The effect of the anti-coagulant EDTA on the deposition and adhesion of whole blood deposits on non-porous substrates.

An investigation into whether the addition of a commonly used anti-coagulant agent like ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) has an impact on the adhesion potential of blood to non-porous substrates was conducted. Two non-porous substrates (aluminum and polypropylene) exhibiting six different surface roughness categories (R1-R6) were used as test substrates upon which either whole blood or blood treated with EDTA was deposited. Samples were exposed to different drying periods (24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week) before undergoing a tapping agitation experiment in order to evaluate the adhesion to the surface. Clear differences in adhesion potential were observed between whole blood and blood treated with EDTA. Blood treated with EDTA displayed a stronger adhesion strength to aluminum after a drying time of 24 h pre-agitation, while whole blood presented with a stronger adhesion strength at the drying time of 48 h and 1 week. Both EDTA-treated and EDTA-untreated blood was shown to dislodge less easily on polypropylene with the only difference observed on smooth surfaces (0.51-1.50 µm surface roughness). Thus, when conducting transfer studies using smooth hydrophobic substrates like polypropylene or considering the likelihood of transfer given specific case scenarios, differences in adhesion strength of blood due to hydrophobic substrate characteristics and a decreased surface area need to be considered. Overall, whole blood displayed a better adhesion strength to aluminum, emphasizing that indirect transfer probability experiments using EDTA blood on substrates like aluminum should take an increased dislodgment tendency into account in their transfer estimations.

Human venous blood derivatives as fetal bovine serum substitute for fibroblast culture cells in a fibrin construct

Aim: Venous blood derivatives (VBDs) have been suggested as substitutes for Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) to improve the clinical transition of cell-based therapies. The literature is not clear about which is the best VBDs substitute. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of VBDs on cell viability and describe a new method to seed these cells in a 3D Platelet-Rich Fibrin (PRF). Methods: Blood was processed to obtain Platelet-Poor Plasma from PRF (P-PRF), Human Serum (HS), Platelet-Poor Plasma from PRP (P-PRP), activated-PRP (a-PRP), and Platelet lysate (PL). Cells were supplemented with each VBD at 10% and FBS at 10% was the control. Cell viability (fibroblast 3T3/NIH) test was evaluated with MTT assay in two ways: i) cell-seeded and expanded with VBD; ii) cell-seed with FBS and expanded with VBD. To seed the Fibrin construct, cells were suspended in PBS and dropped into the blood sample before performing Choukroun's protocol for PRF. Constructs were cultured for 7 days in VBD supplements and FBS. Histological and Immunohistochemical analysis with vimentin was performed. Cell viability was analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Results: VBD's production time was very heterogeneous. Cells expanded in HS and a-PRP has grown faster. VBD-supplemented culture media provided cell culture highly sensible to trypsin/EDTA 0.25%. Cells seeded and expanded with VBD presented viability comparable to FBS in HS, a-PRP, and P-PRP (p>0.05) and lower in P-PRF and PL groups (p<0.05). The viability of cell seed with FBS and expanded with VBD was similar between P-PRF, a-PRP, PL, and FBS (p>0.05) and lower in HS and P-PRP (p<0.005). PRF-seeded cells showed a positive expression of vimentin and were able to maintain all cells supplemented with VBD. Conclusion: VBD supplements were able to maintain fibroblast cells in 2D and 3D cultures. The new method of the fibrin-cell construct was efficient to insert the cells into the fibrin network

Manual de procesos y procedimientos para la gestión de la sangre, inmunohematología y hemoterapia / Manual of processes and procedures for blood management, immunohematology and hemotherapy

El presente manual de procesos y procedimientos documenta los servicios que se ofrecen en la atención al usuario interno y externo para la gestión de la sangre, inmunohematología y hemoterapia como parte del proceso de atención en salud integral e integrada a la persona en el curso de vida con enfoque de atención primaria en salud, describe el sistema de operación ofrecido en los establecimientos de salud, mediante el enfoque por procesos, fomentando así el desarrollo organizacional y el mejoramiento continuo para el cumplimiento de la misión institucional. Establece las bases para la ejecución de los procedimientos como parte de los procesos institucionales, unificando criterios de contenido que permite la sistematización de las actividades y la definición de la metodología para efectuarlas. Esta herramienta táctica y operativa, permite integrar las actividades y tareas de manera oportuna, para el logro de la prestación de servicios con calidad en los establecimientos de salud que lo necesiten, facilitando el cumplimiento de las normativas y lineamientos de programas especiales o por ciclo de vida vigentes en el Ministerio de Salud, así como la armonización con la sistematización y uso de herramientas tecnológicas que sea necesario implementar para volver más eficaz el trabajo del talento humano en salud

