In vitro effect photodynamic therapy with differents photosensitizers on cariogenic microorganisms

Background Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy has been proposed as an alternative to suppress subgingival species. This results from the balance among Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans in the dental biofilm. Not all the photosensitizers have the same photodynamic effect against the different microorganims. The objective of this study is to compare in vitro the photodynamic effect of methylene blue (MB), rose Bengal (RB) and curcumin (CUR) in combination with white light on the cariogenic microorganism S. mutans, S. sanguis and C. albicans. Go to: Results Photodynamic therapy with MB, RB and CUR inhibited 6 log 10 the growth of both bacteria but at different concentrations: 0.31–0.62 μg/ml and 0.62–1.25 μg/ml RB were needed to photoinactivate S. mutans and S. sanguis, respectively; 1.25–2.5 μg/ml MB for both species; whereas higher CUR concentrations (80–160 μg/ml and 160–320 μg/ml) were required to obtain the same reduction in S. mutans and S. sanguis viability respectively. The minimal fungicidal concentration of MB for 5 log10 CFU reduction (4.5 McFarland) was 80–160 μg/ml, whereas for RB it ranged between 320 and 640 μg/ml. For CUR, even the maximum studied concentration (1280 μg/ml) did not reach that inhibition. Incubation time had no effect in all experiments. Go to: Conclusions Photodynamic therapy with RB, MB and CUR and white light is effective in killing S. mutans and S. sanguis strains, although MB and RB are more efficient than CUR. C. albicans required higher concentrations of all photosensitizers to obtain a fungicidal effect, being MB the most efficient and CUR ineffective.España, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CTQ2013-48767-C3-2-

Test bench to test protocols and algorithms for multimedia delivery

Nowadays, the study of Quality of Service (QoS) in multimedia streaming is generally carried out by simulators. However, the results of these tests are not quite real. This forces researchers to work with approximations. In this paper, we implement a test bench to test the performance and assess the protocols and algorithms for multimedia delivery. This test bench let us evaluate the network parameters performance, by manipulating the devices under controlled conditions, and allow us to identify different application cases. We can confirm that the designed test bench gives us more real measures than a simulators, which allows us to do many types of tests with low cost.Jimenez, JM.; Lloret, J.; Díaz Santos, JR.; Lacuesta Gilaberte, R. (2017). Test bench to test protocols and algorithms for multimedia delivery. En Lecture Notes of the Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering. Springer Verlag. 124-134. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-49580-4_12S124134Lloret, J., Garcia, M., Atenas, M., Canovas, A.: A QoE management system to improve the IPTV network. Int. J. Commun Syst 24(1), 118–138 (2011)Garcia, M., Canovas, A., Edo, M., Lloret, J.: A QoE management system for ubiquitous IPTV devices. In: The Third International Conference on Mobile Ubiquitous Computing, Systems, Services and Technologies, UBICOMM 2009, Sliema, Malta, 11–16 October 2009Álvarez, A., Pozueco, L., Cabrero, S., García Pañeda, X., García, R., Melendi, D., Díaz Orueta, G.: Adaptive streaming: a subjective catalog to assess the performance of objective QoE metrics. Netw. Protoc. Algorithms 6(2), 123–136 (2014)Jimenez, J.M., Romero, O., Rego, A., Dilendra, A., Lloret, J.: Study of multimedia delivery over software defined networks. Netw. Protoc. Algorithms 7(4), 37–62 (2015)Recomendation UIT/T G.1010: End-user multimedia QoS categories (2001). https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-G.1010-200111-I/enRecomendation UIT‑R M.1079-2: Performance and quality of service requirements for International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 (IMT-2000) access networks. https://www.itu.int/dms_pubrec/itu-r/rec/m/R-REC-M.1079-2-200306-I!!PDF-E.pdfGarcia, M., Lloret, J., Edo, M., Lacuesta, R.: IPTV distribution network access system using WiMAX and WLAN technologies. In: Proceedings of the 4th Edition of the UPGRADE-CN Workshop on Use of P2P GRID and Agents for the Development of Content Networks, Munich, Germany, 11–13 June 2009Atenas, M., Sendra, S., Garcia, M., Lloret, J.: IPTV performance in IEEE 802.11 n WLANs. In: IEEE GLOBECOM Workshops 2010, Miami, USA, pp. 929–933, December 2010Cisco Systems Inc. Cisco’s Visual Networking Index Forecast Projects Nearly Half the World’s Population Will Be Connected to the Internet by 2017. http://newsroom.cisco.com/press-release-content?articleId=1197391Lu, X., Tao, S., El Zarki, M., Guérin, R.: Quality based Adaptive Video Over the Internet. Department of ESE, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (2003)Lee, T.K., Chai, T.Y., Ngoh, L.H., Shao, X., Teo, J.C.M., Zhou, L.: An IMS-based testbed for real-time services integration and orchestration. In: IEEE Asia-Pacific Services Computing Conference (APSCC 2009), Singapore, 7–11 December 2009Mu, M., Mauthe, A., Casson, J., Tyson, G., Garcia, F.: LA1 TestBed: evaluation testbed to assess the impact of network impairments on video quality. In: 5th International Conference on Testbeds and Research Infrastructures for the Development of Networks & Communities and Workshops (TridentCom 2009), Washington, DC, 6–8 April 2009Kuwadekar, A., Al-Begain, K.: User centric quality of experience testing for video on demand over IMS. In: First International Conference on Computational Intelligence, Communication Systems and Networks (CICSYN 2009), Indore, India, 23–25 July 2009Downline Guide, Big Buck Bunny, Sunflower version. http://bbb3d.renderfarming.net/download.htmlFFmpeg. http://www.ffmpeg.org/about.htmlSullivan, G.J., Wiegand, T.: Video compression - from concepts to the H.264/AVC standard. Proc. IEEE 93(1), 18–31 (2005)Estepa, A.J., Estepa, R., Vozmediano, J., Carrillo, P.: Dynamic VoIP codec selection on smartphones. Netw. Protoc. Algorithms 6(2), 22–37 (2014

