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1.
Clin Nucl Med ; 49(2): 160-161, 2024 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37976430

ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT: A 55-year-old man with renal cell carcinoma extending into the renal vein/inferior vena cava (status post nephrectomy and inferior vena cava thrombectomy, pT3bN0M0), and perioperative pulmonary bland thromboembolism (resolved with 3-month of anticoagulation), followed by 3.5 years of complete remission, developed new incidental pulmonary arterial filling defects on a surveillance CT examination (asymptomatic, normal d -dimer, no deep vein thrombosis). Despite anticoagulation, the filling defects not only persisted but also demonstrated intense FDG activity on a restaging PET/CT performed 4 months later for new pulmonary oligometastasis. The FDG activity resolved after systemic immunotherapy, which suggested the retrospective diagnosis of pulmonary arterial tumor emboli, a rare finding.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Renal Cell , Hypertension, Pulmonary , Kidney Neoplasms , Neoplastic Cells, Circulating , Pulmonary Embolism , Male , Humans , Middle Aged , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/diagnostic imaging , Carcinoma, Renal Cell/secondary , Kidney Neoplasms/complications , Kidney Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Kidney Neoplasms/pathology , Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography , Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 , Retrospective Studies , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Pulmonary Embolism/complications , Pulmonary Embolism/diagnostic imaging , Anticoagulants
2.
Cereb Cortex ; 33(4): 1058-1073, 2023 02 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35348659

ABSTRACT

Socioeconomic status (SES) can impact cognitive performance, including working memory (WM). As executive systems that support WM undergo functional neurodevelopment during adolescence, environmental stressors at both individual and community levels may influence cognitive outcomes. Here, we sought to examine how SES at the neighborhood and family level impacts task-related activation of the executive system during adolescence and determine whether this effect mediates the relationship between SES and WM performance. To address these questions, we studied 1,150 youths (age 8-23) that completed a fractal n-back WM task during functional magnetic resonance imaging at 3T as part of the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort. We found that both higher neighborhood SES and parental education were associated with greater activation of the executive system to WM load, including the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and precuneus. The association of neighborhood SES remained significant when controlling for task performance, or related factors like exposure to traumatic events. Furthermore, high-dimensional multivariate mediation analysis identified distinct patterns of brain activity within the executive system that significantly mediated the relationship between measures of SES and task performance. These findings underscore the importance of multilevel environmental factors in shaping executive system function and WM in youth.


Subject(s)
Executive Function , Memory, Short-Term , Humans , Adolescent , Child , Young Adult , Adult , Memory, Short-Term/physiology , Executive Function/physiology , Educational Status , Parents , Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods , Social Class , Brain/physiology
4.
Front Neuroinform ; 15: 678403, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34239433

ABSTRACT

The recent and growing focus on reproducibility in neuroimaging studies has led many major academic centers to use cloud-based imaging databases for storing, analyzing, and sharing complex imaging data. Flywheel is one such database platform that offers easily accessible, large-scale data management, along with a framework for reproducible analyses through containerized pipelines. The Brain Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) is the de facto standard for neuroimaging data, but curating neuroimaging data into BIDS can be a challenging and time-consuming task. In particular, standard solutions for BIDS curation are limited on Flywheel. To address these challenges, we developed "FlywheelTools," a software toolbox for reproducible data curation and manipulation on Flywheel. FlywheelTools includes two elements: fw-heudiconv, for heuristic-driven curation of data into BIDS, and flaudit, which audits and inventories projects on Flywheel. Together, these tools accelerate reproducible neuroscience research on the widely used Flywheel platform.

5.
Front Oncol ; 10: 1032, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32793466

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To analyze human and bacteria proteomic profiles in bile, exposed to a tumor vs. non-tumor microenvironment, in order to identify differences between these conditions, which may contribute to a better understanding of pancreatic carcinogenesis. Patients and Methods: Using liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry, human and bacterial proteomic profiles of a total of 20 bile samples (7 from gallstone (GS) patients, and 13 from pancreatic head ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients) that were collected during surgery and taken directly from the gallbladder, were compared. g:Profiler and KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) Mapper Reconstruct Pathway were used as the main comparative platform focusing on over-represented biological pathways among human proteins and interaction pathways among bacterial proteins. Results: Three bacterial infection pathways were over-represented in the human PDAC group of proteins. IL-8 is the only human protein that coincides in the three pathways and this protein is only present in the PDAC group. Quantitative and qualitative differences in bacterial proteins suggest a dysbiotic microenvironment in the PDAC group, supported by significant participation of antibiotic biosynthesis enzymes. Prokaryotes interaction signaling pathways highlight the presence of zeatin in the GS group and surfactin in the PDAC group, the former in the metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides, and the latter in both metabolisms of terpenoids, polyketides and quorum sensing. Based on our findings, we propose a bacterial-induced carcinogenesis model for the biliary tract. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge this is the first study with the aim of comparing human and bacterial bile proteins in a tumor vs. non-tumor microenvironment. We proposed a new carcinogenesis model for the biliary tract based on bile metaproteomic findings. Our results suggest that bacteria may be key players in biliary tract carcinogenesis, in a long-lasting dysbiotic and epithelially harmful microenvironment, in which specific bacterial species' biofilm formation is of utmost importance. Our finding should be further explored in future using in vitro and in vivo investigations.

6.
Dev Cogn Neurosci ; 43: 100788, 2020 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32510347

ABSTRACT

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) has advanced our understanding of brain microstructure evolution over development. Recently, the use of multi-shell diffusion imaging sequences has coincided with advances in modeling the diffusion signal, such as Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI) and Laplacian-regularized Mean Apparent Propagator MRI (MAPL). However, the relative utility of recently-developed diffusion models for understanding brain maturation remains sparsely investigated. Additionally, despite evidence that motion artifact is a major confound for studies of development, the vulnerability of metrics derived from contemporary models to in-scanner motion has not been described. Accordingly, in a sample of 120 youth and young adults (ages 12-30) we evaluated metrics derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), NODDI, and MAPL for associations with age and in-scanner head motion at multiple scales. Specifically, we examined mean white matter values, white matter tracts, white matter voxels, and connections in structural brain networks. Our results revealed that multi-shell diffusion imaging data can be leveraged to robustly characterize neurodevelopment, and demonstrate stronger age effects than equivalent single-shell data. Additionally, MAPL-derived metrics were less sensitive to the confounding effects of head motion. Our findings suggest that multi-shell imaging data and contemporary modeling techniques confer important advantages for studies of neurodevelopment.


Subject(s)
Brain/growth & development , Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods , Adolescent , Adult , Child , Female , Humans , Male , Young Adult
7.
Neuropsychopharmacology ; 44(13): 2254-2262, 2019 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-31476764

ABSTRACT

Irritability is an important dimension of psychopathology that spans multiple clinical diagnostic categories, yet its relationship to patterns of brain development remains sparsely explored. Here, we examined how transdiagnostic symptoms of irritability relate to the development of structural brain networks. All participants (n = 137, 83 females) completed structural brain imaging with 3 Tesla MRI at two timepoints (mean age at follow-up: 21.1 years, mean inter-scan interval: 5.2 years). Irritability at follow-up was assessed using the Affective Reactivity Index, and cortical thickness was quantified using Advanced Normalization Tools software. Structural covariance networks were delineated using non-negative matrix factorization, a multivariate analysis technique. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal associations with irritability at follow-up were evaluated using generalized additive models with penalized splines. The False Discovery Rate (q < 0.05) was used to correct for multiple comparisons. Cross-sectional analysis of follow-up data revealed that 11 of the 24 covariance networks were associated with irritability, with higher levels of irritability being associated with thinner cortex. Longitudinal analyses further revealed that accelerated cortical thinning within nine networks was related to irritability at follow-up. Effects were particularly prominent in brain regions implicated in emotion regulation, including the orbitofrontal, lateral temporal, and medial temporal cortex. Collectively, these findings suggest that irritability is associated with widespread reductions in cortical thickness and accelerated cortical thinning, particularly within the frontal and temporal cortex. Aberrant structural maturation of regions important for emotional regulation may in part underlie symptoms of irritability.


