Publications by authors named "Abascal J"

The role of digital rectal examination (DRE) in the early detection of significant prostate cancer (PCa) is being questioned in the era of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, some men with suspected PCa may still be identified solely through DRE, even with low serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Additionally, most predictive models designed to improve significant PCa diagnostic pathways incorporate DRE findings.

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Despite recent advances in immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors, many patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) fail to respond or develop resistance after an initial response. In situ vaccination (ISV) with engineered viruses has emerged as a promising antigen-agnostic strategy that can both condition the tumor microenvironment and augment antitumor T-cell responses to overcome immune resistance. We engineered a live attenuated viral vaccine, hyper-IFN-sensitive (HIS) virus, by conducting a genome-wide functional screening and introducing eight IFN-sensitive mutations in the influenza genome to enhance host IFN response.

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Purpose: To validate the Barcelona magnetic resonance imaging predictive model (BCN-MRI PM) in men with pre-biopsy multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) reported with the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) v2.1, followed by transrectal and transperineal prostate biopsies.

Materials And Methods: Prospective analysis of 3,264 men with PSA >3.

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Since the optimal scheme for targeted biopsies of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suspicious lesions remains unclear, we compare the efficacy of two schemes for these index lesions. A prospective trial was conducted in 1161 men with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System v 2.1 3-5 undergoing targeted and 12-core systematic biopsy in four centers between 2021 and 2023.

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Unlabelled: Quality control of programs for detection of significant prostate cancer (sPCa) could be defined by the correlation between observed and reference 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) categories. We used the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the Barcelona magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) predictive model to screen the quality of ten participant centers in the sPCa opportunistic early detection program in Catalonia. We set an AUC of <0.

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Purpose: To validate the Barcelona-magnetic resonance imaging predictive model (BCN-MRI PM) for clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) in Catalonia, a Spanish region with 7.9 million inhabitants. Additionally, the BCN-MRI PM is validated in men receiving 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARI).

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Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) with PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition has revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Durable responses, however, are observed only in a subpopulation of patients. Defective antigen presentation and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) can lead to deficient T cell recruitment and ICB resistance.

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Concerns exist regarding the effects of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (5-ARIs) on multipa-rametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection. Our objective is to analyze the effect of 5-ARI on the prostate imaging-reporting and data system (PI-RADS) distribution and csPCa and insignificant PCa (iPCa) detection. Among 2212 men with serum prostate-specific antigen levels of >3.

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Purpose: To analyze the reduction in multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) demand and prostate biopsies after the hypothetical implementation of the Barcelona risk-stratified pathway (BCN-RSP) in a population of the clinically significant prostate cancer (csCaP) early detection program in Catalonia.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective comparation between the hypothetical application of the BCN-RSP and the current pathway, which relied on pre-biopsy mpMRI and targeted and/or systematic biopsies, was conducted. The BCN-RSP stratify men with suspected CaP based on a prostate specific antigen (PSA) level >10 ng/ml and a suspicious rectal examination (DRE), and the Barcelona-risk calculator 1 (BCN-RC1) to avoid mpMRI scans.

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Purpose: To relate the prostate volume category (PVC) assessed with digital rectal examination (DRE)-small, median, and large-and the prostate volumes (PVs) assessed with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS). To compare the clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) discrimination ability of two predictive models based on DRE-PVC and MRI-PV.

Materials And Methods: A prospective trial of 2,090 men with prostate-specific antigen >3 ng/mL and/or PCa suspicious DRE were prospectively recruited in 10 centers from Catalonia (Spain), between 2021 and 2022, in whom DRE-PVC was assessed.

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Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. While NSCLCs possess antigens that can potentially elicit T cell responses, defective tumor antigen presentation and T cell activation hinder host anti-tumor immune responses. The NSCLC tumor microenvironment (TME) is composed of cellular and soluble mediators that can promote or combat tumor growth.

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The primary objective of this study was to analyse the current accuracy of targeted and systematic prostate biopsies in detecting csPCa. A secondary objective was to determine whether there are factors predicting the finding of csPCa in targeted biopsies and, if so, to explore the utility of a predictive model for csPCa detection only in targeted biopsies. We analysed 2122 men with suspected PCa, serum PSA > 3 ng/mL, and/or a suspicious digital rectal examination (DRE), who underwent targeted and systematic biopsies between 2021 and 2022.

