Análisis de la radiactividad en aguas del Balneario de San Nicolás (Almería) / Radioactivity analysis of San Nicolás Spa water

Se ha realizado el estudio radiológico del agua del manantial del Balneario de San Nicolás en la provincia de Almería. Este estudio ha consistido en la determinación cuantitativa de los radionucleidos naturales más importantes desde el punto de vista de la protección radiológica existentes en las aguas del balneario. La medida del contenido radiactivo de las aguas constituye un tema cuyo estudio resulta de gran interés. Las aguas con elementos radiactivos disueltos pueden producir, como consecuencia directa de su consumo, dosis de irradiación interna tanto por ingestión como por inhalación de estos elementos. Debido a esto es necesario, en algunos casos, proceder al análisis y posterior evaluación de la dosis asociada a este consumo (AU)

Radio activity analysis of San Nicolás Spa water was carried out by the CIEMAT Laboratory of Environmental Radioactivity. With this aim the most important natural radionuclides were determined in water from spring water. The measurement and knowledge of radioactivity level in water is an interesting and convenient topic. The consumption of water which has dissolved some radionuclides could lead to internal irradiation both by ingestion and by inhalation. Therefore it is necessary, in some cases, to determine the water radioactivity level in order to assess the dose (AU)

Análisis de la radiactividad en aguas del Balneario de Villavieja (Castellón) / Radioactivity analysis of Villavieja Spa water

Se ha realizado el estudio radiológico del agua del manantial del Balneario de Villavieja en la provincia de Castellón. Este estudio ha consistido en la determinación cuantitativa de los radionucleidos naturales más importantes desde el punto de vista de la protección radiológica existentes en las aguas del balneario. La medida del contenido radiactivo de las aguas constituye un tema cuyo estudio resulta de gran interés. Las aguas con elementos radiactivos disueltos pueden producir, como consecuencia directa de su consumo, dosis de irradiación interna tanto por ingestión como por inhalación de estos elementos. Debido a esto es necesario, en algunos casos, proceder al análisis y posterior evaluación de la dosis asociada a este consumo (AU)

Radio activity analysis of Villavieja Spa water was carried out by the CIEMAT Laboratory of Environmental Radioactivity. With this aim the most important natural radionuclides were determined in water from spring water. The measurement and knowledge of radioactivity level in water is an interesting and convenient topic. The consumption of water which has dissolved some radionuclides could lead to internal irradiation both by ingestion and by inhalation. Therefore it is necessary, in some cases, to determine the water radioactivity level in order to assess the dose (AU)

Análisis de la radiactividad en aguas del balneario / Radioactivity analysis of spa water

Se ha realizado el estudio radiológico del agua del manantial del Balneario de Olmedo en la provincia de Valladolid. Este estudio ha consistido en la determinación cuantitativa de los radionucleidos naturales más importantes desde el punto de vista de la protección radiológica existentes en las aguas del balneario. La medida del contenido radiactivo de las aguas constituye un tema cuyo estudio resulta de gran interés. Las aguas con elementos radiactivos disueltos pueden producir, como consecuencia directa de su consumo, dosis de irradiación interna tanto por ingestión como por inhalación de estos elementos. Debido a esto es necesario, en algunos casos, proceder al análisis y posterior evaluación de la dosis asociada a este consumo

Radioactivity analysis of Olmedo Spa water was carried out by the CIEMAT Laboratory of Environmental Radioactivity. With this aim the most important natural radionuclides were determined in water from spring water. The measurement and knowledge of radioactivity level in water is an interesting and convenient topic. The consumption of water which has dissolved some radionuclides could lead to internal irradiation both by ingestion and by inhalation. Therefore it is necessary, in some cases, to determine the water radioactivity level in order to assess the dose

Utilidad de la ecoendoscopia para la resección endoscópica de los tumores carcinoides duodenales / Utility of echoendoscopy for endoscopic resection of duodenal carcinoid tumors

No disponible

Role of stationary esophageal manometry in clinical practice. Manometric results in patients with gastroesophageal reflux, dysphagia or non-cardiac chest pain.

