RESUMO
Introduction: Medical curricula implicitly teach that race has a biological basis. Clinical rotations reinforce this misconception as race-based algorithms are used to guide clinical decision-making. This module aims to expose the fallacy of race in clinical algorithms, using the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equation as an example. Methods: We created a 60-minute module in consultation with nephrologists. The format was an interactive, case-based presentation with a didactic section. A third-year medical student facilitated the workshops to medical students. Evaluation included pre/post surveys using 5-point Likert scales to assess awareness regarding use of race as a biological construct. Higher scores indicated increased awareness. Results: Fifty-five students participated in the module. Pre/post results indicated that students significantly improved in self-perceived knowledge of the history of racism in medicine (2.6 vs. 3.2, p < .001), awareness of race in clinical algorithms (2.7 vs. 3.7, p < .001), impact of race-based eGFR on quality of life/treatment outcomes (4.5 vs. 4.8, p = .01), differences between race and ancestry (3.7 vs. 4.3, p < .001), and implications of not removing race from the eGFR equation (2.7 vs. 4.2, p < .001). Students rated the workshops highly for quality and clarity. Discussion: Our module expands on others' work to expose the fallacy of race-based algorithms and define its impact on health equity. Limitations include a lack of objective assessment of knowledge acquisition. We recommend integrating this module into preclinical and clinical curricula to discuss the use of race in medical literature and clinical practice.
Assuntos
Algoritmos , Currículo , Taxa de Filtração Glomerular , Estudantes de Medicina , Humanos , Estudantes de Medicina/estatística & dados numéricos , Estudantes de Medicina/psicologia , Taxa de Filtração Glomerular/fisiologia , Inquéritos e Questionários , Grupos Raciais/estatística & dados numéricos , Educação de Graduação em Medicina/métodos , Masculino , Racismo , FemininoRESUMO
In the intricate web of plant-animal interactions, granivore birds can play a dual antagonist-mutualist role as seed predators and dispersers. This study delves into the ecological significance of the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) as seed disperser by endozoochory. A sample of individual droppings and faecal pools were collected from a communal roost in central Spain to examine the presence of seeds. Seed viability was determined using the tetrazolium test. Our findings revealed that around 22% of the analysed droppings contained seeds, contradicting the prevalent notion of house sparrow solely as seed predator. Viability tests demonstrated that 53.9% of the defecated seeds were viable, although it varied between plant species, including those from fleshy-fruited common fig and five species of dry-fruited herbs. This study challenges the traditional perspectives on the ecological role of the house sparrow, and glimpses on their contribution to seed dispersal. Understanding the nuanced roles of granivore species like the house sparrow is crucial for developing holistic conservation and management strategies in urban and agricultural landscapes. Future studies are encouraged to unravel the actual role of this cosmopolitan species as disperser of a likely broad spectrum of wild, cultivated and exotic plants.
RESUMO
At present, a substantial number of individuals in the US face limited English proficiency (LEP), posing difficulties for healthcare providers. Language barriers between healthcare providers and patients can lead to poor quality of care, especially in patients with hyperacute conditions such as stroke, myocardial infarction, acute trauma, and more. In the intensive care unit (ICU), diagnosis and rapid treatment decision-making rely on taking an accurate patient history and physical exam. While in-person interpreters are the gold standard for patients with LEP, the fast-paced nature of the ICU may require alternate modes of using interpreting services to fit ICU workflows. We present a case-based reflection of a patient with LEP who presented to our ICU after a motor vehicle accident. We present this case from the perspective of a third-year medical student caring for a patient while rotating in an ICU service. We illustrate how language interpretation impacted the patient's care. We conclude by appraising the ICU literature and providing solutions to addressing language barriers for ICU patients with LEP to deliver patient-centered, high-quality care.
