Validation of electrodeposited 241Am alpha-particle sources for use in liquified gas detectors at cryogenic temperatures.

This paper describes a procedure for the validation of alpha-particle sources (exempt unsealed sources) to be used in experimental setups with liquefied gases at cryogenic temperatures (down to -196 °C) and high vacuum. These setups are of interest for the development and characterization of neutrino and dark matter detectors based on liquid argon, among others. Due to the high purity requirements, the sources have to withstand high vacuum and cryogenic temperatures for extended periods. The validation procedure has been applied to 241Am sources produced by electrodeposition.

Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of complex anal fistula.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new procedure for the treatment of anal fistula. This preliminary study was designed to investigate the safety and effectiveness of this new technique in the treatment of anal fistula. METHODS: Ten patients were treated with PDT. Intralesional 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) 2% was directly injected into the fistula. The internal and external orifices were closed. After an incubation period of 2 h, the fistula was irradiated using an optical fibre connected to a red laser (MULTIDIODE 630 PDT, INTERmedic, Spain) operating at 1 W/cm for 3 min (180 Joules). Patient demographics, operation notes and complications were recorded. RESULTS: There were no complications. The average length of patient follow-up was 14.9 months (range 12-20 months). We could observe primary healing in eight patients (80%). Two patients (20%) showed persistence of suppuration after the operation. No patient reported incontinence postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: PDT is a potential sphincter-saving procedure that is safe, simple and minimally invasive and has a high success rate.

Síndrome del Hamulus Pterigoideo / Pterygoid Hamulus Syndrome

El síndrome del Hamulus Pterigoideo se produce por una bursitis en el tendón del músculo tensor del velo del paladar. Presenta una patología dolorosa y muy variada dada la complejidad de la región y muchas veces este dolor puede enmascarar diferentes patologías que hay que diagnosticar y diferenciar. El tratamiento es multidisciplinario en muchos de los casos (AU)

The Pterygoid Hamulus Syndrome is produced by bursitis in the tendon of the tensormuscle of the soft palate. It presents a painful and varied pathology given the complexity of the region and many times this pain can mask different pathologies that must be diagnosed and differentiated. The treatment is multidisciplinary in many of the cases (AU)

Sample quality index to preselect suitable carbonate samples for alpha spectrometry U/Th dating.

Accurate dating of samples by alpha spectrometry presupposes that the dated system behaved as closed and that no allochthonous (232)Th was provided to the system. Therefore the selection of appropriate samples is a fundamental task that will determine the reliability and accuracy or not of the results. In this paper, by means of a thorough characterisation, those petrological and chemical variables that allow the preselection of the most suitable samples to be dated have been identified and used to calculate the sample quality index.

Puesta al día en adhesivos para prótesis removibles / No disponible

Los adhesivos para prótesis removibles son un método alternativo para pacientes que presentan condiciones particulares por lo tanto es nuestra obligación como profesionales estar debidamente informados para poder prescribirlos adecuadamente, conociendo sus presentaciones, formulaciones, indicaciones y contraindicaciones para cada tipo de paciente y sus circunstancias particulares (AU)

The adhesives for removable prostheses are an alternative method for patients that present particular conditions on which it is our obligation as professionals to be duly informed in order to be able to prescribe them appropriately, knowing their presentations, formulas, indications and contraindications for each type of patient and their particular circumstances (AU)

Piedras de afilado para instrumental odontológico / Sharpening Stones for Dental Instruments

Los instrumentos dentales con el uso se van deteriorando y perdiendo el filo o corte, por lo que se debe realizar un afilado con las piedras adecuadas y la técnica correcta para mantenerlos en buen estado y fieles a su diseño original. En este trabajo haremos una puesta al día de este tema (AU)

With use, dental instruments deteriorate and lose their edge or cut, for which reason they must be sharpened with the proper stones and the correct technique to keep them in good condition and according to their original design. In this paper, we will update this subject (AU)

Patterns of the circumflex femoral arteries revisited.

Knowledge of variations of the circumflex femoral arteries is important when undertaking clinical procedures within the femoral region and in hip joint replacement. Since the 19th century, many different patterns have been proposed to classify their origins. This work studied a statistically reliable sample, the lower limbs of 221 embalmed human cadavers (equal right-left and approximately equal sex distributions), and reviewed the previous literature to propose a unified and simple classification that will be useful to clinicians. Statistical comparisons were made using the chi(2) test. The medial and lateral circumflex femoral arteries have been classified into three different patterns based on the levels of their origin. Distribution related to sex and side was also studied. Pattern I: Both arteries arose from the deep femoral artery (346 cases, 78.8%). This pattern was more frequent in females, P = 0.01. There was no significant difference between sides. Type Ia, medial circumflex femoral artery origin was proximal to the lateral circumflex femoral artery origin (53.2%); Type Ib, lateral circumflex femoral artery origin was proximal to medial circumflex femoral artery origin (23.4%); Type Ic, both arteries arose from a common trunk (23.4%). Pattern II: One of the arteries arose from the femoral artery and the other from the deep femoral artery (90 cases, 20.5%). Type IIa, the medial circumflex femoral artery arose from the femoral artery (77.8%) and Type IIb, the lateral circumflex femoral artery arose from the femoral artery (22.2%). There were no significant differences between sexes or sides. Pattern III: Both arteries arose from the femoral artery (2 cases, 0.5%). In every disposition there was a significantly higher prevalence of unilateral rather than bilateral occurrence. In one dissection the medial circumflex femoral artery was absent. Awareness of these variations could avoid unexpected injuries.

Femoral nerve entrapment: a new insight.

Compression of the femoral nerve in the iliac fossa has been reported as a consequence of several pathologies, but never as a result of muscular compression. Aberrant slips of iliacus, however, have occasionally been reported to cover or split the femoral nerve. This study aimed to assess such variations as potential factors in femoral nerve compression. A large and homogeneous sample of 121 embalmed cadavers (242 specimens) was studied. Statistical comparisons were made using the chi-squared test. Muscular slips from iliacus and psoas, piercing or covering the femoral nerve, were found in 19 specimens (7.9%). No significant differences by sex or side were found. The more frequent variation was piercing of the femoral nerve by a muscular slip (17 specimens, 7.0%). The nerve then entered the thigh as one or more branches. The less frequent variation found was a muscular slip or sheet covering the femoral nerve as it lay on iliacus (2 specimens, 0.8%). Each disposition may be a potential risk for nerve entrapment.

Estudio de la calidad de vida profesional en los trabajadores de atención primaria del Área 1 de Madrid / Study of the professional quality of life of primary care workers in Madrid Area 1

No disponible

Synthesis of novel 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxino[2,3-g]quinoline derivatives as potential antitumor agents.

New dioxinoquinolines (1-8) have been synthesized and their antiproliferative properties have been tested against several cell lines. The treatment of the 6-acetamido-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxine (10) with phosphorous oxychloride in the presence of DMF leads to a mixture of linear and angular tricyclic compounds. The key intermediates were modified and cyclized giving the corresponding dioxinoquinolines. In general, these compounds have a moderate citotoxycity.

[Lumbar plexopathy secondary to pelvic hydatid cyst]. / Plexopatía lumbar secundaria a quiste hidatídico pélvico.

INTRODUCTION: Hydatidosis is a zoonosis caused by larvae of the hydatid tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus, which usually affects the liver, lung, myocardium, brain and bones. On rare occasions hydatid cysts give rise to peripheral neurological manifestations. CASE REPORT: Male, aged 72, who had received a pacemaker as a consequence of a complete auriculoventricular block. During implantation, one hepatic and two pelvic hydatid cysts were discovered. Consulted doctor about right inguinal pain, which irradiated to the lumbar region and along the inner and posterior sides of the thigh, down to the ankle. Exploration revealed a lump in the right iliac fossa and in the lower right limb, hypaesthesia in the anterior side of the thigh, paresis on bending the hip and on extension of the knee, and patellar areflexia. Computerised axial tomography revealed growth of the pelvic cysts and compression of the gluteal veins. Electromyographic exploration of the right quadriceps showed denervation and reinnervation activity. CONCLUSION: Of all cases of abdominal hydatidosis, 6.7% presented extra hepatic affectation and only 0.7% were seen to have pelvic hydatid cysts. These usually give rise to disorders due to local compression of the genital organs, the urinary tracts, and vascular and bony structures. Lesions in the lumbosacral plexus, however, have only been reported on very few occasions

Changes in P-glycoprotein expression in gastric carcinoma with respect to distant gastric mucosa may be influenced by p53.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of some chemotherapeutic agents used to treat gastric carcinoma patients may be impaired by the presence of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the status of p53. A modulation of P-gp expression by p53 or other alterations during tumorigenesis have been reported. The authors analyzed P-gp expression in relation to p53 and histopathologic features in gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Forty-one resected gastric carcinomas and mucosa distant from the tumor were assessed for P-gp expression by immunohistochemistry with C494 and JSB-1 antibodies. p53 expression was also immunohistochemically assessed by DO7 antibody in tumor samples. P-gp and p53 expression were semiquantitatively analyzed according to the percentage of stained cells. Histologic type, grade, vessel invasion, and stage were also studied. RESULTS: Moderate or high P-gp expression was detected in gastric carcinoma in 29 cases (71%) and in gastric mucosa remote from the tumor in 36 cases (88%). This reduction in P-gp expression was observed in 22% of the carcinomas, all but 1 being p53 immunonegative tumors. Thus, 8 (42%) of the p53 immunonegative carcinomas showed a loss of P-gp expression compared with their distant gastric mucosa. All p53 immunopositive carcinomas coexpressed P-gp. No correlation between P-gp expression and histologic type, grade, vessel invasion, or stage was found. CONCLUSIONS: P-gp expression in gastric carcinomas is frequent and coexpression with p53 is found. The analysis of P-gp expression in carcinomas and distant mucosa show that it is not regulated by p53, but a loss of P-gp detected in some of these carcinomas is mainly associated with a lack of p53 protein accumulation.

