Pelvic MRI findings in relapsed prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy

Little is known about the clinical impact of using multiparametric MRI to plan early salvage radiotherapy after radical prostatectomy. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and location of recurrence based on pelvic multiparametric MRI findings and to identify clinical variables predictive of positive imaging results. We defined radiological criteria of local and lymph node malignancy and reviewed records and MRI studies of 70 patients with PSA recurrence after radical prostatectomy. We performed univariate and multivariate analysis to identify any association between clinical, pathological and treatment-related variables and imaging results. Multiparametric MRI was positive in 33/70 patients. We found local and lymph node recurrence in 27 patients and 7 patients, respectively, with a median PSA value of 0.38 ng/ml. We found no statistically significant differences between patients with positive and negative multiparametric MRI for any variable. Shorter PSADT was associated with positive lymph nodes (median PSADT: 5.12 vs 12.70 months; p: 0.017). Nearly half the patients had visible disease in multiparametric MRI despite low PSA. Positive lymph nodes incidence should be considered when planning salvage radiotherapy, particularly in patients with a short PSADT

Bladder cancer index: cross-cultural adaptation into Spanish and psychometric evaluation

BACKGROUND: The Bladder Cancer Index (BCI) is so far the only instrument applicable across all bladder cancer patients, independent of tumor infiltration or treatment applied. We developed a Spanish version of the BCI, and assessed its acceptability and metric properties. METHODS: For the adaptation into Spanish we used the forward and back-translation method, expert panels, and cognitive debriefing patient interviews. For the assessment of metric properties we used data from 197 bladder cancer patients from a multi-center prospective study. The Spanish BCI and the SF-36 Health Survey were self-administered before and 12 months after treatment. Reliability was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed through the multi-trait multi-method matrix. The magnitude of change was quantified by effect sizes to assess responsiveness. RESULTS: Reliability coefficients ranged 0.75-0.97. The validity analysis confirmed moderate associations between the BCI function and bother subscales for urinary (r = 0.61) and bowel (r = 0.53) domains; conceptual independence among all BCI domains (r ≤ 0.3); and low correlation coefficients with the SF-36 scores, ranging 0.14-0.48. Among patients reporting global improvement at follow-up, pre-post treatment changes were statistically significant for the urinary domain and urinary bother subscale, with effect sizes of 0.38 and 0.53. CONCLUSIONS: The Spanish BCI is well accepted, reliable, valid, responsive, and similar in performance compared to the original instrument. These findings support its use, both in Spanish and international studies, as a valuable and comprehensive tool for assessing quality of life across a wide range of bladder cancer patients

Novel embedded Pd@CeO2 catalysts: a way to active and stable catalysts

1-wt% Pd-CeO2 catalysts were prepared by co-precipitation of Pd nanoparticles with ceria (Pd@CeO2-CP), by a microemulsion procedure (Pd@CeO2-ME), and by normal impregnation of Pd salts (Pd/CeO2-IMP) in order to test the concept that Pd-CeO2 catalysts could be more stable for the water-gas-shift (WGS) reaction when the Pd is embedded in CeO2. Initial WGS rates measured at 250 degrees C were similar for the Pd@CeO2-CP and Pd/CeO2-IMP, indicating that Pd was accessible for gas-phase reactions on both catalysts. Pd@CeO2-CP exhibited better stability for WGS than did Pd/CeO2-IMP but exposure to the WGS environment at 400 degrees C still caused a decrease in activity. Physical characterization of the Pd@CeO2-ME implied that the core-shell nanoparticles underwent condensation that resulted in a low surface area and poor Pd accessibility. However, the Pd@CeO2-ME sample exhibited good stability for WGS, suggesting that more effective encapsulation of Pd can limit the sintering of the metal phase, thus resulting in stable catalysts under high temperature reaction conditions

Psychosocial impact of undergoing prostate cancer screening for men with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations.

OBJECTIVES: To report the baseline results of a longitudinal psychosocial study that forms part of the IMPACT study, a multi-national investigation of targeted prostate cancer (PCa) screening among men with a known pathogenic germline mutation in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes. PARTICPANTS AND METHODS: Men enrolled in the IMPACT study were invited to complete a questionnaire at collaborating sites prior to each annual screening visit. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics and the following measures: the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Impact of Event Scale (IES), 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer, Cancer Worry Scale-Revised, risk perception and knowledge. The results of the baseline questionnaire are presented. RESULTS: A total of 432 men completed questionnaires: 98 and 160 had mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, respectively, and 174 were controls (familial mutation negative). Participants' perception of PCa risk was influenced by genetic status. Knowledge levels were high and unrelated to genetic status. Mean scores for the HADS and SF-36 were within reported general population norms and mean IES scores were within normal range. IES mean intrusion and avoidance scores were significantly higher in BRCA1/BRCA2 carriers than in controls and were higher in men with increased PCa risk perception. At the multivariate level, risk perception contributed more significantly to variance in IES scores than genetic status. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report the psychosocial profile of men with BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations undergoing PCa screening. No clinically concerning levels of general or cancer-specific distress or poor quality of life were detected in the cohort as a whole. A small subset of participants reported higher levels of distress, suggesting the need for healthcare professionals offering PCa screening to identify these risk factors and offer additional information and support to men seeking PCa screening

Procedimiento para la preparación de nano-emulsiones de tipo agua en aceite (W/O) por métodos de emulsificación de condensación

Fecha de presentación nacional 28.06.2002.-- Titular: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC).El objeto de esta invenci on es la obtenci on de nano-emulsiones de tipo agua en aceite (W/O) mediante métodos de condensación (de baja energía). Hasta la fecha se han descrito principalmente nanoemulsiones de tipo aceite en agua (O/W) y sólo se han encontrado dos patentes de nano-emulsiones de tipo agua en aceite (W/O) preparadas con métodos convencionales de dispersión, utilizando elevada energía, como ultrasonidos o homogenizadores de alta presión, que son equipos muy costosos. La ventaja de las nano-emulsiones que se desea patentar radica en que se han obtenido con métodos de condensación, como la adición sucesiva de un componente a la mezcla de los restantes con ligera agitación, o el método PIT, que requieren un consumo menor de energía y equipos menos costosos.Peer reviewe

Preparació i caracterització de materials mesoporosos en sistemes tensioactius

Estudi elaborat a partir d’una estada a la Universitat Nacional de Yokohama des de maig fins a mitjans de juny del 2006. S'ha estudiat el comportament fàssic i la preparació de sílica mesoporosa pels nous tensioactius fluorats d'estructura C8F17SO2(C3H7)N(C2H4O)nH (abreujat C8F17(EO)n. El tensioactiu C8F17(EO)n forma micel•les allargades i cristalls líquids en aigua, i per tant pot ser adequat per a la preparació de materials mesoporosos. Sílica mesoestructurada es va preparar pel mètode de precipitació per autoagregació cooperativa. Un estudi sistemàtic es va realitzar, investigant la influència de les concentracions de tensioactiu i precursor (TEOS), l’efecte del pH i de la longitud de cadena de poliòxid d’etilè. Els materials es van caracteritzar per raigs X a angle petit (SAXS), sorció de nitrògen i TEM. Els materials obtinguts presenten diàmetres de por petits i parets de por gruixudes. A més, aquests materials posseeixen altes superfícies específiques, que s’han obtingut emprant concentracions de tensioactiu petites, produint parets de por robustes sense microporositat significativa. La superfície específica es manté durant el procés de calcinació, malgrat un petit encongiment degut a l’entrecreuament de la sílica. Els materials de sílica obtinguts han mostrat ser significativament més robustos que altres materials similars descrits a la bibliografia, com la sílica MCM-41.Report for the scientific sojourn carried out at the National University of Yokohama from May until the end of June 2006 . The aqueous phase behavior and preparation of mesoporous silica by new fluorinated surfactants C8F17SO2(C3H7)N(C2H4O)nH (abbreviated C8F17(EO)n) was studied. C8F17(EO)n forms elongated micelles and liquid crystals in water. Mesostructured silica was prepared by the cooperative self-assembly precipitation method and a systematic study was carried out, investigating the influence of surfactant and silica precursor (TEOS) concentrations, pH and the effect of poly(ethylene oxide) chain lengths. The resulting materials were characterized by SAXS, nitrogen sorption and TEM. The pore inner diameters are small and the pore walls are thick. The materials possess high specific surface areas, which are achieved at very small surfactant concentrations, producing robust thick walls with no significant microporosity. The specific surface area is preserved during calcination despite a small shrinkage attributed to silica crosslinking. The silica materials demonstrated to be significantly more robust than other mesoporous materials previously described in the literature, such as MCM-41

Oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions as templates for the preparation of macroporous materials

New oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions were formulated and were used as a templates to obtain macroporous poly(furfuryl alcohol) monoliths by a one-step method. The oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions were prepared by stepwise addition of the oil phase to the surfactant-alcohol solution and were characterized by optical microscopy and by laser diffraction. The typical structure of highly concentrated emulsions, with close-packed polyhedral droplets, has been observed. Poly(furfuryl alcohol) monoliths were obtained by polymerizing in the external phase of these emulsions. These materials are mainly macroporous and retain the size distribution and morphology from the highly concentrated emulsions. The internal structure of the monoliths was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The images showed an interconnected network with pore size similar to the droplet size of the highly concentrated emulsions used as templates. © 2012 American Chemical Society

Genetic variation of the FMR1 gene among four Mexican populations: Mestizo, Huichol, Purepecha, and Tarahumara

New oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions were formulated and were used as a templates to obtain macroporous poly(furfuryl alcohol) monoliths by a one-step method. The oil-in-alcohol highly concentrated emulsions were prepared by stepwise addition of the oil phase to the surfactant-alcohol solution and were characterized by optical microscopy and by laser diffraction. The typical structure of highly concentrated emulsions, with close-packed polyhedral droplets, has been observed. Poly(furfuryl alcohol) monoliths were obtained by polymerizing in the external phase of these emulsions. These materials are mainly macroporous and retain the size distribution and morphology from the highly concentrated emulsions. The internal structure of the monoliths was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The images showed an interconnected network with pore size similar to the droplet size of the highly concentrated emulsions used as templates. " 2012 American Chemical Society.",,,,,,"10.1021/la205018z",,,"http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12104/43302","http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84861378934&partnerID=40&md5=672646c1ef78694307c8b9a7519b6f6f",,,,,,"20",,"Langmuir",,"761