A deficiency screen of the 3rd chromosome for dominant modifiers of the Drosophila ER integral membrane protein, Jagunal.

The mechanism surrounding chromosome inheritance during cell division has been well documented, however, organelle inheritance during mitosis is less understood. Recently, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has been shown to reorganize during mitosis, dividing asymmetrically in proneuronal cells prior to cell fate selection, indicating a programmed mechanism of inheritance. ER asymmetric partitioning in proneural cells relies on the highly conserved ER integral membrane protein, Jagunal (Jagn). Knockdown of Jagn in the compound Drosophila eye displays a pleotropic rough eye phenotype in 48% of the progeny. To identify genes involved in Jagn dependent ER partitioning pathway, we performed a dominant modifier screen of the 3rd chromosome for enhancers and suppressors of this Jagn-RNAi-induced rough eye phenotype. We screened through 181 deficiency lines covering the 3L and 3R chromosomes and identified 12 suppressors and 10 enhancers of the Jagn-RNAi phenotype. Based on the functions of the genes covered by the deficiencies, we identified genes that displayed a suppression or enhancement of the Jagn-RNAi phenotype. These include Division Abnormally Delayed (Dally), a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, the γ-secretase subunit Presenilin, and the ER resident protein Sec63. Based on our understanding of the function of these targets, there is a connection between Jagn and the Notch signaling pathway. Further studies will elucidate the role of Jagn and identified interactors within the mechanisms of ER partitioning during mitosis.

Análise da acessibilidade no centro de tratamento da criança com câncer de um hospital universitário / Analysis of physical accessibility in the treatment center for children with cancer of the university hospital

Resumo Introdução: O presente artigo discorre sobre a acessibilidade física e suas possíveis influências frente aos usuários de um serviço oncológico. Através do olhar da terapia ocupacional, considera-se esse um aspecto importante diante do processo de reabilitação desses indivíduos, visto que a estrutura arquitetônica e a organização do meio podem constituir-se como facilitadores ou barreiras, influenciando o fazer humano. Objetivo: Identificar quais são as reais condições de acessibilidade física para os usuários no Centro de Tratamento da Criança com Câncer (CTCriaC) do Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (HUSM). Método: Essa pesquisa possui abordagem quantitativa, a qual se constituiu por uma avaliação física de áreas de livre circulação do HUSM, assim como do espaço compreendido pelo CTCriaC, quanto à aplicabilidade da Norma Brasileira: ABNT NBR 9050, e da Resolução - RDC nº 50. Resultados: Os resultados foram apresentados em forma estatística e descritiva, sendo avaliados 266 itens, dos quais apenas 30,07% apresentavam-se adequados. Entre esses, 76,92% dos itens correspondentes à rota de acesso externa apresentavam-se inadequados, bem como 63,97% daqueles relacionados à rota de acesso interna do HUSM ao CTCriaC e ambiente do mesmo. 80% e 79,03% dos itens correspondentes aos quartos e sanitários do CTCriaC apresentaram-se inadequados, respectivamente. Conclusão: Constatou-se que os ambientes avaliados se encontravam, em sua maioria, inadequados devido à presença de barreiras arquitetônicas, podendo acarretar consequentes prejuízos às pessoas que apresentam mobilidade reduzida por quaisquer motivos.

Abstract Introduction: This article discusses physical accessibility and possible influences across users of an oncology service. Through the eyes of Occupational Therapy, we consider this as an important aspect before the rehabilitation process of these individuals, as the architectural structure and organization of the environment can be constituted as facilitators or barriers, influencing the human doing. Objective: To identify what the actual conditions of physical accessibility for users in the Treatment Center for Children with Cancer (CTCriaC) of the University Hospital of Santa Maria (HUSM). Method: This research has a quantitative approach, which is constituted by a physical evaluation of the areas of free movement of HUSM, as well as space understood by CTCriaC as to the applicability of the Brazilian Regulation: ABNT NBR 9050, and Resolution - RDC nº 50. Results: The results were presented in statistics and descriptive study that evaluated 266 items, of which only 30.07% had to be adequate. Among these, 76.92% of the items corresponding to the external access route are inadequate, and 63.97% of those related to internal access route to the HUSM CTCriaC and its environment. 80% and 79.03% of the corresponding items of the bedrooms CTCriaC and toilets were inadequate, respectively. Conclusion: It was found that evaluated environments were, in most cases, inadequate due to the presence of architectural barriers, which may cause subsequent damage to persons who have reduced mobility for any reason.

Long-term Outcome of Lupus Nephritis Class II in Argentine Patients: An Open Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy in medical literature over the outcome of patients with lupus nephritis (LN) class II. The aim of this study was to explore the risk of histological transformation (HT) and possible factors related to negative response to treatment in patients with mesangial LN class II. METHODS: A retrospective and multicenter study was carried out that includes patients who had received a diagnosis of LN class II on their first renal biopsy. Creatinine, urine sediment, and proteinuria were recorded at the time of the first biopsy, 6 months, and 1, 2, and 5 years after the first biopsy. Response to treatment, HT, and long-term outcome were evaluated. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were included. The manifestation at first biopsy was proteinuria greater than 0.5 g/d in 28 patients (68.29%; 8 [28.57%] of 28 patients had nephrotic syndrome), hematuria in 18 patients (43.90%), and deterioration of renal function in 3 patients (7.31%). During the follow-up (median, 8 years; range, 1-35 years), a new biopsy was performed in 18 patients (43.90%), and in 17 patients (17/18 [94.44%]), there was HT. Median time at rebiopsy was 32 months (range, 11-305 months). Of the 18 patients who had a second biopsy, 10 (55.55%) were on hydroxychloroquine versus 100% (19/19) of patients who did not undergo the procedure (P = 0.001). A year after the first renal biopsy, there are data available from 34 patients; of them, 24 patients (70.58%) had achieved response, and 10 patients (29.41%) had no response (NR) (missing data in 7). A higher 24-hour urinary protein at 6 months was predictor of worse outcome at 1 year, with statistical significance difference for the nonresponder group (median proteinuria, 2.3 g/d [range, 0-4.7 g/d]) compared with responders (median proteinuria, 0.28 g/d [range, 0-1.7 g/d]) (P = 0.0133).In the long-term follow-up (5 years), HT was the main cause of unfavorable outcome and was measured in 78.57% of patients (11/14 patients). CONCLUSIONS: This series shows a high rate of HT in long-term follow-up. Proteinuria at 6 months made it possible to set aside patients who will have an unfavorable outcome in the long term and who will thus benefit from a more aggressive treatment. The results suggest that hydroxychloroquine had a nephroprotective effect.

Oxycline formation induced by Fe(II) oxidation in a water reservoir affected by acid mine drainage modeled using a 2D hydrodynamic and water quality model - CE-QUAL-W2.

The Sancho reservoir is an acid mine drainage (AMD)-contaminated reservoir located in the Huelva province (SW Spain) with a pH close to 3.5. The water is only used for a refrigeration system of a paper mill. The Sancho reservoir is holomictic with one mixing period per year in the winter. During this mixing period, oxygenated water reaches the sediment, while under stratified conditions (the rest of the year) hypoxic conditions develop at the hypolimnion. A CE-QUAL-W2 model was calibrated for the Sancho Reservoir to predict the thermocline and oxycline formation, as well as the salinity, ammonium, nitrate, phosphorous, algal, chlorophyll-a, and iron concentrations. The version 3.7 of the model does not allow simulating the oxidation of Fe(II) in the water column, which limits the oxygen consumption of the organic matter oxidation. However, to evaluate the impact of Fe(II) oxidation on the oxycline formation, Fe(II) has been introduced into the model based on its relationship with labile dissolved organic matter (LDOM). The results show that Fe oxidation is the main factor responsible for the oxygen depletion in the hypolimnion of the Sancho Reservoir. The limiting factors for green algal growth have also been studied. The model predicted that ammonium, nitrate, and phosphate were not limiting factors for green algal growth. Light appeared to be one of the limiting factors for algal growth, while chlorophyll-a and dissolved oxygen concentrations could not be fully described. We hypothesize that dissolved CO2 is one of the limiting nutrients due to losses by the high acidity of the water column. The sensitivity tests carried out support this hypothesis. Two different remediation scenarios have been tested with the calibrated model: 1) an AMD passive treatment plant installed at the river, which removes completely Fe, and 2) different depth water extractions. If no Fe was introduced into the reservoir, water quality would significantly improve in only two years. Deeper extractions (3m above the bottom) would also improve the water quality by decreasing the hypoxic zone. However, extractions at the epilimnion would increase the amount of hypoxic water in the reservoir.

Manifestaciones psiquiátricas en epilepsia / Psychiatric manifestations in epilepsy

La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la Liga Internacional contra la Epilepsia (ILAE), la definen como una afección neurológica crónica, recurrente y repetitiva de fenómenos paroxíticos, ocasionados por descargas neuronales desorganizadas y excesivas. La epilepsia es la condición neurológica más seria y más común. Se estima que la prevalencia actual del trastorno es de 5-10/1000 personas; excluyendo a las convulsiones febriles, los casos de una crisis única y los casos inactivos. Sus causas pueden ser muy diversas y sus manfiestaciones muy variadas, de esta manera su sintomatología se ubica dentro de un polimorfismo acentuado. Dentro de las posibles manfiestaciones clínicas que pueden presentarse, se encuentran aquellas en las que predominan las alteraciones conductuales. El objetivo de la presente revisión es el poder dar cuenta de la presentación de los síntomas psiquiátricos en epilepsia, el impacto de estos y la importancia del manejo interdisciplinario con neurólogos. El reconocimiento de estos cuadros resulta de suma importancia en la práctica de la interconsulta, dada la implicancia de los profesionales de salud mental en el manejo sintomático de dichas manifestaciones.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) define epilepsy as a chronic neurological affection, characterized by recurrent and repetitive paroxysmal phenomena generated by disorganized and excessive neuronal discharges. Epilepsy is the most serious and frequent neurological condition. It is estimated that its current prevalence is 5-10/1,000 people; excluding febrile seizures, single seizures and inactive cases. Because its causes and manifestations can be very varied, its symptomatology is placed with in a marked polymorphism. Among the possible clinical manifestations that may appear are those in which behavioral alterations prevail. The aim of this review is to describe the onset of psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy, their impact and the importance of interdisciplinary management of this disease with Neurologists. Identifying these clincal symptoms is of the utmost importance, given the involvement of healthcare profesionals in the symptomatic treatment of those manifestations.

Manifestaciones psiquiátricas en epilepsia / Psychiatric manifestations in epilepsy

La Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y la Liga Internacional contra la Epilepsia (ILAE), la definen como una afección neurológica crónica, recurrente y repetitiva de fenómenos paroxíticos, ocasionados por descargas neuronales desorganizadas y excesivas. La epilepsia es la condición neurológica más seria y más común. Se estima que la prevalencia actual del trastorno es de 5-10/1000 personas; excluyendo a las convulsiones febriles, los casos de una crisis única y los casos inactivos. Sus causas pueden ser muy diversas y sus manfiestaciones muy variadas, de esta manera su sintomatología se ubica dentro de un polimorfismo acentuado. Dentro de las posibles manfiestaciones clínicas que pueden presentarse, se encuentran aquellas en las que predominan las alteraciones conductuales. El objetivo de la presente revisión es el poder dar cuenta de la presentación de los síntomas psiquiátricos en epilepsia, el impacto de estos y la importancia del manejo interdisciplinario con neurólogos. El reconocimiento de estos cuadros resulta de suma importancia en la práctica de la interconsulta, dada la implicancia de los profesionales de salud mental en el manejo sintomático de dichas manifestaciones.(AU)

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) define epilepsy as a chronic neurological affection, characterized by recurrent and repetitive paroxysmal phenomena generated by disorganized and excessive neuronal discharges. Epilepsy is the most serious and frequent neurological condition. It is estimated that its current prevalence is 5-10/1,000 people; excluding febrile seizures, single seizures and inactive cases. Because its causes and manifestations can be very varied, its symptomatology is placed with in a marked polymorphism. Among the possible clinical manifestations that may appear are those in which behavioral alterations prevail. The aim of this review is to describe the onset of psychiatric symptoms in epilepsy, their impact and the importance of interdisciplinary management of this disease with Neurologists. Identifying these clincal symptoms is of the utmost importance, given the involvement of healthcare profesionals in the symptomatic treatment of those manifestations.(AU)

Enrichment of rare earth elements as environmental tracers of contamination by acid mine drainage in salt marshes: a new perspective.

Rare earth elements (REE) were analyzed in surface sediments from the Guadiana Estuary (SW Iberian Pyrite Belt). NASC (North American Shale Composite) normalized REE patterns show clearly convex curvatures in middle-REE (MREE) with respect to light- and heavy-REE, indicating acid-mixing processes between fluvial waters affected by acid mine drainage (AMD) and seawater. However, REE distributions in the mouth (closer to the coastal area) show slightly LREE-enriched and flat patterns, indicating saline-mixing processes typical of the coastal zone. NASC-normalized ratios (La/Gd and La/Yb) do not discriminate between both mixing processes in the estuary. Instead, a new parameter (E(MREE)) has been applied to measure the curvature in the MREE segment. The values of E(MREE)>0 are indicative of acid signatures and their spatial distribution reveal the existence of two decantation zones from flocculation processes related to drought periods and flood events. Studying REE fractionation through the E(MREE) may serve as a good proxy for AMD-pollution in estuarine environments in relation to the traditional methods.

Groundwater contamination evolution in the Guadiamar and Agrio aquifers after the Aznalcóllar spill: assessment and environmental implications.

In 1998, the Agrio and Guadiamar rivers underwent an enormous environmental disaster caused by the rupture of the Aznalcóllar tailings dam and the release of 6 hm(3) of pyrite sludge and acidic water. Both rivers run over recent alluvial materials which form a small-sized aquifer which is however important because underground water feeds the flow of the rivers. This work analyzes the state of groundwater 10 years after the spill. Before the dam failure, this aquifer was already contaminated in the zone nearest to the mine, to which the impact of the spill was added. Contamination levels in the alluvial aquifer of the Agrio River have decreased remarkably. However, they are still important, with acidic pH values and high concentrations of toxic elements (maximum values of 16 mg/L of Zn and 15 mg/L of Al). There are also important levels of contamination in the Guadiamar alluvial area closest to the mine, as well as in specific zones located further south. The concentration of toxic elements is mainly controlled by pH. The evolution of contaminant levels show a sharp decrease after the first years following the spill, followed by a subsequent stabilization. It is necessary to take measures for the recovery of the aquifer because, otherwise, groundwater will continue contributing contaminants into the Agrio and Guadiamar rivers.