José Celestino Mutis' appropriation of Newton's experimental physics in New Granada (1761-1808).

This paper characterizes José Celestino Mutis' (1732-1808) appropriation of Newton in the Viceroyalty of New Granada. First, we examine critically traditional accounts of Mutis' works highlighting, on the one hand, their inadequacy for directing their claims toward the nineteenth-century independence from Spain and, on the other, for not differentiating between Newtonianism and Enlightenment. Next, we portray Mutis' complex Newtonianism from his own statements and from printed sources, including a variety of works and translations from British, Dutch, and French authors, in addition to a wide range of Newton's writings, unusual for an eighteenth-century reader in the Americas. Finally, we analyze a salient claim of Mutis' Newtonianism in order to depict his appropriation and transformation of Newton's ideas: the characterization of Newtonian experimental physics as a useful science. In so doing, Mutis further developed metaphysical and methodological positions not present in Newton's works.

Iberian science: Reflections and studies.

Over the last two decades early modern historical studies of science, medicine, and technology in the Iberian world have developed into a broad-ranging field with contributions from scholars coming from different historiographical traditions and building upon the solid scholarship of earlier generations. This special issue is an opportunity to explore the field, its recent trends, acknowledge new perspectives that have contributed to the field's growth, and gauge future directions for the field. The six articles offer both reflections on the field's historiography and serve as examples of work currently under way.

The botanical explorations in Colombia: a review of the written botanical heritage with analyses of Lamiaceae collections as studied case / Las exploraciones botánicas en Colombia: una revisión al legado botánico literario con análisis de las colecciones de Lamiaceae como estudio de caso

A chronological review of botanical explorations in Colombian was made through the revision of notes and publications from early 1500 ́s to late 1990 ́s. Complementary, herbaria photographs of Lamiaceae collections from botanical explorations in Colombia, deposited in the New York Botanical Garden Herbarium were analyzed in order to have a clear idea about the researches that were involved with collections in Colombia during the last 150 years.

A través de la consulta a notas científicas y publicaciones de varios autores fue hecha una revisión de la historia botánica de Colombia desde los años de 1500 ́s hasta 1990 ́s. Complementariamente, fueron analizadas fotografías de ejemplares de herbario de las colecciones de LamiaceAE provenientes de Colombia, depositadas en el Herbario del Jardin Botanico de Nueva York. Las especies, nombres de los colectores y sus instituciones de afiliación fueron comparadas y son presentadas seguidas de una breve discusión relacionada con el legado botánico de Colombia.

Comparación de métodos para la recuperación y determinación de la prevalencia de Streptococcus agalactiae en mujeres gestantes de Medellín / Method comparison for the recovery from Streptococcus agalactiae and its prevalence determination in pregnant women of Medellín

Objetivo: Comparar la sensibilidad de losmétodos para la recuperación y la determinación de la prevalencia de S. agalactiae en un grupo de mujeres gestantes de Medellín. Materiales y métodos: Se llevó a cabo un estudio descriptivo de corte. La poblaciónestudiada fueron 362 mujeres gestantes que consultaron en el periodo comprendido entre febrero y octubre de 2008, a las que se les tomaron muestras con hisopo del introitovaginal y de la región anal. Las muestras se cultivaron simultáneamente en agar NuevaGranada y caldo Todd Hewitt con suplemento de antibióticos, a partir del cual se hizo un subcultivo en agar sangre de carnero al 5%. Resultados: Al comparar el método de recuperación en agar Nueva Granada con el método de referencia en caldo Todd Hewitt, la sensibilidad del primero fue de 44% y elvalor diagnóstico positivo de 58%; presentó una alta especificidad (98%) y un valor diagnóstico negativo de 99%. Se identificó S. agalactiae en 21 (5,8%) gestantes. Conclusión: El cultivo en caldo Todd Hewitt es un método sensible para la recuperación deS. agalactiae. Por consiguiente, se recomienda continuar con esta metodología para la tamización de mujeres gestantes en nuestro medio. La prevalencia de 5,8% encontrada eneste estudio concuerda con los reportes de la literatura mundial y, teniendo en cuenta que la tasa de transmisión vertical es, aproximadamente, de 50% (1), se demuestra la necesidad de implementar medidas de vigilancia epidemiológica en nuestro medio.

