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Little is known about the link between quality and the sensory space of premium commercial Spanish red wines. The major aims of the present study were to define the sensory space of these wines and determine the implication of their sensory properties (aroma and in-mouth attributes) in the quality perception of wine professionals. Evaluation of wine quality was first studied by a categorisation task. Then, sensory descriptive analysis based on citation frequencies for aroma attributes and conventional intensity scores for taste and mouth-feel properties was performed on individual samples. The general sensory quality was highly positively correlated to astringency and, to a lesser extent, to acidity as well as to fruity, spicy and roasted/woody attributes, and especially highly negatively correlated to aromatic attributes belonging to the animal family. Categorisation tasks based on quality perception coupled to sensory analysis based on citation frequencies for aroma properties and on classical descriptive analysis for taste and mouth-feel properties could be suitable tools to finely determine sensory quality. The results highlight the importance of in-mouth properties, especially of astringency and acidity, in general quality as well as the relevance of the aromatic profile. This study increases the information on the sensory properties of premium Spanish red wines and the implication of concrete sensory attributes in sensory quality perception. This work provides winemakers information to be considered when elaborating high quality red wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En este artículo se presentan los principales desafíos que tiene que enfrentar la educación humanista en la sociedad de la información y se reflexiona acerca de la relación recursiva y dialógica entre educación y humanización. Se refieren algunas características de la sociedad de la información y la necesidad de abordar los retos educativos desde una perspectiva de complejidad. En los cuatro grandes desafíos expuestos (el antropológico, el epistemológico, el ético y el social) se plantea la necesidad de un análisis profundo sobre la visión de ser humano, de conocimiento, de ética y sociedad que están siendo generadas-generadoras del proceso educativo. Surge la pregunta crítica sobre qué tan humanizantes están siendo estas cuatro perspectivas en la educación actual. La educación, como guía de la reforma del espíritu que se requiere para "salvar a la humanidad, realizándola", tiene que experimentar una reestructuración profunda que la lleve a cumplir con esta misión que parece imposible, pero entendiendo que la dimisión resulta igualmente imposible.

The genetic basis of severe COVID-19 has been thoroughly studied, and many genetic risk factors shared between populations have been identified. However, reduced sample sizes from non-European groups have limited the discovery of population-specific common risk loci. In this second study nested in the SCOURGE consortium, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for COVID-19 hospitalization in admixed Americans, comprising a total of 4702 hospitalized cases recruited by SCOURGE and seven other participating studies in the COVID-19 Host Genetic Initiative. We identified four genome-wide significant associations, two of which constitute novel loci and were first discovered in Latin American populations ( BAZ2B and DDIAS ). A trans-ethnic meta-analysis revealed another novel cross-population risk locus in CREBBP . Finally, we assessed the performance of a cross-ancestry polygenic risk score in the SCOURGE admixed American cohort. This study constitutes the largest GWAS for COVID-19 hospitalization in admixed Latin Americans conducted to date. This allowed to reveal novel risk loci and emphasize the need of considering the diversity of populations in genomic research., Competing Interests: SD, RC, AL, JL, Md, IQ, RG, VN, MP, JT, JN, JA, CA, SA, VA, BA, NA, ÁA, EA, CA, MA, MA, RB, MB, MB, JB, MB, LB, MB, RB, MB, EC, CC, LC, JC, RC, MC, JC, MC, MD, AD, Vd, Ad, ED, RE, MF, MF, UF, AF, TF, MG, BG, JG, BÁ, FB, AG, JG, JG, MH, AH, MJ, ML, AB, RL, EM, CM, VM, OM, IM, MM, AM, JM, EM, PM, VC, SO, EO, MP, EP, NS, PP, PP, MP, TP, MP, GP, EP, GP, AP, SL, SR, MF, ER, FR, JR, FR, JR, PR, JS, JS, ET, AT, JT, AT, LT, MU, JV, ZY, RZ, Id, AR, PS, LR, EG, CA, EP, JR, AR, CF, PL, ÁC No competing interests declared, (© 2024, Diz-de Almeida, Cruz et al.)

