Minimization of measuring points for the electric field exposure map generation in indoor environments by means of Kriging interpolation and selective sampling.

In a world with increasing systems accessing to radio spectrum, the concern for exposure to electromagnetic fields is growing and therefore it is necessary to check limits in those areas where electromagnetic sources are working. Therefore, radio and exposure maps are continuously being generated, mainly in outdoor areas, by using many interpolation techniques. In this work, Surfer software and Kriging interpolation have been used for the first time to generate an indoor exposure map. A regular measuring mesh has been generated. Elimination of Less Significant Points (ELSP) and Geometrical Elimination of Neighbors (GEN) strategies to reduce the measuring points have been presented and evaluated. Both strategies have been compared to the map generated with all the measurements by calculating the root mean square and mean absolute errors. Results indicate that ELSP method can reduce up to 70% of the mesh measuring points while producing similar exposure maps to the one generated with all the measuring points. GEN, however, produces distorted maps and much higher error indicators even for 50% of eliminated measuring points. As a conclusion, a procedure for reducing the measuring points to generate radio and exposure maps is proposed based on the ELSP method and the Kriging interpolation.

[Solitary fibrous tumors of the meninges: report of three cases and literature review]. / Tumor fibroso solitario meníngeo: descripción de tres casos y revisión de la literatura.

We report 3 patients with fibrous solitary tumor of meningeal location where we described the histological study, as well as evolution after the surgical treatment. The described patients presented ages of 37, 52 and 65 years, after the resection has not appeared an objective sign of recurrence in any case after 4, 6 and 7 years of follow-up respectively. Checking the literature the tumor is indistinguishable clinical and radiolocally of the typical meningioma, doing necessary the use of inmunohistochemistry to do the differential diagnosis, where positiveness for CD34 and the negativeness for EMA define the fibrous solitary tumor. It is about a benign tumor, where total removing is the principal factor in prognosis, nevertheless there are cases of local recurrences and long-distance metastasis. We can find all these characteristics in the showed cases of the present article, having the uncertainty of its local or systemic relapse ability in the future.

Hipertensión arterial refractaria verdadera. Estudio de prevalencia en una consulta hospitalaria / True refractory hypertension. Study of prevalence at a tertiary care clinic

Introducción. La hipertensión arterial refractaria (HTA-R) puede definirse como la falta de control de las cifras de presión arterial por debajo de 140/90 mmHg a pesar de tratamiento con una combinación adecuada de tres fármacos, siendo uno de ellos un diurético. La prevalencia de HTA-R entre los hipertensos españoles no es bien conocida. El objetivo sería estimar la prevalencia real de HTA-R en una consulta hospitalaria. Material y métodos. A partir de una población inicial de 281 pacientes remitidos por HTA resistente al tratamiento se seleccionó a aquellos individuos que cumplían criterios de HTA-R tras la primera evaluación. Se realizó un estudio exhaustivo de dichos pacientes para confirmar el diagnóstico de HTA-R, buscando causas de HTA secundaria y otros factores contribuyentes a la falta de respuesta al tratamiento. Resultados. Se seleccionó al subgrupo poblacional que cumplía criterios de HTA-R: 42 pacientes de 60 ± 9 años de edad media (27 mujeres y 15 hombres). Tras un seguimiento medio de 3,3 ± 0,5 años, el 73,8 % de los individuos presentaba HTA secundaria, siendo el síndrome de apnea obstructiva del sueño la causa más frecuente. Se obtuvo un control adecuado de la presión arterial en la mayoría de los casos (61,9 %). Sólo en el 4,8 % del subgrupo de 42 pacientes existía HTA-R verdadera, al presentar HTA esencial y mantener cifras elevadas de presión arterial, a pesar del estricto seguimiento y tratamiento. Discusión. La prevalencia real de HTA-R es muy baja, siendo necesario realizar un estudio exhaustivo de los pacientes. En la gran mayoría de los casos se encuentran causas secundarias de HTA y factores contribuyentes a la aparente refractariedad al tratamiento

