[Translated article] AEDV Expert Consensus for the Management of Syphilis.

Syphilis -the "great simulator" for classical venereologists-is re-emerging in Western countries despite adequate treatment; several contributing factors have been identified, including changes in sexual behaviour, which won't be the topic of this article though. In 2021, a total of 6613 new cases of syphilis were reported in Spain, representing an incidence of 13.9×100 000 inhabitants (90.5%, men). Rates have increased progressively since 2000. The clinical presentation of syphilis is heterogeneous. Although chancroid, syphilitic roseola and syphilitic nails are typical lesions, other forms of the disease can be present such as non-ulcerative primary lesions like Follmann balanitis, chancres in the oral cavity, patchy secondary lingual lesions, or enanthema on the palate and uvula, among many others. Regarding diagnosis, molecular assays such as PCR have been replacing dark-field microscopy in ulcerative lesions while automated treponemal tests (EIA, CLIA) are being used in serological tests, along with classical tests (such as RPR and HAART) for confirmation and follow-up purposes. The interpretation of these tests should be assessed in the epidemiological and clinical context of the patient. HIV serology and STI screening should be requested for anyone with syphilis. Follow-up of patients under treatment is important to ensure healing and detect reinfection. Serological response to treatment should be assessed with the same non-treponemal test (RPR/VDRL); 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up is a common practice in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Sexual contacts should be assessed and treated as appropriate. Screening is advised for pregnant women within the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnant women with an abortion after week 20 should all be tested for syphilis. The treatment of choice for all forms of syphilis, including pregnant women and PLHIV, is penicillin. Macrolides are ill-advised because of potential resistance.

Control of proton transport and hydrogenation in double-gated graphene.

The basal plane of graphene can function as a selective barrier that is permeable to protons1,2 but impermeable to all ions3,4 and gases5,6, stimulating its use in applications such as membranes1,2,7,8, catalysis9,10 and isotope separation11,12. Protons can chemically adsorb on graphene and hydrogenate it13,14, inducing a conductor-insulator transition that has been explored intensively in graphene electronic devices13-17. However, both processes face energy barriers1,12,18 and various strategies have been proposed to accelerate proton transport, for example by introducing vacancies4,7,8, incorporating catalytic metals1,19 or chemically functionalizing the lattice18,20. But these techniques can compromise other properties, such as ion selectivity21,22 or mechanical stability23. Here we show that independent control of the electric field, E, at around 1 V nm-1, and charge-carrier density, n, at around 1 × 1014 cm-2, in double-gated graphene allows the decoupling of proton transport from lattice hydrogenation and can thereby accelerate proton transport such that it approaches the limiting electrolyte current for our devices. Proton transport and hydrogenation can be driven selectively with precision and robustness, enabling proton-based logic and memory graphene devices that have on-off ratios spanning orders of magnitude. Our results show that field effects can accelerate and decouple electrochemical processes in double-gated 2D crystals and demonstrate the possibility of mapping such processes as a function of E and n, which is a new technique for the study of 2D electrode-electrolyte interfaces.

Case report: Renal adenoma in a captive ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) in Costa Rica.

Reports of renal neoplasia are rare in neotropical wildcats. Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) are medium-sized wildcats living in America's tropical forests. A 12-year-old captive ocelot was diagnosed with a renal mass occupying approximately 25% of the total right kidney volume. The tissue was stained with routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS). Immunohistochemistry with the following markers was performed: cytokeratin (CK) AE1/AE3, CK19, CK 7, CD10, vimentin, Melan A, HMB45, Pax-8, and Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1). Histopathology revealed a well-differentiated epithelial tubular neoplasia with less than one mitotic figure per 2.37mm2 field. Vimentin and Pax-8 were the only positive markers. Immunohistochemically, neoplasia was diagnosed as a renal adenoma. Renal adenomas are seldom reported in neotropical wildcats. Reports on wild species are valuable for properly establishing a clinical prognosis for captive species. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that provides detailed microscopic and immunohistochemical descriptions of renal adenoma in a captive ocelot.

