The Hubble constant troubled by dark matter in non-standard cosmologies.

The Standard Cosmological Model has experienced tremendous success at reproducing observational data by assuming a universe dominated by a cosmological constant and dark matter in a flat geometry. However, several studies, based on local measurements, indicate that the universe is expanding too fast, in disagreement with the Cosmic Microwave Background. Taking into account combined data from CMB, Baryon Acoustic Oscillation, and type Ia Supernovae, we show that if the mechanism behind the production of dark matter particles has at least a small non-thermal origin, one can induce larger values of the Hubble rate [Formula: see text], within the [Formula: see text]CDM, to alleviate the trouble with [Formula: see text]. In the presence of non-standard cosmology, however, we can fully reconcile CMB and local measurements and reach [Formula: see text]-74 [Formula: see text].

Functional Results of Renal Preservation in Hypothermic Pulsatile Machine Perfusion Versus Cold Preservation: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Hypothermic pulsatile machine perfusion (HPMP) decreases the rate of delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney grafts, compared with cold storage. However, it is not clear its use in the different subgroups of grafts. The objective was to review systematically all studies with better methodologic quality that compare HPMP versus cold storage. METHODS: A systematic review was performed. The sources were Pubmed, Pubmed Central, Cochrane Library, Clinical Key, and Ovid. All randomized controlled trials that compared HPMP versus cold storage in renal grafts from human donors were considered. Outcomes analyzed were: percentage of DGF, primary nonfunction (PNF), and graft function in each group and for the different types of grafts, brain-death donors (DBDs), and different subgroups of donors after circulatory death (DCDs). RESULTS: Twelve clinical trials, out of 9,867 titles, were included. HPMP improved DGF overall, as well as in DBDs and DCDs. The relative risks [RRs] were 0.79 (95% CI, 0.71-0.88), 0.85 (95% CI, 0.74-0.98), and 0.75 (95% CI, 0.61-0.92), respectively. There were no differences in PNF overall and for DBDs or DCDs. The RRs were 0.92 (95% CI, 0.73-1.16), 0.78 (95% CI, 0.22-2.73), and 1.13 (95% CI, 0.73-1.77), respectively. However, analysis with the better quality studies, overall RR for PNF was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.39-0.96). There were no differences between the graft function at 3 months after transplantation. CONCLUSIONS: HPMP moderately improved the DGF results in grafts from cadaver donors of all types. HPMP could improve the PNF in grafts from DBDs, although more clinical trials are needed to prove that.

[The use of ureteral stents and catheters in renal transplantation.] / Empleo de catéteres y stents ureterales en el trasplante renal.

Mayor urological complications, fistulae and stenosis, mainly affect the vesicoureteral anastomosis and present in the early post-transplant period. The systematic use of ureteral catheters keeps selecbeing controversial with many groups using them only selectively depending on the existence of pretransplant or intraoperative risk factors. METHODS: We performed a bibliographic review through automatized search in the Medline bibliographic database, as the main bibliographic source, and also in Clinical Key. The search strategy included the following terms: "stent" AND "kidney transplantation". RESULTS: The bibliographic search revealed the protective effect of the use of ureteral catheters in the transplant ureteroneocystostomy for both development of fistulae (RR 0.29, 0.12 to 0.74, p=0.009) and stenosis (RR 0.27, 0.09 to 0.81, p=0.02). The use of catheters in immunosuppressed patients was associated with significant increase of the incidence of post-transplant urinary tract infections (RR 1.49 IC 95% 1.04 to 2.15, p=0.03) that was prevented by antibiotic prophylaxis with cotrimoxazole directed against pneumocistis carinii. The rates of permeability of self-expandable metallic stents and extra-anatomic bypasses in the treatment of ureteral stenosis after renal transplantation in high surgical risk patients or after the failure of previous surgery, has varied from 50% to 100%, with a limited number of patients included. CONCLUSIONS: The use of ureteral catheters in the extravesical ureteroneocystostomy reduces the incidence of anastomotic complications. Surgery is the treatment of choice of post-transplant ureteral stenosis. The use of metallic stents and extra-anatomic bypasses should be limited to complex ureteral stenosis when primary therapy has failed, in high surgical risk patients or chronic graft dysfunction.

Trivalent arsenic species induce changes in expression and levels of proinflammatory cytokines in intestinal epithelial cells.

