Fungi in Toe Nails**From the Department of Dermatology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida 33136.

One hundred and eighty three abnormal toe nails were cultured for dermatophytes, molds, and yeasts. Incidence figures for all above mentioned organisms were obtained. In approximately 25% of the abnormal toe nails, dermatophytes were isolated. Trichophyton rubrum and T. mentagrophytes were equally isolated. In approximately 25% of abnormal nails, no organisms were isolated. Non-dermatophytic fungi were commonly associated with abnormal nails (50%). Among these were: Arthroderma quadrificum; Aspergillus sydowii; A. nidulans; Cephalosporium acremonium; Curvularia lunata; Fusarium oxysporum; Hormodendrum cladosporidides; Penicillium citrinum; Scopulariopsis brevicalis.Yeasts were also isolated from 25% of nails (in combination with other organisms). Candida parapsilosis was by far the most commonly yeast isolated. Approximately one half of dermatophytes were recovered by cultural methods when compared to the number of KOH positive nails

Effects of Inhaled Brevetoxins in Allergic Airways: Toxin–Allergen Interactions and Pharmacologic Intervention

During a Florida red tide, brevetoxins produced by the dinoflagellate Karenia brevis become aerosolized and cause airway symptoms in humans, especially in those with pre-existing airway disease (e.g., asthma). To understand these toxin-induced airway effects, we used sheep with airway hypersensitivity to Ascaris suum antigen as a surrogate for asthmatic patients and studied changes in pulmonary airflow resistance (R(L)) after inhalation challenge with lysed cultures of K. brevis (crude brevetoxins). Studies were done without and with clinically available drugs to determine which might prevent/reverse these effects. Crude brevetoxins (20 breaths at 100 pg/mL; n = 5) increased R (L) 128 ± 6% (mean ± SE) over baseline. This bronchoconstriction was significantly reduced (% inhibition) after pretreatment with the glucocorticosteroid budesonide (49%), the β (2) adrenergic agent albuterol (71%), the anticholinergic agent atropine (58%), and the histamine H(1)-antagonist diphenhydramine (47%). The protection afforded by atropine and diphenhydramine suggests that both cholinergic (vagal) and H(1)-mediated pathways contribute to the bronchoconstriction. The response to cutaneous toxin injection was also histamine mediated. Thus, the airway and skin data support the hypothesis that toxin activates mast cells in vivo. Albuterol given immediately after toxin challenge rapidly reversed the bronchoconstriction. Toxin inhalation increased airway kinins, and the response to inhaled toxin was enhanced after allergen challenge. Both factors could contribute to the increased sensitivity of asthmatic patients to toxin exposure. We conclude that K. brevis aerosols are potent airway constrictors. Clinically available drugs may be used to prevent or provide therapeutic relief for affected individuals

A produção acadêmica sobre práticas pedagógicas em espaços hospitalares: análise de teses e dissertações

This article aims to present an analysis of the main theses and dissertations defended from 2000 to 2008 in Brazil regarding pedagogical practices in hospital settings. The study is based primarily on authors who discuss pedagogical practices in hospitals, such as Fontes (2003), Matos and Mugiatti (2008) and Paula (2005, 2006). The methodological procedures used were theses and dissertations, categorization and critical analysis of the work. The systematization of theses and dissertations resulted in a total of 38 works. In his research, we opted for separation and discussion of the category “pedagogical practices in hospitals” due to the higher number of productions and the need for a deeper knowledge of pedagogical actions developed in hospital environments. Contributions of studies indicated that there is a need to develop different strategies for working with the hospitalized student, that are not only configured as schooling models of education neither to meet recreational  goals for children. Thus, the challenge described in most studies is to develop pedagogical practices differentiated from the practices of mainstream schools, while still ensuring the continuity of the educational process.Key words: schools in hospitals, pedagogical practices, educational research.Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar reflexões sobre teses e dissertações defendidas entre os anos de 2000 a 2008 no Brasil a respeito de práticas pedagógicas desenvolvidas em contextos hospitalares. O trabalho está fundamentado principalmente em autores que discutem sobre a Pedagogia Hospitalar, tais como: Fontes (2003), Matos e Mugiatti (2008), Paula (2005, 2006). Os procedimentos metodológicos utilizados foram: levantamento de teses e dissertações, categorização e análise crítica dos trabalhos. A sistematização  as teses e dissertações resultou num total de 38 trabalhos. Optou-se pelo recorte e discussão da categoria “práticas pedagógicas em contexto hospitalar” em função de haver um maior número de produções sobre esta categoria e a necessidade de conhecimento mais aprofundado das ações pedagógicas desenvolvidas em ambientes hospitalares. A análise dos trabalhos apontou que há necessidade da construção de estratégias diferenciadas para se trabalhar com o aluno hospitalizado, que não se configurem somente como modelos escolarizantes de educação, tampouco atendam apenas aos objetivos lúdicos das crianças. Assim, o grande desafi o descrito na maioria dos trabalhos é o de construir práticas pedagógicas diferenciadas das práticas das escolas regulares, mas que garantam a continuidade do processo educativo.Palavras-chave: escolas nos hospitais, práticas pedagógicas, pesquisa educacional

