Plasma galectin-3 is associated with decreased glomerular filtration rate in chronic HIV.

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) have higher rates of chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared with HIV-uninfected individuals. The pathogenesis of CKD in HIV remains poorly understood but is likely from a combination of various factors, such as traditional comorbidities, prolonged antiretroviral therapy, immune dysregulation, and direct HIV effect on the kidneys. We evaluated plasma galectin-3 (Gal-3), a circulating marker of fibrosis, and its association with renal function.

Tracking early lung cancer metastatic dissemination in TRACERx using ctDNA.

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) can be used to detect and profile residual tumour cells persisting after curative intent therapy. The study of large patient cohorts incorporating longitudinal plasma sampling and extended follow-up is required to determine the role of ctDNA as a phylogenetic biomarker of relapse in early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here we developed ctDNA methods tracking a median of 200 mutations identified in resected NSCLC tissue across 1,069 plasma samples collected from 197 patients enrolled in the TRACERx study.

The Moderating Role of Resilience on Mindfulness, Experiential Avoidance, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Symptoms of College Student Veterans: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the moderating effect of resilience on the relationship between mindfulness, experiential avoidance, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. A cross-sectional study design was used on a sample of 133 college student military veterans. We found a direct effect of mindfulness on PTSD and a significant mediating effect of experiential avoidance on the relationship between mindfulness and PTSD.

CAM18sl brightness prediction for unrelated saturated stimuli including age effects.

Modelling the influence of age on the perception of brightness of visual stimuli is an important topic for indoor and outdoor lighting. As people get older, the transmittance of the ocular media becomes lower, especially in the blue wavelength region. This paper reports on an experimental study aiming to evaluate how the brightness perception of red and blue stimuli is affected by the age of the observer.

Non-invasive and Time-dependent Blood-sugar Monitoring via Breath-derived CO Correlation Using Gas Chromatograph with a Milli-whistle Gas Analyzer.

A clear and positive correlation between the CO concentration and the blood-sugar level has been observed via a non-invasive and time-dependent monitoring of CO concentration from human breath, which is carried out by using a home-made gas chromatography (GC)/milli-whistle compact analyzer. The time-dependent sampling of the CO concentration correlated between 5.0 to 5.

Multifocus HDR VIS/NIR hyperspectral imaging and its application to works of art.

This paper presents a complete framework for capturing and processing hyperspectral reflectance images of artworks in situ, using a hyperspectral line scanner. These capturing systems are commonly used in laboratory conditions synchronized with scanning stages specifically designed for planar surfaces. However, when the intended application domain does not allow for image capture in these controlled conditions, achieving useful spectral reflectance image data can be a very challenging task (due to uncontrolled illumination, high-dynamic range (HDR) conditions in the scene, and the influence of chromatic aberration on the image quality, among other factors).

Application of matrix-assisted laser desorption and ionization time of flight mass spectrometry to the study of the proteinaceous binders in paint: blue paint composition in the series "The Life of Virgin" by Alonso Cano (17th century) as a case study.

The identification of proteinaceous materials in paint constituents provides very valuable information regarding the techniques used by the painter and the most suitable procedures for conserving and restoring their works. Although the analysis of proteinaceous materials is nowadays a common task when dealing with works of art, the reliable detection and identification of protein traces is still complicated, particularly when very small samples can be taken that may contain a mixture of different organic materials (oils, waxes, resins, gums etc.).

Effects of CaMKII-mediated phosphorylation of ryanodine receptor type 2 on islet calcium handling, insulin secretion, and glucose tolerance.

Altered insulin secretion contributes to the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. This alteration is correlated with altered intracellular Ca(2+)-handling in pancreatic β cells. Insulin secretion is triggered by elevation in cytoplasmic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)]cyt) of β cells.

Access to antiepileptic drug therapy in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba.

Objective: To describe access to antiepileptic drug therapy and estimate the prevalence of epilepsy in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba.

Methods: All the community pharmacies in the province were visited and information collected about the number of children receiving antiepileptic drugs in 2009. Availability and cost of each antiepileptic drug were determined.

Study of the GC-MS determination of the palmitic-stearic acid ratio for the characterisation of drying oil in painting: La Encarnación by Alonso Cano as a case study.

The correct identification of drying oils plays an essential role in providing an understanding of the conservation and deterioration of artistic materials in works of art. To this end, this work proposes the use of peak area ratios from fatty acids after ensuring that the linear responses of the detector are tested. A GC-MS method, previously reported in the literature, was revisited to its developed and validated in order to identify and quantify of eight fatty acids that are widely used as markers for drying oils in paintings, namely myristic acid (C(14:0)), palmitic acid (C(16:0)), stearic acid (C(18:0)), oleic acid (C(18:1)), linoleic acid (C(18:2)), suberic acid (2C(8)), azelaic acid, (2C(9)) and sebacic acid (2C(10)).

Adverse drug reactions in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba.

Objective: To determine the incidence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in children in Camagüey Province, Cuba.

Methods: A national pharmacovigilance programme has been established in Cuba and involves suspected ADRs being reported to provinces. All suspected ADRs reported to Camagüey Province during 2008 were analysed and classified in relation to causality and severity.

Preliminary study of UV ageing process of proteinaceous paint binder by FT-IR and principal component analysis.

This work presents a preliminary study on the ageing process of proteinaceous binder materials used in painting under UV light. With this aim, two sets of model samples were prepared: samples prepared using a single protein material and complex samples prepared in a similar way to the sequence of layers in a real painting from lowest to highest complexity (protein, drying oils, pigment and varnish). The study focuses on acquiring information about the possible degradation process of proteinaceous binders due to ageing and how this process be affected by the presence of characteristic non-proteinaceous painting materials, such as lipids from linseed oil, terpenic compounds from varnish and inorganic pigments.

The resistance of electron-transport chain Fe-S clusters to oxidative damage during the reaction of peroxynitrite with mitochondrial complex II and rat-heart pericardium.

The effects of peroxynitrite and nitric oxide on the iron-sulfur clusters in complex II (succinate dehydrogenase) isolated from bovine heart have been studied primarily by EPR spectroscopy and no measurable damage to the constitutive 2Fe-2S, 3Fe-4S, or 4Fe-4S clusters was observed. The enzyme can be repeatedly oxidized with a slight excess of peroxynitrite and then quantitatively re-reduced with succinate. When added in large excess, peroxynitrite reacted with at least one tyrosine in each subunit of complex II to form 3-nitrotyrosines, but activity was barely compromised.

Revisitation of the phenylisothiocyanate-derivatives procedure for amino acid determination by HPLC-UV.

A revisitation of the well known chromatographic procedure for the determination of amino acids as phenylthiocarbamyl derivatives (PTC) is performed. The method was developed for a microbore column that it is more appropriate to our later aims, the characterization of proteinaceous binders present in microsamples coming from the Cultural Heritage field. Several variables relating to chromatographic aspects were studied such as the pH and temperature of the mobile phase, buffer and modifier (triethylamine) concentrations in mobile phase and the stability of PTC-derivatives in solution.

Benefits of applying combined diffuse reflectance FTIR spectroscopy and principal component analysis for the study of blue tempera historical painting.

This paper explores the application of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) to the examination of historic blue pigments and blue tempera paintings commonly found on works of art. The discussion is mainly focused on the practical benefits of using this technique joined to principal component analysis (PCA), a powerful multivariate analysis tool. Thanks to the study of several replica samples that contain either pure blue pigments (azurite, lapis lazuli and smalt), or pure binder (rabbit glue) and mixtures of each of the pigments with the binder (tempera samples), different aspects of these benefits are highlighted.

Comparison between traditional strategies and classification technique (SIMCA) in the identification of old proteinaceous binders.

In this paper, we performed a comparison between commonly used strategies amino acid ratios (Aa ratios), two-dimensional ratio plots (2D-Plot) and statistical correlation factor (SCF) and a classification technique, soft independent modelling of class analogy (SIMCA), to identify protein binders present in old artwork samples. To do this, we used a natural standard collection of proteinaceous binders prepared in our laboratory using old recipes and eleven samples coming from Cultural Heritage, such as mural and easel paintings, manuscripts and polychrome sculptures from the 15-18th centuries. Protein binder samples were hydrolyzed and their constitutive amino acids were determined as PITC-derivatives using HPLC-DAD.

Noradrenaline transporter and its turnover rate are decreased in blood lymphocytes of patients with major depression.

Lymphocytes possess transporters of serotonin and dopamine, and also contain monoamines. The objective of this work was to determine the presence of noradrenaline transporters, the turnover rate of noradrenaline and serotonin in lymphocytes of major depression patients, and to correlate the biochemical parameters with the severity of the disorder. Lymphocytes from peripheral blood were isolated by Ficoll/Hypaque, and noradrenaline transporter was studied by binding of [3H]nisoxetine: control group (29, age 31.

Simultaneous determination of aluminium and beryllium by first-derivative synchronous solid-phase spectrofluorimetry.

A method for the simultaneous determination of aluminium and beryllium in mixtures by first-deravative synchronous solid-phase spectrofluorimetry has been developed. Aluminium and beryllium reacted with morin to give fluorescent complexes, which were fixed on a dextran-type resin. The fluoresnce of the resin, packed in a 1-mm silica cell, was measured directly with a solid-surface attachment.