Liraglutide effectiveness in preoperative weight-loss for patients with severe obesity undergoing bariatric-metabolic surgery.

Preoperative management of patients living with severe obesity can be challenging; in this context, the preoperative weight loss may help to obtain better outcomes and less morbidity for bariatric surgery. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of GLP-1 analogue Liraglutide in preoperative weight loss. We performed a single-center, quasi-experimental prospective study. Eligible participants were adults in preoperative management for bariatric-metabolic surgery with body-mass index ≥ 48 kg/m2. All patients were assigned liraglutide treatment, with an initial dose of 0.6 mg subcutaneous per day, the dose was increased each week until reaching 3.0 mg for 12 weeks. Weight loss and body composition were evaluated monthly using bioelectric impedance (BIA) (InBody 770 Scale®). We analyzed data using descriptive statistics, central tendency measures and dispersion for quantitative variables and absolute and relative frequencies for qualitative variables. A total of 37 individuals were included in this study, 28 (76%) were female and 9 (24%) were males, with an average age of 44 years. About the BMI, 19 patients (51%) had a BMI > 50 kg/m2, 10 (27%) > 40 kg/m2 and 8 (22%) > 60 kg/m2; with a total average BMI of 56.04 kg/m2. The initial weight was 147.4 ± 14.9 kg which decreased to 139.3 ± 16.8 kg; after 3 months of liraglutide administration. A total of 35 patients had some degree of weight loss (94.6%), while 2 (5.40%) had no weight changes. The total weight loss was 5.50% at 3 months of liraglutide treatment. Liraglutide could be an effective adjuvant therapy for preoperative weight loss in patients living with severe obesity.

Precision Health Diagnostic and Surveillance Network uses S Gene Target Failure (SGTF) combined with sequencing technologies to identify emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Several genomic epidemiology tools have been developed to track the public and population health impact of SARS-CoV-2 community spread worldwide. A SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern (VOC) B.1.1.7, known as 501Y.V1, which shows increased transmissibility, has rapidly become the dominant VOC in the United States (US). Our objective was to develop an evidenced-based genomic surveillance algorithm that combines RT-PCR and sequencing technologies to identify VOCs. Deidentified data were obtained from 508,969 patients tested for COVID-19 with the TaqPath COVID-19 RT-PCR Combo Kit (ThermoFisher) in four CLIA certified clinical laboratories in Puerto Rico (n=86,639) and in three CLIA certified clinical laboratories in the US (n=422,330). TaqPath data revealed a frequency of S Gene Target Failure (SGTF) >47% for the last week of March 2021, in both Puerto Rico and US laboratories. The monthly frequency of SGTF in Puerto Rico steadily increased exponentially from 4% in November 2020 to 47% in March 2021.The weekly SGTF rate in US samples was high (>8%) from late December to early January, and then also increased exponentially through April (48%). The exponential increase in SGFT prevalence in Puerto Rico is concurrent with a sharp increase in VOCs among all SARS-CoV-2 sequences from Puerto Rico uploaded to GISAID (n=461). B.1.1.7 frequency increased from <1% in the last week of January 2021 to 51.5% of viral sequences from Puerto Rico collected in the last week of March 2021. The exponential increase in SGTF and B.1.1.7 prevalence in Puerto Rico and US requires an urgent response. According to the proposed evidence-based algorithm, approximately 50% of all positive samples should be managed as potential B.1.1.7 carriers with VOC quarantine and contact tracing protocols while their lineage is confirmed by WGS in surveillance laboratories. Patients infected with VOCs should be effectively triaged for isolation, contact tracing and follow-up treatment purposes.

Differential effects of the second SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine dose on T cell immunity in naive and COVID-19 recovered individuals

The rapid development and deployment of mRNA-based vaccines against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) led to the design of accelerated vaccination schedules that have been extremely effective in naive individuals. While a two-dose immunization regimen with the BNT162b2 vaccine has been demonstrated to provide a 95% efficacy in naive individuals, the effects of the second vaccine dose in individuals who have previously recovered from natural SARS-CoV-2 infection has been questioned. Here we characterized SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific humoral and cellular immunity in naive and previously infected individuals during full BNT162b2 vaccination. Our results demonstrate that the second dose increases both the humoral and cellular immunity in naive individuals. On the contrary, the second BNT162b2 vaccine dose results in a reduction of cellular immunity in COVID-19 recovered individuals, which suggests that a second dose, according to the current standard regimen of vaccination, may be not necessary in individuals previously infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Bcl3: a regulator of NF-κB inducible by TWEAK in acute kidney injury with anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic properties in tubular cells

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by tubular cell death and interstitial inflammation. TWEAK promotes experimental kidney injury and activates the transcription factor NF-κB, a key regulator of genes involved in cell survival and inflammatory response. In search of potential therapeutic targets for AKI, we compared a transcriptomics database of NF-κB-related genes from murine AKI-kidneys with a transcriptomics database of TWEAK-stimulated cultured tubular cells. Four out of twenty-four (17%) genes were significantly upregulated (false discovery rate, FDR<0.05), while nine out of twenty-four (37%) genes were significantly upregulated at FDR <0.1 in both databases. Bcl3 was the top upregulated NF-κB-related gene in experimental AKI and one of the most upregulated genes in TWEAK-stimulated tubular cells. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR), western blot and immunohistochemistry confirmed Bcl3 upregulation in both experimental conditions and localized increased Bcl3 expression to tubular cells in AKI. Transcriptomics database analysis revealed increased Bcl3 expression in numerous experimental and human kidney conditions. Furthermore, systemic TWEAK administration increased kidney Bcl3 expression. In cultured tubular cells, targeting Bcl3 by siRNA resulted in the magnification of TWEAK-induced NF-κB transcriptional activity, chemokine upregulation and Klotho downregulation, and in the sensitization to cell death induced by TWEAK/TNFα/interferon-γ. In contrast, Bcl3 overexpression decreased NF-κB transcriptional activity, inflammatory response and cell death while dampening the decrease in Klotho expression. In conclusion, Bcl3 expressed in response to TWEAK stimulation decreases TWEAK-induced inflammatory and lethal responses. Therefore, therapeutic upregulation of Bcl3 activity should be explored in kidney disease because it has advantages over chemical inhibitors of NF-κB that are known to prevent inflammatory responses but can also sensitize the cells to apoptosis.

Implications of Fibroblast growth factor/Klotho system in glucose metabolism and diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus, especially type 2 diabetes, remains the dominant metabolic disease worldwide, with an expected increase in prevalence of over 50% in the next 20 years. Our knowledge about the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes continues to be incomplete, with unmet medical need for new therapies. The characterization of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family and the discovery of endocrine FGFs provided new information on the mechanisms of regulation and homeostasis of carbohydrate metabolism. More specifically, FGF19 and FGF21 signaling pathways have been linked to different glucose metabolic processes, including hepatic glucose synthesis, glycogen synthesis, glucose uptake, and insulin sensitivity, among others, and these molecules have been further related to the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus. In-depth comprehension of these growth factors may bring to light new potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

Excesos y alternativas de la salud mental en atención primaria / Excessos e alternativas da saúde mental na atenção primária / Excesses and alternatives in mental health in primary care

La extraordinaria expansión de la psiquiatría y la psicología está propiciando el tratamiento de personas sanas que acaban siendo etiquetadas como trastornos mentales. El reduccionismo biológico del modelo médico centrado en los síntomas favorece la transformación de problemas sociales en conflictos individuales y la exposición de los ciudadanos a los efectos adversos de tratamientos excesivos e improcedentes. La prevención cuaternaria en salud mental contempla el empleo de narrativas y formulación de casos (más allá de la etiqueta diagnóstica), la indicación de no-tratamiento y un empleo de los psicofármacos prudente, que considere su deprescripción.

A extraordinária expansão da psiquiatria e da psicologia está proporcionando o tratamento de pessoas saudáveis que acabam sendo rotuladas como transtornos mentais. O reducionismo biológico do modelo médico centrado em sintomas favorece a transformação de problemas sociais em conflitos individuais e a exposição dos cidadãos aos efeitos adversos de tratamentos excessivos e inadequados. A prevenção quaternária em saúde mental contempla o uso de narrativas e formulação de casos (para além do rótulo diagnóstico), a indicação de não-tratamento e um uso prudente de drogas psicoativas, que leve em consideração sua desprescrição.

The extraordinary expansion of psychiatry and psychology is leading the treatment of healthy people who end up being labelled as mental disorders. The biological reductionism of the medical model centred on the symptoms favours both the transformation of social problems in individual conflicts and the exposure of citizens to the adverse effects of excessive and inappropriate treatments. Quaternary prevention in mental health contemplates the use of narratives and case formulation (beyond the diagnostic label), the indication of non-treatment, and prudent use of psychoactive drugs, taking into account its deprescription.

Bisphenol a in chronic kidney disease.

Phenols are uremic toxins of intestinal origin formed by bacteria during protein metabolism. Of these molecules, p-cresol is the most studied and has been associated with renal function impairment and vascular damage. Bisphenol A (BPA) is a molecule with structural similarity with phenols found in plastic food and beverage containers as well as in some dialyzers. BPA is considered an environmental toxicant based on animal and cell culture studies. Japanese authorities recently banned BPA use in baby bottles based on observational association studies in newborns. BPA is excreted in urine and uremic patients present higher serum levels, but there is insufficient evidence to set cut-off levels or to link BPA to any harmful effect in CKD. However, the renal elimination and potential exposure during dialysis warrant the monitoring of BPA exposure and the design of observational studies in which the potential health risks of BPA for end-stage renal disease patients are evaluated.

Association of neuromyelitis optic (NMO) with autoimmune disorders: report of two cases and review of the literature.

We present two patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO; Devic's syndrome), one associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and the other with Hashimoto thyroiditis. Devic's syndrome, whose initial symptoms and signs mimic those of multiple sclerosis, can be associated with other autoimmune diseases. We emphasize the importance of ruling out other entities throughout the follow-up. NMO is seldom described in patients with lupus, which may be due to the rare occurrence of this association sometimes leading to its misdiagnosis.

[Physiopathology of sleep-disordered breathing in children]. / Fisiopatología de los trastornos respiratorios del sueño en los niños.

Sleep-disordered breathing represents a broad spectrum of alterations, ranging from habitual snoring, through obstructive hypoventilation to obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome, and produces breathing and architecture anomalies during sleep. There are some controversies on the physiopathological mechanisms of sleep-disordered breathing and its metabolic, neurocognitive and cardiovascular effects. The causes of comorbidity in obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in children are not yet well known and can include blood gasometric anomalies, fragmented sleep, and local and systemic inflammation, modulated by genetic, environmental and ethnic factors. The pathogenesis of pediatric sleep-disordered breathing undoubtedly involves complex interactions between anatomical or structural and functional factors, an airway prone to collapse and deficient neuromuscular compensation. Moreover, in children, sleep progresses in accordance with central nervous system development, which varies with age. This article reviews the role of the distinct anatomic, functional and inflammatory factors in the pathophysiology of pediatric sleep-disordered breathing.

Uso de enxertos arterais na cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio / Uso de enxertos arterais na cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio

A revascularização do miocárdio co enxertos de artérias tem sido muito pesquisada como a melhor técnica para a revascularização do coração. Com o passar dos anos tem se procurado o uso de outros tipos de enxertos na revascularização para tentar melhorar e aumentar sua potência...

Resistencia antimicrobiana de Eschirichia coli uropatógena aislada de pacientes comunitarios / Antimicrobial resistance of urinary Escherichia coli isolated from community patients

Antecedentes. La epidemiología de la resistencia antimicrobiana en el ambiente hospitalario ha sido motivo de innumerables publicaciones, sin embargo, con respecto a microorganismos de origen comunitario la información es menos abundante. Objetivo. Precisar la frecuencia con que Escherichia Coli resulta no susceptible a los 14 antimicrobianos habitualmente empleados, en urocultivos practicados a población comunitaria. Material y métodos. Con el método de Kirby Bauer estandarizado por NCCLS, se evaluó la susceptibilidad a 14 antibióticos en un total de 404 cepas de Eschirichia coli procedentes de urocultivos con cuentas mayores a 100,000 UFC/mL. De éstas, 71 por ciento se aislaron en el laboratorio del Hospital General de Zona número 11 del IMSS (HGZ II) y 20 por ciento en el departamento de microbiología de Laboratorios Rivas S. de R.L. de C. V. (LRI). Resultados. Se demostró que en promedio existe resistencia a 24.7 por ciento de los antimicrobianos; ser más evidente en el medio hospitalario que en la comunidad (Delta + 6.2); con influencia de la edad del paciente (R=0.99) y que afecta de manera diferente y específica en cada uno de los antimicrobianos. Conclusión. La resistencia antimicrobiana de Eschirichia Coli uropatógena es un problema clínico significativo. Es conveniente que en nuestro país se haga un esfuerzo por regular el uso de antibióticos dentro y fuera de los hospitales