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The success in infertility hormonal treatments and achieving a successful pregnancy is of great importance among infertile couples. Consequently the need to define new endometrial markers to evaluate the real impact of treatments is pressing. Since blastocyst implantation in a functional endometrium in the so- called "window of receptivity" is strongly associated to progesterone, our aim was to correlate the level of expression of progesterone-dependent claudins-1, -2, -3, -4, -5 and -6, αvβ3 integrin, LIF and progesterone receptor with pregnancy success in endometrial biopsies of primary infertile women. Endometrium was obtained during the secretory phase of the menstrual cycle from eight healthy and fertile women and 48 primary infertile women aged 30-47 years old being treated in the Infertility Clinic, Hospital "Angeles" del Pedregal, Mexico. Immunohistochemical analysis of the biopsies was performed with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies reactive to claudins-1 to -6, LIF, αvβ3 integrin, progesterone receptor (PR) and its phosphorylated form (pPR). Sera obtained the same day of the biopsy were used to determine anti-Mullerian hormone concentration. The results showed that less claudin-1 and -6, LIF and integrin αvβ3 abundance together with pPR was associated with successful pregnancy in 20 of the women, the remaining 28 did not became pregnant but interestingly pPR could not be detected. In conclusion the examination of claudin-1 and -6 together with the phosphorylation of PR in the endometrial biopsies of infertile women under ART protocols will help predict greater successful pregnancy.

There is an unmet need for new antifungal or fungicide treatments, as resistance to existing treatments grows. Combination treatments help to combat resistance. Here we develop a novel, effective target for combination antifungal therapy. Different aminoglycoside antibiotics combined with different sulphate-transport inhibitors produced strong, synergistic growth-inhibition of several fungi. Combinations decreased the respective MICs by ≥8-fold. Synergy was suppressed in yeast mutants resistant to effects of sulphate-mimetics (like chromate or molybdate) on sulphate transport. By different mechanisms, aminoglycosides and inhibition of sulphate transport cause errors in mRNA translation. The mistranslation rate was stimulated up to 10-fold when the agents were used in combination, consistent with this being the mode of synergistic action. A range of undesirable fungi were susceptible to synergistic inhibition by the combinations, including the human pathogens Candida albicans, C. glabrata and Cryptococcus neoformans, the food spoilage organism Zygosaccharomyces bailii and the phytopathogens Rhizoctonia solani and Zymoseptoria tritici. There was some specificity as certain fungi were unaffected. There was no synergy against bacterial or mammalian cells. The results indicate that translation fidelity is a promising new target for combinatorial treatment of undesirable fungi, the combinations requiring substantially decreased doses of active components compared to each agent alone.

7 págs.; 2 figs.; 2 tabs., We report pressure broadening (PB) coefficients for the 21 electric–dipole transitions between the eight lowest rotational levels of ortho-H2O and para-H2O molecules by collisions with He at temperatures from 20 to 120 K. These coefficients are derived from recently published experimental state-to-state rate coefficients for H2O:He inelastic collisions, plus an elastic contribution from close coupling calculations. The resulting coefficients are compared to the available experimental data. Mostly due to the elastic contribution, the PB-coefficients differ much from line to line, and increase markedly at low temperature. The present results are meant as a guide for future experiments and astrophysical observations., This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO), grants FIS2013- 48275-C2 and CONSOLIDER-ASTROMOL CSD2009-0038., CONSOLIDER-ASTROMOL CSD2009-0038

In the present article we examine clonality in virus evolution. Most viruses retain an active recombination machinery as a potential means to initiate new levels of genetic exploration that go beyond those attainable solely by point mutations. However, despite abundant recombination that may be linked to molecular events essential for genome replication, herein we provide evidence that generation of recombinants with altered biological properties is not essential for the completion of the replication cycles of viruses, and that viral lineages (near-clades) can be defined. We distinguish mechanistically active but inconsequential recombination from evolutionarily relevant recombination, illustrated by episodes in the field and during experimental evolution. In the field, recombination has been at the origin of new viral pathogens, and has conferred fitness advantages to some viruses once the parental viruses have attained a sufficient degree of diversification by point mutations. In the laboratory, recombination mediated a salient genome segmentation of foot-and-mouth disease virus, an important animal pathogen whose genome in nature has always been characterized as unsegmented. We propose a model of continuous mutation and recombination, with punctuated, biologically relevant recombination events for the survival of viruses, both as disease agents and as promoters of cellular evolution. Thus, clonality is the standard evolutionary mode for viruses because recombination is largely inconsequential, since the decisive events for virus replication and survival are not dependent on the exchange of genetic material and formation of recombinant (mosaic) genomes., Work in Madrid is supported by Grants BFU-2011-23604 and P2013/ABI-2906 (PLATESA from Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid) and Fundación R. Areces; Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas is funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III; E.M. is supported by a fellowship from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; and C.P. is supported by theMiguel Servet program of the FIS Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CP14/00121).

The aim of this paper is to provide a quick glance of Veracruz’s economic dynamics between the last decades of the 19th century and the early years of the 21th. It is based on a great variety of secondary sources (books, articles, government briefs and official documents) as well as economic censuses and state’s statistics. The main processes of development and specificities that each economic model adopted are described and continuities, changes and disruptions about Veracruz economy along more than a century are identified. The analysis allows us to confirm that Veracruz has lost relevance in the national economic scene. From being the first state economy in the country, it lost its preeminence during the period of the import substitution industrialization, been replaced by states of large industrial development such as Nuevo Leon, Mexico State and Mexico City. Since then it has continued to decline up to 2009 ranking sixth place nationally after the states above mentioned as well as Jalisco and Campeche. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3p571

© 2015, American Society for Microbiology. The N-terminal region of the foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) 3D polymerase contains the sequence MRKTKLAPT (residues 16 to 24) that acts as a nuclear localization signal. A previous study showed that substitutions K18E and K20E diminished the transport to the nucleus of 3D and 3CD and severely impaired virus infectivity. These residues have also been implicated in template binding, as seen in the crystal structures of different 3D-RNA elongation complexes. Here, we report the biochemical and structural characterization of different mutant polymerases harboring substitutions at residues 18 and 20, in particular, K18E, K18A, K20E, K20A, and the double mutant K18A K20A (KAKA). All mutant enzymes exhibit low RNA binding activity, low processivity, and alterations in nucleotide recognition, including increased incorporation of ribavirin monophosphate (RMP) relative to the incorporation of cognate nucleotides compared with the wild-type enzyme. The structural analysis shows an unprecedented flexibility of the 3D mutant polymerases, including both global rearrangements of the closed-hand architecture and local conformational changes at loop β9-α11 (within the polymerase motif B) and at the template-binding channel. Specifically, in 3D bound to RNA, both K18E and K20E induced the opening of new pockets in the template channel where the downstream templating nucleotide at position +2 binds. The comparisons of free and RNA-bound enzymes suggest that the structural rearrangements may occur in a concerted mode to regulate RNA replication, processivity, and fidelity. Thus, the Nterminal region of FMDV 3D that acts as a nuclear localization signal (NLS) and in template binding is also involved in nucleotide recognition and can affect the incorporation of nucleotide analogues. IMPORTANCE : The study documents multifunctionality of a nuclear localization signal (NLS) located at the N-terminal region of the foot-andmouth disease viral polymerase (3D). Amino acid substitutions at this polymerase region can impair the transport of 3D to the nucleus, reduce 3D binding to RNA, and alter the relative incorporation of standard nucleoside monophosphate versus ribavirin monophosphate. Structural data reveal that the conformational changes in this region, forming part of the template channel entry, would be involved in nucleotide discrimination. The results have implications for the understanding of viral polymerase function and for lethal mutagenesis mechanisms., Research in Barcelona was supported by grant BIO2011-24333 from the Spanish MINECO and by SILVER Cooperation project GA number 260644 of the European Union, Seventh Framework Program. Work in Madrid was supported by grants BFU2011-23604 and BIO2011-24351 from MINECO, PLATESA-S2013/ABI-2906 from CAM, and Fundación Ramón Areces. Financial support was provided by the ESRF and Alba. C.F.-O. is a recipient of a JAE postdoctoral contract supported by the Fondo Social Europeo

Most of the mathematics students evidence a definite tendency toward an attitudinal deficiency, which can be understood as intolerance to the matter, affecting their scholar performance. Information and communication technologies have been gradually included within the process of teaching mathematics. Such adoption of technology changed the educational process, thus generating a meaningful impact as shown by studies carried out by Galbraith and Haines. They developed a theoretical model aiming to explain this phenomenon, based on the component elements of attitude toward mathematics and computers: Mathematics engagement, mathematics confidence, mathematics motivation, computer confidence, and student's interaction between mathematics and computer. The purpose of this study is to validate such a model against experimental data coming from a sample of undergraduates from the fields of administration and economics. The observed fit indices, computed by structural equation modeling, corroborated that the theoretical model adjusts well to the empirical data.

Straightforward strategies for the synthesis of diversely functionalized polyhydroxy and polyhydroxyamino piperidines are presented, starting from aldehydes (I) or (V).

Introduction: Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) 4 isoform has been associated with elevated levels of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TGs), meanwhile several polymorphisms in the LDL receptor ( LDLR) gene have been associated with increased levels of total cholesterol and LDL-C. Material and Methods: We studied 400 women from Southwest Mexico. Anthropometric features and biochemical profile were evaluated, and genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms rs429358 and rs7412 in the APOE gene and rs688 in the LDLR gene was determined by TaqMan assays. Results: We found significant association between LDL-C (odds ratio [OR] = 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9-5.7) and marginal association with TG (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.0-2.9) of atherogenic risk in women carriers of the ApoE4 isoform compared to ApoE3. The TT genotype of rs688 in the LDLR gene was not found to be associated with elevated levels of total cholesterol or LDL-C. Conclusion: Our results show that carrier women of the ApoE4 isoform are more likely to have elevated levels of LDL-C and therefore increased risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Maximum entropy modeling (Maxent) is a widely used algorithm for predicting species distributions across space and time. Properly assessing the uncertainty in such predictions is non-trivial and requires validation with independent datasets. Notably, model complexity (number of model parameters) remains a major concern in relation to overfitting and, hence, transferability of Maxent models. An emerging approach is to validate the cross-temporal transferability of model predictions using paleoecological data. In this study, we assess the effect of model complexity on the performance of Maxent projections across time using two European plant species ( Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. and Corylus avellana L.) with an extensive late Quaternary fossil record in Spain as a study case. We fit 110 models with different levels of complexity under present time and tested model performance using AUC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) and AICc (corrected Akaike Information Criterion) through the standard procedure of randomly partitioning current occurrence data. We then compared these results to an independent validation by projecting the models to mid-Holocene (6000 years before present) climatic conditions in Spain to assess their ability to predict fossil pollen presence–absence and abundance. We find that calibrating Maxent models with default settings result in the generation of overly complex models. While model performance increased with model complexity when predicting current distributions, it was higher with intermediate complexity when predicting mid-Holocene distributions. Hence, models of intermediate complexity resulted in the best trade-off to predict species distributions across time. Reliable temporal model transferability is especially relevant for forecasting species distributions under future climate change. Consequently, species-specific model tuning should be used to find the best modeling settings to control for complexity, notably with paleoecological data to independently validate model projections. For cross-temporal projections of species distributions for which paleoecological data is not available, models of intermediate complexity should be selected.

7 pags.; 8 figs.; 1 tab.; app., By means of Raman spectroscopy of liquid microjets, we have investigated the crystallization process of supercooled quantum liquid mixtures composed of parahydrogen (pH2) or orthodeuterium (oD2) diluted with small amounts of neon. We show that the introduction of the Ne impurities affects the crystallization kinetics in terms of a significant reduction of the measured pH2 and oD2 crystal growth rates, similarly to what found in our previous work on supercooled pH2-oD2 liquid mixtures [Kühnel et al., Phys. Rev. B 89, 180201(R) (2014)]. Our experimental results, in combination with pathintegral simulations of the supercooled liquid mixtures, suggest in particular a correlation between the measured growth rates and the ratio of the effective particle sizes originating from quantum delocalization effects. We further show that the crystalline structure of the mixtures is also affected to a large extent by the presence of the Ne impurities, which likely initiate the freezing process through the formation of Ne-rich crystallites. C 2015 AIP Publishing LLC., Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, through Grant Nos. FIS2010-22064-C02 and FIS2013-48275-C2.

8 pags. ; 7 figs. ; 4 tabls. ; Supporting material: machine-readable tables, State-to-state rate coefficients for ortho-H2O:He and para-H2O:He inelastic collisions in the 20-120 K thermal range are investigated by means of an improved experimental procedure. This procedure is based on the use of a kinetic master equation (MEQ) which describes the evolution of populations of H2O rotational levels along a supersonic jet of H2O highly diluted in helium. The MEQ is expressed in terms of experimental observables and rate coefficients for H2O:He inelastic collisions. The primary experimental observables are the local number density and the populations of the rotational energy levels of H2O, quantities which are determined along the jet with unprecedented accuracy by means of Raman spectroscopy with high space resolution. Sets of rate coefficients from the literature and from present close-coupling calculations using two different potential energy surfaces (PESs) have been tested against the experiment. The Green et al. rate coefficients are up to 50% too low compared to the experiment, while most rates calculated here from the Hodges et al. PES and the Patkowski et al. PES are much closer to the experimental values. Experimental rates with an estimated accuracy on the order of 10% have been obtained for ortho-H2O:He and para-H2O:He inelastic collisions between 20 and 120 K by scaling and averaging the theoretical rates to the experiment. 2015. C The American Astronomical Society, This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministerios de Innovación (MICINN) and Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) through the research projects FIS2010-22064-C01, FIS2010-22064-C02, FIS2013-48275-C2-1-P, and FIS2013-48275-C2-2-P, and CONSOLIDER-ASTROMOL CSD2009-0038.

Characterization of dense non-aqueous phase liquid (DNAPL) in heterogeneous media represents a major challenge in the remediation process due to the complexity of DNAPL distribution in the subsurface. The partitioning interwell tracer test (PITT), which evaluates the relative transport of DNAPL-phase partitioning and conservative (i.e., non-partitioning) tracers, has recently been promoted as a way to quantify entrapped DNAPL mass in source zones. In some cases, the technique has been successfully applied to sites where DNAPL is present primarily at residual saturations. However, the effects of the geologic heterogeneity and DNAPL architecture on the performance and reliability of this technique have not yet been thoroughly examined. A systematic two-dimensional simulation study was conducted to evaluate the influence of DNAPL vertical distribution, well location, and geologic heterogeneity on the performance of the PITT for a total of 60 stochastic aquifer realizations. The aquifer hydraulic conductivity (K) distribution was defined using three different geostatistical parameter values describing the variance of the log K (\batchmode \documentclass[fleqn,10pt,legalpaper]{article} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amsmath} \pagestyle{empty} \begin{document} \({\sigma}^{2}_{ln\ k}\) \end{document} = [1.22, 0.75, 0.25]). A multiphase flow simulator was used to generate the source zone, allowing the DNAPL to distribute naturally. The tracer test simulations conducted using these various synthetic aquifers were specifically designed to quantify PITT performance for different degrees of heterogeneity. For cases where the aquifer is relatively heterogeneous and the DNAPL architecture is complex, PITT estimation efficiency averaged 48 percent (decreasing to 20 percent in certain scenarios) as a result of bypass flow and the limited tracer accessibility to lower hydraulic conductivity regions. While other studies have suggested the PITT technique may underestimate DNAPL saturation for these conditions, potential errors of this magnitude have not previously been reported. The results of this work underscore the importance of geological heterogeneity on PITT performance.

El dolor abdominal recurrente afecta aproximadamente al 12 % de la población pediátrica mundial. La endoscopia con biopsia gástrica y prueba de ureasa han sugerido que este dolor se relaciona con gastritis nodular asociada a infección por Helicobacter pylori (Hp). Se realizó un estudio en 66 niños entre 7 y 15 años de edad y de ambos sexos, ingresados en 9 hospitales cubanos con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto del Q-Ulcer (subcitrato de bismuto coloidal) y metronidazol en pacientes con diagnóstico endoscópico de gastritis crónica asociada a infección por Hp. Se realizó endoscopia, examen histológico y evaluación clínica antes de comenzar el tratamiento y 4 semanas después de haber finalizado. En treinta y cuatro de estos pacientes se erradicó el Hp con remisión de la gastritis. De los 28 pacientes restantes 14 se incluyeron en la categoría de mejorados y 14 en la de sin respuesta, debido a que el microorganismo se mantuvo positivo, aunque en menor densidad. Los eventos adversos se presentaron en aproximadamente la mitad de los niños y fundamentalmente, durante las dos primeras semanas de tratamiento en que la terapia era combinada. Por esta razón, no se puede precisar que fuera el Q-Ulcer el único responsable de la presencia de estos síntomas, ya que a partir de la tercera semana no se presentaron con la misma frecuencia. La terapia combinada de Q-Ulcer y metronidazol garantizó una apreciable mejoría clínica, endoscópica e histológica, a la vez que resultó segura en el tratamiento de niños portadores de gastritis.

Introduction Practical recommendations for patients undergoing radiation therapy with Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs) were published in 2012 from the Dutch Society of Radiotherapy. Purpose Our goal was to validate this guideline and to investigate whether we could advise for or against some specific recommendations. Materials and methods Between 2009 and 2016, 56 patients with CIEDs were treated in our institution. Dose to the CIED was assessed for every patient who was classified according to his risk. Patients were evaluated before, during and after radiotherapy by a cardiologist following guideline recommendations. Results Our patient focus group consisted of 39, 15 and 1 patients categorized into low, medium and high risk groups, respectively. The median age was 75 (range 54–98) years. Most treatments were prostate primaries (20%), brain metastasis (16%), head and neck primaries (9%) lung primaries (7%), and esophagus (5%). The prescribed dose ranged from 8 to 78 Gy with a daily dose ranging from 1.8 to 8 Gy. The maximum doses to the CIEDs were 179.1 cGy, 751 cGy and 1270 cGy, for the low, medium and high risk groups, respectively. Radiation therapy was safely delivered in all patients. Conclusion Our data support the fact that radiation dose seems to play a lesser role in inducing CIEDs malfunctions. Beam energy appears to be the essential factor in inducing these damaging effects according to the literature. Based on our work the following suggestions could be advocated: inactivation of antitachycardia therapies during RT as well as heart rhythm monitoring seems to be redundant and photon beam energy should be limited to ⩽10 MV.

A well-preserved biota of Lower Cambrian cavity-dwelling organisms is recorded within fissures in Neoproterozoic andesites in Ossa-Morena (southern Spain). The cavities are unique among described Lower Cambrian coelobiontic communities due to the igneous character of the host rock. Coelobiontic habitat was episodically enlarged by synsedimentary tectonic fracturing reflecting polyphase infill of recurrent facies. The pioneer coelobiontic biota was diverse, and consisted of encrusting stromatolites and thromboids (dominated by Epiphyton and Renalcis), attached to walls and ceilings of the cavities, associated with archaeocyaths. Sponge spicules and chancelloriid sclerites occur as dense clusters indicating in situ growth, death and decay of spiculate sponges and coeloscleritophorans. Other organisms, such as echinoderms, trilobites and brachiopods, are also found within the cavities as reworked skeletons, indicating that they were washed in from the overlying, open seafloor. The main feature of the coelobiontic biota is the dominance of a sessile, chemosynthetic and filter-feeding epibenthos, composed of microbial communities, archaeocyaths, spiculate sponges (demosponges and rarer hexactinellides) and coeloscleritophorans.

Más allá de presentar un estudio comparativo en donde se muestre en términos financieros el mayor beneficio posible para el trabajador, derivado de algún esquema de crédito hipotecario para la adquisición de una vivienda, el objetivo de este trabajo se centra en mostrar dos opciones de crédito para tal fin: una de estas opciones es el crédito hipotecario que ofrece la banca comercial de primer piso y otra opción es el crédito hipotecario a través del Instituto del Fondo Nacional para la Vivienda de los Trabajadores (INFONAVIT). Para ello fue necesario realizar un análisis financiero mediante el uso de modelos de amortización en su modalidad vencida. Los resultados indican que el financiamiento por parte de la banca de primer piso es la más conveniente, porque comparativamente, el monto de la mensualidad es más bajo y la vida del crédito hipotecario es más corta, asimismo la tasa de interés es más baja en la banca de primer piso. Sin embargo para quienes no puedan obtener un crédito por parte de la Banca comercial, las instituciones de seguridad social como el INFONAVIT resultan ser un escenario viable para adquirir dicha vivienda. Ambas opciones tienen sus beneficios, lo que lleva a pensar que la selección de la opción de crédito dependerá de la situación económica y laboral de la persona que solicite el crédito.

