Sleep slow waves' negative-to-positive-phase transition: a marker of cognitive and apneic status in aging.

The sleep slow-wave (SW) transition between negative and positive phases is thought to mirror synaptic strength and likely depends on brain health. This transition shows significant age-related changes but has not been investigated in pathological aging. The present study aimed at comparing the transition speed and other characteristics of SW between older adults with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and cognitively normal (CN) controls with and without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). We also examined the association of SW characteristics with the longitudinal changes of episodic memory and executive functions and the degree of subjective cognitive complaints. aMCI (no/mild OSA = 17; OSA = 15) and CN (no/mild OSA = 20; OSA = 17) participants underwent a night of polysomnography and a neuropsychological evaluation at baseline and 18 months later. Participants with aMCI had a significantly slower SW negative-to-positive-phase transition speed and a higher proportion of SW that are "slow-switchers" than CN participants. These SW measures in the frontal region were significantly correlated with memory decline and cognitive complaints in aMCI and cognitive improvements in CN participants. The transition speed of the SW that are "fast-switchers" was significantly slower in OSA compared to no or mild obstructive sleep apnea participants. The SW transition-related metrics showed opposite correlations with the longitudinal episodic memory changes depending on the participants' cognitive status. These relationships were particularly strong in participants with aMCI. As the changes of the SW transition-related metrics in pathological aging might reflect synaptic alterations, future studies should investigate whether these new metrics covary with biomarker levels of synaptic integrity in this population.

Dose simulations of an early 20th century kilovoltage pneumonia radiotherapy technique performed with a modern fluoroscope.

To simulate an early 20th century viral pneumonia radiotherapy treatment using modern fluoroscopy and evaluated it according to current dose guidelines. Monte Carlo was used to assess the dose distribution on an anthropomorphic phantom. Critical organs were: skin, breasts, esophagus, ribs, vertebrae, heart, thymus, and spinal cord. A 100 kVp beam with 3 mm Al HVL, 25 × 25 cm2 posterior-anterior (PA) field and 50 cm source-to-surface distance were simulated. Simulations had a resolution of 0.4 × 0.4 × 0.06 cm3 and a 6% uncertainty. Hundred percent dose was normalized to the skin surface and results were displayed in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. Dose volume histograms were generated in MATLAB for further analysis. Prescription doses of 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 Gy were applied to the 15% isodose for organ-dose comparison to current tolerances and potential risk of detriment. Ninety-five and ninety-seven percent of the right and left lung volumes, respectively, were well-covered by the 15% isodose line. For the 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 Gy prescriptions, the maximum skin doses were 2.9, 4.8, and 9.6 Gy compared to a 2.0 Gy transient erythema dose threshold; left/right lung maximum doses were 1.44/1.46, 2.4/2.4, and 4.8/4.9 Gy compared to a 6.5 Gy pneumonitis and 30 Gy fibrosis thresholds; maximum heart doses were 0.5, 0.9, and 1.8 Gy compared to the 0.5 Gy ICRP-recommendation; maximum spinal cord doses were 1.4, 2.3, and 4.6 Gy compared to 7.0 Gy single fraction dose threshold. Maximum doses to other critical organs were below modern dose thresholds. A 100 kVp PA field could deliver a 0.3 Gy or 0.5 Gy dose without risk of complications. However, a 1.0 Gy dose treatment could be problematic. Critical organ doses could be further reduced if more than one treatment field is used.

Procedimiento de Whipple: experiencia de un centro en fase de crecimiento en cirugía hepato-bilio-pancreática / Whipple procedure: hepatic-bilio-pancreatic single center experience

La operación de Whipple es el procedimiento quirúrgico de mayor complejidad en cirugía abdominal, este se realiza en pacientes con tumores de la encrucijada pancreatoduodenal, es la única alternativa para tratamiento curativo en fases tempranas de la enfermedad. Objetivo: Determinar los resultados del procedimiento Whipple, en pacientes intervenidos con tumores de la encrucijada pancreatoduodenal en el Hospital General de Enfermedades del Instituto Guatemalteco de Seguridad Social, en el periodo de enero 2,015 a enero 2,020. Método: Descriptivo, observacional, retrospectivo. Resultados: Se incluyeron 42 procedimientos de Whipple, 29 (69%) casos del género masculino y 13 (31%) para el género femenino. La edad media fue de 61.5 años, el 54% presentaban comorbilidad asociada. El 24% utilizo transfusión transoperatoria de hemoderivados, el tiempo quirúrgico de 5.5 horas. La reintervención fue del 4.7%. Complicaciones postoperatorias tempranas 18%. La histología más común fue el carcinoma de cabeza de páncreas en el 43%. La mortalidad postoperatoria temprana fue del 4.7%. El OR de complicaciones asociadas a comorbilidades fue de 1.7 con un IC 0.3046-7.20 y un valor de P: 0.9251 que no es estadísticamente significativo. Conclusiones: Los tumores pancreatoduodenales en nuestra población se presentan en edades más tempranas a lo reportado. La morbimortalidad es similar a lo reportado en otros estudios a nivel latinoamericano, sin embargo las complicaciones están más elevadas que las mejores series internacionales. No existe asociación entre el riesgo de complicaciones con comorbilidades del paciente. (AU)

Whipple operation is the most complex surgical procedure in abdominal surgery, it's performed in patients with tumors of the pancreaticoduodenal crossroads, it is the only alternative for curative treatment in early stages of the disease. Objective: To determine the results of the Whipple procedure in patients operated on with tumors of the ancreaticoduodenal crossroads at the Hospital General de Enfermedades del IGSS in the period from January 2015 to January 2020. Method: Descriptive, observational, retrospective. Results: fourtytwo Whipple procedures were included, 29 (69%) cases of the male gender and 13 (31%) for the female gender. The mean age was 61.5 years, 54% had associated comorbidity. Twentyfour percent used intraoperative transfusion of blood products and surgical time of 5.5 hours. Reoperation was 4.7% with early postoperative complications of 18%. The most common histology was carcinoma of the head of the pancreas in 43%. Early postoperative mortality was 4.7%. The OR of complications associated with comorbidities was 1.7 with a CI 0.3046-7.20 and a P value: 0.9251, which is not statistically significant. Conclusions: Pancreaticoduodenal tumors in our population present at an earlier age than reported. Morbidity and mortality is similar to that reported in other studies. There is no association between the risk of complications with patient comorbidities. (AU)

Obstruccion intestinal por Íleo biliar: reporte de un caso / Biliary Ileus intestinal obstruction. a case report

El ileo biliar es una rara complicación de la colelitiasis no tratada. Presentamos el cuadro clínico y el manejo de un paciente masculino de 72 años (AU)

The biliary or Gallstone ileus is a rare complication of the non-treated Cholelithiasis. We present the clinical features and the treatment of a 72 years old patient

In vitro inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by crude plant extracts from Colombian flora.

The methanol extracts from five different plant families (Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae, and Solanaceae) collected at Regional Natural Park Ucumarí (Colombia), were screened for their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity through the modified Ellman's spectrophotometric method. The best inhibitory activities on this study were shown by the extracts of Solanum leucocarpum Dunal (IC50 = 204.59 mg/l) and Witheringia coccoloboides (Damm) (IC50 = 220.68 mg/l), both plants belonging to the Solanaceae family.

In vitro inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by crude plant extracts from Colombian flora

The methanol extracts from five different plant families (Asteraceae, Euphorbiaceae, Melastomataceae, Rubiaceae, and Solanaceae) collected at Regional Natural Park Ucumarí (Colombia), were screened for their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity through the modified Ellman's spectrophotometric method. The best inhibitory activities on this study were shown by the extracts of Solanum leucocarpum Dunal (IC50 = 204.59 mg/l) and Witheringia coccoloboides (Damm) (IC50 = 220.68 mg/l), both plants belonging to the Solanaceae family.

Maternal smoking effects on infant growth.

The influence of maternal smoking the nutrient content of breastmilk and impact on infant longitudinal growth rate is unknown. From birth, 23 smoking (S), (7.1 +/- 4.4 cigarettes/day) and 23 non-smoking (NS) mother-infant pairs were followed. The breastmilk volume by deuterium dilution, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) in breastmilk and hair by atomic absorption (AAS) and cotinine levels by radio-immuno-analysis (RIA) were evaluated. Birthweight was similar in contrast to height, and infants grew normally. Height and height-for-age (ZHA) were significantly lower in S infants and weight-for-height (ZWH) was higher in S infants in the third month, caused by slower height growth. Cotinine was 19 times greater in the S mothers and six times higher in their infants, as compared to NS group. Breastmilk volume was 743 +/- 119 g/day (S) and 742 +/- 111 g/day (NS), with no difference in zinc, copper, iron contents, except for cadmium (Cd). In infant's hair, all minerals were higher in the S group. Smoking affected infant's height during breastfeeding, attributed to an eventual impaired bioavailability of essential nutrients.

Nutritional status and body composition in Chilean preschool children attending day care centers.

Obesity increased in preschool children attending day care centers in Chile from 5% in 1985 to 10.8% in 2000. We assessed the nutritional status and body composition by deuterium dilution, in preschool children attending day care centers. In the whole group (n = 681), 3 to 5 year old children were classified according to weight-for-height (ZWH) and height-for-age (ZHA) Z scores from the NCHS reference. We found 28.5% overweight, 13.2% obese, and 18.6% deficient in height-for-age. From this group, 239 children were evaluated for total body water (TBW) and fat percentage. Normal children in this group have a lower percentage of water (59.6 +/- 3.9%) and higher fat (22.2 +/- 4.7%) than the reference child. The association between the percentage of fat and skinfolds' sum (tricipital, bicipital, suprailiac, subescapular), was greater for overweight and obese children (r = 0.70). At present, validation of anthropometric models to evaluate fat and water content is underway in Chile.