Skull Vibration-Induced Nystagmus and High Frequency Ocular Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials in Superior Canal Dehiscence.

BACKGROUND: Although diagnostic criteria have been established for superior canal dehiscence syndrome, cases in which the diagnosis is not easy are frequent. On those occasions, some tests such as vibration-induced nystagmus or vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials can offer invaluable help due to their high sensitivity and specificity. METHODS: We studied 30 patients showing superior canal dehiscence or "near-dehiscence" in a CT scan. Skull vibration-induced nystagmus and high frequency ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials are performed in each patient. The aim of the study is to determine how useful both tests are for detection of superior canal dehiscence or near-dehiscence. RESULTS: Of the 60 temporal bones studied, no dehiscence was the result in 22, near-dehiscence in 17 and a definite finding in 21. In 10/30 patients, there was no SVIN (Skull vibration induced nystagmus) during otoneurological testing, while in 6/30, induced nystagmus was mainly horizontal, and in 14/30 there was vertical up-beating. All patients had a positive oVEMP (Ocular vestibular evoked myiogenic potentials) at 0.5 kHz in both ears and the HFoVEMP (High frequency ocular vestibular evoked myiogenic potentials) response was positive in 25/60 (41.6%) of the ears studied and in 19/30 of the patients evaluated (in 6 it was positive in both ears). Up-beat SVIN will point to a SCD (Superior Canal Dehiscence) mainly when HFoVEMP are present, and when this is negative there is a high probability that it is not a SCD. CONCLUSIONS: When SVIN and HFoVEMP results are added (or combined), they not only improve the possibilities of detecting SCD, but also the affected side.

Description of mutual interactions between silicon and phosphorus in Andisols by mathematical and mechanistic models.

The Freundlich model and the Constant Capacitance Model (CCM) were used to describe silicon (Si) and phosphorus (P) sorption, both individually and for binary P-Si systems, on two Andisols with different chemical properties: Freire soil (FS) and Piedras Negras soil (PNS). Silicon sorption kinetics were examined through the Elovich equation, revealing that the initial sorption rate was 16 times greater in PNS. The Freundlich equation provides a good fit to the sorption data for both Andisols. When compared with FS, larger Si sorption capacity and lower Si affinity for the surface sites were observed in PNS; nevertheless, Si sorption decreased in both soils as P sorption increased. Slight reductions in P sorption capacity due to the presence of Si were found, whereas there was no apparent effect on P bonding intensity. The CCM was able to describe Si adsorption, and potentiometric titrations support that Si seems to be specifically sorbed mainly onto sites of negative charge. Comparable log KSiint values were obtained for both soils, indicating that Si was bound on similar sites. Phosphorus sorption was well described by the CCM, and log KPint denoted strong interactions of P with the surface sites. For binary systems, log KPint did not vary with increasing Si concentration; comparatively, log KSiint scarcely decreased with increasing P concentration in PNS, but a 28% reduction was found in FS at the highest initial P concentration.

Adsorption behavior of 2,4-dichlorophenol and pentachlorophenol in an allophanic soil.

The adsorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) and pentachlorophenol (PCP) by a variable-charge soil from southern Chile was studied in a series of batch equilibration experiments. 2,4-DCP and PCP adsorption behavior was evaluated as a function of pH (pH values of 4.5, 6.0 and 7.5) in a 0.1M KCl (25 degrees C) background solution for soil material collected at three different depths (0-20 cm, 20-40 cm, and 40-60 cm). 2,4-DCP and PCP adsorption decreased with increasing soil pH, suggesting that the undissociated species were adsorbed more readily and that electrostatic repulsion may inhibit partitioning as pH increases. The PCP adsorption was greater than observed for 2,4-DCP and decreased with soil depth. Multiple regression analysis between K(d) and various soil properties indicated that the soil organic carbon content is a strong indicator of chlorophenol adsorption, and in addition to organic carbon, the soil pH is an important property controlling adsorption behavior.

Describing chlorophenol sorption on variable-charge soil using the triple-layer model.

The sorption of 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and pentachlorophenol by a variable-charge soil from southern Chile was studied in a series of batch experiments. The chlorophenol sorption behavior was evaluated as a function of pH (pH range 4-8) at two different ionic strengths, 0.01 and 0.1 M KCl (25 degrees C). Chlorophenol sorption depended on pH and a downward shift in the soil PZC was observed with increasing chlorophenol concentration. Chlorophenol sorption decreased with increasing pH, suggesting that the undissociated species is sorbed more readily and that electrostatic repulsion may inhibit partitioning as pH increases. Data from the sorption experiments were fitted by the triple-layer model, in which monodentate outer- and inner-sphere complexes were formed between deprotonated organic molecules and active sites on the variable-charge soil.

Studies of the surface charge of amorphous aluminosilicates using surface complexation models.

Synthetic noncrystalline aluminosilicates with variable charge, similar to allophanes present naturally in volcanic soils, were studied. The surface charge behavior was determined by zero point charge (ZPC) measured by electrophoretic mobility (isoelectric points, IEP) and determined by potentiometric titration (point of zero salt effect, PZSE). The ZPC calculated by Parks model (ZPC(c)), compared with IEP values, showed that the aluminosilicate (AlSi) surface was slightly enriched by AlOH (34% Al(2)O(3) and 66% SiO(2)) compared with the bulk composition (29% Al(2)O(3) and 71% SiO(2)). For aluminosilicate coated with iron oxide (AlSiFe) the ZPC(c) (4.4) was lower than the IEP (8.46), showing that the surface composition is formed mainly from iron oxide. The PZSE values for AlSi and AlSiFe were 6.2 and 4.8, respectively. The differences between the IEP and PZSE are attributed to the formation of Si-O-Fe or Si-O-Al bonds; therefore, the reactivity of Fe and Al atoms was modified on the surface. Two mechanistic models, the constant capacitance model (CCM) and the triple layer model (TLM), using the program FITEQL 3.2 were able to describe the surface behavior of both synthetic aluminosilicates. The acidity constants determined using both models for the aluminosilicates showed differences with respect to pure oxide, mainly attributed to the presence of SiOH sites on the internal surfaces. The ionic strength showed a good relation with the parameters obtained using the CCM (pK(int)(a1), pK(int)(a2) and capacitance values) and the TLM (pK(int)(a1), pK(int)(a2), pK(int)(Cl-), pK(int)(K+), and inner capacitance) for both aluminosilicates. However, the TLM was able to describe the acidity and complexation constants better since it considered the formation of the outer sphere complex between the background electrolyte and the surface. Then, the TLM makes it possible to describe real systems.

Deficiencia selectiva familiar somatotrofina / Familial growth hormone deficiency

Las formas de deficiencia aislada de hormona de crecimiento son poco frecuentes. Se presentan 2 casos de deficiencia aislada de somatotrofina, un hombre adulto y su hija. El probando, hija única a la edad de 2 a 7 edad de 2 2 a 7 meses medía 69,0 y tenía las características clínicas descritas en el hipopituitarismo infantil. Sus niveles séricos de hormona de crecimiento fueron subnormales y no respondió a la hipoglicemia inducida ni a GRF. El padre tiene una talla de 139,0 cm, también con las características clínicas de deficiencia de hormona de crecimiento. En ambos pacientes el resto de la función hipofisiaria fue normal. Las diferentes formas genéticas de enanismo hipofisiario corresponde a una forma autosómica dominante y esta familia representa la primera que se publica en Chile