Projecting seismicity induced by complex alterations of underground stresses with applications to geothermal systems.

Seismicity associated with subsurface operations is a major societal concern. It is therefore critical to improve predictions of the induced seismic hazard. Current statistical approaches account for the physics of pore pressure increase only. Here, we present a novel mathematical model that generalises adopted statistics for use in arbitrary injection/production protocols and applies to arbitrary physical processes. In our model, seismicity is driven by a normalised integral over the spatial reservoir volume of induced variations in frictional Coulomb stress, which-combined with the seismogenic index-provides a dimensionless proxy of the induced seismic hazard. Our model incorporates the classical pressure diffusion based and poroelastic seismogenic index models as special cases. Applying our approach to modeling geothermal systems, we find that seismicity rates are sensitive to imposed fluid-pressure rates, temperature variations, and tectonic conditions. We further demonstrate that a controlled injection protocol can decrease the induced seismic risk and that thermo-poroelastic stress transfer results in a larger spatial seismic footprint and in higher-magnitude events than does direct pore pressure impact for the same amount of injected volume and hydraulic energy. Our results, validated against field observations, showcase the relevance of the novel approach to forecast seismic hazards induced by subsurface activities.

Inequality dynamics in the workplace among microbiologists and infectious disease specialists: a qualitative study in five European countries.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the social, cultural, psychological and organizational factors associated with inequality in the workplace among clinical microbiologists (CM) and infectious disease (ID) specialists in European hospitals. METHODS: We analysed data from 52 interviews and five focus groups involving 82 CM/ID specialists selected from university, research or community hospitals in five countries, one each in Northern, Western, Eastern, Southeastern and Southwestern Europe. The 80 hours of recordings were transcribed, and the anonymous database coding process was cross-checked iteratively by six researchers. RESULTS: Inequality affects all the institutions in all the countries we looked at, denying or reducing access to professional assets with intensity and form that vary largely according to the cultural and organizational context. Discrimination is generally not explicit and uses disrespectful microbehaviours that are hard to respond to when they occur. Inequality affected also loans, distribution of research funds and gender and country representation in boards and conference faculty. Parenthood has a major impact on women's careers, as women are still mainly responsible for family care. Responses to discrimination range from reactive to surrender strategies. CONCLUSIONS: Our study offers an effective model for diagnosing discriminatory behaviours in a medical professional setting. Knowledge of inequality's drivers could help national ID/CM societies in collaboration with major European stakeholders to further reduce such discrimination. The effect of discrimination on the quality of healthcare in Europe needs further exploration.

Interfacial water structure controls protein conformation.

A phenomenological theory of salt-induced Hofmeister phenomena is presented, based on a relation between protein solubility in salt solutions and protein-water interfacial tension. As a generalization of previous treatments, it implies that both kosmotropic salting out and chaotropic salting in are manifested via salt-induced changes of the hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of protein-water interfaces. The theory is applied to describe the salt-dependent free energy profiles of proteins as a function of their water-exposed surface area. On this basis, three classes of protein conformations have been distinguished, and their existence experimentally demonstrated using the examples of bacteriorhodopsin and myoglobin. The experimental results support the ability of the new formalism to account for the diverse manifestations of salt effects on protein conformation, dynamics, and stability, and to resolve the puzzle of chaotropes stabilizing certain proteins (and other anomalies). It is also shown that the relation between interfacial tension and protein structural stability is straightforwardly linked to protein conformational fluctuations, providing a keystone for the microscopic interpretation of Hofmeister effects. Implications of the results concerning the use of Hofmeister effects in the experimental study of protein function are discussed.

[The changing role of the state in health care systems in OECD countries--research questions, research design and first results]. / Der Wandel der Staatlichkeit im Gesundheitswesen von OECD-Ländern -- Fragestellungen, Untersuchungsdesign und erste Ergebnisse.

In the framework of the DFG-Research-Unit 597 "Transformation of the State" is Project C3 investigating the change of the role of the state in health care systems in OECD-countries between 1970 and 2000. The primary research hypothesis is, that a tendency of convergence exists regarding the role of the state for the three main dimensions of health care systems, namely service provision, financing and regulation. This is carried out firstly based on a quantitative oriented analysis for 23 OECD-countries, utilising the data set "OECD Health Data 2002", and secondly with qualitative oriented country-studies for England, Germany and the U.S. Findings for the qualitative country-studies give some hints of convergence regarding the "private-public-mix" between the health system types "social insurance" (Germany), "national health system" (England), and "market oriented health system" (USA). First quantitative results concerning the changing role of the state in relation to the health care systems in OECD-countries provide evidence for a convergence process between these states in the financing dimension. For the dependent variable "total health care costs in % of gross domestic product" a trend of convergence is observed for the members states of the European Union (n = 12), while in the remaining Non-EU countries (n = 11) a trend of divergence is identified. For the same parameter we found a convergence for OECD-countries of the type "national health system" (n = 14). For OECD-countries of the type "social insurance" (n = 8) this convergence process is observed only for the time period 1970 - 1980. Some results confirm the hypothesis of the "growth to limits" (Flora). But it appears to us that in future other significant factors like globalisation processes, the increasing potentials of the medical technology and demographic changes may play an important role for the overall health budget and specific needs of the population in the OECD-states.

