Co-designing a Canadian adaptation of a lifestyle-oriented intervention aimed to improve daily functioning of individuals living with chronic pain: a multi-method study protocol of REVEAL(OT) Canada.

Background: Living with chronic pain (CP) often implies major lifestyle changes, including modifications of daily routines and work. Surprisingly, few validated and effective interventions specifically target functional outcomes in this population. Redesign your Everyday Activities and Lifestyle with Occupational Therapy [REVEAL(OT)] is a lifestyle-oriented intervention led by occupational therapists that directly targets the daily functional challenges of living with CP. The intervention was initially developed and studied as an add-on to standard treatment delivered by Danish multidisciplinary specialized pain clinics. Adapting, implementing, and evaluating REVEAL(OT) within the Canadian healthcare system will contribute to broadening the scope of treatments offered in specialized pain clinics that do not yet include occupational therapy. Objective: The proposed study aims to define and refine REVEAL(OT)/CA with partners (authors of original intervention, people with lived experience, clinicians, managers). Methods: This participatory action research will use a multi-method design and follow the ORBIT model for developing behavioral treatments for chronic diseases. A process of co-construction with partners and an advisory committee will take place in two Montreal specialized pain clinics. It consists of two related work packages (WPs). In WP1, a first series of focus groups with partners (n = 86) and workshops with the advisory committee will be conducted to co-develop the hypothetical pathway describing intervention components and their potential mechanisms of action on targeted outcomes, as well as the first version of the adapted intervention manual. WP2 will co-refine REVEAL(OT)/CA by exploring its acceptability, feasibility and mechanisms of action through intervention deliveries (at least twice in each of two specialized pain clinics; n ≥ 60 patients) and focus groups and/or individual interviews with participating patients and partners. At the end of this study, the intervention manual will be generated both in French and English. Discussion: This study will set the stage for subsequent implementation and effectiveness assessment projects and be an important step towards the deployment of interventions aiming to improve engagement in meaningful daily activities among adults living with CP. Registration: OSF Registries, osf.io/8gksa. Registered 3 August 2023, https://osf.io/8gksa.

Rheological properties of ethyl cellulose-monoglyceride-candelilla wax oleogel vis-a-vis edible shortenings.

The gelation process, elasticity, and mechanical recovery after shear were studied in mixed oleogels of ethylcellulose (EC), monoglycerides (MG), and candelilla wax (CW). EC oleogels produced without MG showed grainy texture due to incomplete dissolution of crystalline fractions of raw EC in the vegetable oil (150 °C). These fractions were eliminated by dissolving the raw EC/MG mixture in ethanol, evaporating the solvent, dispersing, and dissolving the solid residue in the vegetable oil (150 °C) prior gelation. The EC polymeric network, and MG, and CW crystals had a positive interaction on the elasticity of mixed oleogels. Mixed oleogels produced under static conditions showed a 100 % of elasticity recovery after shearing, a phenomenon associated with an EC interchain hydrogen bonding mediated by hydroxyl groups of MGs. This tentatively resulted from the formation of junction zones of the type EC-[MG]n-EC. The rheological behavior of these olegels was remarkably close to that of commercial shortenings.

Structuration, elastic properties scaling, and mechanical reversibility of candelilla wax oleogels with and without emulsifiers.

The crystal network development, elastic properties scaling behavior, and mechanical reversibility of candelilla wax (CW) oleogels with and without emulsifiers were studied. Saturated monoglycerides (MG) and polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR) were added at 1 or 2 times the critical micelle concentration. Although the micelles of both emulsifiers act as nucleation sites for the mixture of aliphatic acids and alcohols of CW, they did not affect the oleogel's thermodynamic stability. It was established that the crystal network of CW consists of at least two types of crystals, one rich in n-hentriacontane and other rich in aliphatic acids. Both crystals species contributed significantly to the oleogel elasticity. The elastic properties scaling behavior of CW oleogels fitted the fractal model within the weak-link regime. The setting temperature and added emulsifier modified the crystal network fractal dimension. During shearing, oleogels had massive breaking of junction zones, causing the loss of fractality in the crystal network, which in turn decreased the system's elasticity.

Water-in-oil organogel based emulsions as a tool for increasing bioaccessibility and cell permeability of poorly water-soluble nutraceuticals.

The use of organogels in food and pharmaceutical sciences has several technical problems related with restricted diffusion of the drugs and lack of a proper gelator molecule. These features are important into the new product design. An alternative to improve technological properties in organogels is the use of emulsions. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the behavior on bioaccessibility and permeability of bioactives loaded into organogel-based emulsions. The objective of the present experimental work was to study the physical properties of organogel-based emulsions made with vegetable oil loaded with three different bioactives (betulin, curcumin and quercetin) and the influence on their bioaccessibility. Organogels were made of canola or coconut oils and myverol as gelator (10% w/w). Water-in-oil emulsions (at 5, 10 and 12.5 wt% of water content) were prepared by mixing the melted proper organogel and water (80 °C) under high shear conditions (20,000 rpm). Micrographs, rheological tests (amplitude, frequency, temperature sweeps and creep-compliance measurements), DSC and particle size analysis were performed to samples. In vitro digestion (oral, gastric and intestinal phase), lipolysis assays, bioaccessibility and permeability tests by cell culture of Caco-2 were made. Organogels of coconut oil have shown poor emulsification properties.

Phase behavior, structure and rheology of candelilla wax/fully hydrogenated soybean oil mixtures with and without vegetable oil.

Vegetable oil organogelation is one of the most promising strategies to eliminate trans fatty acids in plastic fats. Organogels prepared with edible wax are stable at refrigerator and room temperature. Some functional properties (i.e., texture) of wax organogels can be improved by adding saturated triacylglycerols. Mixtures of fully hydrogenated soybean oil (FH) and candelilla wax (CW) were studied with and without the addition of high oleic safflower oil (HOSFO). Crystallization and melting behavior, X-ray diffraction, and crystalline microstructure of the mixtures were analyzed. The elastic modulus (G'), and the structural recovery after shear of the organogels were also assessed. Mixtures without HOSFO formed solid dispersions of CW and FH crystals, where up to ~10% CW crystals were incorporated into the FH crystal lattice. The vegetable oil solutions of FH/CW mixtures crystallized from the melt, developed mixed crystal networks composed of FH crystals in the ß polymorph and CW in an orthorhombic subcell packing. As the systems crystallized in the most stable polymorph, only minor microstructural changes were shown along 28days of storage at 25°C. CW and FH crystals showed a synergistic effect on the elasticity of organogels. This was attributed to the large number FH crystals nucleated on the surface of CW crystals. The structural recovery after shear was superior for mixed organogels composed of CW platelets and grainy FH crystals compared to that of CW organogels. A recovery of up to 65.7% the G' of gels formed under static conditions was observed upon shearing.

[Short cold ischaemia time optimises transplant results for kidneys from expanded criteria donors]. / El tiempo de isquemia fría corto optimiza los resultados de los trasplantes renales efectuados con donantes con criterios expandidos.

INTRODUCTION: Outcome of renal transplant from expanded criteria donors (ECD) is usually inferior than those from standard criteria donors (SCD) and may be improved decreasing cold ischemia time (CIT) and minimizing preservation injury. We compare the results obtained with CIT <15 hours in kidney transplants from ECD vs SCD. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Prospective, single center study of kidney transplants performed since June 2003 to December 2007. Minimum follow-up period was 12 months. Data of donors, receptors and transplant outcome from ECD and SCD are compared. RESULTS: CIT (mean +/- SD) was 9.3+/-2.5 hours in transplants from ECD (n=24) and 8.3+/-3.3 hours in those from SCD (N=50), p=0.18. We did not find significant differences among recipients of grafts from ECD and those from SCD regarding: primary non-function (4.2% vs 2%, respectively), delayed graft function (16.7% vs 10%), surgical complications (25% vs 16%) or acute rejection episodes (8.3% vs 2%). Glomerular filtration rate at one year follow-up was 65.8+/-14.9 ml/min in ECD recipients and 49.4+/-12.5 ml/min (p<0.0001). One year graft survival was 95.8% in ECD recipients and 94% in SCD recipients (p=0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Short CIT in kidney transplant from ECD leads to similar outcome than that obtained from SCD, although renal function is inferior in ECD grafts.

Conversion to tacrolimus extended-release formulation: short-term clinical results.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the short-term clinical results of conversion of treatment from tacrolimus twice daily (BID TAC) to the extended-release formulation (OD TAC), milligram for milligram, and whether such conversion is safe in stable kidney transplant recipients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 38 kidney transplant recipients (median [SD] age, 54.3 [14.4] years) with stable renal function (mean [SD] serum creatinine concentration 1.29 [0.38] mg/dL). Posttransplantation follow-up was 3.4 (3.1) years (range, 4-168 months). All patients had been receiving BID TAC (2.45 [1.52] mg/d) when treatment was converted to OD TAC, milligram for milligram. Follow-up including clinical evaluation and laboratory tests was at 7, 21, and 90 days postconversion. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed during follow-up in serum creatinine concentration, blood glucose level, hemoglobin level, or proteinuria. There were no episodes of acute rejection. No de novo posttransplantation diabetes mellitus was diagnosed; patients with diabetes required similar dosage of hypoglycemia treatment. Arterial pressure remained stable without changes in antihypertension treatment. Tacrolimus doses were not modified (2.45 [1.52] mg/d at baseline vs 2.45 [1.67] mg/d at 3 months postconversion; however, tacrolimus concentration decreased significantly (7.6 [1.8] ng/mL at baseline vs 6.42 [1.13] ng/mL at 3 months postconversion. Reduction in tacrolimus concentration was more remarkable in patients receiving a dose of less than 0.025 mg/kg/d. CONCLUSIONS: Conversion from BID TAC to OD TAC, milligram for milligram, is clinically safe; however, monitoring of tacrolimus concentration in patients receiving low dosage is mandatory to prevent subtherapeutic levels.

Secondary amyloidosis associated with histiocytosis X.

We report a 34-year-old man diagnosed with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) or histiocytosis X in 1980. He had multiple focal osseous lesions, difficult control of the disease activity and was treated many times with chemo- and radiotherapy for symptomatic control. His kidney disease started 20 years after the diagnosis with progressive renal failure and increasing non-nephrotic proteinuria, coinciding with two flares of LCH. A percutaneous renal biopsy demonstrated amyloidosis. There is only one case described in the amyloidosis literature associated with LCH.

[Giant adrenal myelolipoma: hypertension, renal failure and spontaneous rupture]. / Mielolipoma suprarrenal gigante: hipertensión, insuficiencia renal y rotura espontánea.

Adrenal myelolipoma is a rare, benign, slow-growing tumor composed of adipose tissue and hematopoietic elements. It is usually diagnosed incidentally, although there are reports of patients with symptoms and descriptions of retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to rupture of large tumors. The condition has been associated with obesity, high blood pressure and adrenal dysfunction. We present a patient with retroperitoneal hemorrhage due to spontaneous rupture of a myelolipoma, hypertension, and renal failure secondary to nephroangiosclerosis.

[Meningoencephalitis by Listeria in the lupus disease]. / Meningoencefalitis por Listeria en el lupus.

We present a patient with lupus nephropathy of 20 years of evolution in treatment with oral steroids who developed a meningoencephalitis associated to bacteraemia by Listeria monocytogenes. The patient was treated successfully with gentamicin and ampicillin for 6 weeks. Infection by Listeria monocytogenes occurs more frequently in individuals with some form of immunodeficiency like lupus disease, with a mortality around 30%.

[Embolization of non-functioning renal allograft: efficacy and control of systemic inflammation]. / Embolización del injerto renal no funcionante: eficacia y control del estado inflamatorio crónico.

BACKGROUND: The graft intolerance syndrome (fever, pain, haematuria) may lead to a chronic inflammatory disease, with cardiovascular repercussion. Nephrectomy is considered the classical treatment of these cases but nowadays renal vascular embolization has been suggested as a possible alternative treatment. The present study concerns seven cases trated with renal vascular embolization in our hospital summarizing data of graft intolerance syndrome and the chronic inflammatory disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between january 2000 and december 2003 seven renal vascular embolization were performed in nonfunctioning renal allograft. The procedure was made with calibrated particles of 300-500micron. Data about complications related to the technique the same as analitic inflammatory parameters before and after treatment (CRP, ferritin, serum albumin, hemoglobin, erythropoietin) were registered. RESULTS: The patients were two men and five women, with median age of 39,7 +/- 8,8 years. The period beween the dialysis and the embolization was of 10,0 +/-8,2 months. Comparing the perion of admission in the hospital due to nephrectomy which was of 17,86+/-4,41 days, the period because of embolization was shorter, being 8,14 +/- 4,53 days. All analitic parameters studied, clearly improved after embolization with decrease of ferritin and CRP, increase of albumin and better hemoglobin level with lower erythropoietin dose. In five of the seven patients there was no renal captation with CT or gammagraphy. Four patients presented a postembolization syndrome, but no other important complication was registered. Neither reembolization nor renal nephrectomy was neccesary in any of the seven cases. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous renal embolization is a simple, easy, safety and effective technique that must be considered as an alternative treatment to nephrectomy, resolving the chronic inflammatory disease secondary to the graft intolerance syndrome.

[Nephropathia caused by hantavirus puumala: a case report]. / Nefropatía por hantavirus puumala: a propósito de un caso.

We present a patient from Germany with Hantavirus infection, admitted in the Emergency room of our hospital, with fever, thrombocytopenia, acute renal failure, oliguria, mild proteinuria and hematuria. Percutaneous renal biopsy revealed an acute interstitial nephritis without medulla haemorrhages. The virus infection confirmation was made by detection of IgM against Hantavirus Puumala. This infection should be considered in patients with thrombocytopenia, fever and acute renal failure, over all if they are from North and Central Europe.

[Porphyria and inappropriate antidiuretic hormone syndrome]. / Síndrome de secreción inadecuada de hormona antidiurética y porfiria.

We report the case of a 37-years-old woman with inappropriate antidiuretic hormone syndrome due to an attack of acute porphyria. The patient was admitted to our hospital for abdominal pain, sleepiness and pink urine. Family and personal history were normal. Seven days before the admission the patient had a laparoscopy operation for endometriosis in her left ovary. The patient had had two normal pregnancies. The physical examination was normal, the skin turgor was good and no edema was present, the blood pressure was 140/90 mmHg. Her serum sodium was 114 mEq/L, serum osmolality 243 mOsm/kg, urine sodium 146 mEq/L and urine osmolality 457 mOsm/kg. Values from laboratory examination revealed a normal peripheral haematogram, a normal kidney function, normal liver, adrenal and thyroid function. The urine tested for amino-levulinic acid, coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin was strongly positive. These findings are compatible with Porphyria Variegata or Coproporphyria Hereditary. A diagnosis of Porphyria acute with SIADH was made, and water fluid restriction, i.v. hypertonic saline infusion and furosemide to correct the hyponatremia was begun. In 1966, lesions of the median eminence of the hypothalamus and both hypothalamic -hypophyseal tracts were described in a patient with Porphyria acute intermittent and SIADH. It was suggested that SIADH occurred because of damage to these areas of the brain from excessive exposure to porphyrins.

[Primary amyloidosis associated to severe factor X deficiency]. / Amiloidosis primaria (AL) asociada a déficit severo de factor X.

Amyloidosis is a systemic disease characterized by generalized deposition of beta-organized proteic fibrillar material with green birefringence under polarized light, in different tissues and organs, the most frequent kidney, liver and heart, with important clinical repercussion. Primary or AL amyloidosis is the most common subtype of amyloidosis (1), confirmed by biopsy-proved amyloid deposition in abdominal fat pad, rectum, kidney or liver, if necessary, in which fragments of monoclonal light chains are deposited. Cases with factor X (Stuart factor) of coagulation deficiency associated are described, due to adsorption of this factor to amyloid fibrills. Normally, evolution is fatal, with only few months of survival. We report a case of primary amyloidosis with nephrotic syndrome, severe factor X deficiency (without bleeding complications), possible heart affection and short-term good response to chemotherapic treatment.

Leaching of 2,4-D from a soil in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin: laboratory columns experiments.

This study reports on the effect of the presence of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) on the adsorption and mobility of the pesticide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) through soil columns. The previous application of beta-CD to the soil produced a retarded leaching of 2,4-D through the soil column, due probably to herbicide adsorption on the soil through beta-CD adsorbed. However, the application of beta-CD solution to the soil column where 2,4-D had been previously adsorbed, led to the complete desorption of the herbicide, due to the formation of water-soluble 1:1 inclusion complexes between 2,4-D and beta-CD. Beta-CD can be viewed as a microscopic organic-phase extractant. It can be an advantage to remove from soil pesticides which are able to form inclusion complexes with cyclodextrins, making them possible candidates for use in in situ remediation efforts.