Using deep learning for predicting the dynamic evolution of breast cancer migration.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) remains a prevalent health concern, with metastasis as the main driver of mortality. A detailed understanding of metastatic processes, particularly cell migration, is fundamental to improve therapeutic strategies. The wound healing assay, a traditional two-dimensional (2D) model, offers insights into cell migration but presents scalability issues due to data scarcity, arising from its manual and labor-intensive nature. METHOD: To overcome these limitations, this study introduces the Prediction Wound Progression Framework (PWPF), an innovative approach utilizing Deep Learning (DL) and artificial data generation. The PWPF comprises a DL model initially trained on artificial data that simulates wound healing in MCF-7 BC cell monolayers and spheres, which is subsequently fine-tuned on real-world data. RESULTS: Our results underscore the model's effectiveness in analyzing and predicting cell migration dynamics within the wound healing context, thus enhancing the usability of 2D models. The PWPF significantly contributes to a better understanding of cell migration processes in BC and expands the possibilities for research into wound healing mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: These advancements in automated cell migration analysis hold the potential for more comprehensive and scalable studies in the future. Our dataset, models, and code are publicly available at https://github.com/frangam/wound-healing.

NP-12 peptide functionalized nanoparticles counteract the effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide on cultured osteoblasts.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether nanoparticles (NPs) functionalized with Tideglusib (TDg, NP-12), and deposited on titanium surfaces, would counteract the effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on osteoblasts. METHODS: Experimental groups were: (a) Titanium discs (TiD), (b) TiD covered with undoped NPs (Un-NPs) and (c) TiD covered with TDg-doped NPs (TDg-NPs). Human primary osteoblasts were cultured onto these discs, in the presence or absence of bacterial LPS. Cell proliferation was assessed by MTT-assay and differentiation by measuring the alkaline phosphatase activity. Mineral nodule formation was assessed by the alizarin red test. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to study the expression of Runx-2, OSX, ALP, OSC, OPG, RANKL, Col-I, BMP-2, BMP-7, TGF-ß1, VEGF, TGF-ßR1, TGF-ßR2, and TGF-ßR3 genes. Osteoblasts morphology was studied by Scanning Electron Microscopy. One-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis and Bonferroni multiple comparisons tests were carried out (p < 0.05). RESULTS: TDg-NPs enhanced osteoblasts proliferation. Similarly, this group increased ALP production and mineral nodules formation. TDg-NPs on titanium discs resulted in overexpression of the proliferative genes, OSC and OSX, regardless of LPS activity. In the absence of LPS, TDg-NPs up-regulated Runx2, COL-I, ALP, BMP2 and BMP7 genes. OPG/RANKL gene ratios were increased about 2500 and 4,000-fold by TDg-NPs, when LPS was added or not, respectively. In contact with the TDg-NPs osteoblasts demonstrated an elongated spindle-shaped morphology with extracellular matrix production. SIGNIFICANCE: TDg-NPs on titanium discs counteracted the detrimental effect of LPS by preventing the decrease on osteoblasts proliferation and mineralization, and produced an overexpression of proliferative and bone-promoting genes on human primary osteoblasts.

Siderophores and competition for iron govern myxobacterial predation dynamics.

Bacterial predators are decisive organisms that shape microbial ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the role of iron and siderophores during the predatory interaction between two rhizosphere bacteria: Myxococcus xanthus, an epibiotic predator, and Sinorhizobium meliloti, a bacterium that establishes nitrogen-fixing symbiosis with legumes. The results show that iron enhances the motility of the predator and facilitates its predatory capability, and that intoxication by iron is not used by the predator to prey, although oxidative stress increases in both bacteria during predation. However, competition for iron plays an important role in the outcome of predatory interactions. Using combinations of predator and prey mutants (non-producers and overproducers of siderophores), we have investigated the importance of competition for iron in predation. The results demonstrate that the competitor that, via the production of siderophores, obtains sufficient iron for growth and depletes metal availability for the opponent will prevail in the interaction. Consequently, iron fluctuations in soils may modify the composition of microbial communities by altering the activity of myxobacterial predators. In addition, siderophore overproduction during predation can alter soil properties, affecting the productivity and sustainability of agricultural operations.

Analysis of the Prognostic Factors That Influence the Outcome of Periapical Surgery, including Biomimetic Membranes for Tissue Regeneration: A Review.

The objective of this study was to analyze the prognostic factors that influence the outcome of periapical surgery. A systematic search of the literature was carried out using PubMed and Scopus databases between January 2000 and December 2023 with no language limitations. The PICO question of the present systematic review was: What prognostic factors may influence the outcome of periapical surgery? The most relevant randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTs), prospective clinical trials, retrospective studies, and meta-analyses (n = 44) were selected from 134 articles. The reviewed literature evidenced that bone-lesion healing could significantly be improved by the absence of deep periodontal pockets (>4 mm), localization in anterior teeth, the absence of pain and/or preoperative symptoms, a size of bone lesion < 5 mm, the use of ultrasound, the correct placement of retrograde filling material, and the use of different biomimetic membranes for guided tissue regeneration (GTR). Some preoperative and intraoperative factors could significantly improve the prognosis of periapical surgery. However, these results were not conclusive, and further high-quality research is required.

Aqueous mineral carbonation of three different industrial steel slags: Absorption capacities and product characterization.

Heavy carbon industries produce solid side stream materials that contain inorganic chemicals like Ca, Na, or Mg, and other metals such as Fe or Al. These inorganic compounds usually react efficiently with CO2 to form stable carbonates. Therefore, using these side streams instead of virgin chemicals to capture CO2 is an appealing approach to reduce CO2 emissions. Herein, we performed an experimental study of the mineral carbonation potential of three industrial steel slags via aqueous, direct carbonation. To this end, we studied the absorption capacities, reaction yields, and physicochemical characteristics of the carbonated samples. The absorption capacities and the reaction yields were analyzed through experiments carried out in a reactor specifically designed to work without external stirring. As for the physicochemical characterization, we used solid-state Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Using this reactor, the absorption capacities were between 5.8 and 35.3 g/L and reaction yields were in the range of 81-211 kg CO2/ton of slag. The physicochemical characterization of the solid products with solid FTIR, XRD and SEM indicated the presence of CaCO3. This suggests that there is potential to use the carbonated products in commercial applications.

Hydrochar and synthetic natural gas co-production for a full circular economy implementation via hydrothermal carbonization and methanation: An economic approach.

Herein we study the economic performance of hydrochar and synthetic natural gas co-production from olive tree pruning. The process entails a combination of hydrothermal carbonization and methanation. In a previous work, we evidenced that standalone hydrochar production via HTC results unprofitable. Hence, we propose a step forward on the process design by implementing a methanation, adding value to the gas effluent in an attempt to boost the overall process techno-economic aspects. Three different plant capacities were analyzed (312.5, 625 and 1250 kg/hr). The baseline scenarios showed that, under the current circumstances, our circular economy strategy in unprofitable. An analysis of the revenues shows that hydrochar selling price have a high impact on NPV and subsidies for renewable coal production could help to boost the profitability of the process. On the contrary, the analysis for natural gas prices reveals that prices 8 times higher than the current ones in Spain must be achieved to reach profitability. This seems unlikely even under the presence of a strong subsidy scheme. The costs analysis suggests that a remarkable electricity cost reduction or electricity consumption of the HTC stage could be a potential strategy to reach profitability scenarios. Furthermore, significant reduction of green hydrogen production costs is deemed instrumental to improve the economic performance of the process. These results show the formidable techno-economic challenge that our society faces in the path towards circular economy societies.

Fish oil supplementation counteracts the effect of high-fat and high-sucrose diets on the carbonylated proteome in the rat cerebral cortex.

