Emerging Hyalomma lusitanicum: From identification to vectorial role and integrated control.

In the Mediterranean basin, the tick species Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch stands out among other species of the Hyalomma genus due to its wide distribution, and there is great concern about its potential role as a vector and/or reservoir and its continuous expansion to new areas because of climate warming and human and other animal movements. This review aims to consolidate all the information on H. lusitanicum, including taxonomy and evolution, morphological and molecular identification, life cycle, sampling methods, rearing under laboratory conditions, ecology, hosts, geographical distribution, seasonality, vector role and control methods. The availability of adequate data is extremely relevant to the development of appropriate control strategies in areas where this tick is currently distributed as well as in new areas where it could become established in the near future.

Brain inflammatory thrombogenic vasculopathy related with SARS-CoV-2 infection / Vasculopatía trombogénica inflamatoria del cerebro relacionada con la infección del SARS-CoV-2

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Hemotórax como forma de debut de neoplasias pancreatobiliares: un reto diagnóstico / Haemothorax as an unusual presentation of pancreatobiliary neoplasms: a diagnostic challenge

El hemotórax es una entidad causada habitualmente por traumatismos. Sin embargo, puede aparecer en el contexto de otras etiologías como las neoplasias, las coagulopatías o las enfermedades autoinmunes. Mujer de 77 años que acudió al Servicio de Urgencias por tos y disnea. La radiografía de tórax mostró derrame pleural izquierdo. Se colocó un drenaje pleural obteniendo contenido hemático. Se realizó una TAC que descartó patología torácica, pero mostró una neoplasia pancreática. La pleuroscopia confirmó la existencia de carcinomatosis pleural. El estudio anatomopatológico de las biopsias pleurales junto con los hallazgos clínicorradiológicos fueron altamente sugestivos de la etiología maligna pancreática como etiología del hemotórax. La etiología del hemotórax no traumático supone en ocasiones un reto diagnóstico. En pacientes con hemotórax y sin antecedentes traumáticos debe descartarse la etiología neoplásica del mismo

Haemothorax is more often caused by trauma. However, non-traumatic haemothorax has been associated to other aetiologies such as neoplasms, coagulopathy or autoimmune diseases. A 77-year-old woman was admitted to Hospital because of cough and dyspnoea. Chest-X-ray showed left pleural effusion. A chest tube revealed the presence of an haemothorax. A CT-scan dismissed thoracic aetiology of haemothorax but showed a pancreatobiliary neoplasm. Pleuroscopy confirmed pleural carcinomatosis. The anatomopathological features of pleural biopsies altogether with clinical and radiological findings suggested pancreatobiliary malignancy as the aetiology of the haemothorax. The aetiology of non-traumatic haemothorax is sometimes a diagnostic challenge. In patients with non-traumatic haemothorax, neoplastic aetiology should be always dismissed

The experience of living with advanced-stage cancer: a thematic synthesis of the literature.

The aim of the study was to understand the experience of people living with advanced-stage cancer through literature. The search included The Cochrane Library, PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL and Cuiden. Thirteen studies were included. A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted. One thread emerged from the thematic synthesis: the desire to live as normally as possible, despite being aware of the proximity of death. Three themes also emerged: "a process that is unique" with its four sub-themes; "support network" and "health context," each of them having two sub-themes. This study concludes that living with advanced-stage cancer is a unique and complex process which has both positive and negative aspects. The review provides a comprehensive view of the experience, which considers the importance of the support network and the health context in which the person lives. In this study, "normalcy" is the adjustment to the new reality and living as closely as possible to the way one lived before the disease, while developing a new relationship with being finite and death. A better understanding of the experience of living with advanced-stage cancer will help health professionals to identify the needs of the patients in order to plan individual, high-quality care.

Determination of selected environmental contaminants in foraging honeybees.

Colony losses of honeybees have been of great concern in the last years. To explain these losses, several studies have been reported, and various factors, such as pathogens and pesticides, have been considered as possible causes. Nevertheless, organic contaminants, rather than pesticides, are continuously released to the environment, and can be intercepted by honeybees during foraging with the possible consequent damage. Azoles and organophosphorus esters have been selected in this work as environmental contaminants to be monitored in honeybees. A fast and robust method has been developed to determine these organic pollutants in honeybees. It is based on matrix solid phase dispersion (MSPD), which performs sample dispersion with extraction and clean up in the same step, followed by LC-ESI-MS/MS determination. Recoveries of the method varied between 73% and 119% and MQLs ranged from 0.8 to 4 ng g(-1). Honeybee samples from ten apiaries located in different regions were analyzed applying the developed method. Azole compounds were found at low levels, but not in all samples, while organophosphorus esters were found in most samples whatever location. Tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate, TCPP, and tributyl phosphate, TBP, were detected in all honeybees samples at levels higher than the rest of organophosphates analyzed.

