Tribological and wear behaviour of alumina toughened zirconia nanocomposites obtained by pressureless rapid microwave sintering

Dense alumina toughened zirconia nanocomposites (ATZ, 3Y-TZP with 20 wt% Al₂O₃) were densified by non-conventional microwave sintering technology at relatively low temperatures (1200 and 1300 °C). The sintering method and its effect on densification, microstructure, mechanical properties and tribological behaviour were investigated. The outcomes demonstrated that the density rose as the sintering temperature was higher, and therefore the mechanical properties were enhanced, reaching a maximum hardness (18.4 ± 0.4 GPa) and fracture toughness (5.7 ± 0.3MPa· m^1/2). In addition, the samples were subjected to a tribological test in dry and wet conditions, using artificial saliva. In both cases, the coefficient of friction and wear volume for samples obtained by microwave sintering are lower than conventional samples, with the wear volume being two times higher in dry conditions than in wet conditions.

A Multicentre and stratified study of the attitude of medical students towards organ donation in Spain

INTRODUCTION

Medical students represent a new generation of medical thought, and if they have a favourable attitude towards organ donation this will greatly encourage its promotion.

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the attitude of medical students in Spanish universities towards the donation of their own organs and to determine the factors affecting this attitude.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Type of study: A sociological, interdisciplinary, multicentre, and observational study in Spain.

STUDY POPULATION

Students studying a degree in medicine enrolled in Spain (n = 34,000).

SAMPLE SIZE

A sample of 9598 students (confidence of 99% and precision of ±1%), stratified by geographical area and academic year. Instrument of measurement: A validated questionnaire of attitude towards organ donation and transplantation (PCID-DTO RIOS) was self-administered and completed anonymously.

RESULTS

The questionnaire completion rate was 95.7% (n = 9.275). 80% were in favour of donation, 2% against and 18% were undecided. The following main variables were related to a favourable attitude: being of the female sex (Odds Ratio = 1.739); being in the sixth year of the degree (OR = 2.506); knowing a donor (OR = 1.346); having spoken about the subject with one's family (OR = 2.132) and friends (OR = 1.333); having a family circle that is in favour, more specifically, having a father (OR = 1.841), mother (OR = 2.538) or partner in favour (OR = 2.192); being a blood donor (OR = 2.824); acceptance of the mutilation of the body if it were necessary (OR = 2.958); and being an atheist or an agnostic (OR = 1.766).

CONCLUSIONS

Spanish medical students generally have a favourable attitude towards organ donation, although 20% are not in favour.

Sensitization Toward Organ Donation Among Medical Students in Spanish Regions With More Than 50 Donors Per Million Population

The awareness of organ donation among health professionals is important at the time of transplant promotion. In this sense, the training and awareness of the professionals in training is fundamental.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the differences in the attitude toward organ donation and the factors that condition it among medical students of regions with donation rates >50 donors per million population (pmp) with respect to those with rates <40 donor pmp.

METHOD

Population under study: medical students in Spanish universities. Database of the Collaborative International Donor Project, stratified by geographic area and academic course. The completion was anonymous and self-administered. Groups under study: Group 1 (n = 1136): students in universities of regions with >50 donors pmp. Group 2 (n = 2018): university students in regions with <40 donors pmp. Assessment instrument: attitude questionnaire for organ donation for transplant PCID-DTO-Ríos.

RESULTS

The attitude toward organ donation for transplantation is similar among students from the autonomous communities with >50 donors pmp and with <40 donors pmp. In group 1, 79% (n = 897) of students are in favor compared with 81% (n = 1625) of group 2 (P=.29). The psychosocial profile toward donation is similar in both groups relating to the following variables (P < .05): sex, having discussed transplantation with family and as a couple, considering the possibility of needing a transplant, involvement in prosocial activities, attitude toward the manipulation of corpses, knowledge of the brain death concept, and religion.

CONCLUSIONS

The awareness of organ donation in Spanish medical students is quite homogeneous and is not related to the local donation rates of each region.

Abstract P5-15-09: Impact of oncotype dx genetic signature used in early breast cancer. Clinical and economic analisys of a 110 patient cohort treated in the Catalan Oncologic Institute (ICO), Spain

Introduction

Benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) is doubtful in a high percentage of patients with early breast cancer. The 21-gene recurrence-score (RS) assay (Oncotype DX, Genomic Health) is one gene-expression assay that provide prognostic and predictive information in hormone-receptor (RH) positive breast cancer. The results of the TAILORx study have confirmed that the majority of patients with tumors RH + and HER2 negative can avoid CT without increasing their risk of relapse. From 2012 to 2015 we used Mammaprint (MMP), in our institution and 60% of cases could avoided CT (communicated in SABCS 2015). Since 2017 we use RS for this purpose.

Primary Objective

To analyze the impact of using RS to change the indication of adjuvant CT.

Secondary Objectives

To analyze the association between different clinical pathological factors and the RS value, and calculate the difference between the cost of all RS test and the cost in direct expense of the treatment with CT of all patients who could avoid it thanks to the RS

Material and methods

We analyzed all RS test performed in the three ICO centers during 2017. We sent 112 tumor samples; in 2 samples adequated RNA for RS was not obtained. We compared the adjuvant treatment initially planned according to institutional treatment protocol with the treatment given after RS. We compared the direct economic costs of CT with the costs of the diagnostic test, and performed a logistic regression analysis of some pathological factors and RS value.

Results

The RS could be determined in 110 of 112 cases, in which there was indication of adjuvant CT. Only 14 patients received CT (12,72%) with the RS value, so CT was avoided in 96 patients (87,28%).

The clinical-pathological characteristics of the series are summarized in the table 1. Of the risk factors analyzed, only grade 3 (p 0.001) and PR &lt;20% (p&lt;0.002) showed a statistically significant relationship with a higher probability of RS&gt; 25. No association was found between age, nodal status, tumor diameter, Ki67, Infiltrating Ductal Carcinoma vs neither Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma nor Lympho-Vascular invasion.

The cost of the genetic studies was 180000€ (1636€ each). The cost of each CT schedule (EC x 4 followed by paclitaxel x 12) was 7214€ and the total cost of 96 cases 692590€. Direct costs savings estimated from the reduction in CT treatment were 512590€

Conclusion: Our series shows that RS avoided unnecessary CT in 87% of cases and was more cost-effective than a previous series with MMP. G3 and RP &lt;20 were the only pathological factors associated with an increased risk of RS&gt; 25.

Table 1.Patients characteristics and clinical-pathological details from the analyzed tumorsPatient characteristicsAge, mean (range)53,76 (19 – 75)≥50y72 (65.5%)&lt;50y38 (34.5%)HistologyInfiltrating ductal carcinoma88 (80%)Infiltrating lobular carcinoma20 (18,2%)Others2 (1,8%)TNMTumor diameter (mm), mean (range)19,25 (1 – 160)pN058 (52,7%)pN1mic21 (19%)pN131 (28,3%)Hormone receptorsRE 2-100%110 (100%)RP &lt;20%22 (20%)RP ≥20%88 (80%)Ki67 median, mean (range)20, 21 (2-75)Lymphovascular invasionyes9 (8%)no101 (92%)Adjuvant treatmentCT14 (12,72%)Hormonotherapy96 (87,28%)

Citation Format: Ferrer M, Dorcas J, Quiroga V, Margelí M, del Barco S, Stradella A, Petit A, Falo C, Viñas G, Romeo M, Villanueva R, Cirauqui B, Vázquez S, Fernández A, Recalde S, Vethencourt A, Soler T, Pérez-Martín X, Gil-Gil M. Impact of oncotype dx genetic signature used in early breast cancer. Clinical and economic analisys of a 110 patient cohort treated in the Catalan Oncologic Institute (ICO), Spain [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-15-09.

Retrospective study of foreign body-associated pathology in stranded cetaceans, Canary Islands (2000-2015)

Marine pollution, overrepresented by plastic, is a growing concern worldwide. However, there is little knowledge on occurrence and detrimental impacts of marine debris in cetaceans. To partially fill in this gap of knowledge, we aimed to investigate the occurrence and pathologies associated with foreign bodies (FBs) in a large cohort of cetaceans (n = 465) stranded in the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands shelter the greatest cetacean biodiversity in Europe, with up to 30 different species, of which nine are regularly present year around. We found at least one ingested FB in 36 out of 465 (7.74%) studied cetaceans, involving 15 different species, including eight out of the nine (80%) cetacean species present year-round in the Canary Islands. Risso's dolphin was the species most affected, followed by sperm whale, beaked whale and mysticetes. Plastic FB were the most common item found (80.56%). FB was directly associated with death in 13/36 (36.11%) animals. Poor body condition and deep diving behavior were found to be risk factors for FB ingestion, whereas the adult age was a protective factor. To the authors knowledge this is the first study that use statistical analysis to investigate risk and protective factors for FB ingestion. This study also provides insights of the potential impact caused by ingested FBs on the animal's health and mortality. This knowledge is critical to better understand and assess the impact of FB in cetaceans setting the scientific basis for prospective impact monitoring and future conservation policies.

Sublethal and chronic effects of reclaimed water on aquatic organisms. Looking for relationships between physico-chemical characterisation and toxic effects

The use of reclaimed water for irrigation and aquaculture purposes is generally considered a reliable alternative for sustainable water management in regions with water scarcity. Many organic compounds, generally called compounds of emerging concern (CECs), have been detected in reclaimed water, which implies continuous exposure for aquatic organisms. To date no quality criteria have been proposed for this group of compounds. This work aims to assess the acute, sublethal and chronic effects of reclaimed water using two representative organisms of the aquatic compartment; the green alga Chlorella vulgaris and the microcrustacean Daphnia magna. The study comprises the 72 h-algal growth inhibition test, the D. magna feeding bioassay and the D. magna reproduction test. The results highlighted, for the selected characterised compounds, no differences in the concentrations between the different tertiary WWTP treatments, except for the particular case of carbamazepine. Considering seasonality, no differences were observed between the two different sample collection campaigns. The sublethal and chronic effects observed for these samples could not be explained by the lower concentrations found in the chemical characterisation. However, in the majority of cases, dilution of raw reclaimed water reduced the toxic effects of these samples. Several interactions among compounds can affect the mixture's toxicity. Canonical correlation analyses (CCA) were included to explore the potential relationships between the physico-chemical characterisation of reclaimed water and effects on aquatic organisms. The results corroborated the toxic effect of some pharmaceuticals, in particular beta-blockers and antibiotics, on the growth and yield of green algae, as well as inhibition of daphnia reproduction. Thus the CCA methods could help to elucidate the potential relationships between the physico-chemical characterisation and toxic effects by considering all the potential interactions.

Author Correction: Strong activation effect on a Ru-Co-C thin film catalyst for the hydrolysis of sodium borohydride

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML and PDF versions of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Highly dense linkage maps from 31 full-sibling families of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) provide insights into recombination patterns and chromosome rearrangements throughout a newly refined genome assembly

Highly dense linkage maps enable positioning thousands of landmarks useful for anchoring the whole genome and for analysing genome properties. Turbot is the most important cultured flatfish worldwide and breeding programs in the fifth generation of selection are targeted to improve growth rate, obtain disease resistant broodstock and understand sex determination to control sex ratio. Using a Restriction-site Associated DNA approach, we genotyped 18,214 single nucleotide polymorphism in 1,268 turbot individuals from 31 full-sibling families. Individual linkage maps were combined to obtain a male, female and species consensus maps. The turbot consensus map contained 11,845 markers distributed across 22 linkage groups representing a total normalised length of 3,753.9 cM. The turbot genome was anchored to this map, and scaffolds representing 96% of the assembly were ordered and oriented to obtain the expected 22 megascaffolds according to its karyotype. Recombination rate was lower in males, especially around centromeres, and pairwise comparison of 44 individual maps suggested chromosome polymorphism at specific genomic regions. Genome comparison across flatfish provided new evidence on karyotype reorganisations occurring across the evolution of this fish group.

Biología del transporte axonal y síndrome de doble compresión

Después de más de 40 años desde la descripción del Síndrome de Doble Compresión por Upton y McComas en el Lancet, sigue siendo un tema debatido que ha llevado a algunos cirujanos de mano a dudar de su existencia. La evidencia científica demuestra que la alteración del transporte axonal es el mecanismo más plausible en la fisiopatología de ese síndrome de compresión nerviosa. Se ha demostrado que una cuidadosa exploración clínica junto a un buen estudio neurofisiológico bien dirigido incrementa la eficiencia diagnóstica en términos de pacientes correctamente diagnosticados en el SDC. La liberación del Ligamento Transverso del Carpo está indicada en determinados pacientes que cumplen unos criterios de inclusión y exclusión específicos. Los resultados demuestran que la liberación del canal carpiano en esa población diana específica, es capaz de mejorar la gravedad de los síntomas de manera similar a la población afecta de Síndrome del Túnel Carpiano y de manera casi similar, a nivel de la Discapacidad de MMSS. Sólo instrumentos genéricos, como el SF-36, han sido capaces de detectar la diferencia a nivel de ciertas dimensiones de la Salud en relación a la Calidad de Vida entre los resultados del tratamiento en SDC y STC.

The nanostructure of porous cobalt coatings deposited by magnetron sputtering in helium atmosphere

In this work, (scanning) transmission electron microscopy has been used to study the nanostructure of porous cobalt coatings obtained by magnetron sputtering using helium as process gas. This nanostructure consists of closed pores of different nanometric size (about 4-20 nm) that are distributed all over a nanocrystalline Co matrix and filled with the deposition gas. Spatially resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy analysis was applied to measure and map, with high lateral resolution, the relevant physical properties (density, pressure and He-K edge shift) of helium trapped inside these individual nanopores, in order to provide new insights about the growth mechanism involved in such systems. In particular, a coefficient of proportionality, C = 0.039 eV nm³, between the blue shift of the He K-edge and the He density has been found. In addition, very high He densities (10-100 at./nm³) and pressures in the gigapascal range (0.05-5.0 GPa) have been measured. The linear dependence of these parameters as a function of the inverse radii obeying to the Laplace-Young law for most of the pores suggests that their formation during the coating's growth takes place in regime of elastic deformation of the Co matrix.

Do Spanish Medical Students Understand the Concept of Brain Death?

Objective:

To analyze the level of understanding of the brain death concept among medical students in universities in Spain.

Methods:

This cross-sectional sociological, interdisciplinary, and multicenter study was performed on 9598 medical students in Spain. The sample was stratified by geographical area and academic year. A previously validated self-reported measure of brain death knowledge (questionnaire Proyecto Colaborativo Internacional Donante sobre la Donación y Transplante de Organos) was completed anonymously by students.

Results:

Respondents completed 9275 surveys for a completion rate of 95.7%. Of those, 67% (n = 6190) of the respondents understood the brain death concept. Of the rest, 28% (n = 2652) did not know what it meant, and the remaining 5% (n = 433) believed that it did not mean that the patient was dead. The variables related to a correct understanding of the concept were: (1) being older ( P < .001), (2) studying at a public university ( P < .001), (3) year of medical school ( P < .001), (4) studying at one of the universities in the south of Spain ( P = .003), (5) having discussed donation and transplantation with the family ( P < .001), (6) having spoken to friends about the matter ( P < .001), (7) a partner’s favorable attitude toward donation and transplantation ( P < .001), and (8) religious beliefs ( P < .001).

Conclusions:

Sixty-seven percent of medical students know the concept of brain death, and knowledge improved as they advanced in their degree.

Optimizing pulse compressibility in completely all-fibered Ytterbium chirped pulse amplifiers for in vivo two photon laser scanning microscopy

A simple and completely all-fiber Yb chirped pulse amplifier that uses a dispersion matched fiber stretcher and a spliced-on hollow core photonic bandgap fiber compressor is applied in nonlinear optical microscopy. This stretching-compression approach improves compressibility and helps to maximize the fluorescence signal in two-photon laser scanning microscopy as compared with approaches that use standard single mode fibers as stretcher. We also show that in femtosecond all-fiber systems, compensation of higher order dispersion terms is relevant even for pulses with relatively narrow bandwidths for applications relying on nonlinear optical effects. The completely all-fiber system was applied to image green fluorescent beads, a stained lily-of-the-valley root and rat-tail tendon. We also demonstrated in vivo imaging in zebrafish larvae, where we simultaneously measure second harmonic and fluorescence from two-photon excited red-fluorescent protein. Since the pulses are compressed in a fiber, this source is especially suited for upgrading existing laser scanning (confocal) microscopes with multiphoton imaging capabilities in space restricted settings or for incorporation in endoscope-based microscopy.

Successful treatment of intrauterine cytomegalovirus infection with an intraventricular cyst in a dichorionic diamniotic twin gestation using cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin

Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the leading cause of severe congenital abnormalities. CMV immunoglobulin (CMVIG) may lower risk for symptomatic disease in congenital CMV infection. In a twin pregnancy, only one fetus shows CMV infection, raising a dilemma about intervention since the uninfected fetus would be exposed to treatment unnecessarily. CMVIG (2 × 200 U/kg) was given due to high viral load and development of an intraventricular cyst. The cyst growth plateaued, no other brain damage developed, and at 8 months, the infant was symptom-free. CMVIG appears appropriate to treat intrauterine CMV infection in this setting.

In-hospital prognosis and long-term mortality of STEMI in a reperfusion network. "Head to head" analisys: invasive reperfusion vs optimal medical therapy

Background

ST Segment Elevation Acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) preferred treatment is culprit artery reperfusion with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). We ought to analyze the benefit of early reperfusion vs. optimal medical therapy in STEMI before and after the set-up of a regional STEMI network that prioritizes PPCI.

Methods

Between January 2002 and December 2013, 1268 STEMI patients were consecutively admitted in a University Hospital. Patients were classified in two groups: pre-STEMI Network (January 2002–June 2009; n = 670) and post-STEMI network (July 2009–December 2013; n = 598). Vital status was available at 2-year follow-up.

Results

The STEMI network increased reperfusion (89.2% vs 64.4%, p < 0.001) mainly using PCI (99.0% vs 43.9%, p < 0.001). In univariate analysis, in-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the post-STEMI network period (2.51% vs. 7.16%, p < 0.001). After multivariate adjustment, including age, sex, comorbidities, severity and reperfusion therapy, a trend to a lower in-hospital mortality was observed (post-Network OR: 0.50, 95% CI:0.16–1.59, p = 0.24); this trend disappeared when optimal medical therapy was included in the model (post-Network OR: 1.14, 95% CI:0.32–4.08, p = 0.840). No differences in 2-year mortality were observed (post-Network HR: 0.83; CI 95%: 0.55–1.25, p = 0.37).

Conclusion

A STEMI network with PPCI 24/7 improved reperfusion therapy, resulting in an increase on PPCI. Despite in-hospital mortality decreased with a STEMI network, 2-year mortality remained similar in both periods, pre- and post-Network. Optimal medical therapy could be as important as reperfusion therapy in a STEMI reperfusion network.

Coinfection by Streptococcus phocae and cetacean morbillivirus in a short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis

We describe gross, histopathological, and immunohistochemical features of Streptococcus phocae and cetacean morbillivirus coinfection in a short-beaked common dolphin Delphinus delphis. Major gross findings were cutaneous purulent nodules in the tail fluke, vegetative mitral valve endocarditis, and presumed postpartum pyometra. Histologic examination revealed bacterial septicemia characterized by widespread intravascular coccoid bacterial emboli. These were associated with fibrinonecrotizing to pyogranulomatous dermatitis and panniculitis, embolic pneumonia, neutrophilic and lymphoplasmacytic meningochoroiditis, random neutrophilic hepatitis, lymphoplasmacytic myocarditis and epicarditis, necrotizing adrenalitis, suppurative endometritis, and multicentric reactive lymphadenopathy. Bacteriology and molecular analysis with sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene identified S. phocae from lung, brain, and adrenal gland tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis for morbillivirus detection revealed positive immunolabeling in the epithelium of the choroid plexus of the fourth ventricle. Published reports on S. phocae infection in cetaceans are rare, and pathological details are limited. The present case indicates that S. phocae has potential pathogenic capacity in common dolphins. The pathogenesis is proposed to have involved cutaneous penetration after a skin trauma, leading to initial cutaneous disease and eventual systemic infection.

Interaction strength between different grazers and macroalgae mediated by ocean acidification over warming gradients

Since the past century, rising CO₂ levels have led to global changes (ocean warming and acidification) with subsequent effects on marine ecosystems and organisms. Macroalgae-herbivore interactions have a main role in the regulation of marine community structure (top-down control). Gradients of warming prompt complex non-linear effects on organism metabolism, cascading into altered trophic interactions and community dynamics. However, not much is known on how will acidification and grazer assemblage composition shape these effects. Within this context, we aimed to assess the combined effects of warming gradients and acidification on macroalgae-herbivore interactions, using three cosmopolitan species, abundant in the Iberian Peninsula and closely associated in nature: the amphipod Melita palmata, the gastropod Gibbula umbilicalis, and the green macroalga Ulva rigida. Under two CO₂ treatments (ΔCO₂ ≃ 450 μatm) across a temperature gradient (13.5, 16.6, 19.9 and 22.1 °C), two mesocosm experiments were performed to assess grazer consumption rates and macroalgae-herbivore interaction, respectively. Warming (Experiment I and II) and acidification (Experiment II) prompted negative effects in grazer's survival and species-specific differences in consumption rates. M. palmata was shown to be the stronger grazer per biomass (but not per capita), and also the most affected by climate stressors. Macroalgae-herbivore interaction strength was markedly shaped by the temperature gradient, while simultaneous acidification lowered thermal optimal threshold. In the near future, warming and acidification are likely to strengthen top-down control, but further increases in disturbances may lead to bottom-up regulated communities. Finally, our results suggest that grazer assemblage composition may modulate future macroalgae-herbivore interactions.

Dynamic behavior of hydroxyl radical in sono-photo-Fenton mineralization of synthetic municipal wastewater effluent containing antipyrine

The aim of this study was to examine the kinetics of the different mechanisms (radical pathway, photolysis, molecular reaction with H₂O₂ and reaction with ultrasonically generated oxidative species) involved in the homogeneous sono-photoFenton (US/UV/H₂O₂/Fe) mineralization of antipyrine present in a synthetic municipal wastewater effluent (ASMWE). The dynamic behavior of hydroxyl (HO) radical generation and consumption in mineralization reaction under different systems was investigated by measuring hydroxyl radical concentration during the reaction. The overall mineralization process was optimized using a Central-Composite Experimental Design (CCED) with four variables (initial concentrations of H₂O₂ and Fe(II), amplitude and pulse length). The response functions (pseudo-first order mineralization kinetic rate constants) were fitted using neural networks (NNs). Under the optimal conditions ([H₂O₂]_o=500mgL^-1, [Fe(II)]_o=27mgL^-1, Amplitude (%)=20andPulse length=1), the TOC removal was 79% in 50min. The radical reaction in the bulk solution was found be the primary mineralization pathway (94.8%), followed by photolysis (3.65%), direct reaction with H₂O₂ (0.86%), and reaction by ultrasonically generated oxidative species (0.64%). The role of the Fe catalyst on the radical reaction and the presence of refractory intermediates towards hydroxyl radical were also studied.

The usefulness of 18F-fluorocholine PET/CT in the detection of recurrence of central nervous system primary neoplasms

AIM

To study the usefulness of ¹⁸F-fluorocholine (FCH) in detecting the recurrence of primary brain tumours.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective study was conducted on brain PET/CT with FCH for compassionate use in 21 patients with suspected recurrence of a primary brain tumour. The distribution by pathology was: three grade ii astrocytomas, three grade iii astrocytomas, one grade ii oligodendroglioma, three grade iii oligodendrogliomas, one grade iii oligoastrocytoma, four glioblastoma multiform, one gliomatosis cerebri, and five meningiomas. Studies in which there was a visually significant uptake in the brain parenchyma were classified as positive.

RESULTS

A total of 17 patients were classified as positive, with the results being confirmed by histology (10 cases) or clinical follow-up and imaging, with no false positives or negatives. The mean SUVmax for positive patients was 8.02 and 0.94 for the negative ones, which was significantly different (P=.003) CONCLUSION: PET/CT with FCH shows encouraging results in the evaluation of patients with suspected recurrence of primary brain neoplasms.

Canthotomy and cantholysis prior to ultrasound circular cyclocoagulation (UC3® Eye Tech Care) in refractory glaucoma

CASE REPORT

The case is presented on a patient with primary open-angle glaucoma treated with the novel ultrasound circular cyclocoagulation technique (UC3^® [EyeTechCare, Rillieux La Pape, France]), who had previously undergone glaucoma surgery. Due to having extreme palpebral rigidity, worsened by the pre-operative local anesthesia injections, a canthotomy and cantholysis were needed to correctly position of the UC3^® probe cone. Clinical outcome as regards the IOP and the surgical wound was very satisfactory.

DISCUSSION

In complex cases of refractory glaucoma in which cyclo-destructive surgery is limited for anatomical reasons, a complementary oculoplasty technique may be a good option.

Long-Term Outcomes of Intestinal and Multivisceral Transplantation at a Single Center in Argentina

BACKGROUND

Intestinal failure (IF) patients received parenteral nutrition (PN) as the only available therapy until intestinal transplantation (ITx) evolved as an accepted treatment. The aim of this article is to report the long-term outcomes of a series of ITx performed in pediatric and adult patients at a single center 9 years after its creation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of the ITx performed between May 2006 and January 2015. Diagnoses, pre-ITx mean time on PN, indications for ITx, time on the waiting list for types of ITx, mean total ischemia time, and warm ischemia time, time until PN discontinuation, incidence of acute and chronic rejection, and 5-year actuarial patient survival are reported.

RESULTS

A total of 42 patients received ITx; 80% had short gut syndrome (SG); the mean time on PN was 1620 days. The main indication for ITx was lack of central venous access followed by intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) and catheter-related infectious complications. The mean time on the waiting list was 188 days (standard deviation, ±183 days). ITx were performed in 26 children and 14 adults. In all, 32 procedures were isolated ITx (IITX); 10 were multiorgan Tx (MOT; 3 combined, 7 multivisceral Tx (MVTx), 1 modified MVTx and 2 with kidney); 2 (4.7 %) were retransplantations: 1 IITx, 1 MVTx, and 5 including the right colon. Thirteen patients (31%) received abdominal rectus fascia. All procedures were performed by the same surgical team. Total ischemia time was 7:53 ± 2:04 hours, and warm ischemia time was 40.2 ± 10.5 minutes. The mean length of implanted intestine was 325 ± 63 cm. Bishop-Koop ileostomy was performed in 67% of cases. In all, 16 of 42 Tx required early reoperations. The overall mean follow-up time was 41 ± 35.6 months. The mean time to PN discontinuation after Tx was 68 days (P = .001). The total number of acute cellular rejection (ACR) episodes until the last follow-up was 83; the total number of grafts lost due to ACR was 4; and the total graft lost due to chronic rejection was 3. At the time of writing, the overall 5-year patient survival is 55% (65% for IITx vs 22% for MOT; P = .0001); 60% for pediatric recipients vs 47% for adults (P = NS); 64% when the indication for ITx was SG vs 25% for non-SG (P = .002).

CONCLUSIONS

At this center, candidates with SG, in the absence of IFALD requiring IITx, showed the best long-term outcomes, independent of recipient age. A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory for the care of intestinal failure patients, to sustain a rehabilitation and transplantation program over time.

Stem cell-like transcriptional reprogramming mediates metastatic resistance to mTOR inhibition

Inhibitors of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) are currently used to treat advanced metastatic breast cancer. However, whether an aggressive phenotype is sustained through adaptation or resistance to mTOR inhibition remains unknown. Here, complementary studies in human tumors, cancer models and cell lines reveal transcriptional reprogramming that supports metastasis in response to mTOR inhibition. This cancer feature is driven by EVI1 and SOX9. EVI1 functionally cooperates with and positively regulates SOX9, and promotes the transcriptional upregulation of key mTOR pathway components (REHB and RAPTOR) and of lung metastasis mediators (FSCN1 and SPARC). The expression of EVI1 and SOX9 is associated with stem cell-like and metastasis signatures, and their depletion impairs the metastatic potential of breast cancer cells. These results establish the mechanistic link between resistance to mTOR inhibition and cancer metastatic potential, thus enhancing our understanding of mTOR targeting failure.

Heteroleptic mononuclear compounds of ruthenium(ii): synthesis, structural analyses, in vitro antitumor activity and in vivo toxicity on zebrafish embryos

The limitations of platinum complexes in cancer treatment have motivated the extensive investigation into other metal complexes such as ruthenium. We herein present the synthesis and characterization of a new family of ruthenium compounds 1a-5a with the general formula [Ru(bipy)₂L][CF₃SO₃]₂ (bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine; L = bidentate ligand: N,N; N,P; P,P; P,As) which have been characterized by elemental analysis, ES-MS, ¹H and ³¹P-{¹H} NMR, FTIR and conductivity measurements. The molecular structures of four Ru(ii) complexes were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. All compounds displayed moderate cytotoxic activity in vitro against human A2780 ovarian, MCF7 breast and HCT116 colorectal tumor cells. Compound 5a was the most cytotoxic compound against A2780 and MCF7 tumor cells with an IC₅₀ of 4.75 ± 2.82 μM and 20.02 ± 1.46 μM, respectively. The compounds showed no cytotoxic effect on normal human primary fibroblasts but rather considerable selectivity for A2780, MCF7 and HCT116 tumor cells. All compounds induce apoptosis and autophagy in A2780 ovarian carcinoma cells and some nuclear DNA fragmentation. All compounds interact with CT-DNA with intrinsic binding constants in the order 1a > 4a > 2a > 3a > 5a. The observed hyperchromic effect may be due to the electrostatic interaction between positively charged cations and the negatively charged phosphate backbone at the periphery of the double helix-CT-DNA. Interestingly, compound 1a shows a concentration dependent DNA double strand cleavage. In addition in vivo toxicity has been evaluated on zebrafish embryos unveiling the differential toxicity between the compounds, with LC₅₀ ranging from 8.67 mg L^-1 for compound 1a to 170.30 mg L^-1 for compound 2a.

Multidrug-Resistant Outbreak-Associated Salmonella Strains in Irrigation Water from the Metropolitan Region, Chile

Salmonella enterica (S. enterica) is the main cause of foodborne diseases in the Chilean population. With the aim of characterizing the presence of S. enterica in bodies of water, samples from 40 sources were obtained, including rivers and irrigation canals used by agricultural farms in the most populated regions of Chile. As result, 35 S. enterica isolates belonging to several serotypes were detected, with the highest frequency represented by Typhimurium and Enteritidis. All strains showed phenotypic antimicrobial resistance, and most of them were multiresistant to critically important antimicrobials. In addition, the pulse-field gel electrophoresis analysis using XbaI and BlnI endonucleases showed that seven Salmonella isolates belonging to serotypes Typhimurium, Enteritidis and Infantis had identical pulsotypes to outbreak-associated clinical isolates detected in the Chilean population, suggesting a public health risk of water pollution in this region. Among sampling sites, the higher detection rates were observed in rural than urban and peri-urban areas, suggesting that the animal husbandry might contribute for environmental dispersion of this pathogen. Future efforts should address the characterization of cause-and-effect relationship between water contamination and foodborne disease, including the implementation of surveillance programmes to tackle potential risks for both human and animal populations.

Using RNA-Seq SNP data to reveal potential causal mutations related to pig production traits and RNA editing

RNA-Seq technology is widely used in quantitative gene expression studies and identification of non-annotated transcripts. However this technology also can be used for polymorphism detection and RNA editing in transcribed regions in an efficient and cost-effective way. This study used SNP data from an RNA-Seq assay to identify genes and mutations underlying production trait variations in an experimental pig population. The hypothalamic and hepatic transcriptomes of nine extreme animals for growth and fatness from an (Iberian × Landrace) × Landrace backcross were analyzed by RNA-Seq methodology, and SNP calling was conducted. More than 125 000 single nucleotide variants (SNVs) were identified in each tissue, and 78% were considered to be potential SNPs, those SNVs segregating in the context of this study. Potential informative SNPs were detected by considering those showing a homozygous or heterozygous genotype in one extreme group and the alternative genotype in the other group. In this way, 4396 and 1862 informative SNPs were detected in hypothalamus and liver respectively. Out of the 32 SNPs selected for validation, 25 (80%) were confirmed as actual SNPs. Association analyses for growth, fatness and premium cut yields with 19 selected SNPs were carried out, and four potential causal genes (RETSAT, COPA, RNMT and PALMD) were identified. Interestingly, new RNA editing modifications were detected and validated for the NR3C1:g.102797 (ss1985401074) and ACSM2B:g.13374 (ss1985401075) positions and for the COG3:g3.4525 (ss1985401087) modification previously identified across vertebrates, which could lead to phenotypic variation and should be further investigated.

Note: Use of a Distribution of Frequencies Model to Interpret the Tailed Heat Inactivation Curves of Prions

Inactivation of prions responsible of bovine spongiform encephalytis (BSE) by heat is a major concern for the canned food industry in Europe. Experimental data of heat inactivation of prions obtained from the scientific literature have been modelled. Two models were applied to analyse the inactivation curves, the Weibull distribution model and a two-parameter empirical model. Statistical analysis of available data indicated that the Weibull frequency distribution provided the best description of non-linear survival curves. The effect of the temperature on Weibull model parameters ( a and b) was also studied. The shape parameter, b, indicates deviations from linearity in the inactivation curves, and the scale parameter, a, can be considered as a kinetic constant rate for the inactivation. The values of the b parameter were on the order of 0.15-0.2 which meant that these curves had a strong upper concavity. The a values obtained ranged from 1.8 × 10−3 to 2.3 × 10−6 for temperatures between 100 and 160°C. These results indicate that temperature has a relevant effect on the inactivation of prions, although it remains a considerable fraction of prions with infective capacity. The Weibull frequency distribution model appears as a useful and convenient model because the a parameter could allow a quantitative comparison of the inactivation of prions at different temperatures or under different conditions.