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We introduce new transversality conditions in terms of derivatives with respect to a nondecreasing function $g: \mathbb R \longrightarrow \mathbb R$, and we use them to prove the existence of solutions for discontinuous systems of Stieltjes differential equations, i.e. differential equations where usual derivatives are replaced with derivatives with respect to the derivator $g$. The proof of our main existence result leans on some interesting new results on $g$-derivatives also proven in this paper.

Background and objective: The progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD) involves the development of alterations in mineral metabolism that are closely related to cardiovascular outcomes and bone disease. Hypomagnesemia is associated with more rapid progression of CKD and other comorbidities. Our objective was to analyze in CKD patients stages 3–4 the impact of the administration of magnesium (Mg) carbonate on bone mineral density (BMD) and hemodynamic changes associated with by vascular calcification (VC). Material and methods: Patients with CKD stages 3–4 were randomized into controls (n = 12) or intervention (n = 7) group receiving 360 mg of Mg carbonate daily during a 15-month period. Parameters related to mineral metabolism, BMD, VC, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were evaluated. Results: Supplementation with Mg produced an increase in the urinary excretion of Mg while serum Mg levels remained stable and no episodes of hypermagnesemia were reported. In addition, no significant changes were found in the degree of VC assessed by Adragao index, however, both serum and urine Mg were significantly associated with a decrease in PWV, suggesting an increase in vascular compliance. Likewise, BMD did not change following treatment, but serum Mg significantly correlated with the levels of N-terminal propeptide of collagen alpha-1(I) chain (PINP), a marker of bone synthesis. Conclusions: In sum, these results suggest a possible beneficial effect of Mg on vascular compliance with no detrimental effects on bone status. In addition, our results highlight the need to consider monitorization of urinary Mg status in CKD patients. Resumen: Antecedentes y objetivos: La progresión de la enfermedad renal crónica (ERC) supone el desarrollo de alteraciones del metabolismo mineral que están estrechamente relacionadas con eventos cardiovasculares y enfermedad ósea. La hipomagnesemia se asocia con una progresión más rápida de la ERC, así como con otras comorbilidades. Nuestro objetivo fue analizar en pacientes con ERC estadios 3-4 el impacto de la administración de carbonato de magnesio (Mg) sobre la densidad mineral ósea (DMO) y los cambios hemodinámicos asociados a la calcificación vascular (CV). Material y métodos: Los pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica estadios 3-4 se distribuyeron aleatoriamente en los grupos control (n=12) o intervención (n=7), que recibió 360 mg de carbonato de Mg diariamente durante un periodo de 15 meses. Se evaluaron parámetros relacionados con el metabolismo mineral además de la DMO, CV, y velocidad de onda de pulso (VOP). Resultados: La suplementación con Mg produjo un aumento en la excreción urinaria de Mg, mientras que los niveles séricos de Mg permanecieron estables y no se reportaron episodios de hipermagnesemia. Además, no se observaron cambios significativos en cuanto al grado de CV valorado en base al índice de Adragao. No obstante, tanto los niveles séricos como urinarios de Mg se asociaron significativamente con un descenso en la VOP, lo que sugiere un aumento en la distensibilidad vascular. De manera similar, la DMO no se modificó con la administración del tratamiento, pero los niveles séricos de Mg correlacionaron significativamente con los del propétido N-terminal del colágeno tipo I (PINP), un marcador de la síntesis ósea. Conclusiones: En conjunto, estos resultados sugieren un posible efecto beneficioso del Mg sobre la distensibilidad vascular sin efectos negativos a nivel óseo. Además, nuestros resultados subrayan la necesidad de considerar la monitorización del nivel de Mg urinario en pacientes con ERC.

We use essential limits inferior and superior of the nonlinear part of a discontinuous ODE to introduce some novel transversality conditions which imply that Filippov solutions are Carathéodory solutions. We also prove some uniqueness criteria based on different Lipschitz conditions on different parts of the domain separated from one another by boundaries which satisfy certain transversality conditions.

This article examines three novels that use fiction to revise the figure of the Argentine author Leopoldo Lugones: Ricardo Piglia’s Respiración artificial (1980), C. E. Feiling’s Un poeta nacional (1993), and César Aira’s Lugones (2020). These three novels present different portrayals of Lugones, which also mirror their opposing views of the Argentine literary tradition. Piglia, Feiling, and Aira look back at the so-called national poet when self-fashioning themselves as writers and outlining a literary project in a (post)dictatorial scenario. In a cultural field marked by the effects of state terror and neoliberal reform policies, these fictional renderings of Lugones become a means of reflecting on the political past and the future of literature. Ultimately, I argue that Respiración artificial, Un poeta nacional, and Lugones devise a figure of the Argentine author decoupled from the mission of consolidating a national identity that Lugones epitomized for nearly half a century.

The decreasing well-being among doctoral candidates, coupled with a high prevalence of distress problems, is a topic of increasing concern in the field of higher education and research policy. The present study aimed to replicate, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of The Third Half, a multi-component psychoeducational program in doctoral students. To address the limitations of the pilot study, we conducted a non-randomized controlled study using a repeated measures pre-post design with a total of 97 participants (Mage = 32.5; SD = 8.23), of whom 26 participated in the experimental group. Results showed that Third Half program participants reported significant decreases in indicators of negative affect (F = 4.01; p = .04) and anxiety (F = 4.95; p = .02) compared to the general control group; in the matched sample analysis (n = 20) significant decreases were found in indicators of negative affect (F = 4.72; p = .03), anxiety (F = 4.09; p

Cancer and infectious diseases are two of the world’s major public health problems. Gemcitabine (GEM) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent against several types of cancer. In this study, we developed macrocapsules incorporating GEM into a chitosan matrix blended with magnetite and zeolite by ionic gelation. Physicochemical characterization was performed using HRTEM-ED, XRD, FESEM–EDS, FT-IR, TGA, encapsulation efficiency (%E.E.), and release profiles at pHs 7.4 and 5.0. Cell viability tests against A549 and H1299 cell lines, and microbiological properties against staphylococcal strains were performed. Our results revealed the successful production of hemispherical capsules with an average diameter of 1.22 mm, a rough surface, and characteristic FT-IR material interaction bands. The macrocapsules showed a high GEM encapsulation efficiency of over 86% and controlled release over 24 h. Cell viability assays revealed that similar cytotoxic effects to free GEM were achieved with a 45-fold lower GEM concentration, suggesting reduced dosing requirements and potentially fewer side effects. Additionally, the macrocapsules demonstrated potent antimicrobial activity, reducing Staphylococcus epidermidis growth by over 90%. These results highlight the macrocapsules dual role as a chemotherapeutic and antimicrobial agent, offering a promising strategy for treating lung cancer in patients at risk of infectious diseases or who are immunosuppressed.

Introducción. La vacunación es una de las estrategias de salud pública más eficaces, sin embargo, puede producir efectos adversos (EA). En Paraguay, en diciembre del 2020, se lanzó el Plan Nacional de Vacunación como parte de las medidas de control y prevención contra la COVID-19, que contempla la vigilancia de eventos supuestamente atribuibles a la vacunación o inmunización (ESAVI). Objetivo. Determinar los EA de las vacunas contra la COVID-19 aplicadas en el Paraguay en el 2021. Metodología. Estudio analítico transversal que incluyó una encuesta en Google Forms difundida a través de las redes sociales. Se recolectaron variables sociodemográficas, tipo de vacuna, dosis y EA. Los datos se analizaron con Epi InfoTM, y se calculó Odd Ratio (OR) con su IC95% a un nivel de significancia de

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi, is a potentially life-threatening parasitic zoonosis infecting 6–7 million people worldwide, mainly in Latin America. Due to the limited numbers of drugs available against this neglected disease and their frequent adverse effects, novel anti-chagasic agents are urgently needed. Cichorium intybus L. (chicory) is a bioactive plant with potent activity against parasitic nematodes, but its effects on protozoans are poorly known and no studies have explored its trypanocidal potential. Here, we investigated the activity of C. intybus against extracellular and intracellular stages of T. cruzi, including the prediction of trypanocidal compounds by metabolomic analyses and bioactivity-based molecular networking. Purified C. intybus extracts were prepared from leaves and roots of five C. intybus cultivars (cv. ‘Benulite’, ‘Goldine’, ‘Larigot’, ‘Maestoso’ and ‘Spadona’). All C. intybus extracts induced concentration-dependent effects against T. cruzi trypomastigotes. C. intybus leaf extracts had higher trypanocidal selectivity and lower cytotoxicity on mammalian cells than root extracts. The leaf extract of C. intybus cv. Goldine also significantly reduced the number of mammalian cells infected with T. cruzi amastigotes. Metabolomic and bioactivity-based molecular networking analyses revealed 11 compounds in C. intybus leaves strongly linked with activity against trypomastigotes, including the sesquiterpene lactone lactucin, and flavonoid- and fatty acid-derivatives. Furthermore, seven distinct C. intybus molecules (including two sesquiterpene lactone-derivatives) were predicted to be involved in reducing the number of mammalian cells infected with amastigotes. This is the first report of the anti-protozoal activity of C. intybus against trypanosomatid parasites and expands our understanding of the anti-parasitic effects of this plant and its bioactive metabolites. Further studies to elucidate the anti-protozoal compound(s) in C. intybus and their mode(s) of action will improve our knowledge of using this bioactive plant as a promising source of novel broad-spectrum anti-parasitic compounds with associated health benefits and biomedical potential.

Abstract Background Recurrence and resistance of Candida spp. infections is associated with the ability of these microorganisms to present several virulence patterns such as morphogenesis, adhesion, and biofilm formation. In the search for agents with antivirulence activity, essential oils could represent a strategy to act against biofilms and to potentiate antifungal drugs. Objective To evaluate the antivirulence effect of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil (O-EO) against Candida spp. and to potentiate the effect of fluconazole and nystatin. Methods The effect of O-EO was evaluated on ATCC reference strains of C. albicans and non-albicans Candida species. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined through broth microdilution assay. Adhesion to microplates was determined by crystal violet (CV) assay. An adapted scratch assay in 24-well was used to determine the effect of essential oil on biofilms proliferation. Viability of biofilms was evaluated by MTT reduction assay and through a checkerboard assay we determined if O-EO could act synergistically with fluconazole and nystatin. Results MIC for C. albicans ATCC-90029 and ATCC-10231 was 0.01 mg/L and 0.97 mg/L, respectively. For non-albicans Candida strains MIC values were 2.6 mg/L for C. dubliniensis ATCC-CD36 and 5.3 mg/L for C. krusei ATCC-6258. By using these concentrations, O-EO inhibited morphogenesis, adhesion, and proliferation at least by 50% for the strains assayed. In formed biofilms O-EO decreased viability in ATCC 90029 and ATCC 10231 strains (IC50 7.4 and 2.8 mg/L respectively). Finally, we show that O-EO interacted synergistically with fluconazole and nystatin. Conclusions This study demonstrate that O-EO could be considered to improve the antifungal treatment against Candida spp.

In this paper, we present some uniqueness results for systems of ordinary differential equations. All of them are linked by a weak transversality condition at the initial condition, which generalizes those in the previous literature. Several examples are also provided to illustrate our results.

The ethical imperative voiced by colleagues from the Universidad Católica de Chile stresses the urgency of providing universal access to healthcare services on a global scale because health is a social good and a social right. On the one hand, health systems should promote innovations because they will contribute to greater sustainability and foster the sharing of health benefits to the different communities in the world. On the other hand, in healthcare practice, it is necessary to create more inclusive models of care that reach out to larger sectors of the population. Finally, interdisciplinary work is necessary to provide comprehensive care, considering the social determinants of health in the diverse social contexts where people live.

El artículo analiza las dinámicas de la conflictividad laboral y la normalización sindical en los albores de la democracia alfonsinista a partir del examen de dos casos: los trabajadores metalúrgicos y los empleados municipales de la ciudad de Rosario. Se propone reflexionar sobre la relación entre ambos procesos, examinando las demandas, los repertorios de acción, las relaciones entre sindicatos, Estado y empresario, y las tensiones al interior de las distintas facciones sindicales.

Genetic evaluations are an efficient tool to select sires, and for them it is necessary to have identification of environmental effects, genetic parameters, and acceptable degree of connectedness between herds. Evaluation of Limousin breed genetics has been developing since 2012. The objectives were to determine the most relevant fixed environmental effects of the characteristics in the genetic evaluation and to estimate the degree of connectedness between herds. The productive and genealogical records were extracted from the Limousin genetic evaluation database of the National Institute of Agricultural Research. Objective measurements were available for the characteristics birth weight (916 records), weaning (818), 18 months (438), ribeye area (435), and 12th-13th rib fat thickness (435) for 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 corresponding to four herds. The results showed that the fixed environmental effects considered presented a significant value (p

Abstract We prove an existence result for systems of differential inclusions driven by multivalued mappings which need not assume closed or convex values everywhere, and need not be semicontinuous everywhere. Moreover, we consider differentiation with respect to a nondecreasing function, thus covering discrete, continuous and impulsive problems under a unique formulation. We emphasize that our existence result appears to be new even when the derivator is the identity, i.e. when derivatives are considered in the usual sense. We also apply our existence theorem for inclusions to derive a new existence result for discontinuous Stieltjes differential equations. Examples are given to illustrate the main results.

Abstract Stieltjes differential equations, which contain equations with impulses and equations on time scales as particular cases, simply consist in replacing usual derivatives by derivatives with respect to a nondecreasing function. In this paper we prove new results for the existence of extremal solutions for discontinuous Stieltjes differential equations. In particular, we prove that the pointwise infimum of upper solutions of a Stieltjes differential equation is the minimal solution under certain hypotheses. These results can be adapted to the context of both difference equations and impulsive differential equations.

In this paper, we focus on a novel bioethical approach concerning the ethical implications of the Social Determinants of Health (SDs) in the time of COVID-19, offering a fresh interpretation of our agency and responsibility in the current pandemic era. Our interpretation is grounded on the idea that our health basically depends on factors that go beyond our organism. In this sense, we stress the radical importance of circumstances to ethically assess an action, in the current pandemic context. Moreover, due the centrality of the SDs in our bioethical assessments—that implies that our health does not exclusively depend on our choices, behaviors, and lifestyle—we can affirm that we are not entirely responsible for our wellness or diseases. As health depends on economic, social, cultural, and environmental factors, we argue that the analysis of personal responsibility facing personal health status should receive further consideration. In this sense, following the “social connection model,” we stress the importance of the concept of “shared responsibility” in collective decisions: if we make many decisions collectively, we are also collectively responsible of these decisions. Furthermore, to responsibly tackle the social inequalities that are the underlying cause of disparities in health outcomes, we propose two main strategies based on the Capability Approach: 1. empowering the individuals, especially the most vulnerable ones; and 2. designing preventive policies and interventions that provides an opportunity to address the disparities moving forward. This will help us going beyond the “individualistic medical ethics paradigm” and integrating our concept of health with social factors (e.g., the SDs), based on a more relational and interdependent anthropological thought.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are commonly associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and in these patients Mg concentration is usually decreased. This study evaluated whether a dietary Mg supplementation might attenuate vascular dysfunction through the modulation of oxidative stress and inflammation in concurrent MetS and CKD. Methods: A rat model of MetS (Zucker strain) with CKD (5/6 nephrectomy, Nx) was used. Nephrectomized animals were fed a normal 0.1%Mg (MetS+Nx+Mg0.1%) or a supplemented 0.6%Mg (MetS+Nx+Mg0.6%) diet; Sham-operated rats with MetS receiving 0.1%Mg were used as controls. Results: As compared to controls, the MetS+Nx-Mg0.1% group showed a significant increase in oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers (lipid peroxidation and aortic interleukin-1b and -6 expression) and Endothelin-1 levels, a decrease in nitric oxide and a worsening in uremia and MetS associated pathology as hypertension, and abnormal glucose and lipid profile. Moreover, proteomic evaluation revealed changes mainly related to lipid metabolism and CVD markers. By contrast, in the MetS+Nx+Mg0.6% group, these parameters remained largely similar to controls. Conclusion: In concurrent MetS and CKD, dietary Mg supplementation reduced inflammation and oxidative stress and improved vascular function.

Stieltjes differential equations, i.e. differential equations with usual derivatives replaced by derivatives with respect to given functions (derivators), are useful to model processes which exhibit dead times and/or sudden changes. These advantages of Stieltjes equations are exploited in this paper in the analysis of two real life models: first, the frictionless motion of a vehicle equipped with an electric engine and, second, the evolution of populations of cyanobacteria Spirullina plantensis in semicontinuous cultivation processes. Furthermore, this is not only a paper on applications of known results. For the adequate analysis of our mathematical models we first deduce the solution formula for Stieltjes equations with separate variables. Finally, we show that differential equations with Stieltjes derivatives reduce to ODEs when the derivator is continuous, thus obtaining another resolution method for more general cases.

Abstract Background Tamoxifen (TAM), a selective modulator of estrogen receptors (SERMs) has been recently explored as a therapeutic option for the oral treatment of airway inflammation in the horse. The objective of this work was to establish pharmacokinetic parameters of TAM and its main metabolites in equines, as well as to determine its clinical safety in short-term treatments. Results We determined TAM and its three main metabolites (4-OH tamoxifen, endoxifen, and N-desmethyl tamoxifen) in plasma after single administration of 0.25 mg/kg in healthy adult horses (n = 12). A maximum concentration of TAM was achieved 3 h after the oral administration (4.65 pg/mL ± 1.69); 4-OH tamoxifen was the metabolite that reached the highest concentration (78 pg/mL ± 70), followed by N-desmethyl tamoxifen (0.43 pg / mL ± 0.48), and finally endoxifen (0.17 pg/mL ± 0.17). All metabolites showed peak concentration 2 h after oral administration of the drug. Oral TAM bioavailability was 13,15% ± 4,18, with a steady state volume of distribution of 7831 ± 2922 (L/kg). Elimination half-life was 15.40 ± 5.80 h, and clearance was 5876 ± 699 (mL/kg/min). Clinical safety of TAM was determined over a 7-day course of treatment (0.25 mg/kg, orally q 24 h, n = 20). No adverse effects were observed through clinical examination, blood hematology, serum biochemistry, ophthalmological and reproductive examinations. Endometrial edema observed in some mares was attributed to normal cyclic activity. Conclusions Tamoxifen has moderate oral bioavailability and a large volume of distribution, with three main metabolites in horses. Additionally, oral TAM administration over a 7-day treatment period demonstrated to be clinically safe, without adverse effects on clinical, hematological or serum biochemical parameters. These data could contribute to the continued research into this drug’s potential for the treatment of different inflammatory conditions in equine species.

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are the main metabolites produced by the bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber, and they play a critical role in the maintenance of intestinal health. SCFAs are also essential for modulating different processes, and they have anti-inflammatory properties and immunomodulatory effects. As the inflammatory process predisposes the development of cancer and promotes all stages of tumorigenesis, an antitumor effect has also been associated with SCFAs. This is strongly supported by epidemiological studies showing that a diet rich in fiber is linked to a reduced risk of colon cancer and has significant clinical benefits in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). SCFAs may signal through the metabolite-sensing G protein-coupled receptors free fatty acid receptor 3 [FFAR3 or G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41)], FFAR2 (GPR43), and GPR109A (also known as hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 or HCAR2) expressed in the gut epithelium and immune cells. This review summarizes the existing knowledge regarding the SCFA-mediated suppression of inflammation and carcinogenesis in IBD and colon cancer.

Given the European eel population’s marked decrease since the 1980s, it has become urgent to collect information describing its regional population structure to improve management plans. The Minho River (NW-Portugal, SW-Europe) is an important basin for the eel at the southern limit of its distribution, but the species is poorly described. Thus, we aimed to study the structure of the European eel population in the Minho River using otolith shape analysis, which has proven to be effective in discriminating fish groups experiencing different environmental conditions through ontogeny. Our results showed complete discrimination between the two main types of habitats studied (tributaries and estuaries). Otoliths of eels from the estuary were rectangular and elliptic, whereas in the tributaries they presented a more round and circular form. Eels collected in both habitats were mostly yellow-stage eels with a similar age range, but the eels from the tributaries showed smaller length-at-age and lower body condition than those collected in the estuary. Additionally, the sex ratio was skewed towards males in the tributaries and females in the estuary. This study reveals that there are at least two distinct groups of eels in this basin, likely with different development characteristics.

