DMTs and Covid-19 severity in MS: a pooled analysis from Italy and France

We evaluated the effect of DMTs on Covid-19 severity in patients with MS, with a pooled-analysis of two large cohorts from Italy and France. The association of baseline characteristics and DMTs with Covid-19 severity was assessed by multivariate ordinal-logistic models and pooled by a fixed-effect meta-analysis. 1066 patients with MS from Italy and 721 from France were included. In the multivariate model, anti-CD20 therapies were significantly associated (OR = 2.05, 95%CI = 1.39–3.02, p < 0.001) with Covid-19 severity, whereas interferon indicated a decreased risk (OR = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.18–0.99, p = 0.047). This pooled-analysis confirms an increased risk of severe Covid-19 in patients on anti-CD20 therapies and supports the protective role of interferon

Direct-write planar microultracapacitors by laser engineering

We have successfully employed laser direct write and micromachining to fabricate high capacity hydrous ruthenium oxide (RuO x H y or RuO 2 • xH 2 O) microultracapacitors. A laser direct-write process is used to deposit uniform pads of RuO 2 • 0.5H 2 O in sulfuric acid under ambient temperature and atmospheric conditions. Ultraviolet laser micromachining is used to tailor the shape and size of the deposited material into planar electrodes. The specific capacitance of the laser-deposited materials is comparable to reported values of ϳ720 F/g. The microultracapacitors demonstrate linear charge and discharge behavior at currents below 1 mA, as expected for an ideal capacitor. By studying the charge storage and power output as a function of discharge current, the power can be successfully modeled assuming only simple ohmic losses. Parallel and series combinations of these microultracapacitor cells provide the expected addition of capacitance. Maximum discharge currents of 50 mA are applied to two cells in parallel without damage to the microultracapacitor cells. The microultracapacitors exhibit high specific power and specific energy with over 1100 mW/g at approximately 9 mWhr/g for an 80 g cell with a footprint of 2 mm 2 and a thickness of 15 m

A fast and accurate method to detect allelic genomic imbalances underlying mosaic rearrangements using SNP array data

Background: Mosaicism for copy number and copy neutral chromosomal rearrangements has been recently identified as a relatively common source of genetic variation in the normal population. However its prevalence is poorly defined since it has been only studied systematically in one large-scale study and by using non optimal ad-hoc SNP array data analysis tools, uncovering rather large alterations (> 1 Mb) and affecting a high proportion of cells. Here we propose a novel methodology, Mosaic Alteration Detection-MAD, by providing a software tool that is effective for capturing previously described alterations as wells as new variants that are smaller in size and/or affecting a low percentage of cells. Results: The developed method identified all previously known mosaic abnormalities reported in SNP array data obtained from controls, bladder cancer and HapMap individuals. In addition MAD tool was able to detect new mosaic variants not reported before that were smaller in size and with lower percentage of cells affected. The performance of the tool was analysed by studying simulated data for different scenarios. Our method showed high sensitivity and specificity for all assessed scenarios. Conclusions: The tool presented here has the ability to identify mosaic abnormalities with high sensitivity and specificity. Our results confirm the lack of sensitivity of former methods by identifying new mosaic variants not reported in previously utilised datasets. Our work suggests that the prevalence of mosaic alterations could be higher than initially thought. The use of appropriate SNP array data analysis methods would help in defining the human genome mosaic map.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MTM2008-02457 to JRG), the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (grant PI076832 to LAP-J), the intramural research program of the NIH, NCI (to SJC and NR) and the Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (AECC) (to FXR and LAP-J). B. Rodríguez-Santiago was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship (FIS CD06/00019) of the Fondo Investigación Sanitaria, Spai

Modelos de crecimiento y produccion en España: resumen histórico, ejemplos contemporaneos y perspectivas

In this paper we present a review of forest models developed in Spain in recent years for both timber and non timber production and forest dynamics (regeneration, mortality,..). Models developed are whole stand, size (diameter) class and individual-tree. The models developed to date have been developed using data from permanent plots, experimental sites and the National Forest Inventory. In this paper we show the different sub-models developed so far and the friendly use software. Main perspectives of forest modelling in Spain are presented.En el presente trabajo se presenta una revisión sobre los modelos forestales desarrollados en España durante los últimos años tanto para la producción maderable como no maderable y para la dinámica de los bosques (regeneración, mortalidad,..). Se presentan modelos tanto de rodal completo como de clases diamétricas y de árbol individual Los modelos desarrollados hasta la fecha se han desarrollado a partir de datos procedentes de parecelas permanentes, ensayos y el Inventario Forestal Nacional. En el presenta trabajo se muestran los diferentes submodelos desarrollados hasta la fecha asi como las plataformas informáticas que permiten utilizar de forma amigable los modelos. Se incluyen las principales perspectivas de desarrollo de la modelización forestal en España