Cinemática 2D de caballos al trote mediante videometría y modelamiento matemático

Actualmente, el método de observación directa se utiliza para evaluar el movimiento de los caballos; sin embargo, este método es limitado dado que es totalmente subjetivo y muchos detalles de la funcionalidad del sistema músculo-esquelético no pueden ser detectados y evaluados, debido a que no son perceptibles a simple vista. El principal objetivo de este estudio fue desarrollar un modelo matemático que permita calcular, graficar y simular el movimiento angular, en dos dimensiones, de algunas articulaciones de los caballos. El aparato locomotor del caballo fue modelado como un sistema mecánico de cuerpos rígidos articulados por 15 juntas simples. La solución matemática del mecanismo se hizo desde el punto de vista del pasivo de la cinemática inversa (plana); se construyeron 15 ecuaciones de cadena, asociando los segmentos corporales del sistema en movimiento con la base inercial, y fue utilizado el método de optimización matemática basada en el cálculo de los mínimos cuadrados. En este estudio se obtuvieron las curvas cinemáticas de las principales articulaciones, las trayectorias (altura) de los marcadores sobre las bandas coronarias trasera y delantera (cascos) y una simulación del sistema mecánico. Esta herramienta elimina la subjetividad y permite a los veterinarios observar, evaluar (cualitativa y cuantitativamente), diagnosticar e investigar sobre diferentes fenómenos de la marcha de los caballos

2016 Expert consensus document on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of short-term peripheral venous catheter-related infections in adults

AbstractThe use of endovascular catheters is a routine practice in secondary and tertiary care level hospitals. The short-term use of peripheral catheters has been found to be associated with the risk of nosocomial bacteraemia, resulting in morbidity and mortality. Staphylococcus aureus is mostly associated with peripheral catheter insertion. This Consensus Document has been prepared by a panel of experts of the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular Infections, in cooperation with experts from the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, Spanish Society of Chemotherapy, and the Spanish Society of Thoracic-Cardiovascular Surgery, and aims to define and establish guidelines for the management of short duration peripheral vascular catheters. The document addresses the indications for insertion, catheter maintenance, registering, diagnosis and treatment of infection, indications for removal, as well as placing an emphasis on continuous education as a drive toward quality. Implementation of these guidelines will allow uniformity in use, thus minimizing the risk of infections and their complications

Association of Functional Polymorphisms of KIR3DL1/DS1 With Behçet's Disease

Behçet's disease (BD) is an immune-mediated vasculitis related to imbalances between the innate and adaptive immune response. Infectious agents or environmental factors may trigger the disease in genetically predisposed individuals. HLA-B51 is the genetic factor stronger associated with the disease, although the bases of this association remain elusive. NK cells have also been implicated in the etiopathogenesis of BD. A family of NK receptors, Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR), with a very complex organization, is very important in the education and control of the NK cells by the union to their ligands, most of them, HLA class I molecules. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of certain KIR functional polymorphisms to the susceptibility to BD. A total of 466 BD patients and 444 healthy individuals were genotyped in HLA class I (A, B, and C). The set of KIR genes and the functional variants of KIR3DL1/DS1 and KIR2DS4 were also determined. Frequency of KIR3DL1004 was lower in patients than in controls (0.15 vs. 0.20, P = 0.005, Pc = 0.015; OR = 0.70; 95% CI 0.54-0.90) in both B51 positive and negative individuals. KIR3DL1004, which encodes a misfolded protein, is included in a common telomeric haplotype with only one functional KIR gene, KIR3DL2. Both, KIR3DL1 and KIR3DL2 sense pathogen-associated molecular patterns but they have different capacities to eliminate them. The education of the NK cells depending on the HLA, the balance of KIR3DL1/KIR3DL2 licensed NK cells and the different capacities of these receptors to eliminate pathogens could be involved in the etiopathogenesis of BD

Incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors and outcomes of meningoencephalitis in patients with COVID-19

We investigated the incidence, clinical characteristics, risk factors, and outcome of meningoencephalitis (ME) in patients with COVID-19 attending emergency departments (ED), before hospitalization. We retrospectively reviewed all COVID patients diagnosed with ME in 61 Spanish EDs (20% of Spanish EDs, COVID-ME) during the COVID pandemic. We formed two control groups: non-COVID patients with ME (non-COVID-ME) and COVID patients without ME (COVID-non-ME). Unadjusted comparisons between cases and controls were performed regarding 57 baseline and clinical characteristics and 4 outcomes. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biochemical and serologic findings of COVID-ME and non-COVID-ME were also investigated. We identified 29 ME in 71,904 patients with COVID-19 attending EDs (0.40‰, 95%CI=0.27-0.58). This incidence was higher than that observed in non-COVID patients (150/1,358,134, 0.11‰, 95%CI=0.09-0.13; OR=3.65, 95%CI=2.45-5.44). With respect to non-COVID-ME, COVID-ME more frequently had dyspnea and chest X-ray abnormalities, and neck stiffness was less frequent (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.1-0.9). In 69.0% of COVID-ME, CSF cells were predominantly lymphocytes, and SARS-CoV-2 antigen was detected by RT-PCR in 1 patient. The clinical characteristics associated with a higher risk of presenting ME in COVID patients were vomiting (OR=3.7, 95%CI=1.4-10.2), headache (OR=24.7, 95%CI=10.2-60.1), and altered mental status (OR=12.9, 95%CI=6.6-25.0). COVID-ME patients had a higher in-hospital mortality than non-COVID-ME patients (OR=2.26; 95%CI=1.04-4.48), and a higher need for hospitalization (OR=8.02; 95%CI=1.19-66.7) and intensive care admission (OR=5.89; 95%CI=3.12-11.14) than COVID-non-ME patients. ME is an unusual form of COVID presentation (<0.5‰ cases), but is more than 4-fold more frequent than in non-COVID patients attending the ED. As the majority of these MEs had lymphocytic predominance and in one patient SARS-CoV-2 antigen was detected in CSF, SARS-CoV-2 could be the cause of most of the cases observed. COVID-ME patients had a higher unadjusted in-hospital mortality than non-COVID-ME patients

Thirty-day outcomes in frail older patients discharged home from the emergency department with acute heart failure: effects of high-risk criteria identified by the DEED FRAIL-AHF trial

Objectives: To study the effect of high-risk criteria on 30-day outcomes in frail older patients with acute heart failure (AHF) discharged from an emergency department (ED) or an ED's observation and short-stay areas. Material and methods: Secondary analysis of discharge records in the Older AHF Key Data registry. We selected frail patients (aged > 70 years) discharged with AHF from EDs. Risk factors were categorized as modifiable or nonmodifiable. The outcomes were a composite endpoint for a cardiovascular event (revisits for AHF, hospitalization for AHF, or cardiovascular death) and the number of days alive out-of-hospital (DAOH) within 30 days of discharge. Results: We included 380 patients with a mean (SD) age of 86 (5.5) years (61.2% women). Modifiable risk factors were identified in 65.1%, nonmodifiable ones in 47.8%, and both types in 81.6%. The 30-day cardiovascular composite endpoint occurred in 83 patients (21.8%). The mean 30-day DAOH observed was 27.6 (6.1) days. Highrisk factors were present more often in patients who developed the cardiovascular event composite endpoint: the rates for patients with modifiable, nonmodifiable, or both types of risk were, respectively, as follows in comparison with patients not at high risk: 25.0% vs 17.2%, P = .092; 27.6% vs 16.7%, P = .010; and 24.7% vs 15.2%, P = .098). The 30-day DAOH outcome was also lower for at-risk patients, according to type of risk factor present: modifiable, 26.9 (7.0) vs 28.4 (4.4) days, P = .011; nonmodifiable, 27.1 (7.0) vs 28.0 (5.0) days, P = .127; and both, 27.1 (6.7) vs 28.8 (3.4) days, P = .005). After multivariate analysis, modifiable risk remained independently associated with fewer days alive (adjusted absolute difference in 30-day DAOH, -1.3 days (95% CI, -2.7 to -0.1 days). Nonmodifiable factors were associated with increased risk for the 30-day cardiovascular composite endpoint (adjusted absolute difference, 10.4%; 95% CI, -2.1% to 18.7%). Conclusion: Risk factors are common in frail elderly patients with AHF discharged home from hospital ED areas. Their presence is associated with a worse 30-day prognosis

Two-dimensional kinematics of horses at trot through videometry and mathematical modeling

