The ants of the genus Rhopalothrix Mayr, 1870 (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Myrmicinae) in Colombia.

The ants of the genus Rhopalothrix are diverse in the Neotropical region, with 14 of the 16 described species. Based on museum material and recent fieldwork, Rhopalothrix ants in Colombia were reviewed. Morphological analysis of the workers allowed delimitation of six species, including two new species, Rhopalothrixmandibularis Guerrero & Grajales, sp. nov. and Rhopalothrixmariaemirae Tocora, Fiorentino & Fernández, sp. nov. A new combination Rhopalothrixamaticomb. nov. is proposed for Eurhopalothrixamati. A worker-based taxonomic key, high-definition images of the workers, and a distribution map of all Rhopalothrix species present in Colombia are provided.

Largest comparison between onset and relapses of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura reveals severe neurological involvement and worse analytic parameters at debut.

It has been proposed that the onset of Acquired Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (iTTP) is more severe than subsequent relapses; however, existing studies have limitations. We conducted a retrospective observational study to compare analytical and clinical severity of onset and relapse aTTP cases between 2012 and 2023. A total of 370 episodes of aTTP were analyzed, comprising 272 at initial diagnosis and 98 relapses. At onset, analytical parameters indicative of severity (low hemoglobin, low platelet count, and increased LDH) were significantly worse; patients had severe neurological symptoms (p<0.001) and ≥ 3 points in the TMA mortality score (p<0.001). In conclusion, the onset of aTTP is associated with worse analytical parameters and severe neurological involvement.

Mucormicosis de cabeza y cuello: actualización en el diagnóstico y manejo médico-quirúrgico. Una revisión narrativa / Mucormycosis of the head and neck: update on diagnosis and medical-surgical management. A narrative review

La mucormicosis, es una patología de baja preva- lencia, rápidamente progresiva y de alta mortalidad que engloba un amplio espectro de infecciones del tipo opor- tunistas, causada por hongos de la familia Mucoraceae, Lichtheimiaceae, Thamnidiaceae, Cunninghamellaceae, Syncephalastraceae y Radiomycetaeae. Actualmente es la tercera causa de infección fúngica invasiva, posterior a la candidiasis y aspergilosos, siendo su presentación clínica más frecuente la rinocerebral de origen paranasal, cuyo síntoma característico es la rinosinusitis aguda bacteriana con proyección a los dientes antrales, de rápido avance y fatalidad. En esta revisión se emplearon resultados extraídos ma- nualmente de artículos indexados en las bases de datos MED- LINE y EBSCO a raíz de la búsqueda de los términos mu- cormycosis, oral surgery y patient care management con el objetivo de entregar una visión actualizada de la literatura, respecto al diagnóstico y tratamiento de la mucormicosis de cabeza y cuello (AU)

Mucormycosis is a low-prevalence, rapidly progres- sive and high-mortality pathology that encompasses a wide spectrum of opportunistic infections caused by fungi of the Mucoraceae, Lichtheimiaceae, Thamnidiaceae, Cunningha- mellaceae, Syncephalastraceae, and Radiomycetaeae. It is currently the third cause of invasive fungal infection, after candidiasis and aspergillosis, with its most frequent clinical presentation being rhinocerebral of paranasal origin, whose characteristic symptom is acute bacterial rhinosinusitis with projection to the antral teeth, with rapid progression and fatality. In this review, manually extracted results from articles indexed in the MEDLINE and EBSCO databases were used following the search for the terms mucormycosis, oral sur- gery and patient care management with the aim of providing an updated view of the literature regarding the diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis of the head and neck

Mucormicosis de cabeza y cuello: Actualización en el diagnóstico y manejo médico-quirúrgico. Una revisión narrativa / Mucormycosis of the head and neck: Update on diagnosis and medical-surgical management. A narrative review

Resumen La mucormicosis, es una patología de baja prevalencia, rápidamente progresiva y de alta mortalidad que engloba un amplio espectro de infecciones del tipo oportunistas, causada por hongos de la familia Mucoraceae, Lichtheimiaceae, Thamnidiaceae, Cunninghamellaceae, Syncephalastraceae y Radiomycetaeae. Actualmente es la tercera causa de infección fúngica invasiva, posterior a la candidiasis y aspergilosos, siendo su presentación clínica más frecuente la rinocerebral de origen paranasal, cuyo síntoma característico es la rinosinusitis aguda bacteriana con proyección a los dientes antrales, de rápido avance y fatalidad. En esta revisión se emplearon resultados extraídos manualmente de artículos indexados en las bases de datos MEDLINE y EBSCO a raíz de la búsqueda de los términos mucormycosis, oral surgery y patient care management con el objetivo de entregar una visión actualizada de la literatura, respecto al diagnóstico y tratamiento de la mucormicosis de cabeza y cuello.

Abstract Mucormycosis is a low-prevalence, rapidly progressive and high-mortality pathology that encompasses a wide spectrum of opportunistic infections caused by fungi of the Mucoraceae, Lichtheimiaceae, Thamnidiaceae, Cunninghamellaceae, Syncephalastraceae, and Radiomycetaeae. It is currently the third cause of invasive fungal infection, after candidiasis and aspergillosis, with its most frequent clinical presentation being rhinocerebral of paranasal origin, whose characteristic symptom is acute bacterial rhinosinusitis with projection to the antral teeth, with rapid progression and fatality. In this review, manually extracted results from articles indexed in the MEDLINE and EBSCO databases were used following the search for the terms mucormycosis, oral surgery and patient care management with the aim of providing an updated view of the literature regarding the diagnosis and treatment of mucormycosis of the head and neck.

Theta-phase-specific modulation of dentate gyrus memory neurons.

The theta rhythm, a quasi-periodic 4-10 Hz oscillation, is observed during memory processing in the hippocampus, with different phases of theta hypothesized to separate independent streams of information related to the encoding and recall of memories. At the cellular level, the discovery of hippocampal memory cells (engram neurons), as well as the modulation of memory recall through optogenetic activation of these cells, has provided evidence that certain memories are stored, in part, in a sparse ensemble of neurons in the hippocampus. In previous research, however, engram reactivation has been carried out using open-loop stimulation at fixed frequencies; the relationship between engram neuron reactivation and ongoing network oscillations has not been taken into consideration. To address this concern, we implemented a closed-loop reactivation of engram neurons that enabled phase-specific stimulation relative to theta oscillations in the local field potential in CA1. Using this real-time approach, we tested the impact of activating dentate gyrus engram neurons during the peak (encoding phase) and trough (recall phase) of theta oscillations. Consistent with previously hypothesized functions of theta oscillations in memory function, we show that stimulating dentate gyrus engram neurons at the trough of theta is more effective in eliciting behavioral recall than either fixed-frequency stimulation or stimulation at the peak of theta. Moreover, phase-specific trough stimulation is accompanied by an increase in the coupling between gamma and theta oscillations in CA1 hippocampus. Our results provide a causal link between phase-specific activation of engram cells and the behavioral expression of memory.

Perfil epidemiológico de los pacientes con secuelas de accidente cerebrovascular atendidos en un instituto de rehabilitación de Lima-Perú

Objetivo: Describir el perfil epidemiológico de los pacientes con secuelas de accidente cerebrovascular (ACV) atendidos en un instituto de rehabilitación de Lima-Perú. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional, transversal, descriptivo y relacional, de los pacientes con secuelas de ACV atendidos en el periodo 2013 al 2019, en el Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación "Dra. Adriana Rebaza Flores" AMISTAD PERÚ-JAPÓN. Se recolectaron datos de variables sociodemográficas, clínicas, enfermedades crónicas, hábitos nocivos y medicamentos. Resultados: El 71,5% de pacientes tenían secuelas de ACV de etiología isquémica y el 87,6% secuelas moderadas o severas. La mayor frecuencia de pacientes con secuela de ACV isquémico fue a partir de los 56 años (80,7%); mientras que en el ACV hemorrágico fue a partir de los 46 años (61,8%). El 81,7% presentó hemiplejía, el 58% deficiencia en la comunicación y solo el 2,1% en la audición, el 67,3% hipertensión arterial y el 16,1% refirió algún grado de consumo de tabaco. La mayoría de los pacientes con secuelas leves, moderadas y severas eran casados o convivientes. A mayor severidad, era mayor el porcentaje de mujeres, personas mayores e iletradas. Conclusiones: La mayoría de los pacientes con ACV tenían secuelas moderadas o graves, hemiplejía, deficiencia de la comunicación e hipertensión. Los pacientes con ACV isquémico tenían mayor edad que aquellos con ACV hemorrágico. A mayor severidad, había mayor porcentaje de personas mayores, mujeres e iletrados.

