Efficiency of Using a Simulator for Ultrasound and Laser Dose Calculation in Physiotherapy

Background: In the context of the lockdowns due to COVID-19, e-learning has become the sole tool allowing learning objectives to be achieved successfully. However, for some subjects, training aided only by this type of tool encounters much difficulty, especially because of the experimental nature of such subjects. Aim: to assess the efficiency of a simulator for estimating dose calculation of ultrasound and laser based on surveys and a written test in a group of students. Methods: Surveys conducted voluntarily and anonymously by a group of students enrolled in the subject General Procedures in Physiotherapy I of the undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy. Furthermore, an objective test containing dose calculation problems for ultrasound and laser had to be solved. Prior to the completion of the objective test, the simulator for calculating ultrasound doses was provided to half of the subjects, whilst the other half were provided with the simulator for calculating laser doses, with both of which they were allowed to practice for a whole week. Results: Out of all the students enrolled in the first year of the undergraduate degree in Physiotherapy, a total of 38 students completed the surveys and 44 took part in the test for solving dose calculation problems. The surveys showed that a substantial number of students consider the use of a simulator for learning purposes efficient. This consideration was corroborated: the response times were reduced and the quantifications were the same for ultrasound, and better for laser. Conclusions: the use of a simulator for ultrasound and laser dose calculation is welcomed by a substantial number of students, and also represents a good additional tool when learning problem resolution

Brucella ceti infection in dolphins from the Western Mediterranean sea

Background: Brucella ceti infections have been increasingly reported in cetaceans. Brucellosis in these animals is associated with meningoencephalitis, abortion, discospondylitis', subcutaneous abscesses, endometritis and other pathological conditions B. ceti infections have been frequently described in dolphins from both, the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In the Mediterranean Sea, only two reports have been made: one from the Italian Tyrrhenian Sea and the other from the Adriatic Sea.Results: We describe the clinical and pathological features of three cases of B. ceti infections in three dolphins stranded in the Mediterranean Catalonian coast. One striped dolphin had neurobrucellosis, showing lethargy, incoordination and lateral swimming due to meningoencephalitis, A B. ceti infected bottlenose dolphin had discospondylitis, and another striped dolphin did not show clinical signs or lesions related to Brucella infection. A detailed characterization of the three B. ceti isolates was performed by bacteriological, molecular, protein and fatty acid analyses.Conclusions: All the B. ceti strains originating from Mediterranean dolphins cluster together in a distinct phylogenetic clade, close to that formed by B. ceti isolates from dolphins inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean. Our study confirms the severity of pathological signs in stranded dolphins and the relevance of B. ceti as a pathogen in the Mediterranean Sea.Antecedentes: Las infecciones por Brucella ceti se han notificado cada vez más en los cetáceos. La brucelosis en estos animales se asocia con meningoencefalitis, aborto, discopondilitis, abscesos subcutáneos, endometritis y otras condiciones patológicas. Las infecciones por B. ceti se han descrito con frecuencia en delfines de los océanos Atlántico y Pacífico. En el Mar Mediterráneo, sólo se han hecho dos informes: uno del Mar Tirreno italiano y el otro del Mar Adriático: Describimos las características clínicas y patológicas de tres casos de infecciones de B. ceti en tres delfines varados en la costa mediterránea catalana. Un delfín listado presentaba neurobrucelosis, mostrando letargo, incoordinación y natación lateral debido a la meningoencefalitis, el delfín mular infectado por B. ceti presentaba discopondilitis, y otro delfín listado no mostraba signos clínicos o lesiones relacionadas con la infección por Brucella. Se realizó una caracterización detallada de los tres aislamientos de B. ceti mediante análisis bacteriológicos, moleculares, de proteínas y de ácidos grasos. Conclusiones: Todas las cepas de B. ceti procedentes de delfines del Mediterráneo se agrupan en un clado filogenético distinto, cercano al formado por los aislamientos de B. ceti de los delfines que habitan en el Océano Atlántico. Nuestro estudio confirma la gravedad de los signos patológicos en los delfines varados y la relevancia de B. ceti como patógeno en el Mar Mediterráneo.Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaEscuela de Medicina Veterinari

A novel host-adapted strain of Salmonella Typhimurium causes renal disease in olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) in the Pacific

