Electrical impedance tomography: Usefulness for respiratory physiotherapy in critical illnesses.

Respiratory physiotherapy, including the management of invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) and noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV), is a key supportive intervention for critically ill patients. MV has potential for inducing ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) as well as long-term complications related to prolonged bed rest, such as post-intensive care syndrome and intensive care unit acquired weakness. Physical and respiratory therapy, developed by the critical care team, in a timely manner, has been shown to prevent these complications. In this pathway, real-time bedside monitoring of changes in pulmonary aeration and alveolar gas distribution associated with postural positioning, respiratory physiotherapy techniques and changes in MV strategies can be crucial in guiding these procedures, providing safe therapy and prevention of potential harm to the patient. Along this path, electrical impedance tomography (EIT) has emerged as a new key non-invasive bedside strategy free of radiation, to allow visualization of lung recruitment. This review article presents the main and potential applications of EIT in relation to physiotherapy techniques in the ICU setting.

Systemic inflammation, oxidative damage and neurocognition predict telomere length in a transdiagnostic sample stratified by global DNA methylation levels.

Epigenetic mechanisms contribute to the maintenance of both type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and psychiatric disorders. Emerging evidence suggests that molecular pathways and neurocognitive performance regulate epigenetic dynamics in these disorders. The current combined and transdiagnostic study investigated whether inflammatory, oxidative stress, adhesion molecule, neurocognitive and functional performance are significant predictors of telomere dynamics in a sample stratified by global DNA methylation levels. Peripheral blood inflammation, oxidative stress and adhesion molecule biomarkers and neurocognitive function were assessed twice over a 1-year period in 80 individuals, including 16 with schizophrenia (SZ), 16 with bipolar disorder (BD), 16 with major depressive disorder (MDD), 15 with T2DM, and 17 healthy controls (HCs). Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) was measured by qRT-PCR using deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from peripheral blood samples. A posteriori, individuals were classified based on their global methylation score (GMS) at baseline into two groups: the below-average methylation (BM) and above-average methylation (AM) groups. Hierarchical and k-means clustering methods, mixed one-way analysis of variance and linear regression analyses were performed. Overall, the BM group showed a significantly higher leukocyte telomere length (LTL) than the AM group at both time points (p = 0.02; η2p = 0.06). Moreover, the BM group had significantly lower levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (p = 0.03; η2p = 0.06) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p = 0.03; η2p = 0.06) than the AM group at the 1-year follow-up. Across all participants, the regression models showed that oxidative stress (reactive oxygen species [ROS]) (p = 0.04) and global cognitive score [GCS] (p = 0.02) were significantly negatively associated with LTL, whereas inflammatory (TNF-α) (p = 0.04), adhesion molecule biomarkers (inter cellular adhesion molecule [ICAM]) (p = 0.009), and intelligence quotient [IQ] (p = 0.03) were significantly positively associated with LTL. Moreover, the model predictive power was increased when tested in both groups separately, explaining 15.8% and 28.1% of the LTL variance at the 1-year follow-up for the AM and BM groups, respectively. Heterogeneous DNA methylation in individuals with T2DM and severe mental disorders seems to support the hypothesis that epigenetic dysregulation occurs in a transdiagnostic manner. Our results may help to elucidate the interplay between epigenetics, molecular processes and neurocognitive function in these disorders. DNA methylation and LTL are potential therapeutic targets for transdiagnostic interventions to decrease the risk of comorbidities.

Inflammation and weight change related to neurocognitive and functional impairment in diabetes and psychiatric disorders.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a global pandemic associated with various cardio-metabolic and psychiatric disorders. Neurocognitive and functional deficits have been associated with several somatic and psychiatric disorders. Adiposity-related inflammation has recently emerged as a key risk factor for neurocognitive and functional impairments. This prospective transdiagnostic study aimed to investigate the role of adiposity-related inflammatory markers in neurocognitive and functional outcomes associated with weight changes. METHODS: Peripheral blood inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers and neurocognitive and functional performance were assessed twice over 1 year in 165 individuals, including 30 with schizophrenia, 42 with bipolar disorder, 35 with major depressive disorder, 30 with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and 28 healthy controls. Participants were stratified by body mass index into categories of type 2 obesity (T2OB; n=30), type 1 obesity (T1OB; n=42), overweight (OW; n=53), and average weight (NW; n=40). Mixed one-way analysis of covariance and linear and binary logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Compared with NW, T2OB and T1OB were significantly associated with impaired neurocognitive and functional performance (p<0.01; η2p=0.06-0.12) and higher levels of C-reactive protein and platelets (PLT) (p<0.01; η2p=0.08-0.16), with small-to-moderate effect sizes. IL-6, IL-10, and PLT were key factors for detecting significant weight changes in T1OB and T2OB over time. Regression models revealed that inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers and cellular adhesion molecules were significantly associated with neurocognitive and functional performance (p<0.05). DISCUSSION: Obesity is characterized by neurocognitive and functional impairments alongside low-grade systemic inflammation. Adiposity-related inflammatory biomarkers may contribute to neurocognitive and functional decline in individuals with T2DM and psychiatric disorders. Our data suggest that these biomarkers facilitate the identification of specific subgroups of individuals at higher risk of developing obesity.

Acidosis láctica en un paciente usuario de metformina / Metformin-associated lactic acidosis

Metformin is a hypoglycemic agent used as the first line for the treatment of non-insulin dependent Diabetes Mellitus. While it is a generally safe drug, it has an infrequent adverse reaction called lactic acidosis. We report a 49 year-old patient with non-insulin-requiring type 2diabetes who developed an acute kidney failure injury along with severe metabolic acidosis secondary to pneumonia during treatment.

La metformina es un agente hipoglucemiante que se ocupa de primera línea para el tratamiento de la Diabetes Mellitus no insulino dependiente. Si bien es un medicamento bien tolerado, tiene una reacción adversa bastante infrecuente que es la acidosis láctica. Reportamos el caso de una paciente de 49 años insulino no dependiente que desarrolló una injuria renal aguda junto con acidosis metabólica severa secundaria a una neumonía en tratamiento.

Inmigración en la escuela: caracterización del prejuicio hacia escolares migrantes en Chile / Immigration in School: Characterization of Prejudice towards Migrants Schoolchildren in Chile

Resumen Chile ha tenido un incremento sostenido de población inmigrante, pero poco se conoce sobre su impacto en el sistema escolar. Por medio de metodologías mixtas, se recolectó información acerca de las percepciones y prejuicios que estudiantes y profesores, de comunas de la Región Metropolitana de Chile, poseen respecto de la inmigración y la multiculturalidad. Este artículo caracteriza aspectos asociados al prejuicio existente hacia los inmigrantes en el sistema escolar, tanto a nivel explícito como implícito, corroborando la hipótesis de contacto propuesta por la psicología social, y brindando orientaciones tendientes a potenciar la inclusión de la diversidad cultural en el sistema educacional, tanto a nivel de contexto, de políticas como de prácticas pedagógicas.

Abstract Chile has had a steady increase in the immigrant population, but little is known about its impact on the school system. Through mixed methodologies, information was collected about the perceptions and prejudices that students and teachers, from the metropolitan district of Chile, possess regarding immigration and multiculturalism. This article characterizes aspects associated to the existing prejudice towards immigrants in the school system, both explicitly and implicitly, verifying the contact hypothesis proposed by social psychology; And providing guidance aimed at promoting the inclusion of cultural diversity in the educational system, both at the level of context, policies and pedagogical practices.