Ischemic postconditioning reduces reperfusion arrhythmias by adenosine receptors and protein kinase C activation but is independent of KATP channels or connexin 43

Funding: This study was supported by Secretaría de Investigación, Internacionales y Posgrado, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (06/J505) and by the Spanish, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERCV), cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF-FEDER, a way to build Europe), and by Fundació La Marató de TV3 (n◦. 201536-10). Antonio Rodríguez-Sinovas has a consolidated Miguel Servet contract. Jose A. Sánchez was supported by the International Research Training Group 1566 on Protecting the Heart from Ischemia (PROMISE).Ischemic postconditioning (IPoC) reduces reperfusion arrhythmias but the antiarrhythmic mechanisms remain unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze IPoC electrophysiological effects and the role played by adenosine A, A and A receptors, protein kinase C, ATP-dependent potassium (K) channels, and connexin 43. IPoC reduced reperfusion arrhythmias (mainly sustained ventricular fibrillation) in isolated rat hearts, an effect associated with a transient delay in epicardial electrical activation, and with action potential shortening. Electrical impedance measurements and Lucifer-Yellow diffusion assays agreed with such activation delay. However, this delay persisted during IPoC in isolated mouse hearts in which connexin 43 was replaced by connexin 32 and in mice with conditional deletion of connexin 43. Adenosine A, A and A receptor blockade antagonized the antiarrhythmic effect of IPoC and the associated action potential shortening, whereas exogenous adenosine reduced reperfusion arrhythmias and shortened action potential duration. Protein kinase C inhibition by chelerythrine abolished the protective effect of IPoC but did not modify the effects on action potential duration. On the other hand, glibenclamide, a K inhibitor, antagonized the action potential shortening but did not interfere with the antiarrhythmic effect. The antiarrhythmic mechanisms of IPoC involve adenosine receptor activation and are associated with action potential shortening. However, this action potential shortening is not essential for protection, as it persisted during protein kinase C inhibition, a maneuver that abolished IPoC protection. Furthermore, glibenclamide induced the opposite effects. In addition, IPoC delays electrical activation and electrical impedance recovery during reperfusion, but these effects are independent of connexin 43

Evolution of growth rates in triploid and diploid turbot Scophthalmus maximus (L., 1758)

El crecimiento de los peces triploides de diversas especies ha sido objetivo de múltiples trabajos cuyos resultados no indican una pauta sostenida de comportamiento en cuanto a esta variable, obteniéndose a menudo resultados contradictorios, incluso entre individuos de la misma especie. En este trabajo se analizan las tasas de crecimiento de dos grupos de individuos triploides de rodaballo Scophthalmus maximus (L., 1758) producidos mediante la técnica de choques térmicos fríos en distintos momentos y procedentes de diferentes stocks reproductores. Los datos indican que no hay diferencias entre los diploides y los triploides y, además, que las similitudes son mayores entre cada grupo y su control que entre los grupos del mismo[Abstract] The literature on the growth rates of triploid fish before reaching maturity is inconclusive, often reporting contradictory results, even between individuals of the same species. The present paper analyses the growth rate of two groups of diploid and triploid turbot Scophthalmus maximus (L., 1758). The triploids were produced through the technique of thermal cold shocks. The specimens originated from two different broodstocks. No differencesInstituto Español de Oceanografí

Application of microsatellite markers to the management of farmed stocks of turbot Scophthalmus maximus (L., 1758)

In the present study, eight microsatellite loci were used to estimate genetic relatedness and pedigree determination in turbot Scophthalmus maximus (L., 1758). Through genotypic analysis of broodstocks and their progenies, from two different turbot hatcheries, the capacity of these loci to correctly classify individuals as related or non-related was examined. Relatedness coefficients among related and non-related individuals presented means close to those theoretically expected, and the percentages of related individuals included in all relatedness coefficients found to be below the R = 0 value ranged from 0% (hatchery A) to 29 % (hatchery B). The identification of both parents for each individual was possible in more than 80 % of the cases from hatchery A, but only 41% of those from hatchery B.Se utilizaron ocho loci microsatélites en la estimación de relaciones genéticas y determinación de pedigríes en rodaballo Scophthalmus maximus (L., 1758). Mediante el análisis de los genotipos de reproductores y descendientes de dos piscifactorías se investigó la capacidad de los loci para clasificar correctamente a los individuos como emparentados o no. Las distribuciones de los coeficientes de relación genética (R) entre individuos emparentados y no relacionados exhiben medias cercanas a las esperadas teóricamente y el porcentaje de individuos emparentados que forman el total de coeficientes de relación genética que se encuentran por debajo del valor R = 0 oscilan entre el 0 % (estación A) y el 29 % (estación B). Así mismo, la identificación correcta de ambos parentales para cada descendiente fue posible en más del 80 % de los casos en la estación A y en sólo el 41 % en la estación B.Instituto Español de Oceanografí

PET tracers for clinical imaging of breast cancer

Molecular imaging of breast cancer has undoubtedly permitted a substantial development of the overall diagnostic accuracy of this malignancy in the last years. Accurate tumour staging, design of individually suited therapies, response evaluation, early detection of recurrence and distant lesions have also evolved in parallel with the development of novel molecular imaging approaches. In this context, positron emission tomography (PET) can be probably seen as the most interesting molecular imaging technology with straightforward clinical application for such purposes. Dozens of radiotracers for PET imaging of breast cancer have been tested in laboratory animals. However, in this review we shall focus mainly in the smaller group of PET radiopharmaceuticals that have lead through into the clinical setting. PET imaging can be used to target general metabolic phenomena related to tumoural transformation, including glucose metabolism and cell proliferation, but can also be directed to specific hormone receptors that are characteristic of the breast cancer cell. Many other receptors and transport molecules present in the tumour cells could also be of interest for imaging. Furthermore, molecules related with the tumour microenvironment, tumour induced angiogenesis or even hypoxia could also be used as molecular biomarkers for breast cancer imaging

Exploring Health Science Students’ Notions on Organ Donation and Transplantation: A Multicenter Study

The knowledge acquired during university education about organ donation and transplantation (ODT) decisively influences the information future health professionals transmit. This is important in ODT where the participation of the general public is essential to obtain organs. Objective: To determine notions of Spanish medicine and nursing students on ODT and its relationship with attitude toward ODT. Methods and Design: and design. We conducted a sociologic, multicenter, and observational study. The population for our study consisted of medical and nursing students in Spanish universities. Our database was the Collaborative International Donor Project, stratified by geographic area and academic course. A validated questionnaire (PCID-DTO-RIOS) was self-administered and completed anonymously. Our sample consisted of 9598 medical and 10, 566 nursing students (99% confidence interval; precision of ±1%), stratified by geographic area and year of study. Results: The completion rate for our study was 90%. Only 20% (n=3640) of students thought their notions on ODT were good; 41% (n=7531) thought their notions were normal; 36% (n=6550) thought their notions were scarce. Comparing groups, there were differences between those who believed that their notions on ODT were good (44% nursing vs 56% medical students; P < .000), and those who believed it scarce (54% nursing vs 46% medical students; P < .000). Notions on ODT were related with attitude toward the donation of one''s own organs: those who considered their notions were good were more in favor then those who considered it scarce (88% vs 72%; P < .000). Conclusion: Only 20% of Spanish medical and nursing students thought their notions on ODT were good. Having good knowledge is related to a favorable attitude towards ODT. Receiving specific information on the subject could improve their knowledge about ODT during their training

The Fluorescence Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a hybrid detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It combines a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level together with a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The fluorescence detector comprises 24 large telescopes specialized for measuring the nitrogen fluorescence caused by charged particles of cosmic ray air showers. In this paper we describe the components of the fluorescence detector including its optical system, the design of the camera, the electronics, and the systems for relative and absolute calibration. We also discuss the operation and the monitoring of the detector. Finally, we evaluate the detector performance and precision of shower reconstructions.Comment: 53 pages. Submitted to Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section

Anisotropy studies around the galactic centre at EeV energies with the Auger Observatory

Data from the Pierre Auger Observatory are analyzed to search for anisotropies near the direction of the Galactic Centre at EeV energies. The exposure of the surface array in this part of the sky is already significantly larger than that of the fore-runner experiments. Our results do not support previous findings of localized excesses in the AGASA and SUGAR data. We set an upper bound on a point-like flux of cosmic rays arriving from the Galactic Centre which excludes several scenarios predicting sources of EeV neutrons from Sagittarius $A$. Also the events detected simultaneously by the surface and fluorescence detectors (the `hybrid' data set), which have better pointing accuracy but are less numerous than those of the surface array alone, do not show any significant localized excess from this direction.Comment: Matches published versio

Evidence for a mixed mass composition at the `ankle' in the cosmic-ray spectrum

We report a first measurement for ultra-high energy cosmic rays of the correlation between the depth of shower maximum and the signal in the water Cherenkov stations of air-showers registered simultaneously by the fluorescence and the surface detectors of the Pierre Auger Observatory. Such a correlation measurement is a unique feature of a hybrid air-shower observatory with sensitivity to both the electromagnetic and muonic components. It allows an accurate determination of the spread of primary masses in the cosmic-ray flux. Up till now, constraints on the spread of primary masses have been dominated by systematic uncertainties. The present correlation measurement is not affected by systematics in the measurement of the depth of shower maximum or the signal in the water Cherenkov stations. The analysis relies on general characteristics of air showers and is thus robust also with respect to uncertainties in hadronic event generators. The observed correlation in the energy range around the `ankle' at $\lg(E/{\rm eV})=18.5-19.0$ differs significantly from expectations for pure primary cosmic-ray compositions. A light composition made up of proton and helium only is equally inconsistent with observations. The data are explained well by a mixed composition including nuclei with mass $A > 4$. Scenarios such as the proton dip model, with almost pure compositions, are thus disfavoured as the sole explanation of the ultrahigh-energy cosmic-ray flux at Earth.Comment: Published version. Added journal reference and DOI. Added Report Numbe

The exposure of the hybrid detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Observatory is a detector for ultra-high energy cosmic rays. It consists of a surface array to measure secondary particles at ground level and a fluorescence detector to measure the development of air showers in the atmosphere above the array. The "hybrid" detection mode combines the information from the two subsystems. We describe the determination of the hybrid exposure for events observed by the fluorescence telescopes in coincidence with at least one water-Cherenkov detector of the surface array. A detailed knowledge of the time dependence of the detection operations is crucial for an accurate evaluation of the exposure. We discuss the relevance of monitoring data collected during operations, such as the status of the fluorescence detector, background light and atmospheric conditions, that are used in both simulation and reconstruction.Comment: Paper accepted by Astroparticle Physic

Search for a scalar or vector particle decaying into Zgamma in ppbar collisions at sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV

We present a search for a narrow scalar or vector resonance decaying into Zgamma with a subsequent Z decay into a pair of electrons or muons. The data for this search were collected with the D0 detector at the Fermilab Tevatron ppbar collider at a center of mass energy sqrt(s) = 1.96 TeV. Using 1.1 (1.0) fb-1 of data, we observe 49 (50) candidate events in the electron (muon) channel, in good agreement with the standard model prediction. From the combination of both channels, we derive 95% C.L. upper limits on the cross section times branching fraction (sigma x B) into Zgamma. These limits range from 0.19 (0.20) pb for a scalar (vector) resonance mass of 600 GeV/c^2 to 2.5 (3.1) pb for a mass of 140 GeV/c^2.Comment: Published by Phys. Lett.