This study has evaluated the effects of photodynamic inactivation (PDI) using erythrosine as photosensitizer and green light-emitting diode (LED) on biofilms of Candida albicans alone and in combination with Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus mutans. We have also evaluated the effect of sucrose on biofilm formation and bacterial growth and sensitivity to PDI. Biofilms were formed in suspension of 10 cells/ml on plates before being grown in broth culture with and without sucrose and incubated for 48 h. Next, the treatment was applied using erythrosine at a concentration of 400 μM for 5 min and green LED (532 ± 10 nm) for 3 min on biofilms alone and in combination. The plates were washed and sonicated to disperse the biofilms, and serial dilutions were carried and aliquots seeded in Sabouraud agar before incubation for 48 h. Next, the colony-forming units per milliliter (CFU/ml; log) were counted and analyzed statistically (ANOVA, Tukey test, P ≤ 0.05). Results show that S. mutans favors the growth of C. albicans in biofilms with sucrose, with treatment not being effective. However, when the biofilm was grown without sucrose, we found a reduction in biofilm formation and a significant decrease in the PDI treatment (P < 0.0001). In conclusion, both growth and sensitivity to PDI in biofilms of C. albicans are strongly influenced by bacterial combination, and the presence of sucrose affected directly the growth and sensitivity of the biofilm to PDI as sucrose is the substrate for construction of the exopolysaccharide matrix.

BackgroundElectroacupuncture (EA) has been used to treat inflammatory diseases. Alternatively activated macrophages (AAMo) stimulated by cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-13 are anti-inflammatory and mildly microbicidal. This study aimed to evaluate whether EA at the Zusanli acupoint (ST36) would change the profile of healthy murine macrophages, particularly the generation of AAMo and susceptibility to Leishmania major infection.MethodsBALB/c mice were treated with EA (15/30 Hz) at the ST36 acupoint for 20 min/d for 5 d. After the final EA session, the mice were euthanized and their peritoneal cells were harvested and counted for determination of arginase activity, nitric oxide (NO) production and microbicidal activity after culture in the presence or absence of IL-4, interferon-γ (IFNγ) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or both IFNγ and LPS. Twelve mice were infected with L. major promastigotes into the footpads after the final EA session and the infection course was monitored.ResultsPeritoneal cells freshly obtained from EA-treated mice had similar arginase and microbicidal activities to cells from sham-treated mice. After culture with IL-4, cells from EA-treated mice exhibited significant increases in the arginase activity (sham: 58 ± 11.3 vs. EA: 80.7 ± 4.6%, P = 0.025) and number of parasites/infected cell (sham: 2.5 ± 0.4 vs. EA: 4.3 ± 0.8 cells, P = 0.007). The NO production was lower in cells from EA-treated mice cultured in the presence of a combination of IFNγ and LPS (sham: 31.6 ± 6.5 vs. EA: 22.3 ± 2.1 μM, P = 0.025). The lesion size in mice infected with L. major promastigotes was larger in EA-treated mice (sham: 3.26 ± 0.29 vs. EA: 2.23 ± 0.4 mm, P = 0.039).ConclusionEA at the ST36 acupoint increases IL-4 responsiveness in macrophages, Generation of AAMo and susceptibility to L. major infection

Os medicamentos uterotônicos são fármacos que causam contração uterina e são a primeira linha de escolha no tratamento e prevenção de hemorragia pós-parto. A atonia uterina, quadro onde o útero não consegue manter contrações de forma suficiente, é a principal desencadeadora de hemorragias fatais. Todo hospital e centro obstétrico deve possuir protocolos para o uso de fármacos uterotônicos no pós-parto imediato. O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar uma revisão bibliográfica sobre os principais medicamentos uterotônicos utilizados na prática obstétrica atualmente. Os dados foram coletados de literaturas e artigos científicos publicados nos últimos 10 anos. Espera-se que o resultado desse trabalho venha a oferecer uma nova fonte de pesquisa para estudantes e profissionais da área da saúde e demonstrar que os fármacos ocitocina, ergometrina e misoprostol são os mais usados atualmente no tratamento e prevenção de hemorragia pós-parto.

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The objective is to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) for identifying which surgical patients have a likelihood ratio of developing an infection. We included in the study all the patients who underwent surgeries with wound class considered clean at a regional public hospital in Brazil. The first step was a retrospective analysis of risk factors and a correlation test for identifying which clinical variables are best related to post-discharge infections. Then, we developed an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) for pattern recognition to detect incidence of infections.  The ANN can make accurate predictions in 77.3% of the cases in which an infection will occur, and the AUROC of the model is 0.9050. Thus, it is possible to take actions before the patients develop it, improving the quality of life and mental health as well as avoid increasing costs.