Association of photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) and exercises programs in pain and functional capacity of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA): a systematic review of randomized trials

Lasers in Medical Science - Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a common degenerative disease in which several treatments and treatment associations have been investigated. This review analyzed the...     

Orofacial evaluation of individuals with temporomandibular disorder after LED therapy associated or not of occlusal splint: a randomized double-blind controlled clinical study

Lasers in Medical Science - This study compared the effects of LED therapy associated with occlusal splint (OS) on the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD). In this randomized,...     

Photobiomodulation therapy does not depend on the differentiation of dental pulp cells to enhance functional activity associated with angiogenesis and mineralization

Lasers in Medical Science - The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of InGaAlP diode laser (660 nm) with or without an odontogenic medium (OM) in the functional activity of...     

Semen analysis and treatment risk factors in long-term survivors of childhood cancer

The objective of this study was to compare semen quality (sperm density, progressive motility and spermia) between long-term childhood cancer survivors and a control group of males. The second objective was to correlate the semen analysis of the survivors with cancer treatment and endocrine status. The semen quality of 143 survivors (median age, 23.6 years) was compared to 200 men (median age, 27.9 years) who had not been diagnosed with cancer. The cancer-related risk factors and gonadotrophin levels were compared. Overall, 65% of the survivors had abnormal semen analysis compared to 26.5% of the controls (p < 0.0001). Survivors with nonaspermia had lower sperm density than the controls (p < 0.001). Other observed correlations were not significant. Survivors who were treated with alkylating agents were more likely to have abnormal semen analysis (p < 0.008). Follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinising hormone levels were significantly elevated (p < 0.0001) in survivors with abnormal semen analysis. The semen quality parameters, except for low sperm density, did not differ in survivors with nonaspermia compared to the controls. The risk factors included treatment with alkylating agents. Elevated gonadotrophin levels correlated with abnormal semen analysis. All cancer survivors should be made aware of the possibility of suffering from cancer treatment-related infertility.     

Microencapsulation of human spermatozoa increases membrane stability and DNA longevity

The microencapsulation of spermatozoa offers potential benefits for maintaining sperm survival in vitro. The technique has also resulted in the production of offspring in several domestic animal species, but as yet, it has not been successfully applied in human reproductive medicine. This study examined the effect of alginic acid microencapsulation on human sperm membrane integrity (viability) and sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) following storage for 24 hr at 37°C. The cumulative sperm viability (Log-rank, Mantel–Cox; Chi-square = 114.95, p = .000) and cumulative sperm DNA fragmentation (Log-rank, Mantel–Cox; Chi-square = 187.86, p = .000) of encapsulated spermatozoa were substantially improved when compared to control spermatozoa. Significant differences in the dynamic behaviour of different individuals were only apparent for sperm viability in microencapsulated samples (p = .021) while no significant differences were observed in control spermatozoa (p = .245); the equivalent comparison for SDF showed no differences (control p = .320; microencapsulated p = .432). We present potential scenarios for the use of microencapsulated human spermatozoa in reproductive medicine.     

Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 predicts pneumonia in patients with inhalation injury: Results of a pilot study

IntroductionSeveral mechanisms play a role in the development of pneumonia after inhalation injury. Our aim was to analyze whether higher concentrations of inflammatory markers or of biomarkers of epithelial injury are associated with a higher incidence of pneumonia in patients with inhalation injury.Material and methodsSecondary analysis of a single-center prospective observational cohort pilot study, performed over a two-year period (2015–2017) at the Burns Unit of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Department of Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. All patients aged 18 with suspected inhalation injury undergoing admission to the Burns Unit were included. Plasma biomarkers of the lung epithelium (RAGE and SP-D), inflammation markers (IL6, IL8), and IL33, as well as soluble suppression of tumorigenicity-2 (sST2) levels, were measured within the first 24 h of admission.ResultsTwenty-four patients with inhalation injury were included. Eight (33.3%) developed pneumonia after a median of 7 (4–8) days of hospital stay. Patients with pneumonia presented higher plasma concentrations of sST2 (2853 [2356–3351] ng/mL vs 1352 [865–1839] ng/mL; p < 0.001), IL33 (1.95 [1.31–2.59] pg/mL vs 1.26 [1.07–1.45] pg/mL; p = 0.002) and IL8 (325.7 [221.6–430.0] pg/mL vs 174.1 [95.2–253.0] pg/mL; p = 0.017) on day 1 of inclusion. Plasma sST2 concentration in the first 24 h demonstrated excellent diagnostic accuracy for predicting the occurrence of pneumonia in patients with smoke inhalation (AUROC 0.929 [95%CI 0.818–1.000]). A cutoff point of ≥2825 ng/mL for sST2 had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 100%. The risk ratio of pneumonia in patients with sST2 ≥ 2825 ng/mL was 7.14 ([95% CI 1.56–32.61]; p = 0.016).ConclusionsPlasma sST2 in the first 24 h of admission predicts the occurrence of pneumonia in patients with inhalation injury.     

Trends in burn injury mortality in Spain (1979–2018): Sex-specific age-cohort-period effects

BackgroundPrevious studies about burns mortality are often exclusively based on hospital and burn centre data. National population-based reports on this topic are rather limited. The aim of this study was to analyse sex- and age-specific mortality rates of burns in Spain during the period 1979–2018.MethodsAge-standardised burns mortality rates were calculated from death records and mid-year population data were provided by the Spanish National Statistics Institute. Joinpoint regression analyses were used to identify significant points of change in trends over time and to compute average annual per cent change (AAPC). Age, period and cohort effects were also analysed.ResultsMortality due to burn injury decreased in both sexes between 1979 and 2018: from the first quinquennium of this period up to the last one age-adjusted mortality rates decreased from 1.37 to 0.49 per 100,000 in men and from 0.96 to 0.26 per 100,000 in women.ConclusionsBurns mortality rates in Spain have been decreasing during the last decades. Promotion of primary prevention measures should continue.     

Structural volumetry in NPH diagnostics and treatment—future or dead end?

Neurosurgical Review - To assess automated volumetric analysis as a potential presurgical diagnostic tool or as a method to potentially shed light on normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH)...     

The historical perspective in approaches to the spheno-petro-clival meningiomas

Neurosurgical Review - The current literature regarding surgical treatment for tumors in the sphenopetroclival (SPC) region is merely scarce. Through a comprehensive literature review, we...     

Low seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in a liver transplant cohort

Solid organ transplant recipients might be at greater risk for acquisition and mortality because of SARS-CoV-2. There are no data regarding SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among liver transplant (LT) recipients, and whether it is different from that of the general population or other immunosuppressed groups. We evaluated the prevalence of IgG SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among LT recipients to estimate the frequency of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection using serological assays in our outpatient clinic. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis from 10 May to 26 October 2020 of all adult (>18 years) LT recipients that underwent a routine laboratory test for the outpatient clinic follow-up at the Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron (Barcelona) in which we included serological testing for SARS-CoV-2. Nine out of 294 LT recipients (3.1%) tested positive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies. Five of them (55.5%) had suffered clinically symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed by RT-PCR, four (44.4%) had presented compatible symptoms but without microbiological confirmation and only one patient (1/9, 11.1%) tested positive without any previous symptom. SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among LT recipients in an area highly affected by the pandemic is lower than in the general population in the same area. These results render the possibility of asymptomatic infection in LT recipients very unlikely.