Daylight photodynamic therapy using methylene blue to treat sheep with dermatophytosis caused by Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii

Arthroderma vanbreuseghemii has been identified molecularly as the causative agent of dermatophytosis in a flock of sheep. It is necessary to explore new treatment alternatives because antifungals are not approved for use on small ruminant animals in the European Union. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) has been shown to be effective for the treatment of dermatophytosis in humans. It is based on the application of a photosensitizer such as methylene blue (MB) that is activated by visible light to generate reactive oxygen species that are cytotoxic to cells. The use of daylight to perform aPDT (aDL-PDT) avoids the requirement of specific equipment because it uses sunlight to activate the photosensitizer. The aim of our study is to determine the efficacy of aDL-PDT using a 1% MB solution to treat dermatophytosis caused by A. vanbreuseghemii in ewes. Two different topical protocols (1% MB solution spray applications once or twice a week) were assayed in two groups of five infected animals. Twenty-five infected sheep were untreated. All the sheep were exposed to sunlight every day for an approximate duration of 10 h for a total of four weeks. At the end of the study, all the animals treated with aDL-PDT showed the same clinical response to both protocols. In contrast, the animals exposed only to sunlight required an additional two to four weeks before their infections resolved. Conclusion: aDL-PDT with 1% MB solution demonstrates efficacy, safety and efficiency in the treatment of dermatophytosis in sheep

The use of HSQoL-24 in an assessment of quality-of-life impairment among hidradenitis suppurativa patients: First look at real-life data

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder with well-documented effects on patients’ quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the QoL of patients with HS via the use of a newly developed questionnaire: Hidradenitis Suppurativa Quality of Life-24 (HSQoL-24). This study was performed on a population of 342 HS patients. Their QoL was assessed via the HSQoL-24 questionnaire. The perceived impairment of QoL due to HS in the studied group was considered to be serious (mean HSQoL-24 score: 58.3 ± 21.0 points). Women tended to experience a significantly higher impact from the disease than men (61.6 ± 19.2 points vs. 51.1 ± 23.1 points, p < 0.001). The HS severity had an effect on the perceived QoL, with statistically significant differences being evident between the self-assessed HS severity groups. The level of QoL impairment correlated positively with the number of affected body areas (r = 0.285, p < 0.001) and the duration of the disease (r = 0.173, p = 0.001), while the patients’ age at disease onset correlated negatively with the HSQoL-24 global score (r = -0.182, p = 0.001). Patients living in their family house scored higher than other groups. The least affected were patients who lived alone. The study shows that the HSQoL-24 questionnaire is a reliable, HS-specific tool for measuring the QoL among patients with HS in real-life clinical settings. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Combination of photodynamic therapy and oral antifungals for the treatment of onychomycosis

