A molecular toolbox for fast and convenient diagnosis of emerging and reemerging bacterial pathogens causing fever of intermediate duration.

PURPOSE: Fever of intermediate duration (FID) is defined as a fever in the community without a specific origin or focus, with a duration between 7 and 28 days. FID is often caused by pathogens associated with animal contact or their arthropods parasites, such as ticks, fleas, or lice. The purpose of this work is to design a collection of molecular tools to promptly and accurately detect common bacterial pathogens causing FID, including bacteria belonging to genera Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia, as well as Coxiella burnetii. METHODS: Reference DNA sequences from a collection of Rickettsia, Bartonella, Anaplasma, and Ehrlichia species were used to design genus-specific primers and FRET probes targeted to conserved genomic regions. For C. burnetii, primers previously described were used, in combination with a newly designed specific probe. Real-time PCR assays were optimized using reference bacterial genomic DNA in a background of human genomic DNA. RESULTS: The four real-time PCR assays can detect as few as ten copies of target DNA from those five genera of FDI-causing bacteria in a background of 300 ng of human genomic DNA, mimicking the low microbial load generally found in patient's blood. CONCLUSION: These assays constitute a fast and convenient "toolbox" that can be easily implemented in diagnostic laboratories to provide timely and accurate detection of bacterial pathogens that are typical etiological causes of febrile syndromes such as FID in humans.

Assessment of care provision integration in a community-based mental health system: balanced care model implementation in Andalusia (Spain).

BACKGROUND: Andalusia is the second largest region in Spain, and it has developed a comprehensive mental health (MH) plan that encourages the consolidation of the balanced care model. However, its geographical and socioeconomic disparity is a great challenge for a community-based MH system. Both the assessment of the implementation of the MH plan and the development of new tools to support decision-making can be considered critical. OBJECTIVES: The present study aims (i) to assess how the integration of different types of MH care may influence system performance and (ii) to check the performance evolution of the integration process geographically regarding the small MH areas of Andalusia. METHODS: The performance of the Andalusian MH system was assessed by combining Monte Carlo simulation, fuzzy inference and data envelopment analysis. The relative technical efficiency was the main performance indicator. RESULTS: A correct integration of appropriate types of MH care, according to population needs, increases the performance of the Andalusian MH system both from global and regional perspectives. The spatial representation (based on small MH areas) of the results highlights how the performance depends on specific geographical characteristics. By analyzing the identified spatial clusters, defined by different management patterns depending on user and socioeconomic characteristics, benchmark areas and areas for improvement can be studied to design evidence-informed policies and interventions. CONCLUSIONS: A global analysis of MH system performance was carried out, including both the successive integration of different types of care and its spatial evolution. Although an appropriate integration of different types of MH care has a positive effect on the Andalusian MH system, this process has different profiles depending on specific geographically based user and socioeconomic characteristics. The balanced care model can be considered the paradigm for assessing the performance of a large and populated territory such as Andalusia, which has a community-based MH system. This methodological approach (performance assessment and spatial analysis) may be used as a guide for developing future evidence-informed policies and managerial interventions.

The upper-airway microbiome as a biomarker of asthma exacerbations despite inhaled corticosteroid treatment.

BACKGROUND: The response to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in asthma is affected by the interplay of several factors. Among these, the role of the upper-airway microbiome has been scarcely investigated. We aimed to evaluate the association between the salivary, pharyngeal, and nasal microbiome with asthma exacerbations despite receipt of ICS. METHODS: Samples from 250 asthma patients from the Genomics and Metagenomics of Asthma Severity (GEMAS) study treated with ICS were analyzed. Control/case subjects were defined by the absence/presence of asthma exacerbations in the past 6 months despite being treated with ICS. The bacterial microbiota was profiled by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Differences between groups were assessed by PERMANOVA and regression models adjusted for potential confounders. A false discovery rate (FDR) of 5% was used to correct for multiple comparisons. Classification models of asthma exacerbations despite ICS treatment were built with machine learning approaches based on clinical, genetic, and microbiome data. RESULTS: In nasal and saliva samples, case subjects had lower bacterial diversity (Richness, Shannon, and Faith indices) than control subjects (.007 ≤ P ≤ .037). Asthma exacerbations accounted for 8% to 9% of the interindividual variation of the salivary and nasal microbiomes (.003 ≤ P ≤ .046). Three, 4, and 11 bacterial genera from the salivary, pharyngeal, and nasal microbiomes were differentially abundant between groups (4.09 × 10-12 ≤ FDR ≤ 0.047). Integrating clinical, genetic, and microbiome data showed good discrimination for the development of asthma exacerbations despite receipt of ICS (AUCtraining: 0.82 and AUCvalidation: 0.77). CONCLUSION: The diversity and composition of the upper-airway microbiome are associated with asthma exacerbations despite ICS treatment. The salivary microbiome has a potential application as a biomarker of asthma exacerbations despite receipt of ICS.

Effects of Climate Change on Soil Organic Matter C and H Isotope Composition in a Mediterranean Savannah (Dehesa): An Assessment Using Py-CSIA.

Dehesas are Mediterranean agro-sylvo-pastoral systems sensitive to climate change. Extreme climate conditions forecasted for Mediterranean areas may change soil C turnover, which is of relevance for soil biogeochemistry modeling. The effect of climate change on soil organic matter (SOM) is investigated in a field experiment mimicking environmental conditions of global change scenarios (soil temperature increase, +2-3 °C, W; rainfall exclusion, 30%, D; a combination of both, W+D). Pyrolysis-compound-specific isotope analysis (Py-CSIA) is used for C and H isotope characterization of SOM compounds and to forecast trends exerted by the induced climate shift. After 2.5 years, significant δ13C and δ2H isotopic enrichments were detected. Observed short- and mid-chain n-alkane δ13C shifts point to an increased microbial SOM reworking in the W treatment; a 2H enrichment of up to 40‰ of lignin methoxyphenols was found when combining W+D treatments under the tree canopy, probably related to H fractionation due to increased soil water evapotranspiration. Our findings indicate that the effect of the tree canopy drives SOM dynamics in dehesas and that, in the short term, foreseen climate change scenarios will exert changes in the SOM dynamics comprising the biogeochemical C and H cycles.

Relating mineral-organic matter stabilization mechanisms to carbon quality and age distributions using ramped thermal analysis.

Organic carbon (OC) association with soil minerals stabilizes OC on timescales reflecting the strength of mineral-C interactions. We applied ramped thermal oxidation to subsoil B horizons with different mineral-C associations to separate OC according to increasing temperature of oxidation, i.e. thermal activation energy. Generally, OC released at lower temperatures was richer in bioavailable forms like polysaccharides, while OC released at higher temperatures was more aromatic. Organic carbon associated with pedogenic oxides was released at lower temperatures and had a narrow range of 14C content. By contrast, N-rich compounds were released at higher temperatures from samples with 2 : 1 clays and short-range ordered (SRO) amorphous minerals. Temperatures of release overlapped for SRO minerals and crystalline oxides, although the mean age of OC released was older for the SRO. In soils with more mixed mineralogy, the added presence of older OC released at temperatures greater than 450°C from clays resulted in a broader distribution of OC ages within the sample, especially for soils rich in 2 : 1 layer expandable clays such as smectite. While pedogenic setting affects mineral stability and absolute OC age, mineralogy controls the structure of OC age distribution within a sample, which may provide insight into model structures and OC dynamics under changing conditions. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Radiocarbon in the Anthropocene'.

Cortical thickness of contralesional cortices positively relates to future outcome after severe stroke.

Imaging studies have evidenced that contralesional cortices are involved in recovery after motor stroke. Cortical thickness (CT) analysis has proven its potential to capture the changes of cortical anatomy, which have been related to recovery and treatment gains under therapy. An open question is whether CT obtained in the acute phase after stroke might inform correlational models to explain outcome variability. Data of 38 severely impaired (median NIH Stroke Scale 9, interquartile range: 6-13) acute stroke patients of 2 independent cohorts were reanalyzed. Structural imaging data were processed via the FreeSurfer pipeline to quantify regional CT of the contralesional hemisphere. Ordinal logistic regression models were fit to relate CT to modified Rankin Scale as an established measure of global disability after 3-6 months, adjusted for the initial deficit, lesion volume, and age. The data show that CT of contralesional cortices, such as the precentral gyrus, the superior frontal sulcus, and temporal and cingulate cortices, positively relates to the outcome after stroke. This work shows that the baseline cortical anatomy of selected contralesional cortices can explain the outcome variability after severe stroke, which further contributes to the concept of structural brain reserve with respect to contralesional cortices to promote recovery.

