Beta-Blockers and Hypertension: Some Questions and Answers.

Introduction: International guidelines have removed b-blockers from first-line treatment of hypertension, limiting their use to patients with compelling indications. The position of guidelines stems from the results of studies performed with the 1st and 2nd generation of b-blockers, which concluded that these drugs have lower cardiovascular protection, compared with other antihypertensive agents.

Aim: The aim of our mini review is to answer to some questions about the effect of b-blockers on hypertension and cardiovascular protection and if these effects are different from those of other antihypertensive drugs, particularly in young and elderly patients.

Modified Chevrel technique for abdominal closure in critically ill patients with abdominal hypertension and limited options for closure.

Unlabelled: Abdominal compartment syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition seen in critically ill patients, and most often caused by acute pancreatitis, postoperative abdominal vascular thrombosis or mesenteric ischemia. A decompressive laparotomy is sometimes required, often resulting in hernias, and subsequent definitive wall closure is challenging.

Aim: This study aims to describe short term results after a modified Chevrel technique for midline laparotomies in patients witch abdominal hypertension.

Disinfection of Reusable Laryngoscopes: A Survey about the Clinical Practice in Spain.

Airway device-associated infections resulting from the cross-contamination of reusable laryngoscopes are one of the main causes of healthcare-associated infections. Laryngoscope blades are highly contaminated with various pathogens, including Gram-negative bacilli, which can cause prolonged hospitalization, high morbidity and mortality risks, the development of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms, and significant costs. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Society of Anesthesiologists' recommendations, this national survey of 248 Spanish anesthesiologists showed that there is great variability in the processing of reusable laryngoscopes in Spain.

Development and validation of an educational software based in artificial neural networks for training in radiology (JORCAD) through an interactive learning activity.

The use of Computer Aided Detection (CAD) software has been previously documented as a valuable tool to improve specialist training in Radiology. This research assesses the utility of an educational software tool aimed to train residents in Radiology and other related medical specialties and students from Medicine degree. This in-house developed software, called JORCAD, integrates a CAD system based in Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) with annotated cases from radiological image databases.

Impact of days elapsed from the onset of symptoms to hospitalization in COVID-19 in-hospital mortality: time matters.

Background: COVID-19 shows different clinical and pathophysiological stages over time. The effect of days elapsed from the onset of symptoms (DEOS) to hospitalization on COVID-19 prognostic factors remains uncertain. We analyzed the impact on mortality of DEOS to hospitalization and how other independent prognostic factors perform when taking this time elapsed into account.

Living Conditions and the Incidence and Risk of Falls in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Multifactorial Study.

Old age represents a social group that is undergoing continuous expansion. The aging population will be prone to chronic diseases and falls, which is a marker of frailty and a public health problem. This study aims to examine the relationship between living conditions and the prevalence of the risk of falls in older adults within the community.

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase rs1799983 gene polymorphism is associated with the risk of developing intracranial aneurysm.

Purpose: The intracranial aneurysm (IA) rupture is associated with a subarachnoid hemorrhage. One third of patients die, and one third remain depend for daily activities. Genetic factors are crucial in the formation and clinical evolution of IAs.

Failure to rescue following anatomical lung resection. Analysis of a prospective nationwide database.

Background: Rescue failure has been described as an important factor that conditions postoperative mortality after surgical interventions. The objective of this study is to determine the incidence and main determinants of failure to rescue after anatomical lung resections.

Methods: Prospective multicenter study that included all patients undergoing anatomical pulmonary resection between December 2016 and March 2018 and registered in the Spanish nationwide database GEVATS.

Do Statins Counteract the Effect of Antidiabetic Drugs? Results of the SCEAD Study.

Purpose: Diabetes and dyslipidemia are leading causes of mortality and morbidity. According to international guidelines, statins are the cornerstone of treatment in patients with diabetes and/or dyslipidemia. However, statins and antidiabetic agents have opposite pharmacological effects, because statins, particularly atorvastatin and rosuvastatin, impair glucose homeostasis, increasing the risk of new-onset diabetes, whereas antidiabetic drugs improve glycemic homeostasis.

Growth dynamics of brain metastases differentiate radiation necrosis from recurrence.

Background: Radiation necrosis (RN) is a frequent adverse event after fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) or single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) treatment of brain metastases (BMs). It is difficult to distinguish RN from progressive disease (PD) due to their similarities in the magnetic resonance images. Previous theoretical studies have hypothesized that RN could have faster, although transient, growth dynamics after FSRT/SRS, but no study has proven that hypothesis using patient data.

