High-density balsamic vinegar: application of stable isotope ratio analysis to determine watering down

Balsamic vinegar of Modena (ABM) is a product obtained from concentrated grape must with the addition of wine vinegar. It can be adulterated with the addition of exogenous water. The official method EN16466-3, based on the analysis of the stable isotope ratio δ18O of the water, is not applicable to ABM with high density (above 1.20 at 20 °C). In this work, for the first time, the official method was modified, providing for a prior dilution of the sample and applying a correction of the data in order to eliminate the isotopic contribution of the diluent, whereupon the within- and between-day standard deviations of repeatability (Sr) were estimated. Considering the limit values of δ18O for vinegar and concentrated must, the threshold limit of δ18O, below which the ABM product can be considered adulterated, has been identified

Simultaneous sampling of vapor and particle-phase carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on functionalized glass fiber filters

The sampling of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the atmosphere is often performed on filters, which retain only aerosol particles, disregarding the vapor fraction; after the filter, an adsorbent (e.g., polyurethane foam, PUF, or styrene/divinylbenzene, XAD) is sometimes used for sampling vapors not retained from the filter. However, the use of an adsorbent may lead to many disadvantages: contaminations, analysis time and costs, and size problems when developing automated or personal samplers. In this work, a functionalized glass fiber filter for the simultaneous sampling of aerosol particles and vapor fraction is presented for the sampling of PAHs in air. A low sampling efficiency was observed for 3 ring PAHs, but all carcinogenic PAHs (according to IARC) were totally retained on functionalized filters. On the other hand, a comparison with normal filter sampling was performed, and results obtained confirm that > 10% of benzo(a)pyrene can be lost from normal filters. Together with size reduction, another advantage of the functionalized filter is an enhancement in the extraction and purification recovery. © Taiwan Association for Aerosol Research

Fatal Huge Left Free Wall Ventricular Rupture after Acute Posterior Myocardial Infarction

A 77-year-old man, with a recent history of an acute inferior myocardial infarction, was referred to our hospital with echocardiographic and clinical signs of left ventricular free wall rupture (LVFWR). The intraoperative finding demonstrated a huge double LVFWR. The inferoposterior wall was dramatically destroyed without any possibility to repair

Hypofractionation and Concomitant Boost in Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS): Analysis of a Prospective Case Series with Long-Term Follow-Up

We previously reported on a cohort of breast cancer patients affected with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that were treated with breast conservative surgery and hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy with a concomitant boost to the lumpectomy cavity. We now report on the long-term results of the oncological and toxicity outcomes, at a median follow-up of 11.2 years. We also include an analysis of the predictive factors for local recurrence (LR). Eighty-two patients with long-term observation were considered for this report. All received hypofractionated post-operative radiotherapy with a concomitant boost (45 Gy/20 fractions to the whole breast and 50 Gy/20 fractions to the lumpectomy cavity). We report on LC rates at 5 and 10 years, overall survival (OS), and breast-cancer-specific survival (BCSS), employing the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional regression analysis was used to determine the role of selected clinical parameters on the risk of local recurrence, by the univariate and multivariate models. After a median follow-up of 11.2 years (range 5-15 years), 9 pts (11%) developed LR. The LR rates at 5 years and 10 years were 2.4% and 8.2%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 98.8% and 91.6%, respectively. The 5- and 10-year breast-cancer-specific survival rates were 100.0% and 99.0%. Late skin and subcutaneous toxicities were generally mild, and cosmetic results were good-excellent for most patients. For the univariate regression analysis, ER positive status (HR; 95% CI, p = 0.021), PgR positive status (HR; 95% CI, p = 0.012), and the aggregate data of positive hormonal status (HR; 95% CI, p = 0.021) were inversely correlated to LR risk. Conversely, a high tumor grade (G3) was directly correlated with the risk of LR (HR; 95% CI, p = 0.048). For the multivariate regression analysis, a high tumor grade (G3) confirmed its negative impact on LR (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.19-0.75, p = 0.047). Our long-term data demonstrate hypofractionated whole-breast radiotherapy with a concomitant boost to be feasable, effective, and tolerable. Our experience suggests positive hormonal status to be protective with respect to LR risk. A high tumor grade is a risk factor for LR

GC-C-IRMS on single fatty acids and EA-IRMS on bulk lipid to study the fractionation processes in bovine organism and to detect differences in four matrices of Simmental cows fed on C3 and C4 diets

Fatty acids (FAs), carboxylic acids with a long aliphatic chain, detectable in both adipose tissue and muscle of animals, strongly contribute to different aspects of meat quality and are central to the nutritional value of this product [1]. Focusing of bovine meat, we must consider that the FAs may derive either from the animal diet only, as is the case with essential linoleic and linolenic acid, or from de novo endogenous synthesis, or both [2]. As for the biosynthetic pathway the FAs follow in cow organism, dietary FAs undergo substantial transformations into the digestive tract before depositing into the tissues. First, the hydrolyzation of complex lipids deriving from the diet, carried out by bacteria and protozoa in the rumen, produces long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) and other organic compounds [3]. Then, the free FAs released during hydrolysis are converted to saturated ones, primarily stearic and secondarily palmitic acid through biohydrogenation [3]. On exiting the rumen, the FAs flow into the duodenum, where the absorption takes place. Furthermore, the FAs reach the liver carried by the blood, whose flow, together with the FAs concentration, influences their supply to this organ [5]. In this work, two groups of multiparous cull cows fed according to two different dietary regimes (based on products deriving from plants characterized by either C3 or C4 photosynthetic cycle) were considered. The different paths C3 and C4 plants follow for CO2 fixations result in discriminating carbon isotopic ratios (δ13C). Therefore, the ability to distinguish between animals directly comes from the isotopic differences in the feeding regimes. Different cow compartments (rumen, duodenum, liver and meat) led to the diet-based discrimination of the animals. The presented results were obtained by analysing the δ13C of both the bulk lipidic extract through EA-IRMS and six FAs through GC-IRMS in each compartment. Furthermore, it is worth considering that several chemical reactions resulting in isotopic fractionation take place in the bovine organism. On this basis, the compound-specific analysis of the fatty acids in the different compartments of all cows gave the opportunity to compare the fractionation processes taking place in the bovine organism and to highlight differences depending on the dietary regime of the cows, whether C3- or C4- base

Psychosocial factors associated to low, medium and high risk of depressive symptoms in the immediate postpartum period

Objetivos: evaluar factores psicosociales asociados a síntomas depresivos en el posparto inmediato. Métodos: 45 mujeres puérperas de un hospital público de Buenos Aires, Argentina, fueron entrevistadas entre el 1er y el 3er día posparto, de marzo diciembre 2010. La Escala de Depresión Posnatal de Edimburgo (EPDS) fue administrada para evaluar síntomas depresivos. La entrevista psicológica perinatal (EPP) fue administrada para detectar variables psicosociales. A partir de los resultados obtenidos en la EPDS, se separó la muestra en tres grupos con diferentes grados de riesgo de sintomatología depresiva: “negativas o de bajo riesgo”, “positivas de riesgo medio” y “positivas de alto riesgo”. Los puntajes de corte utilizados fueron 9 y 19. Resultados: se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los tres grupos con violencia familiar, migración, historia previa de depresión, presencia de síntomas depresivos durante el embarazo y mayor cantidad de estresores. Conclusiones: el establecimiento de los dos puntajes de corte en la EPDS permite una detección temprana de las mujeres que presentan síntomas depresivos. Se sugiere la utilidad del puntaje de corte de 19 para la detección temprana de mujeres con mayor riesgo de desarrollar depresión posparto.Objectives: evaluate psychosocial factors associated to depressive symptoms during the immediate postpartum period. Methods: a total of 45 argentine puerperal women hospitalized in a public maternal hospital of Buenos Aires, Argentina, were interviewed on the 1st and 3rd day postpartum from March to December 2010. Aiming to assess the presence of depressive symptoms, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was administrated. The Perinatal Psychological Interview was administrated to explore psychosocial variables. Based on the scores obtained in the EPDS, the sample was separated in three different groups with increasing risk of depressive symptomatology: "negative or low risk", "positive medium risk" and "positive high risk". Cut-off scores were 9 and 19 points. Results: out of the total psychosocial variables analyzed, statistically significant differences were found among the three groups regarding family violence, migration, previous history of depression, depressive symptoms during pregnancy and increasing number of life events. Conclusions: the setting of two cut-off scores in EPDS allows the early detection of women with depressive symptoms. It is suggested the usefulness of cut-off value of 19 for early detection of women at high risk to developing postpartum depression.Fil: Paolini, Cynthia Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; ArgentinaFil: Oiberman, Alicia Juana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; ArgentinaFil: Balzano, Silvia Maria Zulema. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Bioproduction of a Therapeutic Vaccine Against Human Papillomavirus in Tomato Hairy Root Cultures

Human papillomavirus (HPV) tumor disease is a critical public health problem worldwide, especially in the developing countries. The recognized pathogenic function of E5, E6, and E7 oncoproteins offers the opportunity to devise therapeutic vaccines based on engineered recombinant proteins. The potential of plants to manufacture engineered compounds for pharmaceutical purposes, from small to complex protein molecules, allows the expression of HPV antigens and, possibly, the regulation of immune functions to develop very specific therapies as a reinforcement to available nonspecific therapies and preventive vaccination also in developed countries. Among plant-based expression formats, hairy root cultures are a robust platform combining the benefits of eukaryotic plant-based bioreactors, with those typical of cell cultures. In this work, to devise an experimental therapeutic vaccine against HPV, hairy root cultures were used to express a harmless form of the HPV type 16 E7 protein (E7*) fused to SAPKQ, a noncytotoxic form of the saporin protein from Saponaria officinalis, that we had shown to improve E7-specific cell-mediated responses as a fusion E7*-SAPKQ DNA vaccine. Hairy root clones expressing the E7*-SAPKQ candidate vaccine were obtained upon infection of leaf explants of Solanum lycopersicum using a recombinant plant expression vector. Yield was approximately 35.5 μg/g of fresh weight. Mouse immunization with vaccine-containing crude extracts was performed together with immunological and biological tests to investigate immune responses and anticancer activity, respectively. Animals were primed with either E7*-SAPKQ DNA-based vaccine or E7*-SAPKQ root extract-based vaccine and boosted with the same (homologous schedule) or with the other vaccine preparation (heterologous schedule) in the context of TC-1 experimental mouse model of HPV-associated tumor. All the formulations exhibited an immunological response associated to anticancer activity. In particular, DNA as prime and hairy root extract as boost demonstrated the highest efficacy. This work, based on the development of low-cost technologies, highlights the suitability of hairy root cultures as possible biofactories of therapeutic HPV vaccines and underlines the importance of the synergic combination of treatment modalities for future developments in this field

An Approach to Call-by-Name Delimited Continuations

International audienceWe show that a variant of Parigot's λμ-calculus, originally due to de Groote and proved to satisfy Böhm's theorem by Saurin, is canonically interpretable as a call-by-name calculus of delim- ited control. This observation is expressed using Ariola et al's call-by-value calculus of delimited control, an extension of λμ-calculus with delimited control known to be equationally equivalent to Danvy and Filinski's calculus with shift and reset. Our main result then is that de Groote and Saurin's variant of λμ-calculus is equivalent to a canonical call-by-name variant of Ariola et al's calculus. The rest of the paper is devoted to a comparative study of the call-by-name and call-by-value variants of Ariola et al's calculus, covering in particular the questions of simple typing, operational semantics, and continuation-passing-style semantics. Finally, we discuss the relevance of Ariola et al's calculus as a uniform framework for representing different calculi of delimited continuations, including "lazy" variants such as Sabry's shift and lazy reset calculus

Visualización de puntos críticos de funciones n-dimensionales mediante coordenadas paralelas

Si bien hay muchas herramientas que permiten visualizar funciones 2D, 3D y sus puntos críticos, no ocurre lo mismo cuando se quieren visualizar funciones de dimensiones mayores. La importancia de obtener visualizaciones de estas funciones n-dimensionales reside en el estudio de relaciones multivariadas ya que el entender la geometría subyacente de un problema puede proveer una comprensión crucial en lo que es posible y lo que no. La visualización permite lograr una rápida asimilación de esta información junto con el monitoreo de grandes cantidades de datos. En este trabajo describimos cómo visualizar funciones n-dimensionales y sus puntos críticos. Esta visualización está basada en un sistema de coordenadas paralelas que induce un mapeo no proyectivo entre conjuntos de Rn en R2.Eje: Programación de imágenesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI