A national survey comparing practice patterns and residency training satisfaction for categorical dermatology versus combined internal medicine and dermatology trained physicians.

Combined internal medicine and dermatology (med-derm) training programs were created to advance complex medical dermatology and inpatient dermatology care. A prior study demonstrated that compared to categorical dermatology residents, med-derm residents had less program satisfaction, yet indicated a stronger desire to pursue careers in academia. No follow-up data on practice patterns after training has been reported. We aimed to characterize differences in residency program satisfaction and practice patterns between physicians trained in categorical dermatology compared to med-derm residency programs. We surveyed physicians who graduated from combined med-derm programs along with their counterparts, from six institutions, that either currently or historically had a combined med-derm training, from 2008-2017. Fifty-five percent of med-derm and forty-one percent of categorical-trained physicians responded. The practice patterns between the two groups were similar. A quarter of med-derm physicians continued to provide general internal medicine services. Categorical trained physicians were significantly more satisfied with their training (P=0.03) and performed more excisions on the head/neck (P=0.02). The combined graduates had significantly greater confidence in multidisciplinary care (P=0.003), prescribed more biologic (P<0.001) and non-biologic immunosuppressive agents (P=0.002), and volunteered more for the underserved patients in their communities (P=0.04). Although few differences in overall practice patterns between categorical and med-derm trained graduates were appreciated, med-derm graduates seem more comfortable with multidisciplinary care and may care for more medically complex patients requiring immunosuppression.

Morphological and genetic variability of the cryptic Gyrodactylus sphinx and Gyrodactylus gerasevi n. sp. (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) from the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea: two new members of the cross-ocean distributed Gyrodactylus orecchiae species group.

Gyrodactylus sphinx Dmitrieva & Gerasev, 2000 is the only species of Gyrodactylus originally described from Aidablennius sphynx (Valenciennes) in the Black Sea. In the present study, monogeneans similar to G. sphinx are reported from the same host and from two other species of Blenniidae from the Black Sea, as well as from the Mediterranean Sea. This study aims to verify the taxonomic status of the specimens found in different hosts and localities, other than the type ones of G. sphinx. Twenty-two measurements of the haptoral structures of 169 gyrodactylids were used for the morphological study. Morphometric variability between different samples was analysed using analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) and principal component analysis (PCA). Molecular studies were carried out using the nuclear internal transcribed spacer 2 and 5.8S ribosomal DNA regions. Network, Bayesian phylogenetic and species delimitation analyses were performed to infer the number of taxonomic units and the phylogeographic relationships occurring within and among them. MANOVA revealed a significant dependence of the morphometry of hamuli and marginal hooks on host species and regions, but a clear differentiation between samples was not confirmed by PCA. Moreover, the ranges of all dimensions overlapped between samples. However, molecular analyses suggested the occurrence of at least two taxonomic entities. The most common entity was present in individuals of the Black and Mediterranean seas, and is described here as Gyrodactylus gerasevi n. sp., whereas a second entity recognized as a G. sphinx was found only in individuals from two localities off Crimea. The monophyletic cluster grouping of these two species was placed within a large clade that also included a separate sister cluster with seven other species of the Gyrodactylus orecchiae cross-ocean species group.

New Insights Into the Genetic Variability of Fasciola Hepatica (Trematoda) in Algeria and Relationships with Other Geographic Regions Revealed By Mitochondrial DNA.

This study aims to investigate the level of genetic variability of Fasciola hepatica flukes isolated from cattle in Algeria and to determine the phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships with sequences isolated worldwide. Mitochondrial (Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I gene - COI) and nuclear markers (Internal Transcribed Spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA - ITS) for 24 F. hepatica flukes isolated from 12 cattle in North Algeria were characterised. Only two haplotypes were obtained for the COI gene, resulting in a low level of genetic variation. The analysis of variation among the COI sequences isolated from around the world did not show high levels of genetic divergence, and the phylogenetic analysis revealed a genetic similarity among F. hepatica isolates from different areas of the world. The analysis of the ITS region showed a low level of variability, which prevented obtaining informative phylogenetic and phylogeographic results. The present study also revealed that specimens of F. hepatica are genetically similar in different hosts, indicating that the genetic structure among populations of this parasite is not influenced by the host species. The low levels of genetic variation for COI and ITS regions among fluke isolates from all continents are consistent with a common origin for the flukes' worldwide distribution.

Species diversity and molecular insights into phlebotomine sand flies in Sardinia (Italy)-an endemic region for leishmaniasis.

This study provides updated information on the distribution of the phlebotomine sand fly species and their genetic characterization in Sardinia, a Mediterranean island where leishmaniasis is endemic. From April to November 2017, sand flies were trapped in five different capture sites using sticky traps and light traps as collection methods, operated nearby sheep, poultry, cat, and dog shelters. Phlebotomine specimens (n = 513) collected were morphologically and molecularly identified as Phlebotomus perniciosus (249/513, 48.5%), Phlebotomus perfiliewi (236/513; 46%), and Sergentomyia minuta (28/513, 5.5%). Sand flies were collected from the second half of May to October confirming the well-defined seasonal activity, which peaks in August in Sardinia. Overall, correlation analyses indicated a significant positive association between the monthly number of sand flies collected and the mean temperature (r = 0.88, rho = 0.87, and tau = 0.69, P < 0.05), while there was non-significant, moderately negative correlation between the monthly number of sand flies collected and the monthly mean relative humidity and wind (r = - 0.22, rho = 0.02, and tau = 0.04, P > 0.05). This study provides the first data on the molecular characterization of phlebotomine sand flies in this region and confirms the presence of three sand fly species. Molecular results suggest that the morphological features used for analysis represent synapomorphic-derived characters which are shared among descendant taxa and the common ancestor.

Different in vitro culture systems affect the birth weight of lambs from vitrified ovine embryos.

It has been reported that different in vitro culture systems affect the birth weight of lambs. The aim of this study was to test body weight and lambing rate of lambs born from five different in vitro culture systems after vitrification. Oocytes of Sarda sheep were matured in TCM-199 plus 0.4% bovine serum albumin (BSA) using systems: (i) 4 mg/ml fatty acid-free BSA (BSA4); (ii) 8 mg/ml fatty acid-free BSA (BSA8); (iii) BSA8-hyaluronan (BSA8-HA); (iv) BSA8-charcoal-stripped FBS (BSA8-CH); or (v) with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS; serum) and fertilized with fresh semen. The presumptive zygotes were cultured up to the blastocyst stage with BSA8, BSA8-HA, BSA8-CH or serum or BSA4. In the third and fifth days of culture 5% charcoal-stripped FBS was added into BSA8-CH and serum, while 8 mg/ml or 4 mg/ml fatty acid-free BSA was added as BSA8, BSA8-HA and BSA4 respectively; 6 mg/ml HA was added to BSA8-HA. In total, 240 vitrified blastocysts were transferred into synchronized ewes. The lambing rate was not significant different between BSA groups or between serum groups (BSA8-CH and serum), while serum groups showed significant lower values when compared with BSA groups. Only BSA8 groups produced heavy lambs (≥4.5 kg) with a significant difference between BSA4 and BSA8 groups (P < 0.05).

Blastocyst rate of in vitro embryo production in sheep is affected by season.

