Immune dysregulation and pathophysiology of alcohol consumption and alcoholic liver disease.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a clinical-pathologic entity caused by the chronic excessive consumption of alcohol. The disease includes a broad spectrum of anomalies at the cellular and tissual level that can cause acute-on-chronic (alcoholic hepatitis) or chronic (fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocellular cancer) injury, having a great impact on morbidity and mortality worldwide. Alcohol is metabolized mainly in the liver. During alcohol metabolism, toxic metabolites, such as acetaldehyde and oxygen reactive species, are produced. At the intestinal level, alcohol consumption can cause dysbiosis and alter intestinal permeability, promoting the translocation of bacterial products and causing the production of inflammatory cytokines in the liver, perpetuating local inflammation during the progression of ALD. Different study groups have reported systemic inflammatory response disturbances, but reports containing a compendium of the cytokines and cells involved in the pathophysiology of the disease, from the early stages, are difficult to find. In the present review article, the role of the inflammatory mediators involved in ALD progression are described, from risky patterns of alcohol consumption to advanced stages of the disease, with the aim of understanding the involvement of immune dysregulation in the pathophysiology of ALD.

Preoperative coagulation screening tests in pediatric patients: Clinical relevance and hemorrhagic outcomes of abnormal results.

PURPOSE: Coagulation screening tests in children are still frequently performed in many countries to evaluate bleeding risk. The aim of this study was to assess the management of unexpected prolongations of the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombine time (PT) in children prior to elective surgery, and the perioperative hemorrhagic outcomes. METHODS: Children with prolonged APTT and/or PT who attended a preoperative anesthesia consultation from January 2013 to December 2018 were included. Patients were grouped according to whether they were referred to a Hematologist or were scheduled to undergo surgery without further investigation. The primary endpoint was to compare perioperative bleeding complications. RESULTS: 1835 children were screened for eligibility. 102 presented abnormal results (5.6%). Of them, 45% were referred to a Hematologist. Significant bleeding disorders were associated with a positive bleeding history, odds ratio of 51 (95% CI 4.8-538.5, P=.0011). No difference in perioperative hemorrhagic outcomes were found between the groups. An additional cost of 181 euros per patient and a preoperative median delay of 43 days was observed in patients referred to Hematology. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that hematology referral has limited value in asymptomatic children with a prolonged APTT and/or PT. Hemorrhagic complications were similar among patients referred and not referred to Hematology. A positive personal or family bleeding history can help identify patients with a higher bleeding risk, thus it should guide the need for coagulation testing and hematology referral. Further efforts should be made to standardize preoperative bleeding assessments tools in children.

Risk of misclassification during diagnosis of malnutrition in retroperitoneal sarcoma patients.

BACKGROUND: Retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) is a rare tumour that can reach exceptionally large size at diagnosis and affects body weight with its volume. We investigated the risk of nutritional status misclassification based on the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria in RPS patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the baseline data of patients with primary RPS including anthropometry, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) score and skeletal muscle index (SMI) calculated on preoperative CT scan. Phenotypic GLIM criteria considered were non-volitional weight loss, low-BMI and low muscle mass. MUST score, being inclusive of weight loss, was chosen as its surrogate. Reduced muscle mass was defined with SMI cut-offs <38.5-52.4 cm2/m2 for female and male respectively. RESULTS: From 2018 to 2020, 100 consecutive patients (male/female: 48/52) were included. Median age was 61 (48-68) years, median BMI 24.6 (21.5-27.4) kg/m2. Seven patients (7%) reported MUST score ≥2 and 80 (80%) score 0. Five patients (5%) were underweight, 44 (44%) overweight and obese. Sixty patients (60%) presented low SMI, of those 56 (93%) were normal or overweight, and 46 (77%) not at nutritional risk according to the MUST score. Both underweight BMI and MUST score ≥2 were not correlated with low SMI (p = 0.406, p = 0.612, respectively). No relevant discrepancy was found in the postoperative course of patients with low or normal muscle mass, although SMI was able to better characterize nutritional risk in the proportion of patents with high-grade liposarcoma and predicted worst overall survival. CONCLUSION: GLIM criteria are a useful tool for diagnosis of malnutrition. However, our analysis suggests that phenotypic criteria are not interchangeable with each other. An altered body composition is often hidden in patients with retroperitoneal sarcoma and the use of weight-based classification does not seem to be appropriate, enhancing the role of mass muscle measurement to prevent misdetections of malnourished patient.

Pyometra-associated insulin resistance assessment by insulin binding assay and tyrosine kinase activity evaluation in canine muscle tissue.

Diestrus is associated with insulin resistance in bitches and pyometra can further impair insulin sensitivity. This study aimed to compare insulin sensitivity, insulin binding, and tyrosine kinase activity in bitches in anestrus, diestrus, or with pyometra. Patients submitted to elective ovariohysterectomy were divided into anestrus (n = 11) or diestrus (n = 13) according to reproductive history, vaginal cytology, and uterine histology. The group pyometra (n = 8) included bitches diagnosed with the disease based on clinical presentation and abdominal ultrasound findings and further confirmed by uterine histopathology. All patients were submitted to an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) before ovariohysterectomy, and rectus abdominis muscle samples were collected during surgery for plasmatic membrane suspension preparation. Muscle-membranes were submitted to cold saturation insulin binding assay for dissociation constant (Kd) and maximum binding capacity (Bmax) determination, as well as exogenous substrate Poly (Glu: Tyr 4:1) phosphorylation assay for basal tyrosine kinase evaluation. Bitches with pyometra showed higher basal insulin (P < 0.001) and higher area under the curve (AUC) for insulin (P = 0.01) and glucose (P < 0.001) response during the IVGTT in comparison with bitches in anestrus or diestrus. Diestrus (P < 0.0001) and pyometra (P = 0.001) were associated with reduced tyrosine kinase activity in comparison with anestrus. No differences were documented in Kd and Bmax results for the low-affinity/high-capacity insulin receptors; however, high-affinity/low-capacity insulin receptors showed higher Kd and Bmax results in bitches in diestrus or with pyometra (P < 0.05) in comparison with anestrus. Despite the pyometra group showed the highest Kd values (P < 0.01), its Bmax results did not differ from the diestrus group (P > 0.05). Diestrus' higher Kd values and reduced tyrosine kinase activity in muscle tissue were compensated by increased total insulin binding capacity. Absent differences in IVGTT results between diestrus and anestrus bitches corroborate this finding. However, in bitches with pyometra, the highest Kd values were not compensated by increased total insulin binding capacity. This finding was associated with insulin resistance and glucose intolerance in IVGTT results. Moreover, pyometra resolution restored insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. These features can play a key role in pyometra-associated CDM, as well as in diabetic remission after pyometra resolution.

Spiritual well-being and quality of life are impaired in chronic urticaria.

SUMMARY: Background. Patients with chronic urticaria (CU) often report an impaired quality of life (QoL). Although a positive effect of addressing spirituality in health care has been proved in several chronic diseases, its potential role in CU has received no attention. Objective. We aim to evaluate spirituality and QoL in CU subjects. Methods. In a single-centre observational study, 100 CU subjects were investigated using Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (FACIT-Sp-12) scale, Chronic Urticaria Quality of life Questionnaire (CU-Q2oL) and Urticaria Control Test (UCT). Results. Of 100 subjects, 82 were female and 18 were male. It was observed that subjects with poorly controlled CU presented FACIT Sp-12 meaning/peace (p = 0.004) significantly lower, and CU-Q2oL (p less than 0.0001) significantly higher (worst QoL) than subjects with controlled CU. There was no difference in the FACIT Sp-12 faith (p = 0.43) between groups. There was moderate direct correlation between FACIT Sp-12 faith and FACIT Sp-12 meaning/peace (r = 0.483; p less than 0.0001; n = 100). There was a significant strong inverse correlation between the CU-Q2oL and the UCT (r = - 0.762; p less than 0.0001; n = 100). No correlation was found between the FACIT Sp-12 faith and CU-Q2oL, neither with UCT. Conclusions. No study has ever investigated the role of spirituality in managing patients with urticaria. Our findings support the impact of poorly controlled urticaria in spiritual well-being and QoL. Therefore, clinicians should pay more attention to spirituality among CU patients. We suggest that urticaria guidelines should include specific recommendations on spirituality assessment.

Ecophysiological Performance of Proteaceae Species From Southern South America Growing on Substrates Derived From Young Volcanic Materials.

Southern South American Proteaceae thrive on young volcanic substrates, which are extremely low in plant-available phosphorus (P). Most Proteaceae exhibit a nutrient-acquisition strategy based on the release of carboxylates from specialized roots, named cluster roots (CR). Some Proteaceae colonize young volcanic substrates which has been related to CR functioning. However, physiological functioning of other Proteaceae on recent volcanic substrates is unknown. We conducted an experiment with seedlings of five Proteaceae (Gevuina avellana, Embothrium coccineum, Lomatia hirsuta, L. ferruginea, and L. dentata) grown in three volcanic materials. Two of them are substrates with very low nutrient concentrations, collected from the most recent deposits of the volcanoes Choshuenco and Calbuco (Chile). The other volcanic material corresponds to a developed soil that exhibits a high nutrient availability. We assessed morphological responses (i.e., height, biomass, and CR formation), seed and leaf macronutrient and micronutrient concentrations and carboxylates exuded by roots. The results show that G. avellana was less affected by nutrient availability of the volcanic substrate, probably because it had a greater nutrient content in its seeds and produced large CR exuding carboxylates that supported their initial growth. Embothrium coccineum exhibited greater total plant height and leaf P concentration than Lomatia species. In general, in all species leaf macronutrient concentrations were reduced on nutrient-poor volcanic substrates, while leaf micronutrient concentrations were highly variable depending on species and volcanic material. We conclude that Proteaceae from temperate rainforests differ in their capacity to grow and acquire nutrients from young and nutrient-poor volcanic substrates. The greater seed nutrient content, low nutrient requirements (only for G. avellana) and ability to mobilize nutrients help explain why G. avellana and E. coccineum are better colonizers of recent volcanic substrates than Lomatia species.

Impacto clínico del estroncio y del zinc en los procesos de regeneración ósea y del cartílago, aproximación desde la biología hacia la clínica. Revisión de literatura / Clinical impact of strontium and zinc on bone and cartilage regeneration processes, an approach from biology to the clinic. Literature review

Muchos trastornos sistémicos como la artritis o la osteoporosis son patologías responsables de las alteraciones crónicas de la articulación temporomandibular, creando así un problema a largo plazo que afectan la calidad de vida de aquellas personas que las padecen. Actualmente no existe tratamiento curativo para dichas patologías, aunque sí de tipo paliativo, que en muchas ocasiones tienen efectos secundarios en el tiempo o una limitación en su efectividad y eficacia, por lo que se hace necesario buscar alternativas con la implementación de terapias regenerativas para el tratamiento de aquellas enfermedades que afectan el sistema musculoesquelético. En muchos estudios se discute sobre el papel fundamental que cumple el zinc y el estroncio en la génesis de tejido tanto cartilaginoso como óseo, así como la relevancia de incorporarlos con diversos biomateriales en procedimientos de regeneración, sin embargo, este tema no es claro aún y requieren más aten- ción por parte del clínico. El objetivo de este artículo es determinar la función cumplen el zinc y el estroncio en los procesos de regeneración del hueso y el cartílago desde una visión molecular y celular aplicada a la práctica clínica, con el fin de obtener nuevas alternativas en el tratamiento de diversas patologías y alteraciones musculoesqueléticas que mejoren las condiciones de salud oral de los pacientes, además de, contar con la revisión que nos aproxime a comprender los mecanismos de acción de diferentes moléculas que incorporadas a los biomateriales compatibles con el tejido duro y blando mejoren las condiciones biológicas para la regeneración.

Many systemic disorders such as arthritis or osteoporosis are pathologies responsible of temporomandibular joint chronic dysfunctions, thus creating a long-term problem that affects life ́s quality of those who suffer from them. Currently there is no curative treatment for these pathologies, although there is a palliative treatment, which in many cases have side effects over time or a limitation in their effectiveness and efficacy, so it is necessary to look for alternatives with the implementation of regenerative therapies for treatment of those diseases that affect musculoskeletal system. In many studies the fundamental role of zinc and strontium in genesis of both cartilaginous and bone tissue is discussed, as well as the relevance of incorporating them with various biomaterials in regeneration procedures, however, this issue is not clear yet and requires more attention from the clinician. The objective of this article is to determine function of zinc and strontium in regeneration processes of bone and cartilage from a molecular and cellular perspective applied to clinical practice, in order to obtain new alternatives in the treatment of various pathologies and musculoskeletal alterations that improve the oral health conditions of patients. In addition, this review brings us closer to understanding the mechanisms of action of different molecules that when incorporated into biomaterials compatible with hard and soft tissue improve the biological conditions for the regeneration.

A novel treatment of bromelain and acetylcysteine (BromAc) in patients with peritoneal mucinous tumours: A phase I first in man study.

BACKGROUND: Bromelain (Brom) and Acetylcysteine (Ac) have synergistic activity resulting in dissolution of tumour-produced mucin both in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this study was to determine whether treatment of mucinous peritoneal tumour with BromAc can be performed with an acceptable safety profile and to conduct a preliminary assessment of efficacy in a clinical setting. METHODS: Under radiological guidance, a drain was inserted into the tumour mass or intraperitoneally. Each patient could have more than one tumour site treated. Brom 20-60 mg and Ac 1·5-2 g was administered in 5% glucose. At 24 h, the patient was assessed for symptoms including treatment-related adverse events (AEs) and the drain was aspirated. The volume of tumour removed was measured. A repeat dose via the drain was given in most patients. All patients that received at least one dose of BromAc were included in the safety and response analysis. FINDINGS: Between March 2018 and July 2019, 20 patients with mucinous tumours were treated with BromAc. Seventeen (85%) of patients had at least one treatment-emergent AE. The most frequent treatment-related AEs were CRP rise (n = 16, 80%), WCC rise (n = 11, 55%), fever (n = 7, 35%, grade I) and pain (n = 6, 30%, grade II/III). Serious treatment-related AEs accounted for 12·5% of all AEs. There were no anaphylactic reactions. There were no deaths due to treatment-related AEs. An objective response to treatment was seen in 73·2% of treated sites. CONCLUSION: Based on these preliminary results and our preclinical data, injection of BromAc into mucinous tumours had a manageable safety profile. Considerable mucolytic activity was seen by volume of mucin extracted and radiological appearance. These results support further investigation of BromAC for patients with inoperable mucinous tumours and may provide a new and minimally invasive treatment for these patients.

Nutritional status and body composition assessment in patients with a new diagnosis of advanced solid tumour: Exploratory comparison of computed tomography and bioelectrical impedance analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Low skeletal muscle is a common characteristic of cancer-related malnutrition and a predictor of poorer prognosis in oncological patients. In this study we evaluated nutritional status and altered body composition using computed tomography (CT) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in newly diagnosed patients. Our purpose was to compare the results of two available techniques to assess body composition suggested by the guidelines and some diagnostic criteria to identify malnutrition. METHODS: In a prospective study, patients with a new diagnosis of advanced solid tumour were enrolled and evaluated before starting first-line chemotherapy. Anthropometric, body composition and systemic inflammation measurements were collected and cut-off points from literature data were used for results classification. Malnutrition was expressed as weight loss (WL) in the previous 6 months >10% and underweight body mass index (BMI). Altered body composition was assessed as low index both skeletal muscle (SMI) derived by CT and fat-free mass by BIA (FFMI). Descriptive statistic was presented. Several statistical correlation analyses were performed. RESULTS: 67 patients were assessed: 40M/27F; average age 59 ± 13 years and BMI 23 ± 4; 43 (64%) upper gastrointestinal, 12 lung, 9 colorectal, 3 other cancers. Fourty-five (67%) were malnourished with WL criteria but only 8 (12%) resulted underweight. From analysis of CT images and BIA, 49 (73%) and 10 (15%) patients respectively reported lower cut-off point. Overall, 35 (52%) had both sarcopenia and WL > 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that prevalence data of malnutrition expressed as WL are more in agreement with those of sarcopenia recognised using CT than BIA method. Further studies are required to confirm these findings and to identify the best and easiest methods for monitoring BC during nutritional intervention and oncological therapies.

FLUKA simulation of target fragmentation in proton therapy.

In proton therapy, secondary fragments are created in nuclear interactions of the beam with the target nuclei. The secondary fragments have low kinetic energies and high atomic numbers as compared to primary protons. Fragments have a high LET and deposit all their energy close to the generation point. For their characteristics, secondary fragments can alter the dose distribution and lead to an increase of RBE for the same delivered physical dose. Moreover, the radiobiological impact of target fragmentation is significant mostly in the region before the Bragg peak, where generally healthy tissues are present, and immediately after Bragg peak. Considering the high biological impact of those particles, especially in the case of healthy tissues or organs at risk, the inclusion of target fragmentation processes in the dose calculation of a treatment planning system can be relevant to improve the treatment accuracy and for this reason it is one of the major tasks of the MoVe IT project. In this study, Monte Carlo simulations were employed to fully characterize the mixed radiation field generated by target fragmentation in proton therapy. The dose averaged LET has been evaluated in case of a Spread Out Bragg Peak (SOBP). Starting from LET distribution, RBE has been evaluated with two different phenomenological models. In order to characterize the mixed radiation field, the production cross section has been evaluated by means of the FLUKA code. The future development of present work is to generate a MC database of fragments fluence to be included in TPS.

Inter-fractional monitoring of [Formula: see text]C ions treatments: results from a clinical trial at the CNAO facility.

The high dose conformity and healthy tissue sparing achievable in Particle Therapy when using C ions calls for safety factors in treatment planning, to prevent the tumor under-dosage related to the possible occurrence of inter-fractional morphological changes during a treatment. This limitation could be overcome by a range monitor, still missing in clinical routine, capable of providing on-line feedback. The Dose Profiler (DP) is a detector developed within the INnovative Solution for In-beam Dosimetry in hadronthErapy (INSIDE) collaboration for the monitoring of carbon ion treatments at the CNAO facility (Centro Nazionale di Adroterapia Oncologica) exploiting the detection of charged secondary fragments that escape from the patient. The DP capability to detect inter-fractional changes is demonstrated by comparing the obtained fragment emission maps in different fractions of the treatments enrolled in the first ever clinical trial of such a monitoring system, performed at CNAO. The case of a CNAO patient that underwent a significant morphological change is presented in detail, focusing on the implications that can be drawn for the achievable inter-fractional monitoring DP sensitivity in real clinical conditions. The results have been cross-checked against a simulation study.

Outcomes of an enhanced recovery after radical cystectomy program in a prospective multicenter study: compliance and key components for success.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) program on complications and length of stay (LOS) after radical cystectomy (RC) and to assess if the number and type of components of ERAS play a key role on the decrease of surgical morbidity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the data of 277 patients prospectively recruited in 11 hospitals undergoing RC initially managed according to local practice (Group I) and later within an ERAS program (Group II). Two main outcomes were defined: 90-day complications rate and LOS. As secondary variables we studied 90-day mortality, 30-day readmission and transfusion rate. RESULTS: Patients in Group II had a higher use of ERAS measures (98.6%) than those in Group I (78.2%) (p < 0.05). Patients in Groups I and II experienced similar complications (70.5% vs. 66%, p = 0.42). LOS was not different between Groups I and II (12.5 and 14 days, respectively, p = 0.59). The risk of having any complication decreases for patients having more than 15 ERAS measures adopted [RR = 0.815; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.667-0.996; p = 0.045]. Avoidance of transfusion and nasogastric tube, prevention of ileus, early ambulation and a fast uptake of a regular diet are independently associated with the absence of complications. CONCLUSIONS: Complications and LOS after RC were not modified by the introduction of an ERAS program. We hypothesize that at least 15 measures should be applied to maximize the benefit of ERAS.

Secondary radiation measurements for particle therapy applications: Charged secondaries produced by 16O ion beams in a PMMA target at large angles.

Particle therapy is a therapy technique that exploits protons or light ions to irradiate tumor targets with high accuracy. Protons and 12C ions are already used for irradiation in clinical routine, while new ions like 4He and 16O are currently being considered. Despite the indisputable physical and biological advantages of such ion beams, the planning of charged particle therapy treatments is challenged by range uncertainties, i.e. the uncertainty on the position of the maximal dose release (Bragg Peak - BP), during the treatment. To ensure correct 'in-treatment' dose deposition, range monitoring techniques, currently missing in light ion treatment techniques, are eagerly needed. The results presented in this manuscript indicate that charged secondary particles, mainly protons, produced by an 16O beam during target irradiation can be considered as candidates for 16O beam range monitoring. Hereafter, we report on the first yield measurements of protons, deuterons and tritons produced in the interaction of an 16O beam impinging on a PMMA target, as a function of detected energy and particle production position. Charged particles were detected at 90° and 60° with respect to incoming beam direction, and homogeneous and heterogeneous PMMA targets were used to probe the sensitivity of the technique to target inhomogeneities. The reported secondary particle yields provide essential information needed to assess the accuracy and resolution achievable in clinical conditions by range monitoring techniques based on secondary charged radiation.

[Claudication, functional outcomes and quality of life in primary total hip arthroplasty with minimally invasive anterolateral approach]. / Claudicación, resultados funcionales y calidad de vida en artroplastía total de cadera primaria con abordaje anterolateral mínimamente invasivo.

INTRODUCTION: The coxarthrosis has incidence of 88 cases per 100,000 people/year and symptomatic prevalence of 16% men and 6% women aged 65-74 years and increases with age. It is a growing public health disease. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become the most successful procedure to increase the quality of life of patients with coxarthrosis. Our objective was to determine the claudication, quality of life and functional results of THA through minimal invasive approach in patients with primary coxarthrosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study in patients with unilateral primary coxarthrosis postop of THA with minimally invasive approach from March 2015-February 2016, each patient was analyzed with quality of Life instrument (WOMAC), Functional test for coxarthrosis (HHS) and functional test in patients with hip surgery (OHS) with follow-up of one year. RESULTS: We included 21 patients, 17 female and 4 males corresponding to 80.95% and 19.05% respectively, average age of 59.95 years (ED = 9.64), with excellent functional results to one year according to HHS and OHS, quality of life high in 100% of cases according to WOMAC, with claudication rate of 4.76%. DISCUSSION: The minimal invasive approach is a reproducible surgical technique, with excellent functional results, low claudication rate and high quality of life in postoperative patients of primary ATC at only one year of follow-up.

INTRODUCCIÓN: La coxartrosis tiene incidencia de 88 casos por 100,000 personas/año y prevalencia sintomática de 16% para hombres y 6% para mujeres en edades de 65-74 años e incrementa con la edad. Representa una enfermedad de salud pública que va en aumento, la mujer es quien presenta padecimiento más grave. La ATC (artroplastía total de cadera) se ha convertido en el procedimiento más exitoso para mejorar la calidad de vida de pacientes con coxartrosis. OBJETIVO: Determinar la claudicación, calidad de vida y resultados funcionales de la ATC mediante abordaje mínimo invasivo en pacientes con coxartrosis primaria. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio longitudinal y prospectivo en pacientes con coxartrosis primaria unilateral postoperados de ATC primaria con técnica mínimamente invasiva en el período comprendido de Marzo de 2015 a Febrero de 2016, se analizó a cada paciente con somatometría, calidad de vida (WOMAC), funcionalidad en pacientes con coxartrosis (HHS) y funcionalidad en pacientes con cirugía de cadera (OHS) de manera prequirúrgica y postquirúrgica con seguimiento a un año. RESULTADOS: Se incluyeron 21 pacientes, 17 femeninos y cuatro masculinos que corresponde a 80.95 y 19.05%, respectivamente, edad promedio de 59.95 años (DE = 9.64), con resultados funcionales excelentes a un año, según escalas de HHS y OHS, calidad de vida alta en 100% de los casos según WOMAC, con índice de claudicación bajo de 4.76%. DISCUSIÓN: El abordaje mínimo invasivo es una técnica quirúrgica reproducible con resultados funcionales excelentes, índice de claudicación baja y alta calidad de vida en pacientes postoperados de ATC primaria durante el primer año de seguimiento.

Review and performance of the Dose Profiler, a particle therapy treatments online monitor.

