Benthic Macroinvertebrate Communities as Indicators of the Environmental Health of the Cunas River in the High Andes, Peru

The Cunas River is a valuable natural freshwater heritage in the central region of Peru, where diverse economic activities depend on the quantity and quality of its waters. The environmental health of the Cunas River was assessed through indicators of the diversity of benthic macroinvertebrate communities and multivariate statistical methods. Water and sediment samples were collected in sectors of three populated centers during 2017. Indicators of water quality and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates were determined. The results reveal that most of the water quality indicators are in the range of the water quality standards of rivers in Peru. Twenty-six families of benthic macroinvertebrates were identified. The principal component analysis (PCA) of the water quality indicators through the first two components explained 79.59% of the total variance. Cluster analysis in relation to the relative abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates grouped the sampling sites into groups with similar characteristics. Principal coordinate analysis (PCO) analysis of benthic macroinvertebrate communities showed a clear separation of sites. The percentage similarity (SIMPER) analysis at the family level showed the percentage of contribution of species to the benthic fauna community. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) identified water quality variables that influence the distribution of benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Therefore, the information obtained will be useful for the management of similar rivers

Violencia familiar y sistema de protección de la Policía Nacional del Perú en el departamento de Lambayeque, 2022

El objetivo general de esta investigación fue asociar las variables: la violencia familiar y sistema de protección, a través de un enfoque cuantitativo determinando la relación entre ambas. El tipo de investigación fue básica, descriptiva, transversal, no experimental, ya que se utilizó las opiniones de las muestras seleccionadas para conocer la forma en que se desarrolla la intervención de la policía nacional en casos de violencia familiar, entiendo a la violencia familiar es una acción en la que se ejerce un control de dominación de una persona a otra dentro de la familia, sustentado por las bases teóricas expuestas en la investigación, y siendo la violencia ejercida de forma física, sexual o psicológica, envuelta con amenazas, privaciones y agresiones verbales a fin de mantenerse al frente de todo. La muestra fue de 10 efectivos policiales, finalmente se determinó que si existe relación moderada entre a violencia familiar y el sistema de protección utilizando como medida el coeficiente de correlación de Pearson de 0,57, los datos fueron procesados y hallándose un comportamiento normal

The RNA-binding protein ELAV regulates Hox RNA processing, expression and function within the Drosophila nervous system

The regulated head-to-tail expression of Hox genes provides a coordinate system for the activation of specific programmes of cell differentiation according to axial level. Recent work indicates that Hox expression can be regulated via RNA processing but the underlying mechanisms and biological significance of this form of regulation remain poorly understood. Here we explore these issues within the developing Drosophila central nervous system (CNS). We show that the pan-neural RNA-binding protein (RBP) ELAV (Hu antigen) regulates the RNA processing patterns of the Hox gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx) within the embryonic CNS. Using a combination of biochemical, genetic and imaging approaches we demonstrate that ELAV binds to discrete elements within Ubx RNAs and that its genetic removal reduces Ubx protein expression in the CNS leading to the respecification of cellular subroutines under Ubx control, thus defining for the first time a specific cellular role of ELAV within the developing CNS. Artificial provision of ELAV in glial cells (a cell type that lacks ELAV) promotes Ubx expression, suggesting that ELAVdependent regulation might contribute to cell type-specific Hox expression patterns within the CNS. Finally, we note that expression of abdominal A and Abdominal B is reduced in elav mutant embryos, whereas other Hox genes (Antennapedia) are not affected. Based on these results and the evolutionary conservation of ELAV and Hox genes we propose that the modulation of Hox RNA processing by ELAV serves to adapt the morphogenesis of the CNS to axial level by regulating Hox expression and consequently activating local programmes of neural differentiation

Behavior of expanded polystyrene as lightweight filler in retaining walls with intermediate slabs

The present study explores a retaining wall with an intermediate slab. To reduce the lateral earth pressure on the wall, the substitution of part of the soil by blocks of expanded polystyrene (EPS) with high density is proposed, which could result in significant economic savings. Also, the possibility of building the wall elevation with smaller thickness (preexisting wall reinforcement) will be analyzed. To do this, the situation and optimum geometry of the EPS blocks will be studied in detail, besides a study of two scaled models, one without EPS and another with blocks with rectangular distribution. The obtained results allow us to affirm that the reduction in pressure is very significant if the blocks are arranged with the proper geometry and situation over the sliding plane but without eliminating the beneficial effect of the weight of the ground located over the slab

Escala de actitudes hacia la investigación-versión revisada (EACINR): evidencias psicométricas en universitarios de Lima Metropolitana, 2020

La investigación fue de tipo psicométrico e instrumental, tuvo como objetivo general evaluar las evidencias psicométricas de la versión revisada de la Escala de actitud hacia la investigación en universitarios de Lima Metropolitana, 2020; dicho instrumento está conformado por 28 ítems agrupados en tres dimensiones. El estudio fue realizado con una muestra de 416 participantes y para la validez por criterio se tuvo en cuenta la relación convergente y divergente, con muestras independientes de 363, 75 y 71 participantes. El análisis estadístico de los ítems encontró índices de homogeneidad corregida y comunalidad superior a niveles aceptables en todos los reactivos; además, la evidencia de validez por estructura interna realizada mediante un análisis factorial confirmatorio denotaron índices de ajuste adecuados (X2/gl=1.55, CFI=.911, TLI=.903, RMSEA=.037 y SRMR=.072). La validez por criterio demostró relación con las variables autoeficacia (r=.481), autoconcepto académico (r=.529), actitud hacia la lectura (r=.671), autoeficacia para la investigación (r=.382) y estrés académico (r=-.490) con una significancia menor de .05. Por último, se evaluó la confiabilidad mediante la consistencia interna con el coeficiente alfa y omega obteniendo valores de .908 y .910, respectivamente. Para próximos estudios se recomienda evaluar la estabilidad temporal, así como la elaboración de baremos que tengan en cuenta grupos de sexo y edad

Use of healthcare REsources and associated COsts in controlled versus uncontrolled carcinoid SYndrome in patients with neuroendocrine tumours: the RECOSY study

Purpose: To report healthcare resource use and associated costs in controlled versus uncontrolled carcinoid syndrome (CS) in patients with neuroendocrine tumours. Methods: A cross-sectional, non-interventional multicentre study was conducted with retrospective data analysis. Resource use was compared between two patient groups: those with controlled CS (> 12 months with no uncontrolled CS episodes) and uncontrolled CS (< 12 months since last uncontrolled episode). Patients were matched for age, sex, and origin and grade of tumour. When no matching patients were available, data from deceased patients were used. Information on healthcare resource use came from review of medical records, patient history and physician reports. Working capacity was assessed using the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment General Health questionnaire. Results: Twenty-six university hospitals in Spain participated, between July 2017 and April 2018. 137 patients were enrolled; 104 were analysed (2 groups of 52). Patients with uncontrolled CS had 10 times more emergency department (ED) visits (mean 1.0 vs 0.10 visits; P = 0.0167), were more likely to have a hospital admission (40.4% vs 19.2%; P = 0.0116) and had longer hospital stays (mean 7.87 vs 2.10 days; P = 0.0178) than those with controlled CS. This corresponded to higher annual hospitalisation costs (mean €5511.59 vs €1457.22; P = 0.028) and ED costs (€161.25 vs €14.85; P = 0.0236). The mean annual total healthcare costs were 60.0% higher in patients with uncontrolled than controlled CS (P = NS). Conclusion: This study quantifies higher health resource use, and higher hospitalisation and ED costs in patients with uncontrolled CS. Better control of CS may result 3in lower medical costs

Composición bacteriana en suelos de cultivo de maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp) analizada mediante metagenómica: un estudio en los Andes centrales del Perú

The change and intensification of land use has been generating impoverishment of soils with negative effects on biological communities. It was analyzed the bacterial composition of maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp) cultivation soils by Illumina sequencing in the Bombón plateau, during 2019. Three sampling sectors were defined, a control sector (natural soil) and two sectors with use pressure ("first use" and "second use" soils). Soil physicochemical indicators were determined through analytical methods and the composition of bacterial communities through Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons. The results of pH and EC, in control soils and with use pressure, varied from 7.51 to 4.53 and from 0.06 to 0.47 dS/m, respectively. The highest OM, N, P, K and Ca contents were recorded in control soils, decreasing significantly in soils with use pressure. Principal components analysis (PCA) presented a percentage of total variation of 97.1%. Illumina sequencing revealed 3776 bacterial families. SIMPER analysis showed that the highest contribution percentages were made by the Acidobacteriaceae (2.95%), Verrucomicrobiaceae (2.68%), Thermoactinomycetaceae (2.11%) and Akkermansiaceae (2.10%) families. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed a good association between physicochemical variables and bacterial families. The metagenomic analysis has allowed the identification of bacterial families that can be used as indicators of good and bad soil physicochemical quality according to the pressure of use by maca crops. As well as the best physicochemical indicators predictive of changes in the composition of bacterial communities.El cambio e intensificación de uso del suelo ha dado lugar al empobrecimiento de los suelos con efectos negativos en las comunidades biológicas. Se analizó la composición bacteriana de suelos de cultivo de maca (Lepidium meyenii Walp) mediante secuenciación Illumina en la meseta de Bombón, durante el año 2019. Se definieron tres sectores de muestreo, un sector control (suelo natural) y dos sectores con presión de uso (suelos “primer uso” y “segundo uso”, respecto al cultivo de maca). Se determinaron los indicadores fisicoquímicos del suelo mediante métodos analíticos y la composición de las comunidades bacterianas mediante secuenciación Illumina de los amplicones del gen de ARNr 16S. Los resultados de pH y CE, en suelos control y con presión de uso, variaron de 7,51 a 4,53 y de 0,06 a 0,47 dS/m, respectivamente. Los contenidos más altos MO, N, P, K y Ca se registraron en los suelos control disminuyendo significativamente en suelos con presión de uso. El análisis de componentes principales (ACP) presentó un porcentaje de variación total del 97,1 %. La secuenciación Illumina reveló 3776 familias bacterianas. El análisis SIMPER mostró que los mayores porcentajes de contribución lo realizaron las familias Acidobacteriaceae (2,95%), Verrucomicrobiaceae (2,68%), Thermoactinomycetaceae (2,11%) y Akkermansiaceae (2,10%). El análisis de redundancia (AR) mostró una buena asociación entre las variables fisicoquímicas y las familias bacterianas. El análisis metagenómico ha permitido identificar familias bacterianas que pueden ser usadas como indicadores de buena y mala calidad fisicoquímica del suelo según presión de uso por cultivos de maca; así como, a los mejores indicadores fisicoquímicos predictores de los cambios de la composición de las comunidades bacterianas

Metabolomic profile of neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) identifies methionine, porphyrin and tryptophan metabolism as key dysregulated pathways associated with patient survival

Objective: Metabolic profiling is a valuable tool to characterize tumor biology but remains largely unexplored in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Our aim was to comprehensively assess the metabolomic profile of NETs and identify novel prognostic biomarkers and dysregulated molecular pathways.Design and Methods: Multiplatform untargeted metabolomic profiling (GC-MS, CE-MS, and LC-MS) was performed in plasma from 77 patients with G1-2 extra-pancreatic NETs enrolled in the AXINET trial (NCT01744249) (study cohort) and from 68 non-cancer individuals (control). The prognostic value of each differential metabolite (n = 155) in NET patients (P < .05) was analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses adjusted for multiple testing and other confounding factors. Related pathways were explored by Metabolite Set Enrichment Analysis (MSEA) and Metabolite Pathway Analysis (MPA).Results: Thirty-four metabolites were significantly associated with progression-free survival (PFS) (n = 16) and/or overall survival (OS) (n = 27). Thirteen metabolites remained significant independent prognostic factors in multivariate analysis, 3 of them with a significant impact on both PFS and OS. Unsupervised clustering of these 3 metabolites stratified patients in 3 distinct prognostic groups (1-year PFS of 71.1%, 47.7%, and 15.4% (P = .012); 5-year OS of 69.7%, 32.5%, and 27.7% (P = .003), respectively). The MSEA and MPA of the 13-metablolite signature identified methionine, porphyrin, and tryptophan metabolisms as the 3 most relevant dysregulated pathways associated with the prognosis of NETs.Conclusions: We identified a metabolomic signature that improves prognostic stratification of NET patients beyond classical prognostic factors for clinical decisions. The enriched metabolic pathways identified reveal novel tumor vulnerabilities that may foster the development of new therapeutic strategies for these patients

Controversias en Cardiología. Parte 1. ¿Debo tratar un síndrome coronario crónico de alto riesgo invasivamente desde el inicio? Si, en la mayoría de casos

&nbsp; Chronic coronary syndrome (SCC) previously known as stable coronary disease, is the main cause of mortality in the world, and it is one of the most important in Peru. This pathology has a dynamic nature that results in different clinical scenarios that can be modified through various therapeutic options, one of which is coronary interventional treatment, mainly in patients with high ischemic risk defined as ischemia greater than 10% of the entire left ventricular mass. For this reason, we have analyzed the most relevant and current information available, concluding that the treatment of high ischemic risk´s chronic coronary syndrome, after an individual evaluation, would correspond to an invasive management from the beginning, although it would not impact on mortality or cardiovascular events, it would contribute to improve quality of life; also we should consider the incomplete availability of all the therapeutic options for the symptomatic management of this disease, the limited access to the management of acute cardiovascular events in our country, as well as the risk of adverse effects and drug interactions.&nbsp; El síndrome coronario crónico (SCC) previamente conocido como enfermedad coronaria estable, es la principal causa de mortalidad en el mundo; en el Perú es una de las más importantes. Esta patología presenta una naturaleza dinámica que resulta en diferentes escenarios clínicos que pueden ser modificados mediante diversas opciones terapéuticas, una de ellas es el tratamiento intervencionista coronario, principalmente en pacientes de alto riesgo isquémico definido como una isquemia mayor al 10% de toda la masa ventricular izquierda. Por esta razón analizamos la información más relevante y actual disponible para concluir que el tratamiento del síndrome coronario crónico de alto riesgo isquémico, luego de una evaluación individual, correspondería a un manejo invasivo desde el inicio que, si bien no impactarían en la mortalidad o eventos cardiovasculares, sí contribuiría a mejorar la calidad de vida, considerando, además, la incompleta disponibilidad de todas las opciones terapéuticas para el manejo sintomático de esta patología, el limitado acceso al manejo de eventos cardiovasculares agudos en nuestro medio así como el riesgo de efectos adversos e interacciones medicamentosas

A Novel Model of Mixed Vascular Dementia Incorporating Hypertension in a Rat Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mixed dementia (MxD) comprise the majority of dementia cases in the growing global aging population. MxD describes the coexistence of AD pathology with vascular pathology, including cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Cardiovascular disease increases risk for AD and MxD, but mechanistic synergisms between the coexisting pathologies affecting dementia risk, progression and the ultimate clinical manifestations remain elusive. To explore the additive or synergistic interactions between AD and chronic hypertension, we developed a rat model of MxD, produced by breeding APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenes into the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSP) background, resulting in the SHRSP/FAD model and three control groups (FAD, SHRSP and non-hypertensive WKY rats, n = 8-11, both sexes, 16-18 months of age). After behavioral testing, rats were euthanized, and tissue assessed for vascular, neuroinflammatory and AD pathology. Hypertension was preserved in the SHRSP/FAD cross. Results showed that SHRSP increased FAD-dependent neuroinflammation (microglia and astrocytes) and tau pathology, but plaque pathology changes were subtle, including fewer plaques with compact cores and slightly reduced plaque burden. Evidence for vascular pathology included a change in the distribution of astrocytic end-foot protein aquaporin-4, normally distributed in microvessels, but in SHRSP/FAD rats largely dissociated from vessels, appearing disorganized or redistributed into neuropil. Other evidence of SVD-like pathology included increased collagen IV staining in cerebral vessels and PECAM1 levels. We identified a plasma biomarker in SHRSP/FAD rats that was the only group to show increased Aqp-4 in plasma exosomes. Evidence of neuron damage in SHRSP/FAD rats included increased caspase-cleaved actin, loss of myelin and reduced calbindin staining in neurons. Further, there were mitochondrial deficits specific to SHRSP/FAD, notably the loss of complex II, accompanying FAD-dependent loss of mitochondrial complex I. Cognitive deficits exhibited by FAD rats were not exacerbated by the introduction of the SHRSP phenotype, nor was the hyperactivity phenotype associated with SHRSP altered by the FAD transgene. This novel rat model of MxD, encompassing an amyloidogenic transgene with a hypertensive phenotype, exhibits several features associated with human vascular or "mixed" dementia and may be a useful tool in delineating the pathophysiology of MxD and development of therapeutics