Evaluation of the carbapenem inactivation method (CIM) for detecting carbapenemase activity in enterobacteria

Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of the CIM test in the detection of carbapenemase activity in 124 strains of Enterobacteriaceae. Methods A panel of 124 previously characterized Enterobacteriaceae was tested: 77 strains producing the following carbapenemase families: KPC (n = 14), GES (n = 22), NDM (n = 19), VIM (n = 4), IMP (n = 4) and OXA-48 (n = 14) and 47 non-carbapenemase producers. For the CIM method, an active susceptibility meropenem disc was exposed to a bacterial suspension of a test strain; when a carbapenemase is produced, the antibiotic is inactivated allowing uninhibited growth of an indicator strain after overnight incubation. A clear inhibition zone (?20 mm) was considered indicative of no-carbapenemase activity. Results All KPC, NDM, VIM, IMP or OXA-48 producing strains were unequivocally detected with the CIM test. CIM false negative results were obtained with eleven Enterobacter cloacae producing GES-6. Two other E. cloacae not producing carbapenemase (one with SHV-12, one hyperproducing AmpC) were positive by the test. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay compared to those of molecular methods were 85.7% and 95.7%, respectively. Conclusions The CIM method proved to be inexpensive and easy to interpret. It provided less than optimal results in the detection of GES-6 activity

Radiocarbon reservoir ages and hardwater effect for the northeastern coastal waters of Argentina

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates were obtained for 18 mollusk shells collected alive along the Buenos Aires province coast, Argentina, over the period AD 1914-1935. Reservoir ages were estimated for all samples on the basis of the tree-ring calibration curve for the Southern Hemisphere (SHCal04, McCormac et al. 2004) and the marine ΔR values calculated as the difference between the conventional 14C age and the age deduced from the marine, mixed-layer model calculation (Marine04, Hughen et al. 2004). For most coastal locations, a great ΔR scatter was observed, ranging from 191 to 2482 yr, which is explained by the input of varying content of dissolved carbonate by rivers and groundwater ("hardwater effect") and indicates a serious limitation for shell-based 14C chronologies. Within the interior of Bahía Blanca estuary, ΔR values ranged from -40 to 50 ± 46 as a consequence of the local geological particularities of the environment. This suggests that, with some restrictions, the marine calibration curve with standard parameters (ΔR = 0) could be used at this location.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Avances de la enfermería cubana en la formación doctoral

Ya cuentan los profesionales de Enfermería con una Comisión de Grados Científicos que otorgará el título de Doctor en Ciencias de la Enfermería a todos los interesados que cumplan con las exigencias para esta formación. El desarrollo de la Enfermería en Cuba ha transitado con avances significativos que han incidido en la formación de los recursos humanos y sus niveles de calificación. Sin dudas, el diseño de nuevos planes y programas de estudio para la formación técnica y universitaria que en la actualidad se concretan, constituyen logros para el Sistema Nacional de Salud (SNS) y, en particular, para el fortalecimiento de la Enfermería y sus practicantes. Al mismo tiempo, se encuentra en perfeccionamiento el Programa de Maestría en Enfermería que obtuvo la condición de Ratificada en el 2011, otorgada por la Junta Nacional de Acreditación (JAN) del Ministerio de Educación Superior (MES) y que concluye este año su cuarta edición.</p

Managing daily surgery schedules in a teaching hospital: a mixed-integer optimization approach

Background: This study examined the daily surgical scheduling problem in a teaching hospital. This problem relates to the use of multiple operating rooms and different types of surgeons in a typical surgical day with deterministic operation durations (preincision, incision, and postincision times). Teaching hospitals play a key role in the health-care system; however, existing models assume that the duration of surgery is independent of the surgeon's skills. This problem has not been properly addressed in other studies. We analyze the case of a Spanish public hospital, in which continuous pressures and budgeting reductions entail the more efficient use of resources. Methods: To obtain an optimal solution for this problem, we developed a mixed-integer programming model and user-friendly interface that facilitate the scheduling of planned operations for the following surgical day. We also implemented a simulation model to assist the evaluation of different dispatching policies for surgeries and surgeons. The typical aspects we took into account were the type of surgeon, potential overtime, idling time of surgeons, and the use of operating rooms. Results: It is necessary to consider the expertise of a given surgeon when formulating a schedule: such skill can decrease the probability of delays that could affect subsequent surgeries or cause cancellation of the final surgery. We obtained optimal solutions for a set of given instances, which we obtained through surgical information related to acceptable times collected from a Spanish public hospital. Conclusions: We developed a computer-aided framework with a user-friendly interface for use by a surgical manager that presents a 3-D simulation of the problem. Additionally, we obtained an efficient formulation for this complex problem. However, the spread of this kind of operation research in Spanish public health hospitals will take a long time since there is a lack of knowledge of the beneficial techniques and possibilities that operational research can offer for the health-care system

Evaluación de la atención en deportistas de artes marciales : expertos vs. novatos

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar las diferencias en el desempeño de una tarea de atención en relación con la pericia en artes marciales. Participaron 12 deportistas de artes marciales expertos y 13 novatos. Se les aplicó el Test of Variables of Attention (Greenberg, 1996) y se analizaron los datos de la prueba para cada variable, condición y segmentos en los que se divide, con un método estadístico no-paramétrico de permutaciones. Las comparaciones intergrupos indicaron una tendencia a que el puntaje global de Trastorno por Déficit de Atención e Hiperactividad (TDAH) de la prueba fuera mejor en los expertos que en los novatos. Se hizo un análisis intragrupo para conocer el comportamiento de cada grupo a lo largo de la prueba; los resultados indicaron que los deportistas expertos muestran mayor consistencia en el número de aciertos y tiempos de reacción a lo largo de la prueba, lo que se traduce como un mejor desempeño cuando se compara con la forma en que los deportistas novatos responden a la tarea. Los resultados sugieren que el entrenamiento físico y mental de las disciplinas de artes marciales podría producir una mejora en las capacidades de atención de los deportistas.The aim of this study is to determine differences in the performance of an attention-related task involving martial arts skills. 12 expert martial arts athletes and 13 novices took part, performing the Test of Variables of Attention (Leark, Greenberg, Kindschi, Dupuy and Hughes, 2007). Using a non-parametric statistical permutation method, the test data for each variable, condition and segment of the test was analysed. Comparisons of the groups showed a trend toward a higher global Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) score by the expert athletes as compared with the novices. In order to find out each group's performance during the test, a statistical intra-group analysis was performed. Generally, the results revealed more consistent accuracy and response times by the experts than by the novice athletes. The results suggest that physical and mental training in the martial arts may increase the attention skills of sportsmen and women.O objectivo do estudo foi determinar as diferenças no desempenho de uma tarefa atencional tendo em conta a perícia em artes marciais.Participaram no estudo 12 desportistas especialistas em artes marciais e 13 iniciantes. Foi aplicado aos participantes o Test of Variables of Attention (Greenberg, 1996) e analisaram-se os dados do teste para cada variável, condição e segmentos em que se dividem, através de um método estatístico nãoparamétrico de permutações. As comparações intergrupos indicaram uma tendência para que a pontuação global de Transtorno do Défice de Atenção e Hiperactividade (TDAH) fosse maior nos especialistas do que nos iniciantes. Foi realizada uma análise intragrupo para conhecer o comportamento de cada grupo ao longo da prova; os resultados indicaram que os desportistas especialistas revelaram maior consistência no número de acertos e tempos de reacção ao longo da prova, o que se traduz num melhor desempenho quando comparados com a forma como os desportistas iniciantes respondem à tarefa. Os resultados sugerem que o treino físico e mental das disciplinas de artes marciais poderia produzir uma melhoria nas capacidades atencionais dos desportistas

Uso de Minería de Datos Para la Determinación de Perfiles Socioeconómicos y Sanitarios en la UNCAus

El proyecto PI N° 91, aprobado por Res. N° 332/18 CS, se desarrolla con el fin de obtener información relevante que detecte variables relacionadas con los frecuentes problemas de salud en la ciudad de Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña (Chaco, Argentina) y su área de influencia, relacionando los pacientes con su hábitat, ecología y salud. Para ello se trabaja con la información proveniente de las actividades curriculares de vinculación comunitaria que la carrera de Medicina de la UNCAus (Universidad Nacional del Chaco Austral) realiza en los distintos barrios de dicha ciudad y su zona de influencia; con dicha información se construye un almacén de datos (data warehouse) que es estudiado con técnicas de minería de datos (data mining), especialmente técnicas de agrupamiento (clusterización) y de árboles de decisión, a los efectos de conseguir los perfiles característicos relacionados con los distintos tipos de diagnósticos; en un principio se buscan modelos descriptivos de minería de datos, para pasar en el futuro a modelos predictivos, lo cual permitiría disponer de conocimiento que permitiría mejorar la toma de decisiones en cuanto a campañas de salud hacia la población de los barrios de la ciudad de P. R. Sáenz Peña. Project PI N ° 91, approved by Res. N ° 332/18 CS, was developed in order to obtain relevant information that detects variables related to frequent health problems in the city of Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña (Chaco, Argentina) and its area of influence, relating patients to their habitat, ecology, and health. For this, we work with the information coming from the curricular activities based on the relationship with the community that the Medicine undergraduate degree program of the UNCAus (National University of Chaco Austral) carries out in the different neighborhoods of the said city and its area of influence. With this information, a data warehouse was built and studied with data mining techniques, especially clustering techniques and decision trees, in order to achieve the characteristic profiles related to the different types of diagnosis. Initially, descriptive data mining models was sought and moved on to predictive models in the future. This would result to knowledge that would lead to better decision-making regarding health campaigns towards the population of the neighborhoods of the city of P.R. Sáenz Peña

Change detection of buildings from satellite imagery and lidar data

Geospatial objects change over time and this necessitates periodic updating of the cartography that represents them. Currently, this updating is done manually, by interpreting aerial photographs, but this is an expensive and time-consuming process. While several kinds of geospatial objects are recognized, this article focuses on buildings. Specifically, we propose a novel automatic approach for detecting buildings that uses satellite imagery and laser scanner data as a tool for updating buildings for a vector geospatial database. We apply the support vector machine (SVM) classification algorithm to a joint satellite and laser data set for the extraction of buildings. SVM training is automatically carried out from the vector geospatial database. For visualization purposes, the changes are presented using a variation of the traffic-light map. The different colours assist human operators in performing the final cartographic updating. Most of the important changes were detected by the proposed method. The method not only detects changes, but also identifies inaccuracies in the cartography of the vector database. Small houses and low buildings surrounded by high trees present significant problems with regard to automatic detection compared to large houses and taller buildings. In addition to visual evaluation, this study was checked for completeness and correctness using numerical evaluation and receiver operating characteristic curves. The high values obtained for these parameters confirmed the efficacy of the method