Antimicrobial resistance in Enterobacterales bacilli isolated from bloodstream infection in surgical patients of Polish hospitals

Background and Aims. Bloodstream infections (BSIs) are one of the most frequently observed hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). We sought to describe the epidemiology and drug resistance secondary Enterobacterales BSIs in surgical patients and check for any correlation with the type of hospital ward. Materials and Methods. This multicenter (13 hospitals in southern Poland) laboratory-based retrospective study evaluated adults diagnosed with BSI secondary to surgical site infection (SSI) hospitalized in 2015–2018; 121 Enterobacterales strains were collected. The drug resistance was tested according to the EUCAST recommendations. Tests confirming the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) and bla resistance genes were carried out. The occurrence of possible clonal epidemics among K. pneumoniae strains was examined. Results. The prevalence of Enterobacterales in secondary BSI was 12.1%; the most common strains were E. coli (n = 74, 61.2%) and Klebsiella spp. (n = 33, 27.2%). High resistance involved ampicillin and ampicillin/sulbactam (92, 8–100%), fluoroquinolones (48–73%), and most cephalosporins (29–50%). Carbapenems were the antimicrobials with the susceptibility at 98%. The prevalence of ESBL strains was 37.2% (n = 45). All the ESBL strains had blaCTX-M gene, 26.7% had the blaSHV gene, and 24.4% had blaTEM gene. The diversity of Klebsiella strains was relatively high. Only 4 strains belonged to one clone. Conclusions. What is particularly worrying is the high prevalence of Enterobacterales in BSI, as well as the high resistance to antimicrobial agents often used in the empirical therapy. To improve the effectiveness of empirical treatment in surgical departments, we need to know the epidemiology of both surgical site infection and BSI, secondary to SSI. We were surprised to note high heterogeneity among K. pneumoniae strains, which was different from our previous experience

Zespół pomijania stronnego u pacjentów po udarze mózgu — przegląd metod fizjoterapeutycznych

Brain stroke is one of the most prevalent central nervous system conditions. Among other post-stroke complications there are neuropsychological conditions including perceptual disorders such as hemispatial neglect (also called hemiagnosia, hemineglect, unilateral visual inattention or hemi-inattention). Clinical features include inability to process or react to stimuli present within a definite side of visual field. This inability is the result of a contralateral brain injury. Hemispatial neglect is diagnosed among 43% of right-hemisphere stroke patients and about 20% of left-hemisphere stroke patients. Daily life is severely affected and that is why early diagnosis and implementation of specific and suitable physical therapy program is vital.Udar mózgu to jedno z najczęstszych schorzeń ośrodkowego układu nerwowego. Jednym z powikłań udaru są zaburzenia neuropsychologiczne, w tym zaburzenia uwagi, do których należy zespół pomijania stronnego (zwany również zespołem zaniedbywania połowiczego, nieuwagi połowiczej lub agnozją wzrokowo-przestrzenną). Kliniczny obraz cechuje niemożność przetwarzania lub reagowania na bodźce pojawiające się w określonej połowie pola widzenia na skutek uszkodzenia mózgu po przeciwnej stronie. Zespół pomijania stronnego rozpoznaje się u około 43% pacjentów po udarze prawej półkuli mózgu i około 20% chorych z uszkodzeniami lewopółkulowymi. Życie codzienne chorych jest znacznie utrudnione, dlatego ważną rolę odgrywa jak najszybsza diagnoza i wdrożenie specjalistycznego postępowania fizjoterapeutycznego, charakterystycznego dla zaburzeń związanych z tym zespołem

4C Mortality Score correlates with in-hospital functional outcome after COVID-19-associated ischaemic stroke

Aim of the study. The 4C Mortality Score was created to predict mortality in hospitalised patients with COVID-19 and has to date been evaluated only in respiratory system disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate its application in patients with COVID-19-associated acute ischaemic stroke (AIS).Clinical rationale for study. COVID-19 is a risk factor for AIS. COVID-19-associated AIS results in higher mortality and worse functional outcome. Predictors of functional outcome in COVID-19-associated AIS are required.Materials and methods. This was a retrospective observational study of patients with AIS hospitalised in seven neurological wards in Małopolska Voivodship (Poland) between August and December 2020. We gathered data concerning the patients’ age, sex, presence of cardiovascular risk factors, type of treatment received, and the presence of stroke-associated infections (including pneumonia, urinary tract infection and infection of unknown source). We calculated 4C Mortality Score at stroke onset, and investigated whether there was a correlation with neurological deficit measured using the National Health Institute Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and functional outcome assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge.Results. The study included 52 patients with COVID-19-associated AIS. The 4C Mortality Score at stroke onset correlated with mRS (rs = 0.565, p < 0.01) at discharge. There was also a statistically significant difference in the mean 4C Mortality Score between patients who died and patients who survived the stroke (13.08 ± 2.71 vs. 9.85 ± 3.47, p = 0.04).Conclusions and clinical implications. 4C Mortality Score predicts functional outcome at discharge in COVID-19-associated AIS patients

Znaczenie, dyskurs, tekst i tłumaczenie. Przegląd i rekapitulacja pojęć językoznawczych

Abstract An article deals with the problematic of language and its main notions as meaning, discourse, text and translation. It is assumed as the recapitulation of these main notions and is directed to present these terms as necessary for the understanding of modern branches of linguistics and philosophy, such as f.ex. transhumanism. The problem of language is here treated as an integral part of the discussion on conscious being and as precondition of an understanding of its character. The author finds, in contrast to some modern currents in linguistics, that the problematic of language still constitutes the irreplaceable element of the consideration on the character of the subject and its relation with the outside world. Keywords: language, meaning, discourse, text, translation. Streszczenie Artykuł dotyczy problematyki języka i jego głównych pojęć, takich jak: znaczenie, dyskurs, tekst i tłumaczenie. Jest on pomyślany jako rekapitulacja tych pojęć i jest nakierowany na przedstawienie ich jako koniecznych dla zrozumienia współczesnych dziedzin językoznawstwa i filozofii, takich jak np. transhumanizm. Problem języka jest tu potraktowany jako integralna część dyskusji na temat świadomego podmiotu i jako warunek wstępny zrozumienia jego charakteru. Autor uważa, że problematyka języka stanowi niezastąpiony element namysłu nad charakterem podmiotu i jego relacji do zewnętrznego świata

Farmakon i scena pisania

An article deals with the problematic of language as a kind of pharmakon in the sense that was introduced into linguistics and philosophy by Plato. This kind of understanding of language reveals not only its positive and creative character, but also its destructive traits. Article presents the changes in the understanding of what traditionally was found to be a language. Starting with Platonian vision of language, through its Derridian explanation, to contemporary specialists dealing with theory of translation process – we follow the evolution of the phenomena that shaped our contemporary thinking about the human being. Keywords: pharmakon, language, meaning, translation Streszczenie Artykuł dotyczy problematyki języka jako farmakonu w sensie nadanym mu przez Platona. Ten rodzaj rozumienia języka odkrywa nie tylko jego pozytywny i twórczy charakter, ale również jego destrukcyjne cechy. Artykuł prezentuje zmiany w rozumieniu tego, jak język był postrzegany w tradycji językoznawczej i filozoficznej. Śledzimy jego zmiany poczynając od Platona, poprzez Derridiańskie wyjaśnienie języka, aż do jego ujęcia przez klasyków zajmujących się procesami tłumaczenia. W ten sposób w artykule śledzimy ewolucję zjawiska, które ukształtowało nasze myślenie o podmiocie.Artykuł dotyczy problematyki języka jako farmakonu w sensie nadanym mu przez Platona i wprowadzonym przez niego do filozofii i dalej językoznawstwa. Ten rodzaj rozumienia języka odkrywa nie tylko jego pozytywny i twórczy charakter, ale również jego destrukcyjne cechy. Artykuł prezentuje zmiany w rozumieniu tego, co tradycyjnie było uważane za język. Śledzimy jego zmiany poczynając od Platona, poprzez derridiańskie wyjaśnienie języka, aż do jego ujęcia przez klasyków zajmujących się procesami tłumaczenia. W ten sposób w artykule śledzimy ewolucję zjawiska, które ukształtowało nasze współczesne myślenie o podmiocie

Pathogenicity of Virulent Species of Group C Streptococci in Human

Group C streptococci (GCS) are livestock pathogens and they often cause zoonotic diseases in humans. They are Gram-positive, in mostly β-hemolytic and facultative anaerobes. Because of their close evolutionary kinship with group A streptococci (GAS), GCS share many common virulence factors with GAS and cause a similar range of diseases. Due to the exchange of genetic material with GAS, GCS belong to bacteria that are difficult to be distinguished from group A streptococci; GCS are often treated in microbiological diagnostics as contamination of the culture. This report focuses mainly on the pathogenicity of virulent species of GCS and their association with human diseases. The condition that is most frequently quoted is pharyngitis. In this paper, the virulence factors have also been mentioned and an interesting link has been made between GCS and the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases among the native people of India and Aboriginal populations

DNA Contents in Soil Contaminated with Heavy Metals

The study was performed to show how industrial activity affected soil quality in terms of soil DNA quality and quantity as well as soil characteristics. Soil material originated from an urban area of the Silesia Region (SW Poland). The soil characteristics were estimated: texture, moisture, pH, redox potential (Eh), and total carbon content (TOC), followed by determination of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Fe, Cu). The last step was the isolation of soil DNA, its concentration and identification of microorganisms. The results showed that although the studied soil was heavily contaminated with heavy metals, there were still some metal-resistant microorganisms able to sustain soil activity. Moreover, these organisms are not present in the NCBI database, which encourages further studies aimed at identification of new organisms that may be useful in research of metal resistance as well as soil reclamation and remediation

DNA Contents in Soil Contaminated with Heavy Metals

The study was performed to show how industrial activity affected soil quality in terms of soil DNA quality and quantity as well as soil characteristics. Soil material originated from an urban area of the Silesia Region (SW Poland). The soil characteristics were estimated: texture, moisture, pH, redox potential (Eh), and total carbon content (TOC), followed by determination of selected heavy metals (Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr, Fe, Cu). The last step was the isolation of soil DNA, its concentration and identification of microorganisms. The results showed that although the studied soil was heavily contaminated with heavy metals, there were still some metal-resistant microorganisms able to sustain soil activity. Moreover, these organisms are not present in the NCBI database, which encourages further studies aimed at identification of new organisms that may be useful in research of metal resistance as well as soil reclamation and remediation