(Efficacy of new active viscosupplements on the behavior of an experimental model of osteoarthritis). / Eficacia de nuevos viscosuplementos activos en el comportamiento de un modelo experimental de osteoartritis.

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate with an animal model of osteoarthritis (New Zealand rabbits) the effectiveness of treatment with active viscosupplements (hyaluronic acid loaded with nanoparticles (NPs) that encapsulate anti-inflammatory compounds or drugs. MATERIAL AND METHODS: experimental study composed of 5 groups of rabbits in which section of the anterior cruciate ligament and resection of the internal meniscus were performed to trigger degenerative changes and use it as a model of osteoarthritis. The groups were divided into osteoarthrosis without treatment (I), treatment with commercial hyaluronic acid (HA) (II), treatment with HA with empty nanoparticles (III), treatment with HA with nanoparticles encapsulating dexamethasone (IV) and treatment with HA with nanoparticles that encapsulate curcumin (V). In groups II to V, the infiltration of the corresponding compound was carried out spaced one week apart.Macroscopic histological analysis was performed using a scale based on the Outerbridge classification for osteoarthritis. RESULTS: We observed that this osteoarthritis model is reproducible and degenerative changes similar to those found in humans are observed.The groups that were infiltrated with hyaluronic acid with curcumin-loaded nanoparticles (V), followed by the dexamethasone group (IV) presented macroscopically less fibrillation, exposure of subchondral bone and sclerosis (better score on the scale) than the control groups (I) (osteoarthritis without treatment), group (II) treated with commercial hyaluronic acid and hyaluronic acid with nanoparticles without drug (III). CONCLUSIONS: The use of active viscosupplements could have an additional effect to conventional hyaluronic acid treatment due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect. The most promising group was hyaluronic acid with nanoparticles that encapsulate curcumin and the second group was the one that encapsulates dexamethasone.

Ritmo circadiano y presión arterial en pacientes con monitorización ambulatoria de la presión arterial y su relación con el riesgo de evento cardiovascular / Circadian rhythm and blood pressure in patients with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and its relationship with the risk of cardiovascular events

Introducción: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares son el conjunto de afecciones que más muertes produce globalmente, siendo la hipertensión arterial uno de los principales factores de riesgo. En este sentido, la monitorización de la presión arterial ambulatoria (MAPA) permite detectar los diferentes cambios de presión arterial a lo largo de 24h, denominados patrones circadianos: dipper, no dipper,riser o dipper extremo. Existe una posible asociación entre los diferentes patrones y el riesgo cardiovascular. En este estudio se pretende comparar el riesgo cardiovascular usando las escalas validadas REGICOR y SCORE en los pacientes con diferentes patrones circadianos usando la MAPA. Material y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes hipertensos con registro MAPA entre 2015 y 2021 en Alcázar de San Juan y Madridejos. Se recogieron variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, antecedentes (hipertensión arterial, IMC, comorbilidades, hábitos de tabaquismo), analíticas, escalas REGICOR y SCORE, y ritmos circadianos. Resultados: Se han incluido un total de 269 pacientes (el 46,5% mujeres, 64,3±12,6 años), de los cuales un 38,3% presentaron patrón dipper, 10% dipper extremo, 33,1% no dipper y un 18,6% riser. Los pacientes con patrón riser tuvieron una puntuación significativamente mayor en las escalas REGICOR y SCORE (34 y 68%, respectivamente). Se observó una correlación significativa entre ambas escalas (rho Spearman: 0,589; p<0,001), aunque con baja concordancia (kappa de 0,348 [IC 95% 0,271-0,425]).Conclusión: La MAPA se ha convertido en una herramienta útil en el diagnóstico y tratamiento de la hipertensión arterial. Adicionalmente, conocer los patrones circadianos de estos pacientes podría favorecer el seguimiento y la elección del tratamiento adecuado.(AU)

