Hipogonadismo de inicio tardío: revisión de conceptos y pautas diagnósticas

ResumenEl hipogonadismo de inicio tardío es un síndrome clínico y bioquímico cada vez más frecuente entre la población masculina en la edad adulta, sin embargo pocas veces es diagnosticado y por lo tanto cursa sin tratamiento entre la mayoría de los varones afectados. La asociación entre deficiencia de testosterona relacionada con la edad y el diagnóstico de hipogonadismo de inicio tardío continúa siendo un tema controversial, y su asociación con síntomas como pérdida de volumen y fuerza muscular, pérdida de la libido y la función eréctil, así como cambios en el estado afectivo e intelectual del paciente resulta insidiosa ya que en ocasiones las sintomatología es atribuida al proceso «normal» de envejecimiento, o a otras comorbilidades del paciente. El diagnóstico de hipogonadismo de inicio tardío se basa en la coexistencia de bajos niveles séricos de testosterona total o libre y síntomas sugestivos de hipogonadismo. Si bien se han desarrollado cuestionarios de cribado dirigidos a pacientes con sospecha clínica, estos cuestionarios poseen sensibilidad y especificidad limitadas para el diagnóstico de hipogonadismo de inicio tardío. El diagnóstico preciso y oportuno es de crucial importancia ya que permite restablecer los niveles de testosterona y la mejoría clínica significativa mediante la terapia de remplazo hormonal.AbstractLate-onset hypogonadism is a clinical and biochemical syndrome that is increasingly more frequent in the adult male population. However, it is rarely diagnosed and therefore goes untreated in the majority of affected men. The association between age-related testosterone deficiency and late-onset hypogonadism continues to be a subject of debate and its relation to symptoms such as loss of muscle strength and volume, loss of libido, erectile dysfunction, and changes in affective and emotional statuses of the patient are insidious, given that the symptomatology is often attributed to the “normal” aging process or other comorbidities of the patient. The diagnosis of late-onset hypogonadism is based on the coexistence of low total or free testosterone serum levels and symptoms suggestive of hypogonadism. Even though screening questionnaires directed at patients with clinical suspicion of the disease have been developed for late-onset hypogonadism, their diagnostic sensitivity and specificity is limited. Accurate and opportune diagnosis is vitally important because it enables testosterone levels to be reestablished and significant clinical improvement to be made through androgen replacement therapy

Patterns on the numerical duplication by their admissibility degree

We develop the theory of patterns on numerical semigroups in terms of the admissibility degree. We prove that the Arf pattern induces every strongly admissible pattern, and determine all patterns equivalent to the Arf pattern. We study patterns on the numerical duplication $S \Join^d E$ when $d \gg0$. We also provide a definition of patterns on rings

The SELGIFS data challenge: generating synthetic observations of CALIFA galaxies from hydrodynamical simulations

In this work we present a set of synthetic observations that mimic the properties of the integral field spectroscopy (IFS) survey Calar Alto Legacy Integral-Field Area (CALIFA), generated using radiative transfer techniques applied to hydrodynamical simulations of galaxies in a cosmological context. The simulated spatially-resolved spectra include stellar and nebular emission, kinematic broadening of the lines, and dust extinction and scattering. The results of the radiative transfer simulations have been post-processed to reproduce the main properties of the CALIFA V500 and V1200 observational setups. The data has been further formatted to mimic the CALIFA survey in terms of field-of-view size, spectral range and sampling. We have included the effect of the spatial and spectral point spread functions affecting CALIFA observations, and added detector noise after characterizing it on a sample of 367 galaxies. The simulated data cubes are suited to be analysed by the same algorithms used on real IFS data. In order to provide a benchmark to compare the results obtained applying IFS observational techniques to our synthetic data cubes and test the calibration and accuracy of the analysis tools, we have computed the spatially-resolved properties of the simulations. Hence, we provide maps derived directly from the hydrodynamical snapshots or the noiseless spectra, in a way that is consistent with the values recovered by the observational analysis algorithms. Both the synthetic observations and the product data cubes are public and can be found in the collaboration website http://astro.ft.uam.es/selgifs/data_challenge/.Fil: Guidi, G.. Leibniz Institute For Astrophysics Potsdam; AlemaniaFil: Casado, J.. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; España. Leibniz Institute For Astrophysics Potsdam; AlemaniaFil: Ascasibar, Y.. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: García Benito, R.. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía; EspañaFil: Galbany, L.. University of Pittsburgh; Estados UnidosFil: Sánchez Blázquez, P.. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; España. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Sánchez, S.F.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; MéxicoFil: Rosales-Ortega, F.F.. Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica; MéxicoFil: Scannapieco, Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Física; Argentina. Leibniz Institute For Astrophysics Potsdam; Alemani

Dietary Fat Patterns and Outcomes in Acute Pancreatitis in Spain

Background/Objective: Evidence from basic and clinical studies suggests that unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) might be relevant mediators of the development of complications in acute pancreatitis (AP). Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze outcomes in patients with AP from regions in Spain with different patterns of dietary fat intake. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed with data from 1,655 patients with AP from a Spanish prospective cohort study and regional nutritional data from a Spanish cross-sectional study. Nutritional data considered in the study concern the total lipid consumption, detailing total saturated fatty acids, UFAs and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) consumption derived from regional data and not from the patient prospective cohort. Two multivariable analysis models were used: (1) a model with the Charlson comorbidity index, sex, alcoholic etiology, and recurrent AP; (2) a model that included these variables plus obesity. Results: In multivariable analysis, patients from regions with high UFA intake had a significantly increased frequency of local complications, persistent organ failure (POF), mortality, and moderate-to-severe disease in the model without obesity and a higher frequency of POF in the model with obesity. Patients from regions with high MUFA intake had significantly more local complications and moderate-to-severe disease; this significance remained for moderate-to-severe disease when obesity was added to the model. Conclusions: Differences in dietary fat patterns could be associated with different outcomes in AP, and dietary fat patterns may be a pre-morbid factor that determines the severity of AP. UFAs, and particulary MUFAs, may influence the pathogenesis of the severity of AP

Self-passivating W-Cr-Y alloys: characterization and testing

The use of self-passivating tungsten alloys for the first wall armor of future fusion reactors is advantageous concerning safety issues in comparison with pure tungsten. Bulk W-10Cr-0.5Y alloy manufactured by mechanical alloying followed by HIP resulted in a fully dense material with grain size around 100 nm and a dispersion of Y-rich oxide nanoparticles located at the grain boundaries. An improvement in flexural strength and fracture toughness was observed with respect to previous works. Oxidation tests under isothermal and accident-like conditions revealed a very promising oxidation behavior for the W-10Cr-0.5Y alloy. Thermo-shock tests at JUDITH-1 to simulate ELM-like loads resulted in a crack network at the surface with roughness values lower than those of a pure W reference material. An additional thermal treatment at 1550 °C improves slightly the oxidation and thermo-shock resistance of the alloy

Central star formation and metallicity in CALIFA interacting galaxies

We use optical integral-field spectroscopic (IFS) data from 103 nearby galaxies at different stages of the merging event, from close pairs to merger remnants provided by the CALIFA survey, to study the impact of the interaction in the specific star formation and oxygen abundance on different galactic scales. To disentangle the effect of the interaction and merger from internal processes, we compared our results with a control sample of 80 non-interacting galaxies. We confirm the moderate enhancement (2-3 times) of specific star formation for interacting galaxies in central regions as reported by previous studies; however, the specific star formation is comparable when observed in extended regions. We find that control and interacting star-forming galaxies have similar oxygen abundances in their central regions, when normalized to their stellar masses. Oxygen abundances of these interacting galaxies seem to decrease compared to the control objects at the large aperture sizes measured in effective radius. Although the enhancement in central star formation and lower metallicities for interacting galaxies have been attributed to tidally induced inflows, our results suggest that other processes such as stellar feedback can contribute to the metal enrichment in interacting galaxies.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic

3D MODELLING AND VIRTUAL REALITY APPLIED TO COMPLEX ARCHITECTURES: AN APPLICATION TO HOSPITALS’ DESIGN

There are many healthcare facilities in Spain that were built throughout the second half of the 20th century, and compose an interesting built heritage designed by outstanding architects of the architectural avant-garde. Some of them were included in the DOCOMOMO’s list of buildings to be preserved and documented. As a consequence, every intervention on the hospitals’ heritage requires a special attention and needs a deep knowledge of the building in advance of taking action. On the other hand, such a particular heritage is being continuously updated according to the new standards that derive from the current tendencies in hospital design, and also from advances in healing techniques. In this context, 3D Modelling and virtual reality should have a decisive impact on the way hospitals’ complex spaces are designed, as they become useful tools for describing the previous stages of the buildings, as well as the impacts of new proposals. They can even change our experience of the built environment. As a step forward, we are developing a methodology to be applied to hospital design where these tools, together with BIM models -and in the near future, high-end immersive VR systems- play an important role

Precision Betacarotene Supplementation Enhanced Ovarian Function and the LH Release Pattern in Yearling Crossbred Anestrous Goats

The possible out-of-season effect of beta-carotene supplementation on ovulation rate (OR), antral follicles (AFN), and total ovarian activity (TOA = OR + AFN) as related to the LH release pattern in yearling anestrous goats was evaluated. In late April, Alpine-Saanen-Nubian x Criollo goats (n = 22, 26 N) were randomly allotted to: (1) Beta-carotene (BETA; n = 10, orally supplemented with 50 mg/goat/d; 36.4 ± 1.07 kg live weight (LW), 3.5 ± 0.20 units, body condition score (BCS) or (2) Non-supplemented (CONT; n = 12, 35.2 ± 1.07 kg LW, 3.4 ± 0.2 units BCS). Upon estrus synchronization, an intensive blood sampling (6 h × 15 min) was accomplished in May for LH quantifications; response variables included (pulsatility-PULSE, time to first pulse-TTFP, amplitude-AMPL, nadir-NAD and area under the curve-AUC). Thereafter, an ultrasonography scanning was completed to assess OR and AFN. The Munro algorithm was used to quantify LH pulsatility; if significant effects of time, treatment or interaction were identified, data were compared across time. Neither LW nor BCS (p > 0.05) or even the LH (p > 0.05); PULSE (4.1 ± 0.9 pulses/6 h), NAD (0.47 ± 0.13 ng) and AUC (51.7 ± 18.6 units) differed between treatments. Nonetheless, OR (1.57 vs. 0.87 ± 0.18 units) and TOA (3.44 vs. 1.87 ± 0.45 units) escorted by a reduced TTFP (33 vs. 126 ± 31.9 min) and an increased AMPL (0.55 vs. 0.24 ± 0.9 ng), favored to the BETA supplemented group (p < 0.05), possibly through a GnRH-LH enhanced pathway and(or) a direct effect at ovarian level. Results are relevant to speed-up the out-of-season reproductive outcomes in goats while may embrace translational applications

First survey of Wolf-Rayet star populations over the full extension of nearby galaxies observed with CALIFA

The search of extragalactic regions with conspicuous presence of Wolf-Rayet (WR) stars outside the Local Group is challenging task due to the difficulties in detecting their faint spectral features. In this exploratory work, we develop a methodology to perform an automated search of WR signatures through a pixel-by-pixel analysis of integral field spectroscopy (IFS) data belonging to the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area survey, CALIFA. This technique allowed us to build the first catalogue of Wolf-Rayet rich regions with spatially-resolved information, allowing to study the properties of these complexes in a 2D context. The detection technique is based on the identification of the blue WR bump (around He II 4686 {\AA}, mainly associated to nitrogen-rich WR stars, WN) and the red WR bump (around C IV 5808 {\AA} and associated to carbon-rich WR stars, WC) using a pixel-by-pixel analysis. We identified 44 WR-rich regions with blue bumps distributed in 25 galaxies of a total of 558. The red WR bump was identified only in 5 of those regions. We found that the majority of the galaxies hosting WR populations in our sample are involved in some kind of interaction process. Half of the host galaxies share some properties with gamma-ray burst (GRB) hosts where WR stars, as potential candidates to being the progenitors of GRBs, are found. We also compared the WR properties derived from the CALIFA data with stellar population synthesis models, and confirm that simple star models are generally not able to reproduce the observations. We conclude that other effects, such as the binary star channel (which could extend the WR phase up to 10 Myr), fast rotation or other physical processes that causes the loss of observed Lyman continuum photons, are very likely affecting the derived WR properties, and hence should be considered when modelling the evolution of massive stars.Comment: 33 pages, accepted for publication in A&