Optical design for MEGARA: a multi-object spectrograph for the GTC

MEGARA is a multi-object spectrograph project for the 10.4m Gran Telescopio Canarias with medium to high resolution: R ~ 5600 - 17000. The instrument operates in three modes that cover different sky areas and that can run simultaneously: (1) the compact mode through a large central Integral Field Unit with minimum fiber pitch, covering a field of view on sky of 12 arcsec × 14 arcsec, (2) the sparse mode with fibers covering 1 arcmin × 1arcmin in three pointings and (3) the dispersed mode with a grid of nearly 100 robotics positioners able to place 7-fiber minibundles over a large field of view of 3.5 arcmin × 3.5 arcmin. The spectrograph is composed by a pseudo-slit, where the fibers are placed simulating a long slit; a slit shutter is placed just behind the pseudo-slit, a collimator, a 162mm pupil where the volume phase holographic gratings are placed, and the camera with the detector. Here we describe the spectrograph optical rationale, the conceptual optical design and the expected system performance

Human parvovirus B19 frequency among blood donors after an epidemic outbreak: relevance of the epidemiological scenario for transfusion medicine

A retrospective, cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the frequency of human parvovirus B19 (B19V) infected individuals, viral loads and immunity among blood donors from Argentina, in a post-epidemic outbreak period. B19V DNA and specific IgG were tested in minimum study samples of donors attending a blood bank at Córdoba, Argentina, in 2014. Anti-B19V IgM and viral loads were determined in B19V-positive plasma samples. Seven of 731 samples (0.96%) resulted positive, corresponding to individuals aged 32–53 years, four of them repeat donnors and three first-time donors. Viral loads were <103 IU/mL. None had IgM and 6/7 had IgG, one of them at a high level (in the range of 100–200 IU/ml, and the remaining 5 at low to medium level, 5–50 IU/ml). Thus one case was classified as acute infection (DNA+/IgM-/IgG-) and six as potentially persistent infections (DNA+/IgM-/IgG+). No coinfections with other pathogens of mandatory control in the pre-transfusion screening were detected. Prevalence of IgG was 77.9% (279/358). This study provides the first data of B19V prevalence in blood donors in Argentina, demonstrating high rates of acute and persistent B19V infections and high prevalence of anti-B19V IgG in a post-epidemic period. Further research is needed to elucidate mechanisms/factors for B19V persistence as well as follow-up of recipients in the context of haemo-surveillance programs, contributing to the knowledge of B19V and blood transfusion safety.Fil: Adamo, Maria Pilar. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella; ArgentinaFil: Blanco, Sebastian. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella; Argentina. Fundación Banco Central de Sangre de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Viale, Franco Agustín. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella; ArgentinaFil: Rivadera, Sabrina Ximena. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez Lombardi, Gonzalo Ramón. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Laboratorio de Hemoderivados; ArgentinaFil: Pedranti, Mauro. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella; ArgentinaFil: Carrizo, Rubén Horacio. Fundación Banco Central de Sangre de Córdoba; ArgentinaFil: Gallego, Sandra Veronica. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Virología Dr. J. M. Vanella; Argentina. Fundación Banco Central de Sangre de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba; Argentin

MEGARA Optical design: the new integral field unit and multi-object spectrograph for the GTC 10m telescope

We describe the optical design of MEGARA, the future optical Integral Field Unit (IFU) and Multi-Object Spectrograph (MOS) for the 10.4-m Gran Telescopio CANARIAS (GTC). MEGARA is being built by a Consortium of public research institutions led by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM, Spain) that also includes INAOE (Mexico), IAA-CSIC (Spain) and UPM (Spain)

Chemo-sensory approach for the identification of chemical compounds driving green character in red wines

The present work seeks to define the “green character” of red wines and characterise the groups of molecules potentially involved in that perception. Fifty-four wines were screened by wine experts for different levels of green character. Six different phenolic fractions were obtained by liquid chromatography (LC) and further submitted to sensory and chemical characterisation. The volatile fraction was screened by semipreparative LC, Gas Chromatography-Olfactometry (GC-O) and quantitative analysis. The green character was linked to vegetal aroma, astringency, green and dry tannins according to experts of the Somontano region. Non-volatile fractions containing tannins with mean degree of polymerisation of ten and smaller anthocyanin-derivative pigments (<tetramers) imparted astringency-related sensations such as dryness and stickiness, respectively. No specific aroma compounds were identified in the GC-O study of green wines, however the wines contained significantly higher levels of fusel alcohols. The interaction between isoamyl alcohol and the anthocyanin-derivative fraction and/or tannins is suggested to be involved in the formation of green character in red wines

Red de Empleabilidad y Emprendimiento en los estudiantes del Grado de Trabajo Social

Este proyecto sigue las líneas definidas en el Proyecto de Innovación y Mejora de la Calidad Docente de la Convocatoria 2016/2017, con el nº 109, con el tema: “El impulso del emprendimiento como competencia transversal en los estudiantes del Grado de Trabajo Social”, premiado en la VII EDICIÓN de PREMIOS EMPRENDEDOR UNIVERSITARIO UCM, en la 4ª modalidad de Premio Innova docente. Al mismo tiempo se ha implementado con el inicio de la experiencia del Proyecto de Aprendizaje Servicio “UCM_MEDIMAYOR_ ALUMNI”, de formación en mediación a un grupo de mayores pertenecientes al Centro de Día Peñagrande del Ayuntamiento de Madrid. La responsabilidad social de la universidad, puede encontrase en esta función ya que se ha potenciado la adquisición de competencias profesionales

Evaluación de la respuesta de anticuerpos neutralizantes a la vacuna Sputnik V en una cohorte en Córdoba y evaluación de las propiedades neutralizantes de anticuerpos naturales y vacunales frente a la variante Manaos

Se evaluó la respuesta de anticuerpos tipo IgG totales anti S y anticuerpos neutralizantes (AcNT) a la vacuna Sputnik V en 800 muestras tomadas a una cohorte de 285 personas en la ciudad de Córdoba. Las muestras fueron tomadas en tres momentos diferentes: una muestra basal previo a lo colocación de la vacuna (en los casos en que fue posible), una muestra luego de la primera dosis de la vacuna (día 14) y una muestra luego de la segunda dosis correspondiente (día 42 desde la 1er dosis). El promedio de la edad de las personas que conforman la cohorte es de 39,24 (±9,76), con un mínimo de 20 años y un máximo de 65 años. El 26,67% de ellos (n=76) tuvieron exposición previa al virus SARS-CoV-2. La determinación de anticuerpos tipo IgG contra la proteína S del virus se realizó mediante las técnicas COVIDAR IgG (Laboratorio Lemos S.R.L.) y SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant (Abbott). Las muestras que resultaron discordantes o negativas se evaluaron por inmunofluorescencia indirecta “in house” (IFI). La capacidad neutralizante de los 2 anticuerpos en las muestras de las personas vacunadas se evaluó por una técnica de Neutralización por reducción de placas (TNRP) frente al virus salvaje SARS-CoV-2 (hCoV19/Argentina/PAIS-G0001/2020, GISAID ID: EPI_ISL_499083) utilizando células Vero Cl76 (ATCC CRL-587). Los anticuerpos neutralizantes fueron titulados, estableciéndose como el título a la máxima dilución del plasma con capacidad de neutralizar al menos el 80% de las Unidades Formadoras de Placa (UFP) inoculadas, como previamente ha sido descripto (Blanco y col., 2021).Fil: Rodríguez, Rodolfo. Gobierno de Córdoba. Instituto Provincial de Investigación y Planificación Sanitaria; Argentina.Fil: Caeiro, Juan Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Caeiro, Juan Pablo. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Medicina; Argentina.Fil: Juri, Hugo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Rectorado; Argentina.Fil: Juri, Hugo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina.Fil: Juri, Hugo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina.Fil: Pizzi, Rogelio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; Argentina.Fil: Gallego, Sandra. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Blanco, Sebastián. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Konigheim, Brenda. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Spinsanti, Lorena. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Díaz, Adrian. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Aguilar, Juan. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Beranek, Mauricio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Rivarola, María Elisa. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Nates, Silvia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Ré, Viviana. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Pisano, Belén. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Instituto de Virología “Dr. J.M. Vanella”; Argentina.Fil: Mangeaud, Arnaldo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales; Argentina.Fil: Díaz, Miguel. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Collino, César. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Barrera, Aldo Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Álvarez, Alejandra. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Ravera, Lorena. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Zappia, Liliana. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Brarda, Canela. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Eynard Asua, Josefina. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Toledo, Claudia. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Barrientos Alvarado, Carla Daniela. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina.Fil: Sabbatini, Julia. Gobierno de Córdoba. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Rawson; Argentina

Effect of viral storm in patients admitted to intensive care units with severe COVID-19 in Spain: a multicentre, prospective, cohort study

Background: The contribution of the virus to the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 is still unclear. We aimed to evaluate associations between viral RNA load in plasma and host response, complications, and deaths in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Methods: We did a prospective cohort study across 23 hospitals in Spain. We included patients aged 18 years or older with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were admitted to an intensive care unit between March 16, 2020, and Feb 27, 2021. RNA of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid region 1 (N1) was quantified in plasma samples collected from patients in the first 48 h following admission, using digital PCR. Patients were grouped on the basis of N1 quantity: VIR-N1-Zero ([removed]2747 N1 copies per mL). The primary outcome was all-cause death within 90 days after admission. We evaluated odds ratios (ORs) for the primary outcome between groups using a logistic regression analysis. Findings: 1068 patients met the inclusion criteria, of whom 117 had insufficient plasma samples and 115 had key information missing. 836 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 403 (48%) were in the VIR-N1-Low group, 283 (34%) were in the VIR-N1-Storm group, and 150 (18%) were in the VIR-N1-Zero group. Overall, patients in the VIR-N1-Storm group had the most severe disease: 266 (94%) of 283 patients received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), 116 (41%) developed acute kidney injury, 180 (65%) had secondary infections, and 148 (52%) died within 90 days. Patients in the VIR-N1-Zero group had the least severe disease: 81 (54%) of 150 received IMV, 34 (23%) developed acute kidney injury, 47 (32%) had secondary infections, and 26 (17%) died within 90 days (OR for death 0·30, 95% CI 0·16–0·55; p<0·0001, compared with the VIR-N1-Storm group). 106 (26%) of 403 patients in the VIR-N1-Low group died within 90 days (OR for death 0·39, 95% CI 0·26–0·57; p[removed]11 página

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

Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19

Interindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-w (IFN-w) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-a (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men

Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use in early acute respiratory distress syndrome : Insights from the LUNG SAFE study

Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background: Concerns exist regarding the prevalence and impact of unnecessary oxygen use in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We examined this issue in patients with ARDS enrolled in the Large observational study to UNderstand the Global impact of Severe Acute respiratory FailurE (LUNG SAFE) study. Methods: In this secondary analysis of the LUNG SAFE study, we wished to determine the prevalence and the outcomes associated with hyperoxemia on day 1, sustained hyperoxemia, and excessive oxygen use in patients with early ARDS. Patients who fulfilled criteria of ARDS on day 1 and day 2 of acute hypoxemic respiratory failure were categorized based on the presence of hyperoxemia (PaO2 > 100 mmHg) on day 1, sustained (i.e., present on day 1 and day 2) hyperoxemia, or excessive oxygen use (FIO2 ≥ 0.60 during hyperoxemia). Results: Of 2005 patients that met the inclusion criteria, 131 (6.5%) were hypoxemic (PaO2 < 55 mmHg), 607 (30%) had hyperoxemia on day 1, and 250 (12%) had sustained hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use occurred in 400 (66%) out of 607 patients with hyperoxemia. Excess FIO2 use decreased from day 1 to day 2 of ARDS, with most hyperoxemic patients on day 2 receiving relatively low FIO2. Multivariate analyses found no independent relationship between day 1 hyperoxemia, sustained hyperoxemia, or excess FIO2 use and adverse clinical outcomes. Mortality was 42% in patients with excess FIO2 use, compared to 39% in a propensity-matched sample of normoxemic (PaO2 55-100 mmHg) patients (P = 0.47). Conclusions: Hyperoxemia and excess oxygen use are both prevalent in early ARDS but are most often non-sustained. No relationship was found between hyperoxemia or excessive oxygen use and patient outcome in this cohort. Trial registration: LUNG-SAFE is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02010073publishersversionPeer reviewe