Universidad San Pablo CEU

Ocular syphilis in the Iberian Peninsula shows a wide clinical spectrum and frequent posterior segment involvement. Most patients achieved favourable serological and visual outcomes. These findings support the effectiveness of standard therapies and highlight the need for early diagnosis, especially in high-risk populations.

BackgroundCell metabolomics, including lipidomics, presents several challenges regarding analyzing limited cell populations and distinguishing cellular metabolites from background signals originated from a stimuli or after a treatment. To address this, we have developed a novel workflow for untargeted cell lipidomics analysis.MethodsTo study the impact of varying input cell numbers on the outcomes of untargeted cell lipidomics analysis, CD3+ cells isolated from a healthy donor at 6 different cell counts (50k, 100k, 250k, 500k, 750k, and 1M) were analyzed by liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) in positive and negative electrospray ionization (ESI+ and ESI-, respectively) modes. After data quality assurance (QA), Spearman correlation analyses were carried out to select chemical signals derived from cells (ρ ≥ 0.7, p-value < 0.05). Then, this methodology was applied to human microvascular dermal endothelial cells (HMVEC-d), where a cell number calibration curve including 4 cell counts (25k, 50k, 75k, and 100k) was incorporated alongside the experimental samples to enable the analysis of cell-derived chemical signals. Here, the lipid response of HMVEC-d after contact with sera from patients at baseline and during the acute stage of anaphylaxis triggered by three different mechanisms was explored.ResultsFor the CD3+ model, we found that although 1087 chemical signals (k) passed the QA, samples did not cluster according to their cell count when taking all signals into account. After correlation analyses, the widest cell count interval considered for correlation analyses (50k-to-1M; k = 70) showed clear clustering by cell number. The principal component analysis (PCA) models for ESI+ showed that for this cell count interval, the first component explained over 90% of the variance among samples. After applying the same methodology to HMVEC-d, we found k = 157 and k = 278 correlated chemical signals for ESI+ and ESI- in the cell curve (25k-100k). Statistical analysis identified 193 chemical signals that significantly (p-value < 0.05 and p-adjusted value < 0.2) differed between the acute and baseline stages of anaphylaxis. Without this correlation approach, 67 additional chemical signals would have been selected as significant. From the 193 chemical signals, 75 unique lipids were annotated, mainly including fatty acids, acyl carnitines, glycerophospholipids, and sphingolipids, all increased in the acute phase. These changes were associated with sphingolipid and glycosphingolipid metabolism, and ceramide and phospholipid signaling pathways.ConclusionsThis workflow for cell lipidomics analysis allows the selection of lipids derived from the intracellular content regardless external sources, supporting specific intracellular metabolism profiling.

The paraneurium is a distinct connective tissue sheath that loosely envelopes the epineurium. The space between the para- and epineurium (the subparaneurial compartment) holds significant clinical relevance, serving as a target for deposition of regional anesthesia and a potential pathway for the pathological spread of cysts and tumors. However, visualization of the paraneurial layer, as a separate structure from the epineurium, remains challenging with conventional MRI, especially in the absence of pathology. This study evaluated the visualization of the paraneurium using ultra-high-field 7-Tesla (7 T) MRI compared to conventional field strengths. We assessed normal nerve anatomy and a spectrum of pathological cases, including intraneural ganglion cysts, schwannomas, intraneural perineuriomas, and metastatic melanoma. The results demonstrated that 7 T MRI provides superior resolution and delineation of the paraneurium compared to 1.5 and 3 T systems. In normal anatomy, T1-weighted and proton density (PD) sequences provided optimal contrast between the paraneurium and surrounding adipose tissue. In contrast, for pathological cases, T2-weighted sequences with fat suppression were superior for depicting the paraneurium and identifying subparaneurial involvement. In conclusion, 7 T MRI offers a significant advantage in identifying the thin paraneurial layer. This capability provides valuable insights into the pathogenesis of tumor spread and holds promise for improving pre-operative planning and clinical decision-making in peripheral nerve pathology.

Background/Objectives: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common entrapment neuropathy of the upper limb. The aim of this study was to analyze the safety and effectiveness of ultrasound-guided percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) and open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) in patients with moderate-to-severe CTS. Methods: A total of 185 patients with idiopathic CTS were assigned to either the electrolysis group (75 patients) or the surgery group (73 patients); 112 patients completed the final follow-up assessment 12 months after randomization. The surgical procedure consisted of OCTR. The electrolysis group received four sessions of US-guided PNE applied every seven days. Main outcomes were nights waking up due, pain, paresthesia, Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire Symptom Severity Scale (BCTQ-SSS), Functional Status Scale (BCTQ FSS) and adverse events. These variables were evaluated in the short (6 weeks), medium (3 months), and long term (6 and 12 months). Results: In the short term (6 weeks), both interventions did not show significant differences in the severity of symptoms; however, the electrolysis group had less adverse events than the surgery group (2 vs. 100). In the medium (3 months) and long term (6 and 12 months), surgery was slightly more effective regarding nocturnal awakenings, paresthesia and BCTQ-SSS (p < 0.002). Conclusions: US-guided PNE may be a safe and effective technique for patients with moderate-to-severe CTS with a sustained long-term pattern of improvement. Although both treatments were effective, OCTR showed superior long-term symptom reduction. Therefore, PNE may serve as a first-line or bridging treatment in selected clinical scenarios.

Abstract. This paper presents an immersive 4D digital platform designed to communicate and critically explore the transformation of the Temple of Debod in Madrid while supporting public understanding of ongoing conservation debates. This platform uses 360º panoramas of strategic points of the Temple. The platform enables “time travel” through three coherent states: the Temple’s original Nubian setting, its current condition in Madrid, and a plausible future scenario in which a protective museum envelope mitigates environmental stress. Rather than offering a conventional virtual tour, the work focuses on the integration of heterogeneous temporal content, reality-based documentation, historically grounded reconstructions, and a speculative yet technically consistent conservation proposal, within a single interactive environment.The result is a spatio-temporal narrative that makes change, relocation, and conservation choices visible and comparable. By combining immersive navigation, interpretive layers, and transparent scenario-building, the platform reframes documentation as a tool for dialogue: not only about what the monument is, but also about what it has become and what it could be.

The presence of hybrids between Quercus coccifera L. and Q. rotundifolia Lam. is confirmed in the calcareous and loamy substrates of the north-west of the province of Cadiz, and the nothospecies Q. × eborense Vila-Viçosa, Capelo, P. Alves, J. Junqueira, R. Almeida and F.M. Vázquez is mentioned for the first time there. Morphological, ecological and phytogeographical data, together with taxonomic data on Q. airensis Franco &amp; Vasc. and Q. × auzandrii Gren. &amp; Godr., are provided.

Background/Objectives: Knee osteoarthritis stands as the highest prevalent joint disease worldwide, affecting millions of adults and significantly impairing mobility and quality of life. Pro-inflammatory cells and cytokines are considered key players in the pathophysiology of the disease. In previous work, two anti-inflammatory therapeutic approaches were developed: a secretome enriched in anti-inflammatory cytokines, and nanoliposome-bound TRAIL (LUV-TRAIL), with proven efficacy against rheumatoid arthritis in rabbits. Methods: In this work, we evaluated the ability of these treatments to prevent the development of osteoarthritis (OA) in an ovine model following meniscectomies. Two weeks after the surgeries, knees were treated with several rounds of single or combined therapy, and then sheep were left untreated for several months. Knee damage was followed by X-ray analysis and, after sacrifice, assessed through macroscopic inspection, histological determinations, and inflammatory cytokine measurements. Results: The combined therapy had a significant positive effect against osteoarthritis development. Specifically, the combination is capable of improving knee injury in the first stages of OA in several parameters, such as synovial hyperplasia and tibial plateau damage, which are two of the most frequently damaged areas. Other markers, such as synovial inflammation and X-ray and macroscopic images, also presented a tendency to improved scores. Conclusions: The combination of the secretome with LUV-TRAIL represents a promising therapy worth exploring further in osteoarthritis treatment and/or prevention.

Objectives: To estimate the preliminary effects of adding percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) to a pain education and exercise program on pain sensitization, function, and psychological factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), compared with adding a control transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) intervention or sham PENS. Feasibility, safety, and the success of participant blinding were also evaluated. Methods: Thirty patients with KOA were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: PENS, control TENS, or sham PENS. All interventions were delivered in addition to a program comprising four pain education sessions and a structured 12-week exercise plan. Primary outcomes included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Chronic Pain Grading Scale (CPGS), Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), Conditioned Pain Modulation (CPM), and Temporal Summation of Pain (TSP). Psychological variables were assessed as secondary outcomes. Feasibility outcomes included recruitment and retention rates, adherence, adverse events, and blinding success. Results: Significant and consistent improvements over time were observed across the full sample for VAS (Chi2 = 13.38; p = 0.004), CPGS (Chi2 = 15.22; p = 0.002), WOMAC (Chi2 = 31.44; p < 0.001), CPM (Chi2 = 8.77; p = 0.032) and TSP (Chi2 = 53.11; p < 0.001) with changes in potential clinical relevance at the within-group level. However, no statistically significant group-time interactions were found for any variable, suggesting no clear differential effects between interventions. Feasibility outcomes were favorable, with high retention and adherence, a low incidence of mild adverse events, and generally adequate participant blinding. Conclusions: Within the limits of this small exploratory trial, adding PENS to a pain education and exercise program did not appear to provide additional benefits in pain sensitization, function, or psychological factors beyond those achieved with the multimodal program and sham or control electrical stimulation. Feasibility, safety, and blinding outcomes support the viability of conducting a larger definitive trial.