The Potential of Zebrafish as a Model Organism for Improving the Translation of Genetic Anticancer Nanomedicines.

In the last few decades, the field of nanomedicine applied to cancer has revolutionized cancer treatment: several nanoformulations have already reached the market and are routinely being used in the clinical practice. In the case of genetic nanomedicines, i.e.

Severe neurological abnormalities in a young boy with impaired thyroid hormone sensitivity due to a novel mutation in the MCT8 gene.

Monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8) is an active and specific thyroid hormone transporter into neurons. MCT8 mutations cause an X-linked condition known as Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome and are characterized by impaired psychomotor development and typical abnormal thyroid function. We describe a 10-year-old boy with severe cognitive disability, axial hypotonia, spastic quadriplegia and sporadic dyskinetic episodes.

A systems approach identifies time-dependent associations of multimorbidities with pancreatic cancer risk.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is usually diagnosed in late adulthood; therefore, many patients suffer or have suffered from other diseases. Identifying disease patterns associated with PDAC risk may enable a better characterization of high-risk patients.

Methods: Multimorbidity patterns (MPs) were assessed from 17 self-reported conditions using hierarchical clustering, principal component, and factor analyses in 1705 PDAC cases and 1084 controls from a European population.

External validation of multidimensional prognostic indices (ADO, BODEx and DOSE) in a primary care international cohort (PROEPOC/COPD cohort).

Background: Due to the heterogeneous and systemic nature of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the new guidelines are oriented toward individualized attention. Multidimensional scales could facilitate its proper clinical and prognostic assessment, but not all of them were validated in an international primary care cohort, different from the original ones used for model development. Therefore, our main aim is to assess the prognostic capacity of the ADO, BODEx and DOSE indices in primary care for predicting mortality in COPD patients and to validate the models obtained in subgroups of patients, classified by revised Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (2011) and updated Spanish Guideline (2014).

Participation and adherence to cardiac rehabilitation programs. A systematic review.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is an important health problem. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs following AMI have shown to be effective in reducing mortality. We aim to systematically review the existing literature that analyzes the factors that affect participation and adherence to cardiac rehabilitation programs.

Polymeric nanocapsules: a potential new therapy for corneal wound healing.

Corneal injuries are one of the most frequently observed ocular diseases, leading to permanent damage and impaired vision if they are not treated properly. In this sense, adequate wound healing after injury is critical for keeping the integrity and structure of the cornea. The goal of this work was to assess the potential of polymeric nanocapsules, either unloaded or loaded with cyclosporine A or vitamin A, alone or in combination with mitomycin C, for the treatment of corneal injuries induced by photorefractive keratectomy surgery.

Anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies and their value for predicting responses to biologic agents: a review.

Anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPAs) play an important pathogenic role both at the onset and during the disease course. These antibodies precede the clinical appearance of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are associated with a less favorable prognosis, both clinically and radiologically. The objective of this work was to conduct a comprehensive review of studies published through September 2015 of ACPAs' role as a predictor of the therapeutic response to the biological agents in RA patients.

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance in rheumatology: Current status and recommendations for use.

Targeted therapies in connective tissue diseases (CTDs) have led to improvements of disease-associated outcomes, but life expectancy remains lower compared to general population due to emerging co-morbidities, particularly due to excess cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is a noninvasive imaging technique which can provide detailed information about multiple cardiovascular pathologies without using ionizing radiation. CMR is considered the reference standard for quantitative evaluation of left and right ventricular volumes, mass and function, cardiac tissue characterization and assessment of thoracic vessels; it may also be used for the quantitative assessment of myocardial blood flow with high spatial resolution and for the evaluation of the proximal coronary arteries.

A comparative study of curcumin-loaded lipid-based nanocarriers in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

Selective drug delivery to inflamed tissues is of widespread interest for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Because a lack of physiological lipids has been described in patients suffering IBD, and some lipids present immunomodulatory properties, we hypothesize that the combination of lipids and anti-inflammatory drugs together within a nanocarrier may be a valuable strategy for overcoming IBD. In the present study, we investigated and compared the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of three lipid-based nanocarriers containing curcumin (CC) as an anti-inflammatory drug for treating IBD in a murine DSS-induced colitis model.

Paraoxonase 1 Activity Is Modulated by the rs662 Polymorphism and IgG Anti-High-Density Lipoprotein Antibodies in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Potential Implications for Cardiovascular Disease.

Objective: Paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) is a high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-associated antioxidant enzyme that plays an important role in HDL-mediated cardioprotection. Although genetic polymorphisms are known to modulate PON-1 activity, its involvement in cardiovascular disease (CVD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is controversial, suggesting that other factors may modulate its function. Since anti-HDL antibodies have been found to be related to an impaired lipid profile and occurrence of CVD in RA, this study was undertaken to examine the associations between PON-1 activity, anti-HDL antibodies, and CVD according to PON1 genetic variants in patients with RA.

The Framingham Score and the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation at Low Cutoff Values Are Useful Surrogate Markers of High-risk Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: We determined the performance of the Framingham score and the Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) in assessing high-risk atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: We assembled 330 cases without established cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and moderate or severe chronic kidney disease among 451 consecutive Spanish patients who underwent CVD risk screening and carotid ultrasound-determined plaque assessment. The findings were validated in 90 black and 97 white African patients.

Vitamin D receptor GATG haplotype association with atherosclerotic disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Introduction: An association between the vitamin D receptor (VDR) GAT haplotype and coronary artery disease (CAD) in type-2 diabetes has recently been described. Since cardiovascular mortality in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is comparable to that observed for patients with type-2 diabetes, we aimed to determine if VDR GAT haplotype is also associated with atherosclerotic disease in RA.

Material And Methods: 591 Northern Spanish RA patients were genotyped for 4 VDR polymorphisms (rs731236 A/G; rs7975232 A/C; rs1544410C/T; rs2228570 G/A).

Protective Role of the Interleukin 33 rs3939286 Gene Polymorphism in the Development of Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Objectives: To determine whether the interleukin-33 (IL-33)-interleukin-1 receptor like 1 (IL-1RL1) signaling pathway is implicated in the risk of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: A total of 576 Spanish RA patients from Northern Spain were genotyped for 6 well-known IL33-IL1RL1 polymorphisms (IL33 rs3939286, IL33 rs7025417, IL33 rs7044343, IL1RL1 rs2058660, IL1RL1 rs2310173 and IL1RL1 rs13015714) by TaqMan genotyping assay. The presence of subclinical atherosclerosis was determined by the assessment of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) by carotid ultrasound (US).

Nanotherapies for the treatment of ocular diseases.

The topical route is the most frequent and preferred way to deliver drugs to the eye. Unfortunately, the very low ocular drug bioavailability (less than 5%) associated with this modality of administration, makes the efficient treatment of several ocular diseases a significant challenge. In the last decades, it has been shown that specific nanocarriers can interact with the ocular mucosa, thereby increasing the retention time of the associated drug onto the eye, as well as its permeability across the corneal and conjunctival epithelium.

Failure of hybrid therapy for the prevention of long-term recurrence of atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: To determine the long-term effectiveness of hybrid therapy in the control of atrial fibrillation (AF) as well as the differences in clinical outcomes between patients with antiarrhythmic drug atrial flutter (AAD-AFl), those with coexistent AFl and AF, and isolated AFl.

Methods: Four hundred eight patients who consecutively underwent cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation between 1998 and 2010 were followed for 5.9 years.

Risk of atrial fibrillation, stroke, and death after radiofrequency catheter ablation of typical atrial flutter.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the incidence, predictors, and prognostic clinical impact of atrial fibrillation (AF) over time after cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation of typical atrial flutter (AFL).

Methods: This was a follow-up observational study using 408 patients who underwent CTI AFL ablation between 1998 and 2010. The relationships between the different predictors and the outcomes (AF, stroke, and death) were modeled by means of multistate Cox model analyses.

Pro B-type natriuretic peptide plasma value: a new criterion for the prediction of short- and long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: To determine the prognostic value of pro B-type natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP) to predict mortality after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Logistic EuroSCORE (LES) overestimates observed mortality after TAVI. A new risk score specific to TAVI is needed to accurately assess mortality and outcome.

Brain metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma.

Brain metastases of prostate adenocarcinoma are rare. We report a case of brain metastases from prostate adenocarcinoma 15 months after the diagnosis of the primary tumour. The patient had headache and one solitary metastasis upon magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Vaginal involvement in a woman with Darier's disease: a case report.

Background: Involvement of the female genital tract by Darier's disease, an unusual genodermatosis, is uncommon, and the manifestation of the disease in a cervicovaginal smear is exceptionally rare.

Case: A 39-year-old woman had an abnormal Pap smear caused by involvement of the female genital tract by Darier's disease. Cytologic examination showed features consistent with a low grade squamous intraepithelial lesion, but during a biopsy it was found to be vaginal involvement by Darier's disease.

Therapeutic optimization of growth hormone deficiency in children and adolescents.

More than 40 years after the introduction of growth hormone (GH) treatment, many questions remain unanswered. Clearly, with the availability of rhGH and with current treatment protocols, treatment efficacy has improved. However, it still remains unclear whether current treatment protocols are the best possible.