Friendly cities with vulnerable groups. A comparative perspective Cuba-Spain

Este artículo se enmarca dentro del Proyecto de Cooperación Internacional “Capacitación en accesibilidad universal para la gestión estratégica del envejecimiento poblacional en la provincia de Villa Clara (Cuba)”, financiado por la Consejería de Fomento, Infraestructuras y Ordenación del Territorio de la Junta de Andalucía (2018/2020). Una ciudad amigable con las personas mayores es aquella que alienta el envejecimiento activo poblacional mediante las oportunidades de salud, participación y seguridad. El objetivo de este estudio es poner en valor la importancia de promover ciudades amigables con los colectivos más vulnerables, centrándonos en el de personas mayores, siendo éstas uno de los grupos de población que aparecen referenciados en la Carta Mundial de Derecho a la Ciudad de manera específica como objetos prioritarios de atención. Para ello, se ha llevado a cabo una revisión sistemática de la literatura existente en el tema, realizando una comparativa entre Cuba y España. Como resultados podemos señalar que, si bien existen en ambos países importantes avances, aún queda un largo camino por recorrer. Es necesario seguir desarrollando estrategias de inclusión para evitar las dificultades de acceso e integración de la ciudadanía en general y los colectivos más vulnerables en particular.This article is part of the International Cooperation Project "Training in universal accessibility for the strategic management of population aging in the province of Villa Clara (Cuba)", funded by the Ministry of Development, Infrastructure and Spatial Planning of the Junta de Andalucía (2018/2020). A city friendly to older people is one that encourages active population aging through opportunities for health, participation and safety. The objective of this study is to value the importance of promoting cities that are friendly towards the most vulnerable groups, focusing on the elderly, being one of the population groups that are referenced specifically in the World Charter on the Right to the City as priority objects of attention. To do this, a systematic review of the existing literature on the subject has been carried out, making a comparison between Cuba and Spain. As results we can point out that, although there are important advances in both countries, there is still a long way to go. It is necessary to continue developing inclusion strategies to avoid the integration and access difficulties of citizens in general and the most vulnerable groups in particular

Elaeophorosis in Red Deer from Spain

Elaeophorosis, caused by Elaeophora elaphi, was observed in red deer (Cervus elaphus) from Toledo Province (Spain) for the first time. Adult specimens of Elaeophora elaphi were found in the hepatic vessels of nine of 151 red deer between October 1994 and September 1995; intensity of infection was two to 18 nematodes per host. Adult nematodes were only found during the period from fall through early spring. No differences were present between sex or age groups. Parasites were not found in a limited sample from fallow deer (Dama dama). Blood samples were negative for the presence of microfilariae

Infección por Listeria monocytogenes en paciente con sarcoma pélvico

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive bacillus. Infection in humans is unusual, mainly affecting immunosuppressed patients. However, there has been a notable increase in cases recently. This case is of a 75-yearold female treated with hemipelvectomy and subsequent reconstruction with a prosthesis anchored to the iliac crest; she later suffered post-surgical infection with Listeria monocytogenes. We discuss the treatment followed and post-operative evolution. The patient fully recovered, normal blood tests 40 days after discharge from hospital and asymptomatic 2 years after surgery. Although infection with Listeria monocytogenes after prosthetic surgery is an uncommon complication, it is important to bear it in mind and be prepared for treating it, both from a surgical perspective and in terms of proper management with antibiotics.Listeria monocytogenes es un bacilo grampositivo. La afección en humanos es rara, afectando principalmente a pacientes inmunodeprimidos. No obstante, se ha apreciado un aumento de incidencia reciente. Presentamos el caso de una paciente de 75 años tratada mediante hemipelvectomía y una reconstrucción con una prótesis de anclaje ilíaco, que sufrió posteriormente una infección posquirúrgica por Listeriamonocytogenes. Se argumenta el tratamiento seguido y la evolución posoperatoria. La paciente presentó una recuperación completa, con normalización de valores analíticos a los 40 días del alta hospitalaria y 2 años después de la intervención continúa asintomática. Aunque la infección por Listeria monocytogenes tras una cirugía protésica es una complicación infrecuente, es importante tenerla en cuenta y estar preparados para su tratamiento, tanto desde un punto de vista quirúrgico, como para el correcto manejo antibiótico

Analytical tools for the multiplex rapid detection of SARS-CoV-2

There is a high demand for analytical tools that can readily be applied to effectively diagnose the Covid-19 but also to carry out screening and surveillance detection with enough frequency to get the transmission rates under control and thus help to timely tackling the disease. On the one hand, high throughput analytical benchtop approaches are still highly demanding for accelerating diagnostics. Such platforms are required to show multiplexed capabilities while in turn reducing the turnaround times of currently applied techniques such as the RT-PCR gold standard. On the other hand, massive screening and surveillance protocols still require for effective tools at the point of need that could reliably detect the virus in individuals after being exposed or the likelihood of being immunized after suffering from the disease. The rapid detection of coronavirus biomarkers, including RNA as well as spike and nucleocapsid proteins in nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal samples, together with host biomarkers such as immunoglobulins and cytokines in serum has been addressed in this work. We aim to produce tools that provided with a global response to the diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of the disease (Figure 1). All the biocomponents and corresponding bioassay protocols required for measuring these biomarkers have been tailored made and implemented in three different platforms. A calorimetric device based on a lateral flow assay format [1, 2] and a multiplex electrochemical platform comprising an electrochemical transducer array and a paper microfluidic component [3] have been adapted to produce tools to be used at the point of care. Likewise, a fluorescence microarray platform has been set up with the potential for high-throughput screening by recording molecular signatures thanks to the its multiplexing and miniaturization capabilities. REFERENCES [1] E. Polo et al. PCT, ES2013/070549 [2] E. Polo et al. Chem. Commun., 49 (2013) 3676 [3] C. Fernández-Sánchez et al. Application no. EP20382721.

CoQ10 reduces glioblastoma growth and infiltration through proteome remodeling and inhibition of angiogenesis and inflammation

Purpose: Most monotherapies available against glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) target individual hallmarks of this aggressive brain tumor with minimal success. In this article, we propose a therapeutic strategy using coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as a pleiotropic factor that crosses the blood-brain barrier and accumulates in cell membranes acting as an antioxidant, and in mitochondrial membranes as a regulator of cell bioenergetics and gene expression. Methods: Xenografts of U251 cells in nu/nu mice were used to assay tumor growth, hypoxia, angiogenesis, and inflammation. An orthotopic model was used to explore microglial infiltration, tumor growth, and invasion into the brain parenchyma. Cell proliferation, migration, invasion, proteome remodeling, and secretome were assayed in vitro. Conditioned media were used to assay angiogenesis, monocyte chemoattraction, and differentiation into macrophages in vitro. Results: CoQ10 treatment decreased tumor volume in xenografts and orthotopic models, although its effect on tumor cell proliferation was not direct. Tumors from mice treated with CoQ10 were less hypoxic and vascularized, having less infiltration from inflammatory cells. Treatment-induced downregulation of HIF-1α and NF-kB led to a complete remodeling of the tumor cells proteome and secretome, impacting angiogenesis, monocyte infiltration, and their differentiation into macrophages. Besides, tumor cell migration and invasion were drastically restricted by mechanisms involving modulation of the actin cytoskeleton and downregulation of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Conclusions: CoQ10 has a pleiotropic effect on GBM growth, targeting several hallmarks simultaneously. Thus, its integration into current treatments of this fatal disease should be considered. Keywords: Angiogenesis; Coenzyme Q10; Glioblastoma; Inflammation; Invasion.Propósito: La mayoría de las monoterapias disponibles contra el glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) se dirigen a las características individuales de este tumor cerebral agresivo con un éxito mínimo. En este artículo proponemos una estrategia terapéutica utilizando la coenzima Q 10 (CoQ 10 ) como factor pleiotrópico que atraviesa la barrera hematoencefálica y se acumula en las membranas celulares actuando como antioxidante, y en las membranas mitocondriales como regulador de la bioenergética celular y gen expresión. Métodos: Se utilizaron xenoinjertos de células U251 en ratones nu/nu para analizar el crecimiento tumoral, la hipoxia, la angiogénesis y la inflamación. Se utilizó un modelo ortotópico para explorar la infiltración microglial, el crecimiento tumoral y la invasión del parénquima cerebral. Se ensayaron in vitro la proliferación celular, la migración, la invasión, la remodelación del proteoma y el secretoma. Se usaron medios acondicionados para analizar la angiogénesis, la quimioatracción de monocitos y la diferenciación en macrófagos in vitro. Resultados: el tratamiento con CoQ 10 disminuyó el volumen tumoral en xenoinjertos y modelos ortotópicos, aunque su efecto sobre la proliferación de células tumorales no fue directo. Los tumores de ratones tratados con CoQ 10 eran menos hipóxicos y vascularizados, con menos infiltración de células inflamatorias. La regulación a la baja inducida por el tratamiento de HIF-1α y NF-kB condujo a una remodelación completa del proteoma y el secretoma de las células tumorales, lo que impactó en la angiogénesis, la infiltración de monocitos y su diferenciación en macrófagos. Además, la migración e invasión de células tumorales se vieron drásticamente restringidas por mecanismos que involucran la modulación del citoesqueleto de actina y la regulación a la baja de las metaloproteasas de matriz (MMP). Conclusiones: CoQ 10 tiene un efecto pleiotrópico en el crecimiento de GBM, apuntando a varios sellos simultáneamente. Por lo tanto, se debe considerar su integración en los tratamientos actuales de esta enfermedad mortal

