Hemorrhagic shock secondary to ruptured hypogastric artery pseudoaneurysm. A rare complication of colorectal anastomotic leakage.

Massive bleeding due to rupture of hypogastric artery pseudoaneurysm is an exceptional complication of colorectal anastomotic leakage. A 41-year-old woman with history of rectal cancer surgery, who debuted with massive rectorrhagia and hypovolemic shock due to rupture of a hypogastric artery pseudoaneurysm as a late complication of a colorectal anastomosis leak. The ruptured hypogastric artery pseudoaneurysm should be taken into account in the differential diagnosis of patients with massive rectorrhagia and history of colorectal anastomosis leak. Endovascular embolization is considered the first-line treatment.

La hemorragia masiva por rotura de un pseudoaneurisma de la arteria hipogástrica es una complicación muy rara de la fuga anastomótica colorrectal. Mujer de 41 años con antecedentes de cirugía por cáncer de recto, que debutó con un cuadro de rectorragias masivo y shock hipovolémico secundario a la rotura de un pseudoaneurisma de la arteria hipogástrica como complicación tardía de una fuga de la anastomosis colorrectal. La rotura de un pseudoaneurisma de la arteria hipogástrica se debe tener presente en el diagnostico diferencial de pacientes con rectorragia masiva y antecedentes de dehiscencia de anastomosis colorrectal. La embolización endovascular es actualmente el tratamiento de elección.

Assessing nasal airway resistance and symmetry: An approach to global perspective through computational fluid dynamics.

This study aimed to explore the variability in nasal airflow patterns among different sexes and populations using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). We focused on evaluating the universality and applicability of dimensionless parameters R (bilateral nasal resistance) and ϕ (nasal flow asymmetry), initially established in a Caucasian Spanish cohort, across a broader spectrum of human populations to assess normal breathing function in healthy airways. In this retrospective study, CT scans from Cambodia (20 males, 20 females), Russia (20 males, 18 females), and Spain (19 males, 19 females) were analyzed. A standardized CFD workflow was implemented to calculate R-ϕ parameters from these scans. Statistical analyses were conducted to assess and compare these parameters across different sexes and populations, emphasizing their distribution and variances. Our results indicated no significant sex-based differences in the R parameter across the populations. However, moderate sexual dimorphism in the ϕ parameter was observed in the Cambodian group. Notably, no geographical differences were found in either R or ϕ parameters, suggesting consistent nasal airflow characteristics across the diverse human groups studied. The study also emphasized the importance of using dimensionless variables to effectively analyze the relationships between form and function in nasal airflow. The observed consistency of R-ϕ parameters across various populations highlights their potential as reliable indicators in both medical practice and further CFD research, particularly in diverse human populations. Our findings suggest the potential applicability of dimensionless CFD parameters in analyzing nasal airflow, highlighting their utility across diverse demographic and geographic contexts. This research advances our understanding of nasal airflow dynamics and underscores the need for additional studies to validate these parameters in broader population cohorts. The approach of employing dimensionless parameters paves the way for future research that eliminates confounding size effects, enabling more accurate comparisons across different populations and sexes. The implications of this study are significant for the advancement of personalized medicine and the development of diagnostic tools that accommodate individual variations in nasal airflow.

Mortality Due to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Latin America.

OBJECTIVES: Mortality due to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a major global health problem. Knowledge of epidemiological data on ARDS is crucial to design management, treatment strategies, and optimize resources. There is ample data regarding mortality of ARDS from high-income countries; in this review, we evaluated mortality due to ARDS in Latin America. DATA SOURCES: We searched in PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, and Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature databases from 1967 to March 2023. STUDY SELECTION: We searched prospective or retrospective observational studies and randomized controlled trials conducted in Latin American countries reporting ARDS mortality. DATA EXTRACTION: Three pairs of independent reviewers checked all studies for eligibility based on their titles and abstracts. We performed meta-analysis of proportions using a random-effects model. We performed sensitivity analyses including studies with low risk of bias and with diagnosis using the Berlin definition. Subgroup analysis comparing different study designs, time of publication (up to 2000 and from 2001 to present), and studies in which the diagnosis of ARDS was made using Pa o2 /F io2 less than or equal to 200 and regional variations. Subsequently, we performed meta-regression analyses. Finally, we graded the certainty of the evidence (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation). DATA SYNTHESIS: Of 3315 articles identified, 32 were included (3627 patients). Mortality was 52% in the pooled group (low certainty of evidence). In the sensitivity analysis (according to the Berlin definition), mortality was 46% (moderate certainty of evidence). In the subgroup analysis mortality was 53% (randomized controlled trials), 51% (observational studies), 66% (studies published up to 2000), 50% (studies after 2000), 44% (studies with Pa o2 /F io2 ≤ 200), 56% (studies from Argentina/Brazil), and 40% (others countries). No variables were associated with mortality in the meta-regression. CONCLUSIONS: ARDS mortality in Latin America remains high, as in other regions. These results should constitute the basis for action planning to improve the prognosis of patients with ARDS (PROSPERO [CRD42022354035]).

The Use of Erythromycin and Colistin Cement in Total Knee Arthroplasty Does Not Reduce the Incidence of Infection: A Randomized Study in 2,893 Knees With a 9-year Average Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: One of the most severe complications of primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is prosthetic joint infection. Currently, the use of antibiotic-loaded cement for the prevention of infection is still controversial. The aim of the present study was to evaluate if the use of antibiotic-loaded cement reduces the infection rate in primary TKA in long-term follow-up (more than 5 years average follow-up). METHODS: This study is the follow-up extension of a prospective randomized study, with 2,893 cemented TKA performed between 2005 and 2010 at our institution. There were 2 different cohorts depending on which bone cement was used: without antibiotics (control group) or those loaded with erythromycin and colistin (study group). All patients received the same systemic prophylactic antibiotics. The patients were followed for a minimum of twelve months. The diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection was done according to Zimmerli criteria. RESULTS: In 1,452 patients, the prosthetic components were fixed using bone cement without antibiotics, whereas in 1,441 patients, bone cement was loaded with erythromycin and colistin. Both groups were comparable in terms of all the possible risk factors studied. We found a total of 53 deep infections, with a mean rate of 1.8%. There were no differences between the groups as to whether bone cement with or without antibiotics had been used (P = .58). The average duration of follow-up was 8.7 years. In terms of prosthetic revision due to aseptic loosening, there were no differences between groups (P = .32), with 33 revision arthroplasties in the control group and 37 in the study group. Moreover, we analyzed the erythromycin resistance rate, with no differences between both groups (P = .6). CONCLUSIONS: The use of erythromycin and colistin-loaded bone cement in TKA did not lead to a decrease in the rate of infection in long-term follow-up, a finding that suggests that its use would not be indicated in the general population.

Beyond skeletal studies: A computational analysis of nasal airway function in climate adaptation.

OBJECTIVES: Ecogeographic variation in human nasal anatomy has historically been analyzed on skeletal morphology and interpreted in the context of climatic adaptations to respiratory air-conditioning. Only a few studies have analyzed nasal soft tissue morphology, actively involved in air-conditioning physiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We used in vivo computer tomographic scans of (N = 146) adult individuals from Cambodia, Chile, Russia, and Spain. We conducted (N = 438) airflow simulations during inspiration using computational fluid dynamics to analyze the air-conditioning capacities of the nasal soft tissue in the inflow, functional, and outflow tract, under three different environmental conditions: cold-dry; hot-dry; and hot-humid. We performed statistical comparisons between populations and sexes. RESULTS: Subjects from hot-humid regions showed significantly lower air-conditioning capacities than subjects from colder regions in all the three conditions, specifically within the isthmus region in the inflow tract, and the anterior part of the internal functional tract. Posterior to the functional tract, no differences were detected. No differences between sexes were found in any of the tracts and under any of the conditions. DISCUSSION: Our statistical analyses support models of climatic adaptations of anterior nasal soft tissue morphology that fit with, and complement, previous research on dry skulls. However, our results challenge a morpho-functional model that attributes air-conditioning capacities exclusively to the functional tract located within the nasal cavity. Instead, our findings support studies that have suggested that both, the external nose and the intra-facial soft tissue airways contribute to efficiently warming and humidifying air during inspiration. This supports functional interpretations in modern midfacial variation and evolution.

High Rate of Undetected Infections in Failed Osteosynthesis of Pertrochanteric Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the incidence of infection in patients with cutout after proximal femur fracture (PFF) osteosynthesis. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Third-level trauma center. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA: Patients presenting with a cutout following PFF (OTA/AO 31A) osteosynthesis, between January 2007 and December 2020. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND COMPARISONS: The primary outcome was infection according to the European Bone and Joint Infection Society criteria. RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients presenting with a cutout were included, with mean age of 83.3 years (range 63-96), and 51 (76.1%) were women. Of all cases, 16 (24.7%) presented a concomitant infection. The presence of concomitant infection was suspected preoperatively in only 3 of the cases. A subgroup analysis was performed between the cases with infection and those without infection, the groups being comparable in terms of demographic data and postoperative radiological criteria. Patients with underlying infection had a higher rate of surgical wound complication (56.3% vs. 22%, P = 0.014) and higher rates of leukocytosis (11.560 vs. 7.890, P = 0.023). CONCLUSION: Faced with a cutout after osteosynthesis of a PFF, underlying infection should be considered as a possible etiological factor. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

A FRET-based cGMP biosensor in Drosophila.

CUTie2 is a FRET-based cGMP biosensor tested so far only in cells. To expand its use to multicellular organisms we generated two transgenic Drosophila melanogaster strains that express the biosensor in a tissue-dependent manner. CUTie2 expression and subcellular localization was verified by confocal microscopy. The performance of CUTie2 was analyzed on dissected larval brains by hyperspectral microscopy and flow cytometry. Both approaches confirmed its responsivity, and the latter showed a rapid and reversible change in the fluorescence of the FRET acceptor upon cGMP treatment. This validated reporter system may prove valuable for studying cGMP signaling at organismal level.

Post-treatment Apical Periodontitis in Primary Non-surgical Root Canal Treatment: A Multiple Correspondence Analysis.

Introduction: The presented study aimed to characterise periapical disease in teeth with primary non-surgical root canal treatment in persistent or emergent categories and their risk association. Methods: A retrospective observational study that evaluated permanent teeth with primary non-surgical root canal treatment, was conducted clinically and radiographically for over one year. The following variables were analysed: gender, age, type and location of tooth, previous diagnosis, treatment conditions, and type of coronal restoration. The supplementary variables included the perspectives of the treatment outcome, such as Remains normal, Improvement, and Failure. Statistical analysis was performed using a univariate analysis that estimated the average and proportion for each factor according to the result of the primary non-surgical root canal treatment. The multiple correspondence analysis identified the hierarchy between active variables and their association with the results. Results: A total of 232 teeth in 155 participants were analysed. A χ2 value, (P=0.023) showed that the emergent disease is associated with patients around the age of 50. The multiple correspondence analysis identified a tendency of grouping between the emergent disease and the short filling category, followed by symptomatic pulpitis as a previous diagnosis. The persistent disease was associated with errors and overfillings. An inadequate root filling and taper density adversely impacted the treatment outcome. Conclusions: The length of obturation influenced the presence of failure. Short fillings were associated with emerging periapical disease. Errors and overfillings contributed to the persistent disease in the populations studied.

Incidence, functional outcomes and cure rate of hematogenous infection in a 2,498 Total Knee Arthroplasties cohort.

PURPOSE: The primary aim of the present study is to report the late acute hematogenous (LAH) prosthetic joint infection (PJI) cure rate following Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) treated by means of debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) in a long-term follow-up. The secondary purpose is to report the functional outcomes at that follow-up and to compare them with a non-infected group. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study cohort consists of 2,498 TKA performed from September 2005 to April 2010 that had a minimum follow-up of 10 years. The diagnosis of PJI and classification into LAH was done in accordance with the Zimmerli criteria. The primary outcome was the failure rate, defined as death before the end of antibiotic treatment, a further surgical intervention for treatment of infection, life-long antibiotic suppressive treatment or chronic infection. The Knee Society Score (KSS) was used to evaluate clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Ten patients were diagnosed with acute hematogenous PJI during the study period (0.4%). All of them were managed with DAIR, which was performed by a knee surgeon and/or PJI surgeon. The failure rate was 0% at the 8.5-year (SD, 2.4) follow-up mark. The KSS score was 82.1 vs. 84.1 (p n.s.) at final follow-up. CONCLUSION: Although the literature suggests that TKA DAIR for LAH periprosthetic joint infection is associated with high rates of failure, the results presented here suggest a high cure rate with good functional outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, prospective cohort study.

Are Hamstring Grafts a Predisposing Factor to Infection in R-ACL Surgery? A Comparative In Vitro Study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the formation of biofilms in bone patellar tendon bone grafts (BPTB grafts), and to compare it to the formation of biofilm formation in quadrupled hamstring anterior cruciate ligament grafts (4×Ht graft). METHODS: A descriptive in vitro study was conducted. One 4×Ht graft and one BPTB graft were prepared. They were then contaminated with a strain of S. epidermidis. Later, a quantitative analysis was conducted by means of microcalorimetry and sonication with plating. Additionally, a qualitative analysis was conducted by means of electron microscopy. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the bacterial growth profiles of the 4×Ht graft and the BPTB graft in microcalorimetry and colony counting. In the samples analyzed with electron microscopy, no specific biofilm growth pattern was identified upon comparing the BPTB graft to the 4×Ht graft. CONCLUSIONS: There were no significant differences found at either the quantitative or qualitative level when comparing bacterial growth in the BPTB graft to that in the 4×Ht graft. Therefore, the presence of sutures in the 4×Ht graft cannot be established as a predisposing factor for increased biofilm growth in this in vitro study.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on HbA1c management and results in pediatric and adult outpatients with diabetes.

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus intensify the risks and complications related to COVID-19 infection. A major effect of the pandemic has been a drastic reduction of in-person visits. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on HbA1c management and results among pediatric and adult outpatients with diabetes, considering the laboratory and point-of-care testing (POCT) HbA1c measurements. Methods: Observational retrospective study including patients from pediatric and adult diabetes units was conducted. HbA1c results obtained in the laboratory and POCT over 3 years (2019-2021) were collected from the laboratory information system. Results: After the lockdown, the number of HbA1c plummeted. Children returned soon to routine clinical practice. The number of HbA1c increased gradually in adults, especially in POCT. Globally, HbA1c results were lower in children compared with adults (p<0.001). HbA1c values in children (p<0.001) and adults (p=0.002) decreased between pre-pandemic and post-pandemic periods, though lower than the HbA1c reference change value. The percentage of HbA1c results above 8% remained stable during the study period. Conclusions: Continuous glucose monitoring and a telemedicine have been crucial, even allowing for improvements in HbA1c results. During the lockdown, patients with better metabolic control were managed in the laboratory whereas patients with poorer control or a severe clinical situation were attended in diabetes units by POCT. Adults returned to pre-pandemic management slowly because they were more susceptible to morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19. Coordination among all health professionals has been essential to offering the best management, especially in difficult scenarios such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

ESSKA and EBJIS recommendations for the management of infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R): prevention, surgical treatment and rehabilitation.

PURPOSE: Infection after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is a rare but severe complication. Despite an increase in articles published on this topic over the last decade, solid data to optimized diagnostic and therapeutic measures are scarce. For this reason, the European Bone and Joint Infection Society (EBJIS) and the European Society for Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy (ESSKA) collaborated in order to develop recommendations for the diagnosis and management of infections after ACL-R. The aim of the workgroup was to perform a review of the literature and provide practical guidance to healthcare professionals involved in the management of infections after ACL-R. METHODS: An international workgroup was recruited to provide recommendations for predefined clinical dilemmas regarding the management of infections after ACL-R. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Scopus databases were searched for evidence to support the recommended answers to each dilemma. RESULTS: The recommendations were divided into two articles. The first covers etiology, prevention, diagnosis and antimicrobial treatment of septic arthritis following ACL-R and is primarily aimed at infectious disease specialists. This article includes the second part of the recommendations and covers prevention of infections after ACL-R, surgical treatment of septic arthritis following ACL-R and subsequent postoperative rehabilitation. It is aimed not only at orthopedic surgeons, but at all healthcare professionals dealing with patients suffering from infections after ACL-R. CONCLUSION: These recommendations guide clinicians in achieving timely and accurate diagnosis as well as providing optimal management, both of which are paramount to prevent loss of function and other devastating sequelae of infection in the knee joint. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V.

Evaluation of a high resolution diode array for CyberKnife quality assurance.

PURPOSE: The CyberKnife quality assurance (QA) program relies mainly on the use of radiochromic film (RCF). We aimed at evaluating high-resolution arrays of detectors as an alternative to films for CyberKnife machine QA. METHODS: This study will test the SRS Mapcheck (Sun Nuclear, Melbourne, Florida, USA) diode array and its own software, which allows three tests of the CyberKnife QA program to be performed. The first one is a geometrical accuracy test based on the delivery of two orthogonal beams (Automated Quality Assurance, AQA). Besides comparing the constancy and repeatability of both methods, known errors will be introduced to check their sensitivity. The second checks the constancy of the iris collimator field sizes (Iris QA). Changes in the field sizes will be introduced to study the array sensitivity. The last test checks the correct positioning of the multileaf collimator (MLC). It will be tested introducing known systematic displacements to whole banks and to single leaves. RESULTS: The results of the RCF and diode array were equivalent (maximum differences of 0.18 ± 0.14 mm) for the AQA test, showing the array a higher reproducibility. When known errors were introduced, both methods behaved linearly with similar slopes. Regarding Iris QA, the array measurements are highly linear when changes in the field sizes are introduced. Linear regressions show slopes of 0.96-1.17 with r2 above 0.99 in all field sizes. Diode array seems to detect changes of 0.1 mm. In MLC QA, systematic errors of the whole bank of leaves were not detected by the array, while single leaf errors were detected. CONCLUSIONS: The diode array is sensitive and accurate in the AQA and Iris QA tests, which give us the possibility of substituting RCF with a diode array. QA would be performed faster than using the film procedure, obtaining reliable results. Regarding the MLC QA, the inability to detect systematic displacements make it difficult to confidently use the detector.

Recommendations on diagnosis and antimicrobial treatment of infections after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) endorsed by ESSKA and EBJIS.

Infection after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) is a rare but devastating complication affecting predominantly young and sportive individuals. A timely and correct diagnosis as well as optimized management is paramount to circumvent serious sequelae and compromise in life quality. These recommendations are primarily intended for use by infectious disease specialists and microbiologists, but also orthopedic surgeons and other healthcare professionals who care for patients with infections after ACL-R. They are based on evidence mainly originating from observational studies and opinions of experts in the field, and cover the management of infections after ACL-R with a special focus on etiology, diagnosis, antimicrobial treatment and prevention. Comprehensive recommendations on surgical treatment and rehabilitation are presented separately in a document primarily addressing orthopedic professionals.

The use of a thin guide-wire for urethral definition in prostate SBRT treatments with Cyberknife.

PURPOSE: To study and analyze the effect of the use of a thin guide-wire instead of a Foley catheter for urethral definition in prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) treatments and to compare treatment parameters in both situations. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Thirty-seven prostate SBRT patients were employed in this study. A Foley catheter was employed in nine of them, and a guide-wire was employed in the other 28 patients. For each of the 28 patients in which the guide-wire was employed, a comparison between urethral positions in both situations was performed, allowing for a margin definition of the urethra when a Foley catheter was employed. Displacements of the prostate during treatment were obtained, allowing for an analysis of prostate positions in both situations. Also, different treatment parameters such as the number of treatment interruptions, couch movements performed, and x-rays needed were gathered. RESULTS: Large differences between urethral positions can be found in the anterior-posterior (AP) directions compared to those in the lateral (LAT) direction. Differences are also larger in areas closer to the base of the prostate, where margins applied in the case of using a Foley catheter are 16 mm with a mean displacement of 6 mm in the posterior direction. No differences in the treatment parameters were found during treatment in both situations. The difference found in absolute prostate pitch rotations suggests that the Foley catheter provokes a shift of the prostate position, which does not occur when employing the guide-wire. CONCLUSIONS: Foley catheters shift the urethral position, making them a wrong surrogate of the urethra when no catheters are present. The margins needed to assess uncertainties introduced by the use of a Foley catheter are larger than those usually applied. The use of a Foley catheter did not present any additional difficulty during treatment delivery in terms of images employed or interruptions produced.

Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Vancomycin Concentrations for the Management of Bone and Joint Infections: An Urgent Need.

Vancomycin is used for the treatment of bone and joint infections (BJI), but scarce information is available about its pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) characteristics. We aimed to identify the risk factors associated with the non-achievement of an optimal PK/PD target in the first therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital from January 2020 to January 2022. Patients with BJI and TDM of vancomycin on day 2 of treatment were included. Initial vancomycin fixed doses (1 g every 8 h or 12 h) was decided by the responsible doctors. According to TDM results, dosage adjustments were performed. An AUC24h/MIC < 400 mg × h/L, between 400 and 600 mg × h/L and >600 mg × h/L, were defined as suboptimal, optimal and supratherapeutic, respectively. Patients were grouped into these three categories. Demographic, clinical and PK characteristics were compared between groups. Nephrotoxicity at the end of treatment was assessed. Results: A total of 94 patients were included: 22 (23.4%), 42 (44.7%) and 30 (31.9%) presented an infratherapeutic, optimal and supratherapeutic PK/PD targets, respectively. A younger age and initial vancomycin dose <40 mg/kg/day were predictive factors for achieving a suboptimal PK/PD target, while older age, higher serum-creatinine and dose >40 mg/kg/day were associated with overexposure. The nephrotoxicity rate was 22.7%. More than 50% of patients did not achieve an optimal PK/PD. Considering age, baseline serum-creatinine and body weight, TDM is required to readily achieve an optimal and safe exposure.

Guideline for management of septic arthritis in native joints (SANJO).

This clinical guideline is intended for use by orthopedic surgeons and physicians who care for patients with possible or documented septic arthritis of a native joint (SANJO). It includes evidence and opinion-based recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with SANJO.

The defective gut colonization of Candida albicans hog1 MAPK mutants is restored by overexpressing the transcriptional regulator of the white opaque transition WOR1.

The transcriptional master regulator of the white opaque transition of Candida albicans WOR1 is important for the adaptation to the commensal lifestyle in the mammalian gut, a major source of invasive candidiasis. We have generated cells that overproduce Wor1 in mutants defective in the Hog1 MAP kinase, defective in several stress responses and unable to colonize the mice gut. WOR1 overexpression allows hog1 to be established as a commensal in the murine gut in a commensalism model and even compete with wild-type C. albicans cells for establishment. This increased fitness correlates with an enhanced ability to adhere to biotic surfaces as well as increased proteinase and phospholipase production and a decrease in filamentation in vitro. We also show that hog1 WOR1OE are avirulent in a systemic candidiasis model in mice.

Towards highly economical and accurate wastewater sensors by reduced parts of the LED-visible spectrum.

Interest is growing in simple, fast and inexpensive systems to analyze urban wastewater quality in real time. In this research project, a methodology is presented for the characterization of COD, BOD5, TSS, TN, and TP of wastewater samples, without the need to alter the samples or use chemical reagents, from a few wavelengths, belonging to the different color groups that compose the visible spectrum in isolation: (380-700 nm): violet (380-427 nm), blue (427-476 nm), cyan (476-497 nm), green (497-570 nm), yellow (570-581 nm), orange (581-618 nm), and red (618-700 nm). In this study, about 650 raw and treated urban wastewater samples from over 43 WWTPs and a total of 36 estimation models based on genetic algorithms have been calculated. Seven models were calculated for each pollutant parameter; one model for each color group of the visible spectrum, except for TN, which includes an additional model combining the wavelengths of the violet and red region of the spectrum. All the calculated models showed high accuracy, with an R2 between 80 and 85 % for COD, BOD5 and TSS, and 66-74 % for TN and TP. The tests carried out have shown the accuracy of the models of the different color groups to be very close to each other. However, it is noted that the models making use of the wavelengths between 497 and 570 nm (green) were the ones that showed the best performance in all the parameters under study. This research work lays the foundations for the development of cheaper, faster, and simpler wastewater monitoring and characterization equipment.

Frequency of microsatellite instability (MSI) in upper tract urothelial carcinoma: comparison of the Bethesda panel and the Idylla MSI assay in a consecutively collected, multi-institutional cohort.

AIMS: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare malignancy with a poor prognosis which occurs sporadically or in few cases results from a genetic disorder called Lynch syndrome. Recently, examination of microsatellite instability (MSI) has gained importance as a biomarker: MSI tumours are associated with a better response to immunomodulative therapies. Limited data are known about the prevalence of MSI in UTUC. New detection methods using the fully automated Idylla MSI Assay facilitate analysis of increased patient numbers. METHODS: We investigated the frequency of MSI in a multi-institutional cohort of 243 consecutively collected UTUC samples using standard methodology (Bethesda panel), along with immunohistochemistry of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins. The same tumour cohort was retested using the Idylla MSI Assay by Biocartis. RESULTS: Using standard methodology, 230/243 tumours were detected as microsatellite stable (MSS), 4/243 tumours as MSI and 9/243 samples as invalid. In comparison, the Idylla MSI Assay identified four additional tumours as MSS, equalling 234/243 tumours; 4/243 were classified as MSI and only 5/243 cases as invalid. At the immunohistochemical level, MSI results were supported in all available cases with a loss in MMR proteins. The overall concordance between the standard and the Idylla MSI Assay was 98.35%. Time to result differed between 3 hours for Idylla MSI Assay and 2 days with the standard methodology. CONCLUSION: Our data indicate a low incidence rate of MSI tumours in patients with UTUC. Furthermore, our findings highlight that Idylla MSI Assay can be applied as an alternative method of MSI analysis for UTUC.