Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the cecum presenting as acute abdomen, a rare pathology with a rarer presentation.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor is an extremely rare neoplastic lesion with a predilection for aggressive local and recurrent behavior. The tumor tends to occur in the lungs of children and young adults, and although it can develop in older patients and other organs, this is extremely rare. Symptoms are nonspecific and depend on the location and size of the tumor. The gastrointestinal tract is rarely this mass's primary site of origin, and the cecum is an even rarer location. We present the case of an otherwise healthy 55-year-old female who presented with an acute abdomen and a mass in her abdomen; after successful surgery, she fully recovered. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor causing acute abdomen was the final diagnosis.

Sampling, composition, and biological effects of Mexico City airborne particulate matter from multiple periods.

Air pollution is a worldwide environmental problem with an impact on human health. Particulate matter of ten micrometers or less aerodynamic diameter (PM10) as well as its fine fraction (PM2.5) is related to multiple pulmonary diseases. The impact of air pollution in Mexico City, and importantly, particulate matter has been studied and considered as a risk factor for two decades ago. Previous studies have reported the composition of Mexico City particulate matter, as well as the biological effects induced by this material. However, material collected and used in previous studies is a limited resource, and sampling and particle recovery techniques have been improved. In this study, we describe the methods used in our laboratory for Mexico City airborne particulate matter PM10 and PM2.5 sampling, considering the years 2017, 2018 and 2019. We also analyzed the PM10 and PM2.5 samples obtained to determine their composition. Finally, we exposed lung cell line cultures to PM10 and PM2.5 to evaluate the biological effect of the material in terms of cell viability, cell death, inflammatory response, and cytogenetic alterations. Our results showed that PM10 composition includes inorganic, organic and biological compounds, while PM2.5 is a mixture of more enriched organic compounds. PM10 and PM2.5 treatment in lung cells does not significantly impact cell viability/cell death. However, PM10 and PM2.5 increase the secretion levels of IL-6. Moreover, PM10 as well as PM2.5 induce cytogenetic alterations, such as micronuclei, anaphase bridges, trinucleated cells and apoptotic cells in lung cells. Our results update the evidence of the composition and biological effects of Mexico City particulate matter and provide us a reliable basis for future approaches.

Clinical and ultrasound findings of 'swimmer's shoulder' and its association with training history in elite Portuguese swimmers: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the prevalence of shoulder injuries and ultrasound findings in elite Portuguese swimmers and their association with symptoms and personal or training-related factors. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Portuguese Open and Youth Swimming National Championships between 27 and 30th July 2022. Each athlete entered details regarding personal and training history into a questionnaire and underwent a physical and ultrasound shoulder examination. RESULTS: A total of 102 swimmers out of 662 Portuguese athletes were included in the study. Shoulder pain experienced during the previous season was reported by 42% of the athletes. A high prevalence of shoulder structural abnormalities was noted, specifically supraspinatus tendinosis (91%), tears (29%), and subacromial bursitis (29%). Specific training for injury prevention was associated with higher rates of infraspinatus tendinosis (p = 0.047), and supraspinatus tears were linked to greater swimming distances per week (p < 0.001) and practice (p < 0.001), more years of practice (p = 0.018), shoulder pain at the time of evaluation (p = 0.023), a higher number of missed competitions (p = 0.041), and shoulder injections (p = 0.009). Subacromial bursitis was associated with shoulder pain at the time of evaluation (p = 0.002) and during the previous season (p < 0.001), missed competitions (p < 0.001), and requirement for physical therapy (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: A high prevalence of shoulder morphological changes was found in surveyed swimmers and there were several associations with training load, regardless of individual characteristics of each athlete. It is essential to understand the true impact of current injury prevention programs and to develop effective measures to protect swimmers' health.

Genomic epidemiology unveils the dynamics and spatial corridor behind the Yellow Fever virus outbreak in Southern Brazil.

Despite the considerable morbidity and mortality of yellow fever virus (YFV) infections in Brazil, our understanding of disease outbreaks is hampered by limited viral genomic data. Here, through a combination of phylogenetic and epidemiological models, we reconstructed the recent transmission history of YFV within different epidemic seasons in Brazil. A suitability index based on the highly domesticated Aedes aegypti was able to capture the seasonality of reported human infections. Spatial modeling revealed spatial hotspots with both past reporting and low vaccination coverage, which coincided with many of the largest urban centers in the Southeast. Phylodynamic analysis unraveled the circulation of three distinct lineages and provided proof of the directionality of a known spatial corridor that connects the endemic North with the extra-Amazonian basin. This study illustrates that genomics linked with eco-epidemiology can provide new insights into the landscape of YFV transmission, augmenting traditional approaches to infectious disease surveillance and control.

