[Sporotrichoid nocardiosis by Nocardia brasiliensis].

Nocardia brasiliensis is a gram-positive, branched, aerobic, acid-resistant, rod-shaped bacillus that inhabits in soil, rotten organic matter and waters. Cutaneous nocardiosis in immunocompetent individuals can manifest in three different forms: actinomycetoma, superficial skin infection or lymphocutaneous infection. A case of an 85-year-old woman with an ulcerated lesion on the back of her left hand with erythematous papules in the lymphatic tract infected by N.

[Recommendations for prevention of surgical site infection in adult elective arthroplasty].

Surgical site infections complicating orthopedic implant surgeries prolong hospital stay and increase risk of readmission, hospitalization costs and mortality. These recommendations are aimed at: (i) optimizing compliance and incorporating habits in all surgery phases by detecting risk factors for surgical site infections which are potentially correctable or modifiable; and (ii) optimizing preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis as well as intraoperative and postoperative care.

[KPC-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae colonization at a University Hospital].

A surveillance study was conducted at a University Hospital in Buenos Aires City aimed to assess the rates of colonization with carbapenemase-producing strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae, which are bacteria of utmost epidemiological importance. To this end, rectal swabs collected from all inpatients were cultured for the presence of these bacteria. Two point prevalence surveys showed high prevalence rates (up to 25%).

Impact of INICC Multidimensional Hand Hygiene Approach in ICUs in Four Cities in Argentina.

We evaluated the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium multidimensional approach to hand hygiene in 11 intensive care units in 4 cities in Argentina and analyzed predictors of poor hand hygiene compliance. We had a baseline period and a follow-up period. We observed 21 100 hand hygiene opportunities.

Predicting mortality in hospitalized patients with 2009 H1N1 influenza pneumonia.

Background: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) severity scores can identify patients at low risk for mortality who may be suitable for ambulatory care. Here, we follow the clinical course of hospitalized patients with CAP due to 2009 H1N1 influenza.

Objective: To evaluate the role of CAP severity scores as predictors of mortality.

A simple dynamic model of respiratory pump.

To study the interaction of forces that produce chest wall motion, we propose a model based on the lever system of Hillman and Finucane (J Appl Physiol 63(3):951-961, 1987) and introduce some dynamic properties of the respiratory system. The passive elements (rib cage and abdomen) are considered as elastic compartments linked to the open air via a resistive tube, an image of airways. The respiratory muscles (active) force is applied to both compartments.

Variability of end-expiratory lung volume in premature infants.

Background: Analysis of breath-to-breath variability of respiratory characteristics provides information on the respiratory control. In infants, the control of end-expiratory lung volume (EELV) is active and complex, and it can be altered by respiratory disease. The pattern of EELV variability may reflect the behavior of this regulatory system.

Calibration of respiratory inductance plethysmograph in preterm infants with different respiratory conditions.

Respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) is a method for respiratory measurements particularly attractive in infants because it is noninvasive and it does not interfere with the airway. RIP calibration remains controversial in neonates, and is particularly difficult in infants with thoraco-abdominal asynchrony or with ventilatory assist. The objective of this study was to evaluate a new RIP calibration method in preterm infants either without respiratory disease, with thoraco-abdominal asynchrony, or with ventilatory support.

[Adherence with national guidelines in hospitalized patients with community-acquired pneumonia. Results of CAPO study in Argentina].

A committee of six scientific organizations from Argentina developed guidelines for the management of patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).The objective of this study was to evaluate the level of adherence with the recommended care suggested by the guidelines in patients hospitalized with CAP in Argentina. Using quality indicators the management of 436 patients who were hospitalized in 12 Argentinean institutions was evaluated.

Use of respiratory inductance plethysmography for the detection of swallowing in the elderly.

It is essential to have a user-friendly, noninvasive bedside procedure at our disposal in order to study swallowing and swallowing disorders in the elderly in view of the frailty of this age group. In the present work, respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) is proposed as an appropriate clinical tool for such studies. An automated process for the detection of swallowing is used involving the derivative of the respiratory volume signal.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains in Buenos Aires teaching hospitals: replacement of the multidrug resistant South American clone by another susceptible to rifampin, minocycline and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.

The aim of this study was to characterize methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates recovered from different infectious sites of hospitalized patients at two university hospitals. Fourteen isolates were analyzed by repetitive sequence based PCR (Rep-PCR), randomly amplified polymorphic DNA assay (RAPD-PCR), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). We found that a prevalent clone of MRSA, susceptible to rifampin, minocycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (RIF(s), MIN(s), TMS(s)) was present in both hospitals in replacement of the multiresistant MRSA South American clone, previously described in these hospitals.

Use of computer and respiratory inductance plethysmography for the automated detection of swallowing in the elderly.

Deglutition disorders can occur at any age but are especially prevalent in the elderly. The resulting morbidity and mortality are being recognized as major geriatric health issues, Because of difficulties in studying swallowing in the frail elderly, a new, non-invasive, user-friendly, bedside technique has been developed. Ideally suited to such patients, this tool, an intermediary between purely instrumental and clinical methods, combines respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) and the computer to detect swallowing automatically, Based on an automated analysis of the airflow estimated by the RIP-derived signal, this new tool was evaluated according to its capacity to detect clinical swallowing from among the 1643 automatically detected respiratory events, This evaluation used contingency tables and Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves, Results were all significant (chi2(1,n=1643)>100, p<0.

Enhanced cardiac vagal efferent activity does not explain training-induced bradycardia.

Studies of heart rate variability (HRV) have so far produced contradictory evidence to support the common belief that endurance training enhances cardiac parasympathetic tone. This may be related to the fact that most studies failed to specifically isolate the vagally mediated influence of respiration. This study used a cross-sectional comparison of endurance athletes (n=20; ATHL) exhibiting resting bradycardia and age-matched nonathletes (n=12; CRTL) to indirectly assess training effects on amplitude and timing characteristics of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA).

Individual differences in respiratory sinus arrhythmia.

To investigate the interindividual differences in respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), recordings of ventilation and electrocardiogram were obtained from 12 healthy subjects for five imposed breathing periods (T(TOT)) surrounding each individual's spontaneous breathing period. In addition to the spectral analysis of the R-R interval signal at each breathing period, RSA characteristics were quantified by using a breath-by-breath analysis where a sinusoid was fitted to the changes in instantaneous heart rate in each breath. The amplitude and phase (or delay = phase x T(TOT)) of this sinusoid were taken as the RSA characteristics for each breath.

[Antipneumococcal vaccination in patient with systemic lupus erythematosus].

Unlabelled: The objective of the study was to evaluate antibody response, autoantibodies induction and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients after polyvalent pneumococcal vaccination. SLE patients (n 37) were vaccinated with 23 valent pneumococcal vaccine. Systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) and specific IgG antibodies against pneumococcus were measured before and after vaccination.

Cardioventilatory changes induced by mentally imaged rowing.

Mentally imaged but unexecuted physical activity has been reported to induce a cardiorespiratory change. In order to test whether the previous experience of the performed exercise was a prerequisite to observe these changes, ventilation and heart rate were recorded during mental imagination of a rowing race in four groups of volunteers: 12 competitive rowers, 10 non-rower athletes, 12 students (22-30 years old) and 12 senior subjects (50-60 years old). Recordings were performed at rest, during the viewing of a rowing race and during mental imagination of this race.

[Neumonía acquired in the community. Practical guide elaborated by a committee intersocieties].

Clinical practice guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) contribute to improve patient's management. CAP undergoes continuous changes in etiology, epidemiology and antimicrobial sensitivity, requiring periodic guidelines revisions. An inter-society committee designed this guidelines dividing it into several topics based on prior guidelines and recent clinical studies.

Ventilatory support: a dynamical systems approach.

Misunderstanding of the dynamical behavior of the ventilatory system, especially under assisted ventilation, may explain the problems encountered in ventilatory support monitoring. Proportional assist ventilation (PAV) that theoretically gives a breath by breath assistance presents instability with high levels of assistance. We have constructed a mathematical model of interactions between three objects: the central respiratory pattern generator modelled by a modified Van der Pol oscillator, the mechanical respiratory system which is the passive part of the system and a controlled ventilator that follows its own law.

Anti-HPA-1a-mediated platelet phagocytosis by monocytes in vitro and its inhibition by Fc gamma receptor (FcgammaR) reactive reagents.

The study was undertaken to delineate mechanisms of platelet destruction by phagocytosis during fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FAIT/NAIT) because of maternal antibodies against human platelet antigen 1a (HPA-1a). By employing a platelet phagocytosis assay based on the ORPEGEN flow cytometric bacterial phagocytosis test, we measured monocyte ingestion of platelets mediated by anti-HPA-1a antibodies. Moreover, we tested, as potential therapeutic agents, FcgammaR reactive reagents, for their inhibition of this process.