The present study was carried out to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of stationary esophageal manometry in 263 patients divided into three groups: 150 patients with reflux symptoms, 68 with dysphagia, and 45 with non-cardiac chest pain. Patients with endoscopic abnormalities were excluded. Standard manometry was performed following the station pull-through technique. In the group of patients with reflux symptoms 40.7% had a normal manometry and 57.3% had abnormalities, being the most frequent (43%) hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter. In the dysphagia group, 20.6% of manometries were normal and 79.4% were abnormal, of which achalasia was the most frequent disorder (53.7%). In the case of non-cardiac chest pain, 42.2% of patients had a normal manometry and 57.8% an abnormal one, of which hypotensive lower esophageal sphincter was the most frequent abnormality. A significant higher proportion of manometric alterations were found in the dysphagia group compared to reflux symptoms and non-cardiac chest pain (p < 0.05). No statistical differences were found between the reflux and the non-cardiac chest pain groups. Manometry yields a higher diagnostic value in patients with dysphagia, and therefore manometry should be performed routinely after the exclusion of any organic esophageal disease. Manometry is not a first-choice functional diagnostic test in the study of patirnts with gastroesophageal reflux or non-cardiac chest pain.

Papel de la manometría esofágica estacionaria en la práctica clínica. Resultados manométricos en pacientes con reflujo gastroesofágico, disfagia y dolor torácico no cardiaco / Role of stationary esophageal manometry in clinical practice. Manometric results in patients with gastroesophageal reflux, dysphagia or non-cardiac chest pain

El presente estudio ha sido realizado para evaluar la utilidad diagnóstica de la manometría esofágica estacionaria en 263 pacientes divididos en 3 grupos: 150 pacientes con síntomas de reflujo gastroesofágico, 68 con disfagia y 45 con dolor torácico no cardiaco. Se excluyeron los pacientes con alteraciones endoscópicas. La manometría se realizó según la técnica de retirada estacionaria. Entre los pacientes con síntomas de reflujo gastroesofágico, el 40,7 por ciento tuvieron una manometría normal y el 57,3 por ciento presentaron alteraciones, siendo la presencia de un esfínter esofágico inferior hipotenso la alteración más frecuente (43 por ciento). En el grupo de disfagia, el 20,6 por ciento de las manometrías fueron normales y el 79,4 por ciento anormales, siendo la achalasia el trastorno motor más frecuente (53,7 por ciento). En el grupo con dolor torácico no cardiaco, el 42,2 por ciento de los pacientes tuvieron manometría normal y el 57,8 por ciento anormal, siendo esfínter esofágico inferior hipotenso la alteración más frecuente. Se encontró mayor proporción de alteraciones manométricas en el grupo de disfagia comparado con el de reflujo y con el de dolor torácico no cardiaco (p < 0,05). No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre el grupo con reflujo y dolor torácico no cardiaco. La manometría tiene un mayor valor diagnóstico en el grupo de pacientes con disfagia y, por lo tanto, debería de realizarse de forma rutinaria tras excluir una enfermedad orgánica esofágica. La manometría no es la primera opción diagnóstica funcional para estudiar reflujo gastroesofágico o dolor torácico no cardiaco (AU)

[Angina-like chest pain due to gastric anisakiasis]. / Dolor torácico como manifestación inicial de anisakiasis gástrica.

The chest pain is one of the most common reasons for consultation of the patients seen in the emergency services of hospitals. Still being the acute coronary syndrome one of the first causes to confirmed by its important repercussions, we do not have to forget other reasons. We report a case of acute anginalike chest pain due to gastric anisakiasis. The larvae of Anisakis in the gastric mucosa were found and extracted endoscopically. Gastric anisakiasis should be included in the differential diagnosis of acute chest pain.

Dolor torácico anginoso como manifestación inicial de anisakiasis gástrica / Anginalike chest pain due to gastric anisakiasis

El dolor torácico es una de las patologías que con mayor frecuencia se atienden en los servicios de urgencia hospitalarios. Aún siendo el síndrome coronario agudo una de las primeras causas a descartar por sus importantes repercusiones, no debemos descuidar otras etiologías. Presentamos un caso de un dolor torácico de características anginosas secundario a anisakiasis gástrica. La larva del anisakis en la mucosa gástrica fue encontrada y extraída endoscópicamente. La anisakiasis gástrica debería ser incluido en el diagnóstico diferencial de un dolor torácico (AU)

Short-term harmful effects of unionised ammonia on natural populations of Moina micrura and Brachionus rubens in a deep waste treatment pond.