It has been reported that the number and quality of in vitro produced embryos is season related. This study was conducted to assess the effect of season on cleavage, blastocyst and lambing rates of in vitro produced ovine embryos during 3 years of collection data. Ovaries of Sarda sheep were collected from a slaughterhouse. In total, 5035 oocytes were recovered and matured in TCM-199 with 4 mg/ml bovine serum albumin (BSA), 100 µM cysteamine, 0.3 mM Na pyruvate, 0.1 UI/ml recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (r-FSH), 0.1 UI/ml recombinant luteinising hormone (r-LH), and 1 µg/ml estradiol-17ß. Matured oocytes were fertilized with fresh semen in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) with 20% heat inactivated estrous sheep serum. The presumptive zygotes were cultured for 6-7 days (blastocyst stage) in SOF medium supplemented with 1% Basel Medium Eagle (BME), 1% Minimum Essential Medium, 1 mM glutamine and 8 mg/ml fatty acid-free BSA. The embryos produced were vitrified and a total of 165 blastocysts (80 from the breeding season and 85 from the anoestrous season) were transferred in pairs into recipient ewes during the reproductive period. There were no significant differences in cleavage rates between seasons in any of the 3 years examined (84% versus 83%, 81% versus 80% and 80% versus 79%, respectively). The blastocyst rate varied significantly between seasons in 2005 and 2007 (P < 0.05), and in 2006 (P < 0.001). There were no differences in pregnancy and lambing rates between embryos during anoestrous versus during the breeding season. In conclusion, only the blastocyst rate appeared to have been affected by season, possibly due to variation in the number of developmentally competent oocytes.

Mitochondrial DNA lineages of Italian Giara and Sarcidano horses.

Giara and Sarcidano are 2 of the 15 extant native Italian horse breeds with limited dispersal capability that originated from a larger number of individuals. The 2 breeds live in two distinct isolated locations on the island of Sardinia. To determine the genetic structure and evolutionary history of these 2 Sardinian breeds, the first hypervariable segment of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was sequenced and analyzed in 40 Giara and Sarcidano horses and compared with publicly available mtDNA data from 43 Old World breeds. Four different analyses, including genetic distance, analysis of molecular variance, haplotype sharing, and clustering methods, were used to study the genetic relationships between the Sardinian and other horse breeds. The analyses yielded similar results, and the FST values indicated that a high percentage of the total genetic variation was explained by between-breed differences. Consistent with their distinct phenotypes and geographic isolation, the two Sardinian breeds were shown to consist of 2 distinct gene pools that had no gene flow between them. Giara horses were clearly separated from the other breeds examined and showed traces of ancient separation from horses of other breeds that share the same mitochondrial lineage. On the other hand, the data from the Sarcidano horses fit well with variation among breeds from the Iberian Peninsula and North-West Europe: genetic relationships among Sarcidano and the other breeds are consistent with the documented history of this breed.

Mitochondrial DNA variability of the pipefish Syngnathus abaster.

This study provides data on the genetic structuring of the pipefish Syngnathus abaster in the western Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas. A total of 109 specimens were collected in brackish-water biotopes. The control region and three other regions of the mitochondrial genome were analysed. The most relevant result was the high genetic structuring found by Bayesian inference (BI), maximum likelihood (ML) and network analyses, which were consistent in showing three well-separated clusters of S. abaster populations. Furthermore, BI and ML did not support the monophyly of the taxon S. abaster. These results suggest the occurrence of a species complex in the study area, whose differentiation may have occurred since the Pleistocene. The results also show a very high genetic variability at the inter-population level, with no shared haplotypes among sites. Evolutionary forces due to the fragmented nature of the brackish-water habitats may account for the high genetic divergence found among the groups and populations. Finally, although dispersal by rafting over long distances may occasionally occur, this study suggests linear stepping-stone model of colonization to be most likely. The complexity of the results obtained suggests that further studies are needed to elucidate the phylogeny of S. abaster.

Effect of heat treatments on biomolecular profile of Sardinian apple cultivars.

Postharvest heat treatments (hot water or hot air treatment) may be applied to horticultural crops to control fungal diseases, insect infestation and to reduce chilling injury in cultivars susceptible to low storage temperatures. The present study investigated the influence of hot water (53 degrees C for 60s) and hot air treatment (38 degrees C for 24h) applied to two typical Sardinian apple varieties, cvs. Miali and Caddina, on the composition of the lipophilic extracts of the peel as well as on the antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of both peel and pulp. The lipophilic extracts of the peel of the two varieties were almost similar and resulted to be dominated by the presence of triterpenes being ursolic and oleanoic acids the main metabolites in both analysed fruits. The chemical analysis of the extracts obtained from the different heat-treated samples for each variety revealed no significant difference in the relative distribution of triterpene components with respect to untreated control samples. This strongly suggested that heat treatment does not affect the composition of terpene metabolite profile of the fruit peel. On the other hand, the antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extracts of the peel and the pulp of heat treated was significantly different from that of control In particular, on Caddina variety the antioxidant activity levels of the peel were consistently higher than in the pulp and were affected by storage conditions. Differently, on Miali variety the antioxidant activity of heat-treated samples was higher than control sample in both peel and pulp.

Acute nephrotoxicity of NSAID from the foetus to the adult.

NSAIDs are generally considered to be safe and well tolerated, but, even with the advent of selective COX-2 inhibitors, nephrotoxicity remains a concern. An impaired renal perfusion caused by the inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis is claimed like the more frequent cause of an acute renal failure due to NSAIDs, while a chronic interstitial nephritis or an analgesic nephropathy are believed the causes of a chronic renal failure. The real incidence of renal side effects of NSAIDs is still unclear and it differs between the age of the patients and the reports present in the literature. The occurrence of renal side effects following prenatal exposure to NSAIDs seems to be rare considering the large number of pregnant woman treated with indomethacin or other prostaglandin inhibitors. NSAID-related nephrotoxicity remains an important clinical problem in the newborns, in whom the functionally immature kidney may exert a significant effect on the disposition of the drugs. Instead, nephrotoxicity is a rare event in children and the risk is lower than adults. In healthy adult patients the incidence of renal adverse effects is very low, less than 1%. The risk increased with age. The elderly are at higher risk, and it is correlated at the presence of pretreatment renal disease, hypovolemia due to use of diuretics, diabetes, congestive heart failure or alteration of NSAID pharmacokinetics.

A serum amyloid P-binding hydrogel speeds healing of partial thickness wounds in pigs.

During wound healing, some circulating monocytes enter the wound, differentiate into fibroblast-like cells called fibrocytes, and appear to then further differentiate into myofibroblasts, cells that play a key role in collagen deposition, cytokine release, and wound contraction. The differentiation of monocytes into fibrocytes is inhibited by the serum protein serum amyloid P (SAP). Depleting SAP at a wound site thus might speed wound healing. SAP binds to some types of agarose in the presence of Ca(2+). We found that human SAP binds to an agarose with a K(D) of 7 x 10(-8) M and a B(max) of 2.1 microg SAP/mg wet weight agarose. Mixing this agarose 1 : 5 w/v with 30 microg/mL human SAP (the average SAP concentration in normal serum) in a buffer containing 2 mM Ca(2+) reduced the free SAP concentration to approximately 0.02 microg/mL, well below the concentration that inhibits fibrocyte differentiation. Compared with a hydrogel dressing and a foam dressing, dressings containing this agarose and Ca(2+) significantly increased the speed of wound healing in partial thickness wounds in pigs. This suggests that agarose/Ca(2+) dressings may be beneficial for wound healing in humans.

Delusional infestation versus Morgellons disease.

Delusional infestation is the conviction that one is infested with pathogens-either animate or inanimate-despite medical or microbiologic evidence to the contrary. Infestation with inanimate pathogens, specifically fibers or filaments, has been controversially termed Morgellons disease by the patients themselves, who believe that this is not a psychiatric disease but rather a new organic condition or a skin manifestation of an infection, such as Lyme disease. A large-scale study by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention on patients presenting with Morgellons clinical manifestations did not find evidence of fibers in the skin nor an association with any infection, including Lyme disease. Once the diagnosis of delusional infestation is made, the cornerstone of treatment is antipsychotics, although this is often quite challenging, as patients are reluctant to take these medications.

Rubber Accelerators in Medical Examination and Surgical Gloves.

