Theoretical and experimental study of optical diffractometry based on Fresnel diffraction from a transmission phase step.

We present experiments to study the optical diffractometry of Fresnel diffraction from transmission phase steps under illuminating sources with distinct spatial profiles. The experimental results are extended analytically with the Fresnel Gaussian shape invariant introduced in previous publications to calculate the propagation of a coherent illuminating source through optical setups. We use a narrow coherent illuminating source to permit extending the applicability of the method for clinical purposes and perform calculations with illuminating sources with different spatial profiles, including a non-diffracting Airy beam, to allow for the establishment of general sensitivity formulae within the paraxial region.

The antique genetic plight of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus).

Disentangling the impact of Late Quaternary climate change from human activities can have crucial implications on the conservation of endangered species. We investigated the population genetics and demography of the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the world's most endangered marine mammals, through an unprecedented dataset encompassing historical (extinct) and extant populations from the eastern North Atlantic to the entire Mediterranean Basin. We show that Cabo Blanco (Western Sahara/Mauritania), Madeira, Western Mediterranean (historical range) and Eastern Mediterranean regions segregate into four populations. This structure is probably the consequence of recent drift, combined with long-term isolation by distance (R2 = 0.7), resulting from prevailing short-distance (less than 500 km) and infrequent long-distance dispersal (less than 1500 km). All populations (Madeira especially), show high levels of inbreeding and low levels of genetic diversity, seemingly declining since historical time, but surprisingly not being impacted by the 1997 massive die-off in Cabo Blanco. Approximate Bayesian Computation analyses support scenarios combining local extinctions and a major effective population size decline in all populations during Antiquity. Our results suggest that the early densification of human populations around the Mediterranean Basin coupled with the development of seafaring techniques were the main drivers of the decline of Mediterranean monk seals.

Factors affecting diabetic patient's long-term quality of life after simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation: a single-center analysis.

PURPOSE: Pancreas transplantation (PT) is one of the few ways to restore euglycemia within diabetic patients; however, the high morbidity caused by surgical complications and the need for immunosuppressive therapy has raised controversy about PT improving the health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL). The aim of this study is to assess the long-term (≥ 5 years after PT) HRQoL and to identify the factors affecting it. METHODS: A single-center, cross-sectional study of 49 sequential PT was performed. All patients conducted a telephone interview to fulfill the modification of Medical Outcome Health Survey Short Form questionnaire (SF-36v2) and were compared to similar post-PT studies from the literature. RESULTS: Patients with a history of replacement renal therapy (RRT) or neuropathy undergoing a PT were associated to a worse bodily pain (P = 0.03) and physical function (P = 0.04), respectively, whereas those with retinopathy showed an improved Role Emotional (P = 0.04). Multivariate analysis revealed the presence of RRT as the only independent prognostic factor for a worse bodily pain [relative risk = 3.9; 95% confidence interval (1.1-14.6)], (P = 0.04). Furthermore, nearly all PT recipients (91.8%) claimed an overall better health than prior to PT. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms that PT recipients' HRQoL improves after PT, showing similar HRQoL scores across different populations and suggests that patients in predialysis could benefit from an improved HRQoL if transplanted on the early stages of the disease.

Serum Metabolites as Diagnostic Biomarkers for Cholangiocarcinoma, Hepatocellular Carcinoma, and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.

Early and differential diagnosis of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by noninvasive methods represents a current clinical challenge. The analysis of low-molecular-weight metabolites by new high-throughput techniques is a strategy for identifying biomarkers. Here, we have investigated whether serum metabolome can provide useful biomarkers in the diagnosis of iCCA and HCC and could discriminate iCCA from HCC. Because primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a risk factor for CCA, serum metabolic profiles of PSC and CCA have also been compared. The analysis of the levels of lipids and amino acids in the serum of patients with iCCA, HCC, and PSC and healthy individuals (n = 20/group) showed differential profiles. Several metabolites presented high diagnostic value for iCCA versus control, HCC versus control, and PSC versus control, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) greater than those found in serum for the nonspecific tumor markers carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), commonly used to help in the diagnosis of iCCA and HCC, respectively. The development of an algorithm combining glycine, aspartic acid, SM(42:3), and SM(43:2) permitted to accurately differentiate in the diagnosis of both types of tumors (biopsy-proven). The proposed model yielded 0.890 AUC, 75% sensitivity, and 90% specificity. Another algorithm by combination of PC(34:3) and histidine accurately permitted to differentiate PSC from iCCA, with an AUC of 0.990, 100% sensitivity, and 70% specificity. These results were validated in independent cohorts of 14-15 patients per group and compared with profiles found in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Conclusion: Specific changes in serum concentrations of certain metabolites are useful to differentiate iCCA from HCC or PSC, and could help in the early diagnosis of these diseases.

Histologic Tumor Grade and Preoperative Bilary Drainage are the Unique Independent Prognostic Factors of Survival in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Patients After Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the most lethal types of cancer; most patients die during the first 6 months after diagnosis. With a 5% 5-year survival rate, is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. In this regard, several clinical, histopathologic and biological characteristics of the disease favoring long-term survival after pancreaticoduodenectomy have been reported to be significant prognostic factors. Despite the availability of this information, there is no consensus about the different prognostic factors reported in the literature, probably due to variations in patient selection, methods, and sample size studied. The aim of this study was to identify the clinical and pathologic features associated to prognosis of the disease after pancreaticoduodenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical and pathologic data from 78 patients who underwent a potentially curative resection for PDAC at our institution between 2003 and 2014 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Overall, high-grade PDAC cases showed larger tumor size (P=0.009) and a higher frequency of deaths in association with a nonsignificantly shortened patient overall survival (median of 12.5 vs. 21.7 mo; P=0.065) as compared with low-grade PDAC patients. High histologic grade (P=0.013), preoperative drainage on the main bile duct (P=0.014) and absence of adjuvant therapy (P=0.035) were associated with a significantly poorer outcome. Overall survival multivariate analysis showed histologic grade (P=0.019) and bile duct preoperative drainage (P=0.016) as the sole independent variables predicting an adverse outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that histologic tumor grade and preoperative biliary drainage are the only significant independent prognostic factors in PDAC patients after pancreatectomy.

Duodenal involvement by seminomatous tumors.

Testicular germ cell tumors, though rare (1%), represent the most common neoplasm among young men. Gastrointestinal involvement from these malignancies usually presents as bowel obstruction and digestive bleeding, but their frequency is low (5%). The patterns of this involvement are: infiltration from affected retroperitoneal lymph nodes or, less frequently, by peritoneal seeding and direct hematogenous spread. Particularly, infiltration of duodenum is also rare, though its real frequency is not well defined. Moreover, the affinity for GI tract differs among the histological types of GCT, being seminomatous tumors an exceedingly unfrequent cause of duodenal infiltration. We herein present a recent case in our institution of severe anemia due to gastrointestinal bleeding in the context of giant retroperitoneal bulky metastatic mass infiltrating duodenum as first manifestation of a testicular pure seminoma.

Myoelectric activation and kinetics of different plyometric push-up exercises.

The kinetic and myoelectric differences between 3 types of plyometric push-ups were investigated. Twenty-seven healthy, physically active men served as subjects and completed both familiarization and testing sessions. During these sessions, subjects performed 2 series of 3 plyometric push-up variations in a counterbalanced order according to the following techniques: Countermovement push-ups (CPUs) were push-ups performed with the maximum speed of movement; jump push-ups (JPUs) were similar to clapping push-ups; and fall push-ups (FPUs) required kneeling subjects to drop and then attempt to return to their initial position. Vertical ground reaction forces were determined by using a force plate. Myoelectric activity was recorded by means of electromyography. Impact force and impact rate of force development were significantly (p < 0.05) higher for FPUs than for JPUs. The maximum rate of force development was higher for CPUs (p < 0.05) than for JPUs, and the maximum force was higher for the CPUs than for the FPUs (p < 0.05). There were differences among exercises for the mean muscle activation of the pectoralis major (PM; p < 0.001), triceps brachii (p < 0.001), external oblique (p < 0.005) and anterior deltoid (p < 0.001), and in the maximum muscle activation of the PM (p < 0.001). Plyometric push-ups with countermovement achieved a higher maximum force and rate of force and did not cause impact forces. Thus, this type of push-up exercise may be regarded as the best for improving explosive force. The FPU exercise achieved higher levels of muscular activation in the agonist and synergist muscle groups, and greater impact forces and impact force development rates.

Parameterizing a tumor humeral prosthesis and development of a set.

BACKGROUND: The reconstruction of the proximal humerus is possible from the resection of the tumor and the placement of a prosthesis. In some cases, they do not meet the anthropometric aspects of the patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the parameters to size the components of a humeral prosthesis and the development of a set, using design software. METHOD: Forty patients were selected for prostheses, radiographs and CT scans were analyzed and statistical tests were applied to the measurements. RESULTS: The length of the tumors was 8-20 cm. The minimum length of the humerus was 28 cm and 33 cm the maximum. Correlation was observed between the humerus and the tumor and the height of the patient with p = 0.93088 and p = 0.904564, respectively; humerus diameter, p = 0.2345. The set will include three components, diameter 6-10 mm, and length of 24, 26 and 28 cm. Three modular spacers with lengths of 6, 8.5 and 13 cm. Crowns 6.5 and 8.5 cm long, 1.3 cm in diameter and 5 mm nut. CONCLUSION: With the development of the set, poorly calculated resections and adaptation to any humerus size can be resolved.

ANTECEDENTES: La reconstrucción del húmero proximal es posible a partir de la resección del tumor y la colocación de una prótesis. En algunos casos, las prótesis no cumplen con los aspectos antropométricos de los pacientes. OBJETIVO: Determinar los parámetros para dimensionar los componentes de una prótesis de húmero y el desarrollo de un set, mediante software de diseño. MÉTODO: Se seleccionaron 40 pacientes para prótesis, se analizaron radiografías y tomografías computarizadas, y se aplicaron pruebas estadísticas a las mediciones. RESULTADOS: La longitud de los tumores fue de 8-20 cm. La longitud mínima del húmero fue de 28 cm y la máxima fue de 33 cm. Se observó correlación entre el húmero y el tumor y la altura del paciente, con p = 0.93088 y p = 0.904564, respectivamente; para el diámetro del húmero, p = 0.2345. El set incluye tres componentes, con diámetro de 6-10 mm y longitud de 24, 26 y 28 cm; tres espaciadores modulares con longitudes de 6, 8,5 y 13 cm; coronas de 6,5 y 8,5 cm de largo, 1,3 cm de diámetro y tuerca de 5 mm. CONCLUSIÓN: Con el desarrollo del set se pueden resolver resecciones mal calculadas y la adaptación a cualquier tamaño de húmero.

A Novel Serum Metabolomic Profile for the Differential Diagnosis of Distal Cholangiocarcinoma and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

The diagnosis of adenocarcinomas located in the pancreas head, i.e., distal cholangiocarcinoma (dCCA) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), constitutes a clinical challenge because they share many symptoms, are not easily distinguishable using imaging techniques and accurate biomarkers are not available. Searching for biomarkers with potential usefulness in the differential diagnosis of these tumors, we have determined serum metabolomic profiles in healthy controls and patients with dCCA, PDAC or benign pancreatic diseases (BPD). Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) analysis was performed in serum samples from dCCA (n = 34), PDAC (n = 38), BPD (n = 42) and control (n = 25) individuals, divided into discovery and validation cohorts. This approach permitted 484 metabolites to be determined, mainly lipids and amino acids. The analysis of the results led to the proposal of a logistic regression model able to discriminate patients with dCCA and PDAC (AUC value of 0.888) based on the combination of serum levels of nine metabolites (acylcarnitine AC(16:0), ceramide Cer(d18:1/24:0), phosphatidylcholines PC(20:0/0:0) and PC(O-16:0/20:3), lysophosphatidylcholines PC(20:0/0:0) and PC(0:0/20:0), lysophosphatidylethanolamine PE(P-18:2/0:0), and sphingomyelins SM(d18:2/22:0) and SM(d18:2/23:0)) and CA 19-9. In conclusion, we propose a novel specific panel of serum metabolites that can help in the differential diagnosis of dCCA and PDAC. Further validation of their clinical usefulness in prospective studies is required.

Mutation T74S in HIV-1 subtype B and C proteases resensitizes them to ritonavir and indinavir and confers fitness advantage.

OBJECTIVES: Several drug resistance and secondary mutations have been described in HIV-1 viruses from patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy. In this study, we assessed the impact of the protease substitution T74S on the phenotype and on the replicative fitness in HIV-1 subtypes B and C. METHODS: HIV-1 molecular clones carrying subtype B or C proteases had these coding regions subjected to site-directed mutagenesis to include T74S alone or in combination with four known protease inhibitor (PI) primary drug resistance mutations. All clones were used in a phenotypic assay to evaluate their susceptibility to most commercially available PIs. The impact of T74S on virus fitness was also assessed for all viruses through head-to-head competitions and oligonucleotide ligation assays to measure the proportion of each virus in culture. RESULTS: Viruses of both subtypes carrying T74S did not have their susceptibility altered to any tested PI. Viruses with the four resistance mutations showed strong resistance to most PIs with fold changes ranging from 5 to 300 times compared with their wild-type counterparts. Surprisingly, the addition of T74S to the multiresistant clones restored their susceptibilities to indinavir and ritonavir and partially to lopinavir, close to those of wild-type viruses. Most 74S-containing viruses were more fit than their 74T counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that T74S is not a major drug resistance mutation, but it resensitizes multiresistant viruses to certain PIs. T74S is a bona fide accessory mutation, restoring fitness of multidrug-resistant viruses in both subtypes B and C. T74S should be further studied in clinical settings and considered in drug resistance interpretation algorithms.

