Outcome and prognostic factors of morbidity and mortality in perforated sigmoid diverticulitis.

The aim of this study was to assess the outcomes after treatment of patients with this condition and to identify prognostic factors of morbidity and mortality. From 1986 to 2005, the charts of 114 consecutive patients who were treated for perforated sigmoid diverticulitis were retrospectively reviewed. Thirty-three patients (28.

[Endemic intravenous fluid contamination in pediatric wards].

Objective: To determine the rate of contamination of intravenous solutions and injection ports in pediatric patients.

Material And Methods: During non-epidemic periods, eight pediatric wards in Mexican hospitals were studied. Qualitative cultures were performed from the surface of injection ports and from intravenous solutions in use in pediatric patients younger than 2 years, culturing 750 infusion systems from 728 patients.

The liver plays a major role in clearance and destruction of blood trypomastigotes in Trypanosoma cruzi chronically infected mice.

Intravenous challenge with Trypanosoma cruzi can be used to investigate the process and consequences of blood parasite clearance in experimental Chagas disease. One hour after intravenous challenge of chronically infected mice with 5x10(6) trypomastigotes, the liver constituted a major site of parasite accumulation, as revealed by PCR. Intact parasites and/or parasite remnants were visualized at this time point scattered in the liver parenchyma.

Factors associated with maternal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa: an ecological study.

Background: Maternal health is one of the major worldwide health challenges. Currently, the unacceptably high levels of maternal mortality are a common subject in global health and development discussions. Although some countries have made remarkable progress, half of the maternal deaths in the world still take place in Sub-Saharan Africa where little or no progress has been made.

Neurodegeneration and increased production of nitrotyrosine, nitric oxide synthase, IFN-gamma and S100beta protein in the spinal cord of IL-12p40-deficient mice infected with Trypanosoma cruzi.

Background/aim: Chagas' disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and occurs in most Latin American countries. The protozoan may colonize the central nervous system (CNS) of immune-compromised human hosts, thus causing neuronal disorders. Systemic control of the intracellular forms of the parasite greatly depends on the establishment of a TH1 response and subsequent nitric oxide (NO) release.

Aerobic fitness in futsal players of different competitive level.

Recently the use of small-sided games (mainly 5 vs. 5) proved to be a valid training method to improve aerobic fitness in soccer. Thus, it could be hypothesized that professional futsal (soccer 5-a-side indoor version) players may possess a well-developed aerobic fitness as a consequence of training and game participation.

Effects of intermittent-endurance fitness on match performance in young male soccer players.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of specific endurance (Yo-Yo Intermittent recovery test level 1, Yo-Yo IR1) on match performance in male youth soccer. Twenty-one young, male soccer players (age 14.1 +/- 0.

[Diabetic foot microbiology through biopsy cultures].

Objective: To determine the microbiology of diabetic foot wounds, through biopsy cultures.

Materials And Methods: Patients with diabetic foot and clinical data of infection were recruited consecutively. Cultures were processed for aerobic organisms after mortar homogenization.

Coronary steal by left atrial myxoma: a case report.

This report describes a 41-year-old man who had atypical angina resulting from coronary steal by left atrial myxoma. The tumor was completely excised and the patient was symptoms free after operation.

How to apply for research grants in allergology.

This is a guide for grant application for researchers seeking research grants in the field of allergy and related diseases for the first time. It outlines how to organize proposals and the potential issues to be considered in order to fulfil the criteria of the funding bodies and thus improve chances of obtaining the desired funding when applying for a research grant. We will use this paper as an example of a grant proposal to be presented to the FIS "Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria" (Health Research Fund) of Spain.

Early calcification of the aortic Mitroflow pericardial bioprosthesis in the elderly.

Background: We report our experience in the elderly with aortic valve replacement using the Mitroflow A12 pericardial bioprosthesis.

Methods: From January 1993 to January 2006, 491 patients over the age of 70 years received an aortic Mitroflow A12 bioprosthesis implantation. Concomitant procedures included coronary artery bypass grafting in 20% of patients.

Infection by the Sylvio X10/4 clone of Trypanosoma cruzi: relevance of a low-virulence model of Chagas' disease.

The physiopathology of Chagas' disease has been largely defined in murine infections with virulent strains which partially represent parasite diversity. This report reviews our studies with Sylvio X10/4 parasites, a Trypanosoma cruzi clone that induces no acute phase but in C3H/He mice leads to chronic myocarditis resembling the human disease.

[Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at a general hospital: epidemiological overview between 2000-2007].

Introduction: The high prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in hospitalized patients is a significant problem due to its associated morbidity and mortality. It is important to know the recent MRSA epidemiology at a General Hospital.

Objectives: To determine the MRSA epidemiology at a Mexican general hospital from 2000 to 2007, in order to know if there is a significant trend in its proportion.

Preoperative statin treatment reduces systemic inflammatory response and myocardial damage in cardiac surgery.

Objective: To determine if preoperative statin treatment is associated with a reduction in systemic inflammatory response (SIR) and myocardial damage markers following cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: We study a prospective cohort of 138 patients who underwent coronary and valvular surgery with CPB. We differentiate two study groups: patients with (group A, n=72) or without (group B, n=66) statins.

