Serum IGF-1 levels measured by different ELISA assays and IRMA - a comparability study

Background: While techniques for measuring IGF-1 have evolved over the decades (Blum 1998), immunoassays are still the primary tool used in routine laboratories. ELISA, IRMA and Chemiluminiscence IGF-1 kits are today on the market and their calibrators, specifity, sensitivity, cross-reactivity and prices differ substantially. Comparability studies are therefore valuable, especially if IGF-1 results obtained by one method should be interpreted retrospectively after transfer of patients from the pediatric to the adult endocrinologists.Aim: To determine which of the used ELISA assays is closest to the IRMA IGF-1 assay and responds best to the Consensus Statement IGF-1 requirements from 2011.Material and methods: 24 patients aged 37.9±14.4 years, median 35; 12 females (42.25± 16.6, median 38.5); 12 males (33.58±10.9, median 34.5) years.The IGF-1 serum levels were measured by three different assays: Immunoradiometric (IRMA), IGFBP-blocked Immunoenzymetric (ELISA1) and Immunoenzymetric with acid-ethanol extraction (ELISA2). The results were interpreted according to the kit referent values adjusted for age and gender.Results: A very high positive correlation between the three assays (r=0.986 to 0.990) (p<0.01) was found. A significant difference was established only regarding the mean IGF-1 values measured by IRMA vs ELISA2 (Ñ€<0.05). The lowest IGF-1 mean values were measured by IRMA.Conclusions: Closest to the IRMA method were IGF1 levels measured by the indirect `sandwich` ELISA1 (IGFBP blocked) assay. Due to the significant difference between IRMA and the direct ELISA2 method, diagnostic pitfalls and therapeutic misinterpretations are possible. Priority has to be given to IGF-1 assays which best correspond to the Consensus Statement requirements from 2011. In this study this is fulfilled for the ELISA1, IGF blocked immunoassay. Future developments lie in fully automated assay systems, adapted to pediatric endocrine laboratories

Essays on the economics of the family

El primer capítulo de la tesis "Abortos y la desigualdad", se refiere a la relación entre la disponibilidad de abortos como un procedimiento médico de desigualdad a largo plazo en la economía. Los datos muestran que en las tres últimas décadas más de un millón de abortos se realizan anualmente en los Estados Unidos. Recientes estudios empíricos evaluar el impacto de la legalización de los abortos en condiciones de vida de los niños y argumentan que la legalización de los abortos ofrece mejores condiciones de vida y las dotaciones de capital humano de los hijos sobrevivientes. El capítulo toma en serio la hipótesis de que la legalización del aborto puede mejorar las condiciones de vida de los niños y por lo tanto alterar sus resultados futuros del mercado laboral. La pregunta principal es ¿cuáles son las consecuencias de los abortos de la desigualdad de ingresos a largo plazo. Un modelo del matrimonio, las decisiones de fertilidad, la transmisión del capital humano, la anticoncepción y el aborto está construido para responder a esta pregunta cuantitativamente. La desigualdad será mayor en un mundo sin abortos. La razón principal de esto es el número más alto y una distribución más desigual de los niños a través de los hogares. Los niños también reciben menos capital humano. El segundo capítulo de la tesis doctoral, "La tecnología y la familia cambiante: un modelo unificado de matrimonio, el divorcio, el nivel educativo y casado participación femenina en la fuerza laboral" (junto con Nezih Guner, Jeremy Greenwood y Santos Cezar), habla de los cambios históricos en las características socio-económicas de la familia americana. En particular, el matrimonio ha disminuido desde 1960, siendo el descenso más grande para no universitarios en comparación con los individuos con educación universitaria educada. El divorcio se ha incrementado, sobre todo para el colegio no educado vis-à-vis la educación universitaria. Además, el apareamiento selectivo ha subido, es decir, las personas tienen más probabilidades de casarse con alguien del mismo nivel educativo en la actualidad que en el pasado. Un modelo modelo unificado de matrimonio, el divorcio, el nivel de instrucción y se casó con la participación femenina en la fuerza de trabajo se desarrolla y estima para ajustarse a los datos de la posguerra de Estados Unidos. El papel del progreso tecnológico en el sector de los hogares y los cambios en la estructura salarial para explicar estos hechos se mide. El capítulo final, "Los cambios en los diferenciales de ingresos étnicos en Bulgaria : desde la planificación al mercado", analiza los cambios que se producen a los ingresos relativos de los trabajadores turcos étnicos en Bulgaria en el inicio (1990) y en los últimos años de la transición (a principios de 2000) en comparación con los niveles pretransición (mediados de 1980). La brecha de ingresos étnico aumentó inmediatamente después del cambio de régimen, pero era similar en tamaño al inicio y en los últimos años de la transición. Sin embargo, los cambios en los diferenciales de ingresos étnicos son diferentes para hombres y mujeres. En el caso de los hombres, la brecha étnica aumenta de manera constante durante la transición, mientras que para la mujeres que se eleva al comienzo de la transición, pero disminuye en los últimos años. El análisis identifica las diferentes fuentes de los cambios en la brecha como los cambios en las características del mercado laboral (grupos de factores específicos) y los cambios en la estructura salarial. La evidencia presentada en este capítulo muestra que los hombres turcos en transición experimentaron una disminución de sus ingresos relativos, debido principalmente a la ampliación de la estructura salarial que los perjudicaban. Turquía las mujeres que trabajan mejorado su posición relativa en comparación con sus homólogos búlgaros en términos de las características observadas y no observadas principalmente. Estos cambios fueron sólo parcialmente debido a una selección en la participación en la fuerza laboralThe first chapter of the dissertation, Mbortians and Inequaliry", deals with the relation between the availability of abortions as a medical procedure and the long—term inequality in the economy. The data show that in the last three decades over a million abortions were performed annually in the United States. Recent empirical studies assess the impact of legalization of abortions on living conditions of children and argue that legalization of abortions provides better living conditions and human capital endowments to surviving children. The chapter takes seriously the hypothesis that legalized abortion can improve the living conditions of children and hence alter their future labor market outcomes. The main question here is what are the implications of abortions for long—terrn income inequality. A model of marriage, fertility, human capital transmission, contraception and abortion decisions is built to answer this question quantitatively. Inequality will be higher in a world without abortions. The main reason for this is the higher and more unequally distributed number of children across households. Children also receive less human capital. The second chapter of the dissertation, "Technology and the Changing Family: A Unifed Model of Marriage, Divorce, Educational Attainment and Married Female Labor-Force Particaiation" (joint with Nezih Gunei; Jeremy Greenwood and Cezar Santos), discusses the historical changes in the socio—economic characteristics of the American family. In particular, marriage has declined since 1960, with the drop being bigger for non-college educated individuals versus college educated ones. Divorce has increased, more so for the non-college educated vis—a—vis the college educated. Additionally, assortative mating has risen; i.e., people are more likely to marry someone of the same educational level today than in the past. A unified model of marriage, divorce, educational attainment and married female labor—force participation is developed and estimated to fit the postwar U.S. data. The role of technological progress in the household sector and shifts in the wage structure for explaining these facts is gauged. The final chapter, "Changes in Ethnic Earnings Differentials in Bulgaria: From Planning to Market", analyzes the changes occurring to the relative earnings of the ethnic Turkish workers in Bulgaria at the start (early 1990s) and in the final years of transition (early 2000s) compared to pre—transitional levels (mid 1980s). The ethnic earnings gap increased immediately after the change of the regime but was similar in size at the start and in the final years of transition. However, changes in the ethnic earnings differentials are different for men and women. In the case of men, the ethnic gap steadily increases during transition, while for women it rises at the start of the transition but declines in the final years. The analysis identities different sources of the changes in the gap such as changes in the labor market characteristics (group-specific factors) and changes in the wage structure. The evidence presented in this chapter shows that Turkish men in transition experienced a decline in their relative eamings mainly due to the widening of the wage structure which worked against them. Turkish working women improved their relative standing compared to their Bulgarian counterparts in terms of observed and mainly unobserved characteristics. These changes were only partially due to a selection in labor force participationKorcharkov, Georgi Kirilov. Abortions and inequality / Guner, Nezih ; Greenwood, Jeremy ; Santos, Cezar. Technology and the changing family : a unified model of marriage, divorce, eduacational attainment and married female labor-force participation / Korcharkov, Georgi Kirilov. Changes in ethnic earnings differentials in Bulgaria : from planning to marke

Full automatic vials unscrambler

Trabajo de Fin de Grado en Ingeniería De Computadores, Facultad de Informática UCM, Departamento de Arquitectura de Computadores y Automática, Curso 2021/2022.El objetivo es construir un posicionador automático de viales. Para ello se necesita un sistema capaz de agarrar y mover los viales en los tres ejes de coordenadas (X, Y, Z). En este proyecto se creará un sistema de agarre que pueda ejecutar movimientos tridimensionales para desplazar los viales. El sistema debe tener unas características concretas para poder integrarlo en un magnetómetro y, de esa forma, automatizar el proceso de medida. Debe ser fiable, de gran precisión y sensibilidad a la hora de coger los objetos. A su vez, la estructura debería quedarse lo más alejada posible de la parte central, ser independiente y contar con un control sencillo de movimientos. El sistema contará con autonomía de auto-calibración y métodos de seguridad en caso de fallo. Además, tendrá un fácil acoplamiento tanto en la estructura física del aparato existente como en su programa de control.The objective is to build an fully automatic vials unscrambler. For this, a system capable of grasping and moving the vials in the three coordinate axes (X, Y, Z) is needed. In this project, a gripping system will be created that can execute three-dimensional movements to move the vials. The system must have specific characteristics to be able to integrate it into a magnetometer and, in this way, automate the measurement process. It must be reliable, highly accurate and sensitive when picking up objects. The structure should stay as far away from the central part as possible, be independent and have easy movement control. The system will have auto-calibration autonomy and safety methods in case of failure. It will also have an easy coupling both in the physical structure of the existing device and in its control program.Depto. de Arquitectura de Computadores y AutomáticaFac. de InformáticaTRUEunpu

The pharmacological basis for application of cannabidiol in cancer chemotherapy

Chemotherapy is one of the therapeutic approaches for cancer treatment and has demonstrated great success with the introduction of selectively acting molecules against specific biomarkers of some types of tumors. Despite this success there is a large unmet need for novel therapies that provide effective control on the progression of advanced or drug-resistant cancer diseases. In this review, we briefly summarized our knowledge of cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, as possible agents for cancer therapy. We analyzed the anticancer properties and mechanism of action of cannabidiol (CBD), the main non-psychoactive cannabinoid received from hemp of Cannabis plant. Despite of data for pleiotropic effects of CBD, we here present the results for the efficacy of CBD in the modulation of different stages of cancer development. The analysis of the anticancer properties of CBD is made in relation to the proposed or newly discovered molecular targets of action. Thereafter, we consider the specific effects of CBD on primary tumors, their invasiveness and metastases, whether the influence on identified tumor markers in different types of tumors reflect the therapeutic potential of CBD. The studies reviewed herein indicate that CBD elicit activity through the cannabinoid receptor dependent and independent pathways. The processes such as ceramide production, ER-stress, autophagy and apoptosis, angiogenesis and matrix remodeling also appear to regulate the anticancer activity of CBD. So, the pharmacological basis for therapeutic application of CBD is constructed on the scientific data for its antitumor activity, extensively provided studies in vitro and in vivo in animal tumor models, and available data on the safety profile of clinically approved CBD products. We also try to reduce the deficits of our understanding in relation of pharmacological synergistic interactions of CBD with cytostatic drugs, where data remains limited. It is recognized that more studies for defining the specific molecular and signaling mechanisms of anticancer action of cannabinoids, particularly CBD, requires further evaluation. We believe that the therapeutic advantages of CBD are associated not only with its non-psychoactive behavior, but also are related to its influence on the important biochemical pathways and signal molecules, defining the genome instability and specific changes of the malignant tumor cells

Рискови криминогенни и виктимогенни фактори при децата

Статистическото и криминологичното изследване, изследването на съдебното разпознаване и управление на рисковете, както и аналитичното интерпретиране на резултатите за целите на социологическото и психологичното изследване е осъществено в рамките на проект на Съюза на съдиите в България: "Единен индекс на детската престъпност”, финансиран от УНИЦЕФ-България за 2009-2010 г., а социологическото и психологичното изследване в частта за събиране и първична обработка на емпирични данни – в рамките на проект на Съюза на съдиите в България "Братчетата на Гаврош пред Темида: правосъдие в полза на детето”, финансиран от Министерството на правосъдието на Република България за 2009–2010 г

Macroprolactinemia in a Patient with Invasive Macroprolactinoma: A Case Report and Minireview

Background. Macroprolactin, the high-molecular prolactin isoform, is considered to be an inactive in vivo product with extrapituitary origin. Patients with macroprolactinemia are usually asymptomatic, with negative pituitary imaging. Based on these data, most authors do not recommend treatment and long-term followup in subjects with macroprolactinemia. However, there is evidence for overlapping clinical features among subjects with hyperprolactinemia due to monomeric or “big big” PRL isoform. Case Presentation. We present a 35-year-old female patient with secondary amenorrhea, mild obesity, hirsutism, headache and blurred vision. Hormonal evaluation revealed an extreme hyperprolactinemia (PRL = 10 610 mIU/L) almost exclusively due to macroprolactin isoform (MPRL = 10 107 mIU/L; recovery after PEG precipitation 4.7%) and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. An invasive pituitary macroadenoma was visualized on MRI, and cabergoline therapy was initiated. Disappearance of clinical signs and symptoms, normalization of gonadotropin levels, and restoration of regular ovulatory menstrual cycles after 1 year of treatment are arguments in favor of preserved-macroprolactin bioactivity in this case. The significant decrease in MPRL levels and tumor volume in response to dopamine agonist therapy is suggestive for the tumoral origin of this isoform. Conclusions. Although macroprolactinemia is considered to be a benign condition, pituitary imaging, dopamine agonist treatment, and prolonged followup should be recommended in some particular cases

Decreased Daily Melatonin Levels in Women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - A Short Report

Background: The neuroendocrine system is known to influence immunity, but the precise interactions between different hormones and autoimmune disorders remain obscure. Aims: The present study aimed to investigate the role of daily serum melatonin concentrations in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in women. Study Design: Case-control study Methods: One-hundred and eleven SLE female patients and 46 healthy women were included in the study. Daily serum melatonin levels were investigated in all participants. Results: SLE patients showed significantly lower daily melatonin levels in comparison to healthy women during the short photoperiod (17.75±7.13 pg/mL [16.05] vs. 21.63±6.60 pg/mL [20.10], p=0.012). Hormone concentrations were inversely related to the SLE activity index (SLEDAI) (r= -0.268, p=0.004), but they did not correlate to any particular American College Rheumatology (ACR) criterion (p>0.05 for all). Conclusion: Daily melatonin levels were decreased in women with systemic lupus erythematosus and correlated inversely to the activity of the autoimmune disease. Further studies are needed to clarify the importance of the pineal and extrapineal melatonin secretion in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus as well as the interrelations between hormones and autoimmunity

Multivariate Statistical Approach for Nephrines in Women with Obesity

Catecholamines are physiological regulators of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism during stress, but their chronic influence on metabolic changes in obese patients is still not clarified. The present study aimed to establish the associations between the catecholamine metabolites and metabolic syndrome (MS) components in obese women as well as to reveal the possible hidden subgroups of patients through hierarchical cluster analysis and principal component analysis. The 24-h urine excretion of metanephrine and normetanephrine was investigated in 150 obese women (54 non diabetic without MS, 70 non-diabetic with MS and 26 with type 2 diabetes). The interrelations between carbohydrate disturbances, metabolic syndrome components and stress response hormones were studied. Exploratory data analysis was used to determine different patterns of similarities among the patients. Normetanephrine concentrations were significantly increased in postmenopausal patients and in women with morbid obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension but not with prediabetes. Both metanephrine and normetanephrine levels were positively associated with glucose concentrations one hour after glucose load irrespectively of the insulin levels. The exploratory data analysis showed different risk subgroups among the investigated obese women. The development of predictive tools that include not only traditional metabolic risk factors, but also markers of stress response systems might help for specific risk estimation in obesity patients