Study of nitrogen fluxes across conventional solid floor cubicle and compost-bedded pack housing systems in dairy cattle barns located in the Mediterranean area: Effects of seasonal variation.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of housing system (or manure management system) and season on manure N recovery and volatilization using an N mass balance. Dietary, milk, and manure N were monitored together with outside temperatures in 6 dairy barns. Three barns were designed as conventional freestalls (cubicle, CUB) with an automatic manure scraper system and concrete floor, in which the gutter in the middle was continuously scraped (every 2-4 h) and the slurry was conveyed toward an open-air concrete pool. The other 3 barns were designed as a loose housing system (HS) with a compost-bedded pack (CB) and conventional confinement housing provided with a feed alley that was cleaned mechanically (2-3 times per day). The farms under study were located near Lleida in the center of the Ebro valley, in northeastern Spain. Nitrogen recovery was measured twice under farm-like conditions either during spring-summer (3 mo of increasing temperatures) or fall-winter (3 mo of decreasing temperatures). The number of cows per barn ranged from 99 to 473, and average age, mean lactation, and parturition intervals were 4.1 yr, 2.43 lactations, and 426.6 d, respectively. In spring-summer, animals ate more [26.3 vs. 23.8 kg of dry matter (DM)/d] and produced more milk (34.6 vs. 31.3 kg/d ± 0.68). However, milk composition did not change. Stored manure from the CB system showed a higher DM concentration with respect to the CUB system (379.15 vs. 97.65 g/kg of fresh matter); however, N (31.45 vs. 40.2), NH3-N (5.3 vs. 18.9) and its ratios with phosphorus (NH3-N:P, 3.52 vs. 5.2) and potassium (NH3-N:K, 0.615 vs. 2.69) showed the opposite trend. No differences were found in N intake (653 vs. 629.5 g/d) or milk N secretion (190 vs. 177.8 g/d for CUB and CB barns, respectively) although net N recovery of the excreted N (Nintake - NMilk) was significantly lower in manure in CB barns than in CUB systems (193.8 vs. 389.3 g/d). The proportion of N irreversible loss in relation to the N intake was higher in CB than in CUB barns (42.3 vs. 11.0%). There was no clear association between season and irreversible N losses; however, the housing system was pivotal in the association between N recovery in manure and irreversible losses by volatilization.

High pitch CT in triple rule-out studies: Radiation dose and image quality compared to multidetector CT.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the image quality and radiation dose from high pitch dual source CT (128-DSCT) versus those from retrospective acquisition with 64-row multidetector CT (64-MDCT) in triple rule-out studies. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively studied 60 patients with acute chest pain: 30 with a retrospective EKG acquisition with 64-MDCT and 30 with high pitch 128-DSCT. We quantitatively analyzed the image quality by calculating the vascular density, muscular density (DM), noise, vascular density/noise ratio (VDNR), and contrast/noise ratio (CNR). We qualitatively evaluated the artifacts in the vena cava, aorta, and coronary arteries. We estimated the effective dose (ED) of radiation by means of the dose-length product. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between 128-DSCT and 64-MDCT in the vascular density. The VDNR and CNR were higher on 128-DSCT than on 64-MDCT in the aorta (VDNR: 28.9 ± 11.7 vs. 20 ± 5.5; CNR: 24.4 ± 10.9 vs. 16.8 ± 5.4; P<.01), in the pulmonary arteries (VDNR: 25.5 ± 10 vs. 20.6 ± 6.5; CNR: 24.5 ± 5.4 vs. 17.4 ± 6.4; P<.01), and in the coronary arteries (VDNR: 25.9 ± 8.2 vs. 18.9 ± 4.9; CNR: 24.9 ± 8.2 vs. 15.6 ± 4.6; P<.01). There were fewer artifacts in the coronary arteries on 128-DSCT than on 64-MDCT (3 vs. 34 nondiagnostic segments; P<.001), and the ED in 128-DSCT was lower than in 64-MDCT (13.77 ± 4 vs. 2.77 ± 0.6 mSv; P<.001). CONCLUSION: In triple rule-out studies, high pitch 128-DSCT delivers a lower dose of radiation and provides better image quality than retrospective acquisition with 64-MDCT.