Chronic arsenic (As) toxicity in humans has been documented in many countries where exposure mostly occurs through drinking water. The As immunotoxic effects have been demonstrated in animal models as well as in humans. The studies of the immunotoxicity of As have centered on organs related to immune response or target organs, with few data being available at intestinal level. The present study has evaluated the changes in the expression and release of cytokines in Caco-2 cells, widely used as an intestinal epithelial model. Differentiated cells were exposed to 1 µM of As(III), 0.1 µM of monomethylarsonous acid [MMA(III)] and 1 µM of dimethylarsinous acid [DMA(III)] during 2, 4, 6 and 24 h. Additionally, the effect of As coexposure with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 ng/mL) has been evaluated. The results show trivalent species to induce increases in the expression and release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), IL6, IL8 - the magnitude and time of response being different for each As species. The response of greatest magnitude corresponds to DMA(III), followed by As(III), while MMA(III) generates a limited response. Furthermore, the presence of LPS in the co-exposed cells could affect the expression and secretion of cytokines compared with individual exposure to arsenicals, especially for As(III)/LPS and DMA(III)/LPS.

Arsenic and fluoride induce neural progenitor cell apoptosis.

The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of inorganic arsenic (As) and its metabolites on the viability of the neural progenitor cell (NPC) line C17.2, in order to evaluate cellular mechanisms involved in As developmental neurotoxicity. Moreover, we analyzed the effects of the coexposure to As and fluoride (F), a situation to which some populations are commonly exposed. Our results show that NPCs are not susceptible to pentavalent As species [arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid] and F alone. However, the trivalent metabolites of arsenate [arsenite, monomethylarsonous acid, and dimethylarsinous acid] are toxic at concentrations below 1 mg/l, and this susceptibility increases when there is coexposure with F (≥ 5 mg/l). Arsenite triggers apoptosis after 24 h of exposure, whereas monomethylarsonous acid produces necrosis at very short times (2 h). Arsenite leads to an increase in intracellular Ca levels and generation of reactive oxygen species, which may cause a decrease in mitochondrial transmembrane potential, release of cytochrome c, and consequent activation of caspases. A slight activation of calpain also takes place, which might favor activation of the mitochondrial pathway or might activate other pathways. The treatment with some antioxidants such as quercetin and α-tocopherol shows only a partial reduction of the cytotoxicity.

Increased eutrophication and nutrient imbalances in the agricultural soil of NE Catalonia, Spain.

The soil C, N, P and K content of agricultural soil were measured over the last 4 decades in NE Catalonia (NE Spain). Plant-available P and K increased by ca 109 and 105% respectively and total N decreased by 30%. The increases in plant-available P content are in accordance with the increasingly used pig slurry being very rich in P, and with P tendency to be retained in soils, since it is less mobile than N. The total soil N (N(tot)) decrease occurred in the first decade (by 41%). The uptake and withdrawal of mineral N by crops and the leaching of mineral N into groundwater and rivers after torrential rainfalls were the two likely major pathways of N-loss from the soil. After the first decade, there has been no further decrease of N(tot) as a result of the increasing fertilization of these fields, including the increasing applications of pig slurry. These results show an increasing P eutrophication in Mediterranean agricultural soils and will have several consequences for the next decades with (i) an increasing unbalance between N and P (and K) in soils that might affect crop productivity (ii) an increasing leaching of N as nitrate to continental waters, both ground and surface waters, and (iii) a consequent need for the establishment of another fertilization strategy based on lowering the use of pig slurry and on increasing the use of fertilizers of slow mineralization that increase soil organic matter, and stabilise the soil N and P contents.

Toxic effects of digested, composted and thermally-dried sewage sludge on three plants.

In order to evaluate potential toxic effects of stabilized sewage sludge that are currently applied to agricultural soils, three types of municipal sewage sludge and one pig slurry were subjected to phytotoxicity assays using three plants (Brassica rapa, Lolium perenne and Trifolium pratense). Equivalent batches of aerobically and anaerobically-digested sludge (F) from two municipal wastewater treatment plants, were composted (C) or thermally dried (T). In addition, one anaerobically-digested and thermally-dried pig slurry (P) was tested. A seedling growth test was performed in accordance with the OECD Guideline 208A, using seed emergence and shoot length as endpoints to identify the inhibition of plants growing in increasing doses of sludge. A correlation analysis between EC50 and physico-chemical parameters or the pollutant burden of the biosolids was also calculated. In all tests, lower germination rates were observed for T. pratense than for L. perenne and B. rapa. A moderate stimulatory effect on shoot length at low doses was observed for the three plants. In these wastes, a strong positive correlation was found between higher values of EC50 (less toxicity) and the stability degree of their organic matter, and a negative correlation between EC50 and total N, hydrolysable N or NH4-N content. No correlations were found with heavy metal or organic pollutant content in those wastes. Results indicate that digested sludge, thermally-dried sludge and thermally-dried pig slurry have non-negligible short term phytotoxic effects, and confirm that composting is an effective sludge treatment for the reduction of phytotoxicity.

Differences on nitrogen availability in a soil amended with fresh, composted and thermally-dried sewage sludge.

Anaerobically-digested sludge called fresh sludge (F), composted sludge (C) and thermally-drying sludge (T), all from the same batch, were applied to the surface of a calcareous Udic Calciustept with loamy texture. Dosage equivalent was 10 t ha(-1) of dry matter. The concentration of mineral nitrogen (ammonium and nitrate) in the soil was measured in order to estimate the effects of the post-treatments to which the different kinds of sewage sludge are subjected in relation to the availability of N in the surface layer of the soil. The most significant differences in NH(4)-N and NO(3)-N concentrations due to the transformation of the organic matter were observed during the first three weeks following soil amendment. Thermally-dried and composted sludge initially displayed higher concentrations of ammonium and nitrate in soil. Five months after the amendment, soil applied with fresh sludge showed the highest concentrations of NH(4)-N and NO(3)-N (6.1 and 36.6 mg kg(-1), respectively). It is clear that the processes of composting and thermal-drying influence the bioavailability of nitrogen from the different types of sewage sludge.

Diagnósticos y actividades preventivas en la población adolescente de un centro de salud / No disponible

Objetivo: describir las actividades realizadas con la población adolescente en un centrode salud.Pacientes y métodos: estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de la actividad realizada con lapoblación adolescente en un centro de salud durante dos años. Se seleccionaron a 434 pacientescon edades comprendidas entre 11 y 18 años. Se registraron los datos sociodemográficos,el número de visitas, los diagnósticos, los exámenes de salud, consejos acerca del consumode alcohol, tabaco, drogas, advertencias sobre sexualidad, nutrición y accidentes,petición de pruebas complementarias, consultas a otras especialidades, estado vacunal, rendimientoescolar, relaciones familiares e ingresos hospitalarios.Resultados: durante el período de estudio acudieron al menos una vez a la consulta 353adolescentes (el 81% del total de la muestra). El número medio de visitas fue 3,97 + 4,6 (IC95% = 3,53-4,41) y el número medio de exámenes de salud fue 0,57 + 0,64 (IC 95% =0,51-0,63). Los diagnósticos más frecuentes fueron infecciones respiratorias de las vías altas,seguidas de enfermedades de la piel, osteoarticulares y ginecológicas. En 212 adolescentes(49%) se realizó al menos un examen de salud durante ese período; la proporciónmayor tuvo lugar en el grupo de menores de 16 años.El 69% de los pacientes recibió consejo de prevención de riesgos (alcohol, tabaco, drogas,educación sexual, nutrición y accidentes). En un 98% de los pacientes las recomendacionesfueron realizadas en las consultas de pediatría.Conclusiones: la eliminación de barreras favorece la asistencia de los adolescentes alcentro de salud y su inclusión en actividades preventivas

Purpose: to examine the adolescents’ (age 11-18) utilization of ambulatory care.Methods: prospective study of the activity in a Primary Care Health Centre over twoyears. 434 adolescents were included (age 11-18). Visit characteristics consisted of gender,age, country, number of visits, morbidity, health supervision visits, counselling on six selectedtopics: alcohol consumption, tobacco, and other illicit drugs, diet and exercise, injuryprevention, sex advice, other explorations and specialty consultation, immunization status,family relationship and school performance, hospital admissions.Results: 353 adolescents (81%) attended at least once the physicianoffice during this period. The mean number of visits was 3.97 + 4.6 (CI 95% = 3.53-4.41)and the mean number of check-ups was 0.57 + 0.64 (CI 95% = 0.51-0.63). The leading reasonsfor both male and female visits were respiratory, dermatological and musculoskeletalconditions. 212 adolescents (49%) had at least one check-up during this period, most of themamong the group younger than 16. 69% of the adolescents received behavioural counsellingregarding drinking, drugs, tobacco use, sexual education and nutrition. 98% of counsellingwas in the pediatric office.Conclusions: decreasing barriers to accessing Primary Care increases adolescent visitsand their inclusion in preventive activities (AU)

Analgesia del Trabajo de Parto con Remifentanilo por vía intravenosa mediante un Sistema de Analgesia Controlada por la Paciente (PCIA) / Labour analgesia with Remifentanil by PCIA

Objetivo: Valorar la eficacia analgésica y seguridad en el parto de Remifentanilo por vía intravenosa mediante un sistema deanalgesia controlada por la paciente.Material y MétodoEl grupo de estudio lo componen 25 gestantes sanas, primigestasa término, con parto eutócico instaurado, que solicitananalgesia durante el trabajo de parto.ResultadosSe produce un alivio significativo del dolor desde la primerahora de tratamiento en todos los casos. La analgesiase mantiene hasta el final en el 80% de los casos. El 20%restante solicitó anestesia regional en el período expulsivo.Se produjo un grado de sedación de leve a moderado durantetodo el estudio, que las pacientes valoraron positivamente.Solo en dos casos el grado de sedación fuemoderado-severo, a pesar de lo cual las gestantes decidieroncontinuar en el estudio. No se registraron efectos adversosmaterno-fetales. ConclusionesLa analgesia del parto con Remifentanilo por vía intravenosacontrolada por la paciente es un método efectivo y presentaun aceptable perfil de seguridad materno y fetal

Objective: To assess the analgesic efficacy of patient-controlled intravenousanalgesia with remifentanil and its potential side effectsduring labour.MethodWe analyzed 25 healthy nulliparas at full term pregnancy,in established uncomplicated labour, who demanded pain relief.ResultsAll the patients experienced a significant pain relief duringthe first hour of treatment which was maintained on untildelivery on 80%. The other 20% required additional regionalanaesthesia at the end of second stage. The level of sedationwas mild to moderate and treatment was well toleratedexcept for two, who presented heavy sedation. No maternalor neonatal side effects were registered.ConclusionsPatient-controlled intravenous analgesia with remifentanilis effective for labour pain relief and produces no major maternal and neonatal side effects (AU)

Long-term efficacy and tolerability of flutamide combined with oral contraception in moderate to severe hirsutism: a 12-month, double-blind, parallel clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to test the efficacy and tolerability of three doses of flutamide (125, 250, and 375 mg) combined with a triphasic oral contraceptive (ethynylestradiol/levonorgestrel) during 12 months to treat moderate to severe hirsutism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome or idiopathic hirsutism. DESIGN: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel clinical trial. PATIENTS: A total of 131 premenopausal women, suffering from moderate to severe hirsutism, were randomized to placebo or 125, 250, or 375 mg flutamide daily associated with a triphasic oral contraceptive pill. Hirsutism (Ferriman-Gallwey), acne and seborrhea (Cremoncini), and hormone serum levels were monitored at baseline and at 3 (except hormone serum levels), 6, and 12 months. Side effects and biochemical, hematological, and hepatic parameters were assessed. METHODS: We used three-way ANOVA (subject, dose, and visit) with Scheffé adjustment for multiple comparisons or nonparametrical Friedman test and least-squares mean (paired data) and Kruskall-Wallis test for unpaired data analyses. We used chi(2) or Fisher's test for categorical data. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients were included in the intention-to-treat analysis. All flutamide doses induced a significant decrease in hirsutism, acne, and seborrhea scores after 12 months compared with placebo without differences among dose levels. Similar related side effects were observed with placebo and 125 mg flutamide (12.5%), and slightly higher with 250 mg (17.3%) and 375 mg (21.2%). No statistically significant differences were observed either among doses or compared with placebo. CONCLUSIONS: Flutamide at 125 mg daily during 12 months was the minimum effective dose to diminish hirsutism in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome or with idiopathic hirsutism.

Analgesia del trabajo de parto con remifentanilo por vía intravenosa mediante un sistema de analgesia controlada por el paciente (PCIA) en un caso de esclerosis múltiple / Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with remifentanil for labor and childbirth in a woman with multiple sclerosis

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Scalar-field-dominated cosmology with a transient acceleration phase.

A new cosmological scenario driven by a slow rolling homogeneous scalar field whose exponential potential V(Phi) has a quadratic dependence on the field Phi in addition to the standard linear term is discussed. The derived equation of state for the field predicts a transient accelerating phase, in which the Universe was decelerated in the past, began to accelerate at redshift z approximately 1, is currently accelerated, but, finally, will return to a decelerating phase in the future. This overall dynamic behavior is profoundly different from the standard evolution of the cold dark matter model with a cosmological constant, and may alleviate some conflicts in reconciling the idea of a dark-energy-dominated universe with observables in String or M theory. Some theoretical predictions for the present scalar field plus dark matter dominated stage are confronted with cosmological observations in order to test the viability of the scenario.

Nonextensive models for earthquakes.

We have revisited the fragment-asperity interaction model recently introduced by Sotolongo-Costa and Posadas [Phy. Rev. Lett. 92, 048501 (2004)] by considering a different definition for mean values in the context of Tsallis nonextensive statistics and introducing a scale between the earthquake energy and the size of fragment epsilon proportional to r3. The energy-distribution function (EDF) deduced in our approach is considerably different from the one obtained in the above reference. We have also tested the viability of this EDF with data from two different catalogs (in three different areas), namely, the NEIC and the Bulletin Seismic of the Revista Brasileira de Geofísica. Although both approaches provide very similar values for the nonextensive parameter , other physical quantities, e.g., energy density, differ considerably by several orders of magnitude.

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in Dactylis glomerata L. growing in a calcareous soil amended with sewage sludge.

The total and DTPA-extractable concentrations of Pb, Ni, Zn, Cu, Cr and Cd were measured in a calcareous soil amended with different doses of sewage sludge under field conditions. The same metals were also measured in the roots and leaves of Dactylis glomerata at the end of the first vegetative period after the sludge was added. The root concentrations of all the metals were unrelated to their concentrations in the soil. Leaf concentrations of Zn and Cr correlated with total (Zn) and DTPA-extractable (Zn and Cr) concentrations in the soil. DTPA extraction did not appear to be very useful for evaluating the bioavailability of metals in this kind of soil as it gave very low correlation coefficients with leaf content (r = 0.684, P = 0.0049 for Zn and r = 0.557, P = 0.0249 for Cr). Concentrations of Pb, Ni, Cu, and Cd in roots and leaves of Dactylis glomerata were unrelated to the total or DTPA-extractable concentrations in the sludge-amended soil.

Wine yeast strains engineered for glycogen overproduction display enhanced viability under glucose deprivation conditions.

We used metabolic engineering to produce wine yeasts with enhanced resistance to glucose deprivation conditions. Glycogen metabolism was genetically modified to overproduce glycogen by increasing the glycogen synthase activity and eliminating glycogen phosphorylase activity. All of the modified strains had a higher glycogen content at the stationary phase, but accumulation was still regulated during growth. Strains lacking GPH1, which encodes glycogen phosphorylase, are unable to mobilize glycogen. Enhanced viability under glucose deprivation conditions occurs when glycogen accumulates in the strain that overexpresses GSY2, which encodes glycogen synthase and maintains normal glycogen phosphorylase activity. This enhanced viability is observed under laboratory growth conditions and under vinification conditions in synthetic and natural musts. Wines obtained from this modified strain and from the parental wild-type strain don't differ significantly in the analyzed enological parameters. The engineered strain might better resist some stages of nutrient depletion during industrial use.

Performance of industrial strains of Saccharomyces cerevisae during wine fermentation is affected by manipulation strategies based on sporulation.

Genetic manipulation of industrial wine yeast strains has become an essential tool for both the study of the molecular mechanisms underlaying their physiology and the improvement of their fermentative properties. The construction of null mutants for any gene in these usually diploid strains, by using a procedure based on sporulation of a heterozygote lacking one copy of the gene of interest, has been tested as an alternative to the tedious work of sequential disruption of the complete set of copies. Our results indicate that most of the homozygotes resulting from sporulation of wine yeast strains are defective in glucose consumption under microvinification conditions in synthetic must and produce stuck fermentations. These kinds of defects are observed even for strains derived from sporulation of wild type. Alteration of genomic features of wine strains by sporulation is responsible for these defects.

Aportación del dolor óseo al diagnóstico del mieloma múltiple / Contribution of bone pain to the diagnosis of multiple myeloma

El dolor óseo es el síntoma más frecuente en los pacientes afectos de mieloma múltiple. Es un dolor de características mecánicas bien localizado sobre todo a nivel de la columna vertebral o parrilla costal.Debemos sospechar esta entidad ante toda persona mayor de 50 años con síntomas de dolor óseo no filiado, anemia normocítica, hipercalcemia, aumento de la eritrosedimentación y cuando se confirmen datos radiológicos de osteolisis e inmunohistoquímicos (componente M) causados por la proliferación anómala de plasmocitos.Es función de la Unidad de Dolor no sólo la terapia antiálgica, sino también contribuir al estudio y orientar el diagnóstico de pacientes con síndromes dolorosos no filiados (AU)