Neural Structures within Human Meniscofemoral Ligaments: A Cadaveric Study.

Aim. To investigate the existence of neural structures within the meniscofemoral ligaments (MFLs) of the human knee. Methods. The MFLs from 8 human cadaveric knees were harvested. 5 μm sections were H&E-stained and examined under light microscopy. The harvested ligaments were then stained using an S100 monoclonal antibody utilising the ABC technique to detect neural components. Further examination was performed on 60–80 nm sections under electron microscopy. Results. Of the 8 knees, 6 were suitable for examination. From these both MFLs existed in 3, only anterior MFLs were present in 2, and an isolated posterior MFL existed in 1. Out of the 9 MFLs, 4 demonstrated neural structures on light and electron microscopy and this was confirmed with S100 staining. The ultrastructure of these neural components was morphologically similar to mechanoreceptors. Conclusion. Neural structures are present in MFLs near to their meniscal attachments. It is likely that the meniscofemoral ligaments contribute not only as passive secondary restraints to posterior draw but more importantly to proprioception and may therefore play an active role in providing a neurosensory feedback loop. This may be particularly important when the primary restraint has reduced function as in the posterior cruciate ligament—deficient human knee

Board review course effect on resident in-training examination

Background The in-training examination is a national and yearly exam administered by the American Board of Emergency Medicine to all emergency medicine residents in the USA. The purpose of the examination is to evaluate a resident’s progress toward obtaining the fundamental knowledge to practice independent emergency medicine. Aims The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 40 hour board review lecture course on the resident in-training examination in emergency medicine. Methods A 40 hour board review lecture course was designed and implemented during the weekly 5 hour long resident conferences during the 8 weeks preceding the in-training examination date in 2006. Attendance was manda-tory at the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) standard of 70 % or greater. A positive result was considered to be a 10 % increase or greater in the resident’s individual national class percentile ranking among their national peers for their class year for the emergency medicine in-training examination. A resident was excluded from the study if there was no 2005 in-training examination score for self-comparison. The 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to analyze the results. Results Of 16 residents, 1 (6.25%; 95 % CI: 0–18%) showed a positive result of increasing their national class percentile ranking by 10 % or greater. For the PGY2, one of the eight had a positive result (12.5%; 95 % CI: 0–35.4%). For PGY3, no resident (0%; 95 % CI: 0–35.4%) had a positive result. Conclusions A 40 hour board review lecture course has no positive effect on improving a resident’s in-training examination score

Photoinitiated Intramolecular Proton Transfer in Deprotonated para-Coumaric Acid

Deprotonated para-coumaric acid is commonly considered as a model for the chromophore in photoactive yellow protein, which undergoes E → Z isomerization following absorption of blue light. Here, tandem ion mobility mass spectrometry is coupled with laser excitation to study the photochemistry of deprotonated para-coumaric acid, to show that the E isomers of the phenoxide and carboxylate forms have distinct photochemical responses with maxima in their action spectra at 430 and 360 nm, respectively. The E isomer of the phenoxide anion undergoes efficient autodetachment upon excitation of its lowest ππ* transition. For the E isomer of the carboxylate deprotomer, a one-way photoinitiated proton transfer generates the phenoxide deprotomer through a mechanism postulated to involve an excited-state enol–keto tautomerism followed by a series of ground-state rearrangements including a second proton transfer. This mechanism is supported by experiments in which the relevant intermediate keto isomer is prepared and spectroscopically probed and through master equation modeling of possible ground-state isomerization processes. The Z isomer of the carboxylate deprotomer shows a weak Z → E photoisomerization response that occurs in competition with photodestruction (presumably electron detachment), demonstrating that the E and Z isomers undergo different processes in their excited states. The study highlights the utility of isomer-selective spectroscopy for characterizing the photochemistry of isolated anions possessing multiple deprotonation sites

