Bilateral pyogranulomatous otitis externa with putative cartilage destruction in a dog: A severe case of auricular chondritis?

Auricular chondritis of unknown cause was suspected in a 10-year-old male Bolognese dog with a five-month history of painful bilateral nodular and ulcerative pyogranulomatous dermatitis of the pinnae with putative auricular cartilage destruction. Pain and lesions resolved with immunosuppressive doses of prednisolone, yet the condition resulted in deformity of both pinnae and external canals.

Une chondrite auriculaire d'étiologie inconnue est suspectée chez un bichon bolonais mâle de 10 ans qui présente depuis 5 mois une dermatite pyogranulomateuse nodulaire et ulcéreuse bilatérale douloureuse du pavillon de l'oreille avec une destruction présumée du cartilage auriculaire. La douleur et les lésions disparaissent avec des doses immunosuppressives de prednisolone, mais l'affection entraîne une déformation des deux pavillons et des conduits auriculaires externes.

Suspeitou­se de condrite auricular de causa desconhecida em um cão macho Bolonhês de 10 anos de idade com um histórico de cinco meses de dermatite piogranulomatosa ulcerativa e nodular bilateral no pavilhão auricular com suposta destruição de cartilagem auricular. A dor e as lesões resolveram com doses imunossupressoras de prednisolona apesar de a etiologia ter resultado na deformidade de ambas as orelhas e condutos auditivos.

Se sospechó la existencia de una condritis auricular de causa desconocida en un perro boloñés de 10 años con historia de 5 meses de duración de una dermatitis nodular ulcerativa piogramulomatosa y bilateral en las orejas con posible destrucción del cartílago auricular. El dolor y las lesiones se resolvieron con dosis inmunosupresoras de prednisolona pero la enfermedad produjo deformación de ambas orejas y de los canales auriculares externos.

Different electrolytic treatments for food sanitation and conservation simulating a wash process at the packinghouse.

Microorganisms are predominantly responsible for food deterioration, necessitating the sanitization and removal of these entities from food surfaces. The packinghouse employs free chlorine in the sanitization process; however, free chlorine's propensity to react with organic matter, forming potentially toxic compounds, has led to its restriction or outright prohibition in several European countries. Therefore, this study aims to assess various washing methods, emulating packinghouse conditions, utilizing diverse forms of electrolyzed water to impede microbial proliferation and significantly enhance the food's shelf life. The subject of investigation was cherry tomatoes. The findings revealed that electrolyzed water containing NaCl exhibited superior efficacy compared to electrolysis with Na2SO4. Both forms of electrolyzed water demonstrated noteworthy effectiveness in inhibiting microorganisms, resulting in a reduction of 2.0 Log CFU mL-1 for bacteria and 1.5 Log CFU mL-1 for fungi. The electrolyzed water also exhibited a comparable capability to free chlorine in removing fecal coliforms from the tomato surfaces. Notably, both electrolyzed water treatments extended the shelf life of cherry tomatoes by at least three days, accompanied by minimal or negligible residues of free chlorine. Consequently, the electrolyzed water formulations proposed in this study present themselves as promising alternatives to traditional packinghouse sanitizers. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13197-023-05882-1.

Radiolabeled Gold Nanoseeds Decorated with Substance P Peptides: Synthesis, Characterization and In Vitro Evaluation in Glioblastoma Cellular Models.

Despite some progress, the overall survival of patients with glioblastoma (GBM) remains extremely poor. In this context, there is a pressing need to develop innovative therapy strategies for GBM, namely those based on nanomedicine approaches. Towards this goal, we have focused on nanoparticles (AuNP-SP and AuNP-SPTyr8) with a small gold core (ca. 4 nm), carrying DOTA chelators and substance P (SP) peptides. These new SP-containing AuNPs were characterized by a variety of analytical techniques, including TEM and DLS measurements and UV-vis and CD spectroscopy, which proved their high in vitro stability and poor tendency to interact with plasma proteins. Their labeling with diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides was efficiently performed by DOTA complexation with the trivalent radiometals 67Ga and 177Lu or by electrophilic radioiodination with 125I of the tyrosyl residue in AuNP-SPTyr8. Cellular studies of the resulting radiolabeled AuNPs in NKR1-positive GBM cells (U87, T98G and U373) have shown that the presence of the SP peptides has a crucial and positive impact on their internalization by the tumor cells. Consistently, 177Lu-AuNP-SPTyr8 showed more pronounced radiobiological effects in U373 cells when compared with the non-targeted congener 177Lu-AuNP-TDOTA, as assessed by cell viability and clonogenic assays and corroborated by Monte Carlo microdosimetry simulations.

Evaluating the potential of electrolysed water for the disinfection of citrus fruit in packinghouses.

BACKGROUND: The largest and most profitable market for citrus is the production of fresh fruit. Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri is a Gram-negative plant pathogen and the etiological agent of citrus canker, one of the major threats to citrus production worldwide. In the early stages of infection, X. citri can attach to plant surfaces by means of biofilms. Biofilm is considered an essential virulence factor, which helps tissue colonization in plants. Thus, sanitization of citrus fruit is mandatory in packinghouses before any logistic operation as packing and shipment to the market. The aim of this study was to evaluate electrolysed water (EW) as a sanitizer for the disinfection of citrus fruit in packinghouses. RESULTS: Using a protocol to monitor cell respiration we show that EW, obtained after 8 and 9 min of electrolysis, sufficed to kill X. citri when applied at a concentration of 500 µL mL-1 . Furthermore, microscopy analysis, combined with time-response growth curves, confirmed that EW affects the bacterial cytoplasmatic membrane and it leads to cell death in the first few minutes of contact. Pathogenicity tests using limes to simulate packinghouse treatment showed that EW, produced with 9 min of electrolysis, was a very effective sanitizer capable of eliminating X. citri from contaminated fruit. CONCLUSION: It was possible to conclude that EW is significantly effective as sodium hypochlorite (NaClO) at 200 ppm. Therefore, EW could be an alternative for citrus sanitization in packinghouses. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Bioassays and coagulation studies using Moringa oleifera seeds for the removal of textile dyes.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the removal of three different textile dyes through the coagulation action of the powder and supernatant of Moringa oleifera seeds. The pH of the solution and mass concentrations of the adsorbent were varied. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrophotometry was used to evaluate the main interaction sites of the M. oleifera coagulants with the dyes. Bioassays were also conducted with Lactuca sativa and Eruca sativa seeds to evaluate the toxicity of the M. oleifera coagulants and dyes. Each dye interacted differently with the M. oleifera powder and supernatant; however, dye removal rates were higher than 70% even when varying the pH of the solution. FT-IR spectrophotometry revealed that the linkage of the dyes with the M. oleifera coagulants occurs through chemical interactions, and the coagulating protein of M. oleifera was confirmed as the removing agent. Depending on the dye molecule, the pH of the solution also exerted a strong influence on coagulation. The phytotoxicity tests showed that the coagulants in the seeds of M. oleifera are more toxic than the dyes tested. In conclusion, although efficient and economically feasible, the application of M. oleifera coagulants requires further investigation, especially with regard to ecotoxicology.

[Aneurysmal disease - a multifocal pathology with regard to a clinical case.] / Doença aneurismática ­ uma patologia multifocal a propósito de um caso clínico.

INTRODUCTION: True para-anastomotic aneurysms are a rare complication of arterial surgery. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to describe the clinical case of a 73 years-old patient, with history of a left above-the- -knee amputation due to an occluded popliteal aneurysm, admitted for surgical treatment of a contralateral popliteal aneurysm. RESULTS: A bypass between the right distal superficial femoral artery (SFA) and the distal popliteal artery was performed using autologous vein. Two years after the index surgery, aneurysmatic degeneration of the native artery was found on ultrasound, with 1.7 cm at the proximal anastomosis, and 1.4 cm distally. We kept surveillance, however, 12 years after surgery, he had a proximal true para-anastomotic aneurysm of the SFA with 4.8 cm. So, resection with interposition of a prosthetic graft between the native artery and the venous conduit of the previous bypass was performed. At this time the popliteal artery at the distal anastomosis had, approximately, 1.8 cm, so we chose to remain vigilant. Seventeen years after surgery, it measured 3.2 cm, in computed tomographic angiography. Therefore, total aneurysmectomy was performed and, due to redundancy of the previous bypass venous conduit caused by progressive dilation restricted to the distal popliteal artery, we did a termino-terminal reanastomosis to the normal sized popliteal artery. After 20 months, he is asymptomatic, with distal pulses present, without clinical nor radiological signs of aneurysmal degeneration. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: This work aims to highlight the relevance of the follow up, not only on a clinical basis but also radiological, since we are dealing with a diffuse pathology that can appear in any arterial segment without symptoms.

Introdução: Aneurismas para-anastomóticos verdadeiros constituem uma complicação rara da cirurgia arterial. Objetivo: Este trabalho pretende descrever o caso de um doente de 73 anos, com antecedentes de amputação pela coxa do membro inferior esquerdo por aneurisma poplíteo trombosado, admitido para tratamento cirúrgico de aneurisma poplíteo contralateral. Resultados: O doente foi submetido a exclusão do mesmo com construção de bypass femoro-poplíteo curto infragenicular com veia grande safena. Dois anos após a cirurgia índice, em controlo ecográfico, foi identificada ectasia de ambas as anastomoses com 1,7cm e 1,4cm de diâmetro máximo nas anastomoses proximal e distal, respetivamente. Manteve-se vigilância e aos 12 anos de seguimento apresentava aneurisma para-anastomótico verdadeiro na anastomose proximal com 4,8cm de diâmetro máximo. Foi submetido, então, a ressecção de aneurisma com interposição de enxerto protésico entre artéria nativa e o conduto venoso prévio. A artéria poplítea distal nesta altura apresentava, aproximadamente, 1,8cm de diâmetro, tendo-se optado por manter vigilância. Aos 17 anos de seguimento, a artéria poplítea justa anastomose distal atingiu 3,2cm em angiotomografia computorizada. Foi, portanto, submetido a abordagem poplítea distal e, devido a redundância do conduto venoso prévio provocada por uma dilatação progressiva da artéria poplítea distal, foi possível proceder a aneurismectomia total e reanastomose termino-terminal de conduto venoso à artéria poplítea distal de calibre normal. Aos cerca de 20 meses de seguimento, apresenta-se assintomático, com pulsos distais presentes, sem sinais clínicos ou radiológicos de degenerescência aneurismática. Discussão e Conclusão: Este trabalho pretende realçar a relevância do seguimento destes doentes, não só em termos clínicos, mas também radiológicos, pois estamos perante uma patologia de carácter difuso que pode surgir em qualquer segmento arterial de forma assintomática.

True Brachial Artery Aneurysm in a Patient with Vascular Access for Haemodialysis and Kidney Graft.

INTRODUCTION: True brachial artery aneurysms are rare and some of them have been described as a late complication in patients with vascular access for haemodialysis and kidney graft. The purpose of this paper is to present a clinical case of a patient with a true brachial artery aneurysm and its following treatment. METHODS: This case concerns a caucasian male patient with 43 years old who had vesicoureteral reflux at 7 years old, and subsequent end-stage renal disease, and started on haemodialysis at the age of twelve. The patient had homolateral radial and brachiocephalic arteriovenous fistulas (AVF), two sequential kidney grafts and was under immunosuppressant therapy for several years. As part of the medical history he also had bilateral amaurosis, Hepatitis B and C and was submitted to total parathyroidectomy and a following auto-transplant. In the latest years the patient presented with several aneurysms related to the vascular access. After the finding of an anastomotic false aneurysm and venous aneurysms complicating the AVF, the patient had removal of the aneurysms and ligation of the AVF. Later, he was diagnosed, in different times, with two true brachial artery aneurysms. At the time of the diagnosis of the first true aneurysm, the patient presented with local pain and occasional paraesthesias relative to compression symptoms. At physical examination the patient had a brachial pulsatile mass and a palpable radial pulse. The Doppler ultrasound exam revealed a true brachial artery aneurysm with 4,5 cm diameter. After two years, the patient was once again diagnosed with a true brachial artery aneurysm with 3,1 cm diameter. At this time the patient was asymptomatic and had palpable brachial mass and radial pulse. RESULTS: At the time of the diagnosis of the first true brachial aneurysm the patient was submitted to partial aneurysmectomy and brachiobrachial graft with PTFE 8. The patency of the graft persisted until the diagnosis of the second aneurysm. After two years, the patient was submitted to partial aneurysmectomy and axilobrachial graft with PTFE 8. During the follow-up period, the patient remained asymptomatic, had palpable radial pulse and the Doppler ultrasound exam confirmed the patency of the graft. CONCLUSION: The surveillance of patients with long duration AVF and kidney grafts might be advantageous in the early detection of arterial aneurysms. The surgical treatment in this group of patients is a first treatment option that is associated to a low morbidity.

