The objective of the study was to evaluate the reproductive efficiency and antioxidant status of ewes supplemented with two levels of vitamin C during oestrous synchronization and early gestation. Sixty-three ewes were allocated to three treatments, namely T0: control group; T1: 3 g vitamin C coated with ethylcellulose (Rovimix C®, powder); and T2: 6 g vitamin C coated with ethylcellulose. The ewes received the dietary supplementation during an oestrus synchronization period and lasted until 18 days after breeding. The occurrences of oestrus, gestation, fecundity and prolificacy were measured. Blood samples were collected at various stages to determine antioxidant capacity and oxidative state, and progesterone, glucose and insulin concentrations. Percentage occurrence of oestrus and gestation was analysed using the Chi-Square test, prolificacy and fecundity by GENMOD, and blood tests by the PROC MIXED procedure. It was recorded that the concentration of vitamin C in plasma increased with the supplementation of 3 g and 6 g vitamin C. The antioxidant capacity was higher in T1 than in T0 and T2. Lipid oxidation, and glucose, insulin and progesterone concentrations were not affected. It is concluded that supplementation of 3 g vitamin C during oestrous synchronization and early gestation does not modify the reproductive responses of the ewes. However, the concentration of this vitamin in the blood increased and improved the antioxidant capacity of the animals.

Free fibula flap has proved to be one of the most versatile for oromandibular reconstruction due to the available length of bone and the possibility of incorporating a long skin paddle to cover intraoral soft tissues. The use of osseointegrated dental implants is an important technique for the oral rehabilitation of these patients. Osseointegrated implants provide the most rigid prosthetic stabilization available to withstand masticatory forces.These implants can be placed immediately or in a second time procedure.In our case, implantation in the fibula free flap is done after 6-12 months because of the large amount of osteosynthesis material required forthe fixation of the flap. Four or six months later, when osseointegration has taken place, the implants are loaded with a dental rehabilitation. We analize 12 cases of mandibular reconstruction with fibula free flap and their aesthetic and functional rehabilitation with osseointegrated implants with a 2 year follow up Fifty-six dental implants were placed developing all of them but one a correct osseointegration. All these patients recovered masticatory function and underwent a considerable improvement in labial competence, salival continence, speech articulation and facial harmony.

El colgajo de peroné ha demostrado ser el más versatil para la reconstrucción oromandibular, gracias a la gran longitud ósea que podemos utilizar y a la posibilidad de incorporar una amplia paleta cutánea para cobertura de tejidos blandos intraorales. El uso de implantes dentales osteointegrados proporciona un importante método terapéutico para la rehabilitación oral de estos pacientes. Los implantes osteointegrados proporcionan la forma más rígida de estabilización protésica para soportar las fuerzas masticatorias. Estos implantes pueden ser insertados de forma inmediata o diferida. A la hora de utilizar el colgajo libre de peroné realizamos la implantología de forma diferida a los 6-12 meses debido a la gran cantidad de material de osteosíntesis necesaria para la fijación del colgajo. Cuatro o seis meses después, cuando el proceso de osteointegración ha ocurrido, los implantes son cargados con una rehabilitación dental. Analizamos 12 casos de reconstrucción mandibular con colgajo libre de peroné y su rehabilitación estética y funcional con implantes osteointegrados y un seguimiento mínimo de 2 años. Se han colocado un total de 56 implantes, presentando todos ellos excepto uno, una correcta osteointegración. Todos estos pacientes han recuperado la función masticatoria, y mejorado de forma considerable la competencia labial, la continencia salival, la pronunciación y la armonía facial.

The lateral orbitotomy it still the surgical technique of choice for biopsies or the removal of intraorbital lesions that are lateral to the optic nerve, for biopsies of the optic nerve itself and for removing the lacrimal gland. Many skin incisions have been described for carrying out this surgical procedure, the most common at this moment being the upper eyelid crease incision. Although the results obtained with this incision tend to be acceptable, they are not exempt of complications, either aesthetic or functional. Over the last years new incisions have appeared that try to avoid these complications. Among the new approach routes to the lateral wall of the orbit is the temporal incision. Over the last three years four patients have undergone surgical procedures in order to carry out biopsies or for the removal of intraorbital masses by means of an incision into the temple. In all cases the incision permitted ample exposure of the surgical field and performing the procedure with ease. Excellent aesthetic and functional results were obtained with no sequelae or permanent complications. The most common complication that is specific to this incision is paresthesia of the frontal branch of the facial nerve. A careful dissection technique tends to be sufficient for avoiding this. In our view this incision, as we describe it, is the incision of choice for carrying out a lateral orbitotomy and we conclude that in our view it is a perfectly valid technique and one that should be considered with regard to the «classical» incisions, as in many aspects it surpasses these.

La orbitotomía lateral sigue siendo en el momento actual la técnica quirúrgica de elección para la biopsia o extirpación de lesiones intraorbitarias laterales al nervio óptico, la biopsia del propio nervio óptico y la extirpación de la glándula lacrimal. Se han descrito múltiples incisiones cutáneas para llevar a cabo esta intervención; la más frecuentemente empleada por el momento es la incisión palpebral, que discurre a nivel de alguna arruga del párpado superior. Aunque los resultados obtenidos con esta incisión suelen ser aceptables, no está exenta de complicaciones, ni estéticas ni funcionales. Por esto, en los últimos años han ido apareciendo nuevas incisiones que intentan evitar estas complicaciones. Entre estas nuevas vías de abordaje a la pared lateral de la órbita se encuentra la incisión temporal. En los últimos 3 años, se ha intervenido en nuestro servicio a cuatro pacientes para llevar a cabo biopsia o extirpación de masas intraorbitarias mediante orbitotomía lateral, siempre a través de una incisión temporal. En todos los casos esta incisión permitió una amplia exposición del campo quirúrgico y la cómoda realización de la intervención, obteniéndose resultados estéticos y funcionales excelentes, y sin ninguna secuela ni complicación permanente. La complicación específica más frecuente de esta incisión es la paresia de la rama frontal del nervio facial. Una técnica de disección cuidadosa suele ser suficiente para evitarla. Todo esto hace que esta incisión, tal y como la describimos aquí, sea de elección para llevar a cabo la orbitotomía lateral, constituyendo en nuestro criterio una alternativa perfectamente válida y a tener en cuenta frente a las incisiones «clásicas», a las que llega a superar en muchos aspectos.

An evaluation of the sensitivity and the specificity of the Anisakis simplex antigens purified by affinity chromatography was performed using sera from patients diagnosed with Anisakis sensitisation and sera from patients previously diagnosed with different helminthic infections. Only the sera of the patients diagnosed with Schistosoma mansoni or Onchocerca volvulus parasitic infections were negative against the A. simplex antigen and its purified fractions (PAK antigen: A. simplex antigen purified using columns prepared with anti-A. simplex rabbit IgG and PAS antigen: PAK antigen purified using columns prepared with anti-Ascaris suum rabbit IgG). However all the sera were positive against the A. suum antigen. In all the sera from the patients diagnosed with Anisakis sensitisation, the antibody levels detected using the purified antigens (PAK and PAS antigens) were lower than the observed using the A. simplex crude extract with the highest diminution in the case of the IgG. When these same sera were tested against the A. simplex crude extract by Western blot, several bands of high molecular masses were observed as well as, intense bands at 60 and/or 40 kDa. A concentration of these last proteins was observed in the PAK and the PAS antigens. When the sensitivity and the specificity determinations were performed, only seven of the 38 patients diagnosed of Anisakis sensitisation were positive, as well as, the sera from the patients diagnosed with parasitisms by Echinococcus granulosus or Fasciola hepatica.

The majority of Kudoa species infect the somatic muscle of fish establishing cysts. As there is no effective method to detect infected fish without destroying them these parasited fish reach the consumer. This work was developed to determine whether this parasite contains antigenic compounds capable of provoking an immune response in laboratory animals, in order to consider the possible immunopathological effects in man by the ingestion of Kudoa infected fish. BALB/c mice were injected by the subcutaneous route with the following extracts suspended in aluminium hydroxide: group 1 (black Kudoa sp. pseudocyst extract), group 2 (white Kudoa sp. pseudocyst extract), and group 3 (non-infected hake meat extract). Specific antibody levels were measured by ELISA against homologous and heterologous antigens. The highest responses were obtained from the black Kudoa sp. pseudocyst extract (group 1).The low optic density levels detected in group 3 proved that the results obtained in groups 1 and 2 were a consequence of the parasitic extract injection. The IgG1 was the predominant subclass. IgE detected in groups 1 and 2 showed the possible allergenic nature of some of the components of the parasitic extract. High IgA levels and medium IgG2a and IgG3 levels were obtained in groups 1 and 2. Low IgG2b responses were shown. No cross-reactions between Kudoa sp. pseudocyst extracts and the non-infected hake meat extract were observed.

