Performance of pre-transplant criteria in prediction of hepatocellular carcinoma progression and waitlist dropout.

Background & Aim: Liver transplantation (LT) selection models for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been proposed to predict waitlist dropout because of tumour progression. The aim of this study was to compare the alpha-foetoprotein (AFP) model and other pre-LT models in their prediction of HCC dropout.

Methods: A multicentre cohort study was conducted in 20 Latin American transplant centres, including 994 listed patients for LT with HCC from 2012 to 2018.

Effects of low-volume, high-intensity interval training on maximal oxygen consumption, body fat percentage and health-related quality of life in women with overweight: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Several investigations suggest that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) provokes larger changes in VO compared to moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT); other studies associate HIIT with significant decreases in total, abdominal and visceral fat mass. However, some meta-analyses express that the enhancements with HIIT on VO are slightly higher concerning MICT. These studies had low-to-moderate methodological quality, and the exercise protocols were completed mostly on treadmills or cycle ergometers.

Burden of skin cancer in Colombia.

Background: Levels of incidence and mortality of skin cancer in Colombia and Latin America are largely unknown.

Objectives: Present the available information from official and gray literature and governmental databases to grasp the magnitude and characteristics of skin cancer in Colombia (middle-income Latin American country).

Methods: Narrative review based on a literature search (2005-2020), gray literature and cancer registry and governmental warehouse data, calculation of proportions and age-standardized incidence (ASIR) and mortality rates (ASMR), expressed per 100,000 person-years.

A Spanish Neuropsychological Battery Discriminates Between the Behavioral Variant of Frontotemporal Dementia and Primary Progressive Aphasia in a Colombian Sample.

The differential diagnosis among the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia FTD (bvFTD) and the linguist one primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is challenging. Presentations of dementia type or variants dominated by personality change or aphasia are frequently misinterpreted as psychiatric illness, stroke, or other conditions. Therefore, it is important to identify cognitive tests that can distinguish the distinct FTD variants to reduce misdiagnosis and best tailor interventions.

Systematic review of microeconomic analysis of pregnancy-associated malaria.

Introduction: Pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) is a health problem with serious clinical, epidemiological and economic effects.

Purpose: To analyze the microeconomic evaluations of PAM reported in the world scientific literature.

Methods: Systematic review with 15 different search strategies in PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scielo, Google Scholar and Malaria in Pregnancy (MiP) Library.

Author's response to letter "Antimicrobials administration time in patients with suspected sepsis: faster is better for severe patients".

We are appreciative to Dr. Jouffroy and Pr. Vivien for their responses and insights, and we agree with their words about the controversial aspect timing to antibiotic administration.

World-Wide FINGERS Network: A global approach to risk reduction and prevention of dementia.

Reducing the risk of dementia can halt the worldwide increase of affected people. The multifactorial and heterogeneous nature of late-onset dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD), indicates a potential impact of multidomain lifestyle interventions on risk reduction. The positive results of the landmark multidomain Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) support such an approach.

Antimicrobials administration time in patients with suspected sepsis: is faster better? An analysis by propensity score.

Background: Early use of antimicrobials is a critical intervention in the treatment of patients with sepsis. The exact time of initiation is controversial and its early administration may be a difficult task in crowded emergency departments (ED). The aim of this study was to estimate, using a matched propensity score, the effect on hospital mortality of administration of antimicrobials within 1 or 3 hours, in patients admitted to the ED with sepsis.

Mental Disorders in Young Adults from Families with the Presenilin-1 Gene Mutation E280A in the Preclinical Stage of Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: There are forms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that have an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern; one of them is caused by the E280A mutation in the gene that codes for Presenilin-1 (). Studying families of people with this mutation allows the evaluation of characteristics of the subjects before cognitive decline begins.

Objective: To determine whether having the mutation E280A in increases the risk of presenting mental disorders in adults under 30 years old who are in the preclinical stage of AD and may be eligible for primary prevention studies of AD.

WITHDRAWN: Mental Disorders in Young Adults from Families with the Presenilin-1 Gene Mutation E280A in the Preclinical Stage of Alzheimer's Disease.

Ahead of Print article withdrawn by publisher.

Sodium bicarbonate versus isotonic saline solution to prevent contrast-induced nephropathy : a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Contrast-induced nephropathy is one of the main causes of acute kidney injury and increased hospital-acquired morbidity and mortality. The use of sodium bicarbonate for nephroprotection has emerged as a preventative strategy; however, its efficacy is controversial compared to other strategies, such as hydration using 0.9% saline solution.

Assessment of the association of health with the liberalisation of trade in services under the World Trade Organisation.

Background: The liberalisation of trade in services which began in 1995 under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has generated arguments for and against its potential health effects. Our goal was to explore the relationship between the liberalisation of services under the GATS and three health indicators--life expectancy (LE), under-5 mortality (U5M) and maternal mortality (MM)--since the WTO was established.

