Effectiveness and Safety of Teriflunomide in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis and Improvements in Quality of Life: Results from the Real-World TERICARE Study.

Introduction: Teriflunomide is a once-daily oral immunomodulator approved for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS) or relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS; depending on the local label), based on extensive evidence from clinical trials and a real-world setting on efficacy, tolerability and patient-reported benefits. The TERICARE study assessed the impact of teriflunomide treatment over 2 years on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and some of the most common and disabling symptoms of MS, such as fatigue and depression.

Methods: This prospective observational study in Spain included RRMS patients treated with teriflunomide for ≤ 4 weeks.

Role of (F-18) Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in the Prediction of Response to Neoadjuvant Therapy in Esophageal Cancer: Correlation with Pathological Response and Survival.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the correlation between metabolic response with fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) and pathological response in patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and to study FDG-PET parameters for the prediction of pathological response and outcome.

Methods: Twenty-five patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer underwent two FDG-PET/CT scans for initial staging and after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. FDG uptake in the primary tumor was calculated in both scans (SUVmax, SULpeak, and TLG).

Respiratory Subsets in Patients with Moderate to Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome for Early Prediction of Death.

Introduction: In patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the PaO2/FiO2 ratio at the time of ARDS diagnosis is weakly associated with mortality. We hypothesized that setting a PaO2/FiO2 threshold in 150 mm Hg at 24 h from moderate/severe ARDS diagnosis would improve predictions of death in the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods: We conducted an ancillary study in 1303 patients with moderate to severe ARDS managed with lung-protective ventilation enrolled consecutively in four prospective multicenter cohorts in a network of ICUs.

The PANDORA Study: Prevalence and Outcome of Acute Hypoxemic Respiratory Failure in the Pre-COVID-19 Era.

Objectives: To establish the epidemiological characteristics, ventilator management, and outcomes in patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF), with or without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), in the era of lung-protective mechanical ventilation (MV).

Design: A 6-month prospective, epidemiological, observational study.

Setting: A network of 22 multidisciplinary ICUs in Spain.

Binding events through the mutual synchronization of spintronic nano-neurons.

The brain naturally binds events from different sources in unique concepts. It is hypothesized that this process occurs through the transient mutual synchronization of neurons located in different regions of the brain when the stimulus is presented. This mechanism of 'binding through synchronization' can be directly implemented in neural networks composed of coupled oscillators.

Experts document about an adequate utilization of SYSADOAs in controversial clinical situations.

Background And Objective: SYSADOAs (Symptomatic Slow-Acting Drugs for Osteoarthritis) are natural compounds that have been shown to be useful and safe in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). However, their use in certain clinical situations still lacks scientific evidence and clear recommendations. The objective of this work was to learn the opinion of a group of experts regarding the appropriate use of SYSADOA in the treatment of OA in controversial clinical situations.

Experts Document About an Adequate Utilization of SYSADOAs in Controversial Clinical Situations.

Background And Objective: SYSADOAs (symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis) are natural compounds that have been shown to be useful and safe in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA). However, their use in certain clinical situations still lacks scientific evidence and clear recommendations. The objective of this work was to learn the opinion of a group of experts regarding the appropriate use of SYSADOA in the treatment of OA in controversial clinical situations.

Novel Anti-Hexokinase 1 Antibodies Are Associated With Poor Prognosis in Patients With Primary Biliary Cholangitis.

Introduction: Antibodies to hexokinase 1 (HK1) and kelch-like 12 (KLHL12) have been identified as potential biomarkers in primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), and this study assesses changes of these antibodies over time and if they are associated with clinical outcomes.

Methods: Two hundred fifty-four PBC patients (93.3% female, 51 ± 12.

Towards the elimination of hepatitis C: implementation of reflex testing in Andalusia.

Background And Aim: undiagnosed hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and/or inadequate access to care are barriers to the elimination of HCV. Reflex testing has proven to facilitate referral to care, treatment and viral elimination. In this study, a reflex testing program was implemented in Andalusia and its impact on access to care was evaluated.

Predictive Value of Serum Antibodies and Point Mutations of AQP4, AQP1 and MOG in A Cohort of Spanish Patients with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders.

The detection of IgG aquaporin-4 antibodies in the serum of patients with Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) has dramatically improved the diagnosis of this disease and its distinction from multiple sclerosis. Recently, a group of patients have been described who have an NMO spectrum disorder (NMOsd) and who are seronegative for AQP4 antibodies but positive for IgG aquaporin-1 (AQP1) or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibodies. The purpose of this study was to determine whether AQP1 and MOG could be considered new biomarkers of this disease; and if point mutations in the gDNA of , and genes could be associated with the etiology of NMOsd.

A Prognostic Enrichment Strategy for Selection of Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome in Clinical Trials.

Objectives: Incomplete or ambiguous evidence for identifying high-risk patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome for enrollment into randomized controlled trials has come at the cost of an unreasonable number of negative trials. We examined a set of selected variables early in acute respiratory distress syndrome to determine accurate prognostic predictors for selecting high-risk patients for randomized controlled trials.

Design: A training and testing study using a secondary analysis of data from four prospective, multicenter, observational studies.

Vowel recognition with four coupled spin-torque nano-oscillators.

In recent years, artificial neural networks have become the flagship algorithm of artificial intelligence. In these systems, neuron activation functions are static, and computing is achieved through standard arithmetic operations. By contrast, a prominent branch of neuroinspired computing embraces the dynamical nature of the brain and proposes to endow each component of a neural network with dynamical functionality, such as oscillations, and to rely on emergent physical phenomena, such as synchronization, for solving complex problems with small networks.

Salicylic Acid Derivatives Inhibit Oxalate Production in Mouse Hepatocytes with Primary Hyperoxaluria Type 1.

Primary hyperoxaluria type 1 (PH1) is a rare life-threatening genetic disease related to glyoxylate metabolism and characterized by accumulation of calcium oxalate crystals. Current therapies involve hepatic and/or renal transplantation, procedures that have significant morbidity and mortality and require long-term immunosuppression. Thus, a pharmacological treatment is urgently needed.

Comparative assessment of prophylactic transfusions of platelet concentrates obtained by the PRP or buffy-coat methods, in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Objectives: Whole blood-derived platelet concentrates can be obtained by the platelet-rich plasma (PRP-PCs) or the buffy-coat (BC-PCs) method. Few studies have shown that BC-PCs display lower in vitro platelet activation, but scarce information exists regarding transfusion efficacy. We have performed a retrospective study assessing platelet transfusion in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) in our clinic, before and after the implementation of BC-PCs.

Soluble Fibrin Monomer Complex and Prediction of Cardiovascular Events in Atrial Fibrillation: The Observational Murcia Atrial Fibrillation Project.

Background: Soluble fibrin monomer complex (SFMC) is a biomarker of fibrin formation abnormally elevated in clinical situations of hypercoagulability.

Objective: We investigated the association and predictive performance of SFMC for stroke, adverse cardiovascular events, cardiovascular mortality and all-cause mortality in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) receiving vitamin K antagonist (VKA) anticoagulant therapy.

Design: During the second semester of 2007, we included 1226 AF outpatients stable on VKAs (INR 2.

Botulinum toxin for treating unilateral apraxia of eyelid opening in a patient with congenital myotonia.

A 37-year-old female presented with severe apraxia of lid opening (ALO) affecting the right upper lid associated with Becker congenital myotonia (MC). The patient had a history of right upper lid ptosis for 25 years that was exacerbated over the previous month with severe incapacity to open her right eye. No other associated neurological or ophthalmic symptoms were observed.

External Validation of the ISAN, A2DS2, and AIS-APS Scores for Predicting Stroke-Associated Pneumonia.

Background: The Prestroke Independence, Sex, Age, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (ISAN), Age, Atrial Fibrillation, Dysphagia, male sex, and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (A2DS2), and acute ischemic stroke-associated pneumonia score (AIS-APS) scores were created to predict stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP), one of the most important medical stroke complications. External validation of all such scores in an acute stroke population was the aim of our study.

Methods: Patients with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke were prospectively enrolled in the multicenter Stroke-Induced Pneumonia in Andalucía project between October 2014 and May 2016.

Enhancing the 'real world' prediction of cardiovascular events and major bleeding with the CHADS-VASc and HAS-BLED scores using multiple biomarkers.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF)-European guidelines suggest the use of biomarkers to stratify patients for stroke and bleeding risks. We investigated if a multibiomarker strategy improved the predictive performance of CHADS-VASc and HAS-BLED in anticoagulated AF patients.

Methods: We included consecutive patients stabilized for six months on vitamin K antagonists (INRs 2.

Carfilzomib and dexamethasone for extramedullary myeloma with pleuropericardial involvement.

The dismal outcome of pleuropericardial extramedullary multiple myeloma (EMM) reflects both the selection of resistant disease and absence of useful drugs. Carfilzomib and dexamethasone should be explored in advanced EMM patients, even for bortezomib-resistant patients, as may provide much longer overall survival than previously reported treatments.

Mutual synchronization of spin torque nano-oscillators through a long-range and tunable electrical coupling scheme.

The concept of spin-torque-driven high-frequency magnetization dynamics, allows the potential construction of complex networks of non-linear dynamical nanoscale systems, combining the field of spintronics and the study of non-linear systems. In the few previous demonstrations of synchronization of several spin-torque oscillators, the short-range nature of the magnetic coupling that was used has largely hampered a complete control of the synchronization process. Here we demonstrate the successful mutual synchronization of two spin-torque oscillators with a large separation distance through their long range self-emitted microwave currents.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Technology System to Improve Safety of the Oncohematology Medication Practices.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to describe the process of implementing a technology system to improve safety and quality in all processes involved in the treatment with parenteral antineoplastic agents within an interdisciplinary team and to analyze the errors detected and avoided thanks to this system at the different stages of the process. MATERIALS AND METHODS Observational and retrospective study where the implementation of an expert technology system in all phases of the therapeutic process is described: prescription, validation, preparation and administration of drugs, in which errors found in the different phases are analysed. A descriptive analysis of the errors recorded in the various stages of the process was carried out during 3 months.

Molecular characterization of hepatitis B virus from chronically-infected patients in Niamey, Niger.

Objectives: In Niger, 65% of hepatocarcinoma and 75% of cirrhosis cases were due to hepatitis B virus (HBV). We studied the genotypic characteristics of HBsAg in chronically HBV-infected patients in Niamey.

Methods: We studied prospectively HBV genotypic patterns among hospitalized patients with HBV infection in the National Hospital of Niamey, Niger.

Epidemiological, clinical, virological features of hepatitis B newly diagnosed in 2011 in Marseille University hospitals, southeastern France.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a public health problem. In France, 0.68% of adults are chronically infected.

[Pain and fear in the ICU].

Pain and fear are still the most common memories that refer patients after ICU admission. Recently an important politician named the UCI as the branch of the hell. It is necessary to carry out profound changes in terms of direct relationships with patients and their relatives, as well as changes in environmental design and work and visit organization, to banish the vision that our society about the UCI.