Introduction. Refractory hypertension is defined as the failure to reach goal blood pressure (¾ 140/90 mmHg) in patients who are adhering to full doses of an appropriate three-drug regimen that includes a diuretic. Its prevalence among spanish patients is not well documented. The objective was to determine the true prevalence of refractory hypertension in adult patients from a university hospital hypertension clinic. Material and methods. Patients who fulfilled criteria for refractory hypertension were selected from an initial sample of 281 individuals with suspected resistant hypertension. An exhaustive study was performed on these patients in order to confirm refractory hypertension and to search for causes of secondary hypertension and contributing factors to poor response to treatment. Results. Forty two patients were selected (average age: 60 ± 9 years, 27 women, 15 men). After 3.3 ± 0.5 years of monitoring, 73.8 % of the individuals were diagnosed with secondary hypertension (sleep apnoea as the most frequent cause). Recommended treatment goals were achieved in most patients (61.9 %). Only 4.8 % of the selected patients suffered from true refractory hypertension, as they had essential hypertension and maintained high blood pressure in spite of strict treatment and monitoring. Discussion. Real prevalence of refractory hypertension is very low. An exhaustive study is needed in order to diagnose it. Causes of secondary hypertension and other contributing factors to poor response to treatment can be found in most casesIntroduction. Refractory hypertension is defined as the failure to reach goal blood pressure (¾ 140/90 mmHg) in patients who are adhering to full doses of an appropriate three-drug regimen that includes a diuretic. Its prevalence among spanish patients is not well documented. The objective was to determine the true prevalence of refractory hypertension in adult patients from a university hospital hypertension clinic. Material and methods. Patients who fulfilled criteria for refractory hypertension were selected from an initial sample of 281 individuals with suspected resistant hypertension. An exhaustive study was performed on these patients in order to confirm refractory hypertension and to search for causes of secondary hypertension and contributing factors to poor response to treatment. Results. Forty two patients were selected (average age: 60 ± 9 years, 27 women, 15 men). After 3.3 ± 0.5 years of monitoring, 73.8 % of the individuals were diagnosed with secondary hypertension (sleep apnoea as the most frequent cause). Recommended treatment goals were achieved in most patients (61.9 %). Only 4.8 % of the selected patients suffered from true refractory hypertension, as they had essential hypertension and maintained high blood pressure in spite of strict treatment and monitoring. Discussion. Real prevalence of refractory hypertension is very low. An exhaustive study is needed in order to diagnose it. Causes of secondary hypertension and other contributing factors to poor response to treatment can be found in most cases

Concentrado de proteína C en el tratamiento de la sepsis grave en pediatría / Protein C concentrate in the treatment of severe sepsis in the pediatric setting

Los pacientes con sepsis severa desarrollan déficit adquirido de proteína C, existiendo una correlación entre el grado de deficiencia y la evolución clínica negativa. El reemplazamiento de dicha proteína puede contribuir a evitar este proceso. En el mercado existen dos tipos de proteína C, concentrada y activada. Ninguna de ellas están registradas para el tratamiento de sepsis grave en pediatría. La experiencia con proteína C en este grupo de edades es limitada. Se requiere ensayos clínicos adecuados que establezcan su eficacia y seguridad y que clarifiquen el lugar de cada tipo de proteína C en la terapéutica de esta patología en pediatría. En el presente artículo se describe la experiencia del uso de concentrado de proteína C como terapia coadyuvante a la terapia convencional en el tratamiento de tres niños con sepsis grave en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátrica. En los tres casos de nuestro estudio, los niveles altos de proteína C se correlacionan con normalización de los parámetros de coagulación y con disminución de los niveles de dímero D. Dos de los tres pacientes evolucionaron favorablemente en el curso del tratamiento, mientras que la tercera paciente murió al entrar en shock séptico y disfunción multiorgánica (AU)

[Protein C concentrate in the treatment of severe sepsis in the pediatric setting]. / Concentrado de proteína C en el tratamiento de la sepsis grave en pediatría.

Patients with severe sepsis develop acquired protein C deficiency, and the extent of such deficiency and negative clinical outcomes correlate. Replacing this protein may help prevent such a condition. Two protein C types are commercially available - concentrated and activated proteins. None is registered for the treatment of severe sepsis in the pediatric setting. Experience with protein C in this group of conditions is limited. Appropriate clinical trials are required to establish effectiveness and safety, and to elucidate the role of either protein C type in the management of this condition in the pediatric setting. This paper discusses experience with the use of protein C concentrate as an adjuvant treatment in addition to conventional therapy in three children with severe sepsis at a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. In all 3 cases of our study, high levels of protein C correlated to coagulation parameter normalization and reduced dimer D levels. Two out of three had a favorable outcome following treatment, whereas the third patient died as a result of septic shock and multiple organ dysfunction.

