Revisión y análisis de técnicas y métodos computacionales para la evaluación de la condición corporal en vacas

BCS (del inglés "Body Condition Score") es un método que permite estimar la grasa corporal como indicador del status energético de las vacas. El monitoreo de esta variable es muy importante porque influye en la producción de leche, reproducción y salud de las vacas. El BCS se evalúa visualmente con la intervención de personal calificado, y puede estar sujeto a variaciones entre operadores. Para minimizar esta variación y disponer de más agilidad durante el registro de los valores, en la bibliografía se encuentran diferentes trabajos que la automatizan total o parcialmente aplicando técnicas de análisis de imágenes y aprendizaje máquina. En este documento se analizan dichos trabajos, señalando las principales ventajas y desventajas, que derivan en la identificación de oportunidades de investigación y desarrollo de nuevas alternativas que mejoren el tiempo de respuesta y precisión de las estimaciones.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Revisión y análisis de técnicas y métodos computacionales para la evaluación de la condición corporal en vacas

BCS (del inglés "Body Condition Score") es un método que permite estimar la grasa corporal como indicador del status energético de las vacas. El monitoreo de esta variable es muy importante porque influye en la producción de leche, reproducción y salud de las vacas. El BCS se evalúa visualmente con la intervención de personal calificado, y puede estar sujeto a variaciones entre operadores. Para minimizar esta variación y disponer de más agilidad durante el registro de los valores, en la bibliografía se encuentran diferentes trabajos que la automatizan total o parcialmente aplicando técnicas de análisis de imágenes y aprendizaje máquina. En este documento se analizan dichos trabajos, señalando las principales ventajas y desventajas, que derivan en la identificación de oportunidades de investigación y desarrollo de nuevas alternativas que mejoren el tiempo de respuesta y precisión de las estimaciones.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

Critical requirement of SOS1 for tumor development and microenvironment modulation in KRASG12D-driven lung adenocarcinoma

The impact of genetic ablation of SOS1 or SOS2 is evaluated in a murine model of KRASG12D-driven lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). SOS2 ablation shows some protection during early stages but only SOS1 ablation causes significant, specific long term increase of survival/lifespan of the KRASG12D mice associated to markedly reduced tumor burden and reduced populations of cancer-associated fibroblasts, macrophages and T-lymphocytes in the lung tumor microenvironment (TME). SOS1 ablation also causes specific shrinkage and regression of LUAD tumoral masses and components of the TME in pre-established KRASG12D LUAD tumors. The critical requirement of SOS1 for KRASG12D-driven LUAD is further confirmed by means of intravenous tail injection of KRASG12D tumor cells into SOS1KO/KRASWT mice, or of SOS1-less, KRASG12D tumor cells into wildtype mice. In silico analyses of human lung cancer databases support also the dominant role of SOS1 regarding tumor development and survival in LUAD patients. Our data indicate that SOS1 is critically required for development of KRASG12D-driven LUAD and confirm the validity of this RAS-GEF activator as an actionable therapeutic target in KRAS mutant LUAD.Work supported by grants ISCIII-MCUI (FIS PI19/00934), JCyL (SA264P18-UIC 076), Areces Foundation (CIVP19A5942), and ISCIII-CIBERONC (group CB16/12/00352) to E.S.; Solorzano-Barruso Foundation (FS/32-2020) and Eugenio Rodriguez Pascual Foundation to F.C.B.; MCI (RTI2018-099161-A-I00) to E.C. This research was co-financed by FEDER funds. These CIC groups are supported by the Programa de Apoyo a Planes Estratégicos de Investigación de Estructuras de Investigación de Excelencia of Castilla y León autonomous government (CLC-2017-01) and AECC Excellence program Stop Ras Cancers (EPAEC222641CICS)

Characterization of stratospheric smoke particles over the antarctica by remote sensing instruments

