Effect of the earthquake-tsunami (Chile, 2010) on toxic metal content in the Chilean abalone mollusc Concholepas concholepas.

Toxic metal content were measured in samples of mollusc Concholepas concholepas obtained from the Chilean coast. Samples were collected during two periods, one before and one after the earthquake-tsunami which occurred in the Maule Region, Chile, February 27th, 2010 as a result of an earthquake with a magnitude of 8.8. Quantification of toxic metals in samples of hepatopancreas and muscle tissue was performed using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The analytical methodology was validated with certified reference material. The content means measured in muscle tissue for January 2010 were Cu: 10.3; Cr: 0.7; Cd: < 0.1; Mn: 3.6 and Zn: 38.6 µg g-1 (dry weight). For October 2014, the means were Cu: 8; Cr: 2.4; Cd: < 0.1; Mn: 5.6 and Zn: 45.4 µg g-1 (dry weight). In hepatopancreas tissue, the content means were Cu: 14.8; Cr: 2.4; Cd: 246.2; Mn: 4.4 and Zn: 1552.9 µg g-1 (dry weight). For October 2014, the means were Cu: 53.7; Cr: 3.5; Cd: 118; Mn: 13.4 and Zn: 1352.3 µg g-1 (dry weight). Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn and Zn content in the samples of hepatopancreas were generally higher than those recorded in muscle tissue however they were not always statistically significant. Statistical analysis showed that Cu and Mn content in the post-tsunami period increased in the hepatopancreas tissue. The concentrations of Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, and Zn measured in the muscular tissue (edible part) of the species Conchalepas concholepas, were lower than the maximum contents allowed by the current legislation (FAO/WHO, 2004; EU, 2001) and its consumption is not a risk to human health.

Cardiología y cirugía cardíaca pediátricas / Pedaitric cardiology and cardiac surgery

Las cardiopatías congénitas representan uno de los aspectos de más complejo manejo. En el momento actual, la mayoría de ellas son diagnosticadas en el período fetal y, aunque la mayoría de ellas van a poder ser tratadas y cuadradas definitivamente, muchas van a requerir un seguimiento e intervenciones de distinto tipo durante toda la vida. Para ello se necesita que estos pacientes sean atendidos en centros, muy especializados con experiencia e infraestructura. El Hospital Infantil la Paz mantiene un compromiso, desde su inauguración hace más de cuarenta años, y dispone de personal altamente cualificado y de los medios físicos y tecnológicos adecuados, siendo sus unidades reconocidas a nivel ministerial (AU)

Congenital heart disease management is extremely delicate. Most of the patients are diagnosed in fetal life, and although the majority will be treated and discharge, many of them will require continuous follow-up and several kinds of interventions along their life. Therefore, these patients should be managed in high qualified centers, with experience and resources. The Hospital Infantil La Paz has been committed with these patients for more than forty years, with well trained personnel and adequate technology and is officially recognized (AU)

Assessment of Bradykinesia in Parkinson's disease patients through a multi-parametric system.

The aim of this paper is to describe and present the results of the automatic detection and assessment of bradykinesia in motor disease patients using wireless, wearable accelerometers. The current work is related to a module of the PERFORM system, a FP7 project from the European Commission, that aims at providing an innovative and reliable tool, able to evaluate, monitor and manage patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. The assessment procedure was carried out through a developed C# library that detects the activities of the patient using an activity recognition algorithm and classifies the data using a Support Vector Machine trained with data coming from previous test phases. The accuracy between the output of the automatic detection and the evaluation of the clinician both expressed with the Unified Parkinson's disease Rating Scale, presents an average value of [68.3 ± 8.9]%. A meta-analysis algorithm is used in order to improve the accuracy to an average value of [74.4 ± 14.9]%. Future work will include a personalized training of the classifiers in order to achieve a higher level of accuracy.

Gait assessment in Parkinson's disease patients through a network of wearable accelerometers in unsupervised environments.

