Ectoparasites of Coragyps atratus (Bechstein, 1793) (Accipitriformes: Cathartidae) on Bucaramanga, Santander, Colombia

Identificar y conformar una lista de especies de ectoparásitos en el gallinazo negro en dos localidades de la ciudad de Bucaramanga, Colombia. Alcance. Realizar un aporte al conocimiento sobre las especies de ectoparásitos encontrados en piel y plumaje del gallinazo negro en el área metropolitana de Bucaramanga, en el nororiente de los Andes. Metodología. Las aves fueron capturadas en la Plaza de Mercado Guarín y en el Centro de Disposición de Residuos Sólidos “El Carrasco”, ambos en el área metropolitana de Bucaramanga, Colombia. Para obtener los ectoparásitos, los gallinazos se introdujeron uno por uno, en una cámara de fumigación previamente modificada para preservar la vida del ave durante el procedimiento. Adicionalmente, se tomaron algunas plumas y se preservaron en etanol 70%. Principales resultados. Se colectaron 1.696 ectoparásitos sobre 18 gallinazos negros (Coragyps atratus) en dos sitios de Bucaramanga (Colombia). Los parásitos fueron identificados como Cathartacarus coragyps (Gabuciniidae), Dermanysus gallinae (Dermanyssidae), Cuculiphilus alternatus (Menoponidae), Falcolipeurus marginalis (Philopteridae), Laemobothrion glutinans (Laemobothriidae) y Olfesia bisulcata (Hippoboscidae). Las especies más abundantes fueron Cuculiphilus alternatus con 1.217 individuos y Cathartacarus coragyps con 295. Conclusiones. La mayor parte de estos registros son nuevos para la región y amplían el conocimiento con respecto a la distribución de estos ectoparásitos. Tanto las pruebas de Mann-Whitney como los índices parasitológicos calculados permiten observar diferencias entre los dos sitios de muestreo.To identify and to list ectoparasite species of black vulture in two locations in Bucaramanga, Colombia. Scope. To contribute to the knowledge of ectoparasites species found in black vultures in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, at the northeastern Andes. Methodology. The birds were captured in Guarin Marketplace and "El Carrasco" Solid Waste Disposal Center, both in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, Colombia. To obtain the ectoparasites, each black vulture were introduced into a fumigation chamber previously modified to preserve the life of the bird during the procedure. Moreover, some feathers were taken and preserved in ethanol 70%. Main results. In total, 1,696 ectoparasites were collected from 18 black vultures (Coragyps atratus) in two localities of Bucaramanga (Colombia). The parasites were identified as Cathartacarus coragyps (Gabuciniidae), Dermanysus gallinae (Dermanyssidae), Cuculiphilus alternatus (Menoponidae), Falcolipeurus marginalis (Philopteridae), Laemobothrion glutinans (Laemobothriidae) and Olfesia bisulcata (Hippoboscidae). The most abundant species were Cuculiphilus alternatus with 1,217 specimens and Cathartacarus coragyps with 295. Conclusions. Most of these records are new to the region and contribute to improving the knowledge concerning the ectoparasites distribution in the study area. Mann-Whitney tests and the calculated parasitological indexes show differences between the two sampling places

Oncogenic Features in Histologically Normal Mucosa: Novel Insights Into Field Effect From a Mega-Analysis of Colorectal Transcriptomes

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is a common malignancy that can be cured when detected early, but recurrence among survivors is a persistent risk. A field effect of cancer in the colon has been reported and could have implications for surveillance, but studies to date have been limited. A joint analysis of pooled transcriptomic data from all available bulk RNA-sequencing data sets of healthy, histologically normal tumor-adjacent, and tumor tissues was performed to provide an unbiased assessment of field effect. Methods: A novel bulk RNA-sequencing data set from biopsies of nondiseased colon from screening colonoscopy along with published data sets from the Genomic Data Commons and Sequence Read Archive were considered for inclusion. Analyses were limited to samples with a quantified read depth of at least 10 million reads. Transcript abundance was estimated with Salmon, and downstream analysis was performed in R. Results: A total of 1,139 samples were analyzed in 3 cohorts. The primary cohort consisted of 834 independent samples from 8 independent data sets, including 462 healthy, 61 tumor-adjacent, and 311 tumor samples. Tumor-adjacent gene expression was found to represent an intermediate state between healthy and tumor expression. Among differentially expressed genes in tumor-adjacent samples, 1,143 were expressed in patterns similar to tumor samples, and these genes were enriched for cancer-associated pathways. Discussion: Novel insights into the field effect in colorectal cancer were generated in this mega-analysis of the colorectal transcriptome. Oncogenic features that might help explain metachronous lesions in cancer survivors and could be used for surveillance and risk stratification were identified

Expression profiling of chromatin-modifying enzymes and global DNA methylation in CD4+ T cells from patients with chronic HIV infection at different HIV control and progression states

Abstract Background Integration of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into the host genome causes global disruption of the chromatin environment. The abundance level of various chromatin-modifying enzymes produces these alterations and affects both the provirus and cellular gene expression. Here, we investigated potential changes in enzyme expression and global DNA methylation in chronically infected individuals with HIV-1 and compared these changes with non-HIV infected individuals. We also evaluated the effect of viral replication and degree of disease progression over these changes. Results Individuals with HIV-1 had a significant surge in the expression of DNA and histone methyltransferases (DNMT3A and DNMT3B, SETDB1, SUV39H1) compared with non-infected individuals, with the exception of PRMT6, which was downregulated. Some histone deacetylases (HDAC2 and HDAC3) were also upregulated in patients with HIV. Among individuals with HIV-1 with various degrees of progression and HIV control, the group of treated patients with undetectable viremia showed greater differences with the other two groups (untreated HIV-1 controllers and non-controllers). These latter two groups exhibited a similar behavior between them. Of interest, the overexpression of genes that associate with viral protein Tat (such as SETDB1 along with DNMT3A and HDAC1, and SIRT-1) was more prevalent in treated patients. We also observed elevated levels of global DNA methylation in individuals with HIV-1 in an inverse correlation with the CD4/CD8 ratio. Conclusions The current study shows an increase in chromatin-modifying enzymes and remodelers and in global DNA methylation in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection, modulated by various levels of viral control and progression

REFERENCE VALUES OF LACRIMAL PRODUCTION THROUGH THE SCHIRMER TEST IN CANINES IN A VETERINARY CLINIC IN LIMA CITY

Se determinó la producción lacrimal normal en canes aparentemente sanos mediante la Prueba Lacrimal de Schirmer en la Clínica de Animales Menores de la Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria de la Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima. Se evaluaron 123 perros agrupados según sexo, edad y tipo de cráneo. La producción lacrimal promedio fue 16.4 ± 1.5 mm/min, con un rango de 11 a 20 mm/min, sin diferencia estadística debido a sexo o edad; sin embargo, la producción lacrimal de los canes braquicéfalos fue significativamente mayor (17.0 ± 1.2 mm/min, p<0.05) que los mesocéfalos (16.4 ± 1.7 mm/min) y los dolicocéfalos (15.6 ± 1.1 mm/min).The normal lacrimal production in apparently healthy dogs was determined by the Schirmer Tear in the Small Animals Clinic of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima. A total of 123 dogs grouped by sex, age, and skull type were evaluated. The mean lacrimal production was 16.4 ± 1.5 mm/min, with a range of 11 to 20 mm/min, and without statistical difference due to sex and age; however, the lacrimal production of brachycephalic dogs was significantly higher (17.0 ± 1.2 mm/ min, p<0.05) that mesocephalic (16.4 ± 1.7 mm/min) and dolichocephalic dogs (15.6 ± 1.1 mm/min)

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase is overexpressed in colorectal cancer onset

Background Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) is an essential regulator of glycolysis used as a housekeeping marker for gene/protein normalisation. Given the pivotal role of GAPDH in tumour metabolism, our aim was to correlate its protein expression with tumour staging and prognosis of colorectal cancer. Methods GAPDH expression was immunohistochemically analysed in tumour tissues from 62 colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and validated at mRNA level in an independent dataset comprising 98 paired stage II CRC and normal samples. Staining quantification was performed by computational image analysis, and correlations between GAPDH expression and tumour progression stage were assessed. Gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix microarrays. Probability of patient survival and disease-free survival were analysed by the univariate product-limit method of Kaplan-Meier. Groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results Overexpression of GAPDH is positively associated with early stage tumours without regional lymph node and distant metastases involved. These results were reinforced by those obtained at mRNA level. Conclusion Studying the role of GAPDH in malignant transformation can shed new light on the understanding of tumour onset and lead to the design of more efficient personalised therapies

Medicamentos essenciais e órfãos no Panamá: percepção da concorrência e implicações da política de preços

We measured the perception of competition in the market for essential and orphan drugs. The inflation rate for original products was 0.002 annually, whereas that for generic drugs was 0.005. The province of Panama, containing 46.5% of private pharmacies, has the lowest index in the perception of competition; 18% of the respondents to the out-of-pocket expenditure survey did not have drugs available, and 55% could not afford them. The Gini coefficients were 0.40 (2014) and 0.76 (2017). The increase in prices, the relative independence of retailers to establish prices, and low access to social/private insurance increase the out-of-pocket expenses.Medimos la percepción de competencia en el mercado de medicamentos esenciales y huérfanos. La tasa de inflación de los productos originales fue de 0.002 anuales, mientras que la de los medicamentos genéricos fue de 0.005. La provincia de Panamá, que contiene el 46.5 % de las farmacias privadas, tiene el índice más bajo en la percepción de competencia. El 18 % de los encuestados en la encuesta de gastos de bolsillo no tenía medicamentos disponibles y el 55 % no podía pagarlos. Los coeficientes de Gini fueron 0.40 (2014) y 0.76 (2017). El aumento de los precios, la relativa independencia de los minoristas para establecer los precios y el bajo acceso al seguro social/privado aumentan los gastos de bolsillo.Medimos a percepção de concorrência no mercado de medicamentos essenciais e órfãos. A taxa de inflação dos produtos originais foi de 0.002 anuais, enquanto a dos medicamentos genéricos foi de 0.005. A província do Panamá, que contém o 46.5 % das farmácias privadas, tem o índice mais baixo na percepção de concorrência. O 18 % dos inqueridos na enquete de despesas de bolso não tinha medicamentos disponíveis e o 55 % não podia pagá-los. Os coeficientes de Gini foram 0.40 (2014) e 0.76 (2017). O aumento dos preços, a relativa independência dos retalhistas para estabelecer os preços e o baixo acesso à segurança social / privada aumentam as despesas de bolso

Desarrollo de viviendas en Zapala con materiales regionales bajo parámetros de eficiencia energética

Junto a los ensayos realizados y los resultados alcanzados, se presenta la fundamentación de un proyecto de viviendas que tiene en cuenta el aprovechamiento de recursos materiales de la región, atendiendo pautas de diseño ambientalmente sustentables y al uso racional de la energía. La caracterización térmica de la piedra toba permite incorporarla como un mampuesto industrializado cuya producción generará fuentes de trabajo genuinas. El concurso del granulado volcánico, también abundante permite proponer un sistema constructivo tradicional racionalizado, con prototipos interesantes de replicar en el caso de que prevalezca la necesidad de obtener economías de escala, pero al mismo tiempo flexibles en cuanto a sus posibilidades, tanto de crecimiento como a ser modificados. A partir de ahora, el primer proyecto de conjunto urbano con estos prototipos, la posibilidad de incorporar en ellos equipamiento para el aprovechamiento de energías alternativas y otras gestiones están en marchaThe fundaments of a building project taking into account the use of regional material resources following sustainable environmental design guidelines and rational use of energy are presented here together with tests and results. Thermal characterization of Toba stone allows incorporating it as an industrialized masonry whose production will generate genuine employment sources. The addition of volcanic granulate which is also abundant allows the proposal of a traditional and rationalized building system with interesting prototypes to replicate in case of necessity of scale economies but at the same time flexible concerning growth and modification possibilities. From now on, the first project of urban set with these prototypes, the possibility of incorporating equipment for using alternative energies and other managements, are in course of action.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

c-Src functionality controls self-renewal and glucose metabolism in MCF7 breast cancer stem cells

Deregulation of Src kinases is associated with cancer. We previously showed that SrcDN conditional expression in MCF7 cells reduces tumorigenesis and causes tumor regression in mice. However, it remained unclear whether SrcDN affected breast cancer stem cell functionality or it reduced tumor mass. Here, we address this question by isolating an enriched population of Breast Cancer Stem Cells (BCSCs) from MCF7 cells with inducible expression of SrcDN. Induction of SrcDN inhibited self-renewal, and stem-cell marker expression (Nanog, Oct3-4, ALDH1, CD44). Quantitative proteomic analyses of mammospheres from MCF7-Tet-On-SrcDN cells (data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD017789, project DOI: 10.6019/PXD017789) and subsequent GSEA showed that SrcDN expression inhibited glycolysis. Indeed, induction of SrcDN inhibited expression and activity of hexokinase, pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, resulting in diminished glucose consumption and lactate production, which restricted Warburg effect. Thus, c-Src functionality is important for breast cancer stem cell maintenance and renewal, and stem cell transcription factor expression, effects linked to glucose metabolism reduction.This work has been supported by grand SAF2016–75991-R (MINECO, AEI/FEDER, UE) to Jorge Martín-Pérez and ISCIII [grand PI 16/00789] to Miguel Ángel Fernández-Moreno. Víctor Mayoral-Varo was supported by the grand SAF2016–75991-R (MINECO, AEI/FEDER, UE). We acknowledge support for publication fee by the CSIC Open Access Publication Support Initiative through its Unit for Information Resources for Research (URICI)