[Clinical and genetic characterisation of hereditary distal myopathies in a series of Colombian patients]. / Caracterización clínica y genética de miopatías distales hereditarias en una serie de pacientes colombianos.

INTRODUCTION: Hereditary distal myopathies represent a heterogeneous group of rare genetic disorders characterized by progressive distal muscle weakness. AIM: The objective of this study was to describe the clinical spectrum and genetic findings in a series of patients with distal myopathy from Colombia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of the medical records of 12 patients with distal myopathy seen at a neuromuscular center in Bogota, Colombia, between 2015 and 2023 was performed. Clinical data, family history, diagnostic studies and genetic test results were obtained. RESULTS: The mean age of onset was 15.7 years. Patterns of limb weakness included distal involvement in the upper and lower extremities (50%), distal involvement in the lower extremities in isolation (33.3%), and proximal and distal involvement in the upper and lower extremities (8.3%). Additional weakness was observed in the face (8.3%) and paraspinal muscles (25.0%). Creatine kinase levels were elevated in 58.3% of cases. Electromyography revealed a myopathic pattern in 91.6% of cases. Variants identified included MYH7, ANO5, TTN, HNRNPA1, DES, DYSF and CAV3 genes. CONCLUSION: This case series describes the clinical and genetic spectrum of inherited distal myopathies in Colombia. Findings demonstrate phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity, with variants in genes encoding structural proteins. There is a need to expand access to genetic testing in Latin America to enable more accurate comprehensive diagnosis and treatment.

TITLE: Caracterización clínica y genética de miopatías distales hereditarias en una serie de pacientes colombianos.Introducción. Las miopatías distales hereditarias son un grupo heterogéneo de trastornos genéticos raros caracterizados por debilidad muscular distal progresiva. Objetivo. Nuestro objetivo fue describir el espectro clínico y los hallazgos genéticos en una serie de pacientes con miopatía distal de Colombia. Pacientes y métodos. Se realizó una revisión retrospectiva de las historias clínicas de 12 pacientes con miopatía distal atendidos en un centro neuromuscular de Bogotá, Colombia, entre 2015 y 2023. Se obtuvieron datos clínicos, antecedentes familiares, estudios diagnósticos y resultados de pruebas genéticas. Resultados. La edad media de inicio fue de 15,7 años. Los patrones de debilidad de las extremidades incluyeron afectación distal en las extremidades superiores e inferiores (50%), distal en las extremidades inferiores de forma aislada (33,3%), y proximal y distal en las extremidades superiores e inferiores (8,3%). Se observó debilidad adicional en la cara (8,3%) y en los músculos paraespinales (25%). La creatincinasa estaba elevada en el 58,3%. El electromiograma mostró un patrón miopático en el 91,6%. Las variantes identificadas incluyeron los genes MYH7, ANO5, TTN, HNRNPA1, DES, DYSF y CAV3. Conclusiones. Esta serie de casos describe el espectro clínico y genético de las miopatías distales hereditarias en Colombia. Los hallazgos demuestran heterogeneidad fenotípica y genotípica, con variantes en genes que codifican proteínas estructurales. Es necesario ampliar el acceso a las pruebas genéticas en América Latina para permitir un diagnóstico y un tratamiento integral más precisos.

The contribution of different sperm parameters to better explain ram semen cryoresistance.

In order to determine an effective procedure for explaining ram sperm cryoresistance and develop a new model for breeders classification, a retrospective study was conducted using sperm analysis data obtained over two consecutive years from a total of 82 sessions of ram semen cryopreservation. In each session, fresh ejaculates from eight males were collected via artificial vagina, pooled and frozen in liquid nitrogen vapors. After thawing, a total of 19,084 sperm tracks and 11,319 morphometric measurements were analysed. Clustering analyses were applied to establish motile and morphometric sperm subpopulations. Additionally, plasma and acrosome membrane integrity, as well mitochondrial activity using flow cytometry immediately after sperm thawing and following hypoosmotic shock test (HOST) was assessed. To develop a Ram Sperm Cryoresistance Index, Principal Component Analyses (PCA) using 22 variables were conducted. In the first PCA, the parameters that best explain cryoresistance include total motility (TM), motile subpopulation 2 (motSP2, which groups slow, very linear spermatozoa with low lateral head displacement), morphometric subpopulation 1 (morphSP1, grouping spermatozoa with the smallest head size and lowest shape values), sperm plasma membrane integrity immediately after thawing and following hypoosmotic shock test. These parameters collectively account for 77.34 % of the accumulated variance. To emphasize their importance, a second PCA was performed, revealing significant higher weighting coefficients for the quantity (TM) and quality (motSP2) of sperm movement after thawing, compared to the head size and shape of the thawed sperm (morphSP1). Furthermore, HOST Viability played a more decisive role than what was observed under isotonic conditions.

Use of simplified models for theoretical prediction of the interactions between available antibodies and the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

The negative impact of infectious diseases like COVID-19 on public health and the global economy is evident. This pandemic represents a significant challenge for the scientific community to develop new practical analytical methods for accurately diagnosing emerging cases. Due to their selectivity and sensitivity, new methodologies based on antigen/antibody interactions to detect COVID-19 biomarkers are necessary. In this context, the theoretical, computational modeling reduces experimental efforts and saves resources for rational biosensor design. This study proposes using molecular dynamics to predict the interactions between the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein simplified model and a set of highly characterized antibodies. The binding free energy of the antigen/antibody complexes was calculated for the simplified models and compared against the complete SARS-CoV-2 ectodomain to validate the methodology. The structural data derived from our molecular dynamics and end-point free energy calculations showed a positive correlation between both approximations, with a 0.82 Pearson correlation coefficient; t = 3.661, df = 3, p-value = 0.03522, with a 95% confident interval. Furthermore, we identified the interfacial residues that could generate covalent bonds with a specific chemical surface without perturbing the binding dynamics to develop highly sensitive and specific diagnostic devices. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Brazil's Community Health Workers Practicing Narrative Medicine: Patients' Perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Narrative medicine (NM) encourages health care providers to draw on their personal experiences to establish therapeutic alliances with patients of prevention and care services. NM medicine practiced by nurses and physicians has been well documented, yet there is little understanding of how community health workers (CHWs) apply NM concepts in their day-to-day practices from patient perspectives. OBJECTIVE: To document how CHWs apply specific NM concepts in Brazil's Family Health Strategy (FHS), the key component of Brazil's Unified Health System. DESIGN: We used a semi-structured interview, grounded in Charon's (2001) framework, including four types of NM relationships: provider-patient, provider-colleague, provider-society, and provider-self. A hybrid approach of thematic analysis was used to analyze data from 27 patients. KEY RESULTS: Sample: 18 females; 13 White, 12 "Pardo" (mixed races), 12 Black. We found: (1) provider-patient relationship-CHWs offered health education through compassion, empathy, trustworthiness, patience, attentiveness, jargon-free communication, and altruism; (2) provider-colleague relationship-CHWs lacked credibility as perceived by physicians, impacting their effectiveness negatively; (3) provider-society relationship-CHWs mobilized patients civically and politically to advocate for and address emerging health care and prevention needs; (4) provider-self relationship-patients identified possible low self-esteem among CHWs and a need to engage in self-care practices to abate exhaustion from intense labor and lack of resources. CONCLUSION: This study adds to patient perspectives on how CHWs apply NM concepts to build and sustain four types of relationships. Findings suggest the need to improve provider-colleague relationships by ongoing training to foster cooperation among FHS team members. More generous organizational supports (wellness initiatives and supervision) may facilitate the provider-self relationship. Public education on CHWs' roles is needed to enhance the professional and societal credibility of their roles and responsibilities. Future research should investigate how CHWs' personality traits may influence their ability to apply NM.

Screening sarcopenia through SARC-F in postmenopausal women: a single-center study from South America.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of postmenopausal women at high risk of sarcopenia and to compare their quality of life (QOL) with those at low risk using the SARC-F questionnaire. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of postmenopausal women who attended a menopause clinic in Colombia. The risk of sarcopenia was determined through the SARC-F questionnaire; a score ≥4 was considered high risk. The Menopause Rating Scale, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) tool were applied. Results: A total of 112 postmenopausal women with an average age of 68.4 ± 8.5 years were included. The prevalence of women at high risk of sarcopenia was 15.2% (n = 17) (95% confidence interval: 9.7; 23.0). Among the high-risk group there was a higher proportion of women with severe symptoms in the three domains when compared to the low-risk group (somatic 7% vs. 24%, psychological 15% vs. 44%, and urogenital 28% vs. 53%; p < 0.05). A tendency to a lower physical performance was found in the high-risk group (SPPB: 8 [interquartile range: 6-11] vs. SPPB: 10 [interquartile range: 8-11), p = 0.059). Conclusion: Our results suggest that women with high risk of sarcopenia have a poor QOL. The SARC-F questionnaire is a brief and non-invasive screening tool to detect postmenopausal women at high risk of sarcopenia.

Rotavirus VP6 protein as a bio-electrochemical scaffold: Molecular dynamics and experimental electrochemistry.

This paper reports a theoretical and experimental investigation on the recombinant protein rotavirus VP6 as a bioelectrochemical interface. Our motivation arises from the highly active zones of VP6 which can interact with biological structures and metals, as well as its useful features such as self-assembly, polymorphism, and active surface charge. A molecular simulation study was performed to analyze the charge transfer properties of theVP6 trimer under an applied electric field. The electrostatic properties were evaluated via the nonlinear second-order Poisson-Boltzmann equation, using finite element methods based on parameter discretization and calculation of solute/solvent interaction forces, which account for mean-field screening effects. The electrochemical study validated the theoretical predictions for VP6 in their different assemblies (trimers and nanotubes) when they are used as electrodes in 10 mM K3[Fe(CN)6], 1 M KCl. Applying a potential sweep promotes charge transfer, facilitates redox activity of the ferricyanide ion. Furthermore, protein assemblies decreased electrode electrical resistance and enabled gold particle electrodeposition on the protein VP6. These results suggest that VP6 is a promising conductive biomaterial that promotes charge transfer of redox probes and could be used as a new scaffold to create bio-electrochemical interfaces.

Timed artificial insemination plus heat II: gonadorelin injection in cows with low estrus expression scores increased pregnancy in progesterone/estradiol-based protocol.

The use of tail chalk and estrus/heat expression scores (HEATSC) evaluation is instrumental in identifying cows with greater estrus expression and greater artificial insemination pregnancy rates (P/AI) in cows submitted to timed artificial insemination (TAI), and cows with low or no estrus expression present lower P/AI. It was intended in this study to improve the pregnancy rates in TAI for Bos indicus beef cows, and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) injection was hypothesized to increase pregnancy rates in a TAI program for cows submitted to progesterone-estradiol-based protocols with low or no estrus expression, evaluated by HEATSC. Cows (n= 2284) received a progesterone device and 2 mg estradiol benzoate, after 8 days the device was removed and 1 mg estradiol cypionate, 150 µg of d-cloprostenol and 300 IU equine chorionic gonadotropin was administered. All cows were marked with chalk and HEATSC evaluated (scales 1 to 3) at TAI performed on day 10. Animals with HEATSC1 and HEATSC2 (n= 937) received 100 µg de gonadorelin (GNRH group; n= 470), or 1 ml saline (Control group; n= 467), and cows with HEATSC3 (named HEAT group; n= 1347) received no additional treatment. The larger dominant follicle, evaluated on day 8and at TAI (day 10), was greater in HEAT group (P= 0.0145 and P <0.001, respectively). Corpus luteum (CL) area and progesterone concentration was evaluated on day 17, and CL area was larger in HEAT group, intermediary in Control and lower in GnRH group (Control= 2.68 cm2, GnRH= 2.37 cm2, HEAT group= 3.07 cm2, P <0.001). Greater progesterone concentrations were found in HEAT group than in Control and GnRH groups (Control= 4.74 ng/ml, GnRH= 4.29 ng/ml, HEAT group= 6.08 ng/ml, P<0.001). There was a difference in ovulation rate, greater in HEAT group than GnRH and Control groups (Control= 72.5%; GnRH= 81.25%; HEAT group= 90.71%; P= 0.0024). Artificial insemination pregnancy rates was greater in HEAT group (57.09% (769/1347) than in Control and GNRH groups, with positive effect of GnRH injection at the time of TAI in P/AI (Control= 36.18% (169/467), GnRH= 45.95% (216/470); P<0.0001). In conclusion, GnRH application in cows with low HEATSC (1 and 2) is a simple strategy, requiring no changes in TAI management to increase pregnancy rates in postpartum beef cows submitted to progesterone-estradiol-based TAI protocols, without reaching, however, the pregnancy rates of cows that demonstrate high estrus expression at the TAI.

Hallazgos citológicos y factores de riesgo asociados a lesión cervical en mujeres pertenecientes a tres etnias indígenas del Estado Zulia / Cytological findings and risk factors associated to cervical lesions in indigenous women belonging to three etnias of Zulia State

El cáncer de cuello uterino (CaCu) representa un problema de salud pública y es considerado la segunda causa de muerte por cáncer en mujeres. Se han descrito factores de riesgo, los cuales están relacionados con hábitos, conductas y agentes infecciosos tales como el Virus de Inmunodeficiencia humana, herpes virus, Chlamydia trachomatis y Virus del Papiloma Humano (VPH). Con el fin de establecer los factores de riesgo y detectar lesiones preinvasivas de cérvix, se seleccionaron 101 mujeres de tres etnias indígenas, a las cuales se les realizó una encuesta clínico-epidemiológica, además del estudio citológico. Del total de pacientes estudiadas un 66,34% presentaron algún tipo de alteración, siendo las Yukpa las más afectadas, así mismo 21 (20,79%) presentaron neoplasia intraepitelial cervical y se encontraron agentes infecciosos en un 56,51% de las mujeres. En un 26,21% de las pacientes se encontraron células coilocíticas sugestivas de VPH. Al analizar los factores de riesgo se encontró que el inicio de relaciones sexuales antes de los 15 años, y el consumo de alcohol fueron los más relevantes. Es de importancia el diagnóstico oportuno en estas comunidades que se encuentran desasistidas y sin acceso a centros de salud, ya sea por condiciones de vida o por implicaciones culturales.

The cervical cancer represents a problem of public health and is considered the second reason of death by cancer in women. There have been described factors associated, related to the conduct, habits and infectious agents, such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus, herpes virus, Chlamydia trachomatis and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). In order to establish risk factors and detect preinvasive cervical lesions, 101 samples of women from three indigenous ethnic groups of Zulia State were selected; to which a clinical-epidemiological survey was carried out to study the predisposing factors, in addition to the cytological study. Of the total of patients studied 33.66% were negative to the cytological study, while 66.34% had some type of alteration, observing that the Yukpa the most affected, 21 (20.79%) presented Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and related infectious agents were found in 56.51% of the women. Coelocytic cells suggestive of HPV were found in 26.21% of all patients. When we analyzed the risk factors, we found that, the onset of sexual intercourse before age 15 as well as alcohol consumption were the most relevant. According to the findings, it is important the timely diagnosis in these communities, which are disassociated, and without access to health centers, whether due to living conditions or cultural implications.

The electronic and optical properties of the sulvanite compounds: a many-body perturbation and time-dependent density functional theory study.

We have studied, by means of first-principles calculations, the electronic and optical properties of the sulvanite family: Cu3MX4 (M = V, Nb, Ta and X = S, Se), which, due to its broad range of gaps and chemical stability, have emerged as promising materials for technological applications such as photovoltaics and transparent conductivity. To address the reliability of those properties we have used semi-local and hybrid functionals (PBEsol, HSE06), many-body perturbation theory (G0W0 approximation and Bethe-Salpeter equation), and time-dependent density functional theory (revised bootstrap kernel) to calculate the quasi-particle dispersion relation, band gaps, the imaginary part of the macroscopic dielectric function and the absorption coefficient. The calculated valence band maximum and the conduction band minimum are located at the R and X-points, respectively. The calculated gaps using PBEsol are between 0.81 and 1.88 eV, with HSE06 into 1.73 and 2.94 eV, whereas the G0W0 values fall into the 1.91-3.19 eV range. The calculated dielectric functions and absorption coefficients show that all these compounds present continuous excitonic features when the Bethe-Salpeter equation is used. Contrarily, the revised bootstrap kernel is incapable of describing the excitonic spectra. The calculated optical spectra show that Cu3VS4 and Cu3MSe4 have good absorption in the visible, whereas Cu3NbS4 and Cu3TaS4 have it on the near ultraviolet.

Assessing photocatalytic power of g-C3N4 for solar fuel production: A first-principles study involving quasi-particle theory and dispersive forces.

First-principles quasi-particle theory has been employed to assess catalytic power of graphitic carbon nitride, g-C3N4, for solar fuel production. A comparative study between g-h-triazine and g-h-heptazine has been carried out taking also into account van der Waals dispersive forces. The band edge potentials have been calculated using a recently developed approach where quasi-particle effects are taken into account through the GW approximation. First, it was found that the description of ground state properties such as cohesive and surface formation energies requires the proper treatment of dispersive interaction. Furthermore, through the analysis of calculated band-edge potentials, it is shown that g-h-triazine has high reductive power reaching the potential to reduce CO2 to formic acid, coplanar g-h-heptazine displays the highest thermodynamics force toward H2O/O2 oxidation reaction, and corrugated g-h-heptazine exhibits a good capacity for both reactions. This rigorous theoretical study shows a route to further improve the catalytic performance of g-C3N4.

Multivariate analysis of coconut residues by near infrared spectroscopy.

Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the content of Klason lignin, acid-soluble lignin, total lignin, extractives, ash, acid-insoluble residue, glucose, xylose, rhamnose, galactose, arabinose, mannose and total sugars in coconut residues. The samples were analyzed at several processing stages: wet unground (WU), dried unground (DU) and dried and sieved (DS). Partial least squares models were built, and the models for the analytes exhibited R(2)>0.80, with the exceptions of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, mannose and ash from all fractions, and the lignin content from the WU fraction, which were predicted poorly (R(2)<0.70). There were some significant differences between the models for the main lignocellulosic components at the various stages of biomass. These results proved that NIR spectroscopy is useful for analysis at biorefineries, and it can be used as a faster and more economical alternative to the standard methods.

The landscape and therapeutic relevance of cancer-associated transcript fusions.

Transcript fusions as a result of chromosomal rearrangements have been a focus of attention in cancer as they provide attractive therapeutic targets. To identify novel fusion transcripts with the potential to be exploited therapeutically, we analyzed RNA sequencing, DNA copy number and gene mutation data from 4366 primary tumor samples. To avoid false positives, we implemented stringent quality criteria that included filtering of fusions detected in RNAseq data from 364 normal tissue samples. Our analysis identified 7887 high confidence fusion transcripts across 13 tumor types. Our fusion prediction was validated by evidence of a genomic rearrangement for 78 of 79 fusions in 48 glioma samples where whole-genome sequencing data were available. Cancers with higher levels of genomic instability showed a corresponding increase in fusion transcript frequency, whereas tumor samples harboring fusions contained statistically significantly fewer driver gene mutations, suggesting an important role for tumorigenesis. We identified at least one in-frame protein kinase fusion in 324 of 4366 samples (7.4%). Potentially druggable kinase fusions involving ALK, ROS, RET, NTRK and FGFR gene families were detected in bladder carcinoma (3.3%), glioblastoma (4.4%), head and neck cancer (1.0%), low-grade glioma (1.5%), lung adenocarcinoma (1.6%), lung squamous cell carcinoma (2.3%) and thyroid carcinoma (8.7%), suggesting a potential for application of kinase inhibitors across tumor types. In-frame fusion transcripts involving histone methyltransferase or histone demethylase genes were detected in 111 samples (2.5%) and may additionally be considered as therapeutic targets. In summary, we described the landscape of transcript fusions detected across a large number of tumor samples and revealed fusion events with clinical relevance that have not been previously recognized. Our results support the concept of basket clinical trials where patients are matched with experimental therapies based on their genomic profile rather than the tissue where the tumor originated.

Pineal gland function is required for colon antipreneoplastic effects of physical exercise in rats.

Light-at-night exposure enhances the risk of cancer. Colon cancer is among the most dangerous tumors affecting humankind. Physical exercise has shown positive effects against colon cancer. Here, we investigated whether pineal gland modulates antipreneoplastic effects of physical exercise in the colon. Surgical and non-surgical pineal impairments were performed to clarify the relationship between the pineal gland activity and manifestation of colonic preneoplastic lesions. Next, a progressive swimming training was applied in rats exposed or not to either non-surgical pineal impairment or carcinogen treatment for 10 weeks. Both surgical and non-surgical pineal impairments increased the development of colon preneoplasia. It was further found that impairing the pineal gland function, higher rates of DNA damage were induced in colonic epithelial and enteric glial cells. Physical exercise acted positively against preneoplasia, whereas impairing the pineal function with constant light exposure disrupts its positive effects on the development of preneoplastic lesions in the colon. This was yet related to increased DNA damage in glial cells and enteric neuronal activation aside from serum melatonin levels. Our findings suggest that protective effects of physical exercise against colon cancer are dependent on the pineal gland activity.

High-density dependence but low impact on selected reproduction parameters of Brucella suis biovar 2 in wild boar hunting estates from South-Western Spain.

Porcine brucellosis is a disease caused by Brucella suis, which is characterized by reproductive disorders in pigs. The number of cases of swine brucellosis has risen in many European countries, likely because of the presence of a wild reservoir of B. suis in wild boar. This study aimed at evaluating factors that may influence the probability of infection with Brucella spp. in wild boar and at assessing the impact of a previous contact with Brucella spp. on reproductive parameters of wild boar. Two hundred and four wild boar living in Extremadura (south-western Spain) were studied. The presence of anti-Brucella antibodies was determined using an indirect ELISA, while the presence of living bacteria in genital organs was evaluated through microbiological cultures. Sex, age, density of wild boar in summer and presence of outdoor pigs were selected as possible risk factors for being seropositive for Brucella spp. in wild boar. In addition, reproductive parameters such as breeding status or potential fertility in females and testis weight in males were estimated and related to the presence of anti-Brucella antibodies. A total of 121 animals were seropositive, resulting in a prevalence of 59.3% (95% CI). In addition, seven isolates of B. suis biovar 2 were obtained. Wild boar density in summer, as well as age and sex, was proposed as factors to explain the probability of Brucella seroconversion, although wild boar density in summer was the key factor. Current measures of reproductive parameters were not influenced by a previous contact with Brucella spp. Isolation of B. suis confirms that wild boar could represent a risk to domestic pig health in the study area. Wild boar density seems to have a great influence in the probability of infections with B. suis and suggests that density management could be useful to control Brucella infection in wild boar.

