Tumor mliječne žlijezde kuja: kliničke implikacije sa specifičnim fokusom na HER-2 genu

Canine mammary cancer (CMC) is one of the most common neoplasms in intact females in comparison to other species. Several risk factors have been identified, including breed, genetic predisposition, age, reproductive history, hormonal influence, diet, and body condition, in addition to previous lesions to the mammary gland, such as mammary atypical hyperplasia. An understanding of the genetic markers for the disease and a clinical approach are important for establishing a specific therapy that can allow adequate patient survivorship. Overexpression of the HER-2 gene in canines and humans is associated with a poor clinical prognosis, mainly short survivorship, although the clinical relationship is not clear. The incidence of HER-2 in female dogs can range from 29.7% to 38%. However, overexpression of HER-2 is not necessarily associated with malignancy processes of the mammary tissue, although it participates in cellular proliferation. Finally, canines remain one of the most important models for comparative oncology with humans due to the great similarity in the spontaneous presentation and development of cancer, and in the high homology in the amino acid sequence.Tumor mliječne žlijezde kuja je jedna od najčešćih neoplazija u ženki u usporedbi s drugim vrstama. Ustvrđeno je nekoliko čimbenika rizika uključujući pasminu, genetsku predispoziciju, dob, reproduktivnu anamnezu, hormonalni utjecaj, hranidbu i tjelesnu kondiciju uz prethodne lezije mliječne žlijezde kao što su primjerice atipična hiperplazija mliječne žlijezde. U cilju uspostavljanja specifične terapije koja bi omogućila prihvatljivo vrijeme preživljavanja pacijenata važno je razumijevanje genetskih markera za spomenutu bolest kao i klinički pristup. Prekomjerna ekspresija HER-2 gena u kanida i ljudi povezana je s nepovoljnom kliničkom prognozom, uglavnom s kratkim vremenom preživljavanja, premda nije jasna njihova klinička povezanost. Incidencija HER-2 u kuja može biti u rasponu od 29,7 % do 38 %. Međutim, prekomjerna ekspresija HER-2 nije nužno povezana sa zloćudnim procesima u tkivu mliječne žlijezde, premda ima ulogu u staničnoj proliferaciji. Naposljetku, kanidi su i dalje najvažniji modeli za komparativnu onkologiju u odnosu na ljude zbog velike sličnosti u spontanom izgledu i razvoju tumora kao i u visokoj homologiji u slijedu aminokiselina

Electron capture dissociation mass spectrometry of phosphopeptides: Arginine and phosphoserine

AbstractWe have previously shown that the presence of phosphorylation can inhibit detection of electron capture dissociation (ECD) fragments of doubly charged peptide ions. The presence of non-covalent interactions, in the form of salt-bridges or ionic hydrogen bonds, prevents the separation of fragments following backbone cleavage. Here, we show the electron capture dissociation mass spectrometry of a suite of model peptides designed to investigate the relationship between phosphoserine and arginine position, namely AApSAnRAmKA (n=0–6, m=6–0), the presence of lysine residues (AApSAAKAARAKA) and AAApSARAAAAKAAAK, and the presence of proline A(A/P)ApSARAAA(A/P)KAAAK. The latter are analogous to the peptides studied previously. The results show that the presence of phosphoserine and basic amino acid residues alone does not inhibit ECD fragmentation, even when the number of basic amino acid residues is greater than the precursor charge state. Neither did the presence of proline in the peptide sequence suppress ECD backbone cleavage. Nevertheless, the presence and relative position of the phosphorylated residue do alter the observed backbone fragmentation abundance. In addition, the presence of phosphorylation appears to inhibit cleavage within the arginine side-chain regardless of the relative position of the arginine residue. The results suggest that ECD fragmentation behaviour is dependent on the three-dimensional structure of a peptide rather than its sequence

ELISA i infracrvena spektroskopija s Furierovom transformacijom: ekspresija HER2 gena u krvnom serumu pasa s tumorom mliječne žlijezde

ELISA and FTIR assay techniques were used to identify HER2 gene expression in the blood serum of female dogs and to characterise the biochemical composition. ELISA tests assess the stage of primary tumour development and evolution, while FTIR allows for a complete characterisation of biomolecules associated with the tumoral process. Blood serum samples from 30 female dogs were analysed. Concentrations of the HER2/neu protein were detected using ELISA kits specific for canine and human detection. Infrared spectroscopy (IR) was conducted in absorbance mode at a frequency range of 400–4000 cm-1 and a resolution of 4 cm-1 over 50 scans. The ELISA cut-off for HER2 protein concentration in blood serum was determined using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and by estimating the area under the curve (AUC) at a 95% confidence interval (CI=95%). The ROC curves in the canine and human ELISA tests were 0.75 and 0.45, respectively. The representative IR spectra for HER2 gene expression corresponded to lipids (1161 cm-1, 1452 cm-1, 2851 cm-1). This study contributes to the knowledge of HER2 through the identification of biochemical features associated with the changes in the HER2/neu+ and HER2/neu- states.Ova studija primijenila je ELISA i FTIR tehnike za identifikaciju ekspresije HER2 gena u krvnom serumu kujica i za karakterizaciju biokemijskog sastava. ELISA testovi procjenjuju fazu razvoja i evolucije primarnog tumora, a FTIR omogućuje potpunu karakterizaciju biomolekula povezanih s tumorskim procesom. Analizirali smo uzorak krvnog seruma 30 kujica. Detektirali smo koncentracije HER2/neu proteina uporabom dva ELISA kompleta za detekciju u pasa, odnosno ljudi. Infracrvena spektroskopija (IR) je provedena u apsorpcijskom načinu pri frekvencijskom rasponu od 400-4000 cm-1 i rezoluciji od 4 cm-1, 50 skenova. Odredili smo ELISA graničnu vrijednost (cut-off) za koncentraciju HER2 proteina u krvnom serumu uporabom krivulje karakteristika primatelja-operatora (ROC) i procjenom površine ispod krivulje (AUC) uz interval pouzdanosti od 95 % (CI=95 %). ROC krivulje u ELISA testovima za pse i ljude bile su 0,75, odnosno 0,45. Reprezentativni IR spektri za ekspresiju HER2 gena odgovarali su lipidima (1161 cm-1, 1452 cm-1, 2851 cm- 1). Ova studija doprinosi poznavanju HER2, putem identifikacije biokemijskih svojstava povezanih s promjenama u HER2/neu+ i HER2/neu- stanjima

Taller virtual de extensión sobre prácticas de manejo sustentable del pastoreo en cría

Agricultural extension implies a complex process of interaction between agricultural education and research, and farmers. MAS-PASTO (FAUBA) is an extension project based on the participative discussion as regards knowledge between professor-researchers, producers and professionals. The virtual workshop in 2020 aimed to help producers, who had previously participated in in-presence workshops with the group, consolidate their knowledge through practice on their own farm. For this, each farmer worked on one of the following topics: 1) sowing of pastures and annual forage; 2) management and improvement of grasslands and 3) design of forage circuits. All farmers calculated their farm meat production, regardless of the topic chosen. For 6 months, cooperative work was performed between producers, professors and a young professional agronomist. The work as regards the chosen topic was performed individually.  Finally, a meeting in which each farmer shared its work, difficulties and  findings with  their peers was carried out through a virtual platform. The workshop was assessed through surveys to participants and a SWOT analysis. The results showed that the workshop allowed them to put prior knowledge into practice and to incorporate them into their farms management. It also consolidated an effective as well as replicable method, for the generation and transference of process technologies from FAUBA to the productive sector.La extensión agropecuaria implica un proceso complejo de interacción entre la educación e investigación agropecuaria y los productores. El proyecto de extensión MAS-PASTO de la Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (FAUBA), es un proyecto basado en la discusión participativa de conocimientos entre docentes-investigadores, productores y profesionales. El taller 2020 (virtual) tuvo como objetivo que productores, que habían participado en talleres anteriores del grupo (presenciales), afiancen los conocimientos a través de la práctica en establecimientos propios. Para esto cada productor trabajó en alguno de los siguientes ejes temáticos: 1) siembra de pasturas y verdeos; 2) manejo y mejoramiento de pastizales naturales y 3) diseño de circuitos forrajeros. Todos los productores abordaron el cálculo de la producción de carne para sus establecimientos, independientemente del eje temático elegido. Durante 6 meses, se realizó un trabajo conjunto entre productores, docentes y un joven profesional agrónomo. Se trabajó individualmente sobre la aplicación del tema elegido y, al finalizar el trabajo individual, se llevó adelante una jornada conjunta de intercambio donde cada productor presentó a sus pares en forma virtual el trabajo realizado, sus dificultades y resultados obtenidos. El taller se evaluó mediante encuestas a los participantes y la elaboración de un análisis FODA. Los resultados mostraron que el taller permitió a los productores practicar los conceptos presentados previamente e incorporarlos al manejo de sus establecimientos. A su vez, permitió consolidar un método efectivo y replicable para la generación y transferencia de tecnologías de procesos desde la FAUBA hacia el sector productivo

