Impacts of desert dust outbreaks on air quality in urban areas

Air pollution has many adverse effects on health and is associated with an increased risk of mortality. Desert dust outbreaks contribute directly to air pollution by increasing particulate matter concentrations. We investigated the influence of desert dust outbreaks on air quality in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a city located in the dust export pathway off the west coast of North Africa, using air-quality observations from a six-year period (2012–2017). During winter intense dust outbreaks PM10 mean (24-h) concentrations increased from 14 µg m−3 to 98 µg m−3 , on average, and PM2.5 mean (24-h) concentrations increased from 6 µg m−3 to 32 µg m−3 . Increases were less during summer outbreaks, with a tripling of PM10 and PM2.5 daily mean concentrations. We found that desert dust outbreaks reduced the height of the marine boundary layer in our study area by >45%, on average, in summer and by ∼25%, on average, in winter. This thinning of the marine boundary layer was associated with an increase of local anthropogenic pollution during dust outbreaks. NO2 and NO mean concentrations more than doubled and even larger relative increases in black carbon were observed during the more intense summer dust outbreaks; increases also occurred during the winter outbreaks but were less than in summer. This has public health implications; local anthropogenic emissions need to be reduced even further in areas that are impacted by desert dust outbreaks to reduce adverse health effects.This activity has been undertaken in the framework of the World Meteorological Organisation Global Atmosphere Watch Urban Research Meteorology and Environment (GURME) project

Mental health and distress in cancer patients

Objetivo: Conocer los problemas de salud mental y de malestar psíquico de los pacientes con cáncer, las barreras que pueden incidir en su escasa detección y en la falta de atención psicológica específica a los pacientes que la precisan, así como las vías que clínicos e investigadores están desarrollando para solventarlas. Un conocimiento real de estos problemas facilitaría el diseño, implementación o mejora de los recursos asistenciales, para el paciente oncológico. Método: Revisión bibliográfica de las investigaciones sobre el tema en las últimas décadas. Resultados: Los pacientes con cáncer presentan elevada prevalencia de trastornos psicopatológicos y síntomas de ansiedad, depresión y malestar emocional (distress), en distintos momentos de la enfermedad, relacionados con diversos factores médicos, físicos, psicológicos y sociales. Los datos no permiten concluir sobre la prevalencia real puntual de dichos trastornos y síntomas, debido a las diferentes metodologías de investigación, y menos aun sobre su evolución durante la enfermedad, y en momentos posteriores a la misma, para conocer los posibles factores predictivos de empeoramiento o protección. Diversas barreras dificultan una adecuada evaluación psicológica a los pacientes con cáncer, lo que conlleva una falta de atención específica y especializada cuando se precisa, un empeoramiento clínico de esos pacientes, y dificultades de adherencia a los tratamientos médicos. Las vías de solución favorecidas en la última década son la formación a los profesionales sanitarios en herramientas de comunicación y el desarrollo de herramientas de detección de trastornos mentales y malestar emocional adecuadas a la realidad clínica de los pacientes, con resultados dispares. Conclusiones: Es preciso seguir mejorando los sistemas de detección de problemas de salud mental y de malestar emocional en pacientes oncológicos, para darles la atención psicológica específica cuando se precise. Un conocimiento real de estos problemas favorecerá el diseño de programas asistenciales especializados en psicooncología y psicología clínica. Es necesaria la coordinación y accesibilidad del psicólogo en los equipos médicos.Purpose: Identify mental health problems and distress in cancer patients; recognise the obstacles to their detection and the lack of specific psychological care for patients who need it; and determine the pathways that are being developed to address them. A true understanding of these problems would facilitate the design, implementation and improvement of health-care resources for oncologic patients. Methods: Literature review of the investigations on the subject from the last decades. Results: During their illness, cancer patients show a high prevalence of psychopathological disorders, anxiety symptoms, depression and distress, related to several medical, physical, psychological and social factors. To discover the protective and predictive factors of worsening, data analysis does not indicate the real punctual prevalence of these disorders and symptoms -mainly due to the different investigation methods used-, neither does it show the evolution during the illness and afterwards. Several barriers make psychological assessment of cancer patients difficult, this leads to a lack of specific and specialised attention when needed, a clinic worsening of these patients and difficulty in adhesion to medical treatments. Training in communication tools for sanitary professionals and the development of distress and mental disorder detection tools, according to the clinic reality of the patients, are the solutions preferred in this last decade, though with irregular results. Conclusions: In order to offer cancer patients a specific psychological attention when needed, mental health problems and distress detection tools need to keep improving. A real knowledge of these problems will result in the design of specialised psycho-oncological and clinic psychological assistance programmes. To guarantee access and coordination with the psychologist in medical teams is essential

Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Regulates the CD4/CD8 T Cell Differentiation Ratio

AbstractThe signaling pathways that control T cell differentiation have only begun to be elucidated. Using T cell lines, it has been shown that class IA phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), a heterodimer composed of a p85 regulatory and a p110 catalytic subunit, is activated after TCR stimulation. Nonetheless, the contribution of p85/p110 PI3K isoforms in T cell development has not been described. Mice deficient in the other family of class I PI3K, p110γ, which is regulated by G protein-coupled receptors, exhibit reduced thymus size. Here we examine T cell development in p110γ-deficient mice and in mice expressing an activating mutation of the p85 regulatory subunit, p65PI3K, in T cells. We show that p110γ-deficient mice have a partial defect in pre-TCR-dependent differentiation, which is restored after expression of the p65PI3K activating mutation. Genetic alteration of both PI3K isoforms also affects positive selection; p110γ deletion decreased and p65PI3K expression augmented the CD4+/CD8+ differentiation ratio. Finally, data are presented showing that both PI3K isoforms influenced mature thymocyte migration to the periphery. These observations underscore the contribution of PI3K in T cell development, as well as its implication in determining the CD4+/CD8+ T cell differentiation ratio in vivo

Myo1f has an essential role in γδT intraepithelial lymphocyte adhesion and migration

γδT intraepithelial lymphocyte represents up to 60% of the small intestine intraepithelial compartment. They are highly migrating cells and constantly interact with the epithelial cell layer and lamina propria cells. This migratory phenotype is related to the homeostasis of the small intestine, the control of bacterial and parasitic infections, and the epithelial shedding induced by LPS. Here, we demonstrate that Myo1f participates in the adhesion and migration of intraepithelial lymphocytes. Using long-tailed class I myosins KO mice, we identified the requirement of Myo1f for their migration to the small intestine intraepithelial compartment. The absence of Myo1f affects intraepithelial lymphocytes’ homing due to reduced CCR9 and α4β7 surface expression. In vitro, we confirm that adhesion to integrin ligands and CCL25-dependent and independent migration of intraepithelial lymphocytes are Myo1f-dependent. Mechanistically, Myo1f deficiency prevents correct chemokine receptor and integrin polarization, leading to reduced tyrosine phosphorylation which could impact in signal transduction. Overall, we demonstrate that Myo1f has an essential role in the adhesion and migration in γδT intraepithelial lymphocytes

IAA : Información y actualidad astronómica (38)

Sumario : La importancia del cielo oscuro.-- Viajes en el tiempo.-- CIENCIA EN HISTORIAS. Vera Rubin, la madre de la materia oscura.-- DECONSTRUCCIÓN Y otros ENSAYOS. Astrología amorosa para escépticos.-- EL “MOBY DICK” DE... Miguel Ángel Pérez Torres (IAA).-- ACTUALIDAD.-- ENTRE BASTIDORES.-- SALA LIMPIA.-- CIENCIA: PILARES E INCERTIDUMBRES. El origen de la vida.-- RECOMENDADOS.N

