Enhanced Nonlinear Optical Coefficients of MAPbI3 Thin Films by Bismuth Doping.

The poor photostability under ambient conditions of hybrid halide perovskites has hindered their recently explored promising nonlinear optical properties. Here, we show how Bi3+ can partially substitute Pb2+ homogeneously in the commonly studied MAPbI3, improving both environmental stability and photostability under high laser irradiation. Bi content around 2 atom % produces thin films where the nonlinear refractive (n2) and absorptive coefficients (ß), which modify the refractive index (Δn) of the material with light fluence (I), increase up to factors of 4 and 3.5, respectively, compared to undoped MAPbI3. Higher doping inhibits the nonlinear parameters; however, the samples show higher fluence damage thresholds. Thus, these results provide a road map on how MAPbI3 can be engineered for practical cost-effective nonlinear applications by means of Bi doping, including optical limiting devices and multiple-harmonic generation into optoelectronics devices.

Scrotal tumors. / Tumores escrotales.

OBJECTIVE: Basal cell carcinoma and leiomyoma of the scrotum are rare. We describe three cases of scrotal tumors and provide information regarding this disease. METHODS: Between 2000 and 2014, 3 patients with scrotal tumors were diagnosed and treated at our institution. A review was performed using the clinical records of these patients. RESULTS: We describe two cases of basal cell carcinoma of the scrotum in men 72 and 71 year old, who presented with a left scrotal lesion that was excised and the pathological diagnosis was basal cell carcinoma. In one patient, surgical margin was affected and a recurrent basal cell carcinoma appeared. It was excised with enlargement of surgical margin. We also describe a case of scrotal leiomyoma in a 48 year old man with an elastic, firm and nontender lesion in the right scrotum. During follow-up the patients remain clinically asymptomatic. CONCLUSIONS: Scrotal lesions in the elderly should be excised and submitted for pathological examination. The basal cell carcinoma of the scrotum appears as a plaque, nodule or ulcer. Long-term surveillance is recommended for these patients. Leiomyoma of the scrotum is presented as a non-ulcerative nodule and his treatment is complete surgical excision.

Risk factors for worsened quality of life in patients on mechanical ventilation. A prospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for worsened quality of life (QoL) and activities of daily living (ADL) at 3 and 12 months after discharge from the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in patients on mechanical ventilation (MV). DESIGN: A prospective, multicentric observational study was made. SETTING: Three ICUs in Argentina. PATIENTS: The study included a total of 84 out of 129 mainly clinical patients admitted between 2011-2012 and requiring over 24hours of MV. INTERVENTIONS: No interventions were carried out. VARIABLES: Quality of life was assessed with the EQ-5D (version for Argentina), and ADL with the Barthel index. RESULTS: The EQ-5D and Barthel scores were assessed upon admission to the ICU (baseline) and after three months and one year of follow-up. Comorbidities, delirium, ICU acquired weakness (ICUAW), and medication received were daily assessed during ICU stay. The baseline QoL of the global sample showed a median index of [0.831 (IQR25-75% 0.527-0.931)], versus [0.513 (IQR0.245-0.838)] after three months and [0.850 (IQR0.573-1.00)] after one year. Significant differences were observed compared with QoL in the Argentinean general population [mean 0.880 (CI 0.872-0.888), p<0.001; p<0.001; p0.002]. Individual analysis showed that 67% of the patients had worsened their QoL at three months, while 33% had recovered their QoL. In the multivariate analysis, the variables found to be independent predictors of worsened QoL were a hospital stay ≥21 days [OR 12.57 (2.75-57.47)], age ≥50 years [OR 5.61 (1.27-24.83)], previous poor QoL [OR 0.11 (0.02-0.54)] and persistent ICUAW [OR 8.32 (1.22-56.74)]. Similar results were found for the worsening of ADL. CONCLUSIONS: Quality of life is altered after critical illness, and its recovery is gradual over time. Age, length of hospital stay, previous QoL and persistent ICUAW seem to be risk factors for worsened QoL.

MR (Mre11-Rad50) complex in Giardia duodenalis: In vitro characterization and its response upon DNA damage.

Giardia duodenalis is a well-known protozoan parasite of humans and other mammals. The repair of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) is crucial for genomic stability and homologous recombination is one of the primary mechanisms used by cells to repair DNA. The Mre11 complex is comprised by Mre11, an endonuclease and 3'-5' exonuclease known to resect ends during homologous recombination, and Rad50, a member of the structural maintenance of chromosomes (SMC) family of ATPases. In this work we cloned, expressed and characterized the catalytic activities of the giardial Mre11 (GdMre11) and Rad50 (GdRad50) proteins. Our results show that while purified recombinant GdMre11 and GdRad50 proteins bind DNA, GdMre11 contains a 3'-5' exonuclease and purified recombinant GdRad50 has ATPase activity. The predicted structure for GdMre11 revealed a conserved Mn(2+) dependent binding pocket. We also explored the expression of giardial mre11 and rad50 genes after ionizing radiation, and our results indicate that both specific transcripts were increased after 1-2 h while their protein levels were found to be significantly increased 4 h after gamma radiation treatment. These proteins were localized in the nuclei before and after irradiation. The implication of these observations is discussed.

Complete genome sequence of two rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus variant b isolates detected on the Iberian Peninsula.

We report the complete genome sequences of two isolates (RHDV-N11 and CBVal16) of variant rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDVb). Isolate N11 was detected in young domestic animals during a rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) outbreak that occurred in 2011 on a rabbit farm in Navarra, Spain, while CBVal16 was isolated from a wild rabbit found dead in Valpaços, Northern Portugal, a year later. The viral sequences reported show 84.8-85.1 % and 78.3-78.5 % identity to RHDVAst/89 and RCV-A1 MIC-07, representative members of the pathogenic genogroup 1 RHDV and apathogenic rabbit calicivirus, respectively. In comparison with other RHDV isolates belonging to the previously known genogroups 1-6, RHDVb shows marked phenotypic differences, as it causes disease preferentially in young rabbits under 40 days of age and shows modified red blood cell agglutination profiles as well as antigenic differences that allow this variant to escape protection by the currently available vaccines.

Active layer solution-processed NIR-OLEDs based on ternary erbium(III) complexes with 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione and different N,N-donors.

Using a fluorinated 1,1,1-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione (Htfac) ligand and either 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy), bathophenanthroline (bath) or 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline (5NO2phen) as an ancillary ligand, three new ternary erbium(iii) octacoordinated complexes have been synthesized. The single crystal structures of the new complexes (namely [Er(tfac)3(bipy)], [Er(tfac)3(bath)] and [Er(tfac)3(5NO2phen)]) have been determined and their properties have been investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and thermodynamic analysis. After ligand-mediated excitation of these complexes in the UV, they all show the characteristic near-infrared (NIR) luminescence of the corresponding Er(3+) ion at 1532 nm. The same emission in the C-band transmission window can also be obtained from the solution-processed organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with structure: glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/[Er(tfac)3(N,N-donor)]/Ca/Al. In spite of the fact that the photoluminescence intensity of [Er(tfac)3(5NO2phen)] is stronger than those of [Er(tfac)3(bipy)] and [Er(tfac)3(bath)], the best electroluminescence results correspond to the OLED based on the [Er(tfac)3(bath)] complex, as a consequence of the superior electron transport capabilities of bathophenanthroline.

[Conservative treatment for omental infarction]. / Tratamiento conservador del infarto omental.

The omental infarction is a pathology that occurs more and more in children due to the increased use of imaging studies and the increment in overweigth and obesity. Clinical presentation is characterized by abdominal pain and can be confused with appendicitis, ileitis, adenitis, among other abdominal conditions. Definitive diagnosis requires the performance of radiologic investigations and its treatment may be conservative. We report three cases of omental infarction with different form of clinical presentation, successfully managed conservatively.

Endogenous cellular prion protein regulates contractility of the mouse ileum.

BACKGROUND: Cellular prion protein (PrP(C) ) is expressed in the enteric nervous system (ENS), however, its physiological role has not been identified. Studies suggest that PrP(C) can function as a metal-binding protein, as absence of the protein has been linked to altered copper metabolism and atypical synaptic activity. Because copper is known to modulate smooth muscle relaxation, we tested the hypothesis that PrP(C) deficiency would alter intestinal contractility. METHODS: We examined electrically evoked ileal contractility in Prnp(-/-) or wild type littermate mice and the effects of copper or copper chelation. PrP(C) expression was studied in whole mount ileal preparations of mice and guinea pigs by immunohistochemistry. KEY RESULTS: Relative to wild type mice, ileal tissues of Prnp(-/-) mice exhibited reduced electrical field stimulation (EFS)-evoked contractility. Furthermore, EFS-induced relaxation, as a percentage of that induced by a nitric oxide donor, was enhanced. Addition of a copper donor to the organ bath increased, whereas the addition of a copper chelator inhibited, nitric oxide donor-induced ileal relaxation in Prnp(-/-) mice. PrP(C) was expressed on nerve fibers or terminals, and some cell bodies in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of wild type mice. PrP(C) colocalized with a neuron-specific ectonucleotidase, nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 3 (NTPDase3), but to only a limited extent with GFAP, a marker of enteric glia. Guinea pigs expressed PrP(C) in nerve fibers or terminals and enteric glia in the myenteric and submucosal plexuses. CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: Our findings suggest that PrP(C) , which is abundant in the ENS, has a role in the regulation of ileal contractility.

[Surgical treatment of perinatal ovarian cysts]. / Tratamiento quirürgico de los quistes ováricos perinatales.

INTRODUCTION: Actually, the perinatal ovarian cysts are increasingly being diagnosed by prenatal and neonatal ultrasound. OBJECTIVE: We reported our experience in the surgical management of perinatal ovarian cysts. Patients and methods. We have reviewed the clinical charts of 10 female newborns diagnosed of ovarian cysts who underwent surgical management in our hospital from 1989 to 2009. RESULTS: The ovarian cysts were diagnosed antenatally in 8 cases and period neonatal in 2 cases. The clinical presentation was asymptomatic abdominal mass in 7 cases. Ultrasound confirmed the ovarian mass in 8 patients. CT scan and MRI were necessary for confirm suspected diagnosis in two patients. Ultrasonography showed 7 complex cysts and 3 simple cysts. Surgery of the complicated cysts revealed ovarian torsion in 5 cases and 1 hemorragic cyst. At surgery, 5 patients underwent salpingooophorectomy, 2 patients needed oophorectomy and in 3 cases only cystectomy were necessary. CONCLUSION: The ovarian torsion is the most common complication and the cause of loss of the ovary. The neonatal ovarian cysts greater than 5 centimetres, symptomatic cysts, complex cysts and cysts persisting for more than 6 months need surgical intervention.

[Infantile Amyand's hernia presenting as acute scrotum]. / Hernia de amyand infantil presentándose como escroto agudo.

Amyand's hernia is a condition of exceptional presentation in children and is defined by the presence of inflamed appendix inside a inguinal hernia. It may manifest clinically as acute scrotum, inguinal lymphadenitis or strangulated hernia. The treatment is surgical and although several approaches are described, appendectomy with herniotomy by inguinal approach is considered of choice.

Efecto de la concentración del Glicerol y su posterior eliminación en la criopreservación de semen de asno zamorano-leonés / Effect of Glycerol concentration and subsequent elimination in the criopreservation off zamorano-leonéz donkey

No disponible

Granuloma formation and parasite disintegration in porcine cysticercosis: comparison with human neurocysticercosis.

Taenia solium cysticerci infect human beings and pigs, causing cysticercosis. In this study the pig was used as a model to characterize the immune response against cysticerci, given the difficulties in analysing the developing immune response in infected human brains. Metacestodes in different stages of viability or degeneration were isolated from the brain, heart and skeletal muscle of naturally infected swine, and the adjacent tissue was examined histologically. The immune response elicited by the cysticerci was classified into four separate stages. In stage I the parasites were surrounded by a thin layer of collagen type I, and by stage II there was a sparse inflammatory infiltrate. In stage III, granuloma formation was evident, and by stage IV the parasite was surrounded by an eosinophil-rich infiltrate and its vesicular membrane had begun to degenerate. The final stage, IV, was detected mainly in the heart but not in the brain. The granulomatous reaction in swine resembled that described previously in human patients, but differed in the abundance of eosinophils, the relative paucity of plasma cells, and the discrete deposition of collagen. These differences were probably due to the fact that in pigs the immune response can be examined earlier than in human patients, in whom sampling is inevitably made at a more chronic stage.

Antisense inhibition of thyrotropin-releasing hormone reduces arterial blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) plays an important role in central cardiovascular regulation. Recently, we described that the TRH precursor gene overexpression induces hypertension in the normal rat. In addition, we published that spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) have central extrahypothalamic TRH hyperactivity with increased TRH synthesis and release and an elevated TRH receptor number. In the present study, we report that intracerebroventricular antisense (AS) treatment with a phosphorothioate oligonucleotide against the TRH precursor gene significantly diminished up to 72 hours and in a dose-dependent manner the increased diencephalic TRH content, whereas normalized systolic blood pressure (SABP) was present in the SHR compared with Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Although basal thyrotropin was higher in SHR compared with WKY rats and this difference disappeared after antisense treatment, no differences were observed in plasma T4 or T3 between strains with or without AS treatment, indicating that the effect of the AS on SABP was independent of the thyroid status. Because the encephalic renin-angiotensin system seems to be crucial in the development and/or maintenance of hypertension in SHR, we investigated the effect of antisense inhibition of TRH on that system and found that TRH antisense treatment significantly diminished the elevated diencephalic angiotensin II (Ang II) content in the SHR without any effect in control animals, suggesting that the Ang II system is involved in the TRH cardiovascular effects. To summarize, the central TRH system seems to be involved in the etiopathogenesis of hypertension in this model of essential hypertension.

