Currently, there is still controversy as to what is the normal physiology of the motor system and control of voluntary movement in humans. Thus, most research and data come from animal experiments. Professor Fernández-Torre and his IDIVAL group have combined their experience in clinical practice in epilepsy and, in particular, in status epilepticus and their knowledge in basic physiology, to try to extract pathophysiological considerations that can help to understand the cortical organization, functioning basic and movement control.
There is scientific debate about the structure and nature of the motor map and whether this map represents individual muscles (as suggested by Penfield's counterpart) or whether it is a map of motor movements and intentions (as suggested by micro-stimulation techniques). The authors have described two rare cases of adults with continuous epilepsy partialis – a subtype of partial motor status epilepticus – whose clinical manifestations and electroencephalographic and neuro-radiological findings support that both proposed models coexist in motor control in humans.
This research article has been possible thanks to the integration of the knowledge in epileptology and basic neurophysiology of Dr. Fernández-Torre (associate professor of Physiology of the nervous system of the Faculty of Medicine) and the clinical and interpretive skills of a multidisciplinary group excellent professionals that include neurointensivists (Dr. Hernández-Hernández), neurophysiologists (Dra. Martín), neuroradiologists (Dr. Marco de Lucas) and, of course, neurosurgeons (Dr. Mato-Mañas). Dr. Fernández-Torre – head of the associated clinical group of Neurophysiology in Epilepsy and Neurointensives, of IDIVAL – highlights the importance of this multidisciplinary collaboration between clinical professionals and the ability of his group to transfer knowledge of basic neurophysiology to the bed of the sick.
The associated clinical group of Neurophysiology in Epilepsy and Neurointensives emerged 11 years ago and during this time it has been consolidating its line of research with a progressive increase in the impact factor of its publications and obtaining help from the Carlos III Health Institute (Action Strategic in Health) of 68,970 euros for an intracortical electroencephalography project in coma patients with acute brain damage.
Currently, there is still controversy as to what is the normal physiology of the motor system and control of voluntary movement in humans. Thus, most research and data come from animal experiments. Professor Fernández-Torre and his IDIVAL group have combined their experience in clinical practice in epilepsy and, in particular, in status epilepticus and their […]
In August 2019, the INTENCIVE Project is launched, financed by the Interreg Europe program, whose main objective is to improve and implement electronic health programs and policies aimed at patients and healthcare professionals.
Partners from five countries including the Southern Ostrobothnia Regional Council (Finland), the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (Finland), the Pannon Business Network Association (Hungary), the Ministry of Gozo (Malta), ID2Santé, Innovation and Development of the health sector in Bretagne (France) and the Marqués de Valdecilla Health Research Institute, IDIVAL (Spain), exchange experiences of their policies and their electronic health tools in their regions, which increases knowledge from partners in all facets of telemedicine and its different applications.
During the month of March, the first project monitoring report was presented, where the tasks carried out during the first 6 months are collected. In this first semester IDIVAL has been in charge of the realization of the state of the art in e-health of the project's partner countries. In addition, good practices from the different regions have been compiled and their operational environment has been developed. This documentation can be consulted through the following link: https://www.interregeurope.eu/intencive/library/
Finally, it should be noted that from the first moment the project has been supported by the main institutions of Cantabria, called interested parties, where the Directorate of Digital Transformation of the Ministry of Health, has shown special interest in exchanging good practices with the rest of the regions to position Cantabria as a pioneer in the use of e-health tools so necessary at this time.
For more information, visit INTENCIVE website: www.interregeurope.eu/intencive
Newsletters with project information are now available at the following links:
In August 2019, the INTENCIVE Project is launched, financed by the Interreg Europe program, whose main objective is to improve and implement electronic health programs and policies aimed at patients and healthcare professionals. Partners from five countries including the Southern Ostrobothnia Regional Council (Finland), the Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences (Finland), the Pannon Business Network […]
The University of Cantabria is starting to organize the eighth edition of the European Night of Researchers in Cantabria. This year it will be celebrated on November 27.
Researchers' Night is an opportunity for researchers to publicize the work they do. This type of activities allow to know the investigations that are carried out in Cantabria, to know the people who are dedicated to the investigation and to value the importance of the investigation.
The event will take place on November 27. We encourage our researchers to participate in this great initiative. At the moment, it is not necessary that all aspects of the activity are defined. If you want to participate or have an idea, you can contact us by email innovacion3@idival.org before May 28.
The University of Cantabria is starting to organize the eighth edition of the European Night of Researchers in Cantabria. This year it will be celebrated on November 27. Researchers' Night is an opportunity for researchers to publicize the work they do. This type of activities allow to know the investigations that are carried out in […]
During the validity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic and until the World Health Organization (WHO) decides to end it, the industrial property policy is modified.
Next, define industrial property policy to help curb the coronavirus pandemic.
1. IDIVAL will allow access to its industrial property to enable the global deployment of products and services associated with COVID-19 that can cope with the pandemic.
2. The default procedure for this access will be offering non-exclusive licenses, without royalties, at cost price, which may include concepts for cost of supply.
3. Once the WHO has ended the pandemic, the license terms will be the subject of a new independent agreement, where the new conditions will be established. These conditions will be negotiated in the economic terms allowed to allow IDIVAL to reinvest in clinical and health research.
For more information regarding IDIVAL's industrial policy, you can contact the IDIVAL Transfer Office at otri@idival.org
During the validity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic and until the World Health Organization (WHO) decides to end it, the industrial property policy is modified. Next, define industrial property policy to help curb the coronavirus pandemic. 1. IDIVAL will allow access to its industrial property to enable the global deployment of products and services associated […]
Crue Spanish Universities, Banco Santander, through Santander Universities, and CSIC have launched the FONDO SUPERA COVID-19 call.
Characteristics of the call:
Aimed at: financing programs, collaborative projects and support measures for the university environment to minimize the impact of the crisis caused by the coronavirus on the health, educational and social limits.
Budget: 8.5 million euros.
Priority lines of research projects:
– Applied / specific research COVID19: projects that help to understand the SARSCoV-2 virus, based on results of immediate or short-term application, and combat the disease it causes, in order to improve the health, social and economic situation that it is generating the pandemic.
– Impact and social profitability projects: projects whose objective is to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 disease with a multidisciplinary methodology, including the social, human, behavioral and legal sciences, with the aim of mitigating its consequences.
– Strengthening of the ICT capacity of the Spanish University System (it is not included in the Call).
Depending on the economic magnitude of the project, it is classified into three categories:
a) Less than 100,000 euros;
b) between 100,000 and 500,000 euros; and
c) more than 500,000 euros.
Project duration: specifically one year and, exceptionally, it can be two years, if specifically justified.
Deadline for the presentation of proposals: from April 22, and will remain open until the funds end or, at the most, on December 18, 2020.
Every 15 days, the proposals received are analyzed, and all the unfunded applications will go on to the next evaluation cycle in another fortnight, with which, no proposal that in any of the reviews may win will never be discarded.
For more information for the presentation you can contact the department of fondosprivados@idival.org
More information:
http://www.crue.org/Comunicacion/Noticias/FONDOsuperaCOVID19.aspx
Crue Spanish Universities, Banco Santander, through Santander Universities, and CSIC have launched the FONDO SUPERA COVID-19 call. Characteristics of the call: Aimed at: financing programs, collaborative projects and support measures for the university environment to minimize the impact of the crisis caused by the coronavirus on the health, educational and social limits. Budget: 8.5 million […]
P. aeruginosa is a bacterium that produces several life-threatening infections, especially in immunosuppressed patients, with cancer, burns, and cystic fibrosis, and is also one of the main causes of nosocomial infections. Coupled with the intrinsic resistance of this bacterium that makes it one of the most feared human pathogens, is its metabolic versatility and that it harbors multiple virulence factors that allow this pathogen to infect essentially any mammalian tissue. A central element of the infectious process is the pathogen's ability to adapt to changing environments and this bacterium produces many global regulators and signal transduction systems that facilitate its adaptation, as is the case of the sigma factor σVreI that promotes the transcription of potential determinants of virulence, including toxin secretion systems.
In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports entitled “The extracytoplasmic function sigma factor σVreI is active during infection and contributes to phosphate starvation-induced virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa”, in which Dr. Alain Ocampo from the Epidemiology and Mechanisms group has participated Pathogenic and Molecular Diseases of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology of IDIVAL, together with researchers from the Zaidín Experimental Station belonging to the Higher Council for Scientific Research of Granada and the Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Control of the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, studied the role of the sigma factor σVreI during P. aeruginosa infection in phosphate-limiting media, a condition often encountered by pathogens in the host environment and known to induce a virulent phenotype in this bacterium.
Until now it has not been studied whether σVreI was active in vivo during infection and whether it contributed to virulence induced by the lack of phosphate. Zebrafish embryo models and a human respiratory epithelial cell line were used as hosts for P. aeruginosa for this study. Through transcriptomic analysis, we show that VreR modulates gene expression, not only dependent on σVreI but also independently of σVreI. The importance of this work lies in the fact that it has been shown for the first time that σVreI is activated during infection and that the lack of σVreI / VreR signaling proteins decrease the virulence of P. aeruginosa induced by phosphate deficiency in the medium. This study has revealed new clues about the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa in conditions similar to those that could occur in possible infections during major surgical operations and also in patients with severe burns, where the reabsorption of phosphate by the kidneys is reduced and losses exudatives are higher than normal, leading to hypophosphatemia or during respiratory alkalosis caused by sepsis or mechanical respiration, where a phosphate redistribution occurs in the cells, reducing their content and extracellular.
P. aeruginosa is a bacterium that produces several life-threatening infections, especially in immunosuppressed patients, with cancer, burns, and cystic fibrosis, and is also one of the main causes of nosocomial infections. Coupled with the intrinsic resistance of this bacterium that makes it one of the most feared human pathogens, is its metabolic versatility and that […]
The Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC) organizes online training sessions for students, teachers, researchers and professionals involved in innovation processes in universities, research centers, hospitals, science and technology centers, companies and public administrations , etc.
The seminars consist of theoretical and applied training in different relevant aspects of the innovation process in biomedicine and biotechnology, on the journey from the laboratory to the market in the following areas:
– Keys to scientific entrepreneurship.
– Success story: from the laboratory to the market.
– Patent life.
– Finance technology transfer.
The sessions are free and will take place on May 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2020 from 11:00 to 12:30.
Those interested specify their enrollment in the program before May 4 by request by email to innova.ibbtec@unican.es
With the confirmation you will receive a link to the online conference.
Limited places.
The Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC) organizes online training sessions for students, teachers, researchers and professionals involved in innovation processes in universities, research centers, hospitals, science and technology centers, companies and public administrations , etc. The seminars consist of theoretical and applied training in different relevant aspects of the innovation process in […]
The Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC) organizes online training sessions for students, teachers, researchers and professionals involved in innovation processes in universities, research centers, hospitals, science and technology centers, companies and public administrations , etc.
The seminars consist of theoretical and applied training in different relevant aspects of the innovation process in biomedicine and biotechnology, on the journey from the laboratory to the market in the following areas:
– Keys to scientific entrepreneurship.
– Success story: from the laboratory to the market.
– Patent life.
– Finance technology transfer.
The sessions are free and will take place on May 5, 12, 19 and 26, 2020 from 11:00 to 12:30.
Those interested specify their enrollment in the program before May 4 by request by email to innova.ibbtec@unican.es
With the confirmation you will receive a link to the online conference.
Limited places.
The Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology of Cantabria (IBBTEC) organizes online training sessions for students, teachers, researchers and professionals involved in innovation processes in universities, research centers, hospitals, science and technology centers, companies and public administrations , etc. The seminars consist of theoretical and applied training in different relevant aspects of the innovation process in […]
IDIVAL participates one more year in the Science Week that is celebrated from November 4 to 17, organized by the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit of the University of Cantabria. During these days, students from interested colleges and institutes visit the facilities of the University of Cantabria and other centers such as the IDIVAL Research Institute.