Traumatic Carotid-Jugular Av Fistula in a Child.

INTRODUCTION: Traumatic Arteriovenous fistulae of the neck vessels are a rare condition, comprising less than 4% of traumatic fistulae found anywhere else in the body. METHODS: The authors propose to report a clinical case of such a condition in a 10-year-old boy who sustained a gunshot wound in the left side of the neck. RESULTS: Shortly after the event, the patient was admitted to paediatric ICU and intubated for airway protection. A palpable thrill in the left side of the neck was noticed, giving rise to the need of imaging study. A communication between the left common carotid artery and the internal jugular vein was confimed by AngioCT. No signs of cerebral hypoperfusion or cardiac overload were present. The surgical correction was performed by direct suture repair of both vessels involved. No complications on the postoperative period. During follow up, antiagregation with acetilsalicilic acid for 1 month was prescribed and no complications occured. CONCLUSION: The patient lives a normal life with no limitations.

[Cystic adventitial disease of the popliteal artery]. / Doença Quística Adventicial da Artéria Poplítea.

Although rare, popliteal artery cystic adventitial disease (CAD) is one of the most common non-atheromatous causes of intermittent claudication. This work aims to describe the clinical case of a 50 years old male patient with symptomatic popliteal artery CAD, presenting with calf intermittent claudication for long distances on flat but 50m in ascending plane, which affected his life quality. On examination he presented with normal coloration and temperature of the lower extremities, with distal pulses present at rest. By flexing the right knee, he lost distal pulses. On ultrasound was found a cystic formation surrounding the right popliteal artery, so a MRI was done and confirmed the presence of an adventitial cystic surrounding about 50% of the artery at the popliteal fossa with 31x13x17mm. He underwent surgery with a posterior approach followed by cyst removal, preservating the media of the artery, and ligation of a ductus that seemed to extent from the articular capsule. At the fourth post-operative day he was discharged and remained without symptoms nor recurrence during the follow up. The CAD usually affects the popliteal artery (85%). It's more common in men with 35-40 years and the prevalence is estimated at 1/1200 claudicants. The symptoms are caused, usually, by extrinsic compression of the artery. Ultrasound, today, is the first line exam, and might be complemented with others to confirm the diagnosis and plan the treatment. The surgical treatment may vary from drainage to segmental arterial resection in case of significant degeneration. The prognostic is usually favorable.

A doença quística adventicial da artéria poplítea (DQAAP), apesar de rara, é uma das causas não ateromatosas mais comuns de claudicação intermitente. Os autores apresentam um caso clínico e a discussão da estratégia terapêutica. Doente de 50 anos que apresentava queixas de claudicação gemelar direita intermitente para perímetros de marcha inferiores a 50m em plano ascendente, interferindo, desta forma, com a sua qualidade de vida. Ao exame físico apresentava normal coloração e temperatura das extremidades com pulsos femorais, poplíteos e distais presentes, contudo, aquando da flexão do joelho direito com perda de pulsos distais. O estudo ecográfico revelou quisto adventicial da artéria poplítea direita, posterior- mente confirmado com RMN que identificou estrutura quística a circundar cerca de 50% do perímetro da artéria poplítea direita no cavado poplíteo com 31*13*17mm. Foi, deste modo, submetido a tratamento cirúrgico com abordagem poplítea posterior, seguida de exérese do quisto adventicial com preservação da camada média. Procedeu-se, também, ao encerramento de comunicação com cápsula articular. Ao 4o dia pós-operatório teve alta, encontrando-se sem sinais de recorrência durante o seguimento (4A). A DQAAP atinge habitualmente a artéria poplítea (85%). É mais frequente em homens entre os 35-40A e sua prevalência estima-se em 1/1200 claudicantes. A clínica, normalmente, resulta de compressão extrínseca da artéria sendo o estudo ecográfico, o exame de primeira linha, podendo ser complementado por outros para confirmação do diagnóstico e planeamento cirúrgico. A terapêutica pode variar entre aspiração ou drenagem com eventual necessidade de ressecção arterial. O prognóstico é usualmente favorável.

