The role of metabolic and bariatric surgery on the obesity pandemic in Latin America: A review of current practices and future directions.

Latin America faces a significant public health challenge due to the high prevalence of obesity and its associated diseases. Metabolic and bariatric surgery is effective and safe to treat obesity when other treatments fail; however, its implementation in Latin America remains unsatisfactory. This review explores the current status, challenges, and innovations of metabolic and bariatric surgery in Latin America. We searched peer-reviewed journals in English and Spanish for relevant articles published between 1998 and 2023. We found that more than 20% of the Latin American population is affected by obesity. Unfortunately, only a limited number of patients have access to metabolic and bariatric surgery due to high cost, limited availability, and shortage of specialists. The review found that ongoing clinical trials are being conducted in Brazil, Mexico, Chile, and Venezuela, indicating some regional progress. However, published studies remain low in number compared with other regions. Furthermore, we summarized the clinical outcomes, risks, and perioperative assessments associated with metabolic and bariatric surgery. We discussed potential strategies to enhance the availability and affordability of this intervention. This review emphasizes the significance of metabolic and bariatric surgery in addressing the obesity pandemic, specifically for Latin America, and proposes directions for future research and innovation.

Feasibility of robotic cholecystectomy at an academic center with a young robotic surgery program: a retrospective cohort study with umbrella review.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has been standard of care for surgical treatment of benign gallbladder pathology for decades. With the advent of robotic surgical technology, robotic cholecystectomy (RC) has gained attention as an alternative to conventional laparoscopy. This study introduces a single-surgeon experience with laparoscopic versus robotic cholecystectomy and an umbrella systematic review of the outcomes of both approaches. A retrospective chart review was performed at a single institution on a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic cholecystectomy for benign gallbladder pathology. An umbrella systematic review was conducted using PRISMA methodology. A total of 103 patients were identified; 61 patients underwent LC and 42 underwent RC. In the RC cohort, 17 cases were completed using a four-port technique while 25 were completed using a three-port technique. Patients undergoing RC were older compared to the LC group (44.78 vs 57.02 years old; p < 0.001) and exhibited lower body mass index (29.37 vs 32.37 kg/m2, p = 0.040). No statistically significant difference in operative time or need for postoperative ERCP was noted. Neither this series nor the umbrella systematic review revealed significant differences in conversion to open surgery or readmissions between the LC and RC cohorts. Three-port RC was associated with reduced operative time compared to four-port RC (101.28 vs 150.76 min; p < 0.001). Robotic cholecystectomy is feasible and safe at a young robotic surgery program in an academic center setting and comparable to laparoscopic cholecystectomy clinical outcomes.

CXCR5+CD8+ T cells: A Review of their Antibody Regulatory Functions and Clinical Correlations.

CD8+ T cells have conventionally been studied in relationship to pathogen or tumor clearance. Recent reports have identified novel functions of CXCR5+CD8+ T cells that can home to lymphoid follicles, a key site of antibody production. In this review we provide an in-depth analysis of conflicting reports regarding the impact of CXCR5+CD8+ T cells on antibody production and examine the data supporting a role for antibody-enhancement (B cell "helper") and antibody-downregulation (antibody-suppressor) by CXCR5+CD8+ T cell subsets. CXCR5+CD8+ T cell molecular phenotypes are associated with CD8-mediated effector functions including distinct subsets that regulate antibody responses. Co-inhibitory molecule PD-1, among others, distinguish CXCR5+CD8+ T cell subsets. We also provide the first in-depth review of human CXCR5+CD8+ T cells in the context of clinical outcomes and discuss the potential utility of monitoring the quantity of peripheral blood or tissue infiltrating CXCR5+CD8+ T cells as a prognostic tool in multiple disease states.

Combined administration of platelet rich plasma and autologous bone marrow aspirate concentrate for spinal cord injury: a descriptive case series.

Administration of platelet rich plasma (PRP) and bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC) has shown some promise in the treatment of neurological conditions; however, there is limited information on combined administration. As such, the purpose of this study was to assess safety and functional outcomes for patients administered combined autologous PRP and BMAC for spinal cord injury (SCI). This retrospective case series included seven patients who received combined treatment of autologous PRP and BMAC via intravenous and intrathecal administration as salvage therapy for SCI. Patients were reviewed for adverse reactions and clinical outcomes using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for up to 1 year, as permitted by availability of follow-up data. Injury levels ranged from C3 through T11, and elapsed time between injury and salvage therapy ranged from 2.4 months to 6.2 years. Post-procedure complications were mild and rare, consisting only of self-limited headache and subjective memory impairment in one patient. Four patients experienced severe disability prior to PRP combined with BMAC injection, as evidenced by high (> 48/100) Oswestry Disability Index scores. Longitudinal Oswestry Disability Index scores for two patients with incomplete SCI at C6 and C7, both of whom had cervical spine injuries, demonstrated a decrease of 28-40% following salvage therapy, representing an improvement from severe to minimal disability. In conclusion, intrathecal/intravenous co-administration of PRP and BMAC resulted in no significant complications and may have had some clinical benefits. Larger clinical studies are needed to further test this method of treatment for patients with SCI who otherwise have limited meaningful treatment options. This study was reviewed and approved by the OhioHealth Institutional Review Board (IRB No. 1204946) on May 16, 2018.

Antibody-suppressor CD8+ T Cells Require CXCR5.

BACKGROUND: We previously reported the novel activity of alloprimed CD8 T cells that suppress posttransplant alloantibody production. The purpose of the study is to investigate the expression and role of CXCR5 on antibody-suppressor CD8 T-cell function. METHODS: C57BL/6 mice were transplanted with FVB/N hepatocytes. Alloprimed CD8 T cells were retrieved on day 7 from hepatocyte transplant recipients. Unsorted or flow-sorted (CXCR5CXCR3 and CXCR3CXCR5) alloprimed CD8 T-cell subsets were analyzed for in vitro cytotoxicity and capacity to inhibit in vivo alloantibody production following adoptive transfer into C57BL/6 or high alloantibody-producing CD8 knock out (KO) hepatocyte transplant recipients. Alloantibody titer was assessed in CD8 KO mice reconstituted with naive CD8 T cells retrieved from C57BL/6, CXCR5 KO, or CXCR3 KO mice. Antibody suppression by ovalbumin (OVA)-primed monoclonal OVA-specific t-cell receptor transgenic CD8+ T cells (OT-I) CXCR5 or CXCR3 CD8 T-cell subsets was also investigated. RESULTS: Alloprimed CXCR5CXCR3CD8 T cells mediated in vitro cytotoxicity of alloprimed "self" B cells, while CXCR3CXCR5CD8 T cells did not. Only flow-sorted alloprimed CXCR5CXCR3CD8 T cells (not flow-sorted alloprimed CXCR3CXCR5CD8 T cells) suppressed alloantibody production and enhanced graft survival when transferred into transplant recipients. Unlike CD8 T cells from wild-type or CXCR3 KO mice, CD8 T cells from CXCR5 KO mice do not develop alloantibody-suppressor function. Similarly, only flow-sorted CXCR5CXCR3 (and not CXCR3CXCR5) OVA-primed OT-I CD8 T cells mediated in vivo suppression of anti-OVA antibody production. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the conclusion that expression of CXCR5 by antigen-primed CD8 T cells is critical for the function of antibody-suppressor CD8 T cells.

mTOR Inhibition Suppresses Posttransplant Alloantibody Production Through Direct Inhibition of Alloprimed B Cells and Sparing of CD8+ Antibody-Suppressing T cells.

BACKGROUND: De novo alloantibodies (donor-specific antibody) contribute to antibody-mediated rejection and poor long-term graft survival. Because the development of donor-specific antibody is associated with early graft loss of cell transplants and reduced long-term survival of solid organ transplants, we hypothesized that conventional immunosuppressives, calcineurin inhibitors (CNi), and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi), may not be as effective for suppression of humoral alloimmunity as for cell-mediated immunity. METHODS: Wild-type or CD8-depleted mice were transplanted with allogeneic hepatocytes. Recipients were treated with mTORi and/or CNi and serially monitored for alloantibody and graft survival. The direct effect of mTORi and CNi on alloprimed B cell function was investigated in Rag1 mice adoptively transferred with alloprimed IgG1 B cells. The efficacy of mTORi and/or CNi to suppress CD8-mediated cytotoxicity of IgG1 B cells was evaluated in in vitro and in vivo cytotoxicity assays. RESULTS: Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitors, but not CNi, reduced alloantibody production in transplant recipients, directly suppressed alloantibody production by alloprimed IgG1 B cells and delayed graft rejection in both low and high alloantibody producers. Combination treatment with mTORi and CNi resulted in loss of the inhibitory effect observed for mTORi monotherapy in part due to CNi suppression of CD8 T cells which downregulate alloantibody production (CD8 TAb-supp cells). CONCLUSIONS: Our data support that mTORi is a potent inhibitor of humoral immunity through suppression of alloprimed B cells and preservation of CD8 TAb-supp cells. In contrast, alloantibody is readily detected in CNi-treated recipients because CNi does not suppress alloprimed B cells and interferes with downregulatory CD8 TAb-supp cells.