Estudio de especialistas egresados en Farmacia Industrial y Galénica de la Universidad de Alcalá

La Especialidad de Farmacia Industrial y Galénica de la Universidad de Alcalá, es una Especialidad en Ciencias de la Salud en régimen de alumnado (RD 127/1984 de 15 de octubre). Comenzó su puesta en marcha en la Universidad de Alcalá en el año 2005 continuando en la actualidad. Esta Especialidad se imparte por profesores universitarios y cuenta además, con la inestimable colaboración de expertos de la Asociación Española de Farmacéuticos de la Industria, Farmaindustria, laboratorios farmacéuticos, profesionales de la Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios e inspectores de la Comunidad de Madrid. En este trabajo, se pretende mostrar la experiencia profesional de los alumnos egresados de ocho promociones así como el nivel de aceptación con respecto a la organización y desarrollo del curso, las instalaciones, infraestructura y recursos utilizados, la calidad y motivación del profesorado. Los resultados obtenidos muestran la elevada adquisición de destrezas y habilidades de todos los estudiantes y su alto nivel de formación para acceder a un puesto de trabajo en la industria farmacéutica y otras instituciones o empresas tras cursar la Especialidad de Farmacia Industrial y Galénica. Se pone de manifiesto también la adecuación de las infraestructuras y recursos de nuestra Universidad

Opinión de los alumnos respecto a la asignatura del grado de farmacia “Formulación Magistral”

La asignatura Formulación Magistral es una asignatura optativa del Grado de Farmacia de la Universidad de Alcalá de carácter tanto teórico como práctico, se ha implementado en el presente curso académico 2014-15, con la intervención de varios profesores. Con objeto de ver la satisfacción de los alumnos en el diseño y puesta en marcha de esta asignatura así como su utilidad se ha diseñado un cuestionario de carácter anónimo para los alumnos matriculados. Este cuestionario fue cumplimentado por el 100% de los alumnos lo cual muestra un gran compromiso dado su carácter voluntario. El análisis de los resultados obtenidos muestra entre otros la gran utilidad de esta asignatura para su futuro profesional al adquirir no sólo conocimientos teóricos sino habilidades prácticas y competencias profesionales (56%). Además el 69% de los alumnos manifiestan que se han alcanzado los objetivos de la asignatura al proporcionar los conocimientos necesarios en el correcto diseño, elaboración, dispensación y aspectos legales de las formulaciones magistrales tanto a nivel hospitalario como de Oficina de Farmacia. El 42% de los alumnos han encontrado que las prácticas facilitan el autoaprendizaje. Aunque otros resultados sugieren la introducción de algunas mejoras para el próximo curso académico

Magneto-optical effects in interacting localized and propagating surface plasmon modes

We report that the effect of an external magnetic field on the propagation of surface plasmons can be effectively modified through the coupling between localized (LSP) and propagating (SPP) surface plasmons. When these plasmon modes do not interact, the main effect of the magnetic field is a modification of the wavevector of the SPP mode, leaving the LSP virtually unaffected. Once both modes start to interact, there is a strong variation of the magnetic field induced modification of the SPP dispersion curve and, simultaneously, the LSP mode becomes sensitive to the magnetic field.This work was supported by the EU (NMP3-SL- 2008-214107-Nanomagma), the Spanish MICINN (“MAGPLAS” MAT2008-06765-C02-01/NAN and “FUNCOAT” CONSOLIDER INGENIO 2010 CSD2008-00023), the Comunidad de Madrid (“NANOBIOMAGNET” S2009/MAT-1726 and “MICROSERES-CM” S2009/TIC-1476), and CSIC (“CRIMAFOT” PIF08-016-4). We thank A. Cebollada and J. M. García-Martín for growing and characterizing the Au/Co/Au trilayers and reading this manuscript, and R. Quidant and G.Badenes for fruitful discussions.Peer reviewe

Tunable magneto-photonic response of nickel nanostructures

In this letter, we present both experimental and numerical studies of the magneto-optical (MO) properties of nickel infiltrated opals. Ni can show interesting MO properties that can be controlled by nanostructuration through colloidal crystals templating. Nanostructuration allows the coupling of light to surface plasmon modes of Ni, and a clear dependence of the MO response as a function of the structural parameters of the template has been observed. This dependence can be used in future tunable devices such as switchers or MO modulators. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.This work has been partially supported by EU FP7 (NoE Nanophotonics 4 Energy Grant No. 248855 and NMP3-SL-2008-214107-Nanomagma); the CSIC PIF08-016, the Spanish MICINN (CSD2007-0046-Nanolight.es, CSD2008-00023-Funcoat, MAT2009-07841-GLUSFA, MAT2008-06765-C02-01/NAN-MAGPLAS) and Comunidad de Madrid (S2009/MAT-1756-PHAMA and S2009/TIC–1476- MICROSERES).Peer Reviewe

Annual variation in the levels of transcripts of sex-specific genes in the mantle of the common mussel, Mytilus edulis

Mytilus species are used as sentinels for the assessment of environmental health but sex or stage in the reproduction cycle is rarely considered even though both parameters are likely to influence responses to pollution. We have validated the use of a qPCR assay for sex identification and related the levels of transcripts to the reproductive cycle. A temporal study of mantle of Mytilus edulis found transcripts of male-specific vitelline coat lysin (VCL) and female-specific vitelline envelope receptor for lysin (VERL) could identify sex over a complete year. The levels of VCL/VERL were proportional to the numbers of sperm/ova and are indicative of the stage of the reproductive cycle. Maximal levels of VCL and VERL were found in February 2009 declining to minima between July - August before increasing and re-attaining a peak in February 2010. Water temperature may influence these transitions since they coincide with minimal water temperature in February and maximal temperature in August. An identical pattern of variation was found for a cryptic female-specific transcript (H5) but a very different pattern was observed for oestrogen receptor 2 (ER2). ER2 varied in a sex-specific way with male > female for most of the cycle, with a female maxima in July and a male maxima in December. Using artificially spawned animals, the transcripts for VCL, VERL and H5 were shown to be present in gametes and thus their disappearance from mantle is indicative of spawning. VCL and VERL are present at equivalent levels in February and July-August but during gametogenesis (August to January) and spawning (March to June) VCL is present at lower relative amounts than VERL. This may indicate sex-specific control mechanisms for these processes and highlight a potential pressure point leading to reduced reproductive output if environmental factors cause asynchrony to gamete maturation or release

Corticosteroid-Induced Immunosuppression ultimately does not compromise the efficacy of antibiotherapy in murine mycobacterium ulcerans Infection

Buruli ulcer (BU) is a necrotizing disease of the skin, subcutaneous tissue and bone caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. It has been suggested that the immune response developed during the recommended rifampicin/streptomycin (RS) antibiotherapy is protective, contributing to bacterial clearance. On the other hand, paradoxical reactions have been described during or after antibiotherapy, characterized by pathological inflammatory responses. This exacerbated inflammation could be circumvented by immunosuppressive drugs. Therefore, it is important to clarify if the immune system contributes to bacterial clearance during RS antibiotherapy and if immunosuppression hampers the efficacy of the antibiotic regimen. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used the M. ulcerans infection footpad mouse model. Corticosteroid-induced immunosuppression was achieved before experimental infection and maintained during combined RS antibiotherapy by the administration of dexamethasone (DEX). Time-lapsed analyses of macroscopic lesions, bacterial burdens, histology and immunohistochemistry were performed in M. ulcerans-infected footpads. We show here that corticosteroid-immunosuppressed mice are more susceptible to M. ulcerans, with higher bacterial burdens and earlier ulceration. Despite this, macroscopic lesions remised during combined antibiotic/DEX treatment and no viable bacteria were detected in the footpads after RS administration. This was observed despite a delayed kinetics in bacterial clearance, associated with a local reduction of T cell and neutrophil numbers, when compared with immunocompetent RS-treated mice. In addition, no relapse was observed following an additional 3 month period of DEX administration. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These findings reveal a major role of the RS bactericidal activity for the resolution of M. ulcerans experimental infections even during immunosuppression, and support clinical investigation on the potential use of corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive/anti-inflammatory drugs for the management of BU patients undergoing paradoxical reactions.This work was supported by a grant from the Health Services of Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, and the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) fellowships SFRH/BD/41598/2007, SFRH/BPD/64032/2009, SFRH/BPD/68547/2010 and SFRH/BD/33573/2009 to TGM, GT, AGF, and JBG, respectively. MS is a Ciência 2007 fello

B Cells Regulate Neutrophilia during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and BCG Vaccination by Modulating the Interleukin-17 Response

We have previously demonstrated that B cells can shape the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis, including the level of neutrophil infiltration and granulomatous inflammation at the site of infection. The present study examined the mechanisms by which B cells regulate the host neutrophilic response upon exposure to mycobacteria and how neutrophilia may influence vaccine efficacy. To address these questions, a murine aerosol infection tuberculosis (TB) model and an intradermal (ID) ear BCG immunization mouse model, involving both the μMT strain and B cell-depleted C57BL/6 mice, were used. IL (interleukin)-17 neutralization and neutrophil depletion experiments using these systems provide evidence that B cells can regulate neutrophilia by modulating the IL-17 response during M. tuberculosis infection and BCG immunization. Exuberant neutrophilia at the site of immunization in B cell-deficient mice adversely affects dendritic cell (DC) migration to the draining lymph nodes and attenuates the development of the vaccine-induced Th1 response. The results suggest that B cells are required for the development of optimal protective anti-TB immunity upon BCG vaccination by regulating the IL-17/neutrophilic response. Administration of sera derived from M. tuberculosis-infected C57BL/6 wild-type mice reverses the lung neutrophilia phenotype in tuberculous μMT mice. Together, these observations provide insight into the mechanisms by which B cells and humoral immunity modulate vaccine-induced Th1 response and regulate neutrophila during M. tuberculosis infection and BCG immunization. © 2013 Kozakiewicz et al