The Entropy Density Behavior across a Plane Shock Wave.

Entropy density behavior poses many problems when we study non-equilibrium situations. In particular, the local equilibrium hypothesis (LEH) has played a very important role and is taken for granted in non-equilibrium problems, no matter how extreme they are. In this paper we would like to calculate the Boltzmann entropy balance equation for a plane shock wave and show its performance for Grad's 13-moment approximation and the Navier-Stokes-Fourier equations. In fact, we calculate the correction for the LEH in Grad's case and discuss its properties.

Dexamethasone for Parapneumonic Pleural Effusion: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether dexamethasone (DXM) decreases the time to recovery in patients with parapneumonic pleural effusion. STUDY DESIGN: This was a multicenter, randomized, double blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled clinical trial of 60 children, ranging in age from 1 month to 14 years, with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and pleural effusion. Patients received either intravenous DXM (0.25?mg/kg/dose) or placebo every 6 hours over a period of 48 hours, along with antibiotics. The primary endpoint was the time to recovery in hours, defined objectively. We also evaluated complications and adverse events. RESULTS: Among the 60 randomized patients (mean age, 4.7 years; 58% female), 57 (95%) completed the study. Compared with placebo recipients, the patients receiving DXM had a shorter time to recovery, after adjustment by severity group and stratification by center (hazard ratio, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.10-3.45; P?=?.021). The median time to recovery for patients receiving DXM was 68 hours (2.8 days) shorter than patients receiving placebo (109 hours vs 177 hours; P?=?.037). In exploratory subgroup analysis, the median time to recovery for patients with simple effusion receiving DXM was 76 hours (3.1 days) shorter than for patients with simple effusion receiving placebo (P?=?.017). The median time to recovery for patients with complicated effusion receiving DXM was 14 hours (0.5 days) shorter than for patients with complicated effusion receiving placebo (P?=?.66). The difference in the effect of DXM in the 2 severity groups was not statistically significant (P?=?.138 for interaction). There were no significant differences in complications or adverse events attributable to the study drugs, except for hyperglycemia. CONCLUSION: In this trial, DXM seemed to be a safe and effective adjunctive therapy for parapneumonic pleural effusion. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01261546.

Paediatric patients with a tracheostomy: a multicentre epidemiological study.

Changes in the indications for tracheostomy in children have led to the progressively greater involvement of the paediatric pulmonologist in the care of these patients. The aim of this study was to review the current profile of tracheostomised children in Spain. We undertook a longitudinal, multicentre study over 2 yrs (2008 and 2009) of all patients aged between 1 day and 18 yrs who had a tracheostomy. The study, involving 18 Spanish hospitals, included 249 patients, of whom 150 (60.2%) were <1 yr of age. The main indications for the procedure were prolonged ventilation (n=156, 62.6%), acquired subglottic stenosis (n=34, 13.6%), congenital or acquired craniofacial anomalies (n=25, 10%) and congenital airway anomalies (n=24, 9.6%). The most frequent underlying disorders were neurological diseases (n=126, 50.6%) and respiratory diseases (n=98, 39.3%). Over the 2-yr study period, 92 (36.9%) children required ventilatory support, and decannulation was achieved in 59 (23.7%). Complications arose in 117 patients (46.9%). Mortality attributed to the underlying condition was 12.5% and that related directly to the tracheostomy was 3.2%. Respiratory complexity of tracheostomised children necessitates prolonged, multidisciplinary follow-up, which can often extend to adulthood.

Dolor lumbar persistente tras la administración de [131I]Iodo-6-beta-iodometil-19-norcolesterol: a propósito de un caso / Lower back pain after iodine-131-6-Beta-iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol injection: a case report

El [131I]Iodo-6-Beta-iodometil-19-norcolesterol ([131I]Norcolesterol), radiofármaco indicado en el diagnóstico del estado funcional de tejido cortical suprarrenal, en la detección del tejido funcional en el hiperadrenocorticalismo así como en el aldosteronismo primario. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 54 años de edad, remitida para la evaluación de una sospecha de aldosteronismo, y que inmediatamente después de la administración intravenosa de [131I]Norcolesterol sufrió una fuerte reacción adversa al medicamento, con mareo, rubor, aumento de la presión arterial, opresión en el pecho, dolor lumbar y sarpullido eritematoso hasta 9 días postinyección. Los síntomas se resolvieron satisfactoriamente tras la administración de antihistamínicos y corticoides. Se sospechó que esta reacción estuviera relacionada con la administración del [131I]Norcolesterol causada por una reacción alérgica de tipo I (AU)

The [131I]Iodine-6-Beta-iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol ([131I]Norcholesterol; NP-59), is indicated in the diagnosis of the functional state of adrenal cortical tissue, in the detection of functional tissue in hyperadrenocorticalism as well as in primary aldosteronism. We present the case of a 54-year-old woman, referred for evaluation of suspected aldosteronism, and who immediately after intravenous administration of [131I]Norcholesterol suffered a strong adverse drug reaction, with dizziness, flushing, increased blood pressure, chest tightness, low back pain and erythematous rash up to 9 days after injection. Symptoms resolved satisfactorily after administration of antihistamines and corticosteroids. This reaction was suspected to be related to the administration of [131I]Norcholesterol caused by a type I allergic reaction.(AU)

Papel de la ventriculografía isotópica en el seguimiento de pacientes oncológicos sometidos a tratamiento con antraciclinas / Paper of the ventriculography in patients treated with anthracyclines

Objetivo: El objetivo de este trabajo es calcular la fracción de eyección (FE) mediante ventriculografía isotópica en los pacientes tratados con antraciclinas, intentando analizar la dosis de adriamicina que condiciona la cardiotoxicidad. Material y método: Se realizó una revisión retrospectiva de las historias clínicas de 28 pacientes procedentes del Servicio de Oncología, a los que se les había practicado más de una ventriculografía isotópica, la segunda tras tratamiento con antraciclinas. Estudiamos 12 mujeres y 16 varones de edades comprendidas entre 16 y 72 años (media 43, mediana 45 años) con diferentes diagnósticos oncológicos siendo los más frecuentes: Sarcomas (39 por ciento); Carcinoma de mama (22 por ciento) y Linfoma no-Hodgkin (22 por ciento). Calculamos para cada paciente la dosis total de antraciclinas recibidas (adriamicina y 4-epirrubicina) incluyendo también las antraciclinas recibidas antes del primer estudio isotópico (cardiotoxicidad acumulada). Debido a que la 4-epirrubicina es menos cardiotóxica que la adriamicina se convierten las cifras de 4-epirubicina a adriamicina (siguiendo la relación: 50mg/m2 de adriamicina se corresponden con 75mg/m2 de 4-epirrubicina). Se compararon las medias previas y tras tratamiento de las FE de ambos ventrículos y se calculó si existían diferencias mediante el test de la t de Student para datos apareados. Resultados: La t de Student de las medias de las FE del Ventrículo izquierdo (V.I.) antes y tras el tratamiento fue 4.08 (existen diferencias estadísticamente significativas para una p<0.01) sin embargo para el ventrículo derecho la t fue 1.79 lo que indica que no existieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p=0.09)...

La paraparesia espástica tropical: a propósito de un caso / The tropical spastic paraparesis: apropos of a case

Se describe el caso de una paciente con una paraparesia espástica tropical, causada por el vírus HTLV-1. Se trata de una señorita de 26 años de edad que ha presentado dos cuadros diferentes: uno en relación con una cisticercosis cerebral, que comenzó en 1975 y el otro que es motivo de este trabajo. En 1979, comenzó a presentar una paraparesia pura de evolución muy lenta. Recientemente se ha podido demostrar, en la sangre y en el LCR, la presencia del virus humano T linfotropo tipo I. A propósito de la paciente se describe la enfermedad, los hallazgos paraclínicos más importantes. Los autores desean llamar la atención sobre esta patología que puede ser frecuente en nuestro medio