Ex situ model of biofilm-associated wounds: providing a host-like environment for the study of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms.

AIM: This study aimed to assess an ex situ model of biofilm-associated wounds on porcine skin for the study of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms in a host-like environment, after 48 to 120 h of incubation. MATERIAL AND RESULTS: Ex situ and in vitro biofilms were comparatively analysed. Overall, CFU-counts and matrix quantification yielded significantly (P < 0·05) higher results for ex situ than in vitro biofilms. Confocal microscopy revealed greater (P < 0·05) biomass and thickness at 48-72 h and greater (P < 0·05) robustness at 72 h of growth. S. aureus ex situ biofilms produced less (P < 0·05) siderophore and proteases than in vitro biofilms, while P. aeruginosa ex situ biofilms produced more (P < 0·05) siderophores and less proteases than in vitro biofilms. CONCLUSIONS: Biofilms grown ex situ present a greater amount of bacterial cells and polymeric matrix than their in vitro counterparts, reaching maturity at 72 h of growth. Moreover the production of virulence factors differs between ex situ and in vitro biofilms. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: These findings emphasize the importance of using ex situ biofilm models, once they mimic in vivo conditions. The use of these models brings perspectives for the pursuit of therapeutic alternatives, as tests may be performed in a host-like environment.

Use of steroid hormone treatments prior to superovulation in Nelore donors.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of synchronization of follicular wave emergence using steroid hormone treatments in Nelore cows. Donors were placed into three groups. Those that were between days 9 and 12 of their cycle (estrus=day 0) formed the TI group (n=60), whilst those that were in any other stages of their estrus cycle constituted groups TII (n=60) and TIII (n=60). TI donors were submitted to a standard protocol of superovulation, however, TII and TIII donors were treated with the Syncro-Mate-B (SMB) or Controlled Internal Drug Releasing Device (CIDR-B) programs, respectively. Superovulation was induced with p-FSH, divided into eight decreasing doses at intervals of 12h. The donors received cloprostenol 48h after the beginning of the treatment and progestagens were removed 12h later. Artificial inseminations (AI) were done at 12 and 22h after the initiation of estrus and the embryo collections were done 7 days after AI. In the donors which displayed behavioral estrus, mean (+/-S.E.M.) total ova and viable (transferable) embryos were 15.8+/-1.4 and 8.3+/-1.0 (TI, n=56); 15.6+/-1.3 and 8.9+/-1.0 (TII, n=56); 17.3+/-1.0 and 9.9+/-0.9 (TIII, n=57), respectively, with no significant difference (P > or =0.05) among groups. In those animals that did not displayed behavioral estrus, the mean values of total ova and viable embryos were 3.5+/-1.6 and 0.7+/-0.5 (TI, n=4); 11.5+/-3.9 and 9.0+/-4.4 (TII, n=4); 8.7+/-5.0 and 5.0+/-2.9 (TIII, n=3), respectively, with no significant differences (P > or =0.05) among groups. Pregnancy rates of 62.2% (TI, n=235); 66.4% (TII, n=284) and 65.1% (TIII, n=244) were obtained with embryos transferred from these collections and did not differ significantly (P > or =0.05) among groups. It was concluded that the synchronization of the emergence of follicular waves in Nelore donors is usable and does not harm the efficiency of embryo transfer programs. In addition, in contrast to the standard superovulation protocol, this method permits the use of a large number of donors in a short time period, at any stage of the estrus cycle, minimizing the costs of embryo transfer.

Recuperaçäo de Brucella abortus do leite in natura procedente de vacas soropositivas dos municípios de Pedra e Venturosa - PE: aspectos de saúde pública / Recovery of Brucella abortus of the raw milk from animals having seropositive Pedra e Venturosa counties - PE

Com o objetivo de recuperar Brucella abortus do leite, utilizaram-se 14 amostras de leite in natura de fêmeas bovinas soropositivas para brucelose procedentes de sete propriedades rurais situadas nos municípios de Pedra e Venturosa - PE. As amostras de leite foram centrifugadas a 1431,04 g por trinta minutos, obtendo sobrenadante e sedimento que foram semeados em ágar brucela, contendo antibióticos e antifúngicos, isolando-se apenas uma amostra de Brucella abortus do sedimento, correspondendo a 7,14 por cento dos animais estudados. Os sedimentos obtidos da centrifugaçäo foram tratados com antibióticos e antifúngicos e inoculados em cobaias, por via intraperitoneal. Das vinte e oito cobaias inoculadas cinco (17,85 por cento) apresentaram reaçäo sorológica positiva nos testes de soroglutinaçäo rápida (SAR), soroaglutinaçäo lenta (SAL) e 2-mercaptoetanol (2-ME), demonstrando uma possível infecçäo destes animais pela Brucella abortus presente no leite, apesar do isolamento bacteriano em órgäos como baço, fígado, linfonodo, pulmöes e testículos ter sido obtido em apenas uma amostra. A pesquisa de aglutininas anti-Brucella abortus em soros de humanos observou-se que oito amostras (21,05 por cento) apresentaram reaçäo de 1:100, em pelo menos uma das provas utilizadas na detecçäo de anticorpos, sugerindo possível infecçäo dos humanos através do consumo do leite e subprodutos in natura.

Incidência de hemorragia peri-intraventricular em recém-nascidos pré-termo com peso ao nascimento inferior a 1500 gramas: avaliaçäo dos estudos ultrassonográficos de crânio e necrópsia / Incidence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm newborn infants with birth weight less than 1500 gms: evaluation of brain ultrasonographic studies and necropsy

De janeiro a dezembro-1986, nasceram 120 crianças com peso ao nascimento inferior a 1500 gramas. Dessas, 85 foram escolhidas para estudo por apresentarem avaliaçäo ultrassonográfica de crânio e/ou estudo necroscópico. A mortalidade do grupo de estudo foi de 70//, porém a mortalidade geral do período foi de 52,5//. A avaliaçäo ultrassonográfica foi realizada em 41 crianças. A incidência de hemorragia peri-intraventricular (HPIV) foi de 42,3//. Vinte e três crianças (63,8//) apresentaram HPIV grau II ou III; 10 apresentaram HPIV grau I (27,7//) e apenas 3 (8,3//) tinham o grau IV. Treze crianças tinham realizado ultrassonografia de crânio e exame necroscópico. Houve concordância total entre as duas avaliaçöes em 9 (69//), enquanto 2 casos (16//) apresentavam concordância parcial, pois o diagnóstico dos graus de HPIV foram divergêntes. Apenas 2 casos apresentavam discorância entre as avaliaçöes de ultrassom e necrópsia. Em ambos a avaliaçäo ultrassonográfica inicial mostrou ausência de hemorragia intracraniana e a necrópsia, HPIV. Entretanto, o óbito ocorreu 20 e 53 dias, respectivamente, após a avaliaçäo sonográfica. Concluimos que a incidência de HPIV foi comparável à referida na literatura e que no exame ultrassonográfico de crânio é bastante confiável para o seu diagnóstico

[Incidence of peri-intraventricular hemorrhage in preterm newborn infants with birth weight less than 1500 gms: evaluation of brain ultrasonographic studies and necropsy]. / Incidéncia de hemorragia peri-intraventricular em recém-nascidos pré-termo com peso ao nascimento inferior a 1500 gramas. Avaliação dos estudos ultrassonográficos de crãnio e necrópsia.

From January to December 1986, 120 preterm infants were born with birth-weight under 1500 gm. Eighty-five infants were included in the study group either because they had a cranial sonographic evaluation or a necropsy. The mortality rate was 70% for the study group, but was 52.5% for the whole period. The sonographic examination was performed in 41 infants. The incidence of periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (PIVH) was 42.3%. Twenty-three cases had PIVH grade II (63.8%), 10 grade I (27.7%), and 3 (8.3%) grade IV. Thirteen infants had sonographic and necroscopic examinations. We observed a total agreement between sonographic and necroscopic diagnosis in 9 cases (69%). Two cases were classified as partial agreement as they differed only in the grading of PIVH, whereas in two cases there was a false negative diagnosis in the ultrasound examination. The interval between the examinations in these two false negative cases was 53 and 20 days, respectively. We conclude that the incidence of PIVH found in our study is comparable to that of the literature and that cranial ultrasonography is a sensitive neuroimage technique for the diagnosis of PIVH in the newborn preterm infant.