Identifying potential drug targets in the kinomes of two monogenean species.

Protein kinases are enzymes involved in essential biological processes such as signal transduction, transcription, metabolism, and the cell cycle. Human kinases are targets for several drugs approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Therefore, the identification and classification of kinases in other organisms, including pathogenic parasites, is an interesting subject of study. Monogeneans are platyhelminths, mainly ectoparasites, capable of causing health problems in farmed fish. Although some genomes and transcriptomes are available for monogenean species, their full repertoire of kinases is unknown. The aim of this study was to identify and classify the putative kinases in the transcriptomes of two monogeneans, Rhabdosynochus viridisi and Scutogyrus longicornis, and then to predict potential monogenean drug targets (MDTs) and selective inhibitor drugs using computational approaches. Monogenean kinases having orthologs in the lethal phenotype of C. elegans but not in fish or humans were considered MDTs. A total of 160 and 193 kinases were identified in R. viridisi and S. longicornis, respectively. Of these, 22 kinases, belonging mainly to the major groups CAMK, AGC, and TK, were classified as MDTs, five of which were evaluated further. Molecular docking analysis indicated that dihydroergotamine, ergotamine, and lomitapide have the highest affinity for the kinases BRSK and MEKK1. These well-known drugs could be evaluated in future studies for potential repurposing as anti-monogenean agents. The present study contributes valuable data for the development of new antiparasitic candidates for finfish aquaculture.

Cyanoacrylate versus suture as flap closure methods in mandibular third molar surgery: a split-mouth randomized controlled clinical study.

BACKGROUND: Sutures have been the standard flap closure method of choice following mandibular third molar surgery but can lead to some complications. Tissue adhesives, including cyanoacrylate, have emerged as alternative flap closure method in this surgery to overcome such drawbacks. However, limited clinical trials can be found. Therefore, the aim of this clinical study was to compare two methods of flap closure in mandibular third molar surgery, cyanoacrylate and 4/0 silk sutures, by assessing post-operative outcome measures (pain, swelling, trismus, and healing) and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A randomized split-mouth clinical trial was designed, in which mandibular third molar (M3M) extractions were performed, where the control side flap was closed with 4/0 silk sutures and the test side flap with cyanoacrylate. Swelling, pain, trismus, healing, and PROMs were recorded post-operatively. These variables were analyzed by means of the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test, using SPSS statistical software version 28.0.0 (IBM® SPSS®, Chicago, IL, USA). For all results, a 95% confidence interval was recorded (significance level p < 0.05, two-tailed). RESULTS: A total of 17 patients were recruited and 34 mandibular third molar extractions were performed. No statistically significant differences were found in terms of swelling, pain, trismus, healing, and PROMs between both groups (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: No statistically significant differences were found between flap closure with 4/0 silk sutures and cyanoacrylate, in terms of surgical post-operative outcomes and PROMs. However, further studies with larger sample sizes are required to be able to affirm it with greater certainty.

Observation of magnet-induced star-like radiation of a plasma created from cancer cells in a laser trap.

We present a new phenomenon resulting from the interaction of magnetic beads with cancer cells in a laser trap formed on a slide containing a depression 16.5 mm in diameter and 0.78 mm of maximum depth. This phenomenon includes the apparent formation and expansion of a dark bubble that attracts and incinerates surrounding matter when it explodes, which leads to a plasma emitting intense radiation that has the appearance of a star on a microscopic scale. We have observed the star-like phenomenon for more than 4 years, and the intensity depends on the laser's power. Measuring the laser power of the dark bubble shows the entrapment of electromagnetic energy as it expands.

