Mice with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treated with Mycobacterium vaccae Develop Strikingly Enhanced Recall Gamma Interferon Responses to M. vaccae Cell Wall Skeleton

Whole heat-killed Mycobacterium vaccae is used as an immunotherapeutic agent in tuberculosis (TB), but the compound(s) that triggers its immunostimulatory ability is not known. Here, we show that among different subcellular fractions, the cell wall skeleton induced a prominent expression of gamma interferon in splenocytes from both non-TB and TB M. vaccae-treated mice

Discussion on “Large landslides associated with a diapiric fold in Canelles reservoir (Spanish Pyrenees): Detailed geological–geomorphological mapping, trenching and electrical resistivity imaging” by Gutiérrez et al. (2015)

This discussion a) reviews the geological model adopted for the landslide analysis and argues that there is nothing new in the reference paper, b) examines the conditions for fast catastrophic sliding and demonstrates that conditions for such a phenomenon may be present in the case of Canelles slide, against the opinion of the authors, and c) justifies the corrective measures adopted to stabilize the landslide.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Influencia del desembalse en la estabilidad de una ladera: caso real

Un aspecto crítico a controlar en la gestión de embalses es la velocidad de descenso de nivel de agua debido al riesgo de inestabilidades en las laderas que lo forman. Este artículo presenta el estudio realizado para conocer las causas del desarrollo de un gran deslizamiento en la ladera de un embalse. Para ello se realizó en primer lugar un reconocimiento geológico y geotécnico con el fin de definir la tipología del movimiento, su geometría y materiales involucrados mediante la realización de sondeos profundos y la instalación de inclinómetros y piezómetros. Se determinó que se trataba de la reactivación de un antiguo deslizamiento traslacional de 40 Mm3. Mediante la observación detallada de los testigos y la información proporcionada por las medidas inclinómetricas, se determinó la posición de la superficie de deslizamiento. Ésta se localizó en un estrato arcilloso de edad Garumniense y de alta plasticidad. Se analizaron en el laboratorio muestras extraídas de esta arcilla y se evaluaron sus propiedades geotécnicas. La causa más probable del movimiento se asignó al descenso rápido del nivel del embalse que alcanzó velocidades de 1.2 m/s. El análisis se realizó para una sección representativa y mediante un programa de elementos finitos capaz de resolver de forma acoplada la respuesta mecánica e hidráulica. Se modeló la variación del nivel del embalse durante los 4 años previos a la rotura. La distribución de presión de agua calculada, determinante en el análisis de estabilidad, se validó mediante la comparación de los resultados con los valores medidos en los piezómetros instalados alrededor de la superficie de deslizamiento después de la rotura.Postprint (published version

Practical Guidelines for Perioperative Hypersensitivity Reactions

Perioperative hypersensitivity reactions constitute a first-line problem for anesthesiologists and allergists. Therefore, hospitals should have a consensus protocol for the diagnosis and management of these reactions. However, this kind of protocol is not present in many hospitals, leading to problems with treatment, reporting of incidents, and subsequent etiological diagnosis. In this document, we present a systematic review of the available scientific evidence and provide general guidelines for the management of acute episodes and for referral of patients with perioperative hypersensitivity reactions to allergy units. Members of the Drug Allergy Committee of the Spanish Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (SEAIC) have created this document in collaboration with members of the Spanish Anesthesia Society (SEDAR). A practical algorithm is proposed for the etiologic diagnosis, and recommendations are provided for the management of hypersensitive patients

Impact of antibiotic therapy on systemic cytokine expression in pneumococcal pneumonia

The aim of this study was to compare the evolution of systemic cytokine levels over time in patients with pneumococal pneumonia treated either with β-lactam monotherapy or with combination therapy (β-lactam plus fluoroquinolone). Prospective observational study of hospitalized non-immunocompromised adults with PP. Concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, and TNF-α were determined on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7. Patients on β-lactam monotherapy were compared with those receiving combination therapy. Fifty-two patients were enrolled in the study. Concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 decreased rapidly in the first days after admission, in accordance with the mean time to defervescence. High levels of IL-6 were found in patients with the worst outcomes, measured by the need for intensive care unit admission and mortality. No major differences in demographic or clinical characteristics or severity of disease were found between patients treated with β-lactam monotherapy and those treated with combination therapy. IL-6 levels fell more rapidly in patients with combination therapy in the first 48 h (p = 0.016). Our data suggest that systemic expression of IL-6 production in patients with PP correlates with prognosis. Initial combination antibiotic therapy produces a faster decrease in this cytokine in the first 48 h

Canelles landslide: modelling rapid drawdown and fast potential sliding

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10346-011-0264-xA large landslide (40 × 106 m3) was reactivated on the left bank of Canelles reservoir, Spain. The instability was made evident after a considerable reduction of the reservoir level. The drawdown took place during the summer of 2006 after several years of high water levels. The drawdown velocity reached values between 0.5 and 1.2 m/day (registered at low elevations). The paper reports the geological and geotechnical investigations performed to define the movement. The geometry of the slip surface was established from the detailed analysis of the continuous cores recovered in deep borings and from limited information provided by inclinometers. Deep piezometric records provided also valuable information on the pore water pressure in the vicinity of the failure surface. These data allowed validating a flow–deformation coupled calculation model, which takes into account the changes in water level that occurred 4 years previous to the failure as well as the average rainfall. The analysis indicates that the most likely reason for the instability is the rapid drawdown that took place during the summer of 2006. The potential sudden acceleration of the slide is also analysed in the paper introducing coupled thermal hydraulic and mechanical effects that may develop at the basal shearing surface of the sliding mass. The results indicate that the slide velocity may reach values around 16 m/s when displacement reaches 250 m.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Discussion on “Large landslides associated with a diapiric fold in Canelles reservoir (Spanish Pyrenees): Detailed geological–geomorphological mapping, trenching and electrical resistivity imaging” by Gutiérrez et al. (2015)

This discussion a) reviews the geological model adopted for the landslide analysis and argues that there is nothing new in the reference paper, b) examines the conditions for fast catastrophic sliding and demonstrates that conditions for such a phenomenon may be present in the case of Canelles slide, against the opinion of the authors, and c) justifies the corrective measures adopted to stabilize the landslide.Peer Reviewe

Mice with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treated with Mycobacterium vaccae Develop Strikingly Enhanced Recall Gamma Interferon Responses to M. vaccae Cell Wall Skeleton

Whole heat-killed Mycobacterium vaccae is used as an immunotherapeutic agent in tuberculosis (TB), but the compound(s) that triggers its immunostimulatory ability is not known. Here, we show that among different subcellular fractions, the cell wall skeleton induced a prominent expression of gamma interferon in splenocytes from both non-TB and TB M. vaccae-treated mice

Influencia del desembalse en la estabilidad de una ladera: caso real

Un aspecto crítico a controlar en la gestión de embalses es la velocidad de descenso de nivel de agua debido al riesgo de inestabilidades en las laderas que lo forman. Este artículo presenta el estudio realizado para conocer las causas del desarrollo de un gran deslizamiento en la ladera de un embalse. Para ello se realizó en primer lugar un reconocimiento geológico y geotécnico con el fin de definir la tipología del movimiento, su geometría y materiales involucrados mediante la realización de sondeos profundos y la instalación de inclinómetros y piezómetros. Se determinó que se trataba de la reactivación de un antiguo deslizamiento traslacional de 40 Mm3. Mediante la observación detallada de los testigos y la información proporcionada por las medidas inclinómetricas, se determinó la posición de la superficie de deslizamiento. Ésta se localizó en un estrato arcilloso de edad Garumniense y de alta plasticidad. Se analizaron en el laboratorio muestras extraídas de esta arcilla y se evaluaron sus propiedades geotécnicas. La causa más probable del movimiento se asignó al descenso rápido del nivel del embalse que alcanzó velocidades de 1.2 m/s. El análisis se realizó para una sección representativa y mediante un programa de elementos finitos capaz de resolver de forma acoplada la respuesta mecánica e hidráulica. Se modeló la variación del nivel del embalse durante los 4 años previos a la rotura. La distribución de presión de agua calculada, determinante en el análisis de estabilidad, se validó mediante la comparación de los resultados con los valores medidos en los piezómetros instalados alrededor de la superficie de deslizamiento después de la rotura

Canelles landslide: modelling rapid drawdown and fast potential sliding

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10346-011-0264-xA large landslide (40 × 106 m3) was reactivated on the left bank of Canelles reservoir, Spain. The instability was made evident after a considerable reduction of the reservoir level. The drawdown took place during the summer of 2006 after several years of high water levels. The drawdown velocity reached values between 0.5 and 1.2 m/day (registered at low elevations). The paper reports the geological and geotechnical investigations performed to define the movement. The geometry of the slip surface was established from the detailed analysis of the continuous cores recovered in deep borings and from limited information provided by inclinometers. Deep piezometric records provided also valuable information on the pore water pressure in the vicinity of the failure surface. These data allowed validating a flow–deformation coupled calculation model, which takes into account the changes in water level that occurred 4 years previous to the failure as well as the average rainfall. The analysis indicates that the most likely reason for the instability is the rapid drawdown that took place during the summer of 2006. The potential sudden acceleration of the slide is also analysed in the paper introducing coupled thermal hydraulic and mechanical effects that may develop at the basal shearing surface of the sliding mass. The results indicate that the slide velocity may reach values around 16 m/s when displacement reaches 250 m.Peer Reviewe