Sub-Kelvin cooling for two kilopixel bolometer arrays in the PIPER receiver

The Primordial Inflation Polarization Explorer (PIPER) is a balloon-borne telescope mission to search for inflationary gravitational waves from the early universe. PIPER employs two 32 × 40 arrays of superconducting transition-edge sensors, which operate at 100 mK. An open bucket Dewar of liquid helium maintains the receiver and telescope optics at 1.7 K. We describe the thermal design of the receiver and sub-Kelvin cooling with a continuous adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (CADR). The CADR operates between 70 and 130 mK and provides ≈10 μW cooling power at 100 mK, nearly five times the loading of the two detector assemblies. We describe electronics and software to robustly control the CADR, overall CADR performance in flightlike integrated receiver testing, and practical considerations for implementation in the balloon float environment.

Impact du nombre d’interventions infirmières sur la durée d’administration des catécholamines chez les patients de réanimation : étude INTERVAL

Objectifs : Bien que quotidiennement géré par les infirmier(ière)s diplômé(e)s d’État (IDE) de réanimation, le sevrage des catécholamines a rarement été étudié. L’hypothèse de notre étude était que l’augmentation du nombre d’interventions menées sur la vitesse de perfusion des catécholamines permettait de raccourcir la durée d’administration de celles-ci.

Patients et méthodes : Il s’agissait d’une étude prospective observationnelle dans 21 réanimations. Tous les patients traités par vasopresseurs pendant la période d’étude ont été inclus. Le nombre d’interventions effectuées par l’IDE en charge du patient sur la vitesse d’administration des catécholamines était noté toutes les quatre heures. La posologie de catécholamines en cours ainsi que la pression artérielle moyenne (PAM) du patient étaient également relevées. Les facteurs influençant la rapidité du sevrage des catécholamines étaient également analysés.

Résultats : Nous avons inclus 226 patients dont l’âge moyen était de 65 ± 14 ans. La durée moyenne du traitement par catécholamines était de 71,6 (±81) heures. Le nombre d’interventions IDE par quatre heures était de 1,9 (±2,8) intervention. La durée du traitement par catécholamines était significativement moindre lorsque le nombre d’interventions augmentait (p = 0,04). L’existence d’un protocole spécifique à la gestion des catécholamines raccourcissait leur durée de sevrage. Un IGS2 élevé, une PAM élevée ainsi que la période diurne étaient associés à une augmentation du nombre des interventions IDE.

Conclusion : Le nombre d’interventions par les IDEs menées sur la perfusion de catécholamines était inversement lié à la durée du traitement par catécholamines. Des études complémentaires permettront d’évaluer l’impact de ces interventions sur le pronostic des patients.

Six New Cases of a Caterpillar-Induced Bleeding Syndrome

We describe six new cases of a hemorrhagic diathesis induced by contact with Lonomia achelous caterpillars. Onset of clinical bleeding varied between a few hours and 10 days post-exposure. Laboratory coagulation tests showed prolonged PT, PTT and ThT; normal platelets and a marked decrease of fibrinogen, factor V, plasminogen and factor XIII (including its subunits A and S). Factors VII, II and alfa 2 anti-plasmin were variably affected. In addition, activation of the fibrinolytic system and the generation of a procoagulant effect could also be demonstrated. Two cases developed severe hemorrhagic diathesis and one of them died of a cerebral hemorrhage. Different aspects of this rare syndrome are discussed in relation to its complex physiopathology and the variability observed in all clinical and laboratory manifestations. Therapeutic recommendations and some possible hazards following replacement transfusions are also considered.

Abatement of chlorinated compounds in groundwater contaminated by HCH wastes using ISCO with alkali activated persulfate

In this work, in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) with alkali activated persulfate has been tested for the elimination of HCH isomers and other chlorinated compounds in groundwater from Sabiñanigo (Sardas landfill), which was contaminated by solid and liquid wastes illegally dumped in the area by a company producing lindane. Due to the site lithology and the type of pollutants found in groundwater (HCHs and chlorobenzenes) alkali (NaOH) activated persulfate (PS) was selected as oxidant. The influence of variables such as PS concentration (42-200mM) and NaOH:PS molar ratio (2:1 to 4:1) on chlorinated compound abatement has been studied and a kinetic model to predict the composition of all chlorinated organic compounds (COCs) in the aqueous phase with time was obtained. It was found that a fast initial hydrodechlorination reaction took place in which HCH isomers reacted to trichlorobenzenes (mainly 1,2,4 TCB) at pH≥12. Mono-, di-, tri and tetrachlorobenzenes remaining were oxidized without producing aromatic intermediates. At the condition tested a first order kinetic model for COCs and PS concentration was obtained. Zero order alkali concentration was obtained while pH was being kept at 12 for the whole reaction time.

