Host-Feeding Sources and Infection With Trypanosoma cruzi of Triatoma infestans and Triatoma eratyrusiformis (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) From the Calchaqui Valleys in Northwestern Argentina

Fil: Fernandez, M.P. Instituto Universitario de Ciencias de la Salud. Fundación Barceló; Argentina.We assessed the prevalence of infection with Trypanosoma cruzi, parasite genotypes (discrete typing units, DTUs), and the host-feeding sources of domestic and peridomestic Triatoma infestans Klug and Triatoma eratyrusiformis Del Ponte in eight rural communities of the subandean Calchaqui valleys in northwestern Argentina. We sought to analyze their epidemiological role in the context of routine vector surveillance and control actions. Infection with T. cruzi was determined by optic microscopy or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the hypervariable region of kinetoplast DNA minicircles. Parasite genotypes were identified through a multi PCR-based strategy. Bloodmeal contents were tested with a direct ELISA assay against nine antisera. Human sleeping quarters (domiciles) and peridomestic dry-shrub fences concentrated most of the T. infestans and T. eratyrusiformis infected with T. cruzi, respectively. The most frequent host-feeding sources of T. infestans were chickens (73.1%) in peridomiciles and humans (73.3%) in domiciles, whereas T. eratyrusiformis fed more often on cavid rodents (92.6%), which thrived in the dry-shrub fences. The main T. cruzi DTU identified in both vectors was T. cruzi I (TcI). Triatoma eratyrusiformis was implicated in the local circulation of TcI among cavies and perhaps mice, but infection with other typically domestic DTUs (TcVI and TcII/TcV/TcVI) indicated overlap between (peri)domestic transmission cycles in both vector species. Because dry-shrub fences were not targeted for routine insecticide spraying, they may act as sources of (peri)domestic reinfestation. Triatoma eratyrusiformis is an emergent secondary vector of T. cruzi and plays a significant role in the local transmission of T. cruzi

ACS Scott: input level effects on crop and soil heavy metal and metalloid concentrations

Non-Peer ReviewedDifferent input levels, defined by a combination of tillage intensity and the application of agro-chemicals, affect the availability of heavy metals and metalloids in the soil and subsequently the absorption of heavy metals and metalloids by crops. We studied the effect of organic, high, and reduced input levels in a long-term rotation study on the concentration of 24 heavy metals and metalloids in yellow peas and hard red spring wheat. The Long-Term Agro- Ecosystem Research for the Canadian Prairie Ecozone (Alternative Cropping Systems Project) was established at the AAFC Research Farm in Scott, SK, Canada in 1994, rotating in six-year cycles. We found that selenium concentration in yellow peas and cobalt concentration in hard red spring wheat were highest under the organic input level, while cadmium levels in yellow peas were highest in the high and reduced input levels. The difference in soil heavy metal and metalloid concentration was not significant among input levels but significant between crop types

Social vulnerabilities as determinants of overweight in 2-, 4-and 6-year-old Spanish children

Background: Differences in obesity prevalence among vulnerable groups exist in childhood but it remains unclear whether these differences may be partly determined by socioeconomic status (SES), parental body mass index (BMI) and early life risk factors. We aimed to explore (i) longitudinal associations between belonging to a minority group and being overweight/obese at age 2, 4 and 6 and (ii) associations between accumulation of social vulnerabilities and being overweight/obese at age 6. Methods: In total, 1031 children (53.8% boys) were evaluated at birth and re-examined during a 6-year follow-up in a representative cohort of Aragon (Spain). Children from minority (vulnerable) groups included Spanish Roma/gypsies, Eastern Europeans, Latin Americans and Africans. Two more vulnerable groups were defined at baseline as children whose parents reported low occupation and education. Ethnicity, SES and parental BMI were collected via interviews. We used logistic mixed-effects models and adjusted for parental BMI, SES, mother''s tobacco use, maternal weight gain, birth weight, infant weight gain and breastfeeding practices. Results: Regardless of confounders, Roma/gypsy children (OR = 4.63;[1.69-12.70]95% CI) and with Latin American background (OR = 3.04;[1.59-5.82]95% CI) were more likely to be overweight/obese at age 6 compared with non-gypsy Spanish group. Children with three vulnerabilities (OR = 2.18;[1.31-3.64]95% CI) were more likely to be overweight/obese at age 6 compared with children with no vulnerabilities. No associations were found between belonging to a minority group and overweight/obesity in children under 6. Conclusion: Interventions should target Roma/gypsy children, Latin American children and those who accumulate more vulnerabilities as they are at higher risk of being overweight/obese at age 6

Modelli di gestione dei servizi sanitari di base in una prospettiva di confronto tra sistemi sanitari europei : le peculiarit\ue0 del caso spagnolo

Management models of primary care health services in a comparison among European health systems : the peculiarities of the Spanish case. Management models of primary care health services in a comparison among European health systems: the peculiarities of the Spanish case. The aim of this paper is to describe and compare European health systems with a special focus on the organization and articulation of the figure and role of the General Practitioner or primary care. Our interest stems from the existence of different models and the significant impact that they have on each system such as health investment, organizational patterns and hospital performance (i.e. the overload in emergency care due to a shortage of primary care network). Our description is limited to six European countries: United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and Spain. The United Kingdom, promoter of the Beveridge model in 1948, and then Denmark (1973), Italy (1978) and Spain (1986), have gradually moved from a social insurance system (Bismarck) to a universal system funded by taxation. In contrast, France and Germany have kept the Bismarck model, although France included the universal coverage for diseases in 2000. Other reasons why these countries were chosen for this comparative study are that the UK has served as the basis for the Italian system; France is considered to be the country with the best health care system; Germany is the country with the highest level of money invested in health; Spain has developed a very particular system of multidisciplinary primary health care team; and Denmark is characterized by the so-called flex-security welfare system lately identified as a possible model for reform in Italy. Finally, this paper focuses on the Spanish case as the most interesting model in primary care assistanc

Characterization of the rat Na+/nucleoside cotransporter 2 and transport of nucleoside-derived drugs using electrophysiological methods.

The Na(+)-dependent nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2) mediates active transport of purine nucleosides and uridine as well as therapeutic nucleoside analogs. We used the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique to investigate rat CNT2 (rCNT2) transport mechanism and study the interaction of nucleoside-derived drugs with the transporter expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The kinetic parameters for sodium, natural nucleosides, and nucleoside derivatives were obtained as a function of membrane potential. For natural substrates, apparent affinity (K(0.5)) was in the low micromolar range (12-34) and was voltage independent for hyperpolarizing membrane potentials, whereas maximal current (I(max)) was voltage dependent. Uridine and 2'-deoxyuridine analogs modified at the 5-position were substrates of rCNT2. Lack of the 2'-hydroxyl group decreased affinity but increased I(max). Increase in the size and decrease in the electronegativity of the residue at the 5-position affected the interaction with the transporter by decreasing both affinity and I(max). Fludarabine and formycin B were also transported with higher I(max) than uridine and moderate affinity (102 +/- 10 and 66 +/- 6 microM, respectively). Analysis of the pre-steady-state currents revealed a half-maximal activation voltage of about -39 mV and a valence of about -0.8. K(0.5) for Na(+) was 2.3 mM at -50 mV and decreased at hyperpolarizing membrane potentials. The Hill coefficient was 1 at all voltages. Direct measurements of radiolabeled nucleoside fluxes with the charge associated showed a ratio of two positive inward charges per nucleoside, suggesting a stoichiometry of two Na(+) per nucleoside. This discrepancy in the number of Na(+) molecules that bind rCNT2 may indicate a low degree of cooperativity between the Na(+) binding sites

Introducing non-linear analysis into sustained speech characterization to improve sleep apnea detection

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-25020-0_28Proceedings of 5th International Conference on Nonlinear Speech Processing, NOLISP 2011, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain)We present a novel approach for detecting severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) cases by introducing non-linear analysis into sustained speech characterization. The proposed scheme was designed for providing additional information into our baseline system, built on top of state-of-the-art cepstral domain modeling techniques, aiming to improve accuracy rates. This new information is lightly correlated with our previous MFCC modeling of sustained speech and uncorrelated with the information in our continuous speech modeling scheme. Tests have been performed to evaluate the improvement for our detection task, based on sustained speech as well as combined with a continuous speech classifier, resulting in a 10% relative reduction in classification for the first and a 33% relative reduction for the fused scheme. Results encourage us to consider the existence of non-linear effects on OSA patients’ voices, and to think about tools which could be used to improve short-time analysis.The activities described in this paper were funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation as part of the TEC2009-14719-C02-02 (PriorSpeech) project

Effects of Trecadrine, a beta3-adrenergic agonist, on leptin secretion, glucose and lipid metabolism in isolated rat adipocytes

Objective: Leptin, a hormone produced in adipocytes, is a key signal in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. beta-Adrenergic agonists have been shown to inhibit leptin gene expression and leptin secretion. The mechanisms underlying the inhibitory effects of beta-adrenergic agonists have not been established. In this study, we examined the effects of TrecadrineÒ, a novel beta3-adrenergic agonist, on basal and insulin-stimulated leptin secretion in isolated rat adipocytes. Because insulin-stimulated glucose metabolism is an important regulator of leptin expression and secretion by the adipocytes, the effects of Trecadrine on indices of adipocyte metabolism were also examined. Measurements: Isolated adipocytes were incubated with Trecadrine (10-8-10-4 M) in the absence or presence of insulin (1.6 nM). Leptin secretion, glucose utilization, lactate production, glucose incorporation into CO2 and triglyceride, as well as lipolysis (glycerol release) were determined. Results: Trecadrine induced a concentration-dependent inhibition of basal leptin secretion. Trecadrine also decreased insulin-stimulated leptin secretion; however, the effect was not as pronounced as in the absence of insulin. Treatment of adipocytes with Trecadrine increased basal glucose utilization and produced a further increase in insulin-stimulated glucose utilization. Basal lactate production was also increased by Trecadrine; however, the proportion (percentage) of glucose carbon released as lactate was unaffected. In the presence of insulin, absolute lactate production was unaffected by Trecadrine at 96 h. However, the percentage of glucose carbon released as lactate was significantly decreased by insulin treatment, and was further decreased by the co-treatment with Trecadrine. Trecadrine induced a dose-dependent increase of the absolute amount of glucose incorporated into triglyceride. However, the percentage of glucose utilized that was incorporated into triglyceride was unaffected by Trecadrine. Trecadrine did not modify the proportion of glucose utilized that was oxidized to CO2. Trecadrine increased glycerol release after 96 h of treatment. Glycerol release was negatively correlated with leptin secretion. Conclusions: These results suggest that alterations of glucose metabolism are not directly involved in the effects of beta3-adrenergic agonists to inhibit leptin expression and secretion. The inverse relationship between leptin secretion and the increase of glycerol levels, which is an index of the activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinases, suggests that activation of the cAMP signaling pathway mediates the inhibitory effects of Trecadrine on leptin gene expression and secretion