Simultaneous and optical follow-up GRB observations by BOOTES

Since 1998 BOOTES has provided follow-up observations for more than 70 GRBs; the most important results obtained so far are the detection of an OT in the GRB 000313 error box and the non-detection of optical emission simultaneous to the high-energy emission for several GRBs (both long/soft and short/hard events)

Integral strategy to supportive care in breast cancer survivors through occupational therapy and a m-health system: design of a randomized clinical trial

Background: Technological support using e-health mobile applications (m-health) is a promising strategy to improve the adherence to healthy lifestyles in breast cancer survivors (excess in energy intake or low physical activity are determinants of the risk of recurrence, second cancers and cancer mortality). Moreover, cancer rehabilitation programs supervised by health professionals are needed due to the inherent characteristics of these breast cancer patients. Our main objective is to compare the clinical efficacy of a m-health lifestyle intervention system alone versus an integral strategy to improve Quality of Life in breast cancer survivors. Methods: This therapeutic superiority study will use a two-arm, assessor blinded parallel RCT design. Women will be eligible if: they are diagnosed of stage I, II or III-A breast cancer; are between 25 and 75 years old; have a Body Mass Index > 25 kg/m2; they have basic ability to use mobile apps; they had completed adjuvant therapy except for hormone therapy; and they have some functional shoulder limitations. Participants will be randomized to one of the following groups: integral group will use a mobile application (BENECA APP) and will receive a face-to-face rehabilitation (8-weeks); m-health group will use the BENECA app for 2-months and will received usual care information. Study endpoints will be assessed after 8 weeks and 6 months. The primary outcome will be Quality of Life measured by The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core and breast module. The secondary outcomes: body composition; upper-body functionality (handgrip, Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, goniometry); cognitive function (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Trail Making Test); anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale); physical fitness (Short version of the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Activity); accelerometry and lymphedema. Discussion: This study has been designed to seek to address the new needs for support and treatment of breast cancer survivors, reflecting the emerging need to merge new low cost treatment options with much-needed involvement of health professionals in this type of patients. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02817724 (date of registration: 22/06/2016).The study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Plan Estatal de I + D + I 2013-2016), Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria del Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI14/01627), Fondos Estructurales de la Unión Europea (FEDER) and by the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU14/01069). This is part of a Ph.D. Thesis conducted in the Clinical Medicine and Public Health Doctoral Studies of the University of Granada, Spain

Circulating Strains of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus in Central and South America

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is a major cause of viral lower respiratory tract infections among infants and young children. HRSV strains vary genetically and antigenically and have been classified into two broad subgroups, A and B (HRSV-A and HRSV-B, respectively). To date, little is known about the circulating strains of HRSV in Latin America. We have evaluated the genetic diversity of 96 HRSV strains by sequencing a variable region of the G protein gene of isolates collected from 2007 to 2009 in Central and South America. Our results show the presence of the two antigenic subgroups of HRSV during this period with the majority belonging to the genotype HRSV-A2

Novel quinoxaline 1,4-di-N-oxide derivatives as new potential antichagasic agents

As a continuation of our research and with the aim of obtaining new agents against Chagas disease, an extremely neglected disease which threatens 100 million people, eighteen new quinoxaline 1,4-di-Noxide derivatives have been synthesized following the Beirut reaction. The synthesis of the new derivatives was optimized through the use of a new and more efficient microwave-assisted organic synthetic method. The new derivatives showed excellent in vitro biological activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. Compound 17, which was substituted with fluoro groups at the 6- and 7-positions of the quinoxaline ring, was the most active and selective in the cytotoxicity assay. The electrochemical study showed that the most active compounds, which were substituted by electron-withdrawing groups,possessed a greater ease of reduction of the N-oxide group

Update of the PANCCO clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of ulcerative colitis in the adult population

Ulcerative colitis (US) is a chronic disease of unknown etiology. It is incurable and its clinical course is intermittent, characterized by periods of remission and relapse. The prevalence and incidence of the disease has been increasing worldwide. The update presented herein includes the participation of healthcare professionals, decision-makers, and a representative of the patients, all of whom declared their conflicts of interest. Answerable clinical questions were formulated, and the outcomes were graded. The information search was conducted on the Medline/PubMed, Embase, Epistemonikos, and LILACS databases, and covered grey literature sources, as well. The search was updated on November 30, 2020, with no restrictions regarding date or language. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) classification system was implemented to establish the strength of the recommendation and quality of evidence. A formal consensus was developed, based on the RAND/UCLA methodology and the document was peer reviewed. The short version of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in the Adult Population is presented herein, together with the supporting evidence and respective recommendations. In mild-to-moderate UC, budesonide MMX is an option when treatment with 5-ASA fails, and before using systemic steroids. In moderate-to-severe UC, infliximab, adalimumab, vedolizumab, ustekinumab, and tofacitinib can be used as first-line therapy. If there is anti-TNF therapy failure, ustekinumab and tofacitinib provide the best results. In patients with antibiotic-refractory pouchitis, anti-TNFs are the treatment of choice

Amazon tree dominance across forest strata

The forests of Amazonia are among the most biodiverse plant communities on Earth. Given the immediate threats posed by climate and land-use change, an improved understanding of how this extraordinary biodiversity is spatially organized is urgently required to develop effective conservation strategies. Most Amazonian tree species are extremely rare but a few are common across the region. Indeed, just 227 ‘hyperdominant’ species account for >50% of all individuals >10 cm diameter at 1.3 m in height. Yet, the degree to which the phenomenon of hyperdominance is sensitive to tree size, the extent to which the composition of dominant species changes with size class and how evolutionary history constrains tree hyperdominance, all remain unknown. Here, we use a large floristic dataset to show that, while hyperdominance is a universal phenomenon across forest strata, different species dominate the forest understory, midstory and canopy. We further find that, although species belonging to a range of phylogenetically dispersed lineages have become hyperdominant in small size classes, hyperdominants in large size classes are restricted to a few lineages. Our results demonstrate that it is essential to consider all forest strata to understand regional patterns of dominance and composition in Amazonia. More generally, through the lens of 654 hyperdominant species, we outline a tractable pathway for understanding the functioning of half of Amazonian forests across vertical strata and geographical locations

Aislamiento de esporas y evaluación de métodos de inoculación en la producción de micorrizas en cultivos trampa

Soil microorganisms play an important role in agriculture, among them we find mycorrhizae, which generate to the plant a great quantity of benefits. In this investigation we took soil and root samples from bean plants. Spores were isolated by the method of wet sieving and decanting. We did a spore count and stained roots and then determined the percentage of AMF colonization. We inoculated 15 pots with each treatment; spores, soil and roots, and we planted bean seeds on each one of them. A month later we measured the length of the roots and stems of every treatment. Also, to determine the inoculum development we determined the quantity of spores produced and the percentage of AMF colonization of the roots. Roots and stems length of the plants evaluated did not present statistically significant differences among the different treatments. The spore inoculation method presented the higher mycorrhization percentage. The methods of inoculation that favored the production of reproductive structures were the treatments with isolated spores and roots; also both of them presented the higher quantity of germinated spores. We recommend for use in crops like beans to use root inoculum from infected plants.Los microorganismos del suelo desempeñan un importante papel en la agricultura; entre ellos están las micorrizas que generan una gran cantidad de beneficios para las plantas. En la presente investigación se tomaron muestras de suelo y raíz de plantas de vainica; se aislaron esporas por el método de tamizado y decantación; se realizó conteo de esporas y tinción de raíces y luego se determinó el porcentaje de colonización. Además, se inocularon 15 macetas con cada uno de los diferentes tratamientos (esporas, suelo y raíces) y se sembraron semillas de frijol en cada una. Luego de un mes, se midió la longitud de la raíz y el tallo de todos los tratamientos. Además, para determinar el desarrollo del inóculo en cada tratamiento se precisó la cantidad de esporas producidas y el nivel de colonización de las raíces. La longitud del tallo y de la raíz de las plantas evaluadas no presentó diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los distintos tratamientos. El método de inoculación con esporas presentó el mayor porcentaje de micorrización. Los métodos de inoculación que favorecieron más la producción de estructuras reproductivas fueron los tratados con las esporas aisladas y los tratados con raíces; de igual forma, ambos presentaron la mayor cantidad de esporas germinadas. Para cultivos como frijol o vainica, se recomienda utilizar como inóculo las raíces de plantas infectadas

Aislamiento de esporas y evaluación de métodos de inoculación en la producción de micorrizas en cultivos trampa.

Los microorganismos del suelo desempeñan un importante papel en la agricultura; entre ellos están las micorrizas que generan una gran cantidad de beneficios para las plantas. En la presente investigación se tomaron muestras de suelo y raíz de plantas de vainica; se aislaron esporas por el método de tamizado y decantación; se realizó conteo de esporas y tinción de raíces y luego se determinó el porcentaje de colonización. Además, se inocularon 15 macetas con cada uno de los diferentes tratamientos (esporas, suelo y raíces) y se sembraron semillas de frijol en cada una. Luego de un mes, se midió la longitud de la raíz y el tallo de todos los tratamientos. Además, para determinar el desarrollo del inóculo en cada tratamiento se precisó la cantidad de esporas producidas y el nivel de colonización de las raíces. La longitud del tallo y de la raíz de las plantas evaluadas no presentó diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los distintos tratamientos. El método de inoculación con esporas presentó el mayor porcentaje de micorrización. Los métodos de inoculación que favorecieron más la producción de estructuras reproductivas fueron los tratados con las esporas aisladas y los tratados con raíces; de igual forma, ambos presentaron la mayor cantidad de esporas germinadas. Para cultivos como frijol o vainica, se recomienda utilizar como inóculo las raíces de plantas infectadas

VISTA instrument: a miniaturized Thermogravimeter concept for volatiles and dust characterization in plane-tary environments

49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference, Texas (EE.UU.) March 19-23, 201

VISTA Instrument: A PCM-Based sensor for organics and volatiles characterization by using thermogravimetric technique

VISTA (Volatile In Situ Thermogravimetry Analyser) is a μ-Thermogravimeter sensor developed by Consortium of Italian Institutes. ThermoGravimetric Analysis (TGA) is a widely used technique to monitor thermal processes involving volatile compounds, e.g. deposition/sublimation and absorption/ desorption. The instrument core is composed by a Piezoelectric Crystal Microbalance (PCM), equipped with built-in heater and built-in temperature sensor, and provided of its own Proximity Electronics (PE). The PCM oscillation frequency linearly depends on the mass deposited on its sensible area (according to Sauerbrey equation) while the PCM temperature can be increased by means of integrated heaters. Thus, mass and volatile composition can be inferred by the frequency change and by desorption temperature, respectively. The instrument is divided in two sensor heads: VISTA1, able to monitor outgassing processes in space, and VISTA2, able to reach higher temperatures, studying the dehydration and organics decomposition in minerals in different environmental conditions. An Engineering Model of VISTA1 and a laboratory breadboard of VISTA2 have been developed. Pure organic compounds and contaminant have been characterized by using deposition processes and TGA cycles obtaining some physical-chemical parameters, i.e. enthalpy of sublimation/evaporation, Δ Hevap, deposition rates, k and vapor pressures, Pvap. The instrument concept, the scientific objectives and the laboratory measurements are explained in this work