Effect of Progesterone, Cortisol and Dhea on the ITR of maedivisna virus transcripcional activity

Estudios previos sugieren que, al igual que en otras infecciones por retrovirus, las hormonas esteroideas serían capaces de dirigir la expresión del virus de Maedi-Visna (MVV) mediante la interacción con los Elementos de Respuesta a Hormona (HRE) de la región promotora/reguladora LTR (Repeticiones Largas Terminales) del genoma del provirus. El objetivo de este trabajo fue la evaluación del efecto del cortisol, progesterona y dehidroepiandrosterona (DHEA) sobre la capacidad transcripcional de la región LTR de MVV mediante ensayos de transfección en fibroblastos ovinos con plásmidos pAcGFP (que contiene el gen para la GFP, proteína verde fluorescente) en los que se había clonado la región U3-cap del LTR de distintas cepas de MVV. La actividad transcripcional del LTR se evaluó a través de la cuantificación de la expresión de la GFP por citometría de flujo con las distintas concentraciones de cada hormona tras 48 horas de incubación. En la mayoría de los ensayos se observó un claro efecto inhibitorio de la transcripción del LTR a elevadas concentraciones hormonales, disminuyendo el efecto a medida que se diluía la hormona, llegando incluso en el caso de cortisol y de DHEA a producirse un incremento de la expresión a partir de 10-7M. En general no se pudo asociar una diferente respuesta con el origen de la cepa estudiada lo que sugiere que no está relacionado con los distintos orígenes/tropismos de los virus. Estos datos sugieren la presencia de un sitio HRE capaz de responder a estimulación hormonal en el LTR de MVV.Previous studies suggest that steroid hormones may direct the expression of Maedi-Visna virus (MVV), as has been observed in other retroviral infections. This would be achieved through the promoter/regulator region of the LTR (long terminal repeats) of the proviral genome, which would contain hormone responsive elements (HRE). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cortisol, progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) on the transcriptional ability of the MVV LTR region. For this, sheep fibroblasts were transfected with pAcGFP plasmids (containing the gene for green fluorescent protein, GFP) in which the U3-cap region of the LTR of different strains of MVV had been cloned. Different concentrations of each hormone were added to transfected cells and the transcriptional activity of the LTR was evaluated after 48 hours of incubation by quantifying the expression of GFP by flow cytometry. A clear inhibitory effect of the transcriptional ability of the LTR was observed in most of the assays at high hormonal concentrations. This effect decreased with the increasing dilutions of the hormones, to the point that GFP expression was above baseline in cells transfected with several of the plasmids and treated with dilutions above 10-7M of cortisol and DHEA. In general terms, a different response could not be associated to the origin of the strain under study, suggesting that the effect of steroids is not related to the different origins/tropisms of the virus. These data suggest the presence of a hormone responsive element (HRE) in the MVV LTR able to respond to hormonal stimulation

Modeling dam break behavior over a wet bed by a SPH technique

Dam break evolution over dry and wet beds is analyzed with a smoothed particle hydrodynamics model. The model is shown to accurately fit both experimental dam break profiles and the measured velocities. In addition, the model allows one to study different propagation regimes during the dam break evolution. In particular, different dissipation mechanisms were identified: bottom friction and wave breaking. Although breaking dominates over wet beds at the beginning of the movement, bottom friction becomes the main dissipation mechanism in the long run

Simultaneous obtention of multicomponent ferroalloy and slag from black sands for the development of electrical arc welding consumables

10 páginas, 3 figuras, 8 tablas.[ES] En este trabajo se expone una caracterización química y mineralógica de las arenas negras del placer Mejías de Sagua de Tánamo, el más importante placer litoral de playa del noroeste de Cuba Oriental. A partir de estas caracterizaciones se desarrolla una estrategia de cálculo para la confección de la carga metalúrgica, que permite obtener, simultáneamente, al ser procesada por reducción carbotérmica en un homo de arco eléctrico, una ferroaleación multicomponente y una escoria útil para la confección de consumibles de soldadura por arco eléctrico. El polvo de la escoria obtenida se aglomera con vidrio líquido. Los pelets resultantes y su comportamiento en la soldadura automática por arco sumergido (SAW), presentan propiedades metalúrgicas y tecnológicas que satisfacen los requisitos de una matriz de un fundente aglomerado. La composición química de la ferroaleación multicomponente está constituida por elementos metálicos: vanadio, cromo, molibdeno, titanio y niobio (V, Cr, Mo, Ti y Nb) de alto valor metalúrgico y aleante, apropiada para la formulación de cargas aleantes de consumibles tanto para la soldadura manual (SMAW) como para la SAW.[EN] In this paper, chemical and mineralogical characterizations of the black sands of the Mejias placer of Sagua de Tánamo (the most important beach littoral placer of the northwest of oriental Cuba) are exposed. Starting from these characterizations a calculation strategy is developed for the making of the metallurgical load that allows to obtain simultaneously, when processed by carbothermic reduction in an electrical arc furnace, a multicomponent ferroalloy and a useful slag for the making of electric arch welding consumables. The powder of the obtained slag is agglomerated with liquid glass. The resulting pellets, due to their behavior on the submerged arc welding (SAW) present technological and metallurgical properties that correspond with the requirements of an agglomerated flux matrix. The chemical composition of the multicomponent ferroalloy is constituted by metallic elements of high metallurgical and alloyed values (V, Cr, Mo, Ti, Nb). It is appropriate for the formulation of consumables for manual welding (SMAW) and SAW, as well.Peer reviewe

SeDeLo: Using semantics and description logics to support aided clinical diagnosis.

Automated medical diagnosis systems based on knowledge-oriented descriptions have gained momentum with the emergence of semantic descriptions. The objective of this paper is to propose a normalized design that solves some of the problems which have been detected by authors in previous tools. The authors bring together two different technologies to develop a new clinical decision support system: description logics aimed at developing inference systems to improve decision support for the prevention, treatment and management of illness and semantic technologies. Because of its new design, the system is capable of obtaining improved diagnostics compared with previous efforts. However, this evaluation is more focused in the computational performance, giving as result that description logics is a good solution with small data sets. In this paper, we provide a well-structured ontology for automated diagnosis in the medical field and a three-fold formalization based on Description Logics with the use of Semantic Web technologiesThis work is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism, and Commerce under the project TRAZAMED (IPT 090000 2010 007).Publicad

The Peña do Seo W-Sn deposit, NW Iberia: Petrology, fluid inclusions and O-H-S isotopes

The Peña do Seo W-Sn ore deposit in NW Iberia consists mainly of quartz veins hosted in schists. Vein mineralogy comprises wolframite, cassiterite and minor molybdenite. Peraluminous S-type granites and minor metaluminous granitoid breccias crop out in the same location. Whole rock geochemistry, mineral characterization, fluid inclusions and stable isotope geochemistry have been combined to infer hydrothermal mineralization conditions. A pre-ore stage (0) involving the alteration of host rocks, three stages of mineralization (I, II and III), and a supergene stage (IV) have been identified. Stage I (oxide-halide-sulfide stage) consisted of a cassiterite-pyrite-fluorite mineralization in granitoid breccias. Stage II (main oxide stage) involved wolframite-rich selvages and wolframite-cassiterite-(molybdenite) quartz veins. Stage III (main sulfide stage) consisted of a sulfide mineralization in quartz veins comprising pyrite and minor arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite. Three types of fluid inclusions were found in vein quartz: (1) aqueous two-phase inclusions, with homogenization temperatures (Th) between 445 °C and 280 °C and moderate salinities (9–14 wt% NaCl eq.), (2) aqueous-carbonic three-phase fluid inclusions, with Th from 340 °C to 260 °C and low salinities (2–7 wt% NaCl eq.), and (3) aqueous two-phase fluid inclusions, with Th from 270 °C to 155 °C and low salinities (0–6 wt% NaCl eq.). δ18O values in quartz from mineralized veins range from +11.2‰ to +13.4‰, and between +15.0‰ and +15.4% in quartz from mineralized granitoid breccias. δ34S values in sulfides (pyrite, arsenopyrite and chalcopyrite) range between +13.0 ‰ and +37.1 ‰, thus suggesting a marine source of sulfate and possible equilibration with host-rock sulfides. δD values in muscovite and chlorite from quartz veins range between −105.7 ‰ and −71.5 ‰ and between −69.4 ‰ and −67.1 ‰, respectively, indicating a transition from magmatic to magmatic-metamorphic conditions. An aqueous (H2O–NaCl) magmatic-hydrothermal fluid led to the W-Sn mineralization, as deduced from the studied fluid inclusions and isotopic signatures. High W and Sn contents in the peraluminous granites indicate that the W-Sn mineralization in Peña do Seo could partially be related to the granites and granitoid breccias. Whereas the Sn (±W) likely derived from hydrothermal fluids exsolving from the crystallizing magmas, host quartz schists would have supplied other elements required for wolframite deposition such as Fe and Mn. Sulfide mineralization in stage III was probably driven by fluid dilution.Depto. de Mineralogía y PetrologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEINTERREG V-A Spain-Portugal Cooperation Programme, 2014-20Junta de Castilla y Leónpu

