The burden of community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly: the Spanish EVAN-65 Study

BACKGROUND: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is generally considered a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. However, population-based data are very limited and its overall burden is unclear. This study assessed incidence and mortality from CAP among Spanish community-dwelling elderly. METHODS: Prospective cohort study that included 11,240 individuals aged 65 years or older, who were followed from January 2002 until April 2005. Primary endpoints were all-cause CAP (hospitalised and outpatient) and 30-day mortality after the diagnosis. All cases were radiographically proved and validated by checking clinical records. RESULTS: Incidence rate of overall CAP was 14 cases per 1,000 person-year (95% confidence interval: 12.7 to 15.3). Incidence increased dramatically by age (9.9 in people 65–74 years vs 29.4 in people 85 years or older), and it was almost double in men than in women (19.3 vs 10.1). Hospitalisation rate was 75.1%, with a mean length-stay of 10.4 days. Overall 30-days case-fatality rate was 13% (15% in hospitalised and 2% in outpatient cases). CONCLUSION: CAP remains as a major health problem in older adults. Incidence rates in this study are comparable with rates described in Northern Europe and America, but they largely doubled prior rates reported in other Southern European regions

Pest categorisation of naturally‐spreading psorosis

The EFSA Panelon Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of naturally-spreading psorosis of citrus for the European Union. Naturally-spreading psorosis is poorly defined, because the status of both the disease and its causal agent(s) is uncertain. However, Citrus psorosis virus (CPsV) is a well- characterised Ophiovirus that is systematically associated with the psorosis disease and therefore considered to be its causal agent. Efficient diagnostics are available for CPsV. It is present in at least three EU MS. Naturally-spreading psorosis is currently regulated by Directive 2000/29/EC, while CPsV is not explicitly mentioned in this Directive. CPsV has the potential to enter, establish and spread in the EU territory. However, the main pathway for entry is closed by the existing legislation so that entry is only possible through minor alternative pathways. Plants for planting are the major means of spread while there are uncertainties on the existence and efficiency of a natural spread mechanism. CPsV introduction and spread in the EU would have negative consequences on the EU citrus industry. Of the criteria evaluated by EFSA to qualify as a Union quarantine pest or as a Union regulated non-quarantine pest (RNQP), Naturally-spreading psorosis does not meet the criterion of being a well characterised pest or disease. As it is not explicitly mentioned in the legislation, it is unclear whether CPsV meets the criterion of being currently regulated or under official control. It meets, however, all the RNQP criteria. The key uncertainties of this categorisation concern: (1) the causal role of CPsV in the psorosis disease as well as elements of its biology and epidemiology, (2) the exact nature of the Naturally-spreading psorosis syndrome and the identity of its causal agent and, consequently, (3) whether CPsV should be considered as being covered by the current legislation

Pest categorisation of ‘Blight and blight-like’ diseases of citrus

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of ‘ Blight and blight-like ’ for the EU territory. Blight is a major disease of citrus. Similar ‘ blight-like ’ diseases are also known (e.g. declinio, declinamiento) and are addressed simultaneously with Blight in the present categorisation. The causal agent(s) remain(s) unknown and the potential role of a recently identi fi ed citrus endogenous pararetrovirus (Citrus Blight-associated pararetrovirus, CBaPRV) remains to be established. Transmissibility and ability to produce consistent (although poorly speci fi c) symptoms have been demonstrated and a combination of indirect approaches is used, with limits, for diagnosis. There are large uncertainties on the biology of the causal agent(s) and on the epidemiology of the disease, including the transmission mechanism(s) responsible for the observed fi eld spread. Blight has been reported from North, Central and South America, Africa and Oceania but is not known to occur in the EU. It is listed in Annex IIA of Directive 2000/29EC. It has the potential to enter, establish and spread in the EU territory. The main entry pathway (citrus plants for planting) is closed by existing legislation and entry is only possible on minor pathways (such as illegal import). Blight is a severe disease and a negative impact is expected should it be introduced in the EU, but the magnitude of this negative impact is very dif fi cult to estimate. ‘ Blight and blight like ’ satis fi es all criteria evaluated by EFSA to qualify as a Union quarantine pest. It does not meet the criterion of being present in the EU to qualify as a Union regulated non-quarantine pest (RNQP). Since the identity of the causal agent(s) of the Blight and blight-like disease(s) and the existence and ef fi ciency of natural spread mechanism(s) remain unknown, large uncertainties affect all aspects of the present pest categorisation

