La virginidad cristiana en Cipriano de Cartago

Este trabajo aborda la cuestión de la virginidad cristiana en los escritos de Cipriano de Cartago. Se estudia la única obra dedicada por el autor a las vírgenes cristianas –el tratado De habitu virginum– y se valoran las menciones a la virginidad que hace Ci- priano en el resto de sus obras, tratando de concretar el concepto de virginidad que tenía el santo obispo. Todo ello en relación con Tertuliano, su principal fuente de inspiración. Del mismo modo, se hace referencia a la realidad de las vírgenes como grupo cons- tituido y eminente dentro de la comunidad cristiana de Cartago en el siglo III, así como a su relación con la jerarquía eclesiástica. A lo largo del trabajo se aprecia una teología esencialmente común a Tertuliano y a Cipriano, pero al mismo tiempo se observan matices diferenciales entre ambos autores. En concreto, creemos encontrar un ejemplo de dependencia y superación de discípulo a maestro y, lo que es más significativo, un proceso de cristianización del papel de la mujer y de la condición femenina. En este sentido, se puede decir que Cipriano avanza con decisión por el camino abierto por su maestro Tertuliano a la hora de abordar la virginidad cristiana. Con el De habitu virginum, principalmente, y con las diversas referencias al estado virginal que aparecen en el resto de su producción, Cipriano desarrolla por primera vez en la literatura cristiana de lengua latina elementos de una disciplina aplicable a las vírgenes, así como elementos para una teología de la virginidad.This dissertation examines Cyprian of Carthage’s writings on Christian virginity. We study his writing on Christian virgins –the treatise De habitu virginum– and also consider Cyprian’s references to virginity in all his other works in order to specify the holy Bishop’s concept of virginity. Discussing the influence of Tertullian, Cyprian’s main source of inspiration, and making reference to the reality of the virgins as an established and prominent group within the Carthaginian Christian community in the third century, as well as their relationship with the church hierarchy. In this work, one can appreciate a common theology to both Tertullian and Cyprian, but distinguishing nuances are also observed. Specifically, we find an example of dependence and master exceedance, and more significantly, a process of Christianization of the role of women. In this sense, one can say that Cyprian is leading his master Tertullian when addressing Christian virginity. With his treatise De habitu virginum, and his references to the virgin state in all his writings, Cyprian develops for the first time in the Latin language Christian literature elements particularly applicable to virgins, and elements for a theology of virginity

A new ornithopod dinosaur from the Santonian of Northern Patagonia (Rincón de los Sauces, Argentina)

In recent decades, the Argentinian ornithopod record – which includes eight species that have been described – has increased as a result of the discovery of diverse new bone remains from the Upper Cretaceous. The area near the town of Rincón de los Sauces (Neuquén Province) presents rich fossiliferous outcrops that have provided new ornithopod remains. These bones are from two units: the Plottier and Bajo de la Carpa formations. In the latter, several isolated postcranial bones and a partial articulated skeleton (MAU-Pv-CO-596) have been found. The holotype of Mahuidacursor lipanglef gen. et sp. nov. (MAU-Pv-CO-596) comes from the Cerro Overo site (Santonian, Upper Cretaceous). The skeleton preserves elements from the cervical and dorsal series, the pectoral girdle and the right forelimb. It corresponds to a medium-bodied ornithopod with a gracile general appearance. Histological analysis suggests that the specimen was a sexually mature but not fully grown individual. Some distinctive characters present in Mahuidacursor, such as the strongly bowed humeral shaft and the weakly developed deltopectoral crest, are shared with other South American basal ornithopods. A phylogenetic analysis including Mahuidacursor within a large ornithischian dataset was performed. The results show Mahuidacursor to be a basal ornithopod recovered within a polytomy along with Notohypsilophodon and the clade Elasmaria (Talenkauen + Macrogryphosaurus)

Kidney regeneration and repair after transplantation

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To briefly show which are the mechanisms and cell types involved in kidney regeneration and describe some of the therapies currently under study in regenerative medicine for kidney transplantation. RECENT FINDINGS: The kidney contains cell progenitors that under specific circumstances have the ability to regenerate specific structures. Apart from the knowledge gained in the self-regenerative properties of the kidney, new concepts in regenerative medicine such as organ engineering and the use of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapies are currently the focus of attention in the field. SUMMARY: Overall, kidney regeneration is a reality and the knowledge on how to control it will be one of the main scopes in the present and future

