Hypogammaglobulinaemia secondary to cow-milk allergy in children under 2 years of age

Symptomatic hypogammaglobulinaemia in children younger than 2 years of age was studied to rule out a primary immunodeficiency. Thirty-four patients were referred to the Immunology Service to study the hypogammaglobulinaemia- associated clinical picture. Food allergy was documented in 10 patients by personal and familial history, presence of specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) and elevated total serum IgE levels. Coeliac disease and human immunodeficiency virus infection were also ruled out. Protein loss through stools was assessed by clearance of α1-antitrypsin (AAT). Serum immunoglobulin levels were determined by nephelometry and functional antibodies were studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The cellular immune response was assessed by in vitro lymphocyte proliferation in response to mitogens and cell subsets were analysed by flow cytometry. In five patients of the 10 patients we suspected a protein loss through the mucosa. Four of these five patients showed an increased AAT and the other showed an extensive cutaneous lesion. Immunological studies revealed normal antibody function, in vitro lymphoproliferative responses and cell numbers in four of the 5 patients. One patient showed abnormally low numbers of CD4+ T cells as well as a defective proliferative response to mitogens. After diagnosis of cow milk allergy, milk was replaced with infant milk formula containing hydrolysed proteins. Recovery of immunoglobulin values and clinical resolution were achieved. Hypogammaglobulinaemia during early childhood in some children may be secondary to cow milk allergy, and immunoglobulins and cells may leak through the inflamed mucosa. Resolution of symptoms as well as normalization of immunoglobulin values may be easily achieved by avoidance of the offending allergen.Laboratorio de Investigaciones del Sistema Inmun

BIRD ENTANGLEMENT AND MORTALITY BY FRUITS OF THE ZAPALLO CASPI TREE PISONIA ZAPALLO IN THE DRY CHACO, ARGENTINA

Abstract ∙ Bird entanglement by plants may be globally widespread, but it is not a frequently studied phenomenon, and records in different regions of the world are still scarce. During a short visit to the El Impenetrable National Park, Chaco province, Argentina, in October–November 2022, we recorded 15 incidental cases of birds entangled or trapped by fruits of the tree Pisonia zapallo. Our report involves 12 bird species from eight families, with a wide range of body sizes and masses. To our knowledge, this is the first documented report on this phenomenon in continental South America

Principios rectores en la empresa y derechos humanos: Una mirada desde el desplazamiento forzado en Colombia

Las empresas se han convertido en una de las instituciones más importantes y emblemáticas para la economía de los países. Pero, así como con el tiempo han logrado crearse grandes empresas con un buen renombre en la industria, también se han llegado a vislumbrar los efectos dañinos que muchas veces ha tenido este desarrollo respecto a la vulneración de derechos humanos. El presente artículo se basa en una descripción de los Principios Rectores en empresa y derechos humanos, más conocidos como los Principios de Ruggie, basados en tres grandes pilares: proteger, respetar y remediar

The optimal age for performing surgery on patients with MEN 2B syndrome

Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndromes are characterized by the association of various endocrine neoplasias. Prophylactic thyroidectomy is the treatment of choice for patients with RET gene mutations. The age at which patients undergo prophylactic thyroidectomy may vary depending on the position of the RET gene codon. In cases of MEN 2B, when the mutation is carried in codons 883, 918 or 922, prophylactic thyroidectomy is performed prior to 6 months of age, due to the increased aggressiveness of these heterozygosities, which are capable of determining the onset of medullary cancer during the first months of life. We present two heterozygous twin patients with MEN 2B syndrome who were born 32 weeks premature, and who underwent prophylactic thyroidectomy at 7 months of age. The patients were carriers of the mutation at codon 918. We suggested the early surgery at 7 months as, due to their prematurity, the patients were required to gain weight to improve their condition prior to surgery. The two patients had medullary thyroid carcinoma without lymph node involvement. In conclusion, for a truly prophylactic thyroidectomy, such patients should undergo surgery within the first month of life, particularly if these patients are carriers of the mutation in codons 883, 918 or 922

Relación entre el bienestar y el rendimiento académico en alumnos de primer año de medicina

Background: Stress may affect the sense of wellbeing and academic achievement of university students. Aim: To assess the relationship of academic engagement and burnout with academic achievement among first year medical students. Material and Methods: The Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student and Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey (MBI-SS) were applied to 277 first year medical students of four universities. Their results were correlated with the grades obtained in the different courses. Results: Moderately high engagement and low burnout levels were detected. There was a high level of satisfaction with studies and a moderate exhaustion level. Academic achievement was associated with the degree of engagement with studies but not with burnout. Conglomerate analysis detected a group of students with high levels of wellbeing, characterized by high levels of academic engagement and low burnout. Other group had moderate levels of engagement and lack of personal fulfilment. Other group, identified as extenuated, had high levels of personal exhaustion and depersonalization. Finally the disassociated group had a low academic engagement, low emotional exhaustion, high levels of depersonalization and lack of personal fulfillment. Conclusions: Academic achievement is associated with the level of engagement with studies but not with burnout

Polaritonic Chemistry Enabled by Non-Local Metasurfaces

Vibrational strong coupling can modify chemical reaction pathways in unconventional ways. Thus far, Fabry-Perot cavities formed by pairs of facing mirrors have been mostly utilized to achieve vibrational strong coupling. In this study, we demonstrate the application of plasmonic microparticle arrays defining non-local metasurfaces that can sustain surface lattice resonances as a novel tool to enable chemical reactions under vibrational strong coupling. We show that the solvolysis kinetics of \textit{para}-nitrophenyl acetate can be accelerated by a factor of 2.7 by strong coupling to the carbonyl bond of the solvent and the solute with a surface lattice resonance. Our work introduces a new platform to investigate and control polaritonic chemical reactions. In contrast to Fabry-Perot cavities, metasurfaces define open optical cavities with single surfaces, which removes alignment hurdles, facilitating polaritonic chemistry across large areas

Influence of the aqueous matrix on the degradation of cyanotoxins by CWPO: a study on the Iberian Peninsula freshwaters

The increasing occurrence of toxic cyanobacterial blooms worldwide represents a critical health and environmental risk. Catalytic wet peroxide oxidation (CWPO) has emerged as an efficient and environmentally friendly technology for the removal of cyanotoxins in water. Nevertheless, its effectiveness has just been demonstrated in deionized water or simple synthetic aqueous matrices. In this work, the effect of the different components of the aqueous matrix on the CWPO of cyanotoxins was deeply evaluated considering the widespread properties of the Iberian Peninsula freshwaters. The presence of Cl-, HCO3- and SO42- ions reduced the oxidation rate of cylindrospermopsin (CYN) up to 70–80% at the highest concentrations tested (2000, 250 and 500 mg L−1 for Cl-, HCO3- and SO42-, respectively) due to their hydroxyl radical scavenging capacity. The presence of natural organic matter (NOM) resulted in a similar outcome (oxidation rate reduction up to 90% at the highest concentration tested, 20 mg L−1), but in this case due to the consumption of hydroxyl radicals in competition with CYN oxidation. The presence of NO3- and H2PO4- did not show any significant effect on CYN oxidation. Similarly, the presence of cyanobacteria (Chrysosporum ovalisporum, 50 µg chlorophyll-a L−1) did not appreciably affect the CYN oxidation rate. These results were consistent with those obtained by evaluating the impact of real aqueous matrices from drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) located in Castilla y León and Extremadura regions (Spain) on CWPO performance. This knowledge is key to the implementation of the technology for the treatment of surface waters affected by toxic cyanobacterial bloomsThis research has been supported by the CYTED Ibero-American Science and Technology Program for Development (CYTED-2019) through the project TALGENTOX (PCI2020–112013) and by Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (MICINN) through the project PID2019–105079RB-I00. D. Ortiz thanks the Spanish Ministry of Universities (MIU) for the FPU predoctoral grant (FPU19/04816). M. Munoz thanks the Spanish MINECO for the Ramon ´ y Cajal postdoctoral contract (RYC-2016–20648). We especially thank Aqualia for providing the water samples from DWTPs employed in this study, which was performed in the framework of Rewaise project (http://rewaise.eu

Percepciones de la comunidad educativa de El Porvenir, Rionegro, Antioquia, sobre la importancia de los servicios ecosistémicos del río Negro

Esta investigación tiene como objetivo analizar los aprendizajes sobre los servicios ecosistémicos que ofrece el Río Negro (Antioquia) los cuales se han visto deteriorados por la contaminación ambiental. Los estudiantes del grado sexto de la Institución Educativa Concejo Municipal El Porvenir escucharon las historias de vida de una líder de la comunidad del barrio El Porvenir en relación a los servicios ecosistémicos, es por ello que nuestra investigación es de carácter cualitativa con un enfoque biográfico narrativo; para la recolección de datos utilizamos las técnicas de observación directa, entrevistas semiestructuradas, historias de vida y el Mapeo de Significados Personales (Personal Meaning Mapping). En la recolección de los datos se interpretaron algunas ideas que generan confusión en los estudiantes, limitando el concepto de servicios ecosistémicos únicamente a los componentes que integran un ecosistema, alterando la interpretación holística del concepto al que se alude. Es importante continuar con procesos de educación ambiental que permitan a los estudiantes reconocer los servicios ecosistémicos de los ríos. Del mismo modo, debemos continuar escuchando las historias de vida de las personas de la tercera edad para crear nuevos imaginarios que permitan una visión esperanzadora del futuro, en este caso la recuperación del Río Negro, Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia

Estrategia de comercialización y comunicación para empresa de accesorios de moda artesanal, ubicada en Santa Anita, Jalisco

Durante el proyecto PAP con la empresa “Leal a la Mexicana'', se desarrolló la estrategia de comercialización enfocada en la comunicación de la marca, la cual pertenece a la industria de los accesorios de moda. Para poder lograr este objetivo se analizó el sector, luego se identificó la competencia directa indirecta, se determinó el mercado potencial al cual se dirige el negocio y se desarrolló una estrategia de comunicación personalizada a las necesidades de la empresa. Por último se diseñó un material POP. La metodología se dividió en tres áreas:recopilación, diagnóstico y propuesta de mejora. En la primera se realizó la técnica de investigación de fuentes secundarias y primarias, en la segunda se desarrolló la información mediante diagnósticos con herramientas y en la última se desarrollaron las estrategias de marketing para el posicionamiento de la empresa. Uno de los resultados más importantes del presente proyecto, es la realización del Sitio Web, ya que esta herramienta servirá para abrir un nuevo canal de ventas y poder llegar a más consumidores de forma en que puedan hacer sus pedidos de manera más eficiente.ITESO, A.C