Kidney dysfunction induced by a sucrose-rich diet in rat involves mitochondria ROS generation, cardiolipin changes, and the decline of autophagy protein markers.

The mechanistic link between obesity and renal failure has been proposed to involve mitochondria reactive oxygen species generation and lipotoxicity. These pathological conditions make mitochondria of particular interest in the regulation of cell function and death by both apoptosis and autophagy. Therefore, this work was undertaken to investigate mitochondria function, autophagy, and apoptosis protein markers in the kidney from a rat model of intra-abdominal obesity and renal damage induced by a high-sucrose diet. Mitochondria from sucrose-fed (SF) kidneys in the presence of pyruvate-malate generated H2O2 at a higher rate than from control (79.81 ± 4.98 vs. 65.84 ± 1.95 pmol·min-1·mg protein-1). With succinate, the release of H2O2 was significantly higher compared with pyruvate-malate, and it remained higher in SF than in control mitochondria (146.4 ± 8.8 vs. 106.1 ± 5.9 pmol·min-1·mg protein-1). However, cytochrome c release from SF kidney mitochondria was lower than from control. In addition, cardiolipin, a mitochondria-specific phospholipid, was found increased in SF mitochondria due to the enhanced amount of both cardiolipin synthase and tafazzin. Cardiolipin was also found enriched with saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, which are less susceptible to peroxidative stress involved in cytochrome c release. Furthermore, beclin-1 and light chain 3-B, as autophagy protein markers, and caspase-9, as apoptosis protein marker, were found decreased in SF kidneys. These results suggest that the decline of autophagy protein markers and the lack of apoptosis process could be a pathological mechanism of cell dysfunction leading to the progression of renal disease in SF rats.

Chronic Neck Pain Prevalence Before and After COVID-19 Restrictions and Its Relationship With Digital Device Screen Viewing: A Population Study.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of chronic neck pain (CNP) among the adult population in Peru during the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restriction period compared with that during the pre-pandemic period and evaluate its association with prolonged digital devices connected to the internet (DDCI) screen viewing. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study using a representative sample of adults living in Peru in November 2022. A structured survey was employed to identify CNP, and the exposure variable was set as the duration of DDCI screen viewing. The McNemar test was used to compare CNP prevalence pre- and post-COVID-19 restrictions, and ordinal logistic regression was used to evaluate its association with prolonged screen viewing. RESULTS: A total of 1,202 individuals participated, with 52.8% females and 79.9% residing in urban areas. Following the restrictions, the prevalence of CNP occurring daily or almost daily and at least once a week was 14.8% and 27.8%, respectively (95% confidence Interval [95% CI], 12.6-17.3 and 24.9-30.9), representing a significant increase (p<0.001) compared with pre-pandemic estimates. Notably, among those viewing DDCI screens for ≥8 hours, the odds ratio for CNP frequency escalation compared with those who did not or rarely view screens was 1.61 (95% CI, 1.04-2.50; p=0.033). CONCLUSION: Approximately 4 of 10 adults in Peru experienced CNP following the lifting of COVID-19 social restrictions, more than double the pre-pandemic prevalence. Furthermore, prolonged viewing of DDCI screens increased the risk of having this condition.

Heterogeneous effects of climatic conditions on Andean bean landraces and cowpeas highlight alternatives for crop management and conservation.

The use and conservation of agrobiodiversity have become critical to face the actual and future challenges imposed by climate change. Collecting phytogenetic resources is a first step for their conservation; however, the genetic material must be analysed to understand their potential to improve agricultural resilience and adaptation to the new climatic conditions. We have selected nine Phaseolus vulgaris, one P. lunatus and two Vigna unguiculata landraces from two different climatic backgrounds of the Andean region of South Ecuador and one P. vulgaris commercial cultivar, and we grew them under two different conditions of temperature and humidity (open field and greenhouse). Then, we recorded data for 32 characters of plant architecture, flower and fruit characteristics and yield, and 17 events in the phenology of the plants. We analysed the impact of treatment on species, climatic background, and each of the landraces, and identified both characters and landraces that are mostly affected by changes in their environmental conditions. Overall, higher temperatures were benign for all materials except for two P. vulgaris landraces from cold background, which performed better or developed faster under cold conditions. Finally, we calculated a climate resilience landrace index, which allowed us to classify the landraces by their plasticity to new environmental conditions, and found heterogeneous landrace susceptibility to warmer conditions. Two P. vulgaris landraces were highlighted as critical targets for conservation.

S-RNase Alleles Associated With Self-Compatibility in the Tomato Clade: Structure, Origins, and Expression Plasticity.

The self-incompatibility (SI) system in the Solanaceae is comprised of cytotoxic pistil S-RNases which are countered by S-locus F-box (SLF) resistance factors found in pollen. Under this barrier-resistance architecture, mating system transitions from SI to self-compatibility (SC) typically result from loss-of-function mutations in genes encoding pistil SI factors such as S-RNase. However, the nature of these mutations is often not well characterized. Here we use a combination of S-RNase sequence analysis, transcript profiling, protein expression and reproductive phenotyping to better understand different mechanisms that result in loss of S-RNase function. Our analysis focuses on 12 S-RNase alleles identified in SC species and populations across the tomato clade. In six cases, the reason for gene dysfunction due to mutations is evident. The six other alleles potentially encode functional S-RNase proteins but are typically transcriptionally silenced. We identified three S-RNase alleles which are transcriptionally silenced under some conditions but actively expressed in others. In one case, expression of the S-RNase is associated with SI. In another case, S-RNase expression does not lead to SI, but instead confers a reproductive barrier against pollen tubes from other tomato species. In the third case, expression of S-RNase does not affect self, interspecific or inter-population reproductive barriers. Our results indicate that S-RNase expression is more dynamic than previously thought, and that changes in expression can impact different reproductive barriers within or between natural populations.

[Proteomic analysis of the excretion-secretion products of four Trichinella spiralis isolates obtained from accidental hosts]. / Análisis proteómico de los productos de excreción-secreción de cuatro aislados de Trichinella spiralis obtenidos de hospederos accidentales.

BACKGROUND: Trichinella spiralis is an intestinal and tissue nematode specific for mammalian skeletal muscle, causing a series of physiological alterations. T. spiralis excretory-secretion products play an important role in the appearance and regulation of these alterations. However, the effect of these products on the infection and invasion of the parasite to the host is unknown. METHODS: Differences and similarities between antigenic proteins and surface proteins of four accidental hosts isolates (dogs) of T. spiralis and the reference strain isolated from pigs (MSUS/MEX/91/CM) were assessed by electrophoresis, western blot and mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Using gene ontology, five proteins exclusive to the accidental hosts were analyzed. The results showed that these proteins are part of the extracellular matrix of the parasite, present catalytic activity, and bind to host cells. The antigenic activity the four strains showed the antigenic triplet characteristic of T. spiralis of 43, 45 and 47 kDa. CONCLUSIONS: Five proteins exclusive to dog isolates provided information to understand the mechanism of action of this parasite to penetrate the muscle and evade the immune response in the host.

The impact of an extreme climatic disturbance and different fertilization treatments on plant development, phenology, and yield of two cultivar groups of Solanum betaceum Cav.

Changing climatic conditions impose a challenge both to biodiversity and food security. The effects of climate change affect different aspects of the plant or crop, such as morphological and phenological aspects, as well as yield. The effects of greenhouse conditions might be comparable in some cases to a permanent extreme disturbance in climate and weather, thus, contributing to our knowledge on climate change impacts on plant species. We have investigated the differences for 23 traits in two cultivar groups of an Andean traditional crop, Solanum betaceum, under two different environmental conditions that correspond to the traditional practices in the open field and three cultural managements under greenhouse conditions (no fertilization or control, organic, and mineral). We found that traditional practices in the open field are the less productive. Moreover, in warmer and drier conditions the treatment with organic fertilization was the most productive. Greenhouse conditions, however, delay production. We further identified traits that differentiate both cultivar groups and traits that are linked to either the new climate conditions or the fertilization treatments. Fruit characteristics were quite homogeneous between the two cultivar groups. Overall, our results provide insight on the consequences that climate change effects might exert on crops such as tree tomato, reveal that greenhouses can be a robust alternative for tree tomato production, and highlight the need to understand how different managements are linked to different solutions to fulfil the farmers' demands.

Diversity for chemical composition in a collection of different varietal types of tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.), an Andean exotic fruit.

