Comparison of abdominal adipose tissue versus body mass index (BMI) as a predictor of complications and survival in liver transplantation.

Introduction: Because of the obesity epidemic, more obese patients are on liver transplant (LT) waiting lists. The diseases associated with obesity may increase complications and limit survival after LT. However, there is no established measure or cut-off point to determine this impact and aid decision making.

[Comparison of adherence as assessed by the Test of Adherence to Inhalers and Pharmacy Refill Records, in Asthma Patients. REFARMA study].

Introduction: Clinical guidelines recommend the combined use of "self-completed questionnaires such as the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI)" and the pharmacy refill rate (PRR) to determine adherence, but evidence based on comparative studies to support these recommendations is limited. Our objective was to determine adherence to inhalers in asthmatic patients, using the TAI and the PRR, as well as the correlation and concordance between both methods.

Methods: Multicentre cross-sectional study including the first 196 consecutive adult asthmatic patients, of whom 183 were on maintenance treatment with Inhaled Corticosteroids (ICS).

BMP7-based peptide agonists of BMPR1A protect the left ventricle against pathological remodeling induced by pressure overload.

Aortic stenosis (AS) exposes the left ventricle (LV) to pressure overload leading to detrimental LV remodeling and heart failure. In animal models of cardiac injury or hemodynamic stress, bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7) protects LV against remodeling by counteracting TGF-β effects. BMP receptor 1A (BMPR1A) might mediate BMP7 antifibrotic effects.

Protooncogene MYC drives human melanocyte melanogenesis and senescence.

In spite of extensive research and advances on the molecular biology of melanoma, the process of melanocytic differentiation or its relationship with proliferation is poorly understood. The role of proto-oncogenes in normal melanocyte biology is also intriguing. Proto-oncogene MYC is overexpressed in 40% of melanomas.

Biomonitoring and bioaccessibility of environmental airborne manganese in relation to motor function in a healthy adult population.

Background/aim: Santander, the capital of Cantabria, Spain (172,000 inhabitants) is 7 km from an industrial emission source (IES) of Mn located in a 10,000 inhabitants town (Maliaño) (annual air Mn arithmetic mean = 231.8 ng/m; reference WHO guideline = 150 ng/m). Our objective was to compare the motor function of adult healthy volunteers living in both places.

Urinary tract infection caused by Enterococcus spp.: Risk factors and mortality. An observational study.

Background And Objective: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are frequently caused by Enterococcus spp. This work aims to define the risk factors associated with UTIs caused by Enterococci and to determine its overall mortality and predictive risk factors.

Materials And Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on bacteremic UTIs caused by Enterococcus spp.

Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Characterization of Resistance Mechanisms of Clinical Isolates.

is a non-diphtherial urease-producing clinically relevant corynebacterial, most frequently involved in urinary tract infections. Most of the clinical isolates are frequently resistant to several antibiotics. We investigated the susceptibility of 40 isolated in our institution during the period 2005-2017 to eight compounds representative of the main clinically relevant classes of antimicrobial agents.

Predictors of Epileptic Seizures and Ability to Work in Supratentorial Cavernous Angioma Located Within Eloquent Brain Areas.

Background: The postoperative outcomes and the predictors of seizure control are poorly studied for supratentorial cavernous angiomas (CA) within or close to the eloquent brain area.

Objective: To assess the predictors of preoperative seizure control, postoperative seizure control, and postoperative ability to work, and the safety of the surgery.

Methods: Multicenter international retrospective cohort analysis of adult patients benefitting from a functional-based surgical resection with intraoperative functional brain mapping for a supratentorial CA within or close to eloquent brain areas.

Urinary infection in the elderly.

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most frequent infections. In the elderly, they have multiple comorbidities. The objective of this work is to describe the clinical and microbiological epidemiology of elderly persons admitted for UTIs and to evaluate the suitability of empirical treatments and their implications regarding mortality.

Intraoperative Identification and Preservation of Verbal Memory in Diffuse Gliomas: A Matched-Pair Cohort Study.

Background: Recent glioma surgery series with intraoperative electrical stimulation (IES) language mapping have demonstrated high rates of postoperative memory impairment, raising a question regarding the efficacy of this approach to preserve memory.

Objective: To evaluate if intraoperative identification and preservation of verbal memory sites with IES mapping in diffuse gliomas in eloquent areas consistently protect patients from long-term postoperative decline in short-term memory.

Methods: A cohort of 16 subjects with diffuse low-grade or anaplastic gliomas that were operated with IES and intraoperative evaluation of language and verbal memory (cohort A) was matched by tumor side, pathology, and radiotherapy with a cohort of 16 subjects that were operated with IES and evaluation of language (cohort B).

Perceval Less Invasive Aortic Replacement Register: multicentric Spanish experience with the Perceval S bioprosthesis in moderate-high-risk aortic surgery.

Objectives: The development of new percutaneous and surgical techniques has reduced the risk associated with aortic valve replacement procedures. We present the results of a Spanish register after initiating a programme for sutureless prostheses in moderate-high-risk patients.

Methods: This prospective multicentre study was carried out from November 2013 to November 2016.

Vitamin D nutritional status and vitamin D regulated antimicrobial peptides in serum and pleural fluid of patients with infectious and noninfectious pleural effusions.

Background: Vitamin D and vitamin D dependent antimicrobial peptides such as Cathelicidin (LL-37) and β-defensin 2 have an important role in innate and adaptative immunity, but their role in pleural effusions has not been studied before.

Methods: Serum and pleural fluid samples from 152 patients with pleural effusion were collected, corresponding to 45 transudates and 107 exudates, 51 infectious effusions (14 complicated and 37 non-complicated), 44 congestive heart failure effusions and 38 malignant effusions. The levels of 25 OH-vitamin D, 1,25-(OH)2-vitamin D, Vitamin D Binding Protein (VDBP), LL-37 and β-defensin 2, both in serum and pleural fluid were evaluated in this prospective study.

Association between late-onset hypogonadism syndrome plus metabolic syndrome and prostate cancer and its aggressiveness.

Objective: To assess the relationship between prostate cancer (PC) and the presence of metabolic syndrome and late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) syndrome.

Material And Method: A retrospective study was conducted on 686 patients who underwent prostate biopsy. We analysed the demographic variables, clinical data and biopsy results.

Insular Gliomas with Exophytic Extension to the Sylvian Cistern: A Glioma Growth Pattern That Has Gone Previously Unnoticed.

Background: An exophytic tumor is defined as a tumor that has its epicenter in the nervous tissue but grows outside the anatomical superficial boundaries of the brain within an adjacent space. Exophytic extension of hemispheric gliomas is extremely rare. The object of this study is to describe the exophytic growth pattern of insular gliomas.

Inactivation of p53 in Human Keratinocytes Leads to Squamous Differentiation and Shedding via Replication Stress and Mitotic Slippage.

Tumor suppressor p53 is a major cellular guardian of genome integrity, and its inactivation is the most frequent genetic alteration in cancer, rising up to 80% in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). By adapting the small hairpin RNA (shRNA) technology, we inactivated endogenous p53 in primary epithelial cells from the epidermis of human skin. We show that either loss of endogenous p53 or overexpression of a temperature-sensitive dominant-negative conformation triggers a self-protective differentiation response, resulting in cell stratification and expulsion.

Predictive factors of evolution of patients after pT0 radical cystectomy due to bladder cancer.

Objectives: To analyze the influence of the different pre - cystectomy factors, both clinical and pathological, in the follow up of patients with no residual tumor ( pT0) in the pathological examination of the radical cystectomy specimen as predictors of tumor recurrence. Secondly we intend to compare overall survival, disease free survival and cancer-specific survival with the rest of cystectomy patients in our series.

Methods: Between 1985 and 2010, radical cystectomy was performed in 280 patients with bladder cancer, being 41 pT0 (14.

[Neurofibromatosis type 2 and its head and neck manifestations: literature review and population study in the Community of Cantabria and the province of Las Palmas].

Introduction And Objectives: Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) is an infrequent autosomal dominant disease characterised by the appearance of viii nerve schwannomas, meningiomas and ocular abnormalities. Incidence of 1:25,000 and prevalence above 1:80,000 are estimated in general. The objectives of our study were to determine current prevalence of NF2 in the Community of Cantabria and the province of Las Palmas, and its head and neck manifestations.

Influence of the true number of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin instillations on the prognosis of non-muscle invasive bladder tumors.

Objectives: To analyze if the true number of BCG instillations applied in non-muscle invasive bladder tumors has any influence on their prognosis as well as other tumor and clinical characteristics: age, sex, different protocols, BCG dose, whether primary or recurrent, solitary or multiple, tumor size G3 or Cis.

Patients And Methods: A total of 324 high grade NMIBC (15 TaG3, 184 T1G3, 125 Cis) out of 1491 cases included in the CUETO database were analyzed. Following 6 post transurethral resection (RTU) BCG instillations, the patients were scheduled to receive one instillation every two weeks (3-6 times), for a total of 9-12 instillations.

The role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of B-cell lymphomas.

There is a demand to understand B-cell lymphoma pathogenesis better, to identify new markers, and to define multiple lymphoproliferative disorders more accurately. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulators of protein translation, comprising a group of more than 1500 short noncoding single-strand RNA molecules of approximately 22 nucleotides in length. They are easily detectable in fresh or paraffin-embedded diagnostic tissue and serum.