Molecular differentiation analysis of ten putative species of Fannia (Diptera: Fanniidae) collected in carrion-baited traps from Colombia.

The genus Fannia is the most representative of the Fannidae family of true flies with worldwide distribution. Some species are attracted to decomposing materials and live vertebrate animals, which makes them important in forensics, medical and veterinary fields. However, identifying Fannia species can be difficult due to the high similarity in the external morphology of females and limited descriptions and morphological keys. Herein, molecular markers could provide a complementary tool for species identification. However, molecular identification has still limited application since databases contain few data for neotropical species of Fannia. This study assessed the potential of two molecular markers, the COI-3' region and internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2), to differentiate 10 putative species of the genus Fannia from Colombia using distance-based and tree-based approaches. The partial ITS2 and/or COI-3' regions allowed molecular diagnosis of six species, while pairs of species Fannia colazorrensis + F. dodgei and F. laclara + F. aburrae are conflicting. Although these results might suggest that conflicting pair species are conspecific, consistent morphological differences between males do not support this hypothesis. The lack of differentiation at the nuclear and mitochondrial molecular markers for the conflicting species may be due to incomplete evolutionary lineage separation, hybridization, or introgression events. In addition, sexual selection on male morphological traits before species-specific differences in molecular markers emerge may partially explain the results. Our study provides a valuable dataset to identify and confirm some Fannia species molecularly. Further, they could be used to associate females and immature stages with their conspecifics as a baseline to deep into their biology, ecology, distribution and potential applications in forensic and medico-veterinary entomology.

Stakeholder pressure and innovation capacity of SMEs in the COVID-19 pandemic: Mediating and multigroup analysis.

During environmental crises, it has always been particularly interesting to investigate how companies, specifically small- and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), find solutions to survive and learn how to act in adverse situations. We conducted our study during the current coronavirus pandemic to analyse how stakeholder pressure affects both the innovation capabilities of SMEs and their firm performance. On the one hand, we examine whether the market and financial performance are better in the presence of less stakeholder pressure. On the other hand, we analyse whether SMEs implement internal mechanisms that enhance their innovation capacity to solve external problems caused by greater stakeholder pressure, which in turn affects firm performance. Our main findings show that during the pandemic, stakeholder pressure is related to the innovative capacity of SMEs; therefore, the higher the pressure, the more important the innovative response of SMEs. However, with higher pressure, the company's performance would be directly reduced in the short term, as the conditions set would be more unfavourable. Innovation capacity also plays a mediating role in preventing poor business performance because of increased stakeholder pressure. Owing to the importance of the chief executive officer (CEO) in SMEs, we test, through multigroup analysis, the differences based on the CEO's educational level. For example, commitment to innovation in SMEs may be more important for managers with higher education. Finally, our findings show how managers can learn to face new challenges in unfavourable environments.

19S Proteasome Subunits as Oncogenes and Prognostic Biomarkers in FLT3-Mutated Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

26S proteasome non-ATPase subunits 1 (PSMD1) and 3 (PSMD3) were recently identified as prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and multiple solid tumors. In the present study, we analyzed the expression of 19S proteasome subunits in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients with mutations in the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) gene and assessed their impact on overall survival (OS). High levels of PSMD3 but not PSMD1 expression correlated with a worse OS in FLT3-mutated AML. Consistent with an oncogenic role for PSMD3 in AML, shRNA-mediated PSMD3 knockdown impaired colony formation of FLT3+ AML cell lines, which correlated with increased OS in xenograft models. While PSMD3 regulated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) transcriptional activity in CML, we did not observe similar effects in FLT3+ AML cells. Rather, proteomics analyses suggested a role for PSMD3 in neutrophil degranulation and energy metabolism. Finally, we identified additional PSMD subunits that are upregulated in AML patients with mutated versus wild-type FLT3, which correlated with worse outcomes. These findings suggest that different components of the 19S regulatory complex of the 26S proteasome can have indications for OS and may serve as prognostic biomarkers in AML and other types of cancers.

Ethnic and border differences on blood cancer presentation and outcomes: A Texas population-based study.

BACKGROUND: The Texas/Chihuahua (US/Mexico) border is a medically underserved region with many reported barriers for health care access. Although Hispanic ethnicity is associated with health disparities for many different diseases, the population-based estimates of incidence and survival for patients with blood cancer along the border are unknown. The authors hypothesized that Hispanic ethnicity and border proximity is associated with poor blood cancer outcomes. METHODS: Data from the Texas Cancer Registry (1995-2016) were used to investigate the primary exposures of patient ethnicity (Hispanic vs non-Hispanic) and geographic location (border vs non-border). Other confounders and covariates included sex, age, year of diagnosis, rurality, insurance status, poverty indicators, and comorbidities. The Mantel-Haenszel method and Cox regression analyses were used to determine adjusted effects of ethnicity and border proximity on the relative risk (RR) and survival of patients with different blood cancer types. RESULTS: Hispanic patients were diagnosed at a younger age than non-Hispanic patients and presented with increased comorbidities. Whereas non-Hispanics had a higher incidence of developing blood cancer compared with Hispanics overall, Hispanics demonstrated a higher incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (RR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.79-2.08; P < .001) with worse outcomes. Hispanics from the Texas/Chihuahua border demonstrated a higher incidence of chronic myeloid leukemia (RR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.07-1.51; P = .02) and acute myeloid leukemia (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.04-1.33; P = .0009) compared with Hispanics living elsewhere in Texas. CONCLUSIONS: Hispanic ethnicity and border proximity were associated with a poor presentation and an adverse prognosis despite the younger age of diagnosis. Future studies should explore differences in disease biology and treatment strategies that could drive these regional disparities.

Use of species delimitation approaches to tackle the cryptic diversity of an assemblage of high Andean butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea).

Cryptic biological diversity has generated ambiguity in taxonomic and evolutionary studies. Single-locus methods and other approaches for species delimitation are useful for addressing this challenge, enabling the practical processing of large numbers of samples for identification and inventory purposes. This study analyzed an assemblage of high Andean butterflies using DNA barcoding and compared the identifications based on the current morphological taxonomy with three methods of species delimitation (automatic barcode gap discovery, generalized mixed Yule coalescent model, and Poisson tree processes). Sixteen potential cryptic species were recognized using these three methods, representing a net richness increase of 11.3% in the assemblage. A well-studied taxon of the genus Vanessa, which has a wide geographical distribution, appeared with the potential cryptic species that had a higher genetic differentiation at the local level than at the continental level. The analyses were useful for identifying the potential cryptic species in Pedaliodes and Forsterinaria complexes, which also show differentiation along altitudinal and latitudinal gradients. This genetic assessment of an entire assemblage of high Andean butterflies (Papilionoidea) provides baseline information for future research in a region characterized by high rates of endemism and population isolation.

Exploring Determinants of Sexual Satisfaction in a Chilean Representative Sample.

This article examines the relationship between sexual satisfaction and gender, age, social status, being in stable relationships, intercourse frequency, and satisfaction with physical attractiveness (physical appearance and sex appeal). A self-report questionnaire was applied in a representative sample of 767 residents of Santiago (Chile), over 18 years old and that have had, at least, one sexual relation (with penetration) during their lives. Higher sexual satisfaction was predicted negatively by age and positively by higher satisfaction with sex appeal, higher intercourse frequency and having a stable relationship. Among women, the principal predictors are satisfaction with sex appeal and intercourse frequency. Among men to the above, it is necessary to add satisfaction with physical appearance and having a stable relationship - at odds with supposed higher relevance for women of body satisfaction and sensibility to social relationships. Discussion emphasizes the controversial nature of the gender differences found regarding the Latin American culture.

Validation of the Sexual Personal Well-being Index (PWI-Sex).

Objective: The purpose of this study is the validation of a proposed additional item for the PWI-7 scale for measuring sexual satisfaction as a dimension of Personal Well-being.Methodology: An adaptation of the PWI-7 questionnaire was administered to adult inhabitants of urban areas of Santiago, Chile. Analysis consisted of exposition of descriptive statistics, item-scale correlation, item-item correlation, multiple linear regression with the Overall Life Satisfaction Scale (OLS), moderation analysis and, confirmatory factor analysis. All analyses were divided by gender due to significant differences in sexual satisfaction found in literature reviewed.Results: All items were significantly and positively associated with the PWI. Internal consistency was satisfactory for Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.884 for males and α = 0.877 for females). After conducting a Confirmatory Factor Analysis using maximum likelihood (ML) as estimator, adequate levels of adjustment were obtained.Discussion: Results indicate that adding a new item on sexual satisfaction might be a contribution for the measurement of life satisfaction. The scale shows adequate internal consistency once the item is added and the new item on sexual satisfaction has a better fit than the one regarding satisfaction with spiritual life. Factor structure was invariant for males and females.

Energy metabolism and drug response in myeloid leukaemic stem cells.

Despite significant advances in the treatment of myeloid malignancies, many patients become resistant to therapy and ultimately succumb to their disease. Accumulating evidence over the past several years has suggested that the inadequacy of many leukaemia therapies results from their failure to target the leukaemic stem cell (LSC). For this reason, the LSC population currently represents the most critical target in the treatment of myeloid malignancies. However, while LSCs are ideal targets in the treatment of these diseases, they are also the most difficult population to target. This is due to both their heterogeneity within the LSC population, and also their phenotypic similarities with normal haematopoietic stem cells. This review will highlight the current landscape surrounding LSC biology in myeloid malignancies, with a focus on altered energy metabolism, and how that knowledge is being translated into clinical advances for the treatment of chronic and acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

The Sabethines of Northern Andean Coffee-Growing Regions of Colombia.

Sampling for sabethine mosquitoes occurred intermittently from September 2007 to April 2013 in 17 municipalities, located in 5 departments (divisions) in the northern Andean coffee-growing regions of Colombia. Of the 9 genera within the Sabethini tribe known to occur in the Neotropical region, 6 were encountered including 15 species: Jonhbelkinia ulopus, Limatus durhamii, Sabethes ignotus, Sa. luxodens, Sa. undosus, Shannoniana fluviatilis, Trichoprosopon compressum, Tr. digitatum, Tr. evansae, Tr. pallidiventer s.l., Tr. pallidiventer s.s., Wyeomyia arthrostigma, Wy. oblita, Wy. ulocoma, and Wy. undulata. The species Sa. luxodens and Wy. undulata constitute new records for Colombia. These records broaden the knowledge of this important group that includes some important species related to the arbovirus transmission. Records are from the northern Colombian Andes, a region noted for coffee cultivation and ecotourism.

[Pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare entity]. / Hipertensión arterial pulmonar, una entidad rara.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease. It is characterized by the progressive remodeling of the small pulmonary arteries that lead to an elevation of the pulmonary vascular resistance and right ventricular dysfunction. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment avoid the deterioration of the patient's quality of life. Statistics show that there are 15 cases per million people worldwide, the majority comprised of young women, with an age at diagnosis of 30 to 40 years. At present, the exact processes that initiate the pathophysiologic changes observed in PAH are unknown; it is thought to be multifactorial. Diagnosis in PAH must be done in a step by step manner. Under the suspicion of pulmonary hypertension (PH), the first thing to do is confirm the diagnosis. The second step is to identify the specific etiology and lastly evaluate the severity by echocardiography, hemodynamic parameters, biomarkers and exercise capacity. PH treatment, particularly PAH, has evolved over the last 2 decades due to the advance in disease knowledge and the availability of agents that act on different pathways. Concerning surgical treatment, it is indicated in PAH when there is not an adequate response to medical treatment. In conclusion, PAH is recognized worldwide as a rare or infrequent disease. The countries that have a registry for the diagnostics, treatment, follow-up and prevalence of PH are mainly in Europe. With the exception of the United States and Canada, there are no registries in America. Recent years have shown an important advance in Latin America.

Impact of the New Heart Allocation System on the Medium-Term Outcomes in Patients With Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

The introduction of the new heart allocation system in the United States in 2018 resulted in an increase in the number of heart transplants (HT) performed among patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). However, whether that affected medium-term post-HT outcomes in this group of patients remains unknown. We conducted an analysis of the United Network for Organ Sharing Transplant Database, including adults with HCM who underwent heart transplantation between 2015 and 2021. Patients were divided into two equal-duration eras: Era 1 (October 17, 2015, to October 17, 2018) and Era 2 (October 18, 2018, to October 18, 2021). In the studied period, 444 patients with HCM underwent HT: 204 in Era 1 and 240 in Era 2. In Era 2, the waitlist time was shorter, transplant rates were higher, patients were less frequently supported with inotropes but more often with an IABP, ischemic time was longer, and donor-to-recipient distance larger. Pre- and post-transplant functional status was comparable across the two eras, while the pre-HT employment rate was higher in the new system. The 3 year survival was unchanged across eras. In the new allocation system, despite more frequent mechanical circulatory support (MCS) use and increased ischemic time, the medium-term outcomes of patients with HCM remained favorable.

The roles of age, gender, and migration in shaping adolescent student satisfaction within Chilean schools.

This study has a quantitative cross-sectional design that aims to investigate the relationships between gender, age, status (migrant or Chilean-born), educational satisfaction, and overall life satisfaction among adolescent students in 7th and 8th grades of the Chilean educational system. The sample includes 406 students from four municipal public educational centers located in the Santiago district of the Metropolitan Region of Chile, with at least 20% migrant enrollment. The data were analyzed using quantitative methods using the R language, with descriptive analysis, cross-tabulation analysis, and independence tests. The packages used were: ggplot2, tidyverse and ggstatplot. The study found that age has an impact on the level of satisfaction with education and relationships formed with peers. Specifically, younger students expressed higher levels of satisfaction in these areas compared to older students. Moreover, foreign students showed a statistically significant difference in relation to age range, suggesting that as these students grow older, they tend to become less satisfied with the relationships they form with their classmates. In contrast, no statistically significant difference was found among Chilean students, indicating that the findings discussed here may not be generalizable to this specific population. The analysis also indicates a significant difference in the entire sample, suggesting a correlation between age range and level of satisfaction with schooling.

Mitochondrial genome comparison and phylogenetic position of Fannia pusio among the Calyptratae flies.

Fannia pusio, the chicken dung fly species, remains unexplored despite its forensic, sanitary, and veterinary importance in the Nearctic and Neotropical regions. In this study, we obtained the complete mitochondrial genome of Fannia pusio for the first time using next-generation sequencing. We compared it with previously published mitogenomes of the genus from the Palearctic region, and its phylogenetic position was studied based on the concatenated protein-coding genes (PCGs) dataset of Calyptratae flies. The circular mitochondrial genome of F. pusio is 16,176 bp in length, with a high A + T content (78.3%), whose gene synteny, codon usage analysis, and amino acid frequency are similar to previously reported Fannia mitogenomes. All PCGs underwent purifying selection except the nad2 gene. Interspecific K2P distances of PCGs of Fannia yielded an average of 12.4% (8.1%-21.1%). The Fannia genus is monophyletic and closely related to Muscidae based on molecular data. Further taxonomic sampling is required to deep into the phylogenetic relationships of the originally proposed species-groups and subgroups within the genus. These results provide a valuable dataset for studying the mitochondrial genome evolution and a resource for the taxonomy and systematics of Fannia.

Mediation effect of emotional self-regulation in the relationship between physical activity and subjective well-being in Chilean adolescents.

