90 research outputs found
Diagnostic imaging of equine thoracolumbar disorders
Equine thoracolumbar conditions represent a major cause of poor performance and locomotor disorders
in sports and race horses. Advances in diagnostic imaging during the last 15 years allow today to
diagnose most equine back lesions in the standing sedated horse. Radiography is the first choice imaging
modality due to its high diagnostic performance. Ultrasonography is a complementary modality to
further investigate back soft tissues and the caudal lumbar area not evaluable radiographically in the
standing horse. Bone scintigraphy is a more complex and expensive technique and is usually
dedicated to complicated clinical cases. The most frequent injuries diagnosed using these 3 modalities
are kissing spines, osteo-arthrosis of the synovial intervetebral joints, vertebral spondylosis and muscle
injuries. Clinical significance of these lesions should be interpreted with care considering the clinical
signs exhibited by the horse but also its sports or racing useLes affections vertébrales thoracolombaires représentent une cause fréquente de baisse de performances
et/ou de troubles locomoteurs chez les chevaux de sport et de courses. Le développement des
techniques dâimagerie ces 15 derniĂšres annĂ©es permet aujourdâhui au vĂ©tĂ©rinaire Ă©quin de diagnostiquer
un grand nombre de lésions affectant la colonne thoracolombaire sur le cheval debout tranquillisé.
La radiographie du dos du cheval constitue la modalitĂ© dâimagerie de premier choix par sa capacitĂ©
diagnostique Ă©levĂ©e. LâĂ©chographie complĂšte la radiographie dans lâexploration des tissus mous et
de la rĂ©gion lombaire caudale, cette derniĂšre nâĂ©tant pas accessible par radiographie sur le cheval
debout. La scintigraphie, technique plus onéreuse et plus contraignante, est envisagée pour des cas
cliniques complexes. Les lĂ©sions les plus frĂ©quemment diagnostiquĂ©es avec ces techniques dâimagerie
sont représentées par les conflits et fractures des processus épineux, les arthroses synoviales intervertébrales,
les spondyloses vertébrales et les lésions musculaires. La signification clinique de ces lésions
doit ĂȘtre Ă©valuĂ©e en considĂ©rant les signes cliniques du patient mais Ă©galement sa discipline sportiv
Interest of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of equine locomotor disorders
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the current gold standard in human medicine for locomotor
apparatus imaging. This paper presents the interest of MRI in the diagnosis of equine locomotor disorders,
based on patients examined at the CIRALE centre with a C-shape low-field system (0.2 T). The
protocols used and indications of this technique are described. The diagnostic interest of MRI is then
presented by anatomical entities. MRI is a very reliable technique to identify bone lesions which are
radiologically invisible. Compared to ultrasonography, MRI provides images of all soft tissues in the
foot, with greater tissue discrimination within the lesions. The downside, however, is that a general
anesthesia is necessary to obtain diagnostic images of high quality. Moreover, current MRI systems
are able to visualise only the distal segments of the limbs (including carpus and tarsus), the head, and
the cervico-cranial hinge. The development of MRI systems designed to examine a standing horse is
an interesting avenue of research, which would overcome these limitations.L'Imagerie par RĂ©sonance
Magnétique (IRM) est aujourd'hui en médecine humaine la technique d'imagerie de référence
pour l'appareil locomoteur. L'objectif de cet article est de présenter les apports de l'IRM
dans le diagnostic des affections locomotrices du cheval à partir des patients examinés au
CIRALE Ă l'aide d'une machine bas champ (0,2 T) avec une configuration en C. Les protocoles
utilisés et les indications de cet examen sont décrits. Les apports de l'IRM au plan
diagnostic sont ensuite présentés par type de formation anatomique. L'IRM permet notamment
d'identifier, avec une grande fiabilité, des lésions osseuses qui ne sont pas visibles en
radiographie. Elle présente, par rapport à l'échographie, la capacité d'imager l'ensemble
des tissus mous du pied et permet une meilleure discrimination tissulaire au sein des
lésions. En revanche, l'IRM requiert une anesthésie générale pour obtenir des images de
grande qualité diagnostique. D'autre part, seules les régions distales des membres (jusqu'au
carpe et tarse inclus), la tĂȘte et la rĂ©gion cervicale crĂąniale peuvent ĂȘtre examinĂ©es sur
les machines actuelles. Pour pallier ces limites, le développement de machines IRM
permettant l'imagerie sur cheval debout représente une voie de recherche
intéressante
Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in 13 Belgian hospitals: a survey from the french association of belgian hospital pharmacists