This manual of processes and procedures documents the services offered in the care of internal and external users for blood management, immunohematology and hemotherapy as part of the process of comprehensive and integrated health care for the person throughout the life course. With a focus on primary health care, it describes the operation system offered in health establishments, through the process approach, thus promoting organizational development and continuous improvement to fulfill the institutional mission. Establishes the bases for the execution of procedures as part of institutional processes, unifying content criteria that allows the systematization of activities and the definition of the methodology to carry them out. This tactical and operational tool allows the integration of activities and tasks in a timely manner, to achieve the provision of quality services in the health establishments that need it, facilitating compliance with the regulations and guidelines of special programs or by cycle of life in force in the Ministry of Health, as well as harmonization with the systematization and use of technological tools that need to be implemented to make the work of human talent in health more effective

An end to horseshoe crab bleeds?

Proposal could allow synthetic proteins to replace harvested enzyme in drug testing.

Valorised polypropylene waste based reversible sensor for copper ion detection in blood and water.

Heavy metals and plastic pollutants are the two most disastrous challenges to the environment requiring immediate actions. In this work, a techno-commercially feasible approach to address both challenges is presented, where a waste polypropylene (PP) based reversible sensor is produced to selectively detect copper ions (Cu2+) in blood and water from different sources. The waste PP-based sensor was fabricated in the form of an emulsion-templated porous scaffold decorated with benzothiazolinium spiropyran (BTS), which produced a reddish colour upon exposure to Cu2+. The presence of Cu2+ was checked by naked eye, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and DC (Direct Current) probe station by measuring the current where the sensor's performance remained unaffected while analysing blood, water from different sources, and acidic or basic environment. The sensor exhibited 1.3 ppm as the limit of detection value in agreement with the WHO recommendations. The reversible nature of the sensor was determined by cyclic exposure of the sensor towards visible light turning it from coloured to colourless within 5 min and regenerated the sensor for the subsequent analysis. The reversibility of the sensor through exchange between Cu2+- Cu+ was confirmed by XPS analysis. A resettable and multi-readout INHIBIT logic gate was proposed for the sensor using Cu2+ and visible light as the inputs and colour change, reflectance band and current as the output. The cost-effective sensor enabled rapid detection of the presence of Cu2+ in both water and complex biological samples such as blood. While the approach developed in this study provides a unique opportunity to address the environmental burden of plastic waste management, it also allows for the possible valorization of plastics for use in enormous value-added applications.

Cross-tissue correlations of genome-wide DNA methylation in Japanese live human brain and blood, saliva, and buccal epithelial tissues.

Neuroepigenetics considers genetic sequences and the interplay with environmental influences to elucidate vulnerability risk for various neurological and psychiatric disorders. However, evaluating DNA methylation of brain tissue is challenging owing to the issue of tissue specificity. Consequently, peripheral surrogate tissues were used, resulting in limited progress compared with other epigenetic studies, such as cancer research. Therefore, we developed databases to establish correlations between the brain and peripheral tissues in the same individuals. Four tissues, resected brain tissue, blood, saliva, and buccal mucosa (buccal), were collected from 19 patients (aged 13-73 years) who underwent neurosurgery. Moreover, their genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed using the Infinium HumanMethylationEPIC BeadChip arrays to determine the cross-tissue correlation of each combination. These correlation analyses were conducted with all methylation sites and with variable CpGs, and with when these were adjusted for cellular proportions. For the averaged data for each CpG across individuals, the saliva-brain correlation (r = 0.90) was higher than that for blood-brain (r = 0.87) and buccal-brain (r = 0.88) comparisons. Among individual CpGs, blood had the highest proportion of CpGs correlated to the brain at nominally significant levels (19.0%), followed by saliva (14.4%) and buccal (9.8%). These results were similar to the previous IMAGE-CpG results; however, cross-database correlations of the correlation coefficients revealed a relatively low (brain vs. blood: r = 0.27, saliva: r = 0.18, and buccal: r = 0.24). To the best of our knowledge, this is the fifth study in the literature initiating the development of databases for correlations between the brain and peripheral tissues in the same individuals. We present the first database developed from an Asian population, specifically Japanese samples (AMAZE-CpG), which would contribute to interpreting individual epigenetic study results from various Asian populations.

Influencia de ácidos grasos en parámetros sanguíneos y adipogénesis. Estudio experimental en pollos eclosionados / Influence of fatty acids on blood parameters and formation of adipocytes at early age

Introducción: La alimentación en la primera infancia influencia la instauración del tejido adiposo y el desarrollo de diversas patologías en la edad adulta. Objetivo: Evaluar la influencia del consumo de tres fuentes de ácidos grasos sobre parámetros sanguíneos y tejido adiposo en pollos recién eclosionados. Materiales y métodos: Se utilizaron 76 pollitos Cobb 500 distribuidos aleatoriamente en cuatro tratamientos, que fueron alimentados durante siete días con una de las cuatro dietas (T1: 97% Dieta basal (DB); T2: DB +3% de manteca vegetal parcialmente hidrogenada; T3: DB +3% de aceite de quinua y T4: DB +3% de aceite de pescado). Al finalizar, se evaluó en sangre glucosa, colesterol, triglicéridos y tamaño de adipocitos del tejido adiposo subcutáneo y visceral. Se aplicó ANOVA considerando 0,05 de significancia y en el caso de variables no distribuidas normalmente, se aplicó el test no paramétrico de Kruskal-Wallis mediante el programa R-Studio. Resultados: Se obtuvieron diferencias significativas con disminución de los niveles de glucosa y colesterol en animales suplementados con elevada proporción de aceites insaturados (T3 y T4) en comparación a T2. Los tratamientos T3 y T4 promovieron una formación hiperplásica de adipocitos, diferenciándose significativamente de T2, que promovió la hipertrofia en dichas células, esta respuesta fue similar en ambos depósitos subcutáneos. Conclusiones: El consumo de aceite de quinua y aceite de pescado promueve la formación de tejido adiposo saludable, y reducen los niveles de glucosa y colesterol. Contrariamente el consumo de manteca vegetal propicia la hipertrofia de adipocitos de gran tamaño e incrementa los parámetros bioquímicos evaluados(AU)

Introduction: Feeding in early childhood influences the establishment of adipose tissue, and therefore also in the development of various pathologies in adulthood. Objective: To evaluate the influence of the consumption of three sources of fatty acids on blood parameters and adipose tissue at an early age. Materials and methods: 76 Cobb 500 chicks randomly distributed in four treatments were used, who were fed for seven days with one of the four diets (T1: Basal diet; T2: DB +1.0% vegetable shortening partially hydrogenated; T3: DB +1.0% quinoa oil and DB +1.0% fish oil) until the seventh day of life. At the end, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and adipocyte size of the subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue were evaluated. A completely randomized design with ANOVA considering 0.05 significance was applied and in the case of non-normally distributed variables, the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test was applied using the R-Studio program. Results: Significant differences were obtained with a decrease in glucose and cholesterol levels in animals supplemented with unsaturated oils (T3 and T4) compared to T2. Regarding the size of adipocytes, treatments T3 and T4 promoted a hyperplastic formation of adipocytes, differing significantly from T2, which promoted hypertrophy in these cells, this response was similar in both subcutaneous deposits. Conclusions: The consumption of quinoa oil and fish oil promote the formation of healthy adipose tissue, in addition to reducing glucose and cholesterol levels. In contrast, the consumption of vegetable shortening favors the hypertrophy of large adipocytes and increases the biochemical parameters evaluated(AU)

Análisis de la problemática resultante de los tipos de donación de sangre, producida en el Banco de Sangre de la Seguridad Social en La Paz durante la gestión 2020 / Analysis of the problems resulting from the types of blood donation, produced at the social security Blood Bank in La Paz during the 2020 administration

INTRODUCCIÓN: actualmente la sangre continúa siendo un elemento vital para la vida, su fabricación aún no ha sido optimizada, por lo tanto, solo puede obtenerse a través de donaciones humanas. Por ello, para los Bancos de Sangre, contar con personas de confianza que aporten sangre constituye uno de los principales problemas éticos. Actualmente existen tres tipos de donación de sangre: la donación voluntaria y altruista, la donación de reposición o familiar y la donación remunerada, siendo esta última inaceptable en términos económicos y sanitarios, además de estar prohibida en el marco legal vigente en nuestro país. OBJETIVOS: analizar la problemática de la donación de sangre, haciendo énfasis en los tipos de donaciones que existen en nuestro país, considerando cuál es el tipo de donación más seguro para el receptor y cuáles son los menores de las pruebas de tamizaje inmunoserológico. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: se realizó un estudio transversal analítico, retrospectivo, en el que se revisaron las historias clínicas y los formularios electrónicos de trabajo utilizados en la recolección de datos de las donaciones de sangre obtenidas en el Banco de Sangre. de la seguridad social. Para el análisis estadístico se realizó la media y la varianza. RESULTADOS: de un total de 7787 personas que se presentaron a donar sangre, solo 5166 realizaron una donación efectiva. El resto fueron diferidos temporalmente por causas subsanables, 147 fueron diferidos definitivamente por enfermedades e infecciones que pudieran suponer un riesgo para el receptor y en 19 de ellos la extracción de sangre fue difícil por dificultad de acceso venoso. Según el tipo de donaciones, el 52,8 % fueron donaciones solidarias de reposición, el 43,3 % donación exijida y el 3,71 % donación voluntaria. Finalmente, el 68 % del total de las donaciones de sangre provino de hombres. CONCLUIONES: los datos obtenidos demuestran porcentajes muy bajos de donantes voluntarios y valores altos de donantes obligados a donar, muy en relación a países con programas deficientes de donación voluntaria y altruista de sangre.

INTRODUCTION: currently blood is a vital element for life, its manufacture has not yet been optimized, therefore, it can only be obtained through human donations. For this reason, for Blood Banks, having reliable people who provide blood constitutes one of the main ethical problems. There are currently three types of blood donation: voluntary and altruistic donation, replacement or family donation, and paid donation, the latter being unacceptable in economic and health terms, as well as being prohibited under the current legal framework in our country. OBJECTIVES: analyze the problem of blood donation, emphasizing the types of donations that exist in our country, considering what is the safest type of donation for the recipient and what are the minors of immunoserological screening tests. MATERIALS AND METHODS: this was a retrospective, analytical cross-sectional study, in which, we reviewed clinical histories and electronic work forms used in the collection of data on blood donations obtained in the Blood Bank. of social security. For statistical analysis we performed the mean and variance. RESULTS: in a total of 7787 people who presented themselves to donate blood, only 5166 made an effective donation. The rest were temporarily deferred for rectifiable reasons, 147 were permanently deferred due to diseases and infections that could cause a risk to the recipient and in 19 of them it was difficult to draw blood due to difficult venous access. According to the type of donations, 52.8 % were solidarity replacement donations, 43.3 % required donation, and 3.71 % voluntary donation. Finally, 68 % of the total blood donations came from men. CONCLUSIONS: the data obtained show very low percentages of voluntary donors and high values of required donors, these results are in accordance with countries with deficient voluntary and altruistic blood donation programs.

Evaluación de los niveles de anticuerpos para COVID-19 en pacientes que concurrieron a un laboratorio de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires / Evaluation of antibody levels for COVID-19 patients who attended a laboratory in Buenos Aires city

Resumen A fines de 2019 se describieron en China los primeros casos de neumonía asociada a SARS-CoV-2. La OMS la llamó COVID-19 y declaró emergencia sanitaria internacional en enero de 2020, ante la rápida diseminación de la infección a nivel mundial. En la Argentina los primeros casos se detectaron en marzo de 2020 y casi inmediatamente comenzaron a utilizarse métodos directos para detección de SARS-CoV-2 (RT PCR, LAMP, entre otros). Los métodos para detección de anticuerpos fueron aprobados posteriormente y no son de elección para realizar el diagnóstico de la enfermedad. En este laboratorio estos últimos comenzaron a utilizarse durante la primera ola de COVID-19 y con estos datos se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo de una serie de pacientes con resultados de anticuerpos IgG positivos. Se calculó la tasa de notificación al Sistema Integrado de Información Sanitaria Argentino (SISA) y se evaluaron los niveles de anticuerpos, agrupándolos de acuerdo a: si estaban notificados y si tenían resultado de RT PCR/LAMP, los síntomas presentados y el tiempo transcurrido post RT PCR/LAMP. No fue posible demostrar diferencias entre los pacientes con RT PCR/LAMP detectable y no detectable, tampoco con el tipo de síntomas declarados ni con respecto a los días transcurridos posinfección. Sin embargo, se observó que existía una diferencia significativa entre el grupo de pacientes notificados y no notificados y una alta tasa de pacientes con anticuerpos positivos que no fueron declarados en SISA, por lo que su detección podría considerarse como marcador subrogante de contacto cuando no fuera posible arribar al diagnóstico por métodos moleculares.

Abstract At the end of 2019 the first cases of SARS-CoV-2-associated pneumonia were reported in China. Consequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) named it COVID-19 and in January 2020, it declared the international health emergency due to the worldwide rapid spread of the infection. The first cases in Argentina were detected in early March 2020. Molecular tests like RT PCR and LAMP were immediately used. Serological tests for antibody detection were approved a few months later; however, these are still not the preferred evidiagnostic method for the disease. In our laboratory, the latter began to be used during the first wave of COVID-19. With the results obtained in that moment, an observational retrospective study in a cohort of patients who came voluntarily to test for SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies and whose results were positive was performed. The notification rate to the Argentine Integrated System for Health Information (SISA for its acronym in Spanish) was calculated and antibody levels were evaluated, clustering them according to the following facts: if the event had been notified to the SISA and if they had a previous RT PCR/LAMP result, the symptoms experienced by these patients and the time elapsed between RT PCR/LAMP and antibody test results. It was not possible to demonstrate differences between patients with detectable and undetectable RT PCR/LAMP, neither with the type of declared symptoms nor with respect to the days elapsed post-infection. However, it was found that there was a significant difference between notified and non-notified patients, and a high rate of non-notified patients with positive antibodies. Therefore, antibodies level might be considered as a surrogate marker of SARS-CoV-2 contact when a diagnosis through molecular methods is not available.

Resumo No final de 2019 foram reportados na China os primeiros casos de pneumonia associados a SARS-CoV-2. A Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) chamou-a de COVID-19 e declarou emergência sanitária internacional em janeiro de 2020, frente à rápida disseminação da infecção em nível mundial. Na Argentina os primeiros casos foram detectados no início de março de 2020 e de forma quase imediata, começaram a ser utilizados métodos diretos para detectar SARS-CoV-2 (RT PCR, LAMP, entre outros). Os métodos para detectar anticorpos foram posteriormente aprovados e não são de eleição para realizar o diagnóstico da doença. Em nosso laboratório, a utilização destes últimos começou durante a primeira onda de COVID-19 e com os resultados obtidos nesse momento foi realizado um estudo observacional retrospectivo de uma série de pacientes com resultados de anticorpos IgG positivos. Foi calculada a taxa de notificação ao Sistema Integrado de Informação em Saúde da Argentina (SISA) e foram avaliados os níveis de anticorpos agrupando- os de acordo a: se estavam notificados e se eles tinham resultado de RT PCR/LAMP, os sintomas apresentados e o tempo decorrido pós RT PCR/LAMP. Não foi possível demonstrar diferenças entre pacientes com RT PCR/LAMP detectável e não detectável, nem com o tipo de sintomas declarados nem com relação aos dias decorridos após a infecção. No entanto, verificou-se que existia uma diferença significativa entre o grupo de pacientes notificados e não notificados, e uma alta taxa de pacientes com anticorpos positivos que não foram declarados no SISA, portanto, sua detecção poderia ser considerada como um marcador substituto de contato quando não fosse possível chegar ao diagnóstico por métodos moleculares.

El valor de la palabra, el valor de la glucemia / The value of the word, the value of blood glucose

La glucemia es una palabra de fácil definición, glucosa en sangre, pero deja de ser simple cuando quiere entenderse el significado de determinado resultado. El desafío es interpretar correctamente el valor hallado.

No evidence of bovine leukemia virus proviral DNA and antibodies in human specimens from Japan.

BACKGROUND: The potential risk and association of bovine leukemia virus (BLV) with human remains controversial as it has been reported to be both positive and negative in human breast cancer and blood samples. Therefore, establishing the presence of BLV in comprehensive human clinical samples in different geographical locations is essential. RESULT: In this study, we examined the presence of BLV proviral DNA in human blood and breast cancer tissue specimens from Japan. PCR analysis of BLV provirus in 97 Japanese human blood samples and 23 breast cancer tissues showed negative result for all samples tested using long-fragment PCR and highly-sensitive short-fragment PCR amplification. No IgG and IgM antibodies were detected in any of the 97 human serum samples using BLV gp51 and p24 indirect ELISA test. Western blot analysis also showed negative result for IgG and IgM antibodies in all tested human serum samples. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that Japanese human specimens including 97 human blood, 23 breast cancer tissues, and 97 serum samples were negative for BLV.

Determination of Senegenin and Tenuifolin in Mouse Blood by Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry and Their Pharmacokinetics.

An ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of senegenin and tenuifolin in mouse blood was developed. The pharmacokinetics of senegenin and tenuifolin in mice after intravenous (5 mg/kg) and oral (60 mg/kg) administration were studied, and the absolute bioavailability was calculated. A CORTECS T3 column was used, with a column temperature set at 40°C. The mobile phase was acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid. Gradient elution was adopted, using a flow rate of 0.4 mL/min and an elution time of 4 min. Quantitative analysis was performed using electrospray ionization (ESI) with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) in negative ion mode. Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice were bled from the tail vein after intravenous or oral administration of senegenin and tenuifolin. A UPLC-MS/MS method was established to determine the blood concentrations of each drug in mice, and the noncompartmental model was used to fit the pharmacokinetic parameters. Senegenin and tenuifolin showed a good linear relationship (r > 0.995) within a concentration range of 5-400 ng/mL in mouse blood. The intraday precision was <12%, the interday precision was <14%, and the accuracy was 87-109%. The recovery was >88%, and the matrix effect was 87-94%. The oral bioavailability of senegenin and tenuifolin in mice was 8.7% and 4.0%, respectively. The established UPLC-MS/MS method is suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of senegenin and tenuifolin in mice.

Carboxyhemoglobinemia as a laboratory finding in an outpatient

Resumen El monóxido de carbono (CO) es un gas producido principalmente por combustión incompleta de hidrocarburos. La intoxicación por exposición ambiental puede presentarse con síntomas inespecíficos y constituye la causa más importante de aumento de carboxihemoglobina (COHb). Su nivel en sangre depende de la duración de la exposición, la ventilación minuto y las concentraciones de CO y oxígeno en el ambiente. La elevada toxicidad radica en la hipoxia tisular que se genera. Se presenta el caso de un paciente masculino, 73 años, en seguimiento en el hospital por neumonía intersticial no específica como patología de base. En un control de laboratorio se encontró 11,9% de COHb, sin exposición a tabaco. No utilizaba calefacción a gas sino un panel cerámico eléctrico, recientemente pintado con esmalte sintético. La suspensión del uso del panel normalizó la COHb. El CO, producto de descomposición térmica del esmalte sintético, explica la causa de la intoxicación.

Abstract Carbon monoxide (CO) is a gas produced mainly by incomplete combustion of hydrocarbons. Poisoning from environmental exposure can present with nonspecific symptoms and is the most important cause of increased carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). Its blood level depends on the duration of exposure, minute ventilation, and the concentrations of CO and oxygen in the environment. The high toxicity lies in the tissue hypoxia that is generated. The case of a male patient, 73 years old, under follow-up in the hospital for non-specific interstitial pneumonia as the underlying pathology was presented. In a laboratory control, COHb 11,9% was found. There was no exposure to tobacco and there was no use of gas heating but of an electric ceramic panel, recently painted with synthetic enamel type paint. The suspension of the use of the panel normalised the COHb. The CO product of thermal decomposition of synthetic enamel explains the cause of poisoning.

Resumo O monóxido de carbono (CO) é um gás produzido principalmente pela combustão incompleta de hidrocarbonetos. A intoxicação por exposição ambiental pode se apresentar com sintomas inespecíficos e é a causa mais importante de aumento da carboxihemoglobina (COHb). Seu nível em sangue depende do tempo de exposição, da ventilação minuto e das concentrações de CO e oxigênio no ambiente. A alta toxicidade está na hipóxia tecidual gerada. Apresentamos o caso de um paciente do sexo masculino, 73 anos, em acompanhamento hospitalar por pneumonia intersticial inespecífica como patologia de bas. Em um controle laboratorial, achou-se 11,9% de COHb, sem exposição ao tabaco. Não utilizava aquecimento a gás e sim um painel elétrico cerâmico, recentemente pintado com esmalte sintético. A suspensão do uso do painel normalizou o COHb. O CO produto da decomposição térmica do esmalte sintético explica a causa da intoxicação.

Niveles séricos de la isoenzima creatina quinasa-MB y lactato deshidrogenasa como indicadores de daño miocárdico en perros con enfermedad valvular degenerativa / Serum levels of the isoenzyme creatine kinase-MB and lactate dehydrogenase as indicators of myocardial damage in dogs with degenerative valve disease

RESUMEN Se analizaron los niveles séricos de creatina quinasa-MB (CK-MB) y lactato deshidrogenasa (LDH) en 10 perros diagnosticados con enfermedad valvular degenerativa y en seis perros clinicamente sanos, con el objetivo de evaluar si sus niveles séricos indican daño miocárdico. Las muestras de suero se analizaron mediante el método UV. Se utilizó la prueba de diferenciación de medias para determinar diferencias entre medias, y la prueba de correlación de Pearson para determinar si existe correlación entre los niveles séricos de ambas enzimas. Los valores de CK-MB y de LDH fueron significativamente diferentes entre los dos grupos de pacientes. Los niveles de CK-MB y LDH tuvieron correlación positiva, pero no significativa.

ABSTRACT Serum levels of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were analyzed in 10 dogs diagnosed with degenerative valvular disease and in six clinically healthy dogs with the objective of evaluating whether their serum levels indicate myocardial damage. Serum samples were analyzed by UV method. The mean differentiation test was used to determine differences between means and the Pearson correlation test was performed to determine if there was a correlation between the serum levels of both enzymes. The CK-MB and LDH values were significantly different between the two groups of patients. The levels of CK-MB and LDH had a positive but not significant correlation.

