Growth factors and experimental arterial grafts

Background: The production of growth factors from several experimental arterial conduits was determined. Methods: We implanted 105 experimental arterial grafts that were 1 cm long in the abdominal aorta of Lewis rats (average weight, 250 g). Five different types of grafts were analyzed: arterial isografts, vein grafts, arterial allografts, and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts with normal or decreased compliance. Animals were killed humanely 4 weeks after surgery and the production of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), transforming growth factor-b, tumor necrosis factor-a, and interleukin-1 was analyzed. Results: Myointimal hyperplasia (MH) was evident in vein grafts, arterial allografts, and PTFE grafts, but not in arterial isografts. Growth factor production was increased for grafts prone to develop MH like vein, PTFE grafts, and arterial allografts. PDGF and bFGF were increased significantly for PTFE and vein grafts, but not for arterial allografts. The importance of bFGF and PGDF was confirmed by the capability of antibody to PDGF and to bFGF to reduce the mitogenic activity of smooth muscle cells, in vivo and in vitro, for PTFE and vein grafts, but not for arterial allografts, in which a predominant role was played by interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-a. Conclusions: Agents able to neutralize this increased production of growth factors, either directly or by competition with their receptors, can prevent MH formation. (J Vasc Surg 2016;64:1444-9.) Clinical Relevance: Arterial grafts release growth factors, which can lead to myointimal hyperplasia formation and atherosclerosis progression in the arterial tree. Both phenomena can cause graft occlusion. Inhibition of growth factor release by arterial grafts can improve their clinical effectiveness

Standardization of body composition status in patients with advanced urothelial tumors: the role of a CT-based aI-powered software for the assessment of sarcopenia and patient outcome correlation

Background: Sarcopenia is a well know prognostic factor in oncology, influencing patients' quality of life and survival. We aimed to investigate the role of sarcopenia, assessed by a Computed Tomography (CT)-based artificial intelligence (AI)-powered-software, as a predictor of objective clinical benefit in advanced urothelial tumors and its correlations with oncological outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively searched patients with advanced urothelial tumors, treated with systemic platinum-based chemotherapy and an available total body CT, performed before and after therapy. An AI-powered software was applied to CT to obtain the Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI-L3), derived from the area of the psoas, long spine, and abdominal muscles, at the level of L3 on CT axial images. Logistic and Cox-regression modeling was implemented to explore the association of sarcopenic status and anthropometric features to the clinical benefit rate and survival endpoints. Results: 97 patients were included, 66 with bladder cancer and 31 with upper-tract urothelial carcinoma. Clinical benefit outcomes showed a linear positive association with all the observed body composition variables variations. The chances of not experiencing disease progression were positively associated with ∆_SMI-L3, ∆_psoas, and ∆_long spine muscle when they ranged from ~10-20% up to ~45-55%. Greater survival chances were matched by patients achieving a wider ∆_SMI-L3, ∆_abdominal and ∆_long spine muscle. Conclusions: A CT-based AI-powered software body composition and sarcopenia analysis provide prognostic assessments for objective clinical benefits and oncological outcomes

Low elasticity of thyroid nodules at ultrasound elastography is correlated with malignancy, degree of fibrosis and high expression of galectin-3 and fibronectin-1

ackground: Thyroid ultrasound (US) elastography provides an estimation of tissue stiffness and is helpful to differentiate malignant from benign lesions. Tissue proprieties and molecules causing stiffness are not established. The aim of the study was to correlate US elastography findings with tissue properties in thyroid nodules. Methods: A total of 115 thyroid nodules from 112 patients who underwent surgery for the presence of Thy 3 (indeterminate) cytology (n = 67), Thy 4-5 (suspicious - indicative of carcinoma) cytology (n = 47), or large goiter in the presence of Thy 2 cytology (n = 1) and suspicious US features were examined by US elastography. Tissues obtained after surgery were characterized for cell number, microvessel density, fibrosis, and expression of galectin-3 (Gal-3) and fibronectin-1 (FN-1). Results: Low elasticity on qualitative US elastography (LoEl) was found in 66 nodules (one benign and 65 carcinomas); high elasticity (HiEl) was found in 49 nodules (46 benign and three carcinomas; p < 0.0001). Quantitative analysis, performed in 24 nodules and expressed as elastic ratio between the strain of the nodule and that of the surrounding thyroid parenchyma, showed a mean of 1.90 (interquartile range [IQR] 1.18-2.77) in 14 nodules with LoEl, and a mean of 1.01 (IQR 0.91-1.10) in 10 nodules with HiEl (p = 0.002). Stiffness did not correlate with cell number and was inversely correlated with microvessel density. Fibrosis was higher in nodules with LoEl than in those with HiEl (p = 0.009) and in carcinomas than in benign nodules (p = 0.02). Fibrosis was higher in nodules with high expression of Gal-3 (p < 0.001) and FN-1 (p = 0.004). Fibrosis and expression of Gal-3 and FN-1 were higher in the classic compared with the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma and lower in follicular adenomas. Conclusions: Low elasticity at US elastography is highly correlated with malignancy. Nodule stiffness is correlated with fibrosis and expression of Gal-3 and FN-1. These features are more evident in the classic than in the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma

Assessing the Malignant Ventricular Arrhythmic Substrate in Patients With Brugada Syndrome.

