Coherent states of the Laguerre-Gauss modes.

Large quantum photonic systems hold promise for surpassing classical computational limits, yet their state preparation remains a challenge. We propose an alternative approach to study multiparticle dynamics by mapping the excitation mode of these systems to physical properties of the Laguerre-Gauss modes. We construct coherent states establishing a direct link between excitation number dynamics and the evolution of the Laguerre-Gauss modes. This highlights the photon transverse spatial degree of freedom as a versatile platform for testing the fundamental aspects of quantum multiparticle systems.

Emergence of ageing-related changes in insulin secretion by pancreatic islets of male rat offspring of mothers fed a low-protein diet.

Maternal low-protein (LP) diets programme ß-cell secretion, potentially altering the emergence of ageing of offspring pancreatic function. We hypothesised that isolated pancreatic islet ß-cell secretory responses are blunted in offspring exposed to LP during development and age-related reduction is influenced by the developmental stage of exposure to decreased nutrition. We studied male offspring of rats fed control (C) or LP protein (R) diets in pregnancy, first letter and/or lactation second letter of CC, RR, CR or RC groups. Serum glucose, insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) were measured. Pancreatic islets were isolated and in vitro insulin secretion quantified in low (LG - 5 mM) or high glucose (HG - 11 mM). Body weight and serum values between groups were similar at all ages. Insulin and HOMA rose with age and were highest at postnatal day (PND) 450 in all groups. At PND 36, insulin secretion was greatest in RR and RC. Only CC increased insulin secretion to HG. By PND 110, restricted groups responded less to LG but increased secretion to HG. By PND 450, CC offspring alone increased secretion to HG. Despite minimal differences in circulating insulin and glucose, reduced maternal protein intake affected insulin secretion at all ages. In addition, ageing reduced function in all R groups compared with CC by PND 110 and further by PND 450 most markedly in RC. We conclude that maternal LP diet during pregnancy and/or lactation impairs offspring insulin secretory response to a glucose challenge and alters the trajectory of ageing of pancreatic insulin secretion.

Measurement of androgen and estrogen receptors in breast tissue from subjects with anabolic steroid-dependent gynecomastia.

In order to assess the relationship between anabolic steroid administration and gynecomastia, we studied the effects produced by administering nandrolone decanoate and a mixture of propionate, phenilpropionate, isocaproate and testosterone decanoate to bodybuilders during a six month period. The following significant changes occurred: a 53% reduction in serum testosterone; LH and FSH levels were suppressed to 77% and 87%, respectively, in comparison to control values; and although 45% of the subjects showed an increase in serum estradiol levels, no statistically significant differences were found compared with control estradiol levels. With regard to estradiol and androgen receptors, 85% of gynecomastia tissue contained estradiol or androgen receptors, while 40% contained both. The mean values of estradiol and androgen receptors in the cytosol were 65 +/- 10 and 52 +/- 5 fmol/mg protein, respectively. Nuclear androgen and estradiol receptor levels were 33 +/- 7 and 67.5 +/- 9 fmol/mg protein, respectively. The presence of hormone receptors in gynecomastia receptive cells provides support for the hypothesis that gynecomastia is steroid-dependent.

[Role of sialyltransferase and neuraminidase in the epididymis of rats]. / Papel de la sialiltransferasa y neuramidasa en el epidídimo de la rata.

The sialylation and desialylation in the rat epididiymis is the transference or remotion of sialic acid, to or from an adequate acceptor (glyco or sialogycoprotein). The sialylation of the glycoprotein or glycolipids is determinated by sialyltransferase activity; the homogenates from caput region showed 14 times more sialyltransferase activity than homogenates from cauda epididymis. The desialylation of the sialoglycoproteins is quantified by neuraminidase activity, and it can be observed that the homogenate from the caput zone shows 3 times more activity than homogenates from cauda epididymis. When relatione the activities of sialytransferase/neuraminidase of the caput zone and the cauda zone, the obtained values were 0.19 +/- 0.03 and 0.04 +/- 0.005, respectively. The relation between the activities of neuraminidase/sialiltransferase of the caput and the cauda zone showed the following valves: 5 +/- 0.6 and 25 +/- 3.3, respectively. The results have shown that sialylation is more active in the caput than in the cauda. Besides, while valvating the desialylation we observe that it is more effective in the cauda epididymis.

[Profile of the membrane potential of mammalian sperm during maturation, ejaculation and capacitation]. / Perfil del potencial de membrana en el espermatozoide de mamífero durante la maduración, eyaculación y capacitación.

The accumulation of lipophilic cation radiolabeled tri-phenylmethyl phosphonium (TPMP+) was utilized to determine the resting membrane potential across the plasma membrane psi. Washed sperm of mammalian was suspended and incubated in low-K+ and high-K+ medium and allowed to take up the cation to a steady-state (20 min at 37 degrees C). By using this differential, the value obtained was transformed at value concentration using the intracellular volume and with these values inserted in the Nernst equation, we obtained the psi. During the maturation process the psi obtained in sperm cells of caput of the epididymis of New Zealand white rabbits was -75(+/-)-3 mV, in sperm cells of corpus and cauda, the psi obtained were -60(+/-)-5 and -52 +/- 3.5 mV, respectively. In the ejaculated spermatozoa the psi obtained was -69 +/- 2 mV. Finally, during the capacitation of human spermatozoa induced by the addition of calcium ions and the ionophore A23187 the psi obtained was -35 +/- 4 mV. These changes in the psi are significant because when the mammalian sperm cells are under different physiological conditions the membrane polarity is modified for the hyperpolarization and depolarization observed.

[Sialyltransferase activity in the spermatic membrane and its relation to human fertility and sterility]. / Actividad de sialiltransferasa en la membrana espermática y su relación con fertilidad y esterilidad humanas.

Sialyltransferase activity was determined on normospermic men sperm cells (greater than 80 x 10(6) sperm/ml and 75% motility) and oligospermic infertile sperm cells (less than 20 x 10(6) sperm/ml and less than 20% motility) and asthenospermic (greater than 40 x 10(6) sperm/ml and less than 10% motility). Sialytransferase activity is quantified by means of the transference of radioactivity of CMP-3H-sialic acid toward the exogenous acceptor (asialofetuin). The enzyme substrate complexes formed in presence of phosphotungstic acid result precipitated insoluble, which was retained on glass fiber filter. The sialyltransferase activity decrease in oligospermic sperm cells 62 +/- 3% and in the asthenospermic decreased 57 +/- 4% with respect normospermic sperm cells. The decrement on sialyltransferase activity in the infertile sperm, permits to assume that this enzyme probably participates as a direct cause of its pathology with detrimental structural and functional integrity of the plasma membrane.

[The role of estradiol and progesterone receptors in the selection of endocrine therapy fo patients with fibrocystic mastopathy]. / Receptores a estradiol y progesterona para la elección de la terapia endócrina en pacientes con mastopatía fibroquística.

Estradiol and progesterone receptors were analyzed in breast tissue of 100 women with mastopathy fibrocystic. Four groups were found according to the receptors detected: (R-E+, R-Pg+); (R-E+, R-Pg-); (R-E-; R-Pg+); (R-E-, R-Pg-). Ten percent were positive for both receptors, while 75 percent were negative for both estradiol and progesterone receptors. Ten percent were estradiol receptor positive (R-E+). Eight percent were progesterone receptor positive (R-Pg+). In this pathology type were considered "receptor positive" when specific binding was higher than 6 fmol/mg. protein. These "receptor positive" had specific binding in the range of 6.1-80 fmol/mg. protein and was considered "receptor negative" when specific binding was less than 6 fmol/mg. protein. While there was no correlation between the two receptors and patient age. We discuss the presence, type of estradiol and progesterone receptors for the hormonal treatment of patients with mastopathy fibrocystic.

[Cholesterol and phospholipids in human seminal plasma before and after vasectomy]. / Colesterol y fosfolípidos en el plasma seminal humano antes y después de vasectomía.

Before and 2.6 months after vasectomy the alterations of secretory capacity and physiologic damage of the accessory genital glands, were evaluated by means of chemical analyses of certain constituents of seminal plasma such as free cholesterol, esterified cholesterol and phospholipids. The results of these studies showed that the ratio between the concentration of free cholesterol and esterified cholesterol is constant six months after vasectomy and the concentration of phospholipids decreases two months after vasectomy. These results are significant and may be important to know the alterations of secretory capacity of the human genital glands after vasectomy.

PIP: 38 men who had undergone vasectomy for fertility regulation had 3 semen samples taken before and 2 and 6 months after the operation in order to determine the concentration of cholesterol and phospholipids in the seminal plasma for the evaluation of any possible changes in the physiology of genital glands. Prior to vasectomy there were 130 +or- 50 million of spermatozoa/ml of ejaculate with a 75% +or- 11% motility in a sample of 35 men. There was no statistically significant change in cholesterol content before and 2 and 6 months after vasectomy, nor was there a significant difference between free cholesterol and esterified cholesterol. This indicated good correspondence in the content of glandular secretions of the male genital tract, mainly the prostate and the seminal vesicles. On the other hand, the concentration of phospholipids diminished 2 and 6 months after vasectomy from 230 +or- 90 mcg moles/in 21 patients to 100 +or- and 100 +or- 20 mcg moles/1 in 15 patients, respectively. There was no significant difference in the average volume of seminal plasma 2 and 6 months after vasectomy. The decrease of the phospholipid content could be attributed to the inhibition of the biosynthesis of phospholipids owing to the hypertrophy of the epididymis or the absence of phospholipid secretion originating from the testicular fluid. Not all alterations in genital glands are apparent immediately, therefore time is an important parameter in the evaluation of the response of the organism to vasectomy.

[Receptor (ER, PgR) levels as prognostic factors in the endocrine therapy of pre- and post-menopausal patients with stage III infiltrative ductal and lobular cancer of the breast]. / Niveles del grupo de receptores (RE, RPg) como factor pronóstico de la terapia endócrina en pacientes pre y posmenopáusicas con carcinoma mamario ductal y lobulillar infiltrante en etapa clínica III.

Receptors group (ER+, PgR+) in post-menopausal and pre-menopausal patients with ductal and lobular infiltrating mammary cancer clinical stage III and poorly differentiated histological assessment was studied. Levels of (ER+, PgR+) were correlated to endocrine therapy response (Tamoxifen) after 5 years of its administration. Both pre and post-menopausal patients with infiltrating ductal carcinoma, the (RE+, RPg+) tumour content, the mean values were 52 +/- 8, 53 +/- 11 fmol/mg protein and 111 +/- 20, 36 +/- 7 fmol/mg protein, respectively. With regard to lobular carcinoma, the (RE+, RPg+) tumour content, the mean value was 109 +/- 28, 46 +/- 12 fmol/mg protein in pre-menopausal patients, whereas it was 287 +/- 60, 66 +/- 18 fmol/mg protein in post-menopausal patients. The tumour was considered (ER+, PgR+) when specific binding was than 10 fmol/mg protein. In both ductal and lobular carcinoma the mean (ER+) concentrations are significantly different between the post and pre-menopausal patients, while the mean (PgR+) concentrations are significantly different in post-menopausal women. After five years of treatment with tamoxifen, survival analysis of patients with ductal infiltrating and lobular infiltrating carcinoma revealed a very strong correlation between levels of receptor group (ER+, PgR+) and their response to endocrine therapy.

[The role of hyperpolarization and depolarization of the membrane of the human spermatozoon]. / Papel de la hiperpolarización y despolarización en la membrana del espermatozoide humano.

The electric potential across the membrane (psi) is evaluated through the accumulation of the lipophilic, radiolabelled, triphenylmethylphosphonium (3H-TPMP+), cation on membrane human sperm. The washed sperm cells, were incubated in presence of 3H-TPMP+ in low-K+ medium or high-K+ and allowed to take up the cation to steady-state (ie; 20 min at 37 degrees C). By using this differential, the value obtained was inserted in the Nernst equation, this value yielded a psi of -69 +/- 2 mV. The presence of divalent cations Zn++ and Mg++ in the incubation medium both induced a hyperpolarization of 10% and 8.6%, respectively. The addition of specific reagents such as p-chloromercuribenzene-sulfonate and ethylene-diamine-tetraacetic acid sodium salt both decreased the psi 35% and 58% respectively. The agents to act upon the components of the sperm cell membrane such as the dithiothreitol and progesterone induced hyperpolarization and depolarization of the membrane 16% and 40%, respectively. The presence of propranolol and L-alpha-lysophosphatidylcholine, which affect the ionic gradients present across the plasma membrane, both induced a depolarization from 43% and 92% respectively. Finally, the addition of tetraphenylboron (TPB-) on the incubation medium, enhanced the value of the psi 75%. These studies are transcendent because with the utilization of agents depolarizing, or hyperpolarizing we obtain changes in the psi from -80 +/- 0.6 mV, until -6 +/- 0.6 mV changes of 74 +/- 1.5 mV across of the sperm cell membrane.

[Reductive effect of the sesquiterpenic lactone "Helenalin " and its metallic derivatives in the formation of the estradiol receptor complex in breast tumor tissue]. / Efecto reductor de la lactona sesquiterpénica "Helenalina" y sus derivados metálicos en la formación del complejo estradiol receptor en tejido tumoral mamario.

Chemotherapy for systemic therapy in breast cancer has been widely used, and has been supported by many varied compounds with different origins and different compositions. Nevertheless, all of them produce several side adverse effects which must be taken into account. For this reason we must study new possibilities in which the administered drug acts selectively on the tumour cell without injuring healthy tissue. For studying its effect, a gamma lactone called "Helenaline" and its metalic derivates He-Co, He-Hg and He-Cu were studied, which chemical composition allows them to react with -SH residues present in the tumour cell receptors, which when interspaced by a previous reaction, could modify its structural composition and finally its affinity by the hormone. The inhibition effect for formation of estradiol-receptor complex in breast tumour tissue using Helenaline 12 n M and 126 n M was studied, obtaining 14% and 56% inhibition effect respectively. When He-Co, He-Hg and He-Cu effect was studied, this effect was raised obtaining 11%, 10.5% and 60% with 12 nM and 44.5%, 74.4% and 86% with 126 nM respectively.

[Type-I and -II estradiol binding sites in the endometrium during blastocyst implantation]. / Sitios de unión tipo I y II a estradiol en endometrio durante la implantación del blastocisto.

The properties of type I and occupied and unoccupied type II cytosolic estrogen binding sites in the rat endometrium were analyzed on day five of pregnancy; the samples studied correspond to blastocyst receptive endometrium (implantation sites), nonreceptive endometrium and ovariectomized uterine horn endometrium, from the same pregnancy rats. The occupied binding site type II was analyzed by exchange assays. Dissociation constant obtained from experiments carried out at 4 or 25 degrees C are similar for each one of the binding site at the three different endometrium samples; the binding capacity (femtomoles/mg protein) from the sites type I and type II and the ratio between occupied (by endogenous estradiol) and unoccupied site type II, seems to be characteristic for each one of the three analyzed endometrium.

Image Registration Measures and Chronic Osteoarthritis Knee Pain Prediction: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative / Métricas de Registro de Imágenes y Predicción de Dolor de Rodilla por Osteoartritis Crónica: Datos de la Osteoarthritis Initiative

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis, is a growing disease in the industrialized world. OA is an incapacitate disease that affects more than 1 in 10 adults over 60 years old. X-ray medical imaging is a primary diagnose technique used on staging OA that the expert reads and quantify the stage of the disease. Some Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CADx) efforts to automate the OA detection have been made to aid the radiologist in the detection and control, nevertheless, the pain inherits to the disease progression is left behind. In this research, it's proposed a CADx system that quantify the bilateral similarity of the patient's knees to correlate the degree of asymmetry with the pain development. Firstly, the knee images were aligned using a B-spline image registration algorithm, then, a set of similarity measures were quantified, lastly, using this measures it's proposed a multivariate model to predict the pain development up to 48 months. The methodology was validated on a cohort of 131 patients from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) database. Results suggest that mutual information can be associated with K&L OAI scores, and Multivariate models predicted knee chronic pain with: AUC 0.756, 0.704, 0.713 at baseline, one year, and two years' follow-up.

Resumen La osteoartritis (OA) es el tipo de artritis más común. OA es una enfermedad limitante que afecta a 1 de 10 adultos con 60 años o más. Las imágenes de rayos-x son una técnica de diagnóstico primario que permite conocer el estado de OA, las cuales el experto lee y cuantifica así la etapa de la enfermedad. El Diagnóstico Asistido por Computadora (CADx, por sus siglas en inglés) ha buscado automatizar el diagnóstico de OA para ayudar al radiólogo en la detección y control; sin embargo, el dolor provocado por la progresión de la enfermedad es dejado atrás. En este trabajo se propone un sistema de CADx que cuantifica la similitud bilateral de las rodillas de los pacientes, con el fin de correlacionar el grado de asimetría con el dolor. Inicialmente, las imágenes de las rodillas fueron alineadas usando el algoritmo B-spline para su registro, después, un conjunto de métricas estándar fue cuantificado; finalmente, con estas métricas se propone un modelo multivariado para predecir el dolor de rodilla desarrollado en 48 meses. La metodología fue validada con 131 pacientes obtenidos de la base de datos de la Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI). Los resultados sugieren que las métricas pueden ser asociadas con los puntajes de KellgrenLawrence; además, los modelos predicen significativamente el dolor crónico de rodilla con: AUC 0.756, 0.704 y 0.7113, al inicio, un año y dos años después, respectivamente.

General Linear Models for Pain Prediction in Knee Osteoarthritis: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative / Modelos Lineales Generales para Predecir Dolor en Osteoartritis de Rodilla: Datos de la "Osteoarthritis Initiative"

Abstract: Knee pain is the most common and disabling symptom in Osteoarthritis (OA). Joint pain is a late manifestation of the OA. In earlier stages of the disease changes in joint structures are shown. Also, formation of bony osteophytes, cartilage degradation, and joint space reduction which are some of the most common, among others. The main goal of this study is to associate radiological features with the joint pain symptom. Univariate and multivariate studies were performed using Bioinformatics tools to determine the relationship of future pain with early radiological evidence of the disease. All data was retrieved from the Osteoarthritis Initiative repository (OAI). A case-control study was done using available data from participants in OAI database. Radiological data was assessed with different OAI radiology groups. We have used quantitative and semi-quantitative scores to measure two different relations between radiological data in three different time points. The goal was to track the appearance and prevalence of pain as a symptom. All predictive models were statistically significant (P ≤ 0,05), obtaining the receiving operating characteristic (ROC) curves with their respective area under the curves (AUC) of 0.6516, 0.6174, and 0.6737 for T-0, T-1 and T-2 in quantitative analysis. For semi-quantitative an AU C of 0.6865, 0.6486, and 0.6406 for T-0, T-1 and T-2. The models obtained in the Bioinformatics study suggest that early joint structure changes can be associated with future joint pain. An image-based biomarker that could predict future pain, measured in early OA stages, could become a useful tool to improve the quality of life of people dealing OA.

Resumen: El dolor de rodilla es el síntoma más común y limitante de la Osteoartritis (OA), además de presentarse como una manifestación tardía de la enfermedad. Los cambios que ocurren en las estructuras de las articulaciones se presentan en las primeras etapas de la OA. Algunos de los cambios más comunes son la formación de osteofitos óseos, degradación del cartílago, y la reducción del espacio en la articulación, entre otros. El principal objetivo de este estudio es la asociación de características radiológicas con el síntoma de dolor de las articulaciones, para lo que fueron realizados dos estudios: univariado y multivariado, usando herramientas bioinformáticas para determinar la relación de futuro dolor con la evidencia radiológica temprana de la enfermedad. Todos los datos fueron recuperados de la Osteoarthritis Initiative repository (OAI). Este estudio de caso-control se llevó a cabo utilizando los datos disponibles de los participantes de la base de datos de la OAI. Los datos radiológicos fueron evaluados con diferentes grupos de radiología de la OAI. Fueron usadas puntuaciones cuantitativas y semi- cuantitativas para medir las dos diferentes relaciones entre los datos radiológicos en tres diferentes puntos de tiempo. El objetivo fue seguir la trayectoria de la aparición y prevalencia del dolor como síntoma. Todos los modelos predictivos fueron estadísticamente significativos (P ≤ 0,05). Para el análisis cuantitativo se calcularon las áreas bajo la curva (AUC): 0.6516, 0.6174, y 0.6737 para T-0, T-1 y T-2, y para el análisis semi-cuantitativo se calcularon las AU C: 0.6865, 0.6486, y 0.6406 para T-0, T-1 y T-2. Los modelos obtenidos en el estudio bioinformático sugieren que los cambios tempranos en la estructura de las articulaciones pueden estar asociados con el futuro dolor de rodilla. Un biomarcador basado en imágenes que pueda predecir el futuro dolor, medido en las primeras etapas de OA, podría convertirse en una herramienta útil para mejorar la calidad de vida de la gente que padece OA.

Developmental programming of aging of isolated pancreatic islet glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in female offspring of mothers fed low-protein diets in pregnancy and/or lactation.

Diabetes predisposition is determined by pancreatic islet insulin secretion and insulin resistance. We studied female rat offspring exposed to low-protein maternal diet (50% control protein diet) in pregnancy and/or lactation at postnatal days 36, 110 and 450. Rats were fed either control 20% casein diet (C) or restricted diet (R - 10% casein) during pregnancy. After delivery, mothers received either C or R diet until weaning to provide four offspring groups: CC, RR, CR and RC (first letter denoting maternal pregnancy diet and the second lactation diet). Serum glucose, insulin and homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) were measured. Pancreatic islets were isolated and in vitro insulin secretion quantified in low glucose (5 mM) and high glucose (11 mM). Serum glucose, insulin and HOMA were similar in all groups at 36 and 110 postnatal days. HOMA was only higher in RR at 450 postnatal days. Only CC demonstrated differences in glucose sensitivity of ß-cells to high and low doses at the three ages studied. At 36 days, RR, CR and RC and at 450 days RR and RC groups did not show glucose-stimulated insulin secretion differences between low and high glucose. Aging-associated glucose-stimulated insulin secretion loss was affected by maternal dietary history, indicating that developmental programming must be considered a major factor in aging-related development of predisposition to later-life dysfunctional insulin metabolism. Female offspring islets' insulin secretion was higher than previously reported in males.