Adaptation of sea turtles to climate warming: Will phenological responses be sufficient to counteract changes in reproductive output?

Sea turtles are vulnerable to climate change since their reproductive output is influenced by incubating temperatures, with warmer temperatures causing lower hatching success and increased feminization of embryos. Their ability to cope with projected increases in ambient temperatures will depend on their capacity to adapt to shifts in climatic regimes. Here, we assessed the extent to which phenological shifts could mitigate impacts from increases in ambient temperatures (from 1.5 to 3°C in air temperatures and from 1.4 to 2.3°C in sea surface temperatures by 2100 at our sites) on four species of sea turtles, under a "middle of the road" scenario (SSP2-4.5). Sand temperatures at sea turtle nesting sites are projected to increase from 0.58 to 4.17°C by 2100 and expected shifts in nesting of 26-43 days earlier will not be sufficient to maintain current incubation temperatures at 7 (29%) of our sites, hatching success rates at 10 (42%) of our sites, with current trends in hatchling sex ratio being able to be maintained at half of the sites. We also calculated the phenological shifts that would be required (both backward for an earlier shift in nesting and forward for a later shift) to keep up with present-day incubation temperatures, hatching success rates, and sex ratios. The required shifts backward in nesting for incubation temperatures ranged from -20 to -191 days, whereas the required shifts forward ranged from +54 to +180 days. However, for half of the sites, no matter the shift the median incubation temperature will always be warmer than the 75th percentile of current ranges. Given that phenological shifts will not be able to ameliorate predicted changes in temperature, hatching success and sex ratio at most sites, turtles may need to use other adaptive responses and/or there is the need to enhance sea turtle resilience to climate warming.

Repeatability of the resonance frequency analysis values in implants with a new technology.

BACKGROUND: Assess the reliability (by means of reproducibility and repeatability) of the PenguinRFA system, analyse the ISQ values of different implant types and correlate the ISQ with the insertion torque during the placement of the implant. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 120 rough surface implants were placed in bovine bone (type II and III). The implants were divided into groups, according to its design. Once the implants were in place, the exact insertion torque was registered. Then, primary stability was measured by means of the resonance frequency analysis with the PenguinRFA and the Osstell ISQ devices. In each implant two transducers of each device were used. Three measurements were obtained with each transducer. RESULTS: The mean ISQ (implant stability quotient) of the whole sample is 67,70 ± 5,51. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) is 0,933 and 0,944 for transducers 1 and 2 respectively. The reproducibility is 0,906. The mean insertion torque is 24,54 ± 8,96N. The correlation between the ISQ and the insertion torque is 0,507 p<0,000 (MultiPeg 1) and 0,468 p<0,000 (MultiPeg 2) for bone type II and 0,533 p<0,801 (MultiPeg 1) and 0,193 p<0,140 (MultiPeg 2) for bone type III. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present trial suggest that the PenguinRFA presents excellent reproducibility and repeatability, so it could be very useful in the monitoring of the stability of implants over time. Additionally, according to the results, the correlation between the IT and the RFA is low and there are no statistically significant differences in between implant types.

Translocation of Bacillus thuringiensis in Phaseolus vulgaris tissues and vertical transmission in Arabidopsis thaliana.

AIMS: To demonstrate the ability of Bacillus thuringiensis to penetrate as spore-crystal complex to the internal tissues of bean plants, and keep its insecticidal activity. To test the vertical transmission of the spore-crystal complex in Arabidopsis thaliana. METHODS AND RESULTS: The experimental strain was transformed with the pMUTIN-gfp plasmid which labelled the spores of B. thuringiensis HD-73 with the GFP protein. Once the rhizosphere of the bean plants was inoculated with the labelled strain, the bacterium was recovered from leaves, stems, and petioles. Furthermore, toxicity of treated plants was significantly higher than control plants when bio-assayed on cabbage looper larvae. The labelled strain was recovered from the dead insects. When the rhizosphere of A. thaliana plants was inoculated with the labelled strain, mature seeds from these plants were surface-sterilized and grown under in vitro conditions. The labelled strain was recovered from the seedlings. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki (HD-73) in the rhizosphere can translocate to upper tissues of bean plants, and keep its insecticidal activity. Transmission of the labelled B. thuringiensis strain passed to the next generation of A. thaliana. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The role of B. thuringiensis as a potential facultative endophyte bacterium and the possible biotechnological repercussions are discussed.

Vitamin E nanoemulsion activity on stored red blood cells.

BACKGROUND: Stored red blood cells (RBCs) undergo numerous changes that have been termed RBC storage lesion, which can be related to oxidative damage. Vitamin E is an important antioxidant, acting on cell lipids. Thus, this study aimed to investigate vitamin E activity on stored RBCs. METHODS: We prepared a vitamin E nanoemulsion that was added to RBC units and stored at 4 °C. Controls, without vitamin E, were kept under the same conditions. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production was monitored for up to 35 days of storage. RBC elasticity was also evaluated using an optical tweezer system. RESULTS: Vitamin E-treated samples presented a significant decrease in ROS production. Additionally, the elastic constant for vitamin E-treated RBCs did not differ from the control. CONCLUSION: Vitamin E decreased the amount of ROS in stored RBCs. Because vitamin E acts on lipid oxidation, results suggest that protein oxidation should also be considered a key factor for erythrocyte elastic properties. Thus, further studies combining vitamin E with protein antioxidants deserve attention, aiming to better preserve overall stored RBC properties.

Arsenic in the health of ecosystems: spatial distribution in water, sediment and aquatic biota of Pampean streams.

A survey of arsenic and phosphorus in Pampean streams of Buenos Aires province was performed. Nitrates and ammonia were also determined. Stream water was sampled as well as stream sediment and filamentous algae. Results show that 32 streams exceeded the arsenic recommended guidelines for human consumption of 10 µg L-1 and six exceeded recommended values for aquatic organisms' protection of 50 µg L-1. The average concentration found was 36.54 µg L-1 and areas with more concentration of As are located in the southern region of the province, in streams that are tributaries of the Atlantic Ocean. Other regions with high As concentration are the Matanza River tributaries and the Arrecifes River tributaries. No differences of As concentration was found between stream sediments. Also, no seasonal pattern of As concentration was observed in one stream sampled during a year, but a positive correlation between As and the conductivity (p = 0.0002) and pH (p = 0.01) of the streams was found. Also, As bioaccumulation was detected for all the algae sampled, but no correlation between As accumulated and As in the stream water was found. Ammonia levels exceeded recommended guidelines for human consumption in the Argentinean law in 30 streams. The characterization performed in this study provides relevant information on the distribution of arsenic and its origin and mobility.

Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis producing endochitinase ChiA74Δsp inclusions and its improved activity against Aedes aegypti.

AIMS: The objective of this study was to produce stable inclusions of chitinase ChiA74Δsp in Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) and to assay its insecticidal activity against Aedes aegypti larvae. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bti was transformed with chiA74Δsp regulated by its own promoter or by the strong chimeric cytAp/STAB-SD promoter system to generate two recombinant Bti strains. These recombinants produced their native parasporal bodies composed of Cry4Aa, Cry4Ba, Cry11Aa and Cyt1Aa and ChiA74Δsp inclusions, and showed a approx. threefold increase in both endochitinase activity and viable spore count when compared with the parental strain. Both recombinants were approximately twofold more toxic (LC50s 8·02, 9·6 ng ml(-1) ) than parental Bti (19·8 ng ml(-1) ) against 4(th) instars of A. aegypti larvae. CONCLUSIONS: ChiA74Δsp inclusions, together with the insecticidal crystals and spores of Bti increased the toxicity against A. aegypti larvae by at least twofold. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: We report for the first time the engineering of Bti to produce spore-parasporal body-ChiA74∆sp inclusions in the same sporangium, which are released together following autolysis. Our work lays a foundation for engineering Bti to produce more efficacious combinations of Cry4Aa, Cry4Ba, Cry11Aa, Cyt1Aa and chitinase inclusions.

