A high resolution melting method for the molecular identification of the potentially toxic diatom Pseudo-nitzschia spp. in the Mediterranean Sea.

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a high resolution melting (HRM) method for the rapid, accurate identification of the various harmful diatom Pseudo-nitzschia species in marine environments. Pseudo-nitzschia has a worldwide distribution and some species are toxic, producing the potent domoic acid toxin, which poses a threat to both human and animal health. Hence, it is important to identify toxic Pseudo-nitzschia species.

The Impact of Wearable Device Enabled Health Initiative on Physical Activity and Sleep.

Objectives: The Personal Health Management Study (PHMS) is an assessment of the effect of a voluntary employee-facing health initiative using a commercially-available wearable device implemented among 565 employees of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The results of the initiative on physical activity (measured as steps) and sleep is reported.

Methods: This was a 12-month, prospective, single-cohort intervention study using a wearable activity-measuring device tracking steps and sleep (entire study period) and a system of health-promoting incentives (first nine months of study period).

Feasibility of the "Bring Your Own Device" Model in Clinical Research: Results from a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study of a Mobile Patient Engagement Tool.

Background: Rising rates of smartphone ownership highlight opportunities for improved mobile application usage in clinical trials. While current methods call for device provisioning, the "bring your own device" (BYOD) model permits participants to use personal phones allowing for improved patient engagement and lowered operational costs. However, more evidence is needed to demonstrate the BYOD model's feasibility in research settings.

[Bacterial resistance to antibiotics in gram-negative rods isolated from intensive care units. Comparative analysis between two periods (1998 and 2001)].

The incidence and drug susceptibility of gram-negative isolates from clinical samples of patients from different intensive care units at the Hospital de Clinicas José de San Martín were analysed. Two hundred isolates during the same five months period, in two different years (1998 and 2001) were obtained and evaluated. Acinetobacter spp.