Currently, the direct observation method is used to assess the movement of horses. However, this method is limited, totally subjective and many details of the functionality of the musculoskeletal system cannot be detected and evaluated, because they are not perceptible to the naked eye.The aim of this study was to develop a mathematical model that calculates, plots and simulates the 2D angular movement of some horse joints. The horse's locomotor system was modeled as a mechanical system of rigid bodies articulated by 15 simple joints.The mathematical solution of the mechanism was made from the standpoint of liabilities of  inverse kinematics (flat), 15 link equations were constructed associating the body segments of the system in movement with the inertial base and the mathematical optimization method based on the least squares calculation was used.The kinematic curves of the main joints were obtained in this study; trajectories (height) of the markers on fore and hind coronary band (hoofs), and a simulation of the mechanical system. This tool removes the subjectivity and enables veterinarians to observe, evaluate (qualitatively and quantitatively), diagnose and research about different phenomena of the horse’s gait.Actualmente, el método de observación directa se utiliza para evaluar el movimiento de los caballos. Sin embargo, este método es limitado, totalmente subjetivo y muchos detalles de la funcionalidad del sistema músculo-esquelético no pueden ser detectados y evaluados, debido a que no son perceptibles a simple vista.El principal objetivo de este estudio fue desarrollar un modelo matemático que permita calcular, graficar y simular el movimiento angular en dos dimensiones de algunas articulaciones de los caballos. El aparato locomotor del caballo fue modelado como un sistema mecánico de cuerpos rígidos articulados por 15 juntas simples.La solución matemática del mecanismo se hizo desde el punto de vista del pasivo de la cinemática inversa (plana), 15 ecuaciones de cadena se construyeron asociando los segmentos corporales del sistema en movimiento con la base de inercial y el método de optimización matemática basada en el cálculo de los mínimos cuadrados fueron utilizadosEn este estudio se obtuvieron las curvas cinemáticas de las principales articulaciones; las trayectorias (altura) de los marcadores las bandas coronarias trasera y delantera (cascos), y una simulación del sistema mecánico. Esta herramienta elimina la subjetividad y permite a los veterinarios observar, evaluar (cualitativa y cuantitativamente), diagnosticar e investigar sobre diferentes fenómenos de la marcha de los caballos

Pathogenicity and virulence of hepatitis A virus

Hepatitis A is an acute infection of the liver, which is mostly asymptomatic in children and increases the severity with age. Although in most patients the infection resolves completely, in a few of them it may follow a prolonged or relapsed course or even a fulminant form. The reason for these different outcomes is unknown, but it is generally accepted that host factors such as the immunological status, age and the occurrence of underlaying hepatic diseases are the main determinants of the severity. However, it cannot be ruled out that some virus traits may also contribute to the severe clinical outcomes. In this review, we will analyze which genetic determinants of the virus may determine virulence, in the context of a paradigmatic virus in terms of its genomic, molecular, replicative, and evolutionary features

Evaluation of resistance to HIV-1 infection ex vivo of PBMCs isolated from patients with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with different tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Current antiretroviral treatment (ART) may control HIV-1 replication but it cannot cure the infection due to the formation of a reservoir of latently infected cells. CD4+ T cell activation during HIV-1 infection eliminates the antiviral function of the restriction factor SAMHD1, allowing proviral integration and the reservoir establishment. The role of tyrosine kinases during T-cell activation is essential for these processes. Therefore, the inhibition of tyrosine kinases could control HIV-1 infection and restrict the formation of the reservoir. A family of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) is successfully used in clinic for treating chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The safety and efficacy against HIV-1 infection of five TKIs was assayed in PBMCs isolated from CML patients on prolonged treatment with these drugs that were infected ex vivo with HIV-1. We determined that the most potent and safe TKI against HIV-1 infection was dasatinib, which preserved SAMHD1 antiviral function and avoid T-cell activation through TCR engagement and homeostatic cytokines. Imatinib and nilotinib showed lower potency and bosutinib was quite toxic in vitro. Ponatinib presented similar profile to dasatinib but as it has been associated with higher incidence of arterial ischemic events, dasatinib would be the better choice of TKI to be used as adjuvant of ART in order to avoid the establishment and replenishment of HIV-1 reservoir and move forward towards an HIV cure.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (SAF2013-44677-R, SAF2016-78480-R, FIS PI12/00506, and FIS PI12/00969); the Spanish AIDS Research Network RD16CIII/0002/0001 that is included in Acción Estratégica en Salud, Plan Nacional de Investigación Científica, Desarrollo e Innovación Tecnológica 2016-2020, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, European Region Development Fund (ERDF); Bristol-Myers Squibb [BMS AI471-041]. The work of Elena Mateos is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness SAF2016-78480-R. The work of María Rosa López-Huertas is financed by ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluacion and European Funding for Regional Development (FEDER) and by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PIE 13/00040). Dr. Montserrat Plana is a researcher at the Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) and is supported by the Spanish Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) and the Health Department of the Catalan Government (Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain). Dr. Juan Ambrosioni developed this work in the framework of a ‘Juan de la Cierva 2012’ post-doctoral program, Ministerio de Competitividad. Dr. Jose M. Miró received a personal 80:20 research grant from IDIBAPS (Barcelona, Spain), 2017-2019.S