Pneumomediastinum from nasal insufflation of cocaine

Chest pain is a common presenting symptom of cocaine users to the emergency department that requires a thorough work up. Pneumomediastinum is an uncommon complication of cocaine abuse that occurs more commonly when cocaine is smoked, but can also occur when cocaine is nasally insufflated. Our case report presents a patient with pneumomediastinum secondary to cocaine insufflation and reviews the necessary diagnostic tests that must be performed to rule out secondary pneumomediastinum, a severe life-threatening condition. Our case is unique, as it is one of a few reported cases of pneumomediastinum occurring after the use of intranasal cocaine

A comprehensive overview of radioguided surgery using gamma detection probe technology

The concept of radioguided surgery, which was first developed some 60 years ago, involves the use of a radiation detection probe system for the intraoperative detection of radionuclides. The use of gamma detection probe technology in radioguided surgery has tremendously expanded and has evolved into what is now considered an established discipline within the practice of surgery, revolutionizing the surgical management of many malignancies, including breast cancer, melanoma, and colorectal cancer, as well as the surgical management of parathyroid disease. The impact of radioguided surgery on the surgical management of cancer patients includes providing vital and real-time information to the surgeon regarding the location and extent of disease, as well as regarding the assessment of surgical resection margins. Additionally, it has allowed the surgeon to minimize the surgical invasiveness of many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, while still maintaining maximum benefit to the cancer patient. In the current review, we have attempted to comprehensively evaluate the history, technical aspects, and clinical applications of radioguided surgery using gamma detection probe technology

Friendship Relationships in Children and Adolescents: Positive Development and Prevention of Mental Health Problems

Studying childhood and adolescence from the perspective of Positive Development involves seeing them from the creation of skills and values that allow the child and the adolescent to move towards adulthood in a successful way, as well as considering them from the avoidance and prevention of violence, addiction, depression and other mental health problems.Developmental Psychology theorists such as Harry Stack Sullivan have put forward that friendships can provide a unique developmental context in which children and adolescents learn about Conflict and Negotiation and develop Perspective Taking Skills and Empathic Concern; also in that relationship, furthermore, they satisfy social needs of Companionship and Intimacy.First of all, in this chapter it is presented the Argentine adaptation of Bukowski Friendship Quality Scale (children´s version), an instrument that evaluates friendship quality and explores six dimensions of peer relationships: Companionship, Balance, Conflict, Help, Security and Closeness.Subsequently, two studies conducted with this instrument, in the adolescent version, are presented. The first study evaluates the relationship between Friendship quality and Loneliness feelings in adolescents. It is observed that the rejection of peers and loneliness self-perception feelings with their peers, are negatively correlated with Friendship quality dimensions: Balance, Companionship, Help, Security and Closeness. The Conflict Friendship dimension correlates positively with Family loneliness and Peer loneliness.In the second study, it is presented the results of the hierarchical regressions performed to evaluate Empathy and Values dimensions as predictive variables of Friendship Quality dimensions. Regarding Value Scale, Honesty is the best predictor of Friendship Quality dimensions; and regarding Empathy, Perspective Taking and Empathic Concern are the best predictors of Friendship Quality dimensions.Finally, it is considered how these contributions highlight the important role of friendship and peer relationships in the prevention of mental health problems.Fil: Rodriguez, Lucas Marcelo. Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina "santa Maria de Los Bs. As.". Facultad Teresa de Avila. Centro de Investigacion Interdisciplinar En Valores, Integracion y Desarrollo Social.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Moreno, José Eduardo. Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina "santa Maria de Los Bs. As.". Facultad Teresa de Avila. Centro de Investigacion Interdisciplinar En Valores, Integracion y Desarrollo Social.; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mesurado, Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; Argentin

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe