Yeast diversity associated to sediments and water from two Colombian artificial lakes

In Colombia, knowledge of the yeast and yeast-like fungi community is limited because most studies have focused on species with clinical importance. Sediments and water represent important habitats for the study of yeast diversity, especially for yeast species with industrial, biotechnological, and bioremediation potential. The main purpose of this study was to identify and compare the diversity of yeast species associated with sediment and water samples from two artificial lakes in Universidad del Valle (Cali-Colombia). Yeast samplings were performed from fifteen sediment samples and ten water samples. Grouping of similar isolates was initially based on colony and cell morphology, which was then complemented by micro/mini satellite primed PCR banding pattern analysis by using GTG5 as single primer. A representative isolate for each group established was chosen for D1/D2 domain sequencing and identification. In general, the following yeast species were identified: Candida albicans, Candida diversa, Candida glabrata, Candida pseudolambica, Cryptococcus podzolicus, Cryptococcus rajasthanensis, Cryptococcus laurentii, Williopsis saturnus, Hanseniaspora thailandica, Hanseniaspora uvarum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Torulaspora delbrueckii, Torulaspora pretoriensis, Tricosporon jirovecii, Trichosporon laibachii and Yarrowia lypolitica. Two possible new species were also found, belonging to the Issatchenkia sp. and Bullera sp. genera. In conclusion, the lakes at the Universidad del Valle campus have significant differences in yeast diversity and species composition between them

The FANCM:p.Arg658* truncating variant is associated with risk of triple-negative breast cancer

Breast cancer is a common disease partially caused by genetic risk factors. Germline pathogenic variants in DNA repair genes BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM, and CHEK2 are associated with breast cancer risk. FANCM, which encodes for a DNA translocase, has been proposed as a breast cancer predisposition gene, with greater effects for the ER-negative and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtypes. We tested the three recurrent protein-truncating variants FANCM:p.Arg658*, p.Gln1701*, and p.Arg1931* for association with breast cancer risk in 67,112 cases, 53,766 controls, and 26,662 carriers of pathogenic variants of BRCA1 or BRCA2. These three variants were also studied functionally by measuring survival and chromosome fragility in FANCM (-/-) patient-derived immortalized fibroblasts treated with diepoxybutane or olaparib. We observed that FANCM:p.Arg658* was associated with increased risk of ER-negative disease and TNBC (OR = 2.44, P = 0.034 and OR = 3.79; P = 0.009, respectively). In a country-restricted analysis, we confirmed the associations detected for FANCM:p.Arg658* and found that also FANCM:p.Arg1931* was associated with ER-negative breast cancer risk (OR = 1.96; P = 0.006). The functional results indicated that all three variants were deleterious affecting cell survival and chromosome stability with FANCM:p.Arg658* causing more severe phenotypes. In conclusion, we confirmed that the two rare FANCM deleterious variants p.Arg658* and p.Arg1931* are risk factors for ER-negative and TNBC subtypes. Overall our data suggest that the effect of truncating variants on breast cancer risk may depend on their position in the gene. Cell sensitivity to olaparib exposure, identifies a possible therapeutic option to treat FANCM-associated tumors

Detection and identification of wild yeasts in Champus, a fermented Colombian maize beverage

The aim of this study was to identify and characterise the predominant yeasts in Champu´ s, a traditionalColombian cereal-based beverage with a low alcoholic content.Samples of Champu´ s from 20 production sites in the Cauca Valley region were analysed. A total of235 yeast isolates were identified by conventional microbiological analyses and by polymerase chainreaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) of ITS1-5.8S rDNA-ITS2. The dominantspecies were: Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Issatchenkia orientalis, Pichia fermentans, Pichia kluyveri var.kluyveri, Zygosaccharomyces fermentati, Torulospora delbruekii, Galactomyces geotrichum and Hanseniasporaspp. Model Champu´ s systems were inoculated with single strains of some isolated sporogenusspecies and the aromatic profiles were analysed by SPME. Analysis of data showed that Champu´ s strainsproduced high amounts of esters. The aromatic compounds produced by Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeasts from Champu´ s can exert a relevant influence on the sensory characteristics of thefermented beverage. The Champu´ s strains could thus represent an important source for new yeastbiotypes with potential industrial applications.[...

Volatile compounds produced in wine by Colombian wild Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains

Some tropical Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, isolated from Champús, a traditional Colombian low alcoholicfermented beverage, were characterised in order to select yeasts for aroma improvement in wine. H2S production, volatileacidity, β-glucosidase activity, higher alcoholesters and terpenes production were evaluated in this study. These tropicalstrains were characterised by a considerable production of ethyl hexanoate, 2-phenylethanol, 2-phenylethyl acetate,and geraniol, detected by SPME-GC-MS. Odor activity values were calculated to analyse the effects of yeasts strains onwine aroma, resulting in six distinctive wine groups, as evidenced by discriminant analysis. These results suggest thatSaccharomyces strains isolated from Champús can be an important source for new tropical yeast biotypes with potentialwinemaking applications, producing a wide range of aroma compounds.[...

Boletín Clínico, Vol. 02, No. 07. Febrero

Nota elogiosa del Velasco Ibarra * Una carta del Dr. Osvaldo Loudet * Nulidad de un testamento * Plantas útiles de Colombia * Dr. Alberto Gómez Arango. Pag.291-293 * Apuntes sobre apendicitis crónica. Pag.294-303 * Estadística quirúrgica del hospital central del F. C. de Antioquia en el año de 1935. Pag.304-309 * Conmemoración de una fecha universitaria. Sesenta años de enseñanza médica. Pag.310-315 * Resolución aprobada por el concejo municipal de Medellín * Lección de patología general. Pag.318-329 * Las varices y su tratamiento. Algunas observaciones interesantes en la flebo esclerosis. Tratamiento por la glicerina. Pag.330-334 * Un punto de historia científica. Pasteur desconoció el terreno?Plantas utiles de Colombia Robledo, Emilio anexo Dr. Alberto Gomez Arango Gomez Arango, Alberto p.291-293 Apuntes sobre apendicitis cronica Gomez Arango, Alberto p.294-303 Estadistica quirurgica del Hospital Central del F.C. de Antioquia en el ano de 1935 Gomez Arango, Alberto p.304-309 Conmemoracion de una fecha universitaria; sesenta anos de ensenanza medica Robledo, Emilio p.310-313 Resolucion concejo municipal Restrepo, Juan M. p.316-317 Proposicion Callejas R., Juan Bautista p.314-315 Alergia y anergia Yepes Cadavid, Jesús p.318-329 Las varices y su tratamiento; algunas observaciones interesantes en la fleboesclerosis; tratamiento por la glicerina Osorio Isaza, Antonio p.330-334 Un punto de historia cientifica; Pasteur desconocio el terreno Boletin Clinico p.335-33

OSIRIS: a new code for ray tracing around compact objects

The radiation observed in quasars and active galactic nuclei is mainly produced by a relativistic plasma orbiting close to the black hole event horizon, where strong gravitational effects are relevant. The observational data of such systems can be compared with theoretical models to infer the black hole and plasma properties. In the comparison process, ray-tracing algorithms are essential to computing the trajectories followed by the photons from the source to our telescopes. In this paper, we present OSIRIS: a new stable FORTRAN code capable of efficiently computing null-geodesics around compact objects, including general relativistic effects such as gravitational lensing, redshift, and relativistic boosting. The algorithm is based on the Hamiltonian formulation and uses different integration schemes to evolve null-geodesics while tracking the error in the Hamiltonian constrain to ensure physical results. We found from an error analysis that the integration schemes are all stable, and the best one maintains an error below $$10^{-11}$$. Particularly, to test the robustness and ability of the code to evolve geodesics in curved space-time, we compute the shadow and Einstein rings of a Kerr black hole with different rotation parameters and obtain the image of a thin Keplerian accretion disk around a Schwarzschild black hole. Although OSIRIS is parallelized neither with MPI nor with CUDA, the computation times are of the same order as those reported by other codes with these types of parallel computing platforms

A history of Colombian neurosurgery : events, persons, and outcomes that have shaped the specialty in the country

Q1Q1The history of Colombian neurosurgery is a collective legacy of neurosurgeon-scientists, scholars, teachers, innovators, and researchers. Anchored in the country’s foundational values of self-determination and adaptability, these pioneers emerged from the Spanish colonial medical tradition and forged surgical alliances abroad. From the time of Colombian independence until the end of World War I, exchanges with the French medical tradition produced an emphasis on anatomical and systematic approaches to the emerging field of neurosurgery. The onset of American neurosurgical expertise in the 1930s led to a new period of exchange, wherein technological innovations were added to the Colombian neurosurgical repertoire. This diversity of influences culminated in the 1950s with the establishment of Colombia’s first in-country neurosurgery residency program. A select group of avant-garde neurosurgeons from this period expanded the domestic opportunities for patients and practitioners alike. Today, the system counts 10 recognized neurosurgery residency programs and over 500 neurosurgeons within Colombia. Although the successes of specific individuals and innovations were considered, the primary purpose of this historical survey was to glean relevant lessons from the past that can inform present challenges, inspire new opportunities, and identify professional and societal goals for the future of neurosurgical practice and specialization.https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9087-1392Revista Internacional - IndexadaA1N

Implementation of ergonomic aspects throughout the engineering design process: Human-Artefact-Context analysis

The design process of an object, system or space must consider the physical, mental and psychological traits of its intended users. Moreover, the results of the design process are also defined by the attributes related to the context. However, current product design approaches does not offer a proper balance among the “human”, “artefact” and “context” dimensions. Consequently, a product design methodology that covers the overall Human-Artefact-Context system, from a cognitive and physical ergonomics point of view, is proposed. The generalization of the proposal is based on a synergic structure of User-Centered Design methodologies and ergonomic criteria that prevails throughout the product development stages. The latter ensures a better adaptation to specific context and user needs in a way that improves efficiency, security and consumer well-being. © 2015, Springer-Verlag France