McCLEC, a robust and stable enzymatic based microreactor platform

A microfluidic chip for cross-linked enzyme crystals (McCLEC) is presented and demonstrated to be a stable, reusable and robust biocatalyst-based device with very promising biotechnological applications. The cost-effective microfluidic platform allows in situ crystallization, cross-linking and enzymatic reaction assays on a single device. A large number of enzymatic reuses of the McCLEC platform were achieved and a comparative analysis is shown illustrating the efficiency of the process and its storage stability for more than one year.This work has been partly funded by the MICINN (Spain) projects BIO2010-16800 (JAG) and BIO2012-34937 (SMR), the European Commission (Contract No. 317916) under the LiPhos project (AL and IRR), “Factoría Española de Cristalización” Consolider-Ingenio 2010 (JAG and MCM) and EDRF Funds (JAG and AL). MCM thanks the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC, Spain) for a JAE predoc fellowship

Thermodynamic modeling of neodymium and cerium oxalates reactive precipitation in concentrated nitric acid media

Rare earth oxalates precipitation is extendedly used in hydrometallurgical processes related to rare earth recycling methods and treatment of radioactive liquid wastes, where rare earth elements are separated from other fission products. For a deeper comprehension of this reactive precipitation process, the thermodynamic modeling of the oxalate-rare earth systems in nitric acid aqueous media is presented for neodymium and cerium systems, due to their distinctive relevance among the rare earth elements. A Pitzer model was selected for the modeling, which was developed using the implementation present within PHREEQC software. Calculations were launched through a COM interface with Matlab® and PHREEQC database was complemented by adjustment of the individual Pitzer coefficients for each species interaction to experimental data reported in literature and own experimental water activity measurements required to complete the study. The implemented model is able to accurately predict oxalate-rare earth solubility in a wide range of rare earth and nitric acid concentrations up to >10 m

Ultra-fast precipitation of transient amorphous cerium oxalate in concentrated nitric acid media

Amorphous cerium oxalate is characterized and reported here for the first time as a primary nucleating transient precursor for a more stable crystalline hydrated phase, at high supersaturation and in strong acid solutions. Preliminary results point out an initial binodal phase separation leading to precipitation

Integración intercultural en el contexto universitario cubano: programa de intervención psicosocial para su promoción.

La subjetividad es un factor mediador de la producción y reproducción de la contradicción integración - exclusión en el contacto intercultural. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo proponer un programa de intervención psicosocial, para la promoción de la integración intercultural en la Universidad Central "Marta Abreu" de Las Villas, desde un enfoque histórico-cultural de las mediaciones por la subjetividad. La investigación se adscribió al modelo de investigación interventiva y a un enfoque cualitativo constructivo interpretativo. En este marco, se realizó una sistematización de experiencias y se propuso un programa de intervención psicosocial. El programa para la promoción de la integración intercultural desde un enfoque histórico-cultural de las mediaciones por la subjetividad integra: fundamentos teórico-metodológicos psicosociales, la estructura organizativa y la evaluación del programa. La evaluación del programa, antes de su implementación, correspondió al tipo de evaluación cualitativa, ex ante y externa. Produjo valoraciones sobre las fortalezas y debilidades del programa, así como recomendaciones para hacer más efectivo el programa de intervención, en función de las cuales se introdujeron modificaciones Subjectivity is a mediating factor in the production and reproduction of the integration - exclusion contradiction in intercultural contact. The objective of the study was to propose a program of psychosocial intervention for the promotion of intercultural integration at the Central University of Las Villas from a historical-cultural approach of mediations by subjectivity. The research was ascribed to the interventional research model and to a qualitative constructive interpretive approach. Within this framework, a systematization of experiences was carried out and a psychosocial intervention program was proposed. The proposed psychosocial intervention program for the promotion of intercultural integration in the UCLV from a historical-cultural approach to mediations by subjectivity content: psychosocial theoretical-methodological foundations, the organizational structure and the evaluation of the program. The evaluation of the psychosocial intervention program before its implementation corresponded to the type of qualitative evaluation, ex ante and external. It produced assessments of the strengths and weaknesses of the program, as well as recommendations to make the intervention proposal more effective, based on which modifications were introduce

MEXICAN WILD LUPINES AS A SOURCE OF QUINOLIZIDINE ALKALOIDS OF ECONOMIC POTENTIAL

Quinolizidine alkaloids such as lupanine,13-hydroxylupanine, multiflorine, angustifoline and sparteine, which are present inthe species of the genus Lupinus, have beenreported to have biopesticide and pharmacological activities. The aim of this studywas to quantify the content and variationof the individual alkaloids in seeds of L.mexicanus, L. exaltatus, L. montanus andL. stipulatus collected in different states ofMexico. Lupanine was the major (5.05 ±0.37 mg/g) alkaloid found in L. mexicanus,whereas sparteine was the main alkaloidpresent in L. montanus (3.97 ± 0.49 mg/g).Conversely, L. stipulatus contained onlysmall quantities of lupanine and sparteine(0.1 ± 0.002 and 0.04 ± 0.01 mg/g, respectively). Angustifoline was detected only in L.montanus, but in a very low amount (0.048± 0.03). The results of this study indicatethat L. mexicanus and L. montanus can beconsidered as important sources of lupanine and sparteine for their use as natural pesticide or pharmacological agents.Los alcaloides quinolizidinicos lupanina,13-hidroxilupanina, multiflorina, angustifolina y esparteina, presentes en el géneroLupinus poseen actividades bioplagiciday farmacológica. El objetivo del presenteestudio fue cuantificar el contenido y variación de los alcaloides mencionados ensemillas de L. mexicanus, L. exaltatus, L.montanus y L. stipulatus, colectados endiferentes estados de México. La lupaninafue el principal (5.05 ± 0.37mg /g) alcaloideencontrado en L. mexicanus, mientras que laesparteína fue el mayor alcaloide presente en L. montanus (3.97 ± 0.49 mg/g). Sinembargo, en L. stipulatus se encontraron pequeñas cantidades de lupanina y esparteína(0.1 ± 0.002 y 0.04 ± 0.01 mg/g, respectivamente). La angustifolina sólo se detectóen bajos niveles en L. montanus (0.048 ±0.03). Los resultados de este estudio indicanque L. mexicanus y L. montanus pueden serconsiderados como una fuente importantede lupanina y esparteína, los cuales puedenser utilizados como pesticidas o hipoglucé-micos naturales

Aging Impairs Reverse Remodeling and Recovery of Ventricular Function after Isoproterenol-Induced Cardiomyopathy

Abstract: Information about heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in women and the potential effects of aging in the female heart is scarce. We investigated the vulnerability to develop HFrEF in female elderly mice compared to young animals, as well as potential differences in reverse remodeling. First, HF was induced by isoproterenol infusion (30 mg/kg/day, 28 days) in young (10-week-old) and elderly (22-month-old) female mice. In a second set of animals, mice underwent isoproterenol infusion followed by no treatment during 28 additional days. Cardiac remodeling was assessed by echocardiography, histology and gene expression of collagen-I and collagen-III. Following isoproterenol infusion, elderly mice developed similar HFrEF features compared to young animals, except for greater cell hypertrophy and tissue fibrosis. After beta-adrenergic withdrawal, young female mice experienced complete reversal of the HFrEF phenotype. Conversely, reversed remodeling was impaired in elderly animals, with no significant recovery of LV ejection fraction, cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and collagen deposition. In conclusion, chronic isoproterenol infusion is a valid HF model for elderly and young female mice and induces a similar HF phenotype in both. Elderly animals, unlike young, show impaired reverse remodeling, with persistent tissue fibrosis and cardiac dysfunction even after beta-adrenergic withdrawal

Broadcasting photonic lab on a chip concept through a low cost manufacturing approach

A low cost fabrication process for photonic lab on a chip systems is here proposed. For the implementation of the masters suitable for cast molding fabrication, an inexpensive dry film photoresist, patternable using standard laboratory equipment, is benchmarked against standardized SU-8 masters obtained using UV lithography and systems manufacture in clean room facilities. Results show adequate system fabrication and a comparable performance of the photonic structures for absorbance/extinction measurements

Innovative high-throughput SAXS methodologies based on photonic lab-on-a-chip sensors: application to macromolecular studies

The relevance of coupling droplet-based Photonic Lab-on-a-Chip (PhLoC) platforms and Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering (SAXS) technique is here highlighted for the performance of high throughput investigations, related to the study of protein macromolecular interactions. With this configuration, minute amounts of sample are required to obtain reliable statistical data. The PhLoC platforms presented in this work are designed to allow and control an effective mixing of precise amounts of proteins, crystallization reagents and buffer in nanoliter volumes, and the subsequent generation of nanodroplets by means of a two-phase flow. Spectrophotometric sensing permits a fine control on droplet generation frequency and stability as well as on concentration conditions, and finally the droplet flow is synchronized to perform synchrotron radiation SAXS measurements in individual droplets (each one acting as an isolated microreactor) to probe protein interactions. With this configuration, droplet physic-chemical conditions can be reproducibly and finely tuned, and monitored without cross-contamination, allowing for the screening of a substantial number of saturation conditions with a small amount of biological material. The setup was tested and validated using lysozyme as a model of study. By means of SAXS experiments, the proteins gyration radius and structure envelope were calculated as a function of protein concentration. The obtained values were found to be in good agreement with previously reported data, but with a dramatic reduction of sample volume requirements compared to studies reported in the literature

Caracterización del tratamiento neoadyuvante y quirúrgico del cáncer de mama localmente avanzado

A descriptive, longitudinal and prospective study was conducted in order to evaluate the behavior of locally advanced breast cancer –according to its clinical, surgical and anatomopathologic features– in patients diagnosed with stage III and with indication of neoadjuvant chemotherapy at the Arnaldo Milian Castro and the Celestino Hernández Robau University Hospitals in Villa Clara during the period from January 2007 to December 2010. A sample of 52 patients was taken out of the total of cases with histological diagnosis. The data were obtained from the charge sheets of the statistics department, medical records and biopsy ballots, which were recorded in a form. It was found that locally advanced breast cancer predominated in ages from 40 to 59, located in the left breast and the upper outer quadrant, according to the histology of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. The neoadjuvant and anatomo-pathologic scheme most commonly used was adriamycin plus cyclophosphamide, with partial clinical and anatomo- pathologic response, although when adding Doxatacel the clinical response was better, resulting in a significant decrease in the post-neoadjuvant therapy and final anatomo-pathologic stages. The most common surgery performed was the modified radical mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection. The breast-conserving surgery was conducted in a significant number of patients, where the most common contraindication was the presence of multicentric disease. It is recommended that new randomized trials are conducted in order to assess the neoadjuvant therapy and establish monitoring protocols to increase the candidates for breast-conserving surgery.Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal y prospectivo con el objetivo de evaluar el comportamiento del cáncer mamario localmente avanzado, según sus características clínico-quirúrgicas y anatomo-patológicas, en pacientes diagnosticadas en estadio III y con indicación de quimioterapia neoadyuvante atendidas en los Hospitales Universitarios “Arnaldo Milián Castro” y “Celestino Hernández Robau”, de Villa Clara, en el período de enero de 2007 a diciembre de 2010. Del total de enfermas con diagnóstico histológico se tomó una muestra de 52 pacientes; se obtuvieron los datos a partir de las hojas de cargos del Departamento de Estadística, las historias clínicas y las boletas de biopsia y fueron almacenados en un modelo; se encontró que el cáncer de mama localmente avanzado predominó en la edad comprendida entre 40-59 años, y que está localizado en la mama izquierda y el cuadrante superior externo, según la histología del carcinoma ductal infiltrante; el esquema neoadyuvante y anatomo-patológico más empleado fue la adriamicina más ciclosfosfamida, con respuesta clínica y anatomo-patológica parcial, aunque al añadir doxatacel la respuesta clínica fue superior y se obtuvo un descenso significativo en los estadios posterapia neoadyuvante y anatomo-patológico final; la operación que más se realizó fue la mastectomía radical modificada y la disección de ganglios linfáticos axilares y se aplicó la conservadora de mama en un número apreciable de pacientes, en las que la contraindicación más frecuente fue la presencia de enfermedad multicéntrica. Se recomienda realizar nuevos ensayos clínicos randomizados para valorar la terapia neoadyuvante y establecer protocolos de monitorización para aumentar el número de candidatas a la intervención quirúrgica conservadora de la mama