MOTIVATION, ANXIETY, CONFIDENCE, PLEASURE AND USEFULNESS FACTORS THAT REALLY EXPLAIN THE ATTITUDE TOWARDS MATHEMATICS IN STUDENTS MAJORING IN ECONOMICS?The study focuses on determining the level of attitude towards mathematics by students of the Faculty of Economics at the Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosi (UASLP), Mexico. The study is approached from the quantitative paradigm, not experimental, transversal and exploratory. The sample consisted of college students majoring in Economics who coursed mathematics during 2015. The attitude toward statistics test from Auzmendi (1992) was used. The main empirical finding of perception of students was that the pleasure is one of the factors that contribute to the attitude towards mathematics, contrary to motivation, which showed that it is not a key attitude to this discipline.Keywords: Mathematics, attitude, anxiety, utility, liking, motivation.Resumen.El objetivo del estudio se centra en determinar el nivel de actitud hacia las matemáticas por parte de los estudiantes de la Facultad de Economía de la Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí (UASLP). El estudio se aborda desde el paradigma cuantitativo, no experimental, transversal y exploratorio. La muestra está conformada por estudiantes de la Licenciatura en Economía que tomaron cursos de matemáticas en el año 2015. Se utilizó el cuestionario de actitud hacia la estadística de Auzmendi (1992). El principal hallazgo empírico de la percepción de los alumnos fue que el agrado es uno de los factores que más contribuye en la actitud hacia las matemáticas, contrario a la motivación, la cual se demostró que no es un elemento clave de la actitud hacia esta disciplina.Palabras claves: Actitud matemática, Ansiedad, Utilidad, Agrado, Motivación

Two pyrethroids, permethrin and allethrin, are often combined for large-scale use in public health programs to control vector-borne diseases. In this study, the genotoxic potential of a commercial formulation of permethrin and allethrin was examined using cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). Genotoxicity was evaluated using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMN cyt) assay by measuring the frequency of micronuclei (MN), nuclear division index (NDI), formation of nucleoplasmic bridges (NPB) and nuclear buds (NBUD), as well as apoptotic and necrotic cells. Human PBL were treated with different concentrations of a permethrin/allethrin mixture (1/0.01, 5/0.07, and 10/0.14 μg/ml) for 24 or 36 h. The highest concentration (10/0.14 μg/ml) of permethrin/allethrin mixture significantly increased MN frequency and percent apoptotic cells after incubations for 24 or 36 h. The NDI was markedly decreased in response to treatment with 5/0.07 or 10/0.14 μg/ml permethrin/allethrin for both 24 and 36 h. Exposure to the permethrin/allethrin mixture did not significantly alter formation of NBUD, NPB, or percent necrotic cells. The MN frequency was significantly correlated with the number of apoptotic and necrotic cells but inversely correlated with NDI. Data demonstrated that a mixture of permethrin and allethrin induced concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxic and genotoxic damage to human PBL in vitro.

Previous studies have shown that organophosphate pesticide (OP) exposure is associated with oxidative stress. Methamidophos (MET) is an OP widely used in agriculture, which is regarded as a highly toxic pesticide and it is a potent inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether MET can induce oxidative stress at low concentrations in primary cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). PBMCs from healthy individuals were exposed to MET (0-80 mg/L) for 0-72 h. We performed the MTT and neutral-red assays to assess the cytotoxicity. As indicators of oxidative stress, the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were assessed using flow cytometry, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) levels were determined. MET decreased the viability of PBMCs in a dose-dependent manner. At concentrations of 3, 10, or 20 mg/L for 24 h, MET increased the ROS production significantly compared with the vehicle control. Similarly, MET increased the levels of MDA at the same concentrations that increased ROS (10 and 20 mg/L); however, no changes in GSH levels were observed. These results suggest that MET increased the generation of oxidative stress in PBMCs. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 147-155, 2017.

This paper intends to make a reflection and analysis of the impact of theoretical and methodological frameworks of reference on different neo-institutional approaches in social policy. The paper questions the functionality and continuity of the institutions that are responsible for the functions of designing and implementing programs of social policy, given the profound changes on the environment of economic globalization processes. In this analysis, first it is examined the scope of the new institutional economics, then the role played by institutions in the design and implementation of social policy in the welfare and safety systems is delimited. The method used primarily focuses on critical analysis and reflection. It is concluded that the institutions of welfare and social security must develop the technological, organizational and administrative skills to create and maintain institutional effects that go beyond being conductive to efficiency, effectiveness and equitable development. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p571

Hemoglobinopathies, disorders of hemoglobin structure and production, are one of the most common monogenic disorders in humans. Glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency (G6PD) is an inherited enzymopathy resulting in increased oxygen stress susceptibility of red blood cells. The distributions of these genetic traits in populations living in tropical and subtropical regions where malaria has been or is still present are thought to result from survival advantage against severe life threatening malaria disease. 384 male Tanzanian volunteers residing in Dar es Salaam were typed for G6PD, sickle cell disease and α-thalassemia. The most prominent red blood cell polymorphism was heterozygous α(+)-thalassemia (37.8%), followed by the G6PD(A) deficiency (16.4%), heterozygous sickle cell trait (15.9%), G6PD(A-) deficiency (13.5%) and homozygous α(+)-thalassemia (5.2%). 35%, 45%, 17% and 3% of these volunteers were carriers of wild type gene loci, one, two or three of these hemoglobinopathies, respectively. We find that using a cut off value of 28.6 pg. for mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), heterozygous α(+)-thalassemia can be predicted with a sensitivity of 84% and specificity of 72% in this male population. All subjects carrying homozygous α(+)-thalassemia were identified based on their MCH value28.6 pg.

The initiatory reaction between nitrone (I) and alkoxyallenes yields novel bicyclic 2H-1,2-oxazine derivatives (III), which are obtained as single diastereomers.

© 2014, American Society for Microbiology. Passage of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in human hepatoma cells resulted in populations that displayed partial resistance to alpha interferon (IFN-α), telaprevir, daclatasvir, cyclosporine, and ribavirin, despite no prior exposure to these drugs. Mutant spectrum analyses and kinetics of virus production in the absence and presence of drugs indicate that resistance is not due to the presence of drug resistance mutations in the mutant spectrum of the initial or passaged populations but to increased replicative fitness acquired during passage. Fitness increases did not alter host factors that lead to shutoff of general host cell protein synthesis and preferential translation of HCV RNA. The results imply that viral replicative fitness is a mechanism of multidrug resistance in HCV., Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Fundación Ramon Areces, and Marie Curie International outgoing fellowship 219570. CIBERehd (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas) is funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III. N.M.B. is supported by a JAE-DOC contract from Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and J.S. by a Juan de la Cierva contract from CSIC

The aims of this study were to determine white matter (WM) microstructure abnormalities in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) using diffusion tensor imaging, and to investigate whether these abnormalities differ according to OCD symptom dimensions.Sixty-three child and adolescent OCD patients (11-18 years old) and 37 healthy subjects matched for gender, age, and estimated intelligence quotient were assessed by means of psychopathology scales and diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging.Compared with healthy controls OCD patients showed a significant decrease (t = 3.79, P = .049 FDR-corrected) in fractional anisotropy (FA) in the anterior region of the corpus callosum (CC). In addition, mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) values were significantly increased in OCD compared with controls in the CC and in several WM regions of the cingulate, frontal and occipital lobes, basal ganglia, cerebellum, and pons. Compared with healthy controls, OCD patients presenting the harm/checking dimension showed decreased FA in the CC and in the left anterior cingulate gyrus and caudate nucleus, whereas patients with a predominant contamination/washing symptom dimension presented significantly decreased FA in the left midbrain, lentiform nucleus, insula, and thalamus, and increased MD, AD, and RD in both the anterior lobes of cerebellum and in the pons.The findings suggest WM abnormalities at the microstructural level in the pathogenesis of OCD. Moreover, WM abnormalities in OCD may vary according to the specific OCD symptom dimensions, thus indicating the clinical heterogeneity of the condition.

9 pags. ; 4 figs. Supplementary data related to this article can be found at http:// dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosenv.2014.07.033., The atmospheric degradation of two hydrofluoroethers, HFE-7300 [n-C2F5CF(OCH3)CF(CF3)2] and HFE- 7500 [n-C3F7CF(OC2H5)CF(CF3)2] used in industrial applications has been studied. The kinetics and reaction products were determined at atmospheric pressure as a function of temperature in a reaction chamber using GC/FID and GC/MS techniques for the analysis. The following Arrhenius expressions were obtained (in units of cm3 molecule 1 s 1): kHFE-7300 þ OH ¼ (5.6 ± 2.0) 10 13 exp( (1186 ± 111)/T); kHFE- 7300 þ Cl ¼ (3.8 ± 1.3) 10 12 exp( (968 ± 101)/T); and kHFE-7500 þ OH ¼ (7.6 ± 6.0) 10 12 exp( (1163 ± 385)/T) (temperature range 271e333 K). The atmospheric lifetimes calculated from kinetic data for HFE-7300 and HFE-7500 were 5.24 and 0.30 years, respectively. In the oxidation of HFE-7300 with OH and Cl radicals, the only detected product was CF3CF2CF(OCHO)CF(CF3)2, whereas in the oxidation of HFE-7500 by OH radicals the detected products were: C3F7CF(OC(O)CH3)CF(CF3)2 and C3F7CF(OC(O)H)CF(CF3)2. Infrared spectra of the studied HFEs have also been measured and radiative forcing efficiencies were determined. Combining these results with the kinetic data, we estimated 100- year time horizon global warming potentials of 440 and 12 for HFE-7300 and HFE-7500, respectively. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, We thank the Spanish Ministry of Science e Education (CGL2011-24799) and the Castilla-La Mancha Science e Education Council (PEII09-0262-2753) for their financial support.

