Refuerzo de conocimientos de Bioquímica aplicando juegos de letras o de palabras sencillos

Introducció i problema: Els jocs són molt apreciats per la població en general, i per això vam fer una cerca de diversos jocs amb la finalitat d’utilitzar-los per a reforçar els coneixements en bioquímica dels alumnes del grau de Química de la Universitat de Barcelona. Els jocs dels llibres de passatemps es basen en dues possibilitats: números i lletres. Entre els jocs de lletres, destaquen els mots encreuats, auto definits, paraules creuades i sopes de lletres. Metodologia: Per reforçar els coneixements dels estudiants de Bioquímica, vam realitzar una recerca de jocs de paraules usats en l’aprenentatge de la gramàtica als idiomes, per adaptar-los després a la nomenclatura i estructura de les biomolècules. Seguint una aproximació conductista, vam fer servir el model de Dick i Carey. Resultats i discussió: Els jocs més senzills sobre paraules es basen en cercar dins d’un conjunt de paraules, aquelles que tinguin alguna part en comú. En aquest sentit, vam implementar jocs de rimes, en el què les paraules acaben en –ina (terminació freqüent dels aminoàcids, bases nitrogenades, nucleòsids i algunes proteïnes), en –osa (terminació freqüent dels hidrats de carboni), o en – ic / –at (terminació freqüent dels àcids grassos i altres àcids intermediaris del metabolisme, o de les seves sals corresponents). Així doncs, els alumnes poden observar aquestes característiques a la nomenclatura. D'altra banda, també vam implementar jocs de paraules incompletes que es basen en completar els noms dels metabòlits tot utilitzant grups de lletres a escollir. Els jocs es van classificar en 4 grups i aquí se’n presenten alguns exemples. Pel que fa a la dificultat, els jocs tipus dòmino són els més difícils de resoldre, ja que cal conèixer tant la nomenclatura com l’estructura de les biomolècules. Conclusions: La nostra proposta inclou diversos jocs de paraules que permeten reforçar els coneixements de Bioquímica.Introduction and problem: Games are highly appreciated by general population, so we decided to search several games in order to use them to reinforce the knowledge in biochemistry of students from the Chemistry Degree of the University of Barcelona. The puzzle book games are based on two possibilities: numbers and letters. Among the letters’ games the most frequent are crossword, self-defined crosswords, crossword puzzles and word search puzzles. Methodology: To reinforce students’ knowledge in Biochemistry, we performed a search for word games based in those used in language grammar learning, to then adapt them to the nomenclature and structure of biomolecules in Biochemistry. Following a behaviorist approach, we applied the model of Dick and Carey. Results and discussion: The simplest word games are based on searching in a set of words, those that have some common part. In this sense, we implemented rhyming games, in which the words ended in –ine (a frequent ending of amino acids, nitrogenous bases, nucleosides and some proteins), in –ose (a frequent ending of carbohydrates), or ended in –ic / –ate (frequent ending of fatty acids and other acids intermediate of the metabolism, or their corresponding salts). Thus, students were able to observe these characteristics in the nomenclature. On the other hand, we also implemented incomplete words’ games that are based on completing the names of the metabolites using groups of letters. Games were classified into 4 groups and some examples of them are presented. Regarding difficulty, domino games are the most difficult to solve since they require knowing both the nomenclature and structure of biomolecules. Conclusions: Our proposal includes several word games that allow the reinforcement of the knowledge in the subject of Biochemistry.Introducción y problema: Los juegos son muy apreciados por la población en general, así que realizamos una búsqueda de diversos juegos con la finalidad de utilizarlos para reforzar los conocimientos en bioquímica de los alumnos del grado de Química de la Universidad de Barcelona. Los juegos de los libros de pasatiempos están basados en dos posibilidades: números y letras. Entre los juegos de letras los más frecuentes son los crucigramas, autodefinidos, palabras cruzadas y sopas de letras. Metodología: Para reforzar los conocimientos de los estudiantes en Bioquímica, realizamos una búsqueda de juegos de palabras usados en el aprendizaje de gramática de idiomas, para luego adaptarlos a la nomenclatura y estructura de biomoléculas en Bioquímica. Siguiendo una aproximación conductista, utilizamos el modelo de Dick y Carey. Resultados y discusión: Los juegos más sencillos sobre palabras se basan en buscar dentro de un conjunto de palabras, aquellas que tengan alguna parte en común. En este sentido, implementamos juegos de rimas, en los que las palabras terminan en –ina (terminación frecuente de los aminoácidos, bases nitrogenadas, nucleósidos y algunas proteínas), en –osa (terminación frecuente de los hidratos de carbono), o en –ico / –ato (terminación frecuente de los ácidos grasos y otros ácidos intermediarios del metabolismo, o de sus sales correspondientes). Así pues, los alumnos pueden observar estas características en la nomenclatura. Por otro lado, también implementamos juegos de palabras incompletas que se basan en completar los nombres de los metabolitos utilizando grupos de letras a escoger. Los juegos se clasificaron en 4 grupos y se presentan algunos ejemplos de estos. Respecto a la dificultad, los juegos tipo dominó son los más difíciles de resolver, pues requieren conocer tanto la nomenclatura como la estructura de las biomoléculas. Conclusiones: Nuestra propuesta incluye diversos juegos de palabras que permiten reforzar conocimientos de Bioquímica

