Ureteropelvic junction obstruction and renal calculi: Simultaneous treatment by robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty and transcutaneous retrograde flexible ureteroscopy. Technique description and early outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) and renal calculi are associated in 20 to 30% of cases and treatment is mandatory. The simultaneous surgical management is a therapeutic challenge that is still a source of controversy. We describe our technique combining robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty and transcutaneous retrograde flexible ureteroscopy (fURS), assessing the feasibility of simultaneous treatment through an original technique. METHODS: This single centre series reports our initial experience with 12 patients. From January 2014 to September 2018, 12 patients underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty with simultaneous fURS for UPJO and renal calculi. Mean age was 46 years (24-68). 92% had multiple renal stones and the mean cumulative stone diameter was 31,3mm. Robot-assisted pyeloplasty was performed with peroperative transcutaneous retrograde fURS through a ureteral access sheath introduced in an incision on the bassinet through a subcostal trocar. Stone extraction was performed using a basket. RESULTS: All patients underwent surgery successfully, achieving UPJ repair and complete stone extraction. Mean operating time was 92,5min (85-110). All reported Clavien-Dindo complications were grade 1. Non-contrast enhanced abdominal CT performed 1 month after surgery confirmed the absence of residual stones in all patients. Mean follow-up time was 10 months with no recurrence of UPJO. CONCLUSION: This small series confirms the feasibility with good surgical results of concomitant robot-assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty and transcutaneous retrograde fURS stone extraction. No major complications were observed. This technique is easily reproducible but requires 2 experienced urologists to be achieved in a contained operative time.

[Pathological pelvic lymph node involvement in muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients treated with radical cystectomy: A narrative review]. / Envahissement ganglionnaire pelvien anatomopathologique après cystectomie totale pour le traitement des tumeurs de vessie infiltrant le muscle : une revue narrative de la littérature.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a narrative review of the contemporary literature on the diagnosis, prognosis and adjuvant management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients with pathological pelvic lymph node involvement (pN+) at radical cystectomy. METHOD: A narrative review of the contemporary literature available on Medline was conducted to report studies evaluating the diagnosis, prognosis and/or adjuvant treatments for MIBC patients with pN+ disease at radical cystectomy. RESULTS: Open or robotic extended pelvic lymph node dissection up to the crossing of the ureter with common iliac vessels can enhance the diagnosis of pN+ MIBC, especially using separate packages for the submission of a maximum number of lymph nodes. The main prognosis factors for pN+ patients are the number of positive and retrieved lymph nodes, lymph node density, extranodal extension as well as lymph node metastasis diameter. Adjuvant chemotherapy is likely to prolong overall survival in pN+ patients treated with radical cystectomy alone while adjuvant immunotherapy using nivolumab has been shown to decrease the risk of recurrence in all pN+ patients, especially those with ypN+ disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy. However, few data are currently available on the role of adjuvant radiation therapy, which remains currently experimental for these patients. CONCLUSION: Multiple parameters have been reported to impact the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with pN+ MIBC at radical cystectomy. Adjuvant management is currently based on chemotherapy and immunotherapy with preliminary data on radiation therapy.

Neuroprotection is improved by watertightness of fetal spina bifida repair in the sheep model.

OBJECTIVES: A contributing factor to unsuccessful prenatal spina bifida aperta (SBA) repair via an open approach may be incomplete neurosurgical repair causing persistent in-utero leakage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and exposure of the fetal spinal cord to amniotic fluid. We aimed to investigate the neurostructural and neurofunctional efficacy of watertight prenatal SBA repair in a validated SBA fetal lamb model. METHODS: A well-powered superiority study was conducted in the validated SBA fetal lamb model (n = 7 per group). The outcomes of lambs which underwent watertight or non-watertight multilayer repair through an open approach were compared to those of unrepaired SBA lambs (historical controls) at delivery (term = 145 days). At ∼75 days, fetal lambs underwent standardized induction of lumbar SBA. At ∼100 days, they were assigned to an either watertight or non-watertight layered repair group based on an intraoperative watertightness test using subcutaneous fluorescein injection. At 1-2 days postnatally, as primary outcome, we assessed reversal of hindbrain herniation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Secondary proxies of neuroprotection were: absence of CSF leakage at the repair site; hindlimb motor function based on joint-movement score, locomotor grade and Motor Evoked Potential (MEP); four-score neuroprotection scale, encompassing live birth, complete hindbrain herniation reversal, absence of CSF leakage and joint-movement score ≥ 9/15; and brain and spinal cord histology and immunohistochemistry. As the watertightness test cannot be used clinically due to its invasiveness, we developed a potential surrogate intraoperative three-score skin-repair-quality scale based on visual assessment of the quality of the skin repair (suture inter-run distance ≤ 3 mm, absence of tear and absence of ischemia), with high quality defined by a score ≥ 2/3 and low quality by a score < 2/3, and assessed its relationship with improved outcome. RESULTS: Compared with unrepaired lambs, lambs with watertight repair achieved a high level of neuroprotection (neuroprotection score of 4/4 in 5/7 vs 0/7 lambs) as evidenced by: a significant 100% (vs 14%) reversal of hindbrain herniation on MRI; low CSF leakage (14% vs 100%); better hindlimb motor function, with higher joint-movement score, locomotor grade and MEP area under the curve and peak-to-peak amplitude; higher neuronal density in the hippocampus and corpus callosum; and higher reactive astrogliosis at the SBA lesion epicenter. Conversely, lambs with non-watertight SBA repair did not achieve the same level of neuroprotection (score of 4/4 in 1/7 lambs) compared with unrepaired lambs, with: a non-significant 86% (vs 14%) reversal of hindbrain herniation; high CSF leakage (43% vs 100%); no improvement in motor function; low brain neuron count in both the hippocampus and corpus callosum; and small spinal astroglial cell area at the epicenter. Both watertight layered repair and high (≥ 2/3) intraoperative skin-repair-quality score were associated with improved outcome, but the watertightness test and skin-repair-quality scale could not be used interchangeably due to result discrepancies. CONCLUSIONS: Watertight layered fetal SBA repair is neuroprotective since it improves brain and spinal-cord structure and function in the fetal lamb model. This translational research has important clinical implications. A neurosurgical technique that achieves watertightness should be adopted in all fetal centers to improve neuroprotection. Future clinical studies could assess whether a high skin-repair-quality score (≥ 2/3) correlates with neuroprotection. © 2022 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Predictors of in-hospital mortality in HIV-infected patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: Underlying immunodeficiency is associated with severe COVID-19, but the prognosis of persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWH) with COVID-19 is under debate. Aim: assessment of the mortality rate and major determinants of death in HIV-infected patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in Spain before vaccine availability. Design: Retrospective nationwide public database analysis. METHODS: Nationwide, retrospective, observational analysis of all hospitalizations with COVID-19 during year 2020 in Spain. Stratification was made according to HIV status. The National Registry of Hospital Discharges was used with the ICD-10 coding list. RESULTS: A total of 117 694 adults were hospitalized with COVID-19 during 2020. Only 234 (0.2%) were HIV-positives. More than 95% were on antiretroviral therapy. Compared to HIV-negatives, PWH were younger (mean age 53.2 vs. 66.5 years old; P<0.001) and more frequently male (74.8% vs. 56.6%; P<0.001). Most co-morbidities predisposing to severe COVID-19 (diabetes, hypertension, dementia and cardiovascular disease) were more frequent in HIV-negatives. In contrast, the rate of baseline liver disease was over 6-fold higher in PWH (27.4% vs. 4.4%; P<0.001). In-hospital mortality was lower in PWH (9.4% vs. 16%; P=0.004). In multivariate analysis, older age, dementia and especially advanced liver disease (relative risk (RR): 7.6) were the major determinants of death in PWH hospitalized with COVID-19. CONCLUSION: HIV-infected patients hospitalized in Spain with COVID-19 during 2020 had better survival than HIV-negatives, most likely explained by younger age and lower rate of co-morbidities. However, advanced liver disease was a major predictor of death in PWH hospitalized with COVID-19.

Prediction of peritoneal soiling in acute appendicitis with simple clinical and laboratory data. Prospective, multicenter, cohort study of 2,645 adult patients nationwide.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: In order to facilitate the preoperative prediction of complicated appendicitis, we propose a complementary approach by selecting an endpoint defined by the intraoperative finding of peritoneal soiling (PS). METHODS: Over a 6-month period, 38 centers (5% of all public hospitals) attending emergency general surgery patients on a 24-h, 7-days a week basis, enrolled consecutive adult patients requiring appendectomy. Patients were stratified according to the absence or the finding of PS during the surgical procedure. RESULTS: A total of 2645 patients were included; median age (IQR) was 35 (22-51) years, 44.3% were female. The laparoscopic approach was used in 70.8% of appendectomies. In a third of patients (31.7%), there was PS with pus around the appendix, or bowel contents, free pus, or blood in the peritoneal cavity. To develop the prediction model, 1764 patients were randomly selected for the derivation cohort and the remaining 881 patients were assigned to the validation cohort. On multivariable logistic regression analysis of all patients, two clinical variables (age, and pulse) and three laboratory variables (serum urea, serum sodium, and white blood cell count) were individually associated (P < .05) with a greater probability of having PS (Hosmer-Lemeshow chi, 1.63; P = .99; C-statistic, 0.7). Based on the multivariable regression model, both static and dynamic nomograms were developed for the prediction of PS in patients with acute appendicitis. CONCLUSIONS: The entry of simple clinical and laboratory variables in the dynamic nomogram may be useful in guiding the initial management of patients with acute appendicitis in resource-limited settings.

[Functional evaluation and quality of life in megaprostheses implanted by musculoskeletal tumors in the lower limb]. / Evaluación funcional y calidad de vida en megaprótesis implantadas por tumores musculoesqueléticos en miembro inferior.

INTRODUCTION: radical resection is the surgical treatment of choice in musculoskeletal malignancies, which often settle in the pelvis and lower limbs. Megaprothesis reconstruction has been imposed in recent years as the gold standard in limb preservation surgery. MATERIAL AND METHODS: descriptive retrospective study series of cases, including 30 patients operated between 2011 and 2019 of musculoskeletal pelvic and lower limb tumors at our institution that underwent limb-sparing reconstruction with the megaprosthesis. Functional results according to the MSTS (Musculoskeletal Tumor Society) index and complication rate were analyzed. RESULTS: the average follow-up was 40.8 months (12-101.7). Nine patients (30%) underwent pelvic resections and reconstructions, 11 patients (36.7%) underwent hip reconstruction with megaprothesis due to femoral involvement, in three patients (10%) complete femur resection was performed, and seven patients (23.3%) underwent prosthetic reconstruction of the knee. The mean MSTS score was 72.5% (range: 40-95%), and the complication rate was 56.7% (17 patients), being de tumoral recurrence (29%) the main complication. CONCLUSION: tumor megaprothesis give satisfying functional results, allowing the patients to realize a relatively normal life after a lower limb-sparing surgery.

INTRODUCCIÓN: la resección amplia es el tratamiento quirúrgico de elección en los tumores malignos musculoesqueléticos, que con frecuencia asientan en la pelvis y en los miembros inferiores. La reconstrucción mediante megaprótesis se ha impuesto en los últimos años como primera opción en la cirugía de preservación de la extremidad. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: estudio retrospectivo descriptivo serie de casos, incluye 30 pacientes intervenidos entre 2011 y 2019 de tumores musculoesqueléticos de pelvis y miembro inferior. En todos ellos valoramos la tasa de complicaciones y los resultados funcionales mediante el índice MSTS (Musculoskeletal Tumor Society). RESULTADOS: se realizó un seguimiento de 40.8 meses (12-101.7). En nueve pacientes (30%) se realizaron resecciones y reconstrucciones pélvicas, a 11 pacientes (36.7%) se les implantaron megaprótesis de cadera por afectación femoral, en tres de los pacientes (10%) se realizó resección del fémur completo y en siete pacientes (23.3%) reconstrucción protésica de la rodilla. El resultado funcional medio de la escala MSTS fue de 72.5% (rango: 40-95%) y la tasa de complicaciones de 56.7% (17 pacientes), siendo la recurrencia tumoral (29%) la principal complicación. CONCLUSIÓN: la reconstrucción mediante megaprótesis ofrece buenos resultados funcionales a los pacientes dentro de la cirugía de resección radical, permitiendo realizar una vida relativamente normal.

PHOTOREFRACTIVE SURGERY WITH EXCIMER LASER AND ITS IMPACT ON THE DIAGNOSIS AND FOLLOW-UP OF GLAUCOMA. A REVIEW.

Excimer laser refractive surgery is a procedure performed worldwide to solve refractive errors and reduce dependence on glasses or contact lenses. There has been an increase in the number of procedures performed around the world. Myopia is the most common indication for corneal photorefractive surgery. Myopic patients have a higher risk of developing some type of glaucoma in their lifetime, such as primary open-angle glaucoma and others. Refractive surgery ablates central corneal stromal tissue, altering its thickness and biomechanics, which in turn makes it difficult to accurately measure intraocular pressure (IOP), since it underestimates it. This underestimation of IOP may delay the diagnosis of de novo glaucoma in patients with a history of refractive surgery. Each patient who wishes to undergo corneal refractive surgery should undergo a thorough glaucoma examination in order to monitor and detect the possible development and / or progression of glaucoma. A very useful practical approach is to perform a series of IOP measurements before and after surgery, when the eye is already stable, and the difference between the averages of the two sets of readings can then be used as a personalised correction factor for postoperative IOP monitoring in that eye. Also, if there is any suspicion of a possible glaucoma, paraclinical tests, such as coherent optical tomography of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL), visual fields and photos of the optic nerve should be requested. All this data prior to refractive surgery should be provided to these patients, so that they can save it and give it to their treating ophthalmologists in the future.

Síndrome vulvo vaginal gingival / Vulvo vaginal gingival syndrome

RESUMEN El liquen plano es una enfermedad inflamatoria crónica mucocutánea, que puedeafectar piel, pelo, uñas y mucosas. La afectación concomitante de la mucosa oral y vaginal, conocida como síndrome vulvovaginal-gingival del liquen plano, es una variante infrecuente y grave del liquen plano caracterizada por erosiones o descamación de las mucosas: vulvar, vaginal ygingivo-oral, con predilección por la formación de cicatrices y estenosis. De curso evolutivo benigno, aunque en ocasiones puede sufrir una degeneración maligna. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de sexo femenino de 68 años con diagnóstico de Síndrome vulvovaginal-gingival.

ABSTRACT Lichen planus is a chronic mucocutaneous inflammatory disease, which can affect the skin, hair, nails, and mucosa. Concomitant involvement of the oral and vaginal mucosa, known as vulvovaginal-gingival syndrome of lichen planus, is an infrequent and severe variant of lichen planus characterized by erosions or peeling of the mucosa: vulvar, vaginal, and oral gingival, with a predilection for formation of scars and stenosis. Of benign evolutionary course, although sometimes it can suffer a malignant degeneration. We present the case of a 68-year-old female patient diagnosed with vulvovaginal-gingival syndrome.

A repeating fast radio burst source localized to a nearby spiral galaxy.

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are brief, bright, extragalactic radio flashes1,2. Their physical origin remains unknown, but dozens of possible models have been postulated3. Some FRB sources exhibit repeat bursts4-7. Although over a hundred FRB sources have been discovered8, only four have been localized and associated with a host galaxy9-12, and just one of these four is known to emit repeating FRBs9. The properties of the host galaxies, and the local environments of FRBs, could provide important clues about their physical origins. The first known repeating FRB, however, was localized to a low-metallicity, irregular dwarf galaxy, and the apparently non-repeating sources were localized to higher-metallicity, massive elliptical or star-forming galaxies, suggesting that perhaps the repeating and apparently non-repeating sources could have distinct physical origins. Here we report the precise localization of a second repeating FRB source6, FRB 180916.J0158+65, to a star-forming region in a nearby (redshift 0.0337 ± 0.0002) massive spiral galaxy, whose properties and proximity distinguish it from all known hosts. The lack of both a comparably luminous persistent radio counterpart and a high Faraday rotation measure6 further distinguish the local environment of FRB 180916.J0158+65 from that of the single previously localized repeating FRB source, FRB 121102. This suggests that repeating FRBs may have a wide range of luminosities, and originate from diverse host galaxies and local environments.

Oral health in children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: before and after chemotherapy treatment.

AIM: To evaluate changes in the oral health status of children under the age of 14 years with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) attending a cancer centre before and after chemotherapy treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 32 children with ALL without distinction of gender were selected for study. The oral cavity of the patients was evaluated before the induction stage and 17 days later. Clinical evaluation of the submandibular, submental, and cervical lymph nodes was performed. Saliva samples were collected during the early morning hours. Bacterial plaque was assessed by using the Silness and Löe plaque index (SLPI) and gingiva status was evaluated with the gingival Löe and Silness index (GLSI). The WHO toxicity oral scale was used to record the degree of oral mucositis. The resulting data were analysed with McNemar's test, t test (for related samples), and Wilcoxon test. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences for palpable lymph nodes, paleness of oral mucosa, and ecchymoseis, respectively, P ≤ 0.000, P = 0.03, and P = 0.01, with these manifestations decreasing significantly after treatment. Incipient gingivitis had frequencies of 71.9% and 75% before and after treatment, respectively. The mean SLPI score declined significantly from 1.16 ± 0.52 (before treatment) to 0.56 ± 0.36 (after treatment) (P < 0.000); salivary flow increased significantly from 0.54 ± 0.34 to 1.22 ± 1.07 after chemotherapy treatment (P < 0.00). Oral mucositis was present in 24 children (75%) with a 1-2 severity level. CONCLUSIONS: After chemotherapy treatment, there were changes in the oral conditions of children with ALL. Some manifestations decreased after treatment, whereas in others increased.

Lupus nephritis with preserved kidney function associated with poorer cardiovascular risk control: A call for more awareness.

BACKGROUND: Despite the improvement in the prognosis of lupus nephritis (LN), the cardiovascular morbimortality remains high. The early recognition and remission of flares, while trying to avoid the metabolic adverse effects of medication, must be mandatory. AIM: The aim of our study was to assess the cardiovascular (CV) risk profile in a cohort of lupus patients with preserved kidney function after a nephritis episode, compared to patients without a nephritis flare. METHODS: 130 patients diagnosed of SLE (32 with previous nephritis flare and 98 without) were studied in order to evaluate the CV risk profile, despite the preserved kidney function. RESULTS: The most prevalent risk factors were sedentary lifestyle (57.6%), overweight/obesity (38.3%) and dyslipidemia (36%), followed by smoking (32%) and hypertension (16%). Though more than a half (53.1%) was taking CV medication, a high percentage did not reach a therapeutic target value, especially regarding obesity (11.5%) and cholesterol levels (LDL-C of 16%). The prevalence of dyslipidemia (53.1% vs 30.6%), smoking (46.6% vs 27.5%), left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) (21.4% vs 6.4%) and lower HDL-C (48.6mg/dL vs 55.4mg/dL) were significantly different in the group with previous nephritis flare. Moreover, young patients with lupus nephritis, received more pulses of corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide, had higher prevalence of hypertension, LVH, higher proteinuria, hospital admissions and waist circumference, constituting the subgroup of patients with greater aggregation of CV risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with previous nephritis flare showed a poor control of CV risk factors despite the preserved renal function, these patients would require a closer therapeutic management.

Selection of an Artificial Diet for Laboratory Rearing of Opogona sacchari (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) (Bojer, 1856).

The banana moth Opogona sacchari (Bojer) (Lepidoptera: Tineidae) is a polyphagous pest that can cause serious damage, in particular to banana crops in southern Brazil. The insect is a quarantine pest in several countries, including Argentina, the main consumer market for bananas from southern Brazil. Little information is available about the biology and ecology of this moth, such as a suitable diet for laboratory rearing. In order to provide support for integrated pest management of the pest, this study furnished data for selecting two diets suitable for continuous laboratory rearing of O. sacchari, one based on dried beans, wheat germ, soy bran, brewer's yeast, and casein and another diet with wheat germ and casein as protein sources. With both diets, the viability of the egg-adult period exceeded 68%, with fertility over 338 eggs per female. A corrected biotic potential analysis gave similar values for the two diets.

Effect of high-hydrostatic pressure and moderate-intensity pulsed electric field on plum.

Moderate intensity pulse electric fields were applied in plum with the aim to increase bioactive compounds content of the fruit, while high-hydrostatic pressure was applied to preserve the purées. High-hydrostatic pressure treatment was compared with an equivalent thermal treatment. The addition of ascorbic acid during purée manufacture was also evaluated. The main objective of this study was to assess the effects on microorganisms, polyphenoloxidase, color and bioactive compounds of high-hydrostatic pressure, or thermal-processed plum purées made of moderate intensity pulse electric field-treated or no-moderate intensity pulse electric field-treated plums, after processing during storage. The application of moderate intensity pulse electric field to plums slightly increased the levels of anthocyanins and the antioxidant activity of purées. The application of Hydrostatic-high pressure (HHP) increased the levels of bioactive compounds in purées, while the thermal treatment preserved better the color during storage. The addition of ascorbic acid during the manufacture of plum purée was an important factor for the final quality of purées. The color and the bioactive compounds content were better preserved in purées with ascorbic acid. The no inactivation of polyphenoloxidase enzyme with treatments applied in this study affected the stability purées. Probably more intense treatments conditions (high-hydrostatic pressure and thermal treatment) would be necessary to reach better quality and shelf life during storage.

Effect of surgeon's experience on complications from laparoscopic hysterectomy.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of learning in two surgeons on complications and conversion to laparotomy during total and subtotal laparoscopic hysterectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed retrospectively 236 total and subtotal laparoscopic hysterectomies done by two surgeons from the time they first performed the procedure. The interventions were classified in three groups based on the surgeon's experience: the first 75 hysterectomies ("novice period"), the subsequent 75 hysterectomies ("intermediate"), and the subsequent 86 hysterectomies ("routine period"). RESULTS: Patient's characteristics changed as surgeons gained experience, with more complex operations (greater obesity, previous surgery and malignant disease) becoming more frequent. During the second group of operations when surgeons had an intermediate level of experience, the risk of major complications decreased (adjusted odds ratio: 0.28, 95% confidence interval: 0.10-0.85), as did the risk of type III complications of Clavien-Dindo classification (adjusted odds ratio 0.15, 95% confidence interval: 0.03-0.93). However, the percent rate of conversion to laparotomy remained stable in the second (intermediate experience) group. In the third group, after the surgeons had performed 150 procedures and when the risk of any type of complication was lowest, the risk of conversion to laparotomy decreased compared to the routine group. CONCLUSIONS: The surgeon's experience in performing laparoscopic hysterectomy plays an essential role in the decrease in the risk of complications, and this finding supports the importance of providing appropriate training for residents and gynecologists to enable them to perform this procedure with an optimal degree of competence and safety.

[Aneurysmal bone cyst located on the acetabular roof in an 11-year-old male]. / Quiste óseo aneurismático localizado en el techo acetabular en un varón de 11 años.

The aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign rare tumor, which usually develops during childhood and its more often found in limbs. The most accepted treatment consists in curetagge and filling with graft. However, certain locations may be inaccesible for surgery and represent therapeutical challenges. We present the case of an 11 year-old male patient with limping and right hip pain without any traumatic nor infectious record. In the image studies with CT and MRI a lytic and expansive lession was found in the upper part of the right acetabulum and right iliac wing, all of which suggested an aneurysmal bone cyst with an associated acetabular fracture. A biopsy was performed which confirmed the diagnosis. He was treated with a CT-guided embolization and, due to its size, curetagge and allograft filling afterwards. He was asymptomatic after1 year of follow-up.

El quiste óseo aneurismático es una tumoración benigna poco común, de aparición en la infancia generalmente y a nivel de extremidades. El tratamiento más habitual consiste en el curetaje y relleno con injerto. No obstante, localizaciones poco accesibles a la cirugía suponen un reto terapéutico. Se presenta el caso de un paciente de 11 años con cojera y dolor en cadera derecha sin antecedente traumático ni infeccioso. En los estudios de imagen con TAC y RM se evidencia una lesión lítica expansiva que ocupa todo el techo del acetábulo y pala ilíaca derecha, sugestiva de un quiste óseo aneurismático presentando fractura acetabular asociada. Se realizó una biopsia que confirmó el diagnóstico. Se trató mediante embolización guiada por angiografía debido al gran volumen y alto riesgo de fractura, después del curetaje y relleno con aloinjerto evolucionó satisfactoriamente y el paciente se encuentra asintomático al año de la intervención.

An antisense oligonucleotide targeting TGF-ß2 inhibits lung metastasis and induces CD86 expression in tumor-associated macrophages.

BACKGROUND: The transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß pathway is a well-described inducer of immunosuppression and can act as an oncogenic factor in advanced tumors. Several preclinical and clinical studies show that the TGF-ß pathway can be considered a promising molecular target for cancer therapy. The human genome has three TGF-ß isoforms and not much is known about the oncogenic response to each of the isoforms. Here, we studied the antitumor response to ISTH0047, a recently developed locked nucleic acid-modified antisense oligonucleotide targeting TGF-ß2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have studied the anticancer response to ISTH0047 using gymnotic delivery in tumor cell cultures and in in vivo preclinical orthotopic mouse models for primary tumors (breast and kidney tumors) and lung metastasis. RESULTS: We observed that ISTH0047 is able to significantly reduce TGF-ß2 mRNA and protein levels without altering the levels of TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß3. ISTH0047 prevented lung metastasis in syngeneic orthotopic renal cell carcinoma (RENCA) and breast cancer (4T1) tumor models. In addition, using an orthotopic xenograft model of a lung cancer cell line (CRL5807) that mainly expresses TGF-ß2, we observed that ISTH0047 had an important effect on the lung microenvironment inhibiting the growth of lung lesions. ISTH0047 treatment re-educated macrophages in the lung parenchyma to express the tumor-suppressive factor, CD86. CONCLUSION: Overall, our data point to TGF-ß2 as a therapeutic target and ISTH0047 as a novel anticancer drug to prevent lung metastasis by impacting on the tumor niche, in part, through the induction of CD86 in tumor-associated macrophages.

