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There is an increasing recognition throughout the world that many of the feeding problems of dairy herds are linked to the presence of aerobically deteriorated parts on a silo face, causing farmers to pose questions on what amount of silage should be removed daily to feed their animals. Since an adequate feed-out rate helps to prevent silage spoilage, a simple tool is needed to manage the aerobic deterioration of corn silages during feed-out. The aims of this study were to develop an unloading rate index, which we have called the mass feed-out rate (MFR), expressed in kilograms of fresh matter silage unloaded daily per square meter of silo face, to better predict the aerobic deterioration of silage and to offer management solutions to help prevent spoilage, through a survey on 97 commercial dairy farms in Italy and Brazil. Silages were sampled and analyzed for their main microbial, fermentative, and nutritional characteristics, whereas silage temperatures were measured in the core and peripheral areas of the silo working face. Moreover, a detailed questionnaire on silo management and silage utilization was administered to the farmers during each farm visit. The size and silage density of the silos presented a wide variability in the 2 countries, thus indicating that different management practices were adopted during corn harvesting, silo filling, and silage compaction. The differences between pH and temperature in the peripheral areas and in the core of the silage (dpH and dT, respectively) were tested as a single indicator to identify any aerobic deteriorated areas on the silo face, associated with the yeast and mold counts. Both indicators correctly identified aerobic deterioration in 86.6% and 93.8% of the studied silos, respectively. The lactic acid and ethanol increased as the MFR increased, whereas the starch, dT, and the yeast and mold counts decreased with increasing MFR. A daily removal rate of over 250 kg of silage/m2 markedly reduced the risk of spoilage in corn silages at a farm level in both temperate and tropical environments. The new MFR index can substitute for the commonly used linear feed-out rate as it includes the silage density and can be obtained from 1 single recording.

International audience; In this paper, we introduce new correlation technologies for measuring Power-Density of mobile devices in the framework of Over The Air (OTA) testing. The correlation technologies use convolutional signal processing algorithms. Measurements obtained using minimally invasive ElectroOptical (EO) probes are compared to those from classical nearfield and far-field measurement solutions demonstrating excellent accuracy for applications at mmWave frequencies. Influence of separation distance between the Device Under Test (DUT) and the probing system (PS) on the near-field spatial correlation functions is studied. Broadband measurement results are successfully compared to full-wave 3D EM solvers in time and frequency domains. Perspectives for optically synchronized interferometric-correlation technologies are drawn for accurate measurements, in noisy environments, of stochastic EM fields using power-spectra and energy-spectra metrics.

International audience; A pattern reconfigurable parasitic element antenna system is proposed to operate in LoRa 868 MHz band. As part of a sensor for real-time air quality monitoring in urban spaces, the antenna system is composed of a microstrip balun- fed dipole and two parallel parasitic replicas used to reconfigure the radiation pattern through the use of switches.

Background Aspergillus fumigatus, the causal agent of aspergillosis in humans, is commonly present as a saprophyte in various organic substrates, such as spoiled silages. Aspergillosis is generally combated with demethylation inhibitor (DMI) fungicides, but the recent appearance of resistant medical and environmental strains made current treatment strategies less reliable. The goal of this study was to determine the evolution of A. fumigatus populations during the ensiling process of whole-crop corn, high moisture corn and wet grain corn, and to monitor the sensitivity of isolates from treated and untreated fields to one medical and one agricultural DMI fungicide. Results A. fumigatus was isolated from fresh forage at harvest at rather low concentrations (102 cfu g-1 ). The low frequency lingered during the silage process (at 60 and 160 days), whereas it significantly increased during air exposure (at 7 and 14 days of air exposure). Field treatment of corn with a mixture of prothioconazole and tebuconazole did not affect the sensitivity of A. fumigatus isolates. One of 29 isolates from the untreated plot was resistant to voriconazole. A unique amino acid substitution (E427K) was detected in the cyp51A gene of 10 of 12 sequenced isolates, but was not associated with DMI resistance. Conclusion A. fumigatus significantly increased during aerobic deterioration of ensilaged corn after silo opening, compared with the low presence in fresh corn and during ensiling. Field treatment of corn with DMI fungicides did not affect the sensitivity of A. fumigatus isolates collected from fresh and ensiled corn. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry.

