Cardiovascular (CV) disease is the main cause of mortality in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). CV risk is enhanced by dysregulation of adipokines. Low omentin levels were associated with metabolic ...dysfunction and CV disease in conditions different from axSpA. Accordingly, we evaluated the genetic and functional implication of omentin in CV risk and subclinical atherosclerosis in a cohort of 385 axSpA patients. Subclinical atherosclerosis was evaluated by carotid ultrasound. Omentin rs12409609, in linkage disequilibrium with a polymorphism associated with CV risk, was genotyped in 385 patients and 84 controls. Serum omentin levels were also determined. omentin mRNA expression was assessed in a subgroup of individuals. Serum and mRNA omentin levels were lower in axSpA compared to controls. Low serum omentin levels were related to male sex, obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and high atherogenic index. rs12409609 minor allele was associated with low omentin mRNA expression in axSpA. No association was observed with subclinical atherosclerosis at the genetic or functional level. In conclusion, in our study low omentin serum levels were associated with CV risk factors in axSpA. Furthermore, rs12409609 minor allele may be downregulating the expression of omentin. These data support a role of omentin as a CV risk biomarker in axSpA.
Background Peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) are commonly used in hospital worldwide. However, PIVC are not exempt from complications. Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) increase ...morbidity and mortality rates, and costs for the healthcare organization. PIVC care is shaped by the complex mix of professional and organizational culture, such as knowledge gaps, low perception of impact of PIVCs on patient safety, or lack of hospital guidelines. Aim To explore determinants of decision-making about the prevention of PIVC-BSI among nurses in Spanish hospitals. Methods We conducted a descriptive qualitative study with semi-structured interviews in three public hospitals, the Balearic Islands Health Care Service in Spain. We considered hospital ward nurses working routinely with inpatients at any of the three hospitals for enrolment in the study. We approached relevant informants to identify suitable participants who recruited other participants through a 'snowball' technique. Fourteen inpatient nurses from the hospital took part in this study between September and November 2018. We employed several triangulation strategies to underpin the methodological rigour of our analysis and conducted the member checking, showing the information and codes applied in the recording of the interviews to identify the coherence and any discrepancies of the discourse by participants. We used the COREQ checklist for this study. Findings We identified four major themes in the analysis related to determinants of care: The fog of decision-making in PIVC; The taskification of PIVC care; PIVC care is accepted to be suboptimal, yet irrelevant; and chasms between perceived determinants of poor PIVC care and its solutions. Conclusion The clinical management of PIVCs appear ambiguous, unclear, and fragmented, with no clear professional responsibility and no nurse leadership, causing a gap in preventing infections. Furthermore, the perception of low risk on PIVC care impact can cause a relevant lack of adherence to the best evidence and patient safety. Implementing facilitation strategies could improve the fidelity of the best available evidence regarding PIVC care and raise awareness among nurses of impact that excellence of care. Keywords: Clinical decision making, Peripheral venous catheterization, Catheter-related infections
Different genus of bacteria has been reported with the capacity to solubilize phosphorus from phosphate rock (PR). Pseudomonas sp., (A18) and Serratia sp., (C7) isolated from soils at the ...“Departamento de Boyacá” Colombia, where Allium cepa is cultivated. Bacteria were cultured in MT11B media and evaluated as a bio-fertilizer for A. cepa germination and growth during two months at greenhouse scale. Pseudomonas sp., and Serratia sp., cultured at 30 °C, 48 h in SMRS1 agar modified with PR, (as an inorganic source of phosphorus), presented a phosphate solubilization index (SI) of 2.1 ± 0.2 and 2.0 ± 0.3 mm, respectively. During interaction assays no inhibition halos were observed, demonstrating there was no antagonism between them. In MT11B media growth curve (12 h) demonstrated that co-culture can grow in the presence of PR and glucose concentrations 7.5-fold, lower than in SMRS1 media and brewer's yeast hydrolysate; producing phosphatase enzymes with a volumetric activity of 1.3 ± 0.03 PU at 6 h of culture and 0.8 ± 0.04 PU at 12 h. Moreover, co-culture released soluble phosphorus at a rate of 58.1 ± 0.28 mg L−1 at 8 h and 88.1 ± 0.32 mg L−1 at 12 h. After five days of evaluation it was observed that germination percentage was greater than 90 % of total evaluated seeds, when placing them in contact with the co-culture in a concentration of 1 × 108 CFU mL−1. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that co-culture application (10 mL per experimental unit to complete 160 mL in two months) at 8.0 Log10 CFU mL−1 twice a week for two months increased A. cepa total dry weight (69 ± 13 mg) compared with total dry weight (38 ± 5.0 mg) obtained with the control with water.
Biofertilizer; Phosphate rock; Pseudomonas sp.; Serratia sp.; Allium cepa; Crop production; Field crops; Organic farming; Bacteria; Microbial biotechnology, Biotechnology, Plant biology, Agriculture
Therapies targeting the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor or its ligand (PD-L1), such as the humanized monoclonal antibody durvalumab, have shown durable clinical responses in several tumor ...types. However, concerns about the safety and feasibility of PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in HIV-1-infected individuals have led to the exclusion of these patients from clinical trials on cancer immunotherapies.
To evaluate the feasibility and safety of durvalumab treatment in patients with advanced cancer and virologically controlled HIV-1 infection.
The DURVAST study was a nonrandomized, open-label, phase 2 clinical trial in patients with any solid tumor type in which anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 antibodies have approved indications or for which there are data of antitumoral activity with no other available curative therapy. All patients had basal undetectable plasma viremia while undergoing combination antiretroviral therapy.
