CNS Post-Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in a Heart Recipient: A Case Report.

Solid organ recipients have increased risk of malignancy in comparison with general population. Although post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders are the second most common cancer in transplanted patients, primary CNS lymphoma is a rare presentation of these disorders. Among the wide range of neurologic complications in post- transplant period, some characteristics could be helpful for diagnosing of this disorder. Rarity of CNS lymphoma may lead to late diagnosis of this disease while early detection has utmost importance for better management of it. Here, we describe a heart recipient young woman with focal neurologic symptoms 14 months after transplantation and some features that could be helpful for on-time diagnosis.

Three-dimensional imaging of active acid sulfate soil using a DUALEM-21S and EM inversion software.

One of the major environmental issues in Finland is the presence of large tracts of acid sulfate soil (ASS) landscapes along the coast. Accurately identifying the distribution of ASS sediments, and in particular soil pH, is essential for developing targeted management strategies. One approach is the use of digital soil mapping (DSM) with various ancillary information. Although electromagnetic (EM) induction data has shown potential in mapping ASS, few studies have been conducted to map the spatial distribution of pH at different depths. In this study, a DUALEM-21S was used to collect apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) data across a 23-ha field near Vaasa, which lies along the western coast of Finland. A quasi-3D inversion algorithm was used to calculate the estimated true electrical conductivity (σ - mS m-1). A calibration relationship was developed between σ and incubation-pH measured at various depths from topsoil (0-0.2 m), subsurface (0.2-0.4 m) and subsoil (e.g. 0.4-0.6 and 1.8-2 m) using an artificial neural network (ANN) model. The performance of the ANN model was good given the large R2 values for calibration (0.72) and validation (0.65). It was concluded that the combination of ECa data and quasi-3D inversion algorithm (in EM4Soil) was able to map the spatial distribution of incubation-pH associated within an ASS landscape. The approach has the potential to be applied across the coastal areas of Finland and elsewhere to map incubation-pH and identify active-ASS areas and thereby improve the management of these areas.

Distribution of blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes among ESBL-producing P. aeruginosa isolated from Qazvin and Tehran hospitals, Iran.

INTRODUCTION: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is as an important opportunistic human pathogen, which is associated with several clinical infections that are usually difficult to treat because of resistance to multiple antimicrobials. The production of extendedspectrum ß-lactamases (ESBLs) is an important mechanism of ß-lactam resistance. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of ESBLs, antimicrobial susceptibility, and to detect the blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes. METHODS: In this study, carried out from March 2013 to December 2014, 266 P. aeruginosa isolates were collected from patients admitted to teaching hospitals of Qazvin and Tehran, Iran. All isolates were initially screened for ESBL production by disk diffusion method and were further confirmed using a combined disk method. Antimicrobial susceptibility of ESBL-producing isolates was determined by standard disk diffusion method. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing techniques were employed for detection of blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M genes. RESULTS: In total, 262 (98.5%) P. aeruginosa isolates were nonsusceptible to the used extended spectrum cephalosporins, and, among these, 75 (28.6%) isolates were ESBL producers. Fifty-nine (78.7%) of ESBL-producing isolates showed multidrug-resistance pattern. Of 75 ESBL-positive isolates, the blaTEM-1 (26.7%) was the most common gene, followed by blaCTX-M-15 (17.3%), blaSHV-1 (6.7%), and blaSHV-12 (4%), either alone or in combination. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study showed the notable prevalence of ESBLs among the clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa in Iran, indicating the urgency for the implementation of appropriate follow-up measures for infection control and proper administration of antimicrobial agents in our medical settings.