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El transplantament renal ha permès millorar la supervivència i la qualitat de vida dels pacients amb malaltia renal crònica ja que disminueix la mortalitat respecte als pacients en diàlisis. Malgrat això, la malaltia cardiovascular constitueix la primera causa de defunció del pacient després del trasplantament renal i està associada a la presència d'inflamació sistèmica (nivells elevats de proteïna C reactiva o de la interleucina 6 en sang). La nostra hipòtesi sosté que la inflamació a nivell de l'empelt renal contribueix a la inflamació sistèmica. S'han inclòs a 236 pacients portadors d'un trasplantament renal als quals s'ha realitzat una biòpsia de l'empelt, ja sigui de seguiment o indicació per causa, a l'Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, entre juliol de 2015 i abril de 2019. D'aquesta cohort de pacients s'ha obtingut una mostra de sang perifèrica per a la mesura d'un panell de 20 citocines. A més, en un subgrup de 94 pacients s'ha realitzat un estudi d'expressió gènica mitjançant microarrays, tant en el teixit renal com en cèl·lules mononuclears perifèriques, amb l'objectiu de caracteritzar l'expressió de gens relacionats amb el rebuig immunològic. Per a això hem comparat els perfils d'expressió gènica obtinguts en els pacients trasplantats amb troballes de rebuig (inclou rebuig cel·lular i rebuig humoral), canvis borderline, fibrosi intersticial i atròfia tubular (IFTA) i histologia normal en biòpsies de l'empelt renal. Els pacients amb diagnòstic histològic de rebuig presenten un augment de la inflamació sistèmica, ja sigui mesurat amb el panell de 20 citocines o amb la proteïna C reactiva. A més, el mètode estadístic de construcció d'un arbre de classificació (CART), ens ha permès determinar que és possible classificar als pacients segons el seu estat d'inflamació sistèmica utilitzant únicament els nivells plasmàtics de tres citocines: *MIP-*1alpha, *IL-13 i *IL-4. Mitjançant l'estudi d'expressió de gens relacionats amb el rebuig immunològic en el subgrup de 94 pacients hem observat que l'expressió d'aquests gens es troben augmentats en aquells pacients amb diagnòstic de rebuig respecte als pacients amb histologia normal. A més, tot i que en menor mesura, també es van trobar incrementats els nivells d'expressió de gens de rebuig en pacients amb diagnòstic de canvis Borderline, tant en biòpsies de seguiment com de causa, i en els pacients amb diagnòstic IFTA en biòpsies per causa. Aquestes dades es van confirmar i validar amb els resultats obtinguts prèviament en tres cohorts externes i independents. En sang perifèrica es va observar que l'expressió diferencial de gens relacionats amb el rebuig és menor que en teixit. Trobem una expressió diferencial de gens entre les biòpsies amb diagnòstic de rebuig versus a les biòpsies amb diagnòstic normal, però aquestes dades no es van confirmar En conclusió, les nostres dades confirmen que existeix una relació entre la inflamació tissular i la inflamació sistèmica avaluada mitjançant un panell de 20 citocines. Els pacients amb canvis borderline en biòpsia per causa o de seguiment, així com, els pacients amb IFTA en biòpsia per causa presenten un increment variable de l'expressió de gens de rebuig. En canvi, no existeix un augment de l'expressió de gens de rebuig en les biòpsies de seguiment amb diagnòstic histològic de IFTA. Els canvis en l'expressió gènica observats a nivell de l'empelt renal, no es reflecteixen en les cèl·lules mononuclears perifèriques. El trasplante renal ha permitido mejorar la supervivencia y la calidad de vida de los pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica ya que disminuye la mortalidad respecto a los pacientes en diálisis. A pesar de esto, la enfermedad cardiovascular constituye la primera causa de fallecimiento del paciente después del trasplante renal y está asociada a la presencia de inflamación sistémica (niveles elevados de proteína C reactiva o de la interleucina 6 en sangre). Nuestra hipótesis sostiene que la inflamación a nivel del aloinjerto renal contribuye a la inflamación sistémica. Se han incluido 236 pacientes portadores de un trasplante renal a los que se ha realizado una biopsia del injerto, ya sea de seguimiento o indicación por causa, en el Hospital Universitario Vall de Hebrón, entre julio de 2015 y abril de 2019. De esta cohorte de pacientes se ha obtenido una muestra de sangre periférica para la medición de un panel de 20 citocinas. Además, en un subgrupo de 94 pacientes se ha realizado un estudio de expresión génica mediante microarrays, tanto en el tejido renal como en células mononucleares periféricas, con el objetivo de caracterizar la expresión de genes relacionados con el rechazo inmunológico. Para ello hemos comparado los perfiles de expresión génica obtenidos en los pacientes trasplantados con hallazgos de rechazo (incluye rechazo celular y rechazo humoral), cambios borderline, fibrosis intersticial y atrofia tubular (IFTA) e histología normal en biopsias del injerto renal. Los pacientes con diagnóstico histológico de rechazo presentan un aumento de la inflamación sistémica, ya sea medido con el panel de 20 citocinas o con la proteína C reactiva. Además, el método estadístico