Risk factors of brucellosis (re-)incidence in sheep and goat flocks in an endemic area of Portugal.

This study aimed to determinate the main risk factors of brucellosis recurrence or highest animal incidence in flocks, under pastoralism, in an endemic area of Northeast Portugal. An epidemiological survey was performed on 25 recurrent (n = 18) or highest seropositive (n = 7) sheep and mixed goat flocks and 19 historical (≥ 10 years) brucellosis-free flock, between 2014 and 2017, within the same epidemiological area presenting an average annual incidence around 6%. According to the multivariable logistic model (P < 0.001), the lack of neighboring brucellosis-free flocks (odds ratio OR = 7.79; CI % 1.49-65.06), the occurrence of more than 50% of lambing or kidding in common paths and pastures (OR = 24.17; CI % 3.0-606.54), and the animal replacement with Rev.1 non-vaccinated young animals (OR = 18.47; CI % 2.54-408.21) were the causes that influence the recurrence and highest animal incidence in flocks. In extensive production systems, the confinement of the peri-parturient and the small ruminant replacement with Rev.1 vaccinated young females seems to play a major role on brucellosis control and eradication.

Monitorización de úlceras por presión en una Unidad de cuidados intensivos / Monitorization of pressure ulcers in a critical care Unit

Introducción: Las úlceras por presión (UPP) son un indicador de mala calidad asistencial. Los pacientes ingresados en Unidades de cuidados intensivos presentan gran número de factores de riesgo de padecer UPP, siendo de las Unidades con mayores índices de incidencia.Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia de UPP y el paciente tipo que desarrolla UPP.Material y métodos: Estudio prospectivo de prevalencia. Variables dependientes : nº de UPP (nº de UPP excluyendo las iatrogénicas); nº de UPPY (nº de UPP iatrogénicas) y nº de UPPT (nº de UPP + nº de UPPY). Variables independientes : sexo, edad, diagnóstico, riesgo Nova 4, estadios, índice de severidad, localizaciones, fechas de registro de las UPP, medidas preventivas. Análisis : Paquete estadístico G-Stat 2.0. Descriptivo : media y desviación estándar; frecuencias relativas y absolutas. Inferencial : T-Student, ANOVA, modelo de regresión lineal. Significación estadística de p< 0,05; IC 95%.Resultados: Prevalencia de UPP del 12,7%; Prevalencia de UPPY: 6,8%. Registradas 142 UPP, origen iatrogénico en 45 lesiones. Localizaciones más frecuentes: sacro y talones y con componente iatrogénico, nariz, labios, orejas. Factores causales de UPPY: 49% por tubo endotraqueal y sistema de fijación; 42% por sonda nasogástrica. Se registró un mayor número de lesiones en los pacientes quirúrgicos. Paciente tipo: varón, 63 años, diagnóstico quirúrgico, riesgo alto de padecer UPP. Sólo existe asociación estadísticamente significativa entre la variable nº de UPP y la utilización de superficies especiales para el manejo de la presión (D.M.: –0,553; IC 95% : –1,089, –0,017), p= 0,04.Discusión: La iatrogenia aparece como un componente importante en la aparición de las UPP. Es fundamental clasificar los pacientes en niveles de riesgo de sufrir UPP realizando una valoración continuada. El uso de superficies especiales para el manejo de la presión influye positivamente en que la media de UPP que presentan los pacientes sea menor

Introduction: Pressure ulcers (PU) are an indicator of poor assistance quality. Patients in units of intensive care present a considerable number of risk factors of suffering UPP, in fact, these units are among with a higher of incidence of Pus.Objectives: To determine the prevalence of PUs and the type of patient who develops PUs.Material and methods: Prospective study of prevalence. Dependent variables: no. of PUs (no. of PUs, excluding iatrogenic ones); no. of IPUs (no. of iatrogenic PU) and no. of TPUs (no. of PUs + no. of IPUs). Independent variables: sex, age, diagnostic, risk Nova 4, stadiums, Index of severity, localizations, dates of registration of the UPP, preventive measures. Analysis: statistical package G-Stat 2.0. Descriptive: mean and standard desviation; relative and absolute frequencies. Inferential: T-Student, ANOVA, linear regression model. Statistical significance: p< 0,05; IC 95%.Results: PUs prevalenc: 12,7%; IPUs prevalence: 6,8%. 142 PUs registered, 45 of them of iatrogenic origin. More frequent localizations: sacrum and heels and nose, lips, ears for the iatrogenic ones. Causal factors of IPU: 49% were caused by endotraqueal tube and fixation system; 42% by nasogastric tube. The highest number of lesions was registered in surgical patients. Average patient: male, 63 years old, surgical diagnosis, high risk of suffering PU. A statistically significant association could only be established between the no. of PUs and the use of special surfaces for the handling of the pressure (S.D.: -0,553; 95% CI: -1,089, -0,017), p= 0, 04.Discussion: An important factor in the appearance of the PUs appears to be iatrogenic causes. To classify patients according to their risk of suffering PUs, it is critical to carry out a continuous assessment. The use of special surfaces for the handling of the pressure has a positive influence in the mean number of PUs patients present (AU)

Pyridostigmine bromide and the long-term subjective health status of a sample of female reserve component Gulf War veterans: a brief report.

The role of pyridostigmine bromide (PB) pills in explaining the long-term subjective health status of a sample of over 100 female Reserve Component Gulf War veterans was examined through regression analysis. Results fell just short of significance (p < .06) for the prediction of subjective health approximately six years after the war and were clearly not significant for the prediction of subjective health at previous times. Results parallel Golomb's 1999 RAND report, which found suggestive but not conclusive evidence for the possible adverse effects of Gulf War veterans' consumption of pyridostigmine bromide pills. Our data suggest that use of more than 10 pills may have been especially risky with respect to long-term subjective health.

Understanding mail survey response rates among male reserve component Gulf War era veterans.

In this study of current and former male Reserve and National Guard members from the State of Ohio, it was expected that veterans who were older, had more years of military service, who had participated in the Persian Gulf War, who were Euro-Americans, who were higher in rank, who had higher residential stability in Ohio, who belonged to the Air Force, who had higher formal education, and who belonged to the National Guard would have a greater investment in U.S. society as defined by 11 demographic variables. It was assumed that those with greater investment in society would more often have valid addresses and would be more likely to respond to a survey on military issues, thereby biasing sample outcomes in those directions. Results for male veterans were consistent with the hypothesis that investment in the society system would predict validity of addresses and response rates. In other words, results supported the idea that those veterans who might be expected to have a greater investment in U.S. society were more likely to be located and to respond (once located) to a survey concerning Desert Storm-era military service and its aftermath. Implications for future Desert Storm research are discussed.