The effect of cilostazol on the platelet-derived growth factor-beta/beta isoform reduction on venous hyperplasia in an experimental balloon-induced injury model.

BACKGROUND: Intimal hyperplasia is the response to endothelial injury. Platelet-derived growth factor is released early and favors the formation of intimal hyperplasia. Although multiple treatments, from open surgery to endovascular techniques, have been used they remain controversial. There is currently interest in developing pharmacological strategies to address this pathology. Local vascular inflammation induced by vessel barotrauma generates intimal hyperplasia due to mechanical stress over the venous endothelium. Cilostazol is a selective phosphodiesterase type 3 (PDE3) selective inhibitor with a regulatory effect over intimal hyperplasia. The objective was to investigate cilostazol's role in inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation due to changes in the expression and release of PDGF-BB isoform and the effect on developing IH using an experimental model of vascular barotrauma (balloon-induced injury model). METHODS: We included 12 New Zealand rabbits. The balloon-induced injury model (BIIM) and experimental group cilostazol (20 mg/kg/day) included 6 rabbits each. Contralateral veins from 6 rabbits used in BIIM model has been taken as control group. We measured and compared the expression of PDGF-BB and the development of IH. A pathologist board chooses a PDGFRα antibody to localized its expression by immunohistochemistry analysis. Subsequently, using an automated immunohistochemical staining machine, the PDGFR expression was evaluated using a Zeiss Primo Star 4 light microscope. RESULTS: The measurement obtained in the intimal layer was: 126.12 µm2 in the CG, 232 µm2 in the BIIM group, and 178 µm2 in the EG. A statistically significant difference was observed. Baseline serum concentrations of PDGF-BB in the BIIM group were 0.22 pg/mL. At 12 h 0.42 pg/mL, and 0.17 pg/mL at seven days. In the experimental group, the basal levels were 0.33 pg/mL. With the use of cilostazol, a lower peak was obtained at 12 h (0.08 pg/mL). This difference was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Cilostazol induced a significant reduction of IH caused by barotrauma in the venous endothelium, which correlates with decrease in the PDGF-BB in serum. This could be attributed to the pharmacologic effect on PDGFR expression.

Influencia de la malnutrición fetal en el crecimiento y desarrollo craneofacial

Introducción: La malnutrición fetal incide de forma negativa en el crecimiento y la maduración, afectando las estructuras craneofaciales en el feto. Objetivo: Determinar los efectos de la malnutrición fetal por defecto en el crecimiento y desarrollo craneofacial en niños. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio analítico de casos y controles, en el área de salud José Martí del municipio Camagüey, desde enero de 2018 hasta diciembre de 2020. El universo estuvo constituido por niños de 6-11 años de edad, pertenecientes al área salud y la muestra quedó conformada por 40 niños, 20 en el grupo de estudio y 20 controles. El grupo de estudio se conformó por niños que presentaron bajo peso al nacer por defecto y tuvieron alteraciones en el crecimiento del complejo craneofacial y el grupo control por niños que no presentaron alteraciones en el crecimiento del complejo craneofacial y que al nacimiento se encontraban normopeso. A todos los niños se les efectuaron mediciones antropométricas craneofaciales. Resultados: La medida de la circunferencia cefálica al nacer en los controles masculinos superó en 0,78 cm al sexo femenino y entre los malnutridos por defecto, los masculinos lograron 1,57 cm más que los femeninos. En el diámetro bicigomático hubo una fuerte asociación estadística y el riesgo relativo indicó que la incidencia del bajo peso al nacer fue mayor que en los controles (p <0,05). Conclusiones: Los niños con bajo peso al nacer presentan menor crecimiento y desarrollo craneofacial según las variables antropométricas.