At IDIVAL, students visit the technological services (the Biobank, microscopy unit and the cytometry unit), the cell microbiology laboratory, the immunology laboratory located at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital and / or the nanomedicine laboratory located in the School of Medicine.
Within the organized activities, on November 12, the students of the Villajunco Institute of Santander, in addition to visiting the technological services of IDIVAL, received an extraordinary visit from Dr. Patarroyo. Dr. Patarroyo who was in those days in Cantabria gave a session to the students and in which he related his professional and personal career: his childhood and his interest in science, his studies, his time in the laboratory until the development of the malaria vaccine. Dr. Patarroyo transmitted to the students enthusiasm, motivation, work and passion for what is done.
Photo: Session given by Dr. Patarroyo to the students of the Villajunco Institute at the IDIVAL facilities within the activities of the Science Week.
IDIVAL participates one more year in the Science Week that is celebrated from November 4 to 17, organized by the Scientific Culture and Innovation Unit of the University of Cantabria. During these days, students from interested colleges and institutes visit the facilities of the University of Cantabria and other centers such as the IDIVAL Research […]
The journal Science has published the results of an international investigation that represents an important advance in the degree of knowledge about the genetic map that determines the structure of the key regions of the human cerebral cortex. These advances allow us to advance in knowing how genetic variability marks differences in the brain structure associated with the risk of suffering from some mental illness.
IDIVAL researchers participate in this international study that has been carried out within the ENIGMA consortium and which has been led by Dr. Benedicto Crespo-Facorro of the Virgen del Rocío University Hospital and whose main analysis of the study has been carried out by Dr. Katrine. Grasby from the University of Southern California (USA).
This work is the result of a consortium made up of 900 researchers, 296 research groups from 45 countries, in order to reveal the role of genes on the structure and function of the brain, using genetic and clinical data from 30,000 patients. of all the world.
The cerebral cortex, also known as the “gray matter”, is the external part of the brain where cognitive abilities, the ability to think, process information, memory and attention reside. It is a highly complex and relatively thin, folded layer that can house large numbers of neurons. Variations in the surface and thickness of the cortex influence the psychological, behavioral, and neurological traits of each person, and have been associated with diseases such as schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, autism, and bipolar disorder. These variations in the cortex can be measured in vivo using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).
To date, several genes have been identified that affect the structure of the cerebral cortex of model organisms; however, as of today, very little is known about the genetic variants that affect the structure of the human cerebral cortex. In this context, the objective of the study has been to identify the genetic variants that affect the structure of the human cerebral cortex, both globally and regionally.
To this end, a comprehensive meta-analysis has been carried out that associates genomic data with data on the brain resonances of 51,665 people belonging to 60 cohorts. “A study was carried out that demonstrated the genetic influence on the structure of the brain and also on how we think and behave as human beings”, emphasizes Dr. Crespo-Facorro.
The results have shown both genetic correlations (306 genetic variants) and bidirectional causality between the total surface of the cortex and the cognitive function and educational achievements of people. Furthermore, they have revealed genetic correlations between the total surface of the cortex and Parkinson's disease, but no causal relationship was found in this regard.
Genetic variants associated with having less cortical surface, or less folding thereof, have also been found to contribute to an increased risk of depression, insomnia, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. “Using MRI and genetics information, one-third of the differences in cortical structure between individuals with genetic variants can be predicted,” according to Dr. Katrine Grasby.
“These findings represent a milestone on the way to know how genetic variability marks differences in the brain structure that ultimately puts us at risk of suffering from some mental illness,” according to Dr. Benedicto Crespo-Facorro.
The journal Science has published the results of an international investigation that represents an important advance in the degree of knowledge about the genetic map that determines the structure of the key regions of the human cerebral cortex. These advances allow us to advance in knowing how genetic variability marks differences in the brain structure […]
