The potential of a conductimetric immunosensor to detect residual amounts of atrazine in a complex matrix, such as red wine, is evaluated. The immunosensor presented is based on interdigitated ...μ-electrodes (IDμEs), immunoreagents specifically developed to detect atrazine, and antibodies labelled with gold nanoparticles. Due to the amplification of the conductive signal, produced by the presence of the gold particles, atrazine can be detected using simple and inexpensive direct current (DC) measurements. Then, sensors response is related to the atrazine concentration in the sample. Likewise, the presence of gold particles generates an increase in the intensity of the electric field between the electrodes. The time for assay completion, for 48 samples, was 5
h. Nevertheless, during the first hour (devoted to the incubation assays), the number of samples could be increased without prejudice the assay duration.
Sensor responses obtained using red wine samples are compared with results obtained using buffer solutions. As a consequence, the strong matrix effect related to red wine samples has been identified as a non-specific increase of the current intensity through the device.
The limits of detection (LODs) obtained are far below the Maximum Residue Level (50
μg
kg
−1) established by EU for residues of atrazine as herbicide in the wine grapes and other foodstuff products. This opens the door to commercial sensors of simple manipulation, transportable and economics.
•This research employed a multidisciplinary approach to study ancient dogs.•We aimed to understand humans’ interest in the maintenance and breeding of dogs.•Iberian Chalcolithic dogs already ...exhibited signs of body size variation.•Dental analyses revealed that dogs died young without signs of periodontitis.•We detected mitogenomic variability through the presence of clades A and C.•Molecular sex inference allowed the identification of one female and two males.
Domesticated dogs have been present in the Iberian Peninsula long before other domesticated species, back to the late Palaeolithic period. Their origin is still uncertain, but dogs were already well established during the Chalcolithic period (ca. 5000–4000 BP). This study employed a multidisciplinary approach comprising osteometric, radiographic and palaeogenomic analyses to characterize Chalcolithic Iberian Canis remains. Two Chalcolithic archaeological sites – Leceia, Oeiras, in Portugal, and El Casetón de la Era, Villalba de los Alcores, Valladolid, in Spain – were the main focus of this study. Osteometric and odontometric data from eleven other sites in Iberia were also included. Osteometric results show signs of phenotypic variability, likely the result of human-driven selective pressure. Dental radiographic and dental wear analyses allowed age at death estimation for four individuals (two juvenile and two adults). Three Chalcolithic Iberian dogs had their mitogenomes resequenced and the mitochondrial DNA analysis allowed to assign each individual to two of the major known haplogroups – A and C. Molecular sex infered by the chromosomeX/chromosome1 coverage ratio allowed to identify one female and two males. This study unveils some aspects of the Iberian Chalcolithic dogs: these dogs already exhibited various morphotypes whose profiles might be associated to the performance of certain tasks, as well as mitogenomes of two distinct lineages that help tracking the evolutionary paths of Iberian dogs.
OBJETIVOS
Describir la usabilidad de un campus virtual docente en términos de efectividad, eficiencia y satisfacción de una muestra de estudiantes de formación profesional de ciencias de la salud, ...así como analizar sus características sociodemográficas, afinidad por la tecnología y satisfacción con la plataforma educativa.
MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS
Diseño: estudio observacional, descriptivo, transversal de una serie de casos de usabilidad.
Población y muestra: se seleccionarán los sujetos de estudio de la población de estudiantes de una formación profesional de ciencias de la salud. Se utilizará un tamaño de muestra suficiente para hacer los estudios iniciales de pilotaje de plataformas con 15 potenciales estudiantes.
Variables: variable principal: la efectividad de usabilidad como porcentaje de consecución de tareas propuestas y el número total de errores en las tareas de manejo de perfil y comunicación del alumno, de manejo de estructura de asignatura y temas y tareas de realización y feedback de actividades habituales del campus virtual. Eficiencia: se medirá utilizando el Eye-tracker Tobii Pro-Fusión® 120 Hz, donde se realizará un seguimiento ocular y se registrará el tiempo total invertido en cada tarea, el tiempo según áreas de interés y el mapa de colores. Variables secundarias: se registrarán características sociodemográficas del alumnado, de satisfacción con la herramienta (escala SUS) y de afinidad por la tecnología (escala ATI).
Análisis estadístico: se describirán las características basales utilizando porcentajes para las variables categóricas y, para las cuantitativas, medidas de tendencia central y dispersión, con su intervalo de confianza del 95% (IC 95%) o mediana y rango intercuartílico en el caso de las distribuciones asimétricas. Se hará un análisis descriptivo y se estimará mediante un modelo de regresión logística los factores asociados a finalizar las tareas.
APLICABILIDAD DE LOS RESULTADOS ESPERADOS
Entender las capacidades digitales del alumnado en la formación pregrado y los grados de ciencias de la salud, así como las peculiaridades de la interacción (usabilidad) del alumnado con un campus virtual estandarizado tipo Moodle, permitiría adaptar la formación y los entornos a las características específicas trasladando estas mejoras a una facilitación del aprendizaje de competencias de ciencias de la salud.
ASPECTOS ÉTICO-LEGALES
Se ha solicitado aprobación al Comité de Ética de la Universidad Rey Juan Carlos (URJC). Este estudio no implica el tratamiento de datos de carácter personal, se anonimizará y se asignará un código alfanumérico a cada participante, sin almacenar datos personales en el formulario. Se garantizará el cumplimiento de la normativa de protección de datos de carácter personal, el Reglamento Europeo 679/2016, de 27 de abril, general de protección de datos, así como de la Ley Orgánica 3/2018, de 5 de diciembre, de Protección de Datos de Carácter Personal y Garantía de los Derechos Digitales. Este estudio se adhiere a directrices de investigación con alumnado de la URJC al no participar ninguno de los miembros del equipo investigador en el proceso de evaluación y se enmarca en proyectos de innovación educativa. No se prevé compensación ni incentivo de ningún tipo.
FINANCIACIÓN
No existe financiación.
CEIC
Dictamen favorable Comité de Ética de la Investigación de la URJC, con un número de registro interno: 2811202226522.
A study on the dynamic mechanical properties of polypropylene copolymer/ethylene–vinyl acetate/organoclay (PP-EP/EVA/C20A) nanocomposites is presented. Nanocomposites were obtained by melt blending. ...Morphology consisting of intercalated–exfoliated clay nanolayers preferentially located within the EVA phase was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Polar groups of vinyl acetate in the EVA facilitated the polymer–clay interactions. Changes in the glass transition temperature (Tg) were correlated with changes in the clay intercalation–exfoliation levels. The highly reinforced with intercalated–exfoliated clay layers EVA phase was considered as the origin of the improvement on mechanical properties of the ternary nanocomposites and is associated with the increase on viscosity, heat deflection temperature (HDT), and storage modulus.
To determine the dilution titles at antinuclear antibodies (ANA) by indirect immunofluorescence observed in cell substrate HEp-2 and its association with the diagnosis of systemic connective tissue ...disease in ANA test requested by a Rheumatology Unit.
Samples of patients attended for the first time in the rheumatology unit, without prior ANA test, between January 2010 and December 2012 were selected. The dilution titers, immunofluorescence patterns and antigen specificity were recorded. In January 2015 the diagnosis of the patients were evaluated and classified in systemic disease connective tissue (systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome, systemic sclerosis, undifferentiated connective, antiphospholipid syndrome, mixed connective tissue and inflammatory myophaty) or not systemic disease connective tissue.
A total of 1282 ANA tests requested by the Rheumatology Unit in subjects without previous study, 293 were positive, predominance of women (81.9%). Patients with systemic connective tissue disease were recorded 105, and 188 without systemic connective tissue disease. For 1/640 dilutions the positive predictive value in the connective was 73.3% compared to 26.6% of non-connective, and for values ≥1/1,280 85% versus 15% respectively. When performing the multivariate analysis we observed a positive association between 1/320 dilution OR 3.069 (95% CI: 1.237-7.614; P=.016), 1/640 OR 12.570 (95% CI: 3.659-43.187; P=.000) and ≥1/1,280 OR 42.136 (95% CI: 8.604-206.345; P=.000).
These results show association titles dilution ≥1/320 in ANA's first test requested by a Rheumatology Unit with patients with systemic connective tissue disease. The VPP in these patients was higher than previous studies requested by other medical specialties. This may indicate the importance of application of the test in a targeted way.
ObjectiveTo assess the effect of the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the outcome of neurosurgical patients in Spain.SettingsThe initial flood of COVID-19 patients overwhelmed an unprepared ...healthcare system. Different measures were taken to deal with this overburden. The effect of these measures on neurosurgical patients, as well as the effect of COVID-19 itself, has not been thoroughly studied.ParticipantsThis was a multicentre, nationwide, observational retrospective study of patients who underwent any neurosurgical operation from March to July 2020.InterventionsAn exploratory factorial analysis was performed to select the most relevant variables of the sample.Primary and secondary outcome measuresUnivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of mortality and postoperative SARS-CoV-2 infection.ResultsSixteen hospitals registered 1677 operated patients. The overall mortality was 6.4%, and 2.9% (44 patients) suffered a perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Of those infections, 24 were diagnosed postoperatively. Age (OR 1.05), perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR 4.7), community COVID-19 incidence (cases/105 people/week) (OR 1.006), postoperative neurological worsening (OR 5.9), postoperative need for airway support (OR 5.38), ASA grade ≥3 (OR 2.5) and preoperative GCS 3–8 (OR 2.82) were independently associated with mortality. For SARS-CoV-2 postoperative infection, screening swab test <72 hours preoperatively (OR 0.76), community COVID-19 incidence (cases/105 people/week) (OR 1.011), preoperative cognitive impairment (OR 2.784), postoperative sepsis (OR 3.807) and an absence of postoperative complications (OR 0.188) were independently associated.ConclusionsPerioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection in neurosurgical patients was associated with an increase in mortality by almost fivefold. Community COVID-19 incidence (cases/105 people/week) was a statistically independent predictor of mortality.Trial registration numberCEIM 20/217.