Australian smoke from the extraordinary biomass burning in December 2019 was observed over Marambio, Antarctica from the 7th to the 10th January, 2020. The smoke plume was transported thousands of kilometers over the Pacific Ocean, and reached the Antarctic Peninsula at a hight of 13 km, as determined by satellite lidar observations. The proposed origin and trajectory of the aerosol are supported by back-trajectory model analyses. Ground-based Sun–Sky–Moon photometer belonging to the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measured aerosol optical depth (500 nm wavelength) above 0.3, which is unprecedented for the site. Inversion of sky radiances provide the optical and microphysical properties of the smoke over Marambio. The AERONET data near the fire origin in Tumbarumba, Australia, was used to investigate the changes in the measured aerosol properties after transport and ageing. The analysis shows an increase in the fine mode particle radius and a reduction in absorption (increase in the single scattering albedo). The available long-term AOD data series at Marambio suggests that smoke particles could have remained over Antarctica for several weeks after the analyzed event.Fil: González, Ramiro. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Toledano, Carlos. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Román, Roberto. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Mateos, David. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Asmi, Eija Maria. Finnish Meteorological Institute; Finlandia. Ministerio de Defensa. Secretaria de Planeamiento. Servicio Meteorológico Nacional; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, Edith. Finnish Meteorological Institute; FinlandiaFil: Lau, Ian C.. Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation Astronomy And Space Science; AustraliaFil: Ferrara, Jonathan. Ministerio de Defensa. Secretaria de Planeamiento. Servicio Meteorológico Nacional; ArgentinaFil: D'elia, Raul Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa. Ministerio de Defensa. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo Estratégico para la Defensa; ArgentinaFil: Antuña Sánchez, Juan Carlos. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Cachorro Revilla, Victoria Eugenia. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: Calle, Abel. Universidad de Valladolid; EspañaFil: de Frutos Baraja, Ángel Máximo. Universidad de Valladolid; Españ

A Shotgun Proteomics Approach to Reveal New Putative Therapeutical Targets in Nephropathic Cystinosis

Poster.-- Human Proteome Organization World Congress, HUPO 2023, 17-21 SeptemberNephropathic cystinosis is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disease due to mutations in the CTNS gen codifying for cystinosin, a lysosomal symporter. It is characterized by the accumulation of cystine crystals in lysosomes causing end-stage renal damage and blindness in patients under ten years of age. Currently, there is no cure and the only palliative treatment, cysteamine, presents several limitations including the lack of cure for the disease, the adverse effects, and the complexity of the indicated treatment for life. Recent findings indicate that the intra-lysosomal accumulation of cystine alters key processes such as phagocytosis, redox balance, and autophagy, causing a molecular imbalance that, to date, has not been characterized in detail.N

Shotgun proteomics reveals new therapeutical targets in nephropathic cystinosis

Poster.-- Human Proteome Organization World Congress, HUPO 2023, 17-21 SeptemberTalento Senior Program-GAIN Xunta de Galicia, Fundación Mutua Madrileña, Asociación Cistinosis EspañaN

The effect of early treatment with ivermectin on viral load, symptoms and humoral response in patients with non-severe COVID-19: A pilot, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial.

Background Ivermectin inhibits the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro at concentrations not readily achievable with currently approved doses. There is limited evidence to support its clinical use in COVID-19 patients. We conducted a Pilot, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a single dose of ivermectin reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 when administered early after disease onset. Methods Consecutive patients with non-severe COVID-19 and no risk factors for complicated disease attending the emergency room of the Clínica Universidad de Navarra between July 31, 2020 and September 11, 2020 were enrolled. All enrollments occurred within 72 h of onset of fever or cough. Patients were randomized 1:1 to receive ivermectin, 400 mcg/kg, single dose (n = 12) or placebo (n = 12). The primary outcome measure was the proportion of patients with detectable SARS-CoV-2 RNA by PCR from nasopharyngeal swab at day 7 post-treatment. The primary outcome was supported by determination of the viral load and infectivity of each sample. The differences between ivermectin and placebo were calculated using Fisher's exact test and presented as a relative risk ratio. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04390022. Findings All patients recruited completed the trial (median age, 26 [IQR 19-36 in the ivermectin and 21-44 in the controls] years; 12 [50%] women; 100% had symptoms at recruitment, 70% reported headache, 62% reported fever, 50% reported general malaise and 25% reported cough). At day 7, there was no difference in the proportion of PCR positive patients (RR 0·92, 95% CI: 0·77-1·09, p = 1·0). The ivermectin group had non-statistically significant lower viral loads at day 4 (p = 0·24 for gene E; p = 0·18 for gene N) and day 7 (p = 0·16 for gene E; p = 0·18 for gene N) post treatment as well as lower IgG titers at day 21 post treatment (p = 0·24). Patients in the ivermectin group recovered earlier from hyposmia/anosmia (76 vs 158 patient-days; p < 0.001). Interpretation Among patients with non-severe COVID-19 and no risk factors for severe disease receiving a single 400 mcg/kg dose of ivermectin within 72 h of fever or cough onset there was no difference in the proportion of PCR positives. There was however a marked reduction of self-reported anosmia/hyposmia, a reduction of cough and a tendency to lower viral loads and lower IgG titers which warrants assessment in larger trials. Funding ISGlobal, Barcelona Institute for Global Health and Clínica Universidad de Navarra

