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Physical and emotional problems can be prominent whenever a significant loss of a critical part of the face or body (e.g., nose, ears, eyes and fingers) is involved. Resulting from neoplasms, congenital malformations, burns, trauma, among others, the solution for these external defects, whenever a surgical reconstruction is impractical or counter-indicated, are conventionally addressed by an anaplastologist, who produces customised prostheses throughout a manual and time-consuming procedure via lifecasting techniques. Currently, advances on computational technologies have given rise to a digital-based method. This approach is used herein for the design and fabrication of personalised silicone prostheses. In this work, an efficient and cost-effective manufacturing methodology, able to produce accurate prostheses with a high-resolution level (e.g. wrinkles, fingerprints) is proposed. This framework entails six tasks: (i) data acquisition, (ii) 3D reconstruction, (iii) prosthesis design, (iv) mould fabrication, (v) prosthesis manufacturing and, (vi) final fittings [1]. First, regarding data acquisition, two technologies are taken into consideration, namely medical imaging or 3D scanning photometry. After the 3D reconstruction, for the prosthesis design, 3D measuring and design operations are carried out in an STL editor. This provides modelling tools targeting a good fitting between the surface models of the failing part and symmetric or donor organ. Also, a main issue to be addressed in this step is the fixation system, which is fundamental to ensure a good prosthesis retention. Following, a SLA-prototype is fabricated and the mould is produced via silicone casting. The prosthesis manufacturing is performed using pigmented silicon considering patient's skin tone. Nails, hair and/or extrinsic coloration may be include in order to accomplish a more realistic appearance of the prosthesis. The proposed approach showed encouraging outcomes, providing a comfortable solution, reducing the processing time, and disclosing excellent aesthetic results [1].

Biopolymer-based materials have been of particular interest and they are alternatives to synthetic polymers based on the decreasing oil resources. The polymer electrolytes were doped with choline-based IL N,N,Ntrimethyl- N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([N1 1 1 2(OH)][NTf2]), or Er (CF3SO3)3 or both. The polymer electrolytes were employed in the production of glass/ITO/WO3/electrolyte/ CeO2–TiO2/ITO/glass electrochromic devices (ECDs). The lowest onset temperature for the degradation of all the SPEs is at ~130 °C for the Gellan Er (CF3SO3)3 (10:1) this temperature range of stability is wide enough for a material to be applied as an electrolyte/separator component in electrochemical devices. The three ECDs displayed fast switching speed (ca. 15 s). Gellan [N1 1 1 2(OH)][NTf2] Er (CF3SO3)3 (5:1:10) exhibited an electrochromic contrast of 4.2% in the visible region, the coloration efficiency attained at 555 nm was 3.5 and 0.90 cm-2 C-1 in the “colored” and “bleached” states, respectively, and the open circuit memorywas 48 h. Preliminary tests performed with a prototype electrochromic device (ECD) incorporating WO3 as cathodic electrochromic layer, are extremely encouraging., We are grateful to the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia and FEDER (ELECTRA-PTDC/CTM/099124/2008, PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2013, PEst-OE/EQB/LA0004/2011 and PTDC/CTM-NAN/121274/2010 and Pest-OE/QUI/UI0616/2014) and COST Action (MP1202880, Rational design of hybrid organic inorganic interfaces) for financial support of this work.r The authors are also grateful to, FAPESP, CNPq and CAPES for financial support. M. M. Silva acknowledges CNPq, for the mobility grant provided by this institution. The authors are also grateful to Dr. Ivana Cesarino for AFM analysis.

