Osteotomías desrotativas mediante fijación externa en la infancia

La mayoría de las alteraciones rotacionales de las extremidades durante la infancia, permiten por lo general el desarrollo de una función normal, y tienden a resolverse espontáneamente. Ocasionalmente, algunos pacientes pueden requerir corrección quirúrgica ante una alteración rotacional que persiste o progresa alterando la función de la extremidad, o bien que resulta estéticamente inaceptable para el paciente y su familia. Se presenta la experiencia de los autores en la realización de osteomías desrotadoras en la infancia utilizando la fijación externa.Most of rotational disorders of extremities during childhood are usually functional, and its natural history is spontaneous correction. Sometimes, surgery is indicated when a pathological persistent rotational disorder increase, or may induce disability, or is cosmetically unacceptable for patient and its family. The author’s experience in rotational osteotomies during childhood by using external fixation is presented

Diversity and distribution of blackflies (Diptera: Simuliidae) of the Tormes river basin (western Spain)

To enhance the partial knowledge on blackfly (Diptera: Simuliidae) fauna in Spain it is crucial to collect all the available data on this group to better understand their ecology and distribution over the years. This study presents data from samples collected along the Tormes river basin (western Spain) during the years 1988, 1989 and 1996 and then stored at the University of Salamanca. As a result of a research stay, a total of 19 species belonging to 3 genera (Prosimulium, Metacnephia and Simulium) and 5 Simulium subgenera (Boophthora, Eusimulium, Nevermannia, Simulium and Wilhelmia) were identified after examining 64% of the stored material, representing 35% of the species known from Spain. In addition, 14 species are reported for the first time in 3 provinces in the study area. Further sampling of blackflies is foreseen in the near future in order to check if the blackfly fauna composition determined in samples collected during the last two decades of the 20th century has changed. This aim gains in importance as a consequence of haematophagous species having been found, relevant for both public health and animal welfare, not only because of the discomfort caused by their bites but also because of their potential as vectors of disease-causing agents in animals and humans

Uso de la placa Epiunión con injerto óseo en pseudoartrosis del cuello humeral

Las pseudoartrosis del cuello humeral son muy poco frecuentes. Cinco pacientes con esta patología fueron tratados mediante la placa Epiunion e injerto óseo. La consolidación de la fractura se consiguión en todos los casos. El tiempo medio de consolidación fue de 4,2 meses. El valor medio en el test de Constant fue de 95,4 puntos. La placa Epiunion con injerto óseo parece ser un buen método para el tratamiento de las pseudoartrosis del cuello humeral.Humeral neck nonunions are very uncommon. Five patients with humeral neck nonunion were treated using an Epiunion plate. A bone graft was added. Fracture healing was obtained in all cases. The mean healing time was 4,2 months. Le result was an average Constant store of 95,4 points. Epiunion plate with bone grafting appears to be a good method for the treatment of proximal humeral nonunions

Resultados a medio plazo del tratamiento quirúrgico de la rotura aguda del tendón de Aquiles

Se presenta un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de 76 pacientes entre 21 y 75 años con rotura aguda del tendón de Aquiles, en el que se han valorado la epidemiología, el mecanismo lesional y los resultados del tratamiento mediante sutura término-terminal tipo Kessler e inmovilización rígida en yeso, comparándolo con los resultados de otras series de la literatura. Las principales conclusiones son que la rotura aguda del tendón de Aquiles es más frecuente en varones en la cuarta década de la vida y que el mecanismo lesional más frecuente es la práctica deportiva. El tratamiento mediante cirugía y posterior inmovilización con yeso ha dado buenos resultados. La edad, tiempo de descarga y la aparición de complicaciones se relacionan con peores resultados.Se presenta un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de 76 pacientes entre 21 y 75 años con rotura aguda del tendón de Aquiles, en el que se han valorado la epidemiología, el mecanismo lesional y los resultados del tratamiento mediante sutura término-terminal tipo Kessler e inmovilización rígida en yeso, comparándolo con los resultados de otras series de la literatura. Las principales conclusiones son que la rotura aguda del tendón de Aquiles es más frecuente en varones en la cuarta década de la vida y que el mecanismo lesional más frecuente es la práctica deportiva. El tratamiento mediante cirugía y posterior inmovilización con yeso ha dado buenos resultados. La edad, tiempo de descarga y la aparición de complicaciones se relacionan con peores resultados