Isolation, characterization, and evaluation of putative new bacteriophages for controlling bacterial spot on tomato in Brazil.

Bacterial spot is a highly damaging tomato disease caused by members of several species of the genus Xanthomonas. Bacteriophages have been studied for their potential use in the biological control of bacterial diseases. In the current study, bacteriophages were obtained from soil and tomato leaves in commercial fields in Brazil with the aim of obtaining biological control agents against bacterial spot. Phage isolation was carried out by co-cultivation with isolates of Xanthomonas euvesicatoria pv. perforans, which was prevalent in the collection areas. In a host range evaluation, none of the phage isolates was able to induce a lytic cycle in all of the bacterial isolates tested. In in vivo tests, treatment of susceptible bacterial isolates with the corresponding phage prior to application to tomato plants led to a reduction in the severity of the resulting disease. The level of disease control provided by phage application was equal to or greater than that achieved using copper hydroxide. Electron microscopy analysis showed that all of the phages had similar morphology, with head and tail structures similar to those of viruses belonging to the class Caudoviricetes. The presence of short, non-contractile tubular tails strongly suggested that these phages belong to the family Autographiviridae. This was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis, which further revealed that they all belong to the genus Pradovirus. The phages described here are closely related to each other and potentially belong to a new species within the genus. These phages will be evaluated in future studies against other tomato xanthomonad strains to assess their potential as biological control agents.

Development and validation of a scoring system to predict mortality in patients hospitalized with COVID-19: A retrospective cohort study in two large hospitals in Ecuador.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and validate a scoring system to predict mortality among hospitalized patients with COVID-19. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study. We analyzed 5,062 analyzed hospitalized patients with COVID-19 treated at two hospitals; one each in Quito and Guayaquil, from February to July 2020. We assessed predictors of mortality using survival analyses and Cox models. We randomly divided the database into two sets: (i) the derivation cohort (n = 2497) to identify predictors of mortality, and (ii) the validation cohort (n = 2565) to test the discriminative ability of a scoring system. After multivariate analyses, we used the final model's ß-coefficients to build the score. Statistical analyses involved the development of a Cox proportional hazards regression model, assessment of goodness of fit, discrimination, and calibration. RESULTS: There was a higher mortality risk for these factors: male sex [(hazard ratio (HR) = 1.32, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 1.03-1.69], per each increase in a quartile of ages (HR = 1.44, 95% CI: 1.24-1.67) considering the younger group (17-44 years old) as the reference, presence of hypoxemia (HR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.01-1.95), hypoglycemia and hospital hyperglycemia (HR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.01-3.91, and HR = 1.27, 95% CI: 0.99-1.62, respectively) when compared with normoglycemia, an AST-ALT ratio >1 (HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.25-1.92), C-reactive protein level (CRP) of >10 mg/dL (HR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.07-2.08), arterial pH <7.35 (HR = 1.39, 95% CI: 1.08-1.80) when compared with normal pH (7.35-7.45), and a white blood cell count >10 × 103 per µL (HR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.35-2.29). We found a strong discriminative ability in the proposed score in the validation cohort [AUC of 0.876 (95% CI: 0.822-0.930)], moreover, a cutoff score ≥39 points demonstrates superior performance with a sensitivity of 93.10%, a specificity of 70.28%, and a correct classification rate of 72.66%. The LR+ (3.1328) and LR- (0.0981) values further support its efficacy in identifying high-risk patients. CONCLUSION: Male sex, increasing age, hypoxemia, hypoglycemia or hospital hyperglycemia, AST-ALT ratio >1, elevated CRP, altered arterial pH, and leucocytosis were factors significantly associated with higher mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. A statistically significant Cox regression model with strong discriminatory power and good calibration was developed to predict mortality in hospitalized patients with COVID-19, highlighting its potential clinical utility.

ObScene database: Semantic congruency norms for 898 pairs of object-scene pictures.

Research on the interaction between object and scene processing has a long history in the fields of perception and visual memory. Most databases have established norms for pictures where the object is embedded in the scene. In this study, we provide a diverse and controlled stimulus set comprising real-world pictures of 375 objects (e.g., suitcase), 245 scenes (e.g., airport), and 898 object-scene pairs (e.g., suitcase-airport), with object and scene presented separately. Our goal was twofold. First, to create a database of object and scene pictures, normed for the same variables to have comparable measures for both types of pictures. Second, to acquire normative data for the semantic relationships between objects and scenes presented separately, which offers more flexibility in the use of the pictures and allows disentangling the processing of the object and its context (the scene). Along three experiments, participants evaluated each object or scene picture on name agreement, familiarity, and visual complexity, and rated object-scene pairs on semantic congruency. A total of 125 septuplets of one scene and six objects (three congruent, three incongruent), and 120 triplets of one object and two scenes (in congruent and incongruent pairings) were built. In future studies, these objects and scenes can be used separately or combined, while controlling for their key features. Additionally, as object-scene pairs received semantic congruency ratings along the entire scale, researchers may select among a wide range of congruency values. ObScene is a comprehensive and ecologically valid database, useful for psychology and neuroscience studies of visual object and scene processing.

Yellow Fever Virus Maintained by Sabethes Mosquitoes during the Dry Season in Cerrado, a Semiarid Region of Brazil, in 2021.

In recent decades, waves of yellow fever virus (YFV) from the Amazon Rainforest have spread and caused outbreaks in other regions of Brazil, including the Cerrado, a savannah-like biome through which YFV usually moves before arriving at the Atlantic Forest. To identify the vectors involved in the maintenance of the virus in semiarid environments, an entomological survey was conducted after confirmation of yellow fever (YF) epizootics at the peak of the dry season in the Cerrado areas of the state of Minas Gerais. In total, 917 mosquitoes from 13 taxa were collected and tested for the presence of YFV. Interestingly, mosquitoes of the Sabethes genus represented 95% of the diurnal captured specimens, displaying a peak of biting activity never previously recorded, between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. Molecular analysis identified three YFV-positive pools, two from Sabethes chloropterus-from which near-complete genomes were generated-and one from Sa. albiprivus, whose low viral load prevented sequencing. Sa. chloropterus was considered the primary vector due to the high number of copies of YFV RNA and the high relative abundance detected. Its bionomic characteristics allow its survival in dry places and dry time periods. For the first time in Brazil, Sa. albiprivus was found to be naturally infected with YFV and may have played a role as a secondary vector. Despite its high relative abundance, fewer copies of viral RNA were found, as well as a lower Minimum Infection Rate (MIR). Genomic and phylogeographic analysis showed that the virus clustered in the sub-lineage YFVPA-MG, which circulated in Pará in 2017 and then spread into other regions of the country. The results reported here contribute to the understanding of the epidemiology and mechanisms of YFV dispersion and maintenance, especially in adverse weather conditions. The intense viral circulation, even outside the seasonal period, increases the importance of surveillance and YFV vaccination to protect human populations in affected areas.

The Road to Malignant Cell Transformation after Particulate Matter Exposure: From Oxidative Stress to Genotoxicity.

In cells, oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production/accumulation of oxidants and the ability of the antioxidant system to detoxify these reactive products. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), cause multiple cellular damages through their interaction with biomolecules such as lipids, proteins, and DNA. Genotoxic damage caused by oxidative stress has become relevant since it can lead to mutation and play a central role in malignant transformation. The evidence describes chronic oxidative stress as an important factor implicated in all stages of the multistep carcinogenic process: initiation, promotion, and progression. In recent years, ambient air pollution by particulate matter (PM) has been cataloged as a cancer risk factor, increasing the incidence of different types of tumors. Epidemiological and toxicological evidence shows how PM-induced oxidative stress could mediate multiple events oriented to carcinogenesis, such as proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppressors, resistance to cell death, induction of angiogenesis, and activation of invasion/metastasis pathways. In this review, we summarize the findings regarding the involvement of oxidative and genotoxic mechanisms generated by PM in malignant cell transformation. We also discuss the importance of new approaches oriented to studying the development of tumors associated with PM with more accuracy, pursuing the goal of weighing the impact of oxidative stress and genotoxicity as one of the main mechanisms associated with its carcinogenic potential.

Airborne particulate matter (PM10) induces cell invasion through Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor and Activator Protein 1 (AP-1) pathway deregulation in A549 lung epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Particulate matter with an aerodynamic size ≤ 10 µm (PM10) is a risk factor for lung cancer development, mainly because some components are highly toxic. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present in PM10, such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), which is a well-known genotoxic and carcinogenic compound to humans, capable of activating AP-1 transcription factor family genes through the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR). Because effects of BaP include metalloprotease 9 (MMP-9) activation, cell invasion, and other pathways related to carcinogenesis, we aimed to demonstrate that PM10 (10 µg/cm2) exposure induces the activation of AP-1 family members as well as cell invasion in lung epithelial cells, through AhR pathway. METHODS AND RESULTS: The role of the AhR gene in cells exposed to PM10 (10 µg/cm2) and BaP (1µM) for 48 h was evaluated using AhR-targeted interference siRNA. Then, the AP-1 family members (c-Jun, Jun B, Jun D, Fos B, C-Fos, and Fra-1), the levels/activity of MMP-9, and cell invasion were analyzed. We found that PM10 increased AhR levels and promoted its nuclear localization in A549 treated cells. Also, PM10 and BaP deregulated the activity of AP-1 family members. Moreover, PM10 upregulated the secretion and activity of MMP-9 through AhR, while BaP had no effect. Finally, we found that cell invasion in A549 cells exposed to PM10 and BaP is modulated by AhR. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that PM10 exposure induces upregulation of the c-Jun, Jun B, and Fra-1 activity, the expression/activity of MMP-9, and the cell invasion in lung epithelial cells, effects mediated through the AhR. Also, the Fos B and C-Fos activity were downregulated. In addition, the effects induced by PM10 exposure were like those induced by BaP, which highlights the potentially toxic effects of the PM10 mixture in lung epithelial cells.

Voice spoofing detection using a neural networks assembly considering spectrograms and mel frequency cepstral coefficients.

Nowadays, biometric authentication has gained relevance due to the technological advances that have allowed its inclusion in many daily-use devices. However, this same advantage has also brought dangers, as spoofing attacks are now more common. This work addresses the vulnerabilities of automatic speaker verification authentication systems, which are prone to attacks arising from new techniques for the generation of spoofed audio. In this article, we present a countermeasure for these attacks using an approach that includes easy to implement feature extractors such as spectrograms and mel frequency cepstral coefficients, as well as a modular architecture based on deep neural networks. Finally, we evaluate our proposal using the well-know ASVspoof 2017 V2 database, the experiments show that using the final architecture the best performance is obtained, achieving an equal error rate of 6.66% on the evaluation set.

Fast surveillance response reveals the introduction of a new yellow fever virus sub-lineage in 2021, in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

BACKGROUND: In Brazil, the yellow fever virus (YFV) is maintained in a sylvatic cycle involving wild mosquitoes and non-human primates (NHPs). The virus is endemic to the Amazon region; however, waves of epidemic expansion reaching other Brazilian states sporadically occur, eventually causing spillovers to humans. OBJECTIVES: To report a surveillance effort that led to the first confirmation of YFV in NHPs in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Southeast region, in 2021. METHODS: A surveillance network was created, encompassing the technology of smartphone applications and coordinated actions of several research institutions and health services to monitor and investigate NHP epizootics. FINDINGS: When alerts were spread through the network, samples from NHPs were collected and YFV infection confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and genome sequencing at an interval of only 10 days. Near-complete genomes were generated using the Nanopore MinION sequencer. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that viral genomes were related to the South American genotype I, clustering with a genome detected in the Amazon region (state of Pará) in 2017, named YFVPA/MG sub-lineage. Fast YFV confirmation potentialised vaccination campaigns. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: A new YFV introduction was detected in MG 6 years after the beginning of the major outbreak reported in the state (2015-2018). The YFV strain was not related to the sub-lineages previously reported in MG. No human cases have been reported, suggesting the importance of coordinated surveillance of NHPs using available technologies and supporting laboratories to ensure a quick response and implementation of contingency measures to avoid YFV spillover to humans.

Escorpionismo en la población amazónica del cantón Taisha en Ecuador / Scorpion stings in the Amazonian population from Taisha Canton in Ecuador

Introducción: En el Ecuador se desconoce la frecuencia, los factores de riesgo, el efecto preciso de las picaduras de escorpión, sus toxinas, la fisiopatología e interacción con la población. Objetivo: Registrar la incidencia de las picaduras de escorpión, el cuadro clínico, su manejo y las limitaciones para la obtención del antídoto en Ecuador. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio de cohorte retrospectivo, en el cual se recolectaron datos como edad, sexo, residencia, sitio corporal de picadura, cuadro clínico, tratamiento, estancia médica, referencia a unidad de mayor complejidad, morbilidad y mortalidad, durante el periodo entre enero de 2016 y noviembre de 2018 en la población amazónica del cantón Taisha, provincia de Morona Santiago, Ecuador. Resultados: Se evaluaron 134 picaduras de escorpión, las cuales predominaron en personas adultas (70,9 %). La región corporal más frecuente de picadura fue en las extremidades superiores e inferiores (92,5 %) y el nivel de intoxicación grave correspondió al 12,7 %. La estacionalidad de las picaduras de escorpión predominó en los meses de octubre, abril, diciembre y marzo. La presentación de la morbilidad anual fue mayor en el año 2017 (52,9 %). Conclusiones: Existe una alta incidencia de picaduras de escorpión en la zona de estudio. En el Ecuador la accesibilidad al antídoto es limitada, por lo que es necesario realizar más investigaciones en el tema, incluyendo intervenciones preventivas y curativas.

Introduction: In Ecuador, the frequency, risk factors, precise effects, toxins, pathophysiology and interaction with the population of scorpion stings are unknown. Objective: To report on the incidence of scorpion stings, its clinical picture and management, and the limitations for obtaining an antidote in Ecuador. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted and data was collected on the age, gender, place of residence, site of sting, clinical picture, treatment, hospital stay, referral to higher complexity unit, morbidity, and mortality from January 2016 to November 2018 in the Amazonian population from Taisha canton, Morona-Santiago province in Ecuador. Results: 134 scorpion stings were evaluated. Most cases were adults (70.9%). The most frequent region stung by scorpions were the upper and lower extremities (92.5%) and severe intoxication level accounted for 12.7% of cases. The highest incidence of scorpion stings occurred in October, April, December and March. Annual morbidity was higher in 2017 (52.9%). Conclusions: There is a high incidence of scorpion Sting in the area under study. Accessibility to an antidote is limited in Ecuador; therefore, further research on this topic and on preventive and curative interventions are necessary.

Mutational landscape of gastric adenocarcinoma in Latin America: A genetic approach for precision medicine.

Latin-America (LATAM) is the second region in gastric cancer incidence; gastric adenocarcinoma (GA) represents 95% of all cases. We provide a mutational landscape of GA highlighting a) germline pathogenic variants associated with hereditary GA, b) germline risk variants associated with sporadic GA, and c) somatic variants present in sporadic GA in LATAM, and analyze how this landscape can be applied for precision medicine. We found that Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, and Venezuela are the countries with more published studies from LATAM explicitly related to GA. Our analysis displayed that different germline pathogenic variants for the CDH1 gene have been identified for hereditary GA in Brazilian, Chilean, Colombian, and Mexican populations. An increased risk of developing somatic GA is associated with the following germline risk variants: IL-4, IL-8, TNF-α, PTGS2, NFKB1, RAF1, KRAS and MAPK1 in Brazilian; IL-10 in Chilean; IL-10 in Colombian; EGFR and ERRB2 in Mexican, TCF7L2 and Chr8q24 in Venezuelan population. The path from mutational landscape to precision medicine requires four development levels: 1) Data compilation, 2) Data analysis and integration, 3) Development and approval of clinical approaches, and 4) Population benefits. Generating local genomic information is the initial padlock to overcome to generate and apply precision medicine.

Rare case of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma of the thoracic wall with complete sternum reconstruction.

An 18-year-old boy presented with a giant midline mass with 9 years of evolution. The tumor was excised, and reconstruction made with a customized sternum implant and a free latissimus dorsi muscle flap with skin graft. Histological analysis was compatible with low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS).

Identificación oportuna del sangrado anormal postparto: método gravimétrico para cuantificar sangrado. Proyecto de mejora / Timely detection of abnormal postpartum bleeding: use of the gravimetric method to quantify bleeding. Improvement project

Resumen: Introducción: La hemorragia postparto es una entidad que no se detecta oportunamente con la estimación visual del sangrado. Material y métodos: Se implementó un protocolo estandarizado de cuantificación gravimétrica del sangrado postparto en pacientes sometidas a cesárea. Un estudio prospectivo, comparativo, no aleatorizado determinó el cumplimiento del protocolo, frecuencia proporcional del sangrado postparto anormal, basal y postintervención de mejora; y asociación entre metodologías de evaluación del sangrado y clasificación del sangrado. Pruebas z, Fisher, p < 0.05 significativa. Resultados: El cumplimiento del protocolo estandarizado fue 53% (± 0.18). En el grupo postintervención de mejora, la frecuencia del sangrado anormal postparto se incrementó en 30% con respecto al grupo basal (p < 0.05). Se demostró asociación significativa entre la cuantificación gravimétrica del sangrado postparto, y el sangrado postparto anormal. Conclusión: La implementación del protocolo de cuantificación gravimétrica del sangrado postparto fue posible, permitió mejorar la capacidad de identificación del sangrado postparto anormal en pacientes sometidas a cesárea.

Abstract: Introduction: Postpartum hemorrhage is a complication, that is not timely detected with the visual estimation of bleeding. Material and methods: A standardized protocol for the gravimetric quantification of postpartum bleeding was implemented to improve the ability to identify abnormal bleeding in patients undergoing caesarean section. A prospective, comparative, non-randomized study evaluated the improvement intervention. Compliance with the protocol, classification of postpartum bleeding before and after intervention; and the association between methodologies for assessing bleeding and postpartum bleeding classification were determined. Fisher z tests, p < 0.05 significant. Results: Compliance with the standardized protocol was 53% (± 0.18). In the post-intervention group, the frequency of abnormal postpartum bleeding increased by 30% with respect to the baseline group (p < 0.05). A significant association was demonstrated between gravimetric quantification of postpartum bleeding and abnormal postpartum bleeding. Conclusion: The implementation of the protocol for the gravimetric quantification of postpartum bleeding was possible. It improved the ability to identify abnormal postpartum bleeding in patients undergoing cesarean section.

Particulate matter (PM10) destabilizes mitotic spindle through downregulation of SETD2 in A549 lung cancer cells.

Air pollution represents an environmental problem, impacting negatively in human health. Particulate matter of 10 µm or less in diameter (PM10) is related to pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer. Mitotic spindle is made up by chromosome-microtubule (MT) interactions, where SETD2 plays an important role in MT stability. SETD2 binds and activates α-TUBULIN sub-unit and promotes MT polymerization. Alongside this mechanism, the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) senses the adequate mitotic progression through proteins such as BUBR1, AURORA B and SURVIVIN. Alterations in MT dynamics as well as in SAC cause aneuploidy and chromosomal instability, a common phenotype in cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the effect of PM10 in the expression and protein levels of SETD2, as well as the effect in the expression and protein levels of SAC and mitotic components involved in chromosomal segregation/mitosis, using the A549 lung cancer cell line. A549 cell cultures were exposed to PM10 (10 µg/cm2) for 24 h to evaluate the expression and protein levels of SETD2 (SETD2), TUBA1A (α-TUBULIN), CCNB1 (CYCLIN B1), BUB1B (BUBR1), AURKB (AURORA B) and BIRC5 (SURVIVIN). We observed that PM10 decreases the expression and protein levels of SETD2, α-TUBULIN and BUBR1 and increases the levels of AURORA B and SURVIVIN in A549 cells, compared with non-treated cells. PM10 also caused a decrease in mitotic index and in the percentage of cells in G2/M when compared with control group. Co-localization of SETD2/α -TUB was lower in PM10-treated cells in comparison with non-treated cells. Finally, micronuclei (MN) frequency was higher in PM10-treated cells in contrast with non-treated cells, being whole chromosomes more common in PM10-treated MN than in non-treated MN. Our results suggest that PM10 causes missegregation and aneuploidy through downregulation of SETD2 and SAC components, inducing aneuploidy and predisposing to the generation of chromosomal instability in transformed cells.

Effect of convalescent plasma as complementary treatment in patients with moderate COVID-19 infection.

INTRODUCTION: South America is one of the regions most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific and affordable treatments are needed to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. Evidence regarding the use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients is still limited. We compared the safety and efficacy of COVID-19-convalescent plasma administration as a complement to standard treatment in the early management of patients with moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: We carried out a random double blinded, placebo-controlled trial that compared standard treatment plus convalescent plasma (CP) or plus non-convalescent plasma in the management of COVID-19 patients. The main outcome was survival and secondary endpoints included: length of hospitalisation (LOH), days from treatment to discharge, time to clinical improvement or death within a 28-day period, and adverse reactions to treatment. RESULTS: Administration of CP with antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 did not affect patient survival, RR = 1.003, 95% CI (0.3938, 2.555). These results led to terminate the RCT prematurely. However, early treatment of COVID-19 patients with CP tended to decrease the LOH while the delay in CP treatment was associated with longer hospitalisation. In addition, delay in CP treatment negatively affected the recovery of the respiratory rate. CONCLUSION: Use of CP for the treatment of COVID-19 patients is safe and its early use can decrease the LOH and improve respiratory function. Early administration of antibody-rich CP could contribute to decrease the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic in patients with impaired immune response.