Late Protein Synthesis-Dependent Phases in CTA Long-Term Memory: BDNF Requirement

It has been proposed that long-term memory (LTM) persistence requires a late protein synthesis-dependent phase, even many hours after memory acquisition. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an essential protein synthesis product that has emerged as one of the most potent molecular mediators for long-term synaptic plasticity. Studies in the rat hippocampus have been shown that BDNF is capable to rescue the late-phase of long-term potentiation as well as the hippocampus-related LTM when protein synthesis was inhibited. Our previous studies on the insular cortex (IC), a region of the temporal cortex implicated in the acquisition and storage of conditioned taste aversion (CTA), have demonstrated that intracortical delivery of BDNF reverses the deficit in CTA memory caused by the inhibition of IC protein synthesis due to anisomycin administration during early acquisition. In this work, we first analyze whether CTA memory storage is protein synthesis-dependent in different time windows. We observed that CTA memory become sensible to protein synthesis inhibition 5 and 7 h after acquisition. Then, we explore the effect of BDNF delivery (2 μg/2 μl per side) in the IC during those late protein synthesis-dependent phases. Our results show that BDNF reverses the CTA memory deficit produced by protein synthesis inhibition in both phases. These findings support the notion that recurrent rounds of consolidation-like events take place in the neocortex for maintenance of CTA memory trace and that BDNF is an essential component of these processes

Ausentismo laboral por enfermedad de origen infeccioso en una institución forense

Objective: To characterize work absenteeism due to an infectious disease in a Forensic Institution in the City of Cali (Colombia). Methodology: Descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted on a database of 179 medical disabilities due to infectious disease in a forensic institution in the city of Cali, Colombia during the years 2011 and 2012. Sociodemographic and work variables were determined such as: age, sex, schooling, trade, position, seniority, working hours, disability time and work area. Disabilities were classified as less than and equal to 3 days and greater than 3 days. Infectious diseases were classified by systems: respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin, and others. Results: More than half (50.6%) of the studied population presented absenteeism due to diseases of infectious origin. Most (58%) were due to diseases of respiratory origin. The women presented greater absenteeism (56%) and the forensic office presented the highest prevalence of absenteeism (73%). The pathology area presented the highest absenteeism with 23%. A significant relationship was found between age and absenteeism due to an infectious disease. Conclusions: The staff of the Forensic Institution is highly affected by infectious diseases of the respiratory and gastrointestinal type, generating a high volume of disabilities.Objetivo: Caracterizar el ausentismo laboral por enfermedad de origen infeccioso en una Institución Forense de la Ciudad de Cali (Colombia). Metodología: Estudio descriptivo, de corte transversal realizado una base de datos de 179 incapacidades médicas por enfermedad infecciosa en una institución forense de la ciudad de Cali, Colombia durante los años 2011 y 2012. Se determinaron variables sociodemográficas y laborales como: edad, sexo, escolaridad, oficio, cargo, antigüedad laboral, jornada laboral, tiempo de incapacidad y área laboral. Las incapacidades se clasificaron en menor e igual a 3 días y mayor a 3 días. Las enfermedades infecciosas se clasificaron por sistemas: respiratorias, gastrointestinales, de piel y otras. Resultados: Más de la mitad (50,6%) de la población estudiada presento ausentismo laboral por enfermedades de origen infeccioso. La mayoría (58%) fueron por enfermedades de origen respiratorio. Las mujeres presentaron mayor ausentismo (56%) y el oficio forense presento la mayor prevalencia de ausentismo (73%). El área de patología presento el mayor ausentismo con un 23%. Se encontró una relación significativa entre la edad y el ausentismo por enfermedad de origen infeccioso. Conclusiones: El personal de la Institución Forense está altamente afectado por enfermedades infecciosas de tipo respiratorio y gastrointestinal generando alto volumen de incapacidades

Loss of One Engrailed1 Allele Enhances Induced α-Synucleinopathy

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a synucleinopathy that has multiple neuropathological characteristics, with nigrostriatal dopamine system degeneration being a core feature. Current models of PD pathology typically fail to recapitulate several attributes of the pathogenic process and neuropathology. We aimed to define the effects of combining a mouse model exhibiting multiple PD-like changes with intrastriatal injections of α-synuclein (α-syn) pre-formed fibril (PFFs) aggregates. We employed the heterozygous Engrailed 1 (En1+/–) mouse that features several pathophysiological hallmarks of clinical PD.La enfermedad de Parkinson (EP) es una sinucleinopatía que tiene múltiples características neuropatológicas, siendo la degeneración del sistema dopaminérgico nigroestriatal una característica central. Los modelos actuales de patología de la EP generalmente no logran recapitular varios atributos del proceso patogénico y la neuropatología. Nuestro objetivo fue definir los efectos de combinar un modelo de ratón que presentaba múltiples cambios similares a los de la EP con inyecciones intraestriatales de agregados de fibrillas preformadas (PFF) de α-sinucleína (α-syn). Empleamos el ratón heterocigoto Engrailed 1 (En1+/–) que presenta varias características fisiopatológicas de la EP clínica

Specific immune modulation of experimental colitis drives enteric alpha-synuclein accumulation and triggers age-related Parkinson-like brain pathology

Background: In some people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), a-synuclein (αSyn) accumulation may begin in the enteric nervous system (ENS) decades before development of brain pathology and disease diagnosis. Objective: To determine how different types and severity of intestinal inflammation could trigger αSyn accumulation in the ENS and the subsequent development of αSyn brain pathology. Methods: We assessed the effects of modulating short- and long-term experimental colitis on αSyn accumulation in the gut of αSyn transgenic and wild type mice by immunostaining and gene expression analysis. To determine the long-term effect on the brain, we induced dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis in young αSyn transgenic mice and aged them under normal conditions up to 9 or 21 months before tissue analyses. Results: A single strong or sustained mild DSS colitis triggered αSyn accumulation in the submucosal plexus of wild type and αSyn transgenic mice, while short-term mild DSS colitis or inflammation induced by lipopolysaccharide did not have such an effect. Genetic and pharmacological modulation of macrophage-associated pathways modulated the severity of enteric αSyn. Remarkably, experimental colitis at three months of age exacerbated the accumulation of aggregated phospho-Serine 129 αSyn in the midbrain (including the substantia nigra), in 21- but not 9-month-old αSyn transgenic mice. This increase in midbrain αSyn accumulation is accompanied by the loss of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive nigral neurons. Conclusions: Our data suggest that specific types and severity of intestinal inflammation, mediated by monocyte/macrophage signaling, could play a critical role in the initiation and progression of PD

The origin and speciation of orchids

SummaryOrchids constitute one of the most spectacular radiations of flowering plants. However, their origin, spread across the globe, and hotspots of speciation remain uncertain due to the lack of an up-to-date phylogeographic analysis.We present a new Orchidaceae phylogeny based on combined high-throughput and Sanger sequencing data, covering all five subfamilies, 17/22 tribes, 40/49 subtribes, 285/736 genera, and c. 7% (1921) of the 29 524 accepted species, and use it to infer geographic range evolution, diversity, and speciation patterns by adding curated geographical distributions from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants.The orchids' most recent common ancestor is inferred to have lived in Late Cretaceous Laurasia. The modern range of Apostasioideae, which comprises two genera with 16 species from India to northern Australia, is interpreted as relictual, similar to that of numerous other groups that went extinct at higher latitudes following the global climate cooling during the Oligocene. Despite their ancient origin, modern orchid species diversity mainly originated over the last 5 Ma, with the highest speciation rates in Panama and Costa Rica.These results alter our understanding of the geographic origin of orchids, previously proposed as Australian, and pinpoint Central America as a region of recent, explosive speciation

Factores de riesgo psicosociales y ambientales asociados a trastornos mentales

In Colombia, there are few studies on the association of psychosocial and environmental factors with the most prevalent mental disorders; such studies are important due to the context of violence, social insecurity, and job and economic instability in the country. The objective of this study was to identify the psychosocial and environmental risk factors for mental disorders, in users of psychological services in Colombia. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and a Questionnaire to evaluate the Axis-IV of the DSM-IV-TR were applied to 490 participants. The analysis comprised descriptive statistics and risk factors. As risk factors for depression, there were identified housing problems, access to health care services, problems related to the primary group, economics, problems of the social environment, and labor. For generalized anxiety, there were identified economic and education issues. For panic disorders, the risk factors were related to social environment, and for social phobia, the risk factors were problems in education, work and social environment.En Colombia, son escasos los estudios sobre la asociación de los factores psicosociales y medioambientales con trastornos mentales de mayor prevalencia; tales estudios son necesarios debido al contexto de violencia, inseguridad social e inestabilidad laboral y económica del país. El objetivo de este estudio fue identificar los factores de riesgo psicosociales y ambientales de los trastornos mentales, en los usuarios de servicios de psicología de Colombia. Para ello, se aplicaron el MiniInternational Neuropsychiatric Interview y un cuestionario de evaluación del Eje IV del DSM-IV-TR, a 490 participantes. Se utilizaron análisis descriptivos y de factores de riesgo. Como factor de riesgo para la depresión, se identificaron los problemas de vivienda, acceso a los servicios de asistencia sanitaria, los relativos al grupo primario, los económicos, del ambiente social y los problemas laborales. Para la ansiedad generalizada se identificaron los problemas económicos y los relativos a la enseñanza. Para los trastornos de pánico, fueron relevantes los problemas relacionados con el ambiente social, y para la fobia social, los problemas de enseñanza, los laborales y el ambiente social

Consenso colombiano de atención, diagnóstico y manejo de la infección por SARS-COV-2/COVID-19 en establecimientos de atención de la salud Recomendaciones basadas en consenso de expertos e informadas en la evidencia

The “Asociación Colombiana de Infectología” (ACIN) and the “Instituto de Evaluación de Nuevas Tecnologías de la Salud” (IETS) created a task force to develop recommendations for Covid 19 health care diagnosis, management and treatment informed, and based, on evidence. Theses reccomendations are addressed to the health personnel on the Colombian context of health services. © 2020 Asociacion Colombiana de Infectologia. All rights reserved

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group