We evaluated 23 tree tomato (Solanum betaceum) accessions from five cultivar groups and one wild relative (Solanum cajanumense) for 26 composition traits. For all traits we found highly significant differences (P<0.001) among the materials studied. The high diversity found within S. betaceum for composition traits was matched by a high diversity within each of the cultivar groups. We found that sucrose and citric acid were the most important soluble sugar and organic acid, respectively, in tree tomato. Fruit in the anthocyanin pigmented (purple) group had a carotenoid content similar to that in the yellow-orange cultivar groups. Total phenolic content was significantly correlated (r=0.8607) with antioxidant activity. Analyses of mineral content showed that tree tomato is a good source of K, Mg, and Cu. Multivariate principal components analysis (PCA) confirmed that an important diversity exists within each cultivar group. The results we have obtained indicate that the high diversity found within the tree tomato could be exploited for selection and breeding for developing the tree tomato as a commercial crop.

Análisis proteómico de los productos de excreción-secreción de cuatro aislados de Trichinella spiralis obtenidos de hospederos accidentales / Proteomic analysis of the excretion-secretion products of four Trichinella spiralis isolates obtained from accidental hosts

Resumen: Introducción: Trichinella spiralis es un nemátodo tisular que se aloja en el músculo esquelético de humanos y otros mamíferos y causa una serie de alteraciones fisiológicas. Las proteínas de los productos de excreción-secreción de T. spiralis juegan un papel importante en la aparición y regulación de estas alteraciones. Sin embargo, aún no se conoce el efecto de estos productos en la infección e invasión del parásito al hospedero. Métodos: Mediante un análisis electroforético en una dimensión, Western blot y espectrometría de masas, se evaluaron las diferencias y similitudes entre proteínas antigénicas y de superficie de cuatro aislados de T. spiralis obtenidos de hospederos accidentales (perros) y la cepa de referencia aislada de cerdos (MSUS/MEX/91/CM). Resultados: Utilizando ontología de genes, se encontraron cinco proteínas exclusivas de los hospederos accidentales. Después del análisis, se encontró que estas proteínas forman parte de la matriz extracelular del parásito, cuentan con actividad catalítica y están implicadas en la adhesión a las células del hospedero. La actividad antigénica de las cuatro cepas aisladas de hospederos accidentales es idéntica a la reportada para T. spiralis, visualizándose el triplete antigénico característico de 43, 45 y 47 kDa. Conclusiones: Las proteínas exclusivas de los hospederos accidentales proveen información para entender el mecanismo de acción de este parásito para penetrar el músculo y evadir la respuesta inmune en el hospedero.

Abstract: Background: Trichinella spiralis is an intestinal and tissue nematode specific for mammalian skeletal muscle, causing a series of physiological alterations. T. spiralis excretory-secretion products play an important role in the appearance and regulation of these alterations. However, the effect of these products on the infection and invasion of the parasite to the host is unknown. Methods: Differences and similarities between antigenic proteins and surface proteins of four accidental hosts isolates (dogs) of T. spiralis and the reference strain isolated from pigs (MSUS/MEX/91/CM) were assessed by electrophoresis, western blot and mass spectrometry. Results: Using gene ontology, five proteins exclusive to the accidental hosts were analyzed. The results showed that these proteins are part of the extracellular matrix of the parasite, present catalytic activity, and bind to host cells. The antigenic activity the four strains showed the antigenic triplet characteristic of T. spiralis of 43, 45 and 47 kDa. Conclusions: Five proteins exclusive to dog isolates provided information to understand the mechanism of action of this parasite to penetrate the muscle and evade the immune response in the host.

Revisión sistemática: epidemiología de dolor crónico no oncológico en Chile / Systematic review: epidemiology of non-oncologic chronic pain in Chile

El dolor es una de las causas más comunes de consulta clínica dentro de la población. En las consultas médicas de los pacientes, el dolor está presente en aproximadamente el 70 por ciento .A pesar de que el dolor crónico es común, existe escasa literatura publicada que refleja la epidemiología del dolor crónico dentro de la población. Entre los países, la prevalencia oscila entre el 5 por ciento - 45 por ciento. Debido a que el dolor crónico se puede analizar, a través, de diferentes perspectivas de los médicos, es difícil comparar los estudios que se han publicado a nivel nacional como internacional. En Chile, hay estimaciones que un 41,1 por ciento de la población mayor de 17 años presentan dolor. Cuando se hace una comparación con otros estudios, aunque la prevalencia numérica puede variar significativamente, existen similitudes, el dolor crónico no oncológico es más frecuente en las mujeres, en las personas mayores y está presente cuando hay otras enfermedades que tenga el paciente. En la siguiente revisión sistemática exponemos información sobre los distintos aspectos epidemiológicos de dolor crónico que se encuentran en Chile y algunos otros países en el mundo. A pesar de que no hay información disponible, existe una importante necesidad de de publicar estudios que reflejen la prevalencia de los pacientes con dolor crónico, para lograr un tratamiento de este síntoma de manera más eficiente y mejorar la calidad de vida de estos pacientes...

