Presence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) antigens detected by sensitive methods has no influence on local immune environment in diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

EBV+ diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) not otherwise specified (NOS) is a new entity confirmed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2017. In this new entity, the virus may contribute to a tolerogenic microenvironment. Traces of the virus have been described in DLBCL with more sensitive methods, in cases that were originally diagnosed as negative. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of immune response genes in the tumor microenvironment to disclose the role of the virus and its traces in DLBCL. In 48 DLBCL cases, the expression of immune response genes and the presence of molecules that induce tolerance, such as TIM3, LAG3 and PDL1 by immunohistochemistry (IHC), were studied. To broaden the study of the microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages (TMAs) were also explored. No significant differences were observed in the expression of immune response genes in the EBV+ DLBCL and those cases that were EBV- DLBCL but that exhibited viral traces, assessed by ViewRNA assay. Only the EBV+ DLBCL cases displayed a significantly higher increase in the expression of CD8 and cytotoxic T cells detected by gene expression analysis, and of PDL1 in tumor cells and in the expression of CD68 in the tumor microenvironment detected by IHC, not observed in those cases with viral traces. The increase in CD8 and cytotoxic T cells, PDL1 and CD68 markers only in EBV+ DLBCL may indicate that traces of viral infection might not have influence in immune response markers.

Fate of Boltzmann's Breathers: Stokes Hypothesis and Anomalous Thermalization.

Boltzmann showed that in spite of momentum and energy redistribution through collisions, a rarefied gas confined in a isotropic harmonic trapping potential does not reach equilibrium; it evolves instead into a breathing mode where density, velocity, and temperature oscillate. This counterintuitive prediction is upheld by cold atoms experiments. Yet, are the breathers eternal solutions of the dynamics even in an idealized and isolated system? We show by a combination of hydrodynamic arguments and molecular dynamics simulations that an original dissipative mechanism is at work, where the minute and often neglected bulk viscosity eventually thermalizes the system, which thus reaches equilibrium.

Hydroxytyrosol, a Promising Supplement in the Management of Human Stroke: An Exploratory Study.

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is a bioactive olive oil phenol with beneficial effects in a number of pathological situations. We have previously demonstrated that an HT-enriched diet could serve as a beneficial therapeutic approach to attenuate ischemic-stroke-associated damage in mice. Our exploratory pilot study examined this effect in humans. Particularly, a nutritional supplement containing 15 mg of HT/day was administered to patients 24 h after the onset of stroke, for 45 days. Biochemical and oxidative-stress-related parameters, blood pressure levels, serum proteome, and neurological and functional outcomes were evaluated at 45 and 90 days and compared to a control group. The main findings were that the daily administration of HT after stroke could: (i) favor the decrease in the percentage of glycated hemoglobin and diastolic blood pressure, (ii) control the increase in nitric oxide and exert a plausible protective effect in oxidative stress, (iii) modulate the evolution of the serum proteome and, particularly, the expression of apolipoproteins, and (iv) be beneficial for certain neurological and functional outcomes. Although a larger trial is necessary, this study suggests that HT could be a beneficial nutritional complement in the management of human stroke.

Need of nutritional assessment and monitoring in a population with acquired brain injury: an analytical cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with acquired brain injury (ABI) may be at an increased risk of malnutrition due to the pathophysiology of their condition, which can affect their anthropometrical profile and therefore their quality of life. The present study analyzes the anthropometrical profile of these individuals, describes their dietary habits and nutrients intake and identifies the related risk factors influencing health status and quality of life. METHODS: Twenty-three volunteers with ABI from the province of Granada (Spain) were recruited for this cross-sectional study. Nutritional assessment was quantitatively and qualitatively performed using a 72-h dietary record and a food frequency questionnaire, respectively. Body composition parameters were evaluated by bioelectrical impedance. RESULTS: Low intakes of minerals related to bone health, extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and fruits were reported. Moreover, women presented a poorer anthropometrical profile compared to men. With reference to age, a significant inverse correlation was observed with sarcopenic obesity, appendicular muscle mass index and Vitamin B6 intake [(r = -0.617, p < 0.01), (r = -0.475, p < 0.05) and (r = -0.498, p < 0.05), respectively]. Intake of EVOO was inversely correlated to body mass index (r = -0.767, p < 0.001). Lastly, a direct correlation was observed between the consumption of alcohol and sweets and snacks (r = 0.608, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The main findings support the existence of poor dietary quality and anthropometrical profile. Interdisciplinary team assessment would be beneficial to enhance the quality of life and attenuate the development of comorbidities in subjects with ABI.

Phosphate-Arsenic Interactions in Halophilic Microorganisms of the Microbial Mat from Laguna Tebenquiche: from the Microenvironment to the Genomes.

Arsenic (As) is a metalloid present in the earth's crust and widely distributed in the environment. Due to its high concentrations in the Andean valleys and its chemical similarity with phosphorus (P), its biological role in Andean Microbial Ecosystems (AMEs) has begun to be studied. The AMEs are home to extremophilic microbial communities that form microbial mats, evaporites, and microbialites inhabiting Andean lakes, puquios, or salt flats. In this work, we characterize the biological role of As and the effect of phosphate in AMEs from the Laguna Tebenquiche (Atacama Desert, Chile). Using micro X-ray fluorescence, the distribution of As in microbial mat samples was mapped. Taxonomic and inferred functional profiles were obtained from enriched cultures of microbial mats incubated under As stress and different phosphate conditions. Additionally, representative microorganisms highly resistant to As and able to grow under low phosphate concentration were isolated and studied physiologically. Finally, the genomes of the isolated Salicola sp. and Halorubrum sp. were sequenced to analyze genes related to both phosphate metabolism and As resistance. The results revealed As as a key component of the microbial mat ecosystem: (i) As was distributed across all sections of the microbial mat and represented a significant weight percentage of the mat (0.17 %) in comparison with P (0.40%); (ii) Low phosphate concentration drastically changed the microbial community in microbial mat samples incubated under high salinity and high As concentrations; (iii) Archaea and Bacteria isolated from the microbial mat were highly resistant to arsenate (up to 500 mM), even under low phosphate concentration; (iv) The genomes of the two isolates were predicted to contain key genes in As metabolism (aioAB and arsC/acr3) and the genes predicted to encode the phosphate-specific transport operon (pstSCAB-phoU) are next to the arsC gene, suggesting a functional relationship between these two elements.

Cusp of Non-Gaussian Density of Particles for a Diffusing Diffusivity Model.

We study a two state "jumping diffusivity" model for a Brownian process alternating between two different diffusion constants, D+>D-, with random waiting times in both states whose distribution is rather general. In the limit of long measurement times, Gaussian behavior with an effective diffusion coefficient is recovered. We show that, for equilibrium initial conditions and when the limit of the diffusion coefficient D-⟶0 is taken, the short time behavior leads to a cusp, namely a non-analytical behavior, in the distribution of the displacements P(x,t) for x⟶0. Visually this cusp, or tent-like shape, resembles similar behavior found in many experiments of diffusing particles in disordered environments, such as glassy systems and intracellular media. This general result depends only on the existence of finite mean values of the waiting times at the different states of the model. Gaussian statistics in the long time limit is achieved due to ergodicity and convergence of the distribution of the temporal occupation fraction in state D+ to a δ-function. The short time behavior of the same quantity converges to a uniform distribution, which leads to the non-analyticity in P(x,t). We demonstrate how super-statistical framework is a zeroth order short time expansion of P(x,t), in the number of transitions, that does not yield the cusp like shape. The latter, considered as the key feature of experiments in the field, is found with the first correction in perturbation theory.

[Pedestrian head injury biomechanics and damage mechanism. Pedestrian protection automotive regulation assessment]. / Biomecánica y mecanismo de producción del traumatismo cráneo-encefálico en el peatón atropellado. Evaluación de la normativa actual en la automoción.

INTRODUCTION: Pedestrian-vehicle collisions are a leading cause of death among motor vehicle accidents. Recently, pedestrian injury research has been increased, mostly due to the implementation of European and Japanese regulations. This research presents an analysis of the main head injury vehicle sources and injury mechanisms observed in the field, posteriorly the data are compared with the current pedestrian regulations. METHODS: The analysis has been performed through an epidemiologic transversal and descriptive study, using the Pedestrian Crash Data Study (PCDS) involving 552 pedestrians, sustaining a total of 4.500 documented injuries. RESULTS: According to this research, the hood surface is responsible for only 15,1% of all the head injuries. On the other hand, the windshield glazing is responsible for 41,8%. In case of sedan vehicles the head impact location exceeds what is expected in the current regulation, and therefore no countermeasures are applied. From all the head injuries sustained by the pedestrians just 20% have the linear acceleration as isolated injury mechanism, 40% of the injuries are due to rotational acceleration. CONCLUSIONS: In this research, the importance of the rotational acceleration as injury mechanism, in case of pedestrian-vehicle collision is highlighted. In the current pedestrian regulation just the linear acceleration is addressed in the main injury criteria used for head injury prediction.

