Bone union formation in the rat mandibular symphysis using hydroxyapatite with or without simvastatin: effects on healthy, diabetic, and osteoporotic rats.

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to compare new bone formation in critical defects in healthy, diabetic, and osteoporotic rats filled with hydroxyapatite (HA) alone and HA combined with simvastatin (SV). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 48 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into three groups (n = 16 per group): Group, 1 healthy; Group 2, diabetics; and Group 3, osteoporotics. Streptozotocin was used to induce type 1 diabetes in Group 2, while bilateral ovariectomy was used to induce osteoporosis in Group 3. The central portion of the rat mandibular symphysis was used as a physiological critical bone defect. In each group, eight defects were filled with HA alone and eight with HA combined with SV. The animals were sacrificed at 4 and 8 weeks, and the mandibles were processed for micro-computed tomography to analyze radiological union and bone mineral density (BMD); histological analysis of the bone union; and immunohistochemical analysis, which included immunoreactivity of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2). RESULTS: In all groups (healthy, diabetics, and osteoporotics), the defects filled with HA + SV presented greater radiological bone union, BMD, histological bone union, and more VEGF and BMP-2 positivity, in comparison with bone defects treated with HA alone. CONCLUSIONS: Combined application of HA and SV improves bone regeneration in mandibular critical bone defects compared with application of HA alone in healthy, diabetic, and osteoporotic rats. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study might help to patients with osteoporosis or uncontrolled diabetes type 1, but future studies should be done.

Exploring physiological traits for measuring response to competition in durum wheat.

Studies of the effect of plant density have been conducted in numerous crops. However, most of them focused on yield to evaluate the impact of plant competition. In this study, we determined the best functional trait to detect early competition responses affecting plant growth. To do so, we designed experiments with increasing sowing density using two different durum wheat genotypes. Height from crown to the last liguled leaf and dry weight decreased with increasing sowing density showing that these traits are suitable to measure early competition responses. However, specific leaf area, a common-measured trait to study competition was not affected by sowing density at early stages. We conclude that plant density is a modifier of plant growth at the early stages of plant growth and that dry weight as well as height from crown to the last liguled leaf are the best functional traits to be measured.

Trans-metacarpophalangeal traction to avoid finger-related complications during wrist arthroscopy: Feasibility study with 20 cadaver wrists.

Some of the iatrogenic complications of wrist arthroscopy are related to the traction applied to the fingers. The aim of this work was to test whether trans-metacarpophalangeal (trans-MCP) traction would provide sufficient distraction of the radiocarpal and midcarpal joint spaces to perform wrist arthroscopy without exerting any mechanical stress on the fingers, from the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints to the distal phalanges. Our study included 20 cadaveric wrists mounted on an arthroscopic traction tower maintained by finger traps placed on the 2nd and 4th fingers. For each wrist, three fluoroscopic views were taken: without traction, with finger traction (78.45N), with trans-MCP traction (78.45N). The average height of the midcarpal joint space was 0.8305cm without traction, 1.037cm with finger traction, and 1.1cm with trans-MCP traction. The height of the radiocarpal joint space averaged 0.853cm without traction, 1.167cm with finger traction, and 1.187cm with trans-MCP traction. There were no differences between the heights of joint spaces between digital and trans-MCP traction. Our results show that trans-MCP traction provides distraction of the wrist joint spaces equivalent to that obtained with finger traction. However, we still need to develop a trans-MCP traction device usable in clinical practice.

Maculopatía por drogas de inhalación / Maculopathy due to drug inhalation

CASO CLÍNICO: Se describe un caso de maculopatía por popper. DISCUSIÓN: Popper es una droga compuesta por varias formas de nitritos de alquilo. Un varón de 39 años, consumidor de popper durante años, acude a la consulta por fosfenos, pérdida de agudeza visual y un escotoma central. El SD-OCT en el ojo derecho presenta pérdida de continuidad a nivel de la línea SI/SE. El SD-OCT del ojo izquierdo muestra un agujero macular externo de aspecto rectangular y con bordes rectos, y un quiste macular externo

CASE REPORT: A case of maculopathy due to «poppers» is described. DISCUSSION: Poppers is a drug composed of various forms of alkyl nitrite. A 39 year-old man, who had been using poppers for years, was seen in the clinic with phosphenes, reduced visual acuity and central scotoma. The SD-OCT in the right eye showed disruption at the level of the IS/OS junction line. The SD-OCT scan in the left eye showed an outer rectangular retinal hole and an outer retinal

Maculopathy due to drug inhalation.

CASE REPORT: A case of maculopathy due to "poppers" is described. DISCUSSION: Poppers is a drug composed of various forms of alkyl nitrite. A 39 year-old man, who had been using poppers for years, was seen in the clinic with phosphenes, reduced visual acuity and central scotoma. The SD-OCT in the right eye showed disruption at the level of the IS/OS junction line. The SD-OCT scan in the left eye showed an outer rectangular retinal hole and an outer retinal cyst.

Organización y funcionamiento de las consultas de tabaquismo en una comunidad autónoma. Experiencia de la Comunidad de Madrid / Organization and functions of the anti-smoking consultations in a regional community. Experience of the Madrid Community

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Smoking characteristics and cessation in patients with thromboangiitis obliterans.

AIM: Describe the smoking characteristics and the results of a smoking intervention programme involving 27 cigarette smokers with Thromboangiitis Obliterans (TAO). METHODS: Clinical records of all cigarette smokers with TAO that attended our smoking treatment clinic from 1990 to 2004 were reviewed. Demographic and smoking characteristics, the type of smoking treatment received and its efficacy and safety up to 12 months was abstracted. Treatment consisted of the combination of behavioural and pharmacological treatment. The behavioural treatment was delivered in eight individual visits: one baseline visit and seven follow-up visits. Pharmacological treatment consisted of combinations of nicotine patches and nicotine gum (NRT) and/or bupropion. This is an 'intent to treat' analysis. A descriptive analysis of the variables was performed. Qualitative variable relationships were tested using the chi-square test for independence, or Fisher's Exact Test when expected values were less than five. Statistical significance was accepted at a level of p < 0.05. RESULTS: 27 cigarette smokers (23 male and 4 female), mean (SD) age 36.07 (7.23), mean FTND-score 8.4 (1.4), smoked a mean of 29.6 (7.71) cigarettes daily. They attended our clinic a mean of 45.48 (8.63) months after onset of TAO. Their mean number of attempts to stop was 3.22 (2.75). The continuous abstinence rate decreased from 29% at the end of treatment to 18.5% at 12-month follow up. The seven day point prevalence abstinence rate at the 12th month of follow up was 40.7%. We found that continuous abstinence at 6 and 12 months was more frequent among those with multiple previous stop attempts (p = 0.003 and p = 0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in abstinence outcomes between groups. Incidence of adverse effects was similar to other smokers seeking treatment. All the smokers who achieved continuous tobacco abstinence had improvement in their disease and none of them underwent amputation, compared to 50% of those who resumed smoking and later required an amputation. CONCLUSIONS: Continuous abstinence rates among treated cigarette smokers with TAO are relatively low, but abstinence does improve symptoms and reduce the likelihood of amputation. More aggressive treatment programmes need to be developed for this high risk, highly tobacco dependent population.

El Plan Regional de Prevención y Control del Tabaquismo de la Comunidad de Madrid / The Regional Plan of Smoking Prevention and Control of the Madrid Community

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Clinical aspects, laboratory manifestation and serologic studies of a newly observed arbor a virus infection

18 cases of Chikungunya (or a very closely related virus) infection, a newly observed clinical entity in the Philippines, are presented. Diagnosis was established by serological studies consisting of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and complement fixation (CF) tests. (Summary)

The epidemiology of measles in the Philippines based on the antibody profile in rural and urban areas

A total of 322 satisfactory blood sera, obtained from individuals with ages ranging from 5 months to 4 years in rural and urban areas, were serologically tested with hemagglutination-inhibition technique. Results showed that 25 percent and 50 percent of the infants (2 yrs and below) in rural and urban, respectively, contracted the disease and doubled at preschool ages when malnutrition was highest in the country. At school age, 69 percent and 76 percent of the children in rural and urban areas contracted the disease while 95-100 showed immunity at adolescence (13-17) in both areas.(Author)

Preliminary studies on the menstrual cycle of Filipino women students

1. The onset of menstruation, menstrual cycle, duration of the flow, and the influence of physical exercise in 464 women students coming from 46 provinces inthe Philippines were studied2. The onset of menstruation occurs most frequently between twelve and fourteen years of age, the greatest number falling at thirteen years of age3. The average duration of the menstrual flow is from three to five days, and the most common interval between menses in 28 days4. Physical exercise has a variable influence upon individuals, personal adaptation being the controlling factor5. The onset of menstruation seems to be the same in all girls in the Philippines irrespective of whether they have come from the north or south. However, definite conclusions cannot be made on this matter owing to the insufficiency of representative materials at hand. (Summary and conclusions)