On the eigenstate equivalent circuit for lossy asymmetric two-ports and its applications

An equivalent-circuit topology for two-port lossy non-symmetric reciprocal networks is presented [1]. The circuit topology is based on the eigenstate decomposition. The proposed circuit consists of two immittances and two transformers with a single complex turns ratio, as shown in Fig. 1. The only three complex parameters of the circuit are obtained from the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the admittance or impedance matrix of the network in a straightforward way. The real parts of its immittances are always positive. Thus, the circuit is a powerful candidate for modeling asymmetric structures since it preserves some of the valuable properties of the symmetric lattice network: ability to separate the eigenstates and realizability of the real parts of the immittances. Indeed, it degenerates in the classic lattice network if the structure is symmetric. Two direct applications of the circuit are proposed. The first one is the design of asymmetric unit cells of leaky-wave antennas. A model can be found for the behavior of the two-port as a function of the degree of asymmetry using the proposed equivalent circuit topology. The new design methodology is simple and general, unlike the one proposed in [2]. The second application is the analysis and modeling of lossless and lossy bi-periodic scatterers [3]. It significantly simplifies their design, since it reduces the number of elements with respect to other equivalent circuits. Due to the capability of decomposition into the eigenexcitations of the structure, the circuit provides an important physical insight. For different structures, the admittances have been successfully modeled using a few positive and frequency-independent RLC elements

Obtención de biomasa de microalga Chlorella vulgaris en un banco de prueba de fotobiorreactores de columna de burbujeo

Dada la agudización de la situación socioeconómica y medioambiental que se enfrenta en la actualidad, los investigadores buscan nuevas alternativas para sustituir el combustible fósil convencional, siendo una salida, los biocombustibles obtenidos a partir de microalgas. El objetivo de esta investigación fue la obtención de biomasa en un banco de prueba de fotobiorreactores de columna de burbujeo, utilizando una cepa de Chlorella vulgaris en medio Bristol. Se dimensionó el fotobiorreactor y se evaluó la influencia de las variables pH y concentración de nitrógeno, con y sin presencia de oligoelementos, sobre la productividaddel crecimiento de la biomasa de microalgas. Seencontró que en el intervalo estudiado (pH entre 6 y 8 y concentración de NaNO3 entre 0,5 y 1 g/L) estas variables no tienen un efecto significativo en el crecimiento, mientras que la presencia de oligoelementos favorece este

Las buenas prácticas clínicas. Su aplicación en el dato primario para los eventos adversos / Good clinical practices and its use in primary data in adverse events

