eficiência e -10% produtividade, positiva no oitavo ano. A melhor combinação (máxima eficiência e +10% produtividade) recupera seu investimento no limite entre o sexto e o sétimo anos. Pelo estudo, foi possível determinar o total de energia demandada para a produção de laranjas e identificar os insumos aplicados que merecem maior atenção dos tomadores de decisão. Mão de obra e mudas podem ser desconsideradas em trabalhos futuros, uma vez que foram irrelevantes.

Citrus orchards are very important in Brazil, especially in São Paulo State, where occupy an area of 600,000 ha approximately. To identify sustainability degree of citrus production system, an energy analysis allows evaluating efficiency of direct and indirect applied inputs. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate citrus production system under energetic point of view, in which invested energy is paid back with citrus production; being compared within three scenarios for operational field efficiency. As result, by sensitivity analysis was determined that fuel was the main energy demander, followed by pesticides and fertilizers. In operational work capacity analysis, all combinations between efficiency (minimum, typical and maximum) and yield levels became positive in the seventh year, except for the combination minimum efficiency and 10 % less yield, positive in the eighth year. The best combination (maximum efficiency and 10 % more yield) has promoted investment payoff around the sixth and seventh year. By this study, it is possible to determine the total energy demand to produce citrus and indentify the applied inputs that need more attention by the decision-makers. Labor and seedlings can be ommited for further studies with citrus, since they were irrelevant. Management of agricultural machinery may pose an important role on decreasing environmental impact of citrus production.

The present article reviews different aspects of the chemistry of two widely used β-lactam antibiotics Clavulanic Acid and Cephamycin C. The article discusses important details of the biosynthesis of these compounds, their action mechanism and, principally, the methods employed in their isolation and purification, in accordance with the available literature. Despite the large quantity of available articles and patents concerning β-lactam antibiotics, those which describe the isolation and purification of Clavulanic Acid and Cephamycin C are rare. Overall, the intention of this article is to discuss the up-to-date scientific research related to the compounds under review.

Foram estudados, entre janeiro de 2003 a dezembro de 2004, todos os recém-nascidos internados na UTI neonatal da Maternidade Escola Januário Cicco, portadores de cateter venoso umbilical. Avaliou-se a prevalência de espécies de Candida nas pontas de cateteres intra-venosos dos neonatos, e os fatores associados a que os pacientes estavam submetidos. As pontas de cateter foram cultivadas em ágar sangue, e, quando houve crescimento de colônia leveduriforme, esta foi subcultivada para a realização de provas morfológicas e bioquímicas para identificar a espécie. Do total de 240 cateteres analisados, 41 apresentaram crescimento de leveduras, sendo 34 encaminhados para identificação, observando-se os seguintes agentes: 13 C. albicans (38%), 10 Candida parapsilosis (29%), 8 C. tropicalis (20%), 1 C. guilliermondii (3%), 1 C. famata (3%) e 1 Trichosporon spp. (3%). Dos pacientes que apresentaram cultura de ponta de cateter positiva para fungos, três tiveram hemocultura positiva com a mesma espécie em ambos os sítios. Entre os fatores de risco destaca-se que todos os pacientes faziam uso de antibioticoterapia de amplo espectro, portavam sonda nasogástrica, além de outros procedimentos invasivos, como ventilação mecânica e cateter umbilical.

All the newborns with umbilical venous catheters, hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit at Januário Cicco Maternity Hospital in Natal, Brazil, between January, 2003 and December, 2004 were studied. The prevalence of Candida species in the tips of intra-venous catheters was assessed, as well as the coexisting exposures that the patients were subjected to. Catheter tips were cultivated in blood agar and when yeast culture occurred, the colony was subcultivated for species identification through morphologic and biochemical assays. From a total of 240 catheters, 41 were positive for yeasts, and 34 were submitted to identification. The following agents were isolated: 13 C. albicans (38%), 10 Candida parapsilosis (29%), 8 C. tropicalis (20%), one C. guilliermondii (3%), one C. famata (3%) and one Trichosporon spp. (3%). Three patients among those with positive catheter tip fungal cultures were also hemoculture positive, with the same fungal species at both sites. Among the coexisting exposures, it should be pointed out that all the patients underwent broad spectrum antibiotic therapy, used a nasogastric probe, in addition to undergoing other invasive procedures such as mechanical ventilation and umbilical catheter implantation.

OBJETIVO: analisar pacientes com candidíase vulvovaginal quanto a sintomatologia, fatores de risco e resultados da cultura anal, identificar a freqüência de Candida albicans e não C. albicans e correlacionar as colonizações anal e vaginal. MÉTODOS: foram incluídas 99 pacientes com suspeita clínica de candidiase vulvovaginal, procedentes de Natal, RN, atendidas entre maio de 2003 e maio de 2005, perfazendo-se o total de 294 coletas. O material clínico, colhido por zaragatoas, foi semeado em CHROMagar Candida®. As leveduras foram identificadas pelo método clássico, além da prova de crescimento a 42 e 45ºC e da prova do caldo Sabouraud hipertônico. A sintomatologia, fatores de risco e colonização anal foram analisados de acordo com a positividade ou negatividade para Candida spp. As culturas positivas para C. albicans nos dois sítios foram comparadas com outros resultados encontrados. Para análise estatística utilizou-se o teste do chi2, com correção de Yates e o teste exato de Fisher. RESULTADOS: a espécie mais frequente foi C. albicans em 69% dos casos. Uso de roupas íntimas justas e/ou sintéticas, presença de doenças alérgicas, ocorrência de prurido, leucorréia e hiperemia apresentaram associação com a positividade vaginal para Candida spp. A chance de uma paciente com colonização anal positiva de apresentar positividade vaginal concomitante foi 2,8 e 4,9 vezes maior, respectivamente, para Candida spp e C. albicans. A chance de uma paciente com cultura anal positiva para C. albicans de apresentar resultado vaginal positivo foi 3,7 vezes maior quando comparada a espécies não C. albicans. CONCLUSÕES: C. albicans foi a espécie mais comum, tendo sido observada associação da positividade vaginal para Candida spp com uso de roupas justas e/ou sintéticas, doenças alérgicas, prurido, leucorréia e eritema (p<0,05). A positividade anal concomitante com a vaginal foi significativa, sugerindo uma possível contaminação vaginal a partir do ânus.

PURPOSE: to analyze patients with vulvovaginal candidiasis with respect to risk factors, symptomatology and results of anal culture, to identify the frequency of species of Candida albicans and non-C. albicans, and to correlate anal and vaginal colonization. METHODS: a total of 99 patients were included with suspected vulvovaginal candidiasis, from Natal, Brazil, between May 2003 and May 2005, totalling 294 collections. The clinical material, obtained by vaginal and anal swabs, was seeded on CHROMagar Candida®. The yeasts were identified using the classic method, in addition to the growth test at 42º and 45ºC and the Hypertonic Saboraud broth test. Symptomatology, risk factors and anal colonization were assessed according to positive or negative culture for Candida spp. The cultures positive for C. albicans at the two sites were compared with other results encountered. Yates’ chi2 test and Fisher’s exact test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: the most frequent was C. albicans in 69% of the cases. Wearing tight and/or synthetic underclothing, the presence of allergic diseases, the occurrence of itching, leukorrhea and hyperemia showed a significant association with positive culture for Candida spp in the vagina. The chance of a patient with positive anal colonization to present with concomitant positive vaginal colonization was 2.8 and 4.9 times greater for Candida spp and C. albicans, respectively. The risk of a patient with anal culture positive for C. albicans to present with positive vaginal colonization was 3.7 times greater when compared to non-C. albicans species. CONCLUSIONS: the most common species was C. albicans, and a relevant association between vaginal cultures positive for Candida spp and the use of tight and/or synthetic underclothing, allergic diseases, the occurrence of pruritus, leukorrhea and erythema was observed (p<0.05). Positive anal colonization concomitant with vaginal colonization was significant, suggesting possible vaginal contamination from the anus.

Cutting tools are subjected to extremely unfavorable conditions during machining operations. High cutting temperatures, compressive and shearing stresses, chemical attacks, variable cyclic thermal and mechanical loads are some adverse conditions that wear and damage these tools. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the process of tool wear and damage and how the cutting parameters affect it in order to underpin decisions regarding the most favorable conditions to address the problem. This article treats on some forms and mechanism of wear and damage that cemented carbides can undergo during machining. Special attention was given to damages caused during interrupted cutting (e.g., milling), such as fracture, chipping and thermal fatigue. Experimental details and results of the latter phenomenon, which was studied under different cutting conditions, are discussed and confronted with literature.