Immunohistochemical localization of neurocalcin in human sensory neurons and mechanoreceptors.

The localization of neurocalcin in the developing and adult human peripheral nervous system (dorsal root and sympathetic ganglia (DRG, SG), and enteric nervous system (ENS)) was investigated using immunohistochemistry. A subpopulation of large-sized neurons in DRG of 9 and 12 weeks old embryos showed immunoreactivity (IR), whereas the sympathetic ganglia or enteric neurons did not. In adults, neurocalcin IR was restricted to a subpopulation of large (13%) and intermediate (15%) sized neurons in DRG. The protein was also found in muscular (67%) and cutaneous (12%) nerve fibers, as well as in the axons supplying muscular (muscle spindles, Golgi's tendon organs, and perimysial Pacinian corpuscles) and cutaneous (Meissner's but not Pacinian corpuscles) mechanoreceptors, as well as motor end-plates. Present results demonstrate that neurocalcin in both developing and adult humans can be used as a specific marker for a subpopulation of sensory neurons coupled to proprioception and touch, and for axons of motoneurons forming motor end-plates.

Comparative study of two androgen-induced markers (apolipoprotein D and pepsinogen C) in female and male breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Male breast cancer (MBC) is a rare tumor in comparison to the same disease in the female population (FBC). Classical prognostic factors (tumor size, node status, estrogen receptor positivity, histological grade) have a similar prognostic value in both tumors, but MBC seems to have a worse outcome. Several markers under estrogen control have been shown with a similar incidence in breast tumors of both sexes, while androgen-induced markers have been detected in a higher percentage of breast tumors in males. AIMS AND METHODS: Our purpose was to compare in 68 MBC and in 68 FBC the expression of Pepsinogen C (Pep C) and Apolipoprotein D (Apo D), two proteins under androgen control, by immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: Pep C was expressed by 52 of 68 (76.4%) MBC patients, whereas 34 of 68 (50%) FBC showed positive staining. Apo D was expressed by 57 of 68 (83.8%) MBC patients, while 40 of 68 (41.2%) FBC stained positively. Differences between percentages of positive expression were significant (p<0.005 for Pep C; p<0.0001 for Apo D). Moreover, differences between expression levels of Pep C and Apo D in both populations of patients were significant. The mean value of Pep C was significantly higher in male breast tumors (HSCORE = 141.3) than in the females (HSCORE = 80.3) (p<0.0001). Similarly, Apo D mean value was significantly higher in MBC (HSCORE = 161.5) than in FBC (HSCORE = 102.3) (p=0.006). CONCLUSION: These differences can open the field of a more selective hormonal therapy that should not be based on estrogen receptor status only, but also on androgen receptor status.

Expression of pepsinogen C in gynecomastias and male breast carcinomas.

Pepsinogen C is a proteolytic enzyme involved in the digestion of proteins in the stomach; it is also synthesized by a significant percentage of female breast carcinomas. In addition, it has been demonstrated that pepsinogen C is one of the few proteins induced by androgens in breast carcinoma cells. Here we evaluate the expression of pepsinogen C by immunoperoxidase staining in normal breast tissue from 3 male patients, 15 gynecomastia tissues, 2 male in situ breast carcinomas, and 68 male invasive breast carcinomas. Pepsinogen C immunostaining values were quantified in male breast tumors using the HSCORE system, which considers both the intensity and the percentage of cells staining at each intensity. The results indicated positive immunohistochemical staining for pepsinogen C in all gynecomastia tissues, the two in situ ductal carcinomas, and 52 of 68 invasive breast carcinomas (76.4%). The three normal breast tissues analyzed showed negative staining for pepsinogen C, whereas invasive tumors showed clear differences among them with regard to the intensity and percentage of staining cells. In addition, pepsinogen C scores were significantly higher in well-differentiated (grade I, 188.7) and moderately differentiated (grade II, 145.8) tumors than in poorly differentiated (grade III, 98.5) tumors (p = 0. 032). Similarly, significant differences in pepsinogen C content were found between estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors and ER-negative tumors (158.5 vs. 44.3, respectively; p = 0.009). Patients with pepsinogen C-positive tumors reached longer relapse-free and overall survival periods than did those with tumors with negative staining, but no statistical differences were observed between survival curves calculated for these two groups of patients. This results demonstrate expression of pepsinogen C by gynecomastias and by a high percentage of male breast carcinomas and may indicate an important role of pepsinogen C in the pathophysiology of male breast diseases.

