Emphysematous osteomyelitis: a rare and aggressive disease.

Emphysematous osteomyelitis is an extremely rare entity consisting of the presence of intraosseous gas that can extend to the joints and adjacent soft tissues. It is an aggressive infectious process associated with high mortality, especially in patients with risk factors such as tumors or diabetes mellitus. Because early diagnosis and immediate treatment are crucial to prevent the potentially devastating consequences of this condition, imaging tests such as computed tomography play a fundamental role in its diagnosis and management. Therefore, radiologists must be aware that intraosseous gas is a rare but alarming sign that is pathognomonic of emphysematous osteomyelitis, especially in the axial skeleton.

Nanostructured Conducting Polymers and Their Applications in Energy Storage Devices.

Due to the energy requirements for various human activities, and the need for a substantial change in the energy matrix, it is important to research and design new materials that allow the availability of appropriate technologies. In this sense, together with proposals that advocate a reduction in the conversion, storage, and feeding of clean energies, such as fuel cells and electrochemical capacitors energy consumption, there is an approach that is based on the development of better applications for and batteries. An alternative to commonly used inorganic materials is conducting polymers (CP). Strategies based on the formation of composite materials and nanostructures allow outstanding performances in electrochemical energy storage devices such as those mentioned. Particularly, the nanostructuring of CP stands out because, in the last two decades, there has been an important evolution in the design of various types of nanostructures, with a strong focus on their synergistic combination with other types of materials. This bibliographic compilation reviews state of the art in this area, with a special focus on how nanostructured CP would contribute to the search for new materials for the development of energy storage devices, based mainly on the morphology they present and on their versatility to be combined with other materials, which allows notable improvements in aspects such as reduction in ionic diffusion trajectories and electronic transport, optimization of spaces for ion penetration, a greater number of electrochemically active sites and better stability in charge/discharge cycles.

Capacitors Based on Polypyrrole Nanowire Electrodeposits.

The electrochemical polymerization of polypyrrole nanowires is carried out using potentiodynamic and galvanostatic methods in order to enhance the performance of the modified electrodes as capacitor devices. The electrochemical, spectroscopic, and morphological properties are determined through cyclic voltammetry, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively, corroborating the presence of PPy-nw in dimensions of 30 nm in diameter. Characterization as a capacitor revealed that the nanowire structure enhances key parameters such as specific capacitance with 60 times greater value than bulk polymer modification, in addition to a significant increase in stability. In this way, it is verified that electrodes modified with polypyrrole nanowires obtained in situ by electrochemical methods constitute an excellent candidate for the development of capacitors.

[Compressive anterior thoracoplasty (modified Abramson's repair) for pectus carinatum repair]. / Toracoplastia anterior compresiva (técnica de Abramson modificada) para el tratamiento del pectus carinatum.

OBJECTIVES: For anterior protruding chest wall deformities treatment, mainly pectus carinatum, pediatric surgeons have been managing either orthotic methods or open surgical repairs. Anterior compressive thoracoplasty (Abramson's technique) has widened the therapeutic options. We describe herein a modification of this technique in the first reported Europen series. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 2010 to 2012, a total of five patients (four male and one female) underwent a modified Abramson's technique to correct pectus carinatum or combined protrusion of the chest at our center. We report the operative technique used for these reconstructions. RESULTS: In all five cases, the operation was completed uneventfully and with excellent results either for the surgical team or the patients. Mean operative time was 190 minutes and hospitalization lasted for three to six days, at the time of analgesic drugs withdrawal. CONCLUSIONS: We consider the anterior compresive thorocoplasty (modified Abramson's technique) a safe and feasible method to correct protruding chest deformities, particularly in those patients with stiff chest or lack of compliance, in order to avoid the agressive open procedures.

INTRODUCCION: Entre las opciones terapéuticas para las deformidades anteriores del tórax, la cirugía pediátrica ha dispuesto de tratamientos ortóticos y de técnicas quirúrgicas "abiertas". La toracoplastia compresiva anterior se une a las anteriores y amplía las opciones terapéuticas. Se describe aquí esta técnica en lo que supone la primera serie europea comunicada. MATERIAL Y METODOS: Revisión retrospectiva de las toracoplastias por técnica de Abramson modificada para el tratamiento del pectus carinatum y protrusiones costales en nuestro servicio entre 2010 y 2012. Descripción de la técnica a partir de los primeros cinco casos completados de nuestra serie, cuatro varones y una mujer, con edades entre los 13 y los 19 años. RESULTADOS: En todos los casos la técnica se ha podido completar sin complicaciones intra o perioperatorias y con resultados excelentes, tanto para el equipo quirúrgico como para los pacientes. El tiempo operatorio medio ha sido de 190 minutos y el alta hospitalaria se ha conseguido entre los tres y seis días después de la intervención, una vez completado el control analgésico. CONCLUSIONES: Consideramos que la toracoplastia compresiva anterior es una técnica mínimamente invasiva para la corrección del pectus carinatum y deformidades afines que resulta particularmente útil en los casos en los que la rigidez del tórax impide la adopción de tratamientos ortopédicos, en casos de no aceptación del tratamiento ortótico o cuando la cirugía convencional se considera demasiado agresiva.

Aprender a dormir / To learn how to sleep

Introducción: aprender a dormir en la infancia tiene repercusiones relevantes en el desarrollo integral del niño. Como profesionales sanitarios, debemos ser capaces de proporcionar las directrices adecuadas para la adquisición de hábitos saludables en la necesidad de dormir de los más pequeños. El análisis de cada caso requiere una solución adaptada a cada familia para lograr el descanso nocturno. En nuestra sociedad actual, se utilizan diferentes métodos para la adquisición de buenos hábitos para dormir de forma saludable desde los primeros años de vida. Eduard Estivill, a través de su libro Duérmete, niño, y Carlos González, con Bésame mucho, han expuesto dos estilos diferentes sobre cómo crear correctos hábitos del sueño infantil. Material y métodos: en este trabajo se realiza una investigación cualitativa a través del estudio de dichas metodologías y del testimonio de dos familias. Se quiere profundizar en los beneficios y dificultades que han aportado ambos métodos en el aprendizaje del dormir de los más pequeños. Resultados: el conocimiento de ambos métodos nos enriquece, ya que incrementa las herramientas disponibles para solventar cualquier situación relacionada con los hábitos del sueño. Después de analizar las dos entrevistas, se comprueba que las dos metodologías fueron llevadas a término con éxito, al conseguir dormir a los pequeños. Conclusiones: lo más importante no es el método utilizado, sino que los padres, ante la dificultad de enseñar a dormir a sus hijos, pasan por diferentes etapas en las que tanto su salud como la de sus niños pueden estar en situación de riesgo, sobre todo cuando se trata del primer hijo y cada situación es un nuevo reto (AU)

Introduction: learning how to sleep in the first years, play an important role in the child’s development. As healthcare professionals, we should try to provide parents with an appropriate guidance on child’s healthy sleeping habits. The analysis of each case requires a solution adapted to each family for the night's rest. Nowadays, there are different methods in order to get good sleeping habits in the early years. For instance, Eduard Estivill, through his book Duérmete, niño and Carlos González in Bésame mucho. They have exposed two different styles of how to create correct child sleeping habits. Materials and methods: this work is a qualitative research through the study of these methodologies and two families' evidences. We want to explore the benefits and difficulties of these two methods on the acquisition of sleeping well in children. Results: the knowledge of both methods provides us with the opportunity to solve any situation related to sleeping habits in the early years. Moreover, the two families’ interviews prove that both methods work successfully. To sum up, the most important issue is not the method. Conclusions: the most important thing is being conscious that there are different stages that parents have to go through while teaching their children how to sleep well, and these stages could imply risky situations in parents and children health. Especially when it's their first child, with whom any situation is a challenge for the parents (AU)

Does green light influence the fluorescence properties and structure of phototrophic biofilms?

Artificial illumination can harm works of art by inducing the development of photosynthetic biofilms. With the aim of preventing biodeterioration or esthetic damage to such surfaces, we evaluated and compared the effects of illuminating biofilms formed by Gloeothece membranacea (cyanobacteria) and Chlorella sorokiniana (Chlorophyta) using exclusively white or green light.

Production and purification of human menin from Drosophila melanogaster S2 cells using stirred tank reactor.

A process was developed for producing human menin from transformed Drosophila Schneider 2 cells. Protein expression was achieved after inducing the metallothionein promoter by adding copper sulfate to cells growing in suspension in a stirred-tank reactor. Experiments in shake flasks showed that the production of menin was improved when the induction was conducted late in the exponential phase of cell growth at a concentration of 1-2 x 10(7) cells ml(-1), with a copper concentration of 0.2 mM for no more than 24 h. This observation was confirmed by experiments in bench-scale fermentors. Subsequently, a pilot-scale fermentation yielded 1 mg l(-1) culture of purified menin.

Continuous production and recovery of recombinant Ca2+ binding receptor from HEK 293 cells using perfusion through a packed bed bioreactor.

The extracellular domain of human parathyroid Ca(2+) receptor was needed in order to study itsstructure and clinical application. The Ca(2+)receptor is a unique member of the G protein-coupledreceptor super-family, expressed in parathyroid andkidney cells where it has been shown to play acritical role in extracellular calcium homeostasis.The desired protein was produced by immobilizing thetransformed HEK 293 cells in a packed-bedconfiguration using a 1.6 l (working volume)bioreactor equipped with a vertical mixing impellerassembly and an internal basket. The process includeda propagation phase followed by a production phase. Inthe propagation phase, lasting approximately 160 h, the bed was perfused with a serum-containingmedium, allowing the cells to grow at a constantgrowth rate to approximately 3 x 10(10). At this point the production phase was begun, replacing themedium with serum-free medium and continuing theperfusion process for additional 350 h. Duringthis phase, the medium was pumped through the packedbed at a rate of 4-6 l per day, keeping theresidual glucose concentration around 1 g l(-1) andcollecting and processing approximately 80 l ofspent medium. This continuous perfusion method of thepacked-bed bioreactor was compared to a repeated batchmethod in which existing medium was replenished whenthe glucose concentration was down to 1 g l(-1). Using this method, serum-free medium was replaced withserum containing medium a few times when a decline inthe glucose consumption was observed. Though mediumconsumption and protein yield are similar in bothmethods (roughly 10 mg l(-1)), there aredifferences related to the ease of operation andprocessing of the produced protein. The continuousperfusion operation was found to be preferable and waschosen as the production strategy.