La ocurrencia de fenilpropanoides en las savias de seis especies de Piper (Piperaceae) de Brasil

Las especies de la familia Piperaceae son ampliamente investigadas debido a su importancia biológica, económica y ecológica. Sin embargo, los estudios químicos con las savias de la familia de las Piperaceae no han recibido tanta atención como la mayoría de otras especies de plantas. El presente estudio demostró la presencia de fenilpropanoides en la savia de seis especies de Piperaceae. Este estudio contribuye significativamente al conocimiento químico de la savia vegetal, hasta el momento poco explorado

Potential relation of cardiovascular risk factors to disease activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis

Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients are known to have a higher prevalence of several comorbidities, including, among others, an increased risk of atherosclerosis, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the sum of traditional cardiovascular (CV) risk factors is related to disease characteristics, such as disease activity, in patients with axSpA. Methods: A cross-sectional study that encompassed 804 patients with axSpA was conducted. Patients were assessed for the presence of five traditional CV risk factors (diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and smoking status), and disease activity measurements. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to evaluate whether the number of classic CV risk factors was independently associated with specific features of the disease, to include disease activity. Results: A multivariable analysis showed that Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score-C reactive protein (ASDAS-CRP) activity score was significantly higher in patients with 1 [beta coefficient 0.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.1-0.5), p = 0.001] and ?2 [beta coefficient 0.5 (95% CI 0.3-0.7), p = 0.000] CV risk factors compared with those without CV risk factors. Similarly, patients with 1 [OR 2.00 (95%CI 0.99-4.02), p = 0.053] and ?2 [OR 3.39 (95%CI 1.82-6.31), p = 0.000] CV risk factors had a higher odds ratio for the presence of high disease activity compared with the zero CV category. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) activity score was significantly associated with the number of CV risk factors, being higher in patients with more CV risk factors. These relationships showed a CV risk factor-dependent effect being beta coefficients and ORs higher for the effect of ?2 over 1 CV risk factor. Conclusion: Among patients with axSpA, as the number of traditional CV risk factors increased, disease activity similarly increases in an independent manner.Funding: The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/ or publication of this article: This research was funded by a grant to MAG-G from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria grants PI06/0024, PI09/00748, PI12/00060, PI15/00525, PI18/00043) and the ISCIII RETICS programs (RD12/0009 and RD16/0012)

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

Desenvolvimento de nanocompósitos de poliamida6/polietileno/argila organofílica: o efeito do compatibilizante PE-g-MA no comportamento reológico da mistura Development of polyamide6/polyethylene/organoclay nanocomposites: the effect of the PE-g-MA compatibilizer on the rheological behavior of mixture

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do compatibilizante PE-g-MA (5 e 10%) no comportamento reológico de nanocompósitos de poliamida6/polietileno/argila organofílica, onde a argila foi tratada com um sal quaternário de amônio (Cetremide). Em geral, observou-se que a presença do compatibilizante aumentou o torque da mistura de PA6/PE e que a presença da argila organofílica (2%) sem o compatibilizante não pareceu alterar o comportamento do torque da mistura. Por outro lado, para o nanocompósito com 10% em peso de compatibilizante e com a argila organofílica, verificou-se um aumento significativo do torque em relação às outras misturas, evidenciando maior interação da argila organofílica com as matrizes poliméricas, isto é, maior viscosidade do sistema, promovida provavelmente pela presença do compatibilizante. Os resultados de difração de raio X mostraram que os sistemas apresentaram estrutura intercalada e/ou esfoliada.The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of PE-g-MA (5 and 10 wt.%) compatibilizer on the rheological behavior of polyamide6/polyethylene/organoclay nanocomposites. The organoclay was treated with a quaternary ammonium salt (Cetremide). In general, it was observed that the presence of compatibilizer increased the torque of PA6/PE blend and that the presence of organoclay (2 wt.%) did not appear to affect the torque behavior of the blend without compatibilizer. On the other hand, for the nanocomposite with 10 wt.% of compatibilizer and with the organoclay, a significant increase in torque was observed in comparison with other mixtures, thus pointing to strong interaction between the caly and the polymer matrices, i.e. a larger viscosity of the system, probably due to the presence of compatibilizer. The results from X ray diffraction showed that the systems presented intercalated and/or exfoliated structure

