The use of nucleosides and arginine as alternative energy sources by coagulase-negative staphylococci in view of meat fermentation.

The ability of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) to use alternative energy sources in meat may partially explain their occurrence in fermented meats. Of 61 CNS strains tested, all metabolized adenosine and inosine in a meat simulation medium (MSM). The ability to catabolize arginine via the arginine deiminase (ADI) pathway varied between strains. All tested strains of Staphylococcus carnosus and Staphylococcus epidermidis possessed an arcA gene and showed ADI activity, whereas other species, such as Staphylococcus equorum and Staphylococcus succinus, did not. Arginine catabolic mobile elements (ACME), as in the positive control S. epidermidis ATCC 12228, were uncommon and only found in Staphylococcus xylosus 3PA6 (sausage isolate) and Staphylococcus chromogenes G222 (teat apex isolate). Monoculture experiments were performed in MSM with S. carnosus 833 and SS3-4, S. xylosus G211, and S. epidermidis ATCC 12228 and 2S7-4. At all pH values tested (5.3, 5.8, and 6.5), the strains of S. carnosus catabolized arginine faster than the strains of S. xylosus and S. epidermidis. Only at pH 6.5 could a low ADI activity be found for S. xylosus G211. Increased ADI activity occurred in the case of the ACME-positive S. epidermidis ATCC 12228, when compared to the ACME-negative S. epidermidis 2S7-4.

Design, manufacture and evaluation of a NiTi stent for colon obstruction.

We have designed, manufactured and evaluated a prototype of a new stent based on the superelasticity of the NiTi alloy for colon obstruction, which is the first clinical manifestation of colorectal cancer in up to 29% of cases. The stent is auto-expandable diamond cell type, manufactured from a NiTi tube with 4.5 mm in diameter, in which longitudinal grooves were performed by cutting laser technique. The expansion process to the final shape was made by deformation in the martensite state. The stent reaches a high free expansion rate of 7, with a longitudinal variable radial strength and a bell-shaped profile in the extremes in order to avoid migration. Finite elements models were used for simulating the mechanical behaviour. The prototype was evaluated by implantation in a colon stenosis model of 6 mm in diameter performed in a porcine speciment. The stent gave a good deployment, fixation and capability to open the gap up to 15 mm in diameter.

[Quality control in the process of health care of infants]. / Control de calidad en el proceso de atención a la salud del lactante.

We are having an internal, retrospective audic of 302 medical care histories corresponding to all infants between 0 and 18 months registered at the health centre between 1st Nov. 1986 and 30th April 1988, with purpose of determining the degree of quality achieved by the professional staff in the completion of the medical records, systematic examinations of health and objectives proposed in the Centre's Program for Infants, similarly assessing the adeherance of patients to the same. We found a level of those registered globally, of 81 por 100 of all analysed data, which we assessed as improvable. The ratio obtained of securance, cover and maintainance of maternal lactancy, the correct iniciation of beikot and vaccination, although satisfactory, did not reach proposed standards except in the maternal lactancy objective initiated, which improved (67.66% vs 60.0%). The ratios relative to the adeherance to and acceptance of the program by the users are satisfactory: the infants who left it constituted only 3.3%. Atendance of those summored is 97.03% and 24% of failures to attend were due to changes of address. We are however proposing concrete corrective measures to make early contact with the gestative mother and the newborn in order to improve the process of health care.