Integrating Soluble Biomarkers and Imaging Technologies in the Identification of Vulnerable Atherosclerotic Patients

The clinical utility of a biomarker depends on its ability to identify high-risk individuals to optimally manage the patient. A new biomarker would be of clinical value if it is accurate and reliable, provides good sensitivity and specificity, and is available for widespread application. Data are accumulating on the potential clinical utility of integrating imaging technologies and circulating biomarkers for the identification of vulnerable (high-risk) cardiovascular patients. A multi-biomarker strategy consisting of markers of inflammation, hemostasis and thrombosis, proteolysis and oxidative stress, combined with new imaging modalities (optical coherence tomography, virtual histology plus IVUS, PET) can increase our ability to identify such thombosis-prone patients. In an ideal scenario, cardiovascular biomarkers and imaging combined will provide a better diagnostic tool to identify high-risk individuals and also more efficient methods for effective therapies to reduce such cardiovascular risk. However, additional studies are required in order to show that this approach can contribute to improved diagnostic and therapeutic of atherosclerotic disease

Study of the nanometric grain size distribution in iron compacts obtained by mechanical milling

A study has been carried out on the grain size distribution of cylindrical compacts obtained by consolidation of iron powder severely deformed by mechanical milling. Consolidation has been performed in two consecutive steps: cold and hot conditions. The hot one was done at two temperatures, namely 425 and 475ºC. After milling, the iron powder has a grain size of 8 nm (± 4 nm) with an average hardness of 800 HV. After hot compaction the grain size increases up to 50 nm, especially at 475ºC where a small fraction of grains reach larger values than the average. The grain size was evaluated by two different techniques, X-Ray Diffraction and Transmission Electron Microscopy. Results showed some differences between both methods. The advantage of using TEM is that grain size distribution, and not only the average size, can be obtained. Small discs were also obtained from the compacted specimen in order to fracture them on a “ball on three balls” equipment. The fracture behaviour of the samples was then studied by SEM.Postprint (published version

proMetalloproteinase-10 is associated with brain damage and clinical outcome in acute ischemic stroke

BACKGROUND: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) mediate tissue injury during stroke but also neurovascular remodeling and we have shown that MMP-10 is involved in atherothrombosis. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between proMMP-10 and clinical outcome, assessing inflammatory and proteolytic markers, in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: We prospectively studied 76 patients with ischemic stroke treated with tPA within the first 3 h from symptom onset, compared with 202 non-tPA-treated ischemic stroke patients and 83 asymptomatic subjects. Stroke severity was assessed with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Hemorrhagic transformation (HT) and severe brain edema were diagnosed by cranial CT. Good functional outcome was defined as a modified Rankin scale score </= 2 at 90 days. Serum levels of MMP-9, proMMP-10, TIMP-1, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), interleukin-6 and cellular fibronectin were measured at admission. The effect of TNFalpha on endothelial proMMP-10 was assessed in vitro. RESULTS: Serum proMMP-10 concentration in ischemic stroke patients, non-treated or treated with t-PA, which was higher than age-matched healthy subjects (P < 0.0001), was independently associated with higher infarct volume, severe brain edema, neurological deterioration and poor functional outcome at 3 months (all P < 0.05), but not with HT. proMMP-10 levels were also independently and positively associated with circulating levels of TNFalpha (P < 0.0001), which induced its endothelial expression in vitro, both mRNA and protein. MMP-9, however, was only associated with HT and severe edema (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Increased serum proMMP-10 after acute ischemic stroke, associated with TNFalpha, is a new marker of brain damage and poor outcome

Uso de Internet por los farmacéuticos comunitarios de Pontevedra y percepción de su utilidad en la relación con los pacientes

OBJETIVO Conocer el impacto de la utilización de Internet en la práctica profesional de los farmacéuticos comunitarios (FC) de Pontevedra, grado de utilización, finalidad del acceso a la información, barreras encontradas y la percepción que tienen de cómo influye en su relación con los pacientes.MÉTODO Estudio observacional descriptivo, transversal, en el que se administró un cuestionario ad hoc a los a FC de Pontevedra, basado en los encontrados en la literatura y adaptado a las características específicas de nuestra profesión y entorno por un grupo de expertos formado por cinco farmacéuticos comunitarios.RESULTADOS Se recogieron 159 cuestionarios (15,7% de los FC de la provincia). Uso profesional: 119 (74,8%) a diario. La información obtenida de Internet es considerada totalmente muy fiable por el 68,6%. Dificultades percibidas: la implantación de la receta electrónica ha restringido la entrada a algunas webs profesionales (71,1%), falta de tiempo en horario de trabajo (66,0%). Utilización de Internet en la relación con los pacientes: la mayoría de los farmacéuticos encuestados (55,3%) dice recibir 1 o 2 veces al mes consultas de pacientes sobre informaciones relacionadas con la salud obtenidas de Internet. El 18,8% de farmacéuticos creen interesante recibir a diario consultas de pacientes por correo electrónico, el 23,3% 1 o 2 veces a la semana, el 17,0% 1 o 2 veces al mes y el 40,9% no desean recibirlas nunca.CONCLUSIÓN Los farmacéuticos comunitarios de Pontevedra reconocen las posibilidades, pero todavía no perciben la utilidad de la e-interactividad con los pacientes y otros profesionales sanitarios

New phylogenetic insights into Saprolegniales (Oomycota, Straminipila) based upon studies of specimens isolated from Brazil and Argentina

Saprolegniales is a complex and monophyletic order of oomycetes. Their members inhabit terrestrial, freshwater, and marine ecosystems and have a worldwide distribution. In these ecosystems, they are found as saprobes, parasites, or even pathogens of animals and plants of economic importance. In this study, a concatenate phylogeny of the partial LSU and complete ITS rDNA regions is presented, including isolates from Brazil and Argentina, which were sequenced after a detailed morphological analysis. Among the sequenced species, Achlya orion, Leptolegnia eccentrica, Phragmosporangium uniseriatum, and Pythiopsis irregularis are included for the first time in a phylogeny. Our results are in agreement with the recent informal proposals outlined in taxonomic overviews of the Oomycota of G.W. Beakes and collaborators, who placed the family Verrucalvaceae into the Saprolegniales and introduced the family Achlyaceae to group Achlya s.s., Brevilegnia, Dictyuchus, and Thraustotheca. These results also support the transference of Achlya androgyna to Newbya. Leptolegnia appears as paraphyletic, with the separation of L. eccentrica from the other species of this genus. In addition, Phragmosporangium, which is herein sequenced for the first time, clustered as sister to some species of Aphanomyces, including the type species, A. stellatus.Fil: Rocha, Sarah C. O.. Instituto de Botânica. Núcleo de Pesquisa em Micologia; BrasilFil: Lopez Lastra, Claudia Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Marano, Agostina Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Instituto de Botânica. Núcleo de Pesquisa em Micologia; BrasilFil: de Souza, José Ivanildo. Instituto de Botânica. Núcleo de Pesquisa em Micologia; BrasilFil: Rueda Páramo, Manuel Enrique. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Centro de Estudios Parasitológicos y de Vectores; ArgentinaFil: Pires Zottarelli, Carmen L. A.. Instituto de Botânica. Núcleo de Pesquisa em Micologia; Brasi

Outer-disk reddening and gas-phase metallicities: The CALIFA connection

Based on observations collected at the German-Spanish Astronomical Center, Calar Alto, jointly operated by the Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie Heidelberg and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (CSIC ).CALIFA Team: et al.We study, for the first time in a statistically significant and well-defined sample, the relation between the outer-disk ionized-gas metallicity gradients and the presence of breaks in the surface brightness profiles of disk galaxies. Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) g′- and r′-band surface brightness, (g′ - r′) color, and ionized-gas oxygen abundance profiles for 324 galaxies within the Calar Alto Legacy Integral Field Area (CALIFA) survey are used for this purpose. We perform a detailed light-profile classification, finding that 84% of our disks show down- or up-bending profiles (Type II and Type III, respectively), while the remaining 16% are well fitted by one single exponential (Type I). The analysis of the color gradients at both sides of this break shows a U-shaped profile for most Type II galaxies with an average minimum (g′ - r′) color of ∼ 0.5mag and an ionized-gas metallicity flattening associated with it only in the case of low-mass galaxies. Comparatively, more massive systems show a rather uniform negative metallicity gradient. The correlation between metallicity flattening and stellar mass for these systems results in p-values as low as 0.01. Independent of the mechanism having shaped the outer light profiles of these galaxies, stellar migration or a previous episode of star formation in a shrinking star-forming disk, it is clear that the imprint in their ionized-gas metallicity was different for low- and high-mass Type II galaxies. In the case of Type III disks, a positive correlation between the change in color and abundance gradient is found (the null hypothesis is ruled out with a p-value of 0.02), with the outer disks of Type III galaxies with masses ≤10 M′ showing a weak color reddening or even a bluing. This is interpreted as primarily due to a mass downsizing effect on the population of Type III galaxies that recently experienced an enhanced inside-out growth.R. A. Marino is funded by the Spanish program of International Campus of Excellence Moncloa (CEI).We acknowledge support from the Plan Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo funding programs, AyA2010-15081, AyA2012-30717 and AyA2013-46724P, of Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). A.G.d.P. acknowledges the support from the FP7 Marie Curie Actions of the European Commission, via the Initial Training Network DAGAL under REA grant agreement PITNGA-2011-289313. C.C.-T. thanks the support of the Spanish Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte by means of the FPU fellowship program. C.J.W. acknowledges support through the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant 303912. Support for L.G. is provided by the Ministry of Economy, Development, and Tourism’s Millennium Science Initiative through grant IC 120009, awarded to The Millennium Institute of Astrophysics, MAS. L.G. acknowledges support by CONICYT through FONDECYT grant 3140566. S.F.S. thanks the CONACYT-125180 and DGAPA-IA100815 projects for providing him support in this study. J.M.A. acknowledges support from the European Research Council Starting Grant (SEDmorph; P.I. V. Wild). P.P. is supported by FCT through the Investigador FCT Contract No. IF/01220/2013 and POPH/FSE (EC) by FEDER funding through the program COMPETE. He also acknowledges support by FCT under project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-029170 (Reference FCT PTDC/FISAST/3214/2012), funded by FCT-MEC (PIDDAC) and FEDER (COMPETE).Peer Reviewe

CHAPTER 5: FORMATION AND EVOLUTION OF GALAXIES AND LARGE STRUCTURES

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