Thirty years of artificial intelligence in medicine (AIME) conferences: A review of research themes

Over the past 30 years, the international conference on Artificial Intelligence in MEdicine (AIME) has been organized at different venues across Europe every 2 years, establishing a forum for scientific exchange and creating an active research community. The Artificial Intelligence in Medicine journal has published theme issues with extended versions of selected AIME papers since 1998

Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Photodynamic Therapy for the Treatment of B-chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

The generation of singlet oxygen (SO) in the presence of specific photosensitizers (PS) or semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs) and its application in photodynamic therapy (PDT) has great interest for the development of new cancer therapies. Our work focused on the identification of factors leading to the enhancement of B-Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-CLL) intracellular SO production and cell killing using Manganese (Mn) doped and undoped Zinc Oxide (ZnO) NPs as potential photosensitizers with and without PDT. Mn can enhance ZnO NPs generation of SO by targeted cells. Multi drug resistant B-Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-CLL) cells spontaneously produce high amounts of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) having an altered redox state in relation to that of normal B lymphocytes. These little variations of its SO intracellular concentrations could allow ZnO NPs to execute specific deadly programs against these leukemic cells with no significant damage to normal lymphocytes. A 0.5% Mn Doped ZnO NP was finally selected for further probes as it had the best killing activity in fludarabine resistant B-CLL cells, especially when combined with PDT. This could be an innovative specific therapy against resistant B-CLL probably contributing in the near future for the definitive benefit of these bad prognostic patients

Mejora del sistema de aire comprimido para optimizar la perforación en la cantera caballo viejo Jauja, Junín

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo principal proponer la mejora del sistema de aire comprimido para optimizar la perforación en la cantera caballo viejo Jauja Junín 2020. La realidad problemática vinculado a los tiempos de perforación de doble turno de 40 minutos donde se consumía más combustible y pérdida de tiempo para la voladura. Se realizó el estudio para mejorar el sistema de entrega de aire comprimido, tanto en los equipos de perforación como de compresión; teniendo una investigación de tipo básica y un diseño no experimental de tipo transversal descriptivo. El recojo de información se utilizó el método analítico, técnica de análisis documental y técnica de observación; siendo las variables principales la caída de presión y el tiempo de perforación. Finalmente, se obtuvo como resultado que la compresión de aire, calculada es de 2 minutos para el respaldo de caída de presión, permitiendo la entrega del recurso de manera óptima a un costo total de US$6670.375. Por consiguiente, se propuso que se implemente el sistema de aire comprimido bajo las características del sistema encontrado, siendo la potencia del compresor de 86 kW con un costo de 0.25 US$/kW

Diagnósticos de enfermagem em vítimas de trauma atendidas em um serviço pré- hospitalar avançado móvel

O serviço de atendimento pré-hospitalar móvel de urgência presta atendimento a toda e qualquer solicitação de ajuda fora do âmbito hospitalar visando a manutenção da vida e minimização de sequelas, exigindo do enfermeiro conhecimentos e habilidades específicas. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar os diagnósticos de enfermagem em vítimas de trauma atendidas em um Serviço Avançado Móvel de Urgência (SAMU) do interior do estado de São Paulo. Foi elaborado e validado um instrumento de coleta de dados, segundo o modelo conceitual de Horta; os dados coletados foram validados por peritos na temática. O projeto foi aprovado por Comitê de Ética e Pesquisa. Foram avaliadas 23 vítimas de trauma, sendo 17 (73,9%) homens, 16 (69,5%) com idade entre 18 e 30 anos e 14 (60,1%) vítimas de acidentes de transito. Os diagnósticos de enfermagem mais frequentes foram: Risco para infecção (91%), Risco para trauma (82%), Dor aguda (74%), Integridade tissular prejudicada (65%), Volume de líquidos deficiente (43%) e Risco para volume de líquido deficiente (43%). Este estudo permitiu identificar os principais diagnósticos de enfermagem nesta clientela específica, os quais poderão fornecer importantes subsídios para futuras investigações, sobretudo abordando intervenções de enfermagem

B-Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Autophagyc Cell Death by the Use of Manganese Doped Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and PhotoDynamic Therapy

B-Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-CLL) usually follows an adverse, relentless clinical course by slowly developing drug resistance to fludarabine and other chemotherapeutic agents, as well as by acquiring new different genetic abnormalities. As B-CLL cells spontaneously produce high amounts of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) having an altered redox state in relation to that of normal B lymphocytes, we decided to probe different metal Zinc nanoparticles (ZnNPs) and quantify the levels of Singlet Oxigen (SO) to see if variations of its intracellular concentrations could execute and accelerate deadly programs in leukemic cells rather than in normal B lymphocytes, when applied with Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). In this way, we developed and tested a variety of metal ZnNPs of which one made of 0.5% Manganese Doped Zinc Oxide (ZnO:Mn) was finally selected for further testing as it had the best fludarabine resistant B-CLL cells in vitro killing activity, specially when combined with PDT. An interesting and rapidly dying process of B-CLL cells, known as autophagy, was always seen under Transmission Electronic Microscopy (TEM) when incubated with these 0.5% Mn doped ZnO NPs. This phenomenon correlated well with those intracellular increases of SO when PDT was administered, and measured by a novel method first described by us. As this therapy seems to be very specific to fludarabine resistant B-CLL cells, producing almost no damage to normal lymphocytes, it could surely contribute in the near future as a new innovative targeted strategy to be delivered in the clinical setting for the definitive benefit of these bad prognostic patients.Fil: Peña Luengas, Sandra. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Marin, Gustavo Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez Nieto, Felipe Jorge. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche; ArgentinaFil: Dreon, Marcos Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Roque, Gustavo. Secretaria de Gobierno de Salud. Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante; ArgentinaFil: Nuñez, Luis. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Sanchez, Francisco Homero. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Física La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Instituto de Física La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Tarditti, Adrian. Secretaria de Gobierno de Salud. Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante; ArgentinaFil: Schinella, Guillermo Raúl. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Cátedra de Farmacología; ArgentinaFil: Pistaccio, Luis. Secretaria de Gobierno de Salud. Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante; ArgentinaFil: Goya, Rodolfo Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner". Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata "Prof. Dr. Rodolfo R. Brenner"; ArgentinaFil: Tau, Jose María. Secretaria de Gobierno de Salud. Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante; ArgentinaFil: Ichim, Thomas. Medistem; Estados UnidosFil: Riordan, Neil. Medistem; Estados UnidosFil: Rivera Montalvo, Luis. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Mansilla, Eduardo. Secretaria de Gobierno de Salud. Instituto Nacional Central Único Coordinador de Ablación e Implante; Argentin

Cadaveric bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells: first experience treating a patient with large severe burns

Background: In January 2005, Rasulov et al. originally published ?First experience in the use of bone marrowmesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the treatment of a patient with deep skin burns. Here, we present the firstever treated patient with cadaveric bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (CMSCs) in the history of Medicine.Methods: A young man, who severely burned 60 % of his total body surface with 30 % of full-thickness burns whileworking with a grass trimmer that exploded, was involved in the study. MSCs were obtained from the bone marrow ofa cadaver donor in a routine procurement procedure of CUCAIBA, the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ministry ofHealth, Transplantation Agency, cultured, expanded, and applied on the burned surfaces using a fibrin spray after earlyescharotomy.Results: So far, our preliminary experience and our early results have been very impressive showing an outstandingsafety data as well as some impressive good results in the use of CMSCs.Conclusions: Based on all this, we think that improvements in the use of stem cells for burns might be possible in thenear future and a lot of time as well as many lives could be saved by many other research teams all over the world.CMSCs will probably be a real scientific opportunity in Regenerative Medicine as well as in Transplantation.Fil: Mansilla, Eduardo. No especifíca;Fil: Marin, Gustavo Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Berges, Mirta. Hospital San Martin; ArgentinaFil: Scafatti, Silvia. Hospital San Martin; ArgentinaFil: Rivas, Jaime. Hospital San Martin; ArgentinaFil: Núñez, Andrea. Hospital San Martin; ArgentinaFil: Menvielle, Martin. Hospital San Martin; ArgentinaFil: Lamonega, Roberto. Hospital San Martin; ArgentinaFil: Gardiner, Cecilia. Hospital San Martin; ArgentinaFil: Drago, Hugo. Hospital Burns; ArgentinaFil: Sturla, Flavio. Hospital Burns; ArgentinaFil: Portas, Mercedes. Hospital Burns; ArgentinaFil: Bossi, Silvia. Hospital Burns; ArgentinaFil: Castuma, Maria Victoria. No especifíca;Fil: Peña Luengas, Sandra. Universidad de Puerto Rico; Puerto RicoFil: Roque, Gustavo. No especifíca;Fil: Martire, Karina. No especifíca;Fil: Taulamet, María José. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Orlandi, Gabriel. No especifíca;Fil: Tarditti, Adrian. No especifíca

Could Metabolic Syndrome, Lipodystrophy, and Aging Be Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exhaustion Syndromes?

One of the most important and complex diseases ofmodern society is metabolic syndrome. This syndrome has not been completely understood, and therefore an effective treatment is not available yet. We propose a possible stem cell mechanism involved in the development ofmetabolic syndrome. This way of thinking lets us consider also other significant pathologies that could have similar etiopathogenic pathways, like lipodystrophic syndromes, progeria, and aging. All these clinical situations could be the consequence of a progressive and persistent stemcell exhaustion syndrome (SCES). Themain outcome of this SCES would be an irreversible loss of the effective regenerative mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) pools. In this way, the normal repairing capacities of the organism could become inefficient. Our point of view could open the possibility for a new strategy of treatment in metabolic syndrome, lipodystrophic syndromes, progeria, and even aging: stem cell therapies

Antimicrobial peptides as drugs with double response against Mycobacterium tuberculosis coinfections in lung cancer

Tuberculosis and lung cancer are, in many cases, correlated diseases that can be confused because they have similar symptoms. Many meta-analyses have proven that there is a greater chance of developing lung cancer in patients who have active pulmonary tuberculosis. It is, therefore, important to monitor the patient for a long time after recovery and search for combined therapies that can treat both diseases, as well as face the great problem of drug resistance. Peptides are molecules derived from the breakdown of proteins, and the membranolytic class is already being studied. It has been proposed that these molecules destabilize cellular homeostasis, performing a dual antimicrobial and anticancer function and offering several possibilities of adaptation for adequate delivery and action. In this review, we focus on two important reason for the use of multifunctional peptides or peptides, namely the double activity and no harmful effects on humans. We review some of the main antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory bioactive peptides and highlight four that have anti-tuberculosis and anti-cancer activity, which may contribute to obtaining drugs with this dual functionality

Control of Advanced Cancer: The Road to Chronicity

Despite the recent trend toward a slight decrease in age-adjusted cancer mortality in some countries, crude mortality rates will continue to increase, driven by the demographic shift towards an aged population. Small molecules (small molecules and biologics) are not only a new therapeutic acquisition, but the tools of a more fundamental transition: the transformation of cancer from a rapidly fatal disease into a chronic condition. Antibodies and cancer vaccines can be used for a long time, even beyond progressive disease, and in aged patients, usually unfit for more aggressive conventional treatments. However, this transition to chronicity will require novel developmental guidelines adequate to this kind of drugs, for which optimal dose is not usually the maximal tolerated dose, pharmacokinetics does not define treatment schedule, and tumor shrinkage is not a good correlate of survival. The ongoing cancer immunotherapy program (including several monoclonal antibodies and therapeutic vaccines) at the Centre of Molecular Immunology can illustrate the issues to be addressed, both biological and social, along the path to transform advanced cancer into a chronic non-communicable disease compatible with years of quality life

Stroke Correlates in Chagasic and Non-Chagasic Cardiomyopathies

BACKGROUND: Aging and migration have brought changes to the epidemiology and stroke has been shown to be independently associated with Chagas disease. We studied stroke correlates in cardiomyopathy patients with focus on the chagasic etiology. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a cross-sectional review of medical records of 790 patients with a cardiomyopathy. Patients with chagasic (329) and non-chagasic (461) cardiomyopathies were compared. There were 108 stroke cases, significantly more frequent in the Chagas group (17.3% versus 11.1%; p<0.01). Chagasic etiology (odds ratio [OR], 1.79), pacemaker (OR, 2.49), atrial fibrillation (OR, 3.03) and coronary artery disease (OR, 1.92) were stroke predictors in a multivariable analysis of the entire cohort. In a second step, the population was split into those with or without a Chagas-related cardiomyopathy. Univariable post-stratification stroke predictors in the Chagas cohort were pacemaker (OR, 2.73), and coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR, 2.58); while atrial fibrillation (OR, 2.98), age over 55 (OR, 2.92), hypertension (OR, 2.62) and coronary artery disease (OR, 1.94) did so in the non-Chagas cohort. Chagasic stroke patients presented a very high frequency of individuals without any vascular risk factors (40.4%; OR, 4.8). In a post-stratification logistic regression model, stroke remained associated with pacemaker (OR, 2.72) and coronary artery disease (OR, 2.60) in 322 chagasic patients, and with age over 55 (OR, 2.38), atrial fibrillation (OR 3.25) and hypertension (OR 2.12; p = 0.052) in 444 non-chagasic patients. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Chagas cardiomyopathy presented both a higher frequency of stroke and an independent association with it. There was a high frequency of strokes without any vascular risk factors in the Chagas as opposed to the non-Chagas cohort. Pacemaker rhythm and CAD were independently associated with stroke in the Chagas group while age over 55 years, hypertension and atrial fibrillation did so in the non-Chagas cardiomyopathies