Recurrent multi-cameral cardiac myxomas in a child with Carney complex.

Cardiac myxoma is a relatively rare tumour, usually solitary, that occurs primarily in the left atrium of adults, but comprises only 30% of cardiac tumours in children. We recently treated a 12-year-old girl with multiple recurrent myxomas in three cardiac chambers(following surgical resection 3 years earlier). Genomic analysis showed the PKAR1A mutation typical for Carney complex.

Economic impact and cost savings of teledermatology units compared to conventional monitoring at hospitals in southern Spain.

INTRODUCTION: Asynchronous teledermatology (TD) has undergone exponential growth in the past decade, allowing better diagnosis. Moreover, it saves both cost and time and reduces the number of visits involving travel and opportunity cost of time spent on visits to the hospital. The present study performed a cost-saving analysis of TD units and assessed whether they offered a cheaper alternative to conventional monitoring (CM) in hospitals from the perspective of public health-care systems (PHS) and patients. METHODS: This study was a retrospective assessment of 7030 patients. A cost-saving analysis comparing TD units to CM for patients at the Hospital de Poniente was performed over a period of one year. The TD network covered the Hospital de Poniente reference area (Spain) linked to 37 primary care (PC) centres that belonged to the Poniente Health District of Almeria. RESULTS: We observed a significant cost saving for TD units compared to participants in the conventional follow-up group. From the perspective of a PHS, there was a cost saving of 31.68% in the TD group (€18.59 TD vs. €27.20 CM) during the follow-up period. The number of CM visits to the hospital reduced by 38.14%. From the patients' perspective, the costs were lower, and the cost saving was 73.53% (€5.45 TD vs. €20.58 CM). DISCUSSION: The cost-saving analysis showed that the TD units appeared to be significantly cheaper compared to CM.

Laser Surface Texturing and Electropolishing of CoCr and Ti6Al4V-ELI Alloys for Biomedical Applications.

The interplay between a prosthetic and tissue represents an important factor for the fixation of orthopedic implants. Laser texturing tests and electropolishing were performed on two materials used in the fabrication of medical devices, i.e., CoCr and Ti6Al4V-ELI alloys. The material surface was textured with a diode-pumped solid state (DPSS) laser and its effect on the surface quality and material modification, under different combinations of laser power and marking speed, were investigated. Our results indicate that an increment of energy per unit length causes an incremental trend in surface roughness parameters. Additionally, phase transformation on the surface of both alloys was achieved. Chemical analysis by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) shows the formation of (Co(Cr,Mo)) phase and the M23C6 precipitate on the CoCr surface; while quantitative analysis of the X-ray diffractometer (XRD) results demonstrates the oxidation of the Ti alloy with the formation of Ti2O and Ti6O from the reduction of the α-Ti phase. The behaviors were both related with an increase of the energy per unit length. Control of the final surface roughness was achieved by an electropolishing post-treatment, minimizing the as-treated values. After polishing, a reduction of surface roughness parameters was obtained in a range between 3% and 44%, while no changes in chemical composition or present phases were observed.

Increase in Video Consultations During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Healthcare Professionals' Perceptions about Their Implementation and Adequate Management.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, health care modalities such as video consultations have been rapidly developed to provide safe health care and to minimize the risk of spread. The purpose of our study is to explore Spanish healthcare professionals' perceptions about the implementation of video consultations. Based on the testimonies of 53 professionals, different categories emerged related to the four identified themes: benefits of video consultations (for professionals, patients, and the health system, and compared to phone calls), negative aspects (inherent to new technologies and the risk of a perceived distancing from the professional), difficulties associated with the implementation of video consultations (technological difficulties, lack of technical skills and refusal to use video consultation among professionals and patients), and the need for training (technological, nontechnical, and social-emotional skills, and adaptation of technical skills). Additionally, the interviewees indicated that this new modality of health care may be extended to a broader variety of patients and clinical settings. Therefore, since video consultations are becoming more widespread, it would be advisable for health policies and systems to support this modality of health care, promoting their implementation and guaranteeing their operability, equal access and quality.

Editing of the grapevine mitochondrial cytochrome b mRNA and molecular modeling of the protein.

Cytochrome b (COB), the central catalytic subunit of ubiquinol cytochrome c reductase, is a component of the transmembrane electron transfer chain that generates proton motive force. Some plant COB mRNAs are processed by RNA editing, which changes the gene coding sequence. This report presents the sequences of the grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) mitochondrial gene for apocytochrome b (cob), the edited mRNA and the deduced protein. Grapevine COB is 393 amino acids long and is 98% identical to homologs in rapeseed, Arabidopsis thaliana and Oenothera sp. Twenty-one C-U editing sites were identified in the grapevine cob mRNA, resulting in 20 amino acid changes. These changes increase the overall hydrophobicity of the protein and result in a more conserved protein. Molecular modeling of grapevine COB shows that residues changed by RNA editing fit the secondary structure characteristic of an integral membrane protein. This is the first complete mitochondrial gene reported for grapevine. Novel RNA editing sites were identified in grapevine cob, which have not been previously reported for other plants.

Análisis del cuadro de incidencias de seguridad en el hospital / Analysis of the report about security incidents in the hospital

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Reflejo inhibitorio masetérico y condiciones clínicas estomatológicas en pacientes con parálisis cerebral / Inhibitory masseteric reflex and clinical stomatological conditions in cerebral palsy patients

Para contribuir al entendimiento de los mecanismos que acompañan las alteraciones masticatorias en pacientes con daño en el sistema nervioso central, se estudiaron en reflejo inhibitorio masetérico (RIM) y aspectos clínicos estomatológicos en 32 pacientes con diferentes tipos de parálisis cerebral (PC) en un rango de edad de 15 a 30 años. Se utilizó un modelo de regresión logística, la morfología refleja la distinción entre el tipo espástico y atetósico con una clasificación errónea de 31.35 por ciento (X2 =6.771, p=0.2382), con el conjunto de características cefalométricas, de la oclusión dental y de la articulación temporomandibular la distinción fue del 12.50 por ciento, (X2 =22.708, p=0.0453). A través del calculo de regresiones lineales, las condiciones estomatológicas y la edad explicaron las áreas inhibitorias faltantes (derecha e izquierda) y la razón de áreas (potenciación/inhibición) derecha con significancia estadística (p<0.05). Las variables clínicas con mayor poder de explicación respecto de los cambios reflejos fueron los contactos dentarios posteriores y anteriores (p<0.05). Se concluyó que los cambios en el tipo de PC no explican, por si mismos, los cambios del RIM y que estos últimos están asociados fundamentalmente con la disponibilidad de contactos dentarios. Se propone el registro del RIM con golpe al mentón para identificar la rapidez de la evolución de las secuelas masticatorias en pacientes con PC

Seasonal Diversity, Abundance, and Distribution of Ichthyoplankton in Tamiahua Lagoon, Western Gulf of Mexico.

The ichthyoplanktonic community of Tamiahua Lagoon, Veracruz, Mexico, was studied throughout an annual cycle. Major concentrations of larvae occurred in the central portion of the lagoon, occasionally along the channels, but never at the inlets. The cycle of larva abundance was correlated with cycles of salinity and temperature. In spite of the greater number of species then, the spring and summer periods had low species diversity and evenness, due to the marked domination by larvae of Anchoa mitchilli. The number of larval fish species and individuals entering the lagoon from the adjacent offshore waters was minimal. The greatest portion of species diversity is generated within the lagoon itself. The community structure identified corresponds to the physically controlled type, as indicated by the poor diversity values obtained.