Efectos de la aplicación de un bioestimulante a base de microalgas sobre la fisiología, la productividad y la calidad de los frutos en cultivos hortícolas de interés agroalimentario

Las microalgas son microorganismos fotosintéticos que generan biomasa altamente proteica con gran potencial de uso biotecnológico en diferentes sectores, entre ellos la agricultura. Una aplicación reciente es su uso como bioestimulantes, definidos por el Reg. UE 2019/1009 como “productos fertilizantes que estimulan los procesos de nutrición de las plantas con independencia de su contenido en nutrientes para mejorar la eficiencia en el uso de nutrientes, la tolerancia a estrés abiótico, la calidad de los cultivos y/o la disponibilidad de nutrientes”. Sin embargo, la información disponible acerca de efectos de bioestimulantes de microalgas es muy escasa en comparación con otros bioestimulantes comerciales. El objetivo de la presente tesis doctoral fue evaluar los efectos de la aplicación foliar y a raíz de un bioestimulante basado en microalgas (BBMA) en cultivo de melón, tomate y pimiento, tanto en ensayos de campo como en cultivo hidropónico en invernadero. Dicho objetivo se abordó de manera multidisciplinar, evaluando los cambios en el rendimiento agronómico, la calidad nutricional y organoléptica de los frutos, el crecimiento y desarrollo de plantas y la expresión génica diferencial. A nivel agronómico, BBMA aumentó la productividad total tanto en peso como en número de frutos, sobre todo el rendimiento comercial hacia producción de primera categoría. Además, redujo las pérdidas de cosecha, especialmente las causadas por plagas y tamaño no comercial. El tratamiento no afectó a la tipicidad varietal propia de los frutos, pero sí mejoró ligeramente su calidad organoléptica y nutricional, con ligero aumento en la concentración de azúcares y algunos compuestos bioactivos. Dichas mejoras se relacionaron con cambios a nivel morfo-fisiológico, como la promoción desarrollo de raíces, con aumento significativo de biomasa desde aplicaciones tempranas. De manera paralela, BBMA activó la expresión de genes relacionados con la morfogénesis y crecimiento de raíz y el transporte de agua y nutrientes. En consecuencia, BBMA promovió los procesos de crecimiento y desarrollo vegetativo de la parte aérea (elongación de tallos, formación de ramificaciones y nudos foliares) y el paso a fase reproductiva. En relación con esto, se encontró sobreexpresión de inductores florales y genes implicados en el desarrollo embrionario. Además, el bioestimulante indujo el aumento de la concentración de pigmentos fotosintéticos en hoja, especialmente de carotenoides totales, lo cual podría estar relacionado con la disminución del síndrome de senescencia monocárpica y envejecimiento foliar. El conjunto de los resultados sugiere que BBMA actuaría como un elicitor reconocible por receptores de la célula vegetal, induciendo cambios en la expresión génica conducentes a modular mecanismos bioquímicos y fisiológicos principalmente implicados en el metabolismo, en el sistema de defensa y en el control del desarrollo ontogénico. En conclusión, los efectos bioestimulantes de BBMA promoverían la aclimatación a las situaciones normales de estrés en condiciones de campo con la consecuente mejora de la producción agronómica

Comparative effectiveness of immediate antiretroviral therapy versus CD4-based initiation in HIV-positive individuals in high-income countries:observational cohort study

Background Recommendations have differed nationally and internationally with respect to the best time to start antiretroviral therapy (ART). We compared effectiveness of three strategies for initiation of ART in high-income countries for HIV-positive individuals who do not have AIDS: immediate initiation, initiation at a CD4 count less than 500 cells per mu L, and initiation at a CD4 count less than 350 cells per mu L. Methods We used data from the HIV-CAUSAL Collaboration of cohort studies in Europe and the USA. We included 55 826 individuals aged 18 years or older who were diagnosed with HIV-1 infection between January, 2000, and September, 2013, had not started ART, did not have AIDS, and had CD4 count and HIV-RNA viral load measurements within 6 months of HIV diagnosis. We estimated relative risks of death and of death or AIDS-defining illness, mean survival time, the proportion of individuals in need of ART, and the proportion of individuals with HIV-RNA viral load less than 50 copies per mL, as would have been recorded under each ART initiation strategy after 7 years of HIV diagnosis. We used the parametric g-formula to adjust for baseline and time-varying confounders. Findings Median CD4 count at diagnosis of HIV infection was 376 cells per mu L (IQR 222-551). Compared with immediate initiation, the estimated relative risk of death was 1.02 (95% CI 1.01-1.02) when ART was started at a CD4 count less than 500 cells per mu L, and 1.06 (1.04-1.08) with initiation at a CD4 count less than 350 cells per mu L. Corresponding estimates for death or AIDS-defining illness were 1.06 (1.06-1.07) and 1.20 (1.17-1.23), respectively. Compared with immediate initiation, the mean survival time at 7 years with a strategy of initiation at a CD4 count less than 500 cells per mu L was 2 days shorter (95% CI 1-2) and at a CD4 count less than 350 cells per mu L was 5 days shorter (4-6). 7 years after diagnosis of HIV, 100%, 98.7% (95% CI 98.6-98.7), and 92.6% (92.2-92.9) of individuals would have been in need of ART with immediate initiation, initiation at a CD4 count less than 500 cells per mu L, and initiation at a CD4 count less than 350 cells per mu L, respectively. Corresponding proportions of individuals with HIV-RNA viral load less than 50 copies per mL at 7 years were 87.3% (87.3-88.6), 87.4% (87.4-88.6), and 83.8% (83.6-84.9). Interpretation The benefits of immediate initiation of ART, such as prolonged survival and AIDS-free survival and increased virological suppression, were small in this high-income setting with relatively low CD4 count at HIV diagnosis. The estimated beneficial effect on AIDS is less than in recently reported randomised trials. Increasing rates of HIV testing might be as important as a policy of early initiation of ART

