Pulsed magnetic field increases the effect of ultraviolet C radiation and thermal shock in aged yeasts / El campo magnético pulsado aumenta el efecto de la radiación ultravioleta C y el choque térmico en levaduras envejecidas

The study of the effects of the magnetic field (MF) on living matter continues to be a dilemma. Until now, the interaction mechanisms of MF with living matter that explain the observed phenomena are unknown. Despite the existing literature and the multiple effects described to date, there are few published articles that study the combined effect of MF with other physical agents during the cellular aging process. In this sense, the aim of this work is to study whether low frequency and intensity pulsed and sinusoidal MF exposure produce alterations in the cell killing effect of ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation and thermal shock during the chronological aging of S. cerevisiae. Yeast cells were exposed to 2.45 mT (50 Hz) sinusoidal MF and 1.5 mT (25 Hz) pulsed MF, during 40 days of aging, in combination with UVC radiation (50 J/m2) and/or thermal shock (52°C). Cell survival was evaluated by clonogenic assay. The exposure of yeast to pulsed MF produces an acceleration of aging, which is not observed in cells exposed to sinusoidal MF. The pulsed MF modifies the cellular response to damaging agents only in aged S. cerevisiae cells. In this sense, the pulsed MF applied increases the damage induced by UVC radiation and by thermal shock. In contrast, the sinusoidal MF used has no effect.(AU)

Molecular Mechanisms of Resistance to Ionizing Radiation in S. cerevisiae and Its Relationship with Aging, Oxidative Stress, and Antioxidant Activity.

The repair of the damage produced to the genome and proteome by the action of ionizing radiation, oxidizing agents, and during aging is important to maintain cellular homeostasis. Many of the metabolic pathways influence multiple processes. In this way, this work aims to study the relationship between resistance/response to ionizing radiation, cellular aging, and the response mechanisms to oxidative stress, free radicals, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and antioxidant activity in the yeast S. cerevisiae. Systems biology allows us to use tools that reveal the molecular mechanisms common to different cellular response phenomena. The results found indicate that homologous recombination, non-homologous end joining, and base excision repair pathways are the most important common processes necessary to maintain cellular homeostasis. The metabolic routes of longevity regulation are those that jointly contribute to the three phenomena studied. This study proposes eleven common biomarkers for response/resistance to ionizing radiation and aging (EXO1, MEC1, MRE11, RAD27, RAD50, RAD51, RAD52, RAD55, RAD9, SGS1, YKU70) and two biomarkers for response/resistance to radiation and oxidative stress, free radicals, ROS, and antioxidant activity (NTG1, OGG1). In addition, it is important to highlight that the HSP104 protein could be a good biomarker common to the three phenomena studied.

Microbiome Alterations and Alzheimer's Disease: Modeling Strategies with Transgenic Mice.

In the last decade, the role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis has been gaining momentum in the context of many neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) and diabetes, respectively. Notably, a balanced gut microbiota contributes to the epithelial intestinal barrier maintenance, modulates the host immune system, and releases neurotransmitters and/or neuroprotective short-chain fatty acids. However, dysbiosis may provoke immune dysregulation, impacting neuroinflammation through peripheral-central immune communication. Moreover, lipopolysaccharide or detrimental microbial end-products can cross the blood-brain barrier and induce or at least potentiate the neuropathological progression of AD. Thus, after repeated failure to find a cure for this dementia, a necessary paradigmatic shift towards considering AD as a systemic disorder has occurred. Here, we present an overview of the use of germ-free and/or transgenic animal models as valid tools to unravel the connection between dysbiosis, metabolic diseases, and AD, and to investigate novel therapeutical targets. Given the high impact of dietary habits, not only on the microbiota but also on other well-established AD risk factors such as diabetes or obesity, consistent changes of lifestyle along with microbiome-based therapies should be considered as complementary approaches.

Pesticide use in banana plantations in Costa Rica - A review of environmental and human exposure, effects and potential risks.

Biodiversity is declining on a global scale. Especially tropical ecosystems, containing most of the planetary biodiversity, are at risk. Agricultural monocrop systems contribute to this decline as they replace original habitats and depend on extensive use of synthetic pesticides that impact ecosystems. In this review we use large-scale banana production for export purposes in Costa Rica as an example for pesticide impacts, as it is in production for over a century and uses pesticides extensively for more than fifty years. We summarise the research on pesticide exposure, effects and risks for aquatic and terrestrial environment, as well as for human health. We show that exposure to pesticides is high and relatively well-studied for aquatic systems and humans, but hardly any data are available for the terrestrial compartment including adjacent non target ecosystems such as rainforest fragments. Ecological effects are demonstrated on an organismic level for various aquatic species and processes but are not available at the population and community level. For human health studies exposure evaluation is crucial and recognised effects include various types of cancer and neurobiological dysfunctions particularly in children. With the many synthetic pesticides involved in banana production, the focus on insecticides, revealing highest aquatic risks, and partly herbicides should be extended to fungicides, which are applied aerially over larger areas. The risk assessment and regulation of pesticides so far relies on temperate models and test species and is therefore likely underestimating the risk of pesticide use in tropical ecosystems, with crops such as banana. We highlight further research approaches to improve risk assessment and, in parallel, urge to follow other strategies to reduce pesticides use and especially hazardous substances.

Pulsed magnetic field increases the effect of ultraviolet C radiation and thermal shock in aged yeasts.

The study of the effects of the magnetic field (MF) on living matter continues to be a dilemma. Until now, the interaction mechanisms of MF with living matter that explain the observed phenomena are unknown. Despite the existing literature and the multiple effects described to date, there are few published articles that study the combined effect of MF with other physical agents during the cellular aging process. In this sense, the aim of this work is to study whether low frequency and intensity pulsed and sinusoidal MF exposure produce alterations in the cell killing effect of ultraviolet C (UVC) radiation and thermal shock during the chronological aging of S. cerevisiae. Yeast cells were exposed to 2.45 mT (50 Hz) sinusoidal MF and 1.5 mT (25 Hz) pulsed MF, during 40 days of aging, in combination with UVC radiation (50 J/m2) and/or thermal shock (52°C). Cell survival was evaluated by clonogenic assay. The exposure of yeast to pulsed MF produces an acceleration of aging, which is not observed in cells exposed to sinusoidal MF. The pulsed MF modifies the cellular response to damaging agents only in aged S. cerevisiae cells. In this sense, the pulsed MF applied increases the damage induced by UVC radiation and by thermal shock. In contrast, the sinusoidal MF used has no effect.

Genomic DNA damage induced by co-exposure to DNA damaging agents and pulsed magnetic field.

PURPOSE: Many articles describe the effects of extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (MFs) on DNA damage induction. However, the mechanism of MF interaction with living matter is not yet known with certainty. Some works suggest that MF could induce an increase in the efficacy of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. This work investigates whether pulsed MF exposure produces alterations in genomic DNA damage induced by co-exposure to DNA damaging agents (bleomycin and methyl methanesulfonate (MMS)). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Genomic DNA, prepared from S. cerevisiae cultures, was exposed to pulsed MF (1.5 mT peak, 25 Hz) and MMS (0-1%) (15-60 min), and to MF and bleomycin (0-0.6 IU/mL) (24-72 h). The damage induced to DNA was evaluated by electrophoresis and image analysis. RESULTS: Pulsed MF induced an increment in the level of DNA damage produced by MMS and bleomycin in all groups at the exposure conditions assayed. CONCLUSIONS: Pulsed MF could modulate the cytotoxic action of MMS and bleomycin. The observed effect could be the result of a multifactorial process influenced by the type of agent that damages DNA, the dose, and the duration of the exposure to the pulsed MF.

Ecological Integrity Impairment and Habitat Fragmentation for Neotropical Macroinvertebrate Communities in an Agricultural Stream.

