Positive culture in allograft ACL-reconstruction: what to do?

The transmission of disease or infection from the donor to the recipient is always a risk with the use of allografts. We carried out a research study on the behavioural pattern of implanted allografts, which were initially stored in perfect conditions (all cultures being negative) but later presented positive cultures at the implantation stage. Because there is no information available on how to deal with this type of situation, our aim was to set guidelines on the course of action which would be required in such a case. We conducted a retrospective study of 181 patients who underwent an ACL reconstruction using BPTB allografts. All previous bone and blood cultures and tests for hepatitis B and C, syphilis and HIV were negative. An allograft sample was taken for culture in the operating theatre just before its implantation. The results of the cultures were obtained 3-5 days after the operation. We had 24 allografts with positive culture (13.25%) after the implantation with no clinical infection in any of these patients. Positive cultures could be caused by undetected contamination while harvesting, storing or during manipulation before implantation. The lack of clinical signs of infection during the follow-up of our patients may indicate that no specific treatment-other than an antibiotic protocol-would be required when facing a case of positive culture of a graft piece after its implantation

Origin of the inverse spin-switch behavior in manganite/cuprate/manganite trilayers

We studied ferromagnet/superconductor/ferromagnet trilayers based on La_(0.7)Ca_(0.3)MnO_(3) manganite and YBa_(2)Cu_(3)O_(7−δ) (YBCO) high-T_(c) cuprate with magnetoresistance and magnetization measurements. We find an inverse superconducting spin-switch behavior, where superconductivity is favored for parallel alignment of the magnetization in the ferromagnetic layers. We argue that this inverse superconducting spin switch originates from the transmission of spin-polarized carriers into the superconductor. In this picture, the thickness dependence of the magnetoresistance yields the spin-diffusion length in YBCO as 13 nm. A comparison of bilayers and trilayers allows ruling out the effect of the stray fields of the domain structure of the ferromagnet as the source of the inverse superconducting spin switch

Electrical conductivity and oxygen diffusion in Bifevox.

© Sociedad Española de Cerámica y Vidrio. National Congress of Materials (7. 2002. Madrid).Presentamos medidas de la conductividad eléctrica del sistema BIFEVOX Bi_(4)V_(2-x)Fe_(x)O_(11-y)(0≤x≤0.9;0≤y≤1), en el que se realiza la sustitución de iones V (IV) por Fe (III) de forma sistemática. La conductividad muestra un comportamiento potencial con la frecuencia, descrito por σ*(ω)=σ_(dc)[1+(jω/ω_(p))^(n)], y conocido como respuesta dieléctrica universal. Análogamente, el módulo eléctrico presenta picos asimétricos, cuya función de relajación en el dominio del tiempo puede describirse mediante exponenciales “estiradas” de la forma φ(t)=exp(-(t/τ_(σ))^(β)). β da cuenta del grado de correlación del transporte iónico, siendo su valor, β=0.56±0.03, casi independiente de la temperatura y del contenido en Fe. Con el aumento en el contenido de Fe, la conductividad disminuye exponencialmente y la energía de activación del proceso de conducción aumenta de 0.20 a 0.97 eV. Estos resultados se discuten en términos de la ordenación de vacantes oxígeno al dopar con Fe (III).We present electrical conductivity measurements of BIFEVOX Bi_(4)V_(2-x)Fe_(x)O_(11-y)(0≤x≤0.9; 0≤y≤1), in which V (IV) ions have been systematically substituted by Fe (III) ions. Conductivity shows a power law frequency dependence described by the form σ*(ω)=σ_(dc)[1+(jω/ω_(p))^(n)], known as universal dynamic response. Conversely, the electric modulus shows asymmetric peaks, characterized by stretched exponentials relaxation functions in time domain of the form φ(t)=exp(-(t/τ_(σ))^(β)). β is determined by the degree of correlation in the ionic motion. It´s value, β=0.56±0.03, is almost independent of temperature and iron content. Increasing Fe content leads to an exponential decrease of the conductivity and to an increase of the activation energy of the conduction process from 0.20 to 0.97 eV. These results are discussed in terms of oxygen vacancy ordering upon Fe (III) substitution.Depto. de Estructura de la Materia, Física Térmica y ElectrónicaFac. de Ciencias FísicasTRUEpu

A study of the dry forest communities in the Dominican Republic

This paper is a floristic and phytosociological study of the dry forest communities of the Dominican Republic. A total of 69 relevés in dry forest biotopes were carried out. The samples were subsequently subjected to Detrended Correspondence Analysis for the determination and study of possible groupings. The study does not cover tree formations growing on serpentines, nor the so-called semideciduous forests, peculiar to areas with higher rainfall. A total of nine phytocoenoses were identified. The most significant results led to the description of six new phytosociological associations: Simaroubetum berteroani (thorny dry forest on coastal dunes), Phyllostylo rhamnoidis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (southern Dominican disturbed dry forest), Consoleo moniliformis-Camerarietum linearifoliae (dry forest on hard limestones), Lemaireocereo hystricis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (northern Dominican disturbed dry forest), Lycio americani-Prosopidetum juliflorae (disturbed dry forest on saline soils) and Guettardo ellipticae-Guapiretum discoloris (dry forest on flat-topped hillocks in Montecristi). This is an important step forward in the phytosociological and floristic studies of the Caribbean territories.Este trabalho apresenta um estudo florístico e fitossociológico das comunidades de florestas secas da República Dominicana. Um total de 69 amostras foram obtidas pelo método relevé em biótopos florestais secos. As amostras foram posteriormente submetidas à análise de correspondência destendenciada para a determinação e estudo de possíveis agrupamentos. O estudo não abrange formações arbóreas desenvolvidas sobre serpentinitos, nem as chamadas florestas semideciduais, peculiares às áreas de maior pluviosidade. Foram identificados nove fitocenoses. Os resultados mais significativos levaram à descrição de seis novas associações fitossociológicas: Simaroubetum berteroani (floresta espinhosa seca em dunas costeiras), Phyllostylo rhamnoidis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (floresta seca perturbada do sul da República Dominicana), Consoleo moniliformis-Camerarietum linearifoliae (floresta seca sobre calcários compactos), Lemaireocereo hystricis-Prosopidetum juliflorae (floresta seca perturbada do norte da República Dominicana), Lycio americani-Prosopidetum juliflorae (floresta seca perturbada desenvolvida em solos salinos) Guettardo ellipticae-Guapiretum discoloris (floresta seca em colinas de topo achatado em Montecristi). O trabalho realizado representa um importante avanço nos estudos fitossociológicos e florísticos dos territórios do Caribe.This research paper was possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AECID), under the auspices of the Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores y de Cooperación de España, which funded the project (cod. A/3499/05)

Feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions against infectious diseases among crisis-affected populations: a scoping review

BACKGROUND: Colonization of large part of Europe by the Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus is causing autochthonous transmission of chikungunya and dengue exotic arboviruses. While pyrethroids are recommended only to reduce/limit transmission, they are widely implemented to reduce biting nuisance and to control agricultural pests, increasing the risk of insurgence of resistance mechanisms. Worryingly, pyrethroid resistance (with mortality < 70%) was recently reported in Ae. albopictus populations from Italy and Spain and associated with the V1016G point mutation in the voltage-sensitive sodium channel gene conferring knockdown resistance (kdr). Genotyping pyrethroid resistance-associated kdr mutations in field mosquito samples represents a powerful approach to detect early signs of resistance without the need for carrying out phenotypic bioassays which require availability of live mosquitoes, dedicated facilities and appropriate expertise. METHODS: Here we report results on the PCR-genotyping of the V1016G mutation in 2530 Ae. albopictus specimens from 69 sampling sites in 19 European countries. RESULTS: The mutation was identified in 12 sites from nine countries (with allele frequencies ranging from 1 to 8%), mostly distributed in two geographical clusters. The western cluster includes Mediterranean coastal sites from Italy, France and Malta as well as single sites from both Spain and Switzerland. The eastern cluster includes sites on both sides of the Black Sea in Bulgaria, Turkey and Georgia as well as one site from Romania. These results are consistent with genomic data showing high connectivity and close genetic relationship among West European populations and a major barrier to gene flow between West European and Balkan populations. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this first effort to map kdr mutations in Ae. albopictus on a continental scale show a widespread presence of the V1016G allele in Europe, although at lower frequencies than those previously reported from Italy. This represents a wake-up call for mosquito surveillance programs in Europe to include PCR-genotyping of pyrethroid resistance alleles, as well as phenotypic resistance assessments, in their routine activities

Parámetros de detección precoz de infección fúngica por aspergillus en el paciente hematológico

PO-267 Introducción: La infección fúngica invasiva (IFI) por Aspergillus es una de las principales micosis invasivas en el paciente hematológico y una importante causa de morbimortalidad. Es más frecuente en pacientes con leucemia aguda mieloide, trasplante de progenitores hematopoyéticos alogénico, enfermedad injerto contra receptor activa o neutropenia prolongada. Supone un reto diagnóstico, siendo preciso el empleo de múltiples técnicas microbiológicas y radiológicas. Avances recientes en el diagnóstico, en la profilaxos y en el tratamiento antifúngico precoz, han reducido considerablemente la mortalidad asociada a esta infección. Objetivos: Determinar si los marcadores diagnósticos empleados en la práctica clínica habitual permiten un diagnóstico precoz de IFI, si la determinación de bismetilgliotoxina (bmGT) en suero permite un diagnóstico precoz en pacientes con antígeno de galactomanano (AGA) en suero negativo y la exactitud diagnóstica de estos marcadores. ..

Bounds on the possible evolution of the Gravitational Constant from Cosmological Type-Ia Supernovae

Recent high-redshift Type Ia supernovae results can be used to set new bounds on a possible variation of the gravitational constant $G$. If the local value of $G$ at the space-time location of distant supernovae is different, it would change both the kinetic energy release and the amount of $^{56}$Ni synthesized in the supernova outburst. Both effects are related to a change in the Chandrasekhar mass $M_{Ch} \propto G^{-3/2}$. In addition, the integrated variation of $G$ with time would also affect the cosmic evolution and therefore the luminosity distance relation. We show that the later effect in the magnitudes of Type Ia supernovae is typically several times smaller than the change produced by the corresponding variation of the Chandrasekhar mass. We investigate in a consistent way how a varying $G$ could modify the Hubble diagram of Type Ia supernovae and how these results can be used to set upper bounds to a hypothetical variation of $G$. We find G/G_0 \la 1.1 and G'/G \la 10^{-11} yr^{-1} at redshifts $z\simeq 0.5$. These new bounds extend the currently available constrains on the evolution of $G$ all the way from solar and stellar distances to typical scales of Gpc/Gyr, i.e. by more than 15 orders of magnitudes in time and distance.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, Phys. Rev. D. in pres