North American Symposium on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: Introduction to the feature issue

This feature issue highlights the topics presented at the 2009 North American Symposium on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, in New Orleans, Louisiana, held 13-15 July 2009. © 2010 Optical Society of America

Evaluación del analizador Glucocard Memory 2 para medir la concentración de glucosa en sangre capilar

ObjetivoEvaluar la validez y precisión analítica y la practicabilidad del sistema medidor de la concentración de glucosa Glucocard Memory 2 diseñado para el autocontrol del paciente diabético.DiseñoDescriptivo, transversal. Validación de un instrumento de medida siguiendo las recomendaciones de la Sociedad Española de Bioquímica Clínica y Patología Molecular.!EmplazamientoEstudio realizado en un laboratorio de atención primaria.MuestraNoventa y tres muestras de sangre de pacientes diabéticos seleccionadas mediante muestreo consecutivo de los tubos recibidos en el laboratorio para realizar el protocolo analítico de seguimiento de diabetes.Mediciones y resultados principalesLa repetibilidad del sistema se estudió analizando la precisión intradía a 4 concentraciones distintas de glucosa, obteniéndose coeficientes de variación entre el 2,12% (a 410 mg/dl de glucosa) y un 4,17% (a 37,2 mg/dl). La linealidad del analizador se demostró experimentalmente entre 27 y 485 mg/dl. La exactitud se evaluó por comparación con el procedimiento habitual del laboratorio (Hitachi 747, GOD-PAP), calculando la recta de regresión mediante el método de Passing-Bablok (y = 1,01, × –2,34) y mediante la obtención del coeficiente de correlación intraclase, cuyo resultado fue del 99%. La técnica de análisis de «error Grid» para investigar la significación clínica de las posibles desviaciones respecto al método de referencia dio un 100% de resultados dentro de la zona de exactitud clínica. El estudio de la practicabilidad mostró una gran simplicidad de manejo.ConclusionesEl Glucocard Memory 2 es un analizador para la medición de la glucemia capilar y venosa con una extrema simplicidad de manejo y unas excelentes características analíticas.ObjectiveTo evaluate the analytical reliability and accuracy as well as the practicability of the Glucocard Memory 2 glucose meter, intended to the control of the diabetic patient.DesignDescriptive, crossover study. To validate an analytical instrument according to guidelines of the Spanish Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Pathology.SettingPrimary health care, urban setting.ParticipantsNinety-three blood samples from diabetic patients were used. These samples were selected by a consecutive sampling of the tubes received in the laboratory for the diabetes follow-up protocol.Measurements and main resultsRepeatability of the system was studied analysing the within-run precision at four concentrations of glucose.We obtained coefficients of variation between 2.12% (at 410 mg/dl of glucose) and 4.17% (at 37.2 mg/dl). The linearity study allowed to check experimentally the linear response of the instrument between 27 and 485 mg/dl. The accuracy was evaluated comparing the Glucocard results with the routine procedure of our laboratory (Hitachi 747, GOD-PAP) and calculating the regression parameters with the Passing and Bablok method (y = 1,01 × –2,34) and the intraclass correlation (99%). To evaluate the clinical significance of possible deviations related with the reference laboratory method the «error Grid» analysis was used. This analysis showed that 100% of Glucocard Memory 2 results fell into the clinical accuracy zone. Practicability study showed that the instrument is very simple to use.ConclusionsGlucocard Memory 2 is a glucose meter intended to the measurement of glucose both on capillary and venous blood that, besides its extreme simplicity of use, shows very good analytical features

SMART Binary: Sample Size Calculation for Comparing Adaptive Interventions in SMART studies with Longitudinal Binary Outcomes

Sequential Multiple-Assignment Randomized Trials (SMARTs) play an increasingly important role in psychological and behavioral health research. This experimental approach enables researchers to answer scientific questions about how to sequence and match interventions to the unique, changing needs of individuals. A variety of sample size planning resources for SMART studies have been developed in recent years; these enable researchers to plan SMARTs for addressing different types of scientific questions. However, relatively limited attention has been given to planning SMARTs with binary (dichotomous) outcomes, which often require higher sample sizes relative to continuous outcomes. Existing resources for estimating sample size requirements for SMARTs with binary outcomes do not consider the potential to improve power by including a baseline measurement and/or multiple repeated outcome measurements. The current paper addresses this issue by providing sample size simulation code and approximate formulas for two-wave repeated measures binary outcomes (i.e., two measurement times for the outcome variable, before and after receiving the intervention). The simulation results agree well with the formulas. We also discuss how to use simulations to calculate power for studies with more than two outcome measurement occasions. The results show that having at least one repeated measurement of the outcome can substantially improve power under certain conditions.Comment: 73 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Multivariate Behavioral Researc

Pathogenic Acinetobacter species including the novel Acinetobacter dijkshoorniae recovered from market meat in Peru

Species of the Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex are important human pathogens which can be recovered from animals and food, potential sources for their dissemination. The aim of the present study was to characterise the Acinetobacter isolates recovered from market meat samples in Peru. From July through August 2012, 138 meat samples from six traditional markets in Lima were cultured in Lysogeny and Selenite broths followed by screening of Gram-negative bacteria in selective media. Bacterial isolates were identified by MALDI-TOF MS and DNA-based methods and assessed for their clonal relatedness and antimicrobial susceptibility. Twelve Acinetobacter isolates were recovered from calf samples. All but one strain were identified as members of the clinically-relevant Acinetobacter calcoaceticus-Acinetobacter baumannii complex: 9 strains as Acinetobacter pittii, 1 strain as A. baumannii, and 1 strain as the recently described novel species A. dijkshoorniae. The remaining strain could not be identified at the species level unambiguously but all studies suggested close relatedness to A. bereziniae. All isolates were well susceptible to antibiotics. Based on macrorestriction analysis, six isolates were further selected and some of them were associated with novel MLST profiles. The presence of pathogenic Acinetobacter species in human consumption meat might pose a risk to public health as potential reservoirs for their further spread into the human population. Nevertheless, the Acinetobacter isolates from meat found in this study were not multidrug resistant and their prevalence was low. To our knowledge, this is also the first time that the A. dijkshoorniae species is reported in Peru

Atom probe characterisation of segregation driven Cu and Mn-Ni-Si co-precipitation in neutron irradiated T91 tempered-martensitic steel

The T91 grade and similar 9Cr tempered-martensitic steels (also known as ferritic-martensitic) are leading candidate structural alloys for fast fission nuclear and fusion power reactors. At low temperatures (300 to 400 $^\circ$C) neutron irradiation hardens and embrittles these steels, therefore it is important to investigate the origin of this mode of life limiting property degradation. T91 steel specimens were separately neutron irradiated to 2.14 dpa at 327 $^\circ$C and 8.82 dpa at 377 $^\circ$C in the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor. Atom probe tomography was used to investigate the segregation driven formation of Mn-Ni-Si-rich (MNSPs) and Cu-rich (CRP) co-precipitates. The precipitates increase in size and, slightly, in volume fraction at the higher irradiation temperature and dose, while their corresponding compositions were very similar, falling near the Si(Mn,Ni) phase field in the Mn-Ni-Si projection of the Fe-based quaternary phase diagram. While the structure of the precipitates has not been characterized, this composition range is distinctly different than that of the typically cited G-phase. The precipitates are composed of CRP with MNSP appendages. Such features are often observed in neutron irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. However, the Si, Ni, Mn, P and Cu solutes concentrations are lower in the T91 than in typical RPV steels. Thus, in T91 precipitation primarily takes place in solute segregated regions of line and loop dislocations. These results are consistent with the model for radiation induced segregation driven precipitation of MNSPs proposed by Ke et al. Cr-rich alpha prime ($\alpha$') phase formation was not observed.Comment: Pre-print (not peer reviewed

Gender differences in GPs' strategies for coping with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic in Catalonia: A cross-sectional study

The Covid-19 pandemic has increased stress levels in GPs, who have resorted to different coping strategies to deal with this crisis. Gender differences in coping styles may be contributing factors in the development of psychological distress.To identify differences by gender and by stress level in coping strategies of GPs during the Covid-19 pandemic.A cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted with GPs in Catalonia (Spain), in June-July 2021. via the institution's email distribution list, all GPs members of the Catalan Society of Family and Community Medicine were invited to complete a survey assessing sociodemographic, health and work-related characteristics, experienced stress (Stress scale of the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales-DASS 21) and the frequency of use of a range of coping strategies (Brief-COPE) classified as problem-focused, emotion-focused and avoidant strategies, some of which are adaptive and others maladaptive. We compared the scores of each strategy by gender and stress level using Student's t-test.Of 4739 members, 522 GPs participated in the study (response rate 11%; 79.1% women; mean age = 46.9?years, SD?=?10.5). Of these, 41.9% reported moderate-severe stress levels. The most common coping strategies were acceptance, active coping, planning, positive reframing and venting. More frequently than men, women resorted to emotional and instrumental support, venting, distraction and self-blame, whereas men used acceptance and humour more commonly than women. Moderate-severe stress levels were associated with non-adaptive coping, with increased use of avoidance strategies, self-blame, religion and venting, and decreased use of positive reframing and acceptance.The most common coping strategies were adaptive and differed by gender. However, highly stressful situations caused maladaptive strategies to emerge

Incidence of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections and pneumonia among older adults in the United Kingdom: a population-based study.

Community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and pneumonia (CAP) are common causes of morbidity and mortality among those aged ≥65 years; a growing population in many countries. Detailed incidence estimates for these infections among older adults in the United Kingdom (UK) are lacking. We used electronic general practice records from the Clinical Practice Research Data link, linked to Hospital Episode Statistics inpatient data, to estimate incidence of community-acquired LRTI and CAP among UK older adults between April 1997-March 2011, by age, sex, region and deprivation quintile. Levels of antibiotic prescribing were also assessed. LRTI incidence increased with fluctuations over time, was higher in men than women aged ≥70 and increased with age from 92.21 episodes/1000 person-years (65-69 years) to 187.91/1000 (85-89 years). CAP incidence increased more markedly with age, from 2.81 to 21.81 episodes/1000 person-years respectively, and was higher among men. For both infection groups, increases over time were attenuated after age-standardisation, indicating that these rises were largely due to population aging. Rates among those in the most deprived quintile were around 70% higher than the least deprived and were generally higher in the North of England. GP antibiotic prescribing rates were high for LRTI but lower for CAP (mostly due to immediate hospitalisation). This is the first study to provide long-term detailed incidence estimates of community-acquired LRTI and CAP in UK older individuals, taking person-time at risk into account. The summary incidence commonly presented for the ≥65 age group considerably underestimates LRTI/CAP rates, particularly among older individuals within this group. Our methodology and findings are likely to be highly relevant to health planners and researchers in other countries with aging populations

Practical guidelines for the early diagnosis of Sjogren's syndrome in primary healthcare

Primary care physicians can play a crucial role by recognising Sjogren's syndrome (SS) in the early stages identifying those patients with the greatest probability of being diagnosed with SS. SS has a very specific epidemiological profile at presentation (female aged 3050 years), which may aid an early diagnosis. Although the disease may be expressed in many guises, there are three predominant clinical presentations that should be considered as key clues to increased clinical suspicion (multiple symptoms of dryness, asthenia-polyalgia syndrome and systemic organ-specific manifestations). The physical examination may provide important clues to systemic involvement (parotid gland enlargement, skin lesions suggestive of purpura or annular erythema, respiratory crackles, arthritis, neurological sensory or motor deficits). Simple laboratory studies may be very useful in reinforcing the clinical suspicion of SS, and the triad of cytopenia, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate and high serum gamma globulin levels is a very specific "biological" pattern suggesting SS. A solid clinical suspicion of SS requires both the patient reporting sicca symptoms and objective evidence that these symptoms are associated with dysfunction of the lachrymal and salivary glands. Ultrasonography of the parotid glands, a non-invasive method, may be a major advance in the diagnostic approach to SS in primary care. Primary care physicians must be considered essential members of the multidisciplinary team in charge of the follow-up of SS patients, due to their key role in the continuum of patient care and their cross-sectional knowledge of common diseases that frequently coexist in patients with SS.</p