Utilización del recambio plasmático como herramienta terapéutica en la práctica clínica.

To descrive the use of therapeutic plasma exchange in several pathologies and its adjustment to international reference guides. Observational, descriptive, retrospective study, of all the patients that  received plasmapheresis between January 2014-December 2015. We analized  the appropriate indication according to the bibliography consulted, and the  therapeutic outcome. Indication, replaced volume of plasma, number of sessions  and periodicity were established by the Hematology Service depending  on the disease and its clinical course. 10 patients (8 women), between 28-72 years old, received therapeutic  plasma exchange. The pathologies treated were  eurological (9 patients), Waldenström disease (1 patient). The technique used  was continuous centrifugation with albumin 5% as replacement fluid. The therapeutic plasma exchange in reviewed patients agreed to  reference guides. There was not a direct relation between the recommendation  grade and the response obtained. The reduced number of patients is a limitation  to obtain conclusive results.Objetivo: Describir la utilización del recambio plasmático terapéutico (RPT) en distintas patologías y su ajuste a las guías internacionales de referencia. Método: Estudio observacional, descriptivo y retrospectivo en pacientes que recibieron plasmaféresis entre enero de 2014 y diciembre de 2015. Se analizó la adecuación de su indicación según la bibliografía consultada, así como la respuesta obtenida. El Servicio de Hematología estableció la indicación, el volumen plasmático a recambiar, el número de sesiones y la periodicidad según la enfermedad de base y su evolución clínica. Resultados: Diez pacientes (8 mujeres) entre 28 y 72 años de edad, recibieron RPT. Las patologías eran de origen neurológico (9 pacientes), enfermedad de Waldenström (1 paciente). La técnica utilizada fue centrifugación continua con albúmina 5% como líquido de reposición. Conclusiones: El RPT en los pacientes revisados se ajustó a las guías de referencia. No se observó correlación directa entre el grado de recomendación establecido por dichas guías y la respuesta obtenida. El número reducido de pacientes supone una limitación a la hora de extraer resultados concluyentes

Clayey materials for traditional bricks production in North-Eastern Italy through a combined compositional study: From firing dynamics to provenance

The compositional study of two main types of clayey materials outcropping nearby Padua (Veneto region, north-eastern Italy) and bricks used in historical constructions of the city is here addressed. Mineralogically, the clayey materials are illitic-chloritc clays, both non-carbonatic and carbonatic/highly-carbonatic clays, that chemically correspond to clays with important contents of silica and/or iron and of calcium and/or magnesium, respectively. Two main type of historic bricks were produced: i) one using mixtures of illitic/illitic-chloritic clays with abundant quartz and of carbonatic clays and firing temperatures between 950 and 1000 °C, and ii) a second one made out of illitic-chloritic clays non-carbonatic and fired around 850–900 °C. The comparative analysis between the mineralogical changes occurred in the clayey materials with increasing temperatures and the mineral assemblages detected in the studied bricks have provided evidences about the mixture of raw clays, that could be in turn compositionally similar to those analysed. The development of aluminium and magnesium-calcium silicates and/or magnesium silicates during the firing was fostered by mixing such base clays, giving rise to very durable and highly calcareous bricks. Whereas titanium and the trace elements zircon, vanadium, chromium and zinc may entail markers of provenance of illitic-chloritic clays quarried in the area, the strontium may represent a geochemical fingerprint for constraining supply areas of carbonatic clays. The compositional analysis carried out through the combined use of X-Ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) and X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (XRF) has provided data regarding to the composition and provenance of the starting clays as well as procedures and firing dynamics adopted for the manufacturing of the traditional bricks in the city of Padua from Roman Times to Renaissance.European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (grant agreement No 836122)Research Group of the Junta de Andalucía, Spain (RNM179

Ediciones críticas de literatura argentina del siglo XIX

This research aims to recover authors and texts from the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Theoretical framework: microhistory, cultural studies, sociology of Literature, gender studies, “genres of the self”, travel writings, the genetic poetics. From the Archive “Eduarda Mansilla”, material from and about the author has been digitalized; from the edition of the critical Anthology of brief narrative of writers, approximations based on cognitive poetics, gender stereotypes, motifs and literary topics and the anthropological discourse have been made about rescued authors; from the critical edition of the story of captivity among the ranqueles of Santiago Avendaño 60 % of the manuscripts of the Zeballos Archive have been transcript, survey of information gaps; survey of distance points and differences presented by the manuscript in relation to existing edition, and drafting of the preliminary study have been made; and the critical edition of the narrative work of Josefina Pelliza de Sagasta, publication of Margarita, original novel (1875) including introductory study on the author, overview of literature during this period and analysis of the novel from the theory of melodrama.Esta investigación se propone recuperar autores y textos del siglo XIX y principios del siglo XX. Aparato crítico: microhistoria, estudios culturales, sociología de la literatura, estudios de género, “géneros del yo”, escrituras del viaje, crítica genética. Hasta el momento, del Archivo “Eduarda Mansilla”, se ha digitalizado material de y sobre la autora; de la edición de la Antología crítica de narrativa breve de escritoras se han realizado aproximaciones basadas en la poética cognitiva, en estereotipos de género, en motivos y tópicos literarios, en el discurso antropológico, sobre autoras rescatadas; de la edición crítica del relato de cautiverio entre los ranqueles de Santiago Avendaño se ha transcripto el 60 % de los manuscritos del Archivo Zeballos, se han relevado vacíos de información, de puntos de distancia y diferencias del manuscrito con las ediciones existentes y redacción del estudio preliminar; y de la edición crítica de la obra narrativa y lírica de J. Pelliza de Sagasta, la publicación de Margarita, novela original (1875), con estudio introductorio sobre la autora, panorama de la literatura durante ese período y análisis de la novela desde la teoría del melodrama

Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against severe COVID-19 among patients with cancer in Catalonia, Spain

Patients with cancer were excluded from pivotal randomized clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccine products, and available observational evidence on vaccine effectiveness (VE) focused mostly on mild, and not severe COVID-19, which is the ultimate goal of vaccination for high-risk groups. Here, using primary care electronic health records from Catalonia, Spain (SIDIAP), we built two large cohorts of vaccinated and matched control cancer patients with a primary vaccination scheme (n = 184,744) and a booster (n = 108,534). Most patients received a mRNA-based product in primary (76.2%) and booster vaccination (99.9%). Patients had 51.8% (95% CI 40.3%−61.1%) and 58.4% (95% CI 29.3%−75.5%) protection against COVID-19 hospitalization and COVID-19 death respectively after full vaccination (two-doses) and 77.9% (95% CI 69.2%−84.2%) and 80.2% (95% CI 63.0%−89.4%) after booster. Compared to primary vaccination, the booster dose provided higher peak protection during follow-up. Calibration of VE estimates with negative outcomes, and sensitivity analyses with slight different population and COVID-19 outcomes definitions provided similar results. Our results confirm the role of primary and booster COVID-19 vaccination in preventing COVID-19 severe events in patients with cancer and highlight the need for the additional dose in this population.</p

Interplay between Basic Residues of Hepatitis C Virus Glycoprotein E2 with Vi ral Receptors Neutralizing Antibodies and Lipoproteins.

Positively-charged amino acids are located at specific positions in the envelope glycoprotein E2 of the hepatitis C virus (HCV): two histidines (H) and four arginines (R) in two conserved WHY and one RGERCDLEDRDR motifs, respectively. Additionally, the E2 hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) is rich in basic amino acids. To investigate the role(s) of these residues in HCV entry, we subjected to comparative infection and sedimentation analysis cell culture-produced (HCVcc, genotype 2a) wild type virus, a panel of alanine single-site mutants and a HVR1-deletion variant. Initially, we analyzed the effects of these mutations on E2-heparan sulfate (HS) interactions. The positive milieu of the HVR1, formulated by its basic amino acids (key residues the conserved H386 and R408), and the two highly conserved basic residues H488 and R648 contributed to E2-HS interactions. Mutations in these residues did not alter the HCVcc-CD81 entry, but they modified the HCVcc-scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) dependent entry and the neutralization by anti-E2 or patients IgG. Finally, separation by density gradients revealed that mutant viruses abolished partially or completely the infectivity of low density particles, which are believed to be associated with lipoproteins. This study shows that there exists a complex interplay between the basic amino acids located in HVR1 and other conserved E2 motifs with the HS, the SR-BI, and neutralizing antibodies and suggests that HCV-associated lipoproteins are implicated in these interactions

Conventional Hospitalization versus Sequential Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy for Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia: Post-Hoc Analysis of a Multicenter Observational Cohort

Staphylococcus aureus; Bacteremia; Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapyStaphylococcus aureus; Bacterièmia; Teràpia antimicrobiana parenteral ambulatòriaStaphylococcus aureus; Bacteriemia; Terapia antimicrobiana parenteral ambulatoriaIt is not known whether sequential outpatient parenteral antimicrobial (OPAT) is as safe and effective as conventional hospitalization in patients with S. aureus bacteremia (SAB). A post-hoc analysis of the comparative effectiveness of conventional hospitalization versus sequential OPAT was performed in two prospective Spanish cohorts of patients with S. aureus bacteremia. The PROBAC cohort is a national, multicenter, prospective observational cohort of patients diagnosed in 22 Spanish hospitals between October 2016 and March 2017. The DOMUS OPAT cohort is a prospective observational cohort including patients from two university hospitals in Seville, Spain from 2012 to 2021. Multivariate regression was performed, including a propensity score (PS) for receiving OPAT, stratified analysis according to PS quartiles, and matched pair analyses based on PS. Four hundred and thirteen patients were included in the analysis: 150 in sequential OPAT and 263 in the full hospitalization therapy group. In multivariate analysis, including PS and center effect as covariates, 60-day treatment failure was lower in the OPAT group than in the full hospitalization group (p < 0.001; OR 0.275, 95%CI 0.129−0.584). In the PS-based matched analyses, sequential treatment under OPAT was not associated with higher 60-day treatment failure (p = 0.253; adjusted OR 0.660; % CI 0.324−1.345). OPAT is a safe and effective alternative to conventional in-patient therapy for completion of treatment in well-selected patients with SAB, mainly those associated with a low-risk source and without end-stage kidney disease

Structural equations model with influential variables on the urban quality of life. Case study: Cienfuegos’ city, Cuba

Este artículo presenta un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales que miden la calidad de vida urbana (CVU), tomando como referencia la ciudad de Cienfuegos (Cuba). El objetivo es determinar las variables que influyen en la calidad de vida urbana, para ello se desarrolla un procedimiento que permite el diseño de dos modelos: uno desde la dimensión objetiva y otro desde la dimensión subjetiva de este concepto. Como principal resultado se muestra un modelo de relaciones entre indicadores de gestión, a partir de información suministrada por los decisores locales y otro modelo que relaciona indicadores de percepción, con información dada por los ciudadanos. La comparación entre ambos modelos permite generalizar qué variables, tales como la salud, la vivienda, los ingresos personales y la carga contaminante al medio ambiente son factores determinantes en la CVU de la ciudad.This paper presents a structural equations model (SEM) that measure the Urban Quality of Life (UQoL), taking as reference Cienfuegos's city (Cuba). The objective is to determine the variables that influence the UQoL, to develop a procedure that allows the design of two models: one from the objective dimension and the other from the subjective dimension of this concept. As main results a model of relations of management indicators, given by local decision makers and another model that relates perception indicators, given by citizens is showed. The comparison between these models makes it possible to generalize that variables such as health, housing and income are determining factors in the UQoL of Cienfuegos's city

Generation and characterization of a defective HIV-1 Virus as an immunogen for a therapeutic vaccine

Background The generation of new immunogens able to elicit strong specific immune responses remains a major challenge in the attempts to obtain a prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine against HIV/AIDS. We designed and constructed a defective recombinant virus based on the HIV-1 genome generating infective but non-replicative virions able to elicit broad and strong cellular immune responses in HIV-1 seropositive individuals. Results Viral particles were generated through transient transfection in producer cells (293-T) of a full length HIV-1 DNA carrying a deletion of 892 base pairs (bp) in the pol gene encompassing the sequence that codes for the reverse transcriptase (NL4-3/ΔRT clone). The viral particles generated were able to enter target cells, but due to the absence of reverse transcriptase no replication was detected. The immunogenic capacity of these particles was assessed by ELISPOT to determine γ-interferon production in a cohort of 69 chronic asymptomatic HIV-1 seropositive individuals. Surprisingly, defective particles produced from NL4-3/ΔRT triggered stronger cellular responses than wild-type HIV-1 viruses inactivated with Aldrithiol-2 (AT-2) and in a larger proportion of individuals (55% versus 23% seropositive individuals tested). Electron microscopy showed that NL4-3/ΔRT virions display immature morphology. Interestingly, wild-type viruses treated with Amprenavir (APV) to induce defective core maturation also induced stronger responses than the same viral particles generated in the absence of protease inhibitors. Conclusions We propose that immature HIV-1 virions generated from NL4-3/ΔRT viral clones may represent new prototypes of immunogens with a safer profile and stronger capacity to induce cellular immune responses than wild-type inactivated viral particles

Ediciones críticas de literatura argentina del siglo xix

Se realiza un trabajo de recuperación de autores y textos representativos de los siglos xix y principios del siglo xx. Los autores no han sido objeto de estudios críticos ni de reediciones, de allí el valor de esta investigación.La Dra. M. Guidotti y equipo continúan la elaboración de una Antología crítica de narrativa breve de escritoras decimonónicas. De Lina Beck-Bernard se trabaja, en la nouvelle La estancia de Santa Rosa (1864), la escalabilidad de los modelos lingüístico-cognitivos que permite vincular los niveles de estructuración conceptual más simples con niveles más complejos, incluida la organización de la experiencia subjetiva. De Carmen Arolf se estudian Matices sureños (1936) y Evocaciones argentinas (1947), y la creación de una mitología de integración nacional. De Herminia Brumana se analiza Cabezas de mujeres (1923), en especial “Las desorientadas”, en el que se ponen en discusión los estereotipos de género del momento. De Ada M. Elflein se analiza, desde la tematología y la narratología, “A mano”. De Raymunda Torres y Quiroga se investiga la postura ideológica por ella asumida en Plumadas (1878-1884). Victoria Gucovsky es abordada como una intelectual que luchó por las ideas del Partido Socialista, muchos de cuyos postulados subyacen en las historias de Tierra adentro (1923).La Dra. M. L. Pérez Gras ha finalizado su trabajo sobre El cautiverio de Santiago Avendaño entre los ranqueles. La edición crítico-genética de los manuscritos censurados de un excautivo argentino del siglo XIX. Durante 2018, el volumen fue sometido a evaluación por referato externo, editado y publicado (EUS, 2018, ISBN 978-950-592-248-2). Actualmente, trabaja en La edición crítica del relato de prisión de Santiago Avendaño bajo el gobierno de Rosas (segundo volumen). El propósito es continuar la edición crítica de los manuscritos de Avendaño con la narración del período de prisión de Avendaño, material hallado en el Complejo Museológico de Luján. Desde 1850 hasta la caída de Rosas en 1852, Avendaño permaneció preso por órdenes del Gobernador. Este segundo “cautiverio” es parte de las memorias manuscritas del excautivo.La Dra. N. Crespo finalizó su trabajo sobre Josefina Pelliza.La Dra. F. Abbate está trabajando Poéticas y producciones culturales de las primeras generaciones de poetas argentinas, investigación sobre poetas mujeres nacidas en las últimas décadas del siglo xix. Está realizando la Edición crítica de la obra de María Luisa Carnelli (1898-1987)

Paroxysmal bradyarrhythmias are frequent among heart transplant recipients with unexplained syncope: a study based on implantable loop recorders

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