Reproduction of the wedge sole (Dicologoglossa cuneata Moreau) in captivity: spawning parameters and influence of the natural temperature

In this work, the wedge sole (Dciologoglossa cuneata) spawning under natural thermocycle has been studied. The spawning parameters were similar to those of other flatfish in captivity, the relative fecundity being very high (1.7&plusmn;0.1 &middot;106 eggs Kg female-1 per spawning season). The percentage of floating eggs decreased in parallel to the time and was directly related to egg diameter, daily relative fecundity and fertilization rate. Nevertheless, the hatching rate variations were not correlated to any other spawning parameter. The temperature range during the spawning season was very wide (11-21 &ordm;C) though the largest spawns occurred between 12 and 16 &ordm;C . The natural temperature cycle influenced wedge sole egg production, the winter temperature minimum indicating the onset of spawning, but the variations in the reproductive season did not appear to affect the daily egg production. Future research should focus on the photoperiod and its interaction with temperature as key factor for spawning. This work was supported by Interreg Project 0251_ECOAQUA_5_E, financed by the EDRF (European Regional Development Fund). www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/ifapa/ecoaqua.. &nbsp;El presente trabajo trata del estudio de las puestas de la aced&iacute;a (Dicologoglossa cuneata) en cautividad bajo condiciones naturales de temperatura. Los par&aacute;metros de puesta fueron similares a los de otros peces planos en cautividad, siendo la fecundidad relativa muy alta (1.7&plusmn;0.1 &middot;106 huevos Kg hembra-1 por estaci&oacute;n reproductora). El porcentaje de huevos flotantes disminuy&oacute; paralelamente con el tiempo y fue directamente proporcional al di&aacute;metro de huevos, fecundidad relativa diaria y tasa de fecundaci&oacute;n. Sin embargo, las variaciones de la tasa de eclosi&oacute;n no estuvieron correlacionadas con ning&uacute;n par&aacute;metro de puesta. El rango de temperatura durante la estaci&oacute;n de puesta fue muy amplio (11-21 &ordm;C), aunque las mayores puestas tuvieron lugar entre 12 y 16 &ordm;C. El ciclo natural de temperatura tuvo efectos sobre la producci&oacute;n de huevos de aced&iacute;a, con los m&iacute;nimos invernales indicando el comienzo de la puesta, aunque las variaciones dentro de la estaci&oacute;n de puesta no pareci&oacute; afectar a la producci&oacute;n diaria de huevos. Este trabajo fue apoyado por el proyecto Interreg 0251_ECOAQUA_5_E , financiado por el FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional).www.juntadeandalucia.es/agriculturaypesca/ifapa/ecoaqua.</p

Cellular Immunity to Predict the Risk of Cytomegalovirus Infection in Kidney Transplantation: A Prospective, Interventional, Multicenter Clinical Trial

Background: Improving cytomegalovirus (CMV) immune-risk stratification in kidney transplantation is highly needed to establish guided preventive strategies. Methods: This prospective, interventional, multicenter clinical trial assessed the value of monitoring pretransplant CMV-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) using an interferon-γrelease assay to predict CMV infection in kidney transplantation. One hundred sixty donor/recipient CMV-seropositive (D+/R+) patients, stratified by their baseline CMV (immediate-early protein 1)-specific CMI risk, were randomized to receive either preemptive or 3-month antiviral prophylaxis. Also, 15-day posttransplant CMI risk stratification and CMI specific to the 65 kDa phosphoprotein (pp65) CMV antigen were investigated. Immunosuppression consisted of basiliximab, tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and corticosteroids in 80% of patients, whereas 20% received thymoglobulin induction therapy. Results: Patients at high risk for CMV based on pretransplant CMI developed significantly higher CMV infection rates than those deemed to be at low risk with both preemptive (73.3% vs 44.4%; odds ratio [OR], 3.44 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.30-9.08]) and prophylaxis (33.3% vs 4.1%; OR, 11.75 [95% CI, 2.31-59.71]) approaches. The predictive capacity for CMV-specific CMI was only found in basiliximab-treated patients for both preemptive and prophylaxis therapy. Fifteen-day CMI risk stratification better predicted CMV infection (81.3% vs 9.1%; OR, 43.33 [95% CI, 7.89-237.96]). Conclusions: Pretransplant CMV-specific CMI identifies D+/R+ kidney recipients at high risk of developing CMV infection if not receiving T-cell-depleting antibodies. Monitoring CMV-specific CMI soon after transplantation further defines the CMV infection prediction risk. Monitoring CMV-specific CMI may guide decision making regarding the type of CMV preventive strategy in kidney transplantation. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02550639

Recovery of dialysis patients with COVID-19 : health outcomes 3 months after diagnosis in ERACODA

Background. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related short-term mortality is high in dialysis patients, but longer-term outcomes are largely unknown. We therefore assessed patient recovery in a large cohort of dialysis patients 3 months after their COVID-19 diagnosis. Methods. We analyzed data on dialysis patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2021 from the European Renal Association COVID-19 Database (ERACODA). The outcomes studied were patient survival, residence and functional and mental health status (estimated by their treating physician) 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. Complete follow-up data were available for 854 surviving patients. Patient characteristics associated with recovery were analyzed using logistic regression. Results. In 2449 hemodialysis patients (mean ± SD age 67.5 ± 14.4 years, 62% male), survival probabilities at 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis were 90% for nonhospitalized patients (n = 1087), 73% for patients admitted to the hospital but not to an intensive care unit (ICU) (n = 1165) and 40% for those admitted to an ICU (n = 197). Patient survival hardly decreased between 28 days and 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. At 3 months, 87% functioned at their pre-existent functional and 94% at their pre-existent mental level. Only few of the surviving patients were still admitted to the hospital (0.8-6.3%) or a nursing home (∼5%). A higher age and frailty score at presentation and ICU admission were associated with worse functional outcome. Conclusions. Mortality between 28 days and 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis was low and the majority of patients who survived COVID-19 recovered to their pre-existent functional and mental health level at 3 months after diagnosis

Team dynamics in emergency surgery teams: results from a first international survey

Background: Emergency surgery represents a unique context. Trauma teams are often multidisciplinary and need to operate under extreme stress and time constraints, sometimes with no awareness of the trauma\u2019s causes or the patient\u2019s personal and clinical information. In this perspective, the dynamics of how trauma teams function is fundamental to ensuring the best performance and outcomes. Methods: An online survey was conducted among the World Society of Emergency Surgery members in early 2021. 402 fully filled questionnaires on the topics of knowledge translation dynamics and tools, non-technical skills, and difficulties in teamwork were collected. Data were analyzed using the software R, and reported following the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (CHERRIES). Results: Findings highlight how several surgeons are still unsure about the meaning and potential of knowledge translation and its mechanisms. Tools like training, clinical guidelines, and non-technical skills are recognized and used in clinical practice. Others, like patients\u2019 and stakeholders\u2019 engagement, are hardly implemented, despite their increasing importance in the modern healthcare scenario. Several difficulties in working as a team are described, including the lack of time, communication, training, trust, and ego. Discussion: Scientific societies should take the lead in offering training and support about the abovementioned topics. Dedicated educational initiatives, practical cases and experiences, workshops and symposia may allow mitigating the difficulties highlighted by the survey\u2019s participants, boosting the performance of emergency teams. Additional investigation of the survey results and its characteristics may lead to more further specific suggestions and potential solutions

Integrating sequence and array data to create an improved 1000 Genomes Project haplotype reference panel

A major use of the 1000 Genomes Project (1000GP) data is genotype imputation in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Here we develop a method to estimate haplotypes from low-coverage sequencing data that can take advantage of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray genotypes on the same samples. First the SNP array data are phased to build a backbone (or 'scaffold') of haplotypes across each chromosome. We then phase the sequence data 'onto' this haplotype scaffold. This approach can take advantage of relatedness between sequenced and non-sequenced samples to improve accuracy. We use this method to create a new 1000GP haplotype reference set for use by the human genetic community. Using a set of validation genotypes at SNP and bi-allelic indels we show that these haplotypes have lower genotype discordance and improved imputation performance into downstream GWAS samples, especially at low-frequency variants. © 2014 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved