Enhancement the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy of nanopatterned hard/soft bilayer magnetic antidot arrays for spintronic application

Development of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy thin films is a requisite for many applications. In this work, we have illustrated the enhancement of the PMA of Hard (Co)/Soft (Permalloy, Py) ferromagnetic bilayers by depositing them onto nanoporous anodic alumina membranes with different hole diameters varying in the range between 30 nm and 95 nm. A dramatic change in the hysteresis loops behaviour with hole size, D, and magnetic surface cover ratio parameters has been observed: (1) for samples with small antidot hole diameters, the in-plane (INP) hysteresis loops show single-step magnetic behaviour; (2) for D = 75 nm, the hysteresis loops of Co/Py and Py samples exhibit a multistep magnetic behaviour; (3) a decreasing coercivity in the INP hysteresis loops for antidot arrays samples with D> 75 nm has been detected as a consequence of the reduction of the INP magnetic anisotropy and the rising of the out-of-plane component. A crossover of the magnetic anisotropy from the INP to out-of-plane for bilayer antidot samples has been observed for Co/Py ferromagnetic bilayers, favoured by the interfacial exchange coupling between the two ferromagnetic materials. These findings can be of high interest for the development of novel magnetic sensors and for perpendicular-magnetic recording patterned media based on template-assisted deposition techniques.

Novel antimicrobial phosphate-free glass-ceramic scaffolds for bone tissue regeneration

In this study a phosphate-free glass-ceramic porous scaffold was synthesized by a three-step methodology involving slurry preparation, induction of porosity by surfactant-assisted foaming following by freeze-drying and sintering. This inorganic scaffold was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), degradation and bioactivity. Thermal treatment at 750 °C showed two new crystalline phases, combeite and nepheline, into the glassy matrix responsible for its properties. The cell response of the scaffold was also evaluated for using as a bone graft substitute. A commercial Biphasic Calcium Phosphate, BCP, scaffold was assessed in parallel as reference material. Microstructures obtained by SEM showed the presence of macro, meso and microporosity. The glass-ceramic scaffold possesses an interconnected porosity around 31% with a crack-pore system that promote the protein adsorption and cell attachment. Glass-ceramic scaffold with high concentration of calcium ions shows an antimicrobial behavior against Escherichia coli after 24 h of contact. Nepheline phase present in the glass-ceramic structure is responsible for its high mechanical properties being around 87 MPa. Glass-ceramic scaffold promotes greater protein adsorption and therefore the attachment, spreading and osteodifferentiation of Adipose Derived Stem Cells than BCP scaffold. A higher calcification was induced by glass-ceramic scaffold compared to reference BCP material.

Seminoma in an adult striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba: tomographic, macroscopical, histological and immunohistochemical study

Testicular neoplasms have been extensively described and characterized in domestic animals, but reports in wildlife species, including marine mammals, are scarce. This case report describes a testicular seminoma in an adult striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba stranded along the coasts of the Canary Islands. Post-mortem computerized tomography (CT) showed a prominent enlargement of the cranial pole of the right testicle, displacing the intestinal loops. Necropsy gross findings confirmed the presence of a testicular mass, bulging at the cut surface, with multiple well-delimitated whitish nodular lesions. Histologically, intratubular and diffuse neoplastic germinative cell proliferation was described. Complementary immunohistochemical assessments for vimentin and CD117 antibodies were negative. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first seminoma described in a S. coeruleoalba. We suggest that post-mortem (PM) pre-necropsy CT in dolphins is a useful tool for anatomic-guided pathology in such cases.

Effect assessment of reclaimed water and carbamazepine exposure on the thyroid axis of X. laevis: Apical and histological effects

There is increasing environmental concern about the constant presence of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in surface water, generally attributed to water discharge from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) that are unable to completely remove these compounds. The slight, but continuous, presence of these contaminants in reclaimed water (RW) poses a risk of chronic and sublethal toxicity, and the thyroid axis can likely be a target of many of these PPCPs. In this work, we addressed the effects of RW on the Xenopus laevis thyroid system. The Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay (AMA test) was used with modifications by exposing X. laevis tadpoles to RW samples, and to RW spiked with carbamazepine (CBZ) at 100 and 1000 higher than the average levels environmentally relevant (RW 100× and RW 1000×, respectively). Carbamazepine was selected because it is considered a marker of anthropogenic pollution and could have a potential effect on the thyroid axis. The morphological endpoints and histological alterations to the thyroid gland were evaluated. The results suggested the stimulation of the thyroid gland from exposures to the RW samples, supported by tadpoles' accelerated development and by the histological alterations observed in the thyroid gland. Developmental acceleration was also seen in the tadpoles exposed to the RW-100× and -1000× samples at comparable levels to those seen in exposures to RW samples alone. Hence CBZ did not seem to increase the effects of RW on the thyroid axis. Overall, our results suggested endocrine effects of these RW samples regardless of the CBZ concentration.

