A scientist for president.

If elected, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo would bring an extensive background in science and engineering to Mexico's presidency. But many researchers are anxious about how she would govern.

The bat man takes a stand.

Mexican biologist Rodrigo Medellín Legorreta is fighting political headwinds to preserve his country's natural heritage-and his own legacy.

Teeth record pneumonia-and racism.

Research raises standards for working with anthropological collections.

Transcriptional, Behavioral and Biochemical Profiling in the 3xTg-AD Mouse Model Reveals a Specific Signature of Amyloid Deposition and Functional Decline in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related degenerative decline is associated to the presence of amyloid beta (Aß) plaque lesions and neuro fibrillary tangles (NFT). However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking Aß deposition and neurological decline are still unclear. Here we combine genome-wide transcriptional profiling of the insular cortex of 3xTg-AD mice and control littermates from early through to late adulthood (2-14 months of age), with behavioral and biochemical profiling in the same animals to identify transcriptional determinants of functional decline specifically associated to build-up of Aß deposits. Differential expression analysis revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the cortex long before observed onset of behavioral symptoms in this model. Using behavioral and biochemical data derived from the same mice and samples, we found that down but not up-regulated DEGs show a stronger average association with learning performance than random background genes in control not seen in AD mice. Conversely, these same genes were found to have a stronger association with Aß deposition than background genes in AD but not in control mice, thereby identifying these genes as potential intermediaries between abnormal Aß/NFT deposition and functional decline. Using a complementary approach, gene ontology analysis revealed a highly significant enrichment of learning and memory, associative, memory, and cognitive functions only among down-regulated, but not up-regulated, DEGs. Our results demonstrate wider transcriptional changes triggered by the abnormal deposition of Aß/NFT occurring well before behavioral decline and identify a distinct set of genes specifically associated to abnormal Aß protein deposition and cognitive decline.

Hippocampal release of dopamine and norepinephrine encodes novel contextual information.

The detection and processing of novel information encountered in our environment is crucial for proper adaptive behavior and learning. Hippocampus is a prime structure for novelty detection that receives high-level inputs including context information. It is of our interest to understand the mechanisms by which the hippocampus processes contextual information. For this, we performed in vivo microdyalisis in order to monitor extracellular changes in neurotransmitter levels during Object Location Memory (OLM), a behavioral protocol developed to evaluate contextual information processing in recognition memory. Neurotransmitter release was evaluated in the dorsal hippocampus and insular cortex during OLM in 3-month-old B6129SF2/J mice. We found a simultaneous release of dopamine and norepinephrine in hippocampus during OLM, while neurochemical activity remained unaltered in the cortex. Additionally, we administered 6-hydroxy-dopamine (6-OHDA), a neurotoxic compound selective to dopaminergic and noradrenergic neurons, in the dorsal hippocampus in a different group of mice. Depletion of catecholaminergic terminals in the hippocampus by 6-OHDA impaired OLM but did not affect novel object recognition. Our results support the relevance of hippocampal catecholaminergic neurotransmission in recognition memory. The significance of catecholaminergic function may be extended to the clinical field as it has been reported that innervation of hippocampus by the noradrenergic and dopaminergic system is reduced and atrophied in aging and Alzheimer's disease brain. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Manejo de las úlceras pépticas perforadas. Años 2005 a 2013 / Management of ulcers peptic perforated. Years 2005-2013

La perforación de úlceras pépticas se presenta del 1 al 6% de los pacientes ulcerosos, infrecuente, pero representa una complicación grave con morbi-mortalidad elevada. Objetivo: Determinar la frecuencia de úlcera péptica perforada (UPP) en los abdómenes agudos, factores predisponentes, tratamiento, morbilidad y mortalidad. Pacientes y método: Trabajo descriptivo, retrospectivo, observacional de pacientes que consultaron en urgencias, con diagnóstico de UPP en la IICCQ; marzo-2005 a diciembre-2013. Resultados: Ingresaron 308 pacientes con abdomen agudo quirúrgico, 30 (9,7%) con diagnóstico de UPP; 27 varones y 3 mujeres, edad promedio 54 (26-82 años). Tiempo de evolución en promedio de 14hs (4-72hs). Los síntomas predominantes fueron: dolor abdominal, náuseas y vómitos. Factores predisponentes: consumo de AINES, etilismo y tabaquismo. El diagnóstico se realizó por clínica, radiografía de tórax (neumoperitoneo) y en algunos casos de manera intraoperatoria. El tratamiento quirúrgico consistió en sutura primaria y epiploplastia en 27 casos; 2 casos, antrectomía y gastro-yeyunoanastomosis en Y de Roux y 1 caso, resección en cuña de la úlcera y sutura primaria. La localización de la úlcera fue: 13 casos en región prepilórica; 7 en antro; 4 en píloro; 3 en primera porción duodenal y 3 en cuerpo gástrico. El tamaño de la misma fue entre 0,5-4 cm de diámetro. Complicaciones registradas: 3 casos de atelectasia; 3 de neumonía intrahospitalaria; 3 de infección de herida operatoria, 1 de inestabilidad hemodinámica; 1 laceración hepática; 2 evisceraciones; 1 fístula enterocutánea y 2 de infección de vías urinarias. La mortalidad fue de 6,6%, (2 casos); uno por sepsis de origen abdominal y otro por hemorragia digestiva alta masiva.La UPP corresponde a un cuadro grave. El tratamiento quirúrgico es la terapia de elección para el episodio agudo. A pesar de la gravedad, no registramos mortalidad elevada con respecto a otras series.

Perforation of peptic ulcers occurs from 1 to 6% of the ulcer, rarely, but represents a serious complication with high morbidity and mortality. Objective: To determine the frequency of perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) in acute abdomens, predisposing factors, treatment, morbidity and mortality. Patients and Methods: Research descriptive, retrospective and observational, at the emergency room with patients diagnosed with UPP in IICCQ; Mar-2005 to December-2013. Results: 308 patients were admitted with acute abdomen, 30 (9.7%) diagnosed with UPP; 27 men and 3 women, mean age 54 (26-82 years). Time evolution of average 14hs (4-72hs). The predominant symptoms were abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Predisposing factors: NSAID, alcohol consumption and smoking. The diagnosis was made by clinical, chest radiography (pneumoperitoneum) and in some cases intraoperatively. Surgical treatment consisted of primary suture and epiploplasty in 27 cases; 2 cases, gastroyeyunoanastomosis antrectomy and Roux-Y and 1 case, wedge resection of the ulcer and primary suture. The location of the ulcer was: 13 cases in prepyloric region; 7 in the antrum; 4 in pylorus; 3 in the first duodenal portion and 3 in the gastric body. Same size was between 0.5-4 cm in diameter. Complications recorded 3 cases of atelectasis; 3 of nosocomial pneumonia; 3 of wound infection, 1 of hemodynamic instability; 1 liver laceration; 2 evisceration; 1 3 enterocutaneous fistula and 2 urinary tract infection. The mortality was 6.6% (2 cases); one abdominal sepsis and another massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The UPP is for a severe case. Surgical treatment is the therapy of choice for acute episode. Despite the seriousness, not checking high mortality compared with other series.