Registro Español de Trasplante Cardiaco. XXXI Informe Oficial de la Asociación de Insuficiencia Cardiaca de la Sociedad Española de Cardiología

Introducción y objetivos Se presentan las características clínicas y los resultados de los trasplantes cardiacos realizados en España con la actualización correspondiente a 2019. Métodos Se describen las características clínicas y los resultados de los trasplantes cardiacos realizados en 2019, así como las tendencias de estos en el periodo 2010-2018. Resultados En 2019 se realizaron 300 trasplantes (8.794 desde 1984; 2.745 entre 2010 y 2019). Respecto a años previos, los cambios más llamativos son el descenso hasta el 38% de los trasplantes realizados en código urgente, y la consolidación en el cambio de asistencia circulatoria pretrasplante, con la práctica desaparición del balón de contrapulsación (0, 7%), la estabilización del uso del oxigenador extracorpóreo de membrana (9, 6%) y el aumento de los dispositivos de asistencia ventricular (29%). La supervivencia en el trienio 2016-2018 es similar a la del trienio 2013-2015 (p = 0, 34), y ambas mejores que la del trienio 2010-2012 (p = 0, 002 y p = 0, 01 respectivamente). Conclusiones Se mantienen estables tanto la actividad del trasplante cardiaco en España como los resultados en supervivencia en los últimos 2 trienios. Hay una tendencia a realizar menos trasplantes urgentes, la mayoría con dispositivos de asistencia ventricular. Introduction and objectives: The present report describes the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants in Spain and updates the data to 2019. Methods: We describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of heart transplants performed in Spain in 2019, as well as trends in this procedure from 2010 to 2018. Results: In 2019, 300 transplants were performed (8794 since 1984; 2745 between 2010 and 2019). Compared with previous years, the most notable findings were the decreasing rate of urgent transplants (38%), and the consolidation of the type of circulatory support prior to transplant, with an almost complete disappearance of counterpulsation balloon (0.7%), stabilization in the use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (9.6%), and an increase in the use of ventricular assist devices (29.0%). Survival from 2016 to 2018 was similar to that from 2013 to 2015 (P = .34). Survival in both these periods was better than that from 2010 to 2012 (P = .002 and P = .01, respectively). Conclusions: Heart transplant activity has remained stable during the last few years, as have outcomes (in terms of survival). There has been a trend to a lower rate of urgent transplants and to a higher use of ventricular assist devices prior to transplant

Modeling the Corrugation of the Three-Phase Contact Line Perpendicular to a Chemically Striped Substrate

We model an infinitely long liquid bridge confined between two plates chemically patterned by stripes of same width and different contact angle, where the three-phase contact line runs, on average, perpendicular to the stripes. This allows us to study the corrugation of a contact line in the absence of pinning. We find that, if the spacing between the plates is large compared to the length scale of the surface patterning, the cosine of the macroscopic contact angle corresponds to an average of cosines of the intrinsic angles of the stripes, as predicted by the Cassie equation. If, however, the spacing becomes of order the length scale of the pattern there is a sharp crossover to a regime where the macroscopic contact angle varies between the intrinsic contact angle of each stripe, as predicted by the local Young equation. The results are obtained using two numerical methods, Lattice Boltzmann (a diffuse interface approach) and Surface Evolver (a sharp interface approach), thus giving a direct comparison of two popular numerical approaches to calculating drop shapes when applied to a non-trivial contact line problem. We find that the two methods give consistent results if we take into account a line tension in the free energy. In the lattice Boltzmann approach, the line tension arises from discretisation effects at the diffuse three phase contact line.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Langmui

Plasma Levels of Endocannabinoids and Their Analogues Are Related to Specific Fecal Bacterial Genera in Young Adults: Role in Gut Barrier Integrity

Objective: To investigate the association of plasma levels of endocannabinoids with fecal microbiota. Methods: Plasma levels of endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), as well as their eleven analogues, and arachidonic acid (AA), were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 92 young adults. DNA extracted from stool samples was analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Lipopolysaccharide levels were measured in plasma samples. Results: Plasma levels of endocannabinoids and their analogues were not related to beta or alpha diversity indexes. Plasma levels of AEA and related N-acylethanolamines correlated positively with the relative abundance of Faecalibacterium genus (all rho >= 0.26, p = 0.22, p = 0.24, p = 0.27, p <= 0.011), and negatively with the relative abundance of Prevotella genus (all rho <= -0.24, p <= 0.023). In participants with high lipopolysaccharide values, the plasma levels of AEA and related N-acylethanolamines, as well as AA and 2-AG, were negatively correlated with plasma levels of lipopolysaccharide (all rho <= -0.24, p <= 0.020). Conclusion: Plasma levels of endocannabinoids and their analogues are correlated to specific fecal bacterial genera involved in maintaining gut barrier integrity in young adults. This suggests that plasma levels of endocannabinoids and their analogues may play a role in the gut barrier integrity in young adults.Diabetes mellitus: pathophysiological changes and therap

