Características textiles de la fibra de alpacas Huacaya en comunidades altoandinas de la región Tacna, Perú

The study was carried out in two communities of the Tacna Region, Peru to determine textile characteristics of Huacaya alpaca fibre and its degree of association with sex, age and coat colour. Fibre samples from 817 and 683 alpacas from the Huaytire and Maure communities, respectively, were analysed with the OFDA 2000 equipment. The experimental design corresponded to a complete random block 2x5x2 with fixed effects. The alpaca fibre of the Huaytire community presented finer fibres (20.51±2.52 µm) and less dispersion (5.15±0.96 µm), with greater comfort (93.85±8.26%) and a higher curvature index (36.58±5.79 °/mm), as well as longer wick length (10.45±2.21 cm). The white fibres have greater fineness (20.79±2.62 µm), and less dispersion (5.18±0.95 µm) than the coloured ones, while the comfort factor, curvature index and wick length of the white fibres showed greater values. In relation to the age group, the young alpacas presented better textile characteristics than the adults, while only fineness showed significant differences (p<0.05) in favour of the male. The wick length showed no association with the other textile characteristics. In conclusion, the textile characteristics vary according to the community, sex, age and coat colour, where the best results were found in the Huaytire community, in males, in white fibres and in young animals.El estudio se llevó en dos comunidades de la Región Tacna, Perú, con el objetivo de determinar las características textiles de fibra de alpacas Huacaya y su grado de asociación con el sexo, edad y color de manto. Se analizaron las muestras de fibra de 817 y 683 alpacas de las comunidades de Huaytire y Maure, respectivamente, con el equipo OFDA 2000. El diseño experimental correspondió a un bloque completo al azar 2x5x2 de efectos fijos. Las fibras de las alpacas de la comunidad de Huaytire presentan fibras más finas (20.51±2.52 µm), con menor dispersión (5.15±0.96 µm), con mayor confort (93.85±8.26 %), y con mayor índice de curvatura (36.58±5.79 °/mm), así como mayor longitud de mecha (10.45±2.21 cm). Las fibras blancas tienen mayor finura (20.79±2.62 µm), y menor dispersión (5.18±0.95 µm) que los de color, en tanto que el factor de confort, índice de curvatura y longitud de mecha de las fibras blancas fueron mayores. Con relación al grupo etario, las alpacas jóvenes presentaron mejores características textiles que las adultas, en tanto solo la finura mostró diferencias significativas (p<0.05) a favor del macho. La longitud de mecha no mostró asociación con las otras características textiles. En conclusión, las características textiles varían de acuerdo con la comunidad, sexo, edad y color de manto, donde los mejores resultados se encontraron en la comunidad de Huaytire, en machos, en fibras blancas y en animales jóvenes

Correlación entre índice folicular, densidad folicular y media de diámetro de fibra en alpacas huacaya en Tacna

El objetivo del estudio fue determinar la correlación entre el índice folicular (DF), densidad folicular (IF) y la media de diámetro de fibra (MDF) según edad (jóvenes y adultos) y sexo en alpacas Huacaya, de las instalaciones del Fundo-Pichones Sur, perteneciente a la Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias de la Universidad Nacional Jorge Basadre Grohmann de Tacna. se obtuvieron las muestras de fibra y piel del costillar medio de 20 alpacas (10 machos y 10 hembras). Las muestras de piel se obtuvieron por punción con un sacabocado de 6 mm de diámetro y fueron procesados por la técnica de inclusión en parafina, tinción hematoxilina – eosina y, posteriormente se realizó el conteo de folículos con ayuda del microscopio invertido OLYMPUS IX73 cell Sens Standard. finalmente, se lograron ontener el índice folicular y densidad folicular; las muestras de fibra se analizaron con el OFDA – 2000. Los datos se analizaron mediante las correlaciones múltiples de Spearman entre el índice folicular, densidad folicular y la media de diámetro de fibra. Las correlaciones obtenidas entre IF-DF, IF-MDF y DF-MDF, fueron 0.182, 0.244 y -0.097 respectivamente. Concluyendo que no hubo correlación entre estas variables estudiadas

Relación de los niveles de testosterona sérica y el tamaño testicular en alpacas según grupo etario y mes del año en Tacna, Perú

El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la relación del tamaño testicular con los niveles de testosterona sérica en alpacas según la edad y mes del año. Se trabajó con ocho machos (4 jóvenes y 4 adultos). Las mediciones del tamaño testicular se realizaron con una regla Vernier y la determinación de los niveles de testosterona en suero se realizó mediante una prueba de quimioluminiscencia. Los adultos presentaron mayor tamaño testicular en los meses de abril, octubre, noviembre y en jóvenes en abril y noviembre. Así mismo, se encontró una diferencia significativa (t=3.17; p=0.009) entre adultos (8.41 cm2) y jóvenes (6.57 cm2). Con relación al nivel de testosterona, tanto en adultos y jóvenes, los niveles más altos fueron en el mes de abril. La comparación entre jóvenes y adultos no presentó diferencias significativas (t=0.23; p=0.81).  Además, la concentración de testosterona no presentó una relación significativa con el largo (r = 0.41), ancho (r = 0.21) y área testicular (r = 0.32)

Methodology for Drought Risk Assessment in Within-year Regulated Reservoir Systems. Application to the Orbigo River System (Spain)

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11269-014-0710-3[EN] Drought occurrence and its related impacts are a major concern in many river basins throughout the world. In the last years, drought management procedures have moved from a crisis approach towards a more sensitive preparedness approach. Drought plans development has arisen as an effective way of providing measures and actions to manage drought situations. However, due to each river basin has different operation characteristics, drought management requires a different approach in order to be efficient. Decision support tools are a great ally of water managers, especially in situations of high water stress and hydrologic uncertainty, allowing them to in-deep analyze the system and finding the best measures to minimize the risk of a system failure. This paper studies the difficulties of only using an indicator system based in current and past data to assess the drought risk in within-year regulated reservoir systems. It proposes the complementary use of a general risk assessment methodology to anticipate the future probable status of the system and defining the current drought scenario. It shows how the complementary use of a monitoring system and a risk assessment decision support system may improve the drought detection process allowing water managers optimizing the selection of mitigation measures and minimizing the probability of overreaction during a drought situation.The authors want to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (ComisionInterministerial de Ciencia y Tecnologia, CICYT) for funding the projects INTEGRAME (contract CGL2009-11798), NUTEGES (VI Plan Nacional de I+D+i 2008-2011, CGL2012-34978) and SCARCE (program Consolider-Ingenio 2010, project CSD2009-00065). Also thanks to the European Commission (Directorate-General for Research & Innovation) for funding the projects DROUGHT-R&SPI (program FP7-ENV-2011, project 282769) and ENHANCE (program FP7-ENV-2012, project 308438). Last but not least to the Confederacion Hidrografica del Duero for providing the data and support to build the models.Haro Monteagudo, D.; Solera Solera, A.; Paredes Arquiola, J.; Andreu Álvarez, J. (2014). Methodology for Drought Risk Assessment in Within-year Regulated Reservoir Systems. Application to the Orbigo River System (Spain). Water Resources Management. 28(11):3801-3814. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-014-0710-3S380138142811Andreu J, Capilla J, Sanchis E (1996) AQUATOOL a generalized decision support system for water resources planning and operational management. J Hydrol 117:269–291Andreu J, Solera A, Capilla J, Ferrer J (2007) Modelo SIMGES para simulación de cuencas. Manual de usuario v3.00. ISBN 978-84-8363-170-6, Editorial Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, ValenciaAndreu J, Ferrer-Polo J, Mérez MA, Solera A (2009) Decision support system for drought planning and management in the Jucar River Basin, Spain, In 18th World IMACS Congress and MODSIM09 International congress on modelling and simulation. Anderssen RS, Braddock RD and Newham LTH (Edt) ISBN 978-0-9758400-7-8, Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand and International Association for Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, 2377–2383, July 2009Arrojo Agudo P (2007) Bases para un documento de directrices en material de prevención y gestión de sequías en la planificación hidrológica, In: La sequía en España. Directricesparaminimizarsuimpacto.Cabrera E and BabianoL (Edt.), ISBN 978-84-690-7328-5, Ministry of Environment of Spain, chapter 1, 29–49, 2007Bordi I, Sutera A (2007) Drought monitoring and forecasting at large scale. In: Rossi G, Vega T, Bonaccorso B (eds) Methods and tools for drought analysis and management, Chapter 1. Springer, Dordrecht, pp 3–27, ISBN 978-1-4020-5923-0Cancelliere A, Nicolosi V, Rossi G (2009) Assessment of drought risk in water supply systems in coping with Drought risk in agriculture and water supply systems. Adv Nat Technol Haz 26:93–109EC (2000) Directive 2000/60/EC of theEuropeanParliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a frameworkforCommunityaction in thefield of waterpolicy. Official Journal of the European Communities, L327/1Estrela T, Vargas E (2012) Drought management plans in the European Union. The case of Spain. Water Resour Manag 26:1537–1553Hayes MJ, Wilhelmi OV, Knutson CL (2004) Reducing drought risk: bridging theory and practise. Nat Hazards Rev 5:106–113Mishra AK, Singh VP (2010) A review of drought concepts. J Hydrol 391:202–216Mishra AK, Singh VP (2011) Drought modeling – a review. J Hydrol 403:157–175MMA (2007) Plan especial de actuacion en situaciones de alerta y eventual sequia. ConfederacionHidrografica del Duero, Ministerio de MedioAmbiente, Gobierno de EspañaPreziosi E, Del Bon A, Romano E, Petrangeli AB, Casadei S (2013) Vulnerability to drought of a complex water supply system. The Upper Tiber Basin case study (Central Italy). Water Resour Manag 27:4655–4678Rossi G, Cancelliere A, Giuliano G (2006) Role of decision support system and multicriteria methods for the assessment of drought mitigation measures. In: Andreu J, Rossi G, Vagliasindi F, Vela A (eds) Drought management and planning for water resources, chapter 9. CRC Press (Taylor & Francis), Boca Raton, pp 203–240, ISBN 1-56670-672-6Rossi G, Caporali E, Garrote L (2012) Definition of risk indicators for reservoirs management optimization. Water Resour Manag 26:981–996Rossi G, Cancelliere A (2013) Managing drought risk in wter supply systems in Europe: a review. Int J Water Resour D 29:272–289Sánchez-Quispe S (1999) Gestión de Sistemas de Recursos Hídricos con Toma de Decisión Basada en Riesgo. Tesis Doctoral. Universidad Politécnica de ValenciaSánchez-Quispe S, Andreu J, Solera A (2001) Gestión de Recursos Hídricos con Decisiones Basadas en Estimación del Riesgo. Universidad Politécnica de, ValenciaTsakiris G, Nalbantis I, Vangelis H, Verbeiren B, Huysmans M, Tychon B, Jacquemin I, Canters F, Vanderhaegen S, Engelen G, Poelmans L, De Becker P, Batelaan O (2013) A system-based paradigm of drought analysis for operational management. Water Resour Manag 27:5281–5297Wilhite DA (1996) A methodology for drought preparedness. Nat Hazards 13:229–252Wilhite D, Hayes MJ, Knutson C, Helm Smith K (2000) Plannign for drought: moving from crisis to risk management. J Am Water Resour As 26:697–71

Zika virus preferentially replicates in the female reproductive tract after vaginal inoculation of rhesus macaques

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-transmitted virus that can cause severe defects in an infected fetus. ZIKV is also transmitted by sexual contact, although the relative importance of sexual transmission is unclear. To better understand the role of sexual transmission in ZIKV pathogenesis, a nonhuman primate (NHP) model of vaginal transmission was developed. ZIKV was readily transmitted to mature cycling female rhesus macaque (RM) by vaginal inoculation with 104-106 plaque-forming units (PFU). However, there was variability in susceptibility between the individual RM with 1->8 vaginal inoculations required to establish infection. After treatment with Depoprovera, a widely used contraceptive progestin, two RM that initially resisted 8 vaginal ZIKV inoculations became infected after one ZIKV inoculation. Thus, Depoprovera seemed to enhance susceptibility to vaginal ZIKV transmission. Unexpectedly, the kinetics of virus replication and dissemination after intravaginal ZIKV inoculation were markedly different from RM infected with ZIKV by subcutaneous (SQ) virus inoculation. Several groups have reported that after SQ ZIKV inoculation vRNA is rapidly detected in blood plasma with vRNA less common in urine and saliva and only rarely detected in female reproductive tract (FRT) secretions. In contrast, in vaginally inoculated RM, plasma vRNA is delayed for several days and ZIKV replication in, and vRNA shedding from, the FRT was found in all 6 animals. Further, after intravaginal transmission ZIKV RNA shedding from FRT secretions was detected before or simultaneously with plasma vRNA, and persisted for at least as long. Thus, ZIKV replication in the FRT was independent of, and often preceded virus replication in the tissues contributing to plasma vRNA. These results support the conclusion that ZIKV preferentially replicates in the FRT after vaginal transmission, but not after SQ transmission, and raise the possibility that there is enhanced fetal infection and pathology after vaginal ZIKV transmission compared to a mosquito transmitted ZIKV

Higher Fluid Balance Increases the Risk of Death from Sepsis: Results from a Large International Audit∗

Objectives: Excessive fluid therapy in patients with sepsis may be associated with risks that outweigh any benefit. We investigated the possible influence of early fluid balance on outcome in a large international database of ICU patients with sepsis. Design: Observational cohort study. Setting: Seven hundred and thirty ICUs in 84 countries. Patients: All adult patients admitted between May 8 and May 18, 2012, except admissions for routine postoperative surveillance. For this analysis, we included only the 1,808 patients with an admission diagnosis of sepsis. Patients were stratified according to quartiles of cumulative fluid balance 24 hours and 3 days after ICU admission. Measurements and Main Results: ICU and hospital mortality rates were 27.6% and 37.3%, respectively. The cumulative fluid balance increased from 1,217 mL (-90 to 2,783 mL) in the first 24 hours after ICU admission to 1,794 mL (-951 to 5,108 mL) on day 3 and decreased thereafter. The cumulative fluid intake was similar in survivors and nonsurvivors, but fluid balance was less positive in survivors because of higher fluid output in these patients. Fluid balances became negative after the third ICU day in survivors but remained positive in nonsurvivors. After adjustment for possible confounders in multivariable analysis, the 24-hour cumulative fluid balance was not associated with an increased hazard of 28-day in-hospital death. However, there was a stepwise increase in the hazard of death with higher quartiles of 3-day cumulative fluid balance in the whole population and after stratification according to the presence of septic shock. Conclusions: In this large cohort of patients with sepsis, higher cumulative fluid balance at day 3 but not in the first 24 hours after ICU admission was independently associated with an increase in the hazard of death

Correction to collaborators in acknowledgments in: Decision-making on withholding or withdrawing life support in the ICU: A worldwide perspective

The authors have reported to CHEST that the collaborators from the ICON Investigators were omitted from the Acknowledgments in “Decision-Making on Withholding or Withdrawing Life Support in the ICU: A Worldwide Perspective” (Chest. 2017;152(2):321-329). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2017.04.17

Candida bloodstream infections in intensive care units: analysis of the extended prevalence of infection in intensive care unit study

Item does not contain fulltextOBJECTIVES: To provide a global, up-to-date picture of the prevalence, treatment, and outcomes of Candida bloodstream infections in intensive care unit patients and compare Candida with bacterial bloodstream infection. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of the Extended Prevalence of Infection in the ICU Study (EPIC II). Demographic, physiological, infection-related and therapeutic data were collected. Patients were grouped as having Candida, Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and combined Candida/bacterial bloodstream infection. Outcome data were assessed at intensive care unit and hospital discharge. SETTING: EPIC II included 1265 intensive care units in 76 countries. PATIENTS: Patients in participating intensive care units on study day. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 14,414 patients in EPIC II, 99 patients had Candida bloodstream infections for a prevalence of 6.9 per 1000 patients. Sixty-one patients had candidemia alone and 38 patients had combined bloodstream infections. Candida albicans (n = 70) was the predominant species. Primary therapy included monotherapy with fluconazole (n = 39), caspofungin (n = 16), and a polyene-based product (n = 12). Combination therapy was infrequently used (n = 10). Compared with patients with Gram-positive (n = 420) and Gram-negative (n = 264) bloodstream infections, patients with candidemia were more likely to have solid tumors (p < .05) and appeared to have been in an intensive care unit longer (14 days [range, 5-25 days], 8 days [range, 3-20 days], and 10 days [range, 2-23 days], respectively), but this difference was not statistically significant. Severity of illness and organ dysfunction scores were similar between groups. Patients with Candida bloodstream infections, compared with patients with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bloodstream infections, had the greatest crude intensive care unit mortality rates (42.6%, 25.3%, and 29.1%, respectively) and longer intensive care unit lengths of stay (median [interquartile range]) (33 days [18-44], 20 days [9-43], and 21 days [8-46], respectively); however, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Candidemia remains a significant problem in intensive care units patients. In the EPIC II population, Candida albicans was the most common organism and fluconazole remained the predominant antifungal agent used. Candida bloodstream infections are associated with high intensive care unit and hospital mortality rates and resource use

Candida bloodstream infections in intensive care units: analysis of the extended prevalence of infection in intensive care unit study

To provide a global, up-to-date picture of the prevalence, treatment, and outcomes of Candida bloodstream infections in intensive care unit patients and compare Candida with bacterial bloodstream infection. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of the Extended Prevalence of Infection in the ICU Study (EPIC II). Demographic, physiological, infection-related and therapeutic data were collected. Patients were grouped as having Candida, Gram-positive, Gram-negative, and combined Candida/bacterial bloodstream infection. Outcome data were assessed at intensive care unit and hospital discharge. SETTING: EPIC II included 1265 intensive care units in 76 countries. PATIENTS: Patients in participating intensive care units on study day. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENT AND MAIN RESULTS: Of the 14,414 patients in EPIC II, 99 patients had Candida bloodstream infections for a prevalence of 6.9 per 1000 patients. Sixty-one patients had candidemia alone and 38 patients had combined bloodstream infections. Candida albicans (n = 70) was the predominant species. Primary therapy included monotherapy with fluconazole (n = 39), caspofungin (n = 16), and a polyene-based product (n = 12). Combination therapy was infrequently used (n = 10). Compared with patients with Gram-positive (n = 420) and Gram-negative (n = 264) bloodstream infections, patients with candidemia were more likely to have solid tumors (p < .05) and appeared to have been in an intensive care unit longer (14 days [range, 5-25 days], 8 days [range, 3-20 days], and 10 days [range, 2-23 days], respectively), but this difference was not statistically significant. Severity of illness and organ dysfunction scores were similar between groups. Patients with Candida bloodstream infections, compared with patients with Gram-positive and Gram-negative bloodstream infections, had the greatest crude intensive care unit mortality rates (42.6%, 25.3%, and 29.1%, respectively) and longer intensive care unit lengths of stay (median [interquartile range]) (33 days [18-44], 20 days [9-43], and 21 days [8-46], respectively); however, these differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Candidemia remains a significant problem in intensive care units patients. In the EPIC II population, Candida albicans was the most common organism and fluconazole remained the predominant antifungal agent used. Candida bloodstream infections are associated with high intensive care unit and hospital mortality rates and resource use