Metronidazole for Prevention of Pelvic Cellulitis and Abscess after Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: A Triple-blinded, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a postoperative 5-day treatment schedule with vaginal metronidazole added to conventional antibiotic prophylaxis with 2 g cefazolin modifies the risk of pelvic cellulitis (PC) and pelvic abscess (PA) after total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH). DESIGN: A randomized, controlled, triple-blind, multicenter clinical trial. SETTING: Two centers dedicated to minimally invasive gynecologic surgery in Colombia. PATIENTS: A total of 574 patients were taken to TLH because of benign diseases. INTERVENTION: Patients taken to TLH were divided into 2 groups (treatment group, cefazolin 2 g intravenous single dose before surgery + metronidazole vaginal ovules for 5 days postoperatively, control group: cefazolin 2 g intravenous single dose + placebo vaginal ovules for 5 days postoperatively). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The absolute frequency (AF) of PC and PA and their relationship with the presence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) were measured. There was no difference in AF of PC (AF, 2/285 [0.7%] vs 5/284 [1.7%] in the treatment and placebo groups, respectively; risk ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-5.65; p = .261), nor for PA (AF, 0/285 [0%] vs 2/289 [0.7%]; p = .159, in the treatment and placebo groups, respectively). The incidence of BV was higher in the metronidazole group than the placebo group (42.5% vs 33.4%, p = .026). CONCLUSION: The use of vaginal metronidazole ovules during the first 5 days in postoperative TLH added to conventional cefazolin prophylaxis does not prevent the development of PC or PA, regardless of the patient's diagnosis of BV.

Brote de tinea capitis tricofítica en un grupo de niños escolares en un área rural del departamento del Cauca, Colombia / An outbreak of trichophytic tinea capitis in a group of schoolchildren in a rural area of the department of Cauca, Colombia

Introducción. La tiña de la cabeza es una micosis que se presenta en el tejido queratinizado, afecta al cuero cabelludo y puede causar alopecia, prurito y descamación. Este tipo de micosis es más frecuente en niños de edad escolar, por lo que puede desencadenar un problema de salud pública. En Colombia, los principales agentes etiológicos reportados son los dermatofitos zoofílicos. Objetivo. En el presente estudio se buscó caracterizar un brote de tinea capitis en 32 niños de un colegio de la zona rural del departamento del Cauca. Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo una investigación epidemiológica de campo en la que se aplicó una encuesta estructurada para caracterizar aspectos sociodemográficos y factores predisponentes para su ocurrencia. Se recolectaron muestras de escamas de cuero cabelludo y cabellos afectados para estudios micológicos. Finalmente, por medio de la Secretaría Departamental del Cauca y del hospital local, se manejó el brote de tinea capitis y se hicieron recomendaciones a los niños, los padres de familia y la población en general para prevenir estas micosis. Este estudio contó con el consentimiento informado verbal por parte de los padres de familia y los niños. Resultados. El agente etiológico aislado en el 63 % de las muestras recolectadas fue Trichophyton tonsurans y el principal factor predisponente para esta micosis fue compartir máquinas rasuradoras (87,5 %). El agente etiológico de este brote de tinea capitis no inflamatoria fue un dermatofito antropofílico. Conclusión. Idealmente, se deben practicar los estudios micológicos con el fin de establecer el agente etiológico y, así, plantear las terapéuticas y recomendaciones según las guías de manejo. Además, se debe realizar un trabajo multidisciplinario para el control del brote y la educación de la población respecto a esta micosis.

Introduction. Tinea capitis is a mycosis of keratinized tissue, which affects the scalp and may cause alopecia, pruritus, and desquamation. This type of mycosis is more frequent in school-age children, and it may represent a public health problem; the main etiological agents reported for Colombia are zoophilic dermatophytes. Objective. To characterize an outbreak of Tinea capitis in 32 children from a rural school in the department of Cauca. Materials and methods. We conducted an epidemiological field study using a structured survey to characterize sociodemographic aspects and predisposing factors for this mycosis. We collected samples of affected scalp scales and hair for mycological studies. The children and the general population received recommendations, about these mycoses' prevention, from Cauca's health authorities and the local hospital. The parents verbally approved the informed consent. Results. The etiological agent isolated in 63% of the collected samples was Trichophyton tonsurans, an anthropophilic dermatophyte, and the main predisposing factor was sharing razors (87.5%). Conclusions. Ideally, mycological studies define the etiological agent to propose therapeutics and recommendations in agreement with management guidelines. Implementation of multidisciplinary measures to control the outbreak and educate the population is required.

In Silico Antiprotozoal Evaluation of 1,4-Naphthoquinone Derivatives against Chagas and Leishmaniasis Diseases Using QSAR, Molecular Docking, and ADME Approaches.

Chagas and leishmaniasis are two neglected diseases considered as public health problems worldwide, for which there is no effective, low-cost, and low-toxicity treatment for the host. Naphthoquinones are ligands with redox properties involved in oxidative biological processes with a wide variety of activities, including antiparasitic. In this work, in silico methods of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), molecular docking, and calculation of ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) properties were used to evaluate naphthoquinone derivatives with unknown antiprotozoal activity. QSAR models were developed for predicting antiparasitic activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania amazonensis, and Leishmania infatum, as well as the QSAR model for toxicity activity. Most of the evaluated ligands presented high antiparasitic activity. According to the docking results, the family of triazole derivatives presented the best affinity with the different macromolecular targets. The ADME results showed that most of the evaluated compounds present adequate conditions to be administered orally. Naphthoquinone derivatives show good biological activity results, depending on the substituents attached to the quinone ring, and perhaps the potential to be converted into drugs or starting molecules.

La evaluación psicológica en los campos de la psicología jurídica en Colombia: psicología forense / The psychological evaluation in the fields of legal psychology in Colombia: forensic psychology

Resumen En este estudio se buscó analizar los procesos de evaluación en el campo de la psicología forense en Colombia, teniendo como producto argumentativo un marco teórico acerca de la definición de la Psicología Forense (funciones y rol), sus problemas éticos, su aplicación en los diferentes campos del derecho, y sus contraflujos más recurrentes como el tipo de instrumentos y entrevistas que utiliza el psicólogo. De acuerdo con lo anterior y teniendo en cuenta los criterios de selección de los peritos para las pruebas, se diseñó una entrevista estructurada aplicada a una muestra de psicólogos del campo forense a nivel nacional realizando un análisis de corte cuantitativo sobre la experiencia del psicólogo forense, su participación en los diferentes clases de perito, las técnicas y criterios que usa como soporte en cualquier proceso, y por último, algunas conclusiones acerca del posicionamiento en que se encuentra el psicólogo forense en Colombia.

Abstract In this study, we sought to analyze the evaluation processes in the field of forensic psychology in Colombia, having as argumentative product a theoretical framework about the definition of forensic psychology (functions and role), its ethical problems, its application in different fields of law, and its most recurrent counter-flows as the type of instruments and interviews used by the psychologist. In accordance with the foregoing and taking into account the selection criteria of the experts for the tests, a structured interview was designed applied to a sample of forensic field psychologists at a national level performing a quantitative analysis on the experience of the forensic psychologist, their participation in the different types of expert works, the techniques and criteria used as support in any process, and finally, some conclusions about the position in which the forensic psychologist is in Colombia.