Minthostachys verticillata Griseb (Epling.) (Lamiaceae) essential oil orally administered modulates gastrointestinal immunological and oxidative parameters in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Minthostachys verticillata (Griseb.) Epling (Lamiaceae) is a plant used in folk medicine for digestive or respiratory disorders. In addition, it is incorporated as condiment, in foods, as beverage flavoring or mate. The ethnopharmacological interest of M. verticillata resides in its essential oil (EO). Part of group has demonstrated the immunomodulatory ability of EO giving this oil a biological potential not known until that moment and conducted studies to evaluate their possible application in diseases of veterinary interest. However, the immunomodulatory effects of EO administered orally have not been fully characterized. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study evaluated the impact of EO oral administration on gastrointestinal and immune health through measurement of immunological and oxidative parameters in mice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The EO was extracted from the leaves, slender stems and flowers of M. verticillata by hydrodistillation and chemical analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Prior to in vivo study, the cytotoxic effect of EO was determined using the human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cell line. For in vivo study, three groups of male Balb/c mice (n = 3) were orally administered with saline solution (control group) and EO (5 or 10 mg/kg/day) during 10 consecutive days. Subsequently, histological and hematological parameters, cytokines production, oxidative markers and CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were evaluated. RESULTS: The chemical analysis of EO revealed the presence of a high content of monoterpenes, being the main pulegone (76.12%) and menthone (14.28%). The EO oral administration improved mice growth performance and modulated systemic adaptive immune response by increasing in the total leukocyte number. A high percentage of CD4+ T cells were observed whereas the number of CD8+ T cells was not altered. EO did not alter the morpho-physiology of intestine and improved total antioxidant capacity by decreasing MDA concentrations. In addition, EO decreased the IL-6 levels and increased in the IL-4 and IL-10 concentrations. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that M. verticillata EO modulate inflammatory and oxidative parameters constituting a natural alternative which could be applied to improve gastrointestinal and immune functionality in animals.

Enhanced cell deconvolution of peripheral blood using DNA methylation for high-resolution immune profiling.

DNA methylation microarrays can be employed to interrogate cell-type composition in complex tissues. Here, we expand reference-based deconvolution of blood DNA methylation to include 12 leukocyte subtypes (neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes, naïve and memory B cells, naïve and memory CD4 + and CD8 + T cells, natural killer, and T regulatory cells). Including derived variables, our method provides 56 immune profile variables. The IDOL (IDentifying Optimal Libraries) algorithm was used to identify libraries for deconvolution of DNA methylation data for current and previous platforms. The accuracy of deconvolution estimates obtained using our enhanced libraries was validated using artificial mixtures and whole-blood DNA methylation with known cellular composition from flow cytometry. We applied our libraries to deconvolve cancer, aging, and autoimmune disease datasets. In conclusion, these libraries enable a detailed representation of immune-cell profiles in blood using only DNA and facilitate a standardized, thorough investigation of immune profiles in human health and disease.

How blood met plastics, plant and animal extracts: Material encounters between medicine and industry in the twentieth century.

Twentieth-century medicine saw the remarkable rise of complex machines and infrastructures to process blood for medical purposes, such as transfusion, dialysis, and cardiac surgery. Instead of attributing these developments to technological ingenuity, this article argues for the primacy of material encounters as a promising focal point of medical historiography. In fact, blood's special properties consistently clashed with most materials used in medical practice, provoking a series of material exchanges. Drawing on a combination of epistemological and network approaches, three exemplary cases are presented to examine blood's encounters with plastics, plant and animal extracts: William M. Bayliss's (1860-1926) injections of dissolved gum acacia to expand diminished blood volume; Charles H. Best's (1899-1978) production of the anticoagulant heparin from animal organs; and the preservation of fragile blood cells by silicone coatings inside of John H. Gibbon Jr.'s (1903-1973) heart-lung machine. The case studies demonstrate how the complementarity of blood and these materials produced hybridizations between medicine and a range of industrial branches, from colonial forestry and meatpacking to commercial chemistry. In this light, the paper concludes by discussing the dependencies of today's healthcare environments on globally distributed, capitalistically appropriated resources in the face of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dose-ranging effects of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