Screening of environmental contaminants in honey bee wax comb using gas chromatography-high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

This study reports an analytical approach intended to be used for investigation of non-targeted environmental contaminants and to characterize the organic pollution pattern of bee wax comb samples. The method comprises a generic extraction followed by detection with gas chromatography coupled to high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC-TOF-MS), operated in electron impact ionization (EI) mode. The screening approach for the investigation of non-targeted contaminants consisted of initial peak detection by deconvolution and matching the first-stage mass spectra EI-MS(1) with a nominal mass spectral library. To gain further confidence in the structural characterization of the contaminants under investigation, the molecular formula of representative ions (molecular ion when present in the EI spectrum) and, for at least other two fragment ions, was provided for those with an accurate mass scoring (mass error < 5 ppm). This methodology was applied for screening environmental contaminants in 50 samples of bee wax comb. This approach has allowed the tentative identification of some GC-amenable contaminants belonging to different chemical groups, among them, phthalates and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), along with residues of veterinary treatments used in apiculture.

Uptake of perfluorinated compounds by plants grown in nutrient solution.

The uptake rates of three perfluorinated carboxylates and three perfluorinated sufonates by a grass (B diandrus) grown in nutrient solution at two different perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) concentrations were assessed. Grass can be ingested by grazing animals causing the PFCs to enter the food chain, which is a pathway of human exposure to these compounds. A rapid and miniaturized method was developed to determine PFCs in plants, based on a matrix solid-phase dispersion (MSPD) extraction procedure followed by quantitation by HPLC-MS/MS with an MQL in the range from 1 to 9 ng/g. An increase of PFCs levels in plant was observed along the exposure time. Differences in uptake for studied perfluorinated carboxylates were found, showing a decrease with carbon chain length (from 3027 to 1,167 ng/g at the end of assay), whereas no significant differences in absorption were obtained between perfluorinated sulfonates (about 1,700 ng/g). Initially, higher PFC transfer factors (ratio between concentration in plant and concentration in initial nutrient solution) were obtained for plants growing in the nutrient solution at the highest PFC concentration, but these factors became similar with time to plants exposed to the lowest concentration.

Determination of parabens in environmental solid samples by ultrasonic-assisted extraction and liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry.

Analysis of various p-hydroxybenzoic esters (methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, propyl, benzyl, and butylparaben) in environmental solid samples was carried out by sonication-assisted extraction in small columns (SAESC) followed by liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Solid samples were placed in small glass columns and extraction performed assisted by sonication in two consecutive steps of 15 min using acetonitrile as extraction solvent. Sample extracts were evaporated under nitrogen stream to 1 ml and analysed by LC-MS/MS. Satisfactory recoveries were obtained ranging from 83% to 110% depending on the analyte. Good limits of quantification (LOQs), between 0.11 and 0.49 ng g(-1) were obtained for LC-MS/MS, making this technique suitable for the determination of parabens in environmental solid samples, particularly at trace level. The developed method was applied to the determination of target analytes in different types of soil and sediments, finding levels between LOD and 6.35 ng g(-1).

DFT characterization of adsorbed NH(x) species on Pt(100) and Pt(111) surfaces.

Periodic density functional theory (DFT) calculations using plane waves have been performed to systematically investigate the adsorption and relative stability of ammonia and its dehydrogenated species on Pt(111) and Pt(100) surfaces. Different adsorption geometries and positions have been studied, and in each case, the equilibrium configuration has been determined by relaxation of the system. The vibrational spectra of the various ammonia fragments have been computed, and band assignments have been compared in detail with available experimental data. The adsorption of NH3 (on top) and NH2 (bridge) is more favorable on Pt(100) than on Pt(111), while similar adsorption energies were computed for NH (hollow) and N (hollow) on both surfaces. The remarkably lower adsorption energy of NH2 over Pt(111) as compared with Pt(100) (the difference being approximately 0.7 eV) can be related to different geometric and electronic factors associated with this particular intermediate. Accordingly, the type of platinum surface determines the most stable NH(x) fragment: Pt(100) has more affinity for NH2 species, whereas NH species are preferred over Pt(111).

