Darbo tikslas. Ištirti specializuotų odontologinių paslaugų plėtros galimybes Tauragės rajone. Tyrimo uždaviniai. Įvertinti Tauragės rajono gyventojų nuomonę apie specializuotų odontologinių paslaugų poreikį bei bendrosios praktikos gydytojų odontologų požiūrį į specializuotų odontologinų paslaugų plėtros galimybes Tauragės rajone; suformuluoti specializuotų odontologinių paslaugų plėtros Tauragės rajone rekomendacijas. / The opportunities for development of specialized dental care services in Tauragė district is a novel and practice-oriented issue. The necessity for management of such services is an integral part of public health management. Collaboration in health care system for favorable development of opportunities is a key task for policy-makers, health professionals, and patients themselves. In order to define patients' and dentists' needs, attitudes, and perspectives it is relevant to substantiate the opportunities for development of dental care services both scientifically and practically. Aim of the study: to assess the opportunities for development of specialized dental care services in Tauragė district. Objectives: to evaluate Tauragė district residents' views on the need for specialized dental care services; to evaluate general practice dentists' views on opportunities for development of specialized dental care services in Tauragė district; to formulate the recommendations for the development of specialized dental care services in Tauragė district. Methods. The questionnaire-based study was a survey of 290 residents of Tauragė district who visited a dentist in Tauragė district during the study period. The data analysis was quantitative using statistical data processing software "SPSS 17.0 for Windows". The indicators were described by means (for continuous variables) and percentages (for dichotomous variables). Statistical hypotheses were tested using chi square test, Spearman... [to full text]

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Biotechnology) / Guayule (Parthenium argentatum) is grown for its high quality hypoallergenic natural rubber latex production. The plant is native to the Chihuahua desert of North America and successful trials have been done in Europe, the United States of America (USA) and the Republic of South Africa (RSA). It is already undergoing industrial scale development in the USA producing good quality rubber products with impressive stretchiness and strength. The performance of guayule lines AZ1, AZ2, AZ3, AZ4, AZ5, AZ6, OSU1, and 11591 was investigated in the Eastern and Western Cape regions in RSA with an ultimate goal of leading to commercial production. To ensure continuous supply of plants, and avoiding documented seed dormancy issues, a micropropagation protocol was established using the OSU1 guayule line. In addition, laboratory scale latex extraction was accomplished using the Waring blender method with KOH pH 11 buffer and the amount of latex was quantified using the 1 ml latex quantification method. The extracted latex homogenate from the different guayule lines was pooled and purified using Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose. The efficiency of different molecular weights (90 000, 250 000 and 700 000) of Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose was determined in creaming guayule latex at room temperature and 4 degrees celcius. The optimal creaming results were incorporated into creaming latex extracted from the different guayule lines during this study.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / One of the most common HIV-associated opportunistic infections is candidiasis, caused by Candida albicans or other Candida species. In immune suppressed subjects, this commensal organism can cause an increase in patient morbidity and mortality due to oropharyngeal or systemic dissemination. Limited information exists on the prevalence and antifungal susceptibility of Candida species in the African continent, the most HIV-affected region globally and home to new and emerging drug resistant Candida species. The mechanisms of Candida drug resistance in the African continent have also not been described. In this study, 255 Candida species isolated from the oral mucosa of HIV-positive South African and Cameroonian patients were identified using differential and chromogenic media and their drug susceptibility profiles tested using the disk diffusion method and the TREK Sensititre system, an automated broth microdilution method. Candida cell wall fractions were run on SDSPAGE and HPLC-MS with the aim of identifying peptides specifically expressed by antifungal drug resistant isolates. Comparisons between the two groups of isolates revealed differences in Candida species prevalence and drug susceptibility with interesting associations observed between specific drug resistance and duration of ARV therapy. This study showed that fluconazole, the drug of choice for the treatment of candidiasis in the African continent, is not an effective therapy for most cases of Candida infection, and suggests that regional surveillance be implemented in the continent. A multiple-drug resistant Candida strain was identified in this study, a finding that has not previously been documented. The use of proteomics tools allowed for the identification of peptides involved in drug resistance and the elucidation of Candida colonization mechanisms in HIV-infected African patients.

The aim of the thesis was to determine the content of pure tuber proteins, patatin relative abundance in total tuber protein, and subsequently its antioxidant potential. The theoretical part dealt with general potato characteristics, potato tuber chemical composition and description of analyzed cultivated and wild potato species. In the practical part results of laboratory analysis were presented. It was determined statistically significant genotype variability of antioxidant activity for potato tuber protein as well as for potato tuber dry matter here ranging from 0.221 (Solanum berthaultii 07S0300031) to 0.0066 mg of ascorbic acid/g dry matter (Solanum tuberosum cultivar Kuras). Any direct relationship between potato tuber protein content or patatin relative abundance and antioxidant activity was found. The findings are compared with the literature.

The use of various types of gel electrophoresis for characterization and identifying plant varieties is well estabilished. This diploma work deals with the possibility characterize potato cultivar (Solanum tuberosum L.) by the help of electrophoretic technique SDS {--} PAGE tuber protein profiles. Soluble potato tuber proteins can be classified according to their molecular weight (kDa) into three groups: First, the major tuber protein patatin (37 {--} 44 kDa); second, a group constituted of protease inhibitors (6 {--} 24 kDa); and third group containing all other proteins. First two group manifest genetic variability, which is necessary evalute for its potential using of potato cultivar characterization.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2002-07-26Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:39:27Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ferreira_fp_me_ilha.pdf: 272949 bytes, checksum: 557ad0d6f0ab0423f56e4256406ff28d (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Toxocara vitulorum é um parasita nematódeo de alta freqüência no trato intestinal de búfalos, particularmente em bezerros búfalos de um a três meses de idade. Devido à sua alta morbidade e mortalidade, causa consideráveis prejuízos a bubalinocultura. A pesquisa objetivou a obtenção de antígenos de extrato larval solúvel bruto (Ex), do material excretor-secretor (ES) de larvas infectantes e do líquido perientérico (Pe) de adultos de T. vitulorum, bem como a separação das frações protéicas na mistura pelo SDS-PAGE, seguida da análise imunológica por Western blot (WB), utilizando-se soros imunes e colostros de búfalos naturalmente infectados com T. vitulorum além de camundongos imunes. O acompanhamento do quadro parasitário dos bezerros búfalos também foi realizado. Pôde-se verificar que os três antígenos, Pe, Ex e ES, apresentaram mobilidades eletroforéticas pelo SDS-PAGE revelando nove (11,5, 14,2, 31, 38, 58, 76, 88, 112 e 165 KDa), onze (11,2, 13,3, 16,5, 22, 25, 32, 43, 53, 68, 82 e 96 KDa) e oito (19, 48, 56, 64, 90, 110, 150 e 190 KDa) bandas protéicas, respectivamente. A maioria dessas frações separadas pela eletroforese, foi reconhecida por todos as amostras de soros e pelo colostro, quando analisada pelo WB. No entanto, somente as bandas de alto peso molecular (68 - 190 KDa) persistiram nos grupos de bezerros búfalos que se encontravam no pico, declínio ou expulsão e na ausência ou autocura, à exceção do antígeno ES, que desapareceu durante o processo de autocura. Já os soros de bezerros búfalos com um de vida, que mamaram o colostro e os daqueles que se encontravam em fase de aparecimento ou ascensão, revelaram com as mesmas frações detectadas no soro e no colostro das búfalas. Os três antígenos reagiram de forma cruzada entre si, quando foram testados com soros homólogos e heterólogos de camundongos imunizados experimentalmente com estes antígenos de T. vitulorum / Toxocara vitulorum is a nematode parasite of small intestine of cattle and water buffaloes particularly buffalo calves with one to three months of age, causing high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this research was the antigen obtaintion and characterization of crude soluble larval extract (Ex), excretory-secretory (ES) of infective larvae, and perienteric fluid (Pe) from adults of T. vitulorum, as well as the separation of protein fractions from the antigenic mixture by SDS-PAGE and analysis of each band by Western blot (WB), using immune sera and colostrum of buffaloes naturally infected by T. vitulorum, and mice experimentally immunized. The parasitological status of the buffalo calves was also evaluated using sequentially coprological examinations. The results showed that three antigens, Pe, Ex and ES, revealed nine (11,5, 14,2, 31, 38, 58, 76, 88, 112, and 165 KDa), eleven (11,2, 13,3, 16,5, 22, 25, 32, 43, 53, 68, 82, and 96 KDa) and eight (19, 48, 56, 64, 90, 110, 150, and 190 KDa) protein bands by SDS-PAGE, respectively. The majority of these isolated bands were recognized by sera and colostrum of all groups of infected animals (buffalo cows one day post parturition and buffalo calves in five different periods of T. vitulorum infection) analyzed by WB. However, only the fractions of high molecular weight (68 - 190 KDa) persisted in the groups of buffalo calves at maximum peak of infection, expulsion and post-expulsion of the parasite or self-cure process, excepting ES antigen, that was not detected during the self-cure process. Sera of buffalo calves at one day of age, after suckling the colostrum and at the beginning of infection reacted with the same bands detected by serum and colostrum of the buffalo cows. The three antigens showed crossed reaction among themselves, when they were tested with homologous and heterologous sera of mice experimentally immunized with them

Submitted by Luriany Pompeo Ferraz (luriany@hotmail.com) on 2018-05-10T13:54:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Luriany Pompeo Ferraz.pdf: 2121530 bytes, checksum: dbc5ecaf4e4d278a002ba09e3ed9af57 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Alexandra Maria Donadon Lusser Segali null (alexmar@fcav.unesp.br) on 2018-05-10T18:09:10Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 ferraz_lp_dr_jabo.pdf: 2121530 bytes, checksum: dbc5ecaf4e4d278a002ba09e3ed9af57 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-10T18:09:10Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ferraz_lp_dr_jabo.pdf: 2121530 bytes, checksum: dbc5ecaf4e4d278a002ba09e3ed9af57 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-04-10 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O fenômeno killler é característico de leveduras que produzem e excretam proteínas ou glicoproteínas que são inibidoras de células microbianas sensíveis. A estabilidade e atividade das toxinas killer são altamente sensíveis a fatores como pH, temperatura de incubação das leveduras, composição e propriedades físico-químicas do meio e concentração de células sensíveis. Sporobolomyces koalae é uma nova espécie de levedura com potencial para produção de toxina killer. No intuito de se conhecer mais sobre as funções desse microrganismo no ecossistema, esse trabalho teve por objetivos: (i) detectar a atividade killer do precipitado proteico de S. koalae, (ii) caracterizar bioquimicamente e funcionalmente o precipitado proteico S. koalae, (iii) purificar parcialmente a toxina killer produzida por S. koalae e, finalmente, (iv) verificar sua ação antagônica sobre Geotrichum citri-aurantii e Penicillium digitatum, patógenos que ocorrem na póscolheita de citros. Pelos resultados obtidos neste trabalho, foi possível detectar a presença de atividade killer no precipitado proteico da levedura S. koalae contra células sensíveis da levedura Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 1006. O precipitado proteico da levedura apresenta várias proteínas com diferentes tamanhos moleculares e, parte dessas proteínas é positiva para atividade de β1,3-glucanase, quitinase e protease, podendo ser uma dessas enzimas ou, o sinergismo entre elas, o responsável pelo fator killer da levedura. A funcionalidade de suas proteínas para atividade killer aumenta em pH 4.9 e em uma faixa de temperatura de 22 °C a 27 °C e, o