ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The use of agro-industrial wastes to produce high value-added biomolecules such as biosurfactants is a promising approach for lowering the total costs of production. This study aimed to produce biosurfactants using Rhizopus arrhizus UCP 1607, with crude glycerol (CG) and corn steep liquor (CSL) as substrates. In addition, the biomolecule was characterized, and its efficiency in removing petroderivatives from marine soil was investigated. RESULTS: A 22 factorial design was applied, and the best condition for producing the biosurfactant was determined in assay 4 (3% CG and 5% CSL). The biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of water from 72 to 28.8 mN/m and produced a yield of 1.74 g/L. The preliminary biochemical characterization showed that the biosurfactant consisted of proteins (38.0%), carbohydrates (35.4%), and lipids (5.5%). The compounds presented an anionic character, nontoxicity, and great stability for all conditions tested. The biomolecule displayed great ability in dispersing hydrophobic substrates in water, thereby resulting in 53.4 cm2 ODA. The best efficiency of the biosurfactant in removing the pollutant diesel oil from marine soil was 79.4%. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the ability of R. arrhizus UCP1607 to produce a low-cost biosurfactant characterized as a glycoprotein and its potential use in the bioremediation of the hydrophobic diesel oil pollutant in marine soil
Subject(s)
Rhizopus/metabolism , Surface-Active Agents/metabolism , Gasoline , Soil , Surface-Active Agents/toxicity , Surface Tension , Biodegradation, Environmental , Marine Environment , Zea mays , Agribusiness , Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions , Glycerol , Industrial Waste , Micelles , Mucorales/metabolismABSTRACT
Background The effects of exposure to copper, during growth, on the production of biomass, total protein, catalase, glutathione-S transferase, glutathione peroxidase, peroxidase, polyphosphate, acid and alkaline phosphatases, ultrastructure and the ability to remove this metal from Aspergillus niger, obtained from caatinga soil, were evaluated. Results All parameters tested were influenced by the concentration of metal in the culture medium. The presence of metal induced high levels of antioxidant enzymes, including lipid peroxidation, thereby revealing the appearance of an oxidative stress response. The variation in polyphosphate levels indicates the participation of the polymer in response to stress induced by copper. The activities of the phosphatases were positively influenced by growing them in the presence of copper. Ultrastructure changes in the cell surface, electron density, thickness, and septation were visualized by exposing cells to increasingly larger concentrations of metal. The isolate was able to remove the agent from the growth medium, while maintaining its physiological functions. The metal removed from the cultures exposed to 0.5 mM, 1 mM and 2 mM copper exhibited percentages of removal equivalent to 75.78%, 66.04% and 33.51%. Conclusions The results indicate that the isolate was able to grow in high concentrations of copper, activates mechanisms for adaptation and tolerance in the presence of metal, and is highly efficient at removing the agent. Such data are fundamental if a better understanding is to be reached of the cellular and molecular abilities of native isolates, which can be used to develop bioprocesses in environmental and industrial areas.
Subject(s)
Aspergillus niger/enzymology , Aspergillus niger/physiology , Adaptation, Biological , Oxidative Stress , Copper/chemistry , Polyphosphates , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Lipid Peroxidation , Enzymes , AntioxidantsABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Early diagnosis of hearing loss minimizes its impact on child development. We studied factors that influence the effectiveness of screening programs.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between gender, weight at birth, gestational age, risk factors for hearing loss, venue for newborn hearing screening and "pass" and "fail" results in the retest.METHODS: Prospective cohort study was carried out in a tertiary referral hospital. The screening was performed in 565 newborns through transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in three admission units before hospital discharge and retest in the outpatient clinic. Gender, weight at birth, gestational age, presence of risk indicators for hearing loss and venue for newborn hearing screening were considered.RESULTS: Full-term infants comprised 86% of the cases, preterm 14%, and risk factors for hearing loss were identified in 11%. Considering the 165 newborns retested, only the venue for screening, Intermediate Care Unit, was related to "fail" result in the retest.CONCLUSIONS: Gender, weight at birth, gestational age and presence of risk factors for hearing loss were not related to "pass" and/or "fail" results in the retest. The screening performed in intermediate care units increases the chance of continued "fail" result in the Transient Otoacoustic Evoked Emissions test.
INTRODUÇÃO: O diagnóstico precoce da surdez minimiza impactos no desenvolvimento infantil. Fatores que interferem na efetividade dos programas de triagem são estudados.OBJETIVO: Verificar a relação entre sexo, peso ao nascimento, idade gestacional, presença de risco para deficiência auditiva, local de realização da triagem auditiva neonatal e resultados "passa" e "falha" no reteste.MÉTODO: Estudo de coorte prospectiva, em hospital de referência terciário. A triagem foi realizada em 565 neonatos, por meio das emissões otoacústicas evocadas transientes, em três unidades de internação antes da alta hospitalar e o reteste, no ambulatório. Sexo, peso ao nascimento, idade gestacional, presença de indicadores de risco para deficiência auditiva e local de realização do exame foram considerados.RESULTADOS: Nasceram a termo 86%, prematuros 14% e risco para deficiência auditiva, 11%. Dentre os 165 neonatos retestados, apenas o local de realização do exame, Unidade de Cuidados Intermediários, se relacionou com manutenção da "falha" no reteste.CONCLUSÕES: Sexo, peso ao nascimento, idade gestacional e presença de indicadores de risco para deficiência auditiva não se relacionaram com "passar" e/ou "falhar" no reteste. A realização do exame em unidades de cuidados intermediários aumenta a chance de permanência de "falha" no exame de Emissões Otoacústicas Evocadas Transientes.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , Hearing Disorders/diagnosis , Neonatal Screening/methods , Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous/physiology , Acoustic Stimulation , Hearing Tests , Prospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Leptospirose e uma importante causa de insuficiencia renal aguda, em nosso ambiente. Embora varios sejam os mecanismos implicados, o papel da rabdomiolise na patogenese da insuficiencia renal aguda na leptospirose ainda nao foi analisado. Com esse objetivo, 16 pacientes com o diagnostico da forma icterohemorragica da leptospirose consecutivamenete admitidos no Hospital Couto Maia, Salvador, Bahia, foram prospectivamente estudados....
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child , Adolescent , Adult , Middle Aged , Acute Kidney Injury/complications , Leptospirosis/etiology , Rhabdomyolysis/complicationsABSTRACT
Para el método citilógico términos como especialidad, Falsos Positivos y Casos Sobre Evaluados están bien definidos. En 1.985 en el Departamento de Citología del Instituto Oncológico "Luis Razetti" 46.223 extedidos citológicos fueron procesados. 7.686 fueron de pacientes con historias clínicas en el Instituto. 227 de estos casos sugirieron cualquier tipo de alteración neoplásica del cuello uterino y el estudio fue complemantado por una Bx; simultáneamente o posterior, 21 de estos casos fueron encontrados falsos positivos y constituyeron la causa de un estudio. Cada uno de estos casos fueron reevaluados por 5 Citotecnólogos para confirmar el Dx; original. Las Bxs; también fueron revisadas por 3 Patólogos con la misma finalidad. Un análisis de los casos con lessiones histológicas menores a aquellas señaladas por la citología fue realizada (casos sobre evaluados). La relación cito-histológica entre los procesos neoplásicos y el diagnóstico inicial fue altamente notorio
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Vaginal Smears , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Diagnostic ErrorsABSTRACT
El término de Sensibilidad, Falso Negativo y casos Subvalorados son definidos para así ser aplicados como parámetros de fidelidad del método. En una revisión de los archivos de Patología del Instituto Oncológico "Luis Razetti" de Caracas, correspondiente a los años 1.985, 390 casos de neoplasia intraepitelial y carcinoma fueron encontrados. Revisando las historias clínicas de dichos casos se encontró que 37 casos fueron citológicamente falsos negativos. Los casos que fueron tratados por cualquier tipo de cirugía o radioterapia fueron excluídos. Los 37 casos anteriormente citados fueron reevaludos por 5 Citotecnólogos para encontrar la causa del error inicial. Las biopsias correspondientes a esos casos también fueron reevaluados por tres (3) Patólogos con la misma finalidad. Una revisión de los casos con lesiones histológicas menores de aquellas obtenidas por citología fue hecha (casos sobre evaluados). La coincidencia cito histológica entre los procesos neoplásicos y los diagnósticos iniciales fue altamente notable
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Vaginal Smears , Uterine Cervical Neoplasms/diagnosis , Diagnostic ErrorsABSTRACT
Peritonite constitui uma complicaçäo freqüente da diálise peritoneal, sendo importante causa de morbidade e mortalidade. A flora bacteriana mais freqüente envolvida é a de gram-positivos, destacando-se o S. aureus e S. epidermidis, seguidos de estreptococos e de bacilos gram-negativos. Relatamos, no presente, três casos de peritonite em pacientes atendendo programa de diálise peritoneal intemitente, causadas pelo Bacillus subtilis. Habitualmente, o isolamento de Bacillus do líquido de diálise e de secreçöes orgânicas variadas (à exceçäo do B. anthracis) é tido como "contaminaçäo". Nosso relato visa alertar para a importância desse gyenero de bactéria como agente infectante, somando-se áqueles que destacam o papel patogênico dessa bactéria, e chamamos a atençäo para a procura de outros fatores de infecçäo que näo a pele ou aparelho digestivo, nessas situaçöes