209 research outputs found
EvaluaciĂłn de elastĂłmero vulcanizado (Parte II)
Toda mezcla elastĂłmerica se desarrolla en base a unaformulaciĂłn para obtener diferentes propiedades fĂsicomecĂĄnicas y quĂmicas que la diferencian del resto. En lapresente investigaciĂłn se continuĂł el estudio de caracterizaciĂłnde las formulaciones, (continuaciĂłn de la parte I),evaluando en este caso tres nuevas propiedades comovariables respuesta, resistencia al desgaste, el coeficientede Poisson, y el envejecimiento, utilizando como variablesindependientes el contenido de Disulfuro de Tetrametil tiuram(TMTD, ultraacelerante), Dures Resin (resina reforzante) y ZnO-Al (Ăxido de cinc con 4% de trazas de Aluminio, activador de la reacciĂłn de vulcanizaciĂłn), de esta forma quedan definidas las principales propiedades de las formulaciones estudiadas que permiten dar respuesta a las diferentes solicitaciones mecĂĄnicas. Los datos obtenidos son imprescindibles para la modelaciĂłn de la pieza que se quiera fabricar con dicha formulaciĂłn
Crustal structure below Popocat\'epetl Volcano (Mexico) from analysis of Rayleigh waves
An array of ten broadband stations was installed on the Popocat\'epetl
volcano (Mexico) for five months between October 2002 and February 2003. 26
regional and teleseismic earthquakes were selected and filtered in the
frequency time domain to extract the fundamental mode of the Rayleigh wave. The
average dispersion curve was obtained in two steps. Firstly, phase velocities
were measured in the period range [2-50] s from the phase difference between
pairs of stations, using Wiener filtering. Secondly, the average dispersion
curve was calculated by combining observations from all events in order to
reduce diffraction effects. The inversion of the mean phase velocity yielded a
crustal model for the volcano which is consistent with previous models of the
Mexican Volcanic Belt. The overall crustal structure beneath Popocat\'epetl is
therefore not different from the surrounding area, and the velocities in the
lower crust are confirmed to be relatively low. Lateral variations of the
structure were also investigated by dividing the network into four parts and by
applying the same procedure to each sub-array. No well-defined anomalies
appeared for the two sub-arrays for which it was possible to measure a
dispersion curve. However, dispersion curves associated with individual events
reveal important diffraction for 6 s to 12 s periods which could correspond to
strong lateral variations at 5 to 10 km depth
Expansion of different subpopulations of CD26 â/low T cells in allergic and non-allergic asthmatics
CD26 displays variable levels between effector (TH ⫠TH > TH > Treg) and naïve/memory (memory > naïve) CD4 T lymphocytes. Besides, IL-6/IL 6R is associated with TH -differentiation and asthma severity. Allergic/atopic asthma (AA) is dominated by TH responses, while TH immunity might either modulate the TH -dependent inflammation in AA or be an important mechanism boosting non-allergic asthma (NAA). Therefore, in this work we have compared the expression of CD26 and CD126 (IL-6Rα) in lymphocytes from different groups of donors: allergic (AA) and non-allergic (NAA) asthma, rhinitis, and healthy subjects. For this purpose, flow cytometry, haematological/biochemical, and in vitro proliferation assays were performed. Our results show a strong CD26-CD126 correlation and an over-representation of CD26 subsets with a highly-differentiated effector phenotype in AA (CD4 CD26 T cells) and NAA (CD4 CD26 γΎ-T cells). In addition, we found that circulating levels of CD26 (sCD26) were reduced in both AA and NAA, while loss of CD126 expression on different leukocytes correlated with higher disease severity. Finally, selective inhibition of CD26-mRNA translation led to enhanced T cell proliferation in vitro. These findings support that CD26 down-modulation could play a role in facilitating the expansion of highly-differentiated effector T cell subsets in asthma
A novel combined scientific and artistic approach for the advanced characterization of interactomes: The akirin/subolesin model
The main objective of this study was to propose a novel methodology to approach challenges in molecular biology. Akirin/Subolesin (AKR/SUB) are vaccine protective antigens and are a model for the study of the interactome due to its conserved function in the regulation of different biological processes such as immunity and development throughout the metazoan. Herein, three visual artists and a music professor collaborated with scientists for the functional characterization of the AKR2 interactome in the regulation of the NF-ÂżB pathway in human placenta cells. The results served as a methodological proof-of-concept to advance this research area. The results showed new perspectives on unexplored characteristics of AKR2 with functional implications. These results included protein dimerization, the physical interactions with different proteins simultaneously to regulate various biological processes defined by cell type-specific AKRâ protein interactions, and how these interactions positively or negatively regulate the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-ÂżB) signaling pathway in a biological context-dependent manner. These results suggested that AKR2-interacting proteins might constitute suitable secondary transcription factors for cell-and stimulus-specific regulation of NF-ÂżB. Musical perspective supported AKR/SUB evolutionary conservation in different species and provided new mechanistic insights into the AKR2 interactome. The combined scientific and artistic perspectives resulted in a multidisciplinary approach, advancing our knowledge on AKR/SUB interactome, and provided new insights into the function of AKR2âprotein interactions in the regulation of the NF-ÂżB pathway. Additionally, herein we proposed an algorithm for quantum vaccinomics by focusing on the model proteins AKR/SUB. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland
A parallel-group, multicenter randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase 2/3, clinical trial to test the efficacy of pyridostigmine bromide at low doses to reduce mortality or invasive mechanical ventilation in adults with severe SARS-CoV-2 infection: the Pyridostigmine In Severe COvid-19 (PISCO) trial protocol
© 2020, The Author(s). Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), may lead to severe systemic inflammatory response, pulmonary damage, and even acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). This in turn may result in respiratory failure and in death. Experimentally, acetylcholine (ACh) modulates the acute inflammatory response, a neuro-immune mechanism known as the inflammatory reflex. Recent clinical evidence suggest that electrical and chemical stimulation of the inflammatory reflex may reduce the burden of inflammation in chronic inflammatory diseases. Pyridostigmine (PDG), an ACh-esterase inhibitor (i-ACh-e), increases the half-life of endogenous ACh, therefore mimicking the inflammatory reflex. This clinical trial is aimed at evaluating if add-on of PDG leads to a decrease of invasive mechanical ventilation and death among patients with severe COVID-19. Methods: A parallel-group, multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, phase 2/3 clinical trial to test the efficacy of pyridostigmine bromide 60 mg/day P.O. to reduce the need for invasive mechanical ventilation and mortality in hospitalized patients with severe COVID-19. Discussion: This study will provide preliminary evidence of whether or not -by decreasing systemic inflammation- add-on PDG can improve clinical outcomes in patients with severe COVID-19. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04343963 (registered on April 14, 2020)
The CD14 (â159 C/T) SNP is associated with sCD14 levels and allergic asthma, but not with CD14 expression on monocytes
LPS-ligation to CD14/TLR-4 on monocytes/macrophages triggers the production of IL-12-family cytokines. IL12/18 promote TH1-differentiation, counteracting the TH2-driven asthma. Therefore, CD14 modulation could alter the TH2-differentiation and should be taken into account when studying asthma. To analyse the alteration in CD14 levels and its association with CD14 (â159 C/T) SNP (rs2569190) in Caucasian adults with stable allergic asthma, we performed a cross-sectional study (277 healthy subjects vs. 277 patients) where clinical parameters, CD14 values and the CD14 (â159 C/T) SNP were studied. Apart from typical biomarkers, we found an increment of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in allergic asthma, probably linked to monocyte activity. Indeed, we evidenced increased monocyte numbers, but lower CD14 expression and normalised sCD14 values in patients. Moreover, we noticed an association of the T allele (Pâ=â0.0162) and TT genotype (Pâ=â0.0196) of the CD14 SNP with a decreased risk of allergic asthma and augmented sCD14 levels. In conclusion, monocyte CD14 expression and normalized sCD14 values were reduced in stable state asthmatics, and this could be related to the presence of an expanded CD14low monocyte subset. This study also demonstrates that the CD14 (â159 C/T) polymorphism is a risk factor for moderate-severe allergic asthma in adult CaucasiansThis study was funded by grants from Sociedad Española de NeumologĂa y CirugĂa TorĂĄcica, (SEPAR) (121/2012) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de EconomĂa y Competitividad (Fondo de InvestigaciĂłn Sanitaria, FIS; co-financed by European Union ERDF funds) (PI13/02046). JJNF is a recipient of a Xunta de Galicia Fellowship (Co-financed by European Social Fund (ESF))S
Crossâsectional study about impact of parental smoking on rhinitis symptoms in children
[Abstract]
Objective. Assess the prevalence of rhinitis and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) of children in our community and its relationship with symptoms of rhinitis
Methods (design, setting, participants, main outcome measures). Crossâsectional study using questionnaire on rhinitis of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, in children (6â7 years) and adolescents (13â14 years). Categories: ârhinitis everâ, ârecent rhinitisâ, ârecent rhinoconjunctivitisâ, âsevere rhinoconjunctivitisâ. Parental smoking: (i) neither parent smokes; (ii) only the mother smokes; (iii) only the father smokes; and (iv) both parents smoke. Odds ratio of the prevalence of symptoms of rhinitis according to ETS exposure was calculated using logistic regression.
Results. 10 690 children and 10 730 adolescents. The prevalence of ârhinitis everâ in children: 29.4%, ârecent rhinitisâ 24%, ârecent rhinoconjunctivitisâ 11.5% and âsevere rhinoconjunctivitisâ 0.1%. In adolescents: 46.2%, 34.5%, 16.2% and 0.2%, respectively. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure in the home occurred in 51% of cases. Parental smoking was associated with a higher prevalence of forms of rhinitis in adolescents when only the mother was a smoker. In children when both parents were smokers.
Conclusion. Rhinitis is highly prevalent in our community. Environmental tobacco smoke exposure is still very common. The relationship between ETS and rhinitis symptoms in children of this community is not as robust as that found for asthma
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