Relevance of Fluorodopa PET Scan in Dopamine Responsive Dystonia and Juvenile Parkinsonism: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Dopamine Responsive Dystonia (DRD) and Juvenile Parkinsonism (JP) are two diseases commonly presenting with parkinsonian symptoms in young patients. Current clinical guidelines offer a diagnostic approach based on molecular analysis. However, developing countries have limitations in terms of accessibility to these tests. We aimed to assess the utility of imaging equipment, usually more available worldwide, to help diagnose and improve patients' quality of life with these diseases. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature review in English using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and meta-analysis of observational studies in epidemiology (MOOSE) protocols. We only used human clinical trials about dopamine responsive dystonia and juvenile parkinsonism patients in which a fluorodopa (FD) positron emission tomography (PET) scan was performed to identify its use in these diseases. RESULTS: We included six studies that fulfilled our criteria. We found a clear pattern of decreased uptake in the putamen and caudate nucleus in JP cases. At the same time, the results in DRD were comparable to normal subjects, with only a slightly decreased marker uptake in the previously mentioned regions by the FD PET scan. CONCLUSIONS: We found a distinctive pattern for each of these diseases. Identifying these findings with FD PET scans can shorten the delay in making a definitive diagnosis when genetic testing is unavailable, a common scenario in developing countries.

Vertebral metastasis of renal carcinoma at diagnosis: mechanical and clinical evaluation: surgical management / Metástasis vertebral de carcinoma renal en el momento del diagnóstico: evaluación mecánica y clínica: manejo quirúrgico

Renal cell carcinoma accounts for 2-3% of all malignant neoplasms. Metastatic disease of the spine is common and 50% of bone metastases are already present at the time of primary diagnosis. Bone metastases from renal cell carcinoma are difficult to manage, especially vertebral localization.A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in the context of low back pain. The patient presented two skeleton metastases at diagnosis (T11 and 5th rib). The patient received neoadjuvant treatment with cabozantinib, followed by removal of the renal tumor. Radiotherapy was administered for the lumbar lesion. In spite of the radiotherapy treatment, increased low back pain limiting mobility and ambulation. MRI showed an occupation of the spinal canal, without neurological lesion. The SINS scale revealed a score of 14 (vertebral instability). The patient's prognosis was greater than 12 months according to the Tokuhashi score. Based on clinical and mechanical criteria, surgical treatment of the vertebral lesion was decided. T11 vertebrectomy was performed, the reconstruction was made with an expandable cage, and T8 a L2 posterior spinal arthrodesis. A partial resection of the fifth rib was performed in order to remove the whole macroscopic tumor. After 3 months, she was diagnosed with a local infection, treated by irrigation, debridement and antibiotherapy, with good evolution. At 1-year follow-up, she has no low back pain or functional limitation. Follow-up chest-abdomen-pelvis computed CT scan showed absence of disease progression, furthermore, the vertebral arthrodesis shows fusion signs. At the time of this report, there are no clinical or radiological data of infection

El carcinoma de células renales representa el 2-3% de todas las neoplasias malignas. La enfermedad metastásica de la columna vertebral es frecuente y el 50% de las metástasis óseas ya están presentes en el momento del diagnóstico. Las metástasis óseas del carcinoma de células renales son difíciles de manejar, especialmente en localización vertebral.Una mujer de 48 años fue diagnosticada de carcinoma de células renales en el contexto de un dolor lumbar. La paciente presentaba dos metástasis óseas en el momento del diagnóstico (T11 y 5ª costilla). Inicialmente recibió tratamiento neoadyuvante con cabozantinib, seguido de la extirpación quirúrgica del tumor renal. Se administró radioterapia para la lesión lumbar. A pesar del tratamiento radioterápico, aumentó el dolor lumbar con limitación para la movilidad y la deambulación. La RM mostró una ocupación del canal espinal, sin lesión neurológica. La escala SINS reveló una puntuación de 14 (inestabilidad vertebral). El pronóstico de la paciente era superior a 12 meses según la puntuación de Tokuhashi. Basándose en criterios clínicos y mecánicos, se decidió el tratamiento quirúrgico de la lesión vertebral. Se realizó una vertebrectomía de T11, para la reconstrucción se usó una caja extensible, junto con una artrodesis vertebral T8-L2. Se realizó una resección parcial de la quinta costilla para eliminar todo el tumor macroscópico. A los 3 meses de la cirugía la paciente fue diagnosticada de infección local, tratada mediante irrigación, desbridamiento y antibioterapia, con buena evolución. Al año de seguimiento, no presenta dolor lumbar ni limitación funcional. La tomografía computarizada de tórax-abdomen-pelvis de seguimiento mostró ausencia de progresión de la enfermedad, además, la artrodesis vertebral muestra signos de fusión. En el momento de este informe, no hay datos clínicos ni radiológicos de infección.

Traumatic recurrent hip dislocation associated with femoral head fracturere constructed with iliac crest autograft / Luxación recurrente de cadera asociada a fractura de cabeza femoral reconstruida con autoinjerto de cresta iliaca

Hip femoral head fractures are extremely uncommon, but likely associated with traumatic hip dislocations. Both lesions require emergent treatment to avoid further complications.19-year-old male patient was received after a high-energy motor vehicle accident with severe brain and thoraco-abdominal trauma and a displaced femoral head fracture with posterior hip dislocation with no acetabular fracture. An emergent open reduction and internal fixation with 2 headless screws was performed, as well as posterior capsule repair. After 1 month as an inpatient in Intensive Care Unit, he sustained a new episode of posterior hip dislocation. Consequently, a second successful surgical reduction was obtained, and hip stability was achieved by posterior reconstruction with iliac crest autograft fixed with cannulated screw and posterior structure repair. Two years later, he was able to walk independently and he does not present any signs of degenerative joint disease nor avascular necrosis.

Las fracturas de la cabeza femoral son extremadamente raras y están asociadas comúnmente con una luxación de cadera traumática. Ambas lesiones requieren tratamiento urgente con el objetivo de evitar complicaciones posteriores. Un paciente varón de 19 años fue trasladado tras un accidente de tráfico de alta energía en el que sufrió un traumatismo craneoencefálico y toracoabdominal grave, además de una fractura de cabeza femoral desplazada junto a una luxación posterior de cadera sin afectación acetabular. De manera urgente, fue intervenido mediante una reducción abierta y fijación interna de la fractura con dos tornillos canulados sin cabeza y reparación de la cápsula articular posterior. Tras un mes de ingreso en la unidad de cuidados intensivos, sufrió un nuevo episodio de luxación posterior de cadera. Debido a ello, se realiza una segunda intervención quirúrgica con reducción abierta y en la que se obtiene una adecuada estabilidad de la cadera mediante reconstrucción posterior con la adición de autoinjerto tricortical de cresta ilíaca y reparación capsular posterior. Después de dos años de seguimiento, el paciente deambula de manera independiente, sin dolor y sin signos degenerativos ni de necrosis avascular en las pruebas de imagen.

The highly antigenic 53/25 kDa Taenia solium protein fraction with cathepsin-L like activity is present in the oncosphere/cysticercus and induces non-protective IgG antibodies in pigs.

Cathepsin L-like proteases are secreted by several parasites including Taenia solium. The mechanism used by T. solium oncospheres to degrade and penetrate the intestine and infect the host is incompletely understood. It is assumed that intestinal degradation is driven by the proteolytic activity of enzymes secreted by the oncosphere. Blocking the proteolytic activity by an antibody response would prevent the oncosphere penetration and further infection. Serine and cysteine proteases including chymotrypsin, trypsin, elastase, and cathepsin L, are secreted by T. solium and Taenia saginata oncospheres when cultured in vitro, being potential vaccine candidates. However, the purification of a sufficient quantity of proteases secreted by oncospheres to conduct a vaccine trial is costly and lengthy. A 53/25 kDa cathepsin L-like fraction partially purified from T. solium cyst fluid was described previously as an important antigen for immunodiagnostics. In this study we found that this antigen is present in the T. solium oncosphere and is also secreted by the cysticercus. This protein fraction was tested for its ability to protect pigs against an oral challenge with T. solium oncospheres in a vaccine trial. IgG antibodies against the 53/25 kDa cathepsin L-like protein fraction were elicited in the vaccinated animals but did not confer protection.

Image segmentation of biofilm structures using optimal multi-level thresholding.

The appreciation of biofilm structures in digital images can be subjective to the observer, and hence it is necessary to analyse the underlying images in useful parameters by means of quantification that is, ideally, free of errors. This paper proposes a combination of techniques for segmentation of biofilm images through an optimal multi-level thresholding algorithm and a set of clustering validity indices, including the determination of the best number of thresholds. The results, which are validated through Rand Index and a quantification process performed in a laboratory, are similar to the quantification and segmentation done by an expert.

Lucilia sericata strain from Colombia: Experimental colonization, life tables and evaluation of two artificial diets of the blowfly Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Bogotá, Colombia strain.

The objective of this work was to establish, under experimental laboratory conditions, a colony of Lucilia sericata, Bogotá-Colombia strain, to build life tables and evaluate two artificial diets. This blowfly is frequently used in postmortem interval studies and in injury treatment. The parental adult insects collected in Bogotá were maintained in cages at 22°C±1 average temperature, 60%±5 relative humidity and 12 h photoperiodicity. The blowflies were fed on two artificial diets that were evaluated over seven continuous generations. Reproductive and population parameters were assessed. The life cycle of the species was expressed in the number of days of the different stages: egg = 0.8±0.1, larvae I = 1.1±0.02, larvae II = 1.94±0.16, larvae III = 3.5±0.54, pupae = 6.55±0.47, male adult = 28.7±0.83 and female adult = 33.5±1.0. Total survival from egg stage to adult stage was 91.2% for diet 1, while for diet 2 this parameter was 40.5%. The lifetime reproductive output was 184.51±11.2 eggs per female. The population parameters, as well as the reproductive output of the blowflies that were assessed, showed relatively high values, giving evidence of the continuous increase of the strain over the different generations and making possible its maintenance as a stable colony that has lasted for more than two years.

Biofilm growth kinetics of a monomethylamine producing Alphaproteobacteria strain isolated from an anaerobic reactor.

Industrial fishing effluents are characterized by high loads of protein and sulfate that stimulate the activity of proteolytic and sulfate reducing bacteria during anaerobic digestion. Their metabolic products (NH3 and H2S respectively) have a well-known detrimental effect on the activity of methanogens. Since methylamine is a carbon source used by methylaminotrophic methane producing archaea (mMPA) but not by sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), enriched mMPA anaerobic biofilms have been developed on ceramics. We propose that methylated amines could be produced in the biofilm by using betaine, a known precursor of methylamine, as a carbon and energy source. We isolated an anaerobic betainotrophic methylaminogenic bacterial strain (bMB) from an anaerobic bioreactor, using betaine as the only carbon and energy source. This strain was identified by a standard biochemical test (API 20NE), cloning, and 16S rDNA sequencing. bMB biofilm structure and biofilm growth kinetic parameters were determined by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the Gompertz growth model, respectively. Monomethylamine production was determined by infrared spectroscopy and by high pressure liquid chromatography. The isolated bMB strain was determined as Stappia stellulata (Proteobacteria phylum). It was able to form biofilm on ceramics and its kinetic growth parameters resulted in: maximum biofilm bacterial count (A) of 6.25 x 10(8) UFC/cm(2) and maximum specific growth rate (mu(m)) of 0.0221/h. Production of monomethylamine was about 4.027 atogram/cell/day (at/cell/day) after 15 days of incubation in biofilms. This study confirms the adhesion capacity of this bMB strain on ceramic supports, assuring that monomethylamine production in biofilms could be enriched with mMPA that use monomethylamine.

Lucilia sericata strain from Colombia: Experimental Colonization, Life Tables and Evaluation of Two Artifcial Diets of the Blowfy Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), Bogotá, Colombia Strain

The objective of this work was to establish, under experimental laboratory conditions, a colony of Lucilia sericata, Bogotá-Colombia strain, to build life tables and evaluate two artifcial diets. This blowfy is frequently used in postmortem interval studies and in injury treatment. The parental adult insects collected in Bogotá were maintained in cages at 22°C±1 average temperature, 60 percent±5 relative humidity and 12 h photoperiodicity. The blowfies were fed on two artifcial diets that were evaluated over seven continuous generations. Reproductive and population parameters were assessed. The life cycle of the species was expressed in the number of days of the different stages: egg = 0.8±0.1, larvae I = 1.1±0.02, larvae II = 1.94±0.16, larvae III = 3.5±0.54, pupae = 6.55±0.47, male adult = 28.7±0.83 and female adult = 33.5±1.0. Total survival from egg stage to adult stage was 91.2 percent for diet 1, while for diet 2 this parameter was 40.5 percent. The lifetime reproductive output was 184.51±11.2 eggs per female. The population parameters, as well as the reproductive output of the blowfies that were assessed, showed relatively high values, giving evidence of the continuous increase of the strain over the different generations and making possible its maintenance as a stable colony that has lasted for more than two years.

A hill-climbing approach for automatic gridding of cDNA microarray images.

Image and statistical analysis are two important stages of cDNA microarrays. Of these, gridding is necessary to accurately identify the location of each spot while extracting spot intensities from the microarray images and automating this procedure permits high-throughput analysis. Due to the deficiencies of the equipment used to print the arrays, rotations, misalignments, high contamination with noise and artifacts, and the enormous amount of data generated, solving the gridding problem by means of an automatic system is not trivial. Existing techniques to solve the automatic grid segmentation problem cover only limited aspects of this challenging problem and require the user to specify the size of the spots, the number of rows and columns in the grid, and boundary conditions. In this paper, a hill-climbing automatic gridding and spot quantification technique is proposed which takes a microarray image (or a subgrid) as input and makes no assumptions about the size of the spots, rows, and columns in the grid. The proposed method is based on a hill-climbing approach that utilizes different objective functions. The method has been found to effectively detect the grids on microarray images drawn from databases from GEO and the Stanford genomic laboratories.

Prurigo actínico familiar / Familial actinic prurigo

Polymorphous light eruption may be familial. it may be produced by actinic rays and thence its prevalence in very high areas where they abound. Patients, probably, have a greater sensitiveness to those rays due to lack of urocanic acid - a protective substance of the skin against sunlight which is a consequence of deficient protein ingestion, since the said substance is a derivative of histidine and this in turn a component of the proteinic molecule. This explains why this disease is almost exclusive of the poor people. The relative indemnity of adult males is propably due to the better utilization of the few proteins of their diets as a consequence of the anabolic action of testosterone.