The new generation of nuclear physics detectors that used to study nuclear reactions is considering the use of digital pulse shape analysis techniques (DPSA) to obtain the (A,Z) values of the ...reaction products impinging in solid state detectors. This technique can be an important tool for selecting the relevant reaction channels at the HYDE (HYbrid DEtector ball array) silicon array foreseen for the Low Energy Branch of the FAIR facility (Darmstadt, Germany). In this work we study the feasibility of using artificial neural networks (ANNs) for particle identification with silicon detectors. Multilayer Perceptron networks were trained and tested with recent experimental data, showing excellent identification capabilities with signals of several isotopes ranging from 12C up to 84Kr, yielding higher discrimination rates than any other previously reported.
Background
Whole‐genome sequencing (WGS) of Neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates combined with epidemiological and phenotypic data provides better understanding of population dynamics.
Aim
The objective of ...this study was to investigate the molecular epidemiology of N. gonorrhoeae isolates from three centres in Spain and determine associations of antimicrobial resistance.
Methods
Genetic characterization was performed in 170 N. gonorrhoeae isolates. WGS was carried out with the HiSeq platform (Illumina). Genome assemblies were submitted to the PubMLST Neisseria database website to determine NG‐MAST, MLST and NG‐STAR. Antimicrobial resistance genes and point mutations were identified with PubMLST. Phylogenomic comparison was based on whole‐genome single nucleotide polymorphism analysis.
Results
Twenty‐six MLST, 49 NG‐MAST and 41 NG‐STAR sequence types were detected, the most prevalent being MLST‐ST9363 (27.1%), NG‐MAST ST569 (12.4%) and NG‐STAR ST193 (14.7%). Phylogenetic analysis identified 13 clusters comprising 69% of the isolates, with two of note: one involved cefixime‐resistant isolates from Barcelona presenting a mosaic penA X and belonging to MLST‐ST7363 and the other involved azithromycin‐resistant isolates from Mallorca that possessed the C2611T mutation in the four 23S rRNA alleles belonging to MLST‐ST1901.
Conclusion
The population of N. gonorrhoeae is quite heterogeneous in Spain. Our results agree with previous data published in Europe, albeit with some differences in distribution between regions. This study describes the circulation of two gonococcal populations with a specific resistance profile and sequence type in a specific geographic area. WGS is an effective tool for epidemiological surveillance of gonococcal infection and detection of resistance genes.
A configuration consisting of a combination of a series active power filter (APF) and a parallel passive filter is shown to be an efficient system for non-linear load compensation. For this topology, ...different compensation strategies are proposed to control the series APF. The most effective strategies determine the APF compensation voltage in proportion to the source current harmonics. The proportionality constant 'k' in the control algorithm implementation is related to the APF gain and complete system dynamic. In this study, the system state model is obtained for three control strategies of series APF: compensation voltage proportional to source current harmonics, compensation voltage opposite to the load voltage harmonics and a hybrid strategy which combines both previous strategies. The analyses of the resulting models provide the information needed to establish design criteria with respect to harmonic filtering and system stability. The methodology proposed in this study eliminates the arbitrary choice of the proportionality constant. The three strategies were analysed in two different situations: sinusoidal supply voltages and distorted supply voltages. Finally, results of an experimental prototype developed for this purpose allowed the proposed analysis to be verified.
Gonorrhoea infections are frequently diagnosed at extragenital locations in asymptomatic individuals and are historically related to poor recovery in culture, which hinders antimicrobial ...susceptibility testing. The aim of this study was to evaluate recovery rates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae by culture among asymptomatic individuals who tested positive by nucleic acid amplification tests between 2018 and 2019 in Barcelona (Spain). In total, 10 396 individuals were tested for N. gonorrhoeae on first‐void urine, rectal, pharyngeal and/or vaginal swabs depending on sexual behaviour. Overall infection prevalence was 5·5% (95% confidence interval CI 5·0–5·9). Seven hundred and ten samples were positive corresponding to 567 individuals. The most common site of infection was the pharynx (71·3%), followed by rectum (23·1%) and genitals (4·7%) (P < 0·0001). The N. gonorrhoeae recovery rate in culture, time from positive screening to culture specimen and inoculation delay were calculated. Recovery rate was 21·7% in pharynx, 66·9% in rectum and 37·0% in genitals (25·0% vagina, 71·4% urethra) (P < 0·0001). Median culture collection time was 1 0; 3 days, and median inoculation delay was 5·01 4·99–7·99 h, with no impact on N. gonorrhoeae recovery, P = 0·8367 and P = 0·7670, respectively. Despite efforts towards optimizing pre‐analytical conditions, the N. gonorrhoeae recovery rate in asymptomatic individuals is unacceptably low (especially for pharynx), representing a problem for monitoring antimicrobial‐resistant infections.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Neisseria gonorrhoeae culture remains indispensable to monitor antimicrobial‐resistant infections. This standardized study shows that the infection location of gonorrhoea directly impacts on culture recovery. We report that recovery of N. gonorrhoeae from extragenital sites (especially pharynx) is unacceptably low and that reducing pre‐analytical times is not sufficient to optimize culture recovery.
Introduction The familial form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (fCJD) is a dominantly inherited prion disease caused by mutations in the prion protein gene. We describe the sleep structure assessed by ...night v-polysomnography in a patient with Glu200Lys mutation. Patient A 53 y/o bus driver man came to hospital because of loss of memory. Seven months later disartria appeared, followed by ataxia and generalized myoclonus; the illness progressed to stupor and unresponsiveness and finally death after ten months. Results The first EEG showed a continuous focal right parietal epileptiform activity, with normal background activity. Two months later, a pattern of generalized synchronous periodic sharp waves appeared in the awake state. An all night video-polysomnography showed an abnormal sleep structure with no recognition of asleep stages; there were no vertex sharp waves nor spindles or K complex; with no REM sleep during awakenings the background activity was a diffuse low amplitude theta-delta activity, with generalized periodic bi-triphasic sharp waves. Abnormal respiratory events, were present with an apnea-hypopnea index of 79. Conclusion Night polysomnography in fCJD shows a very abnormal sleep structure, with a significant decrease in total sleep time, sleep efficiency, fragmentation, loss of normal sleep graphoelements, loss of REM sleep and periodic breathing with abnormal arousals.
The stigma associated with male sex workers (MSW) hinders the prevention, treatment, and care of HIV infection in this population. These factors make social and public health resources less ...accessible to MSW. To improve the effectiveness of prevention strategies, this study examines social factors such as educational level, country of origin, and sexual orientation. Semi-structured interviews of 100 MSW in Castellón and Valencia (Spanish cities) indicate that knowledge of HIV transmission is good; nevertheless, MSW significantly overestimate or underestimate some sexual practices. Levels of condom use are high; notably, they are higher during anal sex. Levels of condom use are lower with intimate partners than with clients. MSW do not present differences in terms of the socio-demographic variables analyzed and sexual orientation. Furthermore, regression analyses are not significant. These results offer more accurate profiles of MSW than were previously available, which will ultimately help improve the effectiveness of prevention programs.
To evaluate the adequacy of vitamin D treatment based on clinic evidence in a Primary Care Center as well as to analyze some characteristics of the prescriptions made.
Descriptive cross-sectional ...study. Primary Care. Patients above 14 years old with vitamin D prescription. Main variable was the therapeutic adequacy with vitamin D compounds (adequacy was considered when there was a clinical indication for treatment and blood vitamin D levels below 20ng/ml). Other clinical variables were collected. Frequency and association measures were used for statistical analysis. Level of statistical significance was considered <0.05.
430 patients, 346 women (80.5%, 95% CI=77-84). Record of vitamin D values in 216 (50.2%, 95% CI=45-55). Screening/treatment indications in 219 patients (50.9%, 95% CI=46-56), of those in 150 patients vitamin D values were recorded (68.5%, 95% CI=62-75), average (±SD) was 21.22±12ng/ml, deficiency criteria in 86 (57.3%, 95% CI=51-64), insufficiency in 37 (24.7%, 95% CI=19-30) and sufficiency in 27 (18%, 95% CI=13-23). 86 patients (20%, 95% CI=16-24) had treatment indications plus vitamin D deficiency with no differences between genders.
Only 20% of the patients had treatment indications plus vitamin D deficiency. Female predominance. Just over half had indications for screening of serological vitamin D values and/or indications for treatment with vitamin D compounds.
The systematic use of active power filters, APF, to compensate non-linear loads, has extended the use of the instantaneous reactive power theory. Originally,
p–
q theory appeared; it obtained ...constant instantaneous power in the source side after compensation. Later, other formulations have been developed. They have allowed different compensation objectives to be obtained. Nevertheless, all of them can only be applied to three-phase systems, i.e. those formulations frameworks cannot be used to establish versatile control strategies in multi-phase systems. This paper presents a new approach which can be applied to multi-phase power systems. Thus, a new tensorial product is introduced that allows an operative definition of the instantaneous reactive power tensor and the derived instantaneous reactive current component. According to these expressions, different compensation strategies can be defined in multi-phase systems. The powers and currents expressions derived from the formulations presented up now can be obtained applying this new approach. In this work, original
p–
q and modified
p–
q formulations expressions are derived in the new approach framework. In addition, a series of practical examples has been included to improve the understanding of the proposed formulation.
In this paper, the five main formulations of the instantaneous reactive power theory have been chosen to study nonlinear load compensation. They are p-q original theory, d-q transformation, modified ...or cross-product formulation, p-q-r reference frame, and vectorial theory. The obtention of the compensation current according to each formulation has been established. Next, the behavior of an active power filter (APF) that is implemented with those different control algorithms has been studied. On one hand, a simulation platform with control, APF, and load has been built to test them. Results obtained in an unbalanced and nonsinusoidal three-phase four-wire system have been compared by means of the most adequate indexes. On the other hand, the APF control strategies have been implemented in an experimental platform constituted by a 20-kVA power inverter and a 400-MHz digital signal processing controller board. The final analysis shows that, in general, the five theories present a different behavior, which depends on supply voltage, with respect to distortion. However, all of them widely decrease the waveform distortion. Moreover, a more general compensation objective is possible. It obtains balanced and sinusoidal source current in any conditions of the supply voltage.
The original instantaneous reactive power or p-q theory has been used in a systematic way in the control of active power filters (APF). When the APF is switched in parallel to a nonlinear and ...unbalanced load, the application of p-q theory allows a constant power compensation strategy. This means that after the APF connection, the supply instantaneous power is constant and presents the same value as the load average power. The use of other compensation strategies such as unity power factor, sinusoidal or balanced supply currents, among others, is also possible, as the development of another compensation strategy is possible within the p-q theory frame. A p-q theory reformulation without using mapping matrices is presented, which makes obtaining compensation currents easier. Finally, an exhaustive analysis of practical cases has been carried out at simulation and experimental levels, through a laboratory prototype that has allowed verification of the proposed approach.
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