Las Buenas Prácticas Clínicas son estándares nacionales e internacionales con que se realizan los Ensayos Clínicos. El ejercicio de dichas prácticas ofrece credibilidad y confiabilidad a los datos aportados por la etapa de desarrollo clínico del producto en investigación; respecto a los derechos e integridad del paciente y guían al trabajador de la salud. El Evento Adverso tiene que ser recogido en el documento primario con todas sus características y transcrito al Cuaderno de Recogida de Datos de cada sujeto en investigación. Durante el l Ensayo Clínico, el sujeto en estudio puede presentar síntomas o signos desfavorables con o sin relación causal con el producto. Se revisaron nueve Historias Clínicas y sus respectivos Cuadernos de Recogida de Datos de los pacientes portadores de cáncer de próstata hormona-refractario, incluidos en el Ensayo Clínico Fase II "Evaluación clínica del uso del esquema vacuna-quimioterapia-vacuna con la vacuna de Factor de Crecimiento Epidérmico en el tratamiento de estos pacientes, tratados en el sitio de investigación Hospital 3er Congreso de Pinar del Río. Se usaron métodos estadísticos de análisis. Los eventos adversos más frecuentes resultaron las alteraciones en los exámenes de laboratorio clínicos en un 100% de los pacientes, seguidos de los digestivos 88.9% del total de pacientes. Hubo un 94% de correspondencia en la trascripción del dato del evento adverso al cuaderno de recogida de datos; un 94.1% de los eventos fueron clasificados adecuadamente y un 92.2% transcritos correctamente en el CRD. El 100% de los eventos adversos tuvo un criterio de percepción. Recomendamos monitoreos internos periódicos a cada EC del sitio. Palabras clave: Prácticas Clínicas, Ensayos Clínicos como Asunto, Investigación Biomédica., Proyectos de Investigación. ABSTRACT The good clinical practices are national or international standards for the clinical assays; these practices give credibility and confidence to data given by the stage of the clinical development of the product to be investigated. The adverse event has to be compiled in the primary document with all the characteristics and transcribed to the notebook of data in every subject in the investigation. During the I Clinical Assay, the subject may have symptoms or unfavourable signs with causal relationship with the product or not. Nine clinical records as well as its respective notebooks for data in carriers of the hormone-refractory prosthatic cancer included in the Fase II Clinical assay "Clinical evaluation of the use of the vaccine-chemotherapy -vaccine using the epidermic growing factor in the treatment of these patients were treated in "III Congreso"Pinar del Rio hospital. Statistical analysis methods were used. The most frequent adverse events were: changes in the clinical laboratory tests (100 %), followed by 94% of correspondence in the transcription data of the adverse event into the notebook of data; 94..1% of the events were properly classified and a 92.2% were transcribed properly in the CDR (Revolution Defence Committee).100 per cent of the adverse events had a perception criterion. It is recommended periodical internal monitoring in every CA of the site. Key words: Clinical Practices, Clinical Assays as an Event, Biomedical Investigation, Investigation Projec

Prospective analysis of psychological differences between adult and elderly cancer patients during postoperaritve adjuvant chemotherapy

PURPOSE: Despite the burgeoning geriatric population with cancer and the importance of understanding how age may be related to mental adjustment and quality of life so far, differences in coping strategies and psychological harm between the elderly and adults are hardly being taken into account to modify the approach to this population. The aim of this prospective study is to describe the differences in psychological characteristics between older and adult cancer patients and examine dissimilarities in their psychological evolution during adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: Adults (18-69 years old) and older patients (≥ 70) with newly diagnosed non-metastatic resected cancer admitted to receive adjuvant chemotherapy were recruited. Patients completed the following questionnaires: mini-mental adjustment to cancer, brief symptom inventory, shared decision-making questionnaire-patient's version, multidimensional scale of perceived social support, EORTC quality-of-life instrument, life orientation test-revised, and satisfaction with life scale. RESULTS: 500 cancer patients (394 adults and 106 older) were evaluated. The impact of the diagnosis was less negative among older patients, with no differences in coping strategies, quality of life, or search for support. Regarding psychological changes from the beginning to the end of the adjuvant treatment, both age groups reported more somatic symptoms, increased psychological difficulty, reduced coping strategies, and a significant decrease in quality of life at the end of postoperative chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Although there were clear psychological differences between adults and senior cancer patients, their evolution during adjuvant chemotherapy was similar, with deterioration in quality of life and coping. This negative psychological impact of adjuvant chemotherapy should be taken into account when considering interventions

Urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies the risk of renal damage posed by subclinical tubular alterations

