Microbiological Species and Antibiotic Resistance in Diabetic and Nondiabetic Lower Extremity Wounds: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Study.

Severe lower extremity wounds have an increased risk of complications and limb loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the microbiological profile and antibiotic resistance of wounds in diabetic and nondiabetic patients. A cross-sectional comparative study was carried out at a public hospital including 111 patients with moderate to severe wound infections. Tissue samples were collected during a surgical procedure. One hundred and four patients (94%) had positive cultures and 88 (79%) had a Gram-negative microorganism. Among the 185 cultured microorganisms, 133 (72%) were Gram-negative species. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (23 cases) was the most isolated Gram-negative species, and Enterococcus faecalis (26 cases) was the most prevalent Gram-positive species. Among 185 isolated species, 45 (24%) were extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producers, 23 (12%) were carbapenem-resistant, and 5 (3%) were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Findings revealed that there was no significant difference in the microbiological profile and antibiotic resistance among patients with lower extremity wounds whether they were diabetic or nondiabetic.

Low-level laser irradiation induces a transcriptional myotube-like profile in C2C12 myoblasts.

Low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) has been used as a non-invasive method to improve muscular regeneration capability. However, the molecular mechanisms by which LLLI exerts these effects remain largely unknown. Here, we described global gene expression profiling analysis in C2C12 myoblasts after LLLI that identified 514 differentially expressed genes (DEG). Gene ontology and pathway analysis of the DEG revealed transcripts among categories related to cell cycle, ribosome biogenesis, response to stress, cell migration, and cell proliferation. We further intersected the DEG in C2C12 myoblasts after LLLI with publicly available transcriptomes data from myogenic differentiation studies (myoblasts vs myotube) to identify transcripts with potential effects on myogenesis. This analysis revealed 42 DEG between myoblasts and myotube that intersect with altered genes in myoblasts after LLLI. Next, we performed a hierarchical cluster analysis with this set of shared transcripts that showed that LLLI myoblasts have a myotube-like profile, clustering away from the myoblast profile. The myotube-like transcriptional profile of LLLI myoblasts was further confirmed globally considering all the transcripts detected in C2C12 myoblasts after LLLI, by bi-dimensional clustering with myotubes transcriptional profiles, and by the comparison with 154 gene sets derived from previous published in vitro omics data. In conclusion, we demonstrate for the first time that LLLI regulates a set of mRNAs that control myoblast proliferation and differentiation into myotubes. Importantly, this set of mRNAs revealed a myotube-like transcriptional profile in LLLI myoblasts and provide new insights to the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of LLLI on skeletal muscle cells.

Parasitic communities of Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock, 1828) as indicators of environmental impact.

The parasites are indicative of several biological aspects of their hosts, including their diet, migration, recruitment and phylogeny, but they can also be direct indicators of the environmental quality. Hoplosternum littorale is a fish that has a high commercial value in some South American countries. The fishes were collected from January to July 2012, in two locations of the Peixe River in the municipality of Anhembi, State of São Paulo, Brazil, which had different environmental and limnological characteristics (river mouth and Lagoa Cabeça de Boi). An amount of 30 fish specimens were captured in each location for the analysis of their parasitic fauna. Nine species of metazoan parasites were collected. Both Brillouin`s diversity index and Margalef`s richness index were greater in the Lagoa Cabeça de Boi. The ratio of heteroxenous and monoxenous parasite species richness (SH/SM) was higher in the Lagoa Cabeça de Boi. The results of the physicochemical analysis of the water showed that the mouth of the Peixe River can be considered an area that suffers more from anthropogenic actions than the Lagoa da Cabeça de Boi. Proteocephalus sp., Gyrodactylus sp., Scleroductus sp. and Capillaria (Neocapillaria) pterophylli are being registered for the first time in this host.

What Physical Fitness Component Is Most Closely Associated With Adolescents' Blood Pressure?

This study aimed to determine which of four selected physical fitness variables, would be most associated with blood pressure changes (systolic and diastolic) in a large sample of adolescents. This was a descriptive and cross-sectional, epidemiological study of 1,117 adolescents aged 14-19 years from southern Brazil. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured by a digital pressure device, and the selected physical fitness variables were body composition (body mass index), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), muscle strength/resistance (manual dynamometer), and aerobic fitness (Modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test). Simple and multiple linear regression analyses revealed that aerobic fitness and muscle strength/resistance best explained variations in systolic blood pressure for boys (17.3% and 7.4% of variance) and girls (7.4% of variance). Aerobic fitness, body composition, and muscle strength/resistance are all important indicators of blood pressure control, but aerobic fitness was a stronger predictor of systolic blood pressure in boys and of diastolic blood pressure in both sexes.

Parasitic communities of Hoplosternum littorale (Hancock, 1828) as indicators of environmental impact

ABSTRACT The parasites are indicative of several biological aspects of their hosts, including their diet, migration, recruitment and phylogeny, but they can also be direct indicators of the environmental quality. Hoplosternum littorale is a fish that has a high commercial value in some South American countries. The fishes were collected from January to July 2012, in two locations of the Peixe River in the municipality of Anhembi, State of São Paulo, Brazil, which had different environmental and limnological characteristics (river mouth and Lagoa Cabeça de Boi). An amount of 30 fish specimens were captured in each location for the analysis of their parasitic fauna. Nine species of metazoan parasites were collected. Both Brillouin`s diversity index and Margalef`s richness index were greater in the Lagoa Cabeça de Boi. The ratio of heteroxenous and monoxenous parasite species richness (SH/SM) was higher in the Lagoa Cabeça de Boi. The results of the physicochemical analysis of the water showed that the mouth of the Peixe River can be considered an area that suffers more from anthropogenic actions than the Lagoa da Cabeça de Boi. Proteocephalus sp., Gyrodactylus sp., Scleroductus sp. and Capillaria (Neocapillaria) pterophylli are being registered for the first time in this host.

Comparison of the temporal hemifield and nasal hemifield sensitivity in patients with early-onset convergent strabismus.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the hypothesis that a reduction in sensitivity of the nasal visual hemifield would lead to an increase in the nasotemporal asymmetry of the visual field in patients under two years of age with early-onset convergent strabismus in comparison with normal patients. METHODS: Both eyes of 66 patients - 33 esotropes and 33 normals - were studied. Patients' age ranged from 7 to 30 years. The examination consisted of a static perimetry using the Humphrey field analyzer 700 Series' Sita Standard program. RESULTS: An accentuation of the nasotemporal asymmetry was seen in the 33 esotropes and was related to an evident decrease of sensitivity in the most peripheral of the points studied along the horizontal meridian of the visual field. The quantitative sum of values of sensitivity of these points showed an average reduction of -15.71% in relation to the normal patients. CONCLUSION: There was a clear accentuation of the nasotemporal asymmetry of sensitivity in esotropes when compared to normal patients. There was no difference in sensitivity between the two eyes in either normals or esotropes.

Traumatismo de quiasma óptico: descriçäo evolutiva de 4 casos e revisäo da literatura recente / Optic chiasma trauma: evolutive description of 4 cases and a revision of recent litterature

Descrevem-se as características dos pacientes, dos traumas, dos achados clínicos e radiológicos e as evoluçöes neuroftalmológicas em 4 pacientes portadores de trauma presumível ao quiasma óptico. Apesar de todos terem tido danos severos aos campos visuais, o prognótico foi eventualmente bom. Suscinta revisäo bibliográfica geral sobre o assunto éacrescentada nos comentários e sugestöes para a profilaxia de tais lesöes