The protective role of transferrin in Müller glial cells after iron-induced toxicity.

PURPOSE: Transferrin (Tf) expression is enhanced by aging and inflammation in humans. We investigated the role of transferrin in glial protection. METHODS: We generated transgenic mice (Tg) carrying the complete human transferrin gene on a C57Bl/6J genetic background. We studied human (hTf) and mouse (mTf) transferrin localization in Tg and wild-type (WT) C57Bl/6J mice using immunochemistry with specific antibodies. Müller glial (MG) cells were cultured from explants and characterized using cellular retinaldehyde binding protein (CRALBP) and vimentin antibodies. They were further subcultured for study. We incubated cells with FeCl(3)-nitrilotriacetate to test for the iron-induced stress response; viability was determined by direct counting and measurement of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity. Tf expression was determined by reverse transcriptase-quantitative PCR with human- or mouse-specific probes. hTf and mTf in the medium were assayed by ELISA or radioimmunoassay (RIA), respectively. RESULTS: mTf was mainly localized in retinal pigment epithelium and ganglion cell layers in retina sections of both mouse lines. hTf was abundant in MG cells. The distribution of mTf and hTf mRNA was consistent with these findings. mTf and hTf were secreted into the medium of MG cell primary cultures. Cells from Tg mice secreted hTf at a particularly high level. However, both WT and Tg cell cultures lose their ability to secrete Tf after a few passages. Tg MG cells secreting hTf were more resistant to iron-induced stress toxicity than those no longer secreted hTf. Similarly, exogenous human apo-Tf, but not human holo-Tf, conferred resistance to iron-induced stress on MG cells from WT mice. CONCLUSIONS: hTf localization in MG cells from Tg mice was reminiscent of that reported for aged human retina and age-related macular degeneration, both conditions associated with iron deposition. The role of hTf in protection against toxicity in Tg MG cells probably involves an adaptive mechanism developed in neural retina to control iron-induced stress.

Projecte d’una instal·lació fotovoltaica connectada a la xarxa de baixa tensió sobre la coberta d’una nau agroindustrial

El present Projecte Final de Carrera té com a objectiu la instal·lació de mòduls fotovoltaics en la coberta d’una nau situada a un polígon industrial de Lleida, de dimensions 70 x 30 m, orientada amb un acimut de -30º, per tal de vendre l’energia produïda a la companyia distribuïdora i aconseguir un benefici econòmic. La instal·lació consta de 690 mòduls de silici monocristal·lí de 235 Wp (model HEE215MA65-235) i de dos camps de captació diferenciats en cada ala de la nau, tots ells orientats cap el sud (0º acimut) i inclinats 30º. El camp 1 consta de 360 mòduls i el camp 2 de 330 mòduls, connectats al seu corresponent inversor de 76 kW i 68 kW (models Sunway TG 100-800V i Sunway TG 90-600V). El cost total de la instal·lació és de 707.201,36 Є euros i té un període de retorn de 9 anys. És un projecte rendible i una bona opció ambiental que aconsegueix reduir les emissions de CO2 en 117,6 tones anuals.

Short communication. Potential to mitigate anthropogenic CO2 emissions by tillage reduction in dryland soils of Spain

Spain is one of the countries with the highest greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the EU-27. Consequently, mitigation strategies need to be reported and quantified to accomplish the goals and requirements of the Kyoto Protocol. In this study, a first estimation of the carbon (C) mitigation potential of tillage reduction in Mediterranean rainfed Spain is presented. Results from eight studies carried out in Spain under rainfed agriculture to investigate the effects of no-tillage (NT) and reduced tillage (RT) compared with conventional tillage (CT) on soil organic carbon (SOC) were used. For current land surface under conservation tillage, NT and RT are sequestering 0.14 and 0.08 Tg C yr-1, respectively. Those rates represent 1.1% and 0.6% of the total CO2 emissions generated from agricultural activities in Spain during 2006. Alternatively, in a hypothetical scenario where all the arable dryland was under either NT or RT management, SOC sequestration would be 2.18 and 0.72 Tg C yr-1 representing 17.4% and 5.8% of the total 2006 CO2 equivalent emissions generated from the agricultural sector in Spain. This is a significant estimate that would help to achieve GHG emissions targets for the current commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

Comportamento térmico e caracterização morfológica das fibras de mesocarpo e caroço do açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.)

A agroindústria do açaí gera uma grande quantidade de resíduos, constituída de caroços e fibras, o que é um grave problema ambiental e de saúde pública. O objetivo deste estudo foi estudar as fibras do mesocarpo e o caroço do fruto do açaí para sua utilização em materiais compósitos. As amostras foram caracterizadas usando análise por termogravimetria (TG/DTG) em atmosferas inerte e oxidativa, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e microscopia óptica. As fibras apresentaram boa estabilidade térmica até 230 ºC e um processo de degradação em atmosfera inerte em três etapas. Em atmosfera oxidativa, as fibras apresentaram menor estabilidade térmica e uma mudança no processo de degradação de três para quatro etapas. os resultados da análise térmica do caroço mostraram um comportamento térmico similar ao da fibra. A microscopia mostrou que as fibras presentes no fruto do açaí recobrem o caroço e possuem morfologia irregular com a presença de células do parênquima na sua superfície. O comportamento térmico das fibras do açaí é semelhante ao de outras fibras vegetais já utilizadas industrialmente na área de compósitos poliméricos, o que abre novas e promissoras áreas para sua utilização.

Obtención de vidrio a partir de residuos de la minería del estaño en Bolivia

Manufacturing of glass from tin mining tailings in Bolivia Tailings from mining activities in Bolivia represent an environmental problem. In the vicinity of the tin mines of Llallagua,Potosí department, there are large dumps and tailings. We present a study of the use of these wastes as raw materials for the manufacture of glass. This procedure aims to contribute to environmental remediation of mining areas through the vitrification, a process which offers an alternative for stabilization of hazardous waste. In addition, the marketing of the obtained product would provide an additional income to the mining areas. For this study three samples of mining waste, with grain size between sand and silt, were used. The chemical composition of these raw materials, determined by X-ray fluorescence, is granitic, with high contents of heavy metals. On the basis of its composition, glass were made from silica glass by adding CaCO3 and Na2CO3. The thermal cycle has been determined from TDA. Tg values of glass range from 626º to 709 °C. Leaching tests of the obtained glasses confirm their capacity to retain heavy metals.

Modernisierung der kantonalen Verwaltungen 1990-2008 : Wandel von Administrativstrukturen und Einführung von Verwaltungsreformen = Modernisation des administrations cantonales 1990-2008 : transformations structurelles et gouvernance administrative

De nombreuses études ont été consacrées en Suisse à la promotion de la nouvelle gestion publique (NGP) au niveau des cantons, puis à son évaluation. Or, les chercheurs se sont peu intéressés jusqu'ici aux effets de son introduction sur les structures administratives et les effectifs de la fonction publique. Ils n'ont pas non plus expliqué suffisamment les facteurs ayant favorisé ou freiné la modernisation de l'Etat au-delà de la NGP. Les réformes de l'Etat menées au sein des administrations cantonales dans le cadre de la revitalisation du fédéralisme ont des causes multiples. Cette étude exploratoire tente de décrire les transformations au niveau des structures et de l'organisation de l'Etat depuis le début des années 1990 en analysant le niveau et l'impact des principes NGP ou d'autres facteurs ayant pu jouer un rôle dans la modernisation des administrations: force des partis, degré de professionnalisation des législatifs, taille de la population et des administrations, RPT et revitalisation de la collaboration intercantonale. Il ressort de l'étude qu'un groupe de cantons essentiellement alémaniques, plutôt de taille moyenne à grande (AG, BE, LU, SO, TG, VS, ZH) ont réussi à davantage réformer les administrations selon les principes de la NGP alors que d'autres ont choisi des voies différentes ou médianes (tels que BS, GE, JU, SG, TI, VD). Ces réformes se sont traduites pratiquement partout par un resserrement des structures décisionnelles (modèle ministériel 5/7), par une variation du nombre de services (hausse dans une première phase puis réduction) mais aussi du personnel (plutôt hausse à l'exception de BS et ZH) allant dans le sens d'une convergence des modèles institutionnels déterminée autant par des facteurs externes qu'internes aux cantons. Notre étude montre que la professionnalisation des parlements, davantage développée dans les cantons où le système représentatif est étendu (cantons latins, Bâle-Ville), retarde ou empêche l'essor des principes NGP alors que les cantons alémaniques à démocratie directe plus prononcée favorisent l'autonomisation des processus de réformes administratives avec une capacité de blocage moins grande des parlements.

Long-term effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass on postprandial plasma lipid and bile acids kinetics in female non diabetic subjects: A cross-sectional pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Formerly obese patients having undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) display both an accelerated digestion and absorption of carbohydrate and an increased plasma glucose clearance rate after meal ingestion. How RYGB effects postprandial kinetics of dietary lipids has yet not been investigated. METHODS: Plasma triglyceride (TG), apoB48, total apoB, bile acids (BA), fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19), and cholecystokinin (CCK) were measured in post-absorptive conditions and over 4-h following the ingestion of a mixed test meal in a cross-sectional, pilot study involving 11 formerly obese female patients 33.8 ± 16.4 months after RYGB surgery and in 11 weight- and age-matched female control participants. RESULTS: Compared to controls, RYGB patients had faster (254 ± 14 vs. 327 ± 7 min, p < 0.05) and lower (0.14 ± 0.04 vs. 0.35 ± 0.07 mM, p < 0.05) peak TG responses, but their peak apoB48 responses tended to be higher (2692 ± 336 vs. 1841 ± 228 ng/ml, p = 0.09). Their postprandial total BA concentrations were significantly increased and peaked earlier after meal ingestion than in controls. Their FGF19 and CCK concentrations also peaked earlier and to a higher value. CONCLUSIONS: The early postprandial apoB48 and BA responses indicate that RYGB accelerated the rate of dietary lipid absorption. The lower postprandial peak TG strongly suggests that the RYGB simultaneously increased the clearance of TG-rich lipoproteins. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT01891591.

Verificação do fator de calibração e indicador da qualidade do feixe de aceleradores lineares

Um programa de garantia da qualidade é um pré-requisito obrigatório para a exatidão necessária em radioterapia. Este trabalho relata parte dos testes de rotina mensal do controle da qualidade dos aceleradores lineares do Instituto Nacional do Câncer, relativos à calibração dos feixes de fótons e elétrons, no período de dois anos. Os resultados foram comparados com as recomendações do protocolo AAPM TG-40. Na análise do fator de calibração para o feixe de fótons foi encontrado um desvio máximo de 12%; para o feixe de elétrons o maior desvio encontrado foi 10%. A flutuação observada no indicador da qualidade do feixe para os feixes de elétrons foi maior que para os feixes de fótons. Os resultados confirmam a importância de um programa de garantia da qualidade em um serviço de radioterapia, permitindo correções rápidas da dose administrada ao paciente.

Poly(butylene terephthalate-co-5-tert-butyl isophthalate) Copolyesters: Synthesis, Characterization and Properties

A series of poly(butylene terephthalate) copolyesters containing 5-tert-butyl isophthalate units up to 50%-mole, as well as the homopolyester entirely made of these units, were prepared by polycondensation from the melt. The microstructure of the copolymers was determined by NMR to be at random for the whole range of compositions. The effect exerted by the 5-tert-butyl isophthalate units on thermal, tensile and gas transport properties was evaluated. Both Tm and crystallinity as well as the mechanical moduli were found to decrease steadily with copolymerization whereas Tg increased and the polyesters became more brittle. Permeability and solubility sligthly increased also with the content in substituted units whereas the diffusion coefficient remained practically constant. For the homopolyester poly(5-tert-butyl isophthalate), all these properties were found to deviate significantly from the general trend displayed by copolyesters suggesting that a different chain mode of packing in the amorphous phase is likely adopted in this case.

A Novel Approach to Major Surgery: Tracking Its Pathophysiologic Footprints.

BACKGROUND: To study the 'metabolic profile' of different surgical procedures and correlate it with pertinent surgical details and postoperative complications. METHODS: We conducted a prospective pilot study of 70 patients, ten for each of the seven following groups: (1) laparoscopic cholecystectomy, (2) incisional hernia repair, (3) laparoscopic and (4) open colon surgery, (5) upper gastrointestinal, (6) hepatic, and (7) pancreatic resections. Biochemical assessment included white blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), glucose, triglycerides (TG), albumin (Alb), and pre-albumin (Pre-Alb), from the day before surgery until 5 days thereafter. Biological markers were compared for major versus minor surgery groups, which were defined on a clinical basis. Univariable analysis was used to identify risk factors for postoperative complications and p < 0.05 was the significance threshold. RESULTS: Common findings in all surgery groups were the acute inflammatory response (↑: WBC, CRP, ↓: TG, Alb, pre-Alb). Using cut-off values of 240 min operative (OR) time and 300 ml estimated blood loss (EBL), laparoscopic cholecystectomy, incisional hernia repair, and laparoscopic colectomy could be distinguished from open colectomy, upper gastrointestinal, liver, and pancreas resections. In a biochemical level, increased CRP and reduced postoperative Alb levels were highly discriminative of all types of 'major surgery.' Significant risk factors for postoperative complications were age, male gender, malignancy, longer OR time, higher blood loss, high CRP, and low Alb levels. CONCLUSIONS: Biochemically, CRP and Alb levels can help quantify the magnitude of the surgical trauma, which is correlated with adverse outcomes.

Novel Roles of HCG/LH Signalling in the Mouse Mammary Gland and its Tumorigenesis.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, and its development is intimately related to hormonal factors, but how hormones affect breast physiology and tumorigenesis is not sufficiently known. Pregnancy elicits long-term protection from breast cancer, but during the first ten years after pregnancy, breast cancer risk is increased. In previous studies, there has been conflicting data on the role of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and the functionality of its receptor in extragonadal tissues. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of chronically elevated HCG in mouse physiology. We have created a transgenic (TG) mouse model that overexpresses HCG. HCG is similar to lutenizing hormone (LH), but is secreted almost solely by the placenta during pregnancy. HCG and LH both bind to the LH receptor (LHR). In the current study, mammary gland tumors were observed in HCG TG mice. We elucidated the role of HCG in mammary gland signalling and the effects of LHR mediated signalling in mouse mammary gland gene expression. We also studied the effects of HCG in human breast epithelial cell cultures. Several endocrine disturbances were observed in HCGβ TG female mice, resulting in precocious puberty, infertility, obesity and pituitary and mammary gland tumors. The histology of the mammary gland tumors of HCGβ TG females resembled those observed in mouse models with activated Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. Wnts are involved in stem cell regulation and tumorigenesis, and are hormonally regulated in the mammary gland. We observed activated β-catenin signalling and elevated expression of Wnt5b and Wnt7b in TG tumors and mammary glands. Furthermore, we discovered that HCG directly regulates the expression of Wnt5b and Wnt7b in the mouse mammary gland. Pharmacological treatment with HCG also caused upregulation of several Wnt-pathway target genes in ovariectomized wild type (WT) mice in the presence of physiological concentrations of estradiol and progesterone. In addition, differential expression of several metabolic genes was observed, suggesting that HCG affects adipocyte function or glucose metabolism. When WT mice were transplanted with LHR deficient or wild type WT mammary epithelium, differential expression of several genes affecting the Wnt-signalling pathway was observed in microarray analysis. Diminished expression of several genes associated with LHR function in other tissues, such as the ovary, was observed in mammary glands deficient of epithelial LHR. In cultured human mammary epithelial cells HCG upregulated the expression of WNT5B, WNT7B similar to mouse, suggesting that the observations found are relevant in human physiology. These studies suggest that HCG/LHR signalling affects gene expression in non-gonadal tissues, and that Wnt-signalling is regulated by HCG/LH in human and mouse mammary glands.

Valor da varredura com iodo antes da terapia ablativa em pacientes com carcinoma de tireóide

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a relevância clínica da varredura pré-dose ablativa em pacientes com carcinoma diferenciado de tireóide. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Analisamos a varredura com 131I e a tireoglobulina (Tg) sérica em hipotireoidismo antes da primeira terapia ablativa em 100 pacientes submetidos a tireoidectomia total, considerando a varredura clinicamente importante quando revelou metástases ressecáveis ou que foram tratadas com doses maiores que a inicialmente proposta (100 mCi de 131I), além dos casos sem captação e com Tg < 5 ng/ml, que não receberam radioiodoterapia. RESULTADOS: A varredura revelou captação correspondente a metástases linfonodais em dez pacientes (10%), metástases distantes em cinco (5%), apenas em leito tireoidiano em 76 (76%) e foi negativa em nove (9%), sendo clinicamente relevante (indicando cirurgia, aumento da dose ou dispensando a radioiodoterapia) em 18% dos pacientes. Nos pacientes com Tg > 10 ng/ml a varredura influenciou a conduta em 41% dos casos pela presença de metástases, e naqueles com Tg < 10 ng/ml em apenas 10%, na maioria por não receberem radioiodo. CONCLUSÃO: A varredura pré-dose ablativa fornece informacões clinicamente importantes (presença de metástases) em muitos pacientes com Tg > 10 ng/ml, sendo indicada nesta condição.

Soil quality assessment through a multi-approach analysis in soils of abandoned terraced land in NE Spain

The abandonment of agricultural land in mountainous areas has been an outstanding problem along the last century and has captured the attention of scientists, technicians and administrations, for the dramatic consequences sometimes occurred due to soil instability, steep slopes, rainfall regimes and wildfires. Hidromorfological and pedological alterations causing exceptional floods and accelerated erosion processes has therefore been studied, identifying the cause in the loss of landscape heterogeneity. Through the disappearance of agricultural works and drainage maintenance, slope stability has resulted severely affected. The mechanization of agriculture has caused the displacement of vines, olives and corks trees cultivation in terraced areas along the Mediterranean catchment towards more economically suitable areas. On the one hand, land use and management changes have implicated sociological changes as well, transforming areas inhabited by agricultural communities into deserted areas where the colonization of disorganized spontaneous vegetation has buried a valuable rural patrimony. On the other hand, lacking of planning and management of the abandoned areas has produced badlands and infertile soils due to wildfire and high erosion rates strongly degrading the whole ecosystems. In other cases, after land abandonment a process of soil regeneration has been recorded. Investigations have been conducted in a part of NE Spain where extended areas of terraced soils previously cultivated have been abandoned in the last century. The selected environments were semi-abandoned vineyards, semi-abandoned olive groves, abandoned stands of cork trees, abandoned stands of pine trees, scrubland of Cistaceaea, scrubland of Ericaceaea, and pasture. The research work was focused on the study of most relevant physical, chemical and biological soil properties, as well as runoff and erosion under soils with different plant cover to establish the abandonment effect on soil quality, due to the peculiarity and vulnerability of these soils with a much reduced depth. The period of observation was carried out from autumn 2009 to autumn 2010. The sediment concentration of soil erosion under vines was recorded as 34.52 g/l while under pasture it was 4.66 g/l. In addition, the soil under vines showed the least amount of organic matter, which was 12 times lower than all other soil environments. The carbon dioxide (CO2) and total glomalin (TG) ratio to soil organic carbon (SOC) in this soil was 0.11 and 0.31 respectively. However, the soil under pasture contained a higher amount of organic matter and showed that the CO2 and TG ratio to SOC was 0.02 and 0.11 respectively indicating that the soil under pasture better preserves the soil carbon pool. A similar trend was found in the intermediate soils in the sequence of land use change and abandonment. Soil structural stability increased in the two soil fractions investigated (0.25-2.00 mm, 2.0-5.6 mm) especially in those soils that did not undergo periodical perturbations like wildfires. Soil quality indexes were obtained by using relevant physical and chemical soil parameters. Factor analysis carried out to study the relationship between all soil parameters allowed to related variables and environments and identify those areas that better contribute to soil quality towards others that may need more attention to avoid further degradation processes

A short screener is valid for assessing mediterranean diet adherence among older spanish men and women

Ensuring the accuracy of dietary assessment instruments is paramount for interpreting diet-disease relationships. The present study assessed the relative and construct validity of the 14-point Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) used in the Prevencio´n con Dieta Mediterra´nea (PREDIMED) study, a primary prevention nutrition-intervention trial. A validated FFQ and the MEDAS were administered to 7146 participants of the PREDIMED study. The MEDASderived PREDIMED score correlated significantly with the corresponding FFQ PREDIMED score (r = 0.52; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.51) and in the anticipated directions with the dietary intakes reported on the FFQ. Using Bland Altman"s analysis, the average MEDAS Mediterranean diet score estimate was 105% of the FFQ PREDIMED score estimate. Limits of agreement ranged between 57 and 153%. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that a higher PREDIMED score related directly (P , 0.001) to HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and inversely (P , 0.038) to BMI, waist circumference, TG, the TG:HDL-C ratio, fasting glucose, and the cholesterol:HDL-C ratio. The 10-y estimated coronary artery disease risk decreased as the PREDIMED score increased (P , 0.001). The MEDAS is a valid instrument for rapid estimation of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and may be useful in clinical practice.

A short screener is valid for assessing mediterranean diet adherence among older spanish men and women

Ensuring the accuracy of dietary assessment instruments is paramount for interpreting diet-disease relationships. The present study assessed the relative and construct validity of the 14-point Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS) used in the Prevencio´n con Dieta Mediterra´nea (PREDIMED) study, a primary prevention nutrition-intervention trial. A validated FFQ and the MEDAS were administered to 7146 participants of the PREDIMED study. The MEDASderived PREDIMED score correlated significantly with the corresponding FFQ PREDIMED score (r = 0.52; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.51) and in the anticipated directions with the dietary intakes reported on the FFQ. Using Bland Altman"s analysis, the average MEDAS Mediterranean diet score estimate was 105% of the FFQ PREDIMED score estimate. Limits of agreement ranged between 57 and 153%. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that a higher PREDIMED score related directly (P , 0.001) to HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and inversely (P , 0.038) to BMI, waist circumference, TG, the TG:HDL-C ratio, fasting glucose, and the cholesterol:HDL-C ratio. The 10-y estimated coronary artery disease risk decreased as the PREDIMED score increased (P , 0.001). The MEDAS is a valid instrument for rapid estimation of adherence to the Mediterranean diet and may be useful in clinical practice.