RID: Evaluation of the Possible Inhibiting Effect of the Proinflammatory Signaling Induced by TNF-α through NF-κß and AP-1 in Two Cell Lines of Breast Cancer.

Receptor internalization and degradation (RID), is a transmembrane protein coded within the E3 region expression cassette of adenoviruses. RID downregulates the cell surface expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR), and apoptosis antigen 1 (FAS), causing a reduction of the effects of their respective ligands. In addition, RID inhibits apoptosis by decreasing the secretion of TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) by normal tissue cells. In this article, we report that RID inhibited chemokine expression in human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 but showed no effect in cell line MCF7. These dissimilar results may be due to the different molecular and functional properties of both cell lines. Therefore, it is necessary to replicate this study in other breast cancer cell models.

Asociación entre el síndrome de May-Thurner y la presencia de sintomatología y patología lumbopélvica / Association between May-Thurner syndrome and lumbo-pelvic pathology and symptomatology

Objetivos: El síndrome de May-Thurner (SMT) se asocia clásicamente a un cuadro caracterizado por sintomatología de extremidad inferior izquierda y eventos trombóticos en mujeres jóvenes. El objetivo es analizar la asociación entre sintomatología y patología lumbopélvica y SMT, entregando una nueva arista al síndrome que podría significar alternativas preventivas y terapéuticas. Materiales y métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal retrospectivo entre los años 2016-2017 con pacientes diagnosticados de SMT en un grupo de apoyo de dicha patología. Se realizó un análisis estadístico demográfico con prueba t de Student y prueba Chi-cuadrado de Pearson. Se calcularon los riesgos relativos crudo y ajustado con regresión logística binaria para evaluar la relación entre SMT y sintomatología y patología lumbopélvica. Resultados: Un total de 277 pacientes (134 casos y 143 controles) fueron satisfactoriamente incluidos en el estudio. La edad promedio de los casos fue de 40 años (± 12,3), y de 36 (± 13,5) años en los controles. Ambos grupos consisten predominantemente en mujeres caucásicas. La obesidad estuvo presente en el 36,6% de los casos y en el 22,4% de los controles. El riesgo relativo crudo se calculó para determinar la asociación entre SMT y la sintomatología de la extremidad estudiada, evidenciando diferencias significativas entre los grupos para las variables de edad, peso y altura. Se calculó riesgo relativo ajustado identificando riesgo significativo de presentar sintomatología lumbopélvica, de extremidad inferior y ambas categorías juntas siendo estos de 3,02 (1,75-5,22), 11,5 (6,4-20,5) y 9,83 (5,5-17,6), respectivamente. El riesgo relativo de presentar patología lumbopélvica en contexto de SMT fue de 3,4 (1,9-6,1) Conclusión: El SMT se encuentra predominantemente en mujeres con un promedio de edad ubicado en la cuarta década de la vida. Existe una asociación significativa entre la presencia de SMT y la sintomatología de extremidad inferior y lumbopélvica, no clásicamente descrito en el síndrome. Además, el riesgo de tener una patología lumbopélvica en contexto de SMT es significativo (AU)

Objectives: May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) is classically associated with left lower limb symptomatology and thrombotic events in young women. Our objective is to assess the association between lumbo-pelvic pathology and symptomatology and MTS providing a new perspective to the syndrome in the hopes to provide preventive and therapeutic alternatives. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was performed between 2016-2017 with a MTS patient's support group. Statistical analysis was performed with t-Student's test, Pearson's chi-squared test to provide a socio-demographic analysis of the groups. Raw odds ratio and adjusted odds ratio with binary logistic regression were calculated to assess the risk relation between MTS and lower extremity and lumbo-pelvic symptomatology and pathology. Results: Two hundred and seventy-seven patients (134 cases and 143 controls) were successfully included in the study. Mean age of the cases group was 40 years (± 12.3), and 36 (± 13.5) years for the controls. Both groups consisted of predominantly white/Caucasian females. Obesity was present in 36.6% of cases and 22.4% of the controls. Raw OR was calculated to determine association between MTS and the studied symptomatology identifying significative differences among the groups for the clinical variables of age, weight and height. The OR was adjusted identifying significant risk of presenting lumbo-pelvic symptomatology, lower limb symptomatology and the two previous categories together, identifying risks of 3.02 (1.75-5.22), 11.5 (6.4-20.5) and 9.83 (5.5-17.6) respectively. The OR of presenting lumbo-pelvic disease in the context of MTS was 3.4 (1.9-6.4). Conclusion: MTS is predominantly found in women with a mean of age of 40 years old. There is a significant association between MTS presence and lower limb and lumbo-pelvic symptomatology, not classically associated with the syndrome description. Also, the risk of having a lumbo-pelvic disease in the context of MTS is significant (AU)

