The perils and promise of short-term healthcare missions.

Short-term healthcare missions have the potential to help and, sadly, also to harm. Pharmacy driven missions where the focus is on medication distribution can lead to disastrous consequences when standards of care are not followed; respecting best practices can help ensure better outcomes for recipients of care. Focusing on health education through community health fairs can be a more effective and safe way to impact the health of developing communities.

Seasonal and spatial population dynamics of the nitrogen-efficient guild in a desert bajada grassland.

This study examined the temporal and spatial variation in the populations of bacteria from a Chihuahuan desert bajada grassland that could grow on nearly nitrogen-free medium, a nitrogen-efficient guild (NEG). A Curtis similarity index of 0.876 and nearly identical diversity and equability indexes (H' = 1.

Effect of water and nitrogen additions on free-living nitrogen fixer populations in desert grass root zones.

In this study we measured changes in population levels of free-living N2-fixing bacteria in the root zones of potted Bouteloua eriopoda and Sporobolus flexuosus plants as well as the photosynthetic indices of the plants in response to added nitrogen, added water, and added water plus nitrogen treatments. In addition, N2 fixer population changes in response to added carbon source and nitrogen were measured in plant-free soil columns. There were significant increases in the numbers of N2 fixers associated with both plant species in the water and the water plus nitrogen treatments.

Granulomas of the vocal cords caused by Sporothrix schenckii.

A 42-year-old female acquired an acute respiratory infection one week after working in a sphagnum moss packing plant. Three and one half months later direct laryngoscopic examination, done because of persistent hoarseness, revealed granulomas of the left true cord. Initial biopsy showed noncaseating granulomas, and a repeat biopsy with fungal cultures grew Sporothrix schenckii.

Malakoplakia of palatine tonsil.

This paper's purpose is to document a case of unilateral tonsillar malakoplakia. Escherichia coli was repeatedly cultured from the lesion, and the isolate was studied by expert microbiologists who found no abnormalities in its biologic properties. The course of the lesion was followed by repeated punch biopsies before, and after the institution of antibiotic therapy.