Pyodermas: Diagnosis and Treatment

The diagnosis and treatment of cutaneous infections appear to be rather straightforward at first glance. Major texts of pediatrics and dermatology indicate that the vast majority of pyodermas are due to either Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) or Streptococcus pyogenes and that antibiotics are curative. On closer scrutiny, however, one quickly becomes aware that there is a great deal of nomenclatural confusion with a corresponding lack of clarity regarding therapy – particularly on the point of whether or not topical antibiotics have any place in therapy

Acne Vulgaris

Acne vulgaris displays all the characteristics of a polygenic disorder in that hereditary factors are apparent with strong family tendencies for the disorder while the phenotypic expression of the disease varies over a wide spectrum. All that is known for certain concerning the genetics of acne is that concordance is extremely high in identical twins. In the past decade, various investigations have resulted in much clearer concepts of pathogenesis and have brought us to the point of effective therapy for the majority of cases. In this report, I will summarize recent concepts in the pathogenesis of acne vulgaris

Paleoecology of Southeastern Saskatchewan bison : changes in diet and environment as inferred through stable isotope analysis of bone collagen

Archaeological research has provided evidence of change in the settlement and subsistence practices of human groups inhabiting the Great Plains throughout the Holocene. A substantial part of this reorganization appears to be tied to concurrent changes affecting local bison populations, a species upon which these groups were uniquely dependant. Although bison are thought to have been strongly affected by the severe climates of the Mid-Holocene, there is an absence of appropriate models from which to interpret data in the archaeological and paleontological records. Nevertheless, new techniques are allowing for the determination of ecological information directly from prehistoric remains. This study uses stable isotope ratios (813C, 8'SN, 8D) in bone collagen to examine the dietary ecology of bison in Southern Saskatchewan during eight distinct time periods spanning the last 9,000 years. Stable isotopes of hydrogen and nitrogen in the tissues of animals relate to aspects of local climate, while stable-carbon isotope values reflect dietary choices. When employed in a comparative fashion, these sources may be used to construct simple models of foraging behaviour. The environmental data developed from this investigation appear to correlate generally with patterns predicted by conventional models of Holocene climate. Nevertheless, at least one period of unexpectedly moderate temperature was identified from a context dating to the and Mid-Holocene. The ecological impact of such an episode may have been significant. In addition, the results of this study suggest that bison diet has a complex relationship with local climate. Changes in plant distribution resulting from variations of temperature and precipitation appear to have less of an impact upon bison consumption patterns than do climatically induced changes in the nutritional quality of vegetation. Nevertheless, during specific time periods characterized by similar climatic regimes, their relative consumption of certain forage species (C3 and C4 plants) does not appear to have been consistent. Such a discrepancy may reflect adaptive differences between bison from distinct time periods, or alternatively, the effects of a climatic difference undetectable by isotopic means. In either case, it would appear that bison of the past may have been subject to significant nutritional stresses that could have caused them to behave in fundamentally different ways from modern populations

Experimental Infections with Group A Streptococci in Humans

Experimental inoculation of 7 strains of Group A streptococci failed to result in either colonization or infection of normal intact skin of human volunteers. All strains rapidly died on normal skin; suppression of the resident microflora did not affect survival and no difference in survival was seen between inoculation on lipid-rich and lipid-poor body areas. Inoculation on skin damaged by superficial scarification resulted in localized infections when 1 × 104 or more organisms were inoculated into the wound by rubbing and covered with an impermeable plastic film. Intradermal inoculation resulted in localized cellulitis, regional lymphadenopathy, and fever. All strains were equally effective in producing localized infections in scarified skin

Quantitative Microbiology of the Scalp in Non-Dandruff, Dandruff, and Seborrheic Dermatitis

The composition of the scalp microflora was assessed quantitatively in normal individuals and in patients with dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, disorders characterized by increasing scalin. Three organisms were constantly found: (1) Pityrosporum, (2) aerobic cocci, and (3) Corynebacterium acnes. Pitrosporum (mainly Pityrosporum ovale) made up 46% of the total microflora in normals, 74% in dandruff, and 83% in seborrheic dermatitis. The geometric mean number of organisms per cm2 in non-dandruff subjects was 5.04 × 105; 9.22 × 105 in dandruff subjects; and 6.45 × 105 in those with seborrheic dermatitis. The cocci were dominantly Baird-Parkertype SII and no quantitative or qualitative change occurred in the scaling disorders. C. acnes comprised 26% of the flora on the normal scalp, 6% in dandruff, and only 1% in seborrheic dermatitis. These results differ significantly from previous reports which describe a much more complex microflora and suggest an etiologic role for microorganisms in dandruff

Incidence and Associations of Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain Poststroke: Prospective Population-Based Study

This author accepted manuscript (post print) is made available following a 12 month embargo from the date of publication (28 September 2014) in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

Stroke Epidemiology in an Australian Rural Cohort (SEARCH)

Copyright © 2016 World Stroke Organization. Reprinted by permission of SAGE PublicationsBackground Stroke rates in Australia and New Zealand have been declining since 1990 but all studies have been completed in large urban centers. Aim We report the first Australasian stroke incidence study in a rural population. Methods The authors applied the principle of complete ascertainment, used the WHO standard definition of stroke and classified ischemic stroke by the TOAST criteria. Data were collected from five rural centers defined by postcode of residence, over a 2-year period with 12 months of follow up of all cases. Results There were 217 strokes in 215 individuals in a population of 96,036 people, over 2 years, giving a crude attack rate of 113 per 100,000 per year. The 181 first-ever strokes (83% of total), standardized to the WHO world population, occurred at a rate of 50/100,000 (95% CI: 43–58). The 28-day fatality for first-ever strokes was 24% (95% CI: 18–31) and 77% (95% CI: 71–83) were classified as ischemic (140/181), 15% (95% CI: 10–21) intracerebral hemorrhage, 3% (95% CI: 1–6) due to subarachnoid hemorrhage and 5% (95% CI: 2–9) were unknown. A high proportion of first-ever ischemic strokes (44%) were cardioembolic, mostly (77%) due to atrial arrhythmias. Of the 38 with known atrial arrhythmias prior to stroke, only six (16%) were therapeutically anticoagulated. Conclusions This rural companion study of a recent Australian urban stroke incidence study confirms the downward trend of stroke incidence in Australia, and reiterates that inadequate anticoagulation of atrial arrhythmia remains a preventable cause of ischemic stroke

Walkability and self-rated health in primary care patients

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between perceived walkability and overall self-rated health among patients who use community-based clinics. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was distributed to a convenience sample in three community clinics. Forms were completed by 793 clinic patients. Multiple logistic regression analysis was to control for the effects of demographic variables and lifestyles. RESULTS: Perceiving the availability of places to walk was related to better self-rated health. The most important places were work (OR = 3.2), community center (OR = 3.12), park (OR = 2.45) and day care (OR = 2.05). Respondents who said they had zero (OR = .27) or one (OR = .49) place to walk were significantly less healthy than persons who said they had five or more places to walk. CONCLUSION: Persons who perceived that they had no place to walk were significantly less healthy than persons who thought they had at least one place to walk (OR = .39). Support for walkable neighborhoods and education of patients about options for walking may be in the best interests of community medicine patients

The case for the continued use of the genus name Mimulus for all monkeyflowers

The genus Mimulus is a well-studied group of plant species, which has for decades allowed researchers to address a wide array of fundamental questions in biology (Wu & al. 2008; Twyford & al. 2015). Linnaeus named the type species of Mimulus (ringens L.), while Darwin (1876) used Mimulus (luteus L.) to answer key research questions. The incredible phenotypic diversity of this group has made it the focus of ecological and evolutionary study since the mid-20th century, initiated by the influential work of Clausen, Keck, and Hiesey as well as their students and collaborators (Clausen & Hiesey 1958; Hiesey & al. 1971, Vickery 1952, 1978). Research has continued on this group of diverse taxa throughout the 20th and into the 21st century (Bradshaw & al. 1995; Schemske & Bradshaw 1999; Wu & al. 2008; Twyford & al. 2015; Yuan 2019), and Mimulus guttatus was one of the first non-model plants to be selected for full genome sequencing (Hellsten & al. 2013). Mimulus has played a key role in advancing our general understanding of the evolution of pollinator shifts (Bradshaw & Schemske 2003; Cooley & al. 2011; Byers & al. 2014), adaptation (Lowry & Willis 2010; Kooyers & al. 2015; Peterson & al. 2016; Ferris & Willis 2018; Troth & al. 2018), speciation (Ramsey & al. 2003; Wright & al. 2013; Sobel & Streisfeld 2015; Zuellig & Sweigart 2018), meiotic drive (Fishman & Saunders 2008), polyploidy (Vallejo-Marín 2012; Vallejo-Marín & al. 2015), range limits (Angert 2009; Sexton et al. 2011; Grossenbacher & al. 2014; Sheth & Angert 2014), circadian rhythms (Greenham & al. 2017), genetic recombination (Hellsten & al. 2013), mating systems (Fenster & Ritland 1994; Dudash & Carr 1998; Brandvain & al. 2014) and developmental biology (Moody & al. 1999; Baker & al. 2011, 2012; Yuan 2019). This combination of a rich history of study coupled with sustained modern research activity is unparalleled among angiosperms. Across many interested parties, the name Mimulus therefore takes on tremendous biological significance and is recognizable not only by botanists, but also by zoologists, horticulturalists, naturalists, and members of the biomedical community. Names associated with a taxonomic group of this prominence should have substantial inertia, and disruptive name changes should be avoided. As members of the Mimulus community, we advocate retaining the genus name Mimulus to describe all monkeyflowers. This is despite recent nomenclature changes that have led to a renaming of most monkeyflower species to other genera.Additional co-authors: Jannice Friedman, Dena L Grossenbacher, Liza M Holeski, Christopher T Ivey, Kathleen M Kay, Vanessa A Koelling, Nicholas J Kooyers, Courtney J Murren, Christopher D Muir, Thomas C Nelson, Megan L Peterson, Joshua R Puzey, Michael C Rotter, Jeffrey R Seemann, Jason P Sexton, Seema N Sheth, Matthew A Streisfeld, Andrea L Sweigart, Alex D Twyford, John H Willis, Kevin M Wright, Carrie A Wu, Yao-Wu Yua