Genetic Characterization of the "Chusca Lojana", a Creole Goat Reared in Ecuador, and Its Relationship with Other Goat Breeds.

The largest population of goats (62%) in Ecuador is in the dry forest region in the south of the country. A Creole goat, named "Chusca Lojana", has adapted to the dry forest region where environmental conditions are warm-dry, with sparse vegetation. Knowledge of the genetic information of the Creole goat is important to determine intra-racial diversity, the degree of genetic distance among other breeds of goats, and the possible substructure of the population, which is valuable for the conservation of such a species' genetic resources. A total of 145 samples of the Creole goat was taken from the four biotypes previously identified. Genetic analyses were performed using 38 microsatellites recommended for studies of goat genetic diversity (FAO-ISAG). The results of within-breed genetic diversity showed a mean number of alleles per locus (MNA) of 8, an effective number of alleles (Ae) of 4.3, an expected heterozygosity (He) of 0.71, an observed heterozygosity (Ho) of 0.63, polymorphic information content (PIC) of 0.67, and an FIS value of 0.11. Between-breed genetic diversity among 43 goat populations (native of Spain, American Creole, Europeans, and Africans) showed the following values: FIS = 0.087, FIT = 0.176, and FST = 0.098. Regarding the analysis of the population structure, the results showed that the Creole Chusca Lojana goat population is homogeneous and no genetic separation was observed between the different biotypes (FST = 0.0073). In conclusion, the Chusca Lojana goat has a high genetic diversity, without exhibiting a genetic substructure. Therefore, it should be considered as a distinct population because crossbreeding with other breeds was not detected.

Evaluación clínico-epidemiológica de trastornos bucales potencialmente malignos en adultos de Montalvo en Ambato, Ecuador / Clinical-epidemiological evaluation of potentially malignant oral disorders in adults of Montalvo in Ambato, Ecuador

RESUMEN Introducción: Las neoplasias de cabeza y cuello representan el 17,6 por ciento a nivel mundial. El cáncer de la cavidad bucal es uno de los más comunes que aparece en dicha región; el 95 por ciento corresponde a carcinoma epidermoide con un pobre pronóstico de supervivencia, debido a que algunos se desarrollan a partir de trastornos potencialmente malignos peligrosamente asintomáticos, por lo que su detección precoz es imprescindible. Objetivo: Caracterizar los trastornos bucales potencialmente malignos mediante aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos y topográficos en adultos atendidos en el subcentro de salud de Montalvo. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo y transversal en 99 pacientes atendidos en el subcentro de salud de Montalvo en Ambato, Ecuador, desde noviembre de 2012 a enero de 2013. Los datos fueron recogidos en la historia clínica estomatológica, que incluyó: datos generales, interrogatorio y examen físico de la cavidad bucal. Los trastornos bucales potencialmente malignos que se consideraron fueron la leucoplasia, eritroleucoplasia, eritroplasia y paladar del fumador invertido. Se aplicó la estadística descriptiva y el estadígrafo chi cuadrado de Sperman. Se trabajó con confidencialidad en el manejo de los datos obtenidos y con la autorización correspondiente al consentimiento. Resultados: Los pacientes con más de 60 años representaron el grupo de edad más afectado para el 60,6 por ciento, con un predominio del sexo femenino (54,5 por ciento). El color de la piel no tuvo una diferencia significativa. El trastorno más frecuente fue la leucoplasia (30 por ciento), seguida de la eritroleucoplasia (15 por ciento) y la eritroplasia (11 por ciento). El 75,8 por ciento de los pacientes no presentó síntomas, sin embargo, el 73 por ciento de los casos con lesiones presentó trauma físico. La localización más frecuente de la leucoplasia fue la mucosa del carrillo y la base de la lengua. Conclusiones: La leucoplasia, la eritroleucoplasia y la eritroplasia fueron los trastornos bucales potencialmente malignos más frecuentes, localizados con mayor frecuencia en la base de la lengua y la mucosa del carrillo, con un predominio en los pacientes mayores de 60 años y en las mujeres(AU)

ABSTRACT Introduction: Head and neck neoplasms represent 17.6 percent worldwide. Cancer of the oral cavity is one of the most common that appear in this region, being 95 percent epidermoid carcinoma with a poor prognosis of survival because they develop from premalignant lesions dangerously asymptomatic, the reason why the precocious detection is imperative. Objective: Characterize potentially malignant oral disorders through epidemiological, clinical and topographical aspects in adults served at the Montalvo health subcenter. Methods: A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 99 patients treated at the Montalvo health subcentre in Ambato, Ecuador, from November 2012 to January 2013. The data were collected in the stomatological medical history, which included: general data, interrogation and physical examination of the oral cavity. The potentially malignant oral disorders considered were leukoplakia, erythroleukoplakia, erythroplasia and the palate of the inverted smoker. The descriptive statistic and the Sperman chi square statisticwast were applied. It was worked with confidentiality in the handling of the data obtained and with the authorization corresponding to the consent. Results: Patients over 60 years of age accounted for the most affected age group for 60.6 percent, with a female predominance (54.5 percent). The skin color did not make a significant difference. The most common disorder was leukoplakia (30 percent), followed by erythroleukoplakia (15 percent) erythroplasia (11 percent). 75.8 percent of patients had no symptoms, however 73 percent of injured cases had physical trauma. The most common location of leukoplakia was the mucosa of the cheek and the base of the tongue. Conclusion: Leukoplakia, erythroleukoplakia and erythroplasia were the most common potentially malignant oral disorders, most commonly located at the base of the tongue and mucosa of the carrillo, with predominance in patients over 60 years of age and in patients over 60 years of age and in Women(AU)

Bluetooth gas sensing module combined with smartphones for air quality monitoring.

This study addresses the development of a miniaturized (60 × 60 mm) Wireless Sensing Module (WSM) for environmental application and air quality detection. The proposed prototype has six sensors: one for humidity, one for ambient temperature (SHT21 from Sensirion), and four for gas detection (MiCS-4514, MiCS-5526 and MiCS-5914 from SGX Sensortech). The core of the system is based on a high performance 8-bit microcontroller, model PIC18F46K80, from Microchip. The obtained data values were transmitted to the Smartphone through a Bluetooth communication module and a home-developed Android app. The discrimination capability of the module is tested with 10 volatile organic compounds (acetone, acetic acid, benzene, ethanol, ethyl acetate, ethylbenzene, formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, and dimethylacetamide) and the effect of humidity and drift of the sensors is also studied. Results show that 88.33% and 92.22% success rates in classification stage are obtained using Multilayer Perceptron with BackPropagation Learning algorithm and Radial-Basis based Neural Networks, respectively.

Nasolacrimal stenting: toward improving outcomes with a simple modification of the song stent.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, in a prospective, single-center study, the effectiveness of Song's polyurethane stents, modified "in-house," in the percutaneous management of epiphora. Patients (n = 170; age range 18-83, mean = 64; 50 male, 120 female) with severe epiphora had the modified stents inserted (183 eyes/195 stents) to treat unilateral/bilateral and complete/partial obstruction of the nasolacrimal system. The etiology of the obstruction was idiopathic in 119 cases (61%) and chronic dacryocystitis in 76 (39%). The set designed by Song was used in all patients but modified by us such that the extreme end is cone-shaped. The original technique was slightly modified by us and the procedure was conducted on an outpatient basis. The initial technical success rate of stent placement was 97%. Resolution of epiphora was complete in 180 eyes and partial in 3. On follow-up (mean = 18 months; range: 2 days to 24 months), 165 of 195 stents (85%) remained patent. Primary patency rates at follow-up were 86%, 84%, 84%, and 79% in the first 6 months, second and third 6 months, and the present (24 months), respectively. Stents became obstructed in 30 patients, but all but 2 were easily withdrawn and 20 of these patients remained asymptomatic for a mean of 14 months (secondary patency of 67%). Following stent removal, the withdrawn stent was replaced with a new stent in the same intervention on 14 occasions. In another six cases, patency was re-established without the need of a second stent. The procedure is simple and safe, both in stent insertion as well as in mechanical de-blocking and withdrawal when occluded. Success was >80 % in the short term (1-year follow-up). Stenting failure does not preclude other treatment because with the modification that we had introduced, the extreme end of the stent becomes more accessible to mechanical de-blocking, withdrawal, and relocation. The levels of primary and secondary patencies are promising and warrant more extensive investigation.

