Cotylophoron fülleborni Nasmark, 1937 (Trematoda: Paramphistomidae). Primer Reporte Para Venezuela

Paramphistomosis is a parasitic disease caused by trematodos belonging to the family Paramphistomidae. These parasites are found particularly in the rumen and reticulum, but may also be found in the smal intestine when inmature. Cotylophoron genus affects bovine, ovine, caprine, buffalo, and wild ruminants. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions where environmental conditions such as high humidity, as well as the presence of the suitable intermadiate host allow a successful development of its life cycle. In order to identify the species of Paramphistomidae, the parasites were collected directly from the rumen of 38 bovine that resulted positive in postmortem examination of 150 slaughtered. Parasites underwent histologic mid-sagittal sections, and then stained with hematoxylin and eosin; after which they were identified as Cotylophoron fülleborni. this is a first report in registering the Cotylophoron fülleborni presence in Venezuela.La paramfistomosis es una parasitosis ocasionada por trematodos pertenecientes a la familia Paramphistomidae, localizados principalmente en el rumen y retículo de rumiantes. El género Cotylophoron afecta bovinos, ovinos, caprinos, búfalos y rumiantes silvestres y está ampliamente distribuido en regiones tropicales y subtropicales en donde las condiciones de humedad y la presencia del hospedador intermediario adecuado permiten que su ciclo evolutivo se desarrolle completamente. Para la identificación de la especie se realizó la colecta de los parásitos directamente del rumen de 38 bovinos que resultaron positivos de 150 examinados y sacrificados a nivel de matadero. Los parásitos fueron sometidos a cortes histológicos sagitales a nivel medio y coloreados con hematoxilina-eosina e identificados como Cotylophoron fülleborni, constituyendo este el primer reporte de su presencia en Venezuela

Buenas prácticas ganaderas en hatos lecheros de Santa Rosa de Cabal, Risaralda, Colombia

The objective of the present study was to analyze the degree of compliance of these practices, by evaluation of 99 variables in 21 productive systems in Santa Rosa de Cabal, Risaralda. Only one of the farms complied with the 48 fundamental criteria required and, the degree of compliance of major and minor criteria was insufficient. Only 8 of the farms are certified as free of brucellosis and tuberculosis. The best performing areas are animal welfare (81%) and those related to the milking routine (79.1%); On the other hand, the most deficient were the control of veterinary drugs and agricultural products (5.8%), as well as the conditions of the cooling tank (32.6%). Through a Multiple Correspondence Analysis, a significant association was found between variables involved with the guarantee in the safety of the milk, regarding the operation, cleaning and disinfection of equipment that guarantee an adequate temperature. There was also an association between variables involved in the milking procedure and hygienic conditions during the milking procedure, involving both the operator and the animal. A lack of training and awareness about the importance of compliance with many of these criteria was found, this is a fundamental tool to obtain a diagnosis of the current sanitary status, and in which it may be necessary to take into account other variables, not included in the current checklist, for a later implementation and follow-up to improvement plans of the productive systems.El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar el grado de cumplimiento de BPG, mediante la evaluación de 99 variables en 21 sistemas productivos del municipio de Santa Rosa de Cabal, Risaralda. Solo uno de los predios cumplió con los 48 criterios fundamentales exigidos y en general, el grado de cumplimiento de criterios mayores y menores fue insuficiente. Solo 8 de los hatos están certificados como libres de brucelosis y tuberculosis. Las áreas de mejor desempeño son el bienestar animal (81%) y las relacionadas con la rutina de ordeño (79,1%); en cambio, las mas deficientes fueron el control de medicamentos veterinarios e insumos agropecuarios (5,8%), así como las condiciones del tanque de enfriamiento (32,6%). Mediante un Análisis de Correspondencia múltiple, se encontró asociación significativa entre variables que tienen que ver con la garantía en la inocuidad de la leche, en lo referente a la operación, limpieza y desinfección de equipos que garanticen una temperatura adecuada. También hubo asociación entre variables que tienen que ver con el procedimiento de ordeño y condiciones de higiene durante la faena, que involucran tanto al operario, como al animal. Se evidencia falta de capacitación y concientización acerca de la importancia del cumplimiento de muchos criterios de BPG, que es una herramienta fundamental para obtener un diagnostico del estado actual del hato, y en la cual posiblemente sea necesario tener en cuenta otras variables, no incluidas en la lista de verificación actual, para una posterior implementación y seguimiento a planes de mejoramiento de los sistemas productivos

Propiedades psicométricas de la escala de comunicación familiar en población colombiana

Family communication establishes a vehicle for the transmission of information between family members and completely marks the nature and quality of family life. Family communication can be understood as an index of the climate and quality of the family system. Objective: To determine the psychometric properties of the Family Communication Scale of Olson et al. (1982) in its 20-item version. The participants were 934 Colombian university students between 18 and 35 years old. Method: A descriptive analysis of items and correlation with the scale was carried out, additionally a confirmatory factor analysis was carried out with the maximum likelihood method and varimax rotation. The internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s Omega, followed by the analysis of the discrimination of the items through the biserial correlation coefficient. Results: The results indicate that the scale is reliable for its use in the Colombian population between 18 and 35 years old

Food intake regulating-neuropeptides are expressed and regulated through pregnancy and following food restriction in rat placenta

Background Neuropeptide Y (NPY), agouti related peptide (AgRP), cocaine and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) and melanocortins, the products of the proopiomelanocortin (POMC), are hypothalamic peptides involved in feeding regulation and energy homeostasis. Recent evidence has demonstrated their expression in rat and human placenta. Methods In the current study, we have investigated the expression of those neuropeptides in the rat placenta by real-time PCR using a model of maternal food restriction. Results Our results showed that placental-derived neuropeptides were regulated through pregnancy and following food restriction. Conclusion These data could indicate that placental-derived neuropeptides represent a local regulatory circuit that may fine-tune control of energy balance during pregnancyThis work has been supported by grants from Xunta de Galicia (ML: GRC2006/66), Fondo Investigationes Sanitarias (ML: PI061700), Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia (CD: BFU2005), Mútua Madrileña (CD and ML) and European Union (CD: LSHM-CT-2003-503041)S

Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Chenopodium ambrosioides

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was achieved using extract of Chenopodium ambrosioides as a reducer and coating agent at room temperature (25°C). Two molar solutions of AgNO3 (1 mM and 10 mM) and five extract volumes (0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 5 mL) were used to assess quantity, shape, and size of the particles. The UV-Vis spectra gave surface plasmon resonance at 434–436 nm of the NPs synthesized with AgNO3 10 mM and all extract volumes tested, showing a direct relationship between extract volumes and quantity of particles formed. In contrast, the concentration of silver ions was related negatively to particle size. The smallest (4.9 ± 3.4 nm) particles were obtained with 1 mL of extract in AgNO3 10 mM and the larger amount of particles were obtained with 2 mL and 5 mL of extract. TEM study indicated that the particles were polycrystalline and randomly oriented with a silver structure face centered cubic (fcc) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) indicated that disappearance of the –OH group band after bioreduction evidences its role in reducing silver ions

What’s in a mass

This short essay pretends to make the reader reflect on the concept of biological mass and on the added value that the determination of this molecular property of a protein brings to the interpretation of evolutionary and translational snake venomics research. Starting from the premise that the amino acid sequence is the most distinctive primary molecular characteristics of any protein, the thesis underlying the first part of this essay is that the isotopic distribution of a protein's molecular mass serves to unambiguously differentiate it from any other of an organism's proteome. In the second part of the essay, we discuss examples of collaborative projects among our laboratories, where mass profiling of snake venom PLA2 across conspecific populations played a key role revealing dispersal routes that determined the current phylogeographic pattern of the species.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades/[BFU2017-89103-P]/MICIU/EspañaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP

Direct Polyphenol Attachment on the Surfaces of Magnetite Nanoparticles, Using Vitis vinifera, Vaccinium corymbosum, or Punica granatum

This study presents an alternative approach to directly synthesizing magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) in the presence of Vitis vinifera, Vaccinium corymbosum, and Punica granatum derived from natural sources (grapes, blueberries, and pomegranates, respectively). A modified co-precipitation method that combines phytochemical techniques was developed to produce semispherical MNPs that range in size from 7.7 to 8.8 nm and are coated with a ~1.5 nm thick layer of polyphenols. The observed structure, composition, and surface properties of the MNPs@polyphenols demonstrated the dual functionality of the phenolic groups as both reducing agents and capping molecules that are bonding with Fe ions on the surfaces of the MNPs via –OH groups. Magnetic force microscopy images revealed the uniaxial orientation of single magnetic domains (SMDs) associated with the inverse spinel structure of the magnetite (Fe3O4). The samples’ inductive heating (H0 = 28.9 kA/m, f = 764 kHz), measured via the specific loss power (SLP) of the samples, yielded values of up to 187.2 W/g and showed the influence of the average particle size. A cell viability assessment was conducted via the MTT and NRu tests to estimate the metabolic and lysosomal activities of the MNPs@polyphenols in K562 (chronic myelogenous leukemia, ATCC) cells

Tissue Localization and Extracellular Matrix Degradation by PI, PII and PIII Snake Venom Metalloproteinases: Clues on the Mechanisms of Venom-Induced Hemorrhage

20 páginas, 4 figuras, 3 tablas y 7 tablas en material suplementario.Snake venom hemorrhagic metalloproteinases (SVMPs) of the PI, PII and PIII classes were compared in terms of tissue localization and their ability to hydrolyze basement membrane components in vivo, as well as by a proteomics analysis of exudates collected in tissue injected with these enzymes. Immunohistochemical analyses of co-localization of these SVMPs with type IV collagen revealed that PII and PIII enzymes co-localized with type IV collagen in capillaries, arterioles and post-capillary venules to a higher extent than PI SVMP, which showed a more widespread distribution in the tissue. The patterns of hydrolysis by these three SVMPs of laminin, type VI collagen and nidogen in vivo greatly differ, whereas the three enzymes showed a similar pattern of degradation of type IV collagen, supporting the concept that hydrolysis of this component is critical for the destabilization of microvessel structure leading to hemorrhage. Proteomic analysis of wound exudate revealed similarities and differences between the action of the three SVMPs. Higher extent of proteolysis was observed for the PI enzyme regarding several extracellular matrix components and fibrinogen, whereas exudates from mice injected with PII and PIII SVMPs had higher amounts of some intracellular proteins. Our results provide novel clues for understanding the mechanisms by which SVMPs induce damage to the microvasculature and generate hemorrhage.This work was performed in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the PhD degree for Cristina Herrera at Universidad de Costa Rica.Peer reviewe