A collaborative P2P Scheme for NAT Traversal Server discovery based on topological information

In the current Internet picture more than 70% of the hosts are located behind Network Address Translators (NATs). This is not a problem for the client/server paradigm. However, the Internet has evolved, and nowadays the largest portion of the traffic is due to peer-to-peer (p2p) applications. This scenario presents an important challenge: two hosts behind NATs (NATed hosts) cannot establish direct communications. The easiest way to solve this problem is by using a third entity, called Relay, that forwards the traffic between the NATed hosts. Although many efforts have been devoted to avoid the use of Relays, they are still needed in many situations. Hence, the selection of a suitable Relay becomes critical to many p2p applications. In this paper, we propose the Gradual Proximity Algorithm (GPA): a simple algorithm that guarantees the selection of a topologically close-by Relay. We present a measurement-based analysis, showing that the GPA minimizes both the delay of the relayed communication and the transit traffic generated by the Relay, being a QoS-aware and ISP-friendly solution. Furthermore, the paper presents the Peer-to-Peer NAT Traversal Architecture (P2P-NTA), which is a global, distributed and collaborative solution, based on the GPA. This architecture addresses the Relay discovery/selection problem. We have performed large-scale simulations based on real measurements, which validate our proposal. The results demonstrate that the P2P-NTA performs similarly to direct communications with reasonably large deployments of p2p applications. In fact, only 5% of the communications experience an extra delay that may degrade the QoS due to the use of Relays. Furthermore, the amount of extra transit traffic generated is only 6%. We also show that the P2P-NTA largely outperforms other proposals, where the QoS degradation affects up to more than 50% of the communications, and the extra traffic generated goes beyond 80%.This work has been partially funded by the Grants MEDIANET (S2009/TIC-1466) from the Regional Government of Madrid and CON-PARTE (TEC2007-67966-C03- 03) by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain.Publicad

Atenuación del lenguaje soez en el doblaje al español de una serie de comedia británica, Lima, 2021

En la actualidad debido al aumento de las plataformas de streaming existe una mayor variedad de productos audiovisuales que necesitan ser traducidos para ser comprendidos globalmente. Sin embargo, los materiales con contenido soez representan un problema para el traductor pues requieren de una atenuación para ser aceptados por la cultura receptora. Por tal motivo, esta investigación tuvo como objetivo analizar la atenuación del lenguaje soez en el doblaje al español de una serie de comedia británica, Lima, 2021. El estudio fue de enfoque cualitativo, tipo básico y de nivel descriptivo. Se empleó como corpus cuatro episodios de la serie Sex Education y fichas de análisis como instrumento. En los resultados, se obtuvo que el uso de eufemismos predominó con 70,73%, seguido por la omisión con 14,63% y el uso de circunloquios con 14,63%. Finalmente, se concluyó que el traductor prefirió el uso de eufemismos, ya que al utilizarlo se emplea equivalentes neutros que son aceptados por la cultura receptora y además conserva el aspecto pícaro del lenguaje, por otro lado, el uso de las otras dos subcategorías podría causar la pérdida del mensaje del guion original o del impacto de este en la audiencia receptora

Experimental study of cerebrospinal fluid tumor necrosis factor-alpha release in penicillin- and cephalosporin-resistant pneumococcal meningitis treated with different antibiotic schedules

Background/Purpose: To measure the inflammatory response in terms of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), using bacteriolytic versus nonbacteriolytic antibiotic therapy and adjunctive treatment with dexamethasone in an experimental rabbit model of pneumococcal meningitis. Methods: In a rabbit model of pneumococcal meningitis, we tested CSF TNF-α levels in several samples from rabbits infected with the HUB 2349 strain and treated with ceftriaxone 100 mg/kg/d, ceftriaxone plus vancomycin 30 mg/kg/d, or daptomycin at 15 mg/kg or 25 mg/kg. Daptomycin schedules were compared with the same doses in combination with dexamethasone at 0.125 mg/kg every 12 hours over a 26-hour period. Results: The ceftriaxone group had the highest levels of TNF-α. TNF-α levels were significantly higher after ceftriaxone administration than in both daptomycin groups. The high-dose daptomycin group presented the lowest inflammatory levels in CSF samples. Adjunctive treatment with dexamethasone in this group modulated the inflammatory response, bringing down CSF TNF-α levels. Conclusion: CSF TNF-α levels were significantly lower in rabbits treated with daptomycin than in rabbits treated with ceftriaxone. Daptomycin avoided the inflammatory peak after administration observed in ceftriaxone-treated rabbits. The use of daptomycin plus dexamethasone achieved a significantly larger reduction in CSF TNF-α levels

Mental health and drug use in college students: should we take action?

Background College students are vulnerable to suffering from anxiety and depression. Moreover, mental disorders can contribute to drug consumption or inappropriate use of prescribed drugs. Studies on this topic in Spanish college students are limited. This work analyses anxiety and depression and psychoactive drug intake pattern in the post-COVID era in college students. Methods An online survey was conducted among college students from UCM (Spain). The survey collected data including demographic, academic student perception, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scales, and psychoactive substances consumption. Results A total of 6,798 students were included; 44.1% (CI95%: 42.9 to 45.3) showed symptoms of severe anxiety and 46.5% (CI95%: 45.4 to 47.8) symptoms of severe or moderately severe depression. The perception of these symptoms did not change after returning to face-to-face university classes in the post-COVID19 era. Despite the high percentage of cases with clear symptoms of anxiety and depression, most students never had a diagnosis of mental illnesses [anxiety 69.2% (CI95%: 68.1 to 70.3) and depression 78.1% (CI95%: 77.1 to 79.1)]. Regarding psychoactive substances, valerian, melatonin, diazepam, and lorazepam were the most consumed. The most worrying issue was the consumption of diazepam, 10.8% (CI95%: 9.8 to 11.8), and lorazepam, 7.7% (CI95%: 6.9 to 8.6) without medical prescription. Amongst illicit drugs, cannabis is the most consumed. Limitations The study was based on an online survey. Conclusions The high prevalence of anxiety and depression aligned with poor medical diagnosis and high intake of psychoactive drugs should not be underestimated. University policies should be implemented to improve the well-being of students.Depto. de Farmacia Galénica y Tecnología AlimentariaFac. de FarmaciaTRUEpu

Delayed Cerebral Vasculopathy in Pneumococcal Meningitis: Epidemiology and Clinical Outcome. A Cohort Study

Background: To describe the prevalence, clinical characteristics, impact of systemic steroids exposure and outcomes of delayed cerebral vasculopathy (DCV) in a cohort of adult patients with pneumococcal meningitis (PM). Methods: Observational retrospective multicenter study including all episodes of PM from January 2002 to December 2015. DCV was defined as proven/probable/possible based upon clinical criteria and pathological-radiological findings. DCV-patients and non-DCV-patients were compared by univariate analysis. Results: 162 PM episodes were included. Seventeen (10.5%) DCV-patients were identified (15 possible, 2 probable). At admission, DCV-patients had a longer duration of symptoms (>2 days in 58% vs. 25.5% (p 0.04)), more coma (52.9% vs. 21.4% (p 0.03)), lower median CSF WBC-count (243 cells/uL vs. 2673 cells/uL (p 0.001)) and a higher proportion of positive CSF Gram stain (94.1% vs. 71% (p 0.07)). Median length of stay was 49 vs. 15 days (p 0.001), ICU admission was 85.7% vs. 49.5% (p 0.01) and unfavorable outcome was found in 70.6% vs. 23.8% (p 0.001). DCV appeared 1-8 days after having completed adjunctive dexamethasone treatment (median 2,5, IQR = 1.5-5). Conclusions: One tenth of the PM developed DCV. DCV-patients had a longer duration of illness, were more severely ill, had a higher bacterial load at admission and had a more complicated course. Less than one third of cases recovered without disabilities. The role of corticosteroids in DCV remains to be established. (c) 2020 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Invasive meningococcal disease: what we should know, before it comes back

Background: invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), sepsis and/or meningitis continues to be a public health problem, with mortality rates ranging from 5% to 16%. The aim of our study was to further knowledge about IMD with a large series of cases occurring over a long period of time, in a cohort with a high percentage of adult patients. Methods: observational cohort study of patients with IMD between 1977 hand 2013 at our hospital, comparing patients with only sepsis and those with meningitis and several degrees of sepsis. The impact of dexamethasone and prophylactic phenytoin was determined, and an analysis of cutaneous and neurological sequelae was performed. Results: a total of 527 episodes of IMD were recorded, comprising 57 cases of sepsis (11%) and 470 of meningitis with or without sepsis (89%). The number of episodes of IMD decreased from 352 of 527 (67%) in the first to 20 of 527 (4%) in the last quarter (P < .001). Thirty-three patients died (6%): 8 with sepsis (14%) and 25 with meningitis (5%) (P = .02). Cutaneous and neurological sequelae were present in 3% and 5% of survivors of sepsis and meningitis, respectively. The use of dexamethasone was safe and resulted in less arthritis, and patients given prophylactic phenytoin avoided seizures. Conclusions: the frequency of IMD has decreased sharply since 1977. Patients with sepsis only have the highest mortality and complication rates, dexamethasone use is safe and can prevent some arthritis episodes, and prophylactic phenytoin might be useful in a selected population. A rapid response and antibiotic therapy may help improve the prognosis

Risk factors for surgical site infection after craniotomy: a prospective cohort study

Background: Although surgical site infection after craniotomy (SSI-CRAN) is a serious complication, risk factors for its development have not been well defined. We aim to identify the risk factors for developing SSI-CRAN in a large prospective cohort of adult patients undergoing craniotomy. Methods: A series of consecutive patients who underwent craniotomy at a university hospital from January 2013 to December 2015 were prospectively assessed. Demographic, epidemiological, surgical, clinical and microbiological data were collected. Patients were followed up in an active post-discharge surveillance programm e for up to one year after surgery. Multivariate analysis was carried out to identify independent risk factors for SSI-CRAN. Results: Among the 595 patients who underwent craniotomy, 91 (15.3%) episodes of SSI-CRAN were recorded, 67 (73.6%) of which were organ/space. Baseline demographic characteristics were similar among patients who developed SSI-CRAN and those who did not. The most frequent causative Gram-positive organisms were Cutibacterium acnes (23.1%) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (23.1%), whereas Enterobacter cloacae (12.1%) was the most commonly isolated Gram-negative agent. In the univariate analysis the factors associated with SSI-CRAN were ASA score > 2 (48.4% vs. 35.5% in SSI-CRAN and no SSI-CRAN respectively, p = 0.025), extrinsic tumour (28.6% vs. 19.2%, p = 0.05), and re-intervention (4.4% vs. 1.4%, p =  2 (AOR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.32-3.87; p = .003) and re-intervention (OR: 8.93, 95% CI: 5.33-14.96; p < 0.001) were the only factors independently associated with SSI-CRAN. Conclusion: The risk factors and causative agents of SSI-CRAN identified in this study should be considered in the design of preventive strategies aimed to reduce the incidence of this serious complication

External ventriculostomy-associated infection reduction after updating a care bundle

BackgroundDespite the clinical benefits of external ventricular drains (EVD), these devices can lead to EVD-related infections (EVDRI). The drainage insertion technique and standardized guidelines can significantly reduce the risk of infection, mainly caused by gram-positive bacteria. However, gram-negative microorganisms are the most frequent causative microorganisms of EVDRI in our hospital. We aimed to determine whether a new bundle of measures for the insertion and maintenance of a drain could reduce the incidence of EVDRI. This cohort study of consecutive patients requiring EVD from 01/01/2015 to 12/31/2018 compared the patients' characteristics before and after introducing an updated protocol (UP) for EVD insertion and maintenance in 2017.ResultsFrom 204 consecutive patients, 198 requiring EVD insertion were included (54% females, mean age 55 & PLUSMN; 15 years). The before-UP protocol included 87 patients, and the after-UP protocol included 111 patients. Subarachnoid (42%) and intracerebral (24%) hemorrhage were the main diagnoses at admission. The incidence of EVDRI fell from 13.4 to 2.5 episodes per 1000 days of catheter use. Gram-negative bacteria were the most frequent causative microorganisms. Previous craniotomy remained the only independent risk factor for EVDRI. EVDRI patients had increased mechanical ventilation durations, hospital and ICU stays, and percutaneous tracheostomy requirements.ConclusionsA care bundle focusing on fewer catheter sampling and more accurate antiseptic measures can significantly decrease the incidence of EVDRI. After implementing the management protocol, a decreased incidence of infections caused by gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria and reduced ICU and hospital lengths of stay were observed