Enhanced production of herpes simplex virus 1 amplicon vectors by gene modification and optimization of packaging cell growth medium

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1)-derived amplicon vectors are unique in their ability to accommodate large DNA molecules allowing whole genomic loci to be included with all of their regulatory elements. Additional advantages of these amplicons include their minimal toxicity and ability to persist as episomes, with negligible risk of insertional mutagenesis, being particularly well-suited for gene therapy of neurological disorders due to their outstanding ability to deliver genes into neurons and other neural cells. However, extensive gene therapy application has been hindered by difficulties in vector production. This work improved HSV-1 amplicons production by genetic modification of the packaging cell line and optimization of the culture medium. A stably-transfected Vero 2-2 cell line overexpressing the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein was generated, exhibiting an increased resistance to apoptosis, prolonged culture duration, and a significant improvement in viral vector production. Additionally, supplementation of the growth medium with antioxidants, polyamines, amino acids, and reduced glutathione further increased the yield of packaged amplicon vectors. With these modifications, HSV-1 amplicons could be isolated from culture supernatants instead of cell lysates, leading to vector preparations with higher titer and purity and paving the way for generation of stable cell lines that are capable of continuous herpesviral vector productionThis work was supported by grants of the Spanish National Research Plan (SAF 2015–69361-R), Friedreich Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA), FARA Ireland, Spanish FEDAES, GENEFA, and Babel Famil

Importancia de la inteligencia emocional en Educación Infantil y su abordaje en los centros educativos

Trabajo de fin de Grado. Grado en Maestro de Educación Primaria (E.U. de Magisterio Zamora). Curso académico 2016[ES] La implantación de la educación emocional en España permite modos de proceder y conocer , de implementar tareas que consisten en ayudar y preparar al niño en su percepción del mundo que le rodea. En investigación bibliográfica radica el estudio diacrónico que propone este trabajo mediante fuentes documentales, desde la acuñación del término “inteligencia emocional” y palabras derivadas. EL propósito de los diferentes programas sobre educación emocional , y dirigidos a la etapa de Educación infantil como guía de actuación para docentes, ha demostrado, en este estudio, que favorecen el desarrollo psicológico del niño.[EN] The implementation of emotional education in Spain allows ways to proceed and learn, to implement tasks that consist of helping and preparing the child in his perception of the world around him. In bibliographic research lies the diachronic study that proposes this work through documentary sources, from the coining of the term "emotional intelligence" and derived words. The purpose of the different programs on emotional education, and aimed at the stage of Early Childhood Education as an action guide for teachers, has shown, in this study, that they favor the psychological development of the child

Estudio del Ductus Arterioso Persistente en la clínica de pequeños animales

El ductus arterioso (ductus) es un conducto que comunica las arterias aorta y pulmonar durante la vida fetal y debe cerrarse tras el nacimiento. Cuando esto no ocurre, pasa a ser una estructura patológica denominada ductus arterioso persistente (DAP), que representa la alteración cardiaca congénita más frecuente en la especie canina. El objetivo de este trabajo fue realizar una revisión bibliográfica sobre el DAP en esta especie, tratando su origen y las opciones diagnósticas y terapéuticas disponibles actualmente. Para ello, se realizó una consulta de la bibliografía de referencia y una búsqueda de publicaciones en bases de datos. Además, se han incluido imágenes ecográficas de casos atendidos en el Hospital Veterinario de la Universidad de Zaragoza. La persistencia del ductus se debe en gran medida a una deficiencia de tejido muscular en su pared. El paso de sangre a través del DAP es inicialmente en sentido izquierda-derecha por la mayor presión de las cámaras izquierdas del corazón. Si esta situación persiste, la presión en la arteria pulmonar aumenta y el flujo se invierte (derecha-izquierda), lo cual es más grave (síndrome de Eisenmenger). El diagnóstico del DAP incluye anamnesis, exploración completa del paciente, pruebas laboratoriales, electrocardiograma y pruebas de diagnóstico por imagen. Estas últimas constituyen una herramienta de gran utilidad: la radiología permite valorar la existencia de dilatación de cámaras cardiacas y arterias, y de edema pulmonar asociado; con la ecografía se puede detectar su localización, valorar la funcionalidad cardiaca y descartar otras patologías; y la resonancia magnética y la tomografía computerizada con multidetectores permiten realizar un estudio más profundo. Cuando la comunicación es izquierda-derecha, el tratamiento del DAP consiste en su cierre mediante ligadura quirúrgica o técnicas mínimamente invasivas. En la comunicación derecha-izquierda, el cierre del DAP está contraindicado, por lo que el tratamiento de elección será el farmacológico

Problemas en el proceso de adaptación a los cambios en personas cuidadoras familiares de mayores con demencia

ResumenObjetivoIdentificar y analizar los problemas que surgen en el proceso de adaptación de la persona cuidadora a los cambios durante el cuidado familiar a una persona afectada por demencia.MétodoEstudio cualitativo basado en la metodología de la teoría fundamentada constructivista de Charmaz. Se realizaron siete grupos focales en diferentes centros de atención primaria de salud en la provincia de Jaén (España). Participaron 82 personas cuidadoras principales familiares de mayores con demencia, seleccionadas por muestreo propositivo de máxima variación y teórico. Se llevó a cabo una triangulación del análisis para favorecer la validez interna del estudio.ResultadosSe obtuvieron tres categorías centrales, que fueron «Cuidados cambiantes», «Problemas en el proceso de adaptación a los cambios» y «Factores facilitadores del proceso de adaptación a los cambios». La persona cuidadora desempeña su rol en una realidad caracterizada por el cambio, tanto personal como de la persona a la que cuida y su contexto social y cultural. El reto adaptativo está en el balance entre los problemas que dificultan la adaptación a los cambios de la persona cuidadora a las nuevas situaciones de cuidado y los factores que facilitan su labor cuidadora.ConclusionesLa escasez de apoyo formal y el infradiagnóstico de la demencia dificultan la adaptación de la persona cuidadora al cuidado de una persona afectada por demencia. El proceso de adaptación podría mejorar reforzando el apoyo formal en las primeras fases del cuidado para reducir el estrés del proceso de aprendizaje autodidacta de las familias cuidadoras, así como adaptando las intervenciones a cada fase de la evolución del rol cuidador.AbstractObjectiveTo identify and analyse problems in adapting to change among the family caregivers of relatives with dementia.MethodQualitative study based on the methodology of Charmaz's Constructivist Grounded Theory. Seven focus groups were conducted in different primary health care centres in the province of Jaen (Spain). Eighty-two primary family caregivers of relatives with dementia participated by purposeful maximum variation sampling and theoretical sampling. Triangulation analysis was carried out to increase internal validity.ResultsWe obtained three main categories: ‘Changing Care’, ‘Problems in the process of adapting to change’ and ‘Facilitators of the process of adapting to change’. Family caregivers perform their role in a context characterized by personal change, both in the person receiving the care and in the social and cultural context. The challenge of adaptation lies in the balance between the problems that hamper adaptation of the caregiver to new situations of care and the factors that facilitate the caregiver role.ConclusionsThe adaptation of family caregivers to caring for a person with dementia is hindered by the lack of formal support and under-diagnosis of dementia. The adaptation process could be improved by strengthening formal support in the early stages of care to reduce the stress of family caregivers who must teach themselves about their task and by interventions adapted to each phase in the development of the caregiver role

Comparative analysis of tissue-specific transcriptomes in the funnel-web spider Macrothele calpeiana (Araneae, Hexathelidae)

