Hybrid planar microresonators with organic and InGaAs active media.

The authors report on the fabrication of hybrid planar micro-resonators based on InGaAs microdisks with an evaporated organic material. Samples of InGaAs grown on InP(100) substrates are obtained by Chemical Beam Epitaxy, and microdisks of InGaAs with different diameters are fabricated by focused ion beam. The hybrid disks are obtained by the subsequent evaporation of 8-hydroxyquinoline aluminium doped with 4-Dicyanomethylene-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran on the InGaAs microdisks. The devices, characterized by micro- and confocal photoluminescence imaging and spectroscopy, exhibit emission around 650 nm, from the organic material for disks with different radius. Finally, simultaneous emission in the visible and at whispering gallery resonant modes in the 1350-1450 nm range are observed due to excitation transfer to InGaAs. These devices open the possibility to combine the flexibility of organics with the high gain of III-V compounds for wavelength down conversion and telecom applications.

Isolated 3-methylcrotonyl-coenzyme A carboxylase deficiency in a child with metabolic stroke.

We report a 3-year-old boy with isolated 3-methylcrotonyl-coenzyme A deficiency with unexpectedly severe presentation, seizures and history of cerebral ischae-mic episode.

An epidemiological study of headache in Florianopolis, Brazil.

The aim of this study was to estimate the 1-year prevalence of headache, migraine, tension-type headache (TTH) and chronic daily headache (CDH), and the degree of association of migraine with some sociodemographic characteristics of the population of Florianopolis, Brazil. This is a cross-sectional, door-to-door, population-based study. In 300 randomly selected households, 625 subjects, aged 15-64 years, responded to a structured questionnaire. The 1-year prevalence of headache was 80.8%, of migraine 22.1%, of TTH 22.9%, and of CDH 6.4%. Migraine and CDH were significantly more prevalent in females than in males. Migraine was significantly associated with the following variables: low household income, low electricity consumption, and divorced or widowed marital status. We have shown high prevalences of migraine and CDH in Florianopolis, close to the higher rates of previous studies. There was a preponderance of migraine in females, divorced or widowed, with a low socioeconomic level.

Feasibility of implementing an automated culture system for bacteria screening in platelets in the blood bank routine.

Bacterial contamination of blood components is the principal infectious complication linked to transfusion. The aim of the study was to evaluate the applicability of an automated culture system for platelets. 10 141 platelet concentrates were cultured individually and in pools of five on storage days 1 and 7 using Bact/Alert system aerobic bottles. A modified collection bag was used for improved sampling. Five-millilitre samples were cultured at 37 degrees C for 7 days. Only those samples where the same bacteria were identified in reculture were considered true positives (TP). Homogeneity of proportions was tested by Fisher's exact test. The rate of TP was 30 per 100 000 (95% CI, 6.1-86.4) sampling on day 1; 33 per 100 000 (95% CI, 7-96) on day 7; and 40 per 100 000 (95% CI, 1.28-122.4) if the screening was based on taking both samples (day 1 and 7). Only one TP was detected in the pool testing. The time for detection among TPs on day 1 ranged between 30 and 134 h. The system is not considered practical for use as a routine screening method, as the time for detection is too long. Pool testing is insensitive. Faster screening methods or pathogen-inactivation systems are needed.

Forearm soft tissue mass caused by an accessory muscle.

We present a case of forearm soft tissue mass caused by an accessory muscle, distal and deep to flexor carpi ulnaris muscle. Imaging studies, mainly magnetic resonance and ultrasound, allow a specific diagnosis, and obviate unnecessary surgery. In this case, the symptoms associated with ulnar compression led to surgery and confirmed the preoperative diagnosis.

[Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy: report of 2 cases]. / Distrofia neuroaxonal infantil. Relato de dois casos.

