1. |
- Carraminana, Albert, et al.
(author)
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Rationale and Study Design for an Individualized Perioperative Open Lung Ventilatory Strategy in Patients on One-Lung Ventilation (iPROVE-OLV)
- 2019
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In: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia. - : W B SAUNDERS CO-ELSEVIER INC. - 1053-0770 .- 1532-8422. ; 33:9, s. 2492-2502
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: The aim of this clinical trial is to examine whether it is possible to reduce postoperative complications using an individualized perioperative ventilatory strategy versus using a standard lung-protective ventilation strategy in patients scheduled for thoracic surgery requiring one-lung ventilation. Design: International, multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled clinical trial. Setting: A network of university hospitals. Participants: The study comprises 1,380 patients scheduled for thoracic surgery. Interventions: The individualized group will receive intraoperative recruitment maneuvers followed by individualized positive end-expiratory pressure (open lung approach) during the intraoperative period plus postoperative ventilatory support with high-flow nasal cannula, whereas the control group will be managed with conventional lung-protective ventilation. Measurements and Main Results: Individual and total number of postoperative complications, including atelectasis, pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pneumonia, acute lung injury; unplanned readmission and reintubation; length of stay and death in the critical care unit and in the hospital will be analyzed for both groups. The authors hypothesize that the intraoperative application of an open lung approach followed by an individual indication of high-flow nasal cannula in the postoperative period will reduce pulmonary complications and length of hospital stay in high-risk surgical patients. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Inc.
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2. |
- Cruz, Raquel, et al.
(author)
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Novel genes and sex differences in COVID-19 severity
- 2022
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In: Human Molecular Genetics. - : Oxford University Press. - 0964-6906 .- 1460-2083. ; 31:22, s. 3789-3806
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Here, we describe the results of a genome-wide study conducted in 11 939 coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive cases with an extensive clinical information that were recruited from 34 hospitals across Spain (SCOURGE consortium). In sex-disaggregated genome-wide association studies for COVID-19 hospitalization, genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) was crossed for variants in 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci only among males (P = 1.3 × 10−22 and P = 8.1 × 10−12, respectively), and for variants in 9q21.32 near TLE1 only among females (P = 4.4 × 10−8). In a second phase, results were combined with an independent Spanish cohort (1598 COVID-19 cases and 1068 population controls), revealing in the overall analysis two novel risk loci in 9p13.3 and 19q13.12, with fine-mapping prioritized variants functionally associated with AQP3 (P = 2.7 × 10−8) and ARHGAP33 (P = 1.3 × 10−8), respectively. The meta-analysis of both phases with four European studies stratified by sex from the Host Genetics Initiative (HGI) confirmed the association of the 3p21.31 and 21q22.11 loci predominantly in males and replicated a recently reported variant in 11p13 (ELF5, P = 4.1 × 10−8). Six of the COVID-19 HGI discovered loci were replicated and an HGI-based genetic risk score predicted the severity strata in SCOURGE. We also found more SNP-heritability and larger heritability differences by age (<60 or ≥60 years) among males than among females. Parallel genome-wide screening of inbreeding depression in SCOURGE also showed an effect of homozygosity in COVID-19 hospitalization and severity and this effect was stronger among older males. In summary, new candidate genes for COVID-19 severity and evidence supporting genetic disparities among sexes are provided.
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4. |
- Ferrando, Carlos, et al.
(author)
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Effects of oxygen on post-surgical infections during an individualised perioperative open-lung ventilatory strategy : a randomised controlled trial
- 2020
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In: British Journal of Anaesthesia. - : ELSEVIER SCI LTD. - 0007-0912 .- 1471-6771. ; 124:1, s. 110-120
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: We aimed to examine whether using a high fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) in the context of an individualised intra- and postoperative open-lung ventilation approach could decrease surgical site infection (SSI) in patients scheduled for abdominal surgery. Methods: We performed a multicentre, randomised controlled clinical trial in a network of 21 university hospitals from June 6, 2017 to July 19, 2018. Patients undergoing abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive a high (0.80) or conventional (0.3) FIO2 during the intraoperative period and during the first 3 postoperative hours. All patients were mechanically ventilated with an open-lung strategy, which included recruitment manoeuvres and individualised positive end-expiratory pressure for the best respiratory-system compliance, and individualised continuous postoperative airway pressure for adequate peripheral oxyhaemoglobin saturation. The primary outcome was the prevalence of SSI within the first 7 postoperative days. The secondary outcomes were composites of systemic complications, length of intensive care and hospital stay, and 6-month mortality. Results: We enrolled 740 subjects: 371 in the high FIO2 group and 369 in the low FIO2 group. Data from 717 subjects were available for final analysis. The rate of SSI during the first postoperative week did not differ between high (8.9%) and low (9.4%) FIO2 groups (relative risk [RR]: 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.59-1.50; P=0.90]). Secondary outcomes, such as atelectasis (7.7% vs 9.8%; RR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.48-1.25; P=0.38) and myocardial ischaemia (0.6% [n=2] vs 0% [n=0]; P=0.47) did not differ between groups. Conclusions: An oxygenation strategy using high FIO2 compared with conventional FIO2 did not reduce postoperative SSIs in abdominal surgery. No differences in secondary outcomes or adverse events were found.
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5. |
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- 2019
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)
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6. |
- Olmeda, David, et al.
(author)
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Whole-body imaging of lymphovascular niches identifies pre-metastatic roles of midkine
- 2017
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In: Nature. - : NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 546:7660, s. 676-680
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cutaneous melanoma is a type of cancer with an inherent potential for lymph node colonization, which is generally preceded by neolymphangiogenesis(1-3). However, sentinel lymph node removal does not necessarily extend the overall survival of patients with melanoma(4,5). Moreover, lymphatic vessels collapse and become dysfunctional as melanomas progress(6,7). Therefore, it is unclear whether (and how) lymphangiogenesis contributes to visceral metastasis. Soluble and vesicle-associated proteins secreted by tumours and/or their stroma have been proposed to condition pre-metastatic sites in patients with melanoma(8-14). Still, the identities and prognostic value of lymphangiogenic mediators remain unclear(2,14). Moreover, our understanding of lymphangiogenesis (in melanomas and other tumour types) is limited by the paucity of mouse models for live imaging of distal pre-metastatic niches(15). Injectable lymphatic tracers have been developed(7), but their limited diffusion precludes whole-body imaging at visceral sites(16). Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3) is an attractive 'lymphoreporter' 17 because its expression is strongly downregulated in normal adult lymphatic endothelial cells, but is activated in pathological situations such as inflammation and cancer(17,18). Here, we exploit this inducibility of VEGFR3 to engineer mouse melanoma models for whole-body imaging of metastasis generated by human cells, clinical biopsies or endogenously deregulated oncogenic pathways. This strategy revealed early induction of distal pre-metastatic niches uncoupled from lymphangiogenesis at primary lesions. Analyses of the melanoma secretome and validation in clinical specimens showed that the heparin-binding factor midkine is a systemic inducer of neo-lymphangiogenesis that defines patient prognosis. This role of midkine was linked to a paracrine activation of the mTOR pathway in lymphatic endothelial cells. These data support the use of VEGFR3 reporter mice as a 'MetAlert' discovery platform for drivers and inhibitors of metastasis.
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7. |
- Alvarez, Alberto, et al.
(author)
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Tamoxifen-independent recombination of reporter genes limits lineage tracing and mosaic analysis using CreER(T2) lines
- 2020
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In: Transgenic research. - : Springer Nature. - 0962-8819 .- 1573-9368. ; 29:1, s. 53-68
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The CreER(T2)/loxP system is widely used to induce conditional gene deletion in mice. One of the main advantages of the system is that Cre-mediated recombination can be controlled in time through Tamoxifen administration. This has allowed researchers to study the function of embryonic lethal genes at later developmental timepoints. In addition, CreER(T2) mouse lines are commonly used in combination with reporter genes for lineage tracing and mosaic analysis. In order for these experiments to be reliable, it is crucial that the cell labeling approach only marks the desired cell population and their progeny, as unfaithful expression of reporter genes in other cell types or even unintended labeling of the correct cell population at an undesired time point could lead to wrong conclusions. Here we report that all CreER(T2) mouse lines that we have studied exhibit a certain degree of Tamoxifen-independent, basal, Cre activity. Using Ai14 and Ai3, two commonly used fluorescent reporter genes, we show that those basal Cre activity levels are sufficient to label a significant amount of cells in a variety of tissues during embryogenesis, postnatal development and adulthood. This unintended labelling of cells imposes a serious problem for lineage tracing and mosaic analysis experiments. Importantly, however, we find that reporter constructs differ greatly in their susceptibility to basal CreER(T2) activity. While Ai14 and Ai3 easily recombine under basal CreER(T2) activity levels, mTmG and R26R-EYFP rarely become activated under these conditions and are therefore better suited for cell tracking experiments.
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8. |
- Cabeza, Luisa F., et al.
(author)
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CO2 mitigation accounting for Thermal Energy Storage (TES) case studies
- 2015
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In: Applied Energy. - : Pergamon Press. - 0306-2619 .- 1872-9118. ; 155, s. 365-377
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- According to the IPCC, societies can respond to climate changes by adapting to its impacts and by mitigation, that is, by reducing GHG emissions. No single technology can provide all of the mitigation potential in any sector, but many technologies have been acknowledged in being able to contribute to such potential. Among the technologies that can contribute in such potential, Thermal Energy Storage (TES) is not included explicitly, but implicitly as part of technologies such as energy supply, buildings, and industry. To enable a more detailed assessment of the CO2 mitigation potential of TES across many sectors, the group Annex 25 "Surplus heat management using advanced TES for CO2 mitigation" of the Energy Conservation through Energy Storage Implementing Agreement (ECES IA) of the International Energy Agency (AEI) present in this article the CO2 mitigation potential of different case studies with integrated TES. This potential is shown using operational and embodied CO2 parameters. Results are difficult to compare since TES is always designed in relation to its application, and each technology impacts the energy system as a whole to different extents. The applications analyzed for operational CO2 are refrigeration, solar power plants, mobile heat storage in industrial waste heat recovery, passive systems in buildings, ATES for a supermarket, greenhouse applications, and dishwasher with zeolite in Germany. The paper shows that the reason for mitigation is different in each application, from energy savings to larger solar share or lowering energy consumption from appliances. The mitigation potential dues to integrated TES is quantified in kg/MW h energy produced or heat delivered. Embodied CO2 in two TES case studies is presented, buildings and solar power plants.
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9. |
- Concepcion Gil-Rodriguez, Maria, et al.
(author)
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De Novo Heterozygous Mutations in SMC3 Cause a Range of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome-Overlapping Phenotypes
- 2015
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In: Human Mutation. - : Wiley: 12 months. - 1059-7794 .- 1098-1004. ; 36:4, s. 454-462
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is characterized by facial dysmorphism, growth failure, intellectual disability, limb malformations, and multiple organ involvement. Mutations in five genes, encoding subunits of the cohesin complex (SMC1A, SMC3, RAD21) and its regulators (NIPBL, HDAC8), account for at least 70% of patients with CdLS or CdLS-like phenotypes. To date, only the clinical features from a single CdLS patient with SMC3 mutation has been published. Here, we report the efforts of an international research and clinical collaboration to provide clinical comparison of 16 patients with CdLS-like features caused by mutations in SMC3. Modeling of the mutation effects on protein structure suggests a dominant-negative effect on the multimeric cohesin complex. When compared with typical CdLS, many SMC3-associated phenotypes are also characterized by postnatal microcephaly but with a less distinctive craniofacial appearance, a milder prenatal growth retardation that worsens in childhood, few congenital heart defects, and an absence of limb deficiencies. While most mutations are unique, two unrelated affected individuals shared the same mutation but presented with different phenotypes. This work confirms that de novo SMC3 mutations account for approximate to 1%-2% of CdLS-like phenotypes.
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10. |
- Cotte Poveda, Alexander, 1972-, et al.
(author)
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Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) : An application for the industry
- 2013
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In: Quality and quantity. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0033-5177 .- 1573-7845. ; 47:3, s. 1315-1321
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This article examines the management in Colombian industrial sectors using qualitative comparative analysis (QCA). This method conceptualizes cases as combinations of attributes and use Boolean algebra to derive simplified expressions of combinations that lead to a specific outcome. In this analysis, we show the value of this method for studying the management in the industrial from different approaches.
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