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are the group of diseases that cause most deaths worldwide, being arterial hypertension the modifiable risk factor that mostly predisposes to other cardiovascular diseases development. In this regard, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) lets to detect the different changes in blood pressure throughout 24h, known as circadian patterns (dipper, non-dipper, riser or extreme dipper). There may be an association between these patterns and cardiovascular risk, so this study aims to compare cardiovascular risk using the 2 validated scales REGICOR and SCORE in patients with different circadian patterns using ABMP. Material and methods: Retrospective study of hypertensive patients with ABMP registered between 2015 and 2021 in Alcázar de San Juan and Madridejos. Data were collected from clinical history (arterial hypertension, BMI, comorbidities, and smoking habits) and ABPM records, as well as sociodemographic and analytical variables, cardiovascular risk scales (REGICOR and SCORE) and circadian rhythm variables (dipper, extreme dipper, non-dipper and rise pattern). Results: Two hundred and sixty-nine patients (46.5% female, 64.3±12.6 years old) were included. There were 38.3% with dipper pattern, 10% extreme dipper, 33.1% non-dipper and 18.6% riser. Patients with riser pattern showed higher score on the REGICOR and SCORE scales (34 and 68%, respectively). A significant correlation was established between both scales (Spearman rho: 0.589; p<0.001), but with poor concordance (kappa=0.348 [95% CI 0.271–0.425]). Conclusion: ABMP has turned into a very useful tool in the diagnosis and treatment of arterial hypertension. In addition, the circadian patterns of these patients may correlate to the choice of an adequate treatment and correct follow-up.(AU)

Fumadores y riesgo de muerte hospitalaria por COVID calculado con el procesamiento de lenguaje natural de SAVANA en el ámbito de Castilla-La Mancha / Smokers and risk of hospital death by COVID calculated with SAVANA's natural language processing in the Castilla-La Mancha area

Introducción Durante la pandemia de COVID se especuló que los pacientes con el virus que tenían relación con el tabaco podrían tener una menor probabilidad de agravamiento de la enfermedad o muerte. Para evaluar si existe una asociación entre el tabaquismo y el riesgo de mortalidad intrahospitalaria se utiliza la tecnología de Big Data y Procesamiento del Lenguaje Natural (PLN) de SAVANA. Método Se llevó a cabo un estudio de cohortes retrospectivo, observacional y sin intervención basado en datos de vida real extraídos de registros médicos de toda Castilla-La Mancha utilizando las técnicas de PLN e inteligencia artificial desarrolladas por SAVANA. El estudio abarcó toda la población de esta Comunidad con historia clínica electrónica en SESCAM que presentara diagnóstico de COVID desde el 1 de marzo de 2020 al 28 de febrero de 2021. Resultados Los fumadores tienen mayor porcentaje de factores de riesgo cardiovascular (hipertensión arterial, dislipemia y diabetes), EPOC, asma, EPID, CI, ECV, TEP, cáncer en general y cáncer de pulmón en particular, bronquiectasias, insuficiencia cardíaca y antecedentes de neumonía, de forma significativa (p<0,0001). Los pacientes exfumadores, fumadores y no fumadores tienen una diferencia de edad significativa. En cuanto a las muertes hospitalarias, fueron más frecuentes en el caso de los exfumadores, siguiendo los fumadores y luego los no fumadores (p<0,0001). Conclusión Existe un mayor riesgo de mortalidad intrahospitalaria en los pacientes infectados por SARS-CoV-2 que sean fumadores activos o hayan fumado en el pasado. (AU)

Introduction During the COVID pandemic, it was speculated that patients with the virus who were smoking-related might have a lower likelihood of disease exacerbation or death. To assess whether there is an association between smoking and risk of in-hospital mortality, SAVANA's big data and natural language processing (NLP) technology is used. Method A retrospective, observational, non-interventional cohort study was conducted based on real-life data extracted from medical records throughout Castilla-La Mancha using natural language processing and artificial intelligence techniques developed by SAVANA. The study covered the entire population of this region with Electronic Medical Records in SESCAM presenting with a diagnosis of COVID from March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021. Results Smokers had a significantly higher percentage of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes), COPD, asthma, IDP, IC, CVD, PTE, cancer in general and lung cancer in particular, bronchiectasis, heart failure and a history of pneumonia (P<.0001). Former smokers, current smokers and non-smokers have a significant age difference. As for in-hospital deaths, they were more frequent in the case of ex-smokers, followed by smokers and then non-smokers (P<.0001). Conclusion There is an increased risk of dying in hospital in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients who are active smokers or have smoked in the past. (AU)