Epoxy resin composites are frequently applied in moulds manufactured with rapid tooling technologies that are used for wax and polymer materials injection. With the propose of enlarging the application field of the polymer matrix systems, it is fundamental to select adequate dispersed phases and analyse their influence on the composite properties in order to reinforce the polymer matrix and tailor the properties according to the tools specifications. Thermal conductivity and wear resistance are critical parameters for a good service performance and durability of the mould. Metallic fillers allow significant improvement in the resin thermal conductivity. In this work, it was possible to show that small amounts of milled fibres enhance the wear resistance, with little changes in the processability and in the allowed aluminium concentration in the resin matrix. A tribological study of these materials was performed involving the neat resin, the aluminium filled resin and tri-phase composites composed by epoxy, aluminium particles and milled glass or carbon fibres. The study was focused on the role of the particles and fibres in the friction and wear at room temperature and at a typical plastic injection temperature of 160 degrees C. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epoxy-based composites moulds are frequently used for wax and polymer materials injection. Tri-phase materials, composed by an epoxy resin, aluminium particles and milled fibres, were produced, with mechanical and thermal performances better than the single materials, increasing the competitiveness of the epoxy rapid tooling processes. Charpy impact tests were employed to obtain a qualitative indication of the composites toughness. The electronic instrumentation of these tests allows a more accurate differentiation of the impact behaviour of the neat resins, the aluminium filled resins and the tri-phase composites (composed by epoxy, aluminium particles and milled glass or carbon fibres), and to consequently tailor the composites mechanical properties for rapid tooling applications.

In Portugal, product development in decorative ceramic industry is usually done using traditional methodologies. In most of the cases use manual modelling, that is very slow, highly inaccurate and demands skilled persons, which are difficult to find and too much time consuming to train. These methodologies, highly misadjusted to the new marketing demands, tend to decrease companies competitiveness. This paper explains some of the work that has been done at INEGI, seeking the introduction of new methodologies for product development of decorative ceramic components, using CAD 3D design or engineering tools. Traditionally in the Portuguese ceramic industry, only few products are developed using CAD 3D tools. Considering that CAD 3D files are used since the beginning of the project, it is possible to accelerate the optimization of the geometry, producing, by different rapid prototyping technologies, solid models, like the ones obtained with SLA, SLS and LOM processes. However, more important than this first stage, is the prototype production tools based on LOM rapid prototyping models, which offer important time and money savings. On future mass production, the prototype files used for RP tools generation, can also be used in a more accurate and high quality CNC tools production.

Recent discoveries from planetary missions show that serpentinization process may act significantly on the geological evolution and potential habitability of the icy bodies of the Solar System, like Enceladus or Europa. Here we review the available experimental data so far about methane formation occurring during serpentinization, which is potentially relevant to icy moons, and present our results using awaruite as a catalyst of this process. The efficiency of awaruite and high pressure in the Fischer-Tropsch and Sabatier Type reactions are evaluated here when olivine is incubated.

With the advances in medicine and surgical treatments and the increase of computational tools and technical aids for supporting surgery, preoperative planning has become even more important and required. This technology relies upon digital tools and helps the clinicians to select the implant, to define its exact location and to establish a task outline for the surgery. Using these computational methods, it is also possible to design medical implants targeting a specific patient or clinical scenario. In this work, a three-step methodology for preoperative planning and design patient-specific implants is presented, namely (i) data acquisition and 3-D reconstruction, (ii) 3-D modelling and (iii) implant design. Two distinct case-studies are considered. The former consisted of a triple fracture of the distal femur, being the second case-study related to a maxillofacial deformity due to cancer removal surgery. For sake of pre-validation of the implant design, plastic prototypes were fabricated by using SL-stereolithography techniques. A tailored design of an implant leads to an enhancement on its biofunctionality, as this novel implant properly fits the extant medical need. Furthermore, the implant customization allows for its correct placement, promoting its fixation and longevity. In cases of osteosynthesis, a personalised design avoids the need of deforming the plates during surgery to fit patient’s anatomy.

When producing a new component there is usually a trial and error stage to tune the process in order to obtain a part without defects, using the right quantity of raw material. At this stage, the previous experience of designers and manufacturers should give an important aid to reduce trials. However, the use of new materials associated with new shape designs creates the possibility of new behaviours. For this reason, while producing a component it is very important that we get some directions in order to avoid possible defects in it. For such an objective, the finite element simulation has been proving that, at the design stage, it can give important answers in analysing the process and predicting the defects that may occur. Therefore, modifications can be made easily, before tool manufacturing and part production, reducing the trial and error stage and its associated costs. This paper presents the modelling of components with complex shape to be manufactured by closed die forging and sheet metal forming and one tries to show how numerical simulation may help in defining the shape and size of initial material or blank and predict the forces needed to define the press to be used in the process, as well as the possible defects.

