Notes on the cult of the Theban gods at Tanis: A general of Psusennes I

The General Wendjebaendjedet was a man of prominence at Psusennes I’ court. Even thought his origins are unknown, a possible family relationship with the royal family is being suggested in order to explain the unprecedented status that he attained: he was buried within the king’s own tomb; his exceptionally rich tomb group consisted of the typical Eleventh-Tenth Centuries BC royal funerary goods; and his impressive titulary included high-ranking military, civil and priestly titles. Focusing the attention on his sacerdotal and administrative duties on behalf of Khonsu in Thebes Neferhotep, we are going to have a closer look to the official cult of the Theban triad at Tanis and the role played by Wendjebaendjedet within the cult of the son and heir of Amun and MutEl General Wendjebaendjedet fue un hombre de vital importancia en la corte de Psusennes I. Aunque sus orígenes son desconocidos, se le ha vinculado con la familia real para explicar el estatus sin precedentes que adquirió: fue enterrado en la tumba del monarca, su excepcional ajuar funerario está compuesto por elementos propios de los ajuares reales de los siglos XI-X a. C. y, durante su carrera, ostentó una amplia titulatura, que incluía tanto altos cargos civiles y militares como sacerdotales. Centrando la atención en sus funciones sacerdotales y administrativas vinculadas al dios Khonsu en Tebas Neferhotep, vamos a analizar algunos aspectos de la veneración a la tríada tebana en Tanis y a valorar el papel que pudo desempeñar Wendjebaendjedet en el culto oficial al hijo y heredero de Amón y Mu

The personnel of Khonsu during the third intermediate period at Thebes: A prosopographical study of the 21st dynasty

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Filosofía y Letras, Departamento de Historia Antigua, Historia Medieval, Paleografía y Diplomática. Fecha de lectura: 12-06-2015The purpose of this doctoral thesis is to make a prosopographical reconstruction of the Theban personnel of Khonsu during 21st Dynasty as a means to understand the role played by their members both as servants of the different forms of Khonsu and as part of the cultic and administrative domains at Thebes. Although my research initially included the servants of this god during the whole Third Intermediate period throughout Egypt, the outstanding interpretations suggested by the variety of materials collected forced me to demarcate the limits of this dissertation. In this regard, I present a methodological proposal as well as a part of the results of a further reseach, whose main lines are summarised at the end of the dissertation. I focus my interest on the initial stages of Khonsu’s personnel, which flourished at the beginning of the I milennium BCE; I aim to respond to the lack of studies on this topic, a significant gap that seems quite surprising when looking at the available amount of biographical and genealogical information left by the servants of Khonsu during this period. In addition, I want to demonstrate how the prosopographical study of a group is an indicator of the some transformations that the sacerdotal, administrative and governmental structures might have suffered, even though imperceptibles at first glance. On the other hand, it is imperative to highlight the importance of the prosopographical database used for collecting the comprehensive corpus of documents and servants of the god Khonsu. For neither this research nor the database is conceivabled without the other. This essential tool was created ad hoc based on the specific features of the aformentioned individuals and the monuments dedicated by them. It suits my research needs and the digital format garantees its functionality. Consequently, besides the printed version at the end of the thesis, on page 46 a link to access to the online version is provided; while it is true that consulting the database it is not strictly necessary to understand the hypothesis stated on the following pagesEl principal objetivo de esta tesis consiste en realizar una reconstrucción prosopográfica del sacerdocio del dios Khonsu durante la Dinastía XXI egipcia y poder así entender el papel que desempeñaron sus componentes tanto como parte del propio sacerdocio, al igual que dentro de las esferas administrativa y cultual tebanas. Aunque mi investigación abarca todo el Tercer Período Intermedio e incluye a los servidores de las diferentes formas del dios en todo Egipto, la riqueza y heterogeneidad del material y las interesantes conclusiones extraídas de su análisis me llevaron a acotar el tema presentado en esta tesis doctoral. De este modo, centrándome en la etapa inicial de desarrollo de un clero en auge desde principios de I milenio a.C., presento una propuesta metodológica y los resultados de una estudio más amplio –cuyas principales líneas son esbozadas en las últimas páginas de esta tesis. Pretendo dar respuesta a una falta de estudios en la materia, principalmente llamativa si tenemos en cuenta la abundante información biográfica y genealógica sobre sacerdotes y servidores de Khonsu que encontramos para estos momentos, y asimismo demostrar cómo el análisis prosopográfico exhaustivo de un colectivo permite reconocer cambios en las estructuras de poder imperceptibles a simple vista. Del mismo modo, es indispensable hacer una mención a la base de datos utilizada para organizar de manera sistemática el corpus de documentos y personajes que constituyen la evidencia material de dicho personal. Esta herramienta esencial, sin la cual no es posible entender mi trabajo, ha sido creada ad hoc conforme a las necesidades impuestas por los documentos e individuos estudiados. Por ello, y aunque acceder a la base de datos prosopográfica no es un requisito indispensable para comprender los resultados de la investigación, ésta puede ser consultada tanto en su versión impresa –en las últimas páginas de la tesis– como a través del enlace proporcionado en la página 46. De este modo, el formato original garantiza su total funcionalidad, algo que quedaría desvirtuado si se optara por su presentación en papel únicament

Risk and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis

Background and purpose Limited information is available on incidence and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study investigated the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related outcomes in patients with MS, and compared these with the general population. Methods A regional registry was created to collect data on incidence, hospitalization rates, intensive care unit admission, and death in patients with MS and COVID-19. National government outcomes and seroprevalence data were used for comparison. The study was conducted at 14 specialist MS treatment centers in Madrid, Spain, between February and May 2020. Results Two-hundred nineteen patients were included in the registry, 51 of whom were hospitalized with COVID-19. The mean age ± standard deviation was 45.3 ± 12.4 years, and the mean duration of MS was 11.9 ± 8.9 years. The infection incidence rate was lower in patients with MS than the general population (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70–0.80), but hospitalization rates were higher (relative risk = 5.03, 95% CI = 3.76–6.62). Disease severity was generally low, with only one admission to an intensive care unit and five deaths. Males with MS had higher incidence rates and risk of hospitalization than females. No association was found between the use of any disease-modifying treatment and hospitalization risk. Conclusions Patients with MS do not appear to have greater risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19 outcomes compared with the general population. The decision to start or continue disease-modifying treatment should be based on a careful risk–benefit assessment.post-print996 K

Optimizando el abordaje del asma bronquial

196 páginas.El asma bronquial es una enfermedad crónica que afecta a millones de personas en todo el mundo, siendo la primera enfermedad crónica en la edad pediátrica. Se caracteriza por una inflamación de las vías respiratorias que conduce a la obstrucción del flujo de aire y a la dificultad para respirar. El asma es una enfermedad que afecta a la calidad de vida de las personas que la padece y puede ser una condición potencialmente mortal si no se trata adecuadamente. A pesar de los avances significativos en el tratamiento del asma en las últimas décadas, todavía hay muchas personas que no logran controlar adecuadamente su enfermedad. Muchos pacientes continúan experimentando síntomas a pesar de tomar medicamentos y seguir las recomendaciones médicas. Esto puede deberse a multitud de factores, como una mala adherencia al tratamiento, una falta de comprensión de la enfermedad o una falta de seguimiento por parte de los profesionales sanitarios. Una formación adecuada de los profesionales sanitarios implicados en la atención al paciente asmático (Médicos de Familia, Médicos de urgencias, Pediatras, Neumólogos, Alergólogos, etc) ayudará a establecer una estrategia de tratamiento eficaz y eficiente que pueda traducirse en una mejora del control y por tanto de la calidad de vida de nuestros pacientes. En este libro, se abordan las últimas recomendaciones basadas en la evidencia para el diagnóstico, la evaluación y el tratamiento del asma, con un enfoque multidisciplinar. A lo largo de sus diez capítulos, se describe como llegar a establecer un diagnostico correcto del asma (interpretación de pruebas alérgicas, espirometria y técnicas de imagen), uso adecuado de los distintos dispositivos de inhalación, las peculiaridades del tratamiento en el embarazo y en la edad pediátrica, el importante papel de la inmunoterapia en el tratamiento del asma alérgica, así de como debemos actuar ante una crisis de asma o cuales son los avances actuales y futuros en el asma grave o de difícil control

EstuPlan: Methodology for the development of creativity in the resolution of scientific and social problems

[EN] Creative thinking is necessary to generate novel ideas and solve problems. "EstuPlan" is a methodology in which knowledge and creativity converge for the resolution of scientific problems with social projection. It is a training programme that integrates teachers, laboratory technicians and PhD students, master and undergraduate students which form working groups for the development of projects. Projects have a broad and essential scope and projection in terms of environmental problems, sustainable use of natural resources, food, health, biotechnology or biomedicine. The results show the success of this significant learning methodology using tools to develop creativity in responding to scientific and social demand for problem-solving to transfer academic knowledge to different professional environments. Bioplastics, Second Life of Coffee, LimBio, Algae oils, Ecomers, Caring for the life of your crop and Hate to Deforestate are currently being developed.Astudillo Calderón, S.; De Díez De La Torre, L.; García Companys, M.; Ortega Pérez, N.; Rodríguez Martínez, V.; Alzahrani, S.; Alonso Valenzuela, R.... (2019). EstuPlan: Methodology for the development of creativity in the resolution of scientific and social problems. En HEAD'19. 5th International Conference on Higher Education Advances. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 711-717. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAD19.2019.9205OCS71171

Dendritic cell deficiencies persist seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection induces an exacerbated inflammation driven by innate immunity components. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the defense against viral infections, for instance plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), have the capacity to produce vast amounts of interferon-alpha (IFN-α). In COVID-19 there is a deficit in DC numbers and IFN-α production, which has been associated with disease severity. In this work, we described that in addition to the DC deficiency, several DC activation and homing markers were altered in acute COVID-19 patients, which were associated with multiple inflammatory markers. Remarkably, previously hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients remained with decreased numbers of CD1c+ myeloid DCs and pDCs seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the expression of DC markers such as CD86 and CD4 were only restored in previously nonhospitalized patients, while no restoration of integrin β7 and indoleamine 2,3-dyoxigenase (IDO) levels were observed. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the immunological sequelae of COVID-19

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

<scp>ReSurveyEurope</scp>: A database of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe

AbstractAimsWe introduce ReSurveyEurope — a new data source of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe, compiled by a collaborative network of vegetation scientists. We describe the scope of this initiative, provide an overview of currently available data, governance, data contribution rules, and accessibility. In addition, we outline further steps, including potential research questions.ResultsReSurveyEurope includes resurveyed vegetation plots from all habitats. Version 1.0 of ReSurveyEurope contains 283,135 observations (i.e., individual surveys of each plot) from 79,190 plots sampled in 449 independent resurvey projects. Of these, 62,139 (78%) are permanent plots, that is, marked in situ, or located with GPS, which allow for high spatial accuracy in resurvey. The remaining 17,051 (22%) plots are from studies in which plots from the initial survey could not be exactly relocated. Four data sets, which together account for 28,470 (36%) plots, provide only presence/absence information on plant species, while the remaining 50,720 (64%) plots contain abundance information (e.g., percentage cover or cover–abundance classes such as variants of the Braun‐Blanquet scale). The oldest plots were sampled in 1911 in the Swiss Alps, while most plots were sampled between 1950 and 2020.ConclusionsReSurveyEurope is a new resource to address a wide range of research questions on fine‐scale changes in European vegetation. The initiative is devoted to an inclusive and transparent governance and data usage approach, based on slightly adapted rules of the well‐established European Vegetation Archive (EVA). ReSurveyEurope data are ready for use, and proposals for analyses of the data set can be submitted at any time to the coordinators. Still, further data contributions are highly welcome.</jats:sec