Histoplasma capsulatum Infection in an Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patient Receiving Voriconazole Prophylaxis

Histoplasma capsulatum infection is a rare complication in the allogeneic stem cell transplant patients. Minimal guidance exists on how to appropriately manage histoplasmosis in these patients. We report a patient who developed Histoplasma pneumonia while receiving voriconazole prophylaxis at a therapeutic trough level. The patient experienced significant clinical improvement after initiation of itraconazole pharmacotherapy. We recommend a lower threshold for evaluation for histoplasmosis in allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients who live in endemic regions, regardless of their antifungal prophylactic regimen

Balancing the Inventors’ Interest Against the Public Interest: the Case of the Patent Law of Qatar

In compliance with its obligations under the World Trade Organisation, Qatar issued new laws on intellectual property. With the rapid development of the country’s economy, a patent regime has, undoubtedly, become a critical issue. This paper examines Qatari patent law (Law No. 30/2006). It goes on to argue that although the law contains some measures aimed at protecting the public interest, the law does not go far enough and appears to fall short of International aspirations.

Multi-dimensional Resistivity Models of the Shallow Coal Seams at the Opencast Mine 'Garzweiler I' (Northwest of Cologne) inferred from Radiomagnetotelluric, Transient Electromagnetic and Laboratory Data

The entire Cenozoic unconsolidated fill of the Lower Rhine Embayment in Germany hosts the largest single lignite, or brown coal, deposit in Europe which covers an area of some 2,500 km2 to the northwest of Cologne. Rhineland brown coal is mined in large-scale opencast mining and accounts for around one-quarter of the public electricity supply in Germany. The present study was devoted to carrying out radiomagnetotelluric (RMT) and transient electromagnetic (TEM) investigations over the shallow coal seams at the opencast mine 'Garzweiler I.' The main objectives of the survey were to highlight the applicability and efficiency of RMT and TEM methods in an area like brown coal exploration, and to image the vertical electrical resistivity structure of these coal seams. Therefore, the vertical and lateral resolution capabilities of such methods were as necessary as the ability to cover large areas. Consequently, a total of 86 azimuthal RMT and 33 in-loop TEM soundings were carried out along six separate profiles over two opencast benches at the 'Garzweiler I' mine. The local stratigraphy at the survey areas comprises a layer-cake sequence, from top to bottom, of Garzweiler, Frimmersdorf and Morken coal seams embedded in a sand background, consisting of Surface, Neurath, Frimmersdorf and Morken Sands. A considerable amount of clay and silt intervenes the whole succession. The data were interpreted extensively and consistently in terms of one-dimensional (1D) RMT and TEM resistivity models, without using any complex multi-dimensional interpretation. However, the presence of thin, surficial clay masses (or lenses) broke down such interpretation scheme. In this case, to greatly improve the resistivity resolution for these surficial masses and the underlying coal seams, two-dimensional (2D) RMT and three-dimensional (3D) TEM interpretations have been carried out. They could be used effectively to study the local EM distortion on the measured data, where these surficial masses were found, as well as to cross-check the nearby-topography effect. Because the RMT data are usually skin-depth limited, they only provided a resolution depth between 25 and 30 m for the shallow resistivity structures. Whereas, the TEM data still have sufficiently early- to late-time information, and therefore resulted in a better resolution depth of about 100 m for the shallow to sufficiently-deep resistivity structures. The final 1D/2D RMT and 1D/3D TEM resistivity models displayed a satisfied correlation with both thicknesses derived from the stratigraphic-control boreholes and resistivities measured from direct-current (DC) and spectral induced polarization (SIP) laboratory techniques on 16 rock samples. As demonstrated, the integrated use of azimuthal RMT and in-loop TEM soundings was highly successful and effective at mapping the major stratigraphic units at the survey areas, i.e. the shallowest conductive Garzweiler and Frimmersdorf Coals within their fairly resistive sand background. They could not distinguish between Neurath Sand and the underlying sand/silt or between Frimmersdorf Coal and the underlying organic clay. The deepest Morken Coal was beyond the depth-of-investigation of the present measurements. Finally, the resistivity models revealed that both coal seams gently dip in the southwesterly direction. This should be in fairly good agreement with the regional structural makeup of the Rhineland brown coal. However, they showed that Garzweiler Coal is gradually thinned northeastwards, while Frimmersdorf Coal still has almost a regular thickness

Efficiency of tree-based water status indicators at the onset of water deficit in citrus

5 páginas.-- 3 figuras.-- 5 tablas.-- 18 referenciasThis experiment evaluates the potential of using parameters based on tree trunk fluctuations for detecting water deficit in citrus trees under two different water saving-irrigation strategies: sustained deficit irrigation and partial root-zone drying. Three irrigation treatments were applied: 1) Control: trees were irrigated with 100% of their evapotranspirative needs (ETc); 2) 60 sustained deficit irrigation (SDI): 60% ETc; and 3) partial root-zone drying (PRD): 100% ETc needs, applied to only one-half of root zone. Maximum daily shrinkage (MDS), trunk growth rate (TGR), and MDS ratio (ratio between MDS of stressed trees and control trees) were determined. Day-to-day MDS values varied largely and could not be used to determine tree water deficit. TGR did not show significant differences among treatments at this level of stress. Nevertheless, the MDS ratio was a reliable indicator to measure tree water status, and it was more sensitive for detecting water deficit at the onset of a water deficit in trees under SDI than in trees under PRD.The authors thank the Consejo Superiorde Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) for funding the stay of S. Elsayed-Farag at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville Citrus Center and her JAE-predoc fellowship and Ayako Kusakabe, research associate at the Citrus Center, for her technical support.Peer reviewe

Kristalna struktura i optička svojstva sustava Bi-Sb-Te-Se

The quaternary systems of Bi-Sb-Te-Se were synthesized by direct fusion technique. Thin films of these compounds were prepared by thermal evaporation under vacuum of 10−4 Pa. The structural properties of these compounds in powder and thin film forms were investigated by X-ray diffraction. The optical constants (absorption coefficient and band gap) of the thin films were determined by measurements of IR absorbance in the region 2.5 – 10 µm. Analysis of the optical absorption spectra revealed the existence of two direct energy gaps.Sintetizirali smo sustave Bi-Sb-Te-Se sa četiri sastavnice izravnom metodom staljivanja. Tanke slojeve tih spojeva pripremali smo isparavanjem u vakuumu (na 10−4 Pa). Primjenom rendgenske difrakcije odredili smo strukturna svojstva praha i tankih slojeva tih spojeva. Optičke konstante tankih slojeva (koeficijent apsorpcije i procijep med–u vrpcama) odredili smo mjerenjem apsorpcije u području 2.5 – 10 µm. Analiza optičkih apsorpcijskih spektara pokazuje dva izravna procijepa

Utility of vest high frequency chest wall oscillation device versus flutter device in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background: Objectives to assess the effectiveness of high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) vest system and Flutter devices in the treatment of patients with AECOPD, and to compare the efficacy of HFCWO vest system versus Flutter devices.Methods: We conducted an interventional study on 108 out of 129 patients presented with AECOPD, recruited from two-university hospitals. They were classified into three groups, HFCWO group (n=37), Flutter group (n=35), and control group (n=36). The HFCWO group and Flutter group were treated with AECOPD medications in addition to either HFCWO or Flutter physiotherapy, three sessions per week, for four weeks, while control group was treated by medications only. All patients were evaluated before and after treatment by spirometry, ABG, CAT score, and the BODE index.Results: Post treatment assessment for both HFCWO and Flutter groups demonstrated that most of spirometric indices (FEV1%, FVC%, FEV1/FVC %), oxygenations parameters (PaO2, SaO2 %) and CAT score, were significantly improved (p 0.05).Conclusions: Both vest HFCWO and Flutter device are highly effective in treatment of patients with AECOPD in terms of improvement in ventilatory function and oxygenation parameters with better exercise tolerance

Kristalna struktura i optička svojstva sustava Bi-Sb-Te-Se

The quaternary systems of Bi-Sb-Te-Se were synthesized by direct fusion technique. Thin films of these compounds were prepared by thermal evaporation under vacuum of 10−4 Pa. The structural properties of these compounds in powder and thin film forms were investigated by X-ray diffraction. The optical constants (absorption coefficient and band gap) of the thin films were determined by measurements of IR absorbance in the region 2.5 – 10 µm. Analysis of the optical absorption spectra revealed the existence of two direct energy gaps.Sintetizirali smo sustave Bi-Sb-Te-Se sa četiri sastavnice izravnom metodom staljivanja. Tanke slojeve tih spojeva pripremali smo isparavanjem u vakuumu (na 10−4 Pa). Primjenom rendgenske difrakcije odredili smo strukturna svojstva praha i tankih slojeva tih spojeva. Optičke konstante tankih slojeva (koeficijent apsorpcije i procijep med–u vrpcama) odredili smo mjerenjem apsorpcije u području 2.5 – 10 µm. Analiza optičkih apsorpcijskih spektara pokazuje dva izravna procijepa