Preoperative serum CD26 levels: diagnostic efficiency and predictive value for colorectal cancer

CD26 is an ectoenzyme with dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity expressed on a variety of cell types. Although the function of the high concentration of serum-soluble CD26 (sCD26) is unknown, it may be related to the cleavage of biologically active polypeptides. As CD26 or enzymatic activity levels were previously associated with cancer, we examined the potential diagnostic and prognostic value of preoperative sCD26 measurements by ELISA in colorectal carcinoma patients. We found a highly significant difference between sCD26 levels in healthy donors (mean 559.7 ± 125.5 μg l–1) and cancer patients (mean 261.7 ± 138.1 μg l–1) (P < 0.001). A cut-off at 410 μg l–1 gave 90% sensitivity with 90% specificity which means that the diagnostic efficiency of sCD26 is higher than that shown by other markers, particularly in patients at early stages. Moreover, sCD26 as a variable is not related with Dukes’ stage classification, age, gender, tumour location or degree of differentiation. With a follow-up of 2 years until recurrence, preliminary data show that sCD26 can be managed as a prognostic variable of early carcinoma patients. In addition, the origin of sCD26 is discussed. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Microbiological and clinical aspects of raoultella spp.

The genus Raoultella was established in 2001. Species of Raoultella and Klebsiella share many ecological, biochemical, clinical, and microbiological features. Given the shortcomings of available technology for species identification in the clinical microbiology laboratory, are practically indistinguishable. Since the late 2000s there has been an increase in case reports of human Raoultella infections. Therefore, several authors are postulating that Raoultella spp. are rare and/or emerging pathogens. Conclusions: Raoultella spp. are very similar to Klebsiella spp. The epidemiology and the clinical relevance of the human Raoultella spp. infections is uncertain and further studies are required. The previous difficulties in the identification of Raoultella spp. and the introduction of more precise identification techniques may explain the recent increase in the number of case reports. Raoultella spp. might be rather underdiagnosed than rare or emerging pathogens. © Copyright © 2021 Appel, Quijano-Martínez, De La Cadena, Mojica and Villegas

Nucleoside diphosphate kinase A (NM23-H1) as a potential biomarker candidate for colorectal cancer

Comunicaciones a congreso

Readiness Potential in Parkinson's Disease: Effects of L-Dopa Therapy and Brain Transplants

Accurate local positioning systems usually use a network of anchor nodes at known locations to track mobile nodes based on the measurement of the time of arrival (TOA) at anchor nodes of beacon signals transmitted by the mobile nodes. To localize the mobile node either TOA processing, where the unknown transmit time is estimated along with the node location, or time difference of arrival (TDOA) processing, where the transmit time is eliminated before estimating the node location, can be used. We show that the position error bound of both these formulations are the same by analyzing the Cramér-Rao lower bound. When processing data collected in field trials, however, we observed that the TOA processing yields better localization accuracy, and explain this behavior using differential geometry-based curvature measures that show that the TDOA cost function has greater degree of non-linearity.T. Sathyan, M. Hedley, M. Mallic

Diversidad genética de aislados de pseudomonas aeruginosa multirresistentes portadores de los genes blavim-2 y blakpc-2 que se propagan en diferentes entornos genéticos en colombia

Pseudomonas aeruginosa es un patógeno Gram negativo oportunista con un aumento de la frecuencia de infecciones causadas por cepas multirresistentes (MDR) y extremadamente resistentes (XDR), lo que limita las opciones terapéuticas disponibles. La resistencia más problemática es la adquisición y producción de carbapenemasas, como las metalo-β-lactamasas codificadas por integrones de Verona (VIM), las más frecuentes y extendidas, y las carbapenemasas de Klebsiella pneumoniae (KPC), que no han dejado de propagarse en la última década. Su diseminación está ligada a su localización en elementos genéticos móviles (EGM). En Colombia, VIM y KPC han venido aumentando en su frecuencia mostrando una importante diseminación exitosa. En este artículo, caracterizamos molecularmente y analizamos el contexto genético de blaVIM y blaKPC en aislamientos de P. aeruginosa resistente a carbapenemasas (CRPA) provenientes de pacientes infectados y colonizados en dos hospitales de tercer nivel de atención, uno en Medellín y el otro en un municipio cercano a Medellín, ambas zonas con alta endemicidad de carbapenemasas en Colombia (2013-2015). Usando secuenciación del genoma completo (WGS), identificamos una notable variedad de antecedentes genéticos en estos aislados de P. aeruginosa MDR portadores de blaKPC-2 y blaVIM-2. Se observó una diversidad de integradores de clase 1 en los aislados de P. aeruginosa MDR. Hubo diversidad de integrones de clase 1 y variaciones en los casetes génicos asociados a blaVIM-2, así como un posible evento de diseminación de blaKPC-2 mediado por un plásmido que contenía parte de Tn4401b en un caso de infección. La diseminación de blaVIM-2 y blaKPC-2 en P. aeruginosa en esta área en Colombia ha estado fuertemente influenciada por clones internacionales exitosos, portadores de estos genes y determinantes adicionales de resistencia en MGEs, acompañados de reordenamiento génico bajo una presión de selección antimicrobiana. Estos hallazgos enfatizan la necesidad de implementar estrategias de control basadas en el uso racional de antibióticos.Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen with an increase in the frequency of infections caused by multidrug resistant (MDR) and extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains, limiting the available therapeutic options. The most troublesome resistance is the acquisition and production of carbapenemases such as Verona integron-encoded metallo-β-lactamases (VIM), the most frequent and widespread, and the Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases (KPC), which has continuously spread in the last decade. Its dissemination is linked to their location on mobile genetic elements (MGEs). In Colombia, VIM and KPC have been increasing in its frequency showing major successful dissemination. In this article, we molecularly characterized and analyzed the genetic context of blaVIM and blaKPC in carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa (CRPA) isolates from infected and colonized patients in two tertiary-care hospitals, one in Medellín and the other in a municipality close to Medellín, both areas with high carbapenemase endemicity in Colombia (2013–2015). Using whole-genome sequencing (WGS), we identified a remarkable variety of genetic backgrounds in these MDR P. aeruginosa isolates carrying blaKPC–2 and blaVIM–2. There were a diversity of class 1 integron and variations in the gene cassettes associated to blaVIM–2, as well as a possible event of spread of blaKPC–2 mediated by a plasmid that contained part of Tn4401b in one infection case. The dissemination of blaVIM–2 and blaKPC–2 in P. aeruginosa in this area in Colombia has been strongly influenced by successful international clones, carrying these genes and additional determinants of resistance on MGEs, accompanied by gene rearrangement under an antimicrobial selection pressure. These findings emphasize the need to implement control strategies based on rational antibiotic us

Proteomic approach to improve the diagnosis of malignant pleural effusions

Comunicaciones a congreso

Genomic Analysis of CTX-M-Group-1-ProducingExtraintestinal PathogenicE. coli(ExPEc) fromPatients with Urinary Tract Infections (UTI)from Colombia

Background: The dissemination of the uropathogenic O25b-ST131Escherichia coliclone constitutes a threat to public health. We aimed to determine the circulation ofE. colistrains belonging to O25b:H4-B2-ST131 and theH30-Rx epidemic subclone causing hospital andcommunity-acquired urinary tract infections (UTI) in Colombia. Methods: Twenty-six nonduplicate,CTX-M group-1-producing isolates causing UTI in the hospital and community were selected for thisstudy. Results: Twenty-twoE. coliisolates harboring CTX-M-15, one CTX-M-3, and three CTX-M-55were identified. Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) showed a variety of sequence types (STs), amongwhich, ST131, ST405, and ST648 were reported as epidemic clones. All theE. coliST131 sequencescarried CTX-M-15, from which 80% belonged to the O25b:H4-B2 andH30-Rx pandemic subclonesand were associated with virulence factorsiss,iha, andsat.E. coliisolates (23/26) were resistant tociprofloxacin and associated with amino acid substitutions in quinolone resistance-determining regions(QRDR). We detected two carbapenem-resistantE. coliisolates, one coproducing CTX-M-15, KPC-2,and NDM-1 while the other presented mutations inompC. Additionally, one isolate harbored thegenemcr-1. Conclusions: Our study revealed the circulation of theE. coliST131, O25b:H4-B2-H30-Rxsubclone, harboring CTX-M-15, QRDR mutations, and other resistant genes. The association of theH30-Rx subclone with sepsis and rapid dissemination warrants attention from the public health andinfections control