Expression of TRH and TRH-like peptides in a human glioblastoma-astrocytoma cell line (U-373-MG).

The human glioblastoma-astrocytoma cell line U-373-MG shows morphological features typical of its neuroectodermal origin. Cells showed positive immunostaining for the glial fibrillary acidic protein. We used this cell culture for studying the putative production of TRH and TRH-related peptides. In a cell extract and conditioned medium, cation and anion exchange chromatography and HPLC revealed the presence of TRH and acidic TRH-like peptides which were identified, at least in part, as pGlu-Glu-ProNH(2). These findings demonstrated that U-373-MG cells are able to produce and release these peptides. Further evidence of TRH synthesis was obtained by amplification using RT-PCR of a 396 bp fragment that corresponds to the TRH precursor mRNA. Our results therefore suggest that the U-373-MG cell line may be a useful model for studying the regulation of TRH and TRH-related peptide production and the interaction of these peptides with other classical neurotransmitter systems. In fact, pilocarpine (a muscarinic cholinergic agonist) enhanced and nicotine (a nicotinic cholinergic agonist) decreased TRH and TRH-related compound production by this cell line. These data also point out that glia may produce substances with neuromodulatory action.

An immunodominant conserved region within the variable domain of VlsE, the variable surface antigen of Borrelia burgdorferi.

Antigenic variation is an effective strategy evolved by pathogenic microbes to avoid immune destruction. Variable Ags such as the variable major protein of Borrelia hermsii, the variant surface glycoprotein of African trypanosomes, and the pilin of Neisseria gonorrhoeae include an immunodominant variable domain and one or more invariable domains that are not antigenic. Short, nonantigenic, invariable regions also may be present within the variable domain. VlsE (variable major protein-like sequence, expressed), the variable surface Ag of Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease spirochete, also contains both variable and invariable domains. In addition, interspersed within the VlsE variable domain there are six invariable regions (IR1-6) that together amount to half of this portion's primary structure. We show here that these IRs are conserved among strains and genospecies of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato complex. Surprisingly, unlike the invariable regions of variable major protein, variant surface glycoprotein, and pilin, which are not antigenic in natural infections, the most conserved of the IRs, IR6, is immunodominant in Lyme disease patients and in monkeys infected with B. burgdorferi. IR6 is exposed on the surface of VlsE, as assessed by immunoprecipitation experiments, but is inaccessible to Ab on the spirochete's outer membrane, as demonstrated by immunofluorescence and in vitro killing assays. VlsE thus significantly departs from the antigenic variation paradigm, whereby immunodominance is only manifest in variable portions. We submit that IR6 may act as a decoy epitope(s) and contribute to divert the Ab response from other, perhaps protective regions of VlsE.

Electrophoretic karyotype of environmental isolates of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis.

Five of the 12 environmental isolates of the dimorphic fungus Paracoccidioides brasiliensis known to date, were analysed by contour-clamped homogeneous electric field gel electrophoresis (CHEF). The electrophoretic pattern was shown to consist of five bands, with molecular size ranging from 3.2 to 10 Mb, a model quite similar to the one found in the clinical isolates previously tested and used here as controls. However, one of the bands in the environmental isolates had a lesser weight (7.2 Mb), than the one corresponding to the clinical counterparts (8.8 Mb). This resulted in a smaller genome, approximately 29.7 Mb. The small differences that were found indicate the presence of chromosome polymorphism in this fungus.

Flúor en la sal para consumo humano de los colombianos salud bucal vs. fluorosis dental / Fluor in salt for human consumer of colombians. Oral health vs. dental fluorosis

La sal para consumo humano es el producto final refinado constituido predominante por cloriro de sodio, que se obtiene a partir de la sal marina o sal gema y que cumple con los requesitos de la tabla 1 consignados en el decreto 0547 de marzo de 1996 (1). El contenido de flúor en la sal para el consumo humano, es un parámetro de calidad relacionado directamente con la salud bucal, razón por la cual su control de vigilancia , según Decreto 1290 del 22 de Junio de 1994 le corresponde al Instituto Nacional de Vigilanciia de Medicamentos y Alimentos (INVIMA) (1). En la ciudad de Cartagena de Indias, el control y vigilancia del contenido de flúor en la sal para consumo humano, lo realiza el Departamento Administrativo Distrital de Salud (DADIS), seccional Bolívar, entidad que cuenta con personal capacitado para seleccionar y tomar muestras de sal, empacadas en sus respectivos envases comerciales y escogidas al azar en supermercados y puntos de distribución comercial. Diferentes investigaciones realizadas en Colombia, concluyeron sobre los niveles de flúor que los colombianos deben ingerir en la sal para consumo humano, con beneficios en la salud bucal. El más reciente Decreto 0547 de marzo de 1996, describe la normatividad y estándares de calidad que deben cumplir la sal para el consumo humano, en cuyo artículo 4 del capítulo 11, establece que debe contener flúor como fluoruro en proporción 180-200 ppm.

Central overexpression of the TRH precursor gene induces hypertension in rats: antisense reversal.

Extrahypothalamic TRH participates in cardiovascular regulation and spontaneous hypertension of the rat. To investigate whether an increase in central TRH activity produces hypertension we studied the effect of the preTRH overproduction induced by I.C.V. transfection with a naked eukaryotic expression plasmid vector which encodes preTRH (pCMV-TRH). Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR showed that pCMV-TRH was transcribed in vitro and in vivo. At 24, 48, and 72 hours, pCMV-TRH (100 microg) in a significant and dose-dependent manner increased 37%, 84%, and 49%, respectively, the diencephalic TRH content and SABP (42+/-3, 50+/-2, and 22+/-2 mm Hg, respectively) with respect to the vector without the preTRH cDNA insert (V[TRH(-)]) as measured by RIA and the plethysmographic method, respectively, in awake animals. In addition, using immunohistochemistry we found that the increase of TRH was produced in circumventricular areas where the tripeptide is normally located. To further analyze the specificity of these effects we studied the actions of 23-mer sense (S), antisense (AS), and 3'self-stabilized sense (Ss) and antisense (ASs) phosphorothioate oligonucleotides against the initiation codon region. Only ASs inhibited the increase of TRH content and SABP induced by pCMV-TRH treatment. In addition, pCMV-TRH-induced hypertension seems not to be mediated by central Ang II or serum TSH. To summarize, central TRH overproduction in periventricular areas induced by I.C.V. transfection produces hypertension in rats which is reversed by specific antisense treatment. This model may help in testing effective antisense oligodeoxynucleotides against other candidate genes.

Ameloblastoma: the Zimbabwean experience over 10 years.

OBJECTIVES: A review of 117 ameloblastomas treated over a 10-year period was carried out. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical records of 117 patients treated for histologically diagnosed ameloblastoma were retrieved and analyzed for age, sex, anatomic distribution, duration of lesions, clinical features, and treatment methods with results and complications. RESULTS: Men and women were equally affected. The average age at the time of presentation was 28 years; 95.7% of the ameloblastomas occurred in the mandible; and 59% occurred in the premolar/incisor/canine region. CONCLUSION: Ameloblastoma occurs predominantly in the anterior mandible with equal frequency in men and women. Wide resection reduces recurrence.

Orofacial biopsies: a survey of 1,723 cases seen over a 10 year period.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the distribution pattern of orofacial lesions according to age, sex, anatomic location and to compare the findings with reported African and Western series. DESIGN: A survey of 1,723 orofacial biopsies over a 10 year period. SETTING: The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department of Harare Central Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe, the major referral centre in the country. SUBJECTS: Records of 1,723 patients who had orofacial biopsies were surveyed. RESULTS: Males were relatively more frequently affected (54.5pc) than females. Non-odontogenic lesions were seen relatively frequently and these constituted 55.9pc of total cases; 39.3pc of the non-odontogenic lesions were epidermoid carcinoma. Ameloblastoma comprised 79.1pc of odontogenic lesions; 22.9pc of cystic lesions were dentigerous cysts. CONCLUSION: The distribution pattern of oro-facial lesions is similar to that in other reported studies. Ameloblastoma is the most frequently seen odontogenic tumour. Minor salivary gland neoplasms were seen in relatively large numbers and in a younger age group compared to reported series. This finding is similar to other African series.