Concordancia entre SPECT portátil y la gammagrafía convencional para detección de ganglio centinela en cáncer de mama / Concordance between freehand SPECT and conventional scintigraphy for sentinel lymph node detection in breast cancer

Introducción: La SPECT portátil puede ser una técnica de imagen útil para la planificación preoperatoria de la biopsia selectiva del ganglio centinela (BSGC) ya que permite la localización del ganglio centinela (GC) mediante imágenes tomográficas en 3D y en tiempo real y determina su profundidad, después de unos minutos de exploración. El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la correlación entre el número de GC detectados entre las imágenes de la SPECT portátil y la linfogammagrafía (LG). Materiales y métodos: Cien pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer de mama infiltrante y sin evidencia clínica de afectación ganglionar, se sometieron prospectivamente a una BSGC. El estudio preoperatorio incluyó imágenes de SPECT portátil a los 15 min tras la inyección y de LG a los 25 y 60-90 min (precoz y tardía). Se analizó el acuerdo observado y se realizó un estudio de concordancia entre el número de GC detectados con SPECT portátil y LG. Resultados: El acuerdo observado en la detección de GC entre SPECT portátil y LG precoz fue del 72%; entre SPECT portátil y LG tardía del 85%, y entre la LG precoz y la tardía de un 87%. En el estudio de concordancia se registró una concordancia moderada entre la SPECT portátil y la LG precoz (coeficiente kappa: 0,42); una concordancia moderada-alta entre la SPECT portátil y la LG tardía (coeficiente kappa: 0,60), y una concordancia de moderada-alta entre la LG precoz y la tardía (coeficiente kappa: 0,70), sin diferencias significativas entre ellos (valor p=0,16). Conclusión: La SPECT portátil presentó una concordancia moderada-alta con los estudios de imagen convencional y podría ser una alternativa válida para el estudio prequirúrgico de la BSGC en el cáncer de mama.(AU)

Introduction: Freehand SPECT can be a useful imaging technique for preoperative planning of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) as it allows localization of the sentinel node by 3D and real-time tomographic imaging and determines its depth after a few minutes of scanning. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between the number of detected SNs between freehand SPECT images and lymphoscintigraphy (LS). Materials and methods: One hundred patients with a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer and no clinical evidence of lymph node involvement prospectively underwent SLNB. The preoperative study included freehand SPECT imaging at 15min after injection and LS imaging at 25 and 60–90min after injection (early and late). The observed agreement was analyzed and a concordance study was performed between the number of SNs detected with freehand SPECT and LS. Results: The observed agreement in the detection of SNs between freehand SPECT and early LS was 72%; between freehand SPECT and late LS was 85%; and between early and late LS was 87%. In the concordance study, there was moderate concordance between freehand SPECT and early LS (kappa coefficient: 0.42); moderate-high concordance between freehand SPECT and late LS (kappa coefficient: 0.60); and moderate-high concordance between early and late LS (kappa coefficient: 0.70), with no significant differences between them (p-value=0.16). Conclusion: Freehand SPECT showed a moderate-high concordance with conventional imaging studies and could be a valid alternative for the presurgical study of SLNB in breast cancer.(AU)

Optimizing cellulose fraction for enhanced utility: Comparative pre-treatment of Agave tequilana Weber var. blue bagasse fiber for sustainable applications.

In recent decades, natural fibers have emerged as an alternative to synthetic fibers due to their renewable nature, lower environmental impact, and comparable strength properties. Agave bagasse, a byproduct of agave juice extraction in Mexico, stands out for its potential in various industrial applications, notably biocomposite production. Bagasse is rich in cellulose, along with hemicellulose and lignin. Cellulose is the most suitable to be converted into valuable products, and it is versatile, renewable, and biodegradable. An effective pre-treatment is crucial to enrich its fraction. This study aims to determine the optimal pre-treatment conditions for the agave bagasse. Three different pre-treatments were tested, acid (H2SO4), enzymatic (Cellic® HTec2 enzymatic preparation), and sequence of acid-enzymatic (sulfuric acid and Cellic® HTec2), to determine which pre-treatment got the optimal cellulose fraction increase. The acid pre-treatment was conducted over three time ranges (5, 10, and 15 min) at different acid concentrations (1%, 1.5%, and 2%). Enzymatic reactions were conducted over 24 h, testing three different enzyme concentrations (1.5%, 3%, 4.5%). The sequential pre-treatment utilized the optimal conditions derived from the acid experiments (1.5% H2SO4 for 10 min), followed by enzymatic reactions carried out over three different durations (6, 12, and 24 h). The findings revealed that a 1.5% acid concentration applied for 10 min was the most efficient pre-treatment method. This pre-treatment resulted in a 1.9-fold increase in the cellulose fraction while reducing hemicellulose content by 30%. The hemicellulose reduction was confirmed through Fourier Transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, complemented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations highlighting physical alterations in the fiber structure. Furthermore, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrated improved thermal stability, suggesting potential use in biocomposites. Future research should evaluate the environmental impact of optimized pre-treatment methods for agave bagasse.

Biological and chemical characterization in relation to the yield of radish (Raphanus sativus L.) nourished with humus from plant residues.

The increase in prices of fertilizers, energy and other materials necessary for the industry triggered a global economic crisis. Reason that was investigated on the biological and chemical characteristics in relation to the yield of radish nourished with humus from plant residue. The objective was to determine the appropriate dose of humus to obtain greater yield and its relationship with the chemical and biological characteristics of the radish. It is based on applied methodology with an experimental approach; Therefore, the Completely Random Block Design model was used, which consisted of 3 blocks and 5 treatments that were T1 with 0, T2 with 4, T3 with 6, T4 with 8 and T5 with 10 t/ha of humus and They applied 15 days after sowing. The physical characteristics of the radish were evaluated and processed using analysis of variance and Duncan. Concentration of elements in leaves and stomatal density were also analyzed. It was determined that T5 stood out in total plant length with 28.95 cm, plant weight with 76.87 g, equatorial diameter with 4,404 cm and commercial yield with 20,296 t/ha. Nitrogen consumption in relation to yield with 247.44 kg/ha. Stomatal density 459 stomata/mm2 and profitability with 150% and nutrient concentration in leaves highlighted T4 with N, K, Ca, Mg, Mo and Zn. It concludes that T5 stood out with 20,296 t/ha, which differed by 26.04% in relation to the control (T1) with 15,011 t/ha. Therefore, this dose added nutrients to the soil that improved the availability for plant absorption and this influenced the concentration of nutrients in leaves such as N, P and Fe and stomatal density with 459 stomata/mm2, which had a response in good development, strengthening against environmental stress and therefore greater performance.

Investigating isotopic markers for hazelnut geographical authentication: Promising variables and potential applications.

Hazelnuts' features and price are influenced by their geographical origin, making them susceptible to fraud, especially counterfeit claims regarding their provenance. Stable isotope analysis is a recognised approach to establish the geographical origin of foods, yet its potential in hazelnut authentication remains unexplored. In this prospective study, we assessed multiple isotopic markers in hazelnuts from different origins and evaluated the most promising variables for geographical authentication by chemometric tools. Our findings indicate that bulk δ18O, along with δ2H and δ13C in the main fatty acid methyl esters, exhibit significant potential in discriminating geographical origins, and 87Sr/86Sr analysis could serve as a proficient confirmatory tool. Though no single marker alone can differentiate between all the studied origins, employing a multi-isotopic approach based on PLS-DA models achieved up to 92.5 % accuracy in leave-10 %-out cross-validation. These findings will probably lay the groundwork for developing robust models for hazelnut geographical authentication based on larger datasets.

Concordance between freehand SPECT and conventional scintigraphy for sentinel lymph node detection in breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Freehand SPECT can be a useful imaging technique for preoperative planning of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) as it allows localization of the sentinel node by 3D and real-time tomographic imaging and determines its depth after a few minutes of scanning. The aim of the study was to evaluate the correlation between the number of detected SNs between freehand SPECT images and lymphoscintigraphy (LS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 100 patients with a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer and no clinical evidence of lymph node involvement prospectively underwent SLNB. The preoperative study included freehand SPECT imaging at 15min after injection and LS imaging at 25 and 60-90min after injection (early and late). The observed agreement was analyzed and a concordance study was performed between the number of SNs detected with freehand SPECT and LS. RESULTS: The observed agreement in the detection of SNs between freehand SPECT and early LS was 72%; between freehand SPECT and late LS was 85%; and between early and late LS was 87%. In the concordance study, there was moderate concordance between freehand SPECT and early LS (kappa coefficient: 0.42); moderate-high concordance between freehand SPECT and late LS (kappa coefficient: 0.60); and moderate-high concordance between early and late LS (kappa coefficient: 0.70), with no significant differences between them (p-value=0.16). CONCLUSION: Freehand SPECT showed a moderate-high concordance with conventional imaging studies and could be a valid alternative for the presurgical study of SLNB in breast cancer.

Adherencia al tratamiento en paciente polimedicado con sistemas personalizados de dosificación (SPD) y su impacto en salud / Adherence to treatment in polymedicated patients using Monitored Dosage Systems (MDS) and their impact on health

Los Sistemas Personalizados de Dosificación (SPD) son una herramienta eficaz, segura y homologada para el reacondicionamiento de fármacos en farmacia comunitaria. Estos implican la revisión del uso del medicamento (RUM) y la colaboración con el médico de atención primaria (MAP). En el presente artículo se describe el caso de una paciente de 57 años intervenida de lumbociatalgia en 2021 y 2022, con dolor crónico mal controlado y aturdimiento derivado del olvido y/o duplicidad de las tomas. Durante la dispensación habitual se detectan estos problemas relacionados con el medicamento (PRM) y se deriva a la paciente al servicio SPD. Tras la implantación del mismo, la paciente mejora a nivel cognitivo, eliminando el aturdimiento y controlando el dolor, lo que supuso un aumento en su calidad de vida. En conclusión, se destaca la importancia de los diferentes servicios disponibles en la farmacia para mejorar la calidad de vida del paciente, la adherencia al tratamiento y la detección de PRM. (AU)

Monitored Dosage Systems (MDS) are an efficient, reliable and approved device for drug reconditioning in pharmacy. These systems imply a review on proper drug use and the collaboration between primary health care and pharmacists. The case study describes a female patient with a surgical intervention due to lumbosciatica in 2021 and 2022. Patient describes uncontrolled chronic pain and confusion related to improper drug use. During regular dispensing of her medication, these medicine-related problems (MRP) were detected and the patient was referred to the MDS service. After its implementation, the patient’s confusion was eliminated and pain management was achieved, increasing her quality of life. As a conclusion, the different health services provided by the pharmacy can improve a patient’s quality of life, treatment adherence and MRP detection. (AU)

Psoriasis Severity, Health-Related Quality of Life, Work Productivity, and Activity Impairments Among Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Receiving Systemic Treatment: Real-World Data From Clinical Practice in Spain / Gravedad de la psoriasis, calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, productividad laboral y deterioro de la actividad en pacientes con psoriasis moderada a grave que reciben tratamiento sistémico: datos de la vida real de la práctica clínica en España

Background and objective The treatment of psoriasis should not only focus on skin affectations but also weigh the parameters for health-related quality of life (HRQoL), thereby tackling the concept of cumulative life course impairment (CLCI) and treating the patient from a holistic perspective. The CRYSTAL study aimed to characterize psoriasis with real-word data from Spanish clinical practice in patients with moderate to severe disease who received continuous systemic treatment for at least 24 weeks by using the absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and its correlation to HRQoL. Material and methods This was a non-interventional, cross-sectional study conducted in 30 centers in Spain, with 301 patients between the ages of 18 and 75 years. The study collected data regarding current treatment and absolute PASI and their relationship to HRQoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), to activity impairment using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, and to treatment satisfaction. Results The mean (SD) age was 50.5 (12.5) years, with a duration of disease of 14 (14.1) years. The mean (SD) absolute PASI reported was 2.3 (3.5), with 28.7% of patients presenting with PASI from >1 to ≤3 and 22.6% with PASI>3. Higher PASI scores were associated with higher DLQI (p<0.001) and WPAI scores and lower levels of treatment satisfaction (p<0.001). Conclusions These data indicate that achieving lower absolute PASI values may correlate not only with better HRQoL but also with better work productivity and treatment satisfaction (AU)

Antecedentes y objetivo El tratamiento de la psoriasis debe centrarse más allá de las afectaciones cutáneas, y valorar la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS), abordando así el concepto de discapacidad acumulada en el transcurso vital y tratando al paciente desde una perspectiva holística. El estudio CRYSTAL tuvo como objetivo caracterizar la psoriasis con datos de la práctica clínica española en pacientes con enfermedad moderada a grave que recibieron tratamiento sistémico continuado durante al menos 24 semanas mediante la puntuación absoluta del Índice de la Severidad del área de Psoriasis (PASI) (medida del estado de la enfermedad en un momento dado y no por comparación con una puntuación basal) y su correlación con la CVRS. Material y métodos Se trata de un estudio no intervencionista, transversal, realizado en 30 centros de España, con 301 pacientes de edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 75 años. Se recogieron datos relativos al tratamiento actual y al PASI absoluto y su relación con la CVRS mediante el Índice de Calidad de Vida en Dermatología (DLQI), con el deterioro de la actividad mediante el Cuestionario para el Deterioro de la Actividad y la Productividad Laboral (WPAI) y con la satisfacción con el tratamiento. Resultados La edad media (DE) fue de 50,5 (12,5) años, con una duración de la enfermedad de 14 (14,1) años. La media (DE) del PASI absoluto notificado fue de 2,3 (3,5), con 28,7% de pacientes que presentaban un PASI de > 1 a ≤ 3 y 22,6% con un PASI > 3. Las puntuaciones más altas del PASI se asociaron a puntuaciones más altas del DLQI (p < 0,001) y del WPAI y a niveles más bajos de satisfacción con el tratamiento (p < 0,001). Conclusiones Estos datos indican que alcanzar valores absolutos más bajos de PASI puede correlacionarse no solo con una mejor CVRS, sino también con una mejor productividad laboral y satisfacción con el tratamiento (AU)

[Artículo traducido] Gravedad de la psoriasis, calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, productividad laboral y deterioro de la actividad en pacientes con psoriasis moderada a grave que reciben tratamiento sistémico: datos de la vida real de la práctica clínica en España / Psoriasis Severity, Health-Related Quality of Life, Work Productivity, and Activity Impairments Among Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Receiving Systemic Treatment: Real-World Data From Clinical Practice in Spain

Antecedentes y objetivo El tratamiento de la psoriasis debe centrarse más allá de las afectaciones cutáneas, y valorar la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud (CVRS), abordando así el concepto de discapacidad acumulada en el transcurso vital y tratando al paciente desde una perspectiva holística. El estudio CRYSTAL tuvo como objetivo caracterizar la psoriasis con datos de la práctica clínica española en pacientes con enfermedad moderada a grave que recibieron tratamiento sistémico continuado durante al menos 24 semanas mediante la puntuación absoluta del Índice de la Severidad del área de Psoriasis (PASI) (medida del estado de la enfermedad en un momento dado y no por comparación con una puntuación basal) y su correlación con la CVRS. Material y métodos Se trata de un estudio no intervencionista, transversal, realizado en 30 centros de España, con 301 pacientes de edades comprendidas entre los 18 y los 75 años. Se recogieron datos relativos al tratamiento actual y al PASI absoluto y su relación con la CVRS mediante el Índice de Calidad de Vida en Dermatología (DLQI), con el deterioro de la actividad mediante el Cuestionario para el Deterioro de la Actividad y la Productividad Laboral (WPAI) y con la satisfacción con el tratamiento. Resultados La edad media (DE) fue de 50,5 (12,5) años, con una duración de la enfermedad de 14 (14,1) años. La media (DE) del PASI absoluto notificado fue de 2,3 (3,5), con 28,7% de pacientes que presentaban un PASI de > 1 a ≤ 3 y 22,6% con un PASI > 3. Las puntuaciones más altas del PASI se asociaron a puntuaciones más altas del DLQI (p < 0,001) y del WPAI y a niveles más bajos de satisfacción con el tratamiento (p < 0,001). Conclusiones Estos datos indican que alcanzar valores absolutos más bajos de PASI puede correlacionarse no solo con una mejor CVRS, sino también con una mejor productividad laboral y satisfacción con el tratamiento (AU)

Background and objective The treatment of psoriasis should not only focus on skin affectations but also weigh the parameters for health-related quality of life (HRQoL), thereby tackling the concept of cumulative life course impairment (CLCI) and treating the patient from a holistic perspective. The CRYSTAL study aimed to characterize psoriasis with real-word data from Spanish clinical practice in patients with moderate to severe disease who received continuous systemic treatment for at least 24 weeks by using the absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and its correlation to HRQoL. Material and methods This was a non-interventional, cross-sectional study conducted in 30 centers in Spain, with 301 patients between the ages of 18 and 75 years. The study collected data regarding current treatment and absolute PASI and their relationship to HRQoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), to activity impairment using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, and to treatment satisfaction. Results The mean (SD) age was 50.5 (12.5) years, with a duration of disease of 14 (14.1) years. The mean (SD) absolute PASI reported was 2.3 (3.5), with 28.7% of patients presenting with PASI from >1 to ≤3 and 22.6% with PASI>3. Higher PASI scores were associated with higher DLQI (p<0.001) and WPAI scores and lower levels of treatment satisfaction (p<0.001). Conclusions These data indicate that achieving lower absolute PASI values may correlate not only with better HRQoL but also with better work productivity and treatment satisfaction (AU)

[New therapeutic era for migraine attacks with recently approved monoclonal antibodies, ditans and gepants]. / Nueva era terapéutica para el ataque de migraña con los recientemente aprobados anticuerpos monoclonales, ditanes y gepantes.

Treatment of migraine attacks is advised in all patients, using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs when the pain is mild and triptans when the pain intensity is moderate-severe. However, the effectiveness of these drugs is moderate, a high percentage of patients have side effects, and triptans are contraindicated in people with a history of stroke, ischaemic heart disease or poorly controlled hypertension. Hence, there is an urgent need for new therapeutic alternatives. In recent years, new drugs for migraine attacks have become available, most notably ditans (lasmiditan) and gepants (ubrogepant and rimegepant). Furthermore, eptinezumab, which has been approved for the preventive treatment of migraine in adults, has also been used for migraine attacks. This manuscript reviews the efficacy and safety results of the new drugs for migraines that will soon be on the market.

TITLE: Nueva era terapéutica para el ataque de migraña con los recientemente aprobados anticuerpos monoclonales, ditanes y gepantes.El tratamiento de los ataques de migraña se aconseja en todos los pacientes, utilizando antiinflamatorios no esteroideos cuando el dolor es leve y triptanes cuando la intensidad del dolor es moderada-grave. Sin embargo, la efectividad de estos fármacos es modesta, un porcentaje elevado de pacientes presenta efectos secundarios y los triptanes están contraindicados en las personas con antecedentes de ictus, cardiopatía isquémica o hipertensión mal controlada. Por tanto, es imprescindible disponer de nuevas alternativas terapéuticas. En los últimos años han ido apareciendo nuevos fármacos para los ataques de migraña, entre los que destacan los ditanes (lasmiditán) y los gepantes (ubrogepant y rimegepant). Por otro lado, el eptinezumab, que ha sido aprobado para el tratamiento preventivo de la migraña en adultos, se ha utilizado también para los ataques de migraña. En este manuscrito se revisan los resultados de eficacia y seguridad de los nuevos fármacos para los ataques de migraña que se comercializarán próximamente.

Prospective exploration of hazelnut's unsaponifiable fraction for geographical and varietal authentication: A comparative study of advanced fingerprinting and untargeted profiling techniques.

This study compares two data processing techniques (fingerprinting and untargeted profiling) to authenticate hazelnut cultivar and provenance based on its unsaponifiable fraction by GC-MS. PLS-DA classification models were developed on a selected sample set (n = 176). As test cases, cultivar models were developed for "Tonda di Giffoni" vs other cultivars, whereas provenance models were developed for three origins (Chile, Italy or Spain). Both fingerprinting and untargeted profiling successfully classified hazelnuts by cultivar or provenance, revealing the potential of the unsaponifiable fraction. External validation provided over 90 % correct classification, with fingerprinting slightly outperforming. Analysing PLS-DA models' regression coefficients and tentatively identifying compounds corresponding to highly relevant variables showed consistent agreement in key discriminant compounds across both approaches. However, fingerprinting in selected ion mode extracted slightly more information from chromatographic data, including minor discriminant species. Conversely, untargeted profiling acquired in full scan mode, provided pure spectra, facilitating chemical interpretability.

Psoriasis Severity, Health-Related Quality of Life, Work Productivity, and Activity Impairments Among Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Receiving Systemic Treatment: Real-World Data From Clinical Practice in Spain.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The treatment of psoriasis should not only focus on skin affectations but also weigh the parameters for health-related quality of life (HRQoL), thereby tackling the concept of cumulative life course impairment (CLCI) and treating the patient from a holistic perspective. The CRYSTAL study aimed to characterize psoriasis with real-word data from Spanish clinical practice in patients with moderate to severe disease who received continuous systemic treatment for at least 24 weeks by using the absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and its correlation to HRQoL. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a non-interventional, cross-sectional study conducted in 30 centers in Spain, with 301 patients between the ages of 18 and 75 years. The study collected data regarding current treatment and absolute PASI and their relationship to HRQoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), to activity impairment using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, and to treatment satisfaction. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 50.5 (12.5) years, with a duration of disease of 14 (14.1) years. The mean (SD) absolute PASI reported was 2.3 (3.5), with 28.7% of patients presenting with PASI from >1 to ≤3 and 22.6% with PASI>3. Higher PASI scores were associated with higher DLQI (p<0.001) and WPAI scores and lower levels of treatment satisfaction (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that achieving lower absolute PASI values may correlate not only with better HRQoL but also with better work productivity and treatment satisfaction.

Psoriasis Severity, Health-Related Quality of Life, Work Productivity, and Activity Impairments Among Patients With Moderate to Severe Psoriasis Receiving Systemic Treatment: Real-World Data From Clinical Practice in Spain. / [Artículo traducido] Gravedad de la psoriasis, calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, productividad laboral y deterioro de la actividad en pacientes con psoriasis moderada a grave que reciben tratamiento sistémico: datos de la vida real de la práctica clínica en España.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The treatment of psoriasis should not only focus on skin affectations but also weigh the parameters for health-related quality of life (HRQoL), thereby tackling the concept of cumulative life course impairment (CLCI) and treating the patient from a holistic perspective. The CRYSTAL study aimed to characterize psoriasis with real-word data from Spanish clinical practice in patients with moderate to severe disease who received continuous systemic treatment for at least 24 weeks by using the absolute Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score and its correlation to HRQoL. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a non-interventional, cross-sectional study conducted in 30 centers in Spain, with 301 patients between the ages of 18 and 75 years. The study collected data regarding current treatment and absolute PASI and their relationship to HRQoL using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI), to activity impairment using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire, and to treatment satisfaction. RESULTS: The mean (SD) age was 50.5 (12.5) years, with a duration of disease of 14 (14.1) years. The mean (SD) absolute PASI reported was 2.3 (3.5), with 28.7% of patients presenting with PASI from >1 to ≤3 and 22.6% with PASI>3. Higher PASI scores were associated with higher DLQI (p<0.001) and WPAI scores and lower levels of treatment satisfaction (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that achieving lower absolute PASI values may correlate not only with better HRQoL but also with better work productivity and treatment satisfaction.

Promotion of self-efficacy in mothers with infants discharged from neonatal intensive care units.

INTRODUCTION: The mothers of newborns who are discharged from a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) experience stress and anxiety due to the specialized care their child requires at home, affecting their perception of maternal self-efficacy. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the nursing intervention called Hospital Discharge Plan (HDP) on the promotion of self-efficacy in mothers of newborns discharged from the NICU. METHOD: Quantitative study, quasi-experimental design with pre-test/post-test in a single group, using the Parental Evaluation Scale applied to a convenience sample of 72 mothers of high-risk newborns from a NICU located in the city of Villavicencio (Colombia). The first measurement was taken between days 3 and 4 before discharge and at 15 days' post-discharge. Data processing was carried out using the statistical program SPSS, version 21. The intervention was based on the four concepts of self-efficacy by Barbara Resnick. RESULTS: The perception of maternal self-efficacy before the intervention showed a median of 8.9 points (RI 7.6-9.5); after the intervention it showed a median of 9.6 points (RI of 10-8.7); a statistically significant p-value<0.001 was obtained before and after the intervention with the Wilcoxon rank test. CONCLUSIONS: Education and follow-up promoted the development of knowledge and skills in mothers for the care of high-risk newborns. This contributed to the experience of mastery and vicarious experience from the teaching-learning process and contact with the experience of other mothers, which contributes to the effective development of motherhood.

Cochlear-optimized treatment planning in photon and proton radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma patients.

Objective: To investigate the potential to reduce the cochlear dose with robotic photon radiosurgery or intensity-modulated proton therapy planning for vestibular schwannomas. Materials and Methods: Clinically delivered photon radiosurgery treatment plans were compared to five cochlear-optimized plans: one photon and four proton plans (total of 120). A 1x12 Gy dose was prescribed. Photon plans were generated with Precision (Cyberknife, Accuray) with no PTV margin for set-up errors. Proton plans were generated using an in-house automated multi-criterial planning system with three or nine-beam arrangements, and applying 0 or 3 mm robustness for set-up errors during plan optimization and evaluation (and 3 % range robustness). The sample size was calculated based on a reduction of cochlear Dmean > 1.5 Gy(RBE) from the clinical plans, and resulted in 24 patients. Results: Compared to the clinical photon plans, a reduction of cochlear Dmean > 1.5 Gy(RBE) could be achieved in 11/24 cochlear-optimized photon plans, 4/24 and 6/24 cochlear-optimized proton plans without set-up robustness for three and nine-beam arrangement, respectively, and in 0/24 proton plans with set-up robustness. The cochlea could best be spared in cases with a distance between tumor and cochlea. Using nine proton beams resulted in a reduced dose to most organs at risk. Conclusion: Cochlear dose reduction is possible in vestibular schwannoma radiosurgery while maintaining tumor coverage, especially when the tumor is not adjacent to the cochlea. With current set-up robustness, proton therapy is capable of providing lower dose to organs at risk located distant to the tumor, but not for organs adjacent to it. Consequently, photon plans provided better cochlear sparing than proton plans.

Influence of boron doping level and calcination temperature on hydrogen evolution reaction in acid medium of metal-free graphene aerogels.

In this work, metal-free boron-doped graphene-based aerogels were successfully synthesized via a one-step autoclave assembly followed by freeze-drying and used as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in acidic media. The synthesized reduced graphene oxide aerogels (rGOA) showed improved electrocatalytic activity by introducing boron and structural defects. The amount of boric acid used both as a dopant and reducing agent in the synthesis was optimized (boric acid/GO mass ratio = 17.5) to practically reach the crystallization limit of boric acid (boric acid/GO mass ratio = 20). It was observed that the higher the amount of boric acid added, the more boron was incorporated into the carbonaceous structure, improving the electrocatalytic activity of the final aerogel. Furthermore, calcination of the boron-doped electrocatalyst at 600 °C resulted in final aerogels with low oxygen content, moderate surface area, bimodal pore size distribution, and a high electrochemical active surface area. The final 3D graphene aerogel developed in this work, showed such outstanding electrocatalytic activity in HER as to replace noble metal-based electrocatalysts in the future.

EURADOS ISO/IEC 17025 guidance for IMS: suggestions on how to interpret and implement the requirements including examples from accredited laboratories.

Individual monitoring of external radiation is an activity usually regulated by national regulatory bodies in most countries. Regulations generally contain technical requirements to be met by the individual monitoring services (IMS), in order to ensure that the measurements are correct and therefore the dosimetry results are reliable. In some countries, the requirements include or even consist of the accreditation of the service according to the standard ISO/IEC 17025: 'General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories.' It is a fact that accreditation is a growing trend among European IMS as a way to guarantee confidence in their technical competence. The acceptance of the dosimetry results between countries and their indentation in the respective National Dose Registries is facilitated if laboratories conform to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard. In the framework of the activities of EURADOS (European Radiation Dosimetry Group) working group 2 'Harmonization of Individual Monitoring in Europe' and attending to the concern of many European IMS in the process of accreditation, a guide has been prepared. The purpose was to assist and encourage IMS to apply for accreditation and to share the authors' own experience with the process. The guide intends to be a practical reference for IMS on how to interpret and implement the ISO/IEC 17025 requirements to the specific activity of a personal dosimetry service for external radiation, emphasizing those aspects of special interest. It includes examples from dosimetry laboratories already accredited. The major novelties from a new edition of ISO/IEC 17025: 2017 are also identified in the guide. Finally, the guide aims to assist the auditing process, giving examples of auditor's questions and how to show evidence of compliance. The main findings are presented.

Nuclear shell-model simulation in digital quantum computers.

The nuclear shell model is one of the prime many-body methods to study the structure of atomic nuclei, but it is hampered by an exponential scaling on the basis size as the number of particles increases. We present a shell-model quantum circuit design strategy to find nuclear ground states by exploiting an adaptive variational quantum eigensolver algorithm. Our circuit implementation is in excellent agreement with classical shell-model simulations for a dozen of light and medium-mass nuclei, including neon and calcium isotopes. We quantify the circuit depth, width and number of gates to encode realistic shell-model wavefunctions. Our strategy also addresses explicitly energy measurements and the required number of circuits to perform them. Our simulated circuits approach the benchmark results exponentially with a polynomial scaling in quantum resources for each nucleus. This work paves the way for quantum computing shell-model studies across the nuclear chart and our quantum resource quantification may be used in configuration-interaction calculations of other fermionic systems.

Worldwide comparison between the potential distribution of Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) under climate change scenarios.

The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) has demonstrated its ability to increase its distribution raising spatially its importance as a vector for zoonotic hemotropic pathogens. In this study, a global ecological niche model of R. microplus was built in different scenarios using Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP), Socio-Economic Pathway (SSP), and a climatic dataset to determine where the species could establish itself and thus affect the variability in the presentation of the hemotropic diseases they transmit. America, Africa and Oceania showed a higher probability for the presence of R. microplus in contrast to some countries in Europe and Asia in the ecological niche for the current period (1970-2000), but with the climate change, there was an increase in the ratio between the geographic range preserved between the RCP and SSP scenarios obtaining the greatest gain in the interplay of RCP4.5-SSP245. Our results allow to determine future changes in the distribution of the cattle tick according to the increase in environmental temperature and socio-economic development influenced by human development activities and trends; this work explores the possibility of designing integral maps between the vector and specific diseases.

A case of natural infection with Dirofilaria immitis in a coati (Nasua narica) from Mexico.

This paper aims to describe the natural infection with Dirofilaria immitis in Nasua narica (white-nosed coati) from Yucatán, Mexico. Two carcasses of N. narica were collected on a highway that crosses through a dense forest with patches used for agriculture and livestock activities. We performed necropsies, and two female adult nematode parasites from the heart of one specimen were collected and preserved for their molecular identification using a conventional PCR directed at a fragment of the small subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA (18S-rRNA) gene. Bioinformatic analysis showed a similarity of 99 % with three sequences from D. immitis (two from Japan). Additionally, we performed a phylogenetic tree with the recovered sequence. All these analyses showed that D. immitis is present in N. narica from Mexico. The transmission of D. immitis toward populations of Nasua sp. may be due to indirect and accidental contact with domestic dogs or wild canids that share the same environment.