International nosocomial infection control consortium (INICC) report, data summary of 36 countries, for 2004-2009

The results of a surveillance study conducted by the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) from January 2004 through December 2009 in 422 intensive care units (ICUs) of 36 countries in Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe are reported. During the 6-year study period, using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN; formerly the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance system [NNIS]) definitions for device-associated health care-associated infections, we gathered prospective data from 313,008 patients hospitalized in the consortium's ICUs for an aggregate of 2,194,897 ICU bed-days. Despite the fact that the use of devices in the developing countries' ICUs was remarkably similar to that reported in US ICUs in the CDC's NHSN, rates of device-associated nosocomial infection were significantly higher in the ICUs of the INICC hospitals; the pooled rate of central line-associated bloodstream infection in the INICC ICUs of 6.8 per 1,000 central line-days was more than 3-fold higher than the 2.0 per 1,000 central line-days reported in comparable US ICUs. The overall rate of ventilator-associated pneumonia also was far higher (15.8 vs 3.3 per 1,000 ventilator-days), as was the rate of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (6.3 vs. 3.3 per 1,000 catheter-days). Notably, the frequencies of resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates to imipenem (47.2% vs 23.0%), Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates to ceftazidime (76.3% vs 27.1%), Escherichia coli isolates to ceftazidime (66.7% vs 8.1%), Staphylococcus aureus isolates to methicillin (84.4% vs 56.8%), were also higher in the consortium's ICUs, and the crude unadjusted excess mortalities of device-related infections ranged from 7.3% (for catheter-associated urinary tract infection) to 15.2% (for ventilator-associated pneumonia). Copyright © 2012 by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Multiple sclerosis and pregnancy: A single-centre prospective comparative study

Introduction: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a autoimmune disorder which preferentially affects young women of childbearing age. During pregnancy, the annualised relapse rate (AAR) is modified, but pregnancy has no harm effect on the long-term course of the disease. We aimed to study the clinical course of our MS patients during pregnancy, and compare their obstetrics outcomes with a control group of non-MS patients. Methods: A single centre prospective observational study was conducted. We assessed the reproductive history, MS history, pregnancy course and new-born outcome of a cohort of MS patients who had had a pregnancy between January 2007 and July 2012. We compared the global outcomes with a control cohort of 58 age-matched healthy pregnancies. Results: Complete data from 35 consecutive women were analysed, 40 deliveries. Control groups: 58 patients, 60 deliveries. EDSS at pregnancy 0.7. ARR before pregnancy 0.5. During pregnancy 0.3, after pregnancy 0.4. Twelve patients were on disease-modifying drugs (DMD) before pregnancy, 4 prenatal exposure occurs. The comparison between relapse rate and EDSS before, during and after delivery showed no statistically significant difference. In addition, compared to control group, there were also no differences in the obstetric outcomes. In MS cohort, we found a higher incidence of assisted reproductive treatments and lower breastfeeding rate, both statistically significant. Conclusions: Our series confirms that pregnancy has no negative long term impact on the progression of MS and also suggest that there is no additional morbidity in the pregnancy, comparing to the rest of the population. Resumen: Introducción: La esclerosis múltiple (EM) es una enfermedad autoinmune que afecta preferentemente a mujeres en edad fértil. Durante el embarazo y puerperio, cambia la tasa anual de brotes (TAB) de EM, sin modificar la evolución a largo plazo. Analizamos la repercusión del embarazo en pacientes con EM, y comparamos sus resultados obstétricos con embarazos de mujeres sanas. Métodos: Estudio unicéntrico, observacional descriptivo, de diseño longitudinal prospectivo. Se analizan los datos globales de una cohorte de pacientes con EM que han dado a luz entre enero de 2007 y julio de 2012, con un seguimiento de 2 años posparto. Los resultados obstétricos se compararon con un grupo control de 58 embarazadas sanas, elegidas al azar de nuestro centro durante el mismo período de tiempo. Resultados: Un total de 35 pacientes con EM, 40 partos. Grupo control: 58 mujeres, 60 partos. EDSS preembarazo: 0,7. TAB 2 años preembarazo: 0,5. Durante el embarazo: 0,3, a los 2 años posparto: 0,4. Doce pacientes recibían FME previo al embarazo, 4 iniciaron la gestación con FME. No hubo diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la TAB ni en la EDSS entre períodos preembarazo, embarazo y posparto. Al comparar con grupo control, no hubo diferencias en edad materna, semanas de gestación, peso al nacer, porcentaje de cesáreas, ni complicaciones obstétricas. En pacientes con EM hubo mayor porcentaje de tratamientos por infertilidad y menor porcentaje de lactancia, ambos estadísticamente significativos. Conclusiones: Nuestro trabajo confirma que el embarazo no repercute negativamente en el curso de la EM y que no existe mayor morbilidad obstétrica comparado con mujeres sanas. Keywords: Multiple sclerosis, Pregnancy, Immunomodulatory therapy, Breastfeeding, In vitro fertilisation, Artificial insemination, Palabras clave: Esclerosis múltiple, Embarazo, Terapia inmunomoduladora, Lactancia, Fecundación in vitro, Inseminación artificia

A self-consistent, relativistic implementation of the LSDA plus DMFT method

V tomto prehľadovom článku ukazujememe nový vývoj metódy LSDA+DMFT tak ako je naimplementovaná v KKR metóde. Okrem formalizmu sa zameriame na niekoľko príkladov a aplikácii tejto metódy ako napr GaMaAs, ARPES a magntický Comptov profilIn this review we report on developments and various applications of the combined Density Functional and Dynamical Mean-Field Theory, the so-called LSDA + DMFT method, as implemented within the fully relativistic KKR (Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker) band structure method. The KKR uses a description of the electronic structure in terms of the single-particle Green function, which allows to study correlation effects in ordered and disordered systems independently of its dimensionality (bulk, surfaces and nano-structures). We present self-consistent LSDA+DMFT results for the ground state and spectroscopic properties of transition metal elements and their compounds. In particular we discuss the spin-orbit induced orbital magnetic moments for Fex Ni1−x disordered alloys, the magnetic Compton profiles of fcc Ni and the angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) spectra for gallium manganese arsenide dilute magnetic semiconductors. For the (GaMn)As system a direct comparison with the experimental ARPES spectra demonstrates the importance of matrix element effects, the presence of the semi-infinite surface and the inclusion of layer-dependent self-energies

Sources of resistance to Crinipellis perniciosa in progenies of cacao accessions collected in the Brazilian Amazon Fontes de resitência a Crinipellis perniciosa em progênies de cacaueiros coletados na Amazônia brasileira

The witches' broom disease caused by the fungus Crinipellis perniciosa is the main phytossanitary constraint for cacao production in Brazil. The integrated management of the disease involves resistance as one of the components. The breeding program conducted by the Brazilian Institution, CEPLAC is directed toward the pyramidation of resistance genes from different sources to achieve a more durable resistance. This study aimed to identify sources of resistance in progenies of cacao accessions collected in the basins of ten Amazonian rivers and compared to progenies from the Peruvian clones 'Scavina 6' and 'Sacavina 12'. Progenies from 40 Amazonian accessions and 'Scavina' were evaluated in the field for six years for witches' broom resistance through multivariate and repeated measurement analyses evaluating the effect of progeny, area, block, year, and their interactions. There were differences in the mean number of vegetative brooms on some Amazonian progenies and 'Scavina' descendants. There was an increase in the number of vegetative brooms in the last year for 'Scavina' progenies, but that was not observed for the Amazonian progenies 64, 66, 156, 194, 195, 269 and 274. There were different gene/alleles for resistance in the Amazonian progenies in comparison to the traditional 'Scavina' accessions. These new sources of resistance will be important for pyramiding resistance genes and consequently increasing the stability and durability of the resistance to witches' broom.<br>A doença vassoura-de-bruxa, causada pelo fungo Crinipellis perniciosa, é o principal problema fitossanitário para o cultivo do cacaueiro no Brasil. O manejo integrado da doença envolve a resistência como um dos componentes. O programa de melhoramento genético do cacaueiro conduzido pela Instituição brasileira CEPLAC é direcionado para acumular genes de resistência de diferentes fontes visando à obtenção de uma resistência mais durável. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar novas fontes de resistência em progênies de acessos de cacau da Amazônia brasileira. Os acessos foram coletados em dez bacias hidrográficas da Amazônia e comparados com progênies de 'Scavina 6' e 'Scavina 12', do Peru. Progênies de 40 acessos amazônicos e de 'Scavina' foram avaliadas no campo por seis anos para resistência à vassoura-de-bruxa, através de análise multivariada e de medidas repetidas considerando os efeitos de progênie, ensaio, bloco, ano e suas interações. Houve diferenças no número de vassouras vegetativas em algumas das progênies amazônicas e de 'Scavina'. Houve também incremento no número de vassouras para os descendentes de 'Scavina' no último ano do experimento, fato não observado para as progênies dos clones amazônicos 64, 66, 156, 194, 195, 269 e 274. Existem diferentes genes/alelos de resistência em progênies amazônicas e em descendentes do tradicional 'Scavina'. As novas fontes de resistência serão importantes para a piramidação de genes/alelos para a ampliação da estabilidade e durabilidade da resistência