Natalizumab treatment alters the expression of T-cell trafficking marker LFA-1 α-chain (CD11a) in MS patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term effect of natalizumab (NTZ) treatment on the expression of integrins and chemokine receptors involved in the migration of T cells towards the central nervous system (CNS). METHODS: We drew the blood of 23 patients just before starting NTZ therapy and every 12 months thereafter, for up to 48 months of treatment. We assessed the ex-vivo expression of phenotype markers (CCR7 and CD45RA), CNS-addressing integrins (CD11a, CD49d and CD29) and chemokine receptors (CXCR3 and CCR6) in CD4+ or CD8+ T-cell subsets by flow cytometry. RESULTS: As compared to the pre-NTZ values, there was a marked increase in central memory (CCR7+/CD45RA-) CD4+ T cells and in effector memory (CCR7-/CD45RA-) CD8+ T cells at 12 and 24 months. In addition to an expected downregulation of both VLA-4 subunits (CD49d/CD29), we also found decreased T-cell expression of CXCR3 at 12 months, and of CD11a (LFA-1 αL subunit) at 12 months, but mostly at 24 months of NTZ treatment. CONCLUSION: Our data show a nadir of CD11a expression at 2 years of NTZ treatment, at the peak of incidence of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), indirectly suggesting that a lack of these molecules may play a role in the onset of PML in NTZ-treated patients.

Simultaneous determination of antidementia drugs by HPLC-MS: validation data of the method and plasma level determinations in 300 patients

Aims: A rapid and simple HPLC-MS method was developed for the simultaneousdetermination of antidementia drugs, including donepezil, galantamine, rivastigmineand its major metabolite NAP 226 - 90, and memantine, for TherapeuticDrug Monitoring (TDM). In the elderly population treated with antidementiadrugs, the presence of several comorbidities, drug interactions resulting frompolypharmacy, and variations in drug metabolism and elimination, are possiblefactors leading to the observed high interindividual variability in plasma levels.Although evidence for the benefit of TDM for antidementia drugs still remains tobe demonstrated, an individually adapted dosage through TDM might contributeto minimize the risk of adverse reactions and to increase the probability of efficienttherapeutic response. Methods: A solid-phase extraction procedure with amixed-mode cation exchange sorbent was used to isolate the drugs from 0.5 mL ofplasma. The compounds were analyzed on a reverse-phase column with a gradientelution consisting of an ammonium acetate buffer at pH 9.3 and acetonitrile anddetected by mass spectrometry in the single ion monitoring mode. Isotope-labeledinternal standards were used for quantification where possible. The validatedmethod was used to measure the plasma levels of antidementia drugs in 300patients treated with these drugs. Results: The method was validated accordingto international standards of validation, including the assessment of the trueness(-8 - 11 %), the imprecision (repeatability: 1-5%, intermediate imprecision:2 - 9 %), selectivity and matrix effects variability (less than 6 %). Furthermore,short and long-term stability of the analytes in plasma was ascertained. Themethod proved to be robust in the calibrated ranges of 1 - 300 ng/mL for rivastigmineand memantine and 2 - 300 mg/mL for donepezil, galantamine and NAP226 - 90. We recently published a full description of the method (1). We found ahigh interindividual variability in plasma levels of these drugs in a study populationof 300 patients. The plasma level measurements, with some preliminaryclinical and pharmacogenetic results, will be presented. Conclusion: A simpleLC-MS method was developed for plasma level determination of antidementiadrugs which was successfully used in a clinical study with 300 patients.

Validation of methane measurement using headspace-GC-MS and quantification by a stable isotope-labeled internal standard generated in situ.

A previous study has shown the possibility to identify methane (CH4 ) using headspace-GC-MS and quantify it with a stable isotope as internal standard. The main drawback of the GC-MS methods discussed in literature for CH4 measurement is the absence of a specific internal standard necessary to perform quantification. However, it becomes essential to develop a safer method to limit the manipulation of gaseous CH4 and to precisely control the injected amount of gas for spiking and calibration by comparison with external calibration. To avoid the manipulation of a stable isotope-labeled gas, we have chosen to generate a labeled gas as an internal standard in a vial on the basis of the formation of CH4 by the reaction of Grignard reagent methylmagnesium chloride with deuterated water. This method allows precise measurement of CH4 concentrations in gaseous sample as well as in a solid or a liquid sample after a thermodesorption step in a headspace vial. A full accuracy profile validation of this method is then presented.

The application of NMR and MS methods for detection of adulteration of wine, fruit juices, and olive oil. A review

This review covers two important techniques, high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS), used to characterize food products and detect possible adulteration of wine, fruit juices, and olive oil, all important products of the Mediterranean Basin. Emphasis is placed on the complementary use of SNIF-NMR (site-specific natural isotopic fractionation nuclear magnetic resonance) and IRMS (isotope-ratio mass spectrometry) in association with chemometric methods for detecting the adulteration.

Location of multiple server common service centers or public facilities for minimizing general congestion and travel cost functions

We propose a model and solution methods, for locating a fixed number ofmultiple-server, congestible common service centers or congestible publicfacilities. Locations are chosen so to minimize consumers congestion (orqueuing) and travel costs, considering that all the demand must be served.Customers choose the facilities to which they travel in order to receiveservice at minimum travel and congestion cost. As a proxy for thiscriterion, total travel and waiting costs are minimized. The travel costis a general function of the origin and destination of the demand, whilethe congestion cost is a general function of the number of customers inqueue at the facilities.

Occurrence of adults and biological aspects of Geniates borelli Camerano (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae) in Aquidauana, MS, Brazil

Occurrence of adults and biological aspects of Geniates borelli Camerano (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae) in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Due to the importance of Geniates borelli Camerano as a pest in many crops, studies were developed at Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul, Aquidauana campus, MS, Brazil. Adults were collected with a light trap from January 2006 to December 2007. 3,320 adults were collected, and the highest quantities were obtained in October 2006 and November 2007, with 1,548 and 802 adults recorded, respectively. Collected adults were kept in plastic containers with soil and Brachiaria decumbens seedlings for oviposition. 535 eggs measuring 2.30 × 1.60 mm were obtained. As the embryonic development progressed, eggs increased in size to 3.00 × 2.70 mm, and this change occurred between 6 and 10 days after oviposition. The embryonic period lasted 17.9 days. The first, second, and third instars lasted 37.6, 49.7, and 74 days, respectively. The prepupal stage lasted 65.9 days and the pupal stage lasted an average of 18.5 days. The biological cycle is completed in 315.8 days, which characterizes the species as univoltine. The average longevity of females was 35.4 days and 28.5 days for males.

Ètica interlineal: o alguna cosa més que matèria i creativitat

Treball de recerca realitzat per alumnes d’ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit científic del Jovent l’any 2010. La idea de redactar aquest treball de recerca ha sorgit de l'interès per descobrir la relació entre l'ètica i l'estètica de les obres d'art.

Més enllà de les filferrades: la resiliència i els infants de l'èxode republicà al camp de Rivesaltes

Treball de recerca realitzat per alumnes d’ensenyament secundari i guardonat amb un Premi CIRIT per fomentar l'esperit científic del Jovent l’any 2010. La recerca duta a terme pretén donar veu a persones que, essent infants, van patir el tancament en els camps de concentració del sud de França, i especialment el de Rivesaltes, a la fi de la Guerra Civil espanyola. S'intenta esbrinar si la situació traumàtica viscuda per aquests infants els hi ha permès, posteriorment, portar una vida satisfactòria, si han estat capaços de superar el record dur del seu tancament. L’objectiu és posar de manifest que els nens són les principals víctimes dels conflictes d'abans i d'ara i aquests conflictes poden deixar seqüeles que els dificultin dur una vida plena.

ProyGes : soporte de gestión de proyectos

La aplicación tiene como objetivo llegar a la comunidad de alumnos, los cuales no pueden tener reuniones presenciales debido a su situación geográfica. La aplicación dispone de un conjunto de herramientas para poder centralizar toda la información que los usuarios vayan generando durante el desarrollo de los proyectos. Ha de ser una herramienta para facilitar la organización y la administración de los recursos de los usuarios de la plataforma. El proyecto que se presenta es una aplicación web, desarrollada en lenguajes PHP, SQL, HTML, JavaScript, CSS, Ajax, en un servidor Apache y base de datos MySQL.

Distribución de las especies pelágicas más abundantes e importantes del mar peruano en el invierno 2001

Se efectuó un muestreo sistemático paralelo en sentido perpendicular a la cota hasta las 100 y 120 mn. Las área de distribución se realizaron con el programa SURFER. La anchoveta peruana mantuvo predominio en aguas costeras y se registró hasta las 88 mn. Con amplia distribución entre Punta Falsa y el Callao.

Biomasa de las especies pelágicas más abundantes e importantes del mar peruano en el invierno 2001

La biomasa se determino por el método de estratificación, en áreas isoparalitorales de 10x30’. Se utilizaron los programas ECHOVIEW, MAPINFO Y EXCEL para el procesamiento de datos.

Biomasas de las once especies pesqueras más abundancia en el mar peruano durante el verano 2000

Para efectuar el siguiente estudio se utilizó la técnica hidroacústica, se estimaron las biomasas de onces especies.

Perdas por erosão e rendimentos de soja e de trigo em diferentes sistemas de preparo de um latossolo roxo de Dourados (MS)

Avaliaram-se as perdas de solo e de água por erosão, em um latossolo roxo muito argiloso, com 0,03 m m-1 de declividade, da área experimental da Embrapa-Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Oeste, em Dourados (MS), entre junho de 1987 e maio de 1995. Os tratamentos, aplicados antes da semeadura de trigo e de soja, cultivados em sucessão, foram: (i) escarificação + gradagem niveladora (ES), (ii) gradagens pesada + niveladora (GP), (iii) plantio direto (PD) e (iv) aração com arado de discos + duas gradagens niveladoras, sem cobertura vegetal (DE). O preparo de solo e a semeadura foram realizados no sentido do declive. O PD foi o tratamento mais eficiente, tanto no controle de perdas de solo e de água quanto em rendimentos de grãos de soja e de trigo. As perdas médias de solo e de água por erosão, relativas aos sistemas PD, ES, GP e DE, foram, respectivamente, de: 0,8; 2,8; 5,3 e 7,3 t ha-1 ano-1 e 27, 80, 112 e 149 mm ano-1. O PD, quando comparado ao DE, controlou 89% das perdas de solo e 82% das de água. O PD mostrou rendimentos médios de grãos, tanto de soja como de trigo, 17% superiores aos do GP. O ES apresentou rendimentos médios 5% superiores em soja e 12% superiores em trigo, quando comparados aos do GP. Este último, dos tratamentos cultivados, foi o menos eficaz, seja no controle à erosão, seja nos rendimentos de soja e trigo. O fator erosividade, R, foi estimado em 6.411 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 ano-1, e a erodibilidade, K, foi de 0,0045 t h MJ-1 mm-1. Entre junho/94 e maio/95, o período de maior intensidade de perdas por erosão por unidade de tempo foi do preparo de solo à semeadura da soja, e o de maiores perdas absolutas foi o de 30 a 60 dias após a semeadura dessa cultura. Isso demonstra a importância de adequada cobertura do solo, entre novembro e março, e reforça a recomendação do Sistema de Plantio Direto para a região de Dourados (MS).

Estudi de la interacció de tres complexos de Pt amb proteïnes i oligonucleòtids mitjançant ESI-MS

En aquest treball s’investiga la reactivitat de tres complexos de Pt, cisplatí, complex 1, [Pt(dmba)(aza-N1)(dmso)], complex 2, i [Pt(dmba)(N9-9AA)(PPh3)]+, complex 3; els quals presenten activitat antitumoral, amb diferents proteïnes i oligonucleòtids mitjançant espectrometria de masses (ESI-TOF MS). ). L’estudi del cisplatí, 1, droga molt coneguda i emprada avui en dia pel tractament de molts tipus de càncer, permet comparar la reactivitat dels nous complexos d’estudi, 2 i 3, els quals presenten un IC50 més baix que el cisplatí en algunes línies de cèl·lules tumorals.

Virtualització de sistemes

Aquest projecte està pensat per ajudar en la implantació de la tecnologia de virtualització dintre de la sala de servidors d'una empresa concreta on el projectista ha estat treballant. Aquesta tecnologia aporta certs avantatges tecnològics que cal estudiar i aplicar correctament. L'empresa ja tenia pensada la compra de nous servidors i s'ha cregut convenient, abans de seguir amb la infraestructura tradicional, de posar en pràctica aquesta tecnologia que com més avança el temps, més imprescindible s'està tornant.