The peptide secreted at the water to land transition in a model amphibian has antioxidant effects.

In addition to the morphophysiological changes experienced by amphibians during metamorphosis, they must also deal with a different set of environmental constraints when they shift from the water to the land. We found that Pithecopus azureus secretes a single peptide ([M + H]+ = 658.38 Da) at the developmental stage that precedes the onset of terrestrial behaviour. De novo peptide and cDNA sequencing revealed that the peptide, named PaT-2, is expressed in tandem and is a member of the tryptophyllins family. In silico studies allowed us to identify the position of reactive sites and infer possible antioxidant mechanisms of the compounds. Cell-based assays confirmed the predicted antioxidant activity in mammalian microglia and neuroblast cells. The potential neuroprotective effect of PaT-2 was further corroborated in FRET-based live cell imaging assays, where the peptide prevented lipopolysaccharide-induced ROS production and glutamate release in human microglia. In summary, PaT-2 is the first peptide expressed during the ontogeny of P. azureus, right before the metamorphosing froglet leaves the aquatic environment to occupy terrestrial habitats. The antioxidant activity of PaT-2, predicted by in silico analyses and confirmed by cell-based assays, might be relevant for the protection of the skin of P. azureus adults against increased O2 levels and UV exposure on land compared with aquatic environments.

Microscopic Slip Boundary Conditions in Unsteady Fluid Flows.

An algebraic tail in the Green-Kubo integral for the solid-fluid friction coefficient hampers its use in the determination of the slip length. A simple theory for discrete nonlocal hydrodynamics near parallel solid walls with extended friction forces is given. We explain the origin of the algebraic tail and give a solution of the plateau problem in the Green-Kubo expressions. We derive the slip boundary condition with a microscopic expression for the slip length and the hydrodynamic wall position, and assess it through simulations of an unsteady plug flow.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in a Colombian Population With Psoriasis. / Factores de riesgo cardiovascular y grosor de la íntima media carotídea en una población colombiana con psoriasis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Psoriasis is now known to have a clear association with metabolic syndrome and its components. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) and increased carotid intima-media thickness in psoriasis patients seen in the dermatology department of a quaternary hospital. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of psoriasis patients aged over 18 years seen in the dermatology department of Hospital de San José in Bogota, Colombia, between March and August, 2015. Directed medical history and physical examination were performed to detect CVRFs, laboratory studies to exclude metabolic syndrome, and ultrasound examination to measure carotid intima-media thickness. RESULTS: Forty patients with psoriasis were included in the study. The prevalence of the distinct CVRFs was 35% for systemic hypertension, 17.5% for dyslipidemia, 17.5% for smoking, and 10% for type 2 diabetes mellitus. A history of acute myocardial infarction was detected in 12.5% of patients. Metabolic syndrome was found in 20 patients (50%), and blood biochemistry revealed dyslipidemia in 32 patients (80%). Based on the Framingham score, the cardiovascular risk was low in 11 patients (31.4%), intermediate in 22 (62.8%), and high in 2 (5.7%). Mean (SD) carotid intima-media thickness was 0.7 (0.12) mm, with thickening observed in 6 patients (15%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence of the high prevalence of CVRFs in psoriasis patients and indicates the need for strict clinical control to monitor cardiovascular risk in this population.

Dialysis outcomes in Colombia (DOC) study: a comparison of patient survival on peritoneal dialysis vs hemodialysis in Colombia.