Dasyprocta punctata como especie emblemática de las zonas urbanas de Armenia, Quindío: Un caso de suplementación alimenticia

This work sought to describe the process of food supplementation to the guatines and in general to wildlife in the neighborhood of Mercedes del Norte, Comuna 10, Armenia, Quindío (4 ° 33'12 ”N and 75 ° 40'54” W; 1,480 masl; Figure 1). The neighborhood is made up of 32 blocks and 659 single-family and two-story single-family and two-story homes, housing an estimated population of 2416 inhabitants (Mayor's Office of Armenia, 2012), likewise, this neighborhood is surrounded by two strips of guadual (Guadua angustifolia ) with few trees and shrubs.Este trabajo buscó describir el proceso de suplementación de alimento hacia los guatines y en general a la fauna silvestre en el barrio Mercedes del Norte, Comuna 10, Armenia, Quindío (4°33’12” N y 75°40’54” O; 1.480 msnm; Figura 1). El barrio está constituido por 32 manzanas y 659 viviendas unifamiliares y bifamiliares de uno o dos pisos, albergando una población estimada de 2416 habitantes (Alcaldía de Armenia, 2012), así mismo, este barrio se encuentra rodeado por dos franjas de guadual (Guadua angustifolia) con pocos árboles y arbustos

Tele-entomology and tele-parasitology: A citizen science-based approach for surveillance and control of Chagas disease in Venezuela.

Chagas Disease (CD), a chronic infection caused by the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, is a Neglected Tropical Disease endemic to Latin America. With a re-emergence in Venezuela during the past two decades, the spread of CD has proved susceptible to, and inhibitable by a digital, real-time surveillance system effectuated by Citizen Scientists in communities throughout the country. The #TraeTuChipo (#BringYourKissingBug) campaign implemented in January 2020, has served as such a strategy counting on community engagement to define the current ecological distribution of CD vectors despite the absence of a functional national surveillance program. This pilot campaign collected data through online surveys, social media platforms, and/or telephone text messages. A total of 79 triatomine bugs were reported from eighteen Venezuelan states; 67 bugs were identified as Panstrongylus geniculatus, 1 as Rhodnius pictipes, 1 as Triatoma dimidiata, and 10 as Triatoma maculata. We analyzed 8 triatomine feces samples spotted from 4 Panstrongylus geniculatus which were confirmed positive by qPCR for T. cruzi. Further molecular characterization of discrete typing units (DTUs), revealed that all samples contained TcI, the most highly diverse and broadly distributed strain of T. cruzi. Moreover, analysis of the mitochondrial 12S gene revealed Myotis keaysi, Homo sapiens, and Gallus gallus as the main triatomine feeding sources. This study highlights a novel Citizen Science approach which may help improve the surveillance systems for CD in endemic countries

Effectiveness of an intervention for improving drug prescription in primary care patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy:Study protocol of a cluster randomized clinical trial (Multi-PAP project)

This study was funded by the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias ISCIII (Grant Numbers PI15/00276, PI15/00572, PI15/00996), REDISSEC (Project Numbers RD12/0001/0012, RD16/0001/0005), and the European Regional Development Fund ("A way to build Europe").Background: Multimorbidity is associated with negative effects both on people's health and on healthcare systems. A key problem linked to multimorbidity is polypharmacy, which in turn is associated with increased risk of partly preventable adverse effects, including mortality. The Ariadne principles describe a model of care based on a thorough assessment of diseases, treatments (and potential interactions), clinical status, context and preferences of patients with multimorbidity, with the aim of prioritizing and sharing realistic treatment goals that guide an individualized management. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention that implements the Ariadne principles in a population of young-old patients with multimorbidity and polypharmacy. The intervention seeks to improve the appropriateness of prescribing in primary care (PC), as measured by the medication appropriateness index (MAI) score at 6 and 12months, as compared with usual care. Methods/Design: Design:pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial. Unit of randomization: family physician (FP). Unit of analysis: patient. Scope: PC health centres in three autonomous communities: Aragon, Madrid, and Andalusia (Spain). Population: patients aged 65-74years with multimorbidity (≥3 chronic diseases) and polypharmacy (≥5 drugs prescribed in ≥3months). Sample size: n=400 (200 per study arm). Intervention: complex intervention based on the implementation of the Ariadne principles with two components: (1) FP training and (2) FP-patient interview. Outcomes: MAI score, health services use, quality of life (Euroqol 5D-5L), pharmacotherapy and adherence to treatment (Morisky-Green, Haynes-Sackett), and clinical and socio-demographic variables. Statistical analysis: primary outcome is the difference in MAI score between T0 and T1 and corresponding 95% confidence interval. Adjustment for confounding factors will be performed by multilevel analysis. All analyses will be carried out in accordance with the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: It is essential to provide evidence concerning interventions on PC patients with polypharmacy and multimorbidity, conducted in the context of routine clinical practice, and involving young-old patients with significant potential for preventing negative health outcomes. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02866799Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

XVI International Congress of Control Electronics and Telecommunications: "Techno-scientific considerations for a post-pandemic world intensive in knowledge, innovation and sustainable local development"

Este título, sugestivo por los impactos durante la situación de la Covid 19 en el mundo, y que en Colombia lastimosamente han sido muy críticos, permiten asumir la obligada superación de tensiones sociales, políticas, y económicas; pero sobre todo científicas y tecnológicas. Inicialmente, esto supone la existencia de una capacidad de la sociedad colombiana por recuperar su estado inicial después de que haya cesado la perturbación a la que fue sometida por la catastrófica pandemia, y superar ese anterior estado de cosas ya que se encontraban -y aún se encuentran- muchos problemas locales mal resueltos, medianamente resueltos, y muchos sin resolver: es decir, habrá que rediseñar y fortalecer una probada resiliencia social existente - producto del prolongado conflicto social colombiano superado parcialmente por un proceso de paz exitoso - desde la tecnociencia local; como lo indicaba Markus Brunnermeier - economista alemán y catedrático de economía de la Universidad de Princeton- en su libro The Resilient Society…La cuestión no es preveerlo todo sino poder reaccionar…aprender a recuperarse rápido.This title, suggestive of the impacts during the Covid 19 situation in the world, and which have unfortunately been very critical in Colombia, allows us to assume the obligatory overcoming of social, political, and economic tensions; but above all scientific and technological. Initially, this supposes the existence of a capacity of Colombian society to recover its initial state after the disturbance to which it was subjected by the catastrophic pandemic has ceased, and to overcome that previous state of affairs since it was found -and still is find - many local problems poorly resolved, moderately resolved, and many unresolved: that is, an existing social resilience test will have to be redesigned and strengthened - product of the prolonged Colombian social conflict partially overcome by a successful peace process - from local technoscience; As Markus Brunnermeier - German economist and professor of economics at Princeton University - indicates in his book The Resilient Society...The question is not to foresee everything but to be able to react...learn to recover quickly.Bogot

Averting biodiversity collapse in tropical forest protected areas

The rapid disruption of tropical forests probably imperils global biodiversity more than any other contemporary phenomenon¹⁻³. With deforestation advancing quickly, protected areas are increasingly becoming final refuges for threatened species and natural ecosystem processes. However, many protected areas in the tropics are themselves vulnerable to human encroachment and other environmental stresses⁴⁻⁹. As pressures mount, it is vital to know whether existing reserves can sustain their biodiversity. A critical constraint in addressing this question has been that data describing a broad array of biodiversity groups have been unavailable for a sufficiently large and representative sample of reserves. Here we present a uniquely comprehensive data set on changes over the past 20 to 30 years in 31 functional groups of species and 21 potential drivers of environmental change, for 60 protected areas stratified across the world’s major tropical regions. Our analysis reveals great variation in reserve ‘health’: about half of all reserves have been effective or performed passably, but the rest are experiencing an erosion of biodiversity that is often alarmingly widespread taxonomically and functionally. Habitat disruption, hunting and forest-product exploitation were the strongest predictors of declining reserve health. Crucially, environmental changes immediately outside reserves seemed nearly as important as those inside in determining their ecological fate, with changes inside reserves strongly mirroring those occurring around them. These findings suggest that tropical protected areas are often intimately linked ecologically to their surrounding habitats, and that a failure to stem broad-scale loss and degradation of such habitats could sharply increase the likelihood of serious biodiversity declines.Keywords: Ecology, Environmental scienc