Glycophosphopeptical as adjuvant treatment of diabetic foot injury: A pilot study [Glycophosphopeptical como adyuvante en el tratamiento de lesiones del pie diab�tico: estudio piloto]

Background: Due to the complexity of the diabetic foot, its high frequency of amputations and accompanying immunosuppression, treatment is difficult. We tested the usefulness of glycophosphopetical immunoregulator as adjuvant herapy for diabetic foot injury. Methods: We carried out a prospective double-blind randomized controlled study with 19 patients per group with diabetic foot injury III and IV (Wagner injury classification). The study group was treated orally with glycophosphopeptical (1 g/every 8 h for 4 weeks). Control group was treated with placebo. Both groups received conventional treatment: wound debridement, antibiotic therapy and metabolic control. Area and depth of injury was measured at the beginning of the study and after 2 months. Patients who were healed or showed improvement were quantified as well with serum levels of TNF-?, interferonand IL-1?, 15 days after treatment initiation. Results: The study group was comprised of 13 males and six females (mean age 61.6 � 14.9 years) and the control group was comprised of five females and 14 males (mean age 56.7 � 14.6 years). At the end of the study, the area and depth of the lesions were significantly lower in the study group (p <0.05). There were 13 amputations in the study group vs. 17 in the control group. In the group treated with glycophosphopeptical, there were 15 patient who were healed or improved and four failures vs. seven patients in the control group who were healed or improved and 12 failures. There were only four failures in the study group vs. seven in the control group with 12 failures (p = 0.03). TNF-? was lower in the study group than in the control group (p <0.02). Conclusion: Glycophosphopeptical is useful as adjuvant therapy in diabetic foot injuries

Unpolarized states and hidden polarization

Recently, numerous guide chambers for the treatment of injured nerves made up of different biomaterials have been designed, capable of hosting living cells or carrying neurotrophic or neuroactive substances to be directly released to the injured tissue. In this study, chitosan prostheses containing neurosteroids (progesterone and pregnenolone) were used for bridging a 10-mm gap in the rabbit facial nerve. Gas chromatography was used to quantify neurosteroid content in the prostheses prior to and after subcutaneous implantation at different periods of up to 60 days. The regeneration of the nerve fibers were evaluated at 15 and 45 days after axotomy by means of ultrastructural morphometric analysis. Different nerve fibers regenerative patterns were seen depending the groups studied and the analyzed stages. At 15 days after axotomy, the newly regenerating tissue revealed Schwann cells holding nonmyelinated nerve fiber bundles in an incipient and organized regenerative pattern. At 45 days, the regenerating tissue showed myelinated nerve fibers of different sizes, shapes, and myelin sheath thickness. Although the regeneration of the nerve fibers under neurosteroid treatment showed statistically significant differences in comparison with vehicle regenerated tissue, progesterone-loaded chitosan prostheses produced the best guided nerve regeneration response. These findings indicate that chitosan prostheses allowed regeneration of nerve fibers in their lumen, and when containing neurosteroids produced a faster guided nerve regeneration acting as a long-lasting release delivery vehicle. " 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.",,,,,,"10.1002/jbm.b.30243",,,"http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12104/45534","http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-21444441396&partnerID=40&md5=d335b886a33765afdc8b08f3120c9f99",,,,,,"1",,"Journal of Biomedical Materials Research - Part B Applied Biomaterials",,"58

Ultrastructural analysis of guided nerve regeneration using progesterone- and pregnenolone-loaded chitosan prostheses

Recently, numerous guide chambers for the treatment of injured nerves made up of different biomaterials have been designed, capable of hosting living cells or carrying neurotrophic or neuroactive substances to be directly released to the injured tissue. In this study, chitosan prostheses containing neurosteroids (progesterone and pregnenolone) were used for bridging a 10-mm gap in the rabbit facial nerve. Gas chromatography was used to quantify neurosteroid content in the prostheses prior to and after subcutaneous implantation at different periods of up to 60 days. The regeneration of the nerve fibers were evaluated at 15 and 45 days after axotomy by means of ultrastructural morphometric analysis. Different nerve fibers regenerative patterns were seen depending the groups studied and the analyzed stages. At 15 days after axotomy, the newly regenerating tissue revealed Schwann cells holding nonmyelinated nerve fiber bundles in an incipient and organized regenerative pattern. At 45 days, the regenerating tissue showed myelinated nerve fibers of different sizes, shapes, and myelin sheath thickness. Although the regeneration of the nerve fibers under neurosteroid treatment showed statistically significant differences in comparison with vehicle regenerated tissue, progesterone-loaded chitosan prostheses produced the best guided nerve regeneration response. These findings indicate that chitosan prostheses allowed regeneration of nerve fibers in their lumen, and when containing neurosteroids produced a faster guided nerve regeneration acting as a long-lasting release delivery vehicle. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

Improving Diabetes Health Literacy by Animation

Purpose and scopeTo produce a Spanish/English animated video about diabetes; to qualitatively assess cultural and linguistic appropriateness; and to test effectiveness at improving diabetes health literacy among Latino/Hispanics.MethodsParticipatory research and animation production methods guided development of the video. Cultural appropriateness was assessed through focused discussion group methods. A prospective randomized controlled trial tested the effectiveness of the Spanish version at improving diabetes health literacy, compared to "easy to read" diabetes information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Functional health literacy was measured by the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Diabetes health literacy was measured by the Diabetes Health Literacy Survey (DHLS).ResultsNo significant differences were recorded between experimental (n = 118) and control groups (n = 122) at baseline on demographic characteristics, Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults score, or DHLS score. Fifty-eight percent of the study participants had inadequate functional health literacy. Mean DHLS score for all participants and those having adequate functional health literacy were 0.55 and 0.54, respectively (inadequate diabetes health literacy). When adjusting for baseline DHLS score, sex, age, and insurance status, DHLS scores improved significantly more in the experimental group than the control group (adjusted mean = 55% vs 53%, F = 4.7, df = 1, P = .03). Interaction between experimental group and health literacy level was significant (F = 6.37, df = 2, P = .002), but the experimental effect was significant only for participants with inadequate health literacy (P = .009).ConclusionsThe positive effect on DHLS scores suggests that animation has great potential for improving diabetes health literacy among Latinos having limited functional health literacy. A study is needed that targets participants with inadequate health literacy and that uses the English and Spanish versions of the video

Identifying a Simple Clinical Prognostic Model for Aggressive Adult T-Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma in Latin American Population and Its Validation: A Large International Study of the Latin America Working Group for Lymphomas (GELL)

Background : Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is an aggressive, peripheral T-cell neoplasm associated with the human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). HTLV-1 infects up to 10 million people worldwide and is most endemic in Southwestern Japan, the Caribbean basin, South America and Western Africa. In Latin America, highest prevalence is found in Haiti, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Brazil and Peru. ATLL has a poor prognosis, with shorter overall survival (OS) relative to other peripheral T-cell lymphomas. Although current prognostic models require extensive radiologic and laboratory investigations, oftentimes they are not readily available in most Latin American countries, hence, a simple prognostic model is useful. We aim to identify and then validate a simple clinical prognostic model for ATLL in the Latin American population by analyzing clinical parameters and only laboratory tests that are widely available across Latin American countries. Patients and Methods : We retrospectively analyzed patients (pts) diagnosed with ATLL between January 1987 and December 2018. Aggressive ATLL cases were classified according to the Shimoyama criteria into acute (A) and lymphomatous (L). Cox regression modeling was performed on several clinical and laboratory parameters in two independent cohorts: first, a learning cohort (LC) of ATLL pts diagnosed and managed at two tertiary hospitals in Chile and Peru, and then a cohort of ATLL pts from a tertiary hospital in Miami was used to validate the model (validation cohort, VC). OS curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazard regression models were fitted. Results : A total of 149 pts (A=55, L=94) in the LC, and 101 pts (A=58, L=43) in the VC were identified, with 101 and 94 pts receiving therapy in each cohort, respectively. Clinical features are shown in Table 1. In both cohorts, there was a young (<60 years, LC=51%, VC=64%), and female predominance (LC=52%, VC=61%). Pts in the LC had a better performance status compared to the VC (ECOG ≥2, LC=50% vs. VC=76%). Pts in the VC had advanced stages of disease (stage III/IV, LC=88% vs. VC=97%), and ≥1 extranodal involvement (LC=17% vs. VC=76%) compared to the LC. High LDH, low serum albumin (<3.5 g/dL), bone marrow involvement and anemia (hemoglobin <10 g/dL) were no different in both cohorts. The calculated International Prognostic Index (IPI) and Prognostic Index for T-cell lymphoma (PTI) scores are presented in Table 1. Most pts in the VC had high risk IPI and PIT scores (High risk: IPI LC=21% vs. VC=62%; PIT LC=38% vs. VC=51%) compared to the LC that had more low and low/intermediate IPI and PIT scores (Low risk: IPI LC=13% vs. VC=0%; PIT LC=5% vs. VC=0%; Low/intermediate risk: IPI LC=26% vs. VC=7%; PIT LC=23% vs. VC=16%). The median OS was 6 and 8.4 months in the LC and VC, respectively (Figure 1). In the univariate and multivariate analysis, ECOG ≥2 and serum albumin <3.5 g/dL were both associated with a worse OS (Table 2). When adjusted to IPI and PIT scores, serum albumin <3.5 g/dL was a negative prognostic factor, independent of IPI score, and a trend in PIT score, in the LC (adjusted for IPI: HR 1.71, 95% CI 1.06-2.75; p=0.03 / PIT: HR 1.56, 95% CI 0.95-2.56; p=0.07), but independent prognostic factor from both, IPI and PIT scores, in the VC (adjusted for IPI: HR 2.45, 95% CI 1.41-4.24; p=0.001 / PIT: HR 2.43, 95% CI 1.44-4.08; p=0.001) (Figure 2). Comparable results were found when investigating by ATLL subtype, with results trending towards significance for OS, IPI and PIT scores in the LC, but then validated in the VC (Figure 3). Conclusions : To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest retrospective study evaluating the clinical features of HTLV-1 related ATLL and impact on disease outcome in Latin America. We have validated a simple prognostic model in pts with aggressive ATLL. Our results suggest that a serum albumin level of less than 3.5 g/dL is a reliable, and independent prognostic factor for survival in aggressive ATLL. This prognostic model could be used to complement or modify existing and widely used international prognostic indexes for lymphoma. This simple paradigm could be useful in validating treatment outcomes after chemotherapy or highly needed new approaches for ATLL in prospective studies, particularly in developing countries where the absence of sophisticated laboratory and imaging tests hinder treatment decisions. Disclosures Peña: Novartis: Other: Congress inscription and flights; Tecnofarma: Other: Congress inscription and flights; Roche: Other: Congress inscription and flights; Biotoscana: Other: Congress inscription and flights; Janssen: Other: Congress inscription and flights; Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Rojas:Pfizer: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ABBVIE: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; NOVARTIS: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; ROCHE: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Paredes:Tecnofarma: Honoraria. Abello:Takeda: Other: Participation in advisory board meeting. M:Merck-Sharp-Dome: Speakers Bureau; Takeda: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Roche-Mexico: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau

Enfrentando los riesgos socionaturales

El objetivo del libro es comprender la magnitud de los Riesgos Socionaturales en México y Latinoamérica, para comprender el peligro que existe por algún tipo de desastre, ya sea inundaciones, sismos, remoción en masa, entre otros, además conocer qué medidas preventivas, correctivas y de contingencias existen para estar atentos ante alguna señal que la naturaleza esté enviando y así evitar alguna catástrofe. El libro se enfoca en los aspectos básicos de análisis de los peligros, escenarios de riesgo, vulnerabilidad y resiliencia, importantes para la gestión prospectiva o preventiva