Antimicrobials: a global alliance for optimizing their rational use in intra-abdominal infections (AGORA)

Intra-abdominal infections (IAI) are an important cause of morbidity and are frequently associated with poor prognosis, particularly in high-risk patients. The cornerstones in the management of complicated IAIs are timely effective source control with appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Empiric antimicrobial therapy is important in the management of intra-abdominal infections and must be broad enough to cover all likely organisms because inappropriate initial antimicrobial therapy is associated with poor patient outcomes and the development of bacterial resistance. The overuse of antimicrobials is widely accepted as a major driver of some emerging infections (such as C. difficile), the selection of resistant pathogens in individual patients, and for the continued development of antimicrobial resistance globally. The growing emergence of multi-drug resistant organisms and the limited development of new agents available to counteract them have caused an impending crisis with alarming implications, especially with regards to Gram-negative bacteria. An international task force from 79 different countries has joined this project by sharing a document on the rational use of antimicrobials for patients with IAIs. The project has been termed AGORA (Antimicrobials: A Global Alliance for Optimizing their Rational Use in Intra-Abdominal Infections). The authors hope that AGORA, involving many of the world's leading experts, can actively raise awareness in health workers and can improve prescribing behavior in treating IAIs

Expérience vécue par les parents lors de l'hospitalisation d'un très grand prématuré de moins de 28 semaines: revue de littérature étoffée

Un très grand prématuré de moins de 28 semaines hospitalisé en néonatologie présente de nombreuses complications liées à son immaturité. De plus, les risques de séquelles sévères qu’il pourra présenter dans sa vie future, ainsi que le risque de décès ne sont pas à négliger. Les parents sont donc confrontés à des moments très angoissants durant cette hospitalisation. Pour offrir à ces parents un accompagnement adéquat, l’infirmière devra explorer leur expérience face à cette situation

IMPURITY TRAPPING EFFECTS IN THE LOCALIZATION OF MUONS IN SOLIDS

Muon spin rotation ( mu SR) experiments are now regularly used to study solids and solid-state processes. The interpretation of mu SR data is usually based on a 'standard' picture in which the muons localise randomly in the solid, and then diffuse, possibly encountering impurities. There remain some important cases where no satisfactory interpretation results. For some of these anomalous systems the authors propose an alternative picture in which the two different factors are the importance of metastable (free muon) excited states, and the role of impurities in causing localisation. They show this allows a possible explanation of results for Al:Mn and demonstrate that elastic strain fields of defects may be a major factor in influencing localisation. They also propose a new mechanism for delayed self-trapping

Quand les adolescents imaginent le site web de leur bibliothèque publique

Quelques bibliothèques possèdent un site web dont certaines pages sont réservées aux adolescents. D’autres leur proposent un large panel d’activités, mais restent discrètes quant à leur visibilité en ligne. La littérature reste assez modeste autour du thème des adolescents et des sites web de bibliothèque. De leur côté, les adolescents interrogés s’en font une représentation très limitée et le réduisent à la mise en ligne du catalogue. Construire, avec eux, des pages dédiées aux adolescents pour le site web d’une bibliothèque publique permet de connaître leurs attentes et leurs besoins. En faisant participer activement ce public à la création et à l’entretien de son site, la bibliothèque pourra lui faire connaître ses services, son fonds et son savoir-faire. C’est à deux reprises que les adolescents ont été entendus : lors de focus groups, afin de créer le contenu et lors de tests utilisateurs, pour vérifier que leurs idées ont été comprises. Comme l’imagination et la discussion suffisent parfois à faire naître des idées intéressantes, des prototypes de pages ont pu ainsi être construits et améliorés

Photometry and dynamics of the minor mergers AM\,1228-260 and AM\,2058-381

We investigate interaction effects on the dynamics and morphology of the galaxy pairs AM\,2058-381 and AM\,1228-260. This work is based on $r'$ images and long-slit spectra obtained with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph at the Gemini South Telescope. The luminosity ratio between the main (AM\,2058A) and secondary (AM\,2058B) components of the first pair is a factor of $\sim$ 5, while for the other pair, the main (AM\,1228A) component is 20 times more luminous than the secondary (AM\,1228B). The four galaxies have pseudo-bulges, with a S\'ersic index $n<2$. Their observed radial velocities profiles (RVPs) present several irregularities. The receding side of the RVP of AM\,2058A is displaced with respect to the velocity field model, while there is a strong evidence that AM\,2058B is a tumbling body, rotating along its major axis. The RVPs for AM\,1228A indicate a misalignment between the kinematic and photometric major axes. The RVP for AM\,1228B is quite perturbed, very likely due to the interaction with AM\,1228A. NFW halo parameters for AM\,2058A are similar to those of the Milky Way and M\,31. The halo mass of AM\,1228A is roughly 10\% that of AM\,2058A. The mass-to-light (M/L) of AM\,2058 agrees with the mean value derived for late-type spirals, while the low M/L for AM\,1228A may be due to the intense star formation ongoing in this galaxy.Comment: 20 pages, 10 figures, accepted for publication in MNRA

On the Implementation of AM/AM AM/PM Behavioral Models in System Level Simulation

The use of nonlinear device behavioral models offers an economical way of simulating the performance of complex communication systems. A concrete method for implementing the AM/AM AM/PM behavioral model in system level simulation using ADS is developed. This method seamlessly tansfers the data from the circuit level simulation to system level simulation, where the AM/AM AM/PM model is automatically built. The methodology is extendible for use in other software packages or between different software packages

The variation in transparency of amniotic membrane used in ocular surface regeneration

Background/aims: Scant consideration has been given to the variation in structure of the human amniotic membrane (AM) at source or to the significance such differences might have on its clinical transparency. Therefore, we applied our experience of quantifying corneal transparency to AM. Methods: Following elective caesarean, AM from areas of the fetal sac distal and proximal (ie, adjacent) to the placenta was compared with freeze-dried AM. The transmission of light through the AM samples was quantified spectrophotometrically; also, tissue thickness was measured by light microscopy and refractive index by refractometry. Results: Freeze-dried and freeze-thawed AM samples distal and proximal to the placenta differed significantly in thickness, percentage transmission of visible light and refractive index. The thinnest tissue (freeze-dried AM) had the highest transmission spectra. The thickest tissue (freeze-thawed AM proximal to the placenta) had the highest refractive index. Using the direct summation of fields method to predict transparency from an equivalent thickness of corneal tissue, AM was found to be up to 85% as transparent as human cornea. Conclusion: When preparing AM for ocular surface reconstruction within the visual field, consideration should be given to its original location from within the fetal sac and its method of preservation, as either can influence corneal transparency

Angular momentum evolution in Dark Matter haloes: a study of the Bolshoi and Millennium simulations

We use three different cosmological dark matter simulations to study how the orientation of the angular momentum vector (AM) in dark matter haloes evolve with time. We find that haloes in this kind of simulations are constantly affected by a spurious change of mass, which translates into an artificial change in the orientation of the AM. After removing the haloes affected by artificial mass change, we found that the change in the orientation of the AM vector is correlated with time. The change in its angle and direction (i.e. the angle subtended by the AM vector in two consecutive timesteps) that affect the AM vector has a dependence on the change of mass that affects a halo, the time elapsed in which the change of mass occurs and the halo mass. We create a Monte-Carlo simulation that reproduces the change of angle and direction of the AM vector. We reproduce the angular separation of the AM vector since a look back time of 8.5 Gyrs to today ( $\rm \alpha$) with an accuracy of approximately 0.05 in $\rm cos(\alpha)$. We are releasing this Monte-Carlo simulation together with this publication. We also create a Monte Carlo simulation that reproduces the change of the AM modulus. We find that haloes in denser environments display the most dramatic evolution in their AM direction, as well as haloes with a lower specific AM modulus. These relations could be used to improve the way we follow the AM vector in low-resolution simulations.Comment: Accepted by MNRA