Is leaf fluctuating asymmetry related to plant and leaf size in Miconia albicans, a common Melastomataceae species?

Fluctuating asymmetry, defined as random differences between the two sides of a symmetrical structure, has been often related to development stress in both plants and animals. In plants, leaf fluctuating asymmetry has been related to stresses such as pollution and fire and may also be related to leaf growth and herbivory rates. We assessed whether leaf fluctuating asymmetry is related to plant and leaf size in Miconia albicans (Sw.) Triana (Melastomataceae), a common multi-stem Neotropical shrub, in a Brazilian savanna area. We collected 15 leaves from each of 70 individuals, and measured fluctuating asymmetry as the difference in area between the right and left sides of the leaves using the central vein as reference. To avoid spurious results due to measurement error, the division along the central vein was performed independently by three researchers. We also measured the basal area and height of each stem of the plant individuals. We used linear models to assess the relations between leaf fluctuating asymmetry, plant size and leaf size. No consistent relations were observed between leaf fluctuating asymmetry and plant size, as the analyses performed on the fluctuating asymmetry values obtained by the different researchers showed different results. However, relative fluctuating asymmetry values, obtained by dividing the fluctuating asymmetry by the total leaf area, tended to be smaller in larger leaves. It thus appears that, in the study species, fluctuating asymmetry is related to the developmental conditions faced by the individual leaves and not by the plant as a whole.

The impact of psoriasis on quality of life.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease in which the signs vary from one patient to another and over time. Traditionally, physicians have used various parameters to assess the severity of the disease: percentage of body surface area covered, erythema, plaque thickness, degree of scaling and systemic symptoms such as arthritis. However, these clinical assessments alone do not accurately reflect the overall effect of the disease on patients' daily activities. Apart from the clinical severity of affected areas, psoriasis can also have a profound psychosocial impact on the patient's quality of life. This concept is multidimensional, encompassing the physical, social and psychological wellbeing of the person and is based on the patient's view of their condition.

Testicular alterations in hansen's disease

Estudaram-se 58 fragmentos testiculares e o espermograma de 10 indivíduos normais e 24 hansenianos. Verificaram-se as alteraçöes gerais e precoces na histologia, a freqüência de espermátides jovens no lumem tubular e a medida dos diâmetros de 1.450 túbulos seminíferos. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, näo foi possível estabelecer uma correlaçäo qualitativa entre as descriçöes histológicas e ou quantitativa entre a morfometria, e um grupo clínico específico de hansenianos. Assim, também, a simultaneidade e a variabilidade dos achados observados em um mesmo testículo, se opöe às fases evolutivas, descritas por H. Grabstald & L.L. Swan e à classificaçäo proposta por B. Kumar et al. Os autores sugerem que as alteraçöes testiculares sejam conseqüência de uma auto-agressäo à glândula

Tinea versicolor in groin and scrotum simulating ringworm

Se describen dos casos de Pitiriasis versicolor de localización crural y escrotal. No se encontraron evidencias de esa micosis en otras zonas del cuerpo. Malassezia furfur fue evidenciada mediante el uso de hidróxido de potasio adicionado de tinta Parker 51 azul oscura permanente. El hongo fue cultivado únicamente en agar Sabouraud adicionado de aceite de oliva