Regional evolution of psychosocial services in Australia before and after the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

OBJECTIVES: This paper compares the evolution of the psychosocial sector in two Australian regions pre and post introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme - a major reform to the financing, planning and provision of disability services in Australia, intended to create greater competition and efficiency in the market, and more choice for service users. METHODS: We used a standardised service classification instrument based on a health ecosystems approach to assess service availability and diversity of psychosocial services provided by non-government organisations in two Primary Health Network regions. RESULTS: We identified very different evolutionary pathways in the two regions. Service availability increased in Western Sydney but decreased in the Australian Capital Territory. The diversity of services available did not increase in either Primary Health Network 4 years after the reform. Many services were experiencing ongoing funding uncertainty. CONCLUSION: Assumptions of increased efficiency through organisational scaling up, and a greater diversity in range of service availability were not borne out. IMPLICATIONS: This study shows the urgent need for evaluation of the effects of the NDIS on the provision of psychosocial care in Australia. Four years after the implementation of the NDIS at vast expense key objectives not been met for consumers or for the system as a whole, and an environment of uncertainty has been created for providers. It demonstrates the importance of standardised service mapping to monitor the effects of major reforms on mental health care as well as the need for a focus at the local level.

Quality Indices and Outcomes of a Neonatology Telerounding Program in a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Single-Center Experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this program evaluation was to describe the outcomes of daily neonatologist telerounding with the onsite advanced practice provider (APP) in a Level II neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: Bedside telerounding occurred with an onsite APP using a telehealth cart and paired Bluetooth stethoscope. Data collected by longitudinal and cross-sectional surveys and chart review before (May 2019-February 2020) and during (March 2020-February 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. RESULTS: A total of 258 patients were admitted to the Level II NICU before (May 2019-February 2020) and during (March 2020-February 2021) the COVID-19 pandemic. Demographic characteristics and outcomes, including breastfeeding at discharge and length of stay were similar pre- and postonset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Postrounding surveys by 10 (response rate 83%) neonatologists indicated parents were present in 80 (77%) of rounds and video was at least somewhat helpful in 94% of cases. Cross-sectional survey responses of 23 neonatologists and APPs (response rate 62%) indicated satisfaction with the program. Common themes on qualitative analysis of open-ended survey responses were "need for goodness of fit" and "another set of eyes" and "opportunities for use." CONCLUSION: Daily telerounding with neonatologists and APPs in a Level II NICU supported neonatal care. Quality metrics and clinical outcomes are described with no differences seen before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. KEY POINTS: · Little is known about Level II NICU quality metrics and outcomes.. · Daily bedside telerounding with neonatologists and APPs is described.. · Telerounding supported neonatal care before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.. · Neonatologists found visual exam helpful in the majority of cases.. · No differences in NICU clinical outcomes were seen during the COVID-19 pandemic..

The role of geographic information system and global positioning system in dementia care and research: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Geographic Information System (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), vital tools for supporting public health research, provide a framework to collect, analyze and visualize the interaction between different levels of the health care system. The extent to which GIS and GPS applications have been used in dementia care and research is not yet investigated. This scoping review aims to elaborate on the role and types of GIS and GPS applications in dementia care and research. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted based on Arksey and O'Malley's framework. All published articles in peer-reviewed journals were searched in PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, subject to involving at least one GIS/GPS approach focused on dementia. Eligible studies were reviewed, grouped, and synthesized to identify GIS and GPS applications. The PRISMA standard was used to report the study. RESULTS: Ninety-two studies met our inclusion criteria, and their data were extracted. Six types of GIS/GPS applications had been reported in dementia literature including mapping and surveillance (n = 59), data preparation (n = 26), dementia care provision (n = 18), basic research (n = 18), contextual and risk factor analysis (n = 4), and planning (n = 1). Thematic mapping and GPS were most frequently used techniques in the dementia field. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the applications of GIS/GPS methodologies in dementia care and research are growing, there is limited research on GIS/GPS utilization in dementia care, risk factor analysis, and dementia policy planning. GIS and GPS are space-based systems, so they have a strong capacity for developing innovative research based on spatial analysis in the area of dementia. The existing research has been summarized in this review which could help researchers to know the GIS/GPS capabilities in dementia research.

New Cable Delay Measurement System for VGOS Stations.

This paper presents the new cable delay measurement system (CDMS) designed at Yebes Observatory (IGN, Spain), which is required for the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS) stations. This system measures the phase difference between the 5 MHz reference signal from the hydrogen maser and the 5 MHz signal that reaches the broadband receiver through a coaxial cable, for the generation of calibration tones. As a result, the system detects the changes in the length of that coaxial cable due to temperature variations along the cable run and flexures caused by VGOS radio telescope movements. This CDMS outperforms the previous versions: firstly, it does not require a frequency counter for phase/delay measurements; secondly, it largely reduces the use of digital circuits; hence, reducing digital noise; and thirdly, it has a remotely controlled automatic calibration subsystem. The system was tested in the laboratory and in the radio telescope, and the measurements of both set-ups are shown. These measurements include the total noise, accuracy, hysteresis, and stability. The results in the radio telescope can be correlated with the different factors that affect the cable, such as temperature and flexures. The system allows to achieve an RMS noise of less than 0.5 ps, significantly improving the requirements established in VGOS. The system is currently installed in the Red Atlántica de Estaciones Geodinámicas y Espaciales (RAEGE)Yebes VGOS 13.2 m radio telescope, and will be installed in the Norwegian Mapping Authority (NMA) twin VGOS radio telescopes, in the Finnish Geospatial Research Institute (FGI) VGOS station and in the RAEGE Santa María VGOS radio telescope (Açores, Portugal).

Effects of Dietary n-3 LCPUFA Supplementation on the Hippocampus of Aging Female Mice: Impact on Memory, Lipid Raft-Associated Glutamatergic Receptors and Neuroinflammation.

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), essential molecules whose precursors must be dietary supplied, are highly represented in the brain contributing to numerous neuronal processes. Recent findings have demonstrated that LCPUFA are represented in lipid raft microstructures, where they favor molecular interactions of signaling complexes underlying neuronal functionality. During aging, the brain lipid composition changes affecting the lipid rafts' integrity and protein signaling, which may induce memory detriment. We investigated the effect of a n-3 LCPUFA-enriched diet on the cognitive function of 6- and 15-months-old female mice. Likewise, we explored the impact of dietary n-3 LCPUFAs on hippocampal lipid rafts, and their potential correlation with aging-induced neuroinflammation. Our results demonstrate that n-3 LCPUFA supplementation improves spatial and recognition memory and restores the expression of glutamate and estrogen receptors in the hippocampal lipid rafts of aged mice to similar profiles than young ones. Additionally, the n-3 LCPUFA-enriched diet stabilized the lipid composition of the old mice's hippocampal lipid rafts to the levels of young ones and reduced the aged-induced neuroinflammatory markers. Hence, we propose that n-3 LCPUFA supplementation leads to beneficial cognitive performance by "rejuvenating" the lipid raft microenvironment that stabilizes the integrity and interactions of memory protein players embedded in these microdomains.

Soil modification with organic amendments and organo-clays: Effects on sorption, degradation, and bioactivity of the allelochemical scopoletin.

We assessed the effect of three organic amendments and two organo-clays on sorption, persistence, and phytotoxicity of scopoletin, an allelochemical compound with potential as bioherbicide, in a Mediterranean alkaline soil. The aim was to elucidate whether the phytotoxicity of scopoletin could be expressed better in amended than unamended soil. The three organic amendments were fresh solid olive-mill waste (OMW), composted solid olive-mill waste (OMWc), and biochar (BC) prepared from OMWc. The two organo-clays were a commercial organo-montmorillonite (Cloi10) and lab-synthesized oleate-modified hydrotalcite (HT-OLE). The amendments enhanced sorption of scopoletin by the soil consistently with their individual affinities for the allelochemical: Cloi10 ≫ OMW > BC > OMWc > HT-OLE. The soil persistence of scopoletin increased significantly because of the addition of Cloi10, OMW, and BC. This increase was attributed to a combination of sorption, which protected the allelochemical from rapid biodegradation, and microbial activity changes. Although the inhibitory effect produced by the amendments themselves obscured the phytotoxicity of scopoletin to Lactuca sativa L. in soil treated with OMW and Cloi10, applying scopoletin to BC-amended soil led to a marked reduction in root length and aerial biomass of the emerged seedlings even though BC alone did not negatively affect these parameters. This inhibitory effect of scopoletin in BC-amended soil was in contrast to the negligible effect exerted by the allelochemical when applied to unamended soil. The results show that soils treated with suitable amendments, such as BC, might provide a scenario in which the herbicidal properties of 7-hydroxycoumarins could be better expressed.

Valorization of Seaweed Wracks: Inclusion as Additive in Diets for Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

Macroalgae have been recently described as a potential ingredient for aquafeeds, exerting several physiological benefits. Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) is a freshwater species, which has been the major fish species produced in the world in the last years. In order to determine the potential use of macroalgal wracks in fish feeding, C. idella juveniles were fed with an extruded commercial diet (CD) or the CD supplemented with 7% of a wind dried-powder (1 mm) from either a multispecific macroalgal wrack (CD + MU7) or a monospecific macroalgal wrack (CD + MO7) obtained from Gran Canaria island (Spain) coasts. After 100 days of feeding, survival, fish weight, and body indexes were determined, and muscle, liver, and digestive tract samples were collected. The total antioxidant capacity of macroalgal wracks was analyzed by assesing the antioxidant defense response and digestive enzymes activity in fish. Finally, muscle proximate composition, lipid classes (LC), and fatty acid (FA) profiles were also studied. Our results suggest that dietary inclusion of macroalgal wracks does not have negative effects on growth, proximate, and lipid composition, antioxidative status, or digestive capacity of C. idella. In fact, both macroalgal wracks caused a general lower fat deposition, and the multispecific wrack enhanced catalase activity in the liver.

Late HIV diagnosis among immigrants in Spain vs. native-born Spaniards, 2010-15.

BACKGROUND: In 2012, the central government of Spain enacted Royal Decree-Law (RDL) 16/2012 and Royal Decree (RD) 1192/2012, which abolished universal healthcare coverage, thus limiting access to care for undocumented immigrants. Free health care was also no longer granted to anyone who has never been employed. In this context, this study investigated the prevalence of late HIV diagnoses (LHDs) among immigrants living in Spain vs. native-born Spaniards. METHODS: Data (n = 5943) from the 2010 to 2015 Cohort of the Spanish AIDs Research Network were used, including HIV-positive and antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve patients throughout Spain. Multivariate logistic models were fitted to compare the prevalence of LHD among the groups, adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: The prevalence of LHD in the total sample was 39.5%. Compared with native-born Spaniards (n = 4445), immigrants (n = 1488) were more likely to have LHD (37.4% vs. 45.7%, respectively; P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the prevalence ratio of LHD among immigrants vs. native-born Spaniards was 1.15 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.28], after adjusting for covariates. This disparity widened from 2010 to 2011 (APR = 1.14, 95% CI, 1.02-1.29) to 2012-15 (APR = 1.28, 95% CI, 1.17-1.39), although the change was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Immigrants in Spain had a higher risk of LHD compared with native-born counterparts. LHD is an important healthcare marker due to the positive benefits of early HIV diagnosis, including prevention, improvements in health outcomes and decreases in overall cost of treatment. More research is needed on the causes of the disparity and potential social and policy interventions to reduce the prevalence of LHD among immigrants.

Influence of Dietary Lipids and Environmental Salinity on the n-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Biosynthesis Capacity of the Marine Teleost Solea senegalensis.

Fish vary in their ability to biosynthesise long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) depending upon the complement and function of key enzymes commonly known as fatty acyl desaturases and elongases. It has been reported in Solea senegalensis the existence of a Δ4 desaturase, enabling the biosynthesis of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which can be modulated by the diet. The present study aims to evaluate the combined effects of the partial replacement of fish oil (FO) with vegetable oils and reduced environmental salinity in the fatty acid composition of relevant body compartments (muscle, hepatocytes and enterocytes), the enzymatic activity over α-linolenic acid (ALA) to form n-3 LC-PUFA through the incubation of isolated hepatocytes and enterocytes with [1-14C] 18:3 n-3, and the regulation of the S. senegalensis fads2 and elovl5 in the liver and intestine. The presence of radiolabelled products, including 18:4n-3, 20:4n-3 and EPA, provided compelling evidence that a complete pathway enabling the biosynthesis of EPA from ALA, establishing S. senegalensis, has at least one Fads2 with ∆6 activity. Dietary composition prevailed over salinity in regulating the expression of fads2, while salinity did so over dietary composition for elovl5. FO replacement enhanced the proportion of DHA in S. senegalensis muscle and the combination with 20 ppt salinity increased the amount of n-3 LC-PUFA in hepatocytes.

