Prevalencia de la infección por Sporothrix schenckii en agricultores del Cantón Shushufindi de la Provincia de Sucumbíos / Prevalence of Sporothrix schenckii infection in farmers of the Shushufindi Canton of the Sucumbíos Province

La esporotricosis es una micosis subcutánea causada por la inoculación traumática en la piel de especies de hongos del género Sporothrix. La enfermedad tiene diferentes manifestaciones clínicas (cutáneas, linfocutáneas y diseminadas), y también puede progresar a una infección sistémica. A pesar de tener una distribución mundial, la esporotricosis es más frecuente en los países tropicales y subtropicales. La esporotricosis es la micosis subcutánea más frecuente en América Latina, donde se considera endémica. Ciertos grupos de personas pueden estar más expuestos al agente causal de la enfermedad, como los agricultores. Así, este trabajo tuvo como objetivo determinar la prevalencia de la esporotricosis en 3.133 agricultores, en el cantón de Shushufindi de la provincia de Sucumbíos, Ecuador. En este estudio, se utilizó una prueba de intradermorreacción con el antígeno esporotriquina obtenido del hongo Sporothrix schenckii. Los datos obtenidos mostraron una prevalencia de 35,45%. La distribución de la prevalencia de la esporotricosis con respecto a los grupos de edad no mostró diferencias estadísticas significativas (p=0,2054). Para la variable sexo, si hubo significancia estadística (p=0,01995). 51 de los casos positivos presentaron gomas y/o úlceras en alguno de sus miembros. La esporotricosis ha demostrado ser una de las micosis subcutáneas más frecuente en los trabajadores de la agricultura en la región ecuatoriana evaluada(AU)

Sporotrichosis is a subcutaneous mycosis caused by traumatic skin inoculation of fungal species of the genus Sporothrix. The disease has different clinical manifestations (cutaneous, lymphocutaneous, and disseminated), and it can also progress to a systemic infection. Despite having a worldwide distribution, sporotrichosis is more common in tropical and subtropical countries. Sporotrichosis is the most frequent subcutaneous mycosis in Latin America, where it is considered endemic. Certain groups of people may be more exposed to the causative agent of the disease, such as farmers. Thus, this work aimed to determine the prevalence of sporotrichosis in 3133 farmers, in the canton of Shushufindi in the province of Sucumbíos, Ecuador. In this study, an intradermal test was used with the sporotrichin antigen obtained from the fungus Sporothrix schenckii. The data obtained showed a prevalence of 35.45%. The distribution of the prevalence of sporotrichosis with respect to age groups did not show significant statistical differences (p=0.2054). For the sex variable, there was statistical significance (p=0.01995). 51 of the positive cases presented gums and/or ulcers in one of their members. Sporotrichosis has proven to be one of the most frequent subcutaneous mycoses in agricultural workers in the evaluated Ecuadorian region(AU)

Phytochemical study of the plant species Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae) and Croton floccosus (Euphorbiaceae).

Background: Given the chemical richness of medicinal plants ( Bidens pilosa L. and Croton floccosus) in Ecuador, they are considered the natural source of numerous medicines. Methods: The leaves were dried at 40°C and 50°C and the extracts were characterized by means of phytochemical screening, verifying the presence of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, reducing sugars, phenols, flavonoids, tannins and saponins. Three extraction processes were carried out, with two solvents of different polarities: hexane and ethanol. The extraction methods that were applied to the leaves of the plants were Soxhlet, ultrasonic bath and maceration, the latter two at room temperature and Soxhlet at the boiling temperature of the solvent. Determination of the total content of phenols and flavonoids is carried out using the Follin-Ciocalteau colorimetric reaction, Quercetin standard, Aluminum Chloride solution measured with a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The antioxidant activity was performed with the DPPH radical and measured with the same equipment. Results: The highest content of total phenols obtained by employing the Soxhlet method for extraction when the material was dried at 50°C was 48.609 ± 0.370 mg GAE/g of dry sample for Bidens pilosa L. while in the case of Croton floccosus it was 128.212 ± 0.601 mg GAE/g of dry sample obtained from the extraction by means of maceration. Finally, the antioxidant activity against the 1.1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical was determined, and it was found that the Bidens pilosa L. species performed better and responded better to the test, with an IC 50 value of 239.33 µg/mL, than Croton floccosus (IC 50 of 644.125 µg/mL). Conclusions: The following preliminary phytochemical study of the Bidens pilosa L. and Croton floccosus plants provided important information on the content of secondary metabolites and response to the DPPH radical reported for the first time in Ecuador, which may be future use for medicinal application.

CT angiography for diagnosis of carotid near-occlusion: a digital subtraction angiography validation study.

INTRODUCTION: Carotid near-occlusion (CNO) is a variant of severe stenosis where there is a distal luminal collapse of the internal carotid artery (ICA) beyond a tight stenosis. This study aimed to validate new visual extracranial diagnostic CT angiography (CTA) criteria, for the diagnosis of CNO. The new criteria include distal ICA diameter smaller than contralateral ICA and distal ICA diameter less than or equal to the ipsilateral external carotid artery (ECA). We also assessed the previously described CTA criteria: stenosis ≤ 1.3 mm, ipsilateral distal ICA ≤ 3.5 mm, ipsilateral distal ICA/contralateral distal ICA ratio ≤ 0.87, ipsilateral distal ICA/ipsilateral ECA ≤ 1.27. METHODS: Fifty-eight patients with ICA stenosis (including the near-occlusion variant) or occlusion on digital subtraction angiography (DSA) were included. These patients had DSA and CTA studies completed within 30 days of each other. DSA was considered the reference test. Two neuroradiologists blinded to the DSA results assessed the CTA images and evaluated the new and previously published CNO diagnostic criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-eight CNO were identified with DSA. The "distal ICA diameter less than or equal to the ipsilateral ECA" criterion had 79% sensitivity and 83% specificity with excellent interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.80), while three or more of the previously published criteria reached 82% sensitivity and 90% specificity, with a good interobserver agreement (kappa = 0.64). CONCLUSIONS: CT angiography may be useful for CNO diagnosis. The new visual diagnostic criteria provide acceptable results of sensitivity and specificity with an excellent interobserver agreement. However, false-negative and positive results persist.

Estrategia para la toma de decisiones en el reconocimiento automático de estados de sedación anestésica / Decision-making strategy for automatic recognition of sedation states / Estratégia de tomada de decisão para reconhecimento automático de estados de sedação

RESUMEN Introducción: La Anestesiología es la especialidad médica dedicada a la atención específica de los pacientes durante procedimientos quirúrgicos y en cuidados intensivos. Esta especialidad basada en los avances científicos y tecnológicos, ha incorporado el uso del monitoreo electroencefalográfico, facilitando el control continuo de estados de sedación anestésica durante las cirugías, con una adecuada concentración de fármacos. Objetivo: Proponer una estrategia de clasificación para el reconocimiento automático de tres estados de sedación anestésica en señales electroencefalográficas. Método: Se utilizaron con consentimiento informado escrito los registros electroencefalográficos de 27 pacientes sometidos a cirugía abdominal, excluyendo aquellos con antecedentes de epilepsia, enfermedades cerebrovasculares y otras afecciones neurológicas. Se aplicaron en total 12 fármacos anestésicos y dos relajantes musculares con montaje de 19 electrodos según el Sistema Internacional 10-20. Se eliminaron artefactos en los registros y se aplicaron técnicas de Inteligencia artificial para realizar el reconocimiento automático de los estados de sedación. Resultados: Se propuso una estrategia basada en el uso de máquinas de soporte vectorial con algoritmo multiclase Uno-Contra-Resto y la métrica Similitud Coseno, para realizar el reconocimiento automático de tres estados de sedación: profundo, moderado y ligero, en señales registradas por el canal frontal F4 y los occipitales O1 y O2. Se realizó una comparación de la propuesta con otros métodos de clasificación. Conclusiones: Se computa una exactitud balanceada del 92,67 % en el reconocimiento de los tres estados de sedación en las señales registradas por el canal electroencefalográfico F4, lo cual favorece el desarrollo de la monitorización anestésica.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Anesthesiology is the medical specialty concerned with the specific care of patients during surgical and intensive care procedures. This specialty, based on scientific and technological advances, has incorporated the use of electroencephalographic monitoring, facilitating the continuous control in the use of anesthesia for patient´s sedation states during surgeries, with an adequate concentration of drugs. Objective: Proposal for a classification strategy for automatic recognition of three sedation states in electroencephalographic signals. Methods: We used, with written informed consent, the electroencephalographic records of 27 patients undergoing abdominal surgery, excluding those with a history of epilepsy, cerebrovascular disease and other neurological conditions. A total of 12 drugs to produce anesthesia and two muscle relaxants with 19 electrodes, mounted according to the International System 10 -20, were applied. Artifacts in the records were eliminated and artificial intelligence techniques were applied to perform automatic recognition of sedation states. Results: A strategy based on the use of support vector machines with a multiclass algorithm One-against-Rest and the Cosine Similarity metric was proposed to perform the automatic recognition of three sedation states: deep, moderate and light, in signals recorded by the frontal channel F4 and the occipital channels O1 and O2. A comparison was carried out between the proposal showed and other classification methods. Conclusions: A balanced accuracy of 92.67% is computed about the recognition of the three states of sedation in the signals recorded by the electroencephalographic channel F4, which helps in a better anesthetic monitoring process.

RESUMO Introdução: A Anestesiologia é a especialidade médica dedicada ao atendimento específico de pacientes durante procedimentos cirúrgicos e em terapia intensiva. Essa especialidade, baseada nos avanços científicos e tecnológicos, incorporou o uso da monitorização eletroencefalográfica, facilitando o controle contínuo dos estados de sedação anestésica durante as cirurgias, com concentração adequada de fármacos. Objetivo: Propor uma estratégia de classificação para o reconhecimento automático de três estados de sedação anestésica em sinais eletroencefalográficos. Método: Foram utilizados registros eletroencefalográficos de 27 pacientes submetidos à cirurgia abdominal com consentimento informado por escrito, excluindo aqueles com histórico de epilepsia, doenças cerebrovasculares e outras condições neurológicas. Um total de 12 drogas anestésicas e dois relaxantes musculares foram aplicados com um conjunto de 19 eletrodos de acordo com o Sistema Internacional 10-20. Artefatos nos prontuários foram removidos e técnicas de inteligência artificial foram aplicadas para realizar o reconhecimento automático dos estados de sedação. Resultados: Foi proposta uma estratégia baseada no uso de máquinas de vetores de suporte com algoritmo One-Against-Rest multiclasse e a métrica Cosine Similarity para realizar o reconhecimento automático de três estados de sedação: profundo, moderado e leve, em sinais registrados pelo canal frontal F4 e os canais occipitais O1 e O2. Foi feita uma comparação da proposta com outros métodos de classificação. Conclusões: Uma acurácia equilibrada de 92,67% é computada no reconhecimento dos três estados de sedação nos sinais registrados pelo canal eletroencefalográfico F4, o que favorece o desenvolvimento da monitorização anestésica.

Hacia un mundo libre de malaria: Utopía o realidad / Towards a malaria-free world: Utopia or reality

La Malaria es una enfermedad causada por un parásito que se transmite a los humanos a través de la picadura de mosquito hembra Anophele. Reportando la WHO en el 2019, 229 millones de casos y 409.000 muertes por la enfermedad en 87 paises del mundo, Existen seis especies de este párasito: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale wallickeri, Plasmodium ovale curtisi, Plasmodium malariae y Plasmodium knowlesi. Siendo la especie P. falciparum la causante de mayor morbilidad, con tasa entre 10 y 50% de mortalidad por malaria complicada. Alrededor de 108 países han declarado la malaria como enfermedad endémica, pudiendo padecer la enfermedad en cualquier época del año. Sin embargo, en el caso de América Latina hoy en día se vive un estancamiento de la enfermedad, reportándose en países menos de 100 casos autóctonos entre el 2000 y 2019, con algunas excepciones. Esta situación de vulnerabilidad de países como Brasil, Colombia, la frontera Perú-Ecuador, Venezuela, se incrementan ante la presencia activa de la pandemia producto del Covid -19 aunado a restricciones económicas, incremento de la actividad minera, o políticas públicas que ponen en riesgo la sostenibilidad del programa de control de la enfermedad. Para el 2021 la OMS corrobora que existen 87 países con malaria a nivel mundial, de los cuales 24 de ellos habían interrumpido su transmisión autóctona por 3 años. Realidad que consolidad la propuesta tras la experiencia adquirida, que cualquiera que sea la situación epidemiológica de entrada, el trabajo hacia la erradicación de la malaria debe entenderse y atenderse como un proceso continuo donde los propios Estados deben desde su realidad y estrategias propias se articulen con el Plan Estratégico Técnico Mundial Contra la Malaria 2016-2030 propuesto por la OMS(AU)

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted to humans through the bite of the female Anophele mosquito. Reporting the WHO in 2019, 229 million cases and 409,000 deaths from the disease in 87 countries of the world, There are six species of this parasite: Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale wallickeri, Plasmodium ovale curtisi, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium knowlesi. The species P. falciparum is the cause of greatest morbidity, with a rate between 10 and 50% of mortality from complicated malaria. About 108 countries have declared malaria as an endemic disease, and the disease can occur at any time of the year. However, in the case of Latin America today there is a stagnation of the disease, with fewer than 100 indigenous cases reported in countries between 2000 and 2019, with some exceptions. This situation of vulnerability of countries such as Brazil, Colombia, the Peru-Ecuador border, Venezuela, increases in the face of the active presence of the pandemic product of the Covid -19 coupled with economic restrictions, increased mining activity, or public policies that put at risk the sustainability of the disease control programme. By 2021, WHO confirms that there are 87 countries with malaria worldwide, of which 24 had interrupted their indigenous transmission for 3 years. Reality that consolidates the proposal after the experience acquired, that whatever the epidemiological situation of entry, The work towards the eradication of malaria must be understood and addressed as a continuous process where the States themselves must from their own reality and strategies articulate with the Global Technical Strategic Plan Against Malaria 2016-2030 proposed by the WHO(AU)

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Contamination on Food Plant Surfaces as Determined by Environmental Monitoring.

ABSTRACT: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has presented new challenges to food manufacturers. During the early phase of the pandemic, several large outbreaks of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in food manufacturing plants resulting in deaths and economic loss, with approximately 15% of personnel diagnosed as asymptomatic for COVID-19. Spread by asymptomatic and presymptomatic individuals has been implicated in large outbreaks of COVID-19. In March 2020, we assisted in implementation of environmental monitoring programs for SARS-CoV-2 in zones 3 and 4 of 116 food production facilities. All participating facilities had already implemented measures to prevent symptomatic personnel from coming to work. During the study period, from 17 March to 3 September 2020, 1.23% of the 22,643 environmental samples tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that infected individuals were actively shedding virus. Virus contamination was commonly found on frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, handles, table surfaces, and sanitizer dispensers. Most processing plants managed to control their environmental contamination when they became aware of the positive findings. Comparisons of positive test results for plant personnel and environmental surfaces in one plant revealed a close correlation. Our work illustrates that environmental monitoring for SARS-CoV-2 can be used as a surrogate for identifying the presence of asymptomatic and presymptomatic personnel in workplaces and may aid in controlling infection spread.

Brain Arteriovenous Malformations: Impact of Neurologic Status, Bleeding, and Type of Treatment on Final Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Well-designed studies assessing the treatment outcome of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are infrequent and have not consistently included all of the available treatment modalities, making their results not completely generalizable. Moreover, the predictors of poor outcome are not well defined. METHODS: We performed an observational retrospective study of AVM patients. We included patients with clinical, radiologic, and outcome data, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. Neurologic outcome was documented using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at the AVM diagnosis and 30 days after the treatment. RESULTS: There were 117 patients, with equal male/female proportion. The mean follow-up time was 51 months. Treatment distribution in the Spetzler-Martin grades I-III was as follows: 52 (54.6%) surgery, 31 (32.35%) radiosurgery, 2 (0.02%) embolization, and 11 (12%) conservative follow-up. Treatment distribution in Spetzler-Martin grades IV and V was as follows: 4 (20%) surgery, 7 (35%) radiosurgery, and 10 (45%) conservative follow-up. Poor neurologic outcome (mRS ≥ 3) was significantly associated with poor clinical status at diagnosis (Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] score< 14; odds ratio [OR]: 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001-0.396; p = 0.010). The rupture of the AVM was associated with poor neurologic outcome. The Lawton-Young Supplementary scale (LYSS) proved to be the most effective in predicting poor outcome. The existence of seizures, treatment-related complications, and conservative treatment was associated with the worsening of the mRS score, whereas the existence of hemorrhage was associated with the likelihood of disability. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that poor neurologic status at diagnosis, AVM rupture, and conservative treatment were associated with worse outcome. Hemorrhage as initial presentation is related to disability, not with mRS worsening. The LYSS appeared to be the best method to predict outcome.

Parasitosis intestinales en niños de 3 a 5 años con desnutrición de tipo Kwashiorkor en el Hospital José María Velasco Ibarra 2018-2019 / Intestinal parasitosis in children aged 3 to 5 years with Kwashiorkor-type malnutrition at the José María Velasco Ibarra Hospital 2018-2019

Determinar la ocurrencia de la parasitosis intestinal en niños de 3 a 5 años con desnutrición de tipo Kwashiorkor en el Hospital José María Velasco Ibarra en el periodo 2018-2019 ha sido el objetivo de este estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal. La muestra estuvo conformada por 41 infantes realizándole en la consulta externa su valoración clínica para clasificarlo con la enfermedad desnutrición de tipo Kwashiorkor, lo que incluyó un estudio coproparasitológico verificando la ocurrencia de parásitos intestinales en sus muestras fecales. Los resultados arrojaron que el 65,85% de los pacientes son niñas; el 43,90% corresponden al grupo etario de 5 años; IMC reflejo un 14,32 para los niños y 13,42 para las niñas, reflejándose niveles de desnutrición graves, que se corroboran con los resultados de las pruebas de laboratorio con una albumina sérica que oscila entre 2,05 y 2,63, niños anémicos altamente afectados por poliparásitos intestinales, siendo los más frecuentes: T. trichiura (n=34), A. lumbricoides (n=16) y G. lamblia (n=20). En conclusión, la desnutrición relacionada con la ingesta calórico-proteica, puede ser agravada por la ocurrencia de parásitos intestinales, lo que trae como consecuencia un aumento significativo del riesgo de morbi-mortalidad de niños de 3 a 5 años con desnutrición de tipo Kwashiorkor(AU)

