Conformational and thermal characterization of left ventricle remodeling post-myocardial infarction

Adverse cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) causes impaired ventricular function and heart failure. Histopathological characterization is commonly used to detect the location, size and shape of MI sites. However, the information about chemical composition, physical structure and molecular mobility of peri- and infarct zones post-MI is rather limited. The main objective of this work was to explore the spatiotemporal biochemical and biophysical alterations of key cardiac components post-MI. The FTIR spectra of healthy and remote myocardial tissue shows amides A, I, II and III associated with proteins in freeze-died tissue as major absorptions bands. In infarcted myocardium, the spectrum of these main absorptions was deeply altered. FITR evidenced an increase of the amide A band and the distinct feature of the collagen specific absorption band at 1338cm-1 in the infarct area at 21days post-MI. At 21days post-MI, it also appears an important shift of amide I from 1646cm-1 to 1637cm-1 that suggests the predominance of the triple helical conformation in the proteins. The new spectra bands also indicate an increase in proteoglycans, residues of carbohydrates in proteins and polysaccharides in ischemic areas. Thermal analysis indicates a deep increase of unfreezable water/freezable water in peri- and infarcted tissues. In infarcted tissue is evidenced the impairment of myofibrillar proteins thermal profile and the emergence of a new structure. In conclusion, our results indicate a profound evolution of protein secondary structures in association with collagen deposition and reorganization of water involved in the scar maturation of peri- and infarct zones post-MI

‘‘Naked’’ gold nanoparticles supported on HOPG: melanin functionalization and catalytic activity

Reductive electrodesorption has been used to produce ‘‘naked’’ gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) 3 nm in size on HOPG from different thiolate-capped AuNPs. The clean AuNPs transform the electrocatalytic inert HOPG into an active surface for hydrogen peroxide electroreduction, causing a lowering of the cathodic overpotential of 0.25 V with respect to the Au(111) surface. Compared to the plain gold substrates, the nanostructures promote only a slight increase in the hydrogen evolution reaction. In a second modification step a 1 nm thick melanin–iron coating is electrochemically formed around the AuNPs. This ultrathin melanin–iron coating largely improves the catalytic activity of the bare AuNPs for both hydrogen peroxide electroreduction and hydrogen evolution reaction. This strategy, which integrates electrochemistry and nanotechnology, can be applied to the preparation of efficient ‘‘naked’’ AuNPs and organic-iron capped AuNPs catalysts.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

MODELO DE ATENCIÓN DEL CÁNCER EN LA INFANCIA Y ADOLESCENCIA

La atención integral de niños y adolescentes con cáncer es uno de los grandes desafíos para el sistema de salud pública de nuestros países donde el cáncer infantil representa un problema de salud pública y un problema social. El cáncer pediátrico en Paraguay, un país de escasos recursos, es un problema social y de salud pública por las consecuencias que se infringen a los pacientes, sus familias, las comunidades y los sistemas de salud. Un modelo descentralizado con clínicas más cercanas y dedicadas a cuidados primarios y referencias de niños con diagnóstico potencial de cáncer mejoraron el acceso a cuidados especializados y seguimiento del cáncer. Estas clínicas, implementadas dentro de los hospitales regionales de los sistemas nacionales de salud, ofrecen soluciones sostenibles y efectivas para un mejor acceso y seguimiento del cuidado de los niños con cáncer. El análisis de los desafíos, el éxito y la rentabilidad de estas clínicas regionales de cáncer pediátrico para referencias y seguimiento, permite sugerir un modelo óptimo para tales clínicas en entornos de bajos ingresos. Este modelo podría ser replicado para el cuidado de otras enfermedades y en otros grupos de edad. Presentamos aquí el resultado de la evaluación de los resultados de los pacientes de las cuatro clínicas regionales desde su implementación inicial

Projected sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN experiment to the 0νββ decay of Xe 136

The LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) experiment will enable a neutrinoless double β decay search in parallel to the main science goal of discovering dark matter particle interactions. We report the expected LZ sensitivity to Xe136 neutrinoless double β decay, taking advantage of the significant (>600 kg) Xe136 mass contained within the active volume of LZ without isotopic enrichment. After 1000 live-days, the median exclusion sensitivity to the half-life of Xe136 is projected to be 1.06×1026 years (90% confidence level), similar to existing constraints. We also report the expected sensitivity of a possible subsequent dedicated exposure using 90% enrichment with Xe136 at 1.06×1027 years

Enantiopure 4‐oxazolin‐2‐ones and 4‐methylene‐2‐oxazolidinones as chiral building blocks in a divergent asymmetric synthesis of heterocycles

En este trabajo se describe la reactividad de las oxazolidin-2-onas en un ambiente quiral obteniéndose resultados novedosos, los cuales se describen extensamente.Enantiopure 3‐((R)‐ and 3‐((S)‐1‐phenylethyl)‐4‐oxazoline‐2‐ones were evaluated as chiral building blocks for the divergent construction of heterocycles with stereogenic quaternary centers. The N‐(R)‐ or N‐(S)‐1‐phenylethyl group of these compounds proved to be an efficient chiral auxiliary for the asymmetric induction of the 4‐ and 5‐positions of the 4‐oxazolin‐2‐one ring through thermal and MW‐promoted nucleophilic conjugated addition to Michael acceptors and alkyl halides. The resulting adducts were transformed via a cascade process into fused six‐membered carbo‐ and heterocycles. The structure of the reaction products depended on the electrophiles and reaction conditions used. Alternative isomeric 4‐methylene‐2‐oxazolidinones served as chiral precursors for a versatile and divergent approach to highly substituted cyclic carbamates. DFT quantum calculations showed that the formation of bicyclic pyranyl compounds was generated by a diastereoselective concerted hetero‐Diels‐Alder cycloaddition.Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Secretaria de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Universidad de Guanajuato y CONACYT

Projected WIMP sensitivity of the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter experiment

LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) is a next-generation dark matter direct detection experiment that will operate 4850 feet underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility (SURF) in Lead, South Dakota, USA. Using a two-phase xenon detector with an active mass of 7 tonnes, LZ will search primarily for low-energy interactions with weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), which are hypothesized to make up the dark matter in our galactic halo. In this paper, the projected WIMP sensitivity of LZ is presented based on the latest background estimates and simulations of the detector. For a 1000 live day run using a 5.6-tonne fiducial mass, LZ is projected to exclude at 90% confidence level spin-independent WIMP-nucleon cross sections above 1.4×10-48 cm2 for a 40 GeV/c2 mass WIMP. Additionally, a 5σ discovery potential is projected, reaching cross sections below the exclusion limits of recent experiments. For spin-dependent WIMP-neutron(-proton) scattering, a sensitivity of 2.3×10-43 cm2 (7.1×10-42 cm2) for a 40 GeV/c2 mass WIMP is expected. With underground installation well underway, LZ is on track for commissioning at SURF in 2020

Relations between the K_{l3} and tau --> K pi nu_tau decays

We investigate the relations between the K_{l3} and tau --> K pi nu_tau decays using the meson dominance approach. First, the experimental branching fractions (BF) for K^-_{e3} and K^0_{e3} are used to fix two normalization constants (isospin invariance is not assumed). Then, the BF of tau^- --> K^*(892)^- nu_tau is calculated in agreement with experiment. We further argue that the nonzero value of the slope parameter lambda_0 of the K^-_{mu3} and K^0_{mu3} form factors f_0(t) implies the existence of the tau^- --> K_0^*(1430)^- nu_tau decay. We calculate its BF, together with BF's of the K^-_{mu3}, K^0_{mu3}, tau- --> K^- pi^0 nu_tau, and tau- --> antiK^0 pi^0 nu_tau decays, as a function of the lambda_0 parameter. At some value of lambda_0, different for charged and neutral kaons, calculated BF's seem to match existing data and a prediction is obtained for the tau^- --> K pi nu decays going through the K_0^*(1430)^- resonance.Comment: 14 pages, RevTeX, epsf.sty, 3 embedded figure

NGCPV: a new generation of concentrator photovoltaic cells, modules and systems

Starting on June 2011, NGCPV is the first project funded jointly between the European Commission (EC) and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO) of Japan to research on new generation concentration photovoltaics (CPV). The Project, through a collaborative research between seven European and nine Japanese leading research centers in the field of CPV, aims at lowering the cost of the CPVproduced photovoltaic kWh down to 5 ?cents. The main objective of the project is to improve the present concentrator cell, module and system efficiency, as well as developing advanced characterization tools for CPV components and systems. As particular targets, the project aims at achieving a cell efficiency of at least 45% and a CPV module with an efficiency greater than 35%. This paper describes the R&D activities that are being carried out within the NGCPV project and summarizes some of the most relevant results that have already been attained, for instance: the manufacturing of a 44.4% world record efficiency triple junction solar cell (by Sharp Corp.) and the installation of a 50 kWp experimental CPV plant in Spain, which will be used to obtain accurate forecasts of the energy produced at system level