In order to improve the specificity and sensitivity of the techniques for the human anisakidosis diagnosis, a method of affinity chromatography for the purification of species-specific antigens from Anisakis simplex third-stage larvae (L3) has been developed. New Zealand rabbits were immunized with A. simplex or Ascaris suum antigens or inoculated with Toxocara canis embryonated eggs. The IgG specific antibodies were isolated by means of protein A-Sepharose CL-4B beads columns. IgG anti-A. simplex and -A. suum were coupled to CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B. For the purification of the larval A. simplex antigens, these were loaded into the anti-A. simplex column and bound antigens eluted. For the elimination of the epitopes responsible for the cross-reactions, the A. simplex specific proteins were loaded into the anti-A. suum column. To prove the specificity of the isolated proteins, immunochemical analyses by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis were carried out. Further, we studied the different responses by ELISA to the different antigenic preparations of A. simplex used, observing their capability of discriminating among the different antisera raised in rabbits (anti-A. simplex, anti-A. suum, anti-T. canis). The discriminatory capability with the anti-T. canis antisera was good using the larval A. simplex crude extract (CE) antigen. When larval A. simplex CE antigen was loaded into a CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B coupled to IgG from rabbits immunized with A. simplex CE antigen, its capability for discriminate between A. simplex and A. suum was improved, increasing in the case of T. canis. The best results were obtained using larval A. simplex CE antigen loaded into a CNBr-activated Sepharose 4B coupled to IgG from rabbits immunized with adult A. suum CE antigen. When we compared the different serum dilution and antigenic concentration, we selected the working serum dilution of 1/400 and 1 µg/ml of antigenic concentration.

El objetivo de este estudio es conocer la incidencia de nefrocalcinosis en recién nacidos de pretérmino y determinar la utilidad de la relación calciuria/creatininuria como predictor diagnóstico. Un total de 124 recién nacidos con edad gestacional igual o menor a 32 semanas fueron agrupados en dos categorías. Un grupo de estudio de 53 pacientes con factores de riesgo conocidos para el desarrollo de nefrocalcinosis (oxigenoterapia, uso de furosemida y nutrición parenteral prolongadas) y un grupo control de 71 pacientes sin factores de riesgo. Ambos fueron estudiados por índice calciuria/creatininuria (muestras aisladas de orina los días 15, 21 y 30 de vida). Se definió hipercalciuria como un valor igual o mayor a 0,5 de índice calciuria/creatininuria presente al menos en dos muestras aisladas de orina. Se realizó estudio ecográfico entre los dos y tres meses de vida. El 15,3% de los pacientes presentó nefrocalcinosis. El grupo con factores de riesgo presenta 35,8% de nefrocalcinosis y los valores de calciuria/creatininuria fueron 0,87, 0,96 y 1,04. En el grupo control los valores de calciuria/creatininuria fueron 0,37, 0,30 y 0,29 no presentando casos de nefrocalcinosis. La diferencia entre ambos grupos es estadísticamente significativa (p < 0,01). La presencia de hipercalciuria se relaciona con el diagnóstico de nefrocalcinosis, presentando valor predictivo positivo de 38% y valor predictivo negativo de 100%. La incidencia de nefrocalcinosis es comparable con series clínicas publicadas. Parece adecuado el estudio de pacientes con factores de riesgo por medio de calciuria/creatininuria realizando seguimiento ecográfico de pacientes con hipercalciuria.

To determine the incidence of nephrocalcinosis a cohort of 124 preterm infants (32 weeks of gestation or less) was divided into 2 groups based on the presence of 1 or more of the following risk factors; prolonged use of furosemide, prolonged parenteral nutrition and oxygen requirement for at least 7 days. Urinary samples were taken to measure calcium and creatinine at 15, 21 and 30 days. Calcium/creatinine urinary ratio was analysed and hypercalciuria was defined as a calcium/ creatinine urinary ratio of > 0.5. Renal ultrasounds were performed in both groups at 8 to 12 weeks. The control group included 71 patients, the study group of 53 all had risk factors. Nephrocalcinosis was found in 15.3% of the 124 patients. In the study group 35.8% had nephrocalcinosis and the calcium/creatinine ratio was higher (p < 0.01) in comparison to the control group (study group: 0.87, 0.96, 1.04 vs control group 0.37, 0.30, 0.29). In the control group no cases of nephrocalcinosis were found. Positive predictive value was 38% considering the presence of hypercalciuria for the diagnosis of nephrocalcinosis. The negative predictive value was 100%. We found an incidence of nephrocalcinosis similar to other international reports. It seems to be useful in patients with risk factors to study the calcium/ creatinine urinary ratio. Ecographic follow up is needed in those patients who present with hypercalciuria.