To determine the occurrence of intestinal parasitosis in children aged 3 to 5 years with Kwashiorkor-type malnutrition at the José María Velasco Ibarra Hospital in the period 2018- 2019 has been the objective of this descriptive, crosssectional study. The sample consisted of 41 infants, who performed their clinical assessment in the outpatient clinic to classify it with Kwashiorkor-type malnutrition disease, which included a coproparasitological study verifying the occurrence of intestinal parasites in their fecal samples. The results showed that 65.85% of the patients are girls; 43.90% correspond to the age group of 5 years; BMI reflected 14.32 for boys and 13.42 for girls, reflecting levels of severe malnutrition, which are corroborated with the results of laboratory tests with a serum albumin that ranges between 2.05 and 2.63, boys anemic highly affected by intestinal polyparasites, the most frequent being: T. trichiura (n = 34), A. lumbricoides (n = 16) and G. lamblia (n = 20). In conclusion, malnutrition related to caloric-protein intake can be aggravated by the occurrence of intestinal parasites, which results in a significant increase in the risk of morbidity and mortality in children aged 3 to 5 years with Kwashiorkor-type malnutrition(AU)

Progression of carotid near-occlusion to complete occlusion: related factors and clinical implications.

BACKGROUND: The clinical consequences and factors related to the progression from a carotid near-occlusion (CNO) to a complete occlusion are not well established. Our aim is to describe the rate, predictive factors and clinical implications of the progression to complete carotid occlusion (PCCO) in a population of patients with symptomatic CNO. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, nationwide, prospective study from January 2010 to May 2016. Patients with angiography-confirmed CNO were included. We collected information on demographic data, clinical manifestations, radiological and hemodynamic findings, and treatment modalities. A 24 month carotid-imaging follow-up of the CNO was performed. RESULTS: 141 patients were included in the study, and carotid-imaging follow-up was performed in 122 patients. PCCO occurred in 40 patients (32.8%), and was more frequent in medically-treated patients (34 out of 61; 55.7%) compared with patients treated with revascularization (6 out of 61; 9.8%) (p<0.001). 7 of the 40 patients with PCCO (17.5%) suffered ipsilateral symptoms. Factors independently related with PCCO in the multivariate analysis were: age ≥75 years (OR 2.93, 95% CI 1.05 to 8.13), revascularization (OR 0.07, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.20), and collateral circulation through the ipsilateral ophthalmic artery (OR 3.25, 95% CI 1.01 to 10.48). CONCLUSIONS: PCCO occurred within 24 months in more than half of the patients under medical treatment. Most episodes of PCCO were not associated with ipsilateral symptoms. Revascularization reduces the risk of PCCO.

Caffeates and Caffeamides: Synthetic Methodologies and Their Antioxidant Properties.

Polyphenols are secondary metabolites of plants and include a variety of chemical structures, from simple molecules such as phenolic acids to condensed tannins and highly polymerized compounds. Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is one of the hydroxycinnamate metabolites more widely distributed in plant tissues. It is present in many food sources, including coffee drinks, blueberries, apples, and cider, and also in several medications of popular use, mainly those based on propolis. Its derivatives are also known to possess anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antitumor, and antibacterial activities, and can contribute to the prevention of atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. This review is an overview of the available information about the chemical synthesis and antioxidant activity of caffeic acid derivatives. Considering the relevance of these compounds in human health, many of them have been the focus of reviews, taking as a center their obtaining from the plants. There are few revisions that compile the chemical synthesis methods, in this way, we consider that this review does an important contribution.

A Case of Cutaneous Larva Migrans in a Child from Vinces, Ecuador.

BACKGROUND Cutaneous larva migrans (CLM) is caused by nematode parasites of the hookworm family of Ancylostomatidae. Ancylostomiasis is a zoonosis found in cats and dogs, and humans are an accidental host. This report presents a case of CLM in an 8-year-old boy, which was due to the zoonotic transmission of Ancylostoma caninum from domestic dogs in an urban area of Vinces, Ecuador, and demonstrates how awareness and early diagnosis contributed to the timely treatment of CLM. CASE REPORT An 8-year-old boy from the urban area of Vinces city in the Los Ríos province of Ecuador presented with a serpiginous palpable lesion on the sole of the right foot, consistent with a diagnosis of cutaneous larva migrans (CLM). He was infected through contact with the soil where canine Ancylostoma larvae were found. Twenty samples of feces were analyzed from the soil, and Ancylostoma larvae were found in 100% of these samples. Also, 120 dog stool samples were examined, and 75 (62.5%) contained Ancylostoma larvae, which were identified using the modified Willis and Baermann method. CONCLUSIONS CLM is a zoonotic disease that can affect the population in endemic areas. In this case, CLM was identified in the sole of the foot of a child. The presence of Ancylostoma larvae were identified in the soil and in the feces of dogs, indicating that the community was exposed to a significant environmental risk from this zoonotic disease.

