Hydrographic Conditions on Flemish Cap in July 1999 and Comparison with Those Observed in Previous Years

13 páginas, 6 figuras, 2 tablas.-- Scientific Council MeetingHydrographic conditions on Flemish Cap in July 1999 are described after a CTD survey with 116 stations. Water masses present over Flemish Cap are compared with those observed in the three previous years. The hydrographic pattern on Flemish Cap in the summer is the consequence of earlier processes and the summer effect. The incoming fluxes over the bank and its relative strength determine the initial water masses field. Later modifications within the topography of the bank give the resulting water masses field. Anomalous warm summer weather with intense solar heating results in AGW (Anticyclonic Gyre Water) with high superficial temperatures. A well-developed anticyclonic gyre may be the consequence of an intense LC (Labrador Current) over the bank and an ulterior Taylor’s column formationThis paper was supported by the European Commission (DG XIV, Study 98-048), CSIC and IEO.Peer reviewe

Metallo-dielectric core-shell nanospheres as building blocks for optical three-dimensional isotropic negative-index metamaterials

Materials showing electromagnetic properties that are not attainable in naturally occurring media, so-called metamaterials, have been lately, and still are, among the most active topics in optical and materials physics and engineering. Among these properties, one of the most attractive ones is the subdiffraction resolving capability predicted for media having an index of refraction of -1. Here, we propose a fully three-dimensional, isotropic metamaterial with strong electric and magnetic responses in the optical regime, based on spherical metallo-dielectric core-shell nanospheres. The magnetic response stems from the lowest, magnetic-dipole resonance of the dielectric shell with a high refractive index, and can be tuned to coincide with the plasmon resonance of the metal core, responsible for the electric response. Since the response does not originate from coupling between structures, no particular periodic arrangement needs to be imposed. Moreover, due to the geometry of the constituents, the metamaterial is intrinsically isotropic and polarization independent. It could be realized with current fabrication techniques with materials such as silver (core) and silicon or germanium (shell). For these particular realistic designs, the metamaterials present a negative index in the range of 1.2-1.55 μm.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación CSD2008-00066, FIS2009- 11264Comunidad de Madrid MICROSERES P2009/TIC-147

Análisis de interdependencia entre la baja autoestima, el desajuste familiar y el estrés en estudiantes secundarios de Lima considerando la variable sexo

The present quantitative study examines the interdependence between three indicators of maladjusted psychosocial behavior: low self-esteem, family maladjustment and stress in a sample of 1102 secondary students from Lima (Peru) considering the sex variable. The results indicate statistically significant differences between men and women in the three indicators of psychosocial behavior we have studied, highlighting that they remain within a range level considered normal for both, men and women. The correlation analysis reveals moderate associations between stress and low self-esteem (ρ = 0.684) and between stress and family maladjustment (ρ = 0.573). Multiple linear regression models, separated by gender, suggest that family maladjustment has a significant influence in predicting stress and low self-esteem among women (R squared = 0.546 and 0.572) and men (R squared = 0.523 and 0.535). Additionally, this study highlights the importance of family maladjustment as a predictor of low self-esteem and stress in secondary students, as it highlights significant variations in the strength of this relationship according to sex in all regression models. These findings highlight the need to address the promotion of mental health in secondary students, respecting the differences in family maladjustment as an influential factor in the presence of stress and low self-esteem.El presente estudio cuantitativo examina la interdependencia entre tres indicadores de comportamiento psicosocial desajustados: baja autoestima, desajuste familiar y estrés en una muestra de 1102 estudiantes secundarios de Lima (Perú) considerando la variable sexo. Los resultados indican diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre hombres y mujeres en los tres indicadores de comportamiento psicosocial estudiados, destacando que se mantienen en un nivel de rango considerado normal tanto para hombres como para mujeres. El análisis de correlación revela asociaciones moderadas entre el estrés y la baja autoestima (ρ = 0.684) y entre el estrés y el desajuste familiar (ρ = 0.573). Los modelos de regresión lineal múltiple, separados por género, sugieren que el desajuste familiar tiene una influencia significativa en la predicción del estrés y la baja autoestima tanto en mujeres (R cuadrado = 0.546 y 0.572) como en hombres (R cuadrado = 0.523 y 0.535). Asimismo, este estudio subraya la importancia del desajuste familiar como predictor de la baja autoestima y del estrés en estudiantes secundarios, pues destaca variaciones significativas en la fuerza de esta relación según el sexo en todos los modelos de regresión. Estos hallazgos resaltan la necesidad de abordar la promoción de la salud mental de los estudiantes secundarios, respetando las diferencias en el desajuste familiar como factor influyente en la presencia del estrés y la baja autoestima