Cytoplasmic male sterility as a biological confinement tool for maize coexistence: optimization of pollinator spatial arrangement

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) allows efficient biological confinement of transgenes if pollen-mediated gene flow has to be reduced or eliminated. For introduction of CMS maize in agricultural practice, sufficient yields comparable with conventional systems should be achieved. The plus-cultivar-system in maize offers a possibility for biological confinement together with high and stable yields whereas pollinator amount and distribution within the CMS crop is crucial. The aim of this EU-funded study was to identify the best proportion (10, 15, and 20%) and spatial arrangement (inserted rows, mixed seeds) of the pollinator within the CMS maize cultivar under field conditions in the Czech Republic, in Germany and in Spain. In Germany and in the Czech Republic, a pollinator proportion of 10% produced significantly lower yield than the treatments with a pollinator proportion of 15% and 20%. Differences in yield between row and mix arrangements were not detected. No differences between the tested arrangements occurred in Spain. With respect to practical conditions, a pollinator proportion of 15% can be recommended for achieving a satisfactory yield. CMS maize cultivar released no or merely a small amount of pollen and self-pollinated plants developed no or only a small number of kernels indicating that currently recommended isolation distances between genetically modified (GM) and non-GM fields can be substantially shortened if the CMS confinement tool is used.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Strategies for reducing the risk of transfusion-transmitted leishmaniasis in an area endemic for Leishmania infantum: a patient- and donor-targeted approach

Background. In the Balearic Islands, as in other areas of the Mediterranean basin, there is a significant proportion of asymptomatic Leishmania (L.) infantum-infected blood donors, who may represent an important threat to transfusion safety. The Balearic Islands blood bank, located in an area endemic for L. infantum, carried out a study of donors and patients to investigate the impact of this infectious disease on blood safety in the region. Materials and methods. Twenty asymptomatic Leishmania-infected blood donors were followed-up between 2008 and 2011 to investigate the evolution of Leishmania infection in asymptomatic carriers. Their blood was periodically tested for anti-Leishmania antibodies by western blot and for Leishmania DNA by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Additionally, the prevalence of L. infantum infection was investigated in a group of 68 multiply transfused patients to ascertain the risk of transfusion-transmitted leishmaniasis (TTL) in the region, taking into account regular blood component production practices such as pre-storage leucodepletion and pathogen reduction technology. Results. All 20 donors remained asymptomatic over the study period (2008-2011). Most donors had repeatedly positive qPCR results, either persistently or intermittently, but showed no symptoms of Leishmaniasis. Levels of parasitaemia were remarkably low in asymptomatic donors, with values ≤1 parasite/mL. Despite multiple transfusions received over 15 years, no transfused patient studied was infected with L. infantum. Discussion. L. infantum-infected donors can remain asymptomatic for at least 3 years. In our region, no cases of TTL were detected, despite an active search in multiply transfused patients. This seems to be related to two independent variables: (i) a low concentration of the parasite in the peripheral blood of asymptomatic carriers and (ii) the application of methods with proven efficacy against TTL, such as leucodepletion and pathogen reduction technology

RICORS2040 : The need for collaborative research in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent and poorly known killer. The current concept of CKD is relatively young and uptake by the public, physicians and health authorities is not widespread. Physicians still confuse CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. Thus health authorities may consider CKD a non-issue: very few persons eventually need KRT and, for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is 'solved' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, KRT is the tip of the iceberg in the burden of CKD. The main burden of CKD is accelerated ageing and premature death. The cut-off points for kidney function and kidney damage indexes that define CKD also mark an increased risk for all-cause premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality that is 10- to 100-fold higher than similar-age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by ~40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth greatest global cause of death by 2040 and the second greatest cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when one in four Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded Centres for Biomedical Research (CIBER) network structure in Spain. Realizing the underestimation of the CKD burden of disease by health authorities, the Decade of the Kidney initiative for 2020-2030 was launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the European Kidney Health Alliance. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network Red de Investigación Renal have now applied for the Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) call for collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades del Riñón and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true

Temporal changes in the epidemiology, management, and outcome from acute respiratory distress syndrome in European intensive care units: a comparison of two large cohorts

Background: Mortality rates for patients with ARDS remain high. We assessed temporal changes in the epidemiology and management of ARDS patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation in European ICUs. We also investigated the association between ventilatory settings and outcome in these patients. Methods: This was a post hoc analysis of two cohorts of adult ICU patients admitted between May 1–15, 2002 (SOAP study, n = 3147), and May 8–18, 2012 (ICON audit, n = 4601 admitted to ICUs in the same 24 countries as the SOAP study). ARDS was defined retrospectively using the Berlin definitions. Values of tidal volume, PEEP, plateau pressure, and FiO2 corresponding to the most abnormal value of arterial PO2 were recorded prospectively every 24 h. In both studies, patients were followed for outcome until death, hospital discharge or for 60 days. Results: The frequency of ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation during the ICU stay was similar in SOAP and ICON (327[10.4%] vs. 494[10.7%], p = 0.793). The diagnosis of ARDS was established at a median of 3 (IQ: 1–7) days after admission in SOAP and 2 (1–6) days in ICON. Within 24 h of diagnosis, ARDS was mild in 244 (29.7%), moderate in 388 (47.3%), and severe in 189 (23.0%) patients. In patients with ARDS, tidal volumes were lower in the later (ICON) than in the earlier (SOAP) cohort. Plateau and driving pressures were also lower in ICON than in SOAP. ICU (134[41.1%] vs 179[36.9%]) and hospital (151[46.2%] vs 212[44.4%]) mortality rates in patients with ARDS were similar in SOAP and ICON. High plateau pressure (> 29 cmH2O) and driving pressure (> 14 cmH2O) on the first day of mechanical ventilation but not tidal volume (> 8 ml/kg predicted body weight [PBW]) were independently associated with a higher risk of in-hospital death. Conclusion: The frequency of and outcome from ARDS remained relatively stable between 2002 and 2012. Plateau pressure > 29 cmH2O and driving pressure > 14 cmH2O on the first day of mechanical ventilation but not tidal volume > 8 ml/kg PBW were independently associated with a higher risk of death. These data highlight the continued burden of ARDS and provide hypothesis-generating data for the design of future studies

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

The clinical relevance of oliguria in the critically ill patient : Analysis of a large observational database

Funding Information: Marc Leone reports receiving consulting fees from Amomed and Aguettant; lecture fees from MSD, Pfizer, Octapharma, 3 M, Aspen, Orion; travel support from LFB; and grant support from PHRC IR and his institution. JLV is the Editor-in-Chief of Critical Care. The other authors declare that they have no relevant financial interests. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 The Author(s). Copyright: Copyright 2020 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.Background: Urine output is widely used as one of the criteria for the diagnosis and staging of acute renal failure, but few studies have specifically assessed the role of oliguria as a marker of acute renal failure or outcomes in general intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Using a large multinational database, we therefore evaluated the occurrence of oliguria (defined as a urine output 16 years) patients in the ICON audit who had a urine output measurement on the day of admission were included. To investigate the association between oliguria and mortality, we used a multilevel analysis. Results: Of the 8292 patients included, 2050 (24.7%) were oliguric during the first 24 h of admission. Patients with oliguria on admission who had at least one additional 24-h urine output recorded during their ICU stay (n = 1349) were divided into three groups: transient - oliguria resolved within 48 h after the admission day (n = 390 [28.9%]), prolonged - oliguria resolved > 48 h after the admission day (n = 141 [10.5%]), and permanent - oliguria persisting for the whole ICU stay or again present at the end of the ICU stay (n = 818 [60.6%]). ICU and hospital mortality rates were higher in patients with oliguria than in those without, except for patients with transient oliguria who had significantly lower mortality rates than non-oliguric patients. In multilevel analysis, the need for RRT was associated with a significantly higher risk of death (OR = 1.51 [95% CI 1.19-1.91], p = 0.001), but the presence of oliguria on admission was not (OR = 1.14 [95% CI 0.97-1.34], p = 0.103). Conclusions: Oliguria is common in ICU patients and may have a relatively benign nature if only transient. The duration of oliguria and need for RRT are associated with worse outcome.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Global overview of the management of acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic (CHOLECOVID study)

Background: This study provides a global overview of the management of patients with acute cholecystitis during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: CHOLECOVID is an international, multicentre, observational comparative study of patients admitted to hospital with acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data on management were collected for a 2-month study interval coincident with the WHO declaration of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and compared with an equivalent pre-pandemic time interval. Mediation analysis examined the influence of SARS-COV-2 infection on 30-day mortality. Results: This study collected data on 9783 patients with acute cholecystitis admitted to 247 hospitals across the world. The pandemic was associated with reduced availability of surgical workforce and operating facilities globally, a significant shift to worse severity of disease, and increased use of conservative management. There was a reduction (both absolute and proportionate) in the number of patients undergoing cholecystectomy from 3095 patients (56.2 per cent) pre-pandemic to 1998 patients (46.2 per cent) during the pandemic but there was no difference in 30-day all-cause mortality after cholecystectomy comparing the pre-pandemic interval with the pandemic (13 patients (0.4 per cent) pre-pandemic to 13 patients (0.6 per cent) pandemic; P = 0.355). In mediation analysis, an admission with acute cholecystitis during the pandemic was associated with a non-significant increased risk of death (OR 1.29, 95 per cent c.i. 0.93 to 1.79, P = 0.121). Conclusion: CHOLECOVID provides a unique overview of the treatment of patients with cholecystitis across the globe during the first months of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The study highlights the need for system resilience in retention of elective surgical activity. Cholecystectomy was associated with a low risk of mortality and deferral of treatment results in an increase in avoidable morbidity that represents the non-COVID cost of this pandemic