Exploring the functionality and conservation of Alba proteins in Trypanosoma cruzi: A focus on biological diversity and RNA binding ability.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the causative agent of Chagas disease, as well as a trypanosomatid parasite with a complex biological cycle that requires precise mechanisms for regulating gene expression. In Trypanosomatidae, gene regulation occurs mainly at the mRNA level through the recognition of cis elements by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Alba family members are ubiquitous DNA/RNA-binding proteins with representatives in trypanosomatid parasites functionally related to gene expression regulation. Although T. cruzi possesses two groups of Alba proteins (Alba1/2 and Alba30/40), their functional role remains poorly understood. Thus, herein, a characterization of T. cruzi Alba (TcAlba) proteins was undertaken. Physicochemical, structural, and phylogenetic analysis of TcAlba showed features compatible with RBPs, such as hydrophilicity, RBP domains/motifs, and evolutionary conservation of the Alba-domain, mainly regarding other trypanosomatid Alba. However, in silico RNA interaction analysis of T. cruzi Alba proteins showed that TcAlba30/40 proteins, but not TcAlba1/2, would directly interact with the assayed RNA molecules, suggesting that these two groups of TcAlba proteins have different targets. Given the marked differences existing between both T. cruzi Alba groups (TcAlba1/2 and TcAlba30/40), regarding sequence divergence, RNA binding potential, and life-cycle expression patterns, we suggest that they would be involved in different biological processes.

Incidence of confusional syndrome (delirium) in a Latin American university hospital.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the incidence of delirium and its subtypes in patients admitted to different departments of university hospitals in Latin America. OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of delirium and the frequency of its subtypes, as well as its associated factors, in patients admitted to different departments of a university hospital in Bogotá, Colombia. METHODS: A cohort of patients over 18 years of age admitted to the internal medicine (IM), geriatrics (GU), general surgery (GSU), orthopaedics (OU) and intensive care unit (ICU) services of a university hospital was followed up between January and June 2018. To detect the presence of delirium, we used the CAM (Confusion Assessment Method) and the CAM-ICU if the patient had decreased communication skills. The delirium subtype was characterised using the RASS (Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale). Patients were assessed on their admission date and then every two days until discharged from the hospital. Those in whom delirium was identified were referred for specialised intra-institutional interdisciplinary management. RESULTS: A total of 531 patients admitted during the period were assessed. The overall incidence of delirium was 12% (95% CI, 0.3-14.8). They represented 31.8% of patients in the GU, 15.6% in the ICU, 8.7% in IM, 5.1% in the OU, and 3.9% in the GSU. The most frequent clinical display was the mixed subtype, at 60.9%, followed by the normoactive subtype (34.4%) and the hypoactive subtype (4.7%). The factors most associated with delirium were age (adjusted RR = 1.07; 95% CI, 1.05-1.09), the presence of four or more comorbidities (adjusted RR = 2.04; 95% CI, 1.31-3.20), and being a patient in the ICU (adjusted RR = 2.02; 95% CI, 1.22-3.35). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of delirium is heterogeneous in the different departments of the university hospital. The highest incidence occurred in patients that were admitted to the GU. The mixed subtype was the most frequent one, and the main associated factors were age, the presence of four or more comorbidities, and being an ICU patient.

Change of dental color and temperature through two bleaching agents boosted with light emitted by diodes.

INTRODUCTION: The use of light sources during the application of bleaching can reduce the time and improve the results, but at the same time this can increase the dental temperature. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of two bleaching agents and the increase in dental temperature with the use of light emitted by diodes (LED)-unit. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty third molars were obtained and randomized: the whiteness without lamp (WHN) and Pola office without lamp (PON) groups, two bleaching systems based on 35% hydrogen peroxide were used, according to manufacturer specifications. For the whiteness with lamp (WHL) and Pola office with lamp (POL) groups the same bleaching agents were light boosted. A spectrophotometer and ∆WID equation was used to record and analyzed teeth color. An infrared thermometer was used to record the external and internal temperature. A ∆T was obtained by the difference of the temperature of the groups with and without LED (WHN-WHL and PON-POL). For statistical analysis Kruskal-Wallis test and Anova test were performed. RESULTS: The WHN, PON, WHL, and POL groups reported ∆WID values of 4.88 ± 1.08, 9.26 ± 3.27, 5.70 ± 2.48, 12.08 ± 5.44, respectively. The dates of internal temperature were 1.01 and 1.07°C, and for external temperature were 1.61 and 1.15°C respectively. CONCLUSIONS: With the limitations of this study, both bleaching agents reported a significant increase in ∆WID with and without association of light. Significant temperature increases were also observed. The highest average temperature increase was approximately 1.61°C. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Bleaching agents boosted with LED may improve the results of bleaching, but it is not essential to obtain good results.

Parámetros fisiológicos en caninos pre y post competencia de Agility en Bogotá, Colombia / Canine physiological parameters pre and post agility competition at Bogotá, Colombia

El estudio se llevó a cabo en la ciudad de Bogotá, ubicada a una altura media 2600 msnm, con temperatura promedio de 14°C. Se realizó un muestreo en el Polideportivo el Salitre y otro en el parque central de Modelia. El objetivo principal fue monitorear y estandarizar los cambios fisiológicos que se presentan en caninos atletas, como respuesta al ejercicio realizado en pruebas de Agility. Se muestrearon 15 caninos hembras de diferentes razas practicantes del Agility, de las escuelas Atalanta y X-treme Dog. El control se obtuvo de individuos en reposo, previo al ejercicio, inmediatamente a su llegada al área de investigación, donde se situaron las pistas para el entrenamiento, que incluía la toma de temperatura rectal, frecuencia de pulso, frecuencia respiratoria y de sangre arterial (arteria femoral). La muestra arterial se procesó con analizador sanguíneo portátil, obteniendo de hematocrito, hemoglobina, sodio, potasio, cloruro, nitrógeno uréico (BUN), glucosa, lactato, pH sanguíneo, presión de dióxido de carbono (PCO2), presión de oxígeno (PO2), bicarbonato, tensión de dióxido de carbono(TCO2), saturación de oxígeno (SO2), exceso de base (BE), anion gap y osmolalidad. Luego se inició el entrenamiento, simulando una competencia real, donde cada canino pasó cuatro veces por pista, y al final se monitorearon, siguiendo el procedimiento descrito para el control. Se compararon los resultados pre y post ejercicio, presentándose: aumento para temperatura, frecuencia respiratoria, pulso, pH, hematocrito, hemoglobina, sodio, cloro y osmolalidad (p<0,001); incremento en los valores de potasio, lactato y glucosa (p<0,01); ascenso para PO2, SO2 y BUN (p<0,05); descenso para PCO2, TCO2, BE y Anión Gap (p<0,001). Se concluye que los caninos deportistas en Bogotá presentan hipertermia, taquicardia, hipocapnia, alcalosis respiratoria acompañada de una acidosis metabólica compensatoria y hemoconcentración por una deshidratación clasificada como hiperosmótica, luego de una competencia de Agility.