Incidencia del envejecimiento del asfalto y del grado de fillerización en el fisuramiento de una carpeta asfáltica

Este trabajo estudia la incidencia que tiene el envejecimiento del asfalto y el aumento de MfillerM (como consecuencia de la degradación de los agregados pétreos) en las fisuras producidas en un pavimento urbano luego de un período prolongado de servicio. El envejecimiento del asfalto se estudia por medidas de consistencia y por espectrofotometría infrarroja. Se trata de poner en evidencia la influencia del grado de fillerización mediante ensayos mecánicos de estabilidad Hubbard Field, y por el estudio Teológico del sistema "filien-betún.This paper deals about the cracking produced by the bitumen ageing and by the increment of the mineral filler (as consequence of the aggregate degradation) of an urban pavement after a long-term performance. The ageing of the bitumen is studied by consistency measurements and by infrared spectrophotometry. The influence of the mineral filler is made evident by Hubbard Field stability and by the rheological behaviour of the filler- bitumen system

Improved cardiac performance with human calcitonin gene related peptide in patients with congestive heart failure

Study objective - The aim of the study was to assess the cardiovascular effects of human calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) in patients with congestive heart failure. Design - The effects of CGRP II (or β), 12.5 μg·h−1, given by intravenous infusion for 24 h to digitalised patients with congestive heart failure, were assessed by measurement of cardiac functional indices. Patients - Five patients (four female) were studied. Age was 73-82 years. Three were in New York Heart Association phase III and two in phase IV. Measurements and main results - The pre-ejection period to left ventricular ejection time ratio and the QT distance adjusted for heart rate were lowered by 21% and 4% respectively. The left ventricular shortening index was raised by 43%. The arterial pressure and heart rate did not change consistently. Conclusion - Calcitonin gene related peptide improves myocardial contractility in patients with congestive heart failure. This is the first time this has been show

International Osteoporosis Foundation and European Calcified Tissue Society Working Group. Recommendations for the screening of adherence to oral bisphosphonates

Background Low adherence to oral bisphosphonates is a common problem that jeopardizes the efficacy of treatment of osteoporosis. No clear screening strategy for the assessment of compliance is widely accepted in these patients. Methods The International Osteoporosis Foundation and the European Calcified Tissue Society have convened a working group to propose a screening strategy to detect a lack of adherence to these drugs. The question to answer was whether the bone turnover markers (BTMs) PINP and CTX can be used to identify low adherence in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis initiating oral bisphosphonates for osteoporosis. The findings of the TRIO study specifically address this question and were used as the basis for testing the hypothesis. Results Based on the findings of the TRIO study, specifically addressing this question, the working group recommends measuring PINP and CTX at baseline and three months after starting therapy to check for a decrease above the least significant change (decrease of more than 38% for PINP and 56% for CTX). Detection rate for the measurement of PINP is 84%, for CTX 87% and, if variation in at least one is considered when measuring both, the level of detection is 94.5%. Conclusions If a significant decrease is observed the treatment can continue but if no decrease occurs the clinician should reassess to identify problems with the treatment, mainly low adherence</p

Soy protein supplementation does not cause lymphocytopenia in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND: The health benefits of soy isoflavones have been widely investigated; however, there are some concerns as to whether soy isoflavones, similar to ipriflavone, a synthetic isoflavone, cause lymphocytopenia in postmenopausal women. Hence, the purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which 12-month supplementation of 25 g soy protein containing 60 mg isoflavones alters lymphocyte counts or other hematological parameters in postmenopausal women who were not on hormone replacement therapy. METHODS: Eighty-seven postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive either soy protein or an equivalent amount of control protein devoid of isoflavones. Fasting venous blood was collected at baseline and at the end of twelve month study period for complete blood count analyses. RESULTS: Between the two treatment groups, the percent changes in hematological parameters, including lymphocytes, were not different. While women consuming the soy supplement had an increase in mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width index (RDW; a marker of reticulocytes), women consuming the control diet had higher percentage of only MCHC. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results of the present study indicate that consumption of 25 g soy protein containing 60 mg isoflavones daily for one year does not cause lymphocytopenia

AKR1C enzymes sustain therapy resistance in paediatric T-ALL

BACKGROUND: Despite chemotherapy intensification, a subgroup of high-risk paediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (TALL) patients still experience treatment failure. In this context, we hypothesised that therapy resistance in T-ALL might involve aldo-keto reductase 1C (AKR1C) enzymes as previously reported for solid tumors.METHODS: Expression of NRF2-AKR1C signaling components has been analysed in paediatric T-ALL samples endowed with different treatment outcomes as well as in patient-derived xenografts of T-ALL. The effects of AKR1C enzyme modulation has been investigated in T-ALL cell lines and primary cultures by combining AKR1C inhibition, overexpression, and gene silencing approaches.RESULTS: We show that T-ALL cells overexpress AKR1C1-3 enzymes in therapy-resistant patients. We report that AKR1C1-3 enzymes play a role in the response to vincristine (VCR) treatment, also ex vivo in patient-derived xenografts. Moreover, we demonstrate that the modulation of AKR1C1-3 levels is sufficient to sensitise T-ALL cells to VCR. Finally, we show that T-ALL chemotherapeutics induce overactivation of AKR1C enzymes independent of therapy resistance, thus establishing a potential resistance loop during T-ALL combination treatment.CONCLUSIONS: Here, we demonstrate that expression and activity of AKR1C enzymes correlate with response to chemotherapeutics in T-ALL, posing AKR1C1-3 as potential targets for combination treatments during T-ALL therapy

Assessment of soy phytoestrogens' effects on bone turnover indicators in menopausal women with osteopenia in Iran: a before and after clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is the gradual declining in bone mass with age, leading to increased bone fragility and fractures. Fractures in hip and spine are known to be the most important complication of the disease which leads in the annual mortality rate of 20% and serious morbidity rate of 50%. Menopause is one of the most common risk factors of osteoporosis. After menopause, sex hormone deficiency is associated with increased remodeling rate and negative bone balance, leading to accelerated bone loss and micro-architectural defects, resulting into increased bone fragility. Compounds with estrogen-like biological activity similar to "Isoflavones" present in plants especially soy, may reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women as they are similar in structure to estrogens. This research, therefore, was carried out to study the effects of Iranian soy protein on biochemical indicators of bone metabolism in osteopenic menopausal women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This clinical trial of before-after type was carried out on 15 women 45–64 years of age. Subjects were given 35 g soy protein per day for 12 weeks. Blood and urine sampling, anthropometric measurement and 48-h-dietary recalls were carried out at zero, 6 and 12 weeks. Food consumption data were analyzed using Food Proccessor Software. For the study of bone metabolism indicators and changes in anthropometric data as well as dietary intake, and repeated analyses were employed. RESULTS: Comparison of weight, BMI, physical activity, energy intake and other intervening nutrients did not reveal any significant changes during different stages of the study. Soy protein consumption resulted in a significant reduction in the urinary deoxypyridinoline and increasing of total alkaline phosphatase (p < 0.05), although the alterations in osteocalcin, c-telopeptide, IGFBP3 and type I collagen telopeptide were not significant. CONCLUSION: In view of beneficial effect of soy protein on bone metabolism indicators, inclusion of this relatively inexpensive food in the daily diet of menopausal women, will probably delay bone resorption, thereby preventing osteoporosis

A comprehensive fracture prevention strategy in older adults: The European union geriatric medicine society (EUGMS) statement

Prevention of fragility fractures in older people has become a public health priority, although the most appropriate and cost-effective strategy remains unclear. In the present statement, the Interest group on falls and fracture prevention of the European union geriatric medicine society (EUGMS), in collaboration with the International association of gerontology and geriatrics for the European region (IAGG-ER), the European union of medical specialists (EUMS), the Fragility fracture network (FFN), the International osteoporosis foundation (IOF) – European society for clinical and economic aspects of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis (ECCEO), outlines its views on the main points in the current debate in relation to the primary and secondary prevention of falls, the diagnosis and treatment of bone fragility, and the place of combined falls and fracture liaison services for fracture prevention in older people