This study aimed to examine the acute effects of cryotherapy on knee position sense and to determine the time period necessary to normalize joint position sense when exercising after cryotherapy. 12 subjects visited the laboratory twice, once for cryotherapy followed by 30 min of exercise on a cycloergometer and once for cryotherapy followed by 30 min of rest. Sessions were randomly determined and separated by 48 h. Cryotherapy was applied in the form of ice bag, filled with 1 kg of crushed ice, for 20 min. Knee position sense was measured at baseline, after cryotherapy and every 5 min after cryotherapy removal until a total of 30 min. The main effect of cryotherapy was significant showing an increase in absolute (F7,154=43.76, p0.001) and relative (F7,154=7.97, p0.001) errors after cryotherapy. The intervention after cryotherapy (rest vs. exercise) revealed a significant main effect only for absolute error (F7,154=4.05, p0.001), i.e., when subjects exercised after cryotherapy, the proprioceptive acuity reached the baseline values faster (10 min vs. 15 min). Our results indicated that the deleterious effect of cryotherapy on proprioception is mitigated by low intensity exercise, being the time necessary to normalize knee position sense reduced from 15 to 10 min.

Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) is a surgical intervention that is being achieving high rates of success, leaving room to research on long run durability, patient comfort and costs reduction. Even so, up to the present, little research has been done to improve the method of manufacturing customized prosthesis. The common customized prostheses are made by full machining. This document presents a different approach methodology which combines the study of medical images, through CAD (Computer Aided Design) software, SLadditive manufacturing, ceramic shell manufacture, precision foundry with Titanium alloys and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). The goal is to achieve the best comfort for the patient, stress distribution and the maximum lifetime of the prosthesis produced by this integrated methodology. The way to achieve this desiderate is to make custom hip prosthesis which are adapted to each patient needs and natural physiognomy. Not only the process is reliable, but also represents a cost reduction compari...

Unexpected external defects resulting from neoplasms, burns, congenital malformations, trauma or other diseases, particularly when involving partial or total loss of an external organ, can be emotionally devastating. These defects can be restored with prosthesis, obtained by different techniques, materials and methods. The increase of patient numbers and cost constraints lead to the need of exploring new techniques that can increase efficiency. The main goal of this project was to develop a full engineering-based manufacturing process to obtain soft-tissue prosthesis that could provide faster and less expensive options in the manufacturing of customized prosthesis, and at the same time being able to reproduce the highest degree of details, with the maximum comfort for the patient. Design/methodology/approach - This case report describes treatment using silicone prosthesis with an anatomic retention for an 80-years-old woman with a rhinectomy. The proposed methodology integrates non-contact structured light scanning, CT and reverse engineering with CAD/CAM and additive manufacturing technology. Findings - The proposed protocol showed encouraging results since reveals being a better solution for fabricating custom-made facial prostheses for asymmetrical organs than conventional approaches. The process allows the attainment of prosthesis with the minimum contact and discomfort for the patient, disclosing excellent results in terms of aesthetic, prosthesis retention and in terms of time and resources consumed.

The rapid depletion of fossil fuel resources and environmental concerns has given awareness on generation of renewable energy resources. Among the various renewable resources, hybrid solar and wind energy seems to be promising solutions to provide reliable power supply with improved system efficiency and reduced storage requirements for stand-alone applications. This paper presents a feasibility assessment and optimum size of photovoltaic (PV) array, wind turbine and battery bank for a standalone hybrid Solar/Wind Power system (HSWPS) at remote telecom station of Nepal at Latitude (27{\deg}23'50") and Longitude (86{\deg}44'23") consisting a telecommunication load of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), Repeater station and Code Division Multiple Access Base Transceiver Station (CDMA 2C10 BTS). In any RES based system, the feasibility assessment is considered as the first step analysis. In this work, feasibility analysis is carried through hybrid optimization model for electric renewables (HOMER) and mathematical models were implemented in the MATLAB environment to perform the optimal configuration for a given load and a desired loss of power supply probability (LPSP) from a set of systems components with the lowest value of cost function defined in terms of reliability and levelized unit electricity cost (LUCE). The simulation results for the existing and the proposed models are compared. The simulation results shows that existing architecture consisting of 6.12 kW KC85T photovoltaic modules, 1kW H3.1 wind turbine and 1600 Ah GFM-800 battery bank have a 36.6% of unmet load during a year. On the other hand, the proposed system includes 1kW *2 H3.1 Wind turbine, 8.05 kW TSM-175DA01 photovoltaic modules and 1125 Ah T-105 battery bank with system reliability of 99.99% with a significant cost reduction as well as reliable energy production.

