Does desmopressin acetate reduce blood loss after surgery in patients on cardiopulmonary bypass?

It has been suggested that desmopressin acetate (DDAVP) administration reduces blood loss after cardiac surgery. We have investigated the effect of DDAVP administration in a double-blind, randomized, prospective trial including 100 patients placed on cardiopulmonary bypass during surgery. Fifty patients received 0.3 micrograms/kg DDAVP and 50 patients received a placebo administered in a 50 ml saline solution over 15 min when cardiopulmonary bypass had been concluded. Results showed no significant differences either in total blood loss per square meter (458 +/- 206 ml in the DDAVP group vs 536 +/- 304 ml in the placebo group) or in necessity for red cell transfusions (1642 +/- 705 ml in the DDAVP group vs 1574 +/- 645 ml in the placebo group) in the first 72 hr after surgery. Only intraoperative blood loss per square meter was significantly lower (p less than .02) in the DDAVP group (131 +/- 106 ml) as compared with the placebo group (193 +/- 137 ml). The prolongation of bleeding time and the decrease of factor VIII:C and factor VIII:von Willebrand factor 90 min after treatment were significantly lower (p less than .001) in the DDAVP group as compared with the placebo group. We conclude that the administration of DDAVP in patients placed on cardiopulmonary bypass during surgery does not reduce total blood loss and is only effective in reducing intraoperative bleeding

Control of human endometrial stromal cell motility by PDGF-BB, HB-EGF and trophoblast-secreted factors

Human implantation involves extensive tissue remodeling at the fetal-maternal interface. It is becoming increasingly evident that not only trophoblast, but also decidualizing endometrial stromal cells are inherently motile and invasive, and likely contribute to the highly dynamic processes at the implantation site. The present study was undertaken to further characterize the mechanisms involved in the regulation of endometrial stromal cell motility and to identify trophoblast-derived factors that modulate migration. Among local growth factors known to be present at the time of implantation, heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) triggered chemotaxis (directed locomotion), whereas platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB elicited both chemotaxis and chemokinesis (non-directed locomotion) of endometrial stromal cells. Supernatants of the trophoblast cell line AC-1M88 and of first trimester villous explant cultures stimulated chemotaxis but not chemokinesis. Proteome profiling for cytokines and angiogenesis factors revealed neither PDGF-BB nor HB-EGF in conditioned media from trophoblast cells or villous explants, while placental growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor and PDGF-AA were identified as prominent secretory products. Among these, only PDGF-AA triggered endometrial stromal cell chemotaxis. Neutralization of PDGF-AA in trophoblast conditioned media, however, did not diminish chemoattractant activity, suggesting the presence of additional trophoblast-derived chemotactic factors. Pathway inhibitor studies revealed ERK1/2, PI3 kinase/Akt and p38 signaling as relevant for chemotactic motility, whereas chemokinesis depended primarily on PI3 kinase/Akt activation. Both chemotaxis and chemokinesis were stimulated upon inhibition of Rho-associated, coiled-coil containing protein kinase. The chemotactic response to trophoblast secretions was not blunted by inhibition of isolated signaling cascades, indicating activation of overlapping pathways in trophoblast-endometrial communication. In conclusion, trophoblast signals attract endometrial stromal cells, while PDGF-BB and HB-EGF, although not identified as trophoblast-derived, are local growth factors that may serve to fine-tune directed and non-directed migration at the implantation site

Therapeutical Management for Ocular Rosacea

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe a case of ocular rosacea with a very complex evolution. Rosacea is a chronic dermatological disease that may affect the ocular structures up to 6-72% of all cases. This form is often misdiagnosed, which may lead to long inflammatory processes with important visual consequences for affected patients. Therefore, an early diagnosis and an adequate treatment are important. Methods: We report the case of a 43-year-old patient who had several relapses of what seemed an episode of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. Two weeks later, he developed a corneal ulcer with a torpid evolution including abundant intrastromal infiltrators and calcium deposits. He was diagnosed with ocular rosacea and treated with systemic doxycycline and topical protopic. Results: A coating with amniotic membrane was placed in order to heal the ulcer, but a deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty to restore the patient''s vision because of the corneal transparency loss was necessary. Conclusions: Ocular rosacea includes multiple ophthalmic manifestations ranging from inflammation of the eyelid margin and blepharitis to serious corneal affectations. A delayed diagnosis can result in chronic inflammatory conditions including keratinization and loss of corneal transparency, which lead to important visual sequelae for affected patients. (C) 2016 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Base

Fuel and chemicals from wet lignocellulosic biomass waste streams by hydrothermal carbonization

