Is sunlight good for our heart?

Humans evolved being exposed for about half of the day to the light of the sun. Nowadays, exposure to sunlight is actively discouraged for fear of skin cancer, and contemporary lifestyles are associated with long hours spent under artificial light indoors. Besides an increasing appreciation for the adverse effects of these life-style-related behavioural changes on our chronobiology, the balance between the beneficial and harmful effects of sunlight on human health is the subject of considerable debate, in both the scientific and popular press, and the latter is of major public health significance. While there is incontrovertible evidence that ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in the form of sunlight is a significant predisposing factor for non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers in pale skinned people,1 a growing body of data suggest general health benefits brought about by sunlight.2 These are believed to be mediated either by melatonin or vitamin D. Melatonin is produced from serotonin by the pineal gland located in the centre of the brain during periods of darkness, and its release is suppressed as a function of the visible light intensity sensed through ocular photoreceptors. Vitamin D is formed by ultraviolet B (UVB)-mediated photolysis of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin. Both melatonin and vitamin D are pleiotropic hormones that exert a multitude of cellular effects by interacting with membrane and nuclear receptors, and receptor-independent actions. People with more heavily pigmented skin require higher doses of UVB to produce adequate amounts of vitamin D, and this may have been an evolutionary driver to the variation of human skin colour with latitude and intensity of solar irradiation. Our degree of exposure to sunlight is easily modified by behavioural factors such as the use of clothing, sunglasses, and sun-blocking creams, and time spent outdoors. Balancing the carcinogenic risks with the requirement for vitamin D has led to advice on moderating sun exposure, while supplementing food with vitamin D. Guidance on such behaviour is part of the public health campaigns in most countries with Caucasian populations. Following these suggestions, we may, however, be missing out on other health benefits provided by natural sunlight that are less obvious and unrelated to the above classical mediators

Vehicle and Pedestrian Detection in Traffic Videos Using Convolutional Neural Networks

One of the major applications of computer vision is the analysis of the traffic scene on the road, and how pedestrian traffic affects traffic in general. Road sizes and traffic signals must constantly adapt. Counting and classifying vehicles and pedestrians at an intersection is an exhausting task, and despite the use of traffic control systems, human interaction is very necessary to perform such a task. The object of study of Deep Learning is to try to solve problems that require artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence has been working in this field for years, with different approaches and algorithms. It has achieved an important emergence in the recognition of patterns in images and videos using these techniques, to the point of surpassing human capacity in some problems. An important factor in this development is the ability to process large volumes of information in applications, which has resulted in the devices used for this purpose, such as GPU’s and multi-core CPU’s, requiring a large amount of power to operate. For the development of the application of vehicle and pedestrian detection in traffic videos, YOLO V3 was used, which is a neural network model of the latest generation of real-time objects. Keywords: yoloV3, Deep Learning, Convolucional Network. Resumen Una de las mayores aplicaciones de la visión por computadora es el análisis de la escena de tráfico en la carretera, y cómo el tráfico de peatones afecta al tráfico en general. Los tamaños de las carreteras y las señales de tráfico deben adaptarse constantemente. Contar y clasificar vehículos y peatones en una intersección es una tarea agotadora y, a pesar del uso de sistemas de control de tráfico, la interacción humana es muy necesaria para realizar dicha tarea. El objeto de estudio de Deep Learning, es intentar resolver problemas que requieren inteligencia artificial. La inteligencia artificial ha trabajado en este campo durante años, con diferentes enfoques y algoritmos. Ha logrado un surgimiento importante en el reconocimiento de patrones en imágenes y videos usando estas técnicas, hasta el punto de superar la capacidad humana en algunos problemas. Un importante factor de este desarrollo es la capacidad de procesar grandes volúmenes de información en aplicaciones, lo que ha dado como resultado que los dispositivos utilizados para este propósito, como GPU’s y CPU’s multinúcleo, requieran una gran cantidad de energía para operar. Para el desarrollo de la aplicación de Detección de vehículos y peatones en videos de tráfico, fue utilizado YOLO V3, que es un modelo de red neuronal de la última generación de objetos en tiempo real. Palabras Clave: yoloV3, Aprendizaje profundo, Red convoluciona

The XIIIth Banff Conference on Allograft Pathology: The Banff 2015 Heart Meeting Report: Improving Antibody-Mediated Rejection Diagnostics: Strengths, Unmet Needs, and Future Directions.

