Running intralimb coordination patterns after a foot core exercise program in recreational runners

This study investigated the effects of a foot core intervention on the coordination of foot joints in recreational runners. This was a secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial conducted with 87 recreational runners allocated to the control group (CG), which followed a placebo lower limb stretching protocol, or the intervention group (IG), which underwent an 8-week (3 times/week) foot core training. The participants ran on a force-instrumented treadmill at a self-selected speed (9.5-10.5 km/h) while the foot segment motion was captured. The vector coding technique was used to assess inter-joint coordination for four selected coupled segment and joint angles. The coordination patterns of the calcaneus and midfoot (CalMid) and midfoot and metatarsus (MidMet) joint pairs were affected. In the frontal plane, IG showed an in-phase with proximal dominancy coordination at heel strike, with a decrease in its frequency after the training (P=0.018), suggesting a longer foot supination. Additionally, IG showed an anti-phase with distal dominancy pattern at early stance compared to CG due to a smaller but earlier inversion of the CalMid-MidMet pair (P=0.020). The intervention also had an effect on the transverse plane of the CalMid-MidMet pair, with IG showing a significantly greater frequency of anti-phase coordination with proximal dominancy during propulsion than CG (P=0.013), probably due to a reduction in the CalMid abduction. Overall, the results suggested that the foot core intervention reduces the occurrence of running-related injuries by increasing the resistance to calcaneus pronation and building a more rigid and efficient lever during push-off.

Electromyographic analysis of the gait cycle phases of boxer dogs / Análise eletromiográfica do ciclo de marcha em cães da raça boxer

Systematic studies involving technologies such as surface electromyography (sEMG) may provide important data that enable veterinarians to recognize musculoskeletal, ligamentous, and neurological alterations. The aim of this study was to describe the gait cycle phases and the timing of muscle activation in healthy Boxer dogs during gait by means of sEMG. The gait cycle of seven Boxer dogs was evaluated and sEMG was recorded from the biceps brachii, triceps brachii, brachiocephalic, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus, and superficial gluteal muscles of the right hemibody. Circular monopolar Ag/AgCl electrodes were attached to the mean point between the motor point and the muscle insertion. The electromyographic signals were collected by an active interface with 20-fold gain in a bipolar differential configuration using a 16-channel signal conditioner (EMG Systems Brasil), while the dogs walked on a treadmill at a speed of 2m/s. Pearson's correlation was used for the statistical analysis. A positive correlation was found between the rectus femoris and biceps brachii (r= 0.81); superficial gluteal and triceps brachii (r= 0.69); semitendinosus-semimembranosus and biceps brachii (r= 0.76); and rectus femoris and semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscle groups (r=0.99). The biceps brachii and brachiocephalic muscles work in tandem to position the thoracic limb during the gait cycle, while the semitendinosus-semimembranosus group flexes the knee and, simultaneously with the quadriceps that flexes the hip, prevents the contact of the pelvic limb with the ground during the swing phase. The body is propelled forward by the triceps brachii muscle, which extends the elbow and flexes the shoulder at the final contact, while the superficial gluteal muscle extends the hip.(AU)

Estudos sistemáticos que envolvem uso de tecnologias, como a eletromiografia de superfície (EMGs), podem fornecer dados importantes que capacitam os clínicos a diferenciar as alterações musculoesqueléticas, ligamentares ou neurológicas. Objetiva-se com este trabalho descrever as fases da marcha canina e o momento de ativação dos músculos de cães saudáveis da raça Boxer durante a marcha, por meio da eletromiografia de superfície. Avaliou-se a marcha de sete cães da raça Boxer, e o sinal elétrico da eletromiografia de superfície foi coletado do bíceps braquial, do tríceps braquial, do braquiocefálico, do reto femoral, do semitendinoso/semimembranoso e do glúteo superficial do hemicorpo direito. Os eletrodos monopolares circulares de prata com cloreto de prata (Ag/AgCl) foram posicionados no ponto médio entre a placa motora e a inserção desses músculos. Os sinais eletromiográficos foram capturados e adquiridos por uma interface ativa com ganho de 20x em configuração diferencial bipolar e por um condicionador de sinais (EMG Systems Brasil) de 16 canais, enquanto os cães caminharam em esteira com velocidade de 2m/s. Para análise estatística, foi aplicado teste de correlação de Pearson. Verificou-se correlação positiva entre os músculos retofemoral e bíceps braquial (r= 0,81); glúteo superficial e tríceps braquial (r= 0,69); semitendinoso/semimembranoso e bíceps braquial (r= 0,76); e entre o músculo reto femoral e o grupo muscular semitendinoso e semimembranoso (r=0,99). Os músculos bíceps braquial e braquiocefálico do mesmo membro trabalham em sinergia para posicionar o membro torácico durante o ciclo de marcha, enquanto o grupo muscular semitendinoso/semimembranoso flexiona o joelho e, simultaneamente com o quadríceps, que flexiona o quadril, impede que o membro pélvico entre em contato com o solo no balanço. Para impulsionar o corpo à frente, o músculo tríceps braquial estende o cotovelo e flexiona o ombro no contato final e o glúteo superficial estende o quadril.(AU)