In this work, a murine experimental model of toxocariasis has been developed in BALB/c, C57BL/10 and C3H murine strains orally inoculated with 4,000 Toxocara canis embryonated eggs, in order to investigate the isotype-specific immune responses against excretory-secretory antigens from larvae. T. canis specific IgG+M, IgM, IgG, IgA, IgG1, IgG2a and IgG3 were tested by ELISA. The dynamics of the specific immunoglobulins (IgG+IgM) production showed a contrasting profile regarding the murine strain. Conversely to the results obtained with the IgM isotype, the IgG antibody class showed similar patterns to those obtained with IgG+IgM antibodies, only in the case of the BALB/c strain, being different and much higher than the obtained with IgG+IgM antibodies, when the C3H murine strain was used. The antibodies IgG+IgM tested in BALB/c and C57BL/10 were both of the IgM and IgG isotypes. Conversely, in the C3H strain only IgG specific antibody levels were detected. The IgG1 subclass responses showed a similar profile in the three murine strains studied, with high values in BALB/c, as in the case of the IgG responses.

To determine the incidence of nephrocalcinosis a cohort of 124 preterm infants (32 weeks of gestation or less) was divided into 2 groups based on the presence of 1 or more of the following risk factors; prolonged use of furosemide, prolonged parenteral nutrition and oxygen requirement for at least 7 days. Urinary samples were taken to measure calcium and creatinine at 15, 21 and 30 days. Calcium/creatinine urinary ratio was analysed and hypercalciuria was defined as a calcium/creatinine urinary ratio of > 0.5. Renal ultrasounds were performed in both groups at 8 to 12 weeks. The control group included 71 patients, the study group of 53 all had risk factors. Nephrocalcinosis was found in 15.3% of the 124 patients. In the study group 35.8% had nephrocalcinosis and the calcium/creatinine ratio was higher (p < 0.01) in comparison to the control group (study group: 0.87, 0.96, 1.04 vs control group 0.37, 0.30, 0.29). In the control group no cases of nephrocalcinosis were found. Positive predictive value was 38% considering the presence of hypercalciuria for the diagnosis of nephrocalcinosis. The negative predictive value was 100%. We found an incidence of nephrocalcinosis similar to other international reports. It seems to be useful in patients with risk factors to study the calcium/ creatinine urinary ratio. Ecographic follow up is needed in those patients who present with hypercalciuria

El objetivo de este estudio es conocer la incidencia de nefrocalcinosis en recién nacidos de pretérmino y determinar la utilidad de la relación calciuria/creatininuria como predictor diagnóstico. Un total de 124 recién nacidos con edad gestacional igual o menor a 32 semanas fueron agrupados en dos categorías. Un grupo de estudio de 53 pacientes con factores de riesgo conocidos para el desarrollo de nefrocalcinosis (oxigenoterapia, uso de furosemida y nutrición parenteral prolongadas) y un grupo control de 71 pacientes sin factores de riesgo. Ambos fueron estudiados por índice calciuria/creatininuria (muestras aisladas de orina los días 15, 21 y 30 de vida). Se definió hipercalciuria como un valor igual o mayor a 0,5 de índice calciuria/creatininuria presente al menos en dos muestras aisladas de orina. Se realizó estudio ecográfico entre los dos y tres meses de vida. El 15,3% de los pacientes presentó nefrocalcinosis. El grupo con factores de riesgo presenta 35,8% de nefrocalcinosis y los valores de calciuria/creatininuria fueron 0,87, 0,96 y 1,04. En el grupo control los valores de calciuria/creatininuria fueron 0,37, 0,30 y 0,29 no presentando casos de nefrocalcinosis. La diferencia entre ambos grupos es estadísticamente significativa (p < 0,01). La presencia de hipercalciuria se relaciona con el diagnóstico de nefrocalcinosis, presentando valor predictivo positivo de 38% y valor predictivo negativo de 100%. La incidencia de nefrocalcinosis es comparable con series clínicas publicadas. Parece adecuado el estudio de pacientes con factores de riesgo por medio de calciuria/creatininuria realizando seguimiento ecográfico de pacientes con hipercalciuria