Evolución del peso vivo durante la lactancia de corderos de raza ojalada soriana en función de determinados factores. II. Número de lactación y producción de leche.

Como complemento del trabajo presentado por Asenjo et al., 2007, se analizó la influencia del número de lactación de la madre y del nivel de pro-ducción lechera de la madre sobre la evolución del peso del cordero a lo largo del período de lactación (7 semanas). Se observó que el número de lactación, no influyó en la evolución del peso de los corderos y el nivel de producción de leche de la madre únicamente presentó significación estadís-tica (p<0,01) en la primera semana de lactación

Evolución del peso vivo durante la lactancia de corderos de raza ojalada soriana en función de determinados factores. I: Sexo, tipo de parto y peso al nacimiento del cordero.

En el presente trabajo, vamos a analizar la influencia del sexo, del tipo de parto y del peso del cordero al nacimiento, sobre la evolución del peso del cordero a lo largo del período de lactación, que en este estudio hemos considerado de 7 semanas. Para los tres factores estudiados, se encontra- ron diferencias significativas (p<0,01) en la evolución del crecimiento

Determination of closure domain penetration in electrodeposited microtubes by combined magnetic force microscopy and giant magneto-impedance techniques

The domain structure of electrodeposited Co90P10 microtubes exhibiting radial magnetic anisotropy and giant magneto-impedance effect has been characterized by combined magnetic force microscopy imaging and impedance measurements. It has been shown that the size of the closure domains increases with the CoP layer thickness. Furthermore, the depth of the closure domains has been quantitatively determined from the high frequency behavior.The authors want to thank Professor J. Miltat for helpful discussions. This work has been performed under Project No. CAM/07N/0033/1998. A. Asenjo would like to thank the CAM (Spain) for the postdoctoral fellowship. J. P. Sinnecker thanks the Brazilian agencies CNPq and FAPERJ for the financial support.Peer reviewe

Plasmon-enhanced magneto-optical activity in ferromagnetic membranes

Experimental and theoretical evidence of plasmon-enhanced Kerr rotation in purely ferromagnetic membranes with sufficiently small dimensions to be out of extraordinary optical transmission conditions (45 nm pore diameter, 90nm lattice constant), is reported in this work. It is shown that the spectral location of the enhanced Kerr rotation region varies as the refractive index of the material inside the pore is modified. A similar behavior is obtained if the pore radius changes while keeping the pore concentration unchanged. Those are clear signatures indicating that localized surface plasmon resonances propagating along the pores govern the magneto-optical response of the membraneWe acknowledge Spanish MICINN (Grant Nos. MAT2008-06765-C02-01/NAN, CSD2008-00023, and MAT2007-65420-C02-01), CSIC (Grant No. PIF 200560F0121 BIOPTOMAG), CM(Grant No. S-0505/MAT/0194 NANOMAGNET), and European Commission (Grant No. NMP3-SL-2008-214107-Nanomagma) for financial support.Peer reviewe

Parámetros genéticos y respuesta a la selección en una población de gallinas de raza castellana negra

Se presentan los resultados de un programa de mejora genética en tres generaciones de una población de gallinas de la raza Castellana Negra, encaminado a la posible obtención de productos diferenciados. La selección se ha realizado para el peso vivo, la puesta y el peso del huevo. La heredabilidad aparece elevada para el peso vivo (0,83) y el peso del huevo (0,69) y baja para la puesta (0,21). La correlación genética es alta y positiva para el peso vivo con el peso del huevo (0,68), bajas y negativas para el peso vivo con la puesta (-0,15) y para la puesta con el peso del huevo (-0,18). El progreso genético se estima positivo en todos los caracteres, siendo el peso vivo el carácter con mayor progreso genético (198,44 g)

Reproducción ovina: factores que influyen y métodos de control

La reproducción de la especie ovina se caracteriza por ser estacional. Si bien las razas que se encuentran en el entorno mediterráneo no presentan una estacionalidad muy marcada, lo cierto es que resulta interesante aplicar métodos para inducir y sincronizar celos con el fin de mejorar la prolificidad, fertilidad y fecundidad. Entre los factores que influyen en la reproducción ovina, se encuentran: el fotoperiodo, la nutrición, el genotipo, la edad, los factores sociales. Los métodos de control de la reproducción de esta especie, pueden ser naturales (efecto macho, flushing), farmacológicos (progesterona, prostaglandinas, melatonina) o mixtos. Por último, se muestra una comparativa de diferentes métodos de control y su efecto sobre la fertilidad y la prolificidad

Effect of intravenous pulses of methylprednisolone 250 mg versus dexamethasone 6 mg in hospitalised adults with severe COVID ‐19 pneumonia: An open‐label randomised trial

