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Urban green spaces (UGSs) are fragments of city vegetation capable of providing numerous benefits, which can be measured through indices. However, even though public green spaces (PGSs) are accounted for in such indices as areas that can generate positive impacts, private green spaces (PrGSs) are not considered. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the impact and feasibility of the inclusion of limited-access green spaces (LAGSs—a type of PrGS—in green area index (GAI) and green space ratio (GSR) calculations, within the city of Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, as a model. By employing geotechnologies, private squares and spaces were identified. On-site visits were employed to determine the functions (aesthetic, ecological, and/or leisure) of such spaces. For LAGSs, only those with an index higher than 50% permeability were included. The calculated indices for PGSs are as follows: PGS index (PGSI) = 0.53 m2/inhabitant, PGS ratio (PGSR) = 0.27%, and total green space (TGS) = 62,067 m2. Taking LAGSs into account, the indices are as follows: LAGS index (LAGSI) = 3.76 m2/inhabitant, LAGS ratio (LAGSR) = 1.92%, and TGS = 443,309.03 m2. The results of the analyses carried out in this study allow us to conclude that LAGSs contribute significantly to the increase in the GAI and GSR in Lavras and, therefore, to the city's environmental quality. Such spaces surpass, in extension, those of the public domain and should be included in UGS calculations when assessing the green infrastructure of cities. Urban green spaces (UGSs) can be public (allowing all citizens access) or private (in which there is a restriction on who can use them). In consequence, only public areas are inserted in the UGS quantity calculations and other indicators since it is assumed that they are the only areas able to provide some benefits, such as leisure. Aiming to prove that, based on some criteria, it is feasible inserting private green areas in the urban green quantification indexes according to their provided benefits, even in a restricted manner, this research surveyed qualitative and quantitative limited-access green spaces (such as schools, clubs, religious institutions, among others) using a city as a model. It was verified that the insertion is feasible, positively impacting the indexes, meaning that these spaces are larger than the public ones considering their extension. Despite this positive aspect, such places play different functions in their population. On one side, the private ones, due to being extensively vegetated, play a mainly environmental role, needing to be protected and preserved, while the public ones promote a higher social and cultural interaction due to their open access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The case of the Channel Island of Jersey is an important yet understudied part of the British Empire's response to the French Emigration 1789–1815. During its high point in 1792–3, the émigré population in and around Jersey's main town of St Helier was as large as that in London and one of the European centres of political migration. This article explores the complicated relationship between Jersey's political institutions, the British military authorities in London, the British government and the émigré community. It shows how a brewing humanitarian crisis in the island prompted the British government to sanction subsistence payments in Jersey and enlist Royalist émigrés months before these policies were adopted in Britain. But British support was intimately bound up with the émigrés' anti-Revolutionary military activities, as much as humanitarian concerns. The forced expulsion of most émigrés to Britain in summer 1796 resulted not from concerns about the wellbeing of the émigré community in face of imminent French invasion, but concerns about the Royalists' military loyalties. During the Napoleonic Wars, British policy towards the émigrés lacked coherence and was not categorized by overriding humanitarian goals, though such concerns did compete with strategic ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterial infections have caused enormous morbidity and mortality in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Of these, the most devastating has been tuberculosis (TB), the leading cause of death among HIV-positive persons globally. TB has killed more people living with HIV than any other infection. Diagnosis of latent TB infection (LTBI) is critical as treatment can prevent emergence of TB disease. Bacteriologic confirmation of TB disease should be sought whenever possible as well as drug susceptibility testing. When detected early, drug susceptible TB is curable. Similar to TB, nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) can also produce pulmonary and extrapulmonary infections including disseminated disease that can be fatal. Diagnosis through accurate identification of the pathogenic organism will greatly inform treatment. Depending on the NTM identified, treatment may not be curable. Ultimately, preventive strategies such as initiation of antiretroviral drugs and treatment of LTBI are interventions expected to have significant impacts on control of TB and NTM in the setting of HIV. This chapter will review the impact of pulmonary mycobacterial infections on HIV-positive individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients suffering from drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR TB) avail of private care since Programmatic Management of DR TB (PMDT) is not universally available in India. Management of DR TB is challenging and involves great expertise. Chest physicians (CPs) play a major role in this area. The study was undertaken with the objective to see whether the practices of CPs comply with current guidelines and to identify areas where they could be involved to improve access to PMDT. Materials and Methods: For this cross-sectional study, CPs from Mumbai and Nagpur, Maharashtra, India, were given pretested questionnaires to be filled in and returned. Observations: Of 70 enlisted CPs, 29 (41%) responded. Twenty-six (89%) respondents used the drug susceptibility test (DST) for diagnosis: private labs and hospitals were preferred; 9 (31%) used standard treatment, 15 (51%) switched to individual treatment after starting standard therapy and 12 (41%) started empirical treatment later switched to individual treatment as per the WHO guidelines. Seven consultants (10%) used in addition drugs from alternative systems of medicine for immune modulation and adverse drug effects. Eighty-six per cent CPs monitored treatment by smear examination, 51% by culture and 93% used X-rays. Reported case holding in the form of regular follow-up consultation visits was around 70%, treatment success estimated to be between 30% and 70%, and deaths around 30%. Adverse drug reactions were reported in around 30% cases. Conclusion: This study shows that most private CPs generally comply with current guidelines for management of DR TB. Accreditation of private labs for DST, involving CPs in diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of patients through public private partnerships can improve access to PMDT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The addition of polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80) to a culture of mycobacteria greatly influences cell permeability and sensitivity to antibiotics but very little is known regarding the underlying mechanism. Here we show that Corynebacterium matruchotii (surrogate of mycobacteria) converts Tween 80 to a structural series of polyoxyethylenic acids which are then used to form novel series-2A and series-2B glycolipids. Minor series-3 glycolipids were also synthesized. The polyoxyethylenic acids replaced corynomycolic acids in the cell wall. Correspondingly the trehalose dicorynomycolate content was reduced. MALDI mass spectrometry, MS-MS, 1H-NMR, and 13C-NMR were used to characterize the series-2 glycolipids. Series-2A glycolipid is trehalose 6-C362-corynomycolate-6'-polyoxyethylenate and series-2B glycolipid is trehalose 6-C362-corynomycolate-6'-furan ring-containing polyoxyethylenate. Mycobacterium smegmatis grown in the presence of Tween 80 also synthesizes series-2 type glycolipids. The synthesis of these novel glycolipids in corynebacteria and mycobacteria should result in gross changes in the cell wall permeability and drug sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are afflicted with many symptoms but the greatest challenge is the fight against chronic bacterial infections, leading to decreased lung function and ultimately death. Our group has recently found reduced levels of ceramides in CF patients and mice. Ceramides are sphingolipids involved in the structure of cell membranes but also participate in the inflammatory response, in cell signalling through membrane microdomains (lipid rafts), and in apoptosis. These characteristics of ceramides make them strong candidates for therapeutic intervention in CF. As more studies have come to evaluate the role of ceramide in CF, conflicting results have been described. This paper discusses various views regarding the potential role of ceramide in CF, summarizes methods of ceramide detection and their role in the regulation of cellular and molecular processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanisation and intensification of agriculture has led to large scale destruction of natural and semi-natural areas in Western Europe. Consequentially, the conservation of biodiversity in small landscape units has become a matter of increasing urgency. In this paper, we inventoried the arthropod diversity in roadside verges in the Netherlands and studied the relative importance of these linear elements. In addition, the occurrence of arthropods in roadside verges in other countries was studied by literature research. In the period 1998-2008, we sampled 57 roadside verges. This was mainly done by pitfall trapping, using sweeping nets and insect nets, and by sight observations. For several arthropod groups the majority of the Dutch indigenous species was sampled: ants (56% of the indigenous species), grasshoppers (53%), harvestmen (67%) and two spider families (52% and 68%). For ground beetles, weevils, butterflies, bees, hoverflies and three other spider families, values between 18–41% were found. Considering that only a minute fraction of the vast network of roadsides was sampled, these figures are remarkably high. Roadside verges are occasionally reported to act as dispersal corridors for exotic species, but this could not be confirmed for arthropods in the Netherlands. Several of the arthropod species inventoried in the Dutch verges are classified as threatened: five grasshopper and eleven bee species appear on national Red Lists and six ant species on the IUCN Red List. Also, in several other countries roadside verges in intensively used landscapes appear to offer opportunities for arthropod conservation. We conclude that, if rightly managed, roadside verges can serve as an important and valuable arthropod habitat. Therefore, we strongly recommend taking always into account the conservation of these arthropod assemblages during planning and actual management of roadside verges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infection with non-tuberculous mycobacterium correlates highly with immunodeficiency. Mycobacterium xenopi ( M. xenopi) is most commonly isolated in the respiratory tract, as a cause of endogenous spondylodiscitis it occurs but rarely. Only seven such cases have been reported in literature. In this paper, we present the case of an about 28-year-old HIV-positive patient with a long history of back pain. MRI of the spinal column and Positron Emission Tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose as a tracer (F18-FDG-PET) confirmed the suspected spondylodiscitis. After performing a CT-controlled abscess drainage the patient’s condition improved. Because of the severe destruction of the spinal segment concerned and because of the epidural abscess formation a vertebrectomy of T10 and surgical debridement of the paravertebral soft tissue via thoracotomy became urgently necessary. The spine was stabilized by interposing a cage and an anterolateral monobar system. M. xenopi could be proven by PCR out of the intraoperative specimen. After operation and antituberculotic therapy there was a fast convalescence. Diagnostics, therapy, and clinical outcome are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Like other non-tuberculous mycobacteria, Mycobacterium xenopi infects more commonly patients with altered immune defenses. In immunocompetent individuals, infection with M. xenopi has been described in the setting of underlying lung disease. We here report the first case of M. xenopi lung abscess in a previously healthy patient with no known predisposing factors who was successfully treated with rifampin, isoniazid and ethambutol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It can be difficult to establish the clinical significance of the isolation of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) from the sputum of HIV-infected patients. In this observational study, we have investigated factors associated with having NTM infection. During the period of the study, 10 patients had NTM infection and 14 had NTM colonization. Factors associated with having NTM infections were: CD4 lymphocyte count <50 cells/mL (odds ratio [OR] 10; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-69.3), haemoglobin <11 g/dL (OR 7.2; 95% CI 1.08-47.9), weight loss (OR 9; 95% CI 1.3-63.9), duration of symptoms for more than a month (OR 54; 95% CI 4.2-692.5), the presence of acid fast bacilli (AFB) in sputum (OR 30.3; 95% CI 2.6-348.9) and repeated positive NTM cultures in other sputum samples (OR 4.3; 95% CI 1.6-11.7). In conclusion, we must suspect NTM infection in patients with long-standing symptoms, anaemia, low CD4 lymphocyte count, several positive sputum cultures and when AFB are seen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies clinical and therapeutic management of pulmonary mycobacterium xenopi infection in HIV-Positive patients. M. xenopi is usually a nonpathogenic colonizer of airways. Most of the isolations are fortuitous, which raises concerns about their clinical significance, especially for HIV-infected patients in which concurrent pulmonary diseases are often present. Therefore, only multiple M. xenopi isolates found in the absence of other pulmonary diseases could be considered to be "significant" isolates indicative of clinical disease. The presence of coexisting pulmonary diseases should raise doubts about the role of M. xenopi as a pathogen.

The article presents an overview of some of the key topics presented at the British Thoracic Society Winter Meeting held in London, England, from December 5-7, 2001. It states that the winter meeting of the British Thoracic Society covered a wide range of respiratory topics. Over 300 papers were presented and internationally renowned speakers delivered a number of lively symposia. Some of those topics were on asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pleural disease. Initial data from the first 150 patients enrolled in the multicentre intrapleural streptokinase versus placebo in empyema trial was presented at the meeting. Emphasis was placed on the importance of obtaining blood cultures for microbiological diagnosis.

The randomized study by D.W. Johnson and colleagues on the use of an investigational catheter lock solution (CLS) for the prevention of tunneled hemodialysis catheter-related bacteremia (CRB) demonstrated a substantial reduction in CRB by the application of topical mupirocin at the dialysis catheter exit site. Mupirocin has antibiotic activity only against gram-positive cocci. Although it is true that only 12.5% of our control patients with CRB had cultures that grew a gram-negative rod, the proportion of gram-negative bacterial infections among hemodialysis patients with CRB has been as high as 40%-45% in some reports.

This article focuses on the use of an investigational catheter lock solution (CLS) for the prevention of tunneled hemodialysis catheter-related bacteremia. Results show a rate of tunneled hemodialysis catheter-related bacteremia after the use of CLS of 0.6 cases/1000 patient-days. This was compared with a rate of 5.6 cases/1000 patient-days found in the control population using a standard heparin lock. Other studies have reported a tunneled hemodialysis catheter-associated bacteremia rate of 0.2-0.5 cases/1000 patient-days.

An abstract of the article regarding the association of a specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on 17q21 to early-onst smoking-exposed asthma and early-onset asthma phenotypes.