Statue de l'astronome Copernicus né à Thorn Pologne : [photographie de presse] / [Agence Rol]

Référence bibliographique : Rol, 57772

Pancreatic stone protein as a novel marker for neonatal sepsis.

PURPOSE: Early-onset sepsis (EOS) is one of the main causes for the admission of newborns to the neonatal intensive care unit. However, traditional infection markers are poor diagnostic markers of EOS. Pancreatic stone protein (PSP) is a promising sepsis marker in adults. The aim of this study was to investigate whether determining PSP improves the diagnosis of EOS in comparison with other infection markers. METHODS: This was a prospective multicentre study involving 137 infants with a gestational age of >34 weeks who were admitted with suspected EOS. PSP, procalcitonin (PCT), soluble human triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at admission. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed. RESULTS: The level of PSP in infected infants was significantly higher than that in uninfected ones (median 11.3 vs. 7.5 ng/ml, respectively; p = 0.001). The ROC area under the curve was 0.69 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.59-0.80; p < 0.001] for PSP, 0.77 (95 % CI 0.66-0.87; p < 0.001) for PCT, 0.66 (95 % CI 0.55-0.77; p = 0.006) for CRP, 0.62 (0.51-0.73; p = 0.055) for sTREM-1 and 0.54 (0.41-0.67; p = 0.54) for MIF. PSP independently of PCT predicted EOS (p < 0.001), and the use of both markers concomitantly significantly increased the ability to diagnose EOS. A bioscore combining PSP (>9 ng/ml) and PCT (>2 ng/ml) was the best predictor of EOS (0.83; 95 % CI 0.74-0.93; p < 0.001) and resulted in a negative predictive value of 100 % and a positive predictive value of 71 %. CONCLUSIONS: In this prospective study, the diagnostic performance of PSP and PCT was superior to that of traditional markers and a combination bioscore improved the diagnosis of sepsis. Our findings suggest that PSP is a valuable biomarker in combination with PCT in EOS.

Biennial Report of the Department for the Blind, 2003

Section 216B.7 of the Iowa Code requires the Department to issue a biennial report.

Tumor necrosis factor and transforming growth factor β regulate clock genes by controlling the expression of the cold inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP).

The circadian clock drives the rhythmic expression of a broad array of genes that orchestrate metabolism, sleep wake behavior, and the immune response. Clock genes are transcriptional regulators engaged in the generation of circadian rhythms. The cold inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRBP) guarantees high amplitude expression of clock. The cytokines TNF and TGFβ impair the expression of clock genes, namely the period genes and the proline- and acidic amino acid-rich basic leucine zipper (PAR-bZip) clock-controlled genes. Here, we show that TNF and TGFβ impair the expression of Cirbp in fibroblasts and neuronal cells. IL-1β, IL-6, IFNα, and IFNγ do not exert such effects. Depletion of Cirbp is found to increase the susceptibility of cells to the TNF-mediated inhibition of high amplitude expression of clock genes and modulates the TNF-induced cytokine response. Our findings reveal a new mechanism of cytokine-regulated expression of clock genes.

ClubADSL: When your neighbors are your friends

ADSL is becoming the standard form of residential and small-business broadband Internet access due to, primarily, its low deployment cost. These ADSL residential lines are often deployed with 802.11 Access Points (AP) that providewireless connectivity. Given the density of ADSL deployment, it is often possible for a residential wireless client to be in range of several other APs, belonging to neighbors, with ADSL connectivity. While the ADSL technology has showed evident limits in terms of capacity (with speeds ranging 1-10 Mbps), the short-range wireless communication can guarantee a muchhigher capacity (up to 20 Mbps). Furthermore, the ADSL links in the neighborhood are generally under-utilized, since ADSL subscribers do not connect 100% of the time. Therefore, it is possible for a wireless client to simultaneously connect to several APs in range and effectively aggregate their available ADSL bandwidth.In this paper, we introduce ClubADSL, a wireless client that can simultaneously connect to several APs in range on different frequencies and aggregate both their downlink and uplink capacity. ClubADSL is a software that runs locally on the client-side, and it requires neither modification to the existing Internet infrastructure, nor any hardware/protocol upgradesto the 802.11 local area network. We show the feasibility of ClubADSL in seamlessly transmitting TCP traffic, and validate its implementation both in controlled scenarios and with current applications over real ADSL lines. In particular we show that a ClubADSL client can greatly benefit from the aggregated download bandwidth in the case of server-client applications such as video streaming, but can also take advantage of the increased upload bandwidth greatly reducing download times with incentive-based P2P applications such as BitTorrent.

Cell-derived microparticles in haemostasis and vascular medicine.

Considerable interest for cell-derived microparticles has emerged, pointing out their essential role in haemostatic response and their potential as disease markers, but also their implication in a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. They derive from different cell types including platelets - the main source of microparticles - but also from red blood cells, leukocytes and endothelial cells, and they circulate in blood. Despite difficulties encountered in analyzing them and disparities of results obtained with a wide range of methods, microparticle generation processes are now better understood. However, a generally admitted definition of microparticles is currently lacking. For all these reasons we decided to review the literature regarding microparticles in their widest definition, including ectosomes and exosomes, and to focus mainly on their role in haemostasis and vascular medicine.

Software CMAP TOOLS® para a construção de mapas conceituais: a avaliação dos estudantes de enfermagem

O mapeamento conceitual (MC) é uma estratégia de ensino que pode ser utilizada para resoluções de casos clínicos, porém de trabalhosa execução manuscrita. O estudo teve por objetivos descrever os desafios e as contribuições do software Cmap Tools® para a construção de mapas conceituais para resolução de caso clínico. Para isso, utilizou-se método descritivo, qualitativo, com estudantes da 3ª série de Graduação em Enfermagem da Universidade Federal de São Paulo. A estratégia de ensino foi aplicada e os dados foram coletados pela técnica do grupo focal. Os resultados evidenciaram que o software facilita e garante a organização, visualização e correlação dos dados, porém com dificuldades iniciais relacionadas ao manejo das ferramentas que dispõe. Concluiu-se que o software Cmap Tools® favoreceu a construção dos MC por seus recursos de formatação e autoformatação e que estratégias de orientação deveriam ser implantadas para a fase inicial de utilização.

High incidence of childhood hemolytic uremic syndrome in Switzerland is associated with indicators of livestock farming intensity

Background: Hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) is a multisystem disorder associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Typically, HUS is preceded by an episode of (bloody) diarrhea mostly due to Shiga-toxin (Stx) producing Escherichia coli (STEC). The main reservoir for STEC is the intestine of healthy ruminants, mostly cattle, and recent studies have revealed an association between indicators of livestock density and human STEC infection or HUS, respectively. Nationwide data on HUS in Switzerland have been established through the Swiss Pediatric Surveillance Unit (SPSU) [Schifferli et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2010; 169:591-8]. Aims: Analysis of age-specific incidence rate of childhood HUS and possible association of Shiga-toxin associated HUS (Stx-HUS) with indicators of livestock farming intensity. Methods: Epidemiological and ecological analysis based on the SPSU data (1997-2003) and the database of the Swiss Federal Statistical Office (data on population and agriculture). Results: One hundred-fourteen cases were registered, 88% were ≤5 years old. The overall annual incidence rate was 1.42 (0.60-1.91) and 4.23 (1.76-6.19) per 100000 children ≤5 and ≤16 years, respectively (P = 0.005). Stx-HUS was more frequent compared to cases not associated with STEC (P = 0.002). The incidence rate for Stx-HUS was 3.85 (1.76-5.65) in children ≤5, compared to 0.27 (0.00-0.54) per 100'000 children 5-16 years (P = 0.002), respectively. The incidence rate of cases not associated with STEC infection did not significantly vary with age (P = 0.107). Compared to data from Scotland, Canada, Ireland, Germany, England, Australia, Italy, and Austria the annual incidence rate of HUS in young children is highest in Switzerland. Ecological analysis revealed strong association between the incidence rate of Stx-HUS and indicators of rural occupation (agricultural labourer / population, P = 0.030), farming intensity (livestock breeding farms / population, P = 0.027) and cattle density (cattle / cultivated area, P = 0.013). Conclusions: Alike in other countries, HUS in Switzerland is mostly associated with STEC infection and affects predominantly young children. However, the incidence rate is higher compared to countries abroad and is significantly correlated with indicators of livestock farming intensity. The present data support the impact of direct and indirect contact with animals or fecal contaminants in transmission of STEC to humans.