The state of the art of some technologies that are focused to accelerate the product conception and development step is analysed. CAD and Reverse Engineering technologies that are employed in the first phases of the development process have a significant influence on the time consumed to produce prototypes for customers' approval. The integration of haptic interfaces in CAD systems, which at present state are already crossing the limit of commercial viability, is an extra advantage to shrink the development phase of a new product. The advantages of integrating these technologies in the production cycle are demonstrated using, as an example, a shoe branch company, that after adhering to the new rapid product conception and development tools, improved it productivity and capacity to produce functional prototypes in reduced times, resulting in an increased company credibility and acceptance at international level.

The actual competition environment characterized by fast variations and consumer's sharp necessity in aesthetic satisfaction demands a constant adaptation of the companies, at the development and production levels. The production of decorating glass parts by thermoforming, with three-dimensional shapes, demands expensive moulds. The complexity associated to the manufacture of these moulds by traditional methods represents a substantial aggravation in price and development time of the final product, makes their production not attractive. The present work presents adequate methodologies for glass artefacts production by thermoforming, which are based on rapid prototyping models and ceramic moulds hardened by a sol-gel reaction (indirect rapid tooling process). This technology allows the reduction in the time to market and opens new opportunities in the design of new and bold artefacts.

A 1.5V 10-b 4MS/s pipeline ADC for sensor interfacing is described. Amplifiers are efficiently shared between stages and low-voltage techniques are used to reduce the power supply down to 1.4V. The selected resolution-per-stage greatly simplifies the implementation of a low-power design. Simulated results using a standard digital 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS technology exhibit 9.5 effective bits at Nyquist-rate. The chip occupies 0.6 mm/sup 2/ and dissipates only 3 mW at maximum conversion-rate.

It is well known that Rapid Prototyping (RP) and Rapid Tooling (RT) are fundamental technologies to reduce the time tomarket and consequently increase productivity and competitiveness of companies working in different industrial sectors.RT with epoxy resins is presently accepted as an established process of indirect rapid tooling. However, patents,processing difficulties and companies limitations disable a wider implementation of this technology.This paper presents the experimental results of a detailed work, conducted at INEGI, to manufacture moulds for plasticinjection, with tailored properties, using RP models and aluminium filled and fibres reinforced epoxy resins.

Epoxy-based composites moulds are frequently used for wax and polymer materials injection.Tri-phase materials, composed by an epoxy resin, aluminium particles and milled glass orcarbon fibres were produced with better mechanical and thermal performances than the single materials,increasing the competitiveness of the epoxy rapid tooling processes. Charpy Impact testswere employed to obtain a qualitative indication of the composites toughness. The electronic instrumentationof these tests allows a more accurate differentiation of the impact behaviour of theneat and aluminium filled resins, and the tri-phase composites, and consequently, more rigorouslytailor their properties.

Rapid Prototyping (RP) and Rapid Tooling (RT) are well known processesfor rapidly develop new products and consequently reduce the time to market. InPortugal, many companies are still not exploring the full advantages of usingthese technologies for new products development and produce reduced runs.This work presents some results obtained with composite tools manufactured forthermoplastics injection. These tools are obtained by casting a aluminium filledresin or by arc spray metal tooling over Rapid Prototyping models.Different properties, such as: moulds roughness, hardness and the wear weredetermined and compared, and the suitability of these processes are evaluated torapidly produce prototype moulds to inject thermoplastic models and pre series.

Metallic powders are typically mixed with epoxy and polyurethane resin systems to improve the moulds thermal conductivity. The critical problem to produce these mixtures for Rapid Tooling applications is the difficulty of eliminating the entrapped air, introduced during the processing due to the high viscosity of the mixture, especially in the presence of high aluminium concentrations. When air bubbles are retained in the resin/model interface, superficial defects are generated which render inoperative the Rapid Tooling moulds, and consequently the advantages of these new technologies. In this work, a specific methodology is presented to reduce the porosity level, not only in these typical mixtures, but also in hybrid ones, manufactured with aluminium particles and milled fibres, which have a even worse tendency to produce pores in the composite interface.

Fatigue life of aluminium pressure diecastings is strongly dependent on the microporosity level of the parts. Even in a very controlled production process, it is almost impossible to obtain aluminium parts without micropores, which means that a considerable amount of parts are rejected, in accordance to internal companies criteria. Although these criteria are based on standards, they change from company to company, and depend on the type of the parts and the amount, size and location of the micropores. Many times, parts that could have a good fatigue life are rejected based on these criteria. The aim of the present work is to study the influence of the microporosity level and size on the fatigue life of aluminium pressure diecastings. Two different lots of samples, removed from aluminium components (considered unacceptable and acceptable) were tested using the staircase fatigue test. All the fractured parts were analysed macro and microscopically and the images obtained were digitalized in order to classify the size and amount of the micropores. The results obtained were compared with the fatigue life curves, in order to evaluate the influence of the microporosity on the fatigue life of aluminium components.

Aluminium filled epoxies moulds have been used in indirect rapid tooling. These moulds, which have a low cost processing, are very competitive, when applied in the manufacturing of low volume series. The geometry and the size distribution of the aluminium particles affect significantly the powder packing density, the resin ratio, the thermal conductivity, the curing time, the homogeneity and the mechanical characteristics of the tool. Using three high temperature epoxy resins it was possible to understand the resin behaviour in the presence of the aluminium filler and formulate filled resins with the best compromise of mechanical, thermal and processing performance.

Designing freeform surfaces and renderings for communication purposes. Nowadays, technological advances in CAD/CAM and Rapid Prototyping (RP) systems demand the integration of CAD models in the industrial downstream processes. Rapid Prototyping systems emerged in 1987 and are closer to the revolutionary concept "a factory in a box". These new technologies are becoming a powerful tool for concurrent engineering, creating in this way a new competitive edge. Economic concept modellers are now commercially available and supported by Internet infrastructures, can play an important role in the future evolution and market demand of these additives manufacturing processes. The aim of this study is to present a survey of the historical and future evolution of RP technologies and the specific implications in the design methodology.

Very useful engineering models for product development can be rapidly available using Rapid Prototyping technologies. A diversity of industrial sectors can benefit from the use of these technologies, through speed improvement in the product development phase and consequently minimising the time to market. Rapid Prototyping technologies also allow the direct or indirect production of metallic prototypes to be used in the development of fully or semifunctional products, like house ware, kitchen and bathroom taps, sand castings, die castings and components to be produced by pressure die casting for the automotive industry. It is the aim of this work to describe a 3 years experience in the development of metallic conversion techniques, to supply functional metallic prototypes for different national companies. The advantages and the disadvantages of some possible complementary technologies to obtain functional prototypes of products that will be produced by pressure die casting are presented. The "lost model" technique using LOM, Thermoject, SLA "Quick Cast", and the "lost wax" will be compared in terms of accuracy, speed and costs, with techniques that use silicone and the resin filled moulds, considering the production of pre-series of 3 to 50 prototypes.