Popliteal artery aneurysm surgical repair: Retrospective unicenter analysis.

BACKGROUND: Popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA) thromboembolic complications may result in limb loss. We review our experience reporting outcomes in terms of complications and early and long-term patency rates. METHODS: From 2004 to 2013, 116 PAA required surgical repair at Coimbra Hospital and Universitary Centre, Portugal. Outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests, X2, and Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: A total of 116 PAAs with a mean diameter of 3.3 cm (1.5 to 10 cm) were followed. 40% limbs were asymptomatic and 27% presented with acute ischemia. 97% underwent medial bypass procedure (venous in 66%). Early mortality was 0.9% (1/116). 30-day and five-year cumulative limb salvage was 94.0% and 87%, respectively. There was no limb loss in asymptomatic patients and 1-3 Rutherford chronic ischemia. 62% early amputations were performed in acute ischemia, half of them with functioning bypass. 30-day primary and secondary patency rates were 91% and 97% respectively, higher with GSVs (96% and 99%) than PTFE (58% and 95%, P < .05; Fig 1). The 5-year primary and secondary patency rates were 68.1% and 73,5%, respectively, higher with GSVs (83% and 87%) than PTFE (37% and 43%, P < .05). Two recurrent PAAs (1,7%) required reintervention. Predictors for both amputation and loss of primary patency were PTFE bypass (p =0,002), and emergent surgery (p = 0,005). Acute ischemia was also predictor for amputation (p = 0,026), but not for loss of primary patency. CONCLUSIONS: Results of surgery on asymptomatic PAAs are good - significantly better than those from symptomatic PAAs. The results are similarly good in claudicants. The risks of early and late amputation were higher with prosthetic grafts and in an emergent settings.

Image-Guided Nanodelivery of Pt(IV) Prodrugs to GRP-Receptor Positive Tumors.

Over the last decades, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have proven to be remarkable tools for drug delivery and theranostic applications in cancer treatment. On the other hand, Pt(IV) prodrugs have been employed as an interesting alternative to the more common Pt(II) complexes, such as cisplatin, for cancer chemotherapy. Searching to design an image-guided nanocarrier to deliver selectively Pt(IV) prodrugs to tumors expressing the gastrin releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), we have synthesized small core AuNPs carrying a thiolated DOTA derivative, a GRPR-targeting bombesin analog (BBN[7-14]) and a Pt(IV) prodrug attached to the AuNPs without (AuNP-BBN-Pt1) or with a PEGylated linker (AuNP-BBN-Pt2 and AuNP-BBN-Pt3). In the GRPR+ prostate cancer PC3 cell line, the cytotoxic activity of the designed AuNP-BBN-Pt nanoparticles is strongly influenced by the presence of the PEGylated linker. Thus, AuNP-BBN-Pt1 displayed the lowest IC50 value (9.3 ± 2.3 µM of Pt), which is comparable to that exhibited by cisplatin in the same cell line. In contrast, AuNP-BBN-Pt1 showed an IC50 value of 97 ± 18 µM of Pt in the non-tumoral RWPE-1 prostate cells with a much higher selective index (SI) towards PC3 cells (SI = 10) when compared with cisplatin (SI = 1.3). The AuNPs were also successfully labeled with 67Ga and the resulting 67Ga-AuNP-BBN-Pt were used to assess their cellular uptake in PC3 cells, with AuNP-BBN-Pt1 also displaying the highest cellular internalization. Finally, intratumoral administration of 67Ga-AuNP-BBN-Pt1 in a PC3 tumor-bearing mice showed a prolonged retention of the nanoparticle compared to that of cisplatin, with optimal in vivo stability and 20% of the injected platinum remaining in the tumor after 72 h post-injection. Furthermore, microSPECT imaging studies confirmed the uptake and considerable retention of the 67Ga-labeled AuNPs in the tumors. Overall, these results show the potential of these targeted AuNPs loaded with Pt(IV) prodrugs for prostate cancer theranostics.

Antibacterial action and target mechanisms of zinc oxide nanoparticles against bacterial pathogens.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are one of the most widely used nanoparticulate materials due to their antimicrobial properties, but their main mechanism of action (MOA) has not been fully elucidated. This study characterized ZnO NPs by using X-ray diffraction, FT-IR spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs against the clinically relevant bacteria Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the Gram-positive model Bacillus subtilis was evaluated by performing resazurin microtiter assay (REMA) after exposure to the ZnO NPs at concentrations ranging from 0.2 to 1.4 mM. Sensitivity was observed at 0.6 mM for the Gram-negative and 1.0 mM for the Gram-positive cells. Fluorescence microscopy was used to examine the interference of ZnO NPs on the membrane and the cell division apparatus of B. subtilis (amy::pspac-ftsZ-gfpmut1) expressing FtsZ-GFP. The results showed that ZnO NPs did not interfere with the assembly of the divisional Z-ring. However, 70% of the cells exhibited damage in the cytoplasmic membrane after 15 min of exposure to the ZnO NPs. Electrostatic forces, production of Zn2+ ions and the generation of reactive oxygen species were described as possible pathways of the bactericidal action of ZnO. Therefore, understanding the bactericidal MOA of ZnO NPs can potentially help in the construction of predictive models to fight bacterial resistance.

Hypopressive exercise in normotensive young women: A case series.

Hypopressive exercise (HE) has been contraindicated for people with cardiovascular disease because it involves isometric postures performed with low-pulmonary volume breath-holds, which are thought to increase blood pressure. The objective of this study was to analyze the hemodynamic responses to HE performed in the seated posture on systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in normotensive females. Ten women (age = 31.2 ± 6.3 years) with previous experience in HE participated. Three sets of eight breathing cycles of HE breathing were completed. The HE breathing protocol consisted of three complete breathing cycles of controlled latero-costal inhalations and slow deep exhalations followed by a breath-hold and rib-cage expansion after every third exhalation. Measurements of SBP, DBP, MAP and HR were assessed at baseline, at the end of each set and at the end of minute 5, 10, 15 and 20 during the recovery period. The measurement of hemodynamic variables used a digital photoplethysmography device. Significant differences for SBP (baseline compared to SET2, p = 0.0182) and MAP (baseline compared to SET1, p = 0.0433; and SET2, p = 0.0072) were found. No significant differences were found in the recovery periods compared with baseline. Medium effect size for HR during REC5 (ES = 0.50) and REC10 (ES = 0.56) was observed. These findings indicate that HE in the seated posture performed by normotensive females leads to significant increases in SBP and MAP with no significant increase of HR and no hypotensive effect during recovery period. Our preliminary results should be supported by future randomized controlled trials.

Bilateral Sesamoiditis as First Manifestation of Gout.

Sesamoiditis secondary to gout is an extremely rare condition with few case reports in the literature. It is an important differential diagnosis because the treatment depends on targeted therapy, unlike the main causes of sesamoiditis that often involves immobilization with special orthoses and prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs. We report here a case of a 38-year-old male, athlete, with bipartite medial sesamoid, who had insidious pain in the base of the left hallux. Laboratory tests showed no alterations, and imaging examinations demonstrated sesamoiditis with suspicion of stress fracture. The patient was initially prescribed an immobilization boot and analgesic and anti-inflammatory drugs, but he did not respond to the measures taken. After the onset of the same condition in the contralateral foot and getting the same imaging findings, we began an investigation of systemic disease, focusing on gout, because of a positive family history, which was confirmed by dual-energy computed tomography.

Cross-cultural adaptation of the Preterm Parenting & Self-efficacy Checklist.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a cross-cultural adaptation of the Preterm Parenting & Self-Efficacy Checklist to the Brazilian Portuguese. METHOD: A methodological study was carried out with 51 parents of premature infants. Data analysis was based on psychometric and inferential statistical analyses. RESULTS: The instrument content validation by experts obtained excellent agreement (97%) and the semantic analysis by the target population showed good understanding of the terms and ease of use. In test-retest, most participants were female (64.7%); and parents with higher education (47.1%). The instrument showed stability over time, with good internal consistency (α = 0.84). Four factors were generated in the subscales parenting self-efficacy, importance of tasks and self-perceived parental competence (67.0% to 74.2% of the variance). CONCLUSION: The properties of the Preterm Parenting & Self-Efficacy Checklist - Brazilian Version were maintained, which is a reliable indicator to evaluate the hospital discharge of premature infants.

