Street drugs associated with acute poisoning: description and analysis of differences in women attended in a hospital emergency department.

Objectives: The prevalence of street drug abuse is difficult to establish in women because of stigma associated with the practice. The main objective of this study was to analyze possible differences between men and women in a sample of patients attended for emergencies due to acute poisonings. The secondary aim was to identify variables associated with severe poisonings defined arbitrarily as requiring intensive care for more than 12 hours after hospital admission.

Radiation Dose Sensitivity of Subregions of the Larynx to Patient-Reported Swallowing Outcomes.

Purpose: To assess any correlation between swallowing dysfunction and radiation dose to 5 subregions of the larynx.

Methods And Materials: A cohort of 136 patients with head and neck cancer, treated with either photon or proton radiation therapy, was assessed using an endpoint of patient-reported swallowing scores, evaluated with the European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-H&N35 survey, within 1 month after treatment. Five subregions of the larynx were contoured, and dosimetric metrics were extracted for each subregion as well as the total larynx.

Lightweight and effective tensor sensitivity for atomistic neural networks.

Atomistic machine learning focuses on the creation of models that obey fundamental symmetries of atomistic configurations, such as permutation, translation, and rotation invariances. In many of these schemes, translation and rotation invariance are achieved by building on scalar invariants, e.g.

Design and manufacture of a reinforced fuselage structure through automatic laying-up and in-situ consolidation with co-consolidation of skin and stringers using thermoplastic composite materials.

Thermoplastic composites can be used to construct safer and more efficient aircraft fuselage structures. They provide significant weight reduction compared to conventional metallic materials, reducing the fuel consumption of the aircraft and increasing its performance and profitability. In this study, we designed and manufactured a level 2* flat fuselage specimen.

New Roles for HAMP Domains: the Tri-HAMP Region of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Aer2 Controls Receptor Signaling and Cellular Localization.

The Aer2 chemoreceptor from Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an O sensor involved in stress responses, virulence, and tuning the behavior of the chemotaxis (Che) system. Aer2 is the sole receptor of the Che2 system. It is soluble, but membrane associated, and forms complexes at the cell pole during stationary phase.

Oxygen-Induced Conformational Changes in the PAS-Heme Domain of the Aer2 Receptor.

The Aer2 receptor from has an O-binding PAS-heme domain that stabilizes O via a Trp residue in the distal heme pocket. Trp rotates ∼90° to bond with the ligand and initiate signaling. Although the isolated PAS domain is monomeric, both in solution and in a cyanide-bound crystal structure, an unliganded structure forms a dimer.

Severe and malignant hypertension are common in primary atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome.

Malignant hypertension is listed among the causes of secondary thrombotic microangiopathy, but pathogenic mutations in complement genes have been reported in patients with hypertension-induced thrombotic microangiopathy. Here we investigated the frequency and severity of hypertension in 55 patients with primary atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS). A genetic analysis was performed in all patients, and funduscopic examination was performed in all the patients with Grades 2 and 3 hypertension.

γ-Alumina modification with long chain carboxylic acid surface nanocrystals for biocompatible polysulfone nanocomposites.

High performance polysulfone/γ-alumina biocompatible nanocomposites are reported for the first time and the effects of γ-alumina surface modification are explored. We show that some fatty acids chemisorb over the surface of γ-alumina forming nanosized self-assembled structures. These structures present thermal transitions at high temperatures, 100 °C higher than the melting temperatures of the pure acids, and are further shifted about 50 °C in the presence of polysulfone.

Lupus nephritis flare in young patients: relapse or nonadherence to treatment?

Purpose: Adherence is a challenging issue in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Nonadherence has been widely addressed in patients with lupus and must be detected quickly to prevent severe complications. The cases we present illustrate the importance of adherence in young adults.

Prevalence of lactose malabsorption in Mexican children: importance of measuring methane in expired air.

Background And Aims: To compare the prevalence of lactose malabsorption (LM) in children by analyzing hydrogen content in expired air vs. the inclusion of methane excretion.

Methods: A total of 138 children (4-17 years old) attending different boarding schools in Mexico were included in this study.

Degree of control and delayed intensification of antihyperglycaemic treatment in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in primary care in Spain.

