The Upper Bound Theorem in Forging Processes: Model of Triangular Rigid Zones on Parts with Horizontal Symmetry

This paper presents the analytical method capacity of the upper bound theorem, under modular approach, to extend its application possibilities. Traditionally, this method has been applied in forging processes, considering plane strain condition and parts with double symmetry configuration. However, in this study, the double symmetry is eliminated by means of a fluency plane whose position comes from the center of mass calculated. The study of the load required to ensure the plastic deformation will be focus on the profile of the part, independently on both sides of the fluence plane, modifying the number and the shape of the modules that form the two halves in which the part is defined. This way, it is possible to calculate the necessary load to cause the plastic deformation, whatever its geometric profile

The BCG Vaccine for COVID-19: First Verdict and Future Directions.

Despite of the rapid development of the vaccines against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), it will take several months to have enough doses and the proper infrastructure to vaccinate a good proportion of the world population. In this interim, the accessibility to the Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) may mitigate the pandemic impact in some countries and the BCG vaccine offers significant advantages and flexibility in the way clinical vaccines are administered. BCG vaccination is a highly cost-effective intervention against tuberculosis (TB) and many low-and lower-middle-income countries would likely have the infrastructure, and health care personnel sufficiently familiar with the conventional TB vaccine to mount full-scale efforts to administer novel BCG-based vaccine for COVID-19. This suggests the potential for BCG to overcome future barriers to vaccine roll-out in the countries where health systems are fragile and where the effects of this new coronavirus could be catastrophic. Many studies have reported cross-protective effects of the BCG vaccine toward non-tuberculosis related diseases. Mechanistically, this cross-protective effect of the BCG vaccine can be explained, in part, by trained immunity, a recently discovered program of innate immune memory, which is characterized by non-permanent epigenetic reprogramming of macrophages that leads to increased inflammatory cytokine production and consequently potent immune responses. In this review, we summarize recent work highlighting the potential use of BCG for the treatment respiratory infectious diseases and ongoing SARS-CoV-2 clinical trials. In situations where no other specific prophylactic tools are available, the BCG vaccine could be used as a potential adjuvant, to decrease sickness of SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or to mitigate the effects of concurrent respiratory infections.The authors' work is supported by National Institutes of Health grants R01 AI139623AI and Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2019-110015RB-I00 (JO); PID2019-105761RB-100 (EN-V). MG-P is funded from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 860003.S

A PERCEPÇÃO DOS CUIDADORES SOCIAIS DE CRIANÇAS EM ABRIGOS EM RELAÇÃO AO PROCESSO DO CUIDAR

Esta pesquisa foi desenvolvida no município de Uberlândia-MG, em um Abrigo não governamental, que recebe crianças de 0 a 4 anos de idade, vítimas da violência e miséria social. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi o de conhecer a percepção dos cuidadores sociais com relação ao crescimento e desenvolvimento infantil e os cuidados que são oferecidos por eles às crianças institucionalizadas. O referencial teórico embasou-se em autores que discutem a evolução histórica da assistência à criança, o abandono e as leis de proteção. Foi utilizada a metodologia qualitativa, baseada na técnica de livre narrativa dos sujeitos a partir de uma questão norteadora: “Como é para você trabalhar aqui no Abrigo cuidando de crianças”. A análise dos dados foi feita através da análise de conteúdo, modalidade-análise temática. Os resultados da análise do conteúdo evidenciam quatro núcleos de sentido: A CHEGADA; O COTIDIANO, que se sub-divide em: a rotina, a recreação e os cuidados; A ESPERA e ADOÇÃO. Pode-se perceber a ligação direta entre o trabalho doméstico das cuidadoras, com a atuação com as crianças; a relação de gênero no cuidar e a falta de percepção das cuidadoras quanto às questões trabalhistas e o preparo profissional para o cuidado. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Cuidadores Sociais; Crianças; Abrigos

Infection of Artemia sp. by Lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV)

