Unraveling the mystery of ocular retinoid turnover: Insights from albino mice and the role of STRA6.

A delicate balance between photon absorption for vision and the protection of photoreceptors from light damage is pivotal for ocular health. This equilibrium is governed by the light-absorbing 11-cis-retinylidene chromophore of visual pigments, which, upon bleaching, transforms into all-trans-retinal and undergoes regeneration through an enzymatic pathway, named the visual cycle. Chemical side reactions of retinaldehyde during the recycling process can generate by-products that may result in a depletion of retinoids. In our study, we have clarified the crucial roles played by melanin pigmentation and the retinoid transporter STRA6 in preventing this loss and preserving the integrity of the visual cycle. Our experiments initially confirmed that consecutive green and blue light bleaching of isolated bovine rhodopsin produced 9-cis and 13-cis retinal. The same unusual retinoids were found in the retinas of mice exposed to intense light, with elevated concentrations observed in albino mice. Examining the metabolic fate of these visual cycle byproducts revealed that 9-cis-retinal, but not 13-cis-retinal, was recycled back to all-trans-retinal through an intermediate called isorhodopsin. However, investigations in Stra6 knockout mice unveiled that the generation of these visual cycle byproducts correlated with a light-induced loss of ocular retinoids and visual impairment. Collectively, our findings uncover important novel aspects of visual cycle dynamics, with implications for ocular health and photoreceptor integrity.

Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein is necessary to maintain lipid homeostasis and retinal function.

Lipid processing by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is necessary to maintain retinal health and function. Dysregulation of retinal lipid homeostasis due to normal aging or age-related disease triggers lipid accumulation within the RPE, on Bruch's membrane (BrM), and in the subretinal space. In its role as a hub for lipid trafficking into and out of the neural retina, the RPE packages a significant amount of lipid into lipid droplets for storage and into apolipoprotein B (APOB)-containing lipoproteins (Blps) for export. Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP), encoded by the MTTP gene, is essential for Blp assembly. Herein we test the hypothesis that MTP expression in the RPE is essential to maintain lipid balance and retinal function using the newly generated RPEΔMttp mouse model. Using non-invasive ocular imaging, electroretinography, and histochemical and biochemical analyses we show that genetic depletion of Mttp from the RPE results in intracellular lipid accumulation, increased photoreceptor-associated cholesterol deposits, and photoreceptor cell death, and loss of rod but not cone function. RPE-specific reduction in Mttp had no significant effect on plasma lipids and lipoproteins. While APOB was decreased in the RPE, most ocular retinoids remained unchanged, with the exception of the storage form of retinoid, retinyl ester. Thus suggesting that RPE MTP is critical for Blp synthesis and assembly but is not directly involved in plasma lipoprotein metabolism. These studies demonstrate that RPE-specific MTP expression is necessary to establish and maintain retinal lipid homeostasis and visual function.

Products of the visual cycle are detected in mice lacking retinol binding protein 4, the only known vitamin A carrier in plasma.

Efficient delivery of vitamin A to the retinal pigment epithelium is vital to the production of the light-sensitive visual chromophore 11-cis-retinal. Nevertheless, retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) is the only known carrier of vitamin A in plasma. Here, we present new findings that further characterize the visual cycle in the presence of Rbp4 deficiency. In the face of impaired delivery of retinol in Rbp4-/- mice, we determined that 11-cis-retinaldehyde reached levels that were ∼60% of WT at 4 months of age and all-trans-retinyl ester was 18% of normal yet photoreceptor cell loss was apparent by 8 months of age. The lack of Rbp4 appeared to have a greater impact on scotopic rod-mediated responses than on cone function at early ages. Also, despite severely impaired delivery of retinol, bisretinoid lipofuscin that forms as a byproduct of the visual cycle was measurable by HPLC and by quantitative fundus autofluorescence. In mice carrying an Rpe65 amino acid variant that slows visual cycle kinetics, Rbp4 deficiency had a less pronounced effect on 11-cis-retinal levels. Finally, we found that ocular retinoids were not altered in mice expressing elevated adipose-derived total Rbp4 protein (hRBP4+/+AdiCre+/-). In conclusion, our findings are consistent with a model in which vitamin A can be delivered to the retina by Rbp4-independent pathways.

A vicious cycle of bisretinoid formation and oxidation relevant to recessive Stargardt disease.

The ability of iron to transfer electrons enables the contribution of this metal to a variety of cellular activities even as the redox properties of iron are also responsible for the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH), the most destructive of the reactive oxygen species. We previously showed that iron can promote the oxidation of bisretinoid by generating highly reactive hydroxyl radical (•OH). Now we report that preservation of iron regulation in the retina is not sufficient to prevent iron-induced bisretinoid oxidative degradation when blood iron levels are elevated in liver-specific hepcidin knockout mice. We obtained evidence for the perpetuation of Fenton reactions in the presence of the bisretinoid A2E and visible light. On the other hand, iron chelation by deferiprone was not associated with changes in postbleaching recovery of 11-cis-retinal or dark-adapted ERG b-wave amplitudes indicating that the activity of Rpe65, a rate-determining visual cycle protein that carries an iron-binding domain, is not affected. Notably, iron levels were elevated in the neural retina and retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells of Abca4-/- mice. Consistent with higher iron content, ferritin-L immunostaining was elevated in RPE of a patient diagnosed with ABCA4-associated disease and in RPE and photoreceptor cells of Abca4-/- mice. In neural retina of the mutant mice, reduced Tfrc mRNA was also an indicator of retinal iron overload. Thus iron chelation may defend retina when bisretinoid toxicity is implicated in disease processes.

A vicious cycle of bisretinoid formation and oxidation relevant to recessive Stargardt disease.

The ability of iron to transfer electrons enables the contribution of this metal to a variety of cellular activities even as the redox properties of iron are also responsible for the generation of hydroxyl radicals (•OH), the most destructive of the reactive oxygen species. We previously showed that iron can promote the oxidation of bisretinoid by generating highly reactive hydroxyl radical (•OH). Now we report that preservation of iron regulation in the retina is not sufficient to prevent iron-induced bisretinoid oxidative degradation when blood iron levels are elevated in liver-specific hepcidin knock-out mice. We obtained evidence for the perpetuation of Fenton reactions in the presence of the bisretinoid A2E and visible light. On the other hand, iron chelation by deferiprone was not associated with changes in post-bleaching recovery of 11-cis-retinal or dark-adapted ERG b-wave amplitudes indicating that the activity of Rpe65, a rate-determining visual cycle protein that carries an iron-binding domain is not affected. Notably, iron levels were elevated in the neural retina and RPE of Abca4-/- mice. Consistent with higher iron content, ferritin-L immunostaining was elevated in RPE of a patient diagnosed with ABCA4-associated disease and in RPE and photoreceptor cells of Abca4-/- mice. In neural retina of the mutant mice, reduced Tfrc mRNA was also an indicator of retinal iron overload. Thus iron chelation may defend retina when bisretinoid toxicity is implicated in disease processes.

Multi-criteria decision analysis and spatial statistic: an approach to determining human vulnerability to vector transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi.

BACKGROUND: Chagas disease (CD), caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected human disease. It is endemic to the Americas and is estimated to have an economic impact, including lost productivity and disability, of 7 billion dollars per year on average. OBJECTIVES: To assess vulnerability to vector-borne transmission of T. cruzi in domiciliary environments within an area undergoing domiciliary vector interruption of T. cruzi in Colombia. METHODS: Multi-criteria decision analysis [preference ranking method for enrichment evaluation (PROMETHEE) and geometrical analysis for interactive assistance (GAIA) methods] and spatial statistics were performed on data from a socio-environmental questionnaire and an entomological survey. In the construction of multi-criteria descriptors, decision-making processes and indicators of five determinants of the CD vector pathway were summarily defined, including: (1) house indicator (HI); (2) triatominae indicator (TI); (3) host/reservoir indicator (Ho/RoI); (4) ecotope indicator (EI); and (5) socio-cultural indicator (S-CI). FINDINGS: Determination of vulnerability to CD is mostly influenced by TI, with 44.96% of the total weight in the model, while the lowest contribution was from S-CI, with 7.15%. The five indicators comprise 17 indices, and include 78 of the original 104 priority criteria and variables. The PROMETHEE and GAIA methods proved very efficient for prioritisation and quantitative categorisation of socio-environmental determinants and for better determining which criteria should be considered for interrupting the man-T. cruzi-vector relationship in endemic areas of the Americas. Through the analysis of spatial autocorrelation it is clear that there is a spatial dependence in establishing categories of vulnerability, therefore, the effect of neighbors' setting (border areas) on local values should be incorporated into disease management for establishing programs of surveillance and control of CD via vector. CONCLUSIONS: The study model proposed here is flexible and can be adapted to various eco-epidemiological profiles and is suitable for focusing anti-T. cruzi serological surveillance programs in vulnerable human populations.

[Strategy for determining a baseline in areas of vector interruption for Chagas disease]. / Estrategia para determinar la línea base en áreas de interrupción vectorial de la enfermedad de Chagas.

Objectives Present a strategy to determine the baseline in endemic areas in the process of vector interruption for Chagas disease (CHD). Methods A social and environmental questionnaire and an entomological survey evaluated the physical conditions of dwellings, the inhabitants' knowledge of CHD, the entomological triatomine indicators and the statistical relationship among these variables. Results Colonization and natural infection with Trypanosoma cruzi exist in Rhodnius prolixus, the principal vector of CHD in Colombia. Colonization was related to palm-thatched houses constructed with adobe or wattle and daub. The Panstrongylus geniculatus vector was found to be colonizing. Almost 50% of the surveyed population associated the term CHD with human disease and 37%, with triatomines. Conclusions R. prolixus can be considered to be the principal vector of T. cruzi in domestic environments and the process of interruption is feasible within the prioritized municipality. New studies are needed to verify the existence of wild populations of R. prolixus that could affect future stages of the process and demonstrate whether P. geniculatus is a factor in the transmission of T. cruzi. These scenarios can be made viable by including the inhabitants throughout the process, since they have been highly sensitive in vector detection inside their houses. The study design presented here can be adapted to other endemic areas of the Region of the Americas.

Uncovering potential 'herbal probiotics' in Juzen-taiho-to through the study of associated bacterial populations.

Juzen-taiho-to (JTT) is an immune-boosting formulation of ten medicinal herbs. It is used clinically in East Asia to boost the human immune functions. The active factors in JTT have not been clarified. But, existing evidence suggests that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-like factors contribute to the activity. To examine this possibility, JTT was subjected to a series of analyses, including high resolution mass spectrometry, which suggested the presence of structural variants of LPS. This finding opened a possibility that JTT contains immune-boosting bacteria. As the first step to characterize the bacteria in JTT, 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing was carried out for Angelica sinensis (dried root), one of the most potent immunostimulatory herbs in JTT. The sequencing revealed a total of 519 bacteria genera in A. sinensis. The most abundant genus was Rahnella, which is widely distributed in water and plants. The abundance of Rahnella appeared to correlate with the immunostimulatory activity of A. sinensis. In conclusion, the current study provided new pieces of evidence supporting the emerging theory of bacterial contribution in immune-boosting herbs.

Biomarker-guided screening of Juzen-taiho-to, an oriental herbal formulation for immunostimulation.

Juzen-taiho-to is an immunostimulatory herbal formulation that is clinically used in East Asia for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation. The formulation stimulates various leukocytes, including T, B, and NK cells and macrophages. Although Juzen-taiho-to is known to contain numerous compounds with various pharmacological activities, it is not clear which compounds are responsible for the stimulation of individual cell types. Here, we conducted what we call "biomarker-guided screening" to purify compounds responsible for the macrophages stimulatory activity. To this end, gene expression was analyzed by a DNA array for macrophages treated with Juzen-taiho-to and DMSO (vehicle control), which identified intercellular adhesion molecule 1 as a biomarker of macrophage stimulation by Juzen-taiho-to. A quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 was then used to guide the purification of active compounds. The screening resulted in the purification of a glycolipid mixture, containing ß-glucosylceramides. The glycolipid mixture potently stimulated intercellular adhesion molecule 1 expression in primary dendritic cells as well as in primary CD14+ (macrophages) cells. The identification of this glycolipid mixture opens up an opportunity for further studies to understand how plant-derived glycolipids stimulate macrophages and dendritic cells in a safe and effective manner as demonstrated by Juzen-taiho-to.

Wolbachia-based emerging strategies for control of vector-transmitted disease.

Dengue fever is a mosquito-transmitted disease of great public health importance. Dengue lacks adequate vaccine protection and insecticide-based methods of mosquito control are proving increasingly ineffective. Here we review the emerging use of mosquitoes transinfected with the obligate intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis for vector control. Wolbachia often induces cytoplasmic incompatibility in its mosquito hosts, resulting in infertile progeny between an infected male and an uninfected female. Wolbachia infection also suppresses the replication of pathogens in the mosquito, a process known as "pathogen blocking". Two strategies have emerged. The first one releases Wolbachia carriers (both male and female) to replace the wild mosquito population, a process driven by cytoplasmic incompatibility and that becomes irreversible once a threshold is reached. This suppresses disease transmission mainly by pathogen blocking and frequently requires a single intervention. The second strategy floods the field population with an exclusively male population of Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes to generate infertile hybrid progeny. In this case, transmission suppression depends largely on decreasing the population density of mosquitoes driven by infertility and requires continued mosquito release. The efficacy of both Wolbachia-based approaches has been conclusively demonstrated by randomized and non-randomized studies of deployments across the world. However, results conducted in one setting cannot be directly or easily extrapolated to other settings because dengue incidence is highly affected by the conditions into which the mosquitoes are released. Compared to traditional vector control methods, Wolbachia-based approaches are much more environmentally friendly and can be effective in the medium/long term. On the flip side, they are much more complex and cost-intensive operations, requiring a substantial investment, infrastructure, trained personnel, coordination between agencies, and community engagement. Finally, we discuss recent evidence suggesting that the release of Wolbachia-transinfected mosquitoes has a moderate potential risk of spreading potentially dangerous genes in the environment.

Synthesis and anti-tumor activity of carbohydrate analogues of the tetrahydrofuran containing acetogenins.

The tetrahydrofuran (THF) containing annonaceous acetogenins (AAs) are attractive candidates for drug development because of their potent cytotoxicity against a wide range of tumors and their relatively simple and robust structures. Replacement of the THF segment with a sugar residue may deliver analogues with improved tumor selectivity and pharmacokinetics and are therefore attractive for drug development. As a first test to the feasibility of such structures, a set of such monosaccharide analogues was synthesized and assayed against four human tumor cell lines, cervical (HeLa), breast (MDA-MB231), T-cell leukemia (Jurkat) and prostate (PC-3). Certain analogues showed low micromolar activity that was comparable to a structurally similar, naturally occurring mono-THF acetogenin. A preliminary examination of the structure-activity profile of these carbohydrate analogues suggests that they have a similar mechanism of action as their THF congeners.

Dataset of audio signals from brushless DC motors for predictive maintenance.

Predictive Maintenance (PdM) has a main role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution; its goal is to design models that can safely detect failure in systems before they fail, aiming to reduce financial, environmental, and operational costs. A brushless DC (BLDC) electric motors have increasingly become more popular and been gaining popularity in industrial applications, so their analysis for PdM applications is only a natural progression; audio analysis proves to be a useful method to achieve this and rises as a very pragmatic case of study of the characteristics of the motors. The main goal of this paper is to showcase sound-based behavior of BLDC motors in different failure modes as result of an experiment led by researchers at Universidad del Cauca in Colombia. This dataset may provide researchers with useful information regarding signal processing and the development of Machine Learning applications that would achieve an improvement within Predictive Maintenance and I4.0.Predictive Maintenance (PdM) has a main role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution; its goal is to design models that can safely detect failure in systems before they fail, aiming to reduce financial, environmental, and operational costs. A brushless DC (BLDC) electric motors have increasingly become more popular and been gaining popularity in industrial applications, so their analysis for PdM applications is only a natural progression; audio analysis proves to be a useful method to achieve this and rises as a very pragmatic case of study of the characteristics of the motors. The main goal of this paper is to showcase sound-based behavior of BLDC motors in different failure modes as result of an experiment led by researchers at Universidad del Cauca in Colombia. This dataset may provide researchers with useful information regarding signal processing and the development of Machine Learning applications that would achieve an improvement within Predictive Maintenance and I4.0.

Iron overload and chelation modulates bisretinoid levels in the retina.

Aim: Iron dysregulation in conjunction with other disease processes may exacerbate retinal degeneration. We employed models of iron overload and iron chelation to explore the interactions between iron-catalyzed oxidation and photoreactive bisretinoid lipofuscin. Methods: The mice were injected intravitreally with ferric ammonium citrate (FAC) or were treated using the iron chelator deferiprone (DFP) from birth to 2 months of age. Short-wavelength fundus autofluorescence (SW-AF) and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) scans were acquired. The bisretinoid levels were quantified using ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) and in vivo through quantitative fundus autofluorescence (qAF). In histologic sections, the photoreceptor cell viability was assessed by measuring the thickness of the outer nuclear layer (ONL). Results: The levels of bisretinoids, all-trans-retinal dimers, and A2PE were significantly increased in the FAC-injected eyes of C57BL/6J mice. Seven days after FAC injection, hyperautofluorescent foci were visible in fundus autofluorescence (488 nm) images, and in SD-OCT scans, aberrant hyperreflectivity was present in the outer retina and ONL thinning was observed. In FAC-injected Abca4-/- mice with pronounced RPE bisretinoid lipofuscin accumulation, the hyperautofluorescent puncta were more abundant than in the wild-type mice, and the extent of ONL thinning was greater. Conversely, the intravitreal injection of FAC in Mertk-/- mice led to a more modest increase in A2PE after 2 days. In contrast to the effect of iron accumulation, chelation with DFP resulted in significantly increased levels of A2E and A2-GPE and qAF due to the reduced iron-catalyzed oxidation of bisretinoids. In Mertk-/- mice, the A2E level was significantly lower and the ONL area was smaller than in DFP-treated mice. DFP chelation did not impair the visual cycle in BALB/cJ mice. Conclusion: Iron accumulation was associated with progressive impairment in photoreceptor cells that was associated with the increased formation of a bisretinoid species known to form in photoreceptor outer segments as a precursor to A2E. Additionally, disease features such as the development of hyperautofluorescence puncta in fundus AF images, hyperreflectivity in the outer retina of SD-OCT scans, and ONL thinning were more pronounced when iron was delivered to Abca4-/- mice with a greater propensity for bisretinoid formation. Higher bisretinoid levels and enhanced qAF are indicative of lesser bisretinoid loss due to oxidation.

Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein is necessary to maintain lipid homeostasis and retinal function.

Lipid processing by the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) is necessary to maintain retinal health and function. Dysregulation of retinal lipid homeostasis due to normal aging or to age-related disease triggers lipid accumulation within the RPE, on Bruch's membrane (BrM), and in the subretinal space. In its role as a hub for lipid trafficking into and out of the neural retina, the RPE packages a significant amount of lipid into lipid droplets for storage and into apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins (Blps) for export. Microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP), encoded by the MTTP gene, is essential for Blp assembly. Herein we test the hypothesis that MTP expression in the RPE is essential to maintain lipid balance and retinal function using the newly generated RPEΔMttp mouse model. Using non-invasive ocular imaging, electroretinography, and histochemical and biochemical analyses we show that genetic deletion of Mttp from the RPE results in intracellular lipid accumulation, increased photoreceptor -associated cholesterol deposits and photoreceptor cell death, and loss of rod but not cone function. RPE-specific ablation of Mttp had no significant effect on plasma lipids and lipoproteins. While, apoB was decreased in the RPE, ocular retinoid concentrations remained unchanged. Thus suggesting that RPE MTP is critical for Blp synthesis and assembly but not directly involved in ocular retinoid and plasma lipoprotein metabolism. These studies demonstrate that RPE-specific MTP expression is necessary to establish and maintain retinal lipid homeostasis and visual function.

Polycationic glycosides.

Cationic lipids have long been known to serve as antibacterial and antifungal agents. Prior efforts with attachment of cationic lipids to carbohydrate-based surfaces have suggested the possibility that carbohydrate-attached cationic lipids might serve as antibacterial and antifungal pharmaceutical agents. Toward the understanding of this possibility, we have synthesized several series of cationic lipids attached to a variety of glycosides with the intent of generating antimicrobial agents that would meet the requirement for serving as a pharmaceutical agent, specifically that the agent be effective at a very low concentration as well as being biodegradable within the organism being treated. The initial results of our approach to this goal are presented.

