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Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity

Typically, self-reports are used in educational research to assess student response and performance to a classroom activity. Yet, addition of biological ...

Utah State University

To evaluate the efficiency and safety of using a fibrin adhesive (Tissucol Duo, Baxter AG, Vienna, Austria) to avoid the need for sutures during conjunctival autograft surgery for primary pterygium.

Pterygium surgery: conjunctival autograft using a fibrin adhesive.

Four new 11-nor-iridoids, 6beta,7beta,8alpha,10-tetrahydroxy-cis-2-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-3-one (1), 6beta,7beta,8alpha,10-tetra-p-hydroxybenzoyl-cis-2-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonan-3-one (2), 1beta,6beta,7alpha,8alpha,10-pentahydroxy-cis-2-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane (3), and 6beta-hydroxy-2-oxabicyclo[4.3.0]Delta8-9-nonen-1-one (4), were isolated from the pulp of the fruits of Crescentia alata. Although a limited number of Crescentia species have been studied chemically, iridoids lacking C-11 have been isolated from the fruits of these species, and the isolation of compounds 1-4 from C. alata is in accordance with the constituents of the species previously analyzed. The structures of these compounds were established on the basis of IR, UV, 1H and 13C NMR, DEPT, COSY, HSQC, HMBC, MS, and X-ray data.

Iridoids from Crescentia alata.

We report a case of encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis (ECCL), a rare congenital neurocutaneous syndrome, with cutaneous, ocular and neurologic malformations. The key features of ECCL are epibulbar choristomas, nevus psiloliparus, and intracranial lipomas. A full-term newborn presented at birth bilateral conjunctival tumours, right facial papulonodular lesions and an alopecic lesion consistent with lipoma on the right frontoparietal area. Brain imaging studies showed arachnoid cyst, enlarged lateral ventricle, cortical dysplasia, lipoma and leptomeningeal angiomatosis in the right hemisphere. The results were consistent with ECCL. Since ocular and skin involvement is a hallmark of the condition, children with epibulbar congenital lesions and skin lesions suggestive for ECCL should undergo a brain imaging study.

Bilateral ocular involvement in encephalocraniocutaneous lipomatosis.

A 22-month-old male Spanish water dog was hospitalized after its physical examination revealed fever and movement difficulty. After 24h, the dog was found to have a high fever (39.5 °C) and was treated empirically with doxycycline/ciprofloxacin. At 48 h, after submission the fever rose to 41 °C and the animal presented with a stiff neck and dehydration. Peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were sampled and trophozoites with an Acanthamoeba-like morphology were observed in the CSF. PCR specific for Acanthamoeba, Naegleria fowleri and Balamuthia mandrillaris were performed and the CSF sample found positive for Acanthamoeba. Lungs, kidney, liver and spleen samples were collected post mortem. All collected organ samples were positive for Acanthamoeba by PCR, thus confirming a multisystemic infection. Water samples taken at a suspected site of infection yielded an almost identical PCR fragment to those of the clinical samples, indicating that this was probably where the infection originated. This is the first report of a fatal case of Acanthamoeba disseminated infection in a dog in Spain.

A multisystemic Acanthamoeba infection in a dog in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

The present study describes two cases of Acanthamoeba infections (keratitis and ascites/peritonitis) in small breed domestic dogs in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. In both cases, amoebic trophozoites were observed under the inverted microscope and isolated from the infected tissues and/or fluids, without detecting the presence of other viral, fungal or bacterial pathogens. Amoebae were isolated using 2 % non-nutrient agar plates and axenified for further biochemical and molecular analyses. Osmotolerance and thermotolerance assays revealed that both isolates were able to grow up to 37 °C and 1 M of mannitol and were thus considered as potentially pathogenic. Moreover, the strains were classified as highly cytotoxic as they cause more than 75 % of toxicity when incubated with two eukaryotic cell lines. In order to classify the strains at the molecular level, the diagnostic fragment 3 (DF3) region of the 18S rDNA of Acanthamoeba was amplified and sequenced, revealing that both isolates belonged to genotype T4. In both cases, owners of the animals did not allow any further studies or follow-up and therefore the current status of these animals is unknown. Furthermore, the isolation of these pathogenic amoebae should raise awareness with the veterinary community locally and worldwide.

Maria Valladares

Department of Engineering Education

Utah State University

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity

Maria Valladares

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Engineering Education

Utah State University

Use of Galvanic Skin Responses, Salivary Biomarkers, and Self-reports to Assess Undergraduate Student Performance During a Laboratory Exam Activity

Department of Engineering Education