Pest categorisation of Citrus leprosis viruses

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of the Citrus leprosis viruses for theEU territory and identifiedfive distinct viruses,Citrus leprosis virus C(CiLV-C),Citrus leprosis virus C2(CiLV-C2),Hibiscus green spot virus 2(HGSV-2), the Citrus strain ofOrchidfleck virus(OFV) andCitrusleprosis virus N sensu novo(CiLV-N) as causing this severe disease, most significantly in sweet orangeand mandarin. These viruses have in common that they do not cause systemic infections in their hostsand that they all are transmitted byBrevipalpusspp. mites (likely but not confirmed for HGSV-2). Mitesrepresent the most important means of virus spread, while plants for planting of Citrus are onlyconsidered of minor significance. These well characterised viruses occur in South and Central America.Leprosis is currently regulated in directive 2000/29 EC and, together with its associated viruses, hasnever been recorded in the EU. Allfive viruses have the potential to enter into, establish in and spreadwithin the EU territory, with plants for planting of non-regulated hosts, fruits of Citrus and hitch-hikingof viruliferous mites identified as the most significant pathways. Given the severity of the leprosisdisease, the introduction and spread of the various viruses would have negative consequences on theEU citrus industry, the magnitude of which is difficult to evaluate given the uncertainties affecting theBrevipalpusspp. vectors (identity, distribution, density, transmission specificity and efficiency). Overall,leprosis and itsfive associated viruses meet all the criteria evaluated by EFSA to qualify as Unionquarantine pests, but do not fulfil those of being present in the EU or of plants for planting being themain spread mechanism to qualify as Union regulated non-quarantine pests. The main uncertaintiesaffecting this categorisation concern theBrevipalpusspp. mite vectors

Clinical effectiveness of pneumococcal vaccination against acute myocardial infarction and stroke in people over 60 years: the CAPAMIS study, one-year follow-up

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Conflicting results have been recently reported evaluating the relationship between pneumococcal vaccination and the risk of thrombotic vascular events. This study assessed the clinical effectiveness of the 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine (PPV23) against acute myocardial infarction and ischaemic stroke in older adults.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Population-based prospective cohort study conducted from December 1, 2008 until November 30, 2009, including all individuals ≥ 60 years-old assigned to nine Primary Care Centres in Tarragona, Spain (N = 27,204 individuals). Primary outcomes were hospitalisation for acute myocardial infarction and/or ischaemic stroke. All cases were validated by checking clinical records. The association between pneumococcal vaccination and the risk of each outcome was evaluated by Multivariable Cox proportional-hazard models (adjusted by age, sex, influenza vaccine status, presence of comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cohort members were followed for a total of 26,444 person-years, of which 34% were for vaccinated subjects. Overall incidence rates (per 1000 person-years) were 4.9 for myocardial infarction and 4.6 for ischaemic stroke. In the multivariable analysis, vaccination was associated with a marginally significant 35% lower risk of stroke (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.42-0.99; <it>p </it>= 0.046). We found no evidence for an association between pneumococcal vaccination and reduced risk of myocardial infarction (HR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.56-1.22; <it>p </it>= 0.347).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our data supports a benefit of PPV23 against ischaemic stroke among the general population over 60 years, suggesting a possible protective role of pneumococcal vaccination against some acute thrombotic events.</p

Measurement of differential cross sections for Higgs boson production in the diphoton decay channel in pp collisions at √s = 8 TeV

