CVD-MET: an image difference metric designed for analysis of color vision deficiency aids.

Color vision deficiency (CVD) has gained in relevance in the last decade, with a surge of proposals for aid systems that aim to improve the color discrimination capabilities of CVD subjects. This paper focuses on the proposal of a new metric called CVD-MET, that can evaluate the efficiency and naturalness of these systems through a set of images using a simulation of the subject's vision. In the simulation, the effect of chromatic adaptation is introduced via CIECAM02, which is relevant for the evaluation of passive aids (color filters). To demonstrate the potential of the CVD-MET, an evaluation of a representative set of passive and active aids is carried out both with conventional image quality metrics and with CVD-MET. The results suggest that the active aids (recoloration algorithms) are in general more efficient and produce more natural images, although the changes that are introduced do not shift the CVD's perception of the scene towards the normal observer's perception.

Design, synthesis and molecular docking studies of novel N-arylsulfonyl-benzimidazoles with anti Trypanosoma cruzi activity.

Currently, only two drugs (i.e. benznidazole (BZN) and nifurtimox (NFX)) have been approved for the treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi (Tc) infection, the etiological agent causing Chagas disease. Since both drugs exhibit severe side effects, patients frequently abandon therapy, resulting in an inefficient pharmacotherapeutic treatment. In this context, there is an urgent need to develop new, safer and optimised anti-Tc agents. In this report, we present the synthesis and biological activity of 11 novel and 3 already reported N-arylsulfonyl-benzimidazole derivatives (NBSBZD,1-14) currently in development as potential anti-Tc compounds. These compounds were designed as part of a library of synthetic arylsulfonyl heterocycle derivatives constructed from privileged structures exhibiting drug-like properties. Based on bioactivity assays against Tc, (in both the extracellular and intracellular forms), we observed that 10 compounds exhibited bioactivity against the epimastigote form, while six of them exhibited activity against the amastigote counterpart. Also, the compounds showed less cytotoxicity compared to the reference drug BZN as measured in Vero cell culture. In order to elucidate the potential mechanism of action, metabolite excretion profiles studies were performed, and complemented with molecular modeling studies performed over known Tc druggable targets. Consistency was observed between experimental and theoretical findings, with metabolic profiles showing that compounds 1, 2, 9, 12 and 14 interfered with the normal glycolysis cycle of Tc, while molecular modeling studies were able to establish a solid structure-activity relationship towards the inhibition of 6-phospho-1-fructokinase, a key enzyme involved in the parasite glycolytic cascade. Overall, the present study constitutes a multidisciplinary contribution to the development of new anti-Chagas compounds.

Do EnChroma glasses improve color vision for colorblind subjects?

The commercialization of EnChroma glasses has generated great expectations for people to be able to see new colors or even correct color vision deficiency (CVD). We evaluate the effectiveness of these glasses using two complementary strategies for the first time. The first consists of using the three classical types of tests - recognition, arrangement and discrimination - with and without glasses, with a high number of individuals. In the second, we use the spectral transmittance of the glasses to simulate the appearance of stimuli in a set of scenes for normal observers and observers with CVD. The results show that the glasses introduce a variation of the perceived color, but neither improve results in the diagnosis tests nor allow the observers with CVD to have a more normal color vision.

[Relationship between in-hospital bacterial resistance and antimicrobial use over a 13-year period]. / Relación entre la resistencia bacteriana intrahospitalaria y el consumo de antimicrobianos durante un período de 13 años.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between antimicrobial use and susceptibility in gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria in a general hospital during a 13-year period. METHODS: Normalized antimicrobial consumption (defined daily dose per 100 bed-days) was determined for 58 antibiotics for the period of 1993 to 2005, and susceptibility percentages were calculated for all possible antibiotic-microbial combinations for the same period. Both simple and multiple relationships were considered in 2 different settings: the intensive care unit and the remaining medical-surgical departments. Simple linear regression models for sensitivity-usage were employed, with delays of 0, 1, and 2 years; relationships with determination coefficients (r2) higher than 0.5 and negative correlation coefficients (r) were selected. These selected relationships were further analyzed using both autoregressive models to account for autocorrelation in the error term, and polynomial distributed lag regression models that allow distribution in time of the usage effect on sensitivity, considering all delays simultaneously. RESULTS: The increase in consumption of some antimicrobials has negatively influenced sensitivity to other antimicrobials, with an immediate influence in time for some of them (imipenem, 3rd generation cephalosporins, piperacillin-tazobactam), whereas for others a lag of 1 year (ciprofloxacin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, aminoglycosides) or even 2 years (consumption of macrolides-lincosamides on decreased susceptibility to cloxacillin in S. aureus) was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The significant increment of antimicrobial use observed for many agents seems to produce a negative effect on the sensitivity to other antimicrobials, which is immediate in some relationships, but shows a time lag of 1 or 2 years in others.

Increased prevalence of autoantibodies to ku antigen in African American versus white patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether the widely varying estimates of the prevalence of anti-Ku autoantibodies are explained by racial/ethnic differences. METHODS: Consecutive African American or white patients who met the 1982 criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and who were evaluated over 10 years in North Carolina, Florida, and New York were tested by immunoprecipitation of K562 cell extract for anti-Ku as well as anti-nuclear RNP (nRNP)/Sm, anti-Ro/SSA, and anti-La/SSB autoantibodies. RESULTS: Anti-Ku autoantibodies were detected in sera from 18 of 155 African American patients with SLE (12%) versus 0 of 126 white patients (P < 0.0001, by Fisher's exact test). Anti-nRNP (63% versus 16%; P < 0.0001) and anti-Sm (23% versus 7%; P < 0.0004) autoantibodies were also more common in the African American subset. The 2 groups had comparable frequencies of anti-Ro/SSA and anti-La/SSB autoantibodies. CONCLUSION: Anti-Ku antibodies are common in African American patients with SLE but rare in whites, probably explaining the different estimates of their prevalence. In African Americans, the frequency is comparable with that of anti-La/SSB. Along with anti-Ku, anti-nRNP and anti-Sm autoantibodies are also overrepresented in African Americans, suggesting that a group of specificities is characteristically associated with SLE in African Americans.

The effect of 1% povidone iodine as a pre-procedural mouthrinse in 20 patients with varying degrees of oral hygiene.

This study is conducted to determine the different types of microorganisms found in the saliva of individuals with varying degrees of oral hygiene, also to determine the effectiveness of 1% Povidone Iodine (Betadine) 1% gargle oral antiseptic as a pre-procedural mouthrinse in individuals with varying degrees of oral hygiene, and lastly to be able to determine the duration of the effectiveness of the solution. The cheek mucosa of the patients are procured of saliva specimens without prior rinsing of 1% Povidone Iodine and the saliva sample obtained was placed on a test tube with thioglycollate culture media and was labelled. The patients are asked to rinse or to gargle immediately with 1% Povidone Iodine at full strength (20ml.) for about 30 seconds. After two hours, the cheek mucosa was then again swabbed and placed on the second test tube. After four hours, the same procedure was done and the saliva specimen obtained was labelled and placed on the third test tube. The result of this study revealed that 1% Povidone Iodine used as a pre-procedural mouthrinse has a bactericidal effect in the microorganism concentration resulting to the reduction of surviving microorganisms up to four hours which is the limitation of the study.

Sensitization to epoxy resin systems in special flooring workers.

The use of new products in building and public works is increasing, among them being special floor coverings containing epoxy resins and derivatives. These are used principally in heavily frequented areas, such as shopping precincts, hospitals, civic centres, etc., due to their high resistance to wear and tear, environmental factors, etc. In the last 2 years, we have studied 15 cases of men sensitized to epoxy resin, or derivatives, who worked with special floorings. Speed of sensitization, severity of lesions, and localization to the hands, face and legs were characteristic.