Lamotrigine treatment of aggression in female borderline patients, Part II: an 18-month follow-up

Borderline patients often display pathological aggression. We previously tested lamotrigine, an anti-convulsant, in therapy for aggression in women with borderline personality disorder (BPD) (J Psychopharmacol 2005; 19: 287–291), and found significant changes on most scales of the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI) after eight weeks. To assess the longerterm efficacy of lamotrigine in therapy for aggression in women with BPD, this 18-month follow-up observation was carried out, in which patients (treated with lamotrigine: n = 18; former placebo group: n = 9) were tested every six months. According to the intent-to-treat principle, significant changes on all scales of the STAXI were observed in the lamotrigine-treated subjects. All subjects tolerated lamotrigine relatively well. Lamotrigine appears to be an effective and relatively safe agent in the longer-term treatment of aggression in women with BPD

Lipid oxidation inhibition by natural tocopherols increases the nutritional value of tuna salami

Introduction: The quality attributes of fish products deteriorate due to the lipid oxidation during processing and storage. Tuna salami is highly susceptible to oxidation, which can precipitate health hazards and economic losses in terms of inferior product quality. Methods: The effect of adding different natural antioxidants on the lipid oxidation, colour and fatty acid profile of tuna salami after nine days of storage at 4 ºC was assessed. Three different commercial mixes of tocopherols were added during the production of the tuna salami and samples were sliced and refrigerated for 9 days. Results: The lipid oxidation increased from 0.98 to 4.03 mg of malondialdehyde/kg. The oxidation process was inhibited by DLT-100 and VIT-100; however, RNX10 did not blunt the oxidative process. VIT and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) reduced the total unsaturated fatty acid reduction. The RNX did not prevent the reduction of the a* value. Conclusion: It was concluded that tocopherols supplementation kept the nutritional value of tuna salami mainly by lipid oxidation inhibition.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Column-switching linked to large sample volumes to preconcentrate beta-blockers at trace levels in environmental water

This paper describes about an automated on-line enrichment method for the simultaneous determination of seven beta-blockers in river water using a short liquid chromatography column for preconcentration coupled with LC-DAD. The method performs the preconcentration of 30mL of river water samples (5% organic modifier) using a 50mm×4.6mm C18 column for enrichment and a 150mm×4.6mm C18 column for separation, allowing the determination of beta-blockers at trace levels in river water. The analytical procedure was developed by optimizing the breakthrough parameters (flow rate, time of preconcentration and percentage of organic modifier added to the sample) in order to achieve the maximum sensitivity, and by optimizing the mobile phase (composition and flow rate) to get adequate separation of the components in a reasonable analysis time. Under the optimized conditions, the method was validated with respect to linearity, precision, limits of detection, limits of quantification and accuracy. Detection and quantitation limits ranged between 0.1 and 3.1 and between 1.0 and 5.0 ng mL−1, respectively, whereas the RSD on inter-day precision was below 8%. To cope with the matrix effect in the determination of these drugs in river water samples, the standard addition methodology was successfully applied. Recoveries ranging from 81 to 115% proved the accuracy of the methodology proposed in this work

Simulation of the contact wire wear evolution in high speed overhead contact lines

[EN] The overhead contact line or catenary is the structure composed of support elements and wires responsible for the power supply of the locomotive through sliding contact with the pantograph. This contact causes wear not only on the pantograph contact strips but also in the contact wire, which produces a reduction on its effective section and eventually its replacement, resulting in the stoppage of the rolling stock with its associate economical and operational drawbacks. For this reason, it is important for catenary designers to count with appropriate tools able to predict the contact wire wear behaviour for extending the service life of the system. This work proposes a strategy to simulate the long-term contact wire wear evolution considering the mutual influence between the dynamic behaviour and wear of the system. The method is based on two pillars: the efficient simulation of the catenary-pantograph dynamic interaction and a heuristic wear model which considers mechanical wear due to friction and electrical wear produced by Joule effect and electric arcs. With the proposed simulation tool, we analyse the effect on the long-term contact wire worn height of the train speed.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support received from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (TRA2017-84736-R).Gregori, S.; Gil, J.; Tur, M.; Pedrosa, A.; Fuenmayor, FJ. (2022). Simulation of the contact wire wear evolution in high speed overhead contact lines. En Proceedings of the YIC 2021 - VI ECCOMAS Young Investigators Conference. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 295-303. https://doi.org/10.4995/YIC2021.2021.12566OCS29530

Biosensors Platform Based on Chitosan/AuNPs/Phthalocyanine Composite Films for the Electrochemical Detection of Catechol. The Role of the Surface Structure

Producción CientíficaBiosensor platforms consisting of layer by layer films combining materials with different functionalities have been developed and used to obtain improved catechol biosensors. Tyrosinase (Tyr) or laccase (Lac) were deposited onto LbL films formed by layers of a cationic linker (chitosan, CHI) alternating with layers of anionic electrocatalytic materials (sulfonated copper phthalocyanine, CuPcS or gold nanoparticles, AuNP). Films with different layer structures were successfully formed. Characterization of surface roughness and porosity was carried out using AFM. Electrochemical responses towards catechol showed that the LbL composites efficiently improved the electron transfer path between Tyr or Lac and the electrode surface, producing an increase in the intensity over the response in the absence of the LbL platform. LbL structures with higher roughness and pore size facilitated the diffusion of catechol, resulting in lower LODs. The [(CHI)-(AuNP)-(CHI)-(CuPcS)]2-Tyr showed an LOD of 8.55∙10−4 μM, which was one order of magnitude lower than the 9.55·10−3 µM obtained with [(CHI)-(CuPcS)-(CHI)-(AuNP)]2-Tyr, and two orders of magnitude lower than the obtained with other nanostructured platforms. It can be concluded that the combination of adequate materials with complementary activity and the control of the structure of the platform is an excellent strategy to obtain biosensors with improved performances.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project RTI2018-097990-B-100)Junta de Castilla y Leon - Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (project VA275P18)Infraestructuras Red de Castilla y León (grant UVA01

Modelos matemáticos de neuronas

En el presente trabajo se prentende la inmersión en el mundo de los modelos matemáticos de neuronas. En primer lugar, se expone uno de los más modelos más significativos llevado a cabo por Hodgkin y Huxley, con el cual se llevaron el premio Nobel. Este modelo es capaz de describir la generación y propagación del potencial de acción. Por otro lado, la complejidad del modelo anterior en cuanto a estructura lleva a que se presenta el modelo de Hindmarsh y Rose, el cual presentaron posteriormente. Se pretende realizar un estudio cualitativo del mismo con el fin de entender la dinámica neuronal que se sucede durante una acción potencial

Biomedical applications of human cathelicidin

[Excerpt] Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are good candidates to treat burn wounds, a major cause of morbidity, impaired life quality and resources consumption in developed countries. Tuberculosis (TB), a disease caused by the human pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis, represents the second world’s deadliest infectious disease, affecting around 9 million people worldwide in 2013. Of those, about 1.1 million died from the disease. The potential of cathelicin, a human AMP, in the treatment of mycobacteriosis and wound regeneration was assessed in pre-clinical trials. (...

Los Planes de Igualdad y su contenido en materia de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales

En este trabajo se estudia, mediante la realización de un análisis comparativo, el contenido relativo a la prevención de riesgos laborales en los planes de igualdad de las empresas. Se realiza, en primer lugar, una aproximación teórica de los planes de igualdad, su enmarcación jurídica, forma de elaboración y materias que las empresas deben incluir. Posteriormente, se lleva a cabo un análisis de la protección específica que se da en la legislación aplicable a la mujer trabajadora en cuanto a prevención de riesgos laborales en nuestro país, estudiando los riesgos específicos y que afectan con especial incidencia a las trabajadoras. Finalmente, se examina una muestra de quince planes de igualdad recientes de importantes empresas en España centrándose en su contenido en prevención de riesgos laborales, y se lleva a cabo asimismo un estudio comparativo y un análisis crítico de dicho contenido en los mismos, llegándose a la conclusión de que se hace cada vez más patente la necesidad de introducir la perspectiva de género en la prevención de riesgos laborales en nuestro país, y de que esto debe hacerse a través de la incorporación en los planes de medidas concretas de acción y de un mayor fomento de esta materia a través de la Ley y las instituciones

Evolución de la composición corporal y otros parámetros antropométricos en paciente tratado con dieta proteinada

La “dieta proteinada” consiste en la administración de proteínas de alto valor biológico para mantener un balance nitrogenado en equilibrio, junto a la reducción de glúcidos y lípidos, con cierto grado de “cetosis controlada”, que persigue un balance calórico lo suficientemente negativo como para producir una pérdida ponderal rápida y efectiva. El objetivo principal del presente trabajo es comprobar la evolución del peso corporal en un paciente sometido a tratamiento con “dieta proteinada” (Programa Pronokal), valorando para ello la evolución de datos antropométricos tales como el índice de masa corporal, el porcentaje de masa grasa, porcentaje de agua corporal total y porcentaje de masa libre de grasa, entre otros. Se estudiarán las bases en las que se sustenta la “dieta proteinada”, haciendo mención a la composición de los “Productos Pronokal” y del “programa de reeducación alimentaria” que lleva consigo este programa con la finalidad de no recuperar el peso perdido. Se realizará un análisis crítico de los documentos y estudios realizados sobre dicha dieta, plasmando los efectos beneficiosos y perjudiciales de la misma. En la metodología utilizaremos fórmulas y ecuaciones derivadas de las técnicas de exploración antropométrica habitual, útiles para comprobar la composición corporal del individuo, así como fórmulas y métodos estadísticos propios de la estadística descriptiva y comparativa de resultados. Nos apoyaremos en el uso del material necesario para realizar una valoración de la composición corporal completa como por ejemplo, báscula de impedancia bioeléctrica TANITA, el tallímetro y la cinta métrica. Se valorará, también, la evolución de la paciente desde el punto de vista clínico, analizando algunos parámetros bioquímicos y la presión arterial antes de haberse sometido a la dieta proteinada y tras su finalización. Finalmente se llevarán a cabo unas conclusiones, contrastando información sobre estudios realizados con este método de tratamiento y los resultados obtenidos en los pacientes sometidos a dicha dieta en nuestro estudio, valorando la efectividad de la dieta en la pérdida ponderal y comparándola con otros métodos dietéticos de adelgazamiento

The relationship between alexithymia and salivary cortisol levels in somatoform disorders

The purpose of this study was to investigate cortisol levels as a function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) in relation to alexithymia in patients with somatoform disorders (SFD). Diurnal salivary cortisol was sampled in 32 patients with SFD who also underwent a psychiatric examination and filled in questionnaires (Toronto Alexithymia Scale, TAS scale; Screening for Somatoform Symptoms, SOMS scale; Hamilton Depression Scale, HAMD). The mean TAS total score in the sample was 55.69.6, 32% of patients being classified as alexithymic on the basis of their TAS scores. Depression scores were moderate (HAMD=13.2, Beck Depression Inventory, BDI=16.5). The patients' alexithymia scores (TAS scale Difficulty identifying feelings) correlated significantly positively with their somatization scale scores (Symptom Checklist-90 Revised, SCL-90-R); r=0.3438 (P0.05) and their scores on the Global Severity Index (GSI) on the SCL-90-R; r=0.781 (P0.01). Regression analysis was performed with cortisol variables as the dependent variables. Cortisol levels [measured by the area under the curve-ground (AUC-G), area under the curve-increase (AUC-I) and morning cortisol (MCS)] were best predicted in a multiple linear regression model by lower depressive scores (HAMD) and more psychopathological symptoms (SCL-90-R). No significant correlations were found between the patients' alexithymia scores (TAS) and cortisol levels. The healthy control group (n=25) demonstrated significantly higher cortisol levels than did the patients with SFD; in both tests P0.001 for AUC-G and AUC-I. However, the two groups did not differ in terms of their mean morning cortisol levels (P0.05). The results suggest that pre-existing hypocortisolism might possibly be associated with SFD