Factores asociados al incremento en el uso de la metodología enfermera en Atención Primaria

Introduction: Indicators show a sustained increase in the use of nursing methodology (NM) in the Health Complex in Tenerife.Aim: to identify the factors that may be associated with this growth.Methods and materials: Retrospective analytical study. Area of study: patients with a computerised record of health. Subjects of the study numbered 609,688. Data analysis was performed from March 2005 to February 2010. Measurements: these were analysed monthly for each Basic Health Area (BHA) and measured the relative frequency of records with functional health patterns, (PFS), NANDA diagnoses, NOC objectives and NIC interventions. An NM global index was constructed from the mean value of the indicators and growth was calculated over the 60 months studied. Other variables measured included users of nursing consultations; quotas; patient load; non programmed consultations; consultations from other areas; home visits; presence of link nursing in the BHA; training and assessment in ME in the BHA; computer time. Data processing: variables were summarised as median (P5-P95) due to the non normal distribution. The correlation índex-ME growth and each variable was estimated using the Spearman non parametric linear correlation coefficient. Comparisons were made with the Mann-Whitney U test. All tests were significant at 5%.Results: Findings show a greater percentage of health records with ME and greater monthly growth when computerisation in the area was longer; when the percentage of users of nursing consultancies was higher; when the number of home visits was higher; when patient load was greater; when quotas were smaller; when consultations from other areas were lower. There was a higher percentage of medical records with ME and greater monthly growth in BHAs with ME assessment programme and in areas with ECE.Conclusions: Increased use of ME in the BHA in Tenerife is associated to each of the factors considered in different direction and size.Introducción: Se observa un incremento sostenido en los indicadores de empleo de la Metodología enfermera (ME) en el Área de Salud de Tenerife.Objetivo: Identificar los factores que pudieran asociarse a este crecimiento.Material y métodos: Estudio analítico retrospectivo. Ámbito de estudio: Pacientes con historia de salud informatizada. Los sujetos del estudio fueron 609688. El análisis de los datos se llevó a cabo en el periodo temporal marzo de 2005 a febrero de 2010. Mediciones: Se analizaron, para cada Zona Básica de Salud (ZBS) y mensualmente, la frecuencia relativa de historias con Patrones funcionales de salud (PFS), diagnósticos NANDA, objetivos NOC e intervenciones NIC. Se construyó un índice global de ME con el valor medio de estos indicadores y se calculó el crecimiento a lo largo de los 60 meses a estudio. Se midieron también otras variables: utilizadores de consultas de enfermería; volumen del cupo; presión asistencial; consultas fuera de agenda prevista; consultas de otras zonas; visitas a domicilio; presencia de enfermería de enlace (ECE) en la ZBS; formación-asesoramiento en ME en la ZBS; tiempo de informatización. Procesamiento de datos: Las variables se resumieron como mediana (P5-P95) debido a su distribución no normal. La correlación entre índice-crecimiento ME y cada variable se estimó utilizando el coeficiente de correlación lineal no paramétrica de Spearman. Las comparaciones se realizaron con la prueba U de Mann-Whitney. Todas las pruebas a un 5% de significación estadística.Resultados: Se comprobó un mayor porcentaje de historias de salud con ME así como un mayor crecimiento mensual: a mayor tiempo de informatización en la zona; a mayor porcentaje de utilizadores de consultas deenfermería; a mayor número de visitas a domicilio; a mayor presión asistencial; a menor volumen de cupo; a menor porcentaje de consultas de otras zonas. Igualmente se comprobó mayor porcentaje de historias de salud con ME y mayor crecimiento mensual en las ZBS formadas con un programa de asesoramiento en ME así como en las zonas con ECE.Conclusiones: El incremento en el empleo de la ME en las ZBS de Tenerife se asocia a cada uno de los factores considerados, en diferente sentido y magnitud

