A redescription of Hedruris moniezi Ibáñez & Córdova, 1976 (Nematoda: Hedruridae), an endoparasite of the Titicaca water frog Telmatobius culeus (Garman, 1876) (Anura: Telmatobiidae), with comments on all other known Hedruris species in Peru.

Hedruris moniezi Ibáñez & Córdova, 1976 (Nematoda: Hedruridae) was described using light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) based on specimens collected from the stomach of Telmatobius culeus (Anura: Telmatobiidae) in Peru. We observed some characteristics not reported previously, including sessile and pedunculated papillae and amphid on the pseudolabia, bifid deirids, morphology of the retractable chitinous hook, morphology and arrangement of the plates on ventral surface of the posterior end of the males, and arrangement of caudal papillae. Telmatobius culeus represents a new host of H. moniezi. In addition, H. basilichtensis Mateo, 1971 is considered to be a junior synonym of H. oriestae Moniez, 1889. A key to valid species of Hedruris in Peru is provided.

The toxicity of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles induced on the testicular cells: In vitro study.

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) have gained significant attention in biomedical research due to their potential applications. However, little is known about their impact and toxicity on testicular cells. To address this issue, we conducted an in vitro study using primary mouse testicular cells, testis fragments, and sperm to investigate the cytotoxic effects of sodium citrate-coated SPIONs (Cit_SPIONs). Herein, we synthesized and physiochemically characterized the Cit_SPIONs and observed that the sodium citrate diminished the size and improved the stability of nanoparticles in solution during the experimental time. The sodium citrate (measured by thermogravimetry) was biocompatible with testicular cells at the used concentration (3%). Despite these favorable physicochemical properties, the in vitro experiments demonstrated the cytotoxicity of Cit_SPIONs, particularly towards testicular somatic cells and sperm cells. Transmission electron microscopy analysis confirmed that Leydig cells preferentially internalized Cit_SPIONs in the organotypic culture system, which resulted in alterations in their cytoplasmic size. Additionally, we found that Cit_SPIONs exposure had detrimental effects on various parameters of sperm cells, including motility, viability, DNA integrity, mitochondrial activity, lipid peroxidation (LPO), and ROS production. Our findings suggest that testicular somatic cells and sperm cells are highly sensitive and vulnerable to Cit_SPIONs and induced oxidative stress. This study emphasizes the potential toxicity of SPIONs, indicating significant threats to the male reproductive system. Our findings highlight the need for detailed development of iron oxide nanoparticles to enhance reproductive nanosafety.

Effects of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONS) testicular injection on Leydig cell function and sperm production in a murine model.

In the domain of medical advancement, nanotechnology plays a pivotal role, especially in the synthesis of biocompatible materials for therapeutic use. Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles (SPIONs), known for their magnetic properties and low toxicity, stand at the forefront of this innovation. This study explored the reproductive toxicological effects of Sodium Citrate-functionalized SPIONs (Cit_SPIONs) in adult male mice, an area of research that holds significant potential yet remains largely unknown. Our findings reveal that Cit_SPIONs induce notable morphological changes in interstitial cells and the seminiferous epithelium when introduced via intratesticular injection. This observation is critical in understanding the interactions of nanomaterials within reproductive biological systems. A striking feature of this study is the rapid localization of Cit_SPIONs in Leydig cells post-injection, a factor that appears to be closely linked with the observed decrease in steroidogenic activity and testosterone levels. This data suggests a possible application in developing nanostructured therapies targeting androgen-related processes. Over 56 days, these nanoparticles exhibited remarkable biological distribution in testis parenchyma, infiltrating various cells within the tubular and intertubular compartments. While the duration of spermatogenesis remained unchanged, there were many Tunel-positive germ cells, a notable reduction in daily sperm production, and reduced progressive sperm motility in the treated group. These insights not only shed light on the intricate mechanisms of Cit_SPIONs interaction with the male reproductive system but also highlight the potential of nanotechnology in developing advanced biomedical applications.

Biotechnological approach to induce human fibroblast apoptosis using superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles.

Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts (CAFs) contribute to tumour progression and have received significant attention as a therapeutic target. These cells produce growth factors, cytokines and chemokines, stimulating cancer cell proliferation and inhibiting their apoptosis. Recent advances in drug delivery have demonstrated a significant promise of iron oxide nanoparticles in clinics as theranostic agents, mainly due to their magnetic properties. Here, we designed superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) to induce apoptosis of human fibroblasts. SPIONs were synthesized via co-precipitation method and coated with sodium citrate (SPION_Cit). We assessed the intracellular uptake of SPIONs by human fibroblast cells, as well as their cytotoxicity and ability to induce thermal effects under the magnetic field. The efficiency and time of nanoparticle internalization were assessed by Prussian Blue staining, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy. SPIONs_Cit were detected in the cytoplasm of human fibroblasts 15 min after in vitro exposure, entering into cells mainly via endocytosis. Analyses through Cell Titer Blue assay, AnnexinV-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) and propidium iodide (PI) cellular staining demonstrated that concentrations below 8 × 10-2 mg/mL of SPIONs_Cit did not alter cell viability of human fibroblast. Furthermore, it was also demonstrated that SPIONs_Cit associated with alternating current magnetic field were able to induce hyperthermia and human fibroblast cell death in vitro, mainly through apoptosis (83.5%), activating caspase 8 (extrinsic apoptotic via) after a short exposure period. Collectively these findings suggest that our nanoplatform is biocompatible and can be used for therapeutic purposes in human biological systems, such as inducing apoptosis of CAFs.

Effect of climate change in lizards of the genus Xenosaurus (Xenosauridae) based on projected changes in climatic suitability and climatic niche conservatism.

Accelerated climate change represents a major threat to the health of the planet's biodiversity. Particularly, lizards of the genus Xenosaurus might be negatively affected by this phenomenon because several of its species have restricted distributions, low vagility, and preference for low temperatures. No study, however, has examined the climatic niche of the species of this genus and how their distribution might be influenced by different climate change scenarios. In this project, we used a maximum entropy approach to model the climatic niche of 10 species of the genus Xenosaurus under present and future suitable habitat, considering a climatic niche conservatism context. Therefore, we performed a similarity analysis of the climatic niche between each species of the genus Xenosaurus. Our results suggest that a substantial decrease in suitable habitat for all species will occur by 2070. Among the most affected species, X. tzacualtipantecus will not have suitable conditions according to its climatic niche requirements and X. phalaroanthereon will lose 85.75% of its current suitable area. On the other hand, we found low values of conservatism of the climatic niche among species. Given the limited capacity of dispersion and the habitat specificity of these lizards, it seems unlikely that fast changes would occur in the distribution of these species facing climate change. The low conservatism in climatic niche we found in Xenosaurus suggests that these species might have the capacity to adapt to the new environmental conditions originated by climate change.

Physicochemical and toxicological studies on 4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid in aqueous solutions.

Physicochemical characterization of hazardous compounds often is required for the development of structure-reactivity correlations. Physical, chemical, and toxicological properties of target pollutants require determination for an efficient application of wastewater treatments. In the present work, we chose a chloro-nitro-aromatic derivative (4-chloro-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid [CDNBA]), as a model compound on which to perform physicochemical and toxicological studies. Several properties of CDNBA are not available in the literature, although many aromatic nitro-compounds are considered hazardous materials. Measurements of solubility in water, acid dissociation constant, and kinetic parameters for the nucleophilic substitution of chlorine atom in alkaline media are reported. We also performed cytotoxicity studies of CDNBA and ultraviolet-irradiated CDNBA solutions. From the analysis of CDNBA solubility in water at different temperatures, an enthalpy of solution of 23.2 +/- 2.5 kJ/mol was found. The study of the acid dissociation constant Kc by using conductivity measurements and the modified Gran's method yielded values for the equilibrium constant Ka of 2.36 x 10(-3) and 2.26 x 10(-3), respectively. The bimolecular rate constant for the reaction of CDNB- and hydroxyl ion (HO) measured at room temperature and 0.1 M of ionic strength was 5.92/M x s, and the activation energy for this process was 70.7 +/- 3.4 kJ/mol. Cytotoxicity assays with aqueous suspensions of Tetrahymena pyriformis showed lethal effects due to the pH change induced by CDNBA. On the other hand, in buffered solutions, a value of 104.47 microM was observed for the median effective concentration, that is, the concentration of CDNBA at which the proliferation was restricted to one half of the blank. Irradiation of CDNBA solutions increased the toxicity, suggesting the formation of intermediate products with higher cytotoxicity effects.

Evaluación de riesgo de la práctica de radioterapia con rayos X de kilovoltaje / Risk evaluation of the kilovoltage radiotherapy practice

La radioterapia de kilovoltaje es una práctica de radioterapia de reciente reimplementación en el servicio de tratamiento del Instituto Nacional de Oncología y Radiología de Cuba. Uno de los aspectos relacionados con la autorización de su empleo es la evaluación de los riesgos asociados a dicha práctica. El siguiente artículo constituye un resumen del modelo de secuencias accidentales postuladas para la práctica, cuyo riesgo se cuantifica a través de la metodología de matriz de riesgo. El código SECURE-MR fue la herramienta seleccionada para implementar tal aplicación, por cuanto lo distinguen, además de las facilidades tradicionales de análisis, algunas novedosas que permiten el establecimiento de prioridades de contribuyentes. Los resultados globales de la evaluación de riesgo para el modelo postulado, así como algunas aplicaciones de optimización particulares se incluyen en el artículo

The kilovoltage radiotherapy is a recently re-implemented practice in the National Institute of Oncology and Radiology of Cuba to treat patients. One of the problems to approve its use is the assessment of risks associated to this practice. The present paper shows a summary of the pattern of accidental sequences proposed for this practice and its risk is quantified by using the risk matrix methodology. The SECURE-MR code has been used as the tool selected to implement such a practice. In addition to customary analysis facilities, this code has some other novel characteristics allowing us to establish the contributors’ priorities. The global results of the risk assessment for the proposed pattern, as well as some particular optimization practices are included in this paper

Efecto de la alfa cristalina bovina en la respuesta oxidativa de los polimorfonucleares y en la peroxidación lipídica / Effect of bovine alpha crystallin on the oxidative response of polimorphonuclear and on lipid peroxidation

Se determinó la quimioluminiscencia de polimorfonucleares activados con zimosán, en presencia de a-cristalina (0,25; 0,5; 1 mg/mL), y con 1 mg/mL de la proteína se efectuó el ensayo en 3 momentos diferentes (con a-cristalina preincubada, adicionada a la vez y después de 8 min de aplicado el zimosán). Tanto la preincubación de la a-cristalina con polimorfonucleares, como su adición 8 min después de desatada la respuesta oxidativa, disminuyeron significativamente la quimioluminiscencia respecto al control (p< 0,001; p < 0,005, respectivamente). La a-cristalina provocó una disminución 4 veces mayor que la albúmina de los derivados oxidados del ácido tiobarbitúrico, de manera dependiente de la concentración. Estos resultados preliminares demuestran que la a-cristalina tiene actividad antioxidante al disminuir las especies reactivas del oxígeno de neutrófilos activados con zimosán, e inhibir la lipoperoxidación espontánea de cerebro de rata. Ambos efectos antioxidantes pudieran contribuir a la protección del cristalino del ojo

El papel que desempeña el alcohol en los motivos por los que se les da atención en los servicios de urgencias, y estimación del riesgo asociado en los traumatismos / Alcohol abuse as a motive for treating patients at emergency services, and an estimate of its associated risk in traumatisms

Se presentan datos de un estudio llevado a cabo en los servicios de urgencias de ocho hospitales de la ciudad de México. En este trabajo se estima el riesgo asociado a los motivos de atención y a las causas de traumatismo. El levantamiento de la información se hizo durante las 24 hrs del día de una semana completa en cada hospital. De la población atendida en las salas de urgencia, se incluyó a los pacientes de 15 años en adelante, y de aquí se derivó una submuestra conformada con los pacientes que informaron haber consumido bebidas alcohólicas en los doce meses previos a la aplicación de la entrevista. La información que se presenta se tomó de esta submuestra (n = 1582). Dentro de las seis horas siguientes al ingreso de los pacientes se investigó si habían bebido alcohol aplicando un dispositivo llamado alcosensor III, que nos permitió determinar los niveles de alcohol en sangre. También se investigó si había ingerido alcohol durante las seis horas previas a la ocurrencia del incidente. Por medio del autoreporte y aplicando una cédula de entrevista. De la muestra total (N = 2790) 63 por ciento informó haber consumido bebidas alcohólicas durante los doce meses anteriores. De acuerdo con sus características sociodemográficas, la mayor parte eran hombres (80 por ciento), de entre 15 y 34 años (71 por ciento), con escolaridad de primaria (37 por ciento), de ocupación obreros (53 por ciento), y su ingreso era de un salario mínimo (39 por ciento). Los motivos por los que se les atendió fueron: traumatismos (82.4 por ciento); problemas médicos (17.6); contusiones y síntomas de naturaleza no especificada. Entre las causas del traumatismo, sobresalieron los asaltos y las riñas. De las submuestras, 24.2 por ciento obtuvo niveles positivos de alcohol en sangre (< 10 mg/100 ml), y 32.6 por ciento dijo haber consumido bebidas alcohólicas antes de que ocurriera el percance. Al analizar las causas del traumatismo con ambos procedimientos y por separado, encontramos diferencias significativas entre una y otra de las causas...

Algunas características psicosociales de individuos con predisposición a Tricuris trichiura / Some phychosocial characteristics of individuals predisposed to trichuris trichiura infection

Se estudió un grupo de 18 personas predispuestas a infectarse con Trichuris trichiura, cada uno fue pareado en sexo, edad, aspecto externo de la vivienda y zona de residencia con 2 personas no predispuestas que constituyeron el grupo control para determinar qué aspectos sociales y psicológicos se asocian con la predisposición a la tricuriasis. Se encontró que los sujetos predispuestos de la muestra estudiada tienen hábitos higiénicos deficientes, viven hacinados, con un ingreso percápita inferior a $ 49,00; además presentan deficiencias en el rendimiento intelectual