Seasonal variation in the response of a monoecious crop to increased temperature and fertilizers.

Climate warming may affect the performance of plants directly through altering vegetative or reproductive traits, and indirectly through modifying interactions with their pollinators. On the other hand, the addition of fertilizers to the soil may increase the quantity and quality of floral rewards, favoring the visitation of pollinators and, consequently, the reproductive success of plants. However, it is still unknown whether fertilizers may counteract the effects of increased temperature on the vegetative, floral, and reproductive traits of plants, as well as on the interaction with their pollinators. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of the input of organic and synthetic fertilizers on several vegetative and floral traits, and on the rate of legitimate floral visitors and reproductive success of the squash during two seasons, under a scenario of an increase in ambient temperature. During the dry and the rainy seasons, three vegetative, eleven floral, and two reproductive traits, as well as the duration of visits and visitation rate of legitimate floral visitors were evaluated in squash plants distributed into six treatments in a bifactorial design: temperature (ambient or elevated temperature) and fertilizer (organic, synthetic or without supplementary fertilizers). Contrary to our predictions, we found that an increase of ~1.5°C in ambient temperature, positively influenced several vegetative, floral, and reproductive traits in this crop, and that organic fertilizers, in general, was not better than synthetic fertilizers in improving those traits. Interestingly, the response of the squash and indirectly on their legitimate floral visitors to the increase of temperature and the input of fertilizers vary widely among seasons, suggesting great temporal variation in plant-pollinator responses to temperature and nutrient availability, which makes food security more unpredictable.

Gliosarcoma multicéntrico / Multicentric gliosarcoma

Objetivo. Presentar un caso de esta infrecuente patología; realizar una revisión bibliográfica y analizar su etiología, características clínicas y tratamiento. Descripción. Paciente femenina de 60 años de edad, que consultó por presentar hemiparesia braquiocrural derecha y afasia de expresión de 30 días de evolución. La TAC y RMN evidenciaron lesiones localizadas a nivel parieto-occipital izquierda, parainsular y occipital derecha. El screening oncológico fue negativo. Intervención. Se realizó craniotomía y exéresis subtotal de la lesión parieto-occipital izquierda. La anatomía patológica informó gliosarcoma. Completó tratamiento con radioterapia holocraneana y quimioterapia con temozolamida. La paciente falleció a los diez meses del diagnóstico.

Objetive. We report a rare case of Multicentric Gliosarcoma, we review the literature and analyze its causes, clinical features and treatment.Description. Sixty-year-old female patient who has presented right hemiparesis and motor aphasia for a month. CT and MRI showed lesions at the left parieto-occipital lobes, right occipital and parainsular lobes. Oncologic screening was negative.Intervention. A craniotomy and subtotal excision of parietooccipital lesion was performed. Histological examination revealed gliosarcoma. She received radiotherapy and chemotherapy,however she died ten months after the diagnosis. Conclusion. Multicentric gliosarcoma is very unfrequent. Thereare only two cases reported in the literature. Even so, it must besuspected in multiple cerebral lesions.

Gliosarcoma multicéntrico / Multicentric gliosarcoma

Objetivo. Presentar un caso de esta infrecuente patología; realizar una revisión bibliográfica y analizar su etiología, características clínicas y tratamiento. Descripción. Paciente femenina de 60 años de edad, que consultó por presentar hemiparesia braquiocrural derecha y afasia de expresión de 30 días de evolución. La TAC y RMN evidenciaron lesiones localizadas a nivel parieto-occipital izquierda, parainsular y occipital derecha. El screening oncológico fue negativo. Intervención. Se realizó craniotomía y exéresis subtotal de la lesión parieto-occipital izquierda. La anatomía patológica informó gliosarcoma. Completó tratamiento con radioterapia holocraneana y quimioterapia con temozolamida. La paciente falleció a los diez meses del diagnóstico.(AU)

Objetive. We report a rare case of Multicentric Gliosarcoma, we review the literature and analyze its causes, clinical features and treatment.Description. Sixty-year-old female patient who has presented right hemiparesis and motor aphasia for a month. CT and MRI showed lesions at the left parieto-occipital lobes, right occipital and parainsular lobes. Oncologic screening was negative.Intervention. A craniotomy and subtotal excision of parietooccipital lesion was performed. Histological examination revealed gliosarcoma. She received radiotherapy and chemotherapy,however she died ten months after the diagnosis. Conclusion. Multicentric gliosarcoma is very unfrequent. Thereare only two cases reported in the literature. Even so, it must besuspected in multiple cerebral lesions.(AU)