RESUMO
The evolution of sexual size dimorphism (SSD) is a long-standing topic in evolutionary biology, but there is little agreement on the extent to which SSD is driven by the different selective forces. While sexual selection and fecundity selection have traditionally been proposed as the two leading hypotheses, SSD may also result from natural selection through mechanisms such as sexual niche divergence, which might have reduced resource competition between sexes. Here, we revisited the niche divergence hypothesis by testing the relationship between the sexual overlap in diet and SSD of 56 bird species using phylogenetic comparative analyses. We then assessed how SSD variation relates to the three main hypotheses: sexual selection, fecundity selection, and sexual niche divergence using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS). Then, we compared sexual selection, fecundity selection and niche divergence selection as SSD drivers through phylogenetic confirmatory path analyses to disentangle the possible causal evolutionary relationships between SSD and the three hypotheses. Phylogenetic generalized least squares showed that SSD was negatively correlated with diet overlap, that is, the greater the difference in body size between males and females, the less diet overlap. As predicted by sexual selection theory, the difference in body size between sexes was higher in polygynous species. Confirmatory phylogenetic path analyses suggested that the most likely evolutionary path might include the mating system as a main driver in SSD and niche divergence as a result of SSD. We found no evidence of a role of fecundity selection in the evolution of female-biased SSD. Our study provides evidence that sexual selection has likely been the main cause of SSD and that dietary divergence is likely an indirect effect of SSD.
Assuntos
Fertilidade , Caracteres Sexuais , Masculino , Feminino , Animais , Filogenia , Tamanho Corporal , Dieta/veterinária , Aves/genéticaRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To understand patients' experiences with diabetes care during the COVID-19 pandemic, with an emphasis on rural, medically underserved, and/or minoritised racial and ethnic groups in the Midwestern USA. DESIGN: Community-engaged, semi-structured interviews were conducted by medical student researchers trained in qualitative interviewing. Transcripts were prepared and coded in the language in which the interview was conducted (English or Spanish). Thematic analysis was conducted, and data saturation was achieved. SETTING: The study was conducted in communities in Eastern and Western Iowa. PARTICIPANTS: Adults with diabetes (n=20) who were fluent in conversational English or Spanish were interviewed. One-third of participants were residents of areas designated as federal primary healthcare professional shortage areas and/or medically underserved areas, and more than half were recruited from medical clinics that offer care at no cost. RESULTS: Themes across both English and Spanish transcripts included: (1) perspectives of diabetes, care providers and care management; (2) challenges and barriers affecting diabetes care; and (3) participant feedback and recommendations. Participants reported major constraints related to provider availability, costs of care, access to nutrition counselling and mental health concerns associated with diabetes care during the pandemic. Participants also reported a lack of shared decision-making regarding some aspects of care, including amputation. Finally, participants recognised systems-level challenges that affected both patients and providers and expressed a preference for proactive collaboration with healthcare teams. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support enhanced engagement of rural, medically underserved and minoritised groups as stakeholders in diabetes care, diabetes research and diabetes provider education.
Assuntos
Diabetes Mellitus , Pandemias , Adulto , Humanos , Área Carente de Assistência Médica , Pessoal de Saúde , Pesquisa QualitativaRESUMO
Objective: To assess the association between leptin/adiponectin ratio (LAR) and insulin resistance surrogates in prepubertal children. Materials and methods: Study based on data from the Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study (GOCS) involving 968 Chilean prepubertal children. Plasma insulin, leptin, and adiponectin were determined by immunoassays. Several common insulin resistance surrogates were calculated, including the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride/HDL cholesterol index, triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, and the TyG index corrected for body mass index (BMI; TyG-BMI) and waist circumference (WC; TyG-WC). Associations among variables were assessed using multiple linear and logistic regression analysis. Results: There was a significant direct association between plasma leptin and LAR with BMI z-score but no association between plasma adiponectin and adiposity. After adjustments for sex and age, LAR was significantly associated with all insulin resistance surrogates (which were categorized using the 75th percentile as the cutoff point), with the TyG-WC index emerging as the surrogate with the highest magnitude of association (odds ratio [OR] 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.05-2.9). After additional adjustment for BMI z-score, only the association between LAR and TyG-WC remained significant (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.27-2.12). Conclusion: Plasma leptin and LAR were strongly associated with several common insulin resistance surrogates in prepubertal children, most notably with the TyG-WC index. Associations between LAR and insulin resistance indexes were mainly driven by the effect of plasma leptin, which is also directly associated with increased adiposity.
Assuntos
Resistência à Insulina , Leptina , Criança , Humanos , Adiponectina , Estudos de Coortes , Glicemia , Biomarcadores , Obesidade , Triglicerídeos , Glucose , Índice de Massa CorporalRESUMO
ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the association between leptin/adiponectin ratio (LAR) and insulin resistance surrogates in prepubertal children. Subjects and methods: Study based on data from the Growth and Obesity Chilean Cohort Study (GOCS) involving 968 Chilean prepubertal children. Plasma insulin, leptin, and adiponectin were determined by immunoassays. Several common insulin resistance surrogates were calculated, including the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride/HDL cholesterol index, triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, and the TyG index corrected for body mass index (BMI; TyG-BMI) and waist circumference (WC; TyG-WC). Associations among variables were assessed using multiple linear and logistic regression analysis. Results: There was a significant direct association between plasma leptin and LAR with BMI z-score but no association between plasma adiponectin and adiposity. After adjustments for sex and age, LAR was significantly associated with all insulin resistance surrogates (which were categorized using the 75th percentile as the cutoff point), with the TyG-WC index emerging as the surrogate with the highest magnitude of association (odds ratio [OR] 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.05-2.9). After additional adjustment for BMI z-score, only the association between LAR and TyG-WC remained significant (OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.27-2.12). Conclusion: Plasma leptin and LAR were strongly associated with several common insulin resistance surrogates in prepubertal children, most notably with the TyG-WC index. Associations between LAR and insulin resistance indexes were mainly driven by the effect of plasma leptin, which is also directly associated with increased adiposity.
RESUMO
The effects of suture selection on postinflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) in patients with skin of color who have had Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) are limited. During the COVID-19 pandemic, fast-absorbing gut sutures reduced the need for in-person follow-up visits without increasing the frequency of postoperative complications. Although absorbable gut sutures are popular, they are highly reactive and can induce inflammation in patients with skin of color. Choosing less inflammatory, nonabsorbable sutures can improve the cosmetic outcome for patients with skin of color who undergo MMS.
Assuntos
Hiperpigmentação , Neoplasias Cutâneas , Humanos , Cirurgia de Mohs/efeitos adversos , Pigmentação da Pele , Pandemias , Hiperpigmentação/etiologia , Hiperpigmentação/prevenção & controle , Suturas , Neoplasias Cutâneas/cirurgia , Neoplasias Cutâneas/complicaçõesRESUMO
El cáncer seguirá siendo uno de los mayores desafíos para la salud pública a nivel local y mundial. Actualmente, en nuestro país, el cáncer es la principal causa de muerte. Gracias al enorme conocimiento acumulado en las últimas décadas sobre las bases celulares y moleculares del cáncer, se ha desarrollado la oncología de precisión, un enfoque que permite dirigir de manera cada vez más precisa el tratamiento farmacológico en función de los exámenes de diagnóstico. Para ello se utilizan tecnologías avanzadas, como la secuenciación de próxima generación. Es imprescindible implementar estas tecnologías en los sistemas sanitarios actuales y futuros para optimizar el arsenal de estrategias para el control del cáncer. En esta revisión, se discuten algunos alcances de la oncología de precisión, especialmente aplicada a tumores sólidos. Se aborda el estado del arte de los biomarcadores mínimos necesarios para el diagnóstico de este importante grupo de neoplasias, la situación local en cuanto a las capacidades tecnológicas instaladas en el territorio nacional ya sea con fines de investigación o diagnóstico, y el potencial impacto sanitario que tendría la aplicación de todo este conocimiento práctico al servicio de las personas con cáncer, tanto en el sector público como privado.
Cancer will remain one of the most significant challenges for public health, locally and globally. Currently, cancer is the leading cause of death in our country. Thanks to the enormous knowledge accumulated in recent decades on the cellular and molecular bases of cancer, precision oncology has been developed, an approach that allows for increasingly precise pharmacological treatment based on diagnostic tests. Advanced technologies such as next-generation sequencing are used for this purpose. It is essential to implement these technologies in current and future health systems to optimize the arsenal of strategies for cancer control. This review discusses some of the achievements of precision oncology, particularly applied to solid tumors. It addresses the state-of-the-art minimum biomarkers required for the diagnosis of this important group of neoplasms, the local situation regarding technological capabilities installed in the national territory, either for research or diagnosis, and the potential health impact of applying all this practical knowledge to serve people with cancer, both in the public and private sectors.
RESUMO
Ellis van Creveld syndrome and Weyers acrofacial dysostosis are two rare genetic diseases affecting skeletal development. They are both ciliopathies, as they are due to malfunction of primary cilia, microtubule-based plasma membrane protrusions that function as cellular antennae and are required for Hedgehog signaling, a key pathway during skeletal morphogenesis. These ciliopathies are caused by mutations affecting the EVC-EVC2 complex, a transmembrane protein heterodimer that regulates Hedgehog signaling from inside primary cilia. Despite the importance of this complex, the mechanisms underlying its stability, targeting and function are poorly understood. To address this, we characterized the endogenous EVC protein interactome in control and Evc-null cells. This proteomic screen confirmed EVC's main known interactors (EVC2, IQCE, EFCAB7), while revealing new ones, including USP7, a deubiquitinating enzyme involved in Hedgehog signaling. We therefore looked at EVC-EVC2 complex ubiquitination. Such ubiquitination exists but is independent of USP7 (and of USP48, also involved in Hh signaling). We did find, however, that monoubiquitination of EVC-EVC2 cytosolic tails greatly reduces their protein levels. On the other hand, modification of EVC-EVC2 cytosolic tails with the small ubiquitin-related modifier SUMO3 has a different effect, enhancing complex accumulation at the EvC zone, immediately distal to the ciliary transition zone, possibly via increased binding to the EFCAB7-IQCE complex. Lastly, we find that EvC zone targeting of EVC-EVC2 depends on two separate EFCAB7-binding motifs within EVC2's Weyers-deleted peptide. Only one of these motifs had been characterized previously, so we have mapped the second herein. Altogether, our data shed light on EVC-EVC2 complex regulatory mechanisms, with implications for ciliopathies.
RESUMO
Nest predation is the main cause of reproductive failure, particularly in ground-nesting birds on farmlands. Understanding the links between nest predation and habitat change can help design effective management schemes to constrain the negative impact of predation pressure on birds. However, the mechanisms underlying the relationships between landscape attributes, predator distribution, and nest predation are still unclear. Here, we use an experimental approach to examine the effects of distance to the hedgerow as well as hedgerow and forest densities on the abundance of major mesopredators of ground nests of our study area (i.e., corvids) and on the predation rate of artificial ground nests (n = 2576). We found evidence that landscape configuration influenced predation patterns differently depending on the predator species. Nest predation by corvids was more likely in homogeneous and open agricultural landscapes with a low density of forest and hedgerows, whereas predation by other predators was more likely close to hedgerows. Nest predation by corvids and the abundance of corvids also tended to be lower in landscapes dominated by grasslands. Other variables such as road density and distance to human settlements had contrasted effects on the likelihood of a nest being depredated by corvids, i.e., no effect with proximity to human settlements and decreasing trend with road density. Altogether, our results suggest that landscape features interact with mesopredator distribution and their predation rates of ground nests. Therefore, from a conservation and management perspective, a heterogeneous agricultural landscape that includes a mixture of crops associated with patches of forests, hedgerows, and grasslands offering alternative food to generalist predators should contribute to reducing ground-nesting bird predation.
RESUMO
Cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy is the current standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). However, less than half of patients are candidates for this treatment, and 50% will develop metastatic disease. Adjuvant chemotherapy could be offered if neoadjuvant treatment has not been administered for suitable patients. It is important to reduce the risk of systemic recurrence and improve the prognosis of localized MIBC. Systemic therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma has evolved in recent years. Immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted agents, such as antibody-drug conjugates or FGFR inhibitors, are new therapeutic alternatives and have shown their benefit in advanced disease. Currently, several clinical trials are investigating the role of these drugs, as monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, in the neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings with promising outcomes. In addition, the development of predictive biomarkers could predict responses to neoadjuvant therapies.
RESUMO
Cancer will remain one of the most significant challenges for public health, locally and globally. Currently, cancer is the leading cause of death in our country. Thanks to the enormous knowledge accumulated in recent decades on the cellular and molecular bases of cancer, precision oncology has been developed, an approach that allows for increasingly precise pharmacological treatment based on diagnostic tests. Advanced technologies such as next-generation sequencing are used for this purpose. It is essential to implement these technologies in current and future health systems to optimize the arsenal of strategies for cancer control. This review discusses some of the achievements of precision oncology, particularly applied to solid tumors. It addresses the state-of-the-art minimum biomarkers required for the diagnosis of this important group of neoplasms, the local situation regarding technological capabilities installed in the national territory, either for research or diagnosis, and the potential health impact of applying all this practical knowledge to serve people with cancer, both in the public and private sectors.
Assuntos
Neoplasias , Medicina de Precisão , Humanos , Chile , Neoplasias/diagnóstico , Neoplasias/genética , Medicina de Precisão/métodos , Biomarcadores Tumorais/genética , Técnicas de Diagnóstico Molecular/métodos , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala/métodos , Oncologia/tendências , Oncologia/métodosRESUMO
Caroli disease is a rare congenital disorder characterized by dilatation of intrahepatic bile ducts. The treatment could correspond to hepatic resection for localized disease. This paper describes a case of Caroli's disease in a 60 years old female patient, who presented jaundice and diffuse abdominal pain. Further examinations suggested the diagnosis of Caroli disease associated with cholestatic syndrome. We decided to perform a Hepp Couinaud biliodigestive bypass by video laparoscopy with Roux-en-Y reconstruction. There were no immediate complications and no longterm complications after 6 months of follow-up. The VLP biliodigestive bypass in patients with associated cholestatic syndromes should be considered a treatment prior to a more aggressive approach.
La enfermedad de Caroli es un raro trastorno congénito que consiste en una dilatación de las vías biliares intrahepáticas. Su tratamiento definitivo debe consistir en resección hepática por la enfermedad localizada. Este artículo describe un caso de enfermedad de Caroli en una paciente de sexo femenino de 60 años de edad, quien presentó ictericia y dolor abdominal difuso. Exámenes posteriores sugirieron el diagnóstico de enfermedad de Caroli asociada con síndrome colestásico. Los médicos decidieron realizar un bypass biliodigestivo de Hepp Couinaud mediante videolaparoscopia con reconstrucción en Y de Roux. No hubo complicaciones inmediatas ni complicaciones a largo plazo después de 6 meses de seguimiento. El bypass biliodigestivo VLP en pacientes con síndromes colestásicos asociados debe considerarse un tratamiento previo a un abordaje más agresivo.
Assuntos
Humanos , Feminino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Doença de Caroli , LaparoscopiaRESUMO
Predation is a major evolutionary force in animal ecology. Mechanisms by which prey coloration provides camouflage has been widely studied. However, predator response to prey camouflage and concealment has received less attention. Understanding vegetation structure effect on depredation success could help managers design strategies to mitigate the depredation of managed species (e.g., threatened or hunted). We aimed to investigate the relationship between depredation rate, nest camouflage and concealment in ground-nesting birds of farmlands, and their predators. We set up an experiment of 2576 artificial ground nests to assess the role of egg coloration (white, light green, and dark green), egg size (small, medium, and large), and vegetation structure (vegetation height and land use) in nest survival rates. We also explored the role of predator searching strategies by analysing clumped depredation and multiple depredation events. Of the nests, 34.0% were depredated, with corvids as the predators 78.5% of the time. Corvid depredation decreased by 40-60% in grasslands and spring crops above a vegetation height of 30 cm. In contrast, vegetation height and land use may be of far less importance in avoiding depredation by other predators. The probability of depredation was spatially clumped, suggesting that predators increase search effort in areas where a nest was previously encountered. Neighboring depredation and depredation repetition were more frequent in corvids than in other predators. Our study indicates that nests in vegetation higher than 30 cm had a drastic reduction in depredation rates by corvids. Management of vegetation structure is a key tool to mitigate depredation risk, and improving the availability of alternative food resources may be a complementary tool.