Objectives: Primary aim: to determine the degree of control of HbA(1c) at the time of treatment intensification (TI) in T2DM patients. Secondary aims: fasting plasma glucose levels; estimation of the elapsed time between HbA(1c) exceeding 7% and TI; antidiabetic combinations used, % patients with good cardiometabolic control (LDL-c<100mg/dL; SBP<130 and DPB<80mmHg and HbA(1c)<7%).

Research Design And Methods: one-cohort, multicenter, retrospective, observational study conducted in Spain.

Epilepsy surgery in an 8-year old boy with intractable seizures.

Mark is an 8-year old boy with a history of intractable epilepsy. Mark's seizures started when he was five years old, lasting less than a minute, with 7-10 episodes occurring in succession. Daytime seizures were described by his parents a "staring events where he does not respond, he will pick at clothes and speak gibberish.

Henoch-Schönlein nephritis associated with streptococcal infection and persistent hypocomplementemia: a case report.

Introduction: Henoch-Schönlein purpura is a systemic disease with frequent renal involvement, characterized by IgA mesangial deposits. Streptococcal infection can induce an abnormal IgA immune response like Henoch-Schönlein purpura, quite similar to typical acute post-infectious glomerulonephritis. Indeed, hypocomplementemia that is typical of acute glomerulonephritis has also been described in Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Exercise dose-response of the V(E)/VCO(2) slope in postmenopausal women in the DREW study.

Purpose: Being overweight/obese, having hypertension, and being postmenopausal are risk factors for the development of congestive heart failure (CHF). A characteristic of CHF is an abnormal V(E)/VCO(2) slope, which is predictive of mortality in patients with CHF. Although the V(E)/VCO(2) slope is well established in CHF patients, little is known regarding interventions for "at-risk" populations.

[Preliminary results of the Spanish Society of Nephrology multicenter study of quality performance measures: hemodialysis outcomes can be improved].

Introduction: The Spanish Society of Nephrology "Quality in Nephrology Working Group" (QNWG) was created in 2002. The aims of this group are the identification, diffusion, implementation and consolidation of a systematic, objective and comprehensive set of quality performance measures (QPMs) to help along the improvement of patient care and outcomes on hemodialysis, by means of strategies of feedback and benchmarking, and the design of quality improvement projects. The objective of this study is to present the preliminary results of a set of quality performance measures obtained in a group of Spanish hemodialysis centers, as well as to evaluate the repercussion of the application of the aforementioned thecniques on the observed results.

[Comorbidity, anemia and response to erythropoiesis stimulating agents in chronic hemodialysis].

Introduction: Patients treated with haemodialysis have a high prevalence of co-morbidity that induces a elevate mortality risk. On the other hand, these patients have anaemia whose treatment is based in erythropoiesis stimulating agents. To date there are not enough studies to determine if co-morbidity alters erythropoietin response and the relationship between co-morbidity, response to treatment of anaemia and resistance to erythropoiesis-stimulating agents.

Preemptive kidney transplant from deceased donors: an advantage in relation to reduced waiting list.

Background: Preemptive living donor kidney transplantation is associated with better allograft and recipient survival. However, it remains unclear whether preemptive transplantation from deceased donors is beneficial too. An increased number of deceased donors has reduced the waiting list in our hospital in the last years allowing preemptive deceased donor kidney transplantation (PDDKT).

Epilepsy surgery in an 8-year-old boy with intractable seizures.

Mark is an 8-year-old boy with a history of intractable epilepsy. Mark's seizures started when he was five years old, lasting less than a minute, with 7-10 episodes occurring in succession. Daytime seizures were described by his parents a "staring events where he does not respond, he will pick at clothes and speak gibberish.

[Lupus nephritis and hypothyroidism].

Thyroid diseases could be associated with several renal alterations. In the present report we describe a patient with SLE with inactive renal involvement and symptomatic hypothyroidism that developed a clinical picture similar to lupus flare.

[CA-P control in haemodialysis and K/DOQI guidelines].

Background: The publication in 2003 of the K/DOQI Clinical Practice Guidelines for Bone Metabolism and Disease in Chronic Kidney Disease recommended targets levels for serum iPTH, Ca, P, and CaxP product. However, many patients do not achieved these target ranges. It is necessary to known the percentage of patients out of range in order to prevent the development of bone disease and to reduce mortality and morbidity.