Orographic Effects on Berry Morphology and Chemical Composition of Carignan and Grenache Noir Grapes

A variation in the climatic parameters of an orographic vineyard influences the growth and developmentof vines and grapes. Understanding the effects of this is highly beneficial in determining how viticulturepractices can be modified to enhance grape quality. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of in-rowgrape position, altitude and vigour on berry morphology and grape maturity. The effects of vigour, altitudeand in-row grape position on berry weight and diameter, titratable acidity, pH and sugar concentrationof Carignan and Grenache noir grapes grown in a vineyard located in Priorat were investigated in the2021 vintage. The results show that Carignan grapes with a lower vigour demonstrated a higher sugarconcentration, berry weight and diameter, as well as lower titratable acidity, while the Grenache noirgrapes with a lower vigour achieved only a higher sugar concentration. The grapes at high altitude had ahigher sugar concentration in Carignan and higher titratable acidity in Grenache noir. Outer-row grapesof Carignan were characterised by lower titratable acidity and a higher sugar concentration, berry weightand diameter, while the outer-row grapes of Grenache noir displayed lower berry diameter, and a higherpH and sugar concentration. Vigour and in-row grape position have stronger effects on berry morphologyand chemical composition than altitude. Sugar concentration is more susceptible than other parameters tobe influenced by variability in the vineyard conditions

Efectos y seguridad del perfluorohexiloctano en la superficie ocular y el endotelio corneal

Objetivo Evaluar los efectos y la seguridad del perfluorohexiloctano (F6H8) tópico en la superficie ocular y el endotelio corneal. Métodos Fueron diagnosticados 45 pacientes (90 ojos) de enfermedad de ojo seco, se seleccionaron y se les prescribió tratamiento con F6H8 durante 6 meses. Las variables en la tinción corneal se documentaron usando la escala National Eye Institute/Industry Workshop (NEI), las variables conjuntivales usando la escala Oxford y los parámetros corneales, como el espesor corneal central, la densidad celular, el coeficiente de variación, la hexagonalidad y el área celular promedio, al inicio del estudio, a los 3 meses y a los 6 meses. Se evaluó también el cumplimiento y la satisfacción. Resultados El tratamiento con F6H8 redujo la tinción corneal promedio en pacientes cumplidores a una media de -0, 84 ± 1, 95 a los 3 meses (p = 0, 001) y a -1, 65 ± 2, 42 a los 6 meses (p < 0, 001). La tinción conjuntival a los 6 meses mostró una disminución promedio de -0, 13 (p = 0, 319). Los parámetros endoteliales no mostraron diferencia significativa, excepto el espesor corneal central, que mostró una disminución estadísticamente significativa (era de 545, 30 ± 32, 25 µm al comienzo del estudio y 538, 40 ± 31, 36 µm tras 6 meses, p = 0, 009). Al final del estudio, el 46% de los pacientes informaron sentirse subjetivamente mejor, el 40, 5% no sintió cambios y el 13, 5% se sintió subjetivamente peor. Conclusiones El tratamiento tópico con F6H8 para la enfermedad de ojo seco no alteró las variables medidas del endotelio corneal, aunque sí mostró mejoría en la tinción corneal y en la satisfacción. Objective: To evaluate the effects and safety of topical drops of perfluorohexyloctane (F6H8) on the ocular surface and the corneal endothelium. Methods: Forty-five patients (90 eyes) diagnosed with dry eye disease were recruited and prescribed treatment with F6H8 as part of a six-month prospective multicentre study. Variables in corneal staining were documented using the National Eye Institute/Industry Workshop scale. The conjunctival variables included using the Oxford scale, as well as corneal parameters, such as central corneal thickness, cell density, coefficient of variation, hexagonality, and mean cell area, at the start of the study, and at 3 months and 6 months. Compliance and satisfaction with the treatment were measured. Results: F6H8 drops reduced mean corneal staining based on the NEI scale in compliant patients to a mean of -0.84 ± 1.95 at 3 months (P=.001) and to -1.65 ± 2.42 at 6 months (P<.001). Conjunctival staining at 6 months showed a mean decrease of -0.13 (P=.319). The endothelial parameters did not show a significant difference, in contrast to the central corneal thickness that showed a statistically significant decrease (545.30 ± 32.25 at the start of the study to 538.40 ± 31.36 after 6 months, P=.009). At the end of the study, 46% of patients reported feeling subjectively better, 40.5% felt the same, and 13.5% felt subjectively worse. Conclusions: Topical treatment with F6H8 for dried eye disease did not alter the measured variables of the corneal endothelium, but showed improvement in corneal staining and satisfaction

