New results in 3D-mesomechanical coupled analysis of external sulphate attack in concrete

External Sulphate Attack (ESA) is one of the main degradation processes affecting concrete structures. It takes place when the concrete is in an environment rich in sulphate ions and with a high humidity index. Once it has penetrated the concrete, sulphate undergoes chemical reactions that lead to the precipitation of expansive ettringite crystals that cause volumetric expansions of the cement paste/mortar, eventually leading to cracking and damage. The FE analysis is undertaken by representing concrete as composed by aggregate pieces inserted in a cement/mortar matrix. Zero-thickness interface elements are pre-inserted to represent potential fractures along all aggregate-matrix as well as along some selected matrix-matrix element contacts. An existing fracture-based non-linear constitutive law is used for the interface elements. Concerning the reactive transport problem, the model follows previous work in the same research group, which combined an older approach from the literature for the continuum medium, with interface elements in the context of meso-mechanical analysis of concrete specimens in 2D, as well as initial work in 3D (but no coupling). In the present paper, the effects of the coupling between mechanical and diffusion/reaction in 3D are introduced and demonstrated. The new results obtained confirm that, also in 3D, penetration of ions, expansive reactions as well as subsequent cracking and degradation, all take place much faster when the coupling effect due to the open interfaces is introduced.This research is supported by grants BIA2016-76543-R from MEC (Madrid), which includes FEDER funds, and 2017SGR-1153 from AGAUR (Generalitat de Catalunya, Barcelona).Postprint (published version

New results in 3D-mesomechanical coupled analysis of external sulphate attack in concrete

External Sulphate Attack (ESA) is one of the main degradation processes affecting concrete structures. It takes place when the concrete is in an environment rich in sulphate ions and with a high humidity index. Once it has penetrated the concrete, sulphate undergoes chemical reactions that lead to the precipitation of expansive ettringite crystals that cause volumetric expansions of the cement paste/mortar, eventually leading to cracking and damage. The FE analysis is undertaken by representing concrete as composed by aggregate pieces inserted in a cement/mortar matrix. Zero-thickness interface elements are pre-inserted to represent potential fractures along all aggregate-matrix as well as along some selected matrix-matrix element contacts. A fracture-based non-linear constitutive law proposed by Carol et al. (1997) and later developed by Caballero et al. (2006) is used for the interface elements. Concerning the reactive transport problem, the model follows the initial work by Tixier and Mobasher (2003), which was introduced in a mesomechanical analysis with interfaces by Idiart et al. (2011) in 2D, and later in 3D (but no coupling) by Pérez et al (2017). In the present paper, the effects of the coupling between mechanical and diffusion/reaction in 3D, due to the cubic law of the interface diffusivity, are demonstrated. The new results obtained confirm that, also in 3D, penetration of ions, expansive reactions as well as subsequent cracking and degradation, all take place much faster when the coupling effect due to the open interfaces is introduced

Analgesia postoperatoria con morfina base en cirugía abdominal. Post-operative analgesia with morphine basis for abdominal surgery

