Implementing interactive configuration management for distributed systems

Published versio

Estudio comparativo de la estabilización de un suelo plastico con cal y/o cemento portland

En este trabajo se comentan las determinaciones practicadas en la estabilización de un suelo plástico con cemento portland y con cal hidratada en polvo, así como la estabilización de dicho suelo con cemento portland, previa corrección con cal, Los gráficos muestran los resultados obtenidos en dicha estabilización. Se comentan los posibles procesos físico-químicos que tendrían lugar entre el suelo y los estabilizantes, para dar lugar a la mencionada estabilización.The present repot refers to the determinations made over one plastic soil, estahilized with portlandcement and with hidrated lime, as soon as the stabilization of the same soil with Portland cement, foregoing corrected with hidrated lime. The graphs includes the results obtained in these determinations. The work contains some ideas on the physicochemical proccesses that would explains the mentioned stabilization

Criterios de evaluación de suelos activos y su posible correlación

En el presente trabajo se han determinado las características de un cierto número de suelos plásticos en base a ensayos de técnicas simples y rápidas, tales como límite líquido, límite plástico, índice plástico, expansión libre (free swell test) y otros de técnicas más complejas. Entre estos últimos se deben citar el tipo mineralógico de la arcilla, la capacidad de intercambio iónico, la presión de expansión. Se ha buscado una correlación entre los resultados, de tal manera de poder identificar los suelos potencialmente activos en base a determinaciones simples, factibles de ejecutar en laboratorios de campaña.In this paper the characteristics of some samples of plastics soils were studied. Tests for the determination of liquid limit, plastic index, free swell test, were used, and other more complete techniques as X-ray determinations of clay minerals, ionic interchange and pressure of expansion were developped in the Central Laboratory. The results obtained were compared to establish a correlation with the simple tests for rapid identification of active soils, which are performed in a Field Laboratory

Cancer treatment-induced oral mucositis

Oral mucositis is one of the main complications in non-surgical cancer treatments. It represents the major dose-limiting toxicity for some chemotherapeutic agents, for radiotherapy of the head and neck region and for some radiochemotherapy combined treatments. Many reviews and clinical studies have been published in order to define the best clinical protocol for prophylaxis or treatment of mucositis, but a consensus has not yet been obtained. This paper represents an updated review of prophylaxis and treatment of antineoplastic-therapy-related mucositis using a MEDLINE search up to May 2006, in which more than 260 clinical studies have been found. They have been divided according to antineoplastic therapy (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, chemo-radiotherapy, high-dose chemotherapy). The prophylactic or therapeutic use of the analysed agents, the number of enrolled patients and the study design (randomized or not) were also specified for most studies. Accurate pre-treatment assessment of oral cavity hygiene, frequent review of symptoms during treatment, use of traditional mouthwashes to obtain mechanical cleaning of the oral cavity and administration of some agents like benzydamine, imidazole antibiotics, tryazolic antimycotics, povidone iodine, keratinocyte growth factor and vitamin E seem to reduce the intensity of mucositis. Physical approaches like cryotherapy, low energy Helium-Neon laser or the use of modern radiotherapy techniques with the exclusion of the oral cavity from radiation fields have been shown to be efficacious in preventing mucositis onset. Nevertheless a consensus protocol of prophylaxis and treatment of oral mucositis has not yet been obtained

Mapa geoelafológico vial de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, 1° parte

Este estudio tiene por finalidad el conocimiento integral de las rasantes naturales que cubren la Provincia de Buenos Aires, mediante. la investigación sistemática de las características físicas, mecánicas y mineralógicas de los suelos que se determinan como "tipo", estableciéndose con tales, a aquellos que regionalmente representan las propiedades técnicas derivadas de su génesis sobre determinadas formaciones geológicas. Sobre la base de la distribución de estos suelos tipo se ha construido el mapa correspondiente a asta primera etapa, que comprende como- límite NE la costa Paraná-Río de La Plata, de Campana a Magdalena y una línea que une los pueblos de San Antonio de Are- co, Mercedes, Navarro y General Belgrano, como límite SO. Los correspondientes al NO y SE están dados por las líneas San Antonio de Areco - Campana y Magdalena - General Belgrano respectivamente.The object of this paper is to acknowledge about the nature of sub-grade of the Province of Buenos Aires, through the sistematic investigation of the physical, mechanical and mineralogical properties of the typical soils. These are types of soils which represent the regional variations derived from the genesis over some special geologic formations. The distribution of these types of soils has allowed the construction of a map of the region delimitated by the Parana - Río de La Plata basin between Campana and Magdalena at NE, and a line through San Antonio de Areco, Mercedes, Navarro and General Belgrano at SW. At NW by the line Campana, San Antonio de Areco and at SE by Magdalena - General Belgran

173. Does the correlation between chemotherapy-induced leukopenia with response in locally advanced breast cancer exist?

PurposeThe correlation between chemotherapy-induced toxicity and treatment outcome in cancer patients has not been thoroughly studied. Our aim was to evaluate whether leukopenia following primary chemotherapy may be predictive for response in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.Patients and MethodsThe records of 164 breast cancer patients administered primary chemotherapy between 1985 and 1995 were analysed. Most of the patients presented with locally advanced disease, however included were also patients with large operable tumours. Chemotherapy included one of the three combinations: CMF; modified Cooper regimen (CMFVP); 31 patients (19%), anthracycline-based regimens (FAC and FEC); 16 patients (10%) and 118 patients (71%).ResultsThe objective response rate in the entire group was 58%; 75% in patients who developed grade 2–3 leukopenia during induction chemotherapy, and 52% in those who had no or grade 1 leukopenia (p < 0.01, multivariate analysis). No other patient- or treatment-related factor including age, performance status, T stage, N stage, supraclavicular Iymph node involvement, inflammatory carcinoma or chemotherapy regimen correlated with response to chemotherapy. There was no correlation between treatment-induced leukopenia and overall survival.ConclusionsThese findings suggest a relationship between chemotherapy induced leukopenia and tumour response in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. The prognostic impact of leukopenia is negliglble

Technical performance and diagnostic utility of the new Elecsys (R) neuron-specific enolase enzyme immunoassay

This international multicenter study was designed to evaluate the technical performance of the new double-monoclonal, single-step Elecsys neuron-specific enolase (NSE) enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and to assess its utility as a sensitive and specific test for the diagnosis of small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Intra and interassay coefficients of variation, determined in five control or serum specimens in six laboratories, ranged from 0.7 to 5.3 (interlaboratory median: 1.3%) and from 1.3 to 8.5 (interlaboratory median: 3.4%), respectively. Laboratory-to-laboratory comparability was excellent with respect to recovery and interassay coefficients of variation. The test was linear between 0.0 and 320 ng/ml (highest measured concentration). There was a significant correlation between NSE concentrations measured using the Elecsys NSE and the established Cobas Core NSE EIA II in all subjects (n=723) and in patients with lung cancer (n=333). However, NSE concentrations were systematically lower (approximately 9%) with the Elecsys NSE than with the comparison test. Based on a specificity of 95% in comparison with the group suffering from benign lung diseases (n=183), the cutoff value for the discrimination between malignant and benign conditions was set at 21.6 ng/ml. NSE was raised in 73.4% of SCLC patients (n=188) and was significantly higher (p&lt;0.01) in extensive (87.8%) as opposed to limited disease (56.7%). NSE was also elevated in 16.0% of the cases with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC, n=374). It is concluded that the Elecsys NSE EIA is a reliable and accurate diagnostic procedure for the measurement of NSE in serum samples. The special merits of this new assay are the wide measuring range (according to manufacturers declaration up to 370 ng/ml) and a short incubation time of 18 min

Combining functional metagenomics and glycoanalytics to identify enzymes that facilitate structural characterization of sulfated N-glycans

Abstract Background Sulfate modification of N-glycans is important for several biological functions such as clearance of pituitary hormones or immunoregulation. Yet, the prevalence of this N-glycan modification and its functions remain largely unexplored. Characterization of N-glycans bearing sulfate modifications is hampered in part by a lack of enzymes that enable site-specific detection of N-glycan sulfation. In this study, we used functional metagenomic screening to identify enzymes that act upon sulfated N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). Using multiplexed capillary gel electrophoresis with laser-induced fluorescence detection (xCGE-LIF) -based glycoanalysis we proved their ability to act upon GlcNAc-6-SO4 on N-glycans. Results Our screen identified a sugar-specific sulfatase that specifically removes sulfate from GlcNAc-6-SO4 when it is in a terminal position on an N-glycan. Additionally, in the absence of calcium, this sulfatase binds to the sulfated glycan but does not remove the sulfate group, suggesting it could be used for selective isolation of sulfated N-glycans. Further, we describe isolation of a sulfate-dependent hexosaminidase that removes intact GlcNAc-6-SO4 (but not asulfated GlcNAc) from a terminal position on N-glycans. Finally, the use of these enzymes to detect the presence of sulfated N-glycans by xCGE-LIF is demonstrated. Conclusion The present study demonstrates the feasibility of using functional metagenomic screening combined with glycoanalytics to discover enzymes that act upon chemical modifications of glycans. The discovered enzymes represent new specificities that can help resolve the presence of GlcNAc-6-SO4 in N-glycan structural analyses

Second cancer risk and mortality in men treated with radiotherapy for stage I seminoma

BACKGROUND: Patients with stage I testicular seminoma are typically diagnosed at a young age and treatment is associated with low relapse and mortality rates. The long-term risks of adjuvant radiotherapy in this patient group are therefore particularly relevant. METHODS: We identified patients and obtained treatment details from 12 cancer centres (11 United Kingdom, 1 Norway) and ascertained second cancers and mortality through national registries. Data from 2629 seminoma patients treated with radiotherapy between 1960 and 1992 were available, contributing 51,151 person-years of follow-up. RESULTS: Four hundred and sixty-eight second cancers (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) were identified. The standardised incidence ratio (SIR) was 1.61 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.47-1.76, P<0.0001). The SIR was 1.53 (95% CI: 1.39-1.68, P<0.0001) when the 32 second testicular cancers were also excluded. This increase was largely due to an excess risk to organs in the radiation field; for pelvic-abdominal sites the SIR was 1.62 (95% CI: 1.43-1.83), with no significant elevated risk of cancers in organs elsewhere. There was no overall increase in mortality with a standardised mortality ratio (SMR) of 1.06 (95% CI: 0.98-1.14), despite an increase in the cancer-specific mortality (excluding testicular cancer deaths) SMR of 1.46 (95% CI: 1.30-1.65, P<0.0001). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of stage I seminoma is excellent and it is important to avoid conferring long-term increased risk of iatrogenic disease such as radiation-associated second cancers