The Notch pathway is a versatile regulator of cell fate specification, growth, differentiation, and patterning processes in metazoan organisms. In the vertebrate cardiovascular system, multiple Notch ...family receptors and several of their Jagged and Delta-like ligands are expressed during critical stages of embryonic and postnatal development. Functional studies in mice, fish, tumor models, and cell culture systems have shown that the angiogenic growth of the blood vessel network, the proliferation of endothelial cells, and the differentiation of arteries and veins are controlled by Notch signaling. Moreover, Notch pathway components play important roles in human pathological conditions involving the vasculature, namely CADASIL (cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy) and Alagille syndrome. Recent findings highlight the Notch ligand Delta-like 4 as a key regulator of tumor angiogenesis and suggest that this protein might be a promising target for cancer therapy.
The present research investigated children and adolescents' explicit and spontaneous representation of the COVID-19 pandemic and their related emotions, cognitions, and coping strategies. We explored ...the self-reported protective factors and coping mechanisms, in addition to similar attributional emotional experiences, i.e., the ways participants evaluated others' pandemic experiences. Our sample consisted of 155 children and adolescents aged 10 to 13 (
= 10.70,
= 0.85, 56.1% females). We designed a 12-item survey and analyzed our data using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Our findings suggested that most children and adolescents associated masks with the thought of the novel coronavirus, and the most frequently associated emotion was sadness (45.2%), followed by fear (17.4%). Generally, participants reported a medium level of perceived adverse effects of the pandemic, mainly because their regular physical school classes moved to the online setting. We also found a significant association between children's self-reported levels of harmful effects of the pandemic and perceived adverse effects on their families. Most participants expressed their dissatisfaction concerning online school classes, primarily due to poor online interaction. In our sample, the children and adolescents reported positive thoughts and family relationships as their primary coping mechanisms during the pandemic, suggesting similar perceived coping mechanisms in the others around them. Finally, more than half of the participants considered that the COVID-19 pandemic had no positive effects, while 40% considered the increased time spent with their families the primary positive consequences following the COVID-19 health crisis. Results are discussed regarding their implications concerning healthcare, social, and educational policies.
La presente investigación tiene como objetivo analizar el perfil de los delincuentes que cometen delitos leves de hurto en la ciudad de Barcelona, en función del hurto cometido, ya sea comercial o ...personal. La muestra fue extraída de diligencias policiales de la Guardia Urbana de Barcelona. Se han estudiado 56 delitos de hurto leve, con un total de 71 delincuentes. Los resultados revelan que los delincuentes comúnmente son hombres, adultos jóvenes, extranjeros, que actúan de manera individual (o grupal en el caso de los más jóvenes), con domicilio en Barcelona y antecedentes penales de reincidencia en el hurto, además de versatilidad criminal para cometer también otro tipo de delitos. Se hallan diferencias en función de si el hurto es comercial o personal. Se concluye que los hurtadores comerciales son más planificados y premeditados, mientras que los personales son más oportunistas y dependen en mayor medida del azar. Finalmente, este estudio facilita la toma de decisiones en el trabajo policial para la prevención del delito, considerando las características y el comportamiento de los delincuentes según el tipo de hurto.
Data on SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccine immunogenicity in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) and discordant immune response (DIR) are currently limited. Therefore, we compare the ...immunogenicity of these vaccines in DIR and immunological responders (IR).
A prospective cohort that enrolled 89 participants. Finally, 22 IR and 24 DIR were analyzed before vaccination (T
), one (T
) and six months (T
) after receiving BNT162b2 or mRNA-1273 vaccine. Additionally, 10 IR and 16 DIR were evaluated after a third dose (T
). Anti-S-RBD IgG, neutralizing antibodies (nAb), neutralization activity, and specific memory B cells were quantified. Furthermore, specific CD4
and CD8
responses were determined by intracellular cytokine staining and polyfunctionality indexes (Pindex).
At T
, all participants developed anti-S-RBD. 100% IR developed nAb compared to 83.3% DIR. Spike-specific B cells were detected in all IR and 21/24 DIR. Memory CD4
T cells responded in 5/9 IR and 7/9 DIR, mainly based on the expression of IFN-γ and TNF-α, with a higher Pindex in DIR. Memory CD8
T cells responded in only four participants in each group. At T
, anti-S-RBD and nAb titers were higher in DIR than in IR. In both groups, there was an increase in specific B memory cells, higher in DIR. Six IR and five DIR maintained a specific memory CD4
response. Memory CD8
response was preserved in IR but was lost in DIR. In a multivariate linear regression analysis, receiving mRNA-1273 instead of BNT162b2 played a prominent role in the results.
Our data suggest that PLWH with DIR can mount an immune response similar to those with higher CD4
, provided they receive the mRNA-1273 vaccine instead of others less immunogenic.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship strategies has been recommended. This study aimed to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in a tertiary care ...Spanish hospital with an active ongoing antimicrobial stewardship programme (ASP). For a 20-week period, we weekly assessed antimicrobial consumption, incidence density, and crude death rate per 1000 occupied bed days of candidemia and multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial bloodstream infections (BSI). We conducted a segmented regression analysis of time series. Antimicrobial consumption increased +3.5% per week (p = 0.016) for six weeks after the national lockdown, followed by a sustained weekly reduction of −6.4% (p = 0.001). The global trend for the whole period was stable. The frequency of empirical treatment of patients with COVID-19 was 33.7%. No change in the global trend of incidence of hospital-acquired candidemia and MDR bacterial BSI was observed (+0.5% weekly; p = 0.816), nor differences in 14 and 30-day crude death rates (p = 0.653 and p = 0.732, respectively). Our work provides quantitative data about the pandemic effect on antimicrobial consumption and clinical outcomes in a centre with an active ongoing institutional and education-based ASP. However, assessing the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on antimicrobial resistance is required.
Our goal was to study whether influenza vaccination induced antibody mediated rejection in a large cohort of solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR).
Serum anti-Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) ...antibodies were determined using class I and class II antibody-coated latex beads (FlowPRA
Screening Test) by flow cytometry. Anti-HLA antibody specificity was determined using the single-antigen bead flow cytometry (SAFC) assay and assignation of donor specific antibodies (DSA) was performed by virtual-crossmatch.
We studied a cohort of 490 SOTR that received an influenza vaccination from 2009 to 2013: 110 (22.4%) received the pandemic adjuvanted vaccine, 59 (12%) within the first 6 months post-transplantation, 185 (37.7%) more than 6 months after transplantation and 136 (27.7%) received two vaccination doses. Overall, no differences of anti-HLA antibodies were found after immunization in patients that received the adjuvanted vaccine, within the first 6 months post-transplantation, or based on the type of organ transplanted. However, the second immunization dose increased the percentage of patients positive for anti-HLA class I significantly compared with patients with one dose (14.6% vs. 3.8%;
= 0.003). Patients with pre-existing antibodies before vaccination (15.7% for anti-HLA class I and 15.9% for class II) did not increase reactivity after immunization. A group of 75 (14.4%) patients developed
anti-HLA antibodies, however, only 5 (1.02%) of them were DSA, and none experienced allograft rejection. Only two (0.4%) patients were diagnosed with graft rejection with favorable outcomes and neither of them developed DSA.
Our results suggest that influenza vaccination is not associated with graft rejection in this cohort of SOTR.
Use of off-label drugs in neonatal intensive care Sucasas Alonso, Andrea; Avila-Alvarez, Alejandro; Combarro Eiriz, Marina ...
Anales de Pediatría,
10/2019, Letnik:
91, Številka:
4
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
OBJECTIVETo evaluate the prevalence of non-approved prescriptions (off-label and unlicensed) in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and to describe factors of the neonate associated with its use. ...MATERIALS AND METHODSObservational prospective study in a level III NICU during a 6-month period. Every prescription was analysed using the summary of product characteristics as a reference. A sequential algorithm was used to create a classification of prescriptions based on current status: approved, unlicensed, off-label (by age, route of administration, dosage, or indication). RESULTSThe study included 84 patients and 564 prescriptions. A total of 127 (22.5%) prescriptions were considered off-label, and 45 (8%) were considered unlicensed. More than half (59.5%) of the patients received at least one of these drugs, and this increases to 100% among very preterm neonates and surgical patients (P<.001). A positive linear correlation was found between duration of NICU stay and the number of off-label prescriptions (correlation coefficient 0.6; P<.001). CONCLUSIONSNon-licensed drugs are frequently prescribed in NICU, especially in the most vulnerable patients. Our results show the need to move forward on clinical research in order to homogenise the existing data about neonatology drugs, with the aim of making an efficient and safe prescription.
CHRONIC DISEASES – MEDICAL AND SOCIAL ASPECTS Roca, Mihai; Mitu, Ovidiu; Roca, Iulia-Cristina ...
Revista de Cercetare şi Intervenţie Socială,
06/2015, Letnik:
49, Številka:
49
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
Chronic diseases result in an enormous burden of morbidity and mortality worldwide, projected to continuously increase over the next decades. Cardiovascular diseases, followed by cancers, chronic ...respiratory diseases and diabetes mellitus, represent the main causes of death caused by chronic conditions. The majority of chronic diseases are multifactor disorders, the main etiological role being played by various behavioral or environmental risk factors. Social factors such as education, employment status, income, familial and social stress have also a major role in determining chronic diseases, both directly and indirectly, by increasing the susceptibility to behavioral risk factors. Chronic pathology results in chronic symptoms which dramatically impairs the patient quality of life and working capacity, also resulting in a significant social and economic burden. Social problems develop with the progressive exercise capacity alteration, resulting in limited mobility, home-bounding, self-care disability and bed-bounding, the ultimate consequences being social isolation, family conflicts and even stigma. Chronic diseases prevention focuses on behavioral risk modifying, mainly implying specific social interventions, as long as most behavioral risk factors are represented by socially mediated activities. Considering the magnitude of the problems currently determined by chronic diseases, a coherent strategy for the management of these conditions, should be a high priority at both levels of society and health care systems. This strategy must provide an efficient risk control, the optimal medical care for the patient, by applying a holistic patient–centered approach, and specific social assistance.
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