Transformació de la biblioteca en una eina de suport per a la gestió i localització del coneixement científic i d’aprenentatge: una visió des de la recerca

Coneixement científic; Avaluació de la recerca; Biblioteques de SalutScientific knowledge; Research evaluation; Health LibrariesConocimiento científico; Evaluación de la investigación; Bibliotecas de SaludTreball presentat durant la intervenció de l'autor a la Presentació del projecte "Transformació de la biblioteca en una eina de suport per a la gestió i localització del coneixement científic i 'aprenentatge" sobre l'accés al coneixement científic, les eines bibliogràfiques per a la recerca i eines per avaluar la recerca.Work presented during the intervention of the author at the Presentation of the project "Transforming the library into a support tool for the management and localization of scientific knowledge and" learning "about access to scientific knowledge, bibliographic tools for Research and tools to evaluate research.Trabajo presentado durante la intervención del autor en la presentación del proyecto "Transformación de la biblioteca en una herramienta de apoyo para la gestión y localización del conocimiento científico y el aprendizaje" sobre el acceso al conocimiento científico, las herramientas bibliográficas para la investigación y herramientas para evaluar la investigación

Rastrejant el càncer

El càncer és una malaltia produïda pel creixement descontrolat. Entrendre'n l'origen i millorar-ne el diagnòstic són dos dels punts clau a tractar per reduir-ne la incidència i la mortalitat. La cerca de marcadors tumorals específics de cada tipus de càncer és l'escenari ideal per assolir aquestes fites. L'estudi de mostres de pacients obtingudes de manera mínimament invasiva o no invasiva comporta la millora del seu diagnòstic, tant per la reducció de les molèsties en el pacient com per la disminució del cost del tractament per a la societat en general. En aquest article s'exposen tres projectes com a exemple d'aquest tipus de recerca: el càncer d'ovari, el càncer d'endometri i el càncer de pròstata

Non-coding Rnas In Saliva: Emerging Biomarkers For Molecular Diagnostics

Saliva is a complex body fluid that comprises secretions from the major and minor salivary glands, which are extensively supplied by blood. Therefore, molecules such as proteins, DNA, RNA, etc., present in plasma could be also present in saliva. Many studies have reported that saliva body fluid can be useful for discriminating several oral diseases, but also systemic diseases including cancer. Most of these studies revealed messenger RNA (mRNA) and proteomic biomarker signatures rather than specific non-coding RNA (ncRNA) profiles. NcRNAs are emerging as new regulators of diverse biological functions, playing an important role in oncogenesis and tumor progression. Indeed, the small size of these molecules makes them very stable in different body fluids and not as susceptible as mRNAs to degradation by ribonucleases (RNases). Therefore, the development of a non-invasive salivary test, based on ncRNAs profiles, could have a significant applicability to clinical practice, not only by reducing the cost of the health system, but also by benefitting the patient. Here, we summarize the current status and clinical implications of the ncRNAs present in human saliva as a source of biological information

La Biomedicina del segle XXI

En els darrers trenta anys, la nostra societat ha assistit perplexa al desenvolupament d'una revolució que, sens dubte, la història jutjarà com la de més transcendència des que els humans habiten el planeta Terra. Ens referim a l'immens progrés en el coneixement de la ciència i la tècnica i al desenvolupament de les seves aplicacions. La biologia i, en particular, el desenvolupament de la biologia molecular, ocupa un espai majoritari en aquest procés. També la informàtica, l'electrònica, la robòtica o, de manera més general, la física i la química, estan en la primera línia de la seva evolució. Aquest capítol pretén posar totes aquestes troballes juntes en benefici de la nova medicina que ha sorgit d'aquesta barreja. Sense cap pretensió de voler resumir tots els avenços que componen aquesta nova medicina, hem volgut discutir breument el que signifiquen ara mateix i en un futur molt proper aquests canvis que comporten, entre molts altres, el diagnòstic i tractament millors del càncer, la teràpia gènica per a malalties genètiques fins ara incurables, els diferents tipus de diagnòstic per imatge amb un sofisticat suport informàtic, el coneixement del nostre genoma, la producció de proteïnes de propietats terapèutiques per biotecnologia, així com la connexió dels malalts a una xarxa de metges i d'hospitals que els permeti estar adequadament atesos. Nogensmenys, aquestes millores espectaculars d'un món altament tecnificat no ens han de fer ignorar els desafiaments ètics que tot això pot comportar, així com quelcom més elemental i bàsic, que és la solidaritat i caritat envers els febles, oblidats o mancats de recursos.In the last 30 years, we have assisted astonished to the development of a revolution that, with no doubt, history will judge as the most important since humans live in this planet. We refer to the progress in the knowledge of science and technology, and to the development of their applications. Biology, and, in particular, the development of molecular biology, is fundamental in this process. Also computer science, electronics, robotics, or, in a more general way, physics and chemistry are also in the frontline of their growth. This chapter only pretends to put together all these findings in favor of a new medicine. This is not an exhaustive review of these major advances, but just a brief summary of few breakthroughs like the improved diagnosis and treatment of cancer, gene therapy as a solution for genetic diseases, improved image based diagnosis methods, unravelling of the human genome, production of therapeutic recombinant proteins by biotechnology, as well as the new medical care system by having patients connected to physician and hospital networks. Nevertheless, those spectacular improvements in a highly technified world cannot avoid the new ethic challenges emerging in this process. At the same time, solidarity towards weak, poor and discriminated people does not have to be forgotten

Biomarcadors de diagnòstic, pronòstic i predicció de resposta a tractaments oncològics

Better biomarkers are urgently needed to improve diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted intherapy across a wide range of diseases. Currently, scientists are moving forward to solve this problem. New developments in research help to discover many more biomarkers than ever before. However, although the number of articles that have been published in this area is increasing, only few biomarkers have been implemented in the clinical practice. This is mainly due to two reasons: biomarkers fail to meet the demands of the clinic; and false discoveries fail during the long way that represents the validation phases. The new biomarker pipeline, which currently includes new phases in the middle of the process, has significantly increased the percentage of success. In other words, the chances that the new findings are incorporated into routine clinical practice and improve the patient care are higher than before. This improvement in diagnosis, prognosis and targeted therapy, which is increasingly more specific for each patient who suffers a certain disease, brings us step by step closer to what is known as personalized medicine.La necessitat d'identificar nous biomarcadors que aportin una millora significativa del diagnòstic, pronòstic i del seguiment de teràpia de moltes malalties fa que avui dia la cerca de nous biomarcadors sigui un camp de la ciència increïblement explorat. Alhora, l'avenç tecnològic en el camp de la biomedicina ha fet que avui, més que mai, el nombre de nous candidats a biomarcadors hagi crescut de manera exponencial. No obstant això, en els últims anys, tot i l'elevat nombre de publicacions en aquest àmbit, només uns pocs marcadors han arribat a ser emprats en la pràctica clínica. Això es deu principalment a dues raons: els biomarcadors validats no compleixen amb les exigències de la clínica, i la fallida de molts d'aquests en la llarga i feixuga etapa de validació. El nou pipeline de cerca de biomarcadors, que afegeix etapes intermèdies en aquest procés, comporta que el percentatge d'èxit millori significativament; dit en altres paraules, que les possibilitats que aquestes noves troballes siguin incorporades a la rutina hospitalària i millorin la pràctica clínica siguin més elevades. Aquesta millora en el diagnòstic, pronòstic i seguiment de teràpia, que cada vegada més és específica del pacient que pateix la malaltia, fa que pas a pas ens trobem més a prop del que es coneix com a medicina personalitzada

Role of Serum Cholesterol and Statin Use in the Risk of Prostate Cancer Detection and Tumor Aggressiveness

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between statin use along with serum cholesterol levels and prostate cancer (PCa) detection and aggressiveness. Statin users of three years or more and serum cholesterol levels (SC) were assessed in 2408 men scheduled for prostate biopsy. SC was classified as normal (NSC: 200 mg/dL). High-grade PCa (HGPCa) was considered if the Gleason score was greater than 7. Statin users comprised 30.9% of those studied. The PCa detection rate was 31.2% of men on statins and 37% of non-statin users (p < 0.006). The PCa detection rate was 26.3% in men with NSC and 40.6% in those with HSC (p < 0.001). In the subset of NSC men, the PCa rate was 26.5% for statin users and 26.2% for non-users (p = 0.939), while in men with HSC, the PCa rate was 36.4% for statin users and 42.0% for non-statin users (p = 0.063). The HGPCa rate was 41.8% for statin users and 32.5% for non-users (p = 0.012). NSC men had a 53.8% rate of HGPCa, while the rate was only 27.6% in HSC men (p < 0.001). NSC men on statins had an HGPCa rate of 70.2%, while non-statin users had a rate of 41.2% (p < 0.001). The HGPCa rate for HSC men on statins was 18.8%, while the rate was 30.0% (p = 0.011) for non-users. Logistic regression analysis suggested that serum cholesterol levels could serve as an independent predictor of PCa risk, OR 1.87 (95% CI 1.56-2.24) and HGPCa risk, OR 0.31 (95% CI 0.23-0.44), while statin usage could not. Statin treatment may prevent PCa detection through serum cholesterol-mediated mechanisms. A disturbing increase in the HGPCa rate was observed in statin users who normalized their serum cholesterol

Role of Serum Cholesterol and Statin Use in the Risk of Prostate Cancer Detection and Tumor Aggressiveness

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between statin use along with serum cholesterol levels and prostate cancer (PCa) detection and aggressiveness. Statin users of three years or more and serum cholesterol levels (SC) were assessed in 2408 men scheduled for prostate biopsy. SC was classified as normal (NSC: 200 mg/dL). High-grade PCa (HGPCa) was considered if the Gleason score was greater than 7. Statin users comprised 30.9% of those studied. The PCa detection rate was 31.2% of men on statins and 37% of non-statin users (p < 0.006). The PCa detection rate was 26.3% in men with NSC and 40.6% in those with HSC (p < 0.001). In the subset of NSC men, the PCa rate was 26.5% for statin users and 26.2% for non-users (p = 0.939), while in men with HSC, the PCa rate was 36.4% for statin users and 42.0% for non-statin users (p = 0.063). The HGPCa rate was 41.8% for statin users and 32.5% for non-users (p = 0.012). NSC men had a 53.8% rate of HGPCa, while the rate was only 27.6% in HSC men (p < 0.001). NSC men on statins had an HGPCa rate of 70.2%, while non-statin users had a rate of 41.2% (p < 0.001). The HGPCa rate for HSC men on statins was 18.8%, while the rate was 30.0% (p = 0.011) for non-users. Logistic regression analysis suggested that serum cholesterol levels could serve as an independent predictor of PCa risk, OR 1.87 (95% CI 1.56-2.24) and HGPCa risk, OR 0.31 (95% CI 0.23-0.44), while statin usage could not. Statin treatment may prevent PCa detection through serum cholesterol-mediated mechanisms. A disturbing increase in the HGPCa rate was observed in statin users who normalized their serum cholesterol

Molecular markers for prostate cancer in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed type of cancer in developed countries. The decisive method of diagnosis is based on the results of biopsies, morphologically evaluated to determine the presence or absence of cancer. Although this approach leads to a confident diagnosis in most cases, it can be improved by using the molecular markers present in the tissue. Both miRNAs and proteins are considered excellent candidates for biomarkers in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues, due to their stability over long periods of time. In the last few years, a concerted effort has been made to develop the necessary tools for their reliable measurement in these types of samples. Furthermore, the use of these kinds of markers may also help in establishing tumor grade and aggressiveness, as well as predicting the possible outcomes in each particular case for the different treatments available. This would aid clinicians in the decision-making process. In this review, we attempt to summarize and discuss the potential use of microRNA and protein profiles in FFPE tissue samples as markers to better predict PCa diagnosis, progression, and response to therapy