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Silicosis is an irreversible and incurable disease. Preventive measures to eliminate exposure are the only effective way to reduce morbidity and mortality. In such situations, having a biomarker for early diagnosis or to predict evolution would be very useful in order to improve control of the disease. The elevation of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme (sACE) in silicosis has been described in previous studies, although its relationship with severity and prognosis is not clear.To determine the levels of sACE in a cohort of patients with exposure to silica dust with and without silicosis, and to assess their impact on the prognosis of the aforementioned patients.Prospective observational study on patients treated in a silicosis clinic from 2009 to 2018. sACE levels and pulmonary function tests were performed. Radiological progression was assessed in patients who had already had 2 X-rays of the thorax and / or two CT scans with at least a 1-year interval, from the time of inclusion in the study.A total of 413 cases of silicosis were confirmed, as well as 73 with exposure to silica dust but without silicosis. The mean sACE level for healthy subjects was 27.5±7.3U/L, for exposed patients without silicosis it was 49.6±24.2U/L, for simple silicosis it was 57.8±31,3U/L and for complicated silicosis it was 74.5±38.6U/L. Patients with a higher sACE generally progressed radiologically during follow-up (73.3±38.0 vs. 60.4±33.7; p.001) and so the category of silicosis changed (73,9±38.1 vs. 62.5±34.6; p.021).sACE was elevated in patients with silicosis, and the greater its severity, the higher it was, which is associated with disease progression measured radiologically or as a category change of silicosis.

La depresión, la ansiedad y la epilepsia son afecciones del Sistema Nervioso Central (SNC) que causan sufrimiento y morbilidad entre la población mexicana. Si bien existen fármacos para su terapéutica, en ocasiones éstos resultan ineficaces y promueven efectos adversos que conllevan a la falta de apego por parte del paciente. Especies del género Annona son utilizadas en la medicina tradicional Mexicana por sus propiedades inhibitorias del SNC, de los cuales ya se han reportado sus propiedades como ansiolítico-sedantes y anticonvulsivos, además de sus propiedades como anticancerígenos, antioxidantes y anti-inflamatorios. El objetivo de este estudio consistió en realizar un cernimiento de los posibles efectos inhibidores en el SNC de la especie Annona reticulata (A. reticulata) sobre modelos experimentales en roedores. Método: A. reticulata se utilizó preparada como un extracto etanólico, para evaluar sus efectos como ansiolitico y antidepresivo en la prueba de nado forzado y como anticonvulsivo en la prueba de crisis convulsivas inducidas con pentilentetrazol en ratas, también se probó su efecto como ansiolítico en la prueba de enterramiento de canicas. Imipramina, valproato de sodio y diazepam se utilizaron como fármacos de referencia, respectivamente. Resultados: A. reticulata redujo la conducta depresiva, además aumentó la latencia y disminuyó la severidad de las crisis convulsivas, y disminuyó la respuesta tipo ansiedad de los ratones. Conclusión: este estudio da evidencia preclínica de las propiedades como antidepresivo, ansiolítico y anticonvulsivo de las hojas de A. reticulata, reforzando su potencial en la búsqueda de alternativas para afecciones del SNC.

Occupational health in Guatemala has come a long way. In 1958, the first Regulation of Occupational Health by the Guatemalan Social Security Institute was published. There wasn´t another Directive in the country regarding this issue until the year 2000, when the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health was created. In 2014, it published the Governmental Agreement 229-2014 Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, which came into force on September 8th, 2015. Nowadays there are other institutions that care about this topic. Some of these institutions promote occupational health training through courses, workshops, seminars, etc., but there is not a formal education program yet. There are some other institutions, such as the National Institute of Statistics, which generates information concerning employment, unemployment, characteristics, composition, structure, and functioning of the labor market through surveys. And finally, there are other institutions like the Health, Labor and Environment Program of Central America SALTRA, which promotes investigation in this topic, generates information as well as endorses training regarding occupational safety as an important issue in the country.

Case report The case is presented on a girl with a unilateral retinoblastoma that required treatment with intra-arterial chemotherapy. In the nuclear magnetic resonance imaging of the brain performed 1 month after intra-arterial chemotherapy treatment, post-laminar optic nerve (ON) enhancement was observed, leading to the suspicion of an ON tumor infiltration. Additional examinations were requested by which a probable optic neuropathy was diagnosed. Discussion The ON enhancement in magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in retinoblastoma generally corresponds to tumor invasion of the ON. However, other diagnostic alternatives associated with the use of new treatments, such as intra-arterial chemotherapy, should be considered.

Resumen Caso clinico Nina con retinoblastoma unilateral que preciso tratamiento con quimioterapia intraarterial. En la resonancia magnetica nuclear cerebral, realizada un mes despues del tratamiento con quimioterapia intraarterial, se evidencio realce del nervio optico (NO) poslaminar lo que hizo sospechar una infiltracion tumoral del NO, por lo que se solicitaron examenes adicionales donde se diagnostico una probable neuropatia optica. Discusion Generalmente el realce del NO en la resonancia magnetica nuclear cerebral en retinoblastoma corresponde a una invasion tumoral del NO; sin embargo, en la actualidad, se deben considerar otras alternativas diagnosticas asociadas al uso de nuevos tratamientos, como la quimioterapia intraarterial.

Resumen Introduccion El objetivo del presente trabajo es estudiar la prevalencia y las caracteristicas clinicas y epidemiologicas de la enfermedad hipotiroidea en el adulto, a traves del registro de datos electronicos de la historia clinica. Material y metodos Estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal. La poblacion diana eran los pacientes de los centros de salud de Lucena I y II (Cordoba). Criterios de inclusion: pacientes que tuvieran 14 anos o mas, diagnosticados de hipotiroidismo, nacidos y con residencia en Lucena. Se seleccionaron 214 pacientes a traves de un muestreo aleatorio, los cuales se sometieron a una entrevista clinica mediante un cuestionario. Resultados La edad media de los pacientes fue de 49,71 anos (DT 17,03; IC 95% 47,34-51,98), siendo el 85,5% mujeres. El 74,8% son diagnosticados de hipotiroidismo subclinico frente al 18,7% de hipotiroidismo primario y un 6,5% de hipotiroidismo secundario. El 53,7% (IC 95% 46,81-60,59) de los pacientes diagnosticados de hipotiroidismo no tienen pedidos los anticuerpos tiroideos; sin embargo, un 75,2% (IC 95% 68,89-80,86) estan recibiendo tratamiento con levotiroxina. La prevalencia de hipotiroidismo fue de un 5,7% (IC 95% 5,46-5,96). Conclusiones El hipotiroidismo subclinico es muy frecuente en las consultas de Atencion Primaria. Muchos pacientes no estan correctamente diagnosticados y otros estan sobremedicados, por lo que seria preciso revisar el diagnostico.

Comienza en 1948 a nivel internacional las primeras aproximaciones al cuidado del medio ambiente, esto en virtud de la realización de la conferencia convocada por la UNESCO que dio origen a la Unión Internacional para la conservación de los recursos naturales (UNICIT) y en la que primera vez se presenta la necesidad de una educación ambiental. Esta problemática motiva a realizar la investigación buscando en ello la existencia de conocimientos, actitudes y comportamientos que reflejen sus fortalezas y debilidades. El documento presenta los resultados del cuestionario aplicado a 40 jóvenes universitarios del noveno semestre del Departamento de Humanidades, que corresponden a 47.50% del género femenino y 52.50% al género masculino 40% su edad fluctúa entre 17-21 años y 60% de 22 en adelante. Los resultados señalan que los estudiantes tienen actitudes y comportamiento en pro del cuidado del medioambiente.&nbsp

Ethnopharmacological relevance Ruta chalepensis L. (Rutaceae) is used in traditional medicine to treat a wide variety of disorders such as rheumatism, fever, mental disorders, dropsy, neuralgia, menstrual problems, anxiety, and epilepsy. Aim of the study To evaluate and compare the anticonvulsant properties of an aqueous extract and ethyl acetate (AcOEt) fraction of R. chalepensis on pentylenetetrazole (PTZ)-induced seizures and maximal electroshock (MES) test in mice, by analyzing behavior and electroencephalogram (EEG), as well as GABAA receptors involvement. Methods The effect of an acute administration of different dosage of the aqueous extract (300 or 500 mg/kg) or AcOEt fraction (100, 300, 500 or 1000 mg/kg) of R. chalepensis was explored on two different models of acute seizure induction in mice, the PTZ and maximal electroshock (MES) tests. Behavioral and electrographic effects were quantified. Additionally, the possible involvement of the GABAA receptors was explored in the presence of picrotoxin (a non-competitive antagonist of the GABAA receptor). Results AcOEt fraction of R. chalepensis was more efficient than aqueous extract to reduce the incidence of tonic-clonic seizures and mortality in a significant and dose-dependent manner in both the PTZ and MES tests. This anticonvulsant effect was not abolished in the presence of picrotoxin. The EEG spectral power analysis revealed that aqueous extract decreased alpha and beta power, while AcOEt fraction decreased alpha and gamma power confirming previous findings of its depressant effect in the central nervous system. It is important to mention that the highest dosage of the AcOEt (1000 mg/kg) produced a severe suppression or isoelectric EEG activity (EEG flattening), recognized as a comatose state, suggesting a neurotoxic effect at this dosage. Conclusion Our data reinforce that depressant and anticonvulsant effects of R. chalepensis depend in part on the presence of constituents from medium polarity. We also found that anticonvulsant effect is not mediated by GABAA receptors. In addition, cautious is emphasized when high doses of this natural product are used in traditional medicine since it might produce neurotoxic effects.