Epigenetic regulation of TLR2-mediated periapical inflammation

AIM

To determine the methylation pattern of TLR2 gene promoter and its association with the transcriptional regulation of periapical inflammatory and angiogenic responses in symptomatic and asymptomatic forms of apical periodontitis.

METHODOLOGY

In this cross-sectional study, apical lesions were obtained from volunteers with asymptomatic apical periodontitis (AAP) (n = 17) and symptomatic apical periodontitis (SAP) (n = 17) scheduled for tooth extraction, and both total RNA and DNA were extracted. DNA was bisulfite-treated, a region of CpG island within the TLR2 gene was amplified by qPCR and the products were sequenced. Additionally, the mRNA expression of TLR2, TLR4, IL-6, IL-12, TNFalpha, IL-23, IL-10, TGFbeta, VEGFA and CDH5 was analysed by qPCR. The data were analysed with chi-square tests, Mann-Whitney or unpaired t-tests, and Spearman´s correlation; variable adjustments were performed using multiple linear regression (P < 0.05).

RESULTS

TLR2 depicted a hypomethylated DNA profile at the CpG island in SAP when compared with AAP, along with upregulated expression of TLR2, with pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-23, and the angiogenesis marker CDH5 (P < 0.05). TLR2 methylation percentage negatively correlated with mRNA levels of IL-23 and CDH5 in apical periodontitis. Lower methylation frequencies of single CpG dinucleotides -8 and -10 localized in close proximity to nuclear factor κB (NFκB) binding within the TLR2 promoter were identified in SAP versus AAP (P < 0.05). Finally, unmethylated -10 and -8 single sites demonstrated up-regulation of IL-23, IL-10 and CDH5 transcripts compared to their methylated counterparts (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

TLR2 gene promoter hypomethylation was linked to transcriptional activity of pro-inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic markers in exacerbated periapical inflammation. Moreover, unmethylated single sites in close proximity to NFκB binding were involved in active transcription of IL-23, IL-10 and CDH5.

SAT0274 DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS OF FLARES DURING THE LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF PATIENTS WITH BEHÇET’S DISEASE INCLUDED IN REGEB COHORT

Background:

Objectives:

To describe the clinical manifestations and treatment of flares during follow-up in patients with Behçet’s disease (BD) included in the REGEB cohort over the last decade.

Methods:

The Spanish Registry of BD or REGEB (REGistrode la Enfermedad de Behçet as Spanish nomenclature) Project Group was created by the Spanish Internal Medicine Society in 2009 with the aim of compiling a large cohort of Spanish patients with this rare disorder. By July 2012, REGEB has collected 635 BD patients with a multicentre, longitudinal and consecutive design. Diagnosis of BD was performed on the basis of the International Study Group criteria for BD. Since inclusion in the registry, patients have been followed prospectively and new flares have been recorded, defined as those clinical manifestations which have required initiation or modification of immunosuppressive treatment, or prednisone dose at or higher than 10mg/d of prednisone during more than 1 month.

Results:

A prospective follow-up of 326 patients included in the registry has been analysed. There are 182 women (56%) and their average age (SD) at the time of diagnosis was 33 (13) years. The majority of them were Caucasian (91%). The median follow-up time from BD diagnosis was 180 months, and the prospective follow-up period from the inclusion in the registry was 80 months. The cumulative clinical manifestations until the initial registration were oral ulcers in 100% of patients, genital ulcers in 221 (68%), arthritis in 147 (45%), erythema nodosum in 96 (29%), fever in 82 (25%), thrombosis in 74 (23%), anterior uveitis in 76 (23%), retinal vasculitis in 46 (14%), posterior uveitis in 35 (11%), aseptic meningitis in 32 (10%), and other neurological manifestations in 15 (5%) patients. One hundred and fifty-six (48%) patients received immunosuppressants and 47 (14%) biological therapy.

During follow up (period from the inclusion in the REGEB to the last visit) 68 (23%) patients presented at least a severe outbreak. The median time from the BD diagnosis to the first flare were 170 months. The main clinical manifestations were oral-genital ulcers in 43 (63%) patients, uveitis in 31 (45%), arthritis in 13 (19%), neurological in 16 (24%), vascular in 10 (15%), and gastrointestinal in 3 (4%) patients. Immunosuppressants were used in 37 (54%) patients and biological therapy in 14 (21%). Biological therapy was mostly used due to refractory disease, the majority of cases because ocular manifestations. There were no differences in terms of age, sex, race and previous clinical manifestations between patients who suffered from flares and those who did not. Flares were more frequent in patients who have received previous immunosuppressive or biological treatment (35% vs 13% and 48% vs 19%, respectively) (p<0.001 in both cases), probably reflecting a more severe disease.

Conclusion:

The long-term follow-up of BD patients from REGEB cohort showed that 10 years after diagnosis, a fifth of them may continue to present severe flares requiring systemic treatment. The use of biological therapy increased over time and their main indication was refractory disease.

Disclosure of Interests:

Mónica Rodríguez Carballeira: None declared, Roser Solans: None declared, Raquel Ríos Fernández: None declared, Begoña Escalante: None declared, Brenda Maure: None declared, Alejandra Fernández: None declared, Robert Hurtado: None declared, Rafael Boldova: None declared, Gerard Espinosa Speakers bureau: Glaxo-Smith-Kline, Janssen, Boehringer, Rovi

Development of a 64 SNV panel for breed authentication in Iberian pigs and their derived meat products

Spanish legislation regulates the labelling of Iberian pig meat and dry-cured products, which are labelled as "Ibérico" or "100% Ibérico" when they come from Duroc x Iberian crossbred or Iberian purebred pigs. Although the analytical authentication of breed origin is not mandatory, a genetic diagnostic tool is demanded by producers and consumers. We have designed a 64 Single Nucleotide Variant genotyping panel displaying extreme allelic frequencies between Duroc and Iberian purebred samples. Average proportions of Iberian alleles of 0.99, 0.01, 0.77 and 0.48 were estimated by admixture clustering analysis of known origin samples, for Iberian and Duroc purebred, 75% Iberian and 50% Iberian classes, respectively. A supervised analysis with 1419 samples showed some overlapping between contiguous classes, but the calculated degrees of separability ranged from 0.800 to 0.996, exceeding the threshold value (0.70) for considering suitable for prediction. Therefore, this panel is a useful genetic tool to infer purebred or crossbred Iberian origin of live animals, meat and dry-cured products.

Diazepam and Jacobson's Progressive Relaxation Show Similar Attenuating Short-Term Effects on Stress-Related Brain Glucose Consumption

A non-pharmacological method to reduce anxiety is “progressive relaxation” (PR). The aim of the method is to reduce mental stress and associated mental processes by means of progressive suppression of muscle tension. The study was addressed to evaluate changes in brain glucose metabolism induced by PR in patients under a stressing state generated by a diagnostic medical intervention. The effect of PR was compared to a dose of sublingual diazepam, with the prediction that both interventions would be associated with a reduction in brain metabolism. Eighty-four oncological patients were assessed with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography. Maps of brain glucose distribution from 28 patients receiving PR were compared with maps from 28 patients receiving sublingual diazepam and with 28 patients with no treatment intervention. Compared to reference control subjects, the PR and diazepam groups showed a statistically significant, bilateral and generalized cortical hypometabolism. Regions showing the most prominent changes were the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. No significant differences were identified in the direct comparison between relaxation technique and sublingual diazepam. Our findings suggest that relaxation induced by a physical/psychological procedure can be as effective as a reference anxiolytic in reducing brain activity during a stressful state.

What Reasons Lead Spanish Medical Students Not to Be in Favor of Organ Donation?

INTRODUCTION

Despite sensitization of medical students toward the donation of organs, a non-negligible percentage of students are not in favor of donation.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the reasons of Spanish medical students who do not have a favorable attitude toward the donation of their own organs after death.

METHOD

The population under study is medical students in Spanish universities, using the database of the International Donor Collaborative Project, stratified by geographic area and academic year. The questionnaire completion was anonymous and self-administered. The study group is medical students with an unfavorable attitude toward organ donation. The assessment instrument used is a validated questionnaire of attitude toward the donation of organs for transplant, "PCID-DTO-Ríos." The reasons against the donation are valued in the questionnaire through a question.

RESULTS

Of the participants included in the PCID, students who are not in favor of organ donation were selected (n = 1899). Of them, 8.1% (n = 154) are against and 91.1% (n = 1745) are doubtful. The main reasons indicated are the fear of apparent death in 11.4% of respondents, fear of possible mutilation after donation in 11.1%, and religious reasons in 2.6%. Of those, 6.9% indicate other reasons but do not clearly specify the reasons, using words such as "fear" (2.5%) or "doubts about the process" (4.1%); 66.2% (n = 1257) indicated an "assertive refusal" ("I don't want to express my reasons").

CONCLUSION

Twenty percent of Spanish medical students are not in favor of donating their organs and are not in favor of showing their reasons.

Are Medical Students of Non-Spanish Nationality Studying in Spain as Sensitized to Transplantation as Those of Spanish Nationality?

INTRODUCTION

Awareness of organ donation among Spanish doctors and medical students is very positive. However, the emerging group of professionals of non-Spanish nationality studying in Spain has not been analyzed.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the differences in the attitudes toward the different types of donation among medical students, according to their nationality.

METHODS

The population under study is medical students in Spanish universities using the database of the International Collaborative Donor Project, stratified by geographic area and academic year. Groups under study include students of non-Spanish nationality as group 1 (n = 1570) and students of Spanish nationality as Group 2 (n = 7705). Instruments are validated questionnaires of attitude toward donation "PCID-DTO-Ríos," "PCID-DVR-Ríos," "PCID-DVH-Ríos," and "PCID-XenoTx-Ríos."

RESULTS

The attitude toward the donation of own organs after death is similar in both groups (P = .703). Non-Spaniards are 79.2% in favor compared to 79.6% of Spaniards. Living kidney donation, both unrelated (33.3% vs 29.3% in favor; P = .001) and related (91.2% vs 89, 6% in favor; P = .047), is more favorable among non-Spanish students. There are no differences regarding non-related living liver donation (29.7% vs 29.3% in favor; P = .063), but there are differences in the results for related living liver donation (94.1% vs 88%; P < .001). The attitude toward xenotransplantation of organs is similar (80.8% vs 80.8%; P = .999).

CONCLUSIONS

Awareness of the donation of organs among Spanish medical students is similar to non-Spanish students studying in Spain, except the attitude toward living donation.

Information About Donation and Organ Transplantation Among Spanish Medical Students

INTRODUCTION

Health professionals are asked to promote health, especially organ transplantation; however, they do not always have specific training.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze information about donation and organ transplantation among Spanish medical students.

METHOD

The population under study is medical students in Spanish universities using the database of the International Donor Collaborative Project, stratified by geographic area and academic year (n = 9275). The instrument used is the attitude questionnaire for organ donation for "PCID-DTO-Ríos" transplantation, validated with an explained variance of 63.203% and α = 0.834. The Student t test was applied together with the χ² test, complemented by an analysis of the remainders, and Fisher's exact test was applied.

RESULTS

Of the students, 74% indicate that they have received information from university professors about organ transplant. Concerning specific issues with the donation, it is notable that only 66.7% (n = 6190) know and accept the concept of brain death as the death of a person. However, only 22% consider themselves as having good information, and 35.3% indicate that their information is scarce or void. Students indicate having received information about transplant from other extra-university sources, such as television and Internet (80.9%), books and magazines (73.2%), and the press (66.9%). From the information obtained in the sociofamilial field, 60.7% have obtained information from the family and 58.1% from friends. Of this information, 9% has been negative from friends, 7.5% from family, 6% from the Internet and television, and 4% from university professors.

CONCLUSION

Spanish medical students believe they have little information about organ transplantation and have received negative information.

Generation of Genetically Modified Mice Using CRISPR/Cas9

Using CRISPR-based genome-editing techniques, we are able to generate a variety of new mouse models of several types of diseases. These animal models will be instrumental not only for enabling the comprehension of a particular disease and its underlying molecular mechanism but also as unique recipients for testing novel and innovative therapeutic approaches that are being currently explored. This chapter describes detailed step-by-step protocols, reagents, and equipment required for successful generation of genome-edited mice using CRISPR tools.

Gluten-free breadmaking affected by the particle size and chemical composition of quinoa and buckwheat flour fractions

This study aimed at assessing the effect of physicochemical properties and the particle size of different fractions of buckwheat and quinoa on the behaviour of gluten-free dough and bread quality. Quinoa and buckwheat grains were milled with a hammer mill and then separated in three fractions. These fractions where then re-milled with a cyclonic mill to obtain samples of similar sizes. Results showed that the chemical composition of these fractions was very different and played a major role on bread quality. Proteins, lipids and fibre negatively affected bread quality, whereas starch-rich fractions were more adequate for breadmaking. Re-milling quinoa and buckwheat fractions increased bread volume, although chemical composition still influenced bread properties. For hammer-milled fractions, both the finest fractions resulted in breads with higher technological quality, as well as a final product with more fibre, minerals and proteins.

Influence of nanoholes array geometrical parameters on magnetic properties of Dy-Fe antidot thin films

Nanoscale artificially engineered spintronic materials could be used to enlarge the storage density of magnetic recording media. For this purpose, magnetic nanostructures such as antidot arrays exhibiting high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy are new contestants in the field of ultrahigh density magnetic data storage devices. In this context, we focus on the synthesis of nanostructured magnetic materials consisting of Dy-Fe alloyed antidot thin films, deposited onto the surface of nanoporous alumina membranes served as patterned templates. Noticeable variations of in the in-plane magnetic anisotropy have been observed by modifying the layer thickness at both microscopic and macroscopic scales. The microscopic magnetic properties have been locally studied by Nano-MOKE magnetometry. For thinner antidot samples with 15, 20 and 25 nm in thickness, a tri-axial in-plane magnetic anisotropy has been detected. Meanwhile, for thicker antidot samples (40-60 nm of layer thickness), an in-plane uniaxial magnetic anisotropy has been noted. We attribute these changes in the magnetic anisotropy to the strong correlation between the edge-to-edge distance among adjacent nanoholes, W, and the local magnetic anisotropy of antidot samples. The effective magnetic anisotropy exhibits an unexpected crossover from the in-plane to out-of-plane direction due to the increasing of the effective perpendicular magnetic anisotropy with varying the layer thickness of antidot thin films. Therefore, we detected a critical layer thickness, t = 25 nm for the Dy-Fe alloy antidot arrays, at which the appearance of the perpendicular magnetization is observed. Furthermore, an enhancement in the Curie temperature of the antidot arrays compared to the continuous thin films has been obtained. We attribute these effects to the complex magnetization reversal processes and the high thermal stability of the hexagonal structure of antidot arrays. These findings can be of high interest for the development of novel magnetic sensors and for thermo-magnetic recording patterned media based on template-assisted deposition techniques.

Caracterización de los resultados correspondientes al brote de sarampión de Madrid de 2019 en las muestras clínicas procesadas en el Laboratorio Regional de Salud Pública

En la primavera de 2019 se ha producido en la Comunidad de Madrid un aumento de casos de sarampión. El objetivo de este estudio es describir el tipo de muestras clínicas estudiadas y los resultados obtenidos en este brote. Entre el 1 de abril y el 25 de junio de 2019 se procesaron 193 muestras biológicas correspondientes a 109 sospechas clínicas de sarampión. Las determinaciones serológicas (IgM e IgG frente a sarampión y rubéola) se llevaron a cabo por ELISA indirecto. La amplificación de ácidos nucleicos de los virus del sarampión y la rubéola se efectuó mediante RT-PCR. Se confirmaron 44 casos de sarampión. Dos de ellos habían sido vacunados muy recientemente y ambos presentaban el genotipo vacunal A. Los amplificados de todas las cepas salvajes (21) eran D8. En esta serie, el tiempo medio observado entre recepción de muestras y obtención del resultado positivo fue de 0,5 días. En 32 casos confirmados se dispuso de muestras tanto de exudado faríngeo para RT-PCR como de sangre para serología y en 32 la RT-PCR resultó positiva (sensibilidad 100%, IC95% 86,7- 99,7) mientras que en 22 la IgM fue positiva (sensibilidad 68,8%, IC95% 49,9- 83,3). Inversamente, en 49 sospechas descartadas se dispuso de muestras de exudado faríngeo para RT-PCR como de sangre para serología y en 49 la RT-PCR resultó negativa (especificidad 100%, IC95% 90,9- 99,8). En 1 muestra de una sospecha descartada la IgM fue positiva (especificidad 98,0%, IC95% 87,8- 99,9). En la etapa de eliminación del sarampión y la rubéola los estándares de vigilancia deben ir dirigidos a detectar todos los posibles casos. Para ello es preciso la obtención en tiempos correctos de las muestras biológicas adecuadas (suero y especialmente exudado faríngeo).