Surgical site infection and transfusion rates are higher in underweight total knee arthroplasty patients.

BACKGROUND: Underweight (UW) patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty have exhibited higher complication rates, including infection and transfusion. No study to our knowledge has evaluated UW total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients. We, therefore, conducted a study to investigate if these patients are at increased risk for complications, including infection and transfusion. METHODS: A case-control study was conducted using a prospectively collected institutional database. Twenty-seven TKA patients were identified as UW (body mass index [BMI] \u3c 18.5 kg/m RESULTS: The average BMI was 17.1 kg/m CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that UW TKA patients have a higher likelihood of developing SSI and requiring blood transfusions. The specific reasons are unclear, but we conjecture that it may be related to decreased wound healing capabilities and low preoperative hemoglobin. Investigation of local tissue coverage and hematologic status may be beneficial in this patient population to prevent SSI. Based on the results of this study, a prospective evaluation of these factors should be undertaken

The influence of slow Cu(OH)₂ phase formation on the electrochemical behaviour of copper in alkaline solutions

Evidences of a slow Cu(OH)2 phase formation with data resulting from potentiodynamic potentiostatic and rotating-ring-disc techniques were obtained during the anodization of copper in 0.1 M NaOH. According to the potential and time windows employed in the different runs, electrochemical results can be explained by admitting two limiting complex structures of the anodic layers namely Cu/Cu2O (porous inner layer)/CuO (outer layer) and Cu/Cu2O (porous inner layer)/CuO/Cu(OH)2 (outer layer). The formation of the Cu(OH)2 layer fits a progressive nucleation and 2-D growth under charge transfer control in the −0.175 ⩽ E ⩽ −0.10 V range and an instantaneous nucleation and 2-D growth mechanism under charge transfer control in the −0.20 ⩽ E ⩽ −0.18 V. A well-defined voltammetric peak multiplicity can be distinguished for the electrochemical of each complex anodic layer. These results furnish a reasonable explanation to discrepancies observed in the literature for the electroformation and electroreduction of anodic layers formed on copper in alkaline solutions.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicadas (INIFTA)Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Theoretical density functional study of substituted dioxanes: trans 3,6-dimethoxy-1,2-dioxane

A theoretical Density Functional study of the trans-3,6-dimethoxy-1,2-dioxane molecule is performed with the purpose to analyze different conformational features.The energetic stability of the different isomers is discussed in terms of several electronic factors. Results are compared with previous semiempirical studies and they are discussed in a comparative fashion. Final results show that ab initio studies allow one to overcome some drawbacks derived from the semiempirical techniques.Centro de Química Inorgánic

Epidemiology of influenza-like illness in the Amazon Basin of Peru, 2008-2009.

BackgroundData addressing the incidence and epidemiology of influenza and influenza-like illness (ILI) in tropical regions of the world is scarce, particularly for the neotropics of South America.MethodsWe conducted active, population-based surveillance for ILI across 45 city blocks within the Amazon Basin city of Iquitos, Peru. Demographic data and household characteristics were collected for all participants, and participating households were visited three times weekly to inquire about ILI (fever plus cough or sore throat) among household residents. Nasal and oropharyngeal swabs were collected from participants with ILI and tested for influenza virus infection.ResultsBetween May 1, 2008 and July 8, 2009, we monitored 10,341 participants for ILI for a total of 11,569.5 person-years. We detected 459 ILI episodes, with 252 (54.9%) of the participants providing specimens. Age-adjusted incidence of ILI was estimated to be 46.7 episodes/1000 person-years. Influenza A and B viruses were detected in 25 (9.9%) and 62 (24.6%) specimens of ILI patients, respectively, for an estimated age-adjusted incidence rate of 16.5 symptomatic influenza virus infections/1000 person-years. Risk factors for ILI included age, household crowding, and use of wood as cooking fuel. For influenza virus infection specifically, age and use of wood as a cooking fuel were also identified as risk factors, but no effect of household crowding was observed.ConclusionsOur results represent the initial population-based description of the epidemiology of ILI in the Amazon region of Peru, which will be useful for developing region-specific strategies for reducing the burden of respiratory disease

