New europium-doped carbon nanoparticles showing long-lifetime photoluminescence: Synthesis, characterization and application to the determination of tetracycline in waters.

The growing appearance of antibiotic-resistant strains of microorganisms originated from the widespread use and ubiquitous presence of such drugs is a major concern in the world. The development of methodologies able to detect such substances at low concentration in real water samples is mandatory to overcome this problem. Europium(III) is known to form complexes with tetracycline (TC) with photoluminescent characteristics useful for TC determination. In the present work, we synthesized for the first time carbon nanoparticles (CN) showing delayed photoluminescence using a Europium(III) doping synthesis. The new material (PCNEu) was characterized both morphologically and spectroscopically, showing an analytical photoluminescent signal in presence of TC, arising from the 5D0→7F2 transition of europium, one hundred times higher than that of the europium salt alone in presence of the antibiotic. This enhancement is a consequence of the amplifying effect exerted by nanoparticle structure itself, leading to an efficient synergistic "antenna effect" in the system PCNEu - TC. The analytical signal is affected both by pH and the nature of the buffer used, and it allows the detection of tetracycline in waters with a limit of detection of 2.18 nM and recoveries between 90 and 110%. The analytical performance of the developed methodology enables having lower limits of detection than other luminescent and chemiluminescent reported methodologies.

[Epidemiology and etiology of vulvovaginal candidiasis in Spanish and immigrants' women in Fuenlabrada (Madrid)]. / Epidemiología y etiología de la candidiasis vaginal en mujeres españolas e inmigrantes en Fuenlabrada (Madrid).

OBJECTIVE: Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is a common vaginal infection. Risk factors include diabetes, antibiotic use and pregnancy. Candida albicans is the most common species identified but non-C. albicans species appear to be more commonly associated with VVC in some Asian and African countries. We had studied the distribution of Candida species in Spanish and immigrants' women residents in Spain. METHODS: Retrospective study of vaginal yeast cultures between 2015 and 2018. RESULTS: A total of 2,283 vaginal yeast cultures were collected. Candida spp. was detected in 25.7% from Spanish women and in 28.5% from immigrants (no significant differences). Immigrants have higher rates of vaginal candidiasis compared other studies in Spain. C. albicans was the most common species isolated (82.4%). CONCLUSIONS: There were no differences in vaginal candidiasis rate between Spanish and immigrants' women. Immigrants consulted proportionally more compared with the Spanish women.

Hyaluronic acid biomaterial for human tissue-engineered skin substitutes: Preclinical comparative in vivo study of wound healing.

BACKGROUND: There is not an ideal biomaterial for tissue-engineered skin substitutes (TESSs), and most of the studies or existing therapies use xenogeneic origin natural biomaterials or biosynthetic scaffolds. OBJECTIVE: To analyse clinical, histological integration and homeostasis parameters of a human TESS manufactured with fibrin-hyaluronic acid biomaterial (HA-Skin), grafted in immunodeficient mice for 8 weeks, and compared with the gold standard treatment (Autograft), a human TESS manufactured with fibrin-agarose biomaterial (AG-Skin) and secondary wound healing dressings. METHODS: Human TESSs and autografts were implanted into BALB/c mice after surgical excision. Secondary wound healing approach was achieved with biosynthetic collagen wound dressing (Biobrane® ) and fibrin-hyaluronic acid or fibrin-agarose biomaterial without cells (Total N = 44). Clinical integration and homeostasis parameters were evaluated every two weeks for two months. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed four and eight weeks after grafting. RESULTS: HA-Skin, AG-Skin and Autograft groups showed a proper clinical integration and epithelization eight weeks later. Scar evaluation revealed better results for Autograft and HA-Skin. Homeostasis analysis indicated similar values of transepidermal water loss and elasticity between HA-Skin (6.42 ± 0.75 g/h/m2 , 0.42 ± 0.08 AU), Autograft (6.91 ± 1.28 g/h/m2 , 0.40 ± 0.08 AU) and healthy mouse skin (6.40 ± 0.43 g/h/m2 , 0.35 ± 0.03 AU). Histological results showed that human TESSs and autografts presented better skin structuration and higher expression of cytokeratins. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that human TESS based on fibrin-hyaluronic acid biomaterial could be suitable for clinical application in the treatment of several dermatological pathologies (wound healing).

Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to traumatic bronchial fistula closure. / Membrana de oxigenación extracorpórea venovenosa como puente a la reparación de una fístula bronquial traumática.

Traumatic tracheobronchial injuries occur in 1% of patients with thoracic trauma, most of them dying at the site of the trauma. In this case report, we present a 26-year-old female patient admitted to the ICU due to a blunt chest trauma causing life threatening hypoxaemia and acidosis; deciding to implant percutaneous venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. The use of percutaneous venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, implemented with a lower anticoagulation target, allowed the diagnosis and treatment of a bronchopleural fistula under conditions of respiratory and hemodynamic stability without haemorrhagic complications, obtaining a fast and adequate assistance achieving the survival of the patient.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation mediated changes in rhizosphere bacterial community structure while promoting revegetation in a semiarid ecosystem.

The main goal of this study was to assess the effect of the inoculation of four autochthonous shrub species with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Rhizophagus intraradices on the rhizosphere bacterial community and to ascertain whether such an effect is dependent on the host plant species. Additionally, analysis of rhizosphere soil chemical and biochemical properties was performed to find relationships between them and the rhizosphere bacterial communities. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analysis and subsequent permutational multivariate analysis of variance revealed differences in bacterial community composition and structure between non-inoculated and inoculated rhizospheres. Moreover, an influence of the plant species was observed. Different bacterial groups were found to be indicator taxonomic groups of non-inoculated and inoculated rhizospheres, Gemmatimonadetes and Anaerolineaceae, respectively, being the most notable indicators. As shown by distance based redundancy analysis, the shifts in bacterial community composition and structure mediated by the inoculation with the AM fungus were mainly related to changes in plant nutrients and growth parameters, such as the shoot phosphorus content. Our findings suggest that the AM fungal inoculum was able to modify the rhizosphere bacterial community assemblage while improving the host plant performance.

Prediction of pregnancy viability in bovine in vitro-produced embryos and recipient plasma with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

We analyzed embryo culture medium (CM) and recipient blood plasma using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) metabolomics to predict pregnancy outcome. Individually cultured, in vitro-produced (IVP) blastocysts were transferred to recipients as fresh and vitrified-warmed. Spent CM and plasma samples were evaluated using FTIR. The discrimination capability of the classifiers was assessed for accuracy, sensitivity (pregnancy), specificity (nonpregnancy), and area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC). Within all IVP fresh embryos (birth rate=52%), high AUC were obtained at birth, especially with expanded blastocysts (CM: 0.80±0.053; plasma: 0.89±0.034). The AUC of vitrified IVP embryos (birth rate = 31%) were 0.607±0.038 (CM, expanded blastocysts) and 0.672±0.023 (plasma, all stages). Recipient plasma generally predicted pregnancy outcome better than did embryo CM. Embryos and recipients with improved pregnancy viability were identified, which could increase the economic benefit to the breeding industry.

A satellite DNA evolutionary analysis in the North American endemic dioecious plant Rumex hastatulus (Polygonaceae).

We studied the evolution of RAE180 satellite DNA family in the North American endemic dioecious plant Rumex hastatulus. In this species, the Texas race is characterized by a single XX/XY sex chromosome system, whereas the North Carolina race has evolved a derived complex XX/XY(1)Y(2) sex chromosome system. RAE180 repeats were autosomic and poorly represented (2 × 10(-4)% of the genome) with no differences between individuals of different genders or different races of R. hastatulus. In fact, the sex chromosomes of the North Carolina race are still euchromatic, and they have not accumulated satellite DNA sequences, which contrasts with that occurring in the rest of dioecious XX/XY(1)Y(2) Rumex species. In R. hastatulus, we detected the existence of three RAE180 subfamilies. Notwithstanding, while in the Texas race the TX1/NC1 subfamily is the most frequent, the TX2/NC2 subfamily is the most abundant in the North Carolina race. Additionally, the third, less represented subfamily (TX3/NC3) appears currently as relict sequences in both genomes. A common feature of RAE180 satellite is the sudden replacement of one sequence variant by another in different species (or populations as in R. hastatulus races). Thus, the phylogenetic analysis of RAE180 repeats from six dioecious Rumex species supports the "library" hypothesis. According to this hypothesis, we assume that a set of divergent RAE180 variants were present in the ancestral genome of dioecious Rumex species, from which novel tandem arrays originated by the amplification of different variants in different lineages. Differential levels of RAE180 satellite DNA amplification in each lineage, at different evolutionary times, and in different chromosomal positions gave rise to differential patterns of sequence evolution.

Structures of relevant ammonium salts in fertilizers.

The crystal structures of two double salts of ammonium nitrate (AN) and ammonium sulfate (AS) are reported. The double salts 2NH(4)NO(3).(NH(4))(2)SO(4) (2AN.AS) and 3NH(4)NO(3).(NH(4))(2)SO(4) (3AN.AS) show a very similar crystal structure packing with alternating layers of anions and cations. The solid-state ionic distribution is controlled by an extensive hydrogen-bonding network with ammonium groups as the donors and O atoms acting as the acceptors. Crystallographic studies were conducted at both room temperature (293 K) and 100 K. Increasing the temperature involves shortening the b axis in the case of the 3AN.AS salt. Quantification of fertilizer mixtures using the Rietveld method was also carried out by means of the structural models reported in this paper for both salts.

Fiebre por mordedura de rata. Un caso en España con lesiones cutáneas características / Rat-bite fever: A case in Spain with skin lesions

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Utilización de ortoprótesis en las amputaciones digitales del pie / Use of orthoprothesis in digital amputations of the foot

Objetivo. Estudiar la prevalencia del uso de la ortoprótesis en pacientes con amputaciones digitales del pie y analizar las características diferenciales, en función de variables demográficas o relacionadas con la amputación en la población portadora frente a la no portadora. Pacientes y método. Estudio transversal en 80 pacientes con amputación de dedos del pie. Se consideraron criterios de inclusión: un tiempo de evolución igual o superior a un año desde el inicio del tratamiento protésico y ser revisado en consulta al comienzo del estudio. Las variables analizadas fueron: edad, sexo, etiología, nivel de amputación, material utilizado para la ortoprótesis, tiempo de seguimiento y causa de abandono. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y se compararon las variables según se utilizaran o no ortoprótesis mediante la ji cuadrado y el análisis de la varianza. Se consideró un nivel de significación de p < 0,05. Resultados. La edad media en el momento de la amputación fue de 58,4 ± 17,8 años (límites: 6-90) y el seguimiento medio fue de 4,9 ± 3,4 años (límites: 1-14). El 48,75 % (39 pacientes) utilizaban la ortoprótesis. El 11,25 % (9 pacientes) la rechazaron porque no encontraron ventaja y en el 40 % restante (32 casos) se dejó de utilizar por intolerancia (dolor o úlcera en la piel). No se encontraron diferencias en el uso de ortoprótesis dependiendo del sexo, edad de amputación, período de seguimiento, nivel de amputación o material utilizado. Sí hubo diferencias favorables al uso de la prótesis en los amputados por enfermedad vascular diabética (p < 0,05). Conclusión. Aproximadamente el 50 % de los pacientes con amputación digital de pie continúan utilizando la ortoprótesis indicada después de transcurrido un tiempo medio de 5 años desde su alta del hospital

Objective. To study the prevalence of patients that continue using the prostheses indicated in digital-foot amputation after a period of time (minimun, one year) from its adaptation and the different characteristics, regarding demographic variables or related with amputation, in users versus non-users. Patients and method. 80 patients with digital amputation of the foot. Inclusion criteria: all of the patients were evaluated in clinic and were fitted with prostheses and the use was studied, as minimum, one year after discharge from hospital. The variables were: age, gender, etiology, level of amputation, time of follow-up since the prescription and cause of rejection. A descriptive study was performed and the variables were compared with use o not of prostheses. Level of significance < 0,05. Results. Mean age of amputation was 58,4 ± 17,8 years (6-90) and follow-up was 4,9 ± 3,4 years (1-14). 48,75 % (39 patients) wore the prosthesis designed, 11,25 % (9 patients) rejected this device because didn't find any advantage and 40 % (32 cases) showed any intolerance (pain or ulceration of skin). We didn't find differences in use of prostheses dependant of sex, age of amputation, period of time since the prescription, level of amputation or material. There were some differences in etiology: amputees because of diabetes wore more frequent this devices than those without diabetes (p < 0,05). Conclusion. About 50 % of patients with digital amputation of foot continue using the prosthese indicated after a period of time (mean,5 years) of discharge from hospital

Utilidad terapéutica de un efecto secundario para el control de la sialorrea / Therapeutic utility of a side-effect to control sialorrhoea

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Assessment of molecularly imprinted sol-gel materials for selective room temperature phosphorescence recognition of nafcillin.

