Center-commissioned external review of International Water Management Institute: Consolidated report, 19-29 May 2003

Agricultural research / Research institutes / Research policy / Research priorities / Planning / Monitoring / Evaluation / Financial resources / Gender

Binary metal oxides for composite ultrafiltration membranes

A new ultrafiltration membrane was developed by the incorporation of binary metal oxides inside polyethersulfone. Physico-chemical characterization of the binary metal oxides demonstrated that the presence of Ti in the TiO2?ZrO2 system results in an increase of the size of the oxides, and also their dispersity. The crystalline phases of the synthesized binary metal oxides were identified as srilankite and zirconium titanium oxide. The effect of the addition of ZrO2 can be expressed in terms of the inhibition of crystal growth of anocrystalline TiO2 during the synthesis process. For photocatalytic applications the band gap of the synthesized semiconductors was determined, confirming a gradual increase (blue shift) in the band gap as the amount of Zr loading increases. Distinct distributions of binary metal oxides were found along the permeation axis for the synthesized membranes. Particles with Ti are more uniformly dispersed throughout the membrane cross-section. The physico-chemical characterization of membranes showed a strong correlation between some key membrane properties and the spatial particle distribution in the membrane structure. The proximity of metal oxide fillers to the membrane surface determines the hydrophilicity and porosity of modified membranes. Membranes incorporating binary metal oxides were found to be promising candidates for wastewater treatment by ultrafiltration, considering the observed improvement influx and anti-fouling properties of doped membranes. Multi-run fouling tests of doped membranes confirmed the stability of permeation through membranes embedded with binary TiO2?ZrO2 particles

miR-146a is a pivotal regulator of neutrophil extracellular trap formation promoting thrombosis.

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) induce a procoagulant response linking inflammation and thrombosis. Low levels of miR-146a, a brake of inflammatory response, are involved in higher risk for cardiovascular events, but the mechanisms explaining how miR-146a exerts its function remain largely undefined. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of miR-146a deficiency in NETosis both, in sterile and non-sterile models in vivo, and to inquire into the underlying mechanism. Two models of inflammation were performed: 1) Ldlr-/- mice transplanted with bone marrow from miR-146a-/- or wild type (WT) were fed high-fat diet, generating an atherosclerosis model; and 2) an acute inflammation model was generated by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1 mg/Kg) into miR-146a-/- and WT mice. miR-146a deficiency increased NETosis in both models. Accordingly, miR-146a-/- mice showed significant reduced carotid occlusion time and elevated levels of NETs in thrombi following FeCl3-induced thrombosis. Infusion of DNAse I abolished arterial thrombosis in WT and miR-146a-/- mice. Interestingly, miR-146a deficient mice have aged, hyperreactive and pro-inflammatory neutrophils in circulation that are more prone to form NETs independently of the stimulus. Furthermore, we demonstrated that community acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients with reduced miR-146a levels associated with the T variant of the functional rs2431697, presented an increased risk for cardiovascular events due in part to an increased generation of NETs.This work was supported by research grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional “Investing in your future” (PI17/00051 y PI17/01421) (PFIS18/0045: A.M. de los Reyes-García) (CD18/00044: S. Águila), and Fundación Séneca (19873/GERM/15). The CNIC is supported by the ISCIII, the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU), and the Fundación Pro CNIC, and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). A.B. Arroyo has a research fellowship from Sociedad Española de Trombosis y Hemostasia (SETH). The MCIU supported A.dM. (predoctoral contract BES-2014-067791).S

RSV-specific airway resident memory CD8+ T cells and differential disease severity after experimental human infection

In animal models, resident memory CD8+ T (Trm) cells assist in respiratory virus elimination but their importance in man has not been determined. Here, using experimental human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection, we investigate systemic and local virus-specific CD8+ T cell responses in adult volunteers. Having defined the immunodominance hierarchy, we analyze phenotype and function longitudinally in blood and by serial bronchoscopy. Despite rapid clinical recovery, we note surprisingly extensive lower airway inflammation with persistent viral antigen and cellular infiltrates. Pulmonary virus-specific CD8+ T cells display a CD69+CD103+ Trm phenotype and accumulate to strikingly high frequencies into convalescence without continued proliferation. These are more highly differentiated but express fewer cytotoxicity markers than in blood, but their abundance prior to infection correlates with protection from more severe disease

Symbolic Dynamic Analysis of Relations Between Cardiac and Breathing Cycles in Patients on Weaning Trials

Traditional time-domain techniques of data analysis are often not sufficient to characterize the complex dynamics of the cardiorespiratory interdependencies during the weaning trials. In this paper, the interactions between the heart rate (HR) and the breathing rate (BR) were studied using joint symbolic dynamic analysis. A total of 133 patients on weaning trials from mechanical ventilation were analyzed: 94 patients with successful weaning (group S) and 39 patients that failed to maintain spontaneous breathing (group F). The word distribution matrix enabled a coarse-grained quantitative assessment of short-term nonlinear analysis of the cardiorespiratory interactions. The histogram of the occurrence probability of the cardiorespiratory words presented a higher homogeneity in group F than in group S, measured with a higher number of forbidden words in group S as well as a higher number of words whose probability of occurrence is higher than a probability threshold in group S. The discriminant analysis revealed the best results when applying symbolic dynamic variables. Therefore, we hypothesize that joint symbolic dynamic analysis provides enhanced information about different interactions between HR and BR, when comparing patients with successful weaning and patients that failed to maintain spontaneous breathing in the weaning procedure

IL-33-dependent Type 2 inflammation during rhinovirus-induced asthma exacerbations in vivo

Rationale: Rhinoviruses are the major cause of asthma exacerbations; however, its underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We hypothesized that the epithelial cell–derived cytokine IL-33 plays a central role in exacerbation pathogenesis through augmentation of type 2 inflammation. Objectives: To assess whether rhinovirus induces a type 2 inflammatory response in asthma in vivo and to define a role for IL-33 in this pathway. Methods: We used a human experimental model of rhinovirus infection and novel airway sampling techniques to measure IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-33 levels in the asthmatic and healthy airways during a rhinovirus infection. Additionally, we cultured human T cells and type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) with the supernatants of rhinovirusinfected bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) to assess type 2 cytokine production in the presence or absence of IL-33 receptor blockade. Measurements and Main Results: IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and IL-33 are all induced by rhinovirus in the asthmatic airway in vivo and relate to exacerbation severity. Further, induction of IL-33 correlates with viral load and IL-5 and IL-13 levels. Rhinovirus infection of human primary BECs induced IL-33, and culture of human T cells and ILC2s with supernatants of rhinovirus-infected BECs strongly induced type 2 cytokines. This induction was entirely dependent on IL-33. Conclusions: IL-33 and type 2 cytokines are induced during a rhinovirus-induced asthma exacerbation in vivo. Virus-induced IL-33 and IL-33–responsive T cells and ILC2s are key mechanistic links between viral infection and exacerbation of asthma. IL-33 inhibition is a novel therapeutic approach for asthma exacerbation

Herlyn-werner-wunderlich syndrome: MRI findings, radiological guide (two cases and literature review), and differential diagnosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Herlyn-Werner-Wunderlich (HWW) syndrome is a very rare congenital anomaly of the urogenital tract involving Müllerian ducts and Wolffian structures, and it is characterized by the triad of didelphys uterus, obstructed hemivagina and ipsilateral renal agenesis. It generally occurs at puberty and exhibits non-specific and variable symptoms with acute or pelvic pain shortly following menarche, causing a delay in the diagnosis. Moreover, the diagnosis is complicated by the infrequency of this syndrome, because Müllerian duct anomalies (MDA) are infrequently encountered in a routine clinical setting.</p> <p>Cases presentation</p> <p>two cases of HWW syndrome in adolescents and a differential diagnosis for one case of a different MDA, and the impact of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging technology to achieve the correct diagnosis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>MR imaging is a very suitable diagnostic tool in order to perform the correct diagnosis of HWW syndrome.</p

Evaluando el progreso de la eficiencia con tecnología en una cadena de hoteles española

This paper analyzes the changes in the total factor productivity index of a Spanish hotel chain in the period from 2007 to 2010 with the purpose of identifying efficiency patterns for the chain in a period of financial crisis. The data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist productivity index was used to estimate productivity change in 38 hotels of the AC chain. Results reveal AC hotels’ efficiency trends and, therefore, their competitiveness in the recession period; they also show the changes experienced in these hotels’ total productivity and its components: technological and efficiency changes. Positive efficiency changes were due to positive technical efficiency rather than technological efficiency. The recession period certainly influenced the performance of AC Hotels, which focused on organizational changes rather than investing in technology.Este artigo analisa as mudanças no fator total de produtividade de uma cadeia de hotéis na Espanha, no período de 2007-2010, com o propósito de identificar os padrões da cadeia em um período de crise financeira. O índice data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist de produtividade foi usado para estimar a mudança da produtividade nos 38 hotéis da AC Cadeia de Hotéis. Os resultados revelaram as tendências de eficiência e competitividade da AC Hotéis em um período de recessão, bem como as mudanças vivenciadas na produtividade total e, consequentemente, em seus componentes de eficiência e tecnológicos. O período de recessão influenciou, sem dúvida, o comportamento da AC Hotéis, que buscou mais mudanças organizacionais do que tecnológicas.Este artículo analiza los cambios del índice de productividad del factor total de una cadena de hoteles españoles en el periodo de 2007 hasta 2010, con el propósito de identificar patrones de eficiencia para la cadena en un periodo de crisis financiera. El índice de productividad data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist fue utilizado para estimar el cambio de productividad en 38 hoteles de la cadena AC. Los resultados revelan las tendencias de la eficiencia de los hoteles AC y, por lo tanto, su competitividad en el periodo de recisión; ellos también demuestran los cambios experimentados en la productividad total de eses hoteles y sus componentes: cambios de eficiencia y tecnológicos. Cambios de eficiencia positivos se debieron más bien a eficiencias técnicas positivas que a eficiencias tecnológicas. El periodo de recesión ciertamente ha influenciado los Hoteles AC, que enfocaron más en los cambios organizacionales que en invirtiendo en tecnología

Effectiveness of Anti-TNF for Crohn Disease: Research in a Pediatric Learning Health System

ImproveCareNow (ICN) is the largest pediatric learning health system in the nation and started as a quality improvement collaborative. To test the feasibility and validity of using ICN data for clinical research, we evaluated the effectiveness of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α (anti-TNFα) agents in the management of pediatric Crohn disease (CD)