SUMMARY Objective: To describe the epidemiologic profile of patients with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) attended at a rehabilitation center in Lima-Peru. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried-out at Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación "Dra. Adriana Rebaza Flores" AMISTAD PERÚ-JAPÓN from 2013 to 2019. Information on sociodemographic, clinical, chronic underlying conditions and use of illicit drugs and medications were gathered. Results: 71.5% of our patients had ischemic CVAs and 87.6% had moderate to severe sequalae. Higher frequency of sequalae due to ischemic CVAs was found among people older than 56 years of age (80.7%), while sequalae of hemorrhagic CVAs was found predominantly above 46 years of age (61.8%). Hemiplegia was found in 81.7%; 58% had verbal communication problems; 2.1% had audition problems; 67.3% had blood hypertension and 16.1% had history of tobacco consumption. Most of the patients with any degree of sequalae were either married or cohabitant. The higher the severity of sequalae, higher percentage of old illiterate females. Conclusions: Most of the patients with CVAs had moderate-severe sequalae including hemiplegia, verbal communication problems and blood hypertension. Patients with ischemic CVAs were older than those with hemorrhagic CVAs. The higher the severity of sequalae, higher percentage of old illiterate females.

Neurodata Tracker: Software for computational assessment of hand motor skills based on optical motion capture in a virtual environment.

Objectives: Deficits affecting hand motor skills negatively impact the quality of life of patients. The NeuroData Tracker platform has been developed for the objective and precise evaluation of hand motor deficits. We describe the design and development of the platform and analyse the technological feasibility and usability in a relevant clinical setting. Methods: A software application was developed in Unity (C#) to obtain kinematic data from hand movement tracking by a portable device with two cameras and three infrared sensors (leap motion®). Four exercises were implemented: (a) wrist flexion-extension (b) finger-grip opening-closing (c) finger spread (d) fist opening-closing. The most representative kinematic parameters were selected for each exercise. A script in Python was integrated in the platform to transform real-time kinematic data into relevant information for the clinician. The application was tested in a pilot study comparing the data provided by the tool from ten healthy subjects without any motor impairment and ten patients diagnosed with a stroke with mild to moderate hand motor deficit. Results: The NeuroData Tracker allowed the parameterization of kinematics of hand movement and the issuance of a report with the results. The comparison of the data obtained suggests the feasibility of the tool for detecting differences between patients and healthy subjects. Conclusions: This new platform based on optical motion capturing provides objective measurement of hand movement allowing quantification of motor deficits. These findings require further validation of the tool in larger trials to verify its usefulness in the clinical setting.

Full protection from SARS-CoV-2 brain infection and damage in susceptible transgenic mice conferred by MVA-CoV2-S vaccine candidate.

Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to be safe and effective but their protective efficacy against infection in the brain is yet unclear. Here, in the susceptible transgenic K18-hACE2 mouse model of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we report a spatiotemporal description of SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication through the brain. SARS-CoV-2 brain replication occurs primarily in neurons, leading to neuronal loss, signs of glial activation and vascular damage in mice infected with SARS-CoV-2. One or two doses of a modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vector expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein (MVA-CoV2-S) conferred full protection against SARS-CoV-2 cerebral infection, preventing virus replication in all areas of the brain and its associated damage. This protection was maintained even after SARS-CoV-2 reinfection. These findings further support the use of MVA-CoV2-S as a promising vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19.

Complete Genome Sequences of Cluster F1 Mycobacteriophages Akhila and MilanaBonita.

Akhila and MilanaBonita are mycobacteriophages that were isolated from soil in New York using Mycobacterium smegmatis. Both phages have genomes that are 56,251 bp long and contain 99 genes; the genomes differ by only 1 nucleotide. Based on gene content similarity to phages in the Actinobacteriophage Database, both phages are assigned to cluster F1.

Anatomic pattern of perforator arteries from proper digital arteries in human triphalangeal digits.

INTRODUCTION: The localization of the perforator artery for the performance of digital artery perforator (DAP) flaps poses a challenge. This study aims to describe the anatomical pattern of the perforator arteries originating from the proper digital artery in fresh cadaveric triphalangeal digits and to use this pattern as a point of reference for performing these flaps. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We performed a descriptive anatomical study on 28 fresh cadaveric hands (14 male, 14 female; 10 right hands, 18 left hands) after injecting the arterial system with latex. Digital photographs were taken of each specimen after dissection and the number of perforator arteries in each finger (second to fifth), phalanx (proximal, middle and distal) and finger side (radial or ulnar) were obtained by analysis in Adobe Photoshop CS6. RESULTS: We obtained statistically significant results when comparing the means of the number of perforator arteries between fingers, phalanx, finger side, gender and laterality. When analyzing the number of perforator arteries in each phalanx third in each finger, we found that more than 75% of specimens had at least one perforator artery in the two distal thirds of the proximal phalanx and the three-thirds of the middle phalanx and more than 50% had at least one in the proximal third of the distal phalanx. CONCLUSIONS: We present a homogeneous perforator artery anatomic pattern, by finger, phalanx, finger side, gender and laterality, consisting of a high density of perforator arteries in the distal proximal phalanx region, throughout the middle phalanx and in the proximal distal phalanx region, which would be the areas of greatest certainty to help predict the favorable evolution of a digital artery perforator flap in the fingers.

Interneuronal network model of theta-nested fast oscillations predicts differential effects of heterogeneity, gap junctions and short term depression for hyperpolarizing versus shunting inhibition.

Theta and gamma oscillations in the hippocampus have been hypothesized to play a role in the encoding and retrieval of memories. Recently, it was shown that an intrinsic fast gamma mechanism in medial entorhinal cortex can be recruited by optogenetic stimulation at theta frequencies, which can persist with fast excitatory synaptic transmission blocked, suggesting a contribution of interneuronal network gamma (ING). We calibrated the passive and active properties of a 100-neuron model network to capture the range of passive properties and frequency/current relationships of experimentally recorded PV+ neurons in the medial entorhinal cortex (mEC). The strength and probabilities of chemical and electrical synapses were also calibrated using paired recordings, as were the kinetics and short-term depression (STD) of the chemical synapses. Gap junctions that contribute a noticeable fraction of the input resistance were required for synchrony with hyperpolarizing inhibition; these networks exhibited theta-nested high frequency oscillations similar to the putative ING observed experimentally in the optogenetically-driven PV-ChR2 mice. With STD included in the model, the network desynchronized at frequencies above ~200 Hz, so for sufficiently strong drive, fast oscillations were only observed before the peak of the theta. Because hyperpolarizing synapses provide a synchronizing drive that contributes to robustness in the presence of heterogeneity, synchronization decreases as the hyperpolarizing inhibition becomes weaker. In contrast, networks with shunting inhibition required non-physiological levels of gap junctions to synchronize using conduction delays within the measured range.

Complete Genome Sequences of Actinobacteriophages Anaysia and Caviar.

Anaysia and Caviar are temperate siphoviruses isolated from soil using Gordonia terrae 3612 and Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155, respectively. Anaysia's 52,861-bp genome carries 102 genes, while Caviar's 47,074-bp genome carries 79 genes. Based on gene content similarity, Anaysia and Caviar are assigned to phage clusters A15 and A3, respectively.

Hippocampal cells segregate positive and negative engrams.

The hippocampus is involved in processing a variety of mnemonic computations specifically the spatiotemporal components and emotional dimensions of contextual memory. Recent studies have demonstrated cellular heterogeneity along the hippocampal axis. The ventral hippocampus has been shown to be important in the processing of emotion and valence. Here, we combine transgenic and all-virus based activity-dependent tagging strategies to visualize multiple valence-specific engrams in the vHPC and demonstrate two partially segregated cell populations and projections that respond to appetitive and aversive experiences. Next, using RNA sequencing and DNA methylation sequencing approaches, we find that vHPC appetitive and aversive engram cells display different transcriptional programs and DNA methylation landscapes compared to a neutral engram population. Additionally, optogenetic manipulation of tagged cell bodies in vHPC is not sufficient to drive appetitive or aversive behavior in real-time place preference, stimulation of tagged vHPC terminals projecting to the amygdala and nucleus accumbens (NAc), but not the prefrontal cortex (PFC), showed the capacity drive preference and avoidance. These terminals also were able to change their capacity to drive behavior. We conclude that the vHPC contains genetically, cellularly, and behaviorally segregated populations of cells processing appetitive and aversive memory engrams.

The Present State of the Use of Waste Wood Ash as an Eco-Efficient Construction Material: A Review.

A main global challenge is finding an alternative material for cement, which is a major source of pollution to the environment because it emits greenhouse gases. Investigators play a significant role in global waste disposal by developing appropriate methods for its effective utilization. Geopolymers are one of the best options for reusing all industrial wastes containing aluminosilicate and the best alternative materials for concrete applications. Waste wood ash (WWA) is used with other waste materials in geopolymer production and is found in pulp and paper, wood-burning industrial facilities, and wood-fired plants. On the other hand, the WWA manufacturing industry necessitates the acquisition of large tracts of land in rural areas, while some industries use incinerators to burn wood waste, which contributes to air pollution, a significant environmental problem. This review paper offers a comprehensive review of the current utilization of WWA with the partial replacement with other mineral materials, such as fly ash, as a base for geopolymer concrete and mortar production. A review of the usage of waste wood ash in the construction sector is offered, and development tendencies are assessed about mechanical, durability, and microstructural characteristics. The impacts of waste wood ash as a pozzolanic base for eco-concreting usages are summarized. According to the findings, incorporating WWA into concrete is useful to sustainable progress and waste reduction as the WWA mostly behaves as a filler in filling action and moderate amounts of WWA offer a fairly higher compressive strength to concrete. A detail study on the source of WWA on concrete mineralogy and properties must be performed to fill the potential research gap.

Efficacy, safety and prognostic factors in patients with refractory metastatic colorectal cancer treated with trifluridine/tipiracil plus bevacizumab in a real-world setting.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) plus bevacizumab in treating refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) in a retrospective, observational study. Patients refractory or intolerant to standard therapies received TAS-102 (30-35 mg/m2 twice daily on days 1-5 and days 8-12 every 28 days) plus bevacizumab 5 mg/kg on days 1 and 15. Clinical and pathological characteristics, overall response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) data were collected and analysed. Thirty-five patients were treated from July 2019 to October 2021 (median age 64 years). The majority of patients (68.6%) were receiving TAS-102 plus bevacizumab as third-line treatment. Patients received a median of 4 (range 2-15) cycles of treatment. Among 31 patients evaluable for response (88.6%), ORR and DCR were 3.2% and 51.6%, respectively. After a median 11.6 months' follow-up, median PFS was 4.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.4-5.1) months and median OS was 9.3 (95% CI 6.6-12.1) months. The most common grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia, asthenia and nausea/vomiting, and there were no treatment-related deaths. This real-world study confirms the efficacy and safety of TAS-102 plus bevacizumab in patients with refractory mCRC.

Pre-operative prevalence of asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 in hospitals in Catalonia during the first wave after the resumption of surgical activity.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of non-essential surgical procedures in March 2020. With the resumption of surgical activity, patients undergoing surgery were one of the first population groups to be systematically tested for PCR. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 carriers after the resumption of non-essential surgical activity. METHODS: Retrospective multicenter observational study of patients scheduled for surgery or undergoing emergency surgery in Catalonia between 20 April and 31 May 2020. The microbiological results of preoperative PCR tests and clinical records were reviewed, and an epidemiological survey was conducted on patients with positive PCR for SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: A total of 10,838 patients scheduled for surgery or who underwent emergency surgery were screened for COVID-19. One hundred and eighteen patients (1.09%) were positive for SARS-CoV-2 in the 72 h prior to surgery. The prevalence of asymptomatic carriers was 0.7% (IC95%: 0.6%-0.9%). The first week of the study presented the highest prevalence of asymptomatic carriers [1.9% (CI95%:1.1%-3.2%)]. CONCLUSIONS: The low levels of asymptomatic carriers of COVID-19 infection obtained in the surgical population of hospitals in Catalonia after the resumption of surgical activity, shows that most patients were able to undergo surgical procedures without the risks of COVID-19 associated complications in the perioperative period.