Revision of TD1 and TD2 stratigraphic sequence of Gran Dolina cave (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain)

Gran Dolina es una cueva rellena por al menos 25 m de sedimentos pleistocenos dividido en 12 unidades litoestratigráficas y 19 facies sedimentarias. Estas facies sedimentarias se han dividido entre facies alóctonas, definidas como entradas de sedimentos desde el exterior, y facies autóctonas, definidas como sedimentos generadas dentro del karst; sin embargo, esta clasificación de facies ha sido cuestionada en trabajos recientes. En este estudio se ha descrito en detalle las unidades TD1 y TD2 de Gran Dolina y se ha evaluado la idoneidad del uso de facies autóctonas. Para ello, se ha estudiado la sección estratigráfica de la excavación arqueológica, combinando observaciones de campo con análisis de laboratorio (tamizado, difracción láser y DRX) para caracterizar la textura y estructura de los sedimentos. A partir de estos estudios, se han identificado un total de 8 facies sedimentarias, y se han separado la unidad TD1 en dos sub-unidades y 13 niveles, y la unidad TD2 en tres sub-unidades. La asociación de facies indica una sucesión de fases freáticas y vadosas que definiría conjuntamente condiciones epifreáticas en el interior de la cueva, relacionadas con la transición entre la terraza T3 y la terraza T4 del valle del río Arlanzón. Por tanto, se propone el término facies de interior (y facies de entrada en vez de facies alóctonas) para definir los sedimentos de las unidades de TD1 y TD2 de Gran Dolina, ya que el análisis de facies indica transporte de los sedimentos por corrientes subterráneas.This study was supported by the project PGC2018-093925-B-C31 of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spanish State Research Agency and FEDER funds from the UE. Project PID2021-122355NB-C33 financed by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga/CBUA. I. Campaña is the beneficiary of a postdoctoral grant from Junta de Andalucía. This work has benefited from discussion with Mathieu Duval, Lucía Bermejo, Lucía Ojeda and Sergio Durán. The constructive comments made by one anonymous reviewer and Dr. Ivan Martini contributed to improve the manuscript

Accurate Identification of ALK Positive Lung Carcinoma Patients: Novel FDA-Cleared Automated Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization Scanning System and Ultrasensitive Immunohistochemistry

Background: Based on the excellent results of the clinical trials with ALK-inhibitors, the importance of accurately identifying ALK positive lung cancer has never been greater. However, there are increasing number of recent publications addressing discordances between FISH and IHC. The controversy is further fuelled by the different regulatory approvals. This situation prompted us to investigate two ALK IHC antibodies (using a novel ultrasensitive detection-amplification kit) and an automated ALK FISH scanning system (FDA-cleared) in a series of non-small cell lung cancer tumor samples. Methods: Forty-seven ALK FISH-positive and 56 ALK FISH-negative NSCLC samples were studied. All specimens were screened for ALK expression by two IHC antibodies (clone 5A4 from Novocastra and clone D5F3 from Ventana) and for ALK rearrangement by FISH (Vysis ALK FISH break-apart kit), which was automatically captured and scored by using Bioview's automated scanning system. Results: All positive cases with the IHC antibodies were FISH-positive. There was only one IHC-negative case with both antibodies which showed a FISH-positive result. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the IHC in comparison with FISH were 98% and 100%, respectively. Conclusions: The specificity of these ultrasensitive IHC assays may obviate the need for FISH confirmation in positive IHC cases. However, the likelihood of false negative IHC results strengthens the case for FISH testing, at least in some situation

Avances en Informática y Automática. Décimo Workshop

[ES]El Máster Oficial en Sistemas Inteligentes de la Universidad de Salamanca tiene como principal objetivo promover la iniciación de los estudiantes en el ámbito de la investigación. El congreso organizado por el Departamento de Informática y Automática que se celebra dentro del Máster en Sistemas Inteligentes de la Universidad de Salamanca proporciona la oportunidad ideal para que sus estudiantes presenten los principales resultados de sus Trabajos de Fin de Máster y obtengan una realimentación del interés de los mismos. La décima edición del workshop “Avances en Informática y Automática”, correspondiente al curso 2015 - 2016, ha sido un encuentro interdisciplinar donde se han presentado trabajos pertenecientes a un amplio abanico de líneas de investigación, desde los sistemas biométricos y la visualización de la información hasta la minería de datos pasando por otros campos relacionados. Todos los trabajos han sido supervisados por investigadores de reconocido prestigio pertenecientes a la Universidad de Salamanca, proporcionando el marco idóneo para sentar las bases de una futura tesis doctoral. Entre los principales objetivos del congreso se encuentran: Ofrecer a los estudiantes un marco donde exponer sus primeros trabajos de investigación. Proporcionar a los participantes un foro donde discutir ideas y encontrar nuevas sugerencias de compañeros, investigadores y otros asistentes a la reunión. Permitir a cada estudiante una realimentación de los participantes sobre su trabajo y una orientación sobre las futuras direcciones de investigación. Contribuir al desarrollo del espíritu de colaboración en la investigación

Assessment of a New ROS1 Immunohistochemistry Clone (SP384) for the Identification of ROS1 Rearrangements in Patients with Non–Small Cell Lung Carcinoma: the ROSING Study

Introduction: The ROS1 gene rearrangement has become an important biomarker in NSCLC. The College of American Pathologists/International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/Association for Molecular Pathology testing guidelines support the use of ROS1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) as a screening test, followed by confirmation with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or a molecular test in all positive results. We have evaluated a novel anti-ROS1 IHC antibody (SP384) in a large multicenter series to obtain real-world data. Methods: A total of 43 ROS1 FISH-positive and 193 ROS1 FISH-negative NSCLC samples were studied. All specimens were screened by using two antibodies (clone D4D6 from Cell Signaling Technology and clone SP384 from Ventana Medical Systems), and the different interpretation criteria were compared with break-apart FISH (Vysis). FISH-positive samples were also analyzed with next-generation sequencing (Oncomine Dx Target Test Panel, Thermo Fisher Scientific). Results: An H-score of 150 or higher or the presence of at least 70% of tumor cells with an intensity of staining of 2+ or higher by the SP384 clone was the optimal cutoff value (both with 93% sensitivity and 100% specificity). The D4D6 clone showed similar results, with an H-score of at least 100 (91% sensitivity and 100% specificity). ROS1 expression in normal lung was more frequent with use of the SP384 clone (p < 0.0001). The ezrin gene (EZR)-ROS1 variant was associated with membranous staining and an isolated green signal FISH pattern (p = 0.001 and p = 0.017, respectively). Conclusions: The new SP384 ROS1 IHC clone showed excellent sensitivity without compromising specificity, so it is another excellent analytical option for the proposed testing algorithm

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Diverse Large HIV-1 Non-subtype B Clusters Are Spreading Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in Spain

In Western Europe, the HIV-1 epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) is dominated by subtype B. However, recently, other genetic forms have been reported to circulate in this population, as evidenced by their grouping in clusters predominantly comprising European individuals. Here we describe four large HIV-1 non-subtype B clusters spreading among MSM in Spain. Samples were collected in 9 regions. A pol fragment was amplified from plasma RNA or blood-extracted DNA. Phylogenetic analyses were performed via maximum likelihood, including database sequences of the same genetic forms as the identified clusters. Times and locations of the most recent common ancestors (MRCA) of clusters were estimated with a Bayesian method. Five large non-subtype B clusters associated with MSM were identified. The largest one, of F1 subtype, was reported previously. The other four were of CRF02_AG (CRF02_1; n = 115) and subtypes A1 (A1_1; n = 66), F1 (F1_3; n = 36), and C (C_7; n = 17). Most individuals belonging to them had been diagnosed of HIV-1 infection in the last 10 years. Each cluster comprised viruses from 3 to 8 Spanish regions and also comprised or was related to viruses from other countries: CRF02_1 comprised a Japanese subcluster and viruses from 8 other countries from Western Europe, Asia, and South America; A1_1 comprised viruses from Portugal, United Kingom, and United States, and was related to the A1 strain circulating in Greece, Albania and Cyprus; F1_3 was related to viruses from Romania; and C_7 comprised viruses from Portugal and was related to a virus from Mozambique. A subcluster within CRF02_1 was associated with heterosexual transmission. Near full-length genomes of each cluster were of uniform genetic form. Times of MRCAs of CRF02_1, A1_1, F1_3, and C_7 were estimated around 1986, 1989, 2013, and 1983, respectively. MRCA locations for CRF02_1 and A1_1 were uncertain (however initial expansions in Spain in Madrid and Vigo, respectively, were estimated) and were most probable in Bilbao, Spain, for F1_3 and Portugal for C_7. These results show that the HIV-1 epidemic among MSM in Spain is becoming increasingly diverse through the expansion of diverse non-subtype B clusters, comprising or related to viruses circulating in other countries

Adelante / Endavant

Séptimo desafío por la erradicación de la violencia contra las mujeres del Institut Universitari d’Estudis Feministes i de Gènere "Purificación Escribano" de la Universitat Jaume