Pulmonary vascular proliferation in patients with severe COVID-19: an autopsy study

3 p.Diffuse alveolar damage and thrombi are the most common lung histopathological lesions reported in patients with severe COVID-19. Although some studies have suggested increased pulmonary angiogenesis, the presence of vascular proliferation in COVID-19 lungs has not been well characterised. Glomeruloid-like microscopic foci and/or coalescent vascular proliferations measuring up to 2 cm were present in the lung of 14 out of 16 autopsied patients. These lesions expressed CD31, CD34 and vascular endothelial cadherin. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-? immunohistochemistry and dual immunostaining for CD34/smooth muscle actin demonstrated the presence of pericytes. These vascular alterations may contribute to the severe and refractory hypoxaemia that is common in patients with severe COVID-19.Instituto de Salud Carlos IIICIBERONCInstituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria Intramural COVID1

HTLV-1 infection in solid organ transplant donors and recipients in Spain

HTLV-1 infection is a neglected disease, despite infecting 10-15 million people worldwide and severe illnesses develop in 10% of carriers lifelong. Acknowledging a greater risk for developing HTLV-1 associated illnesses due to immunosuppression, screening is being widely considered in the transplantation setting. Herein, we report the experience with universal HTLV testing of donors and recipients of solid organ transplants in a survey conducted in Spain. All hospitals belonging to the Spanish HTLV network were invited to participate in the study. Briefly, HTLV antibody screening was performed retrospectively in all specimens collected from solid organ donors and recipients attended since the year 2008. A total of 5751 individuals were tested for HTLV antibodies at 8 sites. Donors represented 2312 (42.2%), of whom 17 (0.3%) were living kidney donors. The remaining 3439 (59.8%) were recipients. Spaniards represented nearly 80%. Overall, 9 individuals (0.16%) were initially reactive for HTLV antibodies. Six were donors and 3 were recipients. Using confirmatory tests, HTLV-1 could be confirmed in only two donors, one Spaniard and another from Colombia. Both kidneys of the Spaniard were inadvertently transplanted. Subacute myelopathy developed within 1 year in one recipient. The second recipient seroconverted for HTLV-1 but the kidney had to be removed soon due to rejection. Immunosuppression was stopped and 3 years later the patient remains in dialysis but otherwise asymptomatic. The rate of HTLV-1 is low but not negligible in donors/recipients of solid organ transplants in Spain. Universal HTLV screening should be recommended in all donor and recipients of solid organ transplantation in Spain. Evidence is overwhelming for very high virus transmission and increased risk along with the rapid development of subacute myelopathy

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Handbook of Active Ageing and Quality of Life: From Concepts to Applications

La edición de este libro estuvo a cargo de Fermina Rojo-Pérez y Gloria Fernández-Mayoralas.El documento adjunto contiene la cubierta, portada e índice del libro.This handbook presents an overview of studies on the relationship of active ageing and quality of life. It addresses the new challenges of ageing from the paradigm of positive ageing (active, healthy and successful) for a better quality of life. It provides theoretical perspectives and empirical studies, including scientific knowledge as well as practical experiences about the good ageing and the quality of later life around the world, in order to respond to the challenges of an aged population. The handbook is structured in 4 sections covering theoretical and conceptual perspectives, social policy issues and research agenda, methods, measurement instrument-scales and evaluations, and lastly application studies including domains and geographical contexts.Peer reviewe

Multiple Scenario Generation of Subsurface Models:Consistent Integration of Information from Geophysical and Geological Data throuh Combination of Probabilistic Inverse Problem Theory and Geostatistics

Neutrinos with energies above 1017 eV are detectable with the Surface Detector Array of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The identification is efficiently performed for neutrinos of all flavors interacting in the atmosphere at large zenith angles, as well as for Earth-skimming \u3c4 neutrinos with nearly tangential trajectories relative to the Earth. No neutrino candidates were found in 3c 14.7 years of data taken up to 31 August 2018. This leads to restrictive upper bounds on their flux. The 90% C.L. single-flavor limit to the diffuse flux of ultra-high-energy neutrinos with an E\u3bd-2 spectrum in the energy range 1.0 7 1017 eV -2.5 7 1019 eV is E2 dN\u3bd/dE\u3bd < 4.4 7 10-9 GeV cm-2 s-1 sr-1, placing strong constraints on several models of neutrino production at EeV energies and on the properties of the sources of ultra-high-energy cosmic rays

Characterization of Polyurethane Foam Waste for Reuse in Eco-Efficient Building Materials

In the European Union, the demand for polyurethane is continually growing. In 2017, the estimated value of polyurethane production was 700,400 Tn, of which 27.3% is taken to landfill, which causes an environmental problem. In this paper, the behaviour of various polyurethane foams from the waste of different types of industries will be analyzed with the aim of assessing their potential use in construction materials. To achieve this, the wastes were chemically tested by means of CHNS, TGA, and leaching tests. They were tested microstructurally by means of SEM. The processing parameters of the waste was calculated after identifying its granulometry and its physical properties i.e., density and water absorption capacity. In addition, the possibility of incorporating these wastes in plaster matrices was studied by determining their rendering in an operational context, finding out their mechanical resistance to flexion and compression at seven days, their reaction to fire as well as their weight per unit of area, and their thermal behaviour. The results show that in all cases, the waste is inert and does not undergo leaching. The generation process of the waste determines the foam’s microstructure in addition to its physical-chemical properties, which directly affect building materials in which they are included, thus offering different ways in which they can be applied

Precast gypsum lightened with polyurethane foam from industrial waste, in suspended ceiling plate form, comprises commercial plaster or plaster, shredded polyurethane foam of industrial origin, reinforcing fibers, additives, and water

NOVELTY - A precast gypsum lightened with polyurethane foam from industrial waste, in the form of a suspended ceiling plate, comprises commercial plaster or plaster; shredded polyurethane foam of industrial origin, with a particle size of less than or equal to 2 mm; 1 wt.% reinforcing fibers, which improve the mechanical properties of the precast; 0.5 wt.% additives to improve physical characteristics/performance of the product; and water, where plaster:polyurethane foam residue ratio is 1:1.5 by volume. USE - A precast gypsum lightened with polyurethane foam from industrial waste, in the form of a suspended ceiling plate. ADVANTAGE - The use of polyurethane foam from industrial residues in the gypsum or plaster matrix of a gypsum precast in the form of a suspended ceiling plate allows to increase the recycling rates of this residue. In addition, it provides improvements in the physical characteristics of the precast, with weight reductions of up to 25% compared to standard plates and an increase in the insulating capacity of the manufactured material, with the final cost of the material being 12% less than a material of similar benefits already known

Prefabricated lightened plaster with polyurethane foam residues

Prefabricated plaster lightened with polyurethane foam from industrial waste, in the form of a suspended ceiling plate, with the following composition: - commercial plaster or plaster; - crushed polyurethane foam residues of industrial origin, with a particle size of less than 2 mm; - reinforcing fibers, which improve the mechanical properties of the prefabricated, in a proportion of 1% by weight; - additives to improve the physical characteristics/performance of the product, in a proportion of 0.5% by weight and - Water, the proportion being plaster: polyurethane foam residues of 1: 1.5 by volume. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding

Apreciación de los agentes culturales y dinamizadores de movimientos sociales sobre Millán Santos

Millán Santos participó de forma significativa en la organización y dinamización de los movimientos sociales, especialmente de Educación de Personas Adultas, de Valladolid. Desde su contexto particular de un barrio obrero que experimentaba un fuerte cambio social, debido al proceso acelerado de desarrollo industrial al que se incorporaba una población que emigra del medio rural y que precisa de una formación cultural de la que carece para manejarse en la vida urbana y anhelante de un futuro mejor para sus hijos, desarrolla los valores propios de un movimiento social para la transformación cultural y educativa. Aparte del significado histórico que envuelve su acción, ya que transcurre desde el final de la dictadura hasta la consolidación de la democracia, su legado ha sido la puesta en práctica de unos valores en su acción educativa, heredados de Paulo Freire: la igualdad, el diálogo y el compromiso social. Este ejercicio ha supuesto una importante aportación en la generación de agentes culturales y dinamizadores de movimientos sociales, desde unos planteamientos de formación que identifican y valoran ellos mismos

Programa de manejo integrado de vectores en el marco de la pandemia por Covid-19 en Medellín, Colombia

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic pressured health care systems to remain alert and active in their vector-borne disease control and prevention programs, leading to changes in vector control strategies in urban areas affected by dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Objective: To describe the adaptations made to the vector control and surveillance program in Medellín during the COVID-19 health emergency. Materials and methods: Once the health emergency started,biosecurity protocols were developed. Entomological surveillance was strengthened from the institutional environment instead of homes. Data was collected in Medellín from 2018 to 2021 during the vector control and surveillance program activities, which included epidemiological and entomo-virological surveillance, entomological index survey, ovitrap monitoring, community mobilization, search and elimination of mosquito breading sites, and chemical control. These actions were adapted and/or increased to promote self-care among communities in total and partial confinement, and to develop prevention and control measures. Results: Mosquito monitoring was increased by 40% using ovitraps, entomological-virological surveillance showed an increase in 2020 of 34,4% compared to 2019 and virtual media was used to keep and improve contact with the community. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on arbovirus prevention and control programs. The city of Medellín quickly adapted its entomo-virological surveillance activities, control measures, and the contact with the community during the pandemic, which allow the Integrated Vector Management program to remain active in the city.Introducción. La pandemia por COVID-19 presionó los sistemas de salud para mantener alerta y activos los programas de control y prevención de ETV, generando cambios en estrategias de control vectorial en áreas urbanas afectadas por dengue, Zika y chikungunya. Objetivo. Describir las adaptaciones del programa de vigilancia y control de vectores en Medellín durante la contingencia sanitaria por COVID-19. Materiales y métodos. Iniciada la emergencia sanitaria se elaboraron protocolos de bioseguridad. Se fortaleció la vigilancia entomológica institucional en lugar de viviendas. La información fue colectada en Medellín durante los años 2018 a 2021, en las actividades del programa de vigilancia y control de vectores, que incluyen la vigilancia epidemiológica y entomo-virológica, levantamiento de índices entomológicos, monitoreo de ovitrampas, movilización social y comunitaria, búsqueda y eliminación de criaderos y control químico; estas acciones fueron adaptadas y/o incrementadas para favorecer, de una parte, el autocuidado de las comunidades en confinamiento total y parcial y de otra desarrollar las acciones de prevención y control. Resultados. Incrementó en 40% el monitoreo del mosquito mediante ovitrampas, la vigilancia entomo-virológica presentó un incremento en 2020 de 34,4% respecto a 2019 y se utilizaron herramientas virtuales para mantener y mejorar el contacto con la comunidad. Conclusión. La pandemia COVID-19 causó gran impacto en los programas de prevención y control de las ETV. La ciudad de Medellín adaptó rápidamente las actividades de vigilancia entomo-virológica, las acciones de control y la comunicación con la comunidad durante la pandemia y esto permitió mantener activo el programa MIV en la ciudad