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Papers by Camilo Reyes

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base

Objective Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the skull base can have catastrophic consequences if not de... more Objective Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the skull base can have catastrophic consequences if not detected early and managed appropriately. This is a systematic review of the different treatment modalities for skull base ORN and their outcomes. Study Design This study is a systematic review. Materials and Methods Two researchers extracted information including patient population, surgical technique, outcomes of interest, and study design. A computerized search of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library (January 1990–June 2020) looked for several papers on the subject of skull base ORN. Results A total of 29 studies had met inclusion criteria, including data from 333 patients. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma was the most common primary tumor (85%). Average age at diagnosis of ORN was 55.9 years (range = 15–80 years) and 72.3% of patients were males. The average time to diagnosis of ORN after radiation therapy was 77 months with an average radiation dose of 76.2 Gy (range = 46–202 Gy). Nighty...

Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences

Computational Science – ICCS 2021, 2021

A novel numerical method, based on a machine learning approach, is used to solve an inverse probl... more A novel numerical method, based on a machine learning approach, is used to solve an inverse problem involving the Dirichlet eigenfrequencies for the elasticity operator in a bounded domain filled with a composite material. The inhomogeneity of the material under study is characterized by a vector which is designed to control the constituent mixture of homogeneous elastic materials that compose it. Using the finite element method, we create a training set for a forward artificial neural network, solving the forward problem. A forward nonlinear map of the Dirichlet eigenfrequencies as a function of the vector design parameter is then obtained. This forward relationship is inverted and used to obtain a training set for an inverse radial basis neural network, solving the aforementioned inverse problem. A numerical example showing the applicability of this methodology is presented. Keywords: Machine learning • Composite materials • Inverse problems • Eigenfrequencies of the elasticity operator • Finite element method European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 777778: MATHROCKS PROJECT.

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base, 2020

Objectives The video demonstrates the steps for an endoscopic transnasal approach for resection o... more Objectives The video demonstrates the steps for an endoscopic transnasal approach for resection of the odontoid causing platybasia with basilar invasion. Design The video reviews the clinical presentation, preoperative workup and imaging, patient positioning, technical nuances of the procedure, reconstruction, and clinical outcomes including postoperative imaging. Setting The surgery was performed by a skull base team including otolaryngologists and neurological surgeons at a large regional tertiary care facility. Participants A 59-year-old female with the Chiari I malformation with history of multiple revision cervical spinal surgeries presents with neck pain. Preoperative imaging showed a hypoplastic clivus and platybasia with basilar invasion. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measures consist of safely removing the odontoid with appropriate closure, reversal of the patient symptoms, and prevention of both operative complications and ventral compression of the brainstem. Res...

International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, 2021

To evaluate disease presence in the central compartment (CC) in patients with eosinophilic chroni... more To evaluate disease presence in the central compartment (CC) in patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

American Journal of Otolaryngology, 2022

BACKGROUND Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in the setting of Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease... more BACKGROUND Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in the setting of Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD) have high rate of treatment failure and disease recurrence. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the long-term effect of zileuton on sinonasal outcomes in patients with AERD. METHODS AERD patients were reviewed and divided into two cohorts, depending if they were treated with zileuton during their clinical course. Demographic data, 22-item sinonasal outcome test (SNOT-22), Lund-Kennedy (LK) endoscopy score, duration of treatment, and number of sinus surgeries performed were collected. RESULTS 40 AERD patients were included, with follow-up duration up to 10 years (avg of 5.2 years). All patients were treated with topical saline and budesonide irrigations, intranasal steroid spray, and montelukast. 19 patients had uncontrolled sinus disease requiring multiple steroid tapers and were switched from montelukast to zileuton (cohort 1, 47.5%) at some point in their treatment. 21 patients (cohort 2, 52.5%) never needed zileuton. The average duration of treatment with zileuton was 6 years. Patients who required zileuton had a worse SNOT-22 (32.1 vs 19, p = 0.117), worse LK score (8.1 vs 7.5, p = 0.504), and higher average number of surgeries (1.9 vs 1.6, p = 0.343). The outcomes in the zileuton cohort trended toward improvement, however these did not reach statistical significance with an improved SNOT-22 from 32.1 to 27.4 (p = 0.617) and LK score from 7.9 to 6.2 (p = 0.092); The addition of zileuton significantly lowered the number of surgeries needed to an average of 0.5 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Zileuton may help decrease the number of sinus surgeries needed in AERD.