The Volcán River watershed in the south Pacific of Costa Rica comprises forests, small urban settlements, cattle fields, and intensive agriculture (mostly pineapple and sugarcane). The ecological integrity and quality of its waters was assessed from 2011-2013 and 2018-2019 by means of physical-chemical parameters (pH, conductivity, temperature, DO, DBO, nitrate, total phosphorus, and pesticide residues) and benthic macroinvertebrate (MI) sampling in eight sites (Volcán, Cañas, and Ángel Rivers, and Peje and Maura streams), resulting in high ecological integrity in all sites except the Peje stream, which is polluted with nitrates and pesticides. Only in this stream was there a marked seasonal variation in the abundance of 16 MI families including Leptohyphidae, Leptophlebiidae, Philopotamidae, Glossossomatidae, and Corydalidae, among others, whose presence was limited exclusively to the dry season (December to April), disappearing from the stream in the rainy season, with corresponding peaks in nitrate (max 20.3 mg/L) and pesticides (mainly herbicides and organophosphate insecticides). The characteristics of the watershed, with large areas of forest and excellent water quality, allow for the re-colonization of organisms into the Peje stream; however, those organisms are incapable of development and growth, providing evidence of a contaminant-driven habitat fragmentation in this stream during the rainy season.

Pharmaceutical pollution of the world's rivers.

Environmental exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can have negative effects on the health of ecosystems and humans. While numerous studies have monitored APIs in rivers, these employ different analytical methods, measure different APIs, and have ignored many of the countries of the world. This makes it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem from a global perspective. Furthermore, comparison of the existing data, generated for different studies/regions/continents, is challenging due to the vast differences between the analytical methodologies employed. Here, we present a global-scale study of API pollution in 258 of the world's rivers, representing the environmental influence of 471.4 million people across 137 geographic regions. Samples were obtained from 1,052 locations in 104 countries (representing all continents and 36 countries not previously studied for API contamination) and analyzed for 61 APIs. Highest cumulative API concentrations were observed in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and South America. The most contaminated sites were in low- to middle-income countries and were associated with areas with poor wastewater and waste management infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The most frequently detected APIs were carbamazepine, metformin, and caffeine (a compound also arising from lifestyle use), which were detected at over half of the sites monitored. Concentrations of at least one API at 25.7% of the sampling sites were greater than concentrations considered safe for aquatic organisms, or which are of concern in terms of selection for antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, pharmaceutical pollution poses a global threat to environmental and human health, as well as to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Growth alteration of Allium cepa L. roots exposed to 1.5 mT, 25 Hz pulsed magnetic field.

The response of plants to magnetic fields (MF) is not fully understood. This work studies the effects of pulsed MF on the germination and growth of Allium cepa roots. Onions were exposed to 25Hz, 1.5mT, 33h. Pulsed MF was generated by a Helmholtz-type equipment that generated rectangular voltage pulses. The results showed that fewer roots grew in the specimens exposed to pulsed MF (14±6 roots on day 1 to 21±8 on day 4) than in the control groups (32±17 to 48±23) (p<0.05 Friedman). Control specimens showed a root mean length of 7±4 mm (day 1) and 24±10 mm (day 4). The specimens treated with pulsed MF showed a length of 4±2 mm (day 1), reaching 18±9 mm on day 4 (p<0.001 ANOVA). In conclusion, the exposure of Allium cepa specimens to 25Hz, 1.5mT pulsed MF during 33h produces a decrease in the germination and growth of roots.

Exposure of S. cerevisiae to pulsed magnetic field during chronological aging could induce genomic DNA damage.

This study evaluates the DNA damage induced by pulsed magnetic field (MF) on S. cerevisiae cells exposed during chronological aging. Samples were exposed to 25 Hz pulsed MF (1.5mT, 8 h/day) while cells were aging chronologically. Clonogenic drop test was used to study cellular survival and the mutation frequency was evaluated by scoring the spontaneous revertant mutants. DNA damage analysis was performed after aging by electrophoresis and image analysis. Yeast cells aged during 40 days of exposure showing that pulsed MF exposure induced a premature aging. In addition, a gradual increase in spontaneous mutants was found in pulsed MF samples in relation to unexposed controls. An increase in DNA degradation, over the background level in relation to controls, was observed at the end of the exposure period. In conclusion, exposure of S. cerevisiae cells to pulsed MF during chronological aging could induce genomic DNA damage.

Pesticides Burden in Neotropical Rivers: Costa Rica as a Case Study.