Bisretinoids of the Retina: Photo-Oxidation, Iron-Catalyzed Oxidation, and Disease Consequences.

The retina and, in particular, retinal pigment epithelial cells are unusual for being encumbered by exposure to visible light, while being oxygen-rich, and also amassing photoreactive molecules. These fluorophores (bisretinoids) are generated as a byproduct of the activity of vitamin A aldehyde-the chromophore necessary for vision. Bisretinoids form in photoreceptor cells due to random reactions of two molecules of vitamin A aldehyde with phosphatidylethanolamine; bisretinoids are subsequently transferred to retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, where they accumulate in the lysosomal compartment with age. Bisretinoids can generate reactive oxygen species by both energy and electron transfer, and they become photo-oxidized and photolyzed in the process. While these fluorescent molecules are accrued by RPE cells of all healthy eyes, they are also implicated in retinal disease.

Genetic diversity and population structure of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato across different regions of Colombia.

BACKGROUND: There has been a long-standing debate over the taxonomic status of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato. Different studies worldwide have reported the occurrence of different well-defined lineages, in addition to Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu stricto. To date, there are very few studies examining the diverse aspects of this tick in Colombia. We assessed the population structure and genetic diversity of R. sanguineus s.l. in eight departmental regions across Colombia. METHODS: A total of 170 ticks were collected from dogs in different departments of Colombia. All specimens were morphologically compatible with R. sanguineus s.l. and subjected to genetic analysis. DNA sequences were obtained for the 12S rDNA, cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) markers. A concatenated set of all mitochondrial markers was also constructed. Next, maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees were constructed using the sequences generated herein and sequences available in GenBank. Finally, we assessed different summary statistics and analysed population structure and divergence with Fst and Dxy and demographic changes with Tajima's D and Fu and Li's statistical tests. RESULTS: Analysis of the 12S rDNA and COI revealed that all R. sanguineus s.l. specimens collected across different regions of Colombia clustered within the tropical lineage. Micro-geographical analyses showed that the tick population from Amazonas formed a distinct cluster separated from the other sequences, with moderate Fst and Dxy values. However, no signs of a robust population structure were found within the country. The results of Fu's FS tests, together with the haplotype networks and diversity values, signal a possible population expansion of this tick species in Colombia. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence provided herein supports the tropical lineage as the main circulating lineage in Colombia, exhibiting a general lack of genetic structure except for the Amazonas region.

Abundance of Plant-Associated Gammaproteobacteria Correlates with Immunostimulatory Activity of Angelica sinensis.

Background: Angelica sinensis is a medicinal plant known for a variety of biological effects, including its ability to stimulate innate immune cells in humans. Recent studies indicate that the immunostimulatory activity of A. sinensis arises from microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) of plant-associated bacteria. However, it is unknown which bacterial taxa in A. sinensis are responsible for the production of immunostimulatory MAMPs. Methods: Samples of A. sinensis were subjected to a cell-based assay to detect monocyte-stimulation and 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing, which revealed their immunostimulatory activity and microbial communities. The resulting data were analyzed by Linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), an online biostatistical tool for metagenomic biomarker discovery, to identify the bacterial taxonomical features correlated with the immunostimulatory activity. Results: A series of bacterial taxa under Gammaproteobacteria correlated positively with the immunostimulatory activity, whereas several Gram-positive taxa and Betaproteobacteria correlated negatively with the activity. Conclusions: The identified bacterial taxa set a new stage to characterize immunostimulatory MAMPs in plants.

Spotted Fever: Epidemiology and Vector-Rickettsia-Host Relationship in Rio de Janeiro State.

The eco-epidemiological scenario of spotted fever (SF), a tick-borne disease that affects humans and other animals in several countries around the world, was analyzed in Rio de Janeiro (RJ) State, Brazil. During the last 34 years, 990 SF cases were reported in RJ (the Brazilian state with the highest population density), including 116 cases confirmed by serology (RIFI) or PCR, among 42.39% of the municipalities with reported cases of SF. The epidemiologic dynamics of SF in RJ State are very heterogeneous in time and space, with outbreaks, high mortality rates and periods of epidemiological silence (no SF cases reported). Furthermore, it exhibited a changing epidemiological profile from being rural to becoming an urban disease. This study identified arthropods infected with Rickettsia felis, R. bellii and R. rickettsii, and found that the abundance of ectoparasites was associated with specific hosts. The R. rickettsii-vector-host relationship was most evident in species-specific parasitism. This suggests that the association between dogs, cattle, horses, capybaras and their main ectoparasites, Rhipicephalus sanguineus and Ctenocephalides felis, Rhipicephalus microplus, Dermacentor nitens, and Amblyomma dubitatum, respectively, has a key role in the dynamics of R. rickettsii transmission in enzootic cycles and the maintenance of carrier ectoparasites, thus facilitating the existence of endemic areas with the ability to produce epidemic outbreaks of SF in RJ. This study found confirmed human infections for only the R. rickettsii carrier Amblyomma sculptum, which reinforces the importance of this species as a vector of the pathogen in Brazil. This study can be adapted to different eco-epidemiological scenarios of spotted fever throughout the Americas.

Reparación del tendón del supraespinoso con técnica transósea equivalente en población sujeta a compensación laboral. ¿Cuál es el porcentaje de cicatrización? / Supraspinatus tendon repair using an equivalent transosseous technique to workers compensation. What is the percentage of cicatrization?

Introducción: El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar el porcentaje de cicatrización y los resultados funcionales de una cohorte de pacientes sometidos a reparación artroscópica del tendón del supraespinoso mediante una técnica de doble fila transósea equivalente. Materiales y métodos: durante el período de enero de 2015 a diciembre de 2017, se realizó una reparación artroscópica del supraespinoso a cuarenta y ocho pacientes utilizando una técnica transósea equivalente, todas por el mismo cirujano; al cuarto mes de evolución, se evaluó la tasa de cicatrización del tendón mediante ecografía. Los resultados funcionales se analizaron mediante la escala de Constant-Murley (CS), valoración subjetiva del hombro (SSV) y la escala visual análoga (EVA) para objetivar el dolor. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó t test para muestras pareadas. Población sometida a compensación laboral.Resultados: el seguimiento ecográfico objetivó una tasa de re-ruptura del 6%. El promedio de incremento en la escala de Constant-Murley fue de 55 puntos, del SSV de 55%, de flexión anterior 32° y de rotación externa de 13°. La escala visual análoga tuvo un descenso de 6 puntos. Todos estos cambios fueron estadísticamente significativos (p < 0.05). Conclusión: la reparación del tendón del supraespinoso, mediante una técnica transósea equivalente mejora los resultados clínicos y funcionales de los pacientes, objetivados con los índices de Constant-Murley y SSV. En nuestra serie obtuvimos una tasa de cicatrización en el 94% de los pacientes. Tipo de estudio: Serie de casos. Nivel de Evidencia: IV

Introduction: the objective of this work was to evaluate the healing rate and functional results in a retrospective cohort of patients undergoing arthroscopic repair of the supraspinatus tendon, using a double row transosseous equivalent technique. Materials and methods: during the period from January 2015 to December 2017, an arthroscopic repair of the supraspinatus was performed on forty-eight patients, using a transosseous technique, by the same surgeon. We evaluated the healing rate by an ultrasound exam at the fourth month of evolution. Functional results were evaluated using the Constant-Murley scale (CS), subjective shoulder assessment (SSV) and the visual analog scale (VAS) to objectify the pain. For the statistical analysis, t-tests were used for paired samples. This cohort of patients is subject to workers compensation. Results: the ultrasound follow-up showed a 6% re-rupture rate. The average increase in the Constant scale was 55 points, the SSV had a mean increase of 55% and the VAS score decrease 6 points. All these changes were statistically significant (p < 0.05).Conclusions: the supraspinatus tendon repair, using an equivalent transosseous technique, improves the clinical and functional results of patients, objectified with the Constant-Murley and SSV scores. In our series we obtained a healing rate on 94% of the patients. Type study: Case Series. Level of Evidence: IV