A relação entre a aplicação do espaçador antes do enceramento do padrão e alívio interno das coroas totais metálicas após a fundição foi verificada através da análise da discrepância interna e marginal. Cento e vinte coroas totais metálicas foram confeccionadas com liga de paládio/prata, fundidas com gás-oxigênio ou resistência elétrica numa centrifuga. Após a fundição, as coroas foram assentadas sobre seus respectivos troquéis com diferentes términos cervicais (ombro reto, ombro biselado em 20º e chanfro reto em 45º) com carga estática de 90 N por 1 minuto. Após, o conjunto foi embutido em resina acrílica e seccionado longitudinalmente para verificar a discrepância marginal ocorrida nas interfaces lateral e oclusal com o micrômetro digital. Os dados foram submetidos a análise de variância e ao teste de Tukey em nível de significância de 5%. Os melhores ajustes marginais e internos foram obtidos com a fonte de calor gás-oxigênio. O término cervical em chanfro reto de 45º mostrou os melhores ajustes, tanto cervical como interno, e o melhor alívio interno e marginal foram obtidos em coroas jateadas com partículas de Al2O3 com 50 µm.

The relationship between the application of die-spacer prior to wax pattern fabrication and metal removal from the inner surface of the casting on marginal and internal discrepancies of complete cast crowns was evaluated. One hundred and twenty complete crowns were cast with palladium-silver alloy melted by gas-oxygen torch or electrical resistance and cast with a centrifuge casting machine. After casting, the crowns were seated on each type of different marginal configuration dies (90-degree shoulder, 20-degree beveled shoulder, and 45-degree chamfered shoulder) with a static load of 90 N during 1 min. Evaluation of the marginal fit of the specimens was made using a digital micrometer. The crowns were embedded in acrylic resin and longitudinally sectioned to verify the internal discrepancy that occurred in lateral and occlusal interfaces with a digital micrometer. The data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test with a significance level of 5%. The best marginal and inner fits were obtained with the gas-oxygen torch source. The 45-degree chamfered shoulder showed the best marginal and inner fit, and better internal relief was obtained in the crowns abraded with 50 µm Al2O3 particles.

We investigated the presence of Candida dubliniensis among isolates previously identified as Candida albicans and maintained in a yeast stock collection from 1994 to 2000. All isolates were serotyped and further evaluated for antifungal susceptibility profile. After doing a screening test for C. dubliniensis isolates based on the capability of colonies to grow at 42°C, its final identification was obtained by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis using three different primers. A total of 46 out of 548 screened isolates did not exhibit growth at 42°C and were further genotyped by RAPD. Eleven isolates were identified as C. dubliniensis with RAPD analysis. Regarding serotypes, 81.5% of C. albicans and all C. dubliniensis isolates belonged to serotype A. Of note, 9 out of 11 C. dubliniensis isolates were obtained from patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (Aids) and all of them were susceptible to azoles and amphotericin B. We found 17 (3%) C. albicans isolates that were dose-dependent susceptibility or resistant to azoles. In conclusion, we found a low rate of C. dubliniensis isolates among stock cultures of yeasts previously identified as C. albicans. Most of these isolates were recovered from oral samples of Aids patients and exhibited high susceptibility to amphotericin B and azoles. C. albicans serotype A susceptible to all antifungal drugs is the major phenotype found in our stock culture.

Oropharyngeal candidiasis continues to be considered the most common opportunistic disease in Aids patients. This study was designed to investigate species distribution, serotype and antifungal susceptibility profile among Candida spp. isolated from the oral cavity of Aids patients recruited from six Brazilian university centers. Oral swabs from 130 Aids patients were plated onto CHROMagar Candida medium and 142 isolates were recovered. Yeast isolates were identified by classical methods and serotyped using the Candida Check® system-Iatron. Antifungal susceptibility testing was performed according to the NCCLS microbroth assay. C. albicans was the most frequently isolated species (91%), and 70% of the isolates belonged to serotype A. We detected 12 episodes of co-infection (9%), including co-infection with both serotypes of C. albicans. Non-albicans species were isolated from 12 episodes, 50% of them exhibited DDS or resistance to azoles. Otherwise, only 8 out 130 isolates of C. albicans exhibited DDS or resistance to azoles. Brazilian Aids patients are infected mainly by C. albicans serotype A, most of them susceptible to all antifungal drugs.