Exaggerated IL-17A activity in human in vivo recall responses discriminates active tuberculosis from latent infection and cured disease.

Host immune responses at the site of infection can mediate pathogenesis of tuberculosis (TB) and onward transmission of infection. We hypothesized that pathological immune responses would be enriched at the site of host-pathogen interactions modeled by a standardized tuberculin skin test (TST) challenge in patients with active TB compared to those without disease, and interrogated immune responses by genome-wide transcriptional profiling. We show exaggerated interleukin-17A (IL-17A) and T helper 17 (T17) responses among 48 individuals with active TB compared to 191 with latent TB infection, associated with increased neutrophil recruitment and matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression, both involved in TB pathogenesis.

COMPARISON OF RADON MASS EXHALATION RATE MEASUREMENTS FROM BUILDING MATERIALS BY TWO DIFFERENT METHODS.

The aim of this study is to measure the radon mass exhalation rate from common granite building materials used in the east and northeast part of Portugal. Twelve cubic shaped samples were measured. Nine of them without any coating and three coated with different materials (varnish, hydrorepellent and liquid silicone).

Imaging photonic crystals using hemispherical digital condensers and phase-recovery techniques.

We describe experiments where Fourier ptychographic microscopy (FPM) and dual-space microscopy (DSM) are implemented for imaging photonic crystals using a hemispherical digital condenser (HDC). Phase-recovery imaging simulations show that both techniques should be able to image photonic crystals with a period below the Rayleigh resolution limit. However, after processing the experimental images using both phase-recovery algorithms, we found that DSM can, but FPM cannot, image periodic structures with a period below the diffraction limit.

Scan path optimization with/without clustering for active beam delivery in charged particle therapy.

Purpose: To compare different algorithms to optimize the scanning path in charged particle therapy with quasidiscrete scanning. We implemented a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm with Heuristics (HyGA) and combined it with clustering techniques. The performance was compared to Simulated Annealing (SA) and to commercially available treatment planning system (TPS).

Response of plastic scintillators to low-energy photons.

Diagnostic radiology typically uses x-ray beams between 25 and 150 kVp. Plastic scintillation detectors (PSDs) are potentially successful candidates as field dosimeters but careful selection of the scintillator is crucial. It has been demonstrated that they can suffer from energy dependence in the low-energy region, an undesirable dosimeter characteristic.

An investigation on the modelling of kinetics of thermal decomposition of hazardous mercury wastes.

The kinetics of mercury removal from solid wastes generated by chlor-alkali plants were studied. The reaction order and model-free method with an isoconversional approach were used to estimate the kinetic parameters and reaction mechanism that apply to the thermal decomposition of hazardous mercury wastes. As a first approach to the understanding of thermal decomposition for this type of systems (poly-disperse and multi-component), a novel scheme of six reactions was proposed to represent the behaviour of mercury compounds in the solid matrix during the treatment.

Metaphylactic effect of Diclazuril 0.25% in suckling beef calves, during a coccidiosis outbreak in extensive farming.

The weight gain performance and oocysts reduction, as response to the metaphylactic treatment with Diclazuril 0.25% at the start of a coccidiosis outbreak, was studied by a cases-controls transverse study. Fifty-eight suckling calves of approximately 90 days old were randomly selected from an infected beef herd on extensive farming.

Human exposure to indoor radon: a survey in the region of Guarda, Portugal.

Radon ((222)Rn) is a radioactive gas, abundant in granitic areas, such as the city of Guarda at the northeast of Portugal. This gas is recognised as a carcinogenic agent, being appointed by the World Health Organization as the second leading cause of lung cancer after tobacco smoke. Therefore, the knowledge of radon concentrations inside the houses (where people stay longer) is important from the point of view of radiological protection.

Clinical experience and practical skills: results from Mexico City's paramedic registry.

Introduction: Trauma is a leading cause of death and disability in Mexico. Unintentional injuries, along with diabetes and heart disease, contribute to > 35% of the country's total mortality. Effective and efficient prehospital care of the conditions may improve outcomes.

[Aquatic insects in dune lakes of the central region of the Gulf of Mexico].

The aim of this study is to register the presence of aquatic insects during the rainy and dry seasons, in 15 dune lakes of the Gulf of Mexico's coastal zone. These ecosystems lodge a wealth of 62 families, 60 of them present during the rainy season and 46 during the dry period. At both times Coleoptera is the order with a greater number of families, followed by Diptera.

Invasive treatment performed for acute myocardial infarction in a patient with immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is infrequent in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) so the best treatment is not well known. The next case shows a 37-year-old man with chronic ITP who suffered an anterior AMI, the platelet count at admission was 39,000 microL. He was treated successfully with primary percutaneous angioplasty under anticoagulation with unfractionated heparin and antiaggregation with clopidogrel and ASA.

The prehospital emergency care system in Mexico City: a system's performance evaluation.

Introduction: Mexico City has one of the highest mortality rates in Mexico, with non-intentional injuries as a leading cause of death among persons 1-44 years of age. Emergency medical services (EMS) in Mexico can achieve high levels of efficiency by offering high quality medical care at a low cost through adequate system design.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether the prehospital EMS system in Mexico City meets the criteria standards established by the American Ambulance Association Guide for Contracting Emergency Medical Services (AAA Guide) for highly efficient EMS systems.

The naked-tailed armadillo Cabassous centralis (Miller 1899): a new host to Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Molecular identification of the isolate.

The natural habitat of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis remains undefined but the repeated demonstration of infection by this fungus in the nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus has opened interesting research avenues. We report here the isolation of this fungus from the spleen of a naked-tailed armadillo Cabassous centralis (Miller 1899) captured in a coffee farm localized in the Colombian endemic area for paracoccidioidomycosis. This particular isolate was identified by its dimorphism and also by comparison of the PbGP43 gene and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) with recognized P brasiliensis strains.