Salud mental y malestar emocional en pacientes con cáncer

Objetivo: Conocer los problemas de salud mental y de malestar psíquico de los pacientes con cáncer, las barreras que pueden incidir en su escasa detección y en la falta de atención psicológica específica a los pacientes que la precisan, así como las vías que clínicos e investigadores están desarrollando para solventarlas. Un conocimiento real de estos problemas facilitaría el diseño, implementación o mejora de los recursos asistenciales, para el paciente oncológico. Método: Revisión bibliográfica de las investigaciones sobre el tema en las últimas décadas. Resultados: Los pacientes con cáncer presentan elevada prevalencia de trastornos psicopatológicos y síntomas de ansiedad, depresión y malestar emocional (distress), en distintos momentos de la enfermedad, relacionados con diversos factores médicos, físicos, psicológicos y sociales. Los datos no permiten concluir sobre la prevalencia real puntual de dichos trastornos y síntomas, debido a las diferentes metodologías de investigación, y menos aun sobre su evolución durante la enfermedad, y en momentos posteriores a la misma, para conocer los posibles factores predictivos de empeoramiento o protección. Diversas barreras dificultan una adecuada evaluación psicológica a los pacientes con cáncer, lo que conlleva una falta de atención específica y especializada cuando se precisa, un empeoramiento clínico de esos pacientes, y dificultades de adherencia a los tratamientos médicos. Las vías de solución favorecidas en la última década son la formación a los profesionales sanitarios en herramientas de comunicación y el desarrollo de herramientas de detección de trastornos mentales y malestar emocional adecuadas a la realidad clínica de los pacientes, con resultados dispares. Conclusiones: Es preciso seguir mejorando los sistemas de detección de problemas de salud mental y de malestar emocional en pacientes oncológicos, para darles la atención psicológica específica cuando se precise. Un conocimiento real de estos problemas favorecerá el diseño de programas asistenciales especializados en psicooncología y psicología clínica. Es necesaria la coordinación y accesibilidad del psicólogo en los equipos médicos

Validation of surrogate anthropometric indices in older adults: what is the best indicator of high cardiometabolic risk factor clustering?

Incluye correccionesThe present study evaluated the ability of five obesity-related parameters, including a body shape index (ABSI), conicity index (CI), body roundness index (BRI), body mass index (BMI), and waist-to-height ratio (WtHR) for predicting increased cardiometabolic risk in a population of elderly Colombians. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1502 participants (60.3% women, mean age 70 ± 7.6 years) and subjects’ weight, height, waist circumference, serum lipid indices, blood pressure, and fasting plasma glucose were measured. A cardiometabolic risk index (CMRI) was calculated using the participants’ systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein and fasting glucose levels, and waist circumference. Following the International Diabetes Federation definition, metabolic syndrome was defined as having three or more metabolic abnormalities. All surrogate anthropometric indices correlated significantly with CMRI (p < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of how well the anthropometric indices identified high cardiometabolic risk showed that WtHR and BRI were the most accurate indices. The best WtHR and BRI cut-off points in men were 0.56 (area under curve, AUC 0.77) and 4.71 (AUC 0.77), respectively. For women, the WtHR and BRI cut-off points were 0.63 (AUC 0.77) and 6.20 (AUC 0.77), respectively. In conclusion, BRI and WtHR have a moderate discriminating power for detecting high cardiometabolic risk in older Colombian adults, supporting the idea that both anthropometric indices are useful screening tools for use in the elderly

An empirical relationship to estimate mineral dust concentration from visibility observations

Comunicación presentada en: 2012 European Aerosol Conference (EAC-2012), B-WG01S2P30, celebrada del 2 al 7 de septiembre de 2012 en Granada

Aerosol optical depth comparison between GAW-PFR and AERONET-Cimel radiometers from long-term (2005–2015) 1 min synchronous measurements

A comprehensive comparison of more than 70 000 synchronous 1 min aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from three Global Atmosphere Watch precision-filter radiometers (GAW-PFR), traceable to the World AOD reference, and 15 Aerosol Robotic Network Cimel radiometers (AERONET-Cimel), calibrated individually with the Langley plot technique, was performed for four common or “near” wavelengths, 380, 440, 500 and 870 nm, in the period 2005–2015. The goal of this study is to assess whether, despite the marked technical differences between both networks (AERONET, GAW-PFR) and the number of instruments used, their long-term AOD data are comparable and consistent. The percentage of data meeting the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) traceability requirements (95 % of the AOD differences of an instrument compared to the WMO standards lie within specific limits) is >92 % at 380 nm, >95 % at 440 nm and 500 nm, and 98 % at 870 nm, with the results being quite similar for both AERONET version 2 (V2) and version 3 (V3). For the data outside these limits, the contribution of calibration and differences in the calculation of the optical depth contribution due to Rayleigh scattering and O3 and NO2absorption have a negligible impact. For AOD >0.1, a small but non-negligible percentage (∼1.9 %) of the AOD data outside the WMO limits at 380 nm can be partly assigned to the impact of dust aerosol forward scattering on the AOD calculation due to the different field of view of the instruments. Due to this effect the GAW-PFR provides AOD values, which are ∼3 % lower at 380 nm and ∼2 % lower at 500 nm compared with AERONET-Cimel. The comparison of the Ångström exponent (AE) shows that under non-pristine conditions (AOD >0.03 and AE <1) the AE differences remain <0.1. This long-term comparison shows an excellent traceability of AERONET-Cimel AOD with the World AOD reference at 440, 500 and 870 nm channels and a fairly good agreement at 380 nm, although AOD should be improved in the UV range.The Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss International Affairs Division, Swiss GCOS Office, has funded the project “The Global Atmosphere Watch Precision Filter Radiometer (GAW-PFR) Network for Aerosol Optical Depth long term measurements”, and specifically the GAW-PFR program at the Izaña Observatory. AEMET has funded the AERONET programme at the Izaña Observatory. Some of the AERONET-Cimel radiometers have been calibrated at Izaña Observatory by the AERONET Europe Calibration Service, financed by specific European Community programmes for integrating activities: Research Infrastructure Action under the Seventh Framework Programme (grant no. FP7/2007-2013) and ACTRIS (grant no. 45 262254). This research has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant no. 654109) (ACTRIS-2). Funding from MINECO (grant no. CTM2015-66742-R) and Junta de Castilla y León (grant no. VA100P17) is also gratefully acknowledged. Much of this study has been performed in the frame of the WMO CIMO Izaña test bed for aerosols and water vapour remote-sensing instruments funded by AEMET

A Multiple Stakeholder Multicriteria Decision Analysis in Diabetic Macular Edema Management: The MULTIDEX‑EMD Study

Background The clinical and economic management of retinal diseases has become more complex following the introduction of new intravitreal treatments. Multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) offers the potential to overcome the challenges associated with traditional decision-making tools. Objectives A MCDA to determine the most relevant criteria to decision-making in the management of diabetic macular edema (DME) based on the perspectives of multiple stakeholders in Spain was developed. This MCDA was termed the MULTIDEX-EMD study. Methods Nineteen stakeholders (7 physicians, 4 pharmacists, 5 health authorities and health management experts, 1 psychologist, and 2 patient representatives) participated in this three-phase project. In phase A, an advisory board defined all of the criteria that could influence DME treatment decision-making. These criteria were then screened using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) (phase B). Next, a multinomial logit model was fitted by applying the backward elimination algorithm (relevant criteria: p value = 15 letters (p value < 0.001), effect duration per administration (p value = 0.008), retinal detachment (p value < 0.001), endophthalmitis (p value = 0.012), myocardial infarction (p value < 0.001), intravitreal hemorrhage (p value = 0.021), annual treatment cost per patient (p value = 0.001), health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (p value = 0.004), and disability level (p value = 0.021). Conclusions From a multi-stakeholder perspective, the selection of an appropriate treatment for DME patients should guarantee patient safety and maximize the visual acuity improvement and treatment effect duration. It should also contribute to system sustainability by being affordable, it should have a positive impact on HRQoL, and it should prevent disability