Methods And Findings: This was a cross-sectional ecological study that explored the association in 2010 and 1995 between liberalisation and health (LE, U5M and MM), and between liberalisation and progress in health in the period 1995-2010, considering variables related to economic and social policies such as per capita income (GDP pc), public expenditure on health (PEH), and income inequality (Gini index).

The effects of socioeconomic status and short stature on overweight, obesity and the risk of metabolic complications in adults.

Objective: to observe the relationship between socioeconomic status, height and nutritional problems related to obesity, overweight and risk of metabolic complications in men and women of Medellin (Colombia).

Methods: cross-sectional study with a sample of 5556 adults between 18 and 69 years of age. We assessed weight, height and waist circumference.

Effect of the compaction platform on the densification parameters of tableting excipients with different deformation mechanisms.

Several compaction models have been attempted to explain the compression and compaction phenomena of excipients. However, the resulting parameters could be influenced by the compaction platform such as dwell time, compact mass, geometry and type of material. The goal of this study is to assess the effect of these variables on the densification parameters obtained from key models such as Heckel, non-linear Heckel, Kawakita, Carstensen, and Leuenberger.

Functionality of chitin as a direct compression excipient: an acetaminophen comparative study.

The particle and tableting properties of chitin extracted from shrimp exoskeletons were evaluated and compared with common excipients used for the preparation of tablets. Chitin offered more benefits in terms of functionality than calcium diphosphate, lactose monohydrate and pregelatinized starch. Further, highly plastic deforming materials such as sorbitol and PVP K30 and microcrystalline cellulose showed the best compactibility and dilution potential, whereas brittle deforming materials such as lactose monohydrate and calcium diphosphate were poorly compactable.

Functional assessment of four types of disintegrants and their effect on the spironolactone release properties.

Spironolactone is a drug derived from sterols that exhibits an incomplete oral absorption due to its low water solubility and slow dissolution rate. In this study, formulations of spironolactone with four disintegrants named as croscarmellose sodium, crospovidone, sodium starch glycolate and microcrystalline cellulose II (MCCII) were conducted. The effect of those disintegrants on the tensile strength, disintegration time and dissolution rate of spironolactone-based compacts was evaluated using a factorial design with three categorical factors (filler, lubricant, and disintegrant).

Evaluation of microcrystalline cellulose II (MCCII) as an alternative extrusion-spheronization aid.

Microcrystalline cellulose II (MCCII) is a different allomorph of MCC that can be used as a filler and a disintegrant for direct compression. MCCII was studied as new pelletization aid with the aim to prepare pellets with a faster drug release than MCCI-based pellets. MCCII-based pellets showed an immediate diphenydramineHCl release profile comparable to that of Benadryl and a faster griseofulvin release than MCCI-based pellets.

Powder and compaction characteristics of pregelatinized starches.

Pregelatinized starch is widely used as a pharmaceutical aid, especially as a filler-binder. It is known that the tableting performance of excipients could be affected by their source. The aim of this study was to evaluate the powder and tableting properties of pregelatinized starches obtained from yucca, corn and rice and compare those properties with those of Starch 1500.

Evaluation of the disintegration properties of microcrystalline cellulose II and commercial disintegrants.

This study was conducted to assess the disintegration properties of cellulose II excipients named as spray-dried cellulose II (SDCII) and non spray-dried cellulose II (MCCII) in comparison with commercial disintegrants. Swelling and water sorption characteristics were determined by conventional methods. The swelling values, water uptake and percentage of compact volume expansion all suggested that SDCII and MCCII compacts disintegrate by a wicking mechanism similar to that of Polyplasdone-XL, whereas a swelling mechanism dominates for Primojel and Ac-Di-Sol.

Effect of silicification on the tableting performance of cellulose ii: a novel multifunctional excipient.

The effect of silicification on the tableting performance of microcrystalline cellulose II (MCCII) was assessed through coprocessing with fumed silica via spray drying and wet granulation at the 98:2, 95:5, 90:10 and 80:20 ratios. Compacts produced by spray drying and wet granulation rendered better tensile strength than MCCII. The Kawakita and Heckel models implied that silicification increased compressibility and decreased the plastic deforming behavior and densification by die filling at the early stage of compression for MCCII.

Validation in Colombia of the Oswestry disability questionnaire in patients with low back pain.

Study Design: Observational study to validate a scale.

Objective: To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), version 2.1a.

Assessment of processing and polymorphic form effect on the powder and tableting properties of microcrystalline celluloses I and II.

Microcrystalline cellulose I (MCCI) is an excipient used as a diluent, disintegrant, glidant and binder for the production of pharmaceutical tablets. In this work, microcrystalline cellulose II (MCCII) was obtained from cotton fibers by basic treatment with 7.5 N NaOH followed by an acid hydrolysis.