SARS-CoV-2 mutant spectra reveal differences between COVID-19 severity categories

Trabajo presentado en el XVI Congreso Nacional de Virología, celebrado en Málaga (España) del 06 al 09 de septiembre de 2022.RNA virus populations are composed of complex mixtures of genomes that are termed mutant spectra. SARS-CoV-2 replicates as a viral quasispecies, and mutations that are detected at low frequencies in a host can be dominant in subsequent variants. We have studied mutant spectrum complexities of SARS-CoV-2 populations derived from thirty nasopharyngeal swabs of patients infected during the first wave (April 2020) in the Hospital Universitario Fundación Jiménez Díaz. The patients were classified according to the COVID-19 severity in mild (non-hospitalized), moderate (hospitalized) and exitus (hospitalized with ICU admission and who passed away due to COVID-19). Using ultra-deep sequencing technologies (MiSeq, Illumina), we have examined four amplicons of the nsp12 (polymerase)-coding region and two amplicons of the spike-coding region. Ultra-deep sequencing data were analyzed with different cut-off frequency for mutation detection. Average number of different point mutations, mutations per haplotype and several diversity indices were significantly higher in SARS-CoV-2 isolated from patients who developed mild disease. A feature that we noted in the SARS-CoV-2 mutant spectra from diagnostic samples is the remarkable absence of mutations at intermediate frequencies, and an overwhelming abundance of mutations at frequencies lower than 10%. Thus, the decrease of the cut-off frequency for mutation detection from 0.5% to 0.1% revealed an increasement (50- to 100 fold) in the number of different mutations. The significantly higher frequency of mutations in virus from patients displaying mild than moderate or severe disease was maintained with the 0.1% cut- off frequency. To evaluate whether the frequency repertoire of amino acid substitutions differed between SARS-CoV-2 and the well characterized hepatitis C virus (HCV), we performed a comparative study of mutant spectra from infected patients using the same bioinformatics pipelines. HCV did not show the deficit of intermediate frequency substitutions that was observed with SARS-CoV-2. This difference was maintained when two functionally equivalent proteins, the corresponding viral polymerases, were compared. In conclusion, SARS-CoV-2 mutant spectra are rich reservoirs of mutants, whose complexity is not uniform among clinical isolates. Virus from patients who developed mild disease may be a source of new variants that may acquire epidemiological relevance.This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Science and In-novation (COVID-19 Research Call COV20/00181), and co-financed by European Development Regional Fund ‘A way to achieve Europe’. The work was also supported by grants CSIC-COV19-014 from Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), project 525/C/2021 from Fundació La Marató de TV3, PID2020-113888RB-I00 from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, BFU2017-91384-EXP from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCIU), PI18/00210 and PI21/00139 from Instituto de Salud Carlos III, and S2018/BAA-4370 (PLATESA2 from Comunidad de Madrid/FEDER). C.P., M.C., and P.M. are supported by the Miguel Servet programme of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CPII19/00001, CPII17/00006, and CP16/00116, respectively) co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). CIBERehd (Centro de Investi-gación en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas) is funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Institutional grants from the Fundación Ramón Areces and Banco Santander to the CBMSO are also acknowledged. The team at CBMSO belongs to the Global Virus Network (GVN). B.M.-G. is supported by predoctoral contract PFIS FI19/00119 from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo) cofinanced by Fondo Social Europeo (FSE). R.L.-V. is supported by predoctoral contract PEJD-2019-PRE/BMD-16414 from Comunidad de Madrid. C.G.-C. is sup-ported by predoctoral contract PRE2018-083422 from MCIU. BS was supported by a predoctoral research fellowship (Doctorados Industriales, DI-17-09134) from Spanish MINECO

Plant characterization of genetically modified maize hybrids MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-88Ø17-3, MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-ØØ6Ø3-6, and MON-ØØ6Ø3-6: alternatives for maize production in Mexico

Environmental risk assessment (ERA) of genetically modified (GM) crops is a process to evaluate whether the biotechnology trait(s) in a GM crop may result in increased pest potential or harm to the environment. In this analysis, two GM insect-resistant (IR) herbicide-tolerant maize hybrids (MON-89Ø34-3 9 MON-88Ø17-3 and MON-89Ø34-3 9 MON-ØØ6Ø3-6) and one herbicide-tolerant GM hybrid (MON-ØØ6Ø3-6) were compared with conventional maize hybrids of similar genetic backgrounds. Two sets of studies, Experimental Phase and Pilot Phase, were conducted across five ecological regions (ecoregions) in Mexico during 2009–2013, and data were subject to meta-analysis. Results from the Experimental Phase studies, which were used for ERA, indicated that the three GM hybrids were not different from conventional maize for early stand count, days-tosilking, days-to-anthesis, root lodging, stalk lodging, or final stand count. Statistically significant differences were observed for seedling vigor, ear height, plant height, grain moisture, and grain yield, particularly in the IR hybrids; however, none of these phenotypic differences are expected to contribute to a biological or ecological change that would result in an increased pest potential or ecological risk when cultivating these GM hybrids. Overall, results from the Experimental Phase studies are consistent with those from other world regions, confirming that there are no additional risks compared to conventional maize. Results from Pilot Phase studies indicated that, compared to conventional maize hybrids, no differences were detected for the agronomic and phenotypic characteristics measured on the three GM maize hybrids, with the exception of grain moisture and grain yield in the IR hybrids. Since MON-89Ø34- 3 9 MON-88Ø17-3 and MON-89Ø34-3 9 MONØØ6Ø3- 6 confer resistance to target insect pests, they are an alternative for farmers in Mexico to protect the crop from insect damage. Additionally, the herbicide tolerance conferred by all three GM hybrids enables more cost-effective weed management

Hybrid Innovative Learning

El proyecto HYBRID INNOVATIVE LEARNING ha intentado abordar algunos de los retos docentes y académicos que plantean los escenarios generados por el COVID19 en el ámbito de la enseñanza superior y más específicamente en un contexto interdisciplinar relacionado entre otros con los estudios urbanos y medioambientales, políticas públicas, turismo e identidades dentro de las ciencias sociales. Estos retos están en conexión con inquietudes y aspiraciones metodológicas docentes previas de los miembros de este equipo que durante años han tratado de introducir en la tarea docente diferentes formas de promoción de la participación, aprendizaje activo y dialógico

International Consensus Document on Obstructive Sleep Apnea

El objetivo principal de este documento internacional de consenso sobre apnea obstructiva del sueno es proporcionar unas directrices que permitan a los profesionales sanitarios tomar las mejores decisiones en la asistencia de los pacientes adultos con esta enfermedad según un resumen crítico de la literatura más actualizada. El grupo de trabajo de expertos se ha constituido principalmente por 17 sociedades científicas y 56 especialistas con amplia representación geográfica (con la participación de 4 sociedades internacionales), además de un metodólogo experto y un documentalista del Centro Cochrane Iberoamer icano. El documento consta de un manuscrito principal, con las novedades más relevantes del DIC, y una serie de manuscritos online que recogen las búsquedas bibliográficas sistemáticas de cada uno de los apartados del DIC. Este documento no cubre la edad pediátrica ni el manejo del paciente en ventilación mecánica crónica no invasiva (que se publicarán en sendos documentos de consenso aparte)