<p>A preservação dos recursos hídricos está diretamente relacionada ao monitoramento da contaminação fecal, no intuito de possibilitar o desenvolvimento de estratégias apropriadas para a gestão das fontes poluidoras. No presente estudo, vinte e cinco amostras de água de seis pontos de captação de água para abastecimento público foram utilizadas para análise da presença de cafeína, de coliformes totais e de coliformes termotolerantes. Cafeína foi detectada em todas as amostras coletadas nos diferentes locais de amostragem, com intervalo de concentração entre 0,15 ng mL^–1 e 16,72 ng mL^–1. Coliformes totais foram detectados em todas as amostras analisadas, com concentrações variando de 52 NMP/100 mL a concentrações maiores que 24196 NMP/100 mL, enquanto a faixa de variação de concentração de coliformes termotolerantes variou de menos de 1 NMP/100 mL a 7800 NMP/100 mL. Não foi verificada correlação significativa entre coliformes totais e cafeína (rs = 0.35, p = 0.09), no entanto foi observada correlação moderada entre coliformes termotolerantes e cafeína (rs = 0.412, p <0.05), o que pode indicar uma provável fonte humana destas bactérias. A determinação de cafeína em amostras de água pode ser uma ferramenta útil para avaliar a contaminação com resíduos fecais humanos.</p>

<p>The preservation of hydric resources is directly related to fecal contamination monitoring, in order to allow the development of strategies for the management of polluting sources. In the present study, twenty-five water samples from six water public supply collection sites were used for the evaluation of the presence of caffeine, total and fecal coliforms. Caffeine was detected in all samples, with concentrations ranging from 0.15 ng mL^–1 to 16.72 ng mL^–1. Total coliforms were detected in all samples, with concentrations in the range of 52 NMP/100 mL to higher than 24196 NMP/100 mL, whether the concentration range for fecal coliforms was in the range of below 1 NMP/100 mL to 7800 NMP/100 mL. No significant correlation was found between total coliforms and caffeine concentrations (rs = 0.35, p = 0.09). However, a moderate correlation between fecal coliforms and caffeine concentrations was found (rs = 0.412, p <0.05), probably indicating a human source for these bacteria. Caffeine determination in water may be a useful strategy to evaluate water contamination by human fecal waste.</p>

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the factors associated with plasma concentrations of atazanavir (ATV) in a cohort of well-controlled HIV infected subjects (undetectable viremia). Design: Cross-sectional study where 69 subjects were consecutively enrolled between April and November, 2011. METHODS: Patients had to be on atazanavir for at least six months, undetectable viral load for a period equal to or longer than 12 months, T CD4+ lymphocyte count higher than 200 cells/mm³, and aged between 18 years and 70 years old. Exclusion criteria were pregnancy, any neurologic disease, active opportunistic disease, hepatitis or cancer. Atazanavir plasma levels were measured by ultra-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Overall, 54 patients (mean age of 47 years and 50% women) were included in the analysis. Those without ritonavir (unboosted atazanavir) had statistically lower plasma concentrations than those with ritonavir boosted atazanavir (p = 0.001) and total and indirect bilirubin were statistically associated with plasma concentration of atazanavir (r = 0.32 and r = 0.33 respectively; p < 0.05 in both cases). no statistical association was found among gender, ethnicity, age, weight, body mass index (BMI), lipid profile, and the plasma concentration of atazanavir. CONCLUSION: in summary, as expected, concomitant ritonavir use was the only factor associated with atazanavir plasma levels. prospective studies with a larger sample size might help to observe an association of atazanavir concentrations to other characteristics such as body weight, since the p-value showed to be close to significance (p = 0.068).