¿Asesoramos los neonatólogos en España a los padres durante el embarazo? Encuesta nacional / Do neonatologists in Spain offer an interview with parents during pregnancy? National survey

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Development of chia seed (Salvia hispanica) mucilage films plasticized with polyol mixtures: Mechanical and barrier properties.

Food packaging is one of the main contributors to the high rates of environmental contamination; therefore, interest has emerged on the use of biopolymers as alternative materials to replace conventional food packaging. Chia seed (Salvia hispanica) is recognized by having a high content of a polysaccharide called mucilage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility using of chia seed mucilage (CSM) and a polyol mixture containing glycerol and sorbitol for the development of films. CSM films with higher sorbitol content showed superior tensile strength (3.23 N/mm2) and lower water vapor permeability (1.3*10-9 g/m*s*Pa), but had poor flexibility compared to other treatments. Conversely, high glycerol content showed high elongation at break (67.55%) and solubility (22.75%), but poor water vapor permeability and tensile strength. Film formulations were optimized implementing a factorial design according to response surface methodology. Raman spectra analysis showed shifts from 854 to 872 cm-1 and 1061 to 1076 cm-1, ß (CCO) modes, indicating an increase in hydrogen bonding, responsible for the high tensile strength and decreased water vapor permeability observed in this study. The optimum conditions of polyol concentration were 1.3 g of glycerol and 2.0 g of sorbitol per g of CSM. Based on these results, chia seed mucilage can successfully be used to develop biofilms with potential to be used in drug delivery and edible food coating applications.

Microwave pasteurization of apple juice: Modeling the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium at 80-90 °C.

Although due to their acidity some fruit juices are considered safe, several outbreaks have been reported. For processing fruit juices, microwave heating offers advantages such as shorter come-up time, faster and uniform heating, and energy efficiency. Thus, it could be a beneficial alternative to conventional pasteurization. The objective of this study was to study the inactivation kinetics of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella Typhimurium under microwave pasteurization at temperatures between 80 and 90 °C, i.e., at conditions that are employed in conventional pasteurization. Inoculated juices were treated at different power levels (600 W, 720 W) and treatment times (5s, 10s, 15s, 20s, 25s). Time-temperature profiles were obtained by fiber-optic sensors in contact with the samples allowing continuous data collection. The log-logistic and Arrhenius equations were used to account for the influence of the temperature history; thus, resulting in two different modeling approaches that were compared in terms of their prediction abilities. Survival kinetics including non-isothermal conditions were described by a non-linear ordinary differential equation that was numerically solved by the Runge-Kutta method (ode45 in MATLAB ®). The lsqcurvefit function (MATLAB®) was employed to estimate the corresponding survival parameters, which were obtained from freshly made apple juice, whereas the prediction ability of these parameters was evaluated on commercial apple juices. Results indicated that inactivation increased with power level, temperature, and treatment time reaching a microbial reduction up to 7 Log10 cycles. The study is relevant to the food industry because it provides a quantitative tool to predict survival characteristics of pathogens at other non-isothermal processing conditions.

Estudio del sueño en un grupo de trabajadores del mar mediante la aplicación del cuestionario de Oviedo / Study on sleep in a group of seafareres using the 'cuestionario del sueño de Oviedo'

Objetivo: Determinar la presencia de trastornos del sueño en un grupo de trabajadores del mar. Método: se aplicó el Cuestionario de Sueño de Oviedo durante el reconocimiento médico previo a embarque en Madrid en el año 2011 (n=321) y se analizó por sexo, edad, puesto a bordo, actividad y lugar de pernocta. También se comparó con parámetros metabólicos de los mismos individuos. Resultados: la satisfacción con el sueño fue alta, el insomnio y la hipersomnia diurna (más prevalente en sujetos de más edad, p<0,05) leves en más del 90% de los casos. El 2,8% precisó ayuda para dormir dos o más noches por semana. En el 56,4% aparecieron fenómenos adversos dos o más noches por semana (mayor prevalencia en varones, p<0,05). De los parámetros metabólicos estudiados, el Índice de Masa Corporal presentó cifras de riesgo en los trastornos del sueño de mayor intensidad. Conclusiones: en la población estudiada, la prevalencia de alteraciones del sueño ha sido muy baja (AU)

Objective: To study the presence of sleep disorders in a group of seafarers. Method: to asses sleep disorders, we used the questionnaire ‘Cuestionario de Oviedo del Sueño’ during pre-embarkation medical checkup in 2011 (n=321) and their distribution by sex, age, working place, vessel’s activity and where they actually sleep. These results were also compared to some metabolic parameters of the same individuals. Results: more tan 90% of the subjects referred high self-reported satisfaction on their sleep, low insomnia and light hipersomnia (more prevalente among older group, p<0,05). 2,8% of them needed help to sleep two or more nights a week. Additional sleep problems appeared two or more nights per week in 56,4% of them (higher prevalence in males, p<0,05). Of the studied metabolic parameters, body Mass Index appeared over normal range in patients with stronger sleep disorders. Conclusions: in the population studied, we found a low prevalence of sleep disorders (AU)

Effect of cross-linking of interfacial sodium caseinate by natural processing on the oxidative stability of oil-in-water (o/w) emulsions.

This study investigated how enzymatic cross-linking of interfacial sodium caseinate and emulsification, via high-pressure homogenization, influenced the intrinsic oxidative stability of 4% (w/v) menhaden oil-in-water emulsions stabilized by 1% (w/v) caseinate at pH 7. Oil oxidation was monitored by the ferric thiocyanate perioxide value assay. Higher homogenization pressure resulted in improved intrinsic emulsion oxidative stability, which is attributed to increased interfacial cross-linking as indicated by higher weighted average sedimentation coefficients of interfacial protein species (from 11.2 S for 0 kpsi/0.1 MPa to 18 S for 20 kpsi/137.9 MPa). Moderate dosage of transglutaminase at 0.5-1.0 U/mL emulsion enhanced intrinsic emulsion oxidative stability further, despite a contradictory reduction in the antioxidant property of cross-linked caseinate as tested by the 2,2'-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assay. This implied the prominent role of cross-linked interfacial caseinate as a physical barrier for oxygen transfer, hence its efficacy in retarding oil oxidation.

Characterization of ergocalciferol loaded solid lipid nanoparticles.

UNLABELLED: The use of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) is a technique that has been widely used in the pharmaceutical industry for the last 2 decades and has become of increasing interest to food scientists due to its potential for encapsulation and controlled release. Ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) is a bioactive compound whose deficiency may lead to rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. In this study, ergocalciferol was encapsulated in tripalmitin SLNs stabilized by polysorbate 20 (Tween 20). SLN dispersions (5% w/w) were prepared by hot homogenization technique using a nozzle-type high-pressure homogenizer. Ergocalciferol at 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (w/w of lipid) was dissolved in the molten lipid at 80 °C, mixed with a 5% (w/w) aqueous solution of polysorbate 20 and homogenized at 138 MPa at 80 °C. Particle size, thermal properties, and microstructure were evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) respectively. As the proportion of ergocalciferol in the SLN increased from 0% to 20%, the Z-average values of the particles gradually decreased (P≤ 0.05) from approximately 120 nm to approximately 65 nm. DSC analysis of freeze dried SLN samples showed gradual decrease in enthalpies of fusion and crystallization for stable ß-subcell whereas for SLN dispersions, the enthalpy of fusion of unstable α-subcell crystal increased with increased ergocalciferol loading. The TEM images of the ergocalciferol loaded SLN samples showed the presence of spherical as well as rod-shaped nanoparticles. It was also observed that the turbidity of the SLN dispersions reduced noticeably with increased ergocalciferol loading. This finding could be useful in terms of fortification of clear juices with ergocalciferol. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) were used in this study to encapsulate vitamin D2, a vitamin important for bone health. It was found that as the concentration of vitamin D2 increased in the lipid phase of SLN dispersion, the clarity of the dispersion increased. Also, with increased vitamin D2 concentration, the stability of lipid crystal structure was affected in a way that indicates higher capacity of lipid to incorporate the vitamin molecules and hence to protect them better from oxygen and light. This vitamin loaded SLNs may offer alternatives to milk and margarine as a source of vitamin D.

