Chitosan Modulates Volatile Organic Compound Emission from the Biocontrol Fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia.

Fungal volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are responsible for fungal odor and play a key role in biological processes and ecological interactions. VOCs represent a promising area of research to find natural metabolites for human exploitation. Pochonia chlamydosporia is a chitosan-resistant nematophagous fungus used in agriculture to control plant pathogens and widely studied in combination with chitosan. The effect of chitosan on the production of VOCs from P. chlamydosporia was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Several growth stages in rice culture medium and different times of exposure to chitosan in modified Czapek-Dox broth cultures were analyzed. GC-MS analysis resulted in the tentative identification of 25 VOCs in the rice experiment and 19 VOCs in the Czapek-Dox broth cultures. The presence of chitosan in at least one of the experimental conditions resulted in the de novo production of 3-methylbutanoic acid and methyl 2,4-dimethylhexanoate, and oct-1-en-3-ol and tetradec-1-ene in the rice and Czapek-Dox experiments, respectively. Other VOCs changed their abundance because of the effect of chitosan and fungal age. Our findings suggest that chitosan can be used as a modulator of the production of VOCs in P. chlamydosporia and that there is also an effect of fungal age and exposure time.

Bronchiolitis Score of Sant Joan de Déu: BROSJOD Score, validation and usefulness.

OBJECTIVE: To validate the bronchiolitis score of Sant Joan de Déu (BROSJOD) and to examine the previously defined scoring cutoff. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Prospective, observational study. BROSJOD scoring was done by two independent physicians (at admission, 24 and 48 hr). Internal consistency of the score was assessed using Cronbach's α. To determine inter-rater reliability, the concordance correlation coefficient estimated as an intraclass correlation coefficient (CCC) and limits of agreement estimated as the 90% total deviation index (TDI) were estimated. An expert opinion was used to classify patients according to clinical severity. A validity analysis was conducted comparing the 3-level classification score to that expert opinion. Volume under the surface (VUS), predictive values, and probability of correct classification (PCC) were measured to assess discriminant validity. RESULTS: About 112 patients were recruited, 62 of them (55.4%) males. Median age: 52.5 days (IQR: 32.75-115.25). The admission Cronbach's α was 0.77 (CI95%: 0.71; 0.82) and at 24 hr it was 0.65 (CI95%: 0.48; 0.7). The inter-rater reliability analysis was: CCC at admission 0.96 (95%CI 0.94-0.97), at 24 h 0.77 (95%CI 0.65-0.86), and at 48 hr 0.94 (95%CI 0.94-0.97); TDI 90%: 1.6, 2.9, and 1.57, respectively. The discriminant validity at admission: VUS of 0.8 (95%CI 0.70-0.90), at 24 h 0.92 (95%CI 0.85-0.99), and at 48 hr 0.93 (95%CI 0.87-0.99). The predictive values and PCC values were within 38-100% depending on the level of clinical severity. CONCLUSION: There is a high inter-rater reliability, showing the BROSJOD score to be reliable and valid, even when different observers apply it. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2017;52:533-539. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Valor de la procalcitonina com a marcador pronòstic en el pacient politraumàtic en una unitat de cures intensives pediàtrica / Valor de la procalcitonina como marcador pronóstico en el paciente politraumático, en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátricos / The value of procalcitonin as a prognostic indicator in polytraumatized patients in a pediatric critical care unit

Fonament: el politraumatisme (PT) greu té una morbimorta-litat elevada. La procalcitonina (PCT) podria ser útil com a indicador pronòstic. Objectiu: definir els nivells de PCT en el pacient politraumàtic (PPT) i la seva implicació pronòstica. Mètode: estudi prospectiu observacional. Criteris d'inclusió: pacients menors de 16 anys, ingressats per PT en una unitat de cures intensives pediàtrica (UCIP), amb determinació de PCT a l'ingrés i al cap de 24-48 hores. Període d'estudi: novembre del 2009 - novembre del 2011. Tractament estadístic mitjançant el paquet SPSS(R) versió 17.0. Resultats: de seixanta-set pacients amb politraumatisme, vint complien criteris. La mitjana d'edat era de 13,6 ± 4,2 anys i 19 (95%) eren homes. La puntuació del Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score Index (PRISM-III) era de 9,8 ± 7,38 i l'Índex de Trauma Pediàtric (ITP) de 5,5 ± 2,08. Els nivells mitjans de PCT a les 24 hores eren de 7,67 ± 18,05 ng/ml. Es van diagnosticar vuit casos d'infecció bacteriana. Cap pacient va ser èxitus. La PCT es va correlacionar amb la puntuació PRISM-III (R 0,6; p = 0,048). Els nivells mitjans de PCT eren significativament superiors en el grup que va necessitar ventilació mecànica respecte als que no en van necessitar (p = 0,046) i en el grup de pacients infectats (p = 0,039). Es va objectivar una tendència a la correlació entre els valors mitjans de PCT a l'ingrés i els dies d'ingrés (R 0,393, p = 0,1). Conclusions: els valors de la PCT van ser elevats, per la freqüència de la complicació bacteriana en els PPT. La PCT podria ser útil com a factor pronòstic

