The presence of heavy metals in the sludges produced in wastewater treatment plants restricts their use for agricultural purposes. This study compares different types of sludges (aerobic, anaerobic, ...unstabilised and sludge from a waste stabilisation pond) in order to assess the extractability of heavy metals using simple extraction, water and DTPA. The stabilisation treatment undergone by the sludges influenced the heavy metals extractability. The least mineralised sludges (unstabilised and aerobic) showed higher metal extractability. The sewage sludges were subjected to chemical characterisation and toxicity testing (ecotoxicity and phytotoxicity assays) in absence of substrate, to provide a preliminary assessment of their suitability for land application. The ecotoxicity assays confirmed that no sludge constituted a hazardous waste. The sludge extracts had significant adverse effect on the germination index (GI) of barley (
Hordeum vulgare L.) and cress (
Lepidium sativum L.), a fact which indicates that some characteristics affected root growth.
Ecotoxicity and phytotoxicity assays provide a preliminary assessment of sludge suitability for land application.
: Cell-Based Therapies (CBT) constitute a valid procedure for increasing the quantity and quality of bone in areas with an inadequate bone volume. However, safety and efficacy should be investigated ...prior to clinical application. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biodistribution, safety and osteogenic capacity of bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells (
BMMSCs) pre-seeded into β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP) and implanted into NOD/SCID mice at subcutaneous and intramuscular sites.
:
BMMSCs were isolated, characterized and then cultured in vitro on a porous β-TCP scaffold. Cell viability and attachment were analyzed and then
BMMSCs seeded constructs were surgically placed at subcutaneous and intramuscular dorsal sites into NOD/SCID mice. Acute and subchronic toxicity, cell biodistribution and efficacy were investigated.
: There were no deaths or adverse events in treated mice during the 48-hour observation period, and no toxic response was observed in mice. In the 12-week subchronic toxicity study, no mortalities, abnormal behavioral symptoms or clinical signs were observed in the saline control mice or the
BMMSCs/β-TCP groups. Finally, our results showed the bone-forming capacity of
BMMSCs/β-TCP since immunohistochemical expression of human osteocalcin was detected from week 7.
: These results show that transplantation of
BMMSCs/β-TCP in NOD/SCID mice are safe and effective, and might be applied to human bone diseases in future clinical trials.
TRPM8, a member of the melastatin subfamily of transient receptor potential (TRP) cation channels, is activated by voltage,
low temperatures and cooling compounds. These properties and its restricted ...expression to small sensory neurons have made
it the ion channel with the most advocated role in cold transduction. Recent work suggests that activation of TRPM8 by cold
and menthol takes place through shifts in its voltage-activation curve, which cause the channel to open at physiological membrane
potentials. By contrast, little is known about the actions of inhibitors on the function of TRPM8. We investigated the chemical
and thermal modulation of TRPM8 in transfected HEK293 cells and in cold-sensitive primary sensory neurons. We show that cold-evoked
TRPM8 responses are effectively suppressed by inhibitor compounds SKF96365, 4-(3-chloro-pyridin-2-yl)-piperazine-1-carboxylic
acid (4-tert-butyl-phenyl)-amide (BCTC) and 1,10-phenanthroline. These antagonists exert their effect by shifting the voltage
dependence of TRPM8 activation towards more positive potentials. An opposite shift towards more negative potentials is achieved
by the agonist menthol. Functionally, the bidirectional shift in channel gating translates into a change in the apparent temperature
threshold of TRPM8-expressing cells. Accordingly, in the presence of the antagonist compounds, the apparent response-threshold
temperature of TRPM8 is displaced towards colder temperatures, whereas menthol sensitizes the response, shifting the threshold
in the opposite direction. Co-application of agonists and antagonists produces predictable cancellation of these effects,
suggesting the convergence on a common molecular process. The potential for half maximal activation of TRPM8 activation by
cold was â¼140 mV more negative in native channels compared to recombinant channels, with a much higher open probability at
negative membrane potentials in the former. In functional terms, this difference translates into a shift in the apparent temperature
threshold for activation towards higher temperatures for native currents. This difference in voltage-dependence readily explains
the high threshold temperatures characteristic of many cold thermoreceptors. The modulation of TRPM8 activity by different
chemical agents unveils an important flexibility in the temperatureâresponse curve of TRPM8 channels and cold thermoreceptors.
Impact of gender on long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate gender-specific differences in TAVI and its impact on ...outcomes.INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVESImpact of gender on long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) remains uncertain. We aimed to investigate gender-specific differences in TAVI and its impact on outcomes.This analysis used data from the prospective Spanish TAVI registry, which included consecutive TAVI patients treated in 46 Spanish centers from 2009 to 2021. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 12 months. Secondary endpoints included in-hospital and 30-day mortality and TAVI-related complications. Adjusted logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed.METHODSThis analysis used data from the prospective Spanish TAVI registry, which included consecutive TAVI patients treated in 46 Spanish centers from 2009 to 2021. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 12 months. Secondary endpoints included in-hospital and 30-day mortality and TAVI-related complications. Adjusted logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed.The study included 12 253 consecutive TAVI patients with a mean age of 81.2 ± 6.4 years. Women (53.9%) were older, and had a higher STS-PROM score (7.0 ± 7.0 vs 6.2 ± 6.7; P < .001) than men. Overall, the TAVI-related complication rate was similar between women and men, with specific gender-related complications. While women more frequently developed in-hospital vascular complications (13.6% vs 9.8%; P < .001) and cardiac tamponade (1.5% vs 0.6%; P = .009), men showed a higher incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation (14.5% vs 17.4%; P = .009). There was no difference in all-cause mortality either in hospital (3.6% vs 3.6%, adjusted odds ratio OR, 1.01; 95% confidence interval 95%CI, 0.83-1.23; P = .902), at 30 days (4.2% vs 4.2%, adjusted OR, 0.90; 95%CI, 0.65-1.25; P = .564) or at 1 year (11% vs 13%, adjusted HR, 0.94; 0.80-1.11; P = .60).RESULTSThe study included 12 253 consecutive TAVI patients with a mean age of 81.2 ± 6.4 years. Women (53.9%) were older, and had a higher STS-PROM score (7.0 ± 7.0 vs 6.2 ± 6.7; P < .001) than men. Overall, the TAVI-related complication rate was similar between women and men, with specific gender-related complications. While women more frequently developed in-hospital vascular complications (13.6% vs 9.8%; P < .001) and cardiac tamponade (1.5% vs 0.6%; P = .009), men showed a higher incidence of permanent pacemaker implantation (14.5% vs 17.4%; P = .009). There was no difference in all-cause mortality either in hospital (3.6% vs 3.6%, adjusted odds ratio OR, 1.01; 95% confidence interval 95%CI, 0.83-1.23; P = .902), at 30 days (4.2% vs 4.2%, adjusted OR, 0.90; 95%CI, 0.65-1.25; P = .564) or at 1 year (11% vs 13%, adjusted HR, 0.94; 0.80-1.11; P = .60).women treated with TAVI are older and have more comorbidities than men, leading to distinct complications between genders. Nevertheless, all-cause mortality in the short-term and at 1-year was similar between men and women.CONCLUSIONSwomen treated with TAVI are older and have more comorbidities than men, leading to distinct complications between genders. Nevertheless, all-cause mortality in the short-term and at 1-year was similar between men and women.
Este artículo analiza el recorrido que tuvo el denominado Comité de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa de la Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF). Se trata de un órgano consultivo constituido en ...2019 y disuelto a mediados de 2020. Nos interesa conocer las acciones que llevó a cabo en ese periodo. Para ello, se interpretan los testimonios de entrevistas realizadas a algunos de los miembros externos que formaron parte del comité. Nos centramos en aquellas actuaciones en materia de igualdad de género y con esta intención se propone como caso paradigmático la celebración de la Super Copa de España en Arabia Saudí. Se trata de un acontecimiento controvertido, sobre el que el Comité planteó recomendaciones concretas.
This article discusses the trajectory that the so-called Corporate Social Responsibility Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation took place. This advisory body was established in 2019 and ...dissolved in mid-2020. We are interested in knowing the actions it may carry out during that period. To this end, we analyse the testimonies of interviews with some of the external members who were part of the committee. We focus on those actions on gender equality and for this particular aim we study the paradigmatic case of the celebration of the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia. This is a controversial event, on which the Committee made concrete recommendations.
Liquid crystalline 4,4′-dialkylazobenzenes have been extracted from their synthetic reaction mixture with supercritical carbon dioxide. The simplex method has been used to optimize the ...time-temperature-pressure parameters. Supercritical extraction significantly improves the yield of the azobenzenes and strongly reduces the purification time as compared with the conventional column chromatography method.
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