Background: Since 2002, the Belgian Antibiotic Policy Coordibnation Committee (BAPCOC) has supported the development of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) teams in Belgian hospitals with policy guidance and federal funding. A Royal Decree of 12 February 2008 has consolidated the minimum composition, mandate and tasks of AMS teams. However, between 2017 and 2019, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE) emphasized flaws in our national strategies and policies on antimicrobial resistance. This survey evaluated if the essential and the minimum standards for AMS programs in Belgian hospitals were fulfilled after more than 10 years of activities. Materials/methods: A questionnaire survey was performed based on the international consensus approach developed by Pulcini et al. in 2019. Seven core elements and their related 29 checklist items for global hospital AMS programs were assessed. All the items are weighted identically: 1 point per hospital regardless of the type of hospital or the number of beds. The results are expressed in percentages. Results: Completed questionnaires were provided by 13 hospitals (8 primary, 3 secondary and 2 tertiary hospitals). Figure 1 showed the results of the seven core elements. The core elements number 3 (Available expertise on infection management) and 6 (Monitoring and surveillance) gained good scores. The core elements number 1 (Senior hospital management leadership towards antimicrobial stewardship) and number 7 (Reporting and feedback) have to be improved in the future. The sub-analysis of the 29 items emphasized within the core elements which questions can still be improved. Conclusions: This survey confirmed on the ground what is reflected in the ECDC and KCE reports: the effectiveness of the belgian AMS teams could be improved. This survey could help BAPCOC to easily underline which core elements need improvement
Characterization of a cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1 (CCR1) mutant in maize: effects on lignification, fibre development, and global gene expression
Cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR), which catalyses the first committed step of the lignin-specific branch of monolignol biosynthesis, has been extensively characterized in dicot species, but few data are available in monocots. By screening a Mu insertional mutant collection in maize, a mutant in the CCR1 gene was isolated named Zmccr1â. In this mutant, CCR1 gene expression is reduced to 31% of the residual wild-type level. Zmccr1â exhibited enhanced digestibility without compromising plant growth and development. Lignin analysis revealed a slight decrease in lignin content and significant changes in lignin structure. p-Hydroxyphenyl units were strongly decreased and the syringyl/guaiacyl ratio was slightly increased. At the cellular level, alterations in lignin deposition were mainly observed in the walls of the sclerenchymatic fibre cells surrounding the vascular bundles. These cell walls showed little to no staining with phloroglucinol. These histochemical changes were accompanied by an increase in sclerenchyma surface area and an alteration in cell shape. In keeping with this cell type-specific phenotype, transcriptomics performed at an early stage of plant development revealed the down-regulation of genes specifically associated with fibre wall formation. To the present authorsâ knowledge, this is the first functional characterization of CCR1 in a grass species
The Glycosylation Pattern of Common Allergens: The Recognition and Uptake of Der p 1 by Epithelial and Dendritic Cells Is Carbohydrate Dependent
Allergens are initiators of both innate and adaptive immune responses. They are recognised at the site of entry by epithelial and dendritic cells (DCs), both of which activate innate inflammatory circuits that can collectively induce Th2 immune responses. In an attempt to have a better understanding of the role of carbohydrates in the recognition and uptake of allergens by the innate immune system, we defined common glycosylation patterns in major allergens. This was done using labelled lectins and showed that allergens like Der p 1 (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus group 1), Fel d 1 (Felis domisticus), Ara h 1 (Arachis hypogaea), Der p 2 (Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus group 2), Bla g 2 (Blattella germanica) and Can f 1 (Canis familiaris) are glycosylated and that the main dominant sugars on these allergens are 1â2, 1â3 and 1â6 mannose. These observations are in line with recent reports implicating the mannose receptor (MR) in allergen recognition and uptake by DCs and suggesting a major link between glycosylation and allergen recognition. We then looked at TSLP (Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin) cytokine secretion by lung epithelia upon encountering natural Der p 1 allergen. TSLP is suggested to drive DC maturation in support of allergic hypersensitivity reactions. Our data showed an increase in TSLP secretion by lung epithelia upon stimulation with natural Der p 1 which was carbohydrate dependent. The deglycosylated preparation of Der p 1 exhibited minimal uptake by DCs compared to the natural and hyperglycosylated recombinant counterparts, with the latter being taken up more readily than the other preparations. Collectively, our data indicate that carbohydrate moieties on allergens play a vital role in their recognition by innate immune cells, implicating them in downstream deleterious Th2 cell activation and IgE production
Global Analysis of Extracytoplasmic Stress Signaling in Escherichia coli
The Bae, Cpx, Psp, Rcs, and ÏE pathways constitute the Escherichia coli signaling systems that detect and respond to alterations of the bacterial envelope. Contributions of these systems to stress response have previously been examined individually; however, the possible interconnections between these pathways are unknown. Here we investigate the dynamics between the five stress response pathways by determining the specificities of each system with respect to signal-inducing conditions, and monitoring global transcriptional changes in response to transient overexpression of each of the effectors. Our studies show that different extracytoplasmic stress conditions elicit a combined response of these pathways. Involvement of the five pathways in the various tested stress conditions is explained by our unexpected finding that transcriptional responses induced by the individual systems show little overlap. The extracytoplasmic stress signaling pathways in E. coli thus regulate mainly complementary functions whose discrete contributions are integrated to mount the full adaptive response
The SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics' resources: focus on curated databases
The SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (www.isb-sib.ch) provides world-class bioinformatics databases, software tools, services and training to the international life science community in academia and industry. These solutions allow life scientists to turn the exponentially growing amount of data into knowledge. Here, we provide an overview of SIB's resources and competence areas, with a strong focus on curated databases and SIB's most popular and widely used resources. In particular, SIB's Bioinformatics resource portal ExPASy features over 150 resources, including UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot, ENZYME, PROSITE, neXtProt, STRING, UniCarbKB, SugarBindDB, SwissRegulon, EPD, arrayMap, Bgee, SWISS-MODEL Repository, OMA, OrthoDB and other databases, which are briefly described in this article
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Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study
Funder: European Society of Intensive Care Medicine; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100013347Funder: Flemish Society for Critical Care NursesAbstract: Purpose: Intensive care unit (ICU) patients are particularly susceptible to developing pressure injuries. Epidemiologic data is however unavailable. We aimed to provide an international picture of the extent of pressure injuries and factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries in adult ICU patients. Methods: International 1-day point-prevalence study; follow-up for outcome assessment until hospital discharge (maximum 12 weeks). Factors associated with ICU-acquired pressure injury and hospital mortality were assessed by generalised linear mixed-effects regression analysis. Results: Data from 13,254 patients in 1117 ICUs (90 countries) revealed 6747 pressure injuries; 3997 (59.2%) were ICU-acquired. Overall prevalence was 26.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 25.9â27.3). ICU-acquired prevalence was 16.2% (95% CI 15.6â16.8). Sacrum (37%) and heels (19.5%) were most affected. Factors independently associated with ICU-acquired pressure injuries were older age, male sex, being underweight, emergency surgery, higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, Braden score 3 days, comorbidities (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, immunodeficiency), organ support (renal replacement, mechanical ventilation on ICU admission), and being in a low or lower-middle income-economy. Gradually increasing associations with mortality were identified for increasing severity of pressure injury: stage I (odds ratio [OR] 1.5; 95% CI 1.2â1.8), stage II (OR 1.6; 95% CI 1.4â1.9), and stage III or worse (OR 2.8; 95% CI 2.3â3.3). Conclusion: Pressure injuries are common in adult ICU patients. ICU-acquired pressure injuries are associated with mainly intrinsic factors and mortality. Optimal care standards, increased awareness, appropriate resource allocation, and further research into optimal prevention are pivotal to tackle this important patient safety threat
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Correction to: Prevalence, associated factors and outcomes of pressure injuries in adult intensive care unit patients: the DecubICUs study
The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake
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