The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

Valorization of agro-food by-products and their potential therapeutic applications

Agro-food industries generate a huge amount of fruit and vegetable wastes. These residues are composed by structural parts (leaves, peels, pulps, seeds, roots and stems) after the extraction of their juices, and they are rich in bioactive compounds such polyphenols, protein, carbohydates, fibre, lignin, lipids and minerals. Therefore, these wastes constitute a source of bioactive compunds and their valorization leads to a circular economy in which industry and society benefit. Between the component of the residues, polyphenols compounds may contribute to prevent or treated cancer, neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases, among others. The aim of this work was the study of the potential therapeutic effect of fruit and vegetable extracts (peach, apple, cucumber and red pepper) obtained by ultrasounds, on different lines of cancer cells (colon, liver and breast) and on oxidative stress in a healthy colon. The results showed that extracts rich in polyphenols had an antiproliferativeeffect against tumor cells and their action was improved by encapsulation in maltodextrin. Encapsulation also increased the protection against oxidative stress in intestinal cells. This study opened the gate to use the extracts from fruit and vegetable wastes as pharmaceutical excipients, food additives, nutraceutical products or functional foods for therapeutic purposes and prevention of diseases related to oxidative stress.SOE1/P1/E0123 Interreg Sudoe REDVALUE, Technological Alliance to Complete the Forest and Agroindustrial Production Cycle. Authors also thank the Ministry of Economy and Innovation under Grant (SAF2016-75441-R); Aragón Regional Government (B16-20R, Fondos FEDER "Otra manera de hacer Europa") and CIBERobn under Grant (CB06/ 03/1012) of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Author Raquel Ibarz thanks the University of Lleida for the UdL-Impuls post-doctoral contract. In addition, this study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004) funded by the European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte. Pedro Santos is recipient of a fellowship supported by a doctoral advanced training (call NORTE-69-2015-15) funded by the European Social Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norteinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hydrogen technologies

1 figura.[EN] The interest in hydrogen technologies has grown in recent years, mainly because an economy based on hydrogen can help to solve important challenges related to the global economy of the future: energy security and climate change. Taking advantage of this momentum, more and more countries are implementing a growing number of policies related to hydrogen. Indeed, the European Hydrogen Strategy establishes hydrogen as essential drivers for the total decarbonization of the current energy system in order to achieve the EU’s commitment related to carbon neutrality by 2050. However, the successful development of the hydrogen technologies requires the collaboration of the public and private sectors to accelerate its deployment and make more competitive its implementation at large-scale. The research groups that take part of the line of work dedicated to hydrogen technologies, within the CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform PTI Mobility 2030, work in this regard, developing their investigations in several important areas related to the hydrogen technologies such as hydrogen generation, storage, distribution and uses.[ES] El interés por las tecnologías del hidrógeno ha crecido en los últimos años, principalmente porque una economía basada en el hidrógeno puede dar respuesta a los grandes desafíos de la economía global del futuro: seguridad energética y cambio climático. Aprovechando este impulso, cada vez son más los países que están implementando un número creciente de políticas en favor del hidrógeno. Prueba de ello es la Estrategia Europea del Hidrógeno que establece al hidrógeno como un elemento esencial en la descarbonización total del actual sistema energético para alcanzar el compromiso de la UE con la neutralidad de carbono en 2050. No obstante, el desarrollo exitoso de las tecnologías del hidrógeno requiere que todos los actores, incluidos los sectores público y privado, aumenten sus esfuerzos para acelerar su despliegue y hacer que su implantación a gran escala resulte competitiva. Los grupos de investigación que forman parte del área de trabajo de tecnologías del hidrógeno, dentro de la Plataforma Temática Interdisciplinar PTI Mobility 2030 del CSIC, trabajan en este sentido, desarrollando su labor en áreas tan diversas como la generación, el almacenamiento, la distribución y los usos del hidrógeno.Peer reviewe