Search

Bankruptcy prediction is a vast area of finance and accounting whose importance lies in the relevance for creditors and investors in evaluating the likelihood of getting into bankrupt. As companies become complex, they develop sophisticated schemes to hide their real situation. In turn, making an estimation of the credit risks associated with counterparts or predicting bankruptcy becomes harder. Evolutionary algorithms have shown to be an excellent tool to deal with complex problems in finances and economics where a large number of irrelevant features are involved. This paper provides a methodology for feature selection in classification of bankruptcy data sets using an evolutionary multiobjective approach that simultaneously minimise the number of features and maximise the classifier quality measure (e.g., accuracy). The proposed methodology makes use of self-adaptation by applying the feature selection algorithm while simultaneously optimising the parameters of the classifier used. The methodology was applied to four different sets of data. The obtained results showed the utility of using the self-adaptation of the classifier.

The development of hypophosphataemic osteomalacia has been linked with several treatments, mainly antiretroviral and intravenous iron administration. The frequency of the hypophosphataemia requires monitoring the phosphate after the administration of iron carboxymaltose. We describe a case of a woman with no calcium-phosphorous metabolism disorder, to whom this treatment was prescribed for anaemia due to menorrhagia and intolerance to oral iron. She started with oligoarticular pain, which was spreading with a significant functional loss. The relationship with the administration of intravenous iron was discovered when scintigraphic findings together with laboratory results led to a diagnosis of hypophosphataemic osteomalacia. The patient responded satisfactorily to treatment with phosphate both clinically and in the follow-up bone scintigraphy., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.)

Bankruptcy prediction is a vast area of finance and accounting whose importance lies in the relevance for creditors and investors in evaluating the likelihood of getting into bankrupt. As companies become complex, they develop sophisticated schemes to hide their real situation. In turn, making an estimation of the credit risks associated with counterparts or predicting bankruptcy becomes harder. Evolutionary algorithms have shown to be an excellent tool to deal with complex problems in finances and economics where a large number of irrelevant features are involved. This paper provides a methodology for feature selection in classification of bankruptcy data sets using an evolutionary multiobjective approach that simultaneously minimise the number of features and maximise the classifier quality measure (e.g., accuracy). The proposed methodology makes use of self-adaptation by applying the feature selection algorithm while simultaneously optimising the parameters of the classifier used. The methodology was applied to four different sets of data. The obtained results showed the utility of using the self-adaptation of the classifier.

Aim: To define the sentinel node identification rate in breast cancer, the chronological evolution of this parameter and the influence of the introduction of a portable gamma camera., Material and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using a prospective database of 754 patients who had undergone a sentinel lymph node biopsy between January 2003 and December 2011. The technique was mixed in the starting period and subsequently was performed with radiotracer intra-peritumorally administered the day before of the surgery. Until October 2009, excision of the sentinel node was guided by a probe. After that date, a portable gamma camera was introduced for intrasurgical detection., Results: The SN was biopsied in 725 out of the 754 patients studied. The resulting technique global effectiveness was 96.2%. In accordance with the year of the surgical intervention, the identification percentage was 93.5% in 2003, 88.7% in 2004, 94.3% in 2005, 95.7% in 2006, 93.3% in 2007, 98.8% in 2008, 97.1% in 2009 and 99.1% in 2010 and 2011. There was a significant difference in the proportion of identification before and after the incorporation of the portable gamma camera of 4.6% (95% CI of the difference 2-7.2%, P = 0.0037)., Conclusions: The percentage of global identification exceeds the recommended level following the current guidelines. Chronologically, the improvement for this parameter during the study period has been observed. These data suggest that the incorporation of a portable gamma camera had an important role., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. and SEMNIM. All rights reserved.)

Goal: To know the perceived quality and the levels of patient satisfaction with the Nuclear Medicine Service (MN)., Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. The authors designed a self-applied questionnaire based on a questionnaire from a survey created by the National Health Service of the UK. The answers of 32 items were analyzed, including 4 social-demographic questions and one open question. The authors recoded the variables related to service quality and recorded them as "in accordance" and "not in accordance." The validity of the questionnaire was measured using Cronbach's alpha and determination (R(2)) indexes. The authors used the χ(2), Student's T, ANOVA and linear regression analysis statistical tests., Results: A total of 179 questionnaires were analyzed (response rate: 36.6%, sampling error: 5.8%). Evaluation of general satisfaction and the recommendation of the NM Service obtained a mean score of 8.96 and 9.20 (1-10 scale) points, respectively. The most influential variable regarding general satisfaction was the general impression of the organization of the service. The strong points of the service were courtesy, general organizational image and cleanliness. The main areas for improvement were appointment change process and waiting list. There were no significant differences regarding satisfaction due to the social-demographic variables except for age., Conclusion: This satisfaction survey has shown that patients are satisfied with the Nuclear Medicine Service and that it is a useful tool to detect the strong points and areas for improvement of the Service from the user's perspective., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an important public health problem. Kidney transplantation is associated with increase survival and improvement of quality of life., Objectives: To describe the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients registered in Castilla y León. To perform a survival analysis of transplant patients and their grafts. To evaluate survival depending on the transplant centre., Methods: Descriptive study with data collected until 31 December 2008 from the Registro de Diálisis y Trasplante Renal de la Comunidad de Castilla y León (REDI). The data was described differentiating prevalent and incidents patients. Survival data was assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method., Results: On 31 December 2008, 2.498 patients were on Renal Replacement Therapy (RRT) (976.8 pmp); in 2008, 337 started treatment (131.8 pmp) and 94 received kidney transplant (36.8 pmp). The first cause of CKD for incident patients is diabetes (25.0%), followed by vascular diseases (18.1%). For prevalent patients: glomerulonephritis (16.5%) and diabetes (14.4%). Differences (p = 0.0021) were observed for the treatment initiation age, group of disease and prevalent patients (p <0.0001). During 11 years 1.062 transplants were performed in 1.012 patients and 879 are still functioning (83%). In this period, the survival probability for the transplant patients is 81.076% (± 0.023), and for the 838 patients with first functioning graft is 89.336% (± 0.016). Median graft survival is between 8.7 and 9.3 years (95% confidence)., Conclusions: Most of the transplants during the last 11 years are still functioning. There are no differences when comparing graft survival at the approved centers in Castilla y León (p = 0.358).

Background: Selective biopsy of the sentinel ganglion (SBSG) has replaced axillary lymphadectomy (AL) as the procedure of choice in staging breast cancer in its initial stages and in clinically negative axilla. The aim of this study is to compare global event-free survival of those patients subjected to SBSG followed by AL, during the period of validation of the technique, with respect to those subjected to SBSG and AL if the sentinel ganglion (SG) showed metastasis., Methods: One hundred and forty-eight patients were included, 81 belonging to the period of validation and 67 to the clinical application group. Radiocoloid was administered intraperitumorally, obtaining images up until the visualisation of the SG; its identification and extirpation were carried out subsequently in the surgical intervention., Results: The efficacy of the technique in the validation group was 92.5%, sensitivity was 95.6% and the rate of false negatives was 4%. Of the 81 patients, 75 are free of disease (92.6%). Of the 67 patients belonging to the clinical application group, 63 (94%) are free of disease. No patient has presented axillary ganglion recurrence., Conclusion: In the validation of the technique we obtained values that fall within the demands of generally accepted quality. With an average follow up of 6 years we did not observe axillary ganglion recurrence in any of the two groups. There is no statistically significant difference in global and event free survival between the two groups.

Objectives: White light cystoscopy is the current standard for the diagnosis of bladder cancer and monitorization for recurrence. Recent studies suggest that porphyrin based fluorescence cystoscopy may improve endoscopic detection of bladder tumors. We aimed to evaluate the improvement that hexaminolevulinate fluorescence cystoscopy could lead in bladder cancer detection and treatment at one single centre., Methods: Between September 2006 and September 2007 a total of 39 patients with known or suspected bladder cancer underwent bladder instillation with 50 ml 8 mM hexaminolevulinate (HAL) for 1 hour. The bladder was inspected using white light cystoscopy (WLC), followed by blue light (fluorescence) cystoscopy (BLC). Papillary and suspicious lesions were resected for histological examination. Mean age was 70.1 years (50-86). Thirty patients were male (76.9%) and 9 female (23.1%). The tumor characteristics were: 18% primary tumors, 51% recurrences and 30% control cystoscopies. 24 patients had previously received some treatment (9 MMC and 15 BCG). Only 7 patients had previous positive urine cytology., Results: All papillary lesions visualized with WLC were confirmed by BLC (18 patients). From these, 17 have positive biopsies (6 pTaG1, 9 pT1G1-3, 1 pT2, 1 CIS). In 15 patients (38.4%) we found at least 1 lesion more with BLC. In this group 8 cases (20.5%) had positive histological diagnosis (3 pTaG1, 2 pT1G3, 3 CIS). In five patients (13%) post-TUR therapeutic management has changed by using BLC (BCG vs MMC). All four patients with CIS were diagnosed by BLC. There was no evidence of local or systemic side effects due to HAL in the postoperative time., Conclusions: Our results suggest there is an improvement in the diagnosis of papillary and flat lesions in bladder cancer by using HAL fluorescence cystoscopy. This has changed the management in the postoperative period (MMC vs BCG) in 13% of the patients. Obviously, we need more patients to assess our data and long-term follow-up to analyze the impact in terms of tumor recurrence and progression.

In 2005, renal replace treatment (dialysis and transplant) was necessary for about 40,000 people, without being known the number accurate and either their basic characteristics, such as: time in treatment, modality or treatment changes. The presented data cover the 76% of the Spanish population and are the result of the cooperation among technicians of registries, nephrologists and transplant coordinations. 4,125 people started RRT in 2005, the total estimated acceptance rate for renal replacement therapy in adults in Spain was 126 pmp and regarding other European countries it locates us in an intermediate area. The incidence rate seems to keep stable in the last years although there were some differences among communities (from 104 pmp in Castile and Leon to 186 pmp in Canary Islands). Diabetes Mellitus is the most diagnosed cause of renal failure in 2005, more than 20% of patients, followed by vascular diseases. The estimated prevalence of renal replacement therapy in Spain at the end of 2005 was 903 pmp, with important variations among communities (from 806 pmp in Cantabria to 1056 pmp in Valencia Region). The 47% of prevalent RRT patients had a functioning transplant. Mortality on haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis was 13.7% and 10.8% respectively. Mortality on transplant was 1.3%, one of the lowest values registered so far. Mortality on renal replacement therapy was around 5% among patients from 45 to 64 years, 11% between 65 and 74 years and 19% among the patients older than 75 years.

Background and Objective: The hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) causes an increased alveolar to arterial gradient of oxygen and in advanced phases hypoxemia, as the result of pulmonary vasodilation. In liver cirrhosis, it has been demonstrated the existence of splachnic vasodilation and also in other vascular beds. Our main objectives were to know the hemodynamic status, the renal function and the condition of some humoral systems in patient diagnosed of HPS., Patients and Method: We studied consecutively 32 cirrhotic patients Divided in two groups, a group of 18 cirrhotic patients with normal gaseous exchange (NGE), and another group of 14 cirrhotic patients diagnosed of HPS by contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography and/or lung and brain scintigraphy with 99Tc albumin macroaggregates. They were all in rest in bed, upon alcohol and tobacco abstinence and on a diet of 50 mEq of sodium. Cardiovascular drugs were all withheld during 4 days in order to reach steady state., Results: Patients of the HPS group were characterized by a more advanced index of Child-Pugh and presence of clubbing and vascular spiders. They presented a greater degree of hypoxemia in a sitting position, greater hypocapnia and smaller transference factor values (TLCO). They also showed a hyperkinetic circulatory condition characterized by smaller arterial blood pressure, greater cardiac index, smaller vascular resistances and greater femoral flows, with smaller clearance of creatinine, elimination of urinary sodium, urinary volume/24 h and an increased plasmatic volume, accompanied with a greater activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and a greater urinary elimination of nitrites and nitrates., Conclusions: The pulmonary vasodilation that explains the HPS is a constitutive part of the systemic vasodilation occurring in liver cirrhosis, and it is related to the degree of liver dysfunction as measured by the classification of Child-Pugh. The greater activation of the renin-aldosterone system and the rise of the plasmatic volume express a highest grade of arterial underfilling caused by an increment in the nitric oxide production.

Background: Sometimes patients on dialysis treatment cannot express their health-related quality of life (HRQoL); and therefore, it is necessary to use the assessment made by their carers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the agreement between dialysis patients' HRQoL and the assessment made by their carers, and to investigate which variables were associated with the differences found., Methods: Two hundred and twenty-two pairs of patients and carers were selected from 14 dialysis units. Patients' HRQoL was evaluated by the patients themselves and by their family carer (FAM), nurse (NUR) and physician (PH) using the Karnofsky scale (KS) and the EuroQOL5D (EQ5D) scale. Patients and their family carers answered the Medical Outcome Survey 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), and the family carers answered the Zarit burden interview. Physicians scored the patients' comorbidity index and nurses evaluated the Barthel index (BI)., Results: The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) between the ratings provided by patients and their carers were: KS: 0.80(FAM), 0.76(NUR) and 0.62(PH); EQ5D: 0.42(FAM), 0.48(NUR) and 0.29(PH). The agreement between the EQ5D dimension scores varied from moderate for mobility and self-care to insignificant for pain and anxiety/depression. The variables associated to the size of the differences found were the Zarit burden interview score and the mental component score (MCS) (SF-36) of the carer, the physical component score (PCS) (SF-36), the BI score and patient comorbidity, and the physician's age and experience., Conclusions: Family carers and health care providers of dialysis patients are reasonably aware of the patient's level of function and well being and can be useful sources of proxy HRQoL information. Nevertheless, discrepancies can occur, depending in part on the different characteristics of patients and their caregivers.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and burden on family caregivers of chronic dialysis patients and to analyze which factors were associated with it., Methods: A cross-sectional multicentric study was carried out with 221 patient/caregiver pairs. General population Short Form 36 (SF-36) norms were used to estimate gender and age standardized physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores. The Duke-UNC Functional Social Support Questionnaire (FSS), the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI), and sociodemographic and clinical data were also collected., Results: The PCS and MCS of caregivers were slightly worse than that of the Spanish population. Multiple regression analysis showed that: (1) lower PCS was associated with younger age and higher ZBI of the caregiver (R2=0.15); (2) lower MCS was associated with higher ZBI and lower FSS of the caregiver, and lower MCS of the patient (R2=0.29); (3) higher ZBI was associated with lower FSS, PCS and MCS of the caregiver, and to older age and lower PCS and MCS of the patient (R2=0.49). Of caregivers 28.3% had a MCS < or = 42; logistic regression analysis showed that a MCS < or = 42 was associated to higher ZBI and lower FSS scores (p<0.001)., Conclusions: The HRQOL of dialysis patient family caregivers is slightly worse than that of the Spanish population of the same age and gender. Younger family members, who are the primary carers of older dialysis patients with poor HRQOL, experienced a higher burden, had a worse HRQOL and had a higher risk of clinical depression; this was worse if low social support was perceived.

We are reporting a case of a 69 years old man developed acute renal failure due to interstitial nephritis during treatment with the drug clozapine, and that improve after to discontinuation of this drug. The clozapine is a new antipsychotic drug that may produce severes adverses reactions, like medullary toxicity. Recently 10 cases of clozapine-induced AIN have been reported. We want to associate to the cases publicated with a new case because it is a severe adverse reaction.

Sjögren's syndrome may be accompanied by a dysregulation of IgA system implying the presence of increased serum polymeric IgA or circulating immune complexes and their consequent deposition within the kidney. In this context IgA nephropathy may only represent one of the complications brought by IgA deposition. Glomerular involvement and primary Sjögren's syndrome has been described previously only in isolated case reports, membranous nephropathy and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis have been reported. We have not found any case of minimal change disease and glomerular IgA deposition associated with Sjögren's syndrome. In this patient nephrotic syndrome was related to serum increase of CA 19-9; this association has been reported in only three previous cases.