Salmonella spp. are frequently shed by wildlife including turtles, but S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium or lesions associated with Salmonella are rare in turtles. Between 1996 and 2016, we necropsied 127 apparently healthy pelagic olive ridley turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) that died from drowning bycatch in fisheries and 44 live or freshly dead stranded turtles from the west coast of North and Central America and Hawaii. Seven percent (9/127) of pelagic and 47% (21/44) of stranded turtles had renal granulomas associated with S. Typhimurium. Stranded animals were 12 times more likely than pelagic animals to have Salmonella-induced nephritis suggesting that Salmonella may have been a contributing cause of stranding. S. Typhimurium was the only Salmonella serovar detected in L. olivacea, and phylogenetic analysis from whole genome sequencing showed that the isolates from L. olivacea formed a single clade distinct from other S. typhimurium. Molecular clock analysis revealed that this novel clade may have originated as recently as a few decades ago. The phylogenetic lineage leading to this group is enriched for non-synonymous changes within the genomic area of Salmonella pathogenicity island 1 suggesting that these genes are important for host adaptation.La Salmonella spp. se desprende con frecuencia de la fauna silvestre, incluidas las tortugas, pero la S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar typhimurium o las lesiones asociadas a la Salmonella son raras en las tortugas. Entre 1996 y 2016, realizamos la necropsia a 127 tortugas golfinas pelágicas (Lepidochelys olivacea) aparentemente sanas que murieron por ahogamiento en las pesquerías y a 44 tortugas varadas vivas o recién muertas de la costa oeste de América del Norte y Central y de Hawai. El 7% (9/127) de las tortugas pelágicas y el 47% (21/44) de las tortugas varadas presentaban granulomas renales asociados con S. Typhimurium. Los animales varados tenían 12 veces más probabilidades que los pelágicos de padecer nefritis inducida por la Salmonella, lo que sugiere que la Salmonella puede haber sido una causa contribuyente de varamiento. S. typhimurium fue el único serovar de Salmonella detectado en L. olivacea, y el análisis filogenético de la secuenciación del genoma completo mostró que los aislados de L. olivacea formaban un solo clado distinto de otros S. typhimurium. El análisis de los relojes moleculares reveló que este nuevo clado puede haberse originado hace tan sólo unas décadas. El linaje filogenético que conduce a este grupo está enriquecido por cambios no sinónimos dentro del área genómica de la isla 1 de patogenicidad de la salmonela, lo que sugiere que estos genes son importantes para la adaptación del huésped.Escuela Medicina Veterinari

Report of the Higgs Working Group of the Tevatron Run 2 SUSY/Higgs Workshop

This report presents the theoretical analysis relevant for Higgs physics at the upgraded Tevatron collider and documents the Higgs Working Group simulations to estimate the discovery reach in Run 2 for the Standard Model and MSSM Higgs bosons. Based on a simple detector simulation, we have determined the integrated luminosity necessary to discover the SM Higgs in the mass range 100-190 GeV. The first phase of the Run 2 Higgs search, with a total integrated luminosity of 2 fb-1 per detector, will provide a 95% CL exclusion sensitivity comparable to that expected at the end of the LEP2 run. With 10 fb-1 per detector, this exclusion will extend up to Higgs masses of 180 GeV, and a tantalizing 3 sigma effect will be visible if the Higgs mass lies below 125 GeV. With 25 fb-1 of integrated luminosity per detector, evidence for SM Higgs production at the 3 sigma level is possible for Higgs masses up to 180 GeV. However, the discovery reach is much less impressive for achieving a 5 sigma Higgs boson signal. Even with 30 fb-1 per detector, only Higgs bosons with masses up to about 130 GeV can be detected with 5 sigma significance. These results can also be re-interpreted in the MSSM framework and yield the required luminosities to discover at least one Higgs boson of the MSSM Higgs sector. With 5-10 fb-1 of data per detector, it will be possible to exclude at 95% CL nearly the entire MSSM Higgs parameter space, whereas 20-30 fb-1 is required to obtain a 5 sigma Higgs discovery over a significant portion of the parameter space. Moreover, in one interesting region of the MSSM parameter space (at large tan(beta)), the associated production of a Higgs boson and a b b-bar pair is significantly enhanced and provides potential for discovering a non-SM-like Higgs boson in Run 2.This report presents the theoretical analysis relevant for Higgs physics at the upgraded Tevatron collider and documents the Higgs Working Group simulations to estimate the discovery reach in Run 2 for the Standard Model and MSSM Higgs bosons. Based on a simple detector simulation, we have determined the integrated luminosity necessary to discover the SM Higgs in the mass range 100-190 GeV. The first phase of the Run 2 Higgs search, with a total integrated luminosity of 2 fb-1 per detector, will provide a 95% CL exclusion sensitivity comparable to that expected at the end of the LEP2 run. With 10 fb-1 per detector, this exclusion will extend up to Higgs masses of 180 GeV, and a tantalizing 3 sigma effect will be visible if the Higgs mass lies below 125 GeV. With 25 fb-1 of integrated luminosity per detector, evidence for SM Higgs production at the 3 sigma level is possible for Higgs masses up to 180 GeV. However, the discovery reach is much less impressive for achieving a 5 sigma Higgs boson signal. Even with 30 fb-1 per detector, only Higgs bosons with masses up to about 130 GeV can be detected with 5 sigma significance. These results can also be re-interpreted in the MSSM framework and yield the required luminosities to discover at least one Higgs boson of the MSSM Higgs sector. With 5-10 fb-1 of data per detector, it will be possible to exclude at 95% CL nearly the entire MSSM Higgs parameter space, whereas 20-30 fb-1 is required to obtain a 5 sigma Higgs discovery over a significant portion of the parameter space. Moreover, in one interesting region of the MSSM parameter space (at large tan(beta)), the associated production of a Higgs boson and a b b-bar pair is significantly enhanced and provides potential for discovering a non-SM-like Higgs boson in Run 2