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The Nankai Trough Seismogenic Zone Experiment (NanTroSEIZE) is a multidisciplinary investigation of fault mechanics and seismogenesis along subduction megathrusts and includes reflection and refraction seismic imaging, direct sampling by drilling, in situ measurements, and long-term monitoring in conjunction with laboratory and numerical modeling studies. The fundamental objectives of NanTroSEIZE are to characterize the nature of fault slip and strain accumulation, fault and wall rock composition, fault architecture, and state variables throughout an active plate boundary system. As part of the NanTroSEIZE program, operations during Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 348 were planned to extend and case riser Hole C0002F, begun during IODP Expedition 326 in 2010 and continued during Expedition 338 in 2012, from 860 to 3600 meters below the seafloor (mbsf). Riser operations during Expedition 348 were carried out and deepened the hole to 3058 mbsf, a new maximum depth record in scientific ocean drilling. Operations included installation and cementing of 13⅜ inch casing to 2008.9 mbsf and an 11¾ inch liner to 2922.5 mbsf, stabilizing the borehole for future deepening. Reaching this depth required two sidetracking operations from the original Hole C0002F, resulting in the designation of Holes C0002N and C0002P for the successively deeper sidetracks. During drilling, a suite of logging-while-drilling (LWD) and measurement-while-drilling (MWD), mud-gas, and cuttings data were collected over the interval from 2162.5 to 3058.5 mbsf in Hole C0002P, and a partial suite was collected in Hole C0002N. The interval from 2163 to 2218 mbsf was cored with the rotary core barrel (RCB). Planned future riser drilling operations will deepen the hole to penetrate the plate boundary fault at ~4600–5200 mbsf.

An allegorical story about discrimination. (IRT)

Oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) are important sources of CO2 to the atmosphere when physical forces bring subsurface water with high dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) to the surface. This study examines, for the first time, the influence of the OMZ of the coastal North Eastern Tropical Pacific off Mexico on surface CO2 fluxes. We use variations in the oxycline depth and subsurface water masses to discern physical oceanographic influences. During two cruises, in November 2009 and August 2010, DIC and total alkalinity (TA) measurements were used to estimate pCO2 and air-sea CO2 fluxes. At the OMZ layer, Subtropical Subsurface Water (StSsW) was found to have high pCO2 values (1290 ± 70 μatm). Due to strong vertical stratification, however, the relationship between ΔpCO2 at the air-sea interface and the oxycline/StSsW upper limit depth was weak. During November, the region was a weak source of CO2 to the atmosphere (up to 2.5 mmol C m−2 d−1), while during August a range of values were observed between −4.4 and 3.3 mmol C m−2 d−1). Strong stratification (>1200 J m−3) prevented subsurface mixing of water from the OMZ to the upper layer; particularly in November 2009 which was during an El Niño event. Results suggest that advection of surface water masses, reinforced by strong vertical stratification, controlled surface pCO2, and air-sea CO2 fluxes.

In the present study, research concerning Zn-Al-Cu coatings on low carbon steels has been conducted in order to characterize different properties obtained by a hot-dip coated process. The results include preparation procedure as well as the processing parameters of the coatings. The obtained coatings were subjected to a cold rolling process followed by an anneal heat treatment at different temperatures and under different time conditions. The structural characteristics of coatings have been investigated by optical and electron microscopy. The mechanical properties were obtained by using micro-hardness testing, deep drawing and wear tests whereas chemical analyses were carried out using the SEM/EDAX microprobe. The corrosion properties were achieved by using a salt spray fog chamber and potentiodynamic tests in a saline solution. The coatings are resistant to corrosion and wear in the presence of sodium chloride, therefore, the coatings could be an attractive alternative for application in coastal areas, and adequate wear adhesive resistance. El presente estudio describe los trabajos desarrollados para generar y caracterizar recubrimientos de aleaciones Zn-Al-Cu sobre aceros de bajo carbono, mediante tecnología de inmersión en caliente. Los trabajos incluyen la determinación del proceso de preparación y la definición de los parámetros que permiten obtener el recubrimiento. Los recubrimientos obtenidos fueron sometidos a procesos de laminación en frío y a tratamientos de recocido en diferentes temperaturas y a diversos tiempos. Las piezas se caracterizaron empleando técnicas de microscopía óptica y electrónica, ensayos de microdureza, análisis químico puntual mediante microsonda, ensayos de embutido, ensayos de desgaste y de corrosión en solución de cloruro de sodio, empleando técnicas electroquímicas. Los recubrimientos muestran resistencia a la corrosión y al desgaste en presencia de cloruro de sodio, por lo que constituyen una alternativa de costo atractivo para su aplicación en zonas costeras y donde se requiera una adecuada resistencia al desgaste adhesivo.

Our main objective was to compare the in-hospital and long-term outcomes of saphenous vein graft stenting and native coronary artery stenting in patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting.We studied 127 patients who had prior coronary artery bypass; they were divided in two groups, according to the kind of percutaneous coronary intervention performed. The first group included 49 patients with saphenous vein graft stenting and the second group included 78 patients who underwent native coronary artery stenting.There was no significant difference in age, incidence of diabetes, smoking, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, left ventricular ejection fraction or in the New York Heart Association functional class between both groups. The incidence of no reflow phenomenon was higher in group 1 (10.2% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.0001). The cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiac events was different between groups at 1 month (10.2% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.041). There was a lower MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) free survival at 36 months in the saphenous vein graft stenting group (65.0% vs. 89.1%, p = 0.024).Major in-hospital complications occurred more frequently in the saphenous vein graft stented group. MACE-free survival at 3 years was higher in the native coronary artery stent patients.

Objective: Our main objective was to compare the in-hospital and long-term outcomes of saphenous vein graft stenting and native coronary artery stenting in patients with previous coronary artery bypass grafting. Methods: We studied 127 patients who had prior coronary artery bypass; they were divided in two groups, according to the kind of percutaneous coronary intervention performed. The first group included 49 patients with saphenous vein graft stenting and the second group included 78 patients who underwent native coronary artery stenting. Results: There was no significant difference in age, incidence of diabetes, smoking, arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, left ventricular ejection fraction or in the New York Heart Association functional class between both groups. The incidence of no reflow phenomenon was higher in group 1 (10.2% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.0001). The cumulative incidence of major adverse cardiac events was different between groups at 1 month (10.2% vs. 2.5%, p = 0.041). There was a lower MACE (major adverse cardiovascular events) free survival at 36 months in the saphenous vein graft stenting group (65.0% vs. 89.1%, p = 0.024). Conclusions: Major in-hospital complications occurred more frequently in the saphenous vein graft stented group. MACE-free survival at 3 years was higher in the native coronary artery stent patients.

El objetivo de este trabajo es determinar si las transaminasas hepáticas tienen valor como pruebas complementarias que orienten el diagnóstico de hepatitis B y C, en donantes de sangre con anticuerpos positivos por el método ELISA a estas infecciones virales; teniendo en cuenta que las pruebas confirmatorias como el inmunoensayo recombinante (RIBA) o la prueba de ácidos nucleicos por técnicas moleculares como PCR (RNA HCV) para hepatitis C y DNA viral (PCR) para hepatitis B no se realizan aún en nuestro país debido a sus elevados costos. Se busca sumar esfuerzos en salud pública desde los bancos de sangre debido a la trascendencia de llegar a un diagnóstico en los donantes seropositivos, que hayan sido captados en el tamizaje, para prevenir la propagación de estas hepatitis. Se realizaron pruebas serológicas para hepatitis C, anticuerpos frente al antígeno del core de la hepatitis B y determinaciones de los niveles de GPT o ALT (Transaminasa Glutámica Pirúvica o Alanina Amino Transferasa), GOT o AST (Transaminasa Glutámico Oxalacética o Aspartato Amino Transferasa) en 236 donantes de sangre seropositivos para hepatitis B y C del Banco de Sangre del Hospital de Clínicas de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción-Paraguay. Las transaminasas elevadas fueron clasificadas de acuerdo a los marcadores serológicos positivos para hepatitis B y C, encontrándose niveles elevados en un 13.9% de individuos con anti-HBc, 40% en individuos con anti HCV y 2 de 7 casos en individuos con serología positiva para ambos marcadores serológicos. Casi la mitad de los donantes con marcador serológico positivo para anti HCV presentan elevación de las transaminasas The aim of this study was to determine if liver transaminases had value as complementary tests to orientate the diagnosis of hepatitis B and C in blood donors with positive antibody to these viral infections by the EIA method, considering that confirmatory tests such as the recombinant immunoassay (RIBA) or nucleic acid test by molecular techniques such as PCR (HCV RNA) for hepatitis C and viral DNA (PCR) for hepatitis B are not performed in our country due to their high costs. We are looking for joining efforts in public health from the blood banks due to the importance of reaching a diagnosis of seropositive donors who have been detected in the screening to prevent the spread of hepatitises. Serologic tests for hepatitis C, antibodies against the core antigen of hepatitis B and determinations of the levels of ALT or GPT (Alanine aminotransferase or Glutamic pyruvic transaminase), AST or GOT (Aspartate aminotransferase or Glutamic oxalacetic transaminase) were carried out in 236 blood donors seropositive for hepatitis B and C of the Blood Bank of the Hospital de Clinicas, National University of Asuncion, Paraguay. Elevated transaminases were classified according to the positive serological markers for hepatitis B and C finding high levels in 13.9% in donors with anti-HBc, 40% in donors with anti HCV and two of seven cases in donors with positive serology for both serological markers. Almost half of the donors with positive serologic marker for anti HCV had elevated transaminases.

Although commonly detected in humans, microorganisms identified as Blastocystis have also been isolated from a wide range of animals, such as primates, pigs, cattle, birds, amphibians and, less frequently, rodents and insects. In the present paper, we describe the detection of Blastocystis sp. in bivalve mollusks of the genus Donax from the Peruvian northern coast. This finding extends the host range of this pathogen, opening the possibility of Blastocytis transmission to human beings by marine mollusks., Aunque es detectado generalmente en seres humanos, los microorganismos identificados como Blastocystis han sido aislados de un amplio rango de hospedadores, tales como primates, cerdos, ganado, aves, anfibios y menos frecuentemente roedores e insectos.En el presente trabajo, se describe la detección de Blastocystis sp. en bivalvos del género Donax de la costa norteña peruana. Este hallazgo amplía el espectro de hospedadores para este enteropatógeno y abre la posibilidad de considerar la posible transmisión de Blastocystis en el hombre a partir de moluscos marinos.

Objective To assess the long-term effects of in utero exposure to magnesium sulphate for children whose mothers had pre-eclampsia. Design Assessment at 18 months of age for children whose mothers were recruited to the Magpie Trial (recruitment 1998–2001 ISRCTN 86938761), which compared magnesium sulphate with placebo. Setting Follow-up of children born at 125 centres in 19 countries across five continents. Population A total of 6922 children were born to women randomised before delivery at follow-up centres. Of these, 2271 were not included for logistic reasons and 168 were excluded (101 at a centre where