Fumadores y riesgo de muerte hospitalaria por COVID calculado con el procesamiento de lenguaje natural de SAVANA en el ámbito de Castilla-La Mancha / Smokers and risk of hospital death by COVID calculated with SAVANA's natural language processing in the Castilla-La Mancha area

Introducción Durante la pandemia de COVID se especuló que los pacientes con el virus que tenían relación con el tabaco podrían tener una menor probabilidad de agravamiento de la enfermedad o muerte. Para evaluar si existe una asociación entre el tabaquismo y el riesgo de mortalidad intrahospitalaria se utiliza la tecnología de Big Data y Procesamiento del Lenguaje Natural (PLN) de SAVANA. Método Se llevó a cabo un estudio de cohortes retrospectivo, observacional y sin intervención basado en datos de vida real extraídos de registros médicos de toda Castilla-La Mancha utilizando las técnicas de PLN e inteligencia artificial desarrolladas por SAVANA. El estudio abarcó toda la población de esta Comunidad con historia clínica electrónica en SESCAM que presentara diagnóstico de COVID desde el 1 de marzo de 2020 al 28 de febrero de 2021. Resultados Los fumadores tienen mayor porcentaje de factores de riesgo cardiovascular (hipertensión arterial, dislipemia y diabetes), EPOC, asma, EPID, CI, ECV, TEP, cáncer en general y cáncer de pulmón en particular, bronquiectasias, insuficiencia cardíaca y antecedentes de neumonía, de forma significativa (p<0,0001). Los pacientes exfumadores, fumadores y no fumadores tienen una diferencia de edad significativa. En cuanto a las muertes hospitalarias, fueron más frecuentes en el caso de los exfumadores, siguiendo los fumadores y luego los no fumadores (p<0,0001). Conclusión Existe un mayor riesgo de mortalidad intrahospitalaria en los pacientes infectados por SARS-CoV-2 que sean fumadores activos o hayan fumado en el pasado. (AU)

Introduction During the COVID pandemic, it was speculated that patients with the virus who were smoking-related might have a lower likelihood of disease exacerbation or death. To assess whether there is an association between smoking and risk of in-hospital mortality, SAVANA's big data and natural language processing (NLP) technology is used. Method A retrospective, observational, non-interventional cohort study was conducted based on real-life data extracted from medical records throughout Castilla-La Mancha using natural language processing and artificial intelligence techniques developed by SAVANA. The study covered the entire population of this region with Electronic Medical Records in SESCAM presenting with a diagnosis of COVID from March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021. Results Smokers had a significantly higher percentage of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes), COPD, asthma, IDP, IC, CVD, PTE, cancer in general and lung cancer in particular, bronchiectasis, heart failure and a history of pneumonia (P<.0001). Former smokers, current smokers and non-smokers have a significant age difference. As for in-hospital deaths, they were more frequent in the case of ex-smokers, followed by smokers and then non-smokers (P<.0001). Conclusion There is an increased risk of dying in hospital in SARS-CoV-2-infected patients who are active smokers or have smoked in the past. (AU)

Quantitative analysis of Tr1 lymphocytes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is usually accompanied by a low-grade inflammatory phenomenon, which participates in the pathogenesis of different complications of this condition. The inflammatory response is under the regulation of different mechanisms, including T regulatory (Treg) lymphocytes. However, the possible role of type 1 T regulatory (Tr1) cells in T2DM has not been explored so far. AIM: To carry out a quantitative analysis of Tr1 lymphocytes and other immune cell subsets in patients with T2DM and correlate these results with clinical findings and treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty patients with T2DM and twenty-three healthy controls were included in the study. Biochemical and anthropometric variables were evaluated, and Tr1 lymphocytes (CD4+CD49+LAG-3+IL-10+) and other cell subsets (Th17, Th22 and Foxp3 + Treg cells) were analyzed in peripheral blood samples by multiparametric flow cytometry. RESULTS: Significant increased levels of Tr1 cells were detected in patients with severe and mild disease, compared to healthy controls. In addition, CD4+IL-10+ lymphocytes were also increased in patients with T2DM. In contrast, similar levels of Foxp3+ Treg cells, Th17 and Th22 lymphocytes were observed in patients and controls. Likewise, no significant associations were detected between Tr1 cell levels and different clinical and laboratory parameters. However, those patients receiving glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1-RA) showed similar levels of Tr1 cells than healthy controls, and significant lower numbers than untreated patients. CONCLUSION: We observed an increase in Tr1 and CD4+IL10+ lymphocyte levels in T2DM. Moreover, GLP1-RA treatment was significantly associated with normalization of the Tr1 levels. This highlights another potential immune dysfunction in patients with T2DM, which could participate in the pathogenesis of this condition.

Age influences the efficacy of osteochondral autograft transfer: Promising results for patients under 40.

BACKGROUND: Previous research using osteochondral autograft transfer (OAT) has shown poorer outcomes with increasing patient age. The aim of this article is to evaluate a cohort of patients that received an OAT and to correlate their clinical results with their age at procedure. METHODS: Patients that underwent an OAT to treat an osteochondral (OC) lesion with a minimum 24-month follow-up were included. Patients were categorized into two groups based on their age at procedure (<40 years and ≥40 years). Postoperatively, each patient completed the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC), and Lysholm scales. RESULTS: 51 patients were included (35<40 years, 16≥40 years). Mean follow-up was 4.2 years (2-7). For patients<40 years, IKDC averaged 80.8 (SD 15.9) versus 71.2 (SD 19.4) in ≥40 years (p=0.03). For patients <40 years, Lysholm averaged 85.9 (SD 10.8) versus 77.0 (SD 21.6) in ≥40 years (p=0.02). For patients<40 years, KOOS averaged 78.3 (SD 11.8) versus 68.9 (SD 18.5) in ≥40 years (p=0.01). There was a 100% sensibility in identifying all the patients with a poor IKDC and Lysholm from 34 years old (AUC 0.76 and 0.8). CONCLUSIONS: OAT has better outcomes in patients younger than 40 years compared to patients older than 40 years. Based on the prognostic capacity of age, the ideal candidate for an OAT is a patient younger than 34 years old.

[Circadian rhythm and blood pressure in patients with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and its relationship with the risk of cardiovascular events]. / Ritmo circadiano y presión arterial en pacientes con monitorización ambulatoria de la presión arterial y su relación con el riesgo de evento cardiovascular.

INTRODUCTION: Cardiovascular diseases are the group of diseases that cause most deaths worldwide, being arterial hypertension the modifiable risk factor that mostly predisposes to other cardiovascular diseases development. In this regard, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) lets to detect the different changes in blood pressure throughout 24h, known as circadian patterns (dipper, non-dipper, riser or extreme dipper). There may be an association between these patterns and cardiovascular risk, so this study aims to compare cardiovascular risk using the 2 validated scales REGICOR and SCORE in patients with different circadian patterns using ABMP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective study of hypertensive patients with ABMP registered between 2015 and 2021 in Alcázar de San Juan and Madridejos. Data were collected from clinical history (arterial hypertension, BMI, comorbidities, and smoking habits) and ABPM records, as well as sociodemographic and analytical variables, cardiovascular risk scales (REGICOR and SCORE) and circadian rhythm variables (dipper, extreme dipper, non-dipper and rise pattern). RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty-nine patients (46.5% female, 64.3±12.6 years old) were included. There were 38.3% with dipper pattern, 10% extreme dipper, 33.1% non-dipper and 18.6% riser. Patients with riser pattern showed higher score on the REGICOR and SCORE scales (34 and 68%, respectively). A significant correlation was established between both scales (Spearman rho: 0.589; p<0.001), but with poor concordance (kappa=0.348 [95% CI 0.271-0.425]). CONCLUSION: ABMP has turned into a very useful tool in the diagnosis and treatment of arterial hypertension. In addition, the circadian patterns of these patients may correlate to the choice of an adequate treatment and correct follow-up.

Smokers and risk of hospital death by COVID calculated with SAVANA's natural language processing in the Castilla-La Mancha area.

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID pandemic, it was speculated that patients with the virus who were smoking-related might have a lower likelihood of disease exacerbation or death. To assess whether there is an association between smoking and risk of in-hospital mortality, SAVANA's big data and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology is used. METHOD: A retrospective, observational, non-interventional cohort study was conducted based on real-life data extracted from medical records throughout Castilla La Mancha using Natural Language Processing and Artificial Intelligence techniques developed by SAVANA. The study covered the entire population of this region with Electronic Medical Records in SESCAM presenting with a diagnosis of COVID from March 1, 2020 to February 28, 2021. RESULTS: Smokers had a significantly higher percentage of cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes), COPD, asthma, IDP, IC, CVD, PTE, cancer in general and lung cancer in particular, bronchiectasis, heart failure and a history of pneumonia (p < 0.0001).Former smokers, current smokers and non-smokers have a significant age difference. As for in-hospital deaths, they were more frequent in the case of ex-smokers, followed by smokers and then non-smokers (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: There is an increased risk of dying in hospital in SARS-COV2-infected patients who are active smokers or have smoked in the past.

Nucleus Reuniens: Modulating Negative Overgeneralization in Periadolescents with Anxiety.

Background: Anxiety affects 4.4-million children in the United States with an onset between childhood and adolescence, a period marked by neural changes that impact emotions and memory. Negative overgeneralization - or responding similarly to innocuous events that share features with past aversive experiences - is common in anxiety but remains mechanistically underspecified. The nucleus reuniens (RE) has been considered a crucial candidate in the modulation of memory specificity. Our study investigated its activation and functional connectivity with the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HPC) as neurobiological mechanisms of negative overgeneralization in anxious youth. Methods: As part of a secondary data analysis, we examined data from 34 participants between 9-14 years (mean age ± SD, 11.4 ± 2.0 years, 16 females) with varying degrees of anxiety severity. During the Study session participants rated images as negative, neutral, and positive. After 12-hours, participants returned for a Test session, where they performed a memory recognition test with repeated (targets) and similar (lures) images. Labeling negative relative to neutral lures as "old" (false alarms) was our operational definition of negative overgeneralization. Results: Negative relative to neutral false alarmed stimuli displayed elevated RE activation (at Study and Test) and increased functional connectivity with the CA1 (at Test only). Elevated anxiety severity was associated with reductions in the RE-mPFC functional coupling for neutral relative to negative stimuli. Exploratory analyses revealed similar patterns in activation and functional connectivity with positive stimuli. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the importance of the RE in the overgeneralization of memories in anxious youth.

Carbapenem alternatives for treatment of bloodstream infections due to AmpC producing enterobacterales.

