High prevalence of microplastics in the digestive tract of Scyliorhinus canicula (Linneaus, 1758) shows the species biomonitoring potential.

Plastic pollution is widespread in oceans and the ingestion of plastic by marine organisms is causing concern about potential adverse effects. The purpose of this study was to analyze the different types of plastics in the digestive tract of female small-spotted catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula). An alkaline digestion method using 10 % potassium hydroxide (KOH), was used. The samples were filtered and visually observed to classify the plastics according to size, shape, and color. Raman spectroscopy was further employed to identify the polymer types. The study found the presence of plastics in 89.5 % of the 200 females analyzed, including 10 polymers, with polystyrene (PS), polyamide-6 (PA6), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and silicone rubber (SR) being the most common. The polymers identified largely reflect the results of similar studies in the marine environment and were similar to global polymer diversity of microplastics, which highlights the potential of S. canicula females for biomonitoring microplastic pollution.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma with minimal extrathyroidal extension. Is its course so indolent that it requires a less aggressive treatment?

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has increased in recent decades, the role played by minimal extrathyroidal extension (mETE) in the prognosis of PTMC is still unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors associated with PTMC with mETE and its long-term prognosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study on patients with a histological diagnosis of PTMC. We excluded patients who had previously undergone thyroid surgery, those who had other synchronous malignancies, those with an ectopic location of the PTMC, and those lost to follow-up within two years. We compared group 1 (PTMC without extrathyroidal extension) to group 2 (PTMC with mETE) and performed a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: We observed PTMC with mETE in 11.2% (n = 18) of patients. On the multivariate analysis, mETE was associated with an age ≥45 years (OR: 4.383; 95% CI: 1.051-18.283, p = .043), tumor size ≥8 mm (OR: 5.913; 95% CI: 1.795-19.481; p = .003), bilaterality (OR: 4.430; 95% CI: 1.294-15.173; p = .018) and metastatic lymph nodes (OR: 12.588; 95% CI: 2.919-54.280; p = .001). Over the mean follow-up period of 119.8 ±â€¯65 months, one case of recurrence was detected in group 2 (0% vs. 5.6%; p = .112). No patients died of the disease. Disease-free survival was lower in group 2 (124.9 ±â€¯5.6 vs. 97.4 ±â€¯10.3 months; p = .034). CONCLUSIONS: The mETE of PTMC is a factor of worse prognosis associated with the presence of metastatic lymph nodes and a lower rate of disease-free survival.

Microcarcinoma papilar de tiroides con extensión extratiroidea mínima. ¿Tiene un curso tan indolente para precisar un tratamiento menos intensivo? / Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma with minimal extrathyroidal extension. Is its course so indolent that it requires a less aggressive treatment?

Introducción Aunque el microcarcinoma papilar de tiroides (MCPT) ha sufrido un incremento en la incidencia en las últimas décadas, todavía no está claro qué papel desempeña la extensión extratiroidea mínima (EETm) en su pronóstico. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar los factores asociados al MCPT con EETm y su pronóstico a largo plazo. Material y métodos Estudio retrospectivo cuya población a estudio la constituyen los pacientes con diagnóstico histológico de MCPT. Se excluye a los pacientes con: cirugía tiroidea previa, otras enfermedades malignas sincrónicas, localización ectópica del MCPT o pérdida durante el seguimiento antes de los 2 años. Se comparan 2grupos: grupo 1 (MCPT sin extensión extratiroidea) y grupo 2 (MCPT con EETm). Se realiza un análisis multivariante. Resultados El 11,2% (n = 18) de los pacientes presentaron MCPT con EETm. En el análisis multivariante, la EETm se asoció con la edad ≥ 45 años (OR: 4,383; IC del 95%: 1,051-18,283; p = 0,043), el tamaño tumoral ≥ 8mm (OR: 5,913; IC del 95%; 1,795-19,481; p = 0,003), la bilateralidad (OR: 4,430, IC del 95%; 1,294-15,173; p = 0,018) y las adenopatías metastásicas (OR: 12,588; IC del 95%; 2,919-54,280; p = 0,001). Durante un seguimiento medio de 119,8 ± 65 meses, una recurrencia fue detectada en el grupo 2 (0% vs. 5,6%; p = 0,112). Ningún paciente falleció debido a la enfermedad. La supervivencia libre de enfermedad fue menor en el grupo 2 (124,9 ± 5,6 vs. 97,4 ± 10,3 meses; p = 0,034). Conclusión La EETm del MCPT es un factor de peor pronóstico, asociada a la presencia de adenopatías metastásicas y a una menor supervivencia libre de enfermedad (AU)

Background Although the incidence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has increased in recent decades, the role played by minimal extrathyroidal extension (mETE) in the prognosis of PTMC is still unclear. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors associated with PTMC with mETE and its long-term prognosis. Material and methods We conducted a retrospective study on patients with a histological diagnosis of PTMC. We excluded patients who had previously undergone thyroid surgery, those who had other synchronous malignancies, those with an ectopic location of the PTMC, and those lost to follow-up within 2years. We compared group 1 (PTMC without extrathyroidal extension) to group 2 (PTMC with mETE) and performed a multivariate analysis. Results We observed PTMC with mETE in 11.2% (n=18) of patients. On the multivariate analysis, mETE was associated with age ≥45 years (OR: 4.383; 95% CI: 1.051-18.283, p = .043), tumor size ≥8mm (OR: 5.913; 95% CL: 1.795-19.481; p = .003), bilaterality (OR: 4.430; 95% CI: 1.294-15.173; p = .018) and metastatic lymph nodes (OR: 12.588; 95% CI: 2.919-54.280; p = .001). During a mean follow-up of 119.8±65 months, one recurrence was detected in group 2 (0% vs. 5.6%; p = .112). No patients died of the disease. Disease-free survival was lower in group 2 (124.9±5.6 vs. 97.4±10.3 months; p = .034). Conclusions The mETE of PTMC is a factor of worse prognosis associated with the presence of metastatic lymph nodes and a lower rate of disease-free survival (AU)

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma with minimal extrathyroidal extension. Has it so indolent course to require a less aggressive treatment? / Microcarcinoma papilar de tiroides con extensión extratiroidea mínima. ¿Tiene un curso tan indolente para precisar un tratamiento menos intensivo?

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence of papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) has increased in recent decades, the role played by minimal extrathyroidal extension (mETE) in the prognosis of PTMC is still unclear. The aim of this study is to analyse the factors associated with PTMC and mETE and the long-term prognosis of PTMC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study with a population consisting of patients with a histological diagnosis of PTMC. We excluded patients who had previously undergone thyroid surgery, those who had other synchronous malignancies, those with an ectopic location of the PTMC and those lost to follow-up within 2years. We compared group 1 (PTMC without extrathyroidal extension) versus group 2 (PTMC with mETE) and performed a multivariate analysis. RESULTS: We observed PTMC with mETE in 11.2% (n=18) of the patients. In the multivariate analysis, mETE was associated with an age ≥45 years (OR, 4.383; 95% CI 1.051-18.283, p=.043), a tumour size ≥8mm (OR, 5.913; 95% CI 1.795-19.481; p=.003), bilaterality (OR, 4.430; 95% CI 1.294-15.173; p=.018) and metastatic lymph nodes (OR, 12.588; 95% CI 2.919-54.280; p=.001). During a mean follow-up of 119.8±65 months, one recurrence was detected in group 2 (0% vs. 5.6%; p=.112), but none of the patients died due to the disease. Disease-free survival was lower in group 2 (124.9±5.6 vs. 97.4±10.3 months; p=.034). CONCLUSIONS: The mETE of MCPT is a factor of worse prognosis, associated with the presence of metastatic lymph nodes and lower disease-free survival.

Pretransplant CD28 Biomarker (Levels of Expression and Quantification of Molecules per Cell) in Peripheral CD4+ T Cells Predicts Acute Rejection Episodes in Liver and Kidney Recipients.

BACKGROUND: Acute rejection (AR) remains a significant cause of graft loss. Better approaches to predict AR are being investigated. Surface CD28 protein is essential for T-cell proliferation and survival as well as cytokine production. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Pretransplant CD4+CD28+ peripheral T cells were examined in 30 liver recipients (LRs) and 31 kidney recipients (KRs) by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Pretransplant CD4+CD28+ T cells in LRs were significantly lower in rejectors than nonrejectors (P = .002). Furthermore, the total number of CD28 molecules per cell in LRs (P = .02) as well as KRs (P = .047) was significantly lower in rejectors than nonrejectors. The healthy group did not display differences when compared with patients with end-stage liver disease or renal failure; however, stratification analysis displayed higher levels of CD4+CD28+ when compared with rejected LRs (P = .04) but not KRs. CD28 levels <41.94% were able to discriminate LRs at high risk of AR (P = .003). Similarly, a total number of CD28 molecules ≤8359 (P = .031) in LRs and ≤7669 (P = .046) in KRs correlated with high risk of AR. CONCLUSION: The preliminary results presented herein exhibit a fast and noninvasive method that assists clinicians to prevent AR by monitoring CD4+CD28+ peripheral T cells.

Killer immunoglobulin-like receptor repertoire analysis in a Caucasian Spanish cohort with inflammatory bowel disease.

Immunological molecules are implicated in inflammatory disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; Crohn disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]). Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are also genetically variable proteins involved in immune function. They are expressed by NK cells and certain T lymphocytes, regulate specificity and function by interaction with HLA Class I molecules, may be either inhibitory or activating and are polymorphic both in terms of alleles and haplotype gene content. Genetic associations between activating KIRs and certain autoimmune and inflammatory diseases have been reported; however, a possible association between KIR and IBD remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between KIR repertoire and IBD pathologies in a Spanish cohort. KIR variability was analyzed using PCR-sequence specific oligonucleotide probes (SSOP). Inhibitory KIR2DL5 was found more frequently in UC and IBD patient groups than in healthy controls (P = 0.028 and P = 0.01, respectively), as was activating KIR2DS1 (P = 0.02, Pc > 0.05, UC vs. Controls; P = 0.001, Pc = 0.01, IBD vs Controls; P = 0.01, Pc > 0.05, Controls vs CR), KIR2DS5 (P = 0.0028, Pc = 0.04, Controls vs UC; P = 0.0001, Pc = 0.0017, Controls vs IBD; P = 0.01, Pc > 0.05, Controls vs CD) and KIR3DS1 (P = 0.012, Pc > 0.05, Controls vs IBD). Our data suggest that imbalance between activating and inhibitory KIR may partially explain the different pathogeneses of these IBDs and that there is a hypothetical role for the telomeric B region (which contains both KIR2DS5 and KIR2DS1) in these diseases.

[Effect of obesity on the morphology of the left ventricle]. / Influencia de la obesidad sobre la morfología del ventrículo izquierdo.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the relationship between obesity in its different degrees and the left ventricle morphology. PATIENTS AND METHODS: M-mode echocardiography was used to estimate the mass, wall thickness and internal dimension of left ventricle in 48 obese women with different degrees of obesity, defined according to the body mass index. 25 women with normal weight were used as controls. RESULTS: The body mass index was correlated with left ventricular mass, as well as with both the wall thickness of the left ventricle and its diastolic internal dimension. The abnormalities in the heart morphology increased according to the obesity degree, ranging from a 59% in the lesser obesity group up to a 100% in the more obese women. The incidence of the left ventricular hypertrophy determined by echocardiography also increased along with the body mass index, ranging from a 29% in the lesser degree of obesity women up to an 82% in the patients with a body mass index > 35 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity, even in its lowest degrees, shows frequent alterations in the heart morphology. This is related with a left ventricular mass increase and a higher incidence of the left ventricular hypertrophy. The left ventricular mass increase is due to an increase in the left ventricular walls thickness and also to a dilatation of its cavity.

[Anthropometric study of the school population of the autonomic community of Murcia]. / Estudio antropométrico de la poblacíon escolar de la Comunidad Autónoma de Murcia.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to know the anthropometric study of school children in Murcia in order to obtain parameters of present reference for our country and region. METHODS: A transversal study of the school population of the community of Murcia at Preschool, EGB, BUP and Technical School levels was carried out including 1,930 children between the ages of 4 and 17. These children were selected from a total of 242,596 proportionally chosen with respect to demography of each of the twelve regions in the area with weight, height and bicipital, tricipital, subscapular and abdominal skin folds being measured. RESULTS: The values obtained and classified by age, sex and regions of the autonomic community of Murcia exposed in tables, demonstrate the differences existing in all the parameters measured with those routinely used at an international and national level. CONCLUSIONS: The differences found clearly justify the need to compare the regional antropometric alterations with the "reference parameters" obtained in Spain and Murcia for which other studies concerning the same would be advisable.