Association between type 2 diabetes and depressive symptoms after a 1-year follow-up in an older adult Mediterranean population.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the cross-sectional association between baseline depressive symptoms and the presence of type 2 diabetes (T2D), and its association with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and other metabolic variables, and the prospective association of depressive symptoms and HbA1c after 1 year of follow-up. METHODS: n = 6224 Mediterranean older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome (48% females, mean age 64.9 ± 4.9 years) were evaluated in the framework of the PREDIMED-Plus study cohort. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory-II and HbA1c was used to measure metabolic control. RESULTS: The presence of T2D increased the likelihood of higher levels of depressive symptoms (χ2 = 15.84, p = 0.001). Polynomial contrast revealed a positive linear relationship (χ2 = 13.49, p = 0.001), the higher the depressive symptoms levels, the higher the prevalence of T2D. Longitudinal analyses showed that the higher baseline depressive symptoms levels, the higher the likelihood of being within the HbA1c ≥ 7% at 1-year level (Wald-χ2 = 24.06, df = 3, p < .001, for the full adjusted model). Additionally, depressive levels at baseline and duration of T2D predicted higher HbA1c and body mass index, and lower physical activity and adherence to Mediterranean Diet at 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports an association between T2D and the severity of depressive symptoms, suggesting a worse metabolic control from mild severity levels in the short-medium term, influenced by lifestyle habits related to diabetes care. Screening for depressive symptoms and a multidisciplinary integrative therapeutic approach should be ensured in patients with T2D.

Prevalence of urinary tract cancer in the Spanish cohort of the IDENTIFY study.

INTRODUCTION: Malignant tumors of the urinary tract are associated with high morbidity and mortality, and their prevalence can vary worldwide. Recently, the IDENTIFY study has published results on the prevalence of urinary tract cancer at a global level. This study evaluates the prevalence of cancer within the Spanish cohort of the IDENTIFY study to determine whether the published results can be extrapolated to our population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: An analysis of the data from the Spanish cohort of patients in the IDENTIFY study was performed. This is a prospective cohort of patients referred to secondary care with suspected cancer, predominantly due to hematuria. Patients were recruited between December 2017 and December 2018. RESULTS: A total of 706 patients from 9 Spanish centers were analyzed. Of these, 277 (39.2%) were diagnosed with cancer: 259 (36.7%) bladder cancer, 10 (1.4%) upper tract urothelial carcinoma, 9 (1.2%) renal cancer and 5 (0.7%) prostate cancer. Increasing age (OR 1.05 (95% CI 1.03-1.06; P < 0.001)), visible hematuria (VH) OR 2.19 (95% CI 1.13-4.24; P = 0.02)) and smoking (ex-smokers: OR 2.11(95% CI 1.30-3.40; P = 0.002); smokers: OR 2.36 (95% CI 1.40-3.95; P = 0.001)) were associated with higher probability of bladder cancer. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the risk of bladder cancer in patients with VH and smoking habits. Bladder cancer presented the highest prevalence; higher than the prevalence reported in previous series and presented in the IDENTIFY study. Future work should evaluate other associated factors that allow us to create cancer prediction models to improve the detection of cancer in our patients.

Ophthalmic wild olive (ACEBUCHE) oil nanoemulsions exert oculoprotective effects against oxidative stress induced by arterial hypertension.

Oxidative stress plays a key role in several systemic and ocular diseases, including hypertensive eye diseases. In this context, we previously showed that oral administration of wild olive (acebuche, ACE) oil from Olea europaea var. sylvestris can counteract ocular damage secondary to arterial hypertension by modulating excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the enzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. Therefore, this work describes the development of an ACE oil-based formulation for ocular administration as a local therapy to counteract hypertension-related oxidative damage. Specifically, ACE oil nanoemulsions (NEs) were successfully produced and characterized, exhibiting appropriate features for ophthalmic administration, including a nanometer size (<200 nm), moderate negative ZP, adequate osmolality and pH, and colloidal stability in biorelevant fluids. Likewise, the NEs presented a shear thinning behavior, especially convenient for ocular instillation. In vivo evaluation was performed through either intravitreal injection or topical ophthalmic administration in mice with hypertension induced via administration of Nω-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester (L-NAME). Both routes of administration reduced hypertensive morphological alterations and demonstrated a noticeable antioxidant effect thanks to the reduction of the activity/expression of NADPH oxidase in cornea and retina. Thus, an ACE oil ophthalmic formulation represent a promising therapy for ocular pathologies associated with arterial hypertension.

Blood glucose monitoring in critically ill adult patients: type of sample and method of analysis. Systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical guideline for the management of sepsis, recommends using arterial blood samples for glycaemic control. A multicentre study in 86 Spanish intensive care units (ICU) revealed that 85.4% of ICUs used capillary puncture. OBJECTIVE: To analyse the reliability of glycaemia by comparing different blood samples (arterial, venous, capillary) and instruments (glucometers, gasometers, central laboratory). Secondarily, to estimate the effect of confounding variables and the performance of measuring instruments as determined by different quality standards. METHODOLOGY: Systematic review and meta-analysis with search in PubMed, CINAHL and Embase databases in September-2021 and September-2022, with no time or language limits. Grey literature sources: DART-Europe, OpenGrey and Google Scholar. Results summarised by qualitative (description of results, study characteristics) and quantitative (meta-analysis to assess standardised mean difference) synthesis. Methodological quality of articles assessed with Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2). PROTOCOL: https://osf.io/ DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/T8KYP. RESULTS: A total of 32 articles and 5451 patients were included. No discrepancies were obtained between arterial glucometer vs laboratory samples [bias (95%CI): 0.01 (-0.12 to 0.14) mg/dL]. In contrast, arterial samples with a gasometer did significantly overestimate [bias (95%CI): 0.12 (0.01 to 0.24) mg/dL]. The same trend is seen in capillaries with a glucometer, although not significantly [bias (95%CI): 0.07 (--0.02 to 0.15) mg/dL]. There is discrepancy between studies on the effect of haematocrit and acid-base balance. The greatest consensus is on the poor agreement of glucometer with capillary vs laboratory samples in the presence of shock and vasopressor support, renal failure or during vitamin C treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence to date recommends the use of arterial blood with a blood glucose meter for better reliability of glycaemic analysis and less effect of possible confounding variables, frequently present in the critically ill adult patient.

Somatic education approaches in piano studies: A snapshot of Spanish conservatoire practices.

Somatic education in professional instrumental teaching is an emerging field in Spanish conservatoire culture. Although we find that the Alexander Technique was included in some European institutions since the middle of the XXth Century, this was not the case in the Spanish context. By means of a qualitative study, through document analysis and fifteen in-depth interviews with somatic teachers, the statutory frameworks of professional Piano studies and teaching plans related to somatic education in Spanish conservatoires, the principles that support them and the current practices that are undertaken in professional piano studies were analyzed. We found that there are eclectic approaches and practices in correlation with the background of the teachers in charge of the courses. Four main orientations can be described: somatic education per se; ergonomics and postural technique; body communication, training and technique; and mental and concentration control techniques. Further research to explore the interrelationships between somatic approaches and instrumental teaching would greatly benefit the field.

Predictive validity of the Clinical Frailty Scale-España on the increase in dependency after hospital discharge.

INTRODUCTION: The frailty present at hospital admission and the stressors to which patients are subjected during their stay may increase dependency at hospital discharge. OBJECTIVES: To assess the predictive validity of the Clinical Frailty Scale-España (CFS-Es) on increased dependency at 3 and 12 months (m) after hospital discharge. METHODOLOGY: Multicentre cohort study in 2020-2022. Including patients with >48 h stay in intensive care units (ICU) and non-COVID-19. VARIABLES: pre-admission frailty (CFS-Es). Sex, age, days of stay (ICU and hospital), dependency on admission and at 3 m and 12 m after discharge (Barthel index), muscle weakness (Medical Research Council Scale sum score <48), hospital readmissions. STATISTICS: descriptive and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: 254 cases were included. Thirty-nine per cent were women and the median [Q1-Q3] age was 67 [56-77] years. SAPS 3 on admission (median [Q1-Q3]): 62 [51-71] points. Frail patients on admission (CFS-Es 5-9): 58 (23%). Dependency on admission (n = 254) vs. 3 m after hospital discharge (n = 171) vs. 12 m after hospital discharge (n = 118): 1) Barthel 90-100: 82% vs. 68% vs. 65%. 2) Barthel 60-85: 15% vs. 15% vs. 20%. 3) Barthel 0-55: 3% vs. 17% vs. 15%. In the multivariate analysis, adjusted for the variables recorded, we observed that frail patients on admission (CFS-Es 5-9) are 2.8 times (95%CI: 1.03-7.58; p = 0.043) more likely to increase dependency (Barthel 90-100 to <90 or Barthel 85-60 to <60) at 3 m post-discharge (with respect to admission) and 3.5 times (95%CI: 1.18-10.30; p = 0.024) more likely to increase dependency at 12 m post-discharge. Furthermore, for each additional CFS-Es point there is a 1.6-fold (95%CI: 1.01-2.23; p = 0.016) greater chance of increased dependency in the 12 m following discharge. CONCLUSIONS: CFS-Es at admission can predict increased dependency at 3 m and 12 m after hospital discharge.

Dual-energy CT in the differentiation between adrenal adenomas and metastases: Usefulness of material density maps and monochromatic images.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the behavior of adrenal adenomas and metastases with dual-energy CT, analyzing the attenuation coefficient in monochromatic images at three different levels of energy (45, 70, and 140 keV) and the tissue concentrations of fat, water, and iodine in material density maps, with the aim of establishing optimal cutoffs for differentiating between these lesions and comparing our results against published evidence. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective case-control study included oncologic patients diagnosed with adrenal metastases in the 6-12 months prior to the study who were followed up in our hospital between January and June 2020. For each case (patient with metastases) included in the study, we selected a control (patient with an adrenal adenoma) with a nodule of similar size. All patients were studied with a rapid-kilovoltage-switching dual-energy CT scanner, using a biphasic acquisition protocol. We analyzed the concentration of iodine in paired water-iodine images, the concentration of fat in the paired water-fat images, and the concentration of water in the paired iodine-water and fat-water images, in both the arterial and portal phases. We also analyzed the attenuation coefficient in monochromatic images (at 55, 70, and 140 keV) in the arterial and portal phases. RESULTS: In the monochromatic images, in both the arterial and portal phases, the attenuation coefficient at all energy levels was significantly higher in the group of patients with metastases than in the group of patients with adenomas. This enabled us to calculate the optimal cutoffs for classifying lesions as adenomas or metastases, except for the arterial phase at 55 KeV, where the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the estimated threshold (0.68) was not considered accurate enough to classify the lesions. For the arterial phase at 70 keV, the AUC was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.663‒0.899); the optimal cutoff (42.4 HU) yielded 92% sensitivity and 60% specificity. For the arterial phase at 140 keV, the AUC was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.894‒0.999); the optimal cutoff (18.9 HU) yielded 88% sensitivity and 94% specificity). For the portal phase at 55 keV, the AUC was 0.76 (95% CI: 0.663‒0.899); the optimal cutoff (95.4 HU) yielded 68% sensitivity and 84% specificity. For the portal phase at 70 keV, the AUC was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.757‒0.955); the optimal cutoff (58.4 HU) yielded 80% sensitivity and 84% specificity. For the portal phase at 140 keV, the AUC was 0.9 (95% CI: 0.834‒0.987); the optimal cutoff (16.35 HU) yielded 96% sensitivity and 84% specificity. In the material density maps, in the arterial phase, significant differences were found only for the iodine-water pair, where the concentration of water was higher in the group with metastases (1018.8 ±â€¯7.6 mg/cm3 vs. 998.6 ±â€¯8.0 mg/cm3 for the group with adenomas, p < 0.001). The AUC was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.893‒0.999); the optimal cutoff (1012.5 mg/cm3) yielded 88% sensitivity and 96% specificity. The iodine-water pair was also significantly higher in metastases (1019.7 ±â€¯12.1 mg/cm3 vs. 998.5 ±â€¯9.1 mg/cm3 in adenomas, p < 0.001). The AUC was 0.926 (95% CI: 0.807‒0.977); the optimal cutoff (1009.5 mg/cm3) yielded 92% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Although significant results were also observed for the fat-water pair in the portal phase, the AUC was insufficient to enable a sufficiently accurate cutoff for classifying the lesions. No significant differences were found in the fat-water maps or iodine-water maps in the arterial or portal phase or in the water-fat map in the arterial phase. CONCLUSIONS: Monochromatic images show differences between the behavior of adrenal adenomas and metastases in oncologic patients studied with intravenous-contrast-enhanced CT, where the group of metastases had higher attenuation than the group of adenomas in both the arterial and portal phases; this pattern is in line with the evidence published for adenomas. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, no other publications report cutoffs for this kind of differentiation in contrast-enhanced monochromatic images obtained in rapid-kilovoltage-switching dual-energy CT scanners, and this is the first new contribution of our study. Regarding the material density maps, our results suggest that the water-iodine pair is a good tool for differentiating between adrenal adenomas and metastases, in both the arterial and portal phases. We propose cutoffs for differentiating these lesions, although to our knowledge no cutoffs have been proposed for portal-phase contrast-enhanced images obtained with rapid-kilovoltage-switching dual-energy CT scanners.

