Moldura de cal de los arcos de herradura del Aljibe de la Casa de las Veletas de Cáceres, España / Lime moulding on horseshoe arches on the “casa de las veletas" water tank at cáceres, Spain

Se describen las características constructivas de los enlucidos de cal de las fábricas de ladrillo de los arcos de herradura del aljibe de la Casa de las Veletas de Cáceres, que formó parte del desaparecido alcázar musulmán, y que es uno de los más grandes de la Península. Está construido con muros de tapial que delimitan una planta rectangular de 136,80 m2 de superficie, y su datación está en torno a los siglos X a XII. Durante el estudio se tomaron muestras de morteros y pinturas de distintas superficies del recinto con la finalidad de caracterizar los materiales registrados en la lectura de paramentos, y que fueron analizados por IRFT. Sin embargo, la presencia de una moldura de cal aplicada sobre el enlucido también de cal de un arco de la nave 2, plantea la hipótesis de que el aljibe tenía decoraciones y que tal vez tuvo un uso anterior diferente. La causa por la que las decoraciones no se han documentado en estudios anteriores, podría basarse en que la desaparición de las molduras se produjo hace siglos, a causa de una erosión hídrica, por la acción del impacto del agua de lluvia, y porque los arcos permanecieron sumergidos durante un tiempo que no se ha determinado, hasta una altura de 3,60 m aproximadamente, según la marca del nivel de agua existente, produciéndose la desagregación de los morteros de cal y consiguiente desmoronamiento. / The article describes the characteristics of the lime plaster on the brick masonry horseshoe arches in the water tank to the “Casa de la Veletas” at Cáceres. The tank, one of the largest on the Iberian peninsula, formed part of a Muslim fortress that has since disappeared. Its rammed earth walls, dating from the tenth to the eleventh centuries, describe a 136,80 m2 rectangle. During the survey, mortar and paint samples were taken from a number of surfaces in the enclosure for subsequent FTIR analysis. In light of the presence of lime moulding on the likewise lime plaster in one of the nave 2 arches, the tank may presumably have been decorated and perhaps initially put to a different use. The reason that such decoration was not documented in prior studies may be that the moulding disappeared centuries ago due to erosion resulting from the impact of rainwater, and because, judging from the existing watermarks, the arches were submerged to an approximate height of 3,60 m for an unknown length of time. The combination of these two factors would have caused the lime mortar to crumble and the moulding to eventually collapse

Sistema constructivo del aljibe almohade de la casa de las veletas de Cáceres

Se analiza el sistema constructivo, estructura y acabados, del aljibe de época almohade de la Casa de las Veletas de Cáceres, cuya datación está en torno a los siglos X a XII. Cconstruido en base a once columnas y un pilar, son de ladrillo los dieciséis arcos de herradura levantados en dirección NE-SO, y las cinco bóvedas de cañón, que descansan sobre los mismos. Los muros son de tapia tipo tabiya, los enlucidos de cal, y el hallazgo de una moldura plantea la hipótesis de la existencia de decoraciones, por lo que originariamente pudo haber tenido otro uso. Los estudios se apoyan en la documentación histórica, lectura muraria y caracterización de morteros por FTIR

Diagnosis and Characterization of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can develop cirrhosis and even hepatocellular carcinoma, resulting in a high liver-related morbidity and mortality, being important to know those risk factors for disease progression, among which the presence of diabetes stands out. In addition, it is a disease with multisystemic behavior, becoming an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and extrahepatic tumors. Hence, early diagnosis and multidisciplinary management of NAFLD are really important. In this chapter, we will expose the different diagnostic and follow-up tools available for this disease, and with them we will make an algorithm according to the recommendations and the current evidence

Successful Direct Acting Antiviral Therapy in ChronicHepatitis C Normalizes IFN and IL2 Production in T Cells Together with TLR8 Expression and Functionality in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Chronic hepatitis C infection (HCV) activates a systemic cell-mediated immune response characterized by the production of IFN? and an innate immune response addressed by the activation of TLR signaling. We aimed to investigate whether HCV eradication by direct acting antivirals (DAA) leads to a recovery in cell-mediated immune response and TLR expression and functionality. Blood samples were obtained in HCV infected patients before DAA treatment and at week +48 after the end of treatment. Results were compared to healthy controls. Cell surface expression of TLR8 was assessed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) by flow cytometry. Freshly isolated PBMCs were cultured with specific TLR8 agonists and intracellular production of cytokines was determined by flow-cytometry after ex vivo TLR8 activation with ssRNA 40. Production of IFN?, IL2 and IL17 was assessed by flow cytometry in T cells after polyclonal activation. Included were 50 HCV-infected patients and 15 controls. TLR8 expression in PBMCs was significantly increased before treatment and recovered normal levels at week +48. Production of IL1b, IL6 and TNF? dependent on the activation of TLR8 in PBMCs was also increased in patients before DAA treatment, with a significant reduction at week +48. Combined expression of IFN? and IL2 in CD4+ T cells in HCV-infected patients was significantly increased compared to controls and recovered normal levels at week +48. DAA-mediated clearance of HCV is associated with a decreased expression and activation of TLR8 in PBMCs until healthy control levels which is accompanied by a reduction in the Th1 response.This research was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), grant number PIE15/00079

Porto-Sinusoidal Vascular Disease Associated to Oxaliplatin: An Entity to Think about It

Portal sinusoidal vascular disease is a presinusoidal cause of portal hypertension (PHT) of unknown etiology, characterized by typical manifestations of PHT (esophageal varices, ascites, portosystemic collaterals), plaquetopenia and splenomegaly with a gradient of portal pressure slightly increased, according to the presinusoidal nature of the PHT. A few cases in the literature have shown a relationship between oxaliplatin and the development of presinusoidal portal hypertension, years after the chemotherapy for colorectal cancer (therefore, different to sinusoidal obstruction syndrome). There are three mechanisms through which oxaliplatin can cause sinusoidal damage: 1) damage at the level of endothelial cells and stimulates the release of free radicals and depletion of glutathione transferase, with altering the integrity of the sinusoidal cells. The damage in the endothelial sinusoidal cells allows to erythrocytes to across into the Dissé space and formation of perisinusoidal fibrosis, 2) the appearance of nodular regenerative hyperplasia is favored by the chronic hypoxia of the centrilobular areas and, finally, 3) oxaliplatin can generate an obliteration of the blood capillaries and zones of parenchymal extinction. These three facts can develop, in a minority of cases, the appearance of a presinusoidal increase of portal pressure, which typically appears years after the completion of chemotherapy and sometimes is underdiagnosed until variceal bleeding, ascites or encephalopathy appear. The knowledge of this pathology is essential to be able to perform an early diagnostic and consult to the hepatologist.Funding: This research received an external funding of CI18/67/02 Acuerdo de cooperación en el programa de becas de investigación científica de IDIVAL de JANSSEN-CILAG, S.A

Immunological and senescence biomarker profiles in patients after spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus: gender implications for long-term health risk

Background: About 25% of patients with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection show spontaneous clearance within the first six months of infection but may remain at risk of inflammaging, aging, and liver and non-liver disease complications. This study evaluated the differences in the plasma levels of immune checkpoints (ICs) and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) biomarkers between patients who had spontaneously eliminated HCV infection (SC group) and individuals without evidence of HCV infection (C group). Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective study of 56 individuals: 32 in the SC and 24 in the C groups. ICs and SASP proteins were analyzed using a Luminex 200TM analyzer. The statistical analysis used Generalized Linear Models with gamma distribution (log-link) adjusted by significant variables and sex. Results: 13 ICs (BTLA, CD137(4-1BB), CD27, CD28, CD80, GITR, HVEM, IDO, LAG-3, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, and TIM-3) and 13 SASP proteins (EGF, Eotaxin, IL-1alpha, IL-1RA, IL-8, IL-13, IL-18, IP-10, SDF-1alpha, HGF, beta-NGF, PLGF-1, and SCF) were significantly higher in SC group after approximately more than two years of HCV clearance. After stratifying by sex, differences remained significant for males, which showed higher levels for 13 ICs and 4 SASP proteins in SC. While only PD-L2 was significantly higher in SC women, and no differences in SASP were found. Conclusions: Higher plasma levels of different IC and SASP proteins were found in individuals after more than two years of HCV clearance, mainly in men. Alterations in these molecules might be associated with an increased risk of developing liver and non-hepatic diseases.This study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; grant number CP14/0010) to AFR), Fundación Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (FUAX) – Santander (grant number 1.010.932 to AFR) and by PID2021–126781OB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”. The study was also funded by the CIBER -Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red- (CB 2021), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea–Next‑GenerationEU (CB21/13/00044, CB21/13/00118, and GVC16/EHD/4). M.A.J.-S. is Miguel Servet researcher supported and funded by ISCIII (grant numbers CP17CIII/00007). RME is Juan de la Cierva researcher supported and fnanced by MICINN of Spain (FJC2020-042865-I).S

MicroRNA Profile of HCV Spontaneous Clarified Individuals, Denotes Previous HCV Infection

Factors involved in the spontaneous cleareance of a hepatitis C (HCV) infection are related to both HCV and the interaction with the host immune system, but little is known about the consequences after a spontaneous resolution. The main HCV extrahepatic reservoir is the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and their transcriptional profile provides us information of innate and adaptive immune responses against an HCV infection. MicroRNAs regulate the innate and adaptive immune responses, and they are actively involved in the HCV cycle. High Throughput sequencing was used to analyze the miRNA profiles from PBMCs of HCV chronic naïve patients (CHC), individuals that spontaneously clarified HCV (SC), and healthy controls (HC). We did not find any differentially expressed miRNAs between SC and CHC. However, both groups showed similar expression differences (21 miRNAs) with respect to HC. This miRNA signature correctly classifies HCV-exposed (CHC and SC) vs. HC, with the has-miR-21-3p showing the best performance. The potentially targeted molecular pathways by these 21 miRNAs mainly belong to fatty acids pathways, although hippo signaling, extracellular matrix (ECM) interaction, proteoglycans-related, and steroid biosynthesis pathways were also altered. These miRNAs target host genes involved in an HCV infection. Thus, an HCV infection promotes molecular alterations in PBMCs that can be detected after an HCV spontaneous resolution, and the 21-miRNA signature is able to identify HCV-exposed patients (either CHC or SC).Funding: This work has been funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Subdirección General de Evaluación) (grant number CP14/0010) Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS) (grant numbers MPY 1404/15, MPY 1144/16, and MPY 382/18), and Integrated Projects of Excellence (grant number PIE15/00079).S

Monitorización y seguimiento del esfuerzo realizado por los estudiantes y de su asistencia a actividades presenciales

Este artículo documenta el planteamiento, la metodología y los primeros resultados de un plan de monitorización detallada del esfuerzo y de asistencia a actividades presenciales por parte de los estudiantes de las titulaciones ofertadas por la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Navales de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid durante el segundo cuatrimestre del curso 2011-2012. Se ha establecido un sistema mecánico de recogida de datos de esfuerzo por parte de los estudiantes utilizando una hoja tipo test especialmente configurada al efecto. Se pasa una hoja en todas y cada una de las actividades presenciales realizadas y en la hoja se solicita información sobre el trabajo "fuera de clase". Se documenta en este artículo cómo se ha estructurado esa hoja, qué tipo de datos se recogen, cómo se tratan mediante una base de datos creada al efecto, qué tipo de análisis se puede realizar y qué resultados preliminares obtenemos de dichos análisis