Lactobacilli and bifidobacteria in the feces of schoolchildren of two different socioeconomic groups: children from a favela and children from a private school.

Objective: To determine the number of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium colonies in the feces of schoolchildren from two different socioeconomic levels.

Methods: We analyzed fecal samples of children aged 6 to 10 years without gastrointestinal symptoms or recent use of antimicrobials. The first group included 86 children living in a favela in the city of Osasco, state of São Paulo, southeastern Brazil.

Yeast species involved in artisanal cachaça fermentation in three stills with different technological levels in Pernambuco, Brazil.

Both the taste and aroma of cachaça, an alcoholic beverage produced by yeast fermentation of sugar cane, are influenced by yeast metabolites and volatiles. The knowledge of yeast population dynamics during the fermentation process will help to establish the basis for quality control of alcoholic beverage. In the present work, the population dynamics of three fermentation processes, with differing levels of technological sophistication, were studied.

Optimization of temperature, sugar concentration, and inoculum size to maximize ethanol production without significant decrease in yeast cell viability.

Aiming to obtain rapid fermentations with high ethanol yields and a retention of high final viabilities (responses), a 2(3) full-factorial central composite design combined with response surface methodology was employed using inoculum size, sucrose concentration, and temperature as independent variables. From this statistical treatment, two well-fitted regression equations having coefficients significant at the 5% level were obtained to predict the viability and ethanol production responses. Three-dimensional response surfaces showed that increasing temperatures had greater negative effects on viability than on ethanol production.

Eating practices, nutritional status and constipation in patients with Rett syndrome.

Background: Disturbance in chewing, swallowing and digestive motility may predispose to feeding and nutritional abnormalities in patients with Rett syndrome.

Objective: To evaluate the dietary habits, nutritional status and the prevalence of constipation in patients with classical Rett syndrome.

Methods: Twenty seven female patients between the ages of 2.

Visceral leishmaniasis in large Brazilian cities: challenges for control.

The objectives of this article were to discuss the rapid spread of visceral leishmaniasis in urban areas of Brazil and to raise practical questions and perspectives related to control of the disease. Among the proposed methods, the elimination of seropositive dogs is the most controversial and least accepted by society. Its impact on incidence rates varies among studies (positive in some and relatively unimportant in others).

Crystal structure of CD155 and electron microscopic studies of its complexes with polioviruses.

When poliovirus (PV) recognizes its receptor, CD155, the virus changes from a 160S to a 135S particle before releasing its genome into the cytoplasm. CD155 is a transmembrane protein with 3 Ig-like extracellular domains, D1-D3, where D1 is recognized by the virus. The crystal structure of D1D2 has been determined to 3.

Role of the CCA bulge of prohead RNA of bacteriophage ø29 in DNA packaging.

The oligomeric ring of prohead RNA (pRNA) is an essential component of the ATP-driven DNA packaging motor of bacteriophage ø29. The A-helix of pRNA binds the DNA translocating ATPase gp16 (gene product 16) and the CCA bulge in this helix is essential for DNA packaging in vitro. Mutation of the bulge by base substitution or deletion showed that the size of the bulge, rather than its sequence, is primary in DNA packaging activity.

Three-dimensional organization of Rift Valley fever virus revealed by cryoelectron tomography.

Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a member of the Bunyaviridae virus family (genus Phlebovirus) and is considered to be one of the most important pathogens in Africa, causing viral zoonoses in livestock and humans. Here, we report the characterization of the three-dimensional structural organization of RVFV vaccine strain MP-12 by cryoelectron tomography. Vitrified-hydrated virions were found to be spherical, with an average diameter of 100 nm.

Defining molecular and domain boundaries in the bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor.

Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) studies of the bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor have delineated the relative positions and molecular boundaries of the 12-fold symmetric head-tail connector, the 5-fold symmetric prohead RNA (pRNA), the ATPase that provides the energy for packaging, and the procapsid. Reconstructions, assuming 5-fold symmetry, were determined for proheads with 174-base, 120-base, and 71-base pRNA; proheads lacking pRNA; proheads with ATPase bound; and proheads in which the packaging motor was missing the connector. These structures are consistent with pRNA and ATPase forming a pentameric motor component around the unique vertex of proheads.

DNA packaging motor assembly intermediate of bacteriophage phi29.

Unraveling the structure and assembly of the DNA packaging ATPases of the tailed double-stranded DNA bacteriophages is integral to understanding the mechanism of DNA translocation. Here, the bacteriophage phi29 packaging ATPase gene product 16 (gp16) was overexpressed in soluble form in Bacillus subtilis (pSAC), purified to near homogeneity, and assembled to the phi29 precursor capsid (prohead) to produce a packaging motor intermediate that was fully active in in vitro DNA packaging. The formation of higher oligomers of the gp16 from monomers was concentration dependent and was characterized by analytical ultracentrifugation, gel filtration, and electron microscopy.

Crystal and cryoEM structural studies of a cell wall degrading enzyme in the bacteriophage phi29 tail.

The small bacteriophage phi29 must penetrate the approximately 250-A thick external peptidoglycan cell wall and cell membrane of the Gram-positive Bacillus subtilis, before ejecting its dsDNA genome through its tail into the bacterial cytoplasm. The tail of bacteriophage phi29 is noncontractile and approximately 380 A long. A 1.

Aggressiveness and hostility in the family environment and chronic constipation in children.

Objective: To compare the emotional aspects of children with and without constipation.

Methodology: Some emotional aspects were studied in children with and without constipation. A nonstructured interview was performed with the mothers regarding the emotional aspects of their children.

The epidemiological and clinical characteristics and nutritional development of infants with acute diarrhoea, in north-eastern Brazil.

In order to assess the epidemiological and clinical characteristics and changing nutritional status of infants suffering from acute diarrhoea, 103 infants with such diarrhoea and the same number of age-matched controls were investigated at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte's Paediatric Hospital, in north-eastern Brazil. Each child with diarrhoea was given oral rehydration or, in the severe cases, intravenous rehydration. Each subject was checked for enteropathogens and his or her weight, height and weight-for-height, weight-for-age and height-for-age Z-scores were evaluated immediately after any clinical dehydration had been corrected and 30 days later.

Polyhexamethyl biguanide can eliminate contaminant yeasts from fuel-ethanol fermentation process.

Industrial ethanol fermentation is a non-sterile process and contaminant microorganisms can lead to a decrease in industrial productivity and significant economic loss. Nowadays, some distilleries in Northeastern Brazil deal with bacterial contamination by decreasing must pH and adding bactericides. Alternatively, contamination can be challenged by adding a pure batch of Saccharomyces cerevisiae-a time-consuming and costly process.

Inclusion of fish or fish oil in weight-loss diets for young adults: effects on blood lipids.

Objective: To assess the effects of fish (lean or oily) and fish oil consumption on blood lipid concentration during weight loss.

Design: Randomized, controlled 8-week trial of energy-restricted diet varying in fish and fish oil content. Subjects, 324 men and women, aged 20-40 years, body mass index 27.

Influence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on soluble cellular adhesion molecules as biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in young healthy subjects.

Background And Aim: Serum levels of soluble cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) and blood lipid parameters have been used as markers of inflammatory processes associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) events. The present study evaluated the effects of the intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in fish and fish oil within energy-restricted diets, on soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1).

Methods And Results: Two hundred and seventy-five healthy European subjects aged between 20 and 40 years, were randomized to one of four hypocaloric dietary groups: control (sunflower oil capsules, no seafood), lean fish (3 x 150 g portions of cod/week), fatty fish (3 x 150 g portions of salmon/week), fish oil ((docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)+eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) capsules, no seafood)).

Isolation and characterization of a new Arthrospira strain.

A filamentous microorganism, morphologically similar to the cyanobacterium Arthrospira, was isolated from Mangueira Lagoon in Brazil, from which Arthrospira has not previously been isolated. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) comparison with the standard Arthrospira platensis strains LEB 52 and Paracas indicated that the organism isolated was an Arthrospira isolate, which we denominated strain LEB 18. The RAPD analysis showed conserved sequences which indicated that the three strains belonged to the same genus, and were all Arthrospira species, but there were sufficient differences between them suggesting that they were separate strains.

Risk factors for low bone mineral density in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease.

Objective: To evaluate bone mineral density of the lumbar spine in children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease, and to identify the clinical risk factors associated with low bone mineral density.

Methods: Bone mineral density of the lumbar spine was evaluated using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 40 patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Patients were 11.

[Clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with chronic constipation according to age group].

Background: There was no study evaluating clinical characteristics of constipation according pediatric age groups.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic constipation according to age group.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated the demographic data and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with chronic constipation who had been admitted to an outpatient clinic between May 1995 and December 2000.

Chromosome instability in industrial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae batch cultivated under laboratory conditions.

Industrial ethanol fermentation is a complex microbiological process to which yeast cells must adapt for survival. One of the mechanisms for adaptation is thought to involve chromosome rearrangements. We found that changes in chromosome banding patterns measured by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis can also be produced in laboratory media under simulated industrial conditions.

Intestinal blood loss as an aggravating factor of iron deficiency in infants aged 9 to 12 months fed whole cow's milk.

Goals: To verify the occurrence of occult intestinal blood loss and iron deficiency in infants aged 9 to 12 months.

Study: A consecutive sample of 98 infants of the Pediatric Public Health Primary Care Unit in the town of Arapongas, Parana State, Brazil was involved in this cross-sectional study. Dietary history, hemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation, ferritin, and an occult fecal blood loss investigation, by the immune chromatographic method specific for human hemoglobin were performed.

Detection and identification of wild yeast contaminants of the industrial fuel ethanol fermentation process.

Monitoring for wild yeast contaminants is an essential component of the management of the industrial fuel ethanol manufacturing process. Here we describe the isolation and molecular identification of 24 yeast species present in bioethanol distilleries in northeast Brazil that use sugar cane juice or cane molasses as feeding substrate. Most of the yeast species could be identified readily from their unique amplification-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fingerprint.

The performance of parents of children receiving cow's milk free diets at identification of commercial food products with and without cow's milk.

Objective: To investigate how well the parents of children on cow's milk free diets perform at recognizing whether or not expressions describe and foods contain cow's milk proteins.

Methods: Interviews were conducted with 24 parents of children on cow's milk and by-products exclusion diets and 23 parents of children with no need for any type of exclusion diet. They were asked if they recognized 12 expressions relating to cow's milk.