Toward the development of sensors for lung cancer: The adsorption of 1-propanol on hydrophobic zeolites.

A healthy breath is mainly composed of water, carbon dioxide, molecular nitrogen, and oxygen and it contains many species, in small quantities, which are related to the ambient atmosphere and the metabolism. The breath of a person affected by lung cancer presents a concentration of 1-propanol higher than usual. In this context, the development of specific sensors to detect 1-propanol from breath is of high interest. The amount of propanol usually detected on the breath is of few ppb; this small quantity is a handicap for a reliable diagnostic. This limitation can be overcome if the sensor is equipped with a pre-concentrator. Our studies aim to provide an efficient material playing this role. This will contribute to the development of reliable and easy to use lung cancer detectors. For this, we investigate the properties of a few hydrophobic porous materials (chabazite, silicalite-1, and dealuminated faujasite). Hydrophobic structures are used to avoid saturation of materials by the water present in the exhaled breath. Our experimental and simulation results suggest that silicalite -1 (MFI) is the most suitable structure to be used as a pre-concentrator.

PDDA induced step-pyramidal growth of nickel-platinum (Ni-Pt) nanoparticles for enhanced 4-nitrophenol reduction.

Herein, we report the synthesis of novel platinum-based nanoparticles with step-pyramidal growth induced by poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA). The complex stepped pyramidal shape became the central point for outstanding catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol, overcoming the activity of bare Pt nanoparticles. These results are valuable for the catalytic degradation of reactive molecules.

Consensus of experts from the Spanish Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Society and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology for the genotyping of DPYD in cancer patients who are candidates for treatment with fluoropyrimidines.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and oral fluoropyrimidines, such as capecitabine, are widely used in the treatment of cancer, especially gastrointestinal tumors and breast cancer, but their administration can produce serious and even lethal toxicity. This toxicity is often related to the partial or complete deficiency of the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) enzyme, which causes a reduction in clearance and a longer half-life of 5-FU. It is advisable to determine if a DPD deficiency exists before administering these drugs by genotyping DPYD gene polymorphisms. The objective of this consensus of experts, in which representatives from the Spanish Pharmacogenetics and Pharmacogenomics Society and the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology participated, is to establish clear recommendations for the implementation of genotype and/or phenotype testing for DPD deficiency in patients who are candidates to receive fluoropyrimidines. The genotyping of DPYD previous to treatment classifies individuals as normal, intermediate, or poor metabolizers. Normal metabolizers do not require changes in the initial dose, intermediate metabolizers should start treatment with fluoropyrimidines at doses reduced to 50%, and poor metabolizers are contraindicated for fluoropyrimidines.

Effect of antibiotic prophylaxis for preventing infectious complications following impacted mandibular third molar surgery. A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of antibiotic prophylaxis in preventing postoperative infections after extraction of impacted mandibular third molars. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A Parallel-group, randomized, blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed. 154 patients were randomly allocated to 2 groups; experimental (n=77) receiving 2g amoxicillin 1 hour prior to surgery and control (n=77) receiving placebo. Primary outcome was postoperative infections and secondary outcome was the need for rescue analgesia. RESULTS: 4.5% of patients developed postoperative infections, five patients of the control group (4 alveolar osteitis, 1 surgical site infection) and two of the experimental group (1 alveolar osteitis, 1 surgical site infection). Difference between groups was not statistically significant, RR=0.4 (95%CI 0.08-1.99, 𝘱=0.41) NNTB=26. Rescue analgesia intake was significantly higher in the control group (41 vs 18 patients of experimental group) RR=0.49 (95%CI 0.32-0.75, 𝘱<0.05) NNTB=3. CONCLUSIONS: The use of 2g amoxicillin 1 hour before surgery was not effective in significantly reducing the risk of postoperative infections from impacted mandibular third molars extraction, when compared to placebo. Nevertheless, antibiotic prophylaxis was associated with a reduced need for rescue analgesia.

Neuropsychological monitoring of current acoustic therapies as alternative treatment of chronic tinnitus.

At present, the majority of the top tinnitus treatments is based on sound. Sound-based therapies may become highly effective when the right patient at the correct time and the appropriate context is selected. The investigation presented here attempts to compare sound therapies based on music, retraining, neuromodulation, and binaural sounds in line with (1) neuro-audiology assessments and (2) psychological evaluations. Sound-based therapies were applied in 76 volunteers with tinnitus for 60 days. The neuro-audiology assessment was based on the estimation of the approximate entropy of the electrical neural activity. This assessment revealed that the whole frequency structure of the neural networks showed a higher level of activeness in tinnitus sufferers than in control individuals. Then psychological evaluation showed that retraining treatment tended to be the most effective sound-based therapy to reduce tinnitus perception, but it may be not recommended for individuals with anxiety. Binaural sounds and neuromodulation produced very similar effects at reducing tinnitus perception, stress and anxiety. Music treatments can be applied with caution since they may worsen the condition due to their frequency content.

Efficacy of systemic oncological treatments in patients with advanced esophageal or gastric cancers at high risk of dying in the middle and short term: an overview of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Esophageal and gastric cancers are a significant public health problem worldwide, with most patients presenting with advanced-stage disease and, consequently, poor prognosis. Systemic oncological treatments (SOT) have been widely used over more conservative approaches, such as supportive care. Nevertheless, its effectiveness in this scenario is not sufficiently clear. This paper provides an overview of systematic reviews that assessed the effectiveness of SOT compared with the best supportive care (BSC) or placebo in patients with advanced esophageal or gastric cancers in an end-of-life context. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, and PROSPERO for eligible systematic reviews (SRs) published from 2008 onwards. The primary outcomes were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), functional status, and toxicity. Two authors assessed eligibility and extracted data independently. We evaluated the methodological quality of included SRs using the AMSTAR-2 tool and the overlap of primary studies (corrected covered area, CCA). Also, we performed a de novo meta-analysis with data reported for each primary study when it was possible. We assessed the certainty of evidence using the GRADE approach. RESULTS: We identified 16 SRs (19 included trials) for inclusion within this overview. Most reviews had a critically low methodological quality, and there was a very high overlap of primary studies. It is uncertain whether SOT improves OS and PFS over more conservative approaches due to the very low certainty of evidence. CONCLUSIONS: The evidence is very uncertain about the effectiveness of SOT for advanced esophageal or gastric cancers. High-quality SRs and further randomized clinical trials that include a thorough assessment of patient-centered outcomes are needed. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/7CHX6 .

Congenital unilateral absence of the lacrimal gland combined with lipoma. A rare case of unilateral congenital alacrima. / Agenesia unilateral congénita de glándula lagrimal con sustitución por lipoma. Un caso raro de alacrimia congénita unilateral.

The purpose of this report is to describe a case of a unilateral congenital absence of the lacrimal gland in a 7-year-old girl with ocular symptoms, no tear production and a conjunctival tumour at the supero-external angle of the right eye. The visual acuity was 20/20 in both the eyes. The right eye showed mucous secretion, corneal erosions and filaments. Anamnesis, physical examination and clinical tests ruled out systemic diseases associated with congenital alacrima, as well as rheumatic, immunological and infectious diseases. Nuclear magnetic resonance, with various fat suppression techniques, demonstrated the absence of the right lacrimal gland and the presence of a tumour compatible with lipoma. This case, to our knowledge, is the first report of unilateral absence of the lacrimal gland combined with lipoma.

Onco-omics Approaches and Applications in Clinical Trials for Cancer Patients.

Omics technologies have revolutionised fundamental and medical research. Oncology is perhaps the field where these technologies have been most rapidly adopted and where they have had their biggest impact, dramatically transforming clinical practice guidelines over a very short period of time. Along with this transformation has come an even larger array of technologies, tools and jargon, that make following the most recent developments in the field a truly daunting task for those not involved in it. This chapter is intended to provide a general overview of evolving topics in oncology research in the era of big data analysis and precision medicine, with a specific focus on the use of tumour biomarkers, tumour biomarker tests, targeted drugs and the changing landscape of clinical trial designs.

Anterior chamber associated immune deviation to cytosolic neural antigens avoids self-reactivity after optic nerve injury and polarizes the retinal environment to an anti-inflammatory profile.

It has been hypothesized that anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) to neural antigens induced prior to central nervous system injury can inhibit self-reactivity and lessen secondary degeneration. This work evaluated the effect of ACAID induced to three neural tissue-derived extracts (whole extract, cytosolic extract, CE; or organelle-membrane extract) prior to optic nerve injury on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) survival. The results show that only ACAID to the CE increased RGC survival at 7 and14 days post-injury (dpi). This effect was achieved by retinal polarization towards an anti-inflammatory profile, driven by regulatory T cells and M2-type macrophages at 7 dpi.

Antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing oral surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The number of patients under antiplatelet therapy (APT) continues to raise as current recommendations foster this practice. Although some recommendations to manage this treatment during oral surgery procedures exist, these have methodological shortcomings that preclude them from being conclusive. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the best current evidence was carried out; The Cochrane Library, EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were searched for Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) concerning patients undergoing oral surgery with APT, other relevant sources were searched manually. RESULTS: 5 RCTs met the Inclusion criteria. No clear tendency was observed (RR= 0.97 CI 95%: 0,41-2,34; p=0,09; I2= 51%), moreover, they weren't clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: According to these findings and as bleeding is a manageable complication it seems unreasonable to undermine the APT, putting the patient in danger of a thrombotic event and its high inherent morbidity, which isn't comparable in severity and manageability to the former."

Molecular and hydrodynamic properties of human epidermal growth factor receptor HER2 extracellular domain and its homodimer: Experiments and multi-scale simulations.

BACKGROUND: In a broad range of human carcinomas gene amplification leads to HER2 overexpression, which has been proposed to cause spontaneous dimerization and activation in the absence of ligand. This makes HER2 attractive as a therapeutic target. However, the HER2 homodimerization mechanism remains unexplored. It has been suggested that the "back-to-back" homodimer does not form in solution. Notwithstanding, very recently the crystal structure of the HER2 extracellular domain homodimer formed with a "back-to-head" interaction has been resolved. We intend to explore the existence of such interactions. METHODS: A combination of experiments, molecular dynamics and hydrodynamic modeling were used to monitor the transport properties of HER2 in solution. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS: We have detected the HER2 extracellular domain homodimer in solution. The results show a high degree of molecular flexibility, which ultimately leads to quite higher values of the intrinsic viscosity and lower values of diffusion coefficient than those corresponding to globular proteins. This flexibility obeys to the open conformation of the receptor and to the large fluctuations of the different domains. We also report that for obtaining the correct hydrodynamic constants from the modeling one must consider the glycosylation of the systems. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Conformational features of epidermal growth factor receptors regulate their hydrodynamic properties and control their activity. It is essential to understand the dynamics of these systems and the role of the specific domains involved. To find biophysical correlations between dynamics and macroscopic transport properties is of general interest for researches working in this area. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Biochemistry of Synthetic Biology - Recent Developments" Guest Editor: Dr. Ilka Heinemann and Dr. Patrick O'Donoghue.

Improving risk assessment for post-surgical low cardiac output syndrome in patients without severely reduced ejection fraction undergoing open aortic valve replacement. The role of global longitudinal strain and right ventricular free wall strain.

Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is related to increased mortality and treatment related costs. We aimed to evaluate whether echocardiography-derived left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) relates to the occurrence of postoperative LCOS in patients undergoing SAVR. We prospectively enrolled 75 patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) >40%, NYHA Class

KRAS genetic variant as a prognostic factor for recurrence in resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: Several angiogenic prognostic markers are under investigation because of their potential clinical utility, aiming to improve patient outcomes. We hypothesized that genetic variant in the VEGF pathway could be used as prognostic markers of survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients undergoing pulmonary resection. METHODS: We evaluated the relationship between genetic variants in the VEGF pathway and relapse-free survival (RFS, main endpoint) and overall survival (OS, secondary endpoint) among 131 patients with stage I-III NSCLC treated with surgical resection from 2009 to 2013. Clinical, pathological and surgical data were prospectively collected. Twenty-five variants in sixteen relevant genes were selected and genotyped in tumor samples by real time PCR. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test and Cox's regression models were used for RFS and OS analyses. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 36 (min = 2.8; max = 67.4) months, there were 31 (24%) relapses and 31 (24%) deaths. Overall, median RFS was not reached and median OS was 65 [95% confidence interval (CI) 56-75] months. The KRAS rs1137282 and PIK3C2A rs4356203 variants were significantly associated with RFS. For KRAS rs1137282, the 3-year RFS was 76% [95% CI 64-84%] in patients harboring an A/A genotype compared to 53% [95% CI 37-69%] in patients harboring an A/G or G/G genotype (p = 0.02). For PIK3C2A rs4356203, patients with an A/A or an A/G genotype had a 3-year RFS of 72% [95% CI 58-76%], whereas in patients with a G/G genotype was 49% [95% CI 28-70%] (p = 0.02). These associations remained statistically significant after adjusting for all the relevant clinical parameters in the multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: Genetic variants in VEGF pathway may be associated with recurrence in stage I-III NSCLC. Specifically, the KRAS rs1137282 could be considered as a prognostic factor for recurrence in resectable NSCLC patients. Although PIK3C2A rs4356203 was associated with RFS, further analyses are necessary to confirm these data.

COMPARACIÓN DE DOS TIPOS DE SACRIFICIO Y DIFERENTES TIEMPOS DE MADURACIÓN SOBRE VARIABLES FÍSICO-QUÍMICAS Y MICROBIOLÓGICAS DE LA CARNE DE CUY (Cavia porcellus) / COMPARISON OF TWO TYPES OF SACRIFICE AND DIFFERENT RIPENING TIMES ON PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL VARIABLES OF GUINEA PIG (Cavia porcellus) MEAT

El objetivo fue determinar el comportamiento de las variables fisicoquímicas y microbiologías durante la maduración de la carne de cuy (Cavia porcellus), utilizando dos métodos de insensibilización (desnucamiento y electronarcosis). La investigación se realizó en los laboratorios de la Universidad de Nariño y se utilizaron 24 animales: 12 para cada método. Los animales ayunaron 12 h antes del sacrificio y las canales se maduraron en refrigeración (2 a 4°C) durante 24 h. Se determinaron las variables pH, acidez, temperatura, capacidad de retención de agua (CRA), conductibilidad eléctrica (CE) y pérdida de agua en refrigeración cada 4 h. Se evaluaron los parámetros microbiológicos coliformes totales y fecales a las 0, 16 y 24 h, además de Listeria sp. y la presencia de antibióticos (sulfamidas) al inicio de la maduración. Para detectar diferencia entre métodos de insensibilización para las variables fisicoquímicas se utilizó un diseño de medidas repetidas en el tiempo; para las demás variables se utilizó estadística descriptiva. Los resultados mostraron que el mejor tiempo de maduración fue a las 16 horas, con un pH promedio de 5,42, acidez de 0,272 % y CRA de 12,73. Además, las variables microbiológicas estuvieron por debajo de la norma vigente garantizando la inocuidad de la carne evaluada. No se observó diferencia estadísticas entre métodos de insensibilización y los resultados de antibióticos fueron negativos. Se concluye que el tiempo adecuado de maduración para la carne de cuy fue de 16 horas sin diferencias en el método de insensibilización.

The objective was to determine the behavior of the physicochemical and microbiological during ripening of meat of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) variables, using two methods of desensitization (whiplash and electric stun). The research was conducted in the laboratories of the University of Narino and 24 animals were used: 12 for each method. 12h fast animals before slaughter and channels matured under refrigeration (2-4°C) for 24 h. the variables pH, acidity, temperature, water retention capacity (WRC), electrical conductivity (EC) and cooling water loss every 4 hours were determined. Total coliforms and fecal parameters were evaluated at 0, 16 and 24 h, plus Listeria sp. and presence of antibiotics (sulfonamides) at the start of ripening. To detect difference between desensitization methods for physicochemical variables repeated measures design was used in time; whereas for the other variables descriptive statistics were used. The results showed that the best time to maturity was at 16 hours, with an average pH of 5.42, 0.272% acidity and CRA of 12.73. Further, microbiological variables were below the current standard guaranteeing the safety of meat assessed. No statistical difference was observed between desensitization methods and results were negative antibiotics. It is concluded that the proper ripening time for guinea pig meat was 16 hours without differences in the method of desensitization.

Increasing roughness of the human breast cancer cell membrane through incorporation of gold nanoparticles.

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) have been proposed for use in the treatment of different types of cancer, including breast cancer. At present, neither the mechanisms of AuNP interaction with the plasma membrane surface and their delivery and intracellular distribution in cancer cells nor their effect on the plasma membrane so as to allow cell incorporation of larger amounts of AuNPs is known. The objective of this work was to study the interaction of bare 20 nm diameter AuNPs with the plasma membrane of human MCF-7 breast cancer cells, as well as their uptake, intracellular distribution, and induction of changes on the cell surface roughness. The dynamics of intracellular incorporation and the distribution of AuNPs were observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Changes in roughness were monitored in synchronized MCF-7 cells by atomic force microscopy high-resolution imaging at 6 hour intervals for 24 hours during a single cell cycle. The results show that bare AuNPs are capable of emitting fluorescence at 626 nm, without the need for a fluorescent biomarker, which allows monitoring their uptake and intracellular distribution until they reach the nucleus. These results are correlated with changes in cell roughness, which significantly increases at 12 hours of incubation with AuNPs, when compared with control cells. The obtained data provide bases to understand molecular processes of the use of AuNPs in the treatment of different diseases, mainly breast cancer.

Seudoaneurisma postraumático de arteria tibial anterior secundario a fractura diafisiaria de tibia. Reporte de caso / Post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the anterior tibial artery secondary to tibial shaft fracture. Case report

Resumen: El seudoaneurisma arterial en la extremidad inferior es una entidad poco frecuente, en particular en el segmento infrapoplíteo. Comúnmente se le asocia a reparaciones vasculares o secundario a una lesión arterial localizada, posterior a fractura o a un evento quirúrgico. En México poco se ha documentado sobre esta entidad que afecta la arteria tibial anterior secundaria a proceso traumático y osteosíntesis. El sangrado súbito debido a una ruptura del seudoaneurisma es un posible desenlace catastrófico para la viabilidad del segmento, por lo cual es de suma importancia detectarla y diagnosticarla a tiempo. Las indicaciones en cuanto al tratamiento siguen siendo controvertidas en las publicaciones internacionales. Las opciones resolutivas pueden ser quirúrgicas o endovasculares. Según reportes actuales, la mejor opción terapéutica es el injerto autólogo de vena safena que mantiene el flujo sanguíneo y minimiza el riesgo de isquemia periférica. El objetivo de este trabajo es exponer el caso de un paciente que presentó la complicación descrita previamente y de la misma forma, realizar una revisión de la bibliografía consultada. Es importante indagar más sobre este tema, que bien puede pasar inadvertido en un gran número de casos por su sintomatología silente.

Abstract: Arterial pseudoaneurysm of the lower limb is an infrequent entity, particularly in the infrapopliteal segment. It is commonly associated to vascular repairs or follows a localized arterial lesion, a fracture or a surgical procedure. There is little information in Mexico about this entity in cases involving the anterior tibial artery, and secondary to trauma and osteosynthesis. Given that sudden bleeding due to rupture of the pseudoaneurysm is a possible catastrophic outcome for the viability of the segment, it is important to timely detect and diagnose the pseudoaneurysm. Treatment indications contained in the international literature are controversial. Solution-oriented approaches may be either surgical or endovascular. Current reports show that the best treatment option is an autologous saphenous vein graft, which maintains blood flow and minimizes the risk of peripheral ischemia. The purpose of this paper is to report the case of a patient who sustained the above mentioned complication and provide a literature review. This topic should be further investigated, as this condition may go unnoticed in a large number of cases, given that its symptoms are silent.