Phylogeographical analysis of the dominant multidrug-resistant H58 clade of Salmonella Typhi identifies inter- and intracontinental transmission events.

The emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) typhoid is a major global health threat affecting many countries where the disease is endemic. Here whole-genome sequence analysis of 1,832 Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) identifies a single dominant MDR lineage, H58, that has emerged and spread throughout Asia and Africa over the last 30 years. Our analysis identifies numerous transmissions of H58, including multiple transfers from Asia to Africa and an ongoing, unrecognized MDR epidemic within Africa itself. Notably, our analysis indicates that H58 lineages are displacing antibiotic-sensitive isolates, transforming the global population structure of this pathogen. H58 isolates can harbor a complex MDR element residing either on transmissible IncHI1 plasmids or within multiple chromosomal integration sites. We also identify new mutations that define the H58 lineage. This phylogeographical analysis provides a framework to facilitate global management of MDR typhoid and is applicable to similar MDR lineages emerging in other bacterial species

The UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey Early Data Release

This paper defines the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Early Data Release (EDR). UKIDSS is a set of five large near-infrared surveys being undertaken with the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope Wide Field Camera (WFCAM). The programme began in 2005 May and has an expected duration of 7 yr. Each survey uses some or all of the broad-band filter complement ZY JHK. The EDR is the first public release of data to the European Southern Observatory (ESO) community. All worldwide releases occur after a delay of 18 months from the ESO release. The EDR provides a small sample data set, ∼50 deg2 (about 1 per cent of the whole of UKIDSS), that is a lower limit to the expected quality of future survey data releases. In addition, an EDR+ data set contains all EDR data plus extra data of similar quality, but for areas not observed in all of the required filters (amounting to ∼220 deg2). The first large data release, DR1, will occur in mid-2006. We provide details of the observational implementation, the data reduction, the astrometric and photometric calibration and the quality control procedures. We summarize the data coverage and quality (seeing, ellipticity, photometricity, depth) for each survey and give a brief guide to accessing the images and catalogues from the WFCAM Science Archive

En bloc resection of a C4 chordoma: surgical technique

The prognosis of aggressive benign and low-grade malignant tumors in the spine as in the limbs, seems to be mostly related to the feasibility of en bloc resection, while in the treatment of high-grade malignant tumors the protocols of treatment include the combination of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. Indications, criteria of feasibility and surgical technique are extensively reported for the thoracic and lumbar spine. In the cervical spine few cases are reported of resection, due not only to anatomical constraint, but also to the rarity of finding a tumor accomplishing the criteria of feasibility. A case of double-approach vertebrectomy finalized to remove en bloc the body of C4 for a stage IA chordoma is reported. The first stage was posterior, aiming to remove the posterior healthy elements by piecemeal technique. The anterior approach consisted of contemporary right and left prevascular presternocleidomastoid approaches The specimen was submitted for the histological study of the margins, which resulted tumor-free. This technical note is finalized to confirm that en bloc resection of the vertebral body through total vertebrectomy is feasible in the midcervical spine by double approaches, provided the tumor involves only layers B and C, maximum extension sectors 5–8

In vitro studies on the Fc-receptor function of mononuclear phagocytes in rheumatoid arthritis: relation between the Fc-receptor blockade and the concanavalin A-binding capacity of autologous immunoglobulin G

The Fc-receptor (Fc-R) function of monocytes isolated from 19 control subjects and from 30 patients presenting with a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was assessed in vitro by a classical rosette assay using IgG-coated sheep red blood cells. In RA patients, the percentage of monocytes forming rosettes was significantly lower than in controls (34.4 +/- 20.4 versus 67.4 +/- 4.5%; P less than 0.001). The blockade observed was reversed by a prior trypsin treatment of RA monocytes, the percentage of recovery being correlated with the IgG plasma levels. Besides, IgG purified from the serum of four RA patients bound a mean of 7.3, 5.2, 1.6, and 1.6 times more than normal IgG did onto concanavalin A (Con A), peanut agglutinin (PNA), phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and pokeweed mitogen (PWM), respectively. Although similar amounts of 125I-labeled normal and RA IgG were bound to normal monocytes, RA IgG inhibited more efficiently than normal IgG the Fc-R function of normal monocytes, for all concentrations tested (10 to 100 micrograms/100 microliters). A prior treatment of RA IgG by alpha-mannosidase, but not by beta-galactosidase, significantly reduced their inhibitory properties. The incubation of monocytes with D-mannose or mannan reduced their capacity to form rosettes. The percentage of monocytes forming rosettes in the presence of both mannan and normal IgG was significantly lower than that measured in the presence of normal IgG only. On the contrary, the rosetting capacity of monocytes in the presence of both RA IgG and mannan was the same as that calculated in the presence of RA IgG only. The inhibitory effect of RA IgG was not related to their abnormal circular dichroism. Our data suggest that the greater ability of RA IgG to block the Fc-R function of monocytes probably depends on the presence of a greater number of accessible mannosyl residues on the glycosidic side chains located in the Fc domain of the molecules