Serological and molecular detection of pathogenic Leptospira in domestic and stray cats on Reunion Island, French Indies.

Indian Ocean islands are endemic areas for human and animal leptospirosis. Maintenance host species for Leptospira spp. have still not been completely elucidated, and recently the role of cats (Felis catus) has been questioned. This cross-sectional study aims to determine whether cats are part of the maintenance community of different strains of Leptospira spp. in Reunion Island. The prevalence of Leptospira infection in an opportunistic sample of stray and domestic cats (n = 92) from Reunion Island has been studied using serological (microagglutination test) and molecular detection (polymerase chain reaction (PCR)). The results revealed a seroprevalence of 37.0% (34/92) (cut-off 1:40) without a significant difference in the living conditions of animals. The predominant serogroup was Icterohaemorrhagiae, but Ballum, Cynopteri and Australis were also detected. Using PCR, 28.6% (12/42) of stray cats were tested positive. Leptospiral DNA was detected in renal tissue, urine and blood of respectively 14.3% (6/42), 10.3% (4/39) and 11.9% (5/42) of stray cats, but 0% (0/3), 0% (0/50) and 0% (0/36) of domestic cats (P = non-applicable, P = 0,038, P = 0,058 respectively). Partial rrs gene (16S rRNA) sequencing identified Leptospira interrogans in all PCR-positive samples. Our study confirms that renal carriage and urinary shedding are possible, positioning cats, and especially stray cats as potential actors within the maintenance community of L. interrogans in Reunion Island.

How fast is optically induced electron transfer in organic mixed valence systems?

The rate of thermally induced electron transfer in organic mixed valence compounds has thoroughly been investigated by e.g. temperature dependent ESR spectroscopy. However, almost nothing is known about the dynamics of optically induced electron transfer processes in such systems. Therefore, we investigated these processes in mixed valence compounds based on triphenylamine redox centres bridged by conjugated spacers by NIR transient absorption spectroscopy with fs-time resolution. These experiments revealed an internal conversion (IC) process to be on the order of 50-200 fs which is equivalent to the back electron transfer after optical excitation into the intervalence charge transfer band. This IC is followed by ultrafast cooling to the ground state within 1 ps. Thus, in the systems investigated optically induced electron transfer is about 3-4 orders of magnitude faster than thermally induced ET.

Energy redistribution dynamics in triarylamine-triarylborane containing hexaarylbenzenes.

Two hexaarylbenzenes (HAB) 1 and 2 each decorated by three triarylamines (TAA) as electron donors and three triarylboranes (TAB) as electron acceptors in a symmetric (1) and asymmetric (2) fashion as well as one model compound (3) with only one donor-acceptor pair were investigated by ultrafast transient absorption and fluorescence upconversion spectroscopy. Fluorescence anisotropy measurements revealed energy redistribution between localised, partly relaxed CT-states of the HABs 1 and 2 induced by dipole-dipole interaction with energy transfer time constants of ca. 3 ps. These results manifest symmetry breaking in the formally symmetric HAB 1 upon photoexcitation.

A photoinduced mixed-valence state in an organic bis-triarylamine mixed-valence compound with an iridium-metal-bridge.

Upon irradiation a mixed-valence (MV) state is formed in a donor-iridium(III)-acceptor triad by a photoinduced electron transfer process. The resulting radical and intervalence charge transfer (IV-CT) absorptions cover a wide spectral range (3200-400 nm). These results were supported by spectroelectrochemistry, fs-time resolved pump-probe spectroscopy and assisted by TD-DFT calculations.

[Complications related with implanted devices in patients with Parkinson's disease treated with deep brain stimulation. A study of a series of 124 patients over a period of 16 years]. / Complicaciones relacionadas con dispositivos implantados en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson tratados con estimulacion cerebral profunda. Estudio de una serie de 124 pacientes durante 16 años.

INTRODUCTION: Establishing protocols of the best candidates for deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson's disease and a greater knowledge of the technique have increased its safety profile. Yet, the complications related with implanted devices still occur with a far-from-negligible frequency and have both an economic and clinical impact. AIM: From a broad series of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation included consecutively for the treatment of their Parkinson's disease, data concerning the complications related with implanted devices were gathered and compared with those in the literature. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Altogether 124 patients with a total of 242 implanted electrodes and 252 generator replacements were included in the study. Mean follow-up time was 8.4 years (range: 3-16 years). Data on all the complications related with implanted devices were collected retrospectively. RESULTS: Findings showed that 23 implanted device-related complications occurred (17.7% of the patients): 12 (9.6%) had culture-positive ulcers, five (4%) had culture-negative ulcers, four (3.2%) were left with infections following generator replacement, one (0.8%) had a generator malfunction, and electrode migration took place in one (0.8%). Significant differences were observed as regards the effectiveness of the treatment involving surgical revision of the ulcers, which suggests that the culture-negative ulcers responded to the surgical revision better than the culture-positive ulcers (80% healing versus 16.6%; p = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: The results observed in the series were comparable to those in the existing literature. The presence of culture-positivity in the ulcers is a factor forecasting surgical revision.

TITLE: Complicaciones relacionadas con dispositivos implantados en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson tratados con estimulacion cerebral profunda. Estudio de una serie de 124 pacientes durante 16 años.Introduccion. La protocolizacion de los mejores candidatos para la estimulacion cerebral profunda en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson y el mayor conocimiento de la tecnica han aumentado su perfil de seguridad. Sin embargo, las complicaciones relacionadas con los dispositivos implantados siguen teniendo una frecuencia no menospreciable y presentan un impacto tanto clinico como economico. Objetivo. En una serie amplia de pacientes con estimulacion cerebral profunda incluidos consecutivamente para el tratamiento de su enfermedad de Parkinson, se recogieron las complicaciones relacionas con los dispositivos implantados y se compararon con la bibliografia. Pacientes y metodos. Se incluyeron en el estudio 124 pacientes con un total de 242 electrodos implantados y 252 recambios de generador. Seguimiento medio de 8,4 años (rango: 3-16 años). Se recogieron de forma retrospectiva todas las complicaciones relacionadas con los dispositivos implantados. Resultados. Se produjeron 23 complicaciones relacionadas con los dispositivos implantados (el 17,7% de los pacientes): 12 (9,6%) ulceras con cultivo positivo, cinco (4%) ulceras con cultivo negativo, cuatro (3,2%) infecciones tras recambio de generador, una (0,8%) malfuncion de generador y una (0,8%) migracion del electrodo. Se observaron diferencias significativas respecto a la efectividad del tratamiento de la revision quirurgica de las ulceras, lo que indica que las ulceras con cultivo negativo respondieron mejor que las ulceras con cultivo positivo a la revision quirurgica (80% frente a 16,6% de curacion; p = 0,028). Conclusiones. Se observan en la serie unos resultados comparables a la bibliografia existente. La presencia de positividad en el cultivo de las ulceras constituye un factor pronostico a la revision quirurgica.

Complicaciones relacionadas con dispositivos implantados en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson tratados con estimulación cerebral profunda. Estudio de una serie de 124 pacientes durante 16 años / Complications related with implanted devices in patients with Parkinson’s disease treated with deep brain stimulation. A study of a series of 124 patients over a period of 16 years

Introducción. La protocolización de los mejores candidatos para la estimulación cerebral profunda en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson y el mayor conocimiento de la técnica han aumentado su perfil de seguridad. Sin embargo, las complicaciones relacionadas con los dispositivos implantados siguen teniendo una frecuencia no menospreciable y presentan un impacto tanto clínico como económico. Objetivo. En una serie amplia de pacientes con estimulación cerebral profunda incluidos consecutivamente para el tratamiento de su enfermedad de Parkinson, se recogieron las complicaciones relacionas con los dispositivos implantados y se compararon con la bibliografía. Pacientes y métodos. Se incluyeron en el estudio 124 pacientes con un total de 242 electrodos implantados y 252 recambios de generador. Seguimiento medio de 8,4 años (rango: 3-16 años). Se recogieron de forma retrospectiva todas las complicaciones relacionadas con los dispositivos implantados. Resultados. Se produjeron 23 complicaciones relacionadas con los dispositivos implantados (el 17,7% de los pacientes): 12 (9,6%) úlceras con cultivo positivo, cinco (4%) úlceras con cultivo negativo, cuatro (3,2%) infecciones tras recambio de generador, una (0,8%) malfunción de generador y una (0,8%) migración del electrodo. Se observaron diferencias significativas respecto a la efectividad del tratamiento de la revisión quirúrgica de las úlceras, lo que indica que las úlceras con cultivo negativo respondieron mejor que las úlceras con cultivo positivo a la revisión quirúrgica (80% frente a 16,6% de curación; p = 0,028). Conclusiones. Se observan en la serie unos resultados comparables a la bibliografía existente. La presencia de positividad en el cultivo de las úlceras constituye un factor pronóstico a la revisión quirúrgica (AU)

Introduction. Establishing protocols of the best candidates for deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson’s disease and a greater knowledge of the technique have increased its safety profile. Yet, the complications related with implanted evices still occur with a far-from-negligible frequency and have both an economic and clinical impact. Aim. From a broad series of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation included consecutively for the treatment of their Parkinson’s disease, data concerning the complications related with implanted devices were gathered and compared with those in the literature. Patients and methods. Altogether 124 patients with a total of 242 implanted electrodes and 252 generator replacements were included in the study. Mean follow-up time was 8.4 years (range: 3-16 years). Data on all the complications related with implanted devices were collected retrospectively. Results. Findings showed that 23 implanted device-related complications occurred (17.7% of the patients): 12 (9.6%) had culture-positive ulcers, five (4%) had culture-negative ulcers, four (3.2%) were left with infections following generator replacement, one (0.8%) had a generator malfunction, and electrode migration took place in one (0.8%). Significant differences were observed as regards the effectiveness of the treatment involving surgical revision of the ulcers, which suggests that the culture-negative ulcers responded to the surgical revision better than the culture-positive ulcers (80% healing versus 16.6%; p = 0.028). Conclusions. The results observed in the series were comparable to those in the existing literature. The presence of culturepositivity in the ulcers is a factor forecasting surgical revision (AU)

Treatment of toilet wastewater for reuse in a membrane bioreactor.

Toilet wastewater is treated and reused on site at Europe's highest membrane bioreactor (MBR), located in a cable car mountain station in the ski resort of Zermatt. Negative impacts on the sensitive mountain environment are minimised by reusing close to 100% of the treated wastewater for toilet flushing. Besides 100% nitrogen removal, 80% of phosphorus was also eliminated. This paper presents operational results, optimisations of sludge management, decoloration and long-term maintenance of biomass in the very low-loaded summer season. From a global view the experiences and results of the project are of great importance, proposing a solution to a problem existing 100-fold in the Alps as well as in arid regions all over the world: reducing water consumption for sanitation by reuse.