Corporectomía fragmentaria progresiva posterior: nuestra experiencia / Progresive fragmentary posterior corporectomy: our experience

Introducción. Existen diversos abordajes para la columna toracolumbar: anterior, lateral, posterior y combinados. Cada uno de ellos presenta sus ventajas y desventajas. La corporectomía fragmentaria progresiva posterior (CFPP) o corporectomía transpedicular puede ser realizada en un solo tiempo quirúrgico, permitiendo además disminuir los riesgos de los otros abordajes y lograr una adecuada estabilización del raquis. En este trabajo analizamos la experiencia de nuestro Servicio en este abordaje. Material y método: Análisis de la técnica utilizada y realización del abordaje en un espécimen anatómico donde se jerarquizan algunos detalles de importancia según nuestra experiencia. Estudio retrospectivo entre los años 2001-2005. Se analizaron diversas variables epidemiológicas, preoperatorios y postoperatorias a partir de los datos de las historias clínicas de 27 pacientes intervenidos durante ese período. Resultados: Localización: 10 a nivel dorsal y 17 a nivel lumbar. Etiología: 3 patologías infecciosas, 10 traumáticas y 17 tumorales. Se fijaron 24 pacientes en el primer acto quirúrgico y tres en un segundo acto (dada su etiología infecciosa). Sólo un paciente presentó como complicación una fístula de líquido cefalorraquídeo. Ningún paciente presentó agravación de su estado neurológico. Todos los casos presentaron buena estabilidad raquídea. Conclusiones: Esta técnica permite maximizar una región anatómica, otorgando un amplio y seguro campo quirúrgico. Consideramos esta vía como una opción para el tratamiento de patología del cuerpo vertebral.

Objetive: There are many approaches to the thoracolumbar spine: anterior, lateral, posterior and combined. Each one of them present advantages and disadvantages. The posterior progressive fragmentary corporectomy (PPFC) or transpedicular corporectomy offers the advantage to be made in a single surgical time, allowing in addition to lessen the risks of the other approaches and to obtain a suitable stabilization of the spine. Material and Methods: Analysis of the technique and practice of an apprach in a cadaveric specimen giving importance to theremark of certain details of the technique. Restrospective study between years 2001-2005. Diverse epidemiologic preoperating and postoperative variables were analyzed from data of the of 27 operated patients with this procedure. Results: Localization: 10 at lumbar and 17 at dorsal spine. Etiology: 3 infectious, 10 traumatic and 17 tumoral pathologies.Twenty four patients were stabilized in an unique operation, and three in a second time (given its infectious etiology). Only one patient presented a CSF leak as a complication. No patientpresented aggravation of inicial neurological state. All the cases showed good spine stability. Conclusion: The amount of operative exposure achived using this technique is wide and safe. We consider this approach as an option for the treatment of vertebral body pathology.

Development, validation, and use of English and Spanish versions of the telemedicine satisfaction and usefulness questionnaire.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the development and validation of low literacy English and Spanish versions of the 26-item Telemedicine Satisfaction and Usefulness Questionnaire (TSUQ), report telemedicine satisfaction and usefulness ratings of urban and rural participants in the Informatics for Diabetes Education and Telemedicine (IDEATel) project, and explore relationships between utilization and perceptions of satisfaction and usefulness. METHODS: Data sources included TSUQ, utilization data from IDEATel log files, and sociodemographic data from the annual IDEATel interview. Psychometric analyses were conducted to examine the reliability and validity of TSUQ. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlational techniques. RESULTS: The principal components factor analysis extracted two factors (Video Visits, alpha=.96, and Use and Impact, alpha=.92) that explained 63.6% of the variance in TSUQ satisfaction scores. All satisfaction and usefulness items had mean scores of greater than 4 on a 5-point scale. Those from urban areas reported significantly higher ratings on both factors than rural participants as did those who did not know how to use a computer at baseline. Mean frequency of utilization of IDEATel components was highest for blood sugar testing followed by web site for reviewing results, blood pressure testing, video visits, and ADA educational Web pages. Associations between utilization and perceptions of satisfaction and usefulness varied among IDEATel components. CONCLUSION: Psychometric analyses support the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of TSUQ, which is available in both English and Spanish at a readability level of 8th grade. Both rural and urban participants reported high levels of satisfaction and found all IDEATel components useful. Further work is needed to examine the relationships between utilization and perceptions of satisfaction and usefulness and to explore the effects of location (urban versus rural) and ethnicity on satisfaction with telemedicine services.

Absceso epidural espinal: nuesta experiencia en un año / Spinal epidural abscess: one year experience

Objetivo. Describir y analizar el tratamiento de tres pacientes con absceso epidural espinal (AEE). Descripción. Caso 1: varón de 58 años, con antecedentes de artritis séptica de rodilla izquierda y dolor lumbar de 2 meses de evolución que presentó una paraparesia progresiva 48 horas antes de la consulta. IRM: espondilodiscitis D8-D10 y colección epidural. Caso 2: mujer de 68 años, con antecedentes de tratamiento percutáneo por lumbalgia secundaria a canal estrecho; ingresó por shock séptico, presentando dolor y parestesias en miembros inferiores. IRM: espondilodiscitis L4-L5, colección epidural y abscesos de ambos psoas. Caso 3: varón de 56 años, con antecedentes de tratamiento crónico con corticoides y AINES por lumbociatalgia; ingresó por shock séptico asociado a cuadriparesia. IRM: colección anterior cervicodorsolumbar epidural. Intervención. En los casos 1 y 2 se realizaron sendas laminectomías con evacuación de colección purulenta. En el caso 3, el tratamiento fue conservador (antibioticoterapia) con resolución de la colección. En los 3 casos se rescató un Staphylococcus aureus. El caso 1 evolucionó a la paraplejía y los casos 2 y 3 se recuperaron completamente. Conclusión. El AEE es una urgencia tanto neuroquirúrgica como infectológica. En los pacientes con déficit neurológico, la cirugía es el tratamiento de elección, sumado a la antibioticoterapia; mientras que en pacientes sin compromiso neurológico, de alto riesgo quirúrgico o con una extensa lesión a lo largo del canal espinal, el tratamiento conservador sería el indicado.

Objetive. To describe and analyze the treatment of 3 patients with a spinal epidural abscess (SEA). Description. Case 1 (male, 58 years old): with a history of left knee's septic arthritis, and a two-month history of lumbar pain, who refered a progresssive paraparesis. MRI: D8-D10 discitis and SEA. Case 2 (female, 68 years old): with a history of previous percutaneous treatment; for lumbar pain was admitted with a septic shock, parestesias and pain in both legs. MRI: L4-L5 discitis, SEA and bilateral psoas abscess. Case 3 (male, 56 years old): with a history of previous long-term steroid treatment for lumbar pain; was admitted with a septic shock and tetraparesis. MRI: anterior cervicothoracolumbar SEA. Intervention. In both cases 1 and 2, laminectomy and drainage were performed. In the third case, the favorable outcome was due to antibiotic treatment. Conclusion. Surgery plus antibiotic treatment were the gold standard for patients who showed neurological deficit. For patients without neurological deficit and an extensive lesion along the spinal cord or an increased surgical risk, antibiotic treatment was suggested.

Availability of antibiotics without prescription in New York City.

Misuse of antibiotics in the community has been associated with emergence of increasingly antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Although antibiotics in the United States are to be prescribed by a health care provider, the extent to which they are obtained by other means is not known. The purpose of this article is to describe a survey of the availability of nonprescription antibiotics in neighborhood independent businesses in several Manhattan, New York, neighborhoods. A survey was conducted of 101 stores in three neighborhoods--one primarily Hispanic; one primarily black, non-Hispanic; and one primarily white, non-Hispanic. Antibiotics were available in all stores in the Hispanic neighborhood (n = 34), but in none of the others (P < .001). If efforts to rationalize the use of antibiotics are to be successful, the beliefs and cultural norms of subpopulations must be considered, and interventions must be culturally relevant.