Development of a Dynamic Goniometer with an Incremental Encoder

Angle dynamic measurements of body joints have become an important parameter to know for sportsmen, physicians and analysts of rehabilitation processes. The development of devices that allows those measurements turns out to be a hard work for biomedical engineers because during the acquisition process the mechanical system usually affects the natural joints movements. Digital goniometers have been constructed using different electronic principles, especially using resistance variations in potentiometers. In this paper we propose the construction of a dynamic goniometer with an incremental encoder using a mechanical transmission between a hinge and a pulley connected to an optical disk. The rotation is detected with an infrared led and a phototransistor. Calculations are done through a microcontroller and finally shown in real time using a liquid crystal display (LCD).La medición dinámica de los ángulos articulares se ha convertido en un parámetro fundamental para deportistas, médicos y analistas de los procesos de rehabilitación. El desarrollo de dispositivos para estas aplicaciones ha presentado retos importantes debido a la imposibilidad de implementar los sistemas mecánicos requeridos para la medición, sin afectar el movimiento natural de las articulaciones. Los goniómetros digitales se han construido a partir de diferentes principios electrónicos, particularmente basados en las variaciones resistivas de potenciómetros. Este trabajo muestra el desarrollo e implementación de un goniómetro dinámico basado en un encoder incremental con un sistema de transmisión mecánico entre una articulación de tipo bisagra y una polea conectada a un disco óptico. La rotación se detecta con un LED infrarrojo y un fototransistor. El cálculo del movimiento angular en la articulación se realiza con un microcontrolador. Finalmente los datos se muestran en tiempo real en una pantalla de cristal líquido (LCD)

Versatile Graphene-Based Platform for Robust Nanobiohybrid Interfaces

Technologically useful and robust graphene-based interfaces for devices require the introduction of highly selective, stable, and covalently bonded functionalities on the graphene surface, whilst essentially retaining the electronic properties of the pristine layer. This work demonstrates that highly controlled, ultrahigh vacuum covalent chemical functionalization of graphene sheets with a thiol-terminated molecule provides a robust and tunable platform for the development of hybrid nanostructures in different environments. We employ this facile strategy to covalently couple two representative systems of broad interest: metal nanoparticles, via S-metal bonds, and thiol-modified DNA aptamers, via disulfide bridges. Both systems, which have been characterized by a multi-technique approach, remain firmly anchored to the graphene surface even after several washing cycles. Atomic force microscopy images demonstrate that the conjugated aptamer retains the functionality required to recognize a target protein. This methodology opens a new route to the integration of high-quality graphene layers into diverse technological platforms, including plasmonics, optoelectronics, or biosensing. With respect to the latter, the viability of a thiol-functionalized chemical vapor deposition graphene-based solution-gated field-effect transistor array was assessed

Impact of a COVID-19 Outbreak in an Elderly Care Home after Primary Vaccination

[EN] Elderly care home residents are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 due to immunesenescence, pre-existing medical conditions, and the risk of transmission from staff and visitors. This study aimed to describe the outcomes of a COVID-19 outbreak in a long-term care facility for elderly persons following the initial vaccination. A single-center, retrospective, observational design was used to analyze the variables associated with hospitalization and death rate by logistic regression. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Sixty-eight residents received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite being negative six days after vaccination, the performance of a second test 4 days later revealed 51 positives (75.0%) among residents and 18 among workers (56.3%). A total of 65 of the 68 residents (95.58%) had positive results with symptoms, whereas 34.9% required hospitalization, and 25.8% died. The best-fitting model to explain the distribution of cases reflects three points at the time of infection.. The time from vaccination to symptom onset explains the hospitalization and mortality rates since a day elapsed halves the risk of hospitalization (aOR = 0.57; CI = 0.38−0.75) and the risk of death by a quarter (aOR = 0.74; CI = 0.63−0.88). Nursing homes present an elevated risk of transmission and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although vaccination reduces the risk of hospitalization and death, extreme prevention and control measures are essential in these institutions despite the high vaccination coverage.S

Effects of Fertigation Management on the Quality of Organic Legumes Grown in Protected Cultivation

Appropriate fertigation management plays an important role in increasing crop quality and economizing water. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of two fertigation treatments, normal (T100) and 50% sustained deficit (T50), on the physico-chemical quality of legumes. The determinations were performed on the edible parts of peas, French beans and mangetout. The trials were conducted in a protected cultivation certified organic farm. The response of legumes to the treatments varied between the cultivars tested. The fertigation treatments had a significant effect on the morphometric traits (width for mangetout and French bean; fresh weight for French bean; seed height for Pea cv. Lincoln). The total soluble solids and citric acid content have been shown to be increased by low soil water availability (T50) for mangetout. Fertigation treatments did not significantly affect the antioxidant compounds (total phenolic and ascorbic acid), minerals and protein fraction contents of legumes studied. Regarding legume health benefits, the most prominent cultivars were BC-033620 pea and French bean because of their high total phenolic (65 mg gallic acid equivalent 100 g−1 fresh weight) and ascorbic acid content (55 mg ascorbic acid 100 g−1 fresh weight), respectively. The results expand our knowledge concerning the nutraceutical quality and appropriate cultivation methods of legumes in order to make the system more sustainable and to encourage their consumption

