Lobar distribution in non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis predicts bacteriologic pathogen treatment.

Non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFBr) is a major cause of morbidity due to frequent infectious exacerbations. We analyzed the influence of patient age and bronchiectasis location on the bacterial profile of patients with NCFBr. This retrospective cohort study included 339 subjects diagnosed with an infectious exacerbation of NCFBr during the 9-year period between January 2006 and December 2014. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cultures and high-resolution computed tomography scans (HRCT) were utilized to characterize the location of the bronchiectasis and bacteriologic pathogenic profile. In univariate logistic regression, the frequency of Haemophilus influenzae was higher in patients aged ≤64 years (OR = 0.969, p < 0.0001, 95 % CI 0.954-0.983), whereas the frequency of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (OR = 1.027, p = 0.008, 95 % CI 1.007-1.048) and Enterobacteriaceae (OR = 1.039, p = 0.01, 95 % CI 1.009-1.069) were significantly higher in patients aged >64 years. The lobar distribution of bronchiectasis in the subjects was 25.9 % in the right middle lobe (RML), 20.7 % in the right lower lobe (RLL), 20.4 % in the left lower lobe (LLL), 13.8 % in the lingula, 13 % in the right upper lobe (RUL), and 6.2 % in the left upper lobe (LUL). In the lower lobes, H. influenzae was the dominant species isolated, whereas in the RUL it was P. aeruginosa and in the LUL it was non- tuberculous mycobacterium (NTM). H. influenzae was more prevalent in younger patients, whereas P. aeruginosa, Enterobacteriaceae and NTM predominated in older patients. Different pathogens were associated with different lobar distributions. The RML, RLL and LLL showed a greater tendency to develop bronchiectasis than other lobes.

Preparation of water samples for proficiency testing on radionuclides.

The Institute of Nuclear Chemistry and Technology (INCT) procedure for preparation of water samples for proficiency testing on determination of (241)Am, (137)Cs, (239)Pu, (226)Ra and (90)Sr in water is presented. Natural waters were applied as the raw materials and spiked with the aforementioned radionuclides. The procedure of spiking water allows to prevent losses of the radionuclides and to assign property values from formulation. The main advantages of this procedure are (i) similarity of the test materials to the water samples routinely analysed by radioanalytical laboratories, and (ii) traceable assigned values with low uncertainties.

Outbreak of autoimmune disease in silicosis linked to artificial stone.

BACKGROUND: There is a well-established association between inhalational exposure to silica and autoimmune disease. We recently observed an outbreak of silica-related autoimmune disease among synthetic stone construction workers with silicosis referred for lung transplantation assessment. AIMS: To characterize the rheumatologic complications in silicosis within these highly exposed, clinically well-characterized patients. METHODS: We systematically reviewed data from all cases of silicosis due to synthetic stone dust referred to our pulmonary institute for lung transplant assessment, which represents the national centre for all such referrals. In addition to silicosis-specific data, we extracted data relevant to the clinical and serological manifestations of autoimmune diseases present in these patients. RESULTS: Of 40 patients in our advanced silicosis national data, we identified nine (23%) with findings consistent with various autoimmune diseases. Among these nine, three also had findings consistent with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Based on an expected autoimmune disease prevalence of 3% (based on the upper-end estimate for this group of diseases in European international data), the proportion of disease in our group represents a >7-fold excess (prevalence ratio 7.5; 99% confidence interval 2.6-16.7). CONCLUSIONS: These cases underscore the strong link between silicosis and multiple distinct syndromes of autoimmune diseases. Vigilance is warranted for the recognition of autoimmune complications in persons with known silicosis; so too is consideration of the occupational exposure history in persons presenting with manifestations of autoimmune disease.

'2+1' Tricarbonyltechnetium(I) and -rhenium(I) mixed-ligand complexes with N-methylpyridine-2-carboxyamide and isocyanide or imidazole ligands-potential precursors of radiopharmaceuticals.

Complexes of tricarbonyltechnetium(I)-99m and rhenium(I)-188, of '2+1' type: with N-methylpyridine-2-carboxyamide as a neutral bidentate ligand and either tert-butyl 3-isocyanopropionate or imidazole as a monodentate ligand, have been obtained on n.c.a. level. The complexes exhibit moderate lipophilicity and rather high stability in neutral aqueous solutions. The latter has been evidenced from the tests on histidine/cysteine challenge and on protein binding in rat serum. The rhenium complexes studied are much more stable than their technetium analogues. The isocyanopropionate complex may be considered promising model for radiopharmaceutical precursors.

The influence of selected metals on the electronic system of biologically important ligands.

The influence of (i) halogens, (ii) different alkaline cations, Li(I), Na(I), K(I), Rb(I) and Cs(I), and (iii) lanthanide cations, Pr(III), Nd(III), Dy(III) and Er(III) on the electronic structure of the aromatic ring as well as of the carboxylic anion of the substituted benzoic acids was investigated. Systematic change (decrease or increase) in the wavenumbers of selected bands along the F-->Cl-->Br-->I series was observed. This change correlates in linear fashion with a decrease in the ionic potential of the halogens. A shift of the selected bands along with the alkaline and the lanthanide metal series was also observed and correlated with the ionic potential of the metal. It was noticed that the increase in the ionic potential of halogen atoms causes a remarkable increase in the difference (Deltanu) between the wavenumbers of nuasym(COO-) and nusym(COO-). Among the halogens the ionic potential is the lowest for iodine and this substituent brings about maximal proximity of the asymmetric and symmetric bands of the carboxylic anion. The change of cation in the molecule causes a characteristic change in the difference (Deltanu) between the wavenumbers of nuasym(COO-) and nusym(COO-) as well. Along with the lanthanide series under study (Pr-->Nd-->Dy-->Er) this difference decreases, while between alkaline cations lithium broadens these bands to the highest degree. The influence of the alkaline and the lanthanide cations on the vibrational structure of the whole molecule was analysed and compared.

Detection and imaging of electric conductivity and permittivity at low frequency.

This paper is concerned with low frequency electrical impedance imaging, which is the process of constructing images of the electrical impedance of a body's interior based upon measurements of voltage and current made at the body's surface. The electrical impedance accounts for both resistivity and permittivity. This paper shows how permittivity can be exploited to improve the performance of an electrical impedance imaging system. We show that explicit use of the independent information in the data due to the permittivity will ehance a system's ability to distinguish objects in the interior of a body. In addition, we report the results of experiments performed using the Rensselaer ACT 2 system on a saline bath containing various objects. These objects include both living tissue and metal conductors with oxide layers. We demonstrate the system's ability to distinguish these objects, and we exhibit gray scale images of both their resistivity and permittivity distributions.

Ways of improving settlement in West Siberia.

"[This] paper devoted to the settlement system and the problem of rural population loss in that portion of West Siberia having a significant agricultural base takes issue with some implicit assumptions incorporated within the General Scheme of Settlement within the USSR. More specifically, policies calling for the deliberate, i.e., forced, resettlement of rural population in selected villages in order to provide economies of scale in rural services provision are criticized on two major counts: (1) that such 'enlarged' settlements will still be too small to be allocated the necessary range of functions according to standard city-planning formulae, and (2) that they accelerate rural depopulation by serving as spring-boards for migration to still larger centers."