Effects of an oral health education program for pregnant women.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the gain in knowledge of oral health after education to pregnant women on dental anticipatory guidance and to determine how much of this information pregnant women retain over time. METHODS: The study consisted of 40 pregnant women. Inclusion criteria included: (1) between the ages of 21-40; (2) in 12-40th week of pregnancy; and (3) spoke English. During the first visit, all subjects were asked to complete a pre-test (24 questions), watch a ten minute presentation and complete the post-test (24 questions). During the second visit (4 weeks/1 month after the first visit), all subjects were asked to complete the follow-up test (24 questions). RESULTS: All of the tests (pre, post and follow-up) were scored and used to determine the changes in knowledge of the pregnant women after the presentation. The mean age for all 40 pregnant women was 26.88 (SD +/- 4.3) years and the mean number of weeks pregnant was 25.2 at the first visit. The mean overall correct scores for the pre-test was 12.9 (53.75%), post-test was 20.9 (87.08%) and follow-up test was 20.17 (84.05%). These overall scores show an improvement of 8 (33.33%, p<0.05) questions correct from the first to second test, and a digression of 0.73 (3.08%) questions correct from the second to third test. CONCLUSIONS: These observations indicate that in this study population pregnant women's knowledge improved after a presentation on dental anticipatory guidance. These observations also indicate that after four weeks, pregnant women were able to retain most of the information, as only a slight digression in overall scores was noticed from the follow-up test to the post-test.

Comparison of naïve and expert subjects in the assessment of small color differences.

Determination of the role of subject experience in the development of accurate color difference formulas is of potentially critical concern. As part of a larger multivariable experiment investigating the minimum inter- and intra-subject variability possible among a set of subjects, a study was conducted to compare the performance of 25 novice versus 25 expert visual assessors for a set of 27 pairs of colored textile samples using a controlled psychophysical method and several statistical techniques including t-test, ANOVA, and Standardized Residual Sum of Squares (STRESS) functions. Experts exhibited approximately 43% higher visual difference ratings than novice subjects when assessing sample pairs having small color differences. In addition, a statistically significant difference at the 95% confidence level was found between the judgments made by novice and expert assessors. According to the STRESS function, however, CMC(1:1) and CIEDE2000(1:1) color difference formulas do not show a significant difference in performance when the visual data from either group of subjects are compared.

The quality of dental faculty work-life: report on the 2007 dental school faculty work environment survey.

This report is the third in a series of articles on the dental school work environment commissioned by the American Dental Education Association's Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education. The report is based on the most extensive research to date on faculty satisfaction in the dental school environment. The purpose of the study was to assess faculty perceptions and recommendations related to work environment, sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and professional development needs. More broadly, the study intends to provide insight into the "change readiness" of dental schools to move forward with curricular improvements and innovations. Findings are based on 1,748 responses from forty-nine U.S. dental schools obtained during the time frame of February to April 2007. The total number of respondents constituted 17 percent of all U.S. dental school faculty. The average response rate per school was thirty-six (21 percent). To elucidate the data in terms of issues related to the quality of faculty work-life based on demographics, the authors compared perceptions of various aspects of the work culture in academic dentistry among faculty with different academic ranks and academic degrees and by other variables such as age and gender, tenure versus non-tenure appointments, and full- versus part-time status. Quantitative and qualitative analyses show that the majority of faculty members described themselves as very satisfied to satisfied with their dental school overall and with their department as a place to work. Tenured associate professors expressed the greatest level of dissatisfaction. Opportunities for and support of professional development emerged as an area requiring substantially more attention from dental schools. The authors of the study suggest that dental school leaders use these findings to assess their individual dental school's work environment and to plan changes as needed.

Unique-hue stimulus selection using Munsell color chips.

Presented are intra- and inter-observer variability data comparing the unique-hue (UH) selections of sets of males and females, using two different visual experimental procedures incorporating Munsell color chips of varying hue but identical chroma and value. Although 34 of the 40 Munsell hue chips were selected by at least one observer as a UH, selections were generally repeatable. In addition, intra-observer variability represented approximately 15% of inter-observer variability. Also, when only three consecutive Munsell chips were viewed at a time, females showed significantly larger intra-observer variability than males, especially when making unique green selections. However, variability in UH selections was statistically insignificant between males and females when all Munsell chips were viewed simultaneously. No correlation was found between UH selections or intra-observer variability and hue ordering ability.