Metastatic melanoma and pregnancy

Pregnancy after complete treatment of metastatic melanoma is an extremely rare event. We presented a case of a skin melanoma patient with lung and liver metastases who was treated by combined immunochemotherapy for the period of two years. A year and a half after the successful treatment, which resulted a complete remission of metastatic lesions she got pregnant and delivered a healthy baby girl

Development of immobilized horse radish (Armoracia rusticana) peroxidase for polymerization reactions and removal of phenols from waste waters

U prvom delu ove teze je makroporozni kopolimer glicidil metakrilata i etilen glikol dimetakrilata, poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) sa dijametrom čestica od 150 do 500 μm i različitim karakteristikama površine i različitom srednjom veličinom dijametra pora od 44 do 200 nm sintetisan, modifikovan 1,2-diaminoetanom i testiran kao nosač za imobilizaciju peroksidaze iz rena (HRP) koristeći dve kovalentne metode, glutaraldehidnu i perjodatnu. Najveća specifična aktivnost od oko 35 U/g suve mase nosača je postignuta na poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) kopolimeru sa srednjom veličinom dijametra pora od 200 i 120 nm koristeći perjodatni metod. Proučavanjem kinetike deaktivacije na 65 oC i u 80% (v/v) dioksanu je otkriveno da perjodatna metoda takođe dovodi do značajne stabilizacije biokatalizatora, i da stabilizacioni faktor zavisi snažno od površinskih karakteristika kopolimera. HRP imobilizovana na kopolimeru sa srednjom veličinom dijametra pora od 120 nm perjodatnom metodom je pokazala najveću specifičnu aktivnost ali takođe i dobru stabilnost, tako da je u daljem radu dodatno karakterisana. Imobilizacija je dovela do stabilizacije enzima u širem opsegu pH, dok je Mihaelisova konstanta (Km) imobilizovane HRP bila 10,8 mM što je otprilike 5,6 puta više nego za slobodni enzim. Posle 6 upotreba u bač reaktoru za oksidaciju pirogalola imobilizovana peroksidaza je zadržala 45% polazne aktivnosti. U drugom delu ove teze ista serija makroporoznih kopolimera glicidil metakrilata i etilen glikol dimetakrilata, poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) sa veličinom pora od 200 nm (ZS9) pa do neporoznog (ZS6) je testirana kao nosač za imobilizaciju peroksidaze iz rena, ali ovaj put sa dijametrom čestica od 2 do 2,5 μm. HRP je imobilizovana na 4 načina, preko epoksidne grupe na kopolimeru, i nakon aminovanja kopolimera glutaraldehidnom, perjodatnom i karbodiimidnom metodom. Najveća aktivnost imobilizovane HRP od 14,5 U/g je dobijena glutaraldehidnom metodom, a odmah zatim najveća aktivnost od 13,7 U/g karbodiimidnom metodom na poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) označenom kao ZS9 čija je srednja veličina pora bila oko 200 nm. Prinos imobilizacije je bio veći u odnosu na seriju kopolimera sa većom veličinom čestica i iznosio je 33,5% za glutaraldehidnu metodu i 30,3 % za karbodiimidnu u odnosu na oko 5% prinosa dobijenog za seriju kopolimera sa većom veličinom čestica i...In the first part of this thesis macroporous copolymer of glycidyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) with various surface characteristics and mean pore size diameters ranging from 44 to 200 nm was synthesized, modified with 1,2-diaminoethane and tested as a carrier for immobilization of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) by two covalent methods, glutaraldehyde and periodate. The highest specific activity of around 35 U/g of dry weight of carrier was achieved on poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) copolymers with mean pore diameter of 200 and 120 nm by the periodate method. Study of deactivation kinetics at 65oC and in 80% (v/v) dioxane revealed that the periodate immobilization also produced an appreciable stabilization of the biocatalyst, while stabilization factor depended strongly on the surface characteristics of the copolymers. HRP immobilized on copolymer with mean pore diameter of 120 nm by periodate method showing the highest specific activity but also good stability was further characterized. It appeared that the immobilization resulted in stabilization of enzyme over a broader pH range while the Michaelis constant value (Km) of the immobilized HRP was 10.8 mM, approximately 5.6 times higher than that of the free enzyme. After 6 cycles of repeated use in batch reactor for pyrogallol oxidation, the immobilized HRP retained 45% of its original activity. In the second part of this thesis the same series of macroporous copolymer of glycidyl methacrylate and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate, poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) with pore diameter from 200 nm (ZS9) to the nonporous (ZS6) was tested as carier for immobilization of HRP, but this time with particle diameter between 2 and 2.5 μm. HRP was immobilized in 4 ways, via epoxide group on copolymer and after amination of copolymer using glutaraldehyde, periodate and carbodiimide method. The highest activity of immobilized HRP of 14.5 U/g was obtained using glutaraldehyde method and immediately after 13.75 U/g using carbodiimide method on poly(GMA-co-EGDMA) named ZS9 with average pore size of 200 nm. Yield of immobilization was..

Proton conductivity of multifunctional metal phosphonate frameworks

Metal phosphonates exhibit attractive characteristics for proton conductivity, such as tunable functionality, chemical and thermal stability and the existence of H-bond networks with acidic protons within their structure.1 In the present work, we examine the relationship between crystal structure and proton conductivity for several metal (mono-, di- and tri-valent) phosphonates containing rigid: (5-(dihydroxyphosphoryl)isophthalic acid, PiPhtA and 2-hydroxyphosphonoacetic acid, HPAA) or flexible: (hexa- or octamethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid, H8HDTMP or H8ODTMP) multifunctional ligands. The crystalline hybrid derivatives prepared show a great structural diversity, from 1D to 3D open-frameworks possessing hydrogen-bonded water molecules and phosphonic and carboxylic acid groups. The rigid 3D framework of Ca-PiPhtA, that exhibits a proton conductivity of 5.7•10-4 S/cm as synthesized, transforms into a layered compound upon exposure to ammonia vapors2 with increased proton conductivity (6.6•10-3 S/cm). The flexible frameworks of magnesium or lanthanide phosphonates, with 1D channels, present conductivities higher than 10-3 S/cm. Their activation energies fall in the range corresponding to a Grotthuss mechanism.3,4 For M(I)-HPAA solids conductivities up to 5.6•10-3 S/cm were measured. References 1. P. Ramaswamy, N.E. Wong, G.K.H. Shimizu, Chem. Soc. Rev. 43 (2014) 5913. 2. M. Bazaga-García, R.M.P. Colodrero, M. Papadaki, P. Garczarek, J. Zoń, P. Olivera-Pastor, E.R. Losilla, L. León-Reina, M.A.G. Aranda, D. Choquesillo-Lazarte, K.D. Demadis, A. Cabeza, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 136 (2014) 5731. 3. R.M.P. Colodrero, P. Olivera-Pastor, E.R. Losilla, D. Hernández-Alonso, M.A.G. Aranda, L. Leon-Reina, J. Rius, K.D. Demadis, B. Moreau, D. Villemin, M. Palomino, F. Rey, A. Cabeza, Inorg. Chem. 51 (2012) 7689. 4. R.M.P. Colodrero, P. Olivera-Pastor, E.R. Losilla, M.A.G. Aranda, L. Leon-Reina, M. Papadaki, A.C. McKinlay, R.E. Morris, K.D. Demadis, A. Cabeza, Dalton Trans. 41 (2012) 4045.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Junta de Andalucía, Proyecto Excelencia FQM-1656. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, MAT2013-41836-

Impacto del sector de servicios petroleros en la economía Colombiana

El sector de servicios petroleros provee los bienes,servicios y sistemas que permiten a las compañíasdel sector petrolero desarrollar las etapas de lacadena productiva, desde la exploración de reservasy construcción de pozos, producción, refinación ydistribución de petróleo y gas. El sector secaracteriza por constituir una fuerza de trabajo ytecnología especializada, que permite a lasoperadoras responder a las necesidades cambiantesde la industria del petróleo, lo cual lo convierte en eleje central de la actividad petrolera. ¿Cuál es,entonces, su impacto sobre la economía colombianay sobre la economía de las regiones bajo suinfluencia?Este estudio caracteriza el sector de serviciospetroleros en Colombia y cuantifica los impactossocioeconómicos generados por la actividad delsector y por sus encadenamientos con otros sectoresde la economía. Para esto, el estudio presenta losresultados de una serie de ejercicios que incluyen elcálculo del impacto del sector en la economíanacional con la ayuda de la matriz de contabilidadsocial elaborada por el DANE y el DNP.Adicionalmente, el estudio identifica y analiza elimpacto y la contribución del sector en el desarrolloregional del país, en especial en sus principales áreasgeográficas de influencia.Servicios petroleros, Generación de empleo, Pequeñas y mediana empresa, Desarrollo regional, Clusters, Industria petrolera

Extracellular vesicle and soluble fractions of adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells secretome induce inflammatory cytokines modulation in an in vitro model of discogenic pain

.BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs) secretome or conditioned medium (CM) is a complex cocktail of different molecules, some of which, particularly those con- tained in extracellular vesicles, already have proven therapeutic applications. PURPOSE: CM may well represent promising therapy for discogenic pain and the intention of this work is to assess its therapeutic potential using an in vitro model of this condition. STUDY DESIGN: This is an experimental study. METHODS: Our in vitro model comprised Nucleus Pulposus (NP) and Annulus Fibrosus (AF) cells inflamed with TNF. To assess the potential therapeutic value of CM and its components, extracellular vesicles (EVs) and soluble culture fraction (SF), cell inflammation took place under 3 different conditions: either in the presence of whole CM, isolated EVs or SF, and concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines, metalloproteinases (MMPs) and neurotrophic factors produced in all 3 cases were compared. RESULTS: In the presence of whole CM, both in vitro gene expression by the NP and AF test cells and analysis of their protein content showed high modulatory effects on inflammation and MMP inhibition. The presence of EVs and SF showed similar but much smaller effects, and this was par- ticularly marked in the case of NP cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that, compared to EVs and SF, the presence of whole CM has the greatest positive effect on the modulation of pro-inflammatory and catabolic factors. These observations suggest that CM could protect against inflammation and the resulting intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration that leads to discogenic pain. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Many patients' expectations are not met by current non-operative and surgical treatments for discogenic low back pain. We propose the use of the MSCs secretomeS

Influence of nanoscale defects on the improvement of photocatalytic activity of Ag/ZnO

This study presents the advances in the field of ZnO/Ag catalysts from the synthesis of hierarchical ZnO nanowires (NWs) decorated with Ag nanoparticles, prepared by a facile solvothermal method at 120°C. It evaluates the photocatalytic efficiency from studying the time reaction of Ag/Zn concentration ratio and the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as an organic dispersant. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and analytical/high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results confirmed the presence of homogeneous cylindrical ZnO nanowires and quasi-spherical Ag crystals. ZnO NWs exhibited hexagonal wurtzite structure and cubic FCC symmetry in Ag nanoparticles (NPS). Two types of nanostructures, including homogeneous cylindrical ZnO NWs in the absence of Ag and simultaneous presence of ZnO NWs and Ag NPs, formed depending on experimental conditions. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by studying methylene blue (MB) degradation time under UV light excitation. Diffuse reflectance UV–Vis spectrophotometry (UV–Vis DRS) allowed identifying the ZnO absorption band at ~393 nm. Crystal size varied depending on the reaction time and the addition of CTAB. Synthesis time increased bandgap values, getting better photocatalytic performance in samples synthesized in intermediate times (6 h), higher Ag+/Zn2+ molar ratio (0.2/1.0), and CTAB. According to HRTEM observations, the presence of silver nanocrystals with high content of defects (twinning, stacking faults) could play an essential role in the photocatalytic response. In this context, the specific synthesis conditions of Ag/ZnO might be more appropriate for their use in organic dyes degradation in water and the potential use in protective treatments against materials biodeterioration processes.This work has been supported by the Innovation and Education Ministry (ref. MAT2013-47460-C5-5-P and MAT2016-80875-C3-3-R), the Autonomous Region Program of Madrid (ref. S2018/NMT-4411 and S2013/MIT-2862), the Geomateriales 2 program (S2013/MIT_2914), the TOP Heritage (P2018/NMT-4372) of the Community of Madrid, the Innovation and Education Ministry (MAT201347460-C5-5-P) and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of Serbia (projects No. 172035 and 45020). Besides, we would like to thank the Master of “Materials Science” of Carlos III University (Spain) for providing financial and laboratory equipment support