Aeromonas hydrophila is distributed widely in nature and is responsible for an array of human infections. Several studies on the isolation and characterisation of the organism abound. Although there are reports on the antibiotic resistance profiles of the organism, these reports have not been updated in Limpopo province, South Africa despite the established fact that antibiograms vary with time and geographical area. Antibiotic resistance and pathogenesis of an organism are dependent on a host of factors such as the production of extended spectrum beta-lactamases and the genetic profiles such as the genes coding for resistance and possession of integrons and how these characteristics overach with the phylogenetic inter-relatedness of isolates from different sources. In spite of the aforementioned concerns on the efficacy of antibiotics due to the acquisition or endowment of microorganisms with intrinsic and extrinsic factors , which enhances resistance to antibiotics , medicinal plants are reportedly offering promise as alternative sources of efficacious management of infections. Medicinal plants are employed by traditional healers in the management of infections in developing countries especially in Africa. However, the antimicrobial activities of medicinal plants against Aeromonas hydrophila have received only a cursory attention. In an endeavour to undertake a comprehensive study on the isolation, characterisation, antibiograms, activities of medicinal plants as well as the genetic profiles, including phylogenetics relatedness of Aeromonas isolates from different sources, stool and water samples were collected over a two year period from designated places in Limpopo Province and analysed using standard techniques applicable to the constituent research activity. The research findings are presented in six chapters as presented hereunder. The first chapter focussed on the literature review of the organism and reflects areas such as the morphology, laboratory diagnosis, clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, antimicrobial susceptibility profiles, antibacterial activities of medicinal plants as well as the genetic aspects of Aeromonas hydrophila. / Environmental Science / D.Phil. (Environmental Science)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-06-02T19:39:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 3561.pdf: 5232741 bytes, checksum: 0a003df3ad93628a14a3a617aff4fb50 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-22 / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / This dissertation is inserted in the area of foundations of Education of the Program of Post- Graduation in Education of the Federal University of São Carlos. A study of the field of History of School institutions, which has the object of study Mariana-MG Primary School (a public and primary school). The period chosen has beginning in 1889, to monitor the first initiatives of the government republican of the city in relation to primary public education, and extends until the year 1915- year in which José Ignácio has left the direction of the Group and moved to Ituiutaba-MG. The motivation for the installation of the Group, teachers, students and curricula were observed. Show how was the public education and primary schools in the municipality in the period before the creation of the Group, in calls Isolated Schools, was also a concern of the dissertation. For such was been consulted different archives: Archive Public Miner, Archive of the Municipal Council of Mariana, Acquis of the State School Dom Benevides and newspapers. Tried to relation the particular context The School Group of Mariana- a wider context of the state scenario and, in some moments, nationally. The conclusions pointed to the fact that education carried out in the Group School of Mariana was elitist. It studied mainly the children of declared "republicans" with good financial conditions, while in isolated schools were the poorest and residents of districts and parishes of the city. The quality and the structure of the place of teaching were much better in the Group. The results allow the beginning of a construction of the history of the same, bringing together various documents, which may assist other researchers interested in studying the primary education in the period of the First Republic, and even the School Group of Marian and/or the isolated schools that still has much to be studied. / Esta dissertação está inserida na área de Fundamentos da Educação do Programa de Pós- Graduação em Educação da Universidade Federal de São Carlos. Trata-se de um estudo do campo da História das Instituições Escolares, que teve como objeto de estudo o Grupo Escolar de Mariana-MG (uma escola pública e primária). O recorte temporal escolhido tem início em 1889, visando acompanhar as primeiras iniciativas do governo republicano na cidade frente à educação pública primária, e se estende até o ano de 1915- ano em que José Ignácio deixou a direção do Grupo e se mudou para Ituiutaba-MG. A motivação para a instalação do Grupo, a composição social dos professores e alunos, e o currículo foram observados. Mostrar como se encontrava o ensino público e primário no município em período anterior a criação do Grupo, nas chamadas Escolas Isoladas, também foi uma preocupação desta dissertação. Para tal foram consultados diferentes arquivos: Arquivo Público Mineiro, Arquivo da Câmara Municipal de Mariana, Acervo da Escola Estadual Dom Benevides e jornais. Procuramos relacionar o contexto particular O Grupo Escolar de Mariana- a um contexto mais amplo do cenário estadual e, em alguns momentos, de âmbito nacional. As conclusões apontaram para o fato de que a educação realizada no Grupo Escolar de Mariana era excludente. Nele estudavam principalmente os filhos dos declarados republicanos com boas condições financeiras, enquanto nas Escolas Isoladas estavam os mais pobres e moradores dos distritos e freguesias da cidade. A qualidade e a estrutura do local de ensino eram bem superiores no Grupo. Os resultados possibilitam o início de uma construção da história do mesmo, reunindo diversos documentos, que poderão auxiliar outros pesquisadores que se interessem em estudar a educação primária no período da Primeira República, e até mesmo o Grupo Escolar de Mariana e/ou as Escolas Isoladas que ainda tem muito a ser estudado.

