Assessment and modelling of the effect of precipitated ferric chloride addition on the activated sludge settling properties

[EN] This research studies the effect of the widely used coagulant ferric chloride on the activated sludge sedimentability through a vast array of hindered settling tests considering different application modes and a wide range of reagent doses. Direct application of ferric chloride improved the hindered settling velocity (up to twice the settling velocity of the activated sludge with no coagulant addition), but sharply decreased the pH to levels where the biological process was unfeasible (pH < 4). When the pH was adjusted during coagulation to avoid biological inhibition, the impact on the settling velocity depended on the adjusted pH value. When the added coagulant was previously precipitated and neutralized, no pH inhibition occurred and the hindered settling velocity increased linearly with the dose (up to 8 times). This velocity improvement was caused by the increase in flocs density due to the capture within the flocs of the formed precipitates. Based on these experimental results, the usefulness and reliability of the standard hindered settling velocity mathematical models used for the secondary settler design and optimization (Richardson & Zaki model and the Vesilind's exponential model), was expanded to situations in which precipitated ferric chloride is used in wastewater treatment plants. Two empirical equations were proposed and fitted to relate these mathematical models¿ parameters with the dose of coagulant.Asensi Dasí, EJ.; Alemany Martínez, E.; Duque-Sarango, P.; Aguado García, D. (2019). Assessment and modelling of the effect of precipitated ferric chloride addition on the activated sludge settling properties. Chemical Engineering Research and Design. 150:14-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2019.07.018S142515

Assessment of oxidative damage to proteins and DNA in urine of newborn infants by a validated UPLC-MS/MS approach

The assessment of oxidative stress is highly relevant in clinical Perinatology as it is associated to adverse outcomes in newborn infants. This study summarizes results from the validation of an Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantification of the urinary concentrations of a set of endogenous biomarkers, capable to provide a valid snapshot of the oxidative stress status applicable in human clinical trials, especially in the field of Perinatology. The set of analytes included are phenylalanine (Phe), para-tyrosine (p-Tyr), ortho-tyrosine (o-Tyr), meta-tyrosine (m-Tyr), 3-NO2-tyrosine (3NO 2-Tyr), 3-Cl-tyrosine (3Cl-Tyr), 2′-deoxyguanosine (2dG) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Following the FDA-based guidelines, appropriate levels of accuracy and precision, as well as adequate levels of sensitivity with limits of detection (LODs) in the low nanomolar (nmol/L) range were confirmed after method validation. The validity of the proposed UPLC-MS/MS method was assessed by analysing urine samples from a clinical trial in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants randomized to be resuscitated with two different initial inspiratory fractions of oxygen

Verificación Sobre la Estabilidad de Electrogramas Fragmentados para la Caracterización del Sustrato Auricular en Pacientes con Fibrilación Auricular

[ES] Para caracterizar el sustrato auricular en fibrilacion auricular (FA) se ha investigado un amplio numero de indices aplicados a electrogramas auriculares fragmentados complejos (CFAE). Sin embargo, se ha obviado la evaluacion de su calidad, asi como de su estabilidad interna (intra-canal) e intra-paciente. Este trabajo evalua la estabilidad intracanal e intra-paciente de 204 CFAEs bipolares de FA registrados en pacientes con FA paroxistica (n = 15) y persistente (n = 19) aplicando indices no lineales. Para estimar las diferencias entre los CFAEs se ha utilizado el coeficiente de variacion (CV) de la entropia muestral (SE) y el determinismo (DET) del analisis de cuantificacion de recurrencias (RQA) de los datos. Ademas, tambien se analizaron las variaciones introducidas al descartar los segmentos de CFAEs ruidosos y con artefactos. El analisis intra-canal reporto una variacion significativa del CV( %) para cualquier longitud de segmento analizado tanto para DET como para SE al descartar segmentos ruidosos, habiendo mayores disminuciones para segmentos mas largos. Ademas, se observaron grandes variaciones de CV( %) para DET y SE en cualquier longitud de segmento en el analisis intra-paciente, pero en este caso, el descarte de segmentos ruidosos no mejoro resultados. La prueba de Kruskal-Wallis reporto diferencias estadisticamente significativas para DET y SE entre canales, independientemente del proceso de descarte. Por tanto, la alta variabilidad observada de los CFAEs ha demostrado que promediar los datos en un canal o entre diferentes canales puede conducir a una simplificacion excesiva de la caracterizacion del sustrato auricular basada en CFAEs.El presente trabajo ha sido cofinanciado por los proyectos de investigacion competitiva DPI2017-83952-C3 de MINECO-AEI-FEDER-UE, SBPLY/17/180501/000411 de la JCCLM y AICO/2019/036 de la GVA.Finotti, E.; Hornero Sos, F.; Bertomeu-González, V.; Osca Asensi, J.; Alcaraz Martínez, R.; Rieta, JJ. (2020). Verificación Sobre la Estabilidad de Electrogramas Fragmentados para la Caracterización del Sustrato Auricular en Pacientes con Fibrilación Auricular. Sociedad Española de Ingeniería Biomédica. 422-425. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/178257S42242

Factores asociados a la malignización del líquen plano oral. Revisión de la literatura

Introducción: El liquen plano (LP) es una enfermedad sistémica autoinmune de etiología desconocida y curso crónico que puede resultar en el desarrollo de carcinoma oral de células escamosas (COCE). Objetivo: Evaluar la evidencia relacionada con la malignización del LPO, así como las características clí-nicas y la incidencia de las lesiones que pueden desarrollan un COCE. Material y métodos: Se revisa la base de datos MEDLINE PubMed de los últimos 5 años (2013-2018) utilizando las siguientes palabras clave: "malignant transformation of oral lichen planus" and "squamous cell oral carcinoma". Resultados: Se obtuvieron 48 artículos de los cuales tras la lectura resúmenes y la aplicación de nuestros criterios de inclusión y exclusión obtuvimos un total de 19 artículos, además de los 4 artículos añadidos mediante búsqueda manual. La revisión se basa en la comparación de 9 estudios de cohortes para analizar la incidencia de la progresión de LPO a COCE. Conclusiones: Debemos considerar el LPO como una enfermedad potencialmente maligna (0.5- 1%) sien-do el sexo femenino, el tipo erosivo y la localización en la lengua factores de riesgo para la transformación a COCE. Teniendo en cuenta el riesgo de malignización es esencial el control de las lesiones para poder realizar un diagnóstico precoz

HIV/antiretroviral therapy–related lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS) is associated with higher RBP4 and lower omentin in plasma

AbstractVery little information is available on the involvement of newly characterized adipokines in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/antiretroviral therapy (ART)-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS). Our aim was to determine whether apelin, apelin receptor, omentin, RBP4, vaspin and visfatin genetic variants and plasma levels are associated with HALS. We performed a cross-sectional multicentre study that involved 558 HIV type 1–infected patients treated with a stable highly active ART regimen, 240 of which had overt HALS and 318 who did not have HALS. Epidemiologic and clinical variables were determined. Polymorphisms in the apelin, omentin, RBP4, vaspin and visfatin genes were assessed by genotyping. Plasma apelin, apelin receptor, omentin, RBP4, vaspin and visfatin levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 163 patients (81 with HALS and 82 without HALS) from whom stored plasma samples were available. Student's t test, one-way ANOVA, chi-square test, Pearson and Spearman correlations and linear regression analysis were used for statistical analyses. There were no associations between the different polymorphisms assessed and the HALS phenotype. Circulating RBP4 was significantly higher (p < 0.001) and plasma omentin was significantly lower (p 0.001) in patients with HALS compared to those without HALS; differences in plasma levels of the remaining adipokines were nonsignificant between groups. Circulating RBP4 concentration was predicted independently by the presence of HALS. Apelin and apelin receptor levels were independently predicted by body mass index. Visfatin concentration was predicted independently by the presence of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HALS is associated with higher RBP4 and lower omentin in plasma. These two adipokines, particularly RBP4, may be a link between HIV/ART and fat redistribution syndromes

Comparison of high ribavirin induction versus standard ribavirin dosing, plus peginterferon-α for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients: the PERICO trial

