Biofilm formation is a matter of concern in food industries because biofilms facilitate the survival of pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria monocytogenes, which may contaminate food-processing equipment and products. In this study, nisin and two Enterococcus faecium strains were evaluated for their effect on biofilm formation by L. monocytogenes cultured in brain heart infusion broth and on stainless steel coupons. Elimination of preformed L. monocytogenes biofilms by peroxyacetic acid also was tested. Adhesion control experiments were performed with pure cultures of L. monocytogenes after swab collection of adhered cells, which were then enumerated on PALCAM agar plates and visualized by scanning electron microscopy. Formation of a biofilm was recorded when the number of adhered cells was at least 10(3) CFU/cm2. When L. monocytogenes was cocultured with E. faecium bac-, the number of adhered L. monocytogenes cells was 2.5 log lower (P = 0.002) when initially compared with the control culture, but after 6 h of incubation a biofilm was again detected. However, in coculture on stainless steel coupons, E. faecium bac+ inhibited L. monocytogenes adherence and did not allow biofilm formation for up to 48 h (P < 0.001). In the presence of nisin or after treatment with peroxyacetic acid, bacterial growth was reduced (P < 0.001) up to 4.6 and 5.6 log CFU/cm2, respectively, when compared with L. monocytogenes cultures on untreated coupons. However, after these treatments, cells were still present, and after 24 h of incubation, a renewed biofilm was detected in L. monocytogenes cultures treated with nisin. Although all tested conditions reduced L. monocytogenes growth to some extent, only coculture with E. faecium bac+ efficiently reduced biofilm formation, suggesting a potential control strategy for this pathogen.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the quality of life and associated factors of climacteric women in Brazil using a random and representative sample of women assisted by primary care professionals. We investigated the variables using the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, MENQOL, whose mean scores were compared using Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests according to the sample characteristics. The variables associated with the outcomes in univariate analyses with a p≤0.2 were jointly evaluated using multiple linear regression. In this study, 849 women ranging in age from 40 to 65 years were evaluated. The predictors of poor quality of life in the vasomotor domain were women with severe climacteric symptoms (p<0.001), increased Body Mass Index (BMI) (p = 0.006), sleep (p = 0.022), and postmenopausal (p<0.001) alterations. For the psychosocial domain, the associated variables were severe climacteric symptoms (p<0.001) and sleep alterations (p<0.001); for the physical domain, the associated variables were severe climacteric symptoms (p<0.001), increased BMI (p<0.001), sleep (p<0.001), and postmenopausal (p<0.001) alterations. Severe climacteric symptoms, low sleep quality, increased BMI, and postmenopausal status were factors that were more associated with impairments in quality of life. With the increase in life expectancy, we suggest that greater attention should be paid to women’s quality of life associated with climacteric symptoms.

Objetivo: Analisar o perfil epidemiológico dos pacientes internados por HIV no Brasil, no período de 2010 a 2019. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo, retrospectivo, descritivo, quantitativo, de base documental. Os dados foram obtidos do Sistema de Informações Hospitalares do Sistema Único de Saúde (SIH/SUS), pelo Departamento de informática do SUS (DATASUS). Resultados: No período avaliado, foram registradas 338.966 internações por HIV no Brasil. A região Sudeste (37,6%) e Nordeste (25,5%), apresentaram maiores internações. No entanto, as taxas de mortalidade se concentraram nas regiões Norte (17,06) e Sul (12,19). A prevalência média de internações por HIV, foi maior na região Sul (26,6 casos) e menor na região Sudeste (15,8 casos). Houve predomínio no sexo masculino (63,9%), na faixa etária entre 30-39 anos (31,50%) e na cor/raça branca (37,76%). A respeito do regime e caráter das internações, 51,35% foram em hospitais públicos e 80,65%) foi por urgência. Observou-se um total de 41.101 óbitos (12,12%). A maior prevalência ocorreu entre pacientes do sexo masculino (51,48%) e a maior taxa de mortalidade ocorreu na faixa etária acima dos 70 anos (21,82%). Conclusão: A infecção pelo HIV e, consequentemente as internações em decorrência desse fator, ainda proporcionam altos custos para a saúde pública do país.

Biopreservation using lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and/or their metabolites represents an alternative for improving food safety. LAB can synthesize and excrete antimicrobial peptides denominated bacteriocins, but only nisin has been largely commercially used as a food preservative. There are limitations in using this bacteriocin, in part due to its inactivation in meat products. Current research on LAB bacteriocins are conducted aiming to broad their application as natural food preservatives. Lactobacillus sakei 1, is a LAB previously isolated in our laboratory from pork sausage and it is capable to inhibit Listeria monocytogenes, by bacteriocin production. In this work, L. sakei 1 was grown in MRS broth and its bacteriocin was extracted by adsorption on its own cells and purified by cation‐exchange, followed by hydrophobic interaction and high performance reverse‐phase chromatography. An estimate of the molecular weight for the partially purified peptide (3,420 Da) was carried out using SDS‐PAGE stained by silver stain and with a bioindicator (L. monocytogenes). The purified bacteriocin was also analyzed by mass espectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS) and the molecular weight was determined as 4,438.83 Da. Approximately 31 N‐terminal amino acid residues were sequenced by Edman degradation and the motif YGNGV (commonly found in Class IIa bacteriocins) was found in the N‐terminal sequence. PRATICAL APPLICATIONS Several antimicrobial peptides produced by lactic acid bacteria have been purified and they present potential for food applications. However, the only peptide largely applied commercially is the bacteriocin nisin. To widen the use of bacteriocins in food biopreservation, it is important to study bacteriocin‐producing strains that can be well adapted to foods where they intend to be used and to elucidate the structure of the inhibitory molecule, to allow production in large scale if the purified peptide is to be used. In the present work, the bacteriocin produced by the Brazilian meat isolate Lactobacillus sakei 1 has been characterized.

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