Metabolic syndrome is not associated with erosive hand osteoarthritis: a cross-sectional study using data from the PROCOAC cohort.

To delineate the phenotype of erosive hand osteoarthritis (EHOA) in a Spanish population and assess its correlation with metabolic syndrome. We conducted a cross-sectional study using baseline data from the Prospective Cohort of Osteoarthritis from A Coruña (PROCOAC). Demographic and clinical variables, obtained through questionnaires, clinical examinations, and patient analytics, were compared among individuals with hand OA, with and without EHOA. We performed appropriate univariate and multivariate stepwise regression analyses using SPSS v28. Among 1039 subjects diagnosed with hand OA, 303 exhibited EHOA. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed associations with inflamed joints, nodular hand OA, and total AUSCAN. Furthermore, the association with a lower prevalence of knee OA remained significant. The influence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on EHOA patients was analyzed by including MetS as a covariate in the model. It was observed that MetS does not significantly impact the presence of EHOA, maintaining the effect size of other factors. In conclusion, in the PROCOAC cohort, EHOA is associated with nodular hand OA, inflammatory hand OA, and a higher total AUSCAN. However, EHOA is linked to a lower prevalence of knee OA. Importantly, in our cohort, no relationship was found between EHOA and MetS.

Towards clinical applicability and computational efficiency in automatic cranial implant design: An overview of the AutoImplant 2021 cranial implant design challenge.

Cranial implants are commonly used for surgical repair of craniectomy-induced skull defects. These implants are usually generated offline and may require days to weeks to be available. An automated implant design process combined with onsite manufacturing facilities can guarantee immediate implant availability and avoid secondary intervention. To address this need, the AutoImplant II challenge was organized in conjunction with MICCAI 2021, catering for the unmet clinical and computational requirements of automatic cranial implant design. The first edition of AutoImplant (AutoImplant I, 2020) demonstrated the general capabilities and effectiveness of data-driven approaches, including deep learning, for a skull shape completion task on synthetic defects. The second AutoImplant challenge (i.e., AutoImplant II, 2021) built upon the first by adding real clinical craniectomy cases as well as additional synthetic imaging data. The AutoImplant II challenge consisted of three tracks. Tracks 1 and 3 used skull images with synthetic defects to evaluate the ability of submitted approaches to generate implants that recreate the original skull shape. Track 3 consisted of the data from the first challenge (i.e., 100 cases for training, and 110 for evaluation), and Track 1 provided 570 training and 100 validation cases aimed at evaluating skull shape completion algorithms at diverse defect patterns. Track 2 also made progress over the first challenge by providing 11 clinically defective skulls and evaluating the submitted implant designs on these clinical cases. The submitted designs were evaluated quantitatively against imaging data from post-craniectomy as well as by an experienced neurosurgeon. Submissions to these challenge tasks made substantial progress in addressing issues such as generalizability, computational efficiency, data augmentation, and implant refinement. This paper serves as a comprehensive summary and comparison of the submissions to the AutoImplant II challenge. Codes and models are available at https://github.com/Jianningli/Autoimplant_II.

UPEFinder: A Bioinformatic Tool for the Study of Uncharacterized Proteins Based on Gene Expression Correlation and the PageRank Algorithm.

The Human Proteome Project (HPP) is leading the international effort to characterize the human proteome. Although the main goal of this project was first focused on the detection of missing proteins, a new challenge arose from the need to assign biological functions to the uncharacterized human proteins and describe their implications in human diseases. Not only the proteins with experimental evidence (uPE1 proteins) but also the uncharacterized missing proteins (uMPs) were the objects of study in this challenge, neXt-CP50. In this work, we developed a new bioinformatic approach to infer biological annotations for the uPE1 proteins and uMPs based on a "guilt-by-association" analysis using public RNA-Seq data sets. We used the correlation of these proteins with the well-characterized PE1 proteins to construct a network. In this way, we applied the PageRank algorithm to this network to identify the most relevant nodes, which were the biological annotations of the uncharacterized proteins. All of the generated information was stored in a database. In addition, we implemented the web application UPEFinder (https://upefinder.proteored.org) to facilitate the access to this new resource. This information is especially relevant for the researchers of the HPP who are interested in the generation and validation of new hypotheses about the functions of these proteins. Both the database and the web application are publicly available (https://github.com/ubioinformat/UPEfinder).

In vivo cerebral aneurysm models.

Cerebral aneurysm rupture is a devastating event resulting in subarachnoid hemorrhage and is associated with significant morbidity and death. Up to 50% of individuals do not survive aneurysm rupture, with the majority of survivors suffering some degree of neurological deficit. Therefore, prior to aneurysm rupture, a large number of diagnosed patients are treated either microsurgically via clipping or endovascularly to prevent aneurysm filling. With the advancement of endovascular surgical techniques and devices, endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms is becoming the first-line therapy at many hospitals. Despite this fact, a large number of endovascularly treated patients will have aneurysm recanalization and progression and will require retreatment. The lack of approved pharmacological interventions for cerebral aneurysms and the need for retreatment have led to a growing interest in understanding the molecular, cellular, and physiological determinants of cerebral aneurysm pathogenesis, maturation, and rupture. To this end, the use of animal cerebral aneurysm models has contributed significantly to our current understanding of cerebral aneurysm biology and to the development of and training in endovascular devices. This review summarizes the small and large animal models of cerebral aneurysm that are being used to explore the pathophysiology of cerebral aneurysms, as well as the development of novel endovascular devices for aneurysm treatment.

Cognitive and cerebral hemodynamic effects of endovascular recanalization of chronically occluded cervical internal carotid artery: single-center study and review of the literature.

OBJECTIVE: Revascularization of a symptomatic, medically refractory, cervical chronically occluded internal carotid artery (COICA) using endovascular techniques (ETs) has surfaced as a viable alternative to extracranial-intracranial bypass. The authors aimed to assess the safety, success, and neurocognitive outcomes of recanalization of COICA using ETs or hybrid treatment (ET plus carotid endarterectomy) and to identify candidate radiological markers that could predict success. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective analysis of their prospectively collected institutional database and used their previously published COICA classification to assess the potential benefits of ETs or hybrid surgery to revascularize symptomatic patients with COICA. Subjects who had undergone CT perfusion (CTP) imaging and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) testing, both pre- and postprocedure, were included. The authors then performed a review of the literature on patients with COICA to further evaluate the success and safety of these treatment alternatives. RESULTS: The single-center study revealed 28 subjects who had undergone revascularization of symptomatic COICA. Five subjects had CTP imaging and MoCA testing pre- and postrevascularization and thus were included in the study. All 5 patients had very large penumbra involving the entire hemisphere supplied by the ipsilateral COICA, which resolved postoperatively. Significant improvement in neurocognitive outcome was demonstrated by MoCA testing after treatment (preprocedure: 19.8 ± 2.4, postprocedure: 27 ± 1.6; p = 0.0038). Moreover, successful revascularization of COICA led to full restoration of cerebral hemodynamics in all cases. Review of the literature identified a total of 333 patients with COICA. Of these, 232 (70%) showed successful recanalization after ETs or hybrid surgery, with low major and minor complication rates (3.9% and 2.7%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: ETs and hybrid surgery are safe and effective alternatives to revascularize patients with symptomatic COICA. CTP imaging could be used as a radiological marker to assess cerebral hemodynamics and predict the success of revascularization. Improvement in CTP parameters is associated with significant improvement in neurocognitive functions.

Dissecting the mechanism of action of actinoporins. Role of the N-terminal amphipathic α-helix in membrane binding and pore activity of sticholysins I and II.

