In this Paper, we describe how we use stellar dynamics information to constrain the shape of the stellar initial mass function (IMF) in a sample of 27 early-type galaxies from the CALIFA survey. We ...obtain dynamical and stellar mass-to-light ratios, ... and ..., over a homogenous aperture of 0.5 R sub( e). We use the constraint ... to test two IMF shapes within the framework of the extended MILES stellar population models. We rule out a single power-law IMF shape for 75 per cent of the galaxies in our sample. Conversely, we find that a double power-law IMF shape with a varying high-mass end slope is compatible (within ...) with 95 per cent of the galaxies. We also show that dynamical and stellar IMF mismatch factors give consistent results for the systematic variation of the IMF in these galaxies. (ProQuest: ... denotes formulae/symbols omitted.)
Summary
Background
The cutaneous manifestations of COVID‐19 disease are poorly characterized.
Objectives
To describe the cutaneous manifestations of COVID‐19 disease and to relate them to other ...clinical findings.
Methods
We carried out a nationwide case collection survey of images and clinical data. Using a consensus we described five clinical patterns. We later described the association of these patterns with patient demographics, the timing in relation to symptoms of the disease, the severity and the prognosis.
Results
The lesions may be classified as acral areas of erythema with vesicles or pustules (pseudo‐chilblain) (19%), other vesicular eruptions (9%), urticarial lesions (19%), maculopapular eruptions (47%) and livedo or necrosis (6%). Vesicular eruptions appear early in the course of the disease (15% before other symptoms). The pseudo‐chilblain pattern frequently appears late in the evolution of the COVID‐19 disease (59% after other symptoms), while the rest tend to appear with other symptoms of COVID‐19. The severity of COVID‐19 shows a gradient from less severe disease in acral lesions to more severe in the latter groups. The results are similar for confirmed and suspected cases, in terms of both clinical and epidemiological findings. Alternative diagnoses are discussed but seem unlikely for the most specific patterns (pseudo‐chilblain and vesicular).
Conclusions
We provide a description of the cutaneous manifestations associated with COVID‐19 infection. These may help clinicians approach patients with the disease and recognize cases presenting with few symptoms.
What is already known about this topic?
Previous descriptions of cutaneous manifestations of COVID‐19 were case reports and mostly lacked illustrations.
What does this study add?
We describe a large, representative sample of patients with unexplained skin manifestations and a diagnosis of COVID‐19, using a consensus method to define morphological patterns associated with COVID‐19.
We describe five clinical patterns associated with different patient demographics, timing and prognosis, and provide illustrations of these patterns to allow for easy recognition.
Linked Editorial: Hay et al. Br J Dermatol 2020; 183:3–4.
Plain language summary available online
Introduction
A 20-year-old female presents with a progressive 3-month mutism, hyporexia (20kg
weight loss), abulia, anhedonia, apathy, social isolation,seeking company of her parents even
at night, ...bradypsychia, sialorrhea, psychomotor slowdown and hypomimia. She is hospitalized
in the Psychiatric Brief Hospitalization Unit (PBHU).Her parents relate the beginning of this
symptomatology to a breakup and gender violence,which the patient confirms during the
interview by eye/cephalic movements and single words jotted down.
Objectives
The objective of this study is to describe the evolution of the patient during her
hospitalization in the PBHU of Salamanca and to look into the available bibliography about
mutism related to stress and sialorrhea.
Methods
We carried out a follow-up of the hospitalization of the patient and a structured
search in PubMed with the keywords “mutism”,“sialorrhea” and “stress” in the last 10 years in
English,Spanish and French.
Results
Few or no articles where found.Therefore, the articles about mutism and stress were
analyzed, which focused mostly in selective mutism. Regarding fear,the response to cope with
the threat(fight, flight, freeze) is mediated by the autonomic system. The “Polyvagal Theory”
speaks about the vagus nerve participating in emotion regulation (social communication and
mobilization). Dissociation, in this context,has adaptive and defensive purposes and its
threshold can be reduced by repeated stress situations.Long-term alteration of the autonomic
nervous system has been described in selective mutism.This malfunction can be related to an
elevated production of saliva due to the activation of the parasympathetic in the salivary
glands, causing sialorrhea in our patient.