Uso de hardware reconfigurable a través de servicios Web en aplicaciones distribuidas

Este artículo propone una solución sencilla para la utilización de hardware reconfigurable en el contexto de aplicaciones distribuidas. Se ha elegido la tecnología de Servicios Web para proporcionar el acceso remoto a la plataforma reconfigurable. El objetivo es aprovechar las características propias de este tipo de servicios que facilitan el desarrollo de aplicaciones distribuidas junto con las ventajas de utilizar hadrware específico para acelerar el tiempo de ejecución de una tarea crítica. En particular, se ha desarrollado un servicio web para ofrecer, de forma remota, toda la funcionalidad de la plataforma RC1000PP a través de Intenet. Además de las funciones básicas se propone una metodología para el desarrollo de rutinas especializadas de alto nivel, que una vez publicadas, se ofertan para su integración como elemento de proceso en una aplicación distribuida. Con un ejemplo se comprueban las ventajas de esta metodología y se presentan los resultados preliminares del desarrollo de una aplicación.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por la Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid con el número de proyecto 07T/0052/2003-3, y parcialmente financiado por el Programa Europeo No: 100671-CP-1-2002-1-FR-MINERVA-M

Compliance with Antibiotic Prophylaxis in Obstetric and Gynecological Surgeries in Two Peruvian Hospitals

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSI) can be as high in gynecology and obstetrics surgeries compared to other areas. Antimicrobial prophylaxis is an effective tool in the prevention of SSIs; however, it is often not adequately administered, so this study aimed to understand the compliance and factors associated with the use of the clinical practice guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis in gynecological surgeries in two hospitals in the city of Huanuco, Peru. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study of all gynecologic surgeries performed during 2019 was performed. Compliance was determined based on the antibiotic chosen, dose, administration time, redosing, and prophylaxis duration. Age, hospital of origin, presence of comorbidities, surgery performed, as well as its duration, types of surgery, and anesthesia were considered as related factors. Results: We collected 529 medical records of patients undergoing gynecological surgery with a median age of 33 years. The prophylactic antibiotic was correctly indicated in 55.5% of cases, and the dose was correct in 31.2%. Total compliance with the five variables evaluated was only 3.9%. Cefazolin was the most commonly used antibiotic. Conclusion: Low compliance with the institutional clinical practice guidelines for antibiotic prophylaxis was identified, showing that antimicrobial prophylaxis in the hospitals studied was inadequate

Clinical and Molecular Study of the NOG Gene in Families with Mandibular Micrognathism

Q1Pacientes con Micrognatismo mandibularObjectives: Previous studies showed that noggin gene (NOG) sequence alterations, as well as epigenetic factors, could influence mandibular development. The aim of this study was to analyze clinical characteristics, NOG gene sequences, and promoter methylation sites in patients with mandibular micrognathism. Materials and Methods: A total of 35 individuals of five Colombian families were subject to clinical and cephalometric analysis for mandibular micrognathism. One nonaffected individual of each family was included as a control. DNA was isolated from whole blood sample from all individuals by salting out method. Nine NOG gene fragments were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequenced. Identification of CpG islands for methylation analysis at the NOG gene promoter was performed by MSP-PCR kit (Qiagen R). Statistical Analysis: A descriptive statistical analysis was carried out evaluating the presence or absence of genetics variants and the methylation sites in the NOG gene. Results: NOG sequence results of affected individuals with mandibular micrognathism for one of the families studied demonstrated that they were heterozygous for 672 C/A (new mutation). For a second family, individuals were heterozygous for 567 G/C (single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] RS116716909). For DNA analyzed from all patients studied, no methylations were observed at the NOG gene promoter region. Conclusion: Our results suggested that 672 C/A and 567 G/C variants could be involved in the presence of mandibular micrognathism. Moreover, lack of methylation sites at the NOG gene promoter region of all individuals studied suggests possibly other epigenetic factors could modulate mandibular growth. The search of genetic variants related with mandibular micrognathism will allow to predict in an integral way the development patterns of the patients and therefore establish a better clinical treatment.https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2112-2563https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9879-9775https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0770-9138https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2527-3593Revista Internacional - IndexadaA2N