[Older people admitted to the emergency department after a fall: what to do?]. / Patients âgés admis aux urgences suite à une chute: que faire?

Falls in older people are frequent. Falls may lead to serious injuries and are associated with greater morbidity, mortality, and reduced overall functioning in the older population. Evidences exist regarding the beneficial effects of fall prevention programs. However, these interventions are rarely implemented in our health system. Older people admitted to the emergency department after a fall should get careful attention in order to initiate specific interventions to prevent new falls. This article provides a clinical assessment strategy to evaluate older persons after a fall and proposes an algorithm for discharge planning decision.

Outbreak of swine erysipelas in a semi-intensive wild boar farm in Spain.

Swine erysipelas (SE) is a disease caused by the bacterium Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and is one of the best-known and most serious diseases affecting domestic pigs. However, few studies exist concerning the susceptibility of wild boars to this disease and the role of this species as a reservoir. This study investigates and describes an outbreak of SE that occurred on a semi-intensive wild boar breeding farm housing 40 boars in Extremadura (SW Spain) on 11-18 February 2010. Seven animals died, of which four were examined post-mortem. Of these, three (two females and one male) were approximately 3 months old, and one was 1 year old (male). Lesions were consistent with acute septicaemia, consisting of cutaneous erythema/cyanosis and petechial haemorrhages in kidneys, urinary bladder, lungs and meninges. The 1-year-old male also had proliferative polyarthritis. Histopathology confirmed the presence of disseminated intravascular coagulation and vasculitis. Additionally, a bilateral acute panuveitis with concurrent necrotizing vasculitis and diffuse corneal oedema, neither of which have been described before in this disease, were found in the 3-month-old male boar. E. rhusiopathiae was isolated from all four animals in pure cultures from several tissues. Of these four animals, antibodies against E. rhusiopathiae, using an indirect ELISA test, were only detected in the 1-year-old male boar with polyarthritis. Posteriorly, of nine live adults tested for antibodies, four (including an adult male with polyarthritis) were positive.

Structural stability and reversible unfolding of recombinant porcine S100A12.

Porcine S100A12 is a member of the S100 proteins, family of small acidic calcium-binding proteins characterized by the presence of two EF-hand motifs. These proteins are involved in many cellular events such as the regulation of protein phosphorylation, enzymatic activity, protein-protein interaction, Ca2+ homeostasis, inflammatory processes and intermediate filament polymerization. In addition, members of this family bind Zn2+ or Ca2+ with cooperative effect on binding. In this study, the gene sequence encoding porcine S100A12 was obtained by the synthetic gene approach using E. coli codon bias. Additionally, we report a thermodynamic study of the recombinant S100A12 using circular dichroism, fluorescence and isothermal titration calorimetry. The results of urea and temperature induced unfolding and refolding processes indicated a reversible two-state process. Also, the ANS fluorescence studies showed that in presence of divalent ions the protein exposes hydrophobic sites which could facilitate the interaction with other proteins and trigger the physiological responses.

Immunomodulatory properties of a viral homolog of human interleukin-10 expressed by human cytomegalovirus during the latent phase of infection.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) establishes a latent infection in hematopoietic cells, from which it can reactivate to cause significant disease in immunocompromised individuals. HCMV expresses a functional homolog of the immunosuppressive cytokine interleukin-10 (termed cmvIL-10), and alternate splicing of the cmvIL-10 transcript results in expression of a latency-associated cmvIL-10 transcript (LAcmvIL-10). To determine whether LAcmvIL-10 encodes immunosuppressive functions, recombinant LAcmvIL-10 protein was generated, and its impact on major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) expression was examined on granulocyte macrophage progenitor cells (GM-Ps) and monocytes. LAcmvIL-10 (and cmvIL-10) downregulated MHC-II on the surfaces of both cell types. This downregulation was associated with a decrease in total MHC-II protein and transcription of components of the MHC-II biosynthesis pathway. Unlike cmvIL-10, LAcmvIL-10 did not trigger phosphorylation of Stat3, and its ability to downregulate MHC-II was not blocked by neutralizing antibodies to the human IL-10 receptor, suggesting that LAcmvIL-10 either does not engage the cellular IL-10 receptor or utilizes it in a different manner from cmvIL-10. The impact of LAcmvIL-10 on dendritic cell (DC) maturation was also assessed. In contrast to cmvIL-10, LAcmvIL-10 did not inhibit the expression of costimulatory molecules CD40, CD80, and CD86 and the maturation marker CD83 on DCs, nor did it inhibit proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha). Thus, LAcmvIL-10 retains some, but not all, of the immunosuppressive functions of cmvIL-10. As GM-Ps and monocytes support latent infection, expression of LAcmvIL-10 may enable HCMV to avoid immune recognition and clearance during latency.

