Process design for the manufacturing of soft X-ray gratings in single-crystal diamond by high-energy heavy-ion irradiation

This paper describes in detail a novel manufacturing process for optical gratings suitable for use in the UV and soft X-ray regimes in a single-crystal diamond substrate based on highly focused swift heavy-ion irradiation. This type of grating is extensively used in light source facilities such as synchrotrons or free electron lasers, with ever-increasing demands in terms of thermal loads, depending on beamline operational parameters and architecture. The process proposed in this paper may be a future alternative to current manufacturing techniques, providing the advantage of being applicable to single-crystal diamond substrates, with their unique properties in terms of heat conductivity and radiation hardness. The paper summarizes the physical principle used for the grating patterns produced by swift heavy-ion irradiation and provides full details for the manufacturing process for a specific grating configuration, inspired in one of the beamlines at the ALBA synchrotron light source, while stressing the most challenging points for a potential implementation. Preliminary proof-of-concept experimental results are presented, showing the practical implementation of the methodology proposed herein

Functional Recovery and Serum Angiogenin Changes According to Intensity of Rehabilitation Therapy After Stroke

Angiogenina; Terapia intensiva; RehabilitaciónAngiogenin; Intensive therapy; RehabilitationAngiogenina; Teràpia intensiva; RehabilitacióBackground: Rehabilitation is still the only treatment available to improve functional status after the acute phase of stroke. Most clinical guidelines highlight the need to design rehabilitation treatments considering starting time, intensity, and frequency, according to the tolerance of the patient. However, there are no homogeneous protocols and the biological effects are under investigation. Objective: To investigate the impact of rehabilitation intensity (hours) after stroke on functional improvement and serum angiogenin (ANG) in a 6-month follow-up study. Methods: A prospective, observational, longitudinal, and multicenter study with three cohorts: strokes in intensive rehabilitation therapy (IRT, minimum 15 h/week) vs. conventional therapy (NO-IRT, <15 h/week), and controls subjects (without known neurological, malignant, or inflammatory diseases). A total of seven centers participated, with functional evaluations and blood sampling during follow-up. The final cohort includes 62 strokes and 43 controls with demographic, clinical, blood samples, and exhaustive functional monitoring. Results: The median (IQR) number of weekly hours of therapy was different: IRT 15 (15–16) vs. NO-IRT 7.5 (5–9), p < 0.01, with progressive and significant improvements in both groups. However, IRT patients showed earlier improvements (within 1 month) on several scales (CAHAI, FMA, and FAC; p < 0.001) and the earliest community ambulation achievements (0.89 m/s at 3 months). There was a significant difference in ANG temporal profile between the IRT and NO-IRT groups (p < 0.01). Additionally, ANG was elevated at 1 month only in the IRT group (p < 0.05) whereas it decreased in the NO-IRT group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our results suggest an association of rehabilitation intensity with early functional improvements, and connect the rehabilitation process with blood biomarkers.NG-R holds a VHIR fellowship and MO-G a Joan Margarit VHIR fellowship. Research grants: from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and European Regional Development Funds (PI16/00981, PI19/00186, RD16/0019/0021, and RD16/0019/0008), 2017-SGR-1427 program from the Generalitat de Catalunya-AGAUR, and Clinical Translational Program for Regenerative Medicine in Catalonia (P-CMR [C])

Kinetic characterization of the oxidation of catecolamines and related compounds by laccase

The pathways of melanization and sclerotization of the cuticle in insects are carried out by the action of laccases on dopamine and related compounds. In this work, the laccase action of Trametes versicolor (TvL) on catecholamines and related compounds has been kinetically characterized. Among them, dopamine, L-dopa, L-epinephrine, L-norepinephrine, DL-isoprenaline, L-isoprenaline, DL-α-methyldopa, L-α-methyldopa and L-dopa methylester. A chronometric method has been used, which is based on measuring the lag period necessary to consume a small amount of ascorbic acid, added to the reaction medium. The use of TvL has allowed docking studies of these molecules to be carried out at the active site of this enzyme. The hydrogen bridge interaction between the hydroxyl oxygen at C-4 with His-458, and with the acid group of Asp-206, would make it possible to transfer the electron to the T1 Cu-(II) copper centre of the enzyme. Furthermore, Phe-265 would facilitate the adaptation of the substrate to the enzyme through Π-Π interactions. To kinetically characterize these compounds, we need to take into consideration that, excluding L-dopa, L-α-methyldopa and DL-α-methyldopa, all compounds are in hydrochloride form. Because of this, first we need to kinetically characterize the inhibition by chloride and, after that, calculate the kinetic parameters K M and V max S. From the kinetic data obtained, it appears that the best substrate is dopamine. The presence of an isopropyl group bound to nitrogen (isoprenaline) makes it especially difficult to catalyse. The formation of the ester (L-dopa methyl ester) practically does not affect catalysis. The addition of a methyl group (α-methyl dopa) increases the rate but decreases the affinity for catalysis. L-Epinephrine and L-norepinephrine have an affinity similar to isoprenaline, but faster catalysis, probably due to the greater nucleophilic power of their phenolic hydroxyl

Determination of the level of maturity in the management of projects in the Company Infotrack S.A.

