A comparison of three established age estimation methods on an adult Spanish sample

Most current methods for adult skeletal age-at-death estimation are based on American samples comprising individuals of European and African ancestry. Our limited understanding of population variability hampers our efforts to apply these techniques to various skeletal populations around the world, especially in global forensic contexts. Further, documented skeletal samples are rare, limiting our ability to test our techniques. The objective of this paper is to test three pelvic macroscopic methods [(1) Suchey-Brooks; (2) Lovejoy; and (3) Buckberry and Chamberlain] on a documented modern Spanish sample. These methods were selected because they are popular among Spanish anthropologists and because they never have been tested in a Spanish sample. The study sample consists of 80 individuals (55 males and 25 females) of known sex and age from the Valladolid collection. Results indicate that in all three methods, levels of bias and inaccuracy increase with age. The Lovejoy method performs poorly (27%) compared with Suchey-Brooks (71%) and Buckberry and Chamberlain (86%). However, the levels of correlation between phases and chronological ages are low and comparable in the three methods (<0.395). The apparent accuracy of the Suchey-Brooks and Buckberry and Chamberlain methods is largely based on the broad width of the methods’ estimated intervals. This study suggests that before systematic application of these three methodologies in Spanish populations, further statistical modeling and research into the covariance of chronological age with morphological change are necessary. Future methods should be developed specific to various world populations and should allow for both precision and flexibility in age estimation.     

Assessment of the psychometric properties of the Detection of Emotional Distress Scale in cancer patients

Objective

To evaluate and alleviate the emotional distress suffered by advanced cancer patients, simple screening methods that can be easily used by health staff and easily understood by patients are required. The objective of this multicenter study was to analyze the psychometric properties and clinical utility of the Detection of Emotional Distress (DED) scale in advanced cancer patients attending a palliative care unit.

Methods

The DED scale was administered to 105 advanced cancer patients attended in five palliative care units in Catalonia (Spain).

Results

A total of 58.3% of the patients had moderate to severe emotional distress, a result similar to those of other scales such as the emotional thermometer. Statistical analysis of ROC curves suggested that the cutoff for the detection of emotional distress by the DED scale was equivalent to a score of ≥ 9 points, with a sensitivity and specificity above 75%.

Conclusions

The DED scale is useful and easy to use in the identification of emotional distress in advanced cancer patients attended in palliative care units. This scale could also be applied in other patients and health care fields, such as patients with chronic diseases, home care, and primary care.     

Islet abnormalities in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diabetes.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune disease that results in the destruction of the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans. In spite of extensive genetic and immunological studies, mainly performed in the non-obese diabetic (NOD) spontaneous mouse model, the etiology of the autoimmune attack remains unknown. Several autoantigens have been identified and numerous studies have suggested a role for defective regulation of immune function. However, this account does not explain why the autoimmune process specifically affects the insulin-producing beta cells. Thus, abnormal immune regulation might explain the predisposition to autoimmunity in general, but additional factors should then determine the target of the autoimmune attack. Here, we review the evidence that abnormalities in islet cell differentiation and function exist that might trigger the immune system towards beta-cell autoimmunity in humans and NOD mice.     

Prognosis Assessment of Cirrhotic Patients with Refractory Ascites Treated with a Peritoneovenous Shunt

Objective: The role of peritoneovenous shunt in the management of refractory ascites has not been clearly established. The aim of this study was to determine readily accessible predictive survival factors in cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites treated with a peritoneovenous shunt.
Methods: We studied a cohort of 100 cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites who underwent peritoneovenous-shunt placement in a university-based reference hospital.
Results: The estimated median survival of patients after shunt placement was 11 months (95% CI, 7-14 months). Multivariate analysis based on the proportional hazards model disclosed four independent variables associated with poor survival: high Pugh score, nonalcoholic etiology, low ascitic fluid protein concentration, and history of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
Conclusions: Mortality of cirrhotic patients treated with a peritoneovenous shunt can be determined by a prognostic index using four easily available variables. Such a prognostic index, once prospectively validated, could be used as an adjunct in planning treatment of cirrhotic patients with refractory ascites.     

Morphologic study of the pulmonary veins by magnetic resonance angiography

Accurate knowledge of the anatomy of the pulmonary veins is important in clinical electrophysiology. In order to evaluate the usefulness of magnetic resonance angiography for this purpose, we studied 17 unselected patients. All the pulmonary veins were visualized in each individual. The diameters of the ostia ranged between 9 mm and 22 mm. The cross-section of the ostium was elliptical in 35% of cases. In 14 patients (82%), the 4 veins each had independent drainage. In 2 patients (12%), there was an additional intermediate right vein and, in 1 patient (6%), both left veins had a common ostium. In 74% of patients, the right pulmonary veins had a short common trunk with early branching. This pattern was seen in only 10% of left veins. Magnetic resonance angiography using a contrast medium is an excellent technique for studying the anatomy of the pulmonary veins and for identifying variants. The resulting information is potentially useful for electrophysiologists.     

Hypersecretion of FSH in infant boys and girls born small for gestational age

Prenatal growth restraint, as reflected in a low birthweight for gestational age, is a risk factor for postpubertal FSH hypersecretion and for reduced gonadal size. The ontogeny of the low-birthweight effect on the FSH-inhibin B feedback loop is unknown. Infancy is an episode of choice to study the possibility of an early low-birthweight effect on the FSH-inhibin B loop because this phase is characterized by high activity within the gonadal axis. We assessed serum concentrations of FSH and inhibin B in 46 infants [26 girls and 20 boys; mean age, 4 months; range, 3-6 months; 17 appropriate for gestational age (AGA), 29 small for gestational age (SGA); mean birthweight, 3.2 kg for AGA vs. 2.3 kg for SGA], together with circulating levels of LH, E2, and free androgen index. In SGA girls and boys, serum FSH levels were 2- and 4-fold higher (P < 0.001), respectively, than in AGA controls of the same gender (7.3 +/- 0.9 vs. 3.8 +/- 0.4 IU/ml and 2.9 +/- 0.5 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.2 IU/ml). Serum LH, inhibin B, and free androgen index/E2 concentrations were similar in AGA and SGA infants. In conclusion, prenatal growth restraint was found to be followed by elevated serum FSH concentrations in infant girls and boys. SGA infants seem to need an augmented FSH drive to fulfill inhibin B requirements on the afferent side of the feedback loop. The late-endocrine correlates of early growth restraint are herewith extended to include the main axis of reproduction in both genders. It remains to be studied whether FSH hypersecretion in infancy is a marker of subsequent subfertility.