Artículo escrito por un elevado número de autores, solo se referencian el que aparece en primer lugar, el nombre del grupo de colaboración, si le hubiere, y los autores pertenecientes a la UAMA measurement is presented of differential cross sections for Higgs boson (H) production in pp collisions at √s = 8TeV. The analysis exploits the H→γγ decay in data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.7fb-1 collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC. The cross section is measured as a function of the kinematic properties of the diphoton system and of the associated jets. Results corrected for detector effects are compared with predictions at next-to-leading order and next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative quantum chromodynamics, as well as with predictions beyond the standard model. For isolated photons with pseudorapidities |η|1/3 and >1/4, the total fiducial cross section is 32±10fbWe acknowledge the enduring support for the construction and operation of the LHC and the CMS detector provided by the following funding agencies: the Austrian Federal Ministry of Science, Research and Economy and the Austrian Science Fund; the Belgian Fonds de la Recherche Scientifique, and Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek; the Brazilian Funding Agencies (CNPq, CAPES, FAPERJ, and FAPESP); the Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science; CERN; the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, and National Natural Science Foundation of China; the Colombian Funding Agency (COLCIENCIAS); the Croatian Ministry of Science, Education and Sport, and the Croatian Science Foundation; the Research Promotion Foundation, Cyprus; the Ministry of Education and Research, Estonian Research Council via IUT23-4 and IUT23- 6 and European Regional Development Fund, Estonia; the Academy of Finland, Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, and Helsinki Institute of Physics; the Institut National de Physique Nucléaire et de Physique des Particules/CNRS, and Commissariat à l’Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives/CEA, France; the Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft Deutscher Forschungszentren, Germany; the General Secretariat for Research and Technology, Greece; the National Scientific Research Foundation, and National Innovation Office, Hungary; the Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology, India; the Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics, Iran; the Science Foundation, Ireland; the Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Italy; the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and National Research Foundation (NRF), Republic of Korea; the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences; the Ministry of Education, and University of Malaya (Malaysia); the Mexican Funding Agencies (CINVESTAV, CONACYT, SEP, and UASLP-FAI); the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, New Zealand; the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission; the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and the National Science Centre, Poland; the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal; JINR, Dubna; the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Federal Agency of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation, Russian Academy of Sciences, and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research; the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia; the Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación and Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010, Spain; the Swiss Funding Agencies (ETH Board, ETH Zurich, PSI, SNF, UniZH, Canton Zurich, and SER); the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taipei; the Thailand Center of Excellence in Physics, the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology of Thailand, Special Task Force for Activating Research and the National Science and Technology Development Agency of Thailand; the Scientific and Technical Research Council of Turkey, and Turkish Atomic Energy Authority; the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and State Fund for Fundamental Researches, Ukraine; the Science and Technology Facilities Council, UK; the US Department of Energy, and the US National Science Foundation. Individuals have received support from the Marie-Curie program and the European Research Council and EPLANET(European Union); the Leventis Foundation; the A. P. Sloan Foundation; the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; the Belgian Federal Science Policy Office; the Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l’Industrie et dans l’Agriculture (FRIA-Belgium); the Agentschap voor Innovatie door Wetenschap en Technologie (IWT-Belgium); the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) of the Czech Republic; the Council of Science and Industrial Research, India; the HOMING PLUS program of the Foun-dation for Polish Science, cofinanced from European Union, Regional Development Fund; the OPUS program of the National Science Center (Poland); the Compagnia di San Paolo (Torino); the Consorzio per la Fisica (Trieste); MIUR project 20108T4XTM (Italy); the Thalis and Aristeia programs cofinanced by EU-ESF and the Greek NSRF; the National PrioritiesResearch Program by QatarNationalResearch Fund; the Rachadapisek Sompot Fund for Postdoctoral Fellowship, Chulalongkorn University (Thailand); and the Welch Foundation, contract C-184

Searches for supersymmetry using the M-T2 variable in hadronic events produced in pp collisions at 8 TeV

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