Evaluation of the speed of kill of fleas and ticks with Frontline Top Spot in dogs.

The speed of kill of a spot-on formulation of fipronil (Frontline Top Spot, Merial Limited, Duluth, GA) against adult cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) and brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) was evaluated in dogs in a commercial laboratory setting. Forty dogs were allocated to 20 replicates of two based on sex and pretreatment flea counts. Within each replicate, dogs were randomly allocated to an untreated control group or to treatment with fipronil, administered topically as a spot-on per label instructions. The technical staff performing the flea and tick counts were unaware of treatment group assignments. Each dog was infested with approximately 100 unfed adult fleas on Day -8 or -6 and on Day -1. Each dog also was infested with approximately 50 unfed adult ticks on Day -1. Treatments were administered on Day 0 according to body weight. Flea and tick counts were performed on four randomly selected dogs from each treatment group at approximately 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 hours after treatment. Flea and tick count reductions for dogs treated with fipronil were significant (P < .05), as compared with untreated controls, at 18, 24, and 48 hours after treatment. Controlled efficacy of fipronil against C. felis and R. sanguineus ranged from 94% to 100% at these evaluation times. This study demonstrated that the speed of kill of fipronil, applied topically as a spot-on, was 100% against C. felis fleas on dogs within 12 to 18 hours after treatment and 100% against R. sanguineus ticks between 24 and 48 hours after treatment.

Prevention of bacterial respiratory infection by an association of bacterial ribosomes and membranous proteoglycans. 2. Objective assessment of the response and of the immunological stimulation.

Using a vaccine preparation administered by aerosol for respiratory anti-infectious purposes and corresponding to the original formula of ribosomes and membrane fractions of microbial germs, the authors investigated during a period of nine months whether an objective, transient or lasting stimulation of the total and specific immunoglobulin (Ig) appeared. They provide a statistical analysis based on several serum Ig measurements and demonstrate the stimulant and lasting effect of the vaccine in the production of specific Ig for a sample of patients compared with controls. In those treated they observed apparently disordered variations of the serum levels of the total Ig, which in fact correspond to the initiation of a dynamic equilibrium in relation to the immunogenicity of the vaccine, the initial level of the total Ig and the production of the specific Ig. Finally, after a booster sequence carried out five month after "primary vaccination", they established the restarting of production of specific Ig accompanied this time by a different dynamic response of the total Ig.

[Serum IgE in patients suffering from IgA deficiency with or without atopy]. / IgE sériques des sujets ayant un déficit en IgA avec ou sans atopie

Numerous studies, based upon the frequency of allergic and auto-immune disorders in association with selective deficiency in IgA, as well as the abnormally high proportion of IgA deficiency in atopic patients, have led to the hypothesis that allergy results from a deficiency in IgA during the first months of life. Thus subjects with an initial transient deficiency in IgA (followed by normal or greater than average production) produce an excess of IgE. The aim of this study, carried out by multifactorial data analysis, was to determine whether serum IgE levels were related to those of IgA. Comparison of the serum Ig levels of 4 groups of individuals, with or without IgA deficiency, showed that the production of IgE was more closely related to the respiratory condition responsible than to IgA levels. According to IgA and E levels, the 4 groups differ distinctly, atopic patients without asthma constituting a "bridge" between the control group and those with asthma. In the presence of an apparently identical situation, i.e. an IgA deficiency, individuals may react in two different ways: some produce an abundance of IgE whilst others fail to do so and are more susceptible to recurrent infective episodes. The role of the genetic control of IgE as well as environmental factors in the pathogenesis of allergic manifestations is discussed.

[Study on the relationship between serum alpha 1 antitrypsin level, the phenotype Pi and various bronchopulmonary diseases]. / Recherche de liaisons entre le taux sérique d'alpha-1-antitrypsine, le phénotype P1 et différentes affections broncho-pulmonaires

The authors determined in 418 adults, males and females, admitted to hospital on the Respiratory Unit of the Montpellier University Hospital, the serum levels of alpha-1-antitrypsin, phenotype Pi and serum immunoglobulin levels. They compare these data together and with the diagnosis using a mathematical method known as factorial correspondence analysis.