Acyclovir treatment of varicella-zoster virus meningeal infections and acute kidney injury: a multicentre case series study.

Background: Systematic treatment with intravenous acyclovir is usually given when varicella zoster virus (VZV) DNA is isolated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), indicating central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Our study aimed to describe therapeutic management and acute kidney injury (AKI) occurrence during acyclovir treatment of VZV infection with CNS involvement.

Methods: Multicentre, retrospective study including all patients from 2010 to 2022 with VZV DNA in CSF.

Stereo-Controlled Synthesis of Vicinal Tertiary Carbinols: Application in the Synthesis of a Diol Substructure of Zaragozic Acid, Pactamycin and Ryanodol.

A novel and flexible approach for the stereo-controlled synthesis of vicinal tertiary carbinols is reported. The developed strategy featured a highly diastereoselective singlet-oxygen (O ) [4+2] cycloaddition of rationally designed cyclohexadienones (derived from oxidative dearomatization of the corresponding carboxylic-acid appended phenol precursors), followed by programmed "O-O" and "C-C" bond cleavage. In doing so, a highly functionalized and versatile intermediate was identified and prepared in synthetically useful quantity as a plausible precursor to access a variety of designed and naturally occurring vicinal tertiary carbinol containing compounds.

Antibiotic therapy in the emergency room: Optimal prescription is indeed the best.

Introduction: Emergency departments (ED) are pivotal for antibiotic prescription, of which the appropriateness and consequences have rarely been assessed.

Methods: A retrospective study included patients referred to the ED and hospitalized with an advocated diagnosis of infection. Day-0 (ED initial prescription) and day-2 (reevaluation) antibiotic therapies were graded as optimal (if fully following the guidelines in terms of molecule, dose, and route of administration), adapted (if the prescribed molecule was microbiologically active but not recommended as first-line treatment, or in case of a wrong dose), or inadequate (other situations).

Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach during COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil.

Background: Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal approach (EETA) is a well-established technique for sellar tumor resection. However, this route causes aerosol dispersion from the nasal cavity. In the context of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, new measures were taken aiming at the safety and protection of patients and health-care professionals.

Resection arthroplasty for isolated costotransverse joint osteoarthritis: A case report and literature review.

Background: Symptomatic isolated costovertebral joint (CVJ) osteoarthritis is rare, and establishing this diagnosis is often difficult. There are few reports in the literature about how to surgically manage these lesions. Our aim was to describe a case of isolated osteoarthritis of the costotransverse joint (CTJ) successfully treated with a resection arthroplasty.

Chagas' disease among school students from Chiapas, Mexico: Two cases of Chagasic cardiomyopathy.

Background & Objectives: Chagas disease is a vector-borne life-threatening illness originally confined to the Americas. Seroprevalence studies have been reported in the Mexican state of Chiapas; nevertheless, no clinical/cardiological studies have been conducted to detect underage cases. The aim of the present work was to detect underage cases in the Mexican state of Chiapas.

Effect of inspiratory muscle training associated or not to physical rehabilitation in preoperative anatomic pulmonary resection: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The aim of this study is to systematically review the effect of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) associated or not with physical rehabilitation in the preoperative period of anatomical pulmonary resection.

Methods: Search in the databases: MEDLINE, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, LILACS and PEDro up to November 2019. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were included in adults in the preoperative period of pulmonary resection.

Antibiotic Therapy for 6 or 12 Weeks for Prosthetic Joint Infection.

Background: The management of prosthetic joint infection usually consists of a combination of surgery and antimicrobial therapy. The appropriate duration of antimicrobial therapy for this indication remains unclear.

Methods: We performed an open-label, randomized, controlled, noninferiority trial to compare 6 weeks with 12 weeks of antibiotic therapy in patients with microbiologically confirmed prosthetic joint infection that had been managed with an appropriate surgical procedure.

Effect of physical exercise on the functional capacity of children and adolescents submitted to transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells-A systematic review with meta-analysis.

Previous studies have shown beneficial effects of physical exercise (PE) in adults submitted to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Conduct a systematic review about the effects of PE on the functional capacity of children and adolescents submitted to HSCT. The studies were searched in the databases MEDLINE (via PubMed), Central Register of Controlled Trials (Cochrane CENTRAL), EMBASE, LILACS, and Evidence Database in Physical Therapy (PEDro) (CRD42018080093).

[Capnocytophaga canimorsus: atypical septicemic meningitis, approach to microbiological diagnosis and therapeutic impact].

Meningitis and septicaemia due to Capnocytophaga canimorsus are extremely rare and described as emerging zoonoses because of their low incidence and prevalence, but also because of the challenges in bacterial identification, thus, the real number of cases is probably underestimated. We report the case of a 61-year-old man, with a history a chronic alcoholism, who developed, following a recent dog bite, meningitis with normoglycorachia and concomitant sepsis, and had a favorable outcome after intravenous probabilistic antibiotherapy combining ceftazidime and metronidazole. This association aimed to cover the risks represented by Pseudomonas spp and anaerobic bacteria, once the microorganisms commonly associated with meningitis were excluded using molecular biology tools.

Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulates mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells through calcium and phosphate uptake.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on pre-osteoblast mineralization using in vitro bioassays. Pre-osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were exposed to LIPUS at 1 MHz frequency, 0.2 W/cm intensity and 20% duty cycle for 30 min.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate reverts iron-induced phenotype of hepatic stellate cells by chelating ferrous ions.

Hepatic fibrosis is an extracellular matrix deposition by hepatic stellate cells (HSC). Fibrosis can be caused by iron, which will lead to hydroxyl radical production and cell damage. Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate (FBP) has been shown to deliver therapeutic effects in many pathological situations.

Prolonged suppressive antibiotic therapy for prosthetic joint infection in the elderly: a national multicentre cohort study.

During prosthetic joint infection (PJI), optimal surgical management with exchange of the device is sometimes impossible, especially in the elderly population. Thus, prolonged suppressive antibiotic therapy (PSAT) is the only option to prevent acute sepsis, but little is known about this strategy. We aimed to describe the characteristics, outcome and tolerance of PSAT in elderly patients with PJI.

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphate decreases IL-8 levels and increases the activity of pro-apoptotic proteins in HepG2 cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent primary liver tumor that affects the world population. Liver cancer inevitably causes great harms and its treatment is extremely difficult. Its development is related to the existence of chronic liver injury, such as in cirrhosis.

Gallic acid reduces cell growth by induction of apoptosis and reduction of IL-8 in HepG2 cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most prevalent primary liver tumor and is among the top ten cancer that affect the world population. Its development is related, in most cases, to the existence of chronic liver injury, such as in cirrhosis. The knowledge about the correlation between chronic inflammation and cancer has driven new researches with anti-inflammatory agents that have potential for the development of antitumor drugs.

Daptomycin > 6 mg/kg/day as salvage therapy in patients with complex bone and joint infection: cohort study in a regional reference center.

Background: Even if daptomycin does not have approval for the treatment of bone and joint infections (BJI), the Infectious Diseases Society of America guidelines propose this antibiotic as alternative therapy for prosthetic joint infection. The recommended dose is 6 mg/kg/d, whereas recent data support the use of higher doses in these patients.

Methods: We performed a cohort study including consecutive patients that have received daptomycin >6 mg/kg/d for complex BJI between 2011 and 2013 in a French regional reference center.

Gallic acid reduces the effect of LPS on apoptosis and inhibits the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps.

Apoptosis and NETosis of neutrophils are two major mechanisms of programmed cell death that differ in their morphological characteristics and effects on the immune system. Apoptosis can be delayed by the presence of pathogens or chemical components such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Neutrophils have other antimicrobial strategy, called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which contributes to the elimination and control of the pathogen.

Effects of neonatal inflammation on the inflammatory and oxidative profile during experimental sepsis in adult life.

The present study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of neonatal inflammation on the inflammatory and oxidative profile during experimental sepsis in adult life. Neonatal Balb/c mice received different treatments on day 10: LPS i.p.

Histological and molecular biology diagnosis of neurocysticercosis in a patient without history of travel to endemic areas: case report.

Background: in endemic areas, neurocysticercosis appears mainly as a single, large, spherical and non-enhancing intracranial cyst.

Case Presentation: an atypical case of neurocysticercosis (NCC) in a French Caucasian, without history of travel to endemic areas, was confirmed by histology and molecular speciation. Imaging was atypical, showing several hook-bearing scolices visible in the cyst, while the serology employed was non-contributary.

Clostridium sordellii brain abscess diagnosed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Clostridium sordellii is usually associated with skin and soft tissue infections. We describe the first case to our knowledge of a Clostridium sordellii-associated brain abscess, diagnosed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, expanding the microbiological spectrum of brain abscesses, with emphasis on the role of 16S rRNA gene PCR in their etiologic diagnosis.

Factors associated with mucoid transition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients.

Although the mucoid form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Pa) is largely responsible for the progression of lung disease in cystic fibrosis (CF), the relationship between factors relating daily-care regimes to mucoidy acquisition are as yet poorly investigated. Fifty-two CF patients registered at the CF centre of Dijon, France, were retrospectively evaluated from the date of Pa colonization either to the first positive sputum culture for mucoid Pa (n = 26) or to the last culture in which the Pa remained non-mucoid (n = 26). All clinical, pathological and therapeutic events were recorded.

In vivo efficacy of humanised intermittent versus continuous ceftazidime in combination with tobramycin in an experimental model of pseudomonal pneumonia.

In this study, we compared the efficacy of ceftazidime (CAZ) intermittent versus continuous infusion with or without tobramycin (TOB) for the treatment of pneumonia caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in rabbits. Treatments were humanised and mimicked intermittent CAZ (iCAZ) (2g three times daily), continuous CAZ (cCAZ) (4g once daily (qd)) and TOB (10mg/kg qd). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 1mg/L and 4mg/L for TOB and CAZ, respectively.