Detector for monitoring potential bleeding during electron intraoperative radiotherapy

Purpose: The aim of this work is to develop a bleeding detector integrated into the acrylic circular applicators for specific mobile linacs. Thus, a bleeding detector has been developed based on a capacitive sensor to be used with plastic applicators, as in the case of LIAC HWL from Sordina IORT Technologies SpA. According to the clinical impact, we have selected 0.5 cm as the minimum depth of fluid that should be detected. Methods: An experiment was developed using water-simulating blood. Two setups were considered: non-beveled applicators with 7 cm and 10 cm diameter. Measurements were done for applicators 0° and 45° tilted, both with respect to the horizontal surface, in order to mimic the worst clinical scenario according to the irradiation gantry and applicator bevel angle. The behavior of the detector under irradiation was analyzed and the impact of the stray radiation on the detector was also evaluated. Results: The detector was able to distinguish the presence of liquid at a minimum height of 0.5 cm. A linear behavior was obtained for both setups. We have also verified that the LIAC HWL radiation does not affect the measurements nor does the detector interfere with the stray radiation. The bleeding detector is a quasi-digital capacitive sensor with low-cost, high linearity, and easy to install. Conclusions: With this detector it is possible to perform a continuous monitoring of the liquid measurements even during the irradiation phase. Thus, it can operate not only as a pre-treatment detector but also as a continuous one

Improving bleeding detector features for electron intraoperative radiotherapy

Purpose: The aim of this work is to improve the potential bleeding detection during intraoperative radiotherapy with linac polymethyl methacrylate applicators (PMMA), based on one previously developed. The improvements carried out have been focused on: i) minimizing the impact of the detector on the visual through the plastic applicators and ii) avoiding the asymmetry in the detection capability when the applicator is tilted. Methods: Simulations have been made to select the geometry that provides a reduced visual impact on the applicator as well as allowing an independent response with the tilting angle of the applicator. A low-noise circuit for signal conditioning has been developed. Measurements have been made on three setups: 10 cm, 7 cm and 4 cm applicator diameters, 0° and 45° tilted. Results: The detector has a visibility through the applicator greater than 50%. Due to the geometry, optimal detection is ensured regardless of its orientation when the applicator is tilted. It is possible to detect the presence of fluid well below the typical perturbing fluid depth established by the clinic (1-1.5 cm). Conclusions: The detector can distinguish the presence of around 0.5 cm of fluid depth while showing a high visual field through the PMMA applicators and providing a measure that does not depend on the detector orientation when the applicator is tilted. The prototype is ready for its industrialization by embedding it into the applicator for clinical use. The detector would have a significant impact on both the quality assurance and the outcome of the treatment

Epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in older people in Spain (2007-2009): implications for future vaccination strategies

Background: Recently, the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) has been recommended for adults. We analyzed the epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in older adults in Spain before PCV13 introduction. Methodology/Principal Findings: IPD episodes, defined as clinical findings together with an invasive pneumococcal isolate, were prospectively collected from patients aged over 65 years in three hospitals in Spain from 2007 to 2009. A total of 335 IPD episodes were collected. Pneumonia was the main clinical syndrome, while chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus and cancer were the main underlying diseases. Pneumococcal isolates were serotyped and the molecular typing was performed by PFGE/MLST. PCV13 serotypes accounted for 59.3% of isolates, the most prevalent being serotypes 19A (15.1%), 3 (9.6%), 7F (7.5%), 14 (6.9%) and 1 (5.4%). The most frequent non-PCV13 serotypes were serotypes 16F (4.5%), 22F (3.6%), 24F (3.3%) and 6C (2.1%). The most common genotypes were CC230 (8.5%, serotypes 19A and 24F), CC156 (8.2%, serotypes 9V and 14), ST191 (7.9%, serotype 7F), CC260 (6.6%, serotype 3), ST306 (5.2%, serotype 1), CC30 (4.6%, serotype 16F) and ST433 (3.6%, serotype 22F). Comparing the 335 IPD isolates to 174 invasive pneumococci collected at the same hospitals in 1999-2000, PCV7 serotypes decreased (45.4% vs 18.4%,p,0.001), non-PCV7 serotypes included in PCV13 increased (26.4% vs 41.0%,p = 0.001) and two non-PCV13 serotypes increased (serotype 6C 0% vs 2.1%, p = 0.05; serotype 24F 0.6% vs 3.3%, p = 0.04,). Conclusion: In our older adult population two serotypes (19A and 3) included in PCV13 accounted for about a quarter of IPD episodes in people $65 years. Non-PCV13 emerging serotypes should be carefully monitored in future surveillance studies

High exposure to tacrolimus is associated to spontaneous remission of recurrent membranous nephropathy after kidney transplantation

Introduction We aimed to characterize the incidence and clinical presentation of membranous nephropathy (MN) after kidney transplantation (KT), and to assess allograft outcomes according to proteinuria rates and immunosuppression management. Methods Multicenter retrospective cohort study including patients from six Spanish centers who received a KT between 1991-2019. Demographic, clinical, and histological data were collected from recipients with biopsy-proven MN as primary kidney disease (n = 71) or MN diagnosed de novo after KT (n = 4). Results Up to 25.4% of patients with biopsy-proven MN as primary kidney disease recurred after a median time of 18.1 months posttransplant, without a clear impact on graft survival. Proteinuria at 3-months post-KT was a predictor for MN recurrence (rMN, HR 4.28; P = 0.008). Patients who lost their grafts had higher proteinuria during follow-up [1.0 (0.5-2.5) vs 0.3 (0.1-0.5) g/24 h], but only eGFR after recurrence treatment predicted poorer graft survival (eGFR < 30 ml/min: RR = 6.8). We did not observe an association between maintenance immunosuppression and recurrence diagnosis. Spontaneous remission after rMN was associated with a higher exposure to tacrolimus before recurrence (trough concentration/dose ratio: 2.86 vs 1.18; P = 0.028). Up to 94.4% of KT recipients received one or several treatments after recurrence onset: 22.2% rituximab, 38.9% increased corticosteroid dose, and 66.7% ACEi/ARBs. Only 21 patients had proper antiPLA2R immunological monitoring. Conclusions One-fourth of patients with biopsy-proven MN as primary kidney disease recurred after KT, without a clear impact on graft survival. Spontaneous remission after rMN was associated with a higher exposure to tacrolimus before recurrence.12 página

La sociedad española de bioquímica y biología molecular: objetivos y desafíos

La Sociedad Española de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular (SEBBM) fue fundada en 1963 por científicos de renombre internacional: el Premio Nobel Severo Ochoa, Alberto Sols, Santiago Grisolía, Julio Rodríguez Villanueva, Gertrudis de la Fuente y Federico Mayor Zaragoza, junto con una generación más joven de investigadores entre los que destacan Margarita Salas, Eladio Viñuela, Gabriela Morreale y Carlos Gancedo. Su esfuerzo fundacional se plasma hoy en día en una sociedad con más de 3.500 socios, convirtiéndose en la principal agrupación científica del extenso campo de la Bioquímica y la Biología Molecular. En este artículo se hace referencia entre otras cosas a las diversas actividades, los objetivos y los desafíos de esta sociedad científic

Diagnóstico y prevalencia de trastornos de la personalidad en atención ambulatoria. Estudio descriptivo.

Introducción: los trastornos de personalidad (TP) son difíciles de diagnosticar. La literatura científica informa de su elevada prevalencia en muestras clínicas, pero en la práctica clínica diaria su diagnóstico es muy poco frecuente. Objetivos: Este estudio pretende estimar la prevalencia de TP en una Unidad ambulatoria de Salud Mental (USM), en situación real, para primeras citas. Método: Se aplicó el Cuestionario Salamanca (CS) como instrumento de cribado y, con los puntos de corte mínimo (2/3) y máximo (5/6), se comparó con el diagnóstico clínico realizado por un psicólogo clínico o psiquiatra, sin conocer el resultado del cribado con CS. Resultados: El diagnóstico de TP realizado por un profesional fue de un 7%, frente al 100% de positivos obtenido por el CS en el punto de corte mínimo y el 53% con el máximo: 11,8% para Clúster A, 19,8% Clúster B y 21,4% en el C. Conclusiones: La elevada prevalencia de TPs en los centros de salud mental, junto con el infradiagnóstico clínico, son otros factores que ensombrecen el pronóstico de estos pacientes

CLIL in Action: Educational and Professional Interactions among Teachers

AICLE (Aprendizaje Integrado de Contenidos y Lenguas Extranjeras) es el enfoque oficial europeo para la educación bilingüe, auspiciado por la Comisión Europea y fomentado por una cantidad ingente de investigación e implementación en todos los niveles educativos. Sin embargo, AICLE necesita de más investigación en el aula e interacciones que ofrezcan datos que nos indiquen en qué contextos y bajo qué condiciones específicas las acciones educativas son o no eficaces. Es en esta línea (innovación educativa e interacción en el aula) en la que entendemos que la formación inicial del profesorado en el ámbito de la educación bilingüe ha de estar necesariamente ligada a la formación permanente del profesorado y a la praxis en el aula que proporciona el profesorado en ejercicio. El objetivo esencial de este artículo consiste en establecer el vínculo entre profesorado universitario, profesorado en ejercicio, profesorado en formación (a tres niveles: Grado, Máster y Doctorado) y los CEP de Córdoba y provincia para diseñar una estructura de formación recíproca y cuidadosamente planificada, que contribuya a mejorar la calidad de la educación bilingüe a través del intercambio de prácticas de innovación educativa que fomenten la interacción y el aprendizaje en acción.CLIL (Content and Foreign Language Integrated Learning) is the official European approach to bilingual education, sponsored by the European Commission and fostered by an enormous amount of research and implementation at all levels of education. However, CLIL needs more research in the classroom and interactions which provide data on what contexts and under what specific conditions educational actions are or are not effective. It is in this line (educational innovation and interaction in the classroom) that we understand that the initial training of teachers in the field of bilingual education must necessarily be linked to the ongoing training of teachers and to the praxis in the classroom provided by practising teachers. The essential objective of this article is to establish the link between university teachers, practising teachers, teachers in training (at three levels: Bachelor, Master and Doctorate) and the CEPs of Cordoba and province to design a carefully planned reciprocal training structure that contributes to improving the quality of bilingual education through the exchange of educational innovation practices that foster interaction and learning in action

Latent tuberculosis infection, tuberculin skin test and vitamin D status in contacts of tuberculosis patients: a cross-sectional and case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Deficient serum vitamin D levels have been associated with incidence of tuberculosis (TB), and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). However, to our knowledge, no studies on vitamin D status and tuberculin skin test (TST) conversion have been published to date. The aim of this study was to estimate the associations of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃(25[OH]D) status with LTBI prevalence and TST conversion in contacts of active TB in Castellon (Spain).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was designed in two phases: cross-sectional and case-control. From November 2009 to October 2010, contacts of 42 TB patients (36 pulmonary, and 6 extra-pulmonary) were studied in order to screen for TB. LTBI and TST conversion cases were defined following TST, clinical, analytic and radiographic examinations. Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) on a COBAS^®410 ROCHE^®analyzer. Logistic regression models were used in the statistical analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The study comprised 202 people with a participation rate of 60.1%. Only 20.3% of the participants had a sufficient serum 25(OH)D (≥ 30 ng/ml) level. In the cross-sectional phase, 50 participants had LTBI and no association between LTBI status and serum 25(OH)D was found. After 2 months, 11 out of 93 negative LTBI participants, without primary prophylaxis, presented TST conversion with initial serum 25(OH)D levels: a:19.4% (7/36): < 20 ng/ml, b:12.5% (4/32):20-29 ng/ml, and c:0%(0/25) ≥ 30 ng/ml. A sufficient serum 25(OH)D level was a protector against TST conversion a: Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.00; b: OR = 0.49 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07-2.66); and c: OR = 0.10 (95% CI 0.00-0.76), trends p = 0.019, adjusted for high exposure and sputum acid-fast bacilli positive index cases. The mean of serum level 25(OH)D in TST conversion cases was lower than controls,17.5 ± 5.6 ng/ml versus 25.9 ± 13.7 ng/ml (p = 0.041).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results suggest that sufficient serum 25(OH)D levels protect against TST conversion.</p