Resumo: O controle químico tem sido utilizado freqüentemente com baixa eficiência para o fungo Didymella bryoniae, causador da doença crestamento gomoso ou cancro da haste em meloeiro. Porém, alternativas de controle como uso da enxertia e manipulação da nutrição devem ser estudadas. Avaliou-se porta-enxertos e concentrações de potássio na resistência de meloeiro rendilhado a Didymella bryoniae em ambiente protegido. No primeiro experimento, quatro porta-enxertos (melão „Dinero‟, melancia „Ojakkyo‟, abóbora „Strong Tosa‟ e cabaça „Calabash TI-191‟) foram inoculados com discos de micélio (7 mm de diâmetro) de quatro isolados de Didymella bryoniae (Dbr 34, Dbr 36, Dbr 37 e Dbr 39) em caule previamente ferido. Baseado no tamanho da lesão, o porta-enxerto „Dinero‟ foi susceptível, „Strong Tosa‟ moderadamente resistente, „Ojakkyo‟ e „Calabash TI-191‟ resistentes e o isolado Dbr 37 se mostrou mais agressivo dentre os isolados. No segundo experimento, o híbrido de meloeiro „Bônus II‟ foi enxertado nos porta-enxertos „Dinero‟ e „Strong Tosa‟, inoculadas com o isolado Dbr 37 do fungo e submetidas a diferentes concentrações de potássio (0; 62,5; 125; 187,5; 250 mg L-1), tanto plantas enxertadas como pé-franco. As plantas do híbrido „Bônus II‟ enxertadas foram resistentes ao fungo e as pé-franco susceptíveis. As concentrações de potássio não influenciaram no tamanho da lesão e na sobrevivência das plantas, porém influenciaram na condutância estomática e transpiração das plantas. / Abstract: Chemical control of the fungus Didymella bryoniae, causal agent of gummy stem blight of melon, is frequently inefficient. Alternative methods as grafting on resistant rootstocks and nutrition handling must be studied. Different rootstocks and potassium concentrations were tested to control the disease on net melon grown under plastic house conditions. In a first experiment four rootstocks (melon „Dinero‟, watermelon „Ojakkyo‟, squash „Strong Tosa‟ and calabash „TI-191‟) were tested for resistance inoculated by disks mycelium (7 mm diameter) with four isolates ( Dbr 34, Dbr 36, Dbr 37 and Dbr 39) of D. bryoniae in stem previously injured. Based on lesion size „Dinero‟ proved to be susceptible to the fungus, „Strong Tosa‟ moderately resistant and „Ojakkyo‟ and „TI-191‟ resistant and the isolated Dbr 37 proved more aggressive among isolates. In a second experiment hybrid net melon „Bonus II‟ was grafted on rootstocks „Dinero‟ and „Strong Tosa‟, inoculated with isolate Dbr 37 of the fungus and submitted to different potassium concentration (0; 62,5; 125; 187,5; 250 mg L-1), inoculated both grafted plants as non grafted. Grafted plants of „Bonus II‟ were resistant to the fungus and the non grafted ones susceptible. Potassium concentrations did not influenced size of the lesion on the stem and also in the plants survival, however influence on stomatal conductance and transpiration plants. / Orientador: Rumy Goto / Coorientador: Edson Luiz Furtado / Coorientador: Dirceu Maximino Fernandes / Banca: César Júnor Bueno / Banca: Haydée Siqueira Santos / Mestre

La virulence de Plasmodium falciparum est fonction de sa capacité à séquestrer les érythrocytes infectés (iEs) dans les organes profonds de l’hôte. Elle est liée à la mise en place d’un trafic protéique conséquent au niveau membranaire et sub-membranaire de l’iE. Cet adressage protéique aboutit à l’expression d’antigènes variant de surface, dont P. falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein-1, PfEMP-1. Cet adhésine présente une affinité pour divers récepteurs de l'hôte impliqués dans la physiopathologie des formes graves, telles que le paludisme associé à la grossesse (PAM) et le paludisme cérébral (CM). La diversité de liaison de PfEMP-1 est associée à la variabilité de séquence de son domaine extracellulaire. Ce domaine est constitué d’une succession de domaines DBL et CIDR en nombre variable. PfEMP-1 est codée par les gènes var classifiés en groupes Ups A, B, C, E et B/A, B/C. Des régions de PfEMP-1 constituées d’une succession établie de 2 à 4 domaines, nommées Domain Cassette, « DC » sont retrouvées dans différents isolats. L’obtention de données exhaustives par LC-MS/MS a permis d’établir un comparatif du protéome membranaire et hypothétique à partir des échantillons PAM et CM en comparaison à des accès simples de paludisme (UM). L’identification protéique des PfEMP-1 a montré la singularité de l’expression d’une PfEMP-1 particulière, VAR2CSA chez les PAM. Ces résultats corroborent les analyses des transcrits du gène var2csa comme surexprimé chez les PAM, transcrit qu’on retrouve également dans les infections de début et de fin de grossesse. Les PfEMP-1 identifiés au sein des CM étaient significativement associés aux groupes Ups A et B/A et la plupart des peptides identifiés étaient associés à la cassette DC8 dont le transcrit était également surexprimé. L’analyse de filter-based feature selection a permis d’identifier un sous ensemble de 13 et 14 protéines assignées comme protéines membranaires ou hypothétiques, prédictives des formes de paludisme PAM et CM, respectivement. Parmi ces protéines surexprimées chez les PAM, la présence de VAR2CSA valide l’approche d’analyse. PFI1785w a été identifiée et associée au PAM, quatre autres protéines apparaissent prédictives de cette forme clinique PFB0115w, PFF0325c, PFA_0410w et PF14_0018. Pour les CM, on distingue les protéines PfEMP-2 et antigen-332 comme spécifiques de cette forme clinique. Les autres protéines qui émergent de ce groupe sont des protéines de fonction inconnue, dont trois sont assignées comme des protéines exportées. L’obtention et l’analyse en LC-MS/MS d’extraits protéiques issus d’isolats de terrain font l’originalité de ce travail et permettent la corrélation entre les données cliniques et biologiques. Cette étude confirme les données de transcrits sur la famille des gènes var et suggère de nouvelles intéractions protéiques dans le cadre du paludisme associé à la grossesse et cérébral. / Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for severe malaria (cerebral malaria, CM and pregnancy associated malaria, PAM). During the intra-erythrocytic maturation of P. falciparum, parasite-derived proteins are expressed, exported and presented at the surface of the infected erythrocyte (iE) membrane. These include Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein-1 (PfEMP-1). PfEMP-1 is a highly polymorphic adherence receptor, variants of which have been assigned to four groups (A-E) based on their sequence homology. Semi-conserved types, defined by tandem runs of specific domains (“domain cassettes” (DC)), are also recognized. The PfEMP-1 type expressed determines the iE adherence phenotype, and is associated with the clinical outcome of infection. Parasite isolates from Beninese children or women presenting with, respectively, CM or PAM were collected along with samples from patients with uncomplicated malaria (UM). We assessed the transcript level of var genes by RT-qPCR and the expression of membrane and hypothetical proteins of Plasmodium by LC-MS/MS. Obtaining LC-MS/MS data enabled a comparison of hypothetical and membrane proteome samples from PAM and CM for comparison with UM samples. The proteomics-based identification of PfEMP-1 showed the expression of a particular PfEMP-1, VAR2CSA, in PAM isolates. These results corroborate the analysis of gene transcripts showing that var2csa is overexpressed in PAM, with transcripts found in isolates from infections both early and late in pregnancy. The PfEMP-1 variants identified in CM samples were predominantly from the Ups groups A and B/A, and most of the peptides identified by LC-MS/MS were associated with the DC8 cassette for which the transcripts were also overexpressed. Analysis using filter-based feature selection identified subsets of 13 and 14 proteins, assigned either as hypothetical or membrane proteins that were predictive of PAM and CM syndromes respectively. The presence of VAR2CSA amongst the proteins overexpressed in PAM samples validates the analytical approach. PFI1785w has previously been identified and associated with the PAM, whilst four other proteins, PFB0115w, PFF0325c, PFA_0410w and PF14_0018, appear to be also predictive of the syndrome. PfEMP-2 protein and antigen-332 were found to be specifically expressed in CM samples. Three other proteins, assigned as ‘exported’ but with unknown function, were also associated with CM samples. Obtaining and analyzing LC-MS/MS-derived data from protein extracts of field isolates represents the originality of this work and it allowed the identification of correlations between clinical and biological data. This study confirms the transcriptional data relating to the var gene family and provides evidence of new protein interactions in the context both of malaria associated with pregnancy and of cerebral malaria.

Orientador: Flavia Maria Netto / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia de Alimentos / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T16:15:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Souza_AparecidaSoniade_D.pdf: 1116607 bytes, checksum: 498527d5fa8ce5e4faecf37aa8409d46 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estudar os efeitos da irradiação e do tempo de armazenamento na composição química de grãos de soja e funcionais de seus isolados protéicos. Os grãos de soja foram divididos em quatro lotes, sendo que dois foram irradiados em fonte de 60Cobalto, com doses de 2,0 ou 5,0 kGy, um lote foi irradiado em acelerador de elétrons com dose de 2,0 kGy e um lote foi utilizado como controle (não irradiado). Os lotes foram armazenados por um período de 12 meses. A cada quatro meses, uma porção de cada lote foi retirada para produção laboratorial de farinhas desengorduradas (FDSs) e isolados protéicos (IPSs). A composição centesimal nos grãos, FDSs e IPSs foi determinada. Nos grãos foram analisados a atividade de água, teor de isoflavonas e atividade antioxidante (IA) e nas FDSs, os teores de fitato e inibidores de tripsina (IT). O teor de acidez foi avaliado nos óleos obtidos do desengorduramento das farinhas. As características estruturais das proteínas dos IPSs obtidos foram avaliadas por análises de eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida na presença de dodecil sulfato de sódio (SDS-PAGE) em condições não redutoras, das proteínas solúveis em diferentes sistemas, calorimetria diferencial de varredura (CDV), grupos sulfidrila livres (SH), fluorescência intrínseca (FI), cromatografia liqüida de alta eficiência de fase reversa (CLAE-FR) e cromatografia liqüida de alta eficiência de exclusão molecular (CLAE-EM). As propriedades funcionais avaliadas foram: solubilidade, gelificação, capacidade de retenção de água (CRA), capacidade emulsificante (CE), índice de atividade emulsificante (IAE) e estabilidade de emulsão (EE). O teor das isoflavonas totais e o índice de antioxidação, analisados nos grãos, não diferiu significativamente (p>0,05) e permaneceu estável ao longo do armazenamento, independente do tipo ou dose de radiação. No entanto, houve aumento das concentrações relativas dos b-glicosídeos e diminuição dos malonil glicosídeos ao longo do armazenamento. O teor de acidez aumentou em até 81,6% no óleo de grãos irradiados com dose de 5 kGy e armazenados por doze meses. As FDSs de grãos irradiados apresentaram os menores valores dos inibidores de tripsina e fitato. As análises de calorimetria diferencial de varredura, fluorescência intrínseca e cromatografia liqüida de alta eficiência de exclusão molecular indicaram não ter ocorrido alterações estruturais importantes nos isolados protéicos devido à irradiação ou ao armazenamento. Entretanto, os grupos sulfidrila livres aumentaram nos IPSs de grãos irradiados, mas sofreram pouca alteração ao longo dos 12 meses de armazenamento. Houve aumento da proporção relativa de frações hidrofóbicas observadas por CLAE-FR em todos os isolados após quatro meses de armazenamento dos grãos. Os IPSs de grãos irradiados apresentaram maior solubilidade protéica e capacidade emulsificante, enquanto que a estabilidade de emulsão e o índice de atividade emulsificante não diferiram significativamente (p>0,05). Os valores de dureza e capacidade de retenção de água dos géis dos IPSs não diferiram significativamente (p>0,05) em função do tratamento empregado. No entanto, os géis dos IPSs de grãos armazenados tiveram maiores valores de dureza. Os valores coesividade e elasticidade dos géis dos isolados, independente da dose e tipo de radiação, não diferiram significativamente (p>0,05). Nas condições estudadas, as radiações gama com doses de até 5 kGy e de feixe de elétrons com dose de 2 kGy podem ser utilizadas sem prejuízo as propriedades químicas de grãos e funcionais de seus isolados protéicos, durante o armazenamento / Abstract: The aim of this work was to study the effects of both irradiation and storage on the chemical composition of soybean grains and on the physicochemical and functional properties of their protein isolates. The soy grains were divided into four lots, two of them were irradiated with of 60Cobalt source in doses of 2.0 or 5.0 kGy, a third one was irradiated with an electron beam at 2.0 kGy and another was used as control (non-irradiated). All the lots were stored for a maximum of 12 months. Every four months, a portion of each lot was removed to produce deffated soy flour (DFS) and soy protein isolate (SPI). The proximal compositions of the grains, FDSs and SPIs were determined. In the grains, the water activity, total isoflavone content and antioxidant index (AI) were measured and in DFSs, the phytate content and trypsin inhibitor activity (TIA). The acidity content was measured in the oil obtained from the whole flours. The structural characteristics of SPIs were evaluated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDSPAGE) under non reducing conditions of the soluble proteins using different systems. Additionally, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), free sulfhydryl groups (SH), intrinsic fluorescence (IF), reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and of size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SE-HPLC) were also used to evaluate the effects. The analyses of the functional properties in SPIs were: solubility, gelation, water holding capacity (WHC), emulsifying capacity (EC), emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying stability (ES). The total isoflavone content and antioxidant index analyzed in the grains did not differ significantly (p>0.05) and remained stable throughout storage, as a function of the dose or type of irradiation. However, there was an increase in the b-glycosides and decrease in the mean percentage of malonyl glycosides. The acidity content increased in the percentage of 81.6% in the oil grains irradiated with 5 kGy and stored for 12 months. DFSs of irradiated grains exhibited smaller values of the trypsin inhibitor and phytate. The analyses of differential scanning calorimetry, intrinsic fluorescence and size exclusion high performance liquid chromatography showed that no important structural alterations occurred in the protein isolates due irradiation or storage. However, the free sulfhydryl groups increased in SPIs of irradiated grains, without further significant changes along the storage. There was an increase of the proportion of the hydrophobic fractions, showed by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography profile, for all the isolated after four months of storage of the grains. SPIs of irradiated grains presented high solubility, emulsifying capacity while emulsifying stability and emulsifying activity index did not differ significantly (p>0.05). The values of hardness and water holding capacity of the SPIs gels did not differ significantly (p>0.05) for all treatment. However, SPIs gels of stored grains had high values of hardness. The values cohesiveness and elasticity of the SPIs gels did not differ significantly (p>0.05), independent of the dose and type of irradiation. Under the studied conditions, gamma irradiation at doses of 5 kGy and of electron beam of 2 kGy can be used without damage to the grain composition or storage property or to the physicochemical properties of the protein isolates / Doutorado / Nutrição Experimental e Aplicada à Tecnologia de Alimentos / Doutor em Alimentos e Nutrição

No description available.

Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Animal Production)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Poultry is a good source of animal protein for many households due to its affordability. However, it is prone to bacterial infections which can be passed on to consumers, hence chickens that are reared without constant health checks present a potential health threat to humans. The objective of the study was to identify the zoonotic bacterial pathogens in poultry feeds and water resources in Blouberg poultry value chain project. A total of 88 samples comprising of 14 feed samples, 14 water samples, 60 mouth and rectal swab samples were collected from the farms. The samples were screened for the presence of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp. through selective cultivation. Only coliforms and the dominant isolates were identified as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella spp., and Enterobacter spp., Salmonella and Shigella spp. were not detected in all the samples. E. coli strains that were isolated from the water sources and mouth and rectal swabs of the chickens showed a significant resistance to gentamycin, neomycin, penicillin, streptomycin, tetracycline, erythromycin, nalidixic acid, ciprofloxacin and ampicillin (p<0.05). Klebsiella pneumoniae showed resistance to neomycin; penicillin; erythromycin (p<0.05) while K. oxytoca and E. absuriae showed similar antibiotic resistance profile as penicillin, erythromycin, nalidixic acid and ampicillin. E. coli and K. pneumonia are mostly implicated in poultry disease outbreaks and they are enteric pathogens in humans as well. The presence of pathogens in poultry presents a great risk of secondary infection in humans and this will lead to socio-economic problems for the affected communities. The information generated in this study will guide the relevant stakeholders who handle poultry feeds and water resources in following good management practices. 1 / National Research Foundation (NRF)

Background: Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. Using DNA gene expression analysis based on a custom made Affymetrix cancer array, we investigated the expression pattern of both primary and established pancreatic carcinoma cell lines. Methods: We analyzed the gene expression of 5 established pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, BxPC-3, Capan-1, Capan-2 and HPAF II) and 5 primary isolates, 1 of them derived from benign pancreatic duct cells. Results: Out of 1,540 genes which were expressed in at least 3 experiments, we found 122 genes upregulated and 18 downregulated in tumor cell lines compared to benign cells with a fold change > 3. Several of the upregulated genes (like Prefoldin 5, ADAM9 and E-cadherin) have been associated with pancreatic cancer before. The other differentially regulated genes, however, play a so far unknown role in the course of human pancreatic carcinoma. By means of immunohistochemistry we could show that thymosin [β-10 (TMSB10), upregulated in tumor cell lines, is expressed in human pancreatic carcinoma, but not in non-neoplastic pancreatic tissue, suggesting a role for TMSB10 in the carcinogenesis of pancreatic carcinoma. Conclusion: Using gene expression profiling of pancreatic cell lines we were able to identify genes differentially expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which might contribute to pancreatic cancer development. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

No description available.

This work is part of a project focused on the study of the variability of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) among clinical isolates with the aim to map the geographical distribution of HCMV genotypes, reveal the relationships between genotypes and the severity of HCMV-associated diseases, and identify regions in the HCMV genome with a potential for use as diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Attention was paid to the development of the methodology for the preparation of the material for next-generation sequencing (NGS) from HCMV clinical isolates and evaluation of the obtained sequencing data. Blood and urine samples collected from hematopoietic stem cell transplantat recipients and congenitally infected children were analyzed. Samples suitable for NGS were sequenced by the Illumina platform and sequences were created by de novo assembly followed by mapping assembly. Urine samples in comparison to blood samples had higher yield of material for NGS. Of the samples positive for HCMV DNA (7 of 50) after amplification in the cell cultures, only one sample had high purity of the viral DNA (98%) while six samples had purity of less than 7%. The sample containing 98% of the viral DNA was fully sequenced and the sequence was compared to the sequences of other clinical isolates from Belgium in 11 polymorphic...