Phenomenology Tools on Cloud Infrastructures using OpenStack

We present a new environment for computations in particle physics phenomenology employing recent developments in cloud computing. On this environment users can create and manage "virtual" machines on which the phenomenology codes/tools can be deployed easily in an automated way. We analyze the performance of this environment based on "virtual" machines versus the utilization of "real" physical hardware. In this way we provide a qualitative result for the influence of the host operating system on the performance of a representative set of applications for phenomenology calculations.Comment: 25 pages, 12 figures; information on memory usage included, as well as minor modifications. Version to appear in EPJ

Experiencia con Sildenafil oral en pacientes hemodializados. Estudio multicentro

La Disfunción Sexual Eréctil (DSE) está presente en la Enfermedad Renal Crónica Terminal, siendo de naturaleza multifactorial el empleo del Sildenafil, documentado en diversos trabajos internacionales. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la evolución de la DSE, según el Indice Internacional de Función Eréctil-5 (IIFE-5), después del tratamiento con Sildenafil, así como su eficacia y seguridad en pacientes en hemodiálisis por vez primera en nuestro país. Se trata de un estudio cuasi-experimental, no controlado en 22 pacientes,  previo consentimiento informado, con edad entre 18-60 años, hemodiálisis por más de 6 meses y  pareja sexual (femenina) estable de más de 6 meses. Se excluyeron enfermos con antecedentes  personales de infarto miocardio, angina, anemia severa y hepatopatía. Se administró 50 mgs de Sildenafil (Activin), 2 veces por semana, durante  4 semanas, al final de las cuales se volvió a aplicar el IIFE-5, reclasificándose la DSE; además se recogieron los eventos adversos señalados en la literatura en relación con el fármaco en estudio. Como resultados, obtuvimos: Edad 43,5 ± 6,2años, enfermedad causal: diabetes 36,4%,  hipertensión 31,8%,  tiempo en hemodiálisis de 5,8 ± 4,2 años. Sildenafil fue asociado a la mejoría de la puntuación en los cinco dominios explorados con el IIFE-5. Se observó la mejoría  de la DSE en 81,8% del total de los enfermos. Los diabéticos, seguidos de los hipertensos, presentaron mayor severidad de la DSE que el resto de los pacientes, así como menor mejoría global del puntaje al final del tratamiento (p<0.001). Los eventos adversos se presentaron en 54,5% de los enfermos, con carácter leve y transitorio: cefalea (30%), rubor (27,5%) y congestión nasal (24%). Como conclusión tenemos que el Sildenafil oral en estos pacientes hemodializados con DSE se comportó de manera efectiva y segura.  Palabras clave: Disfunción sexual eréctil,  hemodiálisis, índice internacional de función eréctil-5,  Sildenafil

Substitute therapy of the sclera. Identification of the patologies and methodologies in the University Hospital of Granada (2014-2019)