High speed inscription of uniform, large-area laser-induced periodic surface structures in Cr films using a high repetition rate fs laser.

We report on the fabrication of laser-induced periodic surface structures in Cr films upon high repetition rate fs laser irradiation (up to 1 MHz, 500 fs, 1030 nm), employing beam scanning. Highly regular large-area (9 cm2) gratings with a relative diffraction efficiency of 42% can be produced within less than 6 min. The ripple period at moderate and high fluences is 0.9 µm, with a small period of 0.5 µm appearing at lower energies. The role of the irradiation parameters on the characteristics of the laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS) is studied and discussed in the frame of the models presently used. We have identified the polarization vector orientation with respect to the scan direction as a key parameter for the fabrication of high-quality, large-area LIPSS, which, for perpendicular orientation, allows the coherent extension of the sub-wavelength structure over macroscopic distances. The processing strategy is robust in terms of broad parameter windows and applicable to other materials featuring LIPSS.

[The administration of intravenous contrast agents: extravasations]. / Administración de contrastes intravenosos: las extravasaciones.

Local extravasation of intravenous contrast material is a relatively common complication that radiologists need to know about. The risk of extravasation is greater in children, the elderly, and unconscious patients. Although most extravasations are mild and do not lead to further complications, some can result in severe lesions that require surgery, especially in cases that are associated with compartment syndrome. We describe the main characteristics of extravasations, comment on different treatments, and propose a protocol for dealing with them.

[Dual energy CT angiography of the carotid arteries: quality, bone subtraction, and radiation dosage using tube voltage 80/140 kV versus 100/140 kV]. / Energía dual y angioTC de carótidas: calidad, eliminación de hueso y dosis de radiación de 80/140 kV frente a 100/140 kV.

OBJECTIVE: To study the differences in vascular image quality, bone subtraction, and dose of radiation of dual energy CT angiography of the supraaortic trunks using different tube voltages. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed the CT angiograms of the supraaortic trunks in 46 patients acquired with a 128-slice dual source CT scanner using two voltage protocols (80/140 kV and 100/140 kV). The "head bone removal" tool was used for postprocessing. We divided the arteries into 15 segments. In each segment, we evaluated the image quality of the vessels and the effectiveness of bone removal in multiplanar reconstructions (MPR) and in maximum intensity projections (MIP) with each protocol, analyzing the trabecular and cortical bones separately. We also evaluated the dose of radiation received. RESULTS: Of the 46 patients, 13 were studied using 80/140 kV and 33 with 100/140 kV. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age or sex. Image quality in four segments was better in the group examined with 100/140 kV. Cortical bone removal in MPR and MIP and trabecular bone removal in MIP were also better in the group examined with 100/140 kV. The dose of radiation received was significantly higher in the group examined with 100/140 kV (1.16 mSv with 80/140 kV vs. 1.59 mSv with 100/140 kV). CONCLUSION: Using 100/140 kV increases the dose of radiation but improves the quality of the study of arterial segments and bone subtraction.

