New light bosons that couple weakly to the standard model (SM) particles are predicted in various extensions of the standard model (BSM). Examples include supersymmetric (SUSY) theories with extended ...Higgs sectors or with a hidden valleys (dark SUSY). In these models the light bosons can be produced directly in the decay of a Higgs boson, or as part of the decay chain of SUSY particles. Depending on the branching fraction, the exotic decays of the SM-Higgs can be undetected in standard analysis techniques or due to its modified production cross section of the Higgs bosons at the LHC. Therefore, direct searches for non-SM decays of the Higgs boson are the fastest way to understand the nature of the Higgs boson. Either it will confirm its SM character, or it will rule out a whole array of BSM scenarios. We present status of the search at CMS for non-SM Higgs boson decays in events with displaced muon-jets.
El estudio se realizó en las UMA’s de Ajuchitlan-Santiopa, El Limón de Cuauchichinola y Pitzotlan, Morelos, México; de marzo a agosto de 2007, donde se evaluó el hábitat del venado cola blanca ...(Odocoileus virginianus mexicanus Gmelin, 1788). Para caracterizarlo se estimó el estrato arbóreo y arbustivo aplicando el método de puntos centrados en cuadrantes, del cual se estimó el diámetro de la copa, individuos vegetales en 100 m2, la accesibilidad de las plantas potencialmente consumidas por el venado, la altitud, la pendiente, valor de importancia de especies y familias vegetales e índices de riqueza (Margalef y Menhinick), equidad (Shannon y su inverso, Equidad o Uniformidad) y dominancia (Simpson y su inverso, Berger-Parker y su inverso). Se encontraron 72 especies vegetales, distribuidas en 29 familias, con dominancia de árboles de 68 y 32% de arbustos. Las especies Euphorbia schlechtendalii, Lysiloma divaricata y Acacia cochliacantha, sobresalieron por su valor de importancia de especies, abundancia e importancia antropogénica. La familia Fabaceae fue la más representativa por el valor de importancia de familias. El análisis estadístico reveló que el área basal promedio fue similarentre UMA’s y entre transectos (p > 0.05), así como la densidad de individuos vegetales en 100 m2 (x _ = 23.44), la accesibilidad, pero las especies vegetales fueron altamente accesibles para el venado(u = 0.48 m), la cobertura de la copa, con u = 8.89 m2 y la altitud; la pendiente fue diferente entre UMA’s y entre transectos (p < 0.05). El hábitat del venado cola blanca en la Sierra de Huautla con mejores atributos, es aquel que presenta alta diversidad, abundancia y sin dominancia de especies vegetales y con mayor pendiente del terreno; enfocados principalmente en la disponibilidad de alimento y cobertura.
Abstract Parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHLH) exerts relevant roles in progression and dissemination of several tumors. However, factors influencing its production and secretion have not been ...fully characterized. The main limitation is the lack of specific, sensitive and widely available techniques to detect and quantify PTHLH. We have developed a lateral flow immunoassay using gold nanoparticles label for the fast and easy detection of PTHLH in lysates and culture media of three human cell lines (HaCaT, LA-N-1, SK-N-AS). Levels in culture media and lysates ranged from 11 to 20 ng/mL and 0.66 to 0.87 μg/mL respectively. Results for HaCaT are in agreement to the previously reported, whereas LA-N-1 and SK-N-AS have been evaluated for the first time. The system also exhibits good performance in human serum samples. This methodology represents a helpful tool for future in vitro and in vivo studies of mechanisms involved in PTHLH production as well as for diagnostics. From the Clinical Editor Parathyroid Hormone-like Hormone (PTHLH) is known to be secreted by some tumors. However, the detection of this peptide remains difficult. The authors here described their technique of using gold nanoparticles as label for the detection of PTHLH by Lateral-flow immunoassays (LFIAs). The positive results may also point a way to using the same technique for the rapid determination of other relevant cancer proteins.
In this work, we propose for the first time the use of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanoporous membranes for in situ monitoring of parathyroid hormone-like hormone (PTHLH) secretion in cultured human ...cells. The biosensing system is based on the nanochannels blockage upon immunocomplex formation, which is electrically monitored through the voltammetric oxidation of Prussian blue nanoparticles (PBNPs). Models evaluated include a neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-AS) and immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) as a control of high PTHLH production. The effect of total number of seeded cells and incubation time on the secreted PTHLH levels is assessed, finding that secreted PTHLH levels range from approximately 60 to 400 ng/mL. Moreover, our methodology is also applied to analyse PTHLH production following PTHLH gene knockdown upon transient cell transfection with a specific silencing RNA (siRNA). Given that inhibition of PTHLH secretion reduces cell proliferation, survival and invasiveness in a number of tumors, our system provides a powerful tool for the preclinical evaluation of therapies that regulate PTHLH production. This nanoporous membrane – based sensing technology might be useful to monitor the active secretion of other proteins as well, thus contributing to characterize their regulation and function.
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•Nanoporous membranes are used for in situ monitoring of PTHLH secretion in cultured human cells.•A neuroblastoma cell line (SK-N-AS) and immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) are evaluated.•PTHLH production upon transient cell transfection with a specific silencing RNA (siRNA) is also monitored.•Useful technology to monitor active secretion of other proteins, contributing to characterize their regulation and function.
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•The EC and EO achieved a TOC removal efficiency of 99%.•The use of copper in EC stabilizes the system.•The electrooxidation process (BDD/Cu) promotes the demineralization of ...water.•The electrooxidation is a clean process that avoids the CO2 emissions.•The solar cells supply sustainable energy to the electrochemical processes.
The goal of this research was the elimination of the chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC), color, and turbidity from the industrial wastewater from an industrial park by applying electrocoagulation (EC) and electrooxidation (EO) processes powered by solar cells. The EC process was carried out in a batch monopolar electrochemical cell; copper was used for the anode and cathode electrodes, with an area of 0.00125m2, and solar cells supplied the system with 1–3A of current intensity. The COD reduction was 80% at pH 2 and 89% at pH 4, and a removal efficiency of 97% and 91% of color and turbidity, respectively, were achieved; however, TOC reduction achieved was only 48%. In order to improve the removal of TOC, an EO treatment was applied after the EC process. The EO was carried out in batch cells using a boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode and a copper cathode. The maximum removal efficiency was 70.26% of TOC and 99.7% of COD, with EC+EO processes. Color and turbidity removal were 100% and 95%, respectively. Aside from the strong oxidation capability of the hydroxyl radicals generated, the presence of active chlorine in the solution contributed to COD removal via indirect oxidation.
Urolithiasis is the presence of stones in the kidney, ureters, bladder and/or urethra; it is the third most frequent disease of the urinary tract. Mimosa malacophylla A. Gray, is a species ...distributed in northern Mexico, where people traditionally use it for its diuretic effect, and to treat kidney diseases; however, no scientific reports have been found in relation to its antiurolithic properties.
This study aimed to obtain a qualitative phytochemical profile of the methanolic extract (ME) of M. malacophylla, and to evaluate its potential cytotoxic effect in vitro and its antiurolithic activity in vivo.
Phytochemical screening was performed to demonstrate the presence of secondary metabolite groups in the methanolic extract of M. malacophylla. In vitro cytotoxicity assays (MTT and nucleotide labeling with DAPI) were performed to evaluate the effect of the extract on kidney cell lines. Urolithiasis was induced in the bladder of Wistar rats introducing zinc disks for the calculus formation and exposed to three concentrations of ME.
