Histological image data of limb skeletal tissue from larval and adult Ambystoma mexicanum

AbstractThe data presented in this article are related to the article entitled “Cartilage and bone cells do not participate in skeletal regeneration in Ambystoma mexicanum limbs” [1]. Here we present image data of the post-embryonic development of the forelimb skeletal tissue of Ambystoma Mexicanum. Histological staining was performed on sections from the intact limbs of young (6.5cm) and old (25cm) animals, and on dissected skeletal tissues (cartilage, bone, and periosteum) from these animals

Positional Plasticity in Regenerating \u3cem\u3eAmybstoma mexicanum\u3c/em\u3e Limbs is Associated with Cell Proliferation and Pathways of Cellular Differentiation

BACKGROUND: The endogenous ability to dedifferentiate, re-pattern, and re-differentiate adult cells to repair or replace damaged or missing structures is exclusive to only a few tetrapod species. The Mexican axolotl is one example of these species, having the capacity to regenerate multiple adult structures including their limbs by generating a group of progenitor cells, known as the blastema, which acquire pattern and differentiate into the missing tissues. The formation of a limb regenerate is dependent on cells in the connective tissues that retain memory of their original position in the limb, and use this information to generate the pattern of the missing structure. Observations from recent and historic studies suggest that blastema cells vary in their potential to pattern distal structures during the regeneration process; some cells are plastic and can be reprogrammed to obtain new positional information while others are stable. Our previous studies showed that positional information has temporal and spatial components of variation; early bud (EB) and apical late bud (LB) blastema cells are plastic while basal-LB cells are stable. To identify the potential cellular and molecular basis of this variation, we compared these three cell populations using histological and transcriptional approaches. RESULTS: Histologically, the basal-LB sample showed greater tissue organization than the EB and apical-LB samples. We also observed that cell proliferation was more abundant in EB and apical-LB tissue when compared to basal-LB and mature stump tissue. Lastly, we found that genes associated with cellular differentiation were expressed more highly in the basal-LB samples. CONCLUSIONS: Our results characterize histological and transcriptional differences between EB and apical-LB tissue compared to basal-LB tissue. Combined with our results from a previous study, we hypothesize that the stability of positional information is associated with tissue organization, cell proliferation, and pathways of cellular differentiation

In the quest of specific-domain ontology components for the semantic web

This paper describes an approach we have been using to identify specific-domain ontology components by using Self-Organizing Maps. These components are clustered together in a natural way according to their similarity. The knowledge maps, as we call them, show colored regions containing knowledge components that may be used to populate an specific-domain ontology. Later, these ontology may be used by software agents to carry out basic reasoning task on our behalf. In particular, we deal with the issue of not constructing the ontology from scratch, our approach helps us to speed up the ontology creation process

Out-of-pocket health expenditures in Colombia: a systematic review

Objectives To review the evidence of out-of-pocket (OOPE) and catastrophic expenditures (CHE) in health in Colombia. Methods Systematic review of the literature (SLR). Searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Scielo and Google Scholar. We used the MESH terms: out-of-pocket, catastrophic health expenditure, health and Colombia. We included cost description or cost analysis studies. Cost-effectiveness analysis of health technologies and qualitative studies were excluded. Data about period of analysis, type of study, costing perspective, OOPE, and CHE were extracted. Studies were classified as macroeconomic, microeconomic, and diseases analysis. All costs were indexed to 2018 and reported in Colombian pesos (COP)

PIH11 out-of-pocket health expenditures related to prenatal care: evidence from Colombia, 2018

To estimate the out-of-pocket expenditures (OOPE) and indirect costs related to prenatal check-ups and pregnancy complications in women seen in a maternity hospital in Cartagena-Colombia, 2018. Cost description study. A survey was constructed to estimate OOPE and indirect costs owing to prenatal check-ups. Women were asked about sociodemographic variables. The survey investigated how much pregnant women spend in the care of prenatal check-ups. Also, it explored OOPE linked to pregnancy complications. Productivity losses were quantified from the reduction of work time produced by the prenatal check-up. Absolute and relative frequencies, averages and interquartile ranges (IQR) were used to describe the population and estimate the OOPE and indirect costs in pregnant women. The latter were calculated from the percentile method. We performed a bootstrapping to generate an empirical estimate of the complete sample distribution. Costs were reported in Colombian pesos (COP), 2018. Fifty-six pregnant women were surveyed, with an average age of 25.9 years (±6.2). 96.4% of the respondents had completed at least primary school studies, 7.3% were married. All women surveyed had OOPE in at least one cost-item. Transportation was the item with the highest frequency of expenses. The mean of OOPE for women who attend their prenatal check-up were COP$71,736 (IQR COP$53,400-$92,715). Twenty-five women reported some complication related to their pregnancy status. The mean OOPE associated with a pregnancy complication was COP$57,539 (IQR COP$28,686-$100,124). Women reported a time average of 4.2 hours (range 1-12) for attending the prenatal check-up, and their companions spent 4.5 (range 1-13). On average a woman had productivity losses of COP$13,541 (IQR COP$8,138- $16,276) and her companion COP$14,475 (range $8,130-$19,531). Expenses produced by prenatal care could totalize 9.2% (6.8-11.9) of the monthly income of a poor household, which unfortunately makes prenatal care an important source of economic burden, impacting poor population in Cartagena

Effect of Zinc Supplementation on Growth of Low Birth Weight Infants Aged 1–6 Mo in Ardabil, Iran

Objective To assess the effect of zinc supplementation on growth of low birth weight (LBW) infants aged 1–6 mo. Methods LBW infants were enrolled at birth and randomly assigned to receive 5 mg elemental Zn per day (n=45) or placebo (n=45) until 6 mo of age. They were followed monthly for information on compliance; anthropometric measurements were performed monthly. Results After randomization, 5 infants from zinc group and 9 from placebo group were excluded. At 6 mo of age, significantly greater weight gains were observed in the zinc than in the placebo group (4995±741g in zinc group vs. 3896±865 g in placebo group, p = 0.036). Length gain during the study period improved in zinc group (16.9±8.2 cm vs. 15.1±4.1 cm, p = 0.039); after zinc supplementation head circumference were increased (8.7±1.4 cm vs.7.4± 1.5 cm p<0.001). In male infants, total weight gain and height and head circumference gain were higher in the zinc than in the placebo group. However, only head circumference change was statistically significant. A similar trend was observed among female infants, but these differences were not statistically significant. There was no significant relation between breast-feeding status and the main outcome variables. Conclusions Infants in the present study showed improve¬ments in growth rate, but more studies are required in this field to confirm this fact

MINERvA neutrino detector response measured with test beam data

The MINERvA collaboration operated a scaled down replica of the solid scintillator tracking and sampling calorimeter regions of the MlNERvA detector in a hadron test beam at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility. This paper reports measurements with samples of protons, pions, and electrons from 0.35 to 2.0 GeV/c momentum. The calorimetric response to protons, pions, and electrons is obtained from these data. A measurement of the parameter in Birks\u27 law and an estimate of the tracking efficiency are extracted from the proton sample. Overall the data are well described by a Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulation of the detector and particle interactions with agreements better than 4% for the calorimetric response, though some features of the data are not precisely modeled. These measurements are used to tune the MINERvA detector simulation and evaluate systematic uncertainties in support of the MINERvA neutrino cross-section measurement program. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier B.V