Efficiency and sustainability of public service obligations on scheduled air services between Almeria and Seville

The objective of this paper is to examine how the imposition of Public Service Obligations (PSO) on certain routes may affect the transportation sector, with a focus on aviation in the European Single Market. Thus, this research investigates how this form of public intervention can be useful to access adequeate transport system in remote and peripherical regions. Subsequently, this paper intends to display that the imposition of PSO on aviation routes should be considered as a unique mean of market intervention on behalf of territorial cohesion. To accomplish this, an analysis of the economic impact in terms of efficiency and sustainability in the case of the scheduled air route between Almeria and Seville in addition to other transportation alternatives such the bus or train was conducted. Additionally, this research attempts to shift the research focus away from PSO routes in order to determine the convenience of administrative concession as a way to foster the creation of specific routes, which furthermore cannot be covered by the entrepreneurship of private initiative in a free market regime. Consequently, this approach recognises that this form of public intervention is a way of correcting particular market failures, such as the lack of the adequate transportatio

Ectoines production from biogas in pilot bubble column bioreactors and their subsequent extraction via bio-milking

Producción CientíficaDespite the potential of biogas from waste/wastewater treatment as a renewable energy source, the presence of pollutants and the rapid decrease in the levelized cost of solar and wind power constrain the use of biogas for energy generation. Biogas conversion into ectoine, one of the most valuable bioproducts (1000 €/kg), constitutes a new strategy to promote a competitive biogas market. The potential for a stand-alone 20 L bubble column bioreactor operating at 6% NaCl and two 10 L interconnected bioreactors (at 0 and 6% NaCl, respectively) for ectoine production from biogas was comparatively assessed. The stand-alone reactor supported the best process performance due to its highest robustness and efficiency for ectoine accumulation (20–52 mgectoine/gVSS) and CH4 degradation (up to 84%). The increase in N availability and internal gas recirculation did not enhance ectoine synthesis. However, a 2-fold increase in the internal gas recirculation resulted in an approximately 1.3-fold increase in CH4 removal efficiency. Finally, the recovery of ectoine through bacterial bio-milking resulted in efficiencies of >70% without any negative impact of methanotrophic cell recycling to the bioreactors on CH4 biodegradation or ectoine synthesis.European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 837998European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and the Bio-based Industries ConsortiumJunta de Castilla y León y EU-FEDER (CLU 2017–09, CL-EI-2021–07, UIC 315

Parenting Style and Parenting Practices in Disabled Children and its Relationship with Academic Competence and Behaviour Problems

This paper aims to carry out a review of the most important advances achieved in recent decades, and mainly in recent years, in the study of parenting styles and parenting practices in relation to academic competence and behavior problems of children with and without disabilities, in order to shed some light on major differences in patterns of family interaction that may explain the worst levels of adaptation manifested by children with disabilities. For this, we have carried out an analysis of main works that reflect this relationship in the general population, and then did the same including disability as a differentiating factor. In this sense, the authoritative style and specific parenting practices such as setting limits, communication, autonomy or monitoring are described as good predictors of adaptive behavior in children. However, we miss studies to confirm this relationship in children with disabilities. In this population, the major papers refer, on one side, to expectations and, on other side, to stress in parenting and its effect of the parents’ mental health. In conclusion, the need for studies to provide additional information about family relationships and disability is discussed

Biogeographical and phytosociological synthesis of the vegetation of Natural Park of Sierra de Baza (Baetic mountain range, Andalusia, Southern Spain)

Se presenta una síntesis de la vegetación del Parque Natural de la Sierra de Baza (Cordillera Bética, Andalucía, Sur de España) desde un enfoque biogeográfico y fitosociológico integrado, siendo las directrices del análisis las series de vegetación y las asociaciones vegetales. Se parte de la revisión bibliográfica y del trabajo de campo para la clasificación sintaxonómica de las distintas fitocenosis identificadas, resaltando la condición de este territorio como enclave situado entre varios sectores corológicos de la provincia biogeográfica Bética que tienen una clara influencia en la configuración de las diferentes comunidades vegetales de la Sierra de Baza. Todo ello ha permitido incorporar algunas novedades y matizaciones de ciertas cuestiones fitosociológicas establecidas recientemente, partiendo de la última sectorización biogeográfica que se ha llevado a cabo para este territorio.L’article pose une synthèse de la végétation du parc naturel de la Sierra de Baza (Cordillère Bétique Andalousie, Sud de l’Espagne) à partir d’une approche biogéographique et phytosociologique intégrée; les directrices pour l’analyse sont des séries de végétation et d’associations végétales. La revue de la littérature et le travail de champ ils ont permis la classification syntaxonomique des phytocénoses identifiés, soulignant situation géographique de ce territoire entre les différents secteurs chorologiques de la province biogéographique Bétique ayant une nette influence sur la configuration des différents communautés végétales de la Sierra de Baza. Tout cela a permis d’intégrer quelques nouvelles fonctionnalités et qualités de certaines questions phytosociologiques récemment mis en place basé, sur la base de la dernière sectorisation biogéographique qui a été réalisée pour ce territoire.We present a synthesis of the vegetation of Natural Park of Sierra de Baza (Baetic mountain range, Andalusia, Southern Spain) from a biogeographical and phytosociological approach integrated; the guidelines of the analysis are the series of vegetation and plant associations. We start of the literature review and field work to the syntaxonomical classification of different phytocoenoses identified, highlighting the status of this territory as enclave among various chorological sectors of Betic biogeographic province that have a clear influence on the configuration of different plant communities of Sierra de Baza. This has allowed the incorporation of new features and nuances of some phytosociological issues recently established, from the last biogeographical sectorization has been carried out for this territory

Evaluation of the Spanish population coverage of a prospective HLA haplobank of induced pluripotent stem cells

Background: iPSC (induced pluripotent stem cells) banks of iPSC lines with homozygous HLA (human leukocyte antigen) haplotypes (haplobanks) are proposed as an affordable and off-the-shelf approach to allogeneic transplantation of iPSC derived cell therapies. Cord blood banks offer an extensive source of HLA-typed cells suitable for reprogramming to iPSC. Several initiatives worldwide have been undertaken to create national and international iPSC haplobanks that match a significant part of a population. Methods: To create an iPSC haplobank that serves the Spanish population (IPS-PANIA), we have searched the Spanish Bone Marrow Donor Registry (REDMO) to identify the most frequently estimated haplotypes. From the top ten donors identified, we estimated the population coverage using the criteria of zero mismatches in HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1 with different stringencies: high resolution, low resolution, and beneficial mismatch. Results: We have calculated that ten cord blood units from homozygous donors stored at the Spanish cord blood banks can provide HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-DRB1 matching for 28.23% of the population. Conclusion: We confirm the feasibility of using banked cord blood units to create an iPSC haplobank that will cover a significant percentage of the Spanish and international population for future advanced therapy replacement strategies

Buenas prácticas de innovación docente en la Universidad de Córdoba

La iniciativa presenta el Centro de Atención Infantil Temprana de la Universidad de Córdoba, en el que la investigación y la formación son básicos para sus integrantes y desde el que se hace un importante ejercicio de transferencia del conocimiento a la comunidad universitaria y a la socieda

Comprehensive description of clinical characteristics of a large systemic Lupus Erythematosus Cohort from the Spanish Rheumatology Society Lupus Registry (RELESSER) with emphasis on complete versus incomplete lupus differences

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multiple organ involvement and pronounced racial and ethnic heterogeneity. The aims of the present work were (1) to describe the cumulative clinical characteristics of those patients included in the Spanish Rheumatology Society SLE Registry (RELESSER), focusing on the differences between patients who fulfilled the 1997 ACR-SLE criteria versus those with less than 4 criteria (hereafter designated as incomplete SLE (iSLE)) and (2) to compare SLE patient characteristics with those documented in other multicentric SLE registries. RELESSER is a multicenter hospital-based registry, with a collection of data from a large, representative sample of adult patients with SLE (1997 ACR criteria) seen at Spanish rheumatology departments. The registry includes demographic data, comprehensive descriptions of clinical manifestations, as well as information about disease activity and severity, cumulative damage, comorbidities, treatments and mortality, using variables with highly standardized definitions. A total of 4.024 SLE patients (91% with ≥4 ACR criteria) were included. Ninety percent were women with a mean age at diagnosis of 35.4 years and a median duration of disease of 11.0 years. As expected, most SLE manifestations were more frequent in SLE patients than in iSLE ones and every one of the ACR criteria was also associated with SLE condition; this was particularly true of malar rash, oral ulcers and renal disorder. The analysis-adjusted by gender, age at diagnosis, and disease duration-revealed that higher disease activity, damage and SLE severity index are associated with SLE [OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.08-1.20 (P < 0.001); 1.29; 95% CI: 1.15-1.44 (P < 0.001); and 2.10; 95% CI: 1.83-2.42 (P < 0.001), respectively]. These results support the hypothesis that iSLE behaves as a relative stable and mild disease. SLE patients from the RELESSER register do not appear to differ substantially from other Caucasian populations and although activity [median SELENA-SLEDA: 2 (IQ: 0-4)], damage [median SLICC/ACR/DI: 1 (IQ: 0-2)], and severity [median KATZ index: 2 (IQ: 1-3)] scores were low, 1 of every 4 deaths was due to SLE activity. RELESSER represents the largest European SLE registry established to date, providing comprehensive, reliable and updated information on SLE in the southern European population