Nosocomial COVID-19: A Nationwide Spanish Study.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious virus, and despite professionals' best efforts, nosocomial COVID-19 (NC) infections have been reported. This work aimed to describe differences in symptoms and outcomes between patients with NC and community-acquired COVID-19 (CAC) and to identify risk factors for severe outcomes among NC patients.

Methods: This is a nationwide, retrospective, multicenter, observational study that analyzed patients hospitalized with confirmed COVID-19 in 150 Spanish hospitals (SEMI-COVID-19 Registry) from March 1, 2020, to April 30, 2021.

Water table prediction through causal reasoning modelling.

This research is mainly aimed to analyze and model the relationship of the binomial Rainfall-Piezometry. In this sense, the inherent causality contained in temporal hourly Rainfall and Groundwater levels (piezometry) data records has been taken. This has been done through Bayesian Causal Reasoning (BCR) which is technique belonging to Artificial Intelligence (AI) based on Bayesian Theorem.

The Greatwall-Endosulfine Switch Accelerates Autophagic Flux during the Cell Divisions Leading to G1 Arrest and Entry into Quiescence in Fission Yeast.

Entry into quiescence in the fission yeast is induced by nitrogen starvation. In the absence of nitrogen, proliferating fission yeast cells divide twice without cell growth and undergo cell cycle arrest in G1 before becoming G0 quiescent cells. Under these conditions, autophagy is induced to produce enough nitrogen for the two successive cell divisions that take place before the G1 arrest.

Underwater versus conventional EMR of large nonpedunculated colorectal lesions: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background And Aims: Underwater EMR (UEMR) is an alternative procedure to conventional EMR (CEMR) to treat large, nonpedunculated colorectal lesions (LNPCLs). In this multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial, we aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of UEMR versus CEMR on LNPCLs.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial from February 2018 to February 2020 in 11 hospitals in Spain.

Efficacy and safety clinical trial with efavirenz in patients diagnosed with adult Niemann-pick type C with cognitive impairment.

Background: Niemann-Pick disease Type C (NPC) is a genetic, incurable, neurodegenerative disorder. This orphan disease is most frequently caused by mutations in the NPC1 protein, resulting in intralysossomal cholesterol accumulation. NPC1 is found in neuronal cell bodies, axon terminals and synaptosomes, suggesting it plays a role in lysosomal degradation pathway and in synaptic transmission.

The usability and feasibility validation of the social robot MINI in people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment; a study protocol.

Background: Social robots have demonstrated promising outcomes in terms of increasing the social health and well-being of people with dementia and mild cognitive impairment. According to the World Health Organization's Monitoring and assessing digital health interventions framework, usability and feasibility studies are crucial before implementing prototype social robots and proving their efficacy and effectiveness. This protocol paper aims to detail the plan for conducting the usability and feasibility study of the MINI robot based on evidence-based recommended methodology.

Adverse Effects in Patients with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Hospitalized at the University Clinical Hospital.

(1) Background: Providing the patient with the health care they need in a personalized and appropriate manner and without adverse effects (AEs) is a part of quality of care and patient safety. The aim of this applied research project was the assessment of AEs as a clinical risk in patients with high social vulnerability such as persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PwIDD). (2) Methods: A retrospective epidemiological cohort study was performed on exposed and unexposed groups (the control group) in order to estimate the incidence of AEs in PwIDDs and assess their importance for this category of patients.

Online Survey Evaluation of Three Years of European Society of Thoracic Surgeons Educational Webinars as Part of The E-learning Platform.

Background: E-learning has become an important tool in surgical education in the last decade. The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons launched its e-learning platform in 2013 and started its educational webinars series in 2018. The aim of this paper is to discuss the introduction, evolution and impact of the educational webinars within this e-learning platform.

Operating time: an independent and modifiable risk factor for short-term complications after video-thoracoscopic pulmonary lobectomy.

Objectives: The relationship between operating time and postoperative morbidity has not been fully characterized in lung resection surgery. We aimed to determine the variables associated with prolonged operative times and their influence on postoperative complications after video-thoracoscopic lobectomy.

Methods: Patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy for lung cancer from December 2016 to March 2018, within the prospective registry of the Spanish Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery Group were identified.