Strategies for cancer gene-delivery improvement by non-viral vectors

Lack of selectivity together with severe side effects in conventional cancer treatment have afforded the devel- opment of new strategies based on gene therapy. Nowadays, gene therapy is employed through both viral and non-viral vectors. In spite of the high transfection activity of viral vectors, some drawbacks have pointed out to non-viral vectors as a safer alternative. To overcome low efficiency as well as other issues associated with the use of non-viral vectors, complexes formed by lipids and polymers with DNA, named lipoplexes and polyplexes respectively, have been modified in order to improve its features. Suitability of cancer gene therapy also requires the capacity to distinguish between normal and tumoral cells. This requirement has been solved by the addition of specific ligands that enable receptor binding and subsequent endocytosis. In this article we review the most recent approaches in structure modification of non-viral vectors through different methods comprising conjugation, addition of helper lipids or changes in design and synthesis as well as the strategy based on exploiting receptors that are usually overexpressed in malignancies. Such improvements confer specificity, efficient gene delivery, condensation, protection of DNA and low levels of toxicity avoiding off-target effects which turn into a potential tool to treat cancer

Electronic Descriptors for Supervised Spectroscopic Predictions

Spectroscopic properties of molecules holds great importance for the description of the molecular response under the effect of an UV/Vis electromagnetic radiation. Computationally expensive ab initio (e.g. MultiConfigurational SCF, Coupled Cluster) or TDDFT methods are commonly used by the quantum chemistry community to compute these properties. In this work, we propose a (supervised) Machine Learning approach to model the absorption spectra of organic molecules. Several supervised ML methods have been tested such as Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR), Multiperceptron Neural Networs (MLP) and Convolutional Neural Networks. The use of only geometrical descriptors (e.g. Coulomb Matrix) proved to be insufficient for an accurate training. Inspired on the TDDFT theory, we propose to use a set of electronic descriptors obtained from low-cost DFT methods: orbital energy differences, transition dipole moment between occupied and unoccupied Kohn-Sham orbitals and charge-transfer character of mono-excitations. We demonstrate that with this electronic descriptors and the use of Neural Networks we can predict not only a density of excited states, but also getting very good estimation of the absorption spectrum and charge-transfer character of the electronic excited states, reaching results close to the chemical accuracy (~2 kcal/mol or ~0.1eV)

A basic electro-topological descriptor for the prediction of organic molecule geometries by simple machine learning

This paper proposes a machine learning (ML) method to predict stable molecular geometries from their chemical composition. The method is useful for generating molecular conformations which may serve as initial geometries for saving time during expensive structure optimizations by quantum mechanical calculations of large molecules. Conformations are found by predicting the local arrangement around each atom in the molecule after trained from a database of previously optimized small molecules. It works by dividing each molecule in the database into minimal building blocks of different type. The algorithm is then trained to predict bond lengths and angles for each type of building block using an electro-topological fingerprint as descriptor. A conformation is then generated by joining the predicted blocks. Our model is able to give promising results for optimized molecular geometries from the basic knowledge of the chemical formula and connectivity. The method trends to reproduce interatomic distances within test blocks with RMSD under 0.05

A Case Study of Malignant Edema in Postpartum Mediterranean Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

The paper describes for the first time four cases of postparturient malignant edema in water buffaloes due to Clostridium septicum (Cl. septicum). The study was carried out on four primiparous buffaloes that showed swelling of perineal and perivulvar areas, fever and agalactia a few hours after calving. Two of them died within 20 hours after calving. The other two developed edema in the skeletal muscles of one leg and were treated with sulfadiazine-trimethoprim for 10 days. The clinical signs completely resolved. Culture and molecular investigations identified the pathogen isolated from exudate taken from the vulva as Cl. septicum. The isolate showed multi-drug resistance. In the management of infection due to Cl. septicum, timely diagnosis and the chirurgic curettage, associated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy, were found to be sufficient for the survival and recovery of the infected animals

Enfermedad de Bowen

Bowen's disease is a squamous cell carcinoma (in situ) in which there are dysplastic changes throughout the thickness of the affected epidermis. It generally affects light skinned people over 60 years of age. Clinically, it is characterized by papules and solitary or multiple plaques, that are erythematous-scaly and with slow centrifugal growth. The differential diagnosis must be established with chronic dermatoses, psoriasis, chronic eczema, superficial basal cell carcinoma and cutaneous Paget's disease. Only 5% of cases progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. The treatment of choice for Bowen's disease is surgery; other alternatives are topical chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil and imiquimod, cryosurgery and, more recently, photodynamic therapy.  La enfermedad de Bowen es un carcinoma epidermoide (in situ) en el que existen cambios displásicos en todo el espesor de la epidermis que afecta, generalmente, a personas de piel clara de más de 60 años; clínicamente se caracteriza por pápulas y placas solitarias o múltiples, eritematodescamativas y de crecimiento centrífugo lento. El diagnóstico diferencial debe establecerse con las dermatosis crónicas, la psoriasis, el eccema crónico, el carcinoma basocelular superficial y la enfermedad de Paget cutánea. Solo un 5% de casos progresa hacia carcinoma epidermoide invasor. El tratamiento de elección de la enfermedad de Bowen es la intervención quirúrgica; otras alternativas son la quimioterapia tópica con 5-fluorouracilo e imiquimod, la criocirugía y, más recientemente, la terapia fotodinámica

Importance of tissue sampling, laboratory methods, and patient characteristics for detection of Pneumocystis in autopsied lungs of non-immunosuppressed individuals

To understand the epidemiological significance of Pneumocystis detection in a lung tissue sample of non-immunosuppressed individuals, we examined sampling procedures, laboratory methodology, and patient characteristics of autopsy series reported in the literature. Number of tissue specimens, DNA-extraction procedures, age and underlying diagnosis highly influence yield and are critical to understand yield differences of Pneumocystis among reports of pulmonary colonization in immunocompetent individuals.publishersversionpublishe

Satisfacción estudiantil de la gestión docente de una universidad pública de Huánuco-Perú

The objective of the research was to determine the relationship between teaching performance and academic satisfaction of students at a public university in Huánuco. It was a study with a correlational quantitative approach. 87 university nursing students were surveyed during 2019. The instruments used were the scales: teaching performance and academic satisfaction, previously validated and reliable. Ethical considerations for research were applied. Descriptive analysis was performed and the bivariate analysis was using the Spearman Rho statistical test for a p value ≤ 0.05 and 95% confidence. In general, the teaching performance perceived by nursing students reached a regular level in 81.6% (71 students), likewise, 12.6% (11 students) indicated good performance and 5.7% poor performance. Regarding academic satisfaction, the medium level prevailed in 87.4% (70) and high satisfaction in 12.6% (11). A positive and significant relationship was obtained between academic satisfaction and competencies: generic and basic specific, compared by Spearman's Rho coefficient whose value was rs = 0.50 with p≤0.000, being statistically significant. In conclusions, a statistically significant moderate relationship was observed between teaching performance and academic satisfaction of university students, showing that the higher the teaching performance, the higher the student satisfaction (p ≤ 0.05).El objetivo de la investigación fue determinar la relación entre el desempeño docente y la satisfacción académica de los estudiantes de una universidad pública de Huánuco. Fue un estudio de enfoque cuantitativo de tipo correlacional. Se encuestó a 87 estudiantes universitarios de enfermería durante el 2019. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron las escalas: desempeño docente y satisfacción académica, previamente validada y fiabilizadas. Se aplicaron las consideraciones éticas para la investigación. Se realizó análisis descriptivo y el análisis bivariado fue mediante la prueba estadística Rho de Spearman para un valor p ≤ 0,05 y 95% de confianza. En general, el desempeño docente percibida por los estudiantes de enfermería, alcanzó un nivel regular en 81,6% (71 estudiantes), asimismo, 12,6% (11 estudiantes) señalaron buen desempeño y 5,7% desempeño deficiente. En relación a la satisfacción académica, predominó e3l nivel medio en 87,4% (70) y satisfacción alta en 12,6% (11). Se obtuvo relación positiva y significativa entre la satisfacción académica y las competencias: específicas genéricas y básicas, confrontado por el coeficiente Rho de Spearman cuyo valor fue rs = 0,50 con p≤0,000, siendo estadísticamente significativa. En conclusiones se observó relación moderada estadísticamente significativa entre el desempeño docente y la satisfacción académica de los estudiantes universitarios, evidenciándose que a mayor desempeño docente, es mayor la satisfacción estudiantil (p ≤ 0,05)

Relationship between the isometric force of the dominant hand and the Body Mass Index of university students

INTRODUCTION: Strength is the neuromuscular capacity to overcome or counter resistances through muscular activity and is closely linked to all the motor actions that the human being develops, and to his body mass index. OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of correlation between body mass index (BMI) and the isometric strength of the dominant hand of university students. METHOD: The strength was evaluated with a TAKEI SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENT 5401 dynamometer to 70 university students using a random sampling method using a descriptive transactional design. We obtained data that were processed with a bivariate correlation obtaining the Pearson coefficient. We used SPSS ver. 15. RESULTS: The studied age was 23 ± 1.9 years, with a length of 165.6 cm. ± 7.72 for women and 173.7 cm. ± 7.95 men, as well as a weight in women of 64.1 ± 14.82 kg and men 82.3 ± 14.72 kg, which results in a BMI for women of 25.01 ± 4.405 m2/kg and 25.06 with ± 4.398 m2/kg for men. On the other hand, the female isometry strength was 3.08. ± 0.613 Kg and for men was 3.68 ± 0.839 Kg. In females, there was not correlation between the BMI and isometric strength (Sig = .192). Contrary, in males, there was a significant and negative correlation grade between the BMI and isometric strength (r = -0,452; Sig. = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, it was observed that as BMI increases, strength does not grow. Therefore, other variables should be evaluated to understand what is related to the overweight or obesity of students

Evaluation of the renal function in patients with nephrectomy

Foundation: several studies have been published by different groups of work about the evaluation of the renal function in nephrectomized patients, showing varied results. In some cases it is reported the deterioration of the remaining kidney, and not in others. Objective: to describe the adaptative response regarding renal and clinical evolution in nephrectomized patients. Methods: cross study in which it was evaluated the renal function before and at two years of nephrectomy of 38 patients. The variables analyzed were glomerular filtration rate, creatinine and serum urea and associated diseases. Rates, percentages and Squared Chi for qualitative variables so as mean, standard deviation and Students T test for quantitative ones. Results: serum creatinine mean after nephrectomy was superior to the pre-nephrectomy (102 umol vs 126) p=0,05. Glomerular Filtration rate decreased after nephrectomy (62 ml/min vs 43 ml/min) p=0,02. Hypertensive and diabetic patients had a higher deterioration of the renal function, p≤0,05. Conclusion: nephrectomy produces a deterioration of the renal function at two years of follow up mainly in diabetic and hypertensive patients