The use of regression with life-data is helpful to observe whether one or more factors affect the failure time (spoilage) of a product, obtaining a model that predicts the time to fail (TTF). TTF models link kinetic (lag time) and probabilistic (growth /no-growth prediction) models for selected formulation/storage conditions. Our objective was to assess the individual and combined effects of pH, aw, and the incorporation of potassium sorbate (KS) or sodium benzoate (BNa) at selected concentrations on the microbial stability of peach nectar during storage at 25°C, in order to model and predict TTF. Peach nectars were formulated with 40% fruit pulp and the necessary sucrose syrup and citric acid to attain aw 0.96, 0.97, or 0.98 and pH 3.0, 3.5, or 4.0; while 0, 500, or 1000ppm of KS or BNa were added. Nectars were stored for 180 days in glass jars at 25°C, and periodically analyzed (standard plate as well as yeast and mould counts). The experimental design and analyses were replicated three times. Storage times that revealed microbial populations higher than 104 CFU/mL and signs of spoilage were registered to model TTF by survival analysis. From the 54 combinations tested, 9 formulations (without antimicrobials) exhibited early spoilage (0.90). Survival analysis through TTF models can be used to predict spoilage time under specific factor combinations or to select factor levels for a specific shelf-life of peach nectars.

Background Rutin is a bioflavonoid found in fruits, vegetables and plants used in traditional medicine to alleviate pain. However, rutin's scientific evidence for the modulation of pain and its mechanism of action is lacking. It is well known that the periaqueductal grey matter (PAG) contains opioidergic neural circuits involved in the modulation of descending nociception. The aim of this study was to investigate if antinociceptive activity of rutin is modulated by the PAG circuitry involving participation of opioid receptors. Methods The experimental design included groups of rats receiving rutin systemically (30–1000 mg/kg) or microinjected into the vlPAG (8–32 nmol/4 μL) alone or in the presence of an opioid antagonist, naltrexone (5 mg/kg, i.p. or 26 nmol/4 μL, respectively). Nociception was assessed using the formalin test and compared versus the reference drugs, tramadol and morphine. Results Systemic or intra-vlPAG administration of rutin significantly decreased both phases of the formalin test. Antinociceptive responses of the reference drugs were prevented by naltrexone, whereas the antinociceptive effect of rutin was inhibited by this antagonist mainly in the phase II of the formalin test. Conclusions Our results provide evidence that rutin produces antinociceptive effects involving central modulation of the vlPAG descending circuit partly mediated by an opioidergic mechanism.

Resumen: Introducción: Los niños afectados de inmunodeficiencias primarias presentan infecciones graves y mayor prevalencia de manifestaciones autoinmunitarias, alergias y enfermedad linfoproliferativa. El trasplante alogénico de precursores hematopoyéticos ha sido el único tratamiento curativo durante décadas. Pacientes y métodos: Pacientes con inmunodeficiencias primarias que recibieron trasplante alogénico de precursores hematopoyéticos desde 1985 hasta 2011, recogidos en el Registro Nacional del Grupo Español para Trasplante de Médula Ósea en Niños. Resultados: Ciento cincuenta y nueve niños recibieron un total de 173 trasplantes, 97 por inmunodeficiencia combinada grave, 30 por enfermedades de disregulación inmunitaria, 25 por síndrome de Wiskott-Aldrich y 21 por defectos de número y/o función de los fagocitos.La mediana de edad al diagnóstico fue de 6 meses (17 días-168 meses) y de 12 meses (1 mes-189 meses) al trasplante.Los donantes fueron hermano HLA idéntico en 30 (19%), donante familiar alternativo en 40 (25%) y donante no emparentado en 89 (56%). La fuente de progenitores fue médula ósea en 68 (43%), sangre de cordón umbilical en 52 (33%) y sangre periférica en 39 (24%).Permanecen vivos 98 niños (61,6%), 57 (35,9%) fallecieron. La supervivencia libre de enfermedad a los 10 años fue del 63, el 90% para los pacientes trasplantados de hermano HLA idéntico, el 36% para los trasplantados de un donante familiar alternativo y el 66 para los trasplantados de donante no emparentado. Conclusiones: Los mejores resultados se obtienen con un hermano HLA idéntico, cuando no se dispone de este, otros donantes deben ser considerados. Abstract: Introduction: Children with primary immunodeficiency have severe life-threatening infections and a higher prevalence of autoimmune problems, allergy and lymphoproliferative disorders. Allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been the only potentially curative option. Patients and methods: Patients with primary immunodeficiency underwent allogenic stem cell transplantation in the period 1985-2011, and registered in the Spanish Working Party for Bone Marrow Transplantation in Children. Results: One hundred and fifty nine patients underwent 173 allogenic stem cell transplantations, of whom 97 had severe combined immunodeficiency, 30 with immune dysregulation disorders, 25 Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, and 21 phagocyte disorders.The median patient age at diagnosis was 6 months (range: 17 days – 168 months) and the median patient age at transplant was 12 months (range: 1 month – 189 months).The donors were 30 (19%) identical siblings, 40 (25%) alternative family donors, and 89 (56%) unrelated donors. The source of stem cells was bone marrow in 68 (43%), cord blood in 52 (33%), and peripheral blood in 39 (24%).Ninety eight (61.6%) are alive, 57 (35.9%) died. Event-free survival at 10 years was 63%, with 90% for children transplanted from identical siblings, 36% for those transplanted from alternative family donors, and 66% for those transplanted from unrelated donors. Conclusions: The best results have been obtained with identical siblings, but other options may be considered.

Outcomes of unrelated cord blood transplants (UCBT) were assessed in 172 consecutive children, median age 5 years (range: 0.5-18), with haematological malignancies treated at nine Spanish hospitals between February 1996 and April 2009. Data were collected from the Spanish Working Party for Blood and Marrow Transplantation in Children (GETMON) database. ALL was diagnosed in 125 patients, AML in 43 and myelodysplastic syndrome in 4. Myeloid engraftment (ANC >= 0.5 x 10(9)/L) occurred in 87.2% at a median of 22 days and was associated with the total nucleated cell (TNC) dose infused and use of a TT-containing conditioning regimen. Cumulative incidence of relapse was 20% at 1 year post transplant and 29% at 3 years, being higher in patients with a diagnosis of ALL, very high risk disease and GVHD grades 0-1. Cumulative incidence of non-relapse mortality (NRM) was 19% at 100 days post transplant and 39% at 1 year. BU-FLU-TT-ATG-conditioned patients had lower NRM. Disease-free survival (DFS) was 40% at 2 years post transplant (for patients transplanted since 2006). On multivariate analysis, TNC dose infused, AML and BU-FLU-TT-ATG-conditioning regimen increased the probability of DFS. It is of paramount importance to select cord blood units with the highest cell dose. As the BU-FLU-TT-ATG-conditioning regimen was associated with better DFS owing to lower NRM, further prospective studies testing this regimen are warranted.

Resumen: Introducción: La hipoperfusión cerebral en ratas, mediante la oclusión permanente de las arterias carótidas comunes (OPACC), induce alteraciones de la memoria y el aprendizaje. Los mecanismos moleculares han sido poco estudiados y el objetivo del trabajo consiste en caracterizar las alteraciones del metabolismo oxidativo, de la memoria y del aprendizaje. Métodos: Mediante la OPACC se determinó a las 24 h y 22 días de la lesión la actividad de la superóxido dismutasa y la catalasa en el hipocampo, la corteza y el cuerpo estriado. Se realizó una tinción con hematoxilina-eosina y un marcaje con GFAP de cortes coronales. Los trastornos conductuales se exploraron mediante la prueba del laberinto acuático de Morris. Resultados: La lesión indujo un incremento (p

Resumen Objetivo Evaluar los resultados a largo plazo del tratamiento endovascular de los aneurismas de arteria poplitea (AAP). Pacientes y metodos Analisis retrospectivo de una serie de 27 AAP intervenidos en 24 pacientes entre enero de 2004 y diciembre de 2010. Parametros a valorar: complicaciones, salvamento de extremidad y permeabilidad segun el metodo de Kaplan-Meier. Resultados La edad media fue de 69 ± 12 anos. El diametro medio de los AAP era de 29,5 ± 13 mm, con salida por 3 troncos distales en la mitad. Seis casos eran sintomaticos. Se utilizo tecnica hibrida en 25 casos, mediante abordaje de la arteria femoral superficial proximal, y percutanea en 2. Se emplearon endoprotesis Fluency en 21 casos y Viabahn/Hemobahn en 6. Promedio de endoprotesis por caso: 2. Exito tecnico inicial: 100%. Morbimortalidad postoperatoria nula. Estancia media: 2,6 ± 2 dias. Control periodico clinico y ecografico en todos los casos. Con una media de seguimiento de 51 ± 24 meses se produjeron 9 oclusiones, 7 el primer ano. Otras complicaciones: 2 migraciones con endoleak tipo I, 2 fracturas y una rotura contenida. Hubo 6 conversiones a cirugia abierta, la mayoria por trombolisis fallida, estando todos los bypass funcionantes. Permeabilidad primaria y secundaria a 4 anos: 66 y 72%, respectivamente. Salvamento de la extremidad: 100%. No hubo perdidas de seguimiento, durante el cual se produjeron 2 exitus por neoplasia. Conclusiones El tratamiento endovascular de los AAP presenta una baja morbimortalidad y puede ser una alternativa terapeutica a la cirugia convencional.

A UV-Vis spectrophotometric method was developed as a preliminary approach to the determination of antimony in water samples from a river that flows very close to an abandoned mining site. The analyte is complexed with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and absorbance of the complex is measured at 291.06 nm. The standard additions method is mandatory in view of the matrix effect observed, and the response is linear at least up to 9.3 microg/mL of antimony. The sensitivity of the method is 2.609 x 10(-2) mL/microg, whereas the limits of detection and quantification are, respectively, 0.2 and 0.6 microg/mL. The repeatability, expressed as mean relative standard deviation of the measurements within the calibration range, is 2.0%, whereas the repeatability of the entire procedure is 0.3%. The mean analytical recovery within the calibration range was 102.6%. The method was successfully applied to river water samples.

El papel de la radioterapia (RT) en los tumores de celulas gigantes es incierto. El tratamiento estandar es la cirugia, y el uso de adyuvancia es controvertido. Tras la presentacion de un caso clinico se analiza la indicacion de la RT en estos tumores y se lleva a cabo una revision retrospectiva, con historias clinicas de pacientes diagnosticados en el Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Maranon con informe de tumor de celulas gigantes, analisis y discusion de la literatura. En los tumores de celulas gigantes en los que estos se presentan en localizaciones dificiles de realizar una reseccion amplia, la RT debe ser el tratamiento estandar posterior a la biopsia, alcanzando excelentes tasas de respuesta local. La RT de rescate tras recidiva proporciona una alta tasa de control local sin anadir una morbilidad importante, por lo que deberia indicarse como tratamiento en los casos mencionados o como tratamiento paliativo.

Probiotics are microorganisms that have demonstrated beneficial effects on human health. Probiotics are usually isolated from the commensal microflora that inhabits the skin and mucosas. We propose that probiotics represent the species of microorganisms that have established a symbiotic relationship with humans for the longest time. Cultural practices of ancient human societies used to favor that symbiosis and the transmission of probiotics from generation to generation. New practices, introduced as a result of industrialization, such as childbirth by surgical delivery, ingestion of pasteurized and synthetic compounds-supplemented food, cleaner homes, indiscriminate use of antibiotics and so on, have led in recent years to the replacement of probiotics by other microorganisms that are not as well adapted to the microenvironments of the human body. These newly settled microorganisms lack many of the beneficial effects of probiotics. Our hypothesis is that the sudden change (from an evolutive perspective) in human intestinal microflora may importantly contribute to the rise in the incidence of autoimmune diseases, observed in the last half a century.

In November 2002, the sinking of the Prestige oil tanker off the Galician coast (N.W. Spain) caused the largest ecological catastrophe in the history of Spain, affecting the coast called the 'Costa da Morte' (Galicia, N.W. Spain). This work is focused on the study of the oil contamination of the intertidal area of two beaches located on this stretch of coast. The study of twenty cores extracted from both beaches has identified fuel embedded in the sedimentary column up to a depth of 2.38 m (this being the maximum depth of extraction). This, along with the presence of oil below the groundwater indicates the existence of a new factor which determines the burial of oil: the morphodynamic behaviour of the beach. Furthermore, this morphodynamic variation conditions the physical appearance of the buried oil. Four different types have been identified: tar-balls (cm), particles (mm), oil coatings on sediment grains and on emulsion, with distribution patterns conditioned by the degree of wave exposure. The analysis of the information obtained have permitted the development of a conceptual model of the burial and oil evolution in the sedimentary column in relation to wave exposure, and thus to the morphodynamic variability of the beach.

The germination behaviour of five Helianthemum species (H. almeriense, H. appeninum, H. cinereum, H. hirtum, H. squamatum) has been studied under controlled conditions. Constant 15, 20 or 25 °C and alternating 25/15 °C temperature regimes and 16/8 h light/dark photoperiod conditions were used. Presowing treatments applied were manual scarification, boiling water, hot water, dry heat and sulphuric acid. Germination values recorded were final germination percentage and germination rate expressed as days to reach 50% of the final germination percentage (T50). Incubation temperature had no significant effect on final germination percentage for untreated seeds of the five Helianthemum species. However, variation due to temperature was significant for scarified seeds, with the lowest germination percentage attained at 25 °C. In all Helianthemum species studied, the highest germination percentages were obtained by manual scarification of seeds. Germination rate of scarified seeds decreased as germination temperature increased. The different presowing treatments investigated allowed some germination in some species, but none were any better than manual scarification. The high germination among most species studied, following mechanical rupture of the seed coat, shows that the mechanism of dormancy lies in the seed coat. The physical dormancy caused by impermeable seed-coat appears to be the main reason of poor germination of untreated seeds of Helianthemum species studied.