Detection of ß-exotoxin synthesis in Bacillus thuringiensis using an easy bioassay with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

UNLABELLED: The insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis is owing to the action of Cry and Cyt proteins. In addition to the synthesis of insecticidal proteins, some strains are able to synthesize ß-exotoxin, which is highly toxic to humans. In this regard, it is very important to have a simple method to detect ß-exotoxin to avoid the commercial production of this type of strains. In this work, we developed a simple and fast method, using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to detect indirectly the synthesis of ß-exotoxin by B. thuringiensis strain. Using this assay, we detected that ~60% of Mexican native strains (i.e. LBIT-471, 491, 492, 497, 507, 511, 515, 536 and 537) were toxic to the nematode (44-97% mortalities) and their ß-exotoxin (ßEx(+) ) production, including a positive control (NRD-12), was confirmed by HPLC. In addition, the negative controls (ßEx(-) ) LBIT-436 (HD-1) and LBIT-438 and also the native strains LBIT-499, 500, 521, 522, 533 and 542, did not show a detrimental effect against nematodes larvae, neither the synthesis of ß-exotoxin as determined by HPLC. Finally, we did not find a correlation between B. thuringiensis strains with similar plasmid patterns and the ß-exotoxin production. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: In this work, we implemented a qualitative and fast bioassay using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to detect the production of ß-exotoxin in different strains of Bacillus thuringiensis. We show that this assay is useful to detect ß-exotoxin in B. thuringiensis with high reliability, helping to discriminate strains that could not be used as bioinsecticides because of their putative risk to humans. Data show that qualitative bioassay with nematodes is a potential alternative to fly larvae bioassays, and correlated with the determination of ß-exotoxin by HPLC.

Banff 2013 meeting report: inclusion of c4d-negative antibody-mediated rejection and antibody-associated arterial lesions.

The 12th Banff Conference on Allograft Pathology was held in Comandatuba, Brazil, from August 19-23, 2013, and was preceded by a 2-day Latin American Symposium on Transplant Immunobiology and Immunopathology. The meeting was highlighted by the presentation of the findings of several working groups formed at the 2009 and 2011 Banff meetings to: (1) establish consensus criteria for diagnosing antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) in the presence and absence of detectable C4d deposition; (2) develop consensus definitions and thresholds for glomerulitis (g score) and chronic glomerulopathy (cg score), associated with improved inter-observer agreement and correlation with clinical, molecular and serological data; (3) determine whether isolated lesions of intimal arteritis ("isolated v") represent acute rejection similar to intimal arteritis in the presence of tubulointerstitial inflammation; (4) compare different methodologies for evaluating interstitial fibrosis and for performing/evaluating implantation biopsies of renal allografts with regard to reproducibility and prediction of subsequent graft function; and (5) define clinically and prognostically significant morphologic criteria for subclassifying polyoma virus nephropathy. The key outcome of the 2013 conference is defining criteria for diagnosis of C4d-negative ABMR and respective modification of the Banff classification. In addition, three new Banff Working Groups were initiated.

Health system costs of providing outpatient care for diabetes in people with TB in the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a known risk factor for active TB. A key activity in the Philippines is to integrate TB services with other disease programmes, with a target of DM screening in 90% of TB cases. However, costs of providing DM outpatient services for TB patients are not well known. METHODS: We estimated the costs of providing integrated DM outpatient services within TB services from the health system perspective. Resources for outpatient DM services were valued using the bottom-up approach for capital goods, staff time and consumables. Resource quantities were obtained by interviewing 60 healthcare professionals in 11 health facilities in the Philippines. RESULTS: The mean cost per service ranged from USD0.53 for DM risk assessment to USD23.72 for oral glucose tolerance test. The cost per case detected for different algorithms varied from USD17.43 to USD80.81. The monthly cost per patient was estimated at USD8.95 to USD12.36. CONCLUSION: Our study provides the first estimates of costs for providing integrated DM outpatient services and TB care in a low- and middle-income country. The costs of DM detection in TB patients suggests that it may be useful to further investigate the cost-effectiveness and affordability of service delivery.

CONTEXTE: Le diabète (DM) est un facteur de risque bien établi pour la TB active. Aux Philippines, l'une des principales initiatives est d'intégrer les services de lutte contre la TB dans d'autres programmes de santé, dans le but de dépister le DM chez 90% des patients atteints de TB. Cependant, les coûts des services ambulatoires de traitement du DM pour les patients atteints de TB ne sont pas clairement définis. MÉTHODES: Nous avons évalué les coûts des services ambulatoires intégrés pour le traitement du DM dans le cadre des services de lutte contre la TB, du point de vue du système de santé. Les ressources pour les services ambulatoires de DM ont été évaluées en utilisant l'approche ascendante pour les biens d'équipement, le temps du personnel et les consommables. Les quantités de ressources ont été recueillies en interrogeant 60 professionnels de la santé dans 11 établissements de santé aux Philippines. CONCLUSION: Notre étude présente les premières estimations des coûts des services ambulatoires intégrés pour le traitement du DM et de soins de la TB dans un pays à revenu faible ou intermédiaire. Il est suggéré d'approfondir l'étude du rapport coût-efficacité et de l'accessibilité des services de détection de la DM chez les patients atteints de TB, compte tenu des coûts impliqués.

American tegumentary leishmaniasis: cytokines and nitric oxide in active disease and after clinical cure, with or without chemotherapy.

The influence of immune response on the treatment of American tegumentary leishmaniasis is pointed by several authors, and the existence of protective immunity in self-healed patients (SH) is also suggested. Thus, interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL-) 10, IL-17, IL-22 and nitric oxide (NO) production was determined in PBMC culture supernatants from patients with active disease (AD) and after therapy, SH patients and healthy subjects, in response to the soluble antigen of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. It was demonstrated that, during the active disease, there is a predominance of IFN-γ and TNF-α, indicating a proinflammatory phase of the response; IL-17 is also highlighted at this clinical state. Also, TNF-α was slightly increased in patients after therapy. NO secretion was noticed in SH individuals, while IL-17 appeared in low levels in these patients and seems to be regulated by NO. The presence of IL-10 was observed in all groups of patients. From this study, we can suggest that in the active disease and after clinical cure, with or without chemotherapy, specific cellular immunity takes part against Leishmania, but with some similarities between the clinical states. Thus, it indicates that the mediators herein described are necessary for the cure to occur.

Is the type of chronic pulmonary infection a determinant of lung function outcomes in adult patients with cystic fibrosis?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Lung function abnormalities are the main factors responsible for the high mortality of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. It is not yet clear whether Burkholderia cepacia infection causes more pronounced loss of lung function than pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Our primary objective was to compare the lung function of adult CF patients with different chronic pulmonary infections. Our second objective was to compare the microbiology using patients' genetic status. METHODS: Fifty-two adult CF patients were divided into 3 groups according to their chronic pulmonary infection profile. All subjects underwent clinical evaluation, pulmonary function tests (PFT) and genetic analysis. RESULTS: The PFT parameters of chronically infected patients were significantly different from those of subjects without pulmonary infection (p < 0.0001). FVC was significantly more altered in patients infected with B. cepacia complex (p < 0.0001); in contrast, FEF25-75% was significantly more altered in patients with P. aeruginosa infection (p < 0.0001). In the groups with chronic P. aeruginosa infection and chronic B. cepacia complex infection, 58.1% and 10% of patients were homozygous for AF508, respectively. In addition to chronic infections, pancreatic insufficiency was also associated with lung function deterioration. CONCLUSION: Chronic pulmonary infection and pancreatic insufficiency are critical processes in lung function deterioration in adult CF patients. Although chronic B. cepacia complex infection causes a more pronounced lung volume reduction, chronic P. aeruginosa infection causes a more pronounced obstruction of small airways. Our results also suggest that deltaF508-homozygous patients are more susceptible to chronic P. aeruginosa infection.

Influence of Arg72Pro polymorphisms of TP53 on the response of buccal cells to radiotherapy.

Polymorphisms in the TP53 gene codon 72 (Arg72Pro) influence apoptosis induction and DNA damage repair. We evaluated how variants of protein p53 (p53Arg and p53Pro) affect cell death and DNA damage repair by analyzing the frequencies of karyorrhexis and micronuclei. There were significant differences in the frequency of karyorrhexis between the three p53 genotypes (Arg/Arg, Arg/Pro, and Pro/Pro), between samples taken before and after radiotherapy, and between patients and controls. The frequency of micronucleated cells increased significantly after radiotherapy. There were no significant differences in the micronucleus frequency in healthy tissues of these patients compared to controls, or in the comparisons between the three genotypes. We conclude that Arg72Pro polymorphism influences cell apoptotic capacity. This is the first study investigating karyorrhexis and micronuclei, as indicators of apoptosis after radiotherapy, and how these indicators are influenced by the TP53 polymorphism Arg72Pro.

[Use of the flexible laryngeal mask in rheumatoid arthritis with the patient in lateral decubitus position]. / Mascarilla laríngea flexible en decúbito lateral y artritis reumatoide.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease leading to synovitis and joint deformities. The hands are often affected but in some cases there may be involvement of the temporomandibular, the atlantoaxial, and cricoarytenoid joints. For insertion of the mask, a patient may be placed in supine, lateral, or prone position with minimal complications. A 46-year-old woman with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis and mild atlantoaxial joint involvement was programed for removal of a large tumor from soft tissue near the right scapula. She was placed on her left side for surgery. After induction of anesthesia a flexible laryngeal mask was inserted without shifting her spinal column. At the end of the procedure, the mask was removed without complications and she orally assessed pain as 0. The flexible laryngeal mask can be used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with little need to move the cervical spine. Insertion can take place in lateral decubitus position, thus avoiding movements that might worsen the patient's underlying disease.

Effects of comorbidities on quality of life in Filipino people with tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: We investigated health-related quality of life (HrQoL) in Filipino people undergoing TB treatment, and whether HrQoL was negatively impacted by comorbidity with undernutrition, diabetes (DM) and anaemia.METHODS: Adult participants were enrolled in public facilities in Metro Manila (three sites) and Negros Occidental (two sites). Multivariate linear regression was used to model the four correlated domain scores from a WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire (physical, psychological, social, environmental). A forward-stepwise approach was used to select a final multivariable model with inclusion based on global tests of significance at P < 0.1.RESULTS: In 446 people on drug-susceptible TB treatment, DM and moderate/severe anaemia were not associated with HrQoL. After adjustment for age, sex, education, food insecurity, treatment adherence, inflammation, Category I or II TB treatment, treatment phase, current side effects and inhibited ability to work, moderate/severe undernutrition (body mass index < 17 kg/m²) was associated with lower HrQoL (P = 0.003) with reduced psychological (coefficient: -1.02, 95% CI -1.54 to -0.51), physical (-0.62, 95% CI -1.14 to -0.09) and environmental domain scores (-0.45, 95% CI -0.88 to -0.01). In 225 patients with known HIV status in Metro Manila, HIV was associated with modestly reduced HrQoL (P = 0.014).CONCLUSION: Nutritional status and food insecurity represent modifiable risk factors for poor HrQoL that may be alleviated through interventions.

Congenital Zika syndrome is associated with maternal protein malnutrition.

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection during pregnancy is associated with a spectrum of developmental impairments known as congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). The prevalence of this syndrome varies across ZIKV endemic regions, suggesting that its occurrence could depend on cofactors. Here, we evaluate the relevance of protein malnutrition for the emergence of CZS. Epidemiological data from the ZIKV outbreak in the Americas suggest a relationship between undernutrition and cases of microcephaly. To experimentally examine this relationship, we use immunocompetent pregnant mice, which were subjected to protein malnutrition and infected with a Brazilian ZIKV strain. We found that the combination of protein restriction and ZIKV infection leads to severe alterations of placental structure and embryonic body growth, with offspring displaying a reduction in neurogenesis and postnatal brain size. RNA-seq analysis reveals gene expression deregulation required for brain development in infected low-protein progeny. These results suggest that maternal protein malnutrition increases susceptibility to CZS.

[Combined regional-general anesthesia with use of the Proseal laryngeal mask during prolonged peripheral plastic surgery]. / Anestesia regional combinada con mascarilla laríngea proseal en cirugía plástica periférica prolongada.

The ProSeal laryngeal mask offers a better interface for controlled ventilation than does a traditional mask because of the ProSeal's improved airway seal and the possibility of draining the digestive tract. Limb reconstructive surgery is normally a long procedure involving the use of grafts or flaps located at a distance from the lesion. Regional anesthesia is therefore of limited use. We report a series of 24 adult patients who underwent peripheral plastic surgery under combined regional and general intravenous anesthesia and in whom the ProSeal mask was used. Data recorded included assessment of the airway and intubation difficulty, disease and duration of the procedure, type of regional anesthesia, respiratory and hemodynamic variables, patient satisfaction, laryngeal complications, and postoperative analgesia. All patients were adequately ventilated. One episode of bradycardia was controlled with atropine. In the immediate postoperative period, no patient presented laryngeal complications and only 1 patient reported significant pain (8 on a visual analog scale). The ProSeal mask was a good choice for use with combined regional-general anesthesia, ensuring control of the airway without causing complications. Analgesia was adequate in most cases.

Study of the cytogenetic effects of occupational exposure to pesticides on sanitation workers in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Sanitation workers handling pesticides in the control of disease vectors constitute an occupationally exposed population to genotoxic substances. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between the occupational exposure to various pesticides and the presence of cytogenetic damage. Fifty-nine men were selected (29 sanitation workers and 30 control individuals) with ages varying between 18-57 years who lived and worked in the same area in Belo Horizonte (Brazil). The following parameters were determined for all individuals using the cytokinesis-block micronucleus (MN) assay in peripheral blood lymphocytes: MN/1000 binucleated cells (BC), BC with MN (BCMN)/1000 BC, nucleoplasmic bridges (NB)/1000 BC, apoptotic and necrotic cells/500 cells and nuclear division index. The analysis of covariance showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) mean frequencies of MN (15.81 +/- 1.31 vs 4.71 +/- 0.42), BCMN (15.10 +/- 1.22 vs 4.62 +/- 0.44), NB (4.59 +/- 0.76 vs 1.00 +/- 0.34), and necrotic cells (12.07 +/- 1.45 vs 5.17 +/- 0.70) in the exposed group when compared to the control group. There was no significant difference in the apoptotic cell frequency between the two groups, while the nuclear division index was significantly lower (1.49 +/- 0.02 vs 1.61 +/- 0.02) in the control group. Neither the time of exposure nor the smoking or alcohol drinking habit influenced the cytogenetic parameters examined. According to these results, occupational exposure to pesticides induced genotoxic and cytotoxic effects in sanitation workers.

Incidence of delayed graft function in cadaveric kidney transplants in Brazil: a multicenter analysis.

To evaluate the frequency of delayed graft function (DGF) in kidney transplant centers in Brazil, we sent a questionnaire requesting information on the number of cadaveric donor kidney transplants performed during the years 2000, 2001, and 2002, the number of early nonfunctioning grafts, and the number of patients on dialysis during the first posttransplant week with subsequent recovery. Among all centers performing more than 50 kidney transplants during the last year of evaluation, 6, performing 612 cadaveric kidney transplants during the study period, replied to the questionnaire. Sixty procedures (9.7%) resulted in nonfunctioning grafts, while 312 (55.6%) patients required dialysis during the first Ptx week: 216 (53.9%) in 2000, 189 (62.3%) in 2001, and 216 (51.6%) in 2002. The frequency of DGF during the study period was higher than that noted by several previous foreign studies. To better evaluate the possible causes of this finding, a more extensive and focused study is warranted.

Electrophoretic analysis (sds-page) of canine urinary proteins according to the stage of chronic kidney disease / [Análise eletroforética (SDS-PAGE) de proteínas urinárias de cães de acordo com o estágio da doença renal crônica]

Glomerular proteinuria is characterized by the loss of high-molecular-weight proteins (HMWPs), while tubulointerstitial proteinuria is characterized by the loss of low-molecular-weight proteins (LMWPs). The objective was to assess the molecular weight of urinary proteins (MWUP) in dogs with naturally acquired CKD and determine the proportion of HMWPs and LMWPs according to CKD stage. Twenty-eight dogs with CKD were recruited and divided into 4 groups based on serum creatinine (Cr) levels (group1: Cr<1,4, n=8; group2: 1,45,0, n=5). The control group consisted of 5 healthy dogs. The MWUP was determined by SDS-PAGE. The urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio (UP/C) was used to quantitatively assess proteinuria. The electrophoresis pattern revealed a proportionally greater loss of HMWPthan of LMWP in all groups with CKD and an increased loss of LMWP in group 4 (P<0.05). These results suggest a predominance of glomerular injuries throughout all stages of CKD in these dogs and an increase in tubulointerstitial injury towards the end-stage of the disease. The results of the present study support the recommendation of SDS-PAGE as an effective technique for the qualitative assessment of proteinuria, as well as a method for assessing the severity and location of renal injury.(AU)

A proteinúria glomerular é caracterizada pela perda de proteínas de alto peso molecular (PAPM), enquanto a proteinúria tubulointersticial se caracteriza pela perda de proteínas de baixo peso molecular (PBPM). O objetivo do trabalho foi determinar o peso molecular das proteínas urinárias (PMPU) de cães com DRC naturalmente adquirida e a proporção de PAPM e PBPM de acordo com o estágio da DRC. Foram utilizados 28 cães com DRC, divididos em quatro grupos, de acordo com o nível sérico de creatinina (cr) (grupo 1: cr<1,4, n=8; grupo 2: 1,45,0, n=5). O grupo controle era composto por cinco cães saudáveis. O PMPU foi determinado por SDS-PAGE. A relação proteína:creatinina urinária (RPCU) foi utilizada como um método quantitativo de proteinúria. A eletroforese revelou uma perda proporcionalmente maior de PAPM, quando comparada às PBPM, em todos os grupos de DRC, bem como uma perda crescente de PBPM no grupo 4 (P<0,05). Esses resultados sugerem uma predominância de lesão glomerular em todos os estágios de DRC nesses cães e uma progressão crescente na lesão túbulo-intersticial no estágio terminal da doença. Os resultados deste estudo reafirmam a recomendação de que a eletroforese de proteínas urinárias é uma técnica qualitativa efetiva de avaliação da proteinúria, bem como um método que permite avaliar a extensão e a localização da lesão renal.(AU)

Hongos anamorfos biodegradan los libros del Área Histórica de la Universidad Central del Ecuador (UCE) / Anamorphous fungi biodegrade the books of the Historical Area from the Central University of Ecuador (CUE)

Determinamos los géneros de hongos anamorfos que contaminan los libros del área de cuarentena y limpieza, dentro del Área Histórica de la Universidad Central del Ecuador (UCE). Realizamos un hisopado aleatorio a una muestra representativa de 50 de estos libros de acuerdo a una Tabla militarizada estándar. También hisopamos como muestra preferencial a 21 libros gravemente contaminados con hongos. Los hisopados tuvieron una superficie de 5x5 cm, friccionando en la pasta, el borde y el interior de estos libros. Las 213 muestras tomadas fueron inoculadas en medio de cultivo Agar Malta. Los medios fueron incubados a una temperatura de 28°C durante 7 días. Realizamos observaciones por microscopía a 40 y 100x además de usar literatura especializada para la identificación hasta el nivel de género de hongos anamorfos. Los géneros más abundantes en este estudio fueron Penicillium (80,2%) y Mucor (8,1%). (AU)

We determined the genera of anamorphic fungi that contaminate the books in the quarantine and cleaning area, within the Historical Area of the Central University of Ecuador (CUE). We performed a random swab on a representative sample of 50 of these books according to a standard militarized Table. We also swabbed as a preferential sample 21 books seriously contaminated with fungi. The swabs had a surface area of 5x5 cm, rubbing on the paste, the edge and the interior of these books. The 213 samples taken were inoculated in Agar Malta culture medium. The media were incubated at a temperature of 28° C for 7 days. We made observations by microscopy at 40 and 100x in addition to using specialized literature for the identification down to the genus level of anamorphic fungi. The most abundant genus in this study were Penicillium(80,2%) and Mucor(8,1%). (AU)