Effect of Functionalization of Texturized Polypropylene Surface by Silanization and HBII-RGD Attachment on Response of Primary Abdominal and Vaginal Fibroblasts.

Soft tissue defects, such as incisional hernia or pelvic organ prolapse, are prevalent pathologies characterized by a tissue microenvironment rich in fragile and dysfunctional fibroblasts. Precision medicine could improve their surgical repair, currently based on polymeric materials. Nonetheless, biomaterial-triggered interventions need first a better understanding of the cell-material interfaces that truly consider the patients' biology.

Use of a bioabsorbable mesh in midline laparotomy closure to prevent incisional hernia: randomized controlled trial.

Introduction: The objective was to assess the effectiveness and safety of a bioabsorbable mesh at the time of closure of a midline laparotomy for IH prevention.

Materials And Methods: A multicenter, randomized clinical trial including patients undergoing abdominal surgical procedures through a midline laparotomy incision was designed. In the group of mesh (n = 167) the incision was closed using a continuous polydioxanone suture (PDS) plus a bioabsorbable mesh.

ALCAM shedding at the invasive front of the tumor is a marker of myometrial infiltration and promotes invasion in endometrioid endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the sixth deadliest cancer in women. The depth of myometrial invasion is one of the most important prognostic factors, being directly associated with tumor recurrence and mortality. In this study, ALCAM, a previously described marker of EC recurrence, was studied by immunohistochemistry at the superficial and the invasive tumor areas from 116 EC patients with different degree of myometrial invasion and related to a set of relevant epithelial and mesenchymal markers.

Physical activity prescription by primary care nurses using health assets: Study design of a randomized controlled trial in patients with cardiovascular risk factors.

Aim: To analyse the efficacy of a 12-month multifactorial intervention by primary care nurses in increasing adherence to physical activity prescription (150 min/week) in patients with two or more cardiovascular risk factors and with cardiovascular risk up to 15% determined by the REGICOR equation.

Background: In Spain, cardiovascular diseases are responsible for 30.5% of deaths.

Antibiotic-loaded polypropylene surgical meshes with suitable biological behaviour by plasma functionalization and polymerization.

Hernia repair is one of the most common operations in general surgery, and its associated complications typically relate to infections, among others. The loading of antibiotics to surgical meshes to deliver them locally in the abdominal hernia repair site can be one way to manage infections associated with surgical implants. However, the amount of drug loaded is restricted by the low wettability of polypropylene (PP).

PREBIOUS trial: a multicenter randomized controlled trial of PREventive midline laparotomy closure with a BIOabsorbable mesh for the prevention of incisional hernia: rationale and design.

Background: Development of an incisional hernia is one of the most frequent complications of midline laparotomies requiring reoperation. This paper presents the rationale, design, and study protocol for a randomized controlled trial, the aim of which is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactically placing a bioabsorbable synthetic mesh for reinforcement of a midline fascial closure.

Methods: The PREBIOUS trial (PREventive midline laparotomy closure with a BIOabsorbable mesh) is a multicenter randomized controlled trial in which adult patients undergoing elective or urgent open abdominal operations through a midline laparotomy incision are assigned to one of two groups based on the laparotomy closure procedure: an intervention group in which a continuous polydioxanone (PDS) suture is reinforced with a commercially available GORE® BIO-A® Tissue Reinforcement prosthesis (W.

[Value of soluble urokinase receptor serum levels in the differential diagnosis between idiopathic and secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis].

Background: It has been reported that the circulating level of the soluble urokinase receptor (suPAR) could be useful for distinguishing idiopathic from secondary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, but the results published are conflicting. In this study, we analyse the intraindividual variability and clinical and anatomopathological variables associated with the suPAR levels and if circulating suPAR levels allow the different forms of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) to be distinguished, i.e.

[Diagnostic value of soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor serum levels in adults with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome].

Introduction: Recent studies suggest that soluble urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) levels could be useful for distinguishing idiopathic focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) from other glomerulopathies that cause nephrotic syndrome, but these data have not been confirmed in independent studies. The objective of our study is to analyse whether circulating levels of suPAR are useful for identifying primary kidney disease in patients with nephrotic syndrome secondary to FSGS, minimal change disease or idiopathic membranous nephropathy (MN).

Methods: We measured circulating suPAR at diagnosis in 60 patients with nephrotic syndrome secondary to FSGS, minimal change disease (MCD) and membranous nephropathy (MN).

Clinical significance of proliferative inflammatory atrophy in prostate biopsy.

Introduction: Proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA) is a frequently observed lesion in prostate biopsies and some authors have postulated its involvement in prostate carcinogenesis. However, the mechanisms that would permit its neoplastic transformation and the clinical significance of its finding in a prostate biopsy is currently not well known.

Objective: To analyze the characteristics of the PIA lesion, its possible role in prostate carcinogenesis and its relation with the tumor aggressiveness.

The impact of KRAS mutations on VEGF-A production and tumour vascular network.

Background: The malignant potential of tumour cells may be influenced by the molecular nature of KRAS mutations being codon 13 mutations less aggressive than codon 12 ones. Their metabolic profile is also different, with an increased anaerobic glycolytic metabolism in cells harbouring codon 12 KRAS mutations compared with cells containing codon 13 mutations. We hypothesized that this distinct metabolic behaviour could be associated with different HIF-1α expression and a distinct angiogenic profile.

An ergonomic study of single-port versus multi-port laparoscopic mesh insertion for ventral hernia repair.

Purpose: To assess the mental effort and physical discomfort of placement of a prosthetic mesh into the abdominal cavity with single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) or multi-port laparoscopic access for incisional ventral hernia repair.

Methods: A total of 10 surgeons with previous experience in conventional laparoscopic surgery performed four surgical tasks through a multi-port laparoscopic access and a SILS access in a porcine model during a first 4-hour working session and a second 2-hour working session. These tasks included (a) introduction of a prosthetic mesh for abdominal wall surgery, (b) manipulation of the mesh inside the abdomen, (c) manipulation of the laparoscopic instruments and (d) mesh insertion to the intraperitoneal abdominal wall and fixation with tackers.

Exploring the clinical validity of borderline personality disorder components.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is recognized as a complex syndrome, resulting in a heterogeneous diagnostic category. Besides the characteristics of the disorder itself, comorbid disorders play an important role in this complexity. The aim of the study is to analyze the clinical validity of 3 components for BPD Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria--called affective dysregulation, behavioral dysregulation, and disturbed relatedness--investigating differences in patterns of comorbidity.

Preventive midline laparotomy closure with a new bioabsorbable mesh: an experimental study.

Background: Incisional hernia formation is one of the most frequent complications of midline laparotomies requiring reoperation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of prophylactically placing a biodegradable mesh within the incision site at closure in a rat model.

Methods: A 4-cm full-thick midline laparotomy was made in Sprague-Dawley rats along the linea alba and closed by inserting a commercially available web of synthetic polymers (polyglycolic acid-trimethylene carbonate) that are slowly degraded by the body.

Apoptosis-like cell death induction and aberrant fibroblast properties in human incisional hernia fascia.

Incisional hernia often occurs following laparotomy and can be a source of serious problems. Although there is evidence that a biological cause may underlie its development, the mechanistic link between the local tissue microenvironment and tissue rupture is lacking. In this study, we used matched tissue-based and in vitro primary cell culture systems to examine the possible involvement of fascia fibroblasts in incisional hernia pathogenesis.

Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of the herbal agent Pygeum africanum on cultured prostate stromal cells from patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Background: Previous reports show that the herbal agent Pygeum africanum (PA) used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) inhibits proliferation of prostate stromal cells from BPH tissues. To determine underlying mechanisms, we compared proliferative and apoptotic responses to PA between BPH and non-BPH prostate stromal cells with a focus on the specific reaction displayed by stromal cell subsets. An interaction of PA with growth factors and hormones was also investigated.

MMPs/TIMPs and inflammatory signalling de-regulation in human incisional hernia tissues.

Incisional hernia is a common and important complication of laparotomies. Epidemiological studies allude to an underlying biological cause, at least in a subset of population. Interest has mainly focused on abnormal collagen metabolism.

ERM/ETV5 up-regulation plays a role during myometrial infiltration through matrix metalloproteinase-2 activation in endometrial cancer.

We have described recently the Ets family transcription factor, ERM/ETV5, specifically up-regulated in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (EEC) and associated with myometrial infiltration. Ets family members have been correlated to tumor progression by up-regulating the expression of matrix-degrading proteases. In the present study, we investigated the possibility that in EEC, ERM/ETV5 may act by inducing the expression of genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling.

Improved surgical mesh integration into the rat abdominal wall with arginine administration.

Prosthetic meshes are used as the standard of care in abdominal wall hernia repair. However, hernia recurrences and side effects remain unsolved problems. The demand by health care providers for increasingly efficient and cost-effective surgery encourages the development of newer strategies to improve devices and outcomes.

Stress relaxation tests in polypropylene monofilament meshes used in the repair of abdominal walls.

The objective of this work has been to characterize stress relaxation in the polymer material on applying different levels of constant strain. The meshes were strained at values of 5.2%, 5.

Early imaging of integration response to polypropylene mesh in abdominal wall by environmental scanning electron microscopy: comparison of two placement techniques and correlation with tensiometric studies.

The repair of incisional hernias has taken advantage of the strength provided by prosthetic mesh grafts, but the best position for inserting the materials has not been conclusively established. Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) provides imaging of biologic samples with minimal manipulation. We used ESEM for early imaging of the integration response to polypropylene meshes placed in two anatomic positions in the abdominal wall and correlated results with tensiometric studies.

Reduced mitochondrial DNA transcription in senescent rat heart.

We studied the effect of senescence on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription with an in organello system using intact isolated rat heart mitochondria. A comparison of the electrophoretic patterns of mtDNA transcription products in young, adult and senescent rats showed an age-related reduction in newly-synthesized mitochondrial RNAs that reflects a decrease in the synthesis rate. These results correlate with the enzyme activities of the oxidative phosphorylation complexes I and IV, that are partially encoded by the mitochondrial genome.

Effect of starvation on organ blood flow in the senescent rat.

To investigate the amino acid requirements of the senescent rat, as part of a study directed toward nutritional support in the aged, it was necessary to determine amino acid levels in plasma and tissue, but also regional blood flow of the animals subjected to fast. Only this latter allows the determination of the amounts of each amino acid present in the tissue before starvation by extrapolation of values measured during starvation. As plasma and tissue amino acid had been previously determined, the aim of this study had been to measure regional blood flow in the liver, kidney, testis, spleen, stomach, small intestine and large intestine in senescent rats submitted to 1, 5, 9 and 15 days of starvation.

Molecular genetic analysis of McArdle's disease in Spanish patients.

We analyzed leukocyte DNA of 19 patients from 12 Spanish families with McArdle's disease (myophosphorylase deficiency). In 15 patients, the enzyme defect was documented histochemically in muscle, and in four the diagnosis was based on clinical and laboratory data. Three patients were homozygous and six were heterozygous for the nonsense mutation at codon 49 (R49X).

Familial multiple symmetric lipomatosis associated with the A8344G mutation of mitochondrial DNA.

We describe familial multiple symmetric lipomatosis in a pedigree harboring the 8344 mutation in the tRNA(Lys) gene of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The proband showed neuromuscular involvement but lacked the typical manifestations of myoclonic epilepsy and ragged-red fibers disease. The distribution of the mutation was unusual because the proportion of mutated genomes was higher in blood and lipomas than in muscle tissue.