Parkinson's disease (PD) predominantly alters the motor performance of the affected individuals. In particular, the loss of dopaminergic neurons compromises the speed, the automaticity and fluidity of movements. As the disease evolves, PD patient's motion becomes slower and tremoric and the response to medication fluctuates along the day. In addition, the presence of involuntary movements deteriorates voluntary movement in advanced state of the disease. These changes in the motion can be detected by studying the variation of the signals recorded by accelerometers attached in the limbs and belt of the patients. The analysis of the most significant changes in these signals make possible to build an individualized motor profile of the disease, allowing doctors to personalize the medication intakes and consequently improving the response of the patient to the treatment. Several works have been done in a laboratory and supervised environments providing solid results; this work focused on the design of unsupervised method for the assessment of gait in PD patients. The development of a reliable quantitative tool for long-term monitoring of PD symptoms would allow the accurate detection of the clinical status during the different PD stages and the evaluation of motor complications. Besides, it would be very useful both for routine clinical care as well as for novel therapies testing.

Cirugía de arco aortica en neonatos y lactantes con perfusión cerebral selectiva: resultados a corto y medio plazo (AU) / Aortic arch surgery with selective cerebral perfusion in neonates and infants. Short and middle term results

Introducción: La cirugía de arco aórtico en neonatos y lactantes históricamente se realizaba con circulación extracorpórea, hipotermia profunda y parada circulatoria total, que como complicación pueden causar daño cerebral. Las técnicas de perfusión cerebral selectiva (PSC) permiten reducir o eliminar la parada, protegiendo al cerebro que recibe en todo momento sangre oxigenada. Presentamos nuestra experiencia con estas operaciones. Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 40 pacientes con reconstrucción quirúrgica de la arco aórtico desde 2002 hasta 2009, empleando técnicas de PSC. Análisis de distintas variables con especial interés en la cirugía realizada y en los resultados a corto-medio plazo. Estudio estadístico con SPSS versión 15.0. Resultados: Edad: 1,3 ± 2,4 meses; peso 3,4 ± 1,7 kg; 55% varones. Cardiopatía asociada en un 90%. Morfología del arco aórtico: hipoplásico 62%; interrumpido 30%; recoartación postquirúrgica en 2 niños. El 82% necesitaron prostaglandinas intravenosas. La anastomosis aórtica fue terminolateral (avance aórtico) en el 77,5%, termino terminal en el 17,5% y aortoplastia con parche en el 5%. La PSC duró 36 ± 11 minutos a 23º C rectales, canulando el tronco braquiocefálico en el 47%, reduciendo los flujos a 30-40 ml/kg/min. La monitorización cerebral se hizo con presión radial derecha y saturación cerebral (INVOS). La mortalidad hospitalaria fue del 10% y la tardía del 2,7%. Durante la estancia hospitalaria concurrieron: lesión del recurrente 38%, reintervención por recoartación precoz 5%, e infarto cerebral 2,8%. El seguimiento medio es de 26 ± 21 meses. En la evolución posterior se recortaron 3 pacientes (8%) precisando 2 de ellos angioplastia percutánea. Conclusiones: La PSC en la reconstrucción del arco aórtico permite al cirujano gran precisión, minimizando el riesgo de injuria cerebral. La mortalidad hospitalaria es aceptable y en cuanto a la morbilidad destaca la lesión del nervio recurrente asociado a la movilización aórtica y a la resección ductal. La evolución posterior es buen estando el 92% de los pacientes libres de recoartación (AU)

