The quality of the optical fiber infrastructure is directly related with the strength of the fiber polymer coating. In this work we have studied the effect of maritime environment in the aging of optical fibers. The results show a decay rate of 0.00766±0.00065 GPa.day-1 for a 35g/L NaCl solution and of 0.01101±0.00133 GPa.day-1 for a 250g/L NaCl solution. The Boltzamann fit presented corroborates the experimental data, which shows that the aging transition period appears sooner for more concentrated solutions. The microscopy and SEM analysis performed confirmed the degradation condition of the fibers under study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the renal function measured with either 99mTc-DTPA or 99mTc-EC dynamic scintigraphies with that measured using 99mTc-DMSA static scintigraphy. METHODS: the values of relative renal function measured in 111 renal dynamic scintigraphies performed either with 99mTc-DTPA (55 studies) or with 99mTc-EC (56 studies) were compared with the relative function measured using 99mTc-DMSA static scintigraphy performed within a 1-month period. The comparisons were performed using Wilcoxon signed rank test. The number of 99mTc-DTPA and 99mTc-EC studies that presented relative renal function different by more than 5% from that measured with 99mTc-DMSA, using chi square test were also compared. RESULTS: the relative renal function measured with 99mTc-EC is not statistically different from that measured with 99mTc-DMSA (p = 0.97). The relative renal function measured with 99mTc-DTPA was statistically different from that measured using 99mTc-DMSA, but with a borderline statistical significance (p = 0.05). The number of studies with relative renal function different by more than 5% from that measured with 99mTc-DMSA is higher for the 99mTc-DTPA scintigraphy (p = 0.04) than for 99mTc-EC. CONCLUSION: the relative renal function measured with 99mTc-EC dynamic scintigraphy is comparable with that measured with 99mTc-DMSA static scintigraphy, while the relative renal function measured with 99mTc-DTPA dynamic scintigraphy presents a significant statistical difference from that measured with 99mTc-DMSA static scintigraphy.

Objetivou-se com este trabalho avaliar o efeito da adição de cal virgem e dos tempos após a aplicação sobre a estabilidade aeróbia e o crescimento de microrganismos (leveduras e fungos) na cana-de-açúcar in natura. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, com quatro repetições. Avaliaram-se a estabilidade aeróbia (temperatura), a dinâmica de desenvolvimento de leveduras e fungos e o pH, em um esquema de parcelas subdivididas, com cinco doses de cal (0; 0,5; 1,0; 1,5 e 2,0%) e cinco tempos após aplicação (0, 24, 48, 72, 96 horas). Houve efeito significativo das doses de cal para todos os parâmetros avaliados. A cana que não foi tratada com cal (0%) apresentou quebra da estabilidade no menor intervalo de tempo. Os valores de pH aumentaram gradativamente de acordo com a dose de cal aplicada e diminuíram com o tempo após aplicação. Houve aumento numérico na contagem de leveduras até as 72 horas após a aplicação da cal, independentemente da dose, e os valores tenderam a estabilizar no tempo de 96 horas pós-tratamento. Não houve efeito significativo das doses de cal sobre o desenvolvimento dos fungos. A aplicação de cal virgem é eficaz no controle do crescimento de leveduras e aumenta a estabilidade aeróbia da cana-de-açúcar in natura.

Increasing resistance of pathogens towards conventional antibiotics presents a major threat to public health because it reduces the effectiveness of antibiotic treatment. Mentha pulegium L., also known as pennyroyal, is an aromatic herb that belongs to the family Lamiaceae. Its essential oil has been traditionally used in medicine, aromatherapy, and cosmetics. The purpose of this work was to study the chemical composition of a pennyroyal essential oil and to evaluate their bioactivities, specifically, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-quorum sensing, and anti-inflammatory. A special focus was given to the antibacterial activity of the essential oil against Acinetobacter baumannii. The chemical composition of the essential oil was studied by GC-MS/GC-FID. The DPPH free radical scavenging assay and the β-carotene/linoleic acid system were used to evaluate the antioxidant properties. The antimicrobial and anti-quorum sensing activities were evaluated by disk diffusion assays and complemented with optical microscopy observations. The results showed that pulegone was the major compound (88.64%) of the pennyroyal essential oil. Regarding the antimicrobial activity, the action against Acinetobacter baumannii stands out, which, together with the capacity of the essential oil to inhibit the quorum sensing mechanisms, may suggest the use of the pennyroyal essential oil to further develop surface disinfectants for hospitals.

BACKGROUND Resveratrol (3,5,4′‐trihydroxy‐trans‐stilbene) is a natural phytoalexin synthesized by plants in response to stress. This compound has several beneficial documented properties, namely anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective and antimicrobial activities. In this study the antimicrobial activity of resveratrol against Listeria monocytogenes and Listeria innocua was investigated. RESULTS Resveratrol had a minimum inhibitory concentration of 200 µg mL−1 for the tested strains, with time‐kill curves demonstrating bacteriostatic activity. Inhibition of biofilm formation was also assessed, with resveratrol strongly inhibiting biofilm formation by both species even at subinhibitory concentrations. Overall, resveratrol showed antimicrobial properties on planktonic cells and on biofilm formation ability. Considering the potential use of resveratrol as a food preservative, the antimicrobial efficacy of resveratrol in food was studied in milk, lettuce leaf model and chicken juice. Resveratrol retained greater efficacy in both lettuce leaf model and chicken juice, but milk had a negative impact on its antilisterial activity, indicating a possible reduction of resveratrol availability in milk. CONCLUSION This study reinforces resveratrol as an antimicrobial agent, pointing out its antibiofilm activity and its potential use as preservative in some food matrices. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry

Book description by editor: Food is an essential means for humans and other animals to acquire the necessary elements needed for survival. However, it is also a transport vehicle for foodborne pathogens, which can pose great threats to human health. Use of antibiotics has been enhanced in the human health system; however, selective pressure among bacteria allows the development for antibiotic resistance. Foodborne Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance bridges technological gaps, focusing on critical aspects of foodborne pathogen detection and mechanisms regulating antibiotic resistance that are relevant to human health and foodborne illnesses This groundbreaking guide: - Introduces the microbial presence on variety of food items for human and animal consumption; - Provides the detection strategies to screen and identify the variety of food pathogens in addition to reviews the literature; - Provides microbial molecular mechanism of food spoilage along with molecular mechanism of microorganisms acquiring antibiotic resistance in food; - Discusses systems biology of food borne pathogens in terms of detection and food spoilage; - Discusses FDA’s regulations and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) towards challenges and possibilities of developing global food safety. Foodborne Pathogens and Antibiotic Resistance is an immensely useful resource for graduate students and researchers in the food science, food microbiology, microbiology, and industrial biotechnology.

Arcobacter butzleri is an emerging pathogen with a global distribution, frequently found in the food chain. Its wide spread and association with human illness may point this bacterium as a possible causative agent of foodborne diseases usually associated with unknown etiology. Thus, the true pathogenic potential of A. butzleri and the associated risk of disease development must be clarified. Since its dispersion throughout the food chain is clear, this points toward a potential public health problem due to contaminated food and water, which is strengthened by the ability of this microorganism to survive in food products and water and by its resistance to stress created during food storage and processing.

Hydrophobic zein-based functional films incorporating licorice essential oil were successfully developed as new alternative materials for food packaging. The lotus-leaf negative template was obtained using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The complex surface patterns of the lotus leaves were transferred onto the surface of the zein-based films with high fidelity (positive replica), which validates the proposed proof-of-concept. The films were prepared by casting method and fully characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The grammage, thickness, contact angle, mechanical, optical and barrier properties of the films were measured, together with the evaluation of their biodegradability, antioxidant and antibacterial activities against common foodborne pathogens (Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria monocytogenes). The zein-based films with the incorporation of licorice essential oil presented the typical rugosities of the lotus leaf making the surfaces very hydrophobic (water contact angle of 112.50°). In addition to having antioxidant and antibacterial properties, the films also shown to be biodegradable, making them a strong alternative to the traditional plastics used in food packaging.

Purpose: We sought to clarify the association between cranberry intake and the prevention of urinary tract infections. Materials and methods: This systematic review, which complies with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) statement, was done as a meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of clinical trials. Results: The findings clearly showed the potential use of cranberries for the clinical condition of urinary tract infection. Cranberry products significantly reduced the incidence of urinary tract infections as indicated by the weighted risk ratio (0.6750, 95% CI 0.5516-0.7965, p <0.0001). The results of subgroup analysis demonstrated that patients at some risk for urinary tract infections were more susceptible to the effects of cranberry ingestion. Conclusions: The results of the current study could be used by physicians to recommend cranberry ingestion to decrease the incidence of urinary tract infections, particularly in individuals with recurrent urinary tract infections. This would also reduce the administration of antibiotics, which could be beneficial since antibiotics can lead to the worldwide emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms.