Novel technique of development of human derived acellular dermal matrix.

Reconstructive surgery techniques have evolved exponentially in last decades. From regional flaps to free tissue transfer, tissue movilization has become the gold standart treatment in many reconstructive procedures. Main disadvantage from these techniques lies in the possibility of sequels in donor zone. Furthermore, raising comorbidities in general population and growing indications for reconstructive surgery in elder people, have triggered the development of new biomaterials which can offer support in the reconstruction while elicit donor zone morbidity. Advances in tissue decellularization techniques have brought numerous matrices which have shown effectivity in many reconstructive procedures. Use of acellular dermal matrices may become an eligible solution for many reconstructive procedures. From breast reconstruction assisted by matrices to complex wound coverage passing throught tendon repair techniques, acellular dermal matrices have shown effectiveness in last studies. Local production of this biomaterial leads to cost minimization derived from harvesting and manufacturing matrices in our centre and avoid out-of-stock and storage issues. Current original protocol proposed by our group include all steps from harvesting samples from cadaveric donors till matrix storage after decellularization proccess. The result is a high valued biomaterial in terms of biocompatibility and security profile available.

Seroprevalence of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Blood Donors from Nuevo Leon State, Mexico, during 2020: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Evaluation.

The progression and distribution of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic are continuously changing over time and can be traced by blood donors' serological survey. Here, we investigated the seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in blood donors in Nuevo Leon, Mexico during 2020 as a strategy for the rapid evaluation of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and asymptomatic case detection. We collected residual plasma samples from blood donors who attended two regional donation centers from January to December of 2020 to identify changes in anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG prevalence. Plasma samples were analyzed on the Abbott Architect instrument using the commercial Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG chemiluminescent assay. We found a total of 99 reactive samples from 2068 analyzed plasma samples, resulting in a raw prevalence of 4.87%. Donors aged 18-49 years were more likely to be seropositive compared to those aged >50 years (p < 0.001). Weekly seroprevalence increased from 1.8% during the early pandemic stage to 27.59% by the end of the year. Prevalence was 1.46-fold higher in females compared to males. Case geographical mapping showed that Monterrey city recorded the majority of SARS-CoV-2 cases. These results show that there is a growing trend of seroprevalence over time associated with asymptomatic infection that is unnoticed under the current epidemiological surveillance protocols.

[Minimally invasive percutaneous musculoskeletal biopsy performed by Interventional Pathologist for myopathy study. Twenty years of experience]. / Biopsia percutánea muscular mínimamente invasiva realizada por patólogo intervencionista en el estudio de miopatías. Veinte años de experiencia.

INTRODUCTION: Muscle biopsy plays a major role in the final diagnosis of myopathies. Open muscle biopsy is the benchmark procedure, although minimally invasive percutaneous muscle biopsy (MIPMB) has demonstrated comparable diagnostic performance at a lower cost and can be carried out by interventional pathologists. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Muscle biopsies performed from 1997 to 2017 were reviewed and classified according to the type of procedure, whether carried out by an interventional pathologist or another specialist, the diagnosis and the effectiveness of the procedure. RESULTS: 738 muscle biopsies were performed; 32% were open biopsies and 68% MIPMB carried out by pathologist. The muscle most often biopsied was the femoral quadriceps and the most frequent diagnosis was inflammatory myopathies. In only 39 cases (20 open biopsies and 19 MIPMB) was there insufficient tissue for diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Muscle biopsy proved highly effective as a diagnostic tool as 90% yielded adequate tissue samples. The results obtained with MIPMB performed by interventionist pathologists were comparable to those of open muscle biopsy.

Preparation of covalently bonded silica-alginate hybrid hydrogels by SCHIFF base and sol-gel reactions.

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials overcome drawbacks associated with alginate hydrogels. In this work, covalently coupled silica-alginate hybrids were prepared by Schiff base formation and sol-gel reaction using alginate dialdehyde (ADA), (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES), and APTES/tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) precursors. The influence of the polysaccharide/inorganic ratio, the nature of the inorganic precursor and the ionic crosslinking ability are studied. Prepared hybrids were characterized by FT-IR, 13C and 29Si NMR spectroscopies, SEM, and rheology. For ADA/APTES hybrids, at higher ADA content, Schiff base formation is predominant, but at lower ADA content, the sol-gel reaction is prevalent. However, the progress of the sol-gel reactions for ADA/(APTES+TEOS), is favored with higher ADA compositions. Introducing a posterior ionic crosslinking treatment was possible, increasing the moduli in ADA/(APTES+TEOS) hybrids from 86,207 Pa for 1.5 ADA/Si to 362,171 Pa for 1.5 ADA/Si-Ca. In-situ ADA-Silica hybrid hydrogels containing both ionic and covalent crosslinking can be successfully synthesized with the proposed method. CARBPOL-D-21-01042.

SYNTHESIS OF IN-SITU SILICA-ALGINATE HYBRID HYDROGELS BY A SOL-GEL ROUTE.

The preparation of silica-alginate hybrid hydrogels by a sol-gel route is proposed in this work. The in-situ synthesis of silica networks from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) precursors in an alginate matrix is assayed. The experimental parameters were analyzed in three consecutive stages to obtain hybrid materials with specific properties. Stage 1: effect of water and catalyst ratios. Stage 2: effect of the inorganic precursor's ratio. Stage 3: effect of concentration of the alginate solution. The hydrolysis-condensation reactions of the silica precursors were regulated by the alginate concentration, the silica precursor nature, and the HCl/inorganic/H2O ratio. Hybrids prepared with both silica precursors generate longer silica chains. High alginate amounts increase the storage modulus of synthesized hybrids, and high catalyst ratios reduce their stability. Compositions with alginate content of 5 and 8 (wt/v)%, TEOS/APTES weight ratio of 74/26, and without catalyst are suitable to evaluation for their application in tissue engineering.

PERIPHERAL SURFACE DOSE FROM A LINEAR ACCELERATOR: RADIOCHROMIC FILM EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENTS OF FLATTENING FILTER FREE VERSUS FLATTENED BEAMS.

There is a growing interest in the use of flattening filter free (FFF) beams due to the shorter treatment times. The reduction of head scatter suggests a better radiation protection to radiotherapy patients, considering the expected decrease in peripheral surface dose (PSD). In this work, PSD of flattened (FF) and FFF-photon beams was compared. A radiochromic film calibration method to reduce energy dependence was used. PSD was measured at distances from 2 to 50 cm to the field border for different square field sizes, modifying relevant clinical parameters. Also, clinical breast and prostate stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) plans were studied. For square beams, FFF PSD is lower compared with FF PSD (differences ranging from 3 to 64%) and 10 MV FFF yields to the lowest value, for distances greater than 5 cm. For SBRT plans, near and far away from the field border, there is a reduction of PSD for FFF-beams, but the behavior at intermediate distances should be checked depending on the case.

Alginate hydrogels for bone tissue engineering, from injectables to bioprinting: A review.

This review focuses on recently developed alginate injectable hydrogels and alginate composites for applications in bone tissue regeneration, and it evaluates the alternatives to overcome the problems that avoid their utilization in the field. Section 2 covers the properties of alginates that have made them useful for medical applications, in particular their ionic gelling ability for preparing injectable compositions used as delivery drugs systems. The advantages and shortcomings of these preparations are revised together with the chemical modifications assayed. Section 3 describes how it has been taken advantage of alginates into the new field of biofabrication and the developments in bone engineering. The state of the art of this field is reviewed. Finally in Section 4, new developments and approaches that in opinion of the authors can lead to a breakthrough in bone tissue engineering using alginates are introduced.

Signo de la arteria cerebral media hiperdensa en la disección traumática de la arteria carótida interna / Hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign: traumatic dissectionof the internal carotid artery

No disponible

Miositis de células gigantes asociada a miastenia gravis y timoma / Giant cell myositis associated with myasthenia gravis and thymoma

No disponible

Evaluación del estado clínico-funcional de niños con asma bronquial tratados con montelukast / Evaluation of the Clinical Functional Stage in Children Treated with Montelukast

Introducción: el asma bronquial es una enfermedad crónica, los antileucotrienos demuestran gran valor en el tratamiento y su control. Objetivo: evaluar el estado clínico-funcional de los niños tratados con Montelukast. Método: se realizó una investigación longitudinal prospectiva, donde se estudió un total de 37 niños asmáticos en el Policlínico Universitario Rubén Batista Rubio en el municipio Cacocum, provincia de Holguín, Cuba. Resultados: el volumen espiratorio forzado antes del uso de Montelukast, se expresó en +80%, en 21 niños (56,7%) y el 43,2%, 16 de los pacientes se encontraba entre 80-60%, después del medicamento, 32 pacientes (86,5%) se encontraban con un VEF1 +80%, también se observó que 25 pacientes el 92,6% de los que presentaban VEF1 en +80% nunca presentaron tos nocturna y el 93,3% nunca mostraron ni sibilancia al reírse, ni intolerancia a los ejercicios. El 35,14% presentaba otros tipos de atopia, el 51,4% estaban no controlados y el 48,6% parcialmente controlados, se observó que de los no controlados 10 el 27,1% padecían de otras atopias, luego del tratamiento con montelukast, 3 pacientes el 8,1% se encontraban no controlados, se valoró un riesgo relativo de 2,1 en relación con las atopias y el control de la enfermedad. Conclusiones: con la utilización del Montelukast disminuyeron significativamente la sibilancia al reírse, la tos nocturna y la intolerancia al ejercicio físico lográndose un mejor control clínico y aumento del VEF1. Mejoró el estado clínico-funcional de los pacientes asmáticos.

Introduction: bronchial asthma is a chronic disease; the antileukotrienes show a great value in the treatment and control of this disease. Objective: to evaluate the clinical functional stage of children treated with Montelukast. Methods: a retrospective and longitudinal study was done in 37 asthmatic children at Rubén Batista Rubio university polyclinic in Cacocum municipality of Holguín province. Results: forced expiratory volume before using Montelukast was expressed in + 80%, in 21 children (56.7%) and 43.2%, 16 of the patients were between 80-60%, after the drug, 32 patients (86.5% ) Had a FEV1 + 80%, the result also revealed that 25% of patients with FEV1 in 80% never had nocturnal cough, and 93.3% never presented with wheezing or intolerance exercises. 35.14% had other types of atopy, 51.4% were uncontrolled and 48.6% were partially controlled. Of the uncontrolled 10, 27.1% had other atopias, after treatment with montelukast, three patients 8.1%. Were uncontrolled, a relative risk of 2.1 was assessed in relation to atopy and control of the disease. Conclusions: with the use of Montelukast wheezing, nocturnal coughing, and physical exertion intolerance diminished significantly, getting to a better clinical control and the FEV1 increase. The clinical and functional state of asthmatic patients was improved.

Evaluación del estado clínico-funcional de niños con asma bronquial tratados con montelukast / Evaluation of the Clinical Functional Stage in Children Treated with Montelukast

Introducción: el asma bronquial es una enfermedad crónica, los antileucotrienos demuestran gran valor en el tratamiento y su control.Objetivo: evaluar el estado clínico-funcional de los niños tratados con Montelukast.Método: se realizó una investigación longitudinal prospectiva, donde se estudió un total de 37 niños asmáticos en el Policlínico Universitario Rubén Batista Rubio en el municipio Cacocum, provincia de Holguín, Cuba.Resultados: el volumen espiratorio forzado antes del uso de Montelukast, se expresó en +80 , en 21 niños (56,7 por ciento) y el 43,2 por ciento, 16 de los pacientes se encontraba entre 80-60 por ciento, después del medicamento, 32 pacientes (86,5 por ciento) se encontraban con un VEF1 +80 porciento, también se observó que 25 pacientes el 92,6 por ciento de los que presentaban VEF1 en +80 por ciento nunca presentaron tos nocturna y el 93,3 por ciento nunca mostraron ni sibilancia al reírse, ni intolerancia a los ejercicios. El 35,14 por ciento presentaba otros tipos de atopia, el 51,4 por ciento estaban no controlados y el 48,6 por ciento parcialmente controlados, se observó que de los no controlados 10 el 27,1 por ciento padecían de otras atopias, luego del tratamiento con montelukast, 3 pacientes el 8,1 por ciento se encontraban no controlados, se valoró un riesgo relativo de 2,1 en relación con las atopias y el control de la enfermedad.Conclusiones: con la utilización del Montelukast disminuyeron significativamente la sibilancia al reírse, la tos nocturna y la intolerancia al ejercicio físico lográndose un mejor control clínico y aumento del VEF1. Mejoró el estado clínico–funcional de los pacientes asmáticos(AU)

Aplicación práctica de métodos estereológicos renales en modelos animales experimentales / Practical application of stereological methods in experimental kidney animal models

Los riñones son órganos vitales que realizan funciones de excreción, equilibrio hidroelectrolítico y producción de hormonas. La nefrona es su unidad estructural y funcional. El número, tamaño y distribución de los componentes de la nefrona contienen información relevante sobre la función renal. La estereología es una rama de la morfometría que permite, aplicando reglas matemáticas, obtener información tridimensional de estructuras biológicas a partir de cortes microscópicos bidimensionales, seriados, paralelos y equidistantes. Ante la complejidad de los estudios estereológicos y la carencia de una bibliografía clara sobre el desarrollo de los mismos, el objetivo de este trabajo es explicar de forma sencilla y con ejemplos, utilizando un modelo animal, los conceptos básicos de estereología, así como el cálculo de los principales parámetros estereológicos renales y que estos puedan ser aplicados en futuros estudios experimentales (AU)

The kidneys are vital organs responsible for excretion, fluid and electrolyte balance and hormone production. The nephrons are the kidney's functional and structural units. The number, size and distribution of the nephron components contain relevant information on renal function. Stereology is a branch of morphometry that applies mathematical principles to obtain three-dimensional information from serial, parallel and equidistant two-dimensional microscopic sections. Because of the complexity of stereological studies and the lack of scientific literature on the subject, the aim of this paper is to clearly explain, through animal models, the basic concepts of stereology and how to calculate the main kidney stereological parameters that can be applied in future experimental studies (AU)

Anatomic and Ultrasonographic Evaluation of the Knee Sensory Innervation: A Cadaveric Study to Determine Anatomic Targets in the Treatment of Chronic Knee Pain.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthrosis is a main cause of knee pain in the elderly. Pain associated with this condition is often refractory to conservative treatment. Total knee replacement may be the best option for severe pathologies; however, the occurrence of a chronic pain state after knee replacement has been well documented in the literature. The previous descriptions of the genicular nerves have been considered somewhat inaccurate. This innervation is complex and exhibits significant interindividual variability. A precise description of these nerves will increase our knowledge on different patterns and targets, to guide treatment and improve outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine sensory innervation patterns of the knee joint and correlate them with dynamic visualization via ultrasound imaging. METHODS: Systematic cadaveric dissections were performed to determine different patterns of sensory innervation of the knee followed by ultrasonographic correlation. A short-axis ultrasound view of the nerves was used to inject India ink at several points along their course to facilitate the anatomic dissection and confirm their location among adjacent structures. RESULTS: The visualized structures were the following: infrapatellar branch of the saphenous nerve, the branches to vastus medialis, intermedius, and lateralis muscles; obturator nerve; and lateral retinacular and recurrent peroneal nerves. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that reproducible correlations showing the sensory innervations for the knee are linked to muscular structures. However, high variability among individuals makes it difficult to predict their paths. Our systematic approach, using direct visualization via ultrasound, allows a more accurate placement of the needle for therapeutic purposes.

Evaluation of acute skin toxicity in breast radiotherapy with a new quantitative approach.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Current criteria to evaluate acute radiodermatitis are highly subjective so quantification of physiological parameters is needed. We describe a non-invasive method of assessing skin microcirculation in breast cancer patients treated with hypofractionated radiotherapy and correlate them with the CTCAE scale. METHODS: Prospective study of 63 patients where blood flow was measured with real-time laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) at baseline, weekly, and 3-months post-radiotherapy. Skin toxicity was assessed with the microcirculation index (MCI), a novel index based on blood flow parameters obtained via LDF. RESULTS: MCI was positively correlated (R=0.647; p<0.001) with the dose. Changes in MCI from baseline to the end of radiotherapy and at 3-months post-radiotherapy were significant (p<0.001). All CTCAE groups experienced a significant increase in MCI values from baseline to end of radiotherapy (p<0.001 for CTCAE grades 0 and 1; and p=0.028 for the grade 2 group). Significant differences in MCI values were observed among CTCAE groups at the end of radiotherapy (p=0.016). CONCLUSIONS: LDF is an accurate and objective measure of changes in blood flow. The comparison with the CTCAE shows the limitations of this subjective way of classifying patients. LDF is the first step for future studies of radiodermatitis treatments and prevention.

Practical application of stereological methods in experimental kidney animal models. / Aplicación práctica de métodos estereológicos renales en modelos animales experimentales.

The kidneys are vital organs responsible for excretion, fluid and electrolyte balance and hormone production. The nephrons are the kidney's functional and structural units. The number, size and distribution of the nephron components contain relevant information on renal function. Stereology is a branch of morphometry that applies mathematical principles to obtain three-dimensional information from serial, parallel and equidistant two-dimensional microscopic sections. Because of the complexity of stereological studies and the lack of scientific literature on the subject, the aim of this paper is to clearly explain, through animal models, the basic concepts of stereology and how to calculate the main kidney stereological parameters that can be applied in future experimental studies.