Background: Infantil and neonatal aortic arch surgery historically has been performed with deep hypothermia and cirucularoty arrest (DHCA). Neurodevelopment impairment could be a side effect of DHCA. Antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP) techniques let us reduce or even not use DHCA, so protecting the brain form hypoxic ischemic injury. We revise our experience with these operations. Methods: Retrospective study of 40 patients with aortic arch surgery from 2002 until 2009, using ACP. We analyze operative techniques, surgical results, morbid-morbidity and follow-up. Statistical study with SPSS 15.0. Results: Age: 1,3 ± 2,4 months; weigh: 3,4 ± 1,7 kg; 55% males. Cardipathy associated in 90%. The aortic arch was hypoplastic in 62&, interrupted in 30%, and was restenosed post surgery in 2 patients. Intravenous prostaglandins were used in 82%. Aortic arch anastomosis was termino-lateral in 77,5%, termino-terminal in 17,5% and patch aortoplaty in 5%. ACP duration was 36 ± 11 minutes, 23ºC rectal, with in nominate artery cannulation in 47%, and flow reduced to 30-40 ml/kg/min. Brain monitorization used right radial artery pressure and cerebral saturation (INVOS). Hospital mortality was 10%. Hospital morbidity: Vocal cord paralysis in 38%, recoarctation with reoperation in 5%, and brain stroke in 2,8%. Mean follow-up was 26 ± 21 months, with 2,7% mortality, and 3 patients with recoarctation (8%, percutaneous angioplasty performed in 2 children). Conclusion: Aortic arch surgery with ACP minimize neurologic injury. Hospital mortality is acceptable, but vocal cord paralysis is still an important problem, probably caused during aortic dissection. After hospital stay the evolution is good with 92% patients free of recoarctation (AU)

Tratamientos actuales aplicables a la transposición de las grandes arterias / Current treatment of complete transposition of the great arteries

Las distintas variantes de trasposición completa de grandes arterias (GA) constituyen el 8% del total de cardiopatías congénitas. Además, la TGA es la primera causa de cianosis neonatal de origen cardíaco. Por su frecuencia y homogeneidad, la corrección anatómica de la TGA simples es el principal marcador de calidad de un programa de cirugía cardíaca neonatal. Se incide en aspectos fisiopatológicos, diagnóstico y de manejo pre y postoperatorio y se revisan históricamente las diferentes técnicas quirúrgicas que se han empleado para reparar las TGA simples y complejas, hasta la corrección anatómica (operación de Jatene). Se analiza la mejora en la mortalidad hospitalaria y tardía hasta llegar a la excelencia situación actual, que ha variado el ominosos pronóstico de esta cardiopatía, abandonada a su evolución natural. En cualquier caso, los pacientes portadores de una TGA reparada, aún asintomáticos y sin tratamiento farmacológico, necesitarán revisiones cardiológicos de por vida (AU)

Different forms of transposition of the great arteries are a common form (8%) of congenital heart disease, being the primary cause of neonatal cardiac cyanosis. The anatomic correction of simple TGA is the main quality marker of any programme of neonatal cardiac surgery. We review pathophysiology, the improvent of pre and postoperative care, diagnostic criteria and the different surgical techniques, till the anatomic correction (arterial switch operation). Actually, hospital and late results are excellent, but even asympthomatics patients with a corrected TGA need cardiology follow-up for ever (AU)

Evidence of activity-dependent withdrawal of corticospinal projections during human development.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the development of ipsilateral corticospinal projections from birth and compare to 1) development of contralateral projections in the same subjects and 2) ipsilateral corticospinal projections in subjects with unilateral lesions of the corticospinal system acquired perinatally or in adulthood. METHOD: Transcranial magnetic stimulation excited the motor cortex, and responses were recorded bilaterally in pectoralis major, biceps brachii, and the first dorsal interosseus muscles. Subjects studied included 9 neonates recruited at birth, studied longitudinally for 2 years; 85 healthy subjects aged from birth to adulthood; 10 subjects with hemiplegic cerebral palsy; and 8 with hemiplegia after stroke. RESULTS: In neonates, ipsilateral responses had significantly shorter onsets than contralateral responses but similar thresholds and amplitudes. Thresholds within both pathways increased in the first 3 months. Differential development was present from 3 months so that by 18 months ipsilateral responses were significantly smaller and had significantly higher thresholds and longer onset latencies than contralateral responses. A similar pattern of smaller and later ipsilateral responses was observed after transcranial magnetic stimulation of the intact cortex in subjects with stroke. In contrast, subjects with hemiplegic cerebral palsy had ipsilateral responses with onsets, thresholds and amplitudes similar to those of contralateral responses. Significant branching of contralateral corticospinal axons from the intact motor cortex was excluded by cross-correlation analysis. CONCLUSIONS: These data, together with previously published anatomic and radiologic studies, are consistent with activity-dependent corticospinal axonal withdrawal during development and maintenance of increased corticomotoneuronal projections from the intact hemisphere after unilateral perinatal lesions.

[The bidirectional Glenn operation in 100 cases with complex congenital heat diseases: factors influencing surgical results]. / La operación de Glenn bidirectional en 100 casos con cardiopatías congénitas complejas: factores determinantes del resultado quirúrgico.

OBJECTIVE: The bidirectional Glenn shunt is a well established surgical technique in children with complex congenital heart disease. The present study is a retrospective analysis of patients undergoing this operation in order to assess the influence of different variables in the outcome. PATIENTS AND METHOD: From December 1990 to June 2000, 100 patients received a bidirectional Glenn shunt. Two groups were defined, based on the outcome. Group A (n = 15, unsuccessfully result) including death and need to reoperate, and Group B (n = 85, patients with good outcome). RESULTS: The mortality was 8%. Eight patients were reoperated at follow-up. The survivors were followed for a mean of 3.5 years. Mean pulmonary artery pressure 7 mmHg was a factor associated with poor clinical progress. Other variables (age less than 1 year, excessive pulmonary blood flow, double Glenn operation, significant anatomic anomalies, and arrythmias), were also associated with outcome. Significant variations were observed in the time of by-pass or the need for aortic clamp in cases with simultaneous operative repair of pulmonary branch stenosis. Actuarial survival rate, most more than 1 year was 92%, and freedom from reoperation at 3 years was 90%. CONCLUSIONS: The bidirectional Glenn shunt is an excellent palliation in patients with functionally single ventricle. Mean pulmonary artery pressure was the most important variable related with the outcome. We are encouraged to continue with tendency to perform bidirectional Glenn shunt preferably early, avoiding, whenever possible, previous palliative surgery.

Abnormal corticospinal function but normal axonal guidance in human L1CAM mutations.

L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) gene mutations are associated with X-linked 'recessive' neurological syndromes characterized by spasticity of the legs. L1CAM knock-out mice show hypoplasia of the corticospinal tract and failure of corticospinal axonal decussation and projection beyond the cervical spinal cord. The aim of this study was to determine if similar neuropathology underlies the spastic diplegia of males hemizygous for L1CAM mutations. Studies were performed on eight carrier females and 10 hemizygous males. Transcranial magnetic stimulation excited the corticospinal tract and responses were recorded in biceps brachii and quadriceps femoris. In contralateral biceps and quadriceps the responses had high thresholds and delayed onset compared with normal subjects. Ipsilateral responses in biceps were smaller, with higher thresholds and delayed onsets relative to contralateral responses. Subthreshold corticospinal conditioning of the stretch reflex of biceps and quadriceps was abnormal in both hemizygous males and carrier females suggesting there may also be a reduced projection to inhibitory interneurones. Histological examination of post-mortem material from a 2-week-old male with an L1CAM mutation revealed normal corticospinal decussation and axonal projections to lumbar spinal segments. These data support a role for L1CAM in corticospinal tract development in hemizygous males and 'carrier' females, but do not support a critical role for L1CAM in corticospinal axonal guidance.

[The pulmonary artery closure may be a thromboembolic risk factor in patients with bidirectional cavo-pulmonary (Glenn) shunt]. / El cierre arterial pulmonar puede ser un factor de riesgo tromboembólico en pacientes con anastomosis cavopulmonar (Glenn) bidireccional.

Postoperative thrombosis after the Fontan procedure has been well noted in the literature, and its risk factors are also well known. In contrast, thrombosis after the bilateral cavo-pulmonary shunt (Glenn) has been rarely reported and almost always occurs around the anastomosis itself or near it, mainly causing pulmonary embolism. We present 2 cases with cerebral embolism 2-7 months after pulmonary artery closure and Glenn procedure, due to dislodgement of a thrombus in the proximal pulmonary artery stump. Based on these two cases and a few others reported in the literature, we want to call the attention to this new cause of thromboembolism after Glenn and stimulate discussion about its incidence, risk factors and preventive measures.