Nonconvulsive epileptic seizure monitoring with incremental learning.

Nonconvulsive epileptic seizures (NCSz) and nonconvulsive status epilepticus (NCSE) are two neurological entities associated with increment in morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. In a previous work, we introduced a method which accurately detected NCSz in EEG data (referred here as 'Batch method'). However, this approach was less effective when the EEG features identified at the beginning of the recording changed over time. Such pattern drift is an issue that causes failures of automated seizure detection methods. This paper presents a support vector machine (SVM)-based incremental learning method for NCSz detection that for the first time addresses the seizure evolution in EEG records from patients with epileptic disorders and from ICU having NCSz. To implement the incremental learning SVM, three methodologies are tested. These approaches differ in the way they reduce the set of potentially available support vectors that are used to build the decision function of the classifier. To evaluate the suitability of the three incremental learning approaches proposed here for NCSz detection, first, a comparative study between the three methods is performed. Secondly, the incremental learning approach with the best performance is compared with the Batch method and three other batch methods from the literature. From this comparison, the incremental learning method based on maximum relevance minimum redundancy (MRMR_IL) obtained the best results. MRMR_IL method proved to be an effective tool for NCSz detection in a real-time setting, achieving sensitivity and accuracy values above 99%.

Monitorización automática de estados de sedación en señales electroencefalográficas / Automatic monitoring of sedation states in electroencephalographic signals

La anestesia general proporciona al paciente estados de inconciencia, amnesia y analgesia, sin embargo, se reportan casos de despertar intraoperatorio. Debido a la incidencia de este fenómeno y sus efectos psicosomáticos, el Centro de Estudios de Neurociencias, Procesamiento de Imágenes y Señales en la Universidad de Oriente, y el Hospital General Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso ambos en Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, implementan una metodología que permita detectar automáticamente estados de sedación anestésica aplicando Inteligencia Artificial. Para esto se emplearon las señales registradas por el canal electroencefalográfico F4, nueve parámetros espectrales, las Máquinas de Soporte Vectorial y los Sistemas Neuro-Difusos. En el reconocimiento automático de los estados de Sedación Profunda, Moderada y Ligera se logró una Exactitud de 96.12 por ciento, 90.06 por ciento y 90.24 por ciento respectivamente con las Máquinas de Soporte Vectorial, por lo que se propone el uso del canal electroencefalográfico F4 en la detección de estados anestésicos(AU)

General anesthesia provide the patient states of unconsciousness, amnesia and analgesia, however, cases of intraoperative awareness are reported. Due to the incidence of this phenomenon and the psychosomatic effects it causes, the Neuroscience Studies Center, Images and Signals Processing at the University of Oriente, and the General Hospital Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso both in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, implement a methodology that allows the automatic detection of anesthetic sedation states applying Artificial Intelligence. For this, the signals recorded by the electroencephalographic channel F4, nine spectral parameters, the Support Vector Machines and the Neuro-Fuzzy Systems were used. In the automatic recognition of the Sedation States: Profound, Moderate and Mild an Accuracy of 96.12 percent, 90.06 percent and 90.24 percent respectively was achieved with the Support Vector Machines, so the use of the electroencephalographic channel F4 is proposed in the detection of anesthetic states(AU)

Nonconvulsive Epileptic Seizure Detection in Scalp EEG Using Multiway Data Analysis.

Nonconvulsive status epilepticus is a condition where the patient is exposed to abnormally prolonged epileptic seizures without evident physical symptoms. Since these continuous seizures may cause permanent brain damage, it constitutes a medical emergency. This paper proposes a method to detect nonconvulsive seizures for a further nonconvulsive status epilepticus diagnosis. To differentiate between the normal and seizure electroencephalogram (EEG), a K-Nearest Neighbor, a Radial Basis Support Vector Machine, and a Linear Discriminant Analysis classifier are used. The classifier features are obtained from the Canonical Polyadic Decomposition (CPD) and Block Term Decomposition of the EEG data represented as third order tensor. To expand the EEG into a tensor, Wavelet or Hilbert-Huang transform are used. The algorithm is tested on a scalp EEG database of 139 seizures of different duration. The experimental results suggest that a Hilbert-Huang tensor representation and the CPD analysis provide the most suitable framework for nonconvulsive seizure detection. The Radial Basis Support Vector Machine classifier shows the best performance with sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy values over 98%. A rough comparison with other methods proposed in the literature shows the superior performance of the proposed method for nonconvulsive epileptic seizure detection.

Equine pericardium-covered stenting in post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm of cavernous internal carotid artery.

We report a case of traumatic intracranial carotid artery pseudoaneurysm treated with an equine pericardium-covered stent. The patient was admitted to the Emergency Department after sustaining severe polytrauma in a motor vehicle accident. A cavernous carotid pseudoaneurysm was detected after an episode of massive epistaxis that required emergent nasal packing. Treatment with parent vessel sacrifice was ruled out after an unfavourable balloon test occlusion. We opted for an equine pericardium-covered stent as a means to immediately seal the wall defect in the setting of massive bleeding secondary to an unstable lesion. We describe the potential benefits and drawbacks of these prostheses and the technical difficulties encountered in this particular case. To our best knowledge, this is the first published case report on a post-traumatic intracranial internal carotid artery pseudoaneurysm successfully treated with an equine pericardium-covered stent.

Campo magnético de frecuencia extremadamente baja: Seguridad de su aplicación a nivel del sistema nervioso central / Magnetic field of extremely low frequency: Safety of its application at the level of the central nervous system

Introducción: La enfermedad cerebrovascular constituye un importante problema de salud a nivel mundial. En la actualidad se desarrollan investigaciones científicas dedicadas al estudio de los efectos del campo magnético de frecuencia extremadamente baja para su tratamiento. No es suficientemente clara la información acerca de su inocuidad en las dosis estudiadas. Objetivo: Estudiar la seguridad de la aplicación del campo magnético de frecuencia extremadamente baja a nivel del sistema nervioso central a través de un estudio toxicológico a dosis aguda, repetida y ensayo de micronúcleos en médula ósea. Métodos: Se conformaron tres grupos experimentales con ratas Sprague Dawley Cenp:SPRD jóvenes y sanas para los experimentos de toxicidad y ratones CENP: NMRI para la evaluación mutagénica. Se utilizaron controles negativos no tratados. En el ensayo de micronúcleos se incorporó un grupo control positivo al que se administró Ciclofosfamida por vía intraperitoneal. Se aplicó un campo magnético no homogéneo con niveles de inducción magnética de 6,5 y 15 mT, tomando como referencia el valor máximo sobre la superficie de la bobina. Para la aplicación del campo magnético la bobina estimuladora se colocó sobre la cabeza asegurando la exposición completa del encéfalo. Resultados: En ninguno de los ensayos se detectaron signos de toxicidad. Se comprobó así mismo que no se indujeron efectos genotóxicos ni citotóxicos sobre las células somáticas. Conclusiones: El tratamiento con campo magnético de frecuencia extremadamente baja a nivel del sistema nervioso central en las condiciones experimentales y dosis estudiadas es seguro(AU)

Introduction: Stroke is a major health problem all over the world. Nowadays are developed scientific researches devoted to the study of extremely low frequency magnetic field effects over this illness. The information about it safety is unclear yet. Objective: To study the safety of extremely low frequency magnetic field applied at central nervous system level wasby means ofa toxicological assay (Acute, repeated doses and micronucleus in bone marrow assay) Methods: Three experimental groups were made with Sprague Dawley Cenp: SPRD young and healthy rats for toxicity experiments and CENP: NMRI mice for mutagen evaluation. Untreated negative controls were used. In the micronucleus assay, an additional positive control group was included. This group received Cyclophosphamide by intraperitoneal administration. Was applied a non-homogenousmagnetic fieldof 6,5 and 15 mT, taken as reference the maximum value over the coil surface. The coil was positioned over the head, ensuring full exposure of brain to magnetic field. Results : In none of trials were detected any sign of toxicity. It was also found no genotoxic or cytotoxic effects induced on somatic cells. Conclusions : These results indicated the safety of treatmentwith extremely low frequency magnetic field at central nervous system level for experimental conditions and doses studied(AU)

Embolization through the thyrocervical trunk: vascular anatomy, variants, and a case series.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The thyrocervical trunk (TCT) is the second ascending branch of the subclavian artery. It is considered a 'border territory' between interventional vascular radiology and interventional neuroradiology because it gives rise to branches both cervical and to the upper limbs. We describe the TCT branches anatomy, the most frequent variants, and expose eight endovascular procedures performed through the thyrocervical trunk. METHODS: A retrospective review of all the interventional radiology procedures carried out through the TCT in our tertiary care center from August 2014 to January 2017 is presented. RESULTS: A total of eight endovascular procedures through the TCT including six preoperative embolizations: three paragangliomas, a cervical vertebral metastasis, a cervical vertebral aneurysmal bone cyst, and a very rare case of nerve root extradural cervical hemangioblastoma, as well as two emergency embolizations: a patient with a cervical traumatic active bleeding hematoma and a recurrent hemoptysis in a single ventricle patient. CONCLUSIONS: A correct knowledge of the vascular anatomy, anatomical variants, and anastomosis (especially with the anterior spinal artery) of the TCT is essential for a safe embolization, both preoperatively and on an emergency basis. In cases of recurrent hemoptysis and severe lower-neck injuries, the TCT should always be reviewed.

Early risk of recurrent stroke in patients with symptomatic carotid near-occlusion: Results from CAOS, a multicenter registry study.

Background The risk of recurrent stroke among patients with symptomatic carotid near-occlusion is not well established, and management of the condition remains controversial. Symptomatic carotid near-occlusion with full collapse has been identified as a strong predictor of early recurrence. We aimed to analyze the 90-day risk of recurrent ipsilateral ischemic stroke in medically treated patients with symptomatic carotid near-occlusion. Methods We performed a multicenter, nationwide, prospective study from January 2010 to May 2016. Patients with angiography-confirmed symptomatic carotid near-occlusion were included. The primary endpoint was ipsilateral ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) within 90 days after the presenting event. For this analysis, patients who underwent revascularization within 90 days after stroke were excluded. Results The study population comprised 141 patients from 17 Spanish centers; 83 patients were treated medically. Primary endpoint occurred in eight patients, resulting in a cumulative rate of 10.6% (95% CI, 3.7-17.5). Previous history of stroke or transient ischemic attack was identified as an independent predictor for recurrence in the multivariate Cox regression analysis (HR, 4.37 [95% CI, 1.05-18.18]; p = 0.043), while the presence of full collapse was not associated with an increased risk (HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.17-3.92]; p = 0.793). The risk of recurrence was also not affected by the presence of significant stenosis or occlusion of the contralateral carotid artery, or by the collateral circulation. Conclusions Patients with symptomatic carotid near-occlusion seem to have an increased risk of early ipsilateral recurrent stroke. Our results contrast with the low risk of symptomatic carotid near-occlusion reported to date. Full collapse did not increase the risk of recurrent stroke in our study.

Detección de la profundidad anestésica en señales registradas por el canal electroencefalográfico F4 / Detection of anesthetic depth in signals recorded by electroencephalographic channel F4

Introducción: durante una intervención quirúrgica es necesario que el paciente, bajo los efectos de la anestesia general permanezca inconsciente e insensible al dolor, sin embargo, se reportan casos de despertar intraoperatorio. Debido a la incidencia de este fenómeno y los efectos adversos a los que conlleva, el Centro de Estudios de Neurociencias, Procesamiento de Imágenes y Señales, de la Universidad de Oriente, Cuba, desarrolla un prototipo de monitor de anestesia que permita la detección de los cambios de estados anestésicos, a partir del reconocimiento automático de Niveles de Profundidad Anestésica en señales electroencefalográficas.Objetivo: detectar de manera automática estados de sedación anestésica a partir de señales electroencefalográficas como sistema de apoyo al monitoreo intraoperatorio.Métodos: se realizó el registro de las señales electroencefalográficas de 27 pacientes sometidos a cirugía general abdominal, seleccionándose para el estudio el canal F4. La detección de los niveles de profundidad anestésica se efectuó usándose métodos computacionales de Inteligencia Artificial.Resultados: se redujo la escala de profundidad anestésica a tres niveles, obteniéndose una efectividad en el reconocimiento de: 90,24 por ciento en el nivel ligero, 90,06 por ciento en el moderado y 96,12 por ciento en el nivel profundo.Conclusiones: se proponen tres niveles de profundidad anestésica, detectados con más del 90 por ciento de exactitud en las señales electroencefalográficas, lo cual posibilitará mejorar la práctica diaria del anestesiólogo a partir del monitor que desarrolla el ya mencionado Centro de Estudios. Los resultados evidencian que la derivación F4 es representativa del comportamiento de los fármacos anestésicos en la actividad cerebral(AU)

Introduction: During surgery a patient under general anesthesia must remain unconscious and insensitive to pain. However, cases have been reported of intraoperative awareness. Due to the incidence of this phenomenon and the adverse effects it causes, the Center for Neuroscience and Image and Signal Processing Studies of the University of Oriente, Cuba, is developing a prototype for an anesthesia monitor allowing detection of changes in anesthetic status based on automated recognition of Anesthetic Depth Levels in electroencephalographic signals.Objective: Automatically detect anesthetic sedation states in electroencephalographic signals as a support system for intraoperative monitoring.Methods: Recording was conducted of electroencephalographic signals from 27 patients undergoing general abdominal surgery. The channel selected for the study was F4. Detection of anesthetic depth levels was performed using Artificial Intelligence computer methods.Results: The anesthetic depth scale was reduced to three levels. Recognition effectiveness was 90.24 percent for the light level, 90.06 percent for the moderate level, and 12 percent for the deep level.Conclusions: Three anesthetic depth levels are proposed, which were detected with above 90 percent accuracy in electroencephalographic signals. The daily work of anesthesiologists will be improved with the use of the monitor being developed at the above mentioned study center. Results show that F4 derivation is representative of the effect of anesthetics upon brain activity(AU)