182 research outputs found
SAR studies of epoxycurcuphenol derivatives on leukemia CT-CD4 cells
Bioactive natural products are a potential source of new pharmaceuticals since they offer new modes of
action and more specific activities. The use of derivatization also enables the optimal structure for their
biological activity to be determined. In this study several epoxycurcuphenol derivatives were synthesized.
The substitution pattern on the aromatic and oxirane rings was varied along with that at the benzylic
position and the length of the side chain was altered. These changes were made in order to gain a
deeper understanding of the structural requirements for activity. The biological activities of these compounds
were evaluated on the human leukemia cell line Jurkat using an antiproliferative assay. The activity
results and structural requirements are discussed
Analytical and clinical evaluation of DiaSorin Liaison® Calprotectin fecal assay adapted for serum samples
Background Calprotectin is a calcium-binding protein that can be measured in serum, plasma, and feces. Increased serum and plasma calprotectin concentrations have been found in chronic inflammatory rheumatic disorders. An analytical and clinical evaluation of the DiaSorin Liaison (R) fecal Calprotectin assay using LIAISON (R) XL was performed. Methods The protocol included an analytical and clinical evaluation in which imprecision, the linearity of dilution, differences between serum and plasma samples and method comparison with CalproLab (TM) ELISA kit were assessed. Serum calprotectin concentrations in active (n = 26) and remission (n = 23) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were compared. Results The intra-day and inter-day analytical imprecision CVs ranged from 2.9% to 4.0% and 2.7% to 10.4%, respectively. Correlation between measured and expected values was high (R > 0.99), indicating good linearity. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that serum and plasma matched samples presented statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) being the highest concentrations of calprotectin observed in serum samples. Deming regression equation was as follows: Diasorin calprotectin (mu g/ml) = -0.32 (95% CI: -0.65 - -0.05) +1.58 (95% CI: 1.42-1.79).* Calprolab calprotectin (mu g/ml). Significantly higher serum calprotectin levels were found in RA patients with active disease when compared to patients with low disease activity or in clinical remission (mean +/- SD) [(3.35 mu g/ml +/- 1.55) vs. (1.63 mu g/ml +/- 0.52), p < 0.001] and these levels correlated well with all disease activity indices. Conclusions The DiaSorin Liaison (R) fecal Calprotectin assay adapted for serum samples showed adequate technical performances and the clinical performances were similar to other assays
On a deterministic mathematical model which efficiently predicts the protective effect of a plant extract mixture in cirrhotic rats
In this work, we propose a mathematical model that describes liver evolution and concentrations of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in a group of rats damaged with carbon tetrachloride. Carbon tetrachloride was employed to induce cirrhosis. A second groups damaged with carbon tetrachloride was exposed simultaneously a plant extract as hepatoprotective agent. The model reproduces the data obtained in the experiment reported in [Rev. Cub. Plant. Med. 22(1), 2017], and predicts that using the plants extract helps to get a better natural recovery after the treatment. Computer simulations show that the extract reduces the damage velocity but does not avoid it entirely. The present paper is the first report in the literature in which a mathematical model reliably predicts the protective effect of a plant extract mixture in rats with cirrhosis disease. The results reported in this manuscript could be used in the future to help in fighting cirrhotic conditions in humans, though more experimental and mathematical work is required in that case
Spanish Expressive Voices: corpus for emotion research in Spanish
A new emotional multimedia database has been recorded and aligned. The database comprises speech and video recordings of one actor and one actress simulating a neutral state and the Big Six emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear and disgust. Due to a careful design and its size (more than 100 minutes per emotion), the recorded database allows comprehensive studies on emotional speech synthesis, prosodic modelling, speech conversion, far-field speech recognition and speech and video-based emotion identification. The database has been automatically labelled for prosodic purposes (5% was manually revised). The whole database has been validated thorough objective and perceptual tests, achieving a validation score as high as 89%
Galaxy cluster mass bias from projected mass maps: The Three Hundred-NIKA2 LPSZ twin samples
The determination of the mass of galaxy clusters from observations is subject
to systematic uncertainties. Beyond the errors due to instrumental and
observational systematic effects, in this work we investigate the bias
introduced by modelling assumptions. In particular, we consider the
reconstruction of the mass of galaxy clusters from convergence maps employing
spherical mass density models. We make use of The Three Hundred simulations,
selecting clusters in the same redshift and mass range as the NIKA2
Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Large Program sample: and . We study different
modelling and intrinsic uncertainties that should be accounted for when using
the single cluster mass estimates for scaling relations. We confirm that the
orientation of clusters and the radial ranges considered for the fit have an
important impact on the mass bias. The effect of the projection adds
uncertainties to the order of to to the mass estimates. We also
find that the scatter from cluster to cluster in the mass bias when using
spherical mass models is less than of the true mass of the clusters
Acceptability and feasibility of a virtual community of practice to primary care professionals regarding patient empowerment : A qualitative pilot study
Background: Virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. Compared to other communities, vCoPs need to overcome technological structures and specific barriers. Our objective was to pilot the acceptability and feasibility of a vCoP aimed at improving the attitudes of primary care professionals to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions. Methods: We used a qualitative approach based on 2 focus groups: one composed of 6 general practitioners and the other of 6 practice nurses. Discussion guidelines on the topics to be investigated were provided to the moderator. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS-ti software. Results: The available operating systems and browsers and the lack of suitable spaces and time were reported as the main difficulties with the vCoP. The vCoP was perceived to be a flexible learning mode that provided up-to-date resources applicable to routine practice and offered a space for the exchange of experiences and approaches. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study show that the vCoP was considered useful for learning how to empower patients. However, while vCoPs have the potential to facilitate learning and as shown create professional awareness regarding patient empowerment, attention needs to be paid to technological and access issues and the time demands on professionals. We collected relevant inputs to improve the features, content and educational methods to be included in further vCoP implementation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02757781. Registered on 25 April 2016
IAS/CEA Evolution of Dust in Nearby Galaxies (ICED): the spatially-resolved dust properties of NGC4254
We present the first preliminary results of the project \textit{ICED},
focusing on the face-on galaxy NGC4254. We use the millimetre maps observed
with NIKA2 at IRAM-30m, as part of the IMEGIN Guaranteed Time Large Program,
and of a wide collection of ancillary data (multi-wavelength photometry and gas
phase spectral lines) that are publicly available. We derive the global and
local properties of interstellar dust grains through infrared-to-radio spectral
energy distribution fitting, using the hierarchical Bayesian code HerBIE, which
includes the grain properties of the state-of-the-art dust model, THEMIS. Our
method allows us to get the following dust parameters: dust mass, average
interstellar radiation field, and fraction of small grains. Also, it is
effective in retrieving the intrinsic correlations between dust parameters and
interstellar medium properties. We find an evident anti-correlation between the
interstellar radiation field and the fraction of small grains in the centre of
NGC4254, meaning that, at strong radiation field intensities, very small
amorphous carbon grains are efficiently destroyed by the ultra-violet photons
coming from newly formed stars, through photo-desorption and sublimation. We
observe a flattening of the anti-correlation at larger radial distances, which
may be driven by the steep metallicity gradient measured in NGC4254.Comment: to appear in Proc. of the mm Universe 2023 conference, Grenoble
(France), June 2023, published by F. Mayet et al. (Eds), EPJ Web of
conferences, EDP Science
Acceptability and feasibility of a virtual community of practice to primary care professionals regarding patient empowerment: A qualitative pilot study
Background: Virtual communities of practice (vCoPs) facilitate online learning via the exchange of experiences and knowledge between interested participants. Compared to other communities, vCoPs need to overcome technological structures and specific barriers. Our objective was to pilot the acceptability and feasibility of a vCoP aimed at improving the attitudes of primary care professionals to the empowerment of patients with chronic conditions. Methods: We used a qualitative approach based on 2 focus groups: one composed of 6 general practitioners and the other of 6 practice nurses. Discussion guidelines on the topics to be investigated were provided to the moderator. Sessions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was performed using the ATLAS-ti software. Results: The available operating systems and browsers and the lack of suitable spaces and time were reported as the main difficulties with the vCoP. The vCoP was perceived to be a flexible learning mode that provided up-to-date resources applicable to routine practice and offered a space for the exchange of experiences and approaches. Conclusions: The results from this pilot study show that the vCoP was considered useful for learning how to empower patients. However, while vCoPs have the potential to facilitate learning and as shown create professional awareness regarding patient empowerment, attention needs to be paid to technological and access issues and the time demands on professionals. We collected relevant inputs to improve the features, content and educational methods to be included in further vCoP implementation. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02757781. Registered on 25 April 2016.This study was financed by Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Cofinanced by Fondo
Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). Ministerio de Economía
y Competitividad. Gobierno de España. (PI15/00164, PI15/00586, PI15/00566
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