Association Between Cold Exposure and Asthma: Systematic Review and meta-analysis, 1965-2015

Objetivos:realizar una revisión sistemática y meta-análisis de estudios observacionales y experimentales que exploren la relación entre asma y exposición al frío Materiales y Métodos:revisión sistemática de estudios experimentales y observacionales publicados hasta agosto de 2015 en Pubmed, Embase y Lilacs. Dos investigadores seleccionaron estudios midiendo la ocurrencia de asma tras la exposición a diferentes temperaturas. Usando un modelo de efectos aleatorios en RevMan 5.3, un meta-análisis calculó un resumen de Odds Ratio ponderado con intervalos de confianza de 95%. Un análisis de sensibilidad identificó la influencia de cada estudio. Análisis de subgrupo identificaron las medidas de resumen de acuerdo a tipo de exposición al frío y diseño de estudio. Finalmente, medimos heterogeneidad y riesgo de sesgos. Resultados:encontramos 86 estudios explorando la relación entre la exposición al frío y el asma. Incluimos 11.6% (10/86) de los estudios en el meta-análisis y encontramos una asociación entre la exposición al frío y asma en todos los estudios (ORw 2.0 95%CI 1.28-3.14), en el subgrupo de estudios experimentales (ORw 3.8 IC95% 1.70-8.86), y aire frío ambiental (ORw 1.59 IC95% 1.10-2.30). Los estudios tienen alto riesgo de sesgos y heterogeneidad [I2: 63.1% (27%-81.4%)]. Conclusiones: los resultados apoyan la hipótesis de una asociación entre asma y exposición al frío. Este estudio invita a explorar los conceptos de la medicina tradicional para la prevención y cuidado de enfermedades respiratorias.Objectives: to conduct a systematic review and a meta-analysis of observational and expe- rimental studies that explore the relation between asthma and cold exposure. Materials and methods: systematic review of experimental and observational studies pu- blished up to August 2015 in Pubmed, Embase and Lilacs. Two researchers selected studies that measured the occurrence of asthma in individuals exposed to different environmen- tal temperatures. A meta-analysis used RevMan 5.3’s random effects model to calculate a summary weighted Odds Ratio with 95% confidence intervals, and a sensitivity analysis identified the influence of each study. Subsequent subgroup analyses identified summary measures by type of cold exposure and study design. Additional analysis measured hetero- geneity and risk of bias. Results: we found 86 studies measuring the relation between cold exposure and asthma. We included 11.6% (10/86) of the studies in the meta-analysis and found an association between cold exposure and asthma with all the studies (ORw 2.0 95%CI 1.28-3.14), with the subgroup of experimental studies (ORw 3.8 IC95% 1.70-8.86), and with cold environmental air (ORw 1.59 IC95% 1.10-2.30). The studies had high risk of bias and statistical heteroge- neity [I2 : 63.1% (27%-81.4%)]. Conclusions: the results support the hypothesis of an association between asthma and cold exposure. This study encourages to explore the concepts proposed by traditional medi- cine to establish its benefits on prevention and care of respiratory diseases, such as asthma

Jogo de rol como teste informatizado para avaliar a resolução de conflitos na infância

This paper presents the results from developing an online role-playing game based on simulated situations for assessing the resolutions of conflicts in childhood. We compare the answers provided by two groups of children who answered the computer game test and the board game version with the presence of an interviewer. The results indicate that children who answered the computer-based test were more inclined to attack, than those who answered the board game version. As a conclusion, we can state that the decisions children made in the different situations varied according to a greater or lesser expectation of social sanction when answering the questions. In this way, the use of computer-based tests and simulated situations may help to study spontaneous responses that reflect everyday behaviorSe presentan los resultados del desarrollo de un videojuego online como test informatizado basado en situaciones simuladas para acceder a la resolución de conflictos en la infancia. Comparamos las respuestas dadas por dos grupos de niños quienes respondieron la versión del juego de computador y la versión del juego de mesa con presencia de un entrevistador. Como conclusión se pudo establecer que las decisiones que los niños toman en las distintas situaciones varían de acuerdo a una mayor o menor expectativa de sanción social al responder las preguntas. En este sentido, el uso de test informatizados y la simulación de situaciones podría ayudar a estudiar respuestas más espontáneas que reflejen comportamientos cotidianosEste trabalho apresenta os resultados do desenvolvimento de um videogame online como uma prova computadorizada baseado em situações simuladas para acessar a resolução de conflitos na infância. Comparamos as respostas dadas por dois grupos de crianças que responderam à versão do jogo de computador e à versão do jogo de tabuleiro com a presença de um entrevistador. Como conclusão, foi estabelecido que as decisões que as crianças fazem em diferentes situações variam de acordo com uma maior ou menor expectativa de sanção social ao responder as perguntas. Nesse sentido, o uso de testes computadorizados e a simulação de situações podem ajudar a estudar respostas mais espontâneas que refletem os comportamentos diários das crianças

