Antimicrobial susceptibilities and capsular types of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated in children in Mexico City.

PubMed

Echániz-Aviles, G; Velázquez-Meza, M E; Carnalla-Barajas, M N; Soto-Noguerón, A; Solórzano-Santos, F; Pérez Miravete, A; Gatica-Marquina, R; di Fabio, J L

1997-01-01

As part of the Sistema Regional de Vacunas (SIREVA) initiative, we conducted a surveillance study to determine the relative prevalence of capsular types of Streptococcus pneumoniae and antimicrobial susceptibility of invasive isolates in children less than 5 years old. We collected 220 isolates and found 33 of the 90 known types, with type 23F as the most common followed by types 6A+B, 14, 19F, and 19A. High penicillin resistance was found in 49 strains (22.2%), 31 belonging to type 23F. Twenty-nine (13.1%) were resistant to erythromycin, 95 (43.1%) were resistant to chloramphenicol, and 24 (10.9%) were resistant to cefotaxime. No strains were resistant to vancomycin.

Salmonella Fecal Shedding and Immune Responses are Dose- and Serotype- Dependent in Pigs

PubMed Central

Ivanek, Renata; Österberg, Julia; Gautam, Raju; Sternberg Lewerin, Susanna

2012-01-01

Despite the public health importance of Salmonella infection in pigs, little is known about the associated dynamics of fecal shedding and immunity. In this study, we investigated the transitions of pigs through the states of Salmonella fecal shedding and immune response post-Salmonella inoculation as affected by the challenge dose and serotype. Continuous-time multistate Markov models were developed using published experimental data. The model for shedding had four transient states, of which two were shedding (continuous and intermittent shedding) and two non-shedding (latency and intermittent non-shedding), and one absorbing state representing permanent cessation of shedding. The immune response model had two transient states representing responses below and above the seroconversion level. The effects of two doses [low (0.65×106 CFU/pig) and high (0.65×109 CFU/pig)] and four serotypes (Salmonella Yoruba, Salmonella Cubana, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Salmonella Derby) on the models' transition intensities were evaluated using a proportional intensities model. Results indicated statistically significant effects of the challenge dose and serotype on the dynamics of shedding and immune response. The time spent in the specific states was also estimated. Continuous shedding was on average 10–26 days longer, while intermittent non-shedding was 2–4 days shorter, in pigs challenged with the high compared to low dose. Interestingly, among pigs challenged with the high dose, the continuous and intermittent shedding states were on average up to 10–17 and 3–4 days longer, respectively, in pigs infected with S. Cubana compared to the other three serotypes. Pigs challenged with the high dose of S. Typhimurium or S. Derby seroconverted on average up to 8–11 days faster compared to the low dose. These findings highlight that Salmonella fecal shedding and immune response following Salmonella challenge are dose- and serotype-dependent and that the detection of specific

Physics Studies at the University of Havana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Melo Pereira, Osvaldo; Sánchez Colina, María

The licenciatura en física degree course was created as part of the 1962 University Reform. It started at the Physics School within the Science Faculty of the University of Havana, also including the Schools of Mathematics, Chemistry, Biological Sciences, Geography and Psychology (Henriques Rodríguez, Daisy, R, Revista Cubana de Educación Superior XXI(8), 2001). The degree of licenciado had replaced that of baciller since 1880, but only the physico-mathematical sciences and physico-chemical sciences degree courses existed prior to the 1962 university reform. In this paper, we will analyze some data concerning the undergraduate and graduate studies during the 46 years elapsed since the creation of the physics degree course at the University of Havana. Several related issues, such as the development of scientific research and the influence of international collaboration, are dealt with in other contributions to this volume.

Engineered fluorescent proteins illuminate the bacterial periplasm

PubMed Central

Dammeyer, Thorben; Tinnefeld, Philip

2012-01-01

The bacterial periplasm is of special interest whenever cell factories are designed and engineered. Recombinantely produced proteins are targeted to the periplasmic space of Gram negative bacteria to take advantage of the authentic N-termini, disulfide bridge formation and easy accessibility for purification with less contaminating cellular proteins. The oxidizing environment of the periplasm promotes disulfide bridge formation - a prerequisite for proper folding of many proteins into their active conformation. In contrast, the most popular reporter protein in all of cell biology, Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), remains inactive if translocated to the periplasmic space prior to folding. Here, the self-catalyzed chromophore maturation is blocked by formation of covalent oligomers via interchain disulfide bonds in the oxidizing environment. However, different protein engineering approaches addressing folding and stability of GFP resulted in improved proteins with enhanced folding properties. Recent studies describe GFP variants that are not only active if translocated in their folded form via the twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway, but actively fold in the periplasm following general secretory pathway (Sec) and signal recognition particle (SRP) mediated secretion. This mini-review highlights the progress that enables new insights into bacterial export and periplasmic protein organization, as well as new biotechnological applications combining the advantages of the periplasmic production and the Aequorea-based fluorescent reporter proteins. PMID:24688673

A taxonomic revision of the subfamily Tillinae Leach sensu lato (Coleoptera, Cleridae) in the New World

PubMed Central

Burke, Alan; Zolnerowich, Gregory

2017-01-01

Abstract The subfamily Tillinae Leach is represented by 12 genera in the New World. In this study, eight of these genera are revised. A diagnosis and redescription of the species of Araeodontia Barr, Barrotillus Rifkind, Bogcia Barr, Cylidrus Latreille, Cymatoderella Barr, Lecontella Wolcott & Chapin, Monophylla Spinola, and Onychotillus Chapin are presented. Bogcia oaxacae Barr is designated as a junior synonym of Bogcia disjuncta Barr. One species, Cymatodera striatopunctata Chevrolat, is transferred to Lecontella. The following species are redescribed: Araeodontia isabellae (Wolcott), A. marginalis Barr, A. peninsularis (Schaeffer), Barrotillus kropotkini Rifkind, Bogcia disjuncta Barr, Cylidrus abdominalis Klug, Cymatoderella collaris (Spinola), C. morula Rifkind, C. patagoniae (Knull), Lecontella brunnea (Spinola), L. gnara Wolcott, L. striatopunctata (Chevrolat), Monophylla californica (Fall), M. pallipes Schaeffer, M. terminata (Say), Onychotillus vittatus Chapin, and O. cubana De Zayas. Transcriptions of the original descriptions of Araeodontia picipennis Barr, Bostrichoclerus bicornis Van Dyke and Monophylla cinctipennis (Chevrolat) are given. Cymatodera Gray, with approximately 130 described species, is excluded from this study due to the number of species involved. The genera Neocallotillus Burke and Callotillus Wolcott are also excluded here since these groups have been recently revised elsewhere. Collection data are provided for all species revised. Updated distribution maps are presented. Keys to New World genera and species are given and taxonomic characters of relevant importance are provided and discussed. PMID:29290697

[The use of chest X-rays for surveillance of bacterial pneumonias in children in Latin America].

PubMed

Lagos, Rosanna; di Fabio, José Luis; Moënne, Karla; Muñoz M, Alma; Wasserman, Steven; de Quadros, Ciro

2003-05-01

The Division of Vaccines and Immunization of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is promoting epidemiological surveillance of bacterial pneumonias in children in Latin America in order to generate scientific evidence to support future decisions concerning using vaccines to control such pneumonias in the countries of the Region of the Americas. The diagnosis of these diseases rarely includes bacteriological documentation of the causative agent. Therefore, studies of this type that are carried out around the world accept radiological images of alveolar consolidation as a confirmatory criterion for a presumptively bacterial pneumonia. This piece examines the theoretical rationale and requirements for using thorax radiology as an instrument for epidemiological surveillance of bacterial pneumonias. The piece also summarizes the activities carried out during 2 years of joint efforts between the Center for Vaccine Development (Centro para Vacunas en Desarrollo) of Chile and PAHO's Division of Vaccines and Immunization. During those 2 years, the two groups encouraged the epidemiological study of bacterial pneumonias in Latin American children, using internationally accepted criteria and definitions as well as tools and practical solutions adapted to the reality of the Region of the America. The activities carried out so far show both the need for and the feasibility of standardizing the interpretation of chest radiographs so that they can be used in epidemiological studies.

[Health information on the Internet and trust marks as quality indicators: vaccines case study].

PubMed

Mayer, Miguel Angel; Leis, Angela; Sanz, Ferran

2009-10-01

To find out the prevalence of quality trust marks present in websites and to analyse the quality of these websites displaying trust marks compared with those that do not display them, in order to put forward these trust marks as a quality indicator. Cross-sectional study. Internet. Websites on vaccines. Using "vacunas OR vaccines" as key words, the features of 40 web pages were analysed. These web pages were selected from the page results of two search engines, Google and Yahoo! Based on a total of 9 criteria, the average score of criteria fulfilled was 7 (95% CI 3.96-10.04) points for the web pages offered by Yahoo! and 7.3 (95% CI 3.86-10.74) offered by Google. Amongst web pages offered by Yahoo!, there were three with clearly inaccurate information, while there were four in the pages offered by Google. Trust marks were displayed in 20% and 30% medical web pages, respectively, and their presence reached statistical significance (P=0.033) when fulfilling the quality criteria compared with web pages where trust marks were not displayed. A wide variety of web pages was obtained by search engines and a large number of them with useless information. Although the websites analysed had a good quality, between 15% and 20% showed inaccurate information. Websites where trust marks were displayed had more quality than those that did not display one and none of them were included amongst those where inaccurate information was found.

Distribution of capsular types and antimicrobial susceptibility of invasive isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Colombian children. Pneumococcal Study Group in Colombia.

PubMed

Castañeda, E; Leal, A L; Castillo, O; De La Hoz, F; Vela, M C; Arango, M; Trujillo, H; Levy, A; Gama, M E; Calle, M; Valencia, M L; Parra, W; Agudelo, N; Mejía, G I; Jaramillo, S; Montoya, F; Porras, H; Sánchez, A; Saa, D; Di Fabio, J L; Homma, A

1997-01-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading bacterial cause of childhood pneumonia in the developing world. This study describes the type distribution and antimicrobial susceptibility of invasive pneumococcal isolates from Colombian children and is part of the Sistema Regional de Vacunas (SIREVA), a PAHO regional initiative designed to determine the ideal serotype composition of a protein polysaccharide pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for use in children less than 5 years old in Latin America. In Colombia, during the study period, centres in Bogota, Medellin, and Cali collected 324 S. pneumoniae isolates from invasive diseases, 238 (73.5%) from children under the age of 2. Pneumonia was the clinical diagnosis in 41.3% cases, meningitis in 41%, and sepsis in 11.2%. The seven most frequent types included 14(21.9%), 5(10.5%), 23F(9.6%), 1(9%), 6B(9%), 19F(7.1%), and 6A(6.2%). The frequency of diminished susceptibility to penicillin (DSP) was 12%, with 8.9% of isolates showing intermediate level resistance and 3.1% showing high level resistance. Among DSP isolates, 23% were also resistant to cefotaxime, 33.3% to erythromycin, 48.7% to chloramphenicol, and 74.3% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Multiple resistance was detected in 59% of the isolates that have DSP. Penicillin resistance was associated with types 23F (53.8%) and 14 (25.6%). These data provides information on capsular types prevalent in Colombia that will not only allow the formulation of an ideal vaccine for the region but also reinforce the need for ongoing regional surveillance.

A comparative study of cultural methods for the detection of Salmonella in feed and feed ingredients

PubMed Central

Koyuncu, Sevinc; Haggblom, Per

2009-01-01

Background Animal feed as a source of infection to food producing animals is much debated. In order to increase our present knowledge about possible feed transmission it is important to know that the present isolation methods for Salmonella are reliable also for feed materials. In a comparative study the ability of the standard method used for isolation of Salmonella in feed in the Nordic countries, the NMKL71 method (Nordic Committee on Food Analysis) was compared to the Modified Semisolid Rappaport Vassiliadis method (MSRV) and the international standard method (EN ISO 6579:2002). Five different feed materials were investigated, namely wheat grain, soybean meal, rape seed meal, palm kernel meal, pellets of pig feed and also scrapings from a feed mill elevator. Four different levels of the Salmonella serotypes S. Typhimurium, S. Cubana and S. Yoruba were added to each feed material, respectively. For all methods pre-enrichment in Buffered Peptone Water (BPW) were carried out followed by enrichments in the different selective media and finally plating on selective agar media. Results The results obtained with all three methods showed no differences in detection levels, with an accuracy and sensitivity of 65% and 56%, respectively. However, Müller-Kauffmann tetrathionate-novobiocin broth (MKTTn), performed less well due to many false-negative results on Brilliant Green agar (BGA) plates. Compared to other feed materials palm kernel meal showed a higher detection level with all serotypes and methods tested. Conclusion The results of this study showed that the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the investigated cultural methods were equivalent. However, the detection levels for different feed and feed ingredients varied considerably. PMID:19192298

Growth dynamics of Salmonella enterica strains on alfalfa sprouts and in waste seed irrigation water.

PubMed

Howard, Michael B; Hutcheson, Steven W

2003-01-01

Alfalfa sprouts and other seed sprouts have been implicated in numerous outbreaks of salmonellosis. The source of these epidemics appears to have been low-level contamination of seeds by Salmonella bacteria that developed into clinically significant populations during the seed germination process. To test the possibility that Salmonella enterica strains carry host range determinants that allow them to grow on alfalfa, strains isolated from alfalfa or other sources were surveyed for their ability to grow on germinating alfalfa seeds. An S. enterica serovar Cubana strain originally isolated from contaminated alfalfa sprouts multiplied most rapidly during the initial 24 h of the seed germination process. Germinating alfalfa seeds supported the multiplication of S. enterica cells prior to the emergence of the root radicle at 72 h. Thereafter, much lower rates of multiplication were apparent. The ability of S. enterica to grow on germinating alfalfa seeds was independent of the serovar, isolation source, or virulence of the strain. Isolates obtained from alfalfa attained population levels similar to those observed for strains isolated from contaminated meat products or stools. Each of the strains could be detected in the waste irrigation water, with populations being strongly correlated with those detected on the germinating alfalfa seeds. The S. enterica strains were capable of utilizing the waste irrigation water as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. S. enterica strains thus appear to grow saprophytically on soluble organics released from seeds during early phases of germination. The ability to detect S. enterica in the waste irrigation water early in the germination process indicates that this method may be used as a simple way to monitor the contamination of sprouts during commercial operations.

Changing trends in serotypes of S. pneumoniae isolates causing invasive and non-invasive diseases in unvaccinated population in Mexico (2000-2014).

PubMed

Carnalla-Barajas, María Noemí; Soto-Noguerón, Araceli; Sánchez-Alemán, Miguel Angel; Solórzano-Santos, Fortino; Velazquez-Meza, María Elena; Echániz-Aviles, Gabriela

2017-05-01

Introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) targeted against a limited number of serotypes substantially decreased invasive (IPD) and non-invasive pneumococcal diseases (NIPD) but it was accompanied by non-vaccine type replacement disease. After 9 years of introduction of PCV in Mexico, we analyze the evidence of the indirect effects on IPD and NIPD serotype distribution among groups not targeted to receive the vaccine. From January 2000 to December 2014, pneumococcal strains isolated from IPD and NIPD cases from patients ≥5 years of age from participant hospitals of the SIREVA II (Sistema Regional de Vacunas) network were serotyped. A regression analysis was performed considering year and proportion of serotypes included in the different vaccine formulations (PCV7, PCV10 and PCV13). The slope was obtained for each regression line and their correspondent p-value. The proportion of each serotype in the pre-PCV7 and post-PCV7 periods was evaluated by χ2 test. From a total of 1147 pneumococcal strains recovered, 570 corresponded to the pre-PCV7 and 577 to the post-PCV7 periods. The proportion of vaccine serotypes included in the three PCV formulations decreased by 2.4, 2.6 and 1.3%, respectively per year during the study period. A significant increase of serotype 19A was observed in the post-vaccine period in all age groups. A percentage of annual decline of serotypes causing IPD and NIPD included in PCV was detected among groups not targeted to receive the vaccine, probably due to herd effect. Considering pneumococcal serotype distribution is a dynamic process, we highlight the importance of surveillance programs. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Approche au diagnostic de la maladie cœliaque chez les patients ayant une faible densité minérale osseuse ou des fractures de fragilité

PubMed Central

Rios, Lorena P.; Khan, Aliya; Sultan, Muhammad; McAssey, Karen; Fouda, Mona A.; Armstrong, David

2013-01-01

Résumé Objectif Présenter aux cliniciens une mise à jour sur le diagnostic de la maladie cœliaque (MC), ainsi que des recommandations sur les indications de procéder au dépistage de la MC chez les patients présentant une faible densité minérale osseuse (DMO) ou des fractures de fragilité. Qualité des données Un groupe de travail multidisciplinaire a élaboré des questions cliniquement pertinentes relativement au diagnostic de la MC servant de fondement à une recherche documentaire dans les bases de données MEDLINE, EMBASE et CENTRAL (de janvier 2000 à janvier 2009) à l’aide des mots clés en anglais celiac disease, osteoporosis, osteopenia, low bone mass et fracture. Les ouvrages scientifiques existants comportent des études de niveaux I et II. Message principal La prévalence estimée de la MC asymptomatique est de 2 % à 3 % chez les personnes qui ont une faible DMO. Par ailleurs, un dépistage ciblé est recommandé pour les patients qui ont des T-scores de −1,0 ou moins à la colonne vertébrale ou aux hanches ou des antécédents de fractures de fragilité associées à des symptômes ou à des problèmes reliés à la MC, des antécédents familiaux de MC ou de bas niveaux de calcium urinaire, une insuffisance en vitamine D et des niveaux à la hausse d’hormones parathyroïdiennes en dépit d’un apport suffisant en calcium et en vitamine D. Le dépistage de la MC devrait se faire pendant que le sujet consomme un régime alimentaire contenant du gluten. On procède au dépistage initial par le dosage d’immunoglobuline (Ig) A antitransglutaminase en utilisant la transglutaminase tissulaire humaine recombinante ou une autre transglutaminase tissulaire, en association avec l’immunofluorescence des IgA anti-endomysium. Une biopsie du duodénum est nécessaire pour confirmer le diagnostic de la MC. Le typage des antigènes des leucocytes humains peut aider à confirmer ou à exclure le diagnostic de la MC dans les cas où la s

Plant-Microbe and Abiotic Factors Influencing Salmonella Survival and Growth on Alfalfa Sprouts and Swiss Chard Microgreens

PubMed Central

Reed, Elizabeth; Ferreira, Christina M.; Bell, Rebecca; Brown, Eric W.

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Microgreens, like sprouts, are relatively fast-growing products and are generally consumed raw. Moreover, as observed for sprouts, microbial contamination from preharvest sources may also be present in the production of microgreens. In this study, two Salmonella enterica serovars (Hartford and Cubana), applied at multiple inoculation levels, were evaluated for survival and growth on alfalfa sprouts and Swiss chard microgreens by using the most-probable-number (MPN) method. Various abiotic factors were also examined for their effects on Salmonella survival and growth on sprouts and microgreens. Community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) of sprout/microgreen rhizospheres with different levels of S. enterica inoculation at different growth stages were characterized by use of Biolog EcoPlates. In the seed contamination group, the ability of S. enterica to grow on sprouting alfalfa seeds was affected by both seed storage time and inoculation level but not by serovar. However, the growth of S. enterica on Swiss chard microgreens was affected by serovar and inoculation level. Seed storage time had little effect on the average level of Salmonella populations in microgreens. In the irrigation water contamination group, the growth of Salmonella on both alfalfa sprouts and microgreens was largely affected by inoculation level. Surprisingly, the growth medium was found to play an important role in Salmonella survival and growth on microgreens. CLPP analysis showed significant changes in the microbial community metabolic diversity during sprouting for alfalfa sprouts, but few temporal changes were seen with microgreens. The data suggest that the change in rhizosphere bacterial functional diversity was dependent on the host but independent of Salmonella contamination. IMPORTANCE Sprouts and microgreens are considered “functional foods,” i.e., foods containing health-promoting or disease-preventing properties in addition to normal nutritional values. However, the

Plant-Microbe and Abiotic Factors Influencing Salmonella Survival and Growth on Alfalfa Sprouts and Swiss Chard Microgreens.

PubMed

Reed, Elizabeth; Ferreira, Christina M; Bell, Rebecca; Brown, Eric W; Zheng, Jie

2018-05-01

Microgreens, like sprouts, are relatively fast-growing products and are generally consumed raw. Moreover, as observed for sprouts, microbial contamination from preharvest sources may also be present in the production of microgreens. In this study, two Salmonella enterica serovars (Hartford and Cubana), applied at multiple inoculation levels, were evaluated for survival and growth on alfalfa sprouts and Swiss chard microgreens by using the most-probable-number (MPN) method. Various abiotic factors were also examined for their effects on Salmonella survival and growth on sprouts and microgreens. Community-level physiological profiles (CLPPs) of sprout/microgreen rhizospheres with different levels of S. enterica inoculation at different growth stages were characterized by use of Biolog EcoPlates. In the seed contamination group, the ability of S. enterica to grow on sprouting alfalfa seeds was affected by both seed storage time and inoculation level but not by serovar. However, the growth of S. enterica on Swiss chard microgreens was affected by serovar and inoculation level. Seed storage time had little effect on the average level of Salmonella populations in microgreens. In the irrigation water contamination group, the growth of Salmonella on both alfalfa sprouts and microgreens was largely affected by inoculation level. Surprisingly, the growth medium was found to play an important role in Salmonella survival and growth on microgreens. CLPP analysis showed significant changes in the microbial community metabolic diversity during sprouting for alfalfa sprouts, but few temporal changes were seen with microgreens. The data suggest that the change in rhizosphere bacterial functional diversity was dependent on the host but independent of Salmonella contamination. IMPORTANCE Sprouts and microgreens are considered "functional foods," i.e., foods containing health-promoting or disease-preventing properties in addition to normal nutritional values. However, the microbial

Estimación de la Relación Costo-Efectividad de las Vacunas Neumocócicas Conjugadas Prevenar-13 y Synflorix®, Utilizadas en Los Programas de Vacunación de Población Infantil Mexicana.

PubMed

Gómez, Jorge A; Villaseñor-Sierra, Alberto; Aguilar, Gerardo Martínez; Manjarrez, Roberto Carreño; Cervantes-Apolinar, María Y

2016-12-01

To estimate the cost effectiveness associated with the use of pneumococcal conjugated vaccines, Prevenar-13 and Synflorix®, in the Mexican pediatric population. The cost-effectiveness ratio of instrumenting vaccination programs based upon the use of Prevenar-13 and Synflorix® in the Mexican pediatric population was estimated by using a Markov's simulation model. The robustness of the conclusions reached on cost-effectiveness for both vaccines was assayed through an univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analysis that included all of the parameters considered by the model. Synflorix® was dominant over Prevenar-13 in the cost-utility analysis; the former generated more quality-adjusted life years at a lower cost and with a lower incremental cost-utility ratio. Based on the cost-effective analysis, Prevenar-13 generated more life years gained but at a higher cost. The use of Prevenar-13 originated a higher incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and, therefore, it was not cost-effective as compared with Synflorix®. Even though the simulations for Prevenar-13 and Synflorix® revealed both of them to be cost-effective when used to instrument pediatric vaccination campaigns in Mexico, Synflorix® had a better cost-utility/effectiveness profile. In addition, although Prevenar-13 and Synflorix® produced equivalent health outcomes, the overall analysis predicted that Synflorix® would save 360 million Mexican pesos, as compared with Prevenar-13. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The warm chain.

PubMed

Bowers, J Z

1985-01-01

1 series of events carried smallpox vaccination on an eastward odyssey; a 2nd path led westward from Spain to Spanish America, to the Philippines, and to China. Francisco Xavier Balmis (1753-1819), a Spanish physician, sailed around the world in 3 years, establishing vaccination boards in South America, the Philippines, and China. He led the "Real Expedicion Martima de la Vacuna," sponsored by the Bourbon King Charles IV; its success derived from arm-to-arm passage of the virus using orphan boys on the long voyages across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Venezuela was the 1st country to which Balmis introduced vaccine. He divided the expedition with his deputy, Slavany, who was to lead 1 group through the Spanish colonies in the Vice-Royalty of Peru; Balmis would lead the other group across the Vice-Royalty of New Spain to the far-distant colony in the Philippines. The establishment of central boards to regulate vaccination became one of Balmis's principal preoccupations. The board he created in Venezuela served as the model for those that he and Salvany were to establish later. Balmis sailed to Havana from La Guaira on May 8, 1804; Salvany led his team to Bogota. Balmis's singular success in Caracas, and Salvany's in Bogota, where Salvany also created a Central Vaccination Board, were attributable in large measure to the total support they received from church and civil authorites. The Portuguese throne had a comparable interest in its prize colony, Brazil. In 1804, Felisberto Calderia Brant Pontes sent a group of slave children from Bahia to Lisbon so that arm-to-arm transfer could be made on the return voyage. His effort was successful, and 1335 persons had been vaccinated in Bahia by June 1, 1804. In a decree of September 3, 1803 Charles IV directed that the Balmis expedition should continue to the Philippines. The advancement of health in the Philippines was a major commitment of the Spaniards. The Philippine vaccination expedition, headed by Balmis, sailed

Aerofractures in Confined Granular Media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eriksen, Fredrik K.; Turkaya, Semih; Toussaint, Renaud; Måløy, Knut J.; Flekkøy, Eirik G.

2015-04-01

processing techniques, we segment out and study the aerofractures over time looking at growth dynamics, fractal dimension and characteristics such as average finger thickness as function of depth into the solid. Also, by performing image correlation on two subsequent frames we estimate displacement fields and investigate the surrounding stress and strain fields in the solid around the fractures. Several experiments are performed with various overpressures and packing densities, and we compare the results. In a directly related project, acoustic emissions are recorded on a cell plate during experiments, and one of our goals is to correlate acoustic events and observations. We will also compare the dependence of the patterns on the saturation of the initial deformable porous material, by comparing experiments performed by air injection in air saturated granular media, to some in liquid saturated granular media. References: MJ Niebling, R Toussaint, EG Flekkøy, KJ Måløy, 2012, Dynamic aerofracture of dense granular packings, 2012, Physical Review E 86 (6), 061315 M Niebling, R Toussaint, EG Flekkøy, KJ Måløy, 2012, Numerical studies of aerofractures in porous media, Revista Cubana de Fisica 29 (1E), pp. 1E66-1E70

[Tuberculin reactivity among ninth-grade schoolchildren in the city of Havana, Cuba].

PubMed

Borroto Gutiérrez, Susana M; González Ochoa, Edilberto; Armas Pérez, Luisa; Urbino López-Chávez, Amelia; Martínez, Ana Maribel; Llanes, María Josefa; Sevy Court, José; Carreras Corzo, Libertad

2003-09-01

infección tuberculosa en escolares de 14 años de Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. Métodos. Mediante un muestreo monoetápico por conglomerados se aplicaron 1 936 pruebas de Mantoux (tuberculina) a estudiantes de noveno grado del curso escolar 1999-2000 (cohorte de los nacidos en 1985) de 20 escuelas secundarias básicas seleccionadas aleatoriamente en Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. Las pruebas se realizaron según la técnica estándar recomendada por la Organización Mundial de la Salud y se evaluaron a las 72 horas. Se calcularon los porcentajes de reactividad y el diámetro medio de las induraciones cutáneas en la cohorte y según el sexo. Las comparaciones de medias y porcentajes se realizaron mediante la prueba de ji al cuadrado con 95% de confiabilidad. Se usó el programa Epi Info v. 6.0. Resultados. Noventa y seis por ciento de las pruebas leídas fueron negativas (0-4 mm), 2,5% fueron dudosas (5-9 mm) y 1,5% resultaron positivas ( >/= 10 mm). El porcentaje de reactividad disminuyó a 0,1% cuando se utilizó un valor de corte de 15 mm. El diámetro medio de las induraciones fue de 0,41 mm y no se detectó ninguna diferencia estadísticamente significativa en función del sexo. Conclusiones. La proporción de personas que reaccionaron a la tuberculina, usando como punto de corte un diámetro de induración cutánea de 10 mm, fue muy baja (1,5%) en este estudio y mucho más baja (0,1%) cuando se utilizó 15 mm como punto de corte. Si se toma en cuenta la baja frecuencia de tuberculosis bacilífera en Cuba y que hay una relación inversa entre el tiempo transcurrido desde la aplicación de la vacuna a base del bacilo de Calmette-Guérin (BCG) y la intensidad de la respuesta a la tuberculina, las reacciones cutáneas con un diámetro de induración >/= 10 mm podrían ser la expresión de una infección natural, por lo que, en ese caso, la prevalencia puntual de infección tuberculosa en este grupo de escolares sería de 1,5%.