Benthic community recovery from brine impact after the implementation of mitigation measures

In many regions, seawater desalination is a growing industry that has its impact on benthic communities. This study analyses the effect on benthic communities of a mitigation measure applied to a brine discharge, using polychaete assemblages as indicator. An eight-year study was conducted at San Pedro del Pinatar (SE Spain) establishing a grid of 12 sites at a depth range of 29–38 m during autumn. Brine discharge started in 2006 and produced a significant decrease in abundance, richness and diversity of polychaete families at the location closest to the discharge, where salinity reached 49. In 2010, a diffuser was deployed at the end of the pipeline in order to increase the mixing, to reduce the impact on benthic communities. After implementation of this mitigation measure, the salinity measured close to discharge was less than 38.5 and a significant recovery in polychaete richness and diversity was detected, to levels similar to those before the discharge. A less evident recovery in abundance was also observed, probably due to different recovery rates of polychaete families. Some families like Paraonidae and Magelonidae were more tolerant to this impact. Others like Syllidae and Capitellidae recovered quickly, although still affected by the discharge, while some families such as Sabellidae and Cirratulidae appeared to recover more slowly.These surveys were funded by the Mancomunidad de Canales del Taibilla

Response of amphipod assemblages to desalination brine discharge: Impact and recovery

Desalination has become an important industry whose dense, high-salinity effluent has an impact on marine communities. Without adequate dilution, brine remains on the bottom increasing bottom salinity and affecting benthic communities. Amphipods showed high sensitivity to increased salinity produced by desalination brine discharge. A decrease in abundance and diversity of amphipods was detected at the station closest to the outfall, where salinity values reached 53. This salinity was later reduced by including a diffuser at the end of the pipeline. Six months after diffuser installation, amphipod abundance increased. During the first stage of this recovery, species such as Photis longipes recovered their abundance, others such as Microdeutopus versiculatus displayed opportunistic patterns, while others needed more time for recovery, e.g. Harpinia pectinata. These differences may be dependent on the organism living habits.These surveys were funded by the Mancomunidad de Canales del Taibilla

Enfrentando los riesgos socionaturales

El objetivo del libro es comprender la magnitud de los Riesgos Socionaturales en México y Latinoamérica, para comprender el peligro que existe por algún tipo de desastre, ya sea inundaciones, sismos, remoción en masa, entre otros, además conocer qué medidas preventivas, correctivas y de contingencias existen para estar atentos ante alguna señal que la naturaleza esté enviando y así evitar alguna catástrofe. El libro se enfoca en los aspectos básicos de análisis de los peligros, escenarios de riesgo, vulnerabilidad y resiliencia, importantes para la gestión prospectiva o preventiva

Cancer impact prognosis on mortality in patients with acute heart failure: analysis of the epicter study

Introduction: Heart failure (HF) and cancer are currently the leading causes of death worldwide, with an increasing incidence with age. Little is known about the treatment received and the prognosis of patients with acute HF and a prior cancer diagnosis. Objective: to determine the clinical characteristics, palliative treatment received, and prognostic impact of patients with acute HF and a history of solid tumor. Methods: The EPICTER study ('Epidemiological survey of advanced heart failure') is a cross-sectional, multicenter project that consecutively collected patients admitted for acute HF in 74 Spanish hospitals. Patients were classified into two groups according to whether they met criteria for acute HF with and without solid cancer, and the groups were subsequently compared. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted, using the forward stepwise method. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of solid tumor on prognosis in patients with acute HF. Results: A total of 3127 patients were included, of which 394 patients (13%) had a prior diagnosis of some type of solid cancer. Patients with a history of cancer presented a greater frequency of weight loss at admission: 18% vs. 12% (p = 0.030). In the cancer group, functional impairment was noted more frequently: 43% vs. 35%, p = 0.039). Patients with a history of solid cancer more frequently presented with acute HF with preserved ejection fraction (65% vs. 58%, p = 0.048) than reduced or mildly reduced. In-hospital and 6-month follow-up mortality was 31% (110/357) in patients with solid cancer vs. 26% (637/2466), p = 0.046. Conclusion: Our investigation demonstrates that in-hospital mortality and mortality during 6-month follow-up in patients with acute HF were higher in those subjects with a history of concomitant solid tumor cancer diagnosis

Efficacy and safety of native versus pegylated Escherichia coli asparaginase for treatment of adults with high-risk, Philadelphia chromosome-negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Native or pegylated (PEG) asparaginase (ASP) are commonly used in treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but have been scarcely compared in the same trial in adult patients. Native vs. PEG-ASP administered according to availability in each center were prospectively evaluated in adults with high-risk ALL. Ninety-one patients received native ASP and 35 PEG-ASP in induction. No significant differences were observed in complete remission, minimal residual disease levels after induction and after consolidation, disease-free survival, and overall survival. No significant differences in grades 3–4 toxicity were observed in the induction period, although a trend for higher hepatic toxicity was observed in patients receiving PEG-ASP. In this trial the type of ASP did not influence patient response and outcome.Supported in part with the grants PI10/01417 from Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias and RD12/0036/0029 from RTICC, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 2014 SGR225(GRE), CERCA Program, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain, and a funding from ‘La Caixa’ Foundation

La guía docente adaptada al modelo de Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos: el informe previo

El proyecto de red para la evaluación de la implantación transversal de 4º del Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia en el itinerario de Creación y Entretenimiento digital tiene como objetivos la preparación y coordinación de las asignaturas para el desarrollo de una metodología de ABP, junto con la elaboración de las guías docentes de las asignaturas que conforman el itinerario. Uno de los apartados más importantes en la confección de dichas guías es el de la planificación docente. Conseguir que la programación de las clases sea adecuada y esté adaptada a la realidad del aula es uno de los retos más difíciles a los que nos enfrentamos los profesores del citado itinerario. Siguiendo los principios del ABP, se delegó en los estudiantes la responsabilidad de plantear el proyecto a realizar y su planificación, plasmándolo en un documento llamado informe previo que básicamente contiene una descripción detallada del problema a nivel profesional. En este trabajo presentamos las diversas experiencias desarrolladas en los 3 años de existencia del itinerario, que han ido modelando la estructura y contenidos del citado informe previo. También se muestra la evolución de los resultados de satisfacción con la metodología tanto de estudiantes como de profesores

Evaluación de la implantación transversal de 4º del grado en Ingeniería Multimedia, Itinerario Creación y Entretenimiento Digital

En esta memoria se describe el proyecto realizado para la evaluación de la implantación transversal del itinerario de Creación y Entretenimiento digital del cuarto curso del Grado en Ingeniería Multimedia de la Escuela Politécnica Superior, como continuación del planteamiento realizado en los proyectos anteriores de preparación, coordinación y seguimiento de las asignaturas del citado itinerario (identificadores 3013 y 3133). En el marco creado por los nuevos estudios dentro del EEES, el proyecto ha tenido como objetivos principales la preparación y coordinación de las asignaturas para el desarrollo de la metodología de Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos (ABP), la elaboración de las fichas de las asignaturas y el ajuste de recursos disponibles y laboratorios. A partir de la experiencia adquirida en la planificación de cursos previos, se han elaborado las guías docentes de las asignaturas ajustando las del curso anterior. También se presentan los resultados obtenidos en la tercera experiencia llevada a cabo en este curso, expresados en el grado de satisfacción y las sugerencias y observaciones del alumnado y profesorado con la metodología ABP. Por último, se ha mantenido la página web informativa del itinerario creada el curso anterior, publicando noticias relacionadas y mejorando diversos aspectos

Chemotherapy or allogeneic transplantation in high-risk Philadelphia chromosome–negative adult lymphoblastic leukemia

The need for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) in adults with Philadelphia chromosome–negative (Ph−) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with high-risk (HR) features and adequate measurable residual disease (MRD) clearance remains unclear. The aim of the ALL-HR-11 trial was to evaluate the outcomes of HR Ph− adult ALL patients following chemotherapy or allo-HSCT administered based on end-induction and consolidation MRD levels. Patients aged 15 to 60 years with HR-ALL in complete response (CR) and MRD levels (centrally assessed by 8-color flow cytometry) <0.1% after induction and <0.01% after early consolidation were assigned to receive delayed consolidation and maintenance therapy up to 2 years in CR. The remaining patients were allocated to allo-HSCT. CR was attained in 315/348 patients (91%), with MRD <0.1% after induction in 220/289 patients (76%). By intention-to-treat, 218 patients were assigned to chemotherapy and 106 to allo-HSCT. The 5-year (±95% confidence interval) cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR), overall survival (OS), and event-free survival probabilities for the whole series were 43% ± 7%, 49% ± 7%, and 40% ± 6%, respectively, with CIR and OS rates of 45% ± 8% and 59% ± 9% for patients assigned to chemotherapy and of 40% ± 12% and 38% ± 11% for those assigned to allo-HSCT, respectively. Our results show that avoiding allo-HSCT does not hamper the outcomes of HR Ph− adult ALL patients up to 60 years with adequate MRD response after induction and consolidation. Better postremission alternative therapies are especially needed for patients with poor MRD clearance

CIBERER : Spanish national network for research on rare diseases: A highly productive collaborative initiative

Altres ajuts: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII); Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación.CIBER (Center for Biomedical Network Research; Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red) is a public national consortium created in 2006 under the umbrella of the Spanish National Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII). This innovative research structure comprises 11 different specific areas dedicated to the main public health priorities in the National Health System. CIBERER, the thematic area of CIBER focused on rare diseases (RDs) currently consists of 75 research groups belonging to universities, research centers, and hospitals of the entire country. CIBERER's mission is to be a center prioritizing and favoring collaboration and cooperation between biomedical and clinical research groups, with special emphasis on the aspects of genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular research of RDs. This research is the basis for providing new tools for the diagnosis and therapy of low-prevalence diseases, in line with the International Rare Diseases Research Consortium (IRDiRC) objectives, thus favoring translational research between the scientific environment of the laboratory and the clinical setting of health centers. In this article, we intend to review CIBERER's 15-year journey and summarize the main results obtained in terms of internationalization, scientific production, contributions toward the discovery of new therapies and novel genes associated to diseases, cooperation with patients' associations and many other topics related to RD research