Karyological study of some species of Quercus (subgen. Quercus) in the Cordillera Cantábrica (Spain)

Se estudian, desde el punto de vista cariológico, cuatro especies y tres híbridos del género Quercus (subgen. Quercus) en 65 poblaciones de la Cordillera Cantábrica. Se indica por primera vez para material español el número cromosómico (n =12, 2n =24) de Q. petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl. y Q. robur L. subsp. robur. Todos los táxones estudiados presentan cariotipos muy semejantes. Se confirma x=12 como número básico para Quercus.A Karyological study for four species and three hybrids of Quercus (subgen. Quercus) from Cordillera Cantábrica (65 populations) has been made. The chromosome number (n =12, 2n =24) of Q. petraea (Mattuschka) Liebl. and Q. robur L. subsp. robur are reported for the first time about Spanish plants.The basic number of Quercus (x=12) and similar cariotypes every one of them are confirmed

Immune Regulatory 1 Cells: A Novel and Potent Subset of Human T Regulatory Cells

A subset of T regulatory cells (Tregs), identified by TIRC7 (T cell immune response cDNA 7) expression is designated as Immune Regulatory 1 Cells (IR1 cells). TIRC7 is an immune checkpoint inhibitor, co-localized with the T- cell receptor, HLA-DR and CTLA-4 during T-cell activation, which delivers regulatory signals via binding to its ligand, HLA-DR α2 domain. IR1 cells express FOXP3, and multiple other markers associated with immune suppression. They constitute as much as 10% of Tregs. IR1 cells strongly inhibit proliferation in mixed lymphocyte reactions, where they express high levels of IL-10. Ex vivo expansion of Tregs over 2 weeks in the presence of an agonist TIRC7 antibody disproportionately expands the IR1 Treg subset, while maintaining high expression of suppressive markers including CD39, IL-10, LAP and GARP. Ex vivo expanded IR1 cells are a potent, homogeneous, stable set of suppressor Tregs with the potential to modulate immune dysregulation. The characteristics of IR1 cells suggest a therapeutic advantage over polyclonal Tregs for therapeutic interventions. Early restoration of immune homeostasis using IR1 cells has the potential to fundamentally alter the natural history of conditions characterized by abnormalities in the T regulatory cell compartment

The Florida pancreas collaborative next-generation biobank: Infrastructure to reduce disparities and improve survival for a diverse cohort of patients with pancreatic cancer

Background: Well-annotated, high-quality biorepositories provide a valuable platform to support translational research. However, most biorepositories have poor representation of minority groups, limiting the ability to address health disparities. Methods: We describe the establishment of the Florida Pancreas Collaborative (FPC), the first state-wide prospective cohort study and biorepository designed to address the higher burden of pancreatic cancer (PaCa) in African Americans (AA) compared to Non-Hispanic Whites (NHW) and Hispanic/Latinx (H/L). We provide an overview of stakeholders; study eligibility and design; recruitment strategies; standard operating procedures to collect, process, store, and transfer biospecimens, medical images, and data; our cloud-based data management platform; and progress regarding recruitment and biobanking. Results: The FPC consists of multidisciplinary teams from fifteen Florida medical institutions. From March 2019 through August 2020, 350 patients were assessed for eligibility, 323 met inclusion/exclusion criteria, and 305 (94%) enrolled, including 228 NHW, 30 AA, and 47 H/L, with 94%, 100%, and 94% participation rates, respectively. A high percentage of participants have donated blood (87%), pancreatic tumor tissue (41%), computed tomography scans (76%), and questionnaires (62%). Conclusions: This biorepository addresses a critical gap in PaCa research and has potential to advance translational studies intended to minimize disparities and reduce PaCa-related morbidity and mortality

In vivo IL-12/IL-23p40 neutralization blocks Th1/Th17 response after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation

T-helper 1 and T-helper 17 lymphocytes mediate acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Interleukin 12 is critical for T-helper 1 differentiation and interleukin 23 for T-helper 17 maintenance. Interleukin 12 and 23 are heterodimeric cytokines that share the p40 subunit (IL-12/IL-23p40). In a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial, we examined the biological impact and clinical outcomes following IL-12/IL-23p40 neutralization using ustekinumab. Thirty patients received peripheral blood mobilized hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) from HLA-matched sibling or unrelated donors, received sirolimus plus tacrolimus as GvHD prophylaxis, and were randomized to ustekinumab versus placebo with 1:1 allocation after stratification by donor type. The primary end point of the trial was the mean percentage (%) T-regulatory (Treg) cells on day 30 post HCT. Ustekinumab was delivered by subcutaneous injection on day −1 and day +20 after transplantation. On day 30 post transplant, no significant difference in % Treg was observed. Ustekinumab suppressed serum IL-12/IL-23p40 levels. Host-reactive donor alloresponse at days 30 and 90 after transplantation was polarized with significant reduction in IL-17 and IFN-α production and increase in IL-4. No toxicity attributed to ustekinumab was observed. Overall survival and National Institute of Health moderate/severe chronic GvHD-free, relapse-free survival were significantly improved among ustekinumab-treated patients. No significant improvements were observed in acute or chronic GvHD, relapse, or non-relapse mortality. These data provide first evidence that IL-12/IL-23p40 neutralization can polarize donor anti-host alloresponse in vivo and provide initial clinical efficacy evidence to be tested in subsequent trials. (Trial registered at clinicaltrials.gov identifier: 01713400.