The patient began treatment with sertraline 100mg and risperidone 2mg with the aim of
its antidepressive and major tranquilizer effects, she also began individual and family
psychotherapy, we assured her sleep and intakes and she began to progressively recover her
speech and mobility,identifying a possible trigger for the symptomatology: a physical beating
of gender violence after her breakup.
Conclusions
Dissociation and “freeze” response can be a maladaptative mechanism to fear.The
malfunction of the autonomic nervous system can explain the disconnection,poor gaze,low
facial and body expression and inability to speak.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared
COPD is a typical example of chronic disease. As such, treatment adherence tends to be as low as between 30% and 50%, with specific issues in COPD due to the use of inhaled therapies. Decreased ...adherence in COPD is associated with worse outcomes, with increased risk for exacerbations and long-term mortality. Factors that impact adherence are multiple, some related to patient, some related to clinicians and finally some related to healthcare system. Among clinician factors, prescription of simplified treatment regimens delivered by an inhaler adapted to the patient's characteristics is crucial. Although it has been observed a huge improvement in the design and usability of inhaler devices for COPD in the last two centuries, there is still a clear gap in this field. Smart inhalers as well as simplified treatment regimens could improve adherence and therefore improve long-term outcomes in COPD.
Introduction
Psychotic disorder is defined as a loss of contact with reality. Those who suffer from it perceive an altered reality, assuming it to be true.This feeling of unreality generates ...nervousness, anguish, hypervigilance and even social and emotional isolation.
We present the case of a 18-year-old woman who attended the Emergency Department accompanied by the director of her college due to behavioral alterations. The patient reports that since she has moved to Salamanca to study,she has the feeling that her father has hired spies, one of them being her classmate, being able to hear sounds and voices, which she defines as motivating her to go on with her life. She reports that she is in a lower mood in this context and that there have been some days when she has not been able to attend class.
Objectives
The objectives are to study the severity of the psychotic disorder in a young patient subjected to an episode of stress and to observe the reaction of the patient when it has been properly treated.
Methods
We carry out a review of the clinical history of a 18-year-old female patient with psychotic disorder, admitted to the Psychiatric Brief Hospitalization Unit (PBHU) in Salamanca.
Results
The patient was treated with Risperidone 2mg/24h. After a few days in the PBHU, total disappearance of the psychotic symptoms was observed and the patient is completely self-critical. Once she was discharged, it was decided that she should return home with her parents for several months and continue treatment with Aripiprazole and Sertraline.
Conclusions
Occasionaly, there are ethical dilemmas about beginning to treat young patients with psychotic ideas derived from external situations. Optimal treatment including drugs, psychotherapy and family support are essential. According to the scientific literature,a greater involvement in diagnosis,treatment and follow-up is recommended in patients with psychotic symptomatology derived from stress.
Disclosure of Interest
None Declared
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined as the accumulation of fat in liver cells, which causes serious health consequences. Animal and human studies suggest that the gut microbiota ...plays a role in the pathogenesis of NAFLD. Here, we investigated whether spinach consumption could ameliorate high-fat-diet-induced disturbances in certain intestinal bacterial groups and products derived from their metabolism, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and microbial phenolic catabolites. Attention is also paid to blood lipids and glucose. In the study, a rat model of high-fat-diet-induced NAFLD was used. There were six experimental groups: NC (normal diet), NB (normal diet + 2.5% spinach), NA (normal diet + 5% spinach), HC (high-fat diet), HB (high-fat diet + 2.5% spinach) and HA (high-fat diet + 5% spinach). The rats consumed these diets for five weeks, and after that, they were sacrificed and plasma, urine, intestinal content, faeces and liver samples were taken. Biochemical parameters were analyzed in plasma, phenolic catabolites were quantified in the faeces, urine, plasma and liver by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS, and the analysis of the microbiota and SCFAs in the intestinal content was performed by qPCR and GLC. Consumption of a high-fat diet caused NAFLD and dislipaemia and altered the gut microbiota and the pattern of SCFAs and phenolic gut microbial catabolites. Supplementation with spinach partially ameliorated some alterations induced by the high-fat diet, in particular by increasing the
Lactobacillus
counts, reducing the fasting glucose and total and LDL-cholesterol and preventing excess liver cholesterol accumulation, thereby improving the values of the steatosis biomarkers.
In rats with hepatic steatosis, spinach intake increased gut
Lactobacillus
and lowered cholesterol and glucose.
Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine acute exercise-induced changes on muscle power output and surface electromyography (sEMG) parameters (amplitude and spectral indices of muscle ...fatigue) during a dynamic fatiguing protocol. Fifteen trained subjects performed five sets consisting of 10 leg presses (10RM), with 2 min rest between sets. Surface electromyography was recorded from vastus medialis (VM) and lateralis (VL) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles. A number of EMG-based parameters were compared for estimation accuracy and sensitivity to detect peripheral muscle fatigue. These were: Mean Average Voltage, median spectral frequency, Dimitrov spectral index of muscle fatigue (FInsm5 ), as well as other parameters obtained from a time–frequency analysis (Choi–Williams distributions) such as mean and variance of the instantaneous frequency and frequency variance. The log FInsm5 as a single parameter predictor accounted for 37% of the performance variance of changes in muscle power and the log FInsm5 and MFM as a two factor combination predictor accounted for 44%. Peripheral impairments assessed by sEMG spectral index FInsm5 may be a relevant factor involved in the loss of power output after dynamic high-loading fatiguing task.
Plants of the genus
Retama
(Fabaceae) are used in traditional medicine of the Mediterranean Basin as an emetic, purgative, and vermifuge. Certain
Retama
species are also employed to treat a multitude ...of disorders, including diabetes, hepatitis, jaundice, sore throat, skin diseases, joint pain, rheumatism, fever, and inflammation. This review deals with updated information on the distribution, botanical characteristics, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and toxicity of the
Retama
species in order to support their therapeutic potential and to provide an input for future research prospects. The
Retama
species are mainly employed as ethnomedicinal remedies in Mediterranean countries, including Algeria, Egypt, Italy, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, and Spain. Previous phytochemical studies show a complex composition, rich in carbohydrates (galactomannans), polyols (pinitol), fatty acids, phenolic compounds (genistein, daidzein) and alkaloids (retamine, lupanine). The pharmacological activity of their various extracts has been widely studied, revealing, among others, the anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic effects of these species. The potential toxicity of these medicinal plants has also been discussed. Although recent experimental evidence confirms the pharmacological interest of this genus, further studies are necessary.
COVID-19 is an infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2), which has caused a global outbreak. Current research efforts are focused on the understanding of the ...molecular mechanisms involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection in order to propose drug-based therapeutic options. Transcriptional changes due to epigenetic regulation are key host cell responses to viral infection and have been studied in SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV; however, such changes are not fully described for SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we analyzed multiple transcriptomes obtained from cell lines infected with MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2, and from COVID-19 patient-derived samples. Using integrative analyses of gene co-expression networks and de-novo pathway enrichment, we characterize different gene modules and protein pathways enriched with Transcription Factors or Epifactors relevant for SARS-CoV-2 infection. We identified EP300, MOV10, RELA, and TRIM25 as top candidates, and more than 60 additional proteins involved in the epigenetic response during viral infection that has therapeutic potential. Our results show that targeting the epigenetic machinery could be a feasible alternative to treat COVID-19.
{Figure 1}{Figure 2}{Figure 3}{Figure 4} No treatment was prescribed and skin biopsies were performed from the hyperkeratotic ear lesions and bullae on the back in order to confirm the clinical ...suspicion of acrokeratosis paraneoplastica and discard a concomitant primary autoimmune bullous disorder, especially bullous pemphigoid. The histological features of Bazex syndrome are often non-specific or show necrotic keratinocytes causing a vacuolization of the basal zone, thus leading to the creation of subepidermal clefts, clinically presenting as bullae, as we described. 1 Deposits of IgA, IgG and C3 in a nonspecific pattern along the epidermal basement membrane have been reported in some cases, supporting the theory that bulla formation is most probably part of the changes that may affect the skin of patients with Bazex syndrome.
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