Coinfection of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Streptococcus pneumoniae in multiple cutaneous lesions

Key learning points Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common clinical disease caused by all the Leishmania species that are pathogenic to humans. Other bacterial coinfections of Leishmania lesions have been described, but this is the first report of coinfection with Leishmania and S. pneumoniae. S. pneumoniae is also able to cause skin infections, for that reason the pneumococcal diagnosis could be underestimated in Leishmania lesions coinfected with bacterial pathogens, particularly in endemic areas. An accurate microbiological diagnosis of Leishmania coinfections is essential for a correct antimicrobial treatment of skin infections.. Pentavalent antimonials, such as meglumine antimoniate, are considered the first-line antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of leishmaniasis.Fil: Cortes, Paulo R.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Chiapello, Laura Silvina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; ArgentinaFil: Dib, David. Hospital Pediátrico del Niño Jesús; ArgentinaFil: Herrero, Mónica V.. Hospital Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Nuncira, Carmen T.. Hospital Pediátrico del Niño Jesús; ArgentinaFil: De Petris, Carlos. Hospital Pediátrico del Niño Jesús; ArgentinaFil: Echenique, Jose Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Córdoba. Centro de Investigaciones en Bioquímica Clínica e Inmunología; Argentin

Substitutions in PBP2b from β-lactam resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae have different effects on enzymatic activity and drug reactivity

Pneumococcus resists β-lactams by expressing variants of its target enzymes, the penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs), with many amino acid substitutions. Up to 10% of the sequence can be modified. These altered PBPs have a much reduced reactivity with the drugs but retain their physiological activity of cross-linking the peptidoglycan, the major constituent of the bacterial cell wall. However, as β-lactams are chemical and structural mimics of the natural substrate, resistance mediated by altered PBPs raises the following paradox: how PBPs that react poorly with the drugs maintain a sufficient level of activity with the physiological substrate? This question is addressed for the first time in this study, which compares the peptidoglycan cross-linking activity of PBP2b from susceptible and resistant strains with their inhibition by different β-lactams. Unexpectedly, the enzymatic activity of the variants did not correlate with their antibiotic reactivity. This finding indicates that some of the numerous amino acid substitutions were selected to restore a viable level of enzymatic activity by a compensatory molecular mechanism

Patterns of New Physics in B Decays

We show that any new physics (NP) which affects B decays with penguin contributions can be absorbed by redefinitions of the standard-model (SM) diagrammatic amplitudes. Hence, there are no clean signals of NP in such decays unless there is an accurate theoretical estimate of parameters or a justifiable approximation can be made. In all decays with penguin contributions, NP simultaneously affects pairs of diagrams. The evidence for a large C' from fits to B-> pi K data is naturally explained if NP contributes to P_EW, since NP affects the P_EW and C' diagrams as a pair. The weak phase gamma measured in B-> pi K decays will always agree with its SM value even in the presence of NP, if the NP contributes in such a way that the amplitudes retain the SM form after suitable redefinitions.Comment: 4 pages, revtex, no figures; Several changes made to highlight results obtaine

Long Term Radiative Behavior of SGR 1900+14

The prolific magnetar SGR 1900+14 showed two outbursts in the last decade and has been closely monitored in the X-rays to track the changes in its radiative properties. We use archival Chandra and XMM-Newton observations of SGR 1900+14 to construct a history of its spectrum and persistent X-ray flux spanning a period of about seven years. We show that the decline of its X-ray flux in these two outburst episodes follows the same trend. The flux begins to decline promptly and rapidly subsequent to the flares, then decreases gradually for about 600 days, at which point it resumes a more rapid decline. Utilizing the high quality spectral data in each epoch, we also study the spectral coevolution of the source with its flux. We find that neither the magnetic field strength nor the magnetospheric properties change over the period spanned by the observations, while the surface temperature as well as the inferred emitting area both decline with time following both outbursts. We also show that the source reached the same minimum flux level in its decline from these two subsequent outbursts, suggesting that this flux level may be its steady quiescent flux.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Ap

Extracting Weak Phase Information from B -> V_1 V_2 Decays

We describe a new method for extracting weak, CP-violating phase information, with no hadronic uncertainties, from an angular analysis of B -> V_1 V_2 decays, where V_1 and V_2 are vector mesons. The quantity $\sin^2 (2\beta + \gamma)$ can be cleanly obtained from the study of decays such as B_d^0(t) -> D^{*\pm} \rho^\mp, D^{*\pm} a_1^{\mp}, D^{*0} K^{*0}, etc. Similarly, one can use B_s^0(t) -> D_s^{*\pm} K^{*\mp} to extract $\sin^2 \gamma$. There are no penguin contributions to these decays. It is possible that $\sin^2 (2\beta + \gamma)$ will be the second function of CP phases, after $\sin 2\beta$, to be measured at B-factories.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, no figure

Can One Measure the Weak Phase of a Penguin Diagram?

The b -> d penguin amplitude receives contributions from internal u, c and t-quarks. We show that it is impossible to measure the weak phase of any of these penguin contributions without theoretical input. However, it is possible to obtain the weak phase if one makes a single assumption involving the hadronic parameters. With such an assumption, one can test for the presence of new physics in the b -> d flavour-changing neutral current by comparing the weak phase of B_d^0-{\bar B}_d^0 mixing with that of the t-quark contribution to the b -> d penguin.Comment: 20 pages, no figure

Electroconvulsive therapy modulates loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials: a pilot MEG study

IntroductionElectroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains a critical intervention for treatment-resistant depression (MDD), yet its neurobiological underpinnings are not fully understood. This pilot study aims to investigate changes in loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP), a proposed biomarker of serotonergic activity, in patients undergoing ECT.MethodsHigh-resolution magnetoencephalography (MEG) was utilized to measure LDAEP in nine depressed patients receiving right unilateral ECT. We hypothesized that ECT would reduce the LDAEP slope, reflecting enhanced serotonergic neurotransmission. Depression severity and cognitive performance were assessed using the 24-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS24) and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), respectively.ResultsContrary to our hypothesis, findings indicated a significant increase in LDAEP post-ECT (t8 = 3.17, p = .013). The increase in LDAEP was not associated with changes in depression severity or cognitive performance.DiscussionThe observed increase in LDAEP suggests a more complex interaction between ECT and neurobiological systems, rather than a direct reflection of serotonergic neurotransmission. Potential mechanisms for this increase include ECT’s impact on serotonergic, dopaminergic, glutamatergic, and GABAergic receptor activity, neuroplasticity involving brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and inflammatory modulators such as TNF-α. Our results highlight the multifaceted effects of ECT on brain function, necessitating further research to elucidate these interactions

Oral Health Status of Syrian Children in the Refugee Center of Melilla, Spain

Introduction. Little is known about the state of oral health among immigrants from conflict zones, such as the refugee children from the Syrian Civil War. Aim. To determine the oral health status of Syrian immigrant children refugee at the Center for Temporary Stay of Immigrants in Melilla to plan prevention and care programs. Design. Using the criteria set by the World Health Organization, an exploration of the oral cavity of all Syrian children aged 5–13 living at that center was conducted in May 2015. All subjects were clinically evaluated by a calibrated and standardized examiner, accompanied by a dentist who registered the clinical variables, and translators. The sociodemographic and clinical variables were analyzed through a descriptive and analytical study, respectively. Results. The prevalence of caries in both the permanent and deciduous dentition was 75% and 50% in 6- and 12-year-olds, respectively. The dft was 3.2 ± 2.9 in 6-year-old children. At 12 years old, the DMFT was 1.6 ± 2.6 teeth, the DMFM was 1.1 ± 1.7 teeth, the SiC was 3.2, and the IR was 5%. Eighty-six percent of the examined sextants were periodontally healthy. Conclusions. The prevalence of caries was high in the sample population studied, confirming the need for a comprehensive primary oral health care program

Mass and Magnetic distributions in Self Gravitating Super Alfvenic Turbulence with AMR

In this work, we present the mass and magnetic distributions found in a recent Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) MHD simulation of supersonic, \sa, self gravitating turbulence. Powerlaw tails are found in both volume density and magnetic field probability density functions, with $P(\rho) \propto \rho^{-1.67}$ and $P(B)\propto B^{-2.74}$. A power law is also found between magnetic field strength and density, with $B\propto \rho^{0.48}$, throughout the collapsing gas. The mass distribution of gravitationally bound cores is shown to be in excellent agreement with recent observation of prestellar cores. The mass to flux distribution of cores is also found to be in excellent agreement with recent Zeeman splitting measurements.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures (3 color). Submitted to the Astrophysical Journa

PODER DE POLÍCIA ADMINISTRATIVA NA FISCALIZAÇÃO DOS CONSELHOS REGIONAIS DE ENFERMAGEM.

O estudo tem por objetivo descrever o processo histórico de criação do Sistema Conselho Federal de Enfermagem/Conselhos Regionais de Enfermagem com ênfase no poder de polícia administrativa dos conselhos de fiscalização profissional. Estudo bibliográfico e documental abstraído de materiais bibliográficos (publicações periódicas: revistas e livros) e documentos (impressos diversos: leis, decretos, súmulas e resoluções de enfermagem), disponíveis em meio impresso e eletrônico, analisados por meio da técnica de analise de conteúdo. Os resultados descrevem que o poder de polícia administrativa tem seu poder fundamentado no princípio da predominância do interesse público sobre o particular (profissional ou empresa de enfermagem), deixando a administração pública em posição de supremacia sobre os interesses particulares