The measurement of the voltage between electrodes and the discharge current time derivative in Plasma Focus devices can be used to obtain important information on the neutron-producing pinch stage of the mentioned devices. The analysis of a 60-shots experimental run in a 5.7 kJ Mather-type device results in correlations suggesting that the neutron yield depends mostly on the average energy per particle delivered to the plasma during the pinch stage.

Pulmonary Alveolar Proteinosis. Case-report Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis is a rare pathology in children, characterized by the presence of lipoprotein material becoming from surfactants in alveolar macrophages. Objetive: Describe a clinical case of pulmonary proteinosis, in which fibrobronchoscopy (FB) allowed diagnosis and treatment. Case-report: A 7 years-old boy with fever and diagnostic presumption of pneumonia. The evolution was not favorable, in terms of increase in nodular images on chest X-ray and increase in LDH plasmatic level, with few respiratory symptoms. The diagnosis of pulmonary alveolar proteinosis was suspected, performing a FB with bronchoalveolar lavage, where Sudán and PAS colouring confirmed the diagnosis. Discussion: Analysis of clinical presentations, laboratory findings and chest images that suggest the diagnosis. It is important to point out the role of FB in diagnosis and treatment

La Proteinosis Alveolar Pulmonar es una patología poco frecuente, especialmente en la edad pediátrica, caracterizada por acumulación de material lipoproteináceo proveniente del surfactante en los macrófagos alveolares. Objetivo: Comunicar un caso de proteinosis pulmonar en el cual el uso de la fibrobroncoscopía (FB) permitió el diagnóstico y el tratamiento. Caso Clínico: Escolar de 7 años, que consulta por un cuadro febril, en la cual se plantea inicialmente el diagnóstico de neumonía. Ante la mala evolución, con aumento de las imágenes radiológicas de tipo nodular, el ascenso de los niveles de LDH en plasma, y la mínima sintomatología clínica respiratoria, se planteó el diagnóstico de proteinosis alveolar, realizando una FB con lavado alveolar. Las tinciones de Sudán y PAS confirmaron la sospecha diagnóstica, lo cual fue apoyado por la mejoría radiológica y clínica de la paciente. Discusión: Se discute las formas clínicas de presentación, los hallazgos clínicos, radiológicos y de laboratorio que permiten plantear el diagnóstico. Se destaca el rol de la fibrobroncoscopía como método diagnóstico y terapéutico

The social and economic activity in the 2nd Region of Chile is copper mining, generating subproducts which are eliminated in the environment. It has been reported that in industrialized centers, there is a transference of heavy metals from the mother to the fetus by placental transfer. It's proposed to know the bioaccumulation of copper in organs and fluids of pregnant rats and its effects on the primary ossification centers (POC). Three month female albine rats (Sprague Dowley), are cycled and mated in estrous. On the 8th gestation day, they are injected intraperitoneally with 1 ml of CuSO4 in concentrations 1024, 512, 256, 128, 64 ppm and physiological serum. After 18 days, the female are sacrificed and the fetus evaluated and processing with alizarin red stainig skeleton and histologic technique, 5 mm tissue sections are stained with alcian blue and/or toluidine blue. Maternal blood is obtained, as well as, fetal liver, and fetus, placenta, amniochorion membrane, and amniotic fluid for determining copper levels by means spectrophotometry of atomic absorption. In addition, fetus are checked for external visible malformation. The statistical study was carried out through variance analysis ANOVA, multiple comparison test (LSD), bilateral Fisher test, Kruskal Wallis test. The results show a high and statistically significant levels of copper in fetal liver of the intoxicated groups and control (p<0.01). There are no differences of the chemical in maternal blood, amniotic fluid, amniochorion membrane and placenta between intoxicated and control groups. A significant difference in POC formation in cervical and dorsal vertebras was found with the treatment of 256 ppm compared to the control group (p<0.05). It wasn't observed external abnormalities. It is inferred that copper ion is it's placental transferred to the fetus via placenta bioaccumulating in the liver inducing alterations in the POC formation , specially in cervical and dorsal vertebra level, which microscopically shows absence of characteristic hyaline cartilage tissue

There is a general concern for a man being exposed to his environment affected by increasing pollution, all of which are directly related to man's health and life quality. All organisms require copper for normal growth and metabolism, however deficiencies or excess, can affect a number functions. The purpose of this study is to find the effect of administration of cooper sulfate, in different doses and incubation about the embryonic development of chick. Fertilized hen eggs (Gallus gallus) were injected in the air chamber with solution of copper sulfate, in concentration of 29 and 58 mgr Cu/egg, in the second (D2) and fourth days of incubation (D4). They were incubated at 38C with humidity air. The control group of eggs were treated with 0.1 ml of saline. After 14 days of development an evaluation was made of the following parameter: weigh, size, lenght of tarsus and wings, also. The obtained materials was photografed and submitted to macroscopic observation for the observation of the external malformations. The result showed no differences compared with control group, in weigh, size and lenght of the wings embryos, injected in the D2 and D4 with both concentrations. Only the concentration of 58 mgr /egg in D4 of copper produced a significant disminution of length of tarsus right and left compared with the control.The most frequents abnormalities were: everted viscera, absence of feathers and general hemorrhage. Less frequents malformations were: twisted neck, micromelia and edema. The effect of copper describe by others researchers in experimental models is confirmed, and we postulate that exist others factors or variables which would associated with teratogenic effect of copper

Existe una preocupación generalizada por la exposición del Hombre a un número cada vez mayor de contaminantes ambientales que afectan directamente su salud y calidad de vida. Todos los organismos requieren cobre para un normal crecimiento y metabolismo, sin embargo una deficiencia de este químico o exceso del mismo, pueden afectar variadas funciones. Se propone estudiar el efecto del ión cobre en diferentes dosis, sobre el desarrollo embrionario de pollos de distintos días de incubación. Huevos embrionados de gallinas (Gallus gallus) se instilaron en la cámara de aire con 0.1 ml de sulfato de cobre, en concentraciones de 29 y 58 µg/huevo en los días 2 (D2) y cuatro (D4) de incubación, tratamiento realizado a 38 C y con aire humedecido. Los controles se trataron con suero fisiológico. Después de 14 días fueron analizados los siguientes parámetros: peso y longitudes ápicocaudal, de tarsos y miembros anteriores. El material fue fotografiado y evaluado macroscópicamente para la visualización de anormalidades externas. Los pesos y longitudes ápico-caudal y de alas de los embriones tratados en D2 y D4, utilizando ambas concentraciones de cobre, no presentaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas con los grupos controles. La longitud de tarsos derechos e izquierdos, fue menor que los controles sólo en aquellos embriones tratados con 58 µg cobre/huevo en el D4, resultados estadísticamente significativo. Las anormalidades frecuentemente observadas fueron evisceración, ausencia de plumas y pollos hemorrágicos. Con menor frecuencia se observaron pollos con rotación anormal del cuello, edema y micromelia. Los resultados confirman el efecto tóxico del cobre registrado en éste y otros modelos experimentales, discutiéndose, además, otros factores que podrían estar asociados al efecto teratogénico del químico en estudio