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Introduction: Neuromonitoring represents a cornerstone in the comprehensive management of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), allowing for early detection of complications such as increased intracranial pressure (ICP) [1]. This has led to a search for noninvasive modalities that are reliable and deployable at bedside. Among these, ultrasonographic optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurement is a strong contender, estimating ICP by quantifying the distension of the optic nerve at higher ICP values. Thus, this scoping review seeks to describe the existing evidence for the use of ONSD in estimating ICP in adult TBI patients as compared to gold-standard invasive methods. Materials and Methods: This review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews, with a main search of PubMed and EMBASE. The search was limited to studies of adult patients with TBI published in any language between 2012 and 2022. Sixteen studies were included for analysis, with all studies conducted in high-income countries. Results: All of the studies reviewed measured ONSD using the same probe frequency. In most studies, the marker position for ONSD measurement was initially 3 mm behind the globe, retina, or papilla. A few studies utilized additional parameters such as the ONSD/ETD (eyeball transverse diameter) ratio or ODE (optic disc elevation), which also exhibit high sensitivity and reliability. Conclusion: Overall, ONSD exhibits great test accuracy and has a strong, almost linear correlation with invasive methods. Thus, ONSD should be considered one of the most effective noninvasive techniques for ICP estimation in TBI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is necessary for managing patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Although gold-standard methods include intraventricular or intraparenchymal transducers, these systems cannot be used in patients with coagulopathies or in those who are at high risk of catheter-related infections, nor can they be used in resource-constrained settings. Therefore, a non-invasive modality that is more widely available, cost effective, and safe would have tremendous impact. Among such non-invasive choices, transcranial Doppler (TCD) provides indirect ICP estimates through waveform analysis of cerebral hemodynamic changes. The objective of this scoping review is to describe the existing evidence for the use of TCD-derived methods in estimating ICP in adult TBI patients as compared with gold-standard invasive methods. This review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews, with a main search of PubMed and Embase. The search was limited to studies conducted in adult TBI patients published in any language between 2012 and 2022. Twenty-two studies were included for analysis, with most being prospective studies conducted in high-income countries. TCD-derived non-invasive ICP (nICP) methods are either mathematical or non-mathematical, with the former having slightly better correlation with invasive methods, especially when using time-trending ICP dynamics over one-time estimated values. Nevertheless, mathematical methods are associated with greater cost and complexity in their application. Formula-based methods showed promise in excluding elevated ICP, exhibiting a high negative predictive value. Therefore, TCD-derived methods could be useful in assessing ICP changes instead of absolute ICP values for high-risk patients, especially in low-resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existence of enormous volumes of mine tailings (MTs) deposits around the World, and specially in Chile, has generated a growing interest about the potential economic and socio-environmental benefits of reprocessing them. The present study assesses this possibility in the world class example of Mineral Valle Central (MVC), one of the few MTs reprocessing plants that has been under operation since 1992. To do so, 20 sampling points along the mineral processing plant were selected and monitored every two months from April 2018 to January 2019, generating a total of 120 samples. The multivariate statistical analysis of detailed chemical and mineralogical information confirmed the existence of two main groups, a first one corresponding to the elements (As, Ag, Fe, Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, Sb and Zn) linked to sulphides and a second one including elements mainly hosted by silicates. As expected, the first group of elements showed a general increasing tendency in their concentration along the processing plant while the second group tended to decrease their concentrations. It was observed that during the generation of the current Cu-concentrate in MVC, Co concentrations are increased as high as ten times (~0.25 g/kg) from the original concentration in the MTs entering the reprocessing plant (~0.025 g/kg). Therefore, the design and theoretical addition of new operational units to generate pyrite concentrates was evaluated. Such a de-pyritization process unit could link economic and environmental potential benefits thanks to the recovery of the Co hosted in pyrite and to the reduction of the acid generation potential of the final MTs sent to Caren MTs deposit. This exploratory study shows important environmental benefits as well as some economic potential thanks to the recovery of Co hosted in pyrite. Notwithstanding, future comprehensive Co deportment studies and a detailed technical – economical evaluation are needed to determine the economic feasibility for the construction of the proposed de-pyritization process unit. [Display omitted] • Plant geochemistry can determine opportunities for by-product recovery. • Reprocessed tailings improve plant profitability and avoid environmental problems. • By-product recovery can increase production, increasing revenue • Elements with low concentrations increase their value by almost 2 orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, the early detection of which is crucial for timely intervention and enrollment in clinical trials. However, the preclinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's encounters difficulties with gold-standard methods. The current definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's still relies on expensive instrumentation and post-mortem histological examinations. Here, we explore label-free Raman spectroscopy with machine learning as an alternative to preclinical Alzheimer's diagnosis. A special feature of this study is the inclusion of patient samples from different cohorts, sampled and measured in different years. To develop reliable classification models, partial least squares discriminant analysis in combination with variable selection methods identified discriminative molecules, including nucleic acids, amino acids, proteins, and carbohydrates such as taurine/hypotaurine and guanine, when applied to Raman spectra taken from dried samples of cerebrospinal fluid. The robustness of the model is remarkable, as the discriminative molecules could be identified in different cohorts and years. A unified model notably classifies preclinical Alzheimer's, which is particularly surprising because of Raman spectroscopy's high sensitivity regarding different measurement conditions. The presented results demonstrate the capability of Raman spectroscopy to detect preclinical Alzheimer's disease for the first time and offer invaluable opportunities for future clinical applications and diagnostic methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Deposition rate affects roughness, activation barrier influences. • Unrestricted diffusion model leads to higher roughness. • Temperature smooth surfaces, alters growth mechanisms. • Higher temperatures increase layer occupancy, favor diffusion. • Steady state is not reached for any materials in unrestricted model. • Dynamic exponent Beta depends of the diffusion mechanism. The growth behavior of Cr and W surfaces using kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations based on Density-Functional Theory (DFT) is presented in this study. Three models, a growth model with random deposition and no diffusion, a growth model with restricted diffusion and a growth model with unrestricted diffusion model, were compared to understand their influence on the predicted surface roughness and layer density. The impact of deposition rate and temperature on surface growth for both metals were analyzed. For deposition rate studies, five different rates (0.01 ML/s, 0.1 ML/s, 1.0 ML/s, 10.0 ML/s, and 100 ML/s) were considered at 550 K for Cr and W respectively. The effect of temperature on roughness was also studied employing various temperatures from 300 K to 1100 K for both metals and under the two different evolution models. The results show that the unrestricted diffusion model exhibits higher roughness compared to the restricted model for both metals. The restricted model shows a stable region of roughness, whereas the unrestricted model shows a continuous increase in roughness throughout the simulation. Furthermore, layer density analysis revealed that temperature affects the filling of lower monolayers. Finally, dynamic exponents β and α for each studied model were calculated and discussed. The results highlight the influence of diffusion models, deposition rate and temperature on surface, roughness, and layer density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate whether the consumption of anticoagulants was associated with a difference in the frequency of thrombosis of any site, major bleeding and mortality, in adults with both diseases. Method: A retrospective cohort study was carried out in four high complexity centers. Patients older than 18 years with CKD on hemodialysis and non-valvular AF, with an indication for anticoagulation (CHA2DS2VASc ≥ 2), were included. The primary outcome was the occurrence of: major bleeding, thrombotic event (cerebrovascular accident, acute myocardial infarction or venous thromboembolic disease) or death. Adjustment for confounding variables was performed using logistic regression. Results: From 158 patients included, 61% (n = 97) received an anticoagulant. The main outcome was found in 84% of those who received anticoagulation and 70% of those who did not (OR: 2.12, 95%CI: 0.98-4.57; after the adjusted analysis OR: 2.13, 95%CI: 1.04-4.36). Separate outcomes were bleeding in 52% vs. 34% (OR: 2.03; 95%CI: 1.05-3.93), thrombosis in 35% vs. 34% (OR: 1.03; 95%CI: 0.52-2-01) and death in 46% vs. 41% (OR: 1.25; 95%CI: 0.65-2.38). Conclusions: The results of this study suggest an increased risk of bleeding in patients with AF and CKD on hemodialysis receiving anticoagulation, without a decrease in the risk of thrombotic events or all-cause mortality [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews hydrogeological studies carried out between 2016 and 2018 in the Silala River basin, a catchment shared by Chile and Bolivia. These were conducted in the context of the Case Concerning the Status and Use of the Waters of the Silala River, submitted to the International Court of Justice in 2016, and contributed to multidisciplinary science to demonstrate that this system is an international watercourse. In 2016, the hydrogeological understanding of the Silala River basin was poor. The studies reviewed here filled many knowledge gaps, providing a solid hydrogeological baseline, and establishing new monitoring infrastructure to collect relevant aquifer data. The most important hydrogeological units were identified as the fluvial deposits, alluvial deposits, and the Cabana ignimbrite. The latter is highly heterogeneous, weathered and fractured, and exhibits a high permeability. It is the most important unit in terms of productivity, and is the major regional aquifer providing spring flows to Bolivian wetlands and groundwater flow across the international border. The studies provided a preliminary understanding of the main aquifers in Chile and their properties, which underpinned the development of a robust hydrogeological conceptual model of the system, reviewed elsewhere in this special issue. Subsequent refinements are also summarized. This work confirmed that both surface water and groundwater flows from Bolivia to Chile, and thus confirms the status of the Silala River as an international watercourse and provided the basis for a basin‐scale groundwater numerical model, used to investigate the impact of wetland channelization on surface water/groundwater partitioning. This article is categorized under:Science of Water > Hydrological Processes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A classical result of variational analysis, known as Attouch theorem, establishes an equivalence between epigraphical convergence of a sequence of proper convex lower semicontinuous functions and graphical convergence of the corresponding subdifferential maps up to a normalization condition which fixes the integration constant. In this work, we show that in finite dimensions and under a mild boundedness assumption, we can replace subdifferentials (sets of vectors) by slopes (scalars, corresponding to the distance of the subdifferentials to zero) and still obtain the same characterization: namely, the epigraphical convergence of functions is equivalent to the epigraphical convergence of their slopes. This surprising result goes in line with recent developments on slope determination (Boulmezaoud et al. in SIAM J Optim 28(3):2049–2066, 2018; Pérez-Aros et al. in Math Program 190(1–2):561-583, 2021) and slope sensitivity (Daniilidis and Drusvyatskiy in Proc Am Math Soc 151(11):4751-4756, 2023) for convex functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer. The incidence of metastasis for cSCC is estimated to be around 1.2–5%. Ribosomal protein S6 (p-S6) and the p21 protein (p21) are two proteins that play central roles in other cancers. These proteins may be equally important in cSCC, and together, these could constitute a good candidate for metastasis risk assessment of these patients. We investigate the relationship of p-S6 and p21 expression with the impact on the prognosis of head and neck cSCC (cSCCHN). p-S6 and p21 expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 116 patients with cSCCHN and associations sought with clinical characteristics. Kaplan–Meier estimators and Cox proportional hazard regression models were also used. The expression of p-S6 was significantly inversely associated with tumor thickness, tumor size, desmoplastic growth, pathological stage, perineural invasion and tumor buds. p21 expression was significantly inversely correlated with >6 mm tumor thickness, desmoplastic growth, and perineural invasion. p-S6-negative expression significantly predicted an increased risk of nodal metastasis (HR = 2.63, 95% CI 1.51–4.54; p < 0.001). p21 expression was not found to be a significant risk factor for nodal metastasis. These findings demonstrate that p-S6-negative expression is an independent predictor of nodal metastasis. The immunohistochemical expression of p-S6 might aid in better risk stratification and management of patients with cSCCHN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Down syndrome (DS) is the most common genetically determined intellectual disability. In recent decades, it has experienced an exponential increase in life expectancy, leading to a rise in age-related diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specific health plans for the comprehensive care of the DS community are an unmet need, which is crucial for the early and accurate diagnosis of main medical comorbidities. We present the protocol of a newly created clinical and research cohort and its feasibility in real life. Methods: The Down Syndrome—Basque Alzheimer Initiative (DS-BAI) is a population-based, inclusive, multidisciplinary initiative for the clinical-assistance and clinical-biological research approach to aging in DS led by the CITA-Alzheimer Foundation (Donostia, Basque Country). It aims to achieve the following: (1) provide comprehensive care for adults with DS, (2) optimize access to rigorous and quality training for socio-family and healthcare references, and (3) create a valuable multimodal clinical-biological research platform. Results: During the first year, 114 adults with DS joined the initiative, with 36% of them showing symptoms indicative of AD. Furthermore, adherence to training programs for healthcare professionals and families has been high, and the willingness to collaborate in basic and translational research has been encouraging. Conclusion: Specific health plans for DS and conducting clinical and translational research on the challenges of aging, including AD, are necessary and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis-interstitial lung disease is challenging. • Abatacept seems to be an effective therapy, regardless of the radiological pattern. • Early administration of abatacept may prevent progression of the disease. To compare the effectiveness of abatacept (ABA) in Rheumatoid Arthritis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease (RA-ILD) according to the radiological patterns of usual (UIP) or non-specific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP). From an observational longitudinal multicentre study of 263 RA-ILD patients treated with ABA, those with UIP or NSIP were selected. Lung function, chest high resolution computerised tomography (HRCT) and dyspnoea were recorded and compared in both groups from baseline to the end of follow-up (progression definitions: improvement or worsening >10% of FVC or DLCO, changes in HRCT extension and 1-point change in the mMRC scale, respectively). Differences between final and baseline visits were calculated as the average difference (95% CI) through mixed effects models regression. We studied 190 patients with UIP (n=106) and NSIP (n=84). General features were similar in both groups except for older age, positive rheumatoid factor, and previous sulfasalazine therapy, which were more frequent in patients with UIP. ILD duration up to ABA initiation was relatively short: median 16 [4-50] and 11 [2-36] months (p=0.36) in UIP and NSIP, respectively. Mean baseline FVC and DLCO were 82% and 63% in UIP and 89% and 65% in NSIP, respectively. Both parameters remained stable during 24 months with ABA. HRCT lesions and dyspnoea improved/stabilized in 73.1% and 90.5% and 72.9% and 94.6% of UIP and NSIP patterns, respectively. ABA seems equally effective in stabilizing dyspnoea, lung function and radiological impairment in both UIP and NSIP patterns of RA-ILD. Early administration of ABA may prevent RA-ILD progression, regardless of the radiological pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]