Evaluation of the diagnostic power of symptoms and signs in acute otitis media

The diagnosis of acute otitis media (AOM) is made on clinical basis. The gold-standard tests are invasive. There are few studies quantifying the diagnostic power of the signs and symptoms. A sample of 300 children were analyzed to establish the diagnostic power of isolated and combinated signs and symptoms in AOM. The most important diagnostic signs were bulging, fluid level, acute perforation, and change in color of the tympanic membrane. Fever was the single symptom with statistical significance. We concluded that we can do an accurate and noninvasive AOM diagnosis using otomicroscopic findings.     

Tedisamil Attenuates Ventricular Fibrillation in a Conscious Canine Model of Sudden Cardiac Death

BACKGROUND: The electrophysiologic and antifibrillatory properties of tedisamil (KC-8857;3,7-di-(cyclopropylmethyl)-9,9-tetramethylene-3,7-diazabicyclo[3.3.1]-nonane dihydrochloride) were studied in a conscious canine model of sudden cardiac death. METHODS AND RESULTS: Three to five days after surgically induced myocardial infarction (2-hour occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery), animals were subjected to programmed electrical stimulation to identify those at risk for ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation. Sixty minutes after tedisamil (10 mg/kg, administered orally) PES was repeated. Tedisamil increased the ventricular effective refractory period from 106 +/- 6 to 134 +/- 7 ms (P <.05) compared to placebo treatment, which did not alter the ERP (123 +/- 6 to 116 +/- 5 ms). Tedisamil prolonged the QTc interval, from a predrug value of 308 +/- 14 to 327 +/- 14 ms, postdrug. The extent of the surgically induced anterior wall myocardial infarct did not differ between groups, tedisamil, 29 +/- 2%, and placebo, 28 +/- 2% of the left ventricle. CONCLUSIONS: Tedisamil conferred protection against ischemia induced ventricular fibrillation; 7 of 10 tedisamil-treated dogs survived, compared to 4 of 14 surviving in the vehicle treated group (P <.05). Although we observed instances of vomiting and/or diarrhea in several dogs after a single oral administration of tedisamil, the data indicate that oral administration of tedisamil provides protection from ischemia-induced ventricular fibrillation in the postinfarcted conscious canine. The mechanism by which tedisamil achieves its antifibrillatory effect may be related to its ability to prolong the ERP of the ventricular myocardium without altering ventricular conduction velocity.     

Attempts to culturing triatominae in the laboratory using "in vitro" feeding]

In order to simplify breeding of triatominae in the laboratory, for performing xenodiagnosis and other biologic studies, we tried to feed the insects "in vitro" with citrated or defibrinated blood from commercially abated chicken. Two types of efficacy observations were carried out with Triatoma infestans: a) analysis of the chaining of successive nymphal stages, viability of satisfactory matching, fertile oviposition and adequate reproduction; b) assessment of viability and infectivity of Trypanosoma cruzi in the insects. As a conclusion, it became evident that, despite operational easiness, the objectives were not achieved, since the classical procedure used as the control, was always superior.     

Magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of patients with aseptic meningoencephalitis and connective tissue disorders

OBJECTIVE: To describe the role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the evaluation of patients with chronic and recurrent aseptic meningitis. METHOD: A retrospective study of five patients with aseptic meningoencefalitis diagnosed by clinical and CSF findings. CT scans showed without no relevant findings. RESULTS: MRI showed small multifocal lesions hyperintense on T2 weighted images and FLAIR, with mild or no gadolinium enhancement, mainly in periventricular and subcortical regions. Meningoencephalitis preceded the diagnosis of the underlying disease in four patients (Beh?et's disease or systemic lupus erythematosus). After the introduction of adequate treatment for the rheumatic disease, they did not present further symptoms of aseptic meningoencephalitis. CONCLUSION: Aseptic meningoencephalitis can be an early presentation of an autoimmune disease. It is important to emphasize the role of MRI in the diagnosis and follow-up of these patients.     

Antibacterial activity and inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus NorA efflux pump by ferulic acid and its esterified derivatives

Objective: To evaluate the inhibitory activity of ferulic acid and four of its esterified derivatives (methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl) against resistance mech...     

Systemic oxidative stress in children with cystic fibrosis with bacterial infection including Pseudomonas Aeruginosa

IntroductionOxidative stress (OS) occurs in cystic fibrosis (CF).ObjectiveThe objective of this work is to evaluate the influence of bacterial infection on biomarkers of OS (catalase [CAT], glutathione peroxidade [GPx], reduced glutathione [GSH]), markers of oxidative damage (protein carbonyls [PC], thiobarbituric acid reactive substances [TBARS]), together with the nutritional status and lung function in children with CF.MethodsCross‐sectional study including CF group (CFG, n = 55) and control group (CG, n = 31), median age: 3.89 and 4.62 years, respectively. CFG was distributed into CFG negative bacteriology (CFGB−, n = 27) or CFG positive bacteriology (CFGB+, n = 28), and CFG negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CFGPa−, n = 36) or CFG positive Pseudomonas aeruginosa (CFGPa+, n = 19).ResultsCompared with CG, CFG (P = .034) and CFGB+ (P = .042) had lower body mass index‐for‐age z‐score; forced expiratory volume in the first second was lower in CFGB+ and CFGPa+ (both P < .001). After adjusting for confounders and compared with CG: CFG showed higher TBARS (P ≤ .001) and PC (P = .048), and lower CAT (P = .004) and GPx (P = .003); the increase in PC levels was observed in CFGB+ (P = .011) and CFGPa+ (P = .001) but not in CFGB− (P = .510) and CFGPa− (P = .460).ConclusionsThese results indicate a systemic OS in children with CF. The presence of bacterial infection particularly Pseudomonas aeruginosa seems to be determinant to exacerbate the oxidative damage to proteins, in which PC may be a useful biomarker of OS in CF.