Sol-gel imprinted materials were prepared against nafcillin, a semisynthetic beta-lactamic antibiotic employed in the treatment of serious infections caused by penicillinase-producing staphylococci. Two approaches were addressed for preparation of the imprinted materials and the controls: as conventional monoliths, which were ground and sieved to a desired particle size for rebinding analysis, and as films on supporting glass slides. The specific binding sites that are created during the imprinting process are analyzed via selective room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) (sol-gel films) measurements as well as via competitive room temperature phosphorescence ligand assay. Results demonstrated the importance of the physical configuration of the imprinted material for minimizing non-specific binding. The close similarities between the structures of different beta-lactamic antibiotics made it possible to interpret the roles of the template structure on specific molecular recognition. In this article, we introduce the use of room temperature phosphorescence as selective transduction method for the template. The imprinted sol-gel films displayed enhanced specific binding characteristics respect to the monolithic sol-gel and can be envisaged for the use as recognition matrices for the screening and rapid selection of antibiotics from a combinatorial library or for the rapid control of nafcillin in biological samples (e.g. milk, serum, urine).

[Post-infarction left ventricular free wall rupture]. / Rotura post-infarto de la pared libre del ventrículo izquierdo.

We report four cases of subacute left ventricular free wall rupture after myocardial infarction successfully treated with emergency surgery. Some aspects dealing with clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment are discussed.

Comparative study of the micellar enhanced spectrophotometric determination of beta-lactamic antibiotics by batch and flow injection analysis using a multisimplex design.

A study has been made on the spectrophotometric determination of the beta-lactamic antibiotics, amoxicillin and ampicillin, in micellar media using Cu ions as catalyst. Batch and flow injection approaches were compared. Multisimplex design was used to determine the optimal values of the flow injection analysis (FIA) system. Chemical (buffer, pH and Cu(II) concentrations) and physical (flow rate, temperature and reaction coil length) variables were considered. The analytical performance characteristics were as follows: the detection limits for batch and flow-through systems were 2.5 x 10(-7) and 2 x 10(-6) M, respectively, and a relative standard deviation less than 1% was found for both methods. The proposed FIA methodology was satisfactorily applied to the determination of the antibiotics in pharmaceutical formulations.

MPTP selectively induces haem oxygenase-1 expression in striatal astrocytes.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta with accompanying evidence of increased oxidative damage, deficits in mitochondrial function and iron deposition. Recently, haem oxygenase-1 levels were reported to be elevated in PD brains. Because this enzyme is involved in the response to oxidative stress and is critical for cellular haem and iron homeostasis, it could play a role in the pathogenesis of PD. Therefore, we investigated the expression of haem oxygenase isoform 1 (HO-1) in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of PD. MPTP triggered a relatively rapid and persistent increase in HO-1 mRNA exclusively in the mouse striatum. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry showed HO-1 to be localized to striatal astrocytes. The induction of HO-1 by MPTP was blocked by selegiline and GBR-12909, indicating the protoxin had to be metabolized by monoamine oxidase B and taken up by dopaminergic neurons to exert its action in astrocytes. MPTP did not alter the expression of other enzymes of haem synthesis or degradation nor were the levels of mRNA for haem or iron-binding proteins changed. Thus, expression of HO-1 was not part of a cellular program involving haem biosynthesis or homeostasis. In addition, heat shock proteins were not induced by MPTP. Thus, MPTP elicited a selective transcriptional response in striatal astrocytes. This response appears to be mediated by molecules released from affected dopaminergic nerve terminals in the striatum acting upon neighbouring astrocytes. This signalling pathway and its potential relevance to PD are discussed.