Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and system for detecting and/or quantifying bacteriophages capable of infecting a predetermined bacterial host strain, which is based on the surface plasmon resonance technique that takes place on the conductive material surface of an optical sensor device, and also relates to a microelectronic sensor device for carrying out this process and to the use of this microelectronic sensor device for detecting and/or quantifying bacteriophages.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of production of plants having improved resistance to low-temperature stress, comprising a stage of conversion of the cells of a plant with a sequence of exogenous arginine decarboxylase gene ADC1 under control of a promoter capable of functioning in the plant. Plants thus obtained show resistance to low-temperature stress without the phenotype being affected when compared with the phenotype of plants of the wild type.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of an antibody or a fragment thereof, specific against substance P, for the manufacture of a medicament for therapeutic treatment of a cancer expressing NK1 receptor and/or a ErbB receptor family member (i.e. the epidermal growth factor receptors family), by direct administration to a mammal, including a human. The administration of an antibody against substance P to a panel of breast cancer cell lines, inhibits HER2 activation and expression, causing a downregulation of different genes involved in cell cycle progression, like cyclin D1, cyclin E, cdk4 and cdk2. A decrease in proliferation and an arrest in G1 phase of cell cycle are observed. On the other hand, the antibody causes an induction of apoptosis.

Abstract: A method for the accurate quantification of a virus in a sample, by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), includes: adding a known concentration of a Mengo virus to the sample as control for the nucleic acids extraction step, the Mengo virus being a mutant strain with the same growth properties than those of the wild-type Mengo virus, and with non-pathogenic capacity; performing a nucleic acids extraction to obtain a nucleic acids suspension; analyzing the nucleic acids suspension by RT-PCR with primers and probes; quantifying the amplimers resulting from the RT-PCR; determining the concentration of the virus in the sample by comparison of the value obtained with an appropriate standard curve; and determining the concentration of the Mengo virus by comparison of the value obtained with an appropriate standard curve.

Abstract: The inventors have found that CD6, a member of the Scavenger Receptor Cysteine-Rich (SRSR) superfamily expressed on human lymphocytes binds to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as to other microbial structures. Thus, a CD6 product is useful for the manufacture of a medicament for therapeutic and/or preventive treatment of an infectious disease or of an inflammatory condition related to an infectious disease or to the presence of a product derived from an infectious agent in a mammal including a human. Examples of such inflammatory conditions are systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock.

Abstract: The strain of Trichoderma asperellum T34(2) CECT No. 20417 is useful for preparing substrates for biological control of vascular fusariose and death of plants caused by Rhizoctonia solani. The substrates can be peats, composts (hardwood compost, pine bark compost, cork compost, sludge compost from sewage treatment plants, garden residues, etc.) or formulations based on CPV-type compost (compost+peat+vermiculite). The fact that the substrates suppress both Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Rhizoctonia solani provides an advantage in comparison with other substrates known in prior art. Another advantage is that the use of methyl bromide, a highly harmful product for the environment, in the control of vascular fusariose is avoided.

Abstract: The apparatus for the determination of radionuclides in a continuous flow of a fluid comprises an alpha-beta chamber that converts alpha, beta and gamma radiation into photons; a gamma chamber that converts gamma radiation into photons; an external covering shield that isolates the alpha-beta chamber and the gamma chamber from environmental UV-visible light; and means for separatedly sending photons generated in the chambers to an analyzing unit. It permits determinations on-line, remotely, and continuously.

Abstract: This invention provides compounds and pharmaceutical compositions thereof for treating human type 1 and type 2 diabetes, particularly insulin-resistant diabetes.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions comprising an effective amount of a tungsten (VI) compound, preferably of a tungstate salt, and more preferably of sodium tungstate (Na2WO4), are useful for the prophylactic and/or therapeutical treatment of neurodegenerative disorders in a mammal, including a human, in particular, for the prophylactic and/or therapeutical treatment of Alzheimer's disease or schizophrenia. The effect of sodium tungstate dihydrate on the phosphorylation of tau in a model of rat insulin resistance and in a model of type-1 diabetes has been assessed. The therapeutic treatment of tauopathies that derives from this invention involves several advantages: it targets a GSK3; specificity since it reduces the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of a neural specific protein, tau, efficacy, lack of toxicity, and low price.

Abstract: The invention provides antitumour compounds of formula (I), wherein R1 is an aromatic substituent; R2 is hydrogen or a substituent when the dotted line is absent, or R2 is absent when the dotted line represents a bond to give a double bond between the nitrogen which bears R2 and the carbon which bears R3; R3 is an oxo group =0 when the dotted line is absent or is a substituent when the dotted line represents a bond to give a double bond between the nitrogen bearing R2 and the carbon bearing R3; R4 is hydrogen or a substituent; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Abstract: The strain of Trichoderma asperellum T34(2) CECT No. 20417 is useful for preparing substrates for biological control of vascular fusariose and death of plants caused by Rhizoctonia solani. The substrates can be peats, composts (hardwood compost, pine bark compost, cork compost, sludge compost from sewage treatment plants, garden residues, etc.) or formulations based on CPV-type compost (compost+peat+vermiculite). The fact that said substrates suppress both Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Rhizoctonia solani provides an advantage in comparison with other substrates known in prior art. Another advantage is that the use of methyl bromide, a highly harmful product for the environment, in the control of vascular fusariose is avoided.

Abstract: The invention provides compounds of formula (I) wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a hydroxy group, an alkoxy group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, a nitro group, an amino group, a monoalkylamino group wherein the alkyl moiety has from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a dialkylamino group wherein each alkyl moiety may be the same or different and each has from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a dialkoxyamino group wherein each alkoxy moiety may be the same or different and each has from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkanoyalmino group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms or an alkanesulfonylamino group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; R2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and R3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms or an alkoxy group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.

Abstract: A process for the extraction of silver and gold from refractory ore is disclosed. The process includes first grinding the refractory ore. This ground refractory ore is subsequently treated with an alkali solution of a stoichiometric excess amount of sulphide in relation to the amount of gold and silver contained in the refractory ore, to thus form a pulp containing a gold and silver sulfide. The pulp and alkaline solution ore are aerated to oxidize the excess sulfide to sulfate and then a mixture of the pulp and cyanide liquor are formed. Finally this mixture is aerated to obtain a final gold and silver product.