In the present work, different developmental stages of Artemia sp. (metanauplius, juvenile and adult) were experimentally infected with LCDV by immersion. Results of viral quantification (both by qPCR and cell-culture viral titer determination) and expression showed that LCDV establishes a productive infection in Artemia, at least under experimental conditions, extending the host range of this virus to crustaceans.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Changes in total and inner retinal thicknesses in type 1 diabetes with no retinopathy after 8 years of follow-up

Purpose:To evaluate changes in retinal layer thickness in patients with Type 1 diabetes with no diabetic retinopathy after 8 years of follow-up. Methods:Ninety Type 1 diabetes and 60 control eyes were studied. Changes in the retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell layer, and inner nuclear layer thicknesses in all Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study areas were evaluated. Results:The mean ages were 42.93 ± 13.62 and 41.52 ± 13.05 years in the diabetic and control group, respectively. In 2009, total retinal thickness was higher in diabetic patients; differences were statistically significant in all except the nasal areas. In both groups, the mean foveal thickness remained the same during the 8 years. Among diabetic patients, there was a significant reduction in total retinal thickness in all areas excluding the outer temporal one; controls only in the inferior areas. The thickness loss was due to the thinning of the inner retinal layers (inner nuclear layer, ganglion cell layer, and retinal nerve fiber layer). The controls showed a significant diminution in the retinal nerve fiber layer and in the ganglion cell layer areas. The inner nuclear layer showed a diminution in the diabetes mellitus group. Conclusion:Before the onset of diabetic retinopathy, Type 1 diabetes patients experience a diminution of their inner retinal layer thicknesses over time, supporting the hypothesis of retinal neurodegeneration

Profile of the Spatial Distribution Patterns of the Human and Bacteriophage Virome in a Wastewater Treatment Plant Located in the South of Spain

The authors would like to acknowledge the support given by the Institute of Water Research of University of Granada and the disposition of Municipal Water Company of Granada (EMASAGRA S.A.) for financial support to carry out the research.In wastewater treatment plants, most microbial characterization has focused on bacterial, archaeal, and fungal populations. Due to the difficult isolation, quantification, and identification of viruses, only a limited number of virome studies associated with wastewater treatment plants have been carried out. However, the virus populations play an important role in the microbial dynamics in wastewater treatment systems and the biosafety of effluents. In this work, the viral members present in influent wastewater, mixed liquor (aerobic bioreactor), excess sludge, and effluent water of a conventional activated sludge system for the treatment of urban wastewater were identified. Viral members were observed by transmission electron microscopy and studied through next-generation sequencing studies. The results showed the dominance of bacteriophages in the viral community in all samples, with the dominant viral phylotype classified as Escherichia coli O157 typing phage 7. Moreover, different human viruses, such as Cynomolgus cytomegalovirus and Gammaherpesvirus, were also detected.Institute of Water Research of University of Granad

Choroidal and Retinal Thicknesses in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus with Moderate Diabetic Retinopathy Measured by Swept Source OCT

Background: To study choroidal thickness (CT) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) patients with moderate diabetic retinopathy (DR) and to correlate with changes in retinal thickness (RT) with swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) compared to healthy subjects. Methods: Fifty-four DM2 patients with moderate DR without diabetic macular edema (DME) and 73 age-matched healthy subjects were evaluated using SS-OCT to measure changes in total RT and CT in the nine areas of the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) macular grid. Results: The mean age was 64.06 ± 11.98 years and 60.79 ± 8.62 years in the diabetic and control groups, respectively. Total RT showed statistically significant differences in the temporal inner area, with higher values in the DM2 group (p = 0.010). CT did not show differences between the groups. There was a significant negative correlation between RT and age in all of the outer ETDRS areas and a positive significant correlation in the central area for the DM2 group. There was also a negative significant correlation between CT and age in all of the ETDRS areas except for the inferior inner area. In the DM2 group, a negative correlation was observed between RT and CT in the central area (p = 0.039) and in both horizontal parafoveal areas (temporal inner, p = 0.028; nasal inner, p= 0.003). Conclusion: DM2 patients with moderate DR have no changes with regard to CT. Both CT and RT decreased with age in DM2, showing a negative correlation between these factors in the central and horizontal parafoveal areas of the ETDRS grid