Objective: Compare method sensitivityfor recovery from S. agalactiae and to determine its prevalence in a group of pregnant women of the city of Medellín.Materials and methods: Cross-sectionaldescriptive study. The population waspregnant women of Medellín who consulted from February to October, 2008; 362 pregnant women were included; the samples were taken from vagina introitus and anal area. The samples were simultaneously cultured in New Granada Agar and Todd Hewitt Broth supplemented with antibiotics, which was the base for the performance of a subculture in Ram Blood Agar at 5%.Results: When comparing the New Granada Agar method of recovery with the Todd Hewitt Broth gold test, the sensitivity of the first was 44% and the positive predictive value was 58%; it presented 98% specificity and a negative predictive value of 99%. S. agalactiae was found in 21 (5.8%)pregnant women. Conclusions: Todd Hewitt Broth is a sensitive method for the recovery from S. agalactiae; therefore, continuing with this methodology for the screening of pregnant women in ourenvironment is recommended. The 5,8% prevalence found in this study is consistent with the reports in world-wide literature. Considering that the rate of vertical transmission isapproximately 50%, the need to implement epidemiological surveillance measures in our environment is evident.

Salud pública y prohibición de enterramientos en las iglesias en la Nueva Granada a finales del siglo XVIII / Saúde pública e a proibição de enterros nas igrejas da Nova Granada no final do século XVIII / Public health and the prohibition of burials in the Churches of New Granada at the end of the XVIII century

Objetivo: Analizar el contexto de las decisiones del Estado colonial español en Nueva Granada a finales del siglo XVIII para afrontar los problemas sanitarios atribuidos al enterramiento de cadáveres en recintos sagrados. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio histórico basado en documentos oficiales del gobierno colonial. Resultados: Las decisiones contra los enterramientos en recintos sagrados estuvieron encuadradas en el ideario científico y político de la Ilustración europea y muestran un nivel significativo de sistematización. Conclusiones: Las ideas predominantes en Europa en las décadas finales del siglo XVIII constituyeron la matriz sobre la cual se gestaron en nuestro país los pensamientos y las estructuras organizativas para actuar con cierto rigor sobre la salud de las poblaciones. Investigaciones futuras deberán precisar la mediación entre el pensamiento europeo y nuestra cultura autóctona.

Objective: To analyze the context of the decisions by the Spanish Colonial State in New Granada at the end of the 18th century, to address sanitary problems attributed to the burial of corpsesin sacred places. Methodology: This is a historical study based on official documents from the colonial government. Results: the decisions against burials in sacred places were framed by scientific-political ideals from European Illustration, and illustrate a significant level of systematization.Conclusions: The predominant ideals in Europe during the final decades of theXVIII century, constituted the matrix in which the way of thinking and organizational structures were generated in our country to act with a certain rigor in regards to the population’s health. Future research should specify the mediation between European thought and our autochthonousculture.

Serotypes and Biochemical Reaction Patterns of Group B Streptococci / 대한임상병리학회지

BACKGROUND: This study is designed to provide data on the trend of serotypes of group B streptococci (GBS) isolated from clinical specimens during recent eight years and to elucidate the relationship between biochemical reactions and serotypes of GBS. METHODS: Serotyping, pigment production test, CAMP test, hippurate hydrolysis, and hemolysis test were performed for 150 GBS isolates from clinical specimens during March 1990 to February 1998. The typing sera used were Ia, Ib, II, III, IV, and V. Pigment production was detected by new Granada tube medium. The CAMP test and hippurate hydrolysis were performed by standard technique. Hemolytic patterns of GBS were determined on sheep blood agar and human blood agar plate. RESULTS: GBS were frequently isolated from cervix, urine, wound (pus), and blood. Striking increase of GBS isolates were notified from 1996 to 1997 period. Identification rates of GBS serotypes were Ib (38.0%), III (37.3%), Ia (9.3%), V (8.7%), nontypable strains (4.0%), and II (2.7%) in decreasing order. The proportion of serotype III increased markedly from 1996. Serotype V was not isolated until 1996, and ranked third in 1997. Seven (4.7%) isolates were nonhemolytic, and six of seven isolates revealed serotype III. Two (1.3%) isolates that were negative in both CAMP test and hippurate hydrolysis were serotype II. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical microbiology laboratories relying on beta hemolysis or pigment production for initial detection of GBS may underestimate the isolation rate of GBS and the proportion of serotype III which hardly makes hemolysis. It is therefore recommended that laboratories providing cultures for the GBS of genitalia specimens supplement other detection methods such as CAMP test or immunologic methods.