Plasma Levels of Omega-3 and Omega-6 Derived Oxylipins Are Associated with Fecal Microbiota Composition in Young Adults

Pre-clinical studies suggest that circulating oxylipins, i.e., the oxidation products of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), modulate gut microbiota composition in mice, but there is no information available in humans. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 derived oxylipins plasma levels and fecal microbiota composition in a cohort of young adults. 80 young adults (74% women; 21.9 +/- 2.2 years old) were included in this cross-sectional study. Plasma levels of oxylipins were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Fecal microbiota composition was analyzed by V3-V4 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We observed that plasma levels of omega-3 derived oxylipins were positively associated with the relative abundance of Clostridium cluster IV genus (Firmicutes phylum; rho >= 0.415, p = -0.270, p = -0.263, p = -0.263, p <= 0.024). Lastly, the ratio between omega-6 and omega-3 oxylipins plasma levels was negatively associated with the relative abundance of Clostridium cluster IV genus (Firmicutes phylum; rho = -0.334, p = 0.004) and Butyricimonas genus (Bacteroidetes phylum; rho = -0.292, p = 0.014). In conclusion, our results show that the plasma levels of omega-3 and omega-6 derived oxylipins are associated with the relative abundance of specific fecal bacteria genera.Metabolic health: pathophysiological trajectories and therap

SDN-enabled Sliceable BVT Based on Multicarrier Technology for Multi-Flow Rate/Distance and Grid Adaptation

We experimentally demonstrate multiple advanced functionalities of a cost-effective high-capacity sliceable-BVT using multicarrier technology. It is programmable, adaptive and reconfigurable by an SDN controller for efficient resource usage, enabling unique granularity, flexibility and grid adaptation, even in conventional fixed-grid networks

Experimental Demonstration of a Metro Area Network with Terabit-capable Sliceable Bitrate Variable Transceiver using Direct Modulated VCSELs and Coherent Detection

We experimentally demonstrate a disaggregated metro area network that includes new photonic devices, node architectures, and sliceable bandwidth/bitrate variable transceiver, transmitting up to 8×11=88 spatial/spectral channels for a total capacity of 1.676Tb/s.</p

Experimental Demonstration of a Metro Area Network with Terabit-capable Sliceable Bitrate Variable Transceiver using Direct Modulated VCSELs and Coherent Detection

We experimentally demonstrate a disaggregated metro area network that includes new photonic devices, node architectures, and sliceable bandwidth/bitrate variable transceiver, transmitting up to 8×11=88 spatial/spectral channels for a total capacity of 1.676Tb/s.</p

Strategies to reengage patients lost to follow up in HIV care in high income countries, a scoping review

Background: Despite remarkable achievements in antiretroviral therapy (ART), losses to follow-up (LTFU) might prevent the long-term success of HIV treatment and might delay the achievement of the 90-90-90 objectives. This scoping review is aimed at the description and analysis of the strategies used in high-income countries to reengage LTFU in HIV care, their implementation and impact. Methods: A scoping review was done following Arksey & O'Malley's methodological framework and recommendations from Joanna Briggs Institute. Peer reviewed articles were searched for in Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science; and grey literature was searched for in Google and other sources of information. Documents were charted according to the information presented on LTFU, the reengagement procedures used in HIV units in high-income countries, published during the last 15 years. In addition, bibliographies of chosen articles were reviewed for additional articles. Results: Twenty-eight documents were finally included, over 80% of them published in the United States later than 2015. Database searches, phone calls and/or mail contacts were the most common strategies used to locate and track LTFU, while motivational interviews and strengths-based techniques were used most often during reengagement visits. Outcomes like tracing activities efficacy, rates of reengagement and viral load reduction were reported as outcome measures. Conclusions: This review shows a recent and growing trend in developing and implementing patient reengagement strategies in HIV care. However, most of these strategies have been implemented in the United States and little information is available for other high-income countries. The procedures used to trace and contact LTFU are similar across reviewed studies, but their impact and sustainability are widely different depending on the country studied