High daily intake of saturated fats and refined carbohydrates, which often leads to obesity and overweight, has been associated with cognitive impairment, premature brain aging and the aggravation of neurodegenerative diseases. Although the molecular pathology of obesity-related brain damage is not fully understood, the increased levels of oxidative stress induced by the diet seem to be definitively involved. Being protein carbonylation determinant for protein activity and function and a main consequence of oxidative stress, this study aims to investigate the effect of the long-term high-fat and sucrose diet intake on carbonylated proteome of the cerebral cortex of Sprague-Dawley rats. To achieve this goal, the study identified and quantified the carbonylated proteins and lipid peroxidation products in the cortex, and correlated them with biometrical, biochemical and other redox status parameters. Results demonstrated that the obesogenic diet selectively increased oxidative damage of specific proteins that participate in fundamental pathways for brain function, i.e. energy production, glucose metabolism and neurotransmission. This study also evaluated the antioxidant properties of fish oil to counteract diet-induced brain oxidative damage. Fish oil supplementation demonstrated a stronger capacity to modulate carbonylated proteome in the brain cortex. Data indicated that fish oils did not just decrease carbonylation of proteins affected by the obesogenic diet, but also decreased the oxidative damage of other proteins participating in the same metabolic functions, reinforcing the beneficial effect of the supplement on those pathways. The results could help contribute to the development of successful nutritional-based interventions to prevent cognitive decline and promote brain health.

Toxic effects of the cylindrospermopsin and chlorpyrifos combination on the differentiated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line.

Due to climate change and anthropogenic activities, the levels of pollution of aquatic and terrestrial environments have increased in the last decades. In this sense, the rise of cyanobacterial blooms, which release secondary metabolites with toxic properties, and the global use of pesticides for agricultural purposes have a negative impact on ecosystems. Thus, it would be interesting to study the concomitance of both types of toxicants in the same sample, since it is possible that they appear together. The aim of the present work was to state the effects of the interaction between the cyanotoxin cylindrospermopsin and the pesticide chlorpyrifos in differentiated SH-SY5Y neuronal cells to assess how they could affect the nervous system. To this end, cytotoxicity, morphological, and acetylcholinesterase activity studies were performed during 24 and 48 h. The results revealed a concentration-dependent decrease in viability and interaction between both toxicants, together with clear signs of apoptosis and necrosis induction. In this sense, different stages on the differentiation process would lead to differences in the toxicity exerted by the compounds both isolated as in combination, which it is not observed in non-differentiated cells. Additionally, the acetylcholinesterase activity appeared not to be affected, which is a clear difference compared to non-differentiated cells. These results show the importance of studying not only the toxicants themselves, but also in combination, to assess their possible effects in a more realistic scenario.

Phenomenology of ultrafine particle concentrations and size distribution across urban Europe.

The 2017-2019 hourly particle number size distributions (PNSD) from 26 sites in Europe and 1 in the US were evaluated focusing on 16 urban background (UB) and 6 traffic (TR) sites in the framework of Research Infrastructures services reinforcing air quality monitoring capacities in European URBAN & industrial areaS (RI-URBANS) project. The main objective was to describe the phenomenology of urban ultrafine particles (UFP) in Europe with a significant air quality focus. The varying lower size detection limits made it difficult to compare PN concentrations (PNC), particularly PN10-25, from different cities. PNCs follow a TR > UB > Suburban (SUB) order. PNC and Black Carbon (BC) progressively increase from Northern Europe to Southern Europe and from Western to Eastern Europe. At the UB sites, typical traffic rush hour PNC peaks are evident, many also showing midday-morning PNC peaks anti-correlated with BC. These peaks result from increased PN10-25, suggesting significant PNC contributions from nucleation, fumigation and shipping. Site types to be identified by daily and seasonal PNC and BC patterns are: (i) PNC mainly driven by traffic emissions, with marked correlations with BC on different time scales; (ii) marked midday/morning PNC peaks and a seasonal anti-correlation with PNC/BC; (iii) both traffic peaks and midday peaks without marked seasonal patterns. Groups (ii) and (iii) included cities with high insolation. PNC, especially PN25-800, was positively correlated with BC, NO2, CO and PM for several sites. The variable correlation of PNSD with different urban pollutants demonstrates that these do not reflect the variability of UFP in urban environments. Specific monitoring of PNSD is needed if nanoparticles and their associated health impacts are to be assessed. Implementation of the CEN-ACTRIS recommendations for PNSD measurements would provide comparable measurements, and measurements of <10 nm PNC are needed for full evaluation of the health effects of this size fraction.

Doxycycline-doped collagen membranes accelerate in vitro osteoblast proliferation and differentiation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of doxycycline- and dexamethasone-doped collagen membranes on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. BACKGROUND: Collagen barrier membranes are frequently used to promote bone regeneration and to boost this biological activity their functionalization with antibacterial and immunomodulatory substances has been suggested. METHODS: The design included commercially available collagen membranes doped with doxycycline (Dox-Col-M) or dexamethasone (Dex-Col-M), as well as undoped membranes (Col-M) as controls, which were placed in contact with cultured MG63 osteoblast-like cells (ATCC). Cell proliferation was assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay and differentiation by measuring the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity using spectrophotometry. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to study the expression of the genes: Runx-2, OSX, ALP, OSC, OPG, RANKL, Col-I, BMP-2, BMP-7, TGF-ß1, VEGF, TGF-ßR1, TGF-ßR2, and TGF-ßR3. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study osteoblast morphology. Data were assessed using one-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis tests, once their distribution normality was assessed by Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests (p > .05). Bonferroni for multiple comparisons were carried out (p < .05). RESULTS: Osteoblast proliferation was significantly enhanced in the functionalized membranes as follows: (Col-M < Dex-Col-M < Dox-Col-M). ALP activity was significantly higher on cultured osteoblasts on Dox-Col-M. Runx-2, OSX, ALP, OSC, BMP-2, BMP-7, TGF-ß1, VEGF, TGF-ßR1, TGF-ßR2, and TGF-ßR3 were overexpressed, and RANKL was down-regulated in osteoblasts cultured on Dox-Col-M. The osteoblasts cultured in contact with the functionalized membranes demonstrated an elongated spindle-shaped morphology. CONCLUSION: The functionalization of collagen membranes with Dox promoted an increase in the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts.

Biomimetic Collagen Membranes as Drug Carriers of Geranylgeraniol to Counteract the Effect of Zoledronate.

To counteract the effect of zoledronate and decrease the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) development in patients undergoing guided bone regeneration surgery, the use of geranylgeraniol (GGOH) has been proposed. Collagen membranes may act as biomimetical drug carriers. The objective of this study was to determine the capacity of collagen-based membranes doped with GGOH to revert the negative impact of zoledronate on the growth and differentiation of human osteoblasts. MG-63 cells were cultured on collagen membranes. Two groups were established: (1) undoped membranes and (2) membranes doped with geranylgeraniol. Osteoblasts were cultured with or without zoledronate (50 µM). Cell proliferation was evaluated at 48 h using the MTT colorimetric method. Differentiation was tested by staining mineralization nodules with alizarin red and by gene expression analysis of bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 7, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone morphogenetic proteins 2 and 7 (BMP-2 and BMP-7), type I collagen (Col-I), osterix (OSX), osteocalcin (OSC), osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor for RANK (RANKL), runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx-2), TGF-ß1 and TGF-ß receptors (TGF-ßR1, TGF-ßR2, and TGF-ßR3), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with real-time PCR. One-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis and post hoc Bonferroni tests were applied (p < 0.05). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations were also performed. Treatment of osteoblasts with 50 µM zoledronate produced a significant decrease in cell proliferation, mineralization capacity, and gene expression of several differentiation markers if compared to the control (p < 0.001). When osteoblasts were treated with zoledronate and cultured on GGOH-doped membranes, these variables were, in general, similar to the control group (p > 0.05). GGOH applied on collagen membranes is able to reverse the negative impact of zoledronate on the proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression of different osteoblasts' markers.