Long-term results with biosynthetic absorbable P4HB mesh in ventral abdominal wall repair: a multicentre analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this multicentre study was to analyse the outcomes of biosynthetic absorbable poly-4-hydroxybutyrate (P4HB) prosthesis implantation in patients undergoing ventral hernia repair (VHR) in the context of different degrees of contamination. METHODS: From May 2016 to December 2021, a multicentre retrospective analysis of patients who underwent elective or urgent hernia repair with P4HB prosthesis was performed in seven hospitals in Spain and Portugal. Patients with a postoperative follow-up of less than 20 months and those within the theoretical period of prosthesis resorption were excluded from the study. Regarding the degree of contamination, patients were assessed according to the modified Ventral Hernia Working Group (VHWG) classification. Epidemiological data, hernia characteristics, surgical and postoperative variables (Clavien-Dindo classification) of these patients were analyzed. Risk factors related to long-term recurrence were studied by a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: In 236 cases of P4HB prosthesis implantation, repair in cases of Grade 3 was the most frequent (49.1%), followed by Grade 2 in 42.3% of cases and Grade 1 in 8.4%. The most frequent complications were Grade 1, with the majority occurring during the first year. The overall rate of surgical site occurrences (SSO) was 30%. The hernia recurrence rate was 14.4% (n = 34), with a mean postoperative follow-up time of 41 months (22-61). The multivariate analysis showed that the onlay location of the mesh (OR 1.07; CI 1.42-2.70, p = 0.004) was a significant independent risk factor for recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a P4HB bioresorbable mesh for the VHR with different degrees of contamination leads to favourable results overall, with an acceptable rate of hernia recurrence. The onlay location of the P4HB prosthesis is the main factor in recurrence in both elective and emergency settings.

A comparative study of culture methods and PCR assay for Salmonella detection in poultry drinking water.

The present work compared 2 culture methods and PCR assays for motile and nonmotile Salmonella detection using artificially contaminated poultry drinking water. The specificity was 1 for all methods studied. The accuracy and sensitivity were 1 for all motile strains, whereas these parameters were between 0 and 0.7 for nonmotile Salmonella strains. The positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 1 for all motile Salmonella strains in the 3 methods used. Nonmotile Salmonella strains showed a positive predictive value of 1 in the PCR method. However, the positive predictive value was indeterminate in the tetrathionate (TT) methods for both strains tested and in the modified semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis (MSRV) method for Salmonella Pullorum. On the other hand, the negative predictive value was between 0.20 and 0.43 for the 3 methods. The detection level of motile strains was 4 to 7 cfu/25 mL for all methods. Nonmotile Salmonella strains could not be detected in the TT method, whereas only Salmonella Gallinarum could be recovered from 1.1 × 10(1) cfu/25 mL in the MSRV method. In relation to the molecular methods, PCR could detect these strains from 1.1 × 10(4) cfu/25 mL. Extending incubation time of the enrichment medium to 6 d in the TT method did not improve the isolation rates. In general, all selective plating media did not show any statistical differences in the parameters of performance studied. The kappa coefficient showed that there was an excellent agreement between the 3 methods for motile strains. For nonmotile strains, the agreement was poor between the MSRV and the PCR; there was no agreement when the TT method was compared with the MSRV and the PCR methods. The difference in detection levels obtained with the methods used for motile and nonmotile Salmonella strains and the difficulty in detecting these last strains represents a potential problem when a poultry water sample is considered negative for the presence of Salmonella.

Comparison of 3 culture methods and PCR assays for Salmonella gallinarum and Salmonella pullorum detection in poultry feed.

