Circulating Gastric Cancer Stem Cells as Blood Screening and Prognosis Factor in Gastric Cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death, associated with late diagnosis and treatment resistance. Currently, screening tests for GC are not cost-effective or have low accuracy. Previously, we described an extended phenotype of gastric cancer stem cells (GCSCs; CD24+CD44+CD54+EpCAM+) that is associated with metastasis and tumor stage in GC patients. The goal of the current research is to evaluate the presence of these GCSCs in the peripheral blood of GC patients and healthy volunteers. A total of 73 blood samples were collected from 32 GC patients and 41 healthy volunteers. After peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) extraction, multiparametric flow cytometry was performed looking for GCSCs. Using clustering data through artificial intelligence (AI), we defined high/low levels of circulating GCSCs (cGCSCs) and proceeded to evaluate its association with clinical and prognostic variables. Finally, a diagnostic test analysis was performed evaluating patients and healthy volunteers. We found that cGCSCs are present in most GC patients with a mean concentration of 0.48%. The AI clustering showed two groups with different cGCSC levels and clinical characteristics. Through statistical analysis, we confirmed the association between cGCSC levels and lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, and overall survival. The diagnostic test analysis showed sensibility, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) of 83%, 95%, and 0.911, respectively. Our results suggest that the assessment of cGCSCs CD24+CD44+CD54+EpCAM+ could be a potential noninvasive test, with prognostic value, as well as highly sensitive and specific for screening or diagnosis of GC; however, a larger scale study will be necessary to confirm this.

Value of clinical examination in the assessment of penetrating neck injuries: a retrospective study of diagnostic accuracy test.

BACKGROUND: There are many high-volume trauma centers in limited resource environments where a thorough clinical examination of patients may contribute to a more economical, accurate, and widely applicable method of determining the proper management of patients with penetrating neck injuries. The purpose of this study was to validate thorough physical examination as a reliable diagnostic tool in these patients. METHODS: We performed an observational retrospective study of a diagnostic accuracy test where we compared clinical findings (symptoms and soft signs on admission of the patient) with the definitive findings according to the gold standard test for each particular situation (selective studies, clinical observation and surgical exploration). The study was conducted at Hospital Occidente Kennedy (HOK) between August 2009 and June 2010. RESULTS: The sample consisted of the clinical records of 207 (n = 207) patients who went to the emergency room for penetrating neck wounds at Hospital Occidente Kennedy (HOK). Of the total sample, 36.2% (n = 75) of patients were considered "asymptomatic" as they didn't present with any soft signs of injury. Vascular soft signs were present in 57% (n = 118) of the patients, soft signs of the airway and the upper gastrointestinal tract were present in 15.9% (n = 33) and 21.3% (n = 44) of the patients respectively. The sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) of any soft sign to determine injuries which require surgical repair was 97.4% [CI] [86.5-99.5%] and 98.7% [CI] [92.8-99.8%] respectively, with a range of confidence [CI] of 95%. CONCLUSIONS: Our study's main findings suggest that patients with neck injuries and no vascular, airway, or gastrointestinal soft sign can be safely managed with a conservative approach. It is important to emphasize the value of the clinical examination since there are many contexts in the modern world where a considerable amount of the population is afflicted by neck trauma and treated under conditions where technological resources are limited.

Exposición de peatones a la contaminación del aire en vías con alto tráfico vehicular / Pedestrian exposure to air pollution on routes with heavy vehicular traffic

Objetivo Este estudio piloto tuvo como objetivo caracterizar la contaminación del aire a la que están expuestos los peatones en inmediaciones de tres vías con alto tráfico vehicular en la ciudad de Bogotá (carrera novena, carrera séptima y carrera once). Método Como indicador de la calidad del aire se utilizó el carbono elemental (BC), dado que es un compuesto reconocido como trazador de las emisiones provenientes de fuentes móviles. Las concentraciones de BC fueron registradas de forma continua y en tiempo real con un Micro Aethalometro portátil Modelo AE51 que era portado por las personas que realizaban los recorridos de 1.6 kilómetros en cada vía, al tiempo que diligenciaban un formato de actividades en el que consignaban los eventos relevantes percibidos durante el recorrido. Resultados Se encontró una relación directa (observada) entre los picos de concentración de BC a los que están expuestos los peatones y los eventos documentados en cada trayecto. Si bien en los tres corredores viales estudiados se registraron concentraciones de BC que indican un aire de inadecuada calidad, se encontraron distintas distribuciones de las concentraciones para cada vía estudiada. Los autores atribuyen este resultado a la diferencia en el volumen de tráfico pesado (buses y busetas principalmente), siendo la Carrera Once la vía con mayor flujo de vehículos de este tipo y más altas concentraciones de BC. Conclusión La evidencia recolectada refuerza la importancia de involucrar la variable calidad del aire al momento de diseñar infraestructura orientada a modos de transporte no motorizado.(AU)

Objective This pilot study aimed to characterize pedestrians' exposure to air pollution alongside three routes with high traffic in Bogota, Colombia (ninth avenue, eleventh avenue and seventh avenue). Method Black carbon (BC) was used as an air quality indicator since it is recognized as a tracer compound for emissions from mobile sources. The concentrations of BC were recorded continuously with a portable Micro Aethalometer Model AE51. The instrument was carried by the people doing the 1.5 kilometer-long routes, while they filled in an activity form that recorded the events occurring during the walk. Results A direct (observed) relationship between BC concentration peaks and documented events at each route was found. Although BC concentrations at all three studied corridors indicate an inadequate air quality, different concentration distributions were found for each route. The authors attribute this result to the difference in the volume of heavy traffic (mainly buses and minibuses). Eleventh Avenue was the route with the greatest flow of such vehicles and higher concentrations of BC. Conclusion The collected evidence reinforces the importance of involving air quality as a critical variable when designing non-motorized transport oriented infrastructure.(AU)

[Pedestrian exposure to air pollution on routes with heavy vehicular traffic]. / Exposición de peatones a la contaminación del aire en vías con alto tráfico vehicular.

Objective This pilot study aimed to characterize pedestrians' exposure to air pollution alongside three routes with high traffic in Bogota, Colombia (ninth avenue, eleventh avenue and seventh avenue). Method Black carbon (BC) was used as an air quality indicator since it is recognized as a tracer compound for emissions from mobile sources. The concentrations of BC were recorded continuously with a portable Micro Aethalometer Model AE51. The instrument was carried by the people doing the 1.5 kilometer-long routes, while they filled in an activity form that recorded the events occurring during the walk. Results A direct (observed) relationship between BC concentration peaks and documented events at each route was found. Although BC concentrations at all three studied corridors indicate an inadequate air quality, different concentration distributions were found for each route. The authors attribute this result to the difference in the volume of heavy traffic (mainly buses and minibuses). Eleventh Avenue was the route with the greatest flow of such vehicles and higher concentrations of BC. Conclusion The collected evidence reinforces the importance of involving air quality as a critical variable when designing non-motorized transport oriented infrastructure.

Desentendimiento moral y dinámicas del robo escolar / Moral indifference or lack of concern, and school theft dynamics

En una investigación reciente sobre violencia escolar en Bogotá, Colombia, el 56% de los estudiantes reportaron haber sido robados en el colegio durante el último año. El presente estudio cualitativo, de corte deductivo, pretendió profundizar en este fenómeno, buscando comprender las dinámicas de robos, así como los mecanismos de desentendimiento moral que podrían estar facilitando que los vinculados sientan menos culpa. El estudio fue realizado en un colegio público de nivel socioeconómico bajo y con altos niveles de criminalidad en su contexto comunitario. Inicialmente, 227 alumnos de sexto y octavo grados respondieron una encuesta de actitudes frente al robo. Con base en sus respuestas, 20 estudiantes con niveles altos de favorabilidad fueron entrevistados, y 40 que tenían niveles bajos o promedio de favorabilidad participaron en grupos focales. Los resultados indicaron que el robo en este colegio presenta un nivel elevado de organización, e involucra con frecuencia planeación, división de labores y amenazas. Además, según los participantes, el robo está muy relacionado con la presencia de pandillas en el colegio y con la falta de respuesta institucional clara y consistente. También se encontró que los involucrados recurren a varios mecanismos de desentendimiento moral, como las comparaciones ventajosas, el desplazamiento o la difusión de la responsabilidad, y la atribución de la culpa, como estrategias para justificar sus acciones. El estudio indica que es urgente implementar y evaluar intervenciones que busquen prevenir tanto el robo como la vinculación a trayectorias delictivas tempranas

In a recent research about school violence in Bogota, Colombia, 56% of the students reported having been robbed in their schools during past year. This qualitative study, of deductive nature, was intended to look at this phenomenon in depth by trying to understand larceny dynamics as well as moral indifference or lack of concern mechanisms likely to help those involved to feel less guilt. This study was carried out in a public, low socioeconomic status school, with high criminality levels in its community context. Initially, 227 sixth and eighth grade students took part in a survey relating to attitude vis-à-vis theft. Based on their answers, 20 students with high favorability levels were interviewed, while 40 having low or average favorability levels took part in focus groups. The results indicated that larceny activities in this school show a high degree of organization often involving elements of planning, task distribution, and threats. Moreover, according to the participants, robbery is strongly related to the presence of juvenile gangs in the school, along with lack of clear and consistent institutional response. It was also found that those involved resort to several moral indifference mechanisms, such as advantageous comparisons as well as displacement, misplacement or diffusion of responsibility and the attribution of guilt as suitable strategies to justify their actions. The study indicates that the implementation and assessment of interventions intended to prevent both larceny and youth involvement in early criminal careers is indeed urgent