Assessment of diagnostic capacity and decision-making based on the 2015 American Thyroid Association ultrasound classification system.

Background: This study evaluates the American Thyroid Association (ATA) ultrasound (US) classification system for the initial assessment of thyroid nodules to determine if it indeed facilitates clinical decision-making.

Aim: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the diagnostic value of the ATA US classification system for the initial assessment of thyroid nodules.

Methods: In accordance with the PRISMA statement for diagnostic test accuracy, we selected articles that evaluated the 2015 ATA US pattern guidelines using a diagnostic gold standard.

Do marine reserves increase prey for California sea lions and Pacific harbor seals?

Community marine reserves are geographical areas closed to fishing activities, implemented and enforced by the same fishermen that fish around them. Their main objective is to recover commercial stocks of fish and invertebrates. While marine reserves have proven successful in many parts of the world, their success near important marine predator colonies, such as the California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) and the Pacific harbor seal (Phoca vitulina richardii), is yet to be analyzed.

Antifungal susceptibility testing of Malassezia yeast: comparison of two different methodologies.

All Malassezia species are lipophilic; thus, modifications are required in susceptibility testing methods to ensure their growth. Antifungal susceptibility of Malassezia species using agar and broth dilution methods has been studied. Currently, few tests using disc diffusion methods are being performed.

[Identification and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of vaginal Candida spp. isolates to fluconazole, clotrimazole and nystatin].

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify and determine the in vitro antifungal susceptibility testing to clotrimazole, fluconazole, and nystatin of 145 clinical isolates of Candida spp.

Methods: M27-A3 microdilution method was used to determine minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and partial MICs (MIC50 and MIC90) of drugs. A total of 145 isolates were studied, 126 were C.

[In vitro antifungal susceptibility profile of Scopulariopsis brevicaulis isolated from onychomycosis].

We studied the in vitro antifungal activity profile of amorolfine (AMR), bifonazole (BFZ), clotrimazole (CLZ), econazole (ECZ), fluconazole (FNZ), itraconazole (ITZ), ketoconazole (KTZ), miconazole (MNZ), oxiconazole (OXZ), tioconazole (TCZ) and terbinafine (TRB) against 26 clinical isolates of Scopulariopsis brevicaulis from patients with onychomycosis by means of an standardized microdilution method. Although this opportunistic filamentous fungi was reported as resistant to several broad-spectrum antifungals agents, obtained data shows a better fungistatic in vitro activity of AMR, OXZ and TRB (0.08, 0.

[Clinical usefulness of triazole derivatives in the management of fungal infections].

Current therapy for mycoses is limited to the use of a relative reduced number of antifungal drugs. Although amphotericin B still remains considered as the "gold standard" for treatment, acute and chronic toxicity, such as impairment of renal function, limits its use and enhances the investigation and clinical use other chemical families of antifungal drugs. One of these chemical class of active drugs are azole derivatives, discovered in 70s and introduced in clinical practice in 80s.

[Evaluation of the in vitro susceptibility pattern of clinical isolates of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum in Santiago, Chile].

Background: Dermatophytes are a group of keratinophilic fungi able to produce dermatophytosis or tinea infections. In Chile, Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes are the ones most commonly isolated in adults, while Microsporum canis is found among children. Treatment of these infections is usually with topical or oral antifungals, such as griseofulvin or azole derivatives (clotrimazole, itraconazole, fluconazole), allylamines (terbinafine) or new drugs that are available.

[The modified Brussels scale as a predictor of mortality in the Intensive Care Unit].

Purpose: To compare discrimination and calibration of the modified Brussels score with the Simplified Acute Physiology Score version 3 (SAPS-3) in predicting mortality.

Design: A prospective cohort study was carried out.

Setting: The Respiratory Intensive Care Unit (RICU) of Mexico General Hospital.

Sertaconazole: an antifungal agent for the topical treatment of superficial candidiasis.

Sertaconazole is a useful antifungal agent against mycoses of the skin and mucosa, such as cutaneous, genital and oral candidiasis and tinea pedis. Its antifungal activity is due to inhibition of the ergosterol biosynthesis and disruption of the cell wall. At higher concentrations, sertaconazole is able to bind to nonsterol lipids of the fungal cell wall, increasing the permeability and the subsequent death of fungal cells.

In vitro antifungal activity of topical and systemic antifungal drugs against Malassezia species.

The strict nutritional requirements of Malassezia species make it difficult to test the antifungal susceptibility. Treatments of the chronic and recurrent infections associated with Malassezia spp. are usually ineffective.

[Phospholipase and proteinase production by Malassezia pachydermatis isolated in dogs with and without otitis].

Background: Malassezia pachydermatis is part of the skin microbiota of dogs and cats. M. pachydermatis has been associated with external otitis and seborrhoeic dermatitis, reported more often in dogs than in cats.

[Influence of the ecological group on the in vitro antifungal susceptibility of dermatophytic fungi].

Background: Dermatophytes can be divided into geophilic (soil), zoophilic (animals) and anthropophilic (humans) strains, depending on the source of the keratin that they use for nutritional purposes.

Aims: The in vitro susceptibility of clinical isolates of dermatophyte fungi has been studied in the 3 ecological groups with several antifungal agents for the topical management of dermatophytoses in order to determine their relationship with the ecological group.

Methods: A standardised dilution micromethod in a liquid medium was used for the determination of the in vitro antifungal activity of 9 topical antifungal drugs: amorolfine (AMR), bifonazole (BFZ), clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, oxiconazole, terbinafine (TRB) and tioconazole.

Sertaconazole antifungal profile determined by a microdilution method versus nine topical substances against dermatophyte fungi.

Antifungal activity and in vitro inhibition time for sertaconazole (STZ) and 9 other topical drugs, namely amorolfine, bifonazole, clotrimazole, econazole, ketoconazole, miconazole, oxiconazole, terbinafine, and tioconazole were determined against 124 clinical isolates of dermatophyte (12 species) fungi by the microdilution method in a liquid medium and the measurement of optical density. STZ's antifungal activity was not always affected by the tested dermatophyte genus, as was the case with the remaining antifungals. In vitro antifungal activity was at the same level for all the studied azole derivatives, but, in terms of partial inhibitory concentrations, STZ starts its in vitro inhibitory activity in a shorter time than the other tested substances, particularly in those incubation periods when the growth of the dermatophyte fungi was more developed.

In vitro activities of new triazole antifungal agents, posaconazole and voriconazole, against oral Candida isolates from patients suffering from denture stomatitis.

Denture stomatitis is often treated with antifungal agents but recurrences or new episodes are common, and certain episodes can be resistant. New triazoles, such as posaconazole and voriconazole, may represent useful alternatives for management. In vitro activities of amphotericin B, nystatin, miconazole, fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole and voriconazole against 150 oral Candida (101 C.

Prevalence and antifungal susceptibility patterns of new cryptic species inside the species complexes Candida parapsilosis and Candida glabrata among blood isolates from a Spanish tertiary hospital.

Objectives: There is scarce information on the clinical relevance and antifungal susceptibility of Candida bracarensis, Candida nivariensis, Candida orthopsilosis and Candida metapsilosis. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and in vitro antifungal susceptibility of these cryptic species among 173 blood isolates previously identified as Candida glabrata or Candida parapsilosis at the Hospital of Cruces (Barakaldo, Spain). The survey was extended to 518 clinical isolates from the culture collection of the Universidad del País Vasco-Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (UPV-EHU; Bilbao, Spain).

Sertaconazole nitrate shows fungicidal and fungistatic activities against Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum, causative agents of tinea pedis.

The fungistatic and fungicidal activities of sertaconazole against dermatophytes were evaluated by testing 150 clinical isolates of causative agents of tinea pedis, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Epidermophyton floccosum. The overall geometric means for fungistatic and fungicidal activities of sertaconazole against these isolates were 0.26 and 2.

Biofilm formation by five species of Candida on three clinical materials.

Most recalcitrant infections are associated with colonization and microbial biofilm development. These biofilms are difficult to eliminate by the immune response mechanisms and the current antimicrobial. Fungi can form biofilms on biomaterials commonly used in clinical practice (intravascular catheters, dentures, heart valves, implanted devices, contact lenses and other devices) and are associated with infections.

Atypical intermediate-grade mediastinal carcinoid. Case presentation.

Background: Approximately 25% of carcinoid tumors develop in the respiratory system. Neuroendocrine carcinoids represent ~5% of all mediastinal tumors and 1-5% of all intrathoracic neoplasms. They contain numerous neurosecretory granules that synthesize, store and release neurohumoral substances that can induce the carcinoid syndrome.

Antifungal activity of posaconazole against Candida spp. and non-Candida clinical yeasts isolates.

The in vitro antifungal activity of posaconazole was tested against 315 yeast clinical isolates and 11 ATCC reference strains by means an agar diffusion method (Neosensitabs, Rosco,Denmark) based in CLSI M44-A2 document. Posaconazole activity was excellent against Cryptococcus and Rhodotorula species studied and showed very good activity against most species of Candida tested. A total of 13 clinical isolates (4.

[Antifungal agents for onychomycoses].

Nail fungal infections are considered one of the major dermatological problems due to their high rate of therapeutic failure, management and treatment difficulties. Long-term treatments, inadequate therapies, mycological misdiagnosis and follow-up, secondary alterations of the nail, and resistant microorganisms, are some of the causes of these complications. Although the discovery of new antifungal agents has provided some effective molecules, none of the current available drugs are totally effective.

[Tinea capitis: two years experience in a paediatric hospital of Buenos Aires, Argentina].

Tinea capitis is an infection caused by dermatophytes of the genera Microsporum and Trichophyton, and constitutes a major health problem in Argentina. The aim of the present study was to find out the incidence of those etiological agents and the therapeutic response in patients attending a High-Complexity Paediatric Hospital within a two-year period. A total of 98 tinea capitis were diagnosed, 13 of which were Celsus kerion.