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Aims: The aim of this study was to analyse the in vitro activity of farnesol alone and combined with the antibacterial drugs amoxicillin, doxycycline, ceftazidime and sulfamethoxazole – trimethoprim against Burkholderia pseudomallei biofilms. Methods and Results: Susceptibility was assessed by the broth microdilution test and cell viability was re ad with the oxid ation–reduction indicator dye resazurin. The biofilms were evaluated through three microscopic techniques (optical, confocal and electronic microscopy). The minimum biofilm erradication concentration (MBEC) for farnesol was 75–2400 mmol l 1 . In addition, farnesol significantly reduced the MBEC values for ceftazidime, amoxicillin, doxycycline and sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim by 256, 16, 4 and 4 times respectively (P < 005). Optical, confocal and electronic microscopic analyses of farnesol-treated B. pseudomallei biofilms demonstrated that this compound damages biofilm matrix, probably facilitating antimicrobial pe netration in the biofi lm stru cture. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the effectiveness of farnesol against B. pseudomallei biofilms and its potentiating effect on the activity of antibacterial drugs, in particular ceftazidime, amoxicillin, doxycycline and sulfamethoxazole–trimethoprim. Significance and Impact of the Study: The intrinsic antimicrobial resistance of B. pseudomallei is a serious challenge for the treatment of melioidosis. Thus, this paper reports the inhibitory potential of farnesol against B. pseudomallei biofilms, as well as highlights the favourable pharmacological interaction of farnesol with antibiotics tested, not only on cell viability, but also in the structural morphology of biofilms.

O estudo de materiais de alto desempenho e multifuncionais, como os compósitos poliméricos cimentícios, tem sido o foco de inúmeras pesquisas na indústria da construção civil. Este trabalho investiga o efeito da combinação de uma fase polimérica termorrígida, uma resina epóxi, com cimento Portland branco estrutural, seguido da avaliação da resistência à compressão e módulo de elasticidade. Este compósito, quando comparado individualmente com as suas matérias-prima originais, promove um aumento da resistência mecânica à compressão, redução da massa específica e, também uma mudança significativa do comportamento mecânico. As mudanças nas propriedades mecânicas estão associadas à hidratação da fase cimentícia na presença da resina, fato comprovado através da análise espectroscópica na região do infravermelho. The study of multi-functional materials of high performance, as the polymeric-cementitious composites, has been the focus of several researches in the industry of the civil engineering. This work investigates the effect of the combination of a thermorigid epoxy phase and the white Portland cement, followed by the evaluation of its compressive strength and modulus of elasticity. This composite, when the phases are individually compared, provides an increase of the compressive strength, a reduction of the density, and a significant change of the mechanical behaviour. The changes in mechanical behaviour are associated with the hydration of cement in the presence of resin, which was evident after infrared spectroscopy analysis.

Neste trabalho é descrita a formação, sobre o aço silício de grão orientado, de um filme cerâmico obtido a partir de MgO contendo os aditivos TiO2 e SrSO4. O material foi tratado termicamente a 900 0C, 1000 0C e 1200 0C e por 15 horas a 1200 0C. O recobrimento foi analisado por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), microssonda eletrônica (EDS), difração de raios X e espectroscopia de centelhamento (GDS). A evolução morfológica observada se passa com a formação de uma camada contínua de óxidos na superfície mais externa do material. Com a elevação da temperatura a camada mais externa torna-se mais espessa e aumenta o teor de Mg nas partículas presentes na sub-camada. É possível verificar a presença de forsterita cristalina na superfície das amostras tratadas a temperaturas superiores a 1000 0C. A profundidade de penetração do Mg no material aumenta com a elevação da temperatura, passando de cerca de 75 nm a 900 0C para aproximadamente 1,9 mim a 1200 0C. In this work the formation on grain oriented silicon steel of a ceramic film obtained using MgO and TiO2 and SrSO4 additives is described . The material was heat treated at 900 0C, 1000 0C and 1200 0C and for 15 hours at 1200 0C. The coating was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron microprobe (EDS), X-ray diffraction and glow discharge spectroscopy (GDS). The observed morphological evolution occurs with the formation of a continuous oxide layer on the outermost surface of the sheet. As the temperature is raised, the outermost surface layer becomes thicker while the particles formed underneath becomes richer in Mg. Beyond 1000 0C the formation of crystalline forsterite on the surface of the sheet was observed. The penetration depth of Mg in the material increases as the heat treatment temperature is raised, going from 75 nm at 900 0C to approximately 1.9 mum at 1200 0C.