Fractional Integration Analysis and its Implications on Profitability: the Case of the Mackerel Market in the Basque Country

This paper analyses weekly prices for mackerel landed by the inshore fleet at the ports of the Basque Country in 1995-2008, using new econometric techniques never before applied to the fishing market. The idea is to learn to what extent fishermen can pass on the effects of negative shocks (e.g. fuel price increases) to their ex-vessel prices. This will give an idea of the profitability of the fishery in question. To that end, a cyclical ARFIMA model is adjusted to the series analysed, then the impulse-response function is constructed. Among other things, the behaviour of this function shows that possible increases in production costs are not being passed on to prices, which lowers the profitability of fishing. In view of these results, it is suggested that fishermen need to be able to pass the shocks that they suffer on to prices if the profitability of this fleet is to be assured.long memory, seasonality, fishing market, mackerel, impulse response function

Envelliment i virus de la immunodeficiència humana

La millora de l’estat de salut produïda per l’ús del tractament antiretroviral d’alta eficàcia ha augmentat les ràtios de supervivència en pacients amb virus de la immunodeficiència humana (VIH). Aquest augment de la supervivència ha conduït a un increment de la població gran. Actualment al nostre hospital hi ha tres-cents cinquanta-nou pacients més grans de cinquanta-cinc anys. L’envelliment de la població dóna lloc, intrínsecament, a l’augment de la incidència de malalties relacionades amb l’edat, com malalties cardiovasculars o alguns tipus de càncer. Aquest augment de malalties relacionades amb l’envelliment apareixen a edats més precoces, a causa de la inflamació crònica i l’activació immune crònica produïda pel VIH que provoca l’envelliment cel·lular prematur, anomenat immunosenescència. El VIH afecta directament el sistema immune mitjançant la depleció de limfòcits CD4 i la mala funció dels limfòcits CD8, que produeixen mediadors proinflamatoris, la qual cosa causa dany tissular. Aquest dany tissular provoca degeneració d’òrgans i de sistemes i precipita l’aparició de malalties que, d’una altra manera, tindrien una aparició més tardana. Hem de prestar especial atenció a les característiques particulars d’aquesta població d’edat avançada amb VIH per establir programes de prevenció i detecció primerenca i poder, així, actuar en conseqüència.La mejora del estado de salud producida por el uso del tratamiento antirretroviral de alta eficacia ha incrementado las ratios de supervivencia en pacientes con virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH). Este aumento de la supervivencia ha conducido a un aumento de la población mayor. Actualmente en nuestro hospital, trescientos cincuenta y nueve pacientes son mayores de cincuenta y cinco años. El envejecimiento de la población da lugar, intrínsecamente, al aumento de la incidencia de enfermedades relacionadas con la edad, como enfermedades cardiovasculares o algunos tipos de cáncer. Este aumento de enfermedades relacionadas con el envejecimiento aparecen, además, a edades más precoces, debido a la inflamación crónica y la activación inmune crónica producida por el VIH que da lugar al envejecimiento celular prematuro, llamado inmunosenescencia. El VIH afecta directamente al sistema inmune por la depleción de los linfocitos CD4 y la mala función de los linfocitos CD8, que producen mediadores pro inflamatorios, lo cual provoca daño tisular. Este daño tisular causa degeneración de órganos y de sistemas y precipita la aparición de enfermedades que, de otra forma, aparecerían más tardíamente. Debemos prestar especial atención a las características particulares de esta población de edad avanzada con VIH para establecer programas de prevención y detección temprana y poder, así, actuar en consecuencia

Fractional Integration Analysis and its Implications on Profitability: the Case of the Mackerel Market in the Basque Country

This paper analyses weekly prices for mackerel landed by the inshore fleet at the ports of the Basque Country in 1995-2008, using new econometric techniques never before applied to the fishing market. The idea is to learn to what extent fishermen can pass on the effects of negative shocks (e.g. fuel price increases) to their ex-vessel prices. This will give an idea of the profitability of the fishery in question. To that end, a cyclical ARFIMA model is adjusted to the series analysed, then the impulse-response function is constructed. Among other things, the behaviour of this function shows that possible increases in production costs are not being passed on to prices, which lowers the profitability of fishing. In view of these results, it is suggested that fishermen need to be able to pass the shocks that they suffer on to prices if the profitability of this fleet is to be assured.The first author wishes to express his thanks to the University of the Basque Country for the funding received through its programme of aid for the training of research staff (2007/2010). Thanks are also due to the Basque Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for aid received via the pre-doctoral grant “Ciencias económicas aplicadas al sector medioambiental con especial incidencia en el sector pesquero”, developed at the Marine Research Unit of AZTI-Tecnalia (2006/2007). The second author, for his part, is grateful for funding received under project SEJ2007- 61362/ECON of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology and from the ERDF

"Model checking" paramétrico de "workflows" científicos

La computación científica ha ganado un creciente interés en los últimos años en áreas afines a las ciencias de la vida. Los workflows científicos son un tipo especial de workflow que se utilizan en escenarios de grandes dimensiones y gran complejidad computacional como modelos climáticos, estructuras biológicas, química, cirugía o simulación de desastres, por ejemplo, y cuya ejecución es un proceso que consume una gran cantidad de tiempo y recursos. Uno de los objetivos principales de la computación científica ha sido la mejora progresiva a través de la introducción de nuevos paradigmas y tecnologías para poder abordar desafíos cada vez más complejos, siendo uno de estos paradigmas la adición de aspectos semánticos a los workflows. Disponer de una serie de herramientas y técnicas que posibiliten el análisis del comportamiento del workflow antes de su ejecución resulta de gran interés. El objetivo de ese análisis es poder garantizar un comportamiento adecuado y correcto, así como verificar la correcta gestión y utilización de los recursos involucrados. El análisis debería permitir la predicción de la calidad de los resultados, así como identificar aquellos parámetros que son necesarios para obtener los resultados esperados. Desde el punto de vista del usuario, la incorporación de aspectos semánticos permite a los científicos realizar una navegación, interrogación, integración y composición de conjuntos de datos y servicios mucho más eficiente. Sin embargo, el análisis del estado del arte en el área de la semántica aplicada a los modelos en la computación científica muestra carencias significativas en el grado de madurez y aplicación de este enfoque, así como la carencia de técnicas y herramientas para su aplicación. Es necesario, por tanto, proponer y desarrollar nuevas técnicas de modelado y análisis que puedan manejar dichos aspectos semánticos. En este Trabajo Fin de Máster se aborda el análisis, diseño y desarrollo de un método y una herramienta de model checking basados en la introducción de aspectos y anotaciones semánticas tanto en los modelos como en las propiedades que deben verificarse. Como resultado, la herramienta COMBAS (COmprobador de Modelos BAsado en Semántica) proporciona un entorno de integración para la verificación de este tipo de modelos y la navegación por las estructuras resultantes del proceso. Para la descripción de los modelos de workflows científicos se ha utilizado una clase de Redes de Petri de alto nivel anotadas con información semántica en RDF, las U-RDF-PN. A lo largo de este trabajo se ha abordado la adición de las técnicas, metodologías y modelos necesarios para extender el framework con análisis paramétrico, que consiste en un análisis mucho más potente y expresivo mediante la utilización de parámetros cuyo valor es indeterminado al inicio del proceso, de forma que es posible estudiar el comportamiento del workflow respecto a los posibles valores de dichos parámetros. Para restringir los valores de los parámetros en cada uno de los caminos de ejecución del workflow se utiliza el concepto de guardas, expresadas en lógica proposicional, en el modelo del workflow. Para ello, es necesario estudiar primero qué herramientas permiten tratar dichas proposiciones, por lo que se analizan los Satisfiability Modulo Theories (SMTs), el estado actual de los estándares relacionados, la flexibilidad de los solvers disponibles y las herramientas que soporten la semántica que se va a aplicar. Finalmente, la viabilidad y usabilidad del enfoque propuesto se ha demostrado mediante su aplicación al análisis del workflow EBI InterProScan, verificando propiedades de interés para el científico sin necesidad de implementar, desplegar ni ejecutar el workflow

Hedgehog Signalling Modulates Immune Response and Protects against Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

The Hedgehog (Hh) pathway is essential for the embryonic development and homeostatic maintenance of many adult tissues and organs. It has also been associated with some functions of the innate and adaptive immune system. However, its involvement in the immune response has not been well determined. Here we study the role of Hh signalling in the modulation of the immune response by using the Ptch-1-LacZ+/- mouse model (hereinafter referred to as ptch+/-), in which the hemizygous inactivation of Patched-1, the Hh receptor gene, causes the constitutive activation of Hh response genes. The in vitro TCR stimulation of spleen and lymph node (LN) T cells showed increased levels of Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) in ptch+/-cells compared to control cells from wild-type (wt) littermates, suggesting that the Th2 phenotype is favoured by Hh pathway activation. In addition, CD4+ cells secreted less IL-17, and the establishment of the Th1 phenotype was impaired in ptch+/- mice. Consistently, in response to an inflammatory challenge by the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), ptch+/- mice showed milder clinical scores and more minor spinal cord damage than wt mice. These results demonstrate a role for the Hh/ptch pathway in immune response modulation and highlight the usefulness of the ptch+/- mouse model for the study of T-cell-mediated diseases and for the search for new therapeutic strategies in inflammatory diseases.The work was sponsored by grants from Acción Estratégica en Salud (PI17CIII/00047 and PI21/00171).S

Developing a comparative marine socio-economic framework for the European Atlantic Area

Availability and easy access to a wide range of natural and human-activity data on the oceans and coastal regions of Europe is the basis for strategic decision-making on coastal and marine policy. Strategies within Europe’s Integrated Maritime Policy, including the Maritime Strategy for the Atlantic Area, Blue Growth, Maritime Spatial Planning and Marine Data and Knowledge, require coherent and comparable socio-economic data across European countries. Similarly, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requires member states to carry out economic and social analysis of their waters and the reformed Common Fisheries Policy includes a social dimension requiring socio-economic data. However, the availability of consistent, accessible marine socio-economic data for the European Atlantic Arc regions is limited. Ocean economy studies have been undertaken in some countries (for example, Ireland, France, and UK) but timescales and methodologies are not necessarily comparable. Marnet is an EU transnational co-operation project involving eight partners from five member states of the Atlantic Area (Ireland, Spain, UK, France and Portugal). Marnet has developed a methodology to collate comparable marine socio-economic data across the Atlantic regions. The comparative marine socio-economic information system developed by Marnet could provide a template for other European States to follow that could potentially facilitate the construction of a Europe-wide marine economic information system as envisaged under the EU Integrated Maritime Policy

Varón de 50 años, VIH positivo, con trombopenia y rectorragias

Se trata de un varón de 50 años, VIH no controlado, que ingresó en el hospital por un shock séptico de origen respiratorio. Además presentaba episodios repetidos de rectorragias sin objetivar causa pese a pruebas diagnósticas dirigidas, así como trombopenia persistente. Se realizaron pruebas endoscópicas invasivas sin encontrar la causa, así como pruebas de imagen abdominal (TAC y aortografía) que no mostraron alteraciones. Ante una PCR para CMV positiva en sangre se administró tratamiento con foscarnet, persistiendo las rectorragias y la trombopenia. Ante la persistencia de las rectorragias, se valoró intervención quirúrgica, que se desestimó dado el alto riesgo quirúrgico. El caso se presenta en el foro de las sesiones clinicopatológicas del Hospital Universitario Son Espases.This is a case of a 50-year-old VIH positive male with no medical monitoring, who was admitted to the hospital with septic shock due to an underlying respiratory cause. He also presented repeated rectal bleedings of unknown origin and thrombopenia. Upper and lower endoscopies, abdominal CAT scans and aortography were all negative. Treatment with foscarnet was started after a CMV positive serum -PCR with no improvement. Surgery was not considered, given the high surgical risk. The case is discussed in the context of a clinicopathological general session at Son Espases Universitary Hospital

Prospective Multicenter Study of the Impact of Carbapenem Resistance on Mortality in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bloodstream Infections

The impact of antimicrobial resistance on clinical outcomes is the subject of ongoing investigations, although uncertainty remains about its contribution to mortality. We investigated the impact of carbapenem resistance on mortality in Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia in a prospective multicenter (10 teaching hospitals) observational study of patients with monomicrobial bacteremia followed up for 30 days after the onset of bacteremia. The adjusted influence of carbapenem resistance on mortality was studied by using Cox regression analysis. Of 632 episodes, 487 (77%) were caused by carbapenem-susceptible P. aeruginosa (CSPA) isolates, and 145 (23%) were caused by carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) isolates. The median incidence density of nosocomial CRPA bacteremia was 2.3 episodes per 100,000 patient-days (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9 to 2.8). The regression demonstrated a time-dependent effect of carbapenem resistance on mortality as well as a significant interaction with the Charlson index: the deleterious effect of carbapenem resistance on mortality decreased with higher Charlson index scores. The impact of resistance on mortality was statistically significant only from the fifth day after the onset of the bacteremia, reaching its peak values at day 30 (adjusted hazard ratio for a Charlson score of 0 at day 30, 9.9 [95% CI, 3.3 to 29.4]; adjusted hazard ratio for a Charlson score of 5 at day 30, 2.6 [95% CI, 0.8 to 8]). This study clarifies the relationship between carbapenem resistance and mortality in patients with P. aeruginosa bacteremia. Although resistance was associated with a higher risk of mortality, the study suggested that this deleterious effect may not be as great during the first days of the bacteremia or in the presence of comorbidities

Pharmacogenetics of efficacy and safety of HCV treatment in HCV-HIV coinfected patients: significant associations with IL28B and SOCS3 gene variants.

Background and Aims This was a safety and efficacy pharmacogenetic study of a previously performed randomized trial which compared the effectiveness of treatment of hepatitis C virus infection with pegylated interferon alpha (pegIFNα) 2a vs. 2b, both with ribavirin, for 48 weeks, in HCV-HIV coinfected patients. Methods The study groups were made of 99 patients (efficacy pharmacogenetic substudy) and of 114 patients (safety pharmacogenetic substudy). Polymorphisms in the following candidate genes IL28B, IL6, IL10, TNFα, IFNγ, CCL5, MxA, OAS1, SOCS3, CTLA4 and ITPA were assessed. Genotyping was carried out using Sequenom iPLEX-Gold, a single-base extension polymerase chain reaction. Efficacy end-points assessed were: rapid, early and sustained virological response (RVR, EVR and SVR, respectively). Safety end-points assessed were: anemia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, flu-like syndrome, gastrointestinal disturbances and depression. Chi square test, Student's T test, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression were used for statistic analyses. Results As efficacy is concerned, IL28B and CTLA4 gene polymorphisms were associated with RVR (p<0.05 for both comparisons). Nevertheless, only polymorphism in the IL28B gene was associated with SVR (p = 0.004). In the multivariate analysis, the only gene independently associated with SVR was IL28B (OR 2.61, 95%CI 1.2-5.6, p = 0.01). With respect to safety, there were no significant associations between flu-like syndrome or depression and the genetic variants studied. Gastrointestinal disturbances were associated with ITPA gene polymorphism (p = 0.04). Anemia was associated with OAS1 and CTLA4 gene polymorphisms (p = 0.049 and p = 0.045, respectively), neutropenia and thromobocytopenia were associated with SOCS3 gene polymorphism (p = 0.02 and p = 0.002, respectively). In the multivariate analysis, the associations of the SOCS3 gene polymorphism with neutropenia (OR 0.26, 95%CI 0.09-0.75, p = 0.01) and thrombocytopenia (OR 0.07, 95%CI 0.008-0.57, p = 0.01) remained significant. Conclusions In HCV-HIV coinfected patients treated with PegIFNα and ribavirin, SVR is associated with IL28B rs8099917 polymorphism. HCV treatment-induced neutropenia and thrombocytopenia are associated with SOCS3 rs4969170 polymorphism

Challenges in measuring indicators of progress for the Atlantic Action Plan

The EU Atlantic Action Plan (AAP) has recently been updated and revised to support ‘blue growth’ along Europe’s western coastal regions. The revisions reflect recent challenges facing the Atlantic Arc maritime economies including the Covid-19 crisis, Brexit and the new requirements of the European Green Deal. This new revision, termed AAP 2.0, also addresses some of the weaknesses highlighted in the original Atlantic Action Plan particularly regarding identifying indicators that may be used to measure progress in the achievement of the Plan’s objectives. Using a database with comparable marine socio-economic data across the Atlantic regions, a number of indicators are identified that may be used to monitor progress of the AAP 2.0. Recent trends and spatial distributions across the Atlantic Arc region are shown for these indicators. The challenges in measuring progress are also highlighted, including where some AAP objectives and associated indicators may conflict with other EU policy aims and where the current monitoring framework can be bolstered with the inclusion of new indicators