Persistent luminescence dosimetry performance of solid state synthesized BaZrO3 phosphors.

This work reports for the first time on the thermoluminescence (TL) and persistent luminescence (PLu) characterization of BaZrO3 synthesized through solid state reaction. X-Ray diffraction confirmed the crystalline structure of the synthesized phosphors. The characteristic glow curves of the synthesized samples exhibit TL maxima located at 85 and 165 °C, whose fading after radiation exposure gives rise to intense PLu. PLu decay curves were recorded after beta particle irradiation in the dose range from 1.0 up to 1024 Gy. Both TL and PLu exhibit remarkable reproducibility. The integrated persistent luminescence (IPLu) as a function of the irradiation dose exhibits a linear dependence in the 1.0-16 Gy dose range, followed by a sublinear behavior from 16 to 128 Gy. From the experimental evidence here presented, it is concluded that solid state synthesized BaZrO3 is an interesting phosphor material to be implemented as a PLu-based detector and dosimeter.

Prostatitis: A Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pathologies of the prostate in men are one of the most prevalent clinical conditions today [1]. Specifically, pelvic inflammatory disease such as prostatitis can cause symptoms and syndromes different from urological ones, such as bowel or nervous system manifestations. This has a largely negative impact on the quality of life of patients. Therefore, it is convenient to know and update the information about the therapeutic approach to prostatitis, which is a challenge that involves different medical specialties. The aim of this article is to provide summarized and focused evidence to help in the therapeutic approach of patients with prostatitis. A computer-based search of the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases was used to perform a comprehensive literature review on prostatitis, with special interest in recent findings and latest therapeutic guideline recommendations. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent discoveries about the epidemiology and clinical classifications of prostatitis seem to incur in an increasingly individualized and directed management, with the aim of covering all the confluent factors in prostatic inflammatory pathology. In addition, the role of new drugs and combination with phytotherapy open up a range of new treatment possibilities, although future randomized studies will be necessary to better understand how to use all treatment modalities. Despite all the knowledge acquired about the pathophysiology of prostate diseases, and due to their interrelation with other pelvic systems and organs, there are still gaps that make it difficult for us to provide an optimal and standardized treatment in many of our patients. Being aware of the influence of all the factors potentially involved in prostate symptoms is crucial for a correct diagnosis and establishing an effective treatment plan.

Relevance of subclinical right ventricular dysfunction measured by feature-tracking cardiac magnetic resonance in non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction in patients with non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NICM) is associated with cardiovascular events. To analyze the feasibility of assessing RV myocardial deformation by feature tracking (FT)-cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and its usefulness as a prognostic marker. METHODS: Retrospective study of NICM patients undergoing CMR. Longitudinal FT-RV free wall (LFT-RVFW) and fractional area change (FAC) were obtained. Correlation with standard RV parameters was studied. An association with combined event (heart failure (HF), ICD implantation or cardiovascular death) was assessed using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: 98 patients (64 ± 13 years) were included. Left ventricular (LV) systolic function (LVEF 29.5 ± 9.6%, 47% with LVEF ≥ 30%) and RV (RVEF 52.2 ± 14.6%, 72% with RVEF ≥ 45%). Follow-up of 38 ± 17 months, 26.5% presented at least one admission for HF. An excellent correlation of LFT-RVFW (r = 0.82) and FAC (r = 0.83) with RVEF was evident. No association of RV-FT parameters with prognosis entire study population was found. However, in patients with LVEF ≥ 30%, admissions for HF were associated with lower LFT-RVFW (-21.6 ± 6.6% vs -31.3 ± 10%; p = 0.006) and FAC (36.6 ± 9.6% vs 50.5 ± 13.4%; p < 0.001) values. Similar differences were observed when only patients with RVEF ≥ 45% were considered. An LFT-RVFW cut-off point of -19.5% and FAC of 36.5% showed good prognostic performance. Decreased LFT-RVFW or FAC represented an independent predictor of combined event in patients with LVEF ≥ 30%. CONCLUSIONS: In NICM patients without severe LV dysfunction, decreased values of LFT-RVFW and/or FAC were associated with HF admissions, independently of RVEF.

[Compartmental syndrome complicating endovascular treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm]. / Cas clinique. Syndrome compartimental compliquant le traitement endovasculaire d'un anévrisme aortique abdominal rompu.

The Guide Line of the Society for Vascular Surgery now recommends endovascular repair (rEVAR) for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (RAAA) when anatomical conditions are present. Abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) can be one of the serious postoperative complications of rEVAR. ACS is usually associated with progressive development of organ dysfunctions and poor outcomes. We describe an ACS following a RAAA with hemorrhagic shock treated conservatively with a rEVAR.Decompression laparotomy were not performed because spontaneous improvement with conservative ICU treatment was effective.

La Société de Chirurgie Vasculaire recommande désormais la réparation endovasculaire (rEVAR) des anévrismes de l'aorte abdominale rompus (RAAA) lorsque les conditions anatomiques le permettent. Le syndrome compartimental abdominal (SCA) peut être l'une des complications postopératoires graves de la rEVAR. Le SCA est généralement associé au développement progressif d'une dysfonction de plusieurs organes. Nous décrivons ici un syndrome compartimental abdominal (SCA) consécutif à une RAAA avec choc hémorragique, traité de manière conservatrice avec une rEVAR aorto-mono-iliaque et un cross-over fémoro-fémoral. Le patient a été admis en post-opératoire en Unité de Soins intensifs et a développé, à 48 heures postopératoires, un SCA associé à une insuffisance rénale aiguë, une cytolyse hépatique, un œdème pulmonaire aigu et un iléus. Une laparotomie de décompression n'a pas été effectuée car l'amélioration spontanée avec un traitement conservateur aux soins intensifs s'est avérée efficace.

The influence of organisational management on door-to-needle times for fibrinolytic treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Door-to-needle time (DNT) has been established as the main indicator in code stroke protocols. According to the 2018 guidelines of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, DNT should be less than 45minuts; therefore, effective and revised pre-admission and in-hospital protocols are required. METHOD: We analysed organisational changes made between 2011 and 2019 and their influence on DNT and the clinical progression of patients treated with fibrinolysis. We collected data from our centre, stored and monitored under the Master Plan for Cerebrovascular Disease of the regional government of Catalonia. Among other measures, we analysed the differences between years and differences derived from the implementation of the Helsinki model. RESULTS: The study included 447 patients, and we observed significant differences in DNT between different years. Pre-hospital code stroke activation, recorded in 315 cases (70.5%), reduced DNT by a median of 14minutes. However, the linear regression model only showed an inversely proportional relationship between the adoption of the Helsinki code stroke model and DNT (beta coefficient, -0.42; P<.001). The removal of vascular neurologists after the adoption of the Helsinki model increased DNT and the 90-day mortality rate. CONCLUSION: DNT is influenced by the organisational model. In our sample, the application of the Helsinki model, the role of the lead vascular neurologist, and notification of code stroke by pre-hospital emergency services are key factors for the reduction of DNT and the clinical improvement of the patient.

X-Ray to DRR Images Translation for Efficient Multiple Objects Similarity Measures in Deformable Model 3D/2D Registration.

The robustness and accuracy of the intensity-based 3D/2D registration of a 3D model on planar X-ray image(s) is related to the quality of the image correspondences between the digitally reconstructed radiographs (DRR) generated from the 3D models (varying image) and the X-ray images (fixed target). While much effort may be devoted to generating realistic DRR that are similar to real X-rays (using complex X-ray simulation, adding densities information in 3D models, etc.), significant differences still remain between DRR and real X-ray images. Differences such as the presence of adjacent or superimposed soft tissue and bony or foreign structures lead to image matching difficulties and decrease the 3D/2D registration performance. In the proposed method, the X-ray images were converted into DRR images using a GAN-based cross-modality image-to-images translation. With this added prior step of XRAY-to-DRR translation, standard similarity measures become efficient even when using simple and fast DRR projection. For both images to match, they must belong to the same image domain and essentially contain the same kind of information. The XRAY-to-DRR translation also addresses the well-known issue of registering an object in a scene composed of multiple objects by separating the superimposed or/and adjacent objects to avoid mismatching across similar structures. We applied the proposed method to the 3D/2D fine registration of vertebra deformable models to biplanar radiographs of the spine. We showed that the XRAY-to-DRR translation enhances the registration results, by increasing the capture range and decreasing dependence on the similarity measure choice since the multi-modal registration becomes mono-modal.

Being the Alice of academia: lessons from the Red Queen hypothesis.

Viruses and hosts must navigate environments in which each tries to outcompete the other for survival or to coexist within the same spaces. In Lewis Carrol's Through the Looking Glass, the Red Queen tells Alice, "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!" Borrowing from this idea, the Red Queen hypothesis asserts that organisms, such as viruses, must continuously adapt to environmental pressures to survive. In this commentary, we draw parallels between the Red Queen hypothesis and the experiences scientists of color navigate to thrive in academic spaces. In both phenomena, adapting to environmental pressures is necessary for survival. We identify the various pressures and bottlenecks faced by historically underrepresented groups in academia, as well as the adaptation strategies they must implement to persist in academia.

Beta radiation excited thermoluminescence of solid-state synthesized SrZrO3 phosphors.

In this work, we report on the solid-state reaction synthesis of SrZrO3 phosphors, and their beta particle irradiation excited thermoluminescence (TL) characterization. X-ray diffraction data confirmed the obtention of the orthorhombic phase of SrZrO3. Through computational glow curve deconvolution, the whole glow curve was resolved into six individual first order kinetics peaks. This is the first report concerning the usefulness of SrZrO3 as TL dosimeter. The synthesized phosphors exhibit TL emission from below 100 °C up to above 300 °C, being the most intense TL between 200 and 300 °C, as well as a remarkable reproducibility of the TL response in repeated irradiation-TL readout cycles.

Genotypes and Haplotypes in the AXIN2 and TCF7L2 Genes are Associated With Susceptibility and With Clinicopathological Characteristics in Breast Cancer Patients.

Background: Breast cancer is a multifactorial disease whose genetic susceptibility is related to polymorphic variants of cell proliferation and migration pathways. Variants in AXIN2 and TCF7L2 in the Wnt-ß catenin pathway have been associated with different types of cancer; however, little is known about its role in breast cancer. This study tests the hypothesis of links between AXIN2 rs1133683 and rs2240308, and TCF7L2 rs7903146 and rs12255372 variants in breast cancer. Methods: Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 404 women (202 patients and 202 control females). The polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methodology was used to identify the gene variants. Results: The AXIN2 rs2240308 (C > T), and TCF7L2 rs7903146 (C > T) and rs12255372 (G > T) variants were associated with breast cancer and with age, TNM stage, and histologic-molecular subtype (p = 0.001). Likewise, the haplotype T-T in the TCF7L2 gene (rs7903146-rs12253372) was significantly related with breast cancer (OR = 2.66, 95%, CI = 1.64-4.30, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Our data show a link between AXIN2 rs2240308 and TCF7L2 rs7903146 and rs12255372 variants in breast cancer, and speculate this may be important in pathogenesis.

Prevalence and risk factors of Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii infection in breeding ewes from central western Mexico.

The objective of the study was to analyse the prevalence of infection by N. caninum and T. gondii in breeding ewes from central western Mexico. For this purpose, 184 blood samples were collected from sheep in the reproductive stage, which were analysed by ELISA and PCR tests, respectively, and the association between seroprevalence and some management factors was estimated by means of a logistic regression analysis. For N. caninum, a seroprevalence of 15.22% was identified, while the DNA detection in blood was 14.13% (26/184); positive animals were found in 75% of the farms (6/8). The variables poor placental waste management (OR 8.4), abortion history (OR 1.5) and presence of rodents (OR 1.3) were identified as risk factors for N. caninum infection. In the case of T. gondii, a seroprevalence of 61.96% was found, and antibodies were detected in eight farms included in the study; no positive samples were identified for T. gondii by the PCR test. The main identified risk factors for T. gondii were as follows: poor hygiene conditions (OR 12.5), presence of cats (OR 9.5), presence of other domestic animals (OR 5.7), urban context of the farm (OR 9.5) and public water supply (OR 5.3). The seroprevalence of co-infection of T. gondii and N. caninum in breeding ewes was 7% (13/184; 95% CI 6.92-7.20). T. gondii has a high seroprevalence while N. caninum was of lower proportion, and both may be associated with reproductive losses for these herds studied.