Evolution of Chemistry in the envelope of Hot Corinos (ECHOS). I. Extremely young sulphur chemistry in the isolated Class 0 object B335

Within the project Evolution of Chemistry in the envelope of HOt corinoS (ECHOS), we present a study of sulphur chemistry in the envelope of the Class 0 source B335 through observations in the spectral range 7, 3, and 2 mm. We have modelled observations assuming LTE and LVG approximation. We have also used the code Nautilus to study the time evolution of sulphur species. We have detected 20 sulphur species with a total gas-phase S abundance similar to that found in the envelopes of other Class 0 objects, but with significant differences in the abundances between sulphur carbon chains and sulphur molecules containing oxygen and nitrogen. Our results highlight the nature of B335 as a source especially rich in sulphur carbon chains unlike other Class 0 sources. The low presence or absence of some molecules, such as SO and SO+, suggests a chemistry not particularly influenced by shocks. We, however, detect a large presence of HCS+ that, together with the low rotational temperatures obtained for all the S species (<15 K), reveals the moderate or low density of the envelope of B335. We also find that observations are better reproduced by models with a sulphur depletion factor of 10 with respect to the sulphur cosmic elemental abundance. The comparison between our model and observational results for B335 reveals an age of 10$^4$$<$t$<$10$^5$ yr, which highlights the particularly early evolutionary stage of this source. B335 presents a different chemistry compared to other young protostars that have formed in dense molecular clouds, which could be the result of accretion of surrounding material from the diffuse cloud onto the protostellar envelope of B335. In addition, the analysis of the SO2/C2S, SO/CS, and HCS+/CS ratios within a sample of prestellar cores and Class 0 objects show that they could be used as good chemical evolutionary indicators of the prestellar to protostellar transition

Prevalence, characteristics, and impact of adverse events in 34 Madrid hospitals. The ESHMAD study

Introduction: Adverse Events (AE) are one of the main problems in healthcare. Therefore, many policies have been developed worldwide to mitigate their im pact. The Patient Safety Incident Study in Hospitals in the Community of Madrid (ESHMAD) measures the results of them in the region. Methods: Cross-sectional study, conducted in May 2019, in hospitalised patients in 34 public hospitals using the Harvard Medical Practice Study methodology. A logistic regression model was carried out to study the association of the variables with the presence of AE, calibrated and adjusted by patient. Results: A total of 9975 patients were included, estimating a prevalence of AE of 11.9%. A higher risk of AE was observed in patients with surgical procedures (OR[CI95%]: 2.15[1.79 to 2.57], vs. absence), in Intensive Care Units (OR[CI95%]: 1.60[1.17 to 2.17], vs. Medical) and in hospitals of medium complexity (OR[CI95%]: 1.45[1.12 to 1.87], vs. low complexity). A 62.6% of AE increased the length of the stay or it was the cause of admission, and 46.9% of AE were considered prevent able. In 11.5% of patients with AE, they had contributed to their death. Conclusions: The prevalence of AE remains similar to the previously estimated one in studies developed with the same methodology. AE keep leading to longer hospital stays, contributing to patient's death, showing that it is necessary to put focus on patient safety again. A detailed analysis of these events has enabled the detection of specific areas for improvement according to the type of care, centre and patient

Cytogenetic profiles in multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: a study in highly purified aberrant plasma cells

This is an open-access paper.Cytogenetic studies in clonal plasma cell disorders have mainly been done in whole bone marrow or CD138+ microbead-enriched plasma cells and suggest that recurrent immunoglobulin heavy chain translocations - e.g. t(4;14) - are primary oncogenetic events. The aim of this study was to determine cytogenetic patterns of highly purified aberrant plasma cells (median purity ≥98%) in different clonal plasma cell disorders. We analyzed aberrant plasma cells from 208 patients with multiple myeloma (n=148) and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (n=60) for the presence of del(13q14), del(17p13) and t(14q32) using multicolor interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization. Additionally, immunoglobulin heavy chain gene arrangements were analyzed and complementarity determining region 3 was sequenced in a subset of patients and combined multicolor interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization/immunofluorescent protein staining analyses were performed in selected cases to confirm clonality and cytogenetic findings. At diagnosis, 96% of cases with multiple myeloma versus 77% of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance cases showed at least one cytogenetic alteration and/or hyperdiploidy. The cytogenetic heterogeneity of individual cases reflected coexistence of cytogenetically-defined aberrant plasma cell clones, and led to the assumption that karyotypic alterations were acquired stepwise. Cases of multiple myeloma and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance frequently showed different but related cytogenetic profiles when other cytogenetic alterations such as deletions/gains of the immunoglobulin heavy chain or the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 were additionally considered. Interestingly, in 24% of multiple myeloma versus 62% of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance patients with an immunoglobulin heavy chain translocation, aberrant plasma cells with and without t(14q32) coexisted in the same patient. Our data suggest that recurrent immunoglobulin heavy chain translocations might be absent in the primordial plasma cell clone in a significant proportion of patients with clonal plasma cell disorders carrying these cytogenetic alterations.This work was partially supported by grants from the Fundacion Memoria de Don Samuel Solorzano Barruso, Salamanca, Spain (FS/4-2010). The authors would also like to thank the Dr. Werner Jackstädt Foundation (Wuppertal, Germany) for grant supporting the work of Martin Schmidt-Hieber. The authors would like to thank the Cooperative Research Thematic Network (RTICs; RTICC RD06/0020/0035, RD06/0020/0006 and G03/136), MM Jevitt, SL firm, Instituto de Salud Carlos III/Subdirección General de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS: PI060339; 02/0905; 01/0089/01-02; PS09/01897) and Gerencia Regional de Salud de Castilla y León; Ayuda de Excelencia de Castilla y León, Consejeria de Educación (EDU/894/2009, GR37), and Consejería de Sanidad (557/A/10), Junta de Castilla y León, Valladolid, Spain for supporting this study. JMS is supported by a grant (CP05/00321) from the ISCIII, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Madrid, Spain.Peer Reviewe

Derivation and external validation of the SIMPLICITY score as a simple immune-based risk score to predict infection in kidney transplant recipients

Existing approaches for infection risk stratification in kidney transplant recipients are suboptimal. Here, we aimed to develop and validate a weighted score integrating non-pathogen-specific immune parameters and clinical variables to predict the occurrence of post-transplant infectious complications. To this end, we retrospectively analyzed a single-center derivation cohort of 410 patients undergoing kidney transplantation in 2008-2013 in Madrid. Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations, serum immunoglobulin and complement levels were measured at one-month post-transplant. The primary and secondary outcomes were overall and bacterial infection through month six. A point score was derived from a logistic regression model and prospectively applied on a validation cohort of 522 patients undergoing kidney transplantation at 16 centers throughout Spain in 2014-2015. The SIMPLICITY score consisted of the following variables measured at month one after transplantation: C3 level, CD4+ T-cell count, CD8+ T-cell count, IgG level, glomerular filtration rate, recipient age, and infection within the first month. The discrimination capacity in the derivation and validation cohorts was good for overall (areas under the receiver operating curve of 0.774 and 0.730) and bacterial infection (0.767 and 0.734, respectively). The cumulative incidence of overall infection significantly increased across risk categories in the derivation (low-risk 13.7%; intermediate-risk, 35.9%; high-risk 77.6%) and validation datasets (10.2%, 28.9% and 50.4%, respectively). Thus, the SIMPLICITY score, based on easily available immune parameters, allows for stratification of kidney transplant recipients at month one according to their expected risk of subsequent infection

Innovation and Technology Adoption in Central America

In spite of deep structural reforms, Central American countries have failed to experience rapid and stable growth in recent years. This paper explores whether and to what extent we can consider lack of innovation and technology adoption as a main reason for this disappointing experience. The paper starts by documenting that technology adoption and innovation are indeed very low, and then turns to a more qualitative and eclectic analysis drawing on interviews and case studies to try to understand the reasons for this. Four hypotheses are explored: weak intellectual property rights, low competition, lack of finance and low levels of education. The conclusion that emerges is that the last two of these four hypotheses may be especially relevant for the region. The paper concludes with several policy recommendations

Mass and half-life measurements of neutron-deficient iodine isotopes

Neutron-deficient iodine isotopes, 116I and 114I, were produced at relativistic energies by in-flight fragmentation at the Fragment Separator (FRS) at GSI. The FRS Ion Catcher was used to thermalize the ions and to perform highly accurate mass measurements with a Multiple-Reflection Time-of-Flight Mass-Spectrometer (MR-TOF-MS). The masses of both isotopes were measured directly for the first time. The half-life of the 114I was measured by storing the ions in an RF quadrupole for different storage times and counting the remaining nuclei with the MR-TOF-MS. The measured half-life was used to assign the ground state to the measured 114I ions. Predictions on the possible α-decay branch for 114I are presented based on the reduced uncertainties obtained for the Qα-value. Systematic studies of the mass surface were performed with the newly obtained masses, showing better agreement with the expected trend in this mass region.peerReviewe

Mass Measurements of Neutron-Rich Gallium Isotopes Refine Production of Nuclei of the First r-Process Abundance Peak in Neutron Star Merger Calculations

We report mass measurements of neutron-rich Ga isotopes $^{80-85}$Ga with TRIUMF's Ion Trap for Atomic and Nuclear science (TITAN). The measurements determine the masses of $^{80-83}$Ga in good agreement with previous measurements. The masses of $^{84}$Ga and $^{85}$Ga were measured for the first time. Uncertainties between $25-48$ keV were reached. The new mass values reduce the nuclear uncertainties associated with the production of A $\approx$ 84 isotopes by the \emph{r}-process for astrophysical conditions that might be consistent with a binary neutron star (BNS) merger producing a blue kilonova. Our nucleosynthesis simulations confirm that BNS merger may contribute to the first abundance peak under moderate neutron-rich conditions with electron fractions $Y_e=0.35-0.38$