Frequency of red blood cell transfusions in preterm neonates in Brazil: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background And Objectives: Red blood cell transfusions are frequent in preterm neonates. The proportion of preterm neonates transfused in Brazil remains unknown. We systematically reviewed the literature to estimate the frequency of red blood cell transfusions in preterm neonates in Brazil.

Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) discriminate between naturally-ordered and scramble-ordered chick-a-dee calls and individual preference is related to rate of learning.

Though many forms of animal communication are not reliant on the order in which components of signals are combined to be effective, there is evidence that order does matter for some communication systems. In the light of differential responding to calls of varying note-order observed in black-capped chickadees in the field, we set out to determine whether chickadees recognize syntactically-ordered and incorrectly-ordered chick-a-dee calls as separate and distinct conceptual categories using both an auditory preference task and go/no-go operant conditioning paradigm. Results show that chickadees spent more time on the perch that did not produce sound (i.

Effect of feed-time duration on discrimination of vocalizations in a go/no-go operant paradigm.

Refining and modifying experimental procedures play a vital role in improving methodology while also reducing animal distress. In this study, we asked if an increase in feed time duration affects discrimination in an operant go/no-go task. Specifically, we used zebra finches' sexually dimorphic distance calls as acoustic stimuli to test whether there were any significant differences in performance on an operant discrimination task requiring zebra finches to classify calls according to the sex of the producer when a key experimental parameter, feed time duration, was increased from 1 s to 2 s.

Individual acoustic differences in female black-capped chickadee (poecile atricapillus) fee-bee songs.

In songbirds, song has traditionally been considered a vocalization mainly produced by males. However, recent research suggests that both sexes produce song. While the function and structure of male black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) fee-bee song have been well-studied, research on female song is comparatively limited.

The impact of anthropogenic noise on individual identification via female song in Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus).

When anthropogenic noise occurs simultaneously with an acoustic signal or cue, it can be difficult for an animal to interpret the information encoded within vocalizations. However, limited research has focused on how anthropogenic noise affects the identification of acoustic communication signals. In songbirds, research has also shown that black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) will shift the pitch and change the frequency at which they sing in the presence of anthropogenic, and experimental noise.

Primary health care quality assessment according to the level of satisfaction of elderly users.

Objective: To evaluate the quality of Primary Health Care according to the level of satisfaction of elderly users.

Method: An exploratory-descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, performed with 381 elderly users of Primary Health Care. For data collection, the Service Quality scale (SERVQUAL) was adapted to the context of the Primary Health Units (UBS) of Family Health Strategy (ESF) and a questionnaire with 44 questions was elaborated.

Clinical evolution of mediastinitis in patients undergoing adjuvant hyperbaric oxygen therapy after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an adjunctive treatment in mediastinitis after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study, performed between October 2010 and February 2012. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was indicated in difficult clinical management cases despite antibiotic therapy.

Diversity and biofilm-production ability among isolates of Escherichia coli phylogroup D belonging to ST69, ST393 and ST405 clonal groups.

Background: Phylogenetic group D Escherichia coli clones (ST69, ST393, ST405) are increasingly reported as multidrug resistant strains causing extra-intestinal infections. We aim to characterize inter- and intraclonal diversity of a broad sample (isolates from different geographic locations and origins with variable antibiotic resistance profiles, 1980-2010) and their ability to adhere and form biofilm by both a modified quantitative biofilm producing assay and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM).

Results: High virulence scores were observed among ST69 (median 14/range 9-15) and ST393 (median 14/range 8-15) clones, particularly enriched in pap alleles, iha, kpsMTII-K5 and ompT, in contrast with ST405 (median 6/range 2-14) isolates, exhibiting frequently fyuA, malX and traT.

Comparison of diagnostic criteria for acute kidney injury in cardiac surgery.

Background: There is considerable controversy regarding the diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI), and there are over 30 different definitions.

Objective: To evaluate the incidence and risk factors for the development of AKI following cardiac surgery according to the RIFLE, AKIN and KDIGO criteria, and compare the prognostic power of these criteria.

Methods: Cross-sectional study that included 321 consecutively patients (median age 62 [53-71] years; 140 men) undergoing cardiac surgery between June 2011 and January 2012.

Characterization of globally spread Escherichia coli ST131 isolates (1991 to 2010).

The characterization of a broad representative sample of ST131 Escherichia coli isolates from different origins and settings (1991 to 2010) revealed that this clonal group has likely diversified recently and that the expansion of particular variants has probably been favored by the capture of diverse, multidrug-resistant IncFII plasmids (pC15-1a, pEK499, pKF3-140-like). The low ability to adhere and to grow as biofilm that was detected in this study suggests unknown mechanisms for the persistence of this clonal group which need to be further explored.