Determinación de la actividad insecticida de la saponina de la quinua (Chenopodium quinoa) en larvas de Drosophila melanogaster

Chenopodium quinoa es un fitorecurso andino con gran variedad genética y que posee alto valor agronómico-nutritivo, aunque el contenido de saponina otorga un sabor amargo que limita su comercialización; sin embargo, la saponina puede ser aprovechada en otros usos. El presente trabajo evalúa el aprovechamiento del agua de lavado de quinua como fuente de saponina y su empleo como insecticida. La cuantificación de saponina se realizó empleando el método afrosimétrico. La saponina extraída no hidrolizada se identificó mediante cromatografía de capa fina. Para evaluar la natalidad de individuos de D. melanogaster, se les expuso a distintas concentraciones de saponina: 0,1%, 0,4%, 0,7% y 0,9%; así como controles positivo (bórax) y negativo. La electroforesis de proteínas a partir de glándulas salivales e intestino de larvas en tercer estadío de D. melanogaster evidencia notorias diferencias en la expresión de proteínas entre el (T) 0,4% y el resto de tratamientos. En conclusión, la saponina puede ser considerada como un agente que dificulta la supervivencia larval de D. melanogaster debido a que la respuesta frente a éste variará conforme la concentración utilizada. Es recomendable utilizar concentraciones superiores a 0,9% para que la mortalidad sea mayor a 40% de individuos

Hydrothermal alteration of andesitic lava domes can lead to explosive volcanic behaviour

Dome-forming volcanoes are among the most hazardous volcanoes on Earth. Magmatic outgassing can be hindered if the permeability of a lava dome is reduced, promoting pore pressure augmentation and explosive behaviour. Laboratory data show that acid-sulphate alteration, common to volcanoes worldwide, can reduce the permeability on the sample lengthscale by up to four orders of magnitude and is the result of pore- and microfracture-filling mineral precipitation. Calculations using these data demonstrate that intense alteration can reduce the equivalent permeability of a dome by two orders of magnitude, which we show using numerical modelling to be sufficient to increase pore pressure. The fragmentation criterion shows that the predicted pore pressure increase is capable of fragmenting the majority of dome-forming materials, thus promoting explosive volcanism. It is crucial that hydrothermal alteration, which develops over months to years, is monitored at dome-forming volcanoes and is incorporated into real-time hazard assessments

SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome

The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at first patient’s hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log10 copies/mL. Disease severity at the end of follow up was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. Primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death (n = 85, 26.4%). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load over the second quartile (≥ 7.35 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.003) and second tertile (≥ 8.27 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.01) were associated to unfavorable outcome in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. However, in the final multivariable analysis, viral load was not independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. Five predictors were independently associated with increased odds of ICU admission and/or death: age ≥ 70 years, SpO2, neutrophils > 7.5 × 103/µL, lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 300 U/L, and C-reactive protein ≥ 100 mg/L. In summary, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load on admission is generally high in patients with COVID-19, regardless of illness severity, but it cannot be used as an independent predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome

Dendritic cell deficiencies persist seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV)-2 infection induces an exacerbated inflammation driven by innate immunity components. Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the defense against viral infections, for instance plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs), have the capacity to produce vast amounts of interferon-alpha (IFN-α). In COVID-19 there is a deficit in DC numbers and IFN-α production, which has been associated with disease severity. In this work, we described that in addition to the DC deficiency, several DC activation and homing markers were altered in acute COVID-19 patients, which were associated with multiple inflammatory markers. Remarkably, previously hospitalized and nonhospitalized patients remained with decreased numbers of CD1c+ myeloid DCs and pDCs seven months after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, the expression of DC markers such as CD86 and CD4 were only restored in previously nonhospitalized patients, while no restoration of integrin β7 and indoleamine 2,3-dyoxigenase (IDO) levels were observed. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the immunological sequelae of COVID-19

A survey of the clinicopathological and molecular characteristics of patients with suspected Lynch syndrome in Latin America

