Molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial susceptibility of Enterococci recovered from Brazilian intensive care units.

We studied the antimicrobial resistance and the molecular epidemiology of 99 enterococcal surveillance isolates from two hospitals of Brasilia, Brazil. Conventional biochemical tests were used to identify the enterococcal species and the disk diffusion method was used to determine their resistance profiles. Enterococcus faecalis (76%) and E.

Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat polymorphism among Brazilian Enterococcus faecalis strains.

Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) for seven genomic loci was developed for Enterococcus faecalis. MLVA and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) resulted in 37 and 31 genotypes among 83 strains, respectively. Both typing schemes were highly concordant (90.

Leishmanicidal activity of polyphenolic-rich extract from husk fiber of Cocos nucifera Linn. (Palmae).

The available therapy for leishmaniasis, which affects 2 million people per annum, still causes serious side effects. The polyphenolic-rich extract from the husk fiber of Cocos nucifera Linn. (Palmae) presents antibacterial and antiviral activities, also inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation, as shown by our group in previous works.

Ultrastructure of the salivary glands of Rhodnius domesticus Neiva & Pinto, 1923 (Hemiptera: Reduviidae).

The fine structure of the salivary glands of the triatomine bug Rhodnius domesticus was investigated. Stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed that each salivary gland pair contains two close and independent units: the larger is reddish and elongated (principal gland), while the smaller is round and translucent (accessory gland). The accessory gland opens at the base of the main excretion duct, which arises at the medial portion of the principal gland.

Formation of a black hole in the dark.

We show that the black hole in the x-ray binary Cygnus X-1 was formed in situ and did not receive an energetic trigger from a nearby supernova. The progenitor of the black hole had an initial mass greater than 40 solar masses, and during the collapse to form the approximately 10-solar mass black hole of Cygnus X-1, the upper limit for the mass that could have been suddenly ejected is approximately 1 solar mass, much less than the mass ejected in a supernova. The observations suggest that high-mass stellar black holes may form promptly, when massive stars disappear silently.

A high-velocity black hole on a Galactic-halo orbit in the solar neighbourhood.

Only a few of the dozen or so known stellar-mass black holes have been observed away from the plane of the Galaxy. Those few could have been ejected from the plane as a result of a 'kick' received during a supernova explosion, or they could be remnants of the population of massive stars formed in the early stages of evolution of the Galaxy. Determining their orbital motion should help to distinguish between these options.

1-Trifluoromethyl epoxy ethers. Effect of hexafluoro-2-propanol on reactions with secondary aromatic amines: synthesis of 3-trifluoromethyl indole derivatives.

Trifluoromethyl epoxy ethers 1 and 2 reacted with aromatic amines in hexafluoro-2-propanol at room temperature providing trifluoromethyl indolinols 3 and 4 in excellent isolated yields. 3-Trifluoromethyl indoles 9 and 10 could be prepared by treatment of indolinols with SOCl(2).

Effectiveness of emergency contraceptive pills between 72 and 120 hours after unprotected sexual intercourse.

Objective: This article reopens the issue of a medical practice that has been well established for more than three decades by proposing an extension of the period during which treatment with the "morning-after" pill is currently prescribed. The objective is to determine the effectiveness of the regimen of Yuzpe and Lancee when it is administered between 72 and 120 hours after sexual intercourse.

Study Design: We conducted an observational study comparing 2 groups of women for whom the regimen of Yuzpe and Lancee was administered after unprotected sexual intercourse.

Larvicidal activity of Bacillus sphaericus 2362 against Anopheles nuneztovari, Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles braziliensis (Diptera, Culicidae).

In this present study, preliminary data was obtained regarding the mortality rate of the Amazonian anophelines, Anopheles nuneztovari, Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles braziliensis when subjected to treatment with Bacillus sphaericus strain 2362, the WHO standard strain. Initially, experiments were conducted to test the mortality rate of the three species of anopheline larvae. The third larval instar of An.

Ecologic observations on anopheline vectors of malaria in the Brazilian Amazon.

Human intervention in the Brazilian Amazon region promotes contacts between humans and vectors that may favor the propagation of anopheline mosquitoes and the spread of malaria in the absence of planning and infrastructure to control this disease. Vector ecology studies were carried out to determine the risk areas. These data should help in designing appropriate malaria control measures.

