Efficiency in the transmission of information through digital imaging and communications in medicine using security mechanisms: tests with DISCUS.

This article describes our experience in using a Picture Archiving and Communications System, known as Secure Medical Image Information System, based on the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine standard that supports the use of secure transmissions, from the point of view of how the use of secure sending methods has an effect on the efficiency in the transmission according to the network employed, to quantify productivity loss due to the encryption, the secure transmission, and the subsequent decryption. To test the Secure Medical Image Information System, a series of medical data transmission were conducted from A Coruña (Spain) to the Virgen de las Nieves Hospital, situated 1,000 km away, in Granada (Spain). Once we studied the networking infrastructure of the hospital and its available image generation devices, we subsequently carried out a series of measurements during the transmissions, which allowed us to analyze the behavior of the system with different network schemes and connection speeds. The results obtained from these investigations demonstrate that the impact of secure data-sending methods on the productivity of the system is higher in networks whose capacities are higher and it is not affected by sending data during different periods in the day. In this regard, the presented approach may serve as a model for other small, and possibly mid-sized, medical centers.

Relative Pigment Composition and Remote Sensing Reflectance of Caribbean Shallow-Water Corals.

Reef corals typically contain a number of pigments, mostly due to their symbiotic relationship with photosynthetic dinoflagellates. These pigments usually vary in presence and concentration and influence the spectral characteristics of corals. We studied the variations in pigment composition among seven Caribbean shallow-water Scleractinian corals by means of High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis to further resolve the discrimination of corals. We found a total of 27 different pigments among the coral species, including some alteration products of the main pigments. Additionally, pigments typically found in endolithic algae were also identified. A Principal Components Analysis and a Hierarchical Cluster Analysis showed the separation of coral species based on pigment composition. All the corals were collected under the same physical environmental conditions. This suggests that pigment in the coral's symbionts might be more genetically-determined than influenced by prevailing physical conditions of the reef. We further investigated the use of remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) as a tool for estimating the total pigment concentration of reef corals. Depending on the coral species, the Rrs and the total symbiont pigment concentration per coral tissue area correlation showed 79.5-98.5% confidence levels demonstrating its use as a non-invasive robust technique to estimate pigment concentration in studies of coral reef biodiversity and health.

Influence of haemoglobin concentration and peripheral muscle pO2 on tumour oxygenation in advanced head and neck tumours.

Haemoglobin concentrations and tumour-pO(2) were evaluated pre-therapy in 30 patients with head and neck cancers. Anterior tibialis muscle-pO(2) was additionally measured in 16 of these patients. Tumour-pO(2) was lower in the most anaemic patients (P=0.032) and correlated with muscle-pO(2) (r=0.809, P<0.001). These results suggest that haemoglobin concentration influences tumour-oxygenation.

Increase of brain tumor oxygenation during cervical spinal cord stimulation. Report of three cases.

Malignant brain tumors have been shown to decrease O2 and blood flow resulting in hypoxia and low perfusion that in turn reduce radiation sensitivity and access by chemotherapeutic agents. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is a procedure that has been used quite successfully in the treatment of pain and ischemic syndromes. In the present study the authors applied the method and, with polarographic probes inserted in the tumor sites, measured the changes in tissue oxygenation and hypoxia in two separate tumor areas in three patients with high-grade astrocytomas. The results of the SCS indicated that overall tumor oxygenation increased by 90% (from 13.2+/-9.4 mm Hg to 25.1+/-9.6 mm Hg; p = 0.013); the percentage of moderately hypoxic values (< 10 mm Hg) decreased by 55% (from 48.6+/-20.1% to 22+/-13.3%; p = 0.026); and the percentage of considerably hypoxic values (< 5 mm Hg) decreased by 45% (from 28+/-20.3% to 15.5+/-15%; p = 0.018). In this report the authors describe a potential novel application of SCS, and the preliminary results suggest that tumor tissue oxygenation and hypoxia are significantly improved as a result. If these findings are confirmed, the method may be applicable as an adjuvant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy regimens.

Effect of ozone therapy on muscle oxygenation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Ozone therapy is being used to treat ischemic disorders. However, the underlying mechanisms for the success are unknown and the therapy has not been accepted fully within conventional medicine. This study sought to assess the effect of ozone therapy on resting muscle oxygenation. PATIENTS AND DESIGN: Twenty-three (23) patients and 3 volunteers were recruited for this prospective study. Systemic ozone therapy was administered by autohemotransfusion on three alternate days over 1 week. Tissue oxygenation (mmHg) was directly measured in the tibialis anterior muscle using polarographic needle electrodes before and after the first and the third ozone therapy session. RESULTS: Globally, the differences in oxygenation were not statistically significant but there was a significant decrease in the percentage of low-oxygenated values (pO(2) < 5 mmHg) following ozone sessions (p < 0.02). The change in muscle oxygenation following ozone therapy was inversely correlated with age (r = -0.398; p = 0.044) and with the initial (baseline pretherapy) muscle oxygenation values (r = -0.644; p < 0.001), indicating that the more poorly oxygenated muscles benefited most from the therapy. A significant (p = 0.031) higher oxygenation in these tissues was observed 48 hours after the second session. CONCLUSIONS: Ozone therapy can modify oxygenation in resting muscles, particularly of those that are most hypoxic. Our results suggest that ozone therapy could be used effectively as a complementary treatment of hypoxic and ischemic syndromes and that the therapy warrants further investigation for possible application in other clinical conditions.

Hallazgos histopatológicos en la disección y rotura de la aorta torácica. Estudio de 54 casos de autopsia / Histopathological findings in dissection and rupture of the thoracic aorta. Study of 54 autopsy cases

Introducción la disección/rotura de la aorta torácica tiene una alta mortalidad, constituyendo de 3,9 a 5,4% de las muertes súbitas en series forenses. Los hallazgos histopatológicos de la media asociados a estas entidades han recibido múltiples términos y definiciones. En 2016, la Asociación Europea de Patología Cardiovascular junto con la Sociedad de Patología Cardiovascular publicaron un documento de consenso, aplicado a muestras quirúrgicas, para unificar criterios. El objetivo de este trabajo es valorar su aplicación en las autopsias forenses. Un objetivo secundario es estudiar cambios inflamatorios útiles para la datación. Material y métodos se revisaron las preparaciones histológicas de aorta de 54 casos de muertes súbitas por rotura/disección aórtica estudiados entre 2019 y 2022. Resultados se observó degeneración de la media en 49 casos (90,8%) (severa en 42,9%). Por lesiones, el orden de frecuencia fue: fragmentación y/o pérdida de las fibras elásticas (74,1%); acúmulo de matriz mucoide extracelular (61,1%); pérdida de núcleos de células musculares lisas (48,1%) y colapso de la media (44,4%). Algunas lesiones del documento no pudieron ser valoradas. No se encontraron diferencias significativas por edad; presencia o no de colagenopatías; o válvulas aórticas bi/tricúspides. Se observó tejido de granulación o infiltrado neutrofílico en los fallecidos con dolor de varios días o <24 h antes de la muerte, respectivamente. Conclusión con la aplicación del documento se encuentran lesiones en la media en >90% de los casos y pueden estudiarse las lesiones fundamentales. La respuesta inflamatoria frente a la rotura/disección parece correlacionarse con el momento de la disección/rotura. (AU)

Introduction Thoracic aortic dissection/rupture has a high mortality, constituting 3.9-5.4% of sudden deaths in forensic series. Medial histopathological findings associated with these entities have received multiple terms and definitions. In 2016, the European Association for Cardiovascular Pathology and the Society for Cardiovascular Pathology published a consensus document, applied to surgical specimens, to unify criteria. The aim of this work is to assess its application in forensic autopsies. A secondary objective is to study inflammatory changes useful for dating. Material and methods Aortic histological preparations of the 54 cases of sudden deaths due to aortic rupture/dissection studied between 2019 and 2022 were reviewed. Results Medial degeneration was observed in 49 cases (90.8%) (severe in 42.9%). By lesions, the order of frequency was: fragmentation and/or loss of elastic fibers (74.1%); accumulation of extracellular mucoid matrix (61.1%); loss of smooth muscle cell nuclei (48.1%) and collapse of the media (44.4%). Some lesions of the consensus paper could not be assessed. No significant differences were found by age; presence or not of collagenopathies; or bi/tricuspid aortic valves. Granulation tissue or neutrophilic infiltrate was observed in those deceased with pain several days or <24 h before death, respectively. Conclusion With the application of the document, lesions in the media are found in >90% of cases and fundamental lesions can be studied. The inflammatory response to rupture/dissection appears to correlate with the timing of dissection/rupture. (AU)

Similitud molecular empleando Índices Híbridos / Molecular similarity using Hybrid Indices

Se presenta un método para la detección de semejanza entre moléculas basado en macheo inexacto de grafos. Se parte del grafo molecular completo ponderado en sus vértices por propiedades químico-físicas particionadas sobre los mismos, se reduce el grafo por el procedimiento CALEDE que define Centros Descriptores o fragmentos de primer orden, los cuales son subgrafos ponderados por la suma de los valores de los vértices ponderados individualmente a su vez, y se construyen fragmentos denominados de segundo orden que incluyen la distancia entre los centros de masas de ambos centros descriptores. Se presenta el método de búsqueda aplicado a una base de datos de más de 300 moléculas con sus respectivas estructuras en tres dimensiones. Esos compuestos se encuentran evaluados como anticancerígenos en la base de datos de compuestos del NCBI-USA. En el experimento computacional se encuentra que, en dependencia de la función de similitud empleada, es posible detectar compuestos que a pesar de poseer diferente topología, poseen valores de las propiedades empleadas para el macheo lo cual sugiere la presencia de potenciales farmacóforos como hallazgo relevante, lo cual constituiría un novedoso enfoque para el diseño computacional de fármacos(AU)

A method for detecting similarity between molecules based on inexact matching graph is presented. We start from a complete molecular graph vertices weighted by several hybrid indices. The molecular graph is reduced by CALEDE procedure, which define descriptors centers or first order fragments. These fragments are subgraphs weighted with the sum of values of the vertices weighted with the hybrid indices. It also define second order fragments by including the distance between the centers of mass of both descriptors centers. The search method applied to a database of over 300 molecules with their respective threedimensional structures is presented. These compounds are reported in the NCBI-USA database of compounds whish were evaluated in anticancer tests. In the computational experiment, depending on the similarity function used, is possible to detect compounds that despite having different topology have property values suggesting the presence of potential pharmacophore. It suggest the possibility to use this approach as a novel approach for computational drug design(AU)

Development and implementation of a secure, integrated management system for medical images and electronic clinical records for small hospitals.

The field of Medical Informatics is currently experiencing increasing demands for new models of the Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS) and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) protocols. Despite of the considerable advantages of current systems, implementation in hospitals is remarkably slow, due primarily to difficulties in integration and relatively high costs. Even though the success of DICOM standards has greatly contributed to the development of PACS, many hospitals remain unable to support it or to make full use of its potential because various imaging modalities in use at these sites generate images that cannot be stored in the PACS and cannot be managed in a centralized manner without DICOM standardization modules. Furthermore, the imaging modalities being used in such smaller centers are expensive and unlikely to be replaced, making DICOM compliance untenable. With this in mind, this paper describes the design, development, and implementation of a management system for medical diagnostic imaging, based on the DICOM standard and adapted to the needs of a small hospital. The system is currently being implemented in the San Rafael Hospital at A Coruna in Spain, and integrated with the existing hospital information system (HIS). We have studied the networking infrastructure of the hospital and its available image generation devices, and have subsequently carried out a series of measurements including transmission times, image file size, compression ratios, and many others that allow us to analyze the behavior of the system. Results obtained from these investigations demonstrate both the flexibility of using such a "small-hospital" DICOM-based framework as well as the relative cost-effectiveness of the system. In this regard, the approach, described herein, might serve as a model for other small, and possibly mid-sized, medical centers.

Ozone Therapy on Cerebral Blood Flow: A Preliminary Report.

Ozone therapy is currently being used in the treatment of ischemic disorders, but the underlying mechanisms that result in successful treatment are not well known. This study assesses the effect of ozone therapy on the blood flow in the middle cerebral and common carotid arteries. Seven subjects were recruited for the therapy that was performed by transfusing ozone-enriched autologous blood on 3 alternate days over 1 week. Blood flow quantification in the common carotid artery (n = 14) was performed using color Doppler. Systolic and diastolic velocities in the middle cerebral artery (n = 14) were estimated using transcranial Doppler. Ultrasound assessments were conducted at the following three time points: 1) basal (before ozone therapy), 2) after session #3 and 3) 1 week after session #3. The common carotid blood flow had increased by 75% in relation to the baseline after session #3 (P < 0.001) and by 29% 1 week later (P = 0.039). In the middle cerebral artery, the systolic velocity had increased by 22% after session #3 (P = 0.001) and by 15% 1 week later (P = 0.035), whereas the diastolic velocity had increased by 33% after session #3 (P < 0.001) and by 18% 1 week later (P = 0.023). This preliminary Doppler study supports the clinical experience of achieving improvement by using ozone therapy in peripheral ischemic syndromes. Its potential use as a complementary treatment in cerebral low perfusion syndromes merits further clinical evaluation.

Luminescent nido-carborane-diphosphine anions [(PR2)2C2B9H10](-) (R = Ph, (i)Pr). Modification of their luminescence properties upon formation of three-coordinate gold(I) complexes.

The free nido-diphosphine anions [(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(9)H(10)](-) (R = Ph, (i)Pr) show luminescence properties whereas the closo-diphosphines [(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(10)H(10)] do not. Four families of three-coordinate complexes of stoichiometry [Au[(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(10)H(10)]L]OTf (L = tertiary phosphine) and [Au[(PR(2))(2)C(2)B(9)H(10)]L] have been studied in order to analyze the influence of the closo- or nido-nature of the diphosphine, the monophosphine coordinated to gold and the substituent at the diphosphine on the luminescence of the complexes. Only the nido-derivatives show luminescence. The maxima of the emissions are shifted to lower energies than those of the corresponding free nido-diphosphines. When the substituent at the diphosphine is phenyl, a new emission appears, which has been assigned as arising from a metal to ligand charge transfer [Au-->pi(L)] excited state.

Ozone Therapy for Tumor Oxygenation: a Pilot Study.

Tumor hypoxia is an adverse factor for chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Ozone therapy is a non-conventional form of medicine that has been used successfully in the treatment of ischemic disorders. This prospective study was designed to assess the effect of ozone therapy on tumor oxygenation. Eighteen subjects were recruited for the study. Systemic ozone therapy was administered by autohemotransfusion on three alternate days over one week. Tumor oxygenation levels were measured using polarographic needle probes before and after the first and the third ozone therapy session. Overall, no statistically significant change was observed in the tumor oxygenation in the 18 patients. However, a significant decrease was observed in hypoxic values