Human papillomavirus-like particles vaccine efficiently produced in a non-fermentative system based on insect larva

8 p., 3 figures, 1 table of contents and bibliographySexually transmitt ed human papillomavirus (HPV) infections cause most cervical cancers. The inability to propagate HPV in vitro has led to the development of alternative approaches to antigen production for vaccine development. In the present work we describe a l ow - cost eff icient production of HPV virus - like particles (VLPs) in a non - fermentative system based on baculovirus and Trichoplusia ni ( T. ni ) insects. The L1 protein from HPV 16 was expressed by a recombinant baculovirus in larva at levels that reached 18 to 21 mg pe r g of fresh insect biomass. It represents about 2.5 times the L1 production yields obtained per g of insect cells using the same recombinant baculovirus. Under electron microscopy, purified VLPs produced in larvae were indistinguishable from those produce d in Sf - 21 insect cell cultures, presenting identical shape and size . Immunization of mice with the insect - derived VLPs induced a potent immune response similar to that obtained with insect cells - derived VLPs. The use of live insect larvae as “mini bioreac tors” opens up the possibility of cost - effective production of a vaccine against cervical cancer produced by papillomavirus, with special application in human populations where production costs restrain their use.This work was partially supported by Grants BIO2005-00155 and CPE03-022-C5-2 from the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia and INIA, respectively, and by funds from the company Alternative Gene Expression S.L. (ALGENEX).Peer reviewe

Advanced displays and natural user interfaces to support learning

[EN] Advanced displays and Natural User Interfaces (NUI) are a very suitable combination for developing systems to provide an enhanced and richer user experience. This combination can be appropriate in several fields and has not been extensively exploited. One of the fields that this combination is especially suitable for is education. Nowadays, children are growing up playing with computer games, using mobile devices, and other technological devices. New learning methods that use these new technologies can help in the learning process. In this paper, two new methods that use advanced displays and NUI for learning about a period of history are presented. One of the methods is an autostereoscopic system that lets children see themselves as a background in the game and renders the elements in 3D without the need for special glasses; the second method is a frontal projection system that projects the image on a table in 2D and works similarly to a touch table. The Microsoft Kinect© is used in both systems for the interaction. A comparative study to check different aspects was carried out. A total of 128 children from 7 to 11 years old participated in the study. From the results, we observed that the different characteristics of the systems did not influence the children s acquired knowledge, engagement, or satisfaction. There were statistically significant differences for depth perception and presence in which the autostereoscopic system was scored higher. However, of the two systems, the children considered the frontal projection to be easier to use. We would like to highlight that the scores for the two systems and for all the questions were very high. These results suggest that games of this kind (advanced displays and NUI) could be appropriate educational games and that autostereoscopy is a technology to exploit in their development.This work was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through the APRENDRA project (TIN2009-14319-C02-01).Martín San José, JF.; Juan, M.; Mollá Vayá, RP.; Vivó Hernando, RA. (2017). Advanced displays and natural user interfaces to support learning. Interactive Learning Environments. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2015.1090455

Preservation of Quercus robur germplasm by cryostorage of embryogenic cultures derived from mature trees and rapd analysis of genetic stability

This study reports on the cryostorage of embryogenic lines derived from selected mature Quercus robur trees, following application of the PVS2-vitrification based procedure. In seven oak genotypes, embryo recovery levels ranging from 57-92% were obtained when 4-6 mg embryo clumps were precultured for 3 days on 0.3 M sucrose basal medium, treated with PVS2 solution for 60 min at 24ºC, and then immersed in liquid nitrogen (LN). Embryos of six out of seven lines were cryostored for one week and one year and used to evaluate cryopreservation tolerance, germination ability and to assess genetic fidelity by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. There were no significant differences between the recovery frequencies of samples retrieved from LN after 1 week and 1 year of cryostorage. In five out of six lines, RAPD profiles of cryopreserved somatic embryos and regenerated plantlets were identical to those of the controls. Although polymorphisms were detected in only one cryostored embryo of one genotype, no genetic instability was found in the regenerated plantlets. This methodology appears to be suitable for long-term storage of this valuable germplasm, as the recovered plantlets were found to be genetically stable.Xunta de Galicia project: PGIDIT03RFO40001PR MEC (Spain) project: AGL2006-01387/FORPeer reviewe

The effects of images on multiple-choice questions in computer-based formative assessment

Current learning and assessment are evolving into digital systems that can be used, stored, and processed online. In this paper, three different types of questionnaires for assessment are presented. All the questionnaires were filled out online on a web-based format. A study was carried out to determine whether the use of images related to each question in the questionnaires affected the selection of the correct answer. Three questionnaires were used: two questionnaires with images (images used during learning and images not use during learning) and another questionnaire with no images, text-only. Ninety-four children between seven and eight years old participated in the study. The comparison of the scores obtained on the pre-test and on the post-test indicates that the children increased their knowledge after the training, which demonstrates that the learning method is effective. When the post-test scores for the three types of questionnaires were compared, statistically significant differences were found in favour of the two questionnaires with images versus the text-only questionnaire. No statistically significant differences were found between the two types of questionnaires with images. Therefore, to a great extent, the use of images in the questionnaires helps students to select the correct answer. Since this encourages students, adding images to the questionnaires could be a good strategy for formative assessmentMartín San José, JF.; Juan, M.; Vivó Hernando, RA.; Abad Cerdá, FJ. (2015). The effects of images on multiple-choice questions in computer-based formative assessment. Digital Education Review (antes Interactive Educational Multimedia). (28):123-144. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/73001S1231442

The prognostic value of multiparameter flow cytometry minimal residual disease assessment in relapsed multiple myeloma

Letter to the editor.-- et al.This study was supported by the Cooperative Research Thematic Network grants RD12/0036/0058 of the Red de Cancer (Cancer Network of Excellence); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain, Instituto de Salud Carlos III/Subdirección General de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS: PI060339; 06/1354; 02/0905; 01/0089/01-02; PS09/01897/01370; G03/136; Sara Borrell: CD13/00340); and Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (GCB120981SAN), Spain. The study was also supported internationally by the International Myeloma Foundation Junior Grant Proposal and the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation research fellow award.Peer Reviewe

Detection of intimate partner violence in primary care and related factors

Objetivo: La violencia de compañero íntimo (VCI) contra las mujeres es un importante problema de salud pública y de derechos humanos. Los profesionales de atención primaria tienen un papel clave en su detección y abordaje. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la frecuencia y los factores asociados a la realización de preguntas de detección de VCI en atención primaria, y describir las principales acciones desarrolladas en los casos identificados. Métodos: Estudio transversal en 15 centros de salud de cuatro comunidades autónomas, con 265 profesionales sanitarios. Recogida de información mediante el cuestionario PREMIS (Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey) autocumplimentado, que incluye variables sobre realización de preguntas para detección, sociodemográficas, nivel de formación/conocimientos en VCI, percepciones y acciones. Se realizó un análisis descriptivo y analítico. Resultados: El 67,2% de los participantes señalan que preguntan sobre VCI en la consulta, siendo las acciones más frecuentes referir/derivar a otros servicios, consejo individual y entrega de información. Se asociaron a mayor probabilidad de indagar sobre VCI tener ≥21 de horas de formación, nivel formativo avanzado, conocer políticas y programas, y disponer de protocolo y recursos apropiados de referencia. La realización de preguntas aumenta a medida que los/las profesionales se sienten formados en VCI y provistos/as de un protocolo de manejo de casos. Conclusiones: Dos terceras partes de los/las profesionales sanitarios/as encuestados/as refirieron indagar sobre VCI. Dada la influencia de la formación en VCI y el conocimiento sobre los recursos para su abordaje, resulta imprescindible continuar invirtiendo en la formación en VCI del personal sanitario.Objective: Intimate partner violence (IPV) against women is a significant public health and human rights problem. Primary care professionals play a key role in detecting and addressing this issue. The aim of this study is to determine the frequency of IPV and its associated factors in primary care by means of a screening questionnaire and to describe the main actions taken in identified cases. Methods: Cross-sectional study in 15 health centres in four autonomous regions of Spain with a total of 265 health professionals. The information was collected through the self-administered PREMIS questionnaire (Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey), which includes variables concerning screening questions, sociodemographic factors, level of training/knowledge about IPV, perceptions and actions. A descriptive and analytical study was conducted. Results: 67.2% of participants said they ask about IPV during consultations. The most frequent actions were: referring patients to other departments, individual counselling and information delivery. ≥21 hours of training, an advanced training level, knowledge of policies and programmes and the implementation of an appropriate protocol and reference resources were all factors that increased the likelihood of investigating IPV. The asking of questions increases in line with professionals’ perceived level of training in IPV and the provision of a case management protocol. Conclusions: Two thirds of health professional respondents said they inquire about IPV. Given the influence of training in IPV and awareness of the resources to address the issue, it is essential to continue investing in the IPV training of healthcare personnel.Este estudio forma parte del proyecto de investigación Violencia contra las mujeres en la pareja y respuestas de los profesionales de atención primaria de salud de España, financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, el Instituto Carlos III y Fondos FEDER (PI13/00874) para el periodo 2014-2016. También recibió el apoyo económico de COFAS (COFUND action within the Marie Curie Action People, in the Seventh Framework program and the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research/FAS-Forskningsradet för arbetsliv och socialvetenskap)