Genotyping of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates obtained in the Northeast region of Brazil

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major agent of hospital infections worldwide. In Brazil, a multiresistant MRSA lineage (ST239-SCCmecIIIA), the so-called Brazilian epidemic clone (BEC), has predominated in all regions. However, an increase in nosocomial infections caused by non-multiresistant MRSA clones has recently been observed. In the present study, 45 clinical isolates of MRSA obtained from a university hospital located in Natal city, Brazil, were identified by standard laboratory methods and molecularly characterized using staphylococcal chromosome cassette mec (SCCmec) typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out using CLSI methods. The MRSA isolates studied displayed a total of 8 different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns (types A to H) with predominance (73 percent) of pattern A (BEC-related). However, MRSA harboring SCCmec type IV were also identified, 3 (7 percent) of which were genetically related to the pediatric clone - USA800 (ST5-SCCmecIV). In addition, we found a considerable genetic diversity within BEC isolates. MRSA displaying SCCmecIV are frequently susceptible to the majority of non-β-lactam antibiotics. However, emergence of multiresistant variants of USA800 was detected.

Sorotipos de Streptococcus pneumoniae isolados de líquido cefalorraquidiano no período de 1977-1988 na cidade de Säo Paulo, Brasil / Serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from cerebrospinal fluid in 1977-1988 in Säo Paulo city, Brasil

Desde 1977, o Instituto Adolfo Lutz (IAL) vem promovendo a sorotipagem do S. pneumoniae ou pneumococo de infecçöes causadas por esta bactéria. As cepas isoladas têm sido encoaminhadas ao WHO Pneumococcal Reference Center, Pensilvania, E.U.A.. De 1977 a 1988, 1.000 cepas de pneumococo isoladas de LCR foram sorotipadas, de acordo com a nomenclatura dinamarquesa, e 60 sorotipos foram sorotipadas, de acordo com a nomenclatura dinamarquesa, e 60 sorotipos foram identificados. A maior freqüência foi do sorotipo 1, secundado por 6B, 18C, 14, 5, 3, 6A, 23F, 19F e 38. Estes sorotipos distribuídos segundo faixas etárias demonstraram incidência variável, notando-se uma certa peculiaridade, ou seja, a predominância do sorotipo 3 no grupo acima de 50 anos. Nos 12 anos considerados, 25 sorotipos apresentaram uma certa uniformidade na freqüência e o mesmo foi observado com relaçäo às estaçöes climáticas, apenas com um número maior de infecçöes meníngeas nos meses mais frios. Considerando a gravidade das infecçöes pneumocócicas notadamente as meningites, e a pouca informaçäo relativa aos sorotipos pneumocócicos que ocorrem na regiäo, julgamos importante essa informaçäo relativa aos sorotipos, uma vez que tem sido usadas, com sucesso, vacinas polissacarídicas na prevençäo dessas infecçöes

Bacteriological and epidemiological aspects of the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis as the etiological agent of menigitis

Difficulties facing bacteriological diagnosis of meningitis are frequent, specially those caused by mycobacteria. From 1983 to 1987 samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from 16,921 patients mainly from the Emílio Ribas Hospital, SP, with clinical signs of meningitis were examined at the Instituto Adolfo Lutz, SP. 2,951 of the patients were diagnosed as being cases of bacterial meningitis, 134 of which tuberculous meningitis (4.5 per cent). 40.2 per cent were individuals of age 0-4 years, 52.3 per cent over 14 years and 7.5 per cent of unknown age. Tuberculous meningitis was clinically suspected in 51.5 per cent of the cases, while in the remaining cases (48.5 per cent) it was detected mainly because of the routine investigation of mycobacteria in CSF. Considering that the laboratory does not always receive a request to analyze M. tuberculosis in CSF and that, in terms of public health, tuberculosis is still an important problem, a careful study of mycobacteria in suspect cases of meningitis is recommended.