NADPH oxidase activity: Spectrophotometric determination of superoxide using pyrogallol red.

A simple and fast spectrophotometric methodology able to quantify superoxide released by NADPH oxidase from differentiated promyelocytic leukaemia (HL-60) cells using pyrogallol red is described.The latter is based on the known stoichiometry of the reaction between superoxide and pyrogallol red and the inability of pyrogallol red to react with hydrogen peroxide. In addition, we developed a 96-wells microplate-based method able to determine NADPH oxidase activity. Using this method, we determined pharmacological properties of the NADPH oxidase inhibitors VAS2870 and diphenyleneiodonium and the obtained IC50 values were in good agreement with previous reported data. NOX2 is highly expressed in differentiated promyelocytic leukaemia cells, whereas other isoforms are not detected or expressed at low amounts. Likewise, this methodology may be a useful assay for NOX2 inhibitor screening. NADPH oxidases are involved in several physiological and pathological processes, rendering its pharmacological modulation an attractive research target. In this context, this simple assay can be used for NADPH oxidase inhibitor screening as well as aiding in the study of different biological conditions that involve NADPH oxidase activity.

Impact of thyroid autoimmunity in euthyroid women on live birth rate after IUI.

Study question: Does thyroid autoimmunity (TAI) predict live birth rate in euthyroid women after one treatment cycle in IUI patients? Summary answer: TAI as such does not influence pregnancy outcome after IUI treatment. What is known already: The role of TAI on pregnancy outcome in the case of IVF/ICSI is largely debated in the literature. This is the first study to address this issue in the case of IUI. Study design, size, duration: This was a retrospective cohort study. A two-armed study design was performed: patients anti-thyroid peroxidase (TPO)+ and patients anti-TPO-. All patients who started their first IUI cycle in our fertility center between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014 were included. After exclusion of those patients with or being treated for thyroid dysfunction, 3143 patients were finally included in the study. Participants/materials, setting, methods: After approval by the institutional review board we retrospectively included all patients who started their first IUI cycle in our center between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014 with follow-up of outcome until 31 December 2015. Patients with clinical thyroid dysfunction were excluded (thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) <0.01 mIU/l; TSH >5 mIU/l) as were patients under treatment with levothyroxine or anti-thyroid drugs. These patients were then divided into two main groups: patients anti-TPO+ and patients anti-TPO- (= control group). Live birth delivery after 25 weeks of gestation was taken as the primary endpoint of our study. As a secondary endpoint, we evaluated differences in live birth delivery after IUI according to different upper limits of preconception TSH thresholds (<2.5 and <5.0 mIU/l). Furthermore, the influence of thyroid function (TSH, free thyroxine (fT4)), anti-TPO status, age, smoking, BMI, parity, ovarian reserve (anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and FSH), IUI indication and IUI stimulation on live birth rate was analyzed. Main results and the role of chance: Between-group comparison did not show any significant difference between the anti-TPO+ and anti-TPO- group with respect to live birth delivery-, pregnancy- or miscarriage rate with odds ratio at 1.04 (95% CI: 0.63; 1.69), 0.98 (95% CI: 0.62; 1.55) and 0.74 (95% CI: 0.23; 2.39), respectively. In addition, there were no significant differences in live birth delivery-, pregnancy- or miscarriage rate when comparing subgroups according to TSH level (TSH ≥2.5 mIU/l vs. TSH <2.5 mIU/l) with an odds ratio at 1.05 (95% CI: 0.76; 1.47), 1.04 (95% CI: 0.77; 1.41) and  0.95 (95% CI: 0.47; 1.94), respectively. Limitations, reasons for caution: This study was powered for the primary aim, live birth rate. The limitations of this study are the absence of region-specific reference ranges for thyroid hormones and the absence of follow-up of TSH values during ART and subsequent pregnancy. Moreover, there was a time difference of 5 months between thyroid assessment and the start of stimulation. The area where the study was conducted corresponds to a mild iodine deficient area and data should be translated with caution to areas with different iodine backgrounds. Wider implications of the findings: Our findings indicate comparable pregnancy-, abortion- and delivery rates in women with and without TAI undergoing IUI. Moreover, we were unable to confirm a negative effect of TSH level above 2.5 mIU/l on live birth delivery rate. We therefore believe that advocating Levothyroxine treatment at TSH levels between 2.5 and 4 mIU/l needs to be considered with caution and requires further analysis in a prospective cohort study. Study funding/competing interest(s): No external funding was used for this study. No conflicts of interest are declared.

Clinical and ultrasound features of benign, borderline, and malignant invasive mucinous ovarian tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical and sonographic features of benign, borderline, and malignant invasive mucinous ovarian tumors (MOTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective observational multicenter study comprising 365 women (mean age: 46.1 years) with a histologically confirmed benign, borderline or malignant invasive MOT. Clinical data (patient's age, patient's complaints), tumor markers (CA-125 and CA-1 9.9), and sonographic data (tumor size, bilaterality, morphology -unilocular, multilocular, unilocular-solid, multilocular-solid and solid-, and IOTA color score) were reviewed and compared among these three groups. Women with ultrasound evidence on intra-abdominal disease spread were excluded. RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-eight MOTs (14 women had bilateral lesions) were analyzed. Histologically, 287 tumors were benign, 51 were borderline, and 40 were malignant. No difference in patient's mean age was observed. Women with borderline or invasive tumors were less frequently asymptomatic. Tumors were larger in case of invasive lesions. Borderline and invasive tumors showed solid components and exhibited IOTA color score 3 or 4, more frequently than benign lesions (p < 0.001). However, the authors discovered that 16 out of 51 (31.4%) of borderline tumors and six out of 40 (15.0%) of invasive cancers had no solid components and a color score 1 or 2, and were considered as a benign lesion by the sonolo- gist. On the other hand, 96 out of 287 (33.4%) benign mucinous cystadenoma exhibited solid components and/or a color score of 3 or 4. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of statistical differences, the authors observed significant overlapping in ultrasound features among benign, borderline, and invasive ovarian mucinous tumors that renders a difficult accurate preoperative discrimination among these lesions.

[Surgical treatment of malignant primary tumors of the pelvis on Ennekings zone II]. / Tratamiento quirúrgico de los tumores primarios malignos de pelvis de la zona II de Enneking.

INTRODUCTION: Surgical treatment of malignant bone tumors of the pelvis with periacetabular involvement is constantly evolving. Even though acetabular reconstructions improve quality of life without impairing cancer control, they are not complication free. Our purpose is to describe the functional outcomes and surgical complications of different reconstructive techniques for Enneking zone II tumors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Fifteen patients underwent surgery for malignant pelvic bone tumors between 2002 and 2012. Seven patients were retrospectively evaluated according to the Enneking and Dunham classification and were found to have periacetabular involvement, as follows: 3 were type II; 1 types I + II; 2 types II + III, and one types I + II + III. Five patients had a standard chondrosarcoma and 2 osteosarcoma. Patients included 4 males and 3 females; mean age was 43 years. The minimum follow-up period was 12 months (mean 6.14 years). All of them underwent cancer resection with periacetabular reconstruction: massive osteochondral allograft in 3 patients, structural allograft and hip arthroplasty in 2 patients, and prosthesis with iliac anchoring in 2. They were clinically, radiologically and functionally evaluated with the MSTS scale (1993). RESULTS: The mean MSTS score 6 months after surgery was 20.71 (69%). Five patients (71.4%) had surgical complications: 2 dislocations of the native femoral head on the allograft; one aseptic prosthetic dislodgement, and 2 deep infections. All patients had free intraoperative borders. CONCLUSIONS: Acetabular reconstructions after oncologic resection for malignant bone tumors seem to provide good functional outcomes. However, only selected cases should undergo surgeries associated with a high complication rate.

El tratamiento quirúrgico de los tumores óseos malignos de pelvis con afectación periacetabular está en continua evolución. Las reconstrucciones acetabulares mejoran la calidad de vida sin perjudicar el control oncológico; sin embargo, no están exentas de complicaciones. Nuestro objetivo es describir los resultados funcionales y las complicaciones quirúrgicas de diferentes técnicas reconstructivas de la zona II de Enneking.