Effects of a short-term aquatic resistance program on strength and body composition in fit young men.

This study was designed to analyze the effects of a short-term periodized aquatic resistance program (PARP) on upper-limb maximum strength, leg muscular power, and body composition (BC) in fit young men. Twenty subjects (21.2 +/- 1.17 years) were randomly assigned to an exercise or control group; 12 subjects completed the study. The aquatic exercise group (AEG; n = 7) participated in an 8-week supervised program of 3 d x wk, and the control group (CG; n = 5) maintained their regular activities. The PARP consisted of a total-body resistance exercise workout using aquatic devices that increased drag force, with a cadence of movement controlled and adjusted individually for each exercise and subject. The volume and intensity of the program were increased progressively. Submaximal tests were carried out to determine the change in upper-limb maximum strength, as well as a squat-jump test to determine the change in leg muscular power. Four skinfold sites, 6 circumference sites, body weight, and stature were used to determine changes in BC. A significant increase in upper-limb maximum strength and leg muscular power was observed for the AEG. A significant increase also was noted in the circumference and muscular area of the arm, and there were significant decreases in pectoral and abdominal skinfolds. Nevertheless, the circumference, muscular area, and local fat of the lower limbs did not change. There were no significant changes in any variables in the CG. These results indicate that the PARP produces significant improvements in muscular strength, power, and fat-free mass and, thus, seems to be a very effective form of resistance exercise.

Effect of Concurrent Visual Feedback Frequency on Postural Control Learning in Adolescents.

The purpose was to find better augmented visual feedback frequency (100% or 67%) for learning a balance task in adolescents. Thirty subjects were divided randomly into a control group, and 100% and 67% feedback groups. The three groups performed pretest (3 trials), practice (12 trials), posttest (3 trials) and retention (3 trials, 24 hours later). The reduced feedback group showed lower RMS in the posttest than in the pretest (p = 0.04). The control and reduced feedback groups showed significant lower median frequency in the posttest than in the pretest (p < 0.05). Both feedback groups showed lower values in retention than in the pretest (p < 0.05). Even when the effect of feedback frequency could not be detected in motor learning, 67% of the feedback was recommended for motor adaptation.

Impact of HIV-1 protease mutations A71V/T and T74S on M89I/V-mediated protease inhibitor resistance in subtype G isolates.

OBJECTIVES: Non-B human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 subtypes possess several amino acid signatures in the viral protease that distinguish them from subtype B, some of which are reported as secondary drug-related mutations. We have previously shown a strong statistical interdependency of residues 71, 89 and 90 in subtype G, but the impact of substitutions on protease inhibitor (PI) resistance is unknown. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We selected subtype G viruses from patients with diverse amino acid combinations at codons 71 (A/T), 74 (T/S), 89 (I/L/M/V) and 90 (L/M). Viral protease genes were inserted into an HIV molecular clone (HXB2). PI drug susceptibilities of chimeric viruses were determined. RESULTS: In isolates displaying 89I/V in combination with A71 or T74, a reversal to subtype G wild-type 89M was observed after growth in the absence of PI. The presence of 71T in one isolate and 74S in another allowed the persistence of 89I. Mutation 90M conferred intermediate but significant degrees of drug resistance to ritonavir and nelfinavir in subtype G viruses. The combination of 71T or 74S, 89I and 90M resulted in higher levels of resistance to those PIs. CONCLUSIONS: Our results point to the hypothesis that 71T or 74S stabilizes 89I in the protease of subtype G, whose association was previously seen by Bayesian network analyses. The association of 89I with 90M may further increase the PI resistance of subtype G viruses when compared with 90M alone, highlighting novel mutational profiles for drug resistance in this non-B subtype.

Influence of contamination by organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls on the breeding of the spanish imperial eagle (Aquila adalberti).

We evaluated temporal and regional trends of organochlorine (OC) pesticide (including polychlorinated biphenyl [PCB]) levels in eggs of the Spanish Imperial Eagle (Aquila adalberti) collected in Spain between 1972 and 2003. Levels of p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and PCBs varied significantly (p = 0.022) among regions (central, western, and Doñana), being higher in Doñana than in the central and western populations (DDE: 1.64 +/- 5.56, 0.816 +/- 1.70, and 1.1 +/- 2.66 microg/g, respectively; PCBs: 1.189 +/- 5.0, 0.517 +/- 1.55, and 0.578 +/- 1.75 microg/g, respectively). Levels of DDE decreased with time, but a significant interaction was observed between region and time. In Doñana, egg volume and breadth as well as Ratcliffe Index were significantly lower after DDT use (p = 0.0018) than during the pre-DDT period (p = 0.0018); eggs were significantly smaller overall than in the other two regions (p = 0.04) and were smaller when DDE levels increased, even when controlling for regional differences (p = 0.04). Productivity in Doñana was significantly lower than in the other regions (p < 0.001). Clutch size in Doñana varied according to DDE concentrations (p = 0.01), with the highest DDE concentrations found in clutches consisting of one egg. When considering eggs with DDE levels greater than 3.5 microg/g, a significant effect of DDE on fertility was found (p = 0.03). Clutches with DDE levels greater than 4.0 microg/g had a higher probability of hatching failure (p = 0.07) and produced fewer fledglings (p = 0.03). If we consider 3.5 microg/g as the lowest-observable-adverse-effect level, the proportion of sampled clutches that exceeded that level in Doñana (29%) was significantly higher than in other regions (p < 0.001). These eggs showed a mean percentage of thinning of 16.72%. Contamination by OCs, mainly DDE, could explain, at least in part, the low productivity of the Spanish Imperial Eagles in Doñana.

Cross-education after one session of unilateral surface electrical stimulation of the rectus femoris.

Thirty-six adult men were randomly assigned to a remote stimulation group (RS; n = 18) or control group (CTL; n = 18). The RS group unilaterally performed a 10-minute surface electrical stimulation program (frequency 100 Hz, impulse 300 micros, 10 seconds on/10 seconds off) on the rectus femoris of the non-dominant leg. The subjects of the CTL group relaxed for 10 minutes without performing any training. Immediately before and after the surface electrical stimulation program, the isometric strength and the electromyographic (EMG) and mechanomyographic (MMG) response of the dominant leg was measured for all subjects. The dominant leg of the RS group showed a significant increase in the isometric force (5.11%; P < 0.001) and EMG activity of the agonist muscle (4.67%; P < 0.05), whereas a decrease in EMG activity of the antagonist muscles was observed (-10.27%; P < 0.05). The MMG activity did not show any alteration. No significant changes were observed for the CTL group. These results indicate that one unilateral surface electrical stimulation session on the rectus femoris improves the efficiency of the inactive leg. At a practical level, the results open a new way to rehabilitate muscle-skeletal injuries, especially weak members that cannot do any physical work. In this case, the muscle strength (and physical efficiency) can be improved by passive electrostimulation training on the healthy member.

HDP2: a ribosomal DNA (NTS-ETS) sequence as a target for species-specific molecular diagnosis of intestinal taeniasis in humans.

BACKGROUND: Taenia solium, T. asiatica and T. saginata tapeworms cause human taeniasis and are the origin of porcine and bovine cysticercosis. Furthermore, T. solium eggs can cause human cysticercosis, with neurocysticercosis being the most serious form of the disease. These helminth infections are neglected tropical diseases and are endemic in several countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. As a result of globalization, migration in particular, the infections have been extending to non-endemic territories. Species-specific diagnosis of taeniasis is subject to drawbacks that could be resolved using molecular approaches. In the present study, conventional and real-time amplification protocols (cPCR and qPCR) based on the T. saginata HDP2 sequence were applied in the differential diagnosis of taeniasis (T. saginata, T. solium) in both fecal samples and proglottids expelled by patients. The HDP2 homolog in T. solium was cloned and characterized. RESULTS: Semi-nested cPCR and qPCR (Sn-HDP2 cPCR and Sn-HDP2 qPCR) amplified T. saginata and T. solium DNA, with an analytical sensitivity of 40 and 400 fg, respectively, and identically in both protocols. Eighteen taeniasis patients were diagnosed directly with T. saginata or T. solium, either from proglottids or fecal samples with/without eggs (detected using microscopy), based on the optimized Sn-HDP2 qPCR. After cloning, the T. solium HDP2 homolog sequence was confirmed to be a ribosomal sequence. The HDP2 fragment corresponded to a non-transcribed sequence/external transcribed repeat (NTS/ETS) of ribosomal DNA. Compared with the T. saginata HDP2 homolog, the T solium HDP2 sequence lacked the first 900 nt at the 5' end and showed nucleotide substitutions and small deletions. CONCLUSIONS: Sn-HDP2 cPCR and Sn-HDP2 qPCR were set up for the diagnosis of human taeniasis, using proglottids and fecal samples from affected patients. The new Sn-HDP2 qPCR protocol was the best option, as it directly differentiated T. saginata from T. solium. The diagnosis of an imported T. solium-taeniasis case and nine European T. saginata cases was relevant. Finally, the cloning and sequencing of the T. solium HDP2 fragment confirmed that HDP2 was part of a ribosomal unit.

Acute caffeine supplementation in combat sports: a systematic review.

Caffeine used as a supplement has been shown to improve physical and cognitive performance in several sport modalities due to its effects on the central nervous system. This review assesses the direct effects of caffeine supplementation on performance in combat sports. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines, relevant studies were identified through the Medline, Scopus and SPORTDiscus databases. Of 1053 search results, only 9 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Of these, three studies detected no ergogenic effect of caffeine supplementation, while six studies did observe a significant positive effect. Supplementation with 3-6 mg/kg of caffeine was found to increase the glycolytic contribution to energy metabolism during the execution of real or simulated combats, as indicated by elevated blood lactate concentrations. Caffeine intake was also noted to improve levels of strength, power and upper arm muscular endurance. These effects were not paralleled by an increase in the exertion perceived by the athlete.

Circulating miR-215-5p and miR-642a-5p as potential biomarker for diagnosis of osteosarcoma in Mexican population.

Osteosarcoma is the most common malignant bone neoplasia affecting individuals in the second decade of life. The survival rate has not been improved during the last 25 years, in part because of the lack of specific markers. The microRNAs have been identified as important regulators of gene expression, experimental evidence suggests these molecules as key players in cancer development and progression. To identify miRNAs differentially expressed in serum from patients with osteosarcoma compared to healthy donors in Mexican population. Fifteen osteosarcoma patients and fifteen age and sex matched healthy individuals were recruited. Two pools of total RNA extracted from serum per study group were prepared and the miRNA expression profiles were analyzed through TaqMan Low Density Arrays. Validation was carried out through RT-qPCR using individual TaqMan assays for those miRNAs differentially expressed. Fifteen miRNAs were differentially expressed in osteosarcoma patients compared to healthy controls. Overexpression of miR-215-5p and miR-642a-5p was confirmed by validation through RT-qPCR. The expression analysis of miRNAs from serum in osteosarcoma patients revealed differential expression of miR-215-5p and miR-642a-5p. Both microRNAs are potential markers for osteosarcoma diagnosis.

Study of the Technical Feasibility of Increasing the Amount of Recycled Concrete Waste Used in Ready-Mix Concrete Production.

The construction industry generates a considerable amount of waste. Faced with this undesirable situation, the ready-mix concrete sector, in particular, has invested energy and resources into reusing its own waste in its production process as it works towards the goal of more sustainable construction. This study examines the feasibility of incorporating two types of concrete waste, which currently end up in landfill, into the production process of ready-mix concrete: the waste generated during the initial production stage (ready-mix concrete waste), and waste created when demolition waste is treated to obtain artificial aggregate. The first phase of the study's methodology corroborates the suitability of the recycled aggregate through characterization tests. After this phase, the impact of incorporating different percentages of recycled coarse aggregate is evaluated by examining the performance of the produced concrete. The replacement rate varied between 15% and 50%. The results indicate that recycled aggregates are, indeed, suitable to be incorporated into ready-mix concrete production. The impact on the final product's performance is different for the two cases examined herein. Incorporating aggregates from generic concrete blocks led to a 20% decrease in the produced concrete's strength performance. On the other hand, using recycled aggregates made from the demolition waste led to a smaller decrease in the concrete's performance: about 8%. The results indicate that with adequate management and prior treatment, the waste from these plants can be re-incorporated into their production processes. If concrete waste is re-used, concrete production, in general, becomes more sustainable for two reasons: less waste ends up as landfill and the consumption of natural aggregates is also reduced.