Esporotricose felina : relato de caso

A esporotricose é uma doença causada por um fungo que acomete homens e animais. Os felinos domésticos desempenham um importante papel na disseminação da doença, pois possuem hábitos de enterrar as fezes, afiar as unhas nas árvores, disputar territórios e fêmeas, além de possuírem livre acesso à rua os tornam mais suscetíveis à doença. Assim, o objetivo deste trabalho de conclusão de curso foi promover uma breve revisão bibliográfica à cerca da esporotricose em felinos, bem como trazer um relato de caso em um animal acometido. Foi atendido um felino sem raça definida, macho não castrado, sete anos de idade, domiciliado e com acesso à rua, residente de Serafina Corrêa, Rio Grande do Sul. A principal queixa do tutor era lesões na face do animal há cerca de três meses. No exame clínico foi realizado um imprint da lesão e corado com panóptico rápido, sendo observado estruturas leveduriformes ovaladas compatíveis com Sporothrix spp. O tratamento foi realizado com itraconazol (100 mg/animal), uma vez ao dia (SID), durante 120 dias, antibiótico composto por amoxicilina com clavulanato de potássio (50 mg/animal), SID, durante 21 dias, e S-adenosil-metionina (90 mg/animal), SID, durante 120 dias. Ao encerrar o ciclo de 120 dias de tratamento o animal foi para casa, sendo prescrito por mais 30 dias itraconazol (100 mg/animal), SID, como forma de prevenção de reincidência. Após a completa cura clínica o animal foi castrado. A esporotricose é considerada uma zoonose, o papel do médico veterinário é orientar aos tutores, que ao administrarem a medicação ,eles devem se proteger pois poderá haver risco de contaminação, vale ressaltar que a doença poderá permanecer no animal por alguns meses e caso haja reincindiva a medicação deverá ser prolongada, como foi citado no relato, onde se obteve sucesso no tratamento e uma melhor qualidade de vida para o animal

Ultrafast photoisomerisation of an isolated retinoid

The photoinduced excited state dynamics of gas-phase trans-retinoate (deprotonated trans-retinoic acid, trans-RA−) are studied using tandem ion mobility spectrometry coupled with laser spectroscopy, and frequency-, angle- and time-resolved photoelectron imaging. Photoexcitation of the bright S3(ππ*) ← S0 transition leads to internal conversion to the S1(ππ*) state on a ≈80 fs timescale followed by recovery of S0 and concomitant isomerisation to give the 13-cis (major) and 9-cis (minor) photoisomers on a ≈180 fs timescale. The sub-200 fs stereoselective photoisomerisation parallels that for the retinal protonated Schiff base chromophore in bacteriorhodopsin. Measurements on trans-RA− in methanol using the solution photoisomerisation action spectroscopy technique show that 13-cis-RA− is also the principal photoisomer, although the 13-cis and 9-cis photoisomers are formed with an inverted branching ratio with photon energy in methanol when compared with the gas phase, presumably due to solvent-induced modification of potential energy surfaces and inhibition of electron detachment processes. Comparison of the gas-phase time-resolved data with transient absorption spectroscopy measurements on retinoic acid in methanol suggest that photoisomerisation is roughly six times slower in solution. This work provides clear evidence that solvation significantly affects the photoisomerisation dynamics of retinoid molecules

Identifying improvements to complex pathways: evidence synthesis and stakeholder engagement in infant congenital heart disease

OBJECTIVES: Many infants die in the year following discharge from hospital after surgical or catheter intervention for congenital heart disease (3–5% of discharged infants). There is considerable variability in the provision of care and support in this period, and some families experience barriers to care. We aimed to identify ways to improve discharge and postdischarge care for this patient group. DESIGN: A systematic evidence synthesis aligned with a process of eliciting the perspectives of families and professionals from community, primary, secondary and tertiary care. SETTING: UK. RESULTS: A set of evidence-informed recommendations for improving the discharge and postdischarge care of infants following intervention for congenital heart disease was produced. These address known challenges with current care processes and, recognising current resource constraints, are targeted at patient groups based on the number of patients affected and the level and nature of their risk of adverse 1-year outcome. The recommendations include: structured discharge documentation, discharging certain high-risk patients via their local hospital, enhanced surveillance for patients with certain (high-risk) cardiac diagnoses and an early warning tool for parents and community health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Our recommendations set out a comprehensive, system-wide approach for improving discharge and postdischarge services. This approach could be used to address challenges in delivering care for other patient populations that can fall through gaps between sectors and organisations

Biologia e matemática dialogando no ensino médio?

A Biologia, a Física e a Química, a partir da segunda metade do século XIX, são ciências desenvolvidas a partir de aplicações da Matemática, mas a articulação desses saberes não ocorre na prática dos professores no ensino médio da mesma forma quenas pesquisas científicas. O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi justificar e fundamentar articulações de saberes do ensino de Biologia e da Matemática do nível médio. A pesquisa de caráter teórico, com dados coletados a partir da leitura de obras de Biologia,foi realizada na biblioteca de uma escola privada de Vitória, Espírito Santo, em 2006 e 2007. A análise dos dados permitiu identificarduas categorias: a Matemática incluída na descrição de fenômenos biológicos e também na resolução de problemas da Biologia