[EN] Most valorization processes for biomass waste require dry raw material or at least a relatively low amount of residual humidity. In contrast, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a valorization process for lignocellulosic biomass which uses water as a reaction medium. The product, hydrochar, can be used as dry solid fuel making the post-process drying procedure much more energy-efficient. Herein, three lignocellulosic biomass waste feedstocks, i.e. the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW), orange peel waste (OPW) and the residues of a pepper plantation, were processed by HTC on a ton scale and the product evaluated as solid fuel in form of pellets for domestic use (EN ISO 17225). A critical property of the product is the ash content which has to be adjusted by post-treatment. Ash content below the established limit was achieved by acid treatment with sulfuric acid. An implementation of the treatment into the pilot plant is straightforward. An organic liquid fraction was obtained as an additional effluent in the pilot plant depending on the biomass feedstock. For instance, limonene in a mixture with other monoterpenes was separated when orange peel waste was processed, constituting approximately 3 wt% of the dry matter. It is further shown at laboratory scale that the monoterpene mixture can be directly used or can easily be transformed into para-cymene, a fragrance compound, by catalytic dehydrogenation. Therefore, the HTC process can be considered as a source for valuable apolar platform molecules derived from lignocellulosic biomass waste in addition to the production of hydrochar.Authors are grateful for financial support from the EU (FP7-SME-2013-605178-NEWAPP) and from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Innpacto Programme, IPT-2012-0023-120000). We thank our NEWAPP partners (http://newapp-project.eu/en/partners.html), especially M. Ryberg and M. Owsianiak from the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) and L. Doyle from TTZ Bremerhaven, for fruitful discussions and valuable suggestions.Burguete Llorens, PL.; Corma Canós, A.; Hitzl, M.; Modrego Latorre, R.; Ponce Ballester, E.; Renz, M. (2016). Fuel and chemicals from wet lignocellulosic biomass waste streams by hydrothermal carbonization. Green Chemistry. 18(4):1051-1060. https://doi.org/10.1039/C5GC02296GS1051106018

Fent visible l'invisible. Tècniques de diagnòstic per imatge

Making the Invisible Visible. Diagnostic Imaging Techniques.In Medicine, images play a decisive role, especially in Diagnostics. Several properties of the inner body can be visualized and measured by means of so-called Medical Imaging techniques. Most of these techniques are based on detection by electromagnetic radiation with radiation energy dependingon the properties of the image. If the goal is to obtain a three-dimensional image, complex mathematical algorithms combined with powerful computers must be used in addition to suitable detector devices. Therefore, progress in Medical Imaging is the result of a combined effort by physicians and physicists, as well as chemists, biologists, engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists

The Rise and Fall of "Respectable" Spanish Liberalism, 1808-1923: An Explanatory Framework

The article focuses on the reasons behind both the consolidation of what I have termed “respectable” liberalism between the 1830s and the 1840s and its subsequent decline and fall between 1900 and 1923. In understanding both processes I study the links established between “respectable” liberals and propertied elites, the monarchy, and the Church. In the first phase these links served to consolidate the liberal polity. However, they also meant that many tenets of liberal ideology were compromised. Free elections were undermined by the operation of caciquismo, monarchs established a powerful position, and despite the Church hierarchy working with liberalism, the doctrine espoused by much of the Church was still shaped by the Counter-Reformation. Hence, “respectable” liberalism failed to achieve a popular social base. And the liberal order was increasingly denigrated as part of the corrupt “oligarchy” that ruled Spain. Worse still, between 1916 and 1923 the Church, monarch, and the propertied elite increasingly abandoned the liberal Monarchist Restoration. Hence when General Primo de Rivera launched his coup the rug was pulled from under the liberals’ feet and there was no one to cushion the fall

Evaluación de la función visual, de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina y de la colorimetría de la cabeza del nervio óptico como biomarcadores en pacientes con Alzheimer y fibromialgia

Evaluación de la función visual (agudeza visual, campimetria automatizada, test de color), de los espesores de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina medidos mediante 2 dispositivos de OCT (Tomografía de coherencia óptica) y de la colorimetría de la cabeza del nervio óptico (medición mediante una fotografía de la saturación de hemoglobina a través del análisis de color de la misma) como posible uso de los mismos como biomarcadores para el diagnóstico de la Enfermedad de Alzheimer y de la fibromialgia. Demostrándose la utilidad.Artículos empleados para la redacción de la tesis doctoral1. Bambo MP, Garcia-Martin E, Gutierrez-Ruiz F, Pinilla J, Perez-Olivan S, LarrosaJM, Polo V, Pablo L. Analysis of optic disk color changes in Alzheimer's disease: apotential new biomarker. Clin Neurol Neurosurg. 2015 May;132:68-73. doi: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2015.02.016. Epub 2015 Mar 9. PubMed PMID: 25797847.2. Bambo MP, Garcia-Martin E, Gutierrez-Ruiz F, Magallon R, Roca M, Garcia-Campayo J, Perez-Olivan S, Polo V, Larrosa JM, Pablo LE. Study of perfusion changesin the optic disc of patients with fibromyalgia syndrome using new colorimetricanalysis software. J Fr Ophtalmol. 2015 Sep;38(7):580-7. doi: 10.1016/j.jfo.2015.01.010.Epub 2015 May 11. PubMed PMID: 25976129.3. Garcia-Martin E, Garcia-Campayo J, Puebla-Guedea M, Ascaso FJ, Roca M,Gutierrez-Ruiz F, Vilades E, Polo V, Larrosa JM, Pablo LE, Satue M. Fibromyalgia iscorrelated with retinal nerve fiber layer thinning. PLoS One. 2016 Sep;11(9):e0161574.doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0161574. eCollection 2016. PubMed PMID: 27584145;PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5008644.4. Bambo MP, Garcia-Martin E, Larrosa JM, Polo V, Gutiérrez-Ruiz F, Villages E,Gil-Arribas L, Pablo LE. Retinal and optic disc alterations in Alzheimer’s disease: theeye as a potential central nervous system window. J Alzheimers Dis Parkinsonism2016;6:223. doi: 10.4172/2161-0460.1000223<br /

Efectos de los conservantes en la superficie ocular de los pacientes con glaucoma

El tratamiento tópico para el glaucoma puede dar lugar a alteraciones objetivas y subjetivas de la superficie ocular. En este estudio evaluamos los efectos de la medicación tópica en los pacientes con glaucoma y las consecuencias del uso de conservantes sobre la superficie ocular mediante las siguientes pruebas: cuestionario OSDI, enrojecimiento conjuntival, tiempo de rotura lagrimal no invasivo (NIBUT), depleción de las glándulas de Meibomio, BUT y tinción córneo-conjuntival con verde de lisamina

Independent Validation of the SEND-PD and Correlation with the MDS-UPDRS Part IA

Introduction. Neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease can be assessed by the MDS-UPDRS part IA. The Scale for Evaluation of Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Parkinson's disease (SEND-PD) has been recently developed to assess the severity of some neuropsychiatric symptoms. The objective of this study is to compare the performance of the SEND-PD with the corresponding items of the MDS-UPDRS part IA. Methods. Patients with Parkinson's disease were evaluated using the MDS-UPDRS and the SEND-PD by independent raters. Partial SEND-PD and neuropsychiatric MDS-UPDRS part IA were constructed with equivalent items for comparison. Results. A total of 260 consecutive patients were included. Overall, 61.2% of the patients did not report any psychotic symptom and 83.5% did not report any ICD symptom. On the other hand, 78.5% of the patients did report at least one symptom related to apathy, depression, or anxiety. The partial SEND-PD score was 2.9 ± 3.1 (range from 0 to 16). The neuropsychiatric MDS-UPDRS part IA score was 2.9 ± 3 (range from 0 to 14). The correlation coefficient between corresponding items ranged from 0.67 to 0.98 and between both summary indexes was r s = 0.93 (all, P < 0.001). Conclusion. A high association between equivalent items of the SEND-PD and the MDS-UPDRS was found.S

Tau-dependent suppression of adult neurogenesis in the stressed hippocampus

uncorrected proofStress, a well-known sculptor of brain plasticity, is shown to suppress hippocampal neurogenesis in the adult brain; yet, the underlying cellular mechanisms are poorly investigated. Previous studies have shown that chronic stress triggers hyperphosphorylation and accumulation of the cytoskeletal protein Tau, a process that may impair the cytoskeleton-regulating role (s) of this protein with impact on neuronal function. Here, we analyzed the role of Tau on stress-driven suppression of neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus (DG) using animals lacking Tau (Tau-knockout; Tau-KO) and wild-type (WT) littermates. Unlike WTs, Tau-KO animals exposed to chronic stress did not exhibit reduction in DG proliferating cells, neuroblasts and newborn neurons; however, newborn astrocytes were similarly decreased in both Tau-KO and WT mice. In addition, chronic stress reduced phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR)/glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3 beta)/beta-catenin signaling, known to regulate cell survival and proliferation, in the DG of WT, but not Tau-KO, animals. These data establish Tau as a critical regulator of the cellular cascades underlying stress deficits on hippocampal neurogenesis in the adult brain.Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) Investigator grants (IF/01799/2013, IF/00883/2013, IF/01079/2014, respectively). This work was funded by FCT research grants 'PTDC/SAU-NMC/113934/2009' (IS), the Portuguese North Regional Operational Program (ON.2) under the National Strategic Reference Framework (QREN), through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), the Project Estratégico co-funded by FCT (PEst-C/SAU/LA0026/2013) and the European Regional Development Fund COMPETE (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-037298) as well as the project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio