Carbapenem alternatives for treatment of bloodstream infections due to AmpC producing enterobacterales.

INTRODUCTION: Carbapenems (CR) have traditionally been the first line treatment for bacteremia caused by AmpC-producing Enterobacterales. However, CR have a high ecological impact, and carbapenem-resistant strains continue rising. Thus, other treatment alternatives like Piperacillin-Tazobactam (P-T) or Cefepime (CEF) and oral sequential therapy (OST) are being evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, single-centre observational study. All adult patients with AmpC-producing Enterobacterales bacteremia were included. The primary endpoint was clinical success defined as a composite of clinical cure, 14-day survival, and no adverse events. We evaluated the evolution of patients in whom OST was performed. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients were included, 22 patients in the CR group and 55 in the P-T/CEF group (37 patients received CEF and 18 P-T). The mean age of the patients was higher in the P-T/CEF group (71 years in CR group vs. 76 years in P-T/CEF group, p = 0.053). In the multivariate analysis, age ≥ 70 years (OR 0.08, 95% CI [0.007-0.966], p = 0.047) and a Charlson index ≥ 3 (OR 0.16, 95% CI [0.026-0.984], p = 0.048), were associated with a lower clinical success. Treatment with P-T/CEF was associated with higher clinical success (OR 7.75, 95% CI [1.273-47.223], p = 0.026). OST was performed in 47% of patients. This was related with a shorter in-hospital stay (OST 14 days [7-22] vs. non-OST 18 days [13-38], p = 0.005) without difference in recurrence (OST 3% vs. non-OST 5%, p = 0.999). CONCLUSIONS: Targeted treatment with P-T/CEF and OST could be safe and effective treatments for patients with AmpC-producing Enterobacterales bacteremia.

Gastrointestinal colonization by OXA-48-producing Enterobacterales: risk factors for persistent carriage.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) infections are a major health problem. Intestinal colonization is a key factor in developing infection. However, factors associated with persistent colonization by CRE are unknown. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with persistent CRE gut colonization. This is a retrospective, single-centre, observational study of adult patients with CRE gut colonization between January 2015 and January 2020. Epidemiologic characteristics, comorbidities, infectious events, duration of hospitalization and antimicrobial treatment received in the follow-up period were collected. Colonization was defined as isolation in at least 2 rectal swab culture samples of CRE. Decolonization was defined as 3 negative rectal swab cultures or 2 negative cultures and a negative molecular test. A cohort of 86 patients with CRE gut colonization was selected: 44 patients with spontaneous decolonization (DC) and 42 patients with persistent colonization (PC). The mean follow-up period was 24 months (IQR 14-33) in the DC group vs. 25 months (IQR 16-36) in the PC group (p = 0.478). Patient characteristics were similar between both groups. Colonization by other MDR microorganisms was high (44 patients, 51%) and slightly more common in the PC group (PC 60% vs. DC 43%, p = 0.139). The use of ceftazidime-avibactam was more common among the PC group (PC 33% vs. DC 14%, p = 0.041). We observed a higher percentage of antimicrobial therapy in the previous 30 days (PC 68% vs. DC 57%, p = 0.371) and 90 days (PC 81% vs. DC 82%, p = 0.353) in the PC group. Multivariable analysis showed that patients that have received ceftazidime-avibactam therapy (OR 4.9 95% CI [1.45-16.39], p = 0.010), and those colonized by other MDR microorganisms (OR 2.5, 95% CI [0.96-6.25], p = 0.060) presented a higher risk of PC. Ceftazidime-avibactam use and colonization by other MDR microorganisms might be associated with CRE persistent gut colonization.

Ceftazidime-avibactam treatment in bacteremia caused by OXA-48 carbapenemase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Therapeutic options for bacteremia caused by carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) OXA-48-type are limited. The objective of this study was to analyze clinical success of CAZ-AVI compared with best available therapy (BAT) in patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing OXA-48-type bacteremia (CRKp-OXA-48). We conducted a retrospective, single-center observational study in adult patients with CRKp-OXA-48 between December 2015 and May 2019. We collected the patients' clinical and epidemiological characteristics, antibiotic treatment (CAZ-AVI vs. BAT), and evolution. Factors associated with clinical success were analyzed using binary logistic regression. The study included 76 patients with CRKp-OXA-48-type bacteremia 33 received CAZ-AVI and 43 BAT. CAZ-AVI was mainly used in monotherapy (91%). Clinical success was more common in patients < 70-year-old (OR 4.79, 95% CI [1.435-16.002], p = 0.011) and CAZ-AVI treatment (OR 6.69, 95% CI [1.68-26.604], p = 0.007). Kaplan-Meier survival curve of 14-day mortality showed a lower mortality in patients who received CAZ-AVI (log rank 0.013). However, CAZ-AVI did not achieve statistical difference in IPTW for 14- and 30-day mortality (aOR 0.1, 95% CI [0.02-1.22], p = 0.076 and aOR 1.7, 95% CI [0.48-5.98], p = 0.413, respectively). CAZ-AVI treatment might be associated with a greater clinical success in CRKp-OXA-48 bacteremia.

Efetividade do sistema de triagem em serviço de emergência privado: estudo coorte / Effectiveness of the triage system in a private emergency service: cohort study

Fundamentos: A superlotação dos serviços de emergência é um fenômeno mundial. Isto torna imprescindível que os sistemas de triagem utilizados sejam efetivos na identificação de atendimentos prioritários. Entretanto, pouco se conhece sobre a efetividade dos sistemas de triagem em serviços de emergência, principalmente na rede suplementar de saúde no Brasil. Objetivo: identificar a efetividade do sistema de triagem em serviço de emergência privado, baseado na Escala de Triagem Canadense. Métodos: Estudo coorte retrospectivo, com 254.730 registros de atendimentos, entre 2017 e 2018, de um serviço de emergência privado, referência em medicina de alta complexidade, em São Paulo (SP), Brasil. Estatística descritiva foi utilizada para caracterizar os atendimentos, de acordo com ano, sexo, idade, classificação de prioridade e desfecho clínico pós-atendimento. Associação entre os graus de prioridades da escala e os desfechos clínicos foi verificada pelo teste Qui-quadrado de Pearson. Para analisar efetividade do sistema de triagem foi delineado um modelo de regressão logística univariada, para prever o desfecho "internações/óbitos", em comparação com "altas". Devido ao tamanho amostral robusto, o nível de significância considerado foi de 0,1%. Resultados: Cerca de 60% dos atendimentos foram classificados como não urgentes e 30,8%, como urgentes. A probabilidade de morte e internação corresponderam ao aumentou do grau de prioridade, variando entre mais de 12 vezes para os atendimentos de "semi-urgência" a mais de 100 vezes para o grau "emergência". Pacientes atendidos no ano de 2018, do sexo masculino e com idade acima de 50 anos apresentaram maior probabilidade de serem internados ou morrerem. Conclusão: O sistema de triagem analisado foi considerado efetivo para prever desfechos clínicos compatíveis com a gradação de gravidade estabelecida. Isto é relevante na medida que expressa, pela primeira vez no Brasil, a efetividade em um sistema de triagem, baseado na Escala de Triagem Canadense. Além disso, a caracterização da busca expressiva por atendimentos de baixa gravidade entre usuários do serviço analisado é semelhante aos apresentados em diversos estudos nacionais e internacionais. Reflete-se sobre as explicações socioculturais e econômicas no contexto brasileiro, expondo perspectivas a serem atingidas por políticas públicas.Palavras-chave: Triagem, Medicina de emergências, Enfermagem em emergência, Estudos de coortes. (AU)

