Calculo del nivel de conciencia utilizando computación paralela

En patologías neurológicas existe un estado conocido como sindorme de “Locked-in” en el cual el paciente tiene conciencia pero es incapaz de comunicarse con el mundo exterior. Este trabajo en progreso, muestra una aplicación innovadora de computación paralela, para optimizar de la implementación del algoritmo de cálculo de conciencia propuesto por Tononi [2]. Describe el algoritmo del cálculo y propone una metodología innovadora para involucrar computación paralela en su implementación.

Calculo del nivel de conciencia utilizando computación paralela

En patologías neurológicas existe un estado conocido como sindorme de “Locked-in” en el cual el paciente tiene conciencia pero es incapaz de comunicarse con el mundo exterior. Este trabajo en progreso, muestra una aplicación innovadora de computación paralela, para optimizar de la implementación del algoritmo de cálculo de conciencia propuesto por Tononi [2]. Describe el algoritmo del cálculo y propone una metodología innovadora para involucrar computación paralela en su implementación.

Balón de contrapulsación intraaórtico por acceso subclavio como puente a trasplante cardiaco. Reporte de casos:

Advanced heart failure is a major health problem for which heart transplantation or left ventricular assist devices are the only effective treatments. Intra-aortic balloon pump inserted using femoral artery access as a bridge to heart transplantation is still frequently used, but has the disadvantage of limiting the patient’s movements, hence exposing him or her to the hazards of immobility and threatening the success of the procedure or hindering recovery. Access through the subclavian artery has become an attractive alternative since it doesn’t impair the patient’s mobility, and there is increasing evidence supporting its use. We present the first case of subclavian counterpulsation balloon implantation in a cardiovascular care center in Colombia.La falla cardíaca avanzada es un importante problema de salud, siendo la única alternativa definitiva de manejo el trasplante cardíaco o los dispositivos de asistencia ventricular. El balón de contrapulsación intraaórtico por acceso femoral como puente a trasplante, que es aún de uso frecuente, tiene la desventaja de limitar la actividad del paciente, exponiéndolo a las complicaciones de la inmovilidad, lo que puede amenazar el éxito del procedimiento o, al menos, complicar la recuperación después del trasplante. El acceso por la arteria subclavia para el implante se ha convertido en una alternativa atractiva pues evita todas estas limitaciones del acceso femoral y hay evidencia que favorece su utilización como primera alternativa en este contexto. Presentamos los primeros casos de implante de balón de contrapulsación por vía subclavia en un centro de atención cardiovascular de alta complejidad en Colombia

Analytical and clinical evaluation of a new immunoassay for therapeutic drug monitoring of infliximab and adalimumab

Llinares-Tello, F.; Gomez De Salazar, JR.; Senabre Gallego, JM.; Santos Soler, G.; Santos Ramírez, C.; Salas Heredia, E.; Molina García, J. (2012). Analytical and clinical evaluation of a new immunoassay for therapeutic drug monitoring of infliximab and adalimumab. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. 5(10):1845-1847. doi:10.1515/cclm-2012-00501845184751

JAK2-STAT Epigenetically Regulates Tolerized Genes in Monocytes in the First Encounter With Gram-Negative Bacterial Endotoxins in Sepsis

Metilación del ADN; Tolerancia a la endotoxina; MonocitosDNA methylation; Endotoxin tolerance; MonocytesMetilació de l'ADN; Tolerància a l'endotoxina; MonòcitsMicrobial challenges, such as widespread bacterial infection in sepsis, induce endotoxin tolerance, a state of hyporesponsiveness to subsequent infections. The participation of DNA methylation in this process is poorly known. In this study, we perform integrated analysis of DNA methylation and transcriptional changes following in vitro exposure to gram-negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide, together with analysis of ex vivo monocytes from septic patients. We identify TET2-mediated demethylation and transcriptional activation of inflammation-related genes that is specific to toll-like receptor stimulation. Changes also involve phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT3 and STAT5, elements of the JAK2 pathway. JAK2 pathway inhibition impairs the activation of tolerized genes on the first encounter with lipopolysaccharide. We then confirm the implication of the JAK2-STAT pathway in the aberrant DNA methylome of patients with sepsis caused by gram-negative bacteria. Finally, JAK2 inhibition in monocytes partially recapitulates the expression changes produced in the immunosuppressive cellular state acquired by monocytes from gram-negative sepsis, as described by single cell-RNA-sequencing. Our study evidences both the crucial role the JAK2-STAT pathway in epigenetic regulation and initial response of the tolerized genes to gram-negative bacterial endotoxins and provides a pharmacological target to prevent exacerbated responses.EB was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (grant numbers SAF2017-88086-R & PID2020-117212RB-I00), and was cofunded by FEDER funds/European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) - a way to build Europe. OM-P holds an i-PFIS PhD fellowship (grant number IFI17/00034) from Acción Estratégica en Salud 2013-2016 ISCIII, cofinanced by the Fondo Social Europeo