[Distribution of capsular types and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactiae causing infections in Argentina]. / Distribución de tipo capsular y sensibilidad antimicrobiana de Streptococcus agalactiae productores de infecciones en Argentina.

Streptococcus agalactiae is an endogenous bacterium that has emerged in the last 20 years as an etiological agent in both neonatal and perinatal infections, and in immunocompromised patients. The differentiation of the capsular polysaccharide, the presence of surface proteins c, X, R, and molecular methods allow classification in serotypes and genotypes. This identification is a useful tool for epidemiological purposes and virulence studies in this bacterium. The objective of this work was to study the serotypes and the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates recovered from invasive diseases in different areas of Argentina. In the analyzed sample a fair predominance of Ia and III serotypes was recovered, followed by II and IV serotypes. All the isolates were found to be sensitive to penicillin. A 6% of resistance to erythromycin and a 4.5% to clindamycin were detected. In three of the isolates, constitutive MLS phenotype (resistance to macrolides, lincosamins and streptogramins) was founded, while in the remaining one, inducible MLS phenotype was detected. These results stress the importance of conducting a surveillance of the prevalent serotypes in our country with the goal of future prevention of this disease with an effective vaccine. The knowledge of the antimicrobial susceptibility profile will be also important to obtain therapeutic success in the treatment.

Distribución de tipo capsular y sensibilidad antimicrobiana de Streptococcusagalactiae productores de infecciones en Argentina / Distribution of capsular types and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactiae causing infections in Argentina

Streptococcus agalactiae es una bacteria colonizante que ha emergido en los últimos años como causante de infecciones neonatales, perinatales y en pacientes con compromiso inmunológico. La caracterización del polisacárido capsular, de las proteínas de superficie (c, X, R), así como el análisis de marcadores moleculares, permiten su clasificación en serotipos y genotipos. Esto resulta de utilidad para fines epidemiológicos y para estudios de virulencia de la bacteria. El objetivo de este trabajo fue conocer los serotipos prevalentes y la sensibilidad antimicrobiana de aislamientos provenientes de procesos infecciosos en pacientes de distintas zonas de Argentina. En la muestra analizada se obtuvo predominio de los serotipos Ia y III, seguido de II y IV. Todas las cepas resultaron sensibles a penicilina. Se observó 6% de resistencia a eritromicina y 4,5% a clindamicina. En 3 de las cepas se detectó fenotipo MLS (resistencia a macrólidos, lincosaminas y estreptograminas) constitutiva y en una cepa, resistencia MLS inducible. Los resultados logrados en este estudio destacan la importancia de efectuar un relevamiento de los serotipos más frecuentes en nuestro país en vistas a la prevención de esta infección con una vacuna que realmente sea eficaz, como así también el conocimiento de la sensibilidad antimicrobiana para lograr éxito terapéutico en los tratamientos.

Streptococcus agalactiae is an endogenous bacterium that has emerged in the last 20 years as an etiological agent in both neonatal and perinatal infections, and in immunocompromised patients. The differentiation of the capsular polysaccharide, the presence of surface proteins c, X, R, and molecular methods allow classification in serotypes and genotypes. This identification is a useful tool for epidemiological purposes and virulence studies in this bacterium. The objective of this work was to study the serotypes and the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates recovered from invasive diseases in different areas of Argentina. In the analyzed sample a fair predominance of Ia and III serotypes was recovered, followed by II and IV serotypes. All the isolates were found to be sensitive to penicillin. A 6% of resistance to erythromycin and a 4.5% to clindamycin were detected. In three of the isolates, constitutive MLS phenotype (resistance to macrolides, lincosamins and streptogramins) was founded, while in the remaining one, inducible MLS phenotype was detected. These results stress the importance of conducting a surveillance of the prevalent serotypes in our country with the goal of future prevention of this disease with an effective vaccine. The knowledge of the antimicrobial susceptibility profile will be also important to obtain therapeutic success in the treatment.

