Activated Human T Cells, B Cells, and Monocytes Produce Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor In Vitro and in Inflammatory Brain Lesions: A Neuroprotective Role of Inflammation?

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has potent effects on neuronal survival and plasticity during development and after injury. In the nervous system, neurons are considered the major cellular source of BDNF. We demonstrate here that in addition, activated human T cells, B cells, and monocytes secrete bioactive BDNF in vitro. Notably, in T helper (Th)1- and Th2-type CD4+ T cell lines specific for myelin autoantigens such as myelin basic protein or myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, BDNF production is increased upon antigen stimulation. The BDNF secreted by immune cells is bioactive, as it supports neuronal survival in vitro. Using anti-BDNF monoclonal antibody and polyclonal antiserum, BDNF immunoreactivity is demonstrable in inflammatory infiltrates in the brain of patients with acute disseminated encephalitis and multiple sclerosis. The results raise the possibility that in the nervous system, inflammatory infiltrates have a neuroprotective effect, which may limit the success of nonselective immunotherapies

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Treatment with glatiramer acetate induces specific IgG4 antibodies in multiple sclerosis patients

We analysed the humoral immune response to glatiramer acetate (GA, Copaxone) in 20 multiple sclerosis patients treated with GA, 20 patients not treated with GA and 20 normal control subjects. Using an ELISA for detection of total GA-reactive immunoglobulins (all isotypes), all treated patients but also 3/20 untreated and 8/20 healthy subjects scored positive at 1:20 plasma dilutions. At higher dilutions, 5/20 treated patients and two healthy donors had relatively high levels of anti-GA antibodies. Isotype and IgG subclass analysis revealed that the two antibody-positive normal subjects had IgM and small titers of IgG1 or IgG2 antibodies. In contrast, 18 of 20 GA-treated patients, had low but significant titers of GA- reactive IgG4 antibodies. This finding is consistent with the previously described GA-mediated induction of T-helper 2 (TH2)- like regulatory T cells. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V All rights reserved

Conservación de las tortugas continentales de Colombia: evaluación 2012-2013 y propuesta 2015-2020

Este documento es de interés tanto para los investigadores de las diversas instituciones que laboran en Colombia, como para las autoridades ambientales, incluidos los tomadores de decisiones y la sociedad en general. La construcción de estas estrategias (2015-2020), representa una guía de trabajo u hoja de ruta que busca constituirse en una herramienta para que cualquier persona u organización que quiera propender por la conservación de las tortugas tenga un referente de cuáles son las necesidades y prioridades de trabajo en el país respecto a este grupo. Esperamos que este esfuerzo sea bien recibido por todos los sectores del país y muy especialmente por las autoridades ambientales regionales y de desarrollo sostenible, y se vea reflejado en mayores inversiones para la conservación de este valioso recurso.Bogotá, D. C., ColombiaInstituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von Humbold

Memorias semana de la Facultad de Educación. VII semana: historias, saberes y prácticas educativas innovadoras e incluyentes.

Las Memorias de la VII Semana de la Educación “Historias, saberes y prácticas educativas innovadoras e incluyentes”, publicadas por la Editorial de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO, reúnen las ponencias y resúmenes sobre esta temática presentadas en un evento de realización anual, cuyo propósito es socializar experiencias investigativas y académicas de grupos, semilleros de investigación y trabajos de grado entre estudiantes y profesores de la Facultad de Educación, y con profesores y estudiantes de otras instituciones educativas que gentilmente compartieron experiencias en el campo de la educación, la pedagogía, el arte, la cultura y el deporte. El principal interés de este encuentro radica en recoger la construcción histórica educativa de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO con respecto a sus orígenes y construcciones académicas; y las experiencias históricas de otras propuestas educativas a nivel de la educación infantil, básica, media y superior con tejido cultural y social, desde un enfoque diferencial y diverso en el cual todas las experiencias enriquecen la formación de maestros desde la innovación e inclusión en los diferentes contextos. En este encuentro participaron las universidades Antonio Nariño, de la Amazonia, del Rosario, La Gran Colombia y Pedagógica Nacional, así como la Corporación Escuela Pedagógica Experimental, el Centro Educativo de Nuestra Señora de la Paz, el Instituto Colombo Sueco y varios docentes de la Secretaría de Educación Distrital de Bogotá D. C

A social and ecological assessment of tropical land uses at multiple scales:the Sustainable Amazon Network

Science has a critical role to play in guiding more sustainable development trajectories. Here, we present the Sustainable Amazon Network (Rede Amazonia Sustentavel, RAS): a multidisciplinary research initiative involving more than 30 partner organizations working to assess both social and ecological dimensions of land-use sustainability in eastern Brazilian Amazonia. The research approach adopted by RAS offers three advantages for addressing land-use sustainability problems: (i) the collection of synchronized and co-located ecological and socioeconomic data across broad gradients of past and present human use; (ii) a nested sampling design to aid comparison of ecological and socioeconomic conditions associated with different land uses across local, landscape and regional scales; and (iii) a strong engagement with a wide variety of actors and non-research institutions. Here, we elaborate on these key features, and identify the ways in which RAS can help in highlighting those problems in most urgent need of attention, and in guiding improvements in land-use sustainability in Amazonia and elsewhere in the tropics. We also discuss some of the practical lessons, limitations and realities faced during the development of the RAS initiative so far