Heterofermentative Lentilactobacillus hilgardii isolated from sugarcane silage, has recently been proposed as a silage inoculant to increase aerobic stability. Various conditions can influence the activity of LAB and their ability to alter silage quality (e.g., DM content and length of conservation). The aim of this study has been to evaluate the effect of L. hilgardii on the fermentation quality and aerobic stability of whole crop corn silage with different DM contents (from 26 to 45%), conserved for various conservation lengths (13–272 days). The silages were analyzed for their DM content, pH, fermentative profile, microbial count, and aerobic stability. L. hilgardii showed a positive effect on improving the aerobic stability of silages, due its ability to produce acetic acid, and reduced the yeast count. The acetic acid content increased as the conservation period increased and decreased as the DM content increased. The yeast count was reduced during conservation in a DM dependent manner and the inoculation with LH determined a reduction in the count of 0.48 log cfu/g. The aerobic stability increased as the conservation period increased, and the treatment with LH on average increased the aerobic stability by 19 h. The results of this experiment suggest that higher aerobic stability could be achieved in corn silages by ensiling at medium or low DM contents, or by increasing the length of conservation if a higher DM content at ensiling is needed. The inoculation with LH helps to improve the aerobic stability of corn silages by reducing the yeast count.

The environment temperature and its effect on the temperature of silage is very important for the fermentation and subsequent quality of a silage. Obligate heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (LAB) inocula, because of their ability to inhibit yeasts, have been developed to prevent the aerobic deterioration of silages. The temperature during silage conservation may also play an important role in the fermentation profile of silages. This study has evaluated the effect of temperature, during the conservation of whole crop corn silage, untreated or treated with different LAB inocula, on the fermentation profile and on the aerobic stability of the silage. Corn was harvested at 42% dry matter and either not treated (control) or treated with Lactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 (LB) at 300,000 cfu/g fresh matter (FM); Lactobacillus hilgardii CNCM I-4785 at 150,000 cfu/g FM (LH150); L. hilgardii CNCM I-4785 at 300,000 cfu/g FM (LH300); or LB+LH at 150,000 cfu/g FM each. In an attempt to experimentally simulate temperature fluctuations in the mass or at the periphery of a silage bunker, corn was conserved in laboratory silos at a constant temperature (20 ± 1°C; MASS) or at lower and variable outdoor temperatures (PERIPH; ranging from 0.5 to 19°C), and the silos were opened after 15, 30, and 100 d of conservation. Lactic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol contents increased in all the silages over the conservation period. The lactic acid content was higher (+10%) in the silages kept at a constant temperature than those conserved at the lower and variable outdoor temperatures. The acetic acid was higher in the treated silages than in the control ones conserved at a constant temperature for 100 d. Moreover, 1,2-propanediol was only detected in the treated silages after at least 30 d at a constant temperature, whereas only traces were detected in the LB+LH treatment for the other temperature conditions. The yeast count decreased during conservation at a slower rate in PERIPH than in MASS and on average reached 2.96 and 4.71 log cfu/g for MASS and PERIPH, respectively, after 100 d of conservation. The highest aerobic stability values were observed for LH300 (191 h) in the MASS silage after 100 d of conservation, whereas the highest aerobic stability was observed in LB+LH (150 h) in the PERIPH silages. After 7 d of air exposure, a pH higher than 4.5 and a higher yeast than 8.0 log cfu/g were detected in all the silages opened after 15 and 30 d of conservation. A pH value close to that of silo opening was detected in the LB, LH150, and LH300 silages conserved under MASS conditions after 100 d, whereas LB+LH was the most effective under PERIPH conditions. The temperature and its fluctuation during conservation of silage in laboratory silos influenced the fermentation, which in turn had an effect on the quality of silage and on the extent of the effect of LAB inocula.

Background Lactic acid bacteria inocula have been developed over the years to improve the aerobic stability of silages. The aims of the study were to evaluate the effect of various conservation periods and the use of Lactobacillus hilgardii inoculum on aerobic stability, fermentative profile and microbial population of corn and sorghum silages. Trials were carried out on two corns and one sorghum crops. The crops were untreated or treated with L. buchneri (LB, application rate 300 000 cfu g-1 FM), L. hilgardii (LH, application rate 300 000 cfu g-1 FM) and a combination (LB + LH, application rate 150 000 cfu g-1 FM each). Silos were opened after 15, 30, 100 and 250 days of conservation, and the silages were analysed for fermentative profile, microbial count and aerobic stability. Results During conservation, the inocula influenced the fermentation profile. The use of LH increased the aerobic stability at 15 and 30 days in one out of three trials, while after 100 and 250 days, the presence of LB alone or with LH led to greater stability. In all the trials, the acetic acid content increased, the yeast count decreased and the aerobic stability increased during the conservation period. Conclusions This study has shown that a long period in complete anaerobiosis reduced yeast count and improved aerobic stability in all silages. The addition of LB was confirmed to be a good option for increasing aerobic stability of silages, whereas the effect of LH alone or in combination with LB on aerobic stability was not consistent between trials. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

A sustainable biogas production requires the use of a biomass that is not in competition with food production and does not require a high energy input for its production. Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus L.) was evaluated at ensiling to establish its suitability for methane production. The cardoon was harvested at full bloom (Stage I) and seed ripening (Stage II), and was then treated with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Higher fermentative products (lactic acid and ethanol) and DM losses were determined at Stage I than at Stage II. The advanced stage of maturity (Stage II) determined a higher fiber content and lower methane yield per tonne of volatile solids than at Stage I. No difference was observed between the methane production at harvesting and that after ensiling, thus indicating the ability of the ensiling process to conserve most of the energy of the crop at harvesting.

Plate counts using selective culture media is still the most frequently used method for the enumeration of the different microbial groups that colonize silage, including lactic acid bacteria, yeasts and molds. Since different culture media have specific composition, they may allow the growth of specific populations. To date, no study has used next generation sequencing technology to compare the selective capacity of these different culture media although this approach could provide comprehensive insight into the relevance of using one culture medium over another. Sequencing of the 16S rDNA and ITS amplicon were performed to compare the selectivity of different culture media used in silage microbiology. Corn silage, grass-alfalfa silage and total mixed ration extracts were plated on five selective media for lactic acid bacteria, incubated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions, and on eight selective media for yeast and molds to compare their selectivity. Ensiling provided a pre-selection environment for specific microorganisms over forage and reduced the number of observed OTUs: only 12 OTUs of bacteria were observed in corn silage sampled in the center of a bunker silo, while the mean number of OTUs identified in samples taken closer to the side of the silo, influenced by higher oxygen and humidity level, increased to 79. Still, MRS and Rogosa plates had less than 12 different OTUs in the center and 24 at the side, mainly Lactobacillaceae, Acetobacteraceae, and Leuconostocaceae. Incubating the plates under anaerobic conditions was selective against Acetobacteraceae. MRS supplemented with acetic acid increased selectivity of lactic acid bacteria. When plated on culture media specific for yeast and molds, from 17 to 68 different OTUs were observed in corn silage. Mixed grass-alfalfa silage and total mixed ration samples usually had more observed OTUs and the diversity profile of the corresponding culture media was similar to that of the original samples. For yeasts and molds, Dichloran Rose Bengal Chloramphenicol Agar revealed a diversity profile close to the that of the corn silage.

Farm sustainable intensification is an important strategy to reduce environmental impacts, which can be obtained in particular through improvements in the milk production per cow and feed efficiency, as well as by increasing the net primary production of the Utilized Agricultural Area. Farming systems that are mainly based on multi-annual/perennial forages may increase soil carbon (C) sequestration, which is a significant greenhouse gases mitigation strategy. The aim of the present study has been to identify the forage systems related to dairy farms that are able to maximize feed production and to improve feed efficiency and C sequestration, in order to achieve the best environmental sustainability result. A group of 46 dairy farms was selected to represent the most widespread forage systems in Northern Italy. The identified forage systems were: CONV, conventional corn silage system; MIXED, low intensity mixed system; HQFS, high quality forage system; WICE, winter cereal silage system; PR DRY, hay system for Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese production and PR-FRESH, hay and fresh forage system for Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese production. Primary data were collected to carry out a life cycle assessment. Soil samples of representative crops of the forage systems were collected to determine in particular the soil organic carbon density and soil organic matter. The WICE, CONV and HQFS forage systems provided the greatest amount of dry matter (DM) per hectare, whereas the PR FRESH system showed the highest soil C density. The LCA results showed that the HQFS system registered the lowest values for all the impact categories (except for land occupation and the use of non-renewable resources), probably due to the higher milk production, both in terms of individual production (fat and protein corrected milk/head) and feed efficiency (kg milk/kg DMI). More intensive systems, such as HQFS, demonstrated that the milk production per cow and feed efficiency are negatively related to the impact per kilogram of product. The HQFS system also resulted to be more sustainable, in terms of feed self-sufficiency, as a high amount of DM per hectare. However, as far as this forage system is concerned, there is still room to strengthen environmental sustainability, since HQFS also showed the lowest C soil density. Further investigations are needed to consider environmental sustainability over a wider spectrum.

The ensiling of high DM content maize, with the aim of achieving a higher proportion of starch in the silage, leads to difficulties in containing aerobic spoilage, due to its low lactic acid bacteria (LAB) activity during fermentation. The aim of the present study has been to evaluate the effects of a new chemical additive, containing a mixture of monopropionine and monobutyrin, on the aerobic stability of whole crop maize silages in two trials in which the conservation period differed. Maize was harvested at a DM of around 410 g/kg and was then untreated (C) or treated with L. buchneri (LB) NCIMB 40788, a new additive, which was applied at a rate of 5 g/kg fresh matter (FM) (A0.5), at rate of 10 g/kg FM (A1.0) and at rate of 15 g/kg FM (A1.5). The obtained silages were conserved for 100 d and 240 d for Trials I and II, respectively. At opening, the DM losses, chemical composition, fermentation profile, microbial counts and aerobic stability were determined for each silo. In both trials, the addition of the chemical additive influenced the fermentation profile, and a lower level of acetic acid and ethanol was observed than for the C and LB silages. The propionic and butyric acids were only found in the silages treated with the chemical additive at concentrations that were linearly related to the calculated amount derived from the acid hydrolysis of the additive, thus indicating no clostridia activity had occurred. The application of the new additive reduced the yeast count, and aerobic stability was thus improved. The aerobic stability increased in an added dose dependent manner, with a mean increase of 120 h in A1.5, compared to the C silages. The DM losses were higher in the C silages than in the A1.5 ones. The chemical additive did not affect the nutritional parameters. The addition of LB was not very efficient, probably due to the low water activity of the maize with high DM content and the low temperature at harvesting, which could have negatively influenced its activity. The addition of monopropionine and monobutyrin showed a positive effect, as it improved the aerobic stability, even in less than optimal conditions (high DM maize content and low temperature). The effect of the additive was related to its application rate, with the best results being observed when it was applied at 1.5% of fresh matter.

The growth of Aspergillus flavus and the production of aflatoxins (AF) during the aerobic deterioration of corn silage represent a problem for animal and human health. This experiment was conducted to evaluate whether the presence of A. flavus and AF production originate from the field or additional AF are produced during the fermentation phase or during aerobic deterioration of corn silage. The trial was carried out in northern Italy on corn at a dry matter (DM) level of 34%. The fresh herbage was either not treated (C) or treated with a Lactobacillus buchneri (LB) NCIMB 40788 [(at 3 x 10(5) cfu/g of fresh matter (FM)], Lactobacillus hilgardii (LH) CNCM 1-4785 (at 3 x 10(5) cfu/g of FM), or their combination (LB+LH; at 1.5 x 10(5) cfu/g of FM of each strain) ensiled in 20-L silos and opened after 250 d of ensiling. After silo opening, the aerobic stability was evaluated and samples were taken after 7 and 14 d of air exposure. The pre-ensiled material, the silages at silo opening, and the aerobically exposed silages were analyzed for DM content, fermentative profiles, microbial count, nutritive characteristics, DM losses, and AFB(1), AFB(2), AFG(1), and AFG(2) contents. Furthermore, a subsample of colonies with macromorphological features of Aspergillus section Flavi was selected for AF gene pattern characterization and in vitro AF production. The presence of A. flavus was below the detection limit (

The occurrence of Paenibacillus and Clostridium spores in silage is of great concern for dairy producers because their spores can contaminate milk and damage processed milk and semi-hard cheeses. Spoiled silage is considered to be the main contamination source of the total mixed ration (TMR), feces of dairy cows, and consequently bulk tank milk via the contamination of cow teats by dirt during milking. The presence of an anaerobic and facultative anaerobic sporeformer population in different matrices (soil, corn silage, other feeds, TMR, feces, and milk) and its transmission pathway has been studied on 49 dairy farms by coupling plate count data with 16S-DNA identification. The different matrices have shown a high variability in the anaerobic and facultative anaerobic spore count, with the highest values being found in the aerobically deteriorated areas of corn silages. Clostridium tyrobutyricum, Paenibacillus macerans, and Paenibacillus thermophilus were detected in all the matrices. The TMR spore count was influenced by the amount of spoiled corn silage in the TMR and by the care taken when cleaning the spoiled silage before feed-out. Most of the farms that prevent the presence of visible moldy silage in the silo and carefully clean to remove molded spots were able to maintain their TMR spore counts below 4.0 log spores/g. When a level of 4.5 log spores/g of TMR was exceeded, the feces presented a greater contamination than 3.0 log spores/g. Moreover, the higher the number of spores in the feces was, the higher the number of spores in the milk. Most of the farms that presented a feces contamination greater than 5.0 log spores/g had a higher milk spore contamination than 1,000 spores/L. Careful animal cleaning and good milking practices have been found to be essential to maintain low levels of contamination in bulk tank milk, but it has emerged that only by coupling these practices with a correct silage management and cleaning during TMR preparation can the contamination of milk by spores be kept at a low level. It has been found that aerobically deteriorated silage has a great capacity to contaminate TMR and consequently to increase the risk of milk spore contamination, even when routine milking practices are adopted correctly.

The degree of anaerobiosis and its maintenance over the conservation period are key factors in obtaining high quality silage. There is currently a demand to replace petroleum-based plastic films with biodegradable materials with suitable mechanical properties. This work has evaluated, under outdoor conditions, the shelf life of a Mater-Bi&reg, biodegradable plastic (MB) film and its effects on the fermentative characteristics, microbial counts and aerobic stability of corn silage, and compared it with commercially available polyethylene (PE) and high oxygen barrier (OB) films. Corn (409 g DM/kg) was ensiled in 30 drive-over piles covered with MB, PE or OB films. The piles were opened after 21, 85, 133, 195 and 230 d of conservation. The effect of the film was assessed in silage sample close to (CF) and far (FF) from the film. The OB film allowed high quality corn silages to be obtained with similar pH, lactic acid, yeast and mold counts for CF and FF during the entire 230 d of conservation. The PE film showed similar values for the FF and CF areas for the first conservation period (until 133 d). The MB film showed a similar silage quality to OB until day 85, after which it underwent biodegradation and lost its ability to preserve silage in a good state.

International audience; This paper proposes a miniature reconfigurable Inverted-F antenna (IFA) covering three different frequency bands. The target application is the Internet of Things (IoT) which requires the use of a miniature antenna to obtain location information using the GPS standard and send it to the server using the Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) standard.

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Perennial allergic rhinitis (PAR) is very common in children and has a relevant impact on their families. House dust mites (HDM) are the most relevant cause of PAR. The present pilot study aimed to evaluate whether hypertonic saline (3%) nasal spray as monotherapy is able to improve: nasal symptom severity and parental perception of rhinitis control, sleep, and school performance in HDM-mono-sensitized children with PAR. Globally, 25 children (13 males and 12 females; mean age 9.5±3.1 years) were treated for 3 weeks. They were visited at baseline, at the end of treatment, and after a 2-week follow-up. Hypertonic saline significantly reduced total symptom score, and improved the perception, according to their parents, of rhinitis control, sleep, and school performance. In conclusion, the present pilot study provided the first evidence that 3% hypertonic saline monotherapy was able to relieve nasal symptoms and parental perception of PAR impact as well as being safe and well tolerated.

Paciente varon de 76 anos, con antecedente de implantacion de protesis total de cadera tipo Perfecta (Orthomet®), que consulta por masa en fosa iliaca, con aumento del diametro del muslo y dolor flexion y extension de la cadera. Los estudios complementarios de ecografia y tomografia evidencian la presencia de una tumoracion quistica gigante lobulada en fosa iliaca izquierda de unos 7cm de diametro en la proximidad de la protesis. La formacion quistica ocasionada por la enfermedad del polietileno tras la colocacion de una artroplastia total de cadera es poco frecuente. Presentamos un caso de bursitis del psoas de gran tamano, secundaria a la liberacion de particulas del polietileno, que ocasiono compresion y trombosis de la vena femoral superficial.

A 76 year old male patient with a history of implantation of a total hip arthroplasty Perfecta (Orthomet(®)), who presented with an iliac fossa mass, increased diameter of the thigh, and pain during hip flexion and extension. CT and ultrasound show the presence of a giant cystic mass in left iliac fossa about 7 cm in diameter next to the prosthesis. A pseudo-tumour secondary to wear debris after placement of a total arthroplasty is rare. We present a case of a large iliopsoas bursitis caused by polyethylene particles, which caused compression and thrombosis of the superficial femoral vein.

Objetivo Estudiar los resultados de la placa de compression percutanea (PCCP) en el tratamiento de las fracturas trocantereas estables. Material y metodo Estudio prospectivo de 42 pacientes con fractura trocanterea estable, segun la clasificacion de la AO/OTA, intervenidos entre 2003 y 2005 con placa de compresion percutanea (PCCP, percutaneous compression plate ). Fueron 12 varones y 30 mujeres, con una edad media de 82,3 anos. Previo a la fractura, 19 pacientes presentaban una deambulacion independiente, 16 deambulaban con bastones y 7 precisaban la ayuda de un andador o tercera persona. Resultados El tiempo quirurgico medio fue de 87 minutos, 15 pacientes precisaron transfusion sanguinea con una media de 0,60 concentrados por paciente, y tuvieron un consumo medio de analgesicos de 3,5 dias. La estancia media fue de 16,9 dias. Posoperatoriamente el 73% tenian deambulacion por si mismos. Hubo 5 exitus en el primer ano posoperatorio. No hubo complicaciones quirurgicas. Radiologicamente no hubo complicaciones mecanicas ni fracasos del material. Conclusiones El sistema de placa de compresion percutanea PCCP nos parece valido y eficaz en el tratamiento de las fracturas trocantereas estables

Purpose To assess the results of the PCCP (percutaneous compression plate) in the treatment of stable intertrochanteric fractures. Materials and methods Prospective study of 42 patients with a stable intertrochanteric fracture, classified according to the AO/OTA scale, implanted between 2003 and 2005 with a PCCP percutaneous compression plate. There were 12 males and 30 females, with a mean age of 82.3 years. Prior to the fracture, 19 patients were independent walkers, 16 required a walking-stick and 7 required a walking frame or someone's assistance. Results Mean OR time was 87 minutes. Fifteen patients required a blood transfusion with a mean of 0.60 concentrates per patient and a mean analgesic consumption period of 3.5 days. Mean hospital stay was 16.9 days. Postoperatively, 73% could ambulate independently. There were five deaths in the first year post-op. No surgical complications were recorded. Radiologically, there were no mechanical complications or material-related failures. Conclusions The PCCP percutaneous compression plate comes across as a valid and effective system for the treatment of stable intertrochanteric fractures.

Case report of an 89-year-old patient who had cardiorespiratory arrest during cemented hip hemiarthroplasty and required cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This complication occurred immediately after using the carbon dioxide-based lavage system known as CarboJet and was attributed to gas embolism once other entities were ruled out. The possible factors that may contribute to this surgical complication are discussed.

Resume Afin de disposer en francais d’un instrument mesurant les aspects du fonctionnement qui affectent l’adaptation dans la communaute des personnes atteintes de schizophrenie, nous avons traduit et valide 3 versions du questionnaire « Life Skills Profile » developpe par Rosen et Parker. Methode 175 personnes atteintes de schizophrenie (DSM IV, codes F20.0 a F20.5) ont ete evaluees par leurs soignants referents. Les dimensions du test ont ete etablies par des analyses factorielles exploratoires et confirmatoires, et leurs qualites psychometriques evaluees. Resultats Une structure factorielle en 5 dimensions du questionnaire original en 39 items n’est pas confirmee. En revanche, les versions abregees en 16 et 20 items sont confirmees, sans modifications. Les qualites psychometriques de la version abregee sont satisfaisantes. Conclusion Cette etude implique la disposition d’un instrument valide en francais qui permet : 1) d’evaluer rapidement, par un soignant ou un proche, le fonctionnement social d’une personne atteinte de schizophrenie ; 2) de depister les domaines deficitaires chez la personne ; 3) d’evaluer l’efficacite des interventions therapeutiques.

Maturation of the visual cortex is a visual experience-dependent process. It has been shown that visual input triggers changes in N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit expression in the visual cortex. However, no data are available on the layer distribution of these molecular changes. Here we describe the laminar distribution of the cells expressing the NMDAR subunits NR2A and NR2B in the rat primary visual cortex at postnatal day (P) 21 and 37 using anti-NR2A and anti-NR2B antibodies and a stereological method to count labelled neurons. The percentage of neurons expressing the NR2A subunit in the layers II-VI remained unchanged between P21 and P37 with a slight decrease in layer V. Dark-rearing from P21 to P37 induced a pronounced decrease of the staining intensity and a significant decrease in the percentage of NR2A-expressing neurons. The changes in NR2A expression caused by dark rearing occur at similar levels in layers II-VI. The percentage of NR2B-positive cells in the different cortical layers remains unchanged from P21 to P37. The NR2B pattern was not significantly affected by dark-rearing. Thusly, the expression of NR2A depends upon visual experience after P21.

We report a case of a very large intraosseous ganglion in a patient with Down's syndrome. The lesion was located in the medial femoral condyle and was diagnosed with imaging techniques (X-rays, CAT scan, bone scan and magnetic resonance imaging) that allowed measuring it. Treatment consisted of curettage and filling of the defect with the skeletal repair system carbonated apatite resorbable cement which allowed for immediate early weight bearing during the postoperative period in a non-cooperative patient. We think the location and size of the lesion are of interest, as well as the peculiarities of the patient, which may help understand the pathophysiology of this entity. As far as we know, the use of resorbable cement to treat this kind of lesions has not been reported.

During a nursing conference of the Northeaster Piedmont Neonatal Intensive and Subintensive Neonatal Units the error in pediatrics and neonatology was discussed and a follow-up work was proposed with the aim to understand how many, what type of errors and what kind of adverse event they cause in our clinical practice.Through an anonymous "detection sheet" we detected the errors made between March 1 and April 30, 2010 in a NICU and 2 Subintensive therapies. The total number of patients was 166 for 2398 days of hospitalization.The total number of errors was 72, with a error of 0.43/patient. Forty-six patients had experienced at least 1 error (28% of patients) and more than a 16 (10% of our patients). There is a statistically significant correlation between days of hospitalization and the number of errors occurred (r=0.63 Sperman's correlation, P0.01); 48% and 53% of the errors in the NICU and Subintensive CU were related to medication administration.The severe damage in the NICU was caused by errors more frequently related to vascular access while the only mistake that led to a serious incident in subintensive CU was determined by a monitoring error. Errors were most frequently attributed to inattention-distraction, less frequently have been attributed to a lack of experience or a state of excessive fatigue. The data of our study were made available to all staff in order to make operators more aware of the importance of working safely.