Artritis séptica de rodilla por Streptococcus agalactiae: presentación de un caso y revisión de la literatura

Se describe un caso de artritis séptica de rodilla en un paciente diabético de 69 años. En el momento de la presentación se hallaba sometido a curas locales de una úlcera crónica en el mismo miembro y a antibioterapia oral inespecífica por supuesta infección urinaria. En el cultivo del líquido sinovial se identificó un Streptococcus agalactiae (Estreptococo del grupo B). La infección no remitió con antibioterapia intravenosa electiva e irrigación-aspiración articular repetidas, requiriendo desbridamiento quirúrgico y sinovectomía. A pesar de instaurarse un programa de rehabilitación intensiva la rodilla evolucionó a la rigidez. Se revisa la literatura al respecto, destacando la asociación de artritis por estreptococos del grupo B con pacientes diabéticos portadores de úlceras cutáneas crónicas, así como la potencial gravedad de estas infecciones.This report describes a case of knee septic arthritis in a 69-year-old diabetic patient. At the time of admission he was receiving local treatment for a chronic skin ulcer in the same extremity and inespecific oral antibiotherapy because of an urinary tract infection. Synovial fluid cultures showed a Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococcus). The infection had no response to specific parenteral antibiotherapy and repeated joint irrigations-aspirations, and therefore surgical desbridement and synovectomy was required. Despite of an intensive rehabilitation program, the affected knee developed ankylosis. In a review of literature, it is remarkable the association between group B streptococcal arthritis and chronic skin ulcers in diabetic patients and the potential severity of these infections

Benthic foraminiferal and sedimentological response to the evolution of the Adra submarine delta, northern Alboran Sea

The Adra submarine delta is located on the northern Alboran Sea shelf in the western Mediterranean Sea. The genesis of this deltaic system is associated with the discharges of the short and mountainous Adra River. The area is under the influence of a Mediterranean climate with sporadic winter torrential flows and increased summer aridity. Major anthropogenic activities in the river system occurred in 1872 AD, with the deviation of the main fluvial course to the east. The channel was silted up in 1910 AD as result of a flood event and relocated further west, at its present position. These artificial changes are reflected in the submarine morpho‐stratigraphy of the delta that is composed of two main lobes. In order to understand the interaction between river discharges and the evolution of the submarine delta at different timescales, two sediment cores were collected from both lobes. A chronological framework was performed and combined with sedimentological and benthic foraminiferal analyses. Radiocarbon dating of plant debris from the base of the cores indicates that the sedimentary record goes back 250 years BP. The correlation of sediment cores with seismic records indicate that both cores penetrated the same seismic unit, deposited between ca. 1070 to ca. 1872 AD, under the direct influence of the ancient river course. The predominant sedimentary facies is sandy silt with intercalated sand layers. The uppermost core sections are pure sand. The number of benthic foraminifera is generally below 100 specimens per gram. The most abundant species in both cores are Ammonia tepida, Bolivina ordinaria, Nonionella stella, Reophax arctica and Textularia earlandi. The increases of sand and the low faunal density, followed by increased abundance of successful colonizers and opportunistic species, is interpreted as result of periods of high precipitation, and sediment supply to the shelf, and the subsequent establishment of an environment with new ecological constrains.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Experimental investigation of the initial regime in fingering electrodeposition: dispersion relation and velocity measurements

Recently a fingering morphology, resembling the hydrodynamic Saffman-Taylor instability, was identified in the quasi-two-dimensional electrodeposition of copper. We present here measurements of the dispersion relation of the growing front. The instability is accompanied by gravity-driven convection rolls at the electrodes, which are examined using particle image velocimetry. While at the anode the theory presented by Chazalviel et al. describes the convection roll, the flow field at the cathode is more complicated because of the growing deposit. In particular, the analysis of the orientation of the velocity vectors reveals some lag of the development of the convection roll compared to the finger envelope.Comment: 11 pages, 15 figures, REVTEX 4; reference adde

Association between heavy metals and metalloids in topsoil and mental health in the adult population of Spain

Despite the biological plausibility of the association between heavy metal exposure and mental health disorders, epidemiological evidence remains scarce. The objective was to estimate the association between heavy metals and metalloids in soil and the prevalence of mental disorders in the adult population of Spain. Methods Individual data came from the Spanish National Health Survey 2011–2012, 18,073 individuals residing in 1772 census sections. Mental health was measured with the 12-item General Health Questionnaire. The concentration estimates of heavy metal and metalloid levels in topsoil (upper soil horizon) came from the Geochemical Atlas of Spain based on 13,317 soil samples. Levels of lead (Pb), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd) and manganese (Mn) were estimated in each census section by “ordinary Kriging”. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by multilevel logistic regression models. Results Compared with the lowest Pb concentration levels quartile, the OR for the second quartile was 1.29 (95%CI: 1.11–1.50), increasing progressively to 1.37 (95%CI: 1.17–1.60) and 1.51 (95%CI: 1.27–1.79) in the third and fourth quartiles, respectively. For As, the association was observed in the third and fourth quartiles: 1.21 (95%CI: 1.04–1.41) and 1.42 (95% CI: 1.21–1.65), respectively. Cd was associated also following a gradient from the second quartile: 1.34 (95%CI: 1.15–1.57) through the fourth: 1.84 (95%CI: 1.56–2.15). In contrast, Mn only showed a positive association at the second quartile. Additionally, individuals consuming vegetables > once a day the OR for the fourth quartile of Pb concentration, vs. the first, increased to 2.93 (95%CI: 1.97–4.36); similarly for As: 3.00 (95%CI: 2.08–4.31), and for Cd: 3.49 (95%CI: 2.33–5.22). Conclusions Living in areas with a higher concentration of heavy metals and metalloids in soil was associated with an increased probability of having a mental disorder. These relationships were strengthened in individuals reporting consuming vegetables > once a dayThis work was supported by the Institute of Health Carlos III, Ministry of Science Innovation and Universities [grant number PI15CIII/00034, PI14CIII/00065 and PI17CIII/00040

Calculation of Band Edge Eigenfunctions and Eigenvalues of Periodic Potentials through the Quantum Hamilton - Jacobi Formalism

We obtain the band edge eigenfunctions and the eigenvalues of solvable periodic potentials using the quantum Hamilton - Jacobi formalism. The potentials studied here are the Lam{\'e} and the associated Lam{\'e} which belong to the class of elliptic potentials. The formalism requires an assumption about the singularity structure of the quantum momentum function $p$, which satisfies the Riccati type quantum Hamilton - Jacobi equation, $p^{2} -i \hbar \frac{d}{dx}p = 2m(E- V(x))$ in the complex $x$ plane. Essential use is made of suitable conformal transformations, which leads to the eigenvalues and the eigenfunctions corresponding to the band edges in a simple and straightforward manner. Our study reveals interesting features about the singularity structure of $p$, responsible in yielding the band edge eigenfunctions and eigenvalues.Comment: 21 pages, 5 table

HAT-P-12b: A Low-Density Sub-Saturn Mass Planet Transiting a Metal-Poor K Dwarf

We report on the discovery of HAT-P-12b, a transiting extrasolar planet orbiting the moderately bright V=12.8 K4 dwarf GSC 03033-00706, with a period P = 3.2130598 +- 0.0000021 d, transit epoch Tc = 2454419.19556 +- 0.00020 (BJD) and transit duration 0.0974 +- 0.0006 d. The host star has a mass of 0.73 +- 0.02 Msun, radius of 0.70 +- ^0.02_0.01 Rsun, effective temperature 4650 +- 60 K and metallicity [Fe/H] = -0.29 +- 0.05. We find a slight correlation between the observed spectral line bisector spans and the radial velocity, so we consider, and rule out, various blend configurations including a blend with a background eclipsing binary, and hierarchical triple systems where the eclipsing body is a star or a planet. We conclude that a model consisting of a single star with a transiting planet best fits the observations, and show that a likely explanation for the apparent correlation is contamination from scattered moonlight. Based on this model, the planetary companion has a mass of 0.211 +- 0.012 MJup, and a radius of 0.959 +- ^0.029_0.021 RJup yielding a mean density of 0.295 +- 0.025 g cm^-3. Comparing these observations with recent theoretical models we find that HAT-P-12b is consistent with a ~ 1-4.5 Gyr, mildly irradiated, H/He dominated planet with a core mass Mc <~ 10 Mearth. HAT-P-12b is thus the least massive H/He dominated gas giant planet found to date. This record was previously held by Saturn.Comment: Accepted for publication in ApJ, 13 pages, 9 figures, 5 table