Altres ajuts: Beatriu de Pinós (Generalitat de Catalunya, 2010BP-A 00438 i 2010BP-B 00175)The funnel-web spider Macrothele calpeiana is a charismatic Mygalomorph with a great interest in basic, applied and translational research. Nevertheless, current scarcity of genomic and transcriptomic data of this species clearly limits the research in this non-model organism. To overcome this limitation, we launched the first tissue-specific enriched RNA-seq analysis in this species using a subtractive hybridization approach, with two main objectives, to characterize the specific transcriptome of the putative chemosensory appendages (palps and first pair of legs), and to provide a new set of DNA markers for further phylogenetic studies. We have characterized the set of transcripts specifically expressed in putative chemosensory tissues of this species, much of them showing features shared by chemosensory system genes. Among specific candidates, we have identified some members of the iGluR and NPC2 families. Moreover, we have demonstrated the utility of these newly generated data as molecular markers by inferring the phylogenetic position M. calpeina in the phylogenetic tree of Mygalomorphs. Our results provide novel resources for researchers interested in spider molecular biology and systematics, which can help to expand our knowledge on the evolutionary processes underlying fundamental biological questions, as species invasion or biodiversity origin and maintenance

Appropriate use of red blood cell transfusion in emergency departments: A study in five emergency departments

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of blood components continues to be an important therapeutic resource into the 21st century. Between 5 and 58% of transfusions carried out are estimated to be unnecessary. According to several studies, at least 20% of packed red blood cell transfusions (RBCT) are administered in hospital emergency departments (ED), but few data are available about the appropriateness of RBCT in this setting. This multicentre, cross-sectional observational study aims to assess the appropriateness of RBCT indications and transfused volumes in patients who attend ED. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study cohort is made up of consecutive consenting adult patients (≥18 years old) who received RBCT in ED over a 3-month period and for whom relevant clinical data were collected and analysed. RESULTS: Data from 908 RBCT episodes (2±1 units per transfused patient) were analysed. RBCT was considered appropriate in 21.4% (n=195), with significant differences according to RBCT indication (p<0.001), hospital level (p<0.001) and prescribing physician (p=0.002). Pre-transfusion haemoglobin level (Hb) negatively correlated with RBCT appropriateness (r=-0.616; p<0.01). Only 72.4% of appropriate RBCT had a post-transfusion Hb assessment (n=516). Of these, 45% were considered to be over-transfused (n=232), with significant differences according to RBCT indication (p=0.012) and prescribing physician (p=0.047). Overall, 584/1,433 (41%) of evaluable RBC units were unnecessarily transfused. DISCUSSION: The appropriateness of RBCT in ED is similar to other hospital departments, but the rate of over-transfusion was high. These data support the need for a reassessment after transfusion of each RBC unit before further units are prescribed. In view of these results, we recommend that physicians should be made more aware of the need to prescribe RBCT appropriately in order to reduce over-transfusionThis project has received funding from the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equality through the SAS/2377/2010 call for granting aid for the promotion of independent clinical research (Department of Pharmacy and Health Products), file n. EC10-21

Evolutionary-Related High- and Low-Virulent Classical Swine Fever Virus Isolates Reveal Viral Determinants of Virulence.

Classical swine fever (CSF) has been eradicated from Western and Central Europe but remains endemic in parts of Central and South America, Asia, and the Caribbean. CSF virus (CSFV) has been endemic in Cuba since 1993, most likely following an escape of the highly virulent Margarita/1958 strain. In recent years, chronic and persistent infections with low-virulent CSFV have been observed. Amino acid substitutions located in immunodominant epitopes of the envelope glycoprotein E2 of the attenuated isolates were attributed to positive selection due to suboptimal vaccination and control. To obtain a complete picture of the mutations involved in attenuation, we applied forward and reverse genetics using the evolutionary-related low-virulent CSFV/Pinar del Rio (CSF1058)/2010 (PdR) and highly virulent Margarita/1958 isolates. Sequence comparison of the two viruses recovered from experimental infections in pigs revealed 40 amino acid differences. Interestingly, the amino acid substitutions clustered in E2 and the NS5A and NS5B proteins. A long poly-uridine sequence was identified previously in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of PdR. We constructed functional cDNA clones of the PdR and Margarita strains and generated eight recombinant viruses by introducing single or multiple gene fragments from Margarita into the PdR backbone. All chimeric viruses had comparable replication characteristics in porcine monocyte-derived macrophages. Recombinant PdR viruses carrying either E2 or NS5A/NS5B of Margarita, with 36 or 5 uridines in the 3'UTR, remained low virulent in 3-month-old pigs. The combination of these elements recovered the high-virulent Margarita phenotype. These results show that CSFV evolution towards attenuated variants in the field involved mutations in both structural and non-structural proteins and the UTRs, which act synergistically to determine virulence

Content analysis of food and beverage marketing in global esports: Sponsorships of the premier events, leagues, teams and players

Background Food marketing has been implicated as a driving force of the obesity epidemic. Electronic sports, or ‘esports’, garners billions of viewership hours and is a consolidation of two major marketing outlets, online social media and sporting events, making it a focal point for food marketers and policy-makers. Methods The top 10 esports events and leagues were identified using data scraped between 1 January 2021 and 15 December 2021. The 10 teams within each league (90 total teams) and up to 10 players from each team (451 total players) were identified. Of the top 10 events and leagues, 6 events and 2 leagues were held or located outside the USA, reflecting the global popularity of esports. Food and beverage brands associated with each event, league, team or player were systematically identified and extracted via official websites and social media accounts. The number of sponsorships was totalled for each brand. Brands were then categorised based on product type into the following categories: energy drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, alcohol, candy/snacks, restaurants, food delivery and stores, and supplements. The total number of brand sponsorships was then calculated for each product category. Results 90 unique food and beverage brands were identified. Across all brands, a total of 497 food brand sponsorships were identified. For product categories, energy drink brands had the most sponsorships (181 sponsorships, 36.4%), followed by restaurants (86 sponsorships, 17.3%) and candy/snacks (64 sponsorships, 12.8%). The individual brand with the most sponsorships was Monster Energy (47 sponsorships, 9.4%), followed by Jack Links (44 sponsorships, 8.8%) and Red Bull (42 sponsorships, 8.4%). Conclusion Despite its nascent character, the esports industry is already heavily saturated by food and beverage marketing. There is a need to consider policies to appropriately regulate food and beverage marketing within esports communities to safeguard the health of viewers

Respuesta humoral a dos inmunógenos contra la Peste Porcina Clásica en condiciones de campo

La Peste Porcina Clásica (PPC) es una enfermedad altamente contagiosa, presente en Cuba de forma endémica, por lo que está sujeta a un programa de control que incluye la vacunación con la vacuna viva atenuada de la cepa China lapinizada (LABIOFAM, S.A.), de probada seguridad y efectividad. Por las bondades que brinda el uso de una vacuna marcadora en fases avanzadas del control, fue aplicado en condiciones de campo un candidato vacunal de subunidad, basado en la glicoproteína E2 (CVE2) del virus de la peste porcina clásica. Se comparó la respuesta serológica inducida por el nuevo candidato vacunal con la inducida por la vacuna cepa China (VCC) en un mismo escenario epidemiológico, una granja porcina con antecedentes de manifestación clínica de la enfermedad y sujeta a vacunación sistemática con la VCC. Se evaluó la respuesta inmune humoral de animales vacunados con ambos productos mediante el ensayo de neutralización ligado a la peroxidasa (NPLA). Para ello se investigaron muestras de sangre obtenidas en diferentes fases del ciclo tecnológico. Se encontró en los sueros evaluados de animales vacunados con el CVE2 que estos mantuvieron altos títulos (³ 1:100) hasta el final de la ceba, a diferencia de los vacunados con la VCC. También se comprobó que animales vacunados con la VCC tuvieron un riesgo relativo 12,2 veces mayor de tener títulos de anticuerpos &lt;1:50 que los vacunados con el CVE2