Estrategias alternas para la valoración histomorfológica de la edad a la muerte en restos esqueléticos deteriorados : Aplicaciones en la bioarqueología del área maya

Nuestro trabajo se enfoca en el potencial de asignar rangos de edades a la muerte a partir de la micrometamorfosis del tejido óseo en secciones diagenéticamente alteradas. Para ello elaboramos estándares para la contabilización parcial de las microestructuras y la evaluación cualitativa del tejido histológico no descalcificado. Mostramos su potencial en tres estudios ejemplares de secciones obtenidas de los restos de tres dignatarios mayas que vivieron durante el primer milenio de nuestra era. En el primer caso, los acercamientos histológicos robustecen la aproximación macroscópica original. Por otra parte, la discrepancia entre los diferentes resultados conduce a una discusión sobre las condiciones patológicas en el Caso 2. En el Caso 3 obtuvimos resultados macroscópicos y microscópicos similares, con lo cual mejoramos la aproximación cronovital global. Concluimos el presente ensayo discutiendo el potencial de la evaluación histomorfológica (y sus diferentes protocolos) en la asignación de la edad a la muerte de series óseas arqueológicas deterioradas.Our study focuses on the histological assignation of age-at-death ranges to diagenetically deteriorated skeletal remains. To this end, we review age-related microscopic metamorphoses in thin sections of undecalcified bone in order to generate selective counts of microstructures and a qualitative assessment of histological tissue. In this essay, we evaluate the potential of these standards in three case studies on the deteriorated skeletal remains of three Mayan dignitaries from the first millennium CE. In the first case, the macroscopic approximation is confirmed by histologic scrutiny, while in the second case contradicting results lead to a discussion of the individual’s pathological conditions that could explain the discrepancy in specific lines of evidence. In the third specimen, the combination of macroscopic and microscopic results improved chrono-vital assignation. We conclude our work with a discussion of the potential that histomorphological evaluation (and its different protocols) holds in age-range assignment in deteriorated skeletal remains from archaeological contexts.Dossier: Los estudios de histología ósea en Antropología BiológicaAsociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentina (AABRA

Estrategias alternas para la valoración histomorfológica de la edad a la muerte en restos esqueléticos deteriorados : Aplicaciones en la bioarqueología del área maya

Nuestro trabajo se enfoca en el potencial de asignar rangos de edades a la muerte a partir de la micrometamorfosis del tejido óseo en secciones diagenéticamente alteradas. Para ello elaboramos estándares para la contabilización parcial de las microestructuras y la evaluación cualitativa del tejido histológico no descalcificado. Mostramos su potencial en tres estudios ejemplares de secciones obtenidas de los restos de tres dignatarios mayas que vivieron durante el primer milenio de nuestra era. En el primer caso, los acercamientos histológicos robustecen la aproximación macroscópica original. Por otra parte, la discrepancia entre los diferentes resultados conduce a una discusión sobre las condiciones patológicas en el Caso 2. En el Caso 3 obtuvimos resultados macroscópicos y microscópicos similares, con lo cual mejoramos la aproximación cronovital global. Concluimos el presente ensayo discutiendo el potencial de la evaluación histomorfológica (y sus diferentes protocolos) en la asignación de la edad a la muerte de series óseas arqueológicas deterioradas.Our study focuses on the histological assignation of age-at-death ranges to diagenetically deteriorated skeletal remains. To this end, we review age-related microscopic metamorphoses in thin sections of undecalcified bone in order to generate selective counts of microstructures and a qualitative assessment of histological tissue. In this essay, we evaluate the potential of these standards in three case studies on the deteriorated skeletal remains of three Mayan dignitaries from the first millennium CE. In the first case, the macroscopic approximation is confirmed by histologic scrutiny, while in the second case contradicting results lead to a discussion of the individual’s pathological conditions that could explain the discrepancy in specific lines of evidence. In the third specimen, the combination of macroscopic and microscopic results improved chrono-vital assignation. We conclude our work with a discussion of the potential that histomorphological evaluation (and its different protocols) holds in age-range assignment in deteriorated skeletal remains from archaeological contexts.Dossier: Los estudios de histología ósea en Antropología BiológicaAsociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentina (AABRA

Chapter 2 Established and Emerging Techniques for Characterising the Formation, Structure and Performance of Calcified Structures under Ocean Acidification

Ocean acidification (OA) is the decline in seawater pH and saturation levels of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) minerals that has led to concerns for calcifying organisms such as corals, oysters and mussels because of the adverse effects of OA on their biomineralisation, shells and skeletons. A range of cellular biology, geochemistry and materials science approaches have been used to explore biomineralisation. These techniques have revealed that responses to seawater acidification can be highly variable among species, yet the underlying mechanisms remain largely unresolved. To assess the impacts of global OA, researchers will need to apply a range of tools developed across disciplines, many of which are emerging and have not yet been used in this context. This review outlines techniques that could be applied to study OA-induced alterations in the mechanisms of biomineralisation and their ultimate effects on shells and skeletons. We illustrate how to characterise, quantify and monitor the process of biomineralisation in the context of global climate change and OA. We highlight the basic principles, as well as the advantages and disadvantages, of established, emerging and future techniques for OA researchers. A combination of these techniques will enable a holistic approach and better understanding of the potential impact of OA on biomineralisation and its consequences for marine calcifiers and associated ecosystems

Thrombin Induces Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor Release and Upregulation in Urothelium: A Possible Contribution to Bladder Inflammation

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed by urothelial cells that mediates bladder inflammation. We investigated the effect of stimulation with thrombin, a Protease Activated Receptor-1 (PAR1) agonist, on MIF release and MIF mRNA upregulation in urothelial cells.MIF and PAR1 expression was examined in normal human immortalized urothelial cells (UROtsa) using real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting and dual immunostaining. MIF and PAR1 immunostaining was also examined in rat urothelium. The effect of thrombin stimulation (100 nM) on urothelial MIF release was examined in UROtsa cells (in vitro) and in rats (in vivo). UROtsa cells were stimulated with thrombin, culture media were collected at different time points and MIF amounts were determined by ELISA. Pentobarbital anesthetized rats received intravesical saline (control), thrombin, or thrombin +2% lidocaine (to block nerve activity) for 1 hr, intraluminal fluid was collected and MIF amounts determined by ELISA. Bladder or UROtsa MIF mRNA was measured using real time RT-PCR.UROtsa cells constitutively express MIF and PAR1 and immunostaining for both was observed in these cells and in the basal and intermediate layers of rat urothelium. Thrombin stimulation of urothelial cells resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent increase in MIF release both in vitro (UROtsa; 2.8-fold increase at 1 hr) and in vivo (rat; 4.5-fold) while heat-inactivated thrombin had no effect. In rats, thrombin-induced MIF release was reduced but not abolished by intravesical lidocaine treatment. Thrombin also upregulated MIF mRNA in UROtsa cells (3.3-fold increase) and in the rat bladder (2-fold increase) where the effect was reduced (1.4-fold) by lidocaine treatment.Urothelial cells express both MIF and PAR1. Activation of urothelial PAR1 receptors, either by locally generated thrombin or proteases present in the urine, may mediate bladder inflammation by inducing urothelial MIF release and upregulating urothelial MIF expression

Vírus da encefalite São Luis: primeiro isolamento de humano no Estado de São Paulo, Brasil

O presente estudo relata o isolamento do vírus da encefalite São Luis (SLEV) de um caso febril humano suspeito de dengue, em São Pedro, Estado de São Paulo. MAC-ELISA realizado com soros das fases aguda e convalescente foi inconclusivo e anticorpos IgG foram detectados por inibição da hemaglutinação para flavivirus. Imunofluorescência indireta com cultura de células C6/36 inoculadas com soro da fase aguda foi positivo para flavivirus mas negativo quando testado com anticorpos monoclonais para dengue. O RNA extraído de cultura de células infectadas foi amplificado na presença de primers universais para o gênero Flavivirus, deduzidos de uma região da proteína não estrutural 5 e diretamente sequenciado. Os resultados da pesquisa no BLAST indicaram que a seqüência apresenta 93% de similaridade de nucleotídeos com a seqüência de SLEV (cepa MS1.7), confirmado por RT-PCR, realizado com primers específicos para SLEV. O fato de SLEV ter sido identificado como a causa de doença humana indica a necessidade de aprimorar a vigilância a fim de detectar precocemente esse agente no Estado de São Paulo e no Brasil. Esse caso é também um alerta para os profissionais de saúde sobre a necessidade de investigações clínicas e epidemiológicas mais completas sobre doenças febris como no caso relatado. Infecções por SLEV podem não ser reconhecidas ou confundidas com outras causadas por arbovírus como a dengue.This paper reports the isolation of St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) from a febrile human case suspected to be dengue, in São Pedro, São Paulo State. A MAC-ELISA done on the patient's acute and convalescent sera was inconclusive and hemagglutination inhibition test detected IgG antibody for flaviviruses. An indirect immunofluorescent assay done on the C6/36 cell culture inoculated with the acute serum was positive for flaviviruses but negative when tested with dengue monoclonal antibodies. RNA extracted from the infected cell culture supernatant was amplified by RT-PCR in the presence of NS5 universal flavivirus primers and directly sequenced. Results of BLAST search indicated that this sequence shares 93% nucleotide similarity with the sequence of SLEV (strain-MSI.7), confirmed by RT-PCR performed with SLEV specific primers. Since SLEV was identified as the cause of human disease, it is necessary to improve surveillance in order to achieve early detection of this agent in the state of São Paulo and in Brazil. This finding is also an alert to health professionals about the need for more complete clinical and epidemiological investigations of febrile illnesses as in the reported case. SLEV infections can be unrecognized or confused with other ones caused by an arbovirus, such as dengue