The synthesis of the first multivalent pyrrolizidine iminosugars is reported. The key azido intermediates 4 and 31 were prepared after suitable synthetic elaboration of the cycloadduct obtained from 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of D-arabinose derived nitrone to dimethylacrylamide. The key step of the strategy was the stereoselective installation of an azido moiety at C-6 of the pyrrolizidine skeleton. The click reaction with different monovalent and dendrimeric alkyne scaffolds allowed the preparation of a library of new mono- and multivalent pyrrolizidine compounds that were preliminarily assayed as glycosidase inhibitors towards a panel of commercially available glycosyl hydrolases.

The aim of this research was to measure anxiety toward mathematics on Jr. High School students from Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, Mexico. It was utilized the Munoz and Mato (2007) (Note 1) anxiety scale to analyze five dimensions of anxiety, anxiety toward: evaluation, temporality, understanding problems, number operations and math situations of real life. 509 questionnaires were random applied face to face to boys and girls students of all high school´s degrees. The statistical procedure utilized was the factorial analysis with principal component extracted. Results obtained allow us to know that variables related to the understanding of mathematical problems and evaluation have the biggest contribution to explain variance of the phenomenon studied.

The mechanisms of viral RNA genome segmentation are unknown. On extensive passage of foot-and-mouth disease virus in baby hamster kidney-21 cells, the virus accumulated multiple point mutations and underwent a transition akin to genome segmentation. The standard single RNA genome molecule was replaced by genomes harboring internal in-frame deletions affecting the L- or capsid-coding region. These genomes were infectious and killed cells by complementation. Here we show that the point mutations in the nonstructural protein-coding region (P2, P3) that accumulated in the standard genome before segmentation increased the relative fitness of the segmented version relative to the standard genome. Fitness increase was documented by intracellular expression of virus-coded proteins and infectious progeny production by RNAs with the internal deletions placed in the sequence context of the parental and evolved genome. The complementation activity involved several viral proteins, one of them being the leader proteinase L. Thus, a history of genetic drift with accumulation of point mutations was needed to allow a major variation in the structure of a viral genome. Thus, exploration of sequence space by a viral genome (in this case an unsegmented RNA) can reach a point of the space in which a totally different genome structure (in this case, a segmented RNA) is favored over the form that performed the exploration., This work was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Grant BFU 2011-23604) and Fundación Ramon Areces. Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas is funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III.

The ring strain of (7-hetero)norbornene and (7-hetero)norbornane systems is exploited in the opening of (7-hetero)bicyclic skeletons containing a β-ketosulfone/ester functionality through a retro-Dieckmann type reaction.

In order to determine which model explains with greater precision the historical performance of the Mexican Stock Market Index (IPC) the ARCH family models were applied. We analyze market volatility using daily returns of the index during the period 2000-2008, trying to avoid the incidence of the financial crises over stock markets on successive years. To analyze market volatility, GARCH EGARCH and TARCH models were compared according to traditional evaluation criteria. Finally we conclude that the EGARCH model (1.1) has the best predictive power.

5 pags. ; 3 figs. ; PACS number(s): 64.70.dg, 02.70.Ss, 64.60.My, 67.63.Cd, We report a quantitative experimental study of the crystallization kinetics of supercooled quantum liquid mixtures of parahydrogen (pH2) and orthodeuterium (oD2) by high spatial resolution Raman spectroscopy of liquid microjets. We show that in a wide range of compositions the crystallization rate of the isotopic mixtures is significantly reduced with respect to that of the pure substances. To clarify this behavior we have performed path-integral simulations of the nonequilibrium pH2-oD2 liquid mixtures, revealing that differences in quantum delocalization between the two isotopic species translate into different effective particle sizes. Our results provide experimental evidence for crystallization slowdown of quantum origin, offering a benchmark for theoretical studies of quantum behavior in supercooled liquids.©2014 American Physical Society, We acknowledge financial support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft through Grant No. 593962, and the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovaci´on through Grants No. FIS2010-22064-C02 and No. HD2008-0068.

In the carbonate platforms of the western Gondwana margin, the extinction recorded at the Lower–Middle Cambrian boundary is accompanied by a profound change in the style of carbonate deposition. The Lancara Formation of the Esla nappe (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain) contains a distinct sedimentary turnover due to a combination of tectonism, eustatic fluctuations, and immigration and colonization of new benthic communities, such as the youngest archaeocyathan assemblage of the entire Iberian Peninsula. During latest Early Cambrian times, a regressive trend is recorded in the Lancara Formation. This regression was recorded on a peritidal-dominant, homoclinal ramp that is topped by a tectonically induced discontinuity (D1). The latter surface marks the beginning of a last prograding, regressive tendency recorded on an intra-shelf ramp with ooidal/bioclastic shoals protecting archaeocyathan-microbial patch reefs. The overlying discontinuity (D2) corresponds to a major erosive unconformity, which coincides with the Lower–Middle Cambrian boundary in the Cantabrian Mountains. The subsequent, long-term, earliest Middle Cambrian rise in relative sea-level allowed deposition of low-relief, bioclastic shoals bearing a diverse and cosmopolitan assemblage of benthic fauna. Finally, the previous evolution is bounded by a third discontinuity (D3), which marks the beginning of a rhythmic sedimentation indicative of a major phase of tectonic breakdown and drowning of platforms recognised throughout southwestern Europe. Two associations of calcimicrobes occur in the latest Early Cambrian regressive trend of the Lancara Formation: (i) Proaulopora and Subtiflora are identified in peritidal, high-energy settings, lacking self-supported structures, whereas (ii) intergrowths of Epiphyton, Renalcis and Girvanella encrusted branching colonies and solitary archaeocyaths in protected (back-shoal) patch reefs. The latest Early Cambrian regression is correlated in southwestern Europe in both siliciclastic (Iberian Chains and Ossa–Morena) and carbonate-dominant platforms (Cantabrian Mountains, Montagne Noire and Sardinia). Its tops are recognised as diachronous unconformities ranging in age from early Bilbilian to the Bilbilian–Leonian or Lower–Middle Cambrian boundary.

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio consiste en determinar el estado nutricional de los 83 residentes de un centro sociosanitario y evaluar su evolucion tras la aplicacion del protocolo de valoracion nutricional disenado a tal efecto desde la Consejeria de Bienestar Social de la Comunidad Valenciana. La muestra se clasifico segun los hallazgos de indice de masa corporal (IMC), hipoalbuminemia y la aplicacion del indice de riesgo nutricional geriatrico. Las intervenciones nutricionales consistieron en efectuar recomendaciones generales y seguimiento en caso de ausencia de desnutricion, la adecuacion de dietas adaptadas trituradas en residentes con problemas de masticacion-deglucion y riesgo de broncoaspiracion, la adecuacion de nutricion enteral completa en residentes con cateter de alimentacion nasogastrica y la instauracion de suplementos nutricionales en casos de desnutricion severa. Transcurridos 3 meses se obtuvo un incremento del IMC medio, aunque no de manera significativa (p = 0,168), y se redujo el porcentaje de residentes con desnutricion del 29 al 23%. Ademas, disminuyo el numero de residentes que recibian suplementos nutricionales sin indicacion, con un ahorro mensual estimado de 965 euros. La participacion activa del equipo multidisciplinario en el seguimiento nutricional de los residentes, de forma coordinada y continua, contribuye a la consecucion de un adecuado estado nutricional, mejorando el uso racional de la nutricion artificial en el entorno sociosanitario.

Objective The current article describes the case of a 13-year-old girl with body dysplasia, anorexia nervosa, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Method She was given cognitive-behavioral therapy and pharmacologic treatment for the obsessive-compulsive symptomatology and exogenous growth hormone to increase her height. Results She experienced an adequate weight and height increase and remission of obsessive-compulsive symptomatology, and reestablished adequate social and academic functioning. Conclusion After a follow-up of almost 2 years, she had had her menarche, continued her positive eating habits, and had not relapsed into OCD. © 2005 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A stereocontrolled synthesis of norphenyl hyperolactone C together with its utility as a direct precursor to the anti-HIV agent hyperolactone C and analogues by addition of organolithiums, are described. Preliminary studies to access this key building block in a catalytic enantioselective manner are also reported.

Objective To evaluate self-esteem and social skills in adolescent eating disorder patients before and after specific group therapy as part of a Day Hospital Programme. Method One hundred and sixty adolescent eating disorder patients, classified as anorexia nervosa and related disorders (AN-rd) (N = 116) or bulimia nervosa and related disorders (BN-rd) (N = 44) received structured group therapy for developing self-esteem and social skills. Results BN-rd patients had poorer perceptions of some self-esteem and social skills variables. After group therapy, both groups presented significant improvements in their perceptions of physical appearance, their self-concept related to weight and shape and to others, happiness and satisfaction, social withdrawal and leadership. BN-rd patients presented more changes on many of the variables. Discussion Specific self-esteem and social skills group therapy in patients with eating disorders can be useful in improving certain core features. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.

The method can be extended to the preparation of di- and tripeptides without epimerization.

A stereocontrolled synthesis of norphenyl hyperolactone C together with its utility as a direct precursor to the anti-HIV agent hyperolactone C and analogues by addition of organolithiums, are described. Preliminary studies to access this key building block in a catalytic enantioselective manner are also reported.

Introduction Nonsyndromic cleft lip and cleft palate (CL/P) is associated with environmental, nutritional, and genetic factors. Maternal polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase ( MTHFR) gene have been associated with CL/P. Objectives To determine the relationship between the risk of having a child with CL/P and maternal C677T and A1298C MTHFR polymorphisms, the intake of folate supplements, and exposure to environmental factors during the first trimester of pregnancy, a case-control study of Mexican mothers (88 case mothers and 116 control mothers) was conducted. Methods A questionnaire was used to assess exposure to environmental factors. The C677T and A1298C polymorphisms were identified by polymerase chain reaction with restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results Mothers with the 677CT or 677TT genotype had a higher risk of having a child with CL/P than mothers with the 677CC genotype (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–5.7). An increased risk of having a child with CL/P was associated with the lack of folate supplementation during the first trimester of pregnancy (OR, 3.8; 95% CI, 1.9–7.6), and this risk was greater in the mothers with the 677TT or 677CT genotype than mothers who reported taking folate supplements and had the 677CC genotype (OR, 11.2; 95% CI, 3.3–37.5). Pesticide exposure was associated with CL/P. There was no significant association between either the A1298C variant or tobacco exposure and the risk of CL/P. Conclusion These results suggest that gene-environment interactions play an important role in the development of CL/P.