Funcionamiento de un quirófano de quemados en pandemia por coronavirus / Operation of an operating room for burns in a pandemic due to coronavirus

La actual pandemia por coronavirus afecta a pacientes de todas las edades y estratos socioeconómicos, los accidentes por quemaduras también. Las cirugías de urgencia y el manejo quirúrgico del gran quemado no pueden ser diferidos, por lo que en el presente artículo mostramos la experiencia y organización del Servicio de Quemados del Hospital de Urgencia de Asistencia Pública para manejar a los pacientes COVID-19 (+) y (­) que se encuentran actualmente en nuestra Unidad.

The current coronavirus pandemic affects patients of all ages and socio-economic strata, burn accidents as well. The emergency surgeries and the surgical management of the large burn cannot be delayed, so in this article we show the experience and organization of the Emergency Hospital Burn Service of Public Assistance to manage patients COVID-19 (+) and (­) who are currently in our Unit.

Release of formaldehyde during the biofiltration of methanol vapors in a peat biofilter inoculated with Pichia pastoris GS115

BACKGROUND: Methanol can be effectively removed from air by biofiltration (Shareefdeen et al., 1993; Babbitt et al., 2009 [1,2]). However, formaldehyde is one of the first metabolic intermediates in the consumption of methanol in methylotrophic microorganisms (Negruta et al., 2010 [3]), and it can be released out of the cell constituting a secondary emission. RESULTS: The total removal of methanol was achieved up to input loads of 263 g m−3 h−1 and the maximum elimination capacity of the system was obtained at an empty bed residence times of 90 s and reached 330 g m−3 h−1 at an input methanol load of 414 g m−3 h−1 and 80% of removal efficiency. Formaldehyde was detected inside the biofilter when the input methanol load was above 212 g m−3 h−1 . Biomass in the filter bed was able to degrade the formaldehyde generated, but with the increase of the methanol input load, the unconsumed formaldehyde was released outside the biofilter. The maximum concentration registered at the output of the system was 3.98 g m−3 when the methanol load was 672 g m−3 h−1 in an empty bed residence times of 60 s. CONCLUSIONS: Formaldehyde is produced inside a biofilter when methanol is treated in a biofiltration system inoculated with Pichia pastoris. Biomass present in the reactor is capable of degrading the formaldehyde generated as the concentration of methanol decreases. However, high methanol loads can lead to the generation and release of formaldehyde into the environment.

Release of formaldehyde during the biofiltration of methanol vapors in a peat biofilter inoculated with Pichia pastoris GS115

Background: Methanol can be effectively removed from air by biofiltration. However, formaldehyde is one of the first metabolic intermediates in the consumption of methanol in methylotrophic microorganisms, and it can be released out of the cell constituting a secondary emission. Results: The total removal of methanol was achieved up to input loads of 263 g m−3 h−1 and the maximum elimination capacity of the system was obtained at an empty bed residence times of 90 s and reached 330 g m− 3 h−1 at an input methanol load of 414 g m−3 h−1 and 80% of removal efficiency. Formaldehyde was detected inside the biofilter when the input methanol load was above 212 g m−3 h−1 . Biomass in the filter bed was able to degrade the formaldehyde generated, but with the increase of the methanol input load, the unconsumed formaldehyde was released outside the biofilter. The maximum concentration registered at the output of the system was 3.98 g m−3 when the methanol load was 672 g m−3 h−1 in an empty bed residence times of 60 s. Conclusions: Formaldehyde is produced inside a biofilter when methanol is treated in a biofiltration system inoculated with Pichia pastoris. Biomass present in the reactor is capable of degrading the formaldehyde generated as the concentration of methanol decreases. However, high methanol loads can lead to the generation and release of formaldehyde into the environment

Modelling of the biofiltration of reduced sulphur compounds through biotrickling filters connected in series: effect of H2S

Background: The behaviour of two biotrickling filters connected in serie (BTF) inoculated with Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans and Thiobacillus thioparus, biodegrading hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and dimethyl sulphide (DMS) simultaneously were studied. A model which considers gas to liquid mass transfer and biooxidation in the biofilm attached to the support is developed. Additionally, a fixed bed biotrickling filter where the microorganism is immobilized in a biofilm which degrades a mixture of H2S and DMS is implemented. Validation of the model was carried out using experimental data obtained at different H2S and DMS loads. Results: The inhibitory effect caused by the presence of H2S on the DMS is observed, which is evidenced by the decrease of the DMS removal efficiency from 80 to 27 percent, due to the preference that T. thioparus has by simple metabolism. H2S is not affected by the DMS, with removal efficiencies of 95 to 97 percent, but it decreases at high concentrations of the compound, due to the inhibition of metabolism by high H2S input loads. The model which describes the BFT fits successfully with the experimental results and it has a high sensitivity to inhibition parameters. Conclusion: It is shown that the microorganism has a high affinity for H2S, producing substrate inhibition when the concentration is high. The H2S is able to inhibit the DMS biooxidation, whereas the DMS does not affect the H2S biooxidation.