Studies on the Bacillus sphaericus larvicidal activity against malarial vector species in Amazonia.

In this work, bioassays were carried out in laboratory conditions (average temperature 26 +/- 2 degrees C) to test ten strains of Bacillus sphaericus, isolated from Brazilian soils against third instar larvae from anopheline species recorded as malaria vectors in Amazonian-Anopheles nuneztovari and An. darlingi. With the former mosquito, three strains--S2, S20 and S46 showed relative activity, in 24 and 48 hr exposure to the B.

Risk factors for oral human papillomavirus in adults infected and not infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

Background And Objectives: To investigate in a cross-sectional study the determinants of oral human papillomavirus infection in 287 individuals who are sexually active.

Goal: To assess prevalence as well as risk factors for oral human papillomavirus infection.

Study Design: One hundred seventy-eight human immunodeficiency virus-seropositive (158 men and 20 women) and 109 human immunodeficiency virus-negative (73 men and 36 women) individuals were recruited consecutively from sexually transmitted disease-human immunodeficiency virus clinics and gastrointestinal endoscopy clinics.

Factors influencing plasma concentrations of carbamazepine and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide in epileptic children and adults.

Plasma carbamazepine (CBZ) and carbamazepine-10,11-epoxide (CBZ-E) concentrations were measured in 160 epileptic patients in order to determine the effect of factors such as age, daily dosing schedule, formulation, and combination with other antiepileptic drugs on these concentrations in relation to the daily dose. The results showed that the CBZ plasma level/dose ratio was affected by all factors studied, whereas the CBZ-E plasma level/dose ratio was affected only by formulation and age. The ratio of CBZ-E to CBZ plasma levels (CBZ-E/CBZ) was affected by daily dosing schedule, age, and combination with other antiepileptic drugs.

The morning-after pill--how long after?

Postcoital contraception has been prescribed for more than two decades. The current regimen is given within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse. After this period, not many choices remain; either the woman may wait until her next menses hoping she is not pregnant or she may have a postcoital intrauterine contraceptive device inserted.

Treatment of acute diarrhea with oral rehydration solutions containing glutamine.

Objective: In a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial we compared the efficacy of adding 90 mmol/L L-glutamine to the standard World Health Organization oral rehydration salts (WHO-ORS).

Subjects: One hundred twenty male infants, > 1 month and < 1 year of age, with acute non-cholera diarrhea and dehydration were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups.

Methods: Patients were kept in a metabolic unit where body weight, ORS, water and food intake, as well as stool, urine and vomitus output were recorded at 6-hour intervals.

[Europe and the teaching of cardio-respiratory resuscitation].

The authors call attention to the importance of Basic Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation performed by bystanders. The recommendations of the European Resuscitation Council are presented and the need to form a group for education on CPR is pointed out.

[An evaluation of the knowledge, perceptions and feelings of cancer patients in relation to their disease and the health team].

The authors through individual interviews have analyzed the way cancer patients got to know about their illness and how these information influenced their lives, family and their feelings. Suggestions have been made after evaluating the results reached in this research.

[Medical-surgical nursing: a new teaching approach and its evaluation by the student].

This issue is about a teaching methodology developed by the Medical-Surgical subject of Nursing on Graduate Course at Universidade Estadual de Londrina. The teachers used the student-centered teaching process based on interpersonal relationship and problem solving method. The aim was to evaluate the last period of nursing students perception about developing of cognitive, affective and psychomotor abilities when compared with others subjects of nursing course since 1985 until 1990.

[Isolation of a human strain of Schistosoma mansoni, Sambon,1907].

In this paper the authors briefly describe a human Schistosoma mansoni strain from Pará State, Brazil. The CIRENE'S strain was capable of infecting 71.4% of the snail vector Biomphalaria glabrata (Telegrafo's strain) provided by the "Evando Chagas" Institute, Belém.

Trypanosoma cruzi: zymodemes associated with acute and chronic Chagas' disease in central Brazil.

The clinical characteristics of acute and chronic Chagas' disease in central Brazil are described (29 acute cases and 111 chronic cases). The geographical distribution of Trypanosoma cruzi zymodemes in this region was mapped. Zymodeme (Z) 1 was identified in 12 acute cases, Z2 in 13 and repeated xenodiagnosis gave the same zymodeme identification.