Utilización de factores de crecimiento plaquetarios asociados a fosfato pentacálcico en el tratamiento de lesiones óseas paratumorales en la infancia

El tratamiento de las lesiones óseas paratumorales (como el quiste óseo aneurismático y el quiste óseo simple) continúa siendo controvertido. Aunque existen diferentes posibilidades de tratamiento, el porcentaje de fallo en la curación debido a recidivas de estas lesiones no es desdeñable. Los autores presentan su experiencia retrospectiva en 5 casos en diferentes localizaciones anatómicas, tratados mediante curetaje y relleno de la lesión mediante un sustituto óseo (fosfato pentacálcico, fibrina y factores de crecimiento autólogos derivados de plaquetas) con resultados satisfactorios.Treatment of tumorlike lesions of bone (as aneurysmal bone cyst and simple bone cyst) remains controversial. Although there are different possibilities of treatment, the rate of failure to cure due to recurrences of both types of lesions is not negligible. The authors present their retrospective experience in 5 cases in different locations, where such lesions were treated by means of curettage and grafting using a bone substitute (pentacalcium phosphate, fibrine and autologous platelet derived growth factors) with satisfactory results

A low-power RF front-end for 2.5 GHz receivers

© 2008 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting/republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes,creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other works.This paper presents a low power and low cost front end for a direct conversion 2.5 GHz ISM band receiver composed of a 16 kV HBM ESD protected LNA, differential Gilbert-cell mixers, and high-pass filters for DC offset cancellation. The whole front-end is implemented in a 2P6M 0.18 µm RFCMOS process. It exhibits a voltage gain of 24dB and a SSB noise figure of 8.4dB which make it suitable for most of the 2.5 GHz wireless short-range communication transceivers. The achieved power consumption is only 1.06mW from a 1.2V power supply.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Ultrasound Application to Improve Meat Quality

High-intensity ultrasound offers an alternative to traditional methods of food preservation and is regarded as a green, versatile, popular, and promising emerging technology. Ultrasound generates acoustic cavitation in a liquid medium, developing physical forces that are considered the main mechanism responsible for the observed changes in exposed materials. In meat, ultrasound has been successfully used to improve processes such as mass transfer and marination, tenderization of meat ,and inactivation of microorganisms. It is also an alternative to traditional meat aging methods for improving the quality properties of meat. Moreover, the combination of ultrasonic energy with a sanitizing agent can improve the effect of microbial reduction in foods. This review describes recent potential applications of ultrasound in meat systems, as well as physical and chemical effects of ultrasound treatments on the conservation and modification of processed meat foods

Pyrogenic organic matter from palaeo-fires during the Holocene: A case study in a sequence of buried soils at the Central Ebro Basin (NE Spain)

We studied the fire record and its environmental consequences during the Holocene in the Central Ebro Basin. This region is very sensitive to environmental changes due to its semiarid conditions, lithological features and a continuous human presence during the past 6000 years. The study area is a 6 m buried sequence of polycyclic soils developed approximately 9500 years ago that is exceptionally well preserved and encompasses four sedimentary units. The content and size distribution of macroscopic charcoal fragments were determined throughout the soil sequence and the analysis of the composition of charcoal, litter and sediments via analytical pyrolysis (Py-GC/MS). The high amount of charcoal fragments recovered in most horizons highlights the fire frequencies since the beginning of the Neolithic, most of which were probably of anthropogenic origin. In some soil horizons where charcoal was not found, we detected a distribution pattern of lipid compounds that could be related to biomass burning. On the other hand, the low number of pyrolysates in the charcoal could be attributed to high-intensity fires. No clear pattern was found in the composition of pyrolysates related to the age of sediments or vegetation type. The most ancient soil (Unit 1) was the richest in charcoal content and contains a higher proportion of larger fragments (>4 mm), which is consistent with the burning of a relatively dense vegetation cover. This buried soil has been preserved in situ, probably due to the accumulation of sedimentary materials because of a high-intensity fire. In addition, the pyrogenic C in this soil has some plant markers that could indicate a low degree of transformation. In Units 2–4, both the amount of charcoals and the proportions of macrofragments >4 mm are lower than those in Unit 1, which coincides with a more open forest and the presence of shrubs and herbs. The preservation of this site is key to continuing with studies that contribute to a better assessment of the consequences of future disturbances, such as landscape transformation and climate change