Este artículo investigativo busca determinar el nivel de madurez de la gerencia de proyectos en la empresa INFOTRACK S.A. basados en el modelo Project Management Maturity Model (PMMM), el cual es el que mas se adapta las necesidades de la organización. Para lograr llevar a cabo la investigación se realizó una encuesta de 59 preguntas a los gerentes de la empresa INFOTRACK S.A. que permitiera analizar y determinar el nivel de madurez.This research paper seeks to determine the maturity level of project management in the company Infotrack S.A. based on the Project Management Maturity Model (PMMM), which is the one that best suits the needs of the organization. In order to carry out the research, a survey of 59 questions was made to the managers of the company INFOTRACK S.A. that would allow to analyze and determine the level of maturity.Especialista en Gerencia de Proyecto

Comparison of unidimensional and bidimensional measurements in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer

Tumour response evaluation after chemotherapy has become crucial in the development of many drugs. In contrast to the standard bidimensional WHO criteria, the recently described Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors are based on unidimensional measurements. The aim of the present study was to compare both methods in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. One hundred and sixty-four patients treated with two cisplatin-paclitaxel-based chemotherapy schedules between June 1994 and December 2000 were analysed. The measurements were reviewed by an independent panel of radiologists. Patient characteristics were: median age of 55 years (range 24–77 years) and a male to female ratio of 129 : 35. Adenocarcinoma and squamous carcinoma were the most common histologies. Vinorelbine was the third drug used in 77 patients and gemcitabine in 87. The ratio unidimensional/bidimensional was as follows: response 85 : 85; stable disease 32 : 32; progression 47 : 42 and not assessable 0 : 5. Kappa for agreement between responders was 0.951 (95% CI: 0.795–1.0) (P<0.001). Both WHO criteria and Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors give similar results in assessing tumour response in patients with non-small cell lung cancer after chemotherapy. The unidimensional measurement could replace the more complex bidimensional one

First isolation of Clostrioides difficile from smoked and dried freshwater fish in Cambodia

In Cambodia, freshwater aquaculture is the most important source of food production. Fresh fish meat is considered a highly perishable food that requires the use of different manipulations and preservation techniques to inhibit the proliferation of undesirable bacteria. These bacteria are naturally present in the raw product or could be acquired during manipulation by cross-contamination. Many studies worldwide have investigated the epidemiology of Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) in food, but to date, there are no publications about the bacterium in ready-to-eat fish or descriptions in Cambodia. The objective of this study was to assess the presence of C. difficile in one of the main food supplies of this country, smoked freshwater fish, originating from different provinces. A total of 25 samples were collected directly from local markets, yielding 4 C. difficile isolates and an overall recovery rate of 16%. Most of the isolates were toxigenic and classified as rare PCR profiles, and they were resistant to clindamycin. These findings indicate contamination during handling and/or contamination of the raw fish, followed by insufficient heat treatment to kill the spores. The presence of C. difficile in smoked and dried fish implies a potential risk of human exposure, contamination and infection

Constraining Martian Regolith and Vortex Parameters From Combined Seismic and Meteorological Measurements

The InSight mission landed on Mars in November 2018 and has since observed multiple convective vortices with both the high performance barometer and the low-noise seismometer SEIS that has unprecedented sensitivity. Here, we present a new method that uses the simultaneous pressure and seismic measurements of convective vortices to place constraints on the elastic properties of the Martian subsurface and the Martian vortex properties, while also allowing a reconstruction of the convective vortex trajectories. From data filtered in the (0.02–0.3 Hz) frequency band, we estimate that the mean value of η (η = E/[1 − ν2], where E is the Young's modulus and ν is the Poisson's ratio) of the Martian ground in the region around SEIS is 239 ± 140 MPa. In addition, we suggest that the previously reported paucity of vortex seismic observations to the west of InSight may be due to the fact that the ground is harder to the west than to the east, consistent with geomorphological surface interpretations

Strategies to design clinical studies to identify predictive biomarkers in cancer research

The discovery of reliable biomarkers to predict efficacy and toxicity of anticancer drugs remains one of the key challenges in cancer research. Despite its relevance, no efficient study designs to identify promising candidate biomarkers have been established. This has led to the proliferation of a myriad of exploratory studies using dissimilar strategies, most of which fail to identify any promising targets and are seldom validated. The lack of a proper methodology also determines that many anti-cancer drugs are developed below their potential, due to failure to identify predictive biomarkers. While some drugs will be systematically administered to many patients who will not benefit from them, leading to unnecessary toxicities and costs, others will never reach registration due to our inability to identify the specific patient population in which they are active. Despite these drawbacks, a limited number of outstanding predictive biomarkers have been successfully identified and validated, and have changed the standard practice of oncology. In this manuscript, a multidisciplinary panel reviews how those key biomarkers were identified and, based on those experiences, proposes a methodological framework—the DESIGN guidelines—to standardize the clinical design of biomarker identification studies and to develop future research in this pivotal field

Taenia solium Infections in a Rural Area of Eastern Zambia-A Community Based Study

Taenia solium taeniosis/cysticercosis is a zoonotic infection endemic in many developing countries, with humans as the definitive host (taeniosis) and pigs and humans as the intermediate hosts (cysticercosis). When humans act as the intermediate host, the result can be neurocysticercosis, which is associated with acquired epilepsy, considerable morbidity and even mortality. In Africa, most studies have been carried out in pigs with little or no data in humans available. In this human study, conducted in a rural community in Eastern Zambia, prevalences for taeniosis and cysticercosis were determined at 6.3% and 5.8% respectively, indicating the hyperendemicity of the area. Cysticercosis infection was strongly related with age, with a significant increase in prevalence occurring in individuals from the age of 30 onward. A collected tapeworm was confirmed to be T. solium. Risk factors associated with the transmission and maintenance of the parasite such as free roaming pigs, households without latrines, backyard slaughter of pigs without inspection and consumption of undercooked pork were also present. The findings of this work have identified the need for further research in the transmission dynamics and the burden that this infection has on the resources of poor local people