Lectina fijadora de manosa en la respuesta inmunitaria innata

La lectina fijadora de manosa (MBL) es una proteína cuyo gen (MBL2) se encuentra en el brazo largo del cromosoma 10. Sus concentraciones en suero pueden ser afectadas por tres variaciones genéticas (B, C y D) en la porción estructural del gen MBL2 y a dos variaciones adicionales en la región promotora del mismo, que generan dos sitios polimórficos (H/L y X/Y). Estos polimorfismos generan diversos haplotipos en algunas comunidades humanas y algunos de estos haplotipos podrían incrementar la susceptibilidad a infecciones, lupus eritematoso generalizado y artritis reumatoide. Este estudio revisa los polimorfismos del gen MBL2 y su relación con la salud en poblaciones humanas afectadas

Improvements in Bilateral Differences in Lean Mass and Strength in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease Presenting Unilateral Motor Symptoms

In persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD), individuals present altered motor symptoms such as rigidity, tremors and bradykinesia. These motor symptoms typically present in the early stages of PD unilaterally. Resistance training with instability (RTI) and cadence walking (CW) are effective in improving markers of fragility and motor function. The benefit of combining RTI and CW and its effects on lean mass and strength hav not been studied. PURPOSE: to examine the effects of RTI, CW and RTI+CW on lean mass in affected and unaffected sides and strength in persons with PD. METHODS: individuals diagnosed with mild to moderate PD (N=18 ( 6 female, 12 males); MHY stage=1.53 + 0.50; age = 63.67 + 7.23 y; BMI = 27.38 + 3.88 kg/m2) were randomized into RTI, CW or RTI+CW exercise groups for 8-weeks. RTI and CW were performed 3 days/week and RTI+CW was performed 4 days/week (2 days RTI and 2 days CW). RTI included full-body machine and free-weight exercises with volume (reps and sets) and instability progressions. CW included volume (time) and intensity (speed) progressions for 8-weeks. DXA scans and strength assessments were performed at pre- and post-assessments. RESULTS: A significant difference was present between affected and unaffected sides of lean mass in the upper and lower body of PD participants, with the unaffected side averaging more lean mass for all groups. The average lean mass at pre-assessments in the unaffected arm was 2.92 + 1.05 kg versus the affected arm at 2.80 + 0.99 kg, p=0.043. The difference in the unaffected and affected arms’ lean mass decreased and was no longer significant at post-assessments (unaffected 2.9 + 1.01 kg and affected 2.88 + 1.00 kg, p=0.165), indicating a significant time effect. There was not a significant difference in lean mass for the affected and unaffected legs. A significant group x time effect was observed for RTI and RTI+CW in comparison to CW alone for lean mass differences in affected and unaffected arms at post-assessments (p=0.048 and p=0.44). A significant difference was noted between RTI and RTI+CW in comparison to CW alone in chest press improvements at post-assessments (RTI 30.00 + 16.43 lbs, CW 7.50 + 11.29 lbs, p=0.033 and RTI+CW 18.33 + 7.53 lbs, p=0.47). Interestingly, no group differences in leg press were noted. CONCLUSION: Bilateral differences exist in lean mass DXA results in the affected and unaffected arms of persons with PD who present motor symptoms unilaterally. The bilateral differences in lean mass are improved in RTI and RTI+CW but not in CW alone

Desafíos de la inclusión de estudiantes con discapacidad en la Universidad de San Carlos de GuatemalaChallenges in the inclusion of students with disabilities at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala

La Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (Usac), como única universidad estatal, está obligada a desarrollar procesos que permitan la inclusión de grupos vulnerados en la educación superior. Es necesario monitorear constantemente dichos procesos; por lo que se desarrolló la investigación denominada “Inclusión educativa de estudiantes con discapacidad en la Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala: seguimiento y estudio de casos bajo la perspectiva interseccional”, durante el año 2017, con el aval del Instituto Universitario de la Mujer y el financiamiento de la Dirección General de Investigación de la Usac. El tipo de investigación fue no experimental, con un enfoque mixto de investigación, reflejado en las tendencias porcentuales de caracterización y en la valoración cualitativa de las experiencias de los estudiantes. Se utilizó el método interseccional para incorporar factores asociados a la exclusión social, como condición de discapacidad, sexo, pertenencia étnica, edad, grupo socioeconómico y orientación sexual. La muestra no probabilística, fue integrada por estudiantes con y sin discapacidad, así como por personal docente y administrativo. Los resultados evidencian la falta de un registro fidedigno de personas con discapacidad; sin embargo, los participantes brindaron información que cualitativamente puede considerarse útil para implementar acciones que permitan mejorar la inclusión por perspectiva de discapacidad con enfoque de derechos humanos. Así mismo, se busca compartir las experiencias de la comunidad universitaria de la Usac en relación con la accesibilidad en el ámbito universitario

Calcium and mitochondrial metabolism in ceramide-induced cardiomyocyte death

AbstractCeramides are important intermediates in the biosynthesis and degradation of sphingolipids that regulate numerous cellular processes, including cell cycle progression, cell growth, differentiation and death. In cardiomyocytes, ceramides induce apoptosis by decreasing mitochondrial membrane potential and promoting cytochrome-c release. Ca2+ overload is a common feature of all types of cell death. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ceramides on cytoplasmic Ca2+ levels, mitochondrial function and cardiomyocyte death. Our data show that C2-ceramide induces apoptosis and necrosis in cultured cardiomyocytes by a mechanism involving increased Ca2+ influx, mitochondrial network fragmentation and loss of the mitochondrial Ca2+ buffer capacity. These biochemical events increase cytosolic Ca2+ levels and trigger cardiomyocyte death via the activation of calpains

Safe Areas for the Placement of Standard Shoulder Arthroscopy Portals: An Anatomical Study

The abundant vascular structures that surround the shoulder joint are complex and variable, complicating arthroscopy approaches. The aim of this study is to determine safe and risky areas around standard posterior and standard anterior portals, and accounting for the distribution of neurovascular structures of small and medium diameters that can lead to intra-articular bleeding during surgery. The standard posterior portal, and standard anterior portal were placed as described in the literature, and punch dissection was performed 2.5 cm around the trocar in situ. The arrangement of each identified structure was photographically documented and digitalized for each anatomic plane; the distance to the trocar and the diameter of each structure were measured. Based on each digitalized anatomic plane, safe and risky tissue areas were determined, and a clock face coordinate system was used to represent these areas. The safe area around the standard posterior portal was located between 11 and 1 o´clock for the left shoulder and 11 and 2 o´clock for the right shoulder. For the standard anterior portal, the safe area was located between 2 and 3 o´clock for the left shoulder and between 9 and 12 o´clock for the right shoulder. However, we did document a risk of injuring the cephalic vein 5 times, the axillary artery 3 times and the deltoid branch of the thoracoacromial artery once. This study reports quantitatively the total number of small diameter structures present in the two shoulder arthroscopic portals evaluated. The safe areas proposed in this study must be evaluated to propose new access points for performing arthroscopic procedures on the shoulder

Procesamiento de señales EEG de un niño con TEA al desarrollar actividades de lectoescritura: determinación de potencia y cronología de eventos

Se presenta el análisis y procesamiento de señales electroencefalográficas (EEG) de un niño de 10 años con Trastorno del Espectro Autista al desarrollar actividades de lectoescritura, en este caso, relacionar en pruebas sucesivas palabras con su imagen representativa, como la palabra manzana con una imagen de una manzana. Una vez adquiridas las muestras, se lleva a cabo un análisis de potencia para cada canal mediante el Teorema de Wiener – Khinchine y posteriormente, mediante la Transformada Wavelet se determinan los momentos en los que hubo mayor actividad en cada electrodo. Con esta información se presenta la cronología de eventos de activación registrada por cada electrodo