Andamios, Revista de Investigación Social, 2021

En el presente artículo, se subraya la importancia que tiene el concepto de reflexividad para el ... more En el presente artículo, se subraya la importancia que tiene el concepto de reflexividad para el desarrollo de la sociología crítica contemporánea. La hipótesis que orienta nuestro argumento es que, para comprender los procesos de cambio social, es necesario establecer un vínculo fuerte entre el concepto de identidad y los procesos de transformación social a partir de la categoría de reconocimiento. Para desarrollar esta hipótesis, en primer lugar, reconstruiremos parte del debate franco-británico a propósito de las posibilidades y límites que tiene la sociología crítica de Pierre Bourdieu para teorizar el problema de la reflexividad; en segundo lugar, desarrollaremos las principales críticas que Axel Honneth realiza a este proyecto, junto con identificar los principales elementos de su teoría del reconocimiento.

Annual Conference of the PHM Society, 2018

Battery energy systems are becoming increasingly popular in a variety of systems, such as electri... more Battery energy systems are becoming increasingly popular in a variety of systems, such as electric vehicles. Accurate estimation of the total discharge of a battery is a key element for energy management. Problems such as path planning for drones or road choices in electric vehicles would benefit greatly knowing beforehand the end of discharge time. These tasks are generally performed online and require continuously quick estimations. We propose a novel prognostic method based on a combination of classic Riemann sampling (RS) and Lebesgue sampling (LS) applied to a discharge model of a battery. The method utilizes an early and inaccurate prediction using a RS-based method combined with a particle-filter based prognostic. Once a fault condition has been detected, subsequent Just-in-Time Point (JITP) estimations are updated using a novel LS-based method. The JITP prediction are triggered when the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the probability density functions (PDF) of the long-t...

American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy, 2020

Background The pathophysiology of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is not well understood. O... more Background The pathophysiology of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is not well understood. Objectives To study the incidence of sinonasal anatomic variants (AVs) in AFRS. Methods Retrospective cohort study. Patients with AFRS presenting to our clinic from 2008 to 2018 were reviewed for laterality of the disease. Patients with unilateral involvement were further studied for AV presence by reviewing their preoperative sinus CT scan at original presentation. Each patient’s uninvolved side served as its own control. AVs studied include agger nasi (AN), Haller’s cells (HC), concha bullosa (CB) and supraorbital ethmoid cells (SOEC). Results A total of 155 patients with AFRS were identified. 30 patients (19.3%) had unilateral disease involvement. Of these, 16 patients had left sided and 14 patients had right sided disease. AV were present in 26 of the 30 AFRS sides (86.7%) and in 21 of the 30 healthy sides (70%), (chi squared = 2.45, p = 0.117). CB were present in 12 of 30 AFRS sides ...

American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy, 2020

Objective The presence of tissue eosinophilia is a determinate of disease severity in patients wi... more Objective The presence of tissue eosinophilia is a determinate of disease severity in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The impact of eosinophilic mucin (EM) as an independent variable has not yet been elucidated. Study Design Retrospective review. Setting Tertiary academic clinic. Subjects Methods: CRS patients who failed medical therapy were classified by tissue eosinophilia, presence of polyps and EM. Tissue eosinophilia count per high power field (HPF) as well as the presence of EM were determined by pathologic examination of sinus tissue removed during surgery. Sinonasal Outcomes Test (SNOT-22), Lund-Mackay (LM), and Lund-Kennedy (LK) scores were compared between all groups preoperatively and postoperatively up to two and a half years (30 months). Results 192 patients with CRS were included in the study. 87 were diagnosed with eosinophilic CRS with polyps, 58 with eosinophilic CRS without polyps, 14 with noneosinophilic CRS with polyps, and 33 with noneosinophilic CRS...

