Aproximación crítica a la crisis económica mundial : Sistema capitalista, política monetaria y globalización financiera

Para comprender las verdaderas causas de la crisis económica mundial en la que aún estamos inmersos, es necesario abordarla dentro del proceso de integración del sistema financiero internacional, entendido como la evolución del régimen económico capitalista contemporáneo. El presente trabajo analiza la crisis actual desde esa perspectiva, mostrándola como una causa directa al modelo de expansión capitalista cuyos inicios se remontan a la década de los 70. Esta orientación nos ayudará a vislumbrar otra serie de problemas fuera de la esfera financiera e inherentes al modelo de crecimiento de los últimos 30 año

\u3cem\u3eHymenachne Amplexicaluis\u3c/em\u3e [(Rudge) Nees] Genetic Resources Collection in México, a Suitable Grass for Flood Plains in Tropical Areas

Hymenachne amplexicaluis [( Rudge ) Nees; 2n= 2x= 24; Azuche, West Indian marsh grass] is a native Central and South America C3 grass that grows well under intermittent flooding conditions. It produces good seed set and stolons to thrive on new areas assuring its survival, combined with an efficient N metabolism to promote vigorous new growing leaves and tillers (Antel et al., 1998). Azuche is a dual attribute species when introduced to new areas; it has valuable forage attributes but also is a potential weed (Hill, 2000). As Azuche is a native species, one must deal with in the best possible way within Tropical Latin America areas (Enríquez et al., 2004). No report has been found to date on living genetic resources collection and evaluation for this species

Transparent bionanocomposites with improved properties prepared from acetylated bacterial cellulose and poly(lactic acid) through a simple approach

The preparation and characterization of biocomposite materials with improved properties based on poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and bacterial cellulose, and, for comparative purposes, vegetal cellulose fibers, both in their pristine form or after acetylation, is reported. The composite materials were obtained through the simple and green mechanical compounding of a PLA matrix and bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (or vegetable fibers), and were characterized by TGA, DSC, tensile assays, DMA, SEM and water uptake. The bionanocomposites obtained from PLA and acetylated bacterial cellulose were particularly interesting, given the considerable improvement in thermal and mechanical properties, as evidenced by the significant increase in both elastic and Young moduli, and in the tensile strength (increments of about 100, 40 and 25%, respectively) at very low nanofiller loadings (up to 6%). These nanocomposites also showed low hygroscopicity and considerable transparency, features reported here for the first time.FCT - PTDC/QUI/68472/2006FCT - SFRH/BPD/63250/2009FCT - L. C. T/ E. T.FCT-CAPES 2009FCT - National Program for Scientific Re-equipmentRede/1509/RME/2005REEQ/515/CTM/200

Genotypic tropism testing in proviral DNA to guide maraviroc initiation in aviremic subjects: 48‐week analysis of the PROTEST study

Introduction: In a previous interim 24‐week virological safety analysis of the PROTEST study [1], initiation of Maraviroc (MVC) plus 2 nucleoside reverse‐transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) in aviremic subjects based on genotypic tropism testing of proviral HIV‐1 DNA was associated with low rates of virological failure. Here we present the final 48‐week analysis of the study. Methods PROTEST was a phase 4, prospective, single‐arm clinical trial (ID: NCT01378910) carried on in 24 HIV care centres in Spain. Maraviroc‐naïve HIV‐1‐positive adults with HIV‐1 RNA (VL) 10% in a singleton), initiated MVC with 2 NRTIs and were followed for 48 weeks. Virological failure was defined as two consecutive VL>50 c/mL. Recent adherence was calculated as: (# pills taken/# pills prescribed during the previous week)*100. Results Tropism results were available from 141/175 (80.6%) subjects screened: 87/141 (60%) were R5 and 74/87 (85%) were finally included in the study. Their median age was 48 years, 16% were women, 31% were MSM, 36% had CDC category C at study entry, 62% were HCV+ and 10% were HBV+. Median CD4+ counts were 616 cells/mm3 at screening, and median nadir CD4+ counts were 143 cells/mm3. Previous ART included PIs in 46 (62%) subjects, NNRTIs in 27 (36%) and integrase inhibitors (INIs) in 1 (2%). The main reasons for treatment change were dyslipidemia (42%), gastrointestinal symptoms (22%), and liver toxicity (15%). MVC was given alongside TDF/FTC in 40 (54%) subjects, ABC/3TC in 30 (40%), AZT/3TC in 2 (3%) and ABC/TDF in 2 (3%). Sixty‐two (84%) subjects maintained VL<50 c/mL through week 48, whereas 12 (16%) discontinued treatment: two (3%) withdrew informed consent, one (1%) had a R5→X4 shift in HIV tropism between the screening and baseline visits, one (1%) was lost to follow‐up, one (1%) developed an ART‐related adverse event (rash), two (3%) died due to non‐study‐related causes (1 myocardial infarction at week 0 and 1 lung cancer at week 36), and five (7%) developed protocol‐defined virological failure, although two of them regained VL<50 c/mL with the same MVC regimen (Table 1). Conclusions Initiation of MVC plus 2 NRTIs in aviremic subjects based on genotypic tropism testing of proviral HIV‐1 DNA is associated with low rates of virological failure up to one year

Carglumic acid enhances rapid ammonia detoxification in classical organic acidurias with a favourable risk-benefit profile: A retrospective observational study

BACKGROUND: Isovaleric aciduria (IVA), propionic aciduria (PA) and methylmalonic aciduria (MMA) are inherited organic acidurias (OAs) in which impaired organic acid metabolism induces hyperammonaemia arising partly from secondary deficiency of N-acetylglutamate (NAG) synthase. Rapid reduction in plasma ammonia is required to prevent neurological complications. This retrospective, multicentre, open-label, uncontrolled, phase IIIb study evaluated the efficacy and safety of carglumic acid, a synthetic structural analogue of NAG, for treating hyperammonaemia during OA decompensation. METHODS: Eligible patients had confirmed OA and hyperammonaemia (plasma NH3 > 60 μmol/L) in ≥1 decompensation episode treated with carglumic acid (dose discretionary, mean (SD) first dose 96.3 (73.8) mg/kg). The primary outcome was change in plasma ammonia from baseline to endpoint (last available ammonia measurement at ≤18 hours after the last carglumic acid administration, or on Day 15) for each episode. Secondary outcomes included clinical response and safety. RESULTS: The efficacy population (received ≥1 dose of study drug and had post-baseline measurements) comprised 41 patients (MMA: 21, PA: 16, IVA: 4) with 48 decompensation episodes (MMA: 25, PA: 19, IVA: 4). Mean baseline plasma ammonia concentration was 468.3 (±365.3) μmol/L in neonates (29 episodes) and 171.3 (±75.7) μmol/L in non-neonates (19 episodes). At endpoint the mean plasma NH3 concentration was 60.7 (±36.5) μmol/L in neonates and 55.2 (±21.8) μmol/L in non-neonates. Median time to normalise ammonaemia was 38.4 hours in neonates vs 28.3 hours in non-neonates and was similar between OA subgroups (MMA: 37.5 hours, PA: 36.0 hours, IVA: 40.5 hours). Median time to ammonia normalisation was 1.5 and 1.6 days in patients receiving and not receiving concomitant scavenger therapy, respectively. Although patients receiving carglumic acid with scavengers had a greater reduction in plasma ammonia, the endpoint ammonia levels were similar with or without scavenger therapy. Clinical symptoms improved with therapy. Twenty-five of 57 patients in the safety population (67 episodes) experienced AEs, most of which were not drug-related. Overall, carglumic acid seems to have a good safety profile for treating hyperammonaemia during OA decompensation. CONCLUSION: Carglumic acid when used with or without ammonia scavengers, is an effective treatment for restoration of normal plasma ammonia concentrations in hyperammonaemic episodes in OA patients