The first report of South American edrioasteroids and the paleoecology and ontogeny of rhenopyrgid echinoderms

A new species of rhenopyrgid edrioasteroid Rhenopyrgus piojoensis sp. nov. is described form the Silurian (Lower Lud− low) Los Espejos Formation in the Precordillera of Argentina. This species is the first reported edrioasteroid from South America. Rhenopyrgids are widely distributed in Ordovician through Devonian deposits of most continents. Numerous juvenile specimens show that the general bodyplan is organized early in ontogeny and that the pedenculate zone lengthens with age. Phylogenetic analysis shows that rhenopyrgids are more closely related to edrioasterid edrioasteroids such as edrioblastoids and cyathocystids than to pyrgocystid isorophids.Fil: Sumrall, Colin D.. University of Tennessee; Estados UnidosFil: Heredia, Susana Emma. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones Mineras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, Cecilia María. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones Mineras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Mestre García, Ana Isabel. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones Mineras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Resistencia a los antibióticos en Escherichia coli con beta-lactamasas de espectro extendido en un hospital de la Orinoquia colombiana

ResumenObjetivoAnalizar la resistencia de Escherichia coli a los antibióticos de acuerdo con la presencia de beta-lactamasas de espectro extendido (BLEE).Materiales y métodosEstudio descriptivo y de corte transversal, en el Hospital Departamental de Villavicencio, centro de atención de mediana y alta complejidad. La población de estudio fueron los pacientes con cultivos positivos para E. coli. La variable de estudio fue la resistencia a ceftazidima, cefotaxima y clavulanato. Se confirmó la presencia de BLEE y la resistencia a otros antibióticos.ResultadosSe tamizaron 29.451 estudios de microbiología, de los cuales 26,7% fueron positivos. Se identificaron 77,6% como Gram negativos y 2.551 (41,8%) como E. coli. De los cultivos, 65,1% se obtuvieron de orina; 9,5% fueron resistentes a ceftazidima y 8,7% a cefotaxime. En los aislamientos de orina, la resistencia de E. coli a ceftazidima fue de 6,5%, mientras que, en aspirados traqueales, fue de 35,0% (OR=7,98; p<0,05). Se hicieron 315 pruebas confirmatorias para BLEE con equipo Vitek® y 506 con AutoScan®. La mayor cantidad de muestras se obtuvieron de la consulta externa (34,0%) y, aunque allí se encontró un número significativo de BLEE (6,9%), hubo mayor resistencia en la unidad neonatal (16,9%). La resistencia a ampicilina, cefalotina, ciprofloxacina, gentamicina y trimetoprim-sulfametoxazol, fue alta. El 7,1% de las pruebas confirmatorias con clavulanato fueron positivas para BLEE.ConclusionesEl estudio demostró una frecuencia de 7,1% de BLEE en esta institución. Hubo servicios con mayor riesgo, como el de neonatos, aunque el fenómeno no se limitaba al ambiente hospitalario. También, se encontró un pequeño porcentaje que fue resistente a carbapenem.AbstractObjectiveTo analyze antimicrobial resistance of Escherichia coli according to the presence of extended spectrum beta-lactamase.DesignA cross sectional descriptive study.SettingHospital Departamental de Villavicencio, a State center of second and tertiary care.Study populationPositive cultures for E. coli were analyzed between September 2005 and November 2009.InterventionsNone.Study variableCeftazidime and cefotaxime resistance with and without clavulanate.OutcomesConfirmation of ESBL test and resistance to other antimicrobials.ResultsFrom the 29,451 microbiological samples that were screened, 26.7% were positive. 77.6% were identified as Gram negative and 2,551 (41.8%) were typified as E. coli. 65.1% isolations were from urine samples and 9.5 and 8.7% of them were resistant to ceftazidime and cefotaxime, respectively. 6.5% of urine samples were resistant to ceftazidime, but it raised to 35% for tracheal aspirate (OR 7.98 p<0.05). Three hundred and fifteen confirmatory tests for ESBL were performed with Vitek® and 506 with AutoScan®. Most samples were ambulatory patients (34.0%) and a significant number of them were positive for ESBL (6.9%), but it was higher at the newborn ward (16.9%). Resistance was high for antimicrobials commonly used for infections by this microorganism such as ampicillin, cephalothin, ciprofloxacin, gentamycin and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole. Confirmatory ESBL test was 7.1%.ConclusionsThe study demonstrates a 7.1% frequency of ESBL at this hospital but the samples from newborn ward showed a higher frequency of ESBL; nevertheless, the issue is not restricted to hospitalized patients. We also found a small number of isolations resistant to carbapenem

Floian conodonts from the San Juan Formation in the Talacasto creek, San Juan Precordillera

En la presente contribución se dan a conocer por primera vez los géneros y especies de conodontes foianos de la Formación San Juan, provenientes de la clásica localidad de la quebrada de Talacasto. Se reconocen las zonas de Oepikodus evae y de Oepikodus intermedius indicativas del Floiano superior. Las asociaciones de conodontes que acompañan a las especies guías están compuestas por: Bergstroemognathus extensus, Cornuodus longibasis, Drepanodus robustus, Drepanodus arcuatus, Drepanoistodus forceps, Erraticodon patu, Juanognathus variabilis, Jumudontus gananda, Oepikodus evae, Oepikodus intermedius, Oistodus striolatus, Oistodus lanceolatus, Paroistodus parallelus, Periodon fabellum, Protopanderodus leonardii, Protopanderodus rectus, Protopanderodus robustus, Reutterodus andinus, Rossodus barnesi, Scolopodus krummi, Trapezognathus diprion, Tropodus australis, Protoprioniodus sp. y Triangulodus sp.In this contribution Floian conodonts from the San Juan Formation are reported for the frst time from the classical Talacasto creek. The Oepikodus evae and Oepikodus intermedius zones are recorded which indicate upper Floian. The conodont association includes Bergstroemognathus extensus, Cornuodus longibasis, Drepanodus robustus, Drepanodus arcuatus, Drepanoistodus forceps, Erraticodon patu, Juanognathus variabilis, Jumudontus gananda, Oepikodus evae, Oepikodus intermedius, Oistodus striolatus, Oistodus lanceolatus, Paroistodus parallelus, Periodon fabellum, Protopanderodus leonardii, Protopanderodus rectus, Protopanderodus robustus, Reutterodus andinus, Rossodus barnesi, Scolopodus krummi, Trapezognathus diprion, Tropodus australis, Protoprioniodus sp. and Triangulodus sp.Fil: Soria Pures, Tatiana Belén. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Heredia, Susana Emma. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Mestre García, Ana Isabel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Juan. Facultad de Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Rodríguez, Cecilia María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentin

Measuring depression in Primary Health Care in Spain : Psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy of HSCL-5 and HSCL-10

Depression has a high prevalence among European countries. Several instruments have been designed to assess its symptoms in different populations. The Hopkins Symptom Checklist 25 (HSCL-25) scale has been identified as valid, reproducible, effective, and easy to use. There are short versions of this scale that could be useful in Primary Care (PC) settings, but their psychometric properties are unknown. To assess in PC patients the psychometric properties and diagnostic accuracy of the Spanish version of the HSCL-10 and the HSCL-5 consisting of 10 and 5 items, respectively. A multicenter, cross-sectional study was carried out at six PC centers in Spain. The HSCL-25 was administered to outpatients aged 45-75 who also participated in the structured Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). HSCL-10 and HSCL-5 were assessed and compared to HSCL-25 regarding total score correlation, internal consistency, and criterion validity against the gold-standard CIDI. This is a methodological study from a secondary data analysis and the primary data has been previously published. Out of 790 patients, 767 completed the HSCL-25 and 736 the CIDI interview (96.0%). Cronbach's Alpha was 0.84 for HSCL-10 and 0.77 for HSCL-5. The known-group method and confirmatory factor analysis were acceptable for the establishment of construct validity. Sensitivity was 79.7% (CI95%, 67.7-88.0%) for HSCL-10, and 78.0% (CI95%, 65.9-86.6%) for HSCL-5, whereas specificity was 83% (CI95%, 80.0-85.7%) for HSCL-10, and 72.8% (CI95%, 69.3-76.0%) for HSCL-5. Area under the curve against CIDI was 0.88 (CI95%, 0.84-0.92%) for HSCL-10, and 0.85 (CI95%, 0.81-0.89%) for HSCL-5. Optimum cutoff point calculated with Youden Index was 1.90 for the HSCL-10 and 1.80 for the HSCL-5. HSCL-10 and HSCL-5 are reliable and valid tools to detect depression symptoms and can be used in PC settings

Implementation of a project-based learning to the coordination of subjects in the Agrifood and Rural Engineering Bachelor

The Bachelor’s Degree in Agrifood and Rural Engineering at Universitat Jaume I of Castelló has implemented in the second academic year a multidisciplinary project using a Project-Based Learning as the teaching method. Its final purpose is the acquisition of skills that should help the students to cope with their future career. This teaching-learning system has been used for three consecutive years since the degree was firstly implemented. Once a particular farm is assigned, the students are organized in groups and must fulfill their assigned tasks in a collaborative manner with the final goal of developing a project on that farm including viable improvements of the exploitation, taking into account the issues related to the different subjects involved. This work presents the results obtained along the three years, analyzed from two different points of view: student satisfaction and learning outcomes. Besides, the proposals for improvement of the weaknesses identified during the process are presented. The results show that the used method has promoted the acquisition of the competences proposed. Moreover the multidisciplinary approach has led to better results in the student performance than those obtained by students enrolled in an unidisciplinary project. Although improvement actions have solved some of the problems detected, there are still some weaknesses, mainly related to team working and tutorials that should be addressed in the future.El grado de Ingeniería Agroalimentaria y del Medio Rural de la Universitat Jaume I de Castelló viene aplicando en su segundo curso un proyecto multidisciplinar usando el Aprendizaje Basado en Proyectos como recurso docente en el que se pretende que los estudiantes adquieran competencias que les ayuden a enfrentarse a su futuro profesional. Este sistema de enseñanza-aprendizaje se ha llevado a cabo durante los tres cursos que está implantado el grado. Una vez asignado un tipo de explotación agrícola concreta y utilizando las herramientas del trabajo en equipo, los estudiantes deben ser capaces de desarrollar un proyecto sobre la explotación con propuestas de mejora que sean factibles y que abarquen aspectos relacionados con las diferentes disciplinas implicadas, aplicando los conocimientos adquiridos en éstas. El presente trabajo incluye los resultados obtenidos durante los tres años del proyecto desde dos puntos de vista importantes: la satisfacción del estudiante y los resultados de aprendizaje. Además se presentan las propuestas de mejora aplicadas en cada curso como respuesta a las debilidades detectadas durante el proceso. Los resultados demuestran que el método utilizado ha favorecido la adquisición de las competencias propuestas. Además, el enfoque multidisciplinar ha propiciado mejores resultados que los alcanzados por los estudiantes que realizaron trabajos unidisciplinares. Por otro lado, aunque las acciones de mejora han permitido solventar algunos de los problemas detectados, siguen persistiendo carencias, sobre todo a nivel de trabajo en equipo y de tutorización, que se proponen como mejoras para el futuro

Caracterización de niños operados por labio y paladar hendido en la Orinoquía Colombiana entre 2008 y 2014

La patología congénita de niños con labio y paladar hendido es frecuente en la región, pero no ha sido caracterizada en la Orinoquía. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir las características de los niños intervenidos en un programa quirúrgico de labio y paladar hendido en Villavicencio. Tipo de estudio: Corte transversal descriptivo. Criterios de inclusión: menores de 18 años operados por labio y paladar hendido. Escenario: Hospital Departamental de Villavicencio, Colombia

Bioenergetic and Autophagic Characterization of Skin Fibroblasts from C9orf72 Patients.

The objective of this study is to describe the alterations occurring during the neurodegenerative process in skin fibroblast cultures from C9orf72 patients. We characterized the oxidative stress, autophagy flux, small ubiquitin-related protein SUMO2/3 levels as well as the mitochondrial function in skin fibroblast cultures from C9orf72 patients. All metabolic and bioenergetic findings were further correlated with gene expression data obtained from RNA sequencing analysis. Fibroblasts from C9orf72 patients showed a 30% reduced expression of C9orf72, ~3-fold increased levels of oxidative stress and impaired mitochondrial function obtained by measuring the enzymatic activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, specifically of complex III activity. Furthermore, the results also reveal that C9orf72 patients showed an accumulation of p62 protein levels, suggesting the alteration of the autophagy process, and significantly higher protein levels of SUMO2/3 (p = 0.03). Our results provide new data reinforcing that C9orf72 cells suffer from elevated oxidative damage to biomolecules and organelles and from increased protein loads, leading to insufficient autophagy and an increase in SUMOylation processes

Analysis of the impact of social determinants and primary care morbidity on population health outcomes by combining big data: A research protocol

In recent years, different tools have been developed to facilitate analysis of social determinants of health (SDH) and apply this to health policy. The possibility of generating predictive models of health outcomes which combine a wide range of socioeconomic indicators with health problems is an approach that is receiving increasing attention. Our objectives are twofold: (1) to predict population health outcomes measured as hospital morbidity, taking primary care (PC) morbidity adjusted for SDH as predictors; and (2) to analyze the geographic variability of the impact of SDH-adjusted PC morbidity on hospital morbidity, by combining data sourced from electronic health records and selected operations of the National Statistics Institute (Instituto Nacional de Estadística/INE).MethodsThe following will be conducted: a qualitative study to select socio-health indicators using RAND methodology in accordance with SDH frameworks, based on indicators published by the INE in selected operations; and a quantitative study combining two large databases drawn from different Spain’s Autonomous Regions (ARs) to enable hospital morbidity to be ascertained, i.e., PC electronic health records and the minimum basic data set (MBDS) for hospital discharges. These will be linked to socioeconomic indicators, previously selected by geographic unit. The outcome variable will be hospital morbidity, and the independent variables will be age, sex, PC morbidity, geographic unit, and socioeconomic indicators.AnalysisTo achieve the first objective, predictive models will be used, with a test-and-training technique, fitting multiple logistic regression models. In the analysis of geographic variability, penalized mixed models will be used, with geographic units considered as random effects and independent predictors as fixed effects.DiscussionThis study seeks to show the relationship between SDH and population health, and the geographic differences determined by such determinants. The main limitations are posed by the collection of data for healthcare as opposed to research purposes, and the time lag between collection and publication of data, sampling errors and missing data in registries and surveys. The main strength lies in the project’s multidisciplinary nature (family medicine, pediatrics, public health, nursing, psychology, engineering, geography)

Patients’ Opinions about Knowing Their Risk for Depression and What to Do about It. The PredictD-Qualitative Study

[Background] The predictD study developed and validated a risk algorithm for predicting the onset of major depression in primary care. We aimed to explore the opinion of patients about knowing their risk for depression and the values and criteria upon which these opinions are based. [Methods] A maximum variation sample of patients was taken, stratified by city, age, gender, immigrant status, socio-economic status and lifetime depression. The study participants were 52 patients belonging to 13 urban health centres in seven different cities around Spain. Seven Focus Groups (FGs) were given held with primary care patients, one for each of the seven participating cities. [Results] The results showed that patients generally welcomed knowing their risk for depression. Furthermore, in light of available evidence several patients proposed potential changes in their lifestyles to prevent depression. Patients generally preferred to ask their General Practitioners (GPs) for advice, though mental health specialists were also mentioned. They suggested that GPs undertake interventions tailored to each patient, from a “patient-centred” approach, with certain communication skills, and giving advice to help patients cope with the knowledge that they are at risk of becoming depressed. [Conclusions] Patients are pleased to be informed about their risk for depression. We detected certain beliefs, attitudes, values, expectations and behaviour among the patients that were potentially useful for future primary prevention programmes on depression.This work was supported by grants from the Andalusian Council of Health [grant reference: 2008/0195][www.juntadeandalucia.es/fundacionprogres​oysalud]; the Department of Health of the Basque Government [grant reference: 2008/111021][www.osakidetza.euskadi.net]; the Spanish Network of Primary Care Research “redIAPP” (RD06/0018), the “Aragón group” (RD06/0018/0020), the “Sant Joan de Deu group” (RD07/0018/0017), “Bizkaya group” (RD07/0018/0018), “Castilla-León group” (RD07/0018/0027) and the “SAMSERAP group” (RD06/0018/0039 and CTS-587) [www.rediapp.org]

GABAergic deficits in absence of LPA1 receptor, associated anxiety-like and coping behaviors, and amelioration by interneuron precursor transplants into the dorsal hippocampus

Defects in GABAergic function can cause anxiety- and depression-like behaviors among other neuropsychiatric disorders. Therapeutic strategies using the transplantation of GABAergic interneuron progenitors derived from the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) into the adult hippocampus reversed the symptomatology in multiple rodent models of interneuron-related pathologies. In turn, the lysophosphatidic acid receptor LPA has been reported to be essential for hippocampal function. Converging evidence suggests that deficits in LPA receptor signaling represent a core feature underlying comparable hippocampal dysfunction and behaviors manifested in common neuropsychiatric conditions. Here, we first analyzed the GABAergic interneurons in the hippocampus of wild-type and maLPA-null mice, lacking the LPA receptor. Our data revealed a reduction in the number of neurons expressing GABA, calcium-binding proteins, and neuropeptides such as somatostatin and neuropeptide Y in the hippocampus of maLPA-null mice. Then, we used interneuron precursor transplants to test links between hippocampal GABAergic interneuron deficit, cell-based therapy, and LPA receptor-dependent psychiatric disease-like phenotypes. For this purpose, we transplanted MGE-derived interneuron precursors into the adult hippocampus of maLPA-null mice, to test their effects on GABAergic deficit and behavioral symptoms associated with the absence of the LPA receptor. Transplant studies in maLPA-null mice showed that grafted cells were able to restore the hippocampal host environment, decrease the anxiety-like behaviors and neutralize passive coping, with no abnormal effects on motor activity. Furthermore, grafted MGE-derived cells maintained their normal differentiation program. These findings reinforce the use of cell-based strategies for brain disorders and suggest that the LPA receptor represents a potential target for interneuron-related neuropsychiatric disorders.This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF, EU), (PSI2017-82604R, to LJS; PSI2017-83408-P to CP; SAF09-07746, to MAD; PI16/01510, to GET) and Andalusian Regional Ministries of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University (SEJ-4515 -to LJS; SEJ1863 to CP) and of Health and Families (Nicolas Monardes Programme to GET)