Strategies to improve the implementation and effectiveness of community-based psychosocial support interventions for displaced, migrant and host community women in Latin America.

As evidence supporting the effectiveness of mental health and psychosocial interventions grows, more research is needed to understand optimal strategies for improving their implementation in diverse contexts. We conducted a qualitative process evaluation of a multicomponent psychosocial intervention intended to promote well-being among refugee, migrant and host community women in three diverse contexts in Ecuador and Panamá. The objective of this study is to describe the relationships among implementation determinants, strategies and outcomes of this community-based psychosocial intervention. The five implementation strategies used in this study included stakeholder engagement, promoting intervention adaptability, group and community-based delivery format, task sharing and providing incentives. We identified 10 adaptations to the intervention and its implementation, most of which were made during pre-implementation. Participants (n = 77) and facilitators (n = 30) who completed qualitative interviews reported that these strategies largely improved the implementation of the intervention across key outcomes and aligned with the study's intervention and implementation theory of change models. Participants and facilitators also proposed additional strategies for improving reach, implementation and maintenance of this community-based psychosocial intervention.

Functionalizing Dendrimers for Targeted Delivery of Bioactive Molecules to Macrophages: A Potential Treatment for Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection-A Review.

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that replicates inside human alveolar macrophages. This disease causes significant morbidity and mortality throughout the world. According to the World Health Organization 1.4 million people died of this disease in 2021. This indicates that despite the progress of modern medicine, improvements in diagnostics, and the development of drug susceptibility tests, TB remains a global threat to public health. In this sense, host-directed therapy may provide a new approach to the cure of TB, and the expression of miRNAs has been correlated with a change in the concentration of various inflammatory mediators whose concentrations are responsible for the pathophysiology of M. tuberculosis infection. Thus, the administration of miRNAs may help to modulate the immune response of organisms. However, direct administration of miRNAs, without adequate encapsulation, exposes nucleic acids to the activity of cytosolic nucleases, limiting their application. Dendrimers are a family of highly branched molecules with a well-defined architecture and a branched conformation which gives rise to cavities that facilitate physical immobilization, and functional groups that allow chemical interaction with molecules of interest. Additionally, dendrimers can be easily functionalized to target different cells, macrophages among them. In this sense, various studies have proposed the use of different cell receptors as target molecules to aim dendrimers at macrophages and thus release drugs or nucleic acids in the cell of interest. Based on the considerations, the primary objective of this review is to comprehensively explore the potential of functionalized dendrimers as delivery vectors for miRNAs and other therapeutic agents into macrophages. This work aims to provide insights into the use of functionalized dendrimers as an innovative approach for TB treatment, focusing on their ability to target and deliver therapeutic cargo to macrophages.

Mixed-methods evaluation of a group psychosocial intervention for refugee, migrant and host community women in Ecuador and Panamá: Results from the Entre Nosotras cluster randomized feasibility trial.

Community-based psychosocial interventions are key elements of mental health and psychosocial support; yet evidence regarding their effectiveness and implementation in humanitarian settings is limited. This study aimed to assess the appropriateness, acceptability, feasibility and safety of conducting a cluster randomized trial evaluating two versions of a group psychosocial intervention. Nine community clusters in Ecuador and Panamá were randomized to receive the standard version of the Entre Nosotras intervention, a community-based group psychosocial intervention co-designed with community members, or an enhanced version of Entre Nosotras that integrated a stress management component. In a sample of 225 refugees, migrants and host community women, we found that both versions were safe, acceptable and appropriate. Training lay facilitators to deliver the intervention was feasible. Challenges included slow recruitment related to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, high attrition due to population mobility and other competing priorities, and mixed psychometric performance of psychosocial outcome measures. Although the intervention appeared promising, a definitive cluster randomized comparative effectiveness trial requires further adaptations to the research protocol. Within this pilot study we identified strategies to overcome these challenges that may inform adaptations. This comparative effectiveness design may be a model for identifying effective components of psychosocial interventions.

Co-Encapsulation of Curcumin and α-Tocopherol in Bicosome Systems: Physicochemical Properties and Biological Activity.

A novel co-encapsulation system called bicosomes (bicelles within liposomes) has been developed to overcome the limitations associated with the topical application of curcumin (cur) and α-tocopherol (α-toc). The physicochemical properties and biological activity in vitro of bicosome systems were evaluated. Bicelles were prepared with DPPC, DHPC, cur, and α-toc (cur/α-toc-bicelles). Liposomal vesicles loading cur/α-toc-bicelles were prepared with Lipoid P-100 and cholesterol-forming cur/α-toc-bicosomes. Three cur/α-toc-bicosomes were evaluated using different total lipid percentages (12, 16, and 20% w/v). The results indicated that formulations manage to solubilize cur and α-toc in homogeneous bicelles < 20 nm, while the bicosomes reaches 303-420 nm depending on the total lipid percentage in the systems. Bicosomes demonstrated high-encapsulation efficiency (EE) for cur (56-77%) and α-toc (51-65%). The loading capacity (LC) for both antioxidant compounds was 52-67%. In addition, cur/α-toc-bicosomes decreased the lipid oxidation by 52% and increased the antioxidant activity by 60% compared to unloaded bicosomes. The cell viability of these cur/α-toc-bicosomes was >85% in fibroblasts (3T3L1/CL-173™) and ≥65% in keratinocytes (Ha-CaT) and proved to be hematologically compatible. The cur/α-toc-bicelles and cur/α-toc-bicosomes inhibited the growth of C. albicans in a range between 33 and 76%. Our results propose bicosome systems as a novel carrier able to co-encapsulate, solubilize, protect, and improve the delivery performance of antioxidant molecules. The relevance of these findings is based on the synergistic antioxidant effect of its components, its biocompatibility, and its efficacy for dermal tissue treatment damaged by oxidative stress or by the presence of C. albicans. However, further studies are needed to assess the efficacy and safety of cur/α-toc bicosomes in vitro and in vivo.

Evaluating the feasibility of a group psychosocial intervention for migrant and host community women in Ecuador and Panamá: protocol for a multi-site feasibility cluster trial.

BACKGROUND: Community- and strengths-based psychosocial interventions are central to mental health and psychosocial support guidelines, but rigorous evidence regarding the effectiveness of these interventions is limited. The complexity and variability that is inherent to many community-based psychosocial interventions requires innovative strategies in order to facilitate the comparability and synthesis across research studies without compromising the fit and appropriateness of interventions to specific study populations and context. Entre Nosotras is a community-based psychosocial intervention developed for migrant and host community women that is designed to be flexible enough to enable integration of external intervention components and adaptable to diverse study contexts and populations. This protocol describes a study that aims to evaluate the appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility of integrating a standardized stress management intervention into Entre Nosotras. METHODS: This study will evaluate the appropriateness, acceptability, feasibility, and safety of intervention and research procedures for a cluster randomized comparative effectiveness trial conducted in Ecuador and Panamá with migrant and host community women. In this feasibility trial, we will allocate communities nested within the three study sites to the integrated Entre Nosotras + stress management intervention versus Entre Nosotras alone through stratified randomization. Migrant and host community women residing in these study communities who report low to moderate levels of distress will be allocated to the intervention condition that their community is assigned (n = 220 total). We will collect quantitative measures of psychosocial wellbeing, psychological distress, coping, social support, and functioning from study participants. We will collect quantitative measures of fidelity and facilitator competencies through observation and facilitator self-assessment. Data on appropriateness, acceptability, feasibility, and safety will be gathered from participants and facilitators through quantitative assessments at 0, 5, and 10 weeks post-enrollment and qualitative interviews conducted with all facilitators and a subset of 70 study participants during the post-intervention follow-up period. DISCUSSION: Results from this feasibility trial will determine whether a multi-site cluster randomized comparative effectiveness trial of an adaptable community-based psychosocial intervention for migrant and host community women is relevant, acceptable, and feasible. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05130944 . Registered November 23, 2021-retrospectively registered.

Mitochondrial genomes do not appear to regulate flowering pattern/reproductive strategy in Cannabis sativa.

Currently, the amount of genetic data for Cannabis is lacking due to the illegal nature of the plant. Our study used 73 Cannabis sativa whole-genome shotgun libraries to reveal eight different mtDNA haplotypes. The most common haplotype contained 60 of the 73 samples studied and was composed of only dioecious individuals. However, other haplotypes contained a mix of both mating strategies (i.e. monoecious and dioecious). From these haplotype groupings we further examined the fully annotated mitochondrial genomes of four hemp individuals with different mt haplotypes and recorded gene content, copy number variation and synteny. Our results revealed highly syntenic mitochondrial genomes that contained ~60 identifiable sequences for protein-coding genes, tRNAs and rRNAs and no obvious rearrangements or chimeric genes. We found no clear evidence that modern reproductive patterns are due to simple cytoplasmic male sterility mutations. It is likely the interaction between nuclear genetic components and the X/Y sex chromosomes that determines reproductive strategy. Additionally, we added 50 % more mitochondrial genomes to the publicly available repository.

The phytochemical diversity of commercial Cannabis in the United States.

The legal status of Cannabis is changing, fueling an increasing diversity of Cannabis-derived products. Because Cannabis contains dozens of chemical compounds with potential psychoactive or medicinal effects, understanding this phytochemical diversity is crucial. The legal Cannabis industry heavily markets products to consumers based on widely used labeling systems purported to predict the effects of different "strains." We analyzed the cannabinoid and terpene content of commercial Cannabis samples across six US states, finding distinct chemical phenotypes (chemotypes) which are reliably present. By comparing the observed phytochemical diversity to the commercial labels commonly attached to Cannabis-derived product samples, we show that commercial labels do not consistently align with the observed chemical diversity. However, certain labels do show a biased association with specific chemotypes. These results have implications for the classification of commercial Cannabis, design of animal and human research, and regulation of consumer marketing-areas which today are often divorced from the chemical reality of the Cannabis-derived material they wish to represent.

Community-based participatory design of a psychosocial intervention for migrant women in Ecuador and Panama.

There is increasing evidence supporting the effectiveness of scalable mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions delivered by non-specialists for improving wellbeing among migrant populations in humanitarian settings. Balancing fidelity in the implementation of evidence-based MHPSS interventions with their fit to the needs and preferences of new populations and contexts remains a challenge when introducing MHPSS interventions in new settings. This paper describes a community-based participatory approach to MHPSS intervention design incorporating processes to promote local adaptability and fit while maintaining standardized elements of existing MHPSS interventions. We conducted a mixed-methods study to design a community-based MHPSS intervention that fit the mental health and psychosocial needs of migrant women in three sites in Ecuador and Panama. Drawing from a set of community-based participatory research methods, we identified the priority mental health and psychosocial needs among migrant women, co-developed intervention mechanisms that aligned with those needs, matched mechanisms to existing psychosocial intervention components, and iteratively piloted and refined the intervention with community stakeholders. The resulting intervention was a five-session, lay facilitator-delivered group intervention titled, Entre Nosotras ('among/between us'). The intervention combined elements of individual and community problem solving, psychoeducation, stress management, and social support mobilization to address prioritized problems including psychological distress, safety, community connectedness, xenophobia and discrimination, and social support. This research outlines an emphasis on the social dimension of psychosocial support, as well as a process for balancing fit and fidelity in intervention design and implementation.

Rol de la Familia en el Compromiso Escolar Desde la Perspectiva de Estudiantes con Necesidades Educativas Especiales / Family Role in the School Engagement from the Perspective of Students with Special Education Needs

RESUMEN: El compromiso escolar se entiende como el nivel de involucramiento del estudiante con su escuela, su sentido de pertenencia, y la motivación por aprender y obtener logros académicos. En este estudio se busca caracterizar el rol de la familia en el compromiso escolar desde la perspectiva de estudiantes con necesidades educativas especiales. Para tal efecto, se realizó un estudio cualitativo con enfoque fenomenológico. Los participantes son ocho estudiantes de primer y segundo año de enseñanza secundaria de la Región del Biobío, Chile. Se utilizó la técnica de fotoelicitación, narración fotográfica, y entrevistas. Se realizó análisis de contenido con los datos. Los resultados muestran que la dimensión emocional del compromiso escolar es la que más aparece reportada en la experiencia subjetiva de los estudiantes, a través de sentimientos relacionados con el "estar presente", el apoyo y la acogida. En segundo lugar, aparece la dimensión conductual del compromiso, a través del monitoreo, el uso de recordatorios y la reiteración sobre la importancia de estudiar. Finalmente, sobre la dimensión cognitiva, solo algunos estudiantes mencionan acciones de apoyo pedagógico de forma directa o indirecta. Respecto a las necesidades educativas especiales, estas no aparecen como un tema relevante en la experiencia de los participantes. Se discuten estos resultados respecto de la importancia del apoyo parental en el compromiso escolar de los estudiantes.

ABSTRACT: School engagement is the level of involvement of students with their school, their sense of belonging, and the motivation to learn and achieve academic goals. The purpose of this study was to characterize the role of the family on school engagement from the perspective of students with special educational needs. For this purpose, a qualitative study with a phenomenological focus was carried out. Eight Chilean students from first and second grade of secondary schools from the Biobio region, Chile, participated in the study. The study employed the technique of photo-elicitation, photographic narration, and interviews. Content analysis was performed with the data. The results show that the emotional dimension of school engagement is the most reported one, highlighting subjective experiences related to their families "being present", providing support, and making company. The behavioral dimension of the engagement appears to a lower extent, through parental actions such as monitoring, reminding school work, and stressing the importance of education. In relation to the cognitive dimension, fewer students mentioned families provided pedagogical support actions. Participants do not mention special educational needs as a relevant issue in their academic experience. Tese results are discussed highlighting the importance of family support on students' school engagement.

Genomic Evidence That Governmentally Produced Cannabis sativa Poorly Represents Genetic Variation Available in State Markets.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is the sole producer of Cannabis for research purposes in the United States, including medical investigation. Previous research established that cannabinoid profiles in the NIDA varieties lacked diversity and potency relative to the Cannabis produced commercially. Additionally, microsatellite marker analyses have established that the NIDA varieties are genetically divergent form varieties produced in the private legal market. Here, we analyzed the genomes of multiple Cannabis varieties from diverse lineages including two produced by NIDA, and we provide further support that NIDA's varieties differ from widely available medical, recreational, or industrial Cannabis. Furthermore, our results suggest that NIDA's varieties lack diversity in the single-copy portion of the genome, the maternally inherited genomes, the cannabinoid genes, and in the repetitive content of the genome. Therefore, results based on NIDA's varieties are not generalizable regarding the effects of Cannabis after consumption. For medical research to be relevant, material that is more widely used would have to be studied. Clearly, having research to date dominated by a single, non-representative source of Cannabis has hindered scientific investigation.

Alimentos ultraprocesados y su relación con la obesidad y otras enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles: una revisión sistemática / Ultra-processed foods and their relationship to obesity and other chronic non-communicable diseases: a systematic review

Fundamentos: Revisar estudios con respecto a los alimentos ultraprocesados y sus resultados frente a la obesidad y otras enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles, específicamente: Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2 (DM2), hipertensión, enfermedades cardiovasculares y cáncer. Métodos: Revisión sistemática en la que se utilizaron las bases de datos de PubMed y Scielo. Se seleccionaron nueveartículos. Resultados: Un alto consumo de alimentos ultraprocesadosestá relacionado con el incremento en el riesgo de obesidad, DM2, hipertensión, enfermedad cardiovascular y cáncer.Conclusiones: Es necesario realizar estudios clínicos controlados aleatorizados que evalúen el tipo de alimento, frecuencia y dosis que permitan respaldar los resultados obtenidos en estudios observacionales. (AU)

Background: To review the available literature on the association between consumption of ultra-processed foodsand obesity and other non-communicable diseases,specifically: Diabetes Mellitus type 2 (DM2), hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Methods: A systematic review was conducted in thePubMed and Scielo databases. Were selected nine articles. Results: High consumption of ultra-processed foods isrelated increased risk of obesity, DM2, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Conclusions: There is a need for randomized controlledclinical studies that evaluate the type of food, frequency and dose to support the results obtained in observational studies. (AU)

Widely assumed phenotypic associations in Cannabis sativa lack a shared genetic basis.

The flowering plant Cannabis sativa, cultivated for centuries for multiple purposes, displays extensive variation in phenotypic traits in addition to its wide array of secondary metabolite production. Notably, Cannabis produces two well-known secondary-metabolite cannabinoids: cannabidiolic acid (CBDA) and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), which are the main products sought by consumers in the medical and recreational market. Cannabis has several suggested subspecies which have been shown to differ in chemistry, branching patterns, leaf morphology and other traits. In this study we obtained measurements related to phytochemistry, reproductive traits, growth architecture, and leaf morphology from 297 hybrid individuals from a cross between two diverse lineages. We explored correlations among these characteristics to inform our understanding of which traits may be causally associated. Many of the traits widely assumed to be strongly correlated did not show any relationship in this hybrid population. The current taxonomy and legal regulation within Cannabis is based on phenotypic and chemical characteristics. However, we find these traits are not associated when lineages are inter-crossed, which is a common breeding practice and forms the basis of most modern marijuana and hemp germplasms. Our results suggest naming conventions based on leaf morphology do not correspond to the chemical properties in plants with hybrid ancestry. Therefore, a new system for identifying variation within Cannabis is warranted that will provide reliable identifiers of the properties important for recreational and, especially, medical use.

Modeling cannabinoids from a large-scale sample of Cannabis sativa chemotypes.

The widespread legalization of Cannabis has opened the industry to using contemporary analytical techniques for chemotype analysis. Chemotypic data has been collected on a large variety of oil profiles inherent to the cultivars that are commercially available. The unknown gene regulation and pharmacokinetics of dozens of cannabinoids offer opportunities of high interest in pharmacology research. Retailers in many medical and recreational jurisdictions are typically required to report chemical concentrations of at least some cannabinoids. Commercial cannabis laboratories have collected large chemotype datasets of diverse Cannabis cultivars. In this work a data set of 17,600 cultivars tested by Steep Hill Inc., is examined using machine learning techniques to interpolate missing chemotype observations and cluster cultivars into groups based on chemotype similarity. The results indicate cultivars cluster based on their chemotypes, and that some imputation methods work better than others at grouping these cultivars based on chemotypic identity. Due to the missing data and to the low signal to noise ratio for some less common cannabinoids, their behavior could not be accurately predicted. These findings have implications for characterizing complex interactions in cannabinoid biosynthesis and improving phenotypical classification of Cannabis cultivars.

An in vitro digestion study of encapsulated lactoferrin in rapeseed phospholipid-based liposomes.

Effectiveness of liposomes elaborated with rapeseed phospholipid (RP) extracted from a residue of oil processing, stigmasterol (ST) and/or hydrogenated phosphatidylcholine (HPC) for the encapsulation lactoferrin (LF) was studied; lipid membrane of liposomes was characterized (bilayer size, chain conformational order, lateral packing, lipid phase, and morphology) and the protection offered to the encapsulated LF during in vitro digestion was determined. Liposomes composed of RP+STLC(low concentration) showed spherical and irregular vesicles without perforations. Lamellar structure was organized in a liquid-ordered phase with a potential orthorhombic packing. Stability and size of the liposomes were more affected by gastric digestion than intestinal digestion; 67-80% of the initially encapsulated LF remained intact after gastric digestion whereas the percentage was reduced to 16-35% after intestinal digestion. Our results shows that liposomes elaborated with RP, properly combined with other lipids, can be a useful oral delivery system of molecules sensitive to digestive enzymes.

Características y motivaciones de las mujeres donantes del banco de leche en el Complejo Asistencial Dr. Sótero del Río / Characteristics and motivations of donors to the human milk ba nk in Dr. Sótero del Rio Hospital, Chile

El propósito de este trabajo fue describir las características, motivaciones, barreras y fuentes de información de las mujeres donantes del Banco de Leche en el Complejo Asistencial Dr. Sótero del Río (CASR). MÉTODO: El diseño utilizado en este estudio correspondió a uno de tipo transversal descriptivo. Se realizó una encuesta telefónica con 15 preguntas a 82 mujeres que fueron donantes en al menos una oportunidad en el banco de leche del CASR desde el año 2015 a septiembre de 2017. Se estimaron proporciones para las variables categóricas y medidas de tendencia central y de dispersión para la edad Se calcularon intervalos de confianza al 95%. RESULTADOS: La edad media de las donantes fue de 31,3 años con una desviación estándar de 4,6. El 92,7% se encontraba casada o en convivencia y un 58,5% (IC 95% 47,1 - 69,3) cursó educación profesional superior completa. La principal motivación para donar fue la empatia (41,5% [IC 95% 30,7 - 52,9]) y las principales fuentes de conocimiento fueron internet/redes sociales 43,9% (IC 95% 33,0 - 55,3) y personal de salud 32% (IC 95% 22,9 - 44,2). CONCLUSIONES: La mujer donante del banco de leche del CASR, se encuentra principalmente casada o en convivencia, posee un alto nivel educacional y trabaja fuera del hogar. Estos resultados podrían orientar estrategias al fortalecimiento del banco de leche.

This study sought to describe characteristics, motivations, barriers, and sources of information of human milk donors to the milk bank at Dr. Sótero del Río Hospital, Chile. METHODS: A descriptive and cross - sectional study was carried out. We conducted a 15-question telephone survey in 82 women who were at least one-time milk donors between 2015 and 2017. Statistical analysis included frequencies and percentages for categorical variables and measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative variables. We calculated 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The mean age of donors was 31.34,6 years; 92.7% were married or were living with their partner and 58.5% (95% CI of 47.1- 69.3) had completed higher education. The main motivation for donating was helping others (41.5% [95% CI of 30.7- 52.9]). The primary sources of knowledge on milk donations were the internet and social networks (43.9% [IC 95% 33.0- 55.3]), followed by health personnel 32% (95% CI of 22.9- 44.2). CONCLUSIONS: The donor profile in CASR's milk bank is a young woman, with a stable partner and high educational level. These results could provide useful information to improve strategies for human milk donation.

Antarctic thraustochytrids: Producers of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Thraustochytrids have been isolated from different aquatic systems; however, few studies have reported their occurrence in Antarctica. In this study, 13 strains close to strains belonging to the genera Oblongichytrium, Thraustochytrium, and Aurantiochytrium were isolated from seawater samples collected near the Antarctic Base Professor Julio Escudero (S 62°12'57' E 58°57'35″). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) was found in the total lipids of all the isolates; DHA content of the biomass (dry weight) varied between 3.3 and 33 mg/g under the growth conditions for isolation. Five of the Antarctic thraustochytrids were able to accumulate lipids at levels higher than 20% w/w. Two strains, RT2316-7 and RT2316-13, were selected to test the effect of the incubation temperature (at 5°C for 14 days and at 15°C for 5 days). Incubation temperature had little effect on the lipid content and biomass yield; however, its effect on the fatty acid composition was significant (p < .05). The low incubation temperature favored the accumulation of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), palmitic acid and stearic acid in the total lipids of RT2316-7. Percentage of EPA, DHA and the omega-6 fatty acid dihomo-γ-linolenic acid of total fatty acids of RT2316-13 was higher at the low incubation temperature. RT2316-13 accumulated the highest lipid content (30.0 ± 0.5%) with a carbon to nitrogen mass ratio equal to 16.9. On the contrary, lipid accumulation in RT2316-7 occurred at high concentration of the nitrogen sources (monosodium glutamate or yeast extract). The capability to accumulate lipids with a fatty acid profile that can be tuned through cultivation temperature make the Antarctic thraustochytrid RT2316-13 a candidate for the production of lipids with different uses.

Pediatric ocular trauma: intraorbital foreign body. case report

ABSTRACT Introduction: Penetrating traumas in the orbit and intraorbital foreign bodies during pediatric age are rare and could be associated with vascular and optic nerve injuries. Clinical case: Five-year-old female patient with penetrating trauma in left orbit of 1 hour of evolution caused by a brush after accidentally tripping with a classmate while painting during art class. The patient was taken the pediatric emergency department of the Clinica Universitaria Colombia in Bogotá where she was admitted, assessed with scanographic studies and taken to surgery to remove the intraorbital foreign body. Discussion: The case of this patient was characterized by indemnity of the eyeball, central artery and vein of the retina and optic nerve, in addition to timely and interdisciplinary management that reduced the risk of complications. Conclusions: The analysis of the clinical evolution of the patient allowed identifying the key events to approach this type of cases, as well as the multiple management and prognosis alternatives according to the type and trajectory of the penetrating object.

RESUMEN Introducción. Los traumas penetrantes en la órbita y los cuerpos extraños intraorbitarios durante la edad pediátrica son raros, pero pueden asociar compromiso vascular y del nervio óptico. Presentación del caso. Paciente femenino de cinco años de edad con trauma penetrante en órbita izquierda de una hora de evolución causado con un pincel. La niña tropezó con un compañero mientras pintaba durante la clase de artes cuando se produjo el accidente. Fue llevada a urgencias pediátricas de la Clínica Universitaria Colombia en Bogotá, donde fue ingresada, valorada con estudios escanográficos y llevada a cirugía para extracción del cuerpo extraño intraorbitario. Discusión. El caso de esta paciente se caracterizó por la indemnidad del globo ocular, la arteria y vena centrales de la retina y el nervio óptico, además de un manejo oportuno e interdisciplinario que disminuyó el riesgo de complicaciones. Conclusiones. El análisis del curso clínico de la paciente permitió identificar los eventos clave para el abordaje de estos casos, sus variaciones de manejo y el pronóstico según el tipo y la trayectoria del objeto penetrante.

Production of Lipids and Proteome Variation in a Chilean Thraustochytrium striatum Strain Cultured under Different Growth Conditions.

Total lipids and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) production by a Chilean isolated thraustochytrid were evaluated under different growth conditions in shake flasks. The analyzed strain was identified as Thraustochytrium striatum according to an 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The strain (T. striatum AL16) showed negligible growth in media prepared with artificial seawater at concentrations lower than 50% v/v and pH lower than 5. Maltose and starch were better carbon sources for growth than glucose. DHA content of the biomass grown with maltose (60 g L-1) was doubled by increasing the agitation rate from 150 to 250 rpm. The DHA (0.8-6%) and eicosapentaenoic acid (0.2-21%) content in the total lipids varied depending on culture conditions and culture age. Lipid and DHA concentration increased (up to 5 g L-1 and 66 mg L-1, respectively) by regularly feeding the culture with a concentrated starch solution. Carotenoid accumulation was detected in cells grown with maltose or starch. Contrasting conditions of starch and glucose cultures were selected for comparative proteomics. Total protein extracts were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis; 25 spots were identified using ESI-MS/MS. A protein database (143,006 entries) for proteomic interrogation was generated using de novo assembling of Thraustochytrium sp. LLF1b - MMETSP0199_2 transcriptome; 18 proteins differentially expressed were identified. Three ATP synthases were differentially accumulated in cultures with glucose, whereas malate dehydrogenase was more abundant in cells cultured with starch.

Gene copy number is associated with phytochemistry in Cannabis sativa.

Gene copy number (CN) variation is known to be important in nearly every species where it has been examined. Alterations in gene CN may provide a fast way of acquiring diversity, allowing rapid adaptation under strong selective pressures, and may also be a key component of standing genetic variation within species. Cannabis sativa plants produce a distinguishing set of secondary metabolites, the cannabinoids, many of which have medicinal utility. Two major cannabinoids-THCA (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) and CBDA (cannabidiolic acid)-are products of a three-step biochemical pathway. Using whole-genome shotgun sequence data for 69 Cannabis cultivars from diverse lineages within the species, we found that genes encoding the synthases in this pathway vary in CN. Transcriptome sequence data show that the cannabinoid paralogs are differentially expressed among lineages within the species. We also found that CN partially explains variation in cannabinoid content levels among Cannabis plants. Our results demonstrate that biosynthetic genes found at multiple points in the pathway could be useful for breeding purposes, and suggest that natural and artificial selection have shaped CN variation. Truncations in specific paralogs are associated with lack of production of particular cannabinoids, showing how phytochemical diversity can evolve through a complex combination of processes.

Periodic, Parasite-Mediated Selection For and Against Sex.

Asexual lineages should rapidly replace sexual populations. Why sex then? The Red Queen hypothesis proposes that parasite-mediated selection against common host genotypes could counteract the per capita birth rate advantage of asexuals. Under the Red Queen hypothesis, fluctuations in parasite-mediated selection can drive fluctuations in the asexual population, leading to the coexistence of sexual and asexual reproduction. Does shifting selection by parasites drive fluctuations in the fitness and frequency of asexuals in nature? Combining long-term field data with mesocosm experiments, we detected a shift in the direction of parasite selection in the snail Potamopyrgus antipodarum and its coevolving parasite, Microphallus sp. In the early 2000s, asexuals were more infected than sexuals. A decade later, the asexuals had declined in frequency and were less infected than sexuals. Over time, the mean infection prevalence of asexuals equaled that of sexuals but varied far more. This variation in asexual infection prevalence suggests the potential for parasite-mediated fluctuations in asexual fitness. Accordingly, we detected fitness consequences of the shift in parasite selection: when they were less infected than sexuals, asexuals increased in frequency in the field and in paired mesocosms that isolated the effect of parasites. The match between field and experiment argues that coevolving parasites drive temporal change in the relative fitness and frequency of asexuals, potentially promoting the coexistence of reproductive modes in P. antipodarum.