Security Information Sharing in Smart Grids: Persisting Security Audits to the Blockchain

This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cybersecurity Services DesignWith the transformation in smart grids, power grid companies are becoming increasingly dependent on data networks. Data networks are used to transport information and commands for optimizing power grid operations: Planning, generation, transportation, and distribution. Performing periodic security audits is one of the required tasks for securing networks, and we proposed in a previous work autoauditor, a system to achieve automatic auditing. It was designed according to the specific requirements of power grid companies, such as scaling with the huge number of heterogeneous equipment in power grid companies. Though pentesting and security audits are required for continuous monitoring, collaboration is of utmost importance to fight cyber threats. In this paper we work on the accountability of audit results and explore how the list of audit result records can be included in a blockchain, since blockchains are by design resistant to data modification. Moreover, blockchains endowed with smart contracts functionality boost the automation of both digital evidence gathering, audit, and controlled information exchange. To our knowledge, no such system exists. We perform throughput evaluation to assess the feasibility of the system and show that the system is viable for adaptation to the inventory systems of electrical companies.This work has been supported by National R&D Projects TEC2017-84197-C4-1-R, TIN2017-84844-C2-1-R, by the Comunidad de Madrid project CYNAMON P2018/TCS-4566 and co-financed by European Structural Funds (ESF and FEDER), and by the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) under the project LINKA20216 ("Advancing in cybersecurity technologies", i-LINK+ program)

Risk of developing checkpoint immune pneumonitis and its effect on overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients previously treated with radiotherapy

Introduction:Immune checkpoint inhibitor-related pneumonitis (ICIP) is a potentially lifethreatening immune-related adverse event (irAE), especially in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) patients. Currently, the potential for increased irAE in patients who receiveradiotherapy is scarcely known, although a connection between antitumor immuneresponses and irAEs has been suggested. In this study, we evaluated the developmentof ICIP in non-small cell lung cancer patients with prior radiotherapy, treated withimmunotherapy in the second-line.Methods:In this retrospective trial, we included patients treated with second-lineimmunotherapy at the National Cancer Institute in Mexico City from February 2015 toFebruary 2018. Clinical, radiological and treatment variables were evaluated accordingto the presence of ICIP as defined by the Common Terminology Criteria for AdverseEvents (4.0) in patients with or without a previous (≥months) history of radiotherapy.Results:Among 101 NSCLC patients who received treatment with ICIs, 22 patients(21.8%) were diagnosed with ICIP, of which 73% (16/22) had a history of radiotherapy(OR 6.04, 95% CI 2.03−18.0,p<0.001). Median progression free survival and overallsurvival were similar in patients who developed ICIP compared with those who did not,however, patients who presented grade≥2 ICIP had an increased risk of mortality (HR2.54, 95% CI 1.20−5.34,p= 0.014).Conclusion:In this real-world cohort of NSCLC patients treated with ICI, the historyof prior radiotherapy was associated with increased risk for ICIP development. Unlikeother irAEs, grade≥2 ICIP is an independent prognostic factor for decreased survivalin NSCLC patients

Contribución del aplanado de morteros de cal para restauración sobre muretes de mampostería

Los morteros con base cal, han sido materiales descritos en los tratados antiguos de arquitectura, permitidos en muchos documentos que rigen los trabajos de restauración de bienes inmuebles patrimoniales y actualmente son los materiales más empleados en la restauración y conservación del patrimonio de mampostería natural en muchos sitios del mundo. La cal puede ser normalizada o bien puede ser apagada en sitio como describe Vitrubio en sus Libros de Arquitectura; los áridos pueden ser ígneos, metamórficos o sedimentarios; para modificar las propiedades físicas y mecánicas básicas de los morteros de cal suelen agregarse aditivos orgánicos e inorgánicos. La restauración y conservación de los edificios de mampostería coloniales es un reto en México. Tenemos 9 ciudades coloniales cuyos centros históricos están en el listado de Patrimonio de la Humanidad de la Unesco. Todas edificadas con mamposterías de rocas naturales y aplanadas con morteros de cal y aditivos orgánicos. Inicialmente se recubrían las rocas que carecían de labrado, cánones dictados por la arquitectura en boga. Con la modernización y masificación del transporte, los residuos vertidos a la atmósfera han deteriorado la calidad del aire ambiental resultando en pátinas, costras negras, daño antropogénico en superficies expuestas, devitrificación de la matriz de las rocas. Del uso sugerido de emplear morteros como protección en los monumentos arquitectónicos coloniales, método relativamente simple y económico, se ha revisado también su efecto sobre la resistencia mecánica. Este trabajo hace una comparación entre pilas de mampostería de arcilla recocida adheridas con mortero de cal adicionado con fibras desecadas y pulverizadas de nopal cactus opuntia y pilas con las mismas características, pero recubiertas en ambas caras con el mortero mencionado.Tópico 4.- Morteros de cal, materiales cálcicos y cementíceos. Evaluación de propiedades y composición. Mampostería de ladrillos. Caracterización. Evaluación de patologías y Refuerzo

Revista de Vertebrados de la Estación Biológica de Doñana

Datos sobre la fauna de anfibios del Bajo GuadalquivirDiet of the Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) in the Iberian PeninsulaBiología de reproducción de una pareja de Hieraetus fasciatus en España central.Sobre la migraclon de la focha común (Fulica atra) en el Mediterráneo Occidental en base a la información de la Estación Biológica de laTour du Valat (Camargue, Francia)Problemática y medidas de conservación de la Foca fraile (Monachus monachus, Hermann 1779) en el Sahara OccidentaNuevas citas de sifonápteros parásitos de mamíferos en España.Contribución al estudio de Lacerta monticola en la Sierra de Gredos (Avila. España)A melanistic Spanish smooth snake (Coranella a. austriaca)Nueva localidad para Vipera b. berus en el. Norte de EspañaSegunda cita en España de Porphyrula alleni (Thomson, 1842)Peer reviewe