PFAPA syndrome in siblings. Is there a genetic background?

UNLABELLED: "PFAPA syndrome" is an autoinflammatory entity composed of periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and cervical adenitis. There have been many reports of children with the disease, but only occasionally have been described in siblings, and no specific genetic mutation has been determined yet. Corticosteroids are the mainstay in the treatment of the acute attacks. The role of surgery in long-term follow-up (tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy) is controversial. We report two brothers affected with the syndrome, in whom corticosteroids as the only treatment led to an improvement. A genetic work-up was performed, making very unlikely other possible syndromes of recurrent fever. CONCLUSION: PFAPA syndrome is the most common recurrent periodic fever disorder described in childhood. Its genetic background has not been elucidated yet. Our contribution with two siblings affected with PFAPA syndrome further support the genetic basis for the entity.

Malformación adenomatoidea quística congénita / Congenital cystic adenomatous malformation

Introduction: Congenital Cystic Adenomatous Malformation (CCAM) is an infrequent entity due to an alteration in alveolar-pulmonary development. Material and Methods: A descriptive, retrospective study of newborns presenting CCAM in a tertiary care hospital in Madrid, Spain. Results: Seven patients were found. All were full term, normal weight births. Two patients showed respiratory distress at birth. Two chest x-rays were normal. CT scans showed three clear CCAM lesions, four suggestive of hybrid lesions. All were referred to medical centers with pediatric surgery for followup. Discussion: At birth, this pathology may be asymptomatic and appear as a chest x-ray finding. Long term management is complicated by infection and malignization. Conservative treatment of asymptomatic patients includes regular follow up of lesions. Surgical treatment is reserved for symptomatic or complicated patients. Conclusions: Prenatal suspicion of CCAM is important since clinical exam and radiology may be normal in neonatal period. Chest CT scans are important in confirming diagnosis and determining future surgery. More studies are necessary for the proper diagnosis and management of this disorder.

Introducción: La malformación adenomatoidea quística (MAQ) es una entidad congénita poco frecuente debida a una alteración en el desarrollo alveolar pulmonar. Pacientes y Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y retrospectivo de los recién nacidos con el diagnóstico prenatal de MAQ durante 6 años en un hospital terciario de Madrid (España). Resultados: Se encontraron un total de siete pacientes. Todos fueron recién nacidos a término de peso adecuado. Dos pacientes presentaron distress respiratorio al nacimiento. Dos radiografías de tórax fueron normales. En la tomografía axial (TAC), tres lesiones fueron MAQ y cuatro fueron su-gerentes de lesión híbrida. Todos se derivaron a centro con cirugía pediátrica para seguimiento. Discusión: Al nacimiento, esta patología puede permanecer asintomática y ser un hallazgo casual en una radiografía torácica. A largo plazo el riesgo de infección y malignización complican el manejo. El tratamiento conservador, que se dirige a pacientes asintomáticos, obliga a realizar controles seriados de las lesiones. El tratamiento quirúrgico se reserva para los pacientes con sintomatología o complicaciones postnatales. Conclusiones: El diagnóstico de sospecha prenatal de MAQ es fundamental dado que la clínica y radiología pueden ser normales en el período neonatal. Se debe realizar TAC torácico para confirmar la lesión y valorar futura cirugía. Se necesitan más estudios sobre el correcto diagnóstico y manejo de esta patología.

Biodegradable poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(epsilon-caprolactone) multiblock copolymers.

A series of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)/poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) containing biodegradable poly(ether ester urethane)s, covering a wide range of compositions, were synthesized and characterized. The synthesis consisted of a two-step process. During the first step, the ring-opening reaction of epsilon-caprolactone was carried out, initiated by the hydroxyl terminal groups of the PEO chain. The second step involved the chain extension of these PCL-PEO-PCL trimers with hexamethylene diisocyanate. By varying either the ethylene oxide/epsilon-caprolactone ratio or the length of both segments, we obtained a series of polymers having different morphologies and displaying a broad range of properties.