The goal of the Dialysis Outcomes in Colombia (DOC) study was to compare the survival of patients on hemodialysis (HD) vs peritoneal dialysis (PD) in a network of renal units in Colombia. The DOC study examined a historical cohort of incident patients starting dialysis therapy between 1 January 2001 and 1 December 2003 and followed until 1 December 2005, measuring demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical variables. Only patients older than 18 years were included. As-treated and intention-to-treat statistical analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard model. There were 1094 eligible patients in total and 923 were actually enrolled: 47.3% started HD therapy and 52.7% started PD therapy. Of the patients studied, 751 (81.3%) remained in their initial therapy until the end of the follow-up period, death, or censorship. Age, sex, weight, height, body mass index, creatinine, calcium, and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) variables did not show statistically significant differences between the two treatment groups. Diabetes, socioeconomic level, educational level, phosphorus, Charlson Co-morbidity Index, and cardiovascular history did show a difference, and were less favorable for patients on PD. Residual renal function was greater for PD patients. Also, there were differences in the median survival time between groups: 27.2 months for PD vs 23.1 months for HD (P=0.001) by the intention-to-treat approach; and 24.5 months for PD vs 16.7 months for HD (P<0.001) by the as-treated approach. When performing univariate Cox analyses using the intention-to-treat approach, associations were with age > or =65 years (hazard ratio (HR)=2.21; confidence interval (CI) 95% (1.77-2.755); P<0.001); history of cardiovascular disease (HR=1.96; CI 95% (1.58-2.90); P<0.001); diabetes (HR=2.34; CI 95% (1.88-2.90); P<0.001); and SGA (mild or moderate-severe malnutrition) (HR=1.47; CI 95% (1.17-1.79); P=0.001); but no association was found with gender (HR=1.03, CI 95% 0.83-1.27; P=0.786). Similar results were found with the as-treated approach, with additional associations found with Charlson Index (0-2) (HR=0.29; Cl 95% (0.22-0.38); P<0.001); Charlson Index (3-4) (HR=0.61; Cl 95% (0.48-0.79); P<0.001); and SGA (mild-severe malnutrition) (HR=1.43; Cl 95% (1.15-1.77); P<0.001). Similarly, the multivariate Cox model was run with the variables that had shown association in previous analyses, and it was found that the variables explaining the survival of patients with end-stage renal disease in our study were age, SGA, Charlson Comorbidity Index 5 and above, diabetes, healthcare regimes I and II, and socioeconomic level 2. The results of Cox proportional risk model in both the as-treated and intention-to-treat analyses showed that there were no statistically significant differences in survival of PD and HD patients: intention-to-treat HD/PD (HR 1.127; CI 95%: 0.855-1.484) and as-treated HD/PD (HR 1.231; CI 95%: 0.976-1.553). In this historical cohort of incident patients, there was a trend, although not statistically significant, for a higher (12.7%) adjusted mortality risk associated with HD when compared to PD, even though the PD patients were poorer, were more likely to be diabetic, and had higher co-morbidity scores than the HD patients. The variables that most influenced survival were age, diabetes, comorbidity, healthcare regime, socioeconomic level, nutrition, and education.

Subgrupos A1, A2 y AINT en donantes efectivos del banco de sangre materno infantil CNS La Paz ­ Bolivia / Subgroups A1, A2 and AINT in effective donors of the maternal and child blood bank CNS La Paz - Bolivia

Además del sistema ABO, los subgrupos del mismo revisten gran importancia en inmunohematología, Los subgrupos A difieren tanto en el número de sitios antigénicos como en la configuración del antígeno eritrocitario. Los principales, A1 y A2 se diferencian en que los eritrocitos A1 son aglutinados por el anticuerpo Anti-A1 humano o por la Lectina Anti-A1 (Dolichos biflorus), y los eritrocitos A2 son aglutinados por la Lectina Anti-H (Ulex europaeus). MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio descriptivo, de Corte Transversal, Se analizó los registros tanto físico y electrónico del Banco de Sangre, se incluyeron todos los donadores efectivos, mismos que fueron tipificados por el laboratorio de inmunohematología en el periodo de mayo a julio del 2018. Método empleado, aglutinación en tubo y en micro placa. RESULTADOS: en un total de 1599 donantes, se determinó que el grupo O tiene mayor frecuencia con un 84% y el menos frecuente fue el AB con un 0,66%. Según el grupo sanguíneo A y AB tenemos las siguientes frecuencias: A1 que representa el (73.3%), A2 el (15.9%), Aint el (5.65%), A1 B el (3.60%) y A2 B el (1.55%). La importancia clínica se basa en que algunas personas del grupo A2 transfundidas con A1 , pueden producir Anti-A1 que es un anticuerpo natural irregular activo a 22 ºC, pero en ocasiones está activo a 37ºC causando una reacción transfusional extravascular, por lo que, si no se cuenta con eritrocitos A2 , se recomienda transfundir eritrocitos grupo O.

In addition to the ABO system, its subgroups review great importance in Immunohematology. Subgroups A differ both in the number of antigenic sites and in the configuration of the erythrocyte antigen. The main ones, A1 and A2 differ in that A1 erythrocytes are agglutinated by human Anti-A1 antibody or by Anti-A1 Lectin (Dolichos biflorus), and A2 erythrocytes are agglutinated by Anti-H Lectin (Ulex europaeus). MATERIALS AND METHODS: a descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. The physical and electronic records of the Blood Bank were analyzed, all effective donors were included, which were typified by the Immunohematology Laboratory in the period of May. to July 2018. Method used, agglutination in tube and in microplate. RESULTS: in a total of 1599 protocols, it was determined that group O has the highest frequency with 84% and the least frequent was the AB with 0.66%. According to blood group A and AB we have the following frequencies: A1 representing (73.3%), A2 (15.9%), Aint (5.65%), A1B (3.60%) and A2B (1.55%). The clinical importance is based on the fact that some people in group A2 transfused with A1, can produce Anti-A1 which is an irregular natural antibody active at 22 ° C but sometimes it is active at 37 °C causing an extravascular transfusion reaction, so if A2 erythrocytes are not available, it is recommended to transfuse group O erythrocytes.

