In previously healthy adults with otherwise unexplained disseminated/extrapulmonary Nocardia infections, anti-GM-CSF autoantibodies should be considered. Their presence may suggest that these patients may be at risk for later development of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis or other opportunistic infections, and that patients may benefit from therapeutic GM-CSF administration.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have the ability to catalyze chemical reactions when they occur in their inner space. To date, no systematic investigation has considered the effect of chirality on the kinetics and molecular features of reacting systems. This study advances our understanding of this question by comparing the impact of different types of SWNTs, armchair (n,n), zigzag (n,0), and chiral (n,m), on the particular Menshutkin SN2 reaction between ammonia and chloromethane. The stationary points of the corresponding potential energy surfaces were obtained via the Density Functional Theory (DFT) with the hybrid functional M06-2X. In general, all of the SWNTs are able to reduce significantly the activation energy and the endothermicity of the reaction when compared to the values in the gas phase. For large diameters, all types of SWNTs converge to the limit values of these two energetic parameters, respectively, 28 and 21 kcal mol–1, which correspond to the reaction over a graphene surface. However, as the diameters decrease, each type of SWNT shows a different potential well, with chiral (6,4) SWNT (diameter 6.8 Å) exhibiting the lowest energy barrier of 17.9 kcal mol–1.

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A variety of systems for centralised viewing of fetal signals during labour are currently available, allowing simultaneous monitoring of multiple tracings in one or more locations. Display of maternal vital signs, ST signals and an electronic partogram are available in the majority of these systems. A few of them have incorporated computer analysis of cardiotocographic signals or combined cardiotocographic and ST data analysis. Computer analysis may elicit real-time alerts for healthcare professionals when changes associated with fetal hypoxia are detected. Central fetal monitoring systems have been installed in a large number of maternity hospitals in industrialised countries, but there is still limited evidence of their impact on perinatal indicators, on the behaviour of healthcare professionals and on related health costs.

Student participation in school life may be considered from the points of view of diverse theoretical frameworks that question different educational aspects related to such social involvement. Issues such as the construction of a democratic school, education for citizenship, active learning and student-centred education may be addressed when the object of one's study focuses on student participation. In the present study, we sought to learn how student participation is promoted in a given set of schools, and what class representatives, students' legal representatives, have to say about it. Data collection was performed by means of a self-description guide characterizing school practices with regard to students' participation and a semi-structured questionnaire administered to the class representatives and vice representatives. The participation described in the guide we have analysed involves mostly one representative type and reveals what is statutorily established. According to the representatives who participated in the study, the role of a student representative is not yet sufficiently valued by the school and by educational actors, namely by their constituents. Hence, it may be concluded that there is mitigated democracy present in the current education system.

BackgroundMost HIV infected patients will develop some sort of neurologic involvement of the disease throughout their lives, usually in advanced stages. Neurologic symptoms may occur in acute HIV infection but myelopathy in this setting is rare. Up until this date, only two cases of transverse myelitis as a manifestation of acute HIV infection have been reported in the literature. Therapeutic approach in these patients is not well defined.Case presentationA 35 year-old male Caucasian recently returned from the tropics presented to our hospital with urinary retention and acute paraparesis. After extensive diagnostic workup he was diagnosed with acute HIV infection presenting as transverse myelitis. Full neurologic recovery was observed without the use of anti-retroviral therapy.ConclusionAcute spinal cord disorders are challenging, as they present a wide array of differential diagnosis and may lead to devastating sequelae. Timely and rigorous diagnostic workup is of the utmost importance when managing these cases. Clinicians should be aware of the protean manifestations of acute HIV infection, including central nervous system involvement, and have a low threshold for HIV screening.

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