Pain is the most common cause of clinical consultation within the population. In the history of patients that go to the doctor, pain is present in approximately 70 percent of the time. Even though chronic pain is very common, there is not much literature published that reflects the epidemiology of chronic pain within the population. Between countries, the prevalence reported varies from 5 percent - 45 percent. Because chronic pain can be analyzed through different perspectives by physicians, it is difficult to compare studies that have been published nationally and internationally. In Chile,41,1 percent of the population older than 17 years could present pain. When a comparison is made with other studies, though the prevalence numbers may vary significantly, there is a similarity. Non-oncologic chronic pain is more frequent in women, in the elderly and it is present when there are other illnesses that the patient has. In the following systematic review we expose information regarding the different epidemiologic aspects of chronic pain found especially in Chile and some other countries in the world. Even though there is information available, there is an important need to further continue to publish studies that reflect the prevalence of patients with chronic pain, to further treat this symptom more efficiently and to improve the quality of life of these patients...

Validación primera encuesta chilena de dolor crónico no oncológico / Chilean validation survey of chronic non cancer pain

Existen escasos estudios sobre prevalencia de dolor crónico no oncológico en nuestro país. Objetivo: Realizar y presentar un instrumento validado que permita estimar la prevalencia y el impacto del dolor crónico no oncológico en Chile. Método: Se diseñó un instrumento basado en European Survey of Pain, Pain Survey U.S. Population, Canadian Chronic Pain Survey y la Encuesta Prevalencia de Dolor de la Federación Latinoamericana de Dolor. Se realizó una encuesta sobre teléfonos móviles, en un estudio piloto, en una muestra probabilística representativa a nivel nacional de 20 sujetos, mayores de 18 años de edad. Resultados: Se realizó un instrumento validado de 27 secciones, en el cual se determinó una prevalencia de 30,2 (IC95 por ciento: 22,5 – 37,4). Conclusiones: Presentamos un instrumento validado con el objetivo de determinar la prevalencia y las características clínicas del dolor crónico no oncológico a nivel chileno...

There are few studies on the prevalence of chronic non-cancer pain in our country. Aim of Investigation: To make and present a validated instrument that will allow to estimate the prevalence and impact of chronic non-cancer pain in Chile. Methods: We designed an instrument based on the European Survey of Pain, the US Population-Based Pain Survey, the Canadian Chronic Pain Survey and the Latin American Federation of Pain Prevalence Survey. A cross sectional cell phone survey was conducted in a pilot study in a nationally representative probability sample of 20 subjects, over 18 years old. Results: We made a validated instrument of 27 sections, the prevalence of chronic non-cancer pain was 30.2 (95 percent CI 22.5 - 37.4). Conclusions: We present a validated instrument to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of non-cancer chronic pain in Chilean people...

Sobrecrecimiento bacteriano como etiología de dolor cronico no oncológico visceral / Small bowel bacterial overgrowth a cause of visceral noncancer chronic pain

El dolor visceral crónico se produce por la distención de los receptores neuronales localizados en las mucosas de los distintos órganos del aparato digestivo, presentándose clínicamente como un dolor con una localización difusa, con intensidad moderada a severa, que se describe generalmente de tipo cólico. Presentamos un caso clínico de una paciente con que consultó por un dolor crónico no oncológico de tipo visceral con componente neuropático, cuya causa etiológica correspondió a sobrecrecimieno bacteriano intestinal. Por lo que debemos considerar esta patología como etiología de un dolor visceral crónico...

Chronic Visceral pain is caused by the distension of neuronal receptors located in the lining the digestive organs, clinically presenting as pain with a diffuse localization and moderate to severe intensity, usually is described colicky. We present a case report a patient who presented with chronic noncancer visceral pain with neuropathic component, which accounted etiology Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth. We must consider this disease as a cause of chronic visceral pain...