Blockchain-based architecture for the control of logistics activities: Pharmaceutical utilities case study

Logistics services involve a wide range of transport operations between distributors and clients. Currently, the large number of intermediaries are a challenge for this sector, as it makes all the processes more complicated. To face that problem, we propose a system that uses smart contracts to remove intermediaries and speed up logistics activities. Our new model combines smart contracts and a multi-agent system in a single platform to improve the current logistics system by increasing organization, security and getting rid of several human intermediaries to automate its processes, making distribution times significantly faster. Also, with this kind of approach, it is possible to apply penalties to parties that do not comply with the terms of using this platform.This work was developed as part of ‘Virtual Ledger Technologies DLT/Blockchain y Cripto-IOT sobre organizaciones virtuales de agentes ligeros y su aplicación en la eficiencia en el transporte de última milla’, ID SA267P18, project cofinanced by Junta Castilla y León, Consejería de Educación and FEDER funds. Also, the research work carried out by Yeray Mezquita is supported by the pre-doctoral fellowship from the University of Salamanca and Banco Santander

Energy Recovery in Capacitive Deionization Technology

Capacitive deionization technique (CDI) represents an interesting alternative to compete with reverse osmosis by reducing energy consumption. It is based on creating an electric field between two electrodes to retain the salt ions on the electrode surface by electrostatic attraction; thus the CDI cell operates as a supercapacitor storing energy during the desalination process. Most of the CDI research is oriented to improving the electrode materials in order to increase the effective surface and ionic retention. However, if the CDI overall efficiency is to be improved, it is necessary to optimize the CDI cell geometry and the charge/discharge current used during the deionization process. A DC/DC converter is required to transfer the stored energy from one cell to another with the maximum possible efficiency during energy recovery, thus allowing the desalination process to continue. A detailed description of energy losses and the DC/DC converter used to recover part of the energy involved in the CDI process will provide the hints to optimize the efficiency of the CDI technique for water desalination. The proposed chapter presents an electric model to characterize the power losses in CDI cells and the power converter required for the energy recovery process

Influence of two dietary fibers in the oral bioavailability and other pharmacokinetic parameters of ethinyloestradiol

P. 253-257Dietary fibers are widely used in hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, slimming diets. It is probable that their ingestion coincides with the oral administration of drugs and a modification of their pharmacokinetics can appear. In the present study, the influence of two soluble fibers (guar gum and psyllium) was evaluated on the pharmacokinetics of ethinyloestradiol (EE) when they were administered together to female rabbits via the oral route. Three groups of rabbits were used. All animals received 1 mg/kg of EE; this compound was administered alone in the control group and with 3.5 g of guar gum or psyllium in the other two groups. When guar gum was administered, there was a decrease in the extent of EE absorbed, but no change was observed in the rate of absorption. When psyllium was administered, the extent of EE absorbed increased slightly and the rate of absorption was slower.S

Therapeutic effects of psyllium in type 2 diabetic patients

P. 830-842The study included three phases: phase 1 (1 week), phase 2 (treatment, 14 g fibre=day, 6 weeks) and phase 3 (4 weeks). At the end of each phase a clinical evaluation was performed after the ingestion of a test breakfast of 1824.2 kJ (436 kcal). Measurements included concentrations of blood glucose, insulin, fructosamine, GHbA1c, C-peptide and 24 h urinary glucose excretion. In addition, uric acid, cholesterol and several mineral and vitamin concentrations were also evaluated. Twenty type 2 diabetic patients (12 men and 8 women) participated in the study with a mean age of 67.4 y for men and 66 y for women. The mean body mass index of men was 28.2 kg=m2 and that of women 25.9 kg=m2. Glucose absorption decreased significantly in the presence of psyllium (12.2%); this reduction is not associated with an important change in insulin levels (5%). GHbA1c, C-peptide and 24 h urinary glucose excretion decreased (3.8, 14.9 and 22.5%, respectively) during the treatment with fibre (no significant differences) as well as fructosamine (10.9%, significant differences). Psyllium also reduced total and LDL cholesterol (7.7 and 9.2%, respectively, significant differences), and uric acid (10%, significant difference). Minerals and vitamins did not show important changes, except sodium that increased significantly after psyllium administration.S

Validation of a simple method for the interpretation of uterine cytology in cows

One of the main drawbacks of using endometrial cytology in cows is the time required for sample collection and interpretation. It is recommended to count a large number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) and to calculate their overall percentage. However, since counting a large number of cells is a laborious method, it would be preferable to simplify the analysis by counting the number of PMN in few microscopic fields. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether a simple test, based on calculating the average number of PMN in 10 fields at 1000×, could be a reliable technique for the diagnosis of endometritis. Two hundred and sixty endometrial samples were taken from Holstein cows at different postpartum stages using an adapted cytobrush. Smears obtained were air-dried for fixing and stained with a Romanowsky-type procedure. To evaluate the counting method, the percentage of PMN in 150 cells was calculated as well as the average number of PMN in 10 fields at 1000×. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was constructed to evaluate both methods, the percentage of PMN (used as reference) and the average number of PMN. It was observed that the area under the curve is (regardless of cut-off used) higher than 0.99 and the correspondence between both methods were 1.58 PMN/field for the cut-off value of 15% and 2.40 PMN/field for the cut-off value of 20%. These results show that this simple method could be used to determine the percentage of PMN in endometrial cytological samples and to diagnose endometritis in cowsSupported by the Xunta de Galicia (Galician Plan for Research and Technological Development; Grant No. PGIDIT07MRU002E) and the Friesian Federation of Galician, A Coruna, SpainS

Acercamiento a una metodología científica en cursos de energía eólica para ingenieros electrónicos

La docencia y la investigación son actividades que se realizan de manera simultánea en la práctica universitaria, pero cuya conexión suele ser débil. Mientras que el método científico se basa en etapas bien conocidas, ésta metodología y el know-how asociado raramente se integran en cursos a nivel de grado. Este trabajo describe la integración de teoría, simulación, experimentación a escala de laboratorio y desarrollos industriales dentro de cursos de energía eólica para ingenieros eléctricos. La metodología propuesta reutiliza el conocimiento adquirido en la faceta investigadora y acerca al estudiante a los últimos desarrollos industriales y tendencias científicas usando una metodología científica en cursos de multidisciplinares de energía eólic

Induction of gp120-specific protective immune responses by genetic vaccination with linear polyethylenimine-plasmid complex

The induction of IFN-gamma-secreting CD8+ T cells and neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1 are both key requirements for prevention of viral transmission and clearance of pathogenic HIV. Although DNA vaccination has been shown to induce both humoral and cellular immune responses against HIV antigens, the magnitude of the immune responses has always been disappointing. In this report, we analyze the ability of polyethylenimine (PEI)-DNA complex expressing an HIV-glycoprotein 120 (gp120) antigen (PEI-pgp120) to induce systemic CD8+ T cell and humoral responses to the gp120 antigen. The administration of PEI-plasmid complex resulted in rapid elevation of serum levels of IL-12 and IFN-gamma. Furthermore, a single administration of PEI-pgp120 complex elicits a number of gp120-specific CD8+ T cells 20 times higher than that elicited by three intramuscular injections of naked DNA. Interestingly, we found that systemic vaccination with PEI-pgp120 induced protective immune responses against both systemic and mucosal challenges with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing a gp120 antigen. The data also demonstrated that the depletion of macrophages with liposome-encapsulated clodronate completely abolished gp120-specific cellular response. Overall, our results showed that a single administration of PEI-pgp120 complexes, eliciting strong immune responses, is an effective vaccination approach to generate protection against systemic and mucosal viral infections

Living at the top. Connectivity limitations and summit depth drive fish diversity patterns in an isolated seamount

The fish assemblages of the Galicia Bank and the closest continental slope (northwest of Spain) were analysed using otter trawls to improve our understanding of how environmental drivers structure seamount fish communities in the deep sea. The effect of environmental drivers on these assemblages was studied using multivariate techniques together with the variation in α and β diversity across assemblages. Fish fauna in the study area was distributed in 5 different assemblages generated by the action of 3 main drivers: depth, distance to the coast and presence of cold-water corals. The observed differences in species composition among assemblages were mostly explained by species turnover across a depth gradient. The seamount summit and the continental slope showed important differences despite sharing similar depths, mainly because several species requiring shallow juvenile habitats were absent from the summit. These absences were observed in both summit assemblages inside and outside the cold-water coral reef. Our results show that in isolated seamounts with relatively deep summits, the lack of connectivity with shallower areas limits the presence of certain species, probably due to the impossibility for these species to migrate directly from shallow to deeper seabed areas. These species are replaced by species with preferences for deeper habitats, providing the fish assemblages located at the top of the summit with a deeper profile than observed in fish assemblages of the continental slope.En prensa2,48

Effects of ispaghula husk and guar gum on postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations in healthy subjects

P. 235-243The aim of this study was to evaluate, under the same experimental conditions and in the same subjects, the effects of ispaghula husk and guar gum on postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations in healthy female subjects(ten healthy female volunteers aged 30 ± 48 y with normal body mass indices).S

Urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies the risk of renal damage posed by subclinical tubular alterations

Nephrotoxicity is an important limitation to the clinical use of many drugs and contrast media. Drug nephrotoxicity occurs in acute, subacute and chronic manifestations ranging from glomerular, tubular, vascular and immunological phenotypes to acute kidney injury. Pre-emptive risk assessment of drug nephrotoxicity poses an urgent need of precision medicine to optimize pharmacological therapies and interventional procedures involving nephrotoxic products in a preventive and personalized manner. Biomarkers of risk have been identified in animal models, and risk scores have been proposed, whose clinical use is abated by their reduced applicability to specific etiological models or clinical circumstances. However, our present data suggest that the urinary level of transferrin may be indicative of risk of renal damage, where risk is induced by subclinical tubular alterations regardless of etiology. In fact, urinary transferrin pre-emptively correlates with the subsequent renal damage in animal models in which risk has been induced by drugs and toxins affecting the renal tubules (i.e. cisplatin, gentamicin and uranyl nitrate); whereas transferrin shows no relation with the risk posed by a drug affecting renal hemodynamics (i.e. cyclosporine A). Our experiments also show that transferrin increases in the urine in the risk state (i.e. prior to the damage) precisely as a consequence of reduced tubular reabsorption. Finally, urinary transferrin pre-emptively identifies subpopulations of oncological and cardiac patients at risk of nephrotoxicity. In perspective, urinary transferrin might be further explored as a wider biomarker of an important mechanism of predisposition to renal damage induced by insults causing subclinical tubular alterations.Research from the authors’ laboratory supporting part of the information incorporated into this article was funded by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI14/01776, DT15S/00166, PI15/01055 and PI17/01979, and Retic RD016/0009/0025, REDINREN), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (IPT-2012-0779-010000), Junta de Castilla y León (Consejería de Sanidad, BIO/SA20/14, BIO/SA66/15; and Consejería de Educación, SA359U14), and FEDER funds