Ecological Drawbacks of Nanomaterials Produced on an Industrial Scale: Collateral Effect on Human and Environmental Health.

Currently, hundreds of different nanomaterials with a broad application in products that make daily lives a little bit easier, in every aspect, are being produced on an industrial scale at thousands of tons per year. However, several scientists, researchers, politics, and ordinary citizens have stated their concern regarding the life cycle, collateral effects, and final disposal of these cutting-edge materials. This review summarizes, describes, and discusses all manuscripts published in the Journal Citation Reports during the last 10 years, which studied the toxicity or the effects of nanomaterials on human and environmental health. It was observed that 23.62% of the manuscripts analyzed found no ecological or human risks; 54.39% showed that several nanomaterials have toxicological effects on the ecosystems, human, or environmental health. In comparison, only 21.97% stated the nanomaterials had a beneficial impact on those. Although only 54.39% of the manuscripts reported unfavorable effects of nanomaterials on ecosystems, human, or environmental health, it is relevant because the potential damage is invaluable. Therefore, it is imperative to make toxicological studies of nanomaterials with holistic focus under strictly controlled real conditions before their commercialization, to deliver to the market only innocuous and environmentally friendly products.

Endocarditis infecciosa en la Unidad de Medicina Intensiva / Infectious endocarditis in the intensive care unit

Objetivo: Conocer las características, evolución y pronóstico de los pacientes con endocarditis infecciosa que requieren tratamiento en la Unidad de Medicina Intensiva. Diseño: Estudio observacional de cohortes prospectivo en pacientes ingresados por endocarditis infecciosa. Ámbito: Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de Candelaria, centro con 824 camas y población asignada de 493.145 personas. Pacientes: Todos los pacientes diagnosticados de endocarditis siguiendo los criterios de Duke entre el 1 de enero de 2005 y el 31 de julio de 2011. Variables de interés: Variables demográficas, clínicas, scores de gravedad, hallazgos microbiológicos y ecocardiográficos, mortalidad intrahospitalaria y complicaciones. Resultados: De 102 pacientes diagnosticados de endocarditis, 38 (37%) ingresaron en Medicina Intensiva. Comparándolos con los que no lo hicieron, sufrieron con más frecuencia afectación mitral (OR= 7,13; IC del 95%, 2,12-24; p= 0,002) y embolia cerebral (OR= 3,89; IC del 95%, 1,06-14,3; p= 0,041). La mortalidad fue mayor (42,1 vs 18,8%, p= 0,011), así como la proporción de cirugías urgentes (45,8 vs 5,9%, p<0,001). Resultaron predictores de mortalidad la infección por Estafilococo aureus (OR= 3,49; IC 95%: 1,02-11,93; p=0,046), la insuficiencia cardiaca (OR=4,18; IC 95%: 1,17-14,94; p=0,028), el embolismo cerebral (OR= 8,45; IC 95%: 1,89-37,74; p=0,005) y la puntuación en el score SAPS II al ingreso (OR=1,09; IC 95% 1,04-1,15; p<0,001). Conclusiones: Una elevada proporción de pacientes con endocarditis requieren ingreso en la Unidad de Medicina Intensiva, presentando un pronóstico mucho más desfavorable. La infección por E. aureus, la insuficiencia cardiaca, el embolismo cerebral y la puntuación SAPS II resultan predictores de mortalidad intrahospitalaria (AU)

Objective: To study the characteristics, evolution and prognosis of patients with infectious endocarditis requiring treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. Design: A prospective, observational cohort study of patients admitted due to infectious endocarditis. Setting: Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital, a third - level center with a recruitment population of 493,145. Patients: All patients consecutively diagnosed with infectious endocarditis in our center according to the Duke criteria, between 1 January 2005 and 31 July 2011. Study variables: Demographic data, clinical severity scores, microbiological and echocardiographic data, hospital mortality and complications. Results: Out of 102 patients diagnosed with endocarditis, 38 (37%) were admitted to Intensive Care. Compared with those patients not admitted to the ICU, these subjects suffered more frequent mitral valve alterations (OR= 7.13; 95%CI: 2.12-24; p= 0.002) and cerebral embolism (OR= 3.89; 95%CI: 1.06-14.3; p= 0.041). In turn, mortality was greater (42.1% vs 18.8%, p= 0.011), as was the proportion of emergency surgeries (45.8% vs 5.9%, p<0.001). The identified mortality predictors were Staphylococcus aureus infection (OR= 3.49; 95%CI 1.02-11.93; p=0.046), heart failure (OR=4.18; 95%CI: 1.17-14.94; p=0.028), cerebral embolism (OR= 8.45; 95%CI: 1.89-37.74; p=0.005) and the SAPS II upon admission (OR=1.09; 95%CI: 1.04-1.15; p<0.001). Conclusions: A large proportion of patients with endocarditis require admission to the Intensive Care Unit, presenting a much poorer prognosis. Staphylococcus aureus infection, heart failure, cerebral embolism and SAPS II scores are independent predictors of hospital mortality (AU)

Contactless laser-assisted patterning of surfaces for bio-adhesive microarrays.

