Suicidio con fosfuro de aluminio: presentación de un caso / Suicide by ingestion of aluminum phosphide: a case report

Se describe el primer caso publicado en Cuba de envenenamiento letal por ingestión intencional de fosfuro de aluminio, un pesticida usado contra los roedores e insectos. Se revisan los principales efectos tóxicos. Entre ellos, destaca la hipoglicemia, manifestación infrecuentemente descrita y los cambios en el electrocardiograma sugerentes de infarto subendocardico (AU)

This is the first Cuban report of a suicide carried out by lethal intake of aluminum phosphide, a pesticide used to control rodents and insects. We review the main toxic effects, placing emphasis on hypoglycemia, which is seldom mentioned, and electrocardiographic abnormalities suggestive of subendocardial infarction (AU)

Breed, slaughter weight and ageing time effects on physico-chemical characteristics of lamb meat.

The effects of breed, slaughter weight and ageing time on the meat quality of the three most important Spanish breeds were considered. Two hundred and twenty-five lambs of Rasa Aragonesa-local meat breed-, Churra-local dairy breed- and Spanish Merino were used. Animals (75 of each breed) were slaughtered at three different live weights (10-12, 20-22 or 30-32 kg), and the meat was aged for 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 days. The meat pH, colour, amount of haem pigments, intramuscular fat, moisture, hydroxyproline content and sarcomere length were measured at 24 h post-mortem. Meat texture was measured by compression after each ageing time. The pH of the samples ranged from 5.50 to 5.58. Meat colour varied with breed and slaughter weight (P⩽0.01), the M. longissimus thoracis was lighter in the youngest animals and in the Churra breed and redder in Merinos. Intramuscular fat increased and moisture decreased for heavier lambs. Differences in collagen were associated with breed (P⩽0.01); total and insoluble collagen contents were higher in the Churra breed. Sarcomere length was only slightly affected by slaughter weight. Meat from the Churra breed had the highest values at high levels of compression. Suckling lambs (10-12 kg) had greater myofibrillar toughness than heavier lambs and ageing strongly influenced myofibrillar tenderness.

Cystic fibrosis--an otolaryngologic perspective.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal genetic disorder in white patients. The protean manifestations of the disease result from exocrine gland dysfunction and include chronically debilitating pulmonary and pancreatic compromise and clinically inconsequential (although diagnostically extremely important) sweat electrolyte abnormalities. The subject of this article is the otolaryngologic manifestations of the disease, based on a retrospective analysis of 450 cases. Nasal polyposis and sinusitis occurred in 10% and 11% of patients, respectively, and polypectomy was, after laparotomy, the most common surgical procedure these children underwent. The extent of intranasal surgery for polyposis was found to be inversely proportional to the recurrence rate. A simple polypectomy was relatively ineffective treatment; when performed in conjunction with a Caldwell-Luc and either an intranasal or extranasal ethmoidectomy, the recurrence rate was less than 13%. Otologic problems, found in 8% of patients, included chronic otitis media (2.5%) and acute otitis media (5.5%). Only five patients required pressure-equalizing tubes. Recent genetic advances of immense importance are also described. Although the basic gene defect has yet to be elucidated, by use of a technique known as restriction-fragment-linked polymorphism, the gene associated with CF has been found in the middle of the long arm of chromosome 7. By following gene markers closely associated with this gene, it is possible to do carrier tests within affected families and, if certain criteria are met, perform prenatal diagnosis. Eventual isolation and characterization of the gene will follow, hopefully making prevention possible and treatment more effective.

Long-term results of sphenopalatine ganglioneurectomy for facial pain.

Hemifacial pain associated with increased ipsilateral autonomic discharge can be both a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma. Although frequently treatable with medication, some patients require surgical therapy in the form of sphenopalatine ganglion neurectomy. We report our experience with this procedure in 12 patients with long-term follow-up. Although there is a high incidence of pain recurrence, the pain is usually less severe and can be managed with medications.

Observaciones sobre la flora intestinal potencialmente patógena en 289 niños normales

De los 289 niños examinados en circulos infantiles de la Habana se aislaron dos shigelas, pero ninguna Salmonella ni Arizona.....(AU)