Comparison of image quality and radiation dose in computed tomography angiography of the peripheral arteries using tube voltage of 80 kV versus 100 kV.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the image quality and dose of radiation in two groups of patients undergoing CT angiography of the lower limbs, one with tube voltage of 80 kV and the other with tube voltage of 100 kV. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We performed CT angiography of the lower limbs in 60 patients with suspected peripheral arterial disease. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups; in one group, CT angiography was performed using a tube voltage of 80kV, whereas in the other it was performed using 100 kV. The remaining acquisition parameters were the same in both groups. The images were analyzed by quantifying vascular density (VD) and noise (N) and by calculating the quotients density/noise (QVDN) and contrast/noise (QCN). Two radiologists working independently evaluated the subjective quality of the images. We calculated the estimated effective dose (EED) based on the dose-length product (DLP). RESULTS: In the group studied at 80 kV, VD was significantly higher (462.5 UH ± 95.6 vs. 372 UH ± 100.9; P<.001), QVDN was significantly higher (241.9 ± 48.1 vs. 194.3 ± 49.6; P<.001), and there were trends toward higher N (21.3 UH ± 13 vs. 16.3 UH ± 3.5; P=.098) and toward higher QCN (21.4 ± 12.1 vs. 22.9 ± 9.1; P=.15). No significant differences were found in the subjective quality of the images. The EED was significantly lower in the group studied at 80 kV (4.73 mSv ± 1.1 vs. 9.6 mSv ± 2.2; P<.001). CONCLUSION: Using 80 kV instead of 100 kV for CT angiography of the lower limbs reduces the dose of radiation without affecting the diagnostic efficacy of the study.

Expression of heat shock proteins and subolesin affects stress responses, Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection and questing behaviour in the tick, Ixodes scapularis.

We characterized the effects of subolesin and heat shock protein (HSP) expression on Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae) stress responses to heat shock and feeding, questing behaviour and Anaplasma phagocytophilum (Rickettsiales: Anaplasmataceae) infection. Ticks and cultured tick cells were analysed before and after subolesin, hsp20 and hsp70 gene knock-down by RNA interference. The results of these studies confirm that HSPs are involved in the tick cell response to heat stress and that subolesin and HSPs are both involved in the tick response to blood-feeding stress and A. phagocytophilum infection. Subolesin and hsp20 are involved in the tick protective response to A. phagocytophilum infection and hsp70 expression may be manipulated by the pathogen to increase infectivity. Importantly, these results demonstrate that subolesin, hsp20 and hsp70 expression also affect tick questing behaviour. Overall, this research demonstrates a relationship between hsp and subolesin expression and tick stress responses to heat shock and blood feeding, A. phagocytophilum infection and questing behaviour, thereby extending our understanding of the tick-host-pathogen interface.

[Oral versus intravenous beta-blockers for computed tomography coronary angiography? A randomized controlled trial]. / ¿Betabloqueante oral o intravenoso en coronariografía mediante tomografía computarizada? Un estudio prospectivo y aleatorizado.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the time employed in the radiological management of outpatients undergoing computed tomography (CT) coronary angiography varies in function of whether oral or intravenous beta-blockers are administered. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective, analytical, randomized controlled trial. A total of 40 patients with heart rates greater than 65 beats per minute were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Patients in group 1 were administered oral beta-blockers and patients in group 2 were administered intravenous beta-blockers. We measured the overall time from entry to the radiology department to exit from the CT examination room. We also measured heart rate, blood pressure, and the number of conclusive studies. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) overall time was 120 (100-150) minutes in the 19 patients who received oral beta-blockers compared to 35 (27.5-67.5) minutes in the 21 patients who received intravenous beta-blockers (p<0.001). The median time that patients were in the CT examination room was 10 (6-15) minutes in Group 1 and 10 (9-20) minutes in Group 2 (p = 0.57). The decrease in mean arterial pressure was 10 mmHg after the administration of intravenous beta-blockers compared to 3.3 mmHg after the administration of oral beta-blockers (p = 0.01). No significant differences were found in the diagnostic quality of the examinations. CONCLUSIONS: The time employed in the radiological management of patients undergoing CT coronary angiography is significantly lower when beta-blockers are administered intravenously. There was no difference in the time patients were in the CT examination room or in the diagnostic quality of the examinations.

A narrow intercondylar gap favours anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture in patients with an immature skeleton. / Una escotadura intercondílea estrecha favorece la rotura del ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA) en pacientes con esqueleto inmaduro.

OBJECTIVE: Anatomical risk factors predisposing to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and/or avulsion fractures of tibial spines (AFET) have been reported in paediatric patients with controversial results. Our aim is to compare morphometric parameters in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of patients with immature skeleton presenting AFET or ACL rupture versus healthy controls. METHODS: Observational study of a transverse cohort where all those patients with immature skeleton presenting ACL rupture or AFET were collected consecutively. A control group of patients with open physis and MRI reported without lesions was added. A trained observer measured in each MRI with previously standardized technique: a)the width of the intercondylar femoral notch, and b)the opening angle of the intercondylar femoral notch. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 11 patients with ACL rupture, 11 patients with TEA and 11 normal controls. The opening angle of the intercondylar femoral notch, measured in axial and coronal sections, was significantly lower in those patients with ACL rupture versus healthy controls (P=.0256 and P=.0097). The rest of the variables studied did not present significant differences between groups. CONCLUSION: In patients with an immature skeleton, a narrower femoral intercondylar notch is associated with ACL rupture, while those with an ETF do not present a distinctive bone anatomy versus healthy controls. These findings suggest that bone morphometric parameters are associated with a lesional or other pattern in open-knee.

Evolution of viscera and muscle fractional protein synthesis rate in lean meat selected hybrids and castrated Duroc pigs fed under moderate crude protein restriction.

Differences in producing performance and organoleptic meat characteristics among pig genotypes and/or producing types are widely known. These parameters are also subjected to the animal's development, feeding and management. Detailed knowledge of the effects of production phase (PP), pig producing type (PT), dietary protein availability and their interactions on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and protein metabolism is essential information to improve precision feeding techniques. The experiment was a 2 (PP) × 2 (PT) × 2 (diet) factorial design conducted with 32 male pigs, 16 entire F2 pigs progeny of Pietrain sires and Duroc × Landrace dams, and 16 castrated purebred Durocs belonging to two production phases (growing: 29.5 ± 3.19 v. fattening: 88.6 ± 6.26 kg BW), and assigned to one of two dietary CP levels, either standard (SP: 17% in growing and 15% in fattening) or low (LP: 15% in growing and 13% in fattening). Viscera and muscle fractional protein synthesis rates (FSRs; %/day) were conducted through a single infusion of 15% L-[ring-2H5]-phenylalanine, with subsequent blood sampling from 12 to 40 min, and sample collection of liver, duodenum, biceps femoris and longissimus dorsi skeletal muscles after sacrifice. Fattening animals acquired a greater feed ingestion capacity, average daily gain (P < 0.01) and apparent ileal digestibility, whereas growing pigs showed higher FSRs in both viscera (duodenum and liver) and in longissimus dorsi. F2 pigs showed higher average daily gain, nitrogen retention rates and FSR in liver and longissimus dorsi (P < 0.01). Nevertheless, apparent ileal digestibility in all essential amino acids was lower in F2 compared with Duroc pigs (P < 0.05). Protein metabolism was barely influenced by dietary CP content, although animals fed LP registered the lowest apparent ileal digestibility for CP and also for most of the essential amino acids compared with SP-fed pigs. This information may reveal differences in amino acid requirements between both PTs, with Duroc pigs receiving excess of dietary amino acids.

Description of development of rumen ecosystem by PCR assay in milk-fed, weaned and finished lambs in an intensive fattening system.