Comparison of dehydration systems in quality and chemical effects on sunflower seeds.

The present work investigates the quality and the chemical effects of dehydration, using a novel dehydration system based on an electromagnetic induction and low pressures technique, comparing it with the thermo-solar drying system. High oleic sunflower seeds, which are an important oil seed crop, were used due to the fact that they have a special place in the food industry. The seed samples were exposed to electromagnetic induction and low pressures by 0.5 and 1 h, then several chemical characterizations were carried out, in the electrophoresis study, it was found that most proteins in the hull were degraded or denatured, some of them were lost during the time in the thermosolar dryer while in kernel keeps 94.9% of the concentration in control proteins. Otherwise, the electromagnetic induction dryer did not lose the most of proteins in the kernel keeping 99.1% in 0.5 h and 98.4% in 1 h, just degrading its concentration. Germination viability results did not show changes after 0.5 h in the electromagnetic fields, but they decreased in 1 h from 66 to 40% until the thermosolar method fell to 24% in 4 h, both analysis results change proportionally with the treatment time and moisture content and the amount of the oxygen.

AEDV Expert Consensus for the Management of Syphilis. / Documento de expertos de la AEDV para el manejo de la sífilis.

Syphilis -the "great simulator" for classical venereologists-is re-emerging in Western countries despite adequate treatment; several contributing factors have been identified, including changes in sexual behaviour, which won't be the topic of this article though. In 2021, a total of 6613 new cases of syphilis were reported in Spain, representing an incidence of 13.9×100 000 inhabitants (90.5%, men). Rates have increased progressively since 2000. The clinical presentation of syphilis is heterogeneous. Although chancroid, syphilitic roseola and syphilitic nails are typical lesions, other forms of the disease can be present such as non-ulcerative primary lesions like Follmann balanitis, chancres in the oral cavity, patchy secondary lingual lesions, or enanthema on the palate and uvula, among many others. Regarding diagnosis, molecular assays such as PCR have been replacing dark-field microscopy in ulcerative lesions while automated treponemal tests (EIA, CLIA) are being used in serological tests, along with classical tests (such as RPR and HAART) for confirmation and follow-up purposes. The interpretation of these tests should be assessed in the epidemiological and clinical context of the patient. HIV serology and STI screening should be requested for anyone with syphilis. Follow-up of patients under treatment is important to ensure healing and detect reinfection. Serological response to treatment should be assessed with the same non-treponemal test (RPR/VDRL); 3-, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up is a common practice in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Sexual contacts should be assessed and treated as appropriate. Screening is advised for pregnant women within the first trimester of pregnancy. Pregnant women with an abortion after week 20 should all be tested for syphilis. The treatment of choice for all forms of syphilis, including pregnant women and PLHIV, is penicillin. Macrolides are ill-advised because of potential resistance.

Divergent Gut Microbiota: Archaeal and Bacterial Signatures Unveil Unique Patterns in Colombian Cyclists Compared to Weightlifters and Non-Athletes.

Engagement in physical activity, across various sports, promotes a diverse microbiota in active individuals. This study examines the gut microbiota of Colombian athletes, specifically weightlifters (n = 16) and road cyclists (n = 13), compared to non-athletes (n = 15). Using Kruskal-Wallis tests, the physical activity level of a group of non-athletic individuals and the sports experience of a group of professional athletes is analyzed. The median age of participants is 24 years, comprising 25 men and 19 women. The microbiota is collected using fecal samples. Participants provided these samples during their pre-competitive stage, specifically during the concentration phase occurring two weeks prior to national competitions. This timing is chosen to capture the microbial composition during a period of heightened physical preparation. Questionnaire responses and microbial composition assessments identify disparities among groups. Microbial composition analysis explores core microbiome, abundance, and taxonomy using Pavian, MicrobiomeAnalyst 2.0, and GraPhlAn. ANCOM-BC2 reveals differentially abundant species. Road cyclists exhibit decreased Bacteria and increased Archaea abundance. Phylum-level variations included Planctomycetes, Acidobacteria, and Proteobacteria, while Bacteroidetes prevailed. Key families influencing gut microbiota are Bacteroidaceae, Muribaculaceae, and Selenomonadaceae. Weightlifters exhibit unique viral and archaeal community connections, while cyclists showed specialized microbial interplay influenced by endurance exercise. Correlation network analysis emphasizes distinctive microbial interactions within athlete groups, shedding light on the impact of physical activities on gut microbiota and athlete health.

Proton and molecular permeation through the basal plane of monolayer graphene oxide.

Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer a prospect of membranes that combine negligible gas permeability with high proton conductivity and could outperform the existing proton exchange membranes used in various applications including fuel cells. Graphene oxide (GO), a well-known 2D material, facilitates rapid proton transport along its basal plane but proton conductivity across it remains unknown. It is also often presumed that individual GO monolayers contain a large density of nanoscale pinholes that lead to considerable gas leakage across the GO basal plane. Here we show that relatively large, micrometer-scale areas of monolayer GO are impermeable to gases, including helium, while exhibiting proton conductivity through the basal plane which is nearly two orders of magnitude higher than that of graphene. These findings provide insights into the key properties of GO and demonstrate that chemical functionalization of 2D crystals can be utilized to enhance their proton transparency without compromising gas impermeability.

Invariant representations in deep learning for optoacoustic imaging.

Image reconstruction in optoacoustic tomography (OAT) is a trending learning task highly dependent on measured physical magnitudes present at sensing time. A large number of different settings and also the presence of uncertainties or partial knowledge of parameters can lead to reconstruction algorithms that are specifically tailored and designed to a particular configuration, which could not be the one that will ultimately be faced in a final practical situation. Being able to learn reconstruction algorithms that are robust to different environments (e.g., the different OAT image reconstruction settings) or invariant to such environments is highly valuable because it allows us to focus on what truly matters for the application at hand and discard what are considered spurious features. In this work, we explore the use of deep learning algorithms based on learning invariant and robust representations for the OAT inverse problem. In particular, we consider the application of the ANDMask scheme due to its easy adaptation to the OAT problem. Numerical experiments are conducted showing that when out-of-distribution generalization (against variations in parameters such as the location of the sensors) is imposed, there is no degradation of the performance and, in some cases, it is even possible to achieve improvements with respect to standard deep learning approaches where invariance robustness is not explicitly considered.

Reactivación de citomegalovirus en pacientes críticos con infección por COVID-19 / Cytomegalovirus reactivation in critically ill patients with COVID-19 infection

Introducción: Existe bastante evidencia sobre la reactivación del citomegalovirus (CMV) en pacientes críticos y se ha planteado que pueda ser una de las coinfecciones que puedan aumentar la morbimortalidad en pacientes con infección severa por COVID-19. Por ello, se plantea un estudio para analizar las características de los pacientes COVID-19 que recibieron tratamiento anticitomegalovirus en la Unidad de Ciudados Intensivos (UCI). Material y métodos: Estudio multidisciplinar, observacional, retrospectivo, unicéntrico que incluyó todos los pacientes con COVID-19 en UCI que fueron tratados con ganciclovir o foscarnet entre marzo-2020 y abril-2021 en un hospital terciario. Variables: demográficas, relacionadas con el tratamiento para CMV, tratamiento recibido para COVID-19, estancia hospitalaria, mortalidad intrahospitalaria y al alta. Resultados: En el período de estudio, 26 pacientes críticos con COVID-19, recibieron algún tratamiento anticitomegalovirus (69,2% hombres, mediana de edad 64 años). En 15 (57,7%) se confirmó la reactivación microbiológicamente, y estos pacientes tuvieron estancias más prolongadas que los tratados sin confirmación. La mortalidad en el grupo tratado fue del 84,6% (80,0% en los que se confirmó reactivación), frente al 43,0% de mortalidad en el global de 300 pacientes COVID-19 que requirieron UCI en ese período. La tasa de infección demostrada de CMV fue del 5,0%. Conclusiones: Aunque existen publicaciones que sugieren un mayor riesgo de reactivación de CMV en pacientes COVID-19, la incidencia en nuestro estudio fue inferior a la descrita en pacientes críticos COVID. Hay que destacar la elevada mortalidad en los pacientes del estudio frente al global de pacientes atendidos en UCI por COVID-19. (AU)

Introduction: There is considerable evidence on the reactivation of cytomegalovirus (CMV) in critically ill patients and it has been suggested that it may be one of the co-infections that may increase morbidity and mortality in patients with severe COVID-19 infection. Therefore, a study was proposed to analyze the characteristics of COVID-19 patients who received anti-cytomegalovirus treatment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Material and methods: Multidisciplinary, observational, retrospective, single-center study that included all patients with COVID-19 in ICU who were treated with ganciclovir or foscarnet between March-2020 and April-2021 in a tertiary hospital. Variables: demographic, related to treatment for CMV, treatment received for COVID-19, hospital stay, in-hospital mortality and at discharge. Results: In the study period, 26 critically ill patients with COVID-19 received some anti-cytomegalovirus treatment (69.2% men, median age 64 years). In 15 (57.7%) reactivation was confirmed microbiologically, and these patients had longer stays than those treated without confirmation. Mortality in the treated group was 84.6% (80.0% in those with confirmed reactivation), compared to 43% mortality in the overall of 300 COVID-19 patients who required ICU in that period. The demonstrated infection rate of CMV was 5.0%. Conclusions: Although there are publications that suggest a higher risk of CMV reactivation in COVID-19 patients, the incidence in our study was lower than that described in critical COVID patients. It should be noted the high mortality in the study patients compared to the overall number of patients seen in the ICU for COVID-19. (AU)

Trocar shortening for pediatric vitreoretinal surgery with a 3D printed trocar spacer: Report of two cases.

PURPOSE: To show the results of a trocar spacer for pediatric vitreoretinal surgery with a 3D printed trocar spacer in 2 cases. METHODS: We used standard 27 gauge (ga) and 25 ga trocars and cannulae, and prototyped 1.5 mm × 3 mm spacers with a Prusa MK3 3D printer (0.4 mm nozzle) with Fuse deposition melting (FDM) technology. Parts were printed with a 50 µm layer height in polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA). The spacer was placed in two places: between the blade's base and the trocar, and between the trocar and the sclera depending on the desired amount of shortening. This prototype was used in 2 vitrectomy cases in pediatric patients. RESULTS: We used this trocar spacer in 2 cases with positive results. CONCLUSIONS: This 3D printed spacer has proved to effectively shorten the introduced trocar into two different small eyes. More studies are needed to validate the efficacy and safety of this spacer in clinical practice.

Espaciador de trocares para cirugía vitreorretiniana pediátrica utilizando una impresora 3D: reporte de 2 casos / Trocar shortening for pediatric vitreoretinal surgery with a 3D printed trocar spacer: report of two cases

Objetivo Mostrar los resultados de un espaciador de trocares para cirugía vitreorretiniana pediátrica con un espaciador de trocar impreso en 3D en 2 casos. Métodos Utilizamos trocares y cánulas estándar de calibres 27 y 25, y espaciadores de 1,5×3mm prototipados con una impresora 3D Prusa MK3 (República Checa), boquilla de 0,4mm, con tecnología fuse deposition melting (FDM). Las piezas se imprimieron con una altura de capa de 50μm en ácido poliláctico o polilactida (PLA). El espaciador lo colocamos en dos lugares: entre la base de la cuchilla y el trocar, y entre el trocar y la esclerótica según la cantidad de acortamiento deseada. Este prototipo se utilizó en 2 casos de vitrectomía en pacientes pediátricos. Resultados Utilizamos este espaciador de trocar en 2 casos con resultado positivo. Conclusiones Este espaciador impreso en 3D ha demostrado acortar eficazmente el trocar introducido en 2 casos de cirugía vitreorretiniana en niños. Serán necesarios más estudios para validar la seguridad y eficacia de este espaciador en la práctica clínica (AU)

Purpose To show the results of a trocar spacer for pediatric vitreoretinal surgery with a 3D printed trocar spacer in 2 cases. Methods We used standard 27 and 25gauge trocars and cannulae, and prototyped 1.5×3mm spacers with a Prusa MK3 3D printer (Czech Republic), 0.4mm nozzle, with Fuse deposition melting (FDM) technology. Parts were printed with a 50μm layer height in polylactic acid or polylactide (PLA). The spacer was placed in two places: between the blade's base and the trocar, and between the trocar and the sclera depending on the desired amount of shortening. This prototype was used in 2 vitrectomy cases in pediatric patients. Results We used this trocar spacer in 2 cases with positive results. Conclusions This 3D printed spacer has proved to effectively shorten the introduced trocar into two different small eyes. More studies are needed to validate the efficacy and safety of this spacer in clinical practice (AU)

Citraconate inhibits ACOD1 (IRG1) catalysis, reduces interferon responses and oxidative stress, and modulates inflammation and cell metabolism.

Although the immunomodulatory and cytoprotective properties of itaconate have been studied extensively, it is not known whether its naturally occurring isomers mesaconate and citraconate have similar properties. Here, we show that itaconate is partially converted to mesaconate intracellularly and that mesaconate accumulation in macrophage activation depends on prior itaconate synthesis. When added to human cells in supraphysiological concentrations, all three isomers reduce lactate levels, whereas itaconate is the strongest succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) inhibitor. In cells infected with influenza A virus (IAV), all three isomers profoundly alter amino acid metabolism, modulate cytokine/chemokine release and reduce interferon signalling, oxidative stress and the release of viral particles. Of the three isomers, citraconate is the strongest electrophile and nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) agonist. Only citraconate inhibits catalysis of itaconate by cis-aconitate decarboxylase (ACOD1), probably by competitive binding to the substrate-binding site. These results reveal mesaconate and citraconate as immunomodulatory, anti-oxidative and antiviral compounds, and citraconate as the first naturally occurring ACOD1 inhibitor.

Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of the NEIVATECH virtual reality system to improve visual function in children with anisometropic amblyopia.

BACKGROUND: Interest in developing alternative methods for the treatment of amblyopia has long been a topic of interest among clinicians and researchers, as prescribed occlusion and penalization therapies do not always provide an effective response and are associated with a high risk of recurrence and non-compliance. Here, we present the protocol of a small-scale RCT to evaluate the safety and clinical efficacy of a novel VR-based system designed to provide binocular vision training to children with anisometropic amblyopia. METHODS: We aim to recruit a total of 60 children with anisometropic amblyopia aged 5-17 years with no previous treatment for amblyopia other than refractive correction from the pediatric ophthalmology units of the University Clinical Hospital of Valladolid and the Vithas Medimar International Hospital of Alicante. Children who meet the eligibility criteria and consent to participate will be randomly assigned to a three-month intervention group of 18 half-hour in-office therapy sessions with the NEIVATECH system (group A) or to a parallel group receiving 2 hours of conventional patching per day at home for the same period of time (group B). Assessments of visual function will be carried out before the intervention and at 1, 2 and 3 months, with changes in distance BCVA being the primary outcome measure to be considered. Patient safety, compliance, satisfaction and acceptance to treatment will also be assessed after therapy as other valuable outcome measures. In addition, a rsfMRI scan will be performed on a subgroup of 5 patients from each group at the pre-intervention visit and at the post-intervention visit to test the effects of both therapies on neural plasticity in the visual cortex. DISCUSSION: The NEIVATECH system has been conceived as a serious game designed to provide binocular vision training to anisometropic amblyopic children by complementing the concepts of perceptual learning, dichoptic training and gamification in an immersive VR environment. We hope that this novel approach may lead to greater improvements in vision performance than those provided so far by conventional patching in anisometropic amblyopic children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This protocol was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT04819386 ) on 29 March 2021.

La evaluación de la fragilidad puede mejorar la predicción del APACHE II en pacientes ancianos ingresados en UCI tras cirugía digestiva / Evaluating frailty may complement APACHE II in estimating mortality in elderly patients admitted to the ICU after digestive surgery

Objetivo: Analizar si la fragilidad puede mejorar la predicción de mortalidad en los pacientes ingresados en UCI tras una cirugía digestiva. Diseño: Estudio prospectivo, observacional y con seguimiento a 6 meses de una cohorte de pacientes que ingresaron en UCI entre el 1 de junio de 2018 hasta el 1 de junio de 2019. Ámbito: UCI quirúrgica de un hospital de tercer nivel. Pacientes: Serie de pacientes sucesivos mayores de 70 años que ingresaron en UCI inmediatamente después de una intervención quirúrgica sobre el aparato digestivo. Fueron incluidos 92 pacientes y se excluyeron 2 por pérdida de seguimiento a los 6 meses. Intervenciones: Al ingreso en UCI se estimó gravedad y pronóstico mediante el APACHE II, y fragilidad mediante la Clinical Frailty Scale y el modified Frailty Index. Variables de interés principales: Mortalidad en UCI, intrahospitalaria y a los 6 meses. Resultados: El modelo que mejor predice mortalidad en UCI es el APACHE II, con un área bajo la curva ROC (ABC) de 0,89 y una buena calibración. El modelo que combina APACHE II y Clinical Frailty Scale es el que mejor predice mortalidad intrahospitalaria (ABC: 0,82), mejorando significativamente la predicción del APACHE II aislado (ABC: 0,78; Integrated Discrimination Index: 0,04). La fragilidad es un factor predictor de mortalidad a los 6 meses, siendo el modelo que combina la Clinical Frailty Scale y el modified Frailty Index el que ha demostrado mayor discriminación (ABC: 0,84). Conclusiones: La fragilidad puede complementar al APACHE II mejorando su predicción de mortalidad hospitalaria. Además, ofrece una buena predicción de la mortalidad a los 6 meses de la cirugía. Para la mortalidad en UCI, la fragilidad pierde su poder de predicción mientras que el APACHE II aislado muestra una excelente capacidad predictiva (AU)

Objective: To analyze whether frailty can improve the prediction of mortality in patients admitted to the ICU after digestive surgery. Design: Prospective, observational, 6-month follow-up study of a cohort of patients admitted to the ICU between June 1, 2018, and June 1, 2019. Setting: Surgical ICU of a third level hospital. Patients: Series of successive patients older than 70 years who were admitted to the ICU immediately after a surgical intervention on the digestive system. 92 patients were included and 2 were excluded due to loss of follow-up at 6 months. Interventions: Upon admission to the ICU, severity and prognosis were assessed by APACHE II, and fragility by the Clinical Frailty Scale and the modified Frailty Index. Main variables of interest: ICU, in-hospital and 6-month mortality. Results: The model that best predicts mortality in the ICU is the APACHE II, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.89 and a good calibration. The model that combines APACHE II and Clinical Frailty Scale is the one that best predicts in-hospital mortality (AUC: 0.82), significantly improving the prediction of isolated APACHE II (AUC: 0.78; Integrated Discrimination Index: 0.04). Frailty is a predictor of mortality at 6 months, being the model that combines Clinical Frailty Scale and Frailty Index the one that has shown the greatest discrimination (AUC: 0.84). Conclusions: Frailty can complement APACHE II by improving its prediction of hospital mortality. Furthermore, it offers a good prediction of mortality 6 months after surgery. For mortality in ICU, frailty loses its predictive power, whereas isolated APACHE II shows excellent predictive capacity (AU)