Quality of life at 3 and 6 months in military personnel with a history of thoracic trauma suffered in combat.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the score and variation in the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire at 3 and 6 months of evaluation in military personnel with a history of chest trauma in combat. METHOD: Comparative study between military with chest trauma and healthy military personnel from 2011 to 2016, evaluating the SF-36 quality of life questionnaire. RESULTS: 45 subjects were analyzed, 25 with a history of chest trauma and 10 healthy controls with combat experience. 25 of the cases were evaluated at 3 months and 11 at 6 months. The average age was 28.2 years (standard deviation: 7.22), and 76% had projectile wounds with a high-speed firearm. 44 % (11/25) of the subjects with chest trauma at three months of assessment presented a lot of limitation for the performance of moderate activities (p < 0.001) and only 5% (1/20) of the controls reported a lot of limitation (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is significant deterioration in the quality of life in all domains through the SF-36 questionnaire in patients with chest trauma at 3 and 6 months after the evaluation.

OBJETIVO: Medir el puntaje y la variación en el cuestionario de calidad de vida SF-36 a los 3 y 6 meses de valoración en militares con antecedente de trauma de tórax en combate. MÉTODO: Estudio comparativo entre militares con trauma de tórax y militares sanos entre los años 2011 y 2016, evaluando el cuestionario de calidad de vida SF-36. RESULTADOS: Se analizaron 45 sujetos, 25 con antecedente de trauma de tórax y 10 controles sanos con experiencia en combate. De los sujetos con trauma, 25 se evaluaron a los 3 meses y 11 a los 6 meses. El promedio de edad fue de 28.2 años (desviación estándar: 7.22). El 76% tuvieron heridas por proyectil con arma de fuego de alta velocidad. El 44% (11/25) de los sujetos con trauma de tórax, a los 3 meses de valoración, presentaba mucha limitación para la realización de actividades moderadas (p < 0.001) y solo el 5% (1/20) de los controles referían mucha limitación (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONES: Hay un deterioro significativo en la calidad de vida en todos los dominios del cuestionario SF-36 en pacientes con trauma de tórax a los 3 y 6 meses de la valoración.

Infrared Spectroscopy and Photochemistry of Anthracoronene in Cosmic Water Ice.

We present a laboratory study of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) anthracoronene (AntCor, C36H18) in simulated interstellar ices in order to determine its possible contribution to the broad infrared absorption bands in the 5-8 µm wavelength interval. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum of AntCor, codeposited with water ice, was collected. The FTIR spectrum of the sample irradiated with ultraviolet photons was also collected. Unirradiated and UV-irradiated AntCor embedded in water ice have not been studied before; therefore, the molecule's band positions and intensities were compared to published data on AntCor in an argon matrix and theoretical calculations (DFT), as well as the published results of its parent molecules, coronene and anthracene, in water ice. The experimental band strengths for unirradiated AntCor exhibit variability as a function of PAH:H2O concentration, with two distinct groupings of band intensities. AntCor clustering occurs for all concentrations and has a significant effect on PAH degradation rates and photoproduct variability. Near-IR spectra of irradiated AntCor samples show that AntCor+ production increases as the concentration of AntCor in water ice decreases. Photoproduct bands are assigned to AntCor+, cationic alcohols, protonated AntCor, and ketones. We report the rate constants of the photoproduct production for the 1:1280 AntCor:H2O concentration. CO2 production from AntCor is much less than what was previously reported for Ant and Cor and exhibits two distinct regimes as a function of AntCor:H2O concentration. The contribution of AntCor photoproducts to astronomical spectra can be estimated by comparison with the observed intensities in the 7.4-8.0 µm range.

Crystallization of CO2 ice and the absence of amorphous CO2 ice in space.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the most relevant and abundant species in astrophysical and atmospheric media. In particular, CO2 ice is present in several solar system bodies, as well as in interstellar and circumstellar ice mantles. The amount of CO2 in ice mantles and the presence of pure CO2 ice are significant indicators of the temperature history of dust in protostars. It is therefore important to know if CO2 is mixed with other molecules in the ice matrix or segregated and whether it is present in an amorphous or crystalline form. We apply a multidisciplinary approach involving IR spectroscopy in the laboratory, theoretical modeling of solid structures, and comparison with astronomical observations. We generate an unprecedented highly amorphous CO2 ice and study its crystallization both by thermal annealing and by slow accumulation of monolayers from the gas phase under an ultrahigh vacuum. Structural changes are followed by IR spectroscopy. We also devise theoretical models to reproduce different CO2 ice structures. We detect a preferential in-plane orientation of some vibrational modes of crystalline CO2. We identify the IR features of amorphous CO2 ice, and, in particular, we provide a theoretical explanation for a band at 2,328 cm(-1) that dominates the spectrum of the amorphous phase and disappears when the crystallization is complete. Our results allow us to rule out the presence of pure and amorphous CO2 ice in space based on the observations available so far, supporting our current view of the evolution of CO2 ice.

Complicaciones neurológicas de la endocarditis infecciosa: controversias / Neurological complications of infective endocarditis: controversies

En la endocarditis infecciosa aguda se describen complicaciones neurológicas entre 20% y 40% de los casos, lo cual representa un importante factor que predice morbimortalidad, secuelas y discapacidad. Esta entidad se caracteriza por un amplio espectro clínico debido a su compleja fisiopatología, que involucra entre otros, fenómenos inflamatorios, inmunes, infecciosos y embólicos. A pesar de la notable frecuencia de las complicaciones neurológicas en la endocarditis infecciosa, dadas especialmente por enfermedad cerebrovascular y neuroinfecciones, aun existen controversias acerca de algunos aspectos diagnósticos y terapéuticos, en parte por la poca evidencia disponible, las cuales se discuten a continuación, a partir de una serie de casos atendidos en la Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia.

Neurological complications of acute infective endocarditis are described in 20%-40% of cases, representing an important predictive factor of morbidity, mortality, sequels and disability. Acute endocarditis is characterized by a wide clinical spectrum due to its complex physiopathology that involves inflammatory, immune, infectious and embolic phenomena. Despite the remarkable frequency of neurological complications in the infective endocarditis especially by cerebrovascular disease and neuroinfections, there are still some controversies about some diagnostic and therapeutic aspects, partly because of the little evidence available. This paper describes a number of cases seen in the Fundación Cardiovascular de Colombia and discusses some aspects related with the diagnosis and treatment of the neurological complications of acute endocarditis.