melhor agente precipitante das proteínas da levedura foi o etanol 80%. A purificação parcial das proteínas, que constituem o precipitado proteico de S. koalae, mostrou a existência de aproximadamente quatro bandas proteicas em uma das frações de purificação, Fração 1, com tamanhos aproximados que variaram de 8 a 65 kDa. A atividade killer, presente no precipitado proteico da levedura S. koalae, não apresenta ação antagônica sobre Geotrichum citri-aurantii e Penicillium digitatum. / The killer phenomenon is characterized by yeasts that produce and excrete proteins or glycoproteins that are inhibitors of sensitive microbial cells. The stability and activity of killer toxins are highly sensitive to the factors such as pH, the temperature of incubation of yeasts, composition and physical-chemical properties of the medium and concentration of sensitive cells. Sporobolomyces koalae is a new species of yeast with potential for killer toxin production. In order to know more about the functions of this microorganism in the ecosystem, this work had as objectives: (i) to detect the killer activity of the S. koalae protein precipitate, (ii) to characterize biochemically and functionally the S. koalae protein precipitate, (iii) to partially purify the killer toxin produced by S. koalae, and, finally, (iv) to verify its antagonistic action on Geotrichum citri-aurantii and Penicillium digitatum, pathogens that occur in the postharvest of citrus. By the results obtained in this work, it was possible to detect the presence of killer activity in the protein precipitate of S. koalae against sensitive cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC 1006. The protein precipitate from yeast has several proteins with different molecular sizes and some of these proteins are positive for β1,3-glucanase, chitinase and protease activity. It may be one of these enzymes or synergism between them, the responsible for the killer factor. The functionality of their proteins for killer activity increases at pH 4.9 and a temperature range of 22 oC to 27 oC and the best precipitant of protein from yeast was ethanol (80%). Partial purification of the proteins showed the existence of approximately 4 protein bands in one of the purification fractions, Fraction 1, with approximate sizes ranging from 8 to 65 kDa. The killer activity, present in the protein precipitate of yeast S. koalae, did not present antagonistic action on G. citri-aurantii and P. digitatum. / FAPESP: 14/25067-3

Les objectifs de cette étude sont de caractériser des altérations des qualités sensorielles et technologiques de la viande de dinde et de mettre en relation ces altérations avec les caractéristiques des protéines musculaires. Nous avons, tout d'abord, sélectionné des muscles Pectoralis major (PM) de dindes en fonction de leur couleur. Les propriétés sensorielles et technologiques de la viande ne diffèrent jamais entre le groupe ayant une couleur « normale » et le groupe ayant une couleur « pâle » (expérience couleur). Dans un deuxième temps, nous avons essayé d'analyser l'effet de la vitesse de chute du pH post mortem sur la qualité de la viande issue du PM de dinde. Cet effet a été mesuré avec différents types génétiques de dindes : des souches BUT9 (expériences BUT9.1 et BUT9.2) et BIG6 (expérience BIG6) comparées dans des conditions d'abattage commercial ou des souches BUT9 et Label Rouge (expérience Label) comparées en générant artificiellement le défaut PSE. Nos différentes expériences montrent que le pouvoir de rétention en eau et la texture de la viande sont diminués lorsque la glycolyse musculaire post mortem est accélérée. Par contre, la couleur de la viande est peu affectée. Nous avons aussi mis en évidence des altérations de protéines de structure (α-actinine), de protéines contractiles (actine et chaîne lourde de la myosine) et de protéines sarcoplasmiques (GAPDH, aldolase A, myokinase, ATP synthase et phosphorylase). Le type génétique des dindes ne semble pas être déterminant dans l'augmentation de l'apparition des défauts de qualité de viande.