Adolescents' subjective well-being and physical activity have been found to be correlated in previous studies. However, the underlying mechanisms of this relationship, especially the potential contribution of emotional self-regulation, have received little attention. This study aims to investigate the extent to which emotional self-regulation mediates the association between adolescent physical activity habits and their subjective well-being. The study involved 9585 adolescents who completed a cross-sectional survey. Participants were aged between 10 and 19 years old and attended primary and secondary schools in all 16 regions of Chile. The survey utilized a self-report questionnaire to measure physical activity habits, subjective well-being, and emotional self-regulation. Sociodemographic variables, such as age, gender, and socioeconomic level, were also considered in the analysis. The results showed that physical activity habits, emotional regulation, and subjective well-being were positively correlated. Among these factors, the strongest association was found between subjective well-being and emotional self-regulation. The mediation analysis revealed a partial mediation effect of emotional self-regulation between physical activity habits and subjective well-being. In other words, physical activity habits affect subjective well-being to the extent that these habits affect emotional self-regulation. These findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying the link between physical activity habits and subjective well-being among adolescents. They also offer useful information for the development of public programs and policies aimed at promoting physical activity habits and subjective well-being in young people.

How are Organs Transported for Transplantation in Chile? An Exploratory Study.

BACKGROUND: To determine how organs are transported and the safety of the process in Chile. Little is said in the medical literature about how to transport organs for transplantation. Is it safe? METHODS: Exploratory study that characterizes the transport of organs in Chilean health centers in 2021. An interview was applied to selected groups, which were composed by expert health personnel in procurement and transplantation including nurses and surgeons. Seven semistructured interviews were conducted to deeply understand the organ packaging process, transportation, and advantages/disadvantages identified in these processes. Being an exploratory study, the sample was justified by the importance of the stories, details, and perceptions of each interviewee. RESULTS: Seventy-one percent of the sample indicated that the organs are transported in polystyrene devices. One hundred percent of the respondents stated that to optimally preserve the organ, common ice is used. Eighty-six percent reported that "there is no record/monitoring of temperature," and 100% indicated that the quality of the receptacle does not keep the organ under the necessary care for its conservation and does not ensure, in the least, a safe transfer. The experts also indicated that according to figures from the Chilean Ministry of Health, in 2019, 5% of organs were not implanted due to transport problems, that is, 27 organs. CONCLUSION: Chile needs modernization and professionalization in its organ transport procedures. It is necessary to raise standards, upgrade guidelines, and develop new technology in this area. In Chile, the way of transporting organs could be safer.

Competitiveness and Phylogenetic Relationship of Rhizobial Strains with Different Symbiotic Efficiency in Trifolium repens: Conversion of Parasitic into Non-Parasitic Rhizobia by Natural Symbiotic Gene Transfer.

In Uruguayan soils, populations of native and naturalized rhizobia nodulate white clover. These populations include efficient rhizobia but also parasitic strains, which compete for nodule occupancy and hinder optimal nitrogen fixation by the grassland. Nodulation competitiveness assays using gusA-tagged strains proved a high nodule occupancy by the inoculant strain U204, but this was lower than the strains with intermediate efficiencies, U268 and U1116. Clover biomass production only decreased when the parasitic strain UP3 was in a 99:1 ratio with U204, but not when UP3 was at equal or lower numbers than U204. Based on phylogenetic analyses, strains with different efficiencies did not cluster together, and U1116 grouped with the parasitic strains. Our results suggest symbiotic gene transfer from an effective strain to U1116, thereby improving its symbiotic efficiency. Genome sequencing of U268 and U204 strains allowed us to assign them to species Rhizobium redzepovicii, the first report of this species nodulating clover, and Rhizobium leguminosarun, respectively. We also report the presence of hrrP- and sapA-like genes in the genomes of WSM597, U204, and U268 strains, which are related to symbiotic efficiency in rhizobia. Interestingly, we report here chromosomally located hrrP-like genes.

A short fragment of mitochondrial DNA for the taxonomic identification of blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) in northwestern South America.

Blow flies are of medical, sanitary, veterinary, and forensic importance. Their accurate taxonomic identification is essential for their use in applied research. However, neotropical fauna has not been completely studied or described, and taxa identification without the required training is a difficult task. Additionally, the current morphological keys are not fitting to all extant taxa. Molecular-based approaches are widely used to overcome these issues, including the standard 5' COI barcode fragment (~650 base pairs [bp]) for identification at the species level. Here, a shorter sequence of 5' COI fragment (~342 bp) was assessed for the identification of 28 blow fly species inhabiting the northwest of South America. One tree-based (the generalized mixed Yule-coalescent-GMYC) and 3 distance-based approaches (automatic barcode gap discover - ABGD, the best close match - BCM, and the nearest neighbor - NN) analyses were performed. Noticeably, the amplification and sequencing of samples that had been preserved for up to 57 years were successful. The tree topology assigned 113 sequences to a specific taxon (70% effectiveness), while the distance approach assigned to 95 (59% effectiveness). The short fragment allowed the molecular identification of 19 species (60% of neotropical species except for the Lucilia species and Hemilucilia semidiaphana). According to these findings, the taxonomic and faunistic considerations of the blow fly fauna were provided. Overall, the short fragment approach constitutes an optimal species confirmation tool for the most common blow flies in northwestern South America.

The prognostic value of 19S ATPase proteasome subunits in acute myeloid leukemia and other forms of cancer.

Introduction: The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is an intracellular organelle responsible for targeted protein degradation, which represents a standard therapeutic target for many different human malignancies. Bortezomib, a reversible inhibitor of chymotrypsin-like proteasome activity, was first approved by the FDA in 2003 to treat multiple myeloma and is now used to treat a number of different cancers, including relapsed mantle cell lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, colorectal cancer, and thyroid carcinoma. Despite the success, bortezomib and other proteasome inhibitors are subject to severe side effects, and ultimately, drug resistance. We recently reported an oncogenic role for non-ATPase members of the 19S proteasome in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and several different solid tumors. In the present study, we hypothesized that ATPase members of the 19S proteasome would also serve as biomarkers and putative therapeutic targets in AML and multiple other cancers. Methods: We used data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) available at UALCAN and/or GEPIA2 to assess the expression and prognostic value of proteasome 26S subunit, ATPases 1-6 (PSMC1-6) of the 19S proteasome in cancer. UALCAN was also used to associate PSMC1-6 mRNA expression with distinct clinicopathological features. Finally, cBioPortal was employed to assess genomic alterations of PSMC genes across different cancer types. Results: The mRNA and protein expression of PSMC1-6 of the 19S proteasome were elevated in several cancers compared with normal controls, which often correlated with worse overall survival. In contrast, AML patients demonstrated reduced expression of these proteasome subunits compared with normal mononuclear cells. However, AML patients with high expression of PSMC2-5 had worse outcomes. Discussion: Altogether, our data suggest that components of the 19S proteasome could serve as prognostic biomarkers and novel therapeutic targets in AML and several other human malignancies.

Electro-optical Study of the Anomalous Rotational Diffusion in Polymer Solutions.

Brownian diffusion of spherical nanoparticles is usually exploited to ascertain the rheological properties of complex media. However, the behavior of the tracer particles is affected by a number of phenomena linked to the interplay between the dynamics of the particles and polymer coils. For this reason, the characteristic lengths of the dispersed entities, depletion phenomena, and the presence of sticking conditions have been observed to affect the translational diffusion of the probes. On the other hand, the retardation effect of the host fluid on the rotational diffusion of nonspherical particles is less understood. We explore the possibility of studying this phenomenon by analyzing the electro-orientation of the particles in different scenarios in which we vary the ratio between the particle and polymer characteristic size, and the geometry of the particles, including both elongated and oblate shapes. We find that the Stokes-Einstein relation only applies if the radius of gyration of the polymer is much shorter than the particle size and when some repulsive interaction between both is present.