Incidencia de caídas y acciones preventivas en un Hospital Universitario

Objetivo: Descrever a incidência das quedas e a sua relação com as ações preventivas desenvolvidas em um hospital universitário brasileiro. Método: Estudo longitudinal retrospectivo. Foram incluídos pacientes adultos, internados em unidades clínicas, cirúrgicas, psiquiátrica e de emergência, que sofreram queda na instituição, e tiveram o evento notificado no período de janeiro de 2011 a dezembro de 2015. Os dados foram coletados no sistema de informação gerenciais da instituição e analisados no programa estatístico SPSS. Resultados: Ocorreram 2.296 quedas, com uma média de incidência de 1,70 quedas/1.000 pacientes-dia. Houve aumento na incidência de quedas no período de 2011 (1,61) a 2012 (2,03). Nos anos seguintes, a incidência de quedas apresentou redução de 1,83 quedas/1.000 pacientes-dia em 2013 para 1,42 quedas/1.000 pacientes-dia em 2015. A incidência de quedas acompanhou a implementação de ações preventivas, sugerindo impacto destas intervenções na redução da ocorrência do evento. Conclusão: Os achados demonstram a importância da implementação de intervenções preventivas na redução da incidência de quedas em pacientes hospitalizados.Objetivo: Describir la incidencia de las caídas y su relación con las acciones preventivas desarrolladas en un hospital universitario brasileño. Método: Estudio longitudinal retrospectivo. Fueron incluidos pacientes adultos, ingresados en unidades clínicas, quirúrgicas, psiquiátricas y de emergencia, que sufrieron caída en el centro y tuvieron el evento notificado en el período de enero de 2011 a diciembre de 2015. Los datos fueron recolectados en el sistema de información de gestión del centro y analizados en el programa estadístico SPSS. Resultados: Ocurrieron 2.296 caídas, con un promedio de incidencia de 1,70 caídas/1.000 pacientes-día. Hubo incremento en la incidencia de caídas en el período de 2011 (1,61) a 2012 (2,03). En los años siguientes, la incidencia de caídas presentó reducción de 1,83 caídas/1.000 pacientesdía en 2013 para 1,42 caídas/1.000 pacientes-día en 2015. La incidencia de caídas acompañó la implantación de acciones preventivas, sugiriendo el impacto de dichas intervenciones en la reducción de la ocurrencia del evento. Conclusión: Los hallazgos demuestran la importancia de la implantación de intervenciones preventivas en la reducción de la incidencia de caídas en pacientes hospitalizados

Waste prevention for sustainable resource and waste management

Although the 2Rs (reduce and reuse) are considered high-priority approaches, there has not been enough quantitative research on effective 2R management. The purpose of this paper is to provide information obtained through the International Workshop in Kyoto, Japan, on 11–13 November 2015, which included invited experts and researchers in several countries who were in charge of 3R policies, and an additional review of 245 previous studies. It was found that, regarding policy development, the decoupling between environmental pressures and economy growth was recognized as an essential step towards a sustainable society. 3R and resource management policies, including waste prevention, will play a crucial role. Approaches using material/substance flow analyses have become sophisticated enough to describe the fate of resources and/or hazardous substances based on human activity and the environment, including the final sink. Life-cycle assessment has also been developed to evaluate waste prevention activities. Regarding target products for waste prevention, food loss is one of the waste fractions with the highest priority because its countermeasures have significant upstream and downstream effects. Persistent organic pollutants and hazardous compounds should also be taken into account in the situation where recycling activities are globally widespread for the promotion of a material-cycling society

Measurement of the cross-section and charge asymmetry of WW bosons produced in proton-proton collisions at s=8\sqrt{s}=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper presents measurements of the $W^+ \rightarrow \mu^+\nu$ and $W^- \rightarrow \mu^-\nu$ cross-sections and the associated charge asymmetry as a function of the absolute pseudorapidity of the decay muon. The data were collected in proton--proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC and correspond to a total integrated luminosity of 20.2~\mbox{fb^{-1}}. The precision of the cross-section measurements varies between 0.8% to 1.5% as a function of the pseudorapidity, excluding the 1.9% uncertainty on the integrated luminosity. The charge asymmetry is measured with an uncertainty between 0.002 and 0.003. The results are compared with predictions based on next-to-next-to-leading-order calculations with various parton distribution functions and have the sensitivity to discriminate between them.Comment: 38 pages in total, author list starting page 22, 5 figures, 4 tables, submitted to EPJC. All figures including auxiliary figures are available at https://atlas.web.cern.ch/Atlas/GROUPS/PHYSICS/PAPERS/STDM-2017-13