Yebes 40 m radio telescope and the broad band NANOCOSMOS receivers at 7 mm and 3 mm for line surveys.

CONTEXT: Yebes 40m radio telescope is the main and largest observing instrument at Yebes Observatory and it is devoted to Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and single dish observations since 2010. It has been covering frequency bands between 2 GHz and 90 GHz in discontinuous and narrow windows in most of the cases, to match the current needs of the European VLBI Network (EVN) and the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA). AIMS: Nanocosmos project, a European Union funded synergy grant, opened the possibility to increase the instantaneous frequency coverage to observe many molecular transitions with single tunnings in single dish mode. This reduces the observing time and maximises the output from the telescope. METHODS: We present the technical specifications of the recently installed 31.5 - 50GHz (Q band) and 72 - 90.5 GHz (W band) receivers along with the main characteristics of the telescope at these frequency ranges. We have observed IRC+10216, CRL 2688 and CRL 618, which harbour a rich molecular chemistry, to demonstrate the capabilities of the new instrumentation for spectral observations in single dish mode. RESULTS: The results show the high sensitivity of the telescope in the Q band. The spectrum of IRC+10126 offers a signal to noise ratio never seen before for this source in this band. On the other hand, the spectrum normalised by the continuum flux towards CRL 618 in the W band demonstrates that the 40 m radio telescope produces comparable results to those from the IRAM 30 m radio telescope, although with a smaller sensitivity. The new receivers fulfil one of the main goals of Nanocosmos and open the possibility to study the spectrum of different astrophysical media with unprecedented sensitivity.

Broad band high resolution rotational spectroscopy for Laboratory Astrophysics.

We present a new experimental setup devoted to the study of gas phase molecules and processes using broad band high spectral resolution rotational spectroscopy. A reactor chamber has been equipped with radio receivers similar to those used by radio astronomers to search for molecular emission in space. The whole Q (31.5-50 GHz) and W bands (72-116.5 GHz) are available for rotational spectroscopy observations. The receivers are equipped with 16×2.5 GHz Fast Fourier Transform spectrometers with a spectral resolution of 38.14 kHz allowing the simultaneous observation of the complete Q band and one third of the W band. The whole W band can be observed in three settings in which the Q band is always observed. Species such as CH3CN, OCS, and SO2 are detected, together with many of their isotopologues and vibrationally excited states, in very short observing times. The system permits automatic overnight observations and integration times as long as 2.4×105 seconds have been reached. The chamber is equipped with a radiofrequency source to produce cold plasmas and with four ultraviolet lamps to study photochemical processes. Plasmas of CH4, N2, CH3CN, NH3, O2, and H2, among other species, have been generated and the molecular products easily identified by their rotational spectrum, and mass spectrometry and optical spectroscopy. Finally, the rotational spectrum of the lowest energy conformer of CH3CH2NHCHO (N-Ethylformamide), a molecule previously characterized in microwave rotational spectroscopy, has been measured up to 116.5 GHz allowing the accurate determination of its rotational and distortion constants and its search in space.

Probing non polar interstellar molecules through their protonated form: Detection of protonated cyanogen (NCCNH+).

Cyanogen (NCCN) is the simplest member of the series of dicyanopolyynes. It has been hypothesized that this family of molecules can be important constituents of interstellar and circumstellar media, although the lack of a permanent electric dipole moment prevents its detection through radioastronomical techniques. Here we present the first solid evidence of the presence of cyanogen in interstellar clouds through the detection of its protonated form toward the cold dark clouds TMC-1 and L483. Protonated cyanogen (NCCNH+) has been identified through the J = 5 - 4 and J = 10 - 9 rotational transitions using the 40m radiotelescope of Yebes and the IRAM 30m telescope. We derive beam averaged column densities for NCCNH+ of (8.6 ± 4.4) × 1010 cm-2 in TMC-1 and (3.9 ± 1.8) × 1010 cm-2 in L483, which translate to fairly low fractional abundances relative to H2, in the range (1-10) × 10-12. The chemistry of protonated molecules in dark clouds is discussed, and it is found that, in general terms, the abundance ratio between the protonated and non protonated forms of a molecule increases with increasing proton affinity. Our chemical model predicts an abundance ratio NCCNH+/NCCN of ~ 10-4, which implies that the abundance of cyanogen in dark clouds could be as high as (1-10) × 10-8 relative to H2, i.e., comparable to that of other abundant nitriles such as HCN, HNC, and HC3N.

Congenital vesicovaginal fistula with or without menouria: a literature review.

Congenital vesicovaginal fistula (CVVF) is a rare, complex female genital malformation that is difficult to diagnose, classify and treat. Symptoms include menouria, cyclical haematuria and urinary incontinence from birth. The aim of this review was to highlight the importance of correct diagnosis and treatment of this congenital anomaly. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify articles on CVVF with and without menouria. Forty-one articles were found, of which 31 described 37 original cases of congenital fistula (30 CVVF, six uterovesical fistula and one urethrovaginal fistula): 14 in girls and 23 in adults. The cases were classified according to clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic parameters in order to unify concepts and terms. Menouria occurred in 21 of the 23 adults: 14 cases were CVVF, six cases were congenital uterovesical fistula, and one case was congenital urethrovaginal fistula in a young woman without congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Sixteen (53%) of the 30 patients with CVVF had urinary incontinence or hydrocolpometra, and 14 (47%) had menouria. There were associated anomalies in 91% of cases, 29 (48%) of which involved the urinary tract. Various diagnostic and therapeutic methods were used, and there was confusion surrounding the aetiopathogenesis in most cases. CVVF should be suspected in any girl with urinary incontinence, urinary tract infections from birth, vaginal swelling or hydrocolpometras, as well as in adults with menouria. Diagnosis should be based on physical examination and imaging (cystoscopy during menouria, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging). Surgical treatment should be based on correction of the vaginal defects (obstructive problem opening or vaginal reconstruction) and CVVF closure. The embryological origin of CVVF lies in the abnormal persistence of the urogenital sinus due to lack of formation and caudal growth of the urogenital wedge, combined with distinct degrees of agenesis or hypoplasia of the entire urogenital ridge or the mesonephric ducts (which affects development of the Müllerian ducts).

