A Proposal for a Machine Learning Classifier for Viral Infection in Living Cells Based on Mitochondrial Distribution

The study of viral infections using live cell imaging (LCI) is an important area with multiple opportunities for new developments in computational cell biology. Here, this point is illustrated by the analysis of the sub-cellular distribution of mitochondrium in cell cultures infected by Dengue virus (DENV) and in uninfected cell cultures (Mock-infections). Several videos were recorded from the overnight experiments performed in a confocal microscopy of spinning disk. The density distribution of mitochondrium around the nuclei as a function of time and space ρ(r, θ, t) was numerically modeled as a smooth interpolation function from the image data and used in further analysis. A graphical study shows that the behavior of the mitochondrial density is substantially different when the infection is present. The DENV-infected cells show a more diffuse distribution and a stronger angular variation on it. This behavior can be quantified by using some usual image processing descriptors called entropy and uniformity. Interestingly, the marked difference found in the mitochondria density distribution for mock and for infected cell is present in every frame and not an evidence of time dependence was found, which indicate that from the start of the infections the cells are showing an altered subcellular pattern in mitochondrium distribution. Ulteriorly, it would be important to study by analysis of time series for clearing if there is some tendency or approximate cycles. Those findings are suggesting that using the image descriptors entropy and uniformity it is possible to create a machine learning classifier that could recognize if a single selected cell in a culture has been infected or not

Effect of Chitin and Chitooligosaccharide on In vitro Growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Escherichia coli TG

Background and Objective: Given the rising tendency of using insects as food, research regarding the food safety issues and health implications of edible insects are necessary. Insects have an external skeleton that is mainly composed of chitin- a nontoxic, fiber-like polysaccharide. Chitin and its derivative compounds can take part in maintaining healthy gut microbiota, by promoting or inhibiting the growth of several gut bacteria depending on the chitinous substrate. Healthy composition of gut microbiota can prevent intestinal disease states and food digestion problems. The aim of the study is to characterize the impact of chitin and chitooligosaccharides on the growth of two gut bacteria Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Escherichia coli TG, to provide further understanding on possible outcomes of consuming insects.Materials and Methods: Micro plate wells were prepared with tryptone soy broth in 0.5 and 0.1% wv-1 chitin concentrations and in 0.5, 0.1, and 0.05% wv-1 chitooligosaccharide concentrations. Bacteria were added and the growth parameters of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Escherichia coli TG were obtained by measurement of optical density at 600 nm in 37°C.Results and Conclusion: Chitooligosaccharides enhanced the growth of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and inhibited the growth of Escherichia coli TG in the lowest tested concentration of 0.05% wv-1. Chitin completely inhibited the growth of both bacteria in the lowest tested concentration of 0.1% wv-1. Chitooligosaccharides appear promising as potential prebiotic compounds associated with insect food products. Chitin has a strong antibacterial effect on tested bacteria. However, the In vitro results should be verified in well-designed human studies

Novel Probiotics and Prebiotics: How Can They Help in Human Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis?

Background and Objectives: Novel probiotics and prebiotics designed to modulate the gut microbiota for improving health outcomes are in demand as the importance of the gut microbiota in human health is revealed. A review of the scientific literature regarding the current knowledge and novel species and novel oligosaccharides for the treatment of dysbiosis-associated diseases has been carried out due to their growing interest. Results and Conclusions: The regulations governing introduction of novel probiotics and prebiotics vary by geographical region. Novel foods and foods with health claims fall under specific regulations in several countries. In European Union (EU), safety is assessed by novel food approval process and by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) established Quantitative Presumption of Safety (QPS) system for bacteria and other biologicals. Any messages on health benefits are covered by the European Regulation on Health Claims (ERHC), also assessed by EFSA. Examples of recent novel probiotics in EU include Clostridium butyricum, and Bacteroides xylanisolvens and examples of novel prebiotics include human milk oligosaccharides such as Lacto-N-neotetraose. Yacon root is an example on a previously novel prebiotic food which is allowed due to the reported existing cultivation and use in EU prior to the novel food regulation. Potential future candidates include further human milk oligosaccharides and bacteria such Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Akkermasia muciniphila. Increasing knowledge on human intestinal microbiota and microbiota development enables the design of new more specific and hitherto unknown probiotics and prebiotics. Also understanding the microbe and microbe host interactions facilitates the search for novel probiotics and prebiotics.</p