Integrative Analysis Reveals a Molecular Stratification of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

Objective Clinical heterogeneity, a hallmark of systemic autoimmune diseases, impedes early diagnosis and effective treatment, issues that may be addressed if patients could be classified into groups defined by molecular pattern. This study was undertaken to identify molecular clusters for reclassifying systemic autoimmune diseases independently of clinical diagnosis. Methods Unsupervised clustering of integrated whole blood transcriptome and methylome cross-sectional data on 955 patients with 7 systemic autoimmune diseases and 267 healthy controls was undertaken. In addition, an inception cohort was prospectively followed up for 6 or 14 months to validate the results and analyze whether or not cluster assignment changed over time. Results Four clusters were identified and validated. Three were pathologic, representing “inflammatory,” “lymphoid,” and “interferon” patterns. Each included all diagnoses and was defined by genetic, clinical, serologic, and cellular features. A fourth cluster with no specific molecular pattern was associated with low disease activity and included healthy controls. A longitudinal and independent inception cohort showed a relapse–remission pattern, where patients remained in their pathologic cluster, moving only to the healthy one, thus showing that the molecular clusters remained stable over time and that single pathogenic molecular signatures characterized each individual patient. Conclusion Patients with systemic autoimmune diseases can be jointly stratified into 3 stable disease clusters with specific molecular patterns differentiating different molecular disease mechanisms. These results have important implications for future clinical trials and the study of nonresponse to therapy, marking a paradigm shift in our view of systemic autoimmune diseases

HTLV-1 infection in solid organ transplant donors and recipients in Spain

HTLV-1 infection is a neglected disease, despite infecting 10-15 million people worldwide and severe illnesses develop in 10% of carriers lifelong. Acknowledging a greater risk for developing HTLV-1 associated illnesses due to immunosuppression, screening is being widely considered in the transplantation setting. Herein, we report the experience with universal HTLV testing of donors and recipients of solid organ transplants in a survey conducted in Spain. All hospitals belonging to the Spanish HTLV network were invited to participate in the study. Briefly, HTLV antibody screening was performed retrospectively in all specimens collected from solid organ donors and recipients attended since the year 2008. A total of 5751 individuals were tested for HTLV antibodies at 8 sites. Donors represented 2312 (42.2%), of whom 17 (0.3%) were living kidney donors. The remaining 3439 (59.8%) were recipients. Spaniards represented nearly 80%. Overall, 9 individuals (0.16%) were initially reactive for HTLV antibodies. Six were donors and 3 were recipients. Using confirmatory tests, HTLV-1 could be confirmed in only two donors, one Spaniard and another from Colombia. Both kidneys of the Spaniard were inadvertently transplanted. Subacute myelopathy developed within 1 year in one recipient. The second recipient seroconverted for HTLV-1 but the kidney had to be removed soon due to rejection. Immunosuppression was stopped and 3 years later the patient remains in dialysis but otherwise asymptomatic. The rate of HTLV-1 is low but not negligible in donors/recipients of solid organ transplants in Spain. Universal HTLV screening should be recommended in all donor and recipients of solid organ transplantation in Spain. Evidence is overwhelming for very high virus transmission and increased risk along with the rapid development of subacute myelopathy

Analysis of the common genetic component of large-vessel vasculitides through a meta- Immunochip strategy

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) are major forms of large-vessel vasculitis (LVV) that share clinical features. To evaluate their genetic similarities, we analysed Immunochip genotyping data from 1,434 LVV patients and 3,814 unaffected controls. Genetic pleiotropy was also estimated. The HLA region harboured the main disease-specific associations. GCA was mostly associated with class II genes (HLA-DRB1/HLA-DQA1) whereas TAK was mostly associated with class I genes (HLA-B/MICA). Both the statistical significance and effect size of the HLA signals were considerably reduced in the cross-disease meta-analysis in comparison with the analysis of GCA and TAK separately. Consequently, no significant genetic correlation between these two diseases was observed when HLA variants were tested. Outside the HLA region, only one polymorphism located nearby the IL12B gene surpassed the study-wide significance threshold in the meta-analysis of the discovery datasets (rs755374, P?=?7.54E-07; ORGCA?=?1.19, ORTAK?=?1.50). This marker was confirmed as novel GCA risk factor using four additional cohorts (PGCA?=?5.52E-04, ORGCA?=?1.16). Taken together, our results provide evidence of strong genetic differences between GCA and TAK in the HLA. Outside this region, common susceptibility factors were suggested, especially within the IL12B locus