INTRODUCTION: Carbapenems (CR) have traditionally been the first line treatment for bacteremia caused by AmpC-producing Enterobacterales. However, CR have a high ecological impact, and carbapenem-resistant strains continue rising. Thus, other treatment alternatives like Piperacillin-Tazobactam (P-T) or Cefepime (CEF) and oral sequential therapy (OST) are being evaluated. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, single-centre observational study. All adult patients with AmpC-producing Enterobacterales bacteremia were included. The primary endpoint was clinical success defined as a composite of clinical cure, 14-day survival, and no adverse events. We evaluated the evolution of patients in whom OST was performed. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients were included, 22 patients in the CR group and 55 in the P-T/CEF group (37 patients received CEF and 18 P-T). The mean age of the patients was higher in the P-T/CEF group (71 years in CR group vs. 76 years in P-T/CEF group, p = 0.053). In the multivariate analysis, age ≥ 70 years (OR 0.08, 95% CI [0.007-0.966], p = 0.047) and a Charlson index ≥ 3 (OR 0.16, 95% CI [0.026-0.984], p = 0.048), were associated with a lower clinical success. Treatment with P-T/CEF was associated with higher clinical success (OR 7.75, 95% CI [1.273-47.223], p = 0.026). OST was performed in 47% of patients. This was related with a shorter in-hospital stay (OST 14 days [7-22] vs. non-OST 18 days [13-38], p = 0.005) without difference in recurrence (OST 3% vs. non-OST 5%, p = 0.999). CONCLUSIONS: Targeted treatment with P-T/CEF and OST could be safe and effective treatments for patients with AmpC-producing Enterobacterales bacteremia.

Evaluating the Impact of a Training Program in Shared Decision-Making for Neurologists Treating People with Migraine.

INTRODUCTION: Migraine symptoms vary significantly between patients and within the same patient. Currently, an increasing number of therapeutic options are available for symptomatic and preventive treatment. Guidelines encourage physicians to use shared decision-making (SDM) in their practice, listening to patients' treatment preferences in order to select the most suitable and effective therapy. Although training for healthcare professionals could increase their awareness of SDM, results concerning its effectiveness are inconclusive. This study aimed to analyze the impact of a training activity to promote SDM in the context of migraine care. This was addressed by evaluating the impact on patients' decisional conflict (main objective), patient-physician relationship, neurologists' perceptions of the training and patient's perception of SDM. METHODS: A multicenter observational study was conducted in four highly specialized headache units. The participating neurologists received SDM training targeting people with migraine in clinical practice to provide techniques and tools to optimize physician-patient interactions and encourage patient involvement in SDM. The study was set up in three consecutive phases: control phase, in which neurologists were blind to the training activity and performed the consultation with the control group under routine clinical practice; training phase, when the same neurologists participated in the SDM training; and SDM phase, in which these neurologists performed the consultation with the intervention group after the training. Patients in both groups with a change of treatment assessment during the visit completed the Decisional conflict scale (DCS) after the consultation to measure the patient's decisional conflict. Also, patients answered the patient-doctor relationship questionnaire (CREM-P) and the 9-item Shared Decision-Making Questionnaire (SDM-Q-9). The mean ± SD scores obtained from the study questionnaires were calculated for both groups and compared to determine whether there were significant differences (p < 0.05). RESULTS: A total of 180 migraine patients (86.7% female, mean age of 38.5 ± 12.3 years) were included, of which 128 required a migraine treatment change assessment during the consultation (control group, n = 68; intervention group, n = 60). A low decisional conflict was found without significant differences between the intervention (25.6 ± 23.4) and control group (22.1 ± 17.9; p = 0.5597). No significant differences in the CREM-P and SDM-Q-9 scores were observed between groups. Physicians were satisfied with the training and showed greater agreement with the clarity, quality and selection of the contents. Moreover, physicians felt confident communicating with patients after the training, and they applied the techniques and SDM strategies learned. CONCLUSION: SDM is a model currently being actively used in clinical practice for headache consultation, with high patient involvement in the process. This SDM training, while useful from the physician's perspective, may be more effective at other levels of care where there is still room for optimization of patient involvement in decision-making.

Bilateral eccrine angiomatous hamartomas of the proximal interphalangeal joints.

Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma is an uncommon, benign clinical entity constituting a nodular proliferation of eccrine glands and vascular structures localized to the dermis that typically present as unilateral, flesh-colored, erythematous, or violaceous papules on the extremities. These hamartomas may be associated with pain, hyperhidrosis, joint deformity, or functional impairment depending on the severity of the disease process. We present a case of bilaterally symmetric, asymptomatic eccrine angiomatous hamartomas involving all proximal interphalangeal joints of both hands. To date, there are only four prior cases of bilaterally symmetric eccrine angiomatous hamartomas reported in the literature, suggesting that the distribution experienced by our patient may represent a previously undescribed syndrome.

Prevalence, risk factors and evolution of diabetes mellitus after treatment in primary aldosteronism. Results from the SPAIN-ALDO registry.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prevalence, risk factors and evolution of diabetes mellitus (DM) after targeted treatment in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA). METHODS: A retrospective multicenter study of PA patients in follow-up at 27 Spanish tertiary hospitals (SPAIN-ALDO Register). RESULTS: Overall, 646 patients with PA were included. At diagnosis, 21.2% (n = 137) had DM and 67% of them had HbA1c levels < 7%. In multivariate analysis, family history of DM (OR 4.00 [1.68-9.53]), the coexistence of dyslipidemia (OR 3.57 [1.51-8.43]) and advanced age (OR 1.04 per year of increase [1.00-1.09]) were identified as independent predictive factors of DM. Diabetic patients were on beta blockers (46.7% (n = 64) vs. 27.5% (n = 140), P < 0.001) and diuretics (51.1% (n = 70) vs. 33.2% (n = 169), p < 0.001) more frequently than non-diabetics. After a median follow-up of 22 months [IQR 7.5-63.0], 6.9% of patients developed DM, with no difference between those undergoing adrenalectomy and those treated medically (HR 1.07 [0.49-2.36], p = 0.866). There was also no significant difference in the evolution of glycemic control between DM patients who underwent surgery and those medically treated (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: DM affects about one quarter of patients with PA and the risk factors for its development are common to those of the general population. Medical and surgical treatment provides similar benefit in glycemic control in patients with PA and DM.

Economic burden of skin and skin structure infections due to Gram-positive bacteria in patients on hospital at home-based outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT).

OBJECTIVE: To describe and quantify resource use and direct health costs associated with skin and skin structure infections (SSSIs) caused by Gram-positive bacteria in adults receiving outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT), administered by Hospital at Home units (HaH) in Spain. METHODS: Observational, multicenter, retrospective study. We included patients of both sexes included in the HaH-based OPAT Registry during 2011 to 2017 who were hospitalized due to SSSIs caused by Gram-positive bacteria. Resource use included home visits (nurses and physician), emergency room visits, conventional hospitalization stay, HaH stay and antibiotic treatment. Costs were quantified by multiplying the natural units of the resources by the corresponding unit cost. All costs were updated to 2019 euros. RESULTS: We included 194 episodes in 189 patients from 24 Spanish hospitals. The most frequent main diagnoses were cellulitis (26.8%) and surgical wound infection (24.2%), and 94% of episodes resulted in clinical improvement or cure after treatment. The median HaH stay was 13 days (interquartile range [IR]:8-22.7), and the conventional hospitalization stay was 5 days (IR: 1-10.7). The mean total cost attributable to the complete infectious process was €7,326 (95% confidence interval: €6,316-€8,416). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that OPAT administered by HaH is a safe and efficient alternative for the management of these infections and could lead to lower costs compared with hospital admission.

Scattering and transport properties of the three classical Wigner-Dyson ensembles at the Anderson transition.

An extensive numerical analysis of the scattering and transport properties of the power-law banded random matrix model (PBRM) at criticality in the presence of orthogonal, unitary, and symplectic symmetries is presented. Our results show a good agreement with existing analytical expressions in the metallic regime and with heuristic relations widely used in studies of the PBRM model in the presence of orthogonal and unitary symmetries. Moreover, our results confirm that the multifractal behavior of disordered systems at criticality can be probed by measuring scattering and transport properties, which is of paramount importance from the experimental point of view. Thus, a full picture of the scattering and transport properties of the PBRM model at criticality corresponding to the three classical Wigner-Dyson ensembles is provided.

Identifying the midline thalamus in humans in vivo.

The midline thalamus is critical for flexible cognition, memory, and stress regulation in humans and its dysfunction is associated with several neurological and psychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, schizophrenia, and depression. Despite the pervasive role of the midline thalamus in cognition and disease, there is a limited understanding of its function in humans, likely due to the absence of a rigorous noninvasive neuroimaging methodology to identify its location. Here, we introduce a new method for identifying the midline thalamus in vivo using probabilistic tractography and k-means clustering with diffusion weighted imaging data. This approach clusters thalamic voxels based on data-driven cortical and subcortical connectivity profiles and then segments the midline thalamus according to anatomical connectivity tracer studies in rodents and macaques. Results from two different diffusion weighted imaging sets, including adult data (22-35 years) from the Human Connectome Project (n = 127) and adolescent data (9-14 years) collected at Florida International University (n = 34) showed that this approach reliably classifies midline thalamic clusters. As expected, these clusters were most evident along the dorsal/ventral extent of the third ventricle and were primarily connected to the agranular medial prefrontal cortex (e.g., anterior cingulate cortex), nucleus accumbens, and medial temporal lobe regions. The midline thalamus was then bisected based on a human brain atlas into a dorsal midline thalamic cluster (paraventricular and paratenial nuclei) and a ventral midline thalamic cluster (rhomboid and reuniens nuclei). This anatomical connectivity-based identification of the midline thalamus offers the opportunity for necessary investigation of this region in vivo in the human brain and how it relates to cognitive functions in humans, and to psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Influence of free fatty acid content and degree of fat saturation in laying hen diets on egg quality, yolk fatty acid profile, and cholesterol content.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary free fatty acid (FFA) content and the degree of saturation on egg quality, yolk fatty acid (FA) profile, and yolk cholesterol content. For a 15-wk period, a total of 144 laying hens (19-wk-old) were randomly assigned to 8 treatments arranged in a 2 × 4 factorial design, with 2 sources of crude oil (soybean oil and palm oil) and 4 levels of FFA (10, 20, 30, and 45%). The dietary treatments were achieved by progressively substituting the original oils with equivalent amounts of their corresponding acid oils (soybean acid oil and palm fatty acid distillate, respectively). No differences in ADFI or egg mass were found. However, dietary FFA reduced egg production (linear, P < 0.05) and increased the feed conversion ratio (linear, P < 0.05). Higher levels of FFA in soybean diets resulted in higher egg weight with higher albumen and yolk weights (linear, P < 0.01). Palm diets presented higher yolk:albumen ratio than soybean diets (P < 0.001), but the effect of FFA did not follow a linear trend. Hens fed soybean diets laid eggs with higher Haugh units (HU) than palm diets (P < 0.001), although increasing the dietary FFA% reduced the HU values in both (linear, P < 0.001). Palm diets enhanced shell quality with greater resistance to breakage, and higher dry matter and ash content than soybean diets (P < 0.05). No differences in egg chemical composition and yolk cholesterol content were found (P > 0.05). The saturation degree had a significant effect on all the analyzed yolk FA (P < 0.001) except for arachidonic acid (C20:4 n-6), whereas increasing the FFA content did not affect to a great extent. These results show that varying dietary FFA level did not affect egg quality and yolk composition as much as the dietary fat source did, supporting the use of acid oils and fatty acid distillates as fat ingredients for feed.

Protective Factors, Risk of Violence and Discrimination and Mental Health Indicators of Young LGB People.

Lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people have more risk of suffering from violence and situations of discrimination than heterosexual people. The current study compares LGB people with heterosexual people in protective factors, violence, health and well-being factors. The sample comprises 609 Spanish people between 14 and 25 years old. We established a cross-sectional design. A survey including questions about sociodemographic information and protective, violence and health and well-being factors was designed ad hoc for this study. The results show that the LGB group (n = 342) is more at risk of verbal and physical violence and feels more isolated than the heterosexual participants (n = 267). In contrast, heterosexual participants report having more employment discrimination. No significant differences were found in social support or psychological health. These results are important to understand the state of social normalization and non-discrimination for LGB people in certain contexts in Spain, and its impact on psychological health.