Comparación del crecimiento físico de niños y adolescentes que viven a moderada y elevada altitud del Perú / Comparison of physical growth of children and adolescents living at moderate and high altitude in Peru

Introducción: El crecimiento físico (CF) está determinado por factores genéticos y ambientales que producen variaciones en la población de las diferentes regiones del mundo. Objetivo: Comparar el CF lineal de niños y adolescentes que viven a moderada y elevada altitud del Perú. Metodología: Se efectuó un estudio trasversal (compara-tivo) en niños y adolescentes que viven a moderada (2.178metros) y elevada altitud (4.349 metros) del Perú. Se estudió a 563 escolares (276 niños y 287 niñas) de dos regiones geográficas de Puno (Perú). Se evaluó el peso, la estatura y circunferencia del brazo derecho. Se utilizó la referencia de la organización mundial de la salud (OMS) para categorizar el Z-Score por sexo y edad especifica. Resultados: Los niños de moderada altitud presentaron mayor peso corporal en todas las edades (p<0,05), sin em-bargo, en la estatura, a edades iniciales hubo diferencias en-tre ambas altitudes y en durante la adolescencia hubo valo-res similares. En la circunferencia del brazo no se observódiferencias significativas (p>0,05) entre los niños de ambasaltitudes en todas las edades. La estatura de los niños y ni-ñas de ambas altitudes presentaron Z-Score negativas,siendo más profundas en los niños de elevada altitud (niños-0.38 a -1.41 y niñas -0.77 a -1.80 Z-Score) en relación a lasque viven en moderada altitud (niños –0.05 a -1.30 y niñas-0.06 a -1.40 Z-Score). Conclusión: Este estudio demostró que los niños de am-bos sexos de 5 a los 16 años que viven a elevadas y modera-das altitudes del Perú, presentaron patrones de crecimiento li-neal disminuidos en relación a la referencia de la OMS,además, los niños que viven a elevada altitud presentaron es-taturas inferiores durante la niñez cuando fueron comparadoscon los de moderada altitud, sin embargo, durante la adoles-cencia evidenciaron un rápido crecimiento, nivelándose consus similares de moderada altitud (AU)

Introduction: Physical growth (FC) is determined by genetic and environmental factors that produce variations in the population in different regions of the world. Objective: To compare the linear FC of children and adolescents living at moderate and high altitude in Peru. Methodology: A cross-sectional (comparative) study wascarried out in children and adolescents living at moderate(2,178 meters) and high altitude (4,349 meters) in Peru. A total of 563 school children (276 boys and 287 girls) from two geographical regions of Puno (Peru) were studied. Weight, height and right arm circumference were evaluated. The reference of the World Health Organization (WHO) was used to categorize the Z-Score by sex and specific age.Results: Children of moderate altitude presented higherbody weight at all ages, however, in height, at initial agesthere were differences between both altitudes and duringadolescence there were similar values. In arm circumference,no significant differences were observed between children ofboth altitudes at all ages. The height of boys and girls of bothaltitudes presented negative Z-Score, being deeper in childrenof high altitude (boys -0.38 to -1.41 and girls -0.77 to -1.80Z-Score) in relation to those living in moderate altitude (boys-0.05 to -1.30 and girls -0.06 to -1.40 Z-Score). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that children of bothsexes from 5 to 16 years of age living at high and moderatealtitudes in Peru, presented diminished linear growth patternsin relation to the WHO reference, in addition, children livingat high altitude presented lower heights during childhoodwhen compared to those at moderate altitude, however, du-ring adolescence they showed rapid growth, leveling withtheir peers at moderate altitude (AU)

A new species of Andean frog of the genus Phrynopus (Anura: Strabomantidae) from southeastern Peru.