The 13th Banff Conference on Allograft Pathology was held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada from October 5 to 10, 2015. The cardiac session was devoted to current diagnostic issues in heart transplantation with a focus on antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) and small vessel arteriopathy. Specific topics included the strengths and limitations of the current rejection grading system, the central role of microvascular injury in AMR and approaches to semiquantitative assessment of histopathologic and immunophenotypic indicators, the role of AMR in the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy, the important role of serologic antibody detection in the management of transplant recipients, and the potential application of new molecular approaches to the elucidation of the pathophysiology of AMR and potential for improving the current diagnostic system. Herein we summarize the key points from the presentations, the comprehensive, open and wide-ranging multidisciplinary discussion that was generated, and considerations for future endeavors

Canine and feline histoplasmosis: clinical signs, diagnostic methods and treatment

La histoplasmosis es una enfermedad zoonótica, causada por el hongo dimórfico Histoplasma capsulatum, endémica en zonas tropicales, subtropicales y templadas de América y África. Suelos con abundante materia orgánica, excremento de aves y guano de murciélagos constituyen el nicho ecológico de este microorganismo. Esta micosis puede afectar a gran variedad de mamíferos. En esta revisión bibliográfica se aborda el tema de la histoplasmosis canina y felina, haciendo referencia, principalmente, a los métodos diagnósticos directos e indirectos empleados para su identificación. Además, se describen las manifestaciones clínicas características de cada fase de la enfermedad y su tratamiento y se presenta un algoritmo de diagnóstico.Histoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease affecting a wide variety of animals caused by Histoplasma capsulatum, a dimorphic fungus endemic in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of America and Africa. Soil with abundant organic material, bird droppings and bat guano, constitutes the ecological niche of this microorganism. In this literature review the issue of canine and feline histoplasmosis is addressed, referring mainly to direct and indirect diagnostic methods employed for identification. Clinical manifestations characteristic of each stage of the disease and their treatments are described; also, a diagnostic algorithm is presented.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

The Spin-Orbit Evolution of GJ 667C System: The Effect of Composition and Other Planet’s Perturbations

Potentially habitable planets within the habitable zone of M dwarfs are affected by tidal interaction. We studied tidal evolution in GJ 667C using a numerical code we call TIDEV. We reviewed the problem of dynamical evolution, focusing on the effects of a rheological treatment, different compositions and the inclusion of orbital perturbations on the spin-down time and the probability of becoming trapped in a low spin-orbit resonance. The composition has a noticeable effect on the spin-down time, which changes, in some cases, by almost a factor of 2 with respect to the value estimated for a reference Earth-like model. We calculated the time required to reach a low resonance value (3:2) for a configuration of six planets. Capture probabilities are affected when assuming different compositions and eccentricity variations. We chose planets b and c to evaluate the probabilities of capture in resonances below 5:2 for two compositions: Earth-like and Waterworld planets. We found that perturbations, although having a secular effect on eccentricities, have a low impact on capture probabilities and no effect on spin-down times. The implications of the eccentricity variations and actual habitability of the GJ 667C system are discussed.Facultad de Ciencias Astronómicas y Geofísica

Ensayos de contrarresto químico de las malezas de fríjol en Colombia :

Fríjol-Phaseolus vulgari

Cardiac metabolomics and autopsy in a patient with early diffuse systemic sclerosis presenting with dyspnea: a case report

Introduction Diffuse systemic sclerosis is associated with high mortality; however, the pathogenesis of cardiac death in these patients is not clear. Case presentation A 56-year-old Caucasian female patient presented with dyspnea and requested to donate her body to science in order to improve understanding of diffuse systemic sclerosis pathogenesis. She had extensive testing for dyspnea including pulmonary function tests, an echocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and right heart catheterization to characterize her condition. Her case highlights the morbidity seen in this disease, including the presence of extensive skin thickening, digital ulcerations, and scleroderma renal crisis. Conclusion In this case report, we present the finding of cardiac tissue metabolomics, which may indicate a problem with vasodilation as a contributor to cardiac death in diffuse systemic sclerosis. The use of autopsy and tissue metabolomics in rare disease may help clarify disease pathogenesis

Chronic allograft nephropathy: expression and localization of PAI-1 and PPAR-c

Abstract Background. Chronic allograft nephropathy (CAN) is a major cause of loss of renal allografts. Mechanisms postulated to be involved include sequelae of rejection, warm ischaemia time, drug toxicity, ongoing hypertension and dyslipidaemia. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) is implicated not only in thrombo

Low-Dose Naltrexone for Pruritus in Systemic Sclerosis

Pruritus is a common symptom in systemic sclerosis (SSc), an autoimmune disease which causes fibrosis and vasculopathy in skin, lung, and gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Unfortunately, pruritus has limited treatment options in this disease. Pilot trials of low-dose naltrexone hydrochloride (LDN) for pruritus, pain, and quality of life (QOL) in other GIT diseases have been successful. In this case series we report three patients that had significant improvement in pruritus and total GIT symptoms as measured by the 10-point faces scale and the University of California Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract 2.0 (UCLA SCTC GIT 2.0) questionnaire. This small case series suggests LDN may be an effective, highly tolerable, and inexpensive treatment for pruritus and GIT symptoms in SSc

I Congreso Hispano-Americano de Nefrologia

Primeríssim primer pla d'un edifici d'habitatges al carrer Argenter, 2. El seu nivell de catalogació és el B