Background: Guidelines recommend the use of implanted cardioverter-defibrillators in patients with Brugada syndrome and induced ventricular tachyarrhythmias, but there is no evidence supporting it. Objectives: This prospective registry study was designed to explore clinical and electrophysiological predictors of malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmia inducibility in Brugada syndrome. Methods: A total of 191 consecutive selected patients with (group 1; n = 88) and without (group 2; n = 103) Brugada syndrome–related symptoms were prospectively enrolled in the registry. Patients underwent electrophysiological study and substrate mapping or ablation before and after ajmaline testing (1 mg/kg/5 min). Results: Overall, before ajmaline testing, 53.4% of patients had ventricular tachyarrhythmia inducibility, which was more frequent in group 1 (65.9%) than in group 2 (42.7%; p < 0.001). Regardless of clinical presentation, larger substrates with more fragmented long-duration ventricular potentials were found in patients with inducible arrhythmias than in patients without inducible arrhythmias (p < 0.001). One extrastimulus was used in more extensive substrates (median 13 cm2; p < 0.001), and ventricular fibrillation was the more frequently induced rhythm (p < 0.001). After ajmaline, patients without arrhythmia inducibility had arrhythmia inducibility without a difference in substrate characteristics between the 2 groups. The substrate size was the only independent predictor of inducibility (odds ratio: 4.51; 95% confidence interval: 2.51 to 8.09; p < 0.001). A substrate size of 4 cm2 best identified patients with inducible arrhythmias (area under the curve: 0.98; p < 0.001). Substrate ablation prevented ventricular tachyarrhythmia reinducibility. Conclusions: In Brugada syndrome dynamic substrate variability represents the pathophysiological basis of lethal ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Substrate size is independently associated with arrhythmia inducibility, and its determination after ajmaline identifies high-risk patients missed by clinical criteria. Substrate ablation is associated with electrocardiogram normalization and not arrhythmia reinducibility. (Epicardial Ablation in Brugada Syndrome [BRUGADA_I]; NCT02641431; Epicardial Ablation in Brugada Syndrome: An Extension Study of 200 BrS Patients; NCT03106701

Degradación de atrazina en rotaciones agrícolas sobre suelos molisoles del sudoeste chaqueño

La molécula de atrazina en el suelo se degrada mediante procesos químicos ymicrobiológicos, dependiendo de las propiedades físico-químicas, biológicas del suelo y defactores meteorológicos como temperatura y humedad. El objetivo fue evaluar el tiempode degradación y presencia de metabolitos en dos manejos agrícolas contrastantesdurante un periodo de tiempo posterior a la aplicación. El trabajo se realizó en un ensayode campo y pudimos observar que en un periodo menor a 30 días la concentración deatrazina se redujo en un 90% en los primeros 5 cm de profundidadThe atrazine molecule in the soil is degraded by chemical and microbiological processes, depending on the physicochemical, biological properties of the substance and on meteorological factors such as temperature and humidity. The objective was to evaluate the time of degradation and the presence of metabolites in contrasting agricultural managements during a period after application. The work was carried out in a field trial and we could see that in a period less than 30 days the concentration of atrazine was reduced by 90% in the first 5 cm of depth.Fil: Luzzi, Johana Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria; ArgentinaFil: Aparicio, Virginia Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Ledda, Alejandra Rosa. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Chaco-Formosa. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Las Breñas; ArgentinaFil: de Gerónimo, Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; ArgentinaFil: Borrelli, Valeria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Chaco-Formosa. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Las Breñas; ArgentinaFil: Acosta, José Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible - Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Instituto de Innovación para la Producción Agropecuaria y el Desarrollo Sostenible; Argentin

Echocardiographic Normal Reference Ranges for Non-invasive Myocardial Work Parameters in Pediatric Age: Results From an International Multi-Center Study

This international multi-center study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and reliability of non-invasive myocardial work (MW) parameters in the pediatric population, and to provide normal reference ranges for this useful echocardiographic tool in this specific subset of patients

Short-Term Variations in Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Urea-to-Creatinine Ratios Anticipate Intensive Care Unit Admission of COVID-19 Patients in the Emergency Department

Background: Timely assessment of COVID-19 severity is crucial for the rapid provision of appropriate treatments. Definitive criteria for the early identification of severe COVID-19 cases that require intensive care unit admission are lacking. Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective case-control study of 95 consecutive adults admitted to the intensive care unit (cases) or a medical ward (controls) for laboratory-confirmed COVID-19. Clinical data were collected and changes in laboratory test results were calculated between presentation at the emergency department and admission. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios for intensive care unit admission according to changes in laboratory variables. Results: Of the 95 adults with COVID-19, 25 were admitted to intensive care and 70 to a medical ward after a median 6 h stay in the emergency department. During this interval, neutrophil counts increased in cases and decreased in controls (median, 934 vs. −295 × 106/L; P = 0.006), while lymphocyte counts decreased in cases and increased in controls (median, −184 vs. 109 × 106/L; P &lt; 0.001). In cases, the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio increased 6-fold and the urea-to-creatinine ratio increased 20-fold during the emergency department stay, but these ratios did not change in controls (P &lt; 0.001 for both comparisons). By multivariable logistic regression, short-term increases in the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (OR = 1.43; 95% CI, 1.16–1.76) and urea-to-creatinine ratio (OR = 1.72; 95% CI, 1.20–2.66) were independent predictors of intensive care unit admission. Conclusion: Short-time changes in neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and urea-to-creatinine ratio emerged as stand-alone parameters able to identify patients with aggressive disease at an early stage

Genotype/Phenotype Relationship in a Consanguineal Family With Brugada Syndrome Harboring the R1632C Missense Variant in the SCN5A Gene

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a known cause of sudden cardiac death. The genetic basis of BrS is not well understood, and no one single gene is linked to even a majority of BrS cases. However, mutations in the gene SCN5A are the most common, although the high amount of phenotypic variability prevents a clear correlation between genotype and phenotype. Research techniques are limited, as most BrS cases still remain without a genetic diagnosis, thus impairing the implementation of experimental models representative of a general pathogenetic mechanism. In the present study, we report the largest family to-date with the segregation of the heterozygous variant NM_198056:c.4894C&gt;T (p.Arg1632Cys) in the SCN5A gene. The genotype-phenotype relationship observed suggests a likely pathogenic effect of this variant. Functional studies to better understand the molecular effects of this variant are warranted

Metodología de muestreo expeditivo ambiental/productivo para la determinación de líneas de base prediales en planes MBGI

En el Manejo de Bosque con Ganadería Integrada (MBGI); las propuestas técnicas se basan en el manejo adaptativo de los componentes forestales; ganaderos; forrajeros; y ambientales que se deben plasmar en la presentación de un Plan MBGI con propuestas factibles de implementar. Este tipo de manejo implica un proceso de monitoreo de la evolución de los distintos componentes en el que los aciertos y los errores de las prácticas de manejo son fuentes de conocimiento. Se trata de un proceso abierto que atiende la historia del sistema e incluye intereses y expectativas de usuarios presentes y futuros. Para llevar a cabo el ordenamiento predial bajo el concepto del manejo adaptativo; es imprescindible contar con un sistema de monitoreo que verifique que la planificación cumple con los objetivos en todas las dimensiones de la sustentabilidad: ambiental; social-económica y productiva. A través de la metodología actualmente propuesta para el monitoreo de planes prediales a campo para Patagonia (Peri et al.; 2021); se relevan datos para el cálculo o estimación de 12 indicadores ambientales; 2 socio económicos y 6 productivos. En este diseño se procura optimizar la obtención de datos de calidad; basados en la economía de los recursos del monitoreo y el tiempo. Atento a esta premisa; se propone establecer como base una transecta lineal; fajas de diferentes anchos asociadas a la misma y cuadros de censo cada 5 metros de transecta; para cada unidad de muestreo específica (tipos de vegetación).Estación Experimental Agropecuaria BarilocheFil: Varela, Santiago Agustin. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Forestal. Grupo de Ecologia Forestal; ArgentinaFil: Diez, Juan Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Forestal. Grupo de Ecologia Forestal; ArgentinaFil: Gazzotti, Juan Ignacio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Agencia de Extensión Rural San Martin de los Andes; ArgentinaFil: Valiña, Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Agencia de Extensión Rural San Martin de los Andes; ArgentinaFil: Furlan, Natalia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Agencia de Extensión Rural San Martin de los Andes; ArgentinaFil: Cardozo, Andrea Gabriela. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Agencia de Extension Rural El Bolson; ArgentinaFil: Farina, Clara Maria. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Produccion Animal; ArgentinaFil: Castillo, Daniel Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Desarrollo Rural; ArgentinaFil: Umaña, Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Desarrollo Rural. Laboratorio de Teledetección; ArgentinaFil: Raffo, Fernando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area de Recusos Naturales. Laboratorio de Teledetección; ArgentinaFil: Borrelli, Laura Beatriz. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area de Recursos Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Claps, Leonardo Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Desarrollo Rural; ArgentinaFil: Aramayo, Maria Valeria Del Luján. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche. Area Recursos Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Amoroso, Mariano Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Recursos Naturales, Agroecologia y Desarrollo Rural; ArgentinaFil: Von Müller, Axel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria (INTA). Estacion Experimental Agroforestal Esquel. Area Forestal; Argentin