Vitrification of in vitro produced bovine embryos: in vitro and in vivo evaluations.

The efficacy of different vitrification solutions to cryopreserve in vitro produced bovine blastocysts was evaluated based upon in vitro development of embryos in culture and on in vivo development of embryos transferred into recipients. In the first experiment, ethylene glycol + glycerol (Eg + Gly) + different sucrose concentrations were evaluated. There were no significant differences in development rates among solutions. As for hatching, the Eg + Gly + 0.1 M sucrose group had a greater rate as compared with Eg + Gly + 0 M sucrose and Eg + Gly + 0.5 M sucrose groups in the evaluations of Day 6, Day 7 and Day 6 + Day 7 embryos; and, Eg + Gly + 0.3 M sucrose group had a greater rate as compared with the Eg + Gly + 0 M sucrose and Eg + Gly + 0.5 M sucrose groups in evaluations of Day 6 and Day 6 + Day 7 embryos. There were no significant differences in development and hatching rates between Day 6 and 7 in in vitro produced bovine embryos within each treatment group. There were significant differences in nuclei number after vitrification between Eg + Gly + 0.1 M and Eg + Gly + 0 M sucrose groups and the Eg + Gly + 0.5 M sucrose group. Pregnancy after 60 days of transfer and calving rates showed a difference between in vivo produced embryos freshly transferred and in vitro produced embryos vitrified with Eg + Gly + 0.3 M. There were no significant differences in gestation length and sex ratio between treatments. As for birth weight, there were significant differences between fresh in vivo produced embryos and all treatments of in vitro produced embryos. There were significant differences in dystocial parturition between in vivo produced embryos and all treatments with in vitro produced embryos. These results demonstrate that vitrification can be used successfully in the cryopreservation of in vitro produced bovine embryos, and that it might be considered for use in commercial programs.

Pregnancy rates after transfer of frozen bovine embryos: a field trial.

An efficient and practical technique for bovine embryo cryopreservation is a fundamental issue in the widespread use of embryo transfer. The present study shows results obtained in field experiments. In the first experiment, two slow-freezing methods using glycerol and a one-step method using ethylene glycol were compared: glycerol added in two steps (5 and then 10%), glycerol added in one step (10%) and 1.5 M ethylene glycol with direct transfer. The three methods were equally effective; pregnancy rates of 40.4, 39.1 and 45.4%, respectively were achieved. In the second experiment, using 1.5 M ethylene glycol with direct transfer, 20 and 5 min of equilibration of the cryoprotectant were tested. There were no observed significant differences in pregnancy rates. In the third experiment, ethylene glycol and propylene glycol were combined with three sucrose concentrations (0, 0.1 or 0.3 M) in a one-step method. It was observed that ethylene glycol and 0.1 M sucrose yielded the highest pregnancy rate, not differing from fresh controls. Similar pregnancy rates were noted after using multiple-step or one-step methods, but the one-step method is preferable due to its simplicity and applicability to field conditions.

[Susac syndrome as a cause of sensorineural hearing loss]. / Síndrome de Susac como causa de hipoacusia neurosensorial.

Susac's syndrome is an extremely rare clinical manifestation characterized by the triad of fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss, sudden visual loss and encephalopathy. Probably underdiagnosed, it affects young women who start the clinical history with headache, visual and hearing disturbances, with neurological findings in MRI. With unknown aetiology, pathogenesis is based on arteriolar microinfarcts in retina, cochlea, and grey and white matter in the brain. Treatment is, as stated in the bibliography and our experience, intravenous high doses of steroids followed by oral steroids together with hyperbaric oxygen to minimize ischaemic lesions. Aspirin associate to nimodipine has been useful to date in the treatment of our patient. We present a case and review the existing literature.

Síndrome de Susac como causa de hipoacusia neurosensorial / Susac's syndrome as a cause of sensorineural hearing loss

El síndrome de Susac es un cuadro extremadamente raro caracterizado por la tríada de hipoacusia neurosensorial fluctuante, pérdida visual repentina y encefalopatía. Probablemente infradiagnosticado, afecta a mujeres jóvenes que inician el cuadro con migrañas, alteraciones visuales y auditivas, con hallazgos neurológicos característicos en la RNM. Con una etiología desconocida, la patogenia se basa en microinfartos arteriolares en la retina, cóclea, sustancia gris y blanca del SNC. El tratamiento es, por lo recogido en la bibliografía y nuestra experiencia, esteroides a altas dosis intravenosos seguidos de esteroides orales como primera elección asociado a oxígeno hiperbárico para minimizar las lesiones isquémicas. La aspirina asociada a nimodipino ha resultado eficaz, hasta la fecha, en el tratamiento de nuestra paciente. Presentamos un caso y revisamos la literatura existente (AU)

Susac's syndrome is an extremely rare clinical manifestation characterized by the triad of fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss, sudden visual loss and encephalopathy. Probably underdiagnosed, it affects young women who start the clinical history with headache, visual and hearing disturbances, with neurological findings in MRI. With unknown aetiology, pathogenesis is based on arteriolar microinfarcts in retina, cochlea, and grey and white matter in the brain. Treatment is, as stated in the bibliography and our experience, intravenous high doses of steroids followed by oral steroids together with hyperbaric oxygen to minimize ischaemic lesions. Aspirin associate to nimodipine has been useful to date in the treatment of our patient. We present a case and review the existing literature (AU)

Seguridad y salud ocupacional en la industria de la construcción / Security and occupatinal health in the building industry

La industria de la construcción ha sido tradicionalmente considerada como un trabajo riesgoso, debido a la alta incidencia de accidentes ocupacionales y, sobre todo, de lesiones fatales. Además es una actividad que emplea una significativa cantidad de mano de obra. Históricamente, los programas de salud y seguridad ocupacionales en la construcción se han ocupado más del área de la seguridad, por ejemplo, en la prevención de accidentes. Sin embargo, está comenzando a conocerse la verdadera dimensión de las enfermedades relacionadas con las condiciones de trabajo en esa industria. Los riesgos a los cuales están enfrentados los trabajadores de la construcción son el resultado de una deficiente planificación. Organizar un trabajo en la construcción requiere siempre planeamiento. Además, la seguridad de los trabajadores, la productividad y la calidad del trabajo sólo pueden garantizarse si hay suficientes trabajadores capacitados y herramientas y equipos apropiados. El proyecto seguro establece, define, cuantifica y presupuesta las medidas preventivas (protección colectiva, señalización, equipos de protección personal, entrenamiento, primeros auxilios), y las comodidades (agua potable, servicios sanitarios, instalaciones para la higiene y el cambio de ropa) que deben aplicarse en un sitio particular de la construcción. La OIT siempre prestó atención a la salud y la seguridad en la industria de la construcción. En el nuevo standard adoptado en la Convención N§ 167 se han actualizado los puntos sobre la planificación y coordinación de los trabajos en una obra en construcción...

Seguridad y salud ocupacional en la industria de la construcción / Security and occupatinal health in the building industry

La industria de la construcción ha sido tradicionalmente considerada como un trabajo riesgoso, debido a la alta incidencia de accidentes ocupacionales y, sobre todo, de lesiones fatales. Además es una actividad que emplea una significativa cantidad de mano de obra. Históricamente, los programas de salud y seguridad ocupacionales en la construcción se han ocupado más del área de la seguridad, por ejemplo, en la prevención de accidentes. Sin embargo, está comenzando a conocerse la verdadera dimensión de las enfermedades relacionadas con las condiciones de trabajo en esa industria. Los riesgos a los cuales están enfrentados los trabajadores de la construcción son el resultado de una deficiente planificación. Organizar un trabajo en la construcción requiere siempre planeamiento. Además, la seguridad de los trabajadores, la productividad y la calidad del trabajo sólo pueden garantizarse si hay suficientes trabajadores capacitados y herramientas y equipos apropiados. El proyecto seguro establece, define, cuantifica y presupuesta las medidas preventivas (protección colectiva, señalización, equipos de protección personal, entrenamiento, primeros auxilios), y las comodidades (agua potable, servicios sanitarios, instalaciones para la higiene y el cambio de ropa) que deben aplicarse en un sitio particular de la construcción. La OIT siempre prestó atención a la salud y la seguridad en la industria de la construcción. En el nuevo standard adoptado en la Convención Nº 167 se han actualizado los puntos sobre la planificación y coordinación de los trabajos en una obra en construcción...(AU)

Influence of soil moisture on sorption and degradation of hexazinone and simazine in soil.

Sorption and degradation rates of hexazinone and simazine on soil were determined in a sandy loam soil incubated, during 44 days, at 25 degrees C with moisture contents ranging from 4% to 18%. Herbicide levels in soil solution were also measured, after extraction of this solution by a centrifugation method. All experiments were conducted with treated soil in plastic columns, and the results showed that this method is suitable for the simultaneous study of pesticide sorption and degradation in soil at different environmental conditions. In general, sorption of both herbicides was higher for aged herbicide residues compared to recently applied herbicides, and soil subjected to drying and rewetting cycles had the highest sorption values. K(f) values ranged from 0.5 to 1.2 for simazine and from 0.2 to 0.4 for hexazinone. Degradation rates increased with soil moisture content for both herbicides, and drying-rewetting of soil yielded degradation rates slower than that obtained at 10% soil moisture content. Hexazinone concentration in soil solution decreased with incubation time faster than simazine.

A lineal equation for the classification of progressive and hyperactive spermatozoa.

Capacitation of spermatozoa, a complex sequence of events that render them able to fertilize the egg, is generally associated with a switch from lineal, progressive movement to a vigorous, non-progressive pattern characterized by starlike tracks, a process known as hyperactivation. Development of a method for the analysis of progressive and hyperactive tracks is thus important for the assessment of capacitation in biochemical, physiological and clinical studies. In this study, we have applied a two-step heuristic model to deduce a lineal equation that discriminates hyperactive from progressive spermatozoa. The kinetic parameters (curvilinear velocity (VCL), linearity (LIN), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), straightness (STR), wobble (WOB), mean 'dance' (DAN) and velocity of the average path (VAP)) of ram spermatozoa were evaluated with a computerized motility analyzer, and classified one by one as progressive or hyperactive by the appearance of their tracks. In a first step, a discriminating plane was defined by minimizing the number of misclassified spermatozoa ('conflicting points'); then, the plane was adjusted by an iterative process to minimize the distance from conflicting points to it. The resulting plane showed a discriminating capacity of over 95% for both classes, higher than that achieved by setting a threshold value for the parameters taken separately or in group. When included in a standard semen analysis, application of the equation allowed a rapid assessment of the percentage of hyperactive spermatozoa. The method described, developed in ram spermatozoa, can be applied to different species for a variety of purposes.

[Vesicoureteral tuberculosis. Apropos of a case]. / Tuberculosis vesicoureteral. A propósito de un caso.

A case of vesicoureteral tuberculosis is described. The clinical onset was like a tumor of this localization, with overlapping of clinical symptoms and radiologic findings. The histological study and the histochemical stains was the key to the diagnosis. We think that the coincidence of both clinical and radiologic findings, justified the interest of the case in de differential diagnosis.

In vitro capacitating effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid in ram spermatozoa.

We have evaluated the capacitating effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in ram spermatozoa in vitro, in a chemically defined medium, by means of the chlortetracycline (CTC) binding assay. Semen from adult Australian Merino rams was collected in an artificial vagina; spermatozoa were washed once in modified Biggers, Whitten, and Wittingham medium (m-BWW), without BSA or serum, and incubated in m-BWW alone or in m-BWW containing GABA, GABA agonists, or antagonists for 2 h at 38.5 degrees C under 5% CO2 in air. Samples were taken for assessment of CTC binding pattern or were further incubated for 15 min in the presence of 5 microM calcium ionophore A23187. Acrosomal exocytosis was evaluated by Pisum sativum agglutinin binding. Addition of GABA to the incubation medium resulted in a concentration-dependent increase in the percentage of CTC forms II and III, corresponding to mid-capacitated and capacitated spermatozoa, respectively. The effect was marginally significant at 1 microM and maximal at 20 microM. The action of 20 microM GABA was mimicked by the GABAB-receptor agonist, muscimol, but not by the GABAA-receptor agonist, baclofen, and completely blocked by the GABAA-receptor antagonists, bicuculline and picrotoxin, which lacked effect per se. In a separate set of experiments, incubation of spermatozoa with GABA at a concentration of 1 microM, which was insufficient to stimulate sperm capacitation, together with the neuroactive steroid allopregnanolone (1 microM) provoked a capacitating effect similar to that achieved by 20 microM GABA alone. These results show that GABA has a capacitating action on ram spermatozoa through a GABAA receptor-mediated mechanism.