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Klebsiella pneumoniae strains can produce different virulence factors, such as fimbrial adhesins and siderophores, which are important in the colonization and development of the infection. The aims of this study were to determine the occurrence of fimH, mrkD, and irp2 virulence genes in 22 KPC-2-producing K. pneumoniae isolates as well as 22 not producing-KPC isolates, from patients from different hospitals in Recife-PE, Brazil, and also to analyze the clonal relationship of the isolates by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-polymerase chain reaction (ERIC-PCR). The genes were detected by PCR and DNA sequencing. The blaKPC₋₂gene was identified in 22 KPC-positive isolates. On analyzing the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of the isolates, it was detected that polymyxin and amikacin were the antimicrobials of best activity against K. pneumoniae. On the other hand, five isolates exhibited resistance to polymyxin. In the KPC-positive group, was observed a high rate of resistance to cephalosporins, followed by carbapenems. Molecular typing by ERIC-PCR detected 38 genetic profiles, demonstrating a multiclonal spread of the isolates analyzed. It was observed that the virulence genes irp2, mrkD, and fimH were seen to have together a higher frequency in the KPC-positive group. The accumulation of virulence genes of KPC-positive K. pneumoniae isolates, observed in this study, along with the multi-resistance impose significant therapeutic limitations on the treatment of infections caused by K. pneumoniae.

In January 2018, the Mount Pulag National Park in the northern Philippines caught fire. As a key biodiversity area and popular ecotourism and mountaineering site, the burning also lit a fire among social media users. This article follows the viral posts and the social media commentary using social mediatization as a lens. It aims to look into the constructs on biodiversity of social media users using textual analysis. Without using scientific terminology, social media users have been able to show a profound understanding of biodiversity. These includes the concepts of natural regeneration, ecological balance, deep ecology, and normative constructs on how the public should treat nature following the ‘leave no trace' philosophy. They have also issued calls for better management of the national park and bringing to justice of those responsible for its degradation.

The Philippines is an archipelago that always experiences yearly devastating typhoons which hinders continuous agricultural crop production. Using an old horticulture technique called electroculture, supplied electric voltage can stimulate plant growth, improve crop quality, and increase crop yields as long as the contributing factors are present - dormancy and essential nutrients. Using garlic (Allium sativum L.), three set-ups were prepared: control, 6 V, and 12 V electrocuted systems. Then, the effects of the supplied voltage in terms of plant height were visualized. The reaction of the garlic (A. sativum L.) to the application of voltage gave unfavorable results - the average height is relatively higher for the controlled system having 78.2 cm compared to the 6 V and 12 V set-ups of 55.7 cm and 57.1 cm, respectively. However, from the data of the 12th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 25th, and 26th day of the experimental period, the electricity applied somehow assisted the plant's growth. Drying and decrease in height were also visible during the 29th day of the experiment. Further experimentation and optimization can be done to substantiate the results of this present study.

SUMMARY In this brief communication we describe the occurrence of a KPC-producing Serratia marcescensisolate in a home-care patient from Recife, Brazil. The blaKPC, blaSPM, blaIMP, blaVIMblaOXA, blaCTX-M, blaSHV, blaTEM and blaGES genes were investigated by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. The isolate was positive for blaKPC-2 and blaTEM-1 and was resistant to aztreonam, cefepime, cefotaxime, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin and cefazidime, and susceptible only to amikacin, tigecycline and gatifloxacin. This is the first report in Brazil of KPC-producing S. marcescens clinical isolate outside of a hospital environment. Caregivers should be alert for the presence of this isolate in the community setting. RESUMO Nesse estudo descrevemos a ocorrência de um isolado de Serratia marcescensprodutor de KPC em um paciente sob assistência médica domiciliar em Recife, Brazil. Os genes blaKPC, blaSPM, blaIMP, blaVIMblaOXA, blaCTX-M, blaSHV, blaTEM and blaGES foram investigados pela Reação em Cadeia da Polimerase (PCR) e sequenciamento de DNA. O isolado foi positivo para os genes blaKPC-2 and blaTEM-1 e foi resistente a aztreonam, cefepime, cefotaxima, imipenem, meropenem, gentamicina, ciprofloxacina e ceftazidima, e susceptível apenas a amicacina, tigeciclina e gatifloxacina. Este é o primeiro relato no Brasil de um isolado clínico de S. marcescensprodutor de KPC fora de ambiente hospitalar. Os profissionais de saúde devem estar atentos à presença desse isolado na comunidade.

Fosinopril sodium is the first of the phosphinic acid class of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEI). It is used as an antihypertensive agent, but differs from other ACEI in its dual routes of excretion (liver and kidney), and less incidence of hyperkalemia and cough. We conducted a study in known chronic hemodialysis patients who developed interdialytic hyperkalemia in spite of other treatments to control hyperkalemia. We used fosinopril in this group of patients to assess the effect of fosinopril on serum potassium (K) levels. Twenty-four patients were given fosinopril 10 mg at 18:00 h daily for 8 weeks. K levels were measured before and after each dialysis treatment. Interdialytic weight gains were recorded. The average pretrial potassium level was 6.57 mmol/l (+/- 0.47), and the posttrial level was 5.34 (+/- 0.76); p