Influence of Body Composition on Arterial Stiffness in Middle-Aged Adults: Healthy UAL Cross-Sectional Study

Background and objectives: Several anthropometric and body composition parameters have been linked to arterial stiffness (AS) as a biomarker of cardiovascular disease. However, little is known about which of these closely related factors is more strongly associated with AS. The aim of the present study was to analyze the relationship of different anthropometric and body composition parameters with AS in middle-aged adults. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 186 middle-aged participants (85 women, 101 men; age = 42.8 ± 12.6 years) evaluated as part of the Healthy UAL study, a population study conducted at the University of Almería with the main purpose of analyzing the etiology and risk factors associated with cardio-metabolic diseases. Anthropometric measures included neck, waist, and hip circumferences, as well as the waist-to-height ratio (WHtr). Bioimpedance-derived parameters included fat-free mass index (FFMI), fat mass index (FMI), and percent of body fat (%BF). AS was measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV). The relationships of interest were examined through stepwise regression analyses in which age and sex were also introduced as potential confounders. Results: Neck circumference (in the anthropometric model; R2: 0.889; β: age = 0.855, neck = 0.204) and FFMI (in the bio-impedance model; R2: 0.891; β: age = 0.906, FFMI = 0.199) emerged as significant cross-sectional predictors of AS. When all parameters were included together (both anthropometry and bio-impedance), both neck circumference and FFMI appeared again as being significantly associated with AS (R2: 0.894; β: age = 0.882, FFMI = 0.126, neck = 0.093). Conclusion: It was concluded that FFMI and neck circumference are correlated with AS regardless of potential confounders and other anthropometric and bioimpedance-derived parameters in middle-aged adults

Utilidad clínica y eficiencia de la predicción y tratamiento del riesgo cardiovascular en pacientes con dislipidemia.

La enfermedad cardiovascular constituye la primera causa de muerte en la población española y produce casi 5 millones de estancias hospitalarias anuales. Para calcular el riesgo cardiovascular, se utiliza la tabla SCORE, que tiene en cuenta el nivel de colesterol total, entre otros. Se aconseja iniciar tratamiento hipolipemiante en los pacientes clasificados como alto riesgo. Sin embargo, parece que un número importante de pacientes clasificados como bajo riesgo sufren un evento cardiovascular a corto plazo, suponiendo un coste elevado para el Sistema Sanitari

Biochemical and mutational studies of allantoinase from Bacillus licheniformis CECT 20T.

Allantoinases (allantoin amidohydrolase, E.C. 3.5.2.5) catalyze the hydrolysis of the amide bond of allantoin to form allantoic acid, in those organisms where allantoin is not the final product of uric acid degradation. Despite their importance in the purine catabolic pathway, sequences of microbial allantoinases with proven activity are scarce, and only the enzyme from Escherichia coli (AllEco) has been studied in detail in the genomic era. In this work, we report the cloning, purification and characterization of the recombinant allantoinase from Bacillus licheniformis CECT 20T (AllBali). The enzyme was a homotetramer with an apparent Tm of 62 ± 1 °C. Optimal parameters for the enzyme activity were pH 7.5 and 50 °C, showing apparent Km and kcat values of 17.7 ± 2.7 mM and 24.4 ± 1.5 s−1, respectively. Co2+ proved to be the most effective cofactor, inverting the enantioselectivity of AllBali when compared to that previously reported for other allantoinases. The common ability of different cyclic amidohydrolases to hydrolyze distinct substrates to the natural one also proved true for AllBali. The enzyme was able to hydrolyze hydantoin, dihydrouracil and 5-ethyl-hydantoin, although at relative rates 3–4 orders of magnitude lower than with allantoin. Mutagenesis experiments suggest that S292 is likely implicated in the binding of the allantoin ring through the carbonyl group of the polypeptide main chain, which is the common mechanism observed in other members of the amidohydrolase family. In addition, our results suggest an allosteric effect of H2O2 toward allantoinase.pre-print829 K

Biochemical and Mutational Studies of the Bacillus cereus CECT 5050T Formamidase Support the Existence of a C-E-E-K Tetrad in Several Members of the Nitrilase Superfamily.

Formamidases (EC 3.5.1.49) are poorly characterized proteins. In spite of this scarce knowledge, ammonia has been described as playing a central role in the pathogenesis of human pathogens such as Helicobacter pylori, for which formamidase has been shown to participate in the nitrogen metabolic pathway. Sequence analysis has revealed that at least two different groups of formamidases are classified as EC 3.5.1.49: on the one hand, the derivatives of the FmdA-AmdA superfamily, which are the best studied to date, and on the other hand, the derivatives of Helicobacter pylori AmiF. Here we present the cloning, purification, and characterization of a recombinant formamidase from Bacillus cereus CECT 5050T (BceAmiF), the second member of the AmiF subfamily to be characterized, showing new features of the enzyme further supporting its relationship with aliphatic amidases. We also present homology modeling-based mutational studies confirming the importance of the Glu140 and Tyr191 residues in the enzymatic activities of the AmiF family. Moreover, we can conclude that a second glutamate residue is critical in several members of the nitrilase superfamily, meaning that what has consistently been identified as a C-E-K triad is in fact a C-E-E-K tetrad.pre-print615 K

