Clinical characteristics and outcomes of aortic prosthetic valve endocarditis: comparison between transcatheter and surgical bioprostheses.

PURPOSE: Most data regarding infective endocarditis (IE) after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) comes from TAVI registries, rather than IE dedicated cohorts. The objective of our study was to compare the clinical and microbiological profile, imaging features and outcomes of patients with IE after SAVR with a biological prosthetic valve (IE-SAVR) and IE after TAVI (IE-TAVI) from 6 centres with an Endocarditis Team (ET) and broad experience in IE. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. From the time of first TAVI implantation in each centre to March 2021, all consecutive patients admitted for IE-SAVR or IE-TAVI were prospectively enrolled. Follow-up was monitored during admission and at 12 months after discharge. RESULTS: 169 patients with IE-SAVR and 41 with IE-TAVI were analysed. Early episodes were more frequent among IE-TAVI. Clinical course during hospitalization was similar in both groups, except for a higher incidence of atrioventricular block in IE-SAVR. The most frequently causative microorganisms were S. epidermidis, Enterococcus spp. and S. aureus in both groups. Periannular complications were more frequent in IE-SAVR. Cardiac surgery was performed in 53.6% of IE-SAVR and 7.3% of IE-TAVI (p=0.001), despite up to 54.8% of IE-TAVI patients had an indication. No differences were observed about death during hospitalization (32.7% vs 35.0%), and at 1-year follow-up (41.8% vs 37.5%), regardless of whether the patient underwent surgery or not. CONCLUSION: Patients with IE-TAVI had a higher incidence of early prosthetic valve IE. Compared to IE-SAVR, IE-TAVI patients underwent cardiac surgery much less frequently, despite having surgical indications. However, in-hospital and 1-year mortality rate was similar between both groups.

Parp Inhibitors and Radiotherapy: A New Combination for Prostate Cancer (Systematic Review).

PARPi, in combination with ionizing radiation, has demonstrated the ability to enhance cellular radiosensitivity in different tumors. The rationale is that the exposure to radiation leads to both physical and biochemical damage to DNA, prompting cells to initiate three primary mechanisms for DNA repair. Two double-stranded DNA breaks (DSB) repair pathways: (1) non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) and (2) homologous recombination (HR); and (3) a single-stranded DNA break (SSB) repair pathway (base excision repair, BER). In this scenario, PARPi can serve as radiosensitizers by leveraging the BER pathway. This mechanism heightens the likelihood of replication forks collapsing, consequently leading to the formation of persistent DSBs. Together, the combination of PARPi and radiotherapy is a potent oncological strategy. This combination has proven its efficacy in different tumors. However, in prostate cancer, there are only preclinical studies to support it and, recently, an ongoing clinical trial. The objective of this paper is to perform a review of the current evidence regarding the use of PARPi and radiotherapy (RT) in PCa and to give future insight on this topic.

Contemporary comparison of infective endocarditis caused by Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis: a cohort study.

Among 1655 consecutive patients with infective endocarditis treated from 1998 to 2020 in three tertiary care centres, 16 were caused by Candida albicans (CAIE, n = 8) and Candida parapsilosis (CPIE, n = 8). Compared to CAIE, CPIE were more frequently community-acquired. Prosthetic valve involvement was remarkably more common among patients with CPIE. CPIE cases presented a higher rate of positive blood cultures at admission, persistently positive blood cultures after antifungals initiation and positive valve cultures. All patients but four underwent cardiac surgery. Urgent surgery was more frequently performed in CPIE. No differences regarding in-hospital mortality were documented, even after adjusting for therapeutic management.

Wnt/ß-Catenin Signaling Contributes to Paclitaxel Resistance in Bladder Cancer Cells with Cancer Stem Cell-Like Properties.

The Wnt/ß-catenin pathway plays an important role in tumor progression and chemotherapy resistance and seems to be essential for the maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSC) in several tumor types. However, the interplay of these factors has not been fully addressed in bladder cancer. Here, our goal was to analyze the role of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway in paclitaxel resistance and to study the therapeutic efficacy of its inhibition in bladder cancer cells, as well as to determine its influence in the maintenance of the CSC-like phenotype in bladder cancer. Our results show that paclitaxel-resistant HT1197 cells have hyperactivation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and increased CSC-like properties compared with paclitaxel-sensitive 5637 cells. Paclitaxel sensitivity diminishes in 5637 cells after ß-catenin overexpression or when they are grown as tumorspheres, enriched for the CSC-like phenotype. Additionally, downregulation of ß-catenin or inhibition with XAV939 sensitizes HT1197 cells to paclitaxel. Moreover, a subset of muscle-invasive bladder carcinomas shows aberrant expression of ß-catenin that associates with positive expression of the CSC marker ALDH1A1. In conclusion, we demonstrate that Wnt/ß-catenin signaling contributes to paclitaxel resistance in bladder cancer cells with CSC-like properties.