Five-membered heterocyclic compounds are among the most important natural biologically active compounds. X-heterocycles (X = O, N) are usually synthesised by radical cyclisation methodology [1] based on organotin hydrides which are toxic and also troublesome to separate from the reaction products. A convenient alternative to synthetic methods involving organometallic hydrides is the use of electrogenerated nickel(I) complexes as mediators for cathodic intramolecular cyclisations [2]. This methodology proved to be successful in the formation of carbocyclic products and substituted tetrahydrofurans. Such work has largely used aprotic organic solvents such as DMF which presents some toxicity. Due to an increasingly “green”-conscious industrial community, researchers have started to examine more eco-friendly and sustainable chemical processes. Ionic liquids (ILs) represent a class of alternative solvents currently receiving serious consideration with the promise of both environmental and technological benefits [3]. A number of room-temperature ILs has been synthesized, characterized and applied in organic synthesis and catalyzed processes. Their characteristics render them promising replacements for volatile organic solvents (VOCs), which are a source of environmental problems. In the present work, the reductive intramolecular cyclisation of bromopropargyloxy esters catalysed by electrogenerated (1,4,8,11-tetramethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraaza-cyclotetradecane)nickel(I), [Ni(tmc)]+ as the catalysts in ILs, N,N,N-trimethyl-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [N1 1 1 2(OH)][NTf2] and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate, [C2mim][C2SO4] has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and controlled-potential electrolysis. During controlled-potential electrolyses of solutions of Ni(II) complexes in the presence of bromopropargyloxy and bromoallyl derivatives, catalytic reduction of the latter proceeds via cleavage of the carbon–bromine bond to form a radical intermediate that undergoes cyclization to afford the substituted tetrahydrofurans [4]. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We are grateful to the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (PEst-C/QUI/UI0686/2011) for financial support of this work. REFERENCES [1] B. Giese, “Radicals in Organic Synthesis: Formation of Carbon-Carbon Bonds”, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1986. [2] E. Dunach, M.J. Medeiros, S. Olivero, New J. Chem., 30, 1534 (2006). [3] Ionic liquids IIIB: Fundamentals, Process, Challenges, and Opportunities, ACS Symp. Ser. (Eds.: R. D. Rogers and K. R. Seddon), ACS, Washington DC, 2005. [4] 5. P.K. Mandal, G. Maiti, S.C. Roy, J. Org. Chem., 63, 2829 (1998).

The effects of atropine and methotrimeprazine on epinephrine-induced ventricular arrhythmias were evaluated in halothane-anesthetized dogs. Ten mixed-breed dogs were assigned to 3 treatments (saline, atropine, and methotrimeprazine) in a randomized complete block design. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with halothane (1.5 minimum alveolar concentration) in oxygen. Controlled ventilation was used throughout to maintain eucapnia. Saline, atropine (0.05 mg/kg, i.v.) or methotrimeprazine (0.5 mg/kg, i.v.) were administered and, 5 minutes later the arrhythmogenic dose of epinephrine (ADE) was measured by i.v. infusion of progressively increasing infusion rates of epinephrine, until the ventricular arrhythmia criterion was met (at least 4 ectopic ventricular contractions (EVCs) during a 15-second period). Data were analyzed using a student's t-test for ADE values and multivariate profile analysis for heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure (ABP), and rate pressure product (RPP). The ADE increased in atropine- and methotrimeprazine-treated groups, whereas 1 and 4 animals from these groups did not develop any ventricular arrhythmia, respectively. Epinephrine induced multiform premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) in the atropine group, whereas ventricular escape beats were observed in the control and methotrimeprazine groups. Heart rate and RPP decreased, and ABP increased at the time of ADE observation in the control group. Epinephrine infusion in the atropine group caused marked increases in HR, ABP, and RPP, which were associated with pulsus alternans in 2 animals. It was concluded that 1) the presence of cholinergic blockade influences the type of ventricular arrhythmia induced by epinephrine; 2) increased ADE values recorded following atropine administration must be cautiously interpreted, since in this situation the PVCs were associated with signs of increased myocardial work and ventricular failure; and 3) the use of a broader arrhythmia criterion (EVCs instead of PVCs) may not allow a direct comparison between ADE values, since it includes ventricular arrhythmias mediated by different mechanisms.

Two HIV-seronegative patients with cryptococcal disease refractory to conventional antifungal therapy were submitted to an evaluation of the immune system. Hypogammaglobulinemia was found in both and associated with abnormal function of cell-mediated immunity. Hypogammaglobulinemia is considered as a possible predisposing factor for cryptococcal infection. The importance of the antibodies on the control of Cryptococcus neoformans infection is discussed.

Histoplasmosis is caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum. It manifests by the presence of fever as the only symptom in most individuals. The disease may present as self-limited pneumonia, or as an hematogenous widespread fungal infection with a potentially fatal outcome in elderly individuals and people with compromised T-cell mediated immunity. Here, we report a case of disseminated cutaneous histoplasmosis in a patient with AIDS. The patient was a 33 year old male homosexual, intravenous drug user, who had been diagnosed with HIV infection 5 years earlier. He was in good health, but had erythematous papules and pustules in the skin of the scalp, face, back, thighs, abdomen, palms, and soles. He was placed on anti-retroviral therapy, fluconazole for mucosal candidiasis, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole for pneumocystis prophylaxis, and antibiotics for the skin pustules. The skin lesions improved remarkably within 14 days. He was discharged and soon lost to follow-up. After his discharge, skin biopsy and fungal culture results revealed H. capsulatum. He was seen again 1 year later. The interim history revealed that he had taken fluconazole 100 mg/day for 1 month and fluconazole 150 mg/week for 7 months. He had not continued anti-retroviral therapy, nor taken other antifungal drugs. The clinical evolution of the disease was exceptional in that there was disappearance of all the skin lesions attributed to histoplasmosis with fluconazole. Although itraconazole remains the drug of choice for histoplasmosis. Cutaneous histoplasmosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of atypical cutaneous lesions in individuals infected with HIV.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcome in 8 dogs of surgical reduction of congenital humeroulnar luxation by using the transarticular pin. Five cases were bilateral and 3 were unilateral, for a total of 13 elbows. The treatment was performed in animals between 45 and 150 days of age. Articular stabilization was achieved by using a transarticular pin driven from the caudal aspect of the olecranon into the body of the humerus or into the distal condyle and distal metaphysis of the humerus. The follow-up period was between 1 and 19 months. There were 5 postsurgical reluxations, 3 related to the insertion of the pin into the humeral condyle and 2 related to the insertion into the humeral body. These animals needed further surgery. Six animals showed near normal return to limb function and 2 had lameness. We conclude that the use of the transarticular pin is an effective and simple method for the treatment of humeroulnar congenital elbow luxation.

The authors report a case of disseminated cutaneous infection with Sporothrix schenckii in a previously asymptomatic HIV-infected 30 year-old man. Extensive cutaneous involvement was observed with suppurative collections and ulcerations. The agent was isolated in culture. Treatment with liposomal amphotericin B proved to be effective.

The prosthetic rehabilitation of facial and body disfigurement is a very small but specialized area of treatment that may be considered to be an important adjunct to the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery. This work presents a new methodology to obtain customized prosthesis for the rehabilitation of these deformities. The goal was to develop a method that could provide faster and less expensive options in the manufacturing of customized prosthesis, and at the same time being able to reproduce the highest degree of details, with the maximum comfort for the patient. It is our goal to surpass the inherent difficulties to both existing methods: “conventional method” [Thomas, 2006], which requires a very specialized /skilled prosthetic/anaplastologist, and “digital method”, which relies totally on digital tools [Jin, 2010]. The proposed method tries to make use of the advantages of both, thus presenting a method that we named “combined method”. In this paper we describe a case study of a 30 years old woman that present a resection of “hallux”, the first foot toe. Several solutions were studied together with the medical team. The solution based on implant fixture was abolished since it would imply surgery. A non-invasive solution was selected: silicon prosthesis with retention by “glove”.

Several cases of post mortem hematoma resulting from harvesting of the eye globes for transplantation, and susceptible of being misinterpreted as representing ante mortem trauma, are presented. Based on these cases the authors make a few considerations about the mechanisms of their production and technical procedures to avoid them.

INEGI developed a process to convert models made by rapid prototyping or conventional techniques into metallic moulds. The main purpose is to rapidly obtain prototype tools by casting a metal into a ceramic mould produced by mixing in variable proportions, ceramic particles, a liquid binder and a catalyst added to start a sol-gel reaction. This liquid slurry is poured into the box containing the mould to be reproduced. After a short period of time the ceramic mixture acquires a rubber consistency. The pattern is removed from the ceramic mould, which is fired and sintered in order to generate an inert mould with the desired strength in which most alloys can be cast. The effect of ceramic materials (shape, granulometric distribution, chemical composition), sintering conditions (time and temperature) and casting conditions (mould preheating temperature and pouring temperature) were studied in order to obtain ceramic moulds and, subsequently, metallic moulds with tailored properties (accuracy reproduction of details, low roughness and high mechanical strength).

Friction and diffusion coefficients can be derived simply by combining statistical arguments with the Feynman path integral method. A transport equation for Feynman's influence functional is obtained, and transport coefficients are deduced from it. The expressions are discussed in the limits of weak, and of strong coupling.