[Biological evaluation of soybean line with low trypsin inhibitor activities]. / Avaliação biológica de soja com baixas atividades de inibidores de tripsina e ausência do inibidor Kunitz.

The soybean cultivar BR 36 with conventional levels of trypsin inhibitors activity and the soybean line BRM95-5262, which was genetically selected to contain low activity of trypsin inhibitors were used for biological assays with rats. BR 36 and BRM95-5262 contained 40 and 20, and 30 and 20% of relative residual activity of trypsin inhibitors, respectively. The mean values of PER and NPR showed that treatments with crude soybeans were minor than treatments with soybean thermically processed. However, the treatments of thermically processed soybean did not showed significative differences (p > or = 0.05). When the trypsin inhibitors activity were 8.61 and 8.44 UIT/mg of samples or 20 and 30% of relative residual activity of cultivar BR 36 and line BRM95-5262, respectively, it was observed that mean values of PER and NPR were not significatives. The mean values of CDA and CDV of treatments with crude soybeans were minor than treatment with casein and similar to the treatments with soybean thermically processed. So, it can be concluded that the biological evaluation obtained with soybean protein were dependent of initial trypsin inhibitors activities and of its respective thermical treatment. There was advantage in the use of BRM95-5262 soybean line with low trypsin inhibitors activity.

Características da ingestão de forragem por cordeiras nos estádios fenológicos da pastagem de azevém / Characteristics of forage intake of lambs at phenological stages of Italian ryegrass pasture

Foram estudadas as características do processo de ingestão de forragem por cordeiras em azevém (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) nos estádios fenológicos vegetativo, pré-florescimento e florescimento, por meio de testes de pastejo e da técnica da dupla pesagem. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente ao acaso, com três tratamentos e cinco repetições no estádio vegetativo e seis nos demais estádios. Os diferentes estádios fenológicos não influenciam a taxa de ingestão, a massa do bocado e a profundidade de bocado quando a oferta de forragem não é limitante ao consumo. O aumento na taxa de bocados é o mecanismo utilizado por cordeiras para manter a taxa de ingestão constante. Os modelos de regressão múltipla indicam que, dentre os atributos do pasto, sua altura é o de maior importância para determinar mudanças no comportamento ingestivo de cordeiras.

Utilizing grazing tests and the double weighing technique, the characteristics of the forage intake process of lambs grazing Italian Ryegrass pasture at vegetative, pre-flowering and flowering phenological stages were studied. A completely randomized design with three treatments and five replicates in the vegetative stage and six replicates in the other phenological stages was used. The intake rate, bite mass and bite depth were not influenced by the phenological stages when the intake was not limited by the forage allowance. By increasing bite rate lambs maintained a constant rate of intake. The multiple regression models indicate that among the herbage attributes, the sward height is the most important to determine changes in the grazing behavior of lambs on Italian Ryegrass pasture.

Iatrogenic Mycobacterium abscessus infection: histopathology of 71 patients.

The histopathology is described of 190 skin biopsies from 71 patients who presented during an epidemic of nodules and abscesses in the periumbilical region and buttocks, secondary to the application of xylocaine injections. Positive cultures for Mycobacterium abscessus were obtained from the specimens and from the xylocaine solution. The severe inflammatory lesions involved the dermis and the hypodermis and had three main histopathological patterns: (i) granulomatous nodular or diffuse inflammation with mixed granulomas in 57 (80%) of the cases; (ii) prevailing abscesses with mild granulomatous reaction in 28 (15%) of the biopsies; and (iii) deep dermal and subcutaneous granulomatous inflammation with no neutrophil component in three (4%) of cases. Bacilli were detected in 51 (27%) of the specimens, frequently forming small clumps at the centre of clear spaces or vacuoles and which were lipid-like structures in 156 (82%) of the abscesses or granulomas. This series represents one of the largest reported outbreaks caused by atypical mycobacteria and in which the source of infection was confirmed. The results emphasize the essential role of skin biopsies in determining the histopathological substrate, in helping to detect the atypical mycobacterial origin and in encouraging the practice of cultures for the identification of micro-organisms.

Paracoccidioidomycosis in Colombia: an ecological study.

The natural habitat of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, agent of paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM), remains unknown. This study is aimed at establishing associations between the ecological variables present in all Colombian municipalities and the incidence of PCM. Records of 940 patients were studied and several ecological variables analysed, as well as their association to amount of patients per total rural population in each municipality, determined through a multivariate analysis. All 940 patients came from 216 municipalities (20-3%), out of which, 93 were birthplace and place of long-term residence for 121 patients. The Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR) was determined for these 93 municipalities. The following variables fitted the model: altitude from 1,000 to 1,499 metres above sea level (IRR = 6.37), rainfall from 2000 to 2999 mm (IRR = 2.15), presence of humid forests (Holdridge) (IRR = 1.79) and coffee (IRR = 1.95), tobacco (IRR = 3.59) crops. These results indicate that these municipalities constitute reservareas for P. brasiliensis (Borelli).

[Quality of sputum microscopy in the network of tuberculosis bacteriology laboratories in Colombia]. / Calidad de la baciloscopia de esputo en la red de laboratorios de bacteriología de tuberculosis en Colombia.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the technical quality of sputum microscopy carried out for diagnostic purposes in the Network of Tuberculosis Bacteriology Laboratories in Colombia. The National Central Reference Laboratory received 6,529 slides for reexamination from the network of 513 sectional, regional, and local laboratories, which contributed 33.2%, 27.6%, and 39.2%, respectively, of the slides. These included all the positive (3,283) and negative (3,246) smears processed during a 4-month period. The reexamination was carried out by six laboratory workers who did not know the origin of the slides or the original diagnosis. When qualitative problems were detected, a second reexamination was done, which significantly increased the percentage of agreement for both the positive results (93.9%) and the negative (98.7%). Overall, the level of agreement was 96.3%. A significant correlation was found (P < 0.05) between good slide preparation and staining and agreement in the readings, as well as between thin smears, presence of fuchsin precipitates, and deficient coloration and conflicting readings (P < 0.05). The highest percentages of agreement were associated with laboratories that performed the largest number of sputum examinations each month (96.5%), and with readings done by experienced, university-trained bacteriologists (96.6%). It is concluded that indirect technical supervision and ongoing training of laboratory personnel are important determinants of the impact of the tuberculosis control program.

Iatrogenic outbreak of M. chelonae skin abscesses.

We describe an outbreak of skin lesions due to Mycobacterium chelonae subsp. abscessus associated with injections of lidocaine (lignocaine) given by a 'bioenergetic' (a practitioner of alternative medicine) in Colombia. The lidocaine carpules and the lesions of the patients yielded mycobacteria with identical biochemical characteristics. Using the methodology of Sartwell and a case control design we examined the incubation period and assessed risk factors. Of 667 potentially exposed individuals, a total of 298 patients were interviewed, of whom 232 had skin lesions. The median incubation period was 30.5 days (range 15-59 days). Male sex (OR 2.85, 95% CI 1.26-6.51), increasing age (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.03-1.53), subcutaneous injection route (OR 3.72, 95% CI 1.09-12.7) and number of injections (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.03) were risk factors for disease. To our knowledge, this is the largest reported outbreak of M. chelonae infection, the first in which the organism has been isolated from the putative vehicle of infection, and the first in which the incubation period could be determined.

Calidad de la baciloscopia de esputo en la red de laboratorios de bacteriología de tuberculosis en Colombia / Quality of sputum microscopy in the network of tuberculosis bacteriology laboratories in Colombia

El objetivo fue evaluar la calidad técnica de la baciloscopia de esputo realizada con fines diagnósticos en la Red de Laboratorios de Bacteriología de la tuberculosis en Colombia. En el Laboratorio Central Nacional de Referencia se recibieron para relectura 6 529 láminas provenientes de la red de 513 laboratorios seccionales, regionales y locales, los cuales contribuyeron 33,2, 27,6 y 39,2 por ciento de las láminas, respectivamente. Estas representaron todas las baciloscopias positivas (3 283) y la siguiente negativa (3 246) procesadas durante un período de cuatro meses. La relectura estuvo a cargo de seis lectores que desconocían la procedencia de las láminas y el diagnóstico original. Cuando se detectaron discordancias cualitativas, se hizo una segunda relectura que aumentó significativamente las concordancias, tanto de los resultados positivos ((3,9 por ciento) como de los negativos (98,7 por ciento), con una concordancia total de 96,3 por ciento. Se hallo una correlación significativa (P0,05) entre buen extendido y buena coloración y las lecturas concordantes, así como entre extendidos delgados, presencia de precipitados de fucsina y decoloración deficiente y las lecturas discordantes (P0,05). Los porfcentajes de concordancia más altos se relacionaron con los laboratorios que realizan mensualmente el mayor número de baciloscopias (96,5 por ciento), y con las lecturas por bacteriólogos universitarios experimentados (96,6 por ciento). Se concluyed que la supervisión técnica indirecta y la continua capacitación del personal de laboratorio son factores determinantes del impacto del Programa de Control de la Tuberculosis