Modeling the effects of different fuel treatment mosaics on wildfire spread and behavior in a Mediterranean agro-pastoral area.

Wildfire spread and behavior can be limited by fuel treatments, even if their effects can vary according to a number of factors including type, intensity, extension, and spatial arrangement. In this work, we simulated the response of key wildfire exposure metrics to variations in the percentage of treated area, treatment unit size, and spatial arrangement of fuel treatments under different wind intensities. The study was carried out in a fire-prone 625 km2 agro-pastoral area mostly covered by herbaceous fuels, and located in Northern Sardinia, Italy. We constrained the selection of fuel treatment units to areas covered by specific herbaceous land use classes and low terrain slope (<10%). We treated 2%, 5% and 8% of the landscape area, and identified priority sites to locate the fuel treatment units for all treatment alternatives. The fuel treatment alternatives were designed create diverse mosaics of disconnected treatment units with different sizes (0.5-10 ha, LOW strategy; 10-25 ha, MED strategy; 25-50 ha, LAR strategy); in addition, treatment units in a 100-m buffer around the road network (ROAD strategy) were tested. We assessed pre- and post-treatment wildfire behavior by the Minimum Travel Time (MTT) fire spread algorithm. The simulations replicated a set of southwestern wind speed scenarios (16, 24 and 32 km h-1) and the driest fuel moisture conditions observed in the study area. Our results showed that fuel treatments implemented near the existing road network were significantly more efficient than the other alternatives, and this difference was amplified at the highest wind speed. Moreover, the largest treatment unit sizes were the most effective in containing wildfire growth. As expected, increasing the percentage of the landscape treated and reducing wind speed lowered fire exposure profiles for all fuel treatment alternatives, and this was observed at both the landscape scale and for highly valued resources. The methodology presented in this study can support the design and optimization of fuel management programs and policies in agro-pastoral areas of the Mediterranean Basin and herbaceous type landscapes elsewhere, where recurrent grassland fires pose a threat to rural communities, farms and infrastructures.

Modificaciones en variables antropométricas, analíticas de riesgo metabólico y composición corporal en pequeños para la edad gestacional en tratamiento con hormona de crecimiento / Effects of growth hormone treatment on anthropometrics, metabolic risk, and body composition variables in small for gestational age patients

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los niños pequeños para la edad gestacional (PEG) sin crecimiento recuperador pueden beneficiarse del tratamiento con hormona de crecimiento (rhGH). Sin embargo, deben ser monitorizados de forma muy estrecha ya que son población de riesgo metabólico. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se han incluido 28 niños PEG, con una media de edad de 8,79 años, sin crecimiento recuperador, tratados con rhGH. Hemos evaluado las modificaciones producidas en la antropometría, variables de riesgo metabólico y composición corporal durante 4 años de tratamiento. RESULTADOS: El tratamiento con rhGH se acompañó de un aumento de talla (-2,76 ± 0,11 DE hasta -1,53 ± 0,17 DE; p = 0,000), peso (-1,50 ± 0,09 DE hasta -1,21 ± 0,13 DE; p = 0,016) y velocidad de crecimiento (-1,43 ± 0,35 DE hasta 0,41 ± 0,41 DE; p = 0,009), sin producir modificaciones en el índice de masa corporal (IMC). Se han visto aumentos significativos de la insulinemia (9,33 ± 1,93 mU/ml hasta 16,55 ± 1,72 mU/ml; p = 0,044) y del índice HOMA (3,63 ± 0,76 hasta 6,43 ± 0,67; p = 0,042), sin producirse modificaciones en el perfil lipídico. En el estudio de composición corporal se ha comprobado un aumento significativo de la masa magra (73,19 ± 1,26 hasta 78,74 ± 1,31; p = 0,037) con una disminución de la masa grasa (26,81 ± 1,26 hasta 21,26 ± 1,31; p = 0,021). CONCLUSIÓN: El tratamiento con rhGH se ha acompañado de una ganancia en la talla sin producir alteraciones en el IMC. Asimismo, se han observado cambios en la composición corporal, con un aumento de la proporción de masa magra a expensas de una disminución de la de masa grasa, que podrían conducir a un descenso del riesgo metabólico de estos pacientes. Sin embargo, se ha detectado cierta resistencia insulínica. Es importante continuar el seguimiento de estos niños para determinar las posibles repercusiones en la edad adulta

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Small for gestational age (SGA) children without catch-up growth can benefit from treatment with growth hormone (rhGH). However, they should be monitored very closely because they are at increased risk of metabolic syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A group of 28 SGA children with a mean age of 8.79 years and undergoing treatment with rhGH were selected for evaluation. Over the course of 4 years, an annual evaluation was performed on the anthropometric variables (weight, height, body mass index [BMI], growth rate, blood pressure and waist perimeter), metabolic risk variables (glycaemia, glycosylated haemoglobin, cholesterol ratio, insulinaemia, insulin-like growth factor 1[IGF1], IGF binding protein-3 [IGFBP-3], IGF1/IGFBP3 ratio, and HOMA index), and body composition variables. RESULTS: Treatment with rhGH was associated with a significant increase in height (-2.76 ± .11 SD to -1.53 ± .17 SD, P=.000), weight (-1.50 ± .09 SD to -1.21 ± .13 SD; P = .016), and growth rate (-1.43 ± .35 SD to .41 ± .41 SD; P=.009), without a corresponding change in the BMI. Insulinaemia (9.33 ± 1.93 mU/ml to 16.55 ± 1.72 mU/ml; P = .044) and the HOMA index (3.63 ± .76 to 6.43 ± .67; P = .042) increased, approaching insulin resistance levels. No changes were observed in the lipid profile. Body composition changes were observed, with a significant increase in lean mass (73.19 ± 1.26 to 78.74 ± 1.31; P = .037), and a reduction of fat mass (26.81 ± 1.26 to 21.26 ± 1.31; P = .021). CONCLUSION: Treatment with rhGH is effective for improving anthropometric variables in SGA patients who have not experienced a catch-up growth. It also produces changes in body composition, which may lead to a reduction in risk of metabolic syndrome. However, some insulin resistance was observed. It is important to follow up this patient group in order to find out whether these changes persist into adulthood

Prognostic stratification improvement by integrating ID1/ID3/IGJ gene expression signature and immunophenotypic profile in adult patients with B-ALL.

BACKGROUND: Survival of adults with B-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia requires accurate risk stratification of patients in order to provide the appropriate therapy. Contemporary techniques, using clinical and cytogenetic variables are incomplete for prognosis prediction. METHODS: To improve the classification of adult patients diagnosed with B-ALL into prognosis groups, two strategies were examined and combined: the expression of the ID1/ID3/IGJ gene signature by RT-PCR and the immunophenotypic profile of 19 markers proposed in the EuroFlow protocol by Flow Cytometry in bone marrow samples. RESULTS: Both techniques were correlated to stratify patients into prognostic groups. An inverse relationship between survival and expression of the three-genes signature was observed and an immunophenotypic profile associated with clinical outcome was identified. Markers CD10 and CD20 were correlated with simultaneous overexpression of ID1, ID3 and IGJ. Patients with simultaneous expression of the poor prognosis gene signature and overexpression of CD10 or CD20, had worse Event Free Survival and Overall Survival than patients who had either the poor prognosis gene expression signature or only CD20 or CD10 overexpressed. CONCLUSION: By utilizing the combined evaluation of these two immunophenotypic markers along with the poor prognosis gene expression signature, the risk stratification can be significantly strengthened. Further studies including a large number of patients are needed to confirm these findings.

[Effects of growth hormone treatment on anthropometrics, metabolic risk, and body composition variables in small for gestational age patients]. / Modificaciones en variables antropométricas, analíticas de riesgo metabólico y composición corporal en pequeños para la edad gestacional en tratamiento con hormona de crecimiento.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Small for gestational age (SGA) children without catch-up growth can benefit from treatment with growth hormone (rhGH). However, they should be monitored very closely because they are at increased risk of metabolic syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A group of 28 SGA children with a mean age of 8.79 years and undergoing treatment with rhGH were selected for evaluation. Over the course of 4 years, an annual evaluation was performed on the anthropometric variables (weight, height, body mass index [BMI], growth rate, blood pressure and waist perimeter), metabolic risk variables (glycaemia, glycosylated haemoglobin, cholesterol ratio, insulinaemia, insulin-like growth factor 1[IGF1], IGF binding protein-3 [IGFBP-3], IGF1/IGFBP3 ratio, and HOMA index), and body composition variables. RESULTS: Treatment with rhGH was associated with a significant increase in height (-2.76±.11 SD to -1.53±.17 SD, P=.000), weight (-1.50±.09 SD to -1.21±.13 SD; P=.016), and growth rate (-1.43±.35 SD to .41±.41 SD; P=.009), without a corresponding change in the BMI. Insulinaemia (9.33±1.93mU/ml to 16.55±1.72mU/ml; P=.044) and the HOMA index (3.63±.76 to 6.43±.67; P=.042) increased, approaching insulin resistance levels. No changes were observed in the lipid profile. Body composition changes were observed, with a significant increase in lean mass (73.19±1.26 to 78.74±1.31; P=.037), and a reduction of fat mass (26.81±1.26 to 21.26±1.31; P=.021). CONCLUSION: Treatment with rhGH is effective for improving anthropometric variables in SGA patients who have not experienced a catch-up growth. It also produces changes in body composition, which may lead to a reduction in risk of metabolic syndrome. However, some insulin resistance was observed. It is important to follow up this patient group in order to find out whether these changes persist into adulthood.

Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Wildfire Exposure in Mediterranean Areas.

We used simulation modeling to assess potential climate change impacts on wildfire exposure in Italy and Corsica (France). Weather data were obtained from a regional climate model for the period 1981-2070 using the IPCC A1B emissions scenario. Wildfire simulations were performed with the minimum travel time fire spread algorithm using predicted fuel moisture, wind speed, and wind direction to simulate expected changes in weather for three climatic periods (1981-2010, 2011-2040, and 2041-2070). Overall, the wildfire simulations showed very slight changes in flame length, while other outputs such as burn probability and fire size increased significantly in the second future period (2041-2070), especially in the southern portion of the study area. The projected changes fuel moisture could result in a lengthening of the fire season for the entire study area. This work represents the first application in Europe of a methodology based on high resolution (250 m) landscape wildfire modeling to assess potential impacts of climate changes on wildfire exposure at a national scale. The findings can provide information and support in wildfire management planning and fire risk mitigation activities.

High expression of ID family and IGJ genes signature as predictor of low induction treatment response and worst survival in adult Hispanic patients with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

BACKGROUND: B-Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) represents a hematologic malignancy with poor clinical outcome and low survival rates in adult patients. Remission rates in Hispanic population are almost 30% lower and Overall Survival (OS) nearly two years inferior than those reported in other ethnic groups. Only 61% of Colombian adult patients with ALL achieve complete remission (CR), median overall survival is 11.3 months and event-free survival (EFS) is 7.34 months. Identification of prognostic factors is crucial for the application of proper treatment strategies and subsequently for successful outcome. Our goal was to identify a gene expression signature that might correlate with response to therapy and evaluate the utility of these as prognostic tool in hispanic patients. METHODS: We included 43 adult patients newly diagnosed with B-ALL. We used microarray analysis in order to identify genes that distinguish poor from good response to treatment using differential gene expression analysis. The expression profile was validated by real-time PCR (RT-PCT). RESULTS: We identified 442 differentially expressed genes between responders and non-responders to induction treatment. Hierarchical analysis according to the expression of a 7-gene signature revealed 2 subsets of patients that differed in their clinical characteristics and outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that response to induction treatment and clinical outcome of Hispanic patients can be predicted from the onset of the disease and that gene expression profiles can be used to stratify patient risk adequately and accurately. The present study represents the first that shows the gene expression profiling of B-ALL Colombian adults and its relevance for stratification in the early course of disease.

The effectiveness of a health promotion with group intervention by clinical trial. Study protocol.

BACKGROUND: The promotion of health and the interventions in community health continue to be one of the pending subjects of our health system. The most prevalent health problems (cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes...) are for the most part related to life habits. We propose a holistic and integral approach as the best option for tackling behavior and its determinants. The research team has elaborated the necessary educational material to realize group teaching, which we call "Health Workshops". The goal of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of these Health Workshops in the following terms: Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL), incorporate and maintain a balanced diet, do physical activity regularly, maintain risk factors such as tension, weight, cholesterol within normal limits and diminish cardiovascular risk. METHODS/DESIGN: Controlled and random clinical testing, comparing a group of persons who have participated in the Health Workshops with a control group of similar characteristics who have not participated in the Health Workshops.Field of study: the research is being done in Health Centers of the city of Barcelona, Spain. POPULATION STUDIED: The group is composed of 108 persons that are actually doing the Health Workshops, and 108 that are not and form the control group. They are assigned at random to one group or the other. DATA ANALYSIS: With Student's t-distribution test to compare the differences between numerical variables or their non parametric equivalent if the variable does not comply with the criteria of normality. (Kolmogorov-Smirnof test). Chi-square test to compare the differences between categorical variables and the Logistic Regression Model to analyze different meaningful variables by dichotomous analysis related to the intervention. DISCUSSION: The Health Workshop proposed in the present study constitutes an innovative approach in health promotion, placing the emphasis on the person's self responsibility for his/her own health.The rhythm of a weekly session during 8 weeks with recommended activities to put into practice, as well as the support of the group is an opportunity to incorporate healthy habits and make a commitment to self-care. The sheets handed out are a Health Manual that can always be consulted after the workshop ends. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01440738.