BACKGROUND: Rubber accelerators play a significant role in glove-related occupational contact dermatitis, especially among health care workers. Currently, there is limited information readily available outlining the accelerators used in specific medical examination and surgical gloves. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to ascertain the accelerators used in medical examination and surgical gloves for major glove manufacturers within the United States. METHODS: An initial Internet-based search was performed to establish relevant manufacturers and product lines, with subsequent inquiry with each corresponding company regarding accelerators used in each medical and surgical glove line. RESULTS: Eleven glove manufacturers were identified and contacted. Responses were obtained from all manufacturers, but because of legal limitations, changes in product lines, or inability to supply necessary data, only 8 companies were able to be included in the final analysis, totaling data for 190 gloves. Carbamates were the most common accelerator, used in 90.5% (172/190) of gloves, whereas thiurams were used in only 11 gloves (5.8%). Eight companies surveyed are now advertising and offering touted accelerator-free gloves. CONCLUSIONS: Accelerators are used in most examination and surgical gloves; however, manufacturers are now expanding their product offerings to include accelerator-free options.

Effect of different diluents on goat semen fertility.

Skim milk (SM) is considered to be the most widely employed extender for goat sperm used for artificial insemination (AI). However, the fertilizing life span of sperm stored in milk or milk-based extenders does not exceed 12h. Besides some seminal plasma components, such as a protein fraction from the goat bulbourethral gland secretion (SBUIII), interacts with some milk fractions and inhibits the spermatozoa motility. The aim of this study was to prolong the survival of buck semen and its fertility. Buck ejaculates were diluted to a final concentration of 100x10(6)spermatozoa/ml with three different diluents: SM, TEMPOL (4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl) and TEMPOL+hyaluronic acid (TEMPOL+HA). At 7h from dilution 42 goats were inseminated with semen diluted with SM (short-term semen) while after storage for 24h, 44 and 45 goats were inseminated with semen diluted with TEMPOL and TEMPOL+HA (long-term storage), respectively. At day 50 from AI the percentages of pregnant goats were 71.4% (30/42) with SM, 61.4% (27/44) with TEMPOL and 48.8% (22/45) with TEMPOL+HA, with significant differences between SM and TEMPOL+HA. The kidding rate was 66.7% (28/42) with SM diluent, 61.4% (27/44) with TEMPOL and 48.8% (22/45) with TEMPOL+HA, without significant differences among treatment groups. In conclusion, it is possible to maintain good fertility in goats after AI with semen stored for 24h in TEMPOL.

ß-Cyclodextrin-based supramolecular poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels prepared by frontal polymerization.

Frontal polymerization (FP) was successfully applied to the synthesis of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-grafted-acryloyl-ß-cyclodextrin supramolecularly crosslinked hydrogels. It was established that acryloyl-ß-cyclodextrin (AßCD) allowed performing successful frontal polymerizations with N-isopropylacrylamide even in the absence of any covalent crosslinker, which is something generally required. It was found that the swelling properties of the resulting hydrogels can be tuned by varying the amount of AßCD. Namely, when little amounts of this non-covalent crosslinker were used, superabsorbent hydrogels were obtained. Hydrogels containing also a covalent crosslinker were also prepared for comparison. These latter exhibited swelling ratios that are much lower than the others.

EPR investigation of the oxovanadium(IV) complexes formed by the tripeptide glutathione and some related ligands in aqueous solution.

Complex formation between oxovanadium(IV) and glutathione (gamma-L-glutamyl-L-cysteinylglycine, GSH) was investigated in aqueous solution by EPR and electron absorption spectroscopy to identify the complexed species that were reported to form upon reduction of exogenous vanadium(V) in cellular systems. The complexing behavior of the related ligands glycine, N-acetyl-glycine, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, cysteamine, L-cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, N-acetyl-cysteamine, and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was also examined in order to have suitable reference models. The results are compared with those reported previously.

Oxovanadium(IV) complex formation by simple sugars in aqueous solution.

The binding of oxovanadium(IV) to simple sugars in neutral or basic aqueous solution, as studied by EPR and electronic absorption spectroscopy, is reported. The complexation is favored in basic media and involves the coordination of the metal ion to couples of adjacent deprotonated hydroxyls of the sugar molecule. However, only the ligands provided with cis couples can adopt this chelating ligand behavior. The ability of the cis hydroxyl couples to yield chelated complexes has been related to the structural rearrangement (decrease of the O-C-C-O torsion angle in the five-membered chelated ring) needed to permit the oxovanadium(IV) coordination by the sugar molecule.