De la cuina al laboratori : Aplicacions de les microones en química analítica

Mesurar el contingut de nitrogen d'una mostra té importants aplicacions en el tractament d'aigües residuals, o en la indústria alimentaria, per posar uns exemples. Sovint s'utilitza l'anomenat mètode de Kjeldahl, que requereix l'aplicació de calor. Científics de la UAB han investigat l'ús de microones per generar aquesta calor.Medir el contenido de nitrógeno de una muestra tiene importantesaplicaciones en el tratamiento de aguas residuales, o en la industriaalimentaria, por poner unos ejemplos. A menudo se utiliza el llamadométodo de Kjeldahl, que requiere la aplicación de calor. Científicos de laUAB han investigado el uso de microondas para generarlo

Estratègies d'operació en el procés de producció de proteïnes heteròlogues en Pichia pastoris : aplicació de tècniques de monitorització i control /

Descripció del recurs: el 28 de Gener de 2010El desenvolupament de bioprocessos productius reproduïbles i escalables s'ha convertit en un dels colls d'ampolla a mesura que es consolida l'obtenció de proteïnes recombinants. Per poder superar-ho, la FDA i la EMEA han posat en marxa la iniciativa Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) que cerca el desenvolupament de processos productius eficients i controlats i que serveix de marc pel desenvolupament del present treball. El treball desenvolupat te com a objectiu el desenvolupament i implementació d'eines que permetin monitoritzar i controlar els processos de producció amb el llevat metilotròfic P. pastoris. Aquest objectiu es materialitza en forma de un desenvolupament d'eines per la correcta monitorització de paràmetres i variables associats al procés productiu, com són el desenvolupament d'un sistema automàtic de presa de mostra, el desenvolupament d'eines per a l'eliminació d'interferències per un sensor en línea de metanol, el desenvolupament d'un sistema en línea de compostos amínics i el desenvolupar un software sensor que permeti determinar en línea la velocitat específica de creixement de P. pastoris en base a un algoritme d'identificació RLS. A més a més, s'ha implementat un sistema de control per a poder analitzar l'efecte de la concentració de metanol en una soca de fenotip Mut+ de P. pastoris sobre la productivitat del procés productiu i posteriorment s'ha avaluat l'efecte de la utilització de substrats mixtes per a la producció de proteïnes recombinants pels fenotips Muts i Mut+ de P. pastoris.El desarrollo de bioprocesos productivos reproducibles y escalables se ha convertido en uno de los cuellos de botella a medida que se consolida la obtención de proteínas recombinantes. Para poder superarlo, la FDA y la EMEA han puesto en marcha la iniciativa Process Analytical Technologies (PAT) que busca el desarrollo de procesos productivos eficientes y controlados y que sirve de marco para el desarrollo del presente trabajo. El trabajo desarrollado tiene como objetivo el desarrollo e implementación de herramientas que permitan monitorizar y controlar los procesos de producción de la levadura metilotrófica P. pastoris. Este objetivo se materializa en forma de un desarrollo de herramientas para la correcta monitorización de parámetros y variables asociadas al proceso productivo, como son el desarrollo de un sistema automático de toma de muestra, el desarrollo de herramientas para la eliminación de interferencias para un sensor en línea de metanol, el desarrollo de un sistema en línea de medida de la concentración de compuestos amínicos y el desarrollo de un software sensor que permita determinar en línea la velocidad específica de crecimiento de P. pastoris en base a un algoritmo de identificación RLS. Además, se ha implementado un sistema de control para poder analizar el efecto de la concentración de metanol en una cepa de fenotipo Mut+ de P. pastoris sobre la productividad del proceso productivo y posteriormente se ha evaluado el efecto de la utilización de sustratos mixtos en la producción de proteínas recombinantes para los fenotipos Muts y Mut+ de P. pastoris.The development of reproducible and scalable productive bioprocesses has become one of the bottlenecks for the production of recombinants proteins. In order to overcome it, the FDA and the EMEA have started off the Process Analytical Technologies (PAT). That initiative looks for the development of efficient and controlled productive processes and is in this concept where the present work is framed. The goal of this experimental work is the development and implementation of tools that allow monitorization and control of P. pastoris production processes. This goal is materialized with the creation and implementation of tools for the correct monitorization of parameters and state variables of the productive process, such as the development of an automatic sampling system, the development of tools for the elimination of interferences of an on-line methanol sensor, the development of an amine compounds analyzer and the development of a sensor software that allows to gauge the specific growth rate of P. pastoris using a RLS identification algorithm. Moreover, a methanol control system has been implemented for analyzing the effect of the substrate concentration in the productivity on a P. pastoris (phenotype Mut+) culture. And finally it has been analyzed the effect of mixed substrate strategy in Muts and Mut+ phenotypes of P. pastoris for the production of recombinant proteins

La población inmigrante controla peor su diabetes que la población autóctona

ResumenIntroducciónSe sabe que hay diferencias entre los grupos de inmigrantes en lo que respecta a la prevalencia de diabetes, pero no disponemos de suficiente evidencia para afirmar que, una vez diagnosticada, sea distinto el grado de control. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar si hay diferencias en la detección y el grado de control de los pacientes diabéticos entre inmigrantes y autóctonos en nuestra región sanitaria.MétodoEstudio poblacional observacional transversal que incluye a todos los pacientes diagnosticados de diabetes mellitus de tipo 2 asignados y atendidos durante 2010. Se analizaron los indicadores de calidad de la diabetes y se utilizaron modelos de regresión logística multivariada que se ajustaron por la edad, el sexo y el número de visitas. El método de ajuste fue forzado y se comprobó la no presencia de colinealidad mediante la curva ROC y el test de Hosmer & Lemeshow.Resultados77.999 pacientes autóctonos (6846 diabéticos) y 30.748 pacientes inmigrantes (415 diabéticos). El 8,78% de los pacientes autóctonos eran diabéticos (1,35% de los inmigrantes, p <0,001). La HbA1c <7,5% era del 68,04% en la población autóctona y del 54,76% en los inmigrantes. Los inmigrantes tienen un riesgo un 27% inferior de alcanzar el control óptimo de HbA1c (OR ajustada=0,73). El riesgo de tener un buen control de HbA1c fue un 30% inferior en el grupo inmigrante. El modelo discriminaba moderadamente (ROC=0,65 y contraste de Hosmer & Lemeshow; p >0,05).ConclusionesHay un peor control y un peor registro de los indicadores de calidad en la atención de la diabetes mellitus en algunos grupos de inmigrantes.AbstractIntroductionEthnic differences are known to exist in the prevalence of diabetes, but little is known about possible differences in the degree of diabetes control among ethnic groups. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in diabetes detection and control between immigrants and the autochthonous population in our health region.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional, observational, population-based study of all patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 2 registered and treated in 2010. We analyzed diabetes quality indicators and used multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex and number of visits. The adjustment method was forced and the absence of collinearity was identified through the ROC curve and Hosmer and Lemeshow's test.ResultsThere were 77,999 autochthonous patients (6,846 diabetics) and 30,748 immigrant patients (415 diabetics). A total of 8.78% of the autochthonous patients were diabetic versus 1.35% of immigrants (p <0.001). HbA1c <7.5% was found in 68.04% of the native population compared with 54.76% of immigrants. The probability of achieving optimal HbA1c control was 27% lower in immigrants (adjusted OR=0.73), while the probability of achieving good HbA1c control was 30% lower in the immigrant cohort. The model showed moderate discrimination (ROC =0.65 and Hosmer and Lemeshow's contrast, p>0.05).ConclusionsDiabetes control and quality indicators are poorer in some immigrant groups

Los Fermentos defensivos en la inmunidad natural y adquirida /

A la part superior de la portada: Real Academia de Medicina y Cirugía de Barcelona

Trends in the Degree of Control and Treatment of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in People With Type 2 Diabetes in a Primary Care Setting in Catalonia During 2007-2018

Objective: To assess the trends in cardiovascular risk factor control and drug therapy from 2007 to 2018 in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional analysis using yearly clinical data and treatment obtained from the SIDIAP database. Patients aged ≥18 years with a diagnosis of T2DM seen in primary care in Catalonia, Spain. Results: The number of T2DM patients increased from 299,855 in 2007 to 394,266 in 2018. We also found an increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, and chronic kidney disease (from 18.4 to 24.4%, from 4.5 to 7.3%, and from 20.2 to 31.3%, respectively). The achievement of glycemic targets (HbA1c<7%) scarcely changed (54.9% to 55.9%). Major improvements were seen in blood pressure (≤140/90 mmHg: from 55% to 71.8%), and in lipid control (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dl: 33.4% to 48.4%), especially in people with established cardiovascular disease (48.8 to 69.7%). Simultaneous achievement of all three targets improved from 12.5% to 20.1% in the overall population and from 24.5% to 32.2% in those with cardiovascular disease but plateaued after 2013. There was an increase in the percentage of patients treated with any antidiabetic drug (70.1% to 81.0%), especially metformin (47.7% to 67.7%), and DPP4i (0 to 22.6%). The use of SGLT-2 and GLP-1ra increased over the years, but remained very low in 2018 (5.5% and 2.1% of subjects, respectively). There were also relevant increases in the use of statins (38.0% to 49.2%), renin-angiotensin system (RAS) drugs (52.5% to 57.2%), and beta-blockers (14.3% to 22.7%). Conclusions: During the 2007-2018 period, relevant improvements in blood pressure and lipid control occurred, especially in people with cardiovascular disease. Despite the increase in the use of antidiabetic and cardiovascular drugs, the proportion of patients in which the three objectives were simultaneously achieved is still insufficient and plateaued after 2013. The use of antidiabetic drugs with demonstrated cardio renal benefits (SGLT-2 and GLP-1ra) increased over the years, but their use remained quite low

Safety of cilostazol in peripheral artery disease: a cohort from a primary healthcare electronic database

Background: Cilostazol has been associated with spontaneous reports of cardiovascular adverse events and serious bleeding. The objective of this study is to determine the relative risk of cardiovascular adverse events or haemorrhages in patients with peripheral artery disease treated with cilostazol in comparison to pentoxifylline users. Methods: Population-based cohort study including all individuals older than 40 who initiated cilostazol or pentoxifylline during 2009–2011 in SIDIAP database. The two treatment groups were matched through propensity score (PS). Results: Nine thousand one hundred twenty-nine patients met inclusion criteria and after PS matching, there were 2905 patients in each group. 76% of patients were men, with similar mean ages in both groups (68.8 for cilostazol and 69.4 for pentoxifylline). There were no differences in bleeding, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular events between both groups. Conclusions: Patients treated with cilostazol were different from those treated with pentoxifylline at baseline, so they were matched through PS. We did not find differences between treatment groups in the incidence of bleeding or cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Cilostazol should be used with precaution in elderly polymedicated patients

Tumor necrosis factor system activity is associated with insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in myotonic dystrophy

Myotonic dystrophy (MyD) is a multisystem autosomal dominant disorder associated with progressive muscle wasting and weakness. The striking metabolic abnormality in MyD is insulin resistance. The mechanism by which target tissues are insensitive to insulin action remains uncertain. In a recent study, plasma soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor (sTNFR)2 levels were found to be associated with muscle tissue mass and insulin resistance. Given these associations, we speculated that disorders of the muscle cell membrane could lead simultaneously to insulin insensitivity and sTNFR2 leakage in MyD. To test this hypothesis, we measured the levels of circulating sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 and insulin resistance in MyD patients. We studied 22 MyD patients and 24 age-, BMI-, and fat mass-matched control subjects. Both MyD men and women showed higher plasma insulin levels in the presence of comparable glucose concentrations than did control subjects. sTNFR2, but not sTNFR1, levels were approximately 1.5-fold higher in MyD patients. In parallel with these findings, the fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI) was also higher in MyD patients. In fact, in the whole population, fasting insulin and FIRI strongly correlated with sTNFR2 in both men (r = 0.77 and r = 0.81, P<0.0001, respectively) and women (r = 0.67 and r = 0.64, P = 0.001, respectively). sTNFR2 levels were also associated with the insulin sensitivity index (S(I)), calculated from an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) according to the method by Cederholm and Wibell (r = -0.43, P = 0.006). We constructed a multiple linear regression to predict FIRI, with BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and sTNFR2 as independent variables. In this model, both BMI (P = 0.0014) and sTNFR2 (P = 0.0048) levels contributed independently to 46% of the variance of FIRI. In another model, in which FIRI was substituted for S(I) from the OGTT, both BMI (P = 0.0001) and sTNFR2 (P = 0.04) levels contributed independently to 48% of the variance of S(I) from the OGTT. Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were significantly increased in MyD patients. sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 levels were found to be strongly associated with plasma cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides. sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 also correlated with serum creatine kinase activity in MyD patients (r = 0.57, P = 0.006; r = 0.75, P<0.0001, respectively). In conclusion, here we describe, for the first time to our knowledge, a relationship between insulin action and plasma sTNFR2 concentration in MyD patients. We have also found increased concentrations of plasma triglycerides and cholesterol levels in parallel with sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 concentrations in MyD patients. We speculate that the latter associations are dependent on, and secondary to, increased tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha action. Whether TNF action is implicated in the pathogenesis of MyD or is a simple marker of disease activity awaits further studies