An Empirical-Mathematical Approach for Calibration and Fitting Cell-Electrode Electrical Models in Bioimpedance Tests

This paper proposes a new yet efficient method allowing a significant improvement in the on-line analysis of biological cell growing and evolution. The procedure is based on an empirical-mathematical approach for calibration and fitting of any cell-electrode electrical model. It is valid and can be extrapolated for any type of cellular line used in electrical cell-substrate impedance spectroscopy (ECIS) tests. Parameters of the bioimpedance model, acquired from ECIS experiments, vary for each cell line, which makes obtaining results difficult and—to some extent-renders them inaccurate. We propose a fitting method based on the cell line initial characterization,and carry out subsequent experiments with the same line to approach the percentage of well filling and the cell density (or cell number in the well). To perform our calibration technique, the so-called oscillation-based test (OBT) approach is employed for each cell density. Calibration results are validated by performing other experiments with different concentrations on the same cell line with the same measurement technique. Accordingly, a bioimpedance electrical model of each cell line is determined, which is valid for any further experiment and leading to a more precise electrical model of the electrode-cell system. Furthermore, the model parameters calculated can be also used by any other measurement techniques. Promising experimental outcomes for three different cell-lines have been achieved, supporting the usefulness of this technique

Remote Cell Growth Sensing Using Self-Sustained Bio-Oscillations

A smart sensor system for cell culture real-time supervision is proposed, allowing for a significant reduction in human effort applied to this type of assay. The approach converts the cell culture under test into a suitable “biological” oscillator. The system enables the remote acquisition and management of the “biological” oscillation signals through a secure web interface. The indirectly observed biological properties are cell growth and cell number, which are straightforwardly related to the measured bio-oscillation signal parameters, i.e., frequency and amplitude. The sensor extracts the information without complex circuitry for acquisition and measurement, taking advantage of the microcontroller features. A discrete prototype for sensing and remote monitoring is presented along with the experimental results obtained from the performed measurements, achieving the expected performance and outcomes

Ambulatory care sensitive conditions hospitalization for emergencies rates in Colombia

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the emergency hospitalizations trend for ambulatory care sensitive conditions between 2011 and 2015 in a health insureance company of the Colombian Social Security General System. METHODS: A log-linear analysis based on age-adjusted hospitalization rates for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in the Entidad Promotora de Salud Sanitas was used to estimate the annual percentage change in these rates and to identify joinponts of the rates. Data was collected from administrative sources. RESULTS: There were 38,530 hospitalizations for ambulatory care sensitive conditions in 26,501 Entidad Promotora de Salud Sanitas enrollees, with a significant decrease in hospitalization rates. The annual percentage change estimated for the period was -9.5% with no significant joinpoints throughout the time interval. CONCLUSIONS: A significant reduction in hospital admissions due to ambulatory care sensitive conditions in Entidad Promotora de Salud Sanitas enrollees were reported for the last five years in this study

Simulador de cirugía cardiotorácica

La invención se refiere a un simulador de cirugía cardiotorácica que comprende: -un bloque cardiopulmonar, con un corazón y unos pulmones inertes; y,- un circuito hidráulico cerrado para reproducir una parte de un sistema cardiovascular, con un depósito de fluido en conexión fluida con un elemento de bombeo configurado para producir un flujo continuo de dicho fluido desde el depósito hacia dos circuitos:- un circuito principal que atraviesa el bloque cardiopulmonar con un primer elemento de control de flujo aguas arriba del bloque cardiopulmonar y un segundo elemento de control de flujo aguas abajo del bloque cardiopulmonar, retornando este primer circuito principal al depósito de fluido aguas abajo del segundo elemento de control de flujo;- un circuito auxiliar, paralelo al circuito principal con retorno al depósito de fluido y que comprende un tercer elemento de control de flujo; comprendiendo el simulador de cirugía cardiotorácica además medios de control configurados:- para actuar alternativamente sobre el primer elemento de control de flujo y el tercer elemento de control de flujo produciendo un flujo alternante de fluido entre el circuito principal y el circuito auxiliar; y- para actuar desfasadamente sobre el primer elemento de control de flujo y sobre el segundo elemento de control de flujo produciendo un pulso de presión dentro del bloque cardiopulmonar; de forma que se produce un flujo pulsátil del fluido a través del bloque cardiopulmonar.Solicitud: 201930264 (25.03.2019)Nº Pub. de Solicitud: ES2784447A1 (25.09.2020)Nº de Patente: ES2784447B2 (06.07.2021

Vulnerable marine ecosystems and biological features of Gazul mud volcano (Gulf of Cádiz): A contribution towards a potential "Gulf of Cádiz" EBSA

The Gulf of Cádiz (GoC) represents an area of socioeconomic and scientific importance for oceanographic, geological and biological processes. An interesting feature of the GoC is the presence of a large amount of mud volcanoes (MVs) and diapirs that display different seepage, seabed types, oceanographic settings and biological communities. Detailed exploration of some MVs is still needed for detecting Vulnerable Marine ecosystems (VMEs) that seem to be rare in other areas of the GoC, improving the current knowledge on its biodiversity and ecological attributes. During different expeditions (MEDWAVES-ATLAS, INDEMARES-CHICA 0610 & 0412 and ISUNEPCA 0616) carried out in different years, biological samples and videos were obtained in Gazul MV (Spanish Margin of the GoC). The study of those samples and videos has revealed the presence of several ecologically important VMEs (e.g. 3 species of reef framework-forming corals, coral gardens including solitary scleractinians, gorgonians and antipatharians, as well as deep-sea sponge aggregations and chemosynthesis-related structures) and a large number of species occurring in this MV, including new records for the European margin, threatened species and non-previously described species. The combination of different environmental and anthropogenic factors allowed the present-day persistence of these VMEs in the GoC. Some of Gazul MV biological and ecological attributes fit several criteria of the Convention on Biological Diversity for EBSA description (e.g. 1,3,4,6) that, together with those of other areas of the GoC, may contribute to the future potential nomination of an EBSA in this area of the NE Atlantic

Hacia una gestión alternativa: elementos estructurantes, aproximaciones a la ciudad de Medellín y sus contextos territoriales

En la introducción se formulan los elementos conceptuales orientadores del proceso investigativo; la planeación y la participación, la planeación y la territorialidad, y la percepción de la territorialidad. El capitulo uno presenta los desarrollos del tema relativo a la planeación y el territorio en la ciudad de Medellín y el Área Metropolitana. Este capitulo contiene: El reconocimiento a la problemática; los enfoques y concepciones; sus elementos relacionantes; y la dimensión territorial para la planeación, la participación y el control. capitulo dos hace referencia a los usos, percepciones y significaciones del territorio. Partiendo de las consideraciones metodológicas del trabajo desarrollado, se aborda la problemática del territorio y la territorialidad y del crecimiento territorial urbano en Medellín. El capitulo tres inicia con algunas consideraciones metodológicas y luego desarrolla una serie de aproximaciones a la coyuntura en la ciudad de Medellín, enfatizando en el crecimiento, el presupuesto de la ciudad y la coyuntura. El capitulo cuatro contiene las conclusiones del proceso investigativo organizado según corresponda a los capítulos anteriormente mencionados. Este capítulo de conclusiones termina con la necesidad de formular una estrategia pedagógica de formación y capacitación de recursos humanos para la autogestión del hábitat urbano, particularmente en la ciudad de Medellín y el Área Metropolitana

Genomic Characterization of Host Factors Related to SARS-CoV-2 Infection in People with Dementia and Control Populations: The GR@ACE/DEGESCO Study

Emerging studies have suggested several chromosomal regions as potential host genetic factors involved in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and disease outcome. We nested a COVID-19 genome-wide association study using the GR@ACE/DEGESCO study, searching for susceptibility factors associated with COVID-19 disease. To this end, we compared 221 COVID-19 confirmed cases with 17,035 individuals in whom the COVID-19 disease status was unknown. Then, we performed a meta-analysis with the publicly available data from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative. Because the APOE locus has been suggested as a potential modifier of COVID-19 disease, we added sensitivity analyses stratifying by dementia status or by disease severity. We confirmed the existence of the 3p21.31 region (LZTFL1, SLC6A20) implicated in the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection and TYK2 gene might be involved in COVID-19 severity. Nevertheless, no statistically significant association was observed in the COVID-19 fatal outcome or in the stratified analyses (dementia-only and non-dementia strata) for the APOE locus not supporting its involvement in SARS-CoV-2 pathobiology or COVID-19 prognosis

Mutational spectrum of GNAL, THAP1 and TOR1A genes in isolated dystonia: study in a population from Spain and systematic literature review

[Objective] We aimed to investigate the prevalence of TOR1A, GNAL and THAP1 variants as the cause of dystonia in a cohort of Spanish patients with isolated dystonia and in the literature.[Methods] A population of 2028 subjects (including 1053 patients with different subtypes of isolated dystonia and 975 healthy controls) from southern and central Spain was included. The genes TOR1A, THAP1 and GNAL were screened using a combination of high-resolution melting analysis and direct DNA resequencing. In addition, an extensive literature search to identify original articles (published before 10 August 2020) reporting mutations in TOR1A, THAP1 or GNAL associated to dystonia was performed.[Results] Pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants in TOR1A, THAP1 and GNAL were identified in 0.48%, 0.57% and 0.29% of our patients, respectively. Five patients carried the variation p.Glu303del in TOR1A. A very rare variant in GNAL (p.Ser238Asn) was found as a putative risk factor for dystonia. In the literature, variations in TOR1A, THAP1 and GNAL accounted for about 6%, 1.8% and 1.1% of published dystonia patients, respectively.[Conclusions] There is a different genetic contribution to dystonia of these three genes in our patients (about 1.3% of patients) and in the literature (about 3.6% of patients), probably due the high proportion of adult-onset cases in our cohort. As regards age at onset, site of dystonia onset, and final distribution, in our population there is a clear differentiation between DYT-TOR1A and DYT-GNAL, with DYT-THAP1 likely to be an intermediate phenotype.This work was supported by the Carlos III Health Institute-European Regional Development Fund (ISCIII-FEDER) [PI14/01823, PI16/01575, PI18/01898, PI19/01576], the Andalusian Regional Ministry of Economics, Innovation, Science and Employment [CVI-02526, CTS-7685], the Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health and Welfare [PI-0741-2010, PI-0471-2013, PE-0210-2018, PI-0459-2018, PE-0186-2019], and the Alicia Koplowitz and Mutua Madrileña Foundations. Pilar Gómez-Garre was supported by the "Miguel Servet" program [MSII14/00018] (from ISCIII-FEDER) and “Nicolás Monardes” program [C-0048-2017] (from the Andalusian Regional Ministry of Health). Silvia Jesús was supported by the "Juan Rodés" program [B-0007-2019] and Daniel Macías-García by the “Río Hortega” program [CM18/00142] (both from ISCIII-FEDER). María Teresa Periñán was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education [FPU16/05061]. Cristina Tejera was supported by VPPI-US from the University of Seville.Peer reviewe

Cruise Summary Report - MEDWAVES survey. MEDiterranean out flow WAter and Vulnerable EcosystemS (MEDWAVES)

The MEDWAVES (MEDiterranean out flow WAter and Vulnerable EcosystemS) cruise targeted areas under the potential influence of the MOW within the Mediterranean and Atlantic realms. These include seamounts where Cold-water corals (CWCs) have been reported but that are still poorly known, and which may act as essential “stepping stones” connecting fauna of seamounts in the Mediterranean with those of the continental shelf of Portugal, the Azores and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. During MEDWAVES sampling has been conducted in two of the case studies of ATLAS: Case study 7 (Gulf of Cádiz-Strait of Gibraltar-Alboran Sea) and Case study 8 (Azores). The initially targeted areas in the Atlantic were: the Gazul Mud volcano, in the Gulf of Cádiz (GoC) area, included in the case study 7, and the Atlantic seamounts Ormonde (Portuguese shelf) and Formigas (by Azores), both part of the case study 8. In the Mediterranean the targeted areas were The Guadiaro submarine canyon and the Seco de los Olivos (also known as Chella Bank) seamount. Unfortunately it was not possible to sample in Guadiaro due to time constraints originated by adverse meteorological conditions which obligate us to reduce the time at sea focusing only in 4 of the 5 initially planned areas. MEDWAVES was structured in two legs; the first leg took place from the 21st September (departure from Cádiz harbour in Spain) to the 13th October 2016 (arrival in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel, Azores, Portugal took place the 8th of October due to the meteorological conditions that obligated to conclude the first leg earlier as planned). during the Leg 1 sampling was carried out in Gazul, Ormonde and Formigas. The second leg started the 14th October (departure from Ponta Delgada) and finished the 26th October (arrival in Málaga harbour, Spain). MEDWAVES had a total of 30 effective sampling days, being 6 days not operative due to the adverse meteorological conditions experienced during the first leg which forced us to stay in Ponta Delgada from the 08th to the 13th October. During MEDWAVES the daily routine followed a similar scheme, depending of course on the weather and sea conditions. The main activity during the day, starting early in the morning (around 08:00 AM, once the night activities were finished), was the ROV deployment. Generally a single ROV dive of around 8 hours was performed, however in several occasions two dives were carried out in the same day (see General station list, Appendix II). After the ROV (and sometimes between two dives) the Box Corer and/or Van Veen Grab and/or Multicore was deployed. After these activities, during the night CTD-Rosette deployments and MB was conducted. Accordingly to this schema the scientific personnel worked in the day or in the night watch. A total of 215 sampling stations have been covered in MEDWAVES, using the following sampling gears: Multibeam echosounder, CTD-Rosette, LADCP, Box Corer, Van Veen Grab, Multicorer and a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). Table 1 sumamrised the number of sampling stations conducted with each gear in each sampling zone. Additionally MB surveys have been conducted during the transits between area