Cinética enzimática de la polifenol oxidasa del banano Gros Michel en diferentes estados de maduración / Enzime kinetics of poliphenol oxidase from Gros Michel banana through different maturation stages

La poscosecha del banano se acompaña de múltiples reacciones enzimáticas, causantes de la degradación de almidones y clorofila, de la síntesis de azúcares y carotenos, y de los cambios en la acidez, ablandamiento de tejidos y pardeamiento enzimático. Este pardeamiento es causado por la acción de la Polifenol Oxidasa (PFO) sobre fenoles contenidos en el fruto y es considerado un cambio indeseable por el consumidor. Con el objeto de determinar el momento de mínima actividad enzimática para lograr su óptimo color, textura, actividad de agua, humedad y grados Brix, y luego se midió la cinética enzimática aprovechando la formación de color café durante el pardeamiento, empleando un espectrofotómetro de UV-visible a 420nm. También se cuantificó la cantidad de proteína (enzima) mediante el método de Bradford (lectura a 595nm). Una vez identificadas las cinéticas de cada estado de maduración, se hizo una comparación entre cada uno de los grupos mediante la técnica estadística de Análisis de Varianza con Medidas Repetidas en el tiempo, que mostró una marcada diferencia, estadísticamente significativa, entre los bananos de menor y mayor estado de maduración en forma decreciente, y se encontró el punto mínimo de actividad de la enzima en los estados más avanzados de maduración

Métodos combinados de secado para el escarchado de mango Var. kent / Combining drying methods for candy mango Var. kent

En este trabajo la Deshidratación Osmótica (DO) y el secado con aire caliente se combinan para producir mango cristalizado conservando las propiedades organolépticas de la fruta fresca. El mango se procesa en cilindros de 1.5cm de diámetro por 2cm de altura. Estos se deshidratan osmóticamente durante 72 horas y luego se secan con aire a 35ºC hasta alcanzar concentraciones de 68 grados Brix (ºBx) y 72ºBx. El tratamiento se inicia con un pretratamiento osmótico (PO), utilizando soluciones de sacarosa a 25, 35, 45, 55 y 65ºBx, aplicando un pulso de vacío (50 mbar) durante 10 minutos, después del cual las muestras se mantienen durante 20 minutos más a presión atmosférica. A continuación, las muestras se sumergen en solución de 65ºBx y se mantienen a presión atmosférica, hasta alcanzar 72 horas de tratamiento total. De la misma manera, se trata otra muestra usando una concentración de sacarosa de 45ºBx durante todo el proceso. Se caracterizan las muestras secas analizando masa, volumen, humedad y sólidos solubles. Las pérdidas de masa y volumen son más bajas para las muestras que se tratan con 25, 45 y 65ºBx durante el pretratamiento osmótico. También se observa que a 25ºBx las muestras ganan una cantidad más alta de sólidos solubles al compararlas con el resto de las muestras mientras que la difusividad de agua durante el proceso de secado es mayor para las muestras tratadas en soluciones menos concentradas durante el pretratamiento osmótico