Juxtaglomerular apparatus hyperplasia under dual angiotensin blockade. A footprint of adequate RAS inhibition or a concern for renal fibrosis?

Background: Dual renin-angiotensin system blockade with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers has been advocated to minimize proteinuria. However, recent trials have questioned the renal safety of this approach. Our understanding on the molecular effects of dual blockade in humans is incomplete. Case presentation: We present a patient with corticoid resistant nephrotic syndrome who developed marked juxtaglomerular apparatus hyperplasia and renin expression in the context of dual angiotensin system blockade. Conclusions: Although renin may have profibrotic effects mediated by (pro)renin receptor activation, this report raises questions on the potential consequences of local renin activation on chronic kidney disease in patients with dual angiotensin blockade.The authors have been supported by FIS PI 10/00072, PS09/00447, ISCIIIRETIC REDinREN RD06/0016, MICINN (SAF2009/11794), Eurosalud (EUS 2008/ 03565) FRIAT (Fundación Renal Iñigo Álvarez de Toledo) and Fundacion Lilly (JE)

Usutu Virus in Migratory Song Thrushes, Spain

Our data imply that introduction of USUV (and potentially other flaviviruses such as West Nile virus lineage 2, which has not yet been detected in Spain) from Northern Europe, in addition to local endemicity and introduction from Africa, occurs, and that the zoonotic European USUV strain may be co-circulating with strains of African origin. At this time, it is not clear whether USUV strains of Spanish/African lineage differ in virulence for humans from strains from the European/African lineage. However, virus introduction by northern migrants, in combination with locally favorable conditions for vector populations, implies a risk for virus amplification and transmission and disease outbreaks in humans and horses outside the currently established mosquito-trapping period (May-October) of targeted flavivirus surveillance programs.Fil: Höfle, Ursula. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas; España;Fil: Gamino, Virginia. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas; España;Fil: Fernández de Mera, Isabel G.. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas; España;Fil: Mangold, Atilio Jose. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria, Rafaela; Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina;Fil: Ortíz, José Antonio. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas; España;Fil: de la Fuente, José. Oklahoma State University; Estados Unidos de América

Evaluación de tres medios de cultivo para la determinación de la calidad del aire de dos ambientes de un hospital público especializado

El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar el medio de cultivo más efectivo para el crecimiento de bioaerosoles fúngicos en un hospital público especializado.CONACYT - Consejo Nacional de Ciencias y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Survival of Mexican Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia under Treatment with the Protocol from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 00-01

Our aim in this paper is to describe the results of treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in Mexican children treated from 2006 to 2010 under the protocol from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) 00-01. The children were younger than 16 years of age and had a diagnosis of ALL de novo. The patients were classified as standard risk if they were 1-9.9 years old and had a leucocyte count <50 × 10 9 /L, precursor B cell immunophenotype, no mediastinal mass, CSF free of blasts, and a good response to prednisone. The rest of the patients were defined as high risk. Of a total of 302 children, 51.7% were at high risk. The global survival rate was 63.9%, and the event-free survival rate was 52.3% after an average follow-up of 3.9 years. The percentages of patients who died were 7% on induction and 14.2% in complete remission; death was associated mainly with infection (21.5%). The relapse rate was 26.2%. The main factor associated with the occurrence of an event was a leucocyte count >100 × 10 9 /L. The poor outcomes were associated with toxic death during induction, complete remission, and relapse. These factors remain the main obstacles to the success of this treatment in our population

Psychological Distress, Family Support and Employment Status in First-Year University Students in Spain

Mental disorders are consistently and closely related to psychological distress. At the start of the university period, the relationship between a student's psychological distress, family support, and employment status is not well-known. The aims of this study were: To determine the prevalence of psychological distress in first-year university students and to analyze its relationship with family support and the student's employment status. Data from 4166 first-year university students from nine universities across Spain were considered. The prevalence of psychological distress was obtained using the GHQ-12, a valid and reliable screening tool to detect poor mental health. To analyze the relationship between psychological distress, family support, and employment status, logistic regression models were fitted. Regarding the prevalence found, 46.9% of men and 54.2% of women had psychological distress. In both genders, psychological distress levels increased as family support decreased. Among women, psychological distress was associated with their employment status. The prevalence of psychological distress among first-year university students in Spain is high. In addition, family support, and employment status for women, could be factors to take into account when developing psychological distress prevention strategies at the beginning of the university period.This study was funded by the National Drug Plan from the Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equality of Spain (Codes: 2010|145 and 2013|034)

Variación de bioaerosoles fúngicos en un quirófano en dos estaciones del año.

El objetivo del trabajo fue determinar la variación de los contenidos de bioaerosoles de un quirófano en dos estaciones del año.CONACYT - Consejo Nacional de Ciencias y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Monitoreo de la calidad del aire de la cocina metabólica dietética de un hospital público

El objetivo del trabajo fue monitorear la calidad del aire de una cocina metabólica dietética a través del análisis microbiológico de los hongos presentes en el ambiente.CONACYT - Consejo Nacional de Ciencias y TecnologíaPROCIENCI

Artificial intelligence within the interplay between natural and artificial computation:Advances in data science, trends and applications

Artificial intelligence and all its supporting tools, e.g. machine and deep learning in computational intelligence-based systems, are rebuilding our society (economy, education, life-style, etc.) and promising a new era for the social welfare state. In this paper we summarize recent advances in data science and artificial intelligence within the interplay between natural and artificial computation. A review of recent works published in the latter field and the state the art are summarized in a comprehensive and self-contained way to provide a baseline framework for the international community in artificial intelligence. Moreover, this paper aims to provide a complete analysis and some relevant discussions of the current trends and insights within several theoretical and application fields covered in the essay, from theoretical models in artificial intelligence and machine learning to the most prospective applications in robotics, neuroscience, brain computer interfaces, medicine and society, in general.BMS - Pfizer(U01 AG024904). Spanish Ministry of Science, projects: TIN2017-85827-P, RTI2018-098913-B-I00, PSI2015-65848-R, PGC2018-098813-B-C31, PGC2018-098813-B-C32, RTI2018-101114-B-I, TIN2017-90135-R, RTI2018-098743-B-I00 and RTI2018-094645-B-I00; the FPU program (FPU15/06512, FPU17/04154) and Juan de la Cierva (FJCI-2017–33022). Autonomous Government of Andalusia (Spain) projects: UMA18-FEDERJA-084. Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria of Galicia: ED431C2017/12, accreditation 2016–2019, ED431G/08, ED431C2018/29, Comunidad de Madrid, Y2018/EMT-5062 and grant ED431F2018/02. PPMI – a public – private partnership – is funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research and funding partners, including Abbott, Biogen Idec, F. Hoffman-La Roche Ltd., GE Healthcare, Genentech and Pfizer Inc

Early atmospheric metal pollution provides evidence for Chalcolithic/Bronze Age mining and metallurgy in Southwestern Europe

Although archaeological research suggests that mining/metallurgy already started in the Chalcolithic (3rd millennium BC), the earliest atmospheric metal pollution in SW Europe has thus far been dated to ~ 3500–3200 cal. yr. BP in paleo-environmental archives. A low intensity, non-extensive mining/metallurgy and the lack of appropriately located archives may be responsible for this mismatch. We have analysed the older section (> 2100 cal. yr. BP) of a peat record from La Molina (Asturias, Spain), a mire located in the proximity (35–100 km) of mines which were exploited in the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age, with the aim of assessing evidence of this early mining/metallurgy. Analyses included the determination of C as a proxy for organic matter content, lithogenic elements (Si, Al, Ti) as markers of mineral matter, and trace metals (Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb) and stable Pb isotopes as tracers of atmospheric metal pollutionThis work was funded by the projects CGL2010-20672 and HAR2008-06477-C03-03/HIST (Plan Nacional I + D + i, Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad), 10PXIB200182PR (General Directorate of I + D, Xunta de Galicia), and CDS-TCP (CSD2007-00058, Programa Consolider-Ingenio 2010). We are grateful to José Antonio López-Sáez, Fernando Gil Sendino, Carmen Fernández Ochoa and Roberto Zapico for their collaboration and assistance during the fieldwork, to José Rodríguez Racedo for helping with the geochemical analyses, and to Suzanne Leroy for perceptive comments on an earlier draftS

Consumo de drogas ilegales, apoyo familiar y factores relacionadosen estudiantes universitarios. Un estudio transversal basado en datosdel Proyecto uniHcos

Objective: To assess the prevalence of illegal drug use in college students on any previous occasion, duringthe previous year and the previous month, and to analyze the relationship between illegal drug use andfamily support and other factors.Methods: A cross-sectional study using data from students participating in the uniHcos project (n = 3767)was conducted. The prevalence and age of onset of consumption of cannabis, non-prescription sedatives,stimulants and depressants was evaluated. Polyconsumption was also assessed. The independent vari-ables were: family support, age, residence, and employment status. To determine the factors related todrug use multivariate logistic regression models stratified by gender were fitted.Results: Differences between men and women in prevalence of illegal drug use except non-prescriptionsedatives were observed. In both genders, less family support was associated with higher consumptionof all drugs, except depressants, and with polyconsumption. To be studying and looking for work wasrelated to cannabis and stimulant use and to polyconsumption among women, but only to cannabis useamong men.Conclusions: These results support the notion that the start of university studies is a particularly relevantstage in the onset of illegal drug use and its prevention, and that consumption may be especially associatedwith family support.Objetivo: Evaluar la prevalencia del consumo de drogas ilegales en estudiantes universitarios y analizarla relación entre dicho consumo, el apoyo familiar y otros factores.Método: Se realizó un dise?no transversal basado en datos de participantes en el proyecto uniHcos (n =3767). Se evaluaron la prevalencia y la edad de inicio del consumo de cannabis, tranquilizantes sin receta,estimulantes y depresores, y el policonsumo. Como variables independientes se consideraron el apoyofamiliar, la edad, la residencia y la situación laboral. Para la determinación de los factores asociados alconsumo de drogas se ajustaron modelos de regresión logística estratificados por sexo.Resultados: Se observaron diferencias entre hombres y mujeres en la prevalencia del consumo de todaslas drogas ilegales, excepto tranquilizantes sin receta. En ambos sexos, cuanto peor apoyo familiar, mayorconsumo de todas las drogas, excepto depresores y policonsumo. Encontrarse estudiando y buscandotrabajo se relacionó con el consumo de cannabis, estimulantes y policonsumo en las mujeres, y solo concannabis en los hombres.Conclusiones: Los resultados de este estudio aportan nueva evidencia a favor de que el inicio de la etapauniversitaria es un momento de especial relevancia en el inicio del consumo de drogas ilegales y suprevención, pudiendo este consumo estar especialmente relacionado con el apoyo familiar