Fundamento. El politraumatismo (PT) grave tiene una elevada morbimortalidad. La procalcitonina (PCT) podría ser útil como indicador pronóstico. Objetivo. Definir los niveles de PCT en el paciente politraumático (PPT) y su implicación pronóstica. Método. Estudio prospectivo observacional. Criterios de inclusión: pacientes menores de 16 años, ingresados por PT en una unidad de cuidados intensivos pediátrica, con determinación de PCT al ingreso y entre las 24-48 horas del mismo. Periodo de estudio: noviembre de 2009 - noviembre de 2011. Tratamiento estadístico mediante paquete SPSS® versión 17.0. Resultados. De 67 pacientes con PT, 20 cumplieron criterios. La edad media fue de 13,6 ± 4,2 años y 19 (95%) fueron varones. La puntuación del Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score Index (PRISMIII) fue de 9,8 ± 7,38 y la del Índice de Trauma Pediátrico (ITP) de 5,5 ± 2,08. Los niveles medios de PCT a las 24 h fueron de 7,67 ± 18,05 ng/ml. En ocho casos se realizó el diagnóstico de infección bacteriana. Ningún paciente fue éxitus. La PCT correlacionó con la puntuación del PRISM-III (R 0,6; p = 0,048). Los niveles medios de PCT fueron significativamente superiores en el grupo que necesitó ventilación mecánica respecto a los que no la necesitaron de forma significativa, p = 0,046 y en el grupo de pacientes infectados, p = 0,039. Existió una tendencia a que los valores medios de PCT al ingreso correlacionaran con los días de ingreso (R 0,393, p = 0,1). Conclusiones. Los valores de PCT fueron elevados, por lo frecuente de la complicación infecciosa bacteriana en los PPT. La PCT podría ser útil como factor pronóstico (AU)

Background. Severe polytrauma (PT) is associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Procalcitonin (PCT) may be a useful prognostic indicator. Objective. To describe the levels of PCT in the polytraumatized patient (PTP) and to determine its prognostic implications. Method. This was a prospective observational study conducted between November 2009 and November 2011. The inclusion criteria were age less than 16 years, admission for PT in the Pediatric Critical Care Unit, and availability of PCT values on admission and for 24-48 hours. Statistical analysis was with SPSS version 17.0 package. Results. Twenty of the 67 PTP met the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 13.6±4.2 years, and 19 (95%) were male. The Pediatric Risk of Mortality Score Index (PRISM-III) was 9.8±7.3, and the Pediatric Trauma Score was 5.5±2.0. Mean PCT levels at 24 hours from admission were 7.6±18.0 ng/ml. In eight cases the diagnosis of a concurrent bacterial infection was made. There were no deaths. PCT correlated with PRISM-III score (R 0.6, p=0.048). Mean PCT levels were significantly higher in the group of patients that required mechanical ventilation, compared to those who did not require it (p=0.046) and in those with a concurrent infection (p=0.039). There was a tendency for the mean PCT values on admission to correlate with the length of hospital stay (R 0.393, p=0.1). Conclusions. Due to the high frequency of bacterial infections that PCT values were high in our study. PCT levels may be useful as prognostic factor (AU)

Adrenomedullin is a useful biomarker for the prognosis of critically ill septic children.

AIM: To measure midregional pro-adrenomedullin (MR-pro-ADM) in critically ill septic patients to determine its prognostic usefulness as compared with other used biomarkers in pediatric intensive care units, C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT). MATERIALS & METHODS: Prospective observational study conducted on 95 patients. RESULTS: Mean levels of MR-pro-ADM were significantly higher when patients needed mechanical ventilation (3.2 ± 4.3 vs 1.6 ± 2.4) and inotropes (4.4 ± 5.2 vs 1.3 ± 1.2). Receiver operating characteristic curves of mortality were higher for MR-pro-ADM (cut-off value of 2.2). This marker showed higher positive predictive prognostic value than PCT and CRP (31 vs 21.6% and 15.8%, respectively). CONCLUSION: MR-pro-ADM levels are good indicators of disease severity and show better reliability than PCT and CRP for predicting in-hospital mortality.

Efectos de interacción suelo estructura en edificios de mampostería

Se estudian ecperimental y analíticamente edificios de muros de mampostería confinada, con una estructuración muy similar y desplantados en zonas de suelo firme y blando de la ciudad de México. El efecto de interacción suelo-estructura resultó significiativo en estos edificios, lo cual dificultó la identificación de las frecuencias naturales de vibrar; este hecho sugiere que el suelo funciona como un disparador de energía. Las propiedades dinámicas calculadas concordaron con los resultados experimentales. La evaluación experimental y analítica de los edificios localizados en suelo blando indica que para calcular la respuesta dinámica debe tomarse en cuenta la capacidad de disipación de energía del suelo