Dynamic Tensile Stress-Compressive Stress Behavior of Thermoplastic Matrix Composite Materials Reinforced with Continuous Fiber for Automotive Damping and Anti-Vibration Structural Elements.

Continuous Fibers-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites (CFRTP) are presented as light materials, capable of offering a short production time with the possibility of being recycled. These properties make them ideal for automotive applications, aiming to reduce the consumption and emission of polluting gases. This article analyzed the dynamic tensile stress-compressive stress behavior of CFRTP in structural elements of the car with anti-vibration and damping functions. The data available in the literature on the reliable and usual compliance of the properties required for CFRTP, to be applied in the automotive structural elements, is scarce and insufficient. In order to analyze whether CFRTP feeds the demanding requirements of car manufacturers and if they provide advantages over the metal materials currently used, this article developed a method of reliable verification of their dynamic tensile and compression behavior. The methodology developed could be used as a guide to characterizing any combination of vulcanized rubber adhesive joints with CFRTP, regardless of the materials and additives used. The results obtained showed that there exists CFRTP that fits the requirements of the car manufacturers for this type of component and also offers dynamic advantages over the materials currently used as anti-vibration elements.

[Prebiotics: concept, properties and beneficial effects]. / Prebiotics: concept, properties and beneficial effects.

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients (oligosaccharides) that reach the colon and are used as substrate by microorganisms producing energy, metabolites and micronutrients used for the host; in addition they also stimulate the selective growth of certain beneficial species (mainly bifidobacteria and lactobacilli) in the intestinal microbiota. In this article, a multidisciplinary approach to understand the concept of prebiotic carbohydrates, their properties and beneficial effects in humans has been carried out. Definitions of prebiotics, reported by relevant international organizations and researchers, are described. A comprehensive description of accepted prebiotics having strong scientific evidence of their beneficial properties in humans (inulin-type fructans, FOS, GOS, lactulose and human milk oligosaccharides) is reported. Emerging prebiotics and those which are in the early stages of study have also included in this study. Taken into account that the chemical structure greatly influences carbohydrates prebiotic properties, the analytical techniques used for their analysis and characterization are discussed. In vitro and in vivo models used to evaluate the gastrointestinal digestion, absorption resistance and fermentability in the colon of prebiotics as well as major criteria to design robust intervention trials in humans are described. Finally, a comprehensive summary of the beneficial effects of prebiotics for health at systemic and intestinal levels is reported. The research effort on prebiotics has been intensive in last decades and has demonstrated that a multidisciplinary approach is necessary in order to claim their health benefits.

Los prebióticos son ingredientes alimentarios no digeribles (oligosacáridos) que llegan al colon y sirven de sustrato a los microorganismos, originando energía, metabolitos y micronutrientes utilizados por el hospedador y estimulando el crecimiento selectivo de determinadas especies beneficiosas (principalmente, bifidobacterias y lactobacilos) de la microbiota intestinal. En este artículo se realiza una revisión sobre los carbohidratos prebióticos desde diferentes perspectivas, comenzando por las definiciones de prebióticos formuladas a lo largo de los últimos treinta años por científicos y diferentes organismos internacionales. Se realiza una descripción detallada de los prebióticos aceptados, como tales, que presentan propiedades beneficiosas fundamentadas en estudios llevados a cabo en humanos (fructanos tipo inulina y FOS; GOS, lactulosa y oligosacáridos de leche humana), los que se consideran prebióticos emergentes y aquellos que se encuentran en fases iniciales de estudio. Además y teniendo en cuenta que la estructura química de los carbohidratos influye notablemente en sus propiedades prebióticas, se describen las técnicas más utilizadas para su análisis y caracterización. Asimismo, se detallan los modelos in vitro e in vivo más utilizados para estudiar la resistencia de los prebióticos a la digestión y la absorción gastrointestinal, la fermentación de los prebióticos en el colon así como los criterios a tener en cuenta para llevar a cabo ensayos de intervención en humanos. Por último se realiza una amplia descripción de los efectos beneficiosos de los prebióticos para la salud a nivel intestinal y sistémico. Como conclusión, podría decirse que la investigación existente hasta el momento, sobre prebióticos, es extensa y pone de manifiesto que es necesario considerar un gran número de factores para poder atribuir alegaciones de salud a un prebiótico.

[Sauvé-Kapandji procedure in distal radioulnar joint disorders]. / Procedimiento de Sauvé-Kapandji en los trastornos de la articulación radiocubital distal.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functional and subjective results of the Sauvé-Kapandji procedure as a treatment for distal radioulnar joint disorders. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted on 27 patients treated using the Sauvé-Kapandji technique from January 2001 to March 2012. The aetiología, age, sex, laterality, articular movement, radiographical signs of joint degeneration, and cubitus varus, were analysed. The Mayo Clinic wrist assessment scale and the DASH questionnaire were used for the postoperative evaluation. The mean follow-up was 24 months (6-48 months). The mean age was 47.2 years, with 66.7% females, and 55% the dominant side. RESULTS: At one year after surgery, 16 cases had mild or no pain (59.2%), 8 cases with moderate (29.6%) and 3 cases with severe pain (11.1%). The pronation-supination went from a pre-operative average of 96.8° to 136.4° postoperative, operatorios, which was a significant statistical difference (Wilcoxon test). The radioulnar ratio went from an pre-operative average of +2.6mm to -0.39 mm postoperative. Full functional recovery was observed in 48%. A grip strength of 50.6%, compared to the contralateral wrist was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The Sauvé-Kapandji technique could avoid the complications common in other procedures, such as cubital-carpal migration. Our study agrees with that in the literature with good results as regards the range of joint movement, with an acceptable improvement in pain compared to the previous stage, but it also demonstrates the frequent loss of grip strength and instability of the proximal radio-ulnar joint.

Redox potential of cecum content of growing pigs and its relation with pH and VFA concentration.

Digestive microflora is partly responsible for physiological gut conditions. Measurements of redox potential (Eh) and pH of digesta may give a basis for understanding microbial activity and dynamics of fermentation. However, few studies have assessed the Eh of the gastrointestinal tract of pigs. Twenty-four pigs of 30 kg BW were slaughtered to measure Eh and pH of cecum content in situ and to obtain samples of ileum, cecum, and colon contents for VFA determinations. Pigs had previously been fed with a nonmedicated starter feed for 5 wk. Measurements of Eh and pH were recorded first at 2 min and then at 5-min intervals for 35 min to estimate kinetics and the delay to reach stabilization of the Eh value. Cecum Eh rapidly decreased (P < 0.001) from -115 to -180 mV after 15 min of insertion of the electrodes and then slowly decreased until -185 mV at 35 min. Cecal pH started at 5.74 and decreased (P < 0.01) slowly afterwards until 5.53 after 35 min. The Eh value after stabilization was negatively correlated (r = -0.64; P < 0.001) with final pH. Acetic, propionic, and butyric acids accounted for 58.7, 24.0, and 12.8%, respectively, of total VFA production of cecum content. The VFA production of ileal content was lower (P < 0.001) when compared to cecum or colon (50.8, 142.1, and 130.8 µmol/g, respectively) and a higher proportion of formic and lactic acids was detected (32.3 and 27.0%, respectively). Proportions of acetic and propionic acids were negatively (r = -0.53; P < 0.01) and positively (r = 0.66; P < 0.001) correlated with Eh, respectively. In conclusion, Eh measured after stabilization seemed to be a meaningful predictor of hindgut fermentative activity.

Integument Mycobiota of Wild European Hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) from Catalonia, Spain.

There are some reports about the risk of manipulating wild hedgehogs since they can be reservoirs of potential zoonotic agents like dermatophytes. The aim of this study was to describe the integument mycobiota, with special attention to dermatophytes of wild European hedgehogs. Samples from spines and fur were cultured separately in Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) with antibiotic and dermatophyte test medium (DTM) plates. Nineteen different fungal genera were isolated from 91 cultures of 102 hedgehogs. The most prevalent genera were Cladosporium (79.1%), Penicillium (74.7%), Alternaria (64.8%), and Rhizopus (63.7%). A lower prevalence of Aspergillus (P = 0,035; χ (2) = 8,633) and Arthrinium (P = 0,043; χ (2) = 8,173) was isolated during the spring time and higher frequencies of Fusarium (P = 0,015; χ (2) = 10,533) during the autumn. The prevalence of Acremonium was significantly higher in young animals (70%, 26/37) than in adults (30%, 11/37) (P = 0,019; χ (2) = 5,915). Moreover, the majority of the saprophytic species that grew at the SDA culture were also detected at the DTM. Finally, no cases of ringworm were diagnosed and no dermatophytes spp. were isolated. Concluding, this study provides the first description of fungal mycobiota of the integument of wild European hedgehogs in Spain, showing a large number of saprophytic species and the absence of dermatophytes.

Antifungal activity of extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris against Aspergillus flavus and A. ochraceus.

The antifungal activity of ethanolic extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris were tested against strains of Aspergillus flavus and A. ochraceus, since these two species are common contaminants of cereals and grains and are able to produce and accumulate mycotoxins. The methodology used is based on measuring the inhibition halos produced by discs impregnated with the extracts and establishing their Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) as well as the Minimum Fungicide Concentration (MFC). The results obtained suggest that the assayed extracts affect the proper development of A. flavus and A. ochraceus; leading to a lower MIC (1200 ppm) and MFC (2400 ppm) for T. vulgaris extract against A. ochraceus than against A. flavus. The results show, that the extracts of Rosmarinus officinalis and Thymus vulgaris used at low concentrations could have significant potential for the biological control of fungi in foodstuffs.

Mycobiota and concentration of ochratoxin A in concentrated poultry feed from Venezuela.

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency distribution of mycobiota and the concentration of Ochratoxin A (OTA) in 50 samples from one company of commercial brand poultry feed produced in Venezuela. The concentration of OTA in the samples analyzed was determined using the competitive ELISA method. The most frequently isolated genera of moulds were Aspergillus (36%) and Penicillium (20%). Of these genera, the most frequently isolated species were Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus terreus and Penicillium citrinum. Ochratoxigenic species such as Eurotium herbariorum, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ochraceus and Aspergillus glaucus, were also found with lower frequency. Rhodotorula mucilaginosa was the only yeast isolated. 94% of the samples presented contamination by OTA in a range between 2.558 and 31.978 microg kg(-1) feed and 42% of them presented OTA levels from 10 up to 20 microg kg(-1). The findings of this investigation show that 84% of the samples of concentrated feed for meat poultry surpass the maximum permitted limit for OTA of 5 microg kg(-1), established in the majority of countries in which regulations are placed.

Effect of plant extract supplementation on Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella carcass isolation in young Holstein bulls fed a high-concentrate diet.

Ninety Holstein bulls were used in a complete randomized design to study the effect of a blend of plant extract (PE) supplementation on jejunum, cecum, and rectum microbiota (Escherichia coli and lactic acid bacteria [LAB]) and hide and carcass contamination (identification of E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella). Three treatments--control (CTR), monensin (MON), and PE--were tested. Bulls were offered straw and concentrate ad libitum during 108 d. In the cecum, the percentage of LAB counts below 5 log CFU/ml was greater (P < 0.01) in MON (68.1%) than in CTR (34.6%) and PE (28.0%) treatments. On hide, Salmonella was detected (P < 0.05) in CTR (13.3%) and MON (10.0%) treatments, in contrast to PE (0%) treatment. In bulls fed high-concentrate diets supplemented with PE, no increase of carcass E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella identification was observed.

Molecular typing of Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec type determination and dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of SmaI macrorestriction fragments of genomic DNA as well as staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) typing for mecA-carrying isolates were used to study the distribution of clonal types among 177 Staphylococcus aureus clinical isolates recovered in a Spanish hospital between 2000 and 2003. Five major clonal types (P1 to P5) were identified by PFGE, with one of them (P1) comprising the majority of strains (47.5%). According to SCCmec typing, SCCmec type IVA was the most prevalent type, showing increasing prevalence in the hospital setting with respect to other pandemic clones. One SCCmec pattern was detected in different PFGE types, which demonstrates that the latter is a major discriminative typing method. Three novel SCCmec elements or variants were found, each in a different PFGE type. Oxacillin (methicillin)-resistant and -susceptible S. aureus (MRSA and MSSA, respectively) strains were detected showing identical PFGE patterns, suggesting horizontal transfer of mecA to MSSA and/or mecA deletion from MRSA. Persistence of several S. aureus clones throughout the years within the same hospital environment was also observed.

Factores que influyen en la prescripción de los médicos de atención primaria / No disponible

Objetivo: Analizar cuantitativa y cualitativamente la prescripción farmacéutica realizada por los médicosde atención primaria del Área de Salud de León. Estudiar qué características personales del médico y delcentro de salud explican las variaciones en la prescripción.Diseño: Estudio observacional.Emplazamiento: Centros de Atención Primaria del Área de Salud de León.Participantes: Se analiza la prescripción de 270 médicos generales de atención primaria durante el periodoenero-diciembre del 2001.Intervenciones: Se utiliza como variable de respuesta: el gasto medio por envase de pensionista, el gasto porpoblación ajustada, el porcentaje de medicamentos genéricos, el porcentaje de medicamentos hipnóticos y elporcentaje de medicamentos de utilidad terapéutica baja. Se recogen como variables explicativas: la formaciónen Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, el sexo del médico y el centro de salud urbano o rural.Resultados: El gasto medio por envase de pensionista es mayor en el medio urbano que en el rural, sin diferenciassignificativas en el resto de las variables. El gasto por población ajustada y el porcentaje de medicamentosde utilidad terapéutica baja es mayor en el medio rural que en el urbano. El porcentaje de medicamentos genéricosprescritos es mayor entre los médicos con formación en Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria que trabajan en el medio rural. En el porcentaje de medicamentos hipnóticos prescritos no se encontraron diferencias dignas de mención.Conclusiones: Se estima que las diferencias por sexo en el análisis cuantitativo fueron de poca importancia. Eltipo de centro de salud se ha identificado, entre las variables estudiadas, como la que mejor explica la prescripción. En cuanto a la formación del médico, sólo tiene importancia en la prescripción de medicamentos genéricos

Objective: The quantitative and qualitative analysis of the practice of drug prescription on the part of primarycare physicians in the Health Area of León in Spain. The determination of the particular characteristicsof the physician and the health center that explain the variations in prescription.Study design: Observational study.Setting: Primary care centers in the Health Area of León.Participants: We analyzed the prescriptions of 270 primary care general practitioners from January toDecember 2001.Interventions: We utilized the mean expenditure per package or bottle corresponding to retirees, the populationadjusted expenditure, the percentage of generic drugs prescribed, the percentage of hypnotics and the percentage of medications of limited therapeutic value as response variables. The explanatory variables were: training in family and community medicine, sex of the physician and whether the center was urban or rural.Results: The mean expenditure per package or bottle corresponding to retirees was higher in the urban settingthan in the rural setting, whereas there were no significant differences in the remaining explanatoryvariables. The population-adjusted expenditure and the percentage of drugs of limited therapeutic value werehigher in the rural setting than in the urban setting. The percentage of generic drugs prescribed was higheramong physicians with training in family and community medicine working in the rural setting. Therewere no noteworthy differences in the percentages of hypnotic drugs prescribed.Conclusions: We consider the gender differences in the quantitative analysis to be of little importance.Among all the variables studied, that which best explains the prescription pattern is the setting of the health center. The training of the physician has an effect only on the prescription of generic drugs

Tratamiento de las dislipemias en atención primaria / No disponible

Las dislipemias constituyen unas de las enfermedades más importantes en la clínica actual por su relacióndirecta con la patología coronaria. En toda situación de hipercolesterolemia es conveniente evaluar el riesgocardiovascular global del paciente, para poder fijar el objetivo a alcanzar. La modificación del estilo de vidaes el primer paso en cualquier plan terapéutico. Si no se alcanzan los objetivos fijados deberá comenzarse eltratamiento farmacológico, siendo las estatinas los fármacos de primera elección

Dyslipidemias are among the most serious diseases in current clinical practice because of their direct relationship to coronary heart disease. In patients with hypercholesterolemia, the overall cardiovascular riskshould be evaluated in order to establish the desired objective. The modification of lifestyle is the first step in any therapeutic plan. If the established objectives are not achieved, drug treatment should be introduced, with statins as the drugs of first choice

Influence of brine concentration, brine temperature, and presalting on early gas defects in raw milk pasta filata cheese.

Thirty-one 3.8-kg blocks of Ragusano cheese were made on each of 6 d starting with a different batch of raw milk on each day. On d 1, 3, and 5, cheeses were not presalted and on d 2, 4, and 6, all cheeses were presalted. Before brine salting, one of the 31 blocks of cheese was selected at random for analysis (i.e., at d 0). The remaining 30 blocks were randomly divided into 2 batches of 15 blocks each, one group was placed in 18% brine, and the other group was placed in saturated brine. For the 15 blocks within each of the 2 brine concentrations, 5 blocks each were placed in brine tanks at 12, 15, and 18 degrees C. Cheese blocks were sampled immediately before brine salting (d 0) and after 1, 4, 8, 16, and 24 d of brine salting. Presalting the curd with 2% added salt before stretching reduced the coliform count in the cheese by 1.41 log and resulted in a major reduction in early gas formation. Across all treatments in the present study, the average reduction in gas formation due to presalting was 75%. Reducing brine temperature had the second largest impact on reducing gas production, but did not reduce the coliform count in the cheese. Reducing brine temperature from 18 to 12 degrees C made a larger reduction in early gas formation in cheeses that were not presalted (from 6.8 to 1.8% gas holes, respectively) than in cheeses that were presalted (from 1.9 to 0.5% gas holes, respectively). To achieve the same absolute level of gas production in the nonpre-salted cheese as was achieved in presalted cheese in combination with 18 degrees C brine, the brine temperature for the nonpresalted cheese had to be lowered from 18 to 12 degrees C. Reducing brine concentration, although effective at increasing the rate of salt penetration into the block, did not have any impact on coliform count and had minimal impact on reducing gas production. The condition where reducing brine concentration was able to make a reduction in gas production was for cheeses that were not presalted and brined at 18 degrees C. Presalting is a very simple and practical approach to reducing the problem of early gas formation in combination with strategies to improve milk quality and cheese making conditions. Further work is needed to understand the impact of different levels of presalting on death of coliforms and gas production in the cheese.

[Retinal hemorrhages following phacotrabeculectomy. Differential diagnosis]. / Hemorragias retinianas tras facotrabeculectomía. Diagnóstico diferencial.

PURPOSE: We report a case of a patient who underwent uneventful facotrabeculectomy. Right after surgery patient she complained of very poor vision, showing hemorrhage spots scattered throughout the retina. Differential diagnosis is studied. CONCLUSION: An ocular decompression retinopathy should be the first diagnosis; however clinical details and diagnosis tests suggest the ocular ischemic syndrome as the reason of the problem.

Enzymatic activity of micro-organisms isolated from cork wine stoppers.

The production of enzymes by micro-organisms which are found on vegetal substrates is important due to their ability to decompose cellulose, lignin and other components, which guarantee the integrity of the vegetal cell. The objective of this study was to determine the enzymatic activity of filamentous fungi, yeasts and bacteria, isolated from natural cork stoppers for bottles of still and sparkling wines. Suspensions of fungal conidia, yeasts and bacterial cells of micro-organisms were established in concentrations of 10(6) CFU/ml. The enzymatic activity of these micro-organisms was evaluated by means of the API ZYM system, with which it was possible to determine and semi-quantify nineteen enzymatic activities simultaneously. The enzymes produced by all of the species were esterase (C1), esterase lipase and naphthol-AS-BI-phosphohydrolase. The micro-organisms with the greatest enzymatic activity were Monilia sitophila, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger and Aeromonas sp.

Hemorragias retinianas tras facotrabeculectomía. Diagnóstico diferencial / Retinal hemorrhages following phacotrabeculectomy. Differential diagnosis

Presentamos el caso de una paciente que tras la realización de una facotrabeculectomía sin complicaciones presentó en el postoperatorio inmediato un cuadro caracterizado por la presencia de hemorragias retinianas múltiples con muy baja agudeza visual. Planteamos el diagnóstico diferencial. Discusión: Aunque en un principio el cuadro podría ser sugerente de una retinopatía por descompresión ocular, datos clínicos y pruebas diagnósticas sugieren la existencia de hipoperfusión como causa del cuadro clínico (AU)

Effect of the raw extracts of Arthrinium strains (Hyphomycetes, Dematiaceae) on the growth of some deleterious fungi in poultry feed.

In previous work the authors have shown that some species of the Arthrinium genus are characterized by being able to produce secondary metabolites with antibiotic activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of raw extracts of the growth of three different Arthrinium strains against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus nidulans, Fusarium moniliforme and Penicillium purpurogenum when they were present in poultry feed. The results showed that the extracts reduced the growth of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium moniliforme but could not inhibit the development of Aspergillus nidulans. Only the raw extract of A. aureum inhibited the growth of Penicillium purpurogenum.

Síndrome de malabsorción con estreñimiento? / Malabsorption with constipation´s syndrome?#

La descripción que Samuel Fee hizo en 1888 sobre la forma de presentación clásica de la Enfermedad Celiaca (EC) supone sólo una pequeña proporción de los pacientes adultos con esta patología. Son las formas atípicas, silentes y latentes las que más frecuentemente aparecen en Atención Primaria (AP) Presentamos el caso de una mujer con manifestaciones atípicas de EC y el algoritmo seguido para llegar al diagnóstico (AU)

Evaluation of methods for the microbiological control of natural corks for sparkling wine bottles.

The various parameters proposed in Norm 0.20/95 of Catalunya (Spain) for the microbiological analysis of natural corks for sparkling wines were evaluated. The best results were obtained through the use of 1/4 Ringer's solution or saline for rinsing with an agitation time of 30 min, and an agitation speed of 150-200 rpm. Tryptone soya agar (TSA) and Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) were used as a culture medium for the bacteria and fungi, respectively, and a cultivation time of 48 h and incubation temperatures of 37 +/- 2 degrees C for bacteria and 28 degrees C for yeast and filamentous fungi.