Correlation between plasma levels of arginine and citrulline in preterm and full-term neonates: Therapeutical implications.

BACKGROUND: Preterm neonates exhibit several deficiencies that endanger their lives. Understanding those disturbances will provide tools for the management of preterm neonates. The present work focuses on arginine and citrulline which has been flagged among the biochemical landmarks of prematurity. METHODS: We examined blood samples of preterm newborns as compared with mature neonates to determine the levels of arginine and citrulline by capillary zone electrophoresis with laser induced fluorescence detection (CZE-LIFD). RESULTS: Significantly lower levels of arginine and citrulline were found in preterm neonates than in mature neonates (P<.01). Interestingly there was a highly significant correlation between the two amino acids in mature neonates (P<.0001). Such correlation was present in preterm neonates too (P<.01). Pearson coefficient showed that 60% of the citrulline concentration depends on arginine concentration in mature neonates. Only 20% of the citrulline concentration depends on arginine concentration in preterm neonates. Although the ratio arginine/citrulline was lower in preterm neonates than in mature neonates the difference was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that less arginine is converted to citrulline to form nitric oxide in preterm than in full-term neonates. The result is discussed in terms of the immature enzymatic systems in the preterm neonate.

Features for instantaneous emissions of low-level infrared signals of glucokinase enzyme from Pyrococcus furiosus.

A noncontact infrared (IR) imaging-based methodology and signal recovery tools are applied on an enzyme reaction as a test target. The method is implemented by a long-wave (8-12 µm) IR microbolometer imaging array and a germanium-based IR optical vision. The reaction is carried out by the glucokinase, which produces a rapid exothermal release of energy that is weak, and, even worse, the IR video captured by the uncooled microbolometer detector is affected by spatial and temporal noise with specific complexities. Hitherto, IR-based signal recovery tools have worked with a standard acquisition frequency, which is clearly beyond the time scale of a real scenario. The implications of this (and similar) rapid reactions motivate the designs of a signal recovery method using prior information of the processes to extract and quantify the spontaneity of the enzymatic reaction in a three-dimensional (space and time) single and noncontact online measurement.

The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor and anti-Alzheimer drug donepezil interacts with human erythrocytes.

Donepezil is used to treat symptomatically the Alzheimer's disease (AD). This drug is a specific inhibitor of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), whose main physiological function is to hydrolyze the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The main objective of this work was to study the effect of donepezil on human erythrocytes as AChE is present in its membrane. For this purpose, human erythrocytes and molecular model of its membrane built-up of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE) were used. The latter correspond to classes of phospholipids present in the outer and inner monolayers of the human erythrocyte membrane, respectively. Our experimental evidences obtained from X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that donepezil was capable of interacting with both phospholipids. Fluorescence spectroscopy results showed a moderate increase in the fluidity of the hydrophobic tails of DMPC and isolated unsealed human erythrocyte membranes (IUM). On the other hand, results by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical defocusing microscopy (DM) showed that the drug changed the normal biconcave shape of the erythrocytes inducing the formation of stomatocytes (cup-shaped cells). This effect was explained by the incorporation of donepezil molecules into the erythrocyte membrane and interactions with AChE.

Representación de la violencia obstétrica que construyen profesionales matronas de la ciudad de Temuco / Representation of obstetric violence as understood by professional midwives in the city of Temuco

INTRODUCCIÓN: La presente investigación tiene como finalidad caracterizar las representaciones acerca de la violencia obstétrica de profesionales matronas de la ciudad de Temuco, quienes enfrentan el proceso de preparto, parto y puerperio cotidianamente. MÉTODO: Investigación cualitativa con un muestreo intencional, de caso tipo. Se entrevistó a nueve matronas vía online hasta la saturación de la información. Los datos se analizaron de forma manual mediante análisis descriptivo y se trianguló por investigador. RESULTADOS: Las profesionales coinciden en que la violencia obstétrica es una conducta de maltrato ejercida por acción u omisión, y se manifiesta de forma física o verbal. Como factor de riesgo de ejercerla mencionan estrés y falta de empatía, y como consecuencias, daño físico para la mujer y principalmente daño psicológico, como estrés postraumático y depresión. CONCLUSIONES: Las entrevistadas coinciden en que la violencia obstétrica es un problema que debe visibilizarse, y se refieren a la capacitación y la humanización de la salud a través del desarrollo de la empatía como principal factor de prevención de la violencia obstétrica.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this research is to characterize the representations of obstetric violence, from the perspective of midwives in Temuco. Those professionals face daily the process of labor, delivering and puerperium. METHOD: Qualitative research with intentional sampling, of a type case. Nine midwives were interviewed online until the information was saturated. Data was analyzed manually by descriptive analysis and triangulated with researchers. RESULTS: The professionals agree that obstetric violence is an abusive behavior exercised by action or omission and it can manifest itself physically or verbally. As a risk factor for exercising it, they mention stress and lack of empathy. The consequences of the violence for women are physical and mainly psychological damage, such as post-traumatic stress and depression. CONCLUSIONS: The interviewees agree that obstetric violence is a problem, and light needs to be shed on it. According to them, the main factors for preventing obstetric violence are training and the humanization of health through the development of empathy.

Characterization of Chromobacterium violaceum pigment through a hyperspectral imaging system.

In this paper, a comprehensive spatio-spectral and temporal analysis for Chromobacterium violaceum colonies is reported. A hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system is used to recover the spectral signatures of pigment production in a non-homogeneous media with high spectral resolution and high sensitivity in vivo, without destructing the sample. This non-contact sensing technique opens avenues to study the temporal growing of a specific section in the bacterial colony. Further, from a 580 [nm] and 764 [nm] spatio-spectral time series, a wild-type and mutant Chromobacterium violaceum strains are characterized. Such study provides quantitative information about kinetic parameters of pigment production and bacterial growing.

Microbial life in a fjord: metagenomic analysis of a microbial mat in Chilean patagonia.

The current study describes the taxonomic and functional composition of metagenomic sequences obtained from a filamentous microbial mat isolated from the Comau fjord, located in the northernmost part of the Chilean Patagonia. The taxonomic composition of the microbial community showed a high proportion of members of the Gammaproteobacteria, including a high number of sequences that were recruited to the genomes of Moritella marina MP-1 and Colwelliapsycherythraea 34H, suggesting the presence of populations related to these two psychrophilic bacterial species. Functional analysis of the community indicated a high proportion of genes coding for the transport and metabolism of amino acids, as well as in energy production. Among the energy production functions, we found protein-coding genes for sulfate and nitrate reduction, both processes associated with Gammaproteobacteria-related sequences. This report provides the first examination of the taxonomic composition and genetic diversity associated with these conspicuous microbial mat communities and provides a framework for future microbial studies in the Comau fjord.