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Background: Despite recent advances in immunotherapy, many patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) do not respond to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Resistance to ICI may be driven by suboptimal priming of antitumor T lymphocytes due to poor antigen presentation as well as their exclusion and impairment by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). In a recent phase I trial in patients with NSCLC, in situ vaccination (ISV) with dendritic cells engineered to secrete CCL21 (CCL21-DC), a chemokine that facilitates the recruitment of T cells and DC, promoted T lymphocyte tumor infiltration and PD-L1 upregulation.

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In this work, we computed electrical conductivities under ambient conditions of aqueous NaCl and KCl solutions by using the Einstein-Helfand equation. Common force fields (charge = ±1 ) do not reproduce the experimental values of electrical conductivities, viscosities, and diffusion coefficients. Recently, we proposed the idea of using different charges to describe the potential energy surface (PES) and the dipole moment surface (DMS).

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Background: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based risk calculators (MRI-RCs) individualise the likelihood of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) and improve candidate selection for prostate biopsy beyond the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS).

Objective: To compare the Barcelona (BCN) and Rotterdam (ROT) MRI-RCs in an entire population and according to the PI-RADS categories.

Design Setting And Participants: A prospective comparison of BCN- and ROT-RC in 946 men with suspected prostate cancer in whom systematic biopsy was performed, as well as target biopsies of PI-RADS ≥3 lesions.

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Spectral photon-counting computed tomography (SPCCT) is a new technique with the capability to provide mono-energetic (monoE) images with high signal to noise ratio. We demonstrate the feasibility of SPCCT to characterize at the same time cartilage and subchondral bone cysts (SBCs) without contrast agent in osteoarthritis (OA). To achieve this goal, 10 human knee specimens (6 normal and 4 with OA) were imaged with a clinical prototype SPCCT.

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The European Association of Urology currently recommends the use of risk-organized models to decrease the demand of prebiopsy magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and unnecessary prostate biopsies in men with suspected prostate cancer (CaP). Low evidence suggests that men with prostate-specific antigen >10 ng/ml and an abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) do not benefit from prebiopsy MRI and targeted biopsies. We aim to validate this low evidence in a sizable cohort and knowing how many clinically significant CaP (csCaP) would go undetected if only random biopsies were performed in these cases.

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One of the most accepted hypothesis to explain the anomalous behavior of water is the presence of a critical point between two liquids, the liquid-liquid critical point (LLCP), buried within the deep supercooled regime. Unfortunately, such hypothesis is hard to be experimentally confirmed due to fast freezing. Here, we show that the TIP4P/Ice water potential shifted by 400 bar can reproduce with unprecedented accuracy the experimental isothermal compressibility of water and its liquid equation of state for a wide pressure and temperature range.

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The incidence and risk factors for poor outcome in patients with COVID are well known, as are the protective measures in high-risk populations. In contrast, the epidemiological and clinical behavior of this disease in the population of elite athletes who are the paradigm of good health is poorly understood. Data on COVID in athletes are scarce and have focused preferentially on the consequences on sports performance of confinement measures and on the pathophysiological risks of infected athletes.

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A predictive model including age, PCa family history, biopsy status (initial vs repeat), DRE (normal vs abnormal), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and DRE prostate volume ca-tegory was developed to stratify initial PCa suspicion in 1486 men with PSA > 3 ng/mL and/or abnormal DRE, in whom mpMRI followed; 2- to 4-core TRUS-guided biopsies where Prostate Imaging Report and Data System (PI-RADS) > 3 lesions and/or 12-core TRUS systematic biopsies were performed in one academic institution between 1 January 2016−31 December 2019. The csPCa detection rate, defined as International Society of Uro-Pathology grade group 2 or higher, was 36.9%.

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Objectives: To determine the accuracy of nodal staging in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) when Tc-nanocolloid radiotracer is injected into an index lesion (IL).

Methods: This prospective study was conducted at our institution between June 2016 and October 2020. It included 64 patients with localized PCa with at least a 5% possibility for lymph node involvement in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center nomogram, suitable for surgical treatment.

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This study is a head-to-head comparison between mPSAD and MRI-PMbdex. The MRI-PMbdex was created from 2432 men with suspected PCa; this cohort comprised the development and external validation cohorts of the Barcelona MRI predictive model. Pre-biopsy 3-Tesla multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) and 2 to 4-core transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided biopsies for suspicious lesions and/or 12-core TRUS systematic biopsies were scheduled.

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