Low-cost pseudo-anthropomorphic PVA-C and cellulose lung phantom for ultrasound-guided interventions

A low-cost custom-made pseudo-anthropomorphic lung phantom, offering a model for ultrasound-guided interventions, is presented. The phantom is a rectangular solidstructure fabricated with polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) and cellulose to mimic the healthy parenchyma. The pathologies of interest were embedded as inclusions containing gaseous, liquid, or solid materials. The ribs were 3D-printed using polyethylene terephthalate, and the pleura was made of a bidimensional reticle based on PVA-C. The healthy and pathological tissues were mimicked to display acoustic and echoic properties similar to that of soft tissues. Theflexible fabrication process facilitated the modification of the physical and acoustic properties of the phantom. The phantom´s manufacture offers flexibility regarding the number, shape, location, and composition of the inclusions and the insertion of ribs and pleura. In-plane and out-of-plane needle insertions, fine needle aspiration, and core needle biopsy were performed under ultrasound image guidance. The mimicked tissues displayed a resistance and recoil effect typically encountered in a real scenario for a pneumothorax, abscesses, and neoplasms. The presented phantom accurately replicated thoracic tissues (lung, ribs, and pleura) and associated pathologies providing a useful tool for training ultrasound-guided procedures.This work was supported in part by Cabildo de Tenerife under IACTEC Technological Training Program, grant TF INNOVA 2016–2021, and the project MACBIOIDI2 MAC2/1.1b/352, within the INTERREG Program, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

Management of interstitial lung diseases (ILD) associated with autoimmune diseases by the pulmonologyst in the differents ILD units in Spain

El objetivo del estudio fue conocer el manejo de los pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar intersticial difusa (EPID) asociada a enfermedades autoinmunes sistémicas (EAS) en las consultas de neumología especializadas en EPID en el territorio español. Metodología: El área de trabajo de EPID de la Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía torácica (SEPAR) diseño un cuestionario auto cumplimentable de 25 preguntas, sobre aspectos relacionados con el diagnóstico y tratamiento de las EPID- EAS. Este se repartió entre los asistentes de la reunión de invierno del Área EPID y posteriormente vía e-mail a todos los integrantes del área de EPID de SEPAR. La participación fue anónima, voluntaria y sin contraprestación. Resultados: Participaron74neumólogos de 58hospitales. El 77%disponía de una consulta especializada de EPID. Todas las unidades con acreditación SEPAR tenían un comité integrado por neumólogos y radiólogos y participación mayoritaria de patólogos y reumatólogos. En el 75% de los centros había una colaboración estrecha con reumatología para el manejo de las EPID-EAS. Un 85% consideró que la frecuencia de las EPIDEAS en las consultas está en aumento, siendo la más frecuente la EPID asociada a artritis reumatoide. El tratamiento de las EPID-EAS se decide consensuadamente entre neumología y reumatología en el 91,3% de los casos. El 67% de los neumólogos considera que los inmunosupresores y las terapias biológicas pueden enlentecer la progresión de las EPID-EAS. Un 51% utiliza antifibróticos en estas patologías. Conclusiones: La práctica totalidad de las unidades de EPID españolas acreditadas, por SEPAR ha establecido colaboraciones con reumatología para el adecuado manejo de los pacientes con EPID-EAS, habiéndose ido extendiendo esta práctica a unidades aun no acreditadasThe aim of the study was to know the management of patients with diffuse interstitial lung disease (ILD) associated with a systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD) in pulmonology outpatient clinics in Spain. Methodology: The ILD work area of the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) designed a self-completed questionnaire of 25 questions, on aspects related to the diagnosis and treatment of ILD-SAD. This was distributed among the attendees of the winter meeting of the ILD Area and later via e-mail to all the members of the ILD area of SEPAR. Participation was anonymous, voluntary and without consideration. Results: 74 pulmonologists from 58 hospitals participated. 77% had a specialized ILD consultation. All Units with SEPAR accreditation had a committee made up of pulmonologists and radiologists and a majority participation of pathologists and rheumatologists. In 75% of the centers there was a close collaboration with Rheumatology for the management of ILD-SAD. 85% considered that the frequency of ILD-SAD consults is increasing, the most frequent being ILD associated with rheumatoid arthritis. The treatment of ILD-SAD is decided by consensus between pulmonologist and rheumatologist in 91.3% of the cases. 67% of pulmonologists consider that immunosuppressants and biological therapies can slow down the progression of ILD-SAD. 51% use antifibrotics therapies in these pathologies. Conclusions: Almost all of the accredited Spanish ILD Units by SEPAR have established collaborations with Rheumatology for the adequate management of patients with ILD-SAD, this practice having been extended to units not yet accredite

Políticas educativas y buenas prácticas TIC : actas II Simposio Internacional SITIC

Este II Simposio Internacional de Políticas Educativas y Buenas Prácticas TIC, se dirigió a expertos e investigadores interesados en los procesos de integración y uso de las tecnologías digitales en el sistema escolar. Los objetivos del mismo fueron: Presentar y analizar los resultados más destacables obtenidos por los equipos de investigación pertenecientes al proyecto TICSE 2.0, así como de otros estudios similares en la comunidad iberoamericana. Debatir sobre los efectos de las políticas educativas sobre TIC en las prácticas específicas de centros y aulas escolares tanto en el contexto español como iberoamericano. Reflexionar sobre las tendencias de investigación futuras – tanto con relación a los problemas como metodologías de estudio – en torno a las políticas y prácticas educativas con TIC. Además, este Simposio es una de las acciones del proyecto de I+D titulado “Las políticas de un > en España. Visiones y prácticas del profesorado ante el Programa Escuela 2.0. Un análisis comparado entre Comunidades Autónomas” (TICSE 2.0) financiado por el Plan Nacional de I+D+i con el código EDU2010-17037. Asimismo, es continuación del I Simposio Internacional “Buenas Prácticas Educativas TIC”, celebrado en 2009 en Cáceres. El Simposio se celebró en la Isla de Tenerife los días 30 y 31 de octubre de 2013. Organizado por el grupo de investigación EDULLAB (Laboratorio de Nuevas Tecnologías) de la Universidad de La Laguna. Este Simposio cuenta con el apoyo y colaboración de REUNI+D (Red Universitaria de Investigación e Innovación Educativa), de la asociación RUTE (Red Universitaria de Tecnología Educaiva), del Dpto. de Didáctica e Investigación Educativa, y de la Facultad de Educación de la ULL. También ha recibido financiación del Vicerrectorado de Investigación y Transferencia de Conocimiento de la Universidad de La Laguna

Laboratorio en abierto: aprendendiendo a copiar ADN.2

El objetivo principal del proyecto es la puesta a punto de recursos educativos en abierto (REA) dirigidos a los alumnos de secundaria. La propuesta pretende desarrollar habilidades, para la resolución de problemas científicos, a través de retos que despierten el interés y la imaginación de los alumnos de secundaria. En esta propuesta la resolución de los problemas planteados estaría basada en la aplicación de una herramienta que ha revolucionado la genética y biología, la reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa, conocida como PCR

Herramientas de aprendizaje para estudiantes de secundaria: Aplicación de la Genética y la Genómica

Depto. de Genética, Fisiología y MicrobiologíaFac. de Ciencias BiológicasFALSEsubmitte

Effectiveness of an intervention for improving drug prescription in primary care patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy:Study protocol of a cluster randomized clinical trial (Multi-PAP project)

This study was funded by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias ISCIII (Grant Numbers PI15/00276, PI15/00572, PI15/00996), REDISSEC (Project Numbers RD12/0001/0012, RD16/0001/0005), and the European Regional Development Fund ("A way to build Europe").Background: Multimorbidity is associated with negative effects both on people's health and on healthcare systems. A key problem linked to multimorbidity is polypharmacy, which in turn is associated with increased risk of partly preventable adverse effects, including mortality. The Ariadne principles describe a model of care based on a thorough assessment of diseases, treatments (and potential interactions), clinical status, context and preferences of patients with multimorbidity, with the aim of prioritizing and sharing realistic treatment goals that guide an individualized management. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention that implements the Ariadne principles in a population of young-old patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. The intervention seeks to improve the appropriateness of prescribing in primary care (PC), as measured by the medication appropriateness index (MAI) score at 6 and 12months, as compared with usual care. Methods/Design: Design:pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial. Unit of randomization: family physician (FP). Unit of analysis: patient. Scope: PC health centres in three autonomous communities: Aragon, Madrid, and Andalusia (Spain). Population: patients aged 65-74years with multimorbidity (≥3 chronic diseases) and polypharmacy (≥5 drugs prescribed in ≥3months). Sample size: n=400 (200 per study arm). Intervention: complex intervention based on the implementation of the Ariadne principles with two components: (1) FP training and (2) FP-patient interview. Outcomes: MAI score, health services use, quality of life (Euroqol 5D-5L), pharmacotherapy and adherence to treatment (Morisky-Green, Haynes-Sackett), and clinical and socio-demographic variables. Statistical analysis: primary outcome is the difference in MAI score between T0 and T1 and corresponding 95% confidence interval. Adjustment for confounding factors will be performed by multilevel analysis. All analyses will be carried out in accordance with the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: It is essential to provide evidence concerning interventions on PC patients with polypharmacy and multimorbidity, conducted in the context of routine clinical practice, and involving young-old patients with significant potential for preventing negative health outcomes. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02866799Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Laboratorio en abierto: aPrendiendo a CopiaR el ADN

El objetivo principal del proyecto es la puesta a punto de recursos educativos en abierto (REA) dirigidos a los alumnos de secundaria. El punto de partida será plantear diferentes retos y situaciones que se pueden resolver utilizando distintos recursos científicos, para decidir qué recurso es el más adecuado y cómo se aplica. En esta propuesta la resolución de los problemas planteados estaría basada en la aplicación de una herramienta que ha revolucionado la genética y biología, la reacción en Cadena de la Polimerasa, conocida como PCR

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Low-Cost Pseudo-Anthropomorphic PVA-C and Cellulose Lung Phantom for Ultrasound-Guided Interventions

A low-cost custom-made pseudo-anthropomorphic lung phantom, offering a model for ultrasound-guided interventions, is presented. The phantom is a rectangular solidstructure fabricated with polyvinyl alcohol cryogel (PVA-C) and cellulose to mimic the healthy parenchyma. The pathologies of interest were embedded as inclusions containing gaseous, liquid, or solid materials. The ribs were 3D-printed using polyethylene terephthalate, and the pleura was made of a bidimensional reticle based on PVA-C. The healthy and pathological tissues were mimicked to display acoustic and echoic properties similar to that of soft tissues. Theflexible fabrication process facilitated the modification of the physical and acoustic properties of the phantom. The phantom’s manufacture offers flexibility regarding the number, shape, location, and composition of the inclusions and the insertion of ribs and pleura. In-plane and out-of-plane needle insertions, fine needle aspiration, and core needle biopsy were performed under ultrasound image guidance. The mimicked tissues displayed a resistance and recoil effect typically encountered in a real scenario for a pneumothorax, abscesses, and neoplasms. The presented phantom accurately replicated thoracic tissues (lung, ribs, and pleura) and associated pathologies providing a useful tool for training ultrasound-guided procedures

Highlights del 56° Congreso SEPAR

Resumen: La Sociedad Española de Neumología y Cirugía Torácica (SEPAR) ha celebrado en Granada su 56° Congreso entre los días 8 y 10 de junio de 2023. El congreso SEPAR se ha consolidado como la reunión científica de referencia para los especialistas en medicina y cuidados respiratorios, alcanzando este año un récord de participación con 2.600 asistentes. Nuestra sociedad demuestra así su liderazgo en el manejo de la enfermedad respiratoria, así como su crecimiento y progreso en aras de alcanzar la excelencia. En esta revisión, ofrecemos un resumen de algunos de los aspectos más destacables tratados en 6 áreas de interés seleccionadas: enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC), asma, enfermedades pulmonares intersticiales difusas (EPID), tuberculosis e infecciones respiratorias, circulación pulmonar y enfermería respiratoria. Abstract: The Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR) has held its 56th congress in Granada from 8 to 10 June 2023. The SEPAR congress has established itself as the leading scientific meeting for specialists in medicine and respiratory care, reaching a record of participation this year with 2600 attendees. Our society thus demonstrates its leadership in the management of respiratory diseases, as well as its growth and progress in order to achieve excellence. In this review, we offer a summary of some notable issues addressed in six selected areas of interest: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), tuberculosis and respiratory infections, pulmonary circulation, and respiratory nursing