This study examined the reticulo-rumen characteristics of the microbial community and its fermentative characteristics in milk-fed, at weaning and finished lambs in a conventional fattening system. Five lambs were assigned to each of three groups: milk-fed lambs slaughtered at 30 days (T30), weaned lambs slaughtered at 45 days (T45) and 'finished lambs' slaughtered at 90 days (T90). At slaughter, rumen size, fermentation parameters (pH, volatile fatty acids and microbial enzyme activity) and protozoal counts were recorded. Quantitative PCR was used to quantify the genes encoding 16S and 18S ribosomal DNA of the rumen bacterial and protozoal populations, respectively, and the sequential colonization of the rumen by cellulolytic (Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus flavefaciens) and amylolytic (Prevotella ruminicola, Streptococcus bovis) bacteria, and protozoa (Entodinium sp.). Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was used to study the development of rumen microbiota biodiversity. Intake of solid food before weaning caused a significant increase in rumen weight (p < 0.0001) and bacterial DNA (p < 0.05) and volatile fatty acid analysis concentration (p < 0.01), whereas pH declined. In milk-fed lambs, cellulolytic bacteria were evident after 30 days. Thereafter, in the 45-day and 90-day groups, the proportions of R. flavefaciens decreased and R. albus increased. Amylolytic bacteria were present in milk-fed lambs; the proportion of P. ruminicola increased in fattening lambs and S. bovis was the least abundant species. Protozoal concentrations were irregular; milk-fed lambs had a significant number of protozoa species from Entodinium and subfamily Isotrichiidae, but they disappeared at weaning. Lamb rumen were refaunated in some individuals at 90 days (Entodinium and subfamily Diplodiniinae spp.), although individual concentrations were variable.

Current management of small renal masses. / Manejo actual de las masas renales pequeñas.

One of the consequences of the growing use of diagnostic imaging techniques is the notable growth in the detection of small renal masses presumably corresponding to localized tumors that are potentially curable with surgical treatment. When faced with the finding of a small renal mass, radiologists must determine whether it is benign or malignant, and if it is malignant, what subtype it belong to, and whether it should be managed with surgical treatment, with ablative techniques, or with watchful waiting with active surveillance. Small renal masses are now a clinical entity that require management different from the approaches used for classical renal cell carcinomas. In this scenario, radiologists are key because they are involved in all aspects of the management of these tumors, including in their diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.

Gastrointestinal perforation caused by ingested fish bone. Computed tomography findings in 58 patients. / Perforación gastrointestinal por espina de pescado. Hallazgos radiológicos en tomografía computarizada en 58 pacientes.

CONTEXT AND OBJETIVE: Fish bones (FB) are the most commonly ingested objects and the most common cause of foreign body perforation of the GI tract. Patients present with varied and nonspecific clinical presentations. The inability to obtain a history of FB ingestion and its wide spectrum of nonspecific clinical presentations makes dietary FB perforation extremely difficult to diagnose, being a laparoscopic or surgical diagnosis. The aim of our study is to describe radiological features in CT that will alert you to look for the FB and then make an accurate presurgical diagnosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients (n=58) with radiological diagnosis of gastrointestinal perforation caused by fish bone detected by CT between 2007 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were: fish bone located beyond the esophagus, radiological diagnosis by CT and confirmation by surgery, endoscopy or radiological control. Descriptive analysis was made. Radiological features were studied including radioopaque foreign body, mural thickness, fatty infiltration or extraluminal air bubbles. Also potential complications were assessed. RESULTS: There were 58 patients, 39 men and 19 women, with an average age of 70. Ileon was the most frequent site of perforation (20 patients). 100% showed regional fatty infiltration, 98% included foreign body, 45% had mural thickening and 20% localized extraluminal air bubbles. 15 abscess were found (3 in the liver) and just 5 showed pneumoperitoneum. CONCLUSION: Fatty infiltration is the feature more common. Therefore, if fatty infiltration is seen in isolation radiologist should look for foreign body.