Background: the overcrowding of emergency services is a worldwide phenomenon. This makes it essential that the triage systems used are effective in identifying priority care. However, little is known about the effectiveness of triage systems in emergency services, especially in the supplementary health network in Brazil. Objective: identify the effectiveness of the triage system in a private emergency department, based on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale. Methods: a retrospective cohort study, with 254,730 records of care, between 2017 and 2018, from a private emergency service, reference in high complexity medicine, in São Paulo (SP), Brazil. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the attendances, according to year, gender, age, priority rating, and post-acute clinical outcome. Association between the scale priority grades and clinical outcomes was verified by Pearson's chi-square test. To analyze the effectiveness of the screening system, a univariate logistic regression model was designed to predict the outcome "hospitalizations/hospitalizations" compared to "discharges". Due to the robust sample size, the significance level considered was 0.1%. Results: about 60% of the cases were classified as non-urgent and 30.8% as urgent. The probability of death and hospitalization corresponded to the increased degree of priority, ranging from more than 12 times for the "semi-urgent" attendances to more than 100 times for the "emergency" degree. Patients seen in 2018, male and over 50 years old, were more likely to be hospitalized or die. Conclusion: the screening system analyzed was considered effective in predicting clinical outcomes compatible with the established severity gradation. This is relevant as it expresses, for the first time in Brazil, the effectiveness of a triage system based on the Canadian Triage and Acuity Scale. Moreover, the characterization of the expressive search for low severity care among users of the analyzed service is similar to those presented in several national and international studies. Reflections on sociocultural and economic explanations in the Brazilian context are made, exposing perspectives to be achieved by public policies. (AU)

Ventromedial medullary pathway mediating cardiac responses evoked from periaqueductal gray.

Periaqueductal gray (PAG) is a midbrain region that projects to areas controlling behavioral and autonomic outputs and is involved in the behavioral and physiological components of defense reactions. Since Raphe Pallidus (RPa) is a medial medullary region comprising sympathetic premotor neurons governing heart function, it is worth considering the PAG-RPa path. We assessed: i) whether PAG projects to RPa; ii) the amplitude of cardiac responses evoked from PAG; iii) whether cardiovascular responses evoked from PAG rely on RPa. Experiments conducted in Wistar rats (±300 g) were approved by Ethics Committee CEUA-UFG (092/18). Firstly, (n = 3), monosynaptic retrograde tracer Retrobeads was injected into RPa; PAG slices were analyzed. Other two groups (n = 6 each) were anesthetized with urethane (1.4 g/kg) and chloralose (120 mg/kg) and underwent craniotomy, tracheostomy, catheterization of femoral artery and vein and of cardiac left ventricle. In one group, we injected the GABAA receptor antagonist, bicuculline methiodide (BMI - 40 pmol/100 nL) into lateral/dorsolateral PAG. Another group was injected (100 nL) with the GABAA receptor agonist muscimol (20 mM) into RPa, 20 min before BMI into PAG. The results were: i) retrogradely labelled neurons were found in PAG; ii) PAG activation by BMI caused positive chronotropism and inotropism, which were accompanied by afterload increases; iii) RPa inhibition with Muscimol reduced heart rate, arterial and ventricular pressures; iv) the subsequent PAG activation still increased arterial pressure, cardiac chronotropy and inotropy, but these responses were significantly attenuated. In conclusion, PAG activation increases cardiac chronotropy and inotropy, and these responses seem to rely on a direct pathway reaching ventromedial medullary RPa neurons.

RNA sequencing and analysis of three Lupinus nodulomes provide new insights into specific host-symbiont relationships with compatible and incompatible Bradyrhizobium strains.

Nitrogen fixation in the legume root-nodule symbiosis has a critical importance in natural and agricultural ecosystems and depends on the proper choice of the symbiotic partners. However, the genetic determinism of symbiotic specificity remains unclear. To study this process, we inoculated three Lupinus species (L. albus, L. luteus, L. mariae-josephae), belonging to the under-investigated tribe of Genistoids, with two Bradyrhizobium strains (B. japonicum, B. valentinum) presenting contrasted degrees of symbiotic specificity depending on the host. We produced the first transcriptomes (RNA-Seq) from lupine nodules in a context of symbiotic specificity. For each lupine species, we compared gene expression between functional and non-functional interactions and determined differentially expressed (DE) genes. This revealed that L. luteus and L. mariae-josephae (nodulated by only one of the Bradyrhizobium strains) specific nodulomes were richest in DE genes than L. albus (nodulation with both microsymbionts, but non-functional with B. valentinum) and share a higher number of these genes between them than with L. albus. In addition, a functional analysis of DE genes highlighted the central role of the genetic pathways controlling infection and nodule organogenesis, hormones, secondary, carbon and nitrogen metabolisms, as well as the implication of plant defence in response to compatible or incompatible Bradyrhizobium strains.

Realização da evolução de enfermagem em âmbito hospitalar: umarevisão sistemática / Carrying out the evolution of nursing in hospitals: a systematic review

Objetivo: realizar uma revisão sistemática de literatura sobre a frequência da realização da evolução de enfermagem nas unidades de internação hospitalar e a adequação às prerrogativas legais. Métodos: revisão sistemática, com coleta de dados na biblioteca eletrônica Scientific Eletronic Library Online SCiELO, com os descritores controlados: registros de enfermagem; cuidados de enfermagem, processos de enfermagem e o descritor não controlado: evolução. As buscas ocorreram no mês de julho, 2016. Resultados: evidenciaram que produção sobre evolução de enfermagem nos periódicos pesquisados, é pouco expressiva. Considerações Finais: a Sistematização da Assistência de Enfermagem, método de consenso entre os enfermeiros, amplamente conhecido e legalmente instituído, ainda enfrenta uma série de inconsistências e irregularidades. Identificou-se um grande volume de inconformidades na implementação e execução dessa sistemática, revelando um oportuno espaço de atuação para a auditoria de enfermagem a qual poderia contribuir para o exercício da enfermagem de forma científica, segura, legal e de qualidade.

Objective: to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the frequency of the evolution ofnursing in hospital admission units and the adequacy to legal prerogatives. Methods: systematicreview with data collection based on Scientific Electronic Library Online Scielo, with the controlleddescriptors: nursing care, nursing process and nursing records, and the uncontrolled descriptor:evolution. The searches took place in July 2016. Results: evidenced that production on nursingevolution in the journals surveyed, is not very expressive. Final considerations: Systematization ofNursing Assistance, method of consensus among nurses, widely known and legally established, stillfaces a number of inconsistencies and irregularities in its implementation and enforcement. Theexistence of a large volume of non-compliance in the implementation and execution of this systemopens a timely performance space for the audit of nursing which could significantly contribute tothe practice of nursing science, safe, legal and quality.

Superconducting Properties in Arrays of Nanostructured ß-Gallium.

Samples of nanostructured ß-Ga wires were synthesized by a novel method of metallic-flux nanonucleation. Several superconducting properties were observed, revealing the stabilization of a weak-coupling type-II-like superconductor ([Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] 6.2 K) with a Ginzburg-Landau parameter [Formula: see text] = 1.18. This contrasts the type-I superconductivity observed for the majority of Ga phases, including small spheres of ß-Ga with diameters near 15 µm. Remarkably, our magnetization curves reveal a crossover field [Formula: see text], where we propose that the Abrikosov vortices are exactly touching their neighbors inside the Ga nanowires. A phenomenological model is proposed to explain this result by assuming that only a single row of vortices is allowed inside a nanowire under perpendicular applied field, with an appreciable depletion of Cooper pair density at the nanowire edges. These results are expected to shed light on the growing area of superconductivity in nanostructured materials.

The chloroplast genome of the hexaploid Spartina maritima (Poaceae, Chloridoideae): Comparative analyses and molecular dating.

The history of many plant lineages is complicated by reticulate evolution with cases of hybridization often followed by genome duplication (allopolyploidy). In such a context, the inference of phylogenetic relationships and biogeographic scenarios based on molecular data is easier using haploid markers like chloroplast genome sequences. Hybridization and polyploidization occurred recurrently in the genus Spartina (Poaceae, Chloridoideae), as illustrated by the recent formation of the invasive allododecaploid S. anglica during the 19th century in Europe. Until now, only a few plastid markers were available to explore the history of this genus and their low variability limited the resolution of species relationships. We sequenced the complete chloroplast genome (plastome) of S. maritima, the native European parent of S. anglica, and compared it to the plastomes of other Poaceae. Our analysis revealed the presence of fast-evolving regions of potential taxonomic, phylogeographic and phylogenetic utility at various levels within the Poaceae family. Using secondary calibrations, we show that the tetraploid and hexaploid lineages of Spartina diverged 6-10 my ago, and that the two parents of the invasive allopolyploid S. anglica separated 2-4 my ago via long distance dispersal of the ancestor of S. maritima over the Atlantic Ocean. Finally, we discuss the meaning of divergence times between chloroplast genomes in the context of reticulate evolution.

Biological dosimetry intercomparison exercise: an evaluation of triage and routine mode results by robust methods.