Inflammatory cytokines and organ dysfunction associate with the aberrant DNA methylome of monocytes in sepsis

Sepsis, a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated systemic immune response to infection, associates with reduced responsiveness to subsequent infections. How such tolerance is acquired is not well understood but is known to involve epigenetic and transcriptional dysregulation. Bead arrays were used to compare global DNA methylation changes in patients with sepsis, non-infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and healthy controls. Bioinformatic analyses were performed to dissect functional reprogramming and signaling pathways related to the acquisition of these specific DNA methylation alterations. Finally, in vitro experiments using human monocytes were performed to test the induction of similar DNA methylation reprogramming. Here, we focused on DNA methylation changes associated with sepsis, given their potential role in stabilizing altered phenotypes. Tolerized monocytes from patients with sepsis display changes in their DNA methylomes with respect to those from healthy controls, affecting critical monocyte-related genes. DNA methylation profiles correlate with IL-10 and IL-6 levels, significantly increased in monocytes in sepsis, as well as with the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score; the observed changes associate with TFs and pathways downstream to toll-like receptors and inflammatory cytokines. In fact, in vitro stimulation of toll-like receptors in monocytes results in similar gains and losses of methylation together with the acquisition of tolerance. We have identified a DNA methylation signature associated with sepsis that is downstream to the response of monocytes to inflammatory signals associated with the acquisition of a tolerized phenotype and organic dysfunction

High-resolution hepatitis C virus subtyping using NS5B deep sequencing and phylogeny, an alternative to current methods

HepatitisCvirus(HCV)is classified into seven major genotypesand67 subtypes. Recent studies haveshownthat inHCVgenotype 1-infected patients, response rates to regimens containingdirect-acting antivirals(DAAs)are subtype dependent. Currently available genotypingmethods have limited subtyping accuracy.Wehave evaluated theperformanceof adeep-sequencing-basedHCVsubtyping assay, developed for the 454/GS-Junior platform, in comparisonwith thoseof two commercial assays (VersantHCVgenotype 2.0andAbbott Real-timeHCVGenotype II)andusingdirectNS5Bsequencing as a gold standard (direct sequencing), in 114 clinical specimenspreviously tested by first-generation hybridization assay (82 genotype 1and32 with uninterpretable results). Phylogenetic analysis of deep-sequencing reads matched subtype 1 callingbypopulation Sanger sequencing(69%1b,31%1a) in 81 specimensandidentified amixed-subtype infection (1b/3a/1a) in one sample. Similarly,amongthe 32previously indeterminate specimens, identical genotypeandsubtype results were obtained by directanddeep sequencing in all but four samples with dual infection. In contrast, both VersantHCVGenotype 2.0andAbbott Real-timeHCVGenotype II failed subtype 1 calling in 13 (16%) samples eachandwere unable to identify theHCVgenotype and/or subtype inmore than half of the nongenotype 1 samples.Weconcluded that deep sequencing ismore efficient forHCVsubtyping than currently available methodsandallows qualitative identificationofmixed infectionsandmay bemorehelpfulwith respect to informing treatment strategies withnewDAA-containing regimens across allHCVsubtypesThis study has been supported by CDTI (Centro para el Desarrollo Tecnológico Industrial), Spanish Ministry of Economics and Competitiveness (MINECO), IDI-20110115; MINECO projects SAF 2009-10403; and also by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS) projects PI10/01505, PI12/01893, and PI13/00456. CIBERehd is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain. Work at CBMSO was supported by grant MINECO-BFU2011-23604, FIPSE, and Fundación Ramón Areces. X. Forns received unrestricted grant support from Roche and has acted as advisor for MSD, Gilead, and Abbvie. M. Alvarez-Tejado, J. Gregori, and J. M. Muñoz work in Roche Diagnostic

