Actas de las V Jornadas ScienCity 2022. Fomento de la Cultura Científica, Tecnológica y de Innovación en Ciudades Inteligentes

ScienCity es una actividad que viene siendo continuada desde 2018 con el objetivo de dar a conocer los conocimientos y tecnologías emergentes siendo investigados en las universidades, informar de experiencias, servicios e iniciativas puestas ya en marcha por instituciones y empresas, llegar hasta decisores políticos que podrían crear sinergias, incentivar la creación de ideas y posibilidades de desarrollo conjuntas, implicar y provocar la participación ciudadana, así como gestar una red internacional multidisciplinar de investigadores que garantice la continuación de futuras ediciones. En 2022 se recibieron un total de 48 trabajos repartidos en 25 ponencias y 24 pósteres pertenecientes a 98 autores de 14 instituciones distintas de España, Portugal, Polonia y Países Bajos.Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología-Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades; Consejería de la Presidencia, Administración Pública e Interior de la Junta de Andalucía; Estrategia de Política de Investigación y Transferencia de la Universidad de Huelva; Cátedra de Innovación Social de Aguas de Huelva; Cátedra de la Provincia; Grupo de investigación TEP-192 de Control y Robótica; Centro de Investigación en Tecnología, Energía y Sostenibilidad (CITES

Tract-specific damage at spinal cord level in pure hereditary spastic paraplegia type 4: a diffusion tensor imaging study.

SPG4 is a subtype of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP), an upper motor neuron disorder characterized by axonal degeneration of the corticospinal tracts and the fasciculus gracilis. The few neuroimaging studies that have focused on the spinal cord in HSP are based mainly on the analysis of structural characteristics. We assessed diffusion-related characteristics of the spinal cord using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), as well as structural and shape-related properties in 12 SPG4 patients and 14 controls. We used linear mixed effects models up to T3 in order to analyze the global effects of 'group' and 'clinical data' on structural and diffusion data. For DTI, we carried out a region of interest (ROI) analysis in native space for the whole spinal cord, the anterior and lateral funiculi, and the dorsal columns. We also performed a voxelwise analysis of the spinal cord to study local diffusion-related changes. A reduced cross-sectional area was observed in the cervical region of SPG4 patients, with significant anteroposterior flattening. DTI analyses revealed significantly decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) and increased radial diffusivity at all the cervical and thoracic levels, particularly in the lateral funiculi and dorsal columns. The FA changes in SPG4 patients were significantly related to disease severity, measured as the Spastic Paraplegia Rating Scale score. Our results in SPG4 indicate tract-specific axonal damage at the level of the cervical and thoracic spinal cord. This finding is correlated with the degree of motor disability

Corticospinal tract and motor cortex degeneration in pure hereditary spastic paraparesis type 4 (SPG4).

Objective: SPG4 is an autosomal dominant pure form of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) caused by mutations in the SPAST gene. HSP is considered an upper motor neuron disorder characterized by progressive retrograde degeneration, or "dying-back" phenomenon, of the corticospinal tract's longest axons. Neuroimaging studies mainly focus on white matter changes and, although previous studies reported cortical thinning in complicated HSP forms, cortical changes remain unclear in SPG4 patients. This work aimed to compare changes in white matter microstructure and cortical thickness between 12 SPG4 patients and 22 healthy age-matched controls. We also explore whether white matter alterations are related to cortical thickness and their correlation with clinical symptoms. Methods: we used fixel-based analysis, an advanced diffusion-weighted imaging technique, and probabilistic tractography of the corticospinal tracts. We also analyzed cortical morphometry using whole-brain surface-based and atlas-based methods in sensorimotor areas. Results: SPG4 patients showed bilateral involvement in the corticospinal tracts; this was more intense in the distal portion than in the upper segments and was associated with the degree of clinical impairment. We found a significant correlation between disease severity and fiber density and cross-section of the corticospinal tracts. Furthermore, corticospinal tract changes were significantly correlated with bilateral cortical thinning in the precentral gyrus in SPG4 patients. Conclusions: Our data point to axonal damage of the corticospinal motor neurons in SPG4 patients might be related to cortical thinning in motor regions

Thalamic atrophy in patients with pure hereditary spastic paraplegia type 4.

SPG4 is an autosomal dominant pure form of hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) caused by mutations in the SPAST gene. HSP is considered an upper motor neuron disorder characterized by progressive spasticity and weakness of the lower limbs caused by degeneration of the corticospinal tract. In other neurodegenerative motor disorders, the thalamus and basal ganglia are affected, with a considerable impact on disease progression. However, only a few works have studied these brain structures in HSP, mainly in complex forms of this disease. Our research aims to detect potential alterations in the volume and shape of the thalamus and various basal ganglia structures by comparing 12 patients with pure HSP and 18 healthy controls. We used two neuroimaging procedures: automated segmentation of the subcortical structures (thalamus, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, and putamen) in native space and shape analysis of the structures. We found a significant reduction in thalamic volume bilaterally, as well as an inward deformation, mainly in the sensory-motor thalamic regions in patients with pure HSP and a mutation in SPG4. We also observed a significant negative correlation between the shape of the thalamus and clinical scores (the Spastic Paraplegia Rating Scale score and disease duration). Moreover, we found a 'Group × Age' interaction that was closely related to the severity of the disease. No differences in volume or in shape were found in the remaining subcortical structures studied. Our results suggest that changes in structure of the thalamus could be an imaging biomarker of disease progression in pHSP

Hematoma espinal epidural espontáneo: estudio retrospectivo de una serie de 13 casos

Resumen: Introducción: El hematoma espinal epidural espontáneo (HEEE) tiene una incidencia estimada de un caso por millón de habitantes al año. Se considera espontáneo cuando no se logra relacionar ninguna causa de forma directa con su aparición. Objetivo: Describir una muestra de pacientes con HEEE y analizar las variables relacionadas con el pronóstico funcional del mismo. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes diagnosticados de HEEE en nuestro centro entre 2001 y 2013. Resultados: Trece pacientes, 7 varones, con edad media de 71 años. El 62% presentaba hipertensión arterial (HTA) y el 54% utilizaba anticoagulantes orales, teniendo una razón normalizada internacional > 3 el 57% de ellos. La presentación clínica más frecuente fue dolor en columna vertebral (85%). El 92% asoció déficit neurológico en forma de síndrome sensitivo-motor (70%), motor puro (15%) o sensitivo puro (7%). Cinco pacientes recibieron tratamiento quirúrgico y 8 fueron tratados de forma conservadora. Al año, 3 de los pacientes tratados de forma quirúrgica y 4 de los de manejo conservador tenían una puntuación igual o menor de 2 en la Escala Rankin Modificada. Se observó peor pronóstico en pacientes anticoagulados, en hematomas de mayor extensión, en hematomas localizados en región lumbar y cuando el compromiso motor inicial era mayor. Conclusiones: La edad avanzada, la HTA y la anticoagulación son los principales factores asociados con el HEEE. La presentación típica consiste en dolor en la columna vertebral seguido de déficit motor. En pacientes con déficits motores establecidos, el tratamiento quirúrgico dentro de las primeras 24 h parece ser la mejor opción terapéutica. Abstract: Introduction: Spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma (SSEH) has an estimated incidence of one per million inhabitants. It is classified as spontaneous when no identifiable cause can be linked to its onset. Objective: To describe a sample of patients with SSEH and analyse variables related to its functional prognosis. Patients and methods: Retrospective study carried out in patients diagnosed with SSEH between 2001 and 2013 in our hospital. Results: We included 13 subjects (7 men) with a mean age of 71 years. Of the total, 62% had hypertension and 54% were treated with oral anticoagulants; of the latter, 57% had an International Normalised Ratio above 3. The most frequent manifestation was spinal column pain (85%). Nearly all subjects presented an associated neurological deficit, whether sensory-motor (70%), pure motor (15%), or pure sensory (7%). Five patients underwent surgical treatment and 8 had conservative treatment. After one year, 3 of the patients treated surgically and 4 of those on conservative treatment had a score of 2 or lower on the modified Rankin Scale. Poorer prognosis was observed in patients with anticoagulant therapy, large haematomas, location in the lumbar region, and more pronounced motor disability at onset. Conclusions: Old age, hypertension, and anticoagulant therapy are the main risk factors for SSEH. The typical presentation consists of back pain with subsequent motor deficit. In patients with established motor symptoms, surgical treatment within the first 24 hours seems to be the best option. Palabras clave: Hematoma epidural, Hematoma espinal, Compresión medular, Mielopatía, Enfermedades médula espinal, Laminectomía, Keywords: Epidural haematoma, Spinal haematoma, Spinal cord compression, Myelopathy, Spinal cord diseases, Laminectom

Spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma: A retrospective study of a series of 13 cases

Introduction: Spontaneous spinal epidural haematoma (SSEH) has an estimated incidence of one per million population. It is classified as spontaneous when no identifiable cause can be linked to its onset. Objective: To describe a sample of patients with SSEH and analyse variables related to its functional prognosis. Patients and methods: Retrospective study carried out in patients diagnosed with SSEH between 2001 and 2013 in our hospital. Results: We included 13 subjects (7 men) with a mean age of 71 years. Of the total, 62% had hypertension and 54% were treated with oral anticoagulants; of the latter, 57% had an International Normalised Ratio above 3. The most frequent manifestation was spinal column pain (85%). Nearly all subjects presented an associated neurological deficit, whether sensory-motor (70%), pure motor (15%), or pure sensory (7%). Five patients underwent surgical treatment and 8 had conservative treatment. After one year, 3 of the patients treated surgically and 4 of those on conservative treatment had a score of 2 or lower on the modified Rankin Scale. Poorer prognosis was observed in patients with anticoagulant therapy, large haematomas, location in the lumbar region, and more pronounced motor disability at onset. Conclusions: Old age, hypertension, and anticoagulant therapy are the main risk factors for SSEH. The typical presentation consists of back pain with subsequent motor deficit. In patients with established motor symptoms, surgical treatment within the first 24 hours seems to be the best option. Resumen: Introducción: El hematoma espinal epidural espontáneo (HEEE) tiene una incidencia estimada de un caso por millón de habitantes al año. Se considera espontáneo cuando no se logra relacionar ninguna causa de forma directa con su aparición. Objetivo: Describir una muestra de pacientes con HEEE y analizar las variables relacionadas con el pronóstico funcional del mismo. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes diagnosticados de HEEE en nuestro centro entre 2001 y 2013. Resultados: Trece pacientes, 7 varones, con edad media de 71 años. El 62% presentaba hipertensión arterial (HTA) y el 54% utilizaba anticoagulantes orales, teniendo una razón normalizada internacional >3 el 57% de ellos. La presentación clínica más frecuente fue dolor en columna vertebral (85%). El 92% asoció déficit neurológico en forma de síndrome sensitivo-motor (70%), motor puro (15%) o sensitivo puro (7%). Cinco pacientes recibieron tratamiento quirúrgico y 8 fueron tratados de forma conservadora. Al año, 3 de los pacientes tratados de forma quirúrgica y 4 de los de manejo conservador tenían una puntuación igual o menor de 2 en la Escala Rankin Modificada. Se observó peor pronóstico en pacientes anticoagulados, en hematomas de mayor extensión, en hematomas localizados en región lumbar y cuando el compromiso motor inicial era mayor. Conclusiones: La edad avanzada, la HTA y la anticoagulación son los principales factores asociados con el HEEE. La presentación típica consiste en dolor en la columna vertebral seguido de déficit motor. En pacientes con déficits motores establecidos, el tratamiento quirúrgico dentro de las primeras 24 h parece ser la mejor opción terapéutica. Keywords: Epidural haematoma, Spinal haematoma, Spinal cord compression, Myelopathy, Spinal cord diseases, Laminectomy, Palabras clave: Hematoma epidural, Hematoma espinal, Compresión medular, Mielopatía, Enfermedades médula espinal, Laminectomí