Assuntos
Comportamento de Nidação , Passeriformes , Animais , Fazendas , Comportamento PredatórioRESUMO
RESUMEN Introducción: La malnutrición está relacionada con una disminución de las capacidades funcionales en personas adultas mayores. Estudios en población adulta mayor han demostrado asociación directa entre el índice de masa corporal (IMC) y las limitaciones funcionales. Objetivo: Determinar la relación existente entre el nivel de autovalencia y el estado nutricional en población de adultos mayores chilenos. Metodología: Este estudio de carácter cuantitativo descriptivo transversal, analizó una muestra de 837 sujetos de la comuna Los Andes en Chile, a través de una base de datos anonimizada con las atenciones realizadas el año 2017. Para análisis estadístico se aplicó la prueba Chi-cuadrado con un nivel de confianza del 95%, y se determinó el OR para observar el tipo de asociación. Resultados: Según los resultados estadísticamente significativos, existe una asociación negativa entre el "estado nutricional normal" y la "autovalencia con riesgo" (OR= 0,62 p= 0,0012), comportándose como factor protector. Por otra parte, existe una asociación negativa entre el "estado nutricional de obesidad" y la "autovalencia sin riesgo" (OR= 0,51 p= 0,0001) y una asociación positiva con la "autovalencia con riesgo" (OR= 1,54 p= 0,0067) y la dependencia (OR= 1,68 p= 0,001). Conclusión: Un estado nutricional normal se asoció a un menor riesgo de dependencia en la población adulta mayor. La malnutrición por exceso podría ser un factor de riesgo de dependencia.
ABSTRACT Introduction: Malnutrition is associated with decreased functional abilities in older adults. Studies in the older adult population have shown a direct association between body mass index (BMI) and functional limitations. Objective: To determine the relationship between the level of autovalence and nutritional status in a sample of elderly Chileans. Methodology: This cross-sectional descriptive quantitative study analyzed a sample of 837 subjects from Los Andes, Chile, through an anonymized database from 2017. For statistical analysis, the Chi-square test was applied with a confidence level of 95%, and the OR was determined to observe the type of association. Results: We found a statistically significant protective association between "normal nutritional status" and "self-valence with risk" (OR= 0.62 p= 0.0012). In addition, we found a protective association between "obesity nutritional status" and "self-valence without risk" (OR= 0.51 p= 0.0001) and a positive association with "self-valence with risk" (OR= 1.54 p= 0.0067) and dependence (OR= 1.68 p= 0.001). Conclusion: A normal nutritional status was associated with a lower risk of dependency in a sample of older adults. Excess malnutrition could be a risk factor for dependence.
RESUMO
Poor wound closure due to diabetes, aging, stress, obesity, alcoholism, and chronic disease affects millions of people worldwide. Reasons wounds will not close are still unclear, and current therapies are limited. Although stem cell factor (SCF), a cytokine, is known to be important for wound repair, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of SCF in wound closure remain poorly understood. Here, we found that SCF expression in the epidermis is decreased in mouse models of delayed wound closure intended to mimic old age, obesity, and alcoholism. By using SCF conditionally knocked out mice, we demonstrated that keratinocytes' autocrine production of SCF activates a transient c-kit receptor in keratinocytes. Transient activation of the c-kit receptor induces the expression of growth factors and chemokines to promote wound re-epithelialization by increasing migration of skin cells (keratinocytes and fibroblasts) and immune cells (neutrophils) to the wound bed 24-48 h post-wounding. Our results demonstrate that keratinocyte-produced SCF is essential to wound closure due to the increased recruitment of a unique combination of skin cells and immune cells in the early phase after wounding. This discovery is imperative for developing clinical strategies that might improve the body's natural repair mechanisms for treating patients with wound-closure pathologies.
Assuntos
Queratinócitos/metabolismo , Síndrome Metabólica/fisiopatologia , Reepitelização/genética , Reepitelização/fisiologia , Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Pele , Pele/lesões , Fator de Células-Tronco/deficiência , Fator de Células-Tronco/fisiologia , Cicatrização/genética , Cicatrização/fisiologia , Animais , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Expressão Gênica , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Knockout , Neutrófilos , Proteínas Proto-Oncogênicas c-kit/metabolismo , Pele/citologia , Fator de Células-Tronco/genética , Fator de Células-Tronco/metabolismoRESUMO
Methylation in CpG sites of the PPARGC1A gene (encoding PGC1-α) has been associated with adiposity, insulin secretion/sensitivity indexes and type 2 diabetes. We assessed the association between the methylation profile of the PPARGC1A gene promoter gene in leukocytes with insulin secretion/sensitivity indexes in normoglycemic women. A standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and an abbreviated version of the intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) were carried out in n = 57 Chilean nondiabetic women with measurements of plasma glucose, insulin, and C-peptide. Bisulfite-treated DNA from leukocytes was evaluated for methylation levels in six CpG sites of the proximal promoter of the PPARGC1A gene by pyrosequencing (positions -816, -783, -652, -617, -521 and -515). A strong correlation between the DNA methylation percentage of different CpG sites of the PPARGC1A promoter in leukocytes was found, suggesting an integrated epigenetic control of this region. We found a positive association between the methylation levels of the CpG site -783 with the insulin sensitivity Matsuda composite index (rho = 0.31; p = 0.02) derived from the OGTT. The CpG hypomethylation in the promoter position -783 of the PPARGC1A gene in leukocytes may represent a biomarker of reduced insulin sensitivity after the ingestion of glucose.
Assuntos
Glicemia , Metilação de DNA/genética , Resistência à Insulina/genética , Secreção de Insulina/genética , Coativador 1-alfa do Receptor gama Ativado por Proliferador de Peroxissomo/genética , Regiões Promotoras Genéticas/genética , Adulto , Biomarcadores/sangue , Chile , Feminino , HumanosRESUMO
Nest predation is a major cause of reproductive failure in birds, but predator identity often remains unknown. Additionally, although corvids are considered major nest predators in farmland landscapes, whether breeders or floaters are involved remains contentious. In this study, we aimed to identify nest predators using artificial nests, and test whether territorial or non-breeders carrion crow (Corvus corone) and Eurasian magpie (Pica pica) were most likely involved. We set up an experiment with artificial ground nests (n = 1429) in farmland landscapes of western France, and assessed how different combinations of egg size and egg material (small plasticine egg, large plasticine egg, quail and natural hen eggs) might influence predation rates and predator species involved. Nest predators were identified using remotely triggered cameras and marks left in plasticine eggs. Corvids were by far the predators most involved (almost 80% of all predation events), independent of egg type. Carrion crows alone were involved in 60% of cases. Probability of predation increased with egg size, and predation rate was higher for natural than for artificial eggs, suggesting that, in addition to egg size, predators might perceive plasticine and natural eggs differently. Predation rates of artificial nests by corvids were related significantly to corvid abundance, and far more to breeder than floater abundances, for both carrion crows and magpies. This study emphasizes the importance of identifying predators at species level, and considering their social status when assessing corvid abundance impact on prey population dynamics. Combining camera traps and plasticine eggs can achieve this objective. Given the high predation rate by carrion crows, a better understanding of landscape-mediated changes in predator diet seems mandatory to design mitigation schemes able to confront ecological challenges raised by generalist predators.
Assuntos
Galinhas , Comportamento de Nidação , Animais , Fazendas , Feminino , França , Comportamento PredatórioRESUMO
Predictors of reading comprehension among children with SLI have been rarely studied in Spanish. Even more sparse are longitudinal studies inspecting the evolution of their reading abilities. The aim of the present study is to inspect how decoding, production of grammatical/ungrammatical sentences, production of simple/complex sentences, and vocabulary (measured with two instruments) predict reading comprehension among Spanish-speaking monolingual school-age children with SLI in two grades: 2nd grade and 4th grade. Forty-eight children were recruited for this study, evenly grouped in two conditions: SLI and Typical. Groups were balanced by gender with no differences in months of age. All children were assessed twice: when in 2nd grade and when in 4th grade. Several multiple regression analyses were conducted. Findings revealed differences in terms of which particular predictors significantly impacted reading comprehension in each group. Vocabulary and syntax complexity are the most consistent predictors of reading performance. Decoding predicted reading comprehension performance only in the observed early stage (2nd grade), becoming non-significant over time. Grammaticality was found to have no impact on reading comprehension in both groups. Reported results suggest that vocabulary and complex syntax solidly predict reading comprehension, while decoding and grammaticality play a minor or even negligible role. Thus, interventions designed to improve reading comprehension among children with SLI might benefit from targeting these two particular dimensions of language.