Relationship between Clostridium difficile toxin type and clinical features, severity and outcome in patients with C. difficile diarrhea (CDAD)

Background. Clostridium difficile infection is one of the major causes of antibiotic associated diarrhea and colitis in the United States. Currently, there is a dearth of literature on the risk factors and outcomes differences between the patients with infection due to the hypervirulent strain vs. the non-hypervirulent strains. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between C. difficile toxin type and clinical features, severity and outcome in patients with C. difficile diarrhea. ^ Methods. The case group included 37 patients who had infections due to hypervirulent strain (tcdC deletion) and the control group included 55 patients with other toxin types (toxin A, B, binary toxin). A univariate analysis was performed followed by a multivariable logistic regression analysis to assess the differences between cases and controls. ^ Results. In the multivariate analyses, we found out that being a male was a protective factor for developing the infection due to the hypervirulent strain [OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.12-0.90]. Also, the hypervirulent group has worse clinical and economic outcomes, although the differences were small and nonsignificant. ^ Conclusions. There may likely be no predictive risk factor for acquiring infection due to the hypervirulent strain and the acquisition may be more linked to the infection control practices of the individual hospitals or location of patients. Hence, better infection control practices may prove helpful in decreasing the overall disease burden and thus improve patient outcomes. ^

The impact of a child's unexpected hospitalization upon Taiwanese parents' situational anxiety

Background. The parents of a sick child likely experience situational anxiety due to their young child being unexpectedly hospitalized. The emotional upheaval may be great enough that their anxiety inhibits them in providing positive support to their hospitalized child. Because anxiety affects psychological distress as well as behavioral distress, identifying parental distress helps parents improving their coping mechanisms. ^ Purpose. The study compared situational anxiety levels between Taiwanese fathers and mothers and focused on differences between parental anxiety levels at the beginning of the child's unplanned hospitalization and at time of discharge. The study also identified factors related to the parents' distress and use of coping mechanisms. ^ Methods. A descriptive, comparative research design was used to determine the difference between the anxiety levels of 62 Taiwanese father-mother dyads during the situational crisis of their child's unexpected hospitalization. The Mandarin version (M) of Visual Analog Scale (VAS-M), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-M), and the Index of Parent Participation/Hospitalized Child (IPP/HC-M) were used to differentiate maternal and paternal anxiety levels and identify factors related to the parents' distress. Questionnaires were completed by parents within 24-36 hours of the child's hospital admission and within 24 hours prior to discharge. A paired t-test, two sample t-test, and linear mixed regression model were used to test and support the study hypothesis. ^ Results. The findings reveal that the mothers' anxiety levels did not significantly differ from the fathers' anxiety level when their child had a sudden admission to the hospital. In particular, parental state anxiety levels did not decrease during the child's hospital stay and subsequent discharge. Moreover, anxiety levels did not differ between parents regardless of whether the child's disease was acute or chronic. The most effective factor related to parental situational anxiety was parental perception of the severity of the child's illness. ^ Conclusions. Parental anxiety was found to be significantly related to changes in their perception of the severity of their child's illness. However, the study was not able to illustrate how parental involvement in the child's hospital care was related to parental perception of the severity of their child's illness. Future studies, using a qualitative approach to gamer more information as to what variables influence parental anxiety during a situational crisis, may provide a richer database from which to modify key variables as well as the instruments used to improve the quality of the data obtained. ^

Spectral reflectance library of selected biotic and abiotic coral reef features in Glovers Reef, Belize

Underwater spectral reflectance was measured for selected biotic and abiotic coral reef features of Glovers Reef, Belize from March 6 - 10, 2005. Spectral reflectance's of 63 different benthic types were obtained in-situ. An Ocean Optics USB2000 spectrometer was deployed in an custom made underwater housing with a 0.5 m fiber-optic probe mounted next to an artificial light source. Spectral readings were collected with the probe (bear fibre) about 5 cm from the target to ensure that the target would fill the field of view of the fiber optic (FOV diameter ~4.4 cm), as well as to reduce the attenuating effect of the intermediate water (Roelfsema et al., 2006). Spectral readings included for one target included: 1 reading of the covered spectral fibre to correct for instrument noise, 1 reading of spectralon panel mounted on divers wrist to measure incident ambient light, and 8 readings of the target. Spectral reflectance was calculated for each target by first subtracting the instrument noise reading from each other reading. The corrected target readings were then divided by the corrected spectralon reading resulting in spectral reflectance of each target reading. An average target spectral reflectance was calculated by averaging the eight individual spectral reflectance's of the target. If an individual target spectral reflectance was visual considered an outlier, it was not included in the average spectral reflectance calculation. See Roelfsema at al. (2006) for additional info on the methodology of underwater spectra collection.

Lengua, cultura e interculturalidad en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras

En los últimos años se ha revalorizado la combinación del estudio de una lengua y la enseñanza de temas vinculados con la cultura, la sociedad, la historia. Desde diferentes ángulos, se ha sostenido que una lengua no puede ser concebida en abstracto, en sus formalidades ajenas a cualquier referencia externa, contextual, situacional o cultural. En ese marco, la incorporación de aspectos que involucran una mirada desde las Ciencias Sociales en la enseñanza de una lengua, parece ser cada vez más relevante. Analizaremos en esta ponencia las experiencias producidas por alumnos de la Universidad de Leiden (Holanda) en su estadía de estudios en Argentina en 2012, 2013 y 2015, las cuales permiten indagar en las particularidades de los conocimientos y representaciones acerca del país y reflejan la importancia del acercamiento a la dinámica cultural, social e histórica de la comunidad hablante de la lengua-objetivo. En la práctica de la enseñanza de una lengua extranjera se juega también el posible encuentro e interacción entre dos culturas, la interculturalidad. Esta se basa en la necesidad de comprender lo diferente de cada cultura y asumir la posibilidad de la convivencia democrática en tanto el "otro" representa una alteridad no asimilable, ni unificable, sino inmersa en su propia condición histórica como sujeto de enunciación

Lengua, cultura e interculturalidad en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras

En los últimos años se ha revalorizado la combinación del estudio de una lengua y la enseñanza de temas vinculados con la cultura, la sociedad, la historia. Desde diferentes ángulos, se ha sostenido que una lengua no puede ser concebida en abstracto, en sus formalidades ajenas a cualquier referencia externa, contextual, situacional o cultural. En ese marco, la incorporación de aspectos que involucran una mirada desde las Ciencias Sociales en la enseñanza de una lengua, parece ser cada vez más relevante. Analizaremos en esta ponencia las experiencias producidas por alumnos de la Universidad de Leiden (Holanda) en su estadía de estudios en Argentina en 2012, 2013 y 2015, las cuales permiten indagar en las particularidades de los conocimientos y representaciones acerca del país y reflejan la importancia del acercamiento a la dinámica cultural, social e histórica de la comunidad hablante de la lengua-objetivo. En la práctica de la enseñanza de una lengua extranjera se juega también el posible encuentro e interacción entre dos culturas, la interculturalidad. Esta se basa en la necesidad de comprender lo diferente de cada cultura y asumir la posibilidad de la convivencia democrática en tanto el "otro" representa una alteridad no asimilable, ni unificable, sino inmersa en su propia condición histórica como sujeto de enunciación

Lengua, cultura e interculturalidad en la enseñanza de lenguas extranjeras

En los últimos años se ha revalorizado la combinación del estudio de una lengua y la enseñanza de temas vinculados con la cultura, la sociedad, la historia. Desde diferentes ángulos, se ha sostenido que una lengua no puede ser concebida en abstracto, en sus formalidades ajenas a cualquier referencia externa, contextual, situacional o cultural. En ese marco, la incorporación de aspectos que involucran una mirada desde las Ciencias Sociales en la enseñanza de una lengua, parece ser cada vez más relevante. Analizaremos en esta ponencia las experiencias producidas por alumnos de la Universidad de Leiden (Holanda) en su estadía de estudios en Argentina en 2012, 2013 y 2015, las cuales permiten indagar en las particularidades de los conocimientos y representaciones acerca del país y reflejan la importancia del acercamiento a la dinámica cultural, social e histórica de la comunidad hablante de la lengua-objetivo. En la práctica de la enseñanza de una lengua extranjera se juega también el posible encuentro e interacción entre dos culturas, la interculturalidad. Esta se basa en la necesidad de comprender lo diferente de cada cultura y asumir la posibilidad de la convivencia democrática en tanto el "otro" representa una alteridad no asimilable, ni unificable, sino inmersa en su propia condición histórica como sujeto de enunciación

Subgrain boundaries and related microstructural features in EDML (Antarctica) deep ice core

Subgrain boundaries revealed as shallow sublimation grooves on ice sample surfaces are a direct and easily observable feature of intracrystalline deformation and recrystallization. Statistical data obtained from the EPICA Dronning Maud Land (EDML) deep ice core drilled in East Antarctica cannot detect a depth region of increased subgrain-boundary formation. Grain-boundary morphologies show a strong influence of internal strain energy on the microstructure at all depths. The data do not support the classical view of a change of dominating recrystallization regimes with depth. Three major types of subgrain boundaries, reflecting high mechanical anisotropy, are specified in combination with crystal-orientation analysis.

Prominent deformation features and interpretation of sediment core CRP-2/2A (Table 1)

Sediment deformation features in CRP-2/2A were described during normal logging procedures and from core-scan images. In this paper the origin of soft-sediment folding, contorted bedding, microfaulting, clastic dykes, shear zones and intraformational breccias is discussed. The features have a stratigraphic distribution related to major unconformities and sequence boundaries. Hypotheses for the origins of sediment deformation include hydrofracturing, subglacial shearing, slumping, and gas hydrate formation. Shear zones, microfaults, clastic dykes and contorted bedding within rapidly deposited sediments, suggest that slumping in an ice-distal environment occurred in the early Oligocene. A till wedge beneath a diamictite at 364 mbsf the mid-Oligocene section represents the oldest evidence of grounded ice in CRP-2/2A. Shear zones with a subglacial origin in the early late Oligocene and early Miocene sections of the core are evidence of further grounding events. The interpretation of sediment deformation in CRP-2/2A is compared to other Antarctic stratigraphic records and global eustatic change between the late Eocenel/early Oligocene and the middle Miocene.