Keratins are important structural components of hair and skin. There has been extensive study of keratins from the health and medical perspectives, although little work has been done to date to investigate their basic physicochemical properties in the form of biomaterials. The work presented in this thesis aimed to study surface and interfacial adsorption and solution aggregation of water soluble keratin polypeptides (made available by previous work within the research group). A range of physical techniques were employed including spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), neutron reflection (NR), dual polarisation interferometry (DPI), quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation (QCM-D), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS).A major technical advantage of the neutron techniques is the use of hydrogen/deuterium substitution to enhance structural resolution. This approach was explored to study the interaction of keratins with both conventional surfactants and novel biosurfactants. The work presented comprises four results chapters. The first examines and compares four widely used interfacial techniques, SE, DPI, QCM-D and NR, by studying the adsorption of C12E6 at the silicon oxide/water interface. Whilst the data exhibits a large degree of consistency in the interfacially adsorbed amount, each technique helped reveal unique structural information with a high degree of complementarity. The second results chapter reports on findings regarding the properties of keratin polypeptides in surface adsorption and solution aggregation. It was found that the keratins adsorbed strongly on the surface of water, and formed rugby-shaped nanoaggregates in solution, the size and shape of which responded to salt concentration. The third results chapter reports on the interfacial behaviour of keratin/surfactants complexes in bulk solution, with cationic DTAB and anionic SDS as model conventional surfactants. It was found that both the electrostatic and hydrophobic forces contributed strongly to the surface adsorption processes. The final results chapter reports on interactions of a coated keratin film with novel biosurfactants including rhamnolipids (R1 and R2 with 1 and 2 sugar head(s), respectively) and Mel-C. The keratin films formed were found to be exceptionally stable and reproducible below pH 8, and these films could be widely used as model keratin substrates for screening their binding with surfactants and bioactive molecules. Both rhamnolipids and Mel-C exhibited strong adsorption onto the keratin substrate and interestingly, whilst R1 exhibited a completely reversible adsorption, R2 showed only a partially reversible adsorption. Mel-C showed some degree of irreversible adsorption similar to R2 and exhibited the strongest adsorption at around pH 4-5. These results show mild interactions with the keratin substrate, but indicate that the extent of adsorption and desorption could be manipulated by surfactant structure or solution conditions. The findings presented in this thesis are fundamental in aiding the development of the use of keratin polypeptides as biomaterials, in applications such as personal care. The work is also highly relevant to the understanding of the interactions between surfactants and keratin molecules at interfaces and in solution.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / One of the most common HIV-associated opportunistic infections is candidiasis, caused by Candida albicans or other Candida species. In immune suppressed subjects, this commensal organism can cause an increase in patient morbidity and mortality due to oropharyngeal or systemic dissemination. Limited information exists on the prevalence and antifungal susceptibility of Candida species in the African continent, the most HIV-affected region globally and home to new and emerging drug resistant Candida species. The mechanisms of Candida drug resistance in the African continent have also not been described. In this study, 255 Candida species isolated from the oral mucosa of HIV-positive South African and Cameroonian patients were identified using differential and chromogenic media and their drug susceptibility profiles tested using the disk diffusion method and the TREK Sensititre system, an automated broth microdilution method. Candida cell wall fractions were run on SDSPAGE and HPLC-MS with the aim of identifying peptides specifically expressed by antifungal drug resistant isolates. Comparisons between the two groups of isolates revealed differences in Candida species prevalence and drug susceptibility with interesting associations observed between specific drug resistance and duration of ARV therapy. This study showed that fluconazole, the drug of choice for the treatment of candidiasis in the African continent, is not an effective therapy for most cases of Candida infection, and suggests that regional surveillance be implemented in the continent. A multiple-drug resistant Candida strain was identified in this study, a finding that has not previously been documented. The use of proteomics tools allowed for the identification of peptides involved in drug resistance and the elucidation of Candida colonization mechanisms in HIV-infected African patients.