Populations of Moina micrura and Brachionus rubens in a deep waste treatment pond were exposed to the natural short-term fluctuations of unionised ammonia (90-min intervals of monitoring) that occur in the course of a day during a summer algal bloom. Under natural conditions, three replicate experiments were conducted in which water temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, total ammonia, unionised ammonia, phytoplankton biomass and zooplankton (number of living and dead organisms, mortality rate and instant mortality) were studied. The time-course of unionised ammonia concentration was consistent with those shown by temperature, pH, phytoplankton biomass, dissolved oxygen, Moina micrura mortality and Brachionus rubens mortality. On the other hand, temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen never exceeded the tolerance ranges described for Moina and Brachionus, which led us to attribute the cause of zooplankton mortality to unionised ammonia toxicity. Mortality rates of 63%, 27% and 34% were recorded for Moina in each replicate experiment. Brachionus was less affected, with mortalities of 7.3%, 6.2% and 6.0%. These results confirm previous field observations (Water Res. 34(14) (2000) 3666; Water Res. 37(5) (2003) 1048) that attributed a reduction in zooplankton biomass during certain periods of summer (algal blooms) to a harmful side-effect of an excessive increase in phytoplankton biomass: high photosynthetic activity during these periods of proliferation of algae gives rise to an increased pH (>/=8) and, subsequently, leads to production of unionised ammonia (toxic for aquatic organisms) from its ionised fraction.

Harmful effects of un-ionised ammonia on the zooplankton community in a deep waste treatment pond.

The harmful effects of NH(3) on the zooplankton community in a deep waste treatment pond were evaluated under natural conditions. The pond, supplied with secondary effluent from a conventional urban wastewater treatment plant, was designed to improve water quality for agricultural reuse.The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis suggested in Arauzo et al. (Water Environ. Res. 34(14), 3666) that during phytoplankton blooms in the stratification periods high un-ionised ammonia content values, due to an intense photosynthetic activity and high related pH, lead to a decrease in zooplankton biomass and, thus, to a collapse of the treatment process efficiency. Empirical models were developed to determine relationships between phytoplankton biomass, pH and NH(3) levels. They provided an easy and quick method of detecting when the system was liable to collapse due to the NH(3) effect on the zooplankton community and offered the possibility of adopting measures to guarantee water quality at the effluent. A significant decrease in zooplankton community biomass was observed at un-ionised ammonia levels over 2.5 mgL(-1).

Analysis of 31 CFTR mutations in 55 families from the South of Spain.

We carried out a molecular analysis of 350 chromosomes from 55 families originating from the South of Spain (Andalucia) who were diagnosed with cystic fibrosis (CF). We used polymerase chain reaction, followed by an oligonucleotide ligation assay (OLA) and sequence-coded separation using capillary electrophoresis. A frequency of 43.5% for DeltaF508 was found, making it the most common CF mutation in our sample. Seven more mutations (G542X, R334W, R1162X, 2789+5G-->A, R117H, DeltaI507 and W1282X) were detected and accounted for 24.7% of the total. The remaining mutations (31.8%) were undetectable with the methodology used in this study.

Determinación de HDL-colesterol en el laboratorio clínico: estudio comparativo entre el método directo automatizado y dos métodos indirectos / Assay of HDL cholesterol in the clinical laboratory: comparision of a new direct assay with two indurect methodos requiring precipitation

Se ha demostrado que el colesterol circulante transportado por las lipoproteínas de alta densidad (HDL-C) es un factor negativo-de riesgo para sufrir cardiopatía- squémica. La medida de HDL-colesterol es demandada con frecuencia, siendo importante disponer de técnicas simples y fiables para su análisis. En el presente estudio se compara un nuevo método directo y automatizable para determinación de HDL-C con dos métodos indirectos ampliamente utilizados en la rutina clínica. El método directo se basa en el uso de las enzimas colesterol oxidasa y colesterol esterasa modificadas con PEG y a-ciclodextrina y dextrano. Los métodos indirectos se basan, respectivamente, en la precipitación de fracciones lipoprotéicas no-HDL mediante PEG y ácido fosfotungsténico MgCI2. El método directo y ambos métodos indirectos muestran un adecuado nivel de correlación. Al comparar el método directo con el método indirectoPEG, se obtiene una recta de regresión cuya ecuación es y(x)=0.96x-I.38, un coeficiente de regresión r=0.95 y un Error Total de 5.16. Al comparar el método directo con el método de precipitación que utiliza ácido fosfotungsténico MgCI2, la ecuación es y(x)=l.06x-8.32, r=0:97 y el Error Total=7.75. El método de precipitación con PEG ofrece un coeficiente de variación intra-ensayo de 2:I5 por ciento; el método de precipitación con ácido fosfotungsténico/Clmg2+ presenta un coeficiente de variación de 2.49 por ciento; la medida de HDL-C mediante el método directo presenta un coeficiente de variación de I.58 por ciento, una excelente recuperación y una sensibilidad de 3.45 mg/dl de HDL-C, esto último determinado mediante técnica de dilución sucesiva. El volumen de muestra requerido para el método directo es de solo 4ul, frente a los 400 o 500 ul que requieren los métodos indirectos (AU)

Cell protective role of melatonin in the brain.

In recent years an increasing amount of data has been published involving melatonin in the control of brain function. The pineal gland exerts a depressive influence on CNS excitability. This activity is linked to melatonin, since pharmacological doses of the hormone prevent seizures in several animal models. In addition, melatonin also has analgesic properties in these species. However, the sites and mechanism of melatonin action are not known. A role for the pineal gland and its hormone melatonin as a homeostatic system controlling brain excitability has been proposed, and GABA-containing neurons may be involved in some central action of melatonin. There is evidence supporting a role of melatonin in the regulation of the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex, and it appears that melatonin potentiates this inhibitory neurotransmitter system in brain. Melatonin does not bind to GABA or benzodiazepine binding sites themselves, because in vitro binding data showed that melatonin is a weak competitor of benzodiazepine binding in brain membranes at concentrations greater than 10(-5) M. The effect of melatonin on brain activity also involves the participation of corticotropic and opioid peptides, and the existence of an opioid-antiopioid homeostatic system is proposed, with the GABA-benzodiazepine receptor complex as an effector. Moreover, the interaction of melatonin with corticotropic peptides and mitochondrial benzodiazepine receptors may result in a participation of neurosteroids in the control of GABA activity and function. The most recently available data from biochemical and electrophysiological studies support the possibility that the anticonvulsant and depressive effects of melatonin on neuron activity may depend on its antioxidant and antiexcitotoxic roles, acting as a free radical scavenger and regulating brain glutamate receptors. The full characterization of the nuclear melatonin receptor explains the genomic effects of melatonin, opening a new perspective regarding actions and roles of melatonin as a cellular protector.

[Recurrent ascites in peritoneal mesothelioma. Its diagnostic and therapeutic management]. / Ascitis recidivante en el mesotelioma peritoneal. Manejo diagnóstico y terapéutico.

Peritoneal mesothelioma is an uncommon neoplasm often related to previous asbestos exposure. It is necessary to exclude other secondary peritoneal neoplasm. The application of immunohistochemical analysis in the biopsy sample is important for establishing an accurate diagnosis. We report the case of a peritoneal mesothelioma that started as a haemorrhagic ascites. After laparotomy, the initial diagnosis was peritoneal carcinomatosis from adenocarcinoma of unknown origin. The diagnosis was obtained by using immunohistochemical analysis: vimentin and keratine antibodies were positive and leu M1, antibodies were negative. The interest of our case resides in the difficulty for obtaining the diagnosis and the complicate management of refractory ascites. Our patient required intraperitoneal 5-fluorouracil for controlling the ascites.

[Digestive hemorrhage caused by duodenal ectopic pancreas and diffuse angiodysplasia of the colon]. / Hemorragia digestiva por páncreas ectópico duodenal y angiodisplasia difusa de colon.

We present the case of a 79-years-old male with episodes of digestive bleeding in the form of melenas in which two pathological findings were observed as potential causes: ectopic pancreas in subpyloric position and diffuse colon angiodysplasia. The difficult management of the digestive bleeding when two lesions are associated as potential causes is stressed.