Photodiodes based in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/single layer MoS2 hybrid vertical heterostructures

The fabrication of artificial materials by stacking of individual two-dimensional (2D) materials is amongst one of the most promising research avenues in the field of 2D materials. Moreover, this strategy to fabricate new man-made materials can be further extended by fabricating hybrid stacks between 2D materials and other functional materials with different dimensionality making the potential number of combinations almost infinite. Among all these possible combinations, mixing 2D materials with transition metal oxides can result especially useful because of the large amount of interesting physical phenomena displayed separately by these two material families. We present a hybrid device based on the stacking of a single layer MoS2 onto a lanthanum strontium manganite (La0.7Sr0.3MnO3) thin film, creating an atomically thin device. It shows a rectifying electrical transport with a ratio of 103, and a photovoltaic effect with Voc up to 0.4 V. The photodiode behaviour arises as a consequence of the different doping character of these two materials. This result paves the way towards combining the efforts of these two large materials science communities.Comment: 1 table, 4 figures (+9 supp. info. figures

Exogenous Polyamines Influence In Vitro Microbial Adhesion to Human Mucus according to the Age of Mucus Donor

Adhesion to intestinal mucus is the first step for microbiota colonization in early life. Polyamines are polycations with important physiological functions in both procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. However, their role in intestinal mucus adhesion is not known. The objective of the present study was to evaluate whether exogenous polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and their combination) would alter the adhesive properties of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), Bifidobacterium animalis subs. lactis Bb12, Cronobacter sakazakii, and Escherichia coli. Human intestinal mucus was isolated from healthy infants (0–6-month-old and 6–12-month-old) and healthy adults (25–52 years old). Spermidine significantly increased Bb12 adhesion (p </p

β-Secretase 1’s Targeting Reduces Hyperphosphorilated Tau, Implying Autophagy Actors in 3xTg-AD Mice

β-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) initiates APP cleavage, which has been reported to be an inducer of tau pathology by altering proteasome functions in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the exact relationship between BACE1 and PHF (Paired Helical Filaments) formation is not clear. In this study, we confirm that BACE1 and Hsc70 are upregulated in the brains of AD patients, and we demonstrate that both proteins show enhanced expression in lipid rafts from AD-affected triple transgenic mouse brains. BACE1 targeting increased Hsc70 levels in the membrane and cytoplasm fractions and downregulated Hsp90 and CHIP in the nucleus in the hippocampi of 3xTg-AD mice. However, these observations occurred in a proteasome-independent manner in vitro. The BACE1miR-induced reduction of soluble hyperphosphorylated tau was associated with a decrease in MAPK activity. However, the BACE1 RNAi-mediated reduction of hyperphosphorylated tau was only blocked by 3-MA (3-methyladenine) in vitro, and it resulted in the increase of Hsc70 and LAMP2 in lipid rafts from hippocampi of 3xTg-AD mice, and upregulation of survival and homeostasis signaling. In summary, our findings suggest that BACE1 silencing neuroprotects reducing soluble hyperphosphorylated tau, modulating certain autophagy-related proteins in aged 3xTg-AD mice

Educación Inclusiva. Estado del arte, tendencias investigativas y desafíos desde la Revisión Sistemática de la literatura

The objective of this review article was to establish the state of the art and trends in the study of inclusive education, as well as the challenges of this education in the global context. It was a qualitative analysis, under the model of systematic review of the literature, using 20 digital scientific documents in the global context in the period 2017-2023. The analysis process is subdivided into two dimensions: the state of the art and the trends that support an epistemic and methodical orientation of future research. The analysis process is based on hermeneutics through the critical analysis of the documents taken as reference. It is concluded that the concept of inclusive education has not been transformed over time, especially if analysis approaches of the object of study have been integrated with health systems, education systems, global and sectoral public policies, and research. academics, evolving towards understanding disability from special educational needs, which deserve inclusive educational treatment.El objetivo del presente artículo de revisión, fue establecer el estado del arte y las tendencias en el estudio de la educación inclusiva, además de los retos de esta educación en el contexto mundial. Fue un análisis cualitativo, bajo el modelo de revisión sistemática de la literatura, utilizando 20 documentos científicos digitales en el contexto mundial en el período 2017-2023. El proceso de análisis se subdivide en dos dimensiones: el estado del arte y las tendencias contentivas de una orientación epistémica y metódica de futuras investigaciones. El proceso de análisis se fundamenta en la hermenéutica a través del análisis crítico de los documentos tomados como referencia. Se concluye que el concepto de educación inclusiva no se ha transformado a lo largo del tiempo, más si se han integrado enfoques de análisis del objeto de estudio con los sistemas de salud, los sistemas educativos, las políticas públicas mundiales y sectoriales, y las investigaciones académicas, evolucionando hacia comprender la discapacidad desde las necesidades educativas especiales, que ameritan tratamiento educativo inclusivo. &nbsp

Inflation with racetrack superpotential and matter field

Several models of inflation with the racetrack superpotential for the volume modulus coupled to a matter field are investigated. In particular, it is shown that two classes of racetrack inflation models, saddle point and inflection point ones, can be constructed in a fully supersymmetric framework with the matter field F-term as a source of supersymmetry breaking and uplifting. Two models of F-term supersymmetry breaking are considered: the Polonyi model and the quantum corrected O'Raifeartaigh model. In the former case, both classes of racetrack inflation models differ significantly from the corresponding models with non-supersymmetric uplifting. The main difference is a quite strong dominance of the inflaton by the matter field. In addition, fine-tuning of the parameters is relaxed as compared to the original racetrack models. In the case of the racetrack inflation models coupled to the O'Raifeartaigh model, the matter field is approximately decoupled from the inflationary dynamics. In all of the above models the gravitino mass is larger than the Hubble scale during inflation. The possibility of having the gravitino much lighter than the Hubble scale is also investigated. It is very hard to construct models with light gravitino in which the volume modulus dominates inflation. On the other hand, models in which the inflationary dynamics is dominated by the matter field are relatively simple and seem to be more natural.Comment: 40 pages, 13 figures, references added, typos corrected, version to be publishe

Balón de contrapulsación intraaórtico por acceso subclavio como puente a trasplante cardiaco. Reporte de casos:

Advanced heart failure is a major health problem for which heart transplantation or left ventricular assist devices are the only effective treatments. Intra-aortic balloon pump inserted using femoral artery access as a bridge to heart transplantation is still frequently used, but has the disadvantage of limiting the patient’s movements, hence exposing him or her to the hazards of immobility and threatening the success of the procedure or hindering recovery. Access through the subclavian artery has become an attractive alternative since it doesn’t impair the patient’s mobility, and there is increasing evidence supporting its use. We present the first case of subclavian counterpulsation balloon implantation in a cardiovascular care center in Colombia.La falla cardíaca avanzada es un importante problema de salud, siendo la única alternativa definitiva de manejo el trasplante cardíaco o los dispositivos de asistencia ventricular. El balón de contrapulsación intraaórtico por acceso femoral como puente a trasplante, que es aún de uso frecuente, tiene la desventaja de limitar la actividad del paciente, exponiéndolo a las complicaciones de la inmovilidad, lo que puede amenazar el éxito del procedimiento o, al menos, complicar la recuperación después del trasplante. El acceso por la arteria subclavia para el implante se ha convertido en una alternativa atractiva pues evita todas estas limitaciones del acceso femoral y hay evidencia que favorece su utilización como primera alternativa en este contexto. Presentamos los primeros casos de implante de balón de contrapulsación por vía subclavia en un centro de atención cardiovascular de alta complejidad en Colombia

Analytical and clinical evaluation of a new immunoassay for therapeutic drug monitoring of infliximab and adalimumab

Llinares-Tello, F.; Gomez De Salazar, JR.; Senabre Gallego, JM.; Santos Soler, G.; Santos Ramírez, C.; Salas Heredia, E.; Molina García, J. (2012). Analytical and clinical evaluation of a new immunoassay for therapeutic drug monitoring of infliximab and adalimumab. Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine. 5(10):1845-1847. doi:10.1515/cclm-2012-00501845184751