The association between the weight of schoolbags and low back pain among schoolchildren: A systematic review, meta‐analysis and individual patient data meta‐analysis

[EN] Background The objective of this study was to determine whether carrying a heavy schoolbag is associated to a higher prevalence of low back pain (LBP). Methods A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted (PROSPERO, CRD42018077839). Observational studies analysing the relationship between schoolbag weight and LBP, were searched for in 20 electronic databases and 12 specialized journals until February 28th, 2019, without date or language restrictions. All studies which included ≥ 50 subjects aged 9 to 16, were reviewed. Methodological quality was assessed by two reviewers separately, using validated tools. A meta-analysis and an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis were conducted to examine the relationship between schoolbag weight and LBP. Certainty of evidence was assessed using an adapted GRADE methodology. Results 5,524 citations were screened, 21 studies (18,296 subjects) were reviewed and 11 studies (9,188 subjects) were included in the meta-analysis. The IPD meta-analysis included 9,188 subjects from seven studies. Among the 21 studies reviewed, the mean score for methodological quality was 78.3 of 100. Only one study suggested an association between heavier schoolbags and LBP. Neither the meta-analysis nor the IPD meta-analysis found an association between carrying schoolbags weighing > 10% of bodyweight, and LBP. No differences based on age, gender or sport activity were found. Discussion Available evidence does not support that schoolbags weighing > 10% of bodyweight are associated with a higher prevalence of LBP among schoolchildren aged 9–16. The certainty of evidence is low. Further research is required on the relationship between schoolbag weight and LBP. Significance This systematic review, with a meta-analysis and an IPD meta-analysis, failed to find a link between schoolbags weighing ≥ 10% of body weight and LBP among schoolchildren aged 9 to 16. Further longitudinal studies, with large samples, long follow-up periods, and rigorous methods taking into account duration of carry and the physical capacity of each subject, are required in this field.S

Drying-rewetting cycles in ordinary Portland cement mortars investigated by electrical impedance spectroscopy

[EN] Changes caused in the porous microstructure of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) mortars were studied using electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and equivalent circuit (EqC). Two successive processes, at 20 ºC and 50 °C, consisting of several drying-rewetting cycles, were applied to the mortars. After each cycle, the electrical impedance and the amount of water absorbed were measured. The EIS-EqC methodology allowed to find two distributed impedance relaxations, associated to capillary and gel-C-S-H porosities, respectively. At room temperature any microstructural change was not detected. Nevertheless, at 50 °C two microstructural changes were inferred: 1) the volume of accessible porosity increased (pore coarsening) and 2) the surface of the conductive path through C-S-H gel became more conductive (surface smoothing).The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for supporting this research through the project BIA 2011-26947.Fita Fernández, IC.; Cruz González, JM.; Calvo Muñoz, C.; Soriano Martínez, L.; Paya Bernabeu, JJ.; Sánchez Martín, I. (2018). Drying-rewetting cycles in ordinary Portland cement mortars investigated by electrical impedance spectroscopy. Construction and Building Materials. 187:954-963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.07.227S95496318

Bronchiolitis and recurrent wheezing are distinguished by type 2 innate lymphoid cells and immune response

Background: Recurrent wheezing (RW) is frequently developed in infants that have suffered bronchiolitis (BCH) during first months of life, but the immune mechanism underlying is not clear. The goal was to analyze the innate immune response that characterizes BCH and RW. Methods: Ninety-eight and seventy hospitalized infants with BCH or RW diagnosis, respectively, were included. Nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) was processed. Cellular pellet was employed to evaluate type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) by flow cytometry and mRNA expression assays by semi-quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). In supernatant, twenty-seven pro-inflammatory and immunomodulatory factors, as well as lipid mediators and nitrites, were evaluated by ELISA and Luminex. Results: Bronchiolitis patients showed higher ILC2 percentage compared with RW (P < .05). Also, ST2+ /ILC2 percentage was higher in the BCH group than in the RW group (P < .01). TLR3, IL33, IFNG, IL10, and FLG mRNA levels were significantly increased in BCH vs RW (P < .05). In supernatant, no significant differences were reached, observing similar levels of parameters linked to vascular damage, monocyte activation, and fibroblast growth. Prostaglandin E2 and cysteinyl leukotrienes C4 were evaluated; a significant difference was only found in their ratio. Conclusion: Bronchiolitis is associated with elevated nasal percentage of ILC2. This cellular population could be the key element in the differential immune response between BCH and RW which share some mechanisms such us monocyte activation, vascular damage, and fibroblast repair. Lipid mediators could play a role in the evolution of the disease later in life through innate lymphoid cells.This study has been partially supported by FIS (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria—Spanish Health Research Fund) Grants PI15/00803, FI16/00036, PI15CIII/00028, and FEDER Funds (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional); Alfonso X El Sabio University Grant: VIII Convocatoria Santander‐UAX; and CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), a Carlos III Institute of Health Initiative.S

