Computational approaches for circRNAs prediction and in silico characterization.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are single-stranded and covalently closed non-coding RNA molecules originated from RNA splicing. Their functions include regulatory potential over other RNA species, such as microRNAs, messenger RNAs and RNA binding proteins. For circRNA identification, several algorithms are available and can be classified in two major types: pseudo-reference-based and split-alignment-based approaches. In general, the data generated from circRNA transcriptome initiatives is deposited on public specific databases, which provide a large amount of information on different species and functional annotations. In this review, we describe the main computational resources for the identification and characterization of circRNAs, covering the algorithms and predictive tools to evaluate its potential role in a particular transcriptomics project, including the public repositories containing relevant data and information for circRNAs, recapitulating their characteristics, reliability and amount of data reported.

Guía de práctica clínica para el tratamiento de la rinosinusitis crónica: versión completa / Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis: full version

La rinosinusitis (RS) se define como la inflamación de la nariz y los senos paranasales con dos o más síntomas como bloqueo/obstrucción/congestión o secreción nasal (goteo nasal anterior/posterior) más dolor/presión facial y/o reducción o pérdida del sentido del olfato. Adicional, se tienen en cuenta los hallazgos objetivos como la presencia de pólipos nasales y/o descarga mucopurulenta en meato medio y/o edema u obstrucción de la mucosa en el meato medio en la endoscopia nasal. Se pueden considerar o no, los cambios tomográficos como cambios mucosos en el complejo osteomeatal y la mucosa de los senos paranasales. Se reconoce que los síntomas tienen alta sensibilidad, pero baja especificidad, de ahí la necesidad de hallazgos objetivos.

Rhinosinusitis (RS) is defined as inflammation of the nose and sinuses with two or more symptoms such as blockage/obstruction/congestion or nasal discharge. with two or more symptoms such as nasal blockage/obstruction/congestion or nasal discharge (anterior/posterior runny nose) plus facial pain/pressure and/or reduction or loss of the sense of smell. sense of smell. In addition, objective findings such as the presence of nasal polyps and/or nasal presence of nasal polyps and/or mucopurulent discharge from the middle meatus and/or edema or mucosal obstruction or mucosal obstruction in the middle meatus on nasal endoscopy. Tomographic changes may or may not tomographic changes may or may not be considered as mucosal changes in the osteomeatal complex and mucosal osteomeatal complex and the mucosa of the paranasal sinuses. It is recognized that the symptoms symptoms have high sensitivity but low specificity, hence the need for objective findings. findings.

Guía de práctica clínica para el tratamiento de la rinosinusitis crónica: versión corta para profesionales de la salud. Colombia-2023 / Clinical practice guideline for the management of chronic rhinosinusitis: short version for health care professionals. Colombia-2023

La rinosinusitis (RS) se define como la inflamación de la nariz y los senos paranasales con dos o más síntomas como bloqueo/obstrucción/congestión o secreción nasal (goteo nasal anterior/posterior) más dolor/presión facial y/o reducción o pérdida del sentido del olfato. Adicional, se tienen en cuenta los hallazgos objetivos como la presencia de pólipos nasales y/o descarga mucopurulenta en meato medio y/o edema u obstrucción de la mucosa en el meato medio en la endoscopia nasal.

Rhinosinusitis (RS) is defined as inflammation of the nose and sinuses with two or more symptoms such as blockage/obstruction/congestion or nasal discharge with two or more symptoms such as nasal blockage/obstruction/congestion or nasal discharge (anterior/posterior runny nose) plus facial pain/pressure and/or reduced or lost sense of smell sense of smell. Additionally, objective findings such as the presence of nasal polyps and/or nasal presence of nasal polyps and/or mucopurulent discharge in the middle meatus and/or edema or mucous or mucosal obstruction in the middle meatus on nasal endoscopy.

[Therapeutic plasma exchange. Experience in 102 patients]. / Intercambio plasmático terapéutico por plasmafiltración: experiencia de 11 años de un centro.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) is a procedure in which plasma and harmful macromolecules are separated from the rest of the blood components by centrifugation or filtration through membranes and are replaced with solutions with albumin and/or plasma. AIM: To communicate our experience using TPE by filtration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of records of 655 TPE sessions performed in 102 patients aged 50 ± 18 years (64% women). The requirement of renal replacement therapy (RRT) and seven days and one year mortality were recorded. RESULTS: Forty five percent of patients had hypertension or diabetes. The main indications for TPE were pulmonary-renal syndrome (PRS) (62%) and antibody mediated graft rejection (29%), followed by neurological diseases (36%). Fifteen percent of patients required RRT for one year. Mortality at seven days and one year was 20 and 30%, respectively. Out of the total of deaths associated with kidney diseases, 88% corresponded to PRS and ANCA vasculitis. The main complications were thrombocytopenia in 41%, hypocalcemia in 18%, and hypotension in 16%. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, TPE by filtration is a safe technique, with mild and preventable complications. Despite this, the reported mortality is high, which reflects the severity of the diseases that motivated the indication for TPE.

Intercambio plasmático terapéutico por plasmafiltración: experiencia de 11 años de un centro / Therapeutic plasma exchange: experience in 102 patients

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic Plasma Exchange (TPE) is a procedure in which plasma and harmful macromolecules are separated from the rest of the blood components by centrifugation or filtration through membranes and are replaced with solutions with albumin and/or plasma. AIM: To communicate our experience using TPE by filtration. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Review of records of 655 TPE sessions performed in 102 patients aged 50 ± 18 years (64% women). The requirement of renal replacement therapy (RRT) and seven days and one year mortality were recorded. RESULTS: Forty five percent of patients had hypertension or diabetes. The main indications for TPE were pulmonary-renal syndrome (PRS) (62%) and antibody mediated graft rejection (29%), followed by neurological diseases (36%). Fifteen percent of patients required RRT for one year. Mortality at seven days and one year was 20 and 30%, respectively. Out of the total of deaths associated with kidney diseases, 88% corresponded to PRS and ANCA vasculitis. The main complications were thrombocytopenia in 41%, hypocalcemia in 18%, and hypotension in 16%. CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, TPE by filtration is a safe technique, with mild and preventable complications. Despite this, the reported mortality is high, which reflects the severity of the diseases that motivated the indication for TPE.

Antidepressant-relevant behavioral and synaptic molecular effects of long-term fasudil treatment in chronically stressed male rats.

Several lines of evidence suggest that antidepressant drugs may act by modulating neuroplasticity pathways in key brain areas like the hippocampus. We have reported that chronic treatment with fasudil, a Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor, prevents both chronic stress-induced depressive-like behavior and morphological changes in CA1 area. Here, we examined the ability of fasudil to (i) prevent stress-altered behaviors, (ii) influence the levels/phosphorylation of glutamatergic receptors and (iii) modulate signaling pathways relevant to antidepressant actions. 89 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats received intraperitoneal fasudil injections (10 mg/kg/day) or saline vehicle for 18 days. Some of these animals were daily restraint-stressed from day 5-18 (2.5 h/day). 24 hr after treatments, rats were either evaluated for behavioral tests (active avoidance, anxiety-like behavior and object location) or euthanized for western blot analyses of hippocampal whole extract and synaptoneurosome-enriched fractions. We report that fasudil prevents stress-induced impairments in active avoidance, anxiety-like behavior and novel location preference, with no effect in unstressed rats. Chronic stress reduced phosphorylations of ERK-2 and CREB, and decreased levels of GluA1 and GluN2A in whole hippocampus, without any effect of fasudil. However, fasudil decreased synaptic GluA1 Ser831 phosphorylation in stressed animals. Additionally, fasudil prevented stress-decreased phosphorylation of GSK-3ß at Ser9, in parallel with an activation of the mTORC1/4E-BP1 axis, both in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes, suggesting the activation of the AKT pathway. Our study provides evidence that chronic fasudil treatment prevents chronic stress-altered behaviors, which correlated with molecular modifications of antidepressant-relevant signaling pathways in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes.

Asociación entre calidad de vida relacionada con salud y factores sociodemográficos y antropométricos en una institución de salud de Medellín, Colombia / Association between quality of life related to health and sociodemographical and anthropometric factors in a colombian health institution / Associação entre qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e fatores sociodemográficos e antropométricos em uma instituição de saúde colombiana

Introducción. La calidad de vida relacionada con la salud se define como la percepción subjetiva e influenciada por el estado de salud actual sobre la capacidad para realizar aquellas actividades importantes para un individuo, la cual puede verse afectada en el adulto mayor por procesos de envejecimiento. Objetivo. Caracterizar la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud y las posibles asociaciones con factores antropométricos y sociodemográficos de la población adulta mayor. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo con intención analítica y de corte transversal en el que se evaluó la calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en adultos mayores. La población de estudio estuvo constituida por 145 personas con edades entre los 70 y 92 años que participaron voluntariamente en el estudio y a quienes se les aplicó el cuestionario SF-36 con preguntas sociales y demográficas, además se realizó toma de medidas de talla y peso. Con la información recolectada se procedió a realizar un análisis univariado. Resultados. El 60,7 % de los participantes presentó una buena calidad de vida relacionada con salud. Dentro de las características sociodemográficas se encontró que el 63,4 % eran mujeres, el 67,6 % pertenecían a estrato medio-alto, el 67,6 % tenía escolaridad básica-media, el 81,4 % pertenecía al régimen contributivo y el 48,3 % tenía sobrepeso. Conclusiones. Es necesario implementar programas de protección y cubrimiento en seguridad social al adulto mayor que beneficien especialmente al género femenino, a adultos mayores de edades avanzadas y a los pertenecientes al régimen subsidiado de seguridad social.

Introduction: Quality of life is related to health, thus defined as the subjective perception of an individual ́s current capacity to carry out meaningful activities. Such perception is influenced by the current state of health which is turn affected by aging processes. Objective: To characterize the quality of life related to health and its possible associations with the anthropometric and sociodemographic characteristics. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out to assess health-related quality of life in the elderly. The study counted 145 participants, ranging from the ages between sixty and ni- nety-two, who voluntarily participated in the study; A health- related quality of life questionnaire (SF-36) with social and demographic questions was administered. Height and weight measurements were also taken. With this information, a univariate analysis was carried out. Results: For the total result of the SF-36 questionnaire, it was found that 60.7% of the participants presented a good quality of life related to health.63.4% of the participants in this study were women and, 67.6% of the overall sample were placed as having upper-middle income. Also, most of the participants were found to have basic schooling (67.6). Regarding social security, 81.4% of the sample belonged to social security health plans and (48.3%) was found to have overweight. Conclusions: As a result of the analysis carried out, recommendations such as the implementation of social security protection and coverage programs for the elderly, specifically benefitting the females, older adults and those belonging to the subsidized social security system, can be provided.

Introdução. A qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde é definida como a percepção subjetiva e influenciada pelo estado atual de saúde sobre a capacidade de realizar as atividades importantes de uma pessoa, frequentemente afetadas pelo processo de envelhecimento. Objetivo. Caracterizar a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde e possíveis associações com fatores antropométricos e sociodemográficos na população idosa. Materiais e métodos. Foi realizado um estudo descritivo com intenção analítica e um estudo transversal, avaliando a qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde em idosos. A população do estudo foi composta por 145 pessoas com idades entre 70 e 92 anos, que participaram voluntariamente do estudo e para quem foi aplicado o questionário SF-36 com questões sociais e demográficas, além de medidas de altura e peso. Com as informações coletadas, foi realizada uma análise univariada. Resultados. 60,7% dos participantes apresentaram boa qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde. Entre as características sociodemográficas, verificou-se que 63,4% eram mulheres, 67,6% pertenciam à classe média alta, 67,7% possuíam ensino médio-médio (67,6), 81,4% pertenciam ao sistema contributivo e 48,3% estavam acima do peso. Conclusões. É necessário implementar programas de proteção e cobertura da previdência social para idosos que beneficiem especialmente o sexo feminino, idosos de idade avançada e pertencentes ao sistema subsidiado.

Abordaje multidisciplinario del papiloma invertido nasal asociado con mucopiocele frontoetmoidal orbitario: técnica endoscópica y abierta por otorrinolaringología, neurocirugía y oftalmología / Multidisciplinary approach of nasal inverted papilloma associated with frontoethmoidal orbitary mucopiocele: endoscopic and open technique by otorhinolaryngology, neurosurgery and ophthalmology

Introducción: el papiloma invertido nasal es un tumor nasosinusal primario de comportamiento intermedio, con potencial de malignización y capacidad de recidiva en asociación con mucocele. El manejo quirúrgico de ambas patologías se ha descrito de manera independiente. Caso clínico: paciente con diagnóstico de papiloma invertido nasal Krause III y mucopiocele frontoetmoidal orbitario derecho con destrucción de techo de órbita y pared posterior del seno frontal en quien se realizó el manejo multidisciplinario mediante abordaje endoscópico y abierto sin recidiva luego de un año de seguimiento. Discusión: a la luz de la evidencia actual, el tratamiento del papiloma nasal invertido es quirúrgico recomendando abordajes endoscópicos en estadios I, II y III, y técnicas combinadas en estadio IV. En nuestro caso se realizó una resección endoscópica completa del tumor con frontoetmoidoesfenoidotomía + maxilectomía medial y fresado de inserciones óseas. Para el mucocele frontal, el abordaje debe permitir la remoción de la mucosa sinusal y la secuestrectomía ósea. Teniendo en cuenta la localización lateral y el compromiso osteolítico del techo de la órbita y la pared posterior del seno frontal, se optó por un abordaje abierto mediante un colgajo osteoplástico con cranealización de seno frontal. El manejo de las secuelas orbitarias consistió en la reconstrucción del techo de la órbita y dacriocistorrinostomía endoscópica.

Introduction: Nasal inverted papilloma is a primary nasosinusal tumor of intermediate behavior, with potential for malignancy and relapse capacity in association with mucocele. The surgical management of both pathologies has been described independently. Case report: Patient with a diagnosis of Krause III nasal inverted papilloma and right frontoethmoidal orbitary mucopiocele with destruction of the orbital roof and posterior wall of the frontal sinus is performed using a multidisciplinary approach with an endoscopic and open approach without relapse after one year of follow-up. Discussion: The treatment of inverted nasal papilloma is surgical recommending endoscopic approaches in stages I, II and III, and combined techniques in stage IV. In our case, a complete endoscopic resection of the tumor was performed with frontoethmoidosphenoidotomy + medial maxillectomy and milling of osseous insertions. For the frontal mucocele, the approach should allow the removal of the sinus mucous membrane and the bone sequestractomy. Considering the lateral location, the osteolytic involvement of the orbital roof and the posterior frontal sinus wall, we opted for an open approach using an osteoplastic flap with frontal sinus cranialisation. The management of the orbital sequelae consisted of reconstruction of the orbital roof and endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy.

Do gravid female Anolis nebulosus thermoregulate differently than males and non-gravid females?

In lizards, the role of gravid oviparous females in controlling the temperature experienced by developing embryos prior to oviposition has been rarely examined. In particular, relatively little is known about the effect of gravidity on the thermal ecology of female Anolis lizards. Here we examine the thermal ecology of Anolis nebulosus from Nayarit, Mexico, with a particular goal of comparing the thermal ecology of gravid females to that of non-gravid females and males. The thermal efficiency (E) of gravid female A. nebulosus (E=0.782) was higher than in males (E=0.464), and to a lesser extent, non-gravid females (E=0.637), despite no significant differences observed in body, air, operative, or set point temperatures among males, gravid females, and non-gravid females. Gravid females had smaller differences between body temperatures and set point temperatures (db), but did not differ in the difference between operative temperature and set point temperature (de). Gravid females used sun-shade and shaded microhabitats proportionately more than males and non-gravid females, and rarely used sunny microhabitats. Our results suggest that gravid A. nebulosus are using a different and more efficient thermoregulatory strategy than other adults in the population. Such efficient thermoregulation is possibly related to females attempting to provide a thermal environment that is conducive to the development of embryos in eggs prior to oviposition.

Cirugía nasal en paciente con trasplante cardiaco: consideraciones anestésicas y quirúrgicas / Nasal surgery in heart transplant patients: anesthetic and surgical considerations

Se presenta el caso de un paciente con antecedente de enfermedad coronaria y falla cardiaca severa, con trasplante cardiaco 17 años atrás, con diagnóstico de Sahos moderado a severo, considerado como de alto riesgo, que requiere manejo con dispositivo de presión positiva en vía aérea (CPAP), cuya adaptación y tolerancia no son adecuadas por la presencia de una desviación septal obstructiva. Luego de la valoración de riesgos y beneficios y después de una evaluación exhaustiva de su estado cardiovascular, se realiza una septo-turbinoplastia, que permite mejorar la adaptación y tolerancia del CPAP. Se plantean consideraciones anestésicas y quirúrgicas en este tipo de pacientes.

We report the case of a patient with a history of coronary artery disease and severe heart failure, heart transplant 17 years ago, diagnosed with moderate to severe OSAHS, considered as high risk, which requires management with positive pressure device in air (CPAP), whose adaptation and tolerance are not suitable because of the presence of obstructive septal deviation. After the assessment of risks and benefits and after a thorough assessment of your cardiovascular, performing a septo-turbinoplasty, which improves the adaptation and tolerance of CPAP. Arise anesthetic and surgical considerations in these patients.

Tratamiento laparoscópico del paciente con sospecha de litiasis biliar / Laparoscopic management of patients with suspect of common bile duct stones

Comparar la efectividad, seguridad y costo beneficio del tratamiento de los pacientes con sospecha de litiasis biliar con cirugía laparoscópica, versus el manejo mediante colagiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscopica. Estudio realizado en el Servicio de Cirugía II, del Hospital Domingo Luciani, Caracas. Estudio controlado, comparativo y prospectivo realizado entre enero y noviembre de 2009, de pacientes con diagnóstico de colestasis extrahepática, los cuales fueron divididos al azar en dos grupos: grupo A, paciente con sospecha de litiasis biliar donde se realizó CPRE y posteriormente cirugía laparoscópica, y grupo B, pacientes con sospecha de litiasis biliar que se llevaron a cirugía laparoscopica sin realización previa de CPRE, donde se les realizó colangiografía intraoperatoria y de acuerdo a los resultados, se realizó exploración de la vía biliar por vía trans-coledociana. Fueron estudiados 13 pacientes en el grupo A y 8 en el grupo B. En el grupo A se diagnósticaron 8 pacientes con CPRE + para litiasis biliar, de los cuales se pudieron extraer los cálculos con éxito en 5 pacientes, y en el grupo B, se detectaron 3 pacientes con litiasis biliar, que fueron resuletos todos en el acto quirúrgico sin complicaciones. La exploración laparoscópica de la vía biliar tiene una eficacia similar a la CPRE, en especial por la vía trans-cistica. El tratamiento durante la cirugía es en un sólo tiempo, no así para el grupo de CPRE, necesitándose una segunda intervención para el tratamiento definitivo.

To compare the effectiveness, security and const-beneficit of laparoscopic treatment of patients with suspicion of biliar lithiasis versus endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This study was performed at the “Dr. Domingo Luciani” Hospital (Servicio de Cirugía II, Caracas). A comparative, prospective and comtrolled study executed between January and November of year 2009, about patient with extrahepatic cholestasis, arranged in two groups: patients with suspicion of biliar lithiasis treated with ERCP and subsequently laparoscopic cholecystectomy (group A), and patients with suspicion of biliar lithiasis treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (without previous realization of ERCP), intraoperative cholangiography and transcystic exploration of the common bile duct of choledochotomy approach (group B). 13 patients were studied in group A and B in group B. In the first group, 8 patients were diagnosed with ERCP (biliar lithiasis) and 5 of them were successfully treated withoud surgery in group B, 3 there were 3 patients with biliar lithiasis who were successfully treated through common bile duct exploration after laparoscopic cholecystectomy without any complications. The laparoscopic exploration of the common bile duct has a similar efficiency to the ECRP, especially through transcystic approach. A single treatment attempt can be done through laparoscopic surgery without needing a second intervention after ERCP.