Construcción y validación de una escala de conducta de bullying para estudiantes secundarios

Se comprende el bullying como comportamientos de hostigamiento y maltrato que ocurre en los entornos escolares. En este sentido, se llevó a cabo un estudio psicométrico para construir y validar un instrumento que permita evaluar el comportamiento de bullying. Se elaboraron y validaron 15 preguntas con la participación de jueces expertos, las cuales fueron aplicadas a una muestra de 215 alumnos de primero y segundo año de secundaria en colegios de Lima y Callao. Tras realizar el análisis de validación, discriminación y análisis factorial exploratorio, se seleccionaron 8 preguntas para formar la escala final, en las que se identificaron dos dimensiones de comportamiento de bullying que se denominaron “indirecto” y “directo”, que representan los diferentes comportamientos de los agresores en situaciones de bullying. Estas dimensiones se ratificaron con el análisis factorial confirmatorio. La escala mostró una alta confiabilidad, con un coeficiente de Omega de McDonald 0,842

Effect of genotyping strategies on the sustained benefit of single-step genomic BLUP over multiple generations

BACKGROUND: Single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP) allows the inclusion of information from genotyped and ungenotyped individuals in a single analysis. This avoids the need to genotype all candidates with the potential benefit of reducing overall costs. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of genotyping strategies, the proportion of genotyped candidates and the genotyping criterion to rank candidates to be genotyped, when using ssGBLUP evaluation. A simulation study was carried out assuming selection over several discrete generations where a proportion of the candidates were genotyped and evaluation was done using ssGBLUP. The scenarios compared were: (i) three genotyping strategies defined by their protocol for choosing candidates to be genotyped (RANDOM: candidates were chosen at random; TOP: candidates with the best genotyping criterion were genotyped; and EXTREME: candidates with the best and worse criterion were genotyped); (ii) eight proportions of genotyped candidates (p); and (iii) two genotyping criteria to rank candidates to be genotyped (candidates’ own phenotype or estimated breeding values). The criteria of the comparison were the cumulated gain and reliability of the genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV). RESULTS: The genotyping strategy with the greatest cumulated gain was TOP followed by RANDOM, with EXTREME behaving as RANDOM at low p and as TOP with high p. However, the reliability of GEBV was higher with RANDOM than with TOP. This disparity between the trend of the gain and the reliability is due to the TOP scheme genotyping the candidates with the greater chances of being selected. The extra gain obtained with TOP increases when the accuracy of the selection criterion to rank candidates to be genotyped increases. CONCLUSIONS: The best strategy to maximise genetic gain when only a proportion of the candidates are to be genotyped is TOP, since it prioritises the genotyping of candidates which are more likely to be selected. However, the strategy with the greatest GEBV reliability does not achieve the largest gain, thus reliability cannot be considered as an absolute and sufficient criterion for determining the scheme which maximises genetic gain. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12711-022-00712-y

Relationship between insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), trabecular bone score (TBS), and three-dimensional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (3D-DXA) in non-diabetic postmenopausal women

Producción CientíficaBackground: Insulin may play a key role in bone metabolism, where the anabolic effect predominates. This study aims to analyze the relationship between insulin resistance and bone quality using the trabecular bone score (TBS) and three-dimensional dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (3D-DXA) in non-diabetic postmenopausal women by determining cortical and trabecular compartments. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in non-diabetic postmenopausal women with suspected or diagnosed osteoporosis. The inclusion criteria were no menstruation for more than 12 months and low bone mass or osteoporosis as defined by DXA. Glucose was calculated using a Hitachi 917 auto-analyzer. Insulin was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA). Insulin resistance was estimated using a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). DXA, 3D-DXA, and TBS were thus collected. Moreover, we examined bone parameters according to quartile of insulin, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c), and HOMA-IR. Results: In this study, we included 381 postmenopausal women. Women located in quartile 4 (Q4) of HOMA-IR had higher values of volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) but not TBS. The increase was higher in the trabecular compartment (16.4%) than in the cortical compartment (6.4%). Similar results were obtained for insulin. Analysis of the quartiles by HbA1c showed no differences in densitometry values, however women in Q4 had lower levels of TBS. After adjusting for BMI, statistical significance was maintained for TBS, insulin, HOMA-IR, and HbA1c. Conclusions: In non-diabetic postmenopausal women there was a direct relationship between insulin resistance and vBMD, whose effect is directly related to greater weight. TBS had an inverse relationship with HbA1c, insulin, and insulin resistance unrelated to weight. This might be explained by the formation of advanced glycosylation products (AGEs) in the bone matrix, which reduces bone deformation capacity and resistance, as well as increases fragility

MKP1 mediates chemosensitizer effects of E1a in response to cisplatin in non-small cell lung carcinoma cells

The adenoviral gene E1a is known to enhance the antitumor effect of cisplatin, one of the cornerstones of the current cancer chemotherapy. Here we study the molecular basis of E1a mediated sensitivity to cisplatin in an experimental model of Non-small cell lung cancer. Our data show how E1a blocks the induction of autophagy triggered by cisplatin and promotes the apoptotic response in resistant cells. Interestingly, at the molecular level, we present evidences showing how the phosphatase MKP1 is a major determinant of cisplatin sensitivity and its upregulation is strictly required for the induction of chemosensitivity mediated by E1a. Indeed, E1a is almost unable to promote sensitivity in H460, in which the high expression of MKP1 remains unaffected by E1a. However, in resistant cell as H1299, H23 or H661, which display low levels of MKP1, E1a expression promotes a dramatic increase in the amount of MKP1 correlating with cisplatin sensitivity. Furthermore, effective knock down of MKP1 in H1299 E1a expressing cells restores resistance to a similar extent than parental cells. stores resistance to a similar extent than parental cells. In summary, the present work reinforce the critical role of MKP1 in the cellular response to cisplatin highlighting the importance of this phosphatase in future gene therapy approach based on E1a gene

Trends in urinary tract infection hospitalization in older adults in Spain from 2000-2015

Objective: To analyze trends in urinary tract infection hospitalization (cystitis, pyelonephritis, prostatitis and non-specified UTI) among patients over 65 years in Spain from 2000-2015. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using the Spanish Hospitalization Minimum Data Set (CMBD), with codifications by the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9). We collected data on sex, age, type of discharge, main diagnosis, comorbid diagnosis, length of stay, and global cost. All the hospitalizations were grouped by age into three categories: 65-74 years old, 75-84 years old, and 85 years old and above. In the descriptive statistical analysis, crude rates were defined as hospitalizations per 1,000 inhabitants aged ≥65. To identify trends over time, we performed a Joinpoint regression. Results: From 2000-2015, we found 387,010 hospitalizations coded as UTIs (54,427 pyelonephritis, 15,869 prostatitis, 2643 cystitis and 314,071 non-specified UTI). The crude rate of hospitalization for UTIs between 2000 and 2015 ranged from 2.09 in 2000 to 4.33 in 2015 Rates of hospitalization were higher in men than in women, except with pyelonephritis. By age group, higher rates were observed in patients aged 85 years or older, barring prostatitis-related hospitalizations. Joinpoint analyses showed an average annual percentage increase (AAPC) in incidence rates of 4.9% (95% CI 3.2;6.1) in UTI hospitalizations. We observed two joinpoints, in 2010 and 2013, that found trends of 5.5% between 2000 and 2010 (95% CI 4.7;6.4), 1.5% between 2010 and 2013 (95% CI -6.0;9.6) and 6.8% between 2013 and 2015 (95% CI -0.3;14.4). Conclusions: The urinary infection-related hospitalization rate in Spain doubled during the period 2000-2015. The highest hospitalization rates occurred in men, in the ≥85 years old age group, and in non-specified UTIs. There were increases in all types of urinary tract infection, with non-specified UTIs having the greatest growth. Understanding these changing trends can be useful for health planning.This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the project “PI19/01700”, as part of the Plan Estatal de I+D+I 2017-2020 co-funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) “A way of shaping Europe”. In addition, the principal investigator JRS received support to increase his research activities and to publish this manuscript from the 2020 funding program of the Fundación de Investigación e Innovación Biosanitaria en Atención Primaria (FIIBAP), Community of Madrid.S

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors and Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Withdrawal Is Associated with Higher Mortality in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19

Our main aim was to describe the effect on the severity of ACEI (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor) and ARB (angiotensin II receptor blocker) during COVID-19 hospitalization. A retrospective, observational, multicenter study evaluating hospitalized patients with COVID-19 treated with ACEI/ARB. The primary endpoint was the incidence of the composite outcome of prognosis (IMV (invasive mechanical ventilation), NIMV (non-invasive mechanical ventilation), ICU admission (intensive care unit), and/or all-cause mortality). We evaluated both outcomes in patients whose treatment with ACEI/ARB was continued or withdrawn. Between February and June 2020, 11,205 patients were included, mean age 67 years (SD = 16.3) and 43.1% female; 2162 patients received ACEI/ARB treatment. ACEI/ARB treatment showed lower all-cause mortality (p < 0.0001). Hypertensive patients in the ACEI/ARB group had better results in IMV, ICU admission, and the composite outcome of prognosis (p < 0.0001 for all). No differences were found in the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events. Patients previously treated with ACEI/ARB continuing treatment during hospitalization had a lower incidence of the composite outcome of prognosis than those whose treatment was withdrawn (RR 0.67, 95%CI 0.63-0.76). ARB was associated with better survival than ACEI (HR 0.77, 95%CI 0.62-0.96). ACEI/ARB treatment during COVID-19 hospitalization was associated with protection on mortality. The benefits were greater in hypertensive, those who continue

Use of plasma rich in growth factors in patients with knee osteoarthritis

Introducción: la osteoartritis es uno de los principales problemas de salud a nivel mundial debido a su alta prevalencia. Objetivo: determinar la efectividad y la seguridad del tratamiento con plasma rico en factores de crecimiento en la osteoartritis de rodilla. Métodos: se realizó una investigación en sistemas y servicios de salud, con enfoque sistémico pre experimental, prospectivo multicéntrico abierto. La muestra quedó conformada por 152 pacientes sometidos a este procedimiento en el Hospital “Arnaldo Milián Castro” de Santa Clara durante el período comprendido entre marzo de 2014 a diciembre de 2015. El seguimiento fue al mes, a los seis meses y al año. Se evaluaron variables clínicas y hematológicas que conforman el protocolo para este procedimiento y se emplearon escalas y exámenes de laboratorio especializados. Los datos obtenidos fueron sometidos al análisis estadístico-matemático. Resultados: la osteoartritis de rodilla predominó en el sexo femenino y en la tercera edad, la comorbilidad estuvo presente en la mayoría de los enfermos (la hipertensión arterial resultó la más frecuente), predominaron los grados II y III, sin asociación con la lateralidad y la presencia de deformidad, fueron significativas la reducción del consumo de medicamentos al año del tratamiento y la presencia de dolor, el peso corporal no mostró reducción y hubo escasas complicaciones. Conclusiones: la aplicación del plasma rico en factores de crecimiento autólogo es viable y segura en el tratamiento de la osteoartritis de rodilla.Introduction: Osteoarthritis is one of the main health problems worldwide due to its high prevalence. Objective: Determine the effectiveness and safety of the treatment with plasma rich in growth factors in knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A study was conducted in health systems and services with a pre-experimental, prospective, open and multicentre systemic approach. The sample consisted of 152 patients who underwent this procedure at the Arnaldo Milián Castro Hospital in Santa Clara from March 2014 to December 2015. The follow-up was carried out at one month, six months and one year. The clinical and hematological variables of the protocol for this procedure were assessed, and specialized scales and laboratory tests were used. The collected data underwent a statistical-mathematical analysis. Results: Knee osteoarthritis predominated in females and in third-age patients; comorbidity was present in most of the patients (arterial hypertension was the most frequent); grades II and III predominated, without association with laterality and the presence of deformity; at one year of treatment, there was a significant reduction in drug consumption, as well as a significant reduction of pain; body weight showed no reduction and there were few complications. Conclusions: The use of plasma rich in autologous growth factors is viable and safe in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis