Experimental study, simulation and technical-economic feasibility of an interesterification plant for hydrocarbons synthesis by using plastics and frying oil waste.

This work presents the experimental assessment of a 20 mL batch reactor's efficacy in converting plastic and oil residues into biofuels. The reactor, designed for ease of use, is heated using a metallic system. The experiments explore plastic solubilization at various temperatures and residence times, employing a mixture of distilled water and ethylene glycol as the solvent. Initial findings reveal that plastic solubilization requires a temperature of 350 °C with an ethylene glycol mole fraction of 0.35, whereas 250 °C suffices with a mole fraction of 0.58. Additionally, the study includes a process simulation of a plant utilizing a double fluidized bed gasifier and an economic evaluation of the interesterification/pyrolysis plant. Simulation results support project feasibility, estimating a total investment cost of approximately $12.99 million and annual operating expenses of around $17.98 million, with a projected payback period of about 5 years.

Outbreak of high-risk XDR CRAB of international clone 2 (IC2) in Rio Janeiro, Brazil.

OBJECTIVES: Among the high-risk clones of Acinetobacter baumannii, called international clones (ICs), IC2 represents the main lineage causing outbreaks worldwide. Despite the successful global spread of IC2, the occurrence of IC2 is rarely reported in Latin America. Here, we aimed to evaluate the susceptibility and genetic relatedness of isolates from a nosocomial outbreak in Rio de Janeiro/Brazil (2022) and perform genomic epidemiology analyses of the available genomes of A. baumannii. METHODS: Sixteen strains of A. baumannii were subjected to antimicrobial susceptibility tests and genome sequencing. These genomes were compared phylogenetically with other IC2 genomes from the NCBI database, and virulence and antibiotic resistance genes were searched. RESULTS: The 16 strains represented carbapenem-resistant A. baumannii (CRAB) with an extensively drug-resistant profile. In silico analysis established the relationship between the Brazilian CRAB genomes and IC2/ST2 genomes in the world. The Brazilian strains belonged to three sub-lineages, associated with genomes from countries in Europe, North America, and Asia. These sub-lineages presented three distinct capsules, KL7, KL9, and KL56. The Brazilian strains were characterised by the co-presence of blaOXA-23 and blaOXA-66, in addition to the genes APH(6), APH(3"), ANT(3"), AAC(6'), armA, and the efflux pumps adeABC and adeIJK. A large set of virulence genes was also identified: adeFGH/efflux pump; the siderophores barAB, basABCDFGHIJ, and bauBCDEF; lpxABCDLM/capsule; tssABCDEFGIKLM/T6SS; and pgaABCD/biofilm. CONCLUSION: Widespread extensively drug-resistant CRAB IC2/ST2 is currently causing outbreaks in clinical settings in southeastern Brazil. This is due to at least three sub-lineages characterised by an enormous apparatus of virulence and resistance to antibiotics, both intrinsic and mobile.

Bloodstream infection by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in a COVID-19 patient receiving probiotic supplementation in the ICU in Brazil.

Care-related infections (CRIs) have a negative impact on the morbidity and mortality of patients in intensive care. Among them, fungal infections (e.g. Candida spp. and Aspergillus spp.) have high mortality in critically ill patients, particularly those with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and immunosuppression. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes severe respiratory changes and deregulation of the immune system. Here, we describe a case of fungal infection in an intensive care unit (ICU) patient with COVID-19 caused by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a yeast widely used in the baking and wine production industries. It is also used as a probiotic, both for prevention and as adjunctive therapy in patients with diarrhoea. The patient was admitted to the ICU with a diagnosis of COVID-19, respiratory failure, complications of ARDS and renal failure, and was being treated with antibiotics and vasoactive amines. Later, the patient had diarrhoea and, after supplementation with Saccharomyces, he developed a bloodstream infection with Saccharomyces. The patient died after 61 days of hospitalization due to thrombocytopenia and bleeding. This case report suggests avoiding the use of probiotics in intensive care patients under the administration of antibiotics and amines, and with damage to the intestinal mucosa and immunodeficiency caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), since these factors could favour the translocation of fungi.