de construcción de un árbol de clasificación (CART), nos ha permitido determinar que es posible clasificar a los pacientes según su estado de inflamación sistémica utilizando únicamente los niveles plasmáticos de tres citocinas: MIP-1alpha, IL-13 e IL-4. Mediante el estudio de expresión de genes relacionados con el rechazo inmunológico en el subgrupo de 94 pacientes hemos observado que la expresión de dichos genes se encuentran aumentados en aquellos pacientes con diagnóstico de rechazo respecto a los pacientes con histología normal. Además, aunque en menor medida, también se encontraron incrementados los niveles de expresión de genes de rechazo en pacientes con diagnóstico de cambios Borderline, tanto en biopsias por seguimiento como por causa, y en los pacientes con diagnóstico IFTA en biopsias por causa. Estos datos se confirmaron y validaron con los resultados obtenidos previamente en tres cohortes externas e independientes. En sangre periférica se observó que la expresión diferencial de genes relacionados con el rechazo es menor que en tejido. Encontramos una expresión diferencial de genes entre las biopsias con diagnóstico de rechazo versus a las biopsias con diagnóstico normal, pero estos datos no se confirmaron con los resultados obtenidos en las tres cohortes de validación. En conclusión, nuestros datos confirman que existe una relación entre la inflamación tisular y la inflamación sistémica evaluada mediante un panel de 20 citocinas. Los pacientes con cambios borderline en biopsia por causa o de seguimiento, así como, los pacientes con IFTA en biopsia por causa presentan un incremento variable de la expresión de genes de rechazo. En cambio, no existe un aumento de la expresión de genes de rechazo en las biopsias de seguimiento con diagnóstico histológico de IFTA. Los cambios en la expresión génica observados a nivel del aloinjerto, no se reflejan en las células mononucleares periféricas. Renal transplantation has improved the survival and life quality of patients with chronic kidney disease since it reduces mortality compared to patients in dialysis. Despite this fact, cardiovascular disease is the first cause of death of kidney transplanted patients and is associated with the presence of systemic inflammation (elevated blood levels of C-reactive protein or interleukin 6). We hypostatize that inflammation of the renal allograft contributes to systemic inflammation. We included 236 kidney transplanted patients who have undergone a graft biopsy, either surveillance or indicated by cause, at the Vall de Hebrón Universitary Hospital, between July 2015 and April 2019. From this cohort a peripheral blood simple was obtained to measure a panel of 20 cytokines. In addition, a microarray based gene expression study has been performed in a subgroup of 94 patients, both in renal allograft tissue and in peripheral mononuclear cells, with the aim of characterizing the expression of genes related to immunological rejection. We have compared the gene expression profiles obtained in transplanted patients with findings of rejection (including cellular rejection and humoral rejection), borderline changes, interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) and normal histology in renal graft biopsies. Patient with histological diagnosis of rejection showed an increase in systemic inflammation, either assesed with the panel of 20 cytokines or with the C-reactive protein. In addition, the statistical method of building a classification tree (CART) has allowed us to determine that it is possible to classify the patients according to their systemic inflammation state using only the plasma levels of three cytokines: MIP-1alpha, IL-13 and IL-4. Through the immune rejection related gene expression study in the subgroup of 94 patients we have observed that immune rejection related genes are more expressed in those patients with a diagnosis of rejection when compared to patients with normal histology. In addition, although to a lesser extent, levels of rejection gene expression were also increased in patients diagnosed with borderline changes, both in surveillance and cause biopsies, and in patients with IFTA diagnosis in cause biopsies. These data were confirmed and validated with the results previously obtained in three external and independent cohorts. In peripheral blood it was observed that the differential expression of genes related to rejection is lower than in tissue. We found a differential expression of genes between biopsies with diagnosis of rejection versus biopsies with normal diagnosis, but these data were not confirmed with the results obtained in the three validation cohorts. In conclusion, our data confirm that there is a relationship between tissue inflammation and systemic inflammation evaluated by a panel of 20 cytokines. Patients with borderline changes in cause or surveillance biopsies, as well as, patients with IFTA in cause biopsy have a variable increase in the expression of rejection related genes. On the other hand, there is no increase in the expression of rejection related genes in surveillance biopsies with histological diagnosis of IFTA. The changes observed in the allograft gene expression are not reflected in peripheral mononuclear cells.

