Diet and microbiome in the beginning of the sequence of gut inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract due, at least partially, to an aberrant and excessive mucosal immune response to gut bacteria in genetically-predisposed individuals under certain environmental factors. The incidence of IBD is rising in western and newly industrialized countries, paralleling the increase of westernized dietary patterns, through new antigens, epithelial function and permeability, epigenetic mechanisms (e.g., DNA methylation), and alteration of the gut microbiome. Alteration in the composition and functionality of the gut microbiome (including bacteria, viruses and fungi) seems to be a nuclear pathogenic factor. The microbiome itself is dynamic, and the changes in food quality, dietary habits, living conditions and hygiene of these western societies, could interact in a complex manner as modulators of dysbiosis, thereby influencing the activation of immune cells' promoting inflammation. The microbiome produces diverse small molecules via several metabolic ways, with the fiber-derived short-chain fatty acids (i.e., butyrate) as main elements and having anti-inflammatory effects. These metabolites and some micronutrients of the diet (i.e., vitamins, folic acid, beta carotene and trace elements) are regulators of innate and adaptive intestinal immune homeostasis. An excessive and unhealthy consumption of sugar, animal fat and a low-vegetable and -fiber diet are risk factors for IBD appearance. Furthermore, metabolism of nutrients in intestinal epithelium and in gut microbiota is altered by inflammation, changing the demand for nutrients needed for homeostasis. This role of food and a reduced gut microbial diversity in causing IBD might also have a prophylactic or therapeutic role for IBD. The relationship between dietary intake, symptoms, and bowel inflammation could lead to dietary and lifestyle recommendations, including diets with abundant fruits, vegetables, olive oil and oily fish, which have anti-inflammatory effects and could prevent dysbiosis and IBD. Dietary modulation and appropriate exclusion diets might be a new complementary management for treatment at disease flares and in refractory patients, even reducing complications, hospitalizations and surgery, through modifying the luminal intestinal environment.

Patogenia, cuadro clínico y diagnóstico imagenológico por resonancia magnética de las hernias discales / Pathogenia, clinical pattern, and imagenologic diagnosis through magnetic resonance of the disc herniation

Las hernias discales constituyen un importante problema de salud que causa ausentismo laboral en personas laboralmente activas, de ahí que el costo generado por esta afección sea motivo de preocupación a escala mundial. La revisión bibliográfica acerca de su patogenia, cuadro clínico y diagnóstico imagenológico resulta de vital importancia para su prevención, diagnóstico y tratamiento oportunos. En el diagnóstico por imágenes, la resonancia magnética ha tenido un mayor impacto en el análisis de las afecciones de la columna vertebral, pues posibilita investigar las características del disco intervertebral. Tiene superioridad diagnóstica respecto a la tomografía axial computarizada y la mielografía, debido a que no utiliza radiaciones ionizantes, en tanto, se considera más sensible y específica para demostrar anomalías, lesiones, así como enfermedades de la columna que no pueden visualizarse o quedar ocultas con los otros métodos.

Disc herniations constitute an important health problem causing absenteeism in active people, so that the cost generated by this disorder is reason of concern at world scale. The literature review on their pathogenia, clinical pattern and diagnostic imaging is of vital importance for its prevention, diagnosis and opportune treatment. In the diagnosis through images, the magnetic resonance has had a higher impact in the analysis of the spine disorders, because it facilitates to investigate the characteristics of the intervertebral disc. It has diagnostic advantage regarding the computerized axial tomography and myelography, because it uses no ionizing radiations, also, it is considered more sensitive and specific to demonstrate anomalies, lesions, as well as spine diseases which cannot be visualized or may be hidden with the other methods.

Tumores de ovario: patogenia, cuadro clínico, diagnóstico ecográfico e histopatológico / Ovarian tumors: pathogenia, clinical pattern, echographic and histopathological diagnosis

La ecografía ha adquirido gran importancia en el diagnóstico de los tumores ováricos, de manera que resulta de gran utilidad en la práctica ginecológica. Se realizó una revisión de la bibliografía biomédica acerca de la patogenia, el cuadro clínico y el diagnóstico ecográfico e histopatológico de dichos tumores, con vistas a crear un importante material de consulta acerca de esta enfermedad, cuyo descubrimiento en etapas tempranas es vital para las pacientes.

Echography has acquired great importance in the diagnosis of the ovarian tumors, so that it is of great usefulness in the gynecological practice. A review of the biomedical literature on the pathogenia, the clinical pattern and the echographic and histopathological diagnosis of these tumors was carried out , aimed at creating an important reference tool dealing about this illness, which finding in early stages, is vital for the patients.