Bortezomib plus melphalan and prednisone in elderly untreated patients with multiple myeloma: updated time-to-events results and prognostic factors for time to progression

New treatment options offering enhanced activity in elderly, newly diagnosed patients with multiple myeloma are required. One strategy is to combine melphalan and prednisone with novel agents. We previously reported an 89% response rate, including 32% complete responses and 11% near complete responses, in our phase 1/2 study of bortezomib plus melphalan and prednisone (VMP) in 60 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients with a median age of 75 years. Here, we report updated time-to-events data and the impact of poor prognosis factors on outcome

Epidemiological trends of HIV/HCV coinfection in Spain, 2015-2019

Altres ajuts: Spanish AIDS Research Network; European Funding for Regional Development (FEDER).Objectives: We assessed the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and active HCV infection (HCV-RNA-positive) in people living with HIV (PLWH) in Spain in 2019 and compared the results with those of four similar studies performed during 2015-2018. Methods: The study was performed in 41 centres. Sample size was estimated for an accuracy of 1%. Patients were selected by random sampling with proportional allocation. Results: The reference population comprised 41 973 PLWH, and the sample size was 1325. HCV serostatus was known in 1316 PLWH (99.3%), of whom 376 (28.6%) were HCV antibody (Ab)-positive (78.7% were prior injection drug users); 29 were HCV-RNA-positive (2.2%). Of the 29 HCV-RNA-positive PLWH, infection was chronic in 24, it was acute/recent in one, and it was of unknown duration in four. Cirrhosis was present in 71 (5.4%) PLWH overall, three (10.3%) HCV-RNA-positive patients and 68 (23.4%) of those who cleared HCV after anti-HCV therapy (p = 0.04). The prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies decreased steadily from 37.7% in 2015 to 28.6% in 2019 (p < 0.001); the prevalence of active HCV infection decreased from 22.1% in 2015 to 2.2% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Uptake of anti-HCV treatment increased from 53.9% in 2015 to 95.0% in 2019 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In Spain, the prevalence of active HCV infection among PLWH at the end of 2019 was 2.2%, i.e. 90.0% lower than in 2015. Increased exposure to DAAs was probably the main reason for this sharp reduction. Despite the high coverage of treatment with direct-acting antiviral agents, HCV-related cirrhosis remains significant in this population

RICORS2040 : The need for collaborative research in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent and poorly known killer. The current concept of CKD is relatively young and uptake by the public, physicians and health authorities is not widespread. Physicians still confuse CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. Thus health authorities may consider CKD a non-issue: very few persons eventually need KRT and, for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is 'solved' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, KRT is the tip of the iceberg in the burden of CKD. The main burden of CKD is accelerated ageing and premature death. The cut-off points for kidney function and kidney damage indexes that define CKD also mark an increased risk for all-cause premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality that is 10- to 100-fold higher than similar-age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by ~40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth greatest global cause of death by 2040 and the second greatest cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when one in four Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded Centres for Biomedical Research (CIBER) network structure in Spain. Realizing the underestimation of the CKD burden of disease by health authorities, the Decade of the Kidney initiative for 2020-2030 was launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the European Kidney Health Alliance. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network Red de Investigación Renal have now applied for the Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) call for collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades del Riñón and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true

Sustainability analysis of biodiesel production from Cynara Cardunculus crop

10.1016/j.fuel.2013.04.02

Microalgae-based biodiesel: A multicriteria analysis of the production process using realistic scenarios

10.1016/j.biortech.2013.07.145Microalgae-based biodiesel has several benefits over other resources such as less land use, potential cultivation in non-fertile locations, faster growth and especially a high lipid-to-biodiesel yield. Nevertheless, the environmental and economic behavior for high scale production depends on several variables that must be addressed in the scale-up procedure. In this sense, rigorous modeling and multicriteria evaluation are performed in order to achieve optimal topology for third generation biodiesel production. Different scenarios and the most promising technologies tested at pilot scale are assessed. Besides, the sensitivity analysis allows the detection of key operating variables and assumptions that have a direct effect on the lipid content. The deviation of these variables may lead to an erroneous estimation of the scale-up performance of the technology reviewed in the microalgae-based biodiesel process. The modeling and evaluation of different scenarios of the harvesting, oil extraction and transesterification help to identify greener and cheaper alternatives