A methodology based on the fractal properties of rainfall has been applied to obtain the intensity-duration-frequency, IDF, curves for 100 pluviometric Spanish stations over the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands from their daily precipitation series. The scaling behaviour of maximum rainfall intensities has been investigated and simple scaling has resulted suitable. This methodology has been verified in three emblematic observatories with available sub-daily registers and current known generalized IDF relationships: the Fabra Observatory of Barcelona, the Ebre Observatory near Tortosa (Tarragona) and the Retiro Observatory of Madrid. Despite some general concordance with the mean annual rainfall distribution over Spain, the spatial distribution of the scaling parameter found for the 100 stations shows some discrepancies in diverse areas probably due to the influence of other features, as the inter-annual rainfall variability and the contribution of convective rainfall to total precipitation, on the characteristic rainfall pattern in these areas.

Allopurinol is a xanthine oxidase inhibitor and antioxidant free radical scavenger which facilitates the protection of ischemic organs in part via this mechanism of action. The accumulation of free radicals during ischemia and reperfusion is in great manner overcome by inhibitors of xanthine oxidase and by the development of endogenous antioxidants. The ischemic lesion generates a well-established inflammatory response with the subsequent production of inflammatory molecules characteristically present at the first stages of the injury. Inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, and other cellular and molecular compounds are consequently produced as the lesion sets in. Under these conditions, allopurinol diminishes the effect of inflammatory mediators during the ischemic inflammatory response. This study reviews the literature associated with allopurinol and renal ischemia making special emphasis on the best dose and time of administration of allopurinol regarding its protective effect. It also defines the most accepted mechanism of protection on ischemichally damaged kidneys.

The evaluation of the possible climate change influence on extreme precipitation is very interesting in the Mediterranean area due to the usual and characteristic high intensities of its rainfall pattern. This analysis is also very important in urban zones, especially those densely populated with complex sewer systems, generally vulnerable to torrential rainfall. In this work, a total of 114 simulated daily rainfall series, 84 for the period 2000–2099 and 30 for the control period 1951–1999, have been analysed. These series were obtained for six thermo-pluviometric stations located in the metropolitan area of Barcelona using the information provided by five general circulation models under four future climate scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions and applying statistical downscaling methods. The potential changes in the intensity–duration–frequency relationships due to climate change have been investigated. For the last third of the 21st century, under A1B, A2 and B2 climate scenarios, an increase of at least 4% has been found on the expected daily rainfall with return period longer than 20 years. Using a temporal downscaling based on scaling properties of rainfall, future hourly extreme rainfall has been estimated. For almost all the scenarios and periods considered, the increase on the expected hourly rainfall has resulted slightly higher than the corresponding daily rainfall. The greatest differences between the future hourly and daily rainfall estimated have been found in the second third of the century under scenarios A1B (8%) and A2 (9%)

A brief overview of the different techniques used to estimate the probable maximum precipitation (PMP) is presented. As a particular case, the 1-day PMP over Catalonia has been calculated and mapped with a high spatial resolution. For this purpose, the annual maximum daily rainfall series from 145 pluviometric stations of the Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (Spanish Weather Service) in Catalonia have been analyzed. In order to obtain values of PMP, an enveloping frequency factor curve based on the actual rainfall data of stations in the region has been developed. This enveloping curve has been used to estimate 1-day PMP values of all the 145 stations. Applying the Cressman method, the spatial analysis of these values has been achieved. Monthly precipitation climatological data, obtained from the application of Geographic Information Systems techniques, have been used as the initial field for the analysis. The 1-day PMP at 1 km(2) spatial resolution over Catalonia has been objectively determined, varying from 200 to 550 mm. Structures with wavelength longer than approximately 35 km can be identified and, despite their general concordance, the obtained 1-day PMP spatial distribution shows remarkable differences compared to the annual mean precipitation arrangement over Catalonia.

A validation of a very short-range forecast model is presented: the Meteosat Cloud Advection System (METCAST). The model forecasts IR (10.8 μm) images based on Meteosat Second Generation (MSG) data and uses ouput from the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute’s [Koninklijk Nederlands Meteorologisch Instituut (KNMI)] NWP model, the High Resolution Limited Area Model (HIRLAM). METCAST advects clouds and takes into account the evaporation–condensation processes in the atmosphere. To assimilate the satellite images into METCAST, an MSG image is converted to a modified image with coarser resolution. The relative performance of METCAST is evaluated, comparing the model results with persistence and a second nowcasting model called CineSat. Two statistical techniques are used to evaluate the forecasts: (a) the computation of the BIAS, RMSE, and Hanssen and Kuiper (HK) discriminant for a cloud mask selected in the modified and forecast images and (b) the contiguous rain areas (CRAs) technique, which permits a decomposition of the mean-squared error (MSE) of cloud clusters in three components: displacement, intensity, and shape. Five months of data, from June to November 2006 (August was not available), are used for this study. METCAST BIAS shows poor skill in comparison to CineSat and persistence. METCAST performs better in terms of the RMSE and HK discriminant. The CRA application reveals that although METCAST has a greater MSE volume component than CineSat, its displacement error component is smaller. Two interesting conclusions can be drawn: METCAST performs well when advecting cloudy pixels, but improvement in the atmospheric physics of the nowcast model may be required.

This paper discusses the basis for a new rainfall estimation method using geostationary infrared and visible data. The precipitation radar on board the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite is used to train the algorithm presented (which is the basis of the estimation method) and the further intercomparison. The algorithm uses daily Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite infrared–visible (IR–VIS) cloud classifications together with radiative and evolution properties of clouds over the life cycle of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) in different brightness temperature (Tb) ranges. Despite recognition of the importance of the relationship between the life cycle of MCSs and the rainfall rate they produce, this relationship has not previously been quantified precisely. An empirical relationship is found between the characteristics that describe the MCSs’ life cycle and the magnitude of rainfall rate they produce. Numerous earlier studies focus on this subject using cloud-patch or pixel-based techniques; this work combines the two techniques. The algorithm performs reasonably well in the case of convective systems and also for stratiform clouds, although it tends to overestimate rainfall rates. Despite only using satellite information to initialize the algorithm, satisfactory results were obtained relative to the hydroestimator technique, which in addition to the IR information uses extra satellite data such as moisture and orographic corrections. This shows that the use of IR–VIS cloud classification and MCS properties provides a robust basis for creating a future estimation method incorporating humidity Eta field outputs for a moisture correction, digital elevation models combined with low-level moisture advection for an orographic correction, and a nighttime cloud classification.

This is a copy of the author 's final draft version of an article published in the journal Theoretical and applied climatology. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00704-016-1998-0 The fractal behavior of extreme rainfall intensities registered between 1940 and 2012 by the Retiro Observatory of Madrid (Spain) has been examined, and a simple scaling regime ranging from 25 min to 3 days of duration has been identified. Thus, an intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) master equation of the location has been constructed in terms of the simple scaling formulation. The scaling behavior of probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for durations between 5 min and 24 h has also been verified. For the statistical estimation of the PMP, an envelope curve of the frequency factor (k m ) based on a total of 10,194 station-years of annual maximum rainfall from 258 stations in Spain has been developed. This curve could be useful to estimate suitable values of PMP at any point of the Iberian Peninsula from basic statistical parameters (mean and standard deviation) of its rainfall series.