Introduction and Objectives: Transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) is an emerging treatment alternative for mitral valve (MV) disease in patients who were ineligible for surgical intervention or edge-to-edge repair. This study aimed to assess the short- and mid-term outcomes of this procedure., Methods: We conducted a prospective registry to include the initial experience with symptomatic, consecutive patients who underwent TMVR using the transapical Tendyne system at 7 centers in the Iberian Peninsula. Baseline clinical and imaging data, periprocedural information, and follow-up assessments were collected at 1 month and 1 year., Results: A total of 40 patients (mean age 78.5 years [76-82], 47,5% males) underwent TMVR. The majority had significant surgical risk, comorbidities, and advanced functional class. All patients had significant mitral regurgitation (MR), except for 2 with severe stenosis. Previous MV intervention and off-label indication for the procedure were present in 4 (10.0%) and 8 (20.0%) patients, respectively. Technical success was recorded in 100%, device success in 95.0%, and procedural success in 85.0% at 30-day. All-cause mortality was 2.5% and 17.5% at the 1-month and 1-year follow-up, respectively. MR reduction (≤ 1) and functional class improvement (NYHA I-II) were observed at 1 year in 93.9% and 87.9% of survivors, respectively., Conclusions: Treatment with TMVR produced enduring resolution of MV disease and notable functional enhancement at 1 year of follow-up. The procedure demonstrated a satisfactory early safety profile, although 1-year mortality remained relatively high in this high-risk population., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: The contribution of the virus to the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 is still unclear. We aimed to evaluate associations between viral RNA load in plasma and host response, complications, and deaths in critically ill patients with COVID-19., Methods: We did a prospective cohort study across 23 hospitals in Spain. We included patients aged 18 years or older with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection who were admitted to an intensive care unit between March 16, 2020, and Feb 27, 2021. RNA of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid region 1 (N1) was quantified in plasma samples collected from patients in the first 48 h following admission, using digital PCR. Patients were grouped on the basis of N1 quantity: VIR-N1-Zero (<1 N1 copies per mL), VIR-N1-Low (1-2747 N1 copies per mL), and VIR-N1-Storm (>2747 N1 copies per mL). The primary outcome was all-cause death within 90 days after admission. We evaluated odds ratios (ORs) for the primary outcome between groups using a logistic regression analysis., Findings: 1068 patients met the inclusion criteria, of whom 117 had insufficient plasma samples and 115 had key information missing. 836 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 403 (48%) were in the VIR-N1-Low group, 283 (34%) were in the VIR-N1-Storm group, and 150 (18%) were in the VIR-N1-Zero group. Overall, patients in the VIR-N1-Storm group had the most severe disease: 266 (94%) of 283 patients received invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), 116 (41%) developed acute kidney injury, 180 (65%) had secondary infections, and 148 (52%) died within 90 days. Patients in the VIR-N1-Zero group had the least severe disease: 81 (54%) of 150 received IMV, 34 (23%) developed acute kidney injury, 47 (32%) had secondary infections, and 26 (17%) died within 90 days (OR for death 0·30, 95% CI 0·16-0·55; p<0·0001, compared with the VIR-N1-Storm group). 106 (26%) of 403 patients in the VIR-N1-Low group died within 90 days (OR for death 0·39, 95% CI 0·26-0·57; p<0·0001, compared with the VIR-N1-Storm group)., Interpretation: The presence of a so-called viral storm is associated with increased all-cause death in patients admitted to the intensive care unit with severe COVID-19. Preventing this viral storm could help to reduce poor outcomes. Viral storm could be an enrichment marker for treatment with antivirals or purification devices to remove viral components from the blood., Funding: Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Li Ka-Shing Foundation, Research Nova Scotia, and European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases., Translation: For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests JFB-M, AT, FB, RA, JME, and APT have a patent application on SARS-CoV-2 antigenaemia as a predictor of mortality in COVID-19. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Background: Fibromyalgia is a disease that affects mostly women and is related to stressors. The aim of this study was to assess how the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has affected women with fibromyalgia., Methods: A systematic review was conducted in the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Springer Link databases, following the recommendations of the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses statement. The methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools for non-randomized studies., Results: A total of 6 studies were included. Most results indicated a worsening in the mental health of women with fibromyalgia during the pandemic, and this in turn impacted on physical health., Conclusion: The mental health of women with fibromyalgia was more affected during the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic period than that of non-fibromyalgia sufferers. This was also reflected in the worsening of symptoms and weakness in performing daily activities., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

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., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press.)

Previous studies using conventional echocardiographic measurements have reported subclinical left ventricular (LV) diastolic abnormalities in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS). Left atrial (LA) strain allows an accurate categorization of LV diastolic dysfunction. We aimed to characterize LV myocardial performance in a cohort of MFS patients using STE-derived measurements (LV and LA strain) along with conventional echocardiographic parameters. We studied 127 adult patients with MFS (no prior cardiac surgery or significant valvular regurgitation) and 38 healthy controls. We performed detailed echocardiograms and selected left atrial reservoir strain (LASr) as a surrogate of impaired relaxation. Additionally, we searched for possible determinants of LASr in patients with MFS, with a special focus on the elastic properties of the aorta. In spite of lower E-wave, septal and lateral e' velocities and average E/e' ratio in MFS patients, all participants had normal diastolic function according to current guidelines. MFS patients exhibited reduced LV global longitudinal strain (19.3 ± 2.6 vs 21.6 ± 2.1%, p < 0.001) and reduced LASr (32.9 ± 8.5 vs 43.3 ± 7.8%, p < 0.001) compared to controls. In the MFS cohort, we found weak significant (p < 0.05) correlations between LASr and certain parameters: E/A ratio (R = 0.258), E wave (R = 0.226), aortic distensibility (R = 0.222), stiffness index (R = - 0.216), LV ejection fraction (R = 0.214), lateral e' (R = 0.210), LV end-systolic volume index (R =  - 0.210), LV global longitudinal strain (R = 0.201), septal e' (R = 0.185). After multivariate analysis, only LV end-systolic volume index and E/A ratio maintained a weak independent association with LASr (R =  - 0.220; p = 0.017 and R = 0.199; p = 0.046, respectively). In conclusion, LASr is reduced in patients with MFS, which may represent an early stage of LV diastolic dysfunction. LASr is not determined by the elastic properties of the aorta, suggesting that impaired myocardial relaxation is a primary condition in MFS., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)