Efforts to foster biomedical text mining efforts beyond English: the Spanish national strategic plan for language technologies

Si bien se han hecho esfuerzos considerables para aplicar las tecnologías de minería de texto a la literatura biomédica y los registros clínicos escritos en inglés, lo cierto es que intentos de procesar documentos en otros idiomas han atraído mucha menos atención a pesar de su interés práctico. Debido al considerable número de documentos biomédicos escritos en español, existe una necesidad apremiante de poder acceder a los recursos de minería de textos biomédicos y clínicos desarrollados para esta lengua de alto impacto. Para abordar este asunto, la Secretaría de Estado encargó las actuaciones de apoyo técnico especializado para el desarrollo del Plan de Impulso de las tecnologías del Lenguaje en el ámbito de la biomedicina. El artículo describe brevemente las líneas principales de actuación del proyecto en su primera fase, esto es: facilitar el acceso a recursos y herramientas en PNL, analizar y garantizar la interoperabilidad del sistema, la definición de métodos y herramientas de evaluación, la difusión del proyecto y sus resultados y la alineación y colaboración con otros proyectos nacionales e internacionales. Además, hemos identificado algunas de las tareas críticas en el procesamiento de textos biomédicos que requieren investigación adicional y disponibilidad de herramientas.A considerable effort has been made to apply text mining technologies to biomedical literature and clinical records written in English, while attempts to process documents in other languages have attracted far less attention despite the key practical relevance. Due to the considerable number of biomedical documents written in Spanish, there is a pressing need to be able to access biomedical and clinical text mining resources developed for this high impact language. To address this issue, the Spanish Ministry of State for Telecommunications launched the Plan for Promotion of Language Technologies in the field of biomedicine with the aim of providing specialized technical support to research and development of software solutions adapted to this domain. This article briefly describes the main lines of action of this project in its initial stages, namely: (a) identification of relevant biomedical NLP resources/tools, (b) examining and enabling system interoperability aspects, (c) to outline strategies and support for evaluation settings, (d) to disseminate the project and its results, and (e) to align and collaborate with other related national and international projects. Moreover we have identified some of the critical biomedical text processing tasks that require additional research and availability of tools

Primary Sjögren's syndrome as independent risk factor for subclinical atherosclerosis.

To assess the prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and its possible association with clinical and analytical parameters of the disease. In this cross-sectional study, 38 consecutive patients with pSS were compared with 38 age and sex healthy controls. Demographic variables and classic cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs): Hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, obesity, and smoking habit were assessed in both groups, and also disease-related features were collected in pSS group. The presence of subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by carotid ultrasound, with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) measurement and determination of the presence of atheromatous plaques. Subclinical atherosclerosis presence was remarkably greater in patients with pSS than in healthy controls (OR = 4.17, 95%CI [1.27-16.54]), as well as CIMT values (0.79 ± 0.43mm vs. 0.66 ± 0.27mm; P = .02). No differences for classic CVRFs were found between both groups. An association of subclinical atherosclerosis with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and rheumatoid factor (RF) was observed in patients with pSS. This cohort showed a greater prevalence of subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with pSS, indicating this disease as an independent risk factor for presence of early vascular damage.The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.S

Association between vitamin D deficiency and heart failure in the elderly

Producción CientíficaVitamin D (25-OH-vitamin D) is a hormone which acts on the calcium-phosphorus metabolism and also has extraskeletal effects. In the cardiovascular system, it regulates the renin-angiotensinaldosterone system (RAAS), inhibits vascular smooth muscle proliferation, and suppresses cardiac hypertrophy and hypercontractility [1]. We assessed the relationship between vitamin D deficiency and heart failure (HF) in an elderly population. We carried out a prospective case-control study in the Internal Medicine Department, Rio Hortega Hospital, Valladolid in 2010. Twenty-five patients were diagnosed with HF and 19 were institutionalized controls with no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The age of patients and control group was similar (83±7 years vs. 85±8 years, pN0.05). The sex distribution don't show differences. HF was diagnosed according to clinical and laboratory criteria (B-type natriuretic peptideN400 pg/mL). Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as levelsb20 ng/ml and deficiency asb10 ng/ml. Two-dimensional echocardiography evaluated systolic and diastolic function, pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), atrial fibrillation and valvular disease in the HF group

