Prediction of single salt rejection in nanofiltration membranes by independent measurements

Producción CientíficaIn this work amethod is proposed to predict salt rejection by nanofiltration. The procedure starts fromthe steric, electric and dielectric exclusion model with charge (and permitivity) depending on the concentration along the pore, SEDE-VCh, for membrane characterization, and substitutes all fitting parameters by values obtained by independent methods. These parameters are the relative permittivity inside the pores and the two constants of the Freundlich isothermfor the volumetric charge density,which can be obtained by impedance spectroscopy techniques. Moreover, the pore size and shape and the active layer thickness are required to complement the model. The pore size was obtained by using a neutral solute rejection test and the active layer thickness was estimated by SEM. Therefore, the model also requires pore shape as input. AFM measurements suggest the assumption of a slit shape for the pores. A Desal-HL membrane has been structurally, electrically and functionally characterized. These data allowed the testing of the predictive model that was subsequently demonstrated; as far as results are good enough considering the complexity of the mechanisms involved. Consequently, it seems clear that once the model parameters have been obtained by independent methods, it can be used as a predictive tool.Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA302U13

Seminarios multimedia de implanto-prótesis y patología oclusal

Memoria ID-0116. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2014-2015

Tracking the antibody immunome in sporadic colorectal cancer by using antigen self-assembled protein arrays

© 2021 by the authors.Sporadic Colorectal Cancer (sCRC) is the third leading cause of cancer death in the Western world, and the sCRC patients presenting with synchronic metastasis have the poorest prognosis. Genetic alterations accumulated in sCRC tumor cells translate into mutated proteins and/or abnormal protein expression levels, which contribute to the development of sCRC. Then, the tumor-associated proteins (TAAs) might induce the production of auto-antibodies (aAb) via humoral immune response. Here, Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Arrays (NAPPArray) are employed to identify aAb in plasma samples from a set of 50 sCRC patients compared to seven healthy donors. Our goal was to establish a systematic workflow based on NAPPArray to define differential aAb profiles between healthy individuals and sCRC patients as well as between non-metastatic (n = 38) and metastatic (n = 12) sCRC, in order to gain insight into the role of the humoral immune system in controlling the development and progression of sCRC. Our results showed aAb profile based on 141 TAA including TAAs associated with biological cellular processes altered in genesis and progress of sCRC (e.g., FSCN1, VTI2 and RPS28) that discriminated healthy donors vs. sCRC patients. In addition, the potential capacity of discrimination (between non-metastatic vs. metastatic sCRC) of 7 TAAs (USP5, ML4, MARCKSL1, CKMT1B, HMOX2, VTI2, TP53) have been analyzed individually in an independent cohort of sCRC patients, where two of them (VTI2 and TP53) were validated (AUC ~75%). In turn, these findings provided novel insights into the immunome of sCRC, in combination with transcriptomics profiles and protein antigenicity characterizations, wich might lead to the identification of novel sCRC biomarkers that might be of clinical utility for early diagnosis of the tumor. These results explore the immunomic analysis as potent source for biomarkers with diagnostic and prognostic value in CRC. Additional prospective studies in larger series of patients are required to confirm the clinical utility of these novel sCRC immunomic biomarkers.We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) for the grants: FIS PI14/01538, FIS PI17/01930 and CB16/12/00400. We also acknowledge Fondos FEDER (EU) “Una manera de hacer Europa” and Junta Castilla-León (COVID19 grant COV20EDU/00187). Fundación Solórzano FS/38-2017. The Proteomics Unit belongs to ProteoRed, PRB3-ISCIII, supported by grant PT17/0019/0023, of the PE I + D + I 2017-2020, funded by ISCIII and FEDER. CNPq-National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Brazil) (306258/2019-6) and FAPERJ-Foundation for Research Support of Rio de Janeiro State for the financial support (E-26/201.670/2017 and 210.379/2018). M. González-González is supported by MINECOPTA2019-017870-I.A. Landeira-Viñuela is supported by VIII Centenario-USAL PhD Program. P.J.-V. is supported by JCYL PhD Program and scholarship JCYL-EDU/601/2020. P.D. and E.B. are supported by a JCYL-EDU/346/2013 Ph.D. scholarship

Creación de una web del Grupo de Investigación: avances en Salud Oral

Memoria ID-0135. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2015-2016

Effectiveness of an mHealth intervention combining a smartphone app and smart band on body composition in an overweight and obese population: Randomized controlled trial (EVIDENT 3 study)

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) is currently among the supporting elements that may contribute to an improvement in health markers by helping people adopt healthier lifestyles. mHealth interventions have been widely reported to achieve greater weight loss than other approaches, but their effect on body composition remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to assess the short-term (3 months) effectiveness of a mobile app and a smart band for losing weight and changing body composition in sedentary Spanish adults who are overweight or obese. Methods: A randomized controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted involving the participation of 440 subjects from primary care centers, with 231 subjects in the intervention group (IG; counselling with smartphone app and smart band) and 209 in the control group (CG; counselling only). Both groups were counselled about healthy diet and physical activity. For the 3-month intervention period, the IG was trained to use a smartphone app that involved self-monitoring and tailored feedback, as well as a smart band that recorded daily physical activity (Mi Band 2, Xiaomi). Body composition was measured using the InBody 230 bioimpedance device (InBody Co., Ltd), and physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: The mHealth intervention produced a greater loss of body weight (–1.97 kg, 95% CI –2.39 to –1.54) relative to standard counselling at 3 months (–1.13 kg, 95% CI –1.56 to –0.69). Comparing groups, the IG achieved a weight loss of 0.84 kg more than the CG at 3 months. The IG showed a decrease in body fat mass (BFM; –1.84 kg, 95% CI –2.48 to –1.20), percentage of body fat (PBF; –1.22%, 95% CI –1.82% to 0.62%), and BMI (–0.77 kg/m2, 95% CI –0.96 to 0.57). No significant changes were observed in any of these parameters in men; among women, there was a significant decrease in BMI in the IG compared with the CG. When subjects were grouped according to baseline BMI, the overweight group experienced a change in BFM of –1.18 kg (95% CI –2.30 to –0.06) and BMI of –0.47 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.80 to –0.13), whereas the obese group only experienced a change in BMI of –0.53 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.86 to –0.19). When the data were analyzed according to physical activity, the moderate-vigorous physical activity group showed significant changes in BFM of –1.03 kg (95% CI –1.74 to –0.33), PBF of –0.76% (95% CI –1.32% to –0.20%), and BMI of –0.5 kg/m2 (95% CI –0.83 to –0.19). Conclusions: The results from this multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial study show that compared with standard counselling alone, adding a self-reported app and a smart band obtained beneficial results in terms of weight loss and a reduction in BFM and PBF in female subjects with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2 and a moderate-vigorous physical activity level. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to ensure that this profile benefits more than others from this intervention and to investigate modifications of this intervention to achieve a global effect

Systematic Evaluation of Antigenic Stimulation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Humoral Immunity as Biomarkers for Disease Evolution

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western world. Studies of CLL antibody reactivity have shown differential targets to autoantigens and antimicrobial molecular motifs that support the current hypothesis of CLL pathogenesis. Methods: In this study, we conducted a quantitative serum analysis of 7 immunoglobulins in CLL and monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) patients (bead-suspension protein arrays) and a serological profile (IgG and IgM) study of autoantibodies and antimicrobial antigens (protein microarrays). Results: Significant differences in the IgA levels were observed according to disease progression and evolution as well as significant alterations in IgG1 according to IGHV mutational status. More representative IgG autoantibodies in the cohort were against nonmutagenic proteins and IgM autoantibodies were against vesicle proteins. Antimicrobial IgG and IgM were detected against microbes associated with respiratory tract infections. Conclusions: Quantitative differences in immunoglobulin serum levels could be potential biomarkers for disease progression. In the top 5 tumoral antigens, we detected autoantibodies (IgM and IgG) against proteins related to cell homeostasis and metabolism in the studied cohort. The top 5 microbial antigens were associated with respiratory and gastrointestinal infections; moreover, the subsets with better prognostics were characterized by a reactivation of Cytomegalovirus. The viral humoral response could be a potential prognosis biomarker for disease progression

Systematic Evaluation of Antigenic Stimulation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: Humoral Immunity as Biomarkers for Disease Evolution

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia in the Western world. Studies of CLL antibody reactivity have shown differential targets to autoantigens and antimicrobial molecular motifs that support the current hypothesis of CLL pathogenesis. Methods: In this study, we conducted a quantitative serum analysis of 7 immunoglobulins in CLL and monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis (MBL) patients (bead-suspension protein arrays) and a serological profile (IgG and IgM) study of autoantibodies and antimicrobial antigens (protein microarrays). Results: Significant differences in the IgA levels were observed according to disease progression and evolution as well as significant alterations in IgG1 according to IGHV mutational status. More representative IgG autoantibodies in the cohort were against nonmutagenic proteins and IgM autoantibodies were against vesicle proteins. Antimicrobial IgG and IgM were detected against microbes associated with respiratory tract infections. Conclusions: Quantitative differences in immunoglobulin serum levels could be potential biomarkers for disease progression. In the top 5 tumoral antigens, we detected autoantibodies (IgM and IgG) against proteins related to cell homeostasis and metabolism in the studied cohort. The top 5 microbial antigens were associated with respiratory and gastrointestinal infections; moreover, the subsets with better prognostics were characterized by a reactivation of Cytomegalovirus. The viral humoral response could be a potential prognosis biomarker for disease progression

Diez líneas verdes

Se desarrolla un proyecto de innovación educativa que pretende fomentar el respeto y cuidado medioambiental, creando y desarrollando la conciencia y sensibilidad. Se desarrolla a lo largo del curso 2006-2007 para todos los ciclos de Educación Infantil y Educación Primaria, se integra en el currículo y se trabaja por ciclos y asambleas las actividades del seminario. La metodología empleada en la práctica del proyecto se basa en la observación, experimentación y expresión de lo vivido en un clima de sensibilización hacia el medio ambiente. Se realizan talleres escolares, salidas a la naturaleza, fabricación de instrumentos con materiales de desecho, disfraces y plantación de plantas en un huerto entre otras actividades. Se realiza una evaluación continua de las actividades llevadas a acabo y al final se pasa una encuesta a los padres, profesorado y alumnado para realizar un sondeo de las opiniones de las tareas realizadas en el proyecto de innovación educativa. La mayoría del alumnado ha mejorado sus hábitos tanto dentro como fuera del colegio, ha aprendido a reciclar y han transmitido a sus familias estas nuevas conductas aprendidas. El profesorado y los padres opinan que el proyecto es muy útil y positivo para el alumnado. Se ha conseguido implicar a la comunidad educativa, haciendo efectiva su participación en la Red de Centros Comprometidos con el Medio Ambiente. En general el proyecto de innovación educativa es de fácil aplicación en el aula, genera hábitos y cambios de conducta medioambiental y por ello es conveniente darle continuidad en el centro para afianzar los hábitos creados.Castilla y LeónConsejería de Educación. Dirección General de Universidades e Investigación; Monasterio de Nuestra Señora de Prado, Autovía Puente Colgante s. n.; 47071 Valladolid; +34983411881; +34983411939ES

Seminarios multimedia de metodología de investigación en ciencias odontológicas

Memoria ID-034. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2013-2014