Experiências de uma ONG na promoção de direitos e saúde trans em São Paulo / Experiences of a NGO with promoting trans rights and health care in São Paulo

Este artigo procura expor as ações realizadas pelo Instituto Cultural Barong junto à transexuais, visando à promoção de seus direitos, incluindo o de saúde e prevenção de IST/HIV. São relatadas as estratégias de promoção de informações por meio do desenvolvimento de materiais educativos, exposições, ações de campo e inclusive cursos produzidos para este público, procurando atender suas necessidades, locais de circulação de trabalho ou sociabilidade, linguagem e demandas. As estratégias foram consideradas de sucesso pela sua adesão e receptividade comprovada no público e ambientes integrados.

A cluster of Listeria monocytogenes infections in hospitalized adults.

BACKGROUND: Listeriosis occurs mainly in persons at extremes of age and with immunocompromising conditions. It is believed that most cases of listeriosis are acquired in the community. A cluster of listeriosis in hospitalized patients prompted the present investigation. METHODS: We conducted a case series study of listeriosis from August 21, 2006, to June 1, 2007, in a hospital in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. RESULTS: Six patients with Listeria monocytogenes infection were identified: 5 during hospitalization and 1 at a day clinic. By the time the infection was diagnosed, 5 patients had been in the hospital for a mean of 9 days. All patients were elderly (median age, 80 years) and had immunocompromising conditions. Five (83%) patients died. Four patients developed bloodstream infections, 3 caused by serotype 1/2b. Two patients had peritonitis: one caused by serotype 3b and another by serotype 1/2b. Four L monocytogenes isolates belonged to a single pulse-field gel electrophoresis genotype, suggesting a common source. An epidemiologic investigation pointed to the hospital kitchen as the possible contamination. CONCLUSION: Data suggest a health care-associated outbreak of listeriosis and highlight the importance of developing guidelines for prevention and treatment of health care-associated foodborne diseases, especially in hospitals with immunocompromised adult patients.

Case-crossover study of Burkholderia cepacia complex bloodstream infection associated with contaminated intravenous bromopride.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate an outbreak of healthcare-associated Burkholderia cepacia complex (BCC) primary bloodstream infections (BCC-BSI). DESIGN AND SETTING: Case-crossover study in a public hospital, a university hospital and a private hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from March 2006 to May 2006. PATIENTS: Twenty-five patients with BCC-BSI. DESIGN: After determining the date BCC-BSI symptoms started for each patient, 3 time intervals of data collection were defined, each one with a duration of 3 days: the case period, starting just before BCC-BSI symptoms onset; the control period, starting 6 days before BCC-BSI symptoms onset; and the washout period, comprising the 3 days between the case period and the control period. Exposures evaluated were intravascular solutions and invasive devices and procedures. Potential risk factors were identified by using the McNemar chi(2) adjusted test. Cultures of samples of potentially contaminated solutions were performed. BCC strain typing was performed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis using SpeI. RESULTS: The statistical analysis revealed that the use of bromopride and dipyrone was associated with BCC-BSI. A total of 21 clinical isolates from 17 (68%) of the 25 patients and an isolate obtained from the bromopride vial were available for strain typing. Six pulsotypes were detected. A predominant pulsotype (A) accounted for 11 isolates obtained from 11 patients (65%) in the 3 study hospitals. CONCLUSION: Our investigation, using a case-crossover design, of an outbreak of BCC-BSI infections concluded it was polyclonal but likely caused by infusion of contaminated bromopride. The epidemiological finding was validated by microbiological analysis. After recall of contaminated bromopride vials by the manufacturer, the outbreak was controlled.

Hemoptises maciças asfixiantes e síndrome de angústia respiratória do adulto no curso da leptospirose / Massise asphysiating hemoptysis and respiratory distress syndrome in adult in leptospirosis course

É apresentado o caso de uma mulher adulta jovem com leptospirose, cujas manifestaçoes clínicas dominantes foram hemoptises severas persistentes e insuficiência respiratória aguda. Aspiraçöes freqüentes do tubo orotraqueal davam saída a grandes quantidades de sangue que a levavam à asfixia. Paralelamente, apresentou síndrome de angústia respiratória do adulto (SARA) e, por esta razäo, recebeu respiraçäo assistida por 10 dias. Estas graves alteraçöes respiratórias apareceram recentemente, tornaram-se rotina e constituem-se hoje na principal e mais precoce causa de morte na leptospirose em nossa regiäo. Säo responsáveis por novos padröes clínicos dessa doença entre nós e pela modificaçäo de nossos critérios sobre a sua gravidade.

