Study of the photodegradation of 2-bromophenol under UV and sunlight by spectroscopic, chromatographic and chemometric techniques.

This work is focused on the study of the photodegradation of 2-bromophenol under the action of UV light and sunlight. The photodegradation process has been monitored using UV-Vis spectroscopy and High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to diode array and mass spectrometry detectors in tandem (HPLC-DAD-MS). Multivariate resolution methods, such as Multivariate Curve Resolution-Alternating Least Squares (MCR-ALS) and hybrid soft- and hard-modeling-Multivariate Curve Resolution (HS-MCR), have been applied to the experimental data to obtain the information about the kinetic evolution and identification of the compounds involved in the photodegradation process.

Propranolol inhibition of β-adrenergic receptor does not suppress pathologic neovascularization in oxygen-induced retinopathy.

Purpose: Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a leading cause of blindness in children and is, in its most severe form, characterized by uncontrolled growth of vision-threatening pathologic vessels. Propranolol, a nonselective β-adrenergic receptor blocker, was reported to protect against pathologic retinal neovascularization in a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy (OIR). Based on this single animal study using nonstandard evaluation of retinopathy, clinical trials are currently ongoing to evaluate propranolol treatment in stage 2 ROP patients who tend to experience spontaneous disease regression and are at low risk of blindness.

Retinal expression of Wnt-pathway mediated genes in low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (Lrp5) knockout mice.

Mutations in low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (Lrp5) impair retinal angiogenesis in patients with familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), a rare type of blinding vascular eye disease. The defective retinal vasculature phenotype in human FEVR patients is recapitulated in Lrp5 knockout (Lrp5(-/-)) mouse with delayed and incomplete development of retinal vessels. In this study we examined gene expression changes in the developing Lrp5(-/-) mouse retina to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms that underlie the pathology of FEVR in humans.

Discovery of common variants associated with low TSH levels and thyroid cancer risk.

To search for sequence variants conferring risk of nonmedullary thyroid cancer, we focused our analysis on 22 SNPs with a P < 5 × 10(-8) in a genome-wide association study on levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in 27,758 Icelanders. Of those, rs965513 has previously been shown to associate with thyroid cancer. The remaining 21 SNPs were genotyped in 561 Icelandic individuals with thyroid cancer (cases) and up to 40,013 controls.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids preserve retinal function in type 2 diabetic mice.

Objective: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is associated with hyperglycemia-driven microvascular pathology and neuronal compromise in the retina. However, DR is also linked to dyslipidemia. As omega-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are protective in proliferative retinopathy, we investigated the capacity of ω-3PUFAs to preserve retinal function in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Chromatographic and spectroscopic data fusion analysis for interpretation of photodegradation processes.

Photodegradation processes are of high relevance in environmental and pharmaceutical contexts, since the fate and identity of photoproducts are often linked to contamination or toxicology issues. The aim of this work is proposing a new general methodology to monitor and interpret photodegradation processes based on chromatographic and spectroscopic measurements and data fusion analysis. The new approach relies on two steps: (a) data fusion of HPLC-DAD-MS runs coming from process monitoring and analysis by soft-modeling multivariate curve resolution (MCR) to achieve the identification of photoproducts and a first insight on their kinetic behavior; and (b) data fusion of UV-vis spectroscopic monitoring data with HPLC-DAD process runs and analysis by hybrid hard- and soft-modeling MCR (HS-MCR) to complete the description of the kinetic mechanism of the process and to provide the related rate constants.

The pudendal thigh flap as YV advanced flap for the release of perineum burns contractures.

Contractures secondary to burns affecting the perineum often cause severe functional, aesthetic and psychological harm. Many different surgical techniques are used to treat such conditions ranging from grafts, to triangular plasty transposition or advancement flaps of local tissue. It is usually advisable to use a flap or local perineoplasty because the quality of reconstruction tends to be better and the risk of reoccurrence of the contracture is lower.

[Experience of the moving day of a general hospital and effect on clinical activity].

Objectives: To describe the moving day of a general hospital and to analyze the impact on clinical activity in the first few months after the move.

Methods: We describe the process of patient transfer and analyze the impact on activity of moving a regional general hospital in Catalonia (Spain) to a new building. Activity was compared in two periods: the first 3 months after the move (period 2) and the same 3 months in the previous year (period 1).

Wnt signaling mediates pathological vascular growth in proliferative retinopathy.

Background: Ischemic proliferative retinopathy, characterized by pathological retinal neovascularization, is a major cause of blindness in working-age adults and children. Defining the molecular pathways distinguishing pathological neovascularization from normal vessels is critical to controlling these blinding diseases with targeted therapy. Because mutations in Wnt signaling cause defective retinal vasculature in humans with some characteristics of the pathological vessels in retinopathy, we investigated the potential role of Wnt signaling in pathological retinal vascular growth in proliferative retinopathy.

Mutations in BRIP1 confer high risk of ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. Sixteen million sequence variants, identified through whole-genome sequencing of 457 Icelanders, were imputed to 41,675 Icelanders genotyped using SNP chips, as well as to their relatives. Sequence variants were tested for association with ovarian cancer (N of affected individuals = 656).

Resolution and segmentation of hyperspectral biomedical images by multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares.

MCR-ALS is a resolution method that has been applied in many different fields, such as process analysis, environmental data and, recently, hyperspectral image analysis. In this context, the algorithm provides the distribution maps and the pure spectra of the image constituents from the sole information in the raw image measurement. Based on the distribution maps and spectra obtained, additional information can be easily derived, such as identification of constituents when libraries are available or quantitation within the image, expressed as constituent signal contribution.

A germline variant in the TP53 polyadenylation signal confers cancer susceptibility.

To identify new risk variants for cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, we performed a genome-wide association study of 16 million SNPs identified through whole-genome sequencing of 457 Icelanders. We imputed genotypes for 41,675 Illumina SNP chip-typed Icelanders and their relatives. In the discovery phase, the strongest signal came from rs78378222[C] (odds ratio (OR) = 2.

Decreased microRNA-214 levels in breast cancer cells coincides with increased cell proliferation, invasion and accumulation of the Polycomb Ezh2 methyltransferase.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs, which regulate gene expression by inhibiting translation or promoting degradation of specific target messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Alteration of the levels of a number of miRNAs is common in solid and hematological tumors. We have shown previously that miR-214 regulates Ezh2 in skeletal muscle and embryonic stem cells.

Feasibility of a modified outpatient regimen of intravenous/intraperitoneal chemotherapy in optimally debulked stage III ovarian cancer patients: a GEICO study.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to assess the feasibility, toxicity, and reasons for early discontinuation of a modified outpatient intraperitoneal/intravenous (IP/IV) chemotherapy regimen for the treatment of patients with optimally debulked stage III ovarian cancer.

Methods: Between February 2006 and November 2008, 51 consecutive patients from Institutions of the Spanish Ovarian Cancer Group (GEICO) were treated with a modified outpatient IP chemotherapy regimen. Patients received IV paclitaxel 175 mg/m over 3 hours on day 1, followed by IP cisplatin 100 mg/m (or 75 mg/m according to the principal investigator's criteria) on day 2.

Sculpting chromatin beyond the double helix: epigenetic control of skeletal myogenesis.

Satellite cells (SCs) are the main source of adult skeletal muscle stem cells responsible for muscle growth and regeneration. By interpreting extracellular cues, developmental regulators control quiescence, proliferation, and differentiation of SCs by influencing coordinate gene expression. The scope of this review is limited to the description and discussion of protein complexes that introduce and decode heritable histone and chromatin modifications and how these modifications are relevant for SC biology.

Randomized phase II study comparing gemcitabine plus dacarbazine versus dacarbazine alone in patients with previously treated soft tissue sarcoma: a Spanish Group for Research on Sarcomas study.

Purpose: To assess the activity and toxicity of the combination of gemcitabine plus dacarbazine (DTIC) in patients with advanced soft tissue sarcoma (STS) in a randomized, multicenter, phase II study using DTIC alone as a control arm.

Patients And Methods: Patients with previously treated advanced STS were randomly assigned to receive either fixed-dose rate gemcitabine (10 mg/m2/min) at 1800 mg/m2 followed by DTIC at 500 mg/m2 every 2 weeks, or DTIC alone at 1200 mg/m2 every 3 weeks. The primary end point of the study was progression-free rate (PFR) at 3 months.

Polycomb EZH2 controls self-renewal and safeguards the transcriptional identity of skeletal muscle stem cells.

Satellite cells (SCs) sustain muscle growth and empower adult skeletal muscle with vigorous regenerative abilities. Here, we report that EZH2, the enzymatic subunit of the Polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2), is expressed in both Pax7+/Myf5⁻ stem cells and Pax7+/Myf5+ committed myogenic precursors and is required for homeostasis of the adult SC pool. Mice with conditional ablation of Ezh2 in SCs have fewer muscle postnatal Pax7+ cells and reduced muscle mass and fail to appropriately regenerate.

MicroRNA let-7 establishes expression of beta2-adrenergic receptors and dynamically down-regulates agonist-promoted down-regulation.

Although β(2)-adrenergic receptors (β(2)AR) are expressed on most cell types, mechanisms that establish expression levels and regulate expression by chronic agonist remain unclear. The 3' UTR of ADRB2 has a conserved 8-nucleotide seed region that we hypothesized is targeted by the let-7 family of miRNAs leading to translational repression. In luciferase assays with transfected cells, luc-β(2)WT3'UTR had decreased expression when cotransfected with let-7f, but a mutated luc-β(2)3'UTR lacking the seed was unaffected by let-7f; a mutated let-7f also had no effect on luc-β(2)WT3'UTR expression.

Macrocyclic hosts for fullerenes: extreme changes in binding abilities with small structural variations.

Exploiting the shape and electronic complementarity of C(60) and C(70) with π-extended derivatives of tetrathiafulvalene (exTTF), we have very recently reported a macrocyclic receptor featuring two exTTF recognizing units which forms 1:1 complexes with C(60) with log K(a) = 6.5 ± 0.5 in chlorobenzene at 298 K.

[Perception of safety culture in Spanish intensive care units].

Background And Objective: Promoting a safety culture in intensive care units (ICUs) is a basic strategy to improve patient safety. The aim of this study was to measure the safety culture in Spanish ICUs.

Method: We drafted a questionnaire based on the Safety Climate Survey (SCS) and the Safety Attitude Questionnaire-ICU model (SAQ-ICU).

Resveratrol inhibits pathologic retinal neovascularization in Vldlr(-/-) mice.

Purpose: Macular telangiectasia (MacTel) is a vision-threatening retinal disease with unknown pathogenesis and no approved treatment. Very low-density lipoprotein receptor mutant mice (Vldlr(-/-)) exhibit critical features of MacTel such as retinal neovascularization and photoreceptor degeneration. In this study, the authors evaluate the therapeutic potential of resveratrol, a plant polyphenol, in Vldlr(-/-) mice as a model for MacTel.

Comprehensive description of the photodegradation of bromophenols using chromatographic monitoring and chemometric tools.

A general procedure for the study of complex photodegradation processes of environmental pollutants based on chromatographic monitoring and chemometric method is proposed. The procedure consists of multiset data analysis of aliquots collected at different reaction times and injected in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to diode array detection and mass spectrometry (HPLC-DAD-MS). In this study, photodegradation of six bromophenols with different degrees of bromination has been investigated in order to find out their photodegradation pathways and kinetics and to show the potential of the procedure proposed.

Molecular phylogenetics of subfamily Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) based on nuclear and plastid DNA regions, including a new taxonomic arrangement.

Background And Aims: The taxonomic arrangement within subfamily Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) has been a matter of controversy in recent decades: several new taxonomic treatments have been proposed, based exclusively on plastid DNA sequences, and these have resulted in classifications which are to a great extent contradictory. Some authors have recognized only a single genus Ornithogalum for the whole subfamily, including 250-300 species of variable morphology, whereas others have recognized many genera. In the latter case, the genera are inevitably much smaller and they are better defined morphologically.

Ubiquinol formation in isolated photosynthetic reaction centres monitored by time-resolved differential FTIR in combination with 2D correlation spectroscopy and multivariate curve resolution.

Two-dimensional correlation analysis was carried out in combination with multivariate curve resolution-alternating least squares (MCR-ALS) to analyse time-resolved infrared (IR) difference spectra probing photoinduced ubiquinol formation in detergent-isolated reaction centres from Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The dynamic 2D IR correlation spectra have not only allowed the determination of the concomitance or non-concomitance of different chemical events through known marker bands but also have helped identify new vibrational bands related to the complex series of photochemical and redox reactions. In particular, a strong positive band located at 1565 cm⁻¹ was found to be synchronous with the process of ubiquinol formation.