Association of Peripheral Arterial and Cardiovascular Diseases in Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Background: Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant genetic disease characterized by an elevation in the serum levels of total cholesterol and of low-density lipoproteins (LDL- c). Known to be closely related to the atherosclerotic process, FH can determine the development of early obstructive lesions in different arterial beds. In this context, FH has also been proposed to be a risk factor for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Objective: This observational cross-sectional study assessed the association of PAD with other manifestations of cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as coronary artery and cerebrovascular disease, in patients with heterozygous FH. Methods: The diagnosis of PAD was established by ankle-brachial index (ABI) values ≤ 0.90. This study assessed 202 patients (35% of men) with heterozygous FH (90.6% with LDL receptor mutations), mean age of 51 ± 14 years and total cholesterol levels of 342 ± 86 mg /dL. Results: The prevalences of PAD and previous CVD were 17% and 28.2 %, respectively. On multivariate analysis, an independent association between CVD and the diagnosis of PAD was observed (OR = 2.50; 95% CI: 1.004 - 6.230; p = 0.049). Conclusion: Systematic screening for PAD by use of ABI is feasible to assess patients with FH, and it might indicate an increased risk for CVD. However, further studies are required to determine the role of ABI as a tool to assess the cardiovascular risk of those patients.

Determinants of Functional and Structural Properties of Large Arteries in Healthy Individuals

Background: Changes in the properties of large arteries correlate with higher cardiovascular risk. Recent guidelines have included the assessment of those properties to detect subclinical disease. Establishing reference values for the assessment methods as well as determinants of the arterial parameters and their correlations in healthy individuals is important to stratify patients. Objective: To assess, in healthy adults, the distribution of the values of pulse wave velocity, diameter, intima-media thickness and relative distensibility of the carotid artery, in addition to assessing the demographic and clinical determinants of those parameters and their correlations. Methods: This study evaluated 210 individuals (54% women; mean age, 44 ± 13 years) with no evidence of cardiovascular disease. The carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity was measured with a Complior® device. The functional and structural properties of the carotid artery were assessed by using radiofrequency ultrasound. Results: The means of the following parameters were: pulse wave velocity, 8.7 ± 1.5 m/s; diameter, 6,707.9 ± 861.6 μm; intima-media thickness, 601 ± 131 μm; relative distensibility, 5.3 ± 2.1%. No significant difference related to sex or ethnicity was observed. On multiple linear logistic regression, the factors independently related to the vascular parameters were: pulse wave velocity, to age (p < 0.01) and triglycerides (p = 0.02); intima-media thickness, to age (p < 0.01); diameter, to creatinine (p = 0.03) and age (p = 0.02); relative distensibility, to age (p < 0.01) and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). Pulse wave velocity showed a positive correlation with intima media thickness (p < 0.01) and with relative distensibility (p < 0.01), while diameter showed a positive correlation with distensibility (p = 0.03). Conclusion: In healthy individuals, age was the major factor related to aortic stiffness, while age and diastolic blood pressure related to the carotid functional measure. The carotid artery structure was directly related to aortic stiffness, which was inversely related to the carotid artery functional property.

Estudo econômico e agrícola dos plantios manual e motomecanizado da cana de açúcar

O autor faz um estudo de dois processos de plantio da cana de açúcar, o manual e o motomecanizado, analisando-os sob pontos de vista econômico e agrícola. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que: 1 - no plantio motomecanizado, um operário consome 119,42 horas para plantar 6.400 m² de canas, ao custo Cr$ 871.99 enquanto que no plantio manual, um operário consome 112.55 horas para plantar 6.400 m² de canas ao custo de Cr$ 342.06. 2 - a análise estatística dos resultados revelou que não existe diferença significativa entre o custo do plantio manual comparado com o motomecanizado. 3 - do ponto de vista agrícola, o plantio motomecanizado apresentou-se com um trabalho de melhor qualidade.

Regiones y constitución europea

El artículo se desarrolla en tres apartados. El primero dibuja el estado de la cuestión en relación con los instrumentos actuales de participación regional en las decisiones europeas. El segundo analiza detalladamente el debate de las posiciones y las propuestas defendidas durante los trabajos de la Convención Europea alrededor del grado de inserción de las regiones en la toma de decisiones. El tercero examina las principales consecuencias que se derivan del acuerdo final, poniendo especialmente de relieve las implicaciones que se derivan para los Estados miembros que, como España, se hayan inmersos en un proceso de reformas constitucionales y estatuarias

Análisis jurisprudencial del derecho al secreto de las comunicaciones (art. 18.3 C.E.)

Este trabajo aspira a plantear en qué estado se halla actualmente la regulación de la intervención de las comunicaciones telefónicas en nuestro ordenamiento jurídico. Nuestro enfoque en el presente trabajo será plantearnos la legitimidad o licitud de las medidas de intervención telefónica así como su ámbito de validez y eficacia a efectos de su utilización en el proceso penal en el sentido de qué límites o controles deben establecerse. Asimismo analizaremos el derecho fundamental al secreto de las comunicaciones consagrado en el art. 18.3 de la Constitución y la regulación positiva de dicho derecho en nuestro ordenamiento jurídico. En definitiva, se trata de plantear la problemática en términos amplios para posteriormente profundizar y abordar cuestiones de gran relevancia tales como qué sucede o qué tratamiento debe darse a los llamados hallazgos casuales o a la prueba ilegalmente obtenida, elementos que debido a su extensión trataremos de una forma puntual y que serán objeto de desarrollo en un trabajo posterior.

The regional employment impacts of renewable energy expenditures: The case for modelling

One aspect of the case for policy support for renewable energy developments is the wider economic benefits that are expected to be generated. Within Scotland, as with other regions of the UK, there is a focus on encouraging domestically‐based renewable technologies. In this paper, we use a regional computable general equilibrium framework to model the impact on the Scottish economy of expenditures relating to marine energy installations. The results illustrate the potential for (considerable) ‘legacy’ effects after expenditures cease. In identifying the specific sectoral expenditures with the largest impact on (lifetime) regional employment, this approach offers important policy guidance.

HCF-1 is cleaved in the active site of O-GlcNAc transferase.

Host cell factor-1 (HCF-1), a transcriptional co-regulator of human cell-cycle progression, undergoes proteolytic maturation in which any of six repeated sequences is cleaved by the nutrient-responsive glycosyltransferase, O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT). We report that the tetratricopeptide-repeat domain of O-GlcNAc transferase binds the carboxyl-terminal portion of an HCF-1 proteolytic repeat such that the cleavage region lies in the glycosyltransferase active site above uridine diphosphate-GlcNAc. The conformation is similar to that of a glycosylation-competent peptide substrate. Cleavage occurs between cysteine and glutamate residues and results in a pyroglutamate product. Conversion of the cleavage site glutamate into serine converts an HCF-1 proteolytic repeat into a glycosylation substrate. Thus, protein glycosylation and HCF-1 cleavage occur in the same active site.

La declaració de drets de l'Estatut d'Autonomia de Catalunya de 2006

Una de les novetats que ha comportat l’aprovació del nou Estatut d’Autonomia de Catalunya ha estat la introducció d’un Títol dedicat als drets, deures i principis rectors. Analitzem les diferents visions que sobre aquesta carta de drets s’han donat des de la doctrina i estudiem en quin sentit s’ha pronunciat el Tribunal Constitucional respecte a aquesta qüestió. Analitzem el perquè s’inclou a l’Estatut d’Autonomia una taula de drets i deures i ens qüestionem si, tècnicament, és una declaració de drets completa i sistemàtica. Repassem la veritable voluntas legislatoris del legislador català mitjançant l’extracte de les intervencions dels diferents grups en relació al Títol I de l’Estatut, que fou objecte de votació separada. Ens aturem a analitzar la raó de ser, l’abast i la naturalesa de la Carta de Drets i Deures prevista a l’Estatut d’Autonomia de Catalunya i las seva diferenciació de les lleis que han de desenvolupar els drets estatutaris. També ens centrem en la configuració dels drets que reconeix l’Estatut i la seva diferenciació amb els principis rectors de la política social i econòmica, basada en la seva exigibilitat, tot i que no poques vegades la diferència no és tant clara. Finalment, la tutela dels drets mereix una atenció especial, centrada fonamentalment en el Consell de Garanties Estatutàries que substitueix el Consell Consultiu. Aquest òrgan es configura com quelcom més que un simple òrgan consultiu ja que pot emetre dictàmens vinculants sobre lleis que desenvolupin o afectin els drets estatutaris, juntament amb els dictàmens no vinculants, que poden ser preceptius o facultatius, segons els casos.

Sharp weighted bounds for fractional integral operators

The relationship between the operator norms of fractional integral operators acting on weighted Lebesgue spaces and the constant of the weights is investigated. Sharp bounds are obtained for both the fractional integral operators and the associated fractional maximal functions. As an application improved Sobolev inequalities are obtained. Some of the techniques used include a sharp off-diagonal version of the extrapolation theorem of Rubio de Francia and characterizations of two-weight norm inequalities.

An objective anisotropic elastic plastic model and Algorithm applicable to bone mechanics

The implicit projection algorithm of isotropic plasticity is extended to an objective anisotropic elastic perfectly plastic model. The recursion formula developed to project the trial stress on the yield surface, is applicable to any non linear elastic law and any plastic yield function.A curvilinear transverse isotropic model based on a quadratic elastic potential and on Hill's quadratic yield criterion is then developed and implemented in a computer program for bone mechanics perspectives. The paper concludes with a numerical study of a schematic bone-prosthesis system to illustrate the potential of the model.

La tassazione ambientale in Spagna

Análisis de la tributación ambiental en España desde una perspectiva constitucional