Summary of recommendations and key points of the consensus of Spanish scientific societies (SEPAR, SEMICYUC, SEMES; SECIP, SENEO, SEDAR, SENP) on the use of non-invasive ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy with nasal cannulas in adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients with severe acute respiratory failure.

Non-invasive respiratory support (NIRS) in adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) comprises two treatment modalities, non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy. However, experts from different specialties disagree on the benefit of these techniques in different clinical settings. The objective of this consensus was to develop a series of good clinical practice recommendations for the application of non-invasive support in patients with ARF, endorsed by all scientific societies involved in the management of adult and pediatric/neonatal patients with ARF. To this end, the different societies involved were contacted, and they in turn appointed a group of 26 professionals with sufficient experience in the use of these techniques. Three face-to-face meetings were held to agree on recommendations (up to a total of 71) based on a literature review and the latest evidence associated with 3 categories: indications, monitoring and follow-up of NIRS. Finally, the experts from each scientific society involved voted telematically on each of the recommendations. To classify the degree of agreement, an analogue classification system was chosen that was easy and intuitive to use and that clearly stated whether the each NIRS intervention should be applied, could be applied, or should not be applied.

Summary of recommendations and key points of the consensus of Spanish scientific societies (SEPAR, SEMICYUC, SEMES; SECIP, SENEO, SEDAR, SENP) on the use of non-invasive ventilation and high-flow oxygen therapy with nasal cannulas in adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients with severe acute respiratory failure. / Sumario de las recomendaciones y puntos clave del Consenso de las Sociedades Científicas Españolas (SEPAR, SEMICYUC, SEMES; SECIP, SENeo, SEDAR, SENP) para la utilización de la ventilación no invasiva y terapia de alto flujo con cánulas nasales en el paciente adulto, pediátrico y neonatal con insuficiencia respiratoria aguda grave.

Non-invasive respiratory support (NIRS) in adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients with acute respiratory failure (ARF) comprises two treatment modalities, non-invasive mechanical ventilation (NIMV) and high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy. However, experts from different specialties disagree on the benefit of these techniques in different clinical settings. The objective of this consensus was to develop a series of good clinical practice recommendations for the application of non-invasive support in patients with ARF, endorsed by all scientific societies involved in the management of adult and pediatric/neonatal patients with ARF. To this end, the different societies involved were contacted, and they in turn appointed a group of 26 professionals with sufficient experience in the use of these techniques. Three face-to-face meetings were held to agree on recommendations (up to a total of 71) based on a literature review and the latest evidence associated with 3 categories: indications, monitoring and follow-up of NIRS. Finally, the experts from each scientific society involved voted telematically on each of the recommendations. To classify the degree of agreement, an analogue classification system was chosen that was easy and intuitive to use and that clearly stated whether the each NIRS intervention should be applied, could be applied, or should not be applied.

Effectiveness of different treatments in obesity hypoventilation syndrome.

Obesity hypoventilation syndrome (OHS) is an undesirable consequence of obesity, defined as daytime hypoventilation, sleep disorder breathing and obesity; during the past few years the prevalence of extreme obesity has markedly increased worldwide consequently increasing the prevalence of OHS. Patients with OHS have a lower quality of life and a higher risk of unfavourable cardiometabolic consequences. Early diagnosis and effective treatment can lead to significant improvement in patient outcomes; therefore, such data has noticeably raised interest in the management and treatment of this sleep disorder. This paper will discuss the findings on the main current treatment modalities OHS will be discussed.

Finite element analysis of narrow dental implants.

Narrow-diameter implants (NDIs) traditionally have been associated to higher rates of failure in comparison with regular-diameter implants (RDIs) and wide-diameter implants (WDIs), since they generate a more unfavorable stress distribution in peri-implant bone. However, it is well known that the load sharing effect associated with prostheses supported by multiple implants (also called splinted prostheses) affords mechanical benefits. The present study involves finite element analysis (FEA) to determine whether the risks linked to NDIs could be mitigated by the mechanical advantages afforded by the splinting concept. For this purpose, a three-dimensional (3D) model of a real maxilla was reconstructed from computed tomography (CT) images, and different implants (NDIs, RDIs and WDIs) and prostheses were created using computer-aided design (CAD) tools. Biting forces were simulated on the prostheses corresponding to three different rehabilitation solutions: single-implant restoration, three-unit bridge and all-on-four treatment. Stress distribution around the implants was calculated, and overloading in bone was quantified within peri-implant volumes enclosed by cylinders with a diameter 0.1mm greater than that of each implant. The mechanical benefits of the splinting concept were confirmed: the peri-implant overloaded volume around NDIs splinted by means of the three-unit bridge was significantly reduced in comparison with the nonsplinted condition and, most importantly, proved even smaller than that around nonsplinted implants with a larger diameter (RDIs). However, splinted NDIs supporting the all-on-four prosthesis led to the highest risk of overloading found in the study, due to the increase in compressive stress generated around the tilted implant when loading the cantilevered molar.