Background: Genetic counselling and testing for Lynch syndrome (LS) have recently been introduced in several Latin America countries. We aimed to characterize the clinical, molecular and mismatch repair (MMR) variants spectrum of patients with suspected LS in Latin America. Methods: Eleven LS hereditary cancer registries and 34 published LS databases were used to identify unrelated families that fulfilled the Amsterdam II (AMSII) criteria and/or the Bethesda guidelines or suggestive of a dominant colorectal (CRC) inheritance syndrome. Results: We performed a thorough investigation of 15 countries and identified 6 countries where germline genetic testing for LS is available and 3 countries where tumor testing is used in the LS diagnosis. The spectrum of pathogenic MMR variants included MLH1 up to 54%, MSH2 up to 43%, MSH6 up to 10%, PMS2 up to 3% and EPCAM up to 0.8%. The Latin America MMR spectrum is broad with a total of 220 different variants which 80% were private and 20% were recurrent. Frequent regions included exons 11 of MLH1 (15%), exon 3 and 7 of MSH2 (17 and 15%, respectively), exon 4 of MSH6 (65%), exons 11 and 13 of PMS2 (31% and 23%, respectively). Sixteen international founder variants in MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6 were identified and 41 (19%) variants have not previously been reported, thus representing novel genetic variants in the MMR genes. The AMSII criteria was the most used clinical criteria to identify pathogenic MMR carriers although microsatellite instability, immunohistochemistry and family history are still the primary methods in several countries where no genetic testing for LS is available yet. Conclusion: The Latin America LS pathogenic MMR variants spectrum included new variants, frequently altered genetic regions and potential founder effects, emphasizing the relevance implementing Lynch syndrome genetic testing and counseling in all of Latin America countries.Radium Hospital Foundation (Oslo, Norway) in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript, Helse Sør-Øst (Norway) in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing the manuscript, the French Association Recherche contre le Cancer (ARC) in the analysis, and interpretation of data, the Groupement des Entreprises Françaises dans la Lutte contre le Cancer (Gefluc) in the analysis, and interpretation of data, the Association Nationale de la Recherche et de la Technologie (ANRT, CIFRE PhD fellowship to H.T.) in the analysis, and interpretation of data and by the OpenHealth Institute in the analysis, and interpretation of data. Barretos Cancer Hospital received financial support by FINEP-CT-INFRA (02/2010)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Afro-Mexican History: Trends and Directions in Scholarship

This article surveys the development of a relatively new and vibrant subfield in Latin American History, mapping out the major stages of its evolution and signaling key intellectual debates. While much of the scholarship on Afro-Mexican history has been produced in the last thirty-five years, this article aims to contextualize these writings within a broader historical framework. This process shows more clearly the various independent and interdependent tracks that exist within the study of Mexico’s black population.Pennsylvania State University’s Africana Research Cente

Determinación de la actividad insecticida de la saponina de la quinua (Chenopodium quinoa) en larvas de Drosophila melanogaster

Chenopodium quinoa es un fitorecurso andino con gran variedad genética y que posee alto valor agronómico-nutritivo, aunque el contenido de saponina otorga un sabor amargo que limita su comercialización; sin embargo, la saponina puede ser aprovechada en otros usos. El presente trabajo evalúa el aprovechamiento del agua de lavado de quinua como fuente de saponina y su empleo como insecticida. La cuantificación de saponina se realizó empleando el método afrosimétrico. La saponina extraída no hidrolizada se identificó mediante cromatografía de capa fina. Para evaluar la natalidad de individuos de D. melanogaster, se les expuso a distintas concentraciones de saponina: 0,1%, 0,4%, 0,7% y 0,9%; así como controles positivo (bórax) y negativo. La electroforesis de proteínas a partir de glándulas salivales e intestino de larvas en tercer estadío de D. melanogaster evidencia notorias diferencias en la expresión de proteínas entre el (T) 0,4% y el resto de tratamientos. En conclusión, la saponina puede ser considerada como un agente que dificulta la supervivencia larval de D. melanogaster debido a que la respuesta frente a éste variará conforme la concentración utilizada. Es recomendable utilizar concentraciones superiores a 0,9% para que la mortalidad sea mayor a 40% de individuos

Aspectos da tomografia computadorizada craniana na neurocisticercose na infância

Os autores relatam aspectos tomográficos da neurocisticercose na infância a propósito da análise de 27 exames em 18 pacientes, que foram distribuídos em três grupos segundo o quadru clínico e os achados tomográficos. O grupo 1 foi caracterizado basicamente por epilepsias e calcificações. O grupo 2 caracterizou-se por hipertensão intracraniana e diversos aspectos tomográficos: edema, cistos e nódulos em três pacientes; hidrocefalia e calcificações em dois pacientes e normal em um paciente. O grupo 3 consistiu clinicamente de epilepsia e cefaléia, com vários padrões tomográficos. Os resultados são discutidos à luz da literatura disponível

Disease-specific phenotypes in dopamine neurons from human iPS-based models of genetic and sporadic Parkinson's disease.

19nonenoneSánchez-Danés A; Richaud-Patin Y; Carballo-Carbajal I; Jiménez-Delgado S; Caig C; Mora S; Di Guglielmo C; Ezquerra M; Patel B; Giralt A; Canals JM; Memo M; Alberch J; López-Barneo J; Vila M; Cuervo AM; Tolosa E; Consiglio A; Raya A.Sánchez Danés, A; Richaud Patin, Y; Carballo Carbajal, I; Jiménez Delgado, S; Caig, C; Mora, S; Di Guglielmo, C; Ezquerra, M; Patel, B; Giralt, A; Canals, Jm; Memo, Maurizio; Alberch, J; López Barneo, J; Vila, M; Cuervo, Am; Tolosa, E; Consiglio, A; Raya, A