Introduction: Fetal malnutrition impacts in a negative way the growth and development, thus affecting the craniofacial structures of the fetus. Objective: To determine the effects of fetal malnutrition by defect on craniofacial growth and development in children. Methods: An analytical case and control study was carried out in Jose Martí health area of Camagüey, from January 2018 to December 2020. A sample of 40 was selected from the totality of the children between 6 and 11 years old who belong to the referred health area, to be divided into 20 cases and the same number in the control group. The study group was composed of those low birth weight who present craniofacial abnormalities while control group included the children without craniofacial abnormalities and normal weight at birth. Anthropometric craniofacial measurements were performed on all the sample. Results: The head circumference at birth in male children of control group was 0.78 cm higher than that on female sex. Among those low birth weight, male children exhibited 1.57 cm higher than females. Regarding the bizygomatic diameter there was a strong statistic association and the relative risk indicated a higher incidence on the study group compared to the control group (p <0.05). Conclusions: Low birth weight children show lower craniofacial growth and development, with higher impact on females according to anthropometric variables.

Impact Factor JUMPS After the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging Journals.

ABSTRACT: One of the most widely applied methods for evaluating a research paper's quality is the impact factor (IF). The term JUMPS was applied to the IF in an article published in PubMed in 2021, describing an increase of more than 40% of IF. In this study, we aimed to compare the growth rate of IF JUMPS in Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging in the last 6 years. This retrospective study calculated the growth rate (JUMP) in IF from 2015 to 2020. We used the Friedman and Wilcoxon signed ranks tests to calculate the statistically significant difference in IF from 2015 to 2020 and the 2019 to 2020 difference. We classified JUMPS in negative growth rate, quartiles, and journals with >100%. Three journals had more than 100% IF growth rate during 2020 ( Zeitschrift fur Medizinische Physik , Journal of the Belgian Society of Radiology , and Ultrasound Quarterly ). A 76% to 100% growth rate was observed in another 4 journals (3.2%), and 8 journals (6.3%) depicted a 51% to 75% percentage of change. Repeated measures analyses showed a significant difference ( P < 0.001). During the COVID-19 pandemic, several journals in the Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging category increased their IF by 50%. Knowing the growing trends in this category might supplement the assessment of target journals for authors looking to submit their works.

Essential Topics About the Imaging Diagnosis and Treatment of Hemorrhagic Stroke: A Comprehensive Review of the 2022 AHA Guidelines.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a severe stroke with a high death rate (40% mortality). The prevalence of hemorrhagic stroke has increased globally, with changes in the underlying cause over time as anticoagulant use and hypertension treatment have improved. The fundamental etiology of ICH and the mechanisms of harm from ICH, particularly the complex interaction between edema, inflammation, and blood product toxicity, have been thoroughly revised by the American Heart Association (AHA) in 2022. Although numerous trials have investigated the best medicinal and surgical management of ICH, there is still no discernible improvement in survival and functional tests. Small vessel diseases, such as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) or deep perforator arteriopathy (hypertensive arteriopathy), are the most common causes of spontaneous non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Even though ICH only causes 10%-15% of all strokes, it contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality, with few acute or preventive treatments proven effective. Current AHA guidelines acknowledge up to 89% sensitivity for unenhanced brain CT and 81% for brain MRI. The imaging findings of both methods are helpful for initial diagnosis and follow-up, sometimes necessary a few hours after admission, especially for detecting hemorrhagic transformation or hematoma expansion. This review summarized the essential topics on hemorrhagic stroke epidemiology, risk factors, physiopathology, mechanisms of injury, current management approaches, findings in neuroimaging, goals and outcomes, recommendations for lifestyle modifications, and future research directions ICH. A list of updated references is included for each topic.

Association between neck circumference and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Mexican children and adolescents with obesity.

Background Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic hepatic disorder in the pediatric population and has grown along with the obesity pandemic in which we live today. Adipose tissue storage in the upper body segment has been positively correlated with visceral adiposity and metabolic disease, which suggests that neck circumference could represent an easily accessible and replicable anthropometric measurement to identify patients with a higher risk of developing NAFLD. The main purpose of this study is to determine if there is an association between neck circumference and NAFLD. The secondary objectives are to establish cutoff values based on gender and puberty staging. Methods We included a sample pediatric population of 112 patients diagnosed with obesity aged between 6 and 18 years. We performed anthropometric and metabolic measurements on every patient, and NAFLD diagnosis was determined with hepatic ultrasound. Results The neck circumference was larger in NAFLD pediatric patients compared to those without NAFLD (p = 0.001). In a multivariate analysis, the neck circumference was associated with NAFLD as an independent risk factor (odds ratio [OR] = 1.172; 95% CI = 1.008-1.362; p = 0.038). Tanner 2-3 = 35 cm and Tanner 4-5 = 38 cm were established as risk cutoff values to develop NAFLD in the male adolescent population. Conclusions There is an association between the neck circumference and NAFLD in pediatric patients with obesity, particularly in the male population.

Efectividad del extracto acuoso de aloe en el tratamiento de las alveolitis bucales / Effectiveness of the aqueous extract of aloe in the treatment of oral alveolitis

Fundamento: la alveolitis es una complicación que puede aparecer luego de las exodoncias, se considera una urgencia estomatológica por el dolor intenso. Resulta preocupante para los servicios estomatológicos su prevalencia, por las complicaciones e invalidez que puede provocar en los pacientes.Objetivo: evaluar la efectividad del extracto acuoso de aloe de uso farmacéutico en el tratamiento de las alveolitis.Método: se realizó un estudio experimental, en 100 pacientes que acudieron a la Clínica Provincial Docente, Clínica La Vigía y al Policlínico Julio Antonio Mella de Camagüey en el 2014, y que fueron diagnosticados con alveolitis. La muestra quedó conformada por 50 pacientes en el grupo control tratados con alvogyl y 50 en el grupo de estudio, tratados con extracto acuoso de aloe vera.Resultados: la mayor cantidad de los pacientes se concentró entre las edades de 26 a 45 años. A las 24 horas de tratamiento los resultados sobre la disminución del dolor fueron similares para ambos grupos, con un 18 por ciento para el grupo de estudio y un 16 por ciento para el grupo control. Al transcurrir 48 horas los mejores resultados se registraron en el grupo control con 62 por ciento de pacientes sin dolor, solo 30 por ciento en el grupo de estudio y a las 72 horas se mantuvo esta tendencia con 90 por ciento en el grupo control y 72 por ciento en el de estudio. En el grupo estudio eliminaron el dolor el 84,6 por ciento de los pacientes que presentaron alveolitis húmeda.Conclusiones: el extracto acuoso de aloe es un medicamento natural, efectivo en el tratamiento de las alveolitis; principalmente en las alveolitis húmedas y en aquellas que se presentaron en el maxilar. No hubo aparición de reacciones adversas con ninguno de los medicamentos aplicados (AU)

Background: alveolitis is a complication that may appear after the extraction of a tooth. It is considered a dental emergency due to the intense pain. Its prevalence is worrisome for the dental services for the complications and disability that it can provoke in patients.Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of the aqueous extract of aloe with pharmaceutical use in the treatment of alveolitis.Method: an experimental study was carried out with 100 patients that visited the Provincial Teaching Dental Clinic, La Vigía Clinic, and Julio Antonio Mella Polycilinic of Camaguey in 2014, and that were diagnosed with alveolitis. The sample was made up of 50 patients in the control group treated with Alvogyl and 50 patients in the study group treated with aloe.Results: most of the patients belonged to the 26 to 45 age group. At 24 hours of treatment the results on pain relief were similar for both groups, with an 18 percent for the study group and a 16 percent for the control group. At 48 hours the best results were found in the control group, with 62 percent of patients with no pain, and only a 30 percent in the study group. At 72 hours this tendency was kept with 90 percent in the control group and 72 percent in the study group. In the study group an 84 percent of the patients with wet alveolitis felt pain relief.Conclusions: the aqueous extract of aloe is a natural drug which is effective in the treatment of alveolitis, mainly in wet alveolitis and those affecting the maxillary bones. There were no adverse reactions with none of the used medications (AU)

Screen-printed electrode based electrochemical detector coupled with ionic liquid dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction and microvolume back-extraction for determination of mercury in water samples.

A novel approach is presented, whereby gold nanostructured screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCnAuEs) are combined with in-situ ionic liquid formation dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (in-situ IL-DLLME) and microvolume back-extraction for the determination of mercury in water samples. In-situ IL-DLLME is based on a simple metathesis reaction between a water-miscible IL and a salt to form a water-immiscible IL into sample solution. Mercury complex with ammonium pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate is extracted from sample solution into the water-immiscible IL formed in-situ. Then, an ultrasound-assisted procedure is employed to back-extract the mercury into 10 µL of a 4 M HCl aqueous solution, which is finally analyzed using SPCnAuEs. Sample preparation methodology was optimized using a multivariate optimization strategy. Under optimized conditions, a linear range between 0.5 and 10 µg L(-1) was obtained with a correlation coefficient of 0.997 for six calibration points. The limit of detection obtained was 0.2 µg L(-1), which is lower than the threshold value established by the Environmental Protection Agency and European Union (i.e., 2 µg L(-1) and 1 µg L(-1), respectively). The repeatability of the proposed method was evaluated at two different spiking levels (3 and 10 µg L(-1)) and a coefficient of variation of 13% was obtained in both cases. The performance of the proposed methodology was evaluated in real-world water samples including tap water, bottled water, river water and industrial wastewater. Relative recoveries between 95% and 108% were obtained.

[Secondary non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma involving the breast: radiologic imaging]. / Linfoma no Hodgkin de células B con extensión secundaria a glándula mamaria. Evaluación por imagen.

Secondary lymphomas involving the breast, although uncommon, represent the largest group of metastasic tumors to the breast. Primary non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) of the breast are also rare, accounting for 1.7% to 2.2% of extranodal NHL cases and 0.38 to 0.7% of all NHLs. Approximately 300 cases have been reported in the Medical literature. Mammographic appearances are described as round or oval areas of opacity. The breast mass may appear homogeneous or inhomogeneous. The lesion may be very well defined and may be mistaken for a benign process, most notable in patients younger than 35 years of age. Ultrasonographic appearance is described as a sharply defined mass with low or medium echoes. The posterior aspect of the mass is well defined (possibly with slight acoustic enhancement but with no associated posterior shadowing). In summary, the mammographic appearance of the breast lymphoma is nonspecific, but the diagnosis can possibly be excluded if calcifications or a desmoplastic reaction are present. Prominent lymph vessels in a patient with a breast mass should raise the suspicion of breast lymphoma. The most critical aspect in the workup of a breast mass is the tissue biopsy, since radiographically lymphomatous lesions are indeterminate. We present the case of a 79-year-old woman with abdominal pain and a palpable breast mass; we also make a brief summary of the clinical features and main imaging findings of NHL (plain radiograph, mammography, breast ultrasound and thorax tomography).

Linfoma no Hodgkin de células B con extensión secundaria a glándula mamaria: Evaluación por imagen / Secondary non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma involving the breast: radiologic imaging

Los linfomas secundarios con afectación de la glándula mamaria, aunque raros, representan el grupo más grande de tumores metastásicos de la mama. El linfoma no Hodgkin primario de la mama es también raro, representando del 1.7%-2.2% de los casos de linfoma no Hodgkin extranodal y del 0.38-0.7% de todos los linfomas no Hodgkin. Aproximadamente 300 casos han sido reportados en la literatura. El aspecto mamográfico ha sido descrito como áreas redondeadas u ovales con densidad aumentada. Las masas mamarias pueden aparecer homogéneas o heterogéneas. Las lesiones pueden ser muy bien definidas y ser confundidas con procesos benignos, esto último más probable en pacientes menores de 35 años de edad. Los hallazgos ultrasonográficos son descritos como masas de márgenes bien definidos con ecos de intensidad baja a moderada. Las paredes posteriores de la masa suelen estar bien definidas, probablemente con ligero reforzamiento acústico pero sin sombra posterior asociada. En resumen, el aspecto mamográfico del linfoma mamario no es específico, pero el diagnóstico puede ser excluido si hay presencia de calcificaciones o reacción desmoplásica. El tejido linfoide prominente en un paciente con masas mamarias debería despertar la sospecha de linfoma mamario. El aspecto más crítico en el estudio de una masa de la mama es la biopsia del tejido, puesto que una lesión linfomatosa tiene radiográficamente patrones indeterminados. Presentamos el caso de una mujer de 79 años con dolor abdominal y una masa palpable en la mama derecha; realizamos un breve resumen de las características clínicas y principales hallazgos por imagen del linfoma no Hodgkin con afección a la glándula mamaria (radiografía de tórax, mastografía, ultrasonido mamario, y tomografía de tórax).

Secondary lymphomas involving the breast, although uncommon, represent the largest group of metastasic tumors to the breast. Primary non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHLs) of the breast are also rare, accounting for 1.7% to 2.2% of extranodal NHL cases and 0.38 to 0.7% of all NHLs. Approximately 300 cases have been reported in the Medical literature. Mammographic appearances are described as round or oval areas of opacity. The breast mass may appear homogeneous or inhomogeneous. The lesion may be very well defined and may be mistaken for a benign process, most notable in patients younger than 35 years of age. Ultrasonographic appearance is described as a sharply defined mass with low or medium echoes. The posterior aspect of the mass is well defined (possibly with slight acoustic enhancement but with no associated posterior shadowing). In summary, the mammographic appearance of the breast lymphoma is nonspecific, but the diagnosis can possibly be excluded if calcifications or a desmoplastic reaction are present. Prominent lymph vessels in a patient with a breast mass should raise the suspicion of breast lymphoma. The most critical aspect in the workup of a breast mass is the tissue biopsy, since radiographically lymphomatous lesions are indeterminate. We present the case of a 79-year-old woman with abdominal pain and a palpable breast mass; we also make a brief summary of the clinical features and main imaging findings of NHL (plain radiograph, mammography, breast ultrasound and thorax tomography).

Mucosele del apéndice vermiforme / Apendiceal mucocele

Antecedentes: El mucocele es una dilatación quística del apéndice vermiforme que contiene material mucoso y que es originado por diversas enfermedades. objetivo: Informar y discutir cuatro casos de mucocele apendicular. Informe de los casos: Las manifestaciones clínicas principales fueron dolor abdominal y cambios en el hábito intestinal. En dos casos, el mucocele fue un hallazgo incidental ante la coexistencia de diverticulitis aguda y colecistitis aguda, respectivamente, El abordaje diagnóstico incluyó colon por enema y tomografía computada del abdomen. El mococele fue secundario a cistademona mucinoso en tres casos; en dos de ellos se realizó hemicolectomía derecha con preparación colónica preoperatoria, y en un caso se realizó apendicectomía. En el paciente restante, se realizó apendicectomía y se encontró un cistadenocarcinoma mucinoso, por lo que se realizó hemicolectomía derecha es una segunda operación. La evolución postoperatoria en todos los casos fue satisfactoria. Conclusión: el mucocele apendicular es una entidad poco frecuente. La apendicectomía es tratamiento suficiente para enfermedad benigna. En los casos en que se documente malignidad, es recomendable la realización de hemicolectomía derecha.

Case report of primary squamous carcinoma of the rectum

Objetivo. Informar un caso de carcinoma primario epidermoide del recto. Reporte del caso. Se estudió a una mujer de 40 años con hematoquezia y cambios de los hábitos intestinales. La principal alteración de laboratorio fue una anemia leve. El colon por enema y la proctoscopía revelaron una neoplasia rectal a ocho cm del margen anal. La biopsia transendoscópica demostró un carcinoma epidermoide del recto. El ultrasonido transrectal y la TAC de abdomen revelaron una gran masa rectal, con afección transmural, y posible afección de ganglios linfáticos. El antígeno carcinoembrionario estaba elevado (32 ng/mL). La paciente fue sometida a radioterapia con 46 Gy, y 5-fluorouracilo como radiosensibilizador. Tres meses después, una nueva TAC de abdomen demostro reducción significativa del tramaño de la masa, y la paciente se operó realizándose una resección anterior muy baja de recto con técnica de doble engrapadora. El análisis del espécimen demostró un carcinoma epidermoide del tercio medio del recto, invadiendo a través de las muscularis propria, sin afección de ganglios linfáticos, y con bordes proximales, distales y radiales libres de tumor. El antígeno carcinoembrionario postoperatorio regresó a lo normal (1.3 ng/mL). La paciente se encuentra viva y sin evidencia de enfermedad 18 meses después de la operación. Conclusión. El carcinoma epidermoide del recto es una enfermedad rara y la cirugía es una buena opción de tratamiento, con posibilidad de preservación del esfinter dependiendo de la localización del tumor