Oxidation of volatile reduced sulphur compounds in biotrickling filter inoculated with Thiobacillus thioparus

Reduced volatile sulphur compounds generate an impact on the environment, because of the bad smell and its low odour threshold. Compared with the existing physicochemical technologies for their elimination, biotrickling filters are an economically and environmentally sustainable alternative. Usually mixed cultures of microorganisms are used for inoculating biotrickling filters, in this case a pure culture of Thiobacillus thioparus is used for generating a biofilm, allowing to measure its capacity for the oxidation of four volatile reduced sulphur compounds: hydrogen sulphide, dimethyl sulphide, methyl mercaptan and dimethyl disulphide, using a residence time of 0.033 hrs. The viable cells of the biofilm were quantified by epifluorescence microscopy, staining the cells with ethidium bromide and acridine orange, polymerase chain reaction analysis in real time was used for testing the predominance of T. thiopharus in the biofilm. The microorganism was able to adhere and grow on the surface of rings made of polyethylene, with a viable population of 7•10(7) cell•ring-1, a 74 percent of total cells. The real time PCR showed a persistence of the population of T. thioparus for more than 300 days of operation, without being displaced by other microbial species. The maximum elimination capacities for each compound were 34.4; 21.8; 30.8 and 25.6 gS•m-3•h-1 for H2S, dimethylsulphide, dimethyldisulphide and methyl mercaptan, respectively. We conclude that it is possible to implement a biotrickling filter with the bacteria T. thioparus, which can oxidize volatile reduced sulphur compounds efficiently.

Sintomatología atípica en pacientes con apendicitis: estudio prospectivo / Atypical symptoms in patients with appendicitis

La clínica clásica de la apendicitis debe complementarse con el conocimiento de las presentaciones atípicas que son más frecuente de los que habitualmente se describen. Objetivo. Determinar la frecuencia de los síntomas atípicos de apendicitis, su relación con el periodo de evolución clínica, número de consultas y su influencia en el diagnóstico. Material y método. Entre Octubre 2002 y Abril 2004, fueron estudiados 186 pacientes mayores de 15 años operados por apendicitis. De ellos, 49 por ciento presentó algún síntoma atípico, estos pacientes representan el grupo de síntomas atípicos; 51 por ciento no presentaron síntomas atípicos y constituyen el grupo de clínica clásica. El diseño corresponde a un estudio prospectivo de corte transversal no aleatorio. Resultados. En ambos grupos predominaron pacientes de sexo femenino con un promedio de edad similar. En el grupo de síntomas clásicos la consulta primaria fue más frecuente. El 24 por ciento de los pacientes del grupo de síntomas atípicos tuvieron un período de evolución superior a 73 horas. En el grupo de síntomas atípicos, 14,6 por ciento de los pacientes requirieron de 4 o más consultas para llegar al diagnóstico. Los síntomas atípicos más frecuentes fueron diarrea, dolor dorsal y dolor localizado en el hipogástrio. La histopatología demostró una mayor proporción de apéndices normales y perforados en el grupo de síntomas atípicos. Conclusiones. La frecuencia de síntomas atípicos es 44,6 por ciento y condiciona un retraso en el diagnóstico. Se identificaron algunos síntomas atípicos que guardan relación con la clínica de la apendicitis y que deben ser evaluados en el proceso diagnóstico.

Infección por Cryptosporidium en niños con y sin diarrea / Cryptosporidium infection in children with or without diarrhea

Se investiga la presencia de ooquistes de cryptosporidium en las heces de niños eutróficos sanos y con diarrea aguda, así como desnutridos sin diarrea y con diarrea aguda y crónica, mediante la técnica de Ziehl Nielsen modificada, encontrándose un 24% de parasitados en el grupo total; siendo más frecuente el hallazgo en eutróficos y desnutridos sin diarrea. El parásito se encontro en el 10% de los eutróficos con diarrea aguda, en el 16% de los desnutridos con diarrea aguda y en el 30% de los desnutridos con diarrea crónica

Infección entérica por rotavirus / Enterites due to rotavirus

Se analizan las características clínicas de 54 niños menores de 6 meses com infección entérica por rotavirus. La fiebre, cólicos abdominales y el vómito fueron los síntomas predominantes, observándose en el 65%, 85% y 80% respectivamente. No se encontró diferencia en cuanto al sexo. La sangre oculta en heces se detectó en el 35% de los casos y la presencia de sustancia reductora en heces se evidenció en el 77,5% de los enfermos. El 98% de los casos mostró algún grado de deshidratación al momento de ser evaluado por primera vez