Neotropical ecosystems are highly biodiverse; however, the excessive use of pesticides has polluted freshwaters, with deleterious effects on aquatic biota. This study aims to analyze concentrations of active ingredients (a.i) of pesticides and the risks posed to freshwater Neotropical ecosystems. We compiled information from 1036 superficial water samples taken in Costa Rica between 2009 and 2019. We calculated the detection frequency for 85 a.i. and compared the concentrations with international regulations. The most frequently detected pesticides were diuron, ametryn, pyrimethanil, flutolanil, diazinon, azoxystrobin, buprofezin, and epoxiconazole, with presence in >20% of the samples. We observed 32 pesticides with concentrations that exceeded international regulations, and the ecological risk to aquatic biota (assessed using the multi-substance potentially affected fraction model (msPAF)) revealed that 5% and 13% of the samples from Costa Rica pose a high or moderate acute risk, especially to primary producers and arthropods. Other Neotropical countries are experiencing the same trend with high loads of pesticides and consequent high risk to aquatic ecosystems. This information is highly valuable for authorities dealing with prospective and retrospective risk assessments for regulatory decisions in tropical countries. At the same time, this study highlights the need for systematic pesticide residue monitoring of fresh waters in the Neotropical region.

Identification of new proteins related with cisplatin resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The aim of this study is to select a cisplatin-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain to look for new molecular markers of resistance and the identification of mechanisms/interactions involved. A resistant strain was obtained after 80 days of cisplatin exposure. Then, total protein extraction, purification, and identification were carried out, in wild-type (wt) and resistant strains, by tandem mass spectrometry using a "nano HPLC-ESI-MS/MS" ion trap system. The increase in the exponentially modified protein abundance index (emPAI) (resistant vs wt strains) was calculated to study the increase in protein expression. "Genemania" software ( http://www.Genemania.org/ ) was used to compare the effects, functions, and protein interactions. KEGG tool was used for metabolic pathway analysis. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD020665. The cisplatin-resistant strain showed 2.5 times more resistance than the wt strain for the inhibitory dose 50% (ID50) value (224 µg/ml vs 89.68 µg/ml) and 2.78 times more resistant for the inhibitory dose 90% (ID90) value (735.2 µg/ml vs 264.04 µg/ml). Multiple deregulated proteins were found in the glutathione and carbon metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, proteasome, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, glyoxylate metabolism, fatty acid degradation pathway, citric acid cycle, and ribosome. The most overexpressed proteins in the cisplatin-resistant strain were related to growth and metabolism (QCR2, QCR1, ALDH4, ATPB, ATPA, ATPG, and PCKA), cell structure (SCW10), and thermal shock (HSP26). The results suggest that these proteins could be involved in cisplatin resistance. The resistance acquisition process is complex and involves the activation of multiple mechanisms that interact together. KEY POINTS: • Identification of new proteins/genes related to cisplatin resistance • Increased expression of QCR2/QCR1/ALDH4/ATPB/ATPA/SCW10/HSP26/ATPG and PCKA proteins • Multiple molecular mechanisms that interact together are involved in resistance.

Hábitos durante el aislamiento social por la pandemia de COVID-19 y su impacto en el peso corporal / Habits during social isolation by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on body weight

Introducción: el aislamiento a causa de la pandemia de COVID-19 ha generado cambios en el estilo de vida de la población, como no concurrir al lugar de trabajo, teletrabajo, suspensión de actividades deportivas y recreativas, alterando todas las rutinas, incluso las de sueño. Esta situación podría agravar la pandemia de obesidad en el marco de la nueva pandemia, y favorecer alteraciones cualitativas y cuantitativas en la ingesta de alimentos y bebidas, y sedentarismo. Objetivos: investigar la percepción de las personas respecto de la modificación de sus conductas y rutinas, y su impacto en el peso corporal. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional de corte transversal, descriptivo y analítico, analizando datos de 5.635 cuestionarios vía google forms, aplicados luego de 45 días de iniciado el aislamiento preventivo y obligatorio debido a la pandemia de la enfermedad COVID-19.Resultados: el 62,1% (IC95%=60,8-63,4%) de los encuestados refirió ganar peso; la mayoría de ellos (78,6%) entre 1 a 3 Kg. Seis de cada 10 personas mencionaron al aumento de la ingesta de alimentos y bebidas, y a la disminución de actividad física como principales causas. Con respecto a los factores asociados con la ganancia de peso referida, la edad (joven), el exceso de peso previo, los cambios en la alimentación, la ingesta en respuesta a emociones, el bajo nivel de actividad física, el consumo de alcohol y las alteraciones en el sueño fueron los factores relacionados con significancia estadística. Conclusiones: el confinamiento contribuyó a agravar cuestiones relativas a hábitos del estilo de vida, generando como consecuencia incremento de peso en la población encuestada, en su mayoría entre 1 a 3 kg. Entre quienes refirieron exceso de peso previo, hubo mayor prevalencia de incremento de peso. Los resultados de este estudio podrían utilizarse para dar recomendaciones y estrategias de salud para prevenir ganancia de peso en la población por parte de las autoridades sanitarias

