Regularization Independent Analysis of the Origin of Two Loop Contributions to N=1 Super Yang-Mills Beta Function

We present a both ultraviolet and infrared regularization independent analysis in a symmetry preserving framework for the N=1 Super Yang-Mills beta function to two loop order. We show explicitly that off-shell infrared divergences as well as the overall two loop ultraviolet divergence cancel out whilst the beta function receives contributions of infrared modes.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, typos correcte

Water quality in a small catchment of Piracicaba River, SP

A microbacia do Ribeirão dos Marins, fluente do Rio Piracicaba, é importante ao município de Piracicaba, São Paulo, haja vista que concentra a maior área de produção de hortaliças, as quais são irrigadas com as águas do ribeirão. Com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade da água, coletaram-se amostras de fevereiro a dezembro de 2005 em sete pontos ao longo do ribeirão, considerando-se o uso e ocupação do solo. As variáveis de qualidade de água analisadas foram: físicas e químicas: sedimentos em suspensão, pH, condutividade elétrica, alcalinidade, turbidez, potássio, cálcio, magnésio, cobre, ferro, manganês, zinco, sódio, fósforo, sulfato, cloreto, nitrogênio amoniacal e nitrato. As análises foram realizadas no Laboratório de Ecologia do Instituto de Estudos Florestais e no Laboratório de Água do Departamento de Engenharia Rural, ambos pertencentes à ESALQ-USP. Os resultados obtidos foram comparados com a Resolução nº 357 de 17 março de 2005, do Conselho Nacional de Meio Ambiente (CONAMA) que estabelece a classificação das águas brasileiras. As águas do ribeirão dos Marins apresentaram-se fora do padrão estabelecido pela Resolução 357/2005 do CONAMA, para a irrigação de hortaliças._________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT: The Marins creek watershed is important to the Piracicaba municipal district because it concentrates a large area of horticultural production, which is irrigated with the creek water. With the aim to evaluate the water quality, samples were collected from February to December 2005 at seven points along the creek according to land use. The parameters of quality analyzed were physical and chemical: suspended sediments, pH, electrical conductivity, alkalinity, turbidity, potassium, calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, manganese, zinc, sodium, phosphorus, sulfate, chloride, ammonia nitrogen, and nitrate. The analyses were made at the Ecology Laboratory of Forest Studies Institute and Water Laboratory at the Rural Engineering Department, both belonging to the Escola Superior de Agricultura “Luiz de Queiroz”, Universidade de São Paulo. The results were compared with the Brazilian legislation (Resolution nº 357 of March 17, 2005 of National Concil of Environment) which establishes the Brazilian water classification. The Marins water did not meet the limits established by the Brazilian legislation to irrigate the horticultural productio

Cervical intramedullary schwannoma: a case report and review of the literature

Intramedullary schwannomas unrelated with neurofibromatosis are uncommon tumors, but if correctly diagnosed and properly treated they may have a good prognosis

Atypical pathogens in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia: A worldwide perspective

Background: Empirical antibiotic coverage for atypical pathogens in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has long been debated, mainly because of a lack of epidemiological data. We aimed to assess both testing for atypical pathogens and their prevalence in hospitalized patients with CAP worldwide, especially in relation with disease severity. Methods: A secondary analysis of the GLIMP database, an international, multicentre, point-prevalence study of adult patients admitted for CAP in 222 hospitals across 6 continents in 2015, was performed. The study evaluated frequency of testing for atypical pathogens, including L. pneumophila, M. pneumoniae, C. pneumoniae, and their prevalence. Risk factors for testing and prevalence for atypical pathogens were assessed through univariate analysis. Results: Among 3702 CAP patients 1250 (33.8%) underwent at least one test for atypical pathogens. Testing varies greatly among countries and its frequency was higher in Europe than elsewhere (46.0% vs. 12.7%, respectively, p < 0.0001). Detection of L. pneumophila urinary antigen was the most common test performed worldwide (32.0%). Patients with severe CAP were less likely to be tested for both atypical pathogens considered together (30.5% vs. 35.0%, p = 0.009) and specifically for legionellosis (28.3% vs. 33.5%, p = 0.003) than the rest of the population. Similarly, L. pneumophila testing was lower in ICU patients. At least one atypical pathogen was isolated in 62 patients (4.7%), including M. pneumoniae (26/251 patients, 10.3%), L. pneumophila (30/1186 patients, 2.5%), and C. pneumoniae (8/228 patients, 3.5%). Patients with CAP due to atypical pathogens were significantly younger, showed less cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic comorbidities in comparison to adult patients hospitalized due to non-atypical pathogen CAP. Conclusions: Testing for atypical pathogens in patients admitted for CAP in poorly standardized in real life and does not mirror atypical prevalence in different settings. Further evidence on the impact of atypical pathogens, expecially in the low-income countries, is needed to guidelines implementation

Microbiological testing of adults hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia: An international study

This study aimed to describe real-life microbiological testing of adults hospitalised with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and to assess concordance with the 2007 Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA)/American Thoracic Society (ATS) and 2011 European Respiratory Society (ERS) CAP guidelines. This was a cohort study based on the Global Initiative for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Pneumonia (GLIMP) database, which contains point-prevalence data on adults hospitalised with CAP across 54 countries during 2015. In total, 3702 patients were included. Testing was performed in 3217 patients, and included blood culture (71.1%), sputum culture (61.8%), Legionella urinary antigen test (30.1%), pneumococcal urinary antigen test (30.0%), viral testing (14.9%), acute-phase serology (8.8%), bronchoalveolar lavage culture (8.4%) and pleural fluid culture (3.2%). A pathogen was detected in 1173 (36.5%) patients. Testing attitudes varied significantly according to geography and disease severity. Testing was concordant with IDSA/ATS and ERS guidelines in 16.7% and 23.9% of patients, respectively. IDSA/ATS concordance was higher in Europe than in North America (21.5% versus 9.8%; p<0.01), while ERS concordance was higher in North America than in Europe (33.5% versus 19.5%; p<0.01). Testing practices of adults hospitalised with CAP varied significantly by geography and disease severity. There was a wide discordance between real-life testing practices and IDSA/ATS/ERS guideline recommendations

Prevalence and etiology of community-acquired pneumonia in immunocompromised patients

Background. The correct management of immunocompromised patients with pneumonia is debated. We evaluated the prevalence, risk factors, and characteristics of immunocompromised patients coming from the community with pneumonia. Methods. We conducted a secondary analysis of an international, multicenter study enrolling adult patients coming from the community with pneumonia and hospitalized in 222 hospitals in 54 countries worldwide. Risk factors for immunocompromise included AIDS, aplastic anemia, asplenia, hematological cancer, chemotherapy, neutropenia, biological drug use, lung transplantation, chronic steroid use, and solid tumor. Results. At least 1 risk factor for immunocompromise was recorded in 18% of the 3702 patients enrolled. The prevalences of risk factors significantly differed across continents and countries, with chronic steroid use (45%), hematological cancer (25%), and chemotherapy (22%) the most common. Among immunocompromised patients, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) pathogens were the most frequently identified, and prevalences did not differ from those in immunocompetent patients. Risk factors for immunocompromise were independently associated with neither Pseudomonas aeruginosa nor non\u2013community-acquired bacteria. Specific risk factors were independently associated with fungal infections (odds ratio for AIDS and hematological cancer, 15.10 and 4.65, respectively; both P = .001), mycobacterial infections (AIDS; P = .006), and viral infections other than influenza (hematological cancer, 5.49; P < .001). Conclusions. Our findings could be considered by clinicians in prescribing empiric antibiotic therapy for CAP in immunocompromised patients. Patients with AIDS and hematological cancer admitted with CAP may have higher prevalences of fungi, mycobacteria, and noninfluenza viruses