Onychomycosis accounts for 50% of nail disorders, making it one of the most prevalent fungal diseases and a therapeutic challenge. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) could constitute a therapeutic alternative, owing to its good adherence, the low probability of resistance, the lack of interaction with antimicrobials, and its favorable adverse effect profile. This retrospective observational study included all patients with a microbiological diagnosis of onychomycosis treated with PDT at Miguel Servet University Hospital, Zaragoza (Spain), between January 2013 and June 2021. The protocol con-sisted of pre-treatment with 40% urea for 7 days, followed by 16% methyl-aminolevulinate (MAL) for 3 h and subsequent irradiation with a red-light LED lamp (37 J/cm2), every 1 or 2 weeks. Combined treatment with oral and/or topical antifungals was recorded. Of the 20 patients included (mean age, 59 ± 17 years), 55% were men. The most frequently detected microorganism was Trichophyton rubrum (55%). The most commonly affected location was the feet (90%): 50% of these cases were associated with tinea pedis. The median (standard deviation) number of PDT sessions was 6 (2.8). PDT was combined with systemic terbinafine (250 mg/day) in 10 cases (in 8 cases, this was administered for only 1 month), and with topical terbinafine in 3 cases. A complete clinical response was achieved in 80% (16) of cases and microbiological cure in 60% (12). PDT is a therapeutic alternative for ony-chomycosis, and can be administered either in monotherapy or combined with antifungals, allowing for a reduction in the duration and possible adverse effects of antifungal treatment and achieving higher cure rates than those obtained with either treatment alone

When Virtual Assistants Meet Teledermatology: Validation of a Virtual Assistant to Improve the Quality of Life of Psoriatic Patients

Teledermatology has given dermatologists a tool to track patients’ responses to therapy using images. Virtual assistants, the programs that interact with users through text or voice messages, could be used in teledermatology to enhance the interaction of the tool with the patients and healthcare professionals and the overall impact of the medication and quality of life of patients. As such, this work aimed to investigate the effectiveness of using a virtual assistant for teledermatology and its impact on the quality of life. We conducted surveys with the participants and measured the usability of the system with the System Usability Scale (SUS). A total of 34 participants (30 patients diagnosed with moderate-severe psoriasis and 4 healthcare professionals) were included in the study. The measurement of the improvement of quality of life was done by analyzing Psoriasis Quality of Life (PSOLIFE) and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) questionnaires. The results showed that, on average, the quality of life improved (from 63.8 to 64.8 for PSOLIFE (with a p-value of 0.66 and an effect size of 0.06) and 4.4 to 2.8 for DLQI (with a p-value of 0.04 and an effect size of 0.31)). Patients also used the virtual assistant to do 52 medical consultations. Moreover, the usability is above average, with a SUS score of 70.1. As supported by MMAS-8 results, adherence also improved slightly. Our work demonstrates the improvement of the quality of life with the use of a virtual assistant in teledermatology, which could be attributed to the sense of security or peace of mind the patients get as they can contact their dermatologists directly within the virtual assistant-integrated system

Association between preoperative levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and hospital-acquired infections after hepatobiliary surgery: A prospective study in a third-level hospital

Introduction Evidence implicates vitamin D deficiency in poorer outcomes and increased susceptibility to hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). This study examined the association between serum vitamin D levels and HAIs in a population of hepatobiliary surgery patients. Methods Participants in this prospective analytical observational study were patients who underwent hepatobiliary surgery in a tertiary hospital in Aragon, Spain, between February 2018 and March 2019. Vitamin D concentrations were measured at admission and all nosocomial infections during hospitalization and after discharge were recorded. Results The mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of the study population (n = 301) was 38.56 nmol/L, which corresponds to vitamin D deficiency. Higher vitamin D concentrations were associated with a decreased likelihood of developing a HAI in general (p = 0.014), and in particularly surgical site infection (p = 0.026). The risk of HAI decreased by 34% with each 26.2-nmol/L increase in serum vitamin D levels. Conclusions Vitamin D levels may constitute a modifiable risk factor for postoperative nosocomial infections in hepatobiliary surgery patients

Follow-up Study to Evaluate the Long-term Safety and Efficacy of Darvadstrocel (Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment) in Patients With Perianal Fistulizing Crohn’s Disease: ADMIRE-CD phase 3 randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Darvadstrocel is an expanded allogeneic adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas in patients with Crohn’s disease. Safety and efficacy outcomes from the clinical trial known as “Adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells for induction of remission in perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease,” or ADMIRE-CD (NCT01541579), from up to 52 weeks posttreatment were previously reported. Here, the outcomes from an extended 104-week follow-up are reported. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of darvadstrocel at 2 years post-treatment in patients with Crohn’s disease and complex perianal fistulas. DESIGN: This was a phase 3 double-blind randomized controlled study (ADMIRE-CD) in patients with perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease. SETTINGS: This study extension was conducted in multiple hospitals across 7 European countries and Israel. PATIENTS: Forty patients entered the extended follow-up period: 25 patients in the darvadstrocel treatment group and 15 in the control group. INTERVENTIONS: Darvadstrocel or saline solution (control group) was administered once, locally, after fistula tract curettage and internal opening closure (with previous seton placement). All patients were permitted to continue ongoing medical treatments for fistulas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Treatment-emergent serious adverse events were recorded through week 104. Clinical remission, defined as closure of all treated external openings that were draining at baseline despite gentle finger compression, was assessed at week 104. RESULTS: Of 40 patients, 37 completed the extended follow-up. Through week 104, 7 treatment-emergent serious adverse events were reported, of which 4 occurred between weeks 52 and 104. At week 104, clinical remission was reported in 14/25 (56%) patients in the darvadstrocel group and 6/15 (40%) patients in the control group. LIMITATIONS: Limitations include the small number of patients who entered the extended follow-up period, and no imaging examinations were performed at the 104-week time point. CONCLUSIONS: Darvadstrocel was well tolerated and clinical remission after treatment with darvadstrocel may be sustained for up to 104 weeks in patients with perianal fistulizing Crohn’s disease

Spanish medical students’ attitudes and views towards Mental Health and Psychiatry: a multicentric cross-sectional study.

Objective The aim of this study is to investigate the attitudes towards mental illness and psychiatry among fifth year Spanish medical students. Methods The study included 171 students from three medical schools located in different areas of Spain: Cádiz; UCA (n= 113), Madrid; San Pablo-CEU (n=22), and Barcelona; UAB (n=36). They responded, prior to their undergraduate medical course in psychiatry, to the AMI questionnaire to measure the attitudes towards mental illness and to Balon’s adapted questionnaire to investigate their view towards psychiatry. Results The students (93.4 %) had a positive attitude towards mental illness (AMI). Attitudes towards psychiatry were fairly positive with a few negative views, specifically regarding the role of psychiatrists (items 11 and 13) and the prestige of the specialty (item 16). There were some statistically significant differences between the three medical schools in the perception of psychiatry as a medical discipline. A better attitude towards mental illness was associated with a better view of the overall merits of psychiatry. Conclusions Findings suggest that Spanish medical students do not have a negative attitude towards mental illness and they have a good perception of psychiatry, although there are still some misconceptions about this specialty. These student’s attitudes could favor an appropriate management of patients suffering from mental illness

In vitro effect photodynamic therapy with differents photosensitizers on cariogenic microorganisms

Background: Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy has been proposed as an alternative to suppress subgingival species. This results from the balance among Streptococcus sanguis, Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans in the dental biofilm. Not all the photosensitizers have the same photodynamic effect against the different microorganims. The objective of this study is to compare in vitro the photodynamic effect of methylene blue (MB), rose Bengal (RB) and curcumin (CUR) in combination with white light on the cariogenic microorganism S. mutans, S. sanguis and C. albicans. Results: Photodynamic therapy with MB, RB and CUR inhibited 6 log 10 the growth of both bacteria but at different concentrations: 0.31-0.62 µg/ml and 0.62-1.25 µg/ml RB were needed to photoinactivate S. mutans and S. sanguis, respectively//1.25-2.5 µg/ml MB for both species//whereas higher CUR concentrations (80-160 µg/ml and 160-320 µg/ml) were required to obtain the same reduction in S. mutans and S. sanguis viability respectively. The minimal fungicidal concentration of MB for 5 log10 CFU reduction (4.5 McFarland) was 80-160 µg/ml, whereas for RB it ranged between 320 and 640 µg/ml. For CUR, even the maximum studied concentration (1280 µg/ml) did not reach that inhibition. Incubation time had no effect in all experiments. Conclusions: Photodynamic therapy with RB, MB and CUR and white light is effective in killing S. mutans and S. sanguis strains, although MB and RB are more efficient than CUR. C. albicans required higher concentrations of all photosensitizers to obtain a fungicidal effect, being MB the most efficient and CUR ineffective