Hierarchical Self-Assembly of Water-Soluble Fullerene Derivatives into Supramolecular Hydrogels.

Controlling the self-assembly of nanoparticle building blocks into macroscale soft matter structures is an open question and of fundamental importance to fields as diverse as nanomedicine and next-generation energy storage. Within the vast library of nanoparticles, the fullerenes-a family of quasi-spherical carbon allotropes-are not explored beyond the most common, C60. Herein, a facile one-pot method is demonstrated for functionalizing fullerenes of different sizes (C60, C70, C84, and C90-92), yielding derivatives that self-assemble in aqueous solution into supramolecular hydrogels with distinct hierarchical structures. It is shown that the mechanical properties of these resultant structures vary drastically depending on the starting material. This work opens new avenues in the search for control of macroscale soft matter structures through tuning of nanoscale building blocks.

Alternative splicing as a driver of natural variation in abscisic acid response.

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a crucial player in plant responses to the environment. It accumulates under stress, activating downstream signaling to implement molecular responses that restore homeostasis. Natural variance in ABA sensitivity remains barely understood, and the ABA pathway has been mainly studied at the transcriptional level, despite evidence that posttranscriptional regulation, namely, via alternative splicing, contributes to plant stress tolerance. Here, we identified the Arabidopsis accession Kn-0 as less sensitive to ABA than the reference Col-0, as shown by reduced effects of the hormone on seedling establishment, root branching, and stomatal closure, as well as by decreased induction of ABA marker genes. An in-depth comparative transcriptome analysis of the ABA response in the two variants revealed lower expression changes and fewer genes affected for the least ABA-sensitive ecotype. Notably, Kn-0 exhibited reduced levels of the ABA-signaling SnRK2 protein kinases and lower basal expression of ABA-reactivation genes, consistent with our finding that Kn-0 contains less endogenous ABA than Col-0. ABA also markedly affected alternative splicing, primarily intron retention, with Kn-0 being less responsive regarding both the number and magnitude of alternative splicing events, particularly exon skipping. We find that alternative splicing introduces a more ecotype-specific layer of ABA regulation and identify ABA-responsive splicing changes in key ABA pathway regulators that provide a functional and mechanistic link to the differential sensitivity of the two ecotypes. Our results offer new insight into the natural variation of ABA responses and corroborate a key role for alternative splicing in implementing ABA-mediated stress responses.

Nanoscale Rheology: Dynamic Mechanical Analysis over a Broad and Continuous Frequency Range Using Photothermal Actuation Atomic Force Microscopy.

Polymeric materials are widely used in industries ranging from automotive to biomedical. Their mechanical properties play a crucial role in their application and function and arise from the nanoscale structures and interactions of their constitutive polymer molecules. Polymeric materials behave viscoelastically, i.e., their mechanical responses depend on the time scale of the measurements; quantifying these time-dependent rheological properties at the nanoscale is relevant to develop, for example, accurate models and simulations of those materials, which are needed for advanced industrial applications. In this paper, an atomic force microscopy (AFM) method based on the photothermal actuation of an AFM cantilever is developed to quantify the nanoscale loss tangent, storage modulus, and loss modulus of polymeric materials. The method is then validated on styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), demonstrating the method's ability to quantify nanoscale viscoelasticity over a continuous frequency range up to 5 orders of magnitude (0.2-20,200 Hz). Furthermore, this method is combined with AFM viscoelastic mapping obtained with amplitude modulation-frequency modulation (AM-FM) AFM, enabling the extension of viscoelastic quantification over an even broader frequency range and demonstrating that the novel technique synergizes with preexisting AFM techniques for quantitative measurement of viscoelastic properties. The method presented here introduces a way to characterize the viscoelasticity of polymeric materials and soft and biological matter in general at the nanoscale for any application.

Lost life expectancy following a hypothetical urban radiological incident.

The consequences of mass radiological events, particularly those involving the activation of a radiological dispersion device (RDD), have been extensively studied by scientific groups. However, the critical initial period of such an event, usually spanning the first 100 h, can be characterized by a scarcity of information, potentially leading to delays in mitigating strategies. In response, a research group utilized computer simulations to generate solid, conservative analytical details that can aid decision-making and guide the prioritization of initial care based on variables such as age, sex, location, and local atmospheric stability conditions. The study estimates the Lost Life Expectancy (LLE) and provides relevant information to increase support for decision-making and allow evaluation of data closer to the lay public. The research team behind the study has been granted funding by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and further simulations will be conducted utilizing codes that implement numerical models, specifically in atmospheric data forecasting. The methodology used to evaluate the LLE can be applied to any location, provided that the relevant variables are updated accordingly. Overall, this study offers critical insights into the impact of mass radiological events and enhances simulations' predictive capacity and precision.

Rock n' Seeds: A database of seed functional traits and germination experiments from Brazilian rock outcrop vegetation.

Advancing functional ecology depends fundamentally on the availability of data on reproductive traits, including those from tropical plants, which have been historically underrepresented in global trait databases. Although some valuable databases have been created recently, they are mainly restricted to temperate areas and vegetative traits such as leaf and wood traits. Here, we present Rock n' Seeds, a database of seed functional traits and germination experiments from Brazilian rock outcrop vegetation, recognized as outstanding centers of diversity and endemism. Data were compiled through a systematic literature search, resulting in 103 publications from which seed functional traits were extracted. The database includes information on 16 functional traits for 383 taxa from 148 genera, 50 families, and 25 orders. These 16 traits include two dispersal, six production, four morphological, two biophysical, and two germination traits-the major axes of the seed ecological spectrum. The database also provides raw data for 48 germination experiments, for a total of 10,187 records for 281 taxa. Germination experiments in the database assessed the effect of a wide range of abiotic and biotic factors on germination and different dormancy-breaking treatments. Notably, 8255 of these records include daily germination counts. This input will facilitate synthesizing germination data and using this database for a myriad of ecological questions. Given the variety of seed traits and the extensive germination information made available by this database, we expect it to be a valuable resource advancing comparative functional ecology and guiding seed-based restoration and biodiversity conservation in tropical megadiverse ecosystems. There are no copyright restrictions on the data; please cite this paper when using the current data in publications; also the authors would appreciate notification of how the data are used in publications.

O avanço da ecologia funcional depende fundamentalmente da disponibilidade de dados sobre traços reprodutivos, incluindo dados de plantas tropicais, que têm sido historicamente subrepresentados em bancos de dados de traços funcionais globais. Embora alguns bancos de dados valiosos tenham sido criados recentemente, eles são restritos principalmente a áreas temperadas e a traços vegetativos, como traços de folhas e madeira. Neste artigo apresentamos Rock n' Seeds, um banco de dados de traços funcionais de sementes e experimentos de germinação de vegetações associadas a afloramentos rochosos do Brasil, os quais são reconhecidos como centros notáveis de diversidade e endemismo. Os dados foram compilados através de uma revisão sistemática na literatura, resultando em 103 publicações das quais foram extraídos os traços funcionais das sementes. O banco de dados inclui informações de 16 traços funcionais para 383 taxa de 148 gêneros, 50 famílias e 25 ordens. Estes dezesseis traços incluem dois traços de dispersão, seis de produção, quatro morfológicos, dois biofísicos e dois germinativos; os eixos principais do espectro ecológico da semente. O banco de dados também fornece os dados brutos para 48 experimentos de germinação para um total de 10.187 registros para 281 taxa. Os experimentos de germinação no banco de dados avaliaram o efeito de uma ampla gama de fatores abióticos e bióticos sobre a germinação e diferentes tratamentos de quebra de dormência. Particularmente, 8.255 desses registros incluem a contagem diária da germinação. Estas informações facilitarão a síntese de dados de germinação e a utilização deste banco de dados para uma grande variedade de questões ecológicas. Dada a variedade de traços das sementes e as amplas informações sobre germinação disponibilizadas por este banco de dados, esperamos que ele seja um recurso valioso para o avanço da ecologia funcional comparativa e para orientar a restauração baseada em sementes e a conservação da biodiversidade em ecossistemas tropicais megadiversos. Não há restrições de direitos autorais sobre os dados; favor citar este artigo ao utilizar os dados nas publicações e os autores agradeceriam uma notificação de como os dados são utilizados nas publicações.

El avance de la ecología funcional depende fundamentalmente de la disponibilidad de datos sobre rasgos reproductivos-incluyendo los de las plantas tropicales-los cuales han estado poco representados en las bases de datos globales de rasgos. Aunque recientemente se han creado algunas bases de datos valiosas, estas se encuentran restringidas principalmente a las zonas templadas y a los rasgos vegetativos, como los de las hojas y la madera. En este artículo presentamos Rock n' Seeds, una base de datos de rasgos funcionales de semillas y experimentos de germinación de la vegetación asociada a afloramientos rocosos de Brasil, los cuales son destacados centros de diversidad y endemismo. Los datos se recopilaron mediante una búsqueda bibliográfica sistemática, que dio como resultado 103 publicaciones de las que se extrajeron los rasgos funcionales de las semillas. La base de datos incluye información de dieciséis rasgos funcionales para 383 taxones de 148 géneros, 50 familias y 25 órdenes. Estos rasgos incluyen dos rasgos de dispersión, seis de producción, cuatro morfológicos, dos biofísicos y dos de germinación; siendo estos los principales ejes del espectro ecológico de las semillas. La base de datos también proporciona los datos brutos de 48 experimentos de germinación, para un total de 10.187 registros de 281 taxones. Dichos experimentos de germinación evaluaron el efecto de una amplia gama de factores abióticos y bióticos sobre la germinación y de diferentes tratamientos para romper la dormancia. En particular, 8.255 de estos registros cuentan con conteos diarios de germinación. Esto facilitará la síntesis de los datos de germinación y el uso de esta base de datos para una gran diversidad de preguntas ecológicas. Dada la variedad de rasgos de las semillas y la amplia información sobre germinación que ofrece esta base de datos, esperamos que sea un recurso valioso para el avance de la ecología funcional comparativa y para orientar la restauración basada en semillas y la conservación de la biodiversidad en ecosistemas tropicales megadiversos. No hay restricciones de derechos de autor sobre los datos; se solicita citar este documento cuando se utilicen los datos en publicaciones y los autores agradecerán ser notificados sobre cómo se utilizan los datos en las publicaciones.

First report and risk of infection of Fasciola hepatica (Linnaeus, 1761) in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis - Linnaeus, 1758) in Mexico.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and risk of Fasciola hepatica infection in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) during peripartum in southeastern Mexico. An observational study was designed, in which 94 pregnant buffalo cows near calving and naturally exposed to F. hepatica were included. Farm visits were made on days 60, 30, 15 prepartum, at calving, and on days 15 and 30 postpartum. Feces were obtained from all animals to confirm the presence of F. hepatica eggs. A group of 49 animals was randomly treated twice at day 60 prepartum and at calving with nitroxynil and the other group (n = 45) was kept untreated. Buffaloes would be treated once presenting a positive coproparasitological diagnosis up to 30 days postpartum. F. hepatica was detected in 5.3% of the buffaloes (5/94) with a prevalence between 1.7 and 12%. It was observed that treated buffaloes had a lower risk (4.08%) of being positive than untreated buffaloes (6.67%) (P > 0.05). It was also found that untreated animals had 1.6 times more risk of being positive than treated buffaloes. This paper presents the first report of F. hepatica in water buffaloes in Mexico, demonstrating that the two preventive treatments reduced F. hepatica egg shedding during parturition. These findings highlight the need for monitoring for F. hepatica even in unreported/silent potential disease areas.

Presence of incomplete superficial axillary arch and pectoralis quartus muscle in one male body / Presencia en un individuo de un arco axilar superficial incompleto y de un músculo pectoral cuarto

SUMMARY: The anatomical variations of the pectoralis major muscle (PMM) and latissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) range from agenesis to the presence of supernumerary fascicles with a variety of insertions and relationships with the muscles, fascia, vessels, nerves and skeletal components of the shoulder girdle and the axilla. Many of these variations are clinically irrelevant, but extremely interesting and revealing from the perspective of comparative anatomy, ontogeny, and phylogeny. In this report, we present two different supernumerary muscles in the chest of one adult male body, identified during dissection practice of undergraduate medical students at Universidad Surcolombiana. These supernumerary fascicles in the axillary region were caudal to the lower edge of the PMM on the right side of the chest, and in contact with the anterior edge of the LDM on the left side of the chest; each fascicle was inserted in the ipsilateral coracoid process. These observations are congruent with the pectoralis quartus muscle and an incomplete and superficial axillary arch, respectively.

RESUMEN: Las variaciones anatómicas del músculo pectoral mayor (MPM) y del músculo latísimo del dorso (MLD) van desde la agenesia hasta la presencia de fascículos supernumerarios con una variedad de inserciones y relaciones con los músculos, fascias, vasos, nervios y componentes esqueléticos de la cintura escapular y la axila. Clínicamente, muchas de las variaciones son irrelevantes, pero extremadamente interesantes y reveladoras desde la perspectiva de la anatomía comparada, la ontogenia y la filogenia. En este estudio, presentamos dos músculos supernumerarios diferentes en la pared torácica de un hombre adulto, identificados durante la práctica de disección de estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad Surcolombiana. Estos fascículos supernumerarios en la región axilar estaban caudales al margen inferior del MPM en el lado derecho del tórax y en contacto con el margen anterior del MLD en el lado izquierdo del tórax; cada fascículo se insertaba en el proceso coracoides ipsilateral. Estas observaciones son congruentes con el músculo pectoral cuarto y un arco axilar incompleto y superficial, respectivamente.

Making Sense of Chagas Disease among Mexican Immigrants in California.

Mexican immigrants are affected by Chagas disease (CD) in California. It is through the representation of Chagas as a rare disease that participants make sense of the disease. A positive diagnosis has meant the disruption of patients' sense of normality and self-image, as well as their memories of homeland both reproducing and challenging hegemonic and stigmatized ideas of the disease associated with rurality and poverty. Access to treatment and medical care was the major coping mechanism. Health programs on CD should consider the emotional and social impact of the disease on people's self-perceptions to develop better medical care and prevention.

Swept-source optical coherence tomography objective composite activity score for uveitis.

PURPOSE: To develop an objective intraocular inflammation composite score. METHODS: Cross-sectional study. Non-invasive image acquisition and processing were conducted from April 2017 to April 2019. Inflammation-grade stratified eyes from patients with active, inactive uveitis and healthy controls were recruited. After clinical assessment, four anterior and posterior segment image acquisition protocols per eye, using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT), were performed at inclusion. Eight imaging biomarkers in three domains: anterior, intermediate and posterior were studied. They were ranked and selected by discriminatory power and correlation with clinical scores. A final SS-OCT-derived composite uveitis activity score (SS-UAS) was developed through multiple linear regression. RESULTS: We studied 224 eyes with uveitis (165 active and 59 inactive) from 165 patients (mean age 46.6 SD 15.5 years; 55.3% women) and 38 eyes from 19 healthy controls (mean age 43.6 SD 17.1; 47% women). The selected SS-OCT-derived biomarkers to build the final score were anterior chamber hyper-reflective dots (anterior), high-definition relative vitreous intensity (intermediate) and the averaged thickened retinal index (posterior). Swept-source (SS)-UAS was highly discriminant between active and inactive, and between active and healthy eyes (means 2.06 SD 1.86, 0.93 SD 0.44, and 0.96 SD 0.38, respectively, both p -, Mann-Whitney U). Construct validity (Cronbach's alpha = 0.7), internal consistency, criterion validity and reliability (concordance correlation coefficient intra-rater = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.98-0.99; inter-rater = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96-0.99) were favourable. CONCLUSIONS: Global intraocular inflammation can potentially be staged and scored objectively, continuously, consistently and in a valid manner through the combined processing of SS-OCT scans.

Potentially probiotic or postbiotic pre-converted nitrite from celery produced by an axenic culture system with probiotic lacticaseibacilli strain.

The present study evaluated the use of the probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei DTA-83 as a nitrite-reducing agent to produce potentially probiotic or postbiotic pre-converted nitrite from celery. The results obtained were compared to those achieved by direct addition of sodium nitrite for the typical reddish color formation in cooked pork sausages and the inhibitory potential against the growth of target microorganisms, including the clostridia group. Regarding the sausages color, similar findings were observed when comparing the use of pre-converted nitrite from celery produced by L. paracasei DTA-83 and the direct addition of sodium nitrite. Additionally, it presented an inhibitory effect against Salmonella spp., which was not observed with the direct addition of nitrite, revealing a potential strategy to control salmonellosis in the matrix. However, a non-equivalent preservative effect against Clostridium perfringens (INCQS 215) was determined. The results highlight a promising alternative to produce probiotic or postbiotic meat ingredients; however, further studies should be conducted to investigate doses that achieve microbial control.

Age determination in subadults using histological analysis of bones / Determinación de la edad en subadultos usando análisis histológico de los huesos

Abstract Introduction: According to the literature, the amount of osteons has been suggested as a good proxy to determine the age of death in adults. However in subadults research has not been carried out yet. Objective: To determine the accuracy of the histomorphometric technique predicting the age at death in subadults using bone remains. Methodology: The information of static histomorphometric parameters from about 120 iliac bones retrieved from the exhumed remains of subadults whose age at death was known was taken from the Granada collection. In order to predict the age at death we performed a step by step linear regression to estimate the fittest model. Results: The most closely and significantly associated biopsy findings with age were: the osteon count, the internal cortical width, and the trabecular bone volume. Pearson's correlation index indicated a weak linear association among these variables. To assess the accuracy of the model we used a coefficient of determination with a 0.32 value. 32% of the age variation in the subadults was explained by the three variables. Conclusion: This regression model explains a percentage of the total age variation in the subadult population. However this model is not enough to determine the age at death.

Resumen Introducción: La capacidad de predicción de las osteonas para determinar la edad de muerte de los individuos ha sido descrito en la literatura científica. No obstante, no se ha determinado dicha capacidad en individuos subadultos. Objetivo: Determinar la eficacia de lo parámetros histomorfometricos en población subadulta. Metodología: Se realizaron biopsias de hueso ilíaco en los restos de 120 subadultos, de la Colección Osteológica de Granada, con edad conocida en el momento de la muerte. Para establecer la capacidad de predicción se utilizó el R2 obtenido a partir de regresión lineal múltiple. Resultados: Las variables con mayor nivel predictivo y significativo para la estimación de la edad fueron: recuento de osteonas tipo 2 de la cortical interna y externa, y el volumen óseo trabecular; En la evaluación del modelo, se obtuvo un coeficiente de determinación de 0.32, es decir, el 32% de la variación en la edad de los subadultos se explica por el modelo. Sin embargo, se evidenció diferencias en la capacidad de predicción por sexo. Conclusión: Este modelo de regresión explica un porcentaje sustancial de la varianza de la edad de los individuos en la muestra. No obstante, no es suficiente para garantizar una adecuada predicción de la edad al momento de muerte de los individuos subdultos.

Earthworms to improve glyphosate degradation in biobeds.

In this work, earthworm effect on the efficiency of biobeds for glyphosate degradation was studied. Three biomixtures with and without the addition of earthworms (Eisenia fetida species) were evaluated. The initial concentration of glyphosate was 1000 mg/kg biomixture. Glyphosate and biological parameters were measured as a function of time. Earthworm survival, biomass, and reproduction were evaluated as well. All biomixtures that contain earthworms reached 90% of glyphosate degradation at 90 days in comparison with the biomixtures without earthworms that reached 80% approximately at the same time. Also, within the biomixtures that contained earthworms, glyphosate degradation rate was significantly higher in the one made up with soil and wheat stubble (Ws-E) showing excellent capacity for aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) degradation, the main metabolite of glyphosate degradation. In addition, a study performed after the vermiremediation process showed that E. fetida can tolerate high glyphosate concentration without modifications in its life traits. It can be concluded that the use of E. fetida within the biobeds is an excellent combination to improve glyphosate and AMPA removal.

Assessing the effectiveness of an online dental pharmacology course.

OBJECTIVES: Undergraduate dentistry students in their final year often lack the knowledge and confidence required to prescribe oral health medications. Online courses could help to solve this problem through augmenting traditional teaching methods. This study assessed the effectiveness of a non-curricular, online, clinical case-based dental pharmacology course designed to improve medication management in senior dentistry students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study developed and implemented an online dental pharmacotherapy course for 287 dentistry students in Mexico. Pre- and post-course tests evaluated knowledge acquisition, and a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire was administered to 238 participants to evaluate the course's content and educational strategies. RESULTS: Mean knowledge scores significantly increased from pre- (5.5 ± 1.6) to post-test (9.1 ± 1.3, P < 0.001). Participants reported a high satisfaction level (70.2%) with the course content and materials, educational techniques, and instructors. CONCLUSION: These findings support the use of online, clinically based dental pharmacotherapy courses, in conjunction with traditional teaching methods, as a viable strategy for effectively educating dentistry students.

Common mental disorder is associated with periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES: This research evaluated the association between exposure to common mental disorder (CMD) and the presence of periodontitis. BACKGROUND: Common mental disorder is characterized by the presence of irritation, fatigue, insomnia, forgetfulness, decreased ability to concentrate, anxiety, and depression. It has been associated with several diseases; however, there are few studies that have associated it with periodontitis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out with 621 individuals. Data collection involved the application of a general questionnaire and the self-reporting questionnaire for diagnosis of CMD. The diagnosis of periodontitis involved a full mouth periodontal examination using: clinical attachment level, probing depth, and bleeding on probing. Prevalence ratios and 95% confidence intervals between CMD (exposure) and periodontitis (outcome) were obtained. RESULTS: In the final sample, 38.16% (237) of the individuals were classified with CMD. Among these, 28.27% (67) had periodontitis. Association measurements showed that the occurrence of periodontitis among those exposed to CMD is approximately 50% higher than in those without this mental condition, with statistical significance, after adjustment for age, sex, family income, current smoking habit, alcohol beverage consumption, and cardiovascular disease (PRadjusted  = 1.54, 95% CI: [1.13 to 2.10]). CONCLUSIONS: The findings showed a positive association between exposure to CMD and periodontitis, revealing the importance of broadening public actions targeting mental health, which seems to be related to oral health, mainly due to the high frequency of the diseases in the studied sample.

Comparison of Team-Based Learning versus Traditional Lectures in Neuroanatomy: Medical Student Knowledge and Satisfaction.

Neuroanatomy is often considered a difficult subject to teach, due to its broad scope, multitude of terms, and high degree of complexity. Thus, newer educational strategies that facilitate learning while also stimulating students by allowing increased student autonomy and group discussions should be carefully considered. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of introducing team-based learning (TBL) in the traditional discipline of neuroanatomy and to measure student knowledge acquisition and perception relative to traditional lectures (TL). A quasi-experimental, nonrandomized study was performed using two consecutive TBL classes (intervention group, n = 157 students, 25% content using TBL) with a TL class (control group, n = 76). Team-based learning sessions included all stages according to the classic description of the method. Student knowledge acquisition was assessed in regularly scheduled tests during the discipline, and their perception regarding TBL was evaluated using a questionnaire (developed by the authors). The groups presented a similar sociodemographic profile (sex and age) and the same performance in another anatomy discipline before the study. Team-based learning was significantly associated with greater acceptance, higher motivation, better student perception, and feelings that the methodology was able to integrate clinical and basic sciences. Nevertheless, according to tests, knowledge acquisition was similar between the TBL and lectures. In conclusion, since TBL is comparable to TL for knowledge acquisition, TBL seems to be a promising strategy to improve the teaching of neuroanatomy in medical schools. It fosters group discussions and increases satisfaction and the perception of integration between clinical and basic sciences.

Embolia pulmonar en los pacientes muy ancianos. Un reto diagnóstico / Pulmonary embolism in very elderly patients. A diagnostic challenge

Introducción: El diagnóstico de embolia pulmonar supone un reto. Su presentación comparte manifestaciones clínicas con otras entidades. En los pacientes muy ancianos (MA≥80 años) el reto aumenta por la comorbilidad asociada comparando con controles más jóvenes (CO<80 años). Objetivo: Describir la incidencia de embolia pulmonar en pacientes muy ancianos en nuestro medio, identificar diferencias en manifestaciones clínicas, comorbilidad y parámetros analíticos entre subgrupos (MA/CO). Método: Estudio casos-controles de base hospitalaria. Revisión de las embolias pulmonares diagnosticadas, en nuestro centro, mediante angiografía pulmonar por tomografía computarizada entre 2013 y 2016. Resultados: Incluimos 413 pacientes (124 MA). La edad mediana fue 72 años [RIQ 58-81]. La tríada típica de presentación fue poco frecuente y no mostró diferencias entre subgrupos. Los principales síntomas de presentación fueron: disnea (73,4% MA vs. 63,7% CO; p=0,055), dolor torácico (26,6% vs. 39,5%; p=0,013) y tos/hemoptisis (31,1% vs. 18,9%; p=0,021). Presentaron mayor comorbilidad los MA (4,88+/-2,55 vs. 2,89+/-2,85; p=0,0001). Conclusión: Un 30% de las embolias pulmonares fueron en MA. La forma de presentación típica fue infrecuente. Se detectaron diferencias significativas en síntomas individuales, comorbilidad y parámetros de laboratorio en comparación con pacientes más jóvenes

Background: Diagnosing pulmonary embolisms can be challenging, given that its presentation shares clinical manifestations with other conditions. For patients 80 years of age or older, the healthcare challenge increases due to associated comorbidity when compared with younger patients (<80 years). Objective: The aim of our study was to report the incidence of pulmonary embolism in elderly patients in our setting and identify differences in the clinical manifestations, comorbidity and laboratory parameters between these 2 groups of patients. Method: We conducted a hospital-based, case-control study to review the pulmonary embolisms diagnosed in our centre using computed tomography pulmonary angiography between 2013 and 2016. Results: The study included 413 patients, 124 of whom were 80 years of age or older, with a median age of 72 years (IQR, 58-81). The typical presentation triad was uncommon and showed no differences between subgroups. The main symptoms presented by these groups were dyspnoea (73.4% vs. 63.7% for the elderly and younger groups, respectively; P=.055), chest pain (26.6% vs. 39.5%; P=.013) and cough/haemoptysis (31.1% vs. 18.9%; P=.021). The elderly group had more comorbidity (4.88+/-2.55 vs. 2.89+/-2.85; P=.0001). Conclusion: Thirty percent of the pulmonary embolisms occurred in the elderly group. The typical presentation form was uncommon. We detected significant differences in individual symptoms, comorbidity and laboratory parameters compared with the younger patients

Pulmonary embolism in very elderly patients. A diagnostic challenge. / Embolia pulmonar en los pacientes muy ancianos. Un reto diagnóstico.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosing pulmonary embolisms can be challenging, given that its presentation shares clinical manifestations with other conditions. For patients 80 years of age or older, the healthcare challenge increases due to associated comorbidity when compared with younger patients (<80 years). OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to report the incidence of pulmonary embolism in elderly patients in our setting and identify differences in the clinical manifestations, comorbidity and laboratory parameters between these 2 groups of patients. METHOD: We conducted a hospital-based, case-control study to review the pulmonary embolisms diagnosed in our centre using computed tomography pulmonary angiography between 2013 and 2016. RESULTS: The study included 413 patients, 124 of whom were 80 years of age or older, with a median age of 72 years (IQR, 58-81). The typical presentation triad was uncommon and showed no differences between subgroups. The main symptoms presented by these groups were dyspnoea (73.4% vs. 63.7% for the elderly and younger groups, respectively; P=.055), chest pain (26.6% vs. 39.5%; P=.013) and cough/haemoptysis (31.1% vs. 18.9%; P=.021). The elderly group had more comorbidity (4.88±2.55 vs. 2.89±2.85; P=.0001). CONCLUSION: Thirty percent of the pulmonary embolisms occurred in the elderly group. The typical presentation form was uncommon. We detected significant differences in individual symptoms, comorbidity and laboratory parameters compared with the younger patients.

VPS13A is closely associated with mitochondria and is required for efficient lysosomal degradation.

Members of the VPS13 family are associated with various human diseases. In particular, the loss of function of VPS13A leads to chorea-acanthocytosis (ChAc), a rare neurodegenerative disease without available curative treatments. Autophagy has been considered a promising therapeutic target because the absence of VPS13A causes a defective autophagy flux. However, the mechanistic details of this deficiency are unknown. Here, we identified Rab7A as an interactor of one of the VPS13 family members in Dictyostelium discoideum and showed that this interaction is conserved between the human homologs VPS13A and RAB7A in HeLa cells. As RAB7A is a key player in endosome trafficking, we addressed the possible function of VPS13A in endosome dynamics and lysosome degradation. Our results suggest that the decrease in autophagy observed in the absence of VPS13A may be the result of a more general defect in endocytic trafficking and lysosomal degradation. Unexpectedly, we found that VPS13A is closely localized to mitochondria, suggesting that the role of VPS13A in the endolysosomal pathway might be related to inter-organelle communication. We show that VPS13A localizes at the interface between mitochondria-endosomes and mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum and that the presence of membrane contact sites is altered in the absence of VPS13A. Based on these findings, we propose that therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the endolysosomal pathway could be beneficial in the treatment of ChAc.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.

Silver nanoparticles enhance survival of white spot syndrome virus infected Penaeus vannamei shrimps by activation of its immunological system.

The global aquaculture has shown an impressive growth in the last decades contributing with a major part of total food fish supply. However, it also helps in the spread of diseases that in turn, causes great economic losses. The White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) is one of the major viral pathogen for the shrimp aquaculture industry. Several attempts to eliminate the virus in the shrimp have been addressed without achieving a long-term effectiveness. In this work, we determine the capacity of the commercial non-toxic PVP-coated silver nanoparticles to promote the response of the immune system of WSSV-infected shrimps with or without an excess of iron ions. Our results showed that a single dose of metallic silver in the nanomolar range (111 nmol/shrimp), which is equivalent to 12 ng/mL of silver nanoparticles, produces 20% survival of treated infected shrimps. The same concentration administered in healthy shrimps do not show histological evidence of damage. The observed survival rate could be associated with the increase of almost 2-fold of LGBP expression levels compared with non-treated infected shrimps. LGBP is a key gene of shrimp immunological response and its up-regulation is most probably induced by the recognition of silver nanoparticles coating by specific pathogen-associated molecular pattern recognition proteins (PAMPs) of shrimp. Increased LGBP expression levels was observed even with a 10-fold lower dose of silver nanoparticles (1.2 ng/shrimp, 0.011 nmol of metallic silver/shrimp). The increase in LGBP expression levels was also observed even in the presence of iron ion excess, a condition that favors virus proliferation. Those results showed that a single dose of a slight amount of silver nanoparticles were capable to enhance the response of shrimp immune system without toxic effects in healthy shrimps. This response could be enhanced by administration of other doses and might represent an important alternative for the treatment of a disease that has still no cure, white spot syndrome virus.