Distribución de tipo capsular y sensibilidad antimicrobiana de Streptococcus agalactiae productores de infecciones en Argentina. / [Distribution of capsular types and antimicrobial susceptibility of Streptococcus agalactiae causing infections in Argentina]

Streptococcus agalactiae is an endogenous bacterium that has emerged in the last 20 years as an etiological agent in both neonatal and perinatal infections, and in immunocompromised patients. The differentiation of the capsular polysaccharide, the presence of surface proteins c, X, R, and molecular methods allow classification in serotypes and genotypes. This identification is a useful tool for epidemiological purposes and virulence studies in this bacterium. The objective of this work was to study the serotypes and the antimicrobial susceptibility of isolates recovered from invasive diseases in different areas of Argentina. In the analyzed sample a fair predominance of Ia and III serotypes was recovered, followed by II and IV serotypes. All the isolates were found to be sensitive to penicillin. A 6

of resistance to erythromycin and a 4.5

to clindamycin were detected. In three of the isolates, constitutive MLS phenotype (resistance to macrolides, lincosamins and streptogramins) was founded, while in the remaining one, inducible MLS phenotype was detected. These results stress the importance of conducting a surveillance of the prevalent serotypes in our country with the goal of future prevention of this disease with an effective vaccine. The knowledge of the antimicrobial susceptibility profile will be also important to obtain therapeutic success in the treatment.

Andes virus associated with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in northern Argentina and determination of the precise site of infection.

Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) has been documented in the Salta and Jujuy provinces of northern Argentina since 1991 and 1997, respectively, accounting for almost 50% of the cases of HPS reported in this country. Andes (AND) virus, specifically the AND virus Nort lineage, was previously associated with human disease in this region. Genetic analysis of viral medium RNA segments obtained from 18 HPS cases showed the existence of three AND virus Nort sublineages co-circulating in these two provinces. They showed a nucleotide sequence diversity of up to 11.1% between the sublineages. The putative site of infection of one of these cases (Sal3/97) was determined. A 100% nucleotide sequence identity was observed between the viral sequence found in patient Sal3/97 and in two virus-positive Oligoryzomys chacoensis captured in the same place where the case lived and worked. These results indicated the putative site of infection and identified this rodent species as the source of infection.

Role of protein -SH groups in redox homeostasis--the erythrocyte as a model system.

The reactivities of the sulfhydryl groups of rat, turkey, human, and calf hemoglobin were studied together with the enzyme activities of glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and glutaredoxin in lysed erythrocytes to evaluate their roles in regulating redox homeostasis. The results of -SH reactivity showed rate constants spanning four orders of magnitude (k2, calf, 6.67 M-1 s-1; rat -SH fast reacting, 2.8 x 10(4) M-1 s-1). Enzyme activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase ranged from 0.402 U/ml (calf) to 0.900 U/ml (rat), glutathione reductase from 0. 162 U/ml (rat) to 0.381 U/ml (human), glutaredoxin from 0.778 U/ml (rat) to 2.28 U/ml (turkey), and glutathione peroxidase from 2.07 U/ml (human) to 27.3 U/ml (rat). Blood samples of the four species were also treated with 0.5-1.5 mM tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BOOH) or diamide, and levels of glutathione-derived species [GSH, GSSG, and glutathione-protein mixed disulfides (GS-SP)] were determined within 120 min and related to the corresponding protein -SH group (PSH) reactivities and enzyme repertoires. In all cases t-BOOH rapidly transformed GSH into GSSG by the action of glutathione peroxidase; GSSG was in turn transformed into GS-SP, according to the reaction GSSG + PSH --> GS-SP + GSH, or reduced back to GSH by glutathione reductase. The GSSG reduction was more efficient in rat and human blood, due to the contribution of the fast-reacting -SH of hemoglobin, in the rat, and to the efficiency of the enzyme repertoire of human blood. Calf blood showed a relatively low capacity to restore normal values after oxidative stress, due to its low PSH reactivity and the weak contribution of its enzymes. Diamide treatment, which is known to react nonenzymatically with thiols, gave increased GS-SP levels in rat and turkey, but not in human and calf blood, as expected from the different corresponding PSH reactivities. Species with relatively high PSH reactivity and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity, such as the rat, therefore had a higher antioxidant capacity than species (calf) in which these parameters were relatively low.

The Hofmeister series: salt and solvent effects on interfacial phenomena.

Advances in experimental and computational methodologies have led to a recent renewed interest in the Hofmeister series and its molecular origins. New results are surveyed and assessed. Insights into the underlying mechanisms have been gained, although deeper molecular understanding still seems to be elusive. The principal reason appears to be that the Hofmeister series emerges from a combination of a general effect of cosolutes (salts, etc.) on solvent structure, and of specific interactions between the cosolutes and the solute (protein or other biopolymer). Hence every system needs to be studied individually in detail, a state of affairs which is likely to continue for some time. A deeper understanding of the Hofmeister series can be an extraordinarily valuable guide to designing experiments, including not only those probing the series per se, but also those designed to elucidate the adsorption, aggregation and stabilization phenomena which underlie so many biological events. The aim of this review is to provide an up-to-date framework to guide such understanding, consolidating recent advances in the many fields on which the Hofmeister series impinges.

A nonglycosylated, 68-kDa alpha-L-fucosidase is bound to the mollusc bivalve Unio elongatulus sperm plasma membrane and differs from a glycosylated 56-kDa form present in the seminal fluid.

The male reproductive system of the mollusc bivalve Unio elongatulus contains two distinct forms of alpha-L-fucosidase, one present in the gonad fluid and a second one associated with the sperm plasma membrane. Both activities were purified to homogeneity. The soluble seminal plasma enzyme had an oligomeric MW of 56 kDa as determined by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, whereas the enzyme purified from sperm plasma membranes had an MW of 68 kDa. Analyzed by lectin blotting with ConA and PNA, the 68 kDa enzyme did not bind either lectin, whereas the 56 kDa form bound ConA only. Both fucosidases followed a Michaelis-Menten kinetics with the K(m) of the sperm-bound enzyme being 7.1 x 10(-4) M and that of the seminal enzyme being 9.1 x 10(-4) M. Both had a pH optimum of 5.0.

Casos de gastroenteritis asociados a Vibrio cholerae no O1 en Orán, Salta / Non- O group 1 Vibrio cholerae gastroenteritis in Oran, Salta

Entre febrero de 1992 y 1995 se detectaron 41 casos de gastroenteritis asociada a Vibrio cholerae no O1 en Orán, Salta. La frecuencia de aislamiento fue del 0,9 o/o, entre los casos de diarrea. El 51,2 o/o de los casos correspondió a mayores de 15 años y el 60,9, al sexo masculino. Todos los pacientes tuvieron diarrea, en 24 (58,5 o/o) fue líquida y en 6 (14,5 o/o) con aspecto coleriforme. Diez (24,4 o/o) de los pacientes presentaron vómitos y 12 (29,3 o/o) deshidratación leve o moderada. Seis pacientes pediátricos, desnutridos de 2§ y 3§ grado, que presentaron diarrea de más de una semana de evolución y deshidratación moderada, requirieron hospitalización durante 7 días. Durante el primer brote, en un paciente se aisló simultáneamente V. cholerae no O1 y Shigella flexneri y en el cuarto brote en otro se detectó la asociación V. cholerae no O1 y Salmonella subespecie IV 50: b:-. Una mujer de 72 años falleció durante el segundo brote. El cuadro clínico estuvo caracterizado por diarrea líquida, vómitos, fiebre y deshidratación moderada. De su coprocultivo se recuperó V. cholerae O5 negativo para los siguientes factores de virulencia: toxina de cólera (CT), enterotoxina termoestable, hemolisina (El Tor) y hemaglutinina asociadas a células resistentes a D-manosa y L-fucosa. La caracterización bioquímica de los 41 aislamientos correspondió a V. cholerae con serología negativa para los serogrupos O1 y O139. Ningún aislamiento produjo CT. El 19,5 o/o presentó resistencia a la ampiclina y 4,9 o/o, a trimetoprimasulfametoxazol. La vigilancia activa de las diarreas en Orán, ha demostrado que V. cholerae no O1 no es un agente causal importante de las mismas

Casos de gastroenteritis asociados a Vibrio cholerae no O1 en Orán, Salta / Non- O group 1 Vibrio cholerae gastroenteritis in Oran, Salta

Entre febrero de 1992 y 1995 se detectaron 41 casos de gastroenteritis asociada a Vibrio cholerae no O1 en Orán, Salta. La frecuencia de aislamiento fue del 0,9 o/o, entre los casos de diarrea. El 51,2 o/o de los casos correspondió a mayores de 15 años y el 60,9, al sexo masculino. Todos los pacientes tuvieron diarrea, en 24 (58,5 o/o) fue líquida y en 6 (14,5 o/o) con aspecto coleriforme. Diez (24,4 o/o) de los pacientes presentaron vómitos y 12 (29,3 o/o) deshidratación leve o moderada. Seis pacientes pediátricos, desnutridos de 2º y 3º grado, que presentaron diarrea de más de una semana de evolución y deshidratación moderada, requirieron hospitalización durante 7 días. Durante el primer brote, en un paciente se aisló simultáneamente V. cholerae no O1 y Shigella flexneri y en el cu

[Cases of gastroenteritis associated to Vibrio cholerae no 01 in Oran, Salta]. / Casos de gastroenteritis asociados a Vibrio cholerae no O1 en Orán, Salta.

Forty-one sporadic cases of non-O group 1 Vibrio cholerae gastroenteritis were detected in Orán, Salta, between February 1992 and February 1995. The frequency of isolation was 0.9% of the diarrhea cases. Out of 41 patients, 21 (51.2%) were older than 15 years and 25 (60.9%) were male. All the patients had diarrhea, 24 (58.5%) had watery stools and 6 (14.6%) cholera-like diarrhea; 10 (24.4%) presented vomiting and 12 (29%) mild dehydration. Six malnourished children who suffered from diarrhea with moderate dehydration for more than a week, were hospitalized. V. cholerae non O1 and Shigella flexneri were isolated from one patient, during the first outbreak and V. cholerae non O1 and Salmonella IV 50:b:- were recovered simultaneously from another patient during the fourth outbreak. A 72 year old woman died during the second cholera outbreak. The symptoms were: watery diarrhea, vomiting, fever and mild dehydration. A strain of V. cholerae O5, that did not produce cholera toxin, heat-stable enterotoxin, Kanagawa-like hemolysin or verocitotoxin was detected. It was positive for El Tor hemolysin and D-mannose and L-fucose resistant cells-associated hemagglutinins. Among the 41 isolates studied, all were oxidase and indole positive, fermented glucose, saccharose and mannitol. They were all motile, produced lysine and ornithine decarboxylases but not arginine dihydrolase or hydrogen sulfide. They were sensitive to O129 vibriostatic compound. None of them belonged to O1 or O139 serogroup and they did not produce cholera troxin. Among the V. cholerae non O1 strains isolated, 9.5% were resistant to ampicillin and 4.9% to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Active surveillance had shown that V. cholerae non-O1 is not an important agent of diarrhea in Orán, Salta.

Grieving the death of an adult child.

Little attention has been paid to the experiences of older parents whose children die during their adult years. Parents feel unsupported and uninformed by medical professionals, and excluded from the decision-making process related to their adult children's illnesses and death. Parents derived comfort and a sense of usefulness in maintaining and strengthening their relationship with surviving grandchildren.

Cloning and sequence analysis of the human liver rhodanese: comparison with the bovine and chicken enzymes.

The cDNA for the human rhodanese (thiosulfate: cyanide sulfurtransferase, EC 2.8.1.1), a nuclearly encoded protein of the mitochondrial matrix, was isolated from a human fetal liver cDNA library. Nucleotide sequence revealed an open reading frame coding for a polypeptide of 295 amino acids, which presented a 57% and 58% identity with the bovine and avian rhodanese, respectively. The analysis of the 5'-ends of the coding region gave no evidence for the presence of a cleavable signal sequence as found in other mitochondrial proteins. A comparison with two available amino acid sequences (cow and chicken) showed that sequence similarity is not restricted to the alpha-helices and beta-structures motifs which are remarkably superimposable in the two halves of bovine rhodanese, but extends to adjacent regions.

Nueva serovariedad mundial de Salmonella aislada de un caso de diarrea / A new serovar of Salmonella isolated from a case of diarrhea

Se informa el aislamiento por primera vez en el mundo, de una nueva serovariedad de Salmonella, a partir de heces de un niño con diarrea aguda en la ciudad de Orán, provincia de Salta. Por sus caracteres bioquímica fue obicada en la sub-especie IV, taxón 5, de acuerdo a la nomenclatura actual aceptada para el género, siendo su estructura antigénica 50:b:-(S IV 50:-)

Nueva serovariedad mundial de Salmonella aislada de un caso de diarrea / A new serovar of Salmonella isolated from a case of diarrhea

Se informa el aislamiento por primera vez en el mundo, de una nueva serovariedad de Salmonella, a partir de heces de un niño con diarrea aguda en la ciudad de Orán, provincia de Salta. Por sus caracteres bioquímica fue obicada en la sub-especie IV, taxón 5, de acuerdo a la nomenclatura actual aceptada para el género, siendo su estructura antigénica 50:b:-(S IV 50:-) (AU)