ABSTRACT The lowest dosage of empagliflozin (10 mg) showed similar benefits on glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, body weight, blood pressure, and total and cardiovascular mortality in comparison with the highest available dose (25 mg) in the EMPAREG trial. These findings have not been clearly demonstrated for canagliflozin and dapagliflozin. The objective was to compare the effect of different doses of SGLT2 inhibitors commercially available in Brazil on HbA1c and body weight of patients with type 2 diabetes. MEDLINE, Cochrane and Embase databases were searched from inception until 11th October 2021 for randomized controlled trials of SGLT2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes patients, lasting at least 12 weeks. HbA1c and body weight variations were described using standard mean difference. We performed direct and indirect meta-analysis, as well as a meta-regression with medication doses as covariates. Eighteen studies were included, comprising 16,095 patients. In the direct meta-analysis, SGLT2 inhibitors reduced HbA1c by 0.62% (95% CI −0.66 to −0.59) and body weight by 0.60 kg (95% CI −0.64 to −0.55). In the indirect meta-analysis, canagliflozin 300 mg ranked the highest regarding reductions in HbA1c and body weight. The remaining medications and dosages were clinically similar, despite some statistically significant differences among them. Canagliflozin 300 mg seems to be more potent in reducing HbA1c and body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes. The remaining SGLT2 inhibitors at different doses lead to similar effects for both outcomes. Whether these glycemic and weight effects are reflected in lower mortality and cardiovascular events is still uncertain and may be a topic for further studies.

Mendelian randomization analyses support causal relationships between blood metabolites and the gut microbiome.

The gut microbiome has been implicated in a variety of physiological states, but controversy over causality remains unresolved. Here, we performed bidirectional Mendelian randomization analyses on 3,432 Chinese individuals with whole-genome, whole-metagenome, anthropometric and blood metabolic trait data. We identified 58 causal relationships between the gut microbiome and blood metabolites, and replicated 43 of them. Increased relative abundances of fecal Oscillibacter and Alistipes were causally linked to decreased triglyceride concentration. Conversely, blood metabolites such as glutamic acid appeared to decrease fecal Oxalobacter, and members of Proteobacteria were influenced by metabolites such as 5-methyltetrahydrofolic acid, alanine, glutamate and selenium. Two-sample Mendelian randomization with data from Biobank Japan partly corroborated results with triglyceride and with uric acid, and also provided causal support for published fecal bacterial markers for cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This study illustrates the value of human genetic information to help prioritize gut microbial features for mechanistic and clinical studies.

Aspectos epidemiológicos da infecção por Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys e Mycoplasma spp. em gatos domésticos / Epidemiological aspects of infection by Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys and Mycoplasma spp. in domestic cats

Hemoparasitoses vêm se tornando cada vez mais importantes na clínica médica de pequenos animais. Dentre os agentes causadores encontramos Ehrlichiacanis, Anaplasmaplatys., e Mycoplasma spp., torna-se de grande importância conhecer a epidemiologia nos gatos domésticos. Objetivou-se com esta pesquisa fazer um levantamento retrospectivo de fichas de gatos advindos de consultas no Hospital Veterinário Mário Dias Teixeira (HOVET) que realizaram exame de Reação de Cadeia da polimerase (PCR) no laboratório de biologia molecular, na Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, no ano de 2018 e 2019. No total foram 72 amostras de gatos domésticos processadas, sendo 33 machos e 39 fêmeas, 70 animais SRD e 2 Siameses, todos com trombocitopenia, além de outros sinais clínicos que os levaram a precisar de atendimento veterinário, foram categorizados os meses de entrada e processamento das amostras, bairros dos animais e grupos etários. De todos os animais testados, 34,7% obtiveram diagnóstico positivo para uma das enfermidades, sendo o gênero Mycoplasma spp. o que mais prevaleceu em amostras positivas, com maior frequência em fêmeas adultas, bem como foi descrita ocorrência de E. canis apenas nesse sexo, já A. platysfoi descrito com maior frequência em machos, além de achados de infecções concomitantes observado entre os agentes Anaplasmae Mycoplasma. Concluímos que os gatos atendidos no HOVET possuíam parasitismo por diferentes agentes infecciosos.

Hemoparasitosis have become increasingly important in the small animals' internal medicine. Among the causal agents, there are Ehrlichiacanis, Anaplasmaplatys. and Mycoplasma spp., which give the understanding of the epidemiology in domestic cats a great significance. This research aimed to make a retrospective survey of records from cats that came from appointments at the Veterinary Hospital Mário Dias Teixeira (HOVET) and underwent the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test at the molecular biology laboratory, at the Amazônia Federal Rural University (UFRA), in the years of 2018 and 2019. In total, 72 samples of domestic cats were processed, from which 33 were males and 39 females, 70 of them were mongrel cats and 2 siamese, all of them showed thrombocytopenia amongst other clinical signs that led them to need a veterinary appointment, the months of admission, processing of the samples, districts the animals came from and age group were categorized. 34,7% of all the animals tested showed positive results for one of the diseases, with the genus Mycoplasma spp. being the most prevalent in positive samples, showing a higher rate in adult females, as the occurrence of E. canis was reported only in females, while A. platys was reported with a higher rate in males, as well as concomitant infections following the observation of the agents Anaplasma and Mycoplasma. In conclusion, the cats admitted at HOVET showed parasitism by different infectious agents.