Digitalizing an electrically self-sufficient social dwelling of Spain

The urgent climate situation resulting from the indiscriminate consumption of fossil fuels together with the current geopolitical instability has prompted a series of policies in Europe to boost the energy transition through the large-scale installation of renewable energy sources (RES). To combat the intermittency and fluctuations associated with their operation, renewable hydrogen is presented as a versatile solution to decarbonize different economic sectors. Hence, the design and implementation of a hybrid renewable-hydrogen power system has turn out in the first electrically self-sufficient social housing of Spain installed in the town of Novales (Cantabria, Spain). The entire process is automated and controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC) and monitored by a SCADA system. Under this framework, the HY2RES project proposes a digital twin (DT) modeling of the pilot plant to optimize the control system and the operating parameters thanks to the application of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to the data collected. The paper shows some initial results of the proposed DT, which features the electrical components of the physical system. The obtained results both validate the proposed methodology and evince the possibilities brought by it.This research is being supported by projects TED2021-129951B-C21, TED2021-129951B-C22 and PLEC2021- 007718 financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and European Union Next GenerationEU/RTRP. The authors also acknowledge the project PID2021-123120OB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ FEDER, UE

Aparato y método para mezclar al menos dos líquidos

Aparato y método para mezclar al menos dos líquidos. Método de mezclado de al menos dos líquidos que incluye proporcionar un nebulizador que incluye un tubo de alimentación con una salida del tubo de alimentación. El tubo de alimentación está posicionado en una cámara de presurización que contiene un gas presurizado. La cámara de presurización incluye un orificio de salida de cámara de presurización que es sustancialmente coaxial con la salida del tubo de alimentación aguas debajo de la salida del tubo de alimentación. La salida del tubo de alimentación está situada axialmente con respecto a la salida del orificio de la cámara separada por una distancia axial. El método incluye también introducir un primer caudal de líquido de un primer líquido y un segundo caudal de líquido de un segundo líquido en el tubo de alimentación aguas arriba de la salida del tubo de alimentación. El método incluye además hacer funcionar el nebulizador en modo flow blurring de forma que se forma una celda de reflujo en el tubo de alimentación aguas arriba de la salida del tubo de alimentación. De este modo se proporciona una mezcla turbulenta del primer y segundo líquidos en la celda de reflujo.Españ

Torque Teno Virus in Nasopharyngeal Aspirate of Children With Viral Respiratory Infections

Background: Torque teno virus (TTV) is a ubiquitous anellovirus responsible for persistent infections and is considered a marker of immune function. The role of TTV as a facilitator of respiratory infections (RIs) is unknown. Objectives: Our aim was to estimate, in a prospective study, the prevalence of TTV in the nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) of hospitalized children <5 years old, with RIs and correlate them with outcomes and immune response. Patients and methods: NPA was taken for testing of 16 respiratory viruses by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), TTV PCR, and immunologic study. Results: Sixty hospitalized children with an RI were included. A total of 51/60 patients had positive common respiratory viral (CRV) identification. A total of 23/60 (38.3%) children were TTV+ in NPA. TTV+ patients had other CRVs in 100% of cases versus 78.3% in TTV- ( P = 0.029). The TTV+ patients tended to be older, have fever, and to need pediatric intensive care unit admission more often than TTV- patients. Abnormal chest radiograph was more frequent in the TTV+ patients, odds ratios 2.6 (95% CI: 1.3-5.2). The genetic expression of filaggrin (involved in epithelial barrier integrity) was lower in TTV+ patients; however, the levels of filaggrin in the NPA were increased. Conclusions: TTV infection is common in children with RI and could be associated with abnormal imaging in radiograph, greater severity and an alteration in filaggrin gene expression and protein release.Funded by projects PI18CIII/0009, PI18/00177, and PI21/00377, funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and co-funded by the European Union. There are no conflicts of interest.S

Filaggrin and cytokines in respiratory samples of preterm infants at risk for respiratory viral infection

Respiratory viral infections (RVIs) are frequent in preterm infants possibly inducing long-term impact on respiratory morbidity. Immune response and respiratory barriers are key defense elements against viral insults in premature infants admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs). Our main goals were to describe the local immune response in respiratory secretions of preterm infants with RVIs during NICU admission and to evaluate the expression and synthesis of lung barrier regulators, both in respiratory samples and in vitro models. Samples from preterm infants that went on to develop RVIs had lower filaggrin gene and protein levels at a cellular level were compared to never-infected neonates (controls). Filaggrin, MIP-1α/CCL3 and MCP-1 levels were higher in pre-infection supernatants compared to controls. Filaggrin, HIF-1α, VEGF, RANTES/CCL5, IL-17A, IL-1β, MIP-1α and MIP-1β/CCL5 levels were higher during and after infection. ROC curve and logistic regression analysis shows that these molecules could be used as infection risk biomarkers. Small airway epithelial cells stimulated by poly:IC presented reduced filaggrin gene expression and increased levels in supernatant. We conclude that filaggrin gene and protein dysregulation is a risk factor of RVI in newborns admitted at the NICU.This study has been partially supported by ISCIII – Instituto de Salud Carlos III, FIS (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria—Spanish Health Research Fund) grants FI19/00067, PI18/00167, PI21/00896, PI18CIII/00009 and FEDER funds (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional); Sociedad Española de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica (SEAIC)Beca19A04_Valverde; Alfonso X El Sabio University Grant: VIII Convocatoria Santander-UAX; CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), a Carlos III Institute of Health Initiative.S

Nutritional Supplementation to Increase Influenza Vaccine Response in Children Living With HIV: A Pilot Clinical Trial

Final results of this work have been presented at the following meetings: 36rd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID 2018), Malmö, Sweden, 28th May-June 2nd, 2018. (Ref. ESP18-0517).Aims: Vaccine response is poor among children living with HIV. The gut microbiota has been identified as a potential target to improve vaccine immunogenicity, but data are scarce in the context of HIV infection. Methods: Pilot, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial in which 24 HIV-infected children were randomized to receive a mixture of symbiotics, omega-3/6 fatty acids, and amino acids or placebo for 4 weeks, each in combination with ART, and were then immunized against influenza. Vaccine response and safety of the nutritional supplementation were the primary outcomes. Results: Eighteen HIV-infected children completed the follow-up period (mean age 11.5 ± 4.14 years, 61% female). The nutritional supplement was safe but did not enhance the response to the influenza vaccine. A 4-fold rise in antibody titers was obtained in only 37.5% of participants in the intervention arm vs. 40% in the placebo. No immunological or inflammatory predictors of vaccine response were identified. Conclusions: In this exploratory study, a 4-week course of symbiotics did not increase influenza vaccine immunogenicity in HIV-infected children. Larger studies are warranted to address the potential of modulating the microbiome in children living with HIV.This work was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-Fondos FEDER (grant number CB21/17/00025), Acción Estratégica en Salud (PI13/0422, PI17/01283, PI18/00154, and PI18CIII/00009). TS and SS-V have been funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III-Fondos FEDER (BA21/00022 and BA21/00017). The funding bodies did not have a role in the design or conduct of the study, the analysis and interpretation of the results, and the writing of the report or the decision to publish. The authors would like to particularly acknowledge all the children and adolescents as well as their families for their participation in this study. They acknowledge the Spanish Pediatric HIV infection Group CORISPE and the Pediatric HIV BioBank integrated in the Spanish AIDS Research Network and collaborating Centers [supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Health Ministry (Grant n◦ RD06/0006/0035)] for its collaboration and cession of clinical information and samples used in this work. Nutricion Médica S.L., manufactured and packaged the nutritional product under investigation. Final results of this work have been presented at the following meetings: 36rd Annual Meeting of the European Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases (ESPID 2018), Malmö, Sweden, 28th May-June 2nd, 2018. (Ref. ESP18-0517).S

Modelado de un gemelo digital para la optimización de un sistema de auto-abastecimiento energético de uso residencial

La preocupante situación climática y la crisis energética, junto con la actual inestabilidad política, ha impulsado en Europa una serie de políticas que favorezcan la instalación de fuentes de energía renovables. Para combatir la intermitencia y las fluctuaciones asociadas a su funcionamiento, el hidrogeno renovable se presenta como una solución de interés para descarbonizar diferentes sectores económicos. Así, el diseño e implementación de un sistema híbrido de energía renovable-hidrogeno ha dado como resultado la primera vivienda social eléctricamente autosuficiente de España, situada en la localidad de Novales (Cantabria). Por otro lado, la digitalización de este tipo de sistemas permitiría una adaptación automática a situaciones cambiantes, incrementando la eficiencia energética. En este contexto, el proyecto HY2RES propone una arquitectura de gemelo digital que, utilizando técnicas de aprendizaje automático e inteligencia artificial, facilite la optimización del rendimiento del sistema físico, mediante la actuación sobre sus elementos de control. Para ello se plantea el uso de soluciones de telemetría que permitan la captación y almacenamiento de datos del propio sistema físico y del entorno (por ejemplo, meteorológicos), cuando sea necesario. Este trabajo muestra algunos resultados iniciales del gemelo digital propuesto, que incorpora modelos de los componentes eléctricos del sistema físico.Este trabajo ha sido financiado por el Gobierno de España (Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación), y por la Unión Europea (Next GenerationEU/RTRP) a través de los proyectos Gemelo digital de un sistema híbrido solar fotovoltaica-hidrogeno para el abastecimiento en el ámbito residencial (TED2021-129951B-C22) y Piloto demostrador de un sistema híbrido solar fotovoltaica-hidrogeno para el abastecimiento energético en el ámbito residencial (TED2021-129951B-C21), así como por el Gobierno de Cantabria a través del proyecto “Tecnologías habilitadoras de Gemelos Digitales y su aplicación a los sectores químico y de comunicaciones” (GDQuiC) del programa “Ayudas a proyectos de investigación con alto potencial industrial de agentes tecnológicos de excelencia para la competitividad industrial TCNIC”

Effects of the inclusion of physical activity in secondary education academic classes on educational indicators and health markers: rationale and methods of the ACTIVE CLASS study

Background: Increasing physical activity (PA) levels and reducing sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents is a need, especially in schools. Active breaks and physically active learning are examples of two emerging methodologies that have been shown to be effective in increasing PA levels and additionally produce improvements in children’s educational markers. However, the evidence in adolescents is very limited. This paper presents the design, measurements, and interventions implemented in the ACTIVE CLASS study, whose objectives are: (i) evaluate the effects of two interventions on PA levels, sedentary time, health-related physical fitness academic indicators, cognition, and markers of psychological health among secondary education students; (ii) evaluate teachers’ and students’ experiences about the implementation of these the two school-based PA intervention. Methods: A randomized controlled study is conducted with a total of 292 students aged 12–14 years old from six schools (7th and 8th grade) in Spain (three in Cadiz and three in Caceres). One school from each study provinces is randomly assigned to either the active break intervention group, the physically active learning intervention group, or the control group. The interventions have a duration of 16 weeks. Nine main measurement categories are assessed: PA and sedentary time, health-related physical fitness, academic indicators, cognition, psychological health, motivational variables, dietary patterns, sociodemographic characteristics, as well as qualitative information through semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups. Three independent measurements of evaluation are distinguished: pre-intervention, post-intervention (week 16) and retention measurement (4 weeks after the intervention). For quantitative variables, descriptive, correlational, regression and repeated measures ANOVA will be applied. Discussion: To the best of our knowledge, the ACTIVE CLASS study is the first of its kind in Spain to evaluate the effects of incorporating active breaks and physically active learning in secondary education. In addition, this project provides important information on the effects of two school-based PA intervention arms on educational variables and health markers in adolescents. This will provide valuable and innovative training to the educational community, enabling them to implement teaching methodologies that have the potential to enhance academic performance and improve the quality of life for their students. Clinical trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov, NCT05891054.10 página