Well-defined protocols and quality management standards are indispensable for biological dosimetry laboratories. Participation in periodic proficiency testing by interlaboratory comparisons is also required. This harmonization is essential if a cooperative network is used to respond to a mass casualty event. Here we present an international intercomparison based on dicentric chromosome analysis for dose assessment performed in the framework of the IAEA Regional Latin American RLA/9/054 Project. The exercise involved 14 laboratories, 8 from Latin America and 6 from Europe. The performance of each laboratory and the reproducibility of the exercise were evaluated using robust methods described in ISO standards. The study was based on the analysis of slides from samples irradiated with 0.75 (DI) and 2.5 Gy (DII). Laboratories were required to score the frequency of dicentrics and convert them to estimated doses, using their own dose-effect curves, after the analysis of 50 or 100 cells (triage mode) and after conventional scoring of 500 cells or 100 dicentrics. In the conntional scoring, at both doses, all reported frequencies were considered as satisfactory, and two reported doses were considered as questionable. The analysis of the data dispersion among the dicentric frequencies and among doses indicated a better reproducibility for estimated doses (15.6% for DI and 8.8% for DII) than for frequencies (24.4% for DI and 11.4% for DII), expressed by the coefficient of variation. In the two triage modes, although robust analysis classified some reported frequencies or doses as unsatisfactory or questionable, all estimated doses were in agreement with the accepted error of ±0.5 Gy. However, at the DI dose and for 50 scored cells, 5 out of the 14 reported confidence intervals that included zero dose and could be interpreted as false negatives. This improved with 100 cells, where only one confidence interval included zero dose. At the DII dose, all estimations fell within ±0.5 Gy of the reference dose interval. The results obtained in this triage exercise indicated that it is better to report doses than frequencies. Overall, in both triage and conventional scoring modes, the laboratory performances were satisfactory for mutual cooperation purposes. These data reinforce the view that collaborative networking in the case of a mass casualty event can be successful.

Sarcoma de Kaposi em doente com leucemia mielomonocítica crónica / Kaposi’s sarcoma arising in a patient with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia

Apresenta-se o caso de um doente com leucemia mielomonocítica crónica diagnosticada há cerca de 2 anos, actualmente medicado com hidroxiureiae eritropoietina, enviado a nossa consulta por máculas, pápulas e placas de cor vinosa localizadas aos membros inferiores. Algumas das lesões eramhiperqueratóticas. O diagnóstico de sarcoma de Kaposi foi histologicamente confirmado. O estudo analítico não detectou qualquer imunodeficiência associada. A morte do doente impediu a instituição de qualquer tratamento (AU)

A 84 year-old man from north Portugal with chronic myelomonocytic leukaemia (diagnosed 2 years ago), under treatment with erythropoiet in and hydroxyurea and Kaposi´s sarcoma is reported. The patient was referred to our department with brown macules, papules and patches with a smooth surface and whitish scale, located to the lower limbs that had appeared 2 month ago. The diagnosis of Kaposi’s sarcoma was histologically confirmed. He was HIV-1/HIV-2 negative and had no analytic detectable immussupression. The patient died short time after the diagnosis without specif any treatment (AU)

Lipoxin A(4) attenuates zymosan-induced arthritis by modulating endothelin-1 and its effects.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Lipoxin A(4) (LXA(4)) is a lipid mediator involved in the resolution of inflammation. Increased levels of LXA(4) in synovial fluid and enhanced expression of the formyl peptide receptor 2/lipoxin A(4) receptor (FPR2/ALX) in the synovial tissues of rheumatoid arthritis patients have been reported. Endothelins (ETs) play a pivotal pro-inflammatory role in acute articular inflammatory responses. Here, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory role of LXA(4), during the acute phase of zymosan-induced arthritis, focusing on the modulation of ET-1 expression and its effects. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The anti-inflammatory effects of LXA(4), BML-111 (agonist of FPR2/ALX receptors) and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) pre- and post-treatments were investigated in a murine model of zymosan-induced arthritis. Articular inflammation was assessed by examining knee joint oedema; neutrophil accumulation in synovial cavities; and levels of prepro-ET-1 mRNA, leukotriene (LT)B(4), tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and the chemokine KC/CXCL1, after stimulation. The direct effect of LXA(4) on ET-1-induced neutrophil activation and chemotaxis was evaluated by shape change and Boyden chamber assays respectively. KEY RESULTS: LXA(4), BML-111 and ASA administered as pre- or post-treatment inhibited oedema and neutrophil influx induced by zymosan stimulation. Zymosan-induced preproET-1 mRNA, KC/CXCL1, LTB(4) and TNF-α levels were also decreased after LXA(4) pretreatment. In vitro, ET-1-induced neutrophil chemotaxis was inhibited by LXA(4) pretreatment. LXA(4) treatment also inhibited ET-1-induced oedema formation and neutrophil influx into mouse knee joints. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATION: LXA(4) exerted anti-inflammatory effects on articular inflammation through a mechanism that involved the inhibition of ET-1 expression and its effects.

atz gene expressions during atrazine degradation in the soil drilosphere.

One of the various ecosystemic services sustained by soil is pollutant degradation mediated by adapted soil bacteria. The pathways of atrazine biodegradation have been elucidated but in situ expression of the genes involved in atrazine degradation has yet to be demonstrated in soil. Expression of the atzA and atzD genes involved in atrazine dechlorination and s-triazine ring cleavage, respectively, was investigated during in situ degradation of atrazine in the soil drilosphere and bulked samples from two agricultural soils that differed in their ability to mineralize atrazine. Interestingly, expression of the atzA gene, although present in both soils, was not detected. Atrazine mineralization was greatest in Epoisses soil, where a larger pool of atzD mRNA was consistently measured 7 days after atrazine treatment, compared with Vezin soil (146 vs. 49 mRNA per 10(6)16S rRNA, respectively). Expression of the atzD gene varied along the degradation time course and was profoundly modified in soil bioturbated by earthworms. The atzD mRNA pool was the highest in the soil drilosphere (casts and burrow-linings) and it was significantly different in burrow-linings compared with bulk soil (e.g. 363 vs. 146 mRNA per 10(6)16S rRNA, 7 days after atrazine treatment in Epoisses soil). Thus, consistent differences in atrazine mineralization were demonstrated between the soil drilosphere and bulk soil. However, the impact of bioturbation on atrazine mineralization depended on soil type. Mineralization was enhanced in casts, compared with bulk soil, from Epoisses soil but in burrow-linings from Vezin soil. This study is the first to report the effects of soil bioturbation by earthworms on s-triazine ring cleavage and its spatial variability in soil.

Specific heat of Gd4Co3.

The specific heat (C(T)) of Gd4Co3 was measured in the temperature range 2-300 K and its magnetic contribution (C(m)(T)) was determined using a new method that fits the electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) and the Debye temperature (θ(D)) by constraining the resulting magnetic entropy (S(m)(T)) to saturate at temperatures far above the Curie temperature (T(C)). C(m)(T) exhibits a low-temperature bump originating from thermal excitation of gapped spin waves, which is responsible for pronounced peaks, at ≈35 K, in both C(m)/T and the temperature derivative of the magnetic contribution to electrical resistivity (dρ(m)/dT). Apart from in the vicinity of T(C), an excellent global correlation was found between C(m)/T and dρ(m)/dT. Our results provide strong support for the consistency of the new method proposed for the determination of C(m)(T) and rule out any major role of short-range order on Gd moments or d-electron spin fluctuation effects in the paramagnetic phase. A comparative analysis with other methods used in similar compounds points to the need for a better evaluation of C(m)(T) in such compounds, especially in the magnetically ordered phase, where a deficient evaluation of C(m)/T has a larger impact on the S(m)(T) curve.

Electronic band effects on the spin disorder resistivity of Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds.

We present a study of the spin disorder resistivity ([Formula: see text]) and the electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) in Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds, with x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.30. The experimental results show a strongly nonlinear dependence of [Formula: see text] on the average de Gennes factor (G(av)) which, in similar intermetallic compounds, is usually attributed to the existence of spin fluctuations on the Co 3d bands. Values of γ were found around 110 mJ mol(-1) K(-2) for the Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds, much larger than 38.4 mJ mol(-1) K(-2) found for the isostructural nonmagnetic Y(4)Co(3) compound. Using a novel type of analysis we show that the ratio [Formula: see text] follows a well-defined linear dependence on G(av), which is expected when appropriate dependencies with the effective electron mass are taken into account. This indicates that band structure effects, rather than spin fluctuations, could be the main cause for the strong electron scattering and γ enhancement observed in the Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds. A discussion on relevant features of magnetization and electrical resistivity data, for the same series of compounds, is also presented.

Alteraciones en el metabolismo del zinc relacionadas a la edad / Alterations of zinc metabolic related to aging

Although many studies point to alterations in the organic concentrations of zinc in elderly patients, the mechanisms by which aging might cause changes in the metabolism of this nutrient remain unclear. Thus, we assessed the changes in plasma zinc, zinc binding capacity to plasma protein (ZnBCPP) and saturation index (SI), comparing elderly individus and young adults. The zinc analyses were performed by atonde absorption spectrophotometry. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) was found between the two groups in relation to plasma zinc and SI, but the ZnBCPP did not differ between the younger and older subjects. In agreement with this result, it was shown in the young group that 76 percent (R² = 0.760) of the ZnBCPP variations are explained by the variations in plasma zinc and SI. In the elderly group this measure decreased to 30.5 percent (R² = 0.305). We conclude, therefore, that aging may be a factor associated to changes in control mechanisms and in zinc homeostasis, and could even alter ZnBCPP response patterns and other zinc-related indicators of nutritional status.

A pesar que muchos estudios indicarían que existen alteraciones en las concentraciones orgánicas del zinc en pacientes mayores, los mecanismos por los cuales el envejecimiento podría implicar cambios en el metabolismo de esta nutriente, aún permanecen pocos claros. Buscamos evaluar los cambios relativos al zinc plasmático, a la Capacidad de Ligación del Zinc a la Proteína Plasmática (ZnBCPP) y en el índice de Saturación (SI). Los análisis de zinc fueron realizados por espectrofotometría de absorción atómica, comparando personas mayores y adultos jóvenes. Una diferencia significativa fue encontrada (p< 0,001), entre los dos grupos, en relación al zinc plasmático e SI, siendo que la ZnBCPP no cambió entre los jóvenes y adultos mayores. Constatando este resultado, se demostró que en el grupo de jóvenes las variaciones en la ZnBCPP son explicadas en 76 por ciento (R²= 0,760) por las variaciones en el zinc plasmático en el SI. En el grupo de los mayores esta medida disminuye a 30,5 por ciento (R²= 0,305). Concluimos que el envejecimiento puede ser un factor asociado a los cambios en los mecanismos de control y homeostasis del zinc, alternando los patrones de respuesta relativos a ZnBCPP y algunos otros indicadores del estado nutricional relativo al zinc.

Superconducting and magnetic behaviour of niobium doped RuSr(2)Gd(1.5)Ce(0.5)Cu(2)O(10-δ).

Polycrystalline samples of Ru(1-x)Nb(x)Sr(2)Gd(1.5)Ce(0.5)Cu(2)O(10-δ), 0≤x≤0.5, have been synthesized and structurally characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD). Resistivity, magnetization and AC susceptibility measurements have been done and analysed considering a phase separation scenario. A strong suppression of the cluster glass (CG) transition associated with niobium doping was identified. In fact, the CG phase was not present in samples for x≥0.2, leading to changes in the magnetic hysteresis loops measured at low temperatures. These hysteresis loops can be explained as a result of the contribution of two distinct magnetic phases: the canted AFM phase and embedded Ru(4+)-rich clusters which order as a CG in low temperatures. Interestingly, the significant changes in the magnetic response of the material do affect the superconducting transition temperature T(c). It was found that both T(c) and the superconducting fraction are reduced in samples which present the spin glass phase. Therefore, our results point to some coupling between magnetism and superconductivity in this ruthenocuprate family, the presence of the magnetic moment being deleterious for the superconductivity.

Plasma cell cheilitis.

Plasma cell cheilitis is a rare inflammatory disorder of the lip with a characteristic band-like infiltrate of plasma cells in the upper dermis. Differential diagnosis should consider allergic/irritant contact cheilitis, candidiasis, syphilis, Queyrat's erythroplasia, granulomatous cheilitis, plasmoacanthoma, plasmacytoma, squamous cell carcinoma and exfoliative or factitious cheilitis. We observed plasma cell cheilitis in a 60-year-old Caucasian female who had a partial response to topical steroids and oral griseofulvin.