Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe (ASAP) and Atmospheric Pressure Gas Chromatography (APGC) coupled to Quadrupole Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (QTOF-MS) as alternative techniques to trace aromatic markers of mineral oils in food packaging

The aim of this work was to select and identify the best markers of aromatic hydrocarbon mineral oil (MOAH) in food packaging. For this purpose, a series of mineral oils was initially analysed. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the alkylated isomers of Methylnaphthalene (MNS), Diisopropylnaphtalene (DIPNs), Dibenzothiophenes (DBTS), Methyldibenzothiophene (MDBTs), Dimethyldibenzothiophenes (DMDBTs) and Benzonaphthiophenes (BNTS) were then explored. Their presence was confirmed by direct analysis of several mineral oils by Atmospheric Solids Analysis Probe Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (ASAP-QTOF-MS). Atmospheric Pressure Gas Chromatography Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (APGC-QTOF-MS) was used to confirm the markers in different samples of oils, recycled PET (rPET), recycled cardboard and packaging of couscous and semolina to confirm the contamination. 27 markers were found in the mineral oil samples, 22 of them in rPET, 8 in recycled board and no MOAH were found in packaging of couscous and semolina

Migration of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) from cardboard containers to dry food and prediction tool

This research aimed to study the migration of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) from primary carton packages to dry foods, using 16 aromatic hydrocarbons as model substances, covering a wide range of molecular masses and chemical structures. Migration experiments were performed using modified polyphenylene oxide as a food simulant and couscous and polenta as dry foods. The migration tests were carried out to simulate storage at room temperature for long periods and in hot food containers as the worst scenario. Multivariate analysis algorithms were applied to correlate and group the migration of model substances, and a partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was built to predict the worst-case migration. The results showed strong correlations in the migration patterns of the model substances, based on their volatility, food matrix, migration time and temperature. Different behaviour between the migration of the most volatile and the heaviest model substances was observed

Prevalencia de astenopia y factores de riesgos asociados en los usuarios de pantallas de visualización de datos. Caja de Seguro Social. Región metropolitana. Año 2004.

En este estudio se presentan los datos obtenidos en una población usuaria de pantallas de visualización de datos que laboran en la Caja de Seguro Social, área metropolitana, más de dos horas diarias, en semana laboral de cuarenta horas, con el objetivo de valorar la frecuencia de astenopia y la posible relación entre ésta y algunos factores de riesgos. Mediante un cuestionario dirigido, se estudió una muestra representativa (n = 267), de una población de 876 trabajadores de oficina. La hipótesis de esta investigación sustenta que existe relación entre los usuarios de este medio de comunicación, con la prevalencia de astenopia. Los resultados fueron analizados en función de diferentes riesgos : ergo oftalmológicos (distancia y ángulo visual ), características de la pantalla, nivel de iluminación, situación del puesto de trabajo, características visuales (miopía, hiperopia, presbiopia y astigmatismo), edad y género. La astenopia se presentó en el 37.8 % de los usuarios. En el grupo masculino el porcentaje fue de 41.1 % y en el grupo femenino de 36.5%. La astenopia predominó en el grupo etario de 30 a 49 años, donde se presentó el 73.0% de los casos. Entre los factores de riesgo asociados a la astenopia, se presentan: la distancia visual, los niveles de iluminación, la situación de los puestos de trabajo y la miopía. No asociados a esta entidad, se observan: el ángulo visual, la presbiopia, la hiperopia y el astigmatismo

Efectos de la modalidad de grupo de apoyo en mujeres víctimas de violencia, atendidas en la clínica psicológica de la Universidad Santa María La Antigua

La presente investigación se dio con el propósito de revisar el efecto de la modalidad grupo de apoyo a mujeres víctimas de violencia, atendidas en la Clínica Psicológica María Eugenia de Alemán, de la Universidad Santa María la Antigua, en el período de 2016 y 2017. La atención se dio de forma gratuita, todos los martes, de 4:00 pm a 7:00 p.m. En ese tiempo, atendimos a 73 mujeres que asistieron a las sesiones semanales, lo que constituyó la población. La muestra se sacó con las mujeres que asistieron a más de seis sesiones, y así obtuvimos 20 participantes. A lo largo del estudio, construímos una base de datos del total de las participantes, con información de edad, escolaridad, religión, nacionalidad e institución que la había referido, entre otros datos. En base a esto, observamos que las víctimas extranjeras están más desprotegidas que las panameñas, que la mayoría de las víctimas del grupo están en plena edad productiva (30 a 49 años) y que los procesos judiciales por denuncia de violencia doméstica, son muy lentos en el país. Y lo más importante fue que las participantes confirmaron los efectos positivos que se mencionan en la bibliografía revisada, de la modalidad de grupo de apoyo, en su vida como receptoras de la violencia doméstica

Phylogenetic analyses and toxigenic profiles of Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium acuminatum isolated from cereals from Southern Europe

Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium acuminatum are toxigenic species that contaminate cereal crops from diverse climatic regions. They are common in Spanish cereals. The information available on their phylogenetics and toxigenic profiles is, however, insufficient to assist risk evaluation. In this work, phylogenetic analyses were performed using partial sequences of the translation elongation factor gene (EF-1a) of F. equiseti and F. acuminatum strains isolated from barley and wheat from Spain and other countries. The Northern and Southern European F. equiseti strains largely separated into two phylogenetically distinct clusters. This suggests the existence of two distinct populations within this species, explaining its presence in these regions of markedly different climate. Production of type A and B trichothecenes by the Spanish strains, examined in wheat cultures using a multitoxin analytical method, indicated that F. equiseti could produce deoxynivalenol and nivalenol and other trichothecenes, at concentrations that might represent a significant risk of toxin contamination for Southern European cereals. F. acuminatum showed low intraspecific genetic variability and 58% of the strains could produce deoxynivalenol at low level. Neither species was found to produce T-2 or HT-2 toxins. The present results provide important phylogenetic and toxigenic information essential for the accurate prediction of toxigenic risk

The novel chemokine receptor CXCR7 regulates trans-endothelial migration of cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Migration of metastatic tumor cells from the bloodstream into lymph nodes is thought to be facilitated by expression of the chemokine receptors CCR7, CXCR4 and, for B cell-derived tumors, CXCR5. Expression of their respective chemokine ligands (CCL19, CCL21, CXCL12 and CXCL13) by endothelial cells inside the lymph nodes facilitates the trans-endothelial migration (TEM) of these cells through high endothelial venules into the lymph node parenchyma. It is known that CXCR7, a second CXCL12 receptor, regulates TEM of CXCR4+CXCR7+ tumor cells towards a CXCL12 source. In this study, we set out to assess the potential stimulation by CXCL12 of tumor cell TEM towards other chemokines and whether CXCR7 might be able to regulate such effects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The human Burkitt's lymphoma cell line NC-37, which expresses CXCR4, CXCR5, CXCR7 and CCR7, was selected as a model system. TEM of these cells through a human HUVEC endothelial cell monolayer was used as the main model system for these studies. Regulation of their TEM behavior by various concentrations of the various cognate chemokines for the above-mentioned receptors, placed in either the source or target wells of modified Boyden chamber migration plates, was assessed by quantifying the number of cells migrated under each experimental condition.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Exposure of CXCR4⁺CXCR7⁺cancer cells to CXCL12 greatly potentiated their TEM towards the chemokines CCL19 and CXCL13. This CXCL12-potentiated TEM was inhibited by the second CXCR7 chemokine ligand, CXCL11, as well as CXCR7-specific small molecule antagonists and antibodies. In contrast, the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3100 was less effective at inhibiting CXCL12-potentiated TEM. Thus, CXCR7 antagonists may be effective therapeutic agents for blocking CXCL12-mediated migration of CXCR4⁺CXCR7⁺tumor cells into lymph nodes, regardless of whether the cancer cells follow a CXCL12 gradient or whether serum CXCL12 stimulates their migration towards CCR7 and CXCR5 chemokines in the lymph nodes.</p

Review of some classical gravitational superenergy tensors using computational techniques

We use computational algorithms recently developed by us to study completely four index divergence free quadratic in Riemann tensor polynomials in GR. Some results are new and some other reproduce and/or correct known ones. The algorithms are part of a Mathematica package called Tools of Tensor Calculus (TTC)[web address: http://baldufa.upc.es/ttc

Defining and Measuring the Patient-Centered Medical Home

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is four things: 1) the fundamental tenets of primary care: first contact access, comprehensiveness, integration/coordination, and relationships involving sustained partnership; 2) new ways of organizing practice; 3) development of practices’ internal capabilities, and 4) related health care system and reimbursement changes. All of these are focused on improving the health of whole people, families, communities and populations, and on increasing the value of healthcare

Genetics applied to clinical practice in neurodevelopmental disorders

Las evidencias genéticas de los trastornos del neurodesarrollo están ampliamente sustentadas en la literatura médica. Los avances en la genética y la tecnología han incrementado la rentabilidad diagnóstica de los estudios actuales de un 3-5% a un 30-40% en los pacientes con discapacidad intelectual o trastornos del espectro autista. En este sentido, los estudios por microarrays cromosómicos muestran un mayor poder diagnóstico que las técnicas convencionales (cariotipo, análisis de subtelómeros…). Los protocolos más recientes en el apartado biomédico del estudio genético de estos trastornos sitúan los microarrays cromosómicos como análisis de primera línea, recomendando otros estudios específicos según las características clínicas del paciente (síndrome X frágil, mutación en PTEN...). En la evaluación de otros trastornos del neurodesarrollo (trastorno por déficit de atención/hiperactividad, trastornos del aprendizaje...), la realización de pruebas genéticas está limitada y condicionada a las características clínicas o antecedentes familiares o personales del paciente; incluso en estas situaciones, no existen protocolos de evaluación o derivación genéticaThe medical literature contains a wide body of evidence supporting genetic involvement in neurodevelopmental disorders. Advances made in genetics and technology have increased the diagnostic cost-effectiveness of current studies from 3-5% to 30-40% in patients with intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorders. In this regard, chromosomal microarray studies display greater diagnostic power than conventional techniques (karyotype, subtelomeric analyses, etc.). The latest protocols in the biomedical field of the genetic study of these disorders cite chromosomal microarrays as the first-line analysis, while also recommending other specific studies depending on the patient’s clinical features (fragile X syndrome, PTEN mutation, etc.). In the evaluation of other neurodevelopmental disorders (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, learning disorders, etc.), the number of genetic tests carried out is limited and conditioned by the clinical characteristics or the patient’s familial or personal history. Even in these situations, there are no genetic referral or evaluation protocol