The dynamics of boron when amending agricultural soil of the Mediterranean basin with biosolids: trials in leaching columns.

There is mainly a lack of boron (B) in soils with low amounts of organic matter and in acidic and sandy soils. This is especially true in irrigated land or humid regions, where leaching can occur. The results from studying the amount of available B will reveal the status of B in the soil of a specific plot of land. The experimentation was performed as a controlled study using leaching columns. A container was placed at the end of the columns to collect the infiltrated water. Three treatments were performed by applying different amounts of biosolids (T40: 40,000 kg ha-1, T80: 80,000 kg ha-1, T120: 120,000 kg ha-1), as well as a blank test or control treatment (T0). We conclude that the mobility of B in soil was generally low despite the addition of organic matter and humidity to the soil. This is an indication that there is no clear risk of aquifers being contaminated with B or plants being impacted by toxicity due to this micronutrient.

Bioavailability, mobility and leaching of phosphorus in a Mediterranean agricultural soil (ne Spain) amended with different doses of biosolids.

The precipitation of sparingly soluble calcium phosphate in calcareous soils decreases the bioavailability of macronutrients, which makes their addition by way of fertilisers necessary. Sludge resulting from treating urban wastewater does not only provide significant amounts of phosphorus, but also helps lower the pH, thus increasing its bioavailability. The loss of part of soil nutrients due to irrigation or rain can contaminate groundwater. In order to assess the movement of phosphorus, a experiment was conducted on percolation columns, to which different doses of wastes were applied. The pH decreased by as much as 0.89 units, as well as the assimilable and soluble P, in intervals of 20 cm of depth, obtaining maximum values of 254 mg P kg-1 and 1455 µg P kg-1 respectively, and the P present in the leached water collected, which did not surpass 95 µg PL-1. The intent was to learn which was the majoritarian inorganic formed crystalline phase that immobilised the movement of phosphorus through the percolation column. The results obtained by the diffraction of X-rays are not conclusive, although they point to the formation of octacalcium phosphate. The diffractograms of the studied samples have similar diffraction lines to those of apatites.

Complex dynamics of a fiber laser in non-stationary pulsed operation.

Conventional mode locking is characterized by the generation of a stable train of optical pulses. Even in the noise-like pulsing regime of fiber lasers, sometimes described as partial mode locking, a periodic train of waveforms is still generated. In this work we study the dynamics of a figure-eight fiber laser away from the stable noise-like pulsing regime. By analyzing sequences of time-domain measurements performed with ns resolution, we reveal a wide range of puzzling dynamics, in which sub-structures emerge and drift away from the main bunch, decay or grow in a step-like manner, before vanishing abruptly. In some cases, sub-packets also concentrate in the central part of the period, forming one or multiple wide clouds that merge or split over time scales of seconds or minutes. Spontaneous transitions between these multiple states occur in a non-periodic manner, so that no quasi-stationary behavior is found over long time scales. These results provide a dramatic illustration of the extremely rich dynamics taking place in fiber lasers at the frontier of mode locking.

Quality control of leather by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.

We use terahertz time-domain spectroscopy, combined with effective-medium theory, to measure the moisture content and thickness of leather simultaneously. These results demonstrate that this method could become a standard quality control test for the industrial tanning process.

[Clinical implications of the genus Mycoplasma]. / Implicaciones clínicas de las especies del género Mycoplasma.

Within Mycoplasma genus, M. pneumoniae, M. genitalium, M. hominis or U. urealyticum are the main species that have been traditionally linked to infectious processes. However, there are many other species involved in these conditions and that are, frequently, unfamiliar to healthcare professionals. The aim of this review is to identify all Mycoplasma genus species that have been isolated in human beings and to determine their involvement in infectious pathology.

Antiviral, antifungal and antiprotozoal agents in the cinema.

Among the antimicrobial agents, antibacterials are the most frequently mentioned in cinematographic plots. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to come across other antiviral agents, especially antiretrovirals and antiprotozoals. We analyzed the presence of antiviral and antifungal agents in different commercial films, both when they were merely mentioned in passing and when they played a major role in the film. This review essentially aims to address the historical portrayal of these agents in film and to list their appearances. The fictional treatments that appear in some films are not addressed.

[Simulation of an outbreak of Acinetobacter baumannii in hospitals]. / Simulación de la propagación de un brote por Acinetobacter baumannii en entornos hospitalarios.

