Comparison of Central Aortic Pressure between Women with Preeclampsia and Normotensive Postpartum Women from an Urban Region of Western Mexico.

Background and Objectives: Central aortic pressure (CAP) can be measured through noninvasive methods, and CAP wave analysis can provide information about arterial stiffness. The objective of this study was to compare CAP in women with preeclampsia and normotensive postpartum women from an urban region in western Mexico. Materials and Methods: We recruited 78 women in immediate puerperium, including 39 with preeclampsia and 39 with normotension, who received delivery care in our hospital between September 2017 and January 2018. Pulse wave analysis was used to assess central hemodynamics as well as arterial stiffness with an oscillometric device. For this purpose, the measurement of the wave of the left radial artery was obtained with a wrist applanation tonometer and the ascending aortic pressure wave was generated using the accompanying software (V 1.1, Omron, Japan). Additionally, the systolic CAP, diastolic pressure, pulse pressure, heart rate, and rise rate adjusted for a heart rate of 75 bpm were determined. The radial pulse wave was calibrated using the diastolic and mean arterial pressures obtained from the left brachial artery. For all the statistical analyses, we considered p < 0.05 to be significant. Results: The results were as follows: a systolic CAP of 125.40 (SD 15.46) vs. 112.10 (SD 10.12) with p < 0.0001 for women with and without preeclampsia, respectively. Systolic CAP was significantly elevated in women with preeclampsia and could indicate an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: CAP is an important parameter that can be measured in this group of patients and is significantly elevated in women with postpartum preeclampsia, even when the brachial blood pressure is normal.

Application of CWPO to the treatment of pharmaceutical emerging pollutants in different water matrices with a ferromagnetic catalyst.

CWPO has proved to be effective for the treatment of representative pharmaceuticals (sulfamethoxazole, atenolol, metronidazole, diltiazem, trimethoprim and ranitidine) in different water matrices (ultrapure water, surface water, WWTP effluent and hospital wastewater). Complete removal of the pollutants and the aromatic intermediates was achieved using the stoichiometric dose of H2O2, a catalyst (Fe3O4/γ-Al2O3) load of 2gL-1, pH 3 and temperature of 50-75°C. Accordingly, the ecotoxicity was reduced to negligible values. The degradation was faster when the pharmaceuticals were together, being the reaction time for the elimination of the most refractory species (metronidazole) shortened from 4h to 1h. The mineralization of the drugs was fairly different, being the most reactive species those containing several aromatic rings (XTOC∼80%) and the most refractory that bearing an imidazolium ring (XTOC∼35%). The water matrix affected the kinetics of the process but in all cases complete conversion of the drugs was reached within 1h. The presence of dissolved organic matter (surface water) seemed to promote drugs degradation while the occurrence of inorganic ions (real WTTP and hospital effluents) partially inhibited it due to scavenging effects. Remarkably, the process was successfully operated at the typical concentrations of main micropollutant sources (µgL-1).

Nigrostriatal dopaminergic function in subjects with isolated action tremor.

BACKGROUND: Isolated action tremor (IAT) is the hallmark clinical feature of essential tremor (ET), but it may also be a prominent feature of some individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) suggesting a pathogenic relationship between these two disorders. OBJECTIVES: We investigated the integrity of the striatal presynaptic dopaminergic system in subjects presenting IAT to improve the diagnostic accuracy and to explore any putative relationships between ET and PD. METHODS: The striatal dopaminergic system was examined by means of dopamine transporter imaging using (123)I-(fluoropropyl)-2ß-carbomethoxy-3ß-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane ([123I]-FP-CIT) single-photon emission tomography (DAT-SPECT) in a clinical series of individuals with IAT, excluding those with associated resting tremor and bradykinesia. RESULTS: Among 167 incidental individuals with IAT eligible for DAT-SPECT (Male/Female = 58.9/41.1%; Age = 67.8 ± 14.3 years), reduced striatal uptake was observed in 114 out of 167 (68.3%), whereas normal striatal binding was observed in the remaining 53 subjects (31.7%). Onset of tremor after 50 years and asymmetrical distribution of tremor were predictive variables of nigrostriatal denervation, whereas gender, family history and the presence of intentional, cephalic or voice tremors were not associated with nigrostriatal denervation. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that IAT is a frequent presenting symptom in a subset of individuals with PD, often misdiagnosed as ET, and that DAT-SPECT can help differentiate between these two disorders. Current diagnostic criteria for ET should be revised to include asymmetry and late-onset tremor as predictors of nigrostriatal denervation.

Contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasound in the diagnosis and follow-up of inflammatory abdominal masses in Crohn's disease.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential usefulness of contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasound in the detection and follow-up of local complications (phlegmon and abscess) in Crohn's disease. METHODS: With this aim, 28 patients with suspected abdominal inflammatory mass were examined with power Doppler ultrasound before and after intravenous administration of the ultrasound contrast agent Levovist, with evaluation of vascularity within and/or around the inflammatory mass. Colour Doppler flow was characterized as clearly visible, minimally visible or absent. All the patients underwent a post-contrast computed tomography exam. RESULTS: Power Doppler ultrasound, after administration of contrast medium, allows the detection of small inflammatory masses in Crohn's disease, particularly those under 2 cm in diameter, when compared with computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that contrast-enhanced power Doppler ultrasound is a sensitive method for the detection of small abdominal inflammatory masses and for differential diagnosis between phlegmon and abscess.