Healthcare workers hospitalized due to COVID-19 have no higher risk of death than general population. Data from the Spanish SEMI-COVID-19 Registry

Aim To determine whether healthcare workers (HCW) hospitalized in Spain due to COVID-19 have a worse prognosis than non-healthcare workers (NHCW). Methods Observational cohort study based on the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry, a nationwide registry that collects sociodemographic, clinical, laboratory, and treatment data on patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in Spain. Patients aged 20-65 years were selected. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed to identify factors associated with mortality. Results As of 22 May 2020, 4393 patients were included, of whom 419 (9.5%) were HCW. Median (interquartile range) age of HCW was 52 (15) years and 62.4% were women. Prevalence of comorbidities and severe radiological findings upon admission were less frequent in HCW. There were no difference in need of respiratory support and admission to intensive care unit, but occurrence of sepsis and in-hospital mortality was lower in HCW (1.7% vs. 3.9%; p = 0.024 and 0.7% vs. 4.8%; p<0.001 respectively). Age, male sex and comorbidity, were independently associated with higher in-hospital mortality and healthcare working with lower mortality (OR 0.211, 95%CI 0.067-0.667, p = 0.008). 30-days survival was higher in HCW (0.968 vs. 0.851 p<0.001). Conclusions Hospitalized COVID-19 HCW had fewer comorbidities and a better prognosis than NHCW. Our results suggest that professional exposure to COVID-19 in HCW does not carry more clinical severity nor mortality

Privileged Access Management (PAM): comparison between the health and business sectors

Introdução: Os ataques cibernéticos são direcionados a organizações de saúde, com foco nos dados pessoais e privados armazenados com base em informações confidenciais, como dados clínicos de pacientes. As empresas usam soluções de gestão de acessos privilegiados, porque acham mais eficiente comprar e gerir a sua própria solução de segurança de conta privilegiada. Objetivo: Revisão da utilização de gestão de acessos privilegiados nos setores da saúde e empresarial. Métodos: Elaboração de uma revisão bibliográfica através da recolha de artigos científicos com aplicação de critérios de inclusão e exclusão, seguindo-se a análise, seleção e criação de fluxogramas. Foi feita uma comparação da aplicação da gestão de acessos privilegiados no setor da saúde e empresarial, com a respetiva contextualização de um caso de estudo em contexto de estágio na Sonae MC, BIT. Resultados: Proposta de um Prove of Concept (POC) de um caso de estudo em saúde e criação de um guia de boas práticas para a possível implementação de um caso de estudo em saúde com base no trabalho elaborado. Conclusão: O setor de saúde processa e armazena informações confidenciais. Essas informações podem levar ao roubo de identidade e violação de dados, sendo que a implementação de um conjunto de medidas de segurança pode melhorar drasticamente a postura de segurança de uma organização, em particular no setor da saúde.Introduction: Cyberattacks are targeted at healthcare organizations, focusing on personal and private data stored on the basis of sensitive information such as patient clinical data. Companies use privileged access management solutions because they find it more efficient to purchase and manage their own privileged account security solution. Objective: To review the use of privileged access management in the healthcare and business sectors. Methods: Elaboration of a bibliographic review through the collection of scientific articles with the application of inclusion and exclusion criteria, followed by the analysis, selection and creation of flowcharts. A comparison was made of the application of privileged access management in the healthcare and business sectors, with the respective context of a case study in the context of an internship at Sonae MC, BIT. Results: Proposal of a Prove of Concept (POC) for a healthcare case study and creation of a good practice guide for the possible implementation of a healthcare case study based on the work carried out. Conclusion: The healthcare industry processes and stores confidential information. This information can lead to identity theft and data breaches, and implementing a set of security measures can dramatically improve an organization's security posture, particularly in the healthcare industry

Performance of Spanish buyouts : evidence from a global recession

Previous research on the topic of buyouts performance has focused almost entirely on major markets, as the US or the UK. The conclusions are mixed, with some authors agreeing on the buyouts’ superior operating performance and with others focusing on governance and financial engineering changes as drivers of performance. This study aims at evaluating the performance of 21 different Spanish buyouts that occurred in 2006, a year before the financial crisis hit the world. Buyouts were evaluated during a five-year period, aiming at analyzing their performance during recession years and recovery years. Performance was examined considering five variables, organized in three categories: profitability, leverage and efficiency. Combining a propensity score matching instrument, that minimized biases in the construction of matched firms, with a difference-in-difference estimation model, performance was then assessed. Our regression results show that, on average, performance was negative one and three years after the buyout, with signs of positive recovery five years after the operation. Efficiency gains might explain and support the theory of greater performance of buyouts. These results contrast with the performance of other types of private equity investments, whose recuperation after the economic downturn was much longer.Investigações anteriores relativamente ao tópico de buyouts focaram-se quase exclusivamente em grandes mercados, como US ou UK. As conclusões são variadas, com alguns autores a concordar na superior performance operacional, e outros destacando as mudanças dos princípios de gestão e financeiras como motes para o melhor desempenho. Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar a performance de 21 processos de buyout ocorridos em Espanha durante 2006, um ano antes da crise financeira. As operações de buyout foram analisadas durante um período de cinco anos com o intuito de estudar anos de recessão e anos de recuperação, e a performance foi avaliada considerando 5 variáveis, organizadas em três categorias: lucro, estrutura de capital e eficiência/produtividade. O desempenho das empresas foi avaliado combinando o instrumento de propensity score matching, que minimizou erros na construção de um grupo de comparação, com o modelo de estimação diferença-nas-diferenças. Os nossos resultados mostram que, em média, a performance foi negativa um ano e três anos após a operação de private equity, mostrando sinais de recuperação cinco anos após. Os ganhos de eficiência poderão explicar e apoiar a teoria de maior performance por parte de buyouts. Estes resultados contrastam com o desempenho de outros tipos de investimento de private equity, cuja recuperação após a crise financeira foi bastante mais demorada