Ferroelectric substrate effects on the magnetism, magnetotransport, and electroresistance of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 thin films on BaTiO3

La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 optimally doped epitaxial films were grown on ferroelectric BaTiO3 substrates. Electronic transport (magnetoresistance and electroresistance) and magnetic properties showed important anomalies in the temperature interval between 60 and 150 K, below the metal-insulator transition. Scanning probe microscopy revealed changes in BaTiO3 surface morphology at those temperatures. La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 thickness is a critical factor: 120-angstrom -thick films showed large anomalies sensitive to electric poling of the BaTiO3, whereas the behavior of 150-angstrom -thick films is closer to that of the reference La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 samples grown on SrTiO3. We propose that, through inhomogenous strain and electric polarization effects, the ferroelectric substrate induces an inhomogenous spin distribution in the magnetic layer. This would imply the coexistence of in-plane and out-of-plane ferromagnetic patches in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3, possibly interspersed with antiferromagnetic regions, as it has recently been theoretically predicted. Substrate poling effects are investigated, and a magnetoelectric coupling is demonstrated

Rescate de colgajo muscular de trapecio con isla cutánea en paciente lesionado medular que precisa rehabilitación inmediata Rescue of a pedicled trapezious muscle flap with skin paddle in a patient with spinal cord injury who needded inmediate rehabilitation

La terapia por presión negativa (subatmosférica) es una modalidad no invasiva de tratamiento que hoy en día está incluida en el arsenal terapéutico de cualquier Servicio no sólo de Cirugía Plástica, sino también de Cirugía General, Cirugía Vascular y Traumatología. Se puede aplicar en el tratamiento de heridas tanto crónicas como agudas más o menos complejas, con el fin de evitar aumentar el tiempo y el número de curas necesarias y además el realizar cirugías que conlleven una elevada morbilidad para el paciente. Presentamos el caso de un paciente con cuadro depresivo secundario a la mala evolución clínica sufrida tras el desarrollo de una lesión medular transversa D4 ASIA C (incompleta) de causa iatrogénica postquirúrgica (vertebroplastia-fusión vertebral por aplastamiento vertebral D3-D4), en el que tras más de 6 meses de evolución tórpida de una úlcera dorsal alta, se realizó un colgajo de músculo trapecio pediculado con paleta cutánea para cobertura del defecto, en cuyo postoperatorio inmediato sufrió, de nuevo iatrogénicamente, una pérdida parcial de dicha paleta y un seroma importante en la zona dadora. Consideramos de interés este caso porque la aplicación de terapia de presión negativa empleando el sistema VAC® nos permitió: 1) Minimizar la pérdida de tejido del colgajo. 2) Disminuir el número de curas semanales hasta 1 ó 2. 3) Disminuir también el tiempo empleado en cada cura. 4) Que el paciente pudiera desplazarse en su silla de ruedas con dos sistemas VAC® portátiles hasta el gimnasio para no abandonar su programa de rehabilitación. 5) Que ante una evolución rápida e inesperada, el paciente experimentara una notable mejoría clínica de su estado depresivo-ansioso y 6) La colocación final de un sistema VAC-VIA® de última generación sobre los autoinjertos, para que el paciente pudiera continuar su tratamiento de terapia ocupacional y fisioterápico de extremidades superiores. Consideramos las terapias VAC® y VIA® de absoluta indicación en heridas complejas tanto agudas como crónicas porque ahorran tiempo, no sólo en las curas, sino también en términos de estancia hospitalaria total a la vez que evitan tiempos quirúrgicos innecesarios y con alta morbilidad para los pacientes.Negative pressure therapy (subatmospheric) is a noninvasive treatment modality included in the armamentarium of any Service of Plastic Surgery and also in General Surgery, Vascular Surgery and Traumatology Services. It can be applied in the treatment of both chronic and acute wounds to decrease the time and number of priests and also to reduce surgeries with high morbidity for the patient. We present a patient with depressive syndrome secondary to an unfortunate postoperative course of a vertebroplasty that produced an spinal cord injury, classified as ASIA C, level D4. The patient suffered a high dorsal ulcer with 6 months of complicated evolution which finally was covered with a pedicled trapezious flap with skin paddle and, again iatrogenicaly, suffered a partial loss of the paddle and a significant seroma at the donor site. In our opinion, this case is interesting because the use of negative pressure therapy with VAC® system allows: 1) Minimize the loss of flap tissue. 2) To decrease the number of cures. 3) To decrease the time in each healing. 4) Allows the patient to move in his wheelchair with two portable VAC® systems to assist to the gym and follow his rehabilitation program. 5) With this unexpected and fast evolution, the patient had a significant clinical improvement of his depressive-anxious state and 6) The final placement of a latest generation VAC-VIA® systems on autografts allowed the patient to go on with his occupational therapy and physiotherapy for the upper extremities. We think that VAC-VIA® therapy is completely indicated to complex acute and chronic wounds because it can save time in terms of total hospital stance and avoid unnecessary surgeries with high risk morbidity for the patient

Study of the vegetation in the Multiple Use Natural Reserve of Monterrico (Guatemala)

<div><p>The Multiple Use Natural Reserve of Monterrico lies on the Pacific coast of the southwest Guatemala in the Chiapas Sector of the Chiapaneca-Hondureña Province. It belongs to the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas and has a predominantly estuarine and coastal marine ecosystem. We took 218 vegetation relevés that contained 72 species belonging to 138 genera and 69 plant families. Multivariate analysis techniques have led to the determination of seven different associations. Three of them are mangrove swamp associations (<i>Lagunculario-Rhizophoretum manglis</i>; <i>Lagunculario-Avicennietum germinantis</i> Peinado, Alcaraz, Delgadillo, De la Cruz, Álvarez and Aguirre, 1994; <i>Rhizophoretum manglis</i> Cuatrecasas, 1958). Three new associations are proposed. These are one reed–bulrush association (<i>Typho domingensis-Phragmitetum australis</i><i>ass. nova</i>) and two sand-dwelling associations, one made up of evergreen grasses dominated by <i>Canavalia rosea</i> which grows on mobile dunes (<i>Thephrosio-Canavalietum roseae</i><i>ass. nova</i>) and a dry forest phytocoenosis dominated by deciduous and some evergreen species, such as <i>Pithecellobium dulce</i>, that grow on more consolidated sandy soils (<i>Gliricidio-Pithecellobietum dulcis</i><i>ass. nova</i>). Finally, special mention must be made of the presence of the pleustohelophytic association <i>Eichhornietum crassipedis</i> Samek and Moncada, 1971. This is the first time that these mangrove swamp associations and this hydrophytic association have been recorded in Guatemala.</p></div

Utilización de recursos sanitarios y costes asociados al manejo de los pacientes con infarto cerebral cardioembólico agudo en la Comunidad de Madrid: Estudio CODICE

Resumen: Introducción: El ictus es la principal causa de ingreso en los servicios de Neurología, siendo el infarto cerebral cardioembólico (ICE) de los subtipos más frecuentes. Métodos: Estudio observacional, multicéntrico, prospectivo, realizado en 5 hospitales públicos de la Comunidad de Madrid, cuyo objetivo fue estimar la utilización de recursos sanitarios y costes en el manejo del ICE agudo. Se incluyeron pacientes con ICE agudo de evolución < 48 h. Se registraron datos sociodemográficos, clínicos y los recursos sanitarios utilizados durante el ingreso y al alta hasta 30 días desde el ingreso, incluyendo el tratamiento rehabilitador al alta. Resultados: Se seleccionaron 128 pacientes durante 8 meses, de 75,3 ± 11,25 años, siendo un 46,9% mujeres, con una mortalidad del 4,7%. El 100% cumplía los criterios diagnósticos del GEENCV-SEN por antecedentes o el estudio realizado. Como antecedentes clínicos, el 50% presentó fibrilación auricular, y el 18,8%, otras fuentes mayores embolígenas. La fibrilación auricular no valvular fue la causa más frecuente de ICE (33,6%). Consumo de recursos: estancia media, 10,3 ± 9,3 días; rehabilitación durante el ingreso, 46,9%, media 4,5 días, y al alta, 56,3%, media 26,8 días; complicaciones, 32%; intervenciones hospitalarias específicas, 19,5%; pruebas diagnósticas y analíticas sanguíneas, 100%, siendo la TAC craneal (98,4%), el dúplex TSA (87,5%) y el electrocardiograma (85,9%), las diagnósticas más frecuentes. El coste total medio por paciente en la fase aguda y rehabilitación por ICE fue de 13.139 €, siendo la estancia hospitalaria (45,0%) y la rehabilitación al alta (29,2%) los recursos más importantes. Conclusiones: El manejo agudo del ICE en la Comunidad de Madrid generó un importante consumo de recursos (13.139 €) debido a la asistencia hospitalaria y la rehabilitación. Abstract: Introduction: Stroke is the main cause of admission to Neurology departments and cardioembolic stroke (CS) is one of the most common subtypes of stroke. Methods: A multicentre prospective observational study was performed in 5 Neurology departments in public hospitals in the Region of Madrid (Spain). The objective was to estimate the use of healthcare resources and costs of acute CS management. Patients with acute CS at < 48 h from onset were recruited. Patients’ socio-demographic, clinical, and healthcare resource use data were collected during hospitalisation and at discharge up to 30 days after admission, including data for rehabilitation treatment after discharge. Results: During an 8-month recruitment period, 128 patients were recruited: mean age, 75.3 ± 11.25; 46.9% women; mortality rate, 4.7%. All patients met the CS diagnostic criteria established by GEENCV-SEN, based on medical history or diagnostic tests. Fifty per cent of the patients had a history of atrial fibrillation and 18.8% presented other major cardioembolic sources. Non-valvular atrial fibrillation was the most frequent cause of CS (33.6%). Data for healthcare resource use, given a mean total hospital stay of 10.3 ± 9.3 days, are as follows: rehabilitation therapy during hospital stay (46.9%, mean 4.5 days) and after discharge (56.3%, mean 26.8 days), complications (32%), specific interventions (19.5%), and laboratory and diagnostic tests (100%). Head CT (98.4%), duplex ultrasound of supra-aortic trunks (87.5%), and electrocardiogram (85.9%) were the most frequently performed diagnostic procedures. Average total cost per patient during acute-phase management and rehabilitation was €13,139. Hospital stay (45.0%) and rehabilitation at discharge (29.2%) accounted for the largest part of resources used. Conclusions: Acute CS management in the Region of Madrid resulted consumes large amounts of resources (€13,139), mainly due to hospital stays and rehabilitation. Palabras clave: Comunidad de Madrid, Costes, Ictus, Infarto cerebral cardioembólico, Sanidad Pública, Utilización de recursos, Keywords: Region of Madrid (Spain), Costs, Stroke, Cardioembolic stroke, Spanish National Health System, Resource us