The variable array of pattern receptor expression in different cells of the innate immune system explains the induction of distinct patterns of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism. Peptidoglycan and ...mannan were strong stimuli in neutrophils, whereas the fungal extract zymosan was the most potent stimulus in monocyte-derived dendritic cells since it induced the production of PGE2, PGD2, and several cytokines including a robust IL-10 response. Zymosan activated κB-binding activity, but inhibition of NF-κB was associated with enhanced IL-10 production. In contrast, treatments acting on CREB (CRE binding protein), including PGE2, showed a direct correlation between CREB activation and IL-10 production. Therefore, in dendritic cells zymosan induces il10 transcription by a CRE-dependent mechanism that involves autocrine secretion of PGE2, thus unraveling a functional cooperation between eicosanoid production and cytokine production.
Abstract A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the safety, reactogenicity and the immunogenicity of a 2 × 109 CFU dose of the 638 lyophilized live ...attenuated cholera vaccine for oral administration, formulated and produced at Finlay Institute, City of Havana, Cuba. Thirty-six healthy female and male adult volunteers from 18 to 40 years old were involved, clinically examined and laboratory tested after the informed consent signature. Adverse events were monitored and seroconversion rates and geometrical mean titer (GMT) of vibriocidal antibodies were tested in volunteer's sera samples. Neither serious adverse events nor other damages to the volunteers due to vaccine or placebo feeding were reported during the clinical follow-up period of this study; none of the adverse events registered within the first 72 h after inoculation were life-threatening for volunteers. Neither severe nor moderate adverse events were reported. Sixty-one percent of subjects showed mild expected adverse events in an interval lower than 24 h up to the first 72 h, 75% of these in the vaccinated group and 18% in the placebo group. Fourteen days after inoculation the GMT of vibriocidal antibodies in the vaccine group significantly increased in comparison to the placebo group. All subjects in the vaccine group (24) seroconverted (100%). Results show that this vaccine is safe, well tolerated and immunogenic in healthy female and male volunteers.
ObjectivesTo compare the effectiveness of oral versus intramuscular (IM) vitamin B12 (VB12) in patients aged ≥65 years with VB12 deficiency.DesignPragmatic, randomised, non-inferiority, multicentre ...trial in 22 primary healthcare centres in Madrid (Spain).Participants283 patients ≥65 years with VB12 deficiency were randomly assigned to oral (n=140) or IM (n=143) treatment arm.InterventionsThe IM arm received 1 mg VB12 on alternate days in weeks 1–2, 1 mg/week in weeks 3–8 and 1 mg/month in weeks 9–52. The oral arm received 1 mg/day in weeks 1–8 and 1 mg/week in weeks 9–52.Main outcomesSerum VB12 concentration normalisation (≥211 pg/mL) at 8, 26 and 52 weeks. Non-inferiority would be declared if the difference between arms is 10% or less. Secondary outcomes included symptoms, adverse events, adherence to treatment, quality of life, patient preferences and satisfaction.ResultsThe follow-up period (52 weeks) was completed by 229 patients (80.9%). At week 8, the percentage of patients in each arm who achieved normal B12 levels was well above 90%; the differences in this percentage between the oral and IM arm were −0.7% (133 out of 135 vs 129 out of 130; 95% CI: −3.2 to 1.8; p>0.999) by per-protocol (PPT) analysis and 4.8% (133 out of 140 vs 129 out of 143; 95% CI: −1.3 to 10.9; p=0.124) by intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis. At week 52, the percentage of patients who achieved normal B12 levels was 73.6% in the oral arm and 80.4% in the IM arm; these differences were −6.3% (103 out of 112 vs 115 out of 117; 95% CI: −11.9 to −0.1; p=0.025) and −6.8% (103 out of 140 vs 115 out of 143; 95% CI: −16.6 to 2.9; p=0.171), respectively. Factors affecting the success rate at week 52 were age, OR=0.95 (95% CI: 0.91 to 0.99) and having reached VB12 levels ≥281 pg/mL at week 8, OR=8.1 (95% CI: 2.4 to 27.3). Under a Bayesian framework, non-inferiority probabilities (Δ>−10%) at week 52 were 0.036 (PPT) and 0.060 (ITT). Quality of life and adverse effects were comparable across groups. 83.4% of patients preferred the oral route.ConclusionsOral administration was no less effective than IM administration at 8 weeks. Although differences were found between administration routes at week 52, the probability that the differences were below the non-inferiority threshold was very low.Trial registration numbersNCT 01476007; EUDRACT (2010-024129-20).
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