Could post-weaning dietary chia seed mitigate the development of dyslipidemia, liver steatosis and altered glucose homeostasis in offspring exposed to a sucrose-rich diet from utero to adulthood?

The present work analyzes the effects of dietary chia seeds during postnatal life in offspring exposed to a sucrose-rich diet (SRD) from utero to adulthood. At weaning, chia seed (rich in α-linolenic acid) replaced corn oil (rich in linoleic acid) in the SRD. At 150 days of offspring life, anthropometrical parameters, blood pressure, plasma metabolites, hepatic lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis were analyzed. Results showed that chia was able to prevent the development of hypertension, liver steatosis, hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia. Normal triacylglycerol secretion and triacylglycerol clearance were accompanied by an improvement of de novo hepatic lipogenic and carnitine-palmitoyl transferase-1 enzymatic activities, associated with an accretion of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the total composition of liver homogenate. Glucose homeostasis and plasma free fatty acid levels were improved while visceral adiposity was slightly decreased. These results confirm that the incorporation of chia seed in the diet in postnatal life may provide a viable therapeutic option for preventing/mitigating adverse outcomes induced by an SRD from utero to adulthood.

[Early pharmacologic treatment with botulinum toxin A in post-stroke spasticity: consensus evidence-based recommendations]

Spasticity is a common complication that occurs in those patients that have suffered a stroke. To identify those patients at high risk of having post-stroke spasticity and to start treatment at early stages would probably benefit the patient. The key aspects in the early management of post-stroke spasticity were review and the clinical implications and strength of evidences were also considered. The document drafted by the study coordinators was subsequently reviewed and then a validated document was developed. The experts recommend defining early treatment of spasticity as one that begins before the first three months after stroke. The panel considers very important to identify the risk factors associated with the onset of spasticity, since this might reduce its impact. Additionally, the most common conditions subsidiaries of early treatment of both upper and lower limb are defined. The panel recommends that the treatment with botulinum toxin A must only be given by specialists with experience in diagnosis and management of spasticity. In conclusion, the treatment of focal spasticity in the first three months after stroke is indicated in certain situations. These recommendations help to standardize the early management of post-stroke spasticity, with the consequent support to clinicians and patients.

Neisseria gonorrhoeae antimicrobial susceptibility in Barcelona: penA, ponA, mtrR, and porB mutations and NG-MAST sequence types associated with decreased susceptibility to cephalosporins

The aims of this study were to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) in our area, to analyze the molecular mechanisms involved in cephalosporins resistance, and to undertake molecular typing of our NG strains. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined using the Etest. The genes penA, mtrR, penB, and ponA were studied. Molecular typing was performed by N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence typing. Of 329 strains analyzed in 2013, none showed high-level cephalosporin resistance, but 8.2 % had resistance to cefixime [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) > 0.125 μg/mL] and 0.6 % to ceftriaxone (MIC > 0.125 μg/mL). Azithromycin resistance was documented in 4.3 % and ciprofloxacin resistance in 49.2 %. Among 48 strains with an MIC ≥ 0.125 μg/mL to cefixime, 58.3 % showed the penA mosaic pattern XXXIV, 98 % a Leu → Pro substitution at position 421 of the ponA gene, 100 % amino acid changes at positions 101 and 102 of the PorB1b porin, and 87.5 % of strains an adenine deletion in the promoter region of the MtrC-D-E efflux pump. A significant difference between strains with and without decreased cephalosporin susceptibility (MIC ≥ 0.125 μg/mL) was observed for these four genes. Of the 48 strains with an MIC ≥ 0.125 μg/mL to cefixime, 43.8 % belonged to the genogroup G1407 and 27.1 % belonged to the genogroup G2400. A significant association of G1407 with decreased susceptibility (MIC ≥ 0.125 μg/mL) and G2992 with susceptibility was found, and also between G1407 and mosaic pattern XXXIV and between G2400 and A501T substitution in penA. The NG resistance rate in our area is higher than the median of Europe. We have detected the emergence of G2400, which may be a source of antimicrobial resistance.