JAVIER CASTRO - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by JAVIER CASTRO

The Joint Transportation Research Program serves as a vehicle for INDOT collaboration with higher... more The Joint Transportation Research Program serves as a vehicle for INDOT collaboration with higher education institutions and industry in Indiana to facilitate innovation that results in continuous improvement in the planning, design, construc-Prepared in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration.

Prepared in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Adminis... more Prepared in cooperation with the Indiana Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration.

Cement and Concrete Research, 2009

The increased propensity for shrinkage cracking in low water-to-cement ratio (w/c) concrete has i... more The increased propensity for shrinkage cracking in low water-to-cement ratio (w/c) concrete has inspired the development of new technologies that can reduce the risk of early-age cracking. One of these is internal curing. Internal curing uses saturated lightweight aggregate to supply 'curing water' to low w/c paste as it hydrates. Significant research has been performed to determine the effects of internal curing on shrinkage and stress development; however, relatively little detailed information exists about the effects of internal curing on fluid transport properties such as water absorption or diffusivity. This study examines the absorption of water into mortar specimens made with saturated lightweight aggregates (SLWA). These results indicate that the inclusion of SLWA can reduce the water absorption of mortar specimens. This observation was reinforced with electrical conductivity measurements that exhibited similar reductions.

Construction and Building Materials, 2012

This paper explores the potential for manufacturing internally cured concretes with lightweight a... more This paper explores the potential for manufacturing internally cured concretes with lightweight aggregate (LWA) that has different initial moisture contents prior to mixing: oven-dry, 24 h pre-wetted, and vacuum saturated. Results show that when LWA is used in an oven-dry condition it can absorb water from the paste prior to set which will be returned to the system as internal curing water. When mixture proportion adjustments are properly made to account for the water absorbed by the aggregate before setting, the mixture can provide internal curing benefits. These beneficial aspects include increased hydration which leads to higher compressive strength, reduced water absorption, and reduced electrical conductivity (permeability). Further, these benefits include reduced autogenous shrinkage and a lower propensity for early-age cracking.

Cement and Concrete Composites, 2011

... b School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-... more ... b School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051, USA. c Pankow Materials Laboratory, School of Civil Engineering, Purdue University, 550 Stadium Mall, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2051, USA. ...

Cancer Treatment Reviews, 2004

Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinases, PI3Ks, constitute a lipid kinase family characterized by their ab... more Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinases, PI3Ks, constitute a lipid kinase family characterized by their ability to phosphorylate inositol ring 3′-OH group in inositol phospholipids to generate the second messenger phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI-3,4,5-P3). RPTK activation results in PI(3,4,5)P3 and PI(3,4)P2 production by PI3K at the inner side of the plasma membrane. Akt interacts with these phospholipids, causing its translocation to the inner membrane, where it is phosphorylated and activated by PDK1 and PDK2. Activated Akt modulates the function of numerous substrates involved in the regulation of cell survival, cell cycle progression and cellular growth. In recent years, it has been shown that PI3K/Akt signalling pathway components are frequently altered in human cancers. Cancer treatment by chemotherapy and γ-irradiation kills target cells primarily by the induction of apoptosis. However, the development of resistance to therapy is an important clinical problem. Failure to activate the apoptotic programme represents an important mode of drug resistance in tumor cells. Survival signals induced by several receptors are mediated mainly by PI3K/Akt, hence this pathway may decisively contribute to the resistant phenotype. Many of the signalling pathways involved in cellular transformation have been elucidated and efforts are underway to develop treatment strategies that target these specific signalling molecules or their downstream effectors. The PI3K/Akt pathway is involved in many of the mechanisms targeted by these new drugs, thus a better understanding of this crossroad can help to fully exploit the potential benefits of these new agents.

Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 2009

Purpose To determine the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy with docetaxel and cispla... more Purpose To determine the efficacy and safety of the combination therapy with docetaxel and cisplatin (CDDP) at low doses in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. Patients and methods A total of 42 patients aged ≥70 years with previously untreated advanced NSCLC received docetaxel 75 mg/m2 plus CDDP 50 mg/m2 on day 1. The regimen was repeated every 21 days. Patients received a minimum of three courses unless progressive disease was detected. Results By intent-to-treat analysis, the overall response rate was 31% (95% CI, 17.8–47.2%). A total of 18 patients (43%) had stable disease and 11 (26%) progressed. Median time to progression was 5.2 months. Overall median survival was 8.9 months, with 1-year actuarial survival rate of 41%. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was improved in 18 patients (43%). The chemotherapy regimen was well tolerated. A total of 11 patients (26%) had grade 3/4 adverse events: 7 (17%) neutropenia (one of them was diagnosed with febrile neutropenia), 3 (7%) asthenia, 3 (7%) nausea/vomiting, 1 (2%) diarrhea, 1 (2%) thrombocytopenia and 1 (2%) neurotoxicity. No death due to toxicity was seen. Conclusion The combination of low-dose CDDP and docetaxel for elderly patients with advanced NSCLC is an efficient and well-tolerated chemotherapeutic approach.

Cancer Causes & Control, 2004

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) result from cell metabolism as well as from extracellular processes... more Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) result from cell metabolism as well as from extracellular processes. ROS exert some functions necessary for cell homeostasis maintenance. When produced in excess they play a role in the causation of cancer. ROS mediated lipid peroxides are of critical importance because they participate in chain reactions that amplify damage to biomolecules including DNA. DNA attack gives rise to mutations that may involve tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes, and this is an oncogenic mechanism. On the other hand, ROS production is a mechanism shared by many chemotherapeutic drugs due to their implication in apoptosis control. The ROS mediated cell responses depend on the duration and intensity of the cells exposing to the increased ROS environment. Thus the statusredox is of great importance for oncogenetic process activation and it is also implicated in tumor susceptibility to specific chemotherapeutic drugs. Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase (PH-GPx) is an antioxidant enzyme that is able to directly reduce lipid peroxides even when they are bound to cellular membranes. This article will review the relevance of oxidative stress, particularly of lipid peroxidation, in cell response with special focus in carcinogenesis and cancer therapy that suggests PH-GPx as a potentially important enzyme involved in the control of this processes.

Clinical and Translational Oncology, 2011

Incorporation of antibodies as weapons for cancer therapy has meant a turning point in the surviv... more Incorporation of antibodies as weapons for cancer therapy has meant a turning point in the survival, clinical and radiological response of many oncology patients. These drugs are effective, well designed missiles that either alone or in combination with chemotherapy are unavoidable weapons for breast, lung and colon cancer as well as for haematological tumours. In addition, incoming monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and folder-like proteins will be incorporated into clinical practice in the near future. This review aims to discuss a few imminent indications of current mAbs that are used for solid tumours and to briefly introduce future mAbs to the reader.

Clinical and Translational Oncology, 2012

Neutropenia induced by chemotherapy (CT) is an infection risk factor associated to greater morbid... more Neutropenia induced by chemotherapy (CT) is an infection risk factor associated to greater morbidity/mortality and dose-limiting toxicity that on many occasions requires a reduction of the dose of cytostatics or a delay in the administration of treatment. This may have a negative effect on the patient's quality of life and even diminish the efficacy of the treatment, especially when the intention is to cure or prolong survival. Management of treatment or prophylaxis of grade 3-4 neutropenia and febrile neutropenia with myeloid growth factors (CSF) varies very much in clinical practice, both in the time of starting treatment and the types of patients it is given to. The need to generalise and facilitate practice based on clinical evidence has led the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM) to prepare clinical practice guidelines on the use of myeloid growth factors.

Journal of gastrointestinal and liver diseases : JGLD, 2011

Pharmacogenetic studies in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are mainly focused on genes involved... more Pharmacogenetic studies in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are mainly focused on genes involved in the metabolism of Azathioprine (AZA). Use of AZA is limited by its toxicity, which occurs in 20-30% of patients. Variants in the Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) and Inosine triphosphate pyrophosphatase (ITPA) genes have been associated with AZA toxicity, but also can contribute to the lack of response. The aims of this study were to determine the contribution of TPMT and ITPA variants in the development of AZA-related toxicity and response. methods: Variants associated with the decrease of enzyme activity in TPMT and ITPA genes were genotyped with the Snapshot system in 232 IBD patients treated with AZA, and correlated with the clinical response and development of adverse drug reactions in a retrospective case-control study. Results: Genotypic analysis showed that there is a statistical significance between c.94C>A variant on ITPA gene with non response to AZA treatment (p=0.005) and arthralgia (OR 8.2353; 95%CI 1.752-38.87, p=0.0041), as well as between mutant TPMT alleles and myelosuppression (OR 7.5; p=0.0304). Conclusions: There is a positive correlation between c.94C>A variant on ITPA with clinical response. Mutant alleles on TPMT and the variant c.94C>A on ITPA gene predict side effects induced by AZA in our population (myelosuppression and arthralgia).

2012 Workshop on Engineering Applications, 2012

It is an environment that supports service-centered components. These components facilitate softw... more It is an environment that supports service-centered components. These components facilitate software development based on a mixture of engineering and art. The aim is to promote the combination of these two disciplines to empower software engineering. Our fundamental purpose is to present the architecture that supports AEE.

Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 2000

Activated carbons from two different types of sugar cane wastes, agricultural residues and bagass... more Activated carbons from two different types of sugar cane wastes, agricultural residues and bagasse, were prepared by phosphoric acid activation varying the carbonization temperature (300−600 °C), the weight ratio of phosphoric acid to precursor (R = 1−2.5), and ...

Resuscitation, 2013

Objective: Analyze in hospital care provided to the patient in cardiac arrest (CA) prior to ALS T... more Objective: Analyze in hospital care provided to the patient in cardiac arrest (CA) prior to ALS Team arrival. This will be included in an improvement cycle in the context of commissioning a Cardiac Arrest management hospital plan.

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido analizar el desarrollo evolutivo de la atención y obtener dat... more El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido analizar el desarrollo evolutivo de la atención y obtener datos normativos de la prueba de atención d2 en escolares de Educación Primaria (EP). Con este propósito se ha seleccionado una muestra de 1.032 alumnos escolarizados desde primero hasta sexto curso de EP en la Comunidad Autónoma de Canarias, con edades comprendidas entre los 6 años y 3 meses y los 12 años y 4 meses. En cuanto a la variable edad se analizaron los cambios que se observan con el paso de los años en las variables que mide el d2. Los resultados encontrados ponen de manifiesto la existencia de cambios significativos en las variables de productividad y efectividad, y no así en la medida de errores. Asimismo, se han calculado los percentiles correspondientes a cada una de las medidas del d2 para cada rango de edad.