Nephrotoxicity is an important limitation to the clinical use of many drugs and contrast media. Drug nephrotoxicity occurs in acute, subacute and chronic manifestations ranging from glomerular, tubular, vascular and immunological phenotypes to acute kidney injury. Pre-emptive risk assessment of drug nephrotoxicity poses an urgent need of precision medicine to optimize pharmacological therapies and interventional procedures involving nephrotoxic products in a preventive and personalized manner. Biomarkers of risk have been identified in animal models, and risk scores have been proposed, whose clinical use is abated by their reduced applicability to specific etiological models or clinical circumstances. However, our present data suggest that the urinary level of transferrin may be indicative of risk of renal damage, where risk is induced by subclinical tubular alterations regardless of etiology. In fact, urinary transferrin pre-emptively correlates with the subsequent renal damage in animal models in which risk has been induced by drugs and toxins affecting the renal tubules (i.e. cisplatin, gentamicin and uranyl nitrate); whereas transferrin shows no relation with the risk posed by a drug affecting renal hemodynamics (i.e. cyclosporine A). Our experiments also show that transferrin increases in the urine in the risk state (i.e. prior to the damage) precisely as a consequence of reduced tubular reabsorption. Finally, urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies subpopulations of oncological and cardiac patients at risk of nephrotoxicity. In perspective, urinary transferrin might be further explored as a wider biomarker of an important mechanism of predisposition to renal damage induced by insults causing subclinical tubular alterations.Research from the authors’ laboratory supporting part of the information incorporated into this article was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI14/01776, DT15S/00166, PI15/01055 and PI17/01979, and Retic RD016/0009/0025, REDINREN), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (IPT-2012-0779-010000), Junta de Castilla y León (Consejería de Sanidad, BIO/SA20/14, BIO/SA66/15; and Consejería de Educación, SA359U14), and FEDER funds

Las buenas prácticas clínicas. Su aplicación en el dato primario para los eventos adversos / Good clinical practices and its use in primary data in adverse events

Las Buenas Prácticas Clínicas son estándares nacionales e internacionales con que se realizan los Ensayos Clínicos. El ejercicio de dichas prácticas ofrece credibilidad y confiabilidad a los datos aportados por la etapa de desarrollo clínico del producto en investigación; respecto a los derechos e integridad del paciente y guían al trabajador de la salud. El Evento Adverso tiene que ser recogido en el documento primario con todas sus características y transcrito al Cuaderno de Recogida de Datos de cada sujeto en investigación. Durante el l Ensayo Clínico, el sujeto en estudio puede presentar síntomas o signos desfavorables con o sin relación causal con el producto. Se revisaron nueve Historias Clínicas y sus respectivos Cuadernos de Recogida de Datos de los pacientes portadores de cáncer de próstata hormona-refractario, incluidos en el Ensayo Clínico Fase II "Evaluación clínica del uso del esquema vacuna-quimioterapia-vacuna con la vacuna de Factor de Crecimiento Epidérmico en el tratamiento de estos pacientes, tratados en el sitio de investigación Hospital 3er Congreso de Pinar del Río. Se usaron métodos estadísticos de análisis. Los eventos adversos más frecuentes resultaron las alteraciones en los exámenes de laboratorio clínicos en un 100% de los pacientes, seguidos de los digestivos 88.9% del total de pacientes. Hubo un 94% de correspondencia en la trascripción del dato del evento adverso al cuaderno de recogida de datos; un 94.1% de los eventos fueron clasificados adecuadamente y un 92.2% transcritos correctamente en el CRD. El 100% de los eventos adversos tuvo un criterio de percepción. Recomendamos monitoreos internos periódicos a cada EC del sitio. Palabras clave: Prácticas Clínicas, Ensayos Clínicos como Asunto, Investigación Biomédica., Proyectos de Investigación. ABSTRACT The good clinical practices are national or international standards for the clinical assays; these practices give credibility and confidence to data given by the stage of the clinical development of the product to be investigated. The adverse event has to be compiled in the primary document with all the characteristics and transcribed to the notebook of data in every subject in the investigation. During the I Clinical Assay, the subject may have symptoms or unfavourable signs with causal relationship with the product or not. Nine clinical records as well as its respective notebooks for data in carriers of the hormone-refractory prosthatic cancer included in the Fase II Clinical assay "Clinical evaluation of the use of the vaccine-chemotherapy -vaccine using the epidermic growing factor in the treatment of these patients were treated in "III Congreso"Pinar del Rio hospital. Statistical analysis methods were used. The most frequent adverse events were: changes in the clinical laboratory tests (100 %), followed by 94% of correspondence in the transcription data of the adverse event into the notebook of data; 94..1% of the events were properly classified and a 92.2% were transcribed properly in the CDR (Revolution Defence Committee).100 per cent of the adverse events had a perception criterion. It is recommended periodical internal monitoring in every CA of the site. Key words: Clinical Practices, Clinical Assays as an Event, Biomedical Investigation, Investigation Projec