Actinoporins sticholysin I and sticholysin II (St I, St II) are proposed to lyse model and biomembranes via toroidal pore formation by their N-terminal domain. Based on the hypothesis that peptide fragments can reproduce the structure and function of this domain, the behavior of peptides containing St I residues 12-31 (StI12-31), St II residues 11-30 (StII11-30), and its TOAC-labeled analogue (N-TOAC-StII11-30) was examined. Molecular modeling showed a good match with experimental structures, indicating amphipathic α-helices in the same regions as in the toxins. CD spectra revealed that the peptides were essentially unstructured in aqueous solution, acquiring α-helical conformation upon interaction with micelles and large unilamellar vesicles (LUV) of variable lipid composition. Fluorescence quenching studies with NBD-containing lipids indicated that N-TOAC-StII11-30's nitroxide moiety is located in the membranes polar head group region. Pyrene-labeled phospholipid inter-leaflet redistribution suggested that the peptides form toroidal pores, according to the mechanism of action proposed for the toxins. Binding occurred only to negatively charged LUV, indicating the importance of electrostatic interactions; in contrast the peptides bound to both negatively charged and zwitterionic micelles, pointing to a lesser influence of these interactions. In addition, differences between bilayers and micelles in head group packing and in curvature led to differences in peptide-membrane interaction. We propose that the peptides topography in micelles resembles that of the toxins in the toroidal pore. The peptides mimicked the toxins permeabilizing activity, St II peptides being more effective than StI12-31. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration that differences in the toxins N-terminal amphipathic α-helix play a role in the difference between St I and St II activities.

Repair of giant postlaminectomy pseudomeningocele with fast-resorbing polymer mesh: technical report of 2 cases.

Pseudomeningocele is a rare but well-known complication of lumbar spine surgery, which arises in 0.068%-0.1% of individuals in large series of patients undergoing laminectomy and in up to 2% of patients with postlaminectomy symptoms. In symptomatic pseudomeningoceles, surgical reexploration and repair of the dural defect are typically necessary. Whereas the goals of pseudomeningocele repair, which are extirpation of the pseudomeningocele cavity and elimination of extradural dead space, can typically be achieved by primary closure performed using nonabsorbable sutures, giant pseudomeningoceles (> 8 cm) can require more elaborate repair in which fibrin glues, dural substitute, myofascial flaps, or all of the above are used. The authors present 2 cases of postsurgical symptomatic giant pseudomeningoceles that were repaired using a fast-resorbing polymer mesh-supported reconstruction technique, which is described here for the first time.

Integrating medical and research information: a big data approach.

Most of the information collected in different fields by Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de A Coruña (INIBIC) is classified as unstructured due to its high volume and heterogeneity. This situation, linked to the recent requirement of integrating it to the medical information, makes it necessary to implant specific architectures to collect and organize it before it can be analysed. The purpose of this article is to present the Hadoop framework as a solution to the problem of integrating research information in the Business Intelligence field. This framework can collect, explore, process and structure the aforementioned information, which allow us to develop an equivalent function to a data mart in an Intelligence Business system.

Análisis de las características clínicas y anatomopatológicas asociadas al HER-2/neu en cáncer de mama primariamente operable con técnica de inmunohistoquímica en una población hospitalaria / Analysis of the association between clinical and pathological features of breast cancer and HER-2/neu operable primarily, evaluated by inmunohitochemistry in a hospital population

Objetivo: describir la asociación entre las características clínicas y anatomopatológicas del cáncer de mama primariamente operable y el HER-2/neu evaluado por inmunohistoquímica. Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo. Se evaluó la edad, tamaño tumoral, grado histológico, ganglios axilares, RE, RP y el estado del HER-2/neu en pacientes con diagnóstico de carcinoma invasivo primariamente operables del Servicio de Ginecología del Hospital Ramón Madariaga de Posadas, Misiones, comprendido entre enero de 2007 y 30 de agosto del 2012. Con un total de 95 pacientes, se comparó características clínicas y anatomopatológicas de los tumores con relación al estado del HER-2. Resultados: los receptores hormonales negativos fueron más frecuentemente HER-2/neu positivos, tanto para los RE (75,00% vs. 23,25%) como para RP (73,07% vs. 25,58%). En el análisis multivariado, el RE se asoció como predicción en forma independiente del HER-2/neu. Conclusiones: en el análisis multivariado el estado del receptor de estrógeno resultó predicción independiente de la sobreexpresión del HER-2/neu, no así el receptor de progesterona, el tamaño tumoral, los ganglios linfáticos y la edad. En el aná- lisis univariado RE y RP se asociaron negativamente a la sobreexpresión del HER-2/neu.

Análisis de las características clínicas y anatomopatológicas asociadas al HER-2/neu en cáncer de mama primariamente operable con técnica de inmunohistoquímica en una población hospitalaria / Analysis of the association between clinical and pathological features of breast cancer and HER-2/neu operable primarily, evaluated by inmunohitochemistry in a hospital population

Objetivo: describir la asociación entre las características clínicas y anatomopatológicas del cáncer de mama primariamente operable y el HER-2/neu evaluado por inmunohistoquímica. Materiales y métodos: estudio descriptivo. Se evaluó la edad, tamaño tumoral, grado histológico, ganglios axilares, RE, RP y el estado del HER-2/neu en pacientes con diagnóstico de carcinoma invasivo primariamente operables del Servicio de Ginecología del Hospital Ramón Madariaga de Posadas, Misiones, comprendido entre enero de 2007 y 30 de agosto del 2012. Con un total de 95 pacientes, se comparó características clínicas y anatomopatológicas de los tumores con relación al estado del HER-2. Resultados: los receptores hormonales negativos fueron más frecuentemente HER-2/neu positivos, tanto para los RE (75,00% vs. 23,25%) como para RP (73,07% vs. 25,58%). En el análisis multivariado, el RE se asoció como predicción en forma independiente del HER-2/neu. Conclusiones: en el análisis multivariado el estado del receptor de estrógeno resultó predicción independiente de la sobreexpresión del HER-2/neu, no así el receptor de progesterona, el tamaño tumoral, los ganglios linfáticos y la edad. En el aná- lisis univariado RE y RP se asociaron negativamente a la sobreexpresión del HER-2/neu.(AU)

Falla orgánica múltiple: acercamiento al tema / Dealing with multiple organ failure

Uno de los mayores retos que enfrenta un médico en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos es la falla multiorgánica. Síndrome con una oscura etiopatogenia multifactorial, cuadro clínico variado, medios diagnósticos tempranos escasos, con una mortalidad muy alta y hasta ahora, sin un tratamiento específico. En este artículo se revisan estos elementos con el objetivo de actualizar los conocimientos de nuestros cardiólogos, que con tanta frecuencia trabajan en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos, en relación a este letal e interesante síndrome

Falla orgánica múltiple: acercamiento al tema / Dealing with multiple organ failure

Uno de los mayores retos que enfrenta un médico en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos es la falla multiorgánica. Síndrome con una oscura etiopatogenia multifactorial, cuadro clínico variado, medios diagnósticos tempranos escasos, con una mortalidad muy alta y hasta ahora, sin un tratamiento específico. En este artículo se revisan estos elementos con el objetivo de actualizar los conocimientos de nuestros cardiólogos, que con tanta frecuencia trabajan en Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos, en relación a este letal e interesante síndrome (AU)

Disfunción neurológica en la cirugía cardiovascular: acercamiento al tema / Neurological dysfunction in cardiovascular surgery: approaching to the topic

Se hizo una revisión actualizada de la disfunción neurológica que se puede producir en el postoperatorio de la cirugía cardiovascular. Se realizó una reseña de la clasificación, frecuencia de aparción, mecanismos fisiopatológicos y factores de riesgo, mortalidad, algunos medios diagnósticos y tratamiento

Disfunción neurológica en la cirugía cardiovascular: acercamiento al tema / Neurological dysfunction in cardiovascular surgery: approaching to the topic

Se hizo una revisión actualizada de la disfunción neurológica que se puede producir en el postoperatorio de la cirugía cardiovascular. Se realizó una reseña de la clasificación, frecuencia de aparción, mecanismos fisiopatológicos y factores de riesgo, mortalidad, algunos medios diagnósticos y tratamiento (AU)