Synthesis of Zigzag- and Fjord-Edged Nanographene with Dual Amplified Spontaneous Emission

We report the synthesis of a dibenzodinaphthocoronene (DBDNC) derivative as a novel nanographene with armchair, zigzag, and fjord edges, which was characterized by NMR and X-ray crystallography as well as infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopies. Ultrafast transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy revealed the presence of stimulated emission signals at 655 nm and 710 nm with a relatively long lifetime, which resulted in dual amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) bands under ns-pulsed excitation, indicating the promise of DBNDC as a near-infrared (NIR) fluorophore for photonics. Our results provide new insight into the design of nanographene with intriguing optical properties by incorporating fjord edges.This work was financially supported by the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST), the Max Planck Society, JSPS KAKENHI Grant No. JP19K24686, and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program under grant agreement no. 101017821 (LIGHT-CAP). G. M. P thanks Fondazione Cariplo (Grant no. 2018-0979) for financial support. Researchers from the University of Alicante acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and the European Union (Next Generation EU) through grant no. PID2020-119124RB-I00; and to the Conselleria de Innovación, Universidades y Sociedad Digital de la Comunidad Valenciana (Grant No. AICO/2021/093)

Linezolid for infective endocarditis. A structured approach based on a national database experience

Current data on the frequency and efficacy of linezolid (LNZ) in infective endocarditis (IE) are based on small retrospective series. We used a national database to evaluate the effectiveness of LNZ in IE. This is a retrospective study of IE patients in the Spanish GAMES database who received LNZ. We defined 3 levels of therapeutic impact: LNZ 50% of the total treatment, and > 50% of the LNZ doses prescribed in the first weeks of treatment), and LNZ ? 7 days not fulfilling the high-impact criteria (LNZ-NHI). Effectiveness of LNZ was assessed using propensity score matching and multivariate analysis of high-impact cases in comparison to patients not treated with LNZ from the GAMES database matched for age-adjusted comorbidity Charlson index, heart failure, renal failure, prosthetic and intracardiac IE device, left-sided IE, and Staphylococcus aureus. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and one-year mortality. Secondary outcomes included IE complications and relapses

IFNγ Response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Risk of Infection and Disease in Household Contacts of Tuberculosis Patients in Colombia

OBJECTIVES: Household contacts (HHCs) of pulmonary tuberculosis patients are at high risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and early disease development. Identification of individuals at risk of tuberculosis disease is a desirable goal for tuberculosis control. Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) using specific M. tuberculosis antigens provide an alternative to tuberculin skin testing (TST) for infection detection. Additionally, the levels of IFNgamma produced in response to these antigens may have prognostic value. We estimated the prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection by IGRA and TST in HHCs and their source population (SP), and assessed whether IFNgamma levels in HHCs correlate with tuberculosis development. METHODS: A cohort of 2060 HHCs was followed for 2-3 years after exposure to a tuberculosis case. Besides TST, IFNgamma responses to mycobacterial antigens: CFP, CFP-10, HspX and Ag85A were assessed in 7-days whole blood cultures and compared to 766 individuals from the SP in Medellín, Colombia. Isoniazid prophylaxis was not offered to child contacts because Colombian tuberculosis regulations consider it only in children under 5 years, TST positive without BCG vaccination. RESULTS: Using TST 65.9% of HHCs and 42.7% subjects from the SP were positive (OR 2.60, p<0.0001). IFNgamma response to CFP-10, a biomarker of M. tuberculosis infection, tested positive in 66.3% HHCs and 24.3% from the SP (OR = 6.07, p<0.0001). Tuberculosis incidence rate was 7.0/1000 person years. Children <5 years accounted for 21.6% of incident cases. No significant difference was found between positive and negative IFNgamma responders to CFP-10 (HR 1.82 95% CI 0.79-4.20 p = 0.16). However, a significant trend for tuberculosis development amongst high HHC IFNgamma producers was observed (trend Log rank p = 0.007). DISCUSSION: CFP-10-induced IFNgamma production is useful to establish tuberculosis infection prevalence amongst HHC and identify those at highest risk of disease. The high tuberculosis incidence amongst children supports administration of chemoprophylaxis to child contacts regardless of BCG vaccination

Blood neutrophils from children with COVID-19 exhibit both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers

Background: Perhaps reflecting that children with COVID-19 rarely exhibit severe respiratory symptoms and often remain asymptomatic, little attention has been paid to explore the immune response in pediatric COVID-19. Here, we analyzed the phenotype and function of circulating neutrophils from children with COVID-19. Methods: An observational study including 182 children with COVID-19, 21 children with multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C), and 40 healthy children was performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Neutrophil phenotype was analyzed by flow cytometry in blood samples. Cytokine production, plasma levels of IgG antibodies directed to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and citrullinated histone H3 were measured by ELISA. Cell-free DNA was quantified by fluorometry. Findings: Compared with healthy controls, neutrophils from children with COVID-19 showed a lower expression of CD11b, CD66b, and L-selectin but a higher expression of the activation markers HLA-DR, CD64 and PECAM-1 and the inhibitory receptors LAIR-1 and PD-L1. No differences in the production of cytokines and NETs were observed. Interestingly, the expression of CD64 in neutrophils and the serum concentration of IgG antibodies directed to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 distinguished asymptomatic from mild and moderate COVID-19. Interpretation: Acute lung injury is a prominent feature of severe COVID-19 in adults. A low expression of adhesion molecules together with a high expression of inhibitory receptors in neutrophils from children with COVID-19 might prevent tissue infiltration by neutrophils preserving lung function.Fil: Seery, Vanesa. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Raiden, Silvina Claudia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Algieri, Silvia C.. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Grisolía, Nicolás A.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Filippo, Daniela. Hospital Municipal Diego Thompson; ArgentinaFil: De Carli, Norberto. Clinica del Niño de Quilmes; ArgentinaFil: Di Lalla, Sandra. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Cairoli, Héctor. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Chiolo, María J.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Meregalli, Claudia N.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Gimenez, Lorena I.. Hospital Municipal Diego Thompson; ArgentinaFil: Gregorio, Gabriela. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Sarli, Mariam. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Alcalde, Ana L.. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Davenport, Carolina. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Bruera, María J.. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Simaz, Nancy. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Mariela F.. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Nivela, Valeria. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Bayle, Carola. Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas.; ArgentinaFil: Tuccillo, Patricia. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Hospital Naval Buenos Aires Cirujano Mayor Dr. Pedro Mallo; ArgentinaFil: Agosta, María T.. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Hospital Naval Buenos Aires Cirujano Mayor Dr. Pedro Mallo; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Hernán. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Hospital Naval Buenos Aires Cirujano Mayor Dr. Pedro Mallo; ArgentinaFil: Villa Nova, Susana. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Suárez, Patricia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Takata, Eugenia M.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: García, Mariela. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Lattner, Jorge. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Rolón, María J.. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Coll, Patricia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Sananez, Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Holgado, María Pía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Ferrero, Fernando. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Niños Pedro Elizalde (ex Casa Cuna); ArgentinaFil: Geffner, Jorge Raúl. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; ArgentinaFil: Arruvito, Maria Lourdes. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas en Retrovirus y Sida; Argentin

Cancer incidence in heart transplant recipients with previous neoplasia history

[Abstract] Neoplasm history increases morbidity and mortality after solid organ transplantation and has disqualified patients from transplantation. Studies are needed to identify factors to be considered when deciding on the suitability of a patient with previous tumor for heart transplantation. A retrospective epidemiological study was conducted in heart transplant (HT) recipients (Spanish Post–Heart Transplant Tumor Registry) comparing the epidemiological data, immu-nosuppressive treatments and incidence of post-HT tumors between patients with previous malignant noncardiac tumor and with no previous tumor (NPT). The impact of previous tumor (PT) on overall survival (OS) was also assessed. A total of 4561 patients, 77 PT and 4484 NPT, were evaluated. The NPT group had a higher proportion of men than the PT group (p < 0.001). The incidence of post-HT tumors was 1.8 times greater in the PT group (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2–2.6; p < 0.001), mainly due to the increased risk in patients with a previous hematologic tumor (rate ratio 2.3, 95% CI 1.3–4.0, p < 0.004). OS during the 10-year posttransplant period was significantly lower in the PT than the NPT group (p = 0.048) but similar when the analysis was conducted after a first post-HT tumor was diagnosed. In conclusion, a history of PT increases the incidence of post-HT tumors and should be taken into account when considering a patient for HT

2-(Fluoromethoxy)-4′-(S-methanesulfonimidoyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (UCM-1306), an Orally Bioavailable Positive Allosteric Modulator of the Human Dopamine D1 Receptor for Parkinson’s Disease

Tolerance development caused by dopamine replacement with L-DOPA and therapeutic drawbacks upon activation of dopaminergic receptors with orthosteric agonists reveal a significant unmet need for safe and effective treatment of Parkinson’s disease. In search for selective modulators of the D1 receptor, the screening of a chemical library and subsequent medicinal chemistry program around an identified hit resulted in new synthetic compound 26 [UCM-1306, 2-(fluoromethoxy)-4′- (S-methanesulfonimidoyl)-1,1′-biphenyl] that increases the dopamine maximal effect in a dose-dependent manner in human and mouse D1 receptors, is inactive in the absence of dopamine, modulates dopamine affinity for the receptor, exhibits subtype selectivity, and displays low binding competition with orthosteric ligands. The new allosteric modulator potentiates cocaine-induced locomotion and enhances L-DOPA recovery of decreased locomotor activity in reserpinized mice after oral administration. The behavior of compound 26 supports the interest of a positive allosteric modulator of the D1 receptor as a promising therapeutic approach for Parkinson’s disease