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OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization in pregnant women and their newborns at Perugia General Hospital. METHODS: The number of mother---child pairs examined was 2300. Vaginal swabs were collected from the mothers at delivery, and auricular and pharyngeal swabs and gastric aspirate from the newborns at birth. Maternal risk factors for GBS disease, including premature delivery, intrapartum fever, prolonged rupture of membranes and multiple births, were evaluated. RESULTS: Maternal and neonatal colonization rates were 11.3% and 4.6%, respectively. GBS was isolated in 41.5% of the neonates born to colonized mothers and in 0.1% of those born to non-colonized mothers. No significant difference was observed in vertical transmission rates in the presence or absence of maternal risk factors. The external auditory canal was the most frequent (93.5%) and heavily colonized body site. Type Ib was the most common serotype among GBS isolates from mothers and babies. C surface protein was not detected in serotype V and VIII isolates, but was frequent in all other serotypes. Early-onset disease was observed in 0.4/1000 live births. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of maternal and neonatal colonization at Perugia General Hospital was similar to that obtained in other studies performed in Italy. The external auditory canal was confirmed as the most reliable body site to be sampled for the detection of neonates exposed to maternal GBS colonization.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of 780-nm low-level laser therapy at different periods of 7, 14 and 21 days after cryolesion, including the dose (10 or 50 J/cm(2)), to promote a better muscle repair evidenced by histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses. Fifty-four male rats were divided into three groups: injured control group (CG)-injured animals without any treatment; injured 780-nm laser-treated group, at 10 J/cm(2) (G10); and injured 780-nm laser-treated group, at 50 J/cm(2) (G50). Each group was divided into three subgroups (n = 6): 7, 14 and 21 days post-injury. Histopathological findings revealed better organised muscle fibres in the G10 and G50 during the periods of 7 and 14 days compared to the CG. The G10 and G50 during the 7 days showed a significant reduction (p < 0.05) of lesion area compared to the CG, without differences between groups treated for 14 and 21 days. The G10 showed an increase of the amount of vessels after 14 days compared to the G50, but not in relation to controls. With regard to the immunohistochemical analyses of the MyoD factor, the G10 and G50 during the 7 days showed higher concentrations of immunomarkers than controls. Myogenin immunomarkers were similarly observed at days 7 and 14 in all the three groups analysed, whereas immunomarkers were found in none of the groups after 21 days of laser therapy. The results showed that laser, regardless the applied dose, has positive effects on muscle repair.

Background: The effectiveness of low-level laser therapy in muscle regeneration is still not well known. Objective: To investigate the effects of laser irradiation during muscle healing. Method:For this purpose, 63 rats were distributed to 3 groups: non-irradiated control group (CG); group irradiated at 10 J/cm² (G10); and group irradiated at 50 J/cm² (G50). Each group was divided into 3 different subgroups (n=7), and on days 7, 14 and 21 post-injury the rats were sacrificed. Results: Seven days post-surgery, the CG showed destroyed zones and extensive myofibrillar degeneration. For both treated groups, the necrosis area was smaller compared to the CG. On day 14 post-injury, treated groups demonstrated better tissue organization, with newly formed muscle fibers compared to the CG. On the 21st day, the irradiated groups showed similar patterns of tissue repair, with improved muscle structure at the site of the injury, resembling uninjured muscle tissue organization. Regarding collagen deposition, the G10 showed an increase in collagen synthesis. In the last period evaluated, both treated groups showed statistically higher values in comparison with the CG. Furthermore, laser irradiation at 10 J/cm2 produced a down-regulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (Cox-2) immunoexpression on day 7 post-injury. Moreover, Cox-2 immunoexpression was decreased in both treated groups on day 14. Conclusions: Laser therapy at both fluencies stimulated muscle repair through the formation of new muscle fiber, increase in collagen synthesis, and down-regulation of Cox-2 expression.

Identifying pre-frail older people could have significant clinical consequences, as frailty is a dynamic process, and such individuals can therefore progress into a state of frailty or revert to a non-frail state. Therefore, the identification of gait variables in pre-frail older people can be an important tool to recognize gait deficits and to initiate the appropriate treatment. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2016; 16: 1102-1108.