Publications by authors named "Vaca C"

Article Synopsis
  • The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant treatment delays for patients needing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), with a marked decrease in procedure volumes during the first two waves of the pandemic.
  • The study analyzed TAVR case data from 130 centers in 61 countries, finding a 15% drop in cases during the first wave and 7% in the second, particularly affecting regions like Africa, Central-South America, and Asia.
  • Factors such as hospital type (private vs public), urban vs rural location, low procedure volumes, a country's socioeconomic status, and stringent public health measures contributed to these reductions, highlighting the need for improved public health policies for future health crises.
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Evidence of porcine oral pathology in client-owned domestic pigs has been reported in recent literature. The most common abnormalities are missing teeth and periodontal disease. This case series reviews the diagnosis and treatment of dental disease in 8 pet Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pigs () over a 6-year period (2015-2021).

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Introduction: In the PINETREE study, early remdesivir treatment reduced risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related hospitalizations or all-cause death versus placebo by 87% by day 28 in high-risk, non-hospitalized patients. Here we report results of assessment of heterogeneity of treatment effect (HTE) of early outpatient remdesivir, focusing on time from symptom onset and number of baseline risk factors (RFs).

Methods: PINETREE was a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of non-hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who were randomized within 7 days of symptom onset and had ≥ 1 RF for disease progression (age ≥ 60 years, obesity [body mass index ≥ 30], or certain coexisting medical conditions).

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Background: The use of rosuvastatin plus colchicine and emtricitabine/tenofovir in hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 disease (COVID-19) has not been assessed. The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness and safety of rosuvastatin plus colchicine, emtricitabine/tenofovir, and their combined use in these patients.

Methods: This was a randomized, controlled, open-label, multicentre, parallel, pragmatic study conducted in six referral hospitals in Bogotá, Colombia.

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Background: Remdesivir improves clinical outcomes in patients hospitalized with moderate-to-severe coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). Whether the use of remdesivir in symptomatic, nonhospitalized patients with Covid-19 who are at high risk for disease progression prevents hospitalization is uncertain.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving nonhospitalized patients with Covid-19 who had symptom onset within the previous 7 days and who had at least one risk factor for disease progression (age ≥60 years, obesity, or certain coexisting medical conditions).

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Mutations underlying disease in tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) give rise to tumors with biallelic mutations in TSC1 or TSC2 and hyperactive mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Benign tumors might exhibit de novo expression of immunogens, targetable by immunotherapy. As tumors may rely on ganglioside D3 (GD3) expression for mTORC1 activation and growth, we compared GD3 expression in tissues from patients with TSC and controls.

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The 7 members of the A3 family of cytidine deaminases (A3A to A3H) share a conserved catalytic activity that converts cytidines in single-stranded (ss) DNA into uridines, thereby inducing mutations. After their initial identification as cell-intrinsic defenses against HIV and other retroviruses, A3s were also found to impair many additional viruses. Moreover, some of the A3 proteins (A3A, A3B, and A3H haplotype I) are dysregulated in cancer cells, thereby causing chromosomal mutations that can be selected to fuel progression of malignancy.

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Objectives: Gastroesophageal reflux can occur during anaesthesia and may lead to esophagitis and occasionally oesophageal stricture formation. The aim of the study is to assess two omeprazole protocols on gastroesophageal reflux incidence and pH in anaesthetised dogs.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-five dogs undergoing elective ovariectomy were randomly assigned to: omeprazole single dose 1 mg/kg orally the evening before anaesthesia (20 dogs), omeprazole two doses 1 mg/kg orally the evening and 3 hours before anaesthesia (15 dogs), and control group that did not receive omeprazole (20 dogs).

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Background: High pharmaceutical expenditure is one of the main concerns for policymakers worldwide. In Colombia, a middle-income country, outpatient prescription represents over 10% of total health expenditure in the mandatory benefits package (POS), and close to 90% in the complementary government fund (No POS). In order to control expenditure, since 2011, the Ministry of Health introduced price caps on inpatient drugs reimbursements by active ingredient.

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Background: Dispersal of glioblastoma (GBM) cells leads to recurrence and poor prognosis. Accordingly, molecular pathways involved in dispersal are potential therapeutic targets. The mitogen activated protein kinase/extracellular signal regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway is commonly dysregulated in GBM, and targeting this pathway with MEK inhibitors has proven effective in controlling tumor growth.

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Introduction: The occurrence of adverse drug reactions is an important issue due to the lack of drug safety data in children.

Objective: To describe the Adverse Drug Reactions in inpatient children under 6 years of age in two general pediatrics wards located in Barranquilla, Colombia.

Methods: A prospective cohort study based on intensive pharmacovigilance was conducted during six months in order to monitor the emergence of Adverse Drug Reactions in inpatients children under 6 years of age with at least one medication prescribed.

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Despite resection and adjuvant therapy, the 5-year survival for patients with Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is less than 10%. This poor outcome is largely attributed to rapid tumor growth and early dispersal of cells, factors that contribute to a high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. An understanding of the cellular and molecular machinery that drive growth and dispersal is essential if we are to impact long-term survival.

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We examine the bond-breaking dynamics of transiently cross-linked semiflexible networks using a single filament model in which that filament is peeled from an array of cross-linkers. We examine the effect of quenched disorder in the placement of the linkers along the filament and the effect of stochastic bond-breaking (assuming Bell model unbinding kinetics) on the dynamics of filament cross-linker dissociation and the statistics of ripping events. We find that bond forces decay exponentially away from the point of loading and that bond breaking proceeds sequentially down the linker array from the point of loading in a series of stochastic ripping events.

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Objective: A systematic review of cost-utility and cost-effectiveness research works of telemedicine, electronic health (e-health), and mobile health (m-health) systems in the literature is presented.

Materials And Methods: Academic databases and systems such as PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore were searched, using different combinations of terms such as "cost-utility" OR "cost utility" AND "telemedicine," "cost-effectiveness" OR "cost effectiveness" AND "mobile health," etc. In the articles searched, there were no limitations in the publication date.

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Objectives: The aim of this study was to briefly describe the current state of early awareness and alert (EAA) activities and systems in four Latin-American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico).

Methods: Key informants were selected and completed an open questionnaire that included the following domains: current state of EAA activities and systems in each country, potential role for EAA systems in the health system, and future EAA projects that are currently being considered.

Results: In all four countries, health technology assessment (HTA) processes are used to prioritize the use of health resources, albeit at varying degrees and with different mechanisms and methodologies.

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Introduction: The efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical drugs such as dipirone and tramadol must be a primary objective in the post-marketing period and as they are used in specific population groups.

Objectives: The frequency of adverse effects (including therapeutic failure) with the medications tramadol and dipirona were described and estimated.

Material And Methods: At the Hospital Universitario de la Samaritana, Bogotá, D.

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A mechanistic model and associated procedures are proposed for cancer risk assessment of genotoxic chemicals. As previously shown for ionizing radiation, a linear multiplicative model was found to be compatible with published experimental data for ethylene oxide, acrylamide, and butadiene. The validity of this model was anticipated in view of the multiplicative interaction of mutation with inherited and acquired growth-promoting conditions.

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Acetaldehyde (AA) and methylglyoxal (MG) are reactive, ubiquitous aldehydes, present in the environment and endogenously formed in animals and humans. They have both been shown to readily form DNA adducts under simulated physiological conditions. We report here on the use of cultured normal and SV40T antigen-immortalized human buccal epithelial cells as model systems for aldehyde exposure of the oral epithelium, occurring through the ingestion of alcoholic beverages and brewed coffee, as well as by inhalation of tobacco smoke and automobile exhaust.

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Lipid peroxidation generates reactive aldehydes such as trans-4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and malonaldehyde, which form promutagenic exocyclic DNA adducts in human cells and may contribute to diet-related cancers. Using ultrasensitive detection methods, analysis of WBC DNA from volunteers in a dietary study revealed that high intake of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids increased malonaldehyde-derived adducts in male and female subjects. In contrast, etheno adducts (1,N6-ethenodeoxyadenosine; 3,N4-ethenodeoxycytidine) were not elevated in males but were, on average, 40 times higher in females, displaying a huge intersubject variation in lipid peroxidation-derived DNA damage.

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The effect of alcohol drinking on the formation of DNA adducts of acetaldehyde, the primary oxidative metabolite of ethanol, was investigated in humans. DNA was isolated from granulocytes and lymphocytes from 24 alcoholic patients and 12 control subjects. DNA adduct levels were measured by 32P-postlabelling using reversed-phase HPLC with on-line detection of radioactivity.

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The effects of dietary fatty acid composition on the endogenous formation of DNA adducts of malonaldehyde (MA), the major product of lipid peroxidation, were investigated in humans. A group of 59 healthy individuals of both sexes and different ages was initially fed a milk fat-based diet rich in saturated fatty acids for 14 days. Following this initial period, after which the group was considered homogeneous with respect to diet, 30 randomly chosen subjects were given a sunflower oil-based (rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids) (SO) diet and the remaining 29 individuals a low erucic acid rapeseed oil-based (rich in monounsaturated fatty acids) (RO) diet for 25 days.

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The reaction of acetaldehyde with deoxynucleosides was studied in buffered solutions at room temperature (22-24 degrees C) and neutral pH. Reaction products were obtained with all deoxynucleosides with the exception of thymidine, as shown by reversed-phase HPLC analysis. The order of reactivity was dGuo > dAdo > dCyd, for which three, two and one reaction products, respectively, were obtained.

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