Sources of resistance to Crinipellis perniciosa in progenies of cacao accessions collected in the Brazilian Amazon Fontes de resitência a Crinipellis perniciosa em progênies de cacaueiros coletados na Amazônia brasileira

The witches' broom disease caused by the fungus Crinipellis perniciosa is the main phytossanitary constraint for cacao production in Brazil. The integrated management of the disease involves resistance as one of the components. The breeding program conducted by the Brazilian Institution, CEPLAC is directed toward the pyramidation of resistance genes from different sources to achieve a more durable resistance. This study aimed to identify sources of resistance in progenies of cacao accessions collected in the basins of ten Amazonian rivers and compared to progenies from the Peruvian clones 'Scavina 6' and 'Sacavina 12'. Progenies from 40 Amazonian accessions and 'Scavina' were evaluated in the field for six years for witches' broom resistance through multivariate and repeated measurement analyses evaluating the effect of progeny, area, block, year, and their interactions. There were differences in the mean number of vegetative brooms on some Amazonian progenies and 'Scavina' descendants. There was an increase in the number of vegetative brooms in the last year for 'Scavina' progenies, but that was not observed for the Amazonian progenies 64, 66, 156, 194, 195, 269 and 274. There were different gene/alleles for resistance in the Amazonian progenies in comparison to the traditional 'Scavina' accessions. These new sources of resistance will be important for pyramiding resistance genes and consequently increasing the stability and durability of the resistance to witches' broom.<br>A doença vassoura-de-bruxa, causada pelo fungo Crinipellis perniciosa, é o principal problema fitossanitário para o cultivo do cacaueiro no Brasil. O manejo integrado da doença envolve a resistência como um dos componentes. O programa de melhoramento genético do cacaueiro conduzido pela Instituição brasileira CEPLAC é direcionado para acumular genes de resistência de diferentes fontes visando à obtenção de uma resistência mais durável. O objetivo deste estudo foi identificar novas fontes de resistência em progênies de acessos de cacau da Amazônia brasileira. Os acessos foram coletados em dez bacias hidrográficas da Amazônia e comparados com progênies de 'Scavina 6' e 'Scavina 12', do Peru. Progênies de 40 acessos amazônicos e de 'Scavina' foram avaliadas no campo por seis anos para resistência à vassoura-de-bruxa, através de análise multivariada e de medidas repetidas considerando os efeitos de progênie, ensaio, bloco, ano e suas interações. Houve diferenças no número de vassouras vegetativas em algumas das progênies amazônicas e de 'Scavina'. Houve também incremento no número de vassouras para os descendentes de 'Scavina' no último ano do experimento, fato não observado para as progênies dos clones amazônicos 64, 66, 156, 194, 195, 269 e 274. Existem diferentes genes/alelos de resistência em progênies amazônicas e em descendentes do tradicional 'Scavina'. As novas fontes de resistência serão importantes para a piramidação de genes/alelos para a ampliação da estabilidade e durabilidade da resistência