Familial hypercholesterolemia : review article

La hipercolesterolemia familiar (HF) es una alteración de origen genético que clínicamente se puede manifestar desde el nacimiento y que se caracteriza por niveles plasmáticos anormalmente altos de colesterol LDL (cLDL) y por una elevada tasa de morbimortalidad cardiovascular prematura. Tiene dos formas de presentación: la HF heterocigótica (HFHe) y la HF homocigótica (HFHo); esta última más severa y de aparición clínica en los primeros años de vida. Históricamente, la prevalencia para la HFHe es de un caso en 500 personas y para la HFHo de un caso por cada millón de personas; sin embargo, los datos reales probablemente son superiores porque hay evidencia de que ambas condiciones están subdiagnosticadas. La terapia recomendada, además de los cambios en el estilo de vida, son las estatinas; sin embargo, con estos fármacos es difícil lograr en muchos casos reducciones aceptables del cLDL, por lo que se requiere asociar otras modalidades terapéuticas, algunas de ellas recientemente aprobadas. Dado que en Colombia no se ha publicado ningún documento de revisión sobre HF, la Sociedad Colombiana de Cardiología y Cirugía Cardiovascular convocó a diferentes especialidades de la medicina para elaborar un documento sobre el tema, que resumiera, de manera práctica y actualizada, aspectos clínicos, genéticos, diagnósticos y de tratamiento.Q44-26Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disorder that may clinically manifest since birth and is characterized by abnormally high plasma LDL cholesterol (LDLc) levels and a high early cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rate. FH has two presentation forms: heterozygous FH (HeFH) and homozygous FH (HoFH), the latter being more severe and with a clinical onset during the first few years of life. Historically, HeFH prevalence is of 1:500 and HoFH of 1:1 million; however, real data are probably higher because evidence indicated that both conditions are underdiagnosed. Recommended therapy, besides lifestyle changes, are statins; nevertheless, these drugs make it difficult in many cases to achieve reasonable cLDL reductions, therefore an association with other therapeutic models, some of which have recently been approved, is required. Since no review papers have been published in Colombia regarding FH, the Colombian Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery Society invited several medical specialties to draft a document on the subject that would sum up, in a practical and updated way, clinical, genetics, diagnostics and therapeutic aspects

Immunogenic Profiling in Mice of a HIV/AIDS Vaccine Candidate (MVA-B) Expressing Four HIV-1 Antigens and Potentiation by Specific Gene Deletions

BACKGROUND: The immune parameters of HIV/AIDS vaccine candidates that might be relevant in protection against HIV-1 infection are still undefined. The highly attenuated poxvirus strain MVA is one of the most promising vectors to be use as HIV-1 vaccine. We have previously described a recombinant MVA expressing HIV-1 Env, Gag, Pol and Nef antigens from clade B (referred as MVA-B), that induced HIV-1-specific immune responses in different animal models and gene signatures in human dendritic cells (DCs) with immunoregulatory function. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In an effort to characterize in more detail the immunogenic profile of MVA-B and to improve its immunogenicity we have generated a new vector lacking two genes (A41L and B16R), known to counteract host immune responses by blocking the action of CC-chemokines and of interleukin 1beta, respectively (referred as MVA-B DeltaA41L/DeltaB16R). A DNA prime/MVA boost immunization protocol was used to compare the adaptive and memory HIV-1 specific immune responses induced in mice by the parental MVA-B and by the double deletion mutant MVA-B DeltaA41L/DeltaB16R. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that both vectors triggered HIV-1-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, with the CD8(+) T-cell compartment responsible for >91.9% of the total HIV-1 responses in both immunization groups. However, MVA-B DeltaA41L/DeltaB16R enhanced the magnitude and polyfunctionality of the HIV-1-specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T-cell immune responses. HIV-1-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses were polyfunctional and preferentially Env-specific in both immunization groups. Significantly, while MVA-B induced preferentially Env-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses, MVA-B DeltaA41L/DeltaB16R induced more GPN-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses, with an enhanced polyfunctional pattern. Both vectors were capable of producing similar levels of antibodies against Env. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings revealed that MVA-B and MVA-B DeltaA41L/DeltaB16R induced in mice robust, polyfunctional and durable T-cell responses to HIV-1 antigens, but the double deletion mutant showed enhanced magnitude and quality of HIV-1 adaptive and memory responses. Our observations are relevant in the immune evaluation of MVA-B and on improvements of MVA vectors as HIV-1 vaccines