Exploring factors that influence participation in intradialytic physical exercise for haemodialysis users: A phenomenological qualitative study

Background: Most of haemodialyzed users are sedentary, because of these the practice of intradialytic physical exercise is fundamental. Programs of physical exercise have been implemented on several dialysis units, but there is still low participation, so it is necessary to find the factors that are influencing participant decisions. Objective: Exploring factors that influence haemodialysis users participation in intradialytic physical exercise. Materials and methods: A phenomenological qualitative study was carried out applying semi-structured interviews to 24 people among patients, family members and health care team. The Colaizzi method was used for data analysis. Results: Three main themes appeared, facilitators, positive impacts, and barriers. Among the facilitators, a favourable social environment, an assertive physical therapy treatment, effective communication and self-care awareness were identified. On the positive impacts, physical impact and quality of life were perceived and, finally, participation barriers included physical and psychosocial factors, and haemodialysis treatment barriers. Conclusions: The present study shows that both facilitators and positive impacts perceived by the users, encourage participation in intradialytic physical exercise, and the barriers decrease it. It seems that to raise participation in intradialytic physical exercise programs, it is necessary to find the local factors influencing participation, enhance facilitators and decrease the existing barriers

Efectividad de un entrenamiento cardiorrespiratorio, muscular y ventilatorio en el rendimiento aeróbico de pacientes hemodializados

Introduction: End stage kidney disease causes fatigue and progressive muscle weakness, which affects not only the muscles of extremities, but also the respiratory. There are several studies of combined training in dialysis patients, but not including respiratory work. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the effectiveness of an aerobic, lower limb resistance and inspiratory muscle resistance combined training in the generation of changes in aerobic performance of patients undergoing hemodialysis. Material and methods: Randomized controlled trial which included 11 hemodialysis patients from Valdivia’s Central Hospital. The sample was divided in two groups, the first one included: an aerobic, lower limbs and inspiratory muscle training (ARM+V) (n=6) and the second one included an aerobic and lower limbs muscle training (ARM) (n=5). The training was performed during 8 weeks and three variables were measured in both groups pre and post intervention, inspiratory muscle strength (Carefore Airlift NIF-gauge ®), aerobic endurance (6MWT) and pulmonary function (Sibelmed Datospir Micro Spirometer 120D ®). Results: ARM+V group obtained significant improvements (p<0.05) in 6MWT performance (p=0.027) and MIP (p=0,001). Likewise performance improved in 6MWT (p=0.022) and MIP (p=0.002) at ARM group, but decreased in spirometry values: FEV1 (p=0.004), FVC (p=0.005) and FEV1/FVC (p=0,038). Conclusion: Both training protocols were effective in the aerobic endurance improvement, however the patients in the ARM+V group presented better changes than the ARM group. Neither of the two training programs improved pulmonary function.Introducción: la enfermedad renal crónica terminal provoca fatiga y debilidad muscular progresiva, que afecta no solo la muscula- tura de extremidades, sino también la respiratoria. Existen diversos estudios de entrenamiento combinado en pacientes dializados, pero sin incluir trabajo respiratorio. Por esto, el presente estudio pretende determinar la efectividad de un entrenamiento combinado aeróbico, de resistencia de miembro inferior y de resistencia muscular inspiratoria, en el rendimiento aeróbico de pacientes hemodializados. Materiales y métodos: ensayo clínico aleatorizado que incluyó 11 pacientes hemodializados del Hospital Base Valdivia. Fueron divididos en dos grupos, uno sometido a un programa de entrenamiento con ejercicio aeróbico, de resistencia muscular de miembros inferiores y de musculatura inspiratoria (ARM+V) (n=6), y el otro, a un programa de entrenamiento con ejercicio aeróbico y de resistencia muscular de miembros inferiores (ARM) (n=5). La intervención fue realizada durante 8 semanas evaluando el rendimiento pre y post intervención de capacidad aeróbica (TM6M), fuerza inspiratoria máxima (Carefore Airlift NIF-gauge®) y función pulmonar (Sibelmed Datospir Micro Spirometer 120D®) en ambos grupos. Resultados: el grupo ARM+V obtuvo mejoras significativas (p<0,05) en el rendimiento del TM6M (p=0,027) y PIM (p=0,001); así mismo el grupo ARM mejoró en el TM6M (p=0,022) y PIM (p=0,002) y en la espirometría se mostró una disminución significativa en VEF1 (p=0,004), CVF (p=0,005) y VEF1/CVF (p=0,038). Conclusión: ambos entrenamientos fueron efectivos en la mejora del rendimiento aeróbico, pero el grupo ARM+V obtuvo mejoras significativamente superiores en este ítem. Ninguno de los dos entrenamientos obtuvo mejoras en los valores espirométricos. Palabras clave: diálisis renal, terapia por ejercicio, músculos respiratorios

