Bioinspired Electro-Organocatalytic Material Efficient for Hydrogen Production.

Commercial carbon fibers can be used as electrodes with high conductive surfaces in reduced devices. Oxidative treatment of such electrodes results in a chemically robust material with high catalytic activity for electrochemical proton reduction, enabling the measurement of quantitative faradaic yields (>95 %) and high current densities. Combination of experiments and DFT calculations reveals that the presence of carboxylic groups triggers such electrocatalytic activity in a bioinspired manner.

[Usefulness of cystatin C as a prognostic marker in venous thromboembolism].

Background And Objective: Cystatin C (cysC) is a prognostic marker in patients with hypertension, coronary heart disease and heart failure. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of cysC levels obtained at the time of diagnosis in patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Material And Method: Retrospective study of a cohort of 226 consecutive patients with VTE, followed for 6 months.

[New approaches in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis].

In the last few years, several phase III clinical trials of new drug treatments for deep vein thrombosis (DVT) have been carried out or are about to finish. These drugs have a predictable and reliable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic response and do not require monitoring and are consequently an attractive alternative for the treatment of a high proportion of patients with DVT. Dabigatran, edoxaban and idrabiotaparinux have been developed as an alternative to warfarin, and apixaban and rivaroxaban as one-drug only treatment for this disease, with a 1- or 3-week intensified phase of initial treatment, respectively.

[Rapidly destructive osteoarthritis of the hip: case presentation].

The rapidly destructive osteoarthritis of the hip is a variant of osteoarthritis that is characterized by hip pain during one to twelve months and rapid destruction of the femoral head, in absence of infectious, neurologic, metabolic or inflammatory disease. We present the case of a 66 year- old male with severe COPD that referred pain in both hips and was unable to walk. In the radiography of the pelvis complete destruction of both femoral heads was observed.

Differential prognostic utility of NTproBNP and Cystatin C in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic pulmonary disease.

Objectives: To determine whether serum Cystatin C (CysC) and NTproBNP have prognostic value among patients with long-standing chronic lung disease.

Design: Prospective, observational, non-interventional study.

Setting: CysC and NTproBNP are prognostic markers in several cardiac conditions.

[Prognostic value of NT-proBNP in chronic pulmonary disease exacerbation].

Background And Objective: Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is produced and released mainly from ventricles. BNP has been shown to be useful in diagnosis and prognosis in heart failure and some pulmonary conditions. The aim of this study is to analyse whether NT-proBNP has a prognostic value in chronic pulmonary patients without overt heart failure.

[Venous thromboembolism risk and antithrombotic prophylaxis among patients admitted to Spanish hospitals (ENDORSE study)].

Background And Objectives: The proportion of patients at risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Spanish hospitals and, among those, the proportion who receive prophylaxis are not well known. The objective of this study was to obtain this information by means of the analysis of data from the Spanish centres that participated in the international ENDORSE study.

Methods: Cross-sectional study in 20 Spanish hospitals.

Pacemaker lead infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus.

We report a case of pacemaker lead infection caused by Aspergillus fumigatus that was successfully treated by surgery and with voriconazole. This infection is rare and dangerous. When it is suspected, transesophageal echocardiography should be performed to look for lead-attached vegetations and the entire pacing system should be removed.