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The aim of the present study is to evaluate the usefulness of two biomarkers-procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP)-in addition to the CURB-65 score for assessing the site of care and the etiology of non-severe community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). We conducted a prospective observational study from April 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, in a single teaching hospital in northern Spain among patients with non-severe CAP. In addition to collecting data needed to determine the CURB-65 score, microbial cultures were taken and levels of PCT and CRP were measured. We compared the prognostic accuracy of these biomarkers with the CURB-65 score to predict hospitalization and microbial etiology using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. A total of 344 patients with non-severe CAP were enrolled; 73 were admitted to the hospital and 271 were treated on an outpatient basis. An etiologic diagnostic was made for 44 %, with atypical pathogens predominating. Levels of PCT and CRP increased with increasing CURB-65 scores. Patients admitted to the hospital had higher PCT and CRP levels than outpatients ( p < 0.001). For predicting hospitalization, PCT had a better area under the ROC curve (AUC) (0.81) than the CURB-65 score alone (0.77). For PCT plus the CURB-65 score, the AUC increased significantly from 0.77 to 0.83. In patients with bacterial CAP, the biomarker levels were significantly higher than among patients with atypical or viral etiology ( p < 0.001). PCT with a cut-off point of 0.15 ng/mL was the best predictor for bacterial etiology and for select patients eligible for outpatient care. In conclusion, levels of PCT and CRP positively correlate with increasing severity of CAP and may have a role in predicting both patients who can safely receive outpatient care and the microbial etiology in patients with low CURB-65 scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Repeated surveys at control sites in the gas accumulation fields from the Ría de Arousa (Galicia, NW Spain) have shown that the top of the acoustic turbidity fluctuates vertically. The vertical movement of gas fronts is more apparent in the gas fields located in the outer ría, where fluctuations of up to 1.5ms (1.1m) have been detected. At the inner ría, the depth to the top of the gas horizons varied between 0.5 and 1ms (∼40 to 80cm). Short-term (diurnal) fluctuations associated with the hydrostatic pressure variations of the water column during a tidal cycle have been identified as the most likely factors to explain fluctuations of gas fields in the outer ría. At the inner ría, gas fields are affected by these short-term pressure changes superimposed on long-term temperature and salinity variations of bottom water masses. This combination produces a different pattern of variation in gas fields from the inner and the outer ría. Prominent pockmarks and acoustic plumes have also been monitored throughout the three seismic surveys. Many of these pockmarks exhibit active characteristics, including the observance of plumes of escaping fluids and sediment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Violence gender has caused considerable social alarm. Better awareness of the characteristics and problems of the female victims is necessary to be able to provide adequate psychological attention. Objectives: To identify the specific characteristics of PTSD in female victims of gender violence, stating what are the symptoms of this disorder are usually present, identify some of the most important variables that characterize women seeking assistance this problem. Aims: The goal of this study is examining PTSD in battered women. Methods: Participants: 100 Chilean and 170 Spanish battered women. Instruments: [-] Semi-structured interview for victims of abuse: assesses sociodemographic characteristics of victims and circumstances of abuse, it was designed for this research. [-] The PTSD Symptoms Severity Scale (Echeburúa et al., 1997): assesses the severity and intensity of the symptoms of this disorder according to the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-IV-TR in victims of different traumatic events. Results: The results show that the most typical symptoms of PTSD are: re-experiencing (the presence of unpleasant and recurring memories about the abuse and psychological and physiological distress on recalling the events); avoidance symptoms (avoidance of thoughts, feelings or conversations related to what has been experienced, loss of interest in significant activities and restriction of emotional life); and hyperactivation symptoms (permanent state of hypervigilance and startle response). Conclusions: This data will be useful to understand the problems and consequences of abuse and to target interventions to be made to alleviate the plight of these women in cases where it appears PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]