Abstract: The present disclosure provides polynucleotide cassettes, expression vectors and methods for the expression of a gene in mammalian cells to provide gene therapy for pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides polynucleotide cassettes, expression vectors and methods for the expression of a gene in mammalian cells to provide gene therapy for pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Abstract: A low-erosion radio frequency ion source is disclosed having a hollow body with conductive interior walls that define a cylindrical cavity, with a gas supply inlet for plasma-forming gases and a power supply inlet for injecting radio frequency energy into the cavity; an expansion chamber connected to the cavity by means of a plasma outlet hole; an ion-extraction aperture in contact with the expansion chamber; coaxial conductor disposed in the cavity, parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof, one or both ends of the coaxial conductor being in contact with a circular interior wall of the body, forming a coaxial resonant cavity; the coaxial conductor having a conductive protuberance opposite the plasma outlet hole and which extends radially into the cavity. It substantially reduces the erosion of the conductive materials.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides polynucleotide cassettes, expression vectors and methods for the expression of a gene in mammalian cells to provide gene therapy for pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides polynucleotide cassettes, expression vectors and methods for the expression of a gene in mammalian cells to provide gene therapy for pyruvate kinase deficiency.

Abstract: Artificial dermis (1) obtained from plasma with platelets (2) and human fibroblasts. The plasma with platelets (2) is obtained from the fractionating of total blood (4) from the patient (8) by light centrifugation, and the human fibroblasts (3) from a skin biopsy, (5). Clotting is obtained by adding calcium. This artificial dermis (1) permits rapid growth of the keratinocytes (6) seeded on its surface to build an artificial skin (7) which can easily be transplanted. Large areas of artificial dermis (1) are obtained from small amounts of starting materials and can be enriched with cytokines and platelet growth factors, to strengthen proliferation of the cells seeded. The artificial skin (7) obtained can be used to treat major burn treatments, chronic skin ulcers, etc., or be used, by employing genetically altered cells, as a vehicle for gene therapy.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a particular type of adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), which exert immunosuppressive properties, in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of the graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) produced after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Abstract: Wind switch to be installed on outdoor devices to be protected from the wind. The switch comprises a spring, strip or coil (1), which supplies a force opposite to the wind and is physically connected to the surface (5) by one of its extremities, while the other extremity is connected to a fixed point; a surface (5) in the shape of a plate, cylinder or sphere, which is exposed to the wind force and creates a force opposite to the one provided by the spring (1); a permanent magnet (7), physically attached to the surface (5) such that it moves therewith, and two ferrous contacts (11), enclosed under vacuum inside a glass tube (10) and connected to the Local Control Point (17) of each device on which the wind switch is installed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering energy from the organic fraction of urban solid waste comprising the following steps: a) the organic fraction is pre treated with mineral acids, preferably sulfuric acid, during which the fraction is heated by an outer thermal jacket with no steam injection or steam explosion, thereby producing a first slurry containing an insoluble solid susceptible to enzymatic attack by cellulases; b) a step comprising enzymatic hydrolysis using cellulases and simultaneous fermentation, using an ethanologenic microorganism, of the first slurry in order to obtain a second slurry containing diluted ethanol; and c) distillation of the second slurry such as to obtain wet ethanol, a recyclable liquid effluent and a solid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new humanised animal model of psoriasis. Said model is generated by grafting humanised skin equivalents in the animal, injecting T lymphocytes and cytokines involved in the generation of the disease in humans, and performing the tape-stripping technique in order to generate damage in said grafted equivalents. Said model may be used to study the disease, as well as for the identification and evaluation of the efficacy of compounds against said disease.

Abstract: System to reduce the pressure drop in a Vienna-type differential mobility analyzer (DMA). It is built to favor the flow axilsymmetry, with no restrictions to avoid strong pressure drops and high pumping capacities. It comprises an electrical isolator, a metallic cone to stabilize the flow, all in one instrument covering a size range of 1 to 600 nm. The electrical isolator is capable of a potential difference of up to 14 kV. It can be used to measure ions and particles in the size range already mentioned with resolutions up to 12.

Abstract: A concentrated solar radiation assembly comprising a housing divided into segments by housing trusses; window blocks positioned within the segments supported by the housing trusses; and, internal trusses positioned on top of the window blocks and within the segments. The assembly may be hermetically sealed, large-scale and refrigerated by water flow within the trusses.

Abstract: System to reduce the pressure drop in a Vienna-type differential mobility analyzer (DMA). It is built to favor the flow axilsymmetry, with no restrictions to avoid strong pressure drops and high pumping capacities. It comprises an electrical isolator, a metallic cone to stabilize the flow, all in one instrument covering a size range of 1 to 600 nm. The electrical isolator is capable of a potential difference of up to 14 kV. It can be used to measure ions and particles in the size range already mentioned with resolutions up to 12.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of a particular type of adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs), which exert immunosuppressive properties, in the manufacture of a pharmaceutical composition for the prevention and treatment of the graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) produced after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Abstract: Artificial dermis (1) obtained from plasma with platelets (2) and human fibroblasts. The plasma with platelets (2) is obtained from the fractionating of total blood (4) from the patient (8) by light centrifugation, and the human fibroblasts (3) from a skin biopsy (5). Clotting is obtained by adding calcium. This artificial dermis (1) provides for the rapid growth of the keratinocytes (6) seeded on its surface to build an artificial skin (7) which can easily be transplanted. Large areas of artificial dermis (1) are obtained from a small skin biopsy (5) and minimal quantities of plasma with platelets (2), which being enriched with cytokines and platelet growth factors, strengthens the proliferation of the cells seeded, both inside and on the surface. The artificial skin (7) obtained can be used to treat major burn treatments, chronic skin ulcers, etc., or be used, by employing genetically altered cells, as a vehicle for gene therapy.

Abstract: The hydrothermal treatment is based on placing the crude residual plant material in contact with hot water in a closed reactor, comprising the following steps: a) placing the material to be treated in contact with water in a closed reactor, and adjusting the solid/liquid ratio so that it ranges from 1/5 to 1/15 (w/v): b) stirring; c) heating to a temperature between 180 and 240° C., and at a pressure so that the water is maintained in liquid phase; d) constantly stirring the mixture for a time period between 4 and 30 minutes; and e) cooling the reactor to approximately 40° C., unloading the mixture, filtering and recovering the liquid fraction.

Abstract: A cocktail composition for liquid scintillation measurements, formed by a solution of a) two solvents, one aromatic and the other one polar, b) one additive enhancing the luminous efficiency, c) two scintillators, one primary and the other one secondary, d) one extracting agent, and e) at least one anionic or non-ionic surfactant. Without prior sample or vial treatments, this cocktail allows direct incorporation of a great number of radionuclides, at least 17, in an hydrochloric or nitric aqueous solution, providing stable samples for a period of several weeks.

Abstract: The hydrothermal treatment is based on placing the crude residual plant material in contact with hot water in a closed reactor, comprising the following steps:

Abstract: It includes the stages of grinding the lignocellulosic biomass to a size of 15-30 mm, subjecting the product obtained to steam explosion pre-treatment at a temperature of 190-230° C. for between 1 and 10 minutes in a reactor (2), collecting the pre-treated material in a cyclone (3) and separating the liquid and solid fractions by filtration in a filter press (9), introducing the solid fraction in a fermentation deposit (10), adding a cellulase at a concentration of 15 UFP per gram of cellulose and 12.6 International Units of &bgr;-glucosidase enzyme dissolved in citrate buffer pH 4.8, inoculating the fermentation deposit (10) with a culture of the heat-tolerant bacteria Kluyveromyces marxianus CECT 10875, obtained by chemical mutagenesis from strain DER-26 of Kluyveromyces marxianus and shaking the mixture for 72 hours at 42° C.

Abstract: A vertebrate, non-human transgenic animal whose cells, both somatic and germinal, contain a recombinant genetic construction formed of a marker gene and a regulator region capable of being induced in the epidermis of said transgenic animal in response to hyperproliferative stimuli, the genetic construction of which has been introduced into the animal or into an antecessor of the animal in an embryonic stage. The genetic construction is induced also in the bulb of the hair in the phase of active growth or anagen. The said genetic construction consists of a marker gene characterized by the fact that it is easily detectable, under the control of the regulator region of the gene of the K6 keratin, this protein being characterized by its ability to be induced in the suprabasal layers of the epidermis in response to hyperproliferative stimuli both endogenous (tumors, cicatrization of wounds, diseases which, such as psoriasis, produce hyperproliferation, etc.