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Precariedad, exclusión social y diversidad funcional (discapacidad): lógicas y efectos subjetivos del sufrimiento social contemporáneo (II). Innovación docente en Filosofía

El PIMCD "Precariedad, exclusión social y diversidad funcional (discapacidad): lógicas y efectos subjetivos del sufrimiento social contemporáneo (II). Innovación docente en Filosofía" se ocupa de conceptos generalmente eludidos por la tradición teórica (contando como núcleos aglutinantes los de la precariedad laboral, la exclusión social y diversidad funcional o discapacidad), cuyo análisis propicia nuevas prácticas en la enseñanza universitaria de filosofía, adoptando como meta principal el aprendizaje centrado en el estudiantado, el diseño de nuevas herramientas de enseñanza y el fomento de una universidad inclusiva. El proyecto cuenta con 26 docentes de la UCM y otros 28 docentes de otras 17 universidades españolas (UV, UNED, UGR, UNIZAR, UAH, UC3M, UCA, UNIOVI, ULL, EHU/UPV, UA, UAM, Deusto, IFS/CSIC, UCJC, URJC y Univ. Pontificia de Comillas), que permitirán dotar a las actividades programadas de un alcance idóneo para consolidar la adquisición de competencias argumentativas y dialécticas por parte de lxs estudiantes implicados en el marco de los seminarios previstos. Se integrarán en el PIMCD, aparte de PDI, al menos 26 estudiantes de máster y doctorado de la Facultad de Filosofía, a lxs que acompañarán durante el desarrollo del PIMCD 4 Alumni de la Facultad de Filosofía de la UCM, actualmente investigadores post-doc y profesorxs de IES, cuya experiencia será beneficiosa para su introducción en la investigación. Asimismo, el equipo cuenta con el apoyo de varixs profesorxs asociadxs, que en algunos casos son también profesores de IES. Varixs docentes externos a la UCM participantes en el PIMCD poseen una dilatada experiencia en la coordinación de proyectos de innovación de otras universidades, lo que redundará en beneficio de las actividades a desarrollar. La coordinadora y otrxs miembros del PIMCD pertenecen a la Red de Innovación Docente en Filosofia (RIEF), puesta en marcha desde la Universitat de València (http://rief.blogs.uv.es/encuentros-de-la-rief/), a la que mantendremos informada de las actividades realizadas en el proyecto. Asimismo, lxs 6 miembros del PAS permitirán difundir debidamente las actividades realizadas en el PIMCD entre lxs estudiantes Erasmus IN del curso 2019/20 en la Facultad de Filosofía, de la misma manera que orientar en las tareas de maquetación y edición que puedan ser necesarias de cara a la publicación de lxs resultados del PIMCD y en las tareas de pesquisa bibliográfica necesarias para el desarrollo de los objetivos propuestos. Han manifestado su interés en los resultados derivados del PIMCD editoriales especializadas en la difusión de investigaciones predoctorales como Ápeiron y CTK E-Books

Evaluation of the diagnostic value of fecal calprotectin in dyspepsia patients

El diagnóstico de pacientes con dispepsia representa un desafío ya que en la mayoría de los casos se requieren observaciones endoscópicas complejas y costosas. En este estudio, evaluamos el rol del diagnóstico de la calprotectina fecal en pacientes con dispepsia. Para ello, en el año 2019 se realizó un estudio observacional en 149 pacientes con dispepsia registrados en el Centro de Especialistas en Gastroenterología de la entidad privada Cuenca, Ecuador. Los datos disponibles abarcaron edad, sexo, signos de alarma, valores de calprotectina fecal (CF) y hallazgos endoscópicos. Los pacientes en el grupo de edad >65 años fueron los más representados, el 56.4% de la población eran del sexo femenino, el 48.57% eran CF positivos de los cuales el 86.8% poseían valores significativos de CF. CF+ se asoció significativamente con los hallazgos por EDA/colonoscopia (p65 years were most represented, 56.4% of the population were female, 48.57% were FC positive of whom 86.8% possessed significant values of FC. FC+ was significantly associated with findings by EDA/colonoscopy (p<0.001). The most diagnostic pathologies in patients with FC+ were congestive gastropathy, intestinal metaplasia, giardiasis, and polyposis. FC correlated positively with the presence of pathological findings in the invasive diagnostic tests (r=0.298) and is a useful, noninvasive biomarker correlating positively with endoscopic findings in the gastrointestinal tract of dyspepsia patients

Definition of a cell surface signature for human cardiac progenitor cells after comprehensive comparative transcriptomic and proteomic characterization

Adult cardiac progenitor/stem cells (CPC/CSC) are multipotent resident populations involved in cardiac homeostasis and heart repair. Assisted by complementary RNAseq analysis, we defined the fraction of the CPC proteome associable with specific functions by comparison with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), the reference population for cell therapy, and human dermal fibroblasts (HDF), as a distant reference. Label-free proteomic analysis identified 526 proteins expressed differentially in CPC. iTRAQ analysis confirmed differential expression of a substantial proportion of those proteins in CPC relative to MSC, and systems biology analysis defined a clear overrepresentation of several categories related to enhanced angiogenic potential. The CPC plasma membrane compartment comprised 1,595 proteins, including a minimal signature of 167 proteins preferentially or exclusively expressed by CPC. CDH5 (VE-cadherin),  OX2G (OX-2 membrane glycoprotein; CD200), GPR4 (G protein-coupled receptor 4), CACNG7 (calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit gamma 7) and F11R (F11 receptor; junctional adhesion molecule A; JAM-A; CD321) were selected for validation. Their differential expression was confirmed both in expanded CPC batches and in early stages of isolation, particularly when compared against cardiac fibroblasts. Among them, GPR4 demonstrated the highest discrimination capacity between all cell lineages analyzed.This study was supported by funding from the European Commission (HEALTH-2009_242038), and by grants to AB from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SAF2012-34327; SAF2015-70882-R), the Research Program of the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (S2011/BMD-2420), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (RETICS-RD12/0019/0018), and grants from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/ BBB-BIO/1414) to PMA. iNOVA4Health - UID/Multi/04462/2013, financially supported by FCT/Ministério da Educação e Ciência, through national funds and co-funded by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement is also acknowledged. JL Abad, I Palacios and LR Borlado were employees of Coretherapix; Coretherapix is part of Tigenix Group since July 2015. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.S

Definition of a cell surface signature for human cardiac progenitor cells after comprehensive comparative transcriptomic and proteomic characterization

© The Author(s) 2019.Adult cardiac progenitor/stem cells (CPC/CSC) are multipotent resident populations involved in cardiac homeostasis and heart repair. Assisted by complementary RNAseq analysis, we defined the fraction of the CPC proteome associable with specific functions by comparison with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), the reference population for cell therapy, and human dermal fibroblasts (HDF), as a distant reference. Label-free proteomic analysis identified 526 proteins expressed differentially in CPC. iTRAQ analysis confirmed differential expression of a substantial proportion of those proteins in CPC relative to MSC, and systems biology analysis defined a clear overrepresentation of several categories related to enhanced angiogenic potential. The CPC plasma membrane compartment comprised 1,595 proteins, including a minimal signature of 167 proteins preferentially or exclusively expressed by CPC. CDH5 (VE-cadherin), OX2G (OX-2 membrane glycoprotein; CD200), GPR4 (G protein-coupled receptor 4), CACNG7 (calcium voltage-gated channel auxiliary subunit gamma 7) and F11R (F11 receptor; junctional adhesion molecule A; JAM-A; CD321) were selected for validation. Their differential expression was confirmed both in expanded CPC batches and in early stages of isolation, particularly when compared against cardiac fibroblasts. Among them, GPR4 demonstrated the highest discrimination capacity between all cell lineages analyzed.This study was supported by funding from the European Commission (HEALTH-2009_242038), and by grants to AB from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (SAF2012-34327; SAF2015-70882-R), the Research Program of the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (S2011/BMD-2420), the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (RETICS-RD12/0019/0018), and grants from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (PTDC/ BBB-BIO/1414) to PMA. iNOVA4Health - UID/Multi/04462/2013, fnancially supported by FCT/Ministério da Educação e Ciência, through national funds and co-funded by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement is also acknowledged. JL Abad, I Palacios and LR Borlado were employees of Coretherapix; Coretherapix is part of Tigenix Group since July 2015