Phytochemical screening showed phenols, steroids, terpenoids and carbohydrates. In vitro analysis demonstrated that concentrations below 300 μg/mL of ME did not produce a cytotoxic effect on renal Vero and HEK-293 cells. In vivo analysis of 15 days of exposition, revealed that the extract at concentrations of 50 mg/kg to 150 mg/kg were effective as an antiurolithic treatment, and did not produce morphological alterations in kidney or bladder in murine model of induced urolithiasis.
The antiurolithic activity may be attributed to the presence of flavonoids, steroids and terpenes detected in the phytochemical screening which have been reported to possess this activity. These results could be useful to evaluate new alternatives and their potential therapeutic effect to treat renal or urinary affections.
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Axonal projection is controlled by discrete regions localized at the neuroepithelium, guiding the neurite growth during embryonic development. These regions exert their effect through the expression ...of a family of chemotropic molecules, which actively participate in the formation of neuronal connections of the central nervous system in vertebrates. Previous studies describe prosomere 1 (P1) as a possible organizer of axonal growth of the rostral rhombencephalon, contributing to the caudal projection of reticulospinal rhombencephalic neurons. This work studies the contribution of chemotropic signals from P1 or pretectal medial longitudinal fascicle (MLF) neurons upon the caudal projection of the interstitial nuclei of Cajal (INC). By using in ovo surgeries, retrograde axonal labeling, and immunohistochemical techniques, we were able to determine that the absence of P1 generates a failure in the INC caudal projection, while drastically diminishing the reticulospinal rhombencephalic neurons projections. The lack of INC projection significantly decreases the number of reticulospinal neurons projecting to the MLF. We found a 48.6% decrease in the projections to the MLF from the rostral and bulbar areas. Similarly, the observed decrease at prosomere 2 was 51.5%, with 61.8% and 32.4% for prosomeres 3 and 4, respectively; thus, constituting the most affected rostral regions. These results suggest the following possibilities: i, that the axons of the reticulospinal neurons employ the INC projection as a scaffold, fasciculating with this pioneer projection; and ii, that the P1 region, including pretectal MLF neurons, exerts a chemotropic effect upon the INC caudal projection. Nonetheless the identification of these chemotropic signals is still a pending task.
Objective
To compare the efficacy of infliximab (IFX) versus adalimumab (ADA) as a first‐line biologic drug over 1 year of treatment in a large series of patients with refractory uveitis due to ...Behçet's disease (BD).
Methods
We conducted an open‐label multicenter study of IFX versus ADA for BD‐related uveitis refractory to conventional nonbiologic treatment. IFX or ADA was chosen as the first‐line biologic agent based on physician and patient agreement. Patients received 3–5 mg/kg intravenous IFX at 0, 2, and 6 weeks and every 4–8 weeks thereafter, or 40 mg subcutaneous ADA every other week without a loading dose. Ocular parameters were compared between the 2 groups.
Results
The study included 177 patients (316 affected eyes), of whom 103 received IFX and 74 received ADA. There were no significant baseline differences between treatment groups in main demographic features, previous therapy, or ocular sign severity. After 1 year of therapy, we observed an improvement in all ocular parameters in both groups. However, patients receiving ADA had significantly better outcomes in some parameters, including improvement in anterior chamber inflammation (92.31% versus 78.18% for IFX; P = 0.06), improvement in vitritis (93.33% versus 78.95% for IFX; P = 0.04), and best‐corrected visual acuity (mean ± SD 0.81 ± 0.26 versus 0.67 ± 0.34 for IFX; P = 0.001). A nonsignificant difference was seen for macular thickness (mean ± SD 250.62 ± 36.85 for ADA versus 264.89 ± 59.74 for IFX; P = 0.15), and improvement in retinal vasculitis was similar between the 2 groups (95% for ADA versus 97% for IFX; P = 0.28). The drug retention rate was higher in the ADA group (95.24% versus 84.95% for IFX; P = 0.042).
Conclusion
Although both IFX and ADA are efficacious in refractory BD‐related uveitis, ADA appears to be associated with better outcomes than IFX after 1 year of follow‐up.
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