Logistics during Covid-19 Pandemic: A Bibliometric Analysis.

The logistics sector was one of the most impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims to analyze the emerging trends on this subject using articles referring to studies related to the impact of the pandemic in engineering and related areas of knowledge, also looking for new research opportunities. A descriptive methodology was used through a systematic review of the literature. The publications in the "Engineering" area were filtered and the results were analyzed with the VOSviewer tool. Results show the relevance of the studies in the last mile. Likewise, opportunities were observed to carry out studies related to the transformation of retail.

Down-regulation of hsa-miR-10a in chronic myeloid leukemia CD34+ cells increases USF2-mediated cell growth.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small noncoding, single-stranded RNAs that inhibit gene expression at a posttranscriptional level, whose abnormal expression has been described in different tumors. The aim of our study was to identify miRNAs potentially implicated in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We detected an abnormal miRNA expression profile in mononuclear and CD34(+) cells from patients with CML compared with healthy controls. Of 157 miRNAs tested, hsa-miR-10a, hsa-miR-150, and hsa-miR-151 were down-regulated, whereas hsa-miR-96 was up-regulated in CML cells. Down-regulation of hsa-miR-10a was not dependent on BCR-ABL1 activity and contributed to the increased cell growth of CML cells. We identified the upstream stimulatory factor 2 (USF2) as a potential target of hsa-miR-10a and showed that overexpression of USF2 also increases cell growth. The clinical relevance of these findings was shown in a group of 85 newly diagnosed patients with CML in which expression of hsa-miR-10a was down-regulated in 71% of the patients, whereas expression of USF2 was up-regulated in 60% of the CML patients, with overexpression of USF2 being significantly associated with decreased expression of hsa-miR-10a (P = 0.004). Our results indicate that down-regulation of hsa-miR-10a may increase USF2 and contribute to the increase in cell proliferation of CML implicating a miRNA in the abnormal behavior of CML.

Effect of different loading conditions on running mechanics at different velocities.

Weighted vests are widely used to improve running economy and performance. However, it is not well-studied how running mechanics are adapted to counteract the higher peak vertical ground reaction forces (Fpeak) while running with such a device. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of different loading conditions on running mechanics at different velocities. Thirteen subjects participated in two separate sessions one week apart. In the first session, maximal aerobic speed (MAS) was determined through a maximal incremental running test while in the second session, they were instructed to run during one minute under different loading (0%, +10% and +20% of body mass [BM]) and velocity (60%, 80% and 100% of MAS) conditions in a random order. Spatiotemporal data were recorded and then running mechanics modelled using the spring-mass model. The main results indicated that vertical and leg stiffness (Kvert and Kleg, respectively) were increased (P < .001) as velocity increased but remained unaltered (P > .05) when load was changed. At the same time, alterations of the running kinematics were observed such as longer contact times, reduced flight times, stride frequencies and step lengths, as well as an increase of the centre of mass dynamics. Based on these results it is assumed that runners maintain a certain stiffness level for each velocity despite different loading conditions. As a consequence, Fpeak increases and this probably causes spatiotemporal adjustments in the movement kinematics.

Repetitive DNA hypomethylation in the advanced phase of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Repetitive elements are heavily methylated in normal tissues, but hypomethylated in malignant tissues, driving the global genomic hypomethylation found in cancer. This hypomethylation results in chromosomal instability, a well-characterized feature of the advanced phases of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). We investigated methylation changes of DNA repetitive elements (LINE1, Alu, Satellite-alpha and Satellite-2) during the progression of CML from chronic phase (CP) to blast crisis (BC). CP-CML samples were significantly more hypomethylated for all repetitive sequences compared with normal samples. Furthermore, a more profound level of hypomethylation was observed among BC samples compared with CP samples. Our data suggest that repetitive DNA hypomethylation are closely associated with CML progression.

Epigenetic regulation of PRAME gene in chronic myeloid leukemia.

Tumor associated antigens (TAA) provide attractive targets for cancer-specific immunotherapy. PRAME is a TAA gene up-regulated in advanced phases of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). To date, molecular mechanisms for the expression of PRAME have never been studied. We found that some Ph'-positive cell lines did not express PRAME. The expression of PRAME was restored in these cell lines by treatment with 5'-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, suggesting that the expression of PRAME is mainly suppressed by hypermethylation. Bisulfite sequencing analysis of the CpG sites of the PRAME exon 2 in these cancer cell lines revealed a close relationship between the methylation status of the PRAME gene and its expression. A methylation-specific PCR analysis demonstrated that hypomethylation of PRAME was significantly more frequent in CML blast crisis (70%) than in chronic phase (36%) (P=0.01) and was correlated with high expression levels of PRAME transcripts (P<0.0001). These results suggest that hypomethylation of PRAME up-regulates its expression in CML and might play a significant role in the progression of the disease.

Epigenetic regulation of human cancer/testis antigen gene, HAGE, in chronic myeloid leukemia.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cancer testis antigens (CTA) provide attractive targets for cancer-specific immunotherapy. Although CTA genes are expressed in some normal tissues, such as the testis, this immunologically protected site lacks MHC I expression and as such, does not present self antigens to T cells. To date, CTA genes have been shown to be expressed in a range of solid tumors via demethylation of their promoter CpG islands, but rarely in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) or other hematologic malignancies. DESIGN AND METHODS: In this study, the methylation status of the HAGE CTA gene promoter was analyzed by quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) and sequencing in four Philadelphia-positive cell lines (TCC-S, K562, KU812 and KYO-1) and in CML samples taken from patients in chronic phase (CP n=215) or blast crisis (BC n=47). HAGE expression was assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The TCC-S cell line showed demethylation of HAGE that was associated with over-expression of this gene. HAGE hypomethylation was significantly more frequent in BC (46%) than in CP (22%) (p=0.01) and was correlated with high expression levels of HAGE transcripts (p<0.0001). Of note, in CP-CML, extensive HAGE hypomethylation was associated with poorer prognosis in terms of cytogenetic response to interferon (p=0.01) or imatinib (p=0.01), molecular response to imatinib (p=0.003) and progression-free survival (p=0.05). INTERPRETATIONS AND CONCLUSION: The methylation status of the HAGE promoter directly correlates with its expression in both CML cell lines and patients and is associated with advanced disease and poor outcome.

CpG island methylator phenotype redefines the prognostic effect of t(12;21) in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

PURPOSE: To examine cancer genes undergoing epigenetic inactivation in a set of ETV6/RUNX1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemias in order to define the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in the disease and evaluate its relationship with clinical features and outcome. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Methylation-specific PCR was used to analyze the methylation status of 38 genes involved in cell immortalization and transformation in 54 ETV6/RUNX1-positive samples in comparison with 190 ETV6/RUNX1-negative samples. RESULTS: ETV6/RUNX1-positive samples had at least one gene methylated in 89% of the cases. According to the number of methylated genes observed in each individual sample, 20 patients (37%) were included in the CIMP- group (0-2 methylated genes) and 34 (67%) in the CIMP+ group (>2 methylated genes). Remission rate did not differ significantly among either group of patients. Estimated disease-free survival and overall survival at 9 years were 92% and 100% for the CIMP- group and 33% and 73% for the CIMP+ group (P = 0.002 and P = 0.04, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that methylation profile was an independent prognostic factor in predicting disease-free survival (P = 0.01) and overall survival (P = 0.05). A group of four genes (DKK3, sFRP2, PTEN, and P73) showed specificity for ETV6/RUNX1-positive subset of samples. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that methylation profile may be a potential new biomarker of risk prediction in ETV6/RUNX1-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemias.

Promoter hypomethylation of the LINE-1 retrotransposable elements activates sense/antisense transcription and marks the progression of chronic myeloid leukemia.

Aberrant genome-wide hypomethylation is thought to be related to tumorigenesis by promoting genomic instability. Since DNA methylation is considered an important mechanism for the silencing of retroelements, hypomethylation in human tumors may lead to their reactivation. However, the role of DNA hypomethylation in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) remains to be elucidated. In this study, the methylation status of the LINE-1 (L1) retrotransposon promoter was analysed in CML samples from the chronic-phase (CP, n=140) and the blast crisis (BC, n=47). L1 hypomethylation was significantly more frequent in BC (74.5%) than in CP (38%) (P<0.0001). Furthermore, L1 hypomethylation led to activation of both ORF1 sense transcription (P<0.0001) and c-MET gene antisense transcription (P<0.0001), and was significantly associated with high levels of BCR-ABL (P=0.02) and DNMT3b4 (P=0.001) transcripts. Interestingly, in CP-CML, extensive L1 hypomethylation was associated with poorer prognosis in terms of cytogenetic response to interferon (P=0.004) or imatinib (P=0.034) and progression-free survival (P=0.005). The above results strongly suggest that activation of both sense and antisense transcriptions by aberrant promoter hypomethylation of the L1 elements plays a role in the progression and clinical behavior of the CML.

Promoter hypermethylation of cancer-related genes: a strong independent prognostic factor in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Promoter hypermethylation plays an important role in the inactivation of cancer-related genes. This abnormality occurs early in leukemogenesis and seems to be associated with poor prognosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). To determine the extent of hypermethylation in ALL, we analyzed the methylation status of the CDH1, p73, p16, p15, p57, NES-1, DKK-3, CDH13, p14, TMS-1, APAF-1, DAPK, PARKIN, LATS-1, and PTEN genes in 251 consecutive ALL patients. A total of 77.3% of samples had at least 1 gene methylated, whereas 35.9% of cases had 4 or more genes methylated. Clinical features and complete remission rate did not differ among patients without methylated genes, patients with 1 to 3 methylated genes (methylated group A), or patients with more than 3 methylated genes (methylated group B). Estimated disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) at 11 years were 75.5% and 66.1%, respectively, for the nonmethylated group; 37.2% and 45.5% for methylated group A; and 9.4% and 7.8% for methylated group B (P < .0001 and P = .0004, respectively). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the methylation profile was an independent prognostic factor in predicting DFS (P < .0001) and OS (P = .003). Our results suggest that the methylation profile may be a potential new biomarker of risk prediction in ALL.

Cisticercosis del septum pellucidum: reporte de un caso y revisión de la literatura / Septum pellucidum cysticerosis: report of case. review of the literature

En la literatura Nacional e Internacional no existen reportes relacionados a cisticercosis del septum pellucidum. Se trata de un paciente de 18 años de edad, natural y procedente de Cajamarca que venía presentando desde fines de 1993 cefalea y vómitos en forma episódica; hospitalizandose el 30/09/94 en estado lúcido, sin déficit neurológico focal. En el TAC cerebral revelaba imágenes ligeramente hipodensas a nivel del septum pellucidum y parafalx izquierdo con dilatación de las astas ventriculares frontales. Mediante abordaje transfrontal -córtico ventricular derecho se extirparon 2 quistes de cisticerco del área septal; confirmandose con el estudio anatomopatológico. La lesión del parafalx izquierdo fue tratado con albendazol 15 mg/Kg diario por 30 días; mostrando remisión parcial a los 19 meses postratamiento según control tomográfico. Su evolución a los 20 meses postoperatorio es excelente, laborando a la fecha sin dificultad. Es importante tener en cuenta esta patología en pacientes con cefalea y vómitos con y sin cambios de conducta episódicos

Fracturas craneales deprimidas en niños: tratamiento y pronóstico / Depresed skull fracture in childhood: treatment and prognostic

El presente estudio tiene como objetivo analizar el tratamiento y pronóstico de 77 casos con fractura craneal deprimida en niños hospitalizados en el Servicio de Neurocirugía del Hospital del Niño. Los casos provienen de la revisión de 1,300 historias clínicas, correspondiendo al 5.92 por ciento. Se usa el Método Descriptivo-Retrospectivo. El 72.7 por ciento tuvo como edad de 2 a 11 años. El 61 por ciento correspondió al sexo masculino. Las caídas de altura y accidentes de tránsito fueron las causa predominantes. El 11.6 por ciento presentó laceración cerebral y el 5.1 por ciento hematomas yuxtadurales. Las fracturas correspondieron mayormente a regiones fronto-parietal derecha e izquierda. Recibieron tratamiento quirúrgico 66 pacientes, tan pronto como fueron hospitalizados, realizándose unicamente levantamiento óseo en el 66.6 por ciento. En el resto se realizaron también extracción de hematoma, cierre de desgarro de duramadre, plastía con periostio o con duramadre homóloga almacenada, y extracción de parénquima cerebral lacerado. Se observó como complicaciones: infección de herida 3.8 por ciento, fístula de L.c.r. 2.5 por ciento y meningitis en 1.2 por ciento. Como secuelas neurológicas se observó signos focales de leve magnitud 3.9 por ciento, afasia 2.6 por ciento y cefalea 1.2 por ciento. Solamente falleció un paciente. Se concluye que el levantamiento óseo es el tratamiento quirúrgico mayormente realizado en el niño con fracturas craneales deprimidas, existiendo mínimas complicaciones y secuelas, y solamente 1.2 por ciento de mortalidad. Además el pronóstico fué bueno en un seguimiento promedio de 3 meses