Silvopastoral systems and remnant forests enhance carbon storage in livestock-dominated landscapes in Mexico.

A large area of the terrestrial land surface is used for livestock grazing. Trees on grazing lands provide and can enhance multiple ecosystem services such as provisioning, cultural and regulating, that include carbon sequestration. In this study, we assessed the above- and belowground carbon stocks across six different land-uses in livestock-dominated landscapes of Mexico. We measured tree biomass and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in fodder banks, live fences, pasturelands with dispersed trees, secondary forests, and primary forests from three different geographical regions and compared them with conventional open pasturelands respectively. We also calculated tree diversity indices for each land-use and their similarity with native primary forests. The aboveground woody biomass stocks differed significantly between land-uses and followed the gradient from less diverse conventional open pasturelands to silvopastoral systems and ecologically complex primary forests. The SOC stocks showed a differential response to the land-use gradient dependent on the study region. Multivariate analyses showed that woody biomass, fine root biomass, and SOC concentrations were positively related, while land-use history and soil bulk density showed an inverse relationship to these variables. Silvopastoral systems and forest remnants stored 27-163% more carbon compared to open pasturelands. Our results demonstrate the importance of promoting appropriate silvopastoral systems and conserving forest remnants within livestock-dominated landscapes as a land-based carbon mitigation strategy. Furthermore, our findings also have important implications to help better manage livestock-dominated landscapes and minimize pressures on natural protected areas and biodiversity in the hotspots of deforestation for grassland expansion.

Active Learning Methodology for Expert-Assisted Anomaly Detection in Mobile Communications.

Due to the great complexity, heterogeneity, and variety of services, anomaly detection is becoming an increasingly important challenge in the operation of new generations of mobile communications. In many cases, the underlying relationships between the multiplicity of parameters and factors that can cause anomalous behavior are only determined by human expert knowledge. On the other hand, although automatic algorithms have a great capacity to process multiple sources of information, they are not always able to correctly signal such abnormalities. In this sense, this paper proposes the integration of both components in a framework based on Active Learning that enables enhanced performance in anomaly detection tasks. A series of tests have been conducted using an online anomaly detection algorithm comparing the proposed solution with a method based on the algorithm output alone. The obtained results demonstrate that a hybrid anomaly detection model that automates part of the process and includes the knowledge of an expert following the described methodology yields increased performance.

Framework for Behavioral Analysis of Mobile Networks.

The arrival of the Fifth Generation (5G) entails a significant evolution in the context of mobile communication networks. This new technology will bring heterogeneous scenarios with new types of services and an increasingly high number of users and nodes. The efficient management of such complex networks has become an important challenge. To address this problem, automatic and efficient algorithms must be developed to facilitate operators' management and optimization of their networks. These algorithms must be able to cope with a very high number of heterogeneous data and different types of scenarios. In this paper, a novel framework for a cellular network behavioral analysis and monitoring is presented. This framework is based on a combination of unsupervised and supervised machine learning techniques. The proposed system can analyze the behavior of cells and monitor them, searching for behavior changes over time. The information extracted by the framework can be used to improve subsequent management and optimization functions.

Seroprevalence of human Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the North of Estado de Mexico

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease is a neglected public health problem in Mexico; however, detailed studies to determine the seroprevalence in some states have not been performed. METHODS: A total 1,504 human serum from thirteen communities in Estado de Mexico, were analyzed with three diagnostics techniques. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence was 9.1%, with high prevalence among people aged 51-60 years, while people aged 0-29 years were seronegative against T. cruzi. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated the seroprevalence of T. cruzi in the North of the Estado de Mexico, an area considered as non-endemic; however, epidemiological conditions necessary for natural transmission were found.

A Case of Immediate Hypersensitivity Reaction to Maltitol.

BACKGROUND: Maltitol is a sugar alcohol that is frequently used as a noncaloric sweetener, although it is also used as an excipient, a plasticizer in gelatin capsules, and an emollient. It has not been previously described as an agent involved in immediate hypersensitivity reactions. METHODS: We report on an anaphylactoid reaction with pharyngeal occlusion suffered by a 60-year-old man after ingestion of a candy containing maltitol syrup. A prick-to-prick test was performed with the candy and maltitol powder. Other allergens were excluded as causative agents of the adverse reaction, although the patient refused to undergo an oral challenge test with the candy. A basophil activation test (BAT) was performed with maltitol powder, and a dose-response curve was generated. The test was also performed in 3 healthy controls. RESULTS: Both prick-to-prick tests were negative. The result of the BAT was positive at all the concentrations tested in the patient's blood and negative in all the controls. CONCLUSIONS: The BAT can help to clarify the agents implicated in an adverse reaction and can reduce the risk involved in diagnosis. The BAT can also prove useful in the study of reactions caused by low-molecular-weight antigens, for which routine diagnostic tests are not feasible.

Seroprevalence of human Trypanosoma cruzi infection in the North of Estado de Mexico.

INTRODUCTION: Chagas disease is a neglected public health problem in Mexico; however, detailed studies to determine the seroprevalence in some states have not been performed. METHODS: A total 1,504 human serum from thirteen communities in Estado de Mexico, were analyzed with three diagnostics techniques. RESULTS: The overall seroprevalence was 9.1%, with high prevalence among people aged 51-60 years, while people aged 0-29 years were seronegative against T. cruzi. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated the seroprevalence of T. cruzi in the North of the Estado de Mexico, an area considered as non-endemic; however, epidemiological conditions necessary for natural transmission were found.

Short-, Intermediate-, and Long-Term Changes in Basophil Reactivity Induced by Venom Immunotherapy.

PURPOSE: The basophil activation test (BAT) has been used to monitor venom immunotherapy (VIT) due to its high specificity. A previous study has reported a good correlation between a significant decrease in basophil activation during 5 years of VIT and clinical protection assessed by sting challenge. The following prospective study was performed to examine changes in basophil reactivity over a complete VIT period of 5 years. METHODS: BAT in a dose-response curve was studied prospectively in 10 hymenoptera venom-allergic patients over 5 years of VIT. BAT was performed at the time of diagnosis, 1 month after finishing the VIT build-up phase, and 3, 6, 12, 24, and 60 months after beginning treatment. The repeated measures ANOVA was applied to evaluate basophil activation changes throughout VIT. A cross-sectional study was also performed in 6 patients who received treatment for more than 3 years, and in another 12 patients who followed immunotherapy for at least 5 years. RESULTS: An early activation decrease was observed during the first 3 months of treatment, compared to pre-treatment values. This activation decrease was not maintained 6 to 18 months after treatment, but was observed again after 2 years of treatment, and maintained until the completion of the 5-year immunotherapy period. In cross-sectional analysis, the 6 patients who received treatment for 3 years, and 9 of the 12 patients who received treatment for 5 years, had negative BAT results. Three patients in this last group had positive BAT results and 2 patients had systemic reactions after field stings. CONCLUSIONS: BAT appears to be an optimal non-invasive test for close monitoring of VIT.

Estudios de imagenes y pruebas funcionales renales / Imaging and functional studies in urinary tract infections

Las infecciones del tracto urinario son causa frecuente de morbilidad en la edad pediátrica y un porcentaje importante de ellas se asocian con malformaciones de las vías urinarias, por lo que su temprana detección y manejo adecuado podría incidir positivamente sobre la prevención de cicatrices renales, hipertensión arterial y enfermedad renal crónica. La importancia de los métodos de imágenes radica en la posibilidad de identificar precozmente aquellos niños con factores de riesgo de desarrollar cicatrices renales, permitiendo prevenir la progresión del daño preexistente. El protocolo inicial de estudios debería incluir ultrasonido renovesical, uretrocistografía miccional y gammagrama renal con DMSA. En esta revisión se comentan adicionalmente, las pruebas funcionales necesarias para determinar el grado de afectación glomerular y tubular como consecuencia de las infecciones urinarias

Urinary tract infections are frequent causes of morbidity in children and a significant percentage of them are associated with malformations of the urinary tract. Their early detection and proper management could have a positive impact on the prevention of scarring, hypertension and chronic renal disease. The importance of imaging methods is the possibility to identify those children with risk factors for the development of renal scarring, which would allow prevention of the progression of renal damage. The initial study protocol should include renovesical ultrasound, cystography and DMSA renal scintigraphy. This review also discusses the necessary functional test to assess the degree of glomerular and tubular involvement as consequence of urinary tract infections

Ganglio centinela en el carcinoma mamario / Sentinel lymph node in patients with breast cancer

Evaluar la efectividad del ganglio centinela en predecir el estado ganglionar de la axila en pacientes con cáncer de mama. Se incluyeron 50 pacientes consecutivas de la Unidad de Mastología del Centro Medico "Dr. Rafael Guerra Méndez" de la Ciudad de Valencia entre mayo 2001 y noviembre 2007, con diagnóstico histopatológico previo, con tumores menores de 2 cm y axila clínicamente negativa. Se inyectaron 1-1,5 milicurie de tecnecio 99 usando como vehículo el sulfuro coloidal entre 4 y 12 horas antes del acto quirúrgico, y 2 ml de azul patente, en forma subareolar, veinte minutos antes de la exploración axilar, posterior a la intubación anestésica, procediendo luego a resecar el ganclio centinela axilar y a efectuarle una biopsia intraoperatoria. 49/50 pacientes (98 por ciento) de las pacientes fueron sometidas a cirugía preservadora, con un franco predominio del uso de dos incisiones (88 por ciento). El ganglio centinela fue identificado en 92 por ciento de los casos, el 24 por ciento de la muestra tuvo axila positiva. En 42 por ciento se encontró un solo ganglio centinela, en otro 42 por ciento dos ganglios centinelas, en 8 por ciento se encontraron 3 ganglios centinelas, y en 4 casos (8 por ciento) el ganglio centinela no fue identificado por ninguna de las dos técnicas. El centinela fue el único ganglio positivo en 72.7 por ciento de las pacientes sometidas a vaciamiento axilar. En un período de seguimiento promedio de 39.02 meses (DS ± 25.59) con un rango de 3 a 79 meses. No hemos tenido ningún falso negativo. La determinación del ganglio centinela es adecuada para predecir el estado axilar, siendo ideal el empleo de la doble técnica, es decir tecnecio 99 y azul patente, de esta forma podemos evitar en las pacientes estadio I, IIa hasta un 76 por ciento de vaciamientos axilares, una vez cumplida la curva de aprendizaje.

CD106 and activated-CD29 are expressed on myelomatous bone marrow plasma cells and their downregulation is associated with tumour progression.

Malignant plasma cells (PC) from multiple myeloma (MM) patients characteristically home to the bone marrow (BM). High numbers of tumour cells are found in the peripheral blood (PB) only at end-stage disease (secondary plasma cell leukaemia, PCL) in a minority of patients. Using flow cytometric and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, a high percentage of tumoral BM PC from untreated patients was found to express CD106. In addition, these cells also expressed an activated form of CD29, as determined using the CD29 activation reporter monoclonal antibody HUTS-21. Adhesion-binding experiments showed that CD106+-activated CD29+ BM PC from these patients adhered to fibronectin (FN) in a CD29/CD49d-dependent manner. In contrast, marrow PC from progressive patients and BM or circulating malignant cells from secondary PCL patients expressed lower levels or were negative for CD106 and activated CD29, respectively, with a decreased or zero ability to adhere to FN. The expression of constitutive CD29 and CD49d, however, was similar during disease progression. We conclude that BM myelomatous cells co-express CD106 and a functionally active form of CD29. Moreover, our results suggest that the loss of expression and/or function of these antigens are associated with the progression of MM and may explain the exit of tumoral cells from the BM.

Fisiología aplicaciones y complicaciones de la ventilación jet transtraqueal / Physiology applications and complications of the jet transtracheal ventilation

Se incluyeron 20 pacientes, ASA I o II, mayores de 18 años, programados para intervenciones quirúrgicas electivas, con o sin indicación de VJTT, estimadas en menos de 20 minutos de duración. Posterior a la inducción anestésica se inició la VJTT, con controles gasométricos a los 0 y 30 minutos, monitoreo oximétrico, tensión arterial, frecuencia y ritmo cardíaco. Los resultados cuantitativos obtenidos se expresaron en promedios y desviación estandar, se aplicó la prueba T de Student. La oxigenación fué adecuada en todos los pacientes, manteniendo una PaO2 media de 317 ñ 116,71 mm de Hg y una saturación de óxigeno de 98,78 ñ 0,71 por ciento. Los cambios de pH a los 0 y 30 minutos, mostraron estadísticamente significativa, pero sin significación clínica. Las presiones arteriales de CO2 se encontraron elevadas en 4 pacientes, pero solo en 2 acompañadas de un pH disminuido. Las variables hemodinámicas no se modificaron en el transoperatorio. El 90 por ciento de los pacientes no presentaron o presentaron complicaciones leves. Podemos concluir que la VJTT es un procedimiento seguro, para ser usado en forma electiva, ya que constituye un sistema excelente para la oxigenación y ventilación del paciente, tanto desde el punto de vista clínico y gasométrico