Publications by authors named "Maria Betania Melo de Oliveira"

Assessing the quality of surface waters is essential for identifying changes in freshwater ecosystems and supporting the planning/proposing of measures to mitigate polluting sources. However, many studies involving the identification of pathogenic bacteria and/or their resistance profile to antimicrobial agents need a more holistic approach to conditioning or modulating factors. Thus, we apply different multivariate statistical techniques to the data set from the Capibaribe River's surface water, one of the most important in the Northeast of Brazil.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns beyond the viral infection itself. Bacterial co-infections, particularly those involving Acinetobacter baumannii, have become a significant worry in critically ill COVID-19 patients. A.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study evaluated the acute oral toxicity and genotoxicity of essential oil from Croton pulegiodorus leaves (CPLEO), which is known for its biological properties but lacks comprehensive toxicity data.
  • After characterizing CPLEO chemically using GC-MS, the research involved administering varying doses to female mice and monitoring effects on their health, including changes in weight, food and water consumption, and organ conditions.
  • Results revealed an LD of 460.42 mg/kg for acute toxicity, signs of toxicity at certain doses, but no genotoxic effects were found using comet and micronucleus assays, indicating careful dosage is crucial for further testing of CPLEO's benefits.
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Numerous studies evaluate chemical contaminants released by human activities and their effects on biota and aquatic ecosystems. However, few of these studies address non-toxic agents and their potentially harmful effects, which, in a concealed manner, culminate in an increased ecotoxicological risk for aquatic life and public health. This study investigated the presence of toxic and non-toxic pollutants in one of the main watersheds in Northeast Brazil (Rio São Francisco) and proposed a model of dispersion and transfer of resistance among the analyzed bacteria, also assessing the health risks of individuals and aquatic organisms present there.

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Geopropolis resins are produced by stingless bees (Meliponinae), developed from the collection of resinous materials, waxes and exudates, from the flora of the region where stingless bees are present, in addition to the addition of clay or earth in its composition. Several biological activities are attributed to Ethanol Extracts of Geopropolis (EEGP). The bioactive properties are associated with the complex chemical composition that the samples have.

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Introduction: Microplastics (MPs) are widely distributed in the environment, causing damage to biota and human health. Due to their physicochemical characteristics, they become resistant particles to environmental degradation, leading to their accumulation in large quantities in the terrestrial ecosystem. Thus, there is an urgent need for measures to mitigate such pollution, with biological degradation being a viable alternative, where bacteria play a crucial role, demonstrating high efficiency in degrading various types of MPs.

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Chemical pollutants represent a leading problem for aquatic ecosystems, as they can induce genetic, biochemical, and physiological changes in the species of these ecosystems, thus compromising their adaptability and survival. The Capibaribe River runs through the state of Pernambuco, located in Northeastern Brazil, and passes through areas of agricultural cultivation, densely populated cities, and industrial centers, primarily textiles. Despite its importance, few ecotoxicological studies have been conducted on its environment, and knowledge about pollution patterns and their effects on its biota is still being determined.

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The incidence of infections caused by resistant Gram-negative pathogens has become a critical factor in public health due to the limitation of therapeutic options for the control of infections caused, especially, by Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae), Pseudomonas spp., and Acinetobacter spp. Thus, given the increase in resistant pathogens and the reduction of therapeutic options, polymyxins were reintroduced into the clinic.

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Introduction: The aac(6')-Ib-cr and bla KPC genes are spreading among Enterobacteriaceae species, including Providencia stuartii, in some countries of world.

Methods: These genes were investigated in 28 P. stuartii isolates from a public hospital in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, by PCR and sequencing.

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Life-threatening bacterial infections are a major concern in health care services worldwide. This retrospective study aimed to demonstrate genetic and biochemical diversity in isolates of and from a public hospital in Brazil. A total of 63 isolates collected from different sites of infection and hospital sectors were characterized, and their susceptibility profile to antibiotics was assessed for 18 drugs belonging to 8 antimicrobial categories using the automated BACTEC system.

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and are the most relevant Gram-negative bacteria associated with hospital and opportunistic infections. This study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of drug-resistant . and .

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Hymenaea cangaceira Pinto, Mansano & Azevedo (Fabaceae) is a Brazilian medicinal plant widely known as "Jatobá". In folk medicine, it is used to treat infections, respiratory problems, rheumatism, antitumoral, inflammation and pain, however, no activity has been scientifically validated.

Aim Of The Study: This study investigated chemical composition of essential oil from Hymenaea cangaceira (EOHc), antimicrobial, antinociceptive and antioxidant activities besides protection against DNA damage and hemolysis.

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The increase in urbanization and industrialization has contributed to the contamination of different environments by means of xenobiotic compounds, such as heavy metals, causing changes in microbial communities. Among these metals, the Mercury (Hg) is one the most prevalent toxic metals for the environment The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of mercury on the formation of biofilm by environmental (collected from urban stream water) and clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae. In addition, antibiotic resistance, virulence factors, and genetic diversity were investigated.

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Article Synopsis
  • Four isolates of endophytic fungi (Alternaria alternata, Colletotrichum gloesporioides, Glomerella cingulata, and Nigrospora sphaerica) were studied for their genetic characteristics.
  • These fungi have been deposited in the University Recife Mycologia (URM) culture collection at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco.
  • The research focused on analyzing the fungal genes ITS 1 and 4 (5.8 S region) and assessing their ability to produce taxol, a significant compound used in cancer treatment.
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Aluminum salts are used as coagulants in water treatment; however, the exposure to residual aluminum has been associated with human brain lesions. The water-soluble Moringa oleifera lectin (WSMoL), which is extracted with distilled water and isolated by chitin chromatography, has coagulant activity and is able to reduce the concentration of metal ions in aqueous solutions. This study evaluated the potential of using aluminum sulfate and WSMoL to reduce the turbidity and toxicity of water from the Cavouco stream located in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.

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This contribution aimed to characterize physicochemical and kinetic parameters of the brain cholinesterases (ChEs) from Parachromis managuensis and investigate the in vitro effects of pesticides and metal ions on its activity intending to propose as biomarker. This species is suitable for this investigation because (1) it was recently introduced in Brazil becoming invasive (no restrictions on capture) and (2) occupies the top of the food chain (being subject to bioaccumulation). The enzyme extract was exposed to 10 metal ions (Al(3+), Ba(2+), Cd(2+), Cu(2+), Hg(2+), Mg(2+), Mn(2+), Pb(2+), Fe(2+) and Zn(2+)) and ChEs selective inhibitors (BW284c51, Iso-OMPA, neostigmine and serine).

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