Modelado 3D de fenómenos geológicos en Islandia. Nueva contribución al Canal Geología-Historia

En este Proyecto INNOVA-DOCENCIA “Modelado 3D de fenómenos geológicos en Islandia. Nueva contribución al Canal Geología-Historia” se ha realizado una nueva contribución al Canal de Vídeo "Geología e Historia (G&H)" con la película "Islandia: Naturaleza Extrema". En ella se muestra la Geología de Islandia y la explicación del fenómeno óptico de la doble refracción que presenta el Espato de Islandia, probable brújula solar que utilizaban los Vikingos para la navegación en días nublados. Este nuevo recurso docente incorporado al Canal Geología e Historia tiene la aportación de un modelado 3D que facilita la compresión de los fenómenos geológicos y ópticos

Long non-coding RNA signatures in the Ileum and Colon of Crohn’s disease patients and effect of Anti-TNF-α treatment on their modulation

Biological therapies only benefit one-third of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD). For this reason, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which biologics elicit their effect on intestinal mucosa is needed. Increasing evidence points toward the involvement of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the pathogenesis of CD, although their role remains poorly studied. We aimed to characterize lncRNA profiles in the ileum and colon from CD patients and evaluate the effect of anti-TNF-α treatment on their transcription. Terminal ileum and left colon samples from 30 patients (active CD = 10, quiescent CD = 10, and healthy controls (HCs) = 10) were collected for RNA-seq. The patients were classified according to endoscopic activity. Furthermore, biopsies were cultured with infliximab, and their transcriptome was determined by Illumina gene expression array. A total of 678 differentially expressed lncRNAs between the terminal ileum and left colon were identified in HCs, 438 in patients with quiescent CD, and 468 in patients with active CD. Additionally, we identified three new lncRNAs in the ileum associated with CD activity. No differences were observed when comparing the effect of infliximab according to intestinal location, presence of disease (CD vs. HC), and activity (active vs. quiescent). The expression profiles of lncRNAs are associated with the location of intestinal tissue, being very different in the ileum and colon. The presence of CD and disease activity are associated with the differential expression of lncRNAs. No modulatory effect of infliximab has been observed in the lncRNA transcriptom

Large-scale study on virological and serological prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in cats and dogs in Spain

The disease produced by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently one of the primary concerns worldwide. Knowing the zoonotic origin of the disease and that several animal species, including dogs and cats, are susceptible to viral infection, it is critical to assess the relevance of pets in this pandemic. Here, we performed a large-scale study on SARS-CoV-2 serological and viral prevalence in cats and dogs in Spain in order to elucidate their role and susceptibility. Samples from animals in contact with COVID-19 positive people and/or compatible symptoms (n = 492), as well as from random animals (n = 1024), were taken. Despite the large number of animals analyzed, only 12 animals (eight dogs and four cats), which represents 0.79% of the total analyzed animals (n = 1516), were positive for viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection by reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) in which viral isolation was possible in four animals. We detected neutralizing antibodies in 34 animals, four of them were also positive for PCR. This study evidences that pets are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection in natural conditions but at a low level, as evidenced by the low percentage of positive animals detected, being infected humans the main source of infection. However, the inclusion of animals in the surveillance of COVID-19 is still recommended.Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Grant/Award Number: COV20/01385Peer reviewe

Long-term effect of 2 intensive statin regimens on treatment and incidence of cardiovascular events in familial hypercholesterolemia : The SAFEHEART study

Funding: This study was supported by Fundación Hipercolesterolemia Familiar; Grant G03/181 Grant 08-2008 Centro Nacional de Investigaci?n Cardiovascular (CNIC).Background: Maximal doses of potent statins are the basement of treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Little is known about the use of different statin regimens in FH. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to describe the treatment changes and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goal achievement with atorvastatin (ATV) and rosuvastatin (RV) in the SAFEHEART cohort, as well as to analyze the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular events (ACVEs) and changes in the cardiovascular risk. Methods: SAFEHEART is a prospective follow-up nationwide cohort study in a molecularly defined FH population. The patients were contacted on a yearly basis to obtain relevant changes in life habits, medication, and ACVEs. Results: A total of 1939 patients were analyzed. Median follow-up was 6.6 years (5-10). The estimated 10-year risk according the SAFEHEART risk equation was 1.61 (0.67-3.39) and 1.22 (0.54-2.93) at enrollment for ATV and RV, respectively (P <.001). There were no significant differences at the follow-up: 1.29 (0.54-2.82) and 1.22 (0.54-2.76) in the ATV and RV groups, respectively (P =.51). Sixteen percent of patients in primary prevention with ATV and 18% with RV achieved an LDL-C <100 mg/dL and 4% in secondary prevention with ATV and 5% with RV achieved an LDL-C <70 mg/dL. The use of ezetimibe was marginally greater in the RV group. One hundred sixty ACVEs occurred during follow-up, being its incidence rate 1.1 events/100 patient-years in the ATV group and 1.2 in the RV group (P =.58). Conclusion: ATV and RV are 2 high-potency statins widely used in FH. Although the reduction in LDL-C levels was greater with RV than with ATV, the superiority of RV for reducing ACVEs was not demonstrated