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base, 2020

This article reviews the most common locations and natural history of sinonasal carcinomas. It al... more This article reviews the most common locations and natural history of sinonasal carcinomas. It also reviews surgical indications and current evidence regarding adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies. In the past, orbital clearance was generally done for ethmoid and maxillary cancers, even without a marked neoplastic infiltration; however, such indications have changed in the recent years due to advances in our understanding of the disease, as well as new chemotherapeutic and radiotherapy protocols. Surgical resection of tumors close to the orbit exhibits the challenging task of balancing treatment goals and patient's desires.

Ear, Nose & Throat Journal, 2019

Background:A lymph node yield (LNY) over 20 is considered a quality metric for lateral neck disse... more Background:A lymph node yield (LNY) over 20 is considered a quality metric for lateral neck dissection to ensure an oncologic representative sample. Anecdotally, however, LNY in patients undergoing neck dissection after radiation therapy (RT) is lower due to atrophy and fibrosis.Objective:To determine whether preoperative RT decreases LNY in patients with laryngeal cancers undergoing surgery.Methods:Medical record database was queried for patients presenting between 2006 and 2015 with laryngeal cancer. Tabulation was made for location (glottic/supraglottic), stage, and side for the total number of lymph nodes between primary surgery and RT (salvage surgery) groups. Descriptive analysis and a paired Student t test were used for statistical analysis.Results:Fifty-nine patients were included in the study for a total of 98 neck dissections. Twenty-six (44%) patients had primary surgery, and 33 (56%) patients had salvage surgery. The mean left and right total LNY in the salvage surgery g...

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base, 2018

Context The effect on recurrence rate between patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma ... more Context The effect on recurrence rate between patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA), treated by an endoscopic versus open approach, has not been well established. Objective A meta-analysis of the available literature concerning recurrence rate in patients who underwent surgery for JNA. Methods A retrospective meta-analysis of studies analyzing recurrence rate after endoscopic or open surgery for patients with JNA was performed using the DerSimonian–Laird random-effects method. English and non-English articles were reviewed using Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases. Results Among nine studies, including 362 patients from 1981 to 2015, with a mean follow-up of 49.4 months, a total of 89 patients (24.5%) had recurrence. Our analysis revealed a total effect size of −0.16 in favor of endoscopic approach (−0.25 to −0.06, CI [confidence interval] 95%). When analyzing tumor by stage (Radkowski's IA–IIIB n = 299), the endoscopic approach proved to be superior indep...

Foodborne pathogens and disease, Jan 13, 2017

Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The aims of this work were t... more Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The aims of this work were to develop and validate an in-house real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of L. monocytogenes, and to determine its prevalence in raw ground beef samples from 53 butcheries that also sell ready-to-eat foods. One set of primers and one hydrolysis probe were designed for hly gene detection and then challenged with pure strains. The detection was successful for all L. monocytogenes strains analyzed and negative for all non-L. monocytogenes strains (detection limit, 10 colony forming unit [CFU]/mL). Inclusivity, exclusivity, and analytical accuracy were 100%. L. monocytogenes was detected in 41.5% of raw ground beef samples from the 53 butcheries analyzed. This RT-PCR may be a valuable method for rapid detection of L. monocytogenes in meat.

Journal of neurological surgery. Part B, Skull base, 2017

Objectives This study aims to introduce a novel technique for the reconstruction of the anterior... more Objectives This study aims to introduce a novel technique for the reconstruction of the anterior skull base using a free vascularized anterolateral thigh fascia lata free flap (FLFF) anastomosed to the superior trochlear artery (STA). Methods The diameter of the STA was measured in 38 (76 sides) computed tomography angiographies (CTAs). Independently, six cadaver heads were used to measure the diameter of the supratrochlear system, and the model was applied to one of them. Results In women, the average diameter of the STA was 2.5 and 2.8 mm (2) for the right and left sides, respectively; for men, it was 3.0 and 3.2 mm (2) , respectively. In cadavers, the average diameter of both STA was 2.5 mm (2) . There was no statistical difference when comparing the right and left STA diameters between the CTA from women and men ( p < 0.208 and < 0.492, respectively). An FLFF advanced through the nose was anastomosed to the STA to reconstruct the anterior skull base. Conclusion The ST...

Este documento contiene un breve ana?lisis de la crisis por la que atraviesan los organismos poli... more Este documento contiene un breve ana?lisis de la crisis por la que atraviesan los organismos poli?ticos multilaterales a nivel global, en el hemisferio y a nivel subregional. Analiza adema?s la participacio?n de Colombia en la construccio?n del multilateralismo y la presencia e injerencia de e?ste en algunos aspectos vitales del pai?s. Concluye que a nivel hemisfe?rico, la oea sigue representando un Organismo invaluable como foro de concertacio?n poli?tica y vehi?culo para la cooperacio?n; mientras que a nivel global, la onu es el escenario mul- tilateral donde los Estados tienen un espacio privilegiado para exponer sus posiciones y defender sus intereses frente a la comunidad internacional. Finalmente, recomienda que Colombia potencie su participacio?n en los organismos multilaterales, buscando una mayor y mejor coordinacio?n con y entre las agencias y mecanismos instalados en el pai?s. Asimismo, afirma la necesidad de Colombia de lograr una mejor coordinacio?n entre lo bilateral y lo multilateral.

International Journal of Modern Physics A, 2016

The possibility that fundamental discreteness implicit in a quantum gravity theory may act as a n... more The possibility that fundamental discreteness implicit in a quantum gravity theory may act as a natural regulator for ultraviolet singularities arising in quantum field theory has been intensively studied. Here, along the same expectations, we investigate whether a nonstandard representation called polymer representation can smooth away the large amount of negative energy that afflicts the Hamiltonians of higher-order time derivative theories, rendering the theory unstable when interactions come into play. We focus on the fourth-order Pais–Uhlenbeck model which can be reexpressed as the sum of two decoupled harmonic oscillators one producing positive energy and the other negative energy. As expected, the Schrödinger quantization of such model leads to the stability problem or to negative norm states called ghosts. Within the framework of polymer quantization we show the existence of new regions where the Hamiltonian can be defined well bounded from below.

Comptes Rendus Mécanique, 2016

NEURAL NETWORK CALCULATION OF THE LAMÉ COEFFICIENTS THROUGH EIGENVALUES OF THE ELASTICITY OPERATO... more NEURAL NETWORK CALCULATION OF THE LAMÉ COEFFICIENTS THROUGH EIGENVALUES OF THE ELASTICITY OPERATOR A new numerical method is presented with the purpose to calculate the Lamé coefficients, associated to an elastic material, through eigenvalues of the elasticity operator. The finite element method is used to solve repeatedly, using different Lamé coefficients values, the direct problem by training a direct radial basis neural network. A map of eigenvalues, as a function of the Lam\'e constants, is then obtained. This relationship is later inverted and refined by training an inverse radial basis neural network, allowing calculation of mentioned coefficients. A numerical example is presented to prove the effectiveness of this novel method.

Physics Letters B, 2015

The issue of Lorentz fine-tuning in effective theories containing higher-order operators is studi... more The issue of Lorentz fine-tuning in effective theories containing higher-order operators is studied. To this end, we focus on the Myers-Pospelov extension of QED with dimension-five operators in the photon sector and standard fermions. We compute the fermion self-energy at one-loop order considering its even and odd CP T contributions. In the even sector we find small radiative corrections to the usual parameters of QED which also turn to be finite. In the odd sector the axial operator is shown to contain unsuppressed effects of Lorentz violation leading to a possible fine-tuning. We use dimensional regularization to deal with the divergencies and a generic preferred fourvector. Taking the first steps in the renormalization procedure for Lorentz violating theories we arrive to acceptable small corrections allowing to set the bound ξ < 6 × 10 −3 .

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base

Objective Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the skull base can have catastrophic consequences if not de... more Objective Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the skull base can have catastrophic consequences if not detected early and managed appropriately. This is a systematic review of the different treatment modalities for skull base ORN and their outcomes. Study Design This study is a systematic review. Materials and Methods Two researchers extracted information including patient population, surgical technique, outcomes of interest, and study design. A computerized search of Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library (January 1990–June 2020) looked for several papers on the subject of skull base ORN. Results A total of 29 studies had met inclusion criteria, including data from 333 patients. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma was the most common primary tumor (85%). Average age at diagnosis of ORN was 55.9 years (range = 15–80 years) and 72.3% of patients were males. The average time to diagnosis of ORN after radiation therapy was 77 months with an average radiation dose of 76.2 Gy (range = 46–202 Gy). Nighty...

Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences

Computational Science – ICCS 2021, 2021

A novel numerical method, based on a machine learning approach, is used to solve an inverse probl... more A novel numerical method, based on a machine learning approach, is used to solve an inverse problem involving the Dirichlet eigenfrequencies for the elasticity operator in a bounded domain filled with a composite material. The inhomogeneity of the material under study is characterized by a vector which is designed to control the constituent mixture of homogeneous elastic materials that compose it. Using the finite element method, we create a training set for a forward artificial neural network, solving the forward problem. A forward nonlinear map of the Dirichlet eigenfrequencies as a function of the vector design parameter is then obtained. This forward relationship is inverted and used to obtain a training set for an inverse radial basis neural network, solving the aforementioned inverse problem. A numerical example showing the applicability of this methodology is presented. Keywords: Machine learning • Composite materials • Inverse problems • Eigenfrequencies of the elasticity operator • Finite element method European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 777778: MATHROCKS PROJECT.

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base, 2020

Objectives The video demonstrates the steps for an endoscopic transnasal approach for resection o... more Objectives The video demonstrates the steps for an endoscopic transnasal approach for resection of the odontoid causing platybasia with basilar invasion. Design The video reviews the clinical presentation, preoperative workup and imaging, patient positioning, technical nuances of the procedure, reconstruction, and clinical outcomes including postoperative imaging. Setting The surgery was performed by a skull base team including otolaryngologists and neurological surgeons at a large regional tertiary care facility. Participants A 59-year-old female with the Chiari I malformation with history of multiple revision cervical spinal surgeries presents with neck pain. Preoperative imaging showed a hypoplastic clivus and platybasia with basilar invasion. Main Outcome Measures The main outcome measures consist of safely removing the odontoid with appropriate closure, reversal of the patient symptoms, and prevention of both operative complications and ventral compression of the brainstem. Res...

International Forum of Allergy & Rhinology, 2021

To evaluate disease presence in the central compartment (CC) in patients with eosinophilic chroni... more To evaluate disease presence in the central compartment (CC) in patients with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS).

American Journal of Otolaryngology, 2022

BACKGROUND Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in the setting of Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease... more BACKGROUND Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) in the setting of Aspirin Exacerbated Respiratory Disease (AERD) have high rate of treatment failure and disease recurrence. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the long-term effect of zileuton on sinonasal outcomes in patients with AERD. METHODS AERD patients were reviewed and divided into two cohorts, depending if they were treated with zileuton during their clinical course. Demographic data, 22-item sinonasal outcome test (SNOT-22), Lund-Kennedy (LK) endoscopy score, duration of treatment, and number of sinus surgeries performed were collected. RESULTS 40 AERD patients were included, with follow-up duration up to 10 years (avg of 5.2 years). All patients were treated with topical saline and budesonide irrigations, intranasal steroid spray, and montelukast. 19 patients had uncontrolled sinus disease requiring multiple steroid tapers and were switched from montelukast to zileuton (cohort 1, 47.5%) at some point in their treatment. 21 patients (cohort 2, 52.5%) never needed zileuton. The average duration of treatment with zileuton was 6 years. Patients who required zileuton had a worse SNOT-22 (32.1 vs 19, p = 0.117), worse LK score (8.1 vs 7.5, p = 0.504), and higher average number of surgeries (1.9 vs 1.6, p = 0.343). The outcomes in the zileuton cohort trended toward improvement, however these did not reach statistical significance with an improved SNOT-22 from 32.1 to 27.4 (p = 0.617) and LK score from 7.9 to 6.2 (p = 0.092); The addition of zileuton significantly lowered the number of surgeries needed to an average of 0.5 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Zileuton may help decrease the number of sinus surgeries needed in AERD.

Andamios, Revista de Investigación Social, 2021

En el presente artículo, se subraya la importancia que tiene el concepto de reflexividad para el ... more En el presente artículo, se subraya la importancia que tiene el concepto de reflexividad para el desarrollo de la sociología crítica contemporánea. La hipótesis que orienta nuestro argumento es que, para comprender los procesos de cambio social, es necesario establecer un vínculo fuerte entre el concepto de identidad y los procesos de transformación social a partir de la categoría de reconocimiento. Para desarrollar esta hipótesis, en primer lugar, reconstruiremos parte del debate franco-británico a propósito de las posibilidades y límites que tiene la sociología crítica de Pierre Bourdieu para teorizar el problema de la reflexividad; en segundo lugar, desarrollaremos las principales críticas que Axel Honneth realiza a este proyecto, junto con identificar los principales elementos de su teoría del reconocimiento.

Annual Conference of the PHM Society, 2018

Battery energy systems are becoming increasingly popular in a variety of systems, such as electri... more Battery energy systems are becoming increasingly popular in a variety of systems, such as electric vehicles. Accurate estimation of the total discharge of a battery is a key element for energy management. Problems such as path planning for drones or road choices in electric vehicles would benefit greatly knowing beforehand the end of discharge time. These tasks are generally performed online and require continuously quick estimations. We propose a novel prognostic method based on a combination of classic Riemann sampling (RS) and Lebesgue sampling (LS) applied to a discharge model of a battery. The method utilizes an early and inaccurate prediction using a RS-based method combined with a particle-filter based prognostic. Once a fault condition has been detected, subsequent Just-in-Time Point (JITP) estimations are updated using a novel LS-based method. The JITP prediction are triggered when the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the probability density functions (PDF) of the long-t...

American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy, 2020

Background The pathophysiology of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is not well understood. O... more Background The pathophysiology of allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) is not well understood. Objectives To study the incidence of sinonasal anatomic variants (AVs) in AFRS. Methods Retrospective cohort study. Patients with AFRS presenting to our clinic from 2008 to 2018 were reviewed for laterality of the disease. Patients with unilateral involvement were further studied for AV presence by reviewing their preoperative sinus CT scan at original presentation. Each patient’s uninvolved side served as its own control. AVs studied include agger nasi (AN), Haller’s cells (HC), concha bullosa (CB) and supraorbital ethmoid cells (SOEC). Results A total of 155 patients with AFRS were identified. 30 patients (19.3%) had unilateral disease involvement. Of these, 16 patients had left sided and 14 patients had right sided disease. AV were present in 26 of the 30 AFRS sides (86.7%) and in 21 of the 30 healthy sides (70%), (chi squared = 2.45, p = 0.117). CB were present in 12 of 30 AFRS sides ...

American Journal of Rhinology & Allergy, 2020

Objective The presence of tissue eosinophilia is a determinate of disease severity in patients wi... more Objective The presence of tissue eosinophilia is a determinate of disease severity in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The impact of eosinophilic mucin (EM) as an independent variable has not yet been elucidated. Study Design Retrospective review. Setting Tertiary academic clinic. Subjects Methods: CRS patients who failed medical therapy were classified by tissue eosinophilia, presence of polyps and EM. Tissue eosinophilia count per high power field (HPF) as well as the presence of EM were determined by pathologic examination of sinus tissue removed during surgery. Sinonasal Outcomes Test (SNOT-22), Lund-Mackay (LM), and Lund-Kennedy (LK) scores were compared between all groups preoperatively and postoperatively up to two and a half years (30 months). Results 192 patients with CRS were included in the study. 87 were diagnosed with eosinophilic CRS with polyps, 58 with eosinophilic CRS without polyps, 14 with noneosinophilic CRS with polyps, and 33 with noneosinophilic CRS...

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base, 2020

This article reviews the most common locations and natural history of sinonasal carcinomas. It al... more This article reviews the most common locations and natural history of sinonasal carcinomas. It also reviews surgical indications and current evidence regarding adjuvant and neoadjuvant therapies. In the past, orbital clearance was generally done for ethmoid and maxillary cancers, even without a marked neoplastic infiltration; however, such indications have changed in the recent years due to advances in our understanding of the disease, as well as new chemotherapeutic and radiotherapy protocols. Surgical resection of tumors close to the orbit exhibits the challenging task of balancing treatment goals and patient's desires.

Ear, Nose & Throat Journal, 2019

Background:A lymph node yield (LNY) over 20 is considered a quality metric for lateral neck disse... more Background:A lymph node yield (LNY) over 20 is considered a quality metric for lateral neck dissection to ensure an oncologic representative sample. Anecdotally, however, LNY in patients undergoing neck dissection after radiation therapy (RT) is lower due to atrophy and fibrosis.Objective:To determine whether preoperative RT decreases LNY in patients with laryngeal cancers undergoing surgery.Methods:Medical record database was queried for patients presenting between 2006 and 2015 with laryngeal cancer. Tabulation was made for location (glottic/supraglottic), stage, and side for the total number of lymph nodes between primary surgery and RT (salvage surgery) groups. Descriptive analysis and a paired Student t test were used for statistical analysis.Results:Fifty-nine patients were included in the study for a total of 98 neck dissections. Twenty-six (44%) patients had primary surgery, and 33 (56%) patients had salvage surgery. The mean left and right total LNY in the salvage surgery g...

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part B: Skull Base, 2018

Context The effect on recurrence rate between patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma ... more Context The effect on recurrence rate between patients with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA), treated by an endoscopic versus open approach, has not been well established. Objective A meta-analysis of the available literature concerning recurrence rate in patients who underwent surgery for JNA. Methods A retrospective meta-analysis of studies analyzing recurrence rate after endoscopic or open surgery for patients with JNA was performed using the DerSimonian–Laird random-effects method. English and non-English articles were reviewed using Embase, Medline, and Cochrane databases. Results Among nine studies, including 362 patients from 1981 to 2015, with a mean follow-up of 49.4 months, a total of 89 patients (24.5%) had recurrence. Our analysis revealed a total effect size of −0.16 in favor of endoscopic approach (−0.25 to −0.06, CI [confidence interval] 95%). When analyzing tumor by stage (Radkowski's IA–IIIB n = 299), the endoscopic approach proved to be superior indep...

Foodborne pathogens and disease, Jan 13, 2017

Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The aims of this work were t... more Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes. The aims of this work were to develop and validate an in-house real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of L. monocytogenes, and to determine its prevalence in raw ground beef samples from 53 butcheries that also sell ready-to-eat foods. One set of primers and one hydrolysis probe were designed for hly gene detection and then challenged with pure strains. The detection was successful for all L. monocytogenes strains analyzed and negative for all non-L. monocytogenes strains (detection limit, 10 colony forming unit [CFU]/mL). Inclusivity, exclusivity, and analytical accuracy were 100%. L. monocytogenes was detected in 41.5% of raw ground beef samples from the 53 butcheries analyzed. This RT-PCR may be a valuable method for rapid detection of L. monocytogenes in meat.

Journal of neurological surgery. Part B, Skull base, 2017

Objectives This study aims to introduce a novel technique for the reconstruction of the anterior... more Objectives This study aims to introduce a novel technique for the reconstruction of the anterior skull base using a free vascularized anterolateral thigh fascia lata free flap (FLFF) anastomosed to the superior trochlear artery (STA). Methods The diameter of the STA was measured in 38 (76 sides) computed tomography angiographies (CTAs). Independently, six cadaver heads were used to measure the diameter of the supratrochlear system, and the model was applied to one of them. Results In women, the average diameter of the STA was 2.5 and 2.8 mm (2) for the right and left sides, respectively; for men, it was 3.0 and 3.2 mm (2) , respectively. In cadavers, the average diameter of both STA was 2.5 mm (2) . There was no statistical difference when comparing the right and left STA diameters between the CTA from women and men ( p < 0.208 and < 0.492, respectively). An FLFF advanced through the nose was anastomosed to the STA to reconstruct the anterior skull base. Conclusion The ST...

Este documento contiene un breve ana?lisis de la crisis por la que atraviesan los organismos poli... more Este documento contiene un breve ana?lisis de la crisis por la que atraviesan los organismos poli?ticos multilaterales a nivel global, en el hemisferio y a nivel subregional. Analiza adema?s la participacio?n de Colombia en la construccio?n del multilateralismo y la presencia e injerencia de e?ste en algunos aspectos vitales del pai?s. Concluye que a nivel hemisfe?rico, la oea sigue representando un Organismo invaluable como foro de concertacio?n poli?tica y vehi?culo para la cooperacio?n; mientras que a nivel global, la onu es el escenario mul- tilateral donde los Estados tienen un espacio privilegiado para exponer sus posiciones y defender sus intereses frente a la comunidad internacional. Finalmente, recomienda que Colombia potencie su participacio?n en los organismos multilaterales, buscando una mayor y mejor coordinacio?n con y entre las agencias y mecanismos instalados en el pai?s. Asimismo, afirma la necesidad de Colombia de lograr una mejor coordinacio?n entre lo bilateral y lo multilateral.

International Journal of Modern Physics A, 2016

The possibility that fundamental discreteness implicit in a quantum gravity theory may act as a n... more The possibility that fundamental discreteness implicit in a quantum gravity theory may act as a natural regulator for ultraviolet singularities arising in quantum field theory has been intensively studied. Here, along the same expectations, we investigate whether a nonstandard representation called polymer representation can smooth away the large amount of negative energy that afflicts the Hamiltonians of higher-order time derivative theories, rendering the theory unstable when interactions come into play. We focus on the fourth-order Pais–Uhlenbeck model which can be reexpressed as the sum of two decoupled harmonic oscillators one producing positive energy and the other negative energy. As expected, the Schrödinger quantization of such model leads to the stability problem or to negative norm states called ghosts. Within the framework of polymer quantization we show the existence of new regions where the Hamiltonian can be defined well bounded from below.

Comptes Rendus Mécanique, 2016

NEURAL NETWORK CALCULATION OF THE LAMÉ COEFFICIENTS THROUGH EIGENVALUES OF THE ELASTICITY OPERATO... more NEURAL NETWORK CALCULATION OF THE LAMÉ COEFFICIENTS THROUGH EIGENVALUES OF THE ELASTICITY OPERATOR A new numerical method is presented with the purpose to calculate the Lamé coefficients, associated to an elastic material, through eigenvalues of the elasticity operator. The finite element method is used to solve repeatedly, using different Lamé coefficients values, the direct problem by training a direct radial basis neural network. A map of eigenvalues, as a function of the Lam\'e constants, is then obtained. This relationship is later inverted and refined by training an inverse radial basis neural network, allowing calculation of mentioned coefficients. A numerical example is presented to prove the effectiveness of this novel method.

Physics Letters B, 2015

The issue of Lorentz fine-tuning in effective theories containing higher-order operators is studi... more The issue of Lorentz fine-tuning in effective theories containing higher-order operators is studied. To this end, we focus on the Myers-Pospelov extension of QED with dimension-five operators in the photon sector and standard fermions. We compute the fermion self-energy at one-loop order considering its even and odd CP T contributions. In the even sector we find small radiative corrections to the usual parameters of QED which also turn to be finite. In the odd sector the axial operator is shown to contain unsuppressed effects of Lorentz violation leading to a possible fine-tuning. We use dimensional regularization to deal with the divergencies and a generic preferred fourvector. Taking the first steps in the renormalization procedure for Lorentz violating theories we arrive to acceptable small corrections allowing to set the bound ξ < 6 × 10 −3 .