Observational analysis of clinical and pathological characteristics and their prognostic impact in Mexican patients with breast cancer: A multi-center study.

Breast cancer is the most incidental and deadly neoplasm worldwide; in Mexico, very few epidemiologic reports have analyzed the pathological features and its impact on their clinical outcome. Here, we studied the relation between pathological features and the clinical presentation at diagnosis and their impact on the overall and progression-free survival of patients with breast cancer. For this purpose, we collected 199 clinical records of female patients, aged at least 18 years old (y/o), with breast cancer diagnosis confirmed by biopsy. We excluded patients with incomplete or conflicting clinical records. Afterward, we performed an analysis of overall and progression-free survival and associated risks. Our results showed an average age at diagnosis of 52 y/o (24-85), the most common features were: upper outer quadrant tumor (32%), invasive ductal carcinoma (76.8%), moderately differentiated (44.3%), early clinical stages (40.8%), asymptomatic patients (47.8%), luminal A subtype (47.8%). Median overall survival was not reached, but median progression-free survival was 32.2 months (29.75-34.64, CI 95%) associated risk were: clinical stage (p < 0.0001) symptomatic presentation (p = 0.009) and histologic grade (p = 0.02). Therefore, we concluded that symptom presence at diagnosis impacts progression-free survival, and palpable symptoms are related to an increased risk for mortality.

All Single-Mode-Fiber Supercontinuum Source Setup for Monitoring of Multiple Gases Applications.

In this paper, a gas sensing system based on a conventional absorption technique using a single-mode-fiber supercontinuum source (SMF-SC) is presented. The SC source was implemented by channeling pulses from a microchip laser into a one kilometer long single-mode fiber (SMF), obtaining a flat high-spectrum with a bandwidth of up to 350 nm in the region from 1350 to 1700 nm, and high stability in power and wavelength. The supercontinuum radiation was used for simultaneously sensing water vapor and acetylene gas in the regions from 1350 to 1420 nm and 1510 to 1540 nm, respectively. The experimental results show that the absorption peaks of acetylene have a maximum depth of approximately 30 dB and contain about 60 strong lines in the R and P branches, demonstrating a high sensitivity of the sensing setup to acetylene. Finally, to verify the experimental results, the experimental spectra are compared to simulations obtained from the Hitran database. This shows that the implemented system can be used to develop sensors for applications in broadband absorption spectroscopy and as a low-cost absorption spectrophotometer of multiple gases.

A sustainable amperometric biosensor for the analysis of ascorbic, benzoic, gallic and kojic acids through catechol detection. Innovation and signal processing.

In this work, we present a new catechol amperometric biosensor fabricated on the basis of naturally available enzymes in common mushrooms. The biosensor response mechanism comprises the reduction of the quinone exclusively produced in the oxidation of the catechol present in the sample, which is catalyzed by tyrosinase enzyme. The new catechol biosensor has demonstrated excellent analytical performance at increasing catechol concentrations in the sample solution, which includes superior reproducibility for several electrodes and long-term stability. On top of that, the biosensing element used in the fabrication is a sustainable material, of low-cost and presents an excellent lifetime of years. Whether the catechol biosensor is operating in the presence of a compound influencing the reactions underlying the amperometric response (such as ascorbic, benzoic, gallic and kojic acids), this serves as an analytical platform to detect these compounds in real samples. Particularly, we introduce herein for the first time different treatments to process the current signal of the biosensor pursuing the linearity needed for the analytical application in real samples. In this sense, the catechol biosensor has been successfully applied to the detection of benzoic, gallic and kojic acids in juices, teas and cosmetic products, respectively.

Impact of Epstein-Barr virus serological status on clinical outcomes in adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the impact of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection on clinical outcomes in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). AIM: To evaluate seroprevalence, seroconversion rate and complications associated with EBV infection in an adult IBD cohort attending a tertiary care hospital in Spain between 2006 and 2016. METHODS: EBV serological status was determined. In seronegative patients, the seroconversion rate was evaluated. The complications associated with primary and latent EBV infection are described. RESULTS: One thousand four hundred and eighty-three patients over the age of 17 were included in the study (mean age at EBV serological status determination was 48.3). Overall seroprevalence of EBV was 97.4% (95% CI: 96.6%-98.2%). The seroconversion rate was 29.7% (95% CI: 16.2-45.9) after a mean of 47.5 months. There were no differences in seroconversion rates between patients 35 years or younger and patients older than 35 years. A 66-year-old man, on treatment with thiopurines, developed lymphoma and a hemophagocytic syndrome during a primary EBV infection. Overall, six patients (one with primary infection and five with prior EBV infection) developed lymphoma. In three of five patients with lymphoma and thiopurine use, EBV was associated to the development of lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS: There is a small percentage of adults with IBD at risk of primary EBV infection. The risks of seroconversion and its complications remain through adulthood. Our results suggest that, when considering the use of thiopurines in IBD, the information on EBV serological status should be taken into account at any age.

Comparative enzymatic studies using ion-selective electrodes. The case of cholinesterases.

The application of traditional ion-selective electrodes for comparative enzymatic analysis was demonstrated for the first time in this study. A kinetic-potentiometric method based on the monitoring of the concentration of the ionic substrate involved in the enzymatic reaction catalyzed by different cholinesterases is used for this purpose. A comparative study was performed comprising both enzymatic assays using different ionic substrates and the corresponding inhibited reactions in presence of neostigmine (a synthetic anticholinesterase). The developed approach is used to obtain valuable comparative results through calculation of kinetic parameters, such as Michaelis and inhibition constants. Interesting results were obtained for acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase enzymes, which were selected as proof-of-concept: (i) the binding affinity that these enzymes have for their natural substrates showed to be higher (acetylcholine and butyrylcholine respectively) than for their corresponding thiol derivatives (acetylthiocholine and butyrylthiocholine), which are traditionally used in spectrophotometric enzymatic assays; (ii) as expected, the maximum hydrolysis rate found in the assays of each enzyme was independent of the substrate used; (iii) acetylcholinesterase enzyme inhibition due to neostigmine was found to be higher (higher inhibition constant). Advantageously, the use of ion-selective electrodes permits to perform cholinesterases' enzymatic assays using their natural substrates and under physiological conditions, unlike the traditional spectrophotometric methods used in routine enzymatic assays. Importantly, while well-known enzymes are use throughout this work, this approach can be extended to other types of enzymatic assays as a tangible alternative to traditional spectrophotometric methods.

Two full-term pregnancies in a patient with mitochondrial myopathy and chronic ventilatory insufficiency.

Mitochondrial myopathies are a group of diseases characterized by metabolic defects at the mitochondrial respiratory chain level which result in impaired oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis. As with other neuromuscular diseases, respiratory muscles can be affected and ventilatory failure may occur. There have been isolated case reports of pregnant patients with ventilatory failure due to neuromuscular diseases such as polio and spinal muscular atrophy. We describe the case of a 34-year-old patient with mitochondrial myopathy and ventilatory failure requiring non-invasive ventilation who carried two pregnancies to term with no complications. We have not found a similar case in the literature.