[Abstract] BACKGROUND: Ribavirin (RBV) exposure seems to be critical to maximize treatment response in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. METHODS: HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals naive to interferon were prospectively randomized to receive peginterferon-α-2a (180 μg/d) plus either RBV standard dosing (1000 or 1200 mg/d if <75 or ≥ 75 kg, respectively) or RBV induction (2000 mg/d) along with subcutaneous erythropoietin β (450 IU/kg/wk), both during the first 4 weeks, followed by standard RBV dosing until completion of therapy. Early stopping rules at weeks 12 and 24 were applied in patients with suboptimal virological response. RESULTS: A total of 357 patients received ≥ 1 dose of the study medication. No differences in main baseline characteristics were found when comparing treatment arms. Sustained virological response (SVR) was attained by 160 (45%) patients, with no significant differences between RBV induction and standard treatment arms (SVR in 72 of 169 patients [43%] vs 88 of 188 [47%], respectively). At week 4, undetectable HCV RNA (29% vs 25%) and mean RBV trough concentration (2.48 vs 2.14 μg/mL) were comparable in both arms, whereas mean hemoglobin decay was less pronounced in the RBV induction plus erythropoietin arm than in the RBV standard dosing arm (-1.7 vs -2.3 mg/dL; P < .005). Treatment discontinuation occurred in 91 (25%) patients owing to nonresponse and in 29 (8%) owing to adverse events. HCV relapse occurred in 34 patients (10%). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified HCV genotype 2 or 3 (odds ratio [OR], 10.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.08-50.2; P = .004), IL28B CC variants (OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 1.33-6.41; P = .007), nonadvanced liver fibrosis (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.06-5.01; P = .03), and rapid virological response (OR, 40.3; 95% CI, 5.1-314.1; P < .001) as predictors of SVR. CONCLUSIONS: A 4-week course of induction therapy with high RBV dosing along with erythropoietin does not improve SVR rates in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. Preemptive erythropoietin might blunt the benefit of RBV overdosing by enhancing erythrocyte uptake of plasma RBV

Polymorphisms of Pyrimidine Pathway Enzymes Encoding Genes and HLA-B*40∶01 Carriage in Stavudine-Associated Lipodystrophy in HIV-Infected Patients

Altres ajuts: Fundación para la Investigación y Prevención del SIDA en España (FIPSE 36610, 36572/06); Red de Investigación en SIDA (RIS RD12/0017/0005, RD12/0017/0014).To assess in a cohort of Caucasian patients exposed to stavudine (d4T) the association of polymorphisms in pyrimidine pathway enzymes and HLA-B*40∶01 carriage with HIV/Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS). Three-hundred and thirty-six patients, 187 with HALS and 149 without HALS, and 72 uninfected subjects were recruited. The diagnosis of HALS was performed following the criteria of the Lipodystrophy Severity Grading Scale. Polymorphisms in the thymidylate synthase (TS) and methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genes were determined by direct sequencing, HLA-B genotyping by PCR-SSOr Luminex Technology, and intracellular levels of stavudine triphosphate (d4T-TP) by a LC-MS/MS assay method. HALS was associated with the presence of a low expression TS genotype polymorphism (64.7% vs. 42.9%, OR = 2.43; 95%CI: 1.53-3.88, P<0.0001). MTHFR gene polymorphisms and HLA-B*40∶01 carriage were not associated with HALS or d4T-TP intracellular levels. Low and high expression TS polymorphisms had different d4T-TP intracellular levels (25.60 vs. 13.60 fmol/10 6 cells, P<0.0001). Independent factors associated with HALS were(OR [95%CI]: (a) Combined TS and MTHFR genotypes (p = 0.006, reference category (ref.): 'A+A'; OR for 'A+B' vs. ref.: 1.39 [0.69-2.80]; OR for 'B+A' vs. ref.: 2.16 [1.22-3.83]; OR for 'B+B' vs. ref.: 3.13, 95%CI: 1.54-6.35), (b) maximum viral load ≥5 log10 (OR: 2.55, 95%CI: 1.56-4.14, P = 0.001), (c) use of EFV (1.10 [1.00-1.21], P = 0.008, per year of use). HALS is associated with combined low-expression TS and MTHFR associated with high activity polymorphisms but not with HLA-B*40∶01 carriage in Caucasian patients with long-term exposure to stavudine

Nanocrystalline silicon thin films on PEN substrates

We study the structural and electrical properties of intrinsic layer growth close to the transition between amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H), deposited on glass and PEN without intentional heating. These samples showed different behaviour in Raman shift and XRD spectra when compared with that of samples deposited at 200 °C. Electrical properties of these films also reflect the transition between a-Si:H and nc-Si:H, and put in evidence some differences between the microstructure of the films grown on PEN and on glass. P- and n-doped layers were deposited onto glass substrate without intentional heating and at 100 °C with thicknesses ranging from 1000 nm to 35 nm. Conductivity measurements indicate the capability of doping this material, but, for very thin layers, substrate heating was found to be essential

Mapa de series, geoseries y geopermaseries de vegetación de España (Memoria del mapa de vegetación potencial de España). Parte II

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