The Effect of Mentholated Cigarette Use on interleukin-6 Responses Across Different HIV Positive Race/Ethnic Subgroups

In this report, we analyze trends in interleukin-6 (IL-6) production in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH), as a function of smoking behaviors and race, using a clinic-based case-control design. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were collected from a multiethnic cohort of 120 PLWH to measure IL-6 in culture supernatant. The data indicated that stimulated PBMC produced significantly higher levels of IL-6 in smokers than nonsmokers. However, as expected, this relationship was substantially modified by race. The distinctive production of IL-6 across different racial groups highlights the need for additional studies and suggests that African American smokers have enhanced production of IL-6 than other groups. Additional analyses indicate that higher IL-6 levels are related to the predicted use of mentholated cigarettes, which are more frequently used by African Americans. These findings warrant further investigation and indicate the critical need for tailored preventive interventions

Modelación del efecto de escenarios de cobertura sobre la migración de nutrientes (N, P2O5) en la cuenca alta del río Magdalena (Huila, Colombia)*

The combination of deforestation due to agricultural frontier expansion and the increased use of fertilizers due to agricultural intensification has lead to an increase in the load of sediments and pollutants that negatively affect water quality in rural areas. This problem is particularly serious in the Colombian Andean region. This study applies a hydrological simulation model to compare the effect of four vegetable coverage management scenarios on nutrient migration from agricultural practices in the Upper Magdalena river basin. The simulation of water movement over hillsides and channels, which was run using the MIKE SHE and MIKE 11 models, showed an acceptable performance (S/σ =0.84, R=0.82, R2=0.67). However, pollutant migration showed a very low sensitivity to vegetable coverage in the configuration of the different model simulations (p > 0.05), with reductions in pollutant loads ranging only between 2 and 4%. Such reductions have to do with the intrinsic properties of vegetation (which act like a barrier to sediment flow,) with its ability to increase soil infiltration (therefore reducing runoff,) and with nutrient absorption by plants

Non-Syndromic Multi Focal Non-Ossifying Fibroma: A Diagnostic Challenge of Giant-Cell Rich Lesions

Background: Diagnosing GCL can be extremely difficult due to the rarity of these lesions. Histologically many benign GCL mimic each other and can further be mistaken for a malignant GCL. Additionally confusing the diagnosis, many benign GCL have significant morphological overlap. However, it is of utmost importance to arrive at an accurate diagnosis as treatment varies significantly based on the pathology. Our patient presentation highlights that differentiating GCLs can be a diagnostic challenge as illustrated. Our review of the literature found scarce reports of multifocal non-ossifying fibroma. In this case report, we describe a non-syndromic multifocal non-ossifying fibroma successfully treated with biopsy curettage and grafting. This patient was informed that her case would be submitted for publication and she agreed. Case: A 14 year-old-girl complained of left knee pain for 3 months and radiographic imaging showed a destructive bone lesion at her distal femoral metaphysis, the tibial tubercle, and proximal fibula. The patient had no history of trauma and reported no infectious, inflammatory, or syndromic symptoms. Core biopsy of the left thigh lesion showed findings most consistent with giant cell tumor. Bone scintigraphy revealed new lesions at the distal femur and proximal tibia on the contralateral (right) side. Patient was treated with biopsy curettage and grafting. Intra-operative frozen section permanent reads showed giant-cell rich non-ossifying fibroma. Due to discrepancy in core biopsy and intra-operative biopsy a independent pathology consult was requested on surgical specimens. Histologically, the differential diagnosis included non-ossifying fibroma, giant cell tumor of bone, and ossifying fibroma. Radiographic imaging combined with histology gave a final pathological diagnosis most consistent with non-ossifying fibroma. Conclusion: Differentiating non-syndromic multifocal non-ossifying fibroma from other giant cell rich lesions can be a diagnostic challenge. A combined approach using histology, clinical presentation, and radiology is imperative in reaching the correct diagnosis

Treinta años de protección y aplicación de los derechos fundamentales y colectivos

En el presente artículo se abordan y caracterizan la acción de tutela, el habeas corpus, las acciones populares y las de grupo. El objetivo es revisar las modi­ficaciones legislativas y reglamentarias para valorar si los cambios preservan estas acciones constitucionales, favorecen su aplicación y brindan una mejor protección de los derechos humanos y del ordenamiento jurídico, en general

The initial human settlement of Northwest South America during the Pleistocene/Holocene transition: Synthesis and perspectives

The northwestern corner of South America, represented by the current territory of Colombia, is a key region to asses some relevant issues linked with the initial human peopling of the area, including population dispersals, cultural diversity, and early adaptations to the changing environmental conditions experienced by lowland and highland north-Andean Neotropical ecosystems at the Pleistocene/Holocene transition. The aim of this paper is to present a synthesis of the archaeological research about early peopling carried out in Northwest South America during the last four decades. Specifically, it will focus on the adaptive strategies and the cultural diversity patterns exhibited by the early hunter-gatherer groups that entered the region since late Pleistocene times. The classic ideas about the time of arrival of the first settlers, the dispersal routes, the incidence of the climate change in on the rate of dispersal and colonization of different habitats, and the role of the megafauna in the subsistence will be reviewed, prior to the formulation of new hypotheses about the meaning of the apparent intraregional diversity of the archaeological record and the evolution of economic strategies over time.Fil: Aceituno, Francisco J.. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Loaiza, Nicolás. Universidad de Antioquia; Colombia. Temple University; Estados UnidosFil: Delgado Burbano, Miguel Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Barrientos, Gustavo. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

Cognitive performance and the thymus among HIV-infected subjects receiving HAART

Maria J Miguez-Burbano1, John E Lewis2, Jose Moreno3, Joel Fishman41Robert Stempel School of Public Health & School of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA; 2Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, 3Department of Medicine, 4Department of Radiology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USAObjective: To evaluate the impact of alcohol use, which is widespread in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)+ individuals, on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-associated immune and cognitive improvements and the relationship between those two responses.Methods: In a case-control longitudinal study, thymic volume, cognition, and immune responses were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months therapy in HIV+ and HIV- controls. Cognitive performance was evaluated using the HIV Dementia Score (HDS) and the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT).Results: Prior to HAART, thymic volume varied considerably from 2.7 to 29.3 cm3 (11 ± 7.2 cm3). Thymic volume at baseline showed a significantly inverse correlation with the patient’s number of years of drinking (r2 = 0.207; p < 0.01), as well as HDS and the CVLT scores in both HIV-infected (r2 = 0.37, p = 0.03) and noninfected (r2 = 0.8, p = 0.01). HIV-infected individuals with a small thymic volume scored in the demented range, as compared with those with a larger thymus (7 ± 2.7 vs. 12 ± 2.3, p = 0.005). After HAART, light/moderate drinkers exhibited thymus size twice that of heavy drinkers (14.8 ± 10.4 vs. 6.9 ± 3.3 cm3).Conclusions: HAART-associated increases of thymus volume appear to be negatively affected by alcohol consumption and significantly related to their cognitive status. This result could have important clinical implications.Keywords: thymus, CNS, immune, alcoho

The rise and fall of the Phytophthora infestans lineage that triggered the Irish potato famine

Phytophthora infestans, the cause of potato late blight, is infamous for having triggered the Irish Great Famine in the 1840s. Until the late 1970s, P. infestans diversity outside of its Mexican center of origin was low, and one scenario held that a single strain, US-1, had dominated the global population for 150 years; this was later challenged based on DNA analysis of historical herbarium specimens. We have compared the genomes of 11 herbarium and 15 modern strains. We conclude that the nineteenth century epidemic was caused by a unique genotype, HERB-1, that persisted for over 50 years. HERB-1 is distinct from all examined modern strains, but it is a close relative of US-1, which replaced it outside of Mexico in the twentieth century. We propose that HERB-1 and US-1 emerged from a metapopulation that was established in the early 1800s outside of the species' center of diversity.Comment: To be published in eLIF

Efecto de la adición de harina de nuez en la calidad panadera de budines libres de gluten

La harina de nuez de nogal se obtiene como subproducto de la extracción de aceite por prensado en frio. Se caracteriza por presentar un alto contenido lipídico (40%), y de similar composición que la nuez, y un contenido de proteínas y fibra cercano al 27% y 13 % respectivamente. Dado que en general los productos libres de gluten presentan menor valor nutricional que sus análogos con trigo, quienes siguen una dieta sin t.a.c.c (trigo, avena, cebada y centeno) pueden tener deficiencias nutricionales asociadas. En este contexto, es que al formular productos libres de gluten se busca emplear ingredientes que eleven la calidad nutricional de los mismos manteniendo a la vez la calidad tecnológica. Por lo que el objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el efecto de la adición de harina de nuez en la calidad panadera de budines libres de gluten. Se empleó una formulación a base de harina de arroz, almidón de maíz y fécula de mandioca y la harina de nuez se agregó en dos niveles (10 %y 15%, en base harina). Se utilizó como formulación control aquella sin agregado de harina de nuez. La calidad panadera de los budines frescos se evaluó a través de la determinación de: volumen específico, humedad, color, actividad de agua (aw) y textura de la miga y color y actividad de agua de la corteza. En cuanto al volumen específico los budines con 10% de adición y los del control no mostraron diferencias significativas entre sí, pero sí fueron estadísticamente diferentes a los budines con 15% de adición, presentando estos últimos mayor volumen específico. El color tanto de la miga como de la corteza de los budines se vio modificado por la adición de la harina de nuez, la luminosidad de las muestras disminuyó conforme aumentó el porcentaje de adición del subproducto. Mientras, que la humedad y la aw de la miga no mostraron diferencias significativas entre las muestras estudiadas pero sí se encontraron diferencias significativas en la aw de la corteza. Respecto al análisis de textura, la dureza y consistencia de las muestras evaluadas aumentaron conforme disminuyó el porcentaje de harina de nuez; los budines control y con 10% no mostraron diferencias entre sí, pero si fueron diferentes a los budines con 15 % de harina de nuez. Por otro lado, la elasticidad, resiliencia y masticabilidad resultaron significativamente distintas aumentando conforme se disminuyó el porcentaje de adición del subproducto. Por lo tanto, estos resultados muestran la aptitud de la harina de nuez para ser utilizada en la elaboración de budines sin gluten, obteniéndose un producto de mayor calidad tecnológica que el budín control.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimento

Tratamiento de las fracturas del fémur distal en ancianos

Presentamos los resultados comparativos del tratamiento con dos métodos diferentes de 55 casos de fractura del fémur distal en pacientes ancianos. Hugo 27 pacientes que fueron tratados con el tornillo dinámico condilar (grupo A) y 28 con tracción esquelética (grupo B). Se obtuvieron resultados excelentes y buenos en el 70% del grupo quirúrgico y en el 30% del grupo no intervenido. Hubo más complicaciones en este último. Cinco pacientes fallecieron, todos ellos en el grupo B.We report the comparative results of treatment of 55 cases of fractures of the distal femur in elderly patients using two different methods. There were 27 patients treated with the dynamic condylar screw (group A), and 28 with skeletal traction (group B). excellent or good results were achieved in 70% of the operated and in 30% of the non-operated group. There were more complications in the latter. Five patients died, all of them in group B