Se realizó un estudio prospectivo en 50 pacientes intervenidos de forma electiva de histerectomía abdominal y adenoma de próstata de octubre del 2002 a julio del 2003 en pacientes con condición ASA I y II, se dividieron en 2 grupos de 25 pacientes, grupo I se realizó anestesia espinal con lidocaina hiperbárica al 0,5 % (150 mg) (grupo control). Grupo II, anestesia espinal con lidocaina hiperbárica más 0,2 mg de morfina. En el grupo I disminuyó el 8 % de los valores medios de la FC a los 30 minutos del inicio de la anestesia, la TAS descendió un 6,2 % y la TAD un 2,3 %. En el grupo II la FC descendió a los 30 minutos un 16,5 % de sus valores medios iniciales, de forma similar ocurrió con la TAS que descendió un 15,3 % y los de la TAD, un 15,2 %. En el grupo I todos los pacientes tuvieron dolor en las primeras 6 horas del postoperatorio siendo severo en el 84% de ellos, solo 4 pacientes (16%) del grupo II presentaron dolor en las primeras 24 horas y este fue catalogado de ligero Los efectos adversos indeseables se presentaron en el 40% de los pacientes del grupo I y en el 64% de los del grupo II donde predomino el prurito nasal con un 20%. DeCS: ANESTESIA RAQUIDEA, MORFINA/ uso terapéutico, DOLOR POSTOPERATORIO ABSTRACT A prospective study was carried out in 50 patients operated o selectively who presented abdominal hysterectomy and prostrate adenoma from October 2002 to July 2003 in patients class ASA I and II (American Association of Anesthesiology), they were divided into two groups of 25 patients each. In group I, spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric lidocaine 0.5 % (150 mg) (control group). Group II, spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric plus morphine 0.2 mg. In the group I there was an 8 % decrease of the mean values of the heart rate at 30 minutes after the initiation of the anesthesia, the systolic blood pressure decreased 6.2 % and the diastolic blood pressure, 2.3 %. In group II at 30 minutes, the heart rate decreased to 16.5 % of the mean baseline, similarly the systolic blood pressure decreased to 15.3 % and the diastolic blood pressure 15.2 %. In group II, all patients had pain in the first 6 hours postoperatively, becoming severe in 84 % of the patients; in group II, only 4 patients (16%) had pain in the first 24 hours, the pain was considered mild. There were unwanted adverse effects in the 40 % of the patients in group I as well as the 64 % of patients in group II where nasal pruritus was predominant with 20 %. DeCS: PERIDUAL ANESTHESIA, MORPHINE/therapeutic use, POSTOPERATIVE PAIN

Discovery of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Biomarkers by Untargeted Metabolomics

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. In fact, complete surgical resection remains the only curative treatment. However, fewer than 20% of patients are candidates for surgery at the time of presentation. Hence, there is a critical need to identify diagnostic biomarkers with potential clinical utility in this pathology. In this context, metabolomics could be a powerful tool to search for new robust biomarkers. Comparative metabolomic profiling was performed in serum samples from 59 unresectable PDAC patients and 60 healthy controls. Samples were analyzed by using an untargeted metabolomics workflow based on liquid chromatography, coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry in positive and negative electrospray ionization modes. Univariate and multivariate analysis allowed the identification of potential candidates that were significantly altered in PDAC patients. A panel of nine candidates yielded excellent diagnostic capacities. Pathway analysis revealed four altered pathways in our patients. This study shows the potential of liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry as a diagnostic tool for PDAC. Furthermore, it identified novel robust biomarkers with excellent diagnostic capacities.This research was funded by JUNTA DE ANDALUCIA, grant number PIN-0474-2016 and PC-0549-2017 and INSTITUTO DE SALUD CARLOS III (FEDER), grant number DTS17/00081

Analgesia postoperatoria con morfina base en cirugía abdominal. Post-operative analgesia with morphine basis for abdominal surgery