Engineered Reporter Phages for Rapid Bioluminescence-Based Detection and Differentiation of Viable Listeria Cells.

The pathogen Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis, a severe foodborne disease associated with high mortality. Rapid and sensitive methods are required for specific detection of this pathogen during food production. Bioluminescence-based reporter bacteriophages are genetically engineered viruses that infect their host cells with high specificity and transduce a heterologous luciferase gene whose activity can be detected with high sensitivity to indicate the presence of viable target cells. Here, we use synthetic biology for de novo genome assembly and activation as well as CRISPR-Cas-assisted phage engineering to construct a set of reporter phages for the detection and differentiation of viable Listeria cells. Based on a single phage backbone, we compare the performance of four reporter phages that encode different crustacean, cnidarian, and bacterial luciferases. From this panel of reporter proteins, nanoluciferase (NLuc) was identified as a superior enzyme and was subsequently introduced into the genomes of a broad host range phage (A511) and two serovar 1/2- and serovar 4b/6a-specific Listeria phages (A006 and A500, respectively). The broad-range NLuc-based phage A511::nlucCPS detects one CFU of L. monocytogenes in 25 g of artificially contaminated milk, cold cuts, and lettuce within less than 24 h. In addition, this reporter phage successfully detected Listeria spp. in potentially contaminated natural food samples without producing false-positive or false-negative results. Finally, A006::nluc and A500::nluc enable serovar-specific Listeria diagnostics. In conclusion, these NLuc-based reporter phages enable rapid, ultrasensitive detection and differentiation of viable Listeria cells using a simple protocol that is 72 h faster than culture-dependent approaches.IMPORTANCE Culture-dependent methods are the gold standard for sensitive and specific detection of pathogenic bacteria within the food production chain. In contrast to molecular approaches, these methods detect viable cells, which is a key advantage for foods generated from heat-inactivated source material. However, culture-based diagnostics are typically much slower than molecular or proteomic strategies. Reporter phage assays combine the best of both worlds and allow for near online assessment of microbial safety because phage replication is extremely fast, highly target specific, and restricted to metabolically active host cells. In addition, reporter phage assays are inexpensive and do not require highly trained personnel, facilitating their on-site implementation. The reporter phages presented in this study not only allow for rapid detection but also enable an early estimation of the potential virulence of Listeria isolates from food production and processing sites.

SCF(FBXW7)-mediated degradation of p53 promotes cell recovery after UV-induced DNA damage.

Eukaryotic cells have developed sophisticated mechanisms to ensure the integrity of the genome and prevent the transmission of altered genetic information to daughter cells. If this control system fails, accumulation of mutations would increase risk of diseases such as cancer. Ubiquitylation, an essential process for protein degradation and signal transduction, is critical for ensuring genome integrity as well as almost all cellular functions. Here, we investigated the role of the SKP1-Cullin-1-F-box protein (SCF)-[F-box and tryptophan-aspartic acid (WD) repeat domain containing 7 (FBXW7)] ubiquitin ligase in cell proliferation by searching for targets implicated in this process. We identified a hitherto-unknown FBXW7-interacting protein, p53, which is phosphorylated by glycogen synthase kinase 3 at serine 33 and then ubiquitylated by SCF(FBXW7) and degraded. This ubiquitylation is carried out in normally growing cells but primarily after DNA damage. Specifically, we found that SCF(FBXW7)-specific targeting of p53 is crucial for the recovery of cell proliferation after UV-induced DNA damage. Furthermore, we observed that amplification of FBXW7 in wild-type p53 tumors reduced the survival of patients with breast cancer. These results provide a rationale for using SCF(FBXW7) inhibitors in the treatment of this subset of tumors.-Galindo-Moreno, M., Giráldez, S., Limón-Mortés, M. C., Belmonte-Fernández, A., Reed, S. I., Sáez, C., Japón, M. Á., Tortolero, M., Romero, F. SCF(FBXW7)-mediated degradation of p53 promotes cell recovery after UV-induced DNA damage.

Short-course antibiotic regimen compared to conventional antibiotic treatment for gram-positive cocci infective endocarditis: randomized clinical trial (SATIE).

BACKGROUND: Most serious complications of infective endocarditis (IE) appear in the so-called "critical phase" of the disease, which represents the first days after diagnosis. The majority of patients overcoming the acute phase has a favorable outcome, yet they remain hospitalized for a long period of time mainly to complete antibiotic therapy. The major hypothesis of this trial is that in patients with clinically stable IE and adequate response to antibiotic treatment, without signs of persistent infection, periannular complications or metastatic foci, a shorter antibiotic time period would be as efficient and safe as the classic 4 to 6 weeks antibiotic regimen. METHODS: Multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled open-label, phase IV clinical trial with a non-inferiority design to evaluate the efficacy of a short course (2 weeks) of parenteral antibiotic therapy compared with conventional antibiotic therapy (4-6 weeks). SAMPLE: patients with IE caused by gram-positive cocci, having received at least 10 days of conventional antibiotic treatment, and at least 7 days after surgery when indicated, without clinical, analytical, microbiological or echocardiographic signs of persistent infection. Estimated sample size: 298 patients. INTERVENTION: Control group: standard duration antibiotic therapy, (4 to 6 weeks) according to ESC guidelines recommendations. Experimental group: short-course antibiotic therapy for 2 weeks. The incidence of the primary composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, unplanned cardiac surgery, symptomatic embolisms and relapses within 6 months after the inclusion in the study will be prospectively registered and compared. CONCLUSIONS: SATIE will investigate whether a two weeks short-course of intravenous antibiotics in patients with IE caused by gram-positive cocci, without signs of persistent infection, is not inferior in safety and efficacy to conventional antibiotic treatment (4-6 weeks). TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04222257 (January 7, 2020). EudraCT 2019-003358-10.

Impact of Valve Culture in the Prognosis of Active Left-sided Infective Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: The culture of removed cardiac tissues during cardiac surgery of left-sided infective endocarditis (LSIE) helps to guide antibiotic treatment. Nevertheless, the prognostic information of a positive valve culture has never been explored. METHODS: Among 1078 cases of LSIE consecutively diagnosed in 3 tertiary centers, we selected patients with positive blood cultures who underwent surgery during the active period of infection and in whom surgical biological tissues were cultured (n = 429). According to microbiological results, we constructed 2 groups: negative valve culture (n=218) and concordant positive valve culture (CPVC) (n=118). We compared their main features and performed a multivariable analysis of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: Patients with CPVC presented more nosocomial origin (32% vs 20%, P = .014), more septic shock (21% vs 11%, P = .007), and higher Risk-E score (29% vs 21%, P = .023). Their in-hospital mortality was higher (35% vs 19%, P = .001), despite an earlier surgery (3 vs 11 days from antibiotic initiation, P < .001). Staphylococcus species (61% vs 42%, P = .001) and Enterococcus species (20% vs 9%, P = .002) were more frequent in the CPVC group, whereas Streptococcus species were less frequent (14% vs 42%, P < .001). Independent predictors for in-hospital mortality were renal failure (odds ratio [OR], 2.6 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.5-4.4]), prosthesis (OR, 1.9 [95% CI, 1.1-3.5]), Staphylococcus aureus (OR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.02-3.3]), and CPVC (OR, 2.3 [95% CI, 1.4-3.9]). CONCLUSIONS: Valve culture in patients with active LSIE is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality.

G1/S phase progression is regulated by PLK1 degradation through the CDK1/ßTrCP axis.

Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a serine/threonine kinase involved in several stages of the cell cycle, including the entry and exit from mitosis, and cytokinesis. Furthermore, it has an essential role in the regulation of DNA replication. Together with cyclin A, PLK1 also promotes CDH1 phosphorylation to trigger its ubiquitination and degradation, allowing cell cycle progression. The PLK1 levels in different type of tumors are very high compared to normal tissues, which is consistent with its role in promoting proliferation. Therefore, several PLK1 inhibitors have been developed and tested for the treatment of cancer. Here, we further analyzed PLK1 degradation and found that cytoplasmic PLK1 is ubiquitinated and subsequently degraded by the SCFßTrCP/proteasome. This procedure is triggered when heat shock protein (HSP) 90 is inhibited with geldanamycin, which results in misfolding of PLK1. We also identified CDK1 as the major kinase involved in this degradation. Our work shows for the first time that HSP90 inhibition arrests cell cycle progression at the G1/S transition. This novel mechanism inhibits CDH1 degradation through CDK1-dependent PLK1 destruction by the SCFßTrCP/proteasome. In these conditions, CDH1 substrates do not accumulate and cell cycle arrests, providing a novel pathway for regulation of the cell cycle at the G1-to-S boundary.-Giráldez, S., Galindo-Moreno, M., Limón-Mortés, M. C., Rivas, A. C., Herrero-Ruiz, J., Mora-Santos, M., Sáez, C., Japón, M. Á., Tortolero, M., Romero, F. G1/S phase progression is regulated by PLK1 degradation through the CDK1/ßTrCP axis.

Streptococcus bovis endocarditis: Update from a multicenter registry.

BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) due to Streptococcus bovis has been classically associated with elderly patients, frequently involving >1 valve, with large vegetations and high embolic risk, which make it a high-risk group. Our aim is to analyze the current clinical profile and prognosis of S bovis IE episodes, in comparison to those episodes caused by viridans group streptococci and enterococci. METHODS: We analyzed 1242 consecutive episodes of IE prospectively recruited on an ongoing multipurpose database, of which 294 were streptococcal left-sided IE and comprised our study group. They were classified into 3 groups: group I (n = 47), episodes of IE due to S bovis; group II (n = 134), episodes due to viridans group streptococci; and group III (n = 113), those episodes due to enterococci. RESULTS: The incidence of enterococci IE has significantly increased in the last 2 decades (6.4% [1996-2004] vs 11.1% [2005-2013]; P = .005), whereas the incidence of IE due to S bovis and viridans streptococci have remained stable (4% and 10%, respectively). Gender distribution was similar in the 3 groups. Patients with S bovis and enterococci IE were older than those from group II. Nosocomial acquisition was more frequent in group III. Concerning comorbidity, diabetes mellitus (36.7% vs 9.2% vs 26.8%; P < .001) was more common in groups I and III. Chronic renal failure was more prevalent in patients from group III (4.2% vs 1.5% vs 19%; P < .001). Prosthetic valve IE was more frequent in enterococcal IE. Infection upon normal native valves was more frequent in S bovis IE. Colorectal tumors were found in 69% of patients from this group. Vegetation detection was similar in the 3 groups. However, vegetation size was smaller in S bovis IE. During hospitalization, in-hospital complications and in-hospital mortality were higher in enterococci episodes. CONCLUSIONS: S bovis IE accounts for 3.8% of all IE episodes in our cohort; it is associated with a high prevalence of colonic tumors, with predominance of benign lesions, and affects patients without preexisting valve disease. It is related to small vegetations and a low rate of in-hospital complications, including systemic embolisms. In-hospital mortality is similar to that of viridans group streptococci.

Occurrence and fate of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in an urban aquifer located at the Besòs River Delta (Spain).

Urban aquifers are at risk of contamination from persistent and mobile organic compounds (PMOCs), especially per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are artificial organic substances widely used across various industrial sectors. PFAS are considered toxic, mobile and persistent, and have therefore gained significant attention in environmental chemistry. Moreover, precursors could transform into more recalcitrant products under natural conditions. However, there is limited information about the processes which affect their behaviour in groundwater at the field-scale. In this context, the aim of this study is to assess the presence of PFAS in an urban aquifer in Barcelona, and identify processes that control their evolution along the groundwater flow. 21 groundwater and 6 river samples were collected revealing the presence of 16 PFAS products and 3 novel PFAS. Short and ultra-short chain PFAS were found to be ubiquitous, with the highest concentrations detected for perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) and trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFSA). Long chain PFAS and novel PFAS were found to be present in very low concentrations (<50 ng/L). It was observed that redox conditions influence the behaviour of a number of PFAS controlling their attenuation or recalcitrant behaviour. Most substances showed accumulation, possibly explained by sorption/desorption processes or transformation processes, highlighting the challenges associated with PFAS remediation. In addition, the removal processes of different intensities for three PFAS were revealed. Our results help to establish the principles of the evolution of PFAS along the groundwater flow, which are important for the development of conceptual models used to plan and adopt site specific groundwater management activities (e.g., Managed Aquifer Recharge).

Decrease in Mortality after the Implementation of a Hospital Model to Improve Performance in Sepsis Care: Princess Sepsis Code.

Sepsis is a time-dependent disease whose prognosis is influenced by early diagnosis and therapeutic measures. Mortality from sepsis remains high, and for this reason, the guidelines of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign recommend establishing specific care programs aimed at patients with sepsis. We present the results of the application of a hospital model to improve performance in sepsis care, called Princess Sepsis Code, with the aim of reducing mortality. A retrospective study was conducted using clinical, epidemiological, and outcome variables in patients diagnosed with sepsis from 2015 to 2022. A total of 2676 patients were included, 32% of whom required admission to the intensive care unit, with the most frequent focus of the sepsis being abdominal. Mortality in 2015, at the beginning of the sepsis code program, was 24%, with a declining rate noted over the study period, with mortality reaching 17% in 2022. In the multivariate analysis, age > 70 years, respiratory rate > 22 rpm, deterioration in the level of consciousness, serum lactate > 2 mmol/L, creatinine > 1.6 mg/dL, and the focus of the sepsis were identified as variables independently related to mortality. The implementation of the Princess Sepsis Code care model reduces the mortality of patients exhibiting sepsis and septic shock.

Violence as a Health Problem.

Violence is a public health problem, and when it affects childhood, it can cause illness throughout the individual's life. Apart from being able to cause damage in the physical, mental and social spheres, it represents a violation of the rights of the affected children, and a high consumption of resources, both economic and social. A multitude of investigations have improved attention to this violence. However, these advances are not consistent with the practical management of victims, both in Primary and Hospital Care. There is a significant area of improvement for paediatric care. Through this article, different professionals from all established paediatric health care facilities develop general lines of knowledge and action regarding violence against children. An overview is taken of the legislation related to childhood, the different types of abuse that exist, their effects, management and prevention. It concludes with an epilogue, through which we aim to move sensibilities. In summary, this work aims to promote the training and awareness of all professionals specialized in children's health, so that they pursue the goal of achieving their patients' greatest potential in life, and in this way, to help create a healthier society, with less disease, and more justice.

Clinical Profile and Prognosis of Patients with Left-Sided Infective Endocarditis with Surgical Indication Who Are Not Operated.

Approximately a quarter of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who have surgical indication only receive antibiotic treatment. Their short-term prognosis is dismal. We aimed to describe the characteristics of this group of patients to evaluate the mortality according to the cause of rejection and type of surgical indication and to analyze their prognostic factors of mortality. From 2005 to 2022, 1105 patients with definite left-sided IE were consecutively attended in three tertiary hospitals. Of them, 912 (82.5%) had formal surgical indication according to the most recent European Guidelines available in each period of the study and 303 (33%) only received medical treatment. These were older, had more comorbidities and higher in-hospital (46% vs. 24%; p < 0.001) and one year mortality (57.1% vs. 27.6%; p < 0.001) than operated patients. The main reason for surgical rejection was high surgical risk (57.1%) and the highest mortality when the cause were severe neurological conditions (76%). When the endocarditis team took the decision not to operate (25.5% of the patients), in-hospital (7%) and one-year mortality (17%) were low. In-hospital mortality associated with each surgical indication was 67% in heart failure, 53% in uncontrolled infection and 45% in prevention of embolisms (p < 0.001). Heart failure (OR: 2.26 CI95%: 1.29-3.96; p = 0.005), Staphylococcus aureus (OR: 3.17; CI95%: 1.72-5.86; p < 0.001) and persistent infection (OR: 5.07 CI95%: 2.85-9.03) are the independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality. One third of the patients with left-sided IE and formal surgical indication are rejected for surgery. In-hospital mortality is very high, especially when heart failure is the indication for surgery and when severe neurological conditions the reason for rejection. Short term prognosis of patients rejected by a specialized endocarditis team is favorable.

Native Valve Infective Endocarditis with Severe Regurgitation: What Matters Is Heart Failure.

Background/Objectives: Heart failure worsens the prognosis of patients with infective endocarditis (IE) and is mainly caused by severe valvular regurgitation. The aim of our investigation is to describe the clinical, epidemiological, microbiological, and echocardiographic characteristics of patients with native left-sided infective endocarditis (NLSIE) with severe valvular regurgitation; to describe the prognosis according to the therapeutic approach; and to determine the prognostic factors of in-hospital mortality. Methods: We prospectively recruited all episodes of possible or definite NLSIE diagnosed at three tertiary hospitals between 2005 and 2022. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with severe valvular regurgitation at the time of admission or during hospitalization and patients without severe valvular regurgitation. We analyzed up to 85 variables concerning epidemiological, clinical, analytical, microbiological, and echocardiographic data. Results: We recovered 874 patients with NLSIE, 564 (65%) of them with severe valvular regurgitation. There were no differences in mortality among patients with and without severe regurgitation (30.2% vs. 26.5%, p = 0.223). However, mortality increased when patients with severe regurgitation developed heart failure (33% vs. 11.4%, p < 0.001). Independent factors related to heart failure were age (OR 1.02 [1.01-1.034], p = 0.001), anemia (OR 1.2 [1.18-3.31], p = 0.01), atrial fibrillation (OR 2.3 [1.08-4.89], p = 0.03), S. viridans-related IE (OR 0.47 [0.3-0.73], p = 0.001), and mitroaortic severe regurgitation (OR 2.4 [1.15-5.02], p = 0.019). Conclusions: Severe valvular regurgitation is very frequent among patients with NLSIE, but it does not worsen the prognosis of patients unless complicated with heart failure.

Ampicillin plus ceftriaxone is as effective as ampicillin plus gentamicin for treating enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the ampicillin plus ceftriaxone (AC) and ampicillin plus gentamicin (AG) combinations for treating Enterococcus faecalis infective endocarditis (EFIE). METHODS: An observational, nonrandomized, comparative multicenter cohort study was conducted at 17 Spanish and 1 Italian hospitals. Consecutive adult patients diagnosed of EFIE were included. Outcome measurements were death during treatment and at 3 months of follow-up, adverse events requiring treatment withdrawal, treatment failure requiring a change of antimicrobials, and relapse. RESULTS: A larger percentage of AC-treated patients (n = 159) had previous chronic renal failure than AG-treated patients (n = 87) (33% vs 16%, P = .004), and AC patients had a higher incidence of cancer (18% vs 7%, P = .015), transplantation (6% vs 0%, P = .040), and healthcare-acquired infection (59% vs 40%, P = .006). Between AC and AG-treated EFIE patients, there were no differences in mortality while on antimicrobial treatment (22% vs 21%, P = .81) or at 3-month follow-up (8% vs 7%, P = .72), in treatment failure requiring a change in antimicrobials (1% vs 2%, P = .54), or in relapses (3% vs 4%, P = .67). However, interruption of antibiotic treatment due to adverse events was much more frequent in AG-treated patients than in those receiving AC (25% vs 1%, P < .001), mainly due to new renal failure (≥25% increase in baseline creatinine concentration; 23% vs 0%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: AC appears as effective as AG for treating EFIE patients and can be used with virtually no risk of renal failure and regardless of the high-level aminoglycoside resistance status of E. faecalis.

Contaminants of emerging concern in the urban aquifers of Barcelona: Do they hamper the use of groundwater?

Urban aquifers are an alternative to obtain freshwater, but they are frequently polluted by contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Therefore, there is a need to ascertain whether CECs are a water management challenge as they might limit the use of groundwater as safe drinking water even at ng L-1 concentration levels. To answer this question, it is required to evaluate human health-risk effects of measured CECs in the groundwater and to understand their behaviour at a field-scale. This study compiles data about the presence of CECs in the aquifers of Barcelona and its metropolitan area, evaluates health risk effects of measured CECs in the groundwater and presents approaches implemented to identify and quantify the coupled hydro-thermo-chemical processes that govern their fate in the subsurface. Some CECs might be harmful to humans, such as 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole and the pharmaceuticals azithromycin valsartan, valsartan acid, lamotrigine, gabapentin, venlafaxine and lidocaine, which show very high to intermediate health risk effects. The number of harmful CECs and the level of their hazard increase from the groups of adults and 14-18 years old teens to the groups of 4-8 years old and 1-2 years old children. Thus, some CECs can limit the use of groundwater in Barcelona as potential drinking water source. Finally, knowledge gaps in understanding the integration of these processes into urban water resources management plans are identified, which will help to define groundwater potential uses and to assure the adequate protection of the human health and the environment.

Impact of transfer to reference centres and surgical timing on the prognosis of surgically treated patients with infective endocarditis: a prospective multi-centre cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare outcomes in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) first treated in secondary hospitals and then transferred to reference centres for surgery with those in patients diagnosed in reference centres, and to evaluate the impact of surgery timing on prognosis. METHODS: Analysis of a prospective cohort of patients with active IE admitted to three reference centres between 1996 and 2022 who underwent cardiac surgery in the first month after diagnosis. Multi-variable analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of transfer to reference centres and time to surgery on 30-day mortality. Adjusted ORs with 95% CIs were calculated. RESULTS: Amongst 703 patients operated on for IE, 385 (54.8%) were referred cases. All-cause 30-day mortality did not differ significantly between referred patients and those diagnosed at reference centres (102/385 [26.5%] vs. 78/385 [24.5%], respectively; p 0.552). Variables independently associated with 30-day mortality in the whole cohort were diabetes (OR, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.15-2.69]), chronic kidney disease (OR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.08-3.10]), Staphylococcus aureus (OR, 1.88 [95% CI, 1.18-2.98]), septic shock (OR, 2.76 [95% CI, 1.67-4.57]), heart failure (OR, 1.41 [95% CI, 0.85-2.11]), acute renal failure before surgery (OR, 1.76 [95% CI, 1.15-2.69]), and the interaction between transfer to reference centres and surgery timing (OR, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.03-1.35]). Amidst referred patients, time from diagnosis to surgery longer than a week was independently associated with 30-day mortality (OR, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.30-3.69]; p 0.003). CONCLUSION: Among referred patients, surgery performed >7 days after diagnosis was associated with two-fold higher 30-day mortality.

Cisplatin-induced cell death increases the degradation of the MRE11-RAD50-NBS1 complex through the autophagy/lysosomal pathway.

Cisplatin and other platinum-based anticancer agents are among the most widely used chemotherapy drugs in the treatment of different types of cancer. However, it is common to find patients who respond well to treatment at first but later relapse due to the appearance of resistance to cisplatin. Among the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon is the increase in DNA damage repair. Here, we elucidate the effect of cisplatin on the MRN (MRE11-RAD50-NBS1) DNA damage sensor complex. We found that the tumor suppressor FBXW7 is a key factor in controlling the turnover of the MRN complex by inducing its degradation through lysosomes. Inhibition of lysosomal enzymes allowed the detection of the association of FBXW7-dependent ubiquitylated MRN with LC3 and the autophagy adaptor p62/SQSTM1 and the localization of MRN in lysosomes. Furthermore, cisplatin-induced cell death increased MRN degradation, suggesting that this complex is one of the targets that favor cell death. These findings open the possibility of using the induction of the degradation of the MRN complex after genotoxic damage as a potential therapeutic strategy to eliminate tumor cells.

The three-noes right-sided infective endocarditis: An unrecognized type of right-sided endocarditis.

The "3 noes right-sided infective endocarditis" (3no-RSIE: no left-sided, no drug users, no cardiac devices) was first described more than a decade ago. We describe the largest series to date to characterize its clinical, microbiological, echocardiographic and prognostic profile. Eight tertiary centers with surgical facilities participated in the study. Patients with right-sided endocarditis without left sided involvement, absence of drug use history and no intracardiac electronic devices were retrospectively included in a multipurpose database. A total of 53 variables were analyzed in every patient. We performed a univariate analysis of in-hospital mortality to determine variables associated with worse prognosis. the study was comprised of 100 patients (mean age 54.1 ± 20 years, 65% male) with definite 3no-RSIE were included (selected from a total of 598 patients with RSIE of all the series, which entails a 16.7% of 3no-RSIE). Most of the episodes were community-acquired (72%), congenital cardiopathies were frequent (32% of the group of patients with previous known predisposing heart disease) and fever was the main manifestation at admission (85%). The microbiological profile was led by Staphylococci spp (52%). Vegetations were detected in 94% of the patients. Global in-hospital mortality was 19% (5.7% in patients operated and 26% in patients who received only medical treatment, P < .001). Non-community acquired infection, diabetes mellitus, right heart failure, septic shock and acute renal failure were more common in patients who died. the clinical profile of 3no-RSIE is closer to other types of RSIE than to LSIE, but mortality is higher than that reported on for other types of RSIE. Surgery may play an important role in improving outcome.