Characterization of Fusarium species associated with rotting of corn root in Guanajuato, Mexico

"En el maíz Fusarium spp., ocasiona marchitez desde plántulas hasta planta adulta, causando generalmente pudriciones en los órganos vegetativos, como hojas, tallo y raíz. En el presente estudio se caracterizó la diversidad de especies del género Fusarium asociadas a la pudrición del tallo de maíz, en parcelas del estado de Guanajuato, y se realizaron pruebas de patogenicidad con las especies identificadas. Durante el 2006 se colectaron, en 15 municipios, plantas con daño evidente causado por éste patógeno. En 2009, se identificaron las especies presentes mediante pruebas microbiológicas y se evaluó su patogenicidad al inocularlas en trece accesiones raciales de maíz. Los resultados indican la presencia de F. subglutinans, F. verticillioides, F. heterosporum, F. esquiseti, F. proliferatum y F. reticulatum, en donde F. subglutinans fue la especie más abundante. En cuanto a patogenicidad, F. verticillioides y F. subglutinans fueron las especies más patogénicas en las razas de maíz. La raza de maíz más tolerante fue la raza Tuxpeño y la más susceptible fue Zapalote Chico.""The negative effects revealed in corn, such as seedlings decay to damage on the mature plant, are caused by Fusarium spp., usually causing decay on the plant organs, for instance leaves, stem and root. The present study characterized the diversity of Fusarium species associated with rotting of corn stalk in plots from the state of Guanajuato; pathogenicity tests were performed with the identified species. Plants with an evident damage caused by this pathogen were collected from 15 municipalities during 2006. The species identified in 2009, by means of microbiological tests and their pathogenicity, became evaluated as they were inoculated into thirteen race of maize accessions. The presence of F. subglutinans, F. verticillioides, F. heterosporum, F. esquiseti, F. proliferatum and F. reticulatum is revealed, being F. subglutinans the most abundant species. Concerning pathogenicity, F. verticillioides and F. subglutinans were the most pathogenic races of maize. The most tolerant race of maize was the Tuxpeño breed, and the most susceptible was the Zapalote Chico.

Epistatic interaction of ERAP1 and HLA-B in Behçet disease: a replication study in the Spanish population

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multifactorial disorder associated with the HLA region. Recently, the ERAP1 gene has been proposed as a susceptibility locus with a recessive model and with epistatic interaction with HLA-B51. ERAP1 trims peptides in the endoplasmic reticulum to optimize their length for MHC-I binding. Polymorphisms in this gene have been related with the susceptibility to other immune-mediated diseases associated to HLA class I. Our aim was, the replication in the Spanish population of the association described in the Turkish population between ERAP1 (rs17482078) and BD. Additionally, in order to improve the understanding of this association we analyzed four additional SNPs (rs27044, rs10050860, rs30187 and rs2287987) associated with other diseases related to HLA class I and the haplotype blocks in this gene region. According to our results, frequencies of the homozygous genotypes for the minor alleles of all the SNPs were increased among patients and the OR values were higher in the subgroup of patients with the HLA-B risk factors, although differences were not statistically significant. Moreover, the presence of the same mutation in both chromosomes increased the OR values from 4.51 to 10.72 in individuals carrying the HLA-B risk factors. Therefore, although they were not statistically significant, our data were consistent with an association between ERAP1 and BD as well as with an epistatic interaction between ERAP1 and HLA-B in the Spanish population

Molecular Characterization of a Strawberry FaASR Gene in Relation to Fruit Ripening

BACKGROUND: ABA-, stress- and ripening-induced (ASR) proteins have been reported to act as a downstream component involved in ABA signal transduction. Although much attention has been paid to the roles of ASR in plant development and stress responses, the mechanisms by which ABA regulate fruit ripening at the molecular level are not fully understood. In the present work, a strawberry ASR gene was isolated and characterized (FaASR), and a polyclonal antibody against FaASR protein was prepared. Furthermore, the effects of ABA, applied to two different developmental stages of strawberry, on fruit ripening and the expression of FaASR at transcriptional and translational levels were investigated. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: FaASR, localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus, contained 193 amino acids and shared common features with other plant ASRs. It also functioned as a transcriptional activator in yeast with trans-activation activity in the N-terminus. During strawberry fruit development, endogenous ABA content, levels of FaASR mRNA and protein increased significantly at the initiation of ripening at a white (W) fruit developmental stage. More importantly, application of exogenous ABA to large green (LG) fruit and W fruit markedly increased endogenous ABA content, accelerated fruit ripening, and greatly enhanced the expression of FaASR transcripts and the accumulation of FaASR protein simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that FaASR may be involved in strawberry fruit ripening. The observed increase in endogenous ABA content, and enhanced FaASR expression at transcriptional and translational levels in response to ABA treatment might partially contribute to the acceleration of strawberry fruit ripening