Treatment consisted of intravenous infusion of durvalumab (1500 mg every 4 weeks) until disease progression or unacceptable toxic effects.
Adverse events were graded with the use of the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, version 4.03. Tumor response was evaluated using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1.
A total of 20 HIV-1-infected patients with advanced cancer were enrolled; 16 (80%) were male, the median (range) age was 54 (30-73) years, and 12 (60%) had progressed with previous cancer treatment lines. A median (range) of 4 (1-16) cycles of durvalumab were administered. Drug-related adverse events were observed in 50% of patients, and all were grade 1 and 2 (mainly diarrhea, asthenia, and arthromyalgia). Four of 16 response-evaluable patients (25%) had a partial response. Five patients (31%) had stable disease, including 4 with durable stable disease (disease control rate of 50%). CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell counts and plasma HIV-1 viremia remained stable throughout the study.
Durvalumab treatment was feasible and safe in HIV-1-infected patients with cancer receiving combination antiretroviral therapy. HIV-1-infected patients on suppressive antiretroviral therapy with advanced cancer should have access to cancer immunotherapy treatments.
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03094286.
La reexperimentación emocional (re) permite dar sentido a hechos traumáticos o estresantes mediante un proceso dirigido por instrucciones verbales o escritas, y por ello puede generar beneficios en ...el bienestar psicológico y la salud física autoinformada. El objetivo del presente estudio fue evaluar la comprensión de tres tipos de instrucciones experimentales (re tradicional, re con claves de aceptación y compromiso, y re psicosocial) y una instrucción para el grupo control (re trivial), mediante técnicas de validación cognitiva (pruebas centradas en el significado y verbalización de pensamiento) en personas expuestas a hechos de violencia política en Colombia. Para ello, se desarrolló un estudio de tipo cualitativo con corte instrumental, en el que se entrevistó a 42 colombianos víctimas de violencia política, en su mayoría mujeres, elegidos con un muestro por conveniencia. Las entrevistas fueron transcritas y codificadas mediante un análisis categorial mixto que tomó como referente procedimientos del Movimiento de Aspectos Cognitivos de la Metodología de Encuestas. Como resultado, los participantes comprendieron de manera diferencial las instrucciones dadas en cada protocolo, enfocándose en aspectos como el contexto sociopolítico en el caso del protocolo psicosocial, y en respuestas asociadas a la aceptación en el protocolo con claves de aceptación y compromiso. Se identificaron dificultades en la comprensión de algunas secciones de los protocolos, las cuales fueron ajustadas. Finalmente, se enfatiza la importancia de implementar técnicas de validación cognitiva para verificar la comprensión de instrucciones, protocolos o instrumentos, dado que el desempeño de los participantes y la calidad de las medidas de las intervenciones pueden verse afectados por la comprensión e interpretación de las instrucciones propuestas.
•Geopolymer and cement concretes for artificial reefs were prepared using 3D printing.•The type of binder in concrete affects its biofouling and durability when immersed in seawater.•Biofouling and ...mechanical properties at medium term are better with cement compared to geopolymer as binders.•Cement appears to be the better binder compared with geopolymer for the fabrication of artificial reefs.
Protection, restoration, and regeneration of aquatic habitats are an increasingly important issue and are requiring intensive research. In the marine environment, artificial reefs may be deployed to help offset habitat loss, increase local biodiversity and stimulate the recovery of ecosystems. This study aimed at the fabrication of artificial reefs by 3D printing. In the framework of the European INTERREG Atlantic Area collaborative project “3DPARE”, six printed concrete formulations with limited environmental impact, based on geopolymer or cement CEM III binders and recycled sands, were immersed in the Atlantic along British, French, Portuguese and Spanish coasts. The colonisation of the concrete samples by micro- and macroorganisms and their durability were assessed after 1, 3 and 6 months of immersion. Results showed that both parameters were better with CEM III compared to geopolymer-based formulations. Therefore the use of CEM III should be prioritised over these geopolymer binders in 3D printed concrete for artificial reef applications.
•A thermal inversion pushed smoke plume 70km away from wildfire.•The air quality in a city 70km from the forest fire was seriously affected.•A significant loss of visibility and ashes deposition were ...observed in the city.•The radiative forcing estimated in the city indicated strong aerosol absorption.•Over 40μgm−3 of PM reached the alveolar area of the population in the city.
Display omitted
This study shows the influence of two large wildfires (one of which was the largest wildfire ever recorded in the region of Castilla y León) in the north-west of the Iberian Peninsula upon the atmospheric air quality of the city of León, Spain, at approximately 70km from the fires, on days with a strong subsidence inversion associated with high pressures. The vertical dispersion of the smoke plume was inhibited and this caused an increase in the particulate matter (PM) in the atmosphere. During this event, average values of up to 1700±600particlescm−3 were registered, most of which corresponding to the smallest fraction of the fine mode. On the other hand, the count median diameter of the fine mode (CMDf) increased gradually from 0.09 to 0.14μm. The PM10 and PM2.5 reached hourly values of 89 and 36μgm−3, respectively. This study also estimates the changes in the optical properties of the particles as well as the associated radiative forcing. The presence of an important load of absorbing aerosols was detected, with instantaneous radiative atmospheric forcing up to +134.6Wm−2. The estimations of the respirable fractions showed in healthy adults high levels of mass concentration of the aerosol that reaches the bronchioles and alveoli (up to 43μgm−3).
PDF