Shared decision making with schizophrenic patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial with booster sessions (DECIDE Study)

Background: The treatment of schizophrenia requires a prolonged, multidimensional intervention that includes antipsychotic drugs. Treatment adherence is essential to effectively control the disorder. Shared decision-making (SDM) is a strategy, supported by numerous practical and ethical arguments, that seeks to involve patients in the therapeutic process to improve treatment adherence and satisfaction. The use of this model in mental health has been limited for many intrinsic and extrinsic reasons. The results of clinical trials conducted to date have largely been disappointing, potential due to study design-related limitations. Aim/Question: To evaluate the efficacy, in terms of treatment adherence and improvement in clinical variables, such as severity of symptoms, days of hospitalization or insight, of a carefully timed SDM model initiated immediately prior to hospital discharge in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Single-blind, randomized clinical trial in an acute psychiatric care unit within the Andalusian Health Department to compare SDM (experimental group) to treatment as usual (TAU; control group) in a sample of patients hospitalized for an acute episode of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. The study was performed between January 2014 and June 2017. The experimental group participated in SDM sessions prior to discharge with regular booster sessions over the one-year follow-up. The health care team responsible for SDM was predisposed to concordance (LatCon II scale) and received specific training in SDM. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the factors independently associated with adherence, controlling for sociodemographic, clinical, and admission-related variables. Variables were assessed at admission, discharge and at 3, 6 and 12 months after discharge during the one year follow up. BARS, DAI, WAI-S, COMRADE and PANSS were used to evaluate adherence, attitude to treatment, therapeutic alliance, satisfaction and confidence with decision and clinical status, respectively. Results: A total of 227 schizophrenic patients hospitalized with acute decompensation were evaluated; of these, 102 met all inclusion criteria and were included in the study. Most patients (95%) had prior experience with antipsychotics and most (82%) had experienced related side effects. Despite randomization, psychopathologic severity was greater in the experimental group, with a mean (SD) PANSS score of 104.08 (80) vs. 93.45 (20.30) (p < 0.05). The final regression model to explain adherence was significant (adjusted R2 = 0.384; F [df= 6] = 4.386; p < 0.001), with a direct, significant and independent association with SDM mediated by the number of booster sessions. Discussion: Shared decision making with booster sessions appears to increase treatment adherence in patients with severe mental disorders. Implication on practice: Ethical, practical, and clinical reasons support the use of strategies designed promote the use of long-term, shared decision-making in psychiatric patients, especially in schizophrenia spectrum disorder. Background: Adherence is essential for the successful treatment of schizophrenia. Shared decision making is a strategy that aims to involve patients in the treatment process to improve satisfaction with treatment. However, the evidence to support this approach remains inconclusive. Aim/Question: To assess the efficacy, in terms of treatment adherence and clinical variables, of a shared decision-making approach initiated immediately prior to hospital discharge and at regular intervals during one-year follow-up in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Single-blind randomized clinical trial with in an acute psychiatric care unit within the Andalusian Health Department, with booster sessions at months 3, 6, and 12 during the follow-up. A hierarchical multiple linear regression was performed to assess adherence, controlling for sociodemographic, clinical, and admission-related variables, and the application or not of shared decision-making. Results: 102 patients with acute decompensation were included. Despite randomization, psychopathologic severity was greater in the experimental group, with a mean (SD) PANSS score of 104.08 (80) vs. 93.45 (20.30) (p < 0.05). The final explanatory adherence model was significant (adjusted R2 = 0.384; F [df = 16] = 4.386; p < 0.001), with a significant and independent association of shared decision-making mediated by the number of booster sessions applied. Conclusions: The application of shared decision making with booster sessions appears to increase the likelihood of treatment adherence in schizophrenia spectrum disorder. © 2023 The Author

The PARP inhibitor olaparib enhances the sensitivity of Ewing sarcoma to trabectedin

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al.Recent preclinical evidence has suggested that Ewing Sarcoma (ES) bearing EWSR1-ETS fusions could be particularly sensitive to PARP inhibitors (PARPinh) in combination with DNA damage repair (DDR) agents. Trabectedin is an antitumoral agent that modulates EWSR1-FLI1 transcriptional functions, causing DNA damage. Interestingly, PARP1 is also a transcriptional regulator of EWSR1-FLI1, and PARPinh disrupts the DDR machinery. Thus, given the impact and apparent specificity of both agents with regard to the DNA damage/DDR system and EWSR1-FLI1 activity in ES, we decided to explore the activity of combining PARPinh and Trabectedin in in vitro and in vivo experiments. The combination of Olaparib and Trabectedin was found to be highly synergistic, inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and the accumulation of G2/M. The drug combination also enhanced γH2AX intranuclear accumulation as a result of DNA damage induction, DNA fragmentation and global DDR deregulation, while EWSR1-FLI1 target expression remained unaffected. The effect of the drug combination was corroborated in a mouse xenograft model of ES and, more importantly, in two ES patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models in which the tumors showed complete regression. In conclusion, the combination of the two agents leads to a biologically significant deregulation of the DDR machinery that elicits relevant antitumor activity in preclinical models and might represent a promising therapeutic tool that should be further explored for translation to the clinical setting.Enrique de Álava’s lab is supported by the AECC (Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer), the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain-FEDER (PI081828, RD06/0020/0059 RD12/0036/0017, PT13/0010/0056, PI110018, ISCIII Sara Borrell postdoc grant CD06/00001), the European Project EuroSARC (FP7-HEALTH-2011- two-stage, Project ID 278742 EUROSARC), Fundación Memoria de D. Manuel Solorzano Barruso, Fundación Cris contra el cancer, and Fundación María García Estrada. JLO was sponsored by the CSIC and the European Social Fund (post-doctoral grant JAE DOC) and is at present funded by the AECC. ATA is sponsored by the Fundaçao para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal (fellowship SFRH/BD/69318/2010). OMT is funded by Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias-ISCIII (CES12/021) and the AECC. DHM is funded by the AECC. Work supported by the Xarxa de Bancs de Tumors de Catalunya (XBTC) sponsored by Pla Director d’Oncologia de Catalunya. AMC acknowledges funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under a Marie Curie International Reintegration Grant (PIRG-08- GA-2010-276998) and ISCIII-FEDER (CP13/00189).Peer Reviewe

Revista de Vertebrados de la Estación Biológica de Doñana

Dimorfismo sexual en Microtus cabrerae en base a los caracteres de su pelvis.Notas sobre la distribución y ecología de Microtus cabreae, Thomas, 1906.Alimentación de la culebra bastarda (Malpolon monspessulanus, Ophidia, Colubridae) en el S. O. de España.Selectividad en la predación de la lechuza común (Tyto alba) sobre Rano ridibunda.Variations in the food habits of the european Eagle Owl. (Bubo bubo)Contaminación en huevos de aves silvestres de lSuroeste de España por residuos organoclorados (Insecticidas y bifenilos policlorados)Sobre el status taxonómico del águila imperial ibéricaEstudio filogenético y comparativo de Microtus cabrerae y Microtus brecciensisDescripción de una nueva especie de liebre (Lepus castroviejoi), endémica de la Cordillera CantábricaPeer reviewe