Candidoses en réanimation [Candidiasis and intensive care patients]

Le développement dune candidose invasive est une complication hospitalière particulièrement redoutée en raison de sa mortalité élevée, comparable à celle du choc septique (40 %-60 %). La candidémie survient chez 0,05 % des patients hospitalisés, mais touche près de 1 % de ceux séjournant en réanimation, et est responsable de 5 à 10 % des bactériémies nosocomiales. Bien quune proportion élevée de patients hospitalisés soient colonisés par des levures du genre Candida, seule une minorité développe une candidose sévère. Celle-ci est toutefois difficile à diagnostiquer : les signes évocateurs dune dissémination ne surviennent habituellement que tardivement. Un traitement empirique précoce ou préemptif pourrait améliorer le pronostic, mais pour des raisons tant épidémiologiques quéconomiques, un tel traitement ne peut être appliqué à tous les patients à risque de développer une candidose sévère. Chez les patients présentant des facteurs de risque, la pratique de cultures de surveillance systématiques permet de déceler le développement dune colonisation et d'en quantifier le degré, de manière à ne débuter un traitement préemptif que lorsque lindex de colonisation dépasse un seuil critique prédictif d'infection secondaire. Ces éléments physiopathologiques et la mise à disposition des dérivés triazolés moins toxiques que l'amphotéricine B ont permis l'application de traitements prophylactiques. Chez les patients immunosupprimés, la généralisation de cette approche a été incriminée comme lun des éléments déterminant de lémergence dinfections à Candida non albicans dont le pronostic est moins favorable. Pour les patients de réanimation, une stricte limitation aux groupes soigneusement identifiés comme étant à risque élevé et chez lesquels lefficacité de la prophylaxie a pu être démontrée doit contribuer à limiter cet impact épidémiologique défavorable.

Causal explanations and scientific realism in particle physics

Particle physics studies highly complex processes which cannot be directly observed. Scientific realism claims that we are nevertheless warranted in believing that these processes really occur and that the objects involved in them really exist. This dissertation defends a version of scientific realism, called causal realism, in the context of particle physics. I start by introducing the central theses and arguments in the recent philosophical debate on scientific realism (chapter 1), with a special focus on an important presupposition of the debate, namely common sense realism. Chapter 2 then discusses entity realism, which introduces a crucial element into the debate by emphasizing the importance of experiments in defending scientific realism. Most of the chapter is concerned with Ian Hacking's position, but I also argue that Nancy Cartwright's version of entity realism is ultimately preferable as a basis for further development. In chapter 3,1 take a step back and consider the question whether the realism debate is worth pursuing at all. Arthur Fine has given a negative answer to that question, proposing his natural ontologica! attitude as an alternative to both realism and antirealism. I argue that the debate (in particular the realist side of it) is in fact less vicious than Fine presents it. The second part of my work (chapters 4-6) develops, illustrates and defends causal realism. The key idea is that inference to the best explanation is reliable in some cases, but not in others. Chapter 4 characterizes the difference between these two kinds of cases in terms of three criteria which distinguish causal from theoretical warrant. In order to flesh out this distinction, chapter 5 then applies it to a concrete case from the history of particle physics, the discovery of the neutrino. This case study shows that the distinction between causal and theoretical warrant is crucial for understanding what it means to "directly detect" a new particle. But the distinction is also an effective tool against what I take to be the presently most powerful objection to scientific realism: Kyle Stanford's argument from unconceived alternatives. I respond to this argument in chapter 6, and I illustrate my response with a discussion of Jean Perrin's experimental work concerning the atomic hypothesis. In the final part of the dissertation, I turn to the specific challenges posed to realism by quantum theories. One of these challenges comes from the experimental violations of Bell's inequalities, which indicate a failure of locality in the quantum domain. I show in chapter 7 how causal realism can further our understanding of quantum non-locality by taking account of some recent experimental results. Another challenge to realism in quantum mechanics comes from delayed-choice experiments, which seem to imply that certain aspects of what happens in an experiment can be influenced by later choices of the experimenter. Chapter 8 analyzes these experiments and argues that they do not warrant the antirealist conclusions which some commentators draw from them. It pays particular attention to the case of delayed-choice entanglement swapping and the corresponding question whether entanglement is a real physical relation. In chapter 9,1 finally address relativistic quantum theories. It is often claimed that these theories are incompatible with a particle ontology, and this calls into question causal realism's commitment to localizable and countable entities. I defend the commitments of causal realism against these objections, and I conclude with some remarks connecting the interpretation of quantum field theory to more general metaphysical issues confronting causal realism.

