Calidad microbiológica del aire de una zona limpia en una industria farmacéutica

Microbiological analysis of the air from a clean area used for aseptic packing of raw materials in a pharmaceutical industry has been carried out in order to determine the microbiological levels and to identify those microorganisms present in the air. 569 sam- ples were taken from seven different points of the clean area during 18 months, using gravity and impact (Biotest RCS Plus) methods. The average number of bacteria and fungi obtained when using the gravity method was 2.4 and 2.7 ufc/ 30 min ; 13 and 1.1 ufc/m3 using the impact method. We have obtained more samples with presence of bac- teria (51 %) than fungi (33%) and a prevalence of cocci over rods and molds over yeasts. Gram negative bacteria were not detected. The most frecuently bacterial genera were Staphylococcus (24.7%), Micrococcus (9.7%), Bacillus (8%), Corynebacterium (7.4%) andArthrobacter (6.7%) and the molds were Penicillium (7.2%), Curvularia (6.3%) and Aspergillus (4.4%). There is a good microbiological quality in this clean area and all the samples reached a class C limit and the 32% at the class A as established by the Euro- pean Union.Se ha realizado el análisis microbiológicodel aire de una zona limpia de enva- sado asépticode materias primas en una industria farmacéutica con el findedeterminar los niveles y los tiposde microorganismos presentes. Se tomaron 569muestras en siete puntos de la zona limpia durante 18 meses, mediante losmétodos de gravedad e impacto (Biotest RCS Plus). La media del número de bacterias y hongos obtenidos fueron 2,4 y 2,7ufc/30 min por el método de gravedad y 13 y1,1ufc /m3 por el método de impacto, respectivamente. Se han encontrado másmuestras con bacterias (51%) que con hongos (33%), predominando los cocos sobre losbacilos y los mohos sobre las levaduras. No se han detectado bacterias Gramnegativas. Los géneros bacterianos más frecuentes han sido: Staphylococcus (27,4%), Micrococcus (9,7%), Bacillus (8%), Corynebacterium (7,4%) yArthrobacter(6,7%) y los de hongos: Penicillium(7,2%), Curvularia (6,3%) y Aspergillus (4,4%). La calidad microbiológica de la zona limpia ha sido elevada ya que todas las muestras han cumplido los límitesdegrado C y el 32% losdegradoA estable- cidos por la UniónEuropea

Yacimientos sin estratigrafía: Devesa do Rei, ¿un sitio cultual de la Prehistoria reciente y la Protohistoria de Galicia?

In this text we explore a singular site that offers a series of important novelties, both in terms of its discontinuous pattern of use in different periods (covering a lengthy period from the Neolithic to the Iron Age), and its apparent use for ritual purposes in all of them, as well as the possible identification of a funerary structure from the Galician Iron Age. At the same time, this work is proposed as a case for study that makes it possible to define a procedure to reconstruct the sequence and function of open sites from Late Prehistory in Galicia characterized by a lack of vertical stratigraphy. This problem is solved by combining different analytical techniques, all based on a record of high quality excavation that makes use of analyses of material culture, radiocarbon dating, distribution patterns, as well as soil and sediment analysis.Se estudia en este texto un yacimiento singular que ofrece importantes novedades, tanto por su reocupación discontinua en épocas distintas (con una secuencia amplia que cubre desde el Neolítico a la Edad del Hierro), como por su aparente funcionalidad ritual en todas ellas, y la posible identificación de una estructura funeraria de la Edad del Hierro de Galicia. Al mismo tiempo, este trabajo se plantea como caso de estudio que permite definir un procedimiento para reconstituir la secuencia y función de yacimientos abiertos de la Prehistoria Reciente de Galicia caracterizados por no presentar estratigrafía vertical. Este problema se solventa con el entrecruzamiento de diferentes técnicas de análisis basadas todas ellas en un registro de excavación de calidad que se sirve de análisis de cultura material, radiocarbónicos, distributivos, sedimentológicos y edafológicos

Synchronization during an internally directed cognitive state in healthy aging and mild cognitive impairment: a MEG study

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a stage between healthy aging and dementia. Functional connectivity is widely used to study the brain activity during resting state or cognitive tasks. We aimed to determine the functional connectivity changes required to deal with an Internally Directed Cognitive State (IDICS) in healthy aging and MCI. This task differs from the most commonly employed in Magnetoencephalograpy (MEG)/ Electroencephalography (EEG), since inhibition from external stimuli is needed, and it allows the study of this control mechanism in healthy and pathological aging. To this end, MEG signals were acquired from 32 healthy individuals and 38 MCI patients, both in resting state and while performing a subtraction task of two levels of difficulty. Phase Locking Value (PLV) was calculated for five frequency bands: delta, theta, alpha, beta and gamma. Synchronization patterns changed in both groups while performing the task. MCI patients presented higher connectivity changes than those in the control group, and this was related to a lower cognitive performance. In particular, in MCIs a hypersynchronization in delta, theta, beta and gamma bands was found, which reveals an abnormal functioning in this group. Contrary to controls, MCIs presented a lack of synchronization in the alpha band which may denote an inhibition deficit. Additionally, the magnitude of connectivity changes rose with the task difficulty in controls but not in MCIs, in line with the CRUNCH model (Compensation-Related Utilization of Neural Circuits Hypothesis)

MEG spectral analysis in subtypes of mild cognitive impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has been described as an intermediate stage between normal aging and dementia. Previous studies characterized the alterations of brain oscillatory activity at this stage, but little is known about the differences between single and multidomain amnestic MCI patients. In order to study the patterns of oscillatory magnetic activity in amnestic MCI subtypes, a total of 105 subjects underwent an eyes-closed resting-state magnetoencephalographic recording: 36 healthy controls, 33 amnestic single domain MCIs (a-sd-MCI), and 36 amnestic multidomain MCIs (a-md-MCI). Relative power values were calculated and compared among groups. Subsequently, relative power values were correlated with neuropsychological tests scores and hippocampal volumes. Both MCI groups showed an increase in relative power in lower frequency bands (delta and theta frequency ranges) and a decrease in power values in higher frequency bands (alpha and beta frequency ranges), as compared with the control group. More importantly, clear differences emerged from the comparison between the two amnestic MCI subtypes. The a-md-MCI group showed a significant power increase within delta and theta ranges and reduced relative power within alpha and beta ranges. Such pattern correlated with the neuropsychological performance, indicating that the a-md-MCI subtype is associated not only with a "slowing" of the spectrum but also with a poorer cognitive status. These results suggest that a-md-MCI patients are characterized by a brain activity profile that is closer to that observed in Alzheimer disease. Therefore, it might be hypothesized that the likelihood of conversion to dementia would be higher within this subtype

Epidemiología básica. Material docente para prácticas en ciencias de la salud

Material docente teórico práctico para apoyar la enseñanza de la epidemiología. Consta de 4 unidades, cada una de ellas con una introducción teórica y unos ejercicios basados en artículos publicados en inglés en revistas científicas

FUTUR: Integración del CRIS y del Repositorio Institucional como portal de investigación de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Presentació del portal Futur realitzada a VI Jornadas de OS-Repositorios / XIV Workshop de REBIUN a CórdobaPreprin

FUTUR. Portal de la Producción Científica de los Investigadores de la Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Se presenta FUTUR, el Portal de la Producción Científica de los Investigadores de la UPC, desarrollado por el Servicio de Bibliotecas, Publicaciones y Archivos, con la colaboración de la Oficina Técnica de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación, que tiene por objetivo maximizar la visibilidad del currículum de los investigadores de la UPC y la producción científica de la Universidad en Internet.Postprint (author's final draft

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Geodivulgar: Geología y Sociedad

Con el lema “Geología para todos” el proyecto Geodivulgar: Geología y Sociedad apuesta por la divulgación de la Geología a todo tipo de público, incidiendo en la importancia de realizar simultáneamente una acción de integración social entre estudiantes y profesores de centros universitarios, de enseñanza infantil, primaria, de educación especial y un acercamiento con público con diversidad funcional