Compresión del nervio supraescapular por un ganglión en un deportista: a propósito de un caso

Se describe el caso de un joven jugador de balonmano con un síndrome de compresión del nervio supraescapular de su hombro derecho por un ganglión, haciendo una revisión de la etiología, clínica, diagnóstico y tratamiento de este raro síndrome.Supraescapular nerve entrapment caused by a ganglion in a young handball player is reported. Ethiology, clinical, diagnosis and treatment of this rare syndrome is revised

<i>Phaeocystis globosa</i> Virus DNA Polymerase X: a “Swiss Army knife”, Multifunctional DNA polymerase-lyase-ligase for Base Excision Repair

Phaeocystis globosa virus 16T is a giant virus that belongs to the so-called nucleo-cytoplasmic large DNA virus (NCLDV) group. Its linear dsDNA genome contains an almost full complement of genes required to participate in viral base excision repair (BER). Among them is a gene coding for a bimodular protein consisting of an N-terminal Polβ-like core fused to a C-terminal domain (PgVPolX), which shows homology with NAD+-dependent DNA ligases. Analysis of the biochemical features of the purified enzyme revealed that PgVPolX is a multifunctional protein that could act as a “Swiss army knife” enzyme during BER since it is endowed with: 1) a template-directed DNA polymerization activity, preferentially acting on DNA structures containing gaps; 2) 5′-deoxyribose-5-phosphate (dRP) and abasic (AP) site lyase activities; and 3) an NAD+-dependent DNA ligase activity. We show how the three activities act in concert to efficiently repair BER intermediates, leading us to suggest that PgVPolX may constitute, together with the viral AP-endonuclease, a BER pathway. This is the first time that this type of protein fusion has been demonstrated to be functional

Performance Analysis of a Parallel Discrete Model for the Simulation of Laser Dynamics

This paper presents an analysis on the performance of a parallel implementation of a discrete model of laser dynamics, which is based on cellular automata. The performance of a 2D parallel version of the model is studied as a rst step to test the feasibility of a parallel 3D version, which is needed to simulate speci c laser systems. The 3D version will have to run on a parallel computer due to its runtime and memory requirements. The model has been implemented on a Beowulf Cluster using the message passing paradigm. The parallel implementation is found to exhibit a good speedup, allowing us to run realistic simulations of laser systems on clusters of workstations, which could not be afforded on an individual machine due to the extensive runtime and memory size needed.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TIC2002-04498-C05-0

Pseudotumor de pisiforme: a propósito de 1 caso

Se presenta 1 caso de pseudotumor del pisiforme con dolor crónico en eminencia hipotenar y compresión del nervio cubital en un varón de 33 años. El diagnóstico histológico definitivo fue de callo hipertrófico con degeneración cartilaginosa focal del hueso pisiforme. Se presupone el origen laboral de la lesión, secundaria a microtraumatismos repetidos por martillo neumático. Se practicó exéresis simple del hueso, con un resultado excelente a los 6 meses. Los autores piensan que el tratamiento de elección hubiera sido la inmovilización precoz al comienzo de la sintomatología.A case of pseudotumor of the pisiform vvith cronic pain in the hipothenar eminence and compression neuropathy of the ulnar nerve in Guyon's canal in a 33 year old man is reported. Pathologic diagnosis was consistent vvith hypertrophic fracture callus and focal degenerative changes in the articular surface of the pisiform. Repetitive minor trauma in his job as a miner, while using pneumatic hammer is presumed to be the main etiologic factor. Simple excision of the pisiform was performed vvith excelent functional result at 6 months. The authors believe that early inmobilization when the symptoms started, vvould have been the ideal treatmen

Parallel implementation of a cellular automaton model for the simulation of laser dynamics

A parallel implementation for distributed-memory MIMD systems of a 2D discrete model of laser dynamics based on cellular au- tomata is presented. The model has been implemented on a PC cluster using a message passing library. A good performance has been obtained, allowing us to run realistic simulations of laser systems in clusters of workstations, which could not be a orded on an individual machine due to the extensive runtime and memory size needed.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TIN2005-08818-C04-0

Estudio comparativo de la influencia de las fibras en la retracción de los morteros reciclados

Construction and demolition waste can be used as a substitution of natural aggregate in mortar and concrete elaboration. A poorer quality of recycled aggregates generally has negative impact on mortar properties. Shrinkage is one of the properties that experiences worse outcome due to the higher absorption of recycled aggregates. This research evaluates the potential shrinkage of mortars elaborated with recycled concrete aggregates both with and without fibres addition, as well as the relation between moisture loss and shrinkage caused by mortar drying process using a capacitive sensor of the authors’ own design. Two different mortar dosages 1:3 and 1:4 and three fiber types: polypropylene fiber, fiberglass and steel fiber, in different proportions were used. Obtained results show that the use of polypropylene fiber improves the recycled mortars performance against shrinkage in 0.2%. Moreover, a clear relation between dry shrinkage and moisture loss was observed.Los Residuos de Construcción y Demolición pueden ser usados como sustitución de los áridos naturales en la fabricación de morteros y hormigones. La peor calidad de los áridos reciclados empeora de manera general las propiedades de los morteros, siendo la retracción una de las que más se ve afectada. Esta investigación, estudia la retracción de los morteros elaborados con arena reciclada de hormigón con y sin adicción de fibras, así como la relación existente entre la perdida de humedad y la retracción por secado mediante un sensor capacitivo de diseño propio. Se han empleado dos dosificaciones diferentes 1:3 y 1:4 y tres tipos de fibras: polipropileno, vidrio y acero, en distintas proporciones. Los resultados muestran que la adición de fibras de polipropileno en un 0,2% mejora significativamente la retracción en los morteros reciclados. Además, se ha obtenido una relación clara entre la retracción por secado y la perdida de humedad

Phase equilibria and critical behavior of square‐well fluids of variable width by Gibbs ensemble Monte Carlo simulation

The vapor–liquid phase equilibria of square†well systems with hard†sphere diameters σ, well†depths ε, and ranges λ=1.25, 1.375, 1.5, 1.75, and 2 are determined by Monte Carlo simulation. The two bulk phases in coexistence are simulated simultaneously using the Gibbs ensemble technique. Vapor–liquid coexistence curves are obtained for a series of reduced temperatures between about Tr=T/Tc=0.8 and 1, where Tc is the critical temperature. The radial pair distribution functions g(r) of the two phases are calculated during the simulation, and the results extrapolated to give the appropriate contact values g(σ), g(λσ−), and g(λσ+). These are used to calculate the vapor†pressure curves of each system and to test for equality of pressure in the coexisting vapor and liquid phases. The critical points of the square†well fluids are determined by analyzing the density†temperature coexistence data using the first term of a Wegner expansion. The dependence of the reduced critical temperature T* c=kTc/ε, pressure P* c=Pcσ3/ε, number density Ï * c=Ï cσ3, and compressibility factor Z=P/(Ï kT), on the potential range λ, is established. These results are compared with existing data obtained from perturbation theories. The shapes of the coexistence curves and the approach to criticality are described in terms of an apparent critical exponent β. The curves for the square†well systems with λ=1.25, 1.375, 1.5, and 1.75 are very nearly cubic in shape corresponding to near†universal values of β (β≊0.325). This is not the case for the system with a longer potential range; when λ=2, the coexistence curve is closer to quadratic in shape with a near†classical value of β (β≊0.5). These results seem to confirm the view that the departure of β from a mean†field or classical value for temperatures well below critical is unrelated to long†range, near†critical fluctuations

Parallel Cellular Automata-based Simulation of Laser Dynamics using Dynamic Load Balancing

We present an analysis of the feasibility of executing a parallel bioinspired model of laser dynamics, based on cellular automata (CA), on the usual target platform of this kind of applications: a heterogeneous non-dedicated cluster. As this model employs a synchronous CA, using the single program, multiple data (SPMD) paradigm, it is not clear in advance if an appropriate efficiency can be obtained on this kind of platform. We have evaluated its performance including artificial load to simulate other tasks or jobs submitted by other users. A dynamic load balancing strategy with two main differences from most previous implementations of CA based models has been used. First, it is possible to migrate load to cluster nodes initially not belonging to the pool. Second, a modular approach is taken in which the model is executed on top of a dynamic load balancing tool – the Dynamite system – gaining flexibility. Very satisfactory results have been obtained, with performance increases from 60% to 80%.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TIN2007-68083-C02Junta de Extremadura PRI06A22