Age over 40 years increases the failure rate of non-operative management of blunt splenic injuries

Objective: Non-operative management (NOM) of blunt splenic injuries (BSI) is nowadays considered the standard treatment. The study aimed to determine the criteria applied for NOM and to identify risk factors for its failure. Methods: Review of all adult patients with BSI treated at the University Hospital Bern, Switzerland, between 2000 and 2008. Results: There were 206 patients (146 men, 70·9%) with a mean age of 38·2 ± 19·1 years and an Injury Severity Score of 30·9 ± 11·6. The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma classification of the splenic injury was: grade I, n=43 (20·9%); grade II, n=52 (25·2%); grade III, n=60 (29·1%); grade IV, n=42 (20·4%) and grade V, n=9 (4·4%). 47 patients (22·8%) required immediate surgery. Five or more units of red cell transfusions (P<0·001), Glasgow Coma Scale<11 (P=0·009) and age ≥55 years (P=0·038) were associated with primary operative management (OM). 159 patients (77·2%) qualified for NOM, which was successful in 89·9% (143/159). The overall splenic salvage rate was 69·4% (143/206). Multivariate analysis found age ≥40 years to be the only factor independently related to the failure of NOM (P=0·001). Conclusion: Advanced age is associated with an increased failure rate ofNOM in patients with BSI.

Prise en charge d'une lésion hépatique découverte fortuitement [The management of an incidental liver lesion]

The widespread use of abdominal imaging technologies has led to an increase in the incidental finding of liver tumors. Most of these lesions are asymptomatic and will not require any treatment. With the use of contrast-enhanced radiological studies, most of the tumors can be reliably diagnosed by non-invasive means. In case of diagnostic uncertainty, patients should not undergo percutaneous biopsy but rather complete resection of the lesion for an unequivocal diagnosis. Such pathologies must be taken charge of in centers with expertise by interdisciplinary teams.

Humanisme i traducció catalana durant la segona meitat del segle XV: Ferran Valentí, Arnau d'Alfarràs, Francesc Alegre i Aleix de Barcelona

Les traduccions al català de la segona meitat del segle XV se situen en un punt en què conflueixen les influències de traducció medievals, ad verbum o ad sensum, amb les noves influències humanístiques que, inspirant-se en els clàssics romans, postulen ja la traducció no només de les paraules i del sentit del text original sinó també la del seu estil. Les quatre traduccions d’aquest estudi mostren les influències modernes o humanístiques que poc a poc s’introdueixen des d’Itàlia en les traduccions catalanes del quatrecents, i els contactes d’aquests traductors amb els nous corrents de pensament.

Vastaanoton puhelinpalvelun laatu ja asiakkaiden tyytyväisyys Helsingin kaupungin Sturenkadun työterveysasemalla

Opinnäytetyömme on osana Helsingin kaupungin laadunkehittämisprojektia, jossa kartoitetaan työterveysaseman palvelun laatua työterveyshuollon palvelujen osalta.Tämän opinnäytetyön tarkoituksena on kartoittaa vastaanoton ja ajanvarauksen puhelinpalvelun asiakkaiden tyytyväisyyttä ja puhelinpalvelun laatua Helsingin kaupungin Sturenkadun työterveysasemalla. Osana Helsingin kaupungin laadukehittämisprojektia on työterveyskeskukselle tehty vastaava tutkimus, jossa tutkitaan työterveyshoitajien palvelun laatua. Opinnäytetyössämme käytimme kvantitatiivistä lähestymistapaa. Aineisto kerättiin kyselylomakkeilla, puhelinpalvelun asiakkailta helmikuussa 2007 viikoilla 6-7. Lomakkeita jaettiin 283 kappaletta, joista palautui 209 kappaletta. Lopulliseen analyysiiin otettiin mukaan 206 kappaletta. Kolme kyselylomaketta jouduttiin hylkäämään, koska niihin oli vastattu vain taustatietoja koskeviin kysymyksiin. Aineisto analysoitiin SPSS 14.0 for windows ohjelmalla. Kysely koostui puhelinpalvelun laatua, vastaanottohoitajan ohjaus- ja asiantuntemusta kuvaavista kysymyksistä. Tutkimuksessa kysyttiin aluksi myös asiakkaiden taustatietoja.Vastauksista ilmeni, että jonotuksen kesto puhelinpalveluun oli keskimäärin 1-5 min. Henkilökunnan ohjaus- ja neuvontataitoon sekä palvelun laatuun oltiin tyytyväisiä. Hoitosuositusten puutetta ei koettu kovin suureksi ongelmaksi asiakkaiden mielestä. Henkilöstön neuvonta ja ohjaustaidot koettiin kokonaisuutena hyviksi. Palvelutapahtuma oli onnistunut valtaosassa vastauksia. Neuvojen ja ohjeiden määrä sinänsä koettiin riittäviksi. Huonoimpia arviointeja puhelinpalvelun laadusta ei annettu ollenkaan, ja erot eri vastausten välillä olivat pieniä. Kokemus palvelun laadusta oli suorassa yhteydessä mm. jonotukseen kestoon ja sen häiriöttömyyteen. Tuloksia voidaan hyödyntää työterveysaseman puhelinpalvelun laadun tarkkailussa ja toiminnan kehittämisessä. Avainsanat puhelinpalvelun laatu, asiantuntemus, ohjaus, neuvonta

Vitae sanctorum. Pars I. Saints du mois de janvier.

Agnes (184). - Ascla (205). - Babillus (206 v). - Balthildis regina (243 v). - Concordius (20). -Emerentiana (204). - Felix, 19 kl. febr. (105). - Firminus (101). - Fructuosus etc. (189). - Furseus (114). - Genovefa (21 v). - Hilarius (92). - Julianus et Bas. (67). - Leucus, Tyrsus et Galenicus (227). -Lutianus (62). - Macra (59). - Marcellus papa (107 v). - Martina (7 v). - Nicolaus (258 v). - Patroclus (190 v). - Paula (213 v). - Policarpus (209 v). - Quintinus (34 v). - Remigius (98). - Rigobertus (36 v). - Sabinianus (239 v). - Saturninus, Davitus etc. (142). - Sebastianus (154 v). - Speusipphus El. et Mel. (132 v). - Sulpitius (138 v). - Symeon (49 v). - Theogenius (32). - Timotheus (202 v). - Vincentius (194).

Kansanedustaja Pekka Vilmi 9/6 1964

Kirje 9.6.1964

The GraftConnector experience. Long-term patency and histological work up in an animal model.

BACKGROUND: A device to perform sutureless end-to-side coronary artery anastomosis has been developed by means of stent technology (GraftConnector). The present study assesses the long-term quality of the GraftConnector anastomosis in a sheep model. METHODS: In 8 adult sheep, 40-55 kg in weight, through left anterior thoracotomy, the right internal mammary artery (RIMA) was prepared and connected to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) by means of GraftConnector, on beating heart, without using any stabilizer. Ticlopidine 250 mg/day for anticoagulation for 4 weeks and Aspirin 100 mg/day for 6 months were given. The animals were sacrificed after 6 months and histological examination of anastomoses was carried out after slicing with the connector in situ for morphological analysis. RESULTS: All animals survived at 6 months. All anastomoses were patent and mean luminal width at histology was 1.8 +/- 0.2 mm; mean myotomia hyperplasia thickness was 0.21 +/- 0.1 mm. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term results demonstrate that OPCABGs performed with GraftConnector had 100% patency rate. The mean anastomotic luminal width corresponds to mean LAD's adult sheep diameter. We may speculate that myotomia hyperplasia occurred as a result of local device oversizing.

Segundo Inquérito Demográfico e de Saúde Reprodutiva

O Inquérito Demográfico e de Saúde Reprodutiva (IDSR-II) é o segundo inquérito do género realizado em Cabo Verde. Trata-se de uma pesquisa por sondagem, executada pelo INE e pelo Ministério da Saúde. Tem como objectivo fornecer informações sobre a fecundidade, a mortalidade das crianças menores de cinco anos, o planeamento familiar, a saúde materna e infantil, as IST, o VIH/SIDA, e a violência doméstica. A inovação em relação ao primeiro IDSR, realizado em 1998, provém do facto de permitir, através da introdução do teste do VIH e da análise da hemoglobina, medir a prevalência do VIH e da anemia. Durante o inquérito, realizado de Julho a Novembro de 2005, foram entrevistados com sucesso 5 712 agregados familiares, 5 505 mulheres dos 15-49 anos e 2 644 homens dos 15-59 anos, seleccionados na metade dos agregados. Foi nestes agregados que se realizou o teste do VIH e a análise de hemoglobina. A violência doméstica contemplou um terço dos agregados, nos quais foram entrevistadas 1 333 mulheres. As informações recolhidas são significativas a nível nacional, por meio de residência urbano e rural e a nível dos 11 domínios de estudo: a cidade da Praia, Santiago Norte, o Resto de Santiago e as 8 restantes ilhas constituem cada,um domínio de estudo.