Resumen Introduccion La finalidad de este trabajo de investigacion ha sido valorar los efectos que tiene un factor de riesgo aterogenico, dietas hiperlipidicas, sobre el desarrollo de la lesion ateromatosa inducida por traumatismo endotelial en animales jovenes y adultos. Materiales y metodos Se utilizaron 72 conejos neozelandes-gigante espanol, divididos en dos grupos, uno de conejos jovenes (750 g) y otro de conejos adultos (3.500 g), a los que se les provoco lesion endotelial. Estos grupos se dividieron en dos; se alimento uno con dieta normal y otro con dieta aterogenica. Finalmente, se hicieron subgrupos de seis animales cada uno, que se sacrificaron a los 7, 15 y 30 dias tras el dano endotelial. Se anadio un grupo control de seis animales a los que no se realizo tratamiento ni maniobra lesional, y un grupo testigo de seis animales a los que se indujo aterogenesis sin lesion endotelial. Se considero que las alteraciones producidas en la capa endotelial se podian detectar desde un punto de vista histologico y cuantificarlas mediante un estudio morfometrico. Resultados El grupo de conejos adultos alimentado con dieta aterogenica presento mas alteraciones, tanto en la valoracion clinica como desde el punto de vista morfologico y morfometrico. Conclusiones Las lesiones provocadas por dano intimal y dieta aterogenica no han presentado disposicion a la reparacion, y estas lesiones se han mostrado con mayor intensidad en los conejos adultos que en los jovenes.

Resumen Introduccion La causa mas frecuente de varices es el reflujo en el confluente safenofemoral, pero no es la unica. La correcta identificacion preoperatoria de los puntos de fuga (PF) parece basica a la hora de plantear una correcta indicacion quirurgica. Objetivo Identificar los diferentes PF en los pacientes enviados por varices primarias no evolucionadas. Pacientes y metodos Durante el ano 2003 se realizo un eco-Doppler (ED) venoso a todos los pacientes incluidos en el estudio. La exploracion se llevo a cabo en bipedestacion, sobre la extremidad de mayor relevancia clinica, mediante las maniobras de compresion-relajacion, Valsalva y Parana. Los resultados se almacenaron en una base de datos informatica y en una cartografia hemodinamica. Resultados Se objetivo reflujo safeno en 95 pacientes y no safeno en 5. El flujo retrogrado afecto a la safena interna en 87 pacientes y en 12 a la externa. Solo el 71% de los flujos retrogrados de la interna fueron ostiales puros, presentando 30 pacientes un PF diferente a los cayados de safena, ya fuese aislado o asociado a este. Conclusion En un porcentaje no despreciable de pacientes el PF no se situa en los cayados safenianos, o existe mas de uno, por lo que la cirugia no guiada por ED podria conllevar un inadecuado tratamiento y contribuir a la elevacion de la tasa de recidivas.

Resumen Introduccion La angioplastia y/o stent o la cirugia de revascularizacion de la arteria renal puede disminuir la hipertension arterial y la necesidad de farmacos antihipertensivos, pero esta circunstancia puede desempenar, actualmente, un papel secundario en la estrategia terapeutica de la nefropatia isquemica, comparado con la posible prevencion del fracaso renal. Existe un cambio sustancial en el objetivo principal del tratamiento de las estenosis arterioscle-roticas de las arterias renales que van encaminadas a la prevencion del fracaso de la funcion renal. Caso clinico Presentamos un caso de cirugia de revascularizacion renal por reestenosis tras angioplastia -stent renal en un rinon unico normofuncionante y se revisa la literatura relacionada con la nefro-patia isquemica asi como los resultados de los distintos procedimientos terapeuticos. Conclusiones La cirugia de revascularizacion renal se presenta como una buena opcion, avalada por sus aceptables resultados de permeabilidad y supervivencia. Se necesita un estudio clinico aleatorizado y prospectivo que compare el tratamiento medico, la angioplastia con y sin stent, y la cirugia de la arteria renal para definir el metodo mas optimo de intervencion de los pacientes con arteriosclerosis de la arteria renal.

The effects of seed moisture content and cooling rate (in liquid nitrogen) on seed germination and seedling vigour (germination x radicle length) were studied in single seed lots of four legume species: lucerne (Medicago sativa), pea (Pisum sativum), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). Five moisture contents and four cooling rates (30, 130, 1650 and 2800°C/min) were studied for each species. The fastest cooling rate was achieved using subcooled liquid nitrogen (-210°C). All cooling treatments improved lucerne seed germination, probably due to breaking hard seed through scarification. Pea, cowpea and bean seeds humidified for four weeks in a saturated atmosphere (21.5, 18.0 and 16.8% moisture content f.w.b., respectively) showed a decrease in germination and seedling vigour when cooled at the fastest two rates. However, those seeds cooled at 130°C/min showed improved seedling vigour with respect to control seeds. Desiccation reduced germination and seedling vigour in bean seeds. A study performed only with non-cooled and cooled seeds at 130°C/min showed that germination and seedling vigour increased with humidification prior to sowing.

Resumen Objetivo Disenar una estrategia de vacunacion que aumente la captacion y la cobertura vacunal de los pacientes del Complejo Hospitalario Universitario Juan Canalejo: areas y lineas de trabajo. Introduccion La vacunacion constituye una de las practicas medicas con mejor relacion coste/beneficio y con una efectividad mas alta en la mejora del estado de salud de una poblacion. La demostrada eficacia protectora de determinadas vacunas en grupos especiales de poblacion (segun la enfermedad de base, las condiciones laborales o los habitos de vida) pone de manifiesto la necesidad de asegurar la proteccion de estos colectivos, en los que el beneficio es maximo. Una de las principales estrategias para la captacion y aumento de la cobertura vacunal es la oportunista. La politica estrategica de vacunacion en el Complejo Hospitalario Juan Canalejo llevo a la creacion de una unidad de vacunas. Material y metodos Partiendo del analisis del trabajo que se realizaba hasta el ano 2001 en el Complejo Hospitalario, se definen las distintas areas de trabajo: implantar calendarios de inmunizacion y reinmunizacion en pacientes de alto riesgo; definir la politica de prevencion de riesgos biologicos inmunoprevenibles en los trabajadores del complejo; dotar al Area Sanitaria de A Coruna de una unidad de referencia, y disenar estudios de efectividad y eficiencia vacunal.El inicio de la unidad parte de la elaboracion y la implantacion de protocolos que se podrian agrupar en: grupos de riesgo entre pacientes, trabajadores sanitarios y estrategias "universales" dentro del ambito hospitalario. Conclusiones y lineas de trabajo Destaca la necesidad de incentivar la vacunacion mediante la motivacion y la implicacion de los profesionales de los servicios clinicos medicos y quirurgicos del hospital, y asi disminuir la variabilidad entre servicios y profesionales que consultan a la unidad de vacunas.Es imprescindible protocolizar los calendarios vacunales que se administran segun las diversas enfermedades, y examinar los puntos de mejora, asi como iniciar lineas de colaboracion con los servicios de atencion primaria y hospitales comarcales.

El síndrome de Nijmegen es una rara entidad autosómica recesiva caracterizada por un síndrome dismórfico peculiar (microcefalia, cara de pájaro, talla corta), inmunodeficiencia combinada acompañada de infecciones recurrentes, hipersensibilidad a las radiaciones ionizantes y predisposición a la aparición de neoplasias, sobre todo linfomas, debido a inestabilidad cromosómica por anomalías en los mecanismos de reparación de las roturas del ADN.Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 6 años con síndrome de Nijmegen, que en su evolución desarrolló un linfoma no hodgkiniano de células B grandes de localización pulmonar sin afectación ganglionar. : Nijmegen breakage syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by a peculiar dysmorphic syndrome (microcephaly, “bird-like™ facies, short stature), combined immunodeficiency with recurrent infections, X-ray hypersensitivity and predisposition to malignancy, mainly lymphomas, as a consequence of chromosome instability due to anomalies in the repair of double-stranded DNA breaks.We present a 6-year-old boy with Nijmegen breakage syndrome, who developed a large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, localized in the lung without nodal involvement.

Selective oxidation of the so-called fatty alcohols, aliphatic long chain alcohols that are present in vegetable waxes, forestry residues and pulping industry subproducts, could be used to obtain the corresponding aldehydes, acids and esters, widely used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic applications and as emulsifiers. The physico-chemical characteristics of this type of alcohols entail specific challenges for the reaction. This work is aimed to review and evaluate the state-of-art of catalytic selective oxidation of the higher fatty alcohols (C10+), to assess the feasibility of new “green” processes using biomass for the production of fine chemicals. Due to the scarcity of information available on these reactions, the scope was extended to all C8+ primary alkanols, to identify trends and characteristics of the oxidation of longer chain aliphatic alcohols, as well as suitable process conditions. The critical evaluation of available literature allows to conclude that the oxidation of higher alcohols is feasible using non enzymatic heterogeneous catalysts, either without solvent or with solvents miscible with both polar and nonpolar media (depending on the alcohol chain length), and using clean oxidants such as H2O2, molecular oxygen or air. The appropriate selection of the catalytic system and solvent may allow directing the reaction selectively to production of the aldehyde, the acid or the ester. These features would allow the implementation of small-scale processes, well in accordance with the principles of “green chemistry”., Funding by CSIC project 201180E104 is acknowledged.

We have studied the adsorption of As on the (001) surfaces of Ge using first principles total energy calculations. The initial substrate Ge dimers are broken and As forms symmetric dimers on an almost ideally bulk terminated Ge substrate. All the dangling bonds are saturated in this configuration, and the surface is very stable. Arsenic lowers the surface free energy of both Si and Ge surfaces and therefore, it is a good candidate to be used as surfactant in the growth of Si on Ge(001). Our ab initio calculations show that indeed the presence of a terminating As layer modifies the growth mode, promoting epitaxial growth of Si on Ge(001).

The results of the analysis of data obtained from a series of oceanographic surveys conducted in an ecological monitoring polygon on the continental shelf off Jalisco and Colima (Mexico) are presented. The surveys were conducted monthly between 1995 and 1997 with an undulating CTD. In one day, up to 100 soundings were made at stations with a maximum depth of 150 m, in a spatial grid of points with an area of 50 · 15 km. The vertical profiles of temperature and salinity were obtained by averaging the data from the oceanographic surveys. It is shown that the vertical distributions and hydrophysical characteristics analyzed present a significant seasonal variability related to the annual variations of solar energy input and variability of evaporation, precipitation and coastal discharges in the study area. The seasonal oscillations cover a water layer greater than 100 m, but the subsurface layers of the coastal waters are observed with greater intensity. The mean profiles present a high statistical reliability, since the deformations caused by the internal waves were completely suppressed.

Fasting and malnutrition affect the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis causing secondary hypothyroidism. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of 48h fasting in rats of 4 and 12 weeks old, and of 7 weeks of food restriction, in the activity of adenohypophysial thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH)-degrading ectoenzyme; also, to study if these conditions altered peptide levels and its messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in brain areas of the limbic system. Male Wistar rat brains were excised, frozen and dissected for measurement of: (TRH) content by radioimmunoassay, its mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the activity of its degrading ectoenzyme, pyroglutamyl peptidase II, by a fluorometric assay, serum thyrotropin and corticosterone by radioimmunoassay. Malnutrition increased median eminence TRH and decreased thyrotropin serum levels as did fasting in adults, that also diminished hypothalamic peptide content; post-weaned rats in contrast, only had a decreased pyrogl...

We have performed first principles total energy calculations to investigate the role of As as surfactant in the growth of Si on Ge(001). Ge has a lower surface free energy than Si and, therefore, the preferred growth mode of Si on a Ge surface is to form islands. However, it has been shown experimentally that the deposit of one layer of As on the Ge(001) surface can help in the fabrication of thick, low-defect films of Si. Our calculations show that indeed the presence of a terminating As layer modifies the growth mode, promoting epitaxial growth of Si on Ge(001). We also found that another advantage of the capping As layer is to reduce greatly the possibility of Si and Ge intermixing.

The effects of formulation, starter culture and fermentation temperature on growth and synthesis of toxin A (SEA) and TNase by Staphylococcus aureus during fermentation and drying of Spanish chorizo were investigated. Inhibitory factors able to inhibit SEA synthesis in culture media were unable to prevent SEA production in chorizo fermented at 20 and 30°C, though a lower temperature and starter culture SP318 (Lactobacillus sake, Pediococcus pentosaceous and Staphylococcus xylosus) decreased staphylococcal growth and SEA formation. Reduction and even disappearance of the SEA during ripening was observed. In most batches, TNase was a reliable indicator of staphylococcal growth and SEA production. Dextrose added to the salchichón formulation repressed S. aureus growth during drying. Lactobacillus curvatus in combination with dextrose was an effective anti-staphylococcal agent during fermentation.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) films from 15% w/w aqueous solutions and a thickness of 0.2 mm were selected for this study. The films were first humidified and then acetalized and/or gamma irradiated. Then, their physical properties were tested. Tensile strength of the hydrogel films reached its maximum value in samples irradiated with a 80 kGy dose, in the case of acetalized films the dose necessary for maximum tensile strength was only 40 kGy. The combination of acetalization with formaldehyde and gamma radiation produced an elastic hydrogel with good tackiness and excellent mechanical and thermal strength.

The morphology of the gills of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) embryos was studied by light and electron microscopy at four different developmental stages. Embryos were examined during gill arch formation (stages 22-24, Vernier, '69), development of the gill filaments (hatching stage), and formation of gill lamellae (stage 36). Our observations showed that the gill arches are covered by endoderm of the pharyngeal pouches and ectoderm of the gill furrows, which meet to form a closing plate. Ultrastructural evidence indicates that secretion of mature hatching gland cells around the closing plates is the mechanism responsible for their perforation and is consistent with the hypothesis of Miller et al. ('93) that cellular reorganization is a major mechanism of initial perforation of closing plates. Epithelia of the gill filaments and gill lamellae are composed of undifferentiated basal epithelial cells, outer pavement cells, and specialized chloride cells and goblet cells. The appearance of these cells and their ultrastructural features during embryonic development are correlated with gill function. It is not until stage 36 that gill epithelia exhibit adultlike ultrastructural features. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.