Dissecting the role of TP53 alterations in del(11q) chronic lymphocytic leukemia

© 2021 The Authors.[Background]: Several genetic alterations have been identified as driver events in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) pathogenesis and oncogenic evolution. Concurrent driver alterations usually coexist within the same tumoral clone, but how the cooperation of multiple genomic abnormalities contributes to disease progression remains poorly understood. Specifically, the biological and clinical consequences of concurrent high-risk alterations such as del(11q)/ATM-mutations and del(17p)/TP53-mutations have not been established.[Methods]: We integrated next-generation sequencing (NGS) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 techniques to characterize the in vitro and in vivo effects of concurrent monoallelic or biallelic ATM and/or TP53 alterations in CLL prognosis, clonal evolution, and therapy response.[Results]: Targeted sequencing analysis of the co-occurrence of high-risk alterations in 271 CLLs revealed that biallelic inactivation of both ATM and TP53 was mutually exclusive, whereas monoallelic del(11q) and TP53 alterations significantly co-occurred in a subset of CLL patients with a highly adverse clinical outcome. We determined the biological effects of combined del(11q), ATM and/or TP53 mutations in CRISPR/Cas9-edited CLL cell lines. Our results showed that the combination of monoallelic del(11q) and TP53 mutations in CLL cells led to a clonal advantage in vitro and in in vivo clonal competition experiments, whereas CLL cells harboring biallelic ATM and TP53 loss failed to compete in in vivo xenotransplants. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CLL cell lines harboring del(11q) and TP53 mutations show only partial responses to B cell receptor signaling inhibitors, but may potentially benefit from ATR inhibition.[Conclusions]: Our work highlights that combined monoallelic del(11q) and TP53 alterations coordinately contribute to clonal advantage and shorter overall survival in CLL.Spanish Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Grant/Award Numbers: PI15/01471, PI18/01500); Fundación Memoria Don Samuel Solórzano Barruso, Grant/Award Number: RD12/0036/006

Disorder induced phase segregation in La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 manganites

Neutron powder diffraction experiments on La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 over a broad temperature range above and below the metal-insulator transition have been analyzed beyond the Rietveld average approach by use of Reverse Monte Carlo modelling. This approach allows the calculation of atomic pair distribution functions and spin correlation functions constrained to describe the observed Bragg and diffuse nuclear and magnetic scattering. The results evidence phase separation within a paramagnetic matrix into ferro and antiferromagnetic domains correlated to anistropic lattice distortions in the vicinity of the metal-insulator transition.Comment: 3 pages, 4 figures. Submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett. Figure 1 replace

Prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad en Aragón y variaciones según condicionantes de salud

Introducción: La obesidad infantil constituye un grave problema de salud global en continuo aumento en todo el mundo. Muchos estudios señalan que determinados factores socioeconómicos están relacionados con el desarrollo de obesidad. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad en Aragón, calculadas según los estándares de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y estudiar su relación con factores socioeconómicos. Material y métodos: Se recopiló información sobre la totalidad de la población infantil de Aragón entre dos y 14 años y cada individuo fue clasificado como normopeso, sobrepeso u obesidad según su índice de masa corporal (IMC). Se obtuvieron las prevalencias por provincias y zonas básicas de salud (ZBS). Utilizamos el índice de privación (IP) de Aragón como marcador de la situación socioeconómica. Resultados: La muestra final estuvo constituida por 161.335 niños (51%) y niñas (49%) de dos a 14 años. La prevalencia global de sobrecarga ponderal (SP) fue de 31,1% (17,7% sobrepeso y 13,3% obesidad), siendo significativamente mayor en niños. Detectamos un porcentaje elevado (65%) de infrarregistro en la historia clínica. Se encontró una relación directa entre el IP y la prevalencia de obesidad y SP en todo Aragón, con una fuerte correlación significativa en zonas urbanas, en las que los factores socioeconómicos llegan a explicar hasta 66,4% de la obesidad y 48,9% de la SP tota