Excystation of Cryptosporidium parvum at temperatures that are reached during solar water disinfection.

Species belonging to the genera Cryptosporidium are recognized as waterborne pathogens. Solar water disinfection (SODIS) is a simple method that involves the use of solar radiation to destroy pathogenic microorganisms that cause waterborne diseases. A notable increase in water temperature and the existence of a large number of empty or partially excysted (i.e. unviable) oocysts have been observed in previous SODIS studies with water experimentally contaminated with Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts under field conditions. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the temperatures that can be reached during exposure of water samples to natural sunlight (37-50 degrees C), on the excystation of C. parvum in the absence of other stimuli. In samples exposed to 40-48 degrees C, a gradual increase in the percentage of excystation was observed as the time of exposure increased and a maximum of 53.81% of excystation was obtained on exposure of the water to a temperature of 46 degrees C for 12 h (versus 8.80% initial isolate). Under such conditions, the oocyst infectivity evaluated in a neonatal murine model decreased statistically with respect to the initial isolate (19.38% versus 100%). The results demonstrate the important effect of the temperature on the excystation of C. parvum and therefore on its viability and infectivity.

[Light chain deposition disease. Experience in our environment]. / Enfermedad por depósito de cadenas ligeras. Experiencia en nuestro medio.

UNLABELLED: The Light chain deposition disease (LCDD) is a strange entity characterised by the deposition of only one type of light chain in the renal tubular basement membranes. It can be associated to a plasma cell dyscrasia, however, it can occur in the absence of any detectable hematological disorder and it is called idiopathic LCDD. The clinical manifestation is renal insufficiency and nephrotic proteinuria, it does not have a clearly fixed treatment and has a severe prognosis. The aim of this work is to analyse the characteristics of the LCDD cases diagnosed within our environment. Six cases were identified, all of them between 1999 and 2005, from a total amount of 640 renal biopsies performed during this period, 4 women and 2 men, average age of 57. Multiple myeloma in 3 patients were detected (50%). The acute renal failure or rapidly progressive renal insufficiency was the most frequent clinical presentation (66%) together with nephrotic proteinuria (66%). All the biopsies showed tubular basement membranes thickening and kappa chains with a linear distribution within the same. The most frequent glomerular pathological finding was the nodular sclerosing glomerulopathy (83%). In one of the cases the affectation was exclusively tubular interstitial with tubular casts. 3 patients were treated, 2 with multiple myeloma. 5 patients needed dialysis: 3 with idiopathic LCDD within an average time of 7 days from the diagnosis to its reception and 2 with myeloma, who started needing dialysis in an average of 46 days. 4 patients died, 2 of them with myeloma. The monitoring time until the death was 13 weeks for the patients with myeloma and 110 weeks for the rest. CONCLUSION: The LCDD seems to be more frequent than what has been published and it is associated to the myeloma in half of the cases. It appears together with severe renal insufficiency and the patient's and renal prognosis is poor.

[Estimation of the prevalence of cerebral palsy in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León (Spain) using a disabilities register]. / Estimación de la prevalencia de parálisis cerebral en la comunidad de Castilla y León mediante el registro de minusvalías.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of cerebral palsy in Western countries is estimated to be around 2 cases/1,000 inhabitants. The objective of this study was to estimate the prevalence of cerebral palsy in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León and to assess potential differences among the nine provinces of this region. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The number of patients with CP in 1999, separated by provinces and by age groups, was obtained from the Community Sectorial Program for Persons with Disabilities. These data originally came from handicap evaluations carried out in each base center. Prevalences were calculated using population data from the National Institute of Statistics. RESULTS: A total of 335 patients aged 0-13 years were registered as having a diagnosis of cerebral palsy in 1999. The prevalence of cerebral palsy was 1.05 cases/1,000 inhabitants aged 0-13 years. Statistically significant differences were found in the prevalence of cerebral palsy among provinces (p < 0.0001). The highest prevalence was found in Salamanca, with 1.87 cases/1,000 inhabitants, while the lowest prevalence was found in Segovia, with 0.33 cases/ 1,000 inhabitants. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of cerebral palsy in childhood in Castilla y León was lower than that reported in western countries. Substantial differences were found among provinces. The prevalence of cerebral palsy is probably underreported in some provinces. These differences could be due to a disparity in diagnostic criteria, especially in young children.

A minimal multiconfigurational technique.

A direct minimization method previously presented by the authors is applied here to biconfigurational wave functions. A very moderate increasing in the time by iteration with respect to the one-determinant calculation and good convergence properties have been found. So qualitatively correct studies on singlet systems with strong biradical character can be performed with a cost similar to that required by Hartree-Fock calculations.

Mixed systemic amyloidosis in a patient receiving long term haemodialysis.

A 64 year old woman had been receiving haemodialysis for 11 years. She had a history of chronic renal failure, caused by probable chronic pyelonephritis, and dialysis arthropathy. She died of acute pulmonary oedema and haemorrhage. At necropsy, histological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural studies showed widespread visceral deposits of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) and AA amyloid.

Pseudotumoral amyloidosis of beta 2-microglobulin origin in the buttock of a patient receiving long term haemodialysis.

A 52 year old man who had been receiving haemodialysis for 13 years, with a history of renal tuberculosis, right ischial tuberculous osteomyelitis, and dialysis arthropathy, developed a soft tissue tumour in his left buttock. Histological analysis, immunohistological staining, and electron microscopic examination of the surgically removed tumour showed massive deposits of beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) amyloid. This case shows the expanding clinical spectrum of this type of amyloidosis, and it is suggested that amyloid infiltration should be considered in the differential diagnosis of gluteal tumours in these patients.

Spectra of radical cations of phenothiazine derivatives in solution and solid state.

The UV and visible spectra of radical cations of several phenothiazine derivatives were studied using different solvents. The establishment of a relationship between these bands and the R2 and R10 substituents was attempted. The influence of the disolvents on the bands also was studied. The characteristic charge transfer band was observed in the solid state using diffuse reflectance spectroscopy. The R2 substituent did not appear to influence the band, while the R10 substituent influenced the band considerably, probably due to steric effects.

Primary pure choriocarcinoma of the liver.

We report a pure choriocarcinoma of the liver studied at necropsy. The tumour was diagnosed ante-mortem and treated by chemotherapy with no satisfactory response. Previous cases of hepatic choriocarcinoma are reviewed and criteria to diagnose this extragonadal neoplasm are recommended.

Pulmonary haemorrhage and focal necrotizing glomerulonephritis in a case of systemic sclerosis.

We report a case of a 53-year-old woman diagnosed of systemic sclerosis. She underwent an episode of pulmonary haemorrhage, characterized by haemoptysis, sudden anaemization, and bilateral alveolar infiltration during her hospitalization, which was resolved with steroid treatment. Subsequently, she developed a focal necrotizing glomerulonephritis. After searching in the literature, we have found only three cases of systemic sclerosis associated with pulmonary haemorrhage. We discuss the etiopathogenesis of this association and stress the importance of early steroid therapy.

[Acute interstitial pneumonia (Hamman Rich syndrome)]. / Neumonía intersticial aguda (síndrome de Hamman Rich).

We report the case of a 65-year-old woman with no history of respiratory disease who suffered onset of dyspnea after an episode of pseudoinfluenza. Dyspnea progressed such that within 15 days it was triggered by minimal effort. The patient died 15 hours after admission to our hospital, with a clinical picture of adult respiratory distress. Autopsy allowed us to rule out several diseases and arrive at a diagnosis of acute interstitial pneumonia, consistent with clinical course, anatomical and pathological findings as described in the literature.

[Granulomatous hypophysitis probably of autoimmune etiology. A case diagnosed post mortem]. / Hipofisitis granulomatosa de probable etiología autoinmune. Un caso diagnosticado post mortem.

We report a case of idiopathic granulomatous hypophysitis diagnosed at autopsy in a 69-year-old female who, after endocrine coma, died from gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Immunohistochemical studies disclosed a predominance of T-lymphocytes in the inflammatory pituitary infiltrates. In addition to hypophysitis, lymphocytic thyroiditis and adrenalitis lesions and atrophic gastritis were found. These findings, consistent with autoimmune disease, are similar to those reported for lymphocytic hypophysitis, and raise the possibility that both types of hypophysitis are different aspects of the same condition.

[Diffuse pulmonary hemorrhage due to capillaritis in a patient with typical periarteritis nodosa and necrotizing glomerulonephritis. Relationship with overlapping vasculitic syndrome and Wegener's granulomatosis]. / Hemorragia pulmonar difusa por capilaritis en una enferma con panarteritis nodosa clásica (PAN) y glomerulonefritis necrosante. Relaciones con el síndrome vasculítico de solapamiento y la granulomatosis de Wegener.

Clinical and pathological postmortem study of a patient with NPA which died due to a fulminant pulmonary hemorrhage. In the postmortem study, diffuse pulmonary capillaries was observed as the cause of the disease, as well as lesions of necrotizing glomerulonephritis with granulomas, within the framework of a typical NPA. Correlation with the NPA-type overlapping polyangiitic syndrome and microscopic polyarteritis are discussed, as well as the correlation between the latter and Wegener's granulomatosis.

Acute tubulointerstitial nephritis associated with the selective COX-2 enzyme inhibitor, rofecoxib.

The nephrotoxic effect of COX-2 selective inhibitors has not yet been established. We report a case of reversible acute renal failure due to acute tubulointerstitial nephritis, confirmed by histology of a renal biopsy sample, associated with taking rofecoxib, a selective cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor.