Characterization of allergoids from ovalbumin in vitro and in vivo

Several in vivo and in vitro methods for monitoring immunological properties of two allergoids obtained by formaldehyde treatment of ovalbumin (OA) were developed. The calculated molecular weight of allergoids was 80 kD (OA-F1) and 165 kD (OA-F2), respectively. The allergenic activity in vitro of allergoids in mast-cell histamine release assay was 1000 times lower than of OA. Both allergoids showed reduced ability to induce passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in the Sprague-Dawley rats or systemic anaphylaxis in Dunkin-Harley guinea-pigs. The ability of OA and allergoids to bind to the OA-specific IgE antibodies was measured in vivo by the inhibition of passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA-inhibition). Allergoid binding to IgE was 51-66% lower than the native allergen. Moreover, the avidity of OA-specific IgG antibodies, measured by ELISA-inhibition, for allergoids and allergen was of the same order. Allergoids induced a different pattern of humoral immune response from that, induced by the native allergen. Thus, after immunization of BALB/c mouse, both allergoids induced a higher production of IgG and a lower production of IgE than OA, only OA-F2 induced a lower production of IgG1. The differences in the IgA response to the immunogens was not significant. Delayed hypersensitivity studies in the BALB/c mouse showed that allergoids were 5- to 12-times less effective in inducing a cell-mediated immune response than OA. The present study provides a battery of immunological methods for preclinical testing of modified allergens.     

Improving the definition of general constraints in UML

An important aspect in the specification of conceptual schemas is the definition of general constraints that cannot be expressed by the predefined constructs provided by conceptual modeling languages. This is generally achieved by using general-purpose languages like OCL. In this paper we propose a new approach that facilitates the definition of such general constraints in UML. More precisely, we define a profile that extends the set of predefined UML constraints by adding certain types of constraints that are commonly used in conceptual schemas. We also show how our proposal facilitates reasoning about the constraints and their automatic code generation, study the application of our ideas to the specification of two real-life applications, and present a prototype tool implementation.

Dipyrone interference on several common biochemical tests

We studied the effect in vitro and in vivo of dipyrone on the determination of several biochemical tests in two analyzers, a Hitachi 747 and a Kodak Ektachem 700. From studies in vitro, we found significant interference by dipyrone (P < 0.05) in the determination of creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), uric acid, triglycerides, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and urea nitrogen with both instruments, and in the determination of creatinine in the Ektachem analyzer. We also studied the effect of intravenously administered dipyrone in 14 patients. Dipyrone interfered significantly (P < 0.05) in the determination of CK, LD, uric acid, triglycerides, and cholesterol with both instruments, and creatinine only with the Ektachem analyzer. Using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), we measured concentrations of dipyrone in the serum of patients who had received the drug and observed a negative correlation between the concentrations of dipyrone in the blood and the percentage of each analyte concentration.     

Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Magnetically-Guided and Magnetically-Responsive Drug Delivery

In this review, we discuss the recent advances in and problems with the use of magnetically-guided and magnetically-responsive nanoparticles in drug delivery and magnetofection. In magnetically-guided nanoparticles, a constant external magnetic field is used to transport magnetic nanoparticles loaded with drugs to a specific site within the body or to increase the transfection capacity. Magnetofection is the delivery of nucleic acids under the influence of a magnetic field acting on nucleic acid vectors that are associated with magnetic nanoparticles. In magnetically-responsive nanoparticles, magnetic nanoparticles are encapsulated or embedded in a larger colloidal structure that carries a drug. In this last case, an alternating magnetic field can modify the structure of the colloid, thereby providing spatial and temporal control over drug release.     

A platform independent model for the electronic marketplace domain

An electronic marketplace supports interactions between multiple users for the exchange of information on products for sale or purchase. The significance of electronic marketplaces is apparent from the huge number of websites that currently provide services in almost any area one can think of. However, the absence of clear documentation on the similarities that these sites share restricts the reutilization of software for the development of new electronic marketplaces. To improve this situation, we propose a platform independent model (PIM) for the e-marketplace domain that describes both the structural and behavioral properties of a generic electronic marketplace. Specific application PIMs aimed at generating different e-marketplaces can be obtained from our generic domain PIM by adapting it to the requirements of each particular application. In this way, reutilization of our domain PIM contributes to a reduction in the cost and time involved in the development of new electronic marketplaces.     

Elemental analysis of mining wastes by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF)

An energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) tri-axial geometry experimental spectrometer has been employed to determine the concentrations of 13 different elements (K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Rb, Sr and Pb) in mine wastes from different depths of two mine tailings from the Cartagena-La Union (Spain) mining district. The elements were determined and quantified using the fundamental parameters method. The concentrations of Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb were compared to the values from the European and Spanish legislation to evaluate the environmental risk and to classify the wastes as inert wastes or as wastes that have to be control land-filled. The results obtained demonstrate that these wastes can be considered as inert for the considered elements, apart from the concentration levels of Zn and Pb. Whilst Zn slightly overpasses the regulatory levels, Pb mean value exceeds three to six times the value to be considered as Class I potential land-filling material.     

A Generalized BDS Statistic

The BDS statistic, rooted on the correlation integral, has been proven to be useful for different problems. But although the correlation integral is defined for any choice of delay time, the BDS statistic assumes delay time is one. As different studies have shown, an adequate choice of delay time is important in order to determine the dynamical properties of a system from an observed time series, specially when the data sets are small and there is some noise. This paper introduces a new statistic that generalizes BDS by allowing the choice of any delay time.     

Lead isotope ratio measurements by ICP-QMS to identify metal accumulation in vegetation specimens growing in mining environments

The use of variations in stable Pb isotope ratios has become a well-established diagnostic technique for characterising sources of lead contamination. In this work, lead isotope ratios in mining wastes (lead content 320-130,000 mg kg-1) and vegetation specimens (lead concentration 7-650 mg kg-1) have been determined by inductively coupled plasma quadrupole-based mass spectrometry (ICP-QMS) in order to investigate lead bioaccumulation in Buddleia davidii growing on wastes from two abandoned Pb/Zn mining areas in Spain. The accuracy of the isotope ratio measurements was evaluated by analysing a certified isotopic standard NIST SRM 981. Good agreements were obtained between the lead isotope ratios measured and the certified values (deviations within 0.01-0.2%). The results indicate that the lead isotopic ratios in vegetation samples collected in the mining areas differed from those of a specimen from an uncontaminated site (control sample). However, close lead isotope ratio values were found between vegetation specimens and mining tailings. Therefore, the results suggest that lead in the collected vegetation specimens is most likely related to the influence of mining activities rather than to other sources like past leaded-petrol emissions.