A green metal–organic framework to monitor water contaminants

The CIM-80 material (aluminum(iii)-mesaconate) has been synthetized in high yield through a novel green procedure involving water and urea as co-reactants. The CIM-80 material exhibits good thermal stability with a working range from RT to 350 °C with a small contraction upon desolvation. Moreover, this material is stable in water at different pH values (1–10) for at least one week, and shows a LC₅₀ value higher than 2 mg mL⁻¹. The new material has been tested in a microextraction methodology for the monitoring of up to 22 water pollutants while presenting little environmental impact: only 20 mg of CIM-80 and 500 μL of acetonitrile are needed per analysis. The analytical performance of the CIM-80 in the microextraction strategy is similar to or even better for several pollutants than that of MIL-53(Al). The average extraction efficiencies range from ∼20% for heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to ∼70–100% for the lighter ones. In the case of the emerging contaminants, the average extraction efficiency can reach values up to 70% for triclosan and carbamazepine.

A low cytotoxic MOF prepared with an environmental-friendly approach, as a novel extractant of water pollutants using a microextraction method.     

El valor de la MAPA y de los parámetros de lesión subclínica de órgano diana en el diagnóstico de hipertensión refractaria

Introduction

We aimed to assess the effectiveness of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and subclinical target organ damage parameters for diagnosis of resistant hypertension (RH).

Documento de consenso: Recomendaciones para el manejo de la enfermedad ósea metabólica en pacientes con virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana

Objective

To provide practical recommendations for the evaluation and treatment of metabolic bone disease in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients.

Participants

Members of scientific societies related to bone metabolism and HIV: Grupo de Estudio de Sida (GeSIDA), Sociedad Española de Endocrinología y Nutrición (SEEN), Sociedad Española de Investigación Ósea y del Metabolismo Mineral (SEIOMM), and Sociedad Española de Fractura Osteoporótica (SEFRAOS).

Methods

A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, and papers in English and Spanish with a publication date before 28 May 2013 were included. Recommendations were formulated according to GRADE system (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) setting both their strength and the quality of supporting evidence. Working groups were established for each major part, and the final resulting document was later discussed in a face-to-face meeting. All the authors reviewed the final written document and agreed with its content.

Conclusions

The document provides evidence-based practical recommendations on the detection and treatment of bone disease in HIV-infected patients.     

Factors associated with silent myocardial ischemia,autonomic or peripheral neuropathies,and survival in diabetes mellitus type 2 patients without cardiovascular symptoms

International Journal of Diabetes in Developing Countries - Complications from diabetes mellitus (DM) include cardiovascular system, peripheral neuropathy (PN), and autonomic dysfunction (AD)....     

The isoflavones mixture from Trifolium pratense L. protects HCN 1-A neurons from oxidative stress

Oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell death has been implicated in different neurological disorders and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's. Using the Alzheimer's disease-associated hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), we investigated the neuroprotective efficacy of a natural mixture of phytoestrogenic isoflavones (genistein, daidzein, biochanin A and formononetin) from Trifolium pratense L. (Red clover) against oxidative stress-induced cell death in human cortical cell line HCN 1-A maintained in culture. Neuronal viability was determined by MTT or trypan blue test and neuronal integrity by morphological analysis.The results obtained indicate that exposure of HCN 1-A cell cultures to hydrogen peroxide resulted in a concentration-dependent decrease in neuron viability. Concentration of H(2)O(2) ranging from 50 to 200 microg/ml were toxic to these cultures. A 24-hour pretreatment with 0.5, 1 and 2 microg/ml isoflavones extract significantly increased cell survival as evidenced by MTT or trypan blue test and significantly prevented the morphological disruption caused by H(2)O(2) as shown by microscopical inspection, indicating that neurons treated with isoflavones were protected from the cell death induced by H(2)O(2) exposure. These findings imply that the neuroprotective effect of isoflavones extract is partly associated with its antioxidant activity. Further, results of these investigations indicate that although isoflavones extract exert a neuroprotective effect, it do not promoted cortical neuron process outgrowth.     

The effect of small increases in dietary iodine on thyroid function in euthyroid subjects

Dietary iodine intake in the United States is greater than that considered necessary for the maintenance of normal thyroid function. The administration of pharmacologic quantities of iodine (10 to 1,000 mg daily) to euthyroid subjects results in small decreases in the serum T4 and T3 concentrations and a compensatory increase in the basal and TRH-stimulated serum TSH concentrations. Studies were carried out to determine whether a far smaller increase in iodine intake would also affect thyroid function. Normal volunteers received 1,500, 500, or 250 micrograms supplemental iodine daily for 14 days. Following the administration of 1500 micrograms iodine daily, there were small but significant decreases in the serum T4 and T3 concentrations and a small compensatory increase in the serum TSH concentration and the serum TSH response to TRH. In contrast, no changes in pituitary-thyroid function occurred during the administration of 500 or 250 micrograms iodine daily. These findings indicate that a small increase in dietary iodine can induce subtle changes (all values remaining within the normal range) in pituitary-thyroid function, probably by inhibiting thyroid hormone release. The smaller iodine supplements of 500 and 250 micrograms daily, quantities that may easily be achieved under normal conditions, did not, however, affect thyroid function.     

Nasopharyngeal aspirate cytokine levels 1 yr after severe respiratory syncytial virus infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection is an important cause of recurrent wheezing in infants. Nevertheless, the link between RSV infection and wheezing has yet to be elucidated at the molecular level. Here, we present a preliminary study on the evolution of the immune response in the respiratory tract at long‐term after RSV infection. Twenty‐seven immune mediators were profiled in nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPAs) obtained from 20 children hospitalized due to a severe infection by RSV at discharge from hospital and again 1 yr later. The same mediators were profiled in parallel in NPAs from 12 healthy controls. In the year following discharge, 85% (17/20) of children of the RSV group suffered at least one episode of wheezing documented by the pediatrician. On the contrary, wheezing episodes were observed only in 25% (3/12) of children in the control group. While most of the mediators profiled returned to normal levels by 1 yr after discharge from hospital, RSV children showed a persistent nasal hyper‐secretion of VEGF, G‐CSF, IL‐10, IL‐6, IFN‐γ, IL‐7 and IL‐13. In previous works VEGF, IL‐10 and IFN‐γ have been put in relation with the pathogenesis of post‐virus induced asthma. G‐CSF, IL‐6, IL‐7 and IL‐13 are increased in respiratory and plasma samples of asthmatic patients. Here, we evidence for the first time a persistent elevation of these mediators as late as 1 yr after severe RSV disease resolution, reinforcing their possible implication in the pathogenesis of wheezing.     

A phase II study on metastatic breast cancer patients treated with weekly vinorelbine with or without trastuzumab according to HER2 expression: changing the natural history of HER2-positive disease

Purpose: To observe whether in pretreated metastatic breastcancer patients with HER2-positive disease vinorelbine plustrastuzumab can produce different overall response rate (ORR),time to progression (TTP), and overall survival (OS) from womenwith HER2-negative tumors treated with vinorelbine alone. Methods: Between June 2000 and January 2004, 68 consecutivewomen were enrolled: 33 patients received vinorelbine (V) alone,while 35 patients were given trastuzumab plus vinorelbine (T+V)according to HER2 expression determined by immunohistochemistry.In tumors scored +2, HER2 gene amplification was determinedby fluorescence in situ hybridization. Results: In patients treated with V (HER2-negative tumors) theORR was 27.3%, while in those given T+V (HER2 positive tumors)the ORR was 51.4%. The median duration of response was 8 monthsfor women treated with V and 10 months for those who receivedT+V. Patients given T+V had a longer TTP (9 months) and OS (27months) than those receiving V alone (6 months and 22 monthsrespectively). Toxicity was mild in both groups. Concerningcardiotoxicity in T+V group, 7 patients (20%) had left ventricularsystolic disfunction. Conclusion: Our data suggest that trastuzumab can change thenatural history of HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. Infact, when treated with trastuzumab, women with HER2-positivedisease had better prognosis than patients with HER2-negativetumors. Conducting a formal phase III trial comparing vinorelbinealone vs vinorelbine plus trastuzumab in HER2-positive metastaticbreast cancer women could be debatable. Key words: weekly vinorelbine, trastuzumab, HER2, metastatic breast cancer