Clinical Significance of Langerhans Cells in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Larynx

Langerhans cells (LCs) may be involved in the immunosurveillance against tumors as antigen-presenting cells. Our objective has been to determine the relevance of LC in progression of larynx squamous cell carcinomas and their relationship with different subpopulations of tumor-infiltrating cells. LCs were investigated by immunohistochemical methods using anti-CD1 antibody. LCs were detected in most of the primary tumors studied (44 out of 50) and also in metastases (6 out of 10) and recurrences (2 out of 3), but we did not find any statistical association between number of LCs and clinical-pathological parameters or survival. However, the number of LCs was increased in patients with evident infiltration of lymphocytes, mainly cytotoxic T cells. We can conclude that although LCs did not show clinical utility as prognostic marker, they may play a role in releasing an active immune response in larynx carcinomas, according to their ability to present antigens to sensitized T cells

Exposure to noise and vibration of vocational education training teachers

Teachers in workshops of vocational education training (VET) schools are at risk of exposure to occupational hazards, as are the rest of the teaching staff. However, due to the characteristics of these workshops, these teachers are exposed to a greater extent to other types of risks, such as noise or vibrations. Exposure to these risks for vocational training teachers has been little studied compared to other risks, such as voice disorders. In this study, exposure to noise and vibration was evaluated for teachers in a vocational training center in Cordoba (Spain), working in body shops. The values obtained from the measurements taken for different tasks and machine tools showed that the exposure limit values specified in the corresponding regulations were reached and even exceeded. This implies that these types of risks must be taken into consideration for these types of teachers, and that measures must be taken to mitigate their effects

Design and Development of a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) with Open Source Tools for the Processing of Data Monitored in a Set of Photovoltaic (PV) Plants

The objective of this work has been to implement an orderly, accessible, fast and space-saving storage system that allows the transfer to a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) of all the data corresponding to the monitoring of a set of photovoltaic (PV) systems whose behaviour is to be analysed. The RDBMS consists of a series of linked databases, enabling all PV system information to be stored, and it is scalable so it can be expanded depending on the number of installations to be studied. The data recorded in the plants are found in a large number of very disaggregated files, and with different measured parameters, different formats, nomenclatures, or units of measurement, so the developed system is responsible for homogenising all the information for storage. For this purpose, a procedure has been developed to carry out the automatic transfer of all the data recorded in their corresponding databases. In addition, in this work, a web application called S·lar 2 has been developed to facilitate selective access to all the data once stored in the corresponding tables. This application, which is connected to the designed databases, allows the storage and management of the information coming from the PV plants, in order to determine, among other things, the operation mode of each of the components of these facilities. Using the data already organised, it has also been possible to establish a system for comparing the production of inverters within the same plant in order to have a tool that allows the quick and visual detection of possible deviations between them and thus detect malfunctions in any of the components. The whole procedure has been carried out using free software, such as Maria DB and Python

Analysis of Some Power Quality Parameters at the Points of Common Coupling of Photovoltaic Plants Based on Data Measured by Inverters

With the increasing implementation of renewable energies, the impact that this type of installation can have on the electricity supply grid is of great importance. In this context, the aim of this work is to analyse how the production and injection of electricity generated by a series of small photovoltaic (PV) installations influence some parameters of the electricity grid in the low-voltage (LV) distribution networks to which they are connected, by analysing the basic data provided by the inverters of these installations. The presence of a slight rise in the grid voltage values in the Point of Common Coupling (PCC) as the production of the PV plants increases has been verified, with maximum slopes between 0.95 and 0.00027 V/kW, but which do not result in voltage values close to the limits set by the regulations. In addition to assessing this impact, the results obtained made it possible to determine the hosting capacity that the networks into which these installations inject their energy would have for this type of installation so as not to have a detrimental effect on the voltage values of the grid. The possible influence of the production of PV installations on the voltage imbalance between phases or on the frequency of the grid has also been analysed in this work. Although the values recorded by the inverters have limitations in their measurements that do not make them valid for assessing events such as the presence of harmonics or flickers, they do allow a first analysis to be made of the influence of PV plant production on some grid parameters, without the need to incorporate additional measurement systems in these renewable installations. However, it is important to be aware of the limitations of the measurements of this equipment and, as far as possible, to choose inverter models that carry out this type of measurement as completely as possible

