Differential Effects of Influenza Virus NA, HA Head, and HA Stalk Antibodies on Peripheral Blood Leukocyte Gene Expression during Human Infection.

In this study, we examined the relationships between anti-influenza virus serum antibody titers, clinical disease, and peripheral blood leukocyte (PBL) global gene expression during presymptomatic, acute, and convalescent illness in 83 participants infected with 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus in a human influenza challenge model. Using traditional statistical and logistic regression modeling approaches, profiles of differentially expressed genes that correlated with active viral shedding, predicted length of viral shedding, and predicted illness severity were identified. These analyses further demonstrated that challenge participants fell into three peripheral blood leukocyte gene expression phenotypes that significantly correlated with different clinical outcomes and prechallenge serum titers of antibodies specific for the viral neuraminidase, hemagglutinin head, and hemagglutinin stalk. Higher prechallenge serum antibody titers were inversely correlated with leukocyte responsiveness in participants with active disease and could mask expression of peripheral blood markers of clinical disease in some participants, including viral shedding and symptom severity. Consequently, preexisting anti-influenza antibodies may modulate PBL gene expression, and this must be taken into consideration in the development and interpretation of peripheral blood diagnostic and prognostic assays of influenza infection

Impact of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations on sustained virologic response in HCV-infected patients: Results from the GUARD-C Cohort

BACKGROUND: Despite the introduction of direct-acting antiviral agents for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, peginterferon alfa/ribavirin remains relevant in many resource-constrained settings. The non-randomized GUARD-C cohort investigated baseline predictors of safety-related dose reductions or discontinuations (sr-RD) and their impact on sustained virologic response (SVR) in patients receiving peginterferon alfa/ribavirin in routine practice. METHODS: A total of 3181 HCV-mono-infected treatment-naive patients were assigned to 24 or 48 weeks of peginterferon alfa/ribavirin by their physician. Patients were categorized by time-to-first sr-RD (Week 4/12). Detailed analyses of the impact of sr-RD on SVR24 (HCV RNA <50 IU/mL) were conducted in 951 Caucasian, noncirrhotic genotype (G)1 patients assigned to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin for 48 weeks. The probability of SVR24 was identified by a baseline scoring system (range: 0-9 points) on which scores of 5 to 9 and <5 represent high and low probability of SVR24, respectively. RESULTS: SVR24 rates were 46.1% (754/1634), 77.1% (279/362), 68.0% (514/756), and 51.3% (203/396), respectively, in G1, 2, 3, and 4 patients. Overall, 16.9% and 21.8% patients experienced 651 sr-RD for peginterferon alfa and ribavirin, respectively. Among Caucasian noncirrhotic G1 patients: female sex, lower body mass index, pre-existing cardiovascular/pulmonary disease, and low hematological indices were prognostic factors of sr-RD; SVR24 was lower in patients with 651 vs. no sr-RD by Week 4 (37.9% vs. 54.4%; P = 0.0046) and Week 12 (41.7% vs. 55.3%; P = 0.0016); sr-RD by Week 4/12 significantly reduced SVR24 in patients with scores <5 but not 655. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, sr-RD to peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin significantly impacts on SVR24 rates in treatment-naive G1 noncirrhotic Caucasian patients. Baseline characteristics can help select patients with a high probability of SVR24 and a low probability of sr-RD with peginterferon alfa-2a/ribavirin

Gel in cosmetica

Gel formulations are among the most commonly used dermatological preparations due to their characteristics of practicality and bioavailability; classification and application of gel formulation in cosmetic field are herein considere

Spectroscopic characterization of both aqueous and solid-state diacerhein/hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes

Diacerhein, a poorly water soluble antirheumatic prodrug, was spectroscopically characterized to form inclusion complexes with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) in both aqueous solution and in solid phase. Complexation with the hydrophilic carriers was used to improve the solubility and dissolution rate of the compound. The kinetics of the prodrug degradation to the active rhein in aqueous buffer solution were also investigated as a function of HPβCD concentration. The solid complexes prepared by different methods such as physical mixture, kneading, co-evaporation method and freeze dried method in 1:1 M ratio, were characterized by DSC and FTIR. The dissolution profiles of solid complexes were determined and compared with diacerhein alone and their physical mixture, in the simulated intestinal fluid at 37 C. The accurate molecular spectroscopic characterization of diacerhein in the presence of different amounts of aqueous cyclodextrins was essential to determine the correct binding constants for the diacerhein/HPβCD system. The binding constants were also validated by UV spectrometry and HPLC procedure in order to compare the values from the different methods. Higuchi-Connors phase solubility method has proved not suitable when either the free or/and the complexed prodrug degrade in aqueous solution. © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Asymmetric potentials in oscillating chemical reaction studied by means of symmetrical electrodes.

Pairs of identical platinum electrodes of variable shape and dimensions were used to investigate the asymmetric electrochemical potentials arising in oscillating systems, as well as the influence of a variety of parameters on the frequency and amplitude of the oscillations. It was found that the typical oscillating potential measured with identical point-electrodes of platinum was independent, within large limits, from the distance between the electrodes. Stirring the solution did not affect the oscillating potential below a certain critical velocity, above which the oscillating potential pattern was destroyed, as well as a colour variations of ferroin. The rather harmonic oscillating pattern at 25 °C was modified when the temperature was increased till complete disappearence above a critical value. Finally, the partial pressure of CO2, a gaseous product of the oscillating reaction, above the solution influenced the amplitude, not the frequency, of the oscillating potential. An increase of the surface of the electrode pair, i.e. passing from the point-electrodes to a pair of platinum grid electrodes, and to a pair of large-surface platinum black electrodes, caused a substantial decrease of the amplitude of the oscillation

Impact of the exported volume of copper in the intraregional and extraregional trade of the Pacific Alliance regional block between 2013 and 2018

La Alianza del Pacífico es un bloque regional fundado en el 2011 y conformado por Chile, Colombia, México y Perú. Este bloque ha tenido un gran éxito a nivel internacional no solo por su cooperación, sino por saber sobrellevar sus diferencias políticas e ideológicas. Su meta es la creación de un área de integración profunda por medio de la libre circulación de bienes, servicios, capitales y personas, exonerando las barreras arancelarias, así como el impulso al crecimiento, desarrollo y competitividad. Estos mismos factores son los que han ayudado a mejorar sus métodos de comercio tanto intrarregional como extrarregional, siendo de la larga lista de productos beneficiados el Cobre, commodity mineral que ha crecido en exportaciones, y cuyos principales países productores se encuentran en este acuerdo. Para esta investigación se tiene como objetivo realizar un análisis de la influencia del volumen exportado del cobre en el comercio intrarregional y extrarregional del bloque regional Alianza del Pacífico. Es por ello que se ha realizado una investigación mixta, la cual se divide por un lado en el estudio cuantitativo, con datos del comercio intrarregional y extrarregional de este bloque y el volumen del cobre exportado, y por otro lado la investigación cualitativa la cual se encuentra conformada por entrevistas a expertos en el tema, recopilando sus opiniones y realizando una comparación entre ellas. Como resultado de los datos recopilados se concluye que las exportaciones en volumen de este commodity si generan una influencia en el comercio intrarregional, más no en el extrarregional.The Pacific Alliance is a regional block founded in 2011 and formed by Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. This agreement has been highly successful at the international level not only for its cooperation, but for knowing how to cope with its political and ideological differences. Its goal is to create an area of ​​deep integration through the free movement of goods, services, capital and people, exonerating tariff barriers, as well as promoting growth, development and competitiveness. These same factors are the ones that have helped to improve its trading methods both intraregional and extraregional, being from the long list of beneficiary products Copper, a mineral commodity that has grown in exports, and whose main producing countries are in this agreement. The objective of this research is to carry out an analysis of the influence of the exported volume of copper on the intraregional and extraregional trade of the Pacific Alliance regional block. That is why a mixed investigation has been carried out, which is divided on one hand into the quantitative study, with data on the intraregional and extraregional trade of this block and the volume of copper exported, and on the other hand the qualitative research which includes interviews with experts on the subject, compiling their opinions and making a comparison among them. As a result of the data collected, it is concluded that the volume exported of this commodity do influence the intraregional trade, but not extraregional trade.Tesi