The main objective of this study is to determine the maximum daily precipitation in Catalonia for several established return periods with a high spatial resolution. For this purpose, the maximum daily rainfall annual series from 145 pluviometric stations of the Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (INM) (Spanish Weather Service) in Catalonia have been analyzed. Using the L-moments method of Hosking, every series has been fitted by the extreme value distribution function of Gumbel. From this fitting, the maximum daily precipitation for each of the pluviometric stations corresponding to return periods between 2 and 500 years, have been determined. Applying the Cressman method, the spatial analysis of these values has been achieved. Monthly precipitation climatological data, obtained from the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, have been used as the initial field for the analysis. The maximum daily precipitation at 1 km2 spatial resolution on Catalonia has been objectively determined by the method employed, and structures with wavelength longer than approximately 35 km can be identified. The results show that places where the maximum daily precipitation values are expected are the zone of Guilleries in the Transversal Range, in the highest zones of the Catalan Pyrenees and Cape Creus zone at the northeastern end of Catalonia and in the south, around the Prelittoral Mountain Range between the Mountains of Prades and Montsia. A good fit between the distribution of minimum values and the driest Catalan areas has been found, the lowest values being on the western end of the Central Basin. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00704-015-1476-0 Relationship between maximum rainfall rates for time intervals between 5 minutes and 24 hours has been studied from almost a century (1905-2003) of rainfall data registered in the Ebre Observatory (Tarragona, Spain). Intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) curves and its master equation for every return period in the location have been obtained, as well as the probable maximum precipitation (PMP) for all the considered durations. In particular, the value of the 1-day PMP has resulted 415 mm, very similar to previous estimations of this variable for the same location. Extreme rainfall events recorded in this period have been analyzed and classified according to their temporal scale. Besides the three main classes of cases corresponding to the main meteorological scales, local, mesoscale and synoptic, a fourth group constituted by complex events with high intense rates for a large range of durations has been identified also, indicating the contribution of different scale meteorological processes acting together in the origin of the rainfall. A weighted intensity index taking into account the maximum rainfall rate in representative durations of every meteorological scale has been calculated for every extreme rainfall event in order to reflect their complexity.

Informe nº1 Actualización de las curvas IDF en la Comunidad de Madrid. Cálculo de los coeficientes de cambio climático para diferentes horizontes y diferentes escenarios a través de la técnica de invarianza de escala sobre la base de las proyecciones de precipitación diaria corregida para eventos extremos

Informe nº2 Actualización de las curvas IDF en la Comunidad de Madrid. Cálculo de los coeficientes de cambio climático para diferentes horizontes y diferentes escenarios a través de la técnica de invarianza de escala sobre la base de las proyecciones de precipitación diaria corregida para eventos extremos

Over the last few decades have been built a large number of infrastructures, each with a different function and purpose. These include high-speed lines, which improve the communication between different zones and the metropolitan FFCC. This kind of projects includes in many cases the construction of subterranean works, which are associated with several precision tracking control routine for good execution. In addition, these tracking control are increased at the time that the work through villages, because the bad execution of these controls could have serious consequences. In order to evaluate the continuity of a work is necessary to obtain data of the same, with this objective there are more than enough precision equipment such as inclinometers, for measuring angles of slope, piezometers, which measures the pressure of groundwater at a specific point, extensometers, used to measure changes in the length of an object, etc… The control, monitoring and subsequent interpretation of the whole collection of measurements taken, it could be named auscultation. This project focuses in one of the latest building auscultation equipment that has started to use over the last decade: the Automatic Monitored Total Station. Specifically it aims to verify, quantify and identify the influence of the different position, number, height, overture and distance of the reference targets on construction, in case it is necessary to execute an auscultation by AMTS that requires doing systematic readings for calculation of coordinates. The first phase of the project consisted in developing a program tool, which allows knowing the influence of the distribution of reference targets, in any working area, on the accuracy in coordinate calculation of the control station. From here there have been a large number of repeatability test, which modify number, distribution, horizon overture, height and distance of the targets in relation to station. For each variation have been studied the discrepancies between obtained and theoretical coordinates, and the errors obtained on the coordinate position of the station. We also studied the irregularities detection on theoretical position of reference targets, by entering gross errors in coordinates. Once repeatability testing was completed, has been executed the study of an actual structure monitoring case, making an analysis of the position of reference targets by the program tool developed. This tool is designed through the software Visual Studio in C++ language. In addition to implement the influence of the factors listed above, this program can enter, if you wish, data errors every time that program is executed, which allows to study of different gross errors. Having completed the relevant test and analyze the obtained data, it is concluded that in auscultation by AMTS, should never be used less than 8 reference targets. So neither should be used _70m in distance, because all of them exceed the usual limits set as red alert. Castellà: A lo largo de estas últimas décadas se han construido un gran número de infraestructuras, cada una de ellas con una función y un fin diferente. Entre ellas se encuentran las líneas de alta velocidad, que mejoran la comunicación entre diferentes zonas de la población, así como los FFCC metropolitanos. Este tipo de proyectos incluyen en muchas ocasiones la construcción de obras subterráneas, las cuales llevan asociados unos seguimientos rutinarios de precisión para controlar una buena ejecución. Además, estos controles se ven incrementados en el momento en que dicha obra atraviesa núcleos de población, ya que la mala ejecución podría conllevar graves consecuencias. Con el fin de valorar la continuidad de una obra es necesaria la obtención de datos sobre la misma, y con este objeto existen multitud de aparatos de precisión como inclinómetros, para obtener datos de los desplazamientos laterales del terreno, piezómetros, encargados de recoger datos de la presión en diferentes niveles acuíferos, extensómetros, utilizados para recoger las deformaciones de las armaduras, etc. El control, seguimiento y posterior interpretación de toda la colección de medidas obtenidas, lo podríamos definir como auscultación. Este trabajo se centra en uno de los últimos aparatos de auscultación de edificios que se han empezado a emplear durante la última década: la Estación Total Monitorizada Automática. Más concretamente tiene como objetivo comprobar, cuantificar y señalar la influencia de las diferentes disposiciones, número, altura, obertura y distancia de los prismas de referencia sobre una construcción, en el caso que sea necesario llevar a cabo una auscultación mediante ETMA y esta requiera la realización de lecturas sistemáticas para el cálculo de sus coordenadas. La primera fase del proyecto ha consistido en la creación de una herramienta informática que permita conocer la influencia de la distribución de las señales de referencia, en cualquier ámbito de trabajo, sobre la calidad del cálculo de las coordenadas de la estación de control. A partir de aquí se han realizado un gran número de pruebas de repetitividad, en las cuales se han variado el número, la distribución, la obertura de horizonte, la altura y la distancia de los prismas respecto de la estación. Por cada variación se han estudiado las discrepancias de las coordenadas obtenidas respecto las teóricas, como los errores obtenidos en las coordenadas de la posición de la estación. También se ha estudiado la detección de irregularidades en la posición teórica de las señales de referencia, mediante la introducción de errores groseros en sus coordenadas. Una vez finalizadas las pruebas de repetitividad, se ha llevado a cabo el estudio de un caso real de monitorización de estructuras, realizando el análisis de la disposición de los prismas de referencia mediante la herramienta informática creada. Esta herramienta se ha diseñado a través del entorno informático Visual Studio con lenguaje C++. Además de implementar la simulación de la influencia de los factores citados anteriormente, este programa puede introducir, si se desea, errores en los datos cada vez que es ejecutado, lo cual permite el estudio de diferentes errores groseros. Habiendo realizado las pruebas pertinentes y analizados los datos obtenidos, se concluye que en un caso de auscultación, mediante ETMA, nunca deberían emplearse un número inferior a 8 prismas de referencia. Así como tampoco deberían utilizarse oberturas de horizonte _70 m, ya que todos ellos superan los límites habituales establecidos de alerta roja.