Low frequency of NS5A relevant resistance-associated substitutions to Elbasvir among hepatitis C virus genotype 1a in Spain: a cross-sectional study

Relevant resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) to elbasvir, the new HCV NS5A inhibitor, may limit its efficacy and lead to virological failure in HCV-GT1a-infected patients. There are few data outside clinical trials evaluating their prevalence and impact of elbasvir/grazoprevir. A multicenter cross-sectional study of 617 HCV-GT1a-infected individuals attended in 84 Spanish hospitals from the 17 Autonomous Communities and two Autonomous cities was performed. HCV population sequencing was used to identify RASs to elbasvir and the mutational pattern and drug sensitivity were confirmed by geno2pheno[HCV]. Viruses bearing RASs to elbasvir were present in 6.2% of HCV-GT1a infected patients. The most common RASs were the Y93C/H/N and Q30E/H/R (2.4% and 2.3%; respectively). Only 3.4% of patients had viruses with RASs that confer reduced susceptibility to elbasvir by geno2pheno [HCV] that identified exclusively the positions Q30H/R (n = 7) and Y93C/H/N (n = 8) as single mutations and Q30H + Y93H (n = 4) and Q30R + Y93H (n = 2) as double mutations considered as RASs to elbasvir. Lower prevalence of RASs to elbasvir in our HCV-GT1a-Spanish cohort was observed than reported previously in clinical trials. This information may be essential to guiding the implementation of elbasvir/grazoprevir in Spain, expected at the beginning of 2017 and the management of GT1a-infected patients.This work was supported by grants from ‘Instituto de Salud Carlos III’ (Ref. PI14CIII/00011 to SR, MPY 1039/14 and PI15CIII/00031 to VB). CP is supported by the Portuguese ‘Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia’ (FCT)(grant number SFRH/BPD/77448/2011, part of the EDCTP2 program supported by the European Union). VB is supported by the Miguel Servet program run by the ‘Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria’ (ISCIII) (grant number CP13/00098). MAJS is supported by ‘Instituto de Salud Carlos III’ (grant numbers CD13/00013).S

Development of lactoferrin-loaded liposomes for the management of dry eye disease and ocular inflammation

Dry eye disease (DED) is a high prevalent multifactorial disease characterized by a lack of homeostasis of the tear film which causes ocular surface inflammation, soreness, and visual disturbance. Conventional ophthalmic treatments present limitations such as low bioavailability and side effects. Lactoferrin (LF) constitutes a promising therapeutic tool, but its poor aqueous stability and high nasolacrimal duct drainage hinder its potential efficacy. In this study, we incorporate lactoferrin into hyaluronic acid coated liposomes by the lipid film method, followed by high pressure homogenization. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles were evaluated in vitro and ex vivo. Cytotoxicity and ocular tolerance were assayed both in vitro and in vivo using New Zealand rabbits, as well as dry eye and anti-inflammatory treatments. LF loaded liposomes showed an average size of 90 nm, monomodal population, positive surface charge and a high molecular weight protein encapsulation of 53%. Biopharmaceutical behaviour was enhanced by the nanocarrier, and any cytotoxic effect was studied in human corneal epithelial cells. Developed liposomes revealed the ability to reverse dry eye symptoms and possess anti-inflammatory efficacy, without inducing ocular irritation. Hence, lactoferrin loaded liposomes could offer an innovative nanotechnological tool as suitable approach in the treatment of DED.FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(2017SGR1477)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Vertical Transmission of Pneumocystis jirovecii in Humans

This study is part of the project “Pneumocystis Pathogenomics: Unravelling the Colonization-to-Disease Shift,” a Coordination Action supported by the European Commission (ERANET PathoGenoMics). This study was partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health (FIS 03/1743). M.A.M.-C. and C.d.l.H. were supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health (FIS CP-04/217 and FIS CM-04/146).Ye