Subject(s)
Brain/anatomy & histology , Brain/growth & development , Irritable Mood/physiology , Adolescent , Adult , Cerebral Cortex/anatomy & histology , Cerebral Cortex/growth & development , Child , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Male , Neural Pathways/anatomy & histology , Neural Pathways/growth & development , Young Adult
8.
Ann Surg ; 269(2): 221-228, 2019 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-30080729

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To compare the learning curves of the self-taught "pioneers" of laparoscopic liver surgery (LLS) with those of the trained "early adopters" in terms of short- and medium-term patient outcomes to establish if the learning curve can be reduced with specific training. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: It is expected that a wider adoption of a laparoscopic approach to liver surgery will be seen in the next few years. Current guidelines stress the need for an incremental, stepwise progression through the learning curve in order to minimize harm to patients. Previous studies have examined the learning curve in Stage 2 of the IDEAL paradigm of surgical innovation; however, LLS is now in stage 3 with specific training being provided to surgeons. METHODS: Using risk-adjusted cumulative sum analysis, the learning curves and short- and medium-term outcomes of 4 "pioneering" surgeons from stage 2 were compared with 4 "early adapting" surgeons from stage 3 who had received specific training for LLS. RESULTS: After 46 procedures, the short- and medium-term outcomes of the "early adopters" were comparable to those achieved by the "pioneers" following 150 procedures in similar cases. CONCLUSIONS: With specific training, "early adapting" laparoscopic liver surgeons are able to overcome the learning curve for minor and major liver resections faster than the "pioneers" who were self-taught in LLS. The findings of this study are applicable to all surgical specialties and highlight the importance of specific training in the safe expansion of novel surgical practice.


Subject(s)
Hepatectomy/methods , Hepatectomy/standards , Laparoscopy/standards , Learning Curve , Liver Neoplasms/surgery , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Biomedical Research/organization & administration , Biomedical Research/standards , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Therapies, Investigational , Young Adult
9.
Rev. colomb. cir ; 32(4): 304-318, 2017. fig, tab
Article in Spanish | LILACS, COLNAL | ID: biblio-905249

ABSTRACT

El cáncer colorrectal con metástasis a hígado es una enfermedad frecuente que hasta hace pocos años se consideraba únicamente de tratamiento paliativo. Sin embargo, con la reciente aparición de nuevas técnicas y avances para aumentar la posibilidad de resecar las lesiones y los nuevos esquemas de quimioterapia, se ha logrado la resección quirúrgica de este tipo de lesiones, extrayendo todo el tejido tumoral macroscópico e impactando de forma positiva la supervivencia de estos pacientes. Múltiples esquemas se han propuesto para el tratamiento de las lesiones sincrónicas con el fin de mejorar la supervivencia de los pacientes. Si bien no hay consenso sobre cuál es el mejor esquema terapéutico en estos casos, parece ser que lo más importante es que se logre completar de manera exitosa el esquema elegido. En general, la tendencia actual es practicar las intervenciones quirúrgicas del hígado primero, a menos que el tumor primario se encuentre sintomático; en este caso, la colectomía es el abordaje inicial. Las resecciones simultáneas hacen parte del arsenal terapéutico de estos pacientes. Múltiples grupos sugieren no asociar una resección de recto bajo a una hepatectomía mayor. Por su parte, las lesiones metacrónicas deben resecarse según el tamaño y la posibilidad de resección una vez hecho el diagnóstico. Es importante tener en cuenta que, aunque se logre una resección completa del tejido tumoral con márgenes R0 , las recurrencias son frecuentes debido a que la diseminación tumoral microscópica ya está presente; por esta razón, es indispensable agregar la quimioterapia para mejorar el pronóstico de los pacientes


Metastatic colorectal cancer in the liver is a frequent pathology that until a few years ago was considered only for palliative management. However, with the recent advent of new techniques and advances to improve the resectability of such lesions and the new schemes of chemotherapy, oncological resection of these lesions can be performed, extracting all macroscopic tumor and achieving a positive impact on patient´s survival. Multiple schemes have been postulated for the management of synchronous lesions in order to improve patient survival, although there is no consensus about which is the best scheme in these cases; it seems that the most important factor is to complete successfully the proposed scheme. In general, the current trend is to perform the liver resection first unless the primary tumor is symptomatic, in which case a colectomy should be performed as the initial approach. Simultaneous resections are part of the therapeutic arsenal in these patients. Many groups suggest not to associate a low rectal resection with a major hepatectomy. On the other hand, metachronic lesions should be resected based on their size and the possibility of resection should be considered once the diagnosis has been made. It is important to take into account that even if a complete resection of the tumor and R0 margins are achieved, recurrences are frequent because microscopic tumor dissemination is already present; therefore, the addition of chemotherapy regimens should be mandatory to Improve the oncological prognosis of these patients


Subject(s)
Humans , Neoplasms, Second Primary , Clinical Protocols , Colonic Neoplasms , Neoplasm Metastasis
10.
Sensors (Basel) ; 16(12)2016 Dec 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-27999392

ABSTRACT

As a result of the progressive implantation of the Industry 4.0 paradigm, many industries are experimenting a revolution that shipyards cannot ignore. Therefore, the application of the principles of Industry 4.0 to shipyards are leading to the creation of Shipyards 4.0. Due to this, Navantia, one of the 10 largest shipbuilders in the world, is updating its whole inner workings to keep up with the near-future challenges that a Shipyard 4.0 will have to face. Such challenges can be divided into three groups: the vertical integration of production systems, the horizontal integration of a new generation of value creation networks, and the re-engineering of the entire production chain, making changes that affect the entire life cycle of each piece of a ship. Pipes, which exist in a huge number and varied typology on a ship, are one of the key pieces, and its monitoring constitutes a prospective cyber-physical system. Their improved identification, traceability, and indoor location, from production and through their life, can enhance shipyard productivity and safety. In order to perform such tasks, this article first conducts a thorough analysis of the shipyard environment. From this analysis, the essential hardware and software technical requirements are determined. Next, the concept of smart pipe is presented and defined as an object able to transmit signals periodically that allows for providing enhanced services in a shipyard. In order to build a smart pipe system, different technologies are selected and evaluated, concluding that passive and active RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) are currently the most appropriate technologies to create it. Furthermore, some promising indoor positioning results obtained in a pipe workshop are presented, showing that multi-antenna algorithms and Kalman filtering can help to stabilize Received Signal Strength (RSS) and improve the overall accuracy of the system.

13.
Semin Nucl Med ; 45(1): 3-15, 2015 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25475375

ABSTRACT

Bone scintigraphy (BS) is an imaging tool commonly used for screening patients with cancer, especially those with high prevalence of osseous metastases including the breast, prostate, lung, thyroid, and kidney, which account for 80% of osseous metastasis. BS has been shown to be of value in the initial and subsequent treatment strategy of various malignancies. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the technical and imaging aspects of BS and to examine the present research into improved detection of osseous metastasis.


Subject(s)
Bone Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging , Bone Neoplasms/secondary , Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging , Radionuclide Imaging/methods , Humans , Radiopharmaceuticals
15.
World J Hepatol ; 5(5): 237-50, 2013 May 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23717735

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major health problem that leads to chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, being the most frequent indication for liver transplantation in several countries. Unfortunately, HCV re-infects the liver graft almost invariably following reperfusion, with an accelerated history of recurrence, leading to 10%-30% of patients progressing to cirrhosis within 5 years of transplantation. In this sense, some groups have even advocated for not re-transplanting this patients, as lower patient and graft outcomes have been reported. However, the management of HCV recurrence is being optimized and several strategies to reduce post-transplant recurrence could improve outcomes, decrease the rate of re-transplantation and optimize the use of available grafts. Three moments may be the focus of potential actions in order to decrease the impact of viral recurrence: the pre-transplant moment, the transplant environment and the post-transplant management. In the pre-transplant setting, it is not well established if reducing the pre transplant viral load affects the risk for HCV progression after transplant. Obviously, antiviral treatment can render the patient HCV RNA negative post transplant but the long-term benefit has not yet been fully established to justify the cost and clinical risk. In the transplant moment, factors as donor age, cold ischemia time, graft steatosis and ischemia/reperfusion injury may lead to a higher and more aggressive viral recurrence. After the transplant, discussion about immunosuppression and the moment to start the treatment (prophylactic, pre-emptive or once-confirmed) together with new antiviral drugs are of interest. This review aims to help clinicians have a global overview of post-transplant HCV recurrence and strategies to reduce its impact on our patients.

16.
Rev. Inst. Med. Trop. Säo Paulo ; 55(1): 31-37, Jan.-Feb. 2013. ilus, tab
Article in English | LILACS | ID: lil-661100

ABSTRACT

We have studied the cardiac chronotropic responses to the Valsalva maneuver and to dynamic exercise of twenty chronic chagasic patients with normal left ventricular function and no segmental wall abnormalities by two-dimensional echocardiogram. The absolute increase in heart rate of the patients (Δ = 21.5 ± 10 bpm, M±SD) during the maneuver was significantly diminished when compared to controls (Δ = 31.30 ± 70, M±SD, p = 0.03). The minimum heart rate (58.24 ± 8.90 vs. 62.80 ± 10, p = 0.68) and the absolute decrease in heart rate at the end of the maneuver (Δ = 38.30 ± 13 vs. Δ = 31.47 ± 17, p = 0.10) were not different from controls. The initial heart rate acceleration during dynamic exercise (Δ = 12 ± 7.55 vs. Δ = 19 ± 7.27, M±SD, p = 0.01) was also diminished, but the heart rate recovery during the first ten seconds was more prominent in the sero-positive patients (Median: 14, Interquartile range: (9.75-17.50 vs. 5(0-8.75, p = 0.001). The serum levels of muscarinic cardiac auto-antibodies were significantly higher in the chagasic patients (Median: 34.58, Interquartile Range: 17-46.5, Optical Density) than in controls (Median: 0, Interquartile Range: 0-22.25, p = 0.001) and correlated significantly and directly (r = 0.68, p = 0.002) with early heart rate recovery during dynamic exercise. The results of this investigation indirectly suggest that, the cardiac muscarinic auto-antibodies may have positive agonist effects on parasympathetic heart rate control of chagasic patients.


Foram estudadas as respostas cronotrópicas cardíacas à manobra de Valsalva e ao exercício dinâmico de vinte pacientes chagásicos com função ventricular esquerda normal e sem alterações da contractilidade segmentar por ecocardiografia bidimensional. O aumento absoluto da frequência cardíaca dos pacientes (Δ = 21,5 ± 10 bpm, M ± DP) durante a manobra de Valsalva foi significativamente menor quando se comparava ao grupo controle (Δ = 31,30 ± 70, p = 0,03). A frequência cardíaca mínima (58,24 ± 8,90 vs 62,80 ± 10, p = 0,68) e a diminuição da frequência cardíaca absoluta no final da manobra (Δ = 38,30 ± 13 vs Δ = 31,47 ± 17, p = 0,10) não foram diferentes em comparação com o grupo controle. A aceleração inicial da frequência cardíaca durante o exercício dinâmico (Δ = 12 ± 7,55 vs Δ = 19 ± 7,27, p = 0,01) também foi menor, mas a recuperação da frequência cardíaca, durante os primeiros dez segundos, foi maior no grupo sero-positivos [mediana:14 (intervalo interquartil: 9,75-17,50) vs 5 (0 - 8,75), p = 0,001]. Os níveis séricos de auto-anticorpos muscarínicos cardíacos foram significativamente maiores nos pacientes chagásicos do que no grupo controle [(mediana: 34,58 densidade óptica (intervalo interquartil 17 - 46,5) vs (mediana: 0, intervalo interquartil 0 - 22,25) p = 0,001] e a correlação é significativa e direta (r = 0,68, p = 0,002) com o início da recuperação da frequência cardíaca durante o exercício dinâmico. Os resultados desta investigação sugerem que indiretamente, os auto-anticorpos muscarínicos cardíacos, podem ter ação agonista positiva sobre o controle parassimpático da frequência cardíaca dos pacientes chagásicos.


Subject(s)
Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Autoantibodies/blood , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/physiopathology , Exercise/physiology , Heart Rate/physiology , Muscarine/immunology , Parasympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology , Valsalva Maneuver/physiology , Case-Control Studies , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/blood , Echocardiography , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Muscarine/blood
17.
Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo ; 55(1): 31-7, 2013.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23328723

ABSTRACT

We have studied the cardiac chronotropic responses to the Valsalva maneuver and to dynamic exercise of twenty chronic chagasic patients with normal left ventricular function and no segmental wall abnormalities by two-dimensional echocardiogram. The absolute increase in heart rate of the patients (Δ = 21.5 ± 10 bpm, M±SD) during the maneuver was significantly diminished when compared to controls (Δ = 31.30 ± 70, M±SD, p = 0.03). The minimum heart rate (58.24 ± 8.90 vs. 62.80 ± 10, p = 0.68) and the absolute decrease in heart rate at the end of the maneuver (Δ = 38.30 ± 13 vs. Δ = 31.47 ± 17, p = 0.10) were not different from controls. The initial heart rate acceleration during dynamic exercise (Δ = 12 ± 7.55 vs. Δ = 19 ± 7.27, M±SD, p = 0.01) was also diminished, but the heart rate recovery during the first ten seconds was more prominent in the sero-positive patients (Median: 14, Interquartile range: (9.75-17.50 vs. 5(0-8.75, p = 0.001). The serum levels of muscarinic cardiac auto-antibodies were significantly higher in the chagasic patients (Median: 34.58, Interquartile Range: 17-46.5, Optical Density) than in controls (Median: 0, Interquartile Range: 0-22.25, p = 0.001) and correlated significantly and directly (r = 0.68, p = 0.002) with early heart rate recovery during dynamic exercise. The results of this investigation indirectly suggest that, the cardiac muscarinic auto-antibodies may have positive agonist effects on parasympathetic heart rate control of chagasic patients.


Subject(s)
Autoantibodies/blood , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/physiopathology , Exercise/physiology , Heart Rate/physiology , Muscarine/immunology , Parasympathetic Nervous System/physiopathology , Valsalva Maneuver/physiology , Adult , Case-Control Studies , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/blood , Echocardiography , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Muscarine/blood
18.
Bol. malariol. salud ambient ; 53(1): 1-10, ene. 2013. ilus, tab
Article in Spanish | LILACS | ID: lil-745284

ABSTRACT

Se registra un brote de enfermedad de chagas agudo, en una localidad rural de Mérida-Venezuela, asociado con transmisión oral por ingesta contaminada con trypanosoma cruzi dada la masiva y simultanea infección detectada en 5 miembros de una familia. La masiva transmisión de T. cruzi generó cuadros clínicos severos causando miocarditis aguda en 2 pacientes (40%) incluyendo un caso fatal. La severidad clínica en todos los pacientes involucrados mostró correspondencia con los hallazgos parasitológicos, serológicos y moleculares (PCR) con los cuales se evidenció presencia de tripomastigotes sanguícolas de T. cruzi, anticuerpos anti-T. cruzi con niveles variables de IgM e IgG específicas y ADN de T. cruzi, respectivamente. Asimismo, el perfil clínico reveló 17 signos o síntomas con un promedio por paciente de 12±3 (rango=9-16) con simultaneidad en 8 de los síntomas más frecuentemente detectados. Resalta en la sintomatología la presencia de edema facial interno con manifiesta tumefacción y parestesia lingual en ausencia del cuadro típico de edema bipalpebral (signo de Romaña) y/o chagoma de inoculación comúnmente registrados en la infección chagásica por vía vectorial. Se argumenta la posibilidad de la transmisión oral y se discute la potencial importancia epidemiológica del presente hallazgo.


An acute Chagas disease outbreak associated with oral transmission, detected in a rural village of Merida- Venezuela, is reported. The massive transmission due to ingestion of food contaminated with Trypanosoma cruzi generated, in 5 members of the same family, severe clinical features causing acute myocarditis in two of them (40%) including a fatal case. Parasitological, serological and molecular (PCR) examination of samples from the 5 patients involved in the outbreak, revealed T.cruzi blood circulating tripomastigotes, anti-T. cruzi specific antibodies (IgM; IgG) and the presence of T. cruzi respectively. The recorded clinical pattern detected a total of 17 signs or symptoms with an average ± SD 12±3 per patients (range = 9-16) showing simultaneity in 8 symptoms and a 20% mortality. A remarkable characteristic detected during the study was the presence of internal facial swollen with paresthesia in tongue in absence of the typical Romaña's sign or chagoma commonly found in Chagas disease-infection caused by vector transmission. The possible oral transmission and the potential of the findings from the epidemiological viewpoint are discussed.


Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Chagas Disease , Parasites , Trypanosoma cruzi/parasitology , Endemic Diseases , Epidemiologic Factors
19.
Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis ; 2012: 980739, 2012.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23091486

ABSTRACT

Primary abnormalities of the autonomic nervous system had been postulated as the pathogenic mechanisms of myocardial damage, in patients with Chagas disease. However, recent investigations indicate that these abnormalities are secondary and amenable to treatment with beta-adrenergic blockers. Moreover, muscarinic cardiac autoantibodies appear to enhance parasympathetic activity on the sinus node. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze how knowledge on Chagas' disease evolved from being initially considered as a primary cardioneuromyopathy to the current status of a congestive cardiomyopathy of parasitic origin.

20.
Liver Transpl ; 18(11): 1324-32, 2012 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22887968

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to identify peritransplant predictors of early graft survival and posttransplant parameters that could be used to predict early graft outcomes after pediatric liver transplantation (PLT). The response of children to liver dysfunction after liver transplantation (LT) is poor. No data have been reported for early predictors of poor graft survival, which would potentially be valuable for rescuing children at risk after LT. A retrospective cohort study of 422 PLT procedures performed from 2000 to 2010 at a single center was conducted. Multiple peritransplant variables were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses using receiver operating characteristic curves were performed to identify predictors of early graft loss (ie, at 30, 60, and 90 days). The number needed to treat (NNT) was calculated when the risk factors were identified. Comparisons with the Olthoff criteria for early graft dysfunction in adults were performed. The overall 30-, 60-, and 90-day graft survival rates were 93.6%, 92.6%, and 90.7%, respectively. A recipient age of 0 to 2 or 6 to 16 years, acute liver failure, and a posttransplant day 7 serum bilirubin level > 200 µmol/L were risk factors for graft loss in the 3-strata Cox models. The product of the peak aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level, day 2 international normalized ratio (INR) value, and day 7 bilirubin level [with 30-, 60-, and 90-day areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROCs) of 0.774, 0.752, and 0.715, respectively] and a day 7 bilirubin level > 200 µmol/L (with 30-, 60-, and 90-day AUROCs of 0.754, 0.661, and 0.635, respectively) provided excellent prediction rates for early graft loss (30-days for Day-7-bilirubin level > 200) in the pediatric population (sensitivity = 72.7%, specificity = 96.6%, positive predictive value = 95.5%, negative predictive value = 78%). The NNT with early retransplantation when the day 7 bilirubin level was >200 µmol/L was 2.17 (unadjusted) or 2.76 (adjusted for graft survival). In conclusion, 2 scores-the product of the peak AST level, day 2 INR value, and day 7 bilirubin level and a posttransplant day 7 bilirubin level > 200 µmol/L-have been identified as clinically valuable tools with high accuracy for predicting early graft loss. A more aggressive attitude to considering early retransplantation in this group may further improve survival after LT.


Subject(s)
Graft Survival , Liver Failure/therapy , Liver Transplantation/methods , Adolescent , Child , Child, Preschool , Cohort Studies , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Male , Multivariate Analysis , Pediatrics/methods , Reproducibility of Results , Retrospective Studies , Risk , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome
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