Se realizó un estudio prospectivo en 50 pacientes intervenidos de forma electiva de histerectomía abdominal y adenoma de próstata de octubre del 2002 a julio del 2003 en pacientes con condición ASA I y II, se dividieron en 2 grupos de 25 pacientes, grupo I se realizó anestesia espinal con lidocaina hiperbárica al 0,5 % (150 mg) (grupo control). Grupo II, anestesia espinal con lidocaina hiperbárica más 0,2 mg de morfina. En el grupo I disminuyó el 8 % de los valores medios de la FC a los 30 minutos del inicio de la anestesia, la TAS descendió un 6,2 % y la TAD un 2,3 %. En el grupo II la FC descendió a los 30 minutos un 16,5 % de sus valores medios iniciales, de forma similar ocurrió con la TAS que descendió un 15,3 % y los de la TAD, un 15,2 %. En el grupo I todos los pacientes tuvieron dolor en las primeras 6 horas del postoperatorio siendo severo en el 84% de ellos, solo 4 pacientes (16%) del grupo II presentaron dolor en las primeras 24 horas y este fue catalogado de ligero Los efectos adversos indeseables se presentaron en el 40% de los pacientes del grupo I y en el 64% de los del grupo II donde predomino el prurito nasal con un 20%. DeCS: ANESTESIA RAQUIDEA, MORFINA/ uso terapéutico, DOLOR POSTOPERATORIO ABSTRACT A prospective study was carried out in 50 patients operated o selectively who presented abdominal hysterectomy and prostrate adenoma from October 2002 to July 2003 in patients class ASA I and II (American Association of Anesthesiology), they were divided into two groups of 25 patients each. In group I, spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric lidocaine 0.5 % (150 mg) (control group). Group II, spinal anesthesia with hyperbaric plus morphine 0.2 mg. In the group I there was an 8 % decrease of the mean values of the heart rate at 30 minutes after the initiation of the anesthesia, the systolic blood pressure decreased 6.2 % and the diastolic blood pressure, 2.3 %. In group II at 30 minutes, the heart rate decreased to 16.5 % of the mean baseline, similarly the systolic blood pressure decreased to 15.3 % and the diastolic blood pressure 15.2 %. In group II, all patients had pain in the first 6 hours postoperatively, becoming severe in 84 % of the patients; in group II, only 4 patients (16%) had pain in the first 24 hours, the pain was considered mild. There were unwanted adverse effects in the 40 % of the patients in group I as well as the 64 % of patients in group II where nasal pruritus was predominant with 20 %. DeCS: PERIDUAL ANESTHESIA, MORPHINE/therapeutic use, POSTOPERATIVE PAIN

Anti-CXCR4 Antibody Combined With Activated and Expanded Natural Killer Cells for Sarcoma Immunotherapy

Sarcoma is one of the most severe forms of pediatric cancer and current therapies -chemotherapy and surgery- fail to eradicate the disease in half of patients. Preclinical studies combining new therapeutic approaches can be useful to design better therapies. On one hand, it is known that CXCR4 expression is implicated in rhabdomyosarcoma progression, so we analyzed relapses and chemotherapy-resistant rhabdomyosarcoma tumors from pediatric patients and found that they had particularly high levels of CXCR4 expression. Moreover, in assays in vitro, anti-CXCR4 blocking antibody (MDX1338) efficiently reduced migration and invasion of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma RH30 cells. On the other hand, activated and expanded natural killer (NKAE) cell therapy showed high cytotoxicity against sarcoma cells in vitro and completely inhibited RH30 tumor implantation in vivo. Only the combination of MDX1338 and NKAE treatments completely suppressed metastasis in mice. In this study, we propose a novel therapeutic approach based on anti-CXCR4 blocking antibody in combination with NKAE cell therapy to prevent rhabdomyosarcoma tumor implantation and lung metastasis. These results provide the first evidence for the efficacy of this combined immunotherapy for preventing sarcoma disease dissemination.This work was supported in part by the National Health Service of Spain, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), FONDOS FEDER grant (FIS) PI15/00973; Asociacion Espanola Contra el Cancer to AP-M; CRIS Foundation to Beat Cancer grant to JV, LF, and AE; and Patients' Support Associations Fundacion Mari Paz Jimenez Casado and La Sonrisa de Alex to MV and the research project

Cefalea secundaria a punción dural. Headache as a result of dural puncture

Se realizó una revisión bibliográfica sobre cefalea pospunción en el Hospital "Abel Santamaría", de Pinar del Río, en el período comprendido de febrero a junio del 2004, con el objetivo de ampliar los conocimientos de los profesionales de la salud encargados de diagnosticar y tratar esta complicación. La cefalea secundaria a punción dural se debe al escape persistente de LCR (líquido cefalorraquídeo) a través del desgarro hecho en la duramadre, causado por la penetración de la aguja; se presenta cuando el paciente adopta la posición erecta y se alivia con el decúbito, característica esta que de no aparecer debe hacer dudar el diagnóstico. La elección de un trocar fino para realizar la punción y la dirección del bisel paralelo a las fibras de la duramadre son los factores determinantes en la profilaxis de la cefalea. Aún existen controversias en cuanto a su tratamiento, pero si hay un consenso unido en que el parche de sangre epidural es el tratamiento definitivo de esta complicación. Palabras clave: CEFALALGIA, PUNCIÓN ESPINAL / complicaciones. ABSTRACT A review of the most updated literature on dural post-puncture headache was made at Abel Santamaría University Hospital in February - June 2004 aimed at spreading the awareness to health professionals at diagnosing and treating this condition. The headache secondary to dural puncture is caused by the persistent leakage of cerebrospinal fluid through the dura tear because of the needle insertion; it presents when the patient adopts the erect position and it alleviates with the supine position; if this characteristic is not present it may appear some doubts on diagnosis. The selection of a fine trocar for puncture and guiding the bevel parallel to the fibers of dura are the main factors for profilaxis of headache. Its treatment is controversial, but it does exist a consensus in that the epidural blood patch is the definitive treatment for this condition. Key words: HEADACHE, SPINAL PUNCTURE/complications

Modulation of gilthead sea bream gut microbiota by a bioactive egg white hydrolysate: Interactions between bacteria and host lipid metabolism

This study aimed to highlight the relationship between diet, animal performance and mucosal adherent gut microbiota (anterior intestine) in fish fed plant-based diets supplemented with an egg white hydrolysate (EWH) with antioxidant and antiobesogenic activity in obese rats. The feeding trial with juveniles of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) lasted 8 weeks. Fish were fed near to visual satiety with a fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) based diet (CTRL) or a plant-based diet with/without EWH supplementation. Specific growth rate decreased gradually from 2.16% in CTRL fish to 1.88% in EWH fish due to a reduced feed intake, and a slight impairment of feed conversion ratio. Plant-based diets feeding triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine regardless of EWH supplementation.This work was supported by the EU H2020 Research Innovation Program under the TNA Program (project AE150009) at IATS-CSIC Research Infrastructure within AQUAEXCEL2020 Project (652831). This output reflects only the author’s view and the European Union cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein. Additional funding was obtained by a Spanish MICINN project (Bream-AquaINTECH and RTI2018–094128-B-I00). MCP was funded by a Ramón y Cajal Postdoctoral Research Fellowship [RYC2018-024049-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 cofunded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and ACOND/2020 Generalitat Valenciana].Peer reviewe

Modulation of gilthead sea bream gut microbiota by a bioactive egg white hydrolysate

Trabajo presentado en Aquaculture Europe 2020, celebrado en modalidad virtual del 12 al 15 de abril de 2021.[Introduction]: A bioactive egg white hydrolysate (EWH) treated with pepsin has demonstrated potent in vitro and in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, improving oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers on genetically and diet induced obese rats (Requena et al., 2017). However, the effects of protein hydrolysates and bioactive food-derived peptides on gut microbiome remain relatively poorly studied in mammals and fish in particular. Thus, the aim of this study was to unravel the main effects on fish performance, histopathological scoring and mucosal adherent gut microbiota of EWH supplementation in a fish fed a formulation with a high replacement of marine feedstuffs by alternative plant ingredients, using gilthead sea bream as a farmed fish model. [Methods]: The feeding trial lasted 8 weeks (May-July) under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions. Juvenile fish (20-24 g initial body weight, 4.8-4.9 kg/m3) were fed near to visual satiety with control (CTRL) or low fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) diets with/without egg white hydrolysate (EWH) supplementation (7.5%). DNA from the adherent bacteria of the anterior intestine was collected and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA of each sample was amplified and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq. Taxonomic assignment was performed with a custom-made pipeline using the RDP database. Alpha diversity was calculated using Phyloseq, and beta diversity using PERMANOVA and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models. Metagenome prediction and pathway analysis were performed using Piphillin.[Methods]: The feeding trial lasted 8 weeks (May-July) under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions. Juvenile fish (20-24 g initial body weight, 4.8-4.9 kg/m3) were fed near to visual satiety with control (CTRL) or low fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) diets with/without egg white hydrolysate (EWH) supplementation (7.5%). DNA from the adherent bacteria of the anterior intestine was collected and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA of each sample was amplified and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq. Taxonomic assignment was performed with a custom-made pipeline using the RDP database. Alpha diversity was calculated using Phyloseq, and beta diversity using PERMANOVA and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models. Metagenome prediction and pathway analysis were performed using Piphillin.[Results]: Daily specific growth rates (SGR) varied significantly from 2.16 in CTRL fish to 1.88 in EWH fish as a result of a reduced feed intake. A slight impairment of feed conversion ratio, from 1.03 to 1.10, was also observed. Intermediate values on growth performance parameters were reported with the low FM/FO diet without EWH supplementation. No changes in total plasma antioxidant capacity, and faecal concentrations of lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids were found among dietary groups. The dietary replacement of FM/FO triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine submucosa that was not alleviated by EWH supplementation. Conversely, alterations on the staining pattern and amount of goblet cells at the level of anterior intestine were reversed in EWH fish, together with a decreased accumulation of lipid vacuoles in the epithelium of posterior intestine, a high abundance of hepatic melanomacrophage centers, and depletion of hepatocyte lipid depots until the restoration of CTRL fish values. Illumina sequencing reads were assigned to 2,117 OTUs and a significantly lower richness was found in the EWH group. Indeed, at the phylum level, Proteobacteria reached the highest proportion in CTRL and EWH fish, whereas Firmicutes were decreased and Actinobacteria increased with the replacement of FM/FO. The proportion of Actinobacteria was restored to CTRL values with the dietary EWH supplementation. Additionally, EWH triggered the highest amount of Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes phyla. Detailed differences in microbiota composition were analysed with a statistically validated PLS-DA which clearly separated CTRL fish from fish fed low FM/FO diets along x-axis (component 1, 37.4%), whereas component 2 (43.2%) separated the low FM/FO diets with/without EWH along y-axis (Fig. 1). This analysis disclosed 165 OTUs discriminating among diets (VIP ≥ 1), with 46 OTUs representing at least the 1% in one of the groups. For these abundant bacteria, a first type of response was mediated by 17 OTUs that were increasing with the FM/FO replacement and decreasing again in EWH fish. In this group, Neisseriaceae family and species of Ralstonia, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium and Nocardioides genera were included. A group of 14 OTUs were present in high proportion in the CTRL group, but decreased in fish fed the two low FM/FO diets. In this case, the dietary plant ingredients drove the decrease of the Comamonadaceae family and Mesorizhobium, Brochotrix, Bacillus, Clostridium sensu stricto and Exiguobacterium genera. The remaining 15 OTUs increased their proportion in fish fed the EWH diet, being in a very low proportion in the other two dietary groups. This response triggered the presence of Bacteroidetes phylum, Rhodospirilalles order and Granucatella, Bradyrizhobium, Propionibacterium and Streptophyta genera. Inferred metagenome results showed two pathways corresponding to primary bile acid biosynthesis and steroid degradation consistently underrepresented in the microbiota of EWH fish when compared to the other two groups[Conclusions]: These results reinforce the central role of gut microbiota in the regulation of host metabolism and lipid metabolism in particular (Hegyi et al., 2018), supporting a main role of the EWH as an anti-obesity and satiety factor in fish as suggested in rat models of obesity. The potential use of this functional food ingredient in finishing diets, and the role of gut microbiota in tuning fillet fatty acid composition of marketable fish merits further research.This work was funded by the TNA programme (AE150009) within H2020 AQUAEXCEL2020 project (652831) to GAWP for accessing to IATS-CSIC facilities

Relación general de informes de actividades 2014 adelantadas en el contexto del proyecto Mejoramiento y Generación de Oportunidades Comerciales para el Sector Artesanal Colombiano.

7 documentos : ilustraciones, fotografías, gráficas.Conjunto de informes de actividades de apoyo comercial, capacitación para el desarrollo de destrezas comerciales de los artesanos, y concertación de rondas de negocios, y uso de la web como nuevo canal de comercialización. Se describen los aspectos significativos de los eventos adelantados para propiciar la participación de los productores artesanales en los eventos feriales de alcance nacional. La información de estos eventos se presenta de manera cuantitativa y se indica mediante valores absolutos y porcentuales. Igualmente se incluyen los resultados del estudio adelantado sobre el mercadeo adelantado en el marco de la participación en ferias implementadas por Artesanías de Colombia, en cumplimiento de su misión, para apoyar la comercialización de la artesanía