Dermatophyte agents in the city of São Paulo, from 1992 to 2002

Dermatophytosis are superficial mycoses caused by fungi that can invade stratum corneum and keratinized tissues. In order to study the frequency of dermatophytes species and the clinical manifestations caused by these fungi, in São Paulo, SP, Brazil, the authors analyzed cultures isolated at the Mycology Laboratory from a selected population (15,300 out-patients of the Hospital das Clínicas, Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine of University of São Paulo) from January 1992 to June 2002. The most prevalent dermatophyte was Trichophyton rubrum (48.7%), followed by Microsporum canis (20.9%), Trichophyton tonsurans (13.8%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (9.7%), Epidermophyton floccosum (4.1%), and Microsporum gypseum (2.5%). These agents determined more than one clinical manifestation, i.e., tinea corporis (31.5%), tinea capitis (27.5%), tinea unguium (14.8%), tinea cruris (13.9%), tinea pedis (9.9%), and tinea manuum (1.9%). Clinical variants of dermatophytosis and their relationship to the etiologic agents were studied and the results were compared to those obtained in previous studies in other regions of Brazil and in other countries.

Childhood astrovirus-associated diarrhea in the ambulatory setting in a Public Hospital in Cordoba city, Argentina

Human astroviruses have been increasingly identified as important agents of diarrheal disease in children. However, the disease burden of astrovirus infection is still incompletely assessed. This paper reports results on the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of astrovirus-associated diarrhea, as well as the impact of astrovirus infection on the ambulatory setting at a Public Hospital in Córdoba city, Argentina. From February 2001 through January 2002, 97 randomly selected outpatient visits for diarrhea among children < 36 months old were enrolled. A single specimen of stool from each child was collected and tested for astrovirus antigen by enzyme immunoassay. Astroviruses were detected in 12.37% of the diarrheal episodes. All the positive cases occurred in children 4 to 18 months, but the highest rate was in children aged 4 to 6 months (23.80%). The clinical symptoms of astrovirus associated-diarrhea were fever 41.66%, vomiting 25.00% and dehydration 8.33%; overall 16.66% required hospitalization. Astrovirus was identified through the year and no seasonally pattern was detected (cool semester 15.21% versus warm semester 9.80% p > 0.05). According to our estimation about one out of seventy-four children in this cohort would be assisted annually for an astroviral-diarrheal episode in the Public Hospital and one out of eight diarrheal cases could be attributed to astrovirus infection. Astrovirus is a common symptomatic infection in pediatric outpatient visits in the public hospital in the study area, contributing 12.37% of the overall morbidity from diarrhea.

Airborne fungi isolated from Fortaleza city, State of Ceará, Brazil

Airbone fungi are considered important causes of allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma. The knowledge of these fungi in a city or region is important for the ecological diagnosis and specific treatment of allergic manifestations induced by inhalation of fungal allergens. The airborne fungi of Fortaleza, State of Ceará, Brazil, were studied during a one year period. Five hundred and twenty Petri dishes with Sabouraud dextrose agar medium were exposed at ten different locations in the city. The dishes exposed yielded one thousand and five hundred and twenty one colonies of twenty four genera. The most predominants were: Aspergillus (44.7%), Penicillium (13.3%), Curvularia (9.8%), Cladosporium (6.8%), Mycelia sterilia (6.0%), Fusarium (3.5%), Rhizopus (3.1%), Drechslera (2.6%), Alternaria (2.4%) and Absidia (2.2%). The results shown that Aspergillus, Penicillium, Mycelia sterilia, Fusarium and Alternaria were found during all months in the year. Absidia was more frequent during the dry season. Anemophilous fungi and the high concentration of spores in the air are important because may result in an increased number of people with allergic respiratory disease.

Propriedades Psicométricas da Versão Portuguesa do Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire na Miocardiopatia Dilatada com Insuficiência Cardíaca Congestiva

Several studies have shown that patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) have a compromised health-related quality of life (HRQL), and this, in recent years, has become a primary endpoint when considering the impact of treatment of chronic conditions such as CHF. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of a new specific instrument to measure HRQL in patients hospitalized for CHF: the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ). METHODS: The KCCQ was applied to a sample of 193 consecutive patients hospitalized for CHF. Of these, 105 repeated the assessment 3 months after admission, with no events during this period. Mean age was 64.4 +/- 12.4 years (21-88), and 72.5% were 72.5% male. CHF was of ischemic etiology in 4% of cases. RESULTS: This version of the KCCQ was subjected to statistical validation, with assessment of reliability and validity, similar to the American version. Reliability was assessed by the internal consistency of the domains and summary scores, which showed similar values of Cronbach alpha (0.50-0.94). Validity was assessed by convergence, sensitivity to differences between groups and sensitivity to changes in clinical condition. We evaluated the convergent validity of all domains related to functionality, through the relationship between them and a measure of functionality, the New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification. Significant correlations were found (p < 0.01) for this measure of functionality i patients with CHF. Analysis of variance between the physical limitation domain, the summary scores and NYHA class was performed and statistically significant differences were found (F = 23.4; F = 36.4; F = 37.4, p = 0.0001) in the ability to discriminate severity of clinical condition. A second evaluation was performed on 105 patients at the 3-month follow-up outpatient appointment, and significant changes were observed in the mean scores of the domains assessed between hospital admission and the clinic appointment (differences from 14.9 to 30.6 on a scale of 0-100), indicating that the domains assessed are sensitive to changes in clinical condition. The correlation between dimensions of quality of life in the KCCQ is moderate, suggesting that the dimensions are independent, supporting the multifactorial nature of HRQL and the suitability of this measure for its evaluation. CONCLUSION: The KCCQ is a valid instrument, sensitive to change and a specific measure of HRQL in a population with dilated cardiomyopathy and CHF.

Environmental straits of Cryptococcus neoformans variety grubii in the city of Santos, SP, Brazil

This study involved a total of 116 samples, 79 taken from pigeon droppings and 37 of atmospheric air taken close to accumulations of excrement. Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii was isolated from 11 (13.9%) of these samples. Other species of Cryptococcus were also isolated from these samples, such as C. albidus (12.6%) and C. laurentii (8.9%). C. neoformans was not isolated from the air samples, though C. albidus (5.4%) was. All the strains of C. neoformans were found to belong to the A serotype (C. neoformans var. grubii). In regard to the studies with the antifungal agents 5-fluorocytosine, fluconazole, itraconazole, amphotericin B and voriconazole, by means of the microdilution method (EUCAST), we point out that one sample demonstrated resistance to fluconazole, this being especially significant because this is an environmental strain.

First record of Desmodus rotundus in urban area from the city of Olinda, Pernambuco, Northeastern Brazil: a case report

The objective of this report is to describe the first record of Desmodus rotundus in urban area from the city of Olinda, Pernambuco State, Northeastern Brazil, and to draw attention to the possible risk of rabies transmission in this place. After the complaint of a dog owner who observed three bats attacking his dog, images registering attacks of D. rotundus were captured with a video camera. From 09:00 p.m. on 13 February 2004 to 04:00 a.m. of the next day, a high frequency of haematophagic activity and the presence of several bites on the dog's body were observed. This finding represents a serious risk to public health. Thus, it is necessary to further study the bat fauna, with special attention to their feeding behaviour in this place, in order to better know their biology and to adopt pertinent control measures. This is, to our knowledge, the first record of D. rotundus in urban area of Olinda.

Students’ reading behavior: digital vs. print preferences in portuguese context

The aim of this paper is to present the main Portuguese results from a multi-national study on reading format preferences and behaviors from undergraduate students from Polytechnic Institute of Porto (Portugal). For this purpose we apply an adaptation of the Academic Reading Questionnaire previously created by Mizrachi (2014). This survey instrument has 14 Likert-style statements regarding the format influence in the students reading behavior, including aspects such as ability to remember, feelings about access convenience, active engagement with the text by highlighting and annotating, and ability to review and concentrate on the text. The importance of the language and dimension of the text to determine the preference format is also inquired. Students are also asked about the electronic device they use to read digital documents. Finally, some demographic and academic data were gathered. The analysis of the results will be contextualized on a review of the literature concerning youngsters reading format preferences. The format (digital or print) in which a text is displayed and read can impact comprehension, which is an important information literacy skill. This is a quite relevant issue for class readings in academic context because it impacts learning. On the other hand, students preferences on reading formats will influence the use of library services. However, literature is not unanimous on this subject. Woody, Daniel and Baker (2010) concluded that the experience of reading is not the same in electronic or print context and that students prefer print books than e-books. This thesis is reinforced by Ji, Michaels and Waterman (2014) which report that among 101 undergraduates the large majority self-reported to read and learn more when they use printed format despite the fact that they prefer electronically supplied readings instead of those supplied in printed form. On the other side, Rockinson-Szapkiw, et al (2013) conducted a study were they demonstrate that e-textbook is as effective for learning as the traditional textbook and that students who choose e-textbook had significantly higher perceived learning than students who chose to use print textbooks.

Blastocystis hominis and other intestinal parasites in a community of Pitanga City, Paraná State, Brazil

The objective was to estimate the prevalence of Blastocystis hominis, to evaluate the effectiveness of different techniques for its diagnosis as well as to estimate the prevalence of other intestinal parasites in the community of Campo Verde, a district of Pitanga. The work was carried out from August to October 2004. Samples of feces from children and adults were collected and submitted to the techniques of direct wet mount, flotation in zinc sulphate solution, tube sedimentation, sedimentation in formalin-ether and staining by Kinyoun and iron hematoxylin methods. From 181 studied individuals, 128 (70.7%) showed protozoa and/or helminths in stool samples. The most prevalent species were Endolimax nana (33.7%); B. hominis (26.5%); Giardia lamblia (18.2%); Entamoeba coli (17.1%); Ascaris lumbricoides (16.6%); Iodamoeba bütschlii (9.4%); and ancylostomatidae (7.7%). B. hominis was only identified by the techniques of direct wet mount, sedimentation in formalin-ether and staining by iron hematoxylin, though the latter was less sensitive than the other methods. The high frequency of B. hominis demonstrated by this study indicates the need to include laboratory techniques that enable identification of the parasite on a routine basis.

Design of Digital Fractional-Order Integrators and Differentiators by Least Squares

First IFAC Workshop on Fractional Differentiation and Its Application - 19-21 July 2004, Enseirb, Bordeaux, France - FDA'04

New Concepts Towards the Synthesis of Digital Circuits Through Genetic Algorithms

This paper analyses the performance of a Genetic Algorithm using two new concepts, namely a static fitness function including a discontinuity measure and a fractional-order dynamic fitness function, for the synthesis of combinational logic circuits. In both cases, experiments reveal superior results in terms of speed and convergence to achieve a solution.

SI SC MDAC switched current-capacitor multiplying digital-to-analog converter

Dissertação apresentada para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores

Antifungal susceptibilities of clinical and environmental isolates of Cryptococcus neoformans in goiânia city, Goiás, Brasil

We evaluated the antifungal activities of amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole in 70 Cryptococcus neoformans strains obtained from cerebrospinal fluid from AIDS patients and 40 C. neoformans strains isolated from the environment. Four clinical isolates were identified as C. neoformans var. gattii. The susceptibility test was done using a broth microdilution method according to NCCLS M27-A2. Range minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for C. neoformans clinical isolates were 0.06-1.0 µg/mL for amphotericin B, 0.125-8 µg/mL for fluconazole, 0.03-0.5 µg/mL for itraconazole and 0.03-0.25 µg/mL for voriconazole. C. neoformans environmental isolates showed range MICs 0.015-0.125 µg/mL, 0.25-2.0 µg/mL, 0.007-0.125 µg/mL and 0.03-0.25 µg/mL for amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and voriconazole respectively. The MICs results obtained from clinical and environmental isolates showed similar pattern of susceptibility and no resistance has been found in our isolates.

A migração para o digital. A luta pela sobrevivência dos média tradicionais, num ambiente Web hostil. O caso da Agência de Notícias Lusa.

Dissertação e Trabalho de Projecto apresentados para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Novos Media e Práticas Web

Detection of Cryptosporidium sp. in non diarrheal faeces from children, in a day care center in the city of São Paulo, Brazil

The protozoan Cryptosporidium sp. has been frequently detected in faeces from children with persistent diarrhoea. This work achieved to investigate an outbreak of cryptosporidiosis, in a day care center, attending children of high socio-economic level, between 0 and six years old. The outbreak was detected through the network of public health, when stool samples, not diarrhoeic, were examined at the Parasitology Service of the Adolfo Lutz Institute. Among the 64 examined children, 13 (20.3%) showed oocysts of Cryptosporidium sp. in the faeces examined by Kinyoun technique: seven children one year old, three, two years old and three, three years old. Among the 23 examined adults, only a 22 years old woman, possibly having an immunocomprometiment, was positive. Clinical and epidemiological aspects were investigated by questionnaires, highlighting the occurrence of the outbreak in a very dry period.

Cryptococcus neoformans strains isolated from church towers in Rio de Janeiro City, RJ, Brazil

Cryptococcosis has been a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with Aids. Many reservoirs of the agent Cryptococcus neoformans have been reported, but the ecology of this yeast must be elucidated in order to establish surveillance programs and to prevent infections. The objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of C. neoformans in Rio de Janeiro City, RJ, Brazil. Ten churches were selected for sampling and detection of the yeast collecting pigeon dropping, air samples from church towers and neighboring areas during one year. The data demonstrated that C. neoformans has been present in every church selected and was present in 37.8% of 219 pigeon dropping samples. As well as, the yeast was isolated from soil, insects, eggs, pigeon nests and feathers. Fifteen air samples (4.9%) were positive. The growth on C.G.B. medium showed that all strains belonged to C. neoformans var. neoformans, with 98.8% of the strains belonging to serotype A.