Late presentation of chronic HBV and HCV patients seeking first time specialist care in Spain: a 2-year registry review

Chronic viral hepatitis infection affects an estimated 325 million people globally. People who initiate treatment after significant disease progression face increased risk of severe liver complications and death. Data are scarce on the characteristics and risk factors of people who present late to care in Spain and globally. Data were collected from January 2018 to December 2019 to report late presentation (LP) to specialist care at 11 large university hospitals in Spain to assess related risk factors using a multivariable logistic regression model. 2290 (CHB = 505, CHC = 1785) patients were analysed, with 581 (25.2%) presenting late. Hepatitis C patients more frequently reported LP compared to hepatitis B patients (28.1% vs 15.0%; p < 0.001). Older age (p < 0.001), being male (p < 0.001), being Spanish‑born (p < 0.001), and having an unknown origin of referral (p = 0.08) were associated with a higher likelihood of LP. Advanced liver disease was identified in 533 (23%) patients and late‑stage liver disease in 124 (5.4%). LP, including with irreversible liver damage, to viral hepatitis specialist care is frequent in Spain, despite being a country with unrestricted treatment access. Initiatives to reduce LP should specifically target men, older individuals, foreign‑born populations for CHB, and Spanish nationals for CHC

Rapid decrease in titer and breadth of neutralizing anti-HCV antibodies in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who achieved SVR

The main targets for neutralizing anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies (HCV-nAbs) are the E1 and E2 envelope glycoproteins. We have studied the characteristics of HCV-nAbs through a retrospective study involving 29 HIV/HCV-coinfected patients who achieved sustained virological response (SVR) with pegIFNα+ribavirin anti-HCV therapy. Plasma samples at baseline and week 24 after SVR were used to perform neutralization assays against fve JFH1-based HCV recombinant viruses coding for E1 and E2 from genotypes 1a (H77), 1b (J4), 2a (JFH1), 3a (S52) and 4a (ED43). At baseline, the majority of plasma samples neutralized 1a, 1b, 2a, and 4a, but not 3a, genotypes. Twenty-four weeks following SVR, most neutralizing titers declined substantially. Furthermore, titers against 3a and 2a were not detected in many patients. Plasma samples with high HCV-nAb titers neutralized all genotypes, and the highest titers at the starting point correlated with the highest titers at week 24 after SVR. In conclusion, high titers of broad-spectrum HCV-nAbs were detected in HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals, however, those titers declined soon after SVRThis study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; grant numbers PI14/01094 and PI17/00657 to JB, PI17/00903 to JGG, PI14CIII/00011 and PI17CIII/00003 to SR) and Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad (grant number EC11-241). Te study was also funded by the RD16CIII/0002/0002, RD16/0025/0018, and RD16/0025/0017 projects as part of the Plan Nacional R+D+I and co-funded by ISCIII- Subdirección General de Evaluación and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER

Assessment of oceanographic services for the monitoring of highly anthropised coastal lagoons: The Mar Menor case study

Ocean monitoring systems are designed for continuous monitoring to track their evolution and anticipate environmental issues. However, they are often based on IoT systems that offer little spatial coverage and are hard to maintain. Satellite remote sensing offers good geographical coverage but they also face several challenges to become a monitoring system. This paper introduces an easy-to-use software tool to crawl water-quality data from up to 6 satellite instruments from the ESA and NASA. Particularly, Chl-a data is deeply analyzed in terms of reliability and data coverage for a highly anthropised coastal lagoon (Mar Menor, Spain), where serious socio-environmental issues are happening. Our results show a good linear correlation between in situ data and SRS data, reaching values close to 0.9, and stating the relevance of organic matter inputs from ephemeral streams in Chl-a concentrations. Moreover, temporal granularity is increased from 5 to 1.5 days by combining SRS sources.Preprin