The use of digital tomosynthesis in rheumatology: a systematic review of the literature focused on four diseases. / Uso de la tomosíntesis digital en reumatología: revisión sistemática de la literatura en cuatro patologías.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Digital tomosynthesis has proven useful in the evaluation of damage to joints. This study aims to describe the most common digital tomosynthesis findings for four rheumatological entities and to compare the usefulness of this technique with that of other imaging techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following the PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched the literature for articles about the use of digital tomosynthesis in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondyloarthritis, and gout. We used the QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) criteria to evaluate the quality of the articles included. RESULTS: We included 13 articles. For rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and spondyloarthritis, digital tomosynthesis detected bone abnormalities better than plain-film X-rays; however, for gout, the results were variable. CONCLUSIONS: Digital tomosynthesis can play an important role in the evaluation of skeletal abnormalities in rheumatological disease, especially compared to plain-film X-rays.

Outbreak of infection by extended-spectrum beta-lactamase SHV-5-producing Serratia marcescens in a Mexican hospital.

Previous outbreaks caused by Serratia marcescens have been associated with contaminated medical equipment, intravenous fluids and inadequate hygiene. We carried out the molecular characterization of an outbreak produced by a cephalosporin-resistant S. marscescens that occurred in a Mexican hospital in August 1999. The lethality of this outbreak was 26%. Positive isolates were collected from 20 patients, one medical staff and three chlorhexidine disinfectant solutions. Results of PFGE, beta-lactamase patterns, sequencing of PCR amplifications, plasmid profiles, and mating experiments showed that the outbreak occurred by the dissemination of a S. marcescens SHV-5 producing strain. The adequate enforcement of procedures under the supervision of an infection control resulted in the abrupt end of the outbreak.

Characterization of an Aedes aegypti bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library and chromosomal assignment of BAC clones for physical mapping quantitative trait loci that influence Plasmodium susceptibility.

Previous studies have confirmed a genetic basis for susceptibility of mosquitoes to Plasmodium parasites. Here we describe our efforts to characterize a bacterial artificial chromosome genomic library for the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, and to identify BAC clones containing genetic markers that define quantitative trait loci (QTL) for Plasmodium gallinaceum susceptibility. This library (NDL) was prepared from the Ae. aegypti Liverpool strain and consists of 50 304 clones arrayed in 384-well microplates. We used PCR analysis with oligonucleotide primer pairs specific to 106 genetic markers (as sequence-tagged sites or STS) to screen the NDL library. Each STS identified between one and thirteen independent clones with an average of 3.3 clones. The average insert size was 122 kb and therefore the NDL library provides approximately 7.87-fold genome coverage. The availability of the NDL library should greatly facilitate physical mapping efforts, including positional cloning of QTL for traits of interest such as Plasmodium susceptibility and for whole genome sequence determination and assembly.