To detect Salmonella gallinarum or Salmonella pullorum in artificially contaminated poultry feed, 9 culture combinations were compared, including 3 preenrichment/enrichment methods (tryptic soy broth plus ferrous sulfate/tetrathionate Hajna, tryptic soy broth plus ferrous sulfate/selenite cystine broth, and Salmosyst) in combination with 3 selective agars (xylose lysine desoxicholate agar added with tergitol 4, EF-18, and Önöz), respectively. Additionally, a single PCR technique was applied combined with 2 different preenrichment media (tryptic soy broth plus ferrous sulfate and Salmosyst). The specificity and positive predictive value were 1 for all methods. There were some differences among Salmonella strains for sensitivity and accuracy in the culture and Salmosyst-PCR methods. The sensitivity and accuracy values were less than 0.60 and 0.64, respectively, whereas the negative predictive values were between 0.12 and 0.23. Two PCR methods did not show any difference in the parameters of performance evaluated. Kappa coefficients showed good agreement between both methods. None of the culture combinations was able to detect S. gallinarum or S. pullorum when the inoculum was less than 3 × 10² cfu/25 g, except the Salmosyst broth method, which could recover S. gallinarum from 3 × 10¹ cfu/25 g onward. Overall, there were differences in the detection limits among the strains and methods used. In general, the 3 selective plating media did not show any significant difference in the parameters of performance studied for each strain. On the other hand, the agreements were slight to fair when culture methods were compared among them and with both PCR methods. The differences in the detection levels that were obtained using these methods and the difficulty in detecting S. gallinarum or S. pullorum in feed represent a potential problem when a poultry feed sample is considered to be negative. It is highly recommended to use at least 2 methods to increase the chances of detecting S. gallinarum or S. pullorum in poultry feed.

[Systemic sarcoidosis and achalasia. Apropos of a case]. / Sarcoidosis sistémica y acalasia. A propósito de un caso.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease that only exceptionally affects the gastrointestinal tract. We report the case of a man with systemic sarcoidosis who developed achalasia revealed by esophageal manometry, barium radiographs and echoendoscopy. No response was obtained with steroid therapy, and finally laparoscopic cardiomyotomy was performed with excellent results.

Development and Implementation of an Enhanced Recovery Protocol for Bariatric Patients in a Third World Environment.

Introduction: An applicable and reproducible enhanced recovery protocol was developed and implemented to improve our outcomes in a third-world environment. Methods: We compared the results obtained prospectively. The group treated before the application of the enhanced recovery protocol was called usual care (UC) and included all bariatric surgeries operated on between 2014 and 2017. The new protocol was applied between 2017 and 2019 including all operated patients, and this group was called Fast Track (FT). The variables analyzed were the length of stay, readmissions, and complications recorded during the first 30 days. We also analyzed the milligrams of morphine used by each patient, and a cost analysis was performed. Results: During the study period, 816 patients were studied. Of these, 385 (47.2%) belonged to the UC group and 431 (52.8%) to the FT group. The mean hospital stay was 58.5 hours (UC) versus 40.3 hours (FT) (P = .0001). When comparing the global morbidity of both groups, we did not find significant differences (P = .47). There was also no statistically significant difference when comparing major complications (P = .79). No mortality was recorded. Morphine indication reported a statistically significant difference that favored FT. Costs were significantly higher in UC than in FT (P < .0001). Conclusions: We believe that the implementation of an enhanced recovery protocol in bariatric surgery is a reliable measure and can be implemented even in an underdevelopment environment enlarging the benefit for patients.

Preaponeurotic endoscopic repair (REPA) indication in men could be controversial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the outcomes of REPA and establish if any differences in complications and evolution are present between males and females. METHODS: A retrospective study including consecutive patients operated by REPA approach between November 2017 and April 2019 was conducted. Demographic data, operative times, postoperative complications, and hospital stay were analyzed. The EuraHS-QoL score was used to assess postoperative pain, daily activity constraints, and aesthetic discomfort. The results were compared between sexes. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 19. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were included and 53.7% were male. Patients had a mean age of 50.7 years and a mean BMI of 28.7. The average RAD (Rectus Abdominis Diastasis) size was 2.6 cm (range of 2-5 cm). Seroma was significantly more frequent in males, with an incidence of 55.2 and 24% for females (p = 0.02). Three cases required reintervention (5.5% of total cases), which corresponded to a cystic seroma, an abdominal wall hematoma, and a hernia recurrence. The three cases were males and a p value of 0.04 was obtained when comparing reintervention rates between males and females. No cases of surgical wound infection nor cutaneous necrosis were recorded. No conversions were needed. The mean postoperative pain was 2.25, the mean daily activity constraints score was 2.63, and the degree of aesthetic discomfort was 1.23 with no significant differences between groups. CONCLUSION: The correction of small midline defect associated with minor RAD using REPA seems feasible and reproducible. REPA had achieved good results in females, but in males, the outcomes were poorer.

Comparison of 2 culture methods and PCR assays for Salmonella detection in poultry feces.

The present work compared 2 culture methods and the combinations of pre-enrichment and enrichment culture methods with PCR assays [buffered peptone water-PCR and tetrathionate-PCR or modified semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis (MSRV)-PCR] for motile and nonmotile Salmonella strain detection using artificially contaminated poultry feces. The specificity and positive predictive values were equal to one in both culture methods. Specificity and positive predictive values, accuracy, sensitivity, and negative predictive values were higher for motile than nonmotile Salmonella strains in culture methods. Only Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum was detected by the MSRV method with low accuracy, sensitivity, and negative predictive value. The detection level of motile strains was 2 ×10(0) to 22 × 10(2) cfu per 25 g for these methods, whereas it was 6.9 × 10(2) cfu per 25 g in culture methods for Salmonella Gallinarum. Extending the incubation time of the enrichment medium to 6 d in the TT method did not improve the isolation rates. In general, all selective plating media did not show any statistical differences in the parameters of performance studied. On the other hand, accuracy and sensitivity values were higher in MSRV-PCR and tetrathionate-PCR methods than in the buffered peptone water-PCR method. Specificity and positive predictive values were equal to one in most of the cases. In terms of detection limits, motile Salmonella strains were recovered from 5 × 10(0) cfu per 25 g in MSRV-PCR and tetrathionate-PCR methods, whereas the detection limit was better for nonmotile Salmonella in MSRV-PCR methods than in the tetrathionate-PCR method. Kappa coefficients showed that there was a very good agreement between tetrathionate and MSRV methods for motile Salmonella strains, whereas these methods did not show any concordance for nonmotile Salmonella strains. When buffered peptone water-PCR was compared with both tetrathionate-PCR and MSRV-PCR, agreement was poor for motile Salmonella strains and slight to fair for nonmotile Salmonella strains. The difference in isolation rate obtained with the methods used for motile and nonmotile Salmonella strains must be taken into account when a poultry fecal sample is considered negative for the presence of Salmonella.

A comparative study of culture methods and polymerase chain reaction for Salmonella detection in egg content.

The present work compared 2 culture methods and a PCR assay applied with 2 enrichment methods for the detection of motile and nonmotile Salmonella strains using artificially contaminated egg content. The specificity (Sp) was 1 in all methods. The sensitivity (Se), accuracy (Ac), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were 1 in both culture methods for motile and nonmotile strains. In reference to the PCR methods, Se and PPV were between 0 and 1, whereas Ac and NPV were between 0.14 and 1. The detection level of motile and nonmotile strains was 5 to 54 cfu per 25 mL for both culture methods, but some strains could not be detected by the PCR methods. Extending incubation time of the enrichment medium to 5 d in the tetrathionate broth (TT), and Muller-Kauffmann tetrathionate-novobiocin broth (MKTTn) methods did not improve the isolation rates. All selective plating media did not show any statistical differences in the parameters of performance studied. Kappa coefficients showed that there was an excellent agreement between the bacteriological methods for all Salmonella strains. The agreement was very good and good between the PCR methods, for motile and nonmotile strains, respectively. However, there was a poor agreement when the PCR and bacteriological methods were compared for motile and nonmotile Salmonella strains. The TT and MKTTn methods are similar in terms of Ac, Se, Sp, PPV, and NPV for different Salmonella strains in egg content. The use of the PCR method cannot improve the same parameters, described before, in this matrix. So, further studies are needed to improve the performance parameters and limit of detection in egg content for the PCR methods, so that test can be used in poultry and food industry.

Neurological syndromes associated with drug use. Frequency and characterisation.

INTRODUCTION: The need for safe health care, in which the care and treatment of the patient does not cause any injuries in addition to those already arising from their baseline disease, has led to the present study. Our objective has been to determine the frequency and describe the neurological syndromes attributable to drugs, their preventability and the levels of medical care involved. METHODS: Observational study. Cohort of subjects referred from Primary and Specialized Care between December 2008 and January 2010 due to neurological symptoms attributable to drugs, and previously known neurology patients who began to have symptoms other than those of the baseline disease, also caused by drugs. The notifications were recorded in a questionnaire. Frequency distributions, central tendency measurements, X(2) or Fisher tests and non-parametric tests were performed. RESULTS: The prevalence of adverse neurological events was 0.586% of the total sample. Of the 105 patients selected, the most frequent adverse events were: 25.7%, akinetic-rigid syndrome, 18.1%, dyskinetic syndrome, 11.4% neuro-psychiatric symptoms, and 10.5% confusional syndrome. The most commonly recorded pharmacological groups were, in decreasing order: anti-epileptic, dopaminergic, antidepressant, neuroleptic, antivertiginous and prokinetic drugs. We describe the most susceptible population and the statistically significant relationships between the presence of certain pharmacological groups and neurological syndromes. CONCLUSIONS: The low prevalence detected may be due to the study design, although adverse neurological events accounted for 2.84% of the admissions to a Neurology Unit. Understanding the epidemiology should help to identify the safest approaches, apply them correctly to the population at a higher risk, and reduce healthcare needs and consumption of medical resources.

Response of sensitive and resistant Listeria monocytogenes strains against bacteriocins produced by different Enterococcus spp. strains.

Listeria monocytogenes is a relevant foodborne pathogen causing invasive listeriosis in humans, a disease with high mortality rates. Its ubiquity and growth characteristics enable this pathogen to survive harsh food processing environments. The addition of bacteriocins, antimicrobial peptides ribosomally synthesized by certain bacteria, appears as a natural alternative to control this pathogen in food. However, the emergence of L. monocytogenes strains resistant to the inhibitory action of bacteriocins has been detected. In order to analyse the development of this resistance, different properties of L. monocytogenes strains susceptible to bacteriocins (strains 01/155, 99/287 and 99/267) and their respective resistant isolates (strains 01/155B6R, 99/287B6R, 99/286C1R, 99/287 Mo1R, 99/287 M1bR, 99/287 M2dR, 99/267B6R), were compared in this work. Differences were analysed in: a) growth of the pathogen strains in direct contact with bacteriocin solution, in co-cultures with the producing strain, or with different sugars; b) response to antibiotics typically used against listeriosis; c) changes in cell morphology, observed by transmission or scanning electron microscopy; d) expression of mobility and haemolysin activity, two of L. monocytogenes main virulence factors; and e) biofilm formation ability. For all the isolates, the acquired resistance was permanent and crossed between the different bacteriocins under study. An inhibitory effect was observed for resistant strains only when they were grown in mixed culture with any of the bacteriocin-producing strains, with an acidified medium as additional growth stress. In all cases, the decrease in viability was lower for resistant strains and followed a particular profile for each strain. The variation of sugar substrate influenced resistant variants growth ability, with a more pronounced difference in the medium supplemented with glucose. Susceptibility to antibiotics was similar or higher for resistant variants, while neither the mobility nor the haemolytic activity presented differences among resistant or susceptible strains. Finally, the resistant variants showed a greater capacity to form biofilms, although this effect was reversed when grown in the presence of bacteriocins. Each resistant isolate had a particular behaviour pattern, and the acquisition of resistance appeared to be strain and bacteriocin dependent. These results contribute to the knowledge of L. monocytogenes bacteriocin-resistance development, which is essential to favour the use of these peptides as biopreservatives.

BoviPure® density-gradient centrifugation procedure enhances the quality of fresh and cryopreserved dog epididymal spermatozoa.

BoviPure® is a salt solution containing colloidal silica particles coated with silane used to select sperm (e.g., ruminants) by density-gradient centrifugation (DGC). This research assessed the suitability of the BoviPure-DGC and swim-up methods for selecting dog epididymal sperm in fresh, chilled and frozen-thawed samples on post-treatment sperm quality. Sperm samples (n = 60 epididymides) were recovered by retrograde flushing from thirty orchiectomized adult dogs. Thereafter, 20 sperm pools, containing sperm aliquots of three randomly selected animals, were used for chilling (at 5 ºC for 24 h) and freezing (in liquid nitrogen vapors). Sperm selection by BoviPure-DCG and swim-up was performed in both individual and pooled samples, including non-selected samples as controls. Overall, after BoviPure-DGC selection a higher sperm retrieval rate was obtained than the swim-up selection in both individual (P < 0.05) and pooled (P < 0.01) samples. BoviPure-DGC improved (P < 0.05) the total (TM) and progressive (PSM) sperm motilities, curvilinear (VCL) and straight-line (VSL) velocities, linearity (LIN), wobble (WOB), beat-cross frequency (BCF), and integrity of plasmatic (IPM) and acrosomal (IAM) membranes of individual samples in comparison with non-selected samples. In pooled samples, however, the BoviPure-DGC improved (P < 0.05) the PSM, VCL, WOB, and IPM of chilled and frozen-thawed samples. The swim-up method improved (P < 0.05) only some kinematic variables of the individual (VCL, WOB and BCF) and cryopreserved pooled samples (VCL and ALH) in comparison with non-selected samples. In conclusion, BoviPure-DGC was more effective for recovering and selecting both fresh and cryopreserved dog epididymal sperm than the swim-up procedure improving the kinematic variables, and membranes intactness.

A comparative study of culture methods and polymerase chain reaction assay for Salmonella detection in poultry feed.

The present work compared 2 culture methods and PCR assay for the detection of motile and non-motile Salmonella strains using artificially contaminated poultry feed. The specificity was 1 in all methods. The accuracy and sensitivity were between 0.5 and 1 for motile Salmonella strains, whereas these parameters were between 0 and 0.6 for non-motile Salmonella strains. The positive predictive value was 1 for tetrathionate (TT), PCR, and modified semisolid Rappaport-Vassiliadis (MSRV) methods in most of the strains studied. The negative predictive value of each method was very low for non-motile Salmonella strains. The detection level of motile strains was 8 to 20 cfu/25 g for all methods, whereas it was ≥10(4) cfu/25 g in culture methods for non-motile Salmonella strains. In general, the PCR method detected lower non-motile Salmonella contamination levels in feed than did culture methods. Extending incubation time of the enrichment medium to 6 d in the TT method did not improve the isolation rates. All selective plating media did not show any statistical differences in the parameters of performance studied. Kappa coefficients showed that there was good agreement between TT and MSRV methods, and MSRV and PCR methods for motile Salmonella strains in poultry feed samples. The agreement was fair between TT and PCR methods for these strains. For non-motile Salmonella strains, there was poor (TT and MSRV methods), slight (PCR and TT methods), and fair (MSRV and PCR methods) agreement. The TT, MSRV, and PCR methods are similar in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for different motile Salmonella strains in poultry feed. For non-motile Salmonella strains, the use of the PCR method improves the same parameters, described before, in this matrix. The difference in detection levels obtained with the methods used for motile and nonmotile Salmonella strains and the difficulty to detect these last strains represent a potential problem, when a poultry feed sample is considered negative for the presence of Salmonella.

Doctors' acceptance of recommendations for patients with the opportunity for pharmacotherapy improvement.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and quantify the influence of different variables on the implementation of pharmacotherapy optimisation measures in hospitalised patients. METHOD: Descriptive transversal study. PERIOD: 2000-2007. ENVIRONMENT: public university general hospital (25,000 patients admitted/year). The Programme implemented to improve pharmacotherapy quality and patient safety covers 30% of all patients. Using records from the Atefarm(®) Farmis application, we analysed pharmacotherapy recommendations (PRs) made by pharmacists to doctors. The selected variables were the following: Risk of the medication for ADE (1-high, 0-low), ADE category, (0-indication, 1-effectiveness, 2-safety), potential severity (scale of 1 to 5), impact of the PR (0-effectiveness, 1-safety, 2-efficiency) and implementation of the PR (yes/no). We calculated the frequency (%) and 95% CI for the categorical variables and performed a multivariate logistical regression analysis to identify the variables' degree of influence on implementing the PRs. RESULTS: We identified 7,920 ADEs in 4,680 patients. A PR was issued in 85% of the cases (6,762), and it was implemented in 83% (95% CI 74.2-89.8). Potential severity of the ADE ≥2 (OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.27-1.94), and ADE category for effectiveness and safety (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.02-1.39) were shown to be determining factors for implementing the PR for the patient. CONCLUSIONS: The probability that a PR will be implemented for a patient is related to the potential severity and the category of the identified ADE. Therefore, recommendations intended to improve effectiveness of pharmacotherapy or patient safety, and those with potential clinical consequences have a greater chance of being applied to a patient.