Resolution of epiphora with nasolacrimal stents: results of long-term follow-up in a multicenter prospective study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate in a prospective, multicenter setting the long-term effectiveness of polyurethane stents in the percutaneous management of epiphora. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients (n = 426; age range, 19-88 years, mean, 48; 91 men, 335 women) with severe epiphora had stents (470 eyes/496 stents) inserted to treat unilateral or bilateral and complete or partial obstruction of the nasolacrimal system. The etiology of the obstruction was idiopathic in 280 cases (59.5%) and chronic dacryocystitis in 190 (40.4%). The stent set designed by Song was used in all patients, and the original technique was slightly modified by us and conducted on an outpatient basis. RESULTS: The initial technical success rate of stent placement was 95%. The average time of the procedure was 6 minutes (range, 3-70). Resolution of epiphora was complete in 452 eyes and partial in 18. On follow-up (mean, 24 months; range, 1 week to 67 months), 340 of 496 stents remained patent (68.5%). Segregating primary patency by year of follow-up, the rates were 75.6%, 68.4%, 64.8%, 60.1%, and 59.2% in the first, second, third, fourth, and the current (67 months) years, respectively. Minor complications such as moderate pain (21 cases), epistaxis (75 cases), palpebral edema and hematoma (31 cases), and headache (four cases) and two acute dacryocystitis events were recorded. Of the 156 obstructed stents, 114 were withdrawn, and 49 of these patients remained asymptomatic for a mean of 27 months (secondary patency, 31.4%). After stent removal, the sac configuration was unchanged in 93 (81.5%), contracted in 11 (9.6%), and widened in 10 (8.8%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: The procedure is simple and safe, both in stent insertion and in withdrawal when occluded. The success rate was >75% in the short term and >55% in the long term. Although not totally without concerns, the technique is attractive for most patients who prefer not to undergo surgery or are unsuitable surgical candidates. Stent failure does not preclude subsequent treatment options and is an excellent first-line treatment of epiphora.

Interacción entre la liberación de calcio intracelular y la entrada de calcio activada por despolarización en la respuesta de los gonadotrofos de rata a la hormona liberadora de gonadotrofinas / Interaction between intracellular calcium release and calcium intake activated by depolarization in response of rats gonadotrops to gonadotropin releasing hormone

En los gonadotrofos de la hipófisis anterior coexisten la liberación de calcio desde depósitos intracelulares, mediada por inositol 1,4,5 trifosfato )InsP3) y la expresión de canales de calcio activados por despolarización de la membrana plasmática. Para estudiar la posible interacción entre ambos modos de control de la concentración citosólica de calcio ([Ca2+]­), se estudió el comportamiento del potencial de membrana (Vm) de gonadotrofos de rata en cultivo primario, demostrándose que éstas son células excitables. En presencia de la hormona liberadora de gonadotrofinas (GnRH) el disparo espontáneo de potenciales de acción, resultado de la apertura de canales de calcio tipo L, es interrumpido por períodos de hiperpolarización repetitivos; esta hiperpolarización es la consecuencia de la activación por calcio de canales de potasio, bloqueables por apamina (Ik(Ca)). La activación de la (Ik(Ca)) en respuesta al GnRH extracelular puede ser imitada por la aplicación intracelular de InsP3 y es suprimida al bloquear la ATPasa transportadora de calcio del retículo endoplasmático (RE). Estos resultados sugieren que la liberación episódica de calcio desde el RE determina el comportamiento de Vm de los gonadotrofos. Para estudiar la influencia recíproca del Vm sobre los mecanismos de liberación de calcio desde el RE, se utilizó la Ik(Ca) como indicador de la [Ca2+]­ bajo fijación del potencial de la membrana plasmática. El inicio de la liberación de calcio desde el RE en respuesta al GnRH es independiente del Vm; sin embargo la mantención de la amplitud de las espigas de la [Ca2+]­, después de 3 a 10 minutos en presencia del agonista, necesita de la despolarización de la membrana plasmática. El rango de Vm en el cual se observa este fenómeno, así como la disminución de la amplitud de las espigas de la [Ca2+]­ al exponer las células a bloqueadores de canales de calcio de tipo L, es compatible con la idea de que la entrada de calcio a través de éstos, contribuye a la recarga de RE. Por otra parte, el flujo de calcio desde el medio extracelular durante los potenciales de acción participa en la determinación de la frecuencia a la que ocurren los episodios de liberación de calcio desde el RE, a través de un mecanismo compatible con un efecto potenciador del calcio sobre la liberación de calcio inducida por InsP3

Complicaciones infecciosas del acesso venoso central a la hemodiálisis

Se estudiaron 25 pacientes con insuficiencia renal en los que se utilizó un catéter de Uldall para hemodiálisis. De 32 catéteres usados la vía venosa de acceso fue yugular interna en 10, sublavia en 2 y femoral en 1 paciente. 9 catéteres se infectaron (28%). Los catéteres infectados tuvieron un tiempo de permanencia mayor (15 vs 13 días) (NS) y un mayor número de hemodiálisis (7 vs 5) (NS). En relación con la vía venosa de acceso, el catéter subclavio respecto del yugular interno fue más estable (16 vs 7 días) (p < 0.05) y se infectó menos (10% vs 20%) NS). Esta experiencia sugiere que al utilizar el catéter de Uldall para hemodiálisis es recomendable usar la vena subclavia y que el tiempo de permanencia del catéter no debería superar los 12 días