Marcadores tumorales en la endometriosis: relación con la gravedad de la enfermedad / Tumoral markers in endometriosis: relationship with disease severity

Objetivo: Demostrar la relación entre los valores preoperatorios de Ca-125 y Ca 19.9 con el grado de enfermedad en las pacientes intervenidas por endometriosis. Sujetos y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo. Muestra aleatoria de 85 casos de pacientes sometidas a cirugía por endometriosis, confirmada durante la intervención, en el Hospital General Universitario de Alicante, entre febrero de 1996 y enero de 2003. Resultados: Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en los valores medios de Ca-125 (p = 0,006) y Ca 19.9 (p = 0,003), en función del grado de enfermedad (III o IV). Se construyó una curva ROC (receiver operating characteristics) para ambos parámetros. Conclusiones: Los marcadores Ca-125 y Ca 19.9 son útiles para descartar endometriosis de grado IV en el preoperatorio, y así una intervención dificultosa. Los umbrales óptimos para su valoración son Ca-125 < 38,5 U/ml y Ca 19.9 < 13 U/ml.La presencia de ambas condiciones descartará endometriosis de grado IV, con una probabilidad del 97,7 por ciento (AU)

140 exéresis de lesiones de cérvix con asa de diatermia. Márgenes, tabaco y persistencia / Management of 140 cervical lesions by loop escision. Margins, tobacco and persistance

Objetivo: Evaluar qué factores influyen en la persistencia de la lesión de cérvix tras la exéresis.Diseño: Estudio retrospectivo.Sujetos de estudio: 140 pacientes a las que se les realizaron técnicas de exéresis de lesiones del cérvix uterino con asa de diatermia.Resultados: La edad media de las pacientes fue de 37,5 (19-74). El 72,5 por ciento eran fumadoras. Con márgenes afectados, la persistencia de la lesión a los 6 meses fue del 31,3, frente al 17,2 por ciento si los márgenes estaban libres (15 de 87) (odds ratio [OR]: 2,18; intervalo de confianza [IC]: 0,6-7,2) (p = 0,2). A los 18 meses, persistían dos lesiones (curación en el 96,1 por ciento); ambos casos tenían márgenes libres. En las fumadoras, persiste en el 26,5 por ciento a los 6 meses, frente al 13,3 por ciento en las no fumadoras (OR: 2,34; IC: 0,5-11,8) (p = 0,3). Las dos pacientes con persistencia a los 18 meses eran fumadoras. Las lesiones de alto grado persistieron en un 19,3 por ciento a los 6 meses y en un 3,9 por ciento a los 18 meses; las de bajo grado persistieron en un 29,4 por ciento a los 6 meses y en ningún caso a los 18 meses (p = 0,8).Conclusiones: La persistencia de la lesión a los 18 meses no dependió de la afectación de los márgenes de resección, de la histología ni del hábito tabáquico. No es necesaria la cirugía posterior en las pacientes que tienen resección incompleta de una lesión del cérvix uterino, y sólo la evolución tras el seguimiento con citología y colposcopia puede justificar la reintervención. (AU)

Insulin, androgens, and obesity in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome: a heterogeneous group of disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlations among insulin, androgens, body mass index (BMI), and other related metabolic anomalies in women with and without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). DESIGN: Retrospective study of normal and obese women with and without PCOS. SETTING: Gynecologic endocrinology units of Elche, San Juan, and Alicante Hospitals and Hormone Laboratory at Alicante University Hospital ("Miguel Hernández" University). PATIENT(S): A total of 212 women were studied: 137 with PCOS and 75 without PCOS. INTERVENTION(S): BMI, gonadotropins, insulin, androgens (T, androstenedione, DHEAS), 17alpha-hydroxyprogesterone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and triglycerides were studied. Glycemia and insulin response to the tolerance test (GTT) with a 100-g oral glucose load were also assessed in 103 women. RESULT(S): A good correlation between insulin and BMI was found in normal and obese women without hormonal dysfunction and in patients with or without PCOS. Good correlations, although lower, between insulin and T, and BMI, insulin, and T with triglycerides were also found in patients with PCOS. These patients fell into clearly distinct categories: with or without insulin resistance and with or without obesity, but slim women with PCOS had insulin and metabolic variables similar to those without PCOS, and most obese women with PCOS were insulin-resistant and more hyperandrogenic and hypertriglyceridemic. CONCLUSION(S): Insulin, androgens, and BMI are related in women both with PCOS and without PCOS, especially in obese ones. Insulin and metabolic indices are similar in lean women with PCOS and those without PCOS, but obese women with PCOS are more insulin-resistant, hyperandrogenic, and hypertriglyceridemic. Three types of disorders can be distinguished: simple nonhyperandrogenic obesity, typical nonhyperinsulinemic PCOS, and insulin-resistant PCOS.