Controlled attenuation parameter-insulin resistance (CIR) score to predict non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

The diagnosis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) requires liver biopsy. Patients with NASH are at risk of progression to advanced fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. A reliable non-invasive tool for the detection of NASH is needed. We aimed at developing a tool to diagnose NASH based on a predictive model including routine clinical and transient hepatic elastography (TE) data. All subjects undergoing elective cholecystectomy in our center were invited to participate, if alcohol intake was < 30 g/d for men and < 15 g/d for women. TE with controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) was obtained before surgery. A liver biopsy was taken during surgery. Multivariate logistic regression models to predict NASH were constructed with the first 100 patients, the elaboration group, and the results were validated in the next pre-planned 50 patients. Overall, 155 patients underwent liver biopsy. In the elaboration group, independent predictors of NASH were CAP value [adjusted OR (AOR) 1.024, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.002-1.046, p = 0.030] and HOMA value (AOR 1.847, 95% CI 1.203-2.835, p < 0.001). An index derived from the logistic regression equation to identify NASH was designated as the CAP-insulin resistance (CIR) score. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (95%CI) of the CIR score was 0.93 (0.87-0.99). Positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) of the CIR score were 82% and 91%, respectively. In the validation set, PPV was 83% and NPV was 88%. In conclusion, the CIR score, a simple index based on CAP and HOMA, can reliably identify patients with and without NASH.

Before-and-After Study of the First Four Years of the Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS®) Programme in Older Adults Undergoing Elective Colorectal Cancer Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of older patients undergoing elective colorectal cancer resection in the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) programme could improve clinical outcomes during hospital admission. METHODS: A before-and-after study in ≥70-year-old patients electively admitted for colorectal cancer resection was designed. In total, 213 patients were included in the ERAS® group, and 158 were included in the control group. RESULTS: The average age was 77.9 years old (SD 5.31) and 57.14% of them were men, with a Charlson Index score of 3.42 (SD 3.32). The ERAS® group presented a lower transfusion rate of 42 (19.7%), compared to 75 (47.5%) in the control group (p < 0.001). The crude odds ratio (OR) for transfusion was 0.27 (95% CI 0.17-0.43; p < 0.001), and the adjusted odds ratio was 0.26 (95% CI 0.14-0.48; p < 0.001). The ERAS® group had a lower percentage of patients with moderate-severe malnutrition on admission, at 23.4% (37 patients) against 36.2% in the control group (42 patients) (p = 0.023), with an OR of 0.47 (95% CI 0.29-0.75; p < 0.002) and an adjusted OR of 0.48 (95% CI 0.29-0.78; p = 0.003). The number of patients who required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) was also markedly lower: 54 from the ERAS® group (25.4%) versus 71 from the control group (44.9%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of ≥70-year-old adults in the ERAS® programme resulted in a decrease in transfusions, number of erythrocyte concentrates transfused, and number of ICU admissions, along with improved nutritional status.

Discovery and Diagnosis of a New Sobemovirus Infecting Cyperus esculentus Showing Leaf Yellow Mosaic and Dwarfism Using Small-RNA High Throughput Sequencing.

C. esculentus is a profitable crop in Valencia, Spain, but the emergence of a disease causing of leaf yellow mosaic, dwarfism, and a drastic decrease in tuber production has become a problem. The small-RNA high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of a diseased C. esculentus plant identified only one virus, which could be the causal agent of this disease. The amino-acid comparison with viral sequences from GenBank and phylogenetic analyses indicated that this was a new species of genus Sobemovirus, and the name Xufa yellow dwarf virus was proposed. Completion with Sanger sequencing yielded a contig of 3072 nt corresponding to about 75% of the typical genome of sobemoviruses, including ORFs 2a (polyprotein-containing protease, VPG, and other proteins), 2b (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase), and 3 (coat protein). The nucleotide sequence was used to develop fast and accurate methods for the detection and quantification of xufa yellow dwarf virus (XYDV) based on reverse transcription (RT) and DNA amplification. XYDV was detected in leaves and tubers and showed a high incidence in the field in both symptomatic (almost 100%) and asymptomatic (70%) plants, but its accumulation was much higher in symptomatic plants. The relevance of these results for disease control was discussed.

Análisis de tiroglobulina preablativa y cáncer diferenciado de tiroides preoperatorio / Analysis of pre-ablative and preoperative thyroglobulin in differentiated thyroid cancer

BACKGROUND: The measurement of plasma thyroglobulin (Tg) is widely used in the monitoring of differentiated thyroid cancer (CDT). In recent years, its value as a prognostic marker prior to ablation with radioiodine has increased, demonstrating its high negative predictive value. Recent studies indicate that a wide variety of factors could potentially influence pre-ablative Tg values, including residual tumor burden and stimulation modality. Aim: To relate the value of pre-ablative Tg with the amount of preoperative disease burden, lymph node metastases, treatment, and presence of residual disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective observational study of 70 patients with CDT treated between 2012 and 2018. The amount of disease burden was defined as the sum of largest diameter of individual tumors in each patient, and as the individually largest tumor per patient and number of metastatic lymph nodes. RESULTS: A smaller tumor size and absence of remnant tissue was associated with lower Tg values, although the association was not always significant. Furthermore, no significant difference was found between Tg levels measured within or more than 14 days after the surgical procedure. Thus, an early measurement of pTg after surgery would allow an initial therapeutic decision making. Conclusions: A statistical association between pre-ablative Tg levels and the amount of preoperative tumor tissue burden was found in some subgroups of patients.

Depresión, desregulación emocional y estrategias de afrontamiento en adolescentes con conductas de autolesión / Depression, emotional dysregulation and coping strategies in adolescents with self-injurious behaviors

Resumen En México, el estudio de la autolesión cuenta con pocas investigaciones, y menos si se trata de estudios que conformen posibles modelos explicativos. Teniendo esto en cuenta, en el presente trabajo se planteó como objetivo conocer la relación de la autolesión con la depresión, la desregulación emocional y los estilos de afrontamiento, con el fin de generar un modelo explicativo de la problemática. El estudio se realizó a partir de un diseño cuantitativo, transversal y con alcance explicativo, y se contó con una muestra de 5835 adolescentes (M edad = 11-15 años) inscritos en 62 secundarias públicas del estado de Sonora. Se realizaron regresiones logísticas para el análisis de los datos, y como resultado se encontró que, para los estudiantes con autolesión severa (3.54 %), el modelo explica el 61 % de la varianza en los datos (R1 de Nagelkerke = .61) y clasifica correctamente al 84.1 % de los participantes; mientras que, en la autolesión leve (5.29 %), el modelo explica el 72 % de la varianza en los datos (R2 de Nagelkerke = .72) y clasifica correctamente al 88.2 % de los estudiantes. Asimismo, las dimensiones de depresión mostraron el mayor nivel explicativo (cognitiva-afectiva, somática) y correlaciones positivas con la desregulación emocional y el estilo de afrontamiento de evitación, así como correlaciones negativas con el estilo de afrontamiento de aproximación. Al final se discute respecto a la importancia de las variables independientes para futuras investigaciones, y sobre los resultados anómalos y otros datos de interés.

Abstract In Mexico, there is little research on the study of self-injury and even less on possible explanatory models. With this in mind, this study aimed to determine the relationship between self-injury and depression, emotional dysregulation, and coping styles, to generate an explanatory model of the problem. The study was carried out using a quantitative, cross-sectional, explanatory scope, design and a sample of 5835 adolescents (Mage = 11-15 years) enrolled in 62 public high schools in the state of Sonora. Logistic regressions were performed for data analysis, and as a result it was found that, for students with severe self-injury (3.54 %), the model explains 61 % of the variance in the data (Nagelkerke's R2 = .61) and correctly classifies 84.1 % of the participants; whereas, in mild self-injury (5.29 %), the model explains 72 % of the variance in the data (Nagelkerke's R2 = .72) and correctly classifies 88.2 % of the students. Likewise, the depression dimensions showed the highest explanatory level (cognitive-affective, somatic) and positive correlations with emotional dysregulation and avoidance coping style, as well as negative correlations with approach coping style. At the end, the importance of the independent variables for future research is discussed, as well as anomalous results and other data of interest.

