In Vitro Diagnostic Testing for Antibiotic Allergy

Inmaculada Doña,Maria J. Torres,Maria I. Montañez,Tahía D. Fernández 대한천식알레르기학회 2017 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.9 No.4

Allergy to antibiotics is an important worldwide problem, with an estimated prevalence of up to 10% of the population. Reaction patterns for different antibiotics have changed in accordance with consumption trends. Most of the allergic reactions to antibiotics have been reported for betalactams, followed by quinolones and macrolides and, to a lesser extent, to others, such as metronidazole clindamycin and sulfonamides. The diagnostic procedure includes a detailed clinical history, which is not always possible and can be unreliable. This is usually followed by in vivo, skin, and drug provocation tests. These are not recommended for severe, potentially lifethreaten reactions or for drugs that are known to produce a high rate of false positive results. Given the limitations of in vivo tests, in vitro test can be helpful for diagnosis, despite having suboptimal sensitivity. The most highly employed techniques for diagnosing immediate reactions to antibiotics are immunoassays and basophil activation tests, while lymphocyte transformation tests are more commonly used to diagnose non-immediate reactions. In this review, we describe different in vitro techniques employed to diagnose antibiotic allergy.

Autophagic flux is required for the synthesis of triacylglycerols and ribosomal protein turnover in <i>Chlamydomonas</i>

Couso, Inmaculada,Pé,rez-Pé,rez, Marí,a Esther,Martí,nez-Force, Enrique,Kim, Hee-Sik,He, Yonghua,Umen, James G,Crespo, José,L Oxford University Press 2018 Journal of experimental botany Vol.69 No.6

<▼1><P>Inhibition of autophagic flux prevented the synthesis of triacylglycerols, formation of lipid bodies, and degradation of ribosomal proteins RPS6 and RPL37 in nitrogen- or phosphate-starved <I>Chlamydomonas</I> cells.</P></▼1><▼2><P><B>Abstract</B></P><P>Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic process that allows cells to recycle unneeded or damaged material to maintain cellular homeostasis. This highly dynamic process is characterized by the formation of double-membrane vesicles called autophagosomes, which engulf and deliver the cargo to the vacuole. Flow of material through the autophagy pathway and its degradation in the vacuole is known as autophagic flux, and reflects the autophagic degradation activity. A number of assays have been developed to determine autophagic flux in yeasts, mammals, and plants, but it has not been examined yet in algae. Here we analyzed autophagic flux in the model green alga <I>Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</I>. By monitoring specific autophagy markers such as ATG8 lipidation and using immunofluorescence and electron microscopy techniques, we show that concanamycin A, a vacuolar ATPase inhibitor, blocks autophagic flux in <I>Chlamydomonas</I>. Our results revealed that vacuolar lytic function is needed for the synthesis of triacylglycerols and the formation of lipid bodies in nitrogen- or phosphate-starved cells. Moreover, we found that concanamycin A treatment prevented the degradation of ribosomal proteins RPS6 and RPL37 under nitrogen or phosphate deprivation. These results indicate that autophagy might play an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolism and the recycling of ribosomal proteins under nutrient limitation in <I>Chlamydomonas</I>.</P></▼2>

Artificial gametes from stem cells

Moreno, Inmaculada,Miguez-Forjan, Jose Manuel,Simon, Carlos The Korean Society for Reproductive Medicine 2015 Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine Vol.42 No.2

The generation of artificial gametes is a real challenge for the scientific community today. In vitro development of human eggs and sperm will pave the way for the understanding of the complex process of human gametogenesis and will provide with human gametes for the study of infertility and the onset of some inherited disorders. However, the great promise of artificial gametes resides in their future application on reproductive treatments for all these people wishing to have genetically related children and for which gamete donation is now their unique option of parenthood. This is the case of infertile patients devoid of suitable gametes, same sex couples, singles and those fertile couples in a high risk of transmitting serious diseases to their progeny. In the search of the best method to obtain artificial gametes, many researchers have successfully obtained human germ cell-like cells from stem cells at different stages of differentiation. In the near future, this field will evolve to new methods providing not only viable but also functional and safe artificial germ cells. These artificial sperm and eggs should be able to recapitulate all the genetic and epigenetic processes needed for the correct gametogenesis, fertilization and embryogenesis leading to the birth of a healthy and fertile newborn.

Role of Choline in the Modulation of Degenerative Processes: In Vivo and In Vitro Studies

Tania Merinas-Amo,Inmaculada Tasset-Cuevas,Antonio M. Dıaz-Carretero,Angeles Alonso-Moraga,Fernando Calahorro 한국식품영양과학회 2017 Journal of medicinal food Vol.20 No.3

The purpose of the present study was to examine the nutraceutical potential of choline as an added value to its well-known brain nutrient role. Several toxicity, antitoxicity, genotoxicity, antigenotoxicity, and longevity endpoints were checked in the somatic mutation and recombination test in in vivo Drosophila animal model. Cytotoxicity in human leukemia-60 cell line (HL-60) promyelocytic and NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, proapoptotic DNA fragmentation, comet assay, methylation status, and macroautophagy (MA) activity were tested in in vitro assays. Choline is not only safe but it is also able to protect against the DNA damage caused by an oxidative genotoxin. Moreover, it improves the life extension in the animal model. The in vitro results show that it is able to exhibit genetic damage against leukemia HL-60 cells. Single-strand breaks in DNA are observed at the molecular level in treatments with choline, although only a significant hypermethylation on the long interspersed elements-1 and a hypomethylation on the satellite-alpha DNA repetitive DNA sequences of HL-60 cells at the lowest concentration (0.447 mM) were observed. Besides, choline decreased MA at the lower assayed concentration and the MA response to topoisomerase inhibitor (etoposide) is maintained in the presence of treatment with 0.22 mM choline. Taking into account the hopeful results obtained in the in vivo and in vitro assays, choline could be proposed as a substance with an important nutraceutical value for different purposes.

Is Board Gender Diversity a Driver of CEO Compensation?

Maria Consuelo Pucheta-Martine,Inmaculada Bel-Oms,Gustau Olcina-Sempere 숙명여자대학교 아시아여성연구원 2017 Asian Women Vol.33 No.4

In this investigation, we aim at examining the influence of institutional female directors on CEO compensation. Specifically, we investigate the impact of institutional female directors as a whole, differentiating by whether female directors have business ties with the firms’ boards on which they sit (pressure-sensitive female directors) or do not have business links (pressure-resistant female directors). We hypothesize that there is a nonlinear association, specifically quadratic, between institutional, pressureresistant and pressure-sensitive female directors on boards, and CEO compensation. Our findings show that CEO compensation decreases with low levels of institutional female directors and pressure-resistant female directors on boards, but when their presence on boards increases beyond a certain threshold, CEO compensation also increases. We also find that CEO compensation is not affected by pressure-sensitive female directors on boards. These findings support the premise that institutional female directors on boards cannot be considered a homogeneous group, but play an important role in managerial monitoring and remuneration policies, thus affecting the corporate governance system.

Characterization and Properties of Ethylene-Propylene Copolymers Synthesized with Homogeneous and Supported Metallocene Catalyst in the Whole Range of Compositions

Javier Arranz-Andrés,Inmaculada Suárez,Rosario Benavente,Ernesto Pérez 한국고분자학회 2011 Macromolecular Research Vol.19 No.4

Two series of ethylene-propylene copolymers were synthesized in the whole composition range using a metallocene catalyst, one in the homogeneous phase (H copolymers), and the other with the catalyst supported in silica (S copolymers). Some differences were found between the two groups. Therefore, the amount of ethylene needed to obtain a certain proportion of the γ form is lower in the H than in S series. Moreover, the composition to obtain the pseudo hexagonal form is also different for the two groups. On the other hand, degree of crystallinity, crystal sizes and microhardness values display a similar variations with the comonomer content of the two series. Consequently, from a macroscopic point of view, materials with similar macroscopic mechanical properties can be produced using both supported and homogeneous metallocene catalysts despite the structural differences.

A biorefinery approach to obtain antioxidants, lignin and sugars from exhausted olive pomace

Irene Gómez-Cruz,María del Mar Contreras,Inmaculada Romero,Eulogio Castro 한국공업화학회 2021 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.96 No.-

Exhausted olive pomace (EOP) is the main residue of the pomace olive oil extracting industry. In thiswork, EOP was fractionated into valuable components for valorisation: an aqueous extract rich inhydroxytyrosol and mannitol, lignins with antioxidant properties and fermentable sugars. EOP wasfirstsubjected to water extraction at 85 C for 90 min. Several pretreatments based on liquid hot water andorganosolv with 50% or 60% ethanol (catalysed and uncatalysed with 1% sulfuric acid) were thenevaluated in terms of delignification ability and efficiency for enzymatic hydrolysis of the pretreatedsolids. Once the best conditions had been selected (50 % ethanol-1% sulfuric acid at 130 C for 60 min), anorganosolv lignin (OL) with antioxidant properties was obtained through acid precipitation of thepretreatment liquor. This was compared to the enzymatic hydrolysis lignin obtained in the subsequentstep and to the lignins purified by acid hydrolysis. OL showed a higher total phenolic content andantioxidant activity than the rest of the lignin samples. Chemical differences were also observed thatcould explain the results.

Examining the Impact of Refractory Myasthenia Gravis on Healthcare Resource Utilization in the United States: Analysis of a Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Patient Registry Sample

Haichang Xin,Linda A. Harris,Inmaculada B. Aban,Gary Cutter 대한신경과학회 2019 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.15 No.3

Background and Purpose Patients with refractory myasthenia gravis (MG) experience ongoing disease burden that might be reflected in their healthcare utilization. Here we examine the impact of refractory MG on healthcare utilization. Methods The 825 included participants were aged 18–64 years, enrolled in the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Patient Registry between July 2013 and February 2018, and had been diagnosed with MG ≥2 years previously. Results Participants comprised 76 (9.2%) with refractory MG and 749 (90.8%) with nonrefractory MG. During the 6 months before enrollment, participants with refractory MG were significantly more likely than those with nonrefractory MG to have experienced at least one exacerbation [67.1% vs. 52.0%, respectively, p=0.01; odds ratio (OR)=1.882, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.141–3.104], visited an emergency room at least once [43.4% vs. 27.1%, p<0.01; OR=2.065, 95% CI=1.276–3.343], been hospitalized overnight at least once (32.9% vs. 20.5%, p=0.01; OR=1.900, 95% CI=1.140–3.165), ever been admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) (61.8% vs. 33.4%, p<0.01; OR=3.233, 95% CI=1.985–5.266), or ever required a feeding tube (21.1% vs. 9.1%, p<0.01; OR=2.671, 95% CI=1.457–4.896). A total of 75.8% younger females with refractory disease (<51 years, n=33) experienced at least one exacerbation, 69.7% had been admitted to an ICU, and 30.3% had required a feeding tube. For older females with refractory disease (≥51 years, n=33), 60.6%, 54.6%, and 6.1% experienced these outcomes, respectively (between-group differences were not significant). Conclusions Refractory MG is associated with higher disease burden and healthcare utilization than nonrefractory MG.

Feasibility and efficacy of the Vojta therapy in subacromial impingement syndrome : a randomized controlled trial

María Lidia Juárez-Albuixech,Olga Redondo-González,Inmaculada Tello-Díaz-Maroto,Jorge Lucas Torres de la Guía,Jorge Hugo Villafañe,Carmen Jiménez-Antona 한국운동재활학회 2021 JER Vol.17 No.4

Influence of the Feeding Control on the Final Properties of Ethylene/Propylene Copolymers Obtained in Laboratory Semi-Batch Reactor

Rafael Van Grieken,Guillermo Calleja,Inmaculada Suarez,Javier Arranz-Andrés 한국고분자학회 2013 Macromolecular Research Vol.21 No.2

The slurry polymerization reactors on the industrial scale operate in continuous mode at low monomer conversion per pass to minimize mass and heat transfer limitations. Nevertheless, for the screening of catalytic systems,the laboratory tests are carried out using batch or semi-batch reactors. In this work, ethylene/propylene copolymers were synthesized in a semi-continuous reactor under similar conditions, where the only difference involves the modification of the feed ratio during the reaction. The key point of the control system is a micro-gas chromatograph (MGC), which analyzes the molar ratio ethylene (C2) to propylene (C3) in the gas phase during the reaction, and the composition in the liquid phase was calculated using the Soave-Redlich-Kwong equation of state. The effect of the ethylene/propylene copolymer microstructure has been studied using different techniques that allow us to conclude that the method of synthesis influences the comonomer distribution and the final copolymer properties.