The afterglow and kilonova of the short GRB 160821B

GRB 160821B is a short duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) detected and localized by the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory in the outskirts of a spiral galaxy at z=0.1613, at a projected physical offset of 16 kpc from the galaxy's center. We present X-ray, optical/nIR and radio observations of its counterpart and model them with two distinct components of emission: a standard afterglow, arising from the interaction of the relativistic jet with the surrounding medium, and a kilonova, powered by the radioactive decay of the sub-relativistic ejecta. Broadband modeling of the afterglow data reveals a weak reverse shock propagating backward into the jet, and a likely jet-break at 3.5 d. This is consistent with a structured jet seen slightly off-axis while expanding into a low-density medium. Analysis of the kilonova properties suggests a rapid evolution toward red colors, similar to AT2017gfo, and a low nIR luminosity, possibly due to the presence of a long-lived neutron star. The global properties of the environment, the inferred low mass (M_ej < 0.006 Msun) and velocities (v > 0.05 c) of lanthanide-rich ejecta are consistent with a binary neutron star merger progenitor.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, MNRAS, in press. Moderate revision, added Figure 5 and X-ray data to Table

Extracellular Vesicles Derived from Plasmodium-infected and Non-infected Red Blood Cells as Targeted Drug Delivery Vehicles

Among several factors behind drug resistance evolution in malaria is the challenge of administering overall doses that are not toxic for the patient but that, locally, are sufficiently high to rapidly kill the parasites. Thus, a crucial antimalarial strategy is the development of drug delivery systems capable of targeting antimalarial compounds to Plasmodium with high specificity. In the present study, extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been evaluated as a drug delivery system for the treatment of malaria. EVs derived from naive red blood cells (RBCs) and from Plasmodium falciparum-infected RBCs (pRBCs) were isolated by ultrafiltration followed by size exclusion chromatography. Lipidomic characterization showed that there were no significant qualitative differences between the lipidomic profiles of pRBC-derived EVs (pRBC-EVs) and RBC-derived EVs (RBC-EVs). Both EVs were taken up by RBCs and pRBCs, although pRBC-EVs were more efficiently internalized than RBC-EVs, which suggested their potential use as drug delivery vehicles for these cells. When loaded into pRBC-EVs, the antimalarial drugs atovaquone and tafenoquine inhibited in vitro P. falciparum growth more efficiently than their free drug counterparts, indicating that pRBC-EVs can potentially increase the efficacy of several small hydrophobic drugs used for the treatment of malaria

Contribución al conocimiento de los edafismos de las comarcas interiores de Andalucía Oriental (España)

In this paper we present 21 new records for 16 taxa of peculiar substrates in Eastern Andalusia; these evidences provide several new records for regional and provincial flora.Se presentan 21 citas de 16 taxones propios de substratos peculiares de Andalucía Oriental, estas citas aportan varias novedades florísticas regionales, provinciales y comarcales

Relatório de condições sistemáticas de pacientes adultos. : Faculdade de Odontologia, Universidade de Antioquia, 2011

Introduction: The goal of this research project was to determine the prevalence and concordance of reports of a group of systemic conditions by means of Dental/Medical Records (mrs) and telephonic surveys (TS) in patients consulting at two adults’ clinics at the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of Antioquia. Methods: Cross-sectional study (n = 104). We evaluated clinical records and registered the 10 most frequent systemic diseases according to the epidemiological data in Medellin (Colombia). We used TS to corroborate previous information on the mrs. We measured the prevalence of the diseases and determined a concordance level between the results of mr and ts through a kappa index with a 95% confidence interval (95%CI); according to different variables. Results: The most prevalent systemic disease was ocular disease (58% ts and 30% mr, statistically significant p &lt; 0.001) and the less prevalent one was hyperthyroidism (3% mr and 5% ts, no statistically significant). Kappa analyses showed the weakest concordance in the case of hyperthyroidism (0.22; 95%CI -0.38-0.82) and in case of ocular disease (0.37; 95%ci 0.20- 0.72). Variability in the prevalence and kappa indexes was observed related to gender, type of clinic and age interval. Conclusions: Variations in the reported prevalence between the mr and ts were found. This situation may be explained as originating in difficulties completing medical antecedents, which cause an underreporting in the MR.Introducción: el objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar la prevalencia y la concordancia en el reporte de condiciones sistémicas entre la historia clínica odontológica (hc) y la entrevista telefónica (et), en los pacientes que asisten a dos clínicas del adulto de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Antioquia. Métodos: estudio transversal (n = 104). Se evaluaron las hc y se registraron las diez condiciones sistémicas más frecuentes según registros epidemiológicos de Medellín. Se realizó et para verificar información de las hc. Se calcularon prevalencias y el nivel de concordancia entre resultados de la hc y la et mediante el índice kappa y su intervalo de confianza al 95% (ic95%), según variables. Resultados: la condición sistémica más prevalente fue la enfermedad ocular (58% según et y 30% según hc y diferencias significativas p &lt; 0,001), y la menos prevalente fue el hipertiroidismo (3% según hc y 5% según et, sin diferencias significativas). El análisis kappa mostró que las concordancias más débiles se presentaron para el hipertiroidismo (0,22; ic95%-0,38-0,82) y la enfermedad ocular (0,37; ic95% 0,20-0,72). Se evidenciaron variaciones en los índices de concordancia de acuerdo con sexo, clínica y edad. Conclusiones: existen variaciones en las prevalencias reportadas por hc y por et debidas a dificultades a la hora de diligenciar los antecedentes médicos personales, que produjeron un subregistro en la hc. &nbsp;Introdução: o objetivo desta pesquisa foi determinar a prevalência e a concordância no relatório de condições sistêmicas entre o prontuário médico odontológico e a entrevista telefônica (et) nos pacientes que vão a duas clínicas do adulto da Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade de Antioquia. Métodos: estudo transversal (n = 104). Avaliaram-se os prontuários e se registraram as dez condições sistêmicas mais frequentes segundo registros epidemiológicos de Medellín. Realizou-se et para verificar informação dos prontuários. Calcularam-se prevalências e o nível de concordância entre resultados do prontuário e da et mediante o índice kappa e seu intervalo de confiança a 95% (ic95%), segundo variáveis. Resultados: a condição sistêmica mais prevalente foi a doença ocular (58% segundo et e 30% segundo prontuários e diferenças significativas p &lt; 0,001), e a menos prevalente foi o hipertireoidismo (3% segundo prontuários e 5% segundo et, sem diferenças significativas). A análise kappa mostrou que as concordâncias mais fracas se apresentaram para o hipertireoidismo (0,22; ic95%-0,38-0,82) e a doença ocular (0,37; ic95%0,20-0,72). Evidenciaram- se variações nos índices de concordância de acordo com sexo, clínica e idade. Conclusões: existem variações nas prevalências relatadas pelo prontuário e pela et devidas a dificuldades na hora de diligenciar os antecedentes médicos pessoais, que produziram um sub-registro no prontuário

Longitudinal association of dietary acid load with kidney function decline in an older adult population with metabolic syndrome

Background: Diets high in acid load may contribute to kidney function impairment. This study aimed to investigate the association between dietary acid load and 1-year changes in glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR). Methods: Older adults with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome (mean age 65 ± 5 years, 48% women) from the PREDIMED-Plus study who had available data on eGFR (n = 5,874) or UACR (n = 3,639) at baseline and after 1 year of follow-up were included in this prospective analysis. Dietary acid load was estimated as potential renal acid load (PRAL) and net endogenous acid production (NEAP) at baseline from a food frequency questionnaire. Linear and logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the associations between baseline tertiles of dietary acid load and kidney function outcomes. One year-changes in eGFR and UACR were set as the primary outcomes. We secondarily assessed ≥ 10% eGFR decline or ≥10% UACR increase. Results: After multiple adjustments, individuals in the highest tertile of PRAL or NEAP showed higher one-year changes in eGFR (PRAL, β: –0.64 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: –1.21 to –0.08 and NEAP, β: –0.56 ml/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: –1.13 to 0.01) compared to those in the lowest category. No associations with changes in UACR were found. Participants with higher levels of PRAL and NEAP had significantly higher odds of developing ≥10% eGFR decline (PRAL, OR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.07–1.54 and NEAP, OR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.03–1.50) and ≥10 % UACR increase (PRAL, OR: 1.23; 95% CI: 1.04–1.46) compared to individuals with lower dietary acid load. Conclusions: Higher PRAL and NEAP were associated with worse kidney function after 1 year of follow-up as measured by eGFR and UACR markers in an older Spanish population with overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome

The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex

The cerebral cortex underlies our complex cognitive capabilities, yet little is known about the specific genetic loci that influence human cortical structure. To identify genetic variants that affect cortical structure, we conducted a genome-wide association meta-analysis of brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 51,665 individuals. We analyzed the surface area and average thickness of the whole cortex and 34 regions with known functional specializations. We identified 199 significant loci and found significant enrichment for loci influencing total surface area within regulatory elements that are active during prenatal cortical development, supporting the radial unit hypothesis. Loci that affect regional surface area cluster near genes in Wnt signaling pathways, which influence progenitor expansion and areal identity. Variation in cortical structure is genetically correlated with cognitive function, Parkinson's disease, insomnia, depression, neuroticism, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly

Epidemiology of surgery associated acute kidney injury (EPIS-AKI): a prospective international observational multi-center clinical study

Purpose: The incidence, patient features, risk factors and outcomes of surgery-associated postoperative acute kidney injury (PO-AKI) across different countries and health care systems is unclear. Methods: We conducted an international prospective, observational, multi-center study in 30 countries in patients undergoing major surgery (&gt; 2-h duration and postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) or high dependency unit admission). The primary endpoint was the occurrence of PO-AKI within 72&nbsp;h of surgery defined by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria. Secondary endpoints included PO-AKI severity and duration, use of renal replacement therapy (RRT), mortality, and ICU and hospital length of stay. Results: We studied 10,568 patients and 1945 (18.4%) developed PO-AKI (1236 (63.5%) KDIGO stage 1500 (25.7%) KDIGO stage 2209 (10.7%) KDIGO stage 3). In 33.8% PO-AKI was persistent, and 170/1945 (8.7%) of patients with PO-AKI received RRT in the ICU. Patients with PO-AKI had greater ICU (6.3% vs. 0.7%) and hospital (8.6% vs. 1.4%) mortality, and longer ICU (median 2 (Q1-Q3, 1-3) days vs. 3 (Q1-Q3, 1-6) days) and hospital length of stay (median 14 (Q1-Q3, 9-24) days vs. 10 (Q1-Q3, 7-17) days). Risk factors for PO-AKI included older age, comorbidities (hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease), type, duration and urgency of surgery as well as intraoperative vasopressors, and aminoglycosides administration. Conclusion: In a comprehensive multinational study, approximately one in five patients develop PO-AKI after major surgery. Increasing severity of PO-AKI is associated with a progressive increase in adverse outcomes. Our findings indicate that PO-AKI represents a significant burden for health care worldwide