Orbital supratrochlear fistula secondary to anaesthetic block in cataract surgery. / Fístula orbitaria supratroclear secundaria a la realización de un bloqueo para anestesia en una cirugía de catarata.

A case is described of a woman with history of right peribulbar nerve block prior to cataract surgery that, within a few days, presented with a trochlear intraorbital arteriovenous fistula. This was resolved without sequelae after three months by performing intermittent homolateral carotid massages. This is the first case of supratrochlear intraorbital arteriovenous fistula. There are only 8 cases reported of traumatic intraorbital arteriovenous fistula, and only one was with post-peribulbar anaesthesia.

Efficiency of Indigenous Filamentous Fungi for Biodegradation of Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Medium and Soil: Laboratory Study from Ecuador.

The competence of two fungal isolates for degrading petroleum hydrocarbons was evaluated. The filamentous fungi were isolated from a crude oil-contaminated soil in northeastern Ecuador, and were 99 %-100 % similar in 18S rDNA sequence to the genus Geomyces. Their efficiencies of degradation were tested in vitro for 30 days, using medium and soil microcosm. Residual hydrocarbons were tracked by gas liquid chromatography with a flame ionization detector. The maximum removal percentages of total petroleum hydrocarbons were 77.3 % and 79.9 % for experiments in the medium and soil microcosm, respectively. The percent germination of cow pea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds was increased from 20 % to 100 % upon bioremediation. Isolates sporulated optimally on minimal salts agar medium at pH 5, 25°C temperature, 1 %-1.5 % substrate (crude oil) and 4-6 g L(-1) N-P-K. These findings suggest that these fungal isolates are potential degraders for bioremediation in crude oil-contaminated areas in Ecuador.

Scaling up collaborative TB-HIV activities in Latin America.

TB-HIV collaborative activities are one of the cornerstones of TB control in the Stop TB strategy. Since 2003, most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have been gradually implementing TB-HIV collaborative activities; however, limited information is currently available on the degree of implementation. This study is therefore aimed at describing to what degree TB-HIV collaborative activities are being implemented in 17 countries selected for the study. These countries were asked to complete a semi-structured questionnaire. An analysis of this questionnaire revealed that the challenges for TB-HIV collaboration lie in the fields of human resources, surveillance and HIV testing of TB patients.

Características clínicas y factores pronósticos en la insuficiencia hepática fulminante en adultos y niños / Clinical features and prognostic factors in fulminant hepatic failure in adults and children

La Insuficiencia Hepática Fulminante (IHF) es una entidad rápidamente fatal, secundaria a múltiples causas y se clasifica en hiperaguda, aguda y subaguda. El único tratamiento que modifica su pronóstico es el trasplante hepático ortotópico (THO). Objetivo: describir las características clínicas, manejo y evolución de pacientes adultos y niños con IHF. Pacientes y métodos: 51 casos de IHF, evaluando evolución, factores pronósticos, posible etiología y tratamientos realizados en el Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile y Roberto del Río entre abril de 1990 y febrero del 2002. Resultados: 34 adultos (67 por ciento), edad de 46 ñ 17,6. Las causas principales fueron isquemia 29 por ciento, criptogénica 20 por ciento, drogas 14 por ciento y viral 11 por ciento. La presentación fue hiperaguda 53 por ciento, aguda 38 por ciento y subaguda 9 por ciento. Las complicaciones más frecuentes fueron respiratorias 67 por ciento, renal 67 por ciento, hematológicas 61 por ciento e infecciosas 55 por ciento. Diecisiete niños (33 por ciento), edad de 5 ñ 4,3. Las causas principales fueron viral 41,2 por ciento, criptogénica 29 por ciento, hepatitis autoinmune 17 por ciento. Las complicaciones más frecuentes fueron infecciosas 88 por ciento, cardiovascular 71 por ciento, respiratorias 65 por ciento y hematológicas 65 por ciento. Ingresaron a una Unidad de Pacientes Críticos 33 adultos y 17 niños. Sólo se transplantaron 3 (6 por ciento) pacientes (2 niños y un adulto), todos vivos hasta la fecha. La sobrevida sin transplante fue de 15 por ciento en los adultos y 20 por ciento en los niños. Conclusión: la IHF es una enfermedad de variada etiología y alta mortalidad, que requiere un manejo multidisciplinario y en que debería plantearse el THO como la única alternativa posible, si no hay contraindicación

Effect of sulfite intake on intestinal enzyme activity in rats.

Sulfites are usually added to food, beverages and pharmaceuticals as preservative antioxidants, bleaching agents, and dough conditioning agents. Ingestion of foods containing sulfites can cause abdominal pain, diarrhoea, seizures and death. Sulfite can react with cellular components and can cause toxicity. Changes in mucosal disaccharidases and phosphatase alkaline after sodium metabisulfite administration were investigated in the small intestine of rats. Female Wistar rats were given a diet supplemented with 0.25 or 2.5% sodium metabisulfite for 5 weeks. Sucrase, maltase, lactase and alkaline phosphatase were assayed in intestinal homogenates and in brush border membrane fractions. The intake of only 2.5% sulfite induced an increase in the specific activities of sucrase, maltase, and alkaline phosphatase compared to control levels (P < 0.05). Lactase levels were affected in a variable manner. The origin of such altered enzyme activities is still unknown.

[Levels of oligo-elements and trace elements in patients at the time of admission in intensive care units]. / Valores de oligoelementos y elementos traza al ingreso de pacientes en UCI.

Routinely, the macronutrient contribution is thoroughly studied when a patient is included in a total parenteral nutrition (TPN) program. However, it must be kept in mind that along with macronutrients, micronutrients, oligoelements and vitamins are also administered, and these must be taken into account. At present, for instance, the importance of oligoelements has become evident, and clinical conditions of oligoelement deficiency have been described in many cases even when the minimum daily requirements had been met. This study centers on the importance of evaluating oligoelement and trace element levels when patients are admitted into the ICU and were included into a total parenteral nutrition (TPN) program. An assessment of the serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and transferrin (Tfe) levels was done on 55 septic patients who underwent abdominal surgery was done on admission to the ICU. Transferrin was measured of serve as an indicator of metabolic damage. A description of the methods used in analytical assessment, a presentation of normal values, the statistical management of each of the elements under study and the interpretation of the results obtained has been done. The discussion is based on the changes detected in the patients' serum levels on admission to the unit, showing low iron, transferrin, zinc and calcium values and normal magnesium, phosphorus and copper figures. The conclusion arrived at suggests that the daily parenteral supplements of these elements should be higher than those recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) and by other authors.