Desulfovibrio alaskensis prophages and their possible involvement in the horizontal transfer of genes by outer membrane vesicles.

Desulfovibrio alaskensis is a Gram-negative bacterial species that belongs to the group of Sulphate Reducing Bacteria (SRB) and presents prophages in genomes, a common characteristic of the genus Desulfovibrio. Genetic material can be transported by outer membrane vesicles, however, no data regarding the production of these vesicles has been reported for D. alaskensis. To verify the expression of D. alaskensis prophages and their involvement with outer membrane vesicles, the DSM16109 strain was used. The DSM16109 strain had three prophages and presented reduced growth after mitomycin C addition when compared to the control culture. This reduction was accompanied by the presence of virus-like particles (VLPs), indicating mitomycin C dependent prophage induction. The increase in the number of cap gene copies and transcriptions of the three prophages was verified in the control sample, however, without the formation of VLPs. Prophage genes were identified in outer membrane vesicles from cultures treated and not treated with mitomycin C. DSM16109 prophages are expressed spontaneously but only in the presence of mitomycin C was it possible to observe VLP formation. Due to the genetic material detection from the prophages within outer membrane vesicles, this property may be related to the horizontal transfer of viral genes.

Estudo da gravidade dos pacientes vítimas de acidentes de trânsito atendidos pelo hospital de clínicas de Uberlândia de dezembro de 2005 a março de 2006 segundo índices de trauma / Traffic victims and their injuries, as treated in the emergency room of the university hospital of Uberlândia (HCU), from december, 2005 through march, 2006 based on trauma scales

Calculamos os índices Injurity Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS) e Escala de Coma de Glasgow (ECG) dos pacientes vítimas de acidentes de trânsito atendidas no Hospital de Clínicas de Uberlândia (HCU) aos sábados dos meses de dezembro de 2005 a março de 2006, além de analisar os dados epidemiológicos referentes ao acidente, aos pacientes e ao atendimento pré e intra-hospitalar (primeiro atendimento). As informações foram obtidas nos prontuários das vítimas. A maioria dos pacientes apresentou lesões na superfície externa do corpo (58; 53,7 por cento), seguida por lesões em extremidades e ossos da pelve (30; 27,8 por cento) e por cabeça e face (15; 13,9 por cento). O sexo masculino foi o mais acometido (53; 58,2 por cento) e os acidentes motociclísticos foram os mais freqüentes (29; 31,9 por cento). Quanto ao ISS, os pacientes em geral apresentaram baixos escores, não excedendo a 16. Todas as vítimas tiveram escores altos na escala de coma de Glasgow, sendo que 60 (65,9 por cento) apresentaram escore igual a 15. Para 17 pacientes (18,7 por cento) foi possível o cálculo do índice RTS. Destes, 15 (88,2 por cento) obtiveram escore final 12. Concluímos que a maioria dos pacientes atendidos no HCU por acidentes de trânsito apresentou trauma leve, sendo que valores RTS e ECG altos correlacionaram-se com escores ISS baixos, indicadores de bom prognóstico e baixo risco de vida, o que em um hospital de atendimento de nível terciário congestiona o serviço e demanda ônus monetário e de pessoal, podendo interferir no bom atendimento de casos de maior complexidade.

The authors applied three different measurement tools to analyze patients, victims of traffic accidents, at the Emergency Room of the Hospital de Clínicas in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais (HCU). The measures used were: the Injury Severity Score (ISS), Revised Trauma Score (RTS) and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). The data, including epidemiological factors, were collected from patients’ charts as they were treated, on Saturdays from December, 2005 through March of the following year. Most of the patients presented superficial lesions or abrasions to the body (58 patients; 53.7 percent), followed by lesions to the extremities and hips (30; 27.8 percent) and head and face injuries (15; 13.9 percent). Most of the injured were male (53; 58.2 percent) and accidents involving motorcycles were very frequent (29; 31.9 percent). Regarding the Injury Severity Score (ISS) patients demonstrated relatively low scores, not exceeding 16. All victims scored high on the Coma Glasgow Scale; of these, 60 (65.9 percent), presented a score of 15. Seventeen patients (18,7 percent) were assessed using the RTS scale. Of these, fifteen (88,2 percent), were given a final score of 12. It was concluded that the majority of the victims of traffic accidents admitted to the HCU Emergency Room during the period of the study demonstrated minimal trauma. High values for RTS and GCS correlated with lower ISS scores, indicating an adequate prognosis and a reduced risk to the patients’ lives. Unfortunately the services and costs involved with their treatment led to a congested situation prejudicial to adequate assistance for more serious cases.