[The bidirectional cavopulmonary (Glenn) shunt without cardiopulmonary bypass: a safe and advisable technique]. / Derivación cavopulmonar (Glenn) bidireccional sin circulación extracorpórea: una técnica segura y recomendable.

The bidirectional cavopulmonary (Glenn) shunt is almost a routine first step procedure for total cavopulmonary connection in children with single-ventricle cardiac anomalies. It is usually performed with cardiopulmonary bypass, of which adverse effects can be especially deleterious in these cardiac conditions. To avoid these adverse effects, we performed the cavopulmonary shunt in 5 children through sternotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass. There was no mortality nor morbidity. We think that this technique is safe, reproducible, and even advisable in children with single-ventricle anomalies.

[Interrupted aortic arch with aortopulmonary window. Total primary correction without extracorporeal circulation in the newborn]. / Interrupción del arco aórtico con ventana aortopulmonar. Corrección total primaria sin circulación extracorpórea en el neonato.

This report describes the unusual association between the interruption of the aortic arch type B and aortopulmonary window type II in a neonate. When the patient was 20 days old, a one-stage surgical repair was done through left side thoracotomy without circulatory by-pass, making a left carotid artery to descending aorta anastomosis, closing the window with a hemaclip, respectively. A routine 2-D Doppler color echocardiography performed in the immediate postoperative period showed the absence of blood flow in the right pulmonary artery. The patient required a new intervention, changing the position of the clip in order to restore the normal pulmonary blood flow. Eight months after surgery, the "neoaortic arch" grows in harmony with the body surface area, without signs of cerebral circulatory deficiency or significant gradient at any level.

[Divided left atrium: operative results and follow-up in the cor triatriatum]. / Aurícula izquierda dividida: resultados quirúrgicos y seguimiento en el cor triatriatum.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: A divided left atrium because of cor triatriatum is a relatively rare cardiac anomaly requiring corrective surgery. We describe here our clinical and surgical experience with this congenital heart defect as well as the different medium and long term diagnostic, surgical and evolution aspects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1981 to 1999, 15 children with cor triatriatum without complex associated cardiovascular defects underwent surgery at a mean age of 13 months (excision of the obstructive membrane). The surgical reports were reviewed and the clinical and echocardiographic data were analyzed before and after the intervention; six of these patients (40%) were referred to operating room only with the 2-D echo Doppler technique and color flow mapping information. The follow-up period ranged from 8 months to 19.3 years. RESULTS: Diagnosis was confirmed during the surgical procedure. One 9 month old patient died 60 days after a successful corrective surgery because of sepsis (7%). No late deaths or reoperations were found in the follow-up period. All 14 patients who survived the operation have a functional class I (NYHA), and they are asymptomatic in the follow-up. The overall survival rate was 93% (70% CI: 87-90). CONCLUSIONS: Corrective surgery with excision of the obstructive membrane dividing the left atrium restores normal anatomic, hemodynamic and clinical status in children with cor triatriatum without complex associated defects.

Accuracy of reported family histories of essential tremor.

We studied the accuracy of reported family histories of essential tremor (ET) by questioning the patients in our clinic and subsequently by mail and phone. For individuals who continued to report a negative family history, we mailed a screening questionnaire to their first-degree relatives to further ascertain the presence of ET. On initial assessment, 67.7% of patients reported a positive family history of ET, but following all assessments, 96.0% of patients had a positive family history. We conclude that a negative family history of ET is often inaccurate, and that ET is primarily a hereditary disease.

Shooting performance is related to forearm temperature and hand tremor size.

The changes in postural tremor of the hand and the subsequent effect on shooting performance produced by moderate cooling and heating of the forearm were studied in six subjects. Cooling produced a large decrease in tremor size of the ipsilateral hand, whereas warming the limb produced an increase in tremor size. Cooling or warming the forearm did not change the peak frequency of tremor significantly, which was quite stable for each subject. The improvement in shooting performance after cooling the forearm, as measured by grouping pattern of the shots, reached statistical significance and warming caused a significant worsening. This measure of performance was shown to correlate (r = 0.776) inversely with tremor size. The causes and implications of these changes are discussed. It is suggested that local cooling may be useful for people who wish temporarily to reduce tremor in order to improve dexterity for shooting and for other purposes.

[Cardiovascular surgery in Spain in 1992. The Registry of Operations of the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (SECCV)]. / Cirugía cardiovascular en España en el año 1992. Registro de operaciones de la Sociedad Española de Cirugía Cardiovascular (SECCV).

The Spanish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery Registry of 1992 includes data from 41 centers. Within this year a total of 24,127 patients were operated on, with an average of 588 operations/center. Twelve thousand twenty-two of these were cardiac operations under extracorporeal circulation, with an average of 300 cases/hospital. The average of cardiac surgeons/hospital was 5.9 and the average of open heart operations/surgeon was 50. For the first time, the number of coronary bypass surgeries was superior to that of valvular procedures (5,049 vs 4,951). In the coronary bypass patients the average of grafts/patient was 2.43. The number of valvular prostheses implanted was 5,526 and 81% of these were mechanical. The number of patients operated on for congenital cardiac defects was 2,251 (1,278 open heart surgeries and 973 closed). The global mortality in the patients operated on under extracorporeal circulation was 7.6% (7.0% in valvular, 7.9% in congenital and 5.4% in coronary bypass). There were 6,054 patients subjected to surgery for peripheral vascular disease.

The effect of alcohol on physiological tremor.

Ethanol reduces the size of essential tremor. We here show that, contrary to a recent report, ethanol also causes a large decrease in the size of physiological tremor. As in the case of essential tremor, the frequency is not changed. The reduction in tremor probably explains the well-known link between certain types of skilled activity and alcohol consumption.

Limb temperature and human tremors.

The changes in postural tremor of the hand produced by moderate cooling of the muscles of one forearm have been investigated in 16 normal subjects and in 16 patients with essential tremor. In both groups, cooling produced a profound long lasting decrease in tremor level of the ipsilateral hand. In normal subjects, although cooling reduced the tremor size, the EMG of the active muscle clearly increased. Warming the limb in normal subjects produced an increase in tremor level and decrease in EMG. Cooling or warming the limb did not, however, significantly change the peak frequency which was quite stable for each subject. The results of cooling were compared with a brief period of ischaemia, which also reduces tremor size. Local cooling may be a useful manoeuvre for patients with essential tremor, and for others who wish to reduce their tremor temporarily in order to improve dexterity.

[The National Data Bank of the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery. The pilot experience]. / Banco Nacional de Datos de la Sociedad Española de Cirugía Cardiovascular. Experiencia piloto.

Since 1988, the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery has been enjoying through its National Intervention Registry a complete information about the number and type of cardiovascular surgical operations, yearly performed all over the country. However a computerized National Data Bank would probably offer a more specific, quick and complete information, although its organization is more complex. We want to demonstrate that the creation of a National Data Bank is possible in our country. The following condition has been essential to carry out this initial work on the National Data Bank: The previous existence of a National Intervention Registry, the edition of an universally accepted questionnaire of 33 questions with multiple answers for each question, which includes quantitative and qualitative aspects like mortality, the acquisition of the software Pats Programme by most cardiovascular centers, and finally the enthusiastic dedication of 6 surgical groups. The results of this work also shown in multiples figures, are the final product of the computerized fusion of 6 cardiovascular centers data on operations performed through the year 1991. The results clearly offer a more specific, detailed and extensive information about quantitative and qualitative aspects of the surgical data, than that obtained through the National Intervention Registry. These results should not be extrapolated at national level, as the surgical groups involved in this work are not homogeneous and its number is quite small. This initial study shows that the creation of the National Data Bank of the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery or other scientific society is possible in our country. Its usefulness is beyond any doubt.