Particle therapy (PT) can exploit heavy ions (such as He, C or O) to enhance the treatment efficacy, profiting from the increased Relative Biological Effectiveness and Oxygen Enhancement Ratio of these projectiles with respect to proton beams. To maximise the gain in tumor control probability a precise online monitoring of the dose release is needed, avoiding unnecessary large safety margins surroundings the tumor volume accounting for possible patient mispositioning or morphological changes with respect to the initial CT scan. The Dose Profiler (DP) detector, presented in this manuscript, is a scintillating fibres tracker of charged secondary particles (mainly protons) that will be operating during the treatment, allowing for an online range monitoring. Such monitoring technique is particularly promising in the context of heavy ions PT, in which the precision achievable by other techniques based on secondary photons detection is limited by the environmental background during the beam delivery. Developed and built at the SBAI department of "La Sapienza", within the INSIDE collaboration and as part of a Centro Fermi flagship project, the DP is a tracker detector specifically designed and planned for clinical applications inside a PT treatment room. The DP operation in clinical like conditions has been tested with the proton and carbon ions beams of Trento proton-therapy center and of the CNAO facility. In this contribution the detector performances are presented, in the context of the carbon ions monitoring clinical trial that is about to start at the CNAO centre.

Correlação entre as contagens de reticulócitos manual e automática em amostras de felinos anêmicos / Correlation between manual and automatized values of reticulocyte count in anemic feline samples

O objetivo do presente estudo foi correlacionar os valores de reticulócitos pontilhados e agregados obtidos por metodologia manual com a metodologia automática de contagem de reticulócitos totais em amostras de sangue de gatos anêmicos, analisados em um contador hematológico com citometria de fluxo. Para isso, 40 amostras de sangue de pacientes felinos anêmicos, independentemente de idade e sexo, foram utilizadas para a determinação das contagens absolutas de reticulócitos totais pela metodologia automatizada por citometria de fluxo fluorescente e pela técnica manual com corante supravital, em duplicata. Na contagem manual, houve a discriminação entre reticulócitos pontilhados e agregados. Para a correlação entre os métodos, foi realizada a análise de regressão de Passing-Bablok. A média do hematócrito dos gatos foi de 15,25%, tendo a maioria dos gatos (32,5%) apresentado anemia moderada (hematócrito = 17,81%). Como resultados, a análise de regressão demonstrou que a correlação entre a contagem absoluta total automática foi superior à contagem manual de reticulócitos agregados (rho= 0,71; P<0,001) do que a contagem absoluta de reticulócitos pontilhados (rho= 0,68; P<0,001). Os resultados apresentados sugerem que a contagem de reticulócitos total absoluta realizada pelo analisador hematológico ProCyte Dx em gatos anêmicos se refere à contagem absoluta de reticulócitos. Dessa maneira, recomenda-se que os valores possam ser utilizados para a avaliação imediata da condição hematológica de gatos anêmicos.(AU)

The aim of this study was to correlate the punctate and aggregated reticulocytes values obtained by manual methodology and the automatic reticulocyte count in 40 blood samples from anemic cats. Total reticulocyte absolute counts were determined by automated fluorescence flow cytometry and manual methods in 40 blood samples obtained from anemic cats. The manual count was obtained by supravital stain in duplicate to each sample and the reticulocyte morphology were discriminated between punctate and aggregates reticulocytes. Passing-Bablok regression analysis was utilized to compare the methods. Most samples were from anemic cat (15,25%) and the hematocrit mean was 17,81%. Regression analysis showed that the correlation between the absolute total automatic counts is higher with aggregated reticulocytes (rho= 0,71; P< 0,001) than with absolute punctate reticulocytes counts (rho= 0, 68, P< 0.001). Results suggest that the ProCyte Dx reticulocytes count in anemic cats is correlated with aggregate reticulocyte count. Thus, the greater amount of RNA and organelles in aggregate reticulocytes generates a cellular complexity and, therefore, greater impregnation of the dye in an automatic count. Thus, the values obtained by the hematologic instrument can be used for the immediate evaluation of the hematological condition in anemic cats.(AU)

Claudicación, resultados funcionales y calidad de vida en artroplastía total de cadera primaria con abordaje anterolateral mínimamente invasivo / Claudication, functional outcomes and quality of life in primary Total hip arthroplasty with minimally invasive anterolateral approach

Resumen: Introducción: La coxartrosis tiene incidencia de 88 casos por 100,000 personas/año y prevalencia sintomática de 16% para hombres y 6% para mujeres en edades de 65-74 años e incrementa con la edad. Representa una enfermedad de salud pública que va en aumento, la mujer es quien presenta padecimiento más grave. La ATC (artroplastía total de cadera) se ha convertido en el procedimiento más exitoso para mejorar la calidad de vida de pacientes con coxartrosis. Objetivo: Determinar la claudicación, calidad de vida y resultados funcionales de la ATC mediante abordaje mínimo invasivo en pacientes con coxartrosis primaria. Material y métodos: Estudio longitudinal y prospectivo en pacientes con coxartrosis primaria unilateral postoperados de ATC primaria con técnica mínimamente invasiva en el período comprendido de Marzo de 2015 a Febrero de 2016, se analizó a cada paciente con somatometría, calidad de vida (WOMAC), funcionalidad en pacientes con coxartrosis (HHS) y funcionalidad en pacientes con cirugía de cadera (OHS) de manera prequirúrgica y postquirúrgica con seguimiento a un año. Resultados: Se incluyeron 21 pacientes, 17 femeninos y cuatro masculinos que corresponde a 80.95 y 19.05%, respectivamente, edad promedio de 59.95 años (DE = 9.64), con resultados funcionales excelentes a un año, según escalas de HHS y OHS, calidad de vida alta en 100% de los casos según WOMAC, con índice de claudicación bajo de 4.76%. Discusión: El abordaje mínimo invasivo es una técnica quirúrgica reproducible con resultados funcionales excelentes, índice de claudicación baja y alta calidad de vida en pacientes postoperados de ATC primaria durante el primer año de seguimiento.

Abstract: Introduction: The coxarthrosis has incidence of 88 cases per 100,000 people/year and symptomatic prevalence of 16% men and 6% women aged 65-74 years and increases with age. It is a growing public health disease. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become the most successful procedure to increase the quality of life of patients with coxarthrosis. Our objective was to determine the claudication, quality of life and functional results of THA through minimal invasive approach in patients with primary coxarthrosis. Material and methods: Prospective longitudinal study in patients with unilateral primary coxarthrosis postop of THA with minimally invasive approach from March 2015-February 2016, each patient was analyzed with quality of Life instrument (WOMAC), Functional test for coxarthrosis (HHS) and functional test in patients with hip surgery (OHS) with follow-up of one year. Results: We included 21 patients, 17 female and 4 males corresponding to 80.95% and 19.05% respectively, average age of 59.95 years (ED = 9.64), with excellent functional results to one year according to HHS and OHS, quality of life high in 100% of cases according to WOMAC, with claudication rate of 4.76%. Discussion: The minimal invasive approach is a reproducible surgical technique, with excellent functional results, low claudication rate and high quality of life in postoperative patients of primary ATC at only one year of follow-up.

Síndrome de hiperémesis por cannabinoides: caso clínico / Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome: clinical case

Background. The cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) was first described in 2004. It is considered as a functional gastrointestinal syndrome characterized by the presence of nausea, severe and cyclic morning vomiting, epigastric abdominal pain, hot water bathing for symptom relief, in patients that use cannabis regularly and has a resolution of the syndrome after cessation of cannabis consumption. Clinical Case. Report of a 29 year old male, with daily consumption of cannabis, with history of intense epigastric abdominal pain and recurrent vomiting that partially responded to the use of antispasmodics. After 4 visits to the emergency department he was hospitalized for study and treatment. Laboratory and image exploration are carried out without positive results for organic disease. Therefore, a functional gastrointestinal syndrome is thought, and a cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome was suspected. A psychiatric evaluation is carried out, diagnosing a cannabis use disorder. Discussion and conclusion. CHS is a syndrome that has been described recently and is not usually considered as a differential diagnosis for patients with hyperemesis. However, the current high prevalence of cannabis consumption, will probably lead to a more frequent presentation of the syndrome at different health providers. Therefore, it is important to diffuse and update the knowledge about this syndrome to recognize it and develop a timely treatment, avoiding medical complications from invasive exploratory methods and the use of unnecessary resources. (AU)