Correlation Between Tacrolimus Levels in Blood Samples Obtained from Central Catheter and Peripheral Venipuncture in Lung Transplant Patients (Ven-Cat Study).

BACKGROUND: Following lung transplantation (LT), receiving immunosuppressive therapy is crucial. Tacrolimus is considered a drug with a narrow therapeutic range and its use requires constant monitoring. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between tacrolimus levels obtained from central venous catheter and direct venipuncture in adult patients undergoing LT. METHODS: This prospective study included LT patients hospitalized in conventional ward carrying a central catheter through which no intravenous tacrolimus was administered. Trough samples were obtained through direct puncture and from the central catheter. Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated to quantify the mean difference between the 2 measures. RESULTS: A total of 54 sample pairs from 16 LT patients were obtained, mostly male (81.3%) and bilateral transplant recipients (93.8%); the transplant procedure was the primary reason for admission (81.3%). The difference in tacrolimus levels between both samples was 0.3 (0.1-0.6) mcg/L, with the measurement for the samples obtained through venipuncture being mostly higher than that for those obtained from the catheter. A strong correlation was observed between the tacrolimus levels in the samples obtained from the catheter and through venipuncture (Pearson correlation coefficient, 0.991; P < 0.001; R2 = 0.982). CONCLUSIONS: There is an excellent correlation between tacrolimus levels obtained from venipuncture and those obtained from central venous catheter in LT patients undergoing oral tacrolimus therapy.

Measurement of elements by portable x-ray fluorescence spectrometry for the study of adsorption processes: the case of Pb2+adsorption on soybean straw biochar.

This study evaluated the reliability of portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) in Pb2+adsorption kinetics and isotherm experiments using soybean straw biochar. The research aimed to compare pXRF results with those obtained through traditional atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Soybean straw biochar, produced at 400 °C, was employed as the adsorbent for Pb2+. The efficiency of adsorption was assessed using Langmuir and Freundlich models. The kinetics of Pb2+adsorption was analysed through pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models. The pseudo-second-order model described the kinetics of Pb2+adsorption on biochar better than the pseudo-first order model. Importantly, the pXRF technique demonstrated comparable results to those of AAS, making it a reliable and resource-efficient method for studying Pb2+kinetics. The results of the isotherm analyses fit the Langmuir model, indicating a desirable and irreversible adsorption of Pb2+on biochar. PXRF measurements on biochar allowed simultaneous observations of Pb2+adsorption and K+and Ca2+desorption, highlighting ionic exchange as the primary adsorption mechanism. In conclusion, our results showcased the applicability of pXRF for Pb+2adsorption studies in biochars, offering a valuable alternative to traditional methods. The findings contribute to the understanding of biochar as an effective adsorbent for heavy metals, emphasizing the potential of pXRF for cost-effective and efficient environmental research. In this study, we present a novel and detailed procedure that will allow other researchers to continue their studies on Pb2+adsorption on biochar or similar matrices, significantly reducing the resources and time used and enabling the simultaneous study of the behavior of other ions participating in the process.

Alternative management for gynecological cancer care during the COVID-2019 pandemic: A Latin American survey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the acceptance rate of treatment alternatives for women with either preinvasive conditions or gynecologic cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic among Latin American gynecological cancer specialists. METHODS: Twelve experts in gynecological cancer designed an electronic survey, according to recommendations from international societies, using an online platform. The survey included 22 questions on five topics: consultation care, preinvasive cervical pathology, and cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer. The questionnaire was distributed to 1052 specialists in 14 Latin American countries. A descriptive analysis was carried out using statistical software. RESULTS: A total of 610 responses were received, for an overall response rate of 58.0%. Respondents favored offering teleconsultation as triage for post-cancer treatment follow-up (94.6%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy in advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer (95.6%), and total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and defining adjuvant treatment with histopathological features in early stage endometrial cancer (85.4%). Other questions showed agreement rates of over 64%, except for review of pathology results in person and use of upfront concurrent chemoradiation for early stage cervical cancer (disagreement 56.4% and 58.9%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Latin American specialists accepted some alternative management strategies for gynecological cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may reflect the region's particularities. The COVID-19 pandemic led Latin American specialists to accept alternative management strategies for gynecological cancer care, especially regarding surgical decisions.

Obstructive ectopic intratracheal thyroid / Tiroides ectópico intratraqueal obstructivo

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Mating opportunities in Sangalopsis veliterna females: costs and benefits.

In nature, females of several animal taxa exhibit considerable variation in their mating system, and this variation involves different balances of costs (e.g., energetic, reproductive) and benefits (e.g., increased net reproductive rate of the female, increased longevity). Many studies have focused on discovering the potential advantages and disadvantages that females could have when increasing their mating rate and the possible evolutionary consequences that may result. Butterflies and moths are an ideal study system because it is easy to determine and to manipulate experimentally their mating frequency. In this study, the effect of continuous availability of different numbers of males (1, 2, 4, 8) on female mating rate and fitness components was estimated by comparing the number of spermatophores in the corpus bursa (an estimate of the number of copulations, but not of the number males involved in these copulations), female longevity, lifetime number of laid eggs (fecundity), and proportion of hatching eggs (fertility) in the moth Sangalopsis veliterna Druce (Lepidoptera: Geometridae). The results showed that there were no significant differences in either fertility or fecundity when treatments were compared, but longevity and in some cases fecundity increased when females had several matings.

Is electrode-modiolus distance a prognostic factor for hearing performances after cochlear implant surgery?

The aim of this study was to evaluate electrode array position in relation to cochlear anatomy and its influence on hearing performance in cochlear implantees. Twenty-two patients (25 ears) with Med-El cochlear implants were included in this retrospective study. A negative correlation was observed between electrode-modiolus distance (EMD) at the cochlear base and monosyllabic word discrimination 6 months after implantation. We found no correlation between EMD and hearing outcome at 12 months. The insertion depth/cochlear perimeter ratio appeared to negatively influence the EMD at the base. Indeed, deep insertions in small cochleae appeared to yield smaller EMD and better hearing performance. This observation supports the idea of preplanning the surgery by adapting the electrode array to the length of the available scala tympani.

Do facial nerve displacement pattern and tumor adhesion influence the facial nerve outcome in vestibular schwannoma surgery?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the nerve facial displacement by a vestibular schwannoma and nerve adhesion to tumor as predictive factors of facial function outcome. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Ninety-six patients undergoing a solitary vestibular schwannoma surgery during 2005 were included. Data concerning tumor size (Stage 1, intracanalicular; Stage 2, < or =15 mm in the cerebellopontine angle [CPA]; Stage 3, 15-30 mm in the CPA; and Stage 4, >30 mm in the CPA), intraoperative facial nerve displacement (Type 1, anterior to the tumor; Type 2, anterior and superior to the tumor and separated from the cochlear nerve; Type 3, superior to the tumor; and Type 4, posterior to the tumor), degree of tumor adhesion (weak, intermediate, and strong) and postoperative facial function according to the House and Brackmann classification at days 10, 30, 90 and 180 were collected. RESULTS: A good facial function (Grade 1 or 2) was reported in 73% at postoperative Day 180. Univariate analysis showed that facial outcome was better in small tumors, in displacement Types 1 and 2 (Type 1, 46%; Type 2, 34%; and Type 3, 20%), and in tumors with weak and intermediate adhesion (weak, 10%; intermediate, 38%; and strong, 52%). Facial nerve displacement and adhesion were related to tumor stage. The combination of tumor stage, adhesion, and nerve displacement in a logistic regression model was highly predictive of postoperative facial function. CONCLUSION: Facial nerve displacement and nerve adhesion to tumor are significant predictive factors of facial function outcome after vestibular schwannoma surgery in addition to tumor size.

Use of anatomic or invasive markers in association with skin surface registration in image-guided surgery of the temporal bone.

CONCLUSION: The use of an invasive marker in the ipsilateral temporal bone with mid-facial skin contouring for registration improved the position accuracy (PA) to levels required for otological and neuro-otological procedures. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the PA after skin contouring with the combination of anatomic landmarks or a local invasive marker and skin surface registration for intratemporal computer-assisted navigation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients undergoing a lateral skull base procedure with the Digipointeur system (Collin, Bagneux, France) based on CT scan were included in this study. Registration was obtained by a mid-facial skin contouring. In the first protocol (n=8), PA was evaluated and the position corrected for three intratemporal landmarks before evaluation of the target (round window). In a second protocol (n=25), a titanium screw was placed in the ipsilateral mastoid region before imaging. PA was measured before and after screw registration for five intratemporal landmarks. RESULTS: In the first protocol, PA did not improve after the registration of the landmarks, and PA of the target was evaluated as 4.9+/-0.64 mm. In the second protocol, PA was reduced after screw registration for all landmarks with a mean PA ranging from 0 to 2.3 mm.

Caracterización de la fauna del orden Lepidoptera (Rhopalocera) en cinco diferentes localidades de los Llanos orientales Colombianos / Fauna Characterization of the Order Lepidoptera (Rhopalocera) in Five Different Localities of the Colombian Llanos Orientales

En este estudio se realizó un análisis en la variación de la riqueza, composición y abundancia en la comunidad de mariposas para cinco localidades en los llanos orientales colombianos distribuidas así: Haciendas San Antonio (500 msnm), Cafam (200 msnm) y Con Esto Tengo (480 msnm), como bosque de galería, y haciendas Loma Linda (640 msnm) y Buena Vista (1250 msnm) como pie de monte. Para el muestreo se usaron redes caza mariposas y trampas Vansomeren-Rydon, en dos épocas de los años 2003, 2004 y 2005 con visitas de cuatro días por muestreo. Se reporta 469 especímenes distribuidos en seis familias: Hesperidae, Papilionidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae y Riodinidae. En total estas familias se distribuyeron en 37 géneros y 45 especies. Por la composición de ropaloceros los sitios San Antonio, Con esto tengo y Loma Linda presentaron la mayor similitud seguidos de Buena Vista y Cafam, de acuerdo con el análisis de similitud UPGMA, utlizando el coeficiente de Jaccard. Los datos obtenidos revelan la riqueza de la fauna presente en fragmentos de ecosistemas propios de los llanos colombianos, y la necesidad de continuar su seguimiento y monitoreo para plantear planes de manejo y conservación de estas áreas.

Movilidad del cuello vesical evaluada mediante ecografía transperineal / Vesical neck motility evaluation by transperineal ultrasound

Objetivos: Determinar el ángulo pubouretrovesical (APUV) y distancia puburetral en pacientes con incontinencia urinaria de esfuerzo (IUE) y en mujeres sanas. Material y métodos: Se consideró 30 mujeres por grupo, con edad de 38 a 65 años, que fueron sometidas a ecografía perineal para registrar el APUV, la movilidad uretral y la distancia del cuello vesical a la sínfisis pubiana. Resultados: Se determinó que el APUV en IUE fue en promedio: reposo 77º, Valsalva 124,6º, retención 67,9º y movilidad uretral 47,6º, mientras que en mujeres sanas se halló 64,5º, 78,9º y 14,3º, respectivamente. La distancia pubouretral en IUE fue en promedio: reposo 28,3 mm, Valsalva 25,6 mm y retención 28,4 mm; sin embargo, en mujeres normales se encontró 29,1 mm. 26,4 mm y 29,5 mm, respectivamente. Sólo hubo diferencia estadística en APUV en reposo, valsalva y para la movilidad uretral. Aplicando por lo menos dos de estos tres criterios, se calculó una sensibilidad de 93,3 por ciento, especificidad 90,0 por ciento, VPP 90,3 por ciento y VPN 93,1 por ciento. Conclusión: La ecografía perineal es un método útil para el diagnóstico de IUE.