Manifestaçöes respiratórias na leptospirose / Respiratory manifestations of leptospirosis

Foram estudados 69 pacientes com leptospirose vistos no HSE-RJ durante a epidemia de veräo de 1988. Descrevem-se os aspectos clínicos e radiológicos da doença relativos ao trato respiratório, estabelecendo-se sua correlaçäo com a severidade da infecçäo. Foram verificadas manifestaçöes torácicas em 37% dos enfermos. Destes, 41,1% apresentavam tosse seca e 20,6% exibiram dor torácica, os dois sintomas mais comuns. Houve alteraçöes radiológicas do tórax em 34,8% dos casos. Padräo retículo-nodular difuso foi o achado mais freqüente,representando 31,25% do total de alteraçöes. As manifestaçöes clínicas e/ou radiológicas da doença estiveram presentes com maior freqüência nos pacientes considerados de menor gravidade. Do presente estudo, concluiu-se que: 1) as manifestaçöes respiratórias säo usualmente subestimadas; 2) as alteraçöes renais e hepáticas predominam sobre as pulmonares, embora a leptospirose possa predispor ao desenvolvimento da síndrome de angústia respiratória do adulto; 3) os achados radiológicos säo bastante variados, sendo o padräo retículo-nodular difuso o mais comum; 4) näo foi encontrada uma estreita correlaçäo entre manifestaçöes clínicas e achados radiológicos - paciente com sintomatologia respiratória evidente apresentam estudo radiológico normal e, por outro lado, pacientes que mostravam alteraçöes no RX do tórax näo tinham sintomatologia

Alteraçöes neurológicas na endocardite infecciosa: estudo de 105 casos

As manifestaçöes do sistema nervoso central têm grande relevância no quadro clínico da endocardite infecciosa. Quando presentes na abertura do quadro dificultam o diagnóstico, e quando surgem em qualquer outra fase da doença pioram consideravelmente o prognóstico. Nesta revisäo de 105 pacientes do Hospital dos Servidores do Estado, com diagnóstico de endocardite infecciosa, 41(39%) apresentaram distúrbios neurológicos e, dentre estes, 24 evoluíram para óbito. Säo estudadas as lesöes neurológicas de 10 autópsias. As alteraçöes mais freqüentes foram as cerebrovasculares e em seguida as meningoencefálicas. Os achados clínicos anatomopatológicos e laboratoriais säo apresentados e discutidos em confronto com os de uma revisäo da literatura

Alteracoes neurologicas na endocardite infecciosa: estudo de 105 casos

As manifestacoes do sistema nervoso central tem grande relevancia no quadro clinico da endocardite infecciosa. Quando presentes na abertura do quadro dificultam o diagnostico, e quando surgem em qualquer outra fase da doenca pioram consideravelmente o prognostico. Nesta revisao de 105 pacientes do Hospital dos Servicos do Estado, com diagnostico de endocardite infecciosa, 41 (39 por cento) paresentaram disturbios neurologicos e, dentre estes, 24 evoluiram para obito. Sao estudadas as lesoes neurologicas de 10 autopsias. As alteracoes mais frequentes foram as cerebrovasculares e em seguida as meningoencefalicas. Os achados clinicos, anatomopatologicos e laboratoriais sao apresentados e discutidos em confronto com os de uma revisao da literatura.

Alteraçöes neurológicas na endocardite infecciosa: estudo de 105 casos / Neurological changes in infective endocarditis: study of 105 cases

As manifestaçöes do sistema nervoso central têm grande relevância no quadro clínico da endocardite infecciosa. Quando presentes na abertura do quadro dificultam o diagnóstico, e quando surgem em qualquer outra fase da doença pioram consideravelmente o prognóstico. Nesta revisäo de 105 pacientes do Hospital dos Servidores do Estado, com diagnóstico de endocardite infecciosa, 41 (39%) apresentaram distúrbios neurológicos e, dentre estes, 24 evoluíram para óbito. Säo estudadas as lesöes neurológicas de 10 autópsias. As alteraçöes mais freqüentes foram as cerebrovasculares e em seguida as meningoencefálicas. Os achados clínicos, anatomopatológicos e laboratoriais säo apresentados e discutidos em confronto com os de uma revisäo da literatura

Leptospirose na gestaçäo: discussäo de dois casos / Leptospirosis in pregnancy: discussion of 2 cases

Säo apresentados dois casos de leptospirose durante a gravidez, cujas gestaçöes evoluíram ao termo. Em uma das pacientes o estado gravídico näo parece ter alterado o curso da doença, enquanto que a outra doente teve uma icterícia prolongada, o que näo é habitual em leptospirose. Os conceptos näo apresentaram sinais de doença por leptospira, sendo um apenas pequeno para a idade gestacional e o outro com diversas malformaçöes atribuídas a outra etiologia. A literatura é revista e comparada com os dois casos expostos

Prótese Adesiva: uma nova opção na Odontologia / Adhesive prosthesis: a new option in Dentistry

Os autores relatam sua experiência de 8 casos já realizados com "prótese adesiva", apresentando as características técnicas e principais conclusões sobre este novo tema

Staphylococcus pyogenes in excised tonsils. / Staphylococcus pyogenes em amigdalas extraídas.

The authors, based on papers published by various workers on colonization of Staphylococcus pyogenes in children and adults, verified the incidence of this bacteria in tonsils extracted from patients with chronic tonsilitis. Tonsils from 115 patients were examined bacteriologically, and from 79 (68%) Staphylococcus pyogenes were isolated.It is important that almost all staphycocci isolated were resistant to various antibiotics.

Foi estudada a incidência de Staphylococcus pyogenes em amígdalas extraídas de 115 pacientes, bem como, a resistência dessa bactéria a vários antibióticos. Os resultados encontrados, 68% de positividade, são mais elevados do que os apresentados por FRAGA, ROGERS e PASTORE et alii. O estudo in vitro da resistência do Staphylococcus pyogenes aos antibióticos, normalmente usados em casos de amigdalites, demonstrou que a neomicina, cloranfenicol, eritromicina, kanamicina, novobiocina e espiramicina foram os antibióticos mais ativos. Os resultados encontrados sugerem maior atenção dos clínicos para a alta incidência de Staphylococcus pyogenes nas amigdalites crônicas, considerando a importância dessa bactéria na etiologia de infecções como: pneumopatias, bronquites, otites, enterocolites, alergias etc.

Staphylococcus pyogenes in excised tonsils / Staphylococcus pyogenes em amigdalas extraídas

The authors, based on papers published by various workers on colonization of Staphylococcus pyogenes in children and adults, verified the incidence of this bacteria in tonsils extracted from patients with chronic tonsilitis. Tonsils from 115 patients were examined bacteriologically, and from 79 (68%) Staphylococcus pyogenes were isolated.It is important that almost all staphycocci isolated were resistant to various antibiotics.

Foi estudada a incidência de Staphylococcus pyogenes em amígdalas extraídas de 115 pacientes, bem como, a resistência dessa bactéria a vários antibióticos. Os resultados encontrados, 68% de positividade, são mais elevados do que os apresentados por FRAGA, ROGERS e PASTORE et alii. O estudo in vitro da resistência do Staphylococcus pyogenes aos antibióticos, normalmente usados em casos de amigdalites, demonstrou que a neomicina, cloranfenicol, eritromicina, kanamicina, novobiocina e espiramicina foram os antibióticos mais ativos. Os resultados encontrados sugerem maior atenção dos clínicos para a alta incidência de Staphylococcus pyogenes nas amigdalites crônicas, considerando a importância dessa bactéria na etiologia de infecções como: pneumopatias, bronquites, otites, enterocolites, alergias etc.