Genetic transformation of cork oak (Quercus suber L.) for herbicide resistance.

The bar gene was introduced into the cork oak genome. Cork oak embryogenic masses were transformed using the Agrobacterium strain AGL1 which carried the plasmid pBINUbiBar. This vector harbours the genes, nptII and bar, the latter under control of the maize ubiquitin promoter.

Epidemiology of typhoid and paratyphoid fever hospitalizations in Spain (1997-2005).

Background And Objective: This epidemiological survey was undertaken to estimate the burden of hospitalizations for typhoid and paratyphoid fever in Spain over a nine-year period (1997-2005).

Results: There were 1,106 hospitalizations for typhoid and paratyphoid fever during the study period. The annual hospitalization rate was 0.

A management guideline to reduce the frequency of blood transfusion in very-low-birth-weight infants.

Very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants often require blood transfusions for anemia. Studies have investigated the preventative effect of delayed cord clamping, high-dose iron, and costly recombinant erythropoietin. As part of our unit clinical governance framework to improving patient care, we audited the effect of a preventative management guideline that combines delayed cord clamping for 30 seconds with early protein intake and early oral iron supplementation (6 mg/kg from days 7 to 10 of life, if milk feeds 60 mL/kg/d) combined with a restrictive transfusion policy in infants < 32 weeks' gestation and < 1500 g birth weight.

Gradual decline in malaria-specific memory T cell responses leads to failure to maintain long-term protective immunity to Plasmodium chabaudi AS despite persistence of B cell memory and circulating antibody.

The mechanisms responsible for the generation and maintenance of immunological memory to Plasmodium are poorly understood and the reasons why protective immunity in humans is so difficult to achieve and rapidly lost remain a matter for debate. A possible explanation for the difficulty in building up an efficient immune response against this parasite is the massive T cell apoptosis resulting from exposure to high-dose parasite Ag. To determine the immunological mechanisms required for long-term protection against P.

Expression of genes encoding laccase and manganese-dependent peroxidase in the fungus Ceriporiopsis subvermispora is mediated by an ACE1-like copper-fist transcription factor.

The effect of copper on the expression of genes encoding the ligninolytic enzymes laccase (lcs) and manganese peroxidase (mnp) in Ceriporiopsis subvermispora was evaluated. This metal increased transcript levels of lcs, mnp1 and mnp2. This finding was not unexpected in the case of lcs, since its promoter contains a putative ACE element.

On the genetic control of heterosis for fruit shape in melon (Cucumis melo L.).

The objective of the present work is to study the genetic basis of heterosis for fruit shape (FS) in melon observed in a cross between the Spanish cultivar "Piel de Sapo" (PS) and the Korean accession PI 161375 (Songwang Charmi [SC]) using a set of near-isogenic lines (NILs) with contrasting phenotypes for FS, each carrying a single chromosomal introgression from SC within the genetic background of PS. We investigated the FS of homozygous NILs, hybrids NIL x PS, and all 2-way crosses between NILs to test the main heterosis hypotheses (dominance, overdominance, and epistatic interactions). Gene action of alleles of quantitative trait loci inducing fruit enlargement was dominance, whereas those inducing rounder fruit were additive or recessive.

Aberrant right subclavian artery and calcified aneurysm of Kommerell's diverticulum: an alternative approach.

We report a 72 year-old man with dysphagia and dizziness. Aortography and Computed tomographic scans revealed the aberrant right subclavian artery arising from a calcified aneurysm of the Kommerell's diverticulum and bilateral carotid artery disease with atherosclerotic narrowing. Surgical relief was accomplished by excluding the aneurysm from circulation through the aortic arch and a 10 mm graft was interposed between the aberrant artery and the ascending aorta.

Effects of different practice conditions on acquisition, retention, and transfer of soccer skills by 9-year-old schoolchildren.

This study was designed to examine effects of three practice models, blocked, variable, and combined, on the acquisition, retention, and transfer of new motor skills. 67 subjects (M age = 9.5 yr.

Randomized phase 3 trial of fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide alone or followed by Paclitaxel for early breast cancer.

Background: Taxanes are among the most active drugs for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, and, as a consequence, they have also been studied in the adjuvant setting.

Methods: After breast cancer surgery, women with lymph node-positive disease were randomly assigned to treatment with fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FEC) or with FEC followed by weekly paclitaxel (FEC-P). The primary endpoint of study-5-year disease-free survival (DFS)-was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis.

Emergency surgery for complicated colorectal carcinoma: a comparison of older and younger patients.

The outcomes after emergency surgery for complicated colorectal cancer of 54 patients >70 years of age (group 1) and 53 patients < or =70 years of age (group 2) treated between 1991 and 2002 were compared. Forty-two patients had obstructions in group 1 and 41 patients had obstructions in group 2. Twelve patients had perforations in each group.

A new Cu(II)-5-(4-sulphophenylazo)-8-aminoquinoline complex used for copper determination in presence of gold and silver in water and mineral samples.

In this work, a characterization of reagent chromophore 5-(4-sulphophenylazo)-8-aminoquinoline [SPA] by IR and 1H RMN was carried out and a pK(a) value of 3.55+/-0.03 was found as well.