We describe two cases of infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy, which is a rare, neurodegenerative disease, with autosomal recessive inheritance. The first case was an 8 year old boy, with arrested motor and mental development, ataxia and muscle weakness. On physical examination there was horizontal and vertical nystagmus, optic disc atrophy, hypotonia; deep tendon reflexes were absent. The second case was a 1.6 year old boy with arrested motor and mental development, and seizures. On physical examination there was optic atrophy, hypertonia and hyperreflexia. Both patients had on sural nerve biopsy neuronal enlargement, consistent with neuroaxonal dystrophy. Diagnosis without pathological confirmation with neuroaxonal spheroids is very difficult, because the clinical picture is variable and the neurophysiological findings are non specific.

Analgesic use for headache treatment by schoolchildren of southern Brazil.

The importance of the use of analgesic medication for the symptomatic relief of pain has been underestimated in medical practice. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of tension-type and migraine-type headaches and the associated analgesic consumption for its treatment within elementary school students from Porto Alegre (Brazil). A systematic random sample of 538 students from 5th to 8th grades was produced to complete the cross-sectional delineation. Subjects were individually submitted to a structured interview on headache and to general physical and neurological examination. Lifetime prevalence for headaches was 93.3%, 82.9% of the students recalled having headaches during the last year and 31.4% reported headaches in the last week. The prevalence for headaches in the previous 24 h was 8.9%. There was a significant prevalence of headache in females. The prevalence of analgesic consumption was 84.1% throughout life, 85.7% in the last year, and 54% in the last 3 months. A significantly higher prevalence of headache medication consumption was also depicted for females. However, the small age differences within the sample did not appear to be an important factor in influencing analgesic use for headaches. Different agents composed the individual treatment of headaches, with predominant use of over-the-counter preparations. Acetylsalicylic acid, consumed by 58.3% of the children, was the drug most frequently used for both tension-type and migraine-type headache treatments. In spite of the verification that headache was very frequently experienced by the children composing this sample accompanied by a consequent use of analgesics, no medication abuse was diagnosed.

An epidemiologic study of headache among children and adolescents of southern Brazil.

To study the epidemiology of pediatric headache, we conducted a cross-sectional study of a randomized and proportional sample of 538 male and female students, 10 to 18 years old. They were in the 5th to 8th grade of the schools of Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. The headache disorders were classified on the basis of clinical interview as well as a physical and neurological examination using the operational diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society (IHS). The following headache prevalences were found: lifetime, 93.2%; last year, 82.9%; last week, 31.4%; last 24 h, 8.9%. Last week and last 24 h headache complaints were twice as prevalent in the female group. During the last year the prevalence of headache disorders was 72.8% for tension-type and 9.9% for migraine headache and was not associated with age distribution. Only the last year and last week prevalences of tension-type headache were significantly higher in the female group. The last year prevalence of headache disorders proved to be positively associated with sex and age variables. The prevalence of headache disorders was found to be extremely high in this population group, requiring more attention on the part of investigators as a public health problem.

Control evolutivo del penfigo con aureoterapia oral / Evolutive control of the pemphigus with oral aureotherapy

Entre 1985 y 1989, 32 pacientes con pénfigo (19 vulgares, 9 eritematodes, 3 foliáceos y un vegetante) recibieron auranofin como tratamiento coadyuvante. En dos dos casos se usó como única medicación y en el resto asocicado a corticoides. El seguimiento fue de 42 a 2 meses, y la dosis administrada osciló de 360 a 2700 mg, con una media de 1538 mg equivalentes a poco más de 8 meses de tratamiento. Los efectos colaterales fueron mínimos: 3 presentaron diarrea, 2 prurito, uno exantema maculoso y otro intolerancia digestiva; en ningún caso fue necesario suspender el oro. El tiempo transcurrido hasta la completa remisión fue de 2 a 8 meses, y los corticoides se eliminaron 1 a 2 meses después. En 10 pacientes se presentaron recaídas: una vez finalizado el tratamiento en 6, y en 4 cuanhdo recibían oro. Todos se controlaron con dosis bajas de corticoides. Mantener tratamientos más prolongados no nos asegura la ausencia de rebrotes y sí mayor probabilidad de efectos adversos. En la actualidad 5 pacientes presentan lesiones, de los que 3 están todavía entre su segundo y cuarto mes de tratamiento, tiempo todavía insuficiente para considerarlos como fracaso terapéutico. El resto (27) se encuentran clínicamente curados