Development of metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma following the excision of same-sided recurrent auricular melanoma.

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine malignancy of the skin that is highly aggressive and often metastasizes early. MCC is diagnosed based on histopathological findings and is most commonly treated with surgical resection, which may be accompanied by chemotherapy and/or radiation. This report describes a 55-year-old male patient with the history of recurrent malignant melanoma of the right pinna and subsequent excision. Three years following the excision of melanoma, he presented with a lesion to the right forehead as well as a right-sided neck mass that were found to be metastatic Merkel cell carcinoma.

Presentation of Eagle syndrome following radiation therapy to carcinoma of the larynx.

Eagle syndrome is a rare clinical condition that is characterized by either an elongated styloid process or a calcified stylohyoid ligament. This report describes the case of a 35-year-old woman who presented with Eagle syndrome following the treatment of recurrent laryngeal carcinoma with ionizing radiation.

Antibiotic-Loaded Polymeric Barrier Membranes for Guided Bone/Tissue Regeneration: A Mini-Review.

Polymeric membranes are frequently used for bone regeneration in oral and periodontal surgery. Polymers provide adequate mechanical properties (i.e., Young's modulus) to support oral function and also pose some porosity with interconnectivity to permit for cell proliferation and migration. Bacterial contamination of the membrane is an event that may lead to infection at the bone site, hindering the clinical outcomes of the regeneration procedure. Therefore, polymeric membranes have been proposed as carriers for local antibiotic therapy. A literature search was performed for papers, including peer-reviewed publications. Among the different membranes, collagen is the most employed biomaterial. Collagen membranes and expanded polytetrafluoroethylene loaded with tetracyclines, and polycaprolactone with metronidazole are the combinations that have been assayed the most. Antibiotic liberation is produced in two phases. A first burst release is sometimes followed by a sustained liberation lasting from 7 to 28 days. All tested combinations of membranes and antibiotics provoke an antibacterial effect, but most of the time, they were measured against single bacteria cultures and usually non-specific pathogenic bacteria were employed, limiting the clinical relevance of the attained results. The majority of the studies on animal models state a beneficial effect of these antibiotic functionalized membranes, but human clinical assays are scarce and controversial.

Malnutrition and Increased Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Elderly Patients Undergoing Elective Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Case-Control Study Nested in a Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition increases worse outcomes during hospital admission for elective colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery in older adults. METHODS: This work was designed an observational, monocentric, case-control study nested in a cohort of patients undergoing elective surgery for CRC disease at the Hospital Universitario de la Ribera (HULR) (Alzira, Valencia, Spain) between 2011 and 2019. The study considered patients with a CONUT score in the range of moderate to severe malnutrition (>4 points), with control patients with normal nutritional situations or mild malnutrition. RESULTS: Moderate-to-severe malnutrition cases presented a greater length of stay (LOS), a higher incidence of adverse events (both medical and surgical complications), a higher incidence of surgical-wound infection, a greater need for blood transfusion, and a greater amount of transfused packed red blood cells. During hospitalization, the percentage of patients without nutritional risk decreased from 46 to 9%, and an increase in mild, moderate, and severe risk was observed. Patients with severe nutritional risk at hospital admission had significantly increased mortality at 365 days after discharge (HR: 2.96 (95% CI 1.14-7.70, p = 0.002)). After adjusting for sex, age, and Charlson index score, patients with severe nutritional risk at admission maintained a higher mortality risk (HR: 3.08 (95% CI 1.10-8.63, p = 0.032)). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition prevalence is high in older adults undergoing CRC elective surgery. Furthermore, this prevalence increases during hospital admission. Malnutrition is linked to worse outcomes, such as LOS, surgical and clinical complications, and mortality. For this reason, nutritional interventions are very important in the perioperative period.