Quantification of iodine concentration by dual-energy CT in patients with acute pancreatitis. / Cuantificación de la concentración del iodo con TC de doble energía en pacientes con pancreatitis aguda.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether pancreatic iodine concentrations quantified by dual-energy CT differ between patients with acute pancreatitis and those without imaging or laboratory findings indicative of pancreatic disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We compared findings on single-phase dual-energy CT images acquired 55seconds after the intravenous administration of contrast material in 27 patients with acute pancreatitis who underwent the examination 48 to 72hours after the onset of symptoms versus in 11 patients (controls) with no imaging findings suggestive of pancreatic disease and normal amylase and lipase who underwent the examination with the same protocol for other purposes. Imaging postprocessing included the generation of iodine maps. Three regions of interest were selected (pancreatic head, body, and tail) to obtain iodine concentrations (mg/ml) to compare between groups. Iodine concentrations were also calculated a second time by normalizing the density of iodine with the aorta. RESULTS: The mean density of iodine was 2.5mg/ml in patients with pancreatitis vs. 3.65mg/ml in controls (p = 0.02). In three patients with glandular necrosis, the density of iodine was 1.53mg/ml. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration of iodine in the pancreas measured with dual-energy CT differs significantly between patients with initial-stage acute pancreatitis and those without imaging or laboratory findings indicative of pancreatic disease.

Not all saponins have a greater antiprotozoal activity than their related sapogenins.

The antiprotozoal effect of saponins varies according to both the structure of the sapogenin and the composition and linkage of the sugar moieties to the sapogenin. The effect of saponins on protozoa has been considered to be transient as it was thought that when saponins were deglycosilated to sapogenins in the rumen they became inactive; however, no studies have yet evaluated the antiprotozoal effect of sapogenins compared to their related saponins. The aims of this study were to evaluate the antiprotozoal effect of eighteen commercially available triterpenoid and steroid saponins and sapogenins in vitro, to investigate the effect of variations in the sugar moiety of related saponins and to compare different sapogenins bearing identical sugar moieties. Our results show that antiprotozoal activity is not an inherent feature of all saponins and that small variations in the structure of a compound can have a significant influence on their biological activity. Some sapogenins (20(S)-protopanaxatriol, asiatic acid and madecassic acid) inhibited protozoa activity to a greater extent than their corresponding saponins (Re and Rh1 and asiaticoside and madecassoside), thus the original hypothesis that the transient nature of the antiprotozoal action of saponins is due to the deglycosilation of saponins needs to be revisited.

Value of dual-energy CT enterography in the analysis of pathological bowel segments in patients with Crohn's disease. / Valor de la enterografía por tomografía computarizada con doble energía en el análisis de segmentos intestinales patológicos en pacientes con enfermedad de Crohn.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze whether there are significant differences in the objective quantitative parameters obtained in the postprocessing of dual-energy CT enterography studies between bowel segments with radiologic signs of Crohn's disease and radiologically normal segments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed 33 patients (16 men and 17 women; mean age 54 years) with known Crohn's disease who underwent CT enterography on a dual-energy scanner with oral sorbitol and intravenous contrast material in the portal phase. Images obtained with dual energy were postprocessed to obtain color maps (iodine maps). For each patient, regions of interest were traced on these color maps and the density of iodine (mg/ml) and the fat fraction (%) were calculated for the wall of a pathologic bowel segment with radiologic signs of Crohn's disease and for the wall of a healthy bowel segment; the differences in these parameters between the two segments were analyzed. RESULTS: The density of iodine was lower in the radiologically normal segments than in the pathologic segments [1.8 ± 0.4mg/ml vs. 3.7 ± 0.9mg/ml; p<0.05]. The fat fraction was higher in the radiologically normal segments than in the pathologic segments [32.42% ± 6.5 vs. 22.23% ± 9.4; p<0.05]. CONCLUSION: There are significant differences in the iodine density and fat fraction between bowel segments with radiologic signs of Crohn's disease and radiologically normal segments.

[Autism spectrum disorder and prematurity: towards a prospective screening program]. / Trastorno del espectro autista y prematuridad: hacia un programa de cribado prospectivo.

INTRODUCTION: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) reported in current studies in risk groups such as preterm or low birth weight infants is higher than in the normal population. This fact has led to the increase in recent years of screening studies that investigate possible risk factors for ASD in preterm newborns and their developmental trajectory. AIM: To present the results of the main screening studies of preterm newborns in order to propose screening recommendations for this population at risk. DEVELOPMENT: The results of the studies presented suggest the possibility that the trajectory of socio-communicative and behavioral development of preterm infants differed from what was expected if their birth had occurred at term. This supports the fact that screening programs are carried out based on developmental surveillance and that it is advisable to use screening tools adapted to this population at risk. CONCLUSION: Premature children are a risk group that shows differential characteristics for the screening of ASD.

TITLE: Trastorno del espectro autista y prematuridad: hacia un programa de cribado prospectivo.Introduccion. La prevalencia de trastornos del espectro autista (TEA) comunicada en estudios actuales en grupos de riesgo como son los recien nacidos pretermino o con bajo peso al nacer, es mas alta que en la poblacion normal. Este hecho ha supuesto el incremento en los ultimos años de estudios de cribado que investigan posibles factores de riesgo de TEA en los recien nacidos pretermino y su trayectoria evolutiva. Objetivo. Exponer los resultados de los principales estudios de cribado de recien nacidos pretermino a fin de presentar recomendaciones de cribado en esta poblacion de riesgo. Desarrollo. Los resultados de los estudios presentados sugieren la posibilidad de que la trayectoria del desarrollo sociocomunicativo y conductual de los recien nacidos pretermino difiera de lo esperado si su nacimiento se hubiera producido a termino, lo que apoya el hecho de que se realicen programas de cribado basados en una monitorizacion evolutiva del desarrollo y se utilicen herramientas de cribado adaptadas a esta poblacion de riesgo. Conclusion. Los menores prematuros son un grupo de riesgo que muestra caracteristicas diferenciales para el cribado de TEA.

Refractive index modification in glass by laser backwriting ablation of metals.

We report the use of laser ablation of metal targets onto a glass substrate as a way of producing waveguiding devices. In the geometry employed, the nanosecond pulses used for the ablation pass through the glass substrate, and are focused on the metal surface, which is located in close proximity with the substrate. We present measurements of the refractive index profile obtained with this technique, and present a discussion of the physical mechanisms that produce the profiles measured.

Process-generated nanoparticles from ceramic tile sintering: Emissions, exposure and environmental release.

The ceramic industry is an industrial sector in need of significant process changes, which may benefit from innovative technologies such as laser sintering of ceramic tiles. Such innovations result in a considerable research gap within exposure assessment studies for process-generated ultrafine and nanoparticles. This study addresses this issue aiming to characterise particle formation, release mechanisms and their impact on personal exposure during a tile sintering activity in an industrial-scale pilot plant, as a follow-up of a previous study in a laboratory-scale plant. In addition, possible particle transformations in the exhaust system, the potential for particle release to the outdoor environment, and the effectiveness of the filtration system were also assessed. For this purpose, a tiered measurement strategy was conducted. The main findings evidence that nanoparticle emission patterns were strongly linked to temperature and tile chemical composition, and mainly independent of the laser treatment. Also, new particle formation (from gaseous precursors) events were detected, with nanoparticles <30nm in diameter being formed during the thermal treatment. In addition, ultrafine and nano-sized airborne particles were generated and emitted into workplace air during sintering process on a statistically significant level. These results evidence the risk of occupational exposure to ultrafine and nanoparticles during tile sintering activity since workers would be exposed to concentrations above the nano reference value (NRV; 4×10(4)cm(-3)), with 8-hour time weighted average concentrations in the range of 1.4×10(5)cm(-3) and 5.3×10(5)cm(-3). A potential risk for nanoparticle and ultrafine particle release to the environment was also identified, despite the fact that the efficiency of the filtration system was successfully tested and evidenced a >87% efficiency in particle number concentrations removal.