Audiological follow-up of children with congenital Zika syndrome

How does the auditory function of children with congenital Zika syndrome present during the first three years of life? To determine the auditory function of children with congenital Zika syndrome during the first three years of life and estimate the frequency and long-term presentation of hearing loss in this syndrome, an auditory assessment with screening and diagnostic tests was conducted. The screening test consisted of measuring the short latency ABR using click stimuli. If the ABR click indicated hearing loss, confirmation was obtained with a frequency-specific ABR (FS-ABR), in which the stimuli were tone bursts at frequencies of 500 and 2000 Hz by bone and air conduction. This case series included 107 children with confirmed congenital Zika syndrome, and the cumulative incidence of sensorineural hearing loss in the first three years of life was 9.3% (10/107). There were no cases of delayed-onset or progressive deficits in hearing. Early presentation of sensorineural hearing loss seems to occur with a higher frequency in children with congenital Zika syndrome than in the general population. Sensorineural hearing loss resulting from congenital Zika virus infection does not appear to present with delayed onset or with progressive deficits

Effectiveness of habitat management in the recovery of low-density populations of wild rabbit.

Understanding the relationship between spatial patterns of landscape attributes and population presence and abundance is essential for understanding population processes as well as supporting management and conservation strategies. This study evaluates the influence of three factors: environment, habitat management, and season on the presence and abundance of the wild rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), an important prey species for Mediterranean endangered predator species. To address this issue, we estimated wild rabbit presence and abundance by latrine counting in transects located in 45 plots within a 250×250 m grid from June 2007 until June 2009 in a 1,200 ha hunting area in southern Portugal.We then analyzed how wild rabbit presence and abundance correlatewith the aforementioned factors. Our results showed that the main variable influencing wild rabbit presence and abundance was the distance to the artificial warrens. North and northeast slope directions were negatively related to wild rabbit presence. Conversely, rabbit presence was positively correlated with short distances to ecotone, artificial warrens, and spring. Regarding rabbit abundance, in addition to artificial warrens, soft soils, bushes, and season also had a positive effect. We found that environmental variables, management practices, and season each affect wild rabbit presence and abundance differently at a home range scale in low-density population. Thus, our major recommendations are reducing the distance to artificial warrens and ecotone, ideally to less than 100 m, and promoting habitat quality improvement on slopes with plenty of sun exposure

Propeller-like Conformation of Diphenylacetic Acid

Abstract Crystal structure of diphenylacetic acid has been solved by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P21/c, with a = 12.254(4) Å, b = 7.2260(8) Å, c = 17.521(4) Å, ß = 133.38(1)°, Mr = 212.24, V = 1127.6(5) Å3, Z = 4 and R = 0.045. A strong hydrogen bond links the molecules in dimers. The dimers are connected by weaker C–H···p and p···p interactions. A calculation was performed for the isolated molecule and for the dimer within the Hartree-Fock (HF) level with a 6-311G(d) basis set. In both calculations, the minimum of the energy is achieved with the phenyl rings assuming a more symmetric arrangement around the central carboxylic plane than is experimentally observed. Graphical Abstract In diphenylacetic acid the molecules are coupled in dimers by a strong hydrogen bonds. Weaker intermolecular interactions involving the aromatic ring p systems join the dimers together

Capacidade funcional e fatores associados em idosos: estudo populacional Capacidade funcional y factores asociados en ancianos: estudio poblacional Functional capacity and associated factors in the elderly: a population study

OBJETIVO: Analisar a associação do comprometimento da capacidade funcional com condições de saúde e fatores sociodemográficos e comportamentais entre idosos residentes em comunidade do interior do Nordeste brasileiro. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal de base populacional realizado com 316 idosos residentes em Lafaiete Coutinho-BA. A capacidade funcional foi avaliada por escala hierárquica, verificando associação com condições de saúde e fatores sóciodemográficos e comportamentais pela técnica de regressão logística multinomial. RESULTADOS: A dependência nas atividades independentes da vida diária (AIVD) foi associada ao grupo etário > 80 anos, uso de dois ou mais medicamentos e comprometimento cognitivo. A dependência nas atividades básicas da vida diária e AIVD foi associada ao grupo etário > 80 anos, falta de participação em atividades religiosas, hospitalização nos últimos 12 meses, comprometimento cognitivo e sobrepeso. CONCLUSÃO: Houve associação com comprometimento da capacidade funcional e condições de saúde e fatores sociodemográficos entre idosos residentes em comunidade no Nordeste brasileiro.<br>OBJETIVO: Analizar la asociación del compromiso de la capacidad funcional con condiciones de salud y factores sociodemográficos y comportamentales entre ancianos residentes en una comunidad del interior del Noreste brasileño. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal de base poblacional realizado con 316 ancianos residentes en Lafaiete Coutinho-BA. La capacidad funcional fue evaluada por una escala jerárquica, verificando asociación con condiciones de salud y factores sociodemográficos y comportamentales por la técnica de regresión logística multinomial. RESULTADOS: La dependencia en las atividades independentes de la vida diaria (AIVD) fue asociada al grupo etáreo > 80 años, uso de dos o más medicamentos y compromiso cognitivo. La dependencia en las actividades básicas de la vida diária y AIVD fue asociada al grupo etáreo > 80 años, falta de participación en actividades religiosas, hospitalización en los últimos 12 meses, compromiso cognitivo y sobrepeso. CONCLUSIÓN: Hubo asociación con compromiso de la capacidad funcional y condiciones de salud y factores sociodemográficos entre ancianos residentes en una comunidad del Noreste brasileño.<br>OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of impaired functional capacity with health conditions and sociodemographic and behavioral factors among elderly residents in a community of northeastern Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional population-based study, conducted with 316 elderly residents in Lafaiete Coutinho-BA. Functional capacity was evaluated by hierarchical scaling, by verifying association with health conditions and sociodemographic and behavioral factors by the technique of multinomial logistic regression. RESULTS: The dependence for independent activities of daily living (IADL) was associated with the age group > 80 years, use of two or more medications and cognitive impairment. Dependency in basic activities of daily living and IADL was associated with those in the age group > 80 years, with a lack of participation in religious activities, hospitalization in the past 12 months, cognitive impairment and who were overweight. CONCLUSION: There was an association with impaired functional capacity, health conditions and sociodemographic factors among elderly residents in a community in northeastern Brazil