Publications by authors named "Toro A"

In the modern era, cardiologists managing patients and families with cardiomyopathies need to be familiar with every stage of the diagnostic pathway from clinical phenotyping to the prescription and interpretation of genetic tests. This clinical consensus statement from the ESC Council for Cardiovascular Genomics aims to promote the integration of genetic testing into routine cardiac care of patients with cardiomyopathies, as recommended in the 2023 ESC guidelines for cardiomyopathies. The document describes the types of genetic tests currently available and provides advice on their prescription and for counselling after the return of genetic findings, including the approach in patients and families with variants of unknown significance.

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Recent developments have broadened our perception of SARS-CoV-2, indicating its capability to affect the body systemically beyond its initial recognition as a mere respiratory pathogen. However, the pathways of its widespread are not well understood. Employing a dual-modality approach, we integrated findings from a Murine Hepatitis Virus (MHV) infection model with corroborative clinical data to investigate the pervasive reach of Coronaviruses.

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Aim: To investigate the requirements for, and process of, cultural safety training for international medical graduates (IMGs) when seeking to gain registration in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Method: To identify cultural safety standards and policies for IMGs: 1) a review of training policies of seven specialist colleges and other key organisations was carried out, and 2) four key informant interviews were conducted, and interviews were recorded and transcribed via Zoom. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcripts.

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Background/objectives: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the leading malignancy and the third most common cause of cancer-related death in Argentinian men. Predicting outcomes in localized PCa remains difficult due to tumor heterogeneity. In this study, we assessed the impact of (CAG) and c.

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Prostate cancer (PCa) poses a significant global health challenge, particularly due to its progression into aggressive forms like neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). This study developed and validated a stemness-associated gene signature using advanced machine learning techniques, including Random Forest and Lasso regression, applied to large-scale transcriptomic datasets. The resulting seven-gene signature (, , , , , , and ) was validated across independent cohorts and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models.

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  • * The study used machine learning methods to develop a 7-gene signature, which was validated through various datasets and models, showing strong links to patient survival outcomes.
  • * This gene signature not only helps identify specific harmful NEPC subtypes but also predicts poor prognosis in prostate cancer cases displaying this signature, enhancing personalized treatment strategies.
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  • Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a significant cause of blindness in older adults, but the initial molecular changes that lead to vision loss are not well understood.
  • Research using sodium iodate (NaIO) on mice showed increased levels of the stress response protein REDD1 in the retina, which correlates with heightened oxidative stress and inflammation when NaIO is administered.
  • Mice without REDD1 experienced less damage, including reduced oxidative stress and preserved retinal structure, suggesting that REDD1 plays a crucial role in developing retinal issues associated with dry AMD.
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  • This study investigates how case-level American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) criteria can clarify the pathogenicity of ultrarare variants causing Anderson-Fabry disease, especially when standard gene and variant-level analyses are inconclusive.
  • A 52-year-old woman presented symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pain, and family screening revealed affected and unaffected siblings, with some presenting with related symptoms indicating possible genetic connections to the disease.
  • Endomyocardial biopsies and advanced genetic testing initially classified a specific variant as uncertain, but incorporating functional data from biopsies and familial segregation eventually led to its reclassification as Likely Pathogenic/Pathogenic.
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  • Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a major cause of kidney failure, and this study focuses on the stress response protein REDD1's role in podocytes during diabetes.
  • Researchers found that deleting REDD1 specifically in podocytes reduced kidney damage in diabetic mice, shown by lower levels of albuminuria and preserved kidney structure.
  • The study highlights that REDD1 is crucial for the effects of diabetes on certain kidney proteins and suggests that targeting REDD1 could lead to new treatments for DN.
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Sharp wave-ripple complexes (SPW-Rs) are spontaneous oscillatory events that characterize hippocampal activity during resting periods and slow-wave sleep. SPW-Rs are related to memory consolidation - the process during which newly acquired memories are transformed into long-lasting memory traces. To test the involvement of SPW-Rs in this process, it is crucial to understand how SPW-Rs originate and propagate throughout the hippocampus.

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This study analyzed the long-term effects of carrier-bound fibrin sealant (CBFS) following abdominal surgery by tracking patients for years post-application. From 2006 to 2022, patients who underwent this procedure were contacted via telephone. Those who died due to underlying diseases, natural causes, or refused the check-up were excluded from the study.

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  • Activation of NF-κB in heart cells (cardiomyocytes) is linked to heart function issues in diabetes, primarily through the production of inflammatory proteins.
  • The protein REDD1 is crucial for increasing these inflammatory proteins in diabetic hearts, as its absence leads to decreased NF-κB signaling and reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines.
  • In diabetic mice, REDD1 influences heart function by affecting GSK3β activity, with its presence linked to serious cardiac dysfunction, whereas REDD1 deficiency appears to protect against diabetes-related heart problems.
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In the ESC 2023 guidelines, cardiomyopathies are conservatively defined as 'myocardial disorders in which the heart muscle is structurally and functionally abnormal, in the absence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, valvular disease, and congenital heart disease sufficient to cause the observed myocardial abnormality'. They are morpho-functionally classified as hypertrophic, dilated, restrictive, and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy with the addition of the left ventricular non-dilated cardiomyopathy that describes intermediate phenotypes not fulfilling standard disease definitions despite the presence of myocardial disease on cardiac imaging or tissue analysis. The new ESC guidelines provide 'a guide to the diagnostic approach to cardiomyopathies, highlight general evaluation and management issues, and signpost the reader to the relevant evidence base for the recommendations'.

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  • The trauma mortality rate is higher in elderly patients due to age-related physiological changes and frailty, necessitating specialized management guidelines to improve outcomes and minimize unnecessary procedures.
  • Expert surgeons reviewed literature and developed evidence-based recommendations for geriatric trauma care, focusing on frailty assessment, early activation of trauma protocols, and multimodal pain management.
  • Key practices include administering antibiotics selectively for certain traumatic injuries, ensuring timely venous thromboembolism prevention, and involving palliative care teams to address end-of-life discussions with a holistic approach.
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Objectives: To identify factors associated with poor prognoses in newborns with a prenatal diagnosis of gastroschisis in eight hospitals in Bogota, Colombia, from 2011 to 2022.

Methods: A multi-center retrospective case-control study was conducted on newborns with gastroschisis in eight hospitals in Bogota, Colombia. Poor prognosis was defined as the presence of sepsis, intestinal complications, or death.

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Background: The pathophysiological mechanisms by which asthma and bronchiectasis are associated are still unclear. The association of these two diseases can result in more severe symptoms and a greater number of exacerbations.

Objective: The aim of this systematic review is to collect evidence of the pathophysiology of non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis with associated asthma in children and adolescents, aged 6-18 years old.

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  • This study investigates how diabetes triggers the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, a key player in retinal complications associated with diabetes.
  • Researchers found that both NLRP3 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels increased in diabetic mice and cultured Müller cells under hyperglycemic conditions, with the stress response protein REDD1 being essential for this increase.
  • The findings suggest that REDD1 influences GSK3β activity, which is crucial for NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β production in Müller glial cells during diabetes, potentially affecting visual function in diabetic mice.
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This study provides a comprehensive overview and bibliometric analysis of air pollution research in Chile from 1980 to 2022. The analysis reveals a significant increase in scientific production, a 9.2 annual growth rate, and an H-index of 60.

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Introduction: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are deposits of hemosiderin-laden macrophages that can be visualized on T2-weighted MRI sequences as small, ovoid areas of signal void. These markers represent hemorrhagic cerebral small vessel disease and are usually subclinical and asymptomatic. In these cases, we present two patients who presented with symptomatic, acute CMBs.

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Background: The aim of this manuscript is to illustrate a new method permitting safe cholecystectomy in terms of complications with respect to the common bile duct (CBD).

Methods: The core of this new technique is identification of the continuity of the cystic duct with the infundibulum. The cystic duct can be identified between the inner gallbladder wall and inflamed outer wall.

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Background: Laparoscopy is widely adopted across nearly all surgical subspecialties in the elective setting. Initially finding indication in minor abdominal emergencies, it has gradually become the standard approach in the majority of elective general surgery procedures. Despite many technological advances and increasing acceptance, the laparoscopic approach remains underutilized in emergency general surgery and in abdominal trauma.

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AKT/PKB is a kinase crucial for pluripotency maintenance in pluripotent stem cells. Multiple post-translational modifications modulate its activity. We have previously demonstrated that AKT1 induces the expression of the pluripotency transcription factor Nanog in a SUMOylation-dependent manner in mouse embryonic stem cells.

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Perivascular spaces (PVS) visible on brain MRI signal cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). The coexistence of PVS with other CSVD manifestations likely increases the risk of adverse neurological outcomes. We related PVS to other CSVD manifestations and brain volumes that are markers of vascular brain injury and neurodegeneration.

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Consumption of food and water is tightly regulated by the nervous system to maintain internal nutrient homeostasis. Although generally considered independently, interactions between hunger and thirst drives are important to coordinate competing needs. In , four neurons called the interoceptive subesophageal zone neurons (ISNs) respond to intrinsic hunger and thirst signals to oppositely regulate sucrose and water ingestion.

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