Predicting long-term disease control in transplant-ineligible patients with multiple myeloma: impact of an MGUS-like signature

Disease control at 5 years would be a desirable endpoint for elderly multiple myeloma (MM) patients, but biomarkers predicting this are not defined. Therefore, to gain further insights in this endpoint, a population of 498 newly diagnosed transplant-ineligible patients enrolled in two Spanish trials (GEM2005MAS65 and GEM2010MAS65), has been analyzed. Among the 435 patients included in this post-hoc study, 18.6% remained alive and progression free after 5 years of treatment initiation. In these patients, overall survival (OS) rate at 10 years was 60.8% as compared with 11.8% for those progressing within the first 5 years. Hemoglobin (Hb) = 12 g/dl (OR 2.74, p = 0.001) and MGUS-like profile (OR 4.18, p = 0.005) were the two baseline variables associated with long-term disease-free survival. Upon including depth of response (and MRD), Hb = 12 g/dl (OR 2.27) and MGUS-like signature (OR 7.48) retained their predictive value along with MRD negativity (OR 5.18). This study shows that despite the use of novel agents, the probability of disease control at 5 years is still restricted to a small fraction (18.6%) of elderly MM patients. Since this endpoint is associated with higher rates of OS, this study provides important information about diagnostic and post-treatment biomarkers helpful in predicting the likelihood of disease control at 5 years

Dendritic cell deficiencies persist seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection induces an exacerbated inflammation driven by innate immunity components. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the defense against viral infections, for instance plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), have the capacity to produce vast amounts of interferon-alpha (IFN-α). In COVID-19 there is a deficit in DC numbers and IFN-α production, which has been associated with disease severity. In this work, we described that in addition to the DC deficiency, several DC activation and homing markers were altered in acute COVID-19 patients, which were associated with multiple inflammatory markers. Remarkably, previously hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients remained with decreased numbers of CD1c+ myeloid DCs and pDCs seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the expression of DC markers such as CD86 and CD4 were only restored in previously nonhospitalized patients, while no restoration of integrin β7 and indoleamine 2,3-dyoxigenase (IDO) levels were observed. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the immunological sequelae of COVID-19

Provirus reactivation is impaired in HIV-1 infected individuals on treatment with dasatinib and antiretroviral therapy

The latent viral reservoir formed by HIV-1, mainly in CD4 + T cells, is responsible for the failure of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to achieve a complete elimination of the virus in infected individuals. We previously determined that CD4 + T cells from individuals with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) on treatment with dasatinib are resistant to HIV-1 infection ex vivo. The main mechanism for this antiviral effect is the preservation of SAMHD1 activity. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of dasatinib on the viral reservoir of HIV-infected individuals with CML who were on simultaneous treatment with ART and dasatinib. Due to the low estimated incidence of HIV-1 infection and CML (1:65,000), three male individuals were recruited in Spain and Germany. These individuals had been on treatment with standard ART and dasatinib for median 1.3 years (IQR 1.3-5.3 years). Reservoir size and composition in PBMCs from these individuals was analyzed in comparison with HIV-infected individuals on triple ART regimen and undetectable viremia. The frequency of latently infected cells was reduced more than 5-fold in these individuals. The reactivation of proviruses from these cells was reduced more than 4-fold and, upon activation, SAMHD1 phosphorylation was reduced 40-fold. Plasma levels of the homeostatic cytokine IL-7 and CD4 effector subpopulations TEM and TEMRA in peripheral blood were also reduced. Therefore, treatment of HIV-infected individuals with dasatinib as adjuvant of ART could disturb the reservoir reactivation and reseeding, which might have a beneficial impact to reduce its size