TRPA1 modulation by Sigma-1 receptor prevents oxaliplatin-induced painful peripheral neuropathy

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is a frequent, disabling side effect of anticancer drugs. Oxaliplatin, a platinum compound used in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, often leads to a form of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy characterized by mechanical and cold hypersensitivity. Current therapies for chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy are ineffective, often leading to the cessation of treatment. Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is a polymodal, non-selective cation-permeable channel expressed in nociceptors, activated by physical stimuli and cellular stress products. TRPA1 has been linked to the establishment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and other painful neuropathic conditions. Sigma-1 receptor is an endoplasmic reticulum chaperone known to modulate the function of many ion channels and receptors. Sigma-1 receptor antagonist, a highly selective antagonist of Sigma-1 receptor, has shown effectiveness in a phase II clinical trial for oxaliplatin chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. However, the mechanisms involved in the beneficial effects of Sigma-1 receptor antagonist are little understood. We combined biochemical and biophysical (i.e. intermolecular Förster resonance energy transfer) techniques to demonstrate the interaction between Sigma-1 receptor and human TRPA1. Pharmacological antagonism of Sigma-1R impaired the formation of this molecular complex and the trafficking of functional TRPA1 to the plasma membrane. Using patch-clamp electrophysiological recordings we found that antagonists of Sigma-1 receptor, including Sigma-1 receptor antagonist, exert a marked inhibition on plasma membrane expression and function of human TRPA1 channels. In TRPA1-expressing mouse sensory neurons, Sigma-1 receptor antagonists reduced inward currents and the firing of actions potentials in response to TRPA1 agonists. Finally, in a mouse experimental model of oxaliplatin neuropathy, systemic treatment with a Sigma-1 receptor antagonists prevented the development of painful symptoms by a mechanism involving TRPA1. In summary, the modulation of TRPA1 channels by Sigma-1 receptor antagonists suggests a new strategy for the prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and could inform the development of novel therapeutics for neuropathic pain.Fil: Marcotti, Aída. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas. Instituto de Farmacología Experimental de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Fernández Trillo, Jorge. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: González, Alejandro. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; España. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; EspañaFil: Vizcaíno Escoto, Marta. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Ros Arlanzón, Pablo. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Romero, Luz. Parc Cientific de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Vela, Jos Miguel. Parc Cientific de Barcelona; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Gomis, Ana. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: Viana, Flix. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; EspañaFil: De La Peña, Elvira. Universidad de Miguel Hernández; España. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas; Españ

Combined Immune Defect in B-Cell Lymphoproliferative Disorders Is Associated with Severe Infection and Cancer Progression

This research received no external funding. K.G.-H is supported by The European Social Fund (ESF) through a Río Ortega Grant for Health Research Projects by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) (CM20/00098).B cell chronic lymphoproliferative diseases (B-CLPD) are associated with secondary antibody deficiency and other innate and adaptive immune defects, whose impact on infectious risk has not been systematically addressed. We performed an immunological analysis of a cohort of 83 B-CLPD patients with recurrent and/or severe infections to ascertain the clinical relevance of the immune deficiency expression. B-cell defects were present in all patients. Patients with combined immune defect had a 3.69-fold higher risk for severe infection (p = 0.001) than those with predominantly antibody defect. Interestingly, by Kaplan–Meier analysis, combined immune defect showed an earlier progression of cancer with a hazard ratio of 3.21, than predominantly antibody defect (p = 0.005). When B-CLPD were classified in low-degree, high-degree, and plasma cell dyscrasias, risk of severe disease and cancer progression significantly diverged in combined immune defect, compared with predominantly antibody defect (p = 0.001). Remarkably, an underlying primary immunodeficiency (PID) was suspected in 12 patients (14%), due to prior history of infections, autoimmune and granulomatous conditions, atypical or variegated course and compatible biological data. This first proposed SID classification might have relevant clinical implications, in terms of predicting severe infections and cancer progression, and might be applied to different B-CLPD entities.Depto. de Inmunología, Oftalmología y ORLFac. de MedicinaTRUEpu

Larval Development in Tropical Gar (Atractosteus tropicus) Is Dependent on the Embryonic Thermal Regime: Ecological Implications under a Climate Change Context

This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Advances and Challenges in Fisheries and Aquaculture Science: Feature Papers for the New Journey of Fishes[EN] In ectotherm species, environmental temperature plays a key role in development, growth, and survival. Thus, determining how temperature affects fish populations is of utmost importance to accurately predict the risk of climate change over fisheries and aquaculture, critical to warrant nutrition and food security in the coming years. Here, the potential effects of abnormal thermal regimes (24, 28 and 32 °C; TR24, TR28, and TR32, respectively) exclusively applied during embryogenesis in tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus) has been explored to decipher the potential consequences on hatching and growth from fertilization to 16 days post-fertilization (dpf), while effects on skeletal development and body morphology were explored at fertilization and 16 dpf. Egg incubation at higher temperatures induced an early hatching and mouth opening. A higher hatching rate was obtained in eggs incubated at 28 °C when compared to those at 24 °C. No differences were found in fish survival at 16 dpf, with values ranging from 84.89 to 88.86%, but increased wet body weight and standard length were found in larvae from TR24 and TR32 groups. Thermal regime during embryogenesis also altered the rate at which the skeletal development occurs. Larvae from the TR32 group showed an advanced skeletal development, with a higher development of cartilaginous structures at hatching but reduced at 16 dpf when compared with the TR24 and TR28 groups. Furthermore, this advanced skeletal development seemed to determine the fish body morphology. Based on biometric measures, a principal component analysis showed how along development, larvae from each thermal regime were clustered together, but with each population remaining clearly separated from each other. The current study shows how changes in temperature may induce craniofacial and morphological alterations in fish during early stages and contribute to understanding the possible effects of global warming in early development of fish and its ecological implicationsSIThis work was partially funded by “Study of the digestive physiology in larvae and juveniles of tropical gar (Atractosteus tropicus) based on histological, biochemical and molecular techniques” project (Ref. CB-2016-01-282765) from the National Council for Science and Technology (CONACyT) of Mexico. I.F. acknowledges the funding from the MICIU and the European Social Fund, “The European Social Fund invests in your future” through the Ramón y Cajal (Ref. RYC2018-025337-I) contract from the Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica e Innovación 2017–2020Authors also thanks the support from the RED LARVAplus “Estrategias de desarrollo y mejora de la producción de larvas de peces en Iberoamérica” (117RT0521) funded by the Programa Iberoamericano de Ciencia y Tecnología para el Desarrollo (CYTED

Phenotypic characterization of X-linked hypophosphatemia in pediatric Spanish population

BACKGROUND: X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a hereditary rare disease caused by loss-of-function mutations in PHEX gene leading tohypophosphatemia and high renal loss of phosphate. Rickets and growth retardation are the major manifestations of XLH in children, but there is a broad phenotypic variability. Few publications have reported large series of patients. Current data on the clinical spectrum of the disease, the correlation with the underlying gene mutations, and the long-term outcome of patients on conventional treatment are needed, particularly because of the recent availability of new specific medications to treat XLH. RESULTS: The RenalTube database was used to retrospectively analyze 48 Spanish patients (15 men) from 39 different families, ranging from 3months to 8years and 2months of age at the time of diagnosis (median age of 2.0years), and with XLH confirmed by genetic analysis. Bone deformities, radiological signs of active rickets and growth retardation were the most common findings at diagnosis. Mean (±SEM) height was - 1.89±0.19 SDS and 55% (22/40) of patients had height SDS below-2. All cases had hypophosphatemia, serum phosphate being - 2.81±0.11 SDS. Clinical manifestations and severity of the disease were similar in both genders. No genotype-phenotype correlation was found. Conventional treatment did not attenuate growth retardation after a median follow up of 7.42years (IQR=11.26; n=26 patients) and failed to normalize serum concentrations of phosphate. Eleven patients had mild hyperparathyroidism and 8 patients nephrocalcinosis. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that growth retardation and rickets were the most prevalent clinical manifestations at diagnosis in a large series of Spanish pediatric patients with XLH confirmed by mutations in the PHEX gene. Traditional treatment with phosphate and vitamin D supplements did not improve height or corrected hypophosphatemia and was associated with a risk of hyperparathyroidism and nephrocalcinosis. The severity of the disease was similar in males and females

Application of multi-sensor advanced DInSAR analysis to severe land subsidence recognition: Alto Guadalentín Basin (Spain)

Multi-sensor advanced DInSAR analyses have been performed and compared with two GPS station measurements, in order to evaluate the land subsidence evolution in a 20-year period, in the Alto Guadalentín Basin where the highest rate of man-induced subsidence (> 10 cm yr−1) of Europe had been detected. The control mechanisms have been examined comparing the advanced DInSAR data with conditioning and triggering factors (i.e. isobaths of Plio-Quaternary deposits, soft soil thickness and piezometric level).This work is financially supported by the DORIS project (Ground Deformation Risk Scenarios: an Advanced Assessment Service) funded by the EC-GMES-FP7 initiative (Grant Agreement 423 no. 242212). ALOS PALSAR images were provided by the project JAXA-1209. Part of this work is supported by the Spanish Government under project TEC2011-28201-C02-02 and TIN2014-55413-C2-2-P and by the project 15224/PI/10 from the Regional Agency of Science and Technology in Murcia. Additional funding was obtained from the Spanish Research Program through the projects AYA2010-17448, ESP2013-47780-C2-1-R and ESP2013-47780-C2-2-Rand by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport through the project PRX14/00100

Editorial: Cambio y continuidad en Trabajos de Prehistoria. Homenaje a M.ª Isabel Martínez Navarrete

Peer reviewe

A view of the Brazil-Malvinas confluence, March 2015

The encountering of the subtropical Brazil Current (BC) and the subantarctic Malvinas Current (MC) along the western margin of the Argentine Basin forms the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence (BMC), one of the most intense open-ocean fronts in the world ocean and a site for the formation of intermediate water masses. Here, we provide a comprehensive description of the BMC based on physical and biogeochemical data – hydrographic stations, profiling floats and subsurface drifters – gathered in March 2015. We use these data in order to characterize the impinging and outflowing currents and to describe the cross- and along-frontal thermohaline structure. In addition, we compare the in-situ measurements with both climatological data and the Mercator Ocean eddy-resolving reanalysis. The hydrographic sections illustrate the contrasting properties between the two western boundary currents: warm, salty, nutrient- and oxygen-poor oligotrophic subtropical waters carried southward by the BC and the cold, fresh, oxygen- and nutrient-rich subantarctic waters carried northward by the MC. The frontal system is also characterized by the presence of thermohaline intrusions, with the cross-frontal gradients and along-front velocities sharpening as the colliding currents shape the frontal system. We also observe brackish waters spreading on top of the frontal jet as a result of both the confluence dynamics and off-shelf advection favored by north-easterly winds. These low-salinity waters are positively correlated with surface ageostrophic speeds over the frontal jet. The cruise data illustrates the high regional and mesoscale variability as compared with climatological conditions, and further document the submesoscale subsurface complexity, which is not properly captured by available operational models.Fil: Orúe Echevarría, Dorleta. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Pelegrí, Josep L.. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Alonso González, Iván J.. Oceomic, Marine Bio And Technology S.L; EspañaFil: Benítez Barrios, Verónica M.. Oceomic, Marine Bio And Technology S.L; EspañaFil: Emelianov, Mikhail. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: García Olivares, Antonio. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Gasser i Rubinat, Marc. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: De La Fuente, Patricia. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Herrero, Carmen. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Isern Fontanet, Jordi. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Masdeu Navarro, Marta. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Peña Izquierdo, Jesús. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Piola, Alberto Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera; ArgentinaFil: Ramírez Garrido, Sergio. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Rosell Fieschi, Miquel. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Salvador, Joaquín. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Saraceno, Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmósfera; Argentina. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Valla, Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Ciencias de la Atmósfera y los Océanos; ArgentinaFil: Vallès Casanova, Ignasi. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto de Ciencias del Mar; EspañaFil: Vidal, Montserrat. Universidad de Barcelona; Españ