Search

By means of a data analysis, we study and confirm that the complexity of Conway's Game of Life cellular automaton (GoL) is enough to reproduce the statistical universal properties of wealth distributions as they are observed in real economic data. In GoL's Economy, we interpret each rebirth of a cell as the event of an agent gaining a "monetary unit". We show that the GoL's "wealth distribution" generated in this way is compatible with the exponential/gamma distribution observed in real economical complex systems for the low and medium classes of the population of a country or a society (thermal class). Furthermore, GoL also reproduces the power law asymptotic behavior of real wealth distribution corresponding to the richest sector of the population (superthermal class). Analyses of Gini index and of the stationarity of GoL generated wealth distribution were also performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Durante la pandemia causada por el virus SARS-CoV-2 ha surgido la necesidad de identificar variables predictivas que permitan una rápida identificación de aquellos pacientes que desarrollarán la COVID-19 severa para una rápida intervención. Este estudio ha desarrollado y validado un modelo capaz de realizar un pronóstico de severidad de la COVID-19.

The strain the SARS-COV-2 pandemic is putting on hospitals requires that predictive values are identified for a rapid triage and management of patients at a higher risk of developing severe COVID-19. We developed and validated a prognostic model of COVID-19 severity.

Irene Belmonte,1 Alexa Nuñez,1,2 Miriam Barrecheguren,1 Cristina Esquinas,1 Mònica Pons,3 Rosa M López-Martínez,4 Gerard Ruiz,4 Albert Blanco-Grau,4 Roser Ferrer,4 Joan Genescà,3,5 Marc Miravitlles,1,6 Francisco Rodríguez-Frías4 1Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain; 2Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra (Cerdanyola del Vallès). Barcelona, Spain; 3Liver Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron; Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain; 4Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Barcelona, Spain; 5Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, Madrid, Spain; 6CIBER de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBERES), Barcelona, SpainCorrespondence: Marc MiravitllesPneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Vall d’Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Vall d’Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, P. Vall d’Hebron 119-129, Barcelona 08035, SpainEmail marcm@separ.esBackground: Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) remains largely underdiagnosed despite recommendations of healthcare institutions and programmes designed to increase awareness. The objective was to analyse the trends in AATD diagnosis during the last 5 years in a Spanish AATD reference laboratory.Methods: This was a retrospective revision of all alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) determinations undertaken in our laboratory from 2015 to 2019. We analysed the number of AAT determinations performed and described the characteristics of the individuals tested, as well as the medical specialties and the reasons for requesting AAT determination.Results: A total of 3507 determinations were performed, of which 5.5% corresponded to children. A significant increase in the number of AAT determinations was observed from 349 in 2015 to 872 in 2019. Among the samples, 57.6% carried an intermediate AATD (50– 119 mg/dL) and 2.4% severe deficiency (< 50 mg/dL). The most frequent phenotype in severe AATD individuals was PI*ZZ (78.5%), and aminotransferase levels were above normal in around 43% of children and 30% of adults. Respiratory specialists requested the highest number of AAT determinations (31.5%) followed by digestive diseases and internal medicine (27.5%) and primary care physicians (19.7%). The main reason for AAT determination in severe AATD adults was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (41.7%), but reasons for requesting AAT determination were not reported in up to 41.7% of adults and 58.3% of children.Conclusion: There is an increase in the frequency of AATD testing despite the rate of AAT determination remaining low. Awareness about AAT is probably increasing, but the reason for testing is not always clear.Keywords: alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, diagnosis, screening, lung disease

Copyright of Mycoses is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Irene Belmonte,1,2 Miriam Barrecheguren,3 Rosa M López-Martínez,4 Cristina Esquinas,3 Esther Rodríguez,3,5 Marc Miravitlles,3,5 Francisco Rodríguez-Frías1,6 1Liver Pathology Unit, Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Hospital Universitari Vall d´Hebron, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain; 2Vall d´Hebron Institut de Recerca (VHIR), Barcelona, Spain; 3Pneumology Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; 4Biochemistry Department, Hospital Universitari Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona, Spain; 5CIBER of Respiratory Diseases, Barcelona, Spain; 6CIBER of Liver and Digestive Diseases, Instituto Nacional de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain Background and objectives: Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is associated with a high risk for the development of early-onset emphysema and liver disease. A large majority of subjects with severe AATD carry the ZZ genotype, which can be easily detected. Another rare pathologic variant, the Mmalton allele, causes a deficiency similar to that of the Z variant, but it is not easily recognizable and its detection seems to be underestimated. Therefore, we have included a rapid allele-specific genotyping assay for the detection of the Mmalton variant in the diagnostic algorithm of AATD used in our laboratory. The objective of this study was to test the usefulness of this new algorithm for Mmalton detection. Materials and methods: We performed a retrospective revision of all AATD determinations carried out in our laboratory over 2 years using the new diagnostic algorithm. Samples with a phenotype showing one or two M alleles and AAT levels discordant with that phenotype were analyzed using the Mmalton allele-specific genotyping assay. Results: We detected 49 samples with discordant AAT levels; 44 had the MM and five the MS phenotype. In nine of these samples, a single rare Mmalton variant was detected. During the study period, two family screenings were performed and four additional Mmalton variants were identified. Conclusion: The incorporation of the Mmalton allele-specific genotyping assay in the diagnostic algorithm of AATD resulted in a faster and cheaper method to detect this allele and avoided a significant delay in diagnosis when a sequencing assay was required. This methodology can be adapted to other rare variants. Standardized algorithms are required to obtain conclusive data of the real incidence of rare AAT alleles in each region. Keywords: rare variant, emphysema, genotyping, phenotyping, serum levels

OBJETIVO: Aislar e identificar hongos en diferentes especímenes de pacientes inmunocomprometidos, atendidos en un hospital de la Ciudad de México, y determinar su asociación con micosis. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio de tipo observacional transversal en pacientes del Hospital Regional General Ignacio Zaragoza, de junio de 1999 a mayo de 2000. De 108 pacientes se procesaron 268 especímenes para estudio micológico que incluyó examen directo, frotis, cultivos y microcultivos en medios específicos además de pruebas bioquímicas. La mayoría de pacientes tenía diagnóstico clínico de tuberculosis pulmonar y de síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida. RESULTADOS: Se obtuvieron 183 aislamientos de levaduras y 66 de hongos filamentosos. Se diagnosticaron 45 micosis que en su mayoría correspondieron a candidosis pulmonar (32 casos). Las especies de Candida más frecuentes asociadas a patología fueron Candida albicans y C parapsilosis. Se obtuvieron cinco aislamientos de Cryptococcus neoformans variedad neoformans, uno de C albidus, tres de Histoplasma capsulatum y uno de Geotrichum candidum, asociados a infección micótica. CONCLUSIONES: El 41.6% de los pacientes estudiados presentaron una micosis asociada principalmente a síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida y a tuberculosis pulmonar.

Within patients with sepsis, there exists significant heterogeneity, and while all patients should receive conventional therapy, there are subgroups of patients who may benefit from specific therapies, often referred to as rescue therapies. Therefore, the identification of these specific patient subgroups is crucial and lays the groundwork for the application of precision medicine based on the development of targeted interventions. Over the years, efforts have been made to categorize sepsis into different subtypes based on clinical characteristics, biomarkers, or underlying mechanisms. For example, sepsis can be stratified into different phenotypes based on the predominant dysregulated host response. These phenotypes can range from hyperinflammatory states to immunosuppressive states and even mixed phenotypes. Each phenotype may require different therapeutic approaches to improve patient outcomes. Rescue strategies for septic shock may encompass various interventions, such as immunomodulatory therapies, extracorporeal support (e.g., ECMO), or therapies targeted at specific molecular or cellular pathways involved in the pathophysiology of sepsis. In recent years, there has been growing interest in precision medicine approaches to sepsis and phenotype identification. Precision medicine aims to tailor treatments to each individual patient based on their unique characteristics and disease mechanisms., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Chiscano-Camón, Ruiz-Sanmartin, Bajaña, Bastidas, Lopez-Martinez, Franco-Jarava, Gonzalez, Larrosa, Riera, Nuvials-Casals, Ruiz-Rodríguez and Ferrer.)

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STTS) is a critical medical emergency marked by high morbidity and mortality, necessitating swift awareness, targeted treatment, and early source control due to its rapid symptom manifestation. This report focuses on a cohort of 13 patients admitted to Vall d'Hebron University Hospital Intensive Care Unit, Barcelona, from November 2022 to March 2023, exhibiting invasive Streptococcus pyogenes infections and meeting institutional sepsis code activation criteria. The primary infections were community-acquired pneumonia (61.5%) and skin/soft tissue infection (30.8%). All patients received prompt antibiotic treatment, with clinical source control through thoracic drainage (30.8%) or surgical means (23.1%). Organ support involved invasive mechanical ventilation, vasopressors, and continuous renal replacement therapy as per guidelines. Of note, 76.9% of patients experienced septic cardiomyopathy, and 53.8% required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The study identified three distinct phenotypic profiles-hyperinflammatory, low perfusion, and hypogammaglobulinemic-which could guide personalized therapeutic approaches. STTS, with a mean SOFA score of 17 (5.7) and a 53.8% requiring ECMO, underscores the need for precision medicine-based rescue therapies and sepsis phenotype identification. Integrating these strategies with prompt antibiotics and efficient source control offers a potential avenue to mitigate organ failure, enhancing patient survival and recovery in the face of this severe clinical condition.

Patients with HBeAg-negative chronic infection (CI) have not been extensively studied because of low viremia. The HBx protein, encoded by HBX, has a key role in viral replication. Here, we analyzed the viral quasispecies at the 5' end of HBX in CI patients and compared it with that of patients in other clinical stages. Fifty-eight HBeAg-negative patients were included: 16 CI, 19 chronic hepatitis B, 16 hepatocellular carcinoma and 6 liver cirrhosis. Quasispecies complexity and conservation were determined in the region between nucleotides 1255 and 1611. Amino acid changes detected were tested in vitro. CI patients showed higher complexity in terms of mutation frequency and nucleotide diversity and higher quasispecies conservation (p < 0.05). A genotype D-specific pattern of mutations (A12S/P33S/P46S/T36D-G) was identified in CI (median frequency, 81.7%), which determined a reduction in HBV DNA release of up to 1.5 log in vitro. CI patients showed a more complex and conserved viral quasispecies than the other groups. The genotype-specific pattern of mutations could partially explain the low viremia observed in these patients.

Objectives: To investigate the incidence of clinical, ultrasonographic and biochemical findings related to pre-eclampsia (PE) in pregnancies with COVID-19, and to assess their accuracy to differentiate between PE and the PE-like features associated with COVID-19., Design: A prospective, observational study., Setting: Tertiary referral hospital., Participants: Singleton pregnancies with COVID-19 at >20 +0  weeks., Methods: Forty-two consecutive pregnancies were recruited and classified into two groups: severe and non-severe COVID-19, according to the occurrence of severe pneumonia. Uterine artery pulsatility index (UtAPI) and angiogenic factors (soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1/placental growth factor [sFlt-1/PlGF]) were assessed in women with suspected PE., Main Outcome Measures: Incidence of signs and symptoms related to PE, such as hypertension, proteinuria, thrombocytopenia, elevated liver enzymes, abnormal UtAPI and increased sFlt-1/PlGF., Results: Thirty-four cases were classified as non-severe and 8 as severe COVID-19. Five (11.9%) women presented signs and symptoms of PE, all five being among the severe COVID-19 cases (62.5%). However, abnormal sFlt-1/PlGF and UtAPI could only be demonstrated in one case. One case remained pregnant after recovery from severe pneumonia and had a spontaneous resolution of the PE-like syndrome., Conclusions: Pregnant women with severe COVID-19 can develop a PE-like syndrome that might be distinguished from actual PE by sFlt-1/PlGF, LDH and UtAPI assessment. Healthcare providers should be aware of its existence and monitor pregnancies with suspected pre-eclampsia with caution., Tweetable Abstract: This study shows that a pre-eclampsia-like syndrome could be present in some pregnancies with severe COVID-19., (© 2020 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.)