OBJECTIVE: Acinetobacter baumannii infections have increased over time becoming a significant issue. Consequently, those applications that allow to predict the evolution of an outbreak and the relevance of the different control methods, are very important. The design of mathematical models plays a central role in this topic. METHODS: Development of a deterministic mathematical model based on ordinary differential equations whose variables and parameters are defined upon the basis of knowledge of the epidemiology and characteristics of A. baumannii. This model is analyzed from a qualitative point of view and, also, its computational implementation is derived. RESULTS: Several simulations were obtained developed from different initial conditions. The qualitative analysis of these simulations provides formal evidence of most effective control measures. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of the computational model is an extremely useful tool in terms of managing A. baumannii outbreaks. There is mathematical proof of the fact that the observance of efficient hygiene and screening rules reduces the number of infected patients.

Antibacterial agents in the cinema.

Numerous procedures used as antibacterial therapy are present in many films and include strategies ranging from different antimicrobial drugs to surgery and supporting measures. Films also explore the correct use and misuse of antimicrobial agents. Side effects and other aspects related to antibacterial therapy have also been reflected in some films. This article refers to the presence of antibacterial agents in different popular movies. There are movies in which antibacterial agents form part of the central plot, while in others it is merely an important part of the plot. In still others, its presence is isolated, and in these it plays an ambient or anecdotal role.

The clinical microbiologist before the taxonomic changes in the genus Clostridium.

The various species included in the genus Clostridium are very heterogeneous, both from a phenotypic and a phylogenetic point of view. The advances in polyphasic taxonomy, particularly in phylogeny, are allowing to resolve this dysfunction reclassifying several species in other genres, although there is still work to be done. Changes in generic denominations are quite normal in taxonomy, but can turn into a problem when they affect species with strong clinical impact and that have been recognised for a long time, as in the case of some traditional Clostridium species. After knowing these changes clinical microbiologists, in whose work taxonomy is an essential tool, should evaluate what matters most, if the communication with other health professionals or the phylogeny, and think about the possibility of combining both things. This paper reviews some of the taxonomic changes that have took place in well-known Clostridium species that can be clinically interesting and evaluates, as far as possible, their significance in the scientific and medical communication.

Effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle training in treating urinary incontinence in women: A current review. / Efectividad del entrenamiento de la musculatura del suelo pélvico en el tratamiento de la incontinencia urinaria en la mujer: una revisión actual.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the content of various published studies related to physical exercise and its effects on urinary incontinence and to determine the effectiveness of pelvic floor training programmes. METHOD: We conducted a search in the databases of PubMed, CINAHL, the Cochrane Plus Library, The Cochrane Library, WOS and SPORTDiscus and a manual search in the Google Scholar metasearcher using the search descriptors for documents published in the last 10 years in Spanish or English. The documents needed to have an abstract or complete text on the treatment of urinary incontinence in female athletes and in women in general. RESULTS: We selected 3 full-text articles on treating urinary incontinence in female athletes and 6 full-text articles and 1 abstract on treating urinary incontinence in women in general. The 9 studies included in the review achieved positive results, i.e., there was improvement in the disease in all of the studies. CONCLUSIONS: Physical exercise, specifically pelvic floor muscle training programmes, has positive effects on urinary incontinence. This type of training has been shown to be an effective programme for treating urinary incontinence, especially stress urinary incontinence.

[Changes in the epidemiology of Clostridium difficile infection during 2005-2014 in Salamanca, Spain]. / Cambios en la epidemiología de la infección por Clostridium difficile durante 2005-2014 en Salamanca, España.

OBJECTIVE: To know the most relevant epidemiological features of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) between 2005- 2014 in the province of Salamanca (Spain). METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study carried out through review of the clinical microbiologic records at Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca. Detection was performed according to standard methodology. RESULTS: 2.6% of stool samples analyzed for detection of C. difficile toxins (9,103) were positive. The average prevalence was 6.8 cases per 100,000 people per year. The mean age was 65 ± 21.4 years and the median 70 years. 59% of cases occurred in patients over 64 years, with an average prevalence of 16.5 (4 times higher than the 15-64 group). Most cases (86.4%) occurred in hospitalized patients, and the group of over 64 had the highest percentage of hospital CDI, with 55%. CONCLUSIONS: A significant increase in the number of requests and in the prevalence of CDI over the decade studied is observed, and prevalence rates were significantly lower than those of other studies. The percentage of CDI increased significantly in both inpatient and community. Age and hospitaliza-tion were risk factors for developing CDI. After the introduc-ion of a molecular detection technique in 2014, the prevalence increased, being 2.5 times higher than 2013.