Rapid spread of Clostridium difficile NAP1/027/ST1 in Chile confirms the emergence of the epidemic strain in Latin America.

Clostridium difficile infection has gained importance in recent years as a result of the rapid spread of epidemic strains, including hypervirulent strains. This study reports the molecular epidemiology of C. difficile obtained from hospitalized patients in Chile. Seven hundred and nineteen isolates of toxigenic C. difficile from 45 hospitals across the country were characterized through toxin profile, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and sequencing of the tcdC gene. In addition, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ribotyping and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) were performed on a subset of selected strains. PFGE typing of 719 isolates of C. difficile produced 60 PFGE patterns (subtypes). Subtype 1 was predominant (79% of isolates) and related to the hypervirulent strain (NAP1). Subtype 1 showed 73% relatedness with nine other subtypes, which had a similar tcdC deletion. Subtype 1 corresponded to ribotype 027 and ST1. This report shows the wide dissemination of the hypervirulent strain NAP1/027/ST1 in Chile.

Meningococcal carriage prevalence in university students, 1824 years of age in Santiago, Chile.

INTRODUCTION: Neisseria meningitidis invasive disease is a major public health problem. Pharyngeal carriage is considered a prerequisite for invasive infection. Prevalence reaches 10% in general population and up to 30% in the 20-24 years age group. The aim of this study was to asses pharyngeal carriage prevalence in healthy subjects aged 18-24 years, and as secondary endpoints evaluate known risk factors, to identify serogroups and sequence in the isolated strains. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in 500 healthy subjects; students from Universidad de Chile aged 18-24 years, Santiago, Chile, October 2012. Each subject underwent a risk factor survey prior to throat culture sampling. Samples were processed in one central Microbiology Laboratory of Hospital Luis Calvo Mackenna and serogrouping and sequencing was performed at Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile. RESULTS: We obtained throat samples from 500 healthy subjects, 20 (4%) positive for N. meningitidis. Of positive strains 20% were serogroup B, 15% W and the rest non groupable. The median age was 20 years, 50% were men. Of the risk factors evaluated, 24% were current smokers, 16% shared a room, 72% had kissed someone during the last month, 64% had gone to pub and 76% had consumed alcohol in the same period of time. DISCUSSION: Literatures meningococcal carriage prevalence reaches up to 30% in people aged 18-24 years. Prevalence in our study was 4%. Different interpretations could be given; one could be the absence of overcrowding in our students because of the lack of dorms in our scholar system and also the characteristics of our enrolled group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest the necessity to extend the study to other age groups and to other cities, to better understand the Chilean reality, as well as others regions of America, considering that these results cannot be extrapolated to another countries.

Detection of dengue virus type 4 in Easter Island, Chile.

We report the detection of dengue virus type 4 (DENV-4) for the first time in Easter Island, Chile. The virus was detected in serum samples of two patients treated at the Hospital in Easter Island. The two samples were IgM positive, and the infection was confirmed by RT-PCR and genetic sequencing; viral isolation was possible with one of them. The Easter Island isolates were most closely related to genotype II of dengue type 4.

Estudios de la actividad ansiolitica-sedante de la especie tagetes minuta L / Studies of the anxiolytic-sedative activity of the species tagetes minuta L

Uno de los factores más importantes a tomar en cuenta en la prescripción de fármacos con acción sobre el SNC, es la dependencia que causan, más aun aquellos con actividad ansiolítica-sedante. Por esta razón la búsqueda de nuevos principios activos derivados de especies vegetales, que no generen este tipo de dependencia está justificada; la especie estudio es Tagetes minuta L. (wacataya), seleccionada por ser empleada tradicionalmente en Bolivia por su acción ansiolítica, además mostró valores significativos en un screening de actividad en modelos biológicos in vivo y comparados a fármacos de referencia. Numerosos trabajos a nivel mundial fueron realizados empleando el aceite esencial de la misma; a la fecha ningun trabajo aborda la importancia de esta especie y la capacidad de ejercer acciones sobre el SNC. Los resultados de este estudio demostraron que Tagetes minuta, presenta actividad in vivo, con capacidad ansiolítica sedante.

One of the most important factors to consider in prescribing drugs that act on the CNS, is the cause dependence, even more so those with anxiolytic-sedative. For this reason the search for new active ingredients derived from plants, which do not generate this kind of dependence is justified, the study species Tagetes minuta L. (wacataya), selected because they are traditionally used in Bolivia for their anxiolytic action, also showed significant values in a screening of biological activity in in vivo models and compared to reference drugs. Numerous studies worldwide were performed using the essential oil of the same, to date no work addresses the importance of this species and the capacity to perform actions on the CNS. The results of this study showed that Tagetes minuta, has activity in vivo, capable of sedative anxiolytic.

Orthostatic hypotension associated with dorsal medullary cavernous angioma.

BACKGROUND: Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a rare manifestation of medulla oblongata lesions that may be because of interruption of descending sympathoexcitatory axons. AIMS: To illustrate the location of a medullary lesion that produced OH following resection in relationship to the location of putative sympathoexcitatory pathways. METHOD: A case with dorsal medullary cavernous angioma presenting with OH is described. The possible localization of lesion was compared with distribution of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive axons in a comparable section of the medulla of a control brain. RESULTS: The patient had marked OH after partial removal of the cavernous angioma. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis. The magnetic resonance imaging location of the lesion overlapped that of TH-immunoreactive axons of the medullary transtegmental tract. CONCLUSIONS: A restricted lesion of medullary lesion interrupting the catecholaminergic transtegmental tract arising from the sympathoexcitatory C1 neurons of the rostral ventrolateral medulla could result in severe OH.

Complete nucleotide sequence analysis of a Dengue-1 virus isolated on Easter Island, Chile.

Dengue-1 viruses responsible for the dengue fever outbreak in Easter Island in 2002 were isolated from acute-phase sera of dengue fever patients. In order to analyze the complete genome sequence, we designed primers to amplify contiguous segments across the entire sequence of the viral genome. RT-PCR products obtained were cloned, and complete nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences were determined. This report constitutes the first complete genetic characterization of a DENV-1 isolate from Chile. Phylogenetic analysis shows that an Easter Island isolate is most closely related to Pacific DENV-1 genotype IV viruses.

Romboencefalitis: una forma de infección por Listeria monocytogenes en el sistema nervioso central / Rhomboencephalitis caused by listeria monocytogenes infection in the central nervous system

Listeria monocytogenes infections can involve the central nervous system in the form of a rhomboencephalitis. Three possible cases of rhomboencephalitis by Listeria monocytogenes are reported (2 females, aged 44 and 49 and a man of 36 years old). The three cases were preceded by an unspecific prodrome of headache, vertigo and fever in absence of a meningeal syndrome. The neurological stage was defined by the unilateral involvement of cranial nerves and the cerebellum and a clear inflammatory cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with the presence of polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and normal glucose and protein levels. A magnetic nuclear resonance (MRI) showed the appearance of characteristic images, present in the bulboprotuberancial region. These images are one of the most constant features of this disease, reported in the literature. The early diagnosis of rhomboencephalitis was based on the clinical picture, the study of the CSF and the MRI, allowing the use of antimicrobials, prior to microbiological identification. Therefore, the risk of brain stem and cardiac complications of the disease is reduced.

The bacteriophage lambda DNA packaging enzyme: identification of four structural domains of the gpNu1 subunit using limited proteolysis.

Lambda DNA terminase, the enzyme that cleaves virion-length chromosomes from multigenomic concatemers and packages them into the bacteriophage head, is composed of two subunits, gpNu1 and gpA. Direct determination of the structure of gpNu1, the smaller subunit, has not been possible because of its insolubility in aqueous solutions. Therefore, to identify smaller and potentially water-soluble domains of gpNu1, we analyzed the nature of the products obtained by limited digestion of the protein with several proteases. The gpNu1 subunit was obtained from E. coli cells transfected with the plasmid pH6-Nu1 that overproduces the protein. Incubation of gpNu1 solubized in 2.5 M guanidinium chloride with chymotrypsin resulted in the formation of at least eight discrete protein bands, while treatment with endoproteinase glu-C and bromelain yielded three and one major bands, respectively. The peptides generated by digestion with the various proteases were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and transferred to Immobilon membranes. Amino acid sequencing of the peptides allowed for the precise assignment of their N-terminal amino acid, while their estimated molecular weights permitted the identification of their C-terminal ends. The results reveal that in the presence of 2.5 M guanidinium chloride, gpNu1 is partially folded in at least four distinct structural domains that correspond to functional domains as determined by previously reported genetic experiments. This information is key to design new plasmids to overproduce these domains for further structural analysis.

[Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy. Report of six cases]. / Polineuropatía inflamatoria desmielinizante crónica. Presentación de 6 casos.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy is a heterogeneous disease characterized by symmetrical motor and sensitive alterations, absence of tendon reflexes and increased cerebrospinal fluid protein levels. We report 6 patients with the disease, (three males) aged 41 to 70 years old. Four had the classical presentation and two had an asymmetrical paresis, that predominated in superior limbs. These patients had a proximal block with scarce prolongation of distal nerve conduction velocity. In all patients, underlying illnesses were discarded with a full diagnostic work up. Subjects were followed from 2 to 14 months after the diagnosis. In all, treatment with steroids improved muscle strength and sensitivity.

Factores asociados a la hospitalización del lactante menor por enfermedades respiratorias y síndrome diarreico agudo / Factors related to hospital admission of infants by respiratory diseases and acute diarrhea syndrome

Por medio de revisión de historias clínicas se estudian las características de 210 lactantes menores de un año, de procedencia urbana, hospitalizados durante 1989 en el Hospital San Juan de Dios de Santiago, debido a infección respiratoria aguda (IRA) o síndrome diarreico agudo (SDA); se les comparó con un grupo control de 210 niños de la misma edad y procedencia, nunca hospitalizados. La edad materna fue similar en ambos grupos, promedio de 26 años; la proporción de ilegítimos fue mayor en el grupo control (60 por ciento vs 44 por ciento ), y la escolaridad materna inferior entre los hospitalizados. El control y evolución del embarazo, así como la atención profesional del parto y la proporción de distocias no difirieron significativamente. El orden de nacimiento tendió a ser mas alto en los hospitalizados y el peso de nacimiento promedio fue significativamente inferior en ellos: 3040 g vs 3219 g; la proporción de peso bajo al nacer fue superior (12,9 por ciento vs 3,8 por ciento ), así como el porcentaje de prematuros. El antecedente de hospitalización en el periodo neonatal y la ausencia de lactancia natural fueron mas frecuentes entre los casos hospitalizados

Progressive scoliosis with vertebral rotation after lumbar intervertebral disc herniation in a 10-year-old girl.

A case report of a 10-year old girl with a herniated disc is presented. The most significant symptoms were progressive scoliosis with a flat back and paravertebral muscle spasm. An absent H reflex on the left and an increased latency of the somatosensory-evoked potentials of the left posterior tibial nerve were found. The computed tomographic scan of the lumbar spine showed a large central left-sided disc protrusion at the L5-S1 level. Our case presents the youngest patient with documented intervertebral disc herniation and the only one with severe scoliosis and vertebral rotation. The curve was not structural because it improved with surgery and an orthosis was not necessary.