Petrography descriptions and U-Pb zircon datasets from the Archean Pavas Block, Precambrian of Uruguay

Relacionado con el artículo: 10.1016/j.jsames.2021.103364This database is a geological and geochronological compila- tion made to study a small Archean/Paleoproterozoic block located in the centre of the Precambrian rock exposition of Uruguay. Petrographic and field outcrops data supporting the samples from which the zircons for textural analysis and U-Pb dating (LA-ICP-MS) come are presented at first with their descriptions. The first table (1) contains the new U- Pb isotopic data. The second table (2) presents a correlation of textures from different zircon samples. The last table (3) contains an inventory of different U-Pb ages found in an- tecedents. All these data are associated with the paper en- titled: “The Archean Pavas Block in Uruguay: extension and tectonic evolution based on LA-ICP-MS U-Pb ages and air- borne geophysics".CSIC: 2015 C-60

Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Steers: Effects of Delayed Implanting and Programmed Feeding During the Growing Period

This experiment was conducted to determine the effect of programming the rate of gain and delaying the first implant in feedlot steers on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics. Ninety-six growing steers (269 ± 16.2 kg) were assigned to 12 pens in a completely randomized design. Treatments were implant (Synovex-S®; 20 mg estradiol benzoate and 200 mg progesterone; Fort Dodge Animal Health, Overland Park, KS) on d 1 or no implant and programmed feeding to gain at a slow (0.68 kg/d) or fast (1.14 kg/d) rate during the growing period; these treatments were randomly assigned (n = 8) to pens of steers in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Steers were fed a growing diet and after 88 and 60 d (for steers fed to gain at a slow or fast rate, respectively), steers were transitioned to ad libitum consumption of a high concentrate finishing diet. Growing period implant treatments did not affect ADG but did affect (P\u3c0.01) gain efficiency during the finishing period. Feeding steers for a slow rate of BW gain during the growing period improved (P=0.062) gain efficiency in the finishing period (169 vs 145 g gain/kg feed). Correlation coefficients between fat thickness and marbling score obtained via ultrasound and fat thickness and marbling score measured at harvest were greater the closer the ultrasound measurements were made to the final harvest date. These data indicate that feeding level prior to the start of the finishing period may affect BW gain efficiency during the finishing period

Inhibition of StearoylCoA Desaturase Activity Blocks Cell Cycle Progression and Induces Programmed Cell Death in Lung Cancer Cells

Lung cancer is the most frequent form of cancer. The survival rate for patients with metastatic lung cancer is ∼5%, hence alternative therapeutic strategies to treat this disease are critically needed. Recent studies suggest that lipid biosynthetic pathways, particularly fatty acid synthesis and desaturation, are promising molecular targets for cancer therapy. We have previously reported that inhibition of stearoylCoA desaturase-1 (SCD1), the enzyme that produces monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), impairs lung cancer cell proliferation, survival and invasiveness, and dramatically reduces tumor formation in mice. In this report, we show that inhibition of SCD activity in human lung cancer cells with the small molecule SCD inhibitor CVT-11127 reduced lipid synthesis and impaired proliferation by blocking the progression of cell cycle through the G1/S boundary and by triggering programmed cell death. These alterations resulting from SCD blockade were fully reversed by either oleic (18:1n-9), palmitoleic acid (16:1n-7) or cis-vaccenic acid (18:1n-7) demonstrating that cis-MUFA are key molecules for cancer cell proliferation. Additionally, co-treatment of cells with CVT-11127 and CP-640186, a specific acetylCoA carboxylase (ACC) inhibitor, did not potentiate the growth inhibitory effect of these compounds, suggesting that inhibition of ACC or SCD1 affects a similar target critical for cell proliferation, likely MUFA, the common fatty acid product in the pathway. This hypothesis was further reinforced by the observation that exogenous oleic acid reverses the anti-growth effect of SCD and ACC inhibitors. Finally, exogenous oleic acid restored the globally decreased levels of cell lipids in cells undergoing a blockade of SCD activity, indicating that active lipid synthesis is required for the fatty acid-mediated restoration of proliferation in SCD1-inhibited cells. Altogether, these observations suggest that SCD1 controls cell cycle progression and apoptosis and, consequently, the overall rate of proliferation in cancer cells through MUFA-mediated activation of lipid synthesis

Lynch Syndrome from a surgeon perspective: retrospective study of clinical impact of mismatch repair protein expression analysis in colorectal cancer patients less than 50 years old.

BACKGROUND: In clinical practice, unexpected diagnosis of colorectal cancer in young patients requires prompt surgery, thus genetic testing for Lynch Syndrome is frequently missed, and clinical management may result incorrect. METHODS: Patients younger than 50 years old undergoing colorectal resection for cancer in the period 1994-2007 were identified (Group A, 49 cases), and compared to a group of randomly selected patients more than 50 (Group B, 85 cases). In 31 group A patients, immunohistochemical expression analysis of MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 was performed; personal and familial history of patients with defective MMR proteins expression was further investigated, searching for synchronous and metachronous tumors in probands and their families. RESULTS: Fifty-one percent of patients did not express one or more MMR proteins (MMR-) and should be considered Lynch Syndrome carriers (16 patients, group A1); while only 31.2% of them were positive for Amsterdam criteria, 50% had almost another tumor, 37.5% had another colorectal tumor and 68% had relatives with colorectal tumor. This group of patients, compared with A2 group (< 50 years old, MMR+) and B group, showed typical characteristics of HNPCC, such as proximal location, mucinous histotype, poor differentiation, high stage and shorter survival. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirms that preoperative knowledge of MMR proteins expression in colorectal cancer patients would allow correct staging, more extended colonic resection, specific follow-up and familial screening

Parameters optimization applying Monte Carlo methods and Evolutionary Algorithms. Enforcement to a trajectory tracking controller in non-linear systems.

[EN] In this work, a closed-loop control strategy is proposed. It allows tracking optimal profiles for a fed-batch bioprocess. The main advantage of this approach is that the control actions are computed from a linear equations system without linearizing the mathematical model, which allows working in any range. In addition, three techniques are developed to tune the controller. First, a completely probabilistic method, Monte Carlo. Second, a methodology based on Genetic Algorithms, an evolutionary optimization technique. Third, a Hybrid Algorithm, combining above algorithms advantages. Here, the objective function is to find the controller parameters that minimize the trajectory tracking total error. The controller performance is evaluated through simulations under normal operations conditions and parametric uncertainty, using the obtained controller parameters.[ES] En este trabajo se propone una estrategia de control en lazo cerrado para el seguimiento de perfiles óptimos previamente definidos para un bioproceso fed-batch. La mayor ventaja de este enfoque es que las acciones de control se calculan resolviendo un sistema de ecuaciones lineales, sin tener que linealizar el modelo matemático, lo que permite trabajar en cualquier rango. Además, se plantean tres técnicas para la sintonización de los parámetros del controlador diseñado. Primero se propone un método de Monte Carlo, el cual es un método probabilístico. En segundo lugar, se presenta una metodología basada en Algoritmos Genéticos, una técnica evolutiva de optimización. La tercera alternativa es el desarrollo de un Algoritmo Híbrido, diseñado a partir de la combinación de los dos métodos anteriores. En todos los casos, el objetivo es encontrar los parámetros del controlador que minimicen el error total de seguimiento de trayectorias. El desempeño del controlador se evalúa a través de simulaciones en condiciones normales de operación y frente a incertidumbre paramétrica, empleando los parámetros del controlador obtenidos.Este trabajo ha sido realizado con el apoyo del Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET) y del Instituto de Ingeniería Química (IIQ) de la Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Se agradece la colaboración del Dr. Ing. Francisco Rossomando en la implementación del controlador PID neuronal.Fernández, C.; Pantano, N.; Godoy, S.; Serrano, E.; Scaglia, G. (2018). Optimización de Parámetros Utilizando los Métodos de Monte Carlo y Algoritmos Evolutivos. Aplicación a un Controlador de Seguimiento de Trayectoria en Sistemas no Lineales. Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática. 16(1):89-99. doi:10.4995/riai.2018.8796SWORD899916

Liver Transplantation Prevents Progressive Neurological Impairment in Argininemia

Argininemia is a rare hereditary disease due to a deficiency of hepatic arginase, which is the last enzyme of the urea cycle and hydrolyzes arginine to ornithine and urea. The onset of the disease is usually in childhood, and clinical manifestations include progressive spastic paraparesis and mental retardation. Liver involvement is less frequent and usually not as severe as observed in other UCDs. For this reason, and because usually there is a major neurological disease at diagnosis, patients with argininemia are rarely considered as candidates for OLT despite its capacity to replace the deficient enzyme by an active one. We report on long-term follow-up of two patients with argininemia. Patient 1 was diagnosed by the age of 20 months and despite appropriate conventional treatment progressed to spastic paraparesis with marked limp. OLT was performed at 10 years of age with normalization of plasmatic arginine levels and guanidino compounds. Ten years post-OLT, under free diet, there is no progression of neurological lesions. The second patient (previously reported by our group) was diagnosed at 2 months of age, during a neonatal cholestasis workup study. OLT was performed at the age of 7 years, due to liver cirrhosis with portal hypertension, in the absence of neurological lesions and an almost-normal brain MRI. After OLT, under free diet, there was normalization of plasmatic arginine levels and guanidino compounds. Twelve years post-OLT, she presents a normal neurological examination. We conclude that OLT prevents progressive neurological impairment in argininemia and should be considered when appropriate conventional treatment fails

Dynamic optimization based on Fourier. Application to the biodiesel process

[EN] This work presents a novel methodology for the dynamic optimization of the biodiesel production process from vegetable oils in discontinuous mode. The proposed methodology has the particularity of using the Fourier series for the parameterization of the control action, and evolutionary algorithms for the optimization of parameters. The main advantages of this strategy are, on the one hand, that the profiles obtained are smooth, that is, continuous and differentiable, therefore they can be directly implemented in real systems, without the need to filter or soften the control signal; on the other hand, a minimum amount of parameters is required for optimization, avoiding over-parameterization, which can decrease the quality of the response. The proposed algorithms have been evaluated through simulations, obtaining very satisfactory results compared to those published in the literature.[ES] Este trabajo presenta una novedosa metodología para la optimización dinámica del proceso de producción de biodiesel a partir de aceites vegetales en modo discontinuo. La metodología propuesta tiene la particularidad de emplear la serie de Fourier para la parametrización de la acción de control, y algoritmos evolutivos para la optimización de parámetros. Las ventajas principales de esta estrategia son, por un lado, que los perfiles obtenidos son suaves, es decir, continuos y diferenciables, por lo tanto pueden implementarse directamente en sistemas reales, sin necesidad de filtrar o suavizar la señal de control; por otro lado, se requiere una mínima cantidad de parámetros para la optimización, evitando la sobre-parametrización, la cual puede disminuir la calidad de la respuesta. Los algoritmos propuestos han sido evaluados a través de simulaciones, obteniendo resultados muy satisfactorios comparados con los existentes en bibliografía.Agradecemos al Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET) por financiar este proyecto, y al Instituto de Ingeniería Química (IIQ) de la Universidad Nacional de San Juan (UNSJ) por su continua colaboración.Pantano, MN.; Fernández, MC.; Rodríguez, L.; Scaglia, GJ. (2020). Optimización dinámica basada en Fourier. Aplicación al proceso de biodiesel. Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática industrial. 18(1):32-38. https://doi.org/10.4995/riai.2020.12920OJS3238181Benavides, P. T. & Diwekar, U., 2012a. Optimal control of biodiesel production in a batch reactor: Part I: Deterministic control. Fuel,94, 211- 217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2011.08.035Benavides, P. T. & Diwekar, U., 2012b. Optimal control of biodiesel production in a batch reactor: Part II: Stochastic control. Fuel,94, 218-226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2011.08.033Brásio, A. S., Romanenko, A., Leal, J., Santos, L. O. & Fernandes, N. C., 2013. Nonlinear model predictive control of biodiesel production via transesterification of used vegetable oils. Journal of Process Control,10,23, 1471-1479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jprocont.2013.09.023Cantrell, D. G., Gillie, L. J., Lee, A. F. & Wilson, K., 2005. Structure-reactivity correlations in MgAl hydrotalcite catalysts for biodiesel synthesis. Applied Catalysis A: General,2,287, 183-190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apcata.2005.03.027Fernández, Cecilia, M., Nadia Pantano, M., Rossomando, F. G., Alberto Ortiz, O. & Scaglia, G. J., 2019. State estimation and trajectory tracking control for a nonlinear and multivariable bioethanol production system. Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering,1,36, 421-437. https://doi.org/10.1590/0104-6632.20190361s20170379Fernández, C., Pantano, N., Godoy, S., Serrano, E. & Scaglia, G., 2019a. Optimización de Parámetros Utilizando los Métodos de Monte Carlo y Algoritmos Evolutivos. Aplicación a un Controlador de Seguimiento de Trayectoria en Sistemas no Lineales. Revista Iberoamericana de Automática e Informática industrial,1,16, 89-99. https://doi.org/10.4995/riai.2018.8796Fernández M. C., P. M. N., Rodriguez L., Scaglia G., 2020. State Estimation and Nonlinear Tracking Control Simulation Approach. Application to a Bioethanol Production System. Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering,In press.Fernández, M. C., Pantano, M. N., Machado, R. A. F., Ortiz, O. A. & Scaglia, G. J., 2019b. Nonlinear multivariable tracking control: application to an ethanol process. International Journal of Automation and Control,4,13, 440-468. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJAAC.2019.10020240Fernández, M. C., Pantano, M. N., Rómoli, S., Patiño, H. D., Ortiz, O. A. & Scaglia, G. J., 2019c. An algebra approach for nonlinear multivariable fedbatch bioprocess control. International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering,1,33, 38-57. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJISE.2019.10023564Fernández, M. C., Pantano, M. N., Serrano, E. & Scaglia, G., 2020. Multivariable Tracking Control of a Bioethanol Process under Uncertainties. Mathematical Problems in Engineering,2020. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8263690Ho, Y., Mjalli, F. & Yeoh, H., 2010. Multivariable adaptive predictive model based control of a biodiesel transesterification reactor. Journal of Applied Sciences,12,10, 1019-1027. https://doi.org/10.3923/jas.2010.1019.1027Ignat, R. M. & Kiss, A. A., 2013. Optimal design, dynamics and control of a reactive DWC for biodiesel production. Chemical Engineering Research and Design,9,91, 1760-1767. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2013.02.009Kreyszig, E. 1978. Introductory functional analysis with applications, Wiley New York.Mjalli, F. S., Kim San, L., Chai Yin, K. & Azlan Hussain, M., 2009. Dynamics and control of a biodiesel transesterification reactor. 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Multivariable Control for Tracking Optimal Profiles in a Nonlinear Fed-Batch Bioprocess Integrated with State Estimation. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research,20,56, 6043- 6056. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.iecr.7b00831Rajarathinam, K., Gomm, J. B., Yu, D.-L. & Abdelhadi, A. S., 2016. PID controller tuning for a multivariable glass furnace process by genetic algorithm. International Journal of Automation and Computing,1,13, 64- 72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11633-015-0910-1Salvi, B. & Panwar, N., 2012. Biodiesel resources and production technologies-A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,6,16, 3680-3689. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2012.03.050Santori, G., Di Nicola, G., Moglie, M. & Polonara, F., 2012. A review analyzing the industrial biodiesel production practice starting from vegetable oil refining. Applied energy,92, 109-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.10.031Tempo, R. & Ishii, H., 2007. 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Inhibition of StearoylCoA Desaturase-1 Inactivates Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase and Impairs Proliferation in Cancer Cells: Role of AMPK

Cancer cells activate the biosynthesis of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) in order to sustain an increasing demand for phospholipids with appropriate acyl composition during cell replication. We have previously shown that a stable knockdown of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), the main Δ9-desaturase that converts SFA into MUFA, in cancer cells decreases the rate of lipogenesis, reduces proliferation and in vitro invasiveness, and dramatically impairs tumor formation and growth. Here we report that pharmacological inhibition of SCD1 with a novel small molecule in cancer cells promoted the activation of AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) and the subsequent reduction of acetylCoA carboxylase activity, with a concomitant inhibition of glucose-mediated lipogenesis. The pharmacological inhibition of AMPK further decreased proliferation of SCD1-depleted cells, whereas AMPK activation restored proliferation to control levels. Addition of supraphysiological concentrations of glucose or pyruvate, the end product of glycolysis, did not reverse the low proliferation rate of SCD1-ablated cancer cells. Our data suggest that cancer cells require active SCD1 to control the rate of glucose-mediated lipogenesis, and that when SCD1 activity is impaired cells downregulate SFA synthesis via AMPK-mediated inactivation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, thus preventing the harmful effects of SFA accumulation

StearoylCoA Desaturase-5: A Novel Regulator of Neuronal Cell Proliferation and Differentiation

Recent studies have demonstrated that human stearoylCoA desaturase-1 (SCD1), a Δ9-desaturase that converts saturated fatty acids (SFA) into monounsaturated fatty acids, controls the rate of lipogenesis, cell proliferation and tumorigenic capacity in cancer cells. However, the biological function of stearoylCoA desaturase-5 (SCD5), a second isoform of human SCD that is highly expressed in brain, as well as its potential role in human disease, remains unknown. In this study we report that the constitutive overexpression of human SCD5 in mouse Neuro2a cells, a widely used cell model of neuronal growth and differentiation, displayed a greater n-7 MUFA-to-SFA ratio in cell lipids compared to empty-vector transfected cells (controls). De novo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterolesters was increased whereas phosphatidylethanolamine and triacylglycerol formation was reduced in SCD5-expressing cells with respect to their controls, suggesting a differential use of SCD5 products for lipogenic reactions. We also observed that SCD5 expression markedly accelerated the rate of cell proliferation and suppressed the induction of neurite outgrowth, a typical marker of neuronal differentiation, by retinoic acid indicating that the desaturase plays a key role in the mechanisms of cell division and differentiation. Critical signal transduction pathways that are known to modulate these processes, such epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)Akt/ERK and Wnt, were affected by SCD5 expression. Epidermal growth factor-induced phosphorylation of EGFR, Akt and ERK was markedly blunted in SCD5-expressing cells. Furthermore, the activity of canonical Wnt was reduced whereas the non-canonical Wnt was increased by the presence of SCD5 activity. Finally, SCD5 expression increased the secretion of recombinant Wnt5a, a non-canonical Wnt, whereas it reduced the cellular and secreted levels of canonical Wnt7b. Our data suggest that, by a coordinated modulation of key lipogenic pathways and transduction signaling cascades, SCD5 participates in the regulation of neuronal cell growth and differentiation

Carcinogenic Effects in a Phenylketonuria Mouse Model

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a metabolic disorder caused by impaired phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). This condition results in hyperphenylalaninemia and elevated levels of abnormal phenylalanine metabolites, among which is phenylacetic acid/phenylacetate (PA). In recent years, PA and its analogs were found to have anticancer activity against a variety of malignancies suggesting the possibility that PKU may offer protection against cancer through chronically elevated levels of PA. We tested this hypothesis in a genetic mouse model of PKU (PAHenu2) which has a biochemical profile that closely resembles that of human PKU. Plasma levels of phenylalanine in homozygous (HMZ) PAHenu2 mice were >12-fold those of heterozygous (HTZ) littermates while tyrosine levels were reduced. Phenylketones, including PA, were also markedly elevated to the range seen in the human disease. Mice were subjected to 7,12 dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) carcinogenesis, a model which is sensitive to the anticancer effects of the PA derivative 4-chlorophenylacetate (4-CPA). Tumor induction by DMBA was not significantly different between the HTZ and HMZ mice, either in total tumor development or in the type of cancers that arose. HMZ mice were then treated with 4-CPA as positive controls for the anticancer effects of PA and to evaluate its possible effects on phenylalanine metabolism in PKU mice. 4-CPA had no effect on the plasma concentrations of phenylalanine, phenylketones, or tyrosine. Surprisingly, the HMZ mice treated with 4-CPA developed an unexplained neuromuscular syndrome which precluded its use in these animals as an anticancer agent. Together, these studies support the use of PAHenu2 mice as a model for studying human PKU. Chronically elevated levels of PA in the PAHenu2 mice were not protective against cancer