Clinical Consensus Recommendations Regarding Non-Invasive Respiratory Support in the Adult Patient with Acute Respiratory Failure Secondary to SARS-CoV-2 infection. / Recomendaciones de consenso respecto al soporte respiratorio no invasivo en el paciente adulto con insuficiencia respiratoria aguda secundaria a infección por SARS-CoV-2.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a respiratory tract infection caused by a newly emergent coronavirus, that was first recognized in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO) has defined the infection as a global pandemic and there is a health and social emergency for the management of this new infection. While most people with COVID-19 develop only mild or uncomplicated illness, approximately 14% develop severe disease that requires hospitalization and oxygen support, and 5% require admission to an intensive care unit. In severe cases, COVID-19 can be complicated by the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), sepsis and septic shock, and multiorgan failure. This consensus document has been prepared on evidence-informed guidelines developed by a multidisciplinary panel of health care providers from four Spanish scientific societies (Spanish Society of Intensive Care Medicine [SEMICYUC], Spanish Society of Pulmonologists [SEPAR], Spanish Society of Emergency [SEMES], Spanish Society of Anesthesiology, Reanimation, and Pain [SEDAR]) with experience in the clinical management of patients with COVID-19 and other viral infections, including SARS, as well as sepsis and ARDS. The document provides clinical recommendations for the noninvasive respiratory support (noninvasive ventilation, high flow oxygen therapy with nasal cannula) in any patient with suspected or confirmed presentation of COVID-19 with acute respiratory failure. This consensus guidance should serve as a foundation for optimized supportive care to ensure the best possible chance for survival and to allow for reliable comparison of investigational therapeutic interventions as part of randomized controlled trials.

Intentional inhibition in memory and hallucinations: directed forgetting and updating.

Hallucinations have been recently associated with inhibitory deficits in memory. In this study, the authors investigated whether hallucinations were related to difficulties to inhibit irrelevant information from episodic memory (Experiment 1) and working memory (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, a directed forgetting task was used. This task measures participants' ability to intentionally forget some recently learned material, when instructions indicate that it is no longer relevant. In Experiment 2, an updating task was used. This task requires participants to intentionally suppress irrelevant information from working memory. Results showed that patients with schizophrenia with hallucinations presented inhibitory deficits in the directed forgetting task and an increase in the number of intrusions in the updating task, compared to patients without hallucinations and healthy controls. No correlations were found between indices of inhibition and other general, negative or positive symptoms. These findings support the existence of an association between intentional inhibition in memory and hallucinations, and they suggest that problems to suppress memory representations can underlie hallucinations in schizophrenia.

Simultaneous determination of three antioxidants in foods and cosmetics by flow injection coupled to an ultra-short monolithic column.

The combination of an ultra-short C18 monolithic column (5 mm long) with flow injection analysis results in a versatile and efficient system that has been used for the determination of three antioxidants [propylgallate (PG), butylhydroxyanisole (BA), and butylhydroxytoluene (BT)]. Due to the wide variety of polarities of the analytes, two different carriers (carrier A: methanol-water 42% and carrier B: methanol-water 70%) were able to separate the analytes in only 85 s. The applicable concentration range, the detection, and the relative standard deviation (n=10) were: for PG, from 2.77 to 300 microg/mL, 0.84 microg/mL, 2.84%; for BA, between 1.51 and 300 microg/mL, 0.46 microg/mL, and 2.70%; and for BT, between 1.65 and 100 microg/mL, 0.55 microg/mL, and 2.22%, respectively. The method was applied and validated satisfactorily for the determination of PG, BA, and BT in food and cosmetic samples.

[Clinical features and histopathology of prostate cancer diagnosed from the third biopsy]. / Características clínicas e histopatológicas del cáncer de próstata diagnosticado a partir de la tercera biopsia.

OBJECTIVE: To study of histological and clinical features of prostate cancer diagnosed after three or more prostate biopsies in order to assess its clinical relevance and to discard the overdiagnosis of prostate cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical records of 61 patients who underwent three or more prostate biopsies between January 2000 and December 2006. The analyzed variables were: age, PSA level, free/total PSA ratio, PSA density, digital rectal examination, prostate volume, sonographic findings and previous malignant lesion strongly associated to the presence of tumor on previous biopsy. We studied the pathology of the tumors diagnosed from the third biopsy, therapeutical approach and its evolution with a minimum follow-up of 3 months. RESULTS: Fifteen out of 61 patients with more than three biopsies had prostate cancer (24,59%) in the third biopsy, 5 out of 14 patients with 4 biopsies (35,71%) and 1 of the 2 cases (50%) who underwent a fifth biopsy. According to the results of biopsy, 6 patients met the criteria of clinically insignificant cancer (28,57%). Curative treatment was performed in all patients: brachytherapy in 5, external beam radiotherapy in 6 and radical prostatectomy in 10. Clinically significant tumors were found in all cases: 2 pT2b tumors and 7 pT2c tumors with negative surgical margins and with an excellent control of the cancer after a minimum follow up of 13 months, and one pT4 tumor with bladder neck infiltration. CONCLUSION: In our practice, overall detection rate of the third, fourth and fifth biopsy is 34,42% corresponding with tumors that could benefit from curative treatment.

[Obstructive symptoms in young woman by left hydrosalpinx]. / Sintomatología obstructiva en mujer joven por hidrosalpinx izquierdo.

We describe the case of a 43 years old woman with obstructive and irritative symptoms after having an hysterectomy. Bladder outlet obstruction was observed in an urodinamyc study. She was later diagnosed with left hidrosalpinx. Salpingectomy was performed, as a result all symptoms have disap-

[A preliminar mathematical model for patients with a previous negative prostate biopsy]. / Desarrollo de un Modelo Matemático preliminar para la detección de cancer de próstata en los pacientes con biopsias prostáticas de repetición.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: It is usual to identify patients with a negative prostate biopsy who are still at risk of prostate cancer. We try to analyse if the classical variables used in the prostate cancer screening are useful for those patients with a previous negative prostate biopsy, and if there is a possibility for making a nomogram witch would help us in the decision to repeat the biopsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied 179 patients with at least 1 initial negative biopsy. At each biopsy session we recorded: Patient age, serum prostate specific antigen (PSA), free PSA/total PSA, PSA slope, digital rectal examination, prostate volume, PSA density, cancer suspicion in previous transrectal ultrasounds findings, number of negative cores previously obtained, history of precarcinomatous lesions and time between biopsies. Through Logistic regression analysis we determined the association of each variable a positive biopsy. A nomogram was constructed using all variables and discrimination was calculated as the concordance index. RESULTS: Overall 46% of patients had cancer at the repeated biopsy session. In the univariate analysis: Age, digital rectal examination, prostate volume, PSA density, cancer suspicion in ultrasounds findings, and precarcinomatous lesions were associated with repeat positive biopsy for cancer (all p <0.05). In the multivariate study, age, digital rectal examination, prostate volume and history of precarcinomatous lesions were associated with repeat positive biopsy. A nomogram was constructed that had a concordance index of 0.80.

Predicting Short- and Long-Term Outcomes in Adult Heart Transplantation: Clinical Utility of MELD-XI Score.

BACKGROUND: Model for End-Stage Liver Disease scoring system excluding international normalized ratio (MELD-XI) has been related with worse outcomes after heart transplantation (HT). However, according to standards in prognostic models research, before implementing a risk score for daily clinical decision-making, its performance and impact on clinical practice/outcomes should be evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of the MELD-XI score to predict outcomes in daily clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 190 consecutive adults undergoing HT between 2005-2015. Patients were stratified into low (MELD-XI <12) and high (MELD-XI ≥12) risk cohorts. Mortality rates at 30 days and 1 year were compared between MELD-XI groups. MELD-XI ability to predict 1-year mortality was assessed by the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) and compared to that of bilirubin, creatinine, and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). RESULTS: Mortality rates at 30 days and 1 year were similar between groups (8% vs 13%; P = .28 and 21% vs 29%; P = .21, respectively). MELD-XI ability to predict 1-year mortality was poor and similar to that of bilirubin, creatinine, and PVR (0.51 vs 0.47 vs 0.50 vs 0.50, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MELD-XI score utility in HT clinical decision-making is scarce since its discrimination ability is poor and similar to other simple prognostic variables.

Moderate hypothermia during cardiopulmonary bypass reduces myocardial cell damage and myocardial cell death related to cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that moderate hypothermia during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) provides myocardial protection by enhancing intra-myocardial anti-inflammatory cytokine balance. BACKGROUND: Moderate hypothermia during experimental CPB stimulates production of interleukin-10 (IL10) and blunts release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha). METHODS: Twelve young pigs were assigned to a temperature (T degrees ) regimen during CPB: moderate hypothermia (T degrees : 28 degrees C; n = 6) and normothermia (T degrees : 37 degrees C; n = 6). Intra-myocardial TNFalpha- and IL10-messenger RNA were detected by competitive reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and quantification of cytokine synthesis by Western blot. Levels of cardiac troponin I (cTnI) in cardiac lymph and in arterial and coronary venous blood were examined during and after CPB. Myocardial cell damage was assessed by histologic and ultrastructural anomalies of tissue probes taken 6 h after CPB. RESULTS: Synthesis of IL10 was significantly higher, while that of TNFalpha was significantly lower, in pigs that were in moderate hypothermia during surgery than in the others. In contrast with normothermia, moderate hypothermia was also associated with significantly lower cumulative cardiac lymphatic flow during and after CPB, significantly lower lymphatic cTnI concentrations after CPB, significantly lower percentages of myocardial cell necrosis and a significantly lower score of ultrastructural anomalies of myocardial cells. While the percentage of apoptotic cells was not different between groups, the apoptosis/necrosis ratio tended to be higher in animals that were in moderate hypothermia during surgery. In all animals, TNFalpha synthesis correlated positively while IL10 production correlated negatively with necrosis and total cell death, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that moderate hypothermia during CPB provides myocardial protection by enhancing intra-myocardial anti-inflammatory cytokine balance.

Testicular leydig cell hyperplasia as a cause of familial sexual precocity.

Testicular Leydig cell hyperplasia was observed in two brothers presenting with progressive sexual precocity at 2 yr of age. Virilization was shown to result from increased secretion rather than decreased clearance of gonadal testosterone. Testosterone hypersecretion appeared to be gonadotropin independent, as basal and gonadotropin-releasing hormone-induced serum LH concentrations were low by both RIA and bioassay. Adrenal steroidogenesis was demonstrated to be normal by ACTH stimulation, dexamethasone suppression, and split adrenal venous function tests. Testicular histology revealed immature reproductive structures in the 2 yr old, but advanced spermatogenesis in the 3 yr-old brother. The etiology of both Leydig cell hyperplasia and reproductive testicular maturation in the absence of significant gonadotropin secretion remains to be established.

Lymphoid polyps (focal lymphoid hyperplasia) of the colon in children.

Lymphoid polyps (focal lymphoid hyperplasia) of the colon are rare in children. These lesions are benign, but must be differentiated from malignant lymphomas. Grasp biopsies of the lesion are inadequate for this purpose and the polyp should be submitted in toto for pathologic examination. No treatment other than local excision is warranted. Two cases are presented and the literature is reviewed.

Isochromosome 12p mosaicism (Pallister mosaic aneuploidy or Pallister-Killian syndrome): report of 11 cases.

We report on 11 cases of isochromosome 12p mosaicism (or Pallister mosaic aneuploidy syndrome) in which the isochromosome is usually absent in cultured lymphocytes but present in fibroblasts. The patients range in age from a 22-week-gestation fetus to a 45-year-old man. They have a distinct pattern of anomalies which enables one to make a diagnosis based on clinical manifestations alone. Craniofacial manifestations include "coarse" face with prominent forehead, sparsity of scalp hair, hypertelorism, epicanthal folds, flat bridge of nose, and highly arched palate. Affected newborn infants are profoundly hypotonic with sparsity of scalp hair especially bitemporally and a prominent forehead. Most have accessory nipples. Birthweight and growth parameters are usually normal; however, some newborn infants are unusually large. In infancy, the facial appearance becomes "coarse," hypotonia persists, and seizures may occur. As adults, growth may be normal, scalp hair is thicker and the mandible becomes prominent. Most have a generalized pigmentary dysplasia which may be evident with a Wood's lamp only. All cases have been sporadic and there is no consistent pattern of advanced parental age.

Influence of temperature during cardiopulmonary bypass on leukocyte activation, cytokine balance, and post-operative organ damage.

This study examined the hypothesis that core temperature (T(o)) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) influences the perioperative systemic inflammatory response and post-operative organ damage. Twenty-four pigs were assigned to a T(o) regimen during CPB: normothermia (T(o) 37 degrees C; n = 8), moderate hypothermia (T(o) 28 degrees C; n = 8), or deep hypothermia (T(o) 20 degrees C; n = 8). Perioperative leukocyte activation, endotoxin release, and production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-10 (IL10) were examined with regard to post-operative organ damage, which was scored at histological examination of tissue probes of heart, lungs, liver, kidney, and ileum, taken 6 h after CPB. Total blood leukocyte count and TNFalpha plasma levels during CPB were significantly lower and IL10 levels were significantly higher in the moderate hypothermic group than in both other groups. Elastase activity, leukotriene B4-, and endotoxin levels were not affected by T(o) regimen. Moderate hypothermia was associated with the lowest histological organ damage score and normothermia with the highest. In all animals organ damage score for heart, lungs, and kidneys correlated significantly with TNFalpha levels at the end of CPB. Our data demonstrate a clear relationship between TNFalpha production during cardiac operations and post-operative multiple-organ damage. Moderate hypothermia, by stimulating IL10 synthesis and suppressing TNFalpha production during CPB, might provide organ protection.

Meaning and diagnostic value of determining the lysozyme level of pleural fluid.

We determined the levels of lysozyme in pleural fluid and serum in 141 patients with the following different causes for their pleural effusions: tuberculosis; neoplasias; transudates; parapneumonic, not complicated; empyemas; and miscellaneous. The lysozyme level of the pleural fluid and the ratio of that level over the serum level of lysozyme (PL/SL ratio) was meaningfully increased in patients with empyema (p less than 0.01). The groups with tuberculous and neoplastic effusions showed significant differences in the PL/SL ratio (p less than 0.01). The existence of a raised PL/SL ratio suggested important local synthesis of lysozyme, and it came up in empyemas and tuberculosis, unlike the other groups. Excluding the patients with empyemas, a PL/SL ratio of 1.2 showed a sensitivity of 100 percent, specificity of 94.9 percent, positive predictive value of 94.7 percent, negative predictive value of 100 percent, and accuracy of 97.3 percent for the diagnosis of tuberculous pleural effusion. All of this suggests that the determination of the lysozyme level can be an easy method of great usefulness in the initial diagnosis of pleural effusions.

Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation. Analysis of its withdrawal.

Nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) applied during sleep has been demonstrated to be useful in the treatment of restrictive thoracic diseases (RTD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the repercussions of a withdrawal period from NIPPV of 15 days. This would be sufficient time for patients to go on trips without the respirator. It was hypothesized that once daytime improvement was achieved and was stable, it could be maintained for this period of time. Five volunteer patients with severe RTD who had been receiving treatment with nocturnal NIPPV for at least 2 months before and who had improved at least 5 mm Hg in daytime PO2 and PCO2 were included in the study. No significant differences were disclosed clinically or with arterial blood gas levels, spirometry results, lung volumes, airway resistances, or maximal muscle pressures 15 days following the withdrawal. However, in the sleep studies, a severe worsening of gas exchange was observed, mainly during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, as well as a trend toward a more disturbed sleep pattern and more important alterations in cardiac rhythm. Consequently, withdrawing the treatment with nocturnal NIPPV cannot be recommended, at least for this particular removal period. Moreover, alterations in daytime gas exchange were found to originate in those produced during REM sleep through the blunting of the respiratory center to CO2. The NIPPV obstructs this mechanism, preventing the deterioration of gas exchange during sleep.

Monoclonal antibodies for detection of lymphocyte markers: comparison of three commercial kits.

Three commercial monoclonal antibody kits (Histoset, OrthoDiagnostics, Raritan, NJ; T Cell Panel, Becton Dickinson, Mountain View, CA; Histotag Lymphoma Set, Hybritech Inc., San Diego, CA) were compared, using touch preparations, frozen sections, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of 14 tonsils. With the first two kits, sensitive results were obtained in touch preparations and frozen sections with strong, crisp, reproducible immunostain. Results were accurate and easily interpreted despite moderate background staining. Distribution and numbers of lymphocytes and subsets were appropriate. The Histotag Lymphoma Set was sensitive for detection of T-cells in touch preparations and frozen sections. Hazy, moderate immunostain was obtained with B-cell and common leukocyte antibodies. Accuracy was questioned because of variable and false-negative results (75% in touch preparations) with all anti-sera, and interfollicular staining for B-lymphocytes. In formalin-fixed sections, positive results of low sensitivity were obtained only with the T Cell Panel. The Histoset and T Cell Panel are recommended, particularly for use with frozen sections.

Rhinosporidiosis. A report of two cases from Arkansas.

Two human native cases of ocular-conjunctival rhinosporidiosis from Arkansas are believed to be the first documented reports in this part of the country. The common mode of infection was accidental injury to the eye by possible contaminated soil-dust. The appearance of the polypoid growth was relatively fast, 6-16 days, and unresponsive to topical antibiotic and steroid treatment. Surgical excision, with one recurrence in one case, was the elective treatment. Both patients are asymptomatic 10-12 months after treatment, respectively, with no evidence of other recurrence, dissemination, or major complications. From 1939 to September, 1983, only nine cases of conjunctival rhinosporidiosis were reported in the United States.