Introduction: the isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has generated changes in the lifestyle of the population, such as not attending the workplace, teleworking, suspension of sports and recreational activities, altering all routines, including sleep. This situation could exacerbate the obesity pandemic in the framework of the new pandemic, favoring qualitative and quantitative changes in food and drink intake and sedentary lifestyle. Objectives: to investigate how behaviors and routines have been modified and their impact on body weight.Materials and methods: an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study was carried out, analyzing data from 5,635 questionnaires via google forms, applied 45 days after the initiation of preventive and mandatory isolation due to the COVID-19 disease pandemic. Results: weight gain was recorded in 62.1% (95% CI=60.8- 63.4%) of the respondents, most of them (78.6%) reported gained from 1 to 3 kg. 6 of every 10 people mentioned increased food and drink intake and decreased physical activity as the main causes. With regard to factors associated with referred weight gain, age (young), previous excess weight, changes in diet, intake in response to emotions, low level of physical activity, alcohol consumption and disorders in sleep were the factors related to statistical significance to weight gain. Conclusions: confinement has contributed to exacerbate issues related to lifestyle habits, generating as a consequence an increase in weight in the population, mostly between 1 to 3 kg. Among those who suffered from previous excess, there was a higher prevalence of weight gain. The results of this study could be used by the health authorities to give recommendations and health strategies to prevent weight gain in the population

Effect of low frequency magnetic field on efficiency of chromosome break repair.

DNA repair is essential to maintain genome integrity. There is scientific evidence that exposure to magnetic fields (MF) can produce alterations in DNA repair without clear conclusions. This work aims to study the cellular response to and repair of a very deleterious type of DNA damage, the DNA double strand break (DSB), in S. cerevisiae, under MF exposure. In S. cerevisiae cells, pairs of DSB were induced enzymatically by HO endonuclease by plating the cells on Galactose-containing media. The repair processes took place under exposure to a 50Hz, 2.45mT sinusoidal MF during 21 days. MF was generated by a pair of Helmholtz coils. MF induced 1.29- and 1.5-fold increase in the number of colonies grown at day 21 of exposure in relation to untreated controls for Pho91 and Rmd5 strain, respectively. In relation to the kinetics of DSB repair during MF exposure, a higher increase (55.56-fold) in DNA reparation was observed at day 15 for Rmd5 strain in relation to the slight increment (1.18-fold) found for Pho91 strain. The results suggest that long-term MF exposure could increase the DNA repair activity and there may be a relationship between the position of the DSB and the distance to the centromere.

Epidemiological study of pediatric severe sepsis in Argentina. / Estudio epidemiológico de sepsis grave pediátrica en la República Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Severe sepsis (SS) is one of the leading causes of pediatric mortality in Argentina. The objective was to describe the epidemiological characteristics and to analyze risk factors associated with mortality from SS among patients hospitalized in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) in Argentina. POPULATION AND METHODS: Observational, prospective cohort study among patients with SS hospitalized in PICUs in Argentina from 8/1/2008 to 9/30/2008. RESULTS: Two thousand five hundred and fifty nine patients were admitted at 59 PICUs. A total of 315 patients (335 events) were included. Patients' median age was 8 months (1-182). The frequency was 13.8 %, and 28-day mortality was 31.6 %. Patients with a higher mortality were those who were coming from rural areas, had comorbidities at the time of admission or a history of cancer, had shock or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), were administered low-dose corticosteroids or vasoactive drugs or more than 60 ml/kg of fluid in the first hour and in the first 6hours, and had severe malnutrition. Following adjustment by severity using a multivariate logistic regression model, only coming from a rural area, having shock or ARDS remained associated with 28-day mortality. Forty per cent of patients received antibiotics 60 minutes after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: SS is an event with a high frequency and mortality in Argentina. In the severity adjusted multivariate analysis, only coming from a rural area, having ARDS and/or shock were associated with higher mortality.

Introducción. La sepsis grave (SG) es una de las principales causas de mortalidad pediátrica en Argentina. El objetivo fue describir las características epidemiológicas y analizar los factores asociados a la mortalidad de la SG en pacientes internados en unidades de cuidados intensivos pediátricos (UCIP) de Argentina. Pacientes y métodos. Estudio observacional, de cohorte prospectiva en pacientes con SG internados en UCIP de Argentina del 1/8/2008 al 30/9/2008. Resultados. En 59 UCIP, ingresaron 2559 pacientes. Se incluyeron 315 pacientes, que tuvieron 335 eventos. La mediana de edad fue 8 meses (1-182). La frecuencia fue del 13,8 % y la mortalidad a los 28 días, del 31,6 %. Tuvieron mayor mortalidad quienes procedían del ámbito rural, presentaban una comorbilidad al ingresar o antecedentes oncológicos, tenían shock o síndrome de dificultad respiratoria aguda (SDRA), recibieron corticoides en bajas dosis o drogas vasoactivas o más de 60 ml/kg de fluidos en la primera hora y en las 6 primeras horas, y los desnutridos graves. Al ajustarse por gravedad en un modelo de regresión logística multivariado, solo mantuvieron la asociación con mortalidad a los 28 días el provenir del ámbito rural, tener shock o SDRA. El 40 % de los pacientes recibieron antibióticos después de los 60 minutos del diagnóstico. Conclusiones. La SG es un evento de elevada frecuencia y mortalidad en Argentina. En el análisis multivariado ajustado por gravedad, solo provenir del área rural, la presencia de SDRA y/o de shock se asociaron a mayor mortalidad.

The description of Anacroneuria suerre sp. nov. from Costa Rica (Plecoptera: Perlidae) and using nymphs in ecotoxicological studies.

The lack of nymph-adult associations limits our knowledge of the ecology, history and sensitivity of aquatic insects. In this study, the new species, Anacroneuria suerre sp. nov is described from Costa Rica based on the male, female, and nymphal stages. We briefly discuss the use of Plecoptera in ecotoxicological studies.

Escorpionismo en pacientes pediátricos internados en terapia intensiva: Serie de casos / Escorpionism in pediatric intensive care patients: Case series

El escorpionismo constituye un problema de salud pública con una incidencia en aumento en Argentina. El veneno contiene varias neurotoxinas capaces de generar una "tormenta autonómica" responsable de las manifestaciones clínicas. Los sistemas cardiovascular y respiratorio son los más afectados y su grado de compromiso determinará la morbimortalidad. Un 10 % de los casos en niños evolucionan a su forma grave. En esta serie retrospectiva, se describe la epidemiología y evolución de 17 pacientes ingresados a la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica entre enero de 2010 y enero de 2014. Si bien no hubo mortalidad, sí una alta morbilidad: 12 pacientes presentaron edema agudo de pulmón que requirió ventilación mecánica; 11 pacientes desarrollaron shock cardiogénico hipotensivo; 7, bajo gasto cardíaco grave y, en 6, se utilizó levosimendán por el carácter refractario de su bajo gasto.

Scorpionism is a public health problem with an increasing incidence in Argentina. The poison contains several neurotoxins capable of generating an "autonomic storm" responsible for the clinical manifestations. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems are the most affected ones and their degree of commitment will determine morbidity and mortality. A 10 % of cases in children evolve to their severe form. In this retrospective series, we describe the epidemiology and evolution of 17 patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit from January 2010 to January 2014. Although there was no mortality, there was a high morbidity: 12 patients had acute lung edema requiring mechanical ventilation, 11 patients developed hypotensive cardiogenic shock, 7 were under severe low cardiac output and in 6 levosimendan was used due to the low refractory output.

Effect of sinusoidal and pulsed magnetic field exposure on the chronological aging and cellular stability of S. cerevisiae.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of low frequency and intensity sinusoidal magnetic field (SMF) and pulsed magnetic field (PMF) exposure on the chronological aging and cellular stability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.Materials and methods: The S. cerevisiae wild type strain (WS8105-1C) was exposed to SMF (2.45 mT, 50 Hz, continuous) and PMF (1.5 mT, 25 Hz, 8 h/day). Chronological aging was evaluated during 40 days. Survival was assayed by clonogenic assay and drop test. Cellular stability was studied by spontaneous mutation count and the index of respiratory competence (IRC).Results: We found that exposure to PMF produces an acceleration of cellular chronological aging, not observed in the groups treated with SMF. A decrease in the spontaneous frequency of mitochondrial mutation during aging was observed in PMF-treated samples. However, no alterations in the IRC during aging were found for both, SMF and PMF, treatments.Conclusions: Exposure to PMF produces the acceleration of aging and an alteration in cellular stability.

[Escorpionism in pediatric intensive care patients. Case series]. / Escorpionismo en pacientes pediátricos internados en terapia intensiva. Serie de casos.

Scorpionism is a public health problem with an increasing incidence in Argentina. The poison contains several neurotoxins capable of generating an "autonomic storm" responsible for the clinical manifestations. The cardiovascular and respiratory systems are the most affected ones and their degree of commitment will determine morbidity and mortality. A 10 % of cases in children evolve to their severe form. In this retrospective series, we describe the epidemiology and evolution of 17 patients admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit from January 2010 to January 2014. Although there was no mortality, there was a high morbidity: 12 patients had acute lung edema requiring mechanical ventilation, 11 patients developed hypotensive cardiogenic shock, 7 were under severe low cardiac output and in 6 levosimendan was used due to the low refractory output.

El escorpionismo constituye un problema de salud pública con una incidencia en aumento en Argentina. El veneno contiene varias neurotoxinas capaces de generar una "tormenta autonómica" responsable de las manifestaciones clínicas. Los sistemas cardiovascular y respiratorio son los más afectados y su grado de compromiso determinará la morbimortalidad. Un 10 % de los casos en niños evolucionan a su forma grave. En esta serie retrospectiva, se describe la epidemiología y evolución de 17 pacientes ingresados a la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva Pediátrica entre enero de 2010 y enero de 2014. Si bien no hubo mortalidad, sí una alta morbilidad: 12 pacientes presentaron edema agudo de pulmón que requirió ventilación mecánica; 11 pacientes desarrollaron shock cardiogénico hipotensivo; 7, bajo gasto cardíaco grave y, en 6, se utilizó levosimendán por el carácter refractario de su bajo gasto.

Tratamiento farmacológico de la obesidad / Pharmacological treatment of obesity

La terapia farmacológica es una gran deuda pendiente en el tratamiento de la obesidad. Por este motivo, esta revisión estudia, con criterio médico, los fármacos disponibles en la actualidad para su adecuado abordaje, siempre implementado por un profesional idóneo. Además se exponen cuáles serían las características de un fármaco ideal que pudiera desarrollarse en un futuro, en función del entendimiento complejo de la patología, para ayudar al paciente a transitar la enfermedad crónica, junto con las necesarias herramientas de cambios en el estilo de vida, plan alimentario personalizado, ejercicio, tratamiento cognitivo conductual y, en los casos que lo requieran, cirugía bariátrica.

Pharmacological therapy is an outstanding issue in the treatment of obesity. For this reason, this review studies, with medical criterion, the drugs currently available for its proper approach, always carried out by a qualified professional. In addition it proposes the characteristics of an ideal drug that could be developed in the future, which, according to the deep understanding of the pathology, could help the patient transit the chronic disease, coupled with the necessary tools of lifestyle changes, personalized food plan, exercise routines, cognitive behavioral treatment and in those cases that require it, bariatric surgery.