Producción CientíficaBackground: The efficacy and safety of high versus medium doses of glucocorticoids for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 has shown mixed outcomes in controlled trials and observational studies. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of methylprednisolone 250 mg bolus versus dexamethasone 6 mg in patients with severe COVID-19. Methods: A randomised, open-label, controlled trial was conducted between February and August 2021 at four hospitals in Spain. The trial was suspended after the first interim analysis since the investigators considered that continuing the trial would be futile. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive dexamethasone 6 mg once daily for up to 10 days or methylprednisolone 250 mg once daily for 3 days. Results: Of the 128 randomised patients, 125 were analysed (mean age 60 ± 17 years; 82 males [66%]). Mortality at 28 days was 4.8% in the 250 mg methylprednisolone group versus 4.8% in the 6 mg dexamethasone group (absolute risk difference, 0.1% [95% CI, −8.8 to 9.1%]; p = 0.98). None of the secondary outcomes (admission to the intensive care unit, non-invasive respiratory or high-flow oxygen support, additional immunosuppressive drugs, or length of stay), or prespecified sensitivity analyses were statistically significant. Hyperglycaemia was more frequent in the methylprednisolone group at 27.0 versus 8.1% (absolute risk difference, −18.9% [95% CI, −31.8 to - 5.6%]; p = 0.007). Conclusions: Among severe but not critical patients with COVID-19, 250 mg/d for 3 days of methylprednisolone compared with 6 mg/d for 10 days of dexamethasone did not result in a decrease in mortality or intubation

Immunogenicity, transplacental transfer of pertussis antibodies and safety following pertussis immunization during pregnancy: Evidence from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Pertussis immunization during pregnancy is recommended in many countries. Data from large randomized controlled trials are needed to assess the immunogenicity, reactogenicity and safety of this approach. Methods: This phase IV, observer-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial assessed immunogenicity, transplacental transfer of maternal pertussis antibodies, reactogenicity and safety of a reduced-antigen-content diphtheria-tetanus-three-component acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap) during pregnancy. Women received Tdap or placebo at 27–36 weeks’ gestation with crossover 72-hourpostpartum immunization. Immune responses were assessed before the pregnancy dose and 1 month after, and from the umbilical cord at delivery. Superiority (primary objective) was reached if the lower limits of the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the pertussis geometric mean concentration (GMC) ratios (Tdap/control) in cord blood were 1.5. Solicited and unsolicited adverse events (AEs) and pregnancy-/ neonate-related AEs of interest were recorded. Results: 687 pregnant women were vaccinated (Tdap: N = 341 control: N = 346). Superiority of the pertussis immune response (maternally transferred pertussis antibodies in cord blood) was demonstrated by the GMC ratios (Tdap/control): 16.1 (95% CI: 13.5–19.2) for anti-filamentous hemagglutinin, 20.7 (15.9–26.9) for anti-pertactin and 8.5 (7.0–10.2) for anti-pertussis toxoid. Rates of pregnancy-/ neonate-related AEs of interest, solicited general and unsolicited AEs were similar between groups. None of the serious AEs reported throughout the study were considered related to maternal Tdap vaccination. Conclusions: Tdap vaccination during pregnancy resulted in high levels of pertussis antibodies in cord blood, was well tolerated and had an acceptable safety profile. This supports the recommendation of Tdap vaccination during pregnancy to prevent early-infant pertussis disease.post-print502 K

Effectiveness of a strategy that uses educational games to implement clinical practice guidelines among Spanish residents of family and community medicine (e-EDUCAGUIA project):A clinical trial by clusters

This study was funded by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias FIS Grant Number PI11/0477 ISCIII.-REDISSEC Proyecto RD12/0001/0012 AND FEDER Funding.Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been developed with the aim of helping health professionals, patients, and caregivers make decisions about their health care, using the best available evidence. In many cases, incorporation of these recommendations into clinical practice also implies a need for changes in routine clinical practice. Using educational games as a strategy for implementing recommendations among health professionals has been demonstrated to be effective in some studies; however, evidence is still scarce. The primary objective of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a teaching strategy for the implementation of CPGs using educational games (e-learning EDUCAGUIA) to improve knowledge and skills related to clinical decision-making by residents in family medicine. The primary objective will be evaluated at 1 and 6months after the intervention. The secondary objectives are to identify barriers and facilitators for the use of guidelines by residents of family medicine and to describe the educational strategies used by Spanish teaching units of family and community medicine to encourage implementation of CPGs. Methods/design: We propose a multicenter clinical trial with randomized allocation by clusters of family and community medicine teaching units in Spain. The sample size will be 394 residents (197 in each group), with the teaching units as the randomization unit and the residents comprising the analysis unit. For the intervention, both groups will receive an initial 1-h session on clinical practice guideline use and the usual dissemination strategy by e-mail. The intervention group (e-learning EDUCAGUIA) strategy will consist of educational games with hypothetical clinical scenarios in a virtual environment. The primary outcome will be the score obtained by the residents on evaluation questionnaires for each clinical practice guideline. Other included variables will be the sociodemographic and training variables of the residents and the teaching unit characteristics. The statistical analysis will consist of a descriptive analysis of variables and a baseline comparison of both groups. For the primary outcome analysis, an average score comparison of hypothetical scenario questionnaires between the EDUCAGUIA intervention group and the control group will be performed at 1 and 6months post-intervention, using 95% confidence intervals. A linear multilevel regression will be used to adjust the model. Discussion: The identification of effective teaching strategies will facilitate the incorporation of available knowledge into clinical practice that could eventually improve patient outcomes. The inclusion of information technologies as teaching tools permits greater learning autonomy and allows deeper instructor participation in the monitoring and supervision of residents. The long-term impact of this strategy is unknown; however, because it is aimed at professionals undergoing training and it addresses prevalent health problems, a small effect can be of great relevance. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02210442.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group