Micropatterned surfaces with cell adhesive areas, delimited by protein repellent microstructures, are in high demand for its potential use as relevant biological assays. This is not only because such surfaces allow directing cell growth in a spatially localized and restricted manner, but also because they can be used to elucidate basic cell growth and orientation mechanisms. Here, it is presented a laser-assisted micropatterning technique to fabricate large area microstructures of poly (ethylene glycol) hydrogel onto a cell adhesive surface: a biofunctional maleic anhydride copolymer. By varying photoinitiator, laser intensity, copolymer as well as the hydrogel layer thickness, the optimum conditions to produce high quality features were found. The suitability of these micropatterned substrates for bioassay applications was proved by cell adhesion studies. The introduced procedure could be used to prepare a broad range of microarrays for certain bioanalytical approaches and to create different types of biofunctional surfaces.

[Infectious endocarditis in the intensive care unit]. / Endocarditis infecciosa en la Unidad de Medicina Intensiva.

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics, evolution and prognosis of patients with infectious endocarditis requiring treatment in the Intensive Care Unit. DESIGN: A prospective, observational cohort study of patients admitted due to infectious endocarditis. SETTING: Nuestra Señora de Candelaria University Hospital, a third - level center with a recruitment population of 493,145. PATIENTS: All patients consecutively diagnosed with infectious endocarditis in our center according to the Duke criteria, between 1 January 2005 and 31 July 2011. STUDY VARIABLES: Demographic data, clinical severity scores, microbiological and echocardiographic data, hospital mortality and complications. RESULTS: Out of 102 patients diagnosed with endocarditis, 38 (37%) were admitted to Intensive Care. Compared with those patients not admitted to the ICU, these subjects suffered more frequent mitral valve alterations (OR= 7.13; 95%CI: 2.12-24; p= 0.002) and cerebral embolism (OR= 3.89; 95%CI: 1.06-14.3; p= 0.041). In turn, mortality was greater (42.1% vs 18.8%, p= 0.011), as was the proportion of emergency surgeries (45.8% vs 5.9%, p<0.001). The identified mortality predictors were Staphylococcus aureus infection (OR= 3.49; 95%CI 1.02-11.93; p=0.046), heart failure (OR=4.18; 95%CI: 1.17-14.94; p=0.028), cerebral embolism (OR= 8.45; 95%CI: 1.89-37.74; p=0.005) and the SAPS II upon admission (OR=1.09; 95%CI: 1.04-1.15; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of patients with endocarditis require admission to the Intensive Care Unit, presenting a much poorer prognosis. Staphylococcus aureus infection, heart failure, cerebral embolism and SAPS II scores are independent predictors of hospital mortality.

[Guidelines of the Spanish Society of Cardiology on requirements and equipment in hemodynamic and interventional cardiology]. / Guías de práctica clínica de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología sobre requerimientos y equipamiento en hemodinámica y cardiología intervencionista.

In the last 20 years the work performed in catheterization laboratories has changed greatly, and while also taking the diagnostic aspects also into account, interventional cardiology has acquired an important role. Work in the catheterisation laboratory has evolved from only diagnostic studies of cardiac anatomy and function, and evaluation of potential surgical candidates, to interventional procedures mainly based on catheters techniques. As new diagnostic and interventional procedures are now available, human and technical requirements of the catheterization laboratory have changed. The aim of this report is to make an update of the requirements needed to perform diagnostic and interventional procedures in the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

[Arterial hypertension in the island of Tenerife. I. Incidence (author's transl)]. / La hipertensión arterial en la isla de Tenerife. I. Frecuencia.

Arterial hypertension is one of the most frequent pathologic situations in general practice. The purpose of the present study has been to discover the real incidence of blood hypertension among people in the island of Tenerife, and its possible relation to several factors, such as age, sex, constitution, type of work, alimentary habits, and pathologic background, as well as the distribution of the disease according to the different altimetric zones of the island. A total of 1,728 individuals of both sexes (ages ranged from 13 to 74 years) were included in the study. Arterial hypertension was demonstrated in 19 percent of the subjects, borderline values were recorded in 11 percent of the individuals; 70 percent of the population exhibited normal arterial tension values. The incidence of blood hypertension increased progressively with age, and was similar in both sexes up until 44 years of age; in the older group hypertension was significantly higher among women. An important finding was the discovery that 90 percent of the hypertensive people were unaware of their condition, were aware but received no treatment, or were treated but were not kept under control. The younger the individual was, the higher was the proportion of subjects without treatment; 32 percent of the patients were under 45 years of age. In this group of young hypertensive people 83 percent of them did not receive anti-hypertensive therapy. while 16 percent of the same group were taking medication but did not have the disease under control.