Publications by authors named "Polyana Pereira"

The use of tailings dams in the mining industry is recurrent and a matter of concern given the risk of collapse. The planning of tailings dam's emplacement usually attends construction design criteria and site geotechnical properties, but often neglects the risk of installing the depositional facilities in potentially unstable landscapes, namely those characterized by steep slopes and(or) high drainage densities. In order to help bridging this gap, the present study developed a framework model whereby geomorphologic vulnerability is assessed by a set of morphometric parameters (e.

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Article Synopsis
  • A recent outbreak of polymyxin-carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (PCR-Kp) in Rio de Janeiro highlighted the emergence of untreatable infections, necessitating hospital-wide surveillance since December 2014.
  • Whole-genome sequencing revealed similarities and differences in genetic traits linked to resistance and virulence among the bacteria, with 10% of tested cases showing a concerning drug-resistant profile.
  • The study emphasizes the need for further research to understand the connection between bacterial genetics and clinical outcomes, particularly in patients with existing health issues and limited treatment options.
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Mercury (Hg) toxicity in soils depends on Hg species and other physical and chemical attributes, as selenium (Se) hotspots in soils, particularly relevant in Amazonian soils. The study of Hg species and their relations in representative locations of the Amazon rainforest biome is critical for assessing the potential risks of Hg in this environment. This work aimed to determine the concentration of total Hg and its species (Hg, Hg and Hg), and to correlate Hg concentration with total elemental composition, magnetic susceptibility, and physicochemical attributes of Amazon soils.

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The heavy metal mercury (Hg) is one of the most complex and toxic pollutants. When present in soils, it may impair plant growth, but the intensity of damage depends on the physical-chemical properties of the soil such as pH, clay, and organic matter content, which in turn affects Hg sorption and bioavailability. Understanding Hg potential damage to staple food crops is of paramount relevance.

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Estimating bioaccessible content of mercury in soils is essential in evaluating risks that contaminated soils pose. In this study, soil samples spiked with HgCl through adsorption were used to test the effects of liming, soil organic matter, soil depth, and Hg concentration on the following bioaccessibility tests: dilute nitric acid at room temperature, dilute nitric acid at body temperature, Simplified Bioaccessibility Extraction Test (SBET) method, and gastric phase of the In vitro Gastrointestinal (IVG) protocol. Soil and sediment samples from Descoberto, Minas Gerais (Brazil), a city with a well-known record of Hg contamination from artisanal mining, were subjected to these bioaccessibility tests for the first time, and the different methods of estimating bioaccessible content were compared.

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Stenotrophomonas can survive in a wide range of environments and is considered an opportunistic pathogen. Because of its intrinsic resistance to beta-lactams, this genus is considered irrelevant in studies addressing the environmental spread of antimicrobial resistance genes of medical importance. Consequently, studies on environmental Stenotrophomonas carrying acquired carbapenemase-encoding genes are scarce, though not inexistent.

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Problems related to specificity and re-precipitation of metals in sequential chemical extractions can impair their routine use. In order to test the efficiency of a sequential chemical procedure, model compounds composed by soil components commonly found in tropical soils such as goethite, Al-goethite, ferrihydrite, hematite, bauxite, and humic acid were incubated with either Hg(NO) or HgSO and submitted to chemical extraction. The procedure aims to assess: (i) water soluble Hg; (ii) bioaccessible Hg at pH near human stomach; (iii) Hg associated with organic matter; (iv) reduced Hg; (v) Hg associated with Fe, Al, and Mn oxides; and, (vi) residual Hg.

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Lead (Pb) in soils can be transferred to plants, animals, and even humans. The toxicity of Pb is worrisome and therefore environmental quality criteria, established by laws to support the management of contaminated sites, have been developed to prevent its deleterious effects in a wide range of soils, uses, and occupations. In Brazil, the CONAMA Resolution 420/2009 established that Brazilian states may define their prevention values (PV) for metals in soils.

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  • KPC-producing bacteria have emerged as a significant public health concern, particularly as previous colonization is a key risk factor for developing infections.
  • A study analyzed 102 KPC- isolates from human rectal swabs across Brazil to understand their genetic and antimicrobial resistance profiles between 2009-2013.
  • Results showed these isolates were largely resistant to various antibiotics but susceptible to a few, with many belonging to a specific genetic lineage (clonal complex 258), indicating a strong link between colonization and infection in patients.
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Mercury is a metal which is potentially toxic for the environment. Many factors control its retention in the soil, such as cation exchange capacity, pH, clay content, organic matter, and redox potential. It is important to know the phytotoxic effects of soil Hg to prevent environmental contamination and its entry into the food chain.

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  • This study focuses on a specific isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae that is extensively drug-resistant (XDR) and produces the KPC-2 enzyme.
  • Whole-genome sequencing was used to analyze its genetic characteristics and understand its clinical background.
  • The isolate is part of clonal complex 258 and contains various genes and mutations that contribute to its resistance to multiple antibiotics.
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We characterized NDM-1-producing isolates from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. PCR was applied for resistance and virulence determinants. The genetic context of was determined by S1 nuclease pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and hybridization.

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We aimed to describe an early detection of OXA-370-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in Brazil. The isolate CCBH10079 belonged to ST17 and the bla was located in a plasmid of ≅57kb.

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  • The study focused on analyzing polymyxin B (PMB) resistance in 126 Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates collected from rectal swabs in Brazil.
  • Out of these, 10 isolates showed PMB resistance, primarily due to interruptions in the mgrB gene, either through insertion sequences or mutations.
  • Most resistant isolates also carried the bla gene and were mainly part of clonal complex 258, emphasizing the need to monitor the spread of PMB-resistant bacteria in hospital settings to address the limited treatment options for multidrug-resistant infections.
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The emergence of multidrug-resistant Enterobacteriaceae strains producing carbapenemases, such as NDM-1, has become a major public health issue due to a high dissemination capacity and limited treatment options. Here we describe the draft genome of three NDM-1-producing isolates: Providencia rettgeri (CCBH11880), Enterobacter hormaechei subsp. oharae (CCBH10892) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (CCBH13327), isolated in Brazil.

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Article Synopsis
  • Enzymes from the OXA-48 family, essential beta-lactamases, are increasingly important, with a new variant (OXA-370) first identified in Brazil in 2013.
  • In a study from 2013-2014, the blaOXA-370 gene was detected in 24 Enterobacteriaceae isolates across five hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, showing a multidrug resistance profile, including resistance to polymyxin B in some cases.
  • Molecular typing revealed that Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates belonged to two clonal groups, with the predominant one (ST16) linked to previous KPC-producing strains, indicating a need for further investigation into the spread of this resistance in Brazil.
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In Brazil, since 2009, there has been an ever increasing widespread of the bla(KPC-2) gene, mainly in Klebsiella pneumoniae. This study aims to assess the molecular epidemiology and genetic background of this gene in Enterobacteriaceae (non-K. pneumoniae) species from 9 Brazilian states between 2009 and 2011.

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The most important resistance mechanism against β-lactam drugs is the production of carbapenemases. In this study, we report the first identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)-2 and New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-1 in Enterobacter hormaechei subps. oharae from Brazil.

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In this paper, we present two new electrochemical methods for fast and simultaneous determination of codeine (CO) and diclofenac (DCF). The first one is based on batch injection analysis with amperometric detection (BIA-MPA) and the second one is based on capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE-C(4)D). The proposed BIA-MPA method is highly-precise (RSD of 1.

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Objective: The present study was designed to evaluate the molecular epidemiology of CTX-M producing Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae and Escherichia coli isolated from bloodstream infections at tertiary care hospitals in the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Material And Methods: A total of 231 nonduplicate Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from five Brazilian hospitals between September 2007 and September 2008. The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by disk diffusion method according to the Clinical Laboratory Standard Institute.

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Objectives: To perform molecular epidemiology for 113 KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae isolated in 2010 from 12 Brazilian states.

Methods: The resistance profile was determined by disc diffusion and Etest. Genetic polymorphism was analysed by PFGE and multilocus sequence typing.

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A simple, accurate and fast (180 injections h(-1)) batch injection analysis (BIA) system with multiple-pulse amperometric detection has been developed for selective determination of ethanol in gasohol and fuel ethanol. A sample aliquot (100 μL) was directly injected onto a gold electrode immersed in 0.5 mol L(-1) NaOH solution (unique reagent).

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