The Cordillera de los Andes is one of the most important regions for biodiversity. Among amphibians, many endemic species of terrestrial-breeding frogs have recently been discovered. Herein we describe Phrynopus sancristobali from the Andes of southeastern Peru based on molecular and morphological data. The new species is known from the ecotone between humid puna and montane forest at 3910 m a.s.l. on the left side of the Apurímac Valley in the Department of Ayacucho. The new species differs from congeners by having dorsum bearing pustules and light brown with dark brown reticulations surrounding the areolas, and coloration consisting of flanks golden brown with gray or dark brown marks, palms pale orange, soles deep orange, toes IV and V dark brown in dorsal and ventral view, belly cream to yellow with gray to light brown marks, and groin and throat deep orange. The snout-vent length (SVL) is 20.7 and 22.2 in two females, and 19.5 mm in one male. According to our phylogeny inferred using Maximum Likelihood with a concatenated dataset of three mitochondrial and two nuclear genes, P. sancristobali is sister taxon of P. apumantarum, recently described from Department Huancavelica. Our description extends the known geographic range of Phrynopus 73 km to the south, and P. sancristobali is the only species in the genus known to occur south of the Mantaro River, whose deep valley is hypothesized to be a biogeographic barrier for high-Andean organisms. The discovery of P. sancristobali confirms the high levels of endemism and beta diversity of Phrynopus in the moist puna grasslands and montane forests of the high Andes of Peru, and suggests that further work will reveal the presence of additional species in southern Peru.

Computer-aided drug design approaches applied to screen natural product's structural analogs targeting arginase in Leishmania spp.

Introduction: Leishmaniasis is a disease with high mortality rates and approximately 1.5 million new cases each year. Despite the new approaches and advances to fight the disease, there are no effective therapies. Methods: Hence, this study aims to screen for natural products' structural analogs as new drug candidates against leishmaniasis. We applied Computer-aided drug design (CADD) approaches, such as virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, molecular mechanics-generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) binding free estimation, and free energy perturbation (FEP) aiming to select structural analogs from natural products that have shown anti-leishmanial and anti-arginase activities and that could bind selectively against the Leishmania arginase enzyme. Results: The compounds 2H-1-benzopyran, 3,4-dihydro-2-(2-methylphenyl)-(9CI), echioidinin, and malvidin showed good results against arginase targets from three parasite species and negative results for potential toxicities. The echioidinin and malvidin ligands generated interactions in the active center at pH 2.0 conditions by MM-GBSA and FEP methods. Conclusions: This work suggests the potential anti-leishmanial activity of the compounds and thus can be further in vitro and in vivo experimentally validated.

The Potential of Xylooligosaccharides as Prebiotics and Their Sustainable Production from Agro-Industrial by-Products.

In recent years, concerns about a good-quality diet have increased. Food supplements such as prebiotics have great nutritional and health benefits. Within the diverse range of prebiotics, xylooligosaccharides (XOs) show high potential, presenting exceptional properties for the prevention of systemic disorders. XOs can be found in different natural sources; however, their production is limited. Lignocellulosic biomasses present a high potential as a source of raw material for the production of XOs, making the agro-industrial by-products the perfect candidates for production on an industrial scale. However, these biomasses require the application of physicochemical pretreatments to obtain XOs. Different pretreatment methodologies are discussed in terms of increasing the production of XOs and limiting the coproduction of toxic compounds. The advance in new technologies for XOs production could decrease their real cost (USD 25-50/kg) on an industrial scale and would increase the volume of market transactions in the prebiotic sector (USD 4.5 billion). In this sense, new patents and innovations are being strategically developed to expand the use of XOs as daily prebiotics.

Biogenic Synthesis of Copper Nanoparticles: A Systematic Review of Their Features and Main Applications.

Nanotechnology is an innovative field of study that has made significant progress due to its potential versatility and wide range of applications, precisely because of the development of metal nanoparticles such as copper. Nanoparticles are bodies composed of a nanometric cluster of atoms (1-100 nm). Biogenic alternatives have replaced their chemical synthesis due to their environmental friendliness, dependability, sustainability, and low energy demand. This ecofriendly option has medical, pharmaceutical, food, and agricultural applications. When compared to their chemical counterparts, using biological agents, such as micro-organisms and plant extracts, as reducing and stabilizing agents has shown viability and acceptance. Therefore, it is a feasible alternative for rapid synthesis and scaling-up processes. Several research articles on the biogenic synthesis of copper nanoparticles have been published over the past decade. Still, none provided an organized, comprehensive overview of their properties and potential applications. Thus, this systematic review aims to assess research articles published over the past decade regarding the antioxidant, antitumor, antimicrobial, dye removal, and catalytic activities of biogenically synthesized copper nanoparticles using the scientific methodology of big data analytics. Plant extract and micro-organisms (bacteria and fungi) are addressed as biological agents. We intend to assist the scientific community in comprehending and locating helpful information for future research or application development.

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Comparing the Diagnostic Accuracy Tests of COVID-19.

In this paper, we present a systematic review and meta-analysis that aims to evaluate the reliability of coronavirus disease diagnostic tests in 2019 (COVID-19). This article seeks to describe the scientific discoveries made because of diagnostic tests conducted in recent years during the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. Between 2020 and 2021, searches for published papers on the COVID-19 diagnostic were made in the PubMed database. Ninety-nine scientific articles that satisfied the requirements were analyzed and included in the meta-analysis, and the specificity and sensitivity of the diagnostic accuracy were assessed. When compared to serological tests such as the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA), lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA), and chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay (CMIA), molecular tests such as reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) performed better in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Additionally, the area under the curve restricted to the false-positive rates (AUCFPR) of 0.984 obtained by the antiviral neutralization bioassay (ANB) diagnostic test revealed significant potential for the identification of COVID-19. It has been established that the various diagnostic tests have been effectively adapted for the detection of SARS-CoV-2; nevertheless, their performance still must be enhanced to contain potential COVID-19 outbreaks, which will also help contain potential infectious agent outbreaks in the future.

Co-occurring pathogenic variants in 6q27 associated with dementia spectrum disorders in a Peruvian family.

Evidence suggests that there may be racial differences in risk factors associated with the development of Alzheimer's disease and related dementia (ADRD). We used whole-genome sequencing analysis and identified a novel combination of three pathogenic variants in the heterozygous state (UNC93A: rs7739897 and WDR27: rs61740334; rs3800544) in a Peruvian family with a strong clinical history of ADRD. Notably, the combination of these variants was present in two generations of affected individuals but absent in healthy members of the family. In silico and in vitro studies have provided insights into the pathogenicity of these variants. These studies predict that the loss of function of the mutant UNC93A and WDR27 proteins induced dramatic changes in the global transcriptomic signature of brain cells, including neurons, astrocytes, and especially pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells, indicating that the combination of these three variants may affect the neurovascular unit. In addition, known key molecular pathways associated with dementia spectrum disorders were enriched in brain cells with low levels of UNC93A and WDR27. Our findings have thus identified a genetic risk factor for familial dementia in a Peruvian family with an Amerindian ancestral background.

Estratificacion de riesgo y pronostico de las eritrocitosis patologicas en la altura / Risk stratification and prognosis of pathological erythrocytoses at altitude

Introducción. Las eritrocitosis patológicas en la altura afectan al 10 % de la población constituyéndose una causa importante de morbilidad por enfermedades no transmisibles. Suscita emergente categorizar la severidad de estas eritrocitosis para estimar su evolución y tratamientos adecuados. Objetivo. Estratificar el riesgo de las eritrocitosis patológicas en la altura considerando parámetros de severidad que sean de utilidad clínica en el pronóstico y tratamiento. Material y métodos. Estudio transversal retrospectivo de 283 historias clínicas de pacientes con eritrocitosis patológica de altura (EPA) o eritrocitosis secundaria (ES), residentes en altura (>3600 m s. n. m) y diagnosticados entre gestiones 2000 a 2021. Se identificó características clínico-laboratoriales diferenciales respecto del diagnóstico, respuesta al tratamiento y evolución de pacientes. Se planteó 3 niveles de estratificación de riesgo (bajo, intermedio, alto) considerando variaciones en síntomas de hiperviscosidad, eritropoyetina, complicaciones y comorbilidades. Resultados. 194 pacientes correspondieron al grupo de riesgo bajo, 67 al riesgo intermedio y 22 al riesgo alto. Riesgo bajo conllevó Epo 30 mUI/ml (30-100 mUI/ml), tratamiento con atorvastatina-aspirina, respuestas parciales y pronóstico regular, concerniendo pacientes con ES asociada a patologías pulmonares leves. Riesgo alto reflejó Epo >100 mUI/ml, inclusión de hidroxiurea al tratamiento con atorvastatina, menor respuesta y pronóstico desfavorable, incumbiendo pacientes >60 años con ES asociada a patologías pulmonares crónicas severas o complicaciones por eritrocitosis. Conclusiones. Contar con niveles de riesgo para las eritrocitosis patológicas permite conjeturar su pronóstico y optimizar decisiones terapéuticas.

Introduction. Pathological erythrocytoses at altitude affect 10% of the population, representing an important cause of morbidity from non-communicable diseases. Categorizing the severity of such erythrocytoses to estimate their evolution and suitable treatments becomes emergent. Objective. To stratify the risk of the pathological erythrocytoses at high altitude considering severity parameters useful for prognosis and treatment. Material and methods. Retrospective cross-sectional study that included 283 medical records of patients with Chronic Mountain Sickness-erythrocytosis (CMS-e) or Secondary Erythrocytosis (SE), inhabitants at high altitude (>3600 m a. s. l.) diagnosed between 2000 to 2021. Differential clinical-laboratory characteristics regarding the diagnosis, response to treatment and evolution of patients were identified. Three risk groups (low, intermediate, high) were raised, considering variations about hyperviscosity symptoms, erythropoietin levels, complications, and comorbidities. Results. 194 patients corresponded to the low-risk group, 67 to the intermediaterisk and 22 to the high-risk. Low-risk group involved Epo 30 mIU/ml (30-100 mIU/ ml), treatment with atorvastatin-aspirin, partial responses and favorable prognosis, concerning patients with SE attributed to mild lung diseases. High-risk reflected Epo >100 mIU/ml, inclusion of hydroxyurea to the treatment with atorvastatin, poor response and unfavorable prognosis, involving patients >60 years of age with SE attributed to severe and chronic lung diseases or complications due to erythrocytosis. Conclusion. Counting on a risk stratification for pathological erythrocytosis at high altitude allows to assess the prognosis and optimize therapeutic decisions.

Variaciones fenotípicas relacionadas a respuestas hipóxicas entre andinos a distintas altitudes / Phenotypic variations related to hypoxic responses among Andeans at different altitudes

Introducción. La adaptación a grandes altitudes implica cambios evolutivos que conllevan respuestas adaptativas, como a la hipoxia. Los andinos desarrollaron fenotipos eritroides diferentes en relación con otras poblaciones a gran altitud que pueden variar dependiendo la altitud. Objetivo. Determinar las variaciones fenotípicas de hemoglobina (Hb), saturación de oxígeno (SpO2), P50 y lactato en andinos bolivianos con radicatorias entre 400, 4000 y 5000 msnm. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo transversal de tipo prospectivo. Se recolectó sangre venosa periférica de andinos bolivianos (n=124) nacidos a 4000 m, pero con radicatoria en altitudes diferentes (400 m, 4000 m, 5000 m), así como de aquellos con eritrocitosis patológicas. Adicionalmente, se recolectó muestras de europeos residentes a 4000 m (n=11). Se realizó estudios de hemograma, oximetría y gasometría. La P50 fue calculada con fórmula de Lichtman. Resultados. Los andinos sanos, comparados entre distintas altitudes, reflejaron aumento de Hb al ser mayor la altitud (p: 0,001), empero disminución de SpO2 (p: 0,001) y P50 (p: 0,001); sin variaciones en lactato. Los europeos a 4000 m, en relación con andinos a la misma altitud, presentaron Hb incrementada (p: 0,01), SpO2 y P50 sin variaciones, pero lactato significativamente aumentado (p: 0,001). Los pacientes con eritrocitosis comparados con sujetos sanos, a 4000 m y 5000 m respectivamente, presentaron Hb aumentada (p: 0,001); SpO2 disminuida (p: 0,001); P50 sin variaciones, pero lactato incrementado (p: 0,01). El lactato elevado en sujetos a 5000 m con eritrocitosis fue llamativo (1,7 mmol/L). Conclusiones. Las variaciones fenotípicas observadas entre andinos en diferentes altitudes constituyen una expresión de una adaptación parcial a la altura.

Introduction. Human adaptation to high altitude involves evolutionary changes leading adaptive responses, such as to hypoxia. Andeans developed different erythroid phenotypes in relation to other populations at high altitude, which can vary depending on the altitude. Objective. To determine the phenotypic variations of hemoglobin (Hb), oxygen saturation (SpO2), P50 and lactate in Bolivian Andeans residing between 400, 4000 or 5000 masl. Material and methods. Prospective cross-sectional descriptive study. Peripheral venous blood from Bolivian Andeans (n=124) born at 4000 m, but residing at different altitudes (400 m, 4000 m, 5000 m), likewise from those with pathological erythrocytosis were collected. Additionally, samples from Europeans residing at 4000 m (n=11) were collected. CBC, oximetry and blood gas studies were performed. P50 was calculated using the Lichtman formula. Results. Healthy Andeans, compared between different altitudes, reflected an increased Hb (p: 0.001), but a decreased SpO2 (p: 0.001) and P50 (p: 0.001) as the altitude was higher; without variations in lactate. Europeans at 4000 m, related to Andeans at the same altitude, presented increased Hb (p: 0.01), SpO2 and P50 without variations, but significantly increased lactate (p: 0.001). Patients with erythrocytosis compared to healthy subjects, at 4000 m and 5000 m respectively, depicted increased Hb (p: 0.001); decreased SpO2 (p: 0.001); P50 without changes, but increased lactate (p: 0.01). Increased lactate in subjects with erythrocytosis at 5000 m was remarkable (1.7 mmol/L). Conclusion. The phenotypic variations observed among Andeans residing at different altitudes constitute an expression of partial adaptation to altitude.

Alzheimer's Disease: A Silent Pandemic - A Systematic Review on the Situation and Patent Landscape of the Diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive impairment, tau protein deposits, and amyloid beta plaques. AD impacted 44 million people in 2016, and it is estimated to affect 100 million people by 2050. AD is disregarded as a pandemic compared with other diseases. To date, there is no effective treatment or diagnosis. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to discuss the current tools used to diagnose COVID-19, point out their potential to be adapted for AD diagnosis, and review the landscape of existing patents in the AD field and future perspectives for AD diagnosis. METHODS: We carried out a scientific screening following a research strategy in PubMed; Web of Science; the Derwent Innovation Index; the KCI-Korean Journal Database; Sci- ELO; the Russian Science Citation index; and the CDerwent, EDerwent, and MDerwent index databases. RESULTS: A total of 326 from 6,446 articles about AD and 376 from 4,595 articles about COVID-19 were analyzed. Of these, AD patents were focused on biomarkers and neuroimaging with no accurate, validated diagnostic methods, and only 7% of kit development patents were found. In comparison, COVID-19 patents were 60% about kit development for diagnosis; they are highly accurate and are now commercialized. CONCLUSION: AD is still neglected and not recognized as a pandemic that affects the people and economies of all nations. There is a gap in the development of AD diagnostic tools that could be filled if the interest and effort that has been invested in tackling the COVID-19 emergency could also be applied for innovation.

In Silico Analysis of Metabolites from Peruvian Native Plants as Potential Therapeutics against Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Despite research on the molecular bases of Alzheimer's disease (AD), effective therapies against its progression are still needed. Recent studies have shown direct links between AD progression and neurovascular dysfunction, highlighting it as a potential target for new therapeutics development. In this work, we screened and evaluated the inhibitory effect of natural compounds from native Peruvian plants against tau protein, amyloid beta, and angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) pathologic AD markers. METHODS: We applied in silico analysis, such as virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation (MD), and MM/GBSA estimation, to identify metabolites from Peruvian plants with inhibitory properties, and compared them to nicotinamide, telmisartan, and grapeseed extract drugs in clinical trials. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated the increased bioactivity of three plants' metabolites against tau protein, amyloid beta, and AT1R. The MD simulations indicated the stability of the AT1R:floribundic acid, amyloid beta:rutin, and tau:brassicasterol systems. A polypharmaceutical potential was observed for rutin due to its high affinity to AT1R, amyloid beta, and tau. The metabolite floribundic acid showed bioactivity against the AT1R and tau, and the metabolite brassicasterol showed bioactivity against the amyloid beta and tau. CONCLUSIONS: This study has identified molecules from native Peruvian plants that have the potential to bind three pathologic markers of AD.

A new species of Andean lizard, Proctoporus (Gymnophthalmidae: Cercosaurinae), from the highland of Parque Nacional Otishi in Peru.

The gymnophthalmid Andean lizards of the genus Proctoporus (Gymnophthalmidae, Cercosaurinae) are semifossorial species that inhabit the montane forests, inter-Andean valley, and humid grasslands across the Cordillera de los Andes from Peru to Argentina. The distribution range of Proctoporus is discontinuous, with many places lacking herpetological surveys. Here, based on morphological data, we describe a new species of Proctoporus from a remote location on a mountaintop north of the Cordillera de Vilcabamba in southeastern Peru. The new species is readily distinguished from all other species of Proctoporus by the presence of three anterior infralabials, three rows of pregular scales and the absence of enlarged pregular scales. With this new species, the species diversity has increased to 19 since 18 species have previously been identified.

Bioprospecting lipid-producing microorganisms: From metagenomic-assisted isolation techniques to industrial application and innovations.

Traditionally, lipid-producing microorganisms have been obtained via conventional bioprospecting based on isolation and screening techniques, demanding time and effort. Thus, high-throughput sequencing combined with conventional microbiological approaches has emerged as an advanced and rapid strategy for recovering novel oleaginous microorganisms from target environments. This review highlights recent developments in lipid-producing microorganism bioprospecting, following (i) from traditional cultivation techniques to state-of-the-art metagenomics approaches; (ii) related topics on workflow, next-generation sequencing platforms, and knowledge bioinformatics; and (iii) biotechnological potential of the production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by Aurantiochytrium limacinum, arachidonic acid (ARA) by Mortierella alpina and biodiesel by Rhodosporidium toruloides. These three species have been shown to be highly promising and studied in research articles, patents and commercialized products. Trends, innovations and future perspectives of these microorganisms are also addressed. Thus, these microbial lipids allow the development of food, feed and biofuels as alternative solutions to animal and vegetable oils.

Alteraciones mielodisplásicas en pacientes con COVID 19 en estadio severo / Myelodysplasic disorders in patients with severe COVID 19

Introducción. Las alteraciones hematológicas observadas en pacientes con COVID-19 en estadio severo suelen albergar leucocitosis o leucopenia, plaquetopenia, hipersegmentación de neutrófilos, hemofagocitosis y reacción leucemoide. También se ha reportado presencia de citopenias y características mielodisplásicas, lo cual implica alteraciones en la hematopoyesis que requieren ser elucidadas. Objetivo. Identificar alteraciones citomorfológicas en las células progenitoras de médula ósea de pacientes con COVID-19 en estadio severo. Métodos. Estudio observacional descriptivo de corte transversal. Se realizó análisis citomorfológicos en muestras de aspirado de médula ósea de pacientes con COVID-19 en estadio III (n=6) que fueron ingresados a la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva. Resultados. Se evidenció presencia de grumos medulares e hipercelulares con caracteristicas compatibles con alteraciones mielodisplásicas que abarcaron todas las series de la hematopoyesis. Se observó diseritropoyesis, disgranulopoyesis, así como, alteraciones en monocitos, linfocitos, plasmacélulas y plaquetas. Conclusiones. El SARS-CoV-2 puede promover cambios hematológicos compatibles con alteraciones mielodisplásicas y presencia de microtrombos en la médula ósea de pacientes con COVID-19 severo.

Vascular smooth muscle cell dysfunction contribute to neuroinflammation and Tau hyperphosphorylation in Alzheimer disease.

Despite the emerging evidence implying early vascular contributions to neurodegenerative syndromes, the role of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer disease (AD) is still not well understood. Herein, we show that VSMCs in brains of patients with AD and animal models of the disease are deficient in multiple VSMC contractile markers which correlated with Tau accumulation in brain arterioles. Ex vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that VSMCs undergo dramatic phenotypic transitions under AD-like conditions, adopting pro-inflammatory phenotypes. Notably, these changes coincided with Tau hyperphosphorylation at residues Y18, T205, and S262. We also observed that VSMC dysfunction occurred in an age-dependent manner and that expression of Sm22α protein was inversely correlated with CD68 and Tau expression in brain arterioles of the 3xTg-AD and 5xFAD mice. Together, these findings further support the contribution of dysfunctional VSMCs in AD pathogenesis and nominate VSMCs as a potential therapeutic target in AD.

Antiviral Activity of Metabolites from Peruvian Plants against SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Approach.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic lacks treatments; for this reason, the search for potential compounds against therapeutic targets is still necessary. Bioinformatics tools have allowed the rapid in silico screening of possible new metabolite candidates from natural resources or repurposing known ones. Thus, in this work, we aimed to select phytochemical candidates from Peruvian plants with antiviral potential against three therapeutical targets of SARS-CoV-2. (2) Methods: We applied in silico technics, such as virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation, and MM/GBSA estimation. (3) Results: Rutin, a compound present in Peruvian native plants, showed affinity against three targets of SARS-CoV-2. The molecular dynamics simulation demonstrated the high stability of receptor-ligand systems during the time of the simulation. Our results showed that the Mpro-Rutin system exhibited higher binding free energy than PLpro-Rutin and N-Rutin systems through MM/GBSA analysis. (4) Conclusions: Our study provides insight on natural metabolites from Peruvian plants with therapeutical potential. We found Rutin as a potential candidate with multiple pharmacological properties against SARS-CoV-2.

Primer reporte de albinismo en vizcacha Lagidium viscacia (Rodentia: Chinchillidae) en los Andes de Perú

Se documenta el primer registro de albinismo de vizcacha (Lagidium viscacia) con base en dos individuos avistados en el departamento de Apurímac, en Perú. Este registro representa el primer reporte de albinismo en la familia Chinchillidae.

We report the first record of albinism in vizcacha (Lagidium viscacia) based on two adult individuals sighted in department of Apurímac, in Peru. This record represents the first report of albinism in Chinchillidae.

In vitro cytotoxic effect of a chitin-like polysaccharide produced by Mortierella alpina on adrenocortical carcinoma cells H295R, and its use as mitotane adjuvant.

This study presents an in vitro evaluation of the antitumor potential of a chitin-like exopolysaccharide (EPS, produced by Mortierella alpina) on Adrenocortical carcinoma cells (ACC) compared to mitotane, a commercial drug commonly used in ACC treatment, and known for its side effects. Techniques of cellular viability determination such as MTT and fluorescence were used to measure the cytotoxic effects of the EPS and mitotane in tumoral cells (H295R) and non-tumoral cells (VERO), observing high cytotoxicity of mitotane and a 10% superior pro-apoptotic effect of the EPS compared to mitotane (p < 0.05). The cytotoxic effect of the EPS was similar to the effect of 50 µM mitotane on tumoral cells (p < 0.05). A decrement of the lysosomal volume was also noted in tumoral cells treated with the EPS. To enhance the antitumor effect, a combination of mitotane at a lower dosage and the EPS (as adjuvant) was also tested, showing a slight improvement of the cytotoxicity effect on tumoral cells. Therefore, the results indicate a cytotoxic effect of the EPS produced by Mortierella alpina on adrenocortical carcinoma, and a possible application in biomedical formulations or additional treatments.

Una nueva localidad y reexaminación de la serie tipo de la lagartija Andina de Machu Picchu Proctoporus machupicchu Mamani, Goicoechea y Chaparro, 2015 (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) / A new locality and reassessment of the type series of the Machu Picchu Andean lizard Proctoporus machupicchu Mamani, Goicoechea and Chaparro, 2015 (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae)

Proctoporus machupicchu es una especie de lagartija semifosorial que fue descubierta en dos localidades dentro del Santuario Histórico de Machu Picchu (SHMP), Cusco, Perú. La serie tipo está conformada por dos hembras y un macho, sin embargo, el paratipo macho no posee poros femorales lo cual es incongruente con los machos mencionados en la literatura. En el presente trabajo, reportamos una nueva localidad fuera del SHMP y reexaminamos la serie tipo. Internamente, el paratipo macho no posee vestigios masculinos (testículos y conductos seminíferos) por lo que concluimos que hubo un error en el sexado. Además, reportamos una nueva localidad basado en un macho juvenil colectado en el área de Conservación Privada San Luis (ACP San Luis) de la provincia de La Convención. Este nuevo registro incrementa el rango de distribución de la especie en 20.9 km al noreste y su rango altitudinal de 2760 - 2800 a 2760 - 2966 m de altitud.

Proctoporus machupicchu is a semi-fossorial lizard, which was discovered in two locations in the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (SHMP), Urubamba province, Cusco, Peru. The type series consists of two females and a male, however, the male paratype does not possess femoral pores which is incongruous with the males mentioned in the literature. In this paper, we report a new location outside the SHMP and re-examine the type series. Internally, the male paratype has no male vestiges (testicles and seminiferous ducts), so we conclude that there was an error in sexing. In addition, we report a new locality based on a juvenile male collected in the San Luis Private Conservation Area (ACP San Luis) of La Convención province. This new record increases the range of distribution of the species by 20.9km to the northeast and its altitudinal range from 2760 - 2800 to 2760 - 2966 m of altitude.

Development of a Web Database System for a Comprehensive Hypertension Management Program in the Primary Health Care Setting of Urban Areas of Peru.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this case report is to introduce the development process, structure, characteristics, and effectiveness of the web database (DB) system developed for the hypertension management program in the primary health care setting in the low-income urban areas of Peru. METHODS: A Korean research team cooperated with a Peruvian IT startup company to develop a web DB system to improve the data management of the hypertension management program. The entire web application infrastructure was hosted using the Amazon Web Service. Two different web platforms were established for the user groups of health workers and researchers (program managers). RESULTS: A total of 2,827 program participants were registered in the web DB system until December 2017. Health professionals can input the participant data while providing consultation to the program participants, and the data is accumulated in the web DB in real time. Input errors or data loss is prevented by setting restrictions in the data entry system. During the 4-year project period, 7,696 hours of working time and USD 39,536.48 for data management were saved as the result of web DB system utilization. CONCLUSIONS: The developed web DB system contributed to improve the health condition of the health program participants by providing necessary information to the health professionals at the right time. This case report could be a reference for other researcher to develop web databases for their own context, especially in developing countries.