A model species for agricultural pest genomics: the genome of the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

The Colorado potato beetle is one of the most challenging agricultural pests to manage. It has shown a spectacular ability to adapt to a variety of solanaceaeous plants and variable climates during its global invasion, and, notably, to rapidly evolve insecticide resistance. To examine evidence of rapid evolutionary change, and to understand the genetic basis of herbivory and insecticide resistance, we tested for structural and functional genomic changes relative to other arthropod species using genome sequencing, transcriptomics, and community annotation. Two factors that might facilitate rapid evolutionary change include transposable elements, which comprise at least 17% of the genome and are rapidly evolving compared to other Coleoptera, and high levels of nucleotide diversity in rapidly growing pest populations. Adaptations to plant feeding are evident in gene expansions and differential expression of digestive enzymes in gut tissues, as well as expansions of gustatory receptors for bitter tasting. Surprisingly, the suite of genes involved in insecticide resistance is similar to other beetles. Finally, duplications in the RNAi pathway might explain why Leptinotarsa decemlineata has high sensitivity to dsRNA. The L. decemlineata genome provides opportunities to investigate a broad range of phenotypes and to develop sustainable methods to control this widely successful pest.

Sistema de gestión de información de historia clínica electrónica en terapias alternativas / Information management system for electronic medical records in alternative therapies / Sistema de gestão de informação de história clínica electrônica em terapias alternativas

Las terapias alternativas son cada vez más utilizadas en la atención en salud. Actualmente la mayoría de las entidades de salud que prestan dichos servicios realizan el registro de estas intervenciones terapéuticas de forma manual, lo cual produce inconvenientes como: posible pérdida de información, falta de control y seguimiento del paciente, falta de interacción e interoperabilidad con la historia clínica convencional, e imposibilidad de desarrollar estudios estadísticos con información proveniente de dichos registros. El presente artículo presenta un sistema de gestión de información para una historia clínica electrónica en terapias alternativas, basado en un modelo conceptual, y un modelo de interoperabilidad basado en el estándar Health Level 7 (HL7). Para el diseño del modelo conceptual, además de la revisión bibliográfica, se desarrolló una investigación de tipo mixto, con un diseño observacional descriptivo mediante una muestra a conveniencia, conformada por siete docentes y once expertos en terapias alternativas. Se indagó acerca de las características de los instrumentos y herramientas utilizados por los expertos para la gestión de la información. Una vez finalizada la propuesta del modelo, esta fue validada por los expertos. Para el modelo de interoperabilidad se consideraron los aspectos técnicos y sintácticos al diseñar una arquitectura de servicios para el envío y recepción de mensajes. En cuanto a la interoperabilidad sintáctica, se diseñó una estructura de mensaje según HL7 con información de pacientes.

The use of alternative therapies is on the increase in health care. Most of the health institutions currently rendering such services keep manual records of therapeutic interventions, resulting in inconveniences such as the possible loss of information, lack of patient control and follow-up, lack of interaction and interoperability with conventional medical records, and inability to develop statistical studies based on data from those records. The paper presents an information management system for electronic medical records in alternative therapies based on a conceptual model and an interoperability model based on the Health Level 7 (HL7) standard. For the design of the conceptual model, in addition to the literature review, a mixed research study was conducted with a descriptive observational design using a convenience sample of seven teachers and eleven experts on alternative therapies. Participants were asked about the characteristics of the instruments and tools used by information management experts. A model proposal was developed which was validated by the experts. For the interoperability model account was taken of the technical and syntactic aspects involved in the design of a service architecture for message submission and reception. For syntactic interoperability a message structure was designed based on HL7 and patient information.

As terapias alternativas são cada vez mais utilizadas na atenção em saúde. Actualmente a maioria das entidades de saúde que emprestam ditos serviços realizam o registro destas intervenções terapéuticas de forma manual, o qual produz inconvenientes como: possível perda de informação, falta de controle e acompanhamento do paciente, falta de interacção e interoperabilidade com a história clínica convencional, e impossibilidade de desenvolver estudos estatísticos com informação proveniente de ditos registros. O presente artigo apresenta um sistema de gestão de informação para uma história clínica electrônica em terapias alternativas, baseado num modelo conceitual, e um modelo de interoperabilidade baseado no estándar Health Level 7 (HL7). Para o desenho do modelo conceitual, para além da revisão bibliográfica, desenvolveu-se uma investigação de tipo misto, com um desenho observacional descriptivo mediante uma amostra à conveniência, conformada por sete docentes e onze expertos em terapias alternativas. Indagou-se sobre as características dos instrumentos e ferramentas utilizados pelos expertos para a gestão da informação. Uma vez finda a proposta do modelo, esta foi validada pelos expertos. Para o modelo de interoperabilidade foram considerados os aspectos técnicos e sintáticos ao desenhar uma arquitetura de serviços para o envio e recepção de mensagens. Em relação à interoperabilidade sintática, foi desenhada uma estructura de mensagem segundo HL7 com informação de pacientes.

Introducción a la gestión por procesos en el servicio de kinesiologia del hospital de urgencia Córdoba-Argentina / Introduction to process management in service kinesiologia hospital emergency Córdoba-Argentina

El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar la gestión organizacional del servicio de Kinesiología del Hospital de Urgencia, con base en el modelo EFQM, centrado en tres criterios facilitadores. Esto nos va a permitir realizar un diagnostico de la gestión en cuanto al liderazgo, politico, estrategia y gestión del personal. Metodología: en primer lugar se realiza la recolección la de información por medio de entrevistas individuales y reuniones colectivas para contextualizar el momento actual en cuanto a gestión organizacional en la que se encuentra el servicio al momento de hacer el estudio, posteriormente se realiza la autoevaluación del servicio utilizado en modelo EFQM como método de referencia, se identifican los principales puntos fuertes y áreas de mejora, finalmente se plantea una propuesta de intervención. Resultados: se logran evaluar los criterios de liderazgo, politica y estrategia y gestión del personal, encontrando oportunidades de mejora y puntos fuertes en los tres criterios, sin embargo en el de política y estrategia los ajustes que deben hacerse son mayores. Se identifican las mejoras, se organiza la información correspondiente a la gestión administrativa del servicio de kinesiología del hospital.

SUMMARY: The objective of this work was to evaluate the organizational management of the service of inesiology of mergency hospital based on the EFQM model, focusing on three criteria facilitators. This will allow us to make a diagnosis of management. Methodology: first is performed the collection of information through individual interviews and group meetings to contextualize the actual moment in terms of organizational management in which the service is located at the time of the study; subsequently carried out the self-assessment of the service using the EFQM model as a reference method, identifies the main strengths and areas for improvement, ultimately based on the above presents a proposal for intervention. Results: is able to evaluate the criteria of leadership, policy and strategy and management of staff, finding opportunities for improvement and strategy and management of staff, finding opportunities for improvement and stregths in all three criteria, however in the policyu and strategy adjustments to be made are greater. Improvements are identified; information is organized for the administration of the kinematics of the hospitalservice.

Introducción a la gestión por procesos en el servicio de kinesiologia del hospital de urgencia Córdoba-Argentina / Introduction to process management in service kinesiologia hospital emergency Córdoba-Argentina

El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar la gestión organizacional del servicio de Kinesiología del Hospital de Urgencia, con base en el modelo EFQM, centrado en tres criterios facilitadores. Esto nos va a permitir realizar un diagnostico de la gestión en cuanto al liderazgo, politico, estrategia y gestión del personal. Metodología: en primer lugar se realiza la recolección la de información por medio de entrevistas individuales y reuniones colectivas para contextualizar el momento actual en cuanto a gestión organizacional en la que se encuentra el servicio al momento de hacer el estudio, posteriormente se realiza la autoevaluación del servicio utilizado en modelo EFQM como método de referencia, se identifican los principales puntos fuertes y áreas de mejora, finalmente se plantea una propuesta de intervención. Resultados: se logran evaluar los criterios de liderazgo, politica y estrategia y gestión del personal, encontrando oportunidades de mejora y puntos fuertes en los tres criterios, sin embargo en el de política y estrategia los ajustes que deben hacerse son mayores. Se identifican las mejoras, se organiza la información correspondiente a la gestión administrativa del servicio de kinesiología del hospital.(AU)

SUMMARY: The objective of this work was to evaluate the organizational management of the service of inesiology of mergency hospital based on the EFQM model, focusing on three criteria facilitators. This will allow us to make a diagnosis of management. Methodology: first is performed the collection of information through individual interviews and group meetings to contextualize the actual moment in terms of organizational management in which the service is located at the time of the study; subsequently carried out the self-assessment of the service using the EFQM model as a reference method, identifies the main strengths and areas for improvement, ultimately based on the above presents a proposal for intervention. Results: is able to evaluate the criteria of leadership, policy and strategy and management of staff, finding opportunities for improvement and strategy and management of staff, finding opportunities for improvement and stregths in all three criteria, however in the policyu and strategy adjustments to be made are greater. Improvements are identified; information is organized for the administration of the kinematics of the hospitalservice.(AU)

Effect of methionine dietary supplementation on mitochondrial oxygen radical generation and oxidative DNA damage in rat liver and heart.

Methionine restriction without energy restriction increases, like caloric restriction, maximum longevity in rodents. Previous studies have shown that methionine restriction strongly decreases mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA, lowers membrane unsaturation, and decreases five different markers of protein oxidation in rat heart and liver mitochondria. It is unknown whether methionine supplementation in the diet can induce opposite changes, which is also interesting because excessive dietary methionine is hepatotoxic and induces cardiovascular alterations. Because the detailed mechanisms of methionine-related hepatotoxicity and cardiovascular toxicity are poorly understood and today many Western human populations consume levels of dietary protein (and thus, methionine) 2-3.3 fold higher than the average adult requirement, in the present experiment we analyze the effect of a methionine supplemented diet on mitochondrial ROS production and oxidative damage in the rat liver and heart mitochondria. In this investigation male Wistar rats were fed either a L-methionine-supplemented (2.5 g/100 g) diet without changing any other dietary components or a control (0.86 g/100 g) diet for 7 weeks. It was found that methionine supplementation increased mitochondrial ROS generation and percent free radical leak in rat liver mitochondria but not in rat heart. In agreement with these data oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA increased only in rat liver, but no changes were observed in five different markers of protein oxidation in both organs. The content of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes and AIF (apoptosis inducing factor) did not change after the dietary supplementation while fatty acid unsaturation decreased. Methionine, S-AdenosylMethionine and S-AdenosylHomocysteine concentration increased in both organs in the supplemented group. These results show that methionine supplementation in the diet specifically increases mitochondrial ROS production and mitochondrial DNA oxidative damage in rat liver mitochondria offering a plausible mechanism for its hepatotoxicity.

Cranberry proanthocyanidins are cytotoxic to human cancer cells and sensitize platinum-resistant ovarian cancer cells to paraplatin.

Polyphenolic extracts of the principal flavonoid classes present in cranberry were screened in vitro for cytotoxicity against solid tumor cells lines, identifying two fractions composed principally of proanthocyanidins (PACs) with potential anticancer activity. Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis of the proanthocyanidins (PACs) fractions indicated the presence of A-type PACs with 1-4 linkages containing between 2-8 epicatechin units with a maximum of 1 epigallocatechin unit. PACs exhibited in vitro cytotoxicity against platinum-resistant human ovarian, neuroblastoma and prostate cancer cell lines (IC50 = 79-479 microg/mL) but were non-cytotoxic to lung fibroblast cells (IC50 > 1000 microg/ml). SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells treated with PACs exhibited classic apoptotic changes. PACs acted synergistically with paraplatin in SKOV-3 cells. Pretreatment of SKOV-3 cells with PACs (106 microg/ml) resulted in a significant reduction of the paraplatin IC50 value. Similarly, in a BrdU incorporation assay, co-treatment of SKOV-3 cells with PACs and paraplatin revealed reduced cell proliferation at lower concentrations than with either individually. In SKOV-3 cell cultures co-treated with PAC-1 and paraplatin, an HPLC analysis indicated differential quantitative presence of various PAC oligomers such as DP-8, -9, -11 and -14 indicating either selective binding or uptake. Cranberry proanthocyanidins exhibit cell-line specific cytotoxicity, induce apoptotic markers and augment cytotoxicity of paraplatin in platinum-resistant SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells.

Influence of aging and long-term caloric restriction on oxygen radical generation and oxidative DNA damage in rat liver mitochondria.

The effect of long-term caloric restriction and aging on the rates of mitochondrial H2O2 production and oxygen consumption as well as on oxidative damage to nuclear (nDNA) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was studied in rat liver tissue. Long-term caloric restriction significantly decreased H2O2 production of rat liver mitochondria (47% reduction) and significantly reduced oxidative damage to mtDNA (46% reduction) with no changes in nDNA. The decrease in ROS production was located at complex I because it only took place with complex I-linked substrates (pyruvate/malate) but not with complex II-linked substrates (succinate). The mechanism responsible for that decrease in ROS production was not a decrease in mitochondrial oxygen consumption because it did not change after long-term restriction. Instead, the caloric restricted mitochondria released less ROS per unit electron flow, due to a decrease in the reduction degree of the complex I generator. On the other hand, increased ROS production with aging in state 3 was observed in succinate-supplemented mitochondria because old control animals were unable to suppress H2O2 production during the energy transition from state 4 to state 3. The levels of 8-oxodG in mtDNA increased with age in old animals and this increase was abolished by caloric restriction. These results support the idea that caloric restriction reduces the aging rate at least in part by decreasing the rate of mitochondrial ROS production and so, the rate of oxidative attack to biological macromolecules like mtDNA.