The addition of a quaternary group in biopolymeric material increases the adsorptive capacity of Acid Blue 25 textile dye.

The quaternization of chitosan molecules creates materials with high adsorptive capacity towards textile dyes, which renders them capable of rapidly removing such dyes from a solution. In this study, a novel material was synthesized in bead form to adsorb the Acid Blue 25 textile dye. The adsorption isotherms, kinetics, and thermodynamics of this new material were investigated. The beads were further characterized by FT-IR and SEM studies, as well as their rheological behavior. Bioassays with Daphnia similis analyzed the toxicity of the dye before and after treatments. The Freundlich isotherm model fitted to all the adsorption data in a pH range from 2.50 to 8.50. Kinetic studies showed that adsorption was ruled by an intraparticle diffusion process and reached equilibrium in 270 min, as 39.527 µg mg-1 of dye was sorbed to the beads. Thermodynamic studies showed that adsorption was a spontaneous and endothermic process. Thermodynamics also confirmed that the adsorption was proportionally influenced by higher temperatures. The FT-IR spectroscopy identified the adsorbate/adsorbent binding sites, thus confirming the occurrence of chemisorption. Post-treatment bioassays found a significant decrease in toxicity, obtaining just 10% of D. similis mortality after adsorption treatments. Therefore, the synthesized beads from this research can potentially be applied to the treatment of textile effluents.

[Growth and body composition in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus]. / Crescimento e composição corporal de crianças com diabetes mellitus tipo 1.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the growth and body composition of pre-pubertal diabetic children, and to check for influence of the age of diabetes onset and length, sex, insulin requirement and glycosylated hemoglobin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 59 diabetic children (39 M; 29 F), age 1.2-11.5 years, and 67 controls (36 M; 31 F), age 1.2-11.7 years were included. Weight, height, body mass index (BMI), arm circumference, skin folds, fat mass and muscle areas were evaluated and transformed into standard deviation scores (SDS). RESULTS: Among the diabetic children the mean height SDS was -0.13 (+/- 0.97) while in the control group it was 0.28 (+/- 0.86) (p= 0.013). The difference between the first and the current height SDS showed that the height SDS decreased significantly (p< 0.001) and multiple regression analysis indicated correlation with the duration of the disease. The mean arm fat SDS also revealed difference (p< 0.001). The means for weight, BMI, addition of 3 skinfolds and muscle mass did not demonstrate difference between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The diabetic children showed reduction of height SDS during the period studied and they were significantly shorter than the controls, even though their statures were within the population standards. The arm fat area also showed an increase in relation with the controls.

Delusional infestation: a case series from a university dermatology center in São Paulo, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Monosymptomatic hypochondriac psychosis (MHP) patients present with a delusional ideation that revolves around one particular hypochondriac concern. Delusional infestation is the most common type of MHP seen by the dermatologist. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to retrospectively investigate a group of patients with delusions of infestation seen in an academic medical center in São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: A retrospective study of patients presenting with delusional infestation between 2007 and 2014 was conducted. Records were reviewed to study personal data, symptoms, and treatments. RESULTS: Thirty patients were studied (22 female, eight male). Their mean age was 58 years in men and 60 years in women. Twenty-four patients spent most of their time at home (i.e. they were housewives, retired, or unemployed). The duration of disease varied from 3 months to 20 years. Fifteen patients brought in fragments of material that they believed to be parasites ("specimen sign"). Treatment consisted of the antipsychotic drugs pimozide (1-6 mg/d) or olanzapine (5-10 mg/d). Three patients did not return for follow-up. Follow-up varying from 2 months to 7 years was recorded in 24 patients. Two patients were treated with other psychoactive drugs prescribed by psychiatrists for additional psychiatric diagnoses. Control of symptoms was achieved in the majority of patients who underwent adequate follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Delusional infestation is an extremely chronic disease. Attempts to discontinue treatment in those patients in whom a lengthy follow-up was performed inevitably resulted in symptom relapses.