Boron dilution benchmark using COBAYA3/FLICA4 coupled codes within the NURISP European Project

Within the subproject 3 of the NURISP project three neutron kinetic codes have been implemented into the NURESIM platform. For all three codes (CRONOS2, COBAYA3 and DYN3D) the coupling with the thermal hydraulic code FLICA4 was accomplished using the features of the NURESIM platform. This paper contains the results obtained with COBAYA3/FLICA4 coupled codes for the PWR boron dilution benchmark defined within the sub project 3 of the NURISP project. Results are provided for all the scenarios

Modifications of academic competences and intelligence in a university grade

The aim of the study was to analyze differences in intelligence, academic competences, and academic achievement by gender and academic course in sports science university students. To reach the study aim we analyzed in 267 (226 males and 41 females) first and last year students’ degree the variables of intelligence (Reasoning scale of the Primary Mental Abilities Test), academic achievement and self-perception of 40 academic competences (30 general competences and 10 specific competences). We found how last year degree students presented higher general and specific competences than first year students, not presenting differences in intelligence and academic achievement. Female students presented higher academic achievement and higher values in some general and specific competences but not in intelligence

Aldh1 Expression and Activity Increase during Tumor Evolution in Sarcoma Cancer Stem Cell Populations

Tumors evolve from initial tumorigenic events into increasingly aggressive behaviors in a process usually driven by subpopulations of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (MSCs) may act as the cell-of-origin for sarcomas, and CSCs that present MSC features have been identified in sarcomas due to their ability to grow as self-renewed floating spheres (tumorspheres). Accordingly, we previously developed sarcoma models using human MSCs transformed with relevant oncogenic events. To study the evolution/emergence of CSC subpopulations during tumor progression, we compared the tumorigenic properties of bulk adherent cultures and tumorsphere-forming subpopulations both in the sarcoma cell-of-origin models (transformed MSCs) and in their corresponding tumor xenograft-derived cells. Tumor formation assays showed that the tumorsphere cultures from xenograft-derived cells, but not from the cell-of-origin models, were enriched in CSCs, providing evidence of the emergence of bona fide CSCs subpopulations during tumor progression. Relevant CSC-related factors, such as ALDH1 and SOX2, were increasingly upregulated in CSCs during tumor progression, and importantly, the increased levels and activity of ALDH1 in these subpopulations were associated with enhanced tumorigenicity. In addition to being a CSC marker, our findings indicate that ALDH1 could also be useful for tracking the malignant potential of CSC subpopulations during sarcoma evolution.This work was supported by the Plan Nacional de I + D + i 2008-2011 [ISC III/FEDER (Miguel Servet Program CP11/00024) and RTICC (RD12/0036/0015)], the Plan Nacional de I + D + i 2013-2016 [MINECO/FEDER (SAF-2013-42946-R)] and the Plan de Ciencia Tecnología e Innovación del Principado de Asturias (GRUPIN14-003) to R.R; and the Plan Nacional de I + D + i 2008-2011 [ISC III/FEDER RTICC (RD12/0036/0027)] to J.G.-C.S

Desarrollo de códigos neutrónicos propios para la simulación del núcleo de reactores PWR

La simulación de la física del núcleo de los reactores nucleares por su complejidad requiere del uso de computadores y del software adecuado, y su evolución es ir hacía métodos y modelos de los llamados best-estimate, con el objeto de aumentar la disponibilidad de la central manteniendo los márgenes de seguridad. Para ello el Departamento de Ingeniería Nuclear (UPM), ha desarrollado el Sistema SEANAP en uso en varias centrales nucleares españolas, que realiza la simulación en 3D y con detalle de barrita combustible del quemado nominal y real del núcleo del reactor, hace el seguimiento en línea de la operación, y ayuda a la planificación óptima de las maniobras operacionale

Control genético de la recombinación homóloga en la meiosis de "Arabidopsis thaliana"

Ante la dificultad de trasladar a la experiencia artística el concepto de investigación procedente del ámbito científico, pretendo encontrar un lugar propio de investigación integrador de capacidades conceptuales y sensoriales que pueda dar sentido a un trabajo sobre escultura contemporánea en el ámbito universitario. Como estrategia, equiparo el taller del artista con al laboratorio donde los científicos comprueban sus hipótesis investigadoras. Convencido de que no hay mejor investigación en arte que la que se realiza desde la misma producción creativa, actitudes como la de Oteiza, descubren las posibilidades de “reverberación” inherentes a la actividad creadora, ventajosas para reflexionar sobre tres intervenciones propias en el espacio público. El terrible atentado del 11 de Marzo originará Dim Light Source Unknown. Atiendo aquí a la relación entre arte y violencia explicando una intervención urbana a partir de un espacio degradado y desestructurado, proponiéndome articularlo pensando en ofrecérselo a las víctimas y a sus familiares. Una señal, un saludo es una escultura ubicada en el Camino de Santiago a su paso por Burgos. Pensando los conceptos materia, espacio tiempo como los más esenciales para contribuir al desarrollo de lo escultórico, planteo un trabajo en un material poco frecuente en escultura (duraluminio), al que además se le aplica una tecnología también poco habitual (mecanización con fresadora CNC). El legislador, está ubicado en el Nuevo Palacio de Justicia de Cuenca. Asistido por un servicio de ingeniería que aseguraba las maniobras constructivas, se establece esta escultura condicionando la urbanización arquitectónica. En ella se atiende a lo arquitectónico, propio de las altas torres de nuestras ciudades, y a lo antropomórfico, asumido por la estatuaria más clásica

Acipimox in primary hyperlipidemias: safety and efficacy evaluated in six months Acipimox en hiperlipidemias primarias: seguridad y eficacia evaluada a 6 meses.

The efficacy and tolerance of 750 mg of Acipimox was tested in 38 pts with primary dyslipidemias: 20 type IIa, 12 type IIb, and 6 type IV. All pts had been poor responders to a 2 month diet according to the recommendations of the National Cholesterol Education Program. Clinical examination, eye fundus, and the following laboratory tests: total cholesterol (TC), HDL, triglycerides (TG), total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, oxalacetic and pyruvic transaminases, uric acid, plasmatic creatinine, albumin, postprandial glucose test, hematocrit, white blood and platelet count were performed 60 days before drug initiation, 60 and 180 days after treatment had been started. No side effects were observed (myositis, visual gastrointestinal). 50% of the pts had slight to moderate flushing which appeared the first 3 days and lasted 14 +/- 7 days after treatment had been started. Plasmatic creatinine increased from 0.89 to 1.86 mg/dl in pt with one kidney, returning to normal levels 30 days after

Clinical mutations in the TERT and TERC genes coding for telomerase components induced oxidative stress, DNAdamage at telomeres and cell apoptosis besides decreased telomerase activity

Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures at the end of chromosomes that maintain their integrity. Mutations in genes coding for proteins involved in telomere protection and elongation produce diseases such as dyskeratos is congenita oridiopathic pulmonary fibrosis known as telomeropathies. These diseases are characterized by premature telomere shortening, increased DNA damage and oxidative stress. Genetic diagnosis of telomeropathy patients has identified mutations in the genes TERT and TERC coding for telomerase components but the functional consequences of many of these mutations still have to be experimentally demonstrated. The activity of twelve TERT and five TERC mutants, five of them identified in Spanish patients, has been analyzed. TERT and TERC mutants were expressed in VA-13 human cells that express low telomerase levels and the activity induced was analyzed. The production of reactive oxygen species, DNA oxidation and TRF2 association at telomeres,DNA damage response and cell apoptosis were determined.Most mutations presented decreased telomerase activity,as compared to wild-type TERT and TERC.In addition,the expression of several TERT and TERC mutants induced oxidative stress, DNA oxidation, DNA damage, decreased recruitment of the shelterin component TRF2 to telomeres and increased apoptosis.These observations migh tindicate that the increase in DN Adamage and oxidative stress observed in cells from telomeropathy patients is dependent on their TERT or TERC mutations. Therefore, analysis of the effect of TERT and TERC mutations of unknown function on DNA damage and oxidative stress could be of great utility to determine the possible pathogenicity of these variants.This work was supported by Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain, co-funded by European Regional Development (FEDER) funds [grant number PI20-00335] and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Spain [grant PIE-202180E073]. BF-V was funded by a contract from Comunidad Autonoma deMadrid and the Fondo Social Europeo as part of the iniciativa de Empleo Juvenil (YEI), Spain. CB-B was funded by a postdoctoral contract from the Fundación Científica Asociación Española Contra el Cancer (AECC) [POSTD20042BENI]

Mesenchymal stem cells derived from low risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients promote NK cell antitumor activity

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are key components of the bone marrow microenvironment which contribute to the maintenance of the hematopoietic stem cell niche and exert immunoregulatory functions in innate and adaptive immunity. We analyze the immunobiology of MSCs derived from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and their impact on NK cell function. In contrast to the inhibitory effects on the immune response exerted by MSCs from healthy donors (Healthy-MSCs), we demonstrate that MSCs derived from low/intermediate risk ALL patients at diagnosis (ALL-MSCs) promote an efficient NK cell response including cytokine production, phenotypic activation and most importantly, cytotoxicity. Longitudinal studies indicate that these immunostimulatory effects of ALL-MSCs are progressively attenuated. Healthy-MSCs adopt ALL-MSC-like immunomodulatory features when exposed to leukemia cells, acquiring the ability to stimulate NK cell antitumor function. The mechanisms underlying to these functional changes of ALL-MSCs include reduced production of soluble inhibitory factors, differential expression of costimulatory and coinhibitory molecules, increased expression of specific TLRs and Notch pathway activation. Collectively our findings indicate that, in response to leukemia cells, ALL-MSCs could mediate a host beneficial immunomodulatory effect by stimulating the antitumor innate immune response

Relationships between iron dose, hospitalizations and mortality in incident haemodialysis patients: a propensity-score matched approach.

Intravenous iron management is common in the haemodialysis population. However, the safest dosing strategy remains uncertain, in terms of the risk of hospitalization and mortality. We aimed to determine the effects of cumulative monthly iron doses on mortality and hospitalization. This multicentre observational retrospective propensity-matched score study included 1679 incident haemodialysis patients. We measured baseline demographic variables, haemodialysis clinical parameters and laboratory analytical values. We compared outcomes among quartiles of cumulative iron dose (mg/kg/month). We implemented propensity-score matching (PSM) to reduce confounding due to indication. In the PSM cohort (330 patients), we compared outcomes between groups that received cumulative iron doses above and below 5.66 mg/kg/month. Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that the high iron dose group had significantly worse survival than the low iron dose group. A univariate analysis indicated that the monthly iron dose could significantly predict mortality. However, a multivariate regression did not confirm that finding. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that iron doses  >5.58 mg/kg/month were not associated with elevated mortality risk, but they were associated with elevated risks of all-cause and cardiovascular-related hospitalizations. These results were ratified in the PSM population. Intravenous iron administration is advisable for maintaining haemoglobin levels in patients that receive haemodialysis. Our data suggested that large monthly iron doses, adjusted for body weight, were associated with more hospitalizations, but not with mortality or infection-related hospitalizations