Stop Hypertension with SLP/UCM I

El Proyecto Stop Hipertensión con ApS/UCM pretende aportar nuestro granito de arena a la lucha contra la hipertensión arterial (HTA), utilizando una herramienta educativa de aprendizaje en servicio (ApS), que permita a los estudiantes de los Grados en ciencias de la salud de la UCM aprender a la vez que realizan un servicio público. La hipertensión arterial (HTA) es un problema de salud pública y un importante factor de riesgo de padecer enfermedades cardiovasculares (ECV). Su diagnóstico está determinado por la medida de la presión arterial (PA) por lo que es de extrema importancia asegurar una medida fiable y válida. La automedida de la PA (AMPA) consiste en la medida de la PA por el propio paciente o un familiar, habitualmente en su domicilio, y es una herramienta útil para el diagnóstico y control de la HTA. Pero ¿sabemos medirnos de forma correcta la PA? ¿Usamos bien los tensiómetros? ¿Sabemos interpretar los registros de la PA y cuándo consultar al médico? Realizar AMPA correctamente no es fácil y exige un esfuerzo extraordinario de recursos humanos y económicos por parte de los profesionales de Atención Primaria. Por ello son necesarias nuevas estrategias para capacitar a la población en AMPA. Con este Proyecto nos proponemos luchar contra la HTA a través de la metodología educativa de aprendizaje-servicio que combina objetivos académicos con el servicio comunitario. El alumnado de los grados de Ciencias de la Salud de la UCM forman a la población en la correcta AMPA, asesorándoles sobre el uso correcto de los tensiómetros, enseñándoles a interpretar los resultados y alertándoles de cuándo acudir al médico. En el curso 2022-2023, el servicio público se ha dirigido principalmente al colectivo de mayores por ser especialmente vulnerables a padecer ECV en los Ayuntamientos de Coslada, Alcobendas y Alcorcón, y en las residencias Afanias y Neurovida, y a la población general que acuda a la Facultad durante la Semana de la Ciencia CAM/UCM 2022, a la Feria de la Salud de Coslada y a la campaña contra la HTA de la UCM junto con el Servicio de Medicina del Trabajo. Hemos demostrado que este proyecto es una herramienta rentable y efectiva en la lucha contra la HTA, vinculando la salud pública, los recursos de los ayuntamientos y la universidad. Se cubre así una necesidad y servicio social que podría salvar muchas vidas con recursos de bajo costo, cumpliendo con los objetivos del desarrollo sostenible y con los objetivos de la Sociedad Española de Hipertensión (SEH-LELHA) y de la estrategia HEARTS de la OPS/OMS. Los estudiantes se dan cuenta de la realidad de la Salud pública al tener contacto directo con la población, realizando un servicio a la sociedad, y desarrollándose profesionalmente. Agrademos su colaboración a: Los ayuntamientos de Coslada, Alcorcón y Alcobendas de Madrid. Las residencias de mayores Afanias y Neurovida. Las Sociedades científicas SEH-LELHA, SECF y SEAPEC. El Dr. Orduñez, lider de la estrategia HEARTS PAHO/WHO Los colegios profesionales COFM y CODEM. Las empresas River International S.L. (Beurer) and Peroxfarma S.L. (Omrom)Oficina APS UCMDepto. de FisiologíaFac. de FarmaciaTRUEunpu

Autoantibodies against type I IFNs in patients with life-threatening COVID-19

International audienceInterindividual clinical variability in the course of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is vast. We report that at least 101 of 987 patients with life-threatening coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia had neutralizing immunoglobulin G (IgG) autoantibodies (auto-Abs) against interferon-ω (IFN-ω) (13 patients), against the 13 types of IFN-α (36), or against both (52) at the onset of critical disease; a few also had auto-Abs against the other three type I IFNs. The auto-Abs neutralize the ability of the corresponding type I IFNs to block SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. These auto-Abs were not found in 663 individuals with asymptomatic or mild SARS-CoV-2 infection and were present in only 4 of 1227 healthy individuals. Patients with auto-Abs were aged 25 to 87 years and 95 of the 101 were men. A B cell autoimmune phenocopy of inborn errors of type I IFN immunity accounts for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia in at least 2.6% of women and 12.5% of men

Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity.

Here we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 COVID-19 positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (p < 5x10-8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (p = 1.3x10-22 and p = 8.1x10-12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (p = 4.4x10-8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (p = 2.7x10-8) and ARHGAP33 (p = 1.3x10-8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, p = 4.1x10-8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥ 60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided