Urology before illustration. From the Urology of the Royal College of Cadiz to that of the "veneranda" gathering

The study of the urological activity in the Andalusian occident is contained in the printed and handwritten "Observations" of the records of the Royal Society of Medicine of Seville and the Royal College of Surgery of Cadiz. They encompass the period from 1693 to the first third of the 18th century. By the first of October 1701, the "Veneranda" gathering consolidates and Philip V gives the "royal warrant". The "Royal Society of Medicine and Other Sciences of Seville" starts its medical-surgical path. It should be reminded that all the Andalusian surgery and specially the one from Cadiz (through the Royal College of Surgeons) was present in the Royal Society. Ordo?ez de la Barrera, Sánchez Bernal, Fray Ambrosio de Guibeville, Juan Lacombe, Pedro Virgili and many others were founders of this extraordinary event. Surgical training and, by extension, urological training had their root and basement in the anatomical amphitheaters (Seville 1731 and Cadiz 1728), which were considered ungodly by the Church. José Celestino Mutis (1750-53) and Pedro Fernandez Castilla (1741) excluded the university from this new movement. There was and intense relationship between Navy surgeons and the Royal Society, being members since its foundation: Guibeville (1719); Sánchez Bernal (1719); Gregorio Arias (1729); Gaspar de Pellicer (1729); Lacombe (1730); Fernández Castilla (1741); Calero (1789). The main protagonist was Luis Montero, real paradigm with projection to the next century, having a neat French influence altogether with Ramos, both of them being Beaumond's alumni (an anatomist of recognized prestige).     

Beliefs and social norms about codeine and promethazine hydrochloride cough syrup (CPHCS) use and addiction among multi-ethnic college students

In this study a qualitative approach is used to investigate relevant beliefs and norms concerning the consumption, initiation, and perceived addiction of codeine and promethazine hydrochloride cough syrup (CPHCS) among 61 college-age students who identified themselves as current CPHCS users. In general, a majority of students stated that doctors and pharmacists were the greatest facilitators of CPHCS acquisition. A majority of students believed that their friends felt codeine promethazine use was "normal" and "cool" among college students their age, and that reinforcing factors, such as peer pressure and curiosity, contributed to initial CPHCS use.     

The use of tissue-engineered skin (Apligraf) to treat a newborn with epidermolysis bullosa.

BACKGROUND: Inherited epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a mechanobullous disorder. The Dowling-Meara variant, a subtype of EB, is characterized by widespread blister formation that may include the oral cavity and nails. Many patients with the Dowling-Meara phenotype are at increased risk of sepsis and death during infancy. The treatment of EB is generally supportive. The tissue-engineered skin used (Apligraf) is a bilayered human skin equivalent developed from foreskin. It is the only Food and Drug Administration-approved skin equivalent of its kind. It is approved for the treatment of venous ulcers of the lower extremities. It has also been used to treat acute wounds, such as graft donor sites and cancer excision sites. OBSERVATION: To our knowledge, we describe the first case in which a newborn with EB, Dowling-Meara variant, was treated with bilayered tissue-engineered skin. The areas treated with the tissue-engineered skin healed faster than the areas treated with conventional therapy. Most of the areas treated with tissue-engineered skin have remained healed, without developing new blisters. These areas appear to be more resistant to trauma. CONCLUSIONS: Our early success with tissue-engineered skin in this patient may have a significant impact on the future treatment of neonates with EB simplex. Future studies are needed to determine if the beneficial effects of tissue-engineered skin are reproducible in other neonates with EB simplex and in patients of all ages with different subtypes of EB.