Detection of P-glycoprotein in frozen and paraffin-embedded gastric adenocarcinoma tissues using a panel of monoclonal antibodies.

AIMS: Most chemotherapeutic regimens used against gastric carcinoma include anthracyclines whose effectiveness can be impaired by the presence of P-glycoprotein. In order to obtain a reliable pattern of P-glycoprotein expression in these tumours an immunohistochemical study using a panel of anti-P-glycoprotein antibodies was performed in frozen and paraffinized tissues. METHODS AND RESULTS: Frozen and paraffinized samples from 25 gastric carcinomas were immunohistochemically analysed using a panel of four anti-P-glycoprotein monoclonal antibodies including C219, MRK16, JSB-1 and C494. Semiquantitative analysis indicated that moderate or high P-glycoprotein levels were detected in 40% to 76% of gastric adenocarcinomas, depending on the anti-P-glycoprotein antibody used. The antibody C494 was the most sensitive in detecting P-glycoprotein in both frozen and paraffinized gastric carcinoma samples. Moreover, C494 showed a pattern of staining exclusively associated with the plasma membrane, in contrast to the cytoplasmic with reinforcement of plasma membrane pattern displayed by the other three antibodies. Significant differences in P-glycoprotein levels were obtained when C494 and MRK16 were used in frozen tissues. Finally, detection of P-glycoprotein in frozen samples did not improve when compared to paraffinized ones. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that P-glycoprotein is frequently expressed in gastric adenocarcinomas, and the use of C494 complemented by JSB-1 is recommended for reliable detection of P-glycoprotein in this neoplasm.

Pregnancy-induced denervation of the human uterine artery correlates with local decrease of NGF and TrkA.

Pregnancy induces transient and reversible denervation of the mammalian uterus and uterine artery which origin remains still unclear. It is well established that the density of sympathetic innervation is regulated by the levels of peptidergic diffusible growth factors, especially nerve growth factor (NGF). Whether a decrease of NGF and/or its signal-transducing receptor TrkA are involved in this physiological denervation of the uterine artery during pregnancy has not been analyzed. The aim of the present study is to analyze this topic on human uterine artery using ELISA, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (associated to quantitative image analysis). The material was obtained from surgical pieces (hysterectomy) of non-pregnant and pregnant women from 4 to 16 weeks of gestation. The density of innervation for tyrosine hydroxylase assessed in whole mount samples of uterine artery, as well as the density of nerve fibers identified with other general nerve (PGP 9.5 and NFP) or Schwann cell (S-100 protein) markers was significantly reduced (p<0.05) in the uterine artery from pregnant woman. On the other hand, the tissular levels of NGF, the density of TrkA, and the immunostaining for both NGF and TrkA, were significantly reduced in uterine arteries from pregnant patients. These results strongly suggest that the physiological denervation occurring in the uterine artery during pregnancy is related to a decrease in the availability of NGF by nerve fibers, and to the impossibility to mediate its effect due to a remarkable decrease in the signal-transducing TrkA receptor.

Calretinin immunoreactivity in human sympathetic ganglia.

Calretinin is an "EF-hand" calcium-binding protein involved in the maintenance of intracellular calcium ion homeostasis. This study was undertaken to investigate the presence of calretinin in human lumbar paravertebral sympathetic ganglia from subjects of different ages (26-85 years) using immunohistochemical and immunoblotting methods. Calretinin-like immunoreactivity was found in a subpopulation of postganglionic sympathetic neurons, whose percentage decreased progressively with aging by about 50% (63% of immunoreactive neurons at < or = 40 years; 29% at > or = 81 years) whereas the neuronal density remained basically unchanged. Calretinin-like immunoreactivity showed a granular pattern of cytoplasmic distribution suggesting preferential localization of this protein associated with intracellular membranes. Occasionally diffuse cytosolic labelling was also observed. The immunoblotting demonstrated a protein band with an estimated molecular weight of 30 kDa, approximately. Present results provide, for the first time, evidence for the presence of calretinin in human paravertebral sympathetic ganglia. Since the number of calretinin-like immunoreactive neurons decreased significantly with aging our findings suggest an involvement of this protein in the age-dependent impairment of sympathetic function.