Intravesical electromotive drug administration of mitomycin-C for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

This article reviews intravesical application of electromotive drug administration (EMDA) for the treatment of bladder cancer and the evidence in support of intravesical passive diffusion chemotherapy in the management of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Two recently published randomised trials adopting protocols that use EMDA to enhance urothelial transport of intravesical mitomycin-C showed it provided a therapeutical advantage and suggested that intravesical passive diffusion administration of chemothera-peutic drugs may be suboptimal. Further studies are required to demonstrate feasibility and advantage of intravesical EMDA of mitomycin-C in the wider uro-oncological community

Does the application of directive 2001/93/EC improve pigs welfare and productive performances?

Recently, with the aim to protect swine and enhance their welfare, a set of international rules has been approved by the European Commission (directive 91/630/CEE; 2001/88 CEE; 2001/93/CEE). These ..

Gait Analysis through a visual method to calculate temporal parameters: comparison of performance between the gait laboratory and the clinical setting

Analysis of human movement providessystematic and quantitative information of movement. The detection of eventsthat occur during walking allows for the calculation of spatiotemporalparameters, commonly used for the characterization of gait. A method for visualdetection of gait events was previously evaluated, showing promising results.The method should now be used in the clinical setting for estimation of gaitparameters and symmetry. The aims of this study were then to compare theperformance of the visual method in a clinical setting against its performancein a gait laboratory and to evaluate its behavior for calculation of gaitsymmetry in eight healthy subjects. Two gait events were detected and sixtemporal parameters (TP) were calculated. Also, a symmetry index (SI) wascalculated for three TP. Results for the calculation of TP in the clinicalsetting were comparable to those obtained in the gait laboratory. Also, thevalues of TP and symmetry were within the range of those reported by otherauthors. These results suggest that the visual events detection method can beconsidered as an option for basic Analysis of Human Movement in the clinicalenvironment.Fil: de Grucci, Carla. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Bonell, C. E.. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos; ArgentinaFil: Dutto, César Ignacio. Hospital Integral del Discapacitado Dr. Vera Candioti; ArgentinaFil: Barrera, Verónica. Hospital Integral del Discapacitado Dr. Vera Candioti; ArgentinaFil: Bernal, Cecilia. Hospital Integral del Discapacitado Dr. Vera Candioti; ArgentinaFil: Catalfamo Formento, Paola Andrea Lucia. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Bioingeniería y Bioinformática - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Bioingeniería y Bioinformática; Argentin

Chitin determination on marine seston in a shallow temperate estuary (Argentina)

A quitina é um dos biopolímeros mais abundantes no planeta. A quitina foi quantificada em frações do seston, com a finalidade de obter a primeira caracterização deste polímero no Estuário de Bahía Blanca. A amostragem foi realizada durante o inverno e o verão em dois locais: em um canal de maré não impactado (Bahía del Medio, BM) e em um setor de descarga de esgoto (Canal Vieja, CV). Os maiores valores de quitina foram observados na fração seston ; 500 µM) não excederam ~ 1% de quitina total. A maior concentração de quitina no seston < 20 µM sugere que essa fração é um grande reservatório deste biopolímero, contribuindo para a matéria orgânica para os microorganismos na cadeia alimentar do Estuário de Bahía Blanca. Este é o primeiro estudo sobre as possíveis fontes de quitina em ecossistemas marinhos na Argentina.Chitin is one of the most abundant biopolymers in the planet. Chitin was quantified in seston fractions in order to obtain the first characterization of this polymer in the Bahía Blanca Estuary. Sampling was conducted at two sites: a non- impacted tidal channel -Bahía del Medio (BM)- and a sewage discharge sector -Canal Vieja (CV)-, during winter and summer. The highest values of chitin were observed in the seston fraction ;500 µm) did not exceed ~1% of total chitin.. The higher concentration of chitin in sesto

Análisis de requerimientos y determinación preliminar de la potencia de actuación para el TVC de un vehículo lanzador con tobera flexible

En los vehículos lanzadores se requiere de un sistema de control de dirección del vector de empuje (TVC) que permita desarrollar un vuelo a lo largo de una trayectoria programada, así como también compensar las perturbaciones que se presenten durante la fase propulsiva. Existen distintos mecanismos para lograr este objetivo, siendo uno de los más utilizados el basado en modificar la dirección de la tobera de empuje. En el caso de combustibles sólidos, la tobera incluye una junta flexible conformada mediante la unión de un elastómero con aros de acero que posibilita ajustar la orientación del eje de empuje, mediante un actuador lineal montado de manera conveniente entre la tobera y la estructura del vehículo, el que provoca la deformación elástica de la junta. Se abordará la problemática de utilizar un actuador electromecánico (AEM), basado en tecnología de un motor eléctrico sin escobillas (brushless), para conformar el sistema de control de orientación de una tobera flexible. Dichas toberas imponen fuertes requerimientos operativos a los sistemas de actuación, debido a los elevados valores de rigidez y rozamiento que presentan. En lo metodológico se ha procedido formulando el modelo matemático mecánico, con el que se llevó a cabo la simulación numérica de funcionamiento empleando software especializado de acuerdo a los requerimientos impuestos para determinar a priori las potencias requeridas para los diferentes casos de maniobras planteados. Luego, en las condiciones de peor caso, se pasó a optimizar la relación de transmisión teniendo asimismo en cuenta los requerimientos de respuesta en frecuencia para condiciones de funcionamiento lineal.www.caim2014.unne.edu.arFil: Salomone, Javier E. Centro de Investigaciones Aplicadas. Departamento Sistemas Electromecánicos; Argentina.Fil: Pedroni, Juan P. Centro de Investigaciones Aplicadas. Departamento Sistemas Electromecánicos; Argentina.Fil: Jazni, Jorge E. Centro de Investigaciones Aplicadas. Departamento Sistemas Electromecánicos; Argentina.Fil: Dutto, Esteban A. Centro de Investigaciones Aplicadas. Departamento Sistemas Electromecánicos; Argentina.Fil: Cova, Walter J. D. Centro de Investigaciones Aplicadas. Departamento Sistemas Electromecánicos; Argentina.Fil: Lagier, Santiago. Centro de Investigaciones Aplicadas. Departamento Sistemas Electromecánicos; Argentina.Ingeniería Aeroespacia

Probing Rotational and Translational Diffusion of Nanodoublers in Living Cells on Microsecond Time Scales

Nonlinear microscopes have seen an increase in popularity in the life sciences due to their molecular and structural specificity, high resolution, large penetration depth, and volumetric imaging capability. Nonetheless, the inherently weak optical signals demand long exposure times for live cell imaging. Here, by modifying the optical layout and illumination parameters, we can follow the rotation and translation of noncentrosymetric crystalline particles, or nanodoublers, with 50 mu s acquisition times in living cells. The rotational diffusion can be derived from variations in the second harmonic intensity that originates from the rotation of the nanodoubler crystal axis. We envisage that by capitalizing on the biocompatibility, functionalizability, stability, and nondestructive optical response of the nanodoublers, novel insights on cellular dynamics are within reach