Introducción: La esclera es un tejido avascular compuesto por tejido conectivo denso cuya función principal es proteger las estructuras intraoculares. Existen diversas patologías que ponen en riesgo la integridad de dicho tejido y, en consecuencia, pueden provocar terribles secuelas con un pronóstico nefasto. El tratamiento sustitutivo forma parte de la terapia de dicha patología, siendo el injerto de esclerótica cadáver una opción biocompatible y biomimética a valorar. El injerto de esclerótica de cadáver es un tejido de fácil acceso y con buenos resultados post-quirúrgicos por lo que no solo es usado en el ámbito de la patología escleral, sino que también es utilizado para cirugía de oculoplástica, glaucoma o de retina. No obstante, el peligro de transmisión de priones o el déficit de suministro en algunos países hacen que este tejido sea suplantado por otros tejidos o técnicas quirúrgicas. Métodos: Los objetivos de este estudio son identificar la patología esclerótica susceptible de terapia sustitutiva en los últimos 5 años en el complejo hospitalario universitario de Granada, identificar los métodos empleados como terapéutica sustitutiva en dicha patología y evaluar la práctica de dicha terapia en el contexto de la bibliografía existente al respecto. Para ello, se aplicó un diseño retrospectivo en el que se realizó una búsqueda en los archivos de la unidad de documentación clínica del Hospital Clínico San Cecilio y Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, de los cuales se obtuvieron 9 casos clínicos. Resultados: Entre los 9 casos clínicos, solo 4 fueron sometidos a tratamiento quirúrgico, y de estos, 3 de ellos a terapia sustitutiva por membrana amniótica o injerto escleral. En los 5 casos restantes no se llevó a cabo ninguna técnica quirúrgica, no obstante, podría ser de gran valor el uso del refuerzo con injerto de esclerótica en los casos con escleromalacia para evitar complicaciones futuras. La esclerótica procedente de cadáver se postula como una opción con unos resultados prometedores; sin embargo, las líneas de investigación actuales apuestan por el desarrollo de un sustituto basado en las ventajas de la fibrina agarosa que supla los puntos negativos del tejido donante.Introduction: The sclera is an avascular tissue composed of dense connective tissue whose main function is to protect intraocular structures. There are several pathologies that jeopardize the integrity of this tissue and, consequently, can cause terrible consequences with a dire prognosis. Substitute treatment is part of the therapy of this pathology, with the donor sclera graft being a biocompatible and biomimetic option to be evaluated. The donor sclera graft is an easily accessible tissue with good post-surgical results, so it is not only used in the field of scleral pathology, but also used for oculoplastic, glaucoma or retinal surgery. However, the danger of prion transmission or the supply deficit in some countries causes that, other tissues or surgical techniques supplant this tissue. Methods: The objectives of this study are to identify the sclerotic pathology susceptible of replacement therapy in the last 5 years in the university hospital of Granada, identify the methods used as a replacement therapy in this pathology and evaluate the practice of such therapy. A retrospective design was applied and a search was made in the archives of the clinical documentation unit of the San Cecilio Clinical Hospital and Virgen de las Nieves Hospital. There were 9 clinical cases found. Results: Among the nine clinical cases, only 4 were subjected to surgical treatment, and of these, three of them for replacement therapy of donor sclera or amniotic membrane. In the remaining 5 cases did not carry out any surgical technique, however, it could be of great value using reinforcement sclera graft in cases with scleromalacia to avoid further complications. Sclera from cadaver is postulated as an option with promising results; however, current research committed to the development of a substitute based on the advantages of fibrin agarose that mitigates the negative points of the donor tissue

Consensus document on allergic conjunctivitis (DECA)

Allergic conjunctivitis (AC) is an inflammatory disease of the conjunctiva caused mainly by an IgE-mediated mechanism. It is the most common type of ocular allergy. Despite being the most benign form of conjunctivitis, AC has a considerable effect on patient quality of life, reduces work productivity, and increases health care costs. No consensus has been reached on its classification, diagnosis, or treatment. Consequently, the literature provides little information on its natural history, epidemiological data are scarce, and it is often difficult to ascertain its true morbidity. The main objective of the Consensus Document on Allergic Conjunctivitis (Documento dE Consenso sobre Conjuntivitis Alérgica [DECA]), which was drafted by an expert panel from the Spanish Society of Allergology and Spanish Society of Ophthalmology, was to reach agreement on basic criteria that could prove useful for both specialists and primary care physicians and facilitate the diagnosis, classification, and treatment of AC. This document is the first of its kind to describe and analyze aspects of AC that could make it possible to control symptoms

Recommendations for ophthalmologic practice during the easing of COVID-19 control measures

In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, this paper provides recommendations for medical eye care during the easing of control measures after lockdown. The guidelines presented are based on a literature review and consensus among all Spanish Ophthalmology Societies regarding protection measures recommended for the ophthalmologic care of patients with or without confirmed COVID-19 in outpatient, inpatient, emergency and surgery settings. We recommend that all measures be adapted to the circumstances and availability of personal protective equipment at each centre and also highlight the need to periodically update recommendations as we may need to readopt more restrictive measures depending on the local epidemiology of the virus. These guidelines are designed to avoid the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 among both patients and healthcare staff as we gradually return to normal medical practice, to prevent postoperative complications and try to reduce possible deficiencies in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of the ophthalmic diseases. With this update (5th) the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology is placed as one of the major ophthalmology societies providing periodic and systematized recommendations for ophthalmic care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Teaching Story without Struggle: Using Graded Readers and Their Audio Packs in the EFL Classroom

In recent years the support for extensive reading (ER) in English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL) programs has been compelling. When practicing extensive reading, the learner reads a wide variety of texts for pleasure and achieves a general understanding of the content while deciphering unknown words through context. This approach contrasts with intensive reading, a more traditional approach based on a slow, careful reading of a text, with goals of complete comprehension and the identification of specific details and information

A Multitrait Genetic Study of Hemostatic Factors and Hemorrhagic Transformation after Stroke Treatment

BACKGROUND: Thrombolytic recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (r-tPA) treatment is the only pharmacologic intervention available in the ischemic stroke acute phase. This treatment is associated with an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhages, known as hemorrhagic transformations (HTs), which worsen the patient\u27s prognosis. OBJECTIVES: to investigate the association between genetically determined natural hemostatic factors\u27 levels and increased risk of HT after r-tPA treatment. METHODS: Using data from genome-wide association studies on the risk of HT after r-tPA treatment and data on 7 hemostatic factors (factor [F]VII, FVIII, von Willebrand factor [VWF], FXI, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and tissue plasminogen activator), we performed local and global genetic correlation estimation multitrait analyses and colocalization and 2-sample Mendelian randomization analyses between hemostatic factors and HT. RESULTS: Local correlations identified a genomic region on chromosome 16 with shared covariance: fibrinogen-HT, P = 2.45 × 10 CONCLUSION: We identified 4 shared loci between hemostatic factors and HT after r-tPA treatment, suggesting common regulatory mechanisms between fibrinogen and VWF levels and HT. Further research to determine a possible mediating effect of fibrinogen on HT risk is needed

Th1 and Th17 hypercytokinemia as early host response signature in severe pandemic influenza

Abstract Introduction Human host immune response following infection with the new variant of A/H1N1 pandemic influenza virus (nvH1N1) is poorly understood. We utilize here systemic cytokine and antibody levels in evaluating differences in early immune response in both mild and severe patients infected with nvH1N1. Methods We profiled 29 cytokines and chemokines and evaluated the haemagglutination inhibition activity as quantitative and qualitative measurements of host immune responses in serum obtained during the first five days after symptoms onset, in two cohorts of nvH1N1 infected patients. Severe patients required hospitalization (n = 20), due to respiratory insufficiency (10 of them were admitted to the intensive care unit), while mild patients had exclusively flu-like symptoms (n = 15). A group of healthy donors was included as control (n = 15). Differences in levels of mediators between groups were assessed by using the non parametric U-Mann Whitney test. Association between variables was determined by calculating the Spearman correlation coefficient. Viral load was performed in serum by using real-time PCR targeting the neuraminidase gene. Results Increased levels of innate-immunity mediators (IP-10, MCP-1, MIP-1β), and the absence of anti-nvH1N1 antibodies, characterized the early response to nvH1N1 infection in both hospitalized and mild patients. High systemic levels of type-II interferon (IFN-γ) and also of a group of mediators involved in the development of T-helper 17 (IL-8, IL-9, IL-17, IL-6) and T-helper 1 (TNF-α, IL-15, IL-12p70) responses were exclusively found in hospitalized patients. IL-15, IL-12p70, IL-6 constituted a hallmark of critical illness in our study. A significant inverse association was found between IL-6, IL-8 and PaO2 in critical patients. Conclusions While infection with the nvH1N1 induces a typical innate response in both mild and severe patients, severe disease with respiratory involvement is characterized by early secretion of Th17 and Th1 cytokines usually associated with cell mediated immunity but also commonly linked to the pathogenesis of autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. The exact role of Th1 and Th17 mediators in the evolution of nvH1N1 mild and severe disease merits further investigation as to the detrimental or beneficial role these cytokines play in severe illness

Costs and benefits of automation for astronomical facilities

The Observatorio Astrof\'isico de Javalambre (OAJ{\dag}1) in Spain is a young astronomical facility, conceived and developed from the beginning as a fully automated observatory with the main goal of optimizing the processes in the scientific and general operation of the Observatory. The OAJ has been particularly conceived for carrying out large sky surveys with two unprecedented telescopes of unusually large fields of view (FoV): the JST/T250, a 2.55m telescope of 3deg field of view, and the JAST/T80, an 83cm telescope of 2deg field of view. The most immediate objective of the two telescopes for the next years is carrying out two unique photometric surveys of several thousands square degrees, J-PAS{\dag}2 and J-PLUS{\dag}3, each of them with a wide range of scientific applications, like e.g. large structure cosmology and Dark Energy, galaxy evolution, supernovae, Milky Way structure, exoplanets, among many others. To do that, JST and JAST are equipped with panoramic cameras under development within the J-PAS collaboration, JPCam and T80Cam respectively, which make use of large format (~ 10k x 10k) CCDs covering the entire focal plane. This paper describes in detail, from operations point of view, a comparison between the detailed cost of the global automation of the Observatory and the standard automation cost for astronomical facilities, in reference to the total investment and highlighting all benefits obtained from this approach and difficulties encountered. The paper also describes the engineering development of the overall facilities and infrastructures for the fully automated observatory and a global overview of current status, pinpointing lessons learned in order to boost observatory operations performance, achieving scientific targets, maintaining quality requirements, but also minimizing operation cost and human resources.Comment: Global Observatory Control System GOC