Antibiotic susceptibility profile of Xanthomonas maltophilia. In vitro activity of beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations.

The susceptibility of 42 strains of Xanthomonas (Pseudomonas) maltophilia to 37 antibiotics (mainly beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, and fluorinated quinolones) was tested. Xanthomonas maltophilia was resistant to most beta-lactams, with ceftazidime, moxalactam, and ICI-194008 being the most active ones. Aminoglycosides had a very modest activity, with quinolones showing only moderate activity against this species. Trimethoprim/sufamethoxazole was effective against all strains tested. We also tested the synergy of several beta-lactam/beta-lactamase inhibitors against X. maltophilia. Only aztreonam/clavulanic acid at 3:1, 1:1 and, mainly, 2:1 combinations had synergistic activity, decreasing the rate of resistance from 92.8% for aztreonam alone to 32.4% for aztreonam-clavulanic acid at 1:1 and 0% for aztreonam-clavulanic acid at 2:1.

Activity of BAY y 3118, a novel 4-quinolone, against Brucella melitensis.

We have tested the in-vitro activities of BAY y 3118, a new chlorofluoroquinolone, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, streptomycin, tetracycline and rifampin against 59 strains of Brucella melitensis. BAY y 3118 (MIC90 0.12 mg/L) was twice as active as sparfloxacin and tetracycline (MIC90 0.25 mg/L). The activity of ciprofloxacin, rifampin and streptomycin (MIC90 0.5, 2, and 8 mg/L, respectively) was, respectively, four-, sixteen-, and more than sixty-fold lower than that of BAY y 3118.

In vitro activity of BAY y 3118, and nine other antimicrobial agents against anaerobic bacteria.

The antibacterial activity of BAY y 3118, a new chlorofluoroquinolone, was determined against 257 strains of anaerobic bacteria and compared with the activities of ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, imipenem, cefoxitin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, metronidazole, and ornidazole. Overall, BAY y 3118 was the most active agent tested against the Bacteroides fragilis group. Its activity (MIC90, 0.5 mg/L) was 16-fold lower than that of sparfloxacin (MIC90, 8 mg/L), and more than 100-fold lower than that of ofloxacin (MIC90, 64 mg/L) and ciprofloxacin (MIC90, 128 mg/L) against the group. No strains belonging to this group were resistant to metronidazole (MICs range, 0.12-2 mg/L) and ornidazole (MICs range, 0.12-4 mg/L). BAY y 3118 was more active than those quinolones against Prevotella and Porphyromonas spp., Fusobacterium spp., Clostridium perfringens and C. difficile (MIC90, 0.12, 0.06, 0.12 and 0.25 mg/L, respectively). The activity of BAY y 3118 against Peptostreptococcus spp. (MIC90, 1 mg/L) was slightly lower than that of the other Gram-positive bacteria tested. In general, BAY y 3118 was more active than cefoxitin, and it was superior to antianaerobic chemical agents like metronidazole, ornidazole and clindamycin. Pharmacokinetic and clinical trials are required to define the role of BAY y 3118 in the treatment of anaerobic infections.

In-vitro activity of meropenem, a new carbapenem, against imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Xanthomonas maltophilia.

The activity of meropenem, a new carbapenem, as well as imipenem, ceftazidime, aztreonam, tobramycin, amikacin and ciprofloxacin against 18 strains of Xanthomonas maltophilia and 23 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistant to imipenem was tested. All strains of X. maltophilia were resistant to both penems. Ceftazidime, tobramycin and ciprofloxacin were the most active antimicrobial agents against this specie. 17% of imipenem-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa were sensitive to meropenem. Ciprofloxacin, amikacin and aztreonam were the most effective agents against these strains.

In vitro activity of meropenem against ciprofloxacin-resistant enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The in-vitro susceptibilities of a total of 174 ciprofloxacin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were determined. According to the BSAC and NCCLS breakpoints, meropenem, aztreonam, ceftibuten, ceftazidime, imipenem and cefotaxime were the most active (> 90%) antimicrobial agents tested against Enterobacteriaceae. Susceptibility of these strains to piperacillin/tazobactam, cefpodoxime and cefixime (84.96%) was higher than that to tobramycin, gentamicin and fosfomycin (50-75%). More than 90% of P. aeruginosa were susceptible to meropenem when both interpretative susceptibility breakpoint criteria were used. Piperacillin, piperacillin/tazobactam and ceftazidime were active against 50-75% of the same strains. Meropenem was the most active antimicrobial tested against all ciprofloxacin-resistant clinical isolates assayed.

[Prevalence of urinary infections in the community and their susceptibility to cefixime]. / Estudio de prevalencia de la infección urinaria en la comunidad y su sensibilidad a la cefixima.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the microorganisms causing uncomplicated acute urinary tract infections in the community and their susceptibility to cefixime and another six antimicrobials in frequent use in Spain. In 1998, we conducted an open, prospective study of 1,000 consecutive patients in five large provincial capitals who had positive urine culture, met the inclusion criteria, and were referred to the microbiology laboratory for urinalysis on an outpatient basis. The procedures for sample collection, transportation, laboratory techniques and the evaluation criteria were the same in all cases. The prevalence of the microorganisms found was similar to that published in the last few years by authors of various studies in Spain. Escherichia coli was the most frequently isolated bacteria (82.67% of the Gram-negative bacteria). The decrease in susceptibility of the isolates to the antimicrobials most empirically used was confirmed in these infections at the general practitioner's. Therefore, it is suggested that cefixime, an oral cephalosporin with the greatest activity against these microorganisms, is useful.

[An experimental model of bacterial translocation]. / Modelo experimental sobre translocación bacteriana.

The authors submit an experimental model for bacterial translocation (administering OF-1 mice Zymosan intra-peritoneally at a dose of 1 mg/kg weight). The existence is confirmed of this new mechanism of infection (0% of translocation in control groups, as against 80% in the trial group -p < 0.001). The bacteria in the translocated organs coincide with those present in the fecal flora of the experimental animal. This study is the point of departure for subsequent research to study the physiopathological mechanisms of the phenomenon, which will enable us subsequently to reach better preventive and/or therapeutic decisions.

[Effects of prone position, inhaled nitric oxide and surfactant in children with hypoxemic pulmonary disease]. / Efecto del óxido nítrico, la postura en prono y la administración de surfactante en niños con enfermedad pulmonar hipoxémica.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the therapeutic response to prone position, inhaled nitric oxide (NO) and surfactant in children with hypoxemic pulmonary disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied the effect of prone position, NO, and surfactant in critically ill children with acute hypoxemic pulmonary disease unresponsive to conventional therapy. We analyzed PaO2, SatO2, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio, oxygenation index and PaCO2 before and after each treatment, as well as the subsequent clinical course. An increase of more than 20 % in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was considered a positive response. RESULTS: Ninety treatments were administered in 56 patients: 55 patients were treated with NO, 18 with prone position and 17 with surfactant. All three treatments substantially improved oxygenation. The mean increase in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was 35 % with nitric oxide, 33 % with prone position and 50 % with surfactant. The mean decrease in oxygenation index was 22 % with nitric oxide, 24 % with prone position and 17 % with surfactant. Seventy-one percent of patients treated with NO, 61 % of patients treated with prone position, and 64 % of patients who received surfactant were responders. The three treatments produced a slight decrease in PaCO2 (2.5 mmHg with nitric oxide, 4.7 mmHg with prone position and 5.1 mmHg with surfactant). CONCLUSIONS: Inhaled NO, prone position and surfactant improve oxygenation in some children with hypoxic pulmonary disease.

[Clinicopathologic prognostic factors in laryngeal and pharyngolaryngeal tumors. I. Carcinoma of the pyriform sinus]. / Factores pronósticos clinicopatológicos en los tumores laríngeos y faringolaríngeos. I. Carcinoma del seno piriforme.

Prognostic factors of pyriform sinus carcinomas were studied in 122 patients. The 5-year determinate survival was 25.8%. Factors that implied a bad prognosis were an advanced local and nodal stage, and the degree of differentiation. At variance, alcohol and tobacco abuse, age, previous tracheostomy, involvement of surgical margins and local complications had not any prognostic significance.