Inactivation of nuclear factor-Y inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and neointima formation

OBJECTIVE: Atherosclerosis and restenosis are multifactorial diseases associated with abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation. Nuclear factor-Y (NF-Y) plays a major role in transcriptional activation of the CYCLIN B1 gene (CCNB1), a key positive regulator of cell proliferation and neointimal thickening. Here, we investigated the role of NF-Y in occlusive vascular disease. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We performed molecular and expression studies in cultured cells, animal models, and human tissues. We find upregulation of NF-Y and cyclin B1 expression in proliferative regions of murine atherosclerotic plaques and mechanically induced lesions, which correlates with higher binding of NF-Y to target sequences in the CCNB1 promoter. NF-YA expression in neointimal lesions is detected in VSMCs, macrophages, and endothelial cells. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB, a main inductor of VSMC growth and neointima development, induces the recruitment of NF-Y to the CCNB1 promoter and augments both CCNB1 mRNA expression and cell proliferation through extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and Akt activation in rat and human VSMCs. Moreover, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of a NF-YA-dominant negative mutant inhibits platelet-derived growth factor-BB-induced CCNB1 expression and VSMC proliferation in vitro and neointimal lesion formation in a mouse model of femoral artery injury. We also detect NF-Y expression and DNA-binding activity in human neointimal lesions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results identify NF-Y as a key downstream effector of the platelet-derived growth factor-BB-dependent mitogenic pathway that is activated in experimental and human vasculoproliferative diseases. They also identify NF-Y inhibition as a novel and attractive strategy for the local treatment of neointimal formation induced by vessel denudation.This study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competiveness (MINECO; grants SAF2010-16044, SAF200911949), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; grants RD12/0042/0021, RD12/0042/0028, RD12/0042/0053), and the Dr Léon Dumont Prize 2010 by the Belgian Society of Cardiology (to Vicente Andrés). Patricia Fernández received salary support from ISCIII and Carlos Silvestre-Roig from Fundación Mario Losantos del Campo and Fundación Ferrer para la Investigación. Óscar M. Pello and Ricardo Rodríguez-Calvo hold a Juan de la Cierva contract from MINECO. Vanesa Esteban is an investigator of the Sara Borell program from ISCIII (CD06/00232). The Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC) is supported by MINECO and Pro-CNIC Foundation.S

QUBIC: The Q & U Bolometric Interferometer for Cosmology

The Q & U Bolometric Interferometer for Cosmology, QUBIC, is an innovative experiment designed to measure the polarization of the cosmic microwave background and in particular the signature left therein by the inflationary expansion of the Universe. The expected signal is extremely faint; thus, extreme sensitivity and systematic control are necessary in order to attempt this measurement. QUBIC addresses these requirements using an innovative approach combining the sensitivity of transition-edge sensor cryogenic bolometers, with the deep control of systematics characteristic of interferometers. This makes QUBIC unique with respect to others´ classical imagers experiments devoted to the CMB polarization. In this contribution, we report a description of the QUBIC instrument including recent achievements and the demonstration of the bolometric interferometry performed in laboratory. QUBIC will be deployed at the observation site in Alto Chorrillos, in Argentina, at the end of 2019.Fil: Battistelli, E. S.. Universita di Roma La Sapienza; ItaliaFil: Ade, P.. Cardiff University; Reino UnidoFil: Alberro, José Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Almela, Daniel Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Amico, G.. Universita di Roma La Sapienza; ItaliaFil: Arnaldi, L. H.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; ArgentinaFil: Auguste, D.. Laboratoire de l’Accelerateur Lineaire; FranciaFil: Bonaparte, J.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Bottani, A.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Di Donato, A.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Etchegoyen, Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Fasciszewski, A.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Ferreyro, Luciano Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Fracchia, D.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Gamboa Lerena, Martín Miguel. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas; ArgentinaFil: Garcia, Beatriz Elena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: García Redondo, Manuel Elías. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Gomez Berisso, Mariano. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez, M.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; ArgentinaFil: Harari, Diego Dario. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Gerencia del Área de Energía Nuclear. Instituto Balseiro; ArgentinaFil: Kristukat, C.. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Medina, Maria Clementina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; ArgentinaFil: Mundo, L. M.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Pastoriza, Hernan. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica; ArgentinaFil: Platino, Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Ringegni, P.. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Romero, Gustavo Esteban. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto Argentino de Radioastronomía; ArgentinaFil: Salatino, M.. Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology; Estados UnidosFil: Salum, J. M.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: Scoccola, Claudia Graciela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísicas. Instituto de Astrofísica La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Suarez, F.. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Tecnología en Detección y Astropartículas; ArgentinaFil: The QUBIC Collaboration. No especifíca

Birth weight and blood lipid levels in Spanish adolescents: Influence of selected APOE, APOC3 and PPARgamma2 gene polymorphisms. The AVENA Study

Background: There is increasing evidence indicating that genes involved in certain metabolic processes of cardiovascular diseases may be of particular influence in people with low body weight at birth. We examined whether the apolipoprotein (APO) E, APOC3 and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma-2 (PPAR gamma 2) polymorphisms influence the association between low birth weight and blood lipid levels in healthy adolescents aged 13-18.5 years. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 502 Spanish adolescents born at term was conducted. Total (TC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein (apo) A and B, and lipoprotein(a) [ Lp(a)] were measured. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), TC-HDLc, TC/HDLc and apoB/apoA were calculated. Results: Low birth weight was associated with higher levels of TC, LDLc, apoB, Lp(a), TC-HDLc, TC/HDLc and apoB/apoA in males with the APOE epsilon 3 epsilon 4 genotype, whereas in females, it was associated with lower HDLc and higher TG levels. In males with the APOC3 S1/S2 genotype, low birth weight was associated with lower apoA and higher Lp(a), yet this association was not observed in females. There were no associations between low birth weight and blood lipids in any of the PPAR gamma 2 genotypes. Conclusion: The results indicate that low birth weight has a deleterious influence on lipid profile particularly in adolescents with the APOE epsilon 3/epsilon 4 genotype. These findings suggest that intrauterine environment interact with the genetic background affecting the lipid profile in later life

Surgical treatment for colorectal cancer: Analysis of the influence of an enhanced recovery programme on long-term oncological outcomes-a study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

Introduction The evidence currently available from enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes concerns their benefits in the immediate postoperative period, but there is still very little evidence as to whether their correct implementation benefits patients in the long term. The working hypothesis here is that, due to the lower response to surgical aggression and lower rates of postoperative complications, ERAS protocols can reduce colorectal cancer-related mortality. The main objective of this study is to analyse the impact of an ERAS programme for colorectal cancer on 5-year survival. As secondary objectives, we propose to analyse the weight of each of the predefined items in the oncological results as well as the quality of life. Methods and analysis A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted in patients older than 18 years of age who are scheduled to undergo surgery for colorectal cancer. The study involved 12 hospitals with an implemented enhanced recovery protocol according to the guidelines published by the Spanish National Health Service. The intervention group includes patients with a minimum implementation level of 70%, and the control group includes those who fail to reach this level. Compliance will be studied using 18 key performance indicators, and the results will be analysed using cancer survival indicators, including overall survival, cancer-specific survival and relapse-free survival. The time to recurrence, perioperative morbidity and mortality, hospital stay and quality of life will also be studied, the latter using the validated EuroQol Five questionnaire. The propensity index method will be used to create comparable treatment and control groups, and a multivariate regression will be used to study each variable. The Kaplan-Meier estimator will be used to estimate survival and the log-rank test to make comparisons. A p value of less than 0.05 (two-tailed) will be considered to be significant. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Aragon Ethical Committee (C.P.-C.I. PI20/086) on 4 March 2020. The findings of this study will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals (BMJ Open, JAMA Surgery, Annals of Surgery, British Journal of Surgery). Abstracts will be submitted to relevant national and international meetings.The present research study was awarded a Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación health research project grant (PI19/00291) from the Carlos III Institute of the Spanish National Health Service as part of the 2019 call for Strategic Action in Health

Birth weight and blood lipid levels in Spanish adolescents: Influence of selected APOE, APOC3 and PPARgamma2 gene polymorphisms. The AVENA Study

Background There is increasing evidence indicating that genes involved in certain metabolic processes of cardiovascular diseases may be of particular influence in people with low body weight at birth. We examined whether the apolipoprotein (APO) E, APOC3 and the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ-2 (PPARγ2) polymorphisms influence the association between low birth weight and blood lipid levels in healthy adolescents aged 13–18.5 years. Methods A cross-sectional study of 502 Spanish adolescents born at term was conducted. Total (TC) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLc), triglycerides (TG), apolipoprotein (apo) A and B, and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] were measured. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), TC-HDLc, TC/HDLc and apoB/apoA were calculated. Results Low birth weight was associated with higher levels of TC, LDLc, apoB, Lp(a), TC-HDLc, TC/HDLc and apoB/apoA in males with the APOE ε3ε4 genotype, whereas in females, it was associated with lower HDLc and higher TG levels. In males with the APOC3 S1/S2 genotype, low birth weight was associated with lower apoA and higher Lp(a), yet this association was not observed in females. There were no associations between low birth weight and blood lipids in any of the PPARγ2 genotypes. Conclusion The results indicate that low birth weight has a deleterious influence on lipid profile particularly in adolescents with the APOE ε3/ε4 genotype. These findings suggest that intrauterine environment interact with the genetic background affecting the lipid profile in later life.The AVENA study was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Health Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI021830), the Spanish Ministry of Health, FEDER-FSE funds FIS n° 00/0015, CSD grants 05/UPB32/0, 109/UPB31/03 and 13/UPB20/04, the Spanish Ministry of Education (AP-2004-2745; EX-2007-1124), scholarships from Panrico S.A., Madaus S.A. and Procter and Gamble S.A

Overview of recent TJ-II stellarator results

The main results obtained in the TJ-II stellarator in the last two years are reported. The most important topics investigated have been modelling and validation of impurity transport, validation of gyrokinetic simulations, turbulence characterisation, effect of magnetic configuration on transport, fuelling with pellet injection, fast particles and liquid metal plasma facing components. As regards impurity transport research, a number of working lines exploring several recently discovered effects have been developed: the effect of tangential drifts on stellarator neoclassical transport, the impurity flux driven by electric fields tangent to magnetic surfaces and attempts of experimental validation with Doppler reflectometry of the variation of the radial electric field on the flux surface. Concerning gyrokinetic simulations, two validation activities have been performed, the comparison with measurements of zonal flow relaxation in pellet-induced fast transients and the comparison with experimental poloidal variation of fluctuations amplitude. The impact of radial electric fields on turbulence spreading in the edge and scrape-off layer has been also experimentally characterized using a 2D Langmuir probe array. Another remarkable piece of work has been the investigation of the radial propagation of small temperature perturbations using transfer entropy. Research on the physics and modelling of plasma core fuelling with pellet and tracer-encapsulated solid-pellet injection has produced also relevant results. Neutral beam injection driven Alfvénic activity and its possible control by electron cyclotron current drive has been examined as well in TJ-II. Finally, recent results on alternative plasma facing components based on liquid metals are also presentedThis work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014–2018 under Grant Agreement No. 633053. It has been partially funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Inovación y Universidades of Spain under projects ENE2013-48109-P, ENE2015-70142-P and FIS2017-88892-P. It has also received funds from the Spanish Government via mobility grant PRX17/00425. The authors thankfully acknowledge the computer resources at MareNostrum and the technical support provided by the Barcelona S.C. It has been supported as well by The Science and Technology Center in Ukraine (STCU), Project P-507F