Reuse of public sector information and open data in the Spanish and European context. Aporta Project

The reuse of public sector information is an increasingly key element in the Open data and Open government strategies. The European authorities are promoting public information reuse policies as a pillar for the digital economy and for democratic transparency. In the same way, several public and private reuse initiatives in Spain have sprung up in recent years to maximize public information reuse benefits. In this sense, the Aporta Project, supported by the Spanish Ministry for Territorial Cooperation and Public Administration and the Ministry for Industry, Trade and Commerce, have been working since 2009 in promoting reuse in Spain. Regarding the challenges of the actual reuse policies it is important to point out that a Royal decree that develops the Spanish Reuse Law is being drafted with the aim to solve some indeterminate aspects of the present public information reuse law

The effect of sleep quality on academic performance is mediated by Internet use time: DADOS study

Objective: The aims of the present study were to analyze the association of sleep patterns withacademic and cognitive performance in adolescents, and to test the potential mediating effectof different activities of screen media usage on this association.Methods: A sample of 269 adolescents (140 boys) aged 14 years from the baseline data of theDeporte, ADOlescencia y Salud study completed questionnaires about sleep quality, cognitiveperformance, and leisure-time sedentary behaviors. Sleep duration was objectively computedusing a wrist-worn GENEActiv accelerometer and academic performance was analyzed throughschool records.Results: Sleep quality (but not sleep duration) was associated with all the academic perfor-mance indicators (all p < 0.05). Analysis of covariance revealed higher grades among adolescentswith better sleep quality (PSQI ≤ 5; all p < 0.05). These analyses showed no differences regardingcognitive performance. Internet use time was revealed as a mediator of the association betweensleep quality and academic performance, being significant for all academic performance indi-cators (PMranging from 15.5% to 16.0%)

Enzymatic dynamic kinetic resolution of racemic N-formyl- and N-carbamoyl-amino acids using immobilized L-N-carbamoylase and N-succinyl-amino acid racemase.

Taking advantage of the catalytic promiscuity of L-carbamoylase from Geobacillus stearothermophilus CECT43 (BsLcar) and N-succinyl-amino acid racemase from Geobacillus kaustophilus CECT4264 (GkNSAAR), we have evaluated the production of different optically pure L-α-amino acids starting from different racemic N-formyl- and N-carbamoyl-amino acids using a dynamic kinetic resolution approach. The enzymes were immobilized on two different solid supports, resulting in improved stability of the enzymes in terms of thermostability and storage when compared to the enzymes in solution. The bienzymatic system retained up to 80 % conversion efficiency after 20 weeks at 4 °C and up to 90 % after 1 week at 45 °C. The immobilization process also resulted in a great enhancement of the activity of BsLcar toward N-formyl-tryptophan, showing for the first time that substrate specificity of L-carbamoylases can be influenced by this approach. The system was effective for the biosynthesis of natural and unnatural L-amino acids (enantiomeric excess (e.e.) >99.5 %), such as L-methionine, L-alanine, L-tryptophan, L-homophenylalanine, L-aminobutyric acid, and L-norleucine, with a higher performance toward N-formyl-α-amino acid substrates. Biocatalyst reuse was studied, and after 10 reaction cycles, over 75 % activity remained.post-print1047 K

Manejo de la insuficiencia cardíaca refractaria a diuréticos con suero salino hipertónico

Heart failure is one of the most prevalent diseases in our society, being a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in elderly people. Treatment of acute heart failure is mainly based on the administration of intravenous loop diuretics; however, in some cases their use is not associated with an improvement of symptomatology or prognosis, frequently requiring readmission in a hospital. This is a case report about a patient who was admitted to San Juan de Alicante Home Hospitalization Unit. Despite a proper diuretic treatment, this patient had heart failure and refractory oedema in lower limbs. We initiate treatment with an infusion of hypertonic saline solution and high doses of furosemide, registering an improvement of the symptoms and reducing oedema maintaining renal function.La insuficiencia cardiaca es una de las patologías más prevalentes en nuestra sociedad, siendo una causa frecuente de morbimortalidad en ancianos. El tratamiento de la insuficiencia cardiaca aguda se basa principalmente en la administración de diuréticos de asa de forma intravenosa, sin embargo, en algunos casos su uso no se asocia a una mejora en la sintomatología ni el pronóstico, requiriendo reingresos hospitalarios de forma habitual. Presentamos el caso clínico de un paciente ingresado a cargo de la Unidad de Hospitalización a Domicilio que presentaba insuficiencia cardiaca crónica y edemas refractarios en ambos miembros inferiores a pesar de un tratamiento diurético adecuado. Se inicia infusión de suero salino hipertónico junto con altas dosis de furosemida, registrando una mejora de la sintomatología y reducción de los edemas manteniendo su función renal