A Semiautomated Classification System for Producing Service Directories in Social and Health Care (DESDE-AND): Maturity Assessment Study.

BACKGROUND: DESDE-LTC (Description and Evaluation of Services and DirectoriEs for Long-Term Care) is an international classification system that allows standardized coding and comparisons between different territories and care sectors, such as health and social care, in defined geographic areas. We adapted DESDE-LTC into a computer tool (DESDE-AND) for compiling a directory of care services in Andalucia, Spain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the maturity of DESDE-AND. A secondary objective of this study is to show the practicality of a new combined set of standard evaluation tools for measuring the maturity of health technology products. METHODS: A system for semiautomated coding of service provision has been co-designed. A panel of 23 domain experts and a group of 68 end users participated in its maturity assessment that included its technology readiness level (TRL), usability, validity, adoption (Adoption Impact Ladder [AIL]), and overall degree of maturity [implementation maturity model [IMM]). We piloted the prototype in an urban environment (Seville, Spain). RESULTS: The prototype was demonstrated in an operational environment (TRL 7). Sixty-eight different care services were coded, generating fact sheets for each service and its geolocation map. The observed agreement was 90%, with moderate reliability. The tool was partially adopted by the regional government of Andalucia (Spain), reaching a level 5 in adoption (AIL) and a level 4 in maturity (IMM) and is ready for full implementation. CONCLUSIONS: DESDE-AND is a usable and manageable system for coding and compiling service directories and it can be used as a core module of decision support systems to guide planning in complex cross-sectoral areas such as combined social and health care.

A Tri-Band Cooled Receiver for Geodetic VLBI.

This paper shows a simultaneous tri-band (S: 2.2-2.7 GHz, X: 7.5-9 GHz and Ka: 28-33 GHz) low-noise cryogenic receiver for geodetic Very Long Baseline Interferometry (geo-VLBI) which has been developed at Yebes Observatory laboratories in Spain. A special feature is that the whole receiver front-end is fully coolable down to cryogenic temperatures to minimize receiver noise. It was installed in the first radio telescope of the Red Atlántica de Estaciones Geodinámicas y Espaciales (RAEGE) project, which is located in Yebes Observatory, in the frame of the VLBI Global Observing System (VGOS). After this, the receiver was borrowed by the Norwegian Mapping Autorithy (NMA) for the commissioning of two VGOS radiotelescopes in Svalbard (Norway). A second identical receiver was built for the Ishioka VGOS station of the Geospatial Information Authority (GSI) of Japan, and a third one for the second RAEGE VGOS station, located in Santa María (Açores Archipelago, Portugal). The average receiver noise temperatures are 21, 23, and 25 Kelvin and the measured antenna efficiencies are 70%, 75%, and 60% in S-band, X-band, and Ka-band, respectively.

Robotic surgery at ABC Medical Center: first 500 procedures experience.

BACKGROUND: Robotic surgery is a technological advance that is used in multiple surgical specialties in the world. Its acceptance in various areas has been supported by comparative studies with laparoscopic surgery and open surgery. OBJECTIVE: To document the robotic surgery program initial experience in a private hospital of Mexico City by analyzing its results and complications. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The first 500 robotic surgeries practiced at ABC Medical Center were included, covering a three-year period (January 2017 to December 2019). The following was documented: specialties involved, surgeries broken down by specialty and type of surgery, surgical times, complications and number of doctors involved in the initial experience. RESULTS: Out of 500 patients, 367 (73.4 %) were males and 133 (26.4 %) were females. The three most common surgeries were radical prostatectomy (269), hysterectomy (64) and inguinal repair (33). Average age was 58 years (range: 18 to 90 years). A total of 40 certified surgeons from five specialties performed all the procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Starting a program in a private medical center has several implications. The creation of a robotic surgery committee made up of certified robotic surgery specialists from each specialty and hospital authorities for the accreditation of guidelines for both certification and recertification of their doctors can benefit programs like ours by creating a center of excellence in robotic surgery and thus reduce complications and improve results.

ANTECEDENTES: La cirugía robótica se utiliza en múltiples especialidades quirúrgicas a nivel mundial. OBJETIVO: Documentar la experiencia inicial del programa de cirugía robótica en un hospital de práctica privada. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO: Se incluyen las primeras 500 cirugías robóticas realizadas en el Centro Médico ABC, abarcando un periodo de tres años. Se documentan especialidades involucradas así como datos transoperatorios principales. RESULTADOS: De 500 pacientes, 367 (73.4%) fueron de sexo masculino y 133 (26.4%) de sexo femenino. Las tres cirugías más realizada fueron prostatectomía radical (269), seguido de histerectomía (64) y plastia inguinal (33). Un total de 40 médicos certificados de cinco especialidades realizaron la totalidad de los procedimientos. CONCLUSIONES: El iniciar un programa en un centro médico privado tiene diversas implicaciones. La creación de un comité de cirugía robótica integrado por médicos especialistas certificados en cirugía robótica de cada especialidad y autoridades del hospital para la acreditación de lineamientos tanto para la certificación como la recertificación de sus médicos puede beneficiar a programas como el nuestro por crear un centro de excelencia de cirugía robótica, disminuyendo complicaciones y mejorando resultados.

Meningitis, urinary tract, and bloodstream infections in very low birth weight infants enrolled in a heart rate characteristics monitoring trial.

BACKGROUND: Displaying heart rate characteristic (HRC) scores was associated with lower sepsis-associated mortality in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in a multicenter randomized controlled trial (HeRO trial). The aim of this study was to test whether HRC indices rise before diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) or meningitis, with and without concomitant BSI. METHODS: Blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture data after 3 days of age and within 120 days of study enrollment were analyzed from 2989 VLBW infants. The HRC index was analyzed 12 h prior to positive cultures compared to 36 h prior, using paired signed-rank tests. RESULTS: UTI, meningitis, and BSI were diagnosed in 10%, 2%, and 24% of infants, respectively. The mean hourly HRC index was significantly higher 12 h prior to diagnosis of UTI and BSI compared to 36 h prior (UTI 2.07 versus 1.81; BSI 2.62 versus 2.25, both p < 0.0001). The baseline HRC index was higher for meningitis, compared to UTI or BSI, but without a statistically significant rise in the day prior to meningitis diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of VLBW infants enrolled in the HeRO trial, the HRC index increased in the 24-h period prior to diagnosis of UTI and BSI but not meningitis.

Patterns of Mental Health Care in Remote Areas: Kimberley (Australia), Nunavik (Canada), and Lapland (Finland): Modèles de soins de santé mentale dans les régions éloignées: Kimberley (Australie), Nunavik (Canada) et Laponie (Finlande).

OBJECTIVE: Mental health (MH) care in remote areas is frequently scarce and fragmented and difficult to compare objectively with other areas even in the same country. This study aimed to analyze the adult MH service provision in 3 remote areas of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in the world. METHODS: We used an internationally agreed set of systems indicators, terminology, and classification of services (Description and Evaluation of Services and DirectoriEs for Long Term Care). This instrument provided a standard description of MH care provision in the Kimberley region (Australia), Nunavik (Canada), and Lapland (Finland), areas characterized by an extremely low population density and high relative rates of Indigenous peoples. RESULTS: All areas showed high rates of deprivation within their national contexts. MH services were mostly provided by the public sector supplemented by nonprofit organizations. This study found a higher provision per inhabitant of community residential care in Nunavik in relation to the other areas; higher provision of community outreach services in the Kimberley; and a lack of day services except in Lapland. Specific cultural-based services for the Indigenous population were identified only in the Kimberley. MH care in Lapland was self-sufficient, and its care pattern was similar to other Finnish areas, while the Kimberley and Nunavik differed from the standard pattern of care in their respective countries and relied partly on services located outside their boundaries for treating severe cases. CONCLUSION: We found common challenges in these remote areas but a huge diversity in the patterns of MH care. The implementation of care interventions should be locally tailored considering both the environmental characteristics and the existing pattern of service provision.