Biomarkers in ocular chronic graft versus host disease: tear cytokine- and chemokine-based predictive model.

Producción CientíficaPurpose: To develop a tear molecule level-based predictive model based on a panel of tear cytokines and their correlation with clinical features in ocular chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD). Methods: Twenty-two ocular cGVHD patients and 21 healthy subjects were evaluated in a controlled environmental research laboratory (CERLab). Clinical parameters were recorded, and tears were collected. Levels of 15 molecules (epidermal growth factor [EGF], IL receptor antagonist [IL-1Ra], IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8/CXCL8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, interferon inducible protein [IP]-10/CXCL10, IFN-γ, VEGF, TNF-α, eotaxin 1, and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted [RANTES]) were measured by multiplex-bead assay and correlated with clinical parameters. Logistic regression was used to develop a predictive model. Leave-one-out cross-validation was applied. Classification capacity was evaluated in a cohort of individuals with dry eye (DE) of other etiologies different from GVHD. Results: Epidermal growth factor and IP-10/CXCL10 levels were significantly decreased in ocular cGVHD, positively correlating with tear production and stability and negatively correlating with symptoms, hyperemia, and vital staining. Interleukin-1Ra, IL-8/CXCL8, and IL-10 were significantly increased in ocular cGVHD, and the first two correlated positively with symptoms, hyperemia, and ocular surface integrity while negatively correlating with tear production and stability. Predictive models were generated, and the best panel was based on IL-8/CXCL8 and IP-10/CXCL10 tear levels along with age and sex, with an area under the receiving operating curve of 0.9004, sensitivity of 86.36%, and specificity of 95.24%. Conclusions: A predictive model based on tear levels of IL-8/CXCL8 and IP-10/CXCL10 resulted in optimal sensitivity and specificity. These results add further knowledge to the search for potential biomarkers in this devastating ocular inflammatory disease.Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain, SAF-2010 15631 (AES)

Experiencia de clase inversa en el grado de ingeniería informática

La amplia disponibilidad de herramientas de generación de contenido multimedia hace posible la incorporación de nuevos recursos que complementen la actividad habitual en el aula. En la experiencia que se expone, se analizaron los recursos que existían relacionados con la materia de Teoría de Autómatas del Grado de Informática de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Este análisis permitió detectar algunos aspectos clave que no eran convenientemente asimilados por el alumnado. Para cada uno de estos se elaboró material audiovisual que presentaba el contenido así como ejercicios de autoevaluación a realizar antes de la clase presencial. Se comprobó que el efecto de facilitar de forma anticipada al estudiante de este material permite al alumno, si bien en principio no completamente, trabajar ciertos conceptos, permitiendo plantear las dudas de forma más orientada. Pese a que el grupo piloto de esta experiencia estaba formado exclusivamente por voluntarios, lo que puede suponer un sesgo en la valoración, la experiencia se considera muy positiva

La imagen de la mujer en la prensa deportiva de quiosco de Sevilla

Hace tiernpo que el rnundo del deporte dejo de estar en rnanos exclusivas del hombre, si bien el papel de la rnujer todavia sigue estando en un escalafon inferior segun la imagen que se ofrece desde los Medios de Comunicacion Impresos. Los grandes deportes (futbol, baloncesto, tenis) son arnbitos de deportistas masculines, cuyas actividades, competiciones, partidos y premios son materia inforrnativa diaria, y, en las paginas de 10s periodicos, la figura de la rnujer deportista aparece difuminada en otros roles no estrictarnente profesionales (consortes, azafatas, rnujeres objeto, prostitutas) que desde la publicidad o desde el texto periodistico acornpaiia a la de hombre deportista. A traves del analisis de contenido, en su vertiente cuantitativa y cualitativa, de la informacion publicada en cinco periodicos de quioscos difundidos en Sevilla (As, Estadio Depotiivo, Marca, Mundo Deporlivo y Sport) nos proponemos conocer la imagen de la rnujer en la Prensa Deportiva (sesgos en las irnagenes y textos periodisticos, inclusion de anuncios, roles de la rnujer no deportista) para demostrar que, tras la aparente igualdad de tratarniento, todavia existen rnatices machistas que solventar en el indicado Periodismo Deportivo

Inflammation-related molecules in tears of patients with chronic ocular pain and dry eye disease

Producción CientíficaThe purpose of this study was to analyze inflammation- and pain-related molecules in tears of patients suffering from chronic ocular pain associated with dry eye (DE) and/or a previous corneal refractive surgery (RS). Based on history, symptomatology, and clinical signs, the subjects (n = 180, 51.0 ± 14.7 years, 118 females, 62 males) in this cross-sectional study were assigned to one of five groups: DE and chronic ocular pain after RS (P/DE-RS, n = 52); asymptomatic subjects, i.e., without DE and chronic ocular pain, after RS (A-RS, n = 30); DE and chronic ocular pain without previous RS (P/DE-nonRS, n = 31); DE, no pain, and no previous RS (DE-nonRS, n = 35); and asymptomatic subjects with no previous RS (controls, n = 32). The tear concentrations of 20 cytokines and substance P (SP) were analyzed by immunobead-based assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. We found that tear levels of interleukin (IL)-10 and SP were increased in the RS groups. There were significant differences in IL-8/CXCL8 among the five groups. Nerve growth factor (NGF) tear levels were significantly higher in P/DE-RS than in DE-nonRS and controls. IL-9 had the highest percentage of detection in the P/DE-RS and P/DE-nonRS groups, while macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, IL-2, and interferon (IFN)-γ were higher in the P/DE-RS, A-RS, and P/DE-nonRS groups. IL-17A was detected only in the A-RS group. Moderate correlations were observed in the A-RS, P/DE-nonRS, DE-nonRS and controls groups. A positive correlation was obtained between growth related oncogene concentration and tear break-up time (rho = 0.550; p = 0.012), while negative correlation was found between monocyte chemoattractant protein-3/CCL7 and conjunctival staining (rho = −0.560; p = 0.001), both in the A-RS group. IL-10 correlated positively with ocular pain intensity (rho = 0.513; p = 0.003) in the P/DE-nonRS group. Regulated on Activation Normal T Cell Expressed and Secreted/CCL5 correlated negatively with conjunctival staining (rho = −0.545; p = 0.001) in the DE-nonRS group. SP correlated negatively with corneal staining (rho = −0.559; p = 0.001) in the controls. In conclusion, chronic ocular pain was associated with higher IL-9 tear levels. IL-10, SP, MIP-1α/CCL3, IL-2, and IFN-γ were associated with previous RS. Higher levels of IL-8/CXCL8, MIP-1α/CCL3, IL-2, and IFN-γ were associated with DE-related inflammation, while NGF levels were related to chronic ocular pain and DE in RS patients. These findings suggest that improved knowledge of tear cytokines and neuromodulators will lead to a more nuanced understanding of how these molecules can serve as biomarkers of chronic ocular pain, leading to better therapeutic and disease management decisions.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (grants SAF-2016-77080-P, FPU17/02715 and FPU15/01443

Strong anisotropy in surface kinetic roughening: analysis and experiments

We report an experimental assessment of surface kinetic roughening properties that are anisotropic in space. Working for two specific instances of silicon surfaces irradiated by ion-beam sputtering under diverse conditions (with and without concurrent metallic impurity codeposition), we verify the predictions and consistency of a recently proposed scaling Ansatz for surface observables like the two-dimensional (2D) height Power Spectral Density (PSD). In contrast with other formulations, this Ansatz is naturally tailored to the study of two-dimensional surfaces, and allows to readily explore the implications of anisotropic scaling for other observables, such as real-space correlation functions and PSD functions for 1D profiles of the surface. Our results confirm that there are indeed actual experimental systems whose kinetic roughening is strongly anisotropic, as consistently described by this scaling analysis. In the light of our work, some types of experimental measurements are seen to be more affected by issues like finite space resolution effects, etc. that may hinder a clear-cut assessment of strongly anisotropic scaling in the present and other practical contexts

Efecto citotóxico de extractos de Senecio madagascariensis (Asteraceae) en lineas celulares derivadas de cáncer

Species of the genus Senecio have been traditionally employed with medical purposes and it has been demonstrated that some of them have anti-proliferative activity on cancer-derived cell lines. In South America S. madagascariensis is one of the most important representatives of the genus. Almost all species contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA), substances that can lead to hepatic damage. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the cytotoxic activity of a low PAs extract of S. madagascariensis on a cancer-derived cell line. A chloroform extract from plant material was produced and it was demonstrated to have a PAs concentration lower than 200 µg/g (w/w). Two stock solutions were made with DMSO and acetone as solvents and were diluted in culture medium (DMEM). Cells from urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma T24 were cultured in 96 well plates (10⁴ cells/well) and incubated for 24 hours with dilutions of the extracts at the following concen-trations, 0.5 mg/mL, 0.25 mg/mL, 0.125 mg/mL and 0.06 mg/mL. Cell viability was evaluated by the MTT col-orimetric technique. Both solutions of S. madagascariensis extracts (acetone and DMSO) showed cytotoxic activity. In both cases, the degree of cytotoxicity was dependent on the concentration of the solution.Las especies del género Senecio han sido empleadas tradicionalmente con fines medicinales y se ha demos-trado que algunas de ellas poseen actividad antiproliferativa en células cancerosas. En América del Sur, S. madagascariensis es uno de los representantes más importantes del género. La mayoría de las especies contienen alcaloides pirrolizidínicos (AP), sustancias que pueden provocar daño hepático. Por lo tanto, el obje-tivo de este trabajo fue determinar la actividad citotóxica de un extracto bajo en AP de S. madagascariensis en una línea celular cancerosa. Se desarrolló un extracto clorofórmico a partir del material vegetal con una concentración de AP menor a 200 µg/g (w/w). Dos soluciones stock fueron realizadas utilizando DMSO y acetona como solventes y fueron diluidas en medio de cultivo (DMEM). Fueron cultivadas células de carcino-ma de células transicionales de vejiga urinaria T24 en placas de 96 pocillos (10⁴ células por pocillo) e incuba-das por 24 horas con diluciones de los extractos a las siguientes concentraciones: 0,5 mg/mL, 0,25 mg/mL, 0,125 mg/mL y 0,06 mg/mL. La viabilidad celular fue evaluada mediante la técnica colorimétrica de MTT. Am-bas soluciones de S. madagascariensis demostraron actividad citotóxica. En ambos casos el grado de citoto-xicidad fue dependiente de la concentración de la solución.As especies do gênero Senecio têm sido tradicionalmente utilizadas para fins medicinais e algumas de las mostraram ter atividade antiproliferativa em células cancerosas. Em América do Sul, S. madagascariensis é um dos representantes mais importantes do gênero. A maioria das espécies contém alcalóides pirrolizidínicos (PAs), substâncias que podem causar dano ao fígado. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a atividade citotóxica de um extrato de S. madagascariensis com baixo teor de PA em uma linhagem de células cancerosas. Um extrato clorofórmico foi realizado a partir do material vegetal com uma concentração de PA inferior a 200 µg/g (w/w). Dois soluções estoque foram feitas usando DMSO e acetona como solventes e foram diluídas em meio de cultura (DMEM). Células de carcinoma de células transicionais da bexiga urinária T24 foram cultivadas em placas de 96 poços (10⁴ células por poço) e incubadas por 24 horas com diluições dos extratos nas seguintes concentrações 0,5 mg / mL, 0,25 mg / mL, 0,125 mg / mL e 0,06 mg / mL. A viabi-lidade celular foi avaliada pela técnica colorimétrica MTT. Ambas soluções de S. madagascariensis demons-traram atividade citotóxica. Em ambos casos, o grau de citotoxicidade foi dependente da concentração da solução

La Caridad/Solidaridad vista desde los portales cibernéticos y blogs

La Red de los Portales Web es muy amplia y creo que existe una responsabilidad a la hora de hablar de Solidaridad y de Caridad. Muchas veces no somos conscientes de lo que hay detrás, los miles de seguidores que pueden tener cada uno de estos portales, generando una corriente de influencia que tiene mucha trascendencia a efecto de lo que hacen las Cofradías. A día de hoy puede verse perfectamente que una noticia de una Cofradía, que no esté dentro del orden o del decoro, recibe miles de críticas, dejándose patente que detrás de todo esto hay una gran repercusión. La Caridad y Solidaridad desde el punto de vista de los Portales Webs, los blogs, están muy ligada a las Cofradías, pero creo que también se tienen desde ellos una gran responsabilidad, porque no es solo el hecho de lo cofrade, tenemos una responsabilidad final, somos todos cristianos y debemos de hacer algo con respecto a la Solidaridad y la Caridad

Laboratorio Q, Seville: creative production of collective spaces before and after austerity

The creative city approach is going through a redefinition after the 2008 global financial crisis. In the specific case of South-European cities, in the context of austerity and cuts in public investment, creativity is becoming a strategy for achieving maximum social benefit and improvement of the built environment with minimum economic expenditure. This paper looks at this redefinition of creativity through the case study of Seville, in southern Spain. Through research methods that include video-recorded testimonies of the actors involved, mapping at the online platform ‘Laboratorio Q’, and public engagement activities, this paper explores how the civic society, professional, and public authorities have reinvented how to produce collective spaces. The paper concludes that bottom-up creative processes for producing collective spaces have become more visible since the 2008 crisis, when architects, planners, public authorities and policy-makers have been ‘learning’ from them