ISO 37120 e agenda 2030 para o desenvolvimento sustentável em uma cidade da região centro sul do Paraná: a visão dos munícipesISO 37120 and the 2030 agenda for sustainable development in a city of south central Paraná: the perspective of local inhabitants

As cidades são fundamentais para a sociedade moderna, pois são locais onde as pessoas residem, trabalham, estudam; além disso, fornecem serviços fundamentais como saúde, segurança pública, luz, água, transporte, entre outros, devendo existir equilíbrio para se chegar a uma cidade sustentável (CS). O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi analisar os indicadores da ISO 37120 (CS) na cidade de Prudentópolis, inserida na região Centro Sul do Estado do Paraná, a partir da percepção dos munícipes. A pesquisa caracterizou-se como sendo um estudo descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa (Survey) e período ocasional único. Foram realizadas análises estatísticas descritivas, Alfa de Cronbach, correlação entre as variáveis e regressão, por meio da utilização do SPSS. Os resultados demonstraram que os indicadores da ISO 37120, em sua grande parte, estão presentes e são percebidos pelos pesquisados. Para a sociedade, o estudo contribui no sentido de demonstrar os indicadores da ISO 37120 em determinada cidade ou região, bem como evidenciar as políticas públicas existentes ou não para a formação de uma cidade sustentável. Este estudo pode fornecer insights para pesquisas em outros municípios e também para a formulação de políticas públicas e plano diretor para uma Cidade Sustentável

Data mashups: potential contribution to decision support on climate change and health.

notes: PMCID: PMC3945564This is a freely-available open access publication. Please cite the published version which is available via the DOI link in this record.Linking environmental, socioeconomic and health datasets provides new insights into the potential associations between climate change and human health and wellbeing, and underpins the development of decision support tools that will promote resilience to climate change, and thus enable more effective adaptation. This paper outlines the challenges and opportunities presented by advances in data collection, storage, analysis, and access, particularly focusing on "data mashups". These data mashups are integrations of different types and sources of data, frequently using open application programming interfaces and data sources, to produce enriched results that were not necessarily the original reason for assembling the raw source data. As an illustration of this potential, this paper describes a recently funded initiative to create such a facility in the UK for use in decision support around climate change and health, and provides examples of suitable sources of data and the purposes to which they can be directed, particularly for policy makers and public health decision makers.UK Medical Research CouncilUK Natural Environment Research CouncilEuropean Regional Development Fund Programme 2007 to 2013European Social Fund Convergence Programme for Cornwall and the Isles of Scill

Inhalation Toxicity of Brevetoxin 3 in Rats Exposed for Twenty-Two Days

Brevetoxins are potent neurotoxins produced by the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. Exposure to brevetoxins may occur during a K. brevis red tide when the compounds become aerosolized by wind and surf. This study assessed possible adverse health effects associated with inhalation exposure to brevetoxin 3, one of the major brevetoxins produced by K. brevis and present in aerosols collected along beaches affected by red tide. Male F344 rats were exposed to brevetoxin 3 at 0, 37, and 237 μg/m(3) by nose-only inhalation 2 hr/day, 5 days/week for up to 22 exposure days. Estimated deposited brevetoxin 3 doses were 0.9 and 5.8 μg/kg/day for the low-and high-dose groups, respectively. Body weights of the high-dose group were significantly below control values. There were no clinical signs of toxicity. Terminal body weights of both low- and high-dose-group rats were significantly below control values. Minimal alveolar macrophage hyperplasia was observed in three of six and six of six of the low- and high-dose groups, respectively. No histopathologic lesions were observed in the nose, brain, liver, or bone marrow of any group. Reticulocyte numbers in whole blood were significantly increased in the high-dose group, and mean corpuscular volume showed a significant decreasing trend with increasing exposure concentration. Humoral-mediated immunity was suppressed in brevetoxin-exposed rats as indicated by significant reduction in splenic plaque-forming cells in both low- and high-dose-group rats compared with controls. Results indicate that the immune system is the primary target for toxicity in rats after repeated inhalation exposure to relatively high concentrations of brevetoxins

Exposure and Effect Assessment of Aerosolized Red Tide Toxins (Brevetoxins) and Asthma

addresses: National Science Foundation National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Oceans and Human Health Center, University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Miami, Florida 33136, USA. [email protected]: PMCID: PMC2717136types: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.'Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives'Copyright © 2009 National Institute of Environmental Health SciencesIn previous studies we demonstrated statistically significant changes in reported symptoms for lifeguards, general beach goers, and persons with asthma, as well as statistically significant changes in pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in asthmatics, after exposure to brevetoxins in Florida red tide (Karenia brevis bloom) aerosols

Glucagon-like Peptide 1 Conjugated to Recombinant Human Serum Albumin Variants with Modified Neonatal Fc Receptor Binding Properties. Impact on Molecular Structure and Half-Life

Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) is a small incretin hormone stimulated by food intake, resulting in an amplification of the insulin response. Though GLP-1 is interesting as a drug candidate for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, its short plasma half-life of <3 min limits its clinical use. A strategy for extending the half-life of GLP-1 utilizes the long half-life of human serum albumin (HSA) by combining the two via chemical conjugation or genetic fusion. HSA has a plasma half-life of around 21 days because of its interaction with the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) expressed in endothelial cells of blood vessels, which rescues circulating HSA from lysosomal degradation. We have conjugated GLP-1 to C34 of native sequence recombinant HSA (rHSA) and two rHSA variants, one with increased and one with decreased binding affinity for human FcRn. We have investigated the impact of conjugation on FcRn binding affinities, GLP-1 potency, and pharmacokinetics, combined with the solution structure of the rHSA variants and GLP-1–albumin conjugates. The solution structures, determined by small-angle X-ray scattering, show the GLP-1 pointing away from the surface of rHSA. Combining the solution structures with the available structural information about the FcRn and GLP-1 receptor obtained from X-ray crystallography, we can explain the observed <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> behavior. We conclude that the conjugation of GLP-1 to rHSA does not affect the interaction between rHSA and FcRn, while the observed decrease in the potency of GLP-1 can be explained by a steric hindrance of binding of GLP-1 to its receptor

Initial Evaluation of the Effects of Aerosolized Florida Red Tide Toxins (Brevetoxins) in Persons with Asthma

Florida red tides annually occur in the Gulf of Mexico, resulting from blooms of the marine dinoflagellate Karenia brevis. K. brevis produces highly potent natural polyether toxins, known as brevetoxins, that activate voltage-sensitive sodium channels. In experimental animals, brevetoxins cause significant bronchoconstriction. A study of persons who visited the beach recreationally found a significant increase in self-reported respiratory symptoms after exposure to aerosolized Florida red tides. Anecdotal reports indicate that persons with underlying respiratory diseases may be particularly susceptible to adverse health effects from these aerosolized toxins. Fifty-nine persons with physician-diagnosed asthma were evaluated for 1 hr before and after going to the beach on days with and without Florida red tide. Study participants were evaluated with a brief symptom questionnaire, nose and throat swabs, and spirometry approved by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Environmental monitoring, water and air sampling (i.e., K. brevis, brevetoxins, and particulate size distribution), and personal monitoring (for toxins) were performed. Brevetoxin concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and a newly developed brevetoxin enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Participants were significantly more likely to report respiratory symptoms after Florida red tide exposure. Participants demonstrated small but statistically significant decreases in forced expiratory volume in 1 sec, forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75%, and peak expiratory flow after exposure, particularly those regularly using asthma medications. Similar evaluation during nonexposure periods did not significantly differ. This is the first study to show objectively measurable adverse health effects from exposure to aerosolized Florida red tide toxins in persons with asthma. Future studies will examine the possible chronic effects of these toxins among persons with asthma and other chronic respiratory impairment

Cocaine Disrupts Pup-Induced Maternal Behavior in Juvenile and Adult Rats

Impaired onset of maternal behavior in first generation rat dams was previously correlated with rearing by cocaine-treated dams and prenatal cocaine exposure. Pup-induced maternal behavior in non-lactating rats has not been examined with regard to cocaine exposure and rearing conditions. First generation male and female juveniles and young adult males reared by cocaine-treated or control dams and prenatally exposed to either cocaine or control conditions were tested for pup-induced maternal behavior at postnatal days 28 and 60. We now report disruptions in pup-induced maternal behavior in both 28 and 60 day old first generation offspring attributable to rearing condition and prenatal cocaine exposure. Originally published Neurotoxicology and Teratology, Vol. 29, No. 6, Nov 200