De cara a una transición democrática caracterizada por la dual e interdependiente normalización de los campos político y cultural, Alberto Cardín emerge como una figura incómoda, marginal y a día de hoy relativamente olvidada. Revisitar sus intervenciones polémicas en publicaciones como Revista de Literatura y Diwan habilita una aproximación integral a sus apuestas intelectuales, capaz de hallar discusiones aún actuales y productivas al momento de leer la transición a contrapelo. Pionero introductor del psicoanálisis lacaniano en España, el diálogo entablado entre Cardín y el argentino Oscar Masotta delinea una perspectiva distintivamente teórica con que interrogar qué sujeto intelectual adviene al renovado escenario posfranquista. Mientras denuncia el reacomodamiento que la transición supone para los más célebres intelectuales españoles, Cardín lleva adelante una apuesta crítica alternativa en su misma inmanencia textual. Apela a la diatriba y a la polémica no solo como instrumentos de disputa en el campo cultural, sino que las adopta de modo que terminen por devenir forma: hace de ellas procedimientos con los que redefinir y reivindicar la especificidad discursiva de una crítica que se asume como tal solo mediante la asunción radical del conflicto y la diferencia, irreductibles a todo llamamiento consensual.

El Frente del Pueblo constituyó una alianza para participar de las elecciones legislativas de 1985, fue la primera experiencia conjunta en este terreno de comunistas y trotskistas en Argentina. Al mismo tiempo que para la izquierda el intento de seducir a los trabajadores peronistas fue una prioridad, la importancia de la participación electoral y el imaginario común sobre el binomio liberación/dependencia se fueron constituyendo como dimensiones determinantes al momento de llevar adelante políticas de confluencia como el FREPU. Este artículo recupera aquel intento por sobreponerse a diferencias políticas e ideológicas que algunas veces resultaron irreconciliables.

Reseña de Selina Todd, El pueblo. Auge y caída de la clase obrera (1910-2010), Madrid, Ediciones Akal, 2018, 540 pp.

Health has an important role in the achievement of a good quality of life. Many public policies intended to enhance individual and population health. Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach (CA) offers a framework to assess well-being, as well as interventions seeking to increase it. There are, however, important practical challenges that must be faced before applying CA to concrete situations, such as health. One of these challenges is defining whether it is functioning or a capability that is the feature to be assessed. Moreover, some aspects of freedom that are relevant for CA are frequently neglected, such as agency. These aspects must be considered when performing a health assessment using the CA as a framework. A health assessment using the CA as a framework should include indicators based on the achieved dimension (health functioning), resources and conversion factors (health capability), and freedom to achieve (agency).

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most lethal and prevalent type of lung cancer. In almost all types of cancer, the levels of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) are increased, playing a pivotal role in tumor proliferation. Indomethacin, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, increases the abundance of an enzyme termed spermidine/spermine-N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) encoded by the SAT1 gene. This enzyme is a key player in the export of polyamines from the cell. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of indomethacin on two NSCLC cell lines, and their combinatory potential with polyamine-inhibitor drugs in NSCLC cell lines. A549 and H1299 NSCLC cells were exposed to indomethacin and evaluations included SAT1 expression, SSAT levels, and the metabolic status of cells. Moreover, the difference in polyamine synthesis enzymes among these cell lines as well as the synergistic effect of indomethacin and chemical inhibitors of the polyamine pathway enzymes on cell viability were investigated. Indomethacin increased the expression of SAT1 and levels of SSAT in both cell lines. In A549 cells, it significantly reduced the levels of putrescine and spermidine. However, in H1299 cells, the impact of treatment on the polyamine pathway was insignificant. Also, the metabolic features upstream of the polyamine pathway (i.e., ornithine and methionine) were increased. In A549 cells, the increase of ornithine correlated with the increase of several metabolites involved in the urea cycle. Evaluation of the levels of the polyamine synthesis enzymes showed that ornithine decarboxylase is increased in A549 cells, whereas S-adenosylmethionine-decarboxylase and polyamine oxidase are increased in H1299 cells. This observation correlated with relative resistance to polyamine synthesis inhibitors eflornithine and SAM486 (inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosyl-L-methionine decarboxylase, respectively), and MDL72527 (inhibitor of polyamine oxidase and spermine oxidase). Finally, indomethacin demonstrated a synergistic effect with MDL72527 in A549 cells and SAM486 in H1299 cells. Collectively, these results indicate that indomethacin alters polyamine metabolism in NSCLC cells and enhances the effect of polyamine synthesis inhibitors, such as MDL72527 or SAM486. However, this effect varies depending on the basal metabolic fingerprint of each type of cancer cell.

The dynamics of the positive ions created by particle interactions inside argon time projection chambers plays an important role in characterizing the next generation of massive detectors planned for the direct search for dark matter and the study of neutrino properties. We have constructed a 1 L liquid argon chamber (ARION: ARgon ION experiment) with a high voltage pulse generator capable of injecting, in a controlled manner, a sizeable ion current into the drift region. This chamber is capable of reproducing a volume charge similar to that found in large detectors, allowing its effects to be studied systematically. New experimental results regarding ion dynamics in the liquid and direct demonstration of ion feedback from the gas to the liquid are discussed in this paper. In addition, a novel technique to measure the drift velocity of argon ions is introduced along with preliminary results obtained in gas.

We establish sufficient conditions for the existence of extremal solutions for a second-order problem on the half-line with discontinuous right-hand side and nonlinear boundary conditions. Our results are new even in the classical case of continuous nonlinearities. We illustrate their applicability with an example.

Abstract Increasing drug resistance in gastrointestinal (GI) parasites of livestock and concerns about chemical residues in animal products and the environment are driving the development of alternative control strategies that are less reliant on the use of synthetic drugs. An increasingly investigated approach is the use of bioactive forages with antiparasitic properties as part of the animal’s diet (nutraceuticals) or as potential sources of novel, natural parasiticides. Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is a multi-purpose crop and one of the most promising bioactive forages in temperate regions, and numerous in vivo trials have explored its potential against parasitic nematodes in livestock. However, it is unclear whether chicory can induce a direct and broad activity against various GI parasites in different livestock species, and the levels of chicory in the diet that are required to exert an efficient antiparasitic effect. Moreover, the mechanisms leading to the reported parasiticidal activity of chicory are still largely unknown, and its bioactive phytochemicals have only recently been investigated. In this review, we summarise the progress in the study of the antiparasitic activity of chicory and its natural bioactive compounds against GI parasites in livestock, through examination of the published literature. The available evidence indicates that feeding chicory can reduce faecal egg counts and/or worm burdens of abomasal nematodes, but not infections with intestinal worms, in ruminants. Highly chicory-rich diets (≥ 70% of chicory dry matter in the diet) may be necessary to directly affect abomasal parasitism. Chicory is known to synthesise several bioactive compounds with potential antiparasitic activity, but most research has been devoted to the role of sesquiterpene lactones (SL). Recent in vitro studies have confirmed direct and potent activity of SL-rich extracts from chicory against different GI helminths of livestock. Chicory SL have also been reported to exhibit antimalarial properties and its potential antiprotozoal activity in livestock remains to be evaluated. Furthermore, the detailed identification of the main antiparasitic metabolites of chicory and their pharmacokinetics need further confirmation. Research gaps and perspectives on the potential use of chicory as a nutraceutical forage and a source of bioactive compounds for parasite control in livestock are discussed.

En 2666, Roberto Bolaño configura, situado en el desierto mexicano de Sonora, un escenario latinoamericano postapocalíptico, paradigmático estado de excepción donde proliferan, bajo una retórica cuasi-forense, monótona e inagotable de 350 páginas, innumerables cadáveres de mujeres, productos del femicidio a gran escala, vidas desnudas despojadas de existencia política. En la estructura de esta novela póstuma, inacabada, desmesurada en su extensión, Bolaño, a través de fragmentariedades, digresiones, interrupciones, despliega una auténtica poética de la inconclusión: no existe totalidad narrativa capaz de dar cuenta del carácter ilimitado del crimen y el mal absolutos experimentados durante el siglo XX. Así, leída bajo la lógica lacaniana del no-todo, esta poética de la inconclusión habilita la irrupción de lo real que interrumpe la narración, la clausura ideológica de un orden socio-simbólico perverso.

We use lower and upper solutions to investigate the existence of the greatest and the least solutions for quasimonotone systems of measure differential equations. The established results are then used to study the solvability of Stieltjes differential equations; a recent unification of discrete, continuous and impulsive systems. The applicability of our results is illustrated in a simple model for bacteria population.

We provide new results concerning the existence of extremal solutions for a class of second-order problems with nonlinear functional boundary conditions where the nonlinearity considered may be discontinuous with respect to all of its variables. The main result relies on recent fixed point theorems for discontinuous operators and the lower and upper solution method.

Objective: Understand the cultural care provided by family to the diabetic patient consuming the alcohol and/or tobacco. Methodology: Analytical and qualitative study, we conducted analysis of speech, with a final sample of 9 subjects with Diabetes; the data collected from the survey “Cultural family care to diabetic patients who consumed alcohol and/or tobacco” to apply through a focus group. The personal data were analysed using the statistical package SPSS v.17.0 and the qualitative data were analyzed based on the Grounded of Data Theory. Results: The phenomenon found is an optimal and comprehensive family care, which manifests itself by an excellent behavioral expression and verbal, coupled with feelings of gratitude by the individual. Conclusion: The family care provided to diabetic patients an emotional, social, physical and spiritual level is essential to strengthen the provision in adherence to treatment, and to face the mourning by the loss of a lifestyle.

The objective of this study was to assess the quality of life and psychological wellbeing of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) in Chile, and to identify other associated factors. The study enrolled 68 patients aged between 18 and 72 (median 29), 35 being females. They completed a questionnaire, which included a quality of life assessment tool (the Medical Outcome Study 36-Item Short Form Health Survey), a number of psychological scales (the General Health Questionnaire, the Basic Psychological Needs Scales and the Beck Hopelessness Scale), a socioeconomic survey, and some clinical data. CHD patients reported worse scores in those scales assessing physical dimensions of quality of life (physical function (70.5), physical role functioning (64), vitality (65.3)), and general quality of life (58.6), than in emotional or social dimensions. Female gender was associated with lower scores in physical function (59.12 versus 82.66; p

Objetivo. Identificar parásitos en heces del huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) presente en áreas naturales protegidas del centro y sur de Chile y evaluar diferencias en la prevalencia de parásitos entre regiones y estaciones del año. Materiales y métodos. 200 muestras de heces de huemul fueron colectadas de distintas localidades de las regiones de Ñuble, Aysén y Magallanes a lo largo de todas las estaciones entre los años 2006 y 2008. Las muestras fueron analizadas utilizando las técnicas de flotación y sedimentación, para ser posteriormente observadas en el microscopio con el objetivo de detectar parásitos. Adicionalmente, se analizaron 124 de estas muestras para determinar la presencia de Fasciola hepatica. Resultados. El 38.0%(n=76/200) de las muestras analizadas fueron positivas a algún parásito, observándose una prevalencia de 11.8%(n=2/17) en Ñuble, 22.8%(n=28/123) en Aysén y un 76.7%(n=46/60) en Magallanes. En Ñuble se encontraron huevos de Moniezia sp., mientras que en Aysén y Magallanes se identificaron huevos tipo Estrongílido, Nematodirus sp. y ooquistes de Eimeria spp. No se evidenció F. hepatica en las muestras analizadas. Se detectan diferencias de parasitismo entre las estaciones (p≤0.05) en Aysén y Magallanes. Conclusiones. La diferencia en la prevalencia y diversidad parasitaria entre regiones incluidas en este estudio pueden estar relacionadas con la disimilitud en la densidad poblacional de huemules y la masa ganadera de cada región. Es necesario continuar con monitoreos parasitológicos en poblaciones de huemul en Chile sur y central y estudiar la relación de esta especie con el ganado y la posible transmisión inter- e intraespecífica de parásitos.

Information on smoking exposure obtained with self-reports may be inaccurate. Cotinine has a large half-life and its salivary levels correlate well with plasmatic levels. The influence of storage conditions on the validity and precision of salivary cotinine assessments has rarely been evaluated. Here, smokers donated saliva samples, which were sent for immediate analysis, mail posting, storage at 4 °C for 30 or 90 days, or storage at −20 °C for 30 or 90 days. Cotinine levels were determined using enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay. Agreement of cotinine level measurements was assessed using Bland-Altman analyses. Average age (years), duration of smoking (years) and number of cigarettes smoked (/day) were 55.4 (±SD 9.4), 35.1 (±SD 11.3), and 15.3 (±SD 7.6). The mean immediate cotinine level was 457 ng/mL (range 11.3 to 1318 ng/mL). Mean cotinine levels in samples analyzed after delay ranged between 433 ng/mL (−20 °C 30 days) and 468 ng/mL (4 °C 30 days). A dose-response gradient was observed in the relationship between salivary cotinine level and self-reported smoking status. A good agreement between cotinine levels for all storage conditions compared with immediate analysis was observed, with average differences ranging from −11 to 24 ng/mL. Cotinine levels remained stable regardless of the tested condition. The stability of salivary cotinine may enable samples to be obtained in difficult-to-reach areas, reduce study costs, and improve the validity of the information on exposure to smoking.

El presente trabajo comienza por exponer un relevamiento de distintas aproximaciones críticas a la obra de Gabriela Liffschitz –precisamente, artículos de Paola Cortés Rocca y Alberto Giordano–, así como de los marcos teóricos con que éstas dialogan, para luego remarcar las insuficiencias explicativas con que acaban por encontrarse. Posteriormente, se propone un cruce interdisciplinar con la teoría psicoanalítica, el cual habilita consideraciones críticas capaces no solo de abordar pertinentemente las producciones en cuestión, sino además de dar cuenta de sus propios presupuestos epistemológicos y así delimitar la especificidad literaria de su objeto de estudio. En torno del concepto de sublimación, según lo entienden Leo Bersani y Carlos Kuri, primero, y de las consideraciones estético-lacanianas de Massimo Recalcati, después, se traza un recorrido crítico que encuentra, en la singularidad de cada texto y serie fotográfica, un modo propiamente literario de interrogar una práctica artística intermedial como la de Liffschitz. Finalmente, la noción de “iconografía de autor”, de Jean-Luc Nancy, habilita una síntesis concluyente de las reflexiones conceptuales esbozadas a lo largo del trabajo.

Background Climate change is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity, pushing species to shift their distribution ranges and making existing protected areas inadequate. Estimating species distribution and potential modifications under climate change are then necessary for adjusting conservation and management plans; this is especially true for endangered species. An example of this issue is the huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus), an endemic endangered deer from the southern Andes Range, with less than 2,000 individuals. It is distributed in fragmented populations along a 2,000 km latitudinal gradient, in Chile and Argentina. Several threats have reduced its distribution to

Abstract Background Outbreaks of acute Chagas disease associated with oral transmission are easily detected nowadays with trained health personnel in areas of low endemicity, or in which the vector transmission has been interrupted. Given the biological and genetic diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi, the high morbidity, mortality, and the observed therapeutic failure, new characteristics of these outbreaks need to be addressed at different levels, both in Trypanosoma cruzi as in patient response. The aim of this work was to evaluate the patient’s features involved in six outbreaks of acute Chagas disease which occurred in Santander, Colombia, and the characteristics of Trypanosoma cruzi clones isolated from these patients, to establish the potential relationship between the etiologic agent features with host behavior. Methods The clinical, pathological and epidemiological aspects of outbreaks were analyzed. In addition, Trypanosoma cruzi clones were biologically characterized both in vitro and in vivo, and the susceptibility to the classical trypanocidal drugs nifurtimox and benznidazole was evaluated. Trypanosoma cruzi clones were genotyped by means of mini-exon intergenic spacer and cytochrome b genes sequencing. Results All clones were DTU I, and based on the mini-exon intergenic spacer, belong to two genotypes: G2 related with sub-urban, and G11 with rural outbreaks. Girón outbreak clones with higher susceptibility to drugs presented G2 genotype and C/T transition in Cyt b. The outbreaks affected mainly young population (±25.9 years), and the mortality rate was 10 %. The cardiac tissue showed intense inflammatory infiltrate, myocardial necrosis and abundant amastigote nests. However, although the gastrointestinal tissue was congestive, no inflammation or parasites were observed. Conclusions Although all clones belong to DTU I, two intra-DTU genotypes were found with the sequencing of the mini-exon intergenic spacer, however there is no strict correlation between genetic groups, the cycles of the parasite or the clinical forms of the disease. Trypanosoma cruzi clones from Girón with higher sensitivity to nifurtimox presented a particular G2 genotype and C/T transition in Cyt b. When the diagnosis was early, the patients responded well to antichagasic treatment, which highlights the importance of diagnosis and treatment early to prevent fatal outcomes associated with these acute episodes.

We establish the existence of positive solutions for systems of second−order differential equations with discontinuous nonlinear terms. To this aim, we give a multivalued vector version of Krasnosel’skiĭ’s fixed point theorem in cones which we apply to a regularization of the discontinuous integral operator associated to the differential system. We include several examples to illustrate our theory.

Nitric oxide-releasing aspirins (NO-aspirins) are aspirin derivatives that are safer than the parent drug in the gastrointestinal context and have shown superior cytotoxic effects in several cancer models. Despite the rationale for their design, the influence of nitric oxide (NO•) on the effects of NO-aspirins has been queried. Moreover, different isomers exhibit varying antitumor activity, apparently related to their ability to release NO•. Here, we investigated the effects and mode of action of NO-aspirins in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells, comparing two isomers, NCX4016 and NCX4040 (-meta and -para isomers, respectively). NCX4040 was more potent in decreasing NSCLC cell viability and migration and exhibited significant synergistic effects in combination with erlotinib (an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor) in erlotinib-resistant cells. We also studied the relationship among the effects of NO-aspirins, NO• release, and PGE2 levels. NCX4040 released more NO• and significantly decreased PGE2 synthesis relative to NCX4016; however, NO• scavenger treatment reversed the antiproliferative effects of NCX4016, but not those of NCX4040. By contrast, misoprostol (a PGE2 receptor agonist) significantly reversed the antiproliferative effect of NCX4040, but not those of NCX4016. Furthermore, misoprostol reversed the antimigratory effects of NCX4040. Overall, these results indicate that PGE2 inhibition is important in the mode of action of NO-aspirins.

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El carcinoma escamocelular es la neoplasia maligna más común en la cavidad bucal. Los sitios anatómicos más frecuentemente afectados son el labio inferior, los bordes laterales de lengua y el suelo de la boca. Su etiología es multifactorial, aunque está íntimamente relacionada con factores ambientales como el tabaquismo y el alcoholismo. El cuadro clínico se caracteriza generalmente por la presencia de placas blancas, placas eritematosas, placas entre eritematosas y blancas, úlceras de bordes levantados y masas exofíticas. El tratamiento consiste en la extirpación quirúrgica, la radioterapia, quimioterapia o ambos tratamientos. Este artículo presenta un caso de carcinoma escamocelular bucal en un paciente del sexo masculino, de 70 años de edad. En el mismo se describen los hallazgos clínicos, histopatológicos y el tratamiento correspondiente del caso. El diagnóstico precoz y correcto posibilitó la cura en este caso.

The current periodontitis paradigm embraces the idea of the existence of several particular disease entities. Among them, aggressive periodontitis has been defined as a particular form of periodontitis characterized by severe periodontal destruction usually affecting persons under 30 years of age and presenting with clearly identifiable clinical and laboratory features. Nonetheless, considerable het-erogeneity exists in the criteria used to identify the disease; only scant evidence exists substantiating the suggested distinct features; and several voices have expressed concerns on the suggested ad-vantages of considering aggressive periodontitis as a particular disease entity. The main explanation for this impasse can be found in the deep rooted belief that periodontitis is a group of particular clinical entities. This approach to periodontal disease is based on an es-sentialistic understanding of illness that obstructs advance in periodontal research. The use of a pragmatic nominalistic approach to periodontal dis-eases would provide a more rational framework for understanding periodontal health and disease and would easy the conduct of periodontal research. The implications of using a pragmatic definition of periodontitis are discussed.