SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome

The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at first patient’s hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log10 copies/mL. Disease severity at the end of follow up was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. Primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death (n = 85, 26.4%). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load over the second quartile (≥ 7.35 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.003) and second tertile (≥ 8.27 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.01) were associated to unfavorable outcome in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. However, in the final multivariable analysis, viral load was not independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. Five predictors were independently associated with increased odds of ICU admission and/or death: age ≥ 70 years, SpO2, neutrophils > 7.5 × 103/µL, lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 300 U/L, and C-reactive protein ≥ 100 mg/L. In summary, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load on admission is generally high in patients with COVID-19, regardless of illness severity, but it cannot be used as an independent predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome

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

Dietary α‐Linolenic Acid, Marine ω‐3 Fatty Acids, and Mortality in a Population With High Fish Consumption: Findings From the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) Study

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests a cardioprotective role of α‐linolenic acid (ALA), a plant‐derived ω‐3 fatty acid. It is unclear whether ALA is beneficial in a background of high marine ω‐3 fatty acids (long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) intake. In persons at high cardiovascular risk from Spain, a country in which fish consumption is customarily high, we investigated whether meeting the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids recommendation for dietary ALA (0.7% of total energy) at baseline was related to all‐cause and cardiovascular disease mortality. We also examined the effect of meeting the society's recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (≥500 mg/day). Methods and Results: We longitudinally evaluated 7202 participants in the PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea (PREDIMED) trial. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models were fitted to estimate hazard ratios. ALA intake correlated to walnut consumption (r=0.94). During a 5.9‐y follow‐up, 431 deaths occurred (104 cardiovascular disease, 55 coronary heart disease, 32 sudden cardiac death, 25 stroke). The hazard ratios for meeting ALA recommendation (n=1615, 22.4%) were 0.72 (95% CI 0.56–0.92) for all‐cause mortality and 0.95 (95% CI 0.58–1.57) for fatal cardiovascular disease. The hazard ratios for meeting the recommendation for long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n=5452, 75.7%) were 0.84 (95% CI 0.67–1.05) for all‐cause mortality, 0.61 (95% CI 0.39–0.96) for fatal cardiovascular disease, 0.54 (95% CI 0.29–0.99) for fatal coronary heart disease, and 0.49 (95% CI 0.22–1.01) for sudden cardiac death. The highest reduction in all‐cause mortality occurred in participants meeting both recommendations (hazard ratio 0.63 [95% CI 0.45–0.87]). Conclusions: In participants without prior cardiovascular disease and high fish consumption, dietary ALA, supplied mainly by walnuts and olive oil, relates inversely to all‐cause mortality, whereas protection from cardiac mortality is limited to fish‐derived long‐chain n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Clinical Trial Registration URL: http://www.Controlled-trials.com/. Unique identifier: ISRCTN35739639

XVI International Congress of Control Electronics and Telecommunications: "Techno-scientific considerations for a post-pandemic world intensive in knowledge, innovation and sustainable local development"

Este título, sugestivo por los impactos durante la situación de la Covid 19 en el mundo, y que en Colombia lastimosamente han sido muy críticos, permiten asumir la obligada superación de tensiones sociales, políticas, y económicas; pero sobre todo científicas y tecnológicas. Inicialmente, esto supone la existencia de una capacidad de la sociedad colombiana por recuperar su estado inicial después de que haya cesado la perturbación a la que fue sometida por la catastrófica pandemia, y superar ese anterior estado de cosas ya que se encontraban -y aún se encuentran- muchos problemas locales mal resueltos, medianamente resueltos, y muchos sin resolver: es decir, habrá que rediseñar y fortalecer una probada resiliencia social existente - producto del prolongado conflicto social colombiano superado parcialmente por un proceso de paz exitoso - desde la tecnociencia local; como lo indicaba Markus Brunnermeier - economista alemán y catedrático de economía de la Universidad de Princeton- en su libro The Resilient Society…La cuestión no es preveerlo todo sino poder reaccionar…aprender a recuperarse rápido.This title, suggestive of the impacts during the Covid 19 situation in the world, and which have unfortunately been very critical in Colombia, allows us to assume the obligatory overcoming of social, political, and economic tensions; but above all scientific and technological. Initially, this supposes the existence of a capacity of Colombian society to recover its initial state after the disturbance to which it was subjected by the catastrophic pandemic has ceased, and to overcome that previous state of affairs since it was found -and still is find - many local problems poorly resolved, moderately resolved, and many unresolved: that is, an existing social resilience test will have to be redesigned and strengthened - product of the prolonged Colombian social conflict partially overcome by a successful peace process - from local technoscience; As Markus Brunnermeier - German economist and professor of economics at Princeton University - indicates in his book The Resilient Society...The question is not to foresee everything but to be able to react...learn to recover quickly.Bogot

La farmacia hospitalaria en el equipo multidisciplinar de las unidades COVID de hospitalización

[EN]: Since the implementation of the Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs, hospital pharmacy specialists have collaborated with infectious disease specialists on a regular basis in most hospitals in Spain. Cooperation between these professionals ensures the integrated management of patients with infectious diseases and the appropriate use of antimicrobials in hospitals. The COVID-19 pandemic forced hospital pharmacists to abruptly suspend all their structured activities and concentrate on the health crisis. Realtime information sharing between different medicine specialties is an effective strategy to generate and maintain treatment protocols adapted to each center, with continuous evidence-based modifications as new publications appear. Hospital pharmacies had to reorganize their activities to respond to the pandemic. On the one side were patients with COVID-19, and on the other were routine hospital pharmacy tasks, with the added difficulty of adapting to individual protection measures. New communication and collaboration strategies were adopted. Protocols were established for the management of COVID-19 patients, with continuous changes; special medications had to be prepared and distributed; circuits were designed for the home- or institution-based care of patients; internal circuits were created to minimize the movements of hospital staff and professionals caring for COVID-19 patients. The most effective antiviral drug and anti inflammatory therapy remains elusive. In this scenario, hospital pharmacists emerge as a key player, as they have a deep understanding of the mechanisms of action of drugs and potential interactions. In a setting where experimental drugs preferably tested in clinical trials are being used, the role of hospital pharmacists in interdisciplinary teams has become essential for the optimization of clinical outcomes.[ES]: La colaboración entre los especialistas en farmacia hospitalaria y enfermedades infecciosas está implantada en la mayoría de los hospitales españoles desde 2012, a raíz de los Programas de Optimización de Antibióticos. Los objetivos principales de esta colaboración son el abordaje integral de los pacientes con enfermedades infecciosas y el uso adecuado de los antimicrobianos en el hospital. Las actividades estructuradas y organizadas que los farmacéuticos tenían dentro de los grupos se vieron truncadas por la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2, que requirió una alta dedicación. El intercambio de información en tiempo real entre las especialidades ha sido una vía efectiva para generar y mantener protocolos de tratamiento adaptados a cada centro, con continuas modificaciones basadas en las publicaciones que iban apareciendo. Los servicios de farmacia se tuvieron que reorganizar para dar respuesta, por un lado, a los pacientes que ingresaban por esta infección, y por otro, para continuar con las actividades anteriores, con las dificultades añadidas que exigían las normativas para la protección del personal sanitario. Hubo que reinventarse para establecer otros sistemas de comunicación y de colaboración, protocolizando el tratamiento farmacológico de estos pacientes, con modificaciones continuas, gestión de medicamentos a través de medicamentos en situaciones especiales, diseño de circuitos para tratar a pacientes en su domicilio y en centros sociosanitarios y modificación de circuitos internos para minimizar los desplazamientos de los profesionales en el hospital, así como del personal que atendía a pacientes con SARS-CoV-2 A día de hoy, se desconoce el mejor fármaco antiviral y el mejor tratamiento antiinflamatorio, pero la colaboración del farmacéutico hospitalario es fundamental, pues dispone del conocimiento de los mecanismos de acción de fármacos tan diferentes y de las interacciones que pueden ocasionar. La urgente necesidad de utilizar fármacos experimentales, preferiblemente dentro de ensayos clínicos, coloca al farmacéutico en un papel clave dentro del equipo interdisciplinario imprescindible para conseguir los mejores resultados

Mechanochemically synthesized supported magnetic fe-nanoparticles as catalysts for efficient vanillin production

Magnetically separable nanocatalysts were synthesized by incorporating iron nanoparticles on a mesoporous aluminosilicate (Al-SBA-15) through a mechanochemical grinding pathway in a single step. Noticeably, magnetic features were achieved by employing biomass waste as a carbon source, which additionally may confer high oxygen functionalities to the resulting material. The resulting catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, porosimetry, and magnetic susceptibility. The magnetic nanocatalysts were tested in the selective oxidative cleavage reaction of isoeugenol and vanillyl alcohol to vanillin. As a result, the magnetic nanocatalysts demonstrated high catalytic activity, chemical stability, and enormous separation/reusability qualities. The origin of catalytic properties and its relationship with the iron oxide precursor were analyzed in terms of the chemical, morphological, and structural properties of the samples. Such analysis allows, thus, to highlight the superficial concentration of the iron entities and the interaction with Al as key factors to obtain a good catalytic response. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland