N-[3-(2,6-Dimethylanilino)-1-methylbut-2-enylidene]-2,6-dimethylanilinium chloride1

The title salt, C21H27N2 +·Cl− resulted from the condensation between 2,6-dimethyl­aniline and acetyl­acetone in acidified ethanol. The bulky cation is stabilized in a β-imino­enamine tautomeric form, and presents a W-shaped conformation. The benzene rings are arranged almost parallel, with a dihedral angle of 6.58 (4)° between the mean planes. Both N—H groups in the cation form strong hydrogen bonds with two symmetry-related chloride anions. The resulting supra­molecular structure is a one dimensional polymer running along [001], alternating cations and anions. The π–π inter­action observed in the mol­ecule, characterized by a centroid–centroid separation of 4.298 (4) Å, is thus extended to the chains, with separations of 5.222 (4) Å between benzene rings of neighbouring cations in the crystal

Influence of age on the occurrence of adverse events in rheumatic patients at the onset of biological treatment : Data from the BIOBADASER III register

To assess whether age, at the beginning of biologic treatment, is associated with the time a first adverse event (AE) appears in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), or psoriatic arthritis (PsA). All patients in the BIOBADASER registry diagnosed with RA, AS, and PsA, and classified as young ( 75 years old) at start of biological treatment were included. Factors associated with the appearance of a first AE using adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRR) (Poisson regression) were analyzed. Survival to first AE was studied by Kaplan-Meier analysis and hazard ratios (HR) by Cox regression. 2483 patients were included: 1126 RA, 680 PsA, and 677 AS. Age group stratification was as follows: 63 young, 2127 adults, 237 elderly, and 56 very elderly. Regression model revealed an increased probability of suffering a first AE at age 65 years or older [IRR elderly: 1.42 (CI95% 1.13-1.77)]. Other characteristics associated with AE were female gender, the use of DMARDs, including methotrexate, the presence of comorbidities, and the time of disease duration. Factors that had the greatest impact on survival over a first AE were age > 75 years [HR 1.50 (1.01-2.24)] and female gender [HR 1.42 (1.22-1.64)]. Age at the start of treatment and female gender are key factors associated with the appearance of a first AE with biologics. Other factors related to patient status and treatment were also associated with a first AE in rheumatic patients treated with biologics

Two serological approaches for detection of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in different scenarios: a screening tool and a point-of-care test

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has infected more than 8 million people worldwide, becoming a pandemic. Detecting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is of utmost importance and a good indicator of exposure and circulation of the virus within the general population. Two serological tools based on a double recognition assay [enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (DR-ELISA) and lateral flow assay (DR-LFA)] to detect total antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 have been developed based on the recombinant nucleocapsid protein. A total of 1065 serum samples, including positive for COVID-19 and negative samples from healthy donors or infected with other respiratory pathogens, were analyzed. The results showed values of sensitivity between 91.2% and 100%, and specificity of 100% and 98.2% for DR-LFA and DR-ELISA, respectively. No cross-reactivity against seasonal coronavirus (HCoV-NL63, HCoV-229E, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-OC43) was found. These results demonstrate the importance of serology as a complementary tool to polymerase chain reaction for follow-up of recovered patients and identification of asymptomatic individuals

¿Mastozoología por desconocer o mastozoología por conocer?

As a scientific discipline, mastozoology is our best approach to the methodical and systematic study of all aspects that are associated with mammals. Although, as a result of more than three centuries of history, enormous advances have been made in their knowledge, there are still innumerable questions, unresolved issues and problems to be solved. This means a huge opportunity for the exercise of the discipline itself, and, in addition, a call for attention to all generations of mastozoologists to fill these gaps.Como disciplina científica, la mastozoología es nuestra mejor aproximación al estudio metódico y sistemático de todos los aspectos que se asocian con los mamíferos. Aunque como resultado de más de tres siglos de historia se han hecho enormes avances en su conocimiento, aún quedan innumerables preguntas, temas sin resolver y problemas por solucionar. Esto significa una enorme oportunidad para el ejercicio mismo de la disciplina, y, además, un llamado de atención a todas las generaciones de mastozoólogos para llenar estos vacíos

Neutrino physics with the PTOLEMY project: active neutrino properties and the light sterile case

The PTOLEMY project aims to develop a scalable design for a Cosmic NeutrinoBackground (CNB) detector, the first of its kind and the only one conceivedthat can look directly at the image of the Universe encoded in neutrinobackground produced in the first second after the Big Bang. The scope of thework for the next three years is to complete the conceptual design of thisdetector and to validate with direct measurements that the non-neutrinobackgrounds are below the expected cosmological signal. In this paper wediscuss in details the theoretical aspects of the experiment and its physicsgoals. In particular, we mainly address three issues. First we discuss thesensitivity of PTOLEMY to the standard neutrino mass scale. We then study theperspectives of the experiment to detect the CNB via neutrino capture ontritium as a function of the neutrino mass scale and the energy resolution ofthe apparatus. Finally, we consider an extra sterile neutrino with mass in theeV range, coupled to the active states via oscillations, which has beenadvocated in view of neutrino oscillation anomalies. This extra state wouldcontribute to the tritium decay spectrum, and its properties, mass and mixingangle, could be studied by analyzing the features in the beta decay electronspectrum

Experiències entrecreuades a Santa Eugènia del Congost

Rastres de memòria no escrita. D’experiències entrecreuades a Santa Eugènia del Congost... és el primer d’una sèrie de quaderns de treball amb mostres de material visual recollit en el marc del projecte artístic i didàctic Experiències entrecreuades a Santa Eugènia del Congost, desenvolupat en el context de l’antiga font i safareigs de Santa Eugènia del Congost –situats prop de l’autovia C-17, el riu Congost i de l’Ajuntament de Tagamanent–. Des del curs acadèmic 2016-2017, el Grup d’Innovació Docent Consolidat de la Universitat de Barcelona ATESI (Art, Territori, Estratègia Docent, Sostenibilitat i Intervenció Social – GINDC-UB/162) promou accions –instal·lacions artístiques efímeres, performance, tallers oberts, exposicions i actes...– per tal de «reviure» de forma física i conceptual aquests espais en desús per a la població, tot fent èmfasi en la recuperació de la seva memòria històrica, i amb una metodologia que busca integrar l’actuació conjunta d’administracions, figures expertes, centres educatius i ciutadanes. Aquestes accions, ideològicament posicionades, parteixen del treball en règim d’Aprenentatge Servei (ApS), una metodologia docent que implica l’assoliment de competències educatives en la realització d’activitats que tenen un retorn directe en la comunitat. En aquesta línia, les actuacions dutes a terme que es mostren en aquest quadern han tingut la participació d’alumnat del Grau en Belles Arts de la Universitat de Barcelona, de l’Escola Sagrats Cors de Centelles, de l’Escola d’Art i Superior de Disseny de Vic i d’ex-alumnes del mateix centre (EXARTVIC), coordinat per professorat dels diferents àmbits i amb la participació del Grup ApS(UB)

Circulating carotenoids are associated with favorable lipid and fatty acid profiles in an older population at high cardiovascular risk

Carotenoid intake has been reported to be associated with improved cardiovascular health, but there is little information on actual plasma concentrations of these compounds as biomarkers of cardiometabolic risk. The objective was to investigate the association between circulating plasma carotenoids and different cardiometabolic risk factors and the plasma fatty acid profile. This is a cross-sectional evaluation of baseline data conducted in a subcohort (106 women and 124 men) of an ongoing multi-factorial lifestyle trial for primary cardiovascular prevention. Plasma concentrations of carotenoids were quantified by liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The associations between carotenoid concentrations and cardiometabolic risk factors were assessed using regression models adapted for interval-censored variables. Carotenoid concentrations were cross-sectionally inversely associated with serum triglyceride concentrations [-2.79 mg/dl (95% CI: -4.25, -1.34) and -5.15 mg/dl (95% CI: -7.38, -2.93), p-values = 0.0002 and <0.00001 in women and men, respectively], lower levels of plasma saturated fatty acids [-0.09% (95% CI: -0.14, -0.03) and -0.15 % (95% CI: -0.23, -0.08), p-values = 0.001 and 0.0001 in women and men, respectively], and higher levels of plasma polyunsaturated fatty acids [(0.12 % (95% CI: -0.01, 0.25) and 0.39 % (95% CI: 0.19, 0.59), p-values = 0.065 and 0.0001 in women and men, respectively] in the whole population. Plasma carotenoid concentrations were also associated with higher plasma HDL-cholesterol in women [0.47 mg/dl (95% CI: 0.23, 0.72), p-value: 0.0002], and lower fasting plasma glucose in men [-1.35 mg/dl (95% CI: -2.12, -0.59), p-value: 0.001]. Keywords: Mediterranean diet; PREDIMED-plus study; cardiovascular health; liquid chromatography; mass spectrometry; plasma carotenoids

Adopting a High-Polyphenolic Diet Is Associated with an Improved Glucose Profile: Prospective Analysis within the PREDIMED-Plus Trial

Previous studies suggested that dietary polyphenols could reduce the incidence and complications of type-2 diabetes (T2D); although the evidence is still limited and inconsistent. This work analyzes whether changing to a diet with a higher polyphenolic content is associated with an improved glucose profile. At baseline, and at 1 year of follow-up visits, 5921 participants (mean age 65.0 ± 4.9, 48.2% women) who had overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome filled out a validated 143-item semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ), from which polyphenol intakes were calculated. Energy-adjusted total polyphenols and subclasses were categorized in tertiles of changes. Linear mixed-effect models with random intercepts (the recruitment centers) were used to assess associations between changes in polyphenol subclasses intake and 1-year plasma glucose or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. Increments in total polyphenol intake and some classes were inversely associated with better glucose levels and HbA1c after one year of follow-up. These associations were modified when the analyses were run considering diabetes status separately. To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess the relationship between changes in the intake of all polyphenolic groups and T2D-related parameters in a senior population with T2D or at high-risk of developing T2

Non-motor symptom burden in patients with Parkinson's disease with impulse control disorders and compulsive behaviours : results from the COPPADIS cohort

The study was aimed at analysing the frequency of impulse control disorders (ICDs) and compulsive behaviours (CBs) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and in control subjects (CS) as well as the relationship between ICDs/CBs and motor, nonmotor features and dopaminergic treatment in PD patients. Data came from COPPADIS-2015, an observational, descriptive, nationwide (Spain) study. We used the validated Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease-Rating Scale (QUIP-RS) for ICD/CB screening. The association between demographic data and ICDs/CBs was analyzed in both groups. In PD, this relationship was evaluated using clinical features and treatment-related data. As result, 613 PD patients (mean age 62.47 ± 9.09 years, 59.87% men) and 179 CS (mean age 60.84 ± 8.33 years, 47.48% men) were included. ICDs and CBs were more frequent in PD (ICDs 12.7% vs. 1.6%, p < 0.001; CBs 7.18% vs. 1.67%, p = 0.01). PD patients had more frequent previous ICDs history, premorbid impulsive personality and antidepressant treatment (p < 0.05) compared with CS. In PD, patients with ICDs/CBs presented younger age at disease onset, more frequent history of previous ICDs and premorbid personality (p < 0.05), as well as higher comorbidity with nonmotor symptoms, including depression and poor quality of life. Treatment with dopamine agonists increased the risk of ICDs/CBs, being dose dependent (p < 0.05). As conclusions, ICDs and CBs were more frequent in patients with PD than in CS. More nonmotor symptoms were present in patients with PD who had ICDs/CBs compared with those without. Dopamine agonists have a prominent effect on ICDs/CBs, which could be influenced by dose