System and performance audit of surface ozone, carbon monoxide, methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide at the Global GAW Station Izaña, Spain

The 7th system and performance audit by WCC-Empa at the global GAW station Izaña, which is run by the State Meteorological Agency of Spain (AEMET), was conducted from 15 to 21 May 2019 in agreement with the WMO/GAW quality assurance system (WMO, 2017).Activities of WCC-Empa and QA/SAC Switzerland are financially supported by MeteoSwiss and Empa

Enhanced Infection of Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells in a Mouse Model of Antibody-Induced Severe Dengue Disease

SummaryDengue virus (DENV) causes disease ranging from dengue fever (DF), a self-limited febrile illness, to the potentially lethal dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome (DHF/DSS). DHF/DSS usually occurs in patients who have acquired DENV-reactive antibodies prior to infection, either from a previous infection with a heterologous DENV serotype or from an immune mother. Hence, it has been hypothesized that subneutralizing levels of antibodies exacerbate disease, a phenomenon termed antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). However, given the lack of suitable animal models for DENV infection, the mechanism of ADE and its contribution to pathology remain elusive. Here we demonstrate in mice that DENV-specific antibodies can sufficiently increase severity of disease so that a mostly nonlethal illness becomes a fatal disease resembling human DHF/DSS. Antibodies promote massive infection of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs), resulting in increased systemic levels of virus. Thus, a subprotective humoral response may, under some circumstances, have pathological consequences

Vibrationally excited populations from IR‐multiphoton absorption. I. Absorbed energy and reaction yield measurements

The molecule 1,1,2‐trifluroethane (TFE) was used in experiments to determine the population distribution of excited molecules produced by infrared multiphoton absorption induced by high power TEA CO2 lasers operating at 1079.85 cm−1 [9.6 μm R(22) line]. Optoacoustic measurements of absorbed laser power provided a measure of the mean energy of the population distribution, while very low pressure photolysis measurements of the collision‐free decomposition yield gave information about the high‐energy tail of the distribution. The experimental results were accurately simulated using a Master Equation model that incorporated Quack’s statistical–dynamical theory of infrared multiphoton absorption (cases B and C), RRKM unimolecular reactions (three channels), and collisional energy transfer. The computer simulations included known TFE molecular properties and only four adjustable parameters, which were very highly constrained in order to fit the experimental data. From the simulations, we conclude that the optical coupling matrix elements are dramatically reduced in magnitude for energies above the reaction thresholds. This effect is symptomatic of the vibrational anharmonicity due to the presence of the reaction channels, even in molecules that have not yet reacted, resulting in vibrational frequency shifts of the absorption lines out of resonance with the laser line. This effect is expected to be present and observable in other highly vibrationally excited molecules.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69859/2/JCPSA6-83-12-6251-1.pd

Heterotope Ossifikation: Von der Ätiologie zur aktuellen Therapie

Zusammenfassung: Heterotope Ossifikationen werden als abnorme Bildung von Knochen in Weichteilgeweben definiert. Man unterscheidet die erworbene von den angeborenen Formen. Die erworbene Form, deren Pathogenese weitgehend ungeklärt ist, wird häufig bei Patienten mit Schädel-Hirn-Trauma, Rückenmarkverletzung, Trauma des Bewegungsapparats oder nach Verbrennungen beobachtet. Klinisch präsentieren sich die heterotopen Ossifikationen häufig symptomfrei, im Initialstadium mit unspezifischen Symptomen, ausgeprägte Formen können jedoch zu schwerwiegenden Funktionseinschränkungen führen. Zur Diagnosesicherung wird insbesondere die Knochenszintigraphie verwendet. Lokale Bestrahlung und nichtsteroidale Antiphlogistika bilden die klassischen Therapie- und Prophylaxeoptionen. In fortgeschrittenen Stadien kann eine chirurgische Resektion notwendig sei

44-jähriger Patient mit kulturnegativer, purulenter Perikarditis

Zusammenfassung: Wir berichten über einen Patienten mit purulenter Perikarditis und drohender Perikardtamponade, verursacht durch Neisseria meningitidis. Bei negativen Kulturen aus Blut und Perikardpunktat, wahrscheinlich bedingt durch die Vorbehandlung mit Antibiotika, konnten wir mittels Breitspektrumpolymerasekettenreaktion aus dem Perikardpunktat und einem Latexagglutinationstest aus Pleurapunktat Meningokokken der SerogruppeC nachweisen. Eine Meningokokkenperikarditis ohne Meningitis ist selten. Diagnostische Methoden auf nicht-kultureller Basis spielen bei Patienten, die bereits mit Antibiotika vorbehandelt sind, eine wichtige Roll

Cemented Thompson versus cemented bipolar prostheses for femoral neck fractures

To compare early functional outcomes, complications, and mortality in elderly patients treated with the less costly, cemented Thompson prosthesis or the cemented bipolar prosthesis in order to identify factors affecting outcomes. Records of 303 patients with femoral neck fractures treated with the cemented Thompson monoblock prosthesis (n=206) or the cemented bipolar prosthesis (n=97) were reviewed. The choice of prosthesis was solely determined by surgeon's preference. Data relating to patient demographics, clinical and residential status, mobility, mental function, mortality, and complications during hospitalisation and rehabilitation were collected. After adjusting for confounding variables, independent postoperative indoor mobility was associated with preoperative indoor mobility (p=0.002) and mental function (p=0.001), whereas postoperative outdoor mobility was associated with preoperative outdoor mobility (p=0.003), daily living activity (p=0.02), and mental function (p=0.02). Mortality within 6 months was only associated with poor mental function (p=0.009). At 6-month follow-up, there was no significant difference between the 2 types of prosthesis in terms of functional outcomes, mortality and complication rates. In elderly patients with limited mobility, treatment with the bipolar prosthesis was not associated with better short-term outcomes than those receiving the Thompson prosthesis

Non-invasive nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging improves the diagnostic yield of invasive coronary angiography

Aims Several studies reported on the moderate diagnostic yield of elective invasive coronary angiography (ICA) regarding the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD), but limited data are available on how prior testing for ischaemia may contribute to improve the diagnostic yield in an every-day clinical setting. This study aimed to assess the value and use of cardiac myocardial perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (MPS) in patient selection prior to elective ICA. Methods and results The rate of MPS within 90 days prior to elective ICA was assessed and the non-invasive test results were correlated with the presence of obstructive CAD on ICA (defined as stenosis of ≥50% of a major epicardial coronary vessel). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of obstructive CAD. A total of 7530 consecutive patients were included. At catheterization, 3819 (50.7%) were diagnosed as having obstructive CAD. Patients with a positive result on MPS (performed in 23.5% of patients) were significantly more likely to have obstructive CAD as assessed by ICA than those who did not undergo non-invasive testing (74.4 vs. 45.6%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, a pathological MPS result was a strong, independent predictor for CAD findings among traditional risk factors and symptoms. Conclusion In an every-day clinical setting, the use of MPS substantially increases the diagnostic yield of elective ICA and provides incremental value over clinical risk factors and symptoms in predicting obstructive CAD, thus emphasizing its importance in the decision-making process leading to the use of diagnostic catheterizatio

Evaluating implicit feedback models using searcher simulations

In this article we describe an evaluation of relevance feedback (RF) algorithms using searcher simulations. Since these algorithms select additional terms for query modification based on inferences made from searcher interaction, not on relevance information searchers explicitly provide (as in traditional RF), we refer to them as implicit feedback models. We introduce six different models that base their decisions on the interactions of searchers and use different approaches to rank query modification terms. The aim of this article is to determine which of these models should be used to assist searchers in the systems we develop. To evaluate these models we used searcher simulations that afforded us more control over the experimental conditions than experiments with human subjects and allowed complex interaction to be modeled without the need for costly human experimentation. The simulation-based evaluation methodology measures how well the models learn the distribution of terms across relevant documents (i.e., learn what information is relevant) and how well they improve search effectiveness (i.e., create effective search queries). Our findings show that an implicit feedback model based on Jeffrey's rule of conditioning outperformed other models under investigation

Factors associated with rifampin resistance in staphylococcal periprosthetic joint infections (PJI): a matched case-control study

Purpose: Rifampin combination therapy plays an important role in the management of staphylococcal periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). However, the emergence of rifampin resistance is a feared complication. We retrospectively analysed predetermined potential risk factors in patients with rifampin-resistant staphylococcal PJI in a multicentre case-control study. Methods: Cases (n=48) were defined as PJI caused by rifampin-resistant staphylococci. Rifampin-susceptible controls (n=48) were matched for microorganism and type of prosthetic joint. Uni- and multivariable conditional logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Results: Forty-eight cases (31 men; median age 67years; age range 39-88years) with hip- (n=29), knee- (n=13), elbow- (n=4), shoulder- (n=1) or ankle-PJI (n=1) were enrolled in the study. Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated in ten and 38 episodes, respectively. Most of the cases (n=44, 92%) had a previous PJI, and 93 % (n=41) of these had been treated with rifampin. There was an independent association of emergence of rifampin resistance with male sex (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.2-11),≥3 previous surgical revisions (OR 4.7, 95% CI 1.6-14.2), PJI treatment with high